News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. News / National by Thobekile Zhou War veterans have torn into Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere for turning his office into firing members instead of mass recruiting.A war veteran representative at the crunch meeting with President Robert Mugabe in Harare said the developments are worrying."The duty of the Commissar is mass mobilisation and education, not expelling people from the party" said the representative in a live broadcast.They also said the politburo disciplinary committee is now a 'complainant, prosecutor and judge', no fair trials no room for appeal.The veterans added that they "condemn leaders who accuse others of being "secessionists" while expelling others without due process". Pent-up anticipation in Orange County for the debut of international grocery giant Aldi is about reach a crescendo. The extreme discounter, which made its California debut two weeks ago in the Inland Empire, will open its next 10 stores April 21, including three in Anaheim, Fountain Valley and Buena Park. The California store openings mark the beginning of Aldis march West. To date, Aldi has revealed 27 of its 45 California locations planned for this year. Aldi executive Gordon Nesbit said the chain has not revealed where its scouting other locations, but during a phone interview this week, he confirmed Orange County will have more than three stores. Theres at least another dozen stores were pursuing, said Nesbit. Also opening April 21 are stores in Arcadia, Cerritos, Covina, Inglewood, La Verne, Palmdale, and San Bernardino. Aldi said it expects more stores to open in the Los Angeles area and the Inland Empire. The German-born Aldi, which has family ties to Trader Joes, operates 1,500 stores in 32 U.S. states. The chain, with its U.S. headquarters is in Batavia, Ill., sells private label copycats of the 1,500 most popular groceries. In California, stores will be larger and have a wider assortment of items including wine and produce. When the first eight stores opened last month, thousands of curious bargain hunters made a grab for everything from raw chicken drumsticks to frozen pizzas to dog kennels. Stores from Palm Springs to Lake Elsinore stocked knockoffs of top-selling labels such as Heineken beer, cereals from General Mills and Pop-Tarts. At the Palm Springs store, Aldis Millville Honey Nut Crispy Oats is $1.19, while the General Mills box of Honey Nut Cheerios costs $2.89. The chain guarantees the quality of its low-price store brands, which Aldi says can save shoppers up to 50 percent on their grocery bills. Shopping at Aldi is risk free to consumers, Nesbit said during a phone interview this week. Aldis low-prices on popular goods poses trouble for other supermarket discounters. Industry analysts say Aldi is expected to hurt rivals whose only bargaining chip is low prices. That includes brands such as Walmart, Ralphs and dollar stores. If you are known for low prices and dont differentiate yourself in assortment or service or goods and your whole mantra is about prices, you should be worried. Aldi will beat you on price, said Craig Rosenblum, a grocery analyst and partner at Willard Bishop. In California, Aldi is tweaking its store selections to satisfy local shoppers, Nesbit said. Most Aldi stores carry about 1,500 items, but California stores will stock about 1,750. Much of the beefed up selection is in the wine and produce departments. While most Aldi stores offer about 80 to 90 types of fruits and vegetables, California stores will have closer to 120. New items include key limes, baby mangos, chili peppers (poblano, serrano, jalapeno and Anaheim) and tomatillos. Produce aisles also will carry more organic fruits and vegetables. In a nod to the large Hispanic community, stores will be stocked with a larger assortment of Hispanic products. Some are name-brand products such as Goya and Jarritos. Aldi works with food manufacturers across the U.S. to create its store brands, which are sold under the names Millville, Savoritz, Clancys, and Reggano. In many cases, products are made by the national brand that Aldi is trying to knockoff. Fewer labor costs also keeps prices down. Like the defunct British-born concept Fresh & Easy, groceries are sold in stacked shipping cartons. This eliminates the need to hire extra employees for stocking shelves. Aldi stores dont have full-service butcher or bakery departments. Shoppers also bag their own groceries. Nesbit said the chain is pleased, so far, with the reaction it has received from Inland Empire shoppers. The company has not made any adjustments to newly opened stores based on shopper feedback, he added. Were only two weeks in. Were still feeling out what is selling, he said. Register staff writer Hannah Madans contributed to this report. SANTA ANA A 29-year-old man was found guilty of being involved in a fight at a Lake Forest nightclub but jurors determined that he was not armed with a knife during the parking-lot altercation. An Orange County Superior Court jury on Tuesday afternoon acquitted Adrian Arroyo of felony assault with a deadly weapon charges, instead finding him guilty of lesser, misdemeanor charges of simple battery. In August 2014, there was a confrontation between two groups that ended with several people getting stabbed. The disagreement began when a woman playfully threw ice at a friend inside the club, but missed and struck another woman. Arroyo was one of several people charged. During a routine pretrial hearing on March 9, an attorney and an investigator with the Orange County District Attorneys Office involved in the case reportedly came to blows in a courthouse hallway, an incident that made headlines. Attorney James Crawford was representing a witness in the Arroyo case, while D.A. Investigator Dillon Alley was assisting the prosecution team. Both acknowledged that heated words were exchanged outside the courtroom, but blamed the other man for starting the physical altercation. Contact the writer: semery@ocregister.com April 7 Duckhorn Vineyards Winemaker Dinner: Hosted by winemaker Renee Ary. Includes five-course dinner paired with Duckhorn wines. 6:30 p.m. at Antonello Ristorante, 3800 S. Plaza Drive, Santa Ana. $100. Limited seating. Reservations: 714-751-7153 or info@antonello.com. Through April 13 SOL Cocina Presents Moles & Mezcal: 2nd Annual Mole Festival highlights recipes from Executive Chef Deborah Schneiders most recent cookbook, Salsas and Moles. Specials served as entrees during dinner hours: shrimp in green mole with pepitas and cilantro; grilled chicken breast with mole Poblano; machaca taquitos enmolada with red mole sauce, crema, lettuce, pico de gallo and Mexican cheese. Mezcal cocktail specials: Vino Sangre red wine, ginger beer with Kemo Sabe reposado mezcal; Sabe Fuerte pineapple mint with chile con lime with Kemo Sabe blanco. SOL Cocina Newport Beach, 251 E. Pacific Coast Highway. Info: solcocina.com. April 19 The Big Cheese Grilled Cheese Festival & Competition: In celebration of National Grilled Cheese Month, Provisions Market and OC Baking Company will join forces to host this tasting event. 6-8 p.m. at Provisions Market, 143 N. Glassell St., Orange. Info: provisionsmarkets.com. April 23 Bombay Brunch Cooking Class: Chef Shachi Mehra will be putting an Indian spin on brunch with easy recipes. 11 a.m. at ADYA, 440 S. Anaheim Blvd. #201, Anaheim. $30. Reservations: 714-533-2392. Compiled by MAURICE ALCALA, staff writer News / National by Staff Reporter President Robert Mugabe has promised to look into problems rocking the war veterans much t their concerns why has it taken the government too long to address the issue.In a shocking revelation, Mugabe said in the 2013 elections, he pleaded with army chiefs to reclaim electoral victory and assured them to retain their positions after the victory.He says the military chiefs should have retired then, but because they worked so hard in the 2013 elections, they were kept in their positions."The war veterans' demands will be looked at depending on what Finance minister (Patrick Chinamasa) will say," he said.He, once again, blamed sanctions and said things are easing up. This is despite the gloomy economic outlook that Zimbabwe is facing as companies shut down amid a deepening cash crisis."We are in a difficult position due to sanctions..but things are easing up," he said.The opposition parties have always accused Mugabe of manipulating the country's electoral system by militarizing it.Mugabe appeared to duck the issues raised by the war veterans as he rattles on about political power dynamics in elections in Zimbabwe, focusing on the 2008 elections where he lost to Morgan Tsvangirai and accusing former Vice-President Joice Mujuru of de-campaigning him.President Mugabe went down the history lane, narrating the path of the liberation struggle. He then emphasised that war veterans need to unite."I have actually suggested to (Secretary for War Veterans in Zanu PF Sydney ) Sekeramayi that we will meet again in 2017.Zvichemo zvaiswa apa zvizvhinji zvisina kuzadziswa, you are pleading for help on your welfare we were forced into a coalition with (Opposition MDC-T leader Morgan) Tsvangirai because of some of our leaderswe have to safeguard the values of the party," he said. The impact of Justice Antonin Scalias death was apparent when the Supreme Court, by a 4-4 tie last month, gave public-employee unions a huge victory. For decades, foes of unions have wanted the Supreme Court declare unconstitutional the requirement that nonunion members must pay their share of the union dues that go to support the collective bargaining activities of the union. After Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association was argued Jan. 11, it seemed certain that there were five votes against the unions. But Justice Scalias death Feb. 13 occurred before the court released its opinion and the court was left deadlocked 4-4. In 1977, in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that no one can be forced to join a public employee union. But the court held that nonunion members can be required to pay the share of union dues that support the collective bargaining activities of the union, though not the part of dues that support union political activities. The courts decision in Abood was based on the express premise that nonunion members benefit greatly from the union in their wages, their working conditions, and the representation they receive. The court explained that they should not be able to be free riders, benefiting from collective bargaining without having to pay their fair share of the costs. Both government entities and unions have relied on this for decades in entering into thousands of contracts governing the workplace. In recent years, the five most conservative justices on the court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito have limited Abood and indicated a likely desire to overrule it. For example, in Harris v. Quinn, in 2014, Justice Alito, writing for these five justices, referred to Abood as an anomaly and inconsistent with the First Amendment. The court did not go so far as to overrule Abood, but certainly suggested that the majority would be willing to do so in a case that directly presented that issue to the justices. Friedrichs was filed in federal court in Orange County with the goal of it being a vehicle for the Supreme Court to overrule Abood. The district court and the federal court of appeals cannot overrule a Supreme Court precedent and dismissed the lawsuit. But the Supreme Court granted review on the question of whether it should overrule Abood and the many decisions based on it. The case was argued Jan. 11 and it was clear that the unions were going to lose. Not one of the five conservative justices on the bench left the slightest doubt as to how he was going to rule. Nor was there any question that the four liberal justices would vote to reaffirm Abood. The implications were dire for public employee unions in California and over 20 other states where nonunion members must pay their fair share of union dues. Unions not only would lose this revenue, but it was expected that many workers would end their union memberships. Many join since they have to pay, but without this requirement, fewer would become members. Public employees unions would be greatly weakened in their bargaining power and in their political influence. Of course, this is exactly what the challengers were trying to accomplish. The court would be making right to work a constitutional requirement. Over half the states have adopted right-to-work laws that provide that nonunion members cannot be forced to pay for the share of the union dues that go to support collective bargaining. In all these states, there has been a significant decrease in union membership, revenues and political influence. Overruling Abood would use the Constitution to impose this on the entire country. But without Justice Scalia, there was not a fifth vote for this result. When the court splits 4-4, the lower courts decision is affirmed by an evenly divided court. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling upholding Abood v. Detroit Board of Education stands. Public employees in California must continue to pay the share of the union dues that support the collective bargaining activities of the union. What will happen in the future will depend on who replaces Justice Scalia and who fills other likely vacancies in the years ahead. If Merrick Garland is confirmed, or another Democratic appointee takes Justice Scalias place, Aboods future is likely secure. If a Republican wins in November and gets to pick Scalias replacement, Aboods demise was only delayed. If the court had released its opinion in Friedrichs before Feb. 13, the fate of public employee unions would be very different. As in so much of life, timing and fortuity is everything. Erwin Chemerinsky is dean of the UC Irvine School of Law. DENVER While the focus of the Republican presidential campaign shifts eastward to the New York primary, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is pivoting west, where he is quietly trying to chip away at Donald Trumps lead in the race for convention delegates. Cruz won six pledged delegates during a pair of obscure, congressional-level Colorado GOP assemblies on Saturday. He is also poised to make gains in several other western Republican contests, including a possible sweep of Colorados remaining assemblies, due to conclude Saturday. Cruzs success in the complex delegate game is helping him counter Trumps headline-grabbing wins in big states and would give the Texas senator a tactical advantage should the partys presidential nomination come down to a rare contested convention. Cruz is ahead of everyone on this, Republican election lawyer Ben Ginsberg said, describing Cruzs aggressive but quiet delegate strategy as equally important to the actual votes. Cruz has racked up some outright popular vote victories, most recently by soundly winning Wisconsins primary Tuesday and squeezing Trumps narrow, but achievable, path to the nomination. Still, Trump is heavily-favored in the upcoming round of northeastern primaries, especially in the billionaires home state of New York on April 19. Thats why Cruzs team has been busy at work in states like North Dakota, where convention delegates are selected directly by party officials. These tedious, complicated and insider-heavy events are key to the partys organizational structure, a concept new to Trump but not to Cruz, who rose to prominence in Texas through the GOPs grassroots. Trumps campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but he has previously complained that caucuses are unrepresentative, and said that delegate fights are tricks to subvert the voters will. Cruz has outmaneuvered Trump in all the caucus states, beginning in Iowa. In North Dakota last week, he scooped up endorsements from delegates selected at the partys state convention Saturday. All 28 of North Dakotas delegates will go to the national convention free to support the candidate of their choice. But in interviews, 10 said they are committed to vote for Cruz at the convention. A few others said they are leaning toward Cruz, though they werent ready to commit. None have endorsed Trump so far. In Colorado, Cruz is taking advantage of an unusual change to the states nominating process. Rather than selecting delegates according to a statewide vote, as it has in the past, Colorado is holding a series of rolling caucuses this week in each of its seven congressional districts, then culminating with a statewide convention on Saturday where Trump and Cruz are expected to speak. Colorado Republican operatives say that, just by winning the congressional gatherings, Cruz could lock down a majority of the 34 delegates up for grabs, even before Saturdays convention. Cruz has the big upper hand here, said Ryan Lynch, a Colorado-based Republican consultant unaffiliated with any of the presidential campaigns. Theyre the only ones really organized. That was apparent on Saturday when a slate loyal to Cruz swept the first two congressional district assemblies. A slate is a group of candidates that run in multi-seat elections on a common platform. Members of the slate had strategized with Rep. Ken Buck, Cruzs Colorado chairman and a veteran politician well-connected among the states Republican primary electorate. The Cruz campaign sent out emails on their behalf to delegates who had been selected at earlier precinct-level meetings, and slate members worked the phones and lobbied those delegates further for support. It was kind of like running a classic campaign talking to as many people as possible, working it, said state Rep. Justin Everett, one of Cruzs delegates. Were probably only a $500 investment. We didnt see much from the Trump campaign in terms of an investment. Cruz has not had a heavy paid-staff presence in Colorado. Instead, a pro-Cruz volunteer network has been coordinating closely, said former Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler. Cruz has an organized slate. But you cant beat the shoe leather aspect of it, said Gessler, a Cruz delegate from Denver. I made about 250 phone calls. I dont know if Id have won if I hadnt make those phone calls. The remainder of Colorados delegates will be chosen at district conventions Friday and the state convention Saturday in Colorado Springs. Cruzs delegate strategy stretches beyond North Dakota and Colorado. He campaigned through swing regions of Wisconsin long before Trump set foot there. He also locked up support from almost all of Milwaukees conservative talk radio personalities, giving him a free mouthpiece aimed at roughly 40 percent of the state GOPs primary voters. Likewise, Cruz supporters are organizing in Iowa this week. Cruz won the proportionally binding caucuses on Feb. 1, but stands to gain delegates in the Iowa GOPs district conventions on Saturday. While Trump remains the closest to the 1,237 target for now, hes not taking it for granted. His campaign announced last week the hiring of Paul Manafort to run his convention effort, including delegate strategy. Likewise, Trump said he would open a convention-planning office in Washington, D.C., to also house its delegate selection team. A bubbly, brownish sludge has been washing up along parts of the Orange County shoreline for the past week, concerning beachgoers who worry it might be toxic. There are plenty of theories about what could be causing the unsightly foam. Some point to a dredging project in the area, while others say its a natural occurrence and not harmful. The brown foam appears to be isolated to the north Orange County coastline spanning from Sunset Beach to Huntington State Beach, though there have been reports recently of a similar occurrence as far north as Oregon. Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Claude Panis said so many beachgoers have been flooding lifeguards with reports of the oily substance that they posted a notice on their tower station informing people about the cause. Panis said the sea foam is algae-based and organic. Although slimy with a slight smell, its harmless, he said. In his 38 years of lifeguarding in the area, Panis said hes seen the bloom at least 10 times. Its not dangerous, its not toxic. Its a normal thing that happens in the ocean, he said. But surfer Rick Blake wonders if a dredging project in nearby Surfside has anything to do with it. All of a sudden, all this stuff is washing up, the Huntington Beach surfer said Thursday. Its just too much of a coincidence. He said he was concerned when he saw a 3-year-old running through it. He also said surfers in the area are saying its slippery. Its making their wax not work as much, he said. The $8 million dredging project is taking sediment from the Huntington/Sunset Harbour, the first time the project has happened since 2001. According to a statement on the citys website, the area where the sediment is being disposed is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Thats stuff that hasnt been dredged in years, Blake said. Theres so much stuff that could be there Is someone testing it before they are dumping it?. Newport Beach Marine Safety Battalion chief Mike Halphide said sightings were reported in Newport Thursday morning. His theory is the foam is connected to an abnormal abundance of krill. He doesnt think its harmful. We have the Orange County Health Agency coming down and checking the water six days a week we feel confident this is not a sewage spill and not anything harmful, Halphide said. I would just recommend to shower off and if it gives you problems, avoid water contact. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sea foam happens when large blooms of algae decay offshore and are agitated by wind and waves. Foam forms as this organic matter is churned up by the surf. Most sea foam is not harmful to humans and is often an indication of a productive ocean ecosystem, an article on NOAAs website reads. But when large, harmful algal blooms decay near shore, there are potential for impacts to human health and the environment. Along Gulf Coast beaches, there have been reports that the popping sea bubbles cause the algal toxins to become airborne, and can irritate the eyes of beachgoers and pose a risk for those with asthma or other respiratory issues. Scientists also think a seabird die-off in Northern California in 2007 and in the Pacific Northwest in 2009 could have been related to the foam, which removed the waterproofing on the birds feathers and made it hard for them to fly. Staff writer Margot Roosevelt contributed to this report. Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com In order to survive, democracy requires self-restraint on the part of elected leaders. If they use their positions to promote their political fortunes, democracy and freedom are the first victims. This is a real danger in America today. Prosecutors have used their offices to attack elected officials, seeking to disrupt their political campaigns. Regulators give the appearance that they are willing to investigate and harass the political opponents of the party in power. In California, Attorney General Kamala Harris has announced she will investigate Exxon-Mobil for hiding climate change research. It is no coincidence that Harris is running for U.S. Senate and thus benefits from the media buzz her investigation announcement created. The notice of Harris investigation failed to mention any California laws that the oil company may have violated. However, law enforcement is apparently not the goal here. It is enough to generate media attention during her campaign. Even the Los Angeles Times expressed skepticism, asserting it is unclear what approach Harris intends to take in Californias investigation, suggesting both her lack of foundation, as well as her assumption of Exxons guilt. Harris investigation has multiple roots, all of them firmly political. First, Harris investigation mirrors efforts undertaken late last year by New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat who filed a similar subpoena inquiry for Exxon documents alleged to demonstrate the company withheld evidence of climate change. To justify his legal foundation, Schneiderman invoked the Martin Act, a relic of New York law originally enacted to regulate financial securities. The New York legal community pounced, with James Fanto, a professor at Brooklyn Law School, observing to Bloomberg News, You wonder why this is the sort of thing that a New York attorney general should be doing. [S]eems like its just completely politically motivated. The California and New York cases share one salient detail: The investigations are driven by reporting from InsideClimate News. The outlet claims to be an independent, nonpartisan news agency, but even supporters describe it as promoting advocacy journalism. It was the subject in December of an in-depth expose by National Review. Far from being a news outlet, InsideClimate News is owned by a public relations firm, and much of its funding derives from organizations that belong to in the words of the Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works an elite group of left-wing millionaires and billionaires, [known as] the Billionaires Club, [which] directs and controls the far-left environmental movement, which in turn controls major policy decisions and lobbies on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More important than the advocacy group behind Harris decision to investigate is the fact that the allegations are simply not true. All of the information is publicly available no need to waste California taxpayer money. Exxon-Mobil has released hundreds of documents on climate-related topics, including more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, and nearly 100 patents for cutting-edge advances in emissions reductions technology and other related applications. According to the Los Angeles Times, Harris is investigating what Exxon-Mobil knew about global warming and what the company told investors. None of this involves California law, however. The story of the investigation generated a great deal of press attention for the attorney general as she pushes her campaign for Senate. That is not an appropriate use of the resources of California taxpayers. Democracies are fragile institutions. Abuse of power by elected officials is the greatest danger to our ability to maintain a liberal democracy. Anthony T. Caso is a professor at Chapman University. Re: New minimum wage law will affect 605,000 O.C. workers over 7 years [Front page, April 5]: Gov. Jerry Brown attempted to seize the high moral ground when he quoted 1 Timothy 5:18, A laborer deserves his wages. Someone who causes people on the lowest rung of the economic ladder to be laid off or passes rules that keeps people from obtaining their first job to get on the economic ladder does not have the moral high ground. If the productivity of a worker is not high enough to support his job, the worker will not be hired. Gov. Brown has just increased the unemployment rate for those on the bottom of the economic ladder. Paying $15 per hour for someone who does not really earn it gives them an additional sense of entitlement. Which small business can afford to spend $15 per hour (which ends up costing over $30,000 per year) to hire a high school student to sweep his store? Can the Register afford this price to deliver newspapers? Which large business can afford this amount for someone out of high school with no work experience? The moral thing to do is to help people get a job and the work experience that will allow them to climb the economic ladder. Passing the minimum wage increase was an immoral act. George A. Kuck Westminster To those who think that raising the states minimum wage to $15 an hour is a good idea, I say: Why stop there? If $15 an hour is a good idea, why not raise the minimum wage to $50 an hour? The entire state would be prosperous overnight, and poverty would be eliminated. Car dealerships would have lines out the door, restaurants would be packed, the housing market would be phenomenal, and every retailer would have to lay in additional inventory to keep up with skyrocketing sales. California would truly once again be the envy of the world. Lets get with it, Democrats! What could possibly go wrong? Rick Birle Lake Forest Worse views on abortion? Among Donald Trumps more outrageous statements is his opinion that mothers who have an abortion should be punished. However, it is more outrageous that a person who murders a pregnant woman can be charged with two murders, but if that same woman had ordered the death of her unborn, but living child, she would have only her conscience to face. John Richardson Mission Viejo The last time Third Eye Blind was in Orange County, a freak torrential rainstorm in mid-July washed out its co-headlining show with fellow rock band Dashboard Confessional at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. Luckily, the fans, some of whom were forced to wade through calf-deep water to exit the venue that afternoon, were stoked enough about the show to return and sell out the venue when the acts made good on their promise and rescheduled a performance a week later. That was just insane, Third Eye Blind vocalist-guitarist Stephan Jenkins said during a phone interview earlier this week. The band will be back for its own headlining shows at the Wiltern in Los Angeles on Saturday and the Observatory in Santa Ana on Sunday. Its great that we actually sold out that show and it blew my mind that everyone actually came back. With clear skies in the forecast for the rescheduled gig, the band took advantage of having a good friend with a camera hanging out backstage. They filmed a fun behind-the-scenes video at the amphitheater to go along with the live version of the song Something In You off of its fifth studio, Dopamine, which also came out in July. The footage flashes between shots of the band rehearsing to an empty venue during soundcheck in the blaring sun to performing before the packed house with fans screaming, singing along, the glow of their cell phones being held up high and lighting up the crowd. That was one of those songs where people from the record company went Oh my God, it would be such a hit if you could just get to the payoff earlier, Jenkins said. But, you know, thats not what we do. We just make songs the way that we make them and I think the song has real heart to it so I didnt want to change it and I dont care if it gets played on the radio or not. It has become one of the big songs of the night for sure. The new material is sitting well within the Bay Area rock bands setlist and among its biggest radio hits such as Semi-Charmed Life and Jumper off of its 1997 self-titled debut. Above all, Jenkins said the fresh cuts seem to be really resonating with audiences. One of the greatest joys for me is to feel comprehended, he said. Thats what I feel right now, that what Ive tried to get across musically is reaching people and thats a really great feeling to have. It makes you feel like the circle is whole. Dopamine includes a lot of different sounds and styles and, as Jenkins jokingly corrected, the band did directly rip off Queen on the song Get Me Out of Here, which he calls a classic rock food court. I wrote that a while ago and I am in a totally different state of mind now, but its a true story, he said. He was dating a woman back in San Francisco and they had broken up and talked about getting back together. However, she said she had to work through some issues and would see him when he returned home that week from tour. Later in the week, Jenkins said he walked into a hotel in New York and there the woman was with another guy. So there goes the issues, he said with a laugh. It was just so ridiculous. It was like something right out of a Smiths song. It was such a melodrama. There is also a hefty dose of David Bowie references throughout Dopamine, which is eerie to Jenkins now since Bowies passing just six months after the album was released. I had no idea he was sick, much less that he was dying, he said. This album is like one big Thank You to David Bowie. I think Bowies overriding message was one that really affected me. Its like were all sort of a collection of peculiarities and were all kind of isolated, but in spite of that, theres always room for us to find each other and room for understanding and some kind of common connection. Bowie did that in a way that I still havent been able to understand. To pay homage to the late great Bowie, Third Eye Blind has been peppering in various covers into its set including Young Americans, Heroes and Modern Love, even if its fanbase, which now skews younger at about 15 to 30 years old, isnt too familiar with the material. They just dont know him, Jenkins said. I think hes the greatest rockstar ever. Thats the thing about rock music and the thing about live concerts is that its a transitory moment, that aliveness that we seek to cultivate and execute is so brief, so we should all live it while we can. Jenkins only got to see Bowie in concert once. It was 1997 at KROQ 106.7 FMs annual Almost Acoustic Christmas held at Universal Amphitheatre, which has since been torn down to make room for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood. We played the KROQ show and I was like full on, he recalled. Before we went on, I was wearing this white fake fur coat and strutting around and then I look over to my left and theres Bowie standing on the side of the stage. I just lost it. I got to watch him perform later that night and I was just blown away by him. He had this presence and a theatricality that he could put together in a way that I just loved. Contact the writer: 714-796-3570 or kfadroski@ocregister.com With Demolition, French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee establishes himself as an auteur. Having directed Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, themes and patterns start to emerge. All three films deal with the paper thin line between life and death; how death informs life, inspiring people to live harder, live sweeter, to the extreme. In these films, death is something that makes the living push the boundaries of life as far and as hard as they can. French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee has a talent for wordy, writerly scripts, and Demolition is no exception. Written by Bryan Sipe, the screenplay uses an epistolary device to let us in on our protagonists inner life. The leading man is Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), who begins to write letters to the customer service department of a vending machine company in the immediate aftermath of his wife, Julias (Heather Lind), death in a car accident. Its a strange coping mechanism, to be sure. But its clear that its much easier to write a letter to a vending machine company because he was jilted out of $1.25 and a bag of peanut M&Ms, than to the driver of the car that slammed into his, or to the doctors who could not save her. The customer service department is his only outlet, an anonymous source to whom he can confess his thoughts about his marriage (just OK), his job (investment banking), his demanding father-in-law (his boss, played by Chris Cooper). But the customer service department is a person, Karen (Naomi Watts), and she reaches out, tentatively, proffering a nugget of compassion, an escape from his perfectly regimented and designed life. Her friendship, perhaps a catalyst, coincides with Davis breakdown. That word is quite literal in this case, at least in the environmental sense. Numb inside, Davis starts to break down everything he can taking apart computers, bathroom doors, appliances, just to see how they work. He pays a construction boss to let him ferociously tear down dry wall with a sledgehammer; in so doing, he steps on a nail and howls in joy, thrilled with the feeling of pain. He entreats Karens son to shoot him in his Kevlar-vested chest, he listens to blisteringly loud music and dances in the street. He sheds social expectations and norms, his career and family cast aside as collateral damage. While Davis is breaking down to get himself back together, there are a few moments that tend toward a bit too twee. But theres an emotional honesty in the treatment of his grief. Just because its different doesnt make it any less valid, and Demolition always treats it as such. Theres a beauty in the breakdown, and its amongst the rubble that Davis finds himself living, rather than enduring, his life. Vallee and cinematographer Yves Belanger bring their naturalistic but rigorous approach to the film, at once stylish but not overly obtrusive. Ultimately, the filmmaking allows for the writing and the performances to shine. Gyllenhaal brings a sense of wide-eyed sweet boyishness to the deadpan Davis, who could have been a jerk in another performers hands. But the true find is newcomer Judah Lewis as Chris, Karens young gay son. Hes bold, androgynous, naively confident, startlingly delicate. The two are oddball outsiders who just get each other, a connection thats all anyone can hope for in this life. MEXICO CITY The rise of Donald Trump and the anti-immigrant wave he is riding in his campaign for president have alarmed the Mexican government so much that it has reshuffled top diplomats and launched a new strategy to defend the image of Mexicans abroad, according to Mexican officials. From calling Mexican border-crossers rapists and criminals to threatening to cut off the money they send home to their families unless Mexico pays to build a border wall, Trumps campaign has consistently targeted Americas southern neighbor. But for months, the Mexican government has opted to remain quiet, with a few high-profile exceptions, rather than publicly challenging Trumps claims. Under mounting domestic pressure, Mexican officials now say they have chosen a new strategy: to stand up for Mexicans and defend the reputation of their countrymen living in the United States. In recent months, we have seen a growing anti-immigrant discourse in general, anti-Mexican in particular, and not exclusively from Donald Trump, said a Mexican official who was not authorized to speak publicly. This set off our fear that it would damage the image of Mexico in the United States. After just seven months on the job, Miguel Basaez Ebergenyi, Mexicos ambassador to Washington, will be replaced by Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, the consul general in Los Angeles. Paulo Carreo King, a top aide to President Enrique Pena Nieto whose portfolio has included dealing with the foreign press and improving the countrys brand, will take over as the senior Foreign Ministry official responsible for North America. The United States is Mexicos biggest trading partner, with more than $1 billion in bilateral trade each day, and millions of Mexicans live north of the border. The government is worried that Trumps rhetoric and wider anti-Mexican sentiment could hurt foreign investment and tourism and lead to more damaging U.S. policies in the future. Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu told El Universal newspaper on Tuesday that the government must reevaluate our performance and strategy toward the United States. We see an exacerbated mood, in some sectors, against our countrymen, against our country, she added. There is a fear on the part of our community in the United States that this spirit can grow and overflow and may generate hostilities. As Trumps stature grew in recent months, Mexican officials conducted public opinion polling in the United States and spoke with their network of dozens of consulates. The outreach, they said, raised new worries about the scope of anti-Mexican feeling. We found young people have begun to adopt arguments that are anti-Mexican, the official said. Now the government hopes that its diplomats can make a more forceful argument about the benefits Mexico provides to the United States. Basaez took over the Mexican Embassy last year after serving as a professor at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. In his brief tenure, he had a reputation as a low-profile leader who was quiet amid the Trumpian storm. Last year, he downplayed Trumps comments as just part of the primary campaign and reportedly argued that attacking Trump would elevate him. He could not be reached for comment. Sada, the incoming ambassador, pending confirmation, has served in several Mexican consulates, including in Chicago, San Antonio and New York. He has also been the head of congressional affairs in the Mexican Embassy in Washington. Arturo Sarukhan, Mexicos ambassador to the United States from 2007 to 2013, said Mexico must refute Trumps claims. The new strategy is a very welcome tack, he said. There is a clear need for the Mexican government to do something about this, and there was intense domestic pressure on this front, Sarukhan added. An ambassadors job should be to counter lies, distortions and negative narratives with hard data and facts. A Canadian man reported missing in January and found days later in Los Angeles never made it home and may have recently been seen in Westminster, police said. Ryan Andrew Robichauds mother told Westminster police on March 16 her son had gone missing from his Burlington, Ontario, home in January, according to Westminster police. The 23-year-old left his home in Burlington on Jan. 15 under unexplained circumstances, police said. He was involved in a traffic collision on Dec. 31, and may have been traumatized from the incident, his mother said. Los Angeles police officers found Robichaud on Jan. 25 and authorities later took him to Los Angeles International Airport to board a flight home, said Norma Vasquez of the Westminster Police Department. His mom bought him a plane ticket, and they (authorities) dropped him off at the airport, but he never got on the plane, she said. Vasquez said police received information that Robichaud was last seen at a Bank of America in the 6700 block of Westminster Boulevard, but no date of the sighting was provided. Tina Lowenberg, an employee at Westminster High School, said she and a co-worker spotted Robichaud during their lunch break Tuesday. Lowenberg was inside a parked car at a 7-Eleven near the school on Goldenwest Boulevard around 11:15 a.m., when she spotted him. He was walking right in front of the car, she said. I thought he was going to ask me for money. Her co-worker later showed her Robichauds photo from a news report. Im 99 percent sure it was him, Lowenberg said. Robichaud is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information of his whereabouts is asked to call the Westminster Police Department at 714-548-3207. Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com California can no longer afford the failed experiment of mass incarceration. When the voters approved measures like Proposition 36, which amended three strikes laws, and Prop. 47, which reduced penalties for petty theft and drug crimes, they were sending a clear message to Sacramento that trudging on with the same old policies was no longer acceptable. Yet, with $10.6 billion in proposed spending on the states corrections system, the most ever and equal to $70,000 per prisoner per year, California government seems set to continue overspending on prisons that mostly fail to correct those who enter them, while underinvesting in alternatives. The current legislative session has mostly mirrored others in recent years, in that lawmakers have shown little interest in curbing spending on corrections or figuring out how better to allocate the states finite resources on preventing crime and keeping former inmates from returning to prison. If theres anything California legislators need to get right this session, its ensuring the savings from a reduced prison population, thanks to Prop. 47, are properly allocated to the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Fund, which Prop. 47 created to invest those savings in things like drug treatment, mental health programs and other crime prevention efforts. Unfortunately, Gov. Jerry Brown, curiously, has estimated savings of less than $30 million, well below the $100 million projected by the independent Legislative Analysts Office. We find that the administration likely underestimates the savings and overestimates the costs resulting from Prop. 47, the LAO reported in February. For example, we estimate that the actual level of prison savings due to Prop. 47 could be $83 million higher compared to the administrations estimate. Getting the math correct is important because, without crime prevention programs adequately funded, it simply makes it harder for state and local governments to actually implement the wishes of the electorate. Keeping people out of state prisons for petty offenses is only part of the package with Prop. 47, while making sure they stay out, or never enter in the first place, is just as important. Whether lawmakers adequately contemplate this remains to be seen, but they will be faced with another, costly feature of the criminal justice system: a new contract with the union for the states prison guards, who, arguably, have benefited the most from overreliance on incarceration. The proposed contract with the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, which represents Bargaining Unit 6, calls for a 9 percent pay raise through July 2018. According to analysis by the LAO, this would add roughly $600 million in spending commitments by 2018-19. Of course, theres no evidence that California prison guard pay at present isnt competitive after all, state prison guards routinely earn $100,000, with overtime and it would be counterproductive for such a giveaway to be entertained at a time of overall fiscal constraints. Whether there is any political will to reject the contract is another matter. After all, the CCPOA has long been one of the most influential unions in the state, contributing vast sums to politicians for decades and aggressively pushing a pro-incarceration agenda. Throwing more money at prison guards isnt what is needed. Investing in alternatives to incarceration and evidence-based crime-prevention programming is a far greater need than taking care of a politically potent public-employee union. Perhaps state lawmakers need to be reminded that the criminal justice system is supposed to advance the interests of justice, not fatten the pocketbooks of those who work within it. To date, Sacramento lawmakers have shown an inability to understand this, to the detriment of a coherent, well-functioning criminal justice system that emphasizes the salaries of public employees, instead of results. News / Press Release by Jacob Mafume - PDP National Spokesperson The People's Democratic Party (PDP) demands the immediate establishment of a commission of inquiry to look into the Panama Papers following reports on how two businessmen with strong Zanu PF links avoided paying taxes and externalized huge sums of money out Zimbabwe.A Panama law firm, Mossack Fonseca, stands accused of helping companies, politicians and businessmen launder money through illicit financial flows and offshore companies.The two businessmen implicated in the Panama Papers are; Billy Rautenbach and John Bredenkamp and are well-known funders of Zanu PF.Bredenkamp is an arms dealer and mining tycoon while Rautenbach is the owner of Greenfuels and is involved in diamond mining.The two men had sanctions imposed on them for operating as fronts for Robert Mugabe's business interests but were able to continue running their businesses through offshore companies for year despite concerns being raised over their dealings by the United Nations (UN).According to the UN, Bredenkamp is experienced in setting up clandestine companies.For his work in protecting Mugabe's financial interests, Rautenbach was awarded a controversial and corrupt contract in the construction of an ethanol plant, the Green Fuel in Chisumbanje and now has the sole right in the supply of green fuel in the country.The mandatory fuel blending imposed by the government on behalf of Green Fuel is a symbol of Rautenbach's far reaching influence on the Zanu PF government.As a result of the controversial links between Rautenbach and Zanu PF, major shareholders in fuel retail companies such as Sakunda and Redan have been elbowed out of business as the Zanu PF cartel has moved in to create a total monopoly in the fuel sector and thus keep consumers hostage to high fuel prices.In his 2016 monetary policy statement, John Mangudya, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor said rampant illicit financial flows involving foreign currency were bleeding the economy."It is not sustainable. Something will need to give in. We need to draw a line in sand and never cross it. We have a list of those people, some taking more that $10 million and take advantage of the laxity of the system to do that," Mangudya said in his statement amid reports that $2 billion was externalized in Zimbabwe in 2015 alone worsening the liquidity situation.What concerns us at the PDP is that the Panama Papers are being released when Mugabe in February said over $15 billion of proceeds from diamond mining remained unaccounted for.As PDP, we are convinced that besides Rautenbach and Bredenkamp, investigations into the issue of externalization should spread to include other well-known black people who have helped Mugabe and Zanu PF in siphoning billions of dollars out of Zimbabwe to offshore accounts.It is in this regard that the PDP calls on Parliament to establish a commission of inquiry to look into the operations of Rautenbach, Bredenkamp and other black businesspeople.We also urge Mangudya to stick to his words and take action and ensure that any offshore investments will require prior RBZ approval. California, here they come. After Tuesdays big wins in Wisconsin by Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Bernie Sanders, all five top presidential candidates soon will be crisscrossing our state and targeting TV ads at us before the June 7 primary. Our primary usually is so late, the nominees already effectively have been chosen. Not this time. After beating Hillary Clinton in five of six contests held March 22-26, Sen. Sanders trounced her, 57-43, in Wisconsin. Sixteen states now have felt the Bern, compared with Mrs. Clintons winning 20. And he is closing the gap in delegates chosen by primaries or caucuses, with 1,027 to her 1,279. But she remains far ahead, 469-31, in unpledged superdelegates, who are either elected or party officials. Sen. Sanders has been appealing to them to switch to him. It takes 2,383 delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination. For Republicans, its basically impossible for Sen. Cruz to get the nomination on the first convention ballot, at which delegates are pledged to vote based on caucus and primary results. He has 517 delegates to Donald Trumps 753; 143 are pledged to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and 171 to Sen. Marco Rubio, who has suspended his campaign. But the key is Sen. Cruzs surprisingly wide Wisconsin victory, 48-35, over Mr. Trump, with Gov. Kasich at 14 percent. That makes it almost (but not quite) certain that Mr. Trump will be denied the 1,237 delegates needed for a first-ballot victory. If he fails to do that, the nominating process will be thrown open. After Saturdays Wyoming Democratic Caucus comes the April 19 New York primary for both parties. In their Jan. 14 debate, Sen. Cruz basically conceded the state when he ridiculed Mr. Trumps New York values. Although now representing Vermont, Sen. Sanders also was born in Brooklyn, but Mrs. Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York in 2000 and 2006 and is favored this time. Looking to June 7, although California is a Democratic state, Orange County and the Inland Empire lean Republican. Well have a front-row seat for this fascinating spectacle finally. JERUSALEM It was a typical day at the shrine around what many believe is the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalems Old City. A Greek Orthodox choir sang inside a room facing the baroque structure. But the voices were drowned out when chanting Armenian priests and monks circling the shrine raised theirs. Sometimes they punch each other, Farah Atallah, a church guard wearing a fez, observed with a shrug. Atallah is a seasoned witness to the rivalries among the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Roman Catholic communities that jealously share and sometimes spar over what they consider Christianitys holiest site, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Amid the rivalry, the unsteady 206-year-old structure, held together by a 69-year-old iron cage that honors the keystone of Christianity, the tomb from which Christians believe Jesus was resurrected, is an uncomfortable, often embarrassing symbol of Christian divisions, which have periodically erupted into tensions. In 2008, monks and priests brawled near the shrine, throwing punches and pulling one anothers hair. But in recent weeks, scaffolding has gone up a few feet from the shrine in the gloomy shadows of the Arches of the Virgin, the first step in a rare agreement by the various Christian communities to save the dilapidated shrine, also called the Aedicule, from falling down. The March 22 agreement calls for a $3.4 million renovation to begin next month, after Orthodox Easter celebrations. Each religious group will contribute one-third of the costs, and a Greek bank contributed 50,000 euros, or $57,000, for the scaffolding, in return for having its name emblazoned across the machinery. The idea is to peel away hundreds of years of the shrines history, clean it and put it back together. Simple enough, but delayed for decades because of the complicated, centuries-old rules and minute traditions called the status quo that define the way Jerusalems holy sites are governed, in which the very act of repairing something can imply ownership. One of the serious issues in the church is that the status quo takes place over every other consideration, and its not a good thing, said Athanasius Macora, a Franciscan friar. Unity is more important than a turf war. The inspiration for this unity was the threat of losing it altogether. Alarmed by reports that the shrine was at risk of collapse, the Israeli police barricaded it for several hours on Feb. 17, 2015, throwing out the monks who guard it and preventing hundreds of pilgrims from entering. The message was clear: Fix it, or else. So after a year of much study and negotiation, monument conservation experts plan to first remove the iron cage that Jerusalems colonial British rulers built in 1947 in a prior effort to keep the Aedicule from collapsing, after a 1927 earthquake and rain left the structure cracked, its marble slabs flaking. They will take apart, slab by slab, the ornate marble shell built in 1810, during Ottoman rule of Jerusalem. The conservationists will then tackle the remains of the 12th-century Crusader shrine that lies underneath. That was erected after the Shiite ruler of Egypt, al-Hakim, destroyed the first Aedicule in 1009. The original was built by Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, the Christian Roman emperor who did much to elevate the status of Christianity through the empire. Finally, the workers will repair cracks in the remains of the rock-hewed tomb underneath, where most Christians believe Jesus was placed after he was crucified. (There is a rival Tomb of Christ just outside the Old City walls, patronized mainly by Protestants. But that is another story.) Antonia Moropoulou, the conservation expert heading the project, said the shrine would remain open to visitors during most of the painstaking process. Hundreds of pilgrims waited to enter one recent day as Catholics said Mass near the Aedicule, blocking the entry with wooden pews. The shrine is topped with a large gray cupola, and it is decorated with gold, icons, pillars, candles, heavy bronze lamps, inscriptions and a large painting of Christ. This is a very super experience of my spirit, said Anil Macwan, 30, a lay Catholic preacher from India. The world cannot give me the feeling I get from this tomb, this place. It is a very sacred place. Two women from the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim, in Nigeria, wearing matching blue dresses and head scarves, walked shoeless into the Aedicule, crossing the Chapel of the Angel, with its walls of elaborately carved marble and proclamations in Greek. They bent through the low door into the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher, where, under oil lamps, two white marble slabs denote the location of Jesus rock tomb. The two women fell to their knees, raised their arms in supplication and fervently whispered prayers. They wiped their hands and photographs of children on the slabs. Another day, a line of Indian Muslims squished against South Korean tourists, Indian nuns and Arab-American Christians stretched past the Chapel of the Copts, a room attached to the back of the Aedicule, where a monk guarding the site was engrossed in his smartphone. The three Christian communities vigilantly guard the property they already control to an extent that can feel baffling to outsiders coming to the Holy Sepulcher, a cavernous jumble of Byzantine and Crusader architecture, with soaring domes, sunken rooms, gloomy light, heavy bronze lamps, squat buttresses and elegant arches. In the church entryway is a gaudy gold mosaic on a wall, owned by members of the Greek Orthodox Church, that distracts from the nearby Stone of Unction, the marble slab covering the site where Jesus was anointed. Beside the mosaic is a ladder owned by Catholics, who will not move it. It is next to an Armenian-controlled walkway of a few feet leading to the Aedicule, where non-Armenian priests in vestments may pass, but not stand, because that would suggest they are challenging Armenian control. The last significant renovation began in the 1950s, when the Jordanian authorities who controlled East Jerusalem at the time pushed Christian representatives into forming a technical bureau to address the 1927 earthquake damage. But the process broke down more than a decade later, according to Macora. After the last embarrassing dust-up, in 2008, which was captured on YouTube, the rival communities began trying to fix their relations in earnest, repairing the toilets as a goodwill measure. In 2014, Pope Francis met the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, at the Aedicule, to promote unity. Still, somebody had to push us, said the Rev. Samuel Aghoyan, the Armenian Patriarchates representative at the Holy Sepulcher, who took to fisticuffs with a previous Greek Orthodox patriarch, Irineos I, inside the Aedicule on Holy Saturday, before Easter, in 2002. If the Israeli government didnt get involved, nobody would have done anything. Moropoulou, the conservationist leading the renovation, said she hoped it would maintain the intangible spirit of a living monument. This tomb is the most alive place, Moropoulou said. More so, she added, than anything I have seen in my life. She continued, The greatest challenge is to preserve that. John Salanoas legs wouldnt move. He had one foot pressed down on the clutch, the other sitting on the gas pedal, ready to shift. Its a bad place to be when you suddenly become paralyzed. I cant move my legs, he said to a friend sitting in the passenger seat before veering to the side of the road in Huntington Beach on March 24, downshifting until the car rolled to a stop. By the time he got to the hospital, doctors were perplexed. He had symptoms that looked like a stroke, but all the symptoms of a stroke didnt match up. It turns out the well-known surf photographer whose job requires him to stand on the sand for hours at a time has a rare neurological disorder called transverse myelitis. Only an estimated 1,400 people are diagnosed each year in the United States. While researchers are uncertain of the exact cause of TM, his doctors said most likely its from a viral infection he contracted while on one of his surf trips. Hes traveled abroad several times in the past year, mostly on surf photo trips to Mexico. He now shares his story for others to get their vaccinations before going abroad so they dont find themselves in a hospital bed unable to move. TM is caused by inflammation of the spinal cord which can destroy the fatty insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The damage causes nervous system scars that interrupt communication between nerves in the spinal cord and the rest of the body. Symptoms can vary. Some people feel a slight tingle or pain in their limbs. Others like Salanoa lose all function in some of their body parts. While some patients recover completely, others suffer permanent impairments like life-long paralysis. The area damaged on the spinal cord determines which parts of the body are affected. For Salanoa, the onset has caused paralysis from the chest down, but hes regained slight movement in his left leg. On Sunday, the nerve damage caused his heart rate to drop so low he had to be resuscitated. That brush with death has changed his perspective. While he had a few days of feeling down, he has a renewed energy to fight this and walk again. Theres been setbacks, you have to have your bad days to appreciate your good days, he said on a call from his hospital bed at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange on a recent day. I can be a victim and sit here and cry and be upset. Or I can take this and become the victor and beat this. You have only two option to sulk, or to be strong. Ive chosen to have 100 percent recovery. Hes working against a clock. Doctors told him he has about a year to rehab, then whatever paralysis he has at that time will likely be what hell face for the rest of his life. Salanoas injury has shocked the surf community, which has rallied around him. His photos regularly make it on the pages of major surf publications, and he created a group called Drug Free Surfers to combat drug use in the surfing community. A Go Fund Me page has been set up and has raised nearly $3,000 to go toward his medical expenses. Hes received calls and texts from people like big-wave surfers Peter Mel and Hawaiian Shane Dorian, and Santa Anas Courtney Conlogue contact him right before she won a big contest last week in Australia. You dont really know your value in life until something happens, then people come and touch your heart, he said. The outpouring has been amazing. Its humbled me, and its mind-boggling the amount of love Ive received from the surf industry. GoPro has offered to send him a few cameras to document his journey. Bonzai Bowl owner Joe Bard visited him in the hospital and gave him a $1,500 check. I cried like a baby, he said. He has a goal before his 50th birthday in December. My goal is to walk unassisted, in front of all my friends and loved ones, he said. Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com The con man was looking for a mark, but instead he got a cop. Damon Tucker, head investigator for the Major Fraud Unit in the Orange County District Attorneys Office, was checking voice messages on his personal cellphone when he heard a message a lot of us get from a scam artist. Tucker called back the cheat for a chat. Actually you are calling the police, Tucker told the man. Thats the part thats hilarious. You know whats hilarious? You calling yourself police! the man replied. Thats hilarious. In a YouTube video released this week, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas warns of IRS telephone scams as Tax Day approaches. To get his point across, Rackauckas shows a clip of Tuckers exchange. The cheat had left a message that Tucker needed to call back to avoid the IRS filing a lawsuit. Such callers ask that money be sent to them, or try to ferret out personal information from victims. In the call, Tucker volleys with the man. Do you have a script that they give you? Tucker asks. How do you guys rip off people from their money? Its easy to rip off people Americans are stupid, the fraudster replies. You dont need a script. American are fools. Vegetables, we call them. This fraudster, unfortunately, isnt alone. IRS officials said they have noticed an increase in scam artists this year calling under the guise of verifying tax-return information. IRS spokesman Raphael Tulino said criminals are especially aggressive during tax season. Theres so many ways the scammers are trying to reach out to people, he said. In January, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said there had been 896,000 phone scams reported since October 2013, with more than 5,000 victims paying $26.5 million in all. The IRS recommends hanging up on scam artists and reporting the incident to the Tax Administration. In a Wednesday interview, Tucker, a long-time fraud investigator, said he decided to con the con artists and repeatedly called their number, giving fake names from movies until those on the other end told him to stop calling us. I figured if Im tying up their line, thats time they wont get to spend calling potential victims, he said. Tucker said he spoke with the man heard in the video several times, and the man eventually became frustrated and hung up the phone. The District Attorneys Office turned the case over to its Cyber Crimes Task Force, but Tucker said these types of cases are tough to investigate because the callers are usually in another country. To see the video: youtube.com/user/OrangeCountyDA. Contact the writer: 714-834-3773 or kpuente@ocregister.com As a Long Island, N.Y., high school student checked her phone for the results of her college admissions applications, she was overcome by disbelief. One by one, each relayed the same news: Harvard. Yes. Dartmouth. Yes. Princeton. Yes. The University of Pennsylvania. Yes. Cornell, Yale, Columbia, Brown: yes, yes, yes, yes. It was March 31, the emotion-filled day when Ivy League universities posted their decisions online. And Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, a senior at Elmont Memorial High School, became the second student there to pull off an exceedingly rare feat: She swept all eight. She screamed. Then she cried. Its so surreal, Uwamanzu-Nna, 17, said on Wednesday. Its still hard to actually believe that this has happened to me. The accomplishment is all the more remarkable given the increasingly fierce competition that has driven down acceptance rates at selective universities for years. Harvards, for example, was 5.2 percent this year, down from 9.3 percent in 2006. News reports suggest that just a few students pull off a sweep each year. Whats more, Uwamanzu-Nna is just the latest student from her school to do it. In 2015, Harold Ekeh drew national headlines when he was accepted to 13 universities, including all eight Ivies. Elmont officials said Ekeh, now a freshmen at Yale, had been a huge inspiration to other students. He is also close friends with Uwamanzu-Nna. She proposed the idea of applying to all eight universities to her counselor at the start of the school year. I actually encouraged her, the counselor, Sanju Liclican, said, because I knew she could do it. Many admissions advisers, however, discourage the practice. Dean Skarlis, president of the counseling service College Advisor of New York, said that even exceptional students were better off applying to only a few Ivy League schools, along with several probables and a couple of safety schools. Just because, with their acceptance rates between 4 and 12 percent, if you put all those eggs in those baskets most kids dont get any if they apply, he said. Its extremely competitive. Uwamanzu-Nna, however, had a lot going for her a better-than-perfect grade-point average, made possible by taking the hardest classes, and the distinctions of being both valedictorian of her class and a finalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search. She also presented a compelling personal story. As the daughter of Nigerian emigrants, Uwamanzu-Nna shared something with many of the Ivy League sweepers in recent years. They tend to have immigrant backgrounds. American universities, especially the Ivies, have been placing greater emphasis on diversifying their student populations, admissions counselors say. They are very concerned about racial and ethnic diversity, Skarlis said. They would rather have the Latino kid from the Bronx who has overcome something significant in his life, rather than the upper-middle-class or more affluent white student. Uwamanzu-Nna said she was shocked to get into so many colleges: In addition to the Ivies, she won admission to Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If Uwamanzu-Nna is favoring any one in particular, she isnt telling. She said she wanted to pursue biochemistry and environmental science and planned to research the 12 universities and visit their campuses soon. Its overwhelming, she said. I have a really big decision to make. She has until May 1 to pick just one. Cats are generally perceived as independent, but theyre also capable of displaying undying loyalty, a quality that is usually characteristic of dogs. Proving the point is this poor Russian cat that has been waiting for its owners for over a year at the exact spot where they abandoned him. The cat was first photographed sitting on a manhole cover in Belgorod city, in the summer of 2015, by a man named Ostap Zadunayski. He then noticed the cat sitting at the same spot day after day, and curious to know more about this unusual behavior, he asked local residents for more information. Thats when he discovered that the cats owners used to live nearby, but they sold their apartment last year and moved away, leaving the poor creature behind . Eyewitnesses told Ostap that they actually saw the cat run after the car as the owners drove away. Since then, it has been patiently waiting at the same spot for their return, living off the food offered to him by kind locals. Photo: Ostap Zadunayski This is a great example of human meanness and true animal loyalty, Ostap said, while praising locals for their kindness. Ostap posted photographs on Russian social networking website VKontakte, comparing the cats plight to the heartbreaking story of Greyfriars Bobby a dog who was famous in 19th century Edinburgh for guarding his owners grave for 14 long years. Photo: Ostap Zadunayski The sad kitty reminded us of the legendary Hachiko, the Japanese Akita Inu who spent years waiting for his dead master, and whose touching story eventually saved his breed from extinction. But as heartbreaking as the story of the cat is, some internet users think that it could be a highly embellished tale. They agree that the cat might have been abandoned, but suspect that it might be returning to the same spot every day just to be fed. Photo: Ostap Zadunayski via Mirror.co.uk Doug Spong, founder and former president of Midwest PR giant Spong and former managing partner and president of sister ad agency Carmichael Lynch, has joined Columbus, OH-based PR agency Fahlgren Mortine, where he will serve in an of-counsel role. Doug Spong According to Fahlgren Mortine personnel, who announced the appointment Wednesday, Spong will now work with the agency to further refine its market and positioning strategies, and will help spur future growth through business development. Doug is a true icon in our industry and someone Ive respected for a long time, Neil Mortine, president and CEO of Fahlgren Mortine, told ODwyers. Im so proud to have him involved with Fahlgren Mortine as we position our agency for future growth. Spong in November announced his departure from the Minneapolis-based agency that bears his name. A month prior it had been announced that managing director Julie Batliner was the newest president of the Interpublic Group agency, and Spong had transitioned to a president emeritus role. Spong began his career at Minneapolis-based ad agency Colle+McVoy, which he joined in 1981 and ultimately served as senior vice president, managing director of public relations. In 1990 he teamed up with legendary Minneapolis ad man Lee Lynch to launch Carmichael Lynch, an Interpublic Group unit. Spong also founded PR shop Carmichael Lynch Spong, and led that firm for more than two decades to become one of the most successful PR agencies in the Midwest. That agency in 2014 rebranded as Spong. Current Spong clients include Formica, Jack Link's, Jennie-O, Save A Lot, Thermos and US Bank. After stepping down from the top executive slot at the agency, Spong in January founded consultancy The Doug Spong Co. LLC. Full service agency Fahlgren Mortine, which is headquartered in Columbus and maintains 14 additional offices around the country, specializes in tourism, food/beverage, healthcare, technology, beauty/fashion, finance and lifestyle. The agency was founded in 1986 and currently staffs approximately 120. Clients include Airwalk, Cardinal Health, Cooper Tires, K-Swiss, The Limited and Sherwin-Williams. Fahlgren Mortine in 2015 accounted for net fees of more than $20.5 million, revealing growth of more than 10 percent from the year prior, according to ODwyers rankings of PR firms. Maria Plant, British Columbia teacher afflicted with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, has gone on the media warpath after years of rebuffs from government and school officials, scant media attention. She is publicizing the validation of her illness by a Canadian Parliamentary committee in any way she can. Among those resisting her message is the BC Teachers Federation which will not publish her letter. After years of a media blackout on the subject, articles have run in the Vancouver Sun and The Province, she notes, expressing the hope for more such articles. Plants letter in its entirety is below. To Len Webber, Vice Chair, Government of Canada's House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA): Maria Plant March 31, 2016 Hello Len Webber: I am a very recently retired electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) teacher from British Columbia. I have avidly followed the HESA April 28th meeting minutes, and also read and eagerly circulated the outstanding June 2015 report to Parliament entitled "Radiofrequency Radiation and the Health of Canadians." In fact, I carry a paper copy of the April 2015 HESA minutes and the June 2015 Report in my purse at all times. I have HESA to thank for validating my illness and giving me credibility in my battle against WiFi and RF, because in BC there are no doctors trained to do thisI I have now exhausted all my connections and contacts at this point. I have been trying in earnest for five years to appeal to the schoolboard, the 63 school superintendents in BC school districts, and other powers-that-be, to remove toxic WiFi from our schools. I have been restricted in the past by school policy and union protocol, but the restrictions are now lifted. I am a Canary Spotlighting Danger I am one of those canaries whom Dr. Riina Bray speaks of in the minutes of the April 28th meeting of HESA...I have extreme EHS. I was healthy and led a normal life until shortly after WiFi was installed at our school site in 2010. Formerly a Delta teacher for 25 years, I was forced onto Medical Leave this fall due to WiFI signals becoming intolerable, and my symptoms near WiFi was excruciatingly painful to endure. I chose Early Retirement after my 55th birthday in December 2015, and retired just last month. I have way too much energy, enthusiasm, experience, and love for teaching to be retired. Sigh. Today I am submitting to you a letter I wrote to the BC Teachers Federation in the fall of 2014. I hope it will add to the increasing evidence in support of your important report and message. The letter is in fact an article I had submitted to the BC Teachers Federation for publication in Teacher Magazine two years ago. They have not yet published the information - I am told this is due to the controversy it might stir. Since I was recently left with no alternative, due to increasing WiFi sensitivity at school, but to retire from my school district in Delta, I am free to release this information to the public...so I will be contacting the media to publish the article instead. Stop the Insanity Several teachers in different BC locals as well as from other provinces in Canada are collaborating to contact our new Health Minister with information on WiFi health effects in an effort to stop the insanity! The situation is out of control in our public schools right now, with the layering of multiple sources of radiation exposure from WiFi routers and boosters, laptops, iPads, and the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of strong iPhones actively in use daily in every public school. In light of recent developments in the east, with two Ontario unions requesting that WiFi be removed from their schools due to teachers who are developing EHS symptoms and the subsequent lift of the media blackout here in the west (the Vancouver Sun and The Province covered the Ontario story after years of ignoring WiFI issues and Resolutions against its use here within the BCTF), it seems a fitting time to send my article to our local media, outlining my recent lengthy battle with the schoolboard regarding strong WiFi systems in our district. [Here is link to Vancouver Sun story which reports that while HESA finds that Wi-Fi and other radiation sources are a threat to health government officials do not]. My rapidly developing EHS symptoms and strong reactions to radiowave frequency radiation forced me out of my townhome and into early retirement on March 1st this year. We, the EHS, are being robbed of our rights and freedoms. I am now unable to participate in a formerly active, robust lifestyle, hike or jog in public parks, use transit, walk my dog on public sidewalks to run errands - all due to increased sensitivity to powerful EMF from powerlines, residential mobile phone use, home WiFi upgrades and boosters surging through neighbourhoods, and Smart Meter RF at street level. This is a basic Human Right to "clean air" that has been stolen from us. Symptoms Emerged after Long Exposure Due to sensitive skin, allergies and MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), I am part of that growing group that is predisposed to become EHS. Symptoms began to emerge and develop only after lengthy and prolonged exposure to strong RF's emitted by WiFi signals and routers in my classrooms and hallways. I have no RF in my own home, having never subscribed to home WiFi, mobile phone service, or Smart Meters. I am not suffering alone - my experience is not unlike that of thousands of other teachers and students in public schools throughout BC and Canada. Please use any connections you might have to help circulate this information, in order to effect change in federal policy on WiFi use in public spaces and places such as schools, parks, public transit including ferries, and buildings which are now toxic to the increasing number of Canadians who are EHS. I thank you for your compassion and support. Sincerely, Maria Plant Intel leaders visit wing members in Japan The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and the Director of Defense Intelligence (Warfighter Support) recently visited with members of the Fightin Fifty Fifth during a visit to Kadena Air Base, Japan. The Honorable Marcel Lettre and U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. John N.T. Shanahan stopped and met with members of the 82d Reconnaissance Squadron and 390th Intelligence Squadron during a multiday visit to the Pacific. It was an awesome opportunity for our Airmen to showcase their mission and display what the RC-135 brings to the intelligence community, said Lt. Col. Beau Nicewanner, 82d RS commander. While at Kadena, the two leaders toured the 82d RS and 390th IS, received a mission brief about the capabilities of the 55th Wings fleet and toured an RC-135S Cobra Ball as well as a P-8 Poseidon. Their trip culminated with a familiarization flight in an RC-135V/W Rivet Joint courtesy of personnel deployed from 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron. In the end, Secretary Lettre and General Shanahan thanked our Airmen for their exemplary work and dedication to the intelligence community and Pacific Command mission, Nicewanner said. They added that there much activity going on in North Korea and the South China Sea. The Airmen of the Fighting 55th are providing key intelligence that aids in U.S. policy making and our nations military strategy. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... Opinion / Columnist Africa is known worldwide of conferencing, appointing ministers in already blotted cabinets and lack the principle in implementation of programs and issues at a stake. Africa is popular of political bickering , rampant corruption and looting and usually forgets the plight of the people and the lives of the generations to come. Africa has lost billions in acquiring bombing artillery in warless countries while people wallow in epidemics, hunger and untold poverty.It is almost 3 decades after the whole of the African region acquire self independence and the systems have failed to realise the plight of the masses , the protection of the flora and fauna , implementations of solutions and answers to the effects of climate change and devastating weather patterns.African s have made it a culture to rise to the solving occasion when trapped in death and quandary by issues or problems that have been given answers long-time ago. A lot has been said about climate change , environmental protection but we are still under the spell of the results of climate change and the diminishing of the flora and fauna contributing to the fall of the tourism sector which is a major contributor to the National GDP and the biggest employer in Southern Africa and Zimbabwe mostly the young generation.Water shortages and poor agricultural seasons have left villages and farming communities in quandary and hunger despite the fact that Africa can adopt cheap solutions for water harvesting and harnessing and as well understand the need to adapt to changing weather patterns, hence the need for climate education in Africa both rural and urban communities. Climate have a lot of unending challenges and effects that leave nations to bear the brunt of hard and extreme poor lives. Other problems include destruction of infrastructure like bridges , roads and buildings that reversing national development and disrupting commerce.Death by heat waves and widespread diseases is another bigger challenge. We never thought as a continent that Climate change might to serious change in its patterns and effects of desertification. A lot of conferences had been held at global, international, interregional, national levels, consultations have been done. A lot of efforts have been exacted but what is important is the introduction of climate education. Climate education as technical and theoretical learning subject with proper learning tools and sound syllabi. Climate education has to be introduced from primary education to the highest level of learning in all African Countries.Every country must think of having Climate schools, colleges and universities as well Research Institutes. It is not enough to have ministries and agencies ,Civic groups if people are not given both the basic and technical knowledge and education from one generation to another.Conferences, summer Schools, seminars and Campaigns are good but are not what people need to equipped with. People require a culture of education, climate civilization through introduction of climate curricula and syllabi in schools, I say climate schools. It takes this generation of Africa leadership, climate change advocates, environmentalists, weather academics, writers and others to begin a journey and a dream that will serve the world from century to another. With this wild dream it will be a big legacy by this generation to start climate schools in both rural , farming and urban communities.We need to be a civilized Africa , We can't be an Africa of Ebola , an Africa of HIV/AIDS , an Africa of Hunger and Africa suffering from the effects of Climate Change Africa Climate Schools to end Climate war please! Next on the To-Do List: Ikigai Many moons ago, I worked as a career counselor, first for a college and then for a nonprofit in a... Voters need a third option at the polls I ran for a public office a few years ago. After winning a battle with Genesee County Parks the NRA... Wendy Wolcott best choice for Mott College We have a very special candidate running for Mott Community College Board of Trustees in Wendy Wolcott. Mrs. Wolcott is... Smith and Goyette are not fine men I am responding to Tamara Carlones editorial regarding Davison School Board members Matthew Smith and Nicholas Goyette. I disagree with... A U.S. Labor Department rule announced Wednesday follows a major shift since the mid-1970s in Americas private retirement system: away from defined-benefit plans and into self-directed IRAs and 401(k)s. Forty years ago, defined-benefit plans based on factors such as an employees earnings history and duration of employment accounted for the lions share of all retirement assets, according to the White House and data from the Investment Company Institute. Workers with such plans didnt have to worry about managing their retirement savings themselves. Their benefits were defined, or spelled out in advance, and it was their companys responsibility to manage the pension pot. Today the bulk of U.S. retirement assets more than $7 trillion is held in IRAs, compared with $2.9 trillion in traditional pensions. In 1974, $1 billion was held in IRAs and $130 billion in pensions. That makes good investment advice critical today, because most employees themselves are the captains of their retirement ships, says Alicia Munnell of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. She co-wrote a paper for the Labor Department last August, describing how conflicted advice reduces returns on self-directed retirement accounts. She expressed particular concern about the hundreds of billions of dollars rolled over from 401(k) plans to IRAs every year. People are being cajoled into moving their money out of a relatively low-cost, well-regulated part of the retirement system and into a relatively unregulated, high-cost part, Munnell said in an interview. Rollovers account for most of the money flowing into IRAs. With millions of baby boomers nearing retirement, the rollovers are poised to accelerate. The Labor Department rule may slow such rollovers by requiring advisers to spell out precisely how they are in a clients best interest. It would be very hard for somebody who is really acting in the customers interest to tell them to roll their money out of a 401(k), she said. Youre not serving as a fiduciary if youre taking someone from a low-fee world and putting them in high-fee investments. Omaha investor Amish Gangar said he knows that some investment professionals are jamming their clients with hidden fees, backdoor commissions and other conflicts of interest that will be remedied by new U.S. Labor Department rules issued Wednesday. When I talk to my friends and look at their portfolios, Ive seen a lot of abuses that occur, said Gangar, a local software developer and experienced investor who manages his own money. The financial manager is not really putting them into the most cost-effective mutual fund. In addition, Gangar said most people he knows and helps with the basics of personal finance dont realize what a big chunk of their portfolio is going into the pockets of investment advisers and into the investment and mutual funds themselves. The new rules, issued after six years of debate, are designed to stop all that, make all advisers act in their clients best interest and disclose all hidden fees and backdoor payments that can be part of the relationship between Main Street advisers and Wall Street investment companies. Basically, the problem is that the investment fund your adviser recommends might be owned by a big company that is paying the adviser a commission in return for the recommendation. Or in other cases, the mutual fund that a broker is touting is owned and operated by an affiliate of the brokerage. Until now, the standard that applied to many investment professionals advising people on retirement saving was the suitability standard. That means the advisers recommendations only had to be reasonable given the customers income, age and investment objectives. Critics say this encouraged excessive fees, exotic investment products that can be hard to unwind and the sale of investments peddled by companies that paid a commission back to the adviser. A lot of money has been moved from investment to investment, subject only to the suitability standard; 401(k) transfers alone generate billions in fees per year to investment advisers who counsel people moving money into IRAs. While some transfer fees are unavoidable, what most people dont know is that IRA sales reps often earn more money from selling certain investments over others. But as long as their recommendations were suitable no harm, no foul. That is out the door now. The new Labor Department standard is far more rigorous, called the fiduciary standard. That means investment professionals advising people on retirement must put the customers needs above their own, even to the detriment of their own incomes, not simply recommend suitable investments. Investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission already are held to the fiduciary standard. The point: what the Labor Department calls complete transparency. The Labor Department might seem a strange choice to be involved in the investment industry, but it already is, via its oversight of employer-funded pensions governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Thats why the new rules apply only to retirement-oriented accounts such as 401(k) plans, IRAs, and company and public-funded pension plans. With the finalization of this rule, we are putting a fundamental protection into the American retirement landscape, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said Wednesday. A consumers best interest must now come before an advisers financial interest. This is a huge win for the middle class. Omaha attorney Scott Berryman, whose practice includes estate planning, said some of his clients are surprised to learn about the suitability standard and about how less rigorous it is than the fiduciary standard. Knowing that somebody is a fiduciary and has (the clients) own interests at heart I think the public is really going to respond to that, Berryman said. People are really surprised that theres a lower standard, something that might lead to hidden fees or selling them into a product that is really great for the advisers commission, really great for the brokerage and just suitable for the customer. As for brokers who insist that their recommendations already meet the higher standard? I wish all of their brethren were so altruistic, Berryman said. Cella Quinn, owner of Omahas Cella Quinn Investment Services, said she isnt sold on the change. It is just regulation at its worst, said Quinn, who has $204 million under management. Im really concerned about the small investors. Shes not alone. Critics have said that professional advisers will begin turning away small accounts, such as modest 401(k) rollovers and the like, seeing such transactions as not worth the cost and bother. What actually happens six months from now can be quite different from whats being talked about now, Quinn said. I think we dont have any idea what the final result is going to be. Still, Wall Street isnt waiting around. Many big broker-dealers and money managers already have begun adapting. Omaha-based Securities America, one of the nations largest broker-dealers with $55 billion under supervision, has 18 people assigned to implementing the new rules, and the companys outside lawyers also are on the case, spokeswoman Natalie Hadley said. We anticipate spending a significant amount of resources to adapt our systems, to educate and train our advisers, and to help our advisers educate their clients, Hadley said. It wont be free. Dan Tobin is the senior vice president of risk management at Omahas Carson Wealth Management, which has about $6 billion under advisement. He said there will be some additional costs for wealth managers from operational expenses associated with the new rules and from additional expenses incurred by investment funds. But overall, we fully support it, Tobin said. He said most Carson Wealth business already is conducted on a fee-only basis, so conflicts of interest based on hidden commissions arent an issue. The new standard levels the playing field, he said. The big winners here are the clients. Still, the topic is a sensitive one for some brokers who already have high personal and business standards and consider themselves to be family confidants, professionals on an ethical par with doctors and lawyers. One Omaha broker said privately that he has been working in the best interests of his clients for 30 years, without any prompting from anyone. I dont need the Department of Labor to tell me that, the broker said. Contact the writer: 402-444-3197, russell.hubbard@owh.com * * * New rules for retirement account investment advisers: Old standard: Investments are broadly suitable for a clients age, income and investment objectives. Broker-dealers, insurance sales people and some other financial company representatives learn clients situations and use the suitability standard. New standard: Advisers must operate as a fiduciary, recommending investments in the clients best interests even if commissions are lower. They must provide full and fair disclosure, avoid conflicts of interest and disclose and manage unavoidable conflicts in the clients favor. Registered Investment Advisors and some other advisers already operate under the fiduciary standard. Area affected: Advice for retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs. Pros: Greater transparency for investors so they understand what they pay for advice, and possibly lower expenses and greater long-term retirement earnings. Con: Some advisers might shy away from small accounts, leaving them open to mistakes or discouraging investment savings. Schedule: Phase-in starts about a year from now, with full compliance by January 2018. Source: Chamberlain Fiduciary Consultants A fight over century-old buildings. Disagreement over downtown parking. Discussion about the future of the performing arts in Omaha. None of that directly related to building HDRs new headquarters on 11th and Dodge Streets, but it all played a role in Thursdays decision by the global architecture and engineering firm to give up on the downtown site. The Omaha-based firm said it would seek a site elsewhere in the city for its new home office. HDR declined to talk Thursday about alternative sites. Mayor Jean Stothert said HDR and Omaha Performing Arts couldnt come to an agreement for HDR to purchase the downtown land the arts group owns. HDR had wanted the land for its headquarters. Omaha Performing Arts, which operates the nearby Holland Center, had used the land for parking and eyed it for potential expansion. On Feb. 15, OPA said it would sell the empty lot to HDR. The two parties agreed originally to a selling price of $3 million, according to a letter in HDRs application for tax-increment financing from the city. But a letter is not the same as a contract, said Cassie Paben, the mayors deputy chief of staff for economic development. Stothert said OPA later asked for more than $3 million. She referred questions about the details of the negotiation to HDR and OPA. HDR didnt respond to a request for additional details. Joan Squires, the arts groups president, said OPA and HDR did have an agreement, but she wouldnt elaborate on what might have fallen through. She referred a reporter to the groups written statement. In the statement, the group said it was sad and disappointed to learn that HDR wouldnt build its headquarters downtown. The statement didnt disclose any details about what, if anything, had soured the agreement. We had looked forward to welcoming the company and their employees to the neighborhood, the statement said. We appreciate HDRs long-time support and partnership. HDRs chairman and chief executive, George A. Little, said: Regrettably, since the project did not develop as originally proposed, it is no longer in the best interests of our employee-owners and company to move downtown. He said the primary reason for the decision was that the cost of the project had increased and the construction timetable had been delayed. In a statement, he tied the rising costs to the loss of previously planned parking facilities nearby. HDR wouldnt elaborate. Stothert said HDRs decision was unexpected and disappointing. As of just last week, she said, we thought this project was moving forward. Stothert said the city did all it could for HDR to stay on its construction timeline. The mayor said the decision shouldnt be seen as an indication that its too expensive to develop downtown. She pointed to a handful of ongoing projects, including a new Marriott Hotel and other development being built at 10th Street and Capitol Avenue. Downtown is still a very vibrant place, she said. Its not too expensive to build, and its not too hard to park. Parking has been a sticking point since HDR announced last June that it planned to build its 16-story, $152 million complex on the land that sits between Dodge Street and Capitol Avenue, 11th to 12th Streets. OPA said giving up the land, which it now uses as a parking lot, would speed its timetable for expanding its own facilities at the Holland Center. The group proposed demolishing three century-old buildings including one with a national historic designation at the east end of the Holland lot, on land that it didnt own. On that site was envisioned a parking garage and education facility. Stothert initially objected to a suggestion that she use eminent domain to take the land east of the Holland. But her administration negotiated a deal in which the city would pay $10 million for the land, including the three century-old buildings. OPAs plan to demolish the old buildings sparked a firestorm of protest. OPA later said it would try to incorporate some part of one of the buildings into its design, but that didnt satisfy preservationists. In February, just before the City Council was set to approve the deal to buy the three buildings, OPA pulled out. Squires, OPAs president, said at the time that the controversy had overshadowed the arts groups accomplishments and had become a distraction. Then Squires said the group still planned to sell the lot between 11th and 12th Streets to HDR. Just Wednesday, both the citys attorney and John Gottschalk, the OPA chairman, said they were aware of no breakdown that would stop HDRs downtown headquarters project. There is no glitch that I know of, Gottschalk said in an interview Wednesday. As far as I know, theyre plugging right along. Still, he said Wednesday, OPA hadnt resolved its problem of where daytime patrons of the Holland Center would park as its programming grows. On Thursday, Gottschalk said again that he didnt know on Wednesday that the HDR downtown site was in jeopardy. Were disappointed that things didnt work out for them, he said. We put a lot of effort into it. City officials said they offered options for additional nearby parking for HDR, Omaha Performing Arts and The World-Herald, which rents some stalls on the 11th Street lot. The city also owns a small portion of the lot; it was going to give HDR its portion. I dont think, at the end of the day, parking was a problem, said Steve Jensen, a planning consultant for the city and a former director of the City Planning Department. City Council President Ben Gray, whose district includes the HDR site, said the city did everything that we knew to do and everything we could legally do to make the site work. It hurts, theres no question about that, Gray said. Its going to take some time to get past it. While downtown boosters might be smarting, HDRs Little said another site in the city would be identified quickly and the company would look forward to maintaining the presence weve had in Omaha for nearly 100 years. World-Herald staff writer Steve Jordon contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 402-444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com Can't see the tweets? Click here. The possible conflicts of interest within the investment industry that the Labor Departments new rules are targeting also have caught the attention of another high authority: the U.S. Supreme Court. George Morgan, a former stockbroker and now a finance instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said the courts 9-0 ruling in 2015 essentially says many American workers are being overcharged on management fees and expenses by their 401(k) retirement plans. In the case, titled Tibble v. Edison International, the justices said that retirement plan sponsors employers have a continuing duty to review investments and weed out those that lose money. That might not sound revolutionary, but the ruling exposed a nasty little secret: Some retirement plans have been investing in retail mutual funds, the higher-cost versions that are commonly marketed to individual investors. That is nonsense, Morgan says. Big investment funds such as retirement plans can buy wholesale-class funds that offer discounted fees and expenses in exchange for a much larger initial investment than a single person or household would plunk down. The only reason a retirement plan would own such higher-cost mutual funds, Morgan said, is if it would generate higher commissions for the plan adviser. The whole issue has spawned a minor legal industry as plaintiffs attorneys go on the hunt for pension funds to sue, Morgan said. He said he expects a flood of lawsuits in years to come targeting plan sponsors employers for failing to monitor their plans underlying investments. It might seem a bit counterintuitive to sue your boss over your 401(k). But Morgan said the law is clear: Plan sponsors have the fiduciary duty to make sure employees interests come first among the institutional money managers who make day-to-day investment decisions. Plaintiff lawyers are advertising, looking for employees who are willing to turn their employer in, Morgan said. Employers need to know and understand this, and if they chose to ignore it, that is their choice. Contact the writer: 402-444-3197, russell.hubbard@owh.com A wildfire has blackened about 20 square miles of land in the west-central Nebraska Sandhills. Grant County Sheriff Mike Roth said the blaze started in Grant County around noon Wednesday and stretched into Arthur County. At least 10 agencies fought the flames for more than seven hours. No injuries have been reported, nor any damage to buildings. Another blaze was reported Tuesday afternoon in south-central Nebraska. Authorities say sparks from a passing train ignited fires along an eight-mile stretch east of Harvard, which is south of Grand Island. About 80 firefighters responded, and farmers used their tractors and discs to deny fuel to the flames. No injuries or building damage have been reported. Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Saying no to alleviating pain Have you ever watched a child have a seizure? Its horrible to see a loved one, a little child, shaking uncontrollably, and the only thing you can do is hold him to protect him from injury. Then its over, for a while. Then another seizure starts to ravage him, and later another one, and another one. Maybe over 50 or 100 each and every day. There is a possible solution medical marijuana, widely publicized as a salvation to the horror. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have approved it, but not Nebraska (Pleas for sick kids cant save medical marijuana, April 6 World-Herald). No, here, let the little children suffer. Tom Black, West Point, Neb. A blow to democracy I am adamantly against a winner-take-all system for determining the electoral votes in a presidential election (Ending split of electoral votes has new life, April 5 World-Herald). It is patently unfair to those who have voted for the other candidate, whose votes are then canceled. Ours is supposed to be a representative form of government. People like Omaha Sen. Beau McCoy, who believe in going along with the crowd, right or wrong, remind me of what mothers used to ask their kids: If everybody else decided to jump off a cliff, would you do that, too? Ive been proud of Nebraska for doing it the fair way and would be very disappointed in our legislators if they change it. Ellen Campbell, Central City, Neb. Nebraska and Maine have it right I have always been proud of the fact that I live in Nebraska. Our state exemplifies what honesty and fairness should be. Nebraska and Maine have been beacons of integrity in an otherwise rigged election system in this country. In two of the 50 states, voters can feel secure knowing that their votes count. In an age of poisonous partisanship, district gerrymandering and voter apathy, I say shame on the Legislature for even considering reinstating a winner-take-all system in our state. Nebraska and Maine have it right. The other 48 need to join us, not the other way around. I hope this bill is defeated, so we can truly say, There is no place like Nebraska (except Maine). Jeff Vavruska, Gretna A system open to abuse The discussion about how or even if the police should use seized assets of suspected criminal activities to fund police work goes back a ways (Omaha police try to derail bill on asset seizures, April 4 World-Herald). Here is Adam Smith, 18th century political theorist and author of the seminal Wealth of Nations on the subject: This scheme of making the administration of justice subservient to the purposes of revenue could scarce fail to be productive of several very gross abuses. Peter Vidito, Omaha Garland is no moderate The first and last sentences in Chapin Pete Petersons April 3 Public Pulse letter (Shrewd nomination) really caught my eye. He first referred to Judge Merrick Garland as a moderate. Youve got to be kidding me! A man who was on the wrong side of D.C. v. Heller and other Second Amendment cases is hardly a moderate. The last sentence, I know that any president or lawmaker who will not work across the aisle will fail has been proven wrong by the current occupant. Its been President Obamas way or the highway. When he refused to compromise, he simply invoked his power to issue executive orders. Mel B. Shelnutt, Clarinda, Iowa Scalia was a part-time constitutionalist March 30 Public Pulse writer Edward A. Morse is wrong (Grassley defending assault on freedoms) about Justice Antonin Scalia. He claims Scalia was committed to the Constitution. How about the Bush v. Gore case where the justices made a ruling and then said it is not precedent? The Roberts court has been the most activist court ever in favor of big business. The Senate needs to do its job. Period. Sean McGrath, Omaha We all should follow Senates philosophy Good news for the workers of the United States. Based on the refusal of the Senate Republicans to consider President Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court because Obama is in the last year of his term, employees should expect that they will no longer be required to do their jobs during the last two hours of an eight-hour shift. I think the Senate has just enacted the 32-hour workweek. Enjoy. David Davies, Omaha History has a way of repeating itself Many have repeated the idea that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Today, we endure cowardly defamation of dead great men, including Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, George Washington, Douglas MacArthur and George Patton. The same old envy-and-theft ideas of Marx and Robin Hood have resurfaced, and Jews are now targeted anew. Perhaps forever gone are past great qualities of decency, respect and patriotism. We have a president who makes British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain seem wise at Munich in 1938. And our apparent choices for President Obamas successor will be between two candidates who have serious character deficits. Ronald Bouwman, Glenwood, Iowa Apparel and Garment Making Centre inaugurated in Nagaland Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa The project to construct an Apparel and Garment Making Centre in every state in the North Eastern Region was launched in Nagaland by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1st December, 2014. Subsequently, the foundation stone for the Apparel Centre in Dimapur was laid by the Union Textiles Minister on 24th February, 2015. The project for construction of Apparel and Garment Making Centres in North Eastern States is one of the most ambitious projects launched in the textile sector by the Government of India. It has the potential to change the landscape of the textile industry in North Eastern India. Union Textiles Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar, on inaugurating the Apparel and Garment Making Centre, in Dimapur Nagaland said that, "I am happy that Nagaland has become a pioneer in this revolution in the region. Hope this will take the textile industry of the state to new heights". CM T R Zeliang at the event: Nagaland Chief Minister, Shri T.R Zeliang said that the inauguration of the three units would help in skilling Naga youths in becoming professional entrepreneurs. Noting that the Apparel and Garment Making Centre in Dimapur is the first centre in the entire N.E, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that it would go a long way in tapping into the talent of people in the region. He expressed the hope that these Centres would become the breeding ground for many successful entrepreneurs, who could help in uplifting the region's economy. Mr. Zeliang thanked the Central Government for sanctioning the project for establishment of Muga P3 basic seed station and Integrated Eri Silk Development project, as well as the Apparel and Garment Making Centre. Santosh Kumar Gangwar at the event: Stating that the Apparel and Garment Making Centre has been operationalised in a record time of a little more than one year, the Minister dedicated the Centre to the people of Nagaland. He appreciated the support rendered by the Government of Nagaland and also thanked the entrepreneurs for coming forward. The Minister said that the purpose of this project is to develop entrepreneurship in apparel manufacturing among the local youth and to provide employment to the people locally in these centers. He noted that the apparel industry is most rewarding in terms of revenue generation as well as employment in the entire textile value chain. He said that the apparel centres is a small yet significant step in the direction of increasing export share of apparel and garments in overall export of textiles and clothing. He expressed confidence that the enabling policies and programmes initiated by the Government under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister will attract more such investments in the State and help it to emerge as a hub for apparel and fashion industry. North East gets more: On the occasion, the Minister laid the foundation stone for Muga P3 Basic Seed Station Kobulong, Mokokchung and also launched the newly approved Integrated Eri Silk Development Project, under North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), for women empowerment and sustainable livelihood in Kohima. Viewing sericulture as a high potential area, Mr. Gangwar observed that Nagaland can be a forerunner in silk quality and its promotion. The Minister said that in the last two years, the Ministry of Textiles has sanctioned three major sericulture projects to Nagaland, with Government of India support of Rs 101.25 crore. He said that these projects will support silk production in all three varieties of silk i.e Eri, Muga and Mulberry, from plantation to finished product to marketing. He said that these projects are expected to help about 5000 farmers engaged in plantation of Eri, Muga and mulberry silk and would increase the overall production of quality silk by three times through various interventions. Handloom a tradition in Nagaland: Pointing out handlooms as a deep-rooted tradition in Nagaland, the Minister said that the unique handloom designs and motifs are expressions of the rich cultural heritage of Nagaland. He added that the Ministry intends to take the cultural heritage beyond the boundaries of the state, by giving international recognition through market linkage, technology upgradation and design inputs. The Textiles Minister reiterated the Central government's commitment for overall development of North Eastern Region under the initiative and leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Gangwar expressed optimism that the inauguration and launching of various projects under the Ministry of Textiles would provide gainful employment to the people of Nagaland. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 11:33 [IST] India Celebrates Health Week to promote Healthy Living Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa Ministry of Health and Family and Welfare will be celebrating a Health Week, to mark the World Health Day falling on 7th April 2016. During this week the Ministry will launch several initiatives including an awareness campaign on family planning. The Ministry will also launch initiatives on diabetes, TB and other communicable and non-communicable diseases. The Health Ministry is also organising a national consultation on setting up of National eHealth Authority (NeHA) to strengthen the health systems. As part of this celebration Mr. J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, announced the implementation of third phase of Mission Indradhanush from 7th April. J P Nadda at launch of Health Week: J P Nadda said that this initiative was launched on 25th December 2014 as a special nationwide initiative to cover all left out and missed out children and pregnant women with the protection of seven vaccines. This has been expanded to cover provisioning of Vitamin A, ORS packets and Zinc tablets. Two phases of the special drive have been completed, he informed, under which more than 1.48 crore children and 38 lakh pregnant women have been additionally immunised. He added that of these nearly 39 lakh children and more than 20 lakh pregnant women have been additionally fully immunised. Across 21.3 lakh sessions held through the country in high and mid-priority districts, the Health Minister stated that more than 3.66 crore antigens have been administered. #MissionIndradhanush: More than 1.42 cr children & nearly 37 lakh pregnant women immunized in first two phases pic.twitter.com/GgLwLuNK3Z Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) April 4, 2016 Video conferencing to spread message: The Health Minister held video conferencing with Health Ministers from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, and Principal Health secretaries and Mission Directors from the rest of the 27 States and UTS. Reviewed preparedness of Phase-3 of #MissionIndradhanush in a Video Conference with state health ministers. pic.twitter.com/eh0zOoHF8s Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016 J P Nadda urged them to put into practice the lessons learnt during the past two phases of Mission Indradhanush for sustained gains. The Minister stated that this would not only help in increasing the immunisation coverage in the states but would contribute to strengthening the health systems. He congratulated the states for their cooperation and collective effort, and the Health Ministers and Secretaries for their personal involvement and constant monitoring of the immunisation drive. Phase 3 of Mission Indradhanush: Phase-3 of Mission Indradhanush of this special full immunisation drive, Mr. Nadda informed will be carried out in 216 select districts in 27 states and UTs. Four intensified immunisation rounds will be conducted for seven days in each between April and July 2016, in these districts. These 216 districts have been identified on the basis of estimates where full immunization coverage is less than 60 per cent and have high dropout rates. Four intensified immunization rounds will be conducted for seven days in each between April and July 2016. Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016 Flagging off the third phase of Mission Indradhanush, Union Health Minister stated that, "Mission Indradhanush has witnessed unparalleled participation and cooperation from health workers at the grass root level in improving the immunisation coverage in difficult areas. The scale and reach of the initiative is unmatched and states have shown massive commitment in coming forth and creating awareness at all levels. Phase -3 of Mission Indradhanush will be carried out in 216 select districts in 27 states/UTs. Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016 Mr. Nadda added that the milestones achieved through the programme have led to health systems strengthening which provides us a good opportunity for the introduction of additional life-saving vaccines and ensuring the reach of the immunisation program to each and every child in the country. Karnataka to strengthen ATS and up the number of prisons NIA officer's murder: Terror busters who faced bullets, suspension Feature oi-Pallavi By Pallavi The brutal murder of senior NIA officer Mohammed Tanzeel Ahmed has taken us back to many such occasions when honest police officers have either faced the bullet or the ire of political parties. Incidentally, the identity of Tanzeel was questioned even after death when Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said that Tanzeel was from Pakistan (as if that would have justified his murder). This is just a case in point. Here is a list of officers who have been there and done that and have also faced death when required. Mohammed Tanzeel Ahmed, NIA officer The code cracker behind the nabbing of Indian Mujahideen (IM)'s then India chief bomb expert Yaseen Bhatkal in June 2013, Tanzeel is known for his feats in the Pathankot attacks too. He has been part of the intelligence group in critical counter-terror operations. He was on leave after a stint as a liason officer for the 5-member Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Pathankot attacks. He and his colleagues had suspected that he was being targetted for personal and property matters. He was targetted by two armed motocyclists who splayed close to 20 bullets when he was driving back from a wedding with his family in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor area. Rajbir Singh, an Encounter specialist with Delhi police ACP Singh was murdered by a real estate developer on March 24, 2008. Property dealer Vijay Bharadwaj was an old acquaintance and the officer came to meet him for personal reasons. The latter had asked his Z category security to stay outside the builder's office while he went inside to meet him. Over an altercation, Bhardwaj shot him at point black range from behind. The ACP died on the spot. He had neutralised many terror cells in Delhi, along with CIA. Arrested several operatives including Mohammed Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013 after his conviction in the 2001 Parliament attack case. Singh was posted with the Delhi Police's Special Cell and the crime branch and had also detected the Red Fort terror attack case of 2000. Shridhar Vagal: Ex-Mumbai Crime Branch chief A Maharashtra cadre-IPS officer, Vagal was arrested by the Special Investigation Team probing the multi-crore stamp paper scam. He was the first IPS officer to be arrested in the fake stamp paper scam. He was charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Although he was suspended after his arrest in 2003, his suspension was set aside by the Central Administrative Tribunal. Ravindranath Angre: 'Encounter specialist', Maharashtra Police He is claimed to have killed 52 alleged gangsters, including underworld 'don' Suresh Machekar, whom he had tracked down for three years. He was at his career high when suddenly he was arrested for threatening a local property developer Ganesh Wagh. Wagh had backed out of a deal to build a Rs 100 crore swimming pool-cum-club-complex in Thane. He was arrested when a complaint of threat, extortion and robbery were charged against Agre. He had to spend months in jail and was later released in 2009 and reinstated into the services and transferred to Maoist infected Gadchiroli, which he refused to accept. He was dismissed from service in June 2014. [Whistleblowers who were martyred for raising voice against wrongdoings] Daya Nayak, Mumbai Police Responsible for neutralising 83 alleged gangsters during his stint with the Mumbai crime branch and its Crime Intelligence Unit. In 2006, he was charged by the anti-corruption bureau on charhes of amassing property. However, he deemed them baseless. He was cleared of charges pertaining to his background. The row started when he built a school in his home state of Karnataka in 2002. In October 2009, the Maharashtra government denied permission to prosecute Nayak, citing insufficient evidence. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' to curb poverty Thief calls cops for help after being caught by mob Cyclone Sitrang heading towards Bangladesh; Heavy rains likely to pound West Bengal, Odisha and NE One More Secular Blogger killed in Bangladesh Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa Nazimuddin Samad who was a secular activist and who criticised Islamism was hacked to death in Bangladesh. He was killed by at least four assailants in Dhaka. He had posted anti-Islamism messages on Facebook. His is the latest killing in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. His name was on a hit list that was drawn by radical Islamists. The list had 84 names and it was sent to the country's interior ministry too. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police Syed Nurul Islam was quoted to say that, "At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad's head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot." The first two lines of Samad's Facebook post read, "Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people." Killings of secular bloggers in Bangladesh: Since 2005 numerous bloggers and progressive activists have been killed in Bangladesh. Rajshahi University professor AKM Shafiul Islam, literary publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, and bloggers Avijit Roy, Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, Ananta Bijoy Das and Niloy Neel are some of those who have been killed since November of 2014. Blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death outside his home in Dhaka on February 15, 2013. He was at the forefront of the Shahbag movement and wrote frequently about religious fundamentalism in Bangladesh. Atheist blogger Asif Mohiuddin was stabbed in the street by religious extremists in 2013. Another blogger Niloy Neel was hacked to death with machetes in his Dhaka apartment. He had weeks before the attack sought protection from the police in wake of the threats that he had been receiving. The attackers had entered his room on the fifth floor shoved his friend aside and hacked him to death. In the same year Bangladesh had also witnessed the deaths of Washiqur Rahman and Ananta Bijoy Das too. On 26th February 2015 prominent blogger and Bangladeshi scientist Avijit Roy was hacked to death. In November 2015, Rafida Ahmed Bonya the wife of murdered blogger Avijit Roy called the situation dire in Bangladesh as she spoke to a UN panel. She lost part of her hand in the brutal attack in which her husband was killed. In October 2015 another publisher and secular blogger Faisal Arefin Dipan was killed in Shahbagh area while three other publishers and bloggers were hacked and shot in Lalmatia area. Such incidents have repeatedly been reported despite the government, the judiciary and police forces taking measures to deter extremists from targeting the bloggers and the publishers. Bloggers sign letter condemning such attacks: More than 150 writers had signed a letter condemning such attacks on the bloggers and called on Bangladesh's government to keep bloggers safe and that such tragic attacks were not repeated. Bangladesh is a secular nation officially and has 160 million Muslim citizens which makes for 90% of the country's population. Hardline groups of Bangladesh: Hefazat-e-Islam a hardline group of Bangladesh had publicly sought that atheists who organised mass protests against the rise of political Islam should be executed. Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a hardline Islamist group, was banned by Bangladesh following Das's murder. Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent had claimed responsibility of many of the attacks on secular bloggers of the country. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 12:50 [IST] UP: 3 arrested for rape of 20 year old In the name of charity, Rs 50 lakh transferred to personal A/C: ED in chargesheet against Rana Ayyub BSP MP's daughter-in-law death: Son arrested for dowry harassment Ghaziabad oi-Preeti Ghaziabad, April 7: A day after 29-year-old Himanshi Kashyap, the daughter-in-law of BSP MP was found dead inside her home in Sanjay Nagar area of Ghaziabad, her husband was on Thursday, April 7 arrested over the charges of dowry harassment and five of his family members were also booked. An FIR was filed against the lawmaker and his family members under anti-dowry law. Police swung into action after getting information from other sources and reached the Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital in Nehru Nagar, where a medico-legal memo confirmed that she was brought dead by family members. [BSP MP's daughter-in-law found dead in Ghaziabad] Her husband Sagar initially told the police that she had committed suicide using his licensed pistol. Police teams reached the spot and collected evidence. No suicide note was recovered from the spot. The firearm was also seized. Himanshi, the daughter of former BSP minister Hiralal Kashyap was married to Sagar three years ago and the couple have a one-year-old son. On Late Wednesday night, Kavi Nagar SHO Ashok Shishodia said an FIR under sections 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 304B (death of a woman caused by burns or bodily injuries) of IPC and sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act has been lodged against Narendra Kashyap, his wife Devendri Devi, son Sagar (husband of Himanshi), daughters Shobha and Sarita and Sagar's younger brother Siddharth. Shishodia said that Hariom Kashyap, Himanshi's uncle in his complaint, alleged that Narendra Kashyap's family members used to torture the girl for not bringing enough dowry. Himanshi was pressuried to bring Fortuner SUV They always insisted on her to bring a Fortuner SUV from her parents. Last time when she had gone to her parents home, she complained of in-laws and her husbands rude behavior and persistent harassment. Himanshi's father threatens to coomit suicide Himanshi's father and former state minister Hira Lal Kashyap threatened that if the BSP parliamentarian was not arrested, he would commit suicide in front of parliament. He said he would seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding justice for his daughter. Meanwhile, Narendra Kashyap and Devendri complained of chest pain and were admitted at ICU of Yashoda Hospital, Dr P N Arora, Managing Director of the Hospital said. OneIndia News (With agency inputs) 'Let Army Chief say what he wants': MoS VK Singh on Gen Rawat's remark on AIUDF 'I don't want to react', says Sitharaman on Army Chief's remark on AIUDF BJP little wary over possible AIUDF-Congress alliance for its success in North-East Assam polls: AIUDF chief says he will be a king-maker India oi-Preeti Guwahati, April 7: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief Badruddin Ajmal on Wednesday, April 6 claimed that he will be a king-maker in a hung house, while making it clear that he won't go with the BJP. In an interview with TOI, Ajmal, the billionaire perfume baron, exuded confidence and said that his party will get more than 18 seats, that it had got in 2011 assembly elections. [Badruddin Ajmal: King-maker or spoiler in Assam politics?] He also claimed that no party can form government without his party's help. However, he admitted that both Congress and BJP are his challengers. [Know your leader Profile: Badruddin Ajmal] On hung assembly, Ajmal said that his party will decide at an appropriate time, while adding that people's mandate is for a stable government. On Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's performance, Ajmal said, "Gogoi has failed. He has failed to live up to the expectations of people. Gogoi's rule is marked by failures, for the state lags behind on development." Ajmal also said that like Bihar's grand alliance, there should be a secular front in Assam too, to take on the BJP. [Know your state: Assam] In a pre-poll tie up, AIUDF entered an alliance with the JD(U) and RJD. Ajmal feels that he has brought a change in Assam's political scenario and after the formation of AIUDF, the exploitation of minorities has stopped. [Special Coverage: Assembly Elections 2016] While talking about his role outside Assam, Ajmal said that he will campaign for JD(U) and RJD in West Bengal and then he will gear up for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that will take place in 2017. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 17:39 [IST] Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 BJP questions decision to allow liquor in Bihar's army canteen India oi-PTI Patna, Apr 7: BJP on Wednesday, April 6, questioned the Nitish Kumar government's decision allowing sale of liquor in army canteens in Bihar, saying it would make difficult for the government to enforce complete prohibition. "If complete prohibition has been enforced in the people's interest in the state, what is the basis of allowing sale of liquor in army canteens," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said. Modi, who was Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's deputy during NDA regime, asked the government how it would ensure that the liquor sold in army canteens will not come to open market. Bihar goes dry: Desperate alcoholics consume anything to get high!] "Will not the high and mighty be able to get liquor from Army canteen?... How the government would make prohibition a complete success in such a situation," he said. Four days after banning sale and consumption of country-made and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1, the state government followed it up with prohibiting India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect yesterday. The Chief Minister yesterday said army cantonment areas would be out of the liquor ban as they regulate sale and consumption of alochol in their own way. Modi yesterday welcomed the decision and said the state government has finally yielded to Opposition pressure for complete prohibition. Speaking for bar and restaurants owners and industries that make spirit from maize or rice or set up bottling plants for country-made liquor, Modi asked the government to compensate them adequately as these firms had come forward to built their units on government's assurance. The state government in April last year had banned the sale of country-made liquor in pouch and allowed the companies to set up bottling plants in the state, Modi said, adding that the government had not only given these firms licenses but also gave them subsidy. The government should immediately return license fees collected for 2016-17 from businessmen for running bars and restaurants in the state, the senior BJP leader said. The government should also give relief vis-a-vis export duty to those who set up beer factories, he said. With complete prohibition in vogue, these firms would require to export their products such as beer and spirit and hence the government should rationalise export duty, Modi added. PTI 90 Percent of Indias Online Skill Gaming Industry Says 28 Percent GST over GGV Will Be Catastrophic Government to engage Congress to break GST deadlock: Arun Jaitley India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, April 7: The government will attempt to break the deadlock on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the Rajya Sabha by engaging the opposition Congress party in discussions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday, April 7. "The only opponent on the GST is the Congress party. In its belated wisdom, the Congress has demanded a constitutional cap on the GST rate. I am going to discuss with them," he said, addressing the Growth Net conference here. Jaitley said the GST Council would decide the tax rate, but he favoured a "reasonable" rate. "I hope there will be some consensus on that reasonable rate between two national parties," the minister said. The bill for a pan-India GST for a thorough reform of the country's indirect tax regime has been passed by the Lok Sabha, but is stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks a majority. The government hopes to have the bill passed in the second half of the Budget session of Parliament\ beginning on April 25. Jaitley juxtaposed the use of the upper house to "block" the decision making with the need to allow the view of the "directly elected house" -- the Lok Sabha -- to prevail. "To what extent our upper house is going to be used to block economic decision making. In Australia the debate is on; the UK has gone through this debate a while ago, and Italy is having the same debate. Because ultimately the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained," he said. The finance minister said the Congress party, which had sponsored the law in the first place, has now "curiously" changed its stand. "I am faced with a reversal of position when I accept some of the moves which the Congress party itself started," he said. "GST was first mooted by Chidambaram and then introduced by the present President when he was finance minister, and there is no point in taking a reversal as far as those issues are concerned," he said, referring to two of his predecessors. Referring to the ongoing opposition to levying of excise duty on jewellery, Jaitley said it is not justified to keep "luxury items" untaxed. "I want to make it clear that when tax imposes on items of common people and the society runs through tax, then it's not justified to keep luxury items aside from tax," he said. On Monday, he said exempting luxury items from indirect tax would not help keeping the proposed GST rate in the 16-18 percent range. "If luxury items are kept out, then it will be very difficult to keep the GST (Goods and Services Tax) rate between 16 percent and 18 percent," Jaitley had said. Jewellers are continuing their protest strike against the one percent excise duty on non-silver jewellery introduced by the finance minister in the union budget for the current financial year. Jaitley had earlier said an 18 percent cap on the GST rate as suggested by the Congress party would result in a flawed system as it could lower duties on a host of "sin" products and luxury items that should attract higher taxes. IANS No surprises here: Mallikarjun Kharge is the new Cong chief After the 'Jihad' comment, Patil now claims \"I never said it\" Govt must refrain from 'unconsulted' moves: Cong on Pak policy India oi-PTI New Delhi, Apr 7: Congress today came down hard on Pakistan for its "unilateral suspension" of peace process, and hoped NDA government has learnt the lesson and will refrain from "unthought, unconsulted" diplomatic moves aimed at building Prime Minister Narendra Modi's persona. "Pakistan's unilateral suspension of peace process is extremely unfortunate. It is also a grim reminder of how Pakistan time and again has betrayed the peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiations," party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. He hoped that BJP Govt has learnt their lesson and will "refrained from unthought, unconsulted diplomatic moves" purely aimed at building Modi's "larger than life persona at the cost of compromising our nation's safety and security." At the same time, Surjewala said Congress stood with all Indians in condemning Pakistan's skewed move to undo the peace process. Another party spokesman Manish Tewari said the government has itself to blame for the development. "The Government of India has no one but itself to blame for this unfortunate development. Prime Minister Modi's flip flops, U-turns and somersaults over the past 22 months have allowed the Pakistani deep state i.e GHQ-ISI-terror groups orchestra to run circles around India." "We do hope that this government realizes that diplomacy is not done on the fly by the seat of their pants. Government needs to introspect their failures in retrospect", he added. The sharp reaction from the Congress came close on the heels of Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's remarks that at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended". PTI Karnataka to strengthen ATS and up the number of prisons Horror of suicide is back to haunt students of Bengaluru during exam season India oi-Oneindia By Maitreyee Boruah Bengaluru, April 7: In the last few days, media has been diligently chronicling every personal detail of popular tele-actress Pratyusha Banerjee, who allegedly committed suicide in Mumbai on April 1. Call it the stigma attached to suicide or the mystery behind a person taking the extreme step-any case of suicide is hard to comprehend for all of us. Moreover, when a celebrity commits suicide it always grabs headlines, sadly. India's start-up city, Bengaluru, also grapples with the rise in the number of suicide cases among the student community, especially during the exam season. According to the figures available with Rehabilitation of Anti-Suicide Forum (RASF), an organisation working with students in the city, a total of six students attempted suicide during March in the city. The students attempted suicide due to exam stress. After their suicide bids were foiled, the students were counselled by the members of RASF. The forum is supported by the Child Rights Trust (CRT), an NGO working with children. All the youngsters are students of class ten and are currently writing their board exams. "These students attempted suicide because of exam stress. They were suffering from exam-related anxiety that pushed them to take such a drastic step. Thankfully, all of them were saved. The months of March and April, the board exam season, see highest number of suicide or attempted suicide cases among the students' community across Karnataka," Nagasimha G Rao, senior member of CRT, told OneIndia. In one of the cases, a girl decided to end her life because her parents gave her strict instructions to study 18 hours a day before the exams, says a member of RASF. Experts say the pressure to perform well in the exams is taking a toll on the youngsters. "Parents are also responsible for the children's plight. They want their kids to score high marks. They have high expectations and put undue pressure on the young minds. Some of these kids can't take so much of pressure. Surmounting pressure from parents to score high marks causes tension, stress and fear among many students. All these lead children to end their lives," says a member of RASF. The member of RASF laments schools in Bengaluru and across Karnataka don't have counsellors to help kids to deal with exam-related issues. The figures pertaining to suicide among students are chilling. An estimated 500 students commit suicide in Karnataka every year. "The reason behind high rate of suicide among school and college-going kids is academic stress," says Rao. A total of 560 students committed suicide in Karnataka in 2012, as per the data available with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The figures stood at 672 in 2013 and 570 in 2014. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 10:58 [IST] ISIS- Bhatkal resident let off after found clean India oi-Vicky A joint investigation conducted by the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau has found no evidence against Abdul Rauf Musa who was detained in Pune for alleged links with the ISIS. After detaining him on the basis of a look out circular, it was said that he was being probed for alleged links with the ISIS and also certain financial activities. However, after a thorough investigation, the agencies found no proof on him and let him go. Rauf a resident of Bhatkal was picked up at the Pune airport two days back. Also Read: Why is ISIS plotting the escape of Indian Mujahideen chief, Yasin Bhatkal A team of both the NIA and IB which questioned him at Mumbai found nothing against him following which he was let off. Ran a mobile shop: It was found during the questioning that Rauf ran a mobile shop in Bhatkal. He said he was going to Dubai as he had got a good job offer. He also told the agency that he knew Shafi Armar because he too was a native of Bhatkal. Rauf however denied having any contact with Armar. Also Read: Samjhauta Express blast: NIA back to probing Lashkar-e-Taiba link Rauf was being watched by the Intelligence Bureau. However, the suspicion on him was raised after he made a mention about a hawala dealer last year from Dubai. When asked about this dealer, he said that he had just referred to his name, but had no dealings with him. He also said that he had no personal contact with this person either. Vijay Mallya's Rs 4,000 crore repayment offer rejected by banks India oi-Vicky New Delhi, April 7: The offer to repay Rs 4,000 crore made by former UB group chairman, Vijay Mallya has been rejected by the banks. Mallya's counsel told the court that he would need two weeks time to come up with a fresh proposal and inform about a substantiate amount that could be paid. How did Vijay Mallya leave the country The court during the course of the hearing directed Mallya to disclose his assets and also those belonging to his wife and children. He has been given time till April 21 to do so. However Mallya through his lawyer informed the court that he had no liquidated assets to pay in cash. Everything has been invested in the markets he also told the Supreme Court. Mallya's presence in the court is necessary to give us confidence about his bonafide and assurances, the banks also submitted. The decision to reject the offer was taken after the banks held a meeting on April 2 where the proposal by Mallya was discussed. The banks said that they had also received a modified proposal from Mallya, but the same was also rejected. He should negotiate with the banks directly, they also told the Supreme Court today. Further the banks also submitted if there has to be a negotiation, then a substantial amount should be paid by Mallya first. On the last date of hearing, Mallya had offered to pay Rs 4,000 crore to the banks by September 2016. However the banks felt that he was not paying up the entire amount which is around 8,000 crore and hence sought time of two weeks to come up with a fresh proposal. A consortium of the banks had moved the Supreme Court seeking a directive to prevent Mallya from leaving the country. They said that he owed them money and hence should be barred from leaving the country. However by the time the petition had come up during an earlier date the Supreme Court was informed that he had already left the country. Mallya submitted that he was not in the country. The atmosphere is surcharged and hence he did not want to come to India at this moment he also said. Further he also came down heavily on the media for vitiating the atmosphere and said that he was being subject to a media trial. The Bench however observed that the media was acting in public interest. They only want you to repay the banks the bench observed. Mallys however said that he would make arrangements to repay Rs 4,000 crore by September 2016. OneIndia News Mamata Banerjee leading a party of thieves: Adhir Chowdhury India oi-PTI Malda (WB), Apr 7: West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury on Wednesday accused Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee of leading a party of "thieves" and urged people to reject her and the ruling dispensation in the ongoing Assembly elections in the state. Addressing a rally in support of Congress and Left Front alliance candidate Sabina Yasmin from Muthabari Assembly constituency, Chowdhury said voting for TMC would tantamount to humiliating the contributions of legendary Congress leader from Malda, late ABA Gani Khan Chowdhry. "The Chief Minister of Bengal and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee in a recent rally in Malda has called upon the people to vote for her party. We urge you all to reject that call. She has lost the right to seek votes from people as she is leading a party of thieves," he said. "Voting for TMC will mean rejection and humiliation towards the contributions made by the legendary Barkat'da (Gani Khan Chowdhury)," the state Congress president said. The Congress Lok Sabha MP from Berhampore also claimed that Trinamool would fare badly in the first round of polls held in the Jungelmahal area of West Bengal. PTI Murder of Karun Misra, 9 other journalists, reveals rising danger India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, April 7: When Karun Misra died - shot at close range while riding a motorcycle on his way home - it was a shock to his family. He left behind a wife, Payal, and two young children, including a 15-day old newborn. But Karun, a journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district, was aware his life was in danger, a friend, Manish Tiwari, told IndiaSpend. From all accounts a driven, idealistic man, Karun, 32, had written stories about a particularly dangerous business - illegal mining. Mafia hit-men first came for Karun after he refused bribes and ignored threats, said the friend. On February 5, "he got information that something was going to happen to him on either the 11th or 12th of February", said the friend. A day later, Karun was dead, the fifth journalist murdered in India's most populous state since March 2015, accounting for half the 10 killed nationwide, according to data independently compiled by The Hoot, a media watchdog, and IndiaSpend. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India "Asia's deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan". Committee For The Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) affirms this statement with their compilation of data showing that for the year of 2015, there were only two deaths of journalists in Pakistan and no deaths in Afghanistan. Karun's case is unique because the mastermind behind his murder and the main shooter were arrested. This is rare. As many as 24 journalists were murdered for work-related reasons in India since 1992, Committee for the Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) data reveals. But 96 percent of the cases are unsolved, ranking India 14th globally for impunity in murder cases against journalists, according to the CPJ impunity index. "That's because the concerned governments are not willing to really protect journalists performing their duties," Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, told IndiaSpend. "Indian journalists daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015," Reporters Without Borders states. Illegal mining for a variety of sand and minerals - particularly sand for the construction industry - is a crime that is in growing evidence across India. Two murders monitored by RSF (in 2015) were linked to illegal mining, "a sensitive environmental subject in India", an RSF report released in 2015 said. RSF data is estimates of murders confirmed as work-related; there are four more awaiting confirmation. "Soldier-like" Karun went up against powerful, illegal industry "He didn't like to do stories and leave them just like that," said another friend of Karun, Rashtriya Sahara. "He wanted a result from it He was soldier-like, he would not call police and say 'something is happening' and they should go there." When Sahara met him four days before he was killed, Karun, a reporter with Jansandesh, a Hindi daily, confessed: "There is some danger, some difficulties but I have to fight." His fight was against a powerful, illegal industry that is steadily expanding despite a new law, promulgated in January 2015 that allows for five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500,000 per hectare of land mined illegally. But illegal mining has steadily increased over the last six years (except for a dip in 2013-14), as a government statement in the Rajya Sabha revealed. In UP, where his investigation of illegal mining cost Karun his life, cases registered almost doubled over a decade. With illegal mining embedded in UP's economy and politics, Karun's friends and family pointed out that despite arrests, illegal mining in their area has not stopped. "The reason for which Karun was killed is still going on," said one of the two friends we spoke to. "Police are not doing what they can to stop the illegal mining business it's still going on." For Karun's brother, Varun Misra, the shock endures. He has not forgotten how Karun did not answer his phone when he called on February 13. At 11 pm, he received a call from an uncle. "(My uncle) told me Karun was dead. I was so shocked. I could not believe it." Forty-six percent of Indian journalists killed on duty were covering politics Since 1992, only three percent of journalists in India have died covering wars, according to CPJ data, and as many as 46 percent of journalists who were killed while working were covering politics; 35 percent corruption. India is not alone in this trend, reported RSF: "Two thirds of the journalists killed worldwide in 2014 were killed in war zones. In 2015, it was the exact opposite. Two thirds were killed in countries at peace." Death is not the only cause for concern for the Indian journalist. "Human rights defenders, journalists and protesters continued to face arbitrary arrests and detentions. Over 3,200 people were being held in January 2015 under administrative detention on executive orders without charge or trial," the latest Amnesty International report states. Journalists face hostile environments across the world: 71 were killed with confirmed motives, with another 25 unconfirmed, according to CPJ's statistics. RSF records that 43 journalists have been killed for unclear reasons. Karun's brother, Varun, said crimes were getting "bigger and criminals bolder" and this is why punishment was important. "This can happen with anyone anywhere," he said. "My only appeal to the authorities is a speedy trial and severe punishment. Death is inevitable but nobody deserves to die like this." IANS Delhi returns to old liquor policy from tomorrow: All you need to know Nitish credits all political parties for liquor ban in Bihar India oi-PTI Patna, April 7: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, April 7 said all political parties were together on imposition of a total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar, put into action after in-depth study of prohibition in various states. Kumar, who had announced a total ban on liquor, country and spiced as well Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, in the state after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said all political parties were together on prohibition. Kumar said efforts on imposition of liquor ban have been made from time to time. "Mahatama Gandhi, Jayprakash Narayan, Karpoori Thakur and Morarji Desai were in favour of prohibition and made attempts for it," he said. "We have implemented total ban on liquor only after studying different aspects and experiences of varied states," he said. He laughed away media reports that said Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor was against liquor ban, and because of which, Kapoor said, he would not come to Bihar. "It seems as if he used to come every now and then to Bihar before prohibition," Kumar told reporters, dismissing criticism from the actor without taking his name. The Bihar CM did not give much importance to criticism that prohibition would entail loss to state exchequer. "But, this is not a moral trade. Alcohol is not good for health," he said. "The money saved due to ban on liquor would be spent on other sectors like health, education and nutrition which would improve market economy of Bihar," he said. Heralding the decision to declare Bihar a dry-state, Kumar said an environment was being created for social change. "The success of ban on booze would spread as 'Jan Andolan' (mass movement) across the country. Encouring messages have been received from different areas on prohibition in Bihar," he said. In reply to a question on drought, Kumar said there was an "alarming" situation in the country. Water table was going down in Bihar too due to inadequate rainfall, he added. PTI Pakistani boy to be reunited with his father in Bangladesh India oi-PTI Bhopal, Apr 6: Mohammad Ramzan, a 15-year-old Pakistani boy who ended up in India after migrating to Bangladesh, would be reunited with his father soon. "Ramzan left for Kolkata this evening, where he will be helped by the NGO Sanlaap to fly to Bangladesh where his father lives," said Archana Sahay, who runs Umeed, a shelter home where Ramzan was living for the last two years. "We tried hard to send him to his mother in Pakistan, but could not. So we had no choice but to reunite him with his father as it is easy to travel to Pakistan from Bangladesh than from India," she told PTI. Ramzan got separated from his mother Begum Razia in 2010-11 when his father, Mohammad Kazol, took him to Bangladesh and remarried, said Hamza Basit, the youth's friend here. According to Basit, his step-mother allegedly ill-treated Ramzan, so one day he walked into India by crossing the border as someone advised him to return to Pakistan that way. He first went to Ranchi, then to Mumbai and Delhi before landing here and getting caught by the police at the railway station in October 2013. PTI Pathankot probe: Can a foreign agency question Indian witnesses? India oi-Vicky Pathankot, April 7: After saying a lot through the Pakistan media, the Joint Investigation Team made an official statement. The JIT made the statement after it informed the National Investigation Agency about the progress being made in the case. However the most important aspect in the statement is the JIT saying that they were not given access to the officials of the NSG, Indian Army, BSF or Air Force who were witnesses in the case. The NIA had made it clear that the officers would not be part of the probe by the JIT. However the other witnesses were allowed to speak with the JIT. Foreign agencies cannot question Indian witnesses: Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the powers of investigation lies with the respective police station. In the case of the Pathankot attack, it is the NIA which has the powers to probe the case since it was handed over to the agency by the Punjab government. However the JIT does not have the jurisdiction to probe the matter here. Has the Punjab government issued a specific notification empowering the JIT to probe the Pathankot case. There is no such indication. However the NIA has pointed out that it is interacting with the JIT under the extant legal procedure. If this is in place there is no issue. However, this could be restricted to giving a presentation and taking them to specific parts of the air base where the attack took place. However there could be a problem where the questioning of witnesses is concerned. The problem would occur if the witnesses decide to contradict themselves. It is yet to be made known if the JIT had applied for specific permission to record the statement of the witnesses. Section 168B of the CrPC specifies the procedure to be followed while recording of witness by a foreign country. The JIT would have had to obtained specific permission from the government of India in case it wanted to record the statement of the witnesses. Once such permission is granted, then the government would have to forward the same to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate who in turn would have had to appointment a magistrate to conduct the recording of the statements. Once the statements are recorded then it would be sent back to the Government of India which in turn would send it to the foreign country. It is not clear whether such a procedure was followed by the JIT. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 10:49 [IST] PM Modi to interact with participants of Smart India Hackathon finale on August 25: MoE UK PM Liz Truss resigns after 45 days in office, successor to be elected next week PM Modi still most popular among Indian middle class: Survey India oi-Mukul New Delhi, April 7: This will definitely give BJP Government and its supporters a very good reason to smile. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is still most popular among Indian middle class, says a survey. According to a Economic Times-TNS survey, Modi government's overall approval ratings are still running high especially among the urban salaried people and those living in India's seven biggest cities. In the survey people were asked series of questions about incumbent government's performance in last two years, after it took reins from Congress led UPA in May 2014. Survey's findings give overall approval rating of 86% to Modi Government . When people were asked about promise of job creation, 62 per cent said yes government lived up to its promise. Survey also asked whether middle class people still belive in BJP's slogan 'Achhe din aaney wala hain', 58% supported Government saying that they expect future to be better very soon. Survey was done on 2000 people in metro cities-Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Notably, people still see hope in modi government despite recent controversies and the failure to make substancial progress on reform agenda Modi's popularity still intact People still believe that Modi is more popular leader in comparision to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. On the scale of 10, Modi got 7.68 while Rahul could manage only 3.61. Even BJP's leader Arun Jaitley secured more rating (5.62) than Congress VP. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 12:19 [IST] Why Taj Mahal will not be illuminated with tricolor lights this Independence Day Here's why Prince William-Kate Middleton won't get a perfect picture at Taj Mahal! India oi-Preeti Agra, April 7: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are all set for their maiden tour to India on April 10, few days before their wedding anniversary. The UK's royal couple will visit one of the most beautiful historical monument of India-- Taj Mahal in Agra on April 16. They will arrive in Agra around 12:30 pm and will visit Taj Mahal at 4:00 pm, where they are expected to spend around two hours, accompanied by British delegation. [Missing' Taj pinnacle taken down for repairs: ASI] Presently, the minarets of Taj are undergoing some conservation work, for which iron rod scaffoldings have been erected around them. [Prince William and Kate to visit Taj Mahal during India trip] According to a TOI report, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has turned down a British High Commission request to remove the scaffolding from the Taj Mahal to ensure that William and Kate, can pose for a perfect picture when they visit the monument. ASI officials said that if they remove scaffoldings, then their months of hard work will go in vain and they will have to start from scratch. It is yet to be confirmed whether other tourists will be allowed or not, during royal couple's visit to Taj Mahal. [Prince William, Princess Middleton to visit Assam] Will-Kate will have their dinner in Agra, after which they will leave for New Delhi in a special flight at 10:00 pm and from there, they will board a commercial flight to London. [Pay more now to see Taj Mahal] In 1992, the 'monument of love' was visited by Diana, Princess of Wales. Late Princess Diana had posed while sitting on a white marble bench, with Taj Mahal in background. The bench on which Princess Diana sat is known as "Diana bench". Although Prince William has never visited India before, his father Prince Charles has carried out eight official royal tours to the nation, the most recent being a nine-day tour of Dehradun, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Kochi in November 2013. Queen Elizabeth last travelled to India in 1997. OneIndia News Shopian encounter: One of the militants was a former cop India oi-Vicky Kashmir, April 7: One of the two terrorists killed in an encounter at Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir was a former cop. The security forces have identified the two terrorists are Naseer Pandith and Wasim Malla. It may be recalled that Pandith was posted at the residence of PDP MLA Altaf Bukhari. Pandith of the 11th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed police went missing from his posting last year. He had taken along with him two AK 47 rifles and two magazines from the guard room last night. He had joined the police force in 2007. According to the investigations, he had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen Mujahideen. he was impressed with the leadership of Burhan Wani, the young commander of the outfit. Pandith had planned his escape from his posting. Investigations had shown that a vehicle had been waiting outside the MLAs residence. There were three persons in that vehicle and all fled to the South of Kashmir where the Hizbul Mujahideen has a strong presence. The Burhan Wani link: Both the operatives killed today were close to Burhan Wani, the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen who had made a splash on the social media. He had posted several pictures of his on the social media with guns and urged the youth to join him in the battle. Wani had been giving specific calls to those in the security establishment to join them. The police feel many could have been radicalised to join Wani after he made that call. In the case of Pandith there was a major manhunt that had been launched since he went missing from his posting. Moreover he had escaped with weapons which belong to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 7, 2016, 13:00 [IST] J&K: Two FIRs registered regarding violence at NIT campus India oi-PTI Srinagar, Apr 7: Police has registered two separate FIRs regarding the incidents of the violence that took place on NIT Srinagar campus on last Friday and Tuesday. The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup. The police has invoked sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (mischief), 336 (endangering life of others) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for the clashes between local and outstation students that took place on Friday, a police official said. In the second FIR registered on April 5, the police, besides slapping the charges of the previous FIR, has added sections 353 (assault on public servant) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). While no one has been named in the two FIRs yet, the official said police is investigating the video evidence of the violence that took place on the days of incidents. Police also released video clippings showing non-local students attacking the cops with stones and damaging property at the campus. The video, shot on Tuesday when trouble restarted in the campus, shows a large number of non-local students protesting against the NIT administration and trying to march towards the main gate of the campus. The students, some of them masked, are seen carrying iron rods and stones. Some of the students threw stones at Jammu and Kashmir Police and many buildings of the campus resulting in damage to many window panes. They are also seen vandalizing the property at the campus, including damaging a private car of an administrative official. The security forces then resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students. Meanwhile, a group of non-local girl students today said their fight was against the administration and the issue should not be given a political or religious colour. "Our issue was not to incite the tempers. We all want justice. We are just fighting against our administration and we are not fighting on religious issues. So please don't make it a religious issue," said a girl student at the NIT in a video message. "We neither want a temple to be built here nor do we want to demolish a mosque. We only want justice on what happened to our friends and don't make it a political or religious issue," said another girl said in the video. They said the non-local students were not against the local students but wanted justice for their friends who, they alleged, were beaten by the police on Tuesday. "They (the administration) is saying (that) the situation is normal. Only 10 per cent of the students are going to the classes and 90 per cent are boycotting. Is this situation called normal? We are not against the locals, we are really not against them. "All we want is the justice for our friends who were brutally beaten by the police," the girl said. PTI Shubham couldn't have enmity with anyone, says father on son's stabbing in Australia Australia must have 'sugar tax': Expert International oi-IANS By Ians English Canberra, April 7: Australia should follow Britain's lead and impose a "sugar tax" in order to curb the skyrocketing number of diabetes cases, a leading health expert said on Thursday. Stephen Colagiuri, a diabetes expert and the only Australian to contribute to the World Health Organization's (WHO) inaugural global report on the disease, said the number of people worldwide who live with diabetes had quadrupled since 1980. According to the report - released on World Health Day - 422 million people worldwide were currently living with the condition, reports Xinhua news agency. Colagiuri said Australia was one of the worst nations for feasting on sugary snacks, something evidenced by the high number of diabetes cases. "We are also regrettably average in the increasing rates of diabetes that we see in Australia," Colagiuri told the Australia Broadcasting Corp (ABC). "And we're fairly high up on the list of countries with regard to overweight and obesity, which is a major driver of diabetes." Colagiuri said government intervention was crucial to getting the message through to Australians that too much sugar can have negative effects on the human body. He said a "sugar tax" - similar to the one enacted by the British government last month - was one way the government could tackle the problem and discourage Australians from seeking out sugary foods. "A sugar tax will clearly not be the only solution to the problem, but there has never been a successful public health intervention which has not involved some form of legislation and regulation, and leaving the changes to be made on a voluntary basis simply doesn't work," he said. World Health Day is a global health awareness day held every April 7. IANS Brussels bomber 'had cleaning job' at European Parliament International oi-PTI Brussels, Apr 7: One of the jihadists who blew themselves up in Islamic State attacks in Brussels on March 22 briefly worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament several years ago, the EU body said on Wednesday. "He held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. Those were the only instances he worked at the Parliament," it said in a statement. It did not name the individual, but a source close to the inquiry told AFP it was Najim Laachraoui. Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam to be extradited to France Laachraoui and fellow suicide bomber Ibrahim El Bakraoui blew themselves up at Brussels airport in coordinated attacks two weeks ago that also struck a Brussels metro station and killed a total of 32 people. Laachraoui is also suspected of being the bomb-maker for the Paris terror assaults last November after his DNA was found on some the explosives used in the attacks, which killed 130. The European Parliament said the suspect did not have a criminal record when he worked for the cleaning firm it had contracted at the time. Brussels airport reopening nears as security deal reached with police "As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record to the European Parliament," the statement said. Laachraoui, 24, is understood to have travelled to Syria in 2013. He resurfaced last September, two months before the Paris attacks, when he was stopped by police on the Austria-Hungary border. He was using the false identity of Soufiane Kayal and was travelling with the Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving Paris attacks suspect. PTI First Syrians leave for US under surge resettlement programme International oi-PTI Amman, Apr 7: The first Syrian family to be resettled in the US under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the US. "I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there," al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. "I am ready to integrate in the US and start a new life," he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City last night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the US from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said US Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. "The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number," Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. (AP) The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. "We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes," she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. India, Pak should engage in direct dialogue: US International oi-PTI Washington, Apr 8: The US today asked both India and Pakistan to engage in "direct dialogue" aimed at reducing tensions, on a day when Islamabad announced suspension of the bilateral peace process with New Delhi. "Our longstanding position is that we believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations and practical cooperation. We encourage India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions," a State Department spokesman said. The spokesman was responding to a question on the remarks of Pakistan's Ambassador to India Abdul Basit in New Delhi earlier today wherein he had said that the talks between the two countries stand "suspended". Peace process between India-Pakistan 'suspended': Abdul Basit "The United States strongly supports all efforts between India and Pakistan that can contribute to a more stable, democratic, and prosperous region, but this is an issue that must be determined by the two sides," the spokesman said. PTI Days before Trump announced Syria withdrawal, a sinister report came out on IS in Iraq New Zealand man who had joined IS to return IS abducts over 300 cement workers in Syria International oi-IANS By Ians English Damascus, Apr 7: The Islamic State militant group has abducted more than 300 workers from a cement factory near Damascus, Syria's state-run news agency SANA reported on Thursday. Managers of the factory located near the southwest town of al-Dumeir outside Damascus confirmed the abductions, SANA reported, quoting an unnamed industry ministry official. "The company informed the ministry that it has not been able so far to communicate with any of the abductees," the official said. The official said the ministry was keeping in contact with the company to try and learn where the cement workers had been taken. ISIS- Bhatkal resident let off after found clean Residents of the town of Jeiroud, near the factory, said they saw around 125 of the abducted workers being transported on IS vehicles that were heading towards Damascus's Eastern Ghouta area, SANA said, quoting local officials. IANS Late actor Puneeth Rajkumar to be conferred with 'Karnataka Ratna' award on Nov 1 Karnataka to strengthen ATS and up the number of prisons US nursing school to fund hospital in Bengaluru International pti-PTI Houston, Apr 7: A US-based nursing school will fund a four-story medical facility in India with a grant of USD 652,800 it has received. Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas will be collaborating with the Bangalore Baptist Hospital. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) awarded Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing (BU LHSON) USD 652,800 to partner with Bangalore Baptist Hospital, the nursing school said in a statement. In January, a team of six staffers from Baylor school of nursing had taken part along with 400 people in a groundbreaking ceremony in India for the new centre. Most of the money from the grant will go towards building a new Simulation Education and Research Centre for Nursing Excellence in Bengaluru. "It'll have space for about 48 nurses to learn the same practices and information as those who received nursing education stateside," it said. "All of us at Bangalore Baptist Hospital would like to say 'thank you' to the faculty and students of the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and to USAID for partnering with us," said Naveen Thomas, CEO of Bangalore Baptist Hospital. "The simulation center will go a long way in strengthening our ability to impart quality education and to train students and staff to care for patients," Thomas added. "Here in Baylor Scott & White Health, we in Faith in Action Initiatives are honoured and humbled to have the chance to assist our friends at the Bangalore Baptist Hospital," said Donald E. Sewell, Ph.D., Director, Faith in Action Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). "We also collaborate with the School of Nursing of Baylor University in order to make a small impact at Bangalore. These efforts help us to carry out the spirit and intent of BSWH's Christian ministry of healing," Sewell added. Both Baylor and the Bangalore hospital share similar Christ-centered Baptist missions. In addition to the new center and guidance with curriculum, BSWH and its Faith in Action Initiatives sent over medical equipment like carts, stretchers, tables, IV poles, office furniture, and other supplies. PTI Polls 2016: Both Mamata & Jayalalithaa to face transgender opponents Kolkata oi-Shubham Kolkata/Chennai, April 7: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa, two heavyweight leaders and chief ministers of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively, have a second similarity besides the fact that both are facing a tough anti-incumbency challenge in this year's Assembly elections. Assembly Polls Coverage 2016; List of Bengal seats going to polls on Apr 11 Both the women leaders have a transgender among their rival candidates. LJP fields transgender candidate against Mamata The Lok Janshakti Party led by central minister Ram Vilas Paswan has fielded Bobby Haldar from Bhabanipur, the constituency of Chief Minister Banerjee in South Kolkata. Thirty-nine-year-old Haldar will take on Left-backed Congress candidate Deepa Dasmunsi and BJP's Chandra Kumar Bose, the grand-nephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in one of the biggest fights of this Assembly election scheduled on April 30. [When Mamata says "Please vote for me", there must be something unique] The other transgender candidate the LJP has fielded in this election is Sankari Mondal, 30, who will take on the TMC's Manish Gupta, a minister, and Left's Sujan Chakraborty, a former MP. Fielding transgenders against heavyweight candidates will give them a mileage Sources in the LJP, which has fielded a total of 63 candidates in the Bengal election, said they decided to field transgender candidates since the community is the most deprived and marginalised section. Haldar, a resident of Joynagar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, said the aim is more to raise the concerns of the transgenders more than winning or losing. Bengal has 758 voters in the "third category" in Bengal, said the Election Commission. In TN, NTK fields a transgender candidate against Jayalalithaa In Tamil Nadu, too, a 33-year-old transgender will take on Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in RK Nagar on May 16, when all 234 seats of the state will go to polls. Like Haldar, C Devi is also the first-ever transgender candidate in Tamil Nadu Assembly election. She will represent the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party. [Why Tamil Nadu will remain a barren land for BJP] Devi, however, said like Haldar that contesting against the heavyweight opponent is not the real issue. Devi said she is standing for the people in the constituency and not against Jayalalithaa, who is looking to return to power for a record sixth time. Devi, who hails from Salem and has worked with various NGOs, focuses on the empowerment of transgenders and sex workers. She also runs a charity for the homeless which now hosts over 60 people. A member of the NTK for the past three years, Devi feels politics offers the best opportunity to reach out to people. Improvement of the poor, provision of clean potable water and better job opportunities for the people in RK Nagar will be her foremost priority. Oneindia News Delhi hit-and-run: Victim's family releases CCTV footage of the accident New Delhi oi-Sandra New Delhi, Apr 7: Two days after 32-year-old Sidharth Sharma was killed in a hit-and-run case, his family has released the CCTV footage that captured the gruesome moment when he was hit by a speeding Mercedes. In the footage, it is seen that Sharma realising that the car was overspeeding tried to get out of the way but in vain. The car hit him like lightning and he was flung in the air before he hit the ground. Delhi hit & run case: Teen flees leaving Mercedes after fatally knocking down man Passersby rushed to his rescue while some carried his belongings. The incident took place at 10 pm on Monday at Sham Nath Marg in north Delhi's Civil Lines area. A 17-year-old was said to be behind the wheels of the luxury car. It is said that the underage driver was out with his friends for a joyride. However, on Wednesday, Apr 6 father of the 17-year-old was booked by the police for giving the vehicle to his son. The accused is said to have fled the spot when the accident occured. Family of the deceased accused the police of inaction on Wednesday and claimed that the police didn't arrest anyone even though there were eyewitnesses. Watch the CCTV footage here: OneIndia News 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. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. by Graham Pierrepoint The US Presidential nomination campaigns roll on, and following potentially game-changing events in the Wisconsin Primary this week, recent revelations elsewhere in the news regarding the Panama Papers leak could have a further knock-on effect for the Presidential hopefuls. While Donald Trump looks to recover from a defeat to Ted Cruz following controversial comments regarding women who choose to abort comments which came under fire from both ends of the political battlefield Bernie Sanders had results to celebrate about, pulling back a number of delegates in the race for Democratic candidacy. With the Panama Papers leak, however, Sanders could be finding that his good fortune in terms of election prospects may continue. Matthew Turner, writing an opinion article for The Independents Voices column, theorizes that Sanders could well benefit from the fallout regarding the recent tax haven data being exposed to the public, asserting that for some American citizens, his rival Hillary Clinton is the embodiment of a global elite and that for many undecided voters who may feel alienated by the expose of some of the worlds richest and most influential people, Sanders may provide a viable candidate for election. Turner states that Sanders is the reverse side of the coin, the antithesis to this image and while no major US governmental figures have been exposed via the data leak as yet, the lambast that the wealthy and the influential have received in the media as a result could well have a negative impact upon Clintons campaign. It is certainly a theory that holds weight; while some view Clinton as representing a financial elite, some too view Sanders as representing the less fortunate and therefore, voters could flock to him for solidarity. Unfortunately for the Senator, however, it is still far too early to say just how the Panama Papers scandal will affect any of the hopefuls campaigns. With some media outlets calling for the US Presidential election to focus on the fallout of the offshore tax expose the biggest data leak in known history the breadth of the scandals fallout is, in itself, still very much in its infancy. With Sanders trailing Clinton for delegate votes and with Ted Cruz looking to monopolize on Trumps recent gaffes in the media all the while John Kasich remains steadfast in third position it is still very much an election with everything to play for. 2016 is shaping up to be an interesting and rather uneasy year for global politics. Follow the latest media coverage about the Panama Papers here on One News Page. Quebec Legislates to Block Unlicensed Gambling Sites Published April 7, 2016 by Lee R The rationale of censoring content not approved by the government remains controversial. Quebec is dropping the hammer, or block as the regulation case may be. Limiting Access Bill 74 currently under review with Quebec legislators seeks to limit resident access to unauthorised gambling websites, much to the consternation of the free internet crowd. The overarching principle under consideration would allow Quebec residents to only access websites that have previously met government approval, meaning the Quebec government is looking to take it upon themselves to decide what information and content their citizens can access. Finance Minister's Protection The Quebec Finance Minister defended the government's position, saying that the bill is protective in nature and seeks to protect residents from unscrupulous illegal gambling sites that prey on addiction and promote dishonest gambling practices. Opponent's Position Opponents of Bill 74 are quick to point out that the bill's passage would render Quebec the first Canadian province to impose Internet censorship. Further concern among opponents stems from the claim that Bill 74 conflicts with established telecommunications law as well as the Canadian hallmark of freedom of expression. Internet companies will team up with civil rights groups for this battle in the court of public opinion, as well as in any legal challenges should Bill 74 go through. Government's Position The Quebec government claims that online gambling sites are taking revenues away from government-sponsored Lot-Quebec. The benefits the government points out from blocking illegal providers is the prevention of young people from accessing gambling sites whose environments have not been secured by regulation along with increasing Quebec's lottery revenue, which should provide residents with a full range of secure gambling options once Bill 74 passes. Alternative Rejected An alternative suggested by those monitoring the situation would be for the Quebec government to stop short of censorship by requesting prominent electronic payment systems to cease the processing of transactions of unauthorised gambling websites. Clearly, the government does not feel this is a forceful enough measure in the current climate. The EFCC Lagos Zonal office has arrested seven suspected Internet fraudsters (Yahoo boys) for offences bordering on conspiracy, possession of fraudulent documents, attempt to obtain money under false pretences and obtaining money under false pretences. The suspects Abdulsalam Toheeb, Salam Sikiru, Abdusalam Rasaq, Azeez Oladimeji, Eniola Mogaji, Alabi Ridwan and Asoroti Oluwaseun were arrested at the Eleganza Estate and Paradise Estate along Lekki/Ajah area of Lagos, following intelligence report about their activities. Items recovered from them at the point of arrest include: Two cars (Honda Crosstour and Toyota Camry) seven laptops and six phones. Its no longer news that British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua is an ambassador for Beats By Dre. In the past, weve seen him take part in campaigns to promote the brand, and he continues in a new ad that introduces their latest product, Powerbeats Pro. Since the high-performance product targets the fitness industry, the 60-second ad shows Joshua wearing the earphones while working out in the gym. The ad features a roster of 17 A-list sports stars, including Serena Williams, LeBron James and Eden Hazard. While the ad is stacked with so many stars, it manages to keep our eyes glued to the product throughout. Thats due to the impressive direction, handled by Emmy-nominated and Grammy-winning director, Hiro Murai, who helmed Childish Gambinos This is America. You can watch the video below: [embedded content] By Ediale Kingsley Lagos State Police Commissioner, Zubairu Muazu, has been applauded for ensuring the killers of Dr Stephen Urueye, a House Officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH, are brought to book. Muazu who has repeatedly assured security for all Lagosians is regarded for keeping true to his words. Round-the-clock security is what he promised all Lagosians. We are happy with the way he is dealing with the bad eggs of the society and even those in the police commented Kayode Bamidele on a facebook post. The Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven suspects in connection to the murder. Urueye was stabbed by hoodlums after he was robbed of his valuables along Idi Araba road, where LUTH is located, on Thursday, April 4, 2019. He died hours later after efforts to save his life in the hospital failed. The suspects are believed to have been transferred to the state criminal investigation department, Yaba, for interrogation. Urueyes tragic stabbing happened just a day after he graduated from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday, April 3. Our reporter, Ediale Kingsley, posted a dirge on his facebook wall which has at the time of making this report has gathered over 5000 Comments, over 6000 shares and over 200 reactions. One of the comments readthe perpetrators will die mysteriously. Demonic people, callous, wicked, brutalist, murderous, and envious beast. He shd have given them whatthe it demanded instead of struggled with them . Well the deed had been done. May his ghost continue to terrorize them until death and the other by Favour Osioni says, Rest in peace Stephen I miss you. Here is the open letter/dirge: Late Dr Steven Urueye, We knew about the dangers that took your life but we do nothing about it. Thats who we are, thats what we do best. Please forgive us. And rest in peace. Sadly its not in our culture to value life. We as a nation value things of less value. We value matters that distract us from the main focus. Dont blame us, blame our leaders. Okay Im wrong, do blame us, for we are deserving of the kind of leaders we get. For the leaders are a product of the society, the mindset and culture. If only things were different. If only matters were a little bit unlike the norm. If so, you, a House Officer, wont be stabbed by the infamous Idi-Araba boys who wanted to rob you in front of LUTH. We are told that these idiots are domiciled in front of LUTH. They do drugs openly. They do crime in the open. They dont do undercover. But we tolerate such people and go after the responsible lads with dreadlocks, tattoos and other hip hop anointing. To shade their acts close to the canal and at night they sell terror, blood and danger. The authorities and those that should do something do nothing. They do anything but disturb them. They do nothing close to reprimanding them. One of my Facebook pals here said you managed to crawl back, to get yourself back to the Emergency ward in the heavy rain. Despite his best efforts at saving his life he passed out and died at the emergency ward due to fatal loss of blood he said of you. So thats how you ended this journey untimely on Thursday night. This past Thursday night. Your convocation was just last Wednesday at Unilag. Next day you departed the world in a despicable manner. Lets not imagine the pain of your parents and loved ones. Lets just hope they can live through these trying times. How does one cope after sending his son to become a doctor, only to be killed mercilessly in the night. With no one to help. Should we imagine the pain of your mum? Or the anguish of your loved ones. This is painful. This is Nigeria. Sleep on. Rest on. We will move on. We always move on. We do nothing. We just move on. We dont care. Thats who we shamefully are. Sorry but I do think you will get justice were you are now much more than you will get here. I dare say. People wont reshare this letter so that it gets to the authority. People wont dwell more on getting this justice. People will forget quick. Thats who we are. I will do my part. I will keep inking. Its all I have power to do. The pen is my gun. The ink my bullet. One by one, I hope to kill our wrong mindset. I hope to arrest the injustice around. I hope Your Mothers Tears Spotter, Ediale #ForTheCulture. PS: God keep him in a good place. Thank God you are not a Nigerian Leader. Thank God you are a God of justice. He will get one. #JusticeForDrSteven Post Views: 117 Middle East wars: Waste, mass killing, destruction, displacement of refugees, a lot by the U.S. without sufficient justification. (Image by quapan) Details DMCA This election shouldn't be just a personality contest. It's a chance for voters to tell Washington's mission-creepin' cretins that we want you to stop spending our money meddling, and killing people all over the Middle East! The Taliban, ISIS, and Al Qaeda are horrible, but our attacks are just spreading them around the world. Uncle Sam now funds and arms corrupt military dictatorships or weak civilian governments in Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, and civil wars in Libya and Yemen. As with Vietnam, we are again wasting tremendous resources on foreign wars instead of needed domestic expenditures. Congress failed for years to limit expenditures for Vietnam. Voters, through pressing party leaders, should insist the parties refuse further funding for "regime change!" In 1968 and 1972 the Democratic Party pushed away its peace candidates. No big establishment "liberal" would run with McGovern. Democrats lost both elections to Richard Nixon and Vietnam collapsed anyway. Candidates' domestic goals need Congressional funding. Every identity should have a chance at a representative occupying the White House (women, and Jews too.) Neither Sanders nor Clinton is likely to get costly domestic programs approved through the Republicans of Congress. But the President governs more independently as Commander in Chief. With a popular outcry to stop funding aggressive regime change, a 74-year-old Jewish President might announce a policy change to strategic disengagement. Cease fire unless fired upon. Redeploy all U.S troops out of Muslim lands, evacuating threatened minorities (willing to leave with resettlement support.) Place U.S. troops to guard Israel's 1967 borders plus a cordon completely around a U.N. administered, disputed West Bank. Call a world conference for Peace and Repartition. So here's my outcry to start. Neither party's candidates will get my vote(s) unless they adopt a platform plank that forbids further funding for Middle East regime change. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Priebus, etc.: how, otherwise, will this end? How will it not get ever worse? Reprinted from Wallwritings The race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders reached a watershed in Tuesday's Democratic Wisconsin primary. Secretary Clinton, the presumptive party nominee, lost to Sanders for the sixth straight time. His Wisconsin margin of victory was a substantial 57 to 43. On Saturday, April 9, Wyoming will hold its Democratic caucus, a western state venue that favors Sanders. On April 19, the two will meet again in the delegate-rich New York primary, a state in which Sanders was born and Hillary served as a U.S. Senator. Forty years ago, it was in the 1976 Wisconsin primary that Jimmy Carter was transformed from "Jimmy Who," as even his home state Atlanta Journal once called him, to a candidate on the fast track to his party's nomination. Carter was outside the establishment mainstream, making him an outlier not unlike this year's candidate, the avowed democratic socialist senator from Vermont. Carter had only recently started to attract notice with his 1976 upset Iowa caucus finish, second only to a slate of delegates pledged to "uncommitted." His major opponent in Wisconsin was Arizona Congressman Morris Udall, an establishment candidate. The 1976 Wisconsin race was so close that the Milwaukee Journal declared Congressman Udall the winner in an early edition, repeating the embarrassment of the Chicago Tribune's famous early edition headline, "Dewey Beats Truman"(see above). Forty years later, the establishment 2016 candidate, Secretary Clinton, has absolutely no known connection to a developing financial scandal now breaking in the middle of her campaign against Sanders. For Clinton, however, this is not a good time for a big money scandal to emerge. Her campaign benefits from money raised from big donors, but given the rising tide of support for Sanders, her benefit can also be a burden. Sanders' campaign has consistently deplored big money control of the U.S. and world economies. Revelations now emerging from what is being called the Panama Papers, give Sanders more anti-one percent stump speech fodder. Both Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have many wealthy donor friends who obviously benefit her campaign coffers and their Clinton Foundation. This is a burden she must carry as she struggles to win votes in the coming primaries and caucuses, and, she hopes, the November general election. Sanders does not implicate Clinton in the current financial scandal. However, his supporters see Sanders as the champion of the "rest of us." In a New York Times editorial, the Panama Papers are examined, carefully. Reprinted from The Nation Clinton is uniquely unsuited to the epic task of confronting the fossil-fuel companies that profit from climate change. There aren't a lot of certainties left in the US presidential race, but here's one thing about which we can be absolutely sure: The Clinton camp really doesn't like talking about fossil-fuel money. Last week, when a young Greenpeace campaigner challenged Hillary Clinton about taking money from fossil-fuel companies, the candidate accused the Bernie Sanders campaign of "lying" and declared herself "so sick" of it. As the exchange went viral, a succession of high-powered Clinton supporters pronounced that there was nothing to see here and that everyone should move along. The very suggestion that taking this money could impact Clinton's actions is "baseless and should stop," according to California Senator Barbara Boxer. It's "flat-out false," "inappropriate," and doesn't "hold water," declared New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman went so far as to issue "guidelines for good and bad behavior" for the Sanders camp. The first guideline? Cut out the "innuendo suggesting, without evidence, that Clinton is corrupt." That's a whole lot of firepower to slap down a non-issue. So is it an issue or not? First, some facts. Hillary Clinton's campaign, including her Super PAC, has received a lot of money from the employees and registered lobbyists of fossil-fuel companies. There's the much-cited $4.5 million that Greenpeace calculated, which includes bundling by lobbyists. But that's not all. There is also a lot more money from sources not included in those calculations. For instance, one of Clinton's most prominent and active financial backers is Warren Buffett. While he owns a large mix of assets, Buffett is up to his eyeballs in coal, including coal transportation and some of the dirtiest coal-fired power plants in the country. Then there's all the cash that fossil-fuel companies have directly pumped into the Clinton Foundation. In recent years, Exxon, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron have all contributed to the foundation. An investigation in the International Business Times just revealed that at least two of these oil companies were part of an effort to lobby Clinton's State Department about the Alberta tar sands, a massive deposit of extra-dirty oil. Leading climate scientists like James Hansen have explained that if we don't keep the vast majority of that carbon in the ground, we will unleash catastrophic levels of warming. Click Here to Read Whole Article Global Washer Disinfector Market 2016 Industry Trends, Research, Analysis & Review Forecast 2022 http://goo.gl/P8WhnD http://goo.gl/gmfP3f A market study based on the "Washer Disinfector Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Washer Disinfector Market 2016. 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The geographical segmentation of the Washer Disinfector market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Washer Disinfector is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Washer Disinfector market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Washer Disinfector market worldwide.Do Enquiry Before Purchasing Here :The global Washer Disinfector market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Washer Disinfector production volume, data regarding demand and Washer Disinfector supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Washer Disinfector across the globe.About Us:Energy Market Study is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: Energy Market StudyEmail: sales@energymarketstudy.com Latest Report on Global Thymidine Market 2015 to 2019 by 9Dimen Group http://www.9dimengroup.com/market-analysis/global-thymidine-market-2015-industry-growth-size-trends.html http://www.9dimengroup.com/report/56506/request-sample http://www.9dimengroup.com/ 9Dimen Group presents this most up-to-date research on Global Thymidine Market 2016 Industry Growth, Size, Trends, Share, Opportunities and Forecast to 2020" Market Research ReportGlobal Thymidine Industry 2016 Market Research Report was a professional and depth research report on Global Thymidine industry that you would know the world's major regional market conditions of Thymidine industry, the main region including North American, Europe and Asia etc, and the main country including United States ,Germany ,Japan and China etc.Browse Complete Report with TOC of Thymidine Market @ :The report firstly introduced Thymidine basic information including Thymidine definition, classification, application and industry chain overview; Thymidine industry policy and plan, Thymidine product specification, manufacturing process, cost structure etc. Then we deeply analyzed the world's main region market conditions that including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc.In the end, the report introduced Thymidine new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis and Global Twin-screw Extruder industry.In a word, it was a depth research report on Global Thymidine industry. And thanks to the support and assistance from Thymidine industry chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.Request for FREE SAMPLE Report of Thymidine Market @:The report including six parts, the first part mainly introduced the product basic information; the second part mainly analyzed the Asia Thymidine industry; the third part mainly analyzed the North American Thymidine industry; the fourth part mainly analyzed the Europe Thymidine industry; the fifth part mainly analyzed the market entry and investment feasibility; the sixth part was the report conclusion chapter.Table of ContentPart II Asia Thymidine Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All)Chapter Three Asia Thymidine Market Analysis3.1 Asia Thymidine Product Development History3.2 Asia Thymidine Process Development History3.3 Asia Thymidine Industry Policy and Plan Analysis3.4 Asia Thymidine Competitive Landscape Analysis3.5 Asia Thymidine Market Development Trend9Dimen Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@9dimengroup.comWeb: Cigar Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2015 - 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6949 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Cigars are firmly-rolled cylindrical bundle of fermented and dried tobacco which is ignited and smoked by drawing in the mouth. Cigar tobacco is mostly grown in Latin America, Philippines, Eastern United States, Spain and Italy. Cigar is considered to be a status symbol by many and is more prevalent in European countries within premium segment.The Cigars market across the globe is expected to show a single digit increase in CAGR growth by the year 2019. There is a significant increase in the Cigar market due to the usage of Cigar in multiple occasions such as social parties, birthday parties, colleges and among corporate.Interested in report: Please follow the below the links to meet your requirements; Request for the Report Brochure:The key drivers of this market include the addition of smokers to inhale and cigars are considered superior than cigarettes due to lower levels of nicotine. Rising middle class, culture shift and affluent life style are among other driving forces in cigar consumption. Restraining factors could be plethora of government regulations and ban on tobacco production and consumption in several countries. In addition growing health concerns and aging of population act as another major restrains to consumption of Cigar. Major distribution channels are supermarkets, speciality stores and departmental stores.The Cigar market can be segmented into three major types on the basis of composition as wrappers, fillers and binders. It can also be segmented on the basis of shape and size as Parejo, Figurado, Pyramid, Culebras, Tuscanian and Little Cigars. In this report we have segmented the market geographically into North America, APAC, Europe and RoW regions.Some of the key players in the Cigar market are Finck Cigar Company, ITC Limited, Altadis, General Cigar Company Inc., Partagas cigars, Perdomo cigars, Oliva cigars, Rodrigo cigars, Paul Stulac cigars, and Rocky Patel cigars.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Combined Heat And Power (CHP) Installation Market - A Current Market Overview and Future Prospects 2018 http://www.mrrse.com/sample/489 Combined heat and power (CHP) systems, also known as cogeneration systems are used for the simultaneous generation of both electricity and heat energy. In CHP, the heat generated while generating electricity is captured and used for heating purposes. It ultimately increases the efficiency of the system by avoiding the heat losses. Rising energy prices and increasingly stringent regulations regarding energy consumption and emissions have resulted in a surge in demand for CHP systems. High initial investment and problem in interconnecting with the existing grid are acting as the major impediments for the growth of this market.To Get Free Sample Copy Of Combined Heat And Power (CHP) Installation MarketThis market research study, analyzes the global installation capacity market for combined heat and power (CHP) systems. All market estimates and forecasts have been analyzed from the installation capacity point of view and segmented on various levels including products (large and micro & small scale), technology, applications, fuel and geography.CHP applications estimated and forecasted in this study include residential, commercial and industrial. Technology estimated and forecasted covers combined cycle turbine, steam turbine, combustion/gas turbine, reciprocating engine, and others (fuel cell, micro turbine and waste heat recovery). CHP fuels estimated and forecasted in this study include natural gas, coal, biomass, and others (wood, oil and process waste heat). Regional data has been provided for key regions of North America (U.S, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Russia, Germany, France, U.K, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Poland), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Korea and Taiwan) and Rest of the World (ROW).This report also includes Porters five forces model and value chain analysis of the market. Some of the key players that deal in CHP include E.ON Group, General Electric Energy, Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc., Siemens Energy, Alstom and Caterpillar. The report provides an overview of these companies followed by their financial revenue, business strategies and recent developments.The research provides detailed analysis of companies dealing in CHP installation, trend analysis and demand forecast by geography. Various levels of market segmentation for which estimate and forecast has been provided are as followsMRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.Corporate OfficeState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@mrrse.com High Purity Alumina Market Projected to Reach 5.09 Billion USD by 2020 High Purity Alumina Market http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/high-purity-alumina-market-112404986.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=112404986 http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical The report "High Purity Alumina Market by Purity Level (4N, 5N, 6N), by Application (Light Emitting Diode, Semiconductor, Phosphor, Sapphire, Others), by Region (Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Rest of the World) - Global Forecast to 2020", The global high purity alumina (HPA) market is projected to reach USD 5.09 Billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 20.1% from 2015 to 2020.The increasing applicability of high purity alumina among varied end-user applications, such as LEDs, semiconductors, phosphor, and sapphire, among others is expected to drive the market for high purity alumina during the forecast period.Browse 108 tables and 42 figures spread through 138 Pages and in-depth TOC on "High Purity Alumina Market - Global Forecast to 2020"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.Among all types of purity levels, the 4N segment led the high purity alumina (HPA) marketThe 4N segment led the global high purity alumina (HPA) in 2014, and accounted for the maximum market share in terms of volume. This segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.Increase in demand of high purity alumina from the LED industryThe LED application segment led the global high purity alumina (HPA) market in 2014, and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2015 and 2020. The growing adoption of LEDs in varied industrial applications, such as home lighting, televisions, hybrid cars, and electric vehicles is driving the growth of the LED application segment in the high purity alumina market.Request for Sample PDF:Asia-Pacific led the global high purity alumina (HPA) marketIn terms of value, the Asia-Pacific region led the high purity alumina (HPA) market in 2014, by accounting for the maximum market share. In terms of volume, the high purity alumina (HPA) market in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Recently, varied industries have shifted their manufacturing units to the Asia-Pacific region, due to availability of cheap labor and affordable raw materials. This is expected to drive the growth of the high purity alumina (HPA) market in the Asia-Pacific region.An in-depth market share analysis, in terms of revenue, of top companies is also included in the report. The numbers obtained are based on key facts, annual financial information from SEC filings, annual reports, and interviews with industry experts and key opinion leaders, such as CEOs, directors, and marketing executives. The key players in this market include Altech Chemicals Limited (Australia), Alcoa Inc. (U.S.), Orbite Technologies Inc. (Canada), RUSAL (Russia), and Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (Japan), among others.About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.M&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanMarkets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India.Tel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @MarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals.Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India. New release incorporates customer feedback to enhance user experience Maple T.A. 2016 includes major enhancements that make it faster and easier to create and modify questions and assignments. http://www.lanikasolutions.com http://www.maplesoft.com Lanika announces today the release of the latest version of Maplesofts popular testing and assessment tool, Maple T.A.. Maple T.A. is a powerful online testing and assessment system designed especially for courses involving mathematics, making it ideal for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Maple T.A. 2016 provides major enhancements for content authors, making it faster and easier to create and modify questions and assignments.After extensive consultations with customers, the basic authoring workflow has been completely redesigned to make it easier to create content. As a result, the process of authoring new questions and assignments is more intuitive and flexible, and the learning curve to become a productive author is greatly reduced. In addition, several types of questions, including sorting, clickable image, and interactive Math App, are now much easier to create. As well, authors can now apply a consistent style and appearance to all their questions, without having to modify each individual question.Other enhancements to Maple T.A. 2016 include a redesigned content repository, making it substantially easier for educators to manage their collection of Maple T.A. questions and assignments, and to search for content, both locally and from the Maple T.A. Cloud.Maple T.A. 2016 also provides the ability for instructors to upload and grade scanned documents, the ability for authors to develop questions in HTML5, and enhancements to essay questions. As well, Maple T.A. 2016 includes officially certified Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) connectivity tools that can be used to integrate Maple T.A. with many course management systems, including Canvas, Brightspace, Sakai, Blackboard, and Moodle.Maple T.A. offers institutions a valuable tool that allows educators to truly assess their students understanding of STEM courses in ways no other system can, while working within the framework of their existing course management technologies, says Paul DeMarco, Director of Development for Maple and Maple T.A. The enhanced authoring environment of Maple T.A. 2016 provides educators more flexibility and control of their testing content, whether they want to assemble assignments using questions contributed by instructors from the Maple T.A. user community, or create new questions using step-by-step authoring tools. Feedback from our customers helped us streamline the user experience, and we are grateful to our passionate users who contribute to Maple T.A.s success.In a few weeks, Maplesoft will also be releasing a new version of the Maple T.A. MAA Placement Test Suite (PTS), which offers the renowned placement tests from the Mathematical Association of America in the online testing environment of Maple T.A. Based on Maple T.A. 2016, the latest release of PTS will offer the streamlined content management, LTI connectivity, and other new features of Maple T.A.Maple T.A. 2016 is available as both a Maplesoft-hosted or school-hosted solution. Interface translations are available for French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and more.About Lanika SolutionsLanika is Advanced Technical Computing Software Products provider for Engineers and Scientists in Industry, Government and Education. The Company partners with reputed principals developing industry leading solutions that help a wide base of clients throughout the Indian sub-continent solve the toughest engineering problems.Lanika Solutions partners with reputed principals developing industry leading solutions. Currently, Lanika Solutions is partnered with Maplesoft, Reactive Systems, FEI Visualization Sciences Group (VSG), Breault Research Organization (BRO), ExpertControl and Sigma Technology.Lanika Solutions product offerings and support reflects the philosophy that given great tools, clients can simplify development, increase productivity, and dramatically reduce time to market. Companys suites of technical products help clients to quickly solve practical problems within the framework of the premier products and services provided.The Companys offerings have been selected as the leading products available to scientists and engineers in their respective application areas. The Company will continue to expand its offerings through organic growth in related technology/market segments as other premium solutions become available.Visitto learn more.About MaplesoftMaplesoft has provided mathematics-based software solutions to educators and researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for over 25 years. Maplesofts flagship product, Maple, combines the world's most powerful mathematics engine with an interface that makes it extremely easy to analyze, explore, visualize, and solve mathematical problems. Building on this technology, Maplesoft also provides STEM-focused solutions for online assessment, modeling and simulation, and online courseware, offering modern solutions to meet the particular needs of STEM education and research. Maplesoft products and services are used by more than 8000 educational institutions, research labs, and companies, in over 90 countries.Maplesoft is a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Group. For further details, please visitMr. Nishath AhmedLanika Solutions Private LimitedTF-04, Gold Signature,No. 95, Mosque Road, Frazer Town,Bangalore - 560 005, INDIAEmail: info@lanikasolutions.comTelephone: +91 - 80 - 2548 4844Fax: +91 - 80 - 2548 4846 New Age Finance Options Offer a Great Deal of Flexibility Apr 7, 2016, Kingston Crescent - The term finance as a whole incorporates a lot of elements. To start with, all your materialistic pursuit can only be fulfilled if you have the desired finance by your side. In case you dont, it then means you will have problems in meeting your ends. With the rise in expenses and the urge to lead a comfortable lifestyle, most of the individuals do emphasise on retaining some amount of financial stability. No doubt, there are plenty of options from where the funds can be raised. However it is only with finance company that you stand a chance to derive flexible options. Finance Company is now considered to be a leading online credit lending agency that has come with amazing option of finances, which are made available to the applicants at very convenient terms.Basil Gump Chief Account Officer and Vice President of the credit lending arm at loan company explained in detail the concept of finance and how it can help those in need to stage a turnaround in their fortune Finance is not an easy subject that can be easily handled. It is indeed complicated and yet we have made it a point to offer the same finance to individual applicants, who are looking for some amount of credibility. We make it a point to cater to a large group of applicants, irrespective of the monetary condition and credit history. The options on offer are designed to match the profile our clients and we keep everything simple. The funds on offer are in fact designed to address the various situations, without letting the applicants face too many complicacies.At finance company, there are plenty of financial solutions which can be attained in the best possible way. The loan application process is simple and the funds on offer are indeed offered at affordable terms.About Finance CompanyFinance company is a dependable online hub offering wide variety of financial solutions. With years of experience in handling clients from diverse backgrounds, we are able to satisfy the needs and demands of almost all the applicants. With us, there is no looking back, as we ensure to deliver the best finances at credible terms. If anything appears to be confusing and you dont really have any idea what to do, our experts and advisors will help you out. All you have to do is to reach out to us and we will get back to you in a moment.Finance Company is now considered to be a leading online credit lending agency that has come with amazing option of finances, which are made available to the applicants at very convenient terms.47-51 Kingston Crescent, Portsmouth,PO2 8AA Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: 10-Year Market Forecast and Trends Analysis Research Report http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1251 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1251 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2016-2026" report to their offering.Halal pharmaceuticals are those medicines that stringently adhere to Shariah law. More specifically, halal pharmaceuticals refer to medicines that should not contain any parts of animals (dogs, pigs and ones particularly with pointed teeth), insects (bees), alcohol and other substances prohibited as haram under the Shariah law. Competent religious local regulatory bodies in countries generally provide a better segregation regarding the classification of drugs as halal or haram (unlawful) across the world. Halal pharmaceuticals are subject to normal pre-marketing and post-marketing controls by the relevant national pharmaceutical regulators such as the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau in case of Malaysia. Halal medicines market has vast potential globally in terms of revenue generation supported by growing demand for faith-compliant medicines from an expanding Muslim population. Drugs approved by halal drug certifiying agencies such as Lembaga Pengkajian Pangan Obatobatan dan Kosmetika Majelis Ulama Indonesia (LPPOM MUI) of Indonesia and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia are expected to witness rising consumption globally. Currently, halal medicines are estimated to have contributed close to one-third of the total revenue from the global halal market, posing an extremely attractive opportunity for Shariah compliant drugs. This is supported by the fact that demand outstrips supply of halal medicines by a significant margin, creating potential for future economic value added in the industry.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Drivers and RestraintsDrivers of the halal pharmaceuticals market include a growing Muslim population. Given that Muslims have been estimated to account for close to 25% of the global population in 2015~1.6 billion people (PewResearch) the annual growth rate of the Muslim population has been estimated to be ~1.6%, which is higher than the growth rate of the world population (1.1% per annum). Increasing awareness among Muslims regarding wellness and medicines is propagating mainly through increased education. This is another prime factor contributing to growth of the halal medicine market. Other socio-economic factors driving the need and uptake of halal medicines include rising purchasing power parity, increasing access to critical medicines in resource-constrained nations supported by public organizations such as World Health Organization, safety of consumption, assurance of product efficacy and hygienic processing among others. Increasing need to get medicines certified from an approved regulatory body is driving regulatory convergence in the halal medicines market among countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, Turkey, France and others.Key restraints include lack of adequate infrastructure in non-Islamic countries to avoid cross-contamination between halal and non-halal production lines, and lack of sufficient halal advisory and certification agencies to approve medical products. Other restraints include dearth of sufficient R&D for halal medicines globally and omission of critical medicine classes such as vaccines and biologics as they do not comply with Shariah norms. Ban on use of forbidden components such as porcine excipients also limit the number of drugs that can be produced. Industry experts have noted that formation of a proper, well-regulated and harmonized accreditation and halal management system could serve a long way in raising demand for halal medicines.Request Free Report Sample@Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: SegmentationHalal pharmaceuticals market can be segmented as indicated below:Segmentation by drug classesRespiratory drugsCardiovascular drugsEndocrine drugsPain medicationsAllergies (cough &cold)OthersSegmentation by product typeTabletsSyrupsCapsulesOthersSegmentation by source materialPlant and plant derivativesAnimals (compliant under religious laws)Synthetic and semi-synthetic sourcesRecombinant DNASegmentation by regionsHalal Pharmaceuticals Market: OverviewUptake of Halal medicines is gaining major traction globally, primarily due to two reasons. Firstly, these medicines are fully compliant with faith and so are readily acceptable under religious laws. Secondly, these medicines are very well assessed for quality and certification before being released into the market and are mostly made using herbal and synthetic materials. The market for halal pharmaceuticals is expected to register a significant CAGR as well as annual growth rates over the forecast period. Regulatory harmonization and regional regulatory convergence is expected to emerge as the key market trends in the near future.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, halal drug market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East & Africa.Download TOC@In terms of geography, Asia Pacific region is the main region exhibiting development and uptake of halal medicines, particularly in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. However, R&D activities related to halal medicines are gaining traction in the European and North American regions. Discussion on formation of halal medicine certification agencies and guidelines are key features found in the traditionally pharmaceutically developed markets. Companies producing halal medicines are expected to enter Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Russia, France, Libya, Algeria and Singapore as well as the UAE to cater to the high demand base for better revenue generation, either through distributor route or via tie-ups with established players.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Key PlayersSome key accredited players in the halal medicine market include Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad (CCM Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd), Pharmaniaga Bhd, Simpor Pharma Sdn Bhd, EMBIL Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nutramedica Incorporated, etc. among others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Baby Cribs Market 2016 Industry Insights, Growth, Overview and Demands http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=686785&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-baby-cribs-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/category/retail-market-reports-137.html http://www.qyresearchreports.com Global Baby Cribs Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.The report also includes an extensive evaluation of the prominent companies operating in the global Baby Cribs market. These companies have been analyzed based on their key offerings. This way the study also helps the readers in understanding the competitive trends prevailing in the market along with identifying the most lucrative regions. The information includes in the report is also intended to help the upcoming players in entering the market. In addition, figured related to cost, capacity, price, gross, and revenue of the leading companies have also been presented in this study.Moving further, the report includes the technical data analysis of the global Baby Cribs market. This section incorporates an analysis on the prominent market trends in addition to mentioning the present statistics in the market. An evaluation based on the major regions, applications, and cost structure is also covered in the report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @This report on the global market for Baby Cribs is a meticulous guide delivering an exhaustive information on the current state of the market along with presenting its future prospects. A number of factors impacting this market have been analyzed in the report in detail. These include the growth drivers, opportunities, prevailing trends, inhibitors, and challenges. All of the trends prevalent in the market are scrutinized for understanding their impact on the global Baby Cribs market.A market environment never remains the same and is continuously changing due to the impact of several factors. Hence, the factors influencing each and every aspect of the Baby Cribs market have been scrutinized and evaluated in this report. In the beginning sections of the report, the market overview section has been provided. This part of the report encapsulates segmentation of the market based on parameters such as product applications, specifications, and regional classifications. In addition, the current industry news is also included under this section of the report.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Baby Cribs Industry Overview1.1 Baby Cribs Definition1.1.1 Baby Cribs Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Baby Cribs Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Baby Cribs Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Baby Cribs Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.3 Baby Cribs Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.5 Baby Cribs Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.6 Baby Cribs Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Baby Cribs Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Baby Cribs Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Baby Cribs Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Baby Cribs R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Baby Cribs Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Baby Cribs Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Production by Product Type & Application4.4 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Price by key Manufacturers4.5 2010-2016 US & China Baby Cribs Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Baby Cribs Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.9 2010-2016 US and China Baby Cribs Supply Import Export Consumption4.10 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Baby Cribs Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Baby Cribs Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Baby Cribs Demand by ApplicationsRead Retail Market Research Reports @QYResearchReports.com is the trusted source of market research reports among clients that include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs, and private equity firms. Our market research reports focus on categories including but not limited to: Chemicals, Energy, Alternative and Green Energy, Machinery, Manufacturing, Glass, Pharmaceuticals and Materials.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Cashback Carnival on Ninecolours.com to Amaze your New Year Celebrations Indian Ethnic Wear Collection www.ninecolours.com Gudi Padwa has brought some really good news for all the Ethnic wear lovers in India. Ninecolours.com, the leading online portal for ethnic wear has come up with 25% cashback offer on Festive Salutation collection. The collection includes majestic and designer range of traditional products like Sarees, Lehengas, Salwar Suits and Jewelry for women and Kurta Pajamas for Men. 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Ninecolours.com offers personalized tailoring options and its backed with the efficient supply chain to facilitate timely delivery.-Just Connect Marketing PVT LTD.-C 1 & 2, Arjun Niwas, Bhatt Lane, Near Poiser Depot, Kandivali West, Mumbai-400067-9619868877 Hebrew University and eTeacher Group Offer Aramaic Language via Online Program www.yissum.co.il * Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.Release Date: Wed Apr 27, 2011Hebrew University and eTeacher Group Offer Aramaic Language via Online Program The Ancient Language of Daniel's PropheciesThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem and eTeacher Group announced the addition of Aramaic to its unique offering for students around the world to participate in its joint Biblical Hebrew program.The new program builds upon the success of the Biblical Hebrew program introduced in 2007 and which now boasts students from around the world including North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.The 14 week course focuses on reading Aramaic-based texts in the Old Testament more specifically examining the Aramaic prophecies of Daniel and the sections of the book of Ezra.The Aramaic course is being offered on two levels and begins in May 2011; it is available to students 18 and above who know the Hebrew alphabet. Like its Biblical Hebrew counterpart, Aramaic students learn in virtual classes conducted via live video conferencing from anywhere in the world. A certified instructor presents lesson materials via a fully interactive multimedia application running on each students computer screen through which students can speak with the teacher and other class members. Course materials include a blend of classic and online content.Hebrew University, in collaboration with eTeacher, is offering these courses for academic credit points. In accordance with the Universitys academic requirements, the program includes obligatory attendance, paper submissions and examinations.Students interested in the language of prophecy are well served by immersing themselves in Biblical Aramaic, says Dr. Ohad Cohen, director of the online Biblical Hebrew program at the Hebrew University and eTeacher. The Books of Daniel and Ezra can deeper students' understanding of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as the historical and cultural background of the Bible. TheHebrew University of Jerusalem has a long and famous tradition for Aramaic research and teaching, Dr. Cohen continued, and by using this traditional knowledge together with new technological platforms from eTeacher, this course is a unique opportunity to further students reading and understanding of Biblical languages.The Study of Biblical Aramaic at the Hebrew University The Hebrew University is a well known world center for the study of the Bible and the Semiticlinguistics. In the last two generations this center has formulated new methods for the research and teaching of these languages. The Hebrew University attracts researchers all over the world interested in these fields. Its new program is based on this long history of research of these fields and themethods produced to investigate and teach them.Yissum Representative in charge of CS & IT technologies and eLearning - Tamir Huberman VP Business Development & IT Director of Yissum (Technology Transfer Company of the Hebrew University)About eTeachereTeacher, the world's foremost online language academy, was established in 2000. The hallmarks of its language courses are live online instruction, flexible hours, and the convenience of learning from home or office. Since 2001, thousands of eTeacher graduates, from over a hundred countries, haveacquired a new language. eTeacher is a portfolio company of Pamoja Capital, a Swiss private investment firm that believes in creating value through long-term, socially responsible global investments in various fields, including education.Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University ofJerusalem Ltd. was founded in 1964 to protect and commercialize the HebrewUniversitys intellectual property. Products based on Hebrew Universitytechnologies that have been commercialized by Yissum currently generate $2Billion in annual sales. Ranked among the top technology transfer companiesin the world, Yissum has registered over 8,500 patents covering 2,400 inventions; has licensed out 750 technologies and has spun out 90 companies. Yissums business partners span the globe and include companies such as Syngenta, Monsanto, Roche, Novartis, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Intel, Teva and many more. For further information please visitTamir HubermanHi-Tech Park, Givat Ram, PO BOX 39135Jerusalem, Israel91390 48th FIBEP World Media Intelligence Congress Confirms details of next congress: Washington D.C, 17-18 November 2016 Vienna, Austria, 5 April 2016 FIBEP are pleased to announce and confirm that their 48th FIBEP World Media Intelligence Congress will be held in Washington D.C., 17-18 November 2016 at the DuPont Circle Hotel. Registration for this congress is now open.Previously, the congress had been a members only only event. Last year, FIBEP opened their doors to both members and non-members from the communication, PR, advertising, technology and marketing sectors to take part in the event.The 48th annual congress will also be the first congress for FIBEPs newly elected President, Alexis Donot, CEO, from Argus de la Presse.Alexis Donot was cited The FIBEP World Media Intelligence Congress is not just about networking, meeting clients and business partners; for me it's very important and a great opportunity to meet all our colleagues from all over the world at least once a year. We all share the same issues, for example Copyright. Having an update of what is going on in different regions is priceless. I noticed that we had in the past more differences between various countries, now we can see that the globalisation has some big effects on FIBEPs members. More recently, there have been a lot of similarities in the requirements of customers and in the range of services proposed by each one of us.Alexis went on to say Many of us provide the multimedia monitoring with analysis reports, databases, and advisory. The service level agreement has become a big challenge for most companies with a demanding delivery time and the "zero default". Each time I speak with a colleague we shared the same views regarding our industry; our customers are more and more demanding, they want a comprehensive and faster service with a state of the art portal gathering all the services. So when I see these trends and when I imagine what it could be in 5 years, I tell myself that having such a congress once a year is a great opportunity for thinking "out of the box".FIBEP is the worlds media intelligence association with over 120 corporate members in over 60 countries. The association and its members are focused on providing globally-driven, enterprise-scale solutions in the fields of PR distribution, journalist databases, media monitoring, media analysis, as well as consulting services and SaaS platforms.The federation was founded in 1953 in Paris and now hosts a broad range of activities including the FIBEP World Media Intelligence Congress, annual workshops, senior-networking sessions, youth-development programs and a variety of high-impact research studies.###To find out more information about the congress and how to register or more information FIBEP please contact Cassandra Syms, Communications Executive cassandra.syms@fibep.info or +43 (1) 213 22 357.Lessinggasse 211020ViennaAustria Attendance on Move, a feature of COSEC APTA www.MatrixSecuSol.com How it worksThis feature works on the GPS coordinates or Wi-Fi signals received from the respective employees mobile device. The HR/Admin will be required to pre-define a location and save it in the Location Master of COSEC Web. As a result, whenever the user enters/exits the pre-defined location, his or her attendance gets automatically marked.ApplicationThis feature can be used to address the following issues faced by HR/admin and employees:Missed punchesMany a times, it may so happen that an employee misses out on punching and marking his attendance. In such cases, this feature can prove to be a great solution. Instead of having to apply for attendance correction, the employee can make use of this feature and have his or her attendance automatically marked upon entering a pre-defined location.Attendance of field employeesFor employees working in the field, attendance marking is a major issue. For them, coming and marking their attendance at the office every day is quite a cumbersome task. The Attendance on Move feature can prove to be a perfect solution for the field employees of an organization. With this feature in place, field employees can have the location that they would be visiting pre-defined in the system for automatic attendance marking.Credentials not identifiedAt times employees may face difficulties if the punching device does not read and identify their credentials. This may especially occur in places like construction sites or manufacturing units. In order to avoid such events, employees can make use of the Attendance on Move feature.Long queuesIn many organizations employees working the same shift often have to wait in long queues for punching on the attendance marking device. When such events start occurring on a regular basis, it tends to affect employee morale and in turn their productivity. In order to deal with this issue, HR can have employees use this feature of the COSEC APTA application. With this feature, employees attendance gets automatically marked upon entering/exiting the office premises.BenefitsThis feature benefits in following ways: Increases productivity of employees and HR Less time spent after trivial tasks such as attendance corrections Improves employee moraleTarget Audience BFSI Industry: Employees working in the field, such as sales executives, insurance agents, etc. Organizations with Field Employees: Organizations such as FMCG, white goods, pharmaceutical having employees working in the field. Manufacturing and infrastructure sites having numerous employees during a shift Corporate Segment, IT/ITES where attendance marking device installation is to be avoided Government Offices, Shopping Malls, Hospitals, etc. for their staffProducts Required: COSEC CENTRA (Application Platform) COSEC TAM (Time-Attendance License) COSEC ESS (Employee Self Service License) COSEC APTA (Mobile Application of COSEC to be installed through Play Store/App Store)Contact: MATRIX COMSEC394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara+91 93744 74302More@MatrixComSec.comEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization; Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, Terminals, Convergence solution, VoIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara -390010+91 0265 2630555 Noliac is expanding the R&D team Noliac is expanding the R&D team Noliac is looking for two new colleagues for the R&D team in Prague, Czech Republic: A Precision/Fine Mechanics and an Electroengineer.Precision/Fine MechanicsFor the R&D team in Prague, Czech Republic, Noliac is looking for a Precision/Fine mechanics to work on modifying existing products and work with developing new. Noliac requires a colleague who:Is mechanically skilled with a focus on very small machinery.Holds a technical high school degree or an apprenticeship certificate.Is able to work independently and who is mechanically skilled.Has a basic knowledge of machining and materials.Has a willingness to learn, and for example work with adhesives and potting compounds etc.Has a knowledge of CAD/CAM, Autodesk Inventor.Has knowledge of MS Office and basic IT skills.Has verbal and written communication skills in English and Czech.Has strong interpersonal skills.Supports company culture through honest and friendly relationships across the whole organization, including full loyalty to the company.Read the whole jobadvert at http://www.noliac.com/about-us/jobs/ElectroengineerThe R&D team in Prague is also looking for an Electroengineer. Noliac requires a colleague who:Supports company culture through honest and friendly relationships across the whole organization, including full loyalty to the companyHas a Master degree in electronics. Lower education is possible in case of sufficient experienceKnowledge of printed boards design (CadSoft EAGLE)Advanced knowledge of MS OfficeInterest in new technologies and willingness to educate oneselfDexterity and creativityCAD (Autodesk Inventor) is an advantageKnowledge of electro-acoustics is an avantageProactively helps solving potential problemsTakes responsibility at a high levelHas perfect verbal and written communication skills in English and CzechHas strong interpersonal skillsRead the whole jobadvert at http://www.noliac.com/about-us/jobs/About NoliacNoliac presents a unique proficiency in the field of piezoelectric technology. Noliac designs, develops and manufactures the total range of piezoelectric products - from powders to mono- and multilayer components and all the way to finished plug-and-play applications.Noliac Systems s.r.o.Za Mototechnou 1114CZ-155 00 Prague 5Czech RepublicAtt.: Martina Hegerovamhe@noliac.com Latest Report : Image Guided Surgery Devices - Medical Devices Pipeline Assessment, 2015 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/487705 http://www.prnewswire.com/news/marketresearchreports.biz http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Image Guided Surgery Devices - Medical Devices Pipeline Assessment, 2015 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"GlobalData's Medical Devices sector report, Image Guided Surgery Devices - Medical Devices Pipeline Assessment, 2015" provides an overview of Image Guided Surgery Devices currently in pipeline stage.The report provides comprehensive information on the pipeline products with comparative analysis of the products at various stages of development. The report reviews major players involved in the pipeline product development. It also provides information about clinical trials in progress, which includes trial phase, trial status, trial start and end dates, and, the number of trials for the key Image Guided Surgery Devices pipeline products.This report is prepared using data sourced from in-house databases, secondary and primary research by GlobalData's team of industry experts.ies and help to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.Download Sample copy of this Report at:ScopeExtensive coverage of the Image Guided Surgery Devices under developmentThe report reviews details of major pipeline products which includes, product description, licensing and collaboration details and other developmental activitiesThe report reviews the major players involved in the development of Image Guided Surgery Devices and list all their pipeline projectsThe coverage of pipeline products based on various stages of development ranging from Early Development to Approved / Issued stageThe report provides key clinical trial data of ongoing trials specific to pipeline productsRecent developments in the segment / industryReasons to buyThe report enables you to -Formulate significant competitor information, analysis, and insights to improve R&D strategiesIdentify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantageIdentify and understand important and diverse types of Image Guided Surgery Devices under developmentDevelop market-entry and market expansion strategiesPlan mergers and acquisitions effectively by identifying major players with the most promising pipelineIn-depth analysis of the products current stage of development, territory and estimated launch dateBrowse Our Press Releases by Prnewswire:Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 41.2 List of Figures 72 Introduction 82.1 Image Guided Surgery Devices Overview 83 Products under Development 93.1 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 93.2 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products by Territory 103.3 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products by Regulatory Path 113.4 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products by Estimated Approval Date 123.5 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Ongoing Clinical Trials 134 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products under Development by Companies 144.1 Image Guided Surgery Devices Companies - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 144.2 Image Guided Surgery Devices - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 165 Image Guided Surgery Devices Companies and Product Overview 185.1 Clear Cut Medical Ltd. Company Overview 185.1.1 Clear Cut Medical Ltd. Pipeline Products & Ongoing Clinical Trials Overview 185.2 Clear Guide Medical, LLC Company Overview 195.2.1 Clear Guide Medical, LLC Pipeline Products & Ongoing Clinical Trials Overview 19MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide Market 2016 Industry Survey Report http://www.qyresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-hexamethylphosphorous-triamide-market-2016-industry-trends-sales.html http://goo.gl/a1QPxz http://www.qyresearchgroup.com Global Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide Market 2016The report titled Global Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide Market 2016 - Market Size, Development, Top 10 Countries, and Forecasts provides first hand industry information on the present market condition in the most genuine way, and forecast for Hexamethylphosphorous Triamides in the world and in the top 10 global countries. Apart from global report on Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market indepth reports for below mentioned countries are also available:Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United StatesThe Global Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide Production, Supply, Sales, and Demand Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth research report on Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide. From two aspects: production and sales, the report provides detailed information of production, supply, sales, demand, price, cost, income and revenue on Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide in US, EU, China, Japan and rest of the world.This research study will include historical information from 2010 to 2016 and forecasts through 2021. This research study is a most valueable resource for key decision makers including industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs.The publication evaluates the factors contributing to the growth of the market and presents accurate historical statistics and data charting with respect to each segment of the Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market over the forecast period. It profiles the leading market players, and estimates how their sales policies have contributed to shaping the market dynamics. Competitive landscape analysis and development status analysis is conducted so that the report may include a 360 degree overview of the Global Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide Market.Access Complete report Visit @Other factors such as government plans and policies impacting the development trend of the market are also evaluated by the report. For an in-depth analysis, the report evaluates the strengths, weakness, and opportunities exhibited by the Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market using industry leading analytical tools such as SWOT analysis and Porters Five Force analysis.The reports help answer the following questions: What is the present market size of the Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide industry on global scale and in the top 10 global countries? How is the Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market segmented based on product type? What is the growth rate of different product segments? What will be the future outlook for the Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market? What is the potential of Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market into different countries?The latest industry data included in the reports: Overall Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market size, 2010-2021 Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market size based on individual products, 2010-2021 Growth rates of the overall Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market as well as individual products, 2010-2021 Market shares of different product segments, 2010, 2016 and 2021 Market Potential Rates of the overall Hexamethylphosphorous Triamide market and different product segmentsAccess Sample report Visit @About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 FREEWeb:Email: sales@qyresearchgroup.com Global Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Market to Reach US$5.3 bn by 2020, Propelled by Growth of Healthcare Sector http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/rfid-in-healthcare.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=413 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ The expansion of the healthcare industry in itself will present an enormous growth opportunity for the global radiofrequency identification (RFID) market, says Transparency Market Research in its latest report. The business intelligence firms study, titled Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020, states that the market will log a healthy CAGR of 13.90% from 2014 through 2020. Growing at this rate, the market will rise from its 2013 valuation of US$1.9 bn to reach US$5.3 bn by 2020.Read More:One of the most commonly used wireless communication technologies today, RFID finds wide-ranging applications that are not limited to a particular industry. In the healthcare sector, specifically, the uses of RFID range from counterfeit drug tracking to equipment and patient identification to monitoring blood transfer and other critical functions in the supply chain.The report segments the global RFID market in healthcare based on component type into RFID tags, RFID readers, RFID printers, RFID cabinets, and RFID middleware. By application, the market is segmented into: medicine tracking, supply chain, people identification and tracking, equipment tracking, and medical report, samples and blood transfer tracking. Likewise, by geography, the market is segmented into: Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.However, the adoption as RFID as a monitoring and tracking tool in the healthcare industry hasnt been especially encouraging in the recent past because barcodes have already established themselves as the preferred method for this very purpose. Companies offering RFID products and solutions to the healthcare sector, will, thus face tough competition from barcode technology in the coming years. The reports authors, however, state that despite these hurdles, there is now heightened awareness about the long term benefits of RFID, which include cost savings, improved accuracy, and enhanced automation. These factors will see entities in the healthcare sector adopt radiofrequency identification, more so in mature markets.Request A Sample Of This Report:With a massive number of low-cost RFID component manufacturers in China, the country has been at the forefront of the UHF and HF tag supply, making it difficult for other suppliers in North America and Europe to compete aggressively. This situation is further compounded in regions such as Europe that are still reeling from a recent economic crisis, which has prompted hospitals to adopt cost-saving measures. The scenario in Asia Pacific is different in that there is a massive scope for the deployment of radiofrequency identification devices, but smaller hospitals in Asia Pacific and Rest of the World consider RFID as an excessive tool.Nevertheless, TMRs report notes that the next few years will see an increased deployment of RFID in asset tracking applications in the healthcare sector. With a number of small and mid-size hospitals facing losses due to equipment theft, RFID tracking equipment will see increased adoption. The deployment of RFID modules will thus create demand largely from tier-1 and tier-2 hospitals.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Mr. Sudip STransparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email:A sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Erbium Chloride Hydrate Market 2016 Industry Survey Report http://www.qyresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-erbium-chloride-hydrate-market-2016-industry-trends.html http://goo.gl/gypsEf http://www.qyresearchgroup.com Global Erbium Chloride Hydrate Market 2016The report titled Global Erbium Chloride Hydrate Market 2016 - Market Size, Development, Top 10 Countries, and Forecasts provides first hand industry information on the present market condition in the most genuine way, and forecast for Erbium Chloride Hydrates in the world and in the top 10 global countries. Apart from global report on Erbium Chloride Hydrate market indepth reports for below mentioned countries are also available:Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United StatesThe Global Erbium Chloride Hydrate Production, Supply, Sales, and Demand Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth research report on Erbium Chloride Hydrate. From two aspects: production and sales, the report provides detailed information of production, supply, sales, demand, price, cost, income and revenue on Erbium Chloride Hydrate in US, EU, China, Japan and rest of the world.This research study will include historical information from 2010 to 2016 and forecasts through 2021. This research study is a most valueable resource for key decision makers including industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs.The publication evaluates the factors contributing to the growth of the market and presents accurate historical statistics and data charting with respect to each segment of the Erbium Chloride Hydrate market over the forecast period. It profiles the leading market players, and estimates how their sales policies have contributed to shaping the market dynamics. Competitive landscape analysis and development status analysis is conducted so that the report may include a 360 degree overview of the Global Erbium Chloride Hydrate Market.Access Complete report Visit @Other factors such as government plans and policies impacting the development trend of the market are also evaluated by the report. For an in-depth analysis, the report evaluates the strengths, weakness, and opportunities exhibited by the Erbium Chloride Hydrate market using industry leading analytical tools such as SWOT analysis and Porters Five Force analysis.The reports help answer the following questions: What is the present market size of the Erbium Chloride Hydrate industry on global scale and in the top 10 global countries? How is the Erbium Chloride Hydrate market segmented based on product type? What is the growth rate of different product segments? What will be the future outlook for the Erbium Chloride Hydrate market? What is the potential of Erbium Chloride Hydrate market into different countries?The latest industry data included in the reports: Overall Erbium Chloride Hydrate market size, 2010-2021 Erbium Chloride Hydrate market size based on individual products, 2010-2021 Growth rates of the overall Erbium Chloride Hydrate market as well as individual products, 2010-2021 Market shares of different product segments, 2010, 2016 and 2021 Market Potential Rates of the overall Erbium Chloride Hydrate market and different product segmentsAccess Sample report Visit @About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 FREEWeb:Email: sales@qyresearchgroup.com Morocco Broadband Service Market to Expand via 3G, 4G, ADSL and Fiber Published By :MarketResearchReports.biz http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/488326 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on Morocco: Broadband Services via 3G, 4G, ADSL and Fiber Will Drive Telecom Market Growth.DescriptionThe telecom market in Morocco will grow at a CAGR of 5.0% over the period 2015-2020 reaching $4.3bn by 2020. Moroccos telecom services will generate total revenue of $3.4bn in 2015. Morocco will record one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the North African region of 132.6% in 2015. Broadband is set to be the standout segment, spurring Moroccos telecom service revenue growth and the launch of 4G will further facilitate the enhancement of revenue streams for operators in the country .Key FindingsPyramid Research expects total telecom service revenue in Morocco to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% reaching $4.3bn by 2020, from an expected $3.4bn in 2015.The mobile voice segment is still a major revenue generator, accounting for 55.1% of total market revenue in 2015, while mobile data will produce $752m, or 22.4% of the total, in 2015.The fixed/mobile revenue split will remain relatively unchanged over the forecast period, with the share of fixed services down by 1.3 percentage points from 2015 to 2020.To accelerate revenue growth, operators are investing in their network infrastructure and enhancing their voice and data services.Download Full Version PDF report at:SynopsisMorocco: Broadband Services via 3G, 4G, ADSL and Fiber Will Drive Telecom Market Growth provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Morocco today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2020. It delivers deep quantitative and qualitative insight into the telecom market of Morocco, analyzing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities and assessing risk factors, based on proprietary data from Pyramid Researchs databases.It provides in-depth analysis of the following:Morocco in a regional context; a comparative review of market size and trends with that of other countries in the region.Economic, demographic and political context in Morocco.The regulatory environment and trends; a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans and more.A demand profile; analysis as well as forecasts and historical figures of service revenue from fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and data markets.Service evolution; a look at the change in the breakdown of overall revenue by fixed and mobile sectors and by voice and data in the current year as well as the end of the forecast period.An in-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony and broadband services, mobile voice, and data services; a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by technology/platform as well as operator, average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.Main opportunities; this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in the telecommunications market in Morocco.ReasonsToBuyProvides an overview of the Moroccan telecom market through a combination of quantitative and qualitative insights. The graphical information consists of more than 20 charts and tables derived from Pyramid Researchs forecast products.Build profitable growth strategies by leveraging the analysis, which includes an examination of current player strategies and the future trends of the Moroccan telecommunications market.Understand the factors behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Morocco's mobile communications, fixed telephony, and broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares, to align product offerings and strategies to meet customer demand.Gain insights on key telecom players in the market and their strategies to grow market share.Explore novel opportunities to align your product strategies and offerings to meet customer requirements and succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Morocco.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Prchard Parks Maya Clinard Orchard Parks Maya Clinard, far right, took runner-up in singles at this past weekends Section VI Girls Tennis Championships at... Boys soccer peaking into sectionals It was not an ideal start to the 2022 season for the Orchard Park boys soccer team, dropping its first... 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. With the media consumed with the 2016 presidential election, the Delta Political Forum series is holding an event to help the Delta community make sense of it all. Election 2016: An Angry Electorate, Divided Parties and Unconventional Candidates will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12, in the Delta College Lecture Theater (G160). The Delta College political science faculty will discuss the following topics: The appeal of Donald Trump; Feeling the Bern; Whos angry and why?; The demise of the GOP establishment; Could both Democrats and the GOP have contested conventions? How would it work? The Dow Chemical Co. has agreed to pay $400 million in a settlement agreement with plaintiffs who opted out of a urethanes class action lawsuit related to price-fixing. The $400 million would end up being $250 million in net cash payments to 11 plaintiffs, according to Dow spokesperson Rachelle Schikorra. The difference between those amounts is related to tax treatments, she said. FLINT, Mich. (AP) Hundreds of residents of Flint, Michigan, filed a racketeering lawsuit Wednesday targeting Gov. Rick Snyder and other state and local officials over lead contamination of the city's drinking water. Filed in U.S. District Court in Flint, the suit is one of many arising from the decision to switch the Flint supply from the Detroit water system to the Flint River in April 2014 to cut costs. The move was supposed to be temporary, until Flint could join a new water authority that would pipe water from Lake Huron. The lawsuit accuses Snyder and others of hatching a "wrongful scheme" to reduce Flint's indebtedness by stopping the impoverished city from buying treated Lake Huron water from Detroit, instead of "invoking time tested, well-honed federal bankruptcy protections for restructuring the debts of municipalities." Snyder spokesman Ari Adler declined comment on the suit. State officials have acknowledged erroneously advising Flint officials not to treat the river water with anti-corrosive chemicals, and that not doing so enabled lead to leach from aging pipes and reach some homes, businesses and schools. Testing last fall showed that levels of lead in the blood of some children in the city rose after the water systems were switched. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that can damage child brain development and cause behavioral problems, and also can sicken adults. Flint switched back to the Detroit system last October. Along with Snyder, the suit names as defendants the state of Michigan; the departments of Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services; and a number of state officials, along with emergency managers whom Snyder appointed to oversee the city. Also named are the city of Flint, two of its utility officials and three consulting companies that advised them. Through their actions, "unthinkable harm has been inflicted on the residents of Flint," the suit said. It was filed by law firms in Southfield and New York, which said in a news release that they represented more than 400 people. In a separate class-action lawsuit in federal court in Ann Arbor, attorneys representing the governor and other officials are claiming governmental immunity. The response, filed Monday, said the judge doesn't have jurisdiction and should dismiss the case. "There are meaningful exceptions (to immunity) that apply to this situation, and their willingness to try to deprive people of their day in court is really breathtaking," said Michael Pitt, an attorney for Flint residents. Its a new era for Bailey Insurance. For the first time since 1939, there will be an additional name on the agencys sign as Mark Bone has become sole owner, having bought out partner Randy Tarzwell. I trust Mark to keep this moving in the right direction, said Tarzwell, who bought the business from Bill Bailey in 2006. Even though Tarzwell will no longer be owner, clients will still see him around the agency at 512 W. Buttles St. My ownership has ceased as of this deal. My plan is to work two years part-time. Ive kept some customers. So it will be two years of transition and counsel, Tarzwell said. Like Bill helped me and trusted me, Ill help Mark. Along with a change in ownership will come a change in the company name to Bone & Bailey Insurance Agency. Bill and Randy are supportive of the name change, Bone said. Bill actually came to me and said that my name should be on the business. To me that was an honor. Just as the transition from Bailey to Tarzwell was smooth, Tarzwell expects the same with the present change. There was no big deal made when Bill retired, he said. Bill stayed on and was somebody that would help me. You will have that between Mark and myself. So I think the transition will be seamless and the staff stays the same. Bone and Tarzwell realize the staff of 14 is vital to the success of the agency. Integrity, honesty and a very knowledgeable team, Tarzwell stated when asked about the success of the agency. I trust every person in their position to counsel, to handle claims and do whatever. Since 1939, the name on the business has been Bailey Insurance. Even with a name change, some things will stay the same. That includes staying at its present location as Bone also bought the property along with the business. We are going to stay here at 512 W. Buttles St. In the future we would like to expand at this location, he said. Bailey began selling insurance to Midland residents on March 3, 1939, when Floyd Bailey and his son, Bernard, took over the business from Leo Nehil and located it at Bailey Lumber, 803 Townsend St. Ten years later the business moved to 133 E. Main St. The following year, Bernard and his wife, Melissa, bought out Floyd. In 1954, another move was made to 140 Ashman, the current location of Meier Camera Shop, where the business remained until moving to its present location in 1999. Bill Bailey joined his aunt and uncle, Melissa and Bernard, in 1962, bought out his uncle in 1985 and stayed until Tarzwell took over in 2006. Bernard did an awful lot to grow the agency. Bernard thought insurance night and day. Each generation of owners has increased the business and we expect that to happen again, Bailey said. Tarzwell spent eight years working the wholesale end with Auto Owners Insurance before moving to the retail side and Bailey in July 1984. I ran out of passion for the wholesale end of the business, he said. The staff was then five people, now it is 14. During Tarzwells tenure, computers became a vital part of the industry. When I started, computers became the wave and we didnt really fight it, we kind of gingerly got into it. We thought we were going to save staff, although the staff told us we werent going to save anybody. We added staff, so they were right, Tarzwell. Instead of waiting 30-45 days for a rate quote, the computer allowed agents to instantly generate a quote. The ability to rate in our office became huge, Tarzwell said. I could go see a restaurant, or a business owner, comeback to the office and in 10 or 15 minutes knock out a quote. Id say weve stayed on top of the computer industry big time keeping current with rates and programs. Four years ago, the transition to Bone & Bailey began, when Bone approached Tarzwell about the possibility of joint ownership. The main thing was the name on the business and the respect in the community. It has such a great reputation, Bone said. After selling insurance for Farm Bureau since 1997, in April 2013 Bone joined Tarzwell as co-owner of the independent agency. At Farm Bureau, you are totally selling for them, Tarzwell said. The independent system takes a little different spin and we contract with several companies. We have what we feel are good regional companies for Michigan. I think Mark saw that as a positive. To contact Bone & Bailey, call (989) 631-3511 or visit its website at baileyinsurance.net. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, are winners of the 2016 John L. Hennessy Awards for active-duty Air Force food service operations. Earlier this year, installations from six major commands were nominated from each region: the Eastern Hemisphere (Region 1) and the Western Hemisphere (Region 2). Teams of food industry experts then visited those installations to observe all aspects of their food and beverage program. Each team of evaluators, known as Hennessy travelers, included an Air Force senior NCO food services expert. In addition to determining Hennessy Award winners, each team chose outstanding Airmen to attend the Armed Forces Forum for Culinary Excellence hosted by the National Restaurant Association Military Foundation at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California. The John L. Hennessy competition is not just about the award, said Master Sgt. Joseph Youngs, a Region 2 evaluator. It is about embracing a 60-year tradition of food service excellence. This program offers a tremendous opportunity for teamwork, something the military and hospitality industry know is critical to success. Hennessy also provides a forum for industry leaders to interact with the military and offer expertise, advice and counseling at all levels. The Hennessy Awards Program was established in 1956 to promote excellence in customer service and food service support within the Air Force. Food service operations are under the direction of the Air Force Services Activity. The competition was very close since the bases had already been selected as the best of the best in their respective regions, said Master Sgt. Shaerica Waters, a Region 1 evaluator. Paying strict attention to details made the difference in determining the winners. In Region 1, we witnessed some amazing training programs and great techniques showcasing healthy options, and all locations showed excellent teamwork, she said. In addition, the motivation and tenacity we observed at the installations showed a genuine care for customers. Youngs agreed, saying only a few points separated the different operations in Region 2 noting all MAJCOM nominees are winners. Being a part of the final group is a prestigious honor for an installation. This competition is tough, and not every base has the opportunity to compete at this level. As evaluators, its important to recognize them as champions for getting this far in the competition, Youngs said. What Im most proud of is that every installation was up to the challenge and provided five-star service to their Airmen. Hennessy Travel Award individual winners were judged on professionalism, dress and appearance; leadership; knowledge, teamwork and attitude. These elite military professionals will attend the weeklong Armed Forces Forum for Culinary Excellence, hosted by the National Restaurant Association Military Foundation, at the Culinary Institute of America July 30-Aug. 6. They cook side by side with culinary chefs and receive instruction and interaction with industry veterans. These industry leaders describe and highlight the opportunities that the participants experience in military foodservice is preparing them for the civilian sector, Youngs said. The Hennessy Travel Award winners for Region 1 include: - Staff Sgt. Gretchen Manalo, Hurlburt Field, Florida - Senior Airman Michael Adamson, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas - Airman Cristian Narino Garcia, Tyndall AFB, Florida The Hennessy Travel Award winners for Region 2 include: - Senior Airman Quentin Cole, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota - Senior Airman Brennan Duhe, Travis AFB, California - Airman 1st Class Trevor Boutin, Peterson AFB, Colorado - Airman Ruta Bartkute, JB Elmendorf-Richardson Installation awards will be presented May 15 in Chicago during the National Restaurant Association show. The travel awards will be presented during training at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in August. WASHINGTON, April 5, 2016 U.S. and Philippines armed forces began their 32nd iteration of Exercise Balikatan yesterday in the Philippines, Defense Press Operations Director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters here today. This years annual exercise comprises about 5,000 U.S. service members and 3,500 members of the Philippines armed forces, in addition to nearly 80 Australian Defense Force personnel and observers from 12 other nations, he said. It is the premier bilateral training exercise between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines, Davis said, adding that the major U.S. military participating units include the 3rd Marine Division, elements of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group and the 1st Marine Air Wing, the Armys 25th Infantry Division and the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The exercise is designed to increase interoperability through combined military operations and strengthen the long-standing relationship between the United States and the Philippines, Davis said. It focuses on three simultaneous events through a single scenario across the Philippine islands of Luzon, Palawan and Panay, he added. This years Exercise Balikatan -- a Filipino word for shoulder-to-shoulder -- will focus on disaster relief, crisis response training, and humanitarian civic action projects, including dental and veterinary services and engineering civic access. CHINHAE, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Tucson arrived in Chinhae, Republic of Korea, April 6 for a visit as part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment. With a crew of approximately 150, Tucson will conduct a multitude of missions and maintain proficiencies in the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet. "The Korean-American relationship is very important and our visit to Changwon gives us the opportunity to strengthen the positive relationship that exists between the U.S. and Republic of Korea," said Cmdr. Michael Beckette, commanding officer. "My crew and I are looking forward to experiencing the exciting culture of this great Korean city." Tucson's crew operates with a high state of readiness and is always prepared to tackle any mission that comes their way. "The performance of this crew in the few past months has been nothing less than exceptional," said Senior Chief Electronics Technician Billy Daly Jr., chief of the boat. "I am proud to serve with each and every one of them. Changwon is a wonderful city for the crew to spend their well-deserved rest and relaxation." For many of the crew members, this was their first time visiting the Republic of Korea. "I cannot wait to diversify myself culturally in the great nation of the Republic of Korea," said Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Jonathan Gilliam. "They are some of the most pleasant people I have ever met." Measuring more than 360-feet long, Tucson is one of the stealthiest and most advanced submarines in the world. This submarine is capable of supporting a multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Homeported in Pearl Harbor, Tucson is able to operate in all oceans of the world. Tucson is the 59th Los Angeles-class attack submarine and the 20th of the Improved Los Angeles-class attack submarine to be built. Twelve vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles and four torpedo tubes provide Tucson with great offensive capabilities and strategic value. Tucson's stealth, endurance, mobility and responsiveness make it a formidable force in multiple mission roles. WASHINGTON, April 6, 2016 Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work this week begins a short trip to Oregon and Washington State in the Pacific Northwest to meet with industry leaders and to discuss work underway for the department. Tomorrow, his first stop will be in Portland, Oregon, to deliver remarks during a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency christening ceremony for a technology demonstration vessel designed, developed and built through DARPAs anti-submarine warfare continuous trail unmanned vessel, or ACTUV, program. The 132-foot ship is a new class of ocean-going vessel able to travel thousands of miles over open seas for months at a time with no crew members aboard. According to DARPA, ACTUV embodies breakthroughs in autonomous navigation and operation with the potential to revolutionize U.S. maritime operations. In the months after the christening, DARPA says it will work with the Office of Naval Research to fully test the vessels capabilities and innovative payloads to transition the technology to the U.S. Navy for operational use. Joining Work in addressing attendees will be DARPA Director Arati Prabhakar, ACTUV program manager Scott Littlefield, Navy Rear Adm. Mathias Winter, chief of naval research, and Navy Rear Adm. Robert Girrier, director of unmanned warfare systems. Artists concept of a new class of ocean-going vessel designed, developed and built through DARPAs anti-submarine warfare continuous trail unmanned vessel, or ACTUV, program. The 132-foot ship is able to travel thousands of miles over open seas for months at a time with no crew members aboard. According to DARPA, ACTUV embodies breakthroughs in autonomous navigation and operation with the potential to revolutionize U.S. maritime operations. DARPA image Later that day, Work will travel to Seattle, Washington, to meet with the leadership of the Boeing Co. at the aerospace companys Renton facility. In the afternoon he will tour the final assembly facilities of the 737 and the P-8 Poseidon. The 737 is a short - to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner. The P-8A Poseidon aircraft, derived from the next-generation 737-800, is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Work also will tour the P-8 specific final installation bay and the P-8. (Follow Cheryl Pellerin on Twitter: @PellerinDoDNews) Indy rock: Veteran rocker John Mellencamp is bringing his re-convened Plain Spoken tour to U of I at Springfield's Sangamon Auditorium following a stand last summer in the Peoria Civic Center. Once again, Carlene Carter is the opening act. Hurts so good, er, bad: Sunday's 7:30 p.m. concert is sold out, though a check of the box office for any returned tickets can never hurt. The tour is tied to Mellencamp's 2015 album of the same name. Call 800-207-6960. All's wellness: Going green in the spring gets a big boost from the annual Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo, celebrating its 11th anniversary from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Illinois Wesleyan University's Shirk Center. Among the offerings of Central Illinois' largest Zero Waste happening: dozens of exhibitors, multiple educational workshops, kids' related activities, cooking demos, Mega Recyling Event, health foods, live music by David Berchtold, Stone and Snow, Hot Sauce Universe and the Old Men Boys ... and much more, all free. More info: 309-454-3169. Teamed spirit: Five years ago, the Castle Theater was the site of one of the more tempting match-ups on 2011's concert calendar: the teaming of veteran pop maestro Marshall Crenshaw (whose 1982 single "Someday, Someway" was a Top 40 hit) and St. Louis-bsaed Midwest roots rockers the Bottle Rockets. At the time, the offbeat teaming was just hatching; half a decade later, the match, clearly made in pop heaven, continues apace, complete with a Castle return set for 8 p.m. Thursday. Coming soon Scheduled to open in area theaters next weekend (April 15) are: Barbershop: The Next Cut: Hard to believe, but it's been 10 years since our last trim at Calvins, whose namesake is still played by Ice Cube and whose longtime crew includes Cedric the Entertainer's Eddie. The once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed, but the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together ... not only to save the shop, but their world as they know it. Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Eve, JB Smoove, Sean Patrick Thomas co-star. Criminal: Uh-oh. To stop a diabolical plot, a dead CIA operatives memories, secrets and skills are implanted into a dodgy death-row inmate in hopes that he will complete the operatives mission. Do things go awry? Of course they do. Starring one of the more grizzled casts of recent memory, led by Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman and Tommy Lee Jones. Everybody Wants Some!: Richard Linklater returns to knowing & heartfelt "Dazed & Confused" turf with this look at a posse of circa-1980 frat boys (Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell, among others) who work their way through the first year of college life as they try to make the baseball team. The Jungle Book: Disney's second stab at turning its 1967 animated favorite into live-action terms (the first was 22 years ago). Jon Favreau ("Elf," "Iron Man") directs; newcomer Neel Sethi is Mowgli, the man-cub whos been raised by a family of wolves. The talking animals are 3-D digital entities this time, with voices including Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken. Film clips Reel to real: Illinois Wesleyan University's International Film Series is screening 2014's Almost There at 7 p.m. Thursday in Hansen Student Center, with director-producer Dan Rybicky in attendance. The film is about an elderly "outsider" artist living in at-risk conditions who befriends two filmmakers (Rybicky, Aaron Wickenden) and causes controversy at his first major exhibition. Free admission. ISU screening: A documentary on the West's role as the protagonist of the developing world, and the drawbacks that have accompanied it, are examined in the documentary, Poverty, Inc., screening free at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Illinois State University's Capen Auditorium. In attendance will be co-producer Mark Weber, who will answer audience questions after the screening. Oscar winner: A special screening of Ida, 2015's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner, will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Normal Theater. The Polish drama is about a young woman hidden in a convent and raised as Catholic during World War II. About to take her vows, she learns from her only living relative that she's Jewish. A panel discussion with community leaders will follow. Admission is free, but tickets are required by calling 309-438-2818. Summer break is near and while many are excited to spend it at the beach or take a trip abroad, others can't even afford to eat. In fact, new reports suggest that pupils will be hungry during the summer break. For those who are not aware, there are children who rely on free school meals to fill their stomach. During summer breaks, there would be no free school meals. BBC reported that teachers are warning about the risk of "Dickensian era," noting that students might go back to a life of extreme poverty. "We risk returning to a Dickensian era rife with inequality," said The Associations of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary Mary Bousted. Per Telegraph, the warning arises following a new study that suggests four out of ten education staff are aware of students who come to school hungry and without money for lunch. The study revealed that students have so little money that they have to opt for "a large, sharing size packet of crisps" for lunch. BBC also notes that 26 percent of students went hungry during summer. Moreover, almost 50 percent of the staff said that summer break negatively affects students' mental health. According to John Puckrin, a teacher from central London, based on the Trussel Trust's (food bank provider) recent report there's a 21 percent increase in demand during school holidays. In fact, the city council noticed an increase in application for holiday clubs, but only to those sessions that provide food. According to Janet Blanchard bored and hungry children could "get up to mischief or get into trouble," which makes this report even more disheartening and alarming. BBC further notes that The Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference are lobbying for a better holiday scheme that includes meals for students. The Department of Education has not addressed the issue of holiday hunger, but they stressed that they are aiming to provide a nutritious free meal at lunch for 1.3 million more children. What do you think is the best solution to end hunger issues during summer? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. High school senior Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna graduates as Elmont Memorial's valedictorian this year, but she will also leave the school with another distinction as eight Ivy League colleges have accepted her application. She's the second one to do so from Elmont. Augusta, whose parents are Nigerian immigrants, has until May 1 to decide which university she will attend in the fall. With a GPA of 101.64, the teenager also submitted applications to four other prestigious schools in addition to the Ivy League schools, and these institutions have accepted her, too. In total, she has to pick from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton and Yale University, as well as Johns Hopkins University, NYU, MIT and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Augusta said she's inclined to concentrate on a science major to compound her interest for environmental studies and biochemistry. The valedictorian was a 2016 Intel Science Talent Search finalist, per Elmont Memorial press release. Her research involved preventing oil rigs from contaminating water using cement compositions. She was the only high school student from a team of adult researchers, per Columbia University. Augusta gives credit to her parents and teachers for her achievements. "I've struggled with numerous classes in the past," the teenager said, per Daily Mail. "But I guess what allowed me to be successful, ultimately, in those classes, at the end, is my persistence and my tenacity." She also relates how her cousins in Nigeria don't get the same opportunities as she has received in the United States. The American-born student visits her parents' homeland regularly. "Whatever I do, I want to make sure that it has an impact on Nigeria," she said, per ABC 7. Last year, Elmont Memorial High School salutatorian Harold Ekeh also got accepted at the Ivy League schools and eventually decided to attend Yale University. "Having two students get accepted into all eight Ivy League institutions in back-to-back years is humbling but also speaks to the incredible commitment to children by the families and staff within the EMHS Community," said school principal Kevin Dougherty via CNN. Congratulations to #LongIsland's @ElmontSpartans' Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, who was accepted by ALL 8 Ivy League schools! #CelebrateEducation Cuny in the Heights (@cunyintheheight) April 6, 2016 A recent survey reported a huge escalation in the physical symptoms of stress and incidents that involve self-harm and thoughts of suicide. Teachers believe that exam stress and cyber bullying are to be blamed for the mental health issues of students. More than 400 members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturer (ATL) answered the survey, 81 or 20 percent of which mentioned they were aware of students attempting suicide. Members also reported that 48 percent of students have inflicted harm upon themselves while 43 percent of the students are suffering from eating disorders. Eighty-nine percent of staff members believe that testing and exams contributed too much of the stress experienced by children. Other contributions to a child's mental health include pressure to do well (70%), a fragmented life at home (68%) and an overcrowded curriculum (59%). Some members mentioned that cyber bullying and their desire to be popular were the most common reasons for stress among their students. Children are extremely vulnerable to bullying due to the pervasive and intrusive culture of social media, according to Daily Mail. A head teacher from Norfolk mentioned that mental health issues might be the biggest barriers to academic progress. Another school counselor from Warwickshire stressed that he was not surprised that children were getting increasingly mentally ill due to schools' assessment system and computer time. Students' stress levels have increased mainly due to the government's concentration on exams, levels and grades. Students as young as six years old are becoming anxious about exams. The one-size-fits-all approach to school and exams are believed to be failing many students, according to Dr. Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary. In addition, many children are under intense pressure to succeed due to the financial sacrifices made by their parents to put them into private schools, according to David Lloyd, head of Solihull School. Lloyd added that today's students are facing the worst pressure among generations. Fortunately, the Department of Education is investing 1.5 million in peer support schemes in an effort to develop support networks in schools for children, according to Huffington Post. The money will also be used in trialing a scheme with NHS England for mental health support. School funding is a persistent problem in public schools, so the teachers in a Central Ohio institution have turned to crowdfunding to support its projects. Doing so has become a learning experience for the students and the teachers believe they are receiving great results from their efforts. Tapping outside help has been done before and traditionally, teachers hold bake sales and other fund-raising activities with the students. However, with technology's help, raising funds is easier and achievable these days. The sites only need to be set up online and the links can be shared on social media. Crowdfunding has driven teachers to pursue their goals for the kids. "That's the kind of thing that makes teaching come alive," Chemistry teacher Jeff Bracken of the Westerville North High School said, per WBNS-10TV. He and his co-teachers have come to learn setting up donation sites through the Westerville Education Foundation to receive the contributions from parents, alumni and community or business leaders. One crowdfunding effort was able to raise funds that essentially sent students to a national competition. "We got to meet so many people and do so many cool things," said Tiffany McCutcheo, a student. "It enhanced me as a person." Other U.S. Schools Also See The Value Of Crowdfunding A Montana school did the same and sourced out funds from a philanthropic website that supports education. They posted a wishlist of items based on what the students need. "If it's something that simple that can get them excited about learning, then I will try to get it for them," said teacher Danielle Martinson, per KULR 8. The school continually receives the items, which they eagerly open with the children. On the other hand, California's Overfelt High School also set up a crowdfunding drive at GoFundMe and raised $13,000. The money will be used to purchase Google Chromebooks for their students. "It was pretty amazing how it generated funds," said the school's principal Vito Chiala, via EdScoop. "That was a really good surprise to have so much support." Is your local school looking into crowdfunding? Or have you done this already? What were the results? Let us know in the comments! Hardly can you find 10-year-old kids feel empathy towards other children. However, this one boy created Buddy Benches for his kids at school so that nobody feels alone during recess. His Buddy Bench led more than 2,000 schools to follow suit. Christian Buck came up with the idea three years ago, when he and his family were contemplating of moving back to Germany. While looking for a possible new school, he saw a picture of a Buddy Bench, a place where lonely kids can sit during recess, so as to signal other kids to invite them to play. Parenting reported that Christian and family didn't get to move, but the boy introduced the idea to his own school, Roundtown Elementary in York, Pennsylvania. The principal, Matthew Miller, loved it and project Buddy Bench commenced. After Christian installed his first Buddy Bench in Roundtown, it became an inspiration to other schools which happily followed. Christian told Washington Post, "I didn't like to see kids lonely at recess when everyone is just playing with their friends." Having started something wonderful, Christian and his principal have been featured on TedTalk. They have also gained popularity on a national scale. The young boy had been invited to numerous schools all over the U.S. to unveil newly installed Buddy Benches. In fact, other countries have also started installing Buddy Benches so as to leave no kid feeling alone during recess. Recently, an elementary school in Canada installed two Buddy Benches. The principal of the school said that if a kid isn't sure what to do during recess, he could always hang out at the bench. At such a young age, Christian has already inculcated the value of empathy. After unveiling a newly installed Buddy Bench, he always says, "Amazing things happen when you share your hopes and dreams." He added, "You may end up helping more people than you can ever imagine." This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Thirsty? Youre in luck. In Pastes drinking-and-traveling series, City in a Glass, we mix up a citys signature swills and slide them down the bar to readers. Grab a stool. This round, in Portland, Oregon, is on us. , is right up there with San Francisco, New York, New Orleans and Chicago on the list of best cocktail cities in America. But Portlandin contrast to those other citiesdoesnt have a long, classic cocktail history to draw on. Instead, the citys bartenders focus on moving the conversation forward. We didnt invent the fundamentals of what we consider cocktails, local barman Alejandro De La Parra says. For this reason, we can innovate in fun ways. Portland is where barrel-aging cocktails blew up and where retro drinks like the Amaretto Sour are being reimagined for a modern audience. Bartenders around town are using unique ingredients with honed technique to create cocktails that feel like one is there, in that time, in that space, says Alise Michele Moffatt, owner of Shift Drinks. On this city drinks tour, were going to introduce you to Portland bartenders modern takes on three classic cocktails, show you where to find them and even how to replicate them at home. Where to order: Teardrop Cocktail Lounge The list of classic cocktails at Teardrop Cocktail Lounge does not contain drinks that most people would consider classic: There are obscure punches from the 1950s like the U.S.S. Richmond (rum, brandy, port and tea) and 1930s cocktails like the Chilcano (a pisco-lime-ginger beer concoction), for example. The scope of classic cocktails is staggering, bar manager Alejandro De La Parra says. Its a beautiful thing to drink a cocktail that embodies a place and time and it would be a shame to allow them to get lost. Many of these drinks also combine flavors in ways that we would consider unconventional now. Its up to us as bartenders to nudge them and make them accessible to the modern drinker. Oftentimes this means making them less rich, but thoughtfully so, without losing the aromatics or the thing that made that cocktail special. One way De La Parra convinces people to tryor retrythese drinks is by making most of the ingredients from scratch. Take the 1970s classic Oatmeal Cookie cocktail (above): The original recipe calls for a slew of frat-tastic ingredients such as Jagermeister, Baileys, Goldschlager and butterscotch schnapps. De La Parra makes his own Baileys (Irish cream), his own Goldschlager (cinnamon tincture) and his own butterscotch schnapps. He keeps the Jagermeister, though, which he says is an ingredient people are excited to try in craft cocktails. The party scene has a diminished reputation in some circles, but when people are informed about Jagermeisters quality and complexity of flavor, it opens up the door, he says. Oatmeal Cookie 1 oz. Jagermeister 1 oz. Irish cream (Teardrop makes its own, but you could use Baileys at home) 1 oz. butterscotch schnapps (buy or make your own, recipe below) 3 dashes cinnamon tincture (buy a cinnamon schnapps such as Goldschlager or make your own, recipe below) Make butterscotch schnapps: Cut up 3 sticks of salted butter (24 Tablespoons) and place into a wide-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the solids separate and the foam slightly subsides. Remove from heat. Skim off all the solids with a spoon. Pour gently through a cheesecloth. Add butter, 7 teaspoons caramelized syrup and 2 teaspoons Kosher salt to 750 mL room temperature Smirnoff 100 vodka. Cover and let steep for 12 hours. Freeze overnight. Strain off the butter. Make cinnamon tincture: Combine 2 cups of high-proof rum such as Hamilton 151 or Lemon Hart 151 with 10 cinnamon sticks in a Mason jar. Let sit for one month, agitating every few days. Make drink: Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Where to order: Pepe le Moko Photo courtesy of Pepe Le Moko The undisputed king of Portland cocktails is barman Jeffrey Morganthaler. Barrel-aging cocktails? Thats Morganthaler. Modern Amaretto Sour? Morganthaler again. Hes the bar manager of local institution Clyde Common and the newly opened Pepe le Moko. He writes prolifically about bartending as well; his book, The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique, is an essential component of any home bar. Morganthalers philosophy is: There are no bad drinks, only bad bartenders. With that in mind, he dissects much-maligned (but fun!) drinks of the 1980s and upgrades them into their best versions. His creamy Grasshoppera boozy, classy Shamrock Shakehas a cult following at Pepe le Moko. The traditional Grasshopper is equal parts creme de cacao, heavy cream and creme de menthe, and comes served in a martini glass. Morgenthaler swapped out the cream for ice cream (a move that is called the Wisconsin method), added bitter Fernet-Branca and subdued the whole thing with some sea salt. He blends it up like a milkshake and serves it in an old-school soda fountain glass with a striped, paper straw. Its a modern take on a classic that doesnt lose its essence, its charm or its fun factor. Grasshopper 1 oz. green creme de menthe 1 oz. white creme de cacao 1 oz. half-and-half 1 tsp. Fernet-Branca Pinch of sea salt 8 oz. crushed ice 4 oz. vanilla ice cream Mint sprig, for garnish Combine all ingredients in a blender, except the garnish, and blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a frozen soda-fountain glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and a striped straw. Where to order: Shift Drinks Courtesy of Shift Drinks Another bar that celebrates place and time is Shift Drinks, which is named after the restaurant industry tradition of getting a free drink once youve clocked out. Or before you clock in. Or whenever you have two feet in the building. Here, co-owner Alise Michele Moffatt brings Kahlua into the 21st Century. I dont see Kahlua very often in cocktails, but its quite fun to play around with, she says. (Kahlua is the coffee- and vanilla-flavored liqueur that plays a starring role in the White Russian cocktail.) It can be a tough sell. Many people are still put-off by anything perceived to be sweet. She first explains to people that a little can go a long way. Instead of using it as just another heavy ingredient in a heavy drink, she uses it sparingly, like a spice, to give a drink another layer or depth of flavor. Her Tijuana Pipe Dream cocktail, for example, is made with reposado (rested) tequila, whisky, a bitter French liqueur called Aveze, and a tiny dash of Kahlua. The drink is bright and surprisingly lush. The wood notes from the reposado tequila play with the high, bright herbs from the Aveze and almost create the taste of a dewy wooden morning, she says. Rounding out the cocktail is a richness created from the combination of Kahlua and blended whisky. The cocktail starts off big, bright and herbaceous, and then finishes with a subtle, warm vanilla kiss. Tijuana Pipe Dream 1 oz. reposado tequila oz. Aveze liqueur oz. Kahlua oz. Bank Note blended whisky Lemon peel, for garnish Combine all ingredients except lemon peel in a mixing glass with ice. Stir. Strain into a coupe. Squeeze the lemon peel over the glass to express the oils and then garnish the glass with the peel. City in a Glass columnist Alyson Sheppard writes about travel and bars for Paste and Playboy. She currently resides in the great state of Texas. In case you live in a little hut on Tatooine without access to the Internet (and youre somehow reading this anyway), the teaser trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released today. Naturally, everyone went crazy for it. In all conceivable ways. But as much of the insanity was focused on the existence of the trailer itselfand Felicity Jones looks straight-up badass as Jyn Erso, even if some of the dialogue is a little cheesyeven more of it was focused on the fact that the film has a female lead. It seems as though a few bros on the Internet decided that one female protagonist, aka Rey in The Force Awakens, is enough for the new slate of films. @PootND @starwars another woman lead..Come on Star Wars be original Irish Fanatic (@Irish_fanatic1) April 7, 2016 I guess every Star Wars will have a female lead now, even Han Solo will be a woman in his movie Dylan Tywan (@Dylbo_Baggins13) April 7, 2016 Ohhhh another white anorexic British girl leads a Star Wars picture. Exciting stuff. Danny G. Dickblood (@DANNY_DICKBLOOD) April 7, 2016 That last one especially yikes. As you'd expect, these bros were almost instantaneously overwhelmed by a much larger wave of feminist, progressive, and all-around non-douchy responses. I didn't even know men and women were different things until crybros starting whining about Star Wars movies. SarcasticRover (@SarcasticRover) April 7, 2016 Fellow nerds, if you're complaining about "another female lead in #RogueOne "... How is drawing more women into Star Wars a bad thing? Jesse Cox (@JesseCox) April 7, 2016 Star Wars: has 777464656746 white male characters Men: Star Wars: has a few strong female characters Men: FEMINAZIS RUINING EVERYTHIN ??? mike ??? (@THEDIANAPRlNCE) April 7, 2016 If you have a problem with a female lead in another Star Wars movie, we don't need you. Move along. Far Far Away Podcast (@FarFarAwayPod) April 7, 2016 keep acting butthurt about a badass women in Star Wars, bros. pic.twitter.com/sFbupGnd9t Britt Hayes, Esq. (@MissBrittHayes) April 7, 2016 Youll have to trust us on this, but there were a LOT more responses to the misogynistic tweets than there were actual misogynistic tweets. We scoured Twitter and Facebook and YouTube for evidence that the anti-female protagonist backlash was as large as it seemed, but we could scarcely find any of said backlash at all. It certainly exists, as weve shown you above but holy hell, the internets response crushed it to a pulp almost immediately. At some point, we have to wonder how many of the people commenting on how the bros and men need to STFU really even saw those bros comments. It seems to us this is an example of a snowball effect, where people see something secondhand about misogynistic comments and take that as license to pile on, or the issue is made to look bigger and more vitriolic than it is. Now, to be clear, we are thrilled that there is another female-fronted film in this new Star Wars universeespecially with future anthology films centering on the male characters Han Solo and Boba Fett, and especially with the hard evidence that females are underrepresented in Hollywood. Hell, some people have pointed out that even in the teaser, Rogue One actually passes the Bechdel test already, as Jyn and Mon Mothma (who looks amazingly cast) discuss the Death Star and not some silly boy. This is excellent news for the film industry as a whole. And the fact that some people arent okay with that is really shitty, and we understand the righteous anger thats driving the current Twitter and Facebook avalanche. But its hard for us to see how such overwhelming blowback against misogynywithout any evidence that the misogyny has been particularly widespread, and without any sort of attempt to turn the online forum into a space for constructive dialogueis really addressing the underlying problem, which is that misogyny exists in the first place. And such a response might actually be counterproductive in that its both making the misogynists feel oppressed (a bizarre and perverse concept, to be sure, but stand in their shoes and you can understand their subjective, if incorrect, feeling of persecution) and simultaneously exacerbating the very fatigue with gender-based social justice activists that drove their knee-jerk negative reaction to Jyn in the first place. Theres a Ph. D. dissertation to be written somewhere in here, probably in psychology or sociology, about how social media reaction to microaggressions affects said microaggressive and macroaggresive behavior. Well try to have that done for you by the time the film comes out in December. But for the time being, lets just exult in the fact that a woman named Felicity Jones looks like shes going to kick some major Empire tail in Rogue One, and then channel our anti-misogynist thoughts into actionable plans that might help solve the problem. In the history of the 20th century, the internment of Japanese-Americans following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor stands out as a shameful period for U.S. democracy. But the U.S. was not alone in their treatment of citizens of Japanese descent. Canada also instituted the large-scale internment, though they took the matter one step further than the U.S. In 1946, 4,000 Japanese-Canadians were repatriated to Japan, forcing them to uproot their lives and move to a country experiencing extreme hardship and turmoil. What was that experience like for the thousands of men, women and children working to build new lives in the aftermath of World War II? In her new novel, The Translation of Love, Lynne Kutsukake explores this time in Japanese and Canadian history through the eyes of the people living during this challenging post-war transition. The narrative centers around two young girls: Aya Shimamura, who has lived her whole life in Canada but is repatriated to Japan with her father, and Fumi Tanaka, a Tokyo native who takes Aya under her wing and is searching for her missing sister. Together, the girls attempt to contact General MacArthur, launching them on a journey through post-war Japans complex reality. Paste chatted with Kutsukake to discuss the history behind the novel, her own relatives experience with repatriation and hope amidst grim conditions in an occupied Japan. Paste: Can you share some of the historical context for the novel? Kutsukake: In the period right after the end of the [Second World War], 4,000 Japanese-Canadians were repatriated to Japan. Just before the war ended, the Canadian government gave the Japanese-Canadians who were in internment camps in British Columbia only two choices. One was to move east of the Rocky Mountains and to disperse, so as not to form a community. The other was to go to Japan. It was a time of great confusion and, obviously, panic. Many of them werent given very much time to make this decision, and a lot of families didnt know what to do. It was pretty emotionally traumatic, I think. I wanted to write about the early period, because during that early period in Japan, conditions were grim. There were severe food shortages, especially in urban areas. If you lived in the city, you relied on food being brought in. The rationing system had broken down. If you had only eaten the amount of food you were allowed under the ration system, you would have starved to death. And so everyone had to rely on other methods of getting extra food, especially the black market. Paste: You are a third generation Japanese-Canadian. How did your own connection to this part of Canadas past shape the story? Kutsukake: I was born after the war, but my mother and my father were born in Vancouver. They didnt know each other at the time, but each of them had gone to internment camps in British Columbia. But my grandparents on my mothers side [were repatriated] to Japan. Two years after arriving, my grandfather died, and then a few years later, my grandmother had to be brought back to Canada. The story is entirely fiction, but I have this connection to this particular part of history that I dont think many people know about. I think most people are quite familiar with the internment of Japanese-Canadians and Japanese-Americans. But in the case of Japanese-Americans, they were allowed to return to the west coast. It wasnt easy. There was a lot of discrimination and many of them were going back to absolutely to nothing at all. But they were legally able to return to the west coast, to where they came from. In Canada, they were not allowed to return to within 100 miles of the Pacific coast until 1949. Incredible when you think about it. Politics was at play, clearly. A lot of racism and a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment. British Columbia politicians running very racist campaigns were determined to keep the Japanese-Canadians from returning, and thats why the government gave them this ultimatum. Many did eventually return to Canada, because life in Japan was pretty hard for all kinds of reasonseconomically, but also culturally. They were Canadians. Paste: One of the themes that stood out in the novel was the many layers of changepeople and countries shifting, and the tension that comes with that. On the micro level, you have a young girl adjusting to a culture thats at once her own and totally new, while on the macro level Japan is in a huge state of flux. Kutsukake: Theres a central irony to the fact that the U.S. occupation brought democracy to Japan. Prior to that, it had been a fascist state. The constitution they wrote in Japan right after the end of the war had many wonderful, democratic components. They were bringing democracy to Japan; that was the main reason they had occupied. But at the same time, there was the irony of what the American government had done to their own citizens of Japanese descent throughout the war. I wanted my characters to embody that irony. I thought that each of the characters has had a kind of different experience through the war and into the aftermath of the war, and I wanted their experience to echo off each other in different ways. I purposely made the two main characters young, 12 and 13, because I like that age very much. Its a period of transition when youre not a child really anymore but youre not an adult either. Its that passage from innocence into knowledge. But also, I liked the idea that Fumi is 12 for a very particular reason. I dont know how widely this is known, but MacArthur referred to Japan as a nation of 12-year-olds. The phrase he used was, If America as a nation can be likened to a grown man of 45, then Japan as a nation is like a boy of 12. It always infuriated me. Paste: Fumi and Aya, in a sense, are trying to confront the very center of power when they try to communicate with General MacArthur. What do you feel that means, in terms of history and the story, to have these two young girls coming face to face with authority? Kutsukake: MacArthur received many letters from ordinary Japanese people. What we think of as a kind of reticent, docile society, when given the chance, they started writing letters directly to him. Its quite astonishing to think of the range of correspondence that was sent him. To my knowledge, I dont think he replied to anything. But the idea that so many people500,000 letters, thats an awful a lotwould be writing all sorts of things, many of them asking for his advice and many asking directly for help. So Fumi gets this idea that she will do the same. I liked the idea of a kid writing a letter, not an adult. But also without realizing it, by writing the letter, shes challenging the authority of the occupation. Because maybe if the occupation wasnt here, her sister wouldnt have gone away. Paste: The 70th anniversary of the forced repatriation is coming up in Canada. Do you feel fiction has a role to play in helping people both understand and process what happened? Kutsukake: Fiction has the role of making every individual reader connect with another persons story. In this case, hopefully Ive made my characters real enough that readers will connect both intellectually and emotionally with the things that they go through. I think that if this tiny corner of relatively unknown historyhistory perhaps only known among Japanese-Canadiansbecomes clearer to people who read the book, that would be great. But I didnt write a book setting out to explain history. I wanted to write about the occupation period from the perspective of the people who we dont often think aboutfrom the perspective of Japanese-Canadians and Japanese-Americans, who, for different reasons, found themselves in Japan in this particular time. A time that was extremely turbulent and full of great change, but also a time that was full of immense potential and hope, because no one quite knew which way it was going to take off and how it was going to move. I think most people were just glad the war was over and to have survived. I was trying to get at that hope that people have. You just pick up and try to move forward. One of the long-running themes of the Bernie Sanders campaign has been a general lack of trust in the mainstream media. Sanders even signs off on his victories by declaring hes just sent another message to the media establishment, an establishment which at various points has either ignored the Vermont senators campaign or insisted that he should get out of the way to allow Hillary Clinton a clear path to the nomination. When the likes of MSNBC continue pushing the idea that Sanders ought to consider dropping out, even after winning his sixth state in a row in a month of over-performing, its easy to see why the Sanders campaign and indeed his supporters have little love for the big news institutions. Of course its true that Sanders chances of winning the Democratic nomination are now very slim. He may have the momentum, and he may at last be drawing level with Clinton as chief preference for Democratic voters, but its likely too little too late. Sanders needed the momentum he has now at the start of the year, and its no use Dems nationally coming round to supporting Sanders now when over half of the states have already voted. Bernie Sanders path to the nomination is a narrow one he needs roughly an average 57% of remaining delegates to win, an almost impossible number. Does that mean he should drop out? Absolutely not. Yesterday morning, with news of Sanders victory in must-win Wisconsin flashing on the news ticker, Joe Scarborough asked Hillary Clinton on Morning Joe if she thought it was time for [Sanders] to end his campaignso you can focus on Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. To this, Clinton replied: Im the last person to tell anybody to walk away. Like Sanders intends to this year, Clinton in 2008 remained in the race until the last vote despite the fact that Barack Obama had pulled ahead of her well before then. She may want her 2016 opponent to back off so she can start focusing on the general election, but Clinton understands better than most that for Sanders to do so when theres still a fight to be had is simply absurd. Following a disappointing set of losses on March 15th, Bernie Sanders recent showings have been strong. He beat Clinton in Utah, Idaho and Alaska by 50% of the vote or more. In Hawaii and Washington, meanwhile, Sanders gained respectively double and triple the amount of delegates won by his rival. These were blowout victories, but perhaps most impressive was Tuesdays result in Wisconsin, a state where Clinton was up in the polls by six points just two weeks ago, and which Sanders eventually won by 13 points. Next, the senator is set for a big win in Wyoming (not a major prize with only 18 delegates, but success there will add fuel to the Sanders surge narrative). After that, its New York, a state where in two weeks the gap between the two Democratic candidates has shrunk from an average 30-plus points to just 11 points. Then its Pennsylvania, where Sanders has gone from 45 points down by the earliest Quinnipiac poll to within six points of Clinton according to the latest, and California, where he has within a year come back from a 40-point deficit to get within ten points of the frontrunner. These are major states (with an enormous amount of delegates collectively), all of which Sanders could feasibly still be competitive in. This is where the race stands currently. This is before the Democratic contenders clash for one final, highly-anticipated televised debate in New York, and before Sanders inevitably begins highlighting Clintons connection to the Panama Papers scandal. Its before more caucus states like Nevada which Sanders effectively won back from Clinton last week decide at county and then state level on final delegate counts. Its before a decision is made on whether there could be a re-vote in Arizona, a state in which massive on-the-day voter suppression occurred. Bernie Sanders probably wont be the Democratic nominee you didnt have to look far yesterday to find the major news outlets seeking to remind you of that. That doesnt mean theres no chance at all that Sanders will be facing Trump or Cruz in November. Theres an incredibly slim chance, but its a chance all the same. This idea that millions of voters who are planning to cast a ballot for Bernie Sanders in upcoming states should be denied the opportunity, simply because his rival is considered inevitable? Well, thats not just arrogant its plain undemocratic. The company thats made coffee drinking a brand and a lifestyle has plans to expand its industry stronghold with the addition of a new 20,000 square foot Roastery-branded store, the largest Starbucks ever. Starbucks Corp.will open its newest and largest location in New Yorks Meatpacking District at 61 Ninth Ave., near the Chelsea Market. The store will serve as a combination of a roasting facility and cafe that educates customers on the coffee-making process, from brewing to bean origins. The store opening is a part of the companys push to offer different experiences to customers and bolster their own growth. In a statement released on Tuesday, Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz expressed his desire to expand the Roastery model globally. Its a move that would essentially breath new, creative life into the company and its business model. It follows a recent trend by the company to expand the ways customers interact with their brand and product. Starbucks has already tested out other store models, including smaller-format, express locations. The store wouldnt be ready for the public until 2018. Its official: you can now regrow your loved ones after they passinto a tree that is. Bios Incube is the worlds first incubator system designed for the afterlife. Yep, you read that sentence right. Designed in Barcelona, Spain by brothers Roger and Gerard Moline, who have 15 years of experience working with natural projects, Bios aims to change the way people see death. The Moline brothers want to promote human connection with nature, which is why Bios creates a transformative process of returning to life through nature. The Bios Incube only works if you have the first Bios product: a 100% biodegradable urn that allows you to bury your loved one, while still respecting the environment. Dont worry, you are given the option to select the type of seeds used, that way, your loved one comes back as your favorite plant or tree. The difference between the two products is simple: with the Bios Urn, you can plant it outside and watch it grow in your backyard. If you want your loved one closer (and would normally place the urn on a mantle), youd opt for the Bios Incube to grow the tree indoors. Heres where it gets really cool for the tech-savvy: once youre set up, you connect your Bios Incube with the companys mobile app. This is how you track and monitor the trees growth and can make sure it has enough water. If youre going on vacation and are worried about leaving your tree unattended, theres no need to worry. The Bios Incube can even connect to your home network so you can track it and maintain its growth even when youre not around. Though it might seem odd to some, for the environmentally friendly, or those enamored with the latest technology, this could be the best way to face an inevitable part of human life. The company launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to make Bios Incube a realityand youll be able to purchase the products this fall. An unexpected teaser trailer just dropped this morning for the Star Wars spin-off/standalone tale known as Rogue One, or Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It centers around a new character, a young woman played by Felicity Jones known as Jyn Erso, who would seemingly become a rebel spy working against the Empire in the earlier days of the Rebellionaka, before A New Hope but after Return of the Sith. The teaser feels like one for a modern Hollywood action film thats also trying to take itself a bit seriouslyits got the gravitas, a slowed-down version of some iconic Star Wars music, etc. The action looks pretty sweethow can you not be excited to have one of the greatest martial artists in the world, Donnie Yen, in a Star Wars movie of all places? If theres one area that things seem a bit overdone, its perhaps the dialog, which frames Ersos character as a troubled kid or driftershe sounds like Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan in The Departed, going undercover in the Imperial ranks. Except this time the goal is Death Star plans. The This is a rebellion, isnt it? I rebel line is a bit cringey, but thats tempered by the fact that we actually get to see it delivered to none other than Mon Mothma. Meanwhile, her rap sheet that begins the trailer sound like something that would be delivered about Jack Sparrow in one of the Pirates movies. Well just have to see as future Rogue One information continues to leak out. The film is currently due for a Dec. 16 release. On Tuesday we posted a report titled "Samsung's Bad Quarterly News Begins Dripping out of Korea" wherein we questioned whether Samsung was trying to get the bad news out of the way before announcing their positive news for the Galaxy S7 or whether the news was going to be bad all the way around. Today we got our answer. Samsung did in fact get the bad news out of the way so that their good news announced today could be squarely pegged to the success of their new Galaxy S7 smartphone. That was the suspected strategy all along. The Korean press reported today that "The Galaxy S7 played a key role in restoring the company's profits. The phone has sold more than 10 million units globally since its launch on March 11. Its sales in the key markets such as the U.S. and Europe are almost double that of its predecessor S6." Not mentioned in the Korean report today however is the fact that there was a massive 2 for 1 sale in the US that was supported by most major carriers which attributed to pushing the volume of 10 million units not necessarily 10 million units in actual sales. Hmm, let me see they almost doubled S6 sales yet it took a massive 2 for 1 sale to achieve that. Yes, but that's not mentioned anywhere in the Korean press or Samsung's partial filing today. How convenient of them to have kept that silent contributing factor from Koreans so as to fool them into thinking that the Galaxy S7 was really successful. This was the key point that we made in our March 30th report titled "Are Samsung's Upbeat Expected Earnings Really Due to Galaxy S7 Sales?" It's Samsung's classic shell game marketing. It's pure marketing poppycock. More interestingly, according to the Korean report, is that Samsung purposely "did not disclose full earnings details of its separate business divisions. The final results will be announced later this month." How convenient of them. Imagine Apple spreading out their earning over a month so that they could sell their marketing propaganda in between reports. Our March 30 report noted a Korean report as having stated that Samsung was enjoying foreign-exchange benefits especially in semiconductor and display segments. That's where their "surprise earnings" likely stemmed from. The Korean report further noted that Samsung's regulatory filing stated that Samsung' operating profit in the first three months this year was likely 6.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion), well above the average 5.6 trillion won estimate by local analysts. Yet with that said, all of the details have yet to be made public. As a last note, Huawei just released their new P9 Plus flagship smartphone with a super advanced dual lens camera and some great overall specifications that will provide them with a winning hand in Urban China where they're already the leading smartphone brand. I wonder if Samsung will offer a 2 or 3 for 1 sale in China so as to make it look like their doing well there too. Unlikely of course, but for sure any gains that Samsung might have temporarily enjoyed in China with their new S7 will likely be eating dust next quarter. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Comments are reviewed daily from 4am to 6pm PST and sporadically over the weekend. Some of you may find this interesting: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865651714/How-Belgian-Mormons-rallied-together-in-the-minutes-hours-and-days-after-the-Brussels-bombings.html?pg=1 It conflicts just a bit with the assertion by some especially virulent anti-Mormons that, in this case as in most if not all others the Church jettisoned the missionaries once their usefulness for recruiting lucrative new tithe payers had been compromised. I addressed this nasty falsehood in an earlier post (How the Church has callously abandoned the missionaries who were wounded in Brussels). I would like to call particular attention to three of the comments that followed that earlier blog post. (I hope the authors wont mind; since they identified themselves by name, Im guessing that they wont.) The first came on 31 March from David DeFord, and appeared in the actual comments section of my blog: As a bishop of the daughter of Elder Norby, the senior elder severely injured in the bombing, I can tell you the response from the Church has been incredible. Flights, a team of doctors to confer with the caregivers in Brussels, regular information updates, security, etc. The family is so pleased with the response. Just because they dont publicize all they do, people assume they are doing nothing. Shame. The other two appeared in Facebook comments related to my blog entry. The first of these comes from Neville Rochow, and was posted on 31 March: I am here in Brussels and have witnessed first hand the exact opposite of what is alleged. It is a malicious falsehood. The Church both general and local could not have done more for these three young missionaries and for the senior missionary injured. Meals have been delivered to the wife of the senior missionary, she has been given rides to and from the hospital and has felt overwhelmed by the support she has received. Two family members were flown to Belgium for each of the injured missionaries. Those that have gone back to the US had special ambulance jets come to pick them up to fly back home with medical teams. Those remaining will receive the same assistance. Everyday, the head of the receiving medical team in the US, a general authority, was in direct contact with the Brussels medical team and members of the family. The Area President called Pam Norby directly to offer sympathy and ask if there was anything that could or should be done. This is not hearsay. I have observed it as I have been driving Pam Norby to the hospital. Nothing was spared that would give them comfort and aid during their time of need. The young missionaries had so many visitors that they had to be rationed. every need was met, Every assistance was provided. We are very good friends with the Norbys and if they felt something was left undone that should have been done, they would have said so. The second was posted by Anne Palmieri, on 1 April: As a mission presidents wife I have seen a whole inside view of all the church does for the medical care of missionaries. Many come into the field from underprivileged countries where nether their family nor the local wards could afford to help them with dental or eye care and the mission pays for it. The church pays for a wonderful health insurance program for the missionaries and is always seeking to provide them with the best care available. There is so much that the critics can never dream of that goes on behind the scenes that is good. Of course, as Pilate cynically asked, What is truth? Night Scene from the Inquisition (1810), by Francisco Goya (1746-1828) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (2007) *** Critics say such things prove that the Catholic Church sets itself higher than God Himself, since who but God Himself has the power of final judgment. But is this assumed hostile premise true? That is the question. Lets take a look at it. Excommunication means, literally, out of communion with the Church not damnation to hell. The Catholic Church doesnt say with certainty that any particular person is in hell, much less claim to possess the power to put people there. Excommunication is a formal declaration that a Catholic is in the state of being out of the Church; because such a person has diverged from its doctrines, he is excluded from the sacraments and from the Christian fellowship of believers. The purpose of such an exclusion is not to punish but to put pressure on the sinner so that he will repent; the goal is restoration, not damnation. Its true that we hold that no one can be saved outside the Church, having finally and deliberately disobeyed it despite knowing that it speaks truth, but this is not fundamentally different from Protestants saying a person will not be saved if he does not accept Christ as his Lord and Savior, or the Bible stating that fornicators will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Scripture does not damn people to hell and neither does excommunication; both merely state the way things are. The Church has no power to condemn anyone to hell. But it does have the power to exclude people from communion with itself, for the purpose of ultimately reclaiming their souls. Excommunication is perfectly in line with biblical practices and teachings, as seen in the following passages: 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 (RSV) For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (cf. Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:9-11) 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. (cf. Matt. 18:17-18) 1 Timothy 1:19-20 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith, among them Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. (cf. 2 Timothy 2:14-19, 4:14-15) But even if this is conceded as true, what about the Catholic Churchs practice of anathematizing people? At times, such as in the Council of Trent, the Church has declared of certain people, anathema sit, a term that means, let him be accursed. How can this be explained or defended? The vivid Greek term anathema, which indeed means accursed, is directed by the Council of Trent and other Catholic ecumenical councils primarily towards doctrines, rather than persons, based on the ancient practice in the Church of condemning false teachings. This notion comes from biblical passages such as the following (the first has anathema both in Greek and in many English versions): 1 Corinthians 16:22 If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. It is not improper at all to define correct doctrine and reject false doctrines. St. Paul does this constantly. Since it is a biblical and Pauline practice, the Catholic Church has aligned itself (as always) with what is revealed in the Bible. Occasionally in a Catholic council, an individual is condemned by name, in which case it would still not mean that the Catholic Church believes he is necessarily damned, per the above reasoning. It all boils down to what these words mean and how they were intended. Neither excommunication nor anathemas imply the Churchs condemning anyone to hell. That is the prerogative of God alone. Excommunication is a Church law, excluding a notorious sinner from the communion of the faithful (Canons 2257-2267). Its purpose is to warn the sinner of the danger he runs of incurring eternal ruin, unless he repent of his sin. The delivering of the sinner to Satan, which we find in the Roman Pontifical, is based on the words of St. Paul, who delivered the incestuous sinner to Satan, that his spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 5:5; cf. 1 Tim. 1:20). In the comments around the recent unpleasantness, the topic of folkishness has come up yet again. Folkishness is a politically and emotionally charged topic thats difficult to discuss calmly some say its their sacred tradition, while others say its thinly veiled racism. Loosely speaking, folkishness is the belief that ancestry matters in religion. Thus, people of Germanic descent should worship German Gods, people of British descent should worship British Gods, and people of West African descent should worship West African Gods. For some folkish people, this is an absolute requirement. Others see some leeway, but its still a strong recommendation. Folkishness is a half truth, and like all half truths it is dangerous. Those who latch on to the true parts may not recognize the false until theyre waist-deep in a group whose values dont align with their own. Before we discuss folkishness, it will be helpful to examine a now-illegal real estate practice called steering. Steering I grew up in Tennessee in the second half of the Civil Rights movement. Laws dictating racial segregation were overturned before I was born, but the impact of those laws did not go away overnight. There were and to a somewhat lesser extent, still are white neighborhoods and black neighborhoods. Some racist white people wanted to keep their neighborhoods all white and would refuse to sell or rent to black people. This practice was outlawed by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, but the law couldnt make it go away entirely. Real estate agents who wanted to stay on good terms with their white neighbors would simply refuse to show their houses to black buyers and renters. Some agents who supported integration in theory were concerned about how their black customers would be received. And so theyd say I think youd be happier in this neighborhood which of course was predominately black. Some of those steering real estate agents were motivated by prejudice and hatred. Others meant well. But both usurped the sovereignty of the customers. The only people who have the right to decide whether to buy or rent a house in a particular neighborhood are the buyers or renters themselves. Steering is properly illegal and real estate agents who do it can lose their licenses. Now lets dig into folkishness and separate the truth from the lies. Folkishness As with the steering real estate agents, there are some folkish people who mean well, who only want to help others find the tradition thats best for them. Others are flat-out racists. Maybe they dont hate people of different races, but they dont want them in their religion. And as you might imagine, folkish groups that are all or almost all white are very attractive to those who do hate people of different races. DNA doesnt matter. Those who say the only race is the human race ignore significant differences in the lives and living conditions of people of different colors and cultures. But biologically theyre correct race is a social construct. With the exception of a very few small, isolated groups, knowing someones ethnic origin tells you nothing about their blood type. Trace your ancestry back far enough and were all Africans. There is simply no physical evidence or logical argument sufficient to draw a connection between DNA and religion. None. Ancestry matters, some. One of the major elements of modern polytheism and many other religions is the worship or veneration of ancestors. It is good and right to honor our ancestors. The folkish are correct when they say you should honor your grandparents and not someone elses. But if we are worshiping together and were not close family, odds are good were all honoring separate grandparents. Go back enough generations, though, and we start to have many-great grandparents in common. Go back 100,000 years or so and were all the children of Mitochondrial Eve. In practice, the folkish demand common ancestry within a certain time range and ignore different ancestry both before and after. At what point do you draw the lines? And who gets to draw them? These lines are completely arbitrary. If its OK to honor different ancestors three generations back, why not ten? Or thirty? Or fifty? On the other hand, if we need common ancestry why do our more distant ancestors not qualify? The religion side is just as arbitrary. For anyone of mostly European descent (and that includes the vast majority of the folkish), our ancestors for the past thousand years or more have been Christians. If you want to follow the religion of your ancestors, why arent you going to Mass every Sunday? Ive come across a few former Protestants who did a bit of genealogical research and decided to become Catholics, because thats what their ancestors were. Ancestry does matter some. Im not a Druid solely because I love Nature. Many of my ancestors came from the British Isles I want to explore their beliefs and practices, not the beliefs and practices of the Middle Eastern religion that conquered them. That piece of my heritage calls to me, even though it represents less than 1000 of the 70,000 years since my ancestors left Africa. But it is my heritage in the sense that I belong to it, not in the sense that it belongs to me. And if that heritage calls to someone who looks very different from me, who am I to question it? The land matters, but its complicated. It is both possible and desirable for groups of people to have a sacred relationship with the land where they live. On an ordinary level, the land influences culture. On a religious level, the spirits of a place influence your spirit and your spirituality. Texas is now my home, but even after 15 years I do not have the kind of ties to the land as I do back in Tennessee, where my family has lived for around 200 years. I have European friends whose families have lived on the same land for 3000 years those are deep roots indeed. But we humans are migrants, and every person in the Western Hemisphere who isnt a member of a Native American tribe has a brief connection to this land and an even more tenuous connection to Germany, Norway, England, or where ever their family lived before coming to the New World. For an American folkish group to attempt to exclude or steer someone on basis of a connection to the land borders on the absurd. Love the land where you are and it will love you back. But never be so arrogant as to think you own the land, or that the land prefers you to a different group of humans. Culture matters, a lot. For almost 500 years, Protestants have told us that religion is all about what you believe. For most people in most of the world throughout most of history, religion is all about who you are, what you are, and whose you are. Religion isnt about affirming a set of supernatural propositions. Its shared stories and experiences. Its shared clothes and music and foods the ones you eat, and the ones youre forbidden to eat. Its common values and ways of expressing them. Its common ways of understanding the Gods and interacting with the Gods. Where does religion end and culture begin? I dont know, and I dont know if thats a very useful question. Religion and culture are two different circles, but they overlap a lot. And theyre both passed down by instruction and experience, not by blood. This is why you cant simply walk up to a Cherokee gathering and say Id like to join the way you can at a Baptist gathering or even a Druid gathering. If you didnt grow up in Cherokee culture, you cant understand Cherokee religion. Unless, of course, the tribe adopts you and teaches you their culture, which theyre under no obligation to do. Every tradition has a culture and newcomers are obligated to respect it. Denton CUUPS has a culture: if you have a problem with gender non-conformity, you wont fit in. If you insist we only hold circles in your preferred Pagan tradition, you wont fit in. If you think caring for Nature isnt important, you wont fit in. If you insist that your conception of the Gods is the only permissible one (be that polytheist, pantheist, or non-theist), you wont fit in. However, if you share our UU Pagan culture (or youre willing to learn it) and you want to worship and work with us, youre welcome no matter what your other identities are. Most of the folkish are attempting to re-create a culture thats been gone for several hundred years. Thats a worthy goal many polytheists are doing the same thing. But theyre doing so from a foundation of our common American culture. [Based on Facebook comments from two knowledgeable people, I think the last sentence is unclear. I did not mean that contemporary polytheism is based on American consumerism that were using that as a foundation. I meant that American culture is where Americans are. This is where we begin you, me, and everybody else. This is what we bring to the table. And most relevantly to this post, this is the culture we all have in common, no matter what our race or ethnicity.] Those who would exclude or steer away African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Chinese-Americans are ignoring the second half of the hyphenation. If you grew up in this country, youve observed Tyrs Day, Wodens Day, Thors Day, and Friggas Day. You may have driven a Saturn or a Mercury. If you havent danced the Maypole, youve certainly seen one. Your government buildings look like Greek temples, and you know Hercules as Steve Reeves, Kevin Sorbo, or a Disney musical. Congratulation, Americans of European descent your culture dominates North America. That means its the common culture of all North Americans. That means it belongs to African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Chinese-Americans just as much as it belongs to you. So when these folks show up at your gathering and you say wouldnt you be happier exploring your own culture? remember they are. The Gods Call Who They Call The Gods are greater than humans thats one of the reasons Theyre Gods. While some Gods are associated with a particular group of humans, They are not the property of that group. They have agency, and They do what They want for Their own reasons, reasons that are often not clear to us. I still have no idea why a primal Forest God wanted a nerdy engineer to be His priest, but He did. I have no idea why the Orisha of West Africa occasionally call pasty white folks to become part of Their family, but They do. And I dont know why the Gods of Northern and Western Europe call people from the other side of the world to serve Them and Their communities, but They do. It would be the height of impious arrogance for me to ask someone are you sure you belong here? just because they dont look or sound or dress like me. Like steering real estate agents, I would be usurping their sovereignty their right to make their own religious decisions, for their own reasons. Folkishness is a Dangerous Half Truth Many of the folkish argue that theyre not racist, they just want everyone to honor their own Gods and cultures. But a long time ago, we in this country learned that separate but equal is mostly about the separate and not about the equal. The folkish who only want to honor their Gods and ancestors and who do not wish to exclude anyone because of race may need to find another term perhaps theyre more tribalist than folkish anyway. Yes, ancestry matters in religion. But its more complicated than the folkish make it out to be, and DNA doesnt matter in the least. Ancestry matters less than culture, and culture matters less than the call of the Gods. Let us honor and respect the many religions and cultures of the world. Let us be humble and courteous when approaching traditions with which we are not familiar, especially those of people who have been and continue to be oppressed. Let us draw necessary boundaries, to insure the integrity of our traditions. But let those who stand at the gateways of our religions greet each seeker with a generous welcome and an open hand of friendship. Steering is an usurpation of sovereignty and a violation of hospitality, and it has no place in contemporary Paganism and polytheism. * * * * * * * * * For a look at how one Pagan is connecting to her ancestry deeply and authentically without needlessly or maliciously excluding anyone, see Why We All Need Indigenous European Paganism by Melissa Hill, published yesterday on the Agora blog. Patna: Homeopathic doctors and retailers in Patna on Wednesday staged a protest in Gardanibagh against the government's draconian measure to crackdown on homeopathic shops in the wake of the imposition of total prohibition in Bihar that makes it unlawful to stock spirit, a key ingredient in the manufacture of homeopathic medicines. Slamming the Nitish government for banning the manufacturing of homeopathic medicines, the protestors said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was a misguided man who was acting like a dictator passing rules and laws to satisfy his own ego. "He (Nitish Kumar) is not a king and he has no right to shut down our business that has nothing to do with alcoholism or domestic violence. Homeopathic is a system of the medical branch that helps both rich and poor equally," the protestors said. Bihar State Homeopathic Association president Doud Ali said that illegal raids were being carried out at homeopathic shops and by putting homeopathic medicines in the same category as alcoholic drinks, the government was insulting hundreds of thousands of homeopathic doctors and retail shop owners in Bihar. The controversy over granting Minority Status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMI) is unfortunate and unwarranted. In this connection an article by well known legal luminary of India Shri N. R. Madhava Menon (published on 22nd Feb. 2016 in a National English Daily)) throws much light on the historical and secular reasons for granting special status to the University and explains "Why AMU should be an exception." Mr. N.R. Madhava Menon is considered by many as the father of modern legal education in India. He is the founder Director of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and the founder Vice Chancellor of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. Mr. Menon says that "It is clear that AMU is an institution of national importance and should be treated as such by the Central and State governments." In his opinion Every institution of higher learning develops its own character and identity based on its history, leadership, scholarship, and student body. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which occupies a unique place among pre-Independence universities in India, carries an identity which depicts the idea of India in its character of pluralism, inclusiveness and unity in diversity." He rightly observes that It may or may not be a minority institution in the strict legal sense, but it is an institution for minorities fully financed by the Indian state which showcases how minorities are treated in the Republic even after the forced Partition of the country based on religion." Since Mr. Menon is an alumnus of AMU, he says with rather authority that "AMU continued to be the destination for Muslims from all over India seeking higher education, with the result one finds many of them in leadership positions in nation-building activities across the country and beyond. Every educated Muslim has some link or the other with AMU which, in turn, helped to fulfill the mission of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of AMU, to uplift the community from backwardness and isolation. Thus perceived, AMU requires special treatment in the Indian scheme of things. The university stands to gain monetarily and otherwise if it has minority status." The opinion of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad about Minority (Muslim) Status of Aligarh Muslim University as expressed by him in his Lecture (Khutba) delivered at Calcutta on 27th October, 1914 cannot be overlooked. (Ref.: Khutbat-e-Azad (Lectures of Azad), page No. 27, Published by Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, 1997. Introduction/Edited by Malik Ram). In his Lecture, Maulana Azad stressed the need of a Muslim University for the Baqa (survival, presence, continuance) of Islam in India. He said of all the duties for Muslims of India, the most important is to establish a University for which an amount of Rs thirty lakhs has to be collected. The establishment of a University will be fulfillment of our Prophets Sharia (religious injunction) about Education, he declared. He also quoted the Quranic Verse 3 of Surah Almaidah (Translation: We have finally granted Favour to you), saying that this Verse will appear on top of Strachy Hall (A famous Hall at AMU); the moment Muslim University comes into existence. The words of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in his masterpiece Discovery of India are also ample historical proof for the Minority (Muslim) Status of Aligarh College, which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. According to Pandit Nehru Sir Syed was an ardent reformer and he wanted to reconcile modern scientific thought with Islam. One of the declared objects of the Aligarh College he (Sir Syed) founded was to make the Musalmans of India worthy and useful. He was anxious to make them accept English education and thus to draw them (Muslim) out of their conservative shells. He had been much impressed by what he had seen of European civilization. (Discovery of India, Oxford University Press, 23rd Ed. 2003, Page No. 243-44) May I appeal to the concerned authorities to take note of the views of great sons of India? Any record and proof, historically, morally and legally, cannot be more authentic than the words uttered by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the great advocates for secularism and Hindu Muslim Unity. Granting Muslim Status to Aligarh University will be a big step forward for the cause of unity and integrity of India. Any decision contrary to it will hurt the feelings of a large section of population, both Hindus and Muslim and a setback to secularism. It is the duty of all Indians not to disturb the secular fabric of Indian Society. Aligarh Muslim University is known throughout the world as an excellent seat of learning for modern knowledge. Spirited alumni of Aligarh have excelled in every walk of life and have contributed greatly for better scientific, cultural and trade relations of our country with many countries of the world in general and West Asia as well as Africa in particular. Any step to dampen their spirit should be discouraged. Dr. M.I.H. Farooqi, Deputy Director (Retd.), National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Member, U.P. State Biodiversity Board, Secretary Urdu Scientific Society "We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic. Russia, OPEC Said Likely To Freeze Oil Output Without Iran 04/07/16 Source: RFE/RL Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries can reach an agreement to freeze oil production, even if Iran doesn't join in, a top OPEC official told Bloomberg News. Kuwaiti OPEC governor Nawal al-Fezaia's prediction of an output freeze excluding Iran in an interview with Bloomberg helped send oil prices soaring more than 5 percent on world markets on April 6 and 7. Oil revenues decline (cartoon by Javad Takjou) Fezaia said oil-producing countries have no alternative but to reach an agreement to freeze output when they meet on April 17 in Doha, Qatar, because prices are too low. She said the freeze may be at February levels and would be aimed at setting a floor under oil prices. "Oil producers have no option but to freeze their production as oil prices are low and hurting everyone," she said. "All early signs before the meeting point to this conclusion." Producers are meeting in Doha to finalize the agreement to freeze production reached earlier this year between OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia and Russia, the largest producer outside the cartel. Russian sources told Reuters on April 6 that the output freeze is on track and Russia and OPEC are discussing the details, such as how long to maintain it and how to monitor it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on April 7 that the energy ministers from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan will attend the talks in Doha. That's despite earlier in the week suggestions by Russia that OPEC would start the freeze without Iran and allow Tehran to join next year after it restores the 4 million barrels a day output that it maintained before international economic sanctions were imposed in 2012. The Russian-Saudi output freeze plan was thrown into doubt after Iran insisted it must be allowed to restore output after the sanctions were lifted in January, and Saudi Arabia said it would not freeze production unless Iran follows suit. But Fezaia told Bloomberg that rising production from Iran won't hinder the output freeze agreement as Tehran will find it difficult to sell its crude in an oversupplied market. Fezaia expects the oil market to return to balance in the second half of the year. Oil prices may end the year between $45 and $60 a barrel, she said. Brent North Sea premium crude jumped $1.97 to $39.84 a barrel in London trading on her comments on April 6, and the gains were extended in early trading in Asia on April 7. With reporting by Bloomberg, Reuters, and AFP 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 UNSC resolution does not ban Su-30 fighter jet sales to Iran: Russia 04/07/16 Source: Press TV Russia has rejected a US claim that the sales of Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to Iran were prohibited under a United Nation Security Council resolution. A Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet (photo by Sergey Krivchikov) On Tuesday, the US Department of State Undersecretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said Washington would use its veto power in the Security Council to block the possible sales of the fighter jets to Iran. "The sale of Su-30 fighter aircraft is prohibited under UNSCR 2231 without the approval of the UN Security Council and we would block the approval of any sale of fighter aircraft under the restrictions," Shannon said, referring to the UN resolution. Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department for non-proliferation and arms control, Mikhail Ulyanov, dismissed the claim. "Such deliveries are not prohibited, they are allowed, and this follows from the text of the resolution," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. Resolution 2231, adopted by the Security Council on July 20, 2015, endorsed a nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany. Shannon claimed that under the resolution, such weapon deliveries "require the submission of relevant notification to the Security Council and this notification's endorsement by the Security Council." Ulyanov said Moscow has not forwarded such a notification to the Security Council so far. Political analysts say Resolution 2231 does not prohibit Iran from buying fighter jets, and its language is not legally binding and cannot be enforced with punitive measures. Su-30 is a multirole advanced fighter aircraft for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. Iran and the P5+1 finalized the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, Austria, in July last year. They started to implement the JCPOA on January 16, 2016. On Tuesday, a senior Russian diplomat also said Moscow would begin the first shipment of its S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran in the coming days. "I don't know if this will happen today, but they (S-300 missiles) will be loaded (for shipment to Iran)," Interfax quoted Zamir Kabulov, a department chief at the Foreign Ministry, as saying. The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now The U.N. says a record number of more than 130 countries will sign the landmark agreement to tackle climate change at an April 22 ceremony at U.N. headquarters. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is hosting the ceremony on the first day that the agreement reached in Paris in December opens for signature. The U.N. says the signing by over 130 countries, including more than 60 world leaders, would surpass the previous record of 119 signatures on the opening day for signing an international agreement, set by the Law of the Sea treaty in 1994. Signing is the first step. The agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the secretary-general. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands, joined gun control advocates Thursday, April 7 in calling for Congress to close what critics say is a loophole that allows suspected terrorists to legally buy firearms. Gun control supporters say that under current law, those on the FBIs terrorist watch list can still legally buy firearms. In a phone conference with reporters, Aguilar said he had just voted on a bill to close the loophole when he learned of the Dec. 2 terror attack in San Bernardino that killed 14 and injured more than 20. This is a common sense step that Congress has an obligation to take to make America safer, said Aguilar, who represents San Bernardino. There are changes we can make to stop future attacks and we have to act. This has to stop. We cant wait any longer. President Barack Obama also called for the loopholes closure in the wake of the San Bernardino shootings. The assailants in the San Bernardino attack, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were not on the watch list. Neither was Enrique Marquez Jr. of Riverside, who faces a multitude of federal charges after authorities said he lied on ATF forms to buy rifles that were used in the attack. Aguilar was joined by Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut and husband of former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was critically wounded during a 2011 mass shooting. Giffords and Kelly founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, which seeks to prevent gun violence. This is a national problem that demands a solution from Congress and that solution is pretty simple, Kelly said. Statistics offered at the conference included a poll showing that 82 percent of Americans support closing the loophole. According to advocates, known or suspected terrorists have sought to purchase guns or explosives from dealers more than 2,200 times and have been successful 91 percent of the time. Opposing the effort to change the law is the National Rifle Association. The NRAs Institute for Legislative Action has argued that further legislation is unnecessary because 95 percent of people on the watch list already are prohibited from buying firearms. The watch list is overly broad and adds people for questionable reasons, such as their concerns about abortion or illegal immigration, the NRA said. A constitutionally protected right cannot be taken away on the basis of a secretive or unsubstantiated accusation, read a 2011 NRA article on legislation similar to what Aguilar and Kelly are seeking. Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com Updates with the dogs status Thursday afternoon. In the middle of a chilly night three weeks ago, 21 small dogs locked in crates were left outside the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter in the cold, shelter officials say. Now, after treatment for malnourishment and other medical needs, the pups have been put up for adoption and quickly began finding new homes. One of the dogs was adopted immediately upon becoming available Thursday morning, shelter manager Steve Fries said. Seventeen were picked up by a local rescue organization. Theyll all be taken to foster homes, where a handful of pregnant females will give birth. Then, theyll be taken to Canada, where Fries says the demand for small dogs is high. Three perky terriers were still available for adoption Thursday afternoon, Fries said, but two rescues had shown interest in taking them on. He expected them to be out of the shelter by the end of the day. As long as its got 4 legs I like them. -Karen Butler, animal care tech. Words to live by tbh. pic.twitter.com/Nz2zKZxIOp Anne Millerbernd (@annieanyway) April 7, 2016 http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js The dogs small breeds such as miniature poodles, Malteses, Chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers ranging from about 2 to 12 years old were left outside the shelter just after midnight March 18, a night that got down to 49 degrees. They were so malnourished that they had no body fat to keep them warm, Fries said in a news release. Dogs were stuffed three and four to a small crate and the larger dogs were trampling on the smaller dogs. Fries believes the dogs were held in small spaces for much of their lives because of the way they acted once they arrived at the shelter. There was a lot of spinning in the cages that we held them in, he said in an interview. They wanted attention 24/7 basically. The shelter, with help from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, investigated the dogs abandonment for a possible criminal case. Authorities learned that the dogs owners live in Nuevo, and those who left the dogs outside live in Moreno Valley and are related to the owners. Officials did not provide their names. A report has been filed with the Riverside County District Attorneys Office, the news release said. The FBI continues to analyze the data from the iPhone of Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack, a top FBI official said this week. I will tell you we are taking our time. We want to make sure we are absolutely thorough, said David Bowdich, assistant director at the FBIs Los Angeles field office, during a telephone interview Tuesday. Bowdich would not say if any of the data reviewed so far is germane to the criminal investigation if it shows Farook was communicating with victims of the shooting or working in cahoots with other co-conspirators, as recent court filings by the federal government indicate. Were not prepared to make a statement at this point, Bowdich said. Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 29, stormed the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Dec. 2. Armed with assault rifles and clad in tactical gear, the Redlands couple fatally shot 14 people and wounded 22 others before dying in a shootout with police hours later. Most of those killed and wounded in the attack were Farooks colleagues from the countys environmental health services division, who were attending a training seminar in a rented conference room at the center. Farook and most of those killed in the attack were health inspectors for the county. The FBI concluded Farook and Malik were radicalized Muslims who had been planning a mass casualty attack and declared the Dec. 2 mass shooting the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. The iPhone in question was issued to Farook by his employer, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health. Also on Tuesday, FBI General Counsel James Baker fielded questions from reporters regarding the controversial iPhone case at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Global Summit in Washington D.C., where he was a guest speaker. He too would not disclose what investigators have found so far on the phone, and that they were still reviewing it, according to published reports. Baker was unavailable for comment Wednesday. On March 1, FBI Director James Comey spoke before the House Judiciary Committee on the complexities surrounding encryption. While strong encryption is needed to secure commerce and trade, safeguard private information, promote free expression and association, and strengthen cyber security, criminals and terrorists can use the technology to plan or commit crimes. We have been forced to consider how criminals and terrorists might use advances in technology to their advantage, Comey told the House Judiciary Committee on March 1. When changes in technology hinder law enforcements ability to exercise investigative tools and follow critical leads, we may not be able to root out the child predators hiding in the shadows of the Internet, or find and arrest violent criminals who are targeting our neighborhoods. The government staved off a prolonged legal battle with Apple on March 28 when it announced in a court filing that it successfully accessed the phone through a third party it had contracted with and requested U.S. Magistrate Sheri Pym vacate her Feb. 16 order compelling Apple to design special software to bypass the phones encrypted numeric passcode to access the data. The Justice Department has refused to disclose who that third party is, but according to the Federal Procurement Data System, the FBI entered into a more than $15,000 contract with the Israeli mobile forensic tech company Cellebrite on March 21. Records show the FBI has contracted with the company over a dozen times in recent years. Bowdich said Tuesday that the issue was never about trampling the civil liberties and privacy rights of tech companies and individuals, but about conducting as thorough an investigation as possible in the interest of justice. This was not about drawing a line in the sand with Apple, it was to do what we promised from day one to leave no stone unturned in this investigation, Bowdich said. He said the legal squabble with Apple will not change the way the government conducts its investigations or leverages the law in the searches and seizures of electronic data. I know this gathered a lot of ire from some folks, but it was a logical part of this investigation to find the evidence through the legal process, and that is what well continue to do, Bowdich said. California and New York finally pulled the trigger on a $15 minimum wage. I say Bravo to a bunch of shortsighted politicians pandering to a constituency which they assume will keep them in their elected positions, and most of all, Bravo to the aforementioned constituency. Apart from the argument that the new law will seriously hurt small business, thereby jeopardizing local hiring, has anyone thought about the laws of supply and demand? Im not talking about increased prices on goods and services. I am talking about the overall job pool. Were ramping up to pay an unskilled labor base for unskilled positions. Has anyone considered just how fierce the competition will be to make $15 an hour for knowing nothing? Will we be prepared for the influx of undocumented labor that will surely swamp every Help Wanted sign from San Diego to Eureka? Even if the new rate doesnt diminish the workforce, which I believe it most certainly will, just wait and see how much competition there will be to wash dishes. On the other hand, I bet those dishes will really sparkle because somebody makes $15 an hour to wash them. Rick Simpson Winchester In assessing the Obama administrations social, political, economic and national security disasters leading up to and including 2015, and looking forward to the presidents final round vs. America, the American people are clearly confused by hope and uncertainty as the chaos of the 2016 presidential election plays out. Gov. Browns insane propositions and legislators punishing taxation on businesses, strapping taxpayers with bonds for totally unnecessary high-speed rail, and now the $15 minimum wage, have added extreme levels of taxes and burdens upon California business, the people and our economy. These are calamities for America and California, if voters dont wise up to protect ourselves and our future. Dont cast stupid votes! Daniel B. Jeffs Apple Valley The enduring popularity of Mary Poppins proves that audiences never tire of the the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious nanny. Presented by the Theatrical Arts International, the musical, based on the books of P.L. Travers and the Disney movie, this big spoonful of sugar will go down during three performances at the California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino. Mary Poppins mysteriously alights in the home of the Banks family in Edwardian London to care for the children, Jane and Michael. Follow them through encounters with dancing chimney sweeps, shopkeepers and other colorful characters. Youre almost guaranteed to leave the theater humming such classics as Chim Chim Cher-ee, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds and and the tongue-twisting Supercalifragilisticexpialocious. The story sprang from the imagination of Australian-born British novelist Pamela Lyndon Travers, who also was an actress and journalist. She moved to England in 1924 and began writing under the name of P.L. Travers. In 1933 she began the first in her Mary Poppins series, which was published a year later. The Walt Disney film opened in 1964, starring Julie Andrews as the magical nanny and Dick Van Dyke as the chimney sweep. Three years ago Saving Mr. Banks premiered, a movie dramatizing the story behind the Disney version, centering on Walt Disney and Travers, who were played by Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson. California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth St., San Bernardino, 8 p.m. April 8-9 and at 2 p.m. April 9-10. $38.50-$77.50 californiatheatre.net, ticketmaster.com, 909- 885-5152. Contact the writer: llucas@pressenterprise.com, 951-368-9559 Last year, the city of Yucaipa was a hero after stepping in to host a stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. It was such a success in 2015 that the Classic heads back to Yucaipa for the second stage of the race Thursday, April 7 in the Yucaipa Road Race. The mens field will do six laps on a 90-mile course (9:40 a.m. start) while the women will race for four laps on a 61.8-mile course (10:50 a.m. start). In addition to the mens and womens races, the PossAbilities Para-cycle Circuit Road Race which will be 21 miles over 12 laps will take place at 9 a.m.. Cyclists will start on Sunnyside Drive and finish at Oak Glen Village. The Yucaipa Road Race will feature a combined seven opportunities for climber points (each lap consists of 1,400 feet of climbing) between the men and women (three for the women; four for the men). There will also be three sprinter points between the two races, two going for the mens field. The winners of Wednesdays Highlight Circuit Race were Scotti Lechuga, of Team Hagens Berman/Supermint, and Ruben Companioni, of Team Jamis, giving them the gold jerseys and the targets on their backs today. Lechugas win sets up an enticing race in Yucaipa after Lechuga overtook two-time Olympic Time Trial gold medalist Kristin Armstrong a favorite for Fridays time trial in the final lap. Amber Neben, a Classic favorite heading into Wednesday, will also be fighting to get back in contention and a podium spot after issues on the course set her back in Highland. The 25-year-old Cuban Companioni will look to build off his impressive win in the Highland mens race, leading the pack from the start and by as much as a minute and 45 seconds. And while the blistering Wednesday heat which touched around 90 degrees played a heavy role in the Highland Circuit Race, the Yucaipa race may be defined by rain. Forecast predicts a 50 percent chance of rain, not just today but throughout the weekend. We will be prepared with El Nino this year, we expected some inclement weather, said Travis McCabe, who took third in the Highland race. We just need to take it day by day. Contact the writer: Christian.trevino@langnews.com; @ChrisNTrevino on Twitter A 24-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday, April 6, to charges in connection with the shooting death of a Mira Loma man, attempted murder of two other men and assault with a deadly weapon on a fourth man as the victims left a Jurupa Valley restaurant in February. Pedro Jorge Cardenas entered his pleas to charges during a video arraignment in Riverside County Superior Court in Riverside. Family and friends had been drinking beer at the Los Islas Maria restaurant in the 5500 block of Etiwanda Avenue before leaving at about 2 a.m. Feb. 28, according to court records. As they walked into a parking lot, two suspects said something to victim Armando Hernandez, 37, of Mira Loma, brandished handguns and one, later identified as Cardenas, began shooting, a witness told Riverside County Sheriffs Department investigators. The three wounded men, Christopher Hernandez, Juan Rodriguez, Francisco Barragan, were treated for non-life threatening injuries at a hospital. Armando Hernandez died of a gunshot wound to the torso, according to court records. Charges against Cardenas also include possession of a semi-automatic handgun by a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty in October 2013 in U.S. District Court in San Diego to importing about 110 pounds of marijuana into the United States, according to federal court records. That court had issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of violating his supervised release conditions because he was found in possession of two firearms Dec. 30 by the Fontana Police Department. When it came time to use a drill for a school science project, Anamaria Mejia Dominguez felt the sting of sexism firsthand. A male classmate didnt think she was up to the task and offered to do it for her. It bothers me big time that they underestimate us, said Dominguez, 15, who attends Jurupa Valley High School. I told him I know how to do that. Its just a drill. Dominguez is confronting gender bias in her engineering class, where shes learning to make mouse-trap powered cars, create objects with 3-D printers and run laser-cutting machines. Of the 125 students in the schools science, technology, engineering and math program, only one quarter are girls. They think engineering is kind of a guys thing, STEM teacher Michael Free said. The lack of female interest in science-related fields known as STEM isnt just a problem at Jurupa Valley. Nationwide, women remain scarce in jobs requiring STEM skills such as engineering, computing and advanced manufacturing jobs, data shows. Women hold 12 percent of jobs in engineering, 26 percent in computing and 10 percent in advanced manufacturing, stated a report last year by Change the Equation, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit focused on improving STEM learning. Dominguez and others are also trying to change another number that educators say is equally disturbing: Latinos and blacks are less likely to pursue careers in STEM fields than they were in 2001. The two groups comprise less than 20 percent of people working in STEM-related jobs. More than 80 percent of the STEM workforce consists of whites and Asians, the study said. ITS EVERYWHERE The diversity gap persists despite the explosion of STEM schools and programs throughout the Inland area in the past decade. The number of STEM-themed schools in Riverside County has jumped to nearly 10, while San Bernardino Countys has climbed from a handful of campuses to about two dozen during that period. As part of the STEM focus, more than 800 students showed their projects at the annual Inland area Science and Engineering Fair this week in Riverside. Five or six years ago, it was sporadic, said Pamela Clute, a retired math educator who taught at UC Riverside, middle and high schools in her 40-year career. Now its everywhere. The growth has been fueled by the shortage of people to fill STEM-related jobs including accounting, computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering, economics and finance as older workers retire. STEM occupations are expected to rise 21 percent over the next five years, compared to 10 percent for the overall job market, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show. Recognizing the shortfall, the state in 2013 adopted science standards that focus on applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world problems. Clute visits schools to inspire young girls in math and science. She urges administrators to set up STEM clubs for girls and offer summer camps and Saturday academies to spark interest. Schools must create a mindset for STEM learning at an early age, she said. While women average 60 percent of students on college campuses nationwide, less than one-third will study a math-related major, she notes. They lack the passion and dont have interest because they dont see the relevance, she said. To hook girls, Clute said she infuses math and chemistry into lessons about how mascara can enhance a womans eyes. http://cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js SOLVING THE PROBLEM Other efforts are aimed at closing the diversity gap. UC Riverside started the the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement program in 1999 to help elementary, middle and high school students excel in math and science. It is also on other UC campuses. UCRs state-funded program works with about 30 Inland schools to start STEM clubs as well as train teachers on effective STEM techniques to make difficult subjects fun. Its not standing at the chalkboard saying A plus B equals C, program Director Carlos Gonzalez said. Its not rote memorization. Its learning by building things and through the failures of your projects and doing it again. The lack of role models and mentors for minority students is another problem, Gonzalez said. Without that experience and without that success, its hard for them to give students advice or bring them to university events or things like that. Nearby, the Riverside STEM Academy is hosting more parent nights and sending postcards and emails to fourth-grade parents to recruit more girls and minorities, Principal Dale Moore said. The school is 60 percent male and Latino enrollment dropped from 33 percent to 26 percent since it opened in 2011, he said. Enrollment is based on a lottery, so if more apply, more will get in, he said. At Hemets Western Center Academy on the Western Science Center campus theres a gap between Latinos, who make up 33 percent of the enrollment, and white students, who comprise 50 percent of the student body. The charter schools educators and students take part in elementary school math nights, stage science expos and demonstrations to attract prospective students. Yamileth Shimojyo, a Hispanic woman who benefited from the MESA program at her Orange County high school, is coordinator of the Riverside County Office of Educations STEM Center. Youths need to be exposed to science by third grade or its too late in many cases, she said. At the state level, there wasnt much emphasis on elementary school science between 2000 and 2010 because of the focus on math and English, she said. New state science standards that stress hands-on learning and deeper understanding of complex concepts starting in elementary school should spark more girls and minority students interest in STEM careers, she said. The county education office trains teachers in STEM and has brainstorming meetings for educators to find ways to help black and Latino students have as much success as other students. At Jurupa Valley High, Free said hes encouraged about the future. He talks to Jurupa Middle Schools honors science class, more than half of whom are girls, and senses enthusiasm. They do as well or better than the guys, Free said. Mariana Ambriz, 18, said she loves her engineering class and wants to pursue a career designing video games. I want to use my brains, my hands and the skills that I know, Ambriz said. Its easy, fun and creative. RELATED EDUCATION: STEM programs get boost HIGHER EDUCATION: CSUSB lags in helping transfer students Contact the writer: 951-368-9292 or swall@pressenterprise.com In the midst of its northern neighbor going through economic devastation for similar legislation, South Carolina Republicans just introduced S1203 a bill to legalize discrimination against the transgender community. Proposed by Senator Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg), the bathroom bill legislation would criminalize using any bathroom not aligning with the gender of a persons birth certificate. The three key sections of the legislation state: Units of local government in this State may not enact local laws, ordinances, orders, or other regulations that require a place of public accommodation or a private club or other establishment not in fact open to the general public to allow a person to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility regardless of the persons biological sex. A local law, ordinance, order, or other regulation enacted by a unit of local government to require a person to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility designated for his biological sex is not a violation of this chapter and does not constitute discrimination based upon a protected category. Nothing in this section prohibits public agencies from providing accommodations such as single occupancy bathrooms or changing facilities or controlled use of faculty facilities upon a persons request due to special circumstances. In no event shall such accommodation result in the public agencys allowing a person to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility as designated in subsection (A) for a sex other than the persons biological sex. Nothing in this section prohibits a local school board from providing accommodations such as single occupancy bathrooms or changing facilities or controlled use of faculty facilities upon a request due to special circumstances. In no event shall such accommodation result in the local school boards allowing a student to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility as designated in subsection (A) for a sex other than the students biological sex. In short, South Carolina just proposed legislation that mirrors HB2 insomuch that it forbids local governments from offering gender identity protections in places of public accommodation. The preface to the bill even goes so far as to spell out the legislations discriminatory intentions: To amend section 45-9-10 of the 1976 code, relating to the right to equal enjoyment of and privileges to public accommodations, to add a subsection to provide that units of local government in this state may not enact local laws, ordinances, orders, or other regulations that require a place of public accommodation or a private club or other establishment not in fact open to the general public to allow a person to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility regardless of the persons biological sex; to amend title 10, chapter 1 of the 1976 code, relating to general provisions concerning public buildings and property, by adding article 3 to provide that multiple occupancy bathrooms and changing facilities located on public property shall be designated for and only used by a person based on his biological sex; to amend chapter 23, title 59 of the 1976 code, relating to school buildings and other school property, to provide that local school boards shall require every multiple occupancy bathroom or changing facility that is designated for student use to be designated for and used only by students based on their biological sex, and to provide exemptions and definitions. Biological sex means the physical condition of being male or female, which is stated on a persons birth certificate. [Emphasis Mine] While it closely mirrors its northern neighbors bathroom bill, S1203 goes a step further in requiring multiple-use bathrooms in public buildings be designated for and only used by a person based on his biological sex. When introducing the S1203 Sen. Bright commented, Ive about had enough of this. I mean, years ago we kept talking about tolerance, tolerance, and tolerance, and now they want men who claim to be women to be able to go into bathrooms with children. And you got corporations who say this is okay. Acknowledging some of the backlash North Carolina is experiencing post-HB2, Bright said, PayPal has shown its support for pedophiles by wanting them to go into bathrooms. Bright is the same legislator that last year used the hearings on whether to remove the Confederate flag from state grounds to proselytize against LGBT rights. Outside of his legislative role he also serves on the board of trustees for the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission. Hes also the legislator who called for the impeachment of judges who ruled for LGBT marriage equality. And he didnt just call for impeachment; rather, he literally argued for its use as a weapon to force another branch of government to bend to his political will. Congress ought to stand up and do its job and impeach one of these federal judges, Bright argued in front of a Tea Party group in January 2014. And I think when you do that, being a federal judge is a pretty good gig, and I think if youll impeach just one, the rest of them will do the right thing. And theyll do it out of necessity, because self-preservation is an instinct that so many folks have. And now hes turned that religion-fueled hatred toward the transgender community. [H/T Equality Case Files] Peacock Panache readers: Tim Peacock is the Managing Editor and founder of Peacock Panache and has worked as a civil rights advocate for over twenty years. During that time hes worn several hats including leading on campus LGBTQ advocacy in the University of Missouri campus system, interning with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, and volunteering at advocacy organizations. You can learn more about him at his personal website. Like this: Like Loading... Related We hope you enjoyed reading this article! If you would like to support our ongoing work, please consider buying us a cup of coffee. It's not much, but we don't do this for the money. We do, however, need caffeine to keep going some days!If you do donate, send us a message through our Contact Us page or via social media so we can thank you! The subject of medicinal marijuana in Australia is a touchy one for just about everyone whose job relies on a public election. Though states are starting to move towards legislating marijuana for medicinal purposes, the laws are in the very early stages and are focused more on testing the medical benefits of pot and cannabis oil, rather than straight-up throwing it open to the marketplace. Public sentiment, however, is ragingly in favour of the laws, which are already in place across the notoriously conservative United States, to the point where a number of states have legalised the drug outright (to their great taxation benefit, it should be stated). A peaceful demonstration of disobedience has been planned for Sydneys Victoria Park this coming Saturday. The Free Cannabis picnic supports Free Cannabis NSW, and according to a press release will sport chilled tunes, a family-friendly vibe, guest speakers, and the possibility of cannabis smoke in the air. A similar event was held back in January and attracted more than 100 people to the event, which police monitored and then subsequently made two arrests for possession; one of whom was a man suffering terminal cancer. A photo of Paul Lawrences back tumours subsequently went viral when he shared the brutal physical battle his body has been through in the fight to gain access to the vital pain killing plant. Only a sick state and a sick government and police force would arrest and charge an ill man like me. The prohibition of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational use does far more damage to society than someone like me having a quiet smoke with friends. Cannabis activist and one of the speakers booked for this Saturdays picnic, Dr Andrew Katelaris, states that whilst the progress currently being made by state and federal legislators is a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to ensure ordinary people can freely and legally access this product that has a wide range of highly beneficial medical uses. Cannabis is basically one of natures wonder drugs and is safer and more beneficial to most people than similar substances created by the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis has been widely documented across human history and a plethora of cultures have made use of its healing benefits, something which is coming back into vogue with serious considerations being made as we speak of setting up an Australian medicinal marijuana market. But we need to do more. The picnic is scheduled for this coming Saturday from midday (with a certain observance occurring at the totally coincidental time of 4:20pm) at Victoria Park near the University of Sydney. All the vital details can be found at the picnics Facebook event page. Source: PR 4 The People. Photo: John Greim/Getty. As a child, sitting on someones knee probably meant being told a really good story and feeling warm + loved, and is no doubt what the Australian Museum in Sydney were going for. However, their director Kim McKay described their new Great Barrier Reef / virtual reality show narrated by Sir David Attenborough as like literally sitting on David Attenboroughs knee, and if that doesnt conjures visions of getting spanked by Daddy then you have not internetted hard enough. FYI this is a casual shirtless gif we found of him in his earlier days: Opening today, David Attenboroughs Great Barrier Reef Dive VR allows you to explore the unquestionably magical world of our Great Barrier Reef alongside the worlds greatest naturalist. In a statement, the museum said that visitors will strap themselves into a Samsung Gear VR headset and travel through time and deep in the ocean, experiencing the natural world in brilliant, 360-degree cinematic life. [It] uses real-world footage and a host of pioneering technologies to shed new light on this magnificent habitat. Visitors will take a 360-degree, virtual reality tour deep beneath the waves, with Attenborough as a personal guide through the vibrant corals, darting fish and deadly sharks in the great natural wonder of the world. [Hello, darting fish.] It ends with Attenborough calling on people to act to save the Great Barrier Reef, which is right now living through its worst ever bleaching event and under enormous strain. Quite aside from this GBR gig which sold out its London show, btw the museum has a second, VR / Attenborough film showing. Called First Life, it travels back 540 million years to the dawn of life on Earth and no shade sounds like an absolutely wild ride. Ancient oceans and extinct sea creatures in VR CGI? Come at me Borough. Book tickets to either David Attenboroughs First Life VR or David Attenboroughs Great Barrier Reef Dive VR here. Images: supplied. First Cumberland Presbyterian will host a Kirkin o the Tartan Service, on Sunday, at 11 a.m. The church is at 1505 N. Moore Road in Chattanooga. Musical guests will be the Chattanooga Pipes and Drums playing tunes like Amazing Grace, Highland Cathedral and Scotland the Brave. The service honors the contributions to American life by the Scots and those of Scottish descent. Bring a bit of your own family tartan and participate in the Calling of the Clans. The Kirkin service was first sponsored by the St. Andrews Society of Washington D.C. in 1941 in Washingtons New York Avenue Presbyterian Church under the leadership of the great pastor, the late Dr. Peter Marshall, who later became chaplain of the United States Senate. Dr. Marshall was a native Scot who immigrated to America in the 1930s. Prior to the U.S. entering World War II in 1941, Dr. Marshall was inspired to raise funds for British war relief. After Dr. Marshalls death, the Kirkin floated from one church to another until, in 1954, it found a home in the Washington National Cathedral where it has been held ever since. The first Kirkin at First Cumberland Presbyterian was held April 6, 2003 in partnership of the Scottish Society of Chattanooga. The church embraced it and the service has been repeated often since that time. Presbyterianism has strong roots in Scotland so it is fitting that we continue to host this service. FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2015, file photo, Lady Gaga attends the Americans for the Arts 2015 National Arts Awards in New York. A piano owned by singer Lady Gaga will be auctioned at the Hard Rock Cafe New York on May 21, 2016. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) Donald P. Yates Primary School is hosting a retirement reception honoring Carolyn Ingram on Sunday, April 24, 2-4 p.m. at Yates Primary School. Mrs. Ingram will retire after serving as Yates Primary School principal for the past 23 years. She taught in Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee in Knoxville and Hamilton County before starting at Cleveland City Schools in 1989 as the school-community coordinator at Blythe Avenue Elementary School. In 1992, Mrs. Ingram was named principal of Blythe Avenue Elementary School before moving to open a brand new Yates Primary School in 1993. Over that time, there have been an estimated 2,500 students pass through the doors of Yates Primary. Luvo frozen dinners are pictured in a freezer at a Loblaws in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Two Canadian business leaders want the country's food industry to use more transparent labels so Canadians know just how much nutrionally sparse food they're eating. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Quebec government MNA Sam Hamad tells reporters he will fight the accusations against him, after stepping down from cabinet, Thursday, April 7, 2016 at the legislature in Quebec City. Hamad, Quebec's treasury board president, is quitting cabinet amid allegations he helped a horticultural company that was trying to get a government grant. Hamad said today he will continue to sit as a Liberal member of the legislature. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot Pakistani police officers and soldiers cordon off the area following a bomb blast in Peshawar, Pakistan, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police officer Jamshed Khan said a bomb targeting police at a checkpoint near the northwestern city of Peshawar killed a police officer and injured other. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad) St. Mary's gets win No. 300, Felten sets 8-man kicking record What could have been a game to overlook was a milestone night for Gaylord St. Mary's in its final home game of the regular season. Southern Lit Alliance will host acclaimed Indie Next author Claire Vaye Watkins on Thursday, April 21, at the Arts Building, on the corner of 11th and King Streets. Review for Claire Vaye Watkins: As drought has transformed the California landscape into a sprawling desert, the characters of Gold Fame Citrus struggle with the memories of their past lives and their present horrors. Claire Vaye Watkins creates a world that has been ravaged by pollution and greed; a story that illustrates how environmental disaster could affect our daily lives. Unrelenting drought has transfigured Southern California into a surreal, phantasmagoric landscape. With the Central Valley barren, underground aquifer drained, and Sierra snowpack entirely depleted, most Mojavs, are prevented by both armed vigilantes and an indifferent bureaucracy from freely crossing borders to lusher regions. Immensely moving, profoundly disquieting, and mind-blowingly original, Watkinss novel explores the myths we believe about others and tell about ourselves, the double-edged power of our most cherished relationships, and the shape of hope in a precarious future that may be our own. The event schedule consists of a cocktail reception with Ms. Watkins for VIP ticket-holders at 5 p.m. and a reading at 6 p.m. A book signing will immediately follow. Ms. Watkins will also visit Sequoyah High School for a discussion with local high school students as part of So Lits Writers in Classrooms program. General admission tickets begin at $15. A student ticket is available for $5 with a valid student ID. VIP tickets, which include the reception, reserved seating, and fast track super powers at the book signing cost $25. Ms. Watkins stories and essays have appeared in Granta, One Story, The Paris Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, Best of the West 2011, New Stories from the Southwest 2013, the New York Times and elsewhere. Her collection of short stories, Battleborn, won the Story Prize, the Dylan Thomas Prize, New York Public Librarys Young Lions Fiction Award, the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. Her first novel, Gold Fame Citrus, was just released with much attention. A Guggenheim Fellow, Ms. Watkins is on the faculty of the Helen Zell Writers Program at the University of Michigan. She is also the co-director, with Derek Palacio, of the Mojave School, a free creative writing workshop for teenagers in rural Nevada. The Southern Lit Alliance engages audiences through innovative literary arts experiences and educational enrichment in local schools and underserved communities in Chattanooga. For more information about So Lit and the South Bound lecture series, and to purchase tickets or view the lineup and schedule, visit So Lits newly designed website: www.SouthernLitAlliance.org, or call 267-1218. In Brazil impeachment proceedings for Dilma Rousseff move ahead BRASILIA Petroleumworld.com 04 05 2016 Dilma Rousseff's political future hung in the balance on Wednesday as a congressional report recommended impeachment proceedings move ahead, while the Brazilian president's biggest ally stopped short of defecting from the government. The report, drafted by the rapporteur of the lower house committee on impeachment, Jovair Arantes , says there are grounds for the impeachment process to advance. He sided with the main argument behind the request to oust her, saying there is sufficient evidence that Rousseff used illegal financing to mask the size of the budget deficit. "The accusation fulfills all the legal and political conditions required for its admission, Congressman Arantes wrote in the report that is published on the committee website. Rousseff says that the charges against her are baseless. Arantes also said lawmakers could take into account allegations of graft at state-run oil company Petrobras when considering whether to remove the president. Investigators haven't accused Rousseff of accepting kickbacks in the Petrobras scandal, though they are probing whether her campaign received illegal donations from the scheme. Her Workers' Party denies the allegations. Arantes read the 128-page report out loud in the committee session on Wednesday, saying he has tried to remain impartial and is well aware he will be labeled both a hero and villain for his work. The session got off to a tumultuous start, as committee members shouted at each other over procedural issues. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle brandished signs, with government supporters denouncing what they say is an attempted "coup" and opponents calling for "impeachment now." While there are still several key steps in the impeachment process, the report could sway some legislators in what appears to be shaping up as a tight vote on the floor. As of Wednesday afternoon, anti-government group VemPraRua said there were 267 votes for and 119 against impeachment in the house. A group of Rousseff allies, including members of her Workers' Party, said there were 129 votes against the president's ouster. Adding Pressure The committee may extend deliberations into the weekend so it can vote as early as Monday on Arantes's report. Its recommendation will then go to the full house, which will decide whether there are grounds to oust the president. If 342 of 513 lower house lawmakers back impeachment, the case moves to the Senate. Adding to pressure on Rousseff, the country's influential agriculture federation known as CNA came out in support of Rousseff's removal, saying she was unable to "unite society" in order to revive the economy. Still, Rousseff gained some respite Wednesday when her biggest ally , the Progressive Party, or PP, said it wouldn't discuss breaking with the government until the lower house votes on impeachment. Most of the party's members, which according to the congressional website include 48 lawmakers in the lower house, have indicated they support Rousseff, PP President Ciro Nogueira told reporters Wednesday morning. The largest party in Congress, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, split from the ruling alliance last week, raising concern in the administration that other partners would follow suit. Rousseff so far has been able to prevent her coalition from crumbling any further. Allies say administration officials have promised them key positions in the government in exchange for support. The number of people with diabetes has nearly quadrupled since 1980, with an estimated 422 million people living with the condition across the world in 2014, says a WHO report. The prevalence of the disease has also doubled, rising from 4.7 to 8.5 percent of the adult population, with the biggest rises taking place in in low to middle-income countries over the past decade. WHO released its first Global report on diabetes to coincide with World Health Day, which this year focuses on diabetes, and called for action to step up prevention and treatment of the disease, especially in poorer nations. The report linked diabetes and higher-than-optimal blood glucose to 3.7 million deaths each year, 43 percent of which occurred before the age of 70. Highlighting that the disease was no longer a disease of predominantly rich nations, WHO director-general, Dr Margaret Chan, said: Unfortunately, in many settings the lack of effective policies to create supportive environments for healthy lifestyles and the lack of access to quality health care means that the prevention and treatment of diabetes, particularly for people of modest means, are not being pursued. When diabetes is uncontrolled, it has dire consequences for health and well-being. The report called on concerted action from governments, healthcare providers, people with diabetes, civil society, food producers and manufacturers and suppliers of medicines and technology. If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain, said Dr Chan. Even in the poorest settings, governments must ensure that people are able to make these healthy choices and that health systems are able to diagnose and treat people with diabetes. Key findings from the report included: The European Commission has widened the license for Boehringers non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) drug Giotrif, approving it as the first oral treatment option for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The approval was based on results from the LUX-Lung 8 trial, which demonstrated that the Giotrif (afatinib) which is already approved for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC reduced the risk of cancer progression by 19 percent, and also reduced the risk of death by 19 percent, when compared to Roche and Astellas Tarceva (erlotinib). Dr Mehdi Shahidi, Medical Head, Solid Tumour Oncology, Boehringer Ingelheim said: Whilst there have been some recent and significant advances in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, the intravenous administration and frequent visits to the hospital can be a challenge for patients often debilitated by this disease. In this context, we are pleased to offer an effective oral treatment option. Squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for around 20-30% of NSCLC cases, is associated with a poor prognosis, limited survival and symptoms like cough and dyspnoea. The median overall survival (OS) after diagnosis of advanced SqCC is around one year. A chase of a man with a female kidnap victim in his vehicle on Thursday morning ended with a crash on Hickory Valley Road. Charles Derrick Steele, 29, is facing multiple charges. Authorities said Steele took the 29-year-old woman from a residence on 3448 Garrett Chapel Road in Walker County, Ga., around 12:30 Thursday morning. He took the woman to a residence on Highway 58 and was there for several hours before the chase began. Beginning around 5 a.m., the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office was requested by the Walker County Sheriffs Office to assist with the apprehension of a suspect wanted for various charges and for kidnapping. Sheriff authorities spent most of the morning following up on leads with assistance from the U.S. Marshals office and the Chattanooga Police Department. The suspect was located in a truck with the kidnapped victim. As law enforcement personnel approached the vehicle, the suspect drove off and led authorities on a pursuit ending when the vehicle wrecked at 2330 Hickory Valley Road. The Chattanooga Police Department also assisted with the pursuit. As the pursuit neared the location of St. Michaels Church, authorities forced the vehicle into the church parking lot at which time a HCSO patrol car and a Chattanooga Police Department SUV incurred damages. Both officers involved in the crash were uninjured. Once the wreck occurred, the driver fled on foot. Authorities pursued the suspect at which time he resisted, was tackled by a CPD officer, and was tazed by HCSO deputies. The suspect was taken into custody and was taken to the Hamilton County Jail by the HCSO Fugitive Division. He is facing a number of charges from both Hamilton County and Walker County, Georgia. He is a convicted felon and numerous types of ammunition and illegal substances were found in the suspects vehicle and federal law enforcement partners were at the scene for followup, it was stated. The female kidnap victim was secured unharmed and was checked out by Hamilton County EMS. She was released at the scene. The wind gusts and the hairs prick on exposed forearms, emerging from a thick, red, Oakley hoody. Leaning over a set of 580mm handlebars in baggy jeans and white hi-top shoes, the Goat King calmly surveys his estate before him, but the reality of failing on the 10-meter drop at the end of the woodwork is kicking in. The year is 2005 and Timo Pritzel, reigning champ of the events best style award, sits on top of what is now the biggest European contest feature to date at the Adidas Slopestyle in Saalbach, Austria. If he doesnt get it smooth someone else surely will; the start list is a formidable one. Gracia, Berrecloth, Strait, McCaul, Bourdon, Vanderham, Zink The list of freeride heroes in the making goes on and this is a leap of faith they all plan to take before continuing onto a huge satellite dish, a wall-ride, cable-car gap and a big line of doubles. Well, its time to put Europe on the slopestyle map... this ones for Germany! Timos dropping in At UChicago, Obama Says His Supreme Court Nominee Is In A Catch-22 By Mae Rice in News on Apr 7, 2016 10:31PM Obama shakes hands with supporters at a campaign rally at the Old State Capitol in August 2008. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images. President Barack Obamas nominee for the Supreme CourtSkokie native Merrick Garland, who Obama nominated in mid-March after the death of Justice Antonin Scaliahasnt received a preliminary hearing for the judicial seat. At a "townhall-style meeting" at University of Chicago Thursday, Obama argued that Garland's nomination is caught in a political catch-22. Obama nominated Garland as an antidote to the polarization of American politics, he said, terming Garland a consensus-builder and noting that Garland has support from Democrats and Republicans alike. However, the exact polarization that Obama hopes Garland can curb is stymying Garland's nomination. The judicial nomination process used to be fairly routine, Obama said at the University of Chicago Law School, where he once taught constitutional law, and where he appeared today in conversation with professor David Strauss. The typical time from nomination to confirmation for a Supreme Court Justice, Obama noted, is three months. Lately, though, a combination of factorsincluding a media world increasingly split along political lineshave created a polarized, partisan American politics, where filibusters are commonplace and compromise is rare. Obama referred to this shift, Harry Potter-esquely, as The Great Sorting. This divided climate has been an obstacle to Garland's nomination, even though Obama framed Garland as an extremely mainstream candidate. Merrick Garland is an extraordinary jurist who is indisputably qualified to serve on the highest court of the land, Obama said in answer to Strausss first, only faintly Garland-related question. And nobody really argues otherwise. However, Garlands nomination has not progressed smoothly, and Obama spent a large part of his time with Strauss critiquing the system holding Garland back, calling Republican efforts to gum up the works and impede the nomination a breakdown in process. Obama also brushed off some critics on his left, who have expressed disappointment that Obama didnt nominate a female judge or a judge of color (or both). Yeah, hes a white guy, but hes a really outstanding jurist, Obama said, somewhat jokingly. Sorry! In a more serious tone, he added that rather than focusing on identity politics, hes trying to make his nominations based on an unbiased process. If the process is fair, youll end up with a really good cross-section of people, he said, citing his track record of nominating female and minority judges to federal courts as evidence of his fairness. Obama explained his rationale for choosing Garland, too, spotlighting Garlands intellectual integrity and bipartisan appeal. Obama said he looks for justices who can bring a humanity to their rolejustices who understand how the world works, so that they are not entirely blind to the history of racial discrimination or gender discrimination, or how money operates in our world, Obama said. Garland, he argued, fits the bill. The townhall meeting at University of Chicago ended in an open Q&A that touched on issues beyond Garlands nomination. These included criminal justice reform and, in the tensest exchange of the afternoon, drone strikes. One law student asked Obama how he could justify the civilian death tolland opaque processthat has gone hand-in-hand with US drone strikes overseas. Obama acknowledged that transparency around drone strikes has been a problem, as has a legal infrastructure governing when theyre appropriate. He attributed this to the newness of drone technology.I think its fair to say that in the first couple years of my presidency, the architecture around how [drones] were utilized was underdeveloped relative to how fast the technology was moving, Obama said. However, he argued that drone strikes actually cause fewer civilian deaths than traditional modes of war, and added that he hopes to improve public access to information on drone strikes abroad as he wraps up his last presidential term. Firearms training for bicycle officers is not just about weapons manipulation and accurate shooting. The training must also incorporate what to do with the bike and how to get to cover. (PHOTO: Scott Parr/IPMBA) A good officer is one who demonstrates initiative, a good sense of ethics, respect for the law, great communication skills, and common sense. A great bicycle officer is all of these but also someone who has a strong service mentality, paramount knowledge of laws, a thirst for new knowledge, and someone who can adapt to change easily. If this describes you, your agency's bicycle unit might be a good fit. Being a Bicycle Officer Bicycle officers are often seen as the jacks-of-all-trades in a department. They can be seen doing outreach such as bicycle rodeos in school; playing after school in parks with kids; working liquor enforcement details; interfacing with local business owners, and conducting plainclothes operations, gang enforcement, and drug interdiction. Bicycle officers routinely are given tasks from city management that address quality-of-life issues in a given city or town. The boundaries of what a good bicycle officer can do are virtually limitless. Bicycle units are constantly evolving and changing assets within departments, and because these units can do so many things many more agencies are beginning to field them. Bicycle patrols were initially created to combat the problems presented by traffic gridlock in growing cities, including the issue of how to get in and out of these congested areas. By nature of being on a bicycle and not in a closed patrol vehicle, these officers' citizen contacts increased. It was soon realized that these bicycle patrol details had to be done by officers who were looking to take an active role in their communities. In a squad car you may drive through a neighborhood and miss something because of the sounds of the engine or radio, or because the windows are up. On a bicycle that is rarely the case. You can smell, taste, and feel everything that goes on. In a recent shooting call at my agency, bicycle officers were first to pinpoint the scene of the crime based on the proximity of the sound of the shot and the odor of gunpowder. Crimes in progress can be responded to quicker by bicycle officers as they are not tied to the asphalt road and can take less traveled routes. A quote that I use during my instruction is, "The difference between a great athlete and a good athlete is that one has mastered the basics better than his or her competition." This holds true for many units but is magnified for a bicycle officer. There is no cover on a bicycle. Officers on bicycles are left out to the elements much of the time and crimes are literally happening in front of their eyes. Around every turn an officer can be in a deadly force encounter and must use quick thinking to avoid potential tragedy. Things happen more quickly and more readily on a bicycle based on the nature of patrol, so a good bicycle officer must have a mastery of basics. A great bicycle officer will also have top communication skills and good people skills. An officer who can talk with someone is almost preferred to someone who can knock someone down. The role of a bicycle officer is constantly changing and always exciting. Conversely, nothing beats good training and a willingness to learn something new every day. Making the Cut If you decide you want to join a bicycle unit, you'll need to prove you meet certain standards, beyond any agency-specific prerequisites such as the number of years you've been with your department or worked patrol. First of all, being in good physical condition is a main requirement for joining this type of unit. Bicycle officers will sometimes have to ride miles to a call. Many agencies' bicycle units are also part of their search-and-rescue deployment. In this situation, especially, officers need to show up on scene in good physical condition so as not to underperform on the call at hand, or to become a burden themselves. For this reason, agencies have set physical fitness standards for their units, including testing and a standard of fitness for the officers. A typical test for a bicycle unit would be a 1.5-mile bicycle threshold ride. At the end of the ride each officer is required to dismount the bicycle, perform a bicycle carry, and clear an obstacle, all within a predetermined time. The standard given time is generally a low estimate of the time it took all current officers on the unit to perform the test. The physical portion is followed by a performance review of the officer's productivity at his or her current assignment. The role of the bike officer is very self-motivated, past productivity can help determine if an officer would be sufficiently productive while in the bicycle unit. After the performance review an oral interview is conducted to determine eligibility. Through the oral interview you can see officers' true motivations, their efforts in wanting to come to the unit, and their preparation in testing for the bicycle unit. A continuing fitness program within the unit will ensure a physically fit unit and a team that works well together. Training for Bicycle Patrol Once you've passed muster, you'll need to train in the skills needed for this specialized type of work. There are a few programs throughout bike policing that look to train officers. Some of them are agency based and born that cover some skills and policy adaptations. None covers a wider breadth of material than the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA). IPMBA has really been the gold standard for agencies worldwide for police bicycle training. Many agencies that use a homegrown approach have used the principles and techniques that are contained within IPMBA's programs on a modified scale. There are hundreds of instructors worldwide that have been taught and trained following the IPMBA standards and can provide this quality instruction to sworn and civilian police employees. The key component to the IPMBA training is that it is a standard that is set across its entire curriculum. If I were to travel from state to state, or country to country, I would not have to adapt to any shortcomings provided in other programs. The standard would be the same and the integration from agency to agency would be seamless. If there is an emergency across city or state lines, those who have practiced the same standard will be able to assemble without much confusion. In 2001, when the Phoenix-based Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series, there was some concern that rioting might boil over into other cities. Officers from neighboring cities enacted emergency procedures. Bicycle officers were paramount to these efforts. The biggest concern to us as officers is that when we deploy, are we going to be operating on the same page. Since the partnering agencies of that detail had all been trained under the same IPMBA program, multiple agencies came together seamlessly to provide professional and appropriate service without confusion. The International Police Mountain Bike Association Police Cyclist School incorporates a variety of techniques and training. The course is challenging but provides a great start for advanced and beginner riders. The course covers such topics as night riding, contact and cover, repairs, and emergency vehicle operations for bicycles. Agencies like my own incorporate a firearms component and off-road riding to round out the week. The recommended number of hours for training in a given course is 32 hours, though I have found through experience and time that a 40-hour course incorporating off-road riding and firearms training is what best meets the needs of the agencies I train. I have mentioned how officers on bicycles have an increased number of contacts throughout their day. The likelihood that they will encounter a deadly force encounter would follow the same logic that an increase in contacts could show an increase in deadly force encounters. The firearm training incorporates on- and off-the-bike drills that mimic real-life scenarios. A contact with a subject may result in an officer falling off the bike or being caught astride the bicycle. It is not unlikely that bicycle officers would be caught in a contact where they are pushed to the ground and have to react with deadly force. The grounded drills help teach good muzzle control, as well as clearing the bicycle as an obstacle and utilizing other forms of cover and concealment. There is no portion of the bicycle that can be considered cover or concealment. So, teaching officers that they need to start looking for their next area of cover and concealment is stressed. As all firearms training goes, it should be relevant, recent, and realistic. If you are just now incorporating a firearms portion into your training, seek out a trained instructor to provide guidance. The final exercise in this course, the long ride, incorporates all of the obstacles and skills that have been demonstrated and practiced throughout the week into one ride. The officer will have to use all of these skills to avoid hazards and navigate the trail. Mobile Field Force Deployment Training doesn't stop with learning the basics. You'll be expected to master additional skills to meet the needs of your agency and jurisdiction. Officers in large cities have a longstanding history of incorporating the use of bicycles in their mobile field force deployment. Encounters requiring response by these regional, multi-agency teams are free flowing, fast moving, and often occur in very restricted areas. The organizers of current protests are using the urban environments to prevent use of large police vehicles. This makes a perfect case for the use of well-trained officers on bicycles. Bicycle Response Teams (BRTs) can be large or small, but all of them use the same training and tactics. The bikes are assumed to be less threatening but can cover more area and in a shorter amount of time. As May Day protests erupted in cities across the United States, agencies were quick to react with large-scale vehicles and tactics. The media responded with claims of over policing. Not arguing the appropriateness of the usage, there is an alternative that has been hugely effective. Training bicycle officers in the use of mobile field force tactics allows officers to parallel the groups and provide outside coverage. When properly outfitted, bicycle officers can form a skirmish line using the bicycles as a "bike fence," which clearly delineates the line between protestors and police. Many examples can be seen in the Seattle Police Department's deployment of their Bicycle Response Teams in response to protests in their city. In my agency's training, a Bicycle Response Team is considered a front line in a mobile field force operation. If the team is not providing a front line operation in that capacity, it can be used as a flanking mechanism and a crowd dispersing option. Adapting Bicycle officers can serve in many other capacities as well. The use of bicycles in policing is only limited by one's ability to adapt them to routine patrol tasks. For example, in my most recent training course, officers were tasked with looking at crime trends in their cities. Using their current models, I asked them how they could better respond using bicycles. The conversation always leads to areas that are plagued with property crimes. The current model is to stage vehicles throughout the area and provide coverage of moving targets around a specific area. Using bicycles as the model, officers can utilize plainclothes tactics to outfit officers with unassuming everyday bicycles. These bicycles can be procured from your property and evidence personnel or donated from a local university that has a surplus of abandoned bicycles. Every officer is still equipped as their policy would dictate, i.e., firearm, badge, radio, handcuffs, etc. Now officers can ride through alleyways, hide in the shadows, and look for suspicious behavior in a more unassuming manner. The officers can either call in the activity to outside officers or can properly identify themselves and take action as necessary. If using a plainclothes detail doesn't seem to work for your agency then you can saturate an area using uniformed bicycle officers. The goal is to make as many contacts in that neighborhood to educate on the crime trend. Using one method, saturation vs. plainclothes, in any given order can have a greater effect. It really just depends on the goal of the detail. Taking on the Challenge Bicycle patrol is a challenging detail that requires a good officer to become a great officer. You have to come to your job every day wanting to learn something new and make a good impression upon the public. It is dynamic and ever changing. It is rarely stale and can always be molded into something new to fit new trends. Being part of my agency's bicycle unit for the past eight years has been nothing short of amazing. It takes a hard-working group of people to make it happen, with like-minded goals, and a constant desire to learn every day. Aristotle said it best: "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." I have taught many officers from various agencies across the United States. It is a point of pride that I get to see the great work that they put forward and see agencies use bicycles as a way to reach out to their communities. It is a fantastic detail for those willing to take on the challenge. Officer Christian Bailey has served with the Scottsdale (AZ) Police Department for 10.5 years, eight of those as part of the agency's bike unit. He is currently the agency's lead instructor and has thousands of instructor hours under his belt. His latest involvement with the International Police Mountain Bike Association was at the IPMBA National Conference in Chandler, AZ, in 2015. Photo: Police File Many arrests are made without a warrant, of course. However, where the circumstances permit, "Law enforcement officers may find it wise to seek arrest warrants where practicable to do so." (U.S. v. Watson) Arrest warrants come in several varieties, including bench warrants issued by a court when a defendant fails to appear, probable-cause arrest warrants issued on the basis of sworn statements establishing PC to arrest, and warrants issued on the basis of a grand jury indictment or a prosecutor's criminal complaint. The Fourth Amendment rules on arrest warrants are the same for all varieties. Advantages of Arrest Warrants The most significant advantages of arrests made under warrants are these: Unquestionable PC. When you make a warrantless arrest on your own assessment of probable cause, you run the risk that a judge may later disagree with your determination and may rule that the suspect was arrested without PC. If that happens, there are risks of suppression of evidence, dismissal of charges, and civil liability for Fourth Amendment violation. Arrests under warrants do not run these same risks. There is no question of the PC to arrest, because "A person arrested under a warrant would have received a prior judicial determination of probable cause." (Gerstein v. Pugh) No McLaughlin hearing required. In Riverside County v. McLaughlin, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a person arrested without a warrant is entitled to a judicial determination of PC within 48 clock hours after arrest. This review can be based on reports and affidavits submitted by the arresting officer, and it does not necessitate a formal courtroom hearing. Because, as indicated in Gerstein, the PC determination has already been made by a magistrate when an arrest warrant is issued, there is no need to submit "probable cause declarations" for judicial review when the person was arrested under a warrant. In Riverside County v. McLaughlin, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a person arrested without a warrant is entitled to a judicial determination of PC within 48 clock hours after arrest. This review can be based on reports and affidavits submitted by the arresting officer, and it does not necessitate a formal courtroom hearing. Because, as indicated in Gerstein, the PC determination has already been made by a magistrate when an arrest warrant is issued, there is no need to submit "probable cause declarations" for judicial review when the person was arrested under a warrant. "Lawful performance of official duty" is satisfied. In order to convict defendants of some offenses against you, such as resisting arrest or assault on an officer, many statutes require that you be lawfully performing official duty at the time of the resistance, assault, etc. If you're acting under authority of a judicial arrest warrant, this element is satisfied without further proof (but a defendant can still offer proof that the arrest was made in an unreasonable manner, such as by the use of excessive force). The same protection applies to civil suits against you for false arrest. "Where the alleged Fourth Amendment violation involves [an arrest] pursuant to a warrant, the fact that a neutral magistrate has issued a warrant is the clearest indication that the officers acted in an objectively reasonable manner." (Messerschmidt v. Millender) Help in locating the suspect. Because crooks travel freely from one jurisdiction to another, your chances of encountering the person named in an outstanding warrant may not be great within your local jurisdiction. Fortunately, the warrant can be entered into local, statewide, and national databases, such as NCIC, enabling an officer in another jurisdiction to make the arrest when the fugitive is encountered elsewhere and is run for wants and warrants. Because crooks travel freely from one jurisdiction to another, your chances of encountering the person named in an outstanding warrant may not be great within your local jurisdiction. Fortunately, the warrant can be entered into local, statewide, and national databases, such as NCIC, enabling an officer in another jurisdiction to make the arrest when the fugitive is encountered elsewhere and is run for wants and warrants. Application of the "good faith" doctrine. If a mistake is made in serving an arrest warrant, courts are more likely to admit resulting evidence under the "good faith" doctrine than in the case of a warrantless arrest. "An arrest without a warrant bypasses the safeguards provided by an objective predetermination of probable cause. When the constitutional validity of a warrantless arrest is challenged, good faith on the part of the arresting officers is not enough." (Beck v. Ohio) If a mistake is made in serving an arrest warrant, courts are more likely to admit resulting evidence under the "good faith" doctrine than in the case of a warrantless arrest. "An arrest without a warrant bypasses the safeguards provided by an objective predetermination of probable cause. When the constitutional validity of a warrantless arrest is challenged, good faith on the part of the arresting officers is not enough." (Beck v. Ohio) Entry to arrest is authorized. A series of U.S. Supreme Court rulings has established that law enforcement officers may constitutionally enter into private premises only with one or more of four justifications: (1) consent, (2) exigent circumstances, (3) probation or parole term, or (4) search or arrest warrant. Of these, the category that provides the most protection against suppression of evidence and civil liability is the one that's most difficult for a suspect to challengethe warrant. If you have an arrest warrant, you may make forcible entry, if necessary, to arrest the suspect if you have reasons to believe he resides there and that he's inside when entry is made. As the Supreme Court said in Payton v. New York, "For Fourth Amendment purposes, an arrest warrant founded on probable cause implicitly carries with it the limited authority to enter a dwelling in which the suspect lives when there is reason to believe the suspect is within." An Important Limitation Although Payton held that an arrest warrant for a resident allows entry into his residence when there's reason to believe he's home, the court restricted this ruling to premises where the suspect is reasonably believed to reside. An arrest warrant is not authority for entry into other residences where the suspect may be temporarily visiting. This limitation was made clear in Steagald v. U.S. Federal officers had an arrest warrant for Ricky Lyons on drug charges. They developed information that Lyons might be temporarily inside the home of Gary Steagald, so they went to Steagald's house, entered, and searched. Lyons was not inside, but officers found cocaine and arrested Steagald. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the cocaine suppressed as the "fruit" of unreasonable entry. Said the court, "While the arrest warrant in this case may have protected Lyons from an unreasonable seizure, it did absolutely nothing to protect Steagald's privacy interest in being free from an unreasonable invasion and search of his home. A search warrant was required." So, Steagald means that when you have an arrest warrant for A and you believe (or even know) he's visiting in B's home, you cannot make non-consensual, non-exigent entry into B's home to search for and arrest A. You have to get a search warrant for B's home, to look for A. In many jurisdictions, such a warrant is unofficially known as a "Steagald warrant." Speedy Trial, Due Process, and "Due Diligence" It's not enough to get an arrest warrant and enter it into databases, hoping someone else will pick up your suspect for you. Because the suspect has constitutional rights to a speedy trial and to due process, he has a right to be put on notice of the charges against him in a timely manner, so he can preserve evidence of his defense and can be tried before memories of witnesses become stale and unreliable. (Doggett v. U.S.) To prevent dismissal of the case long after an arrest warrant was issued, the prosecution has to show that officers exercised "due diligence" to try to locate and apprehend the suspect. This often requires officers to keep a record of attempts to serve the warrant and to locate a fugitive, showing that you made repeated visits to his LKA, contacted relatives, checked DMV and utility records, scanned social media sites, put the warrant into NCIC, etc. Safety First On average, one of every 12 officers killed in the line of duty each year is killed while serving an arrest warrant or attempting an arrest. While warrants can protect you against suppression of evidence and civil liability, they don't stop a bullet. Stay alert, and stay alive. Devallis Rutledge is a former police officer and veteran prosecutor who currently serves as special counsel to the Los Angeles County district attorney. He is the author of a dozen books, including "Investigative Constitutional Law." Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Democrats go on the attack and sound the alarm bells after Republicans in Wisconsin admit that they are trying to steal the 2016 election. During an interview with TMJ4, Rep. Glenn Grothman all but admitted that the purpose of Wisconsins voter ID law is to rig the state for Republicans: You know that a lot of Republicans, since 1984 in the presidential races, have not been able to win in Wisconsin, Benson said. Why would it be any different for Ted Cruz or a Donald Trump? After explaining that he thought Hillary Clinton is a weak nominee for the Democrats, Grothman said now we have photo ID, and I think photo ID is gonna make a little bit of a difference as well. Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair, Martha Laning mentioned the voter ID law in her statement about the Democratic primary results, and said that the GOPs voter suppression tactics didnt work, Republicans have imposed unnecessary photo ID laws, curtailed early voting hours, and failed to extend those early voting times in the face of state servers going down for hours last Friday. In spite of these hurdles, Democratic voters made sure they were prepared and came out to vote for a candidate to continue the successes of President Barack Obama. DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said, Today, across Wisconsin reports of long lines, worker shortages, and confusion over the states restrictive Photo ID law were made worse as polling locations ran out of ballots. Regrettably, this was the inevitable result of decisions made by Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the GOP-led legislature to intentionally make it harder for students, women, minorities, working parents, the elderly, and the poor to vote. And this is not an isolated incident. What we saw in Wisconsin today is business as usual for the GOP. Time and again, all across the country, the Republican Party has worked to make it harder for the American people to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Just this week the Supreme Court rejected a conservative attempt to undermine the basic principle of One Person, One Vote, and the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the decision by the Republican Recorder in Maricopa County to dramatically decrease the number of polling locations in Phoenix, where the vast majority of the states residents live. Wisconsin Republicans seemed to have been a bit smarter than Arizona Republicans in their effort to suppress the vote, but even Republicans are admitting that their voter fraud excuse is a lie. The whole point of voter ID laws is to make the electorate smarter by targeting voters who are more likely to vote Democratic. The good news for Democrats is that even with the voter ID law, Republicans are doomed in Wisconsin if Donald Trump is their nominee. The bad news is that there is a coordinated effort by federal, state, and local Republicans to suppress the vote. Scott Walker is trying to rig Wisconsin for the Republican Party, which is why Democrats all across the country must stand up, speak out, and not allow Republicans to get away with their plan to steal the 2016 election. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump supporters were caught by members the media in attendance at his rally in New York offering to help rough up protesters. Nick Confessore, political reporter for The New York Times, tweeted : 1/ Everyone I've interviewed at the Trump rally in Long Island has been perfectly pleasant but Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) April 6, 2016 2/ every time I walk by the protests there's a drunk chucklehead or two offering to help the cops "work them over" or yelling out "faggots" Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) April 6, 2016 Donald Trump pretends like he has nothing to do with the violence at his rallies, but the culture at his events comes from the candidate. More proof of the adversarial nature of his events was tweeted about by MSNBCs Peter Alexander, who captured the crowd turning on the reporters in attendance after being directed to do by the candidate. Alexander tweeted : Trump taunts the media, cuing 10K supporters to turn to press riser and chant: "Losers!" pic.twitter.com/gOTWJ5bSsF Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) April 6, 2016 The Trump rallies are the complete opposite of what occurs at the events of every other presidential candidate. Some Trump supporters attend these events with violence on their minds. Trump is not enabling and empowering a political movement. He has become an outlet for the rage of white male conservatives who see themselves as no longer at the top of the nations political hierarchy. Trump has manipulated that collective anger into an ugly force for violence and division. Donald Trump planted the seed, and now his supporters view his rallies as the perfect venue for violence. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The New York Daily News is taking on all of the 2016 presidential candidates, but tomorrows cover is especially personal, telling Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to take the F U train for dissing New York values. They tweeted Wednesday evening, Tomorrows front page: TAKE THE F U TRAIN, TED! Cruz jeered in bungled Bronx tour. Angry New Yorkers greeted the Republican Senator on his mend-fences and drum-up-votes visit in anticipation of the April 19th primary. They were angry about Cruzs contemptuous New York values comment and his immigration stance. The New York Daily News reported: Cruz was crucified during a stop in the Bronx, where residents and elected leaders derided him for insulting the city and the borough, only to come crawling back begging for money and votes. Just because he has a Hispanic last name does not mean hes Hispanic, said hairstylist Edna Ferrer, 57, who was chastising Cruz supporters outside a campaign event in the Bronx. His mind is white. At a January Fox Business GOP debate in South Carolina, Cruz snidely slammed the New York values of Donald Trump, who was born in Queens. Maria Bartiromo, a Fox Business moderator, said she is from New York but she had no idea what New York values were. So Cruz said to much appreciation from the audience, You are from New York so you might not, but I promise you here in the state of South Carolina, they do. That was Ted Cruz playing on the Civil War resentment that continues to linger in the south and has a ripe home in South Carolina, where effigies of President Obama are lawn ornaments. Cruz condescended to explain, Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal or pro-abortion or pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media. Speaking of Ted Cruz dissing New Yorkers for focusing on money, Ted Cruz has found New York quite lucrative. The Hill reported in January: Cruzs presidential campaign has raised at least $470,851 from New York donors in the first three quarters of fundraising this primary season, making the state his fourth most lucrative in the U.S., according to the nonpartisan campaign finance group the Center for Responsive Politics. Not only that, but Cruzs second-largest super-PAC contribution a check for $11 million came from financier Robert Mercer, whose hedge fund Renaissance Technologies is headquartered in East Setauket, N.Y. Darn those New York values with the focus on money. Cruz also used the term on a January 12 radio interview with Howie Carr, saying, You know Donald comes from New York and he embodies New York values. Asked on this visit to explain what he meant by the term, the Texas Republican most famous for leading a shut down of the government in a show effort to defund Obamacare said in an interview with George Stephanopoulos that will air Thursday, April 7 on Good Morning America that he was mocking the liberal, New York Democrats. Let me be very clear. The people that I was talking about are the liberal New York Democrats who have hammered this state. It is people like Mayor Bill de Blasio. It is people like Governor Cuomo, Cruz said. Cruz is in the state to get votes. So like the charming uniter he is, he led with an insult. When they tell you to take the F U train out of town, your primary campaign could be doing better. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print * The following is an opinion column by R Muse * Although it has been out of the news for a while, the Keystone XL pipeline reared its ugly head again and the corporate media never paid attention because Republicans championing the ecological disaster were not the source of the news. One of the primary concerns to landowners in near proximity to the proposed pipeline was a tar sand leak that has dangerous levels of benzene and a tendency to sink through soil until it saturates the ground and percolates back to the surface. There was an event in South Dakota over the weekend in a TransCanada pipeline that the company tried to keep quiet and no South Dakota Republican said a single word. The conservative media has been silent on the event as well. On Saturday afternoon past, the thing local residents and landowners feared most about the Keystone XL pipeline was realized by a Hutchinson County, South Dakota land owner. The landowner, Loren Schulz, noticed there was something different about the appearance of the water and quickly discovered there was oil in the surface water near the Keystone pipelines right-of-way and reported the spill. It took an entire day, but Canadian corporation TransCanada finally arrived on the scene and shut down the portion of the Keystone pipeline which originates in Alberta, Canada and goes to Steele City, Nebraska. This part of the pipeline was not the embattled northern Keystone XL route rejected last year by President Obama; TransCanada has been transporting tar sands crude through its extensive renamed Gulf Coast pipeline network for some years. The Keystone pipeline, as a project, was split into sections to provide TransCanada a more fortuitous route to move Canadian tar sands bitumen to the Gulf of Mexico to be refined and exported around the world; it does not stay in America. If not for landowners noticing the oil flowing on area surface water, TransCanada would still be counting its oil dollars because its pipeline pressure sensors were not reporting what was an obvious leak. It took a day to get a representative at the spill site and likely only because the foreign company learned that the media had been informed there was a spill. However, after local media did break the news about the spill, TransCanada reacted instantly and blocked all access to the affected area to prevent anyone from seeing or documenting the contamination oozing up from the ground. To demonstrate the power a foreign oil corporation wields over America, as reported by Julie Dermansky of the DeSmogBlog, It was impossible to document by photography the spill site or contaminated soil and water from the sky according to Bold Nebraska. Jane Kleeb told DeSmog that The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forbade the pilot she hired to fly over the site because it was deemed closed airspace until May 8. As of April 6, the FAA lifted the airspace restriction; probably due to what little pressure the non-mainstream media coverage applied. According to Bold Nebraskas Jane Kleeb; To have the FAA close off airspace for a foreign corporation is a big problem. We want to take our own pictures. With 100 clean-up workers on site, we have a right to be taking our own pictures and finding out our own information. According to a report by DeSmog Blog; If the public isnt able to take their own pictures of the site, they shouldnt expect to see any for several years, if at all. Any photos of the contamination made publicly available will come either from TransCanada or the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); the agency responsible for regulating interstate pipelines. Even then, whatever photos or documentation PHMSA has access to is precisely what TransCanada turns over about its pipeline spills. Due to the agencys rules, it cannot and does not share any information with the public until its investigations are finalized; a task that can take years. Even then there is no guarantee a report on an investigation will include accurate photographs; especially if TransCanada does not provide pictures of their pipelines damage. A former TransCanada materials engineer-turned-whistleblower, Evan Vokes, said If there is an oil spill the probable source of the spill is at the site of a bad weld. And bad welds are inevitable when welding is not done to code. Mr. Vokes also refuted TransCanadas claim there was very little tar sand crude that spilled because there were not thousands of gallons on the surface. Vokes said, It can take a lot of oil to leak before enough of it percolates up to the surface level for someone to notice. Vokes also said he is relatively certain that much more oil spilled than TransCanada estimated, or admitted publicly, because when oil leaks underground, It moves along wherever subsurface water moves making even a rough estimate of the spills size incredibly difficult. TransCanadas leak detection equipment cant pick up a leak until 2% of the pressure in a pipeline drops. Which is what makes small leaks like this dangerous since they can go undetected for a long time. It is possible the Keystone pipeline has many other small leaks that have not been identified yet at the sites of other bad welds. It is impossible to know where they are until someone notices them, and by that time the damage could be catastrophic. Even Though TransCanada confirmed its leak detection system did not pick up the spill, it refused to confirm if the product in the line was diluted bitumen or regular crude. But it is likely that if product came directly from Alberta Canada and spilled in South Dakota it is diluted bitumen, also known as dilbit; and it is extremely toxic to the air, water, soil and all life. It is dilbit that the big Keystone XL pipeline was going to carry across America and a major drinking water source for tens-of-millions of Americans. It was also planned to traverse across Americas breadbasket that even a moderate spill would have decimated for a decade; and Keystone was going to leak, if not rupture, according to TransCanadas horrible record. For example, Canadian regulators have documented 21 major incidents in the Keystone pipelines first year of operation. On the American side, U.S regulators identified 62 deficiencies in TransCanadas pipeline operations according to a letter PHMSA sent to TransCanada just last year. Although the U.S. PHMSA has fined the company for blatantly and deliberately violating rules, it has never taken the appropriate action to stop Keystones construction; even when inspectors caught the company red-handed breaking the rules. Although there is no excuse for PHMSA not fulfilling its responsibility as a regulatory agency, it is worth noting that Republicans have spent no small amount of time and effort slashing the budgets of all manner of regulatory agencies. It is a travesty that this latest, but not the last, Keystone spill was not any part of any recent news cycle to remind Americans what lay in store for the nation if that ecological disaster was built across one of the largest agricultural areas in the nation. It is also reprehensible that regulators are will to levy fines on TransCanada and yet have not shut down the pipeline until it meets each and every safety standard. What is criminal is that if not for an observant landowner, it appears that TransCanada would have ignored the spill if it was not picked up by local media. If nothing else, TransCanada failed to have adequate and required safety measures in place to know there was a leak, but safety is about as important to a foreign corporation as regulations they willfully refuse to conform to. h/t DeSmogBlog Updated and corrected: A previous version of this article contained inaccurate information consisting of mis- and un- attributed quotes. Apologies to DeSmogBlog and Julie Dermansky Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In the midst of President Obamas live discussion about the need to break the Republican obstruction of his Supreme Court nominee, MSNBC cut off the President to go to a report about Donald Trump hiring new campaign operatives as if it were breaking news. MSNBC also repeated the non-breaking news that Guiliani is endorsing Trump. Their next story was Ted Cruz. CNN broke away even earlier, cutting off the President just as he started getting into the issue, lest any of their viewers actually have a chance to learn something. The dumbing down of the news is a big part of why Americans are so often less informed on the issues than they could be and should be to protect our democracy. Ironically, as Obama was discussing why our political system is broken and our media has hardened partisanship, MSNBC cut off coverage to switch to discussing Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. MSNBCs decision to cut off breaking news about the nomination of a judge who could be the nations next Supreme Court justice illustrated why corporate cable news cant be trusted to inform viewers. The corporate media has decided that Donald Trump equals profit, so they made the decision to feed viewers more political junk food while ignoring the substance behind the Republican obstruction that is weakening the Judicial Branch of the federal government. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print During a comprehensive conversation with law students at the University of Chicago, President Obama showed the nation what a real president is made of while illustrating why Donald Trump is an idiot. Video: Obama discussed how the nation got to such a hardened partisan state, I think what changed is when Congress and the Senate itself began to change. I think in some ways the judicial process is a casualty of some broader problems. First of all our politics have become much more polarized. Theres been something called the great sorting because of gerrymandering, because of how our media works where folks either watch Fox News, or they read the New York Times, but rarely do both, positions get hardened and reinforced. Partisans carry more weight within each party. The notion of a liberal Republican or a conservative Democrat those things broke down, so politics itself got more polarized. The President said that Democrats are not blameless, but there has not been a circumstance in which a Republican presidents appointee did not get a hearing or vote, and in general have been confirmed even where there have been strong objections. Obama also laid out why Mitch McConnells obstruction is dangerous to our democracy, What you have here is I think a circumstance in which those in the Senate have decided that placating our base is more important than upholding their constitutional and institutional roles in our democracy in a way that is dangerous. And there are other examples of it, but this judicial nominating process has become an extreme example of it. President Obama didnt limit himself to discussing his Supreme Court nominee. Obama discussed American government with a detail and scope that sounded as the Commander In Chief should. Compare Obamas depth and intellect with Donald Trumps plan to appoint a new Supreme Court justice if he wins, Im going to get a list of anywhere from five to 10 judges, and those are going to be the judges that Im going to put in. It will be one of those judges, and I will guarantee it personally, like we do in the world of business, which we dont like to do too often. But I will guarantee it that those are going to be the first judges that I put up for nomination if I win. And that should solve the problem, and I think thats a good idea, right? Trump is going to hire a Supreme Court Justice. He is not going to tell the country anything about what kind of justice he will appoint. Trump is just going to get a list together and appoint somebody. At the University of Chicago, President Obama showed the country the thoughtful intelligent that voters should demand out of their president. Obama is the standard that voters should measure their presidential candidates by. In comparison to Barack Obama, Donald Trump is a fool. Donald Trumps sloganeering cant hide his basic ignorance. The Republican frontrunner is running a campaign for the misinformed by the misinformed. By showing what this country should expect from their president, Obama revealed everything that Donald Trump is not. Chicago Strip Clubs Could Serve Liquor, And Help Fund Anti-Sexual Assault Programs By Mae Rice in News on Apr 7, 2016 6:14PM Photo via brh_images on Flickr Heres a fun fact about strip clubs in Chicago: Currently, if a local strip club has dancers who perform topless, it cant obtain a liquor license, though patrons can still BYOB. (Why? We have no idea.) A new ordinance spearheaded by Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) could change that, though, and allow topless dancing and liquor service in the same venue. The ordinance passed the Chicago City Council's zoning committee this past Tuesday, and goes up for a final vote in City Council on Wednesday. Other states already have these type of regulations of their clubs, Mitts told Chicagoist. Chicago just needs to be a world-class city where [we] have the same regulations. The ordinance would make Chicago a more enticing place to visit, but it would also "help regulate these clubs, Mitts said. The current BYOB option in Chicago strip clubs means theres no regulation in terms of the intake of ones drinking, she said. If they were [serving liquor] inside it could be regulated. In other words, if strip clubs had liquor licenses, bartenders and waitresses could cut off excessively intoxicated patrons. This would solve a lot of problems, especially for Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), whose ward is home to strip club The Factory. I do not support the concept of a strip club, Beale told Chicagoist. I actually fought the opening of my strip club. It opened in spite of his best efforts, though, and of late its caused huge problems, he said, because people have brought in large amounts of hard alcohol. In fact, the city recently shut down The Factory, Beale said, due to a shooting on the premises, numerous fights inside, and parking congestion Beale called totally out of control. It was just very poorly managed and operated, he summarized. The club recently reopened under new ownership, but Beale wants to ensure it's not another "crazy" incarnation of the club, and "it's easier to shut down a business with a liquor license if youre having problems, he said. So, although he opposes strip clubs from a moral standpoint, he supports Mitts ordinance. This isnt the first time such an ordinance has reached City Council. A very similar one went up for a vote two years ago, and didnt pass due to concerns it would encourage prostitution and human trafficking, according to the Sun-Times. I dont agree thats what this ordinance will do, Mitts said. Beale agreed. Though hes received numerous complaints about The Factory over the years, he said, none have been allegations of prostitution. (His top concern was actually drunk driving.) Even so, Mitts said even she didn't support the previous incarnation of this ordinance. Shes changed her stance because "I was able to attach a community benefit agreement this time around, she explained. I was able to secure $400,000 for a domestic violence shelter and sexual assault prevention program. That funding would come from strip club owners, Mitts said. Ald. Carrie Austin critiqued the ordinance (and its sponsor) from a religious standpoint, but Mitts said she isn't taking the comments to heart. Im just surprised that Emma would do this, Austin told the Sun-Times. Shes a Christian woman. "I'm still a Christian woman, Mitts told Chicagoist. As lawmakers, we have to put our Christianity aside for our public and whatever people are doing." She didn't want her Christian values to deter her from doing "something I knew... was right." "It's not my position to judge what folks do, she added. Strip clubs arent totally out of keeping with Mitts values, either. She went to one in Wisconsin once, in her late teens or early twenties. That was my first one and it was my last one, she said. Still, she enjoyed it. Sure we had fun! We hadnt seen that before. So shes moving ahead with this ordinance, even though there are no strip clubs in her ward. "If there's a problem, and you can help to prevent the problem, whether it's in the ward or out of the ward... then why not do that? she said, adding, "I do believe [this ordinance] will be successful in passing. If the ordinance passes Wednesday, it will go into effect 30 days from Wednesday, on May 13, according to Mitts. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print During a gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Chicago, White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz was asked about Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) remarks about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton not being qualified to be president last night. Schultz said Obama believes Hillary Clinton is qualified to be President and that she comes to the race with more experience than any non Vice President in recent campaign history, according to a White House pool report. Schultz continued to say that President Obama was fortunate to have her serve in his administration as Secretary of State and he was proud of that service. President Obama has not officially endorsed either candidate running for the 2016 Democratic nomination, but he does have Clintons back when it comes to questions about her qualifications. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print First-term Republican Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois broke with his party in order to meet with President Obamas Supreme Court nominee Justice Merrick Garland. For his effort at appearing to do his job, Kirk was rewarded by President Obama with a very gracious note. A very clever Kirk tweeted a thank you to the President along with the note Thursday morning, hyping his responsibility to his constituents as being more important than partisanship, Thanks @POTUS. I met w/ Judge Garland because my responsibility to people of #IL is more important than partisanship: Thanks @POTUS. I met w/ Judge Garland because my responsibility to people of #IL is more important than partisanship pic.twitter.com/4EloRLfDlo Mark Kirk (@SenatorKirk) April 7, 2016 This is a politically clever Republican, a rare sight in D.C. these days, so take note. In 2010, Kirk swept in with the Tea Party madness and took Obamas Illinois Senate seat with less than a 2 point margin in a non presidential election year. He has long been rated one of the most vulnerable 2016 candidates. Republicans already faced an uphill battle with the map in 2016 as the defending party in 24 out of 34 races, 7 of which are in states President Obama carried in 2012. And that was before Donald Trump and Ted Cruz dominated their party primary. Kirk is seen as too moderate for ultra conservatives in Illinois, and supporters of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) are not fans. It is likely that Kirk will be facing two-term Representative and Democratic favorite Tammy Duckworth, who was endorsed by both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday. Yes, Wednesday, as in yesterday, as in the very next day Kirk is tweeting out a thank you from President Obama, a very popular figure in his home state of Illinois. Duckworth has a plus 6 margin against Kirk according to Real Clear Politics. It was Duckworth who pressed Kirk when the Senator refused to respond to questions asking if he was going to follow his partys obstruction. The Chicago Tribune reported on February 15th: Sen. Mark Kirk must immediately level with the people of Illinois and let us know whether he supports the Constitution, or if hell be a rubber stamp for (Senate Republican leader) Mitch McConnells obstructionist and unconstitutional gambit, Duckworth said. Duckworth said taking the congressional oath of office does not cease to apply in an election year, nor does it cease to exist for the benefit of a political party that lost the last presidential election and wishes to impose a procedural do-over. So now we have the answer. Senator Kirk wants to save his seat and he wants it so much he is willing to even show a modicum of respect for the President by not refusing to do part 1 of the most basic part of his job as a Senator meeting with the SCOTUS nominee. This is how the Republican strategy of obstruction against President Obama makes them so much more vulnerable in a year in which they are fighting in 7 states Obama carried in 2012. It is truly difficult to imagine a more ignorant strategy than the one Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced within hours of Justice Scalias death. It has fired up Democrats and placed vulnerable Republicans in even more peril. It turns out, sucking up to President Obama by doing their job is a much smarter strategy. What a sick burn. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wants to believe and he wants you to believe that Republican voters are channeling the spirit of the Revolutionary War. Before you gag, King said the Tea Party yes, the corporate sponsored, astro-turf Tea Party goes back to the pipes of the Revolutionary War because they stole the Gladsen flag? Who knows? Its just a shame they dont like the American flag as much as the Confederate or Nazi flags. King was talking to Breitbart of course, where as with World Net Daily, crazy of all sorts sells. He told Breitbart News Daily host Stephen K. Bannon that, We have watched this within the Tea Party, and they are full-spectrum, conservative Christian, constitutional conservatives for the most part and they dont exclude people who are conservatives that happen to be of another faith or religion at all, theyre very welcoming to all people that would join the cause but that energy and fervor that goes back to that, lets say goes back to the pipes of the revolutionary war, thats something that motivates us, were rooted in our history, its a common historical experience that we have. Listen courtesy of Right Wing Watch: A lot of people fought the British during the American Revolution for a lot of different reasons. Why the Founding Fathers fought might not have had a lot to do with why a Presbyterian in the wilds of Pennsylvania, or an Anglican on the frontiers of Georgia fought. And truth be told, a lot of people did not fight. Some were perfectly content with King George and Parliament. You know, people who dont like change. Conservatives. For example, most Anglicans in the South were Patriots while most in New England were loyalists or neutral. The American Revolution, despite what some historians would like to believe, was not just a war for independence but an actual revolution, a revolution in thought and government. For example, Michael Stephenson (Patriot Battles, 2008) writes, In general the war was not revolutionary in any military sense or, one could argue, in any social one either. But this is patently untrue. If Stephenson is right, why did Rip Van Winkle fall asleep before the Revolutionary War and wake up after it and feel so lost? As another historian writes, the eminent Gordon S. Wood (Empire of Liberty, 2009), When Rip entered his old village, he immediately felt lost. The buildings, the faces, the names were all strange and incomprehensible. The very village was altered it was larger and more populous, and idleness, except among the aged, was no longer tolerated. The very character of the people seemed changed. There was a busy, bustling disputatious tone about it, instead of the accustomed phlegm and drowsy tranquility a terrifying situation for Rip, who had had an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labour. Even the language was strange rights of citizens elections members of Congress libertyand other words which were a perfect babylonish jargon to the bewildered Van Winkle. When people asked him on which side he voted and whether he was Federal or a Democrat, Rip could only stare in vacant stupidity. Far from there being no revolution, social or otherwise, Wood notes that many Americans, like Rip and his creatorwondered what had happened and who they really were. As Wood writes, these changes were demographic and commercial and affected every aspect of American life. How could this not be a revolution? Americans suddenly found themselves cast out of the aristocratic world of 1774 and into a democratic maelstrom guided by ideas like equality, that every American was suddenly anybodys equal. Something that, by turns, annoyed, amazed, and amused Europeans no end. And this is the thing: conservatives dont launch revolutions. The American revolution was a liberal revolution. Conservatism supports and sustains the status quo. You have seen what results when conservatives are entrenched in power, it is not liberalisms liberty, but as Bernie Sanders has pointed out loudly and frequently, oligarchy. The rule not of the many, but of the few. The only kind of revolution conservatives can launch is a counter-revolution. And that is what drives the spirit of Republican politics in 2016 a counter-revolution to the revolution of 1776, or, as historian Kevin Phillips writes (1775: A Good Year for Revolution, 2012), the real watershed year, 1775 without the events of which David McCulloughs best-seller 1776 (2005) would never have needed to be written. King claimed, And they know that the Declaration and the Constitution were shaped then, and if we fail to adhere to those values, if this is the time to restore and refurbish the pillars of American exceptionalism, that if we fail, our Constitution will be lost. And thats the 80 percent out there of the Republicans and thats about the zero percent of the Democrats. Despite all the high blown talk about the Constitution, Republicans at heart hate the Constitution and would prefer to go back to the days of the Articles of Confederation when America lacked a strong central government and each state could do as it wished, when each could be its own little jihadist state a Talibangelical Afghanistan. That has nothing to do with the spirit of the Revolutionary War, obviously. But that means, in a sense, that King is right, except, the spirit he is talking about is the spirit that opposed the Revolution, and not the spirit which drove it. He is talking about the conservatism that drove some Americans to support the status quo of 1774. For example, as Kevin Phillips relates of 1775, the new southern backcountry settlements and large influx of poor whites also disturbed the coastal planter elites, who feared losing control of politics in the Carolinas and Georgia. I dont want to put words in Phillips mouth, but doesnt that sound a lot like the reaction of Republican elites to the large influx of blacks and Latinos, and the (largely imaginary) influx of Muslims) today? Revolutions involve the loss of political power by one group and the gaining of political power by another. Parliament and the King lost it, and the colonists gained it. Aristocratic colonists also lost it as everybody else gained it that equality we talked about earlier. A counter revolution puts the punctuation to decades of (largely successful) conservative reaction to, and rollback of, the American Revolution, the New Deal, and the successes of Johnsons Great Society, and the Civil Rights Movement liberal movements all. Here is the other thing, and I will leave you with this: The Declaration of Independence is a liberal document. The Constitution more so. America gave the world freedom when it had known none. The status quo was banished. Gone was the heretofore unshakable idea that God sustained kings as his representatives on this earth. The limited freedoms of the English Magna Carta were as nothing to the voice of the American revolutionaries, chanting their cry that political power derives from the hands of the people themselves. If, as historian Joseph Ellis argues (Revolutionary Summer, 2013), 1776 was the last chance of the British to crush the Revolution militarily, we liberals can hope hope that 2016 is another watershed moment, and the last chance of modern counter-revolutionaries the GOP to crush the revolution politically. 3 CPS Schools Make National List Of Public Schools With Best Academics By Sophie Lucido Johnson in News on Apr 7, 2016 7:16PM Northside College Prep (photo via Facebook) Chicago doesn't exactly have a reputation for good public education. Between massive budget cuts, pension problems, city-wide teacher strikes and a multimillion dollar spending scandal, CPS barely has legs to stand on. But despite the system's downward spiral, CPS got one victory today: three Chicago public schools earned spots on a 2016 list of High Schools with the Best Academics in America. Niche, a research company that compiles data and interviews in order to rank schools, released the list. Niche used opinions from more than 300,000 students and parents to compile these rankings, along with graduation rates and scores on the SAT/ACT and Advanced Placement tests. Making the list this year were Northside College Preparatory Academy, which ranked fifth; Walter Payton College Prep, which ranked 12th; and Young Magnet School, which ranked 33rd. Northside ranked ahead of any public school in New York City or Los Angeles. While these high rankings might seem like a feather in CPS' cap, one shouldn't ignore the context. Chicago has an essentially two-tiered public school system: the upper tier are selective enrollment high schools, and the lower tier are not. Northside, Payton, and Young are all selective enrollment, which means they vet applicants before admitting them. Factors in the admission process include grades, test scores, an entrance exam and socio-economic status. Of the 95 district-run high schools in Chicago, 11 have selective enrollment. (The others are Brooks, Hancock, Jones, King, Lane, Lindblom, South Shore, and Westinghouse.) The testing statistics at all three Top 50 schools look great: Business Insider reported that Northside's average SAT score last year was 2040, Payton's was 2070 and Young's was 1900. (The maximum score is 2400, and the national average score is 1500.) The schools also passed AP tests at rates of 94.8 percent, 82 percent and 77.1 percent, respectively. The overall demographics of the schools, however, differ starkly from the overall population of CPS students. As of last year, 41.1 percent of the Northside's students were from low-income households; Payton had 30.5 percent; and Young had 45 percent. On the whole, CPS reports that 90 percent of its students are from low-income households. The majority of students at the three top-ranked high schools are white and Asian, too, whereas white and Asian students make up just 13 percent of CPS students overall. The smart manufacturing facilities in Jiangsu Dasheng Group Co Ltd, a textile company in Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/China Daily] The sheer scale of the Chinese market gives the country an edge to develop smart manufacturing, said David Cruickshank, the global chairman of the professional services firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. But to succeed, he said, companies not only need to upgrade their systems but also have to extend the scope of smart manufacturing to the entire business. His comments come as the central government is pressing ahead with the Made in China 2025 initiative to encourage companies to apply automation to build more intelligent manufacturing solutions that rely less on labor. It also encourages customization of goods, instead of focusing on mass production. Globally, there are several versions of smart manufacturing: Germany's Industry 4.0 route starts from integrating hardware and software for the manufacturing process and leveraging Internet while in the United States, the concept of Industrial Internet refers to the integration of complex machinery with sensors and software. Cruickshank said it is important to tailor each market with different approaches, taking account of current supply chain and infrastructure. "There are many concepts ... To me the essence is it allows manufacturers to get very close to their end users and to have consumer input into what is being manufactured. "The direct connection bears implication for distribution networks. For example, in the United Kingdom where I am based, high-street retailers are struggling (due to smart manufacturing)," he said. China's biggest strength, according to Cruickshank, is its absolute scale. The huge market means the ability to scale up and respond to consumer trends quickly when you have hundreds of millions of consumers, he said. "The scale of the market gives people opportunities to experience different models... Experimenting different models can happen very easily in China." Lawrence Chia, CEO of Deloitte China, agreed, noting that most multinationals have competed each other in the Chinese market to experiment various techniques. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Lots of the focus of this legislative session revolves around road and bridge funding and providing tax relief. While these bills await action in their respective conference committees, I continue pushing to assist our senior citizen population in Minnesota. Next year, 60,000 Minnesotans will turn 65, and by 2020, we'll have more seniors in our state than K-12 students. There's no question we're facing an aging population who need improvements to health care, housing, transportation and career help. One of my bills, House File 3036, was heard in the Aging and Long-Term Care Policy Committee last week. The legislation establishes a Division of Healthy Aging within the Minnesota Department of Health and requires a report to the Legislature by January. This provides MDH the resources to find more ways to help our increasing aging population. I also support a bill proposed by House Republicans to exempt Social Security from state income taxes. More than 40 states exempt this income to the benefit of their senior citizens. There's no reason our seniors should have to pay extra state taxes on Social Security. A recent study by the Center of the American Experiment found Minnesota lost almost $1 billion in net income in 2013 and 2014 to other, mostly lower-tax, states because people move away from our state. I say we try to make Minnesota a more tax-friendly place, especially for our seniors. Our aging population is growing, and our laws have to stay in front of this wave. It's time to act now and assist our senior citizens. ADVERTISEMENT Nels Pierson, a Republican from Rochester, represents District 26B in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He can be reached by phone at 651-296-4378 or by email at rep.nels.pierson@house.mn. Yes, at the GEC voting center at the Westin. Yes, at one of the satellite voting centers open on Saturdays. No; I'm voting on Nov. 8. No; I'm not voting in the general election. Vote View Results My goodness, while everyone is looking at the Donald Trump circus in the GOP, are we taking in the unraveling of the Democrats? First up, Chris Matthews takes his horses ass act to former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton on who will pay for all this free college Bernie (and also Hillary) wants. The result is not pretty: But the big story of today is the Big Dog himself, Billy Clinton, going all Sister Souljah on Black Lives Matter protesters who interrupted his speech. This is going to leave a markon Hillary. And I suggest every GOP office holder make a point of quoting Bill Clinton incessantly about BLM. This is why he won two elections in the 1990s. (Video is less than 1 minute.) More! Here Clinton says a lot of things are coming apart around the world now. And just whos been in charge of this? And who was secretary of state for much of this chaos? Its almost as though he doesnt really want Hillary to win. Last Friday, protesters at the University of Pennsylvania shut down a campus foreign policy discussion forum featuring CIA director John Brennan. They accomplished this by disrupting Brennans speech. The protest was organized by Penns chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). I shouldnt be surprised that SDS, an odious and notoriously anti-democratic outfit from the 1960s to which I once belonged, is back. Heck, even the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a violent, radical labor organization of the late 19th century, has been revived. Everything bad is new again. While Brennan was speaking at Penn, protesters chanted the CIA is a terrorist organization, Drones kill kids, and the ever-popular Black lives matter, a proposition the connection of which to Brennan and the CIA is unclear. Brennan responded that drones are valuable weapons and observed that drone strikes have killed ISIS leaders. This made no impression on the rads, who, presumably, are neutral or likely worse about the killing of ISIS leaders. They began shouting, No justice, no peace, no US in Middle East. Then, inevitably, they also unfurled a Palestinian flag. The event moderators, Marjorie Margolies (Chelea Clintons mother-in-law) and law school dean Theodore Ruger, tried to reason with the protesters. To no avail. Reportedly, a Philadelphia-born Irishman in the crowd urged the protesters to allow Brennan to speak. One protester responded, go back to your own country. If the country in question had been Syria, say, the protester would have committed a hate crime. Eventually, Brennan gave up his efforts to speak, but the protest continued. Security began ushering the crowd out of the auditorium. As people were leaving, according to one forum attendee, an old woman from the audience stopped a black female protester and criticized her for interrupting the event. The old woman pointed her cane for emphasis. In response, the witness said, the protester ripped the cane from the old ladys hands and threw it. How dare you do that! the protester reportedly yelled. Im not a slave. Youre not my slave master. You cant tell me what to do! Afterward, The Statesman, a conservative-leaning publication at Penn, created an online petition calling for Penns SDS chapter to apologize for the violent disruption of CIA director John Brennans speech. Naturally, SDS refused. Like Donald Trump, the radical left doesnt do apologies. The accounts I have read say that some of the protesters werent Penn students. Im pretty sure this is true. SDS has always relied to some extent on non-student agitators to disrupt college campuses. There is no dispute, however, that Penn students participated in the shouting down of Brennan. Penn should discipline these students. But dont hold your breath. Sean Sullivan and Paul Kane of the Washington Post report that Ted Cruzs attempt to unify the Republican establishment behind his candidacy is encountering significant resistance. They note that backers of Marco Rubio are prominent among mainstream Republicans who arent supporting Cruz. And, of course, Rubio himself has not endorsed the Texas man. Some distinctions are in order. Lets start with Cruzs colleagues in the Senate. As I understand it, only Mike Lee and Lindsey Graham (of all people) have come out in favor of Cruz. Id like to see a greater show of support. However, it may well be that many of Cruzs colleagues dont view him as preferable, all things considered, to John Kasich or even Donald Trump. As for Rubios big financial backers, one suspects that many of them simply cant stand Cruz. These folks are apt to be from the partys center-right rather than the conservative core. Cruzs strongly conservative views and his well-earned reputation as a bomb thrower are sure to have alienated large portions of this crowd. Rubio is a different matter. He campaigned as a hard core conservative. There were very few issues as to which he disagreed with Cruz. Rubio also campaigned an outsider who is so alienated from the Senate establishment that hes leaving the Senate out of contempt for the institution. Rubio was also vehemently anti-Trump. No one who watched the debates could believe that the Florida Senator doesnt prefer Cruz to Trump. And many of Rubios supporters would be very disappointed if it turned out that Rubio doesnt prefer Cruz to the moderate Kasich. Under these circumstances, it seems unconscionable for Rubio not to endorse Cruz. If, as some have said, Rubio is holding off because his financial supporters have urged him to, that strikes me as even worse. It would mean that Rubio is their tool. Theres another dimension to this matter, however the possibility of a contested convention. According to Sullivan and Kane, many top Republicans are hoping that a brokered convention will produce a nominee other than Trump or Cruz (and, perhaps, other than Kasich as well). Rubio may hope that a brokered convention will nominate him, though this seems almost inconceivable given the extent to which he has alienated supporters of the two frontrunners. If theres a strong possibility of a brokered convention even without leading Republicans rallying behind Cruz, then one can understand why leading Republicans are keeping their powder dry. If, on the other hand, it will take a unified front in favor of Cruz to bring about a brokered convention, thats a different matter. Right now, it looks like a contested convention is at least as likely as not. However, the reason why were talking seriously about the possibility of such a convention is that Trump has stalled recently. Perhaps his stall was inevitable, but Im of the view that it has a lot to do with important Republican figures standing up against the tycoon and backing Ted Cruz. Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Mitt Romney in Utah are probably the best examples. After Trump romped to victory in the Florida primary, the prospects for a contested convention didnt look so good. Then and there, Rubio should have endorsed Cruz to maximize the chances that, as he liked to say, the party of Abraham Lincoln will not be taken over by a con artist. Having failed to stand up and be counted then, Rubio should stand up and be counted now. We havent written much about the Senates treatment of, and the posturing by Senators surrounding, Judge Merrick Garlands nomination to the Supreme Court. The reason I havent written much is that the state of play seems clear: Judge Garland will not get a hearing before the November election. Afterwards, if a Democrat wins the presidency, Republicans will consider their options. In the absence of any real suspense, the discussion has turned to collateral matters such as which Republican Senators are willing to meet with Judge Garland, and whether they should be doing so. Some conservatives, for example, FreedomWorks, are unhappy that certain Republican Senators are holding courtesy meetings with the Judge. Reportedly, 16 or 17 of them are prepared to do so. I agree with Ed Whelan, who writes: It strikes me as trivial whether or not a Republican senator chooses to have a meeting. The important thing is holding the line against proceeding to a hearing. I suppose that FreedomWorks might imagine that not having meet-and-greets might make it easier to hold the line against having a hearing. But I dont see why that would be the case. It seems to me far more likely that by picking a fight that is not worth fighting FreedomWorks is generating unhelpful divisiveness and controversy among Republicans and distracting attention away from the heat that Democratic senators in red states ought to be receiving. Im sure that Judge Garland is a charming man, but he isnt going to be able to charm Republican Senators into breaking ranks with their leadership (though a few will anyway for reasons of political preservation). And it will be easier politically for some Republican Senators to hold the line if they have afforded Garland the courtesy of meeting him. Finally, for perspective on the fight over Garlands nomination, lets turn to Justice Scalia, whose untimely death has precipitated this battle. Im told that in a 2002 speech at SUNY-Buffalo School of Law, Scalia stated that as long as judges are the source of the Constitutions meaning, judicial selection becomes a very hot potato. Thus, every time you need to appoint a new Supreme Court justice, you are going to have a mini-plebiscite on what the Constitution means. Indeed. The New York primary, the next big GOP contest, is less than two weeks away. Matt Flegenheimer and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times offer a good preview of that race. Donald Trump is way ahead in his home state. A Monmouth University poll released on Wednesday had Trump in first place with 52 percent support. John Kasich was second with 25 percent. Ted Cruz, with 17 percent, was a distant third. Cruz recently surged in some states including, spectacularly, Wisconsin. However, its not clear that his support will increase significantly in New York. For one thing, as Trump is constantly reminding New Yorkers, Cruz famously denounced New York values during his successful run in the Iowa caucuses. For another, Cruz doesnt have the New York political establishment behind him, as was the case in Wisconsin and Utah. Indeed, to my knowledge the GOP has no powerhouse establishment figure, or powerhouse establishment, in New York. Former governor Pataki, a hugely unsuccessful candidate in the 2016 presidential contest, recently met with Cruz, but has not endorsed anyone yet. In any case, a Pataki endorsement presumably wouldnt carry anything like the weight that Scott Walkers did in Wisconsin. The same is at least as true of former Senator Alphonse DAmato, who has endorsed John Kasich. Rudy Giulianis endorsement would carry some weight, I imagine. Giuliani hasnt endorsed anyone so far. According to the Times he has been a loyal defender of Mr. Trump in many interviews. However, since Mr. Trump posted on Twitter an unflattering photo of Mr. Cruzs wife, Heidi juxtaposed against one of Mr. Trumps wife, Melania, a former model Mr. Giuliani has been absent from public view. In any event, the New York landscape seems inhospitable to Cruz. However, the primary rules may be his, and/or Kasichs, friend. New York will send 95 delegates to the Republican convention. Three will be awarded from each of the states 27 congressional districts, for a total of 81. If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in a given district, he receives all three delegates. Otherwise, the winner in the district gets two delegates and the runner-up one. The remaining 14 delegates will all go to the statewide winner if he clears the 50 percent mark. Otherwise, these delegates will be awarded proportionally. This means that Cruz and Kasich can pick up delegates by winning, or maybe just doing well, in given congressional districts. This invites peculiar campaigning patterns. For example, the Times reports that Cruz exulting in his Midwestern triumph, made a beeline for a slice of New York that even local Republicans have long neglected: the overwhelmingly Democratic, majority-minority Bronx. There, he campaigned at a Chinese-Dominican restaurant beneath the roar of an elevated subway line. No doubt, a good time was had by all. Kasich, meanwhile, will visit Brooklyn on Thursday, and areas around Syracuse and Rochester and north of New York City in the coming days. I can imagine Kasich doing fairly well in some suburban areas. However, he is said to be short of cash. The campaign began last month with only a little more than $1 million on hand. Although it insists that there is enough money to advertise in the state, Kasich will want to pick his spots carefully, I suspect. A few weeks ago, FiveThirtyEights panel of experts predicted (as a matter of consensus) that Trump will win 71 of New Yorks 95 delegates. At this point, even if Trump wins all 95, he still probably wont be on pace to get, via caucuses and primaries, to the 1,237 he needs to be nominated. However, a victory of that magnitude would change the way people are talking about the race and possibly give the tycoon renewed momentum. If on the other hand, Trump wins a majority of the delegates but falls well short of 71, Ted Cruz and the anti-Trump forces will take heart. Once in my life, I inadvertently walked into a womens bathroom. A young lady was standing at a sink, washing her hands. She heard the door open and looked up. Our eyes met. I think we both screamed; I know I did. I fled that bathroom so fast, I would have left Usain Bolt in the dust. Now, Social Justice Warriors are telling us that the reaction which seemed so natural at the time was really a reflection of hatred and bigotry. Rather than screaming, the young lady at the sink should, apparently, have welcomed me as a fellow woman. Because in the brave new world of 2016, each of us is entitled to use whatever bathroom feels right, regardless of what our physical characteristics might be, and regardless of other peoples wishes. The city fathers and mothers of Charlotte, North Carolina, dived into the fray, adopting an ordinance expanding the states anti-discrimination laws so as to permit men and women to use bathrooms at their discretion, depending on which gender they claim to identify with at the moment. North Carolinas legislators were not amused. Problems with the Charlotte ordinance were obvious. First, the supposedly intended beneficiaries were transgendered people, who are extremely rare. I have never met one; have you? It is bizarre to upset millenia of bathroom practice for the sake of a handful of people who are about as numerous as unicorns. Second, no one proposed that transgenders who wanted to use the wrong bathroom had to have notes from their psychiatrists. In the absence of any means of verification, it seems certain that perverts, rapists and child molesters will camp out in womens rest rooms roughly 15,000 times as often as transgenders. This represents a public safety hazard. Third, how, exactly, was the brave new world of mixed bathrooms supposed to be of practical aid to transgenders? A transgender woman may sincerely believe that she is a man, butabsent surgery which is rare, and which already would entitle him/her to use a mens roomshe still cant use a urinal. So what, exactly, is the point? North Carolinas legislature responded to Charlottes provocation by adopting a statute that bars cities from adopting anti-discrimination laws that are inconsistent with, or in addition to, the laws in effect at the state level, which already cover race, religion, national origin, color, age, biological sex and handicaps. Sounds reasonable to me. But not to many on the left, including my states governor, Mark Dayton. Dayton promptly banned all non-essential travel to North Carolina by state employees. I have instructed employees in all state agencies to refrain from traveling to North Carolina for conferences or other official state business, until the North Carolina Governor and State Legislature repeal the discriminatory law they enacted last week, Dayton said in a statement. As I understand it, the discrimination consists of the fact that men cant use womens rest rooms, and vice versa. Dayton noted further that legislation similar to that in North Carolina has been proposed in Minnesota: In his statement, Dayton also reiterated his commitment to veto any attempt at a similar law in Minnesota. Current proposals to enshrine such measures of discrimination in our state laws are appalling, and they are wrong, he said. I repeat my pledge to veto any similar legislation, if it reaches my desk. Co-ed bathrooms, now and forever! Did you ever imagine that this would be liberalisms last redoubt? I didnt. Minnesota wasnt the only state to ban travel to North Carolina, and Governor Dayton has now extended his states ban to Mississippi, which has adopted a law protecting religious freedom. Lets just say that religious freedom is not high on the Democratic Partys agenda these days. There was a time when, if you had said that one of our major political parties would someday consider it a vital civil right that men be allowed to use womens bathrooms, people would have thought you were nuts. They would have been right. You are here: Home A CRH380A high-speed train is assembled in the manufacturing plant of Qingdao Sifang Co. Ltd., in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 3, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua] The State Council, or China's Cabinet, on Wednesday passed a plan to better the standards and quality in equipment manufacturing. The new plan is part of the government's efforts to deliver the "Made in China 2025" blueprint announced last year, shifting the country away from low-end manufacturing to more value-added production, according to a statement issued after a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. The plan calls for accelerating research and development of key technology including robotics, rail equipment, agricultural machinery and high-end medical devices. By 2020, over 90 percent of the manufacturing standards in key areas should be made in line with global criteria, up from the current 70 percent, according to the plan. The plan follows China's "Made in China 2025" blueprint in May 2015 to improve manufacturing. Tasks identified as priorities in the blueprint are innovation, fostering Chinese brands, green manufacturing, integrating technology and industry, internationalizing manufacturing, promoting breakthroughs in key sectors, restructuring of manufacturing, service-oriented manufacturing, and strengthening the industrial base. Wednesday's meeting also mapped out plans to use the Internet to lower logistics and circulation costs to foster new engines for growth. Pledged efforts include fostering a "smart logistics system," increasing investments in rural broadband network, building a cloud platform for commercial services and integrating online-offline development. China's economy expanded 6.9 percent year on year in 2015, the weakest reading in around quarter of a century, and the government is intensifying efforts to replace old growth drivers with new ones to sustain growth. PR-Inside.com: 2016-04-07 13:15:02 Asia Pacific is forecast to increase its share of global GDP from 31% in 2015 to 36% in 2030 Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai are the regions core RHQ locations Singapore leads the group, benefiting from lower costs, favorable business environment and being strategically located in the region Development of industry specific hubs will allow companies to diversify their geographic location Continued development in the region will see ASEAN countries increase in prominence and the RHQ model evolve to become more divisional and locational focused Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters: Singapore on Top, but Competition to Increase Media: Cushman & Wakefield Elisa Yiu, +852 2507 0637 Associate Director Marketing and Communications, Hong Kong elisa.ky.yiu@dtzcushwake.com or Creative Consulting Group Esther Kam, +852 9460 5302 esther.kam@creativegp.com or Penn Leung, +852 6077 7342 penn.leung@creativegp.com Singapore remains the most attractive Asia Pacific destination for multi-national companies (MNCs) to set up their regional headquarters (RHQs), but competition is expected to intensify according to a report released today by DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield, a global leader in commercial real estate services. The report notes, that Asia Pacific is forecast to increase its share of Global GDP from 31% in 2015 to 36% in 2030. As businesses continue to seek locations that are close to their target growth markets, the number of RHQs located in Asia Pacific is therefore expected to increase. Dr Dominic Brown, Head of Australia and New Zealand Research and co-author of the report commented: Economic growth in Asia Pacific will propel multi-national companies into the region. This growth is based upon the rise of the middle class in the region, growth in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) sector as well as economic growth in ASEAN. The analysis shows that all of the six cities covered Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Beijing have their positive, and negative, aspects, but that on balance Singapore comes out on top. While Sydney and Tokyo are established RHQ destinations, their location on the geographic periphery of the Asia Pacific region counts against them both. However, recent depreciation of their respective currencies has resulted in a reduction in costs, which acts in their favor. Beijing has seen costs rise including cost of acquiring land as well increasing employment costs. As the political center of China, Beijing has its fair share of state-owned enterprises, however it is also quite entrepreneurial. Beijing is the countrys single largest hub of both mature TMT industries and incubator for related start-ups. Considering the top 3, Shanghai which placed third, has been the great improver increasing from just 53 RHQs in 2003 to 470 in 2014 at an average annual growth rate of 21% per annum. Direct access into China has been the main propulsion behind the rise of Shanghai, though it has also been aided by its diverse economic base, access to local talent and that it is the commercial heart of China. However the rising cost of land and cost of leasing prime properties are concerns, as are rising salaries and mounting local business competition. Singapore and Hong Kong took the top two places respectively. Both are well established locations for RHQs and have longstanding favorable economic and regulatory environments that are designed to attract companies. However, Hong Kong faces a higher cost of living and increasing competition from Tier 1 Chinese cities. In addition, Hong Kong has regularly been near the top of the most expensive office locations around the world in which to rent space, normally placing behind London and New York. Indeed, on a per square meter basis, Hong Kong is practically twice as expensive as Shanghai and Singapore. The differences are further increased on a per workstation measure, with Hong Kong having the worst space efficiency of the three markets. In contrast, not only is Singapore the most space efficient market of the top three but as a result of rental decline in 2015, it is the cheapest on both a per square meter and per workstation basis. Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai will need to evolve to continue to attract and accommodate RHQs. The Hong Kong Government has made extensive efforts to address office shortages such as through decentralization to Kowloon East and Kowloon West. Similarly the Singaporean Government is encouraging development of space outside of the CBD in areas such as Jurong Gateway, Changi Business Park and Paya Lebar Central. Shanghai has no shortage of space, which acts as a positive. New industry hubs are being developed to aid the citys development, for example the West Bank Media Port. David Jones, Head of Asia Pacific Client Coverage and Solutions, noted: Companies can reduce occupancy costs through increasing space efficiency as well as moving into decentralized areas. Core CBD locations in general are expensive and have limited vacancy. For those companies that do not need to be in the CBD, industry specific hubs can offer agglomerations of scale, a cheaper price point and the potential for the development of a bespoke office solution. In addition, the RHQ model itself is also changing and adapting to economic development in the region. In recognition of the economic diversity in the region, many companies are now progressing from the one size fits all approach to a multi-nodal approach. These strategic nodes are either developed through aiming to have a significant presence in each of the regions major markets or by locating individual business units in their most relevant market. Dominic Brown added: As the region continues to develop and advance, opportunities in emerging markets will begin to appear. For example, the rise and improving maturity of ASEAN economies is likely to offer substantial opportunities, not least because occupancy costs per workstation in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are less than a third of those in Singapore. Ultimately, Asia Pacific will remain a key region for MNCs which will continue to drive the need for space. Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai are the strongest all round performers. However, no individual city can offer a company everything that it needs, especially if that company has a diverse array of business units and requirements. Rather we expect to see smaller RHQs set up and for there to be numerous divisional headquarters across the region taking advantage of each citys strengths. This plays to the rise of emerging markets. However, in all instances an in depth understanding of each city across the political, economic, demographic and real estate landscape is required, in order to maximize any opportunities that are presented. About DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield Cushman & Wakefield is a leading global real estate services firm that helps clients transform the way people work, shop and live. The firms 43,000 employees in more than 60 countries provide deep local and global insights that create significant value for occupiers and investors around the world. In Greater China, the firm has a co-branded presence under the name of DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield and operates 20 offices in the region. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest commercial real estate services firms with revenues of US$5 billion across core services of agency leasing, asset services, capital markets, facility services, global occupier services, investment & asset management, project management, tenant representation and valuation & advisory. To learn more, please visit www.dtzcushwake.com or follow us on WeChat (DTZ_China) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/dtz-cushman-wakef). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201604070056 The Court of Appeal in Lagos Thursday granted Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima,a N2 million bail. While granting the bail with two sureties in like sum, the appellate court ruled that Ms. Fiberesima bail application had merit. The actress had been sentenced to five years in prison, in 2009, by a Lagos High Court. On March 12, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by Ms. Fiberesima challenging her jail term, forcing the actress to file a bail application. On Thursday, the appellate court, in a two-one split judgment, held that Ms. Fiberesima had not jumped bail in the past. The court also stated that it exercised its discretion in the actresss favour in view of her health condition. It would amount to injustice if after Fiberesima had been kept in prison, the Supreme Court later, after about three to four years, decide that the five year jail term imposed on her should be set aside, said Samuel Oseji, who read out the judgment. Sidi Bage, who presided over the three-man panel of judges, aligned himself with the lead judgment. But Y.B Nimpar, the third judge, took a dissenting opinion on the judgment. According to Mr. Nimpar, Ms. Fiberesimas ill-health grounds for seeking bail could not be justified. The judge said there was no record before the court of health complications developed by the actress since February this year when she underwent breast cancer surgery. Also, the judge noted that the prison was adequately equipped to cater for the medical needs of the actress, and the hospital was capable of issuing referral to other facilities, if the need arises. The applicant is already convicted and presumption of innocence is no longer available, the judge said. I personally will not exercise discretion in favour of the applicant. Ms Fiberesima was sentenced by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of a Lagos High Court, for reckless driving and causing death. She was alleged to have recklessly driven a car which resulted in an accident along the Lekki-Epe expressway, Lagos, causing the death of Giwa Suraj, a staff of a Lagos State government hospital. Nigeria has been in chaos for several weeks with unending queues at fuel stations, poor power supply nationwide and increase in prices of commodities, even water. Dr. Bolanle Ola, a Consultant Psychiatrist and head of psychiatry department, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, tells PREMIUM TIMES theres likely going to be negative impact on Nigerians mental health as a result of the countrys chaotic conditions. Thus, more people risk mental breakdown. PT: The country has been in chaos for several weeks. There are unending queues for fuel, no power supply and commodities prices, even water are increasing daily. Would these socioeconomic occurrences have psychiatric consequences for Nigerians? Bolanle Ola: There is likely to be. There are certain persons who have mental health issues in the country. They are already diagnosed or they meet the criteria even if they are not accessing care. Then there are some people in the high risk group, and there are those at medium or low risk. One can conceptualized it that way. Usually, what brings about psychological or mental health breakdown is usually one with vulnerability. Lets say the gradient of the risk is now exposed to some stressful situations which we may call life events. Then the interaction between that persons vulnerability and the stress can lead to mental health breakdown. If we look at environmental factors like poverty indices and the stress level in the society, like certain socioeconomic indices, or political such as the increase in the cost of fuel, not only the cost, but the time you spend in getting the fuel, the stress of getting to work, some people may not be able to get to work while others may not be able to feed themselves, these will increase the stress level such that the people who are vulnerable even if at medium risk might be shifted to high risk situation or higher vulnerability. So, there is likely going to be a negative impact on the mental health of the population. The countrys chaotic condition may put more people at higher risk than before. PT: Like what kind of mental health conditions are Nigerians likely to come down with? Bolanle Ola: Life situations may not particularly cause a particular mental health condition really. When theres someone with a likelihood of breaking down, it would happen. How he breaks down is what will lead into different diagnosis. But then, there have been some mental health surveys for sometime. And there are common mental health conditions particularly depression and anxiety. When the stress level is high in the society, you could see an increase in the incidence of people who will have depression and anxiety. And its been found out that depression and anxiety are the commonest mental health conditions globally. This same picture also holds for Nigeria. PT: What can Nigerians do to prevent coming down with any of these mental health conditions notwithstanding the present situation of the country? Bolanle Ola: People need to understand their sources of stress and deal with them. If it is a public health issue, you can deal with it individually and policies prescribed by government can also come be of great help. PT: What can Nigeria do as well? Bolanle Ola: I think what Nigeria could do is to implement policies that will prevent some of these flare in oil prices. The mental health trends/risk of people in our society is not being monitored adequately. There is no policy supporting that research so we dont even know or see the mental health trend of the population particularly the vulnerable groups like the adolescents, youths and people at work. There is a need for all these to be monitored in association with political changes that are going on in the society. But its been noted that even at the place of work, the job demand there has changed. So, theres a lot of pressure on people. In some societies, its been found out that the stress levels are high so people are breaking down mentally. PT: In essence, are you saying what we regard as sudden and poor employee attitudinal changes are superficial but beneath are mental health challenges? Bolanle Ola: Sometimes, what employers or people see will not be the real health problem. They just see that theres absenteeism, theres loss of productivity, and a lot of conflicts at work. But when you look beneath some of these things, you find out that some of the reasons why these are coming about is because people are having challenging mental health issues. PT: So, what should people, including employees do as preventive measures? Bolanle Ola: Mental hygiene such as having adequate sleep, being able to identify source of stress and limiting their exposure to such source of stress are very crucial preventive measures. They have to try to live without a lot of noise PT: How possible is that with generators and religious centres taking over the environment? Bolanle Ola: Yes, when people have to put on generators theres a lot of heat. and noise. But the government needs some input because if power supply were constant we wont put on generators and so many people wont have to go buy fuel in jerry cans. It is something that has to come from the government even while Nigerians are trying on their own individual level to deal with the stress. PT: What place has stress coping mechanism in all these? Bolanle Ola: Even while theres increased stress in the society, some people are able to adapt to it because of the way they perceive the situation. Usually, before stress can turn into a problem, it depends on the interpretation the person going through it gives to the situation bringing the stress. If the person is interpreting it negatively, the person is likely to fall down unlike the person who sees it as a challenge he is to overcome. PT: Are you saying there arent situations that no matter the interpretation, are bound to breakdown the interpreter? Bolanle Ola: There are certain situations that are in gross conflict with ones human right. We need access to good environment thats why I am saying the government also needs to come in. For instance, you go to a fuel station, instead of selling the fuel, we wait endlessly on queues, then some people come, they call them VIPs and they get fuel immediately and go. That will also increase Nigerians frustration level. PT: Is there no place for coping mechanism even in the handling of frustration? Bolanle Ola: There is. People being able to attend to their frustration level with positive attitude and reactions will also have some threshold. However, even if they can manage some other things, there are some sociopolitical barriers that could go against that. On individual level they could do some certain things like going for anti stress management courses in their places of work. But the political sector needs to put somethings in place that would be anti stress like providing good roads and other means of transportation such as tubes so we dont have to rely on our cars to get to work. These would take much stress off Nigerians so they dont feel the effect of the downturn in oil price as they rely on electricity. These are concentric circles that work together and ensure things go well. Families of drug victims across the world will march on the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 18 demanding an end to the global drug war. The UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Drugs holds this month and 50 families will be represented at the protest; nine will share their personal stories of bereavement and harm as a result of the drug war. The stories of the family members involved in the Anyones Child campaign reveal the tragic human costs of the global drug war, said Jane Slater, Coordinator of Anyones Child: Families for Safer Drug Control. There is a hollow ring to the UNGASS slogan A better tomorrow for todays youth for the bereaved parents coming together at the UN, said Slater, whose organization is helping to organize the protest Their presence here demonstrates that punitive drug laws have brought untold grief to every corner of the globe. Just as US alcohol Prohibition was repealed because it caused far more harm than good, it is now time to end the War on Drugs. Activists say the UNs war on drugs has come under increased criticisms as the policy on drug prohibition has placed the drugs business in the hands of criminals, causing suffering to millions. The drugs trade has an estimated annual turnover of $320 billion. A commission set up by John Hopkins University and Lancet medical journal noted, last month, that while drug laws had failed to curb drug abuse, they had fuelled violent crime as well as helped to spread HIV and Hepatitis C by encouraging unsafe injecting. Gretchen Bergman, lead organizer of Moms United to End the War on Drugs, said prohibitionist policies must be ended for the sake of children across the world. Mothers are taking a lead position in calling for health-oriented strategies and widespread global drug policy reform in order to stop the devastating loss of lives, Bergman said. The war on drugs has become a war against our own families. My sons are survivors of both incarceration and accidental overdose, but non-violent drug charges have a lifelong impact. The UNGASS on Drugs was billed to be held in 2018 two decades after the last session. But countries such as Guatemala, Mexico, and Columbia pushed, in 2012, for the session to be brought forward by two years. The countries cited an urgent need to reform the global drug control policy. Donna May, a Canadian parent of a drug victim, urged the UN to demonstrate leadership and support an end to the global drug war that killed our loved ones. We are uniting with families all over the world. We here to tell our stories directly to our national leaders, said May. Another parent, Anne-Marie Cockburn, said she lost her only child, Martha, aged 15, to an accidental ecstasy overdose. She wanted to get high, but she didnt want to die, said Cockburn, a UK national. Our drug laws are not protecting our children, theyre destroying families like mine everyday. We urgently need to end the drug war. A former Senate president, David Mark, has finally responded to report exposing his link with offshore shell companies in breach of Nigerias code of conduct for public officers. On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported Mr. Marks links with eight offshore companies in British Virgin Island as shown by the leaked database of Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm reputed for helping clients register shell companies, some of which are used for illicit purposes. The Mossack Fonseca database shows that Mr. Mark is one of Nigerias most extensive users of offshore shell companies, even while being a public official. The companies are Sikera Overseas S.A, Colsan Enterprises Limited, Goldwin Transworld Limited, Hartland Estates Limited, Marlin Holdings Limited, Medley Holdings Limited, Quetta Properties Limited, and Centenary Holdings Limited. In the documents, Mr. Mark was repeatedly marked as a politically exposed person, and at a point the former Senate President had to send documents, across to Mossack Fonseca to prove that he was clean. Before the report was published on Monday, Mr. Mark declined to respond to PREMIUM TIMES inquiry. But on Thursday, he responded through a statement by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, denying link to any offshore company. In his response Thursday, Mr. Mark claimed he had gone through the #PanamaPapers database and that he was never mentioned anywhere. However, Joshua Olufemi, Project Manager at the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, has punctured the former Senate presidents claims. It is the height of falsehood for David Mark to claim he has looked through the database, and that he didnt find his name, Mr. Olufemi said. The database is not public, and the strict security protocol around it will not allow unauthorised users to access it. So which database did he check? It is sad that a man who was the number three official in our country will cook up this level of lies. If he indeed has access to the database, he should look again, and he will find his name and his companies listed there. The earlier he accepts that reality the better. Mr. Olufemi said his centre will, through its parent newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, release additional information on Mr. Marks case as necessary. It remains unclear what businesses Mr. Mark conducted with the companies he incorporated in the named tax havens. While not all owners or operators of such offshore entities are criminals, owning or maintaining interest in private companies while serving as a public official is against Nigerian laws. Section 6 (b) of the Code of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not, except where he is not employed on fulltime basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade. DAVID MARKS RESPONSE IN FULL Our attention has been drawn to spurious Media reports on the Panama papers in which former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark was alleged to have operated offshore companies. For the avoidance of doubt, in the released materials of the Panama Leaks, his name is not listed anywhere in the database of Mossack Fonseca Law Firm. We reiterate categorically, that he is not directly or indirectly connected to any of the companies registered, operated or managed by the Mossack Fonseca Law Firm. We challenge all those behind this propaganda and Media outburst to prove or show that Senator Marks name was mentioned in the leaks. He is prepared to stand and defend himself against any accusation in relation to this matter. Senator Marks Media team has carried out its own search of the Mossack Fonseca database and found no statement, item or any connection to Senator David Mark or his Family. It follows that there is no record whatsoever of any impropriety or wrongdoing. We recall that in his quest for Senate Presidency in 2007, there was an attempt to bring a similar issue to the fore in order to stop him. So what are their fears now in 2016 for regurgitating the same issue? Once more, Senator Mark has distanced himself and any member of his family from the said Mossack Fonseca Firm and has no affiliation whatsoever with any company operated, registered or managed by Mossack Fonseca. Senator Mark has not contravened any laws of the land and he is treating this for what it is, an attempt to blackmail and tarnish his hard earned image by some political elements. As a public officer, Senator Mark has maintained a high level of decorum, respects and observes the laws of the land and believes in the sanctity of the rule of law. He will not be distracted by what is clearly a deliberate mischief and propaganda. Records of all his assets are available with the relevant government agencies and can be verified. He has consulted his legal team and will take this up accordingly. Micheal Grahammer, the chief executive of Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg, an Austrian bank, mentioned in the massive #PanamaPapers document leak, has resigned. The bank announced that Mr. Grahammers resignation on Thursday came as a surprise. Austrian broadcaster ORF, one of the more than 100 news organisations that investigated the trove of data leaked from Mossack Ferona, a Panama-based law firm, said the bank was connected to offshore companies through trustees in Liechtenstein. Austrian financial markets regulator, FMA, is investigating whether Hypo Vorarlberg and another Austrian bank mentioned in the PanamaPapers reports, Raiffeisen Bank International, aided the laundering of funds. I remain 100 percent convinced that the bank at no point violated laws or sanctions, Mr. Grahammer said in a statement. He claimed that the decision to resign was the culmination of various developments in the past year, He however admitted that the Panama leak was the last straw. In the end, the medias prejudgement of Hypo Vorarlberg and of myself in recent days was decisive for me in taking this step. The police on Thursday said over 13,000 personnel would be deployed to provide security during the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory area council elections on Saturday. Danta Walima, an assistant commissioner of police, expressed the polices readiness and commitment towards ensuring a hitch-free election. We are very prepared; we have everything we need to curb any form of crisis. Over 13,000 police officials are to be deployed within the FCT. The commissioner is also inviting men of conventional police and mobile police force from neighbouring states so as to ensure adequate security during and after the election. There will be enough manpower and escorts at the collation centers and at the 2,000 polling units in the FCT. In case of emergency or any breach of law and order, the general public should call the police on 08061581938, 07057337653, 08032003913 or 08028940883, he added. The Federal Capital Territory commissioner of police, Wilson Inalegwu, has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement in the FCT between 7am and 4pm on April 9. This is contained in a statement by the FCT Police Command spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, in Abuja on Thursday. The statement said the restriction was to allow free and fair conduct of the rescheduled FCT Area Council elections. This is part of the security measures adopted by the Command to ensure safety and security during the elections, Mr. Manzah, an assistant superintendent of police, said. The statement said the restriction excluded vehicles on essential duty. It assured FCT residents that the command had strategically deployed personnel and logistics to provide adequate security during the polls. The statement further enjoined residents to be vigilant and cooperate with the police and other security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities. NAN reports that the chairmanship and councillorship elections earlier scheduled for March 19 was rescheduled for April 9. (NAN) The Nigeria Police have affirmed that over 13,000 personnel would be deployed for the FCT area council elections. This was disclosed Thursday by Danta Walima, the representative to the commissioner of police, FCT, at a briefing of election observers and party agents at the merit house Abuja. We are very prepared, we have everything we need to curb any form of crisis, Mr. Walima said. Over 13,000 police officials are to be deployed within the FCT. The commissioner is also inviting men of conventional police and mobile police force from neighbouring states so as to ensure adequate security during and after the election. There will be enough manpower and escorts at the collation centers and at the 2000 polling units in the FCT, he said. Mr. Walima advised the public to call the following numbers in case of any incident. 08061581938 07057337653 08032003913 08028940883 In recent years, due to rising labor costs and rapid industrial transformation, a number of Chinese factories have become eager to replace workers with automated equipment. To meet their needs, the Chinese government has vowed to promote industrial robotics as well as high-speed and high-performance controllers and other key components with its 13th five-year plan. A production line at the Siasun Robot & Automation Co., Ltd. uses robots to make robots. [Xinhua] In 2015, China's first industrial robot production line commenced operation at the Siasun Robot & Automation Co., Ltd. in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, which is used to produce components for a new model of BMW automobiles. The company marks the first Chinese robot brand to produce stamping accessories for an international, high-end auto enterprise in the country. The Siasun robot company currently sells more than 1,000 industrial robot units each year. The types of robots include welding, polishing, buffing, stacking, coating and stamping, which are able to provide systematic services for the auto, electronic, electric power, food and medical industries. In 2015, the company's revenue reached 518 million yuan (US$80 million), which was an increase of 8.63 percent year-on-year, with a gross profit rate of 33.74 percent. Despite beginning in 2013, China has become the world's largest industrial robot market; the production density of the industry is still very low. In 2013, 10,000 Chinese workers can only produce 30 industrial robot units, less than half of the world's average level. In South Korea, every 10,000 workers can produce 437 industrial robot units. In Japan, the number is 323 and in Germany, the number is 282. What's worse is that most of the Chinese robot factories suffer poor operating conditions. In the past two years, the number of robot companies in China reached almost 1,000. According to the statistical data of the OFweek Industry Research Center, during the first half of 2015, over 80 percent of these robot companies increased their business volume, but more than 70 percent of them suffered huge deficits. The statistics of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) showed that in 2014, there were five major markets representing 70 percent of the total sales volume, notably China, Japan, the United States, South Korea and Germany. There were 57,096 industrial robot units sold in 2014 in China, up 56 percent from 2013. Chinese robot suppliers installed roughly 16,000 units, according to the information from the China Robot Industry Alliance (CRIA). Their sales volume was about 78 percent higher than it was in 2013. Meanwhile, foreign robot suppliers have increased their sales to 41,100 units, up by 49 percent year-on-year. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. A prosecution witness testifying against a former Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, has said that Mr. Orubebe failed to declare a property he acquired during the previous administration. Mr. Orubebe is facing a one-count charge of alleged false asset declaration when he was minister. The witness, Samuel Madojemu, a staff of the Code of Conduct Bureau, said he coordinated investigation into observed breaches of the CCB Act, perpetrated by Mr. Orubebe. Mr. Madojemu, who told the tribunal that Mr. Orubebe tendered five asset declaration forms to the CCB, during the period of 2007 to 2011, added that Mr. Orubebe however did not declare a landed property he purchased in April 2011. Mr. Madojemu said investigations revealed that the Certificate of Occupancy for the said property located at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, was dated April 10, 2011. He added that the Bureau invited Mr. Orubebe for questioning regarding the findings but he the former minister failed to honour the invitation. Mr. Madojemu also stated that Mr. Orubebe submitted the forms, first as Minister of Special Duties under the administration of late President Umaru Yaradua, and later as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The forms were immediately admitted in evidence, but the Certificate of Occupancy was contested by Mr. Orubebes lawyer, Selekowei Larry, who noted that the C-of-O was the product of a letter authored by an interested party to the matter. Mr. Larry argued that the C-of-O was attached to a letter dated February 18, 2016 from the Land Registry of the Federal Capital Territory and authored by the Assistant State Counsel of the Registrys Administration, Funke Audu. He contended that since the letter was authored at a time when the trial had already commenced, could not be admitted in evidence. He cited Section 83(3) of the Evidence Act 2011. The letter is dated February 18, 2016, whereas the suit commenced on October 18, 2015, Mr. Larry said. The Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar, however overruled Mr. Larrys objection stating that Mrs. Audu, while in the discharge of her duty, could not have been an interested party to the matter. The trial was adjourned to the 14th of April. The Jigawa State government on Thursday said it had improved security in all its hospitals across the state, following the theft of a new born baby at the General Hospital, Dutse, last month. The commissioner for Health, Abba Zakari, disclosed this in Dutse while reacting to the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). NAN reports that a day-old baby was stolen from the mother by an unknown woman last month, after she went through a Caesarean operation at the General Hospital in Dutse. Mr. Zakari said the state government had taken necessary measures to boost security in government health institutions to prevent recurrence of such incidents in hospitals in the state. He stated that although the baby was yet to be found, the matter had been reported to the Police for thorough investigation to ensure the culprit is arrested and brought to justice. The commissioner urged patients, especially nursing mothers, to be vigilant and report suspicious persons around them to hospital authorities. He gave assurance that the present government was committed to providing security to ensure the safety of individuals and property across the state. (NAN) Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, is selling at N500 per litre in the black market in Kaduna State as government began enforcement of ban on sale of petroleum products in jerry cans. This is over 500 percent increase against the official rate of N87 per litre. A visit to Shema Filling station along Dutsinma Street in Tudun Wada, Kaduna on Thursday morning showed many black marketers defying governments ban, selling a four-litre gallon at N2,000. It however goes for between N1,500 and N1,800 per gallon at some obscure locations along Muhammadu Buhari Way, Ali Akilu Road, Nnamdi Azikwe Way, Kachia Road, among other places. Other filling stations visited by our reporter along Nnamdi Azikwe Way that previously sold at N175 to N185 per litre have now closed their stations due of fear of clampdown by the Department and Petroleum Resources, DPR. We are tired of this hard situation. Those boys are having a field day selling fuel at N2,000 per gallon, a motorist, Ayuba Sule, lamented to PREMIUM TIMES. Another motorist, Amina Gele, called on government to ensure availability of the commodity at filling stations. We are calling on government to ensure availability of the fuel in filling station in order to discourage such illegal self-enrichment, Ms. Gele said. The Kaduna State Security Council on Tuesday banned the sale of petroleum products in jerry cans throughout the 23 local government areas of the state. A statement by Samuel Aruwan, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, said the council based its decision on legal and security considerations as well as the environmental hazard petroleum products in jerry cans can cause. MIPTV 2016 comes to an end today with mixed sensations. Though attendance was rather light, the business flashed facing the digital challenge. Free and Pay TV on the one hand, new platforms on the other hand. Competition and collaboration marched together. Broadcasters: Ruediger Boess, EVP, Group Acquisitions, ProSiebenSat1, Germany: In our country the Pay TV Networks are buying more digital rights to compete with the digital platforms, so we need new ways of attracting the digital/teen audience, which is not watching TV. We have enlarged our catch-up to 4 weeks. Karmo Kivikallio, head of acquisitions, YLE Finland: At MIPTV we are looking for factual, humor & comedies for young audiences. I now manage not only free TV, but also new platforms to retain people with us, through TV or otherwise. Espen Huseby, CEO, Nordic World (the distribution alliance of four Scandi broadcasters): There is a unique trend in the global market: local content. Thats why we believe SVOD will kill Pay TV, not Free TV. Pay TV. Luis Peraza, EVP original productions, HBO Latin America: Our main focus today is HBO Go, getting people to watch our content on mobile. The next step is to generate exclusive content for the platform, both long and short. This comes on top of what we reported on Tuesday: the announcement of Studio+, the new service of Vivendi (Canal+, France) launching premium short original series. New platforms: the leading OTTs are betting strongly on original content, to make its own way and redirect content flow. Also, sooner or later, traditional players could entangle their supply. Netflixs House of Cards, Orange is the new Black, Marco Polo are celebrities among already hundreds of TV series, movies, animation, docs, etc., produced by Hollywood and independents for the SVOD titan. According to Parks Associates, OTT video usage in Western Europe is expanding, with 55% of UK broadband households and 51% in France watching TV programming and movies online, compared to 70% in the US. However, the number of OTT paid subscriptions in Europe is significantly lower, where 30% of broadband households in the UK and 17% in France subscribe to OTT video, compared to 64% of US broadband households. Netflix also attacks bordering niches. Jim Henson has launched at this MIPTV Word Party the first ever animation TV series for toddlers (under 4 years old) produced for the online powerhouse. Mehmet Demirhan, TV Cinema and Thematic Content Director, Turk Telecom (Turkey): We are launching 3 new channels on our pay TV platform Tivibu: Tivibu Turk, Tivibu Comedy and Tivibu World, plus a documentary channel in 2017. We are buying worldwide cinema of all genres to fulfil their lineups. New DTT channels? In Poland, Cable Television Networks & Partners, formed by the Polish Chamber of Electronic Communications (PIKE) and Kino Polska TV, will launch Zoom TV, while TV Spektrum will launch Nowa TV, Grupa Wirtualna Polska the interactive channel WP1, and Agora, Kiwi TV, which might be renamed Metro. In Spain, six new channels will be available on the DTT platform starting this month: Be Mad TV (Mediaset), Atresmedia Series (Atresmedia), Ten (Secuoya), DKiss (Discovery and Kiss Media), 13 TV and Real Madrid TV. In Austria, A1 Telekom Austria, one of the largest telcos, has launched its domestic OTT platform A1 Now offering 41 linear TV channels 9 in HD as live streams for reception on smartphones, tablets and the web. Something new about content? Record TV (Brazil) has created a new space in the market with big epic big production series: Moises, Joseph of Egypt and King David are big hits in the U.S. Hispanic, Poland, Portugal and many countries of Latin America. And they are entering Italy and Germany. Emergent markets? Russia, which suffered a 50% fall last year with its currency devaluation, expects this year to grow by 10-15%, according to Vlad Ryashin, CEO Star Media. This will mean more and better production projects. Nicolas Smirnoff, Fabricio Ferrara and Rodrigo Cantisano The economic transformation China is experiencing is providing great opportunities for Chinese students returning from overseas study, although the returnees face challenges when hunting for jobs back home, experts said. A student attends the 2015 China Education Expo in Beijing, Oct 25, 2015. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily] The nation's economy is evolving from one that rests on its population advantage to one that values talent. In the process, students who return from overseas study with international perspectives and an innovative spirit will have brighter employment prospects, said Miao Lyu, secretary-general of the Center for China and Globalization, a think tank in Beijing. Miao made the remarks at a time when many in China have expressed concern that it may be more difficult for Chinese students to land a job after returning from study abroad. In recent years, the number of Chinese students choosing to return home after graduating overseas has increased greatlyfrom 186,200 in 2011 to 409,100 in 2015. At the same time, the number of people graduating from domestic institutions in 2016 is set to be around 7.56 millionthe largest number ever. The Chinese government is also loosening policies for expats wanting to work or start businesses in China. Both the large number of domestic graduates and the expected influx of foreign talent have led some to worry that the employment prospects of students returning from overseas study might not be as good in the future as they were. Zhou Chenggang, director of the newly launched Institute for Global Career Development, said such concerns are unfounded. "China's need for talent won't shrink," Zhou said at a ceremony to celebrate the establishment of the institute in Beijing on Tuesday. "Enterprises now tend to pay more attention to the personal virtues and abilities of their prospective employees, regardless of students' status and backgroundwhether they are domestic students, expat students or Chinese students returning from overseas. In that sense, those returning from overseas have advantages." The new institute will be carefully following the situation in the years to come because its role is to focus on academic research into the career development of international talent, Zhou said. Guan Hongtao is a 26-year-old who returned to China to look for work after graduating with a master's degree in public health from the University of Queensland in Australia. "Finding a job this year is not easy for anyone, given that China is facing a slowing economy," Guan said. "However, I noticed that many employers value my language skills, academic skills and so on. These helped me find a satisfactory job at a leading research-driven healthcare company." But returning students like Guan do have difficulties to overcome when seeking work back in China. One of the biggest barriers is missing out on the major job-seeking season at home, according to a report released by the Center for China and Globalization. "The job-seeking season for graduates starts in October or November, which is when most employers start accepting resumes and doing interviews. However, most Chinese students studying overseas will only graduate and be ready to apply for jobs in February, and start to look in July," Guan said. Yu Zhongqiu, president of New Oriental Highway Career Service Co, a Beijing-based company that helps returning students find jobs at home, said only 5 percent of such students are able to secure a job before graduation. Most have to wait until after they graduate before they can search seriously for work because of the need to do face-to-face interviews or internships with prospective employers. "We are cooperating with more career offices at overseas universities and more enterprises in China to try to break down some of these barriers, so students who are studying overseas but want to work back home can find jobs earlier," he said. You are here: Home Twenty-one people with links to an investment company have been detained on suspicion of illegal fundraising, a term often used to imply fraud, police said yesterday. Disgruntled investors gather outside Zhongjin Capital Management Cos offices yesterday, which they allege cheated them out of US$5.2 billion. [Photo/Shanghai Daily] An investigation was started when members of the public complained of being cheated after investing in various schemes offered by Zhongjin Capital Management Co. Police did not release details of specific complaints, but said in a statement that the company "defrauded investors with non-existent programs ... inflated performance reports and illegally absorbed capital from the public." Dozens of people claiming to be victims of the alleged fraud yesterday descended on the company's offices on Zhongshan Road E. in Huangpu District, in the hope of regaining some of their missing money. According to Zhongjin's own website, between July 2012 and January of this year, the firm raised 34 billion yuan (US$5.2 billion) from 130,000 investors for its principal investment product alone. Police said that on Monday they detained the controller of Guotai Investment Holdings Co Zhongjin's major shareholder as he was attempting to board a flight out of Shanghai. The other 20 suspects were detained the following day. Anyone who feels they may have been cheated is urged to come forward. 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. China will further deepen reform in healthcare this year with key factors for the reform discussed at a meeting of the central government on Wednesday. The State Council, the country's cabinet, convened a regular executive meeting Wednesday and determined that healthcare reform should benefit more people. Key sectors for healthcare reform this year were decided at the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang. Plans discussed included expanding the number of cities piloting urban public hospital reform from 100 to 200, implementing a tiered medical care pilot project in 70 percent of the country's prefectural-level areas, and improving the compensation system in a bid to abolish the drug price addition policy of public hospitals in new pilot cities. Other focuses included implementing a centralized procurement of drugs used by public hospitals, improving the performance-based remuneration system in grassroots health institutions, and building a national network for basic health insurance settlement so that people can reimburse their medical expenses in different places. Critical disease insurance will cover all people within the year, according to the healthcare reform plan, which noted that subsidies per capita for basic health insurance and basic public health services will be raised. The number of resident physicians receiving standardized training will be increased by 70,000, including 5,000 pediatricians, according to the meeting. Zhengzhou is enveloped in smog on March 15, 2015. [Xinhua] Local authorities will be fined up to 500,000 yuan (US$77,200) if the PM2.5 concentrations in their administrative regions are a single microgram higher than permitted, according to an environment protection regulation newly adopted by Zhengzhou Municipal Government in central China's Henan Province. To improve its air quality, Zhengzhou has set specific targets for this yearconcentrations of the PM2.5 and PM10 shall not surpass 150 and 79 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. Authorities at the county level will be awarded 500,000 yuan (US$77,200) if their pollutant concentrations are one microgram lower than the newly adopted standards. Otherwise, they will be fined the same amount of money. Any county that reports substandard air quality for three consecutive months will be ordered to shut down all sources of pollution. Zhengzhou has been plagued by air pollution for a long time. Every month last year, with the exception of November, the city was ranked as one of the ten most polluted cities in China. It was still on the "black" list in the first two months of 2016. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of renewed fighting in the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories occupied by Armenia, Azerbaijan has launched a White House petition, calling for the "Obama Administration to establish justice and prevent a great catastrophe" (https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/establish-justice-and-prevent-great-catastrophe). The petition, submitted by the President of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan Elkhan Suleymanov, notes that Resolution 2085 passed in January by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) "stresses the fact of the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of Azerbaijan by the Armenian state" and "requests the immediate withdrawal of Armenia's armed forces from the occupied region." The petition further states that the OSCE Minsk Group, the mediators consisting of the United States, Russia and France, "has made no progress toward the liberation of our occupied territories," and urges "the Administration to support PACE Resolution 2085, to assist in the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia and the prevention of a humanitarian catastrophe in the region." The petition warns that the "current state of the Sarsang reservoir, located in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, could result in a humanitarian disaster." The unmaintained dam has created an artificial environmental crisis to the once-productive agricultural regions of Azerbaijan that lie downstream. In its January resolution, PACE accused Armenia of "environmental aggression" and "deliberately depriving" Azerbaijanis of water flowing from the Sarsang reservoir. The Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding provinces were occupied by Armenia during the post-Soviet power vacuum, resulting in about 30,000 deaths and nearly one million refugees and internally displaced people. In addition to PACE, many other international bodies, including the United Nations, European Parliament and the OSCE have called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territories. The long-simmering hostilities escalated dramatically over the weekend, with artillery strikes and helicopter sorties leaving dozens dead. The fighting came fresh on the heels of President Barack Obama's nuclear summit in Washington, in which he praised Azerbaijan as a "critical partner" for its efforts to reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons in the world. In order to receive a response from the White House, the petition requires 100,000 signatures in 30 days. SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Cadmium Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of cadmium, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing cadmium worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: cadmium production in the country, major manufacturers, cadmium consumption, cadmium trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including cadmium market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the cadmium market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD CADMIUM INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about cadmium1.2. Cadmium market trends- Cadmium resources globally- Cadmium production and consumption- Demand structure1.3. Cadmium prices 2. CADMIUM INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Bulgaria2.2. Netherlands2.3. Poland 3. CADMIUM INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Kazakhstan3.2. Russia 4. CADMIUM INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. China4.2. India4.3. Japan4.4. South Korea4.5. Australia 5. CADMIUM INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 5.1. USA5.2. Canada 6. CADMIUM INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 6.1. Mexico6.2. Peru 7. CADMIUM INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 7.1. Production forecast, projects7.2. Demand future trends7.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lxzkpw/cadmium_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Bentonite Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of bentonite, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing bentonite worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: bentonite production in the country, major manufacturers, bentonite consumption, bentonite trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including bentonite market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the bentonite market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD BENTONITE INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about bentonite1.2. Bentonite market trends- Resources globally- Bentonite production and consumption- Demand structure1.3. Bentonite prices 2. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Bulgaria2.2. Cyprus2.3. Czech Republic2.4. Germany2.5. Greece2.6. Italy2.7. Slovakia2.8. Spain 3. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Turkmenistan3.2. Ukraine 4. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. Australia4.2. Japan 5. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 5.1. USA 6. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 6.1. Argentina6.2. Brazil6.3. Mexico 7. BENTONITE INDUSTRY IN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA 7.1. Iran7.2. Morocco7.3. South Africa7.4. Turkey 8. BENTONITE INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 8.1. Production forecast, projects8.2. Demand future trends8.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jv6fvf/bentonite_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Beryllium Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of beryllium, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing beryllium worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: beryllium production in the country, major manufacturers, beryllium consumption, beryllium trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including beryllium market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the beryllium market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about beryllium1.2. Beryllium market trends- Beryllium resources globally- Beryllium production and consumption- Demand structure1.3. Beryllium Prices 2. BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY IN CIS 2.1. Kazakhstan 3. BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 3.1. China 4. BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 4.1. USA 5. BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 5.1. Brazil 6. BERYLLIUM INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 6.1. Production forecast, projects6.2. Demand future trends6.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nhrk9w/beryllium_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Bromine Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of bromine, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing bromine worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: bromine production in the country, major manufacturers, bromine consumption, bromine trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including bromine market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the bromine market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD BROMINE INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about bromine1.2. Bromine market trends- Resources globally- Bromine production and consumption- Bromine demand structure1.3. Bromine prices 2. BROMINE INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Germany 3. BROMINE INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Azerbaijan3.2. Turkmenistan3.3. Ukraine 4. BROMINE INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. China4.2. India4.3. Japan 5. BROMINE INDUSTRY IN MIDDLE EAST 5.1. Israel5.2. Jordan 6. BROMINE INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 6.1. Production forecast, projects6.2. Demand future trends6.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/fzkn97/bromine_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Copper Global Market Review 2015/2016" report to their offering. The report presents a thorough study of copper, covering both global and regional markets. It aims to give a proper picture of the market, its trends, perspectives and opportunities. Comprehensive data showing copper worldwide production, consumption, trade statistics and prices are provided. Each country's market overview covers the following: copper production in the country, major manufacturers, copper consumption, copper trade. The report offers a 5-year outlook on the reviewed market, including copper market volume predictions and prices trends. Reasons to Buy: - The report provides analysis of factors that affect the market. - Company's business and sales activities will be boosted by gaining an insight into the copper market. - The report will help to find prospective partners and suppliers. - Detailed analysis provided in the report will assist and strengthen company's decision-making processes. Key Topics Covered: 1. WORLD COPPER INDUSTRY 1.1. General data about copper1.2. Copper market trends- Copper resources globally- Production and consumption- Demand structure1.3. Prices 2. COPPER INDUSTRY IN EUROPE 2.1. Austria2.2. Belgium2.3. Bulgaria2.4. Cyprus2.5. Finland2.6. Germany2.7. Hungary2.8. Italy2.9. Macedonia2.10. Norway2.11. Poland2.12. Romania2.13. Portugal2.14. Spain2.15. Sweden 3. COPPER INDUSTRY IN CIS 3.1. Armenia3.2. Kazakhstan3.3. Russia3.4. Ukraine3.5. Uzbekistan 4. COPPER INDUSTRY IN ASIA PACIFIC 4.1. Australia4.2. Burma4.3. China4.4. India4.5. Indonesia4.6. Japan4.7. Republic of Korea4.8. Mongolia4.9. Pakistan4.10. Philippines4.11. Thailand 5. COPPER INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA 5.1. Canada5.2. USA 6. COPPER INDUSTRY IN LATIN AMERICA 6.1. Argentina6.2. Bolivia6.3. Brazil6.4. Chile6.5. Colombia6.6. Dominican Republic6.7. Mexico6.8. Peru 7. COPPER INDUSTRY IN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA 7.1. Botswana7.2. Congo7.3. Egypt7.4. Iran7.5. Mauritania7.6. Morocco7.7. Namibia7.8. Oman7.9. Saudi Arabia7.10. Turkey7.11. Tanzania7.12. Zambia7.13. Zimbabwe 8. COPPER INDUSTRY PROSPECTS TO 2020 8.1. Production forecast, projects8.2. Demand future trends8.3. Consuming industries For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/x29s7s/copper_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets SEOUL, South Korea, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As Part of a Major Mobile Initiative, Matomy Leverages Partnerships with Tier One Advertisers to Meet Demands of Mobile Market Matomy Media Group, a world leading Media Company, announced today the opening of offices in Seoul, South Korea to meet the advertising needs of the world's 4th largest mobile gaming market. Seunghyun Ryan Kim, Matomy Korea General Manager, will lead the Seoul office with Nadav Trenter Moser spearheading sales and business development for APAC. "South Korea is the most wired country in the world. With 73% penetration by mobile phones, almost 2/3 of users playing mobile games and ranking top 5 globally in terms of game revenue, they are perfectly positioned to be looking outward," said Seunghyun Ryan Kim, Matomy Korea General Manager. "By expanding our offices to Seoul, we are positioned to serve as the gateway for the Korean mobile gaming industry to connect their advanced products to the global audience they desire." "The Asia Pacific market has staked its claim for the mobile gaming world with almost half of the market share globally. More and more publishers and developers are looking to take their success to new markets -primarily to the US and Europe," said Ofer Druker, CEO and Co-founder of Matomy. "The need to differentiate advertising strategies to meet divergent markets is only increasing. Matomy brings with it expertise in the industry, and as a global company we also have experience in driving results for a market not our own. Korea will be an important player for Matomy as we continue to increase our focus on APAC through planned investments into mobile and video ad resources to help drive growth." With nearly ten years of experience in performance and programmatic advertising across channels in the Americas and Europe, the expansion into South Korea is the first part of Matomy's long-term strategy to enhance business in the Asia-Pacific Market. The company is continually building to strengthen and expand its reach in mobile technology. Through the acquisition of companies such as Mobfox, a top-five mobile advertising platform, Matomy continues to lead the industry in powerful mobile and programmatic advertising solutions. About Matomy Matomy Media Group Ltd. (LSE:MTMY,TA:MTMY) is a world leading media company delivering smart technology solutions and a personalized approach to advertising. By providing customized performance and programmatic solutions supported by internal media capabilities, big data analytics and optimization technology, Matomy empowers advertising and media partners to meet their evolving growth-driven goals. Matomy offers a single gateway to digital media channels including mobile,video, display, social, email marketing, search marketing (SEM, SEO, and ASO) and domain monetization. Founded in 2007, with headquarters in Tel Aviv and nine offices around the world, Matomy is dual listed on the London and Tel Aviv Stock Exchanges. Learn more about Matomy at http://www.matomy.com. Contact Information: Justine Rosin justine@headline-media.com UK: +44(0)203-769-5656 USA: +1-917-724-2176 SOURCE Matomy Media Group FRANKFURT, Germany, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Siim Karu Appointed New Director of Revenue Management in Hong Kong pentahotels expands its leadership team in Asia to the position of Director of Revenue Management. The lifestyle hotel group is responding to the success of the concept and the strongly growing demand in Asia. This newly created position is occupied by an employee from within the company. Siim Karu, Cluster Revenue Manager at the headquarters in Frankfurt, was therefore appointed to Hong Kong. From there, he is responsible for portfolio strategy, pricing and sales channels of the Asian hotels. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160404/351052 ) Alastair Thomann, Managing Director of pentahotels, congratulates Karu on his appointment. 'We are pleased that the ideal person for this strategically crucial position comes from within our company. With his deep understanding of the brand and the company pentahotels, Siim Karu will continue to expand and to strengthen the Asian market." The native Estonian Mr. Karu has long-standing experience in the business of Revenue Management. Before joining pentahotels, he worked as Interim and Cluster Director at Swissotel in Berlin und Sotchi. "I am grateful for this internal opportunity for promotion and the confidence they have shown in me", says Mr. Karu. "We have already developed an interesting strategy for our guests in the Asian market which will still be implemented in 2016." Launched in Europe, pentahotels is a design-led, neighbourhood lifestyle brand providing independent travellers with comfort and style in a contemporary environment. Pentalounge, a combined lobby, reception, bar and cafe - designed as a lively gathering place for hotel guests and local patrons alike - is a pentahotels hallmark. For further information or bookings, please visit http://www.pentahotels.com or follow us on http://www.facebook.de/pentahotels for the latest news. Media Contact: Global Marketing & Communications Department Head office Frankfurt am Main (Germany) pentahotels Germany GmbH Westhafen Tower a.M., Germany Phone: +49(0)69-256699-730 Fax: +49(0)69-256699-766 Email: communications@pentahotels.com SOURCE pentahotels Germany GmbH Flash China and Myanmar pledged Wednesday to further develop traditional friendship and deepen cooperation between the two countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd, L), Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw (4th, R) and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi (3rd, R) pose for group photos in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on April 6, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] While meeting with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi first conveyed him the greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Myanmar has achieved the smooth transfer of the government and the Chinese leadership entrusted me with visiting this country at the first moment, highlighting the importance China attaches to the new government of Myanmar." China hopes and believes that Myanmar's ruling National League for Democracy will sincerely cooperate and join hands with all parties to open up a new future for the country, the Chinese foreign minister said. China will always pursue good neighbourly policy toward Myanmar and is willing to develop the traditional friendly relations with Myanmar's new government, strengthen the high-level exchanges, boost political trust and further deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, wang said. The two countries, which are joined by rivers and mountains and complementary in economy, are natural cooperation partners, and China, based on Myanmar's actual development requirements, is willing to dovetail its own development strategies with those of Myanmar and actively exploit the further cooperation in the sectors of people's livelihood, production capacity and infrastructure, the Chinese foreign minister said. China is also willing to paly a positive role in pushing the peace talks in northern Myanmar in accordance with the country's desire, Wang added. For his part, Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw asked Wang to convey his good wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping. " Myanmar is highly appreciated that Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to me soon after I was elected as the president and the Chinese foreign minister visited Myanmar immediately after the formation of the new government which showed China's support for Myanmar's new government," the president said. "The good proposals on boosting pragmatic cooperation between the two countries put forward by the Chinese foreign minister demonstrated China's willingness to further develop relations with Myanmar." The new government of Myanmar now has a lot of work to do in developing economy and improving people's livelihood, and the two countries have a great potential for cooperation, the president said. Myanmar's new government is willing to work together with China to promote good relations between the countries, deepen cooperation in all fields, strengthen communication and collaboration in regional and international affairs, he said. Myanmar is also willing to continue cooperation with China so as to maintain peace and stability at the border areas between the two sides, the president added. EIGHTY FOUR, Pa., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 84 Lumber, the nation's leading privately held building materials and services supplier, has been named to Forbes' 2016 list of America's 250 Best Mid-Size Employers. Companies were selected based on a survey conducted by Forbes, in partnership with Statista.com, of more than 30,000 employees working for large or midsize firms with 1,000 or more employees across 25 industries. Employees were asked to recommend and rate their employers, as well as mention good and bad employers in sectors and industries besides their own. "Earning a spot in Forbes' Best Mid-Size Employers list is a great achievement for the 84 Lumber family," said Maggie Hardy Magerko, President and Owner, 84 Lumber Company. "Part of our mission at 84 is to serve our customers through a team of hardworking associates, and to create an environment for our associates where nothing is impossible. This recognition from Forbes is a testament to the success of our mission, and national acknowledgement of the commitment of our associates across the country." For more information on 84 Lumber locations, services and products, visit www.84lumber.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. About 84 Lumber Founded in 1956, 84 Lumber started as a "cash and carry" lumber yard in rural Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, where the company continues to maintain its national headquarters. Today, the company operates more than 250 stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, custom millwork shops, and engineered wood product (EWP) centers in 30 states, representing the top 130 markets in the country. 84 Lumber also offers professional residential and commercial contractors turn-key installed services for a variety of products including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/323236LOGO SOURCE 84 Lumber Related Links http://www.84lumber.com AUSTIN, Texas, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Abila, a leading provider of software and services to nonprofits and associations, announced today it has renewed its strategic partnership with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the largest community of fundraising professionals in the world. For the second year in a row, Abila joins AFP's Strategic Partners Program at the highest level: Premier Partner. The Strategic Partners Program supports AFP's mission to advance effective fundraising in nonprofits around the world through the provision of topnotch, cutting-edge education and training, and the promulgation of the highest ethical standards in the profession. "AFP and Abila believe a culture of philanthropy begins with fundraisers who have the ethics, education, and tools they need to maximize the impact of every dollar they receive toward a cause," said Andrew Watt, president and chief executive officer of AFP. "Our shared vision and ambitious goals to empower the fundraising community for the challenges it faces in an increasingly interconnected world are the pillars of a strong and sustainable partnership." Last month, Abila sponsored AFP's International Fundraising Conference in Boston, and led educational sessions on its latest donor and nonprofit research. "We are proud to continue our partnership with AFP, and support the growth of the fundraising profession," said Krista Endsley, chief executive officer for Abila. "We'll continue to collaborate with AFP to provide the support and tools today's fundraisers need to better engage their constituents and build donor loyalty." About Abila Abila is the leading provider of software and services to associations and nonprofit organizations that help them improve decision making, execute with greater precision, increase engagement, and generate more revenue. With Abila solutions, association and nonprofit professionals can use data and personal insight to improve financial and strategic decision making, enhance member and donor engagement and value, operate more efficiently and effectively, and increase revenue to better activate their mission. Abila combines decades of industry insight with technology know-how to serve nearly 8,000 clients across North America. For more information, please visit www.abila.com. About AFP The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents over 33,000 members in 238 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs. The association fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. For more information, go to www.afpnet.org. Media Contact: Jenna Overbeck [email protected] 512.861.3248 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150901/262646LOGO SOURCE Abila Related Links http://www.abila.com JACKSON, N.J., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Generating leads in commercial real estate is a matter of having access to relevant information that's current, when you need it. While most brokers work on leads in an ongoing fashion, they can rarely take time to do extended research themselves in order to uncover potential deals. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352542LOGO Digital tools for data aggregation have been filling the need for ready access to all sorts of useful information, and one of the major players recently announced an expansion of services that has great potential for the commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) field. The new tool is being made available as the CMBS market enters a "maturity wave," which began last year and will continue through 2017. This type of mortgage does not amortize fully over the term of the loan (usually 10 years), so the borrower is required to refinance at maturity to cover a balloon payment. It's expected that loans that aren't able to refinance at maturity will see losses. The large number of CMBS mortgages reaching maturity represents a lot of opportunity for brokers. To be more precise, OVER 21,000 LOANS. The CRE intelligence service Actovia is set to release its product nationally, and will be the first to market CMBS data with that scope. Brokers can utilize this data as a tool for lead generation, as Actovia provides names and contact information for properties with CMBS mortgages. While other services do provide some information on these properties, they aren't able to include the level of specificity that Actovia can. Brokers using the Actovia platform will have access to direct contact with owners, rather than the generic information other services provide, which usually just leads to an LLC rather than the actual decision-makers. Brokers can identify potential opportunities by looking at details on a property's mortgage rate and the date of the mortgage expiration. Knowing when a mortgage is about to expire means that contact is made at the right time, when the owner is more receptive and may be ready to move on a new deal. Accurate contact information on Actovia means that inquiries are addressed to the person who can make decisions, and costly delays can be avoided. Having access to mortgage details makes it possible to structure offers in the most effective form before initial contact is even made. Deals are immediately attractive to the prospect, because they are tailored to the specific conditions of the property's financing. Details include lender information, prepayment penalties, loan origin date, and more. Actovia is based in New York City, and is gradually expanding its reach. The CMBS tool is designed to be useful at regional and national levels. The service includes information on loan amount per square foot and loan to value ratio all of the information brokers need to strike a deal that serves both parties. In the competitive CRE industry, time is of the essence. Ready access to critical details without the need to spend time researching gives brokers an edge and lets them focus their energy where it has the most potential for generating deals. Powerful digital tools have tremendous impact, gathering current and relevant information to keep the market moving forward. About Actovia Founded by Jonathan Ingber, who formerly served as Director of Research for a high profile NYC-based commercial real estate brokerage, Actovia streamlines the intelligence-gathering process for real estate brokers and investors. Subscribers can identify the real owners behind LLCs, discover properties' real loan rates and due dates, ascertain prepayment penalty information, and search the most active owners and zip codes to empower stronger prospecting and fuel deals. For additional information, please contact: [email protected] or visit www.actoviacmi.com and sign up for a free trial. SOURCE Actovia LLC Related Links http://www.actoviacmi.com BATON ROUGE, La., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leader in the global specialty chemicals industry, announced today that it will release its first quarter 2016 earnings after the NYSE closes on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. The company will hold its conference call to discuss first quarter 2016 results on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 9:00 am ET. This call is being webcast by NASDAQ and can be accessed at Albemarle Corporation's website at http://investors.albemarle.com or by phone at the following number: Dial-In #: 888-680-0892 International Dial-In #: 617-213-4858 Participant Passcode: 614 477 42 A replay of this call will be available for seven days at the following number: Dial-In #: 888-286-8010 International Dial-In #: 617-801-6888 Participant Passcode: 297 681 22 The webcast is being distributed through the Thomson Reuters StreetEvents Network. Institutional investors can access the call via Thomson's password-protected event management site, StreetEvents (www.streetevents.com). About Albemarle Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a premier specialty chemicals company with leading positions in attractive end markets around the world. With a broad customer reach and diverse end markets, Albemarle develops, manufactures and markets technologically advanced and high value added products, including lithium and lithium compounds, bromine and bromine derivatives, catalysts and surface treatment chemistries used in a wide range of applications including consumer electronics, flame retardants, metal processing, plastics, contemporary and alternative transportation vehicles, refining, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, construction and custom chemistry services. Albemarle is focused on delivering differentiated, performance-based technologies that deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to its customers. The Company employs approximately 6,900 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets it serves. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/MM14279LOGO SOURCE Albemarle Corporation Related Links http://www.albemarle.com NEW YORK, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Appboy, the global leader in customer relationship technology for mobile-first marketers, today announced its first European-based data center located in Frankfurt, Germany to serve its growing customer base around the EU. The new data center will provide faster data processing and performance as well as enhanced localized storage capabilities for Appboy's growing customer base within the EU. The EU data center comes on the heels of Appboy's recent expansion into EMEA with a new office in London and the appointment of Vice President and General Manager, Daniel Head. With over 400 million active users, 85 billion events and 2 billion messages per month, Appboy powers lifecycle marketing campaigns across push, in-app, in-browser, email, wearables, and other emerging platforms. "The launch of our EU data center is important for our European customers to better enable them to meet regulatory requirements, and to respond to the evolving landscape in Europe," said Mark Ghermezian, CEO of Appboy. "As a mobile-first platform, Appboy is ideally situated to tackle the intricate needs of our customers on a global scale unique to the industry. We are 100% committed to our EMEA clients and to developing solutions that meet and exceed their expectations as we continue to expand internationally." For more information on the new EU data center or to learn more about Appboy, visit www.Appboy.com. About Appboy Formed to solve the unique challenges of today's mobile economy, Appboy is an intelligent customer relationship suite for mobile marketers. Our technology empowers brands to build better relationships with their customers through mobile and other digital marketing channels. Built around holistic profiles that offer a single view of the customer, Appboy's robust audience segmentation and advanced multi-channel messaging system allow brands to create and automate highly personalized lifecycle marketing campaigns in every relevant channel -- from push, in-app, and web to email, wearables, and emerging technologies. Thousands of global marketers worldwide use Appboy to connect with over 400 million active users, with 85 billion real-time events and 2 billion messages processed through our platform each month. Appboy helps brands like Domino's, Tinder, iHeartMedia, Wallapop, Opera, and SoundCloud to better engage, retain, and monetize their customers. Appboy is venture backed with over 120 employees with offices in New York, San Francisco, and London. Learn more at Appboy.com. Contact: Aimee Yoon [email protected] 646-596-7502 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160219/335391LOGO SOURCE Appboy Related Links http://www.appboy.com WELLESLEY, Mass., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eric Johnson '72, P'08, Chief Executive Officer and President of Baldwin Richardson Food Co., known for his commitment to giving back to organizations that educate and expand opportunities for those facing economic disadvantages, will be inducted into The Babson College Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame on April 13, 2016. The Hall of Fame celebrates Babson alumni who have distinguished themselves in entrepreneurial endeavors across all types of enterprises, and recognizes each for their accomplishments in creating economic and social value. Four alumni entrepreneurs - Alex Debelov '10, Alex Moazed '10, Jamie Siminoff '99, and Savitha Sridharan M'14 - will also be recognized as 'Rising Stars' for their success in founding businesses within the past ten years, making an impact in the marketplace, and generating media attention. In addition, Babson will announce the winners of its 2016 B.E.T.A. (Babson Entrepreneurial Thought and Action(r)) Challenge. Each year, challenge winners receive a grand prize of $20,000 in cash, plus 'services in-kind' from corporate sponsors, in recognition of major milestones their businesses have achieved by taking action. Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Inductee--Eric Johnson '72, P'08 Eric G. Johnson is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Baldwin Richardson Foods, one of the largest African-American owned businesses in the food industry, headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois with manufacturing facilities located in Macedon and Williamson, New York. Following in his father's footsteps, in 1989 Mr. Johnson became the Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Products Company, the nation's first African-American-owned publicly traded company. A second generation entrepreneur, Mr. Johnson purchased the Baldwin Ice Cream Company in 1992, a small ice cream brand with a longstanding history in Chicago, Illinois dating back to 1921. Over the next several years, he expanded the distribution and sales of the company. Baldwin Richardson Foods was created in 1997 with the acquisition of Richardson Foods from the Quaker Oats Company. Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor of Arts and Science degree from Babson College in 1972 and attended the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business as a Master's Degree Candidate. He was awarded the Ronald McDonald House Charities' Crystal Heart Award in 2011, the McDonald's National Black Owner Operator Association (NBMOA) Lee Dunham Visionary Award in 2012, and McDonald's System First Award in 2014. He serves as a member of the board of directors of SUPERVALU and Lincoln National Corporation, where he chairs the Finance committee. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Babson College and the Urban League of Rochester. He has created several Babson scholarships dedicated to minority candidates who can benefit from Babson's entrepreneurship curriculum, and build upon its mission to educate entrepreneurial leaders who create economic and social value--everywhere. Mr. Johnson is the father of four children, one of whom is Babson College alumnus John E. Johnson '08. Babson's 2016 Rising Stars Alex Debelov '10, Co-Founder and CEO of Virool Virool is the easiest way for video marketers to get their video seen by the right viewers around the world. The company started out with a convenient video marketing solution for individuals and small businesses, and now works with some of the biggest brands and their agencies to distribute amazing video content to millions of people across the open web. Virool promotes the very best in #advertainment, and makes video contagious by driving social engagement that will ignite a conversation. Alex Moazed '10, Founder, President, and CEO of Applico Applico is the world's first Platform Innovation(tm) Company helping entrepreneurs and CEOs build disruptive technology companies. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Boston, Applico has scaled to become one of the largest and most successful app developers in the world and has been ranked the No. 1 mobile app design and development company three years in a row. Applico has developed mobile apps for companies ranging from Fortune 100 enterprises like Disney and Google to disruptive startups like LevelUp and Glamsquad. Jamie Siminoff '99, Chief Inventor and CEO of Ring Ring blends convenience, home monitoring, and security into sleek, simple-to-use-devices. Traditional security systems activate once a break-in has occurred, the Ring(tm) Video Doorbell is designed to help prevent a break-in from taking place at all. With Ring, customers can answer the door from anywhere. The company is committed to lowering crime in communities, empowering neighborhoods, and revolutionizing the way communities are kept safe by uniting information with technology. By developing impactful technology, Ring aims to create safer, smarter, simpler lives. Savitha Sridharan M'14, Founder and CEO of Orora Global Orora Global is a global social enterprise providing affordable, reliable, and accessible renewable energy to rural and urban communities around the world. The company offers state-of-the-art technology that provides individual families and businesses with off-grid energy solutions, including lighting, air circulation, and cellphone charging. It hires and trains local people (mostly women) from rural communities to become micro-entrepreneurs, empowering them with economic opportunity and access to clean and reliable electricity. About Babson College Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds(r). The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action(r) as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value. Visit www.babson.edu. Media Contact: Michael Chmura, 781-239-4549, [email protected] This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise. For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com. SOURCE Babson College Related Links http://www.babson.edu You are here: Home Flash Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry on Wednesday refuted reports about the relinquishment of several strategic heights in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Some Armenian media said in earlier reports that the Azerbaijani side relinquished heights it had seized during recent hostilities. Spokesman for Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry Vagif Dergakhly told local media that such reports were misinformation, saying the Azerbaijani army controlled all strategic heights it captured in the fighting. He also confirmed that the Azerbaijani armed units were fortifying retaken heights. Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed Tuesday to a cease-fire, which took effect at noon, after deadly clashes between forces of the two countries erupted overnight Saturday. Baku and Yerevan have accused each other of provoking hostilities and conflicts. The two countries have long been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict over the region first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a cease-fire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes. AUSTIN, Texas, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost 30 million Americans received a new chip-enabled credit card over the past six months, according to a new CreditCards.com report. At present, 70% of U.S. credit cardholders have a chip (EMV) credit card, 15% do not and 14% are not sure. Click here for more information: Most Americans do not have any complaints regarding the new smart chip-enabled (EMV) credit cards 70% of U.S. credit cardholders have at least one smart chip-enabled (EMV) credit card, a sizable increase from six months ago http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/emv-chip-cards-arrive-poll.php The credit card industry set an Oct. 1, 2015 deadline for converting to these new, more secure cards. After that date, merchants unable to accept EMV cards became financially responsible for fraudulent charges if the illicit purchases were made with an EMV card. The Strawhecker Group recently estimated that 37% of U.S. merchant locations were EMV-ready. Boston Retail Partners pegged the figure even lower, at 22%. "It's time for retailers to step up," said Matt Schulz, CreditCards.com's senior industry analyst. "Seven in 10 cardholders have chip cards today, and now they just need more places to use them. I expect to see a lot more EMV-equipped retailers this spring and summer." Most EMV users don't have any complaints with the new technology. The most common complaint, voiced by 16% of CreditCards.com's survey respondents, is that it takes too long to process transactions. 12% said not enough stores accept chip cards. Additional findings from the CreditCards.com poll: Men are nine percentage points more likely than women to have a chip card. EMV card ownership decreases with age. College graduates are more likely to have a chip card than non-college grads. Urban and suburban households are more likely than rural residents to possess an EMV card. CreditCards.com commissioned Princeton Survey Research Associates International to obtain telephone interviews with 932 major credit cardholders living in the continental United States. Interviews were conducted by landline and cell phone in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source from March 3-6 and March 17-20, 2016. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. About CreditCards.com: CreditCards.com is a leading online credit card marketplace, bringing consumers and credit card issuers together. At its free website, consumers can compare hundreds of credit card offers from America's leading issuers and banks and apply securely, online. CreditCards.com is also a destination site for consumers wanting to learn more about credit cards. Offering advice, news, features, statistics and tools, CreditCards.com helps consumers make smart choices about credit cards. In 2015, over 27 million unique visitors used CreditCards.com to find the right credit card to suit their needs. For More Information: Ted Rossman Public Relations Director [email protected] 917-368-8635 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352102-INFO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352103-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151014/276819LOGO SOURCE CreditCards.com PRAGUE, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DJI and the European Emergency Number Association (EENA) Thursday announced an official partnership that will seek ways to integrate the use of drones into first-response missions. Over the next year, the world's leading aerial-platform maker and EENA expect to gain deeper understanding of how aerial technology best adds value to emergency-service providers in different scenarios, environments and conditions. Brussels-based EENA was established in 1999 as a non-governmental organization and serves as a discussion platform for emergency services, public authorities, researchers, associations and solution providers with the aim of improving the emergency response in accordance with citizens' requirements. The joint DJI-EENA program will provide carefully selected teams of pilots in Europe with the latest aerial-technology equipment, including DJI's ready-to-fly Phantom and Inspire drones, its M100 platform and best-in-class Zenmuse XT thermal-imaging system. Throughout the program, selected teams will receive intensive hands-on training, support and guidance on application-development using DJI's software development kit. At the program's end, EENA and DJI will share insights and best practices with the broader international emergency-response community to promote the safe integration of drones in emergency situations. The partners have selected the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department in Denmark and the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team in Ireland as the first two test sites. In Denmark, the focus will be on drone applications for firefighting, chemical accidents and larger car accidents in urban and over-water environments. The team in Ireland is already using advanced software applications through DJI's SDK to coordinate search & rescue missions in remote areas, and the focus will be to improve real-time networking techniques and crowd-sourcing capabilities. Applications from other organizations interested in participating open at EENA's annual conference in Prague on April 7. "With this partnership, we hope to demonstrate the power of aerial systems in first response missions," said Romeo Durscher, DJI's director of education. "Drones are transforming the way first response and civil protection missions operate by not only helping commanders make faster, smarter and better informed decisions, but also by providing first responders with more detailed information from an aerial perspective. The technology is easy to deploy and can be used in dangerous situations without risking pilots' lives. This ultimately saves lives and property." EENA Deputy Executive Director Tony O'Brien said his organization is excited to partner with DJI to bring its expertise and latest technology to the NGO's members. "EENA has a unique position to observe how aerial technology has been - and has the potential to be - implemented to support first-responder services. With this program, we seek to better understand how challenges in terms of logistics and data-analysis and integration can be overcome to fully realize the benefits of drones in emergency and humanitarian crisis situations," said O'Brien. To apply to become a test site for drones in emergency services applications, please visit this link. About DJI DJI is a global leader in developing and manufacturing innovative drone and camera technology for commercial and recreational use. DJI was founded and is run by people with a passion for remote-controlled helicopters and experts in flight-control technology and camera stabilization. The company is dedicated to making aerial photography and filmmaking equipment and platforms more reliable and easier to use for creators and innovators around the world. DJI's global operations currently span North America, Europe and Asia, and its revolutionary products and solutions have been chosen by customers in over 100 countries; for applications in film, advertising, construction, fire fighting, farming, and many other industries. For more information, visit DJI online: www.dji.com Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DJIGlobal Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DJIGlobal Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/DJI About EENA European Emergency Number Association (EENA) is a Brussels-based NGO set up in 1999 dedicated to promoting high-quality emergency services reached by the number 112 throughout the EU. EENA serves as a discussion platform for emergency services, public authorities, decision makers, researchers, associations and solution providers with a view to improving the emergency response in accordance with citizens' requirements. EENA is also promoting the establishment of an efficient system for alerting citizens about imminent or developing emergencies. The EENA memberships include more than 1200 emergency services representatives from over 80 countries world-wide, 75 solution providers, 15 international associations/organisations, more than 200 Members of the European Parliament and more than 90 researchers. For more information, visit EENA online: www.eena.org SOURCE DJI Related Links http://www.dji.com BOULDER, Colo., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise adoption of wearable technology is beginning to move beyond pilot projects and technology trials and into full-scale deployments, according to a new white paper published by market intelligence firm Tractica. Interest in wearables among enterprise decision-makers is growing stronger as the technology demonstrates the potential for solid return on investment (ROI) in the form of improved operational efficiencies, increased levels of data-driven insights, and enhanced customer engagement. Industry sectors such as healthcare and manufacturing are seeing a large amount of activity, and corporate wellness programs are growing beyond self-funded insurance providers to include small and medium enterprises that use third party insurance. Tractica's white paper, which is published in partnership with the Enterprise Wearable Technology Summit East, includes 30 case studies of wearable trials and deployments in enterprise and industrial environments around the world, and is available for free download on the firm's website. "While many of the early enterprise projects featured Google Glass as the dominant wearable device, a much more varied range of devices is now being utilized," says research director Aditya Kaul. "Such devices include a wearable exoskeleton chair, wearable cameras, smart watches, medical body sensors, mixed reality (MR) glasses, smart helmets, smart headsets, and location trackers." Wearable case studies featured in the white paper include trials and deployments by Amari Supercars, Anglo American, Audi, Bechtle, BMW, British Airways, Carolinas HealthCare System, Case Western Reserve University, Daimler, Discovery Health and Vitality, Domino's Pizza, Epic, Heal's, Hewlett Packard, Huggies, Hyperloop, Kazakhstan Seamless Pipe (KSP) Steel, Matrix Medical Network, Metso Corporation, MLC Limited, Nebraska Medicine, Newcrest Mining, NTT DATA Corporation, Oschner Health System, PGT Trucking, Pizza Pizza, Quebec City Airport, Rio Tinto, Schipol Airport, Scotland TranServ, Target, UnitedHealthcare, Volvo, Whistler Blackcomb, and Yale-New Haven Hospital System. Tractica's white paper, "Enterprise Wearable Technology Case Studies", covers the enterprise wearable technology market, providing real-world case studies of how wearables are used in various industry verticals. The verticals covered include automotive, construction, corporate wellness and insurance, field services, the food industry, medical and healthcare, logistics and distribution, manufacturing, mining, oil, and gas, retail and marketing, and transportation, travel, and hospitality. The devices covered include smart AR glasses, voice-controlled headsets or clip-on devices, smart watches, body sensors, wearable cameras, fitness trackers, and other devices. The white paper is published in partnership with the Enterprise Wearable Technology Summit East, being held June 16-17, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. A full copy of the white paper is available for free download on Tractica's website. About Tractica Tractica is a market intelligence firm that focuses on human interaction with technology. Tractica's global market research and consulting services combine qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a comprehensive view of the emerging market opportunities surrounding User Interface Technologies, Biometrics, Digital Health, Wearable Devices, and Automation & Robotics. For more information, visit www.tractica.com or call +1.303.248.3000. About the Enterprise Wearable Technology Summit East The Enterprise Wearable Technology Summit East is designed to provide business leaders with insight as to successful paths for adopting wearable technology in the enterprise. The carefully vetted speaking faculty consists of early enterprise adopters, technology and app developers, and other industry experts and visionaries who are driving the growth of this new wave of mobile technology in the workplace. This conference will move past the hype of wearable technology in the consumer space and get down to BUSINESS the business of putting wearables to work in enterprise environments. Unlike other wearable technology conferences that focus primarily on the consumer end of things, this forum is designed specifically for businesses exploring applications of wearables in enterprise. Press Contact: Clint Wheelock Telephone: +1.303.248.3000 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Tractica Related Links http://www.tractica.com ATLANTA, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced John Gamble, Chief Financial Officer, will meet with investors in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, April 14th and in Sydney, Australia on Friday, April 15th. Gamble will discuss the company's fourth quarter and year-end performance, as well as the strategic outlook for 2016. An archive of the presentation will be available at investor.equifax.com. About Equifax Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 800 million consumers and more than 88 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 21 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,200 employees worldwide. Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO SOURCE Equifax Inc. Related Links http://www.equifax.com WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Senate debates the FAA Reauthorization Bill, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced new legislation, the Cyber AIR Act, calling for cybersecurity standards for commercial aircrafts. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) has advocated for two years for the need to assess potential vulnerabilities of expanded technology onboard. "We promised to Never Forget our heroes or the lessons of September 11, 2001. This drives our action as first responders to maintain the safety and security of aviation," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. "Senator Markey has a consistent record of standing with us to keep our promise. We commend him for introducing this legislation to assess potential threats and vulnerabilities of expanded communications onboard commercial aircrafts. This is a small investment to protect millions of lives traveling in our skies every day. All of us are responsible for the duty of care for all passengers and crewmembers." This bill follows AFA's work to bring together direct stakeholders, from intelligence to military to private, to assess these potential vulnerabilities. "As technology rapidly advances to keep passengers and planes connected, we must ensure that the airline industry is vigilant in protecting its aircraft and systems from cybersecurity breaches and attacks," said Senator Markey, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. "The Cyber AIR Act directs the FAA to establish comprehensive cybersecurity standards and will mandate that all airlines disclose cyberattacks to the federal government. We know that terrorists and others that mean to do us harm will try to exploit any loophole or technological advance in our transportation systems, so we must continually bolster the standards and practices of the airline industry to ensure the safety and security of passengers on board commercial aircraft." AFA's "Never Forget" legislative and regulatory campaign, launched in 2014, stresses coordinated agency and stakeholder communication as a key component of aviation security. The Association of Flight Attendants is the world's largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 70 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prn/20110302/DC58223LOGO SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) Related Links http://www.afanet.org PHILADELPHIA, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobalFit, a leading provider of integrated fitness solutions for corporations and insurers, is excited to announce its recent strategic partnership with ManUp, an online weight loss program designed for men, as well as PowerUp, an online weight loss program designed for women, allowing GlobalFit members access to exclusive savings on both programs. GlobalFit's Gym Network 360 program continues to expand, offering members access to the most relevant and effective nutritional and fitness solutions available, and members are increasingly engaged with GlobalFit's personalized approach to wellness. "Adding Man UP and Power UP to Gym Network 360 was a huge win for our members. We felt it is important to offer programming that addressed the different needs of men and women when it comes to losing weight. Utilizing the science from one of the world's preeminent metabolism research centers, The University of Colorado Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, both programs deliver the weight loss and behavior changes needed to achieve sustainable health outcomes," said Merideth Harrington, GlobalFit Senior Vice President of Marketing. Since the start of 2016, GlobalFit has rapidly built more partnerships with top companies in the fitness industry than ever before. They will continue to add more programs and build strategic partnerships with companies who appeal to their client base of 70 million employees and insurance members all over the country. Find out how to add GlobalFit to your wellness program www.globalfit.com Contact: Teague Reese PR Coordinator, GlobalFit [email protected] (215)320-4219 About GlobalFit: GlobalFit provides corporations with integrated fitness solutions to enhance their wellness offerings. With over 24 years in the corporate wellness space, GlobalFit connects fitness with rewards by providing your population with a simple reimbursement option and supporting solutions to guide them in reaching their wellness goals. GlobalFit's Gym Network 360 offers a comprehensive suite of programs focused on the essential components of wellness: exercise, eating, and education. Your population gains access to exclusive pricing and flexible membership options at over 9,000 gyms and studios nationwide, healthy eating programs, and more. Plus, GlobalFit's FitBucks Rewards is a simple and flexible solution to reimburse employees for making healthy choices and encourage them to invest in their health. SOURCE GlobalFit Related Links http://www.globalfit.com RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Grace Century's bio banking project, Provia Laboratories, LLC is pleased to announce both monthly and quarterly all-time record enrollment numbers for their Store-a-tooth cryogenic storage service of dental stem cells for Q1 2016. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352699 Grace Century's Portfolio Dental Stem Cell Bio Bank Achieves Unprecedented Monthly and Quarterly Sales Records in First Quarter 2016 Provia reported a 39% increase, month-over-month, as well as an all-time monthly sales number for each month in the quarter, peaking in March 2016. In addition, this first quarter completed with an increase of 37% over the first quarter of 2015, and the achievement of the 9th consecutive record quarter in a row. The first quarter was the largest quarter in sales for any similar period in the company's history. Increasing sales are directly attributed to continued domestic news coverage as well as family awareness of breakthroughs and research in stem cells, resulting in dramatic increases in interest from both consumers and dentists. Grace Century's CEO, Scott Wolf, comments "Provia is entering a new phase with the closing of a financing round from our Asia connections. This coupled with new contracts and revenue streams, makes us confident that the next two years will establish Provia as the powerhouse in the sector." Howard Greenman, CEO of Provia says "The regenerative medicine field is expanding quickly right in front of our eyes and stem cell therapy will be an instrumental part of our children's medical and dental care throughout their lives. Provia continues to benefit from staying true to its mission: to treat our client's cells like they belong to our own children; to make technologies supporting cellular medicine broadly accessible; and to deliver quality products and services that accelerate the development of cellular therapies." About Grace Century, FZ LLC Grace Century FZ LLC is an International research and private equity consultancy located in Ras Al Khaimah, (north of Dubai) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Grace Century specializes in "game-changing" life science and health related private equity projects. For portfolio or company information please email [email protected] or call +971 (0)7 206 8851. Please direct all media enquiries to [email protected] or call +971 (0)52 712 1777. Company websites: - www.gracecentury.com Blog - www.thegracecenturyblog.com About ProviaLaboratories, LLC Provia Laboratories, LLC (www.provialabs.com ) is a healthcare company headquartered in Littleton, MA which specializes in autologous (cells from you, for you) stem cells. Provia's core business is the preservation of mesenchymal stem cells found inside teeth, Store-A-Tooth (www.store-a-tooth.com). Store-A-Tooth is offered throughout dental and oral surgery offices throughout the United States and available through partners in Central American and Singapore. For further information about Provia, please visit www.provialabs.com or to learn about Store-A-Tooth, visit www.store-a-tooth.com. The company can be reached at (877) 867-5753 SOURCE Grace Century Related Links http://gracecentury.com/ NEW YORK, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 12:00pm EDT, Jakob Pek Fund's financial blogger, Brisciel Rey, went on the air to share critical insight with Voice of Manhattan Business radio talk show host, Bruce Hurwitz, on key differences between traditional and alternative investments, as well as the critical reasons why investors should include a mix of both. "The problem with wealth managers is that they still get paid their commissions whether or not you make money on the investments they advise," said Brisciel Rey when asked about the fiduciary responsibilities of wealth advisors. "Many do have their investment preferences that are driven by commissions and fees, not necessarily what's best for their client's needs." She continued to express the importance of due diligence and knowing what your options are regardless if you decide to invest with the guidance of a financial professional. Brisciel Rey also commented on asset diversification, how the financial industry is changing and the keys to becoming an educated investor. The eighteen (18) minute interview can be found here on Voice of Manhattan Business' channel on Blog Talk Radio. The weekly show, sponsored by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC), aims to "introduce listeners to MCC programs, issues of concern to the Manhattan business community, and selected MCC members." About Jakob Pek Fund Jakob Pek Fund is a private fund where accredited investors can earn greater returns on their investments through unsecured, Limited Partnership (LP) notes issued by Jakob Pek HYIP Fund, LP. The fund offers a real estate investment venture that combines low risk with high-yield returns without charging investors any management fees, or fees to invest. Investor capital allows Jakob Pek HYIP Fund, LP to issue private mortgages to other pre-selected, real estate investors seeking mortgage loans. Jakob Pek HYIP Fund, LP is the primary lien holder on each loan, securing all investments with real estate as collateral. To learn more about Jakob Pek Fund, visit www.jakobpekfund.com, call 888-950-1143 (M-F 9AM-6PM ET), or email [email protected]. Connect on Twitter (@jakobpekfund), LinkedIn (Jakob Pek Fund), Google + (+JakobPekFund) and Facebook (Jakob Pek Fund). SOURCE Jakob Pek Fund Related Links http://www.jakobpekfund.com In a blind tasting, 28 judges evaluated 645 artisan spirits and selected Joseph Magnus Bourbon as Best in Class Whiskey in the Craft Blended Spirits Competition. To win Best in Class Whiskey, Magnus first had to win its individual category, Best Bourbon Aged Over 5 Years, which it won with a Gold medal. This qualified it to go head-to-head against the winners of the other bourbon and whiskey categories in the Craft Blended Spirits Competition, and Magnus emerged as Best in Class Whiskey. The American Distilling Institute's Spirits Competition has become the premier and top-attended competition in the craft spirits industry. "It's an incredible honor for Joseph Magnus Bourbon to be named Best in Class Whiskey," said Master Distiller Brett Thompson. "We are grateful to our Dream Team of top bourbon experts who guided us on an incredible journey to learn from the original 100 plus year old Magnus bourbon and bring back that heritage in our triple-cask finished Joseph Magnus Bourbon." "The creation of triple-cask finished Joseph Magnus Bourbon is one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling adventures I have taken part in," said Dave Scheurich, former Woodford Reserve Distiller and Whiskey Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. "The 100 plus year old original Magnus bourbon we tasted was an incredible product, and by cask finishing Joseph Magnus Bourbon the same way Magnus did in the 1890s, we were able to make it a near match to the original. The fact it won Best in Class Whiskey by the American Distilling Institute is a special tribute to Magnus and his amazing spirits." After Magnus' great-grandson discovered original 100+ year-old bottles of Joseph Magnus' pre-prohibition era bourbon that had been passed down through generations of the Magnus family, Jos. A. Magnus & Co. assembled a bourbon "Dream Team" led by Nancy "the Nose" Fraley, Magnus Master Blender, Dave Scheurich, former Woodford Reserve Distiller and Whiskey Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, and Richard Wolf, former Buffalo Trace Distillery VP and General Manager. Upon sampling the pre-prohibition Magnus, which was one of the best bourbons the Dream Team had ever tasted, they discovered that Magnus finished his bourbon in used sherry barrels, a process that delivered a uniquely smooth bourbon with notes of rich, dark fruits. The team, led by Magnus Master Blender Nancy Fraley set out to recreate those historic Magnus qualities by finishing 9-year bourbon in used sherry and cognac casks at its DC distillery. Jos. A. Magnus & Co., founded in 1892 and reestablished in 2015, is located at 2052 West Virginia Ave NE #202, Washington DC 20002 in Ivy City in NE, bringing legendary libations and pre-prohibition heritage to the nation's capital. Contact: Molly Sheerer 202-750-7509 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352732LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352733 SOURCE Jos. A. Magnus & Co. OAKLAND, Calif., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A universal screening program increased the number of women diagnosed and treated for depression during and after pregnancy and resulted in significant relief from their symptoms, according to two Kaiser Permanente studies published online today in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. Perinatal depression (before and after birth) occurs in 12 to 20 percent of pregnancies, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The consequences can include premature delivery, decreased maternal-child interactions, child behavior problems, and in severe cases, even suicide or infanticide. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended that clinicians screen patients at least once during the perinatal period for depression and anxiety symptoms using a validated tool, but such tools are rarely used. Kaiser Permanente in Northern California initiated the development of a universal screening program in 2007. Women were screened with a nine-question survey at three times during the perinatal period: the first prenatal visit, at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation, and at three to eight weeks following birth. Each woman's obstetrician reviewed the results and made referrals for treatments offered by Kaiser Permanente, such as classes, support groups, individual counseling, or medication. "We identified best practices, empowered on-site champions to help educate clinicians about the program, streamlined the work flow for screening during office visits, and used data to continuously improve the program," said Tracy Flanagan, MD, director of women's health for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, clinical lead of the screening program, and lead author of one of the studies. At full implementation, the program screened 98 percent of pregnant and postpartum women at least once during and after pregnancy, and an average of 2.5 times per pregnancy. Fifteen percent of the pregnant women screened positive for depression and 6 percent screened positive for severe depression. Researchers compared outcomes before, during and after implementation of the screening program for nearly 98,000 pregnancies between 2007 and 2014. Among the women diagnosed with depression, 82 percent showed significant improvements in symptoms by six months postpartum, and 60 percent had symptoms that improved a minimum of 50 percent. Among women with severe depression, 57 percent had symptoms that were classified as mild by six months postpartum and 56 percent had symptoms that improved by 50 percent or more. "Our studies provide evidence for the effectiveness of universal screening for perinatal depression in enhancing identification and treatment and, ultimately, improvement of outcomes," said Lyndsay Ammon Avalos, PhD, MPH, lead author of one of the studies and a research scientist in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. "Through collaborations with mental health professionals, the implementation of universal screening in health care plans can provide significant improvements in identifying and treating depression." In addition to Avalos and Dr. Flanagan, co-authors of the study were Tina Raine-Bennett, MD, MPH, Hong Chen, MPH, and Alyce S. Adams, PhD, of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. Avalos received funding for this study from the National Institute of Mental Health and the University of California, San Francisco/Kaiser Permanente Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Program. About the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research conducts, publishes and disseminates epidemiologic and health services research to improve the health and medical care of Kaiser Permanente members and society at large. It seeks to understand the determinants of illness and well-being, and to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Currently, DOR's 550-plus staff is working on more than 350 epidemiological and health services research projects. For more information, visit www.dor.kaiser.org or follow us @KPDOR. About Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share. For more information, contact: Heather Platisha, [email protected], 415-262-5992 Janet Byron, [email protected], 510-891-3115 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130718/SF49717LOGO SOURCE Kaiser Permanente Related Links http://www.kaiserpermanente.org Flash The Islamic State (IS) militants are believed to have kidnapped 344 Syrian workers and employees from a cement factory near Damascus, the pro-government Sham FM radio reported on Wednesday. A general view taken from the al-Qaboun rebel held northeastern suburb of the capital Damascus on March 13, 2016 shows damaged buildings in the nearby Jobar neighbourhood. [Photo/Xinhua] The IS militants attacked the cement factory in the town of Dumair northeast of the capital Damascus, and herded the abductees to an unknown destination on Monday afternoon. All the hostages were civilians, said the report, adding that the factory is privately owned, not government-run. The attack was conducted with the local militants who pledged alliance to the IS, said the report, adding that the Syrian air force sent a drone to check and found the factory empty of people and machines, appeared to be plundered. The control of Dumair is divided between the Islamist groups and the Syrian army. The incident took place in tandem with the simultaneous attacks the IS carried out against the airbase of Dumair, which was defended by the Syrian army. The report said that efforts are being exerted for the release of the abductees. NAIROBI, Kenya, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kenya Red Cross advances their Always There connectivity with a unique, holistic, world's first humanitarian smartphone app that allows Kenya Red Cross to deliver on its mandate to help alleviate human suffering. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352474 Kenya Red Cross Society has over the years garnered accolades from external actors in recognition of the Society's outstanding commitment to humanitarian issues, and demonstration of excellence in the ICT industry. It has developed a mobile application on both Android and iOS platforms in an initiative that demonstrates its positioning and diligence as one of the leading National Societies in Africa using innovation and technology to address humanitarian needs and mobilize humanity into the 21st century. "We are extremely proud to be the first National Society among 190 others around the world to launch the most advanced humanitarian aid [smartphone] app out there. This means that once again we have put this nation at the forefront, using technology to bring humanitarian services closer to the people of Kenya," said Dr. Abbas Gullet, Secretary General Kenya Red Cross Society. A first of its kind smartphone app built for the people of Kenya enables the user to access: Emergency Services at the touch of a button using the app, members can call an ambulance quickly, allowing KRCS to reach more Kenyans in the hour of need. Emergency News and Alerts the app allows users to receive verified, timely and life saving information during an emergency or crisis. Blood the app will help KRCS mobilize donors to donate blood and address the current shortage in Kenya . Membership become a member of KRCS and make a difference to the lives of Kenyans. The Kenya Red Cross application was developed and is powered by Connectik Technologies Limited which is sponsored by Willful Capital with the support of IFRC and the participation of the Petran Foundation. Connectik provides ICT platforms for enterprise, partner, and customer collaboration and engagement that connects an enterprise with its management, employees, customers and partners all within an open cross-platform, cross-channel ecosystem within a highly secured communication environment. Hachim Badji is CEO of Connectik Technologies Limited which is based in the UK. For more information, please visit: www.connectik.com. This is the most advanced humanitarian aid app available in the world today. The majority of humanitarian apps that are available to download can only do a specific function. The KRCS App has twelve functions that include vital features such as Emergency Alerts, Ambulance Services and Blood Donations. The development of this application is an important milestone for the KRCS who will lead the global Red Cross and Red Crescent fraternity as the first National Society to launch this application. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Connectik Technologies Limited Related Links http://www.connectik.com SAN MATEO, Calif., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The CEO of Kii, the leading Internet of Things (IoT) platform provider, will address audiences at this year's inaugural Smart IoT London event (April 12-13, 2016) at London's ExCeL with his vision for monetizing the Internet of Things (IoT). Masanari Arai, who founded the business nine years ago, will talk about the huge opportunities for IoT, but that these will be restricted if the business model to make money does not change quickly. Speaking at the event on Tuesday, April 12, Masanari Arai will explain that: "Monetizing IoT is the next key discussion point in any conversation around IoT. IoT is not just a device or hardware sell, which tends to generate one-off revenues and typically very low profit margins, but an opportunity for organizations to generate regular monthly recurring revenue. We need to see a fundamental business model shift in the industry, away from these one-off hardware costs and towards a long-term service-driven revenue model. "None of the hardware manufacturers have created a billing relationship by themselves, except for Apple. Everybody has to recognize this and work towards identifying the channels through which they can achieve this be that a mobile operator, utility company or another channel. But there are two important factors when identifying the right channel to market; first, it must have a lot of customers, and second, a billing relation with them." Kii, a sponsor of Smart IoT London and an exhibitor on stand T234, is already tackling the challenge through its Space ecosystem founded with Brightstar last year, which brings together device manufacturers, developers, carriers and others to successfully deliver IoT solutions with a recurring revenue model to the market. Kii's CEO, Masanari Arai is speaking at 14:30-14:55 on Tuesday, April 12 in the Smart Platforms Theatre on 'Recurring revenue with IoT'. Taking place on April 12-13, Smart IoT London creates a forum for IoT players to discuss and debate how businesses can best capitalize on the IoT revolution and realize IoT's full potential. http://www.smartiotlondon.com About Kii Kii enables customers across the world to rapidly create compelling IoT solutions with its scalable, easy to use and feature rich IoT platform. The global platform enables all three layers of a typical IoT solution (things, services, apps), thereby significantly reducing the time it takes to create solutions, freeing up the customer to focus on their solution differentiation. Kii provides a flexible deployment model (public cloud, dedicated cloud, private cloud) globally, thereby enabling seamless solution deployment for customers of all sizes. In addition to the platform, Kii's ecosystem initiatives (like Space) also enable customers to distribute their solutions in premier carrier and retailer channels. For more information, follow @KiiCorp or visit kii.com. Media Contact (US): Kirtee Mehta 650-575-2341, [email protected] Media contact (Europe): Amanda Hassall, Cobra PR, +44 1628 822741, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151201/292019LOGO SOURCE Kii Related Links https://en.kii.com PORTLAND, Ore., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Roger Krone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a national security, health and infrastructure solutions company, joined senior officials from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the Department of Defense today to christen the prototype vehicle from DARPA's Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program. Leidos led the team that designed and built the vessel, named Sea Hunter, which embodies the program's goals to develop a highly autonomous unmanned vessel capable of operating over thousands of kilometers on the open seas for months at a time under only sparse remote supervisory control. "ACTUV could enable future capabilities that would greatly extend our customers' ability to cost-effectively monitor the maritime environment while keeping our servicemen and women safe," Krone said. "This event showcases exciting advances in autonomous technology, and highlights our open architecture approach and extensive testing that has made ACTUV a reality." Leveraging decades of naval architecture experience, Leidos began construction of Sea Hunter in 2014. With its modular trimaran design, the vessel is designed for enhanced stability in all kinds of weather. It incorporates a diverse sensor suite, including sonar, electro-optical, and short- and long-range radars. Through at-sea testing on a surrogate vessel, Leidos has proved ACTUV's autonomy suite capable of operating the ship in compliance with maritime laws and conventions for safe navigationincluding International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, or COLREGS. In addition to Krone, scheduled speakers at today's dockside ceremony included DARPA Director Arati Prabhakar; the Honorable Robert Work, Deputy Secretary of Defense; Rear Admiral Robert Girrier, Director, Unmanned Warfare Systems (OPNAV N99); and Rear Admiral Mathias Winter, Chief of Naval Research, Innovation Technology Requirements and Test & Evaluation (OPNAV N84). Following the christening, the Sea Hunter is scheduled to embark on a two-year test program jointly run by DARPA and the Office of Naval Research in the Southern California operating area. About Leidos Leidos is a science and technology solutions leader working to address some of the world's toughest challenges in national security, health and infrastructure. The Company's 18,000 employees support vital missions for government and the commercial sector, develop innovative solutions to drive better outcomes and defend our digital and physical infrastructure from 'new world' threats. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $5.09 billion for the twelve months ended January 1, 2016. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 1, 2016, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/PH20896LOGO SOURCE Leidos Related Links http://www.leidos.com LANSING, Mich., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Liquid Web, a premier global provider of professional web hosting and managed cloud services, today announced the hiring of two executives to fill new roles within the company as it expands its sales organization. Bruce Kipperman has joined as Liquid Web's new Head of Sales. Kipperman is responsible for leading and scaling the overall direction, coordination and execution of Liquid Web's sales organization to accelerate growth of its world-class hosting services and industry-leading Heroic Support while servicing a global clientele. "Through the addition of nearly 30 new sales roles this year, Liquid Web is uniquely positioned to accelerate its growth in serving digital agencies, small and mid-market businesses and value-added resellers," said Kipperman. "Our reputation for providing a heroic consultative approach to solving customer's most critical hosting needs on a 24x7 basis allows us to serve a global customer base like no other managed-service provider." Kipperman brings to Liquid Web more than 16 years of experience in leading managed cloud services and channel-focused sales teams. Prior to joining Liquid Web, he led CenturyLink's Global Channel and Partner Alliance inside sales. Kipperman also served in a similar capacity for Savvis, where he built the inside sales team for complex managed-hosting services, and he served in similar sales leadership capacities at Dell and MCI. Liquid Web also hired Dominic Miraglia as its new Head of Strategic Partners, with a focus on the digital agency community. Miraglia will be responsible for building a national team of partner managers that will work with advertising agencies, web developers, value-added resellers and IT consulting firms. This will include utilizing Liquid Web's comprehensive product offerings for managed-hosting services and Heroic Support to help agencies service their clients. Miraglia brings to the company more than 12 years of experience building and leading highly successful sales teams in cloud services, data center technology, and telecommunications. Prior to joining Liquid Web, Miraglia was the VP of Sales for AIS Data Centers in San Diego, California. Before that, Miraglia served as Regional Vice President and General Manager for Cbeyond, where he oversaw a staff of more than 100 sales professionals, selling managed hosting and cloud-based services. "Bruce and Dominic bring significant business and sales acumen in leading managed-service organizations in the partner community and globally," said Liquid Web Executive Vice President Jeff Uphues. "We are thrilled to add both of these industry-savvy executives to lead our efforts in delivering a heroic on-boarding experience to our growing list of over 30,000 global customers and partners." About Liquid Web Liquid Web is a premier global provider of professional web hosting and managed cloud services. For nearly two decades, its reputation for delivering deep technical expertise through a broad array of high-performance servers and hosting products has been a perfect match for the needs of demanding web hosting and cloud services customers. Liquid Web's products and services are backed by its renowned 24/7/365 Heroic Support. The company's savvy across open-source platforms, cloud computing, storage options, security protocols and compliance solutions drives customer success. With over 30,000 customers spanning 150 countries, the company has assembled a world-class team, global data centers and an expert group of 24/7/365 solution engineers. The rapidly expanding company has been recognized among INC Magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the last nine years. For more information, please visit www.liquidweb.com, follow us on Twitter @LiquidWeb, or read our blog posts at https://www.liquidweb.com/blog. Contact: Cale Sauter Liquid Web 1-800-580-4985 ext. 2334 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352447LOGO SOURCE Liquid Web Related Links http://www.liquidweb.com ALEXANDRIA, La., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) today announced the launch of three additional fully online bachelor's degree programs. The new offerings in psychology and emergency management join the university's growing portfolio of 100 percent online baccalaureate programs, which are designed to accommodate working adults who wish to earn a college degree. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160405/351662 "College graduation rates have been steadily rising in Louisiana for many years, yet the state has more than 500,000 residents who have some higher education experience but have not earned a college degree," said Dr. Barbara Hatfield, LSUA provost and vice-chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. "Our online bachelor's programs are designed to make higher education more convenient, accessible and affordable, thus fulfilling our vision of helping residents graduate to a better life." The new programs are: Bachelor of General Studies: Disaster Science & Emergency Management Bachelor of General Studies: Psychology Bachelor of Science in Psychology LSUA will transfer as many previous college credits as possible, and each program offers accelerated and flexible timeframes for completion. Ultimately, students can graduate with a degree from LSUA, one of the state's most affordable universities and a member of the prestigious LSU family. Applications are now being accepted, and the first round of classes for each program will begin on May 9, 2016. The university is experiencing sustained and rapid enrollment growth, and it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. LSUA selected Dallas-based Academic Partnerships (AP), a leading global provider of online services for higher education, to support the launch and marketing of the new online degree programs in psychology and emergency management. About LSUA LSUA is a public institution of higher education that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College, Inc. (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. The university is a unit of the LSU System and operates under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents. Established in 1959, LSUA is home to over 3,000 students studying a wide variety of subjects. For more information, please visit www.lsua.edu." About Academic Partnerships Academic Partnerships is a leading online service provider for higher education globally. The company assists universities in converting their on-campus degree programs into an online format, recruits qualified students for those programs, and supports enrolled students through graduation. Serving public and private not-for-profit universities in the United States and top international institutions, Academic Partnerships is guided by the principle that the opportunities presented through technology-aided learning make higher education more accessible and achievable. The company was founded by a social entrepreneur, Randy Best, who has spent nearly 20 years developing innovative learning solutions to improve education. For more information, please visit www.academicpartnerships.com. Media Contacts: LSUA Sarah Black Phone: 318-427-4407 Academic Partnerships Dan Smith Phone: 214-210-7331 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. SOURCE LSU Alexandria Related Links http://www.lsua.edu "Drivers today want to get the most out of their vehicle, and that starts with buying the right set of tires," said Philip Dobbs, chief marketing officer, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "The Firestone Champion with Fuel Fighter Technology is dependable and backed by the best treadwear warranty available from Firestone. Complemented by its fuel fighting technology, the Firestone Champion tire is a great choice for drivers who are on the go and expect their tires to go the extra mile, too." The Champion name represents a legacy of trusted performance for the Firestone brand. Firestone launched its first Champion passenger tire in the 1930s and the Deluxe Champion name adorned Firestone race tires during the 1940s and 1950s. Today's reintroduction of the Champion name for Firestone passenger tires coincides with another important milestone on the 115-year old brand's journey. Firestone is the Official Tire of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and will celebrate its 67th victory at the 100th running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" on May 29. Firestone earned its first Indy 500 victory at the inaugural running in 1911. The Firestone Champion tire will replace the Firestone Affinity and Precision touring tires. The Firestone Champion is engineered with a 30 percent improvement in rolling resistance** over the Firestone Affinity and Firestone Precision tires. Rolling resistance is friction or the force resisting a tire as it rolls across the road surface. When rolling resistance is reduced, the tire rolls more easily, improving fuel economy. The Champion tire is the latest Firestone brand product offering from Bridgestone, the world's largest tire and rubber company. Backed by a 30-Day Buy & Try Guarantee***, the Firestone Champion tire now is available in the United States and Canada, in 48 sizes, 14" to 18" rim diameters. To find out more about the Firestone Champion with Fuel Fighter Technology or to find a retailer, visit: www.FirestoneTire.com. *Limitations and restrictions apply. Ask a Firestone retailer for details. **Offers 30% improvement in rolling resistance (which helps increase fuel economy) in lab testing vs. Firestone Affinity Touring. ***U.S. & Canada Original proof of purchase required to take advantage of the Buy & Try, 30-Day Guarantee. Applies only to the purchase of a set of 4 or more tires. Tires must be returned to the original dealer within 30 days of purchase. Buy & Try, 30-Day Guarantee does not apply to tires supplied as original equipment on new vehicles. Does not cover damage due to road hazard, collision or other specified types of damage. About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.: Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352565 SOURCE Bridgestone Americas Related Links https://www.bridgestoneamericas.com NEWTON, Mass., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nearly 1,000 nurses of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United (MNA/NNU), voted Wednesday to ratify a new union contract, finalizing a deal made late last month that averted a potential strike. The agreement, negotiated on March 25, covers a two-and-half-year period starting Oct. 1, 2015. It will expire March 31, 2018. Patient care improvements were the top priority for NWH nurses, who fought for those proposals, along with better working conditions and a fair wage increase, over the course of the seven-month negotiations. Highlights of the agreement include: A new "Stat Team" of nurses to assist with patient care when nurses face additional work; restrictions on charge nurse patient assignments to keep charge nurses free to effectively coordinate patient care and assist other nurses; a 2 percent across-the-board wage increase spread over a two-and-a-half-year period, along with the completion of what is now a half salary step at the top of the scale; adjustments to health insurance; and an increase in the amount of planned time off available to nurses in each hospital unit. NWH nurses have vowed to keep fighting for better patient care and nurse staffing conditions, and a more respectful work environment from Partners HealthCare, the largest and most profitable health care employer in Massachusetts. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest professional health care organization and the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. The MNA is a founding member of National Nurses United, the largest national nurses' union in the United States with more than 170,000 members from coast to coast. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060525/NETH016LOGO SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United Related Links http://www.massnurses.org "I cannot stress enough that hospice is about helping people live as fully as possible in spite of a life-limiting illness," said actress and hospice advocate Torrey DeVitto. DeVitto is currently starring in the NBC series "ChicagoMED" and is NHPCO's first official hospice ambassador. "There are some wonderful videos, stories and photos available on the website for Moments of Life: Made Possible by Hospice. If you really want to see hospice in action, I encourage you to visit this wonderful website that my friends at NHPCO have created," added DeVitto who is a hospice volunteer herself. Hospice volunteers bring companionship to people in the final months and weeks of life, often a time when people find themselves cut off from the community, isolated and alone. They bring respite to family caregivers who are caring for dying loved ones and struggling with their own grief and loss. They provide valuable support with local outreach efforts, fundraising events and administrative tasks. "We are grateful to our volunteers every day of the year but National Volunteer Week is a time when we can celebrate all they do and remind everyone that hospice and palliative care volunteers are special people who give deeply from their hearts," said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. An estimated 1.6 million people coping with a life-limiting illness are cared for by hospice every year. Silverado Los Angeles Hospice volunteer Mercedes Ibarra shares her story on why volunteering for hospice is so important in this video that is part of NHPCO's engagement initiative, Moments of Life: Made Possible by Hospice. "I like knowing that families feel that there is someone there to support them and their loved one," says Ibarra. It is federally mandated, under Medicare, that five percent of all patient care hours be provided by trained volunteers. This requirement underscores the important role that hospice volunteers play in caring for the dying and their family caregivers. To learn more about hospice or to find a hospice in your community to inquire about volunteer opportunities, visit the Moments of Life: Made Possible by Hospice website. Contact: Anita Brikman Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications Ph: 703-837-3154 NHPCO is the oldest and largest nonprofit leadership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. NHPCO's mission is to lead and mobilize social change for improved care at the end of life. Video - https://youtu.be/XMWB1wNI7Ec Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110105/DC25260LOGO SOURCE National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Related Links http://www.nhpco.org SAN FRANCISCO, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Clustrix, provider of the first scale-out database designed for the elastic scaling requirements of high-transaction, high-value workloads of today's web applications, announced that it is sponsoring Percona Live 2016, taking place April 1821 in Santa Clara, Calif. At the event, Clustrix will announce details of a new version of ClustrixDB, which will afford unprecedented flexibility and performance. "Today's Web applications need superior scalability and accuracy without compromise," said Mike Azevedo, CEO, Clustrix. "Traditionally, if you want to emphasize transaction accuracy, you do so at the expense of scalability. We're going to show that this is no longer the caseyou can scale to process millions of transactions per second instantly, while maintaining the highest standards in accuracy with full ACID compliance." Powering the next generation of innovative applications with scale-out SQL ClustrixDB is built from the ground up to power applications that handle high-value, high-transaction workloads, which have an equal need for scalability and accuracy, such as those in ad tech, gaming, e-commerce and IoT. The company has already demonstrated the database's capabilities in a well-documented benchmark which showed that it can scale out linearly to maintain peak performance (i.e., low latency), thereby exceeding the performance of AWS Aurora by 10 times. A drop-in MySQL replacement, ClustrixDB allows companies flexible scale to accommodate performance needs by simply adding or removing server nodes. While this is a wholly unique capability for a fully fault-tolerant, ACID-compliant relational database, it is one which the company believes will be required by the next generation of applications. "More businesses are going to need to scale to process tens of millions of transactions seamlesslysuch as those in IoT for examplebut not necessarily all year," said Dave Anselmi, Director of Project Management at Clustrix. "They will require SQL that truly scales out like a cloud application, but they will have the budgetary flexibility to pay for extra capacity only when they need it." Those attending the conference are encouraged to attend the Clustrix sponsored Breakout Session titled, "Scaling MySQL: Strategies, Challenges, & A Better Solution." You're also invited to stop by the Clustrix Booth to learn firsthand about all of ClustrixDB's exciting new capabilities, as well as the growing list of dynamic companies that are powering their most sophisticated applications with ClustrixDB. About Clustrix Clustrix provides the leading scale-out relational database engineered for the cloud or data center. ClustrixDB is a drop-in replacement for MySQL and an ideal solution for high-transaction, high-value workloads typically found in businesses such as ad tech, e-commerce, gaming and large web and mobile businesses. Our customers use ClustrixDB for critical business applications that support massive transactional volume and real-time reporting of business performance metrics. ClustrixDB delivers more than twenty-five trillion transactions per month for customers including AOL, Flipkart, MakeMyTrip, Choxi, Photobox, Rakuten and Symantec. Headquartered in San Francisco, visit www.clustrix.com to learn more. Clustrix is trademarked in the U.S. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Other product or company names mentioned may be trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. Media contact: [email protected] or 415-989-9000 SOURCE Clustrix Related Links http://www.clustrix.com EAST HARTFORD, Conn., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has awarded long-term agreement contracts valued at $17 million over 10 years to four key Italian aerospace suppliers Aerea S.p.A., APR S.r.l., Mepit S.r.l. and NCM S.p.A. to manufacture F135 engine components for the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. Pratt & Whitney has invested in a global manufacturing network and supply chain to ensure the success of the F135 engine program. In order to double the size of both commercial and military engine production by 2020, the company has signed long-term agreements valued at more than $22 billion dollars with nearly 800 key product suppliers worldwide. To date, F135 production requirements have resulted in more than $25 million dollars in contracts to Italian companies, and additional F135 engine work may increase for Italian industry as the production ramp grows in the coming years. Aerea S.p.A, APR S.r.l., Mepit S.r.l. and NCM S.p.A. were selected on a best value basis to support the F135 engine program as a result of their readiness to deliver high-quality parts, on-cost and on-time, according to Cliff Stone, vice president business development, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. "Pratt & Whitney works hard to identify and team with capable suppliers who can deliver high-quality products at competitive prices. These awards directly support our goals for F135 industrial participation with small and medium enterprise suppliers," said Stone. "We have had great success working with Italian industry. We recognize the advanced capabilities and value that exists with these particular suppliers and look forward to having them as part of Pratt & Whitney's global supply chain for the F135 engine." "We are thrilled to be selected as a best value supplier for Pratt & Whitney's advanced F135 engine," said Silvano Mantovani, chief executive officer, Aerea S.p.A. "This long term supply agreement is a recognition of our technological know-how and the capabilities that exist in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility." "This agreement signals strong confidence from Pratt & Whitney, and positions us well for additional F135 engine component manufacturing opportunities of increasing value," said Andrea Romiti, chief executive officer, APR S.r.l. "We are prepared to deliver on our cost and product quality commitments, and we are ready for the F135 engine production ramp." "Our business is focused on delivering affordable, high-quality products," said Luca Pigato, chief executive officer, Mepit S.r.l. "As a supplier of machined parts for the advanced F135 engine, we remain at the cutting edge of technology and providing important jobs for our talented workforce." "We are delighted to have Pratt & Whitney's confidence to manufacture and deliver these key components for the F135 engine," said Renato Cesca, chief executive officer, NCM S.p.A. "Our involvement with the F135 engine and the F-35 program helps ensure aerospace remains an essential part of our local industry." As one of the original nine partner nations for the F-35, Italy is a key contributor to the development and production of the F-35 Lightning II. The current program of record for Italy is for the procurement of 60 F-35A and 30 F-35B aircraft, confirming the aircraft as the official replacement for the legacy Panavia Tornado, AMX and AV-8B aircraft currently in use by the Italian Ministry of Defence. The F-35 Lightning II program includes partners from Australia, Italy, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United Statesas well as three foreign military sales customersIsrael, Japan and South Korea. A total of 3,170 F-35s are currently planned for production. To date, Pratt & Whitney has delivered 266 F135 engines for the advanced, single-engine F-35 aircraft. About Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans and availability of funding, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Matthew Bates Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Mobile: +1-860-371-9857 [email protected] SOURCE Pratt & Whitney Related Links http://www.pratt-whitney.com Flash The case of Zhao Shilan, a Chinese woman accused of immigration fraud, money laundering and other crimes, has been adjourned for the second time in Los Angeles, in the United States. Zhao Shilan, ex-wife of former Chinese government official Qiao Jianjun, attempts to avoid reporters' cameras outside a court in Los Angeles, U.S., on May 19, 2015. [Photo/Chinanews.com] The next trial hearing has been set for February 28, 2017. Daniel H. Deng, a Chinese-American attorney who specializes in criminal cases, says Zhao's properties in the US are very likely to be confiscated. "In many criminal cases, to prove the government's confiscation is unreasonable, the defendant must give evidence to prove the properties were legally obtained. In this case, unless Zhao's family can prove all the money sources were clean and have nothing to do with their old positions, it will be very difficult for them to get the properties back." Zhao's ex-husband Qiao Jianjun, a former official with a branch of China's government grain storage, allegedly embezzled money and fled to the US in 2011. Taking this allegation into account, another attorney Michael Jun Zhang has suggested the basic outline of the case is unlikely to change despite the adjournment. "One of the basic legal requirements for investment migration is that the money must be legally gained, but in Zhao's case it was illegal, which if proved by the prosecutor, her 'investment migration' would be false, and immigration fraud would be proved." Zhao was arrested in March, 2015 and appeared at a custody hearing in Los Angeles on May 18, 2015, when the judge announced the date for the first trial hearing would be July 14. However, the hearing was postponed to April 6, 2016 due to its complexity. Additionally, through these partnerships, ProQuest, OpenStax and OpenSUNY are introducing more options to help reduce course materials costs for students. "This partnership with OpenStax and OpenSUNY lets us provide more quality, free textbooks to schools and increase visibility of this content," said Franny Lee, Co-Founder and General Manager of ProQuest SIPX . "We're always thrilled to add relevant curriculum materials through ProQuest, and we continue to strive for improving access to quality, affordable higher education for all." OpenStax is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing student access to quality learning materials. "OpenStax is committed to improving access to educational materials for all. Our partnership with ProQuest SIPX is another step toward making our content as accessible as possible, particularly at the institutional level," said Richard Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax and Rice's Victor E. Cameron Professor of Engineering. About ProQuest SIPX (www.sipx.com) A growing leader in digital content and online education, ProQuest SIPX provides proven cost-saving and scalable technology to manage and share course materials under the SIPX and ProQuest brands. Developed from a Stanford University research project, the system draws together open access and OER materials, comprehensive publisher content and library holdings into an intuitive interface that allows faculty or support staff to set up and share course readings with students. Through SIPX, course materials become cost-efficient, easy and transparent, with individual user contexts that permit free or reduced-cost access based on factors like library subscription affiliations or a student's geography. The solution supports seamless integrations with Learning Management Systems, library course reserves services, bookstores and copyshops, coursepacks, distance education, continuing studies and global open online courses/MOOCs. Analytics created for instructors and libraries cover student engagement and campus course material needs, as well as new opportunities for sharing school- and instructor-owned content. Students and schools have saved more than $4.6 million to date using the ProQuest SIPX. Reported results include: An average savings of 39 percent for students on course materials; Over 50 percent savings for library reserves and institution-pay permissions budgets; Increased productivity and more visibility in LMS/teaching environments for campus curriculum services to support more courses; Copyright-compliance for the university; and Flexibility to support faculty's preferred teaching platforms. About OpenStax (www.openstaxcollege.org) OpenStax College is a nonprofit organization committed to improving student access to quality learning materials. Our free textbooks are developed and peer-reviewed by educators to ensure they are readable, accurate, and meet the scope and sequence requirements of an instructor's course. Through our partnerships with companies and foundations committed to reducing costs for students, OpenStax College is working to improve access to higher education for all. OpenStax College is an initiative of Rice University and is made possible through the generous support of several philanthropic foundations. About ProQuest (http://www.proquest.com) ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the company's products are a gateway to the world's knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections, and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create, and manage information. The company's cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students, and researchers through the ProQuest, Bowker, Coutts information services, Dialog, Ex Libris, and SIPX businesses and notable research tools such as the RefWorks citation and document management platform, the Pivot research development tool, and the ebrary, EBL, MyiLibrary ebook platforms. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352703 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120620/DE27948LOGO-a SOURCE ProQuest Related Links http://www.proquest.com DENVER, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore's national water agency, PUB, selected CH2M as one of three recipients for its Watermark Award for its legacy of advocating water sustainability through community outreach activities and partnership on numerous milestone projects that lead the way in the area of water stewardship, and encourage the community to take ownership of Singapore's water resources and contribute towards its water sustainability. "We are heartened by the initiatives and programs that CH2M, one of our Watermark Award recipients this year, has developed over the years to educate their internal and external stakeholders about water. CH2M is a sterling example of an organization that goes above and beyond to spread the water saving message and inspire the community to protect our precious water resource in Singapore. We hope more organizations like CH2M, can come forward and go the extra mile for water, like what our winners have done this year," says George Madhavan, Director of 3P Network, PUB. Cultivating a 25-year relationship, CH2M has been working closely with Singapore's PUB, delivering major cross-sector infrastructure projects in Water and Industrial Facilities, including serving as program manager and designer for the award-winning Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) and the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, one of the world's largest water reclamation projects; the iconic NEWater Plant and Visitor Centre, an international landmark for educating the world about water reuse; and the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme, which transformed the waterbodies in Singapore beyond their utilitarian functions, creating new community spaces as well as higher quality living in Singapore. "Singapore is a water model for the world. Each of the projects we've completed with PUB has been characterized by strong partnerships, between a most innovative client and consultants and contractors who share PUB's vision, and with the community who understands water and sustainability by virtue of Singapore's investment in education," said Peter Nicol, CH2M Global Water Business Group President. "We are honored to accept PUB's Watermark Award for our contributions to protecting and preserving Singapore's precious water assets." In 2015, CH2M received the Stockholm Industry Water Award for pioneering methods to clean water and increasing public acceptance of recycled water. CH2M's work with Singapore's PUB in the early 2000s was a key milestone in the firm's potable water reuse journey and helped evolve water reuse practices, proving not only the safety of potable reuse, but helping win public acceptance with the country's NEWater project. By pioneering a hands-on transparent approach to public outreach and conducting the most sophisticated and comprehensive study of reclaimed water to date, the project fully integrated the best in technology with the best in public education tools to create unprecedented public acceptance of water reuse. The Watermark Award, first introduced in 2007 by PUB, recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions and commitment to protect and raise awareness of Singapore's precious water resources. Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Masagoes Zulkifli, presented CH2M with the award on March 31, 2016, during a ceremony. About CH2M CH2M is the leading professional services firm delivering sustainable solutions to clients working on the world's most complex challenges. CH2Mers make a positive difference providing consulting, design, engineering and management solutions for vital infrastructure and resources serving diverse public- and private-sector clients. With $5.4 billion in revenue and ~24,000 people, the firm has offices in 50 countries and four business groups: water; environment & nuclear; transportation; and energy & industrial. Known for managing global events such as the Olympic Games, CH2M ranks among Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies; number-one in environmental consulting and program management by Engineering News-Record; and among sustainability leaders by independent analyst Verdantix. CH2M in 2016 was selected to receive the World Environmental Center's Gold Medal Award, and in 2015, received the Stockholm International Water Institute's highest Industry Water Award for pioneering water conservation and reuse technologies. To learn more about the CH2M difference, connect with us at www.ch2m.com; linkedin.com/company/ch2m; twitter.com/ch2m; facebook.com/ch2mhill; and search for jobs at ch2m.com/careers. Contacts: Lori Irvine CH2M (Water Business Group) +1 720 286 3137 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160315/344421LOGO SOURCE CH2M Related Links http://www.ch2m.com ATLANTA, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pyrgos Communications, Inc. (PCI) announced that they have been awarded a subcontract to BAE Systems to provide global support to Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) on one of their major contracts. Under the terms of the subcontract, PCI will work exclusively with BAE Systems to assist in the development, design, implementation and testing of NAWCAD C4I systems to support the Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Program. PCI will provide technical and installation personnel, as required in the areas of research and development, component and systems design engineering services, system integration services, installation support, and test and evaluation support. "PCI is honored to have been awarded this subcontract with BAE Systems to support the Navy under this significant program," stated Michael Graham, President and CEO of PCI. "We thoroughly understand the importance of the CNIC program and are dedicated to providing unsurpassed services and support to assist the Navy with accomplishing its critical missions." About PCI Pyrgos Communications Inc. (PCI) is a certified small business specializing in design, implementation, testing and support of innovative communications solutions. A privately held company headquartered in Cumming, Georgia, PCI provides expert services to Federal and Commercial clients worldwide. For more information, visit www.pyrgoscomm.com. Contact: Michael J. Graham; (571) 232-4337 or [email protected]. NAVAIR Public Release 2016-250. DISTRIBUTION A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Pyrgos Communications Related Links http://www.pyrgoscomm.com RALEIGH, N.C., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- An estimated 400 children in North Carolina's Triangle region can't speak, can't write, and have trouble walking or even moving through space. Families and public schools struggle to meet their complex medical, technological, and educational needs. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352282LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352283 In 2007, nonprofit New Voices Foundation was established to improve educational opportunities for children with severe communication and mobility disabilities to help maximize their learning potential. "New Voices children have the same needs and aspirations of all children, and a bit more," said Don Stedman retired Dean of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill and co-founder of New Voices. "There is no reason that their communication and mobility challenges cannot be successfully addressed in a way that will allow full inclusion in our schools and community." Over the past decade, with the support of outstanding teachers, therapists, parents, leaders, and education and health professionals, hundreds of lives of New Voices children have been changed, unlocking communication, mobility, inclusion, and possibilities. When Lara Jane Parker was born in 1971, she did not breathe for fifteen minutes and was not expected to survive. Later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Lara was unable to sit, stand, or talk. Overcoming her limitations with self-determination and with a lot of support from teachers and others, Lara graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, lived independently, and served on committees working with issues involving developmental disabilities. In memory of Lara, the Lara Jane Parker Awards for Excellence and Advocacy was established in 2013 to recognize and reward individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of New Voices Children. This year's recipients will be honored Thursday, April 21, at 4:30 p.m. at Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The program is free and open to the public. RSVP by April 15 to: [email protected]. 2016 Award Recipients : Award of Excellence Alecia Osisek, Teacher, Ephesus Elementary School, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School System With a passion for teaching and a gift for creating a communication rich environment, Alecia's classroom has successfully transitioned a student into general education and is a model for processes used by Assistive Technology / Augmentative Alternative Communications teams. Alecia received her BA in Elementary Education and Graduate Certification in Special Education from Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Advocacy Awards Betsy Cordle, Assistive Technology Specialist, Wake County Public Schools Betsy's background includes a Masters of Education in Special Education from UNC-Chapel Hill, providing a unique blend of teaching and technology experiences. This combination enables Betsy to provide practical ideas to implement successful communication systems in the classroom. Betsy was a key team member that provided training to over 25 teachers. Laura Lewis, Assistive Technology Specialist, Wake County Public Schools With over 25 years experience as a Speech Language Pathologist, Laura has worked extensively with children with communication disabilities. One of her numerous strengths is involving the parents in the development of communication systems for students. Laura is a 2010 Kenan Fellow sponsored by New Voices Foundation. She received her Masters of Science degree in Speech / Language Pathology from East Carolina University. Ashley Robinson, Augmentative Alternative Communication Specialist, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Ashley inspires others to believe in their students and provides a dynamic approach for them to implement successful communication systems in the classroom. Her motto is "everyone deserves a voice." Ashley received her Masters of Science from UNC-Chapel Hill. Media Link (photos, logos, 2013-2016 recipients) Contact: Sandy McMillan, Board Chair New Voices Foundation Web: www.NewVoicesNC.org Email: www.newvoicesnc.org/contact/ Phone: 919-659-5961 Robert B Butler Communications | PR www.NCPressRelease.org www.RBButler.com SOURCE New Voices Foundation Related Links http://www.newvoicesnc.org US$1.02 billion of equipment, trucks and other assets sold through 51 auctions and EquipmentOne during Q1 2016 of equipment, trucks and other assets sold through 51 auctions and EquipmentOne during Q1 2016 6.8% growth in gross auction proceeds ("GAP") compared to the first quarter of 2015 New first quarter GAP record; first time GAP surpassed $1 billion in the first quarter VANCOUVER, April 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA, the "Company"), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, is pleased to announce it sold more than US$1 billion worth of equipment, trucks and other assets during the first quarter of 2016representing 6.8% GAP growth compared to the first quarter of 2015, and a new first quarter GAP record. During the quarter Ritchie Bros. held 51 auctions (industrial and agricultural), including 29 auctions held outside of the United States. As the Company reports in US dollars, GAP growth reported for auctions held outside of the US was impacted by foreign exchange and fluctuating exchange rates relative to prior periods. On an organic basis, using the same exchange rates during the first quarter of 2015, GAP grew 9.0% in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same quarter of 2015. "I'm very pleased with our strong auction performance during the first quarter of 2016, especially in light of the challenging comp we were presented with for March of last yearwhen we held a $54 million dollar offsite auction that was not repeated in 2016," said Ravi Saligram, CEO, Ritchie Bros. "Our sales and operations teams around the globe rallied, and our marketing team worked tirelessly to help generate record-breaking auction crowds and top sales values for our customers. Their combined efforts allowed us to achieve many new auction site records, and surpass $1 billion of GAP for the first time during the first quarter." Gross Auction Proceeds: (in U.S. $ millions) 2016 2015 Growth Organic growth1 (using the same foreign exchange rates as 2015 period) March $ 620 $ 580 6.9% 8.8% February* $ 400 $ 375 6.7% 9.3% Q1 $ 1,020 $ 955 6.8% 9.0% * No live auctions were held in January 2016 or 2015. All assets sold on EquipmentOne in January have been moved into February's totals. ____________________ 1 Like many businesses, Ritchie Bros.' performance can be affected by changing foreign exchange (FX) rates. As a reminder, Ritchie Bros. discloses all financial figures in U.S. dollars (unless otherwise noted), but operates in over 19 countries. To provide investors with a better understanding of organic growth, which removes the impact of foreign exchange rate changes relative to the prior year, we have broken out both reported (FX impacted) GAP growth and organic (FX normalized) GAP growth results. Ritchie Bros. defines organic growth as an improvement in current year performance compared to prior year performance, where current year performance is measured using foreign exchange Rates consistent with those of the comparative year ago period. The Company believes that using organic growth information is important in evaluating the operational health of the business. Strong auction performance GAP growth during the first quarter of 2016 was due mostly to larger auctions held, relative to comparable auctions last year, and the addition of several new auctions in the first quarter, which largely offset the 2015 auctions not repeated in the first quarter this year. Auction highlights during the first quarter of 2016 include: The US$172 million Orlando, Florida auction ( February 15 19, 2016): typically one of the largest auctions held by Ritchie Bros . each year, this auction attracted record crowds, with more than 9,850 bidders registering for the sale. auction ( 19, 2016): typically one of the largest auctions held by . each year, this auction attracted record crowds, with more than 9,850 bidders registering for the sale. The CA$120+ million Edmonton, Alberta auction ( February 24 26, 2016): the largest February auction Ritchie Bros . has held in Edmonton (GAP grew 43% and bidder registrations grew 50% from the comparable auction last year) auction ( 26, 2016): the largest February auction . has held in (GAP grew 43% and bidder registrations grew 50% from the comparable auction last year) The US$41+ million Dubai , UAE auction ( March 1 2, 2016): a sale that achieved 54% GAP growth relative to the March Dubai auction last year. , UAE auction ( 2, 2016): a sale that achieved 54% GAP growth relative to the March Dubai auction last year. The CA$62+ million Grande Prairie, Alberta auction ( March 14 15, 2016): a new sale added to the auction calendar in 2016, and the largest Grande Prairie auction ever held by Ritchie Bros . auction ( 15, 2016): a new sale added to the auction calendar in 2016, and the largest auction ever held by . The US$46+ million Denver, Colorado auction ( March 17 18, 2016): the largest Denver auction ever held by Ritchie Bros . (GAP doubled from the comparable auction last year) auction ( 18, 2016): the largest auction ever held by . (GAP doubled from the comparable auction last year) The CA$24+ million Bonanza, Alberta auction ( March 30, 2016 ): the largest 'on-the-farm' agricultural auction Ritchie Bros . has ever held. Q1 2016 Industrial Auction Metrics: (in U.S. $ billions) Q1 2016 Q1 2015 Growth Number of industrial auctions 42 40 5.0% Number of agricultural auctions 9 8 12.5% Registered Bidders 125,500 106,500 17.8% Buyers 31,750 25,200 26.0% Consignors 11,300 8,900 27.0% Lots 93,000 72,500 28.3% Upcoming Auctions Ritchie Bros. has 130+ live unreserved auctions listed on the calendar at rbauction.com, including massive auctions in Houston, Texas and Edmonton, Alberta in April. More than 3,700+ equipment items and trucks will be sold in the two-day Houston auction (April 20 21, 2016), including 100+ excavators, 65+ compactors, 40+ loaders, 300+ truck tractors, 260+ trailers and more. The following week, Ritchie Bros. will conduct its first-ever five-day Canadian auction at its Edmonton site (April 26 30, 2016). More than 9,450+ items will be sold in the mega-auctionthe most ever sold in Canada. Specific highlights include 210+ excavators, 210 compactors, 190+ loaders, 170+ dozers, 220 truck tractors, 950+ trailers, and a lot more. Other upcoming auction highlights include: Moerdijk, The Netherlands ( April 21 22, 2016) ( 22, 2016) Fort Worth, Texas ( May 4 5, 2016) ( 5, 2016) A mining equipment auction in Hazard, Kentucky ( May 5, 2016 ) ( ) Back-to-back North Dakota auctions in Williston ( May 12 ) and Minot ( May 13, 2016 ) auctions in ( ) and Minot ( ) Toronto, Ontario ( May 11 12, 2016) ( 12, 2016) Dubai, United Arab Emirates ( May 24 25, 2016) ( 25, 2016) Montreal, Quebec ( May 25 26, 2016) ( 26, 2016) Denver, Colorado ( June 8 ) Monthly Auction Metrics Detailed monthly auction metrics for April 2016 and prior months are available on the company's investor relations website: investor.ritchiebros.com/historical-auction-metrics First quarter 2016 Earnings release date Ritchie Bros. will report its first quarter 2016 results information before NYSE and TSX markets open on Monday, May 9, 2016. The earnings call will take place later that morning. Detailed conference call information will be available on the Company's investor relations website prior to this date: investor.ritchiebros.com All quarterly and monthly figures contained in this news release are preliminary, and are subject to adjustment as final results are processed. Monthly auction metrics should not be considered indicative of quarterly, annual or future performance. Auction metrics and corporate performance vary considerably month-to-month, due to the number of auctions held each month and seasonal factors. Ritchie Bros.' actual results could differ materially from those implied by this monthly auction disclosure. Investors are encouraged to review Ritchie Bros.' performance on a 12-month rolling or annual basis before making investing decisions. About Ritchie Bros. Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is the world's largest seller of used equipment for the construction, transportation, agriculture, material handling, energy, mining, forestry, marine and other industries. Ritchie Bros.TM solutions make it easy for the world's builders to buy and sell equipment with confidence, including live unreserved public auctions with on-site and online bidding (rbauction.com), the EquipmentOneTM secure online marketplace (EquipmentOne.com), a professional corporate asset management program, and a range of value-added services, including equipment financing for customers through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services (rbauction.com/financing). Ritchie Bros. has operations in 19 countries, including 44 auction sites worldwide. Learn more at RitchieBros.com. SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Related Links http://www.rbauction.com SALT LAKE CITY, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With exclusive scholarships, tuition discounts, and a generous transfer policy, Western Governors University (WGU) is a great value for community college graduates and staff seeking a bachelor's or master's degree. Alumni and employees of nearly 300 community college partners who enroll in WGU can apply for scholarship opportunities and will also receive a 5% tuition discount for up to four terms. WGU is accepting applications for the WGU Community College Partner Scholarship, a competitive scholarship valued at up to $2,000 per student (applied at the rate of $500 per six-month term for up to four terms). WGU will award the scholarships to new students enrolling in any of its more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. The scholarship is open to new WGU students who have been officially admitted to WGU. While multiple scholarships will be awarded, it is a competitive program, and scholarships will be awarded based on a candidate's academic record, financial need, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations. To learn more about the scholarships or to apply, visit www.wgu.edu/college. "Nearly half of WGU students who started in an undergraduate degree program last year transferred from or had previous experience at a community college," said WGU Vice President of Enrollment and Admissions Daren Upham. "We find graduates and staff from these community colleges make excellent students and benefit greatly from our competency-based model and one-on-one support from faculty mentors." WGU's innovative approach to learning, called competency-based education, measures learning rather than time spent in class. Students earn their degrees by demonstrating mastery of the subject matter they need to know to be successfulreal-world competencies developed with employer input. Designed to meet the needs of adult learners, competency-based education allows students to take advantage of prior knowledge to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. WGU faculty members work one-on-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU's degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their programs, saving both time and money. About WGU Established in 1997 with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU now serves nearly 70,000 students nationwide and has more than 60,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. It has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and enabling the workforce needed in today's rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. WGU's 2015 Annual Report is now available online. Follow WGU: http://www.facebook.com/wgu.edu http://www.linkedin.com/companies/western-governors-university http://twitter.com/wgu http://www.youtube.com/WesternGovernorsUniv http://google.com/+wgu http://news.wgu.edu/news/news.xml Contact for media inquiries: Joan Mitchell VP of Public Relations 801-428-5463 [email protected] Contact for enrollment information: 866-225-5948 wgu.edu Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151012/276234LOGO SOURCE Western Governors University Related Links http://www.wgu.edu HACKENSACK, N.J., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Arch Capital Partners (www.silverarchcp.com) has provided a $12.6 million loan secured by an 81-acre development site in Mansfield, Texas, announced Jeffrey Wolfer, president of the Hackensack, NJ-based private lending firm. The borrower, Geyer Morris Co., a Dallas-based development group, was under contract to acquire the site and the two-year interest-only funding was utilized to complete the acquisition. The site, currently vacant, is situated along well-traveled US-287 and Broad Street in Mansfield, a suburb of Dallas. It is entitled for the development of a 500,000-square-foot retail center, slated for completion in the spring of 2018, and plans for the property include a mix of institutional and nationally-recognized tenants. "Because of its location, demographics and growth in the market, this property is ideal for a retail center," said Wolfer. "Continued growth in Dallas-Fort Worth has pushed into Mansfield, creating the demographics for new retail. "The potential of this proposed retail project is obvious and, as such, this lending opportunity falls into the scope of our primary focus," said Wolfer. "That focus is to provide bridge financing to developers and owners with a vision, offering funding outside the scope of traditional sources." Silver Arch Capital Partners is a leading nationwide private lender to the commercial real estate market, specializing in bridge loans to owners, investors and developers in need of funding outside the scope of traditional banks and lenders. Formed with the mission to assemble the most highly creative minds in real estate lending under a single banner, the firm recognizes the importance of access to capital in turbulent times. Its partners, who have closed over $2 billion in loans, have the knowledge and insight to guide a borrower through the entire loan process, from initial review through closing. Drawing from various resources, Silver Arch Capital Partners offers loans from $1 million to $50 million with the flexibility and creativity to review projects of every type multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hotel and land and to offer funding for almost every purpose restructurings, discounted payoffs, purchase of notes and property improvements. www.silverarchcp.com SOURCE Silver Arch Capital Partners Related Links http://www.silverarchcp.com NEW YORK, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SurePure, Inc. (OTCBB: SURP) a global leader in liquid photopurification, announced today that the Company's patented photopurification technology has been used to produce key research samples for an upcoming clinical trial. This trial is expected to demonstrate that SurePure's technology, which enables immune active proteins to remain undamaged, will stimulate greater vaccine response in the elderly. Tamarack Biotics and UC Davis are jointly conducting the clinical trial in California. Bob Comstock, CEO of Tamarack Biotics stated, "SurePure technology has analytically proven to retain key immune active proteins and we are now eager to test the real-world application of this technology. We expect this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial will help lead to improved, overall health in the elderly and reduce illness-related healthcare costs. This is vitally important research given our rapidly aging population." Guy Kebble, CEO of SurePure stated, "This application and the clinical trial reflect the value of the SurePure technology in achieving microbial cleanliness while simultaneously retaining the inherent qualities of the product. We are pleased to be partnering with Tamarack Biotics in this important research." About SurePure SurePure is a global leader in liquid photopurification, the green alternative to pasteurization and chemicals. Using its patented 'Turbulator' technology, SurePure systems use UV-C light to purify microbiologically sensitive liquids such as wine, fruit juice and milk. Although designed to deliver food-grade solutions, it can also be harnessed to improve processing liquids such as water, brines and sugar syrup solutions, even animal blood plasma. SurePure's technology offers greater microbiological efficacy than conventional UV systems and is effective for both clear and turbid liquids, a world first. SurePure offers a greener alternative to comparable heat or chemical-based processes and significant process and energy savings. It also provides opportunities for the development of innovative and differentiated products with desired consumer benefits, guaranteed food safety and sound commercial benefits. Go to www.surepureinc.com for more information. Disclaimer This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are those other than historical statements of fact, and can be identified by words such as "believes," "projects," "anticipates," "forecasts," and the like. These statements are based on the Companys estimates, beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are not a guarantee of any future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain known risks and uncertainties, which are detailed in the Companys periodic filings with the SEC available at www.sec.gov. Management undertakes no obligation to update information contained herein, which is subject to change without notice. SOURCE SurePure, Inc. Related Links http://www.surepureinc.com WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) recently honored Colorado-based Syncroness, Inc. with the 2015 Small Business Excellence Award for their support services of the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles. ULA is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA's Atlas and Delta rockets have successfully delivered more than 100 satellites to orbit that provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, enable personal device-based GPS navigation and unlock the mysteries of our solar system. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352513LOGO Syncroness, Inc. of Westminster, Colorado, demonstrated excellent support to ULA and the U.S. Government programs by providing essential Engineering and IT services for a wide range of ULA programs. "Syncroness consistently demonstrates their dedication to ULA by ensuring that the identified scope of work is completed on time and under budget," said Gary Bartmann, Director Supply Chain Management. "ULA can count on the Syncroness team to resolve emergent requests, often in support of our critical schedule requirements." ULA places a strong emphasis on the value and contribution of small businesses. In fiscal year 2015, ULA awarded contracts worth more than $244 million to small businesses throughout the country. "Syncroness is honored by this award recognition," stated Todd Mosher, PhD., Syncroness Vice President of Engineering. "It validates the strong commitment we've made to ULA and our other aerospace customers. We look forward to serving others with our commercial approach to delivering rapid product development and high quality products." About Syncroness: For more than 18 years, Syncroness has provided inspired solutions to highly complex business and technical problems. The company has a strong portfolio of clients in the medical device, aerospace, and industrial equipment industries. By providing a full complement of engineering services aligned to the entire product lifecycle, Syncroness enables companies to accelerate product development and drive more predictability and productivity into their businesses. Working with Syncroness, companies gain the critical insights necessary to develop products that make a difference and create a better world. Syncroness is based in Westminster, Colorado. www.syncroness.com. Media Contact: Stacy Sprouse, 720-257-7161, [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Syncroness, Inc. Related Links http://www.syncroness.com KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology Acceleration Partners (TechAccel, LLC), a private capital development company that invests in, acquires and accelerates early-stage discoveries and technologies, has entered into a collaboration with the University of California, Davis, a world leader for agriculture research. The collaboration has the potential to make a lasting societal impact in the areas of animal health, agriculture, food and nutrition. Tweet this release Through the partnership, TechAccel has agreed to invest up to $400,000 in the UC Davis STAIR-Plus Program, which is an expansion of the University's successful Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIR) Grant program. Sponsored by Venture Catalyst in the UC Davis Office of Research, the STAIR Grant program provides funding to UC Davis researchers for translational science and innovative research. The objective of the program is to enable researchers with Intellectual Property supported innovative research to demonstrate early proof-of-concept and commercial feasibility for technologies being developed with the intent of commercial translation. "We are excited by this collaboration, which offers significant potential to enhance the support we are already providing through our Venture Catalyst STAIR Grant program, to our innovative researchers in ag-tech, food science and animal health," said Dushyant Pathak, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Executive Director, Venture Catalyst at UC Davis. "TechAccel has taken a unique approach to driving tangible outcomes from university research for greater societal benefit, and we are proud to be a partner in this important translational alliance." The STAIR-Plus program provides opportunities for additional funding for projects that have successfully progressed through the STAIR Grant program, and will enable promising technologies to be eligible for future TechAccel Emerging Company investments. Technologies eligible for consideration are limited to animal, agriculture and food sciences. Under the collaboration between TechAccel and UC Davis, TechAccel has agreed to initially fund up to four projects at up to $100,000 each. Successful STAIR-Plus program graduates will also be eligible for the TechAccel Emerging Company investments which can exceed $1 million. "Collaboration with best-in-class ag, animal health and food science research universities is of critical importance to TechAccel's model for advancing transformative innovation," said TechAccel founder and CEO Michael Helmstetter. "UC Davis is at the top of that list, providing cutting edge intellectual property, subject matter expertise and the highest research capabilities." TechAccel partners with global companies, venture capital firms and emerging start-ups to identify market needs and provide the research and development to address those needs. TechAccel co-funds the R&D costs and sources/manages the advancement of each technology, which in turn, helps companies accelerate bringing potentially transformative technologies to the global market. To date, TechAccel has partnered with 15 leading agriculture and animal health universities nationally and internationally, which are best-in-class sources for research, subject matter expertise and novel intellectual property. In 2015, TechAccel won the 2015 Excellence in TBED (technology-based economic development) Award as America's Most Promising Technology Based Economic Development Initiative from the State Science and Technology Institute, or SSTI, a national organization focused on enhancing state-level technology based economic development for the national good. About Technology Acceleration Partners: Founded in 2014 by Michael Helmstetter, Ph.D., Kansas State University, and Bicknell Family Holding Company, TechAccel is a first-of-its-kind private capital development company that invests in, acquires and accelerates early-stage discoveries and technologies in agriculture, animal health and food ingredient sectors. Through collaborations with universities and research organizations, TechAccel conducts innovative research and development to ready technologies for commercialization by TechAccel's global industry partners. For more information, visit www.techaccel.net. Contact: Laurie Roberts, Parris Communications 913-220-7488 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150909/265189LOGO SOURCE TechAccel You are here: Home Flash The upcoming visit by Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group from Russia and France to Nagorno-Karabakh is aimed at preventing violations of the cease-fire and further escalation of long-term conflict, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said Wednesday. Igor Popov from Russia and Pierre Andrieu from France will visit the Karabakh conflict zone to familiarize with the situation after the warring parties reached a cease-fire agreement. "They did not come to make any statements, their only task is to strengthen the cease-fire," said Kocharyan. OSCE Permanent Council held Tuesday an emergency meeting in Vienna, discussed the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and called on parties to comply with the ceasefire. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group decided to visit Karabakh conflict region. They are planning meet with Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert officials. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Conflict first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a cease-fire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes. Recent hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh flared up overnight Saturday with the two countries blaming each other for triggering the escalation. LONDON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ABI Research, the leader in transformative technology innovation market intelligence, finds that highly accurate, real-time maps are an essential next step as the automotive industry steers toward the future of fully driverless cars. All autonomous and driverless vehicle maps will need to combine accuracy, environmental models, and real-time attributes allowing positional and temporal awareness. "Crowdsourcing is crucial," says Dominique Bonte, Managing Director and Vice President at ABI Research. "As connected vehicles include more low-cost, high-resolution sensors, cars will capture and upload this data to a central, cloud-based repository so that automotive companies, such as HERE, can crowdsource the information to build highly accurate, real-time precision maps. This is fueled by the rapid adoption of a wide range of active safety systems with more than 94 million longitudinal assistance ADAS systems expected to ship in 2026." The new 3D, dynamic maps will provide a complementary data set to ADAS sensors for an overall smoother driving experience. Whereas sensors provide real-time visibility on a vehicle's immediate vicinity for last-minute obstacle detection and collision avoidance, maps extend this visibility to allow vehicles to anticipate those situations long before the sensors would even have to detect them. "Humans managed to learn how to drive without maps, which leaves many wondering why driverless vehicles can't do the same," continues Bonte. "The short answer is: they can. But there is still an inherent need for reliability and robustness, which can only be achieved by building redundancy into autonomous vehicle technology. Maps will work in harmony with ADAS sensors to dramatically improve overall accuracy and predictability." The battle for controlling crowdsourced driverless HD map technology is heating up. Daimler, jointly owning HERE with BMW and Audi, confirmed talks with Amazon and Microsoft to join the consortium. Mobileye signed agreements with GM, VW, and Nissan to use its Road Experience Management (REM) mapping platform. And at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), NVIDIA announced its new HD mapping approach based on its DRIVE PX machine vision hardware platform. Car OEM Toyota also announced its own mapping platform, working with mapping supplier Zenrin in Japan. ABI Research argues that the biggest challenge for the new mapping paradigm is the lack of standards coupled with high levels of fragmentation in the automotive industry. Despite HERE's efforts to assemble the industry around its Sensor Integration Standard for real-time map attributes, many players, like ADAS vendor Mobileye, are vying to play a role in map data crowdsourcing and proposing and/or imposing their own proprietary approaches. "The industry needs to set standards, if only for the fact that standards readily allow vehicles to exchange real-time map attributes between each other," concludes Bonte. "In the early stages, new players introducing their own solutions might actually fuel innovation and accelerate adoption of crowdsourced map technology. But in the long term, economies of scale and a maturing market environment will require the adoption of standards and open platform approaches." These findings are part of ABI Research's Automotive Safety and Autonomous Driving Service (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/service/safety-and-security-telematics/), which includes research reports, market data, insights, and competitive assessments. About ABI Research For more than 25 years, ABI Research has stood at the forefront of technology market intelligence, partnering with innovative business leaders to implement informed, transformative technology decisions. The company employs a global team of senior analysts to provide comprehensive research and consulting services through deep quantitative forecasts, qualitative analyses and teardown services. An industry pioneer, ABI Research is proactive in its approach, frequently uncovering ground-breaking business cycles ahead of the curve and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. In all, the company covers more than 60 services, spanning 11 technology sectors. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com. Contact Info: Christine Gallen Tel: +44.203.326.0142 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151014/276887LOGO SOURCE ABI Research Related Links http://www.abiresearch.com SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Waggl, the simple way to crowdsource insight from groups of people, and Denison Consulting, focused on culture and leadership development, today announced that they will partner to drive culture transformation by combining Waggl's real-time listening platform with Denison's methodology. The companies will offer a preview of their combined solution, tailored for specific vertical industries, at the SIOP conference held in Anaheim California on April 14, 2016. Waggl's innovative real-time listening platform and Denison's performance-based solutions have been integrated to enable CEOs and CHROs to access real-time feedback from the people who know the business best their employees. This new integrated approach is purpose-built to improve performance and build stronger, more competitive organizations. In the next phase of partnership, Waggl and Denison will address the needs of specific industries such as health care, private equity, manufacturing, and technology. "Smart organizations understand that driving culture is a dynamic and continuous process," said Michael Papay, CEO, Waggl. "In addition to the periodic survey, you need to continually keep your finger on the pulse and gather quick and real time feedback from your organization on a variety of issues as they arise. But without direction, this can lead to a lot of data with little long term impact or understanding around what to do differently. The real value comes from harnessing the power of real-time and more frequent data within an action-oriented methodology that is grounded in what is going to matter most for your organization. By working in partnership with Denison, we will both be able to truly transform culture from the ground up." Waggl's real-time feedback technology is typically used within organizations to collect and distill anonymous, real-time feedback from employees. The platform provides a variety of templates for users to cultivate feedback, in only a few clicks. Results are available immediately to administrators and participants in the form of easily digestible infographics. Unlike traditional survey and polling platforms, Waggl creates a virtual dialogue with participants by asking open-ended questions where favorite responses can be 'voted up.' It's fast and easy to share through multiple channels, and adds a fun, gamified aspect to the process of collecting feedback. Together, Waggl and Denison offer the unique combination of comprehensive enterprise assessment and continuous employee input. Working in combination with one another, Waggl's platform will be used to provide a live holistic picture, which will feed Denison's action planning process by helping to set a baseline and focus attention on the things that matter most. This approach will provide organizations with an accurate real time view of the "burning embers" that make or break a business, coupled with a clear focus on strategic change. "Clockspeed for culture transformation isn't only tracked in nanoseconds it takes staying power, and a clear focus on the dynamics of the system to drive enterprise-level change, "said Dan Denison, Founder and Chairman of Denison Consulting. "But continuous feedback in an open forum creates connection, collaboration, and alignment across the organization, facilitating forward momentum and growth. By strategically linking Waggl's innovative approach, which provides continual input from employee voices in a highly organized and easily communicated manner, with the proven metrics and enterprise focus of the Denison team, we can offer superior solutions that will accelerate the pace of change in companies today." To preview Waggl and Denison's combined solution for clients at the SIOP conference at the Anaheim California on April 14, 2016, please visit at booth #414 or visit: www.Denisonconsulting.com About Waggl Waggl is a simple way to surface and distill real-time actionable feedback. Named after the dance that bees do in a hive to transmit important information very quickly, Waggl lives at the intersection of two organizational realities: Companies want an engaged workforce and employees want to know that their opinions count. Waggl goes beyond the traditional survey by offering an extremely easy way to listen to many voices at once within an organization for the purpose of making it better. Waggl's real-time listening platform creates a transparent, authentic two-way dialogue that gives people a voice, distills insights, and unites organizations through purpose. With a highly seasoned management team and a Board including esteemed executives from Glassdoor, Success Factors, PDI Ninth House and Coupa, Waggl is an innovative industry leader helping companies of all sizes to succeed by building a listening culture. For more information, please visit: http://www.waggl.com/. About Denison Consulting, LLC Denison Consulting provides researchbased solutions and consulting support to build high performance business cultures. Leveraging our widelyused diagnostics, Denison improves the performance of leaders, teams and organizations by improving their corporate culture and leadership. Based on over two decades of research linking organizational culture and leadership to business outcomes, Denison's proprietary Model measures the essential traits of all organizations and creates the foundation for our solutions. With offices in the United States and Switzerland, we mobilize a global network of senior consultants and worldclass technology to deliver our clients meaningful results. Denison Consulting was founded by Dr. Daniel Denison and William S. Neale M.A., M.L.I.R. in 1998 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan: For more information, please visit: http://www.denisonconsulting.com/ Media Contacts: Rebecca West Helium Communications [email protected] 415.260.6094 Dan Arbour VP of Marketing and Sales Denison Consulting [email protected] 734.997.6920 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352413LOGO SOURCE Denison Consulting, LLC Related Links https://www.denisonconsulting.com With these numbers taking a toll on the injured veteran community, it becomes paramount to ensure injured veterans receive vital opportunities to engage in physical activities with people who have similar experiences and challenges. The road to recovery sometimes begins with injured veterans getting off their mental couches and getting back into active lives. At WWP, this process beings when warriors enroll with the organization and become "Alumni," referring to the belief that each person is from the same school of selfless service and sacrifice, allowing each to be there for the other in ways unique to service brothers and sisters. The Alumni program is one of 20 free programs and services that provide wounded veterans, their families, and caregivers long-term support and camaraderie through sporting events, outdoor and recreational activities, and educational sessions. "I don't get to experience many special events with my family," said Mr. Arnulfo Patinoaguilera, a Marine Corps injured veteran who recently attended his first Alumni event with his family at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. "Most of the time, we are running to appointments. Finances and motivation are two factors that also take a toll on planning family events." Arnulfo and his family are among more than 100,000 injured warriors of this generation, along with their families and caregivers, receiving comprehensive services that help with physical rehabilitation, aid in their mental and emotional recovery, assist them to achieve their educational and employment goals, and help them maintain their independence, staying connected with their families, their communities, and each other. "Sometimes it's easy for injured veterans to feel isolated," said Arnulfo. "We spend so much time in our heads, ensuring our guard is constantly up always ready. There is a strange calm that comes from spending time with other warriors. It's hard to explain unless you are a veteran, but it's like you are among family. You don't have to say anything, you can just look at each other and that understanding is there." WWP understands peer support among injured veterans makes a difference when learning to handle day-to-day challenges. All WWP programs and services have an aspect of this support structure, while one specific program, the Peer Support Group program, is dedicated to its goal of ensuring every injured veteran, family member, and caregiver support his or her fellow members in recovery, thus embodying the WWP logo of one warrior carrying another off the battlefield. In February 2016 alone, more than 180 wounded veterans took part in the Peer Support program. http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/peer-support.aspx. "Before this event, me and my family used to think we were alone, like the tip of an arrow," said Arnulfo. "Now, we realize that we are more like the feathers of an arrow: united among our veteran friends, each of us stabilizing the other while aiming for one common target recovery." About Wounded Warrior Project The mission of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. The WWP purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352147 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352144 SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project Related Links http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org Flash Russia will make every effort to promote its initiatives in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said here Thursday. "The contacts between Moscow and the parties (of the conflict) were carried out at all levels; we tried to help our friends and we hope that the cease-fire will be maintained," Lavrov told reporters after a planned trilateral meeting with his Azerbaijani and Iranian counterparts. "The situation requires working out confidence-building measures on the line of contact and looking back to the previous agreement reached during the talks," he added. As for the meeting, Lavrov said it focused on coordination of security in the region and the fight against drug trafficking. The meeting came two days after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The two countries have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region. Conflict first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a cease-fire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes. Recent hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh flared up overnight Saturday with the two countries blaming each other for triggering the escalation. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the resumption of negotiations between Baku and Yerevan with the assistance of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to seek a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Russia would play an intermediary role in the normalization of the situation, he said, adding that all sides agreed to keep contact in different formats. Tokyo, April 6 : A Japanese high court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal from local plaintiffs filed last year and opted aggainst granting an injunction to suspend the operation of two nuclear reactors restarted at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai nuclear power plant. Fukuoka High Court adjudicated on the case to shut down the reactors in Japan's southwest after a district court initially turned down the local residents' petition in April 2015, Xinhua reported. The residents were seeking the shutdown of the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors due to fears that the utility was unprepared to deal with a sizable earthquake hitting near the plant and had underestimated the size of a possible temblor potentially damaging the facility, and had made insufficient evacuation plans were such a catastrophe to occur. The residents' subsequent appeal, rejected on Wednesday, was also based on increasing volcanic activity that could also threaten the Sendai nuclear facility and necessitate enhanced evacuation measures. The court, however, had maintained that new safety standards implemented by Japan's nuclear watchdog were found to be sufficient, the media reported. It also said that the plant, having passed the new guidelines set in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster, was deemed operationally safe. During the time in which the case was passed to the Fukuoka High Court, the plant's No. 1 reactor was brought back online last August and the No. 2 reactor in October last year. The Japanese government was looking to bring all of the nation's 48 reactors idled for safety checks and in the wake of the Fukushima multiple meltdowns back online, and aims to be producing 20 percent of the country's electricity from nuclear power by 2030, despite mounting public opposition. Such opposition saw the Otsu district court last month order Kansai Electric Power Co. to halt the operation of two restarted reactors at its Takahama nuclear plant, in Fukui prefecture on Honshu island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The restart had initially been a boon for the government, marking the second complex since the 2011 Fukushima disaster to be brought back online, and the first of the fast-breeder type of reactors that run on uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel to become operational. But while Kansai Electric Power Co. is contesting the ruling, the No.3 and No.4 Takahama reactors must legally remain shuttered until such time that the injunction is overturned. Concerns from local residents, antinuclear campaigners and renown international scientists, are that an earthquake as large as the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki quake that struck Japan on March 2011, causing a devastating tsunami that knocked out the key cooling functions at the Daiichi plant in Fukushima, leading to the worst commercial nuclear disaster in history, could occur again. A consortium of international scientists after drilling for miles beneath the Pacific Ocean and into the active earthquake fault after the March 11 mega-quake, have found that the epicentre of the 2011 quake was just 130 km east of Sendai, with activity in the subduction zone suggesting another strong quake, or sizable volcanic incident, could be highly likely. Kyushu Electric Power Co. officials, however, to the contrary of the scientific findings, have stated that they believe a mega-quake or eruption will not happen during the lifespan of its nuclear facility. Helsinki, April 7 : Finnish communication giant Nokia said that it plans to slash about 1,300 jobs in Finland by 2018. Nokia said in a press release on Wednesday that it is set to start collective negotiations, Xinhua news agency reported. The company employs about 6,700 workers in Finland by the end of 2015. According to the company, the layoffs mainly focus on those areas where there are overlaps, such as research and development, regional sales organisations, as well as corporate functions. Nokia did not disclose how many jobs will be slashed globally. The mass redundancies are designed to meet the objective of 900 million euros of operating cost synergies to be achieved in 2018 related to the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, said the company. Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, said Nokia made a commitment to deliver 900 million euros ($1.03 billion) in synergies when it announced the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. In January 2016, Nokia finalised the acquisition of his French- American rival Alcatel-Lucent. Lucknow, April 7 : Uttar Pradesh police has claimed that NIA official Tanzeem Ahmad was shot dead last week over a "personal animosity arising out of a property dispute". A senior police official told IANS that while the matter is still being probed, they have zeroed in on the personal angle as the motive behind the high-profile murder. Of the two people police have detained, one is a former student of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) while the other is a sharp shooter and a contract killer. Sources said Tanzeel Ahmad was killed owing to a dispute over a shop in New Delhi. "A villager of Tanzeem's native place had given the contract to kill him," the sources added while pointing out that the former AMU student Muneer is from Bijnor. The Pulsar bike, allegedly used by the assasins during the killing has also been recovered from Bareilly. Senior official Deepak Ratan, who is in-charge IG of Law and Order however said that "there were some crucial leads based on which the line of action is being decided." He also added that for now all angles were being explored. The NIA official was shot 21 times when he was driving back home from a family wedding in Bijnor on Sunday. While he died on the spot, his two children survived the attack and his wife, who sustained four gun shot wounds, is admitted to a Noida hospital, where her condition continues to be critical. Initially, it was believed that the killing had a terror angle as Tanzeem Ahmad was involved in some sensitive cases, incuding the Pathankot terror attack probe. Canberra, April 7 : Australia should follow Britain's lead and impose a "sugar tax" in order to curb the skyrocketing number of diabetes cases, a leading health expert said on Thursday. Stephen Colagiuri, a diabetes expert and the only Australian to contribute to the World Health Organization's (WHO) inaugural global report on the disease, said the number of people worldwide who live with diabetes had quadrupled since 1980. According to the report - released on World Health Day - 422 million people worldwide were currently living with the condition, reports Xinhua news agency. Colagiuri said Australia was one of the worst nations for feasting on sugary snacks, something evidenced by the high number of diabetes cases. "We are also regrettably average in the increasing rates of diabetes that we see in Australia," Colagiuri told the Australia Broadcasting Corp (ABC). "And we're fairly high up on the list of countries with regard to overweight and obesity, which is a major driver of diabetes." Colagiuri said government intervention was crucial to getting the message through to Australians that too much sugar can have negative effects on the human body. He said a "sugar tax" - similar to the one enacted by the British government last month - was one way the government could tackle the problem and discourage Australians from seeking out sugary foods. "A sugar tax will clearly not be the only solution to the problem, but there has never been a successful public health intervention which has not involved some form of legislation and regulation, and leaving the changes to be made on a voluntary basis simply doesn't work," he said. World Health Day is a global health awareness day held every April 7. New Delhi, April 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for laying down parameters to assess the performance of laboratories belonging to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an official statement said on Thursday. At a meeting with the CSIR society on Wednesday, the prime minister was given an overview of the work done by the council in addressing national challenges and its recognition as a major Indian innovator, said the statement. The CSIR society, presided over by the prime minister, runs a network of 38 laboratories, 39 outreach centres, three 'innovation complexes' and five units. It's a body under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology. "Members mentioned the potential that exists for a large number of start-ups to emerge from the research being done by CSIR labs. They stressed the importance of converting lab research to commercial applications," said the statement. Medical device manufacturing, energy and waste management were some of the areas mentioned where the CSIR could play a key role. The prime minister called for laying down parameters to assess the performance of CSIR labs and setting up a mechanism whereby there could be internal competition among various labs. He asked the scientific community at CSIR to list at least 100 problems being faced by people in various parts of India and take up the challenge of solving them technologically within a specified time period. Modi said that the CSIR could take a lead in providing breakthroughs in areas like sickle-cell anaemia among the tribal people, defence equipment manufacturing, life-saving equipment for the soldiers and innovations related to solar energy and the agriculture sector. "The prime minister emphasised that he would like to see the CSIR oriented towards making the life of the common man better and providing technological solutions to the problems of the poor," the statement added. New Delhi, April 7 : On the fateful day of March 17, Martin John Chalissery, frontman of popular music and theatre ensemble Oorali, was arrested and assaulted by the police in Thrissur, Kerala, for allegedly being a drug peddler. His crime? He looked "different" and "suspicious" due to his long hair, a reason, he says, was enough for the police to brand him a criminal. Despite this incident, the group is unfazed and wants to "change the collective consciousness of stereotyping people based on their caste, colour and looks". "There is an artiste and a fascist inside everyone. If you develop your artiste a little bit, the strength of the fascist will automatically go down. That is what we have experienced. We want to create a change, even if it is a small one, in the collective consciousness," Chalissery told IANS. On that evening, Chalissery, a musician and a theatre artist, was on his way to meet a close friend and mentor near the The School of Drama and Fine Arts in Thrissur, of which he is an alumnus. On his way, he met another friend on a bike who offered to give him a lift. But he wasn't wearing a helmet, and on the way to the destination, there was a police check post, which prompted him to turn his bike. However, Chalissery decided to step down the bike and walk the rest of the distance, having no idea that he would be apprehended by the police, who are not very comfortable with the "look and feel of the students" of the School of Drama and Fine Arts. "On the way (to the drama school), there was a police check with three-four policemen. There has been an allegation about drug trafficking. It is a general thing. They are always hanging around the art school. They are not very comfortable with the look and the feel of the students," Chalissery told IANS. In a flash, the police frisked him, checked his pockets and put him into a police vehicle before taking him to the Laloor junction, where he was publicly exhibited, as if they were displaying a "gangster," says Chalissery's bandmate Saji Kadampattil. "All this while Martin kept on explaining, but they pulled him in the jeep and took him to the next junction around and did a public display and asked everyone who this is. They had no right to do that. It was as if they were displaying a gangster," Kadampattil told IANS. Chalissery alleges that the policemen displayed him in public to "scare them, and (kept) telling them that there is a big drug deal happening and we are catching someone". Later, Kadampattil alleges, the officers took Chalissery to the police station and took away his mobile phones and beat him up ruthlessly without having any evidence. "They took his phone, didn't allow him to make calls. We are also working on a government project called 'Subodham' run by the excise department. There was a meeting with them in Ernakulum. But the moment he mentioned the government project, they got infuriated... They slapped him, twisted his arm, pushed him and punched him all over the back," Kadampattil said, adding that Chalissery was later let off due to a lot of phone calls from "the commissioner and other offices". The Thrissur police charged Chalissery with creating a public nuisance, says Kadampattil. However, they allege that it wasn't the first time that they had an incident with the police for their "looks". But it was certainly the first time when a member of the group was wrongfully taken to the station and beaten up for that. "We have encountered police many a times because of our looks. They say that we have long hair. In films, the drug dealers and goons have long hair, so they think we are the same," said Kadampattil, while Chalissery said he still didn't understand why the police took such a step. "Actually, I didn't understand. We have no criminal background, we have nothing to do with the police. We do a lot of performances for 4,000-5,000 people," he said. Speaking to IANS, K.G. Simon, Thrissur district police commissioner, and K.Karthick, Thrissur district (rural) deputy commissioner of police, said that there has been no complaint received against the policemen in this case. But Chalissery said that the group is "gathering evidence" against the policemen and will soon press charges. "We are going to set through complaints to superior officers and also to the human rights and police complaint authority," Kadampattil said, while adding that Oorali held a peaceful protest the next day in front of the police station in Thrissur, which prompted a senior officer to apologise to the group. But any action against those responsible for launching the assault on Chalissery is awaited. (Ankit Sinha can be contacted at ankit.s@ians.in) New Delhi : When Karun Misra died - shot at close range while riding a motorcycle on his way home - it was a shock to his family. He left behind a wife, Payal, and two young children, including a 15-day old newborn. But Karun, a journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district, was aware his life was in danger, a friend, Manish Tiwari, told IndiaSpend. From all accounts a driven, idealistic man, Karun, 32, had written stories about a particularly dangerous business - illegal mining. Mafia hit-men first came for Karun after he refused bribes and ignored threats, said the friend. On February 5, "he got information that something was going to happen to him on either the 11th or 12th of February", said the friend. A day later, Karun was dead, the fifth journalist murdered in India's most populous state since March 2015, accounting for half the 10 killed nationwide, according to data independently compiled by The Hoot, a media watchdog, and IndiaSpend. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India "Asia's deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan". Committee For The Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) affirms this statement with their compilation of data showing that for the year of 2015, there were only two deaths of journalists in Pakistan and no deaths in Afghanistan. Karun's case is unique because the mastermind behind his murder and the main shooter were arrested. This is rare. As many as 24 journalists were murdered for work-related reasons in India since 1992, Committee for the Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) data reveals. But 96 percent of the cases are unsolved, ranking India 14th globally for impunity in murder cases against journalists, according to the CPJ impunity index. "That's because the concerned governments are not willing to really protect journalists performing their duties," Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, told IndiaSpend. "Indian journalists daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015," Reporters Without Borders states. Illegal mining for a variety of sand and minerals - particularly sand for the construction industry - is a crime that is in growing evidence across India. Two murders monitored by RSF (in 2015) were linked to illegal mining, "a sensitive environmental subject in India", an RSF report released in 2015 said. RSF data is estimates of murders confirmed as work-related; there are four more awaiting confirmation. "Soldier-like" Karun went up against powerful, illegal industry "He didn't like to do stories and leave them just like that," said another friend of Karun, Rashtriya Sahara. "He wanted a result from itA He was soldier-like, he would not call police and say 'something is happening' and they should go there." When Sahara met him four days before he was killed, Karun, a reporter with Jansandesh, a Hindi daily, confessed: "There is some danger, some difficultiesA but I have to fight." His fight was against a powerful, illegal industry that is steadily expanding despite a new law, promulgated in January 2015 that allows for five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500,000 per hectare of land mined illegally. But illegal mining has steadily increased over the last six years (except for a dip in 2013-14), as a government statement in the Rajya Sabha revealed. In UP, where his investigation of illegal mining cost Karun his life, cases registered almost doubled over a decade. With illegal mining embedded in UP's economy and politics, Karun's friends and family pointed out that despite arrests, illegal mining in their area has not stopped. "The reason for which Karun was killed is still going on," said one of the two friends we spoke to. "Police are not doing what they can to stop the illegal mining businessA it's still going on." For Karun's brother, Varun Misra, the shock endures. He has not forgotten how Karun did not answer his phone when he called on February 13. At 11 pm, he received a call from an uncle. "(My uncle) told me Karun was dead. I was so shocked. I could not believe it." Forty-six percent of Indian journalists killed on duty were covering politics Since 1992, only three percent of journalists in India have died covering wars, according to CPJ data, and as many as 46 percent of journalists who were killed while working were covering politics; 35 percent corruption. India is not alone in this trend, reported RSF: "Two thirds of the journalists killed worldwide in 2014 were killed in war zones. In 2015, it was the exact opposite. Two thirds were killed in countries at peace." Death is not the only cause for concern for the Indian journalist. "Human rights defenders, journalists and protesters continued to face arbitrary arrests and detentions. Over 3,200 people were being held in January 2015 under administrative detention on executive orders without charge or trial," the latest Amnesty International report states. Journalists face hostile environments across the world: 71 were killed with confirmed motives, with another 25 unconfirmed, according to CPJ's statistics. RSF records that 43 journalists have been killed for unclear reasons. Karun's brother, Varun, said crimes were getting "bigger and criminals bolder" and this is why punishment was important. "This can happen with anyone anywhere," he said. "My only appeal to the authorities is a speedy trial and severe punishment. Death is inevitable but nobody deserves to die like this." (In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Zita Campbell, a graduate in Film and Media from Otago University, New Zealand, is an intern. The views expressed are those of India Spend. The author can be contacted at respond@indiaspend.org) Mumbai, April 7 : Caution ahead of the quarterly results season, along with relentless selling by foreign funds, caused a slump in the Indian equity markets on Thursday. Consequently, key indices of the Indian equity markets provisionally closed the day's trade in the red. The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) declined by 71 points or 0.93 percent, to 7,543.40 points. The barometer 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 24,998.79 points, provisionally closed at 24,685.42 points (at 3.30 p.m.) -- down 215.21 points or 0.86 percent from the previous close at 24,900.63 points. The Sensex touched a high of 25,013.13 points and a low of 24,647.48 points during the intra-day trade. In contrast, the BSE market breadth was tilted in favour of bears -- with 1,455 declines and 1,108 advances. The barometer index had closed flat on Wednesday. It ended up a mere 17.04 points or 0.07 percent, while the Nifty inched up by just 11.15 points or 0.15 percent. New Delhi, April 7 : Three cadres of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) have been arrested from Assam for their involvement in the killing of civilians in Kokrajhar town in December 2014, the NIA said on Thursday. The three militants, Armish Basumatary, 22, Gangaraj Wary, 33, and Lothen Basumatary, 42, were arrested by investigators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Guwahati branch. "The arrested cadres have been remanded to police custody of NIA for three days. With the three arrests, the number of NDFB(S) cadres arrested by NIA till date stands at 61; of those 45 have been charge-sheeted so far," an NIA official said. He said the arrested terrorists were wanted for their involvement in the criminal conspiracy and execution of the killings at Shantipur village under Kokrajhar police station in Bodoland Territorial Administrative Division (BTAD), Assam on December 23, 2014. In the incident, 12 innocent villagers were killed and three seriously injured due to indiscriminate firing with sophisticated weapons by a group of NDFB(S) militants. New Delhi, April 7 : A leading global airlines' association on Thursday reported that India's domestic passenger demand grew by 24.6 percent in February. "India led all domestic markets again with a 24.6 percent year-on-year growth, supported by the strong economic backdrop, as well as notable increases in services," said International Air Transport Association (IATA) in its global passenger traffic results for February. "This trend is expected to continue with flight frequencies in 2016 scheduled to increase by 11.5 percent year-on-year," it said. According to IATA, India's passenger traffic demand grew the fastest amongst the seven major aviation markets of the world -- Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Russian Federation and the US. "All markets except Brazil showed growth, with the strongest increases occurring in India, the US and China," IATA cited. India's traffic demand growth was followed by that of the US at 8.9 percent, China at 8.2 percent, Australia at 4.6 percent, the Russian Federation at 3.4 percent and Japan at 1.4 percent. However, Brazil's domestic passenger growth slumped by 3.1 percent during the month under review. According to IATA, India's domestic capacity in the month under review rose by 27.4 percent. On a global-basis, total passenger traffic demand rose 8.6 percent in February 2016. Further, the overall global passenger traffic results showed a 9.6 percent increase in capacity during the month under review, with a load factor of 77.8 percent. "In the first two months of 2016, demand for passenger connectivity is off to its strongest start in eight years," said Tony Tyler, director general and chief executive of IATA. "However, February was the first month since the middle of 2015 in which capacity growth exceeded demand, which caused the global load factor to decline." Earlier, data furnished by the Indian civil aviation ministry revealed that domestic air passenger traffic increased by 23.41 percent in February, which stood at 74.76 lakh passengers -- up from 60.16 lakh in the corresponding month last year. The ministry data disclosed that the low-cost carrier (LCC) IndiGo achieved the highest market share at 36.8 percent followed by Jet Airways (18.4), Air India (15.4), SpiceJet (13.1), GoAir (8.00) and JetLite (2.8 percent). AirAsia India had a market share of 2.2 percent, followed by Vistara (2.00), Air Costa (0.8), Trujet and Air Pegasus had a market penetration of 0.3 percent each. New Delhi, April 7 : Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are set for their maiden visit to India on April 10, and Indian designers are hoping that they add an Indian element to their classy dressing style. Whether it is about using any indigenous crafts of India, choosing traditional saris or even dresses in Indian weaves, designers would like to see the uber stylish Duchess of Cambridge in something close to the country's heritage. In fact, she seemed to have made quite a 'diplomatically' impressive decision when she chose to wear an India-born designer's creation when she had to welcome Indian and Bhutanese expats who live, work and study in Britain to Kensington Palace in London. Hopefully, she flaunts more Indian creations when she's in the country. As for Prince William, Indian designers feel he would carry off a tussar tuxedo or a Nehru jacket with panache. Ace designer Ritu Beri, who was among the first Indians to storm the catwalks of Paris over two decades ago, feels the good looking couple that they are, "she'd love to give them a modern flavour with an Indian touch" in clothes. "I would definitely dress up Kate in a bright colour but without embroidery. To Prince William, I would give a Nehru jacket," Beri told IANS. Rahul Mishra, another name in the Indian fashion Industry who is doing wonders globally and is a regular on the Paris runway, wants to pick some pieces from his recent showcasing in Paris for Kate Middleton. "I would like to dress the Duchess of Cambridge in beautiful bandhini in the form of western deconstructed kurta kind of look from my recent Paris show," Mishra told IANS, adding that the idea behind choosing bandhini is because she is coming to India and it's a very Indian craft". Mishra considers Kate "a breath of fresh air as a style icon". Designer Samant Chauhan, who works extensively with Bhagalpuri silk in his creations, would like the royal couple to add some silk to their wardrobe in India. "I would suggest Kate Middleton a Bhagalpuri silk sari with nice jacket style blouse as I feel she is very classy and her personality oozes elegance. For Prince William, a tuxedo in tussar silk fabric in dark brown shade with plain white shirt and nice pocket square will work really well," Chauhan told IANS. A long and slim skirt in an ivory or cream with tone on tone hand embroidery can also look great on Kate, says designer Payal Jain. "This could be highlighted with precious detailing like pearls and shells. It will be subtle and delicate. It can be teamed with a structured silk jacket, just covering the waist. The neck could be diving to allow for a simple pearl strand but, devoid of any embroidery," she told IANS. For Prince William, a taste of the local culture would be appropriate, Jain said, adding: "I would dress him in a black cashmere herringbone bandhgala suit. The fabric itself is exquisite and rich and does not need any embellishment. The lining could be vibrant, inspired by the age-old pashmina shawls of India." After flying to Mumbai on April 10, the royal couple will travel to New Delhi on April 11. They will be in Assam on April 12 and 13 to visit the Kaziranga National Park and pay tribute to the rural traditions of the communities who live around the park. The royal couple will travel on April 14 to the neighbouring Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and return on April 16 to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal, a Unesco World Heritage monument, at the conclusion of their two-nation tour. (Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ias.in) New Delhi, April 7 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be meeting her counterparts from Russia and China during the RIC (Russia, India, China) trilateral meeting in Moscow on April 18. "External Affairs Minister will be attending the 14th meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China which is being hosted by Russia in Moscow on April 18," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during his weekly press briefing here on Thursday. "India attaches importance to RIC ministerial meeting that allows the three countries exchange views and coordinate their positions on international and regional issues of mutual importance," he said. During the visit, Sushma Swaraj will meet Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is co-chair of the India-Russia inter-governmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, to take stock of the developments in strengthening this important aspect of the bilateral relationship. "She will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to take stock of the overall bilateral relationship," Swarup said. Sushma Swaraj will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss bilateral developments between India and China. Though Russia, India and China cooperate within the BRICS grouping too, the RIC strategic triangle helps three of the world's most powerful countries to function as an economic and strategic powerhouse. New Delhi, April 7 : The VHP on Thursday demanded action against what it said were "jehadi students" and their supporters for the lathicharge on NIT students in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded a Supreme Court-appointed SIT probe into the matter. In a strongly worded statement issued here, senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia demanded the "immediate suspension" of all Jammu and Kashmir Police officials involved in the lathicharge on students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar. He said the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognizance of the "brutal jehadi lathicharge". A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the apex court's supervision should be set up to fast-track the case and "punish the offenders", Togadia said. He said that the NIT-Srinagar should be shifted to Jammu and all students from other states given full protection. "The students at the NIT-Srinagar were humiliated by the local jehadi students and their supporters by shouting 'Pakistan zindabad' and 'Hindustan murdabad' on the campus," Togadia said in a statement here. "The state government should immediately arrest all those local students and NIT staff and faculty who threatened students from other states," he said. "The state home department should also clarify as to who ordered the lathicharge and immediately file a case against those involved," he said. The VHP leader said the Centre should clarify its "policy, vision and action plan" for curbing anti-India activities in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistani Kashmir. "It is high time Article 370 of the constitution (that accorded special status to the state) be abrogated," he said. Tension prevailed on the NIT campus after a clash between two groups of students after India's loss to West Indies in a T20 World Cup semi-final match on March 31. New Delhi, April 7 : Blaming Pakistan for "betraying" the peace process, the Congress on Thursday termed its suspension by Pakistan as "extremely unfortunate" and also hoped that the Indian government had learnt a lesson from this. "Pakistan's unilateral suspension of peace process is extremely unfortunate. It is also a grim reminder of how Pakistan time and again has betrayed the peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiations," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. "We sincerely hope that BJP government has learnt their lesson and refrains from unthought, unconsulted diplomatic moves purely aimed at building Prime Minister Narendra Modi's larger then life persona at the cost of compromising our nation's safety and security," he added. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit, while addressing a press conference on Thursday, said the peace process between India and Pakistan stood suspended. New Delhi, April 7 : After he was hosted to a lunch banquet by Queen Elizabeth II during his visit to Britain in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, to a lunch when they visit India this month. "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will begin their visit to India in Mumbai on April 10 and will reach Delhi on April 11," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during his weekly media briefing here on Thursday. This is their first visit to India. "Prime minister will be hosting a lunch for the Duke and Duchess on April 12," Swarup said. "As you would recall, during our prime minister's visit to UK in November last year, the Queen had hosted a lunch in his honour at Buckingham Palace," he said. During their stay in New Delhi, Prine William and Kate will lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti. After this, they will visit the Kaziranga National Park in Assam before they go on a visit to Bhutan. They will return to India and visit the Taj Mahal before they leave for Britain. Stating that engagement with the British royal family was an integral component of India-Britain relations, Swarup said the visit of the Duke and Duchess was "reflective of the high-level engagement between India and UK and demonstrates the accelerated momentum of the relationship after the prime minister's very successful visit to the United Kingdom in November 2015". Kolkata, April 7 : Despite higher devolution of taxes as recommended by the Fourteenth Finance Commission, there was a decline in central transfers to states by 0.3 percent of GDP in 2015-16, said a report of Reserve Bank of India released on Thursday. "Despite an increase in the share of tax devolution from 32 percent to 42 percent of the divisible pool on the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission, the central transfers-GDP ratio is budgeted to decline due to the sharp reduction in grants-in-aid," it said. The report titled "State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2015-16" further said consolidated state level data reveal that grants-in-aid have reduced by 0.8 percent of GDP from 2014-15 while higher devolution would lead to an increased share in central taxes by 0.5 percent of GDP in 2015-16. "...the net impact of the changed pattern of funding is a decline of 0.3 percent in central transfer to states from the previous year, with adverse implication for states' spending on social infrastructure," it said. Atlanta GA Lawyer, Elizabeth (Bestsey) Neely Gets National Recognition The LAST place you want to resolve a business conflict is in a court of law, Atlanta, GA lawyer, Betsey Neely received national recognition as an Elite Speaker from FreeSpeakerBureau.com for her work giving free legal advice in pro bono group presentations to help individuals and small business lower legal costs or eliminate the need for lawyers altogether. Not only does she use her legal expertise to share expert advice about how to lower legal costs and eliminate the need for lawyers altogether, Atlanta, GA lawyer, Elizabeth (Betsey) Neely also bucks the traditional legal system by giving her legal advice at association, club, nonprofit, and small business meetings and conferences. In recognition for her willingness to provide her expert legal advice in pro bono presentations, and her proven commitment to excellence in public speaking, Betsey has earned Legal Expert Elite Speaker status with FreeSpeakerBureau.com, a professional website platform which matches expert speakers with audiences using a proprietary matching process thats similar to the technology used by Internet dating websites. The LAST place you want to resolve a conflict is in a court of law, is Neelys unique message. She refers to her services to individuals and small businesses as Pre-Legal, which means Neely gives counsel before a lawyer is hired to determine if some other type of professional help would be better. If legal counsel is absolutely necessary, she teaches individuals and business owners how to hire and manage a lawyer for the best results and at the most affordable costs. Neely has been a pioneer in the Atlanta legal community in many areas of law during her career. As counsel to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia she developed a statewide conflict resolution program that became the model for universities around the world. Now, the Atlanta, GA lawyer is on a mission to use her expertise to help individuals and small business owners resolve conflicts and stay out of legal trouble. Betsey has been named a "Champion of Justice" by the Georgia Legal Services Program, a statewide program for low income clients which she was involved in founding. She is a "Distinguished Professor" of Forensic Psychology at Argosy University, and is honored both as a "pre-eminent lawyer" and a "pre-eminent woman lawyer" by Martindale Hubbell, a directory whose ratings represent the opinions of judges and peers within the legal profession. To receive her latest recognition as Legal Expert Elite Speaker from FreeSpeakerBureau.com, Neely completed a rigorous training program and earned endorsement by demonstrating a high level of expertise throughout a comprehensive vetting and verification process. The Atlanta, GA lawyer joined FreeSpeakerBureau as a legal expert in October 2015. Unlike a typical speakers bureau, the FreeSpeakerBureau.com website encourages meeting planners to contact expert speakers directly because no money is being exchanged and no commissions are involved. Ethics guidelines for members discourage speakers from giving a hard sell for their services or premiums. Thousands of meeting planners and expert speakers throughout the U.S., Canada, and the UK have joined and are using the website to connect every day for free. Not just a database of public speaker profiles, FreeSpeakerBureau.com is an interactive platform where organizations can post Guest Speaker Wanted listings up to a year in advance, which will then be automatically matched with expert speakers using PerfectMatch technology. Alternatively, organizations can proactively connect with local experts and browse through online portfolios which include detailed speaker profiles, their signature speaking topics, ratings, reviews, and video samples. Houston-based real estate company Keller Williams Memorial Realty is proud to congratulate their agents Paige Martin, Wendy Cline of Wendy Cline Properties, and Travis Nichols of The Nichols Realty Group for their recognition at the Houston Business Journal's 2016 Residential Real Estate Awards, March 24. The Houston Business Journal recognizes the area's top-performing Realtors at the Residential Real Estate Awards breakfast every year. This year, Keller Williams Memorial had three of the top 25 producing Houston real estate agents. I am so proud of our three award winners. Each of these leaders have given back to our office in so many ways, and we are grateful to them for being a part of Keller Williams Memorial. Said Michael Bossart, Team Leader of Keller Williams Memorial. Paige Martin (http://www.houstonproperties.com/) placed sixth for individual sales volume and 11th for individual transaction sides closed. In 2015, her individual sales volume totaled $60.76 million and she closed 94 transaction sides. The average price of the homes Martin sold was $646,338. As featured on Fox News in the Morning, the Houston Chronicle, and Houston Magazine, Martin is ranked amongst the very top Keller Williams agents in the Houston area. Paige was named the #1 ranked individual agent in the Keller Williams Memorial Office for 2012, 2011 and 2010. She has been a consistent top producing agent, winning several awards for her production levels. Wendy Cline Properties (http://www.wendyclineproperties.com/) placed 24th for team sales volume and 18th for team closed transaction sides. The team closed 127 transaction sides, with a total sales volume of $37.35 million. The average transaction price for this team was $294,113. The Wendy Cline Properties team includes Wendy Cline, Chris Wages, Nicole Rembach, Breanna Moses, Luis Zelaya, Nicholas Cubbler and Daniel Woodson. Wendy Cline Properties specializes in luxury, equestrian, farm and ranch, and residential real estate. Her award-winning team has been ranked for the past three consecutive years by the Houston Business Journal, both in volume and in size of transaction. The Nichols Realty Group (http://www.realestateagentshoustontx.com/) placed 16th for team median sales price, at $369,850. Their team sales volume totaled $20.35 million, and they closed 66 transaction sides. The Nichols Team includes Travis Nichols, Julia Nichols and Angela Nichols. The Nichols Realty Group has ranked within the top tier of highest sales volume within their office for the last 13 years. Founded by top producing husband and wife team, Travis and Julia Nichols, are recognized as consistent top performers annually not only in sales volume but number of closed transactions. Keller Williams Memorial has consistently topped the list of high-performing Houston real estate agents throughout the years. Learn more about the Houston Business Journal Awards here: http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2016/03/24/find-out-houstons-hardest-working-realtors-and.html About Keller Williams Memorial Realty Keller Williams Memorial Realty is one of the leading real estate companies in Houston, Texas. We have provided professional service with family values and a commitment to excellence since our founding in 1989. Keller Williams Realty Memorial can assist prospective home owners in locating a house in the Inner Loop, Tanglewood, Galleria, Spring Branch, or Memorial Villages neighborhoods. Our Market Center is associated with the Katy ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and many well-known private schools. Apriva, the leading provider of secure end-to-end wireless transaction processing solutions, announced today that they will be sponsoring the National Association of Campus Card Users (NACCU) annual conference, taking place from April 16-19, 2016 in San Francisco, California. During the event Paul DeRosse, the companys vice president of business development in Canada, and James Lawrence, vice president of market solutions, will speak on the benefits of partnering with off-campus vendors for campus card payments. The 23rd Annual NACCU Conference, The Bridge to the Future, brings together professionals from a wide variety of disciplines and management perspectives to gain knowledge and build skills to efficiently plan, implement, or expand their campus card program. Aprivas Campus Solutions are comprehensive offerings that integrate credit and debit based cashless payment acceptance technologies with existing closed-loop campus ID card systems, giving universities and colleges the ability to provide a seamless and convenient card-based payment acceptance system that serves the needs of students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors, and nearby merchants. Apriva Campus Solutions enable institutions to close service gaps, expand shared revenue opportunities, and create a more rewarding experience for all members of their communities. WHO: Aprivas Paul DeRosse, vice president of business development, Canada, and James Lawrence, vice president of market solutions. During exhibit hours, Apriva team members will be answering questions about Apriva Campus Solutions. WHAT: The 2016 NACCU Conference. DeRosse and Lawrences session, Creating New Revenue Streams for Campuses through Off-Campus Merchants, will focus on how partnering with off-campus merchants for campus card payments can introduce new revenue streams by connecting local merchants to the campus ecosystem. Those in attendance will learn how this type of partnership can benefit students, faculty and staff alike by offering more payment options along with access to exclusive deals for campus cardholders and integration with loyalty programs. To register for the conference, visit the NACCU website: http://naccu.org/page/2016registrationinfo WHEN: The Annual NACCU Conference will be held April 1619, 2016. Paul Derosse and James Lawrences session will take place Sunday, April 17, from 1:30 2:00 p.m. Exhibit hall hours: o Monday, April 18 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. o Tuesday, April 19 from 9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The 2016 NACCU Award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 19, from 12:00 1:15 p.m. WHERE: The 23rd Annual NACCU Conference will take place at the Marriott Marquis located at 780 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Apriva team members will be staffing booth #508 in the exhibit hall. Media or analysts interested in one-on-one meetings with Paul DeRosse and James Lawrence at NACCU 2016 should contact Lisette Rauwendaal at (408) 727-0351 or Lisetter(at)mcgrathpower(dot)com. About Apriva Formed in 2003, Apriva is the leading provider of end-to-end transactions and secure information messaging solutions that meet the exacting security and reliability requirements of financial services providers, government entities, and public service sectors. Through its two operating groups, Apriva Point of Sale (POS) and Apriva Information Security Systems (ISS), the company offers customers fully-managed, end-to-end, security solutions that incorporate hardware, software, network infrastructure and management tools. For more information, visit http://www.apriva.com. Apriva Contacts: Robin Rotz Apriva 480 421-1275 rrotz(at)apriva(dot)com Lisette Rauwendaal McGrath Power (408) 200-3773 lisetter(at)mcgrathpower(dot)com The worldwide acceptance of oneilBridge is testimony to the significant need of Records Managers for solutions that increase productivity and visibility. The proliferation of cloud based solutions continues to gain momentum worldwide and ONeil has proven again to be at the technology forefront with the oneilBridge service which has been in service for more than 4 years. The companys oneilBridge Cloud Service now manages more than 3,000,000 items in 17 countries around the world, offering a creative solution for corporate records managers wanting a consolidated view of worldwide storage assets. When oneilBridge was originally developed, we were completely focused on providing a unique product to solve the challenge of managing offsite corporate records. We had no idea the oneilBridge service would expand so rapidly both item count and geographically, setting record after record. The worldwide acceptance of oneilBridge is testimony to the significant need of Records Managers for solutions that increase productivity and visibility, notes David Holt, CEO of ONeil. He continues: Our passion for developing meaningful cloud based solutions within the Record and Information Management (RIM) market continues to drive the ONeil team daily. Our track record of innovation has long been recognized within the industry and we are looking forward to continued end user adoption and use of the oneilBridge service. About ONeil Software Committed to leading the industry since 1981, ONeil Software has remained The FIRST Choice of Record Centers Worldwide. Our technology is installed in over 90 countries/territories, ranging from start-ups to multi-nationals. ONeils solutions manage/track multiple types of data from deposit to destruction, work order to invoice. The companys cloud solutions include oneilCloud, Hosted RS-SQL, oneilBridge and Cloud Based Licensing. ONeil is also known as an industry pioneer for barcode tracking, portable printers, wireless handhelds, web technology and mobile connectivity. The company provides worldwide support, with offices in California, Florida, United Kingdom and Australia. For more information, visit our website at http://www.oneilsoft.com. Source: ONeil Software Media Contact ONeil Software Mike Jacobs, 949-458-1234 Ext. 285 marketing(at)oneilsoft(dot)com 'The Chicago French Market that opened more than six years ago has grown in depth and character and evolved into the Market that our visitors value today.' -- Sebastien Bensidoun, co-owner and operator of Chicago French Market The Bensidoun family and MetraMarket today unveil a brand new look and modernized amenities at the Chicago French Market, the citys only year-round, European-style market offering fresh food, flowers and international cuisine from more than 30 local vendors. The new look and amenities will be the most extensive and dramatic updates made to the market space since its grand opening in 2009with design elements that reflect Chicagos sister city bond to Paris and celebrate the upcoming 20th anniversary of this friendship pact that unites the City of Paris and the City of Chicago. Paris is one of 28 sister cities connected to Chicago through Chicago Sister Cities International, part of the international Sister Cities program that works to create and strengthen cultural, municipal and economic connections in more than two thousand cities around the world. New design features at the Chicago French Market start with a 62-foot-long by 11-foot-tall wall mural in the Markets dining area, created by skilled Midwest sketch artist Devin Chhing. An expansive Paris cityscape drawn by hand, the color wall mural is flanked with an original photograph of Buckingham Fountain and Chicagos skyline along with a four-dimensional Parisian street scene complete with authentic address plates from Paris, and a historic storefront facade showcasing antique books from 1900s France, vintage crystal pieces by Baccarat and Lalique, and more. When we decided to create a new artwork display at the Chicago French Market, I immediately thought of the sister city connection between Chicago and Paris where my family and I livealso the two cities that I personally admire most in the world. I serve on the board of the Paris Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, which works to strengthen the sister city bond between Chicago and Paris, and I wanted our new mural to highlight aspects of both cities' skylines together, said Sebastien Bensidoun, co-owner and operator of the Chicago French Market. Many people arent familiar with the contributions of the Sister Cities program, and our art at the market is a simple way to make people curious. With 14 of Chicagos 28 sister cities represented at the Chicago French Market by our vendors and their cuisines, plus the growing cultural and ethnic diversity that we see among our customerswe have an opportunity to promote cultural and commercial ties between Chicago, Paris and other cities around the globe, while also supporting local Chicago food producers and entrepreneurs. In addition to the Parisian- and Chicago-themed art installation, Chicago French Markets refreshed dining area will now also feature authentic French cafe seating for 150 guests, including Parisian bistro chairs and tables and two communal farm tables that each seat eight guests. Additional seating for up to 150 will be available in the concourse and seasonal outdoor seating. Multi-colored umbrella canopies in blue, white and red will cover select tables and soften the space. Locally made tables constructed of recycled milk jugs, plus newly stained and polished concrete floors will complete the Chicago French Market dining areas new look. Together with a newly designed public space for people to dine at the market, customers will be greeted at both Chicago French Market entrances by custom marble mosaic rugs. Both rugs feature the Chicago French Market logo with signature red, white and blue market canopies. Printed maps of the market will also be available, including a braille map and personalized tour available to anyone who requires assistance navigating the market space. Plans are also in progress for a permanent, digital map and directory of vendors to be stationed at each entrance. High-tech amenities will complement the Chicago French Markets new design aesthetic, and include a mobile device charging station in the dining area with locked and secured charging capabilities for up to six devices and six customers simultaneously. An enhanced sound system with outdoor speakers, upgraded, free WiFi for all customers and a new Chicago French Market website at http://www.chicagofrenchmarket.com/ will complete the markets new look and amenities to date. The Chicago French Market that opened more than six years ago has grown in depth and character and evolved into the Market that our visitors value today. We noticed that customers have increasingly decided to dine-in or enjoy a drink at the Marketin addition to grab-and-go meals throughout the dayso we added amenities and comforts to the markets public space to respond to this increased use. Interestingly, we now also see a growing trend in Europe towards customers seeking more prepared foods to enjoy in a markets public space, said Bensidoun. The markets that youll discover throughout Europe are living and breathingalways changing and evolving as vendors come and go and customers' needs shift. Its the beauty of market shoppingan opportunity to shop for a little bit of this and a little bit of that from a variety of food producers and business owners. Together with the Chicago French Market development team, the Bensidouns identify and hand-select vendors for their talents and passionate commitment to creating premium food and market goods. Bringing together excellent food producers and entrepreneurs from Chicago neighborhoods and surrounding areas, the Chicago French Market is comprised entirely of food and beverage industry entrepreneurs and start-ups, one of Chicagos most talented florists, family-owned businesses and accomplished food purveyors with multiple locations in Chicago and notoriety around the globe. In March and during the holiday season of November and December, the Chicago French Market team also operates annual artisan gift markets Marche De Noel and Marche Du Printemps. These markets are set up in the Ogilivie Transportation Center suburban concourse, just outside the concourse entrance of the Chicago French Market, and offer an eclectic mix of art pieces, jewelry, clothing and other gifts made by local and small production craftsmen and women. The Bensidoun family, market operators in France since the early 1900s and now the largest market operators in Paris, operates and manages the Chicago French Market. The family operates nearly 100 open-air and indoor markets throughout the U.S. and Europe, including eleven Chicagoland outdoor, seasonal weekend markets which started in 1997 and four seasonal markets in New York including one on Broadway in Manhattan. As with all local markets, the goal at the Chicago French Market is to bring a sense of community found in the markets of Europe, and provide a place to gather, socialize and purchase quality goods. Chicago French Market Vendors in alphabetical order: Aloha Poke Company Beavers Coffee & Donuts Bebes Kosher Deli Black Dog Gelato Buen Apetito City Fresh Market Da Lobsta Delightful Pastries EJ Sushi FliP Crepes Frietkoten Belgian Fries & Beer Fumare Meats and Deli K-Kitchen Klay Oven Kitchen Le Cafe Du Marche Les Fleurs Lillies Q Little Greek Corner Lolli and Pops Loop Juice Loop Soup Outta Da Park Beef N Dogs Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine Polpetti Presto Cafe & Grill RAW Saigon Sisters Vanille Patisserie Vegan Now Vinegusto # # # About Chicago French Market The Chicago French Market is the Citys only year-round, European-style market offering fresh food, produce, flowers and international cuisine from more than 30 local vendors. The Chicago French Market offers grab-and-go dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, light snacks, fruits and vegetables, picnics, easy party planning and catering options for home and office; a dining area for customers who wish to explore and relax at the Market; daily Happy Hours with food & drink specials and live music; groceries with fresh ingredients for cooking at homeplus flowers and giftsall in one convenient location. The Bensidoun family, market operators in France since the early 1900s and now the largest market operators in Paris, operates and manages the Chicago French Market. For more information, visit chicagofrenchmarket.com About Chicago Sister Cities International Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI), a division of World Business Chicago, provides leadership to develop, manage and coordinate comprehensive programs and projects with Chicagos 28 sister cities in the areas of economic development, education, tourism, immigration and cultural enrichment. CSCI expands Chicagos global reach for the benefit of the City of Chicago, its residents and businesses. For more information, visit chicagosistercities.com Chicagos 28 sister cities include: Accra, Ghana (1989); Amman, Jordan (2004); Athens, Greece (1997); Belgrade, Serbia (2005); Birmingham, United Kingdom (1993); Bogota, Colombia (2009); Busan, Republic of Korea (2007); Casablanca, Morocco (1982); Delhi, India (2001); Durban, South Africa (1997); Galway, Ireland (1997); Gothenburg, Sweden (1987); Hamburg, Germany (1994); Kyiv, Ukraine (1991); Lahore, Pakistan (2007); Lucerne, Switzerland (1998); Mexico City, Mexico (1991); Milan, Italy (1973); Moscow, Russia (1997); Osaka, Japan (1973); Paris, France (1996); Petach Tikva, Israel (1994); Prague, Czech Republic (1990); Shanghai, China (1985); Shenyang, China (1985); Toronto, Canada (1991); Vilnius, Lithuania (1993); and Warsaw, Poland (1960). For media traveling to Paris and interested in a personal tour of the Bensidoun markets, plus for general media inquiries, Contact: Lauren Petersen Edwards - Chicago French Market 773-655-7743 frenchmarketmedia(at)gmail(dot)com The path to secure housing is a journey. Our housing guide offers a practical approach to help people understand the system and create a plan for supportive housing that is permanent, affordable and safe, said Gail Levinson, executive director, SHA. The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey has announced the availability of a comprehensive housing guide designed to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities plan for community housing with supports. Funded through a grant from the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, The Journey to Community Housing with Supports, A Road Map for Individuals and Their Families provides understandable information, advice and guidance about community housing and supportive services. For people with disabilities, creating a plan for independent living can be a difficult, confusing and frustrating process that requires creative thinking, planning, perseverance and advocacy, said Gail Levinson, executive director, SHA. The path to secure housing is a journey. Our housing guide offers a practical approach to help people understand the system and create a plan for supportive housing that is permanent, affordable and safe. For people with developmental disabilities and their families, expectations about housing have shifted dramatically. The clear preference is toward integrated community-based settings, said Kevin Casey, executive director, NJCDD. This speaks volumes about the progress our community has made in fostering a culture of inclusion and self-determination. We must continue this momentum, assisting individuals and families in securing the kinds of housing options they expect and deserve, and urging policymakers to expand resources. The housing guide can be downloaded from http://autismnj.org/housing/SHAguide and is available in hard copy by calling the Autism New Jersey Helpline at 800-4-AUTISM. Training on how to use the guide will also be available for families and other interested parties. To register or for more information, visit http://www.shanj.org/images/HousingGuideTrainingSchedule.pdf. We are thrilled to partner with SHA to produce this guide for the community, said Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, executive director, Autism New Jersey. Housing remains a top concern for the growing number of adults with autism and their families. This guide offers a comprehensive summary of a variety of housing options and how they are funded to help them plan for the future. A growing number of individuals, by themselves or through their guardians, are controlling their own housing options and services and living in more community-integrated settings. This trend of supportive housing has created demand for additional affordable housing units, rental subsidies, mainstream resources and funding for supportive services. "For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, housing is a critical component for integrated community living. Appropriate funding levels and a sufficient number of housing vouchers are vital for these individuals to live among family and friends in neighborhoods across the state, said Thomas Baffuto, executive director, The Arc of New Jersey. The Arc of New Jersey supports efforts to increase housing opportunities in the north and the south, in the rural towns and the urban cities, and everywhere in between throughout New Jersey." The SHA housing guide details the history of supportive housing, housing options, funding sources and other resources available to individuals and their families. Much of the information in the guide is specific to New Jersey, however the funding streams, opportunities and obstacles described can benefit people with other special housing needs and those from other states. The content also has value for housing providers, public officials and advocates. Grant partner Autism New Jersey contributed content based on their publications and experiences from their community. Many professionals, individuals and their families provided feedback, expertise and shared personal experiences for inclusion in the guide. About SHA The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey is an 18-year-old membership organization dedicated to affordable, permanent community housing with supports for people with disabilities and other special needs. SHA works to find monetary support from both the public and private sectors that can be leveraged to expand housing stock and services and encourages people with disabilities to live as independently as possible in communities of their choice. SHA also joins with other statewide advocates to support a HUD budget that provides federal subsidies to New Jersey. Find more information at http://www.shanj.org. Parent Engagement Network (PEN), the premier parent support group in Boulder County, is hosting its inaugural black-tie fundraising gala, A Night at the Oscars (http://www.pen-gala.eventbrite.com), April 24, 5:3010:00 p.m. at the Gatehouse in Lafayette. This evening will serve as a fundraiser to aid the organization in furthering their ability to aid the community over the coming year. Were so excited to have an evening where everyone can show off their red carpet style while helping a vital organization, said Paula Nelson, founder of PEN. This is an event to bring together businesses, schools, community organizations, professionals, and parents who believe that families need the support and resources we provide. As our primary fundraiser this year, those attending and sponsoring will make a big impact. The event will feature hors doeuvres and cocktails during the silent auction and then a plated three-course meal, live auction, and three different /musical entertainers. This years keynote speaker is Adrienne Bulinski (http://adriennebulinski.com/). As a former Miss Kansas and award winning motivational speaker, her talk will focus on inspiring attendees to think big and believe in their passions, goals, and capabilities. Im thrilled to be hosting the PEN fundraising gala. Our children are the promise for a successful future as a community and country, and PEN plays a dynamic role in building the overall well-being of students and families across Boulder County. In addition to being a fun event for the community, organizers hope to bring additional understanding of the organizations value and inspire attendees to make a difference in the community. Shelly Mahon, Ph.D. and Executive Director shared, Our work is about building on peoples strengths, teaching parents and young people to be resourceful, and creating a context for conversations around important issues. We give parents strength to face whatever dreams, fears, hopes and challenges that come with raising children, and we support schools in carrying out their mission. By working together, we create a context where parents are engaged and young people are a huge contribution to the community. Current event sponsors include Great Western Bank, Victoria Hamilton, Zia Consulting, Left Hand Brewery, Upstart Kombucha, and Idella Wines. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Visit http://www.ParentEngagementNetwork.org to learn more. Tickets to A Night at the Oscars are $125 per single seat or $1000 per table of 10. To register for the event visit http://www.pen-gala.eventbrite.com. ### With almost 15 years' experience serving 31,000 Boulder County parents in raising happy and healthy youth, Parent Engagement Networks (PEN) mission is to engage, educate, and empower parents. Originally a grass-roots parent organization, PEN became a non-profit in 2009. While PEN secures 100% of its own funding, they have a strong and thriving partnership with the Boulder Valley School District. The goal of this partnership is to increase parent engagement in schools, protect children from risks, and build youth up to meet their full potential. PENs strengths are in building foundational parenting skills in areas such as personal awareness, child and adolescent development, communication and relationship building, and more by promoting the social-emotional and mental well-being of youth and families. They train volunteers and parent leaders to assist families in being positive and resourceful. Visit http://penbv.org for more information. KMB Design Group, A National Engineering Firm Our clients no longer have to worry about finding multiple regional firms to complete their projects KMB is licensed everywhere in the United States. Leading solar, telecom and MEP engineering design firm KMB Design Group recently achieved 100% national reach, finalizing certification to do business in all 50 states. KMB completed licensing requirements in its 50th state, Alaska, making KMB part of a select group of engineering companies with nationwide coverage. Becoming licensed in Alaska is momentous for us, said Stephen A. Bray, P.E., President and COO for KMB Design Group. Its not about Alaska, per se, but about customer service and the flexibility and convenience we can now offer clients. Our clients no longer have to worry about finding multiple regional firms to complete their projects KMB is licensed everywhere in the United States, providing seamless, unified design excellence, regardless of location. Founded in April of 2008, KMB has experienced significant growth over the past 8 years. In addition to quickly extending capabilities which now include every state, Puerto Rico and Europe, the company has all of the required engineering disciplines in-house to ensure they can service clients across all divisional sectors. KMB sees a continued strong revenue growth with their increased presence and has increased staff to support a rapidly growing client base. KMB has completed more than 545 solar design projects totaling over 425 Megawatts (MW) ranging from small scale (less than 10KW) to large scale (over 8MW) projects. KMBs telecom team has completed over 30,000 projects, including over 3,000 microwave projects and over 3,500 Small Cell / oDAS projects. KMBs Facilities & Energy Team has been involved in a wide array of building projects ranging from small interior renovation work of 1,000+ sf to large renovation projects of 150,000+ sf, as well as new ground-up buildings of 150,000+ sf in various market sectors such as retail, hospitality, corporate office, industrial, educational, medical offices and mixed use development. KMB Design Group is one of the nations leading engineering firms in telecommunications, solar engineering and facilities and energy engineering. Notable projects for KMB over the past 8 years include: Complete MEP engineering services for various areas throughout Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, NJ Major renovations and full MEP engineering upgrades to all Winn-Dixie grocery store chain locations across Florida and Louisiana LEED consulting, MEP engineering and commissioning services for 2-story Applebees in Manhattan Telecom Engineering & Deployment Services for: o Small Cell and oDAS installations across the nation including NYC landmarks: Lincoln Center, Empire State Building and Yankee Stadium DAS Hotel o Over 20,000 Overlay & Upgrade Projects o Public Safety Networks o Power Backup & Reliability on over 3,000 sites About KMB Design Group KMB Design Group, LLC is a full service engineering solutions provider licensed in all 50 states within the USA, as well as in Europe and Puerto Rico. KMB is a leading solar, facilities, and telecommunication engineering firm and provides a full range of offerings including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and civil engineering, as well as sustainable design, LEED consulting, energy engineering and design-build services. FLPLG and FAPIA Pay it Forward to Habitat of Humanity of Broward Marc Ben-Ezra, Managing Attorney for FLPLG said, Everyday, we help homeowners with property damage to recover money from their insurance companies to restore their homes. This is a great way to help a family to have a home. http://www.flplg.com/newsphotos/flplg-newspix/ Florida Professional Law Group property insurance attorneys, their staff, Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) and FAPIAs Community Affairs Committee staged a Home Build Day to open their hearts, volunteer and to Pay it Forward to a local community in need at a Pompano Beach, Florida construction site with Habitat for Humanity of Broward. The organizer of the Habitat Build Day program was Marc Ben-Ezra, Managing Attorney for Florida Professional Law Group, (FLPLG). Ben-Ezra said, In our daily work we help homeowners with property damage to recover money from their insurance companies so they can restore their homes. This is a great way to help a family to have a home. My law firms have participated in Habitat for Humanity building days for years. They are an excellent way to give back to the community and are consistent with our law firms mission. We frequently work together with public adjusters on these cases. They know a lot about construction and helping homeowners so this whole activity with the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters was a great fit. We discussed the partnership opportunity with FAPIAs Managing Director, Nancy Dominguez, FAPIA Community Affairs Chair, Karen Schiffmiller and FAPIA President Mike Rump and they enthusiastically got onboard. We thank Habitat Board Member Robert Leider for making the day run so smoothly. We couldnt be happier to have participated in this meaningful program. FAPIAs President, Mike Rump kicked off the ceremony by saying, We frequently contribute to our communities. This build day program offers a special avenue for public adjusters and our friends at Florida Professional Law Group to work together to show compassion to help those in need near where we live. We are very proud to have public insurance adjusters participate from all over the state. Schiffmiller said, We are happy to be here today. I cant bear the thought of a family not having a home. FAPIAs Community Affairs mission is to give back. We can all do something to help the families in our communities to have a place to live. Brandon James, Legislative Aide and Community Outreach Director for District 92 attended on behalf of Representative Gwendolyn Clarke Reed to show support for this initiative. During the opening remarks, Robert W. Leider, Habitat for Humanity of Broward Board Member/ VP WSVN introduced future homeowner, Jennifer ONeal and discussed Habitat Browards mission of providing a hand-up. Marc Ben-Ezra of Florida Professional Law Group provided the Habitat Broward donation and presented the check with FAPIA to Habitats Board Member/WSVN VP Robert Leider for the volunteer team building opportunity. It was a heartwarming experience to see the homeowners gratitude as she thanked the organizations for their efforts and led a prayer to start the program. Jennifer, a 13-year Walgreens employee and her family have gone through a 2-year process to qualify, to learn about homeownership and to participate in the construction of their future home. They are incredibly grateful to Habitat of Broward and to the volunteers that came out to help with her home. Habitats Construction Site Supervisor took over the program as participants got involved in their build day activities. They worked hard and enjoyed the camaraderie to help Habitat of Broward. Jennifer worked alongside volunteers on her future home. We cant thank these organizations enough for supporting Habitat of Broward, said Bill Feinberg, Habitat for Humanity of Browards Board Chair and President of Allied Kitchen and Bath. Its a very unique opportunity for public adjusters to come together as an industry to build a local community. Nicole Shacket, FLPLG Attorney and Operations Manager said, It feels really good to volunteer jointly with FAPIAs Community Affairs Committee to do something for others. We communicate often for business, but its incredibly rewarding to chat as we work together side-by-side towards a common goal to make life nicer for others. Our members are do-gooders who thrive when they see the positive results that their efforts have on their local communities, said FAPIAs Managing Director, Nancy Dominguez. About Florida Professional Law Group, PLLC Marc Ben-Ezra is the Managing Partner / Attorney for Florida Professional Law Group (FLPLG), a firm that aggressively represents residential and commercial property owners to help recover the maximum amount public adjusters and their clients deserve when insurance companies have improperly adjusted, investigated, denied or under-paid a claim. FLPLG - There for You When your Insurance Company Isnt http://www.flplg.com MIPI.org We are happy to see Arasan continue to drive the MIPI ecosystem and compliance with its Semiconductor IP and Systems. said Joel Huloux, Chairman of the Board of MIPI Alliance. Arasan Chip Systems, the leading provide of Semiconductor IP for the Mobile market today announced the availability of its second generation Soundwire Host IP and Soundwire Device IP Cores. The cores have been designed with an ultra small footprint, with ultra low latency and power consumption to meet the demands of ultraportable devices like Bluetooth headphones, IoTs and a wide array of mobile devices. Arasans Soundwire IP has been fully validated using Verification IP from Industry Leaders to ensure compliance to the Soundwire Specifications and Interoperability across emerging Soundwire devices. Arasan was the industry's first company to demonstrate Soundwire technology, which it did so at the MIPI Conference in Seattle during Q1 2015. Arasans Soundwire Host & Device platforms are available to early adopters in the form of a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) for interoperability testing with their own internal designs. Arasans goal is to ensure that a complete ecosystems to ensure the compliant soundwire products in the market. Arasan is an early contributor member of the MIPI Alliance with proactive participation in different working groups since 2005, while being first out the door with IPs for multiple MIPI specifications. We are happy to see Arasan continue to drive the MIPI ecosystem and compliance with its Semiconductor IP and Systems. said Joel Huloux, Chairman of the Board of MIPI Alliance. About Arasan Arasan Chip Systems is a leading provider of Total IP Solutions for mobile storage and connectivity applications. Arasan licensees include leading IDM and Fabless semiconductor companies and system manufacturers. Arasans high-quality, silicon-proven, Total IP Solutions include digital IP cores, analog PHY interfaces, verification IP, hardware verification kits, protocol analyzers, software stacks and drivers, and optional customization services for MIPI, USB, UFS, SD, SDIO, MMC/eMMC, UFS, and many other popular standards. Arasans Total IP products serve system architects and chip design teams in mobile, gaming and desktop computing systems that require silicon-proven, validated IP, delivered with the ability to integrate and verify both digital, analog and software components in the shortest possible time with the lowest risk. About the MIPI Alliance MIPI Alliance (MIPI) develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries. Founded in 2003, the organization has more than 275 member companies worldwide, more than 15 active working groups, and has delivered more than 45 specifications within the mobile ecosystem in the last decade. Members of the organization include handset manufacturers, device OEMs, software providers, semiconductor companies, application processor developers, IP providers, test and test equipment companies, as well as camera, tablet and laptop manufacturers. MIPI CSI-2, C-PHY and D-PHY are trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and/or registered service marks owned by MIPI Alliance. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners. For more information, please visit http://www.mipi.org. Voxeet 4.0 TrueVoice Voxeet has built the best audio optimization technology and is in a position to do very well in countries where bandwidth challenges are commonplace. Were very encouraged by the innovation weve seen on the product side" - Wayne Zhang, LDV Partners Voxeet, a leading communications innovator and pioneer of TrueVoiceTM 3D sound technology, today announced $1.5 million in additional funding led by LDV Partners, a cross-border VC firm, bringing its total funding to $3 million. WebEx Co-founder Susan Xu and LDV Partners joins existing investors Partech Ventures and Aquiti. The funding coincides with the international launch of the all-new Voxeet 4.0 across iOS, Android, and the Web. Leveraging the company's breakthrough 3D TrueVoice surround sound, Voxeet 4.0 provides the richest audio available with powerful collaboration features that make it easy to share and organize information. Unlike traditional conference calling, Voxeet 4.0 connects users before, during and after a meeting through ongoing conversation channels. Users are able to chat in real-time, send voice memos, present files and share notes or call recordings. The world needs better communication. Every year we spend 200 billion minutes on conference calls, where poor sound quality, cross-talk, pixelated video, drop-outs, echos and interruptions are commonplace, said Stephane Giraudie, CEO, Voxeet. Voxeet 4.0 marks the end to those problems with the best sound and user experience of any conferencing solution available. We are thrilled to add LDV Partners alongside our existing investors and look forward to leveraging their expertise in Asian markets. According to Wainhouse Research, the Web and audio conferencing market is expected to reach $7.5 billion in 2016. Voxeet plans to use the funding to continue product innovation throughout the year: bringing crystal-clear audio and video together and expanding interoperability with popular work collaboration tools like Slack. Conference calling is a massive market opportunity in Asia, said Wayne Zhang, partner at LDV Partners. Voxeet has built the best audio optimization technology and is in a position to do very well in countries like China, where bandwidth challenges are commonplace. Were very encouraged by the innovation weve seen so far on the product side and look forward to supporting the company to build out its outstanding services in China and Asia region. The mission of conference calling technology has always been to solve a huge problem that unfortunately still exists today. said Susan Xu, Co-founder of WebEx. The industry is full of disparate solutions all solving different problems audio, video, messaging, presenting, collaborating and none of them are talking to each other. Voxeet 4.0 takes the best of all those things and puts them in one place. About Voxeet Founded in 2012 and built from the ground-up for mobile users, Voxeet is disrupting conferencing and collaboration for mobile workers and distributed teams. The companys proprietary TrueVoice, 3D surround sound technology and collaboration capabilities makes the anywhere conference room possible giving distributed teams a competitive advantage for doing business. Voxeets fast-growing user base spans 121 countries in industries including technology, advertising, financial services, legal and healthcare. The company has won multiple awards including the DEMO God award at DEMO 2012. Led by seasoned business technology veterans with expertise in web communications, collaboration, social networking and telecommunications, Voxeet is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices across the globe in Silicon Valley and Bordeaux, France. Voxeet is available on the Web, iOS, Android, Mac and Window devices. For more information, visit Voxeet on the web at http://www.voxeet.com or on twitter at @Voxeet. AEVIs B2B Marketplace is complimented by their Point-of-Sale device, Albert. Albert is an easy-to-use, multifunctional, Android-based tablet, which takes secure cashless payments in any currency or country and with any card or mobile device, whilst complying with PCI* standards and being EMV ready. However, AEVIs Marketplace can be used on any Android device. AEVIs solution is white-labelled, allowing acquirers and banks to brand their own version of the digital distribution platform when providing it to their merchants. Albert and the B2B Marketplace are easy to integrate into small merchants operations and multi-national conglomerates. The ease of access, use and cost provides merchants with point-of-sale solutions that capitalise on current technology, yet remain open to adaptation and collaboration for the future. In line with the device and software being suitable to integrate into any business, the apps that can be offered and developed are open to all industries from retail to hospitality to transport and more. Mike Camerling, Chief Product Officer at AEVI, says: Albert and AEVI's Marketplace possess unparalleled levels of flexibility and functionality, providing a wide range of new possibilities and new revenue streams. The solution is characterised by being an open platform, which creates new business opportunities for partner collaboration, value-added services and the opportunity to bring merchants closer to their customers. AEVI are presenting at Money 20/20 three new acknowledged app partners adding to their growing Marketplace. Each of these partners have developed cloud-based apps to improve business efficiency and effectiveness from information gained at the Point-of-Sale. AEVIs collaborative solution consolidates merchant needs onto a single device; point-of-sale, operations management and customer relations, therefore improving total business efficiency and growth potential. Each app partner provides their own unique solution. TruRating enable businesses to gain a quick customer rating at the point-of-sale. Welcome Real Time provide a powerful app that runs promotions and loyalty programmes tailored by merchants. Vasona Systems International (VSi) provide apps and services to the hospitality industry to serve hoteliers with operational efficiency tools. AEVIs B2B Marketplace is and will always be open to contributors, with their Software Developers Kit readily available online. AEVIs B2B Marketplace is an exemplar of efforts to adapt to changing expectations in the business world. It addresses higher user expectations where we expect the same quality, innovation and service in our business lives as we do in our consumer lives. It is well known that to compete with nonbank entrants, traditional merchant service outlets have to offer enhanced services to support existing merchant relationships. AEVI want to champion this with their B2B App solution distributed and branded by banks and acquirers. AEVI have proved the solutions viability and success through their existing partnership with CBA who have successfully rolled out a solution in Asia-Pacific. Now, their platinum partnership with EVO, will make the AEVI solution available across Europe. *Albert is the first PCI PTS 3.1 approved device - the major Payment Industry standard for secure payment devices. The device performs secure Chip & PIN credit/debit transactions online or offline using major card schemes. The Philippines has already established itself as a country with good-natured and hospitable citizens, and this reputation will be further solidified as Dusit International establishes Dusit Hospitality Management College (DHMC), a world-class hospitality management college dedicated to honing the next generation of world-class hoteliers and restaurateurs in the APAC region. For DHMC, Dusit International is preparing a curriculum that will meet global standards by individually collaborating with Switzerlands Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) and Frances Institut Paul Bocuse (IPB), two industry legends. The Philippines is the perfect setting for this industry to prosper, says Ron Hilvert, DHMCs managing director. Aside from the countrys sterling reputation in hospitality, the Philippines is enjoying a resurgence in tourism. A college of this magnitude will surely elevate Asian hospitality. Hilvert is a seasoned hotelier with with over 40 years of experience developing globally-competitive hospitality professionals. This leadership announcement comes at the heels of being conferred the Outstanding Award for Service to the Industry at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, the regions leading forum that brings together the regions most senior hotel investors, developers, operators and advisors. Today, Hilvert is known as one of the most influential hoteliers in the Middle East and the world. The Philippines is ready for a hospitality management college of an international caliber to meet the growing number of tourists in the Philippines and around the world, Hilvert adds. Dusit International will root the colleges curriculum in the brands iconic touches of artistry that Thailand is famous for. With 67 years of experience under its belt, Dusit International has expanded to a global network of 29 hotels and resorts from Manila to Maldives, all dedicated to delivering an experience that enlivens the individual spirit, no matter the journey. DHMC will be the brands first international college outside Thailand. The undergraduate degree programmes offered by Dusit Hospitality Management College will be certified by Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne. Dusit and Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne will also offer executive education programmes to industry professionals and students alike. Through its qualification as the worlds first hospitality management school, EHL will train and certify the faculty to provide them with a global perspective in the industry through the lens of the Swiss hospitality tradition. In turn, Institut Paul Bocuse will provide professional culinary courses, food and beverage courses, and professional advancement programmes. IPBs contributions will be a reflection of IPBs history of combining tradition and innovation in the art of French hospitality and cuisine. All programmes and modules will be developed to adapt to the Philippine landscape, and will offer field immersion through its integration with dusitD2, a contemporary diffusion hotel line of Dusit International, where students will have the benefit of training at an international hotel. To date, DHMC is awaiting accreditation. The school will be located at the Mini Parkway in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Filipinos are known for their hospitality and hard work. We take these two cultural traits, enhance it through DHMC, and hopefully create hoteliers and restaurateurs ready to take on the industry, concludes Hilvert. The Philippines is already a hospitality destination. We hope to transform it into a center for hospitality education for the APAC region as well. ### About Dusit Hospitality Management College Dusit Hospitality Management College (DHMC) is a world-class hospitality management school developed for the Philippines. It is dedicated to honing the next generation of world-class hoteliers and restaurateurs through undergraduate and executive education programmes from Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne, and culinary and food and beverage courses from Institut Paul Bocuse. It is fully-integrated with dusitD2, a contemporary diffusion hotel line of Dusit International, where students will have the benefit of training at an international hotel. Self-certifications No Longer Allowed GCR Plus announced, Congress just passed legislation eliminating the ability of self-certify for purposes of winning government set-aside contracts. The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act rewrites the portion of the Small Business Act governing set-asides, deleting what they have called the trust but verify option: the ability for putative business's to self-certify as such, then back up their self-certifications by submitting supporting documentation. Instead, the 2016 NDAA would appear to require a formal certification in order for a small business to be awarded a government set-aside contract. Section 825 of the 2016 NDAA is entitled sole source contracts for small business concerns owned and controlled by set-aside companies. Note: Self-certification in the Systems for Award Management (SAM) is NOT the same as an official certification/award certification from the federal government. In addition, a certification within any state is not recognized by the federal government when seeking out federal set-aside contracts. A self-certification does not enable you to participate in the set-aside contracts program. Certifications effected are the following. 8A Business Development (8a) You can receive sole source contracts up to $5.5 Million each with no bidding Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Economically-Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Historically Underutilized Business (HUBZone) You can receive sole source contracts up to $3.5 Million each with no bidding Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Clare Meehan, president and CEO of AlphaGraphics in the Cultural District, has owned and operated her own business since 2000. Yet, it wasnt until five years ago that one of her clients asked her to consider getting certified as a woman-owned business because it could be beneficial for clients with supplier diversity goals. What Meehan didnt realize was that it was her business that would see the greatest benefit. Since getting the certification completed by GCR Plus and becoming a Woman Business Enterprise with the federal government, AlphaGraphics revenue has doubled. For several women-owned businesses like Meehans, certification has proven to be invaluable. Dawn Gunning, president of Gunning Inc., said, The process is very complex and worthwhile to let an expert handle it for you. Still, there are benefits. Certification places requirements on government agencies and suppliers to give a certain percentage of their work to women-owned and minority businesses who have successfully gone through the process. The federal government defines a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) as a company that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more women. When we were first certified in 1989, there wasnt a need to be certified the way there is today, said Joanne Peterson, founder and CEO of Abator, a Pittsburgh-based IT company. Now certification plays a big role both from a marketing and a customer-service perspective. Overall, it is a smart and advantageous move for women business owners to get certified, said Rebecca Harris, director of the Center for Womens Entrepreneurship at Chatham University. It can provide a real competitive edge when you are looking to grow and advance your business. Harris said while many women business owners think it is useless to obtain certification unless they are going after large government contracts, they have to look at the bigger picture. The government buys everything from light bulbs to jet planes, to (public relations) services, to travel, to food, so its really varied where the opportunities lie, she said. Having certification provides a number of benefits to the woman-owned business. Certification really enables companies to extend their buying power and for women-owned companies to be a part of that purchasing chain. GCR Plus specializes in certification services and will assist your company with completing and submitting your business certification application. An official certified/awarded business certification will enable you to compete for government mandated set-aside funds and jobs of a particular group. Call today to talk to a certification specialist who can evaluate your companys needs. Call their hotline at 866-310-4257 or visit http://www.gcrplus.com Rovene 6027 is the latest all acrylic emulsion polymer, developed as a low VOC workhorse emulsion for many paint and coating applications. Mallard Creek Polymers, Inc. (MCP) experts understand the challenges that companies are facing when creating the next formulation for their marketplace. The sales and R&D people at MCP work hand-in-hand with formulation chemists, operations staff, and purchasing to design synthetic emulsion polymers to meet specific needs identified by a potential customer. By combining a deep understanding of coatings technology, cross-fertilization from other application segments, a strong existing product portfolio, and a broad array of chemistry options, the company can react quickly to changing and demanding requirements. Two recently announced grades became available because of the companys approach to customization. Rovene 6027 is the latest all acrylic emulsion polymer, developed as a low VOC workhorse emulsion for many paint and coating applications. Rovene 4541 was designed for specialty coating applications where very high filler loading is desirable. This styrene-butadiene latex is one of many examples where the company continues to carry out R&D on this unique chemistry for all markets served. Often referred to as styrene butadiene rubber, this technology delivers outstanding water resistance and binding for low cost formulation design. Many of the companys newly developed products can be found in the Coatings Selection Guide and Construction Selection Guides. In many cases, though, the products are not available for general market use due to the structure of the project. To discuss options and project proposals, R&D and sales personnel are available for meetings during the American Coating Show from April 10-14 at Booth #755. For consultation in any potential applications visit MCPs website, http://www.MCPolymers.com, or contact a sales/marketing professional at 1-877-240-0171. About Mallard Creek Polymers, Inc (MCP): MCP is dedicated to meeting customer needs with a growing line of synthetic emulsion polymers and unparalleled customer focus. MCP offers a diverse line of water-based emulsions including styrene butadiene, acrylic, styrene acrylic, and other specialty latex products to both domestic and international customers from the MCP facility in Charlotte, North Carolina and from its network of collaborative manufacturing partners. MCP is a privately held specialty chemical company dedicated to innovation, quality, service, and sustainability with products for the adhesives, nonwovens, paint & coatings, graphic arts, printing & packaging, textiles, carpet, sealants, construction, oil services, and paper. For more information, visit the companys website at http://www.MCPolymers.com or by calling 1-877-240-0171. For Further Information please contact: Robert S. Beyersdorf at rbeyer(at)mcpolymers(dot)com Workers gather for a motivational speech on the new Nashua location Chaffee Industrial Roofing's operations have expanded greatly over the past few years, and the Nashua office will support our further growth". Chaffee Roofing, the premier commercial roofing company, based out of Providence, RI, announces expansion of its locations into the Nashua, NH region. With the commercial roofing business continuing to grow and prosper in the northern section of New England, it was decided that it was in the best interest of the company to open a new location to easier serve the clients in this region. Today is the official kick off of our office in Nashua, commented Steve Chaffee, President and CEO of Chaffee Roofing. Chaffee Industrial Roofing's operations have expanded greatly over the past few years, and the Nashua office will support our further growth. To further serve this new location, Colm Rogers will be promoted to Regional Manager, Northern New England Region. Colm became a member of Chaffee Roofing in 2009 and has served as a Project Manager for projects north of the Mass Turnpike prior to this promotion. Additionally, Jeff Zielke will be providing operational support for this new location. Jeff Zielke has been a member of Chaffee Roofing since 2013 and has previously been in the role of Roof Service Foreman. The address of Chaffee Roofings new Nashua office is: 20 Trafalgar Square, Suite 482 Nashua, NH 03063 (603) 831-5028 About Chaffee Roofing: Since 1908 Chaffee Industrial Roofing has been a third-generation, family-owned commercial roofing contractor, serving all of New England. Chaffee has installed over 25 million square feet of roof on some of the best known commercial buildings including Fenway Park, Amica, and U-Haul, - in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and throughout New England and the Northeast. Chaffee Roofing is the proud winner of numerous awards for high quality installations, including the Carlisle ESP Achievement (for over 15 years), the Perfect Ten Award, Centurion Award, and Hall of Fame Award. Chaffee Roofing is also a Gold Star Contractor for CertainTeed Saint-Gobain, and a Partner in Quality of Firestone Building Products. They have received the Alliance Gold Award, Alliance Silver Award, and Alliance Award from other roofing manufacturers. For more information on Chaffee Roofing, call 1-800-ROOF-1908, or visit the website at http://www.chaffeeroofing.com. ### Blue Dog Business Services, the Treasure Coasts truly local merchant services provider, continues to expand its growing Give Back program. Blue Dog offers its customers a list of local charities to choose from and will donate up to five percent of any proceeds that Blue Dog earns from processing payments around the Treasure Coast. This is one of the many ways that Blue Dog sets itself apart from other merchant services providers. Blue Dog Business Services currently has over 40 philanthropic groups that it donates to on a quarterly basis through its Give Back program. Local charities not already on the list are encouraged to contact Blue Dog directly. Opening its Florida doors in 2013, Blue Dog is quickly growing its footprint throughout the state. Blue Dog is eagerly reaching out to businesses all over the Treasure & Space Coast community with the ultimate goal of improving the way business owners currently view merchant processors. The Give Back program has really been a great program for the communities that we operate within and we are truly excited to continue growing the program for years to come. With our Give Back program merchants can select the philanthropy thats near and dear to their heart. Said Ron Eliot Dichter, CEO of Blue Dog Business Services. For more information regarding Blue Dog Business Services and/or its Give Back Program, contact us at 772.360.4646. Blue Dog Business Services 1701 Highway A1A, Suite 220 Vero Beach, FL 32963 772-360-4646 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Andrew Roman Operations Manager 772-360-4646 andrew.roman(at)blue-dog.com http://www.blue-dog.com Viachem provides an added level of technical expertise and sales support that is highly valuable to our customers. Viachem, Ltd., the specialty chemical and ingredient company known for its innovative channel-to-market strategies, has been selected as a new distributor of specialty gelatins and collagen hydrolysates by PB Leiner, one of the largest gelatin producers, to expand their sales in the North American market. With the capacity of more than 50,000 tons per year, PB produces a complete range of acid and alkaline type gelatins and collagen hydrolysates. Operating from ISO and HACCP certified factories, PB produces gelatins according to the specific requirements of its customers while complying with the national and international regulations. Their products are used in major food, pharmaceutical, health & nutrition, photographic, and technical applications. Viachem has assembled an impressive organization and proven itself to be an effective sales and service provider. We are confident their unique model for marketing, selling, and distributing specialty food ingredients can help us to expand our market share of specialty gelatins and collagen hydrolysates significantly. Viachem provides an added level of technical expertise and sales support that is highly valuable to our customers, stated Troy Fernandes, Sales and Marketing Manager of PB Leiner. PB Leiner has confidence in Viachems sales and marketing and technical support and they feel Viachem can enhance sales and name recognition in a number of key industries. The customers and suppliers that we are already working with can also use PBs products. Its a great synergy in that were already deeply entrenched in their marketplace and can represent their unique offerings, said Kyle Einhorn, VP of Business Development at Viachem. The specialty chemical and ingredient industries have benefited in recent years from companies like Viachem, who are leading the way in creating an alternative channel to market that is more efficient and cost-effective for producers than the typical distribution model. Possessing a sophisticated sales model, advanced technical expertise, and unique marketing efforts, make Viachem, Ltd. a unique and effective channel to market for specialist chemical manufacturers worldwide. PB Leiner / PB Gelatins is a well established and renowned gelatin producer whose origins date back to more than a century ago. PB stands for Pont Brule, the site in Vilvoorde, Belgium where the company started its operations in 1880. Since 1964 PB Gelatins is a division of Tessenderlo Group, an international chemicals group which employs around 5200 people in more than 100 branches in 21 countries. PB Gelatins Is known as the world's third largest gelatin producer. Its website is http://www.gelatin.com Viachem, Ltd. serves customers nationwide using a sophisticated sales and marketing model that helps manufacturers increase their customer base and market share. Viachems services to chemical and ingredient purchasers include third party verification and quality control as well as formulation assistance and competitive pricing for specialty chemicals used in a wide range of industries. The company is headquartered in Plano, Texas. Its website is http://www.viacheminc.com. PB Leiner / PB Gelatins Contact: Troy Fernandes Sales and Marketing Manager Telephone: +1 (516)-650-0330 http://www.gelatin.com Viachem, Ltd. Contact: Kyle Einhorn Vice President of Business Development Telephone: +1 (972) 265-0400 http://www.viacheminc.com 17 percent of older adults ages sixty and up have an alcohol or drug problem, compared with 10 percent of the overall population. Statistics show that 17 percent of older adults ages sixty and up have an alcohol or drug problem, compared with 10 percent of the overall population. By 2020, the number of addicted older adults is expected to double to six million, says Harry Haroutunian, MD, in his new book, Not As Prescribed: Recognizing and Facing Alcohol and Drug Misuse in Older Adults (Hazelden; April 19, 2016; $15.95; Original Trade Paperback). With an increasing population of aging Baby Boomers, Dr. Haroutunian is addressing the problem at a critical time. Many adults over the age of 50 experience life changes, both large and small. When combined with the additional pressures that may come from loneliness or depression, these can create circumstances that make it easier for older adults to overindulge in alcohol or accidentally misuse medications prescribed to them by doctors. In Not As Prescribed, Dr. Haroutunian discusses the challenges individuals age 50 and older may face. He explains how they can develop problems from substance misuse and what caregivers and loved ones should look for to stop a pattern from developing into a more serious addiction. Not As Prescribed is a comprehensive guide for people who are struggling with drugs or alcohol as well as those who want to help their loved ones. Important topics Dr. Haroutunian covers include: The distinction between the symptoms of aging, polypharmacy (the use of four or more medications by a patient), and addiction. Which prescription drugs and medical conditions can mimic dementia. The difference between abuse and dependence, or misuse and addiction. Why an older adult may turn to drugs and alcohol. The relationship between prescription painkillers and addiction. Tips to help caregivers talk with an older adults doctor about the need for and proper use of prescriptions. Information about how and where to find treatment for older adults, and recommendations to help them stay on track in recovery. Not As Prescribed bravely outlines a condition that could become an epidemic among older adults. Filled with anecdotes and stories from older adults who have achieved recovery, statistics and facts about drug and alcohol use in this demographic, and a wealth of useful information for caregivers who want to take helpful action, Not As Prescribed is a vital resource that will save lives and families. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Harry Haroutunian, MD, is an internationally known speaker and authority on addiction-oriented topicsincluding drug misuse among older adults. He is widely read online and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show and Dr. Drew On Call as well as in The New York Times and Cosmopolitan. Board certified in both addiction and family medicine, Dr. Haroutunian serves as physician director of professional and residential programs at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California. He is the author of Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery. ABOUT THE HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION: The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. It is the nations largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 16 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado and Texas, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. ABOUT AARP AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; http://www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Espanol, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at http://www.aarp.org. The spring 2016 issue of Changing Business, the twice-yearly magazine showcasing faculty research at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, is now available online and in print. The cover story, The Price Isnt Right, examines Professor Valerie Suslows finding that while the number of reported cases of cartel activity has skyrocketed, prosecutors still face a tough task in trying to prove collusion. Suslow, who also serves as the vice dean of faculty and research at the Carey Business School, studies the ways in which companies avoid competition rather than focusing on innovation to outpace their counterparts. Her research examines the causes, tactics, and repercussions of such corporate collusion. Her latest paper on price fixing examines data from United States prosecutions of price-fixing cases from 1961 to 2013. It concludes that cartels are likelier to break up when firms are impatient, more intent on current than future profits. Written with Professor Margaret Levenstein of the University of Michigan, the study is to be published in an upcoming special issue of the Review of Industrial Organization. In 2013, as the paper shows, 50 new criminal cases were filed in the U.S., and over $1 billion in fines were levied. The abundance of cases notwithstanding, Suslow says, proving collusion is no easy task for the government. Firms can legally choose to compete more or less intensely; for example, its legal to follow a competitors price lead, as long as there isnt an explicit agreement to do so. Still, companies must be careful, as the United States Federal Trade Commission in recent years has stepped up its activities against invitations to collude. Other featured research in the new Changing Business: Its Worth a Shot. A system of buybacks and rebates could be the cure for the supply-chain hitch that routinely hampers flu vaccine delivery. Research by Assistant Professor Tinglong Dai. A Boost in Well-Being. The psychological health of disadvantaged adolescents improved after their families began receiving annual infusions of extra income. Research by Assistant Professor Emilia Simeonova. At Your Service. Materialists who link possessions to happiness regard brands that have human attributes as servants over which they can assert power. Research by Associate Professor Christian Hyeongmin Kim. Pointing the Way to Healthy Choices. In-store promotion of low-fat, low-sodium foods can help increase their sales among customers in poor communities. Research by Professor and Vice Dean for Education Kevin Frick. Should I Stay Or Should I Go? How you view yourself can determine whether you generally try to be someone who attains or just maintains. Research by Assistant Professor Haiyang Yang. Dean Bernard T. Ferrari of the Carey Business School writes in a message at the front of the magazine: In 2016, Johns Hopkins marks the 140th anniversary of its founding as the first research university in the United States. Indeed, few American institutions of higher learning can claim such a long record of innovations that have benefitted so many people around the world. This great tradition of knowledge creation continues at JHU, and the Carey Business School is proud to contribute to the universitys focus on research. Imagelink Archive Writer Up to 80% improvement in processing PDF files Eastman Park Microfilm (EPM) is pleased to announce the newest version of the IMAGELINK 9600 Application Software for the IMAGELINK family of Archive Writers. Responding to continued market developments in document scanning and electronic document creation, Version 4 combines updated imaging tools with other enhancements to provide: > significantly faster conversion speeds for a wide variety of image formats and file types, including up to 80% for PDF files. When using Input Processor to preconvert images and verify job setups, or when converting on the fly, faster conversion saves time and increases overall throughput. > enhanced image quality for multi-bit images. > lower cost when processing Microsoft Office documents. Version 4 includes converters for standard Microsoft Office application formats, eliminating the need to purchase and install additional licenses. Version 4 also provides a path forward for customers upgrading their PCs or moving to Windows 8 and 10 operating systems. Earlier versions of IMAGELINK Application Software support through Windows 7. When used in conjunction with the 4800 and 9600 series Archive Writers, the IMAGELINK 9600 Application Software is ideal for converting digitally created or scanned compound business documents to compact, permanent images preserved on trusted IMAGELINK Reference Archive Media. The IMAGELINK 9600 Series Archive Writers are designed and tested to perform and yield optimum results when used as part of the Reference Archive System including IMAGELINK Archive Writers, IMAGELINK RA film and IMAGELINK processing chemicals. This 16mm, highquality microfilm is ISO/ANSIcertified for a life expectancy of a minimum 500 years when properly processed and stored under controlled conditions. The portfolio of EPM Reference Archive products provides an inexpensive and secure solution to the hazard of digitalonly records storage of critical business documents. Reference archiving technology copies the records you wish to secure onto ISOstandard archival media. All the information included in the original record is captured, in context. These nonvolatile documents can be accessed electronically to authenticate current activities, such as an online transaction, or to support audit activities triggered by regulatory activities and legal actions. Longterm access and retrieval is secure. For additional information, contact EPM at info(at)epminc(dot)com Eastman Park Micrographics was formed in March 2011 upon the purchase of the micrographic business from Eastman Kodak Company, including the ongoing rights to manufacture and sell former branded Kodak micrographics equipment. EPM now markets its media and equipment under its trademark IMAGELINK brand. EPMs mission is to develop and supply the microfilm materials and equipment to address the needs of the preservation market worldwide. In January 2013, EPM entered into a longterm worldwide master supply agreement with Agfa to provide additional IMAGELINKbranded micrographic products and photo chemicals to the market. Ask any entrepreneur what keeps them up at night and access to capital will be among the first responses. Crowdfunding is helping some of them sleep easier. On Tuesday, April 12th a panel of crowdfunding experts will share their experiences with this new and disruptive approach to financing a startup during a Smart Talk session at the University City Science Center. The program will run from 8:30 10:00 a.m. at Quorum at the University City Science Center, 3711 Market Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia. According to Forbes.com, in 2016 crowdfunding is expected to account for more capital than the traditional funding method of Venture Capital fundraising. In 2015 alone over $35 million was raised through crowdfunding in the United States. Its hard to ignore this new approach to raising capital but it takes more than a good idea to be successful in the competitive crowdfunding arena. Wayne Kimmel of SeventySix Capital, an earlier investor in crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, will moderate a panel of entrepreneurs who have launched successful campaigns and an attorney who focuses on the rules, regulations and protocols related to crowdfunding. Panelists include William Duckworth, CFO of FeverSmart, which raised $65,000 - 157% of the companys goal, in a 2014 crowdfunding campaign; Yasmine Mustafa, CEO of ROAR for Good, a smart safety jewelry company whose wildly successfully crowdfunding campaign raised more than $300,000; and Matthew Kittay, Associate at Fox Rothschild, who specializes in the legalities of crowdfunding. Smart Talk is a quarterly Science Center program that gives startup and growing companies a look at best practices and business strategies from industry leaders in the region. Smart Talk: Adventures in Entrepreneurialism 8:30 a.m. Registration, networking & continental breakfast 9:00 a.m. Presentation followed by Q&A 10:00 a.m. Adjourn There is no charge for the event which will take place at Quorum at the Science Center, 3711 Market Street, Suite 800. Space is limited and advance registration is required. Online registration is available at: http://sciencecenter.cal.basecampbusiness.com/node/2385995. About the Science Center The University City Science Center is a dynamic hub for innovation, and entrepreneurship and technology development in the Greater Philadelphia region. It provides business incubation, programming, lab and office facilities, and support services for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing and established companies. Since it was founded in 1963, graduate organizations and current residents of the University City Science Centers Port business incubators have created more than 15,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $9 billion to the regional economy annually. The Science Center is leveraging its history as the nations oldest and largest urban research park as it joins forces with Wexford Science + Technology, a BioMed Realty company, to expand its footprint and rebrand its physical campus as uCity Square a true mixed-use community of ingenuity. For more information about the Science Center, go to http://www.sciencecenter.org. Learn Digital Asset Management best practices at the Canto DAM Summit in New York, May 9 - 10. Register today. Canto, a leading provider of digital asset management (DAM) solutions, today announced the agenda for its inaugural Canto Digital Asset Management Summit Americas, which will take place May 9 10 in New York City. Registration for the information-packed DAM conference is now open. Designed for anyone with a professional interest in DAM, and tailored for Canto Cumulus enterprise customers, the conference will feature deep-dive case study presentations, hands-on workshops and collaborative breakout sessions. The exclusive content will address a diverse range of topics, from the everyday challenges of individual DAM users, to the mobility and platform integration issues facing DAM decision makers, and the complex technical requirements of DAM implementers. As DAM demands increase in complexity, the value that DAM systems deliver to the enterprise grows exponentially, especially as the global market continues to experience a rapid rise in the number of digital assets in play, said Jack McGannon, chief executive officer, Canto. Canto is stepping up to the challenges organizations face by bringing together the brightest minds in DAMspanning customer and vendor organizations, as well as industry thought leaders. Were looking forward to welcoming all who want to learn more about DAM trends, gather practical product education and take away new strategies and relationships with peers and experts. John Horodyski, partner, Optimity Advisors, will deliver the opening keynote on May 9. Other headline speakers include Danielle Forshtay, publications coordinator, Lockheed Martin; Craig Tarr, senior director of interactive applications, International Speedway Corporation; and Mary Litviak, creative services coordinator, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Sponsors of the Canto DAM Summit include Platinum Sponsor e-Spirit and Gold Sponsors inMotionNow and Modula4. The Helen Mills Theater, one of New York Citys most unique venues, will be home to day one of the event. The Ace Hotel New York, residing in a historic, turn-of-the-century building in Midtown Manhattan, is host of day two. The Summit is open to anyone with a professional interest in DAM. For more information or to register, visit http://nyc.cantosummit.com/. About Canto Canto is committed to innovation, with a focus on delivering digital asset management (DAM) software and services that solve customers ongoing brand asset challenges and help to promote brand awareness. Founded in 1990, Canto is an industry pioneer and leader with more than 2,400 customers worldwide. Cantos offerings include its flagship enterprise DAM technology, Cumulus, which allows customers to efficiently secure, repurpose and distribute brand assets, and its SaaS solution Flight to facilitate basic digital asset management and collaboration for teams. Supported by a global partner network, Canto is based in San Francisco (USA), Berlin and Giessen (Germany). For more information, visit Canto.com. I decided to become a franchise owner for one reason. I found an opportunity and brand that I love." Men In Kilts officially launches in Seattle on April 1, 2016. Lisa Wiebe is excited about the adventures to come her way as North Americas newest Franchise Owner. Lisa is an entrepreneur at heart. Her 26-year career in the Oil & Gas industry has honed her get things done approach. She has the uncanny talent of finding strategic solutions to complex problems. Over the past several years, Lisa has extended her business expertise and has dedicated her time and resources to supporting sustainable business solutions to global poverty through microfinance. It was a connection through her favorite charity, Opportunity International Canada, that led her into the Men in Kilts world. As a supporter and advocate, she was asked to meet with a potential new sponsor, Chris and Robyn Carrier, to share her personal experience. Lisas curiosity was piqued during that meeting as she listened to how Men in Kilts franchises operate, their philosophy and the passion behind the day-to-day operation. Within hours of attending that meeting, Lisa knew that she wanted to be a Men In Kilts Franchise owner. "Seattle is a perfect market for Men In Kilts. It is such a beautiful place with lots of gorgeous trees and classic PNW magnificence. However, the humidity that helps grow those beautiful trees and scenery causes everything to have a layer of green mold/mildew on it. This can be a pain, but now Men In Kilts can help alleviate it. Homeowners and property managers alike are going to fall in love with the passion Lisa and her Men In Kilts team brings, says CEO Chris Carrier. Lisa claims, I decided to become a franchise owner for one reason. I found an opportunity and brand that I love, and I know how hard it is to find something you enjoy doing every day. Serving people and leaving them smiling is something that has and always will inspire me on a daily basis. Although not her hometown Lisa Wiebe couldnt be happier to own the Seattle location. The west coast environment and lifestyle is an excellent fit. The community here is awesome, says Lisa, and I am excited to bring my exciting new business here to be a part of it! Men In Kilts is unique not only because we wear kilts, but also because we offer professional quality service across the board. With our company, you get the quality of a name brand with the value and friendliness of a small business. Let the kilt capture your interest, but it is our quality of service before, during and after the job that will make you a lifelong customer. About Men In Kilts Nicholas Brand started Men In Kilts in 2002 with a squeegee and a hand-sewn kilt made by his wife. The first franchise was opened in 2010 in Vancouver and has grown to seventeen locations across Canada and the US. The company continues their successful expansion, with plans to be in every major market across North America. For more information on Men In Kilts, or to see them in action, please contact Ravi Mundi at pr(at)meninkilts(dot)com or visit http://www.meninkilts.com. For franchise information, visit http://www.meninkiltsfranchise.com Kyle Schmutzler has been an integral part of the Simply team since 2004. Mr. Schmutzler came to Simply Self Storage after spending three years with the Indianapolis-based law firm of Bingham McHale LLP. As a member of Bingham McHales real estate practice group, Mr. Schmutzler focused his practice on land planning as well as commercial and residential acquisition and development matters. He has represented national and regional companies in the acquisition, development and sale of property across the country. While at Bingham McHale, he assisted Simply in the purchase, finance and development of real estate throughout the Midwest. Most recently in his role as SVP and Authorized House Counsel for Simply Self Storage, Mr. Schmutzler was responsible for all legal and real estate related matters for Simply including over $1 billion in self storage related transactions. His promotion to Executive Vice President of Real Estate comes at a pivotal time for Simply Self Storage as the company strategically positions itself for accelerated growth in 2016. Kurt OBrien, CEO, says I am excited for Kyles promotion, he has worked very hard and a great deal of Simplys success is due to his efforts. About Simply Self Storage Simply Self Storage is one of the largest privately owned self-storage companies in the United States and Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003 by Kurt O'Brien, Simply Self Storage is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and has self-storage facilities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Puerto Rico. Simply Self Storage has over 15 million square feet of storage space with 192 operating self-storage facilities. Simply Self Storage also specializes in value-added acquisitions and professional third party management. For more information about management opportunities, please call 407-248-7878. Contact Simply Self Storage Kyle Schmutzler, Executive VP of Real Estate 407-248-7878 kschmutzler@simplyss.com I love the attention I get when wearing the kilt, says Josh, everyone is always happy to see me and strike up a conversation." Men In Kilts, a franchised window and exterior cleaning company is officially coming to London, Ontario on April 1st, 2016. The man responsible for bringing Men In Kilts to London is Josh Miller. Josh will be making a career shift from being an RCMP officer and cleaning up bad guys to being a window cleaner and cleaning up dirty windows! Josh has spent the last 8 years away from his hometown of London training and working with the RCMP. He always dreamed of becoming an RCMP officer growing up, but after achieving his goal he realized: there was an entrepreneur inside of me that just needed out! Josh had been running a small roofing and exterior repair business alongside being an RCMP officer and that is how he came across Men In Kilts. When I first saw Men In Kilts I thought, wow that is totally awesome! Josh then started looking into the company and eventually reached out to CEO Chris Carrier, who gave him a peek into the lifestyle at Men In Kilts. "London, Ontario is a perfect market for Men In Kilts, it is the "Forest City" for a reason. London is very beautiful with all the large trees and the humidity that helps grow those beautiful trees causes everything to have a layer of green mold/mildew on it. Homeowners and property managers alike are going to fall in love with the passion Josh and his Men In Kilts team brings." Fast forward to today, Josh is about to launch his very first franchise business and he couldnt be more excited. I love the attention I get when wearing the kilt, says Josh, everyone is always happy to see me and strike up a conversation. This is a completely different feeling from when I was an RCMP officer because not everyone was happy to see me around. It takes a special kind of person to lead a Men In Kilts franchise, a leader that is dedicated, awesome and fun, and Josh fits that description perfectly. Josh is also very excited to be back in London, Ontario. I was born and raised in London, I consider it one of the most beautiful cities in Canada, boasts Josh, I am also excited to bring my family here and raise my four children in the same city I grew up in. Josh has received tremendous support from his wife and children during this transition. It wasnt easy leaving behind the RCMP, but my family and my new Men In Kilts family has made the change a positive and exhilarating one! Men In Kilts is unique not only because we wear kilts, but also because we offer professional quality service across the board. With our company you get the quality of a name brand with the value and friendliness of a small business. Let the kilt capture your interest, but it is our quality of service before, during and after the job that will make you a lifelong customer, London is going to be the 15th franchise location to open and the 8th Canadian location. It is also the first time we have had an RCMP officer join our ranks so we can all feel a little safer! Josh can now start to take care of the victims who are suffering from dirty windows and exteriors. Make sure to call us first to get the scoop on this fun & friendly business concept and a story with Josh himself. And if you need some work done, please feel free to get a free estimate for window cleaning, gutter cleaning and pressure washing. About Men In Kilts Men In Kilts was started in 2002 by Nicholas Brand with a squeegee and a hand-sewn kilt made by his wife. The first franchise was opened in 2010 in Vancouver and has grown to seventeen locations across Canada and the US. The company continues their successful expansion, with plans to be in every major market across North America. For more information on Men In Kilts, or to see them in action, please contact Ravi Mundi at pr(at)meninkilts(dot)com or visit http://www.meninkilts.com. For franchise information, visit http://www.meninkiltsfranchise.com Webpass team doing fieldwork in San Francisco. Our Internet Franchise Ordinance proposal is the best method to improve Internet connection speeds at the city level so that excellent Internet service is no longer confined to a few cities in the US," committed Mr. Barr. On March 17th, Charles Barr, President of Webpass, a San Francisco-based Internet Service Provider, addressed the San Francisco Planning Commission with a proposal for a new Internet Franchise Ordinance that provides a comprehensive and standardized process for all Internet infrastructure. The current regulatory environment for Internet Service Providers in San Francisco was actually established for phone and cable providers. Since those regulations were established pre-Internet, they were not designed with Internet access in mind, and consequently inhibit ISPs, many with better Internet services than the phone and cable providers, from competing effectively. By adopting the proposed Internet Franchise Ordinance, San Francisco would be creating a legal landscape designed for Internet, effectively lifting roadblocks and ensuring a level playing field for all competition. "Unfortunately, there is no competition in this market, other than companies like Webpass, because it is incredibly difficult to navigate four different regulatory schemes. We have to navigate the telephone regulatory scheme, the cable regulatory scheme, the fiber regulatory scheme and the wireless regulatory scheme to deliver one product, which is the Internet, stated Mr. Barr to the Planning Commission. The Internet Franchise Ordinance proposed by Webpass would allow Internet providers who have been approved for a city franchise to benefit from a streamlined permit process, the details of which would be developed by the Planning Commission. The permit process would not be applied on a case-by-case basis, but would apply equally to all approved franchised Internet providers for all Internet infrastructure deployment. Included in the Internet Franchise Ordinance is that Internet service would be declared a competitive public utility in San Francisco and would require developers and property owners to include Internet-grade cabling in their buildings, just as they must include electric wiring. The ordinance would also require landlords to give any Internet company approved for a city franchise the access to provide service to tenants who request their Internet service, effectively banning exclusionary practices by landlords, such as revenue share agreements that limit a persons rights to the Internet service of their choice. Internet service provider franchisees would also be granted the right to access utility poles and conduit to build their infrastructure via a streamlined process. While there have been piecemeal proposals presented to the Planning Commission that may be of some benefit to the existing process, Webpass continues to champion a comprehensive and standardized process for San Francisco not just modifications to a fragmented regulatory system. Our Internet Franchise Ordinance proposal is the best method to improve Internet connection speeds at the city level so that excellent Internet service is no longer confined to a few cities in the US," committed Mr. Barr. It is the hope of Webpass that the Planning Commission will vote to take this more comprehensive approach as well. Webpass is enlisting support from all San Franciscans who want access to better Internet options. The community can find out more about, and show its support for, the proposed Internet Franchise Ordinance by clicking on the red button Ask your district supervisors for better Internet service at https://webpass.net/franchise. They can also show their support at Change.org by signing the "San Francisco Needs Better Internet" petition to Mayor Edwin Lee here at http://tinyurl.com/h8kr8b2. As the annual Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference and Business Fair (NCBF) draws near, MBE magazine is ready to roll out its popular WBEs Who Rock contest. We are so excited to bring the contest back and look forward to awarding a new group of outstanding WBEs, says Barbara Oliver, president of Enterprise Publishing Inc., and publisher of MBE magazine. The contest, which honors WBEs who have excelled both in business as well as their communities, is accepting nominations through May 1. Winners will be revealed at a reception in conjunction with the WBENC NCBF taking place this June 21-23 in Orlando, Florida. If you are interested in nominating an inspiring WBE leader who has contributed to her community and made great achievements in her business or industry, complete the nomination form at http://www.mbemag.com/wbes_who_rock.html. All nominations should be submitted by May 1. Nominees must plan to attend the WBENC NCFB. If you would like to encourage aspiring female entrepreneurs and show your support for successful WBEs by becoming a sponsor for the 2016 "WBEs Who Rock" Reception, there are many ways to participate. To receive information about these opportunities, please email us at boliver(at)mbemag(dot)com. About MBE: Minority Business Entrepreneur (MBE) magazine is published bi-monthly by Enterprise Publishing Inc. and serves as a nationwide forum for minority and women business owners, corporations and government agencies concerned with minority and women business enterprise development. Founded in 1984 by Ginger Conrad, MBE magazine maintains a strong commitment to economic parity as a lasting solution to the ills of poverty and discrimination. Celebrity Wellness Expert Jillian Michaels and wife Heidi Rhoades to receive award Let Love Define Family Celebrity Wellness Expert Jillian Michaels will be honored, among other advocates, and for the first time, guests will have the opportunity to bid on a family dream room designed by a local renowned interior designer as part of the silent auction. This ticketed event is open to the community with proceeds benefitting RaiseAChild and a list of foster and adoption agency regional partners. Los Angeles County has the largest child welfare agency in the nation with a critical need to increase the number of foster and adoptive families to provide homes for 35,000 abused and neglected children. In partnership with supportive agencies in local communities nationwide, RaiseAChild expedites the process of finding loving homes for foster and adoptive children by recruiting and educating prospective parents from the LGBTQ and Latino communities. Guests can learn more at the event by speaking directly with RaiseAChilds agency partners, which include: Penny Lane Centers, Adoptions at Vista Del Mar, The Village Family Services, and Walden Family Services. RaiseAChild has helped Los Angeles-based agencies successfully increase the certification rate of prospective parents by 23%, said RaiseAChild Founder Rich Valenza. Thats more than four times greater than the national average of 5%. At the 4th annual HONORS fundraiser, bestselling author, Emmy-nominated television personality and health and wellness expert, Jillian Michaels, and her spouse, Heidi Rhoades, will receive a Let Love Define Family Award for their advocacy of adoption. Kimberly Cornell, News Executive Producer of KTLA, and winner of 17 Emmys, will receive the Outstanding Achievement in the Portrayal of All Families Media Award. Cornells stories have raised strong public awareness in support of foster children and adoption. San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department employees, Sergeant Dana Michele Foster, head of the Crimes Against Children Detail, and her wife, Deputy Sheriff, Gina Barker-Foster (retired), will be presented with a Let Love Define Family Award. In addition to Danas daily work to improve the lives of children in San Bernardino County, the pair has adopted two children, and is again in the process of becoming certified foster care providers to expand their family. The award will be presented by their children. Additionally, a RaiseAChild | MakeAHome Silent Auction will feature furnished rooms designed by some of the countrys top interior designers and home furnishings companies, including Elsie Green; Vaughan Benz; Beverly Hills interior designer and cast member of E!s #RichKids of Beverly Hills, Roxy Sowlaty; and interior designer Charmean Neithart, whose creative ideas have transitioned Los Angeles County Dept. of Children and Family Services offices into warm and inviting spaces for foster children and their families to meet. Event sponsors include CBS Corporation, HBO, and New York Life Insurance Company. The 4th Annual HONORS fundraiser will be held at The Jim Henson Company Lot: 1416 No. La Brea Ave, Hollywood, from 4:00 6:30 PM on May 1st. Guests may purchase tickets by calling (323) 417-1440 or visiting http://www.RaiseAChild.org The ACQUIRE show team is committed to providing a way for our local audience to hear from a variety of thought-provoking speakers, and we believe that THE SEVENTH SENSE presentation will deliver on this promise. 1105 Media, Inc. is excited to announce that Joshua Cooper Ramo, author of the international bestseller The Age of the Unthinkable and the new book The Seventh Sense: Power, Fortune and Survival in the Age of Networks, will deliver the keynote address at the ACQUIRE Conference & Expo on June 8, 2016 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. A Mandarin speaker who divides his time between Beijing and New York, Ramo has spent over a decade witnessing, firsthand, the remarkable rise of a superpower. He understands China in all of its dynamism and complexity. His papers on China's development, including "The Beijing Consensus" and "Brand China," have been widely distributed in China and abroad. The World Economic Forum called him one of Chinas leading foreign-born scholars." Ramo was the youngest Foreign Editor in TIME magazine's history. In 2012, Fortune published "Globalism Goes Backward," Ramo's article on the need for companies and countries to adapt to the rise of the "inside economy." Keynote Joshua Cooper Ramo will bring attendees on a journey of powerful ideas as he illuminates our changing world," said Carmel McDonagh, Chief Marketing Officer, 1105 PSMG. The ACQUIRE show team is committed to providing a way for our local audience to hear from a variety of thought-provoking speakers, and we believe that THE SEVENTH SENSE presentation will deliver on this promise. Ramo joins Gabrielle Gabby Giffords, former Arizona Congresswoman, and Mark Kelly, retired astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain in the inspiring ACQUIRE keynote lineup. Produced by the media teams behind the FCW, GCN, Washington Technology, Defense Systems and Federal Soup brands, ACQUIRE is a new two-day conference & EXPO for government, military and contractor professionals looking to deliver on agency missions. Covering a programs entire lifecyclefrom policy setting to end user experienceACQUIRE offers thought leadership, training courses from a diverse range of government agencies and an exhibit hall packed with vendors. Featuring leading providers of products, solutions and services to the government market, the EXPO floor has multiple pavilions: Information Technology, Acquisition Management, Professional Services and Office Managementplus a Federal consumer experience in Happy Fed. Registration is free for government and military professionals. Sponsorships and booth sales for ACQUIRE are available. Please visit: https://ACQUIREshow.com. About 1105 Public Sector Media Group 1105 Public Sector Media Group, a division of 1105 Media, Inc., provides information, insight and analysis to the Government IT and Education IT (FED/SLED) sectors. Our content platforms include print, digital, online, events and a broad spectrum of marketing services. http://1105publicsector.com About 1105 Media, Inc. 1105 Media, Inc., is a leading provider of integrated information and media in targeted business-to-business markets, including the public sector (FED/SLED) information technology community; enterprise computing; industrial health, safety, and compliance; security; environmental protection; and home healthcare. 1105's offerings span marketing services; print and online magazines, journals, and newsletters; seminars, conferences, and trade shows; training courseware; web-based services. 1105 Media is based in Chatsworth, CA, with offices throughout the United States. https://1105media.com ## Axence nVision HelpDesk dashboard The evolution of the HelpDesk module portends a change in the Axence philosophy towards creating applications. By releasing its new installment, we have shown that we are still oriented towards the constant development of nVision Grzegorz Oleksy, CEO Axence producer of comprehensive IT infrastructure management software has released version 8.5 of its flagship solution, Axence nVision. The main changes to the latest edition concern the HelpDesk module, designed to provide remote technical support to companies and institutions. It now has a completely new look and range of functionality, including the ability for users to define their own automated actions. Functional, Intuitive, and User Friendly The new HelpDesk module is accessible from a web browser. In response to the growing mobility of administrators, it can be used from anywhere in the world, including on the tablet, which is one of the new features of this version. The interface has been made from scratch in order to maximize intuitiveness and clearness. Use is made easy with several features, including drag & drop (for priority management) and the WYSIWYG editor (tickets/comments/articles). The application was created based on the existing logic of the HelpDesk system, which ensures compatibility with previous versions. New Features and Improvements A host of new features were added to the HelpDesk module. The ticket system has been completely redesigned. The purpose of the changes was to shorten the reaction time of support staff to reported problems. The interface is based on a filtered list with elements supporting work on registered events. Among new features is a quick preview of the ticket in the vertical side panel to the right of the interface. Also new is a detailed ticket search engine, written from scratch. It is worth noting that both information updates and individual views of tickets are updated in real time. A particularly important new feature is automation; namely, rules concerning actions automatically performed in the ticket process immediately after fulfilling predefined conditions. Automation in Axence nVision 8.5 is flexible: it enables creation of individual rules for different scenarios that may occur during work with tickets. It saves time not only for support staff, but also for those reporting problems. Its configuration is very simple thanks to a wizard containing over 100 variants of predefined conditions and actions. Assigning tickets to appropriate categories based on keyword recognition, generating responses in threads that refer back to articles in the knowledge base, and changing status after appropriate user action are just a few examples of tasks that can be automated. With the knowledge base, administrators can create guides for employees on how to solve simple problems, a feature which allows support specialists to focus on more complicated tasks. Images or YouTube videos can be also added to articles in the knowledge base, and entries can be categorized in any way. The knowledge base is a self-study guide which can be successfully implemented and used by any company or institution. In addition to the new features, the HelpDesk module in Axence nVision 8.5 also offers: a wizard for adding screenshots and attachments in ticket view; various options for formatting the content of tickets and comments (lists, bullet points, font color, etc.); and the ability to add references to existing knowledge base articles, and browse user activity in the system with a filtration option (activity log). Also integrated with the module is a chat option, allowing confidential company correspondence via the internal server. All new functions and fixes have been included in the release notes. About Axence For over 10 years, Axence has provided professional solutions for complex management of IT infrastructures. The companys flagship product, Axence nVision, responds to the key demands of IT administrators and security officers in scope of network and user monitoring, hardware and software inventory, remote technical support, and data leak prevention. It also provides managers with the ability to optimize the servicing costs of IT infrastructures regardless of their size. Thus far, Axences solutions have been installed on over 600,000 devices and the number continues to grow. Applications Technology (AppTek), LLC, a leader in automatic speech recognition (ASR), announced today that Novus Capital Group has entered into a venture debt financing with the company. AppTek will use the financing to extend its sales and marketing efforts and expand its market reach. Speech technology is a very dynamic space right now. AppTeks track record of success combined with its focus on specific industries makes it a valuable addition to our portfolio, said John Saefke, CEO of Novus Capital Group. As a high-growth SaaS company, AppTek fits perfectly with Novuss mission of fueling emerging technology companies. We are confident that AppTek will thrive as an innovation hub for ASR. AppTek is an independent speech technology company focusing on speech recognition software solutions in more than 14 languages and across diverse vertical markets including media and telephony. Historically, the linguistic component of audio, video and text data has been processed manually or not processed at all. AppTek solutions unlock the value of audio and video assets; enabling commercial and government customers to both generate new revenue and create efficiencies through automatic processing and data analytics insights. AppTek is pleased to have Novus contribute to our growing organization, commented Adam Sutherland, CEO of AppTek. We are experiencing an increased awareness of the importance of speech technology from global market movers in commerce and business. This infusion of capital will allow us to expand our outreach, capture new market share and further establish AppTek as the leader in ASR technology innovation. About AppTek: Applications Technology (AppTek) is a U.S. company specializing in human language technology, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. AppTek's automatic speech recognition (ASR) solutions allow for multiple applications, such as web/mobile search, e-commerce, media monitoring, closed captioning and subtitling. AppTek integrates speech and text processing for voice analytics with visualization. For more information on AppTek, visit us at http://www.apptek.com About Novus Capital Group: Novus Capital Group offers customized, creative financial solutions for emerging growth technology companies seeking to preserve equity and maximize their current cash positions during periods of growth. Novuss team of seasoned financial professionals partner with fast-growing companies to create specialized debt solutions that allow them to attain their goals and attract potential equity sponsors. Through flexibility, creativity, and ingenuity, Novus works quickly and with precision to help emerging growth technology companies achieve long-term success. Benefiting Lilly's Lighthouse Foster Pet Program for domestic violence survivors and their pets. "A fun festival for the whole family, including the family pets. We hope to recruit a lot of new foster homes and supporters and raise awareness of our Foster Pet Program." -Tracy Vatne, Victim Advocate / Foster Pet Program Coordinator Community invited to join Beacon of Hope for its 3rd Annual Bow Wow Luau, a 5K fun run/walk and pet festival to benefit domestic violence survivors and their pets! WHAT: 3rd Annual Bow Wow Luau Fun Run/Walk & Festival WHEN: April 23, 2016 Festival and Registration begin at 10 a.m. Fun Run/Walk begins at 11 a.m. WHERE: Carmels Central Park, East Shelter 1235 Central Park East Dr., Carmel, IN 46032 WHY: Raise awareness, support, and resources for Beacon of Hopes Lillys Lighthouse Foster Pet Program WHO: This family-friendly event is open to the public. Visit Beacon of Hope to register and learn how to become a sponsor. Beacon of Hope is proud to host its 3rd Annual Bow Wow Luau in Carmels Central Park on April 23, 2016 to benefit Lillys Lighthouse Foster Pet Program. Bring your dog and join us on a 5k or one-mile fun run/walk, and stick around for the family-friendly pet festival. Race registration and festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with the run/walk starting at 11 a.m. Our pet festival will include music, games, contests, food, and the chance to visit several pet-related vendor booths. A fun event for the entire family, the Bow Wow Luau is an essential fundraiser for Beacon of Hopes unique Lillys Lighthouse Foster Pet Program. Tragically, each year 68% of abused women reported violence towards their animals from the abuser. Because of this alarming statistic, 40% of domestic violence victims report they are unable to escape their abusers because they are concerned about what will happen to their pets when they leave. Our Foster Pet Program places pets in a safe environment with a foster family so the victim can get out and get the help s/he needs. While staying with the foster families, the pets may need veterinary care, immunizations, flea/heart-worm preventative, food, toys, and bedding. You can help contribute to those costs. Beacon of Hope Center for Women is a Christ-centered organization empowering victims of domestic violence to become self-sufficient by providing safety, support and education. Since 2009 Beacon of Hope has been the exclusive domestic violence organization in Marion County offering direct assistance to victims while addressing pet safety. Through its Victim Advocacy Program, Teen Talk Outreach and Education, Life Skills and Employment Program, Baker One Law Enforcement Purple Sheet Program, and Lillys Lighthouse Foster Pet Care Program, Beacon of Hope offers victims of domestic violence assistance in overcoming barriers that hold them in abusive situations. Beacon of Hope is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana. For more information, call our crisis support center at (317)731-6131 or visit us at BeaconOfHopeIndy.Org. # # # Perhaps the most innovative knife sharpener yet! Within less than two days after launching its 40-day Kickstarter campaign, Utah-based business ViperSharp had already raised more than its $10,000 goal to launch its first product. Its beyond my expectations, said Mike Wood, founder of ViperSharp in an interview Friday. Its great to see this take off as well as it has. I certainly have worked hard for it over the past year and a half and Im grateful for all the support. Its a good thing since Mike has had to work his online businesses as well as his day job simultaneously while working to get ViperSharp up and running smoothly. The idea started in 2014 while trying to improve an existing product. Mike has used a knife for many years with his business, camping, fishing and hunting and even at home in the kitchen. He says he knows the importance of a sharp knife and wants to keep his sharp at all times. He found that he was not skilled at keeping a perfect angle when sharpening his knives and after seeing some of the products on the market from friends he made an investment for one himself to help out. He found that while it did improve his sharpening game it was lacking and had some annoying aspects that were limiting and even some that caused more problems at times. He wanted something better. He started with just the idea of creating an aftermarket add on product to fix one issue of the existing product but soon realized that there were other things he wanted fixed as well. It wasnt long and I realized I needed to create an entire new system, he said. That was the birth of the idea of ViperSharp and within a couple months he had the design in his head and was anxious to take it to the market. Over a year later and after learning much patience, he said the company is finally ready to launch the product on Kickstarter ViperSharp, The Best Precision Knife Sharpener. The campaign touts that the product is designed to address the flaws of current systems on the market." Getting to this point hasnt been an easy nor a fast process. I had to work my butt off on this while continuing to work my regular job (almost full time) and maintain my online business to pay the bills, he said. I put a lot of extra time into my ebay business to pay for parts and prototypes for the ViperSharp. In other words, he has sacrificed a lot of time, money and effort to build ViperSharp. Its been a very trying time and has allowed me to learn a lot about manufacturing, machining and basically the process needed to bring a new invention to the world. He said he hopes the Kickstarter campaign will help the company grow to provide for his family and hopefully others in the future. He was thrilled to see the success the first day and says this shows that people still believe in standing behind a good product made in the USA. Its going to be a wonderful new adventure, he said. To see the companys Kickstarter campaign, click here. Our values remain exactly the same, but the updated brand and website reflect the invigorated vision for PEC moving forward. Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation (PEC), a leading provider of engineering consulting services across the Southeast, is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. The new website features an enhanced experience for current and potential clients, user-friendly functionality, and places greater emphasis on the company's service offerings and completed projects across all disciplines, including roadway, water, wastewater, natural gas, utility relocation, and more. Weve created an updated, more streamlined user-experience and built a website that offers visitors a unique look inside PEC, complete with downloadable project profiles highlighting some of our projects, says PEC President Tony Arikol, Our values remain exactly the same, but the updated brand and website reflect the invigorated vision for PEC moving forward. The launch of the new website comes at a time of recent expansion and employee achievements for PEC who, in the last year, opened a new office in Jefferson Parish; completed design and construction management of an $11 million dollar wastewater treatment facility; won the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates (LAMA) Corporate Award for dedicated service and support of the Aviation community; and saw the election of PEC President, Tony Arikol, to the position of President of the American Council of Engineering Companies Louisiana (ACECL) chapter. Since the firms inception in 1969, PEC has built up a significant client base across the Southeast, completing over 2,000 civil projects. The new website can be seen at: http://www.pecla.com About PEC: PEC, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, provides consulting services for numerous clients including parish and county governments, cities, towns, villages as well as various governmental agencies on the local, state and federal level. PEC is a multi-disciplined firm with engineers and other specialists in the following areas: civil, sanitary, structural, transportation, utility relocation, mechanical, recreational, environmental, surveying, construction oversight, right-of- way acquisition, and grant administration. PECs highly qualified staff enables the company to provide the highest quality of service in the most efficient manner. PEC is committed to understanding individual project requirements and fulfilling performance objectives within a clients financial capabilities. For more information about Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation and their engineering services, visit their website or contact Tony Arikol at tarikol(at)pecla.com. At CDG, we are focused on providing the highest quality of care to our patients and I am thrilled to be included among this top tier of peer-nominated physicians in our state" said Dr. Rhonda Klein Past News Releases RSS Fairfield Countys Largest... Connecticut Dermatology Group... Connecticut Dermatology Group... Fairfield County dermatologist Rhonda Klein, MD, MPH has been awarded Top Doctor 2016 by Connecticut Magazine for the first time in her career. She is a board-certified dermatologist at Connecticut Dermatology Group (CDG) with extensive experience treating all aspects of medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. Connecticut Magazine conducted an annual survey of more than 5,000 physicians, asking them to recommend a doctor (other than themselves) to whom they would send a loved one for expert medical care. The final list is composed of 807 doctors in 31 specialties. "I am beyond honored to receive this award and to be recognized by my peers as a Connecticut top doctor said Dr. Klein. At CDG, we are focused on providing the highest quality of care to our patients and I am thrilled to be included among this top tier of peer-nominated physicians in our state. Dr. Klein has been instrumental in creating a prescription-based pharmaceutical and over-the-counter line of products for CDG, of which some products have become nationwide best sellers for the compounding pharmacy. She also returned recently from the international American Academy of Dermatology conference where she remains active as an editor for Dialogues in Dermatology, a popular monthly audio subscription program. Before joining CDG in January 2014, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Yale University. Dr. Klein received her BAS in bioengineering and MD from the University of Pennsylvania with honors and her MPH from Columbia University. She completed her medical internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and her dermatology residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where she served as Chief Resident. During her training, she spent one year as an NIH research fellow and has experience conducting investigator-initiated clinical trials and epidemiologic research resulting in many peer-reviewed publications. She served as Chief of Dermatology at Bridgeport Hospital from 20112013 where she led the consultative dermatology service, outpatient dermatology clinic, and dermatology education for medical residents and students. Dr. Klein continues to be involved in academia and clinical research, and is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Dermatology, Medical Dermatology Society, American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, and American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery. She currently serves as an editor for the monthly broadcast Dialogues in Dermatology of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and as a mentor for the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Alumni Mentorship Program. About Connecticut Dermatology Group Connecticut Dermatology Group (CDG) is a leader in dermatology services in Connecticut. Since its founding in 1964, CDG has provided comprehensive skin care to tens of thousands in Connecticut through its Norwalk, Milford, and Stamford offices. CDG is Fairfield Countys largest physician-directed skincare center providing medical and surgical care, as well as state-of-the-art cosmetic services. CDG has been designated as a national dermatological testing center to conduct clinical trials for new and upcoming medical and cosmetic services. Managing Partner, Dr. Steven A. Kolenik III has been peer nominated as 2016 Top Doctor in Fairfield County by Castle Connolly and a 2016 Top Doctor in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine. Dr. Kolenik III has completed over 20,000 Mohs procedures. I firmly believe that because of companies like ours, our business community here in Tampa Bay has the potential to become one of the epicenters of the technology industry in the United States. PlateSmart is among the top 20 software developers in the Tampa Bay area in 2016, according to an annual list published by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in March. The list is one of many compiled by the Journal, which seeks to determine the hottest companies in the local business community for the purposes of sales and business research and as a service to job seekers. PlateSmart is well known in the security industry as the leading provider of fixed-location Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) solutions as well as ALPR-based video analytics technology. The Companys flagship solution, ARES, is an enterprise grade end-to-end ALPR-based video analytics software suite for fixed cameras that has won multiple awards for excellence. This year, PlateSmart introduced PlateSmart Network, an innovative solution for peer-to-peer sharing of ALPR capture data among ARES users, which was honored with a 2016 Platinum Govies award from Security Products magazine. The award was presented to PlateSmart at this years ISC West expo in Las Vegas. The Tampa Bay Business Journal citation was recognized by no less than Florida Governor Rick Scott. In a congratulatory letter to PlateSmart CEO John Chigos, Scott wrote, Floridians like you are helping make our state the best place in the world to raise a family, have a great career, and enjoy a life full of opportunity. Chigos commented, Id like to thank The Tampa Bay Business Journal and Governor Scott for their recognition. PlateSmart has built its reputation on creating the most cost-effective and powerful ALPR-based video analytics solutions on the market, and we are only getting better. I firmly believe that because of companies like ours, our business community here in Tampa Bay has the potential to become one of the epicenters of the technology industry in the United States. We at PlateSmart will do our utmost to do our industry and our community proud by continuing to produce the cutting edge in video surveillance technology. Representatives of PlateSmart are currently at ISC West, where they are co-exhibiting with integration partner Samsung Techwin in Booth #14079. This year, the Company will be demonstrating some of its newest innovations, including PlateSmart Network and a new High-Definition ALPR engine. About PlateSmart PlateSmart Technologies has developed the worlds first software-only Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) and video analytic solutions, which are compatible with both state-of-the-art and legacy cameras. PlateSmart offers both mobile and fixed ALPR and analytic solutions, which are designed either to function as stand-alone tools or to integrate with third-party software and hardware. ARES, PlateSmarts enterprise ALPR-based analytic solution, provides real-time actionable intelligence with industry-leading accuracies and state jurisdiction recognition for complete situational awareness. PlateSmarts solutions have been recognized as the most innovative and forward-thinking LPR technology by Frost and Sullivan. http://www.platesmart.com DISCLAIMER: This press release may contain forward-looking statements and/or predictions. These statements are based on history, current knowledge, and current market conditions. They are subject to change without notice as conditions and knowledge change; therefore, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. To help clients spend more time on strategic initiatives, and less on operations, Renodis needed a world-class delivery model with supporting technology that allowed it to provide a cost-of-operations lower than its clients could accomplish on their own. Renodis, Americas first communications managed services company focused on a seamless and superior communications experience for clients, was featured by Microsoft in a story that showcased the innovative use of Microsoft Cloud technology to professionally manage communications environments. Together, we created a great piece that really shows the innovative ways Renodis has transformed its business to better serve customers and increase employee productivity, states Leo Mason, Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft. The Renodis promise is to help clients spend more time on strategic initiatives, and less on operations. To do that, Renodis needed a world-class delivery model with supporting technology that allowed it to provide a cost-of-operations lower than its clients could accomplish on their own. We offer a set of outsourcing management services to our clients to manage their communications infrastructure, says Paul Cashin, Vice President of Client Solutions for Renodis. As we examined the marketplace, there wasnt an existing platform that allowed us to build out our service model. We needed to find a platform that offered core capabilities but could also be expanded and integrated. To evolve its managed services solution, Renodis identified 5 key requirements: a central company-wide platform, ability to track sales and marketing activities, integration capability with other Microsoft solutions, a complete view of client information, and anytime/anywhere access. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online supported Renodis emerging business requirements by providing a core set of functions: a ticketing system, SLA functionally, contract database, integration options, and customer lifecycle management. A direct benefit for Renodis clients is that all the data about their communications infrastructure is stored in one location. Renodis gives clients actionable insights based on the clients particular situation, and it is able to compare how each clients communications layer compares to the industry best-practices derived from its experience managing multiple clients communications infrastructures. It comes down to value provided, Cashin says. We measure ourselves on the business, technical, economic, and support value we are providing to our clients. The Dynamics platform allows us to track and report on our performance across those four value dimensions. Renodis has coined the term Vision for its platform powered by Microsoft, affirming the companys commitment to providing clients with professional management of their communications environment. To read the full story, visit The Microsoft Renodis Customer Story Page. Renodis is Americas first communications managed services company focusing on a truly seamless and superior communications experience for their clients. Renodis mission is to enable better communications and greater productivity with fewer internal resources. This is accomplished through talented people, proven process, and Vision - a propriety technology platform created specifically for lifecycle management of communications. A Saint Paul, Minnesota based company since 2002, Renodis has helped hundreds of organizations with communications needs. Find out more at http://www.Renodis.com. NewerTech, a leading accessories and performance upgrades company for Macs, PCs, iPhones, iPads, and iPods, convey their widely praised NuGuard KX protective case is compatible with Apples newly announced iPhone SE. The NuGuard KX instantly stirred up excitement and intrigue amongst iPhone enthusiasts when NewerTech first unveiled the hyper-advanced protective case for the iPhone 5/5S and iPhone 4/4S at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 2013. Over the years, the NuGuard KX has been an unrivaled accessory available for iPhone users, offering military-grade protection without sacrificing style or adding significant bulk, and the NuGuard KX for iPhone 5/5S continues to do so for the iPhone SE. With its innovative Kinetic Energy X-Orbing gel technology, the case absorbs and evenly distributes the impact from dreaded accidental drops, significantly reducing the risk of scratches or damage from heights more than 20 feet. Consequently, NewerTechs state-of-the-art case is Quanta Laboratories-certified to withstand the Shock Test Method of the MIL-STD-810G U.S. Military Standard for elite protection. To experience its effectiveness and durability, watch an iPhone 5 ensconced in a NuGuard KX being dropped from 20 feet five times higher than Quanta Laboratories Mil Spec certification test height onto a concrete floor. Then, for the ultimate test, an iPhone 5 was dropped from Other World Computings on-site wind turbine. Most highly-protective, bulky cases erase the thin and minimalist nature of the iPhones design. Yet, unlike other military-grade cases, the NuGuard KX is a one-piece case under half-an-inch thick, so both convenience and style are not compromised. The X-Orbing gel is integrated into a hard outer shell with a soft interior for a one-piece design that allows for substantial security, easy installation, and minimized bulk. And with a crosshatched backside, the KX provides grip to the normally slippery iPhone while easily fitting in a persons hand or pocket. Its Edge Guard over-molding provides enhanced iPhone screen edge protection without interfering with touch screen and one-handed usability. With its precision molded cutouts, the NuGuard KX also facilitates easy access to all iPhone ports and buttons, playing nicely with other accessories. With Apples recent announcement of the iPhone SE on March 21, 2016, iPhone fanatics seeking out the best accessories to complement the iPhone SE should look no further than Newertechs NuGuard KX case. The NuGuard KX is a user-friendly case with uncompromised convenience and functionality, making the iPhone SE experience seamless and more enjoyable. A stand-alone option of deserved, best-in-class protection for the smartphone, NewerTechs NuGuard KXs rugged and simple design beautifully showcases Apples sleek appearance, ultimately harmonizing with the iPhone SE -- The Most Powerful Phone with a Four-inch Display. If you want great protection from an iPhone case that looks good while doing it, you're going to want to take a close look at the KX. - MacTrast The NuGuard KX protective case is now available for purchase from MacSales.com and other authorized NewerTech resellers for the affordable price of $19 with full replacement Lifetime Warranty. In addition to an all-black option, it is available in nine color combinations ranging from Rose to Nugar Forest to Stars & Stripes. Specifications For iPhone 5/5S/SE 2.6 wide 5.15 tall .46 thick 1.10 oz NewerTech also offers the hammer-resistant NuGuard KXs screen armor to complement the protection capabilities of the KX case. For more information on the NuGuard KX or any of NewerTech's other Apple-related products, visit the official websites of Newer Technology or MacSales.com. About NewerTech, Inc. NewerTech, Inc. develops accessories and performance upgrades for Macintosh and PC computers, iPods, iPhones, and iPads, and is headquartered in Woodstock, Illinois. Dealer inquiries are welcome at (815) 308-7001 or by e-mailing sales(at)newertech.com. Company Contact: Joshua Sularski, (815) 502-5608, jsularski(at)macsales.com Press Contact: Russell Ward, (310) 424-8356, russell(at)theconfluencegroup.com I am honored to be a part of the YPO- WPO which gives me the opportunity to grow and share ideas with people I respect and value. My goal is to bring back new ideas to help our community. -William K. Mattar The World Presidents Organization (WPO) of the Empire State Chapter had recently announced William Mattar, Esq. as Chapter Chair. YPO-WPO is the largest business leader organization in the world. Mattar recently attended the YPO-WPO EDGE conference in Dubai to participate in discussion and listen to presentations on an array of social and business topics. The World Presidents Organization (WPO) was founded in 1970 and includes more than 8,000 business leaders. YPO (Young Presidents Organization) connects business leaders under the age of 50, then members transition into the WPO and continue education and networking in over 125 countries world wide. William K. Mattar Esq. has been involved with the organizations for many years and uses it as a platform to communicate with business leaders. About William Mattar, PC For over 25 years, William Mattar has been representing clients across New York State including the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton and Albany regions, as well as in Pennsylvania. With a principal office located at 6720 Main Street in Williamsville, NY, William Mattar focuses on auto injury cases for those seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents. Call the William Mattar Immediate Response Team at 444-4444. For more information about the firm, please visit http://www.WilliamMattar.com. Hundreds of community members will pound the pavement and raise their voices to bring attention to the need for timely and safe surgery around the world. The Operation Smile Until We Heal Community Walk will symbolize the distance many patients, worldwide, must travel to reach a hospital or receive any form of health care. The event is part of the launch of Operation Smiles Until We Heal campaign, a youth-driven initiative to bring attention to the global need for access to safe surgery, http://www.untilweheal.org. Representatives from Sentara, LifeNet, the Virginia Department of Economic Development, as well as local college and university students will take part in the event. The community walk is scheduled for Friday, April 8th, from 10:30.a.m. 12:30 p.m. Participants will walk from Operation Smile Headquarters, 3641 Faculty Boulevard, Va. Beach, to the CHKD Health and Surgery Center at 2021 Concert Drive, Va. Beach. Speakers will include: Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee: Co-founders of Operation Smile Dr. Jesus Inciong: Pediatric Plastic Surgeon, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. Jalana McCasland: Vice President of Physician Practice Management, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. About Operation Smile Operation Smile is an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities. It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care. Since 1982, Operation Smile has developed expertise in mobilizing volunteer medical teams to conduct surgical missions in resource-poor environments while adhering to the highest standards of care and safety. Operation Smile helps to fill the gap in providing access to safe, well-timed surgeries by partnering with hospitals, governments and ministries of health, training local medical personnel, and donating much-needed supplies and equipment to surgical sites around the world. Founded and based in Virginia, U.S., Operation Smile has extended its global reach to more than 60 countries through its network of credentialed surgeons, pediatricians, doctors, nurses, and student volunteers. For more information, visit http://www.operationsmile.org. Kelly and Mark have each made extraordinary contributions to the firm over the years. Savills Studley, the leading commercial real estate services firm specializing in tenant representation, has appointed Kelly Givens and Mark ODonnell to its Board of Directors. Givens, based in Orange County, Calif., is an executive managing director and member of the firms Corporate Services Group, an integrated team focused on assisting organizations with their most significant and complex real estate transactions regardless of geographic location. ODonnell, executive vice president and co-branch manager of the Houston office, has more than 20 years of experience representing major corporate tenants across the country. Kelly and Mark have each made extraordinary contributions to the firm over the years. Each has built highly successful teams that have added significantly to the companys top and bottom lines; I am thrilled to have them as part of our executive leadership group as Savills Studley continues to grow its services platforms, said Savills Studley Chairman & CEO Mitchell S. Steir. Savills Studley recently acquired Vertical Integration, a firm focused on occupier services, and KLG Advisors, management consultants that provide strategic location and workplace advisory solutions to large corporations, as well as opened five new offices in the U.S. and Canada. Kelly Givens, 59, began his career in commercial real estate in 1980. With a background in architecture, design, construction, asset management, project management, development and transaction negotiation, he brings multiple areas of expertise and substantial value to Savills Studley's Corporate Services Group. Focused on demand-side engineering and economics, Givens helps occupiers of real estate understand the specific performance of available solutions and has been the lead professional and cost engineer on some of the largest commercial real estate transactions in the country. He is an expert in build-to-suit construction and designs projects to a specified unit cost profile with pre-established cost indexes, subsequently tied to contract performance, enabling him to forecast extremely accurate capital cost expenditures well in advance of delivery dates. Givens received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. His credentials also include registration and license as an Architect, AIA, General Building Contractor and Certified Property Manager (CPM). Mark ODonnell, 46, assists major corporate clients in the development and implementation of occupancy strategies and provides advice and expertise in acquisitions, dispositions, financial structuring, incentives negotiation, human resource analysis, operation analysis, and lease negotiation. He has managed more than 25 million square feet of transactions valued in excess of $3 billion. As co-branch manager of the Houston office, ODonnell provides strategic direction and leadership and has helped develop one of the most accomplished tenant representation practices in Houston. His clients include 10 of the 200 largest law firms in the nation, three of the countrys largest utilities along with their parent companies, several oil and gas corporations, and many global engineering firms. ODonnell was awarded Houston's 2013 "Office Transaction of the Year" at NAIOP's annual office and industrial awards for the 581,000-square-foot Statoil transaction and was subsequently named Broker of the Year by NAIOP in 2015. He is consistently recognized as a commercial real estate Heavy Hitter by the Houston Business Journal and is often referenced as an expert in his field by many local and national publications. ODonnell is a member of Savills Studleys Law Firm Practice Group, which meets frequently to discuss space related issues and solutions for law firms. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from University of Texas at Austin. About Savills Studley Savills Studley is the leading commercial real estate services firm specializing in tenant representation. Founded in 1954, the firm pioneered the conflict-free business model of representing only tenants in their commercial real estate transactions. Today, supported by high quality market research and in-depth analysis, Savills Studley provides strategic real estate solutions to organizations across all industries. The firms comprehensive commercial real estate platform includes brokerage, project management, capital markets, consulting and corporate services. With 27 offices in the U.S. and Canada, and a heritage of innovation, Savills Studley is well known for tenacious client advocacy and exceptional service. The firm is part of London-headquartered Savills plc, the premier global real estate service provider with over 30,000 professionals and over 700 locations around the world. Savills plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SVS.L). For more information, please visit http://www.savills-studley.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @SavillsStudley. People call our site stunning and beautiful. Visual impact was one of our goals for the site, and it was clearly accomplished. mStoner, Inc., a Chicago-based higher education marketing and communications firm, is honored to announce that the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is nominated for a Webby in the General Website: School/University category. Two Webbys are presented for each category: The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences selects the first winner to receive a Webby. The second, the People's Voice Award, is chosen by the public. UNCSA competes with the nations best arts conservatories and attracts exceptionally talented students. They needed a web presence that would match UNCSAs sophistication as a conservatory, while presenting a unified brand for all five of its arts schools and presenting an elegant navigation experience for the visitor. mStoner realized what UNCSAs five schools of dance, design & production, drama, filmmaking, and music all had in common a powerful capacity for visual storytelling. People call our site stunning and beautiful. Visual impact was one of our goals for the site, and it was clearly accomplished, says Claire Machamer, director of digital media at UNCSA. Social media referrals have skyrocketed because people are sharing the site. Theyre proud of it. Voting for the Peoples Voice Award already started and will continue through April 21. People's Voice and Webby Award winners will be honored at the 20th Annual Webby Awards in May. mStoner, Inc. helps clients to tell their authentic stories by clarifying their unique brand value proposition, creating a content strategy to communicate the brand effectively, and implementing compelling and dynamic communications across the web, mobile, social media, print, and other channels. We focus on research, data, and results. Since 2001, weve worked with more than 300 colleges, universities, and professional schools in the U.S. and abroad. Doctor writing prescription. The results raise questions about the effectiveness and sustainability of the price-focused reforms. The study also provides lessons for those states where physician dispensing is permitted. A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found evidence of frequent physician dispensing of new drug strengths and a new formulation at much higher prices. This phenomenon was observed in several states with recent reforms aimed at reducing prices paid for physician-dispensed prescriptions. Frequent dispensing of higher-priced new drug products led to substantial increases in average prices paid for some common physician-dispensed drugs. According to the study, Physician Dispensing of Higher-Priced New Drug Strengths and Formulation, the trend was initially triggered by a response to price-focused reforms targeting high-priced repackaged drugs. When prices are reduced by regulation, the regulated partiesin this case physician-dispenserssometimes find new ways to retain the higher revenues they had prior to the reforms, said Dr. John Ruser, president and CEO of WCRI. The results raise questions about the effectiveness and sustainability of the price-focused reforms. The study also provides lessons for those states where physician dispensing is permitted. This report is part of a series of WCRI studies that examine the effects of regulatory or legislative changes to the rules governing reimbursement for physician-dispensed prescriptions. In the past decade, many states in the U.S. have enacted reforms to cap prices paid to physicians by tying the maximum reimbursement amount to the average wholesale price (AWP) set by the original manufacturer of the drug. However, these new strengths and formulations are labeled as drugs made by generic manufacturers, not repackagers, and therefore, are not subject to the new reimbursement rules targeting physician-dispensed repackaged drugs. The study reported several drugs that exhibited this phenomenon and highlighted several states where physician dispensing of these new drug products was prevalent. Take cyclobenzaprine, a muscle-relaxant, as an example. The 7.5-milligram new strength was not seen in the market until 2012. For many years, the most common strengths were 5 and 10 milligrams. The manufacturer of this new strength assigned a new AWP, which was much higher than the AWPs for the 5- and 10-milligram products. Below are some examples from the study of the frequent physician dispensing of higher-priced new strengths. California: The average prices paid to physicians for cyclobenzaprine of 5 and 10 milligrams ranged from $0.38 to $0.39 per pill in the first quarter of 2014. The 7.5-milligram product, introduced in 2012 and almost always dispensed by physicians, cost $3.01 per pill in the same quarter. The percentage of physician-dispensed cyclobenzaprine prescriptions that were for the 7.5-milligram strength increased from 0 percent prior to 2012 to 55 percent in the first quarter of 2014. Florida: The average prices paid for physician-dispensed cyclobenzaprine of 5 and 10 milligrams were $1.75 and $1.29 per pill, respectively, in the first quarter of 2014. The 7.5-milligram new strength was seen prior to Floridas 2013 reform, but the frequency of dispensing increased substantially post-reformfrom 16 percent in the pre-reform second quarter of 2013 to 49 percent in the first quarter of 2014. When physicians dispensed the 7.5-milligram new-strength product, they were paid an average of $4.11 per pill. Illinois: The average prices paid to physicians for cyclobenzaprine of 5 and 10 milligrams were $1.55 and $1.25 per pill, respectively, in the first quarter of 2014. Prior to Illinois 2012 reforms, the 7.5-milligram new strength was rarely seen in the market, but by the first quarter of 2014, 22 percent of all physician-dispensed cyclobenzaprine prescriptions were for the new strength. When physicians dispensed the new strength, they were paid on average $3.86 per pill. Tennessee: Ten-milligram cyclobenzaprine was the most-commonly dispensed drug strength by physicians in the state, which cost $1.08 per pill on average in the first quarter of 2014. The 7.5-milligram product was not seen in the initial post-reform quarters until the fourth quarter of 2013. By the first quarter of 2014, 19 percent of physician-dispensed cyclobenzaprine prescriptions were for the 7.5-milligram new strength. When physicians dispensed the new strength, it cost $3.97 per pill on average. The data used for this report came from payors that represented 3170 percent of all medical claims across 22 states studied and comprised detailed prescriptions based on calendar quarter from the first quarter of 2012 though the first quarter of 2014. The 22 states in the study are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. To purchase this study, visit http://www.wcrinet.org/studies/public/books/pd_higher_priced_drugs_book.html. The Cambridge-based WCRI is an independent, non-partisan research institute that is recognized as a leader in providing high quality, objective information about public policy issues involving workers' compensation systems. ABOUT WCRI: The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Ive had the good fortune of watching Jovitas career progress at our firm, and not only is she incredibly dedicated to her practice, but she is also very involved in her community, said Michael A. Chivell, managing partner at Armstrong Teasdale. Armstrong Teasdale, a law firm with offices across the United States and in China, is proud to announce that Employment and Labor litigator Jovita Foster will be honored on April 7 with a 2016 Distinguished Young Alumni Award from her alma mater, Washington University School of Law. Foster is a member of the Armstrong Teasdale Executive Committee, and also chair of the firms Diversity Committee. The Distinguished Young Law Alumni Award honors successful alumni who have graduated in the past 25 years. Serving as examples for other Washington University law students and alumni, the honorees demonstrate the schools high standards of leadership, progressive thinking, uncompromising integrity, commitment, courage, and confidence. Ive had the good fortune of watching Jovitas career progress at our firm, and not only is she incredibly dedicated to her practice, but she is also very involved in her community, said Michael A. Chivell, managing partner at Armstrong Teasdale. We are certainly proud to have her on our team, and look forward to all she has yet to accomplish. Washington University School of Law has selected an impressive recipient for this award, and its well-deserved. As a member of the Employment and Labor practice, Foster defends employers in a wide range of disputes including those involving claims of discrimination, retaliation, violations of public policy, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. She also helps employers develop policies and procedures aimed at preventing workplace problems. Fosters clients include government agencies, municipalities, higher education systems and businesses of all sizes. Since 2014, Foster has been listed in Chambers USA as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Labor and Employment Law. In 2015, she received the St. Louis American Salute to Young Leaders Award. Foster was given the Womens Justice Rising Star Award from Missouri Lawyers Weekly, and named to the St. Louis Business Journals 40 Under 40 in 2014. She has been named a Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyer for the past three years, and also received the Outstanding Achievement in Practice Award from the Black Law Student Association at Washington University in 2013. Foster has also built a reputation as a champion for diversity within the firm and the broader community. Outside the firm, she provides pro bono legal services to the Urban League of St. Louis, serving as the organizations general counsel and a board member. Fosters other volunteer activities include: Junior Achievement; Womens Leadership Giving Initiative for the United Way of Greater St. Louis; and Aim High, which helps empower motivated middle school students from high-risk environments. Admitted to practice in Missouri and Illinois, Foster graduated from the University of Missouri in 1997 with her B.A. and went on to earn her J.D. at Washington University School of Law in 2000. As a student, she received the Milton F. Napier Award and the American College of Trial Lawyers Medal, both for Excellence in Trial Advocacy. Foster is based in the firms St. Louis office. About Armstrong Teasdale: With lawyers in offices across the United States and in China, Armstrong Teasdale LLP has a demonstrable track record of delivering sophisticated legal advice and exceptional service to a dynamic client base. Whether an issue is local or global, practice area specific or industry related, Armstrong Teasdale provides each client with an invaluable combination of legal resources and practical advice in nearly every area of law. The firm is a member of Lex Mundi, a global association of 160 independent law firms with locations in more than 100 countries, and the United States Law Firm Group, a network of 18 law firms headquartered in major U.S. cities. Armstrong Teasdale is listed in the Am Law 200, published by The American Lawyer, and the NLJ 250, published by The National Law Journal. For more information, please visit http://www.armstrongteasdale.com. I am passionate about what this team does, and I cant imagine a more noble client base to serve. Intermedix Corporation announced Thursday the appointment of Jack Donahue as the executive vice president leading the organizations Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, business unit. Since joining Intermedix in 2004, Donahue has been an instrumental leader during the growth of the health care technology organization. Donahue oversaw information technology and support across the company, specifically, client relationships, patient engagements, as well as product management for the companys billing platform and field solutions, including TripTix and Fleeteyes. In his most recent role at Intermedix, Donahue served as executive vice president leading the organizations shared services team. Donahue has strong proven operational success leading the establishment and growth of the companys Kaunas, Lithuania office and has five years of previous experience being responsible for both financial standing and operations of the largest EMS region. Jack is a valuable member of our leadership team, said Intermedix CEO Joel Portice. His intellect, work ethic and continuous pursuit of excellence gives me tremendous confidence that he will lead our EMS team with high quality and consistency, providing a positive experience for our customers. The EMS business unit supports 3 million patient encounters each year. The division supports more than 5,000 providers in 41 states and 250 cities. As the leader of the EMS business unit, Donahue will help innovate the companys operations and leverage their future platform. In addition, Donahue will focus on maximizing revenue in the coming years. After 11 years serving our clients and team members in various roles, I am excited to focus my attention on the EMS business unit, says Donahue. I am passionate about what this team does, and I cant imagine a more noble client base to serve. Donahue will be following in the footsteps of Dave Poole, who has served as the EMS business unit leader for more than eight years. Poole will now serve as the executive lead for special projects at Intermedix. Before joining Intermedix, Donahue was a senior manager at Arthur Andersen, a business consulting firm. Donahue holds a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame. He also holds both an MBA and an executive masters in health administration from the University of Florida. About Intermedix Intermedix delivers technology-enabled services and SaaS solutions to health care providers, government agencies and corporations. The company supports more than 15,000 health care providers with practice management, revenue cycle management and data analytic tools. Intermedix connects more than 95 percent of the U.S. population with crisis management and emergency preparedness technologies. SelectAccount is well-positioned for growth with the opportunity to better serve our members and expand nationally to become the fastest growing consumer health company by 2020. SelectAccount, a leading provider of medical savings accounts including HSA, FSA, HRA and VEBA, today announced Matthew Marek will move forward as CEO of SelectAccount effective April 11, 2016. Matthew succeeds SelectAccounts current President and CEO Carol Kraft who will be retiring from SelectAccount. Carols decision to retire will bring a close to a remarkable career of nearly 40 years of experience in the health care industry, many of which were spent at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and SelectAccount. Carol has been an impactful leader during her tenure at SelectAccount, contributing to SelectAccounts success through her expertise and talents on numerous internal and external community initiatives. She has been a mentor to many and also been the executive sponsor of Fuerza Azul employee resource group for the past five years. She has dedicated time and leadership to the Womens Health Leadership TRUST, the Womens Business Leadership Organization, the American Heart Associations Go Red for Women, Bethesda Hospital Foundation and the Walker Methodist Health Care Foundation. Marek joins SelectAccount from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, where he served as vice president, product and marketing with responsibility for product, marketing, innovation, digital and consumer experience. He previously served in a variety of executive leadership roles over his ten-year tenure with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, including vice president of sales overseeing national accounts, individual, small and mid-sized employer group sales in both commercial and Medicare products, as well as broker and consultant relations, sales operations and sales technologies. He also has experience in financial services and property casualty insurance lines. I am thrilled to lead SelectAccount as we continue to advance the great work of this organization, Marek said in a statement. SelectAccount is well-positioned for growth with the opportunity to better serve our members and expand nationally to become the fastest growing consumer health company by 2020. Marek holds a bachelors degree in business administration and finance from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Marek is vice chair of the board of directors at CCStpa and also sits on the boards of Consortium Health Plans and Greater Twin Cities YMCA. Marek is a 2011 recipient of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journals 40 Under Forty Award. About SelectAccount SelectAccount has been driving innovation in medical spending administration for over 25 years. By offering a full suite of tax-advantaged solutions HSA, HRA, FSA, VEBA, transportation and dependent care accounts as well as WalletDoc consumer tools, SelectAccount is positioned to meet clients changing needs as they plan for upcoming health care expenditures. SelectAccount is one of the leading medical spending administrators in the country, serving over 400,000 account holders and managing approximately $800 million dollars in consumer medical account savings assets. SelectAccount is integrated with numerous partner data exchange connections, serving over 8,500 employers with account holders in all 50 states. MII Life, Inc., d.b.a. SelectAccount has been approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury as a non-bank HSA Trustee. SelectAccount is headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota with locations in Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX and New York, NY. Visit http://www.SelectAccount.com to learn more. Houston, TX April 6, 2016 - Gimmal, a leading provider of information management software that transforms Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365 into a full enterprise content management system, today announced that the Houston Technology Center will honor David Quackenbush, President and CEO of Gimmal, and Mike Alsup, Senior Vice President and Gimmal Founder, at the 2016 Celebration of Entrepreneurs Gala. Held annually, this evening event honors local entrepreneurs and celebrates those who have made significant contributions to the Houston community. President and CEO Walter Ulrich of the Houston Technology Center congratulates and honors both Mr. Quackenbush and Mr. Alsup as a true entrepreneurs, leaders and humanitarians. Together, David and Mike have been serial entrepreneurs whose intrinsic understanding of information technology and deep dedication to service excellence has driven one innovation after another. Through their partnership, Gimmal has helped establish Houston as a leader in the field of information technology. David Quackenbush has extensive experience and success in the IT industry. He has a successful track record of leading diverse organizations through major transformation and has led organizations with revenues in excess of $100M. David is a hands-on leader that quickly gains the respect of colleagues and is known for building diverse and high-performing teams. In addition to leading and managing organizations, he has led M&A activity on both the sell and buy side of deals. He is also well-versed in energy and retail industries. David is also an active participant in many charitable organizations including Child Advocates (Board Member), The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Vice Chairman Directions & Assistance Committee), The Houston Technology Center, and Memorial Drive United Methodist Church (Board of Stewards). Mike Alsup is a Senior Vice President and Founder of Gimmal. After management positions with Accenture and Booz Allen, he co-founded BSG, Align Solutions, and Gimmal. BSG and Align each sold for more than $100M. Mike was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008. He graduated from Rice and has an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a past President of the Jones School Board of Partners and has been active on the boards of SARDAA and Main Street Theater. Gimmal has been on the Houston Fast Tech 50 eight times and is the only software company on the INC 5000 for the last ten consecutive years. The 2016 Celebration of Entrepreneurs Gala will take place the evening of Thursday, May 12, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Houston, 1200 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002. About Gimmal Gimmal delivers information management software that makes Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365 a true enterprise content management system. Gimmals award-winning solutions enable businesses to consistently govern and manage their content wherever it exists across the enterprise. Gimmal products are cloud-ready, easy to deploy, cost effective, and they are supported by a team of experts. For more information, visit the website at gimmal.com for a tour of Gimmal products and solutions. About Houston Technology Center Houston Technology Center is a non-profit organization that provides education, insight and access to capital that entrepreneurs need to move toward the path of commercialization. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, HTC assists Houston-based entrepreneurs within several key sectors: energy, information technology, life sciences, nanotechnology, and NASA/aerospace. For more information, visit http://www.houstontech.org. HTCs mission is to enable and accelerate the growth of emerging technology companies for the purpose of creating jobs and promoting economic development in the greater Houston area. HTCs vision is to be the hub for the Texas Gulf Coast regions resources for building and supporting emerging technology companies. HTC clients and graduates have raised more than $2.5 billion and created more than 5,000 jobs. ...Healthier, happier, and more engaged employees are the heart of any business. Bill Howe Plumbing, Inc. has grown into one of the largest family-owned and operated service and repair companies beginning with drains and plumbing in San Diego in 1980. For over 35 years, they have continued to add on new services and help strengthen the industry through advanced training and education, most notably through their local Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors of San Diego (PHCC-SD). The PHCC offers a four-year training program to students working towards their Journeyman license and a two-year heating & A/C program in San Diego. The PHCC is dedicated to the advancement and education of the plumbing and HVACR industry, for the health, safety, and comfort of society and the protection of the environment. There are over thirty-nine HVAC and plumbing contractors in the San Diego chapter, and over 40 affiliate members committed to helping business owners and residents find quality professionals who are trained, licensed, and insured. Each month, the PHCC of San Diego hosts a contractor and affiliate member dinner meeting with a special guest speaker. Speakers are industry leaders, business consultants, government representatives, and more sharing the latest industry news and solutions, business challenges, and innovative ways to grow the plumbing and HVAC trades. On April 7, Bill Howe Plumbing will host the monthly meeting at their training facility at their office on Aero Dr. They are proud to welcome Ann Marie Houghtailing as the guest speaker. Ann Marie is presenting How to Design an Energized, Enthusiastic, Engaged Culture, helping owners and affiliates empower and engage employees. Were very excited for our guest presenter this month, said Tina Howe, Vice President of Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air. We know that healthier, happier, and more engaged employees are the heart of any business and look forward to sharing Ann Maries expertise with the PHCC members. Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air has been a member of the PHCC for many years, and has over 25 students attending the current Journeyman program at the PHCC. Bill and Tina Howe have both served as Chapter President, their daughter Jaime Howe-Stolis has served on the Board of Directors, and Human Resource Manager Amber Baynard is the current PHCC Board of Directors Secretary. For more information about the San Diego PHCC, please visit http://www.phccsd.org. For more information about Bill Howe Plumbing in San Diego, visit http://www.billhowe.com, or to speak with Bill or Tina Howe regarding this announcement, contact Bill Howe Marketing Director, Julie Riddle, at Julie(at)billhowe(dot)com. About Bill Howe Family of Companies Bill Howe Family of Companies is comprised of Bill Howe Plumbing, Inc.; Bill Howe Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.; Bill Howe Restoration & Flood Services, Inc. The family-owned and operated company began in 1980 with the plumbing division and has grown into San Diego Countys largest low-cost one-stop-shop for service, repairs and installation, offering both residential and commercial services. 9085 Aero Drive, Suite B, San Diego, CA 92123. Call 1-800-BILL-HOWE because We Know Howe! ### Youth Digital Youth Digital, the leading technology education organization for kids ages 8 to 14, today announced the official release of Mod Design 1: Dimensions, an expansion pack for its most popular course Mod Design 1, which teaches kids professional-level Java programming skills. The expansion pack offers students four additional modules that allow kids to deepen their knowledge of coding with Java through creating Minecraft dimensions. Mod Design 1: Dimensions expansion pack is the number one request weve heard from students and parents, said Justin Richards, CEO of Youth Digital. This highly anticipated course builds off of skills learned in Mod Design 1 and gives kids the opportunity to extend their knowledge of Java programming through a customized Minecraft dimension. Its a great way to deepen students coding knowledge while creating a really exciting final project they can share with friends. Mod Design 1 lays the foundation by teaching kids professional Java programming as they learn to code with Minecraft. Throughout the modules, students watch engaging videos and create their own unique Minecraft mods. Mod Design 1: Dimensions teaches advanced coding skills and concepts, while allowing kids to complete challenging assignments, concluding with a cutting-edge final project that tasks students with creating a customized Minecraft dimension that they can actually play and share with friends. Course highlights include: Advanced Java Programming: Students will take their knowledge of Java even further as they write code from scratch. Complex Coding Concepts: Kids learn how to program more complex features for their mods, like custom portals, automatically-generating structures, and advanced artificial intelligence. Professional Software: Kids improve their proficiency with a professional-level Java development tool, Eclipse. Im so excited about Mod Design 1: Dimensions because Mod Design 1 was my favorite Youth Digital course, said Youth Digital student Ronan Boyarski. I already loved making my own Minecraft mods in Mod Design 1, but the expansion pack has taught me so much more about Java programming and how to create almost everything I have ever wanted to mod! Included in Mod Design 1: Dimensions: 10 Hours of Instruction 1 Year Expansion Pack Access Support from Youth Digitals Online Teachers Self-Paced and Project-Based Curriculum Interactive Quizzes & Challenges Final Project with Instructor Assessment To learn more about Youth Digital and its offerings for kids to learn to code with Minecraft, please visit http://www.youthdigital.com. ### About Youth Digital Youth Digital offers a compelling mix of online courses that teach kids the critical technology concepts and skills that they will need to be successful in todays digital world. With courses designed to be fun, interactive, and rewarding, kids ages 8 to 14 become digital creators through their breakthrough learning platform and cutting-edge curriculum. Students watch video tutorials, respond to questions, earn badges, complete interactive quizzes, and attempt challenging assignments as they step toward mastering key technology skills and professional-level software. Founded in 2010 and based in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, Youth Digital is committed to making technology education accessible to kids globally. Since its inception, the company has reached more than 60,000 students through its popular summer camp programs and expanding portfolio of introductory and advanced online courses. Today, students from more than 100 countries are enrolled in Youth Digital's online courses in Java programming, game development, mobile app design, 3D printing, 3D animation, and more. For More Information: Katie Ackerman SHIFT Communications for Youth Digital kackerman(at)shiftcomm.com 617-779-1867 Le Ponant PONANT has been introducing Europeans to Cuba in the past and we are now delighted to offer Americans this enriching opportunity from a most comfortable setting aboard a cruise on Le Ponant PONANT, the only French-flagged cruise line, celebrated for destination-focused itineraries to remote and exotic destinations, is extending its yacht-style cruises to offer Americans the opportunity to explore Cuba and get a deeper understanding of its people and culture. These "People-to-People Cultural Exchange" cruises in 2017 will offer immersive itineraries from 7 and 8 nights on Le Ponant, the iconic sailing yacht hosting only 64-guests eager to embark on a unique exploration of Cubas complex history and culture in a highly-experiential, authentic and engaging manner. Enjoying thoughtfully-curated programs and engaging with locals have always been the essence of the PONANT cultural experience," noted Navin Sawhney, Chief Executive Officer, Americas. PONANT has been introducing Europeans to Cuba in the past and we are now delighted to offer Americans this enriching opportunity from a most comfortable setting aboard a cruise on Le Ponant. Cuba offers an amazing variety of attractions, from historic cities with some of the hemispheres best-preserved colonial architecture to idyllic off-lying cays that offer a rich marine life. In the company of local experts, guests will also have meaningful encounters with Cuban citizens, artists, professionals, and civic leaders. Touring Cuba aboard Le Ponant allows for comfort in casual elegance while exploring this unique island-nation with French-inspired cuisine, the convenience of unpacking just once, the sophistication of shipboard accommodations and traveling with an intimate group of like-minded travelers. ABOUT PONANT The only French-flagged cruise line and world-leader in polar expeditions, PONANT, was founded in 1988 by Jean-Emmanuel Sauvee and a dozen Merchant Navy officers. Boasting one of the newest fleet of small luxury ships, today the company is a reference for a new style of high-end cruises and a unique concept for sea travel that combines exceptional itineraries with five-star amenities. In October 2015, PONANT Cultural Cruises and Expeditions was acquired by Artemis Holding Company of the Pinault family, strengthening the brand's competitive advantage globally. http://www.ponant.com Voalte One profile view on the Zebra MC40-HC After an extensive review, we determined Voalte is the one vendor that can unify our multiple communication systems, tie in with biomedical devices, and provide secure text messaging for our physicians on their personal smartphones. Voalte, the leader in healthcare communication technology, today announced that Tampa General Hospital, a private, not-for-profit hospital serving a dozen Florida counties with a population in excess of 4 million people, is upgrading to Voalte Platform for caregiver communication. Voalte Platform replaces a patchwork of pagers and an aging VoIP phone system with a unified, HIPAA-compliant solution that scales across the enterprise. The Voalte smartphone deployment is already live on several units, and will extend site-wide to Tampa General Hospitals 1,011 patient beds and will include integrations with the electronic medical record and barcode scanning. As part of the hospitals BioMedical Device Integration (BMDI) project, a team of biomedical, IT and nursing staff collaborated to upgrade patient monitoring systems, integrate alarm middleware, and allow caregivers to receive alarm and alert notifications via a single communication platform. Caregivers at the bedside use Voalte One for voice communication, text messaging and alarm notification, while desk-based workers route alerts and send text messages via the Voalte Messenger web client. Providers outside the hospital exchange secure text messages with the entire care team using Voalte Me on their personal smartphones. After an extensive review, we determined Voalte is the one vendor that can unify our multiple communication systems, tie in with biomedical devices, and provide secure text messaging for our physicians on their personal smartphones, said Peter Chang, MD, Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Tampa General Hospital. Tampa General Hospitals choice of Voalte Platform equips their staff with the industrys leading healthcare communication technology, said Trey Lauderdale, Voalte Founder and CEO. Voalte smartphones integrate with the alarm-management system, allowing caregivers to receive immediate alerts and notifications from patient monitors and the nurse-call system. With patient information at their fingertips, caregivers can respond quickly, request help from support staff and streamline the workflow process to provide the best possible patient care. About Voalte Voalte develops smartphone solutions that simplify caregiver communication. As the only company to offer a comprehensive Mobile Communication Strategy, Voalte enables care teams inside and outside the hospital to access and exchange information securely. Voalte customers benefit from a solid smartphone infrastructure that supports their existing systems and expands to accommodate future technologies. Founded in 2008, Voalte is a privately held company based in Sarasota, Florida. Over 75,000 caregivers use Voalte products every day. For more information, visit voalte.com or follow @Voalte on Twitter. Many nurses and health systems using VRI report better communication with patients and family members, better provider experiences and increased compliance with federal requirements. InDemand Interpreting, a language services improvement company and video remote interpreting (VRI) provider within Healthcare, attended the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) 2016 Inspiring Leaders Conference last week. Participation in the conference demonstrates the companys ongoing support of nurses and healthcare providers nationwide to bridge the communication gap with limited English proficiency (LEP), Deaf and hard of hearing patients. InDemand Interpreting provides immediate access to certified, medical interpreters 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in more than 200 spoken languages in addition to American Sign Language (ASL) across the continuum of care. Through its video remote interpreting (VRI) technology, nurses and clinicians have greater language access for their limited English proficiency (LEP) and Deaf patients, providing better overall patient care. Many nurses and health systems using VRI report better communication with patients and family members, better provider experiences and increased compliance with federal requirements. InDemand is pleased to attend important leadership conferences like AONE to understand the challenges facing healthcare professionals today and to ensure that InDemand continues to innovate to effectively support medical conversations and ensure patients receive the highest quality care regardless of language barriers, cultural background or disabilities, said InDemand Interpreting Chairman and CEO Cecil Kost. Throughout my 42 years working as a nurse, video remote interpreting has been the most beneficial technological advancement yet, said Cyndy Daniel, a nurse at Providence Milwaukie Hospital, in Milwaukie, Oregon. Having remote interpreters available right when we need them has made an incredible difference in the ability to clearly communicate with patients and improve overall patient care. About InDemand Interpreting InDemand Interpreting was founded in 2007 with the vision of ensuring that every patient receives the highest quality healthcare, regardless of language, cultural background or disability. By delivering the most experienced medical interpreters and highest quality video technology InDemand Interpreting provides doctors, nurses and clinicians the language access they need to provide the best possible care. Visit InDemand at http://www.indemandinterpreting.com About the American Organization of Nurse Executives The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) is the national professional organization for nurses who design, facilitate and manage care. With more than 9,000 members, AONE is the leading voice of nursing leadership in health care. Since 1967, the organization has provided leadership, professional development, advocacy and research to advance nursing practice and patient care, promote nursing leadership excellence and shape public policy for health care. AONE is a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. For more information, visit the AONE website. The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) elected a new president-elect, treasurer and four members of its Board of Directors to serve three-year terms beginning January 1, 2016. For the first time, the CMS mentions that nursing needs to be aware of some of the pharmacy standards and vice versa. AudioEducator is the country's top training providers for healthcare professionals in hospitals, pharmacy and compliance. In upcoming months, AudioEducator has lined up some informative training sessions for the hospitals and pharmacy professionals on various hot-topics with the countrys top industry experts. Every conference is designed to give complete compliance know-how and practical, easy-to-apply advice. On Tuesday, April 19, 2016, AudioEducator will host a live webinar titled CMS 2016 New Pharmacy and Medication Hospital CoP Standards with expert Sue Dill Calloway, to review why all hospitals receiving Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement need to follow the medication guidelines for all patients, and more. In 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 45 page memo announcing in advance many changes to the hospital CoP pharmacy standards, covering changes to ten tag numbers or sections. Also, this include changes regarding compounding of medication and beyond use date (BUD) and to bring them into alignment with acceptable standards of practice. Language was included so that the surveyor would be able to cite the hospitals at either condition or standard level. Medication error is the most common error today in hospitals. According to CMS, around 1.9 million inpatients have to suffer from drug related adverse outcomes, which accounts for almost 5% of all admissions. Hospitals that spend more resources on medication issues generally have lower rates. In addition, every hospital in America accepts Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and is required to follow the CMS hospital interpretive guidelines. Recently, there have been many recent changes in the nursing section that address medication usage, including changes to timing of medication, self-administered medication, compounding, blood, and safe opioid use. There are three time frames that medications must be administered along with the QAPI requirements. CMS is also issuing a deficiency report showing when the pharmacy is cited for being out of compliance. In this 60-minute session, Sue Dill Calloway will shed light on the top problematic pharmacy standards by the CMS, including verbal orders for medication, order for medications, and NS standing orders. Sue will also review the CMS requirements for BUD and compounding, and discuss the number of pharmacy policies and procedures required by CMS. The session will provide insights on understanding the policy required by CMS for high risk drugs like dose limits or double checks. Additionally, she will answer some pertinent questions, such as how to locate the CMS manual; recent CMS memos; and what is included in pharmaceutical services. For more information, visit: http://www.audioeducator.com/hospitals-and-health-systems/cms-2016-pharmacy-medication-hospital-cop-standards-04-19-2016.html About AudioEducator AudioEducator is the countrys leading source of knowledge and training for professionals in medical coding, billing and compliance. It conducts conferences and webinars with nationally renowned experts, consultants and legal experts who provide a fresh perspective on healthcare issues and trends. AudioEducator offers important updates, regulatory knowledge and compliance information on the latest coding and billing in 24+ medical specialties. It has provided thousands of healthcare professionals the opportunity to get answers to their most complex questions directly from experts. To know more visit: http://www.AudioEducator.com/ About Sue Dill Calloway Sue Dill Calloway, RN, MSN, JD is a nurse attorney, a medical legal consultant and the former Chief Learning Officer for the Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation. Currently, she serves as President for Patient Safety and Health Care Education and Consulting. In the past, Sue has worked as director in hospital patient safety and risk management for The Doctors Company and was a medical malpractice defense attorney for many years. She was also the director of risk management for the Ohio Hospital Association and has worked in varied roles as in-house legal counsel, privacy office and compliance officer. For more details, visit: http://www.audioeducator.com/speakers/sue-dill-calloway VAXXED: FROM COVER-UP TO CATASTROPHE By showing Vaxxed, AutismOne honors American families by providing parents with valuable information.... In the recently released Community Report on Autism from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network of the CDC, we learn: About 1 in 68 or 1.5% of 8-year-old children were identified with ASD based on tracking across multiple areas of the United States.[1] For the past 14 years, AutismOne has stood at the forefront of integrative medicine education regarding children who have a diagnostic label of autism. AutismOne has hosted United States congressmen, a Nobel Prize laureate, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and many of the most innovative, expansive-thinking physicians and healthcare professionals of our time. The vision of AutismOne has provided parents with resources and education from diverse areas, and AutismOne has endeavored to be a comprehensive resource, covering biomedical research and treatments, educational and adjunct therapies, integrative treatments, complementary-alternative medicine, advocacy, and behavioral approaches. This years conference features approximately 150 speakers and panelists, spanning the 5 days of May 25-29, 2016. Additionally, there will be special events, including a screening of the film VAXXED: FROM COVER-UP TO CATASTROPHE, on Saturday night, May 28, 2016, with a one-hour panel discussion following. About the movie: In 2013, biologist Dr. Brian Hooker received a call from a senior scientist at the CDC, who led the agency's 2004 study on the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and its link to autism. The scientist, Dr. William Thompson, indicated that crucial data was omitted in their final report that revealed a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. This scientist also provided the confidential data destroyed by his colleagues at the CDC. This documentary examines the evidence behind an appalling cover-up. Interviews with pharmaceutical insiders, doctors, politicians, and parents of vaccine-injured children reveal an alarming deception that has contributed to the skyrocketing increase of autism and potentially the most catastrophic epidemic of our lifetime.[2] Said Robert J. Krakow, an attorney-at-law and parent: By showing Vaxxed, AutismOne honors American families by providing parents with valuable information, however controversial, consistent with AutismOnes mission. The cancellation of Vaxxed by certain film festivals demonstrates how corporate interests allied with public health suppress open discussion of difficult topics. In screening Vaxxed, AutismOne upholds the American value of free speech and open dissemination of information, a sacred moral responsibility dishonored by others who, in their misguided efforts to hide information, have abused their public trust. Please see http://www.autismone.org/content/vaxxed-cover-catastrophe-movie-screening. The AutismOne 2016 Conference will be held at the beautiful Loews Chicago OHare Hotel. For more information about the conference lectures, special events, and to register, please visit http://www.autismone.org. References: 1. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/documents/community_report_autism.pdf 2. http://vaxxedthemovie.com/ "Spin Cycle," the self-titled debut by a new quartet. We are both committed to the band and its musical vision. This is the first in what will be a long line of great recordings. With its strong melodies, tight rhythms, intriguing textures, and sophisticated interplay, Spin Cycle has got everything covered. What makes the band special is how everything fits togetheror, by intention, doesnt. For listeners and band members alike, every tune is an adventure. Spin Cycle is the new quartet co-led by drummer Scott Neumann and tenor saxophonist Tom Christensenand also featuring fellow veterans of the New York jazz scene Pete McCann on guitar and bassist Phil Palombiwhose self-titled debut CD will be released by the leaders Sound Footing Records on May 6. "Spin Cycle" boasts six compositions by Christensen, a consummate multi-instrumentalist who mostly plays tenor saxophone here, and four by Neumann. Having performed in all kinds of settings including the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Mandolin Project, the Gil Evans Project, Madeleine Peyrouxs touring group, Broadway pit bandsand Cheap Trickthe co-leaders know how to dig deep, swing hard, and put a shine on a ballad. After finishing a CD of his own in 2013 with Michael Blake and Mark Helias [the Neu3 Trios "Blessed"], Neumann got the thought of collaborating on an ongoing basis with musicians I liked and respectedwith friends who would get along sharing business responsibilities as well as creative ones. I naturally thought of Tom. In addition to playing together, and playing with many of the same musicians, weve spent a lot of time backpacking and hiking together. He had tunes, I had tunes. They went well together because we share a lot of the same musical influences. Once they decided on the format of the band, getting McCann on board was the next step. Neumann has played with the Wisconsin native for more than 30 years, going back to their days at North Texas State (now the University of North Texas). And Christensen had played with the guitarist in Maria Schneiders Big Band. Palombi, a gifted bassist with whom Neumann had played in trumpeter Bill Mobleys big band during their four-year run at Smoke, was the final inspired piece to fall into place. "Spin Cycle" is bookended by lighthearted tunes inspired by the composers daughters. Neumanns Rainbow Shoelaces features a simple melody and funky B section. Christensens Hamsters, Hamsters is a straight-ahead, uptempo minor blues. The title track, written for this session by Christensen, shows off a deeper and more complex side of the band via its intricate and varied cycle of chord changes. Neumanns Crystalline, which features McCann on nylon-string guitar, is distinguished by its lingering over-the-top melody. And then theres the punk rock-like composition, Smart Aleck, with its bellicose guitar opening and other aggressive effects. This lineup gives us a lot of room to try out different things, says the drummer. Born in 1962 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Scott Neumann started on the drums as a youngster and was exposed to what we now call classic rock by his older brother. Scott eventually found his way to the jazz-rock fusion of bands including Weather Report and Return to Forever. Neumann went on to blossom in the esteemed music program at North Texas State and moved to New York in 1988. Hes been a busy player on the New York scene ever since, playing with such luminaries as Kenny Barron and Ben Allison and accruing impressive credits as a vocal accompanist (for Ann Hampton Callaway, among others), Broadway musician (he made "Swing!" swing), and instructor (he directs the drum studies program at Lehigh University). Tom Christensen was born in 1961 in Ventura, California. Like Neumann, he was drawn to rock early on; he became interested in jazz-rock fusion and straight-ahead jazz while attending high school in the Napa Valley. Frequenting clubs in nearby San Francisco, he heard such legends as Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, and Art Blakey and had the opportunity to take private lessons from tenor saxophone great Joe Henderson. Christensen attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, studying classical music as well as jazz on both undergraduate and graduate levels. Since moving to the New York City area in 1989, he has established himself as a go-to player in jazz and commercial settings. For eight years, he was a member of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, appearing on five of their albums. He also has played on recordings by Joe Lovano, Don Sebesky, and the David Liebman Big Band. Christensen, who is on the faculty of the Fieldston School in New York, first recorded as a leader in 2000 ("Gualala"). Spin Cycle will be performing a CD release show at Smalls in New York on Friday 5/6, as well as a mini-tour taking them to the Jazz Room in Waterloo, Ontario, 6/25; the Rex in Toronto. 6/26; and the Rochester (NY) Jazz Festival, 6/27. After playing with Scott for many years around New York, says Christensen, I'm really excited about our new band Spin Cycle. We are both committed to the band and its musical vision. This is the first in what will be a long line of great recordings. The Catalent Applied Drug Delivery Institute today announced the latest in its series of educational workshops, entitled From Discovery to Clinic: Getting Ready for Phase 1, to discuss key considerations for the rapid and efficient transitioning of molecules from discovery, through to Phase 1 clinical trial readiness. The event content will include API and formulation development, clinical study design and regulatory requirements, and is to be held in collaboration with One Nucleus, the international membership organization for life science and healthcare companies, at Chesterford Research Park, Little Chesterford, UK, on April 20th, 2016. The workshop starts at 9.00 a.m., and the agenda includes a presentation by Dr. John Knight, head of Jkonsult Ltd., providers of expert advice on chemical and process research and development, and people development, who will discuss the key priorities in the developmental process; and Malcolm Boyce, Medical Director of Hammersmith Medicine Research, one of the largest early-phase clinical trials units in Europe, who will draw upon his experience of being involved in over 670 phase I clinical trials and present First-in-man studies: what we can achieve. Also speaking will be Julien Meissonnier, Vice President, Science and Technology and Catalent Institute Board Member, who will discuss Early dose form selection: selecting and optimizing formulation technologies for clinical success; and Judith Jones from Catalents European Regulatory Affairs Department, who will present Best Practices for preparing the IMPD quality section. The workshop will be the third in an ongoing series being held in European biotech research clusters. Previous events in Oxford, UK, and Copenhagen, Denmark, have brought together guest speakers including prominent academics, consultants, and technology representatives, alongside Catalent Institute and drug delivery and formulation experts. The agendas of each event have been designed to give the opportunity for biotech and life science companies to interact with industry experts and discuss some of the challenges faced by research teams within preclinical phases, to ensure drug candidates progressed to the clinic have the greatest chance of success at later stages of development. There will also be an opportunity for companies attending the events to discuss active developmental programs in private with Catalents science and technology leaders. To find out more information, or book a place at this event, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-discovery-to-clinic-getting-ready-for-phase-1-tickets-21628913663?aff=NEPR. About One Nucleus One Nucleus is an international membership organisation for life science and healthcare companies. The organisation is based in Cambridge with the majority of its members across the Cambridge/London corridor, at the heart of Europes largest life science and healthcare cluster. For more information on One Nucleus visit http://www.onenucleus.com About Catalent Applied Drug Delivery Institute Catalents Applied Drug Delivery Institute was founded to serve as a link between industry and academia, advance education and training in drug delivery in academia and the industry, accelerate adoption of applied drug delivery technologies to develop better treatments, and foster industry collaboration on major issues pertaining to drug development, formulation, and delivery. It is pursuing a multi-tiered approach of research, strategic counsel, and educational programs to advance the adoption of emerging technologies. For more details on the Catalent Institute, visit http://www.drugdeliveryinstitute.com and follow the Catalent Institute on Twitter: @DrugDeliveryIns About Catalent Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health and animal health products. With over 80 years serving the industry, Catalent has proven expertise in bringing more customer products to market faster, enhancing product performance and ensuring reliable clinical and commercial product supply. Catalent employs approximately 8,700 people, including over 1,000 scientists, at 31 facilities across 5 continents, and in fiscal 2015 generated more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, N.J. For more information, visit http://www.catalent.com More products. Better treatments. Reliably supplied. Newark public schools and the thousands of children who attend them need the support of the entire Newark community as they contend with lead contamination in their drinking water The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the philanthropic arm of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ), today announced that it has made a $25,000 contribution to the Newark Water Fund to help provide bottled water for Newark Public Schools and children, test thousands of students for lead exposure and provide health-related services. Horizon BCBSNJ employees will be donating cases of bottled water for Newark at their work locations and will make financial gifts to support the Newark Water Fund. The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey will match employees monetary donations through the companys Matching Gifts Program. Newark public schools and the thousands of children who attend them need the support of the entire Newark community as they contend with lead contamination in their drinking water, said Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. Our company has been a corporate citizen of Newark for 84 years and many of our employees live in the city and have family members who are directly impacted by the lead in the water crisis. Newark is our home and were committed to protecting the health and safety of our neighbors. The Newark Water Fund was created by United Way of Essex and West Hudson, which is coordinating the purchasing of clean water for the impacted children, as well as student testing and other services. United Way is grateful to Horizon and its employees for stepping up to generously support the Newark Water Fund and address the health and safe drinking water needs of thousands of Newark school children, said Catherine Wilson, CEO of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson. By supporting this endeavor, Horizon leads the way in supporting our students through good corporate citizenship." About The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey: The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundations new funding pillars are Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information please visit http://www.HorizonBlue.com The Digital Pathology Association (DPA), a non-profit organization that facilitates education and awareness of digital pathology applications, is offering complimentary membership and discounted registration to their annual conference, Pathology Visions, to all residents, fellows and PhD candidates interested in digital pathology. To continue to promote education and the latest tools in the digital pathology field, the DPA is offering individuals free membership to the DPA during their residency, fellowship or candidacy. Members will receive access to past Pathology Visions presentations, access to the DPA Member Community, discounted registration to Pathology Visions 2016 and more. To join the DPA and begin taking advantage of all DPA member benefits, click here. Pathology Visions 2016, the DPAs annual conference, is being held October 23-25 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. Pathology Visions is a great place to learn about the real world, practical applications in the ever-evolving field of digital pathology, while also getting a chance to network with industry leaders. This year, the DPA is offering a discounted registration to pathology residents, fellows and PhD candidates. In addition to the discounted rate, there are opportunities to receive further discounts on registration or even attend the conference for free! Apply for a travel award. The DPA is making up to three conference travel awards available ($2,000 value each) for pathology residents, fellows and PhD candidates to attend Pathology Visions 2016. The travel award funding is intended to defray costs of registration and travel expenses. Recipients will be chosen based on their understanding of the impact of digital pathology and whole slide imaging on the specialty of pathology, merit of application and the value of the award to the applicant. Applications are due by May 20, 2016. To learn more about the travel awards and to apply today, click here. Become a poster presenter. The DPA Program Committee is now accepting proposals for poster presentations at Pathology Visions 2016. Residents can submit a poster proposal for review until June 30, 2016. If chosen, you will receive an additional $50 off registration to this years conference. Presented posters at Pathology Visions will be displayed for the entire conference and discussed between presenters and attendees. The posters will also be judged by appointed experts in five different categories. Awards will be handed out to the winner of each category at Pathology Visions and a cash prize will be given to the winner of the Resident category. Click here to submit a poster presentation proposal now. For more information about Pathology Visions 2016 and to register now please click here. About the Digital Pathology Association The Digital Pathology Association, located in Indianapolis, IN, was founded in 2009. Its mission is to facilitate education and awareness of digital pathology applications in healthcare and life sciences. Members will be encouraged to share best practices and promote the use of technology among colleagues in order to demonstrate efficiencies, awareness, and its ultimate benefits to patient care. This is exciting news, especially for the Indian Tribes who have relied on the Klamaths fisheries for millennia Restore Hetch Hetchy (RHH) today praised Wednesdays announcement to remove four dams on the Klamath River as a cornerstone of the program to restore the rivers fisheries. The Klamath Dams have blocked access to spawning habitat and exacerbated water quality problems for a century. The rivers poor health drew national attention in 2002 when more than 70,000 adult salmon perished in its overheated and oxygen-deprived waters while attempting to spawn. After more than a decade of negotiations, Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, Governors Jerry Brown of California and Kate Brown of Oregon, tribal leaders and farmers jointly announced an agreement to remove the four dams.(1) This is exciting news, especially for the Indian Tribes who have relied on the Klamaths fisheries for millennia, said Spreck Rosekrans, Restore Hetch Hetchy Executive Director. It is also especially rewarding to see that public officials understand that, in some situations, the benefits of dam removal outweigh the costs of making it possible. That test ought to be applied to the OShaughnessy Dam which led to the drowning of the glacier carved Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park. Unfortunately, San Francisco has proven unwilling to consider the opportunity of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley, in spite of studies showing it can be accomplished without losing a drop of water supply, continued Rosekrans. Weve been forced to take our issue to the courts where our case is pending. But we would be pleased to undertake substantive conversations at any level of government. Citizens who are interested in joining the 100-year old mission to restore Yosemites Hetch Hetchy Valley can find out more at http://www.hetchhetchy.org Restore Hetch Hetchys mission is to return the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park National Park to its natural splendor while continuing to meet the water and power needs of all communities that depend on the Tuolumne River. Media Relations Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (949) 307-1723, melanie(at)mwebbcom(dot)com (1) http://www.opb.org/news/article/historic-klamath-dam-removal-gets-a-second-chance/ 2015 was a record breaker. - Nancy Beesley, partner and CSO at HCB Health. Med Ad News, one of the leading pharmaceutical business and marketing publications, announced it has nominated HCB Health, one of the nations fastest growing healthcare advertising agencies, for Agency of the Year in Category III. This is the first time HCB has been nominated for this award. Candidates for agency of the year are selected based on their creative track records, management strength, financial performance, strategic thinking, account wins and ability to attract talent. The Category III competition recognizes advertising firms generating less than $25 million in annual revenue 2015 was a record breaker, said Nancy Beesley, partner and CSO at HCB Health. New marquee clients and the recruitment of high-profile talent have catapulted the agency from the mainstream to the short list for many clients seeking more nimble agency partners. Med Ad News also nominated HCB, along with AbelsonTaylor and JUICE Pharma Worldwide, for the Manny Heart Award for their partnering with MIT Hacking Medicine to host a three-day HackMed Health House workshop during the 23rd Annual SXSW Interactive Festival. The Heart Award recognizes agencies social responsibilities and those cultures which embody strong commitments to philanthropic and social causes. Our partnership with AbelsonTaylor and JUICE at SXSW was proof that independent agencies can do amazing things when we come together, said Kerry Hilton, partner and CEO at HCB Health. MIT Hacking Medicines HackMed Health House allowed us to explore new possibilities in the ever-growing Health and MedTech Track and really rethink healthcare in a collaborative way. Some of HCBs 2015 client wins include United Therapeutics Remodulin, a prostacyclin analogue vasodilator indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; a PV Market Development assignment from Medtronic; Medac Pharmas Rasuvo; three brands from the Medicines Company, Raplixa, Preveleak and Recothrom Thrombin; and assignments from Baxter Global Nutrition. HCB Health and its deft strategic group won the global corporate branding assignment for Galderma Corporate in Lausanne, Switzerland, with additional duties spilling over into 2016 and beyond. Finally, Alcons surgical group awarded the HCB team two blockbuster launches in 2015 PanOptix IOL and UltraSert delivery system with more critical launches in 2016 underway. For HCB, 2016 is all about continuing the agencys forward momentum. Its our 15-year anniversary, and were just getting started, said Hilton. The 2016 Manny Awards celebration will be held Thursday, April 21 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City and will begin with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by a sit-down dinner at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude with a post-awards cocktail hour. The awards ceremony will commence at 8:30 p.m. ### About HCB Health HCB Health is an independent, full-service healthcare communications agency serving the entire healthcare sector, including the medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Unfettered from constraints that plague larger agency networks, HCB is celebrating its 15th anniversary as one of the worlds leading medical marketing agencies. More healthcare companies are discovering that independent thinking can set you free a principle that has propelled HCB since its founding in 2001 and allowed it to serve clients with agility and innovation. HCB has offices in Austin, TX and Chicago, IL. To learn more about HCB, visit hcbhealth.com, follow us on Facebook facebook.com/HCBhealth, and check out our blog at hcbhealth.com/health-blog. About the Manny Awards For more than 25 years, the Med Ad News Manny Awards have paid tribute to the creative work of agencies serving the healthcare market, their people, and their contributions to the industry. Each year at this gala awards ceremony, Med Ad News and agency professionals come together to celebrate creative excellence in pharmaceutical and medical device advertising and to acknowledge those making significant contributions to healthcare communications. On this special evening, more than 600 industry peers are anticipated to join Med Ad News in honoring winners in a range of award categories. We are constantly looking for new ways to support instruction and student learning. The new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) encourages states to incorporate the universal design for learning (UDL) instructional strategy in school assessments and use of educational technology. Now new updates to the itslearning personalized learning management platform support educators efforts to apply UDL principles to curriculum design. UDL is a set of curriculum development principles that uses scientific insights to give all students equal opportunity to learn. Brain research shows that even when students are performing the same academic activity, the patterns of activity in their brains are as unique as their fingerprints, said itslearning US vice president of sales and marketing Matt Dobosh. Curriculums will now address that learner variability. That means that educators have to focus more than ever on curriculum planning, and our latest updates give them the perfect tools to develop lessons that can be customized and adjusted for individual student needs. For example, design changes to the itslearning planner simplify the reorganization of plans and elements regardless of the practice or device teachers use. As a result, teachers can give more of their attention to planning the multiple means of representation, engagement, and action and expression required by UDL. Additionally, changes to itslearnings rich text editor support users compliance with the UDL principle of providing multiple representations of lesson content. The updated editor makes it easier to embed external content, such as YouTube videos, within lessons. This expanded capacity adds to teachers ability to design lessons with a large variety of media; those different modalities allow key information to be equally perceptible to all students and thus facilitate learning. Also supporting teachers access to multiple representations of content is school and district administrators new ability to add links for Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI)-aligned tools or content, such as YouTube videos or Khan Academy media, to a courses +Add page. The new upgrade enables educators to control which apps, plugins, elements and applications appear as defaults on the +Add page for specific schools or districts and increases the external content and tools like text-to-speech readers may need that can be quickly and easily included in lessons. In addition, educators who have placed lesson materials in OneDrive cloud storage can now upload those files from OneDrive for Business and OneDrive for Education just as they can for Dropbox and Google Drive. So, instead of navigating away from the platform to add material in the cloud storage to a lesson, teachers can upload those files in advance and have everything right at their fingertips during their planning process. Another platform update streamlining the lesson design process is a new context-sensitive help feature that allows teachers to easily find help links for different tools within the platform. Now if a teacher needs support with a particular task, they can click on a link that is right on their current page rather than having to navigate to a separate section. Additionally, itslearning now provides cleaner printouts for students who need to work with material other than digital content. For example, if students dont have an Internet connection at home, the upgraded printouts make it easier for them to understand and work on the topic while they are away from a computer. We are constantly looking for new ways to support instruction and student learning, said Dobosh. We are thrilled that educators will be paying more attention to the possibilities that UDL holds for all students academic success, and we are prepared to lend assistance with these and future updates. About itslearning Designed for teachers and how they want to teach, itslearning is a cloud-based learning platform used by millions of teachers, students, administration staff and parents around the world. It can be found at all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, helping teachers make education more inspiring and valuable for todays students. Established in 1999, itslearning is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, and has offices in Boston, Atlanta and multiple locations around the world. For more information, visit http://www.itslearning.net. # # # stephen_lang-7.jpg The New York Film Academy's new South Beach Campus and Miami Dade College will host an exclusive screening of the performance documentary film Beyond Glory, starring featured writer and actor Stephen Lang. The film presents the poignant stories of eight veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, rendering firsthand accounts of valor that resulted in each of the protagonists receiving the nations highest military award, the Medal of Honor. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Mr. Lang who is widely known for his acclaimed performance in James Camerons Avatar (2009) and Gods and Generals (2003). This exclusive event is offered through the generous support of the New York Film Academy Foundation in partnership with the City of Miami Mayors Office, Miami Dade College (MDC), and 8180 Films. The event is free for Florida service members, veterans, and their families and will be held at the Manuel Artime Theater on Saturday, April 23, at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Langs lead role in Avatar, as the films villain Col. Miles Quaritch, has made him a pop culture icon, but Lang has many dozen major film, television, and stage performances to his credit. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his lead role in The Speed of Darkness. His film role in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) garnered him widespread critical acclaim. On stage, he was the first to play the role of Colonel Nathan Jessup in A Few Good Men, a role made famous on film (1992) by Jack Nicholson. He is the winner of more than half a dozen theatre awards including the Drama Desk and Helen Hayes awards. The April 23rd event will also feature as special guests the honorable Mayor of Miami, Tomas Pedro Regalado, and Colonel Jack Jacobs, Medal of Honor recipient and Chair of NYFAs Veterans Advancement Program. Colonel Jacobs is a military strategist and on-air analyst for NBC and MSNBC News. Colonel Jacobs is one of America's most decorated war heroes having served in the U.S. Military for more than 20 years. His gallantry in Vietnam earned him the Medal of Honorthe nation's highest combat honortwo Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. The New York Film Academy is grateful for the U.S. servicemen and women who serve to protect their country and safeguard the freedom of its citizens, and we wanted to show appreciation for Floridas veteran community by hosting this exciting event in collaboration with Mayor Regalado and MDC, said Colonel Jacobs. Tickets for this event are free, but it is highly suggested that you register for priority-reserved seating here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2524710. Doors will open at 5:30pm for priority seating, and 6:00pm for general admission. ************************************************************************************* About New York Film Academy College of Visual & Performing Arts (NYFA): Founded in 1992, the New York Film Academy is a nationally accredited and military-friendly School devoted to providing the most hands-on and intensive filmmaking, acting, producing, screenwriting, 3D animation, photography, game design, cinematography, musical theatre, dance, broadcast journalism, and digital editing instruction in the world. Many of the Colleges degree programs (AFA, BFA, and MFA), as well as NYFAs conservatory programs (one- & two-year) and short-term workshops are approved for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. NYFA has campuses in New York City, Los Angeles, California, and South Beach, FL. NYFA has been privileged to enroll more than 1,000 veterans as students at our campuses in New York City, Los Angeles, California and South Beach, FL. The Los Angeles and South Beach campuses participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows veteran, in many cases, the opportunity to go to school tuition and fee-free. Miami Dade College (MDC) is the nations largest institution of higher education with an enrollment of more than 175,000 students. It is also the nations top producer of Associate in Arts and Science degrees and awards more degrees to minorities than any other college or university in the country. The colleges eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 300 distinct degree pathways including several baccalaureate degrees in education, public safety, supervision and management, nursing, physician assistant studies, film, engineering, and others. In fact, its academic and workforce training programs are national models of excellence. MDC is also renowned for its rich cultural programming. It is home of the Miami Book Fair International, Miami International Film Festival, the MDC Live! Performing Arts Series, the National Historic Landmark Miami Freedom Tower, a sculpture park and a large art gallery and theater system. MDC has admitted more than 2,000,000 students and counting since it opened its doors in 1960. For further information contact Jim Miller: jmiller(at)nyfa.edu 212-966-3488 "We set out to fill a critical void in healthcare by delivering intelligence which answers countless questions not available in the EMR, but are essential to shaping and implementing care." - Jon Pelzer, Chief Product Officer CentraForce Health, a population-centric intelligence provider, is pleased to announce the release of four new PopulationCentric Intelligence Platform products. Community2, Population2, Patient2 and Provider2 are web-based or API-accessible and offer up to 150,000 insights that span across 48 major data categories which encompass 245,000,000 lives. CentraForce Health Chief Product Officer, Jon Pelzer says, We set out to fill a critical void in healthcare by delivering intelligence which answers countless questions not available in the EMR or even HIEs, but are essential to shaping and implementing care, risk management and life science efforts. CentraForce Health has developed a process that is outside the bounds of HIPAA while delivering interoperability within the EMR." Introducing the PopulationCentric Intelligence Platform Product Suite: Community2: profiles all people within a specified geographic range. It offers dynamic and geographically scalable access to thousands of community-level population health profile insights, reports and maps. Community2 enables users to understand any community across the specific data elements that are crucial to ascertaining disparities, identifying market development opportunities and shaping outreach and engagement strategies. Population2: profiles all people who fit a precise description within a specified geographic range. For example, Population2 could profile all Medicare Advantage patients within an a given geography. It offers dynamic and geographically scalable access to thousands of population-centric profile insights, reports and maps for any defined such as populations defined by conditions, payers, providers, attitudes and more. Provider2: allows users to locate, reach and profile physicians within a market area for recruitment, risk management, market, program development and engagement purposes. Patient2: profiles de-identified patient records. It is a revolutionary and compliant platform that uses de-identified technologies to create linkage between patient records (in the EMR) and their local market profiles. It allows health professionals to generate and act upon care insights for any patient group they select on their own internal technologies. Third Rock, Incorporated, an Austin, Texas based HIPAA Compliance and Risk Management company performed a privacy review of the system design of CentraForce Healths Patient2 platform to ensure the confidentiality of patient Protected Health Information (PHI) is maintained. CentraForce Health has done an excellent job in creating a healthcare application that provides population-centric insights without introducing PHI into their PopulationCentric Intelligence Platform: Patient2. Its an elegant solution that allows healthcare to utilize demographics and securely limits the exposure of the patients PHI commented Robert Felps, CEO of Third Rock. The PopulationCentric Intelligence Platform allows clients to engage with their populations at a variety of levels so they can rapidly deploy intelligence and improve outcomes, states Charles Boicey, MS, RN-BC, CPHIMS. CentraForce Healths intelligence fills in many of the gaps we frequently see within the EMR. This is a much-needed tool. About CentraForce Health: http://www.centraforcehealth.com/ CentraForce Healths proprietary products are rooted in more than two decades of market-specific and population-centric projects within life sciences and consumer sectors. CentraForce Health delivers a unique, valuable and geographically spatial view of populations through the PopulationCentric Intelligence Platform. IVYREVEL LAUNCH CAMPAIGN We are proud to be digital-only, breaking boundaries to create a new fashion heritage by merging fashion creativity with technological innovation - Says Dejan Subosic, Co-Founder of IVYREVEL Introducing IVYREVEL a global digital fashion house for women, setting a new agenda in digital innovation, design process and customer experience. IVYREVEL is a pioneering digital fashion brand proud to be supported by H&M GROUP, PAYPAL and selected influential business giants within digital technology, launching globally on April 7th 2016. We are proud to be digital-only, breaking boundaries to create a new fashion heritage by merging fashion creativity with technological innovation, says Dejan Subosic, Co-Founder of IVYREVEL. IVYREVEL's style is polished, bold and extrovert, with a focus on feminine silhouettes and a dressed-up attitude. The IVYREVEL woman is a revelista who uses online living to her own advantage, setting her own rules, looking for the next trend she spots on her feed, always sharing her cosmopolitan lifestyle on social media. Most of the designs will be limited edition, adding particular uniqueness for a global offering. The product range will be constantly monitored and updated to meet customers needs: there will always be something new and unique at IVYREVEL. Innovation is in the heart of IVYREVEL. The company is reshaping the traditional creative process - experimenting within the fields where human creativity is empowered by machine learning ability, creativity and workmanship. Technology as a source of creative expression within fashion is something that excites us. We will learn a great deal about the evolution of creativity by fusing these two worlds together, says Dejan Subosic. Customer data has long been a backbone of the fashion industry: IVYREVEL will pioneer new trend analysis that fully integrates multiple sources of data. Specially developed algorithms will enhance its design, creating the product its customers want and ensuring IVYREVEL truly understands its customers changing passions. IVYREVEL is founding its own Fashion Tech Lab in Stockholm that will be tasked with blue-sky thinking to experiment with the future of fashion. Machine learning as part of the creative process, interactive fabrics, wearable tech, distribution, customer experience: the Fashion Tech Lab will ensure that IVYREVEL continues to innovate, and to stay at the forefront of 21st century fashion. IVYREVEL is supported by its global partners. H&M GROUP is an investor and support within production and strategic advice. PAYPAL is a partner and advisor within payment and distribution. IVYREVEL is also embarking on several progressive projects with some of the biggest tech companies in the world within areas of data and digital innovation. "We are delighted to support the entrepreneurs at IVYREVEL on their journey to explore the merge of fashion creativity with technological innovation and in creating a fashion brand for women of the digital generation", says Bjorn Magnusson, Head of H&M CO:LAB, part of H&M New Business. IVYREVEL is founded by Dejan Subosic, Aleksandar Subosic, Kenza Zouiten and Gustav Springfeldt. IVYREVEL is available exclusively on http://www.ivyrevel.com. ### This second Double Gold recognition re-affirms what we set-out to do all along and gives us the determination to continue our pursuit of making the best spirits in the world in each category we enter, no matter how big or small. The first established distillery in Grand Rapids, Long Road Distillers, was internationally recognized at the 16th annual 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition which is the worlds largest and most prestigious spirits competition. The West Michigan distillery was awarded Silver for Long Road Gin, Bronze for Long Road Wheat Vodka and Double Gold for Long Road Aquavit, which is the second double gold best in show the Aquavit has won in an international competition this month. Out of this years record-breaking 1,899 entries, only 201 were awarded the prestigious Double Gold medal by the 39-person judging panel. "The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the most influential in the industry and winning a medal here is very meaningful," says competition director Anthony Dias Blue. "We have the industry's most respected experts serving as judges, and every entry is blind-tasted under highly focused conditions. There is no better way to discern quality and identify trends." The 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held on March 17-20, 2016 at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco, California. The judging panel was comprised of 39 industry experts, with many returning to the roster, including noted spirits writer and author David Wondrich, writer and photographer Richard Carleton Hacker, Master mixologist Dale DeGroff, and Tony Abou-Ganim, aka the Modern Mixologist, serving as Director of Judging for his 7th year. At Long Road Distillers we strive to make spirits worthy of peoples admiration while staying committed to our core value of doing things the right way, from start to finish, said Kyle Van Strien, co-owner at Long Road Distillers. This second Double Gold recognition re-affirms what we set-out to do all along and gives us the determination to continue our pursuit of making the best spirits in the world in each category we enter, no matter how big or small. Aquavit is a staple of Scandinavian culture, often found at festive gatherings. Embracing time-honored distillation methods, Long Road distillers crafts an Aquavit thats made in Michigan yet true to its Northern European roots. We make what we enjoy and try to win people over by introducing them to our unique and bold interpretations of traditional spirits from around the world, said Jon OConnor, co-owner at Long Road Distillers. We source all our core ingredients from partners within 20 miles from our distillery which means that we are making a uniquely Michigan product that is not replicable. Long Road Aquavit and other Long Road Spirits are available in over 100 retailers in Michigan. For more information about Long Road Distillers please visit: http://www.longroaddistillers.com. About Long Road Distillers: Long Road Distillers was born from the belief that making world-class spirits means never taking shortcuts along the way. After becoming the first craft distillery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Long Road Distillers formed relationships with local farmers to bring that mission to Grand Rapids West Side neighborhood. Each spirit produced at Long Road Distillers is milled from locally sourced ingredients, fermented, and distilled on-site. The result is an uncompromised lineup of spirits including Vodka, Gin, Whisky and more. Their spirits, along with a handcrafted collection of cocktails and a wide variety of food can be enjoyed at their tasting room. About The San Francisco Spirits Competition: Since its introduction in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) has become the most respected and influential spirits competition in the world. Emphasizing integrity and impartiality, the SFWSC takes great pride in ensuring that all entries are treated with equal care and consideration by our panels of carefully selected spirits-industry experts. A SFWSC medal has come to be the most reliable indication of spirits excellence, and spirits recognized as medal-worthy by our judges are understood around the world by both the trade and consumers to be the best the industry has to offer. China and Thailand marked a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in polar science research last Wednesday, the State Oceanic Administration of China said. The MOU was reportedly marked between Polar Research Institute of China and Thailand National Science and Technology Development Agency, Chulalongkorn University, Purapha University, National Institute of Development Administration, National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand. As per the MOU, the two nations will reinforce long-term participation in polar marine biology, oceanography, environment and space science, geophysics, geochemistry, and different fields. The MOU was an result of cooperation between the two nations under the structure of Asian Forum for Polar Science. Five Thai researchers have joined China's Zhongshan Station and Great Wall Station in Antarctica to lead logical research. In a world where 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer and 1 in 67 ovarian cancer, taking proactive action is critical and we are so proud to be recognized for our impactful work in the digital space. Bright Pink announced today that AssessYourRisk.org has been nominated for Best User Interface in the 20th Annual Webby Awards. Hailed as the Internets highest honor by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award winners, is comprised of web industry experts, including Tumblr founder, David Karp, Executive Creative Director at Refinery29, Piera Gelardi, Musicians Questlove & Grimes, Head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram, Eva Chen, Twitter Co-Founder, Biz Stone, Jimmy Kimmel, and creator of the .gif file format, Steve Wilhite. AssessYourRisk.org is Bright Pinks proprietary breast and ovarian cancer risk assessment tool. The innovative, user-centric quiz helps young women effortlessly understand their risk for these diseases and, subsequently, offers personalized risk-management recommendations. Since its creation in 2015, over 143,000 women have completed the quiz. To be nominated alongside Reuters, Google and other notable names is a true honor for the 17-person, Chicago-based, national nonprofit. Nominees like Bright Pink are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet, said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the almost 13,000 entries we received this year. Bright Pink is honored to be nominated for this prestigious award, said Sarah Storey, Bright Pinks Chief Program Officer. We developed AssessYourRisk.org because we believed all women needed an easy and unintimidating way to learn about their breast and ovarian cancer risk. Through our best-in-class digital quiz, we are able to engage young women in a meaningful way and equip them with the tools necessary to be proactive with their health. In a world where 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer and 1 in 67 ovarian cancer, taking proactive action is critical and we are so proud to be recognized for our impactful work in the digital space. As a nominee, Bright Pink is also eligible to win a Webby Peoples Voice Award, which is voted online by fans across the globe. From now until April 21st, fans can cast their votes at pv.webbyawards.com. AssessYourRisk.org was originally designed by Sew, a creative agency out of Los Angeles. The website was then built upon by Too Good Strategy of Austin, Texas. Our commitment to giving our best to Assess Your Risk directly stems from my mother dying of breast cancer, said James Toney, Partner and Head of Strategy at Sew. Bright Pink has the vision and programs to effectively prevent what happened to my family and we are thankful to them for empowering us to honor her with our passion, strategy and creativity. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 and honored at a star-studded ceremony on Monday, May 16, 2016 at Cipriani on Wall Street in New York City. There they will have an opportunity to deliver one of The Webby Awards famous 5-Word Speeches. Past 5-Word Speeches include: Steve Wilhites Its Pronounced Jif not Gif; Stephen Colberts Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.; and Bjork s A E I O U. About Bright Pink: Bright Pink is a national nonprofit focused on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women. The organizations mission is to save womens lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering them to live proactively at a young age. Bright Pinks innovative programs educate and equip young women to assess their risk for breast and ovarian cancer, reduce their risk, and detect these diseases at early, non life-threatening stages. Founded in 2007, Bright Pink strives to reach the 52 million women in the US between the ages of 18-45 with this life-saving education. Put Awareness In Action at BrightPink.org. About Sew: Sew is a strategy obsessed, creative agency that specializes in brand marketing, social responsibility and digital with clients such as Gap, Verizon Wireless and AAA. Learn more at Sew.la About Too Good Strategy: Too Good Strategy was founded on a fundamental belief that being good and doing good dont have to be mutually exclusive. An Austin-based digital agency, they support organizations focused on social change with transformative solutions that provide maximum impact and effectiveness. With over 30 collective years of strategic consulting experience across industries including education, travel, retail, health, and finance, the team has worked with industry-leading brands and they leverage that experience and knowledge to provide clients with revolutionary ideas, sound strategic plans, informed user-centered design, and multi-channel program execution. Learn more at TooGoodStrategy.com About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the Internets highest honor by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Online Film & Video, Advertising & Media, Mobile Sites & Apps and Social. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from 65 countries and nearly all 50 states this year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Vitamin T, Shocase, Engine Yard, Code and Theory, Advertising Age & Google. Jose was the first veteran to work with CTRH in their W.O.R.T.H. Program In the words of one rider, for example, Its hard not to feel important when youre on top of a horse. Nestled on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship (CTRH) has been dubbed The Miracle Farm. It consists of 19 acres of idyllic pastures that quickly transport people with disabilities into a rural setting radically different from the clinical settings that make up the rest of their demanding therapeutic regimens. Therapy horses graze on the property, a total of 16, and theres both an indoor and outdoor arena. Programming is offered year-round, thanks to the efforts of five certified instructors, three certified therapists, and over 200 volunteers who provide 3,600 hours of service annually. For Executive director Rob Seideman, this is the first job he has ever had where it sometimes leaves him crying, though theyre tears of joy. For many of our riders, he said, this is the only time they experience normal movement. Just imagine what it must feel like to move effortlessly through space without fighting uncooperative muscles. At CTRH, we see it every day, and the reaction never grows old: children just cackling with laughter! The therapeutic benefits that come from riding horses help people overcome both cognitive and physical challenges, but there are emotional benefits, too. In the words of one rider, for example, Its hard not to feel important when youre on top of a horse. We change lives every day, Seideman said. For over 30 years, CTRH has provided therapy to children and adults with disabilities, and now with the introduction of wild mustangs into its programming CTRH has begun welcoming veterans with disabilities, particularly veterans with PTSD who otherwise have no interest in traditional PTSD therapies. While many vets with PTSD tend to shun therapy, they cant seem to sign up fast enough when presented with the challenge of gentling a wild horse. In fact, when CTRH first announced the mustang program, three local organizations signed on immediately the Ft. Thomas VA, Veterans Justice Outreach, and the Tristate Veterans Community Alliance and CTRH is poised to begin offering over 300 vets the opportunity to work with wild mustangs. Ive talked with veterans who have worked with the mustangs, Seideman said, and theyre the first to tell you: If it werent for the mustangs, they wouldn't have signed up for the program. And if it werent for the program, they would have taken their own lives. Its estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide every day. The program saves horses too. In an effort to control the population, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) has rounded up over 50,000 wild mustangs. Those horses currently languish in holding facilities where they remain until theyre adopted at a cost to taxpayers of over $70 million per year. Thats the real beauty of the W.O.R.T.H. program, according to Seideman, It helps two of the most treasured symbols of the American spirit: vets and wild horses. Try not crying over that. For more informaiton on Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship, contact them at 513-831-7050 or visit their website. There are many opportunities to get involved in their programs. Contact Rob Seideman Executive Director 513-831-7050 Flamingo Pecos Surgery Center Closing Sale "Our global online auction platform provides an opportunity to sell equipment world-wide", said Joanne Frogge, Co-Founder and President of BidMed. BidMed LLC announced it will hold a 4-day online auction sale in conjunction with PPL Group on April 11- 14th, 2016, to sell all medical assets of Flamingo Pecos Surgery Center, Las Vegas, NV, due to its recent closure. The 4-day online medical equipment auction will take place on BidMeds website, http://www.bidmed.com. The auction starts on April 11th, 8am PDT and closes on April 14th, 10am PDT. The registration is free and now open, and registered buyers will have an opportunity to inspect all assets on April 13th 9am-9pm PDT. Flamingo Pecos Surgery Center - The state of the art facility featured 3 Operating Rooms supporting procedures across specialties including Orthopedics, Gastroenterology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Gynecology, Urology, and Plastic Surgery. Available medical equipment supply includes imaging devices like General Electric C-arms, surgical operating tables, surgical microscopes, and endoscopy equipment. A complete list of equipment available for this auction, and more information can be found here: http://www.bidmed.com/events/FlamingoPecos-Vegas/ Our global online auction platform provides an opportunity to sell equipment world-wide, giving used medical equipment a new life in another U.S. healthcare facility or even hospitals providing care in developing countries, said Joanne Frogge, Co-Founder and President of BidMed. About BidMed LLC BidMed is a leader in the healthcare asset disposition industry, specializing in the buying and selling of pre-owned medical equipment. Powered by innovative technology and proprietary data, BidMeds services include medical asset valuations, inventory reconciliations, and liquidations. With over 20 years experience in the asset disposition industry, BidMed provides current, fair market values on pre-owned medical assets using a progressive, in house data analytics tool. In addition, BidMed utilizes a custom, web-based inventory system, auction platform, and supporting mobile App enabling clients to accurately inventory, reconcile, and sell assets with ease and efficiency. BidMed liquidates U.S. and Canadian healthcare facilities due to relocations, expansions, and closures, providing complete onsite project management to ensure clients recover the highest value for all medical assets. BidMed is headquartered in Chicago, IL and has worked with over 250 clients, including hospitals, surgery centers, transition/equipment planning companies, financial lending institutions, and equipment manufacturers. About PPL Group LLC PPL Group (http://www.pplgroupllc.com) is a leader in the industrial liquidation and auction business for more than 40 years with a focus on complete plant liquidations and auctions. The company's vast experience and expertise allows it to provide the best possible financial recovery for its clients. In the past five years, PPL has successfully conducted more than 250 auctions. PPL Group provides asset management solutions for entire plants, production lines, single assets and companies. It also purchases distressed companies with the right mix of tangible assets, accounts receivable and inventory. Whether large or small, privately held or publicly traded - companies want a high recovery value, expertise, and professionalism in managing assets. PPL Group is a progressive distressed asset management company that does all of this and more. Clients have included Ryerson Steel, Caterpillar, GE, Aircraft, Newell Rubbermaid, Delphi and many more. Custom 3D printing in progress to make a 3D PrintAbility socket. Credit: courtesy of Nia. Vorums generous contribution of Canfit to 3D PrintAbility means that Nia will be able to deliver proven, comprehensive, and easy-to-use tools to developing countries like Uganda sooner and more economically than originally planned. Canadian non-profit social enterprise Nia Technologies will integrate Vorums Canfit 3D design software into its 3D PrintAbility solution. 3D PrintAbility is an innovative digital toolchain that promises to significantly reduce the time required to produce customized orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) devices for young people in the developing world. Large productivity gains are crucial in low-income countries like Uganda where it is estimated that only 12 practising orthopaedic technologists serve over 90,000 disabled children in need of O&P devices. On average, it takes five days to produce a conventional prosthetic device in Uganda and other developing countries. 3D PrintAbility shows promise to cut production to 1.5 days, meaning a child can be fitted with a new custom device within one overnight stay rather than one weeks stay at hospital. Nia is developing 3D PrintAbility in collaboration with technology partners like Vorum and trialling it with orthopaedic technologists in Uganda and other low-income countries. The ingenuity of 3D PrintAbility lies in its integration of highly specialized design software with inexpensive commercial scanners and printers to produce better fitting devices more quickly than is possible with conventional methods, says Matt Ratto, Nia Chief Science Officer and University of Toronto Professor. Vorums generous contribution of Canfit to 3D PrintAbility means that Nia will be able to deliver proven, comprehensive, and easy-to-use tools to developing countries like Uganda sooner and more economically than originally planned. Jerry Evans, Nia CEO, observes that, "Roseline, a four-year-old Ugandan girl born without a right foot, was the first patient to receive a 3D PrintAbility socket in 2015. With her 3D PrintAbility socket in place, Roseline was able to walk and run alongside other children for the first time in her life. Our goal is to help thousands more children like Roselineand Nias partnership with Vorum, a market leader in fabrication technologies in the developed world, will help us get there sooner. Nias 3D PrintAbility solution will enable a substantial increase in the capacity of the very few trained orthopaedic technologists in countries like Uganda to provide life-changing, high-quality artificial limbs to children in need, states Carl Saunders, Vorum CEO. We are thrilled to contribute to a social enterprise that will empower local providers to help thousands of additional children in the poorest countries. Clinical trials of 3D PrintAbility, now including Canfit, are scheduled to begin in Spring 2016 at CoRSU Hospital in Uganda. Transtibial (below-the-knee) prosthetic sockets and ankle-foot orthotic (AFO) braces will both be trialed. About Vorum Every 90 seconds, a custom orthotic or prosthetic device is made somewhere in the world using Vorum computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. At over 650 facilities, O&P practitioners are using Vorums digital solutions to increase productivity by up to 600%, slash device turnaround time, and improve the experience and treatment outcomes for their patients. http://www.vorum.com About Nia Technologies Nia Technologies Inc. is a Canadian non-profit social enterprise that develops and deploys 3D PrintAbility orthopaedic solutions in developing countries. Formed and owned by cbm Canada, Nia is supported by the University of Toronto, Grand Challenges Canada, and other foundations and donors. http://www.niatech.org Media Contacts: Nia Technologies: Kathleen Gotts, kgotts(at)niatech.org (647.969.9351) Vorum: Stephen Brennan, sbrennan(at)vorum.com (800-461-4353 ext 2302) Sandra Morales Every day at the Nicole True Law Firm I feel a strong sense of purpose to my work because I am committed to serving the immigrant community. Past News Releases RSS Attorney Nicole True Educates... Nicole True Law Firm Announces New... Attorney Nicole True, of Nicole True Law Firm, P.C., is proud to announce the firm recently hired associate attorney Sandra Morales. We are honored to have Sandra Morales on our team, said Nicole True, principal attorney of Nicole True Law Firm, P.C. Sandra joined this year after passing the Texas Bar last November. Morales graduated from Thurman Marshall Law School in May 2015 in the top 10% of her class. She later clerked at the Texas Supreme Court, and worked for the Bell County District Attorneys office. Nicole True Law Firm, P.C., which focuses on criminal defense and immigration law, hired Morales to represent clients in immigration cases, specifically in family petitions, naturalization, asylum, DACA applications, adjustment of status and cancellation of removal. Furthermore, Morales often assists Nicole True in client criminal matters. The firm frequently represents clients that have been accused of a crime and are concerned about the effect on their immigration status. As a team, the firm focuses on a clients criminal and immigration matters with equal importance. Every day at the Nicole True Law Firm I feel a strong sense of purpose to my work because I am committed to serving the immigrant community, said Morales. I am also committed to helping immigrants and their families have a voice when they are faced with difficult circumstances. About Nicole True Law Firm, P.C. Nicole True Law Firm, P.C. is a criminal and immigration law firm that represents clients in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and surrounding counties. Nicole True practices state and federal criminal defense and immigration law. Her primary interests include representing undocumented workers and citizens from other countries detained under state and federal law. For more information, please call (512) 474-4114, visit http://www.nicoletruelaw.com or follow them on Facebook. The law office is located at 1524 South Interstate 35, Suite 207, Austin, TX 78704. About the NALA The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers in the digital age, while providing a single-agency source that helps them flourish in their local community. The NALA offers its clients an array of marketing tools from press release campaigns and social media management to a cause marketing program. The NALAs mission is to make businesses relevant and newsworthy, both online and through traditional media, by providing increased exposure at reasonable costs. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. Our mission is simple, we help creators create. - Juan Sanchez-Herrera, SamyRoad Founder and CEO SamyRoad, a cutting-edge technology platform founded in Spain, announces today its U.S. launch. SamyRoad was born as a platform to spotlight independent creators, providing tools, exposure and resources to help creators live off of their passions. SamyRoad users are able to monetize their talents when connected with SamyRoad brand clients to create original, branded content. SamyRoad has worked with some of the worlds top brands including LOreal, Procter & Gamble, Sony Pictures, LVMH, and Pernod Ricard. In 2015 alone, SamyMediaHouse produced 160 campaigns for 28 global brands, involving 600 creators from the SamyRoad community. SamyRoad is a growing community of 25,000+ creators and influencers built around seven different passions fashion, art, music, startups, travel, adventure, and charity. Content is uploaded to a road (aka profile) or imported from other social media accounts such as Instagram and YouTube. SamyRoad curates the best content from the most authentic and influential roads, providing a high-quality media stream tailored to individuals interests. We are excited to introduce the SamyRoad platform to the American market and to make New York City our company headquarters, says Juan Sanchez-Herrera, Founder and CEO. Our mission is simple, we help creators create. The self-expression, flexibility and rewards that we have brought our European creator community have been revolutionary to the content creation industry. We look forward to bringing these same benefits to the American market. In addition, SamyRoads technology is robust and recognized. SamyRoad utilizes big data insights from their platform, coined SamyTrendsTM, to gain insights into content trends and growing cultural topics. SamyRoad utilizes their patented algorithm, coined ShineBuzzTM, to source the exact right creator and influencer talent for brand campaigns. Campaigns produced by SamyMediaHouse are managed through SamyRoads SaaS platform. With the U.S. launch, SamyRoad plans to become the go-to resource for creators around the country, providing high-quality and scalable connections with top U.S. brands and agencies. To check out SamyRoad, please visit http://www.SamyRoad.com. For brands looking to learn more, please email brands(at)samyroad(dot)com or visit http://www.samyforbrands.com. About SamyRoad SamyRoad is a digital platform (web and iOS) of 25,000+ independent creators. SamyRoad provides tools, exposure and resources to help creators live off of their passions. SamyRoad users are able to monetize their talents when connected with SamyRoad brand clients to create original, branded content. SamyRoad has worked with some of the worlds top brands including LOreal, Procter & Gamble, Sony Pictures, LVMH and Pernod Ricard. In 2015, SamyMediaHouse produced 160 campaigns for 28 global brands, involving 600 creators from the SamyRoad community. SamyRoad is headquartered in New York City and has European operations in Madrid, Spain. ### I am really excited to be teaching this five week 'crash course' in SEO and social media marketing. Jason McDonald, a San Francisco Bay Area expert consultant in SEO and social media marketing at https://www.jasonmcdonald.org/, is proud to announce his summer, 2016, San Francisco Bay Area SEO and Social Media Marketing training course to be taught at Stanford University, as part of Stanford Continuing Studies. The popular course covers everything from search engine optimization to social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. It builds on Dr. McDonald's best-selling SEO Fitness Workbook and Social Media Marketing Workbook available for sale on Amazon.com. With the recent publication of my two books on Internet marketing on Amazon, I have dramatically improved this course by making it more hands-on, explained Dr. McDonald, Director of the Jason McDonald SEO Consulting Agency. I am really excited to be teaching this five-week 'crash course' in Internet marketing to the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial community. The class participants are always a range of people, from entrepreneurs brainstorming the next Bay Area tech start up to local small business owners who want to show up better on Google or Bing to marketing professionals seeking to tune up their Internet skills. To learn more about the course offering, please visit https://www.jasonmcdonald.org/training/internet-marketing/. Please note that registration is not yet officially open, so there is a link to sign up to be notified when registration opens on May 16, 2016. Persons interested in his 2016 Social Media Marketing Workbook are referred to Amazon at http://amzn.to/1OzFext, and for the SEO Fitness Workbook to http://amzn.to/1lUrMNS. Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, and Today's Internet Marketing The reality today is that most businesses should focus on their Internet marketing. The course description, therefore, states as follows: Creating online publicity with little or no money is the holy grail of marketers today. SEO (search engine optimization) is the art and science of getting your company, product, or service to the top of Google or Bing. Social media marketing, in contrast, cultivates a positive brand image on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, and encourages customers to share a marketing message across social sites. The goal is obvious: get free Internet publicity. The means is not. Whether one is an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a marketing manager at a large company or nonprofit, this course will help them to better understand the online marketing environment. Beginning with SEO, the course discusses how to construct a Google-friendly website and build links, social mentions, and authority. Then it will dive into social media marketing, using the analogy of a party. How does one throw a great Facebook party? A LinkedIn soiree? A YouTube meet-and-greet? And how does one use the newer platforms of Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and others to nurture a positive brand image and encourage customers to share one's message? By the end of the course, participants will know how to take the theory of SEO and social media marketing and transform it into a systematic online marketing plan. About Jason McDonald Jason McDonald is director of The JM Internet Group, a leading online training company. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992, and now both teaches and consults to San Francisco Bay Area businesses in SEO, Social Media Marketing, and AdWords. In addition to those services, he has been recognized as an expert witness in litigation on Internet marketing. He has several popular books on Amazon on the topic of Internet marketing. Media Relations, Tel. 800-298-4065 Erica Prieto I want my business to grow and be known for the best spray tans around, hopefully one day become a trainer under Simone and educate people on the dangers of sun exposure and show them you can still be beautifully tanned without any further damage to their Past News Releases RSS Retired NYC Police Detective Opens... New Spray Tanning Business Launches... Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy... Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy is pleased to share the success story of their recently graduated student Erica Prieto from Petaluma, CA. After the completion of her hands-on spray tanning certification from the Los Angeles-based airbrush tanning training school, Erica has now added airbrush tanning to her eyelash extension business Glittered. Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy is renowned all over the country for their hands-on spray tanning training programs. This program not only teaches the intricacies of airbrush tanning, but also offers necessary business and marketing support for opening a new spray tanning business. Erica Prieto came to the Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy as a referral from one of their previous students. She is an experienced beauty professional offering eyelash extension service for many years. Now, with the launch of her new spray tanning business, Erica is looking to offer the great combination of eyelash extension and spray tanning. Highlighting her business goals, Erica mentioned, I want my business to grow and be known for the best spray tans around, hopefully one day become a trainer under Simone and educate people on the dangers of sun exposure and show them you can still be beautifully tanned without any further damage to their skin. The traditional concept of tanning is no longer acceptable to many former tanning bed addicts because the adverse impacts of the suns UV rays on human skin are now well established. Airbrush or spray tanning is steadily emerging now as the most viable alternative for people that love tanning. Led by highly rated airbrush tanning expert Simone Emmons, Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy has played a pivotal role in popularizing this concept in America. Simone is extremely popular with all her students for her exceptional mentoring skills and friendly demeanor. Talking about the most important benefit of getting trained at the Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy, Erica stated, The technique of application most definitely has been the key to quality work I have learned through the training, along with learning what the best spray tanning solutions are and what ingredients to look for and the ones to stay away from. Erica is currently serving customers in Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Novato, and San Rafael. She can be reached for business related inquiries at 707-338-7446 or http://www.Glittered.co. About Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy: Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy is located in Los Angeles, California and offers an extensive Spray Tanning Certification program to individuals who want to start their own full or part-time airbrush tanning business. Founder and trainer, Simone Emmons is a professional spray tanning expert and teacher and has trained over 300 entrepreneurs from 27 states (and counting) including international students from Trinidad, South Korea, Kuwait and Canada. Simones airbrush tanning business has won the Best of Los Angeles Award 2015 for airbrush tanning in Los Angeles. The spray tanning training provided by the Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy is private and hands-on and prepares the student to start in business immediately. Prior to the hands-on training, over four hours of videos lessons are provided to students covering everything from safety and technique to marketing and Search engine optimization. Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy does not sell any of their own products and provides training and education on all equipment and spray tanning solutions in the sunless industry. The academy provides hands-on training classes in Los Angeles and Connecticut area as well as online airbrush tanning certification classes. Visit HollywoodAirbrushTanningAcademy.com to sign up for the next spray tanning class or call Hollywood Airbrush Tanning Academy at (818) 674-9621 for more information. Tools4ever, the market leader in Identity Governance & Administration (IGA), has further expanded its connector for Google Apps to include support for Google Classroom. This makes it possible to use source data, typically from a Student Information System (SIS) to create lesson groups automatically in Google Classroom, as well as to easily add or remove students. A teacher can then be added to this lesson group as its manager. Alongside this feature, the Google Apps connector offers a range of possibilities to manage user accounts automatically in Google Apps. For downstream provisioning, e.g. managing user accounts in a variety of educational applications, Tools4ever has developed connectors for a range of business applications, including e-learning systems, e-mail systems, library, transportation and cafeteria systems, as well as numerous other educational systems. The connector for Google Apps has been available for many years and, until recently, focused on managing user accounts in Google Apps. The Identity Management solution by Tools4ever, Identity and Access Manager (IAM), can create, update and remove user accounts in Google Apps using source data. IAM can also perform a password reset for user accounts and synch it from Active directory to Google. IAM can also be utilized to allow users to add or edit specific attributes of their own accounts. In addition to managing user accounts in Google Apps, IAM can create group or distribution lists and can add users to them. The feature is particularly useful in education, where classes or lesson groups are created. IAM recently also gained the ability to add the Google Apps rights to groups automatically. Google Classroom Google Classroom is part of the Google Apps for Education Suite. With Google Classroom, teachers can more easily organize and distribute assignments, as well as give students feedback. Everything works simply, quickly and easy, and deploying Classroom gives teachers more time to deliver lessons, while the learning process is also improved for students. For more information about downstream provisioning and the application connectors Tools4ever offers, see https://www.tools4ever.com/software/iam-identity-and-access-management-software/connectors/ About Tools4ever Tools4ever distinguishes itself with a no-nonsense approach and a low total cost of ownership. In contrast to comparable identity and access management solutions, Tools4ever implements a complete solution in several days rather than weeks or months. Because of this approach, Tools4ever is the undisputed identity and access management market leader with more than five million managed users. Tools4ever supplies a variety of software products and integrated consultancy services involving identity management, such as user provisioning, role-based access control (RBAC), password management, single sign on (SSO) and access management. For more information, visit http://www.tools4ever.com or follow @Tools4ever. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. Georgia Right to Life PAC Endorses Mike Crane NORCROSS, Ga., April 7, 2016 / Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) "Mike has proven to be an articulate and tireless supporter of the pro-life cause," explained Gen Wilson, GRTL PAC's interim director. "His unwavering support of all innocent life will be a much needed voice in Washington." GRTL PAC endorses only those candidates who fully support its principles and positions on all pro-life issues. Senator Crane has one of the most pro-life records in the Georgia General Assembly. For example, the first bill he sponsored banned the use of state tax money to fund abortion through the employee health plan. He is also known for speaking on the Senate floor at every opportunity to passionately and eloquently defend innocent human life. Senator Crane was selected after signing GRTL's "Personhood Affirmation," which asks that candidates support a "Personhood" amendment to the GA Constitution. Such an amendment would guarantee a constitutional right to life for every innocent human being from earliest biological beginning through natural death. A graduate of Georgia Tech, Crane has served in the State Senate since 2011. Crane has 30 years of construction experience in Atlanta. He began as a carpenter's apprentice in his father's workshop where he acquired the skills that eventually led to serving as the general manager of an Atlanta-area construction company. Crane, who now owns his own construction firm, has worked in or built some of Atlanta's most recognizable landmarks, including: the downtown Varsity, the CNN Center, Underground Atlanta, Northlake, Southlake, Phipps Plaza, Perimeter, Lenox Mall, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Galleria Center. Over the years, Crane has had a variety of opportunities to serve many local churches by teaching Sunday school, serving on finance and building committees, working on mission trips, participating in prison ministries, and supporting children's home outreach programs. promotes respect and effective legal protection for all innocent human life from earliest biological beginning through natural death. GRTL is one of a number of organizations that have adopted Personhood as the most effective pro-life strategy for the 21st century. Share Tweet Contact: Zemmie Fleck, Executive Director, Georgia Right to Life , 770-339-6880NORCROSS, Ga., April 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Georgia's largest and most effective pro-life organization today announced its endorsement of State Senator Mike Crane (R-28th) for Congress.Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) PAC endorsed Crane to replace retiring Lynn Westmoreland in the state's 3rd Congressional District which covers Carroll, Coweta, Fayette (partial), Harris, Heard, Henry (partial), Lamar, Meriwether, Muskogee (partial), Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties."Mike has proven to be an articulate and tireless supporter of the pro-life cause," explained Gen Wilson, GRTL PAC's interim director. "His unwavering support of all innocent life will be a much needed voice in Washington."GRTL PAC endorses only those candidates who fully support its principles and positions on all pro-life issues.Senator Crane has one of the most pro-life records in the Georgia General Assembly. For example, the first bill he sponsored banned the use of state tax money to fund abortion through the employee health plan.He is also known for speaking on the Senate floor at every opportunity to passionately and eloquently defend innocent human life.Senator Crane was selected after signing GRTL's "Personhood Affirmation," which asks that candidates support a "Personhood" amendment to the GA Constitution.Such an amendment would guarantee a constitutional right to life for every innocent human being from earliest biological beginning through natural death.A graduate of Georgia Tech, Crane has served in the State Senate since 2011.Crane has 30 years of construction experience in Atlanta. He began as a carpenter's apprentice in his father's workshop where he acquired the skills that eventually led to serving as the general manager of an Atlanta-area construction company.Crane, who now owns his own construction firm, has worked in or built some of Atlanta's most recognizable landmarks, including: the downtown Varsity, the CNN Center, Underground Atlanta, Northlake, Southlake, Phipps Plaza, Perimeter, Lenox Mall, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Galleria Center.Over the years, Crane has had a variety of opportunities to serve many local churches by teaching Sunday school, serving on finance and building committees, working on mission trips, participating in prison ministries, and supporting children's home outreach programs. Georgia Right to Life promotes respect and effective legal protection for all innocent human life from earliest biological beginning through natural death. GRTL is one of a number of organizations that have adopted Personhood as the most effective pro-life strategy for the 21st century. Pro-Life Organizations Set the Record Straight Contact: Day Gardner, National Black Pro-Life Union, 202-834-0844 WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Day Gardner: Yesterday's article put out by Daily Beast, Washington Examiner and other media outlets about Trump blowing off a meeting with pro-lifers is totally false. It didn't happen. How do I know? I was in that meeting. Donald Trump was not on the agenda and had no commitment to participate in any way in that meeting. According to Fr. Frank Pavone who organized the meeting in question had this to say: "Our organization reaches out to candidates regularly. Many of these conversations are off the record. But in fairness, let me make clear that Mr. Trump did not break any commitments to speak to me or any gathering I organize. On the contrary, I have had very friendly and fruitful interactions with him and members of his team and look forward to continuing that dynamic." Evangelist Dr. Alveda King no longer endorses candidates but was also at the meeting. She said this: "Mr. Trump was falsely accused of blowing off the pro-life movement by cancelling or reneging on an invitation to speak to prolife leaders. This is simply not true. There was no meeting scheduled with Mr. Trump in the first place." The articles in question are part of an inside hatchet job of epic proportions from person(s) who will go to any lengths to blackball Donald Trump. For those who want to look the other way when dirt is flying, check your rear view mirrors. This is just another dirty ploy to eat away at Trump's voters. America can be great again if we can get the liars who are attacking him off the road. Evangelicals, beware of Judas. Cardinal Raymond Burke Addresses Scandal at Notre Dame SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2016 / In an interview with Thomas McKenna of Catholic Action for Faith and Family Cardinal Burke discussed the position of Bishop Rhoades and his response to the scandal. While explaining that bishop Rhoades was "simply exercising his responsibility as a teacher of the faith and as a bishop who has the care of a prominent Catholic university in his diocese" he stated, "what he says is absolutely true and most commendable." Cardinal Burke expressed dismay with the university and explained "I find it difficult to imagine that a Catholic university would assign its highest honor to any politician who favors abortion and who also advocates for the recognition of the sexual liaison of two people of the same sex as equal to marriage." In response to Notre Dame's stating that it was bestowing this award to honor Vice President Biden for his public service in politics and not for his positions regarding support for abortion and same-sex marriage, Cardinal Burke clarified "as much as one may want to praise certain positions which he has taken, at the same time one must realize that other positions are in the most grievous violation of the moral law and therefore make him ineligible to receive such an award from a Catholic university." When asked about the point that Bishop Rhoades stated that this act would give public scandal, Carding Burke agreed and explained that "St. John Paul II observed in his apostolic exhortation on the laity, one of the greatest evils of our times is the tendency of Catholics to separate their faith from their daily living" and that this was exactly what was taking place. He concluded by saying that " it is a great scandal within the Church, but it is also a great scandal within society in general which depends upon the Church to give a witness to the truth about human life and the family." The full interview can be found at Share Tweet Contact: Thomas McKenna, Catholic Action for Faith and Family , 858-461-0777SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- In a recent interview, Cardinal Raymond Burke addressed the scandal caused by the University of Notre Dame announcing that they intend to confer the Laetare Medal, an honor given to Catholics "in recognition of outstanding service to the Church and society," upon Vice-President Joseph Biden at their 2016 commencement. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne South Bend, the diocese where the university is located, has denounced it as scandalous.In an interview with Thomas McKenna of Catholic Action for Faith and Family Cardinal Burke discussed the position of Bishop Rhoades and his response to the scandal.While explaining that bishop Rhoades was "simply exercising his responsibility as a teacher of the faith and as a bishop who has the care of a prominent Catholic university in his diocese" he stated, "what he says is absolutely true and most commendable." Cardinal Burke expressed dismay with the university and explained "I find it difficult to imagine that a Catholic university would assign its highest honor to any politician who favors abortion and who also advocates for the recognition of the sexual liaison of two people of the same sex as equal to marriage."In response to Notre Dame's stating that it was bestowing this award to honor Vice President Biden for his public service in politics and not for his positions regarding support for abortion and same-sex marriage, Cardinal Burke clarified "as much as one may want to praise certain positions which he has taken, at the same time one must realize that other positions are in the most grievous violation of the moral law and therefore make him ineligible to receive such an award from a Catholic university."When asked about the point that Bishop Rhoades stated that this act would give public scandal, Carding Burke agreed and explained that "St. John Paul II observed in his apostolic exhortation on the laity, one of the greatest evils of our times is the tendency of Catholics to separate their faith from their daily living" and that this was exactly what was taking place. He concluded by saying that " it is a great scandal within the Church, but it is also a great scandal within society in general which depends upon the Church to give a witness to the truth about human life and the family." The full interview can be found at CatholicAction.org Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? Managing cookies in your browser see what cookies you have got and delete them on an individual basis block third party cookies block cookies from particular sites block all cookies from being set delete all cookies when you close your browser X A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. Cookies are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.Website use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google") to help analyse the use of this website. 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. How do you mark a legendary authors milestone birthday? If youre HarperCollins Childrens Books, and the birthday girl is your author Beverly Cleary, who turns 100 on April 12, you start a few months ahead of time. Harper was early out of the gate paying tribute, with the January publication of new editions of a trio of her most popular titles featuring forewords by three notable fans and fellow authors. We have an in-house team that works on all things Beverly Cleary, which includes people from the marketing, publicity, and editorial departments, explains v-p and editorial director Rosemary Brosnan. We meet every so often, whether its about new covers, new illustrations, or anything else that comes up. [In this case] we met with the publisher, editor-in-chief, sales, and marketing and brought together some projects that had been done previously for other properties. The decision was soon made to do forewords for some of Clearys iconic bestselling and best-known titles, and [assistant editor] Alyssa [Miele] came up with a list of potential people to ask, Brosnan says. Those plans came to fruition in January, when three titles were released: Ramona Quimby, Age 8, with a foreword by Amy Poehler; Henry Huggins, with a foreword by Judy Blume; and The Mouse and the Motorcycle, with a foreword by Kate DiCamillo. The books also contain a Cleary q&a. According to Brosnan, Cleary was very pleased when she read these new tributes. She gives her input on everything we do, she adds. Miele concurs. Beverly is so sharp and collaborative. When we did the previous repackages with new art by Jacqueline Rogers, she was looking over all the sketches and making notes, Miele says. The book birthday party continues with the release this month of a new read-aloud edition of Ramona Quimby, Age 8 featuring a larger trim size and easy-to-read text, as well as a new edition of Clearys 1988 memoir, A Girl from Yamhill, with a redesigned cover. We used elements to make it look all-of-a-piece with the other repackaged books, Brosnan notes. That first memoir is very much her when she was young, Brosnan says, a quality that holds strong appeal for younger readers. Schools, libraries, and bookstores all over the country are planning events and displays in Clearys honor, often tying in with DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), which is a Ramona-inspired campaign observed each April (often on the 12th) that celebrates the joy of reading. A Today show interview and a new documentary from Oregon Public Broadcasting, Discovering Beverly Clearywhich includes commentary from authors, artists, editors, educators, family members, and Cleary herselfaired March 25 and April 7, respectively. And on April 3, Cleary was feted with a program at Symphony Space in New York City that featured readings by such authors as Jeff Kinney, and discussion of her books by authors Tony DiTerlizzi and R.J. Palacio. The event, part of the Thalia Kids Book Club series, raised funds for Team First Book New York City, a nonprofit organization providing books to children in need. On a more personal note, the folks at HarperCollins are sending orchids (Clearys favorite, and the teams traditional gift to her) as well as a giant birthday card signed by staff and by fans from across the country, whose signatures were gathered during conferences and events over the past several months. At an in-house party later this week, staffers will snack on custom cookies. We really cherish Beverly Cleary and treasure her books, Brosnan says, summing up her feelings about one of her favorite people. We feel honored to work on them. And Miele agrees, noting that any Cleary-related day is special. Its always the best part of my day when Im working on her stuff, she says. A Look at the New Cleary Forewords Miele and Brosnan shared the process behind selecting the authors who contributed forewords to Clearys recently reissued novels. We wanted to ask Judy [Blume] for Henry Huggins because she has an iconic character like Henry in Fudge, says Miele. And she has spoken before about how Beverly influenced her becoming a writer. An excerpt from Blumes foreword: There is no one who tells a story the way Beverly Cleary does. She has said she was a storyteller long before she was a writer. I understand. I feel the same way. The magic in her writing is that she makes it seem so easy. Shes able to capture the essence of childhood. We might not all have childhoods like her characters, we might not have parents like Henry Huggins does or dogs like Ribsy, but theres something about her stories that makes kids all over the world love them. We thought Kate [DiCamillo] would be perfect for Ralph S. Mouse because of her book The Tale of Despereaux and the obvious mouse connection, Miele says. In this excerpt, DiCamillo recalls an incident where her familys pet mouse when missing: I cant believe that I paid money for a mouse, said my mother. I cant believe that I bought a mouse. And now hes loose in the housedoing who knows what. Which was exactly what I was thinkingwho knew what Pinky was doing? I had read Beverly Clearys book The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and I knew that the objects and people and mice of the world were not at all as they seemed on the surface. I knew that, in the right circumstances, mice could do impossible, improbable things. For instance, they could ride toy motorcycles. And they could communicate with people. Mice could, if they wanted to, talk. Of course, I said none of this to my brother or my mother. They wouldnt have believed me anyway. And finally, for Ramona we wanted to pick someone who would represent the book to the outside world, not just the world of childrens literature, Brosnan says. When we got in touch with Amy [Poehler] and her agent, we found out she was a huge fan. Miele added, When we thought of a foreword for Ramona, we thought of a strong-minded, sassy character. Amy is known for her humor and for standing up against societal wrongs. She is the true spirit child of Ramona. An excerpt from Poehlers foreword: Great characters ring true and resonate long after we have finished reading. Ramona Quimby is that kind of character. A boisterous bell that continues to ring for children and adults everywhere, Ramona Quimby is a young girl with a keen sense of justice. She is feverish and frustrated, driven by a passion that can come only from a kid who is in a hurry to grow up. She does not suffer fools. She is full of vim and vigor. She is a tiny warrior, a whirling dervish, and a funny five-alarm fire. Among titles hitting bookshelves this week are a picture book featuring a ride through books, an anticipated middle grade novel from an award-winning author, and a YA novel of historical fiction in which a teen trades it all for a hardscrabble life. The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead. Razorbill, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-59514-841-4. A 17-year-old countess trades Elizabethan luxury for frontier life in this fantasy novel from the author of the Vampire Academy series. The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry. Viking, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-451-46992-2. In this historical YA novel, the aftereffects of a Crusade have led to an inquisition meant to rid the Christian world of heretics. Dolssa, however, feels called to heal the sick, and her miracles eventually bring danger to her small town. The book earned a starred review in PW. The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons by Lisa McMann. S&S/Aladdin, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4424-9337-7. McManns action-adventure middle grade series continues with this latest installment. My House by Bryon Barton. Greenwillow, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-06-233703-0. Bartons bright art enlivens this picture book, in which a ginger cat introduces readers to his house. Can You Keep a Secret? by R.L. Stine. St. Martins Press, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-05894-2. The bestselling horror author for children returns with this new novel in his YA Fear Street series. Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee, illus. by Eliza Wheeler. Chronicle, $16.99; ISBN 978-1-4521-1937-3. In this picture book, a preschooler is fascinated by his fathers elaborate tattoos and the personal history behind them. Are We There Yet? By Dan Santat. Little, Brown, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-316-19999-5. Last years Caldecott winner returns with this time-traveling road trip picture book. The book earned a starred review from PW. Go to Sleep, Monster! by Kevin Cornell. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-234915-6. In this picture book, Cornell poses an question for readers: what if the monster under your bed is equally spooked by something under him? The book earned a starred review from PW. If Not for You by Bob Dylan, illus. by David Walker. S&S/Atheneum, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4516-4881-2. This picture book about fathers and sons pairs Dylans lyrics with a dog and puppy pair. Golden Boys by Sonya Hartnett. Candlewick, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-7949-1. The latest YA novel from Australian author Hartnett follows teens moving to a new, affluent neighborhood, where plenty of secrets lurk. The book earned a starred review from PW. Have a Look, Says Book by Richard Jackson, illus. by Kevin Hawkes. S&S/Atheneum/Dlouhy, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4814-2105-8. Longtime childrens book editor Jackson offers up this picture book in which a giant book and a larger-than-life armchair invite a father and daughter to read with them. The book earned a starred review from PW. Julius Zebra: Rumble with the Romans! by Gary Northfield. Candlewick, $15.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-7853-1. In this cracked careful what you wish for tale, first in the Julius Zebra series, a dim-witted talking zebra inadvertently trades an unhappy existence in the African plains to train in the art of gladiatorial combat. Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-8117-3. This middle grade novel is told from the perspective of Raymie Clarke, whose father has just run off with a dental hygienist. Raymie, however, has a plan to bring him back: she will win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire contest, get her picture in the paper, and her father will come home. The book earned a starred review from PW. Mischief Season by John Bemelmans Marciano, illus. by Sophie Blackall. Viking, $13.99; ISBN 978-0-451-47181-9. The launch of a new early chapter book series, the Witches of Benevento, follows a group of friends through a medieval Italianate village. Death Is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham. Feminist Press, $16.95; ISBN 978-1-55861-925-8. Following Divorce Is the Worst, this second installment in the Ordinary Terrible Things picture book series acknowledges that despite the aphoristic things adults might say to soften the impact of death, it wont necessarily help. The book earned a starred review from PW. Knock! Knock! by Kaori Takahashi. Tara, $16.95; ISBN 978-93-83145-32-4. Having arrived home, a girl cant find her stuffed bear, so she starts checking in with her upstairs neighbors. By lifting postcard-size panels vertically and horizontally, readers expand the book dramatically, scaling the girls apartment building alongside her. Ollies Odyssey by William Joyce. S&S/Atheneum/Dlouhy, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-4424-7355-3. Joyce (the Guardians of Childhood series) delivers a remix of classic movie and storybook themes: imprisoned toys, talking junkyard friends, and a doll lost a generation ago, in this middle grade novel. Grandads Island by Benji Davies. Candlewick, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-7636-9005-2. In this picture book allegory, Syd imagines that the better place his grandfather now lives is a lush tropical island. For more childrens and YA titles on sale throughout the month of April, check out PWs full On-Sale Calendar. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser BALTIMORE -- Say you're a soldier sent on a mission into hostile territory. You'd like to have a drone to keep an eye out for ambushes. Researchers at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland want to help, and they think 3-D printing is the answer. By giving soldiers kits of electronic parts, and equipping bases with the printers, they envision a future in which troops in the field could build their own drones in a matter of hours. It's already possible to print a drone in a day. Eric Spero, an engineer at the Army Research Laboratory, said the approach would enable units in the field to adapt on the go. "Going from nothing to a flying vehicle within 24 hours is pretty amazing," Spero said. The emerging 3-D manufacturing technology is letting commanders rethink how they equip troops. Officials hope the printing gear will give front-line fighters more say in the equipment they carry, make it easier and far cheaper to repair aging vehicles, and minimize the impact when enemies cut supply lines. Retired Marine Col. T.X. Hammes, a researcher at the National Defense University, said the combination of 3-D printing and other technologies, such as cheap cellphones and more powerful explosives, could cut into the advantage offered by fighter jets or submarines that cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. "All of these things are coming together very, very quickly, and that changes power structures," Hammes said. In a recent paper, Hammes said a 3-D printing plant could cheaply churn out tens of thousands of drones a day, which could be used as flying bombs guided by cellphones to strike U.S. aircraft sitting on runways. The printers would not only build the drones, but make it much easier to manufacture a key component used in improvised explosive devices. "It shifts the power," he said. "How do you protect every airfield in the world?" The ability to print objects in three dimensions -- more properly called additive manufacturing -- has been around since the 1980s. But patents have expired in recent years, unleashing a wave of innovation. Commercial printers, available for a few hundred dollars each, squirt hot plastic layer by layer to build up an object. "Think of it as building a loaf of bread one slice at a time," said Brad Ruprecht, a technician at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground. In a space once used to teach soldiers how to maintain vehicles, Ruprecht oversees a collection of large and much more sophisticated 3-D printers. In one room, there's a machine that works like an inkjet printer. It uses ultraviolet light to turn liquids solid, forming layers much thinner than a human hair. A machine nearby uses lasers to turn powdered nylon into strong bars of solid plastic. Elsewhere, a pair of machines shot laser beams into a pool of plastic goo, turning liquid into solid parts for a model vehicle. Currently, 3-D printing is limited mostly to the design phase of a new product or making spare parts. Defense industry analysts said it is still a ways off from upending how the military shops. But contractors are thinking through the implications, and military officials and business leaders plan to meet this spring to figure out how the military would buy data to print urgently needed parts. Mark Vitale, a consultant at Deloitte, which is to be involved in the session, described the underlying concept as "let's replace inventory with information." David Sheffler, a researcher at the University of Virginia, is also working with the Army on printing drone parts. In 2014, his team demonstrated that it could print a drone that could be launched by hand and replicate the abilities of the RQ-11 Raven used by the Army. The Raven system costs $173,000, according to the Air Force. Sheffler says his drone cost only $2,500 and can be put together in about 36 hours. During most of that time, Sheffler said, he can be "sleeping, drinking coffee and watching TV" as the printer does it job. Sheffler says 3-D printing remains a long way from the manufacturing techniques now used to make planes. In a video released by the university, his prototype crashed on launch several times. But he can always make another one without spending too much money; they are cheap enough to be considered almost disposable. "You lose one of ours, you don't care," Sheffler said. In a fundraising email sent late Wednesday, Hillary for America's deputy communications director, Christina Reynolds, rebuked Sanders' accusations, saying it was "a ridiculous and irresponsible attack for someone to make -- not just against the person who is almost certainly going to be the nominee of their party this November, but against someone who is one of the most qualified people to run for the presidency in the history of the United States." Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday that Clinton has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote-unquote not qualified to be president." "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds," he said. Reynolds added in her email: "I don't know why he said 'quote-unquote' -- she's never said that." Sanders also said Clinton is not qualified because of her vote for the war in Iraq and her support for trade agreements that he says are harmful to American workers. It's the latest salvo in a war of words that has gotten increasingly heated as underdog Sanders has gained ground on front-runner Clinton, capped by the Vermont senator's victory in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon responded quickly to Sanders' comment, writing on Twitter: "Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified.' But he has now absurdly said it about her. This is a new low." Clinton did not say Sanders was "unqualified" or "not qualified" during a much-quoted interview Wednesday morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." In a discussion of an interview with Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if "Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States." She responded, "Well, I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions." Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Wednesday evening that Sanders was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined, "Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president." Whether or not Clinton called Sanders unqualified, she clearly ratcheted up her attacks Wednesday. In an interview with Politico, she said she tries to explain things in a more "open and truthful way than my opponent." Later, at a Philadelphia job training center, Clinton said people should know what she would do if she's elected president, "not just lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric." ___ ROCK ISLAND Hillsdale Village Clerk Jane Lundquist, indicted last month on felony counts of official misconduct, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a first appearance before circuit court judge Ted Kutsunis. Ms. Lundquist, 59, has been charged with not collecting or writing off money owed to the village on sewer bills by two customers. Count 1 alleges she wrote off or excused in a credit memo $600 to Jinni Passig, a representative of the Sharon Dean Estate, on April 5, 2015. Count 2 alleges Ms. Lundquist wrote off or excused in a credit memo $540 to a Victoria LeCleir. Ms. Lundquist's attorney, Brian Brim, of Sterling, said there is no preliminary hearing for her client because she was indicted. "In the state of Illinois, every felony has to have probable cause found," Mr. Brim said. "To find probable cause, the most common way is through a preliminary hearing. "A grand jury, by its nature, finds probable cause before they do an indictment." Mr. Brim said the difference between a preliminary hearing and a grand jury indictment is, "in a preliminary hearing, the defendant is there and has an opportunity to hear the evidence. "And, they present their own evidence. The defendant has no opportunity to know the grand jury is even seated. They don't get to be present." Mr. Brim said during grand jury proceedings, the defendant doesn't have a chance to cross examine the state's witnesses. "They don't get to poke any holes in the state's theory," he said. "The state is just there saying this is what we believe and nobody knows about it." Ms. Lundquist is still serving as the village clerk, which is an elected position. Both counts of official misconduct are class 3 felonies punishable by up to 2 to 5 years in prison and fines up to $25,000. Ms. Lundquist is scheduled for a pre-trial conference at 11 a.m. on April 19. At that time, the Rock Island County State's Attorney's office will present discovery to Ms. Lundquist and her attorney in the form of police reports and any evidence they used to present to the grand jury. "And, we have an opportunity to look at it for the first time at that point," Mr. Brim said. Last month, Rock Island County State's Attorney John McGehee said Ms. Lundquist has not been charged with taking village funds, but instead, writing off or excusing the debt owed to the village. A seven-month investigation was conducted by the Rock Island County Sheriff's Department, using in part, a forensic audit paid for by the village at a cost of approximately $25,000. Michael Bragg pleaded guilty to binding Fabian Carrillo's hands behind his back, placing a plastic bag over his head and strangling him in December 2014. The Times of Ottawa reports the men were in Pontiac's segregation unit at the time. Livingston County State's Attorney Seth Uphoff said Bragg told investigators he killed Carrillo so he could remain in prison. The 35-year-old Bragg was set for parole in 2033. According to Uphoff, Bragg decided to "take out" the first inmate he saw whom he didn't like and is now eligible for parole in 2093. Bragg was originally serving time for several crimes in Cook County, including aggravated sexual assault. The 36-year-old Carrillo was in prison for a 2000 Chicago murder. ROCK ISLAND -- A 25-year-old New York cattle farmer is trying to bring new life back to a former livestock auction company on the southwest side of the city. Brandon Jones, of Sherman, N.Y., has taken over the former Rock Island Livestock Auction Company at 534 34th Ave. that closed in January 2015 after 75 years. The auction company is now called Jones Livestock. "There is a potential here to make this barn roar," Mr. Jones said. "I'm gonna make this Rock Island livestock auction rock one more time." He said he learned about the Rock Island facility while at a sale barn in Florida. Mr. Jones said he looks forward to 300 to 400 people sitting in the auction house, bidding on steer calves, or heifers, or maybe Angus pairs. A third generation farmer, Mr. Jones grew up working on his family's beef and dairy cattle farm. In addition to the Rock Island facility, he also runs a cattle and horse business in New York. Mr. Jones said he plans to buy the Rock Island business at the end of 2016, but for now is leasing it for a year from its owner Dave Porth, who ran or worked at the auction company for 49 years. Auctions are planned every Monday offering cattle, sheep and hay. Every fourth Saturday of the month, he plans to sell horses. Mr. Jones said he wants to get the best price for the farmer selling his cattle or sheep. "The biggest challenge is to get the farmers to come back to me," said Mr. Jones. "I don't know nobody. That's why I'm out working the country every day. "I have a business back home, too, so it's kinda been flyin' back and forth." He added that today he is flying to Maryland to look at cattle, with a trip "out west" later this week. "There's a lot of competition in this market," he said. "But I think I have the lowest commissions in the country, and I think that's going to help me bring all the farmers back." He also is his own auctioneer. His first Rock Island auction was Monday and, two days later, many of his 15 employees -- he plans to hire more -- were busy loading cattle, cleaning pens and working throughout the barn areas. "Put the Charolais -- the little Charolais heifer -- in the shoot," he told one of his workers. "We're going to get her vet checked." While sorting cattle Wednesday, Jason Rursch, of Taylor Ridge, said there is a strong demand for a livestock auction house in the Quad-Cities. "I think it's going to take time, but it'll come around," he said. "The prices (cattle and sheep) fluctuate tremendously. It's a gamble, no matter what you do." For Mr. Jones, the gamble is worth it. He said he's satisfied so far and that the parking lot was full Monday. "I've got guys clean from Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky coming in," he said. "The biggest challenge is trying to get the word out and brandin' my name," he said. "I'm gonna have to brand it." For more details, call Jones Livestock at 716-489-1275. But a prosecutor argued that Michelle Carter pressured Conrad Roy III for weeks to end his life and engaged in "emotional manipulation" of a vulnerable teen who had struggled with depression and previously attempted suicide. The Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in Carter's appeal of a juvenile court judge's refusal to dismiss the manslaughter charge stemming from Roy's 2014 death. The justices made it clear they were struggling with whether Carter's actions met the definition of manslaughter, peppering both side with questions about exactly what she did to encourage or assist Roy's suicide. Justice Robert Cordy questioned Assistant District Attorney Shoshana Stern about what he called the "$100,000 question" in the case: "When did this cross the line when did these words cross the line?" In addition to the many text messages encouraging Roy to kill himself, Stern said, Carter also spoke on the phone with him while he was in his truck inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. When Roy got out of his truck, she told him to "get back in," Stern said. "I think what we can say that we know is that she was way over the line when she told him to get back in the truck," Stern said. But Carter's attorney Dana Curhan said Roy was determined to take his own life. He said Carter repeatedly tried to talk him out of it but finally gave up about two weeks before his death. "Even when she said, 'get back in the truck,' that was not the proximate event that resulted in his death," Curhan said. Roy got back in his truck and waited until the fumes overcame him, Curhan said. "The undisputed evidence is that Mr. Roy inflicted the harm," Curhan said. Carter was 17 and Roy was 18 when he died in 2014. They had met in Florida two years earlier while visiting relatives. They kept in touch mostly through texts and emails when they both returned to their homes in Massachusetts about 50 miles apart. They hadn't seen each other in more than a year before Roy's death. "You can't think about it. You just have to do it. You said you were gonna do it. Like I don't get why you aren't," Carter wrote to Roy the day of his death. Roy's body was found in his pickup truck in Fairhaven. Police found a gasoline-operated water pump in the back seat. Carter was charged as a youthful offender, which makes her eligible for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter. Attorney Joseph Cataldo, who also represents Carter, said after the hearing that prosecutors are attempting to criminalize Carter's free speech in the case when there is no law against encouraging or assisting suicide in Massachusetts. Thirty-nine states have such laws. "It's not a case that should have even been brought," Cataldo said. The court gave no indication on when it would rule. Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Iowas state motto is powerful and succinct. This motto has seemingly been Iowas guiding star since our founding. Iowa eliminated a ban on interracial marriage in 1851. Iowa granted its Black citizens the right to vote years before the federal government. Iowa fought for liberty during the Civil War, sending more troops per capita than any other state to end the scourge of slavery, and played a role in the Underground Railroad. Iowa was among the earliest signers of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Iowa became the first state to desegregate our schools, was one of the earliest states to recognize marriage equality and until recently was ranked among the most accessible states for voting access. Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis... Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The... Russo-Elling Mourned More than 300 first responders lined up on Thursday night to honor FDNY EMT Lt. Alison Russo-Elling, as her body was placed into a waiting... The extension involves constructing an 8km tunnel from Hausmann St Lazare to La Defense and Nanterre-la-Folie and upgrading the existing 47km line to Poissy and Mantes-la-Jolie. The extension will cut journey times between western suburbs and La Defense by up to 17 minutes. The underground section from Hausmann St Lazare to Porte Maillot and Nanterre is due to open in 2020, with the remainder of the line to Mantes-la-Jolie scheduled for commissioning in 2022. The station at La Defense will be located directly beneath the Centre of New Industries and Technologies (CNIT) with pedestrian corridors linking the RER Line E platforms to RER Line A, Transilien lines L and U, and light rail Line T2. Vinci and Spie will begin initial construction works on CNIT-La Defense station this summer and the project will take five years to complete. The project includes the construction of an access shaft 40m deep and 15m in diameter as well as the station box and 1km of tunnel. A total of 350,000m3 of material will be excavated from the station site during construction. State-of-the-art locomotives stand ready to make their mark on what is ideally a power-hungry industry. Problem is, with traffic down, the railroads arent so hungry for new power. Tier 4 locomotives are a little bit like DOT-117 hazmat tank cars. The industry has invested valuable resources and time attempting to attain a lofty and largely unfunded regulatory goal (in this case, the EPAs). But now that the regs are in place, the size of the existing fleet is too big for the number of train starts, so a lot of this state-of-the-art equipment will have to wait before the market demands that new power be pressed into service. Many locomotives are now stored serviceable, a term that equipment lessors and OEMs would rather not hear. Two years ago, every serviceable locomotive was reactivated, noted Oliver Wymans Jason Kuehn at Rail Equipment Finance 2016. Now, 15% or more of the road locomotive fleet is in storage. The price spread between natural gas and diesel has choked off interest in LNG and CNG-fueled locomotives. And Tier 4 emissions levels are so strict that theyve halted the virtuous cycle supporting locomotive replacement. Weve gone from the perfect storm to a dead calm in two short years. So whats a locomotive builder to do, besides try to adapt to market conditions that seem to happen faster than the time it takes to rebuild a prime-mover? If youre an OEM and/or rebuilder, large or not-so-largeProgress Rail/EMD, GE Transportation, NRE, MotivePower, Railserve, RJ Corman, Brookville Equipment, Knoxville Locomotive Works, Republic Locomotive, etc.you press ahead with R&D, look for new markets (China, India, Russia, South Africa), attempt to fill a niche market, or maybe even test the passenger locomotive market. At least that segment seems to be growing. Engines of Change There isnt a locomotive builder that isnt offering something new and/or innovative in 2016. Following is a partial rundown. EMDs Tier 4 freight locomotive, the SD70ACe-T4, is powered by an all-new, 4,400-traction-hp, 12-cylinder, four-stroke EMD-developed 1010 diesel engine. EMD attained Tier 4 without the use of urea as an after-treatment. The 1010 is a radical departure from EMDs traditional two-stroke engine. It is not based on a Caterpillar engine, though, according to Progress Rail President and CEO Billy Ainsworth, it combines the engineering expertise of Progress Rail, Electro-Motive and Caterpillar. EMDs other Tier 4 offering, the F125 Spirit high-speed passenger locomotive, utilizes a 4,700-hp Caterpillar C175-20 engine. The SD70ACe-T4 includes a high performance AC traction system, isolated powertrain, radial bogies, individual axle control, advanced electronics and an enlarged cab designed for crew ergonomics and safety. EMD plans to have these locomotives available in the second half of 2016. MotivePowers MP54AC for GO Transit is the first regional/commuter locomotive in North America certified to meet Tier 4 emissions standards. The MP54AC is a repower of existing GO Transit MP40PH-3C locomotives utilizing twin Tier 4 Locomotive-certified Cummins QSK60 engines that produce up to 5,400 hp for traction power and HEP (head end power). The QSK60 meets Tier 4 using integrated SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) exhaust after-treatment technology, which removes NOx from the exhaust stream, enabling reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency. The technology reduces diesel particulate emissions by about 85% and NOx (nitrous oxide) emissions by about 75%, compared to the locomotives original Tier 2 configuration. The twin-engine setup provides for redundancy of major systems and flexibility of operation during off-peak periods, where running just one of the engines can provide significant fuel savings on shorter trains. GEs Evolution Series Tier 4 locomotive is powered by GEs 12-cylinder EVO engine and requires no after-treatment system. Requiring ultra-low-sulfur ASTMD975 Diesel #2 fuel, its advanced air-to-air cooling system enhances performance and lowers emissions. Its equipped with a VSPD control system that does not require an auxiliary alternator. NREs NREX 2015 Genset last year became the first locomotive to be verified by the California Environmental Protection Agency as achieving Tier 4 emission standards. CARB (California Air Resources Board) verified the locomotive at NOx and PM (particulate matter) emission levels at or below of 1.0 and 0.01 g/bhp-hr (grams per brake horsepower-hour), respectively, qualifying NRE locomotives for the Carl Moyer Emissions Grant Program, which provides locomotive-funding grants of up to 85% of the total locomotive cost, as a trade-in transaction. The California-based program requires that the locomotive manufacturer hold a Tier 4 CARB Verified Certificate. Independent axle control (IAC) is a distinguishing feature of NREs NR33CDE-IAC road switcher, more commonly referred to as an SD40-IAC or an SD40-4. Its built on an SD40-2 platform equipped with an EMD 645E3B prime-mover. When employed in hump yard service, the DC-traction NR33CDE-IAC offers a unit reduction of one locomotive over a three-unit consist of SD40-2s. This is mostly attributable to a 50% adhesion factor increase over an SD40-2, achieved with NREs DC chopper module and N-Force microprocessor control system. Performance, says NRE, is equivalent to that of an AC-traction locomotive. This locomotive can also be employed in line-haul service. The first Railserve DUAL LEAF Gen-Set locomotive to meet Tier 4 environmental regulations will hit the rails early this summer, and Railserve expects to launch regular production almost immediately after. The DUAL LEAF was developed specifically for shippers, industrial railroads, and short lines that operate where there is a need for high tractive effort at speeds up to 30 mph. The units are cost-effective at high-utilization rates, and the Cummins QSX15 has been a reliable and proven engine for our LEAF locomotives, says T.J. Mahoney, LEAF Program Manager. Now that the unit is available as a Tier 4-compliant model, we can equip the DUAL LEAF with this power source. The DUAL LEAF is being manufactured at the Railserve facility in Longview, Tex. The Tier 4 QSX15 engine has a footprint identical to the previous model, meaning there is no need for redesign or significant changes in the layout of the DUAL LEAF, which incorporates two of the Cummins engines. Mahoney says the Tier 4 DUAL LEAF will have improved operating performance and reduced environmental impact. As compared with conventional units, it will cut particulate emissions by 99% and NOx emissions by 92%. Fuel consumption is expected to drop even further because the Tier 4 units operate at lower RPMs in low-notch and idle phases, typical settings for most switching operations. The original single-engine Railserve LEAF locomotive complies with regulations through 2017, but if customers need them sooner, we are ready to produce Tier 4 single-engine systems, says Mahoney. The nearly five-year civil war in Syria has exposed some of the difficulties that military forces have conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance against terrorists and insurgents in crowded urban environments. These challenges, while not insurmountable, will continue to plague even the most advanced military forces, including the United States, as migration out of rural areas and into cities continues unabated. For the foreseeable future, deterring and countering near-peer adversaries such as Russia and China will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of American grand strategy. But in addition to meeting the challenges associated with traditional and well-known state-based threats, the U.S. military will be expected to combat an array of violent non-state actors a blanket term that includes well-established groups like Islamic State, al Qaeda and the transnational criminal gang MS-13 but also countless other and less well-known militias, insurgent groups and terrorist organizations. Countering violent non-state actors will almost assuredly force the U.S. military to engage in operations in or on the edge of densely populated megacities (PDF), urban areas that seep into one another and have more than 10 million inhabitants. This is problematic. Military missions even in relatively small built-up areas are inherently complex endeavors. Buildings and masses of people can provide cover and concealment to hostile actors and their operations. These features can also reduce the effectiveness of the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms the military needs to successfully conduct operations. The larger and more complex the city, the more pronounced these challenges become. Popular conceptions of megacities are drawn from the futuristic and dystopian stories often presented in science fiction. The urban sprawl and enormous concentration of people was depicted in the 1995 film Judge Dredd, where a megacity is the locus of crime and armed gangs, and a host of social ills run rampant. While a single metropolis extending from Boston to Washington, D.C., or from San Francisco to San Diego might seem far-fetched, megacities do exist and are only expected to become more common. In 2015, 27 regions worldwide fit the definition of megacity but projections by the National Intelligence Council suggest that over the next decade and a half, urban growth will result in more than a dozen more, with many of them in Africa and Asia. Because of the sheer size of megacities and the challenges associated with their governance, some of these urban redoubts will likely be characterized by areas of lawlessness and sizable no-go zones, making them ripe targets for violent non-state actor recruitment and funding activities. In such areas, these actors will be able to create and/or take advantage of black markets, shadow governance, illicit economies and dark networks to generate revenue and recruit new members over long periods. As has been demonstrated in places like Russia's Grozny and Iraq's Sadr City, countering violent non-state actors in dense urban environments can prove enormously difficult even for highly capable military forces. Grozny's population is in the hundreds of thousands and Sadr City's is around 3.5 million. When illicit actors become firmly entrenched in an urban environment and garner widespread support from among the population (like they were in Grozny in the 1990s and Sadr City during the Iraq War), successfully countering their activities requires a significant application of time and military resources. An ongoing example of how violent non-state actors might operate in megacities can be seen in Islamic State-controlled territory in Iraq and Syria, where the terror group maintains disparate and lucrative income sources, including bakeries, oil refineries, and utilities and simultaneously recruits new members not only from within areas they control, but also from throughout the world. Consider the case of Raqqa, the IS-stronghold and the group's current center of gravity. Raqqa is not a megacity since it has only about 250,000 residents. But because members of IS live alongside and operate among Raqqa's population, military forces operating in Syria have had difficulty reconnoitering, targeting and striking the group from the air. Even when targeted successfully, concerns over causing collateral damage have led the U.S. military to call off certain tactical strikes, which in turn have limited the scope and effectiveness of the overall military operation. In an effort to prevent or deter ground incursions, IS also has likely booby trapped and ringed the city with improvised explosive devices. Now, imagine a city similar to Raqqa that is 40 times larger, much more densely populated and fiercely loyal to the violent non-state actors conducting operations there. The challenges associated with successfully countering such a foe in a city of this size are difficult to overstate. Undoubtedly, military overmatch especially in respect to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities is a concern for irregular forces and one of the reasons why they choose to operate in densely populated urban environments. These capabilities are a crucial element of urban operations: They enable modern militaries to see the battlespace, track adversary movements and, ultimately, conduct air and ground operations to their fullest effect, while reducing the likelihood of friendly and civilian casualties. But the sheer volume of people, vehicles and buildings present complicates the equation, causing these challenges to grow not only in magnitude but also in kind. The electronic and cyber fog formed by the pervasive use of cheap and encrypted mobile communications devices has the potential to overwhelm the U.S. military's optical-electrical surveillance platforms and limit its capacity for effectively targeting and tracking the activities of hostile sub-state actors. The relative ease associated with surreptitiously constructing and emplacing IEDs and the continued proliferation of unmanned aerial systems including smaller, commercially available drones for counter-surveillance purposes will provide an added layer of complexity to an already complicated problem set. To counter violent non-state actors operating in the future in megacities, the U.S. military will have to be able to effectively piece together a comprehensive and actionable intelligence picture, and under enormously challenging circumstances. This will require, at a minimum, an ability to persistently monitor, collect and interpret in near real-time the millions of bits of data associated with cellphone communications, social media postings, financial transactions and the operational movements of these actors. The challenges associated with doing so exposed in Grozny, Sadr City and now Raqqa will likely require the U.S. military to increase the number of intelligence platforms it employs and to develop the ability to manage and interpret in a timely fashion the unending stream of data. Failure to do so will exacerbate the difficulties associated with operating in megacities, prolong conflicts therein, and create circumstances where hostile groups can exploit physical and virtual sanctuaries largely unobserved by U.S. forces. Chad C. Serena is a political scientist and Colin P. Clarke is an associate political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. This commentary originally appeared on Reuters, The Great Debate blog on April 6, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. In 2006, Congress passed the Safe Port Act to help ensure that maritime transportation infrastructure was effectively secured from the threat of terrorism. Today, 10 years since the enactment of the law, are U.S. ports safe? This is a complex issue with an equally complex answer. The established security measures implemented through public and private sector cooperation have improved port security while maintaining port efficiency. Still, many of the threats that motivated the Safe Ports Act remain, and new dangers have emerged, including cyber threats. America's ports remain a vital driver of its economy. Each year, more than 60 thousand vessels make calls on U.S. ports moving about 50 percent of America's imports and about 40 percent of its exports (by value). Ferries transport more than 300 million passengers, and the cruise-ship industry contributes almost $40 billion to the U.S. economy. The economic importance and visibility of ports make port infrastructure and operations attractive terrorism targets. The potential vulnerability of these targets further increases maritime terrorism risk. The efficiency and speed of maritime shipping itself could be used by terrorists to move operatives or weapons. Attacks on both vessels and the port infrastructure used to move cargo and commodities could damage the U.S. economy by disrupting trade and commerce. Attacks on cruise ships or ferries, such as the 2004 bombing of SuperFerry 14 in Manila, the hijacking of the Achille Lauro in 1985, or the hijacking of a Turkish passenger ferry in 1996, could affect countless victims and spawn fear and terror. Security measures implemented over the past 10 years respond to an array of threats. Port and vessel security inspection authorities have increased the number of guards, gates, and cameras monitoring ports. The Port Security Grant Program has helped develop and sustain prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities around ports. The Transportation Worker Identification Card program has increased the screening of those with access to critical port infrastructure. Regulations and programs to collect and screen cargo manifests and participation with shippers through the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism has increased transparency into the supply chain and made it easier to identify suspicious shipments. Installation of radiation detectors at U.S. ports and collaborations with foreign partners through the Container Security Initiative have increased the ability of authorities to detect illicit movement of radiological materials. Together these programs established a system to secure ports that matches the complexity of the system of infrastructure, vessels, cargo, shippers, and people that they were designed to protect. While many of the security challenges that were recognized in 2006 appear to have been met, new potential threats have emerged from the cyber environment. The pervasiveness of information and communications technology has fully penetrated maritime and port infrastructure. The efficiency of logistics systems rests on technologies that track the flow of shipments and pass transactions among manufacturers, carriers, and shippers. Vessel navigation is guided by the global positioning system. Automated control systems are used widely across port infrastructure, for example in vessel navigation, natural gas and oil loading and unloading, and in the electric grid upon which ports depend. These same technologies that drive efficiency in maritime transportation also increase the system's vulnerability. Each of these systems could be exploited to disrupt port operations or damage port infrastructure. Data systems could be compromised so that the integrity of manifests cannot be trusted. Navigation systems could be attacked increasing risks of vessel collisions. Control systems could be hacked to damage critical infrastructure. Yet the risk from these vulnerabilities is not well understood. Which groups or people might attempt to exploit cyber vulnerabilities and have the capability to do so? What existing protection and redundancies mitigate these vulnerabilities? Who will respond if a cyberattack on port infrastructure occurs? What response capabilities are required? Is America prepared? This increased threat environment has been recognized and efforts are underway to better understand it and to craft new security responses. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Strategy (PDF) outlines the service's objectives to defend cyberspace, enable operations, and protect infrastructure in the maritime environment. Key among the objectives laid out in the strategy are understanding and promoting awareness of cyber risks; improving information sharing about threats and vulnerabilities to maritime operations; and reducing the risks that threaten port infrastructure and operations. The advances in port security since 2006 were made possible through public and private collaboration as new security measures became part of doing business in the maritime environment. The security measures increased costs, but cooperation between the public and private sector helped offset these costs, while balancing the need for efficiency and security. Addressing cyber risks will require the same attention to balancing port efficiency and security that has been used since 2006. As the United States confronts cyber threats in the maritime domain, it must mobilize the public and private organizations engaged in port operations to understand these new risks and to work together to ensure U.S. ports remain efficient and secure. Henry H. Willis is director of the Homeland Security and Defense Center at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. This commentary originally appeared on The Cipher Brief on April 6, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat has stopped transmitting broadcasts from Al Manar, the TV channel run by Lebanons Shia militia group Hezbollah. Nilesat, which blocked Al Manar on 6 April, described the channel of formenting sectarian tension and strife, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).Hezbollah, which has parliamentary representation in Lebanon, is classed a terrorist organisation by western nations, Israel, and more recently, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Arab League. It began broadcasting Al Manar terrestrially from Beirut in 1991, and via satellite in 2000.Hezbollah condemned Nilesats decision to block its broadcasts as unjust.The Egyptian satellite operator has also told the Lebanese Ministry of Telecommunications that its contract with the Lebanese state expired in 2015, so it would cease broadcasting from the government earth station in Jouret Al Ballout. As a result, concern has been raised locally that Lebanese TV channels, including TeleLiban, Al Jadeed, and NBN, may also be blocked by Nilesat The Telecoms Minister and I are trying to address the issue with the Nilesat administration and the relevant authorities in Egypt, Lebanese Information Minister Ramzi Joreige told Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star. We informed them that we are in the process of renewing it [the licence], but because the cabinet did not meet, it could not be renewed, he added. Moscow student charged with attempting to join ISIS found sane MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI) - A psychiatric evaluation of Varvara Karaulova (Alexandra Ivanova), a student of the Moscow State University who stands charged with attempting to join the Islamic State militants in Syria, has found her mentally fit, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday citing attorney Sergei Badamshin. According to the examination results, Karaulova (Ivanova) would not be sent to a mental hospital if found guilty. As previously reported the second-year student of the Moscow State Universitys Faculty of Philosophy, allegedly decided to join the Islamic State and secretly started off for Istanbul on May 27. On June 4, she was arrested near Turkey's border with Syria along with 13 other Russian citizens when attempting to cross into the territory occupied by Islamic State militants. On June 11, she returned to Russia under escort of Interpol employees. In October, Karaulova, who had changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova, was again arrested in Moscow and put in jail. MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI) Investigators in the criminal case against Deputy Minister of Culture Grigory Pirumov allege that he is responsible for embezzlement of 100 million rubles ($1.5 mln), his lawyer Fedor Kupriyanov told RAPSI on Thursday. Earlier the amount of damage allegedly caused by Pirumov was estimated at 50 million rubles ($739,200). Investigators believe that Pirumov embezzled money allocated for restoration of cultural objects. The lawyer said that Pirumov is charged with four episodes of fraud related to restoration of the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, the Ivanovsky Convent in Moscow, Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics and a theater in Pskov. Deputy Minister of Culture Grigory Pirumov was detained alongside other high-ranking officials, including Boris Mazo, the head of the Ministry Department of property management and investment policies, on suspicion of corruption and embezzling state funds. Oleg Ivanov, the head of a state unitary enterprise for restoration works supervised by the Ministry, Dmitry Sergeyev, the head of BaltStroy, and Nikita Kolesnikov, the head of Savva Corporate Group, were detained as well. The investigation has presumably started basing on a report by the Auditing Chamber on restoration of the Izborsk Fortress in the Pskov region presented yet in 2013; however, it may also involve such cultural heritage sites as the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, as well as works carried out at the Ivanovsky Convent in Moscow, and a theater in Pskov. As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain. WASHINGTON - Belgium has received intense criticism following the deadly Brussels airport and metro attacks on 22 March that left 32 people dead and many more wounded. Commentators have labelled Belgium a "dysfunctional divided country," "an incubator of terror," and "a country that operates on the basis of "linguistic apartheid." Some have even likened Belgium to Syria and Iraq as failed states. But it is simplistic to blame Belgium for Europe's vulnerability to terrorism. Every major security failure from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and the Paris attacks last November has been followed by revelations of warnings that were ignored and of raw intelligence that was not evaluated in a timely and effective manner. The NSA, CIA, and FBI were alerted before the 9/11 attacks but the terrorists slipped through their fingers. The 9/11 Commission report showed that the different jurisdictions of law enforcement authorities in New York City and across the U.S. made coordination difficult. In 1984, when the IRA bombed the British Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped with her life, despite tip offs. Belgian leaders acknowledge the shortcomings that preceded the Brussels attacks. Two ministers offered their resignations, and the government rushed through overdue legislation to permit round-the-clock house searches, limit arms sales, and create a single counterterrorism database. There have been calls to increase resources for social inclusion and counter-radicalization programs in the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek and other deprived areas. The French Urban Affairs Minister Patrick Kanner has acknowledged that France has around 100 municipalities with potential similarities to Molenbeek. In France, these are mostly isolated suburban neighborhoods where amenities are inadequate and violence is widespread. In Belgium, immigrant-based communities live in the cities themselves and many members of Belgian regional parliaments have immigrant backgrounds. Just the same, poorer municipalities in Brussels, like Molenbeek, need better playgrounds, schools, youth clubs and other social facilities; local communities must play their part in ensuring that such facilities are maintained. Additional resources are needed both to give the Muslim population a stake in Belgian society and to ensure more effective policing. But resources are scarce. Besides its immigrants, Brussels hosts a large international presence, including the EU, NATO, three diplomatic communities, and some 2,000 international bodies, as well as thousands of ex-pats. Many of these bodies are tax exempt and commuters pay tax in the areas outside Brussels where they live. Despite Belgium's multi-level system of governance, the country does better than many European states in rankings of the quality of justice, income equality, and perceptions of corruption. Belgium's "linguistic wars" have rarely degenerated into violence. The country has remained stable during the prolonged negotiations that often precede the formation of new governments. Belgium has evolved from a unitary state to a highly decentralized federal state, while preserving sufficient consensus to maintain social peace. Following the Brussels attacks, many Belgians sympathized with the call by Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, for a European "security union." Yet kneejerk calls for "more Europe" do not necessarily produce results in the 28-member European Union. The EU lacks legal powers in the fields of intelligence and security, which are essentially the preserve of national authorities. In fighting terrorism, Belgian intelligence services need to cooperate with the CIA and Mossad as much as with the DGSE in France or the BND in Germany. Where "Europe" has acquired real responsibilities like the Schengen Information System, Europol, or the "European arrest warrant," these areas should be reinforced and used to the fullest extent possible. Belgium cannot prevent terrorism through an "escape into Europe." But it can achieve much by improving coordination between the federal, regional and local levels and by renegotiating their respective responsibilities. Nineteen separate municipalities and six separate police forces are too many for a capital region of just over 1 million inhabitants. Despite linguistic sensitivities, the municipalities should accept greater coordination at regional and federal levels while local authorities should be informed of investigations underway and of the identity of inhabitants who have returned from Syria or Iraq. Recently a trilingual citizens' petition demanded that a single metropolitan police force be set up, giving further proof of the vibrancy of the city's civil society. For half a century, Belgium has made a major contribution to European security through NATO and the EU. Instead of maligning the country, other Europeans should work with Belgium to overcome the EU's mutually reinforcing crises and to ensure the survival of its major accomplishments, including the Schengen open internal borders system and the single European currency, the euro. There is no telling how many years it may take, but the U.S. decision to lift its ban on crude-oil exports could increase the likelihood of a major war between regional Mideast powers that the U.S. will be either unable or (more likely) unwilling to stop. How is this even possible? To appreciate the argument, one should consider the second- and third-order economic and political effects that have been associated with U.S. oil exports in the past, as well as the totally new market dynamics that are the result of the ban's demise. These effects, when married with current trends in American politics, make it less likely that the U.S. will intervene in a major military conflict in the Middle East in the next 10 years -- even as the potential for such a conflict continues to grow. Refinery economics: Many observers underplay just how useful a safety valve exporting U.S. crude to foreign refiners is becoming for global oil markets. In the short space of three months since the ban was lifted, and at a time when the arbitrage -- or profit margin -- for U.S. exports has been quite low, U.S. crude has left the Gulf Coast to refiners in France, Italy, Germany, Israel, and Venezuela. The first test shipment of crude to China from the Gulf Coast is already under sail, and the enlargement of the Panama Canal scheduled for later this year will make it even cheaper to send shipments to East Asian refineries. Each of the roughly 700 major refineries in the world is a one-of-a-kind factory with its own special set of recipes that can use a number of different crude grades to create products that best fit local markets. Given the easier-to-refine qualities of U.S. tight oil, it can become a very attractive blend stock. Venezuela's state-oil company, PDVSA, has already purchased four U.S. cargos since the beginning of the year to be used to dilute its heavier crude, and earlier this month the company said it may import up to 100,000 barrels per day (b/d) of U.S. crude over a three-month period. The development is a dramatic reversal of fortune for the post-Chavez regime currently under duress in Caracas. This new trading relationship, over time, makes the political relationship between the United States and Venezuela less tense. Economic history: In decades past, U.S. oil exports have been used as an economic weapon and have had dramatic impacts on U.S. foreign policy. In the summer of 1941, the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt banned West Coast oil exports to Japan to protest Japanese militarism in East Asia. This decision is viewed by many historians as a proximate cause of the attack on Pearl Harbor, with the Japanese military government choosing to use force to acquire oil and commodities from Southeast Asia rather than capitulate to U.S. political demands. Fifteen years later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower undermined a joint British-French invasion of the Suez Canal in the autumn of 1956 by threatening to suspend oil exports to Western Europe until British and French troops withdrew. The threats by Eisenhower caused a run on the British pound, which in turn ended the government of British Prime Minister Anthony Eden and rocked the status quo in Europe. While little acknowledged in U.S. histories, this naked display of power greatly embarrassed European elites and helped tip the scales among French and German leaders toward the creation of the European Union shortly afterward. Property details: ESCAPE TO GODS COUNTRY AND OWN A PIECE OF PARADISE IN THE NORTHERN MAINE WOODS. This huge 41 +/- acre tract of recreational and hunting land is located in Van Buren Maine. A rural town that sits a stone throw away from the Canadian border. This lot has a brook that crosses the entire lot. You have a private 50' right of way that leads to two different parts of this 41 acre lot. This lot sits high and dry with beautiful views of the valley, a great place to build a cabin and enjoy life the way it... Price: $ 300 Seller State of Residence: Maine Property Address: Settlement Road Van Buren Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Mixed Location: 047**, Van Buren, Maine You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Mixed HOME > American Idol > American Idol 15 'American Idol' eliminee MacKenzie Bourg: I channeled Jennifer Lopez whenever I sang a love song By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/06/2016 cut MacKenzie Bourg and determined its farewell season's Top 3 finalists during Thursday night's broadcast on Fox. ADVERTISEMENT After receiving the lowest amount of home viewer votes following the prior week's performance show -- when MacKenzie sang "I Want You To Want Me" for his classic rock pick and "Titanium" by Sia -- America sent MacKenzie, a 23-year-old musician from Lafayette, LA, home. MacKenzie was ousted from the competition on Thursday following a beautiful tribute to his hometown in which he sang "Hallelujah." He had never landed in the bottom two or three before. His departure named Trent Harmon, La'Porsha Renae and Dalton Rapattoni the Top 3 artists on Idol this season. On Friday, MacKenzie talked to reporters during a conference call about his experience. Below is the concluding portion of what he had to say. To read more, click What is your personal favorite love song? MacKenzie Bourg: I like the song that I wrote, "Roses." I think it's a pretty cool love song and I don't know, yeah, that's what mine is. Who are you thinking of when singing that song or any other love ballads? MacKenzie Bourg: The easiest way to sing love songs on the show is to kind of stare at JLo in the eyes, and it kind of works sometimes whenever she realizes. (Laughs) She commented on it a few times this year, but yeah, that's definitely who I'm channeling when I'm on the show. How did it feel to have "Roses" playing in the background of your goodbye package? You must've gotten emotional hearing your own song play. MacKenzie Bourg: It was great! You know, the only thing I really was bummed about was that my coronation song was going to be "Roses," and that was going to be the first time ever they said an original song would've been that. But it's all going to work out. I think so because I'm going to get to release "Roses" as my single, and that's kind of all being worked out right now. What was it like for you to enter that ICU room when you visited your hometown? It must've been a pretty powerful moment. MacKenzie Bourg: Yeah, the whole visit, I mean, the hospital is actually -- where I was at in the ICU is being completely redone, so it added to the, I guess, spookiness of it all because the whole rest of the hall was empty and they kind of just recreated the exact room I was in. So, I didn't really know what to expect, and then I walked in and realized it. I don't know, it was kind of a lot to handle, but it was definitely something very powerful and moving for me to do. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! You mentioned in a previous interview your experience on was much different from The Voice because Idol allowed you to be your true self. Could you elaborate on that a little bit? MacKenzie Bourg: Yeah, absolutely. I think has done me so many favors just by not trying to change me, by letting me be myself. I feel like me with just the guitar and just going up there and singing as if I was in my room has really kind of resonated with so many millions of people in the country. So, I'm just thankful every day that they've given me the opportunity to do that and even to perform a song that I wrote -- twice -- on national TV. I couldn't have asked for a better time on the show. Are you sad about there being no tour? At least there's been no announcement of one yet. MacKenzie Bourg: No, I think it's going to actually be -- the tour would've been fun, but it also kind of takes away from taking that first step in being a new artist. I think it would kind of take away from putting an album together and setting up, you know, a solo tour. I think a lot of the time, everyone gets so caught up in the Idol tour that there's not a lot of time to put together something meaningful music-wise. If you had made it through to the finale week, did you have any songs in mind to sing other than "Roses?" MacKenzie Bourg: The only ones we had, well, I was going to do "Roses" as the coronation and "Billy Jean" as my repeat performance. Any final remarks? ADVERTISEMENT MacKenzie Bourg: Thank you guys! I appreciate it. There will be some exciting stuff happening in the next few weeks. To read more from MacKenzie's post- interview, click About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS cut MacKenzie Bourg and determined its farewell season's Top 3 finalists during Thursday night's broadcast on Fox.After receiving the lowest amount of home viewer votes following the prior week's performance show -- when MacKenzie sang "I Want You To Want Me" for his classic rock pick and "Titanium" by Sia -- America sent MacKenzie, a 23-year-old musician from Lafayette, LA, home.MacKenzie was ousted from the competition on Thursday following a beautiful tribute to his hometown in which he sang "Hallelujah." He had never landed in the bottom two or three before. His departure named Trent Harmon, La'Porsha Renae and Dalton Rapattoni the Top 3 artists on Idol this season.On Friday, MacKenzie talked to reporters during a conference call about his experience. Below is the concluding portion of what he had to say. To read more, click here and here I like the song that I wrote, "Roses." I think it's a pretty cool love song and I don't know, yeah, that's what mine is.The easiest way to sing love songs on the show is to kind of stare at JLo in the eyes, and it kind of works sometimes whenever she realizes. (Laughs) She commented on it a few times this year, but yeah, that's definitely who I'm channeling when I'm on the show.It was great! You know, the only thing I really was bummed about was that my coronation song was going to be "Roses," and that was going to be the first time ever they said an original song would've been that. But it's all going to work out. I think so because I'm going to get to release "Roses" as my single, and that's kind of all being worked out right now.Yeah, the whole visit, I mean, the hospital is actually -- where I was at in the ICU is being completely redone, so it added to the, I guess, spookiness of it all because the whole rest of the hall was empty and they kind of just recreated the exact room I was in.So, I didn't really know what to expect, and then I walked in and realized it. I don't know, it was kind of a lot to handle, but it was definitely something very powerful and moving for me to do.Yeah, absolutely. I think has done me so many favors just by not trying to change me, by letting me be myself. I feel like me with just the guitar and just going up there and singing as if I was in my room has really kind of resonated with so many millions of people in the country.So, I'm just thankful every day that they've given me the opportunity to do that and even to perform a song that I wrote -- twice -- on national TV. I couldn't have asked for a better time on the show.No, I think it's going to actually be -- the tour would've been fun, but it also kind of takes away from taking that first step in being a new artist. I think it would kind of take away from putting an album together and setting up, you know, a solo tour. I think a lot of the time, everyone gets so caught up in the Idol tour that there's not a lot of time to put together something meaningful music-wise.The only ones we had, well, I was going to do "Roses" as the coronation and "Billy Jean" as my repeat performance.Thank you guys! I appreciate it. There will be some exciting stuff happening in the next few weeks.To read more from MacKenzie's post- interview, click here and here AMERICAN IDOL 15 MORE AMERICAN IDOL 15 NEWS << PRIOR STORY Khloe Kardashian's 'Kocktails with Khloe' talk show canceled by FYI NEXT STORY >> 'The Bachelorette' creator Mike Fleiss teases JoJo Fletcher's season: The L-word has just been uttered Get more Reality TV World! Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or add our RSS feed. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT - - - - Page generated Sun Oct 23, 2022 8:41 am in 0.81691288948059 seconds , We're sorry, this article is not currently available By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/06/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. Joe Giudice reportedly got moved into a maximum-security camp in prison due to his reckless behavior.Joe, 43, drank with his wife Teresa Giudice on the morning of March 23 and arrived at the Fort Dix Correctional Institution in New Jersey "drunk and belligerent" at noon, RadarOnline reported A prison insider revealed Joe's handlers "desperately tried to sober him up" with a Starbucks coffee but he was still "completely wasted" and "a total mess" at the time of his surrender , which infuriated officials."They couldn't believe he made a mockery of the court by immediately breaking the rules," the insider explained.Although Joe was expected to live in a low-key general camp for his 41-month prison sentence, he's now reportedly under maximum security.Prison sources told RadarOnline the court is trying to deport Joe back to Italy, maybe even before he finishes his sentence for multiple counts of financial fraud."They will not show him any leniency. He doesn't have a second chance," the insider said.Joe's attorney, Miles Feinstein, admitted he'd be floored if the prison insider's statements are correct."If it's true, it shocks me. If it's caused a maximum security designation, then it's going to be quite different for him than being in a lower tiered level of the federal prison system," Feinstein told the website.The Federal Bureau of Prisons' Public Information Officer, however, said details regarding an inmate's "health status or living quarters" cannot be disclosed.Joe had owned the fact he was struggling with alcohol abuse while Teresa, a star on of New Jersey, was completing her own year-long sentence behind bars. Teresa was released on December 23.The couple was sentenced to jail time in October 2014 after pleading guilty to three counts of bankruptcy fraud, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as part of a plea deal to resolve their 41-count federal fraud indictment. Their prison arrangements were made so that one parent could always be with their four daughters -- Gia, 15, Gabriella, 11, Milania, 10, and Audriana, 6. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/07/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. The Bachelor alum Ashley Salter is now a mommy.The 25-year-old hairstylist gave birth to a son on Thursday. Salter and her fiance Austin Brannen named their baby boy Brooks Hartman Brannen."Long stormy night brings a beautiful angel this morning," Salter, 25, captioned an Instagram photo of the family of three in the hospital.Salter announced she was expecting her first child with the real estate professional in February, only five months after the couple confirmed their engagement in September of last year.However, she was reportedly already showing off her baby bump at Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert's wedding on January 25.Salter was pregnant at the same time as the following The Bachelor alumni: Catherine Giudici Ali Fedotowsky and DeAnna Pappas Brannen and the fan favorite from Chris Soules ' season of The Bachelor, as well as 's second edition, were college sweethearts.They both attended Auburn University in Alabama and reportedly reunited in June 2015 after Salter completed her two stints on reality TV.On Paradise, "the onion girl" nearly fell in love with Dan Cox, but he rejected her because he saw too many "red flags."Salter also had a brief showmance with Nick Peterson , who went on to date Samantha Steffen The Panama Papers, a large document leak, included personalities such as the likes of Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping, and a number of big real estate names who ply their trade in New York. The document revealed how individuals operating at the highest levels of power made use of illegal offshore shell corporations and tax havens for their benefit. The leaked documents mentioned Witkoff group which was best known for developing high-end New York condo projects such as 10 Madison Square West and 150 Charles Street. It also owned commercial properties such as the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel and the Woolworth Building. The leak revealed that the group had links to a shady offshore entity associated with a project in London, the renovation of a landmark structure known as Devonshire House. The Panama Papers further revealed that the officers of the Devonshire Realty Investment I Limited included Scott Alper, the firm's chief investment officer, and James Stomber, the general counsel. Witkoff's associates on the project included Investra Capital, a Dubai real estate development firm. Zaid Randeree, a managing director at Investra, was also listed as an officer of the entity. Witkoff sold Devonshire House for an estimated $600 million in 2013 to Spain's Amancio Ortega, founder of fashion brand Zara. Alper claimed that the move to register the entity was standard procedure and that all taxes were paid in full, according to a feature from Curbed. The Panama Papers also mentioned Ofer Yardeni's Stonehenge Partners which was a Manhattan landlord with a $3 billion portfolio of 3,000 apartments. Stonehenge appeared to have acted as an intermediary for the entity. Atzmon Levi, who appeared to be in the diamond business, set up an offshore group known as Meshushe Limited. According to the documents, Stonehenge was listed as the master client of the entity. The company's real estate deals included the acquisition of the Bradford, an Upper West Side property at 210 West 70th Street, according to a feature from Jewish Busness News. Investing your hard-earned money is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your future. With the overwhelming number of investment options to choose from, how will you know which one suits you best? Is a real estate investment better than investing in the stock market? Surprisingly, figures show that investing in the stock market is still better than investing in the real estate market. According to Realtor.com, stocks offer an 11.8 percent return over a period of three years and 1.8 percent in one year. "Over time, your investment [in stock] will produce good returns, but you need to be in it for a long frame," said NerdWallet investing expert Arielle O'Shea. Investing in stocks is a great option for those who can do it in the long run as returns will not be easily seen in a matter of months or a couple of years. "If you're going to panic when the market goes down, or if you need your money soon, it's probably not a good investment for you," she added. People are always encouraged to have a diversified portfolio if they decide to invest in stocks and find well-performing funds rather than invest in individual companies. As with the case of real estate investment, the publication notes that this kind of investment has a 6.8 percent annualized return in three years as of February 2016 and 4.4 percent return in one year. As a matter of fact, the majority of consumers in the U.S. account 46 percent of their investable assets in real estate. As previously reported here on Realty Today, investing in the real estate is a great option for those who are looking to save money for their retirement. Having an additional real estate aside from your primary residence will also help add passive income to your monthly budget if you decide to rent the property to someone else. A third suspect has been charged with one count of trafficking persons for sexual servitude after being connected to the group men arrested for human trafficking at the Days Inn in Athens last month. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight 530 Collective manager Chris McDonald rings up a customer Wednesday at the Shasta Lake store. The Shasta Lake City Council approved a a proposal to open a third dispensary. SHARE By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight A third medical marijuana collective is coming to Shasta Lake, thanks in part to the City Council's 4-1 vote in favor of allowing the project to move forward. The council also voted Tuesday evening to make it impossible for a fourth dispensary to open legally within the city limits under the current law, said John Duckett, the city manager. The issue has sparked plenty of debate. Some businesses are optimistic it will attract more people to the area, though the collective owners themselves aren't so sure. Others worry about unforeseen consequences and increased hard drug sales. But the issue has ramifications throughout Northern California, where Shasta Lake has the only two legal medical marijuana dispensaries in the Interstate 5 corridor between Sacramento and Mount Shasta. A growing industry The new collective, Leave It To Nature, will move into the former Starbucks building on Shasta Dam Boulevard next to Rite-Aid, NasCuts Hair Salon and Tobacco and Vape. "It is a little odd there's a smokeshop on one side and a collective on the other," said Anna Christian, manager of the salon. Stylist Meagan Morey said a few customers have told her they were in town for one of the collectives. "I've had clients who said they're from Redding and said they're in town for the collectives," she said. "They figured they'd get a haircut while in town." Those dispensaries, 530 Collective and Queen of Dragons, are the only two legal ones in the Interstate 5 corridor between Mount Shasta and Sacramento. That leads many medical marijuana users to Shasta Lake to fill their recommendations, said Jamie Kerr, owner of 530 Collective and a member of the Shasta Lake Planning Commission. She said her dispensary has served people from as far as Butte, Glenn and Siskiyou counties. Tobacco and Vape sees dispensary customers daily, said manager Will Mardas. He's met people from as far away as Red Bluff in the month-and-a-half he's been there. "We get some good business," he said. Meth and taxes? Not all businesses are OK with a third collective opening. Alpha Dental Lab opposes it. One of the collectives attracts a tremendous amount of illegal business, the lab owner said in a statement to the council. Also, the owner lamented that Alpha Dental Lab pays a larger share of its revenue in taxes than the collectives because of their quasi-legal nature. The business has also faced costs that have doubled or more in the previous decade. Staff at the Rite-Aid referred comments to their corporate office. Some people at Tuesday's council meeting brought up concerns about the dispensary attracting illicit drug dealers to the area, but Mardas said he sees Shasta County Sheriff's patrols regularly in the area, which he called "safe." Neither Morey nor Christian worried the collective would bring in more crime. Krystal Davis, 33, said she feels safer in Shasta Lake than in Redding while grabbing lunch at a Mexican restaurant a block away from the dispensary's location. She doesn't think the dispensaries attract crime without them, many patients would turn to the black market, she said. Lidie, who appealed to the council after the Planning Commission rejected the new dispensary, has pointed out both collectives have generated a handful of calls to law enforcement over the years. She didn't return a call for comment Wednesday afternoon. 530 Collective's security measures include cameras throughout the collective, locking up all marijuana in heavy safes, guards and a back-up generator for her alarm system, said Kerr, who recused herself from the commission's vote on Lidie's dispensary. "I get called down here a few times a year for false alarms for the errant cobweb," she said. Shake up competition In January 2015, however, a 6 percent tax of collective's gross receipts took effect, Kerr said. That brought in $353,500 into the $6 million general fund budget, said Duckett, the city manager. Kerr said she believes in competition but worries the new collective will poach clientele. Her collective is the furthest from Interstate 5, and Lidie's would be the closest, she said. Her collective employs 14 people who daily serve between 80 and 100 customers in the slow season and 200 and 220 during the peak season. Her bottom line becomes very tight when she drops to about 80 patients a day, she said. 530 Collective's gross receipts have grown about 10 percent each year except when Redding outlawed collectives and they doubled, she said. But last year, they only grew 5 percent, she said. "I do think there is a saturation point. I don't know if we're there yet, but we're close for medical marijuana," she said. Queen of Dragons' Tammy Brazil didn't return a request for comment but has expressed similar concerns. Lidie previously has said she hopes to open in late spring or early summer. SHARE Photo courtesy Holiday Market Merle Haggard helps make a television commercial for Holiday Market in Palo Cedro in the 1980s. He was a regular at the grocery store, which made sure to stock his favorites. Photo courtesy Holiday Market Merle Haggard helps make a television commercial for Holiday Market in Palo Cedro in the 1980s. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Merle Haggard in 2003, practicing at a home in Whitmore. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Merle Haggard in 2003, practicing at a home in Whitmore. By David Benda of the Redding Record Searchlight Shasta County has been a rural oasis for many a Southern California transplant. But, as a 1982 Record Searchlight article noted, none was more famous than Merle Haggard, the country music legend who knew the first time he visited the North State and saw Lake Shasta it would one day be his home. Haggard died Wednesday in Palo Cedro at 79, on his birthday. He was surrounded by family and friends. Haggard lived in the North State for decades. Like many, Haggard discovered the area on vacation and owned a cabin near Redding. He finally made the area home in 1976, coming to Palo Cedro. A Bakersfield native, Haggard moved here with his brother, Lowell, and their families. Merle Haggard once told the Record Searchlight about his love for the water and fishing and the draw of Lake Shasta. "The first five years I fished this lake, I couldn't believe it. It was virgin. In the winter months, you can still find some place to be alone," Haggard said in 1982. Haggard treasured his time on the lake and enjoyed fishing for bass and houseboating. For years, he hosted the Merle Haggard Bass Tournament on the lake. The tournament brought anglers from around the country and was an economic boost to the area. Its purse featured thousands of dollars in prizes each year, including a fully equipped bass boat to the winner. For a short time in the 1980s, Haggard owned an interest in Silverthorn Resort on the lake. Haggard found himself in a dispute at the lake in August 1982 when he was told his luxury houseboat was too big. Shasta-Trinity National Forest officials ordered the boat off the lake. Regulations at the time allowed a maximum size of 15 feet wide and no longer than 50 feet. Steve Fitch, then the head ranger of the Shasta Lake Ranger District, told the Record Searchlight that Haggard understood the Forest Service's position. Fitch said Haggard called the issue a "gentlemen's dispute." Haggard's generosity took center stage for the concerts he would play for such causes as veterans and children, which were known as the Little Red Wagon Christmas shows in the 1980s. He first started performing shows for children when he lived in Bakersfield. In 1988, the Redding City Council thanked Haggard for his work, giving the performer a plaque and ceremonial key to the city. Maurice Johannessen, then Redding's mayor, said Haggard had raised thousands of dollars' worth of toys to needy children. "He's not a stranger to the community, or the country at large either, and it's a pleasure to give recognition to him for an outstanding community service," Johannessen said at the time. Haggard collaborated with many greats in country music, and often played with them in front of local audiences. Haggard and Willie Nelson shared the stage at a sold-out Redding Civic Auditorium in early 2003. The crowd came to see Nelson, but early in the show he welcomed Haggard to the stage and the pair played side-by-side for much of the evening. Former Cascade Theatre General Manager Jeff Darling said Haggard had a unique ability to connect with people. Haggard for years would play annual shows at the downtown theater in Redding, often waving his fees to help the venue make more money so the nonprofit could boost its bottom line. "It wasn't just the music that impacted us," Darling said. But it's the music that Scott Joss, 53, who played fiddle in Haggard's band, The Strangers, knows his friend and mentor is still playing. "All I can do is hope he is up there, hanging with Bob Wills, who he loved, playing 'Little Betty Brown'" said Joss, a Shasta High School graduate who first met Haggard in 1981. SHARE National and state tourism officials gather today in Redding at the Red Lion Hotel for the annual Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association Tourism Summit. This years theme is A Rising Tide Lifts Us All. Among the speakers are Philip Joseph, of Brand USA, and Clay Gregory, of Visit Napa Valley. Joseph will talk about how Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association has partnered with Brand USA to promote far Northern California. Gregory will discuss how businesses in the Napa Valley practice the rising tide concept. Ed Rullman, board chair of Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, and Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association General Manager Laurie Baker will open the event at 9:15 a.m. Tweets by @DavidBenda_RS SHARE The Redding Police Department arrested a 26-year-old male who was found with stolen property after he broke into a business located at 1300 West Street, according to a press release by the Redding Police Department. Officers and the Redding Police K9 unit were dispatched to the location Wednesday morning at 7:54 a.m. after they received report of a possible interrupted commercial burglary. Officers searched the building, and K9 Chyr located Dustin Blanken, of Redding, inside one of the businesses at the address. Blanken was found with the stolen property, several grams of methamphetamine and various other drug paraphernalia, according to officers. According to their investigation, Blanken broke into the business through a window, rummaged through several business offices and took items from of the businesses at the location. The stolen items were returned to the victim of the stolen property. Blanken was booked at the Shasta County Jail and charged with commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Redding Police Department at 530-225-4200. SHARE Hussey Police: Sex offender fails to register A felon staying at a Redding motel was arrested on suspicion of not registering as a sex offender and on suspicion of being intoxicated in public, police said. Ronald Hussey, 35, had been staying at the Market Street Manor for the past week, Cpl. Levi Solada said. Hussey had two outstanding felony warrants out of Oregon for failing to register as a sex offender, Solada added. Hussey was staying with a female juvenile at the downtown Redding hotel for the past two days and has been living in the area since February, said Solada. Hussey had been jailed in Oregon and, after his release, made his way to Redding but failed to register as a sex offender, police said. Hussey also admitted to recently using methamphetamine and was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication, police said. Hussey was booked into Shasta County Jail with bail set in lieu of $10,000. The case is under investigation and additional charges may be pending, Solada said. Anyone who recognizes Hussey having inappropriate contact with juveniles is asked to contact the police department at 225-4200. Office identifies homicide victims The Trinity County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday identified the victims of Monday night's double homicide as Hayfork residents James Jachna, 41, and Amanda Patton, 21. Deputies declined to release more details in the case, including the motives of suspect Jason Brady, citing the ongoing investigation. Deputies said Brady, 40, of Escondido confessed to the killings that took place at a residence on Carter Gulch Road in Hayfork. Deputies found Brady inside the residence and took him into custody after he ran out of the back of the house. Occupants injured in I-5 rollover crash Two people were taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff with major injuries after a vehicle hit an embankment next to southbound Interstate 5 just south of Wilcox Road. Witnesses said the vehicle was going the wrong way up the Wilcox Road off-ramp about 3:30 p.m. and rolled over, according to the California Highway Patrol website. The crash caused a freeway backup that didn't start to clear until shortly after 5 p.m. Pedestrian ID'd in fatal collision A pedestrian who was struck and killed by a vehicle Monday night at the intersection of Market Street and Lake Boulevard has been identified as Matthew Lee Ross Sr., 45, of Redding. The Redding Police Department reported the death Monday at 9:32 p.m. "due to a vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collision." A toxicology report was also submitted to determine if Ross was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the collision. The Redding Police Department is continuing its investigation. Man arrested in business break-in The Redding Police Department arrested a 26-year-old man who was found with stolen property after he broke into a business at 1300 West St., the Redding Police Department said. Officers and a Redding police K-9 unit were sent to the location Wednesday at 7:54 a.m. after they received report of a "possible interrupted commercial burglary." Officers searched the building, and K-9 Chyr found Dustin Blanken, of Redding, inside one of the businesses at the address, police said. Blanken was found with the stolen property, several grams of methamphetamine and various other drug paraphernalia, officers said. According to their investigation, Blanken broke into the business through a window, rummaged through several business offices and took items from one of the businesses. The stolen items were returned to the victim of the stolen property. Blanken was booked at the Shasta County Jail on suspicion of commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Anyone with additional information on the crime is asked to contact the Redding Police Department at 530-225-4200. Multivehicle wreck slows I-5 traffic The California Highway Patrol said a wreck involving as many as six vehicles slowed traffic in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 just south of Redding for less than an hour Wednesday morning. Dispatchers reported the wreck on I-5 near Knighton Road just before 8 a.m. CHP dispatchers said the wreck was cleared before 9 a.m. At least two minor injuries were reported, according to a California Department of Transportation worker on scene. Medics at the wreck also reported all vehicles involved were in the center divide of the highway. Deputies: Missing Etna man found safe A man reported missing late last month from his Etna home has been found safe, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office. Deputies found Emmett Mackey, 87, on Wednesday night, public information officer Kelly Giordano said. Mackey was reported missing March 28 after he left his home in a 2009 white Subaru Forester. FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2016 file photo, a U.S. Border Patrol agent drives near the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Santa Teresa, N.M. A new complaint says U.S. Border Patrol agents are looting immigrants of possessions before deporting them to Mexico without their IDs or money. The ACLU of New Mexico and a coalition of advocacy groups filed the administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, and say the seizures are endangering migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File) SHARE By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A complaint filed by advocacy groups alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents are looting immigrants of possessions before deporting them to Mexico without their IDs or money. The ACLU of New Mexico and a coalition of organizations filed the administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday and say the seizures are putting migrants at the US-Mexico border in harm's way. The complaint said immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally were deported without their belongings in 26 separate cases. Advocates say immigrants were deported to cities in Mexico where they have no acquaintances. DHS spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said in a statement that the department has a policy of safeguarding detainees' property. "DHS will review the complaint once we receive it. DHS has strict standards in place to ensure that detainees' personal property including funds, baggage and other effects is safeguarded and controlled while they are in detention and returned to them when they are released from CBP/ICE custody or removed from the United States. Any allegation of missing property will be thoroughly investigated," Christensen said. In one case, U.S. Border Patrol agents detained a 23-year-old man from Chihuahua, Mexico, on a road near Antelope Wells, New Mexico, in February 2015, and forced him to sign a form abandoning his rights to his belongings, the complaint said. The man did not understand the contents of the form, and the agents never advised him of his right to reclaim his belongings, according to the complaint. He was later sent to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, without his belongings, documents claimed. The complaint also said border patrol agents seized nearly $400 from a 23-year-old woman from Guerrero after she was detained near an international bridge in El Paso, Texas. Advocates said the money, which was part of the woman's life savings, was never returned. "They are really eroding the rule of law at the border," ACLU of New Mexico attorney Kristin Greer Love said. "They are putting people at great vulnerability. Some are fleeing dangerous situations and are seeking asylum in the U.S." Advocacy groups in Mexico complain that the seizures have been occurring along the border for years, Love said. Documents also said Border Patrol agents often destroy belongings, including legal and identity documents. SHARE When California legislators voted to raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2022, labor activists cheered. Discounting fears that a $15 minimum might cost some low-wage workers their jobs, activists and their political allies celebrated a victory for fairness and economic justice. Progressive labor activists took a very different view 100 years ago, when 15 states established America's first minimum wages. Labor reformers then believed that a legal minimum would hand a raise to deserving white Anglo-Saxon men, and a pink slip to their undeserving competitors: "racially undesirable" immigrants, the mentally and physically disabled, and women. The original progressives hailed minimum-wage-caused job losses among these groups as a positive benefit to the U.S. economy and to Anglo-Saxon racial integrity. In 1910, 22 percent of the U.S. workforce was foreign-born. A Who's Who of American economic reform warned that immigration was leading to "race suicide," what President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 called the "greatest problem of civilization." This race suicide theory claimed that because non-Anglo-Saxon immigrants had low living standards, their competition in the labor market undercut the wages of the American workingman. The key assumption was that Anglo-Saxon natives were more productive, but that immigrants worked cheap. As Stanford sociologist and avowed nativist Edward A. Ross put it, "the coolie, though he cannot outdo the American, can underlive him." Woodrow Wilson, echoing many others, said that Chinese immigrants could "live upon a handful of rice for a pittance." Similar charges were made against Jews and Catholics arriving from southern and Eastern Europe. The American-born worker, who refused to lower his family's living standard to the immigrant's level, opted instead to have fewer children. Thus, concluded the theory, the inferior races would outbreed and displace their white Anglo-Saxon betters. Progressive economists proposed a minimum wage as the ideal remedy. It lifted up the deserving while excluding the unworthy and did both in the name of progress. Journalist and progressive social reformer Paul Kellogg in 1913 advocated a minimum wage of $3 per day for all immigrants, double the $1.50 per day ordinary laborers were then paid. Kellogg knew that no firm would hire an unskilled immigrant for $3 per day. That was the purpose of his high minimum wage, as he wrote, to exclude "Angelo Lucca and Alexis Spivak" from American shores, thus protecting American jobs for "John Smith and Michael Murphy and Carl Sneider." Kellogg targeted "racially undesirable" immigrants, but a high minimum wage would also protect the American workingman from unworthy economic competition already in the American workforce. The developmentally disabled, then called "feeble minded" or "defective," also were treated by many labor reformers as low-wage threats. Unable to command a minimum wage, they too would be pushed into unemployment and then could be removed to institutions or to labor colonies. According to British reformers Beatrice and Sidney Webb, when a minimum wage cost a disabled person his job, this was "not a mark of social disease, but actually of social health." In the case of women, the minimum wage argument was subtler than the eugenic hysteria directed at immigrants and the disabled. Rather, it was couched in the paternalism of protecting women's health and virtue. In reality, labor reformers wanted to protect employment from women as much as they wanted to protect women from employment. Women made up 21 percent of the U.S. workforce in 1910 and reformers like Florence Kelley, who led the campaign for minimum wages, accused them of undercutting male breadwinners entitled to a "family wage." Labor reformers have far more inclusive views these days. Unlike their namesakes, 21st century progressives consider job losses a social cost, not a putative social benefit. Much of the economic debate about raising the minimum wage in California and New York has in fact centered on how best to avoid causing unemployment. Today's progressives would say their namesakes were wrong on race and gender and wrong on the effects of the minimum wage on employment. We know better today, they say. The original progressives were indeed wrong reprehensibly so on race and gender (even if the 2016 presidential campaign demonstrates that part of the electorate thinks otherwise). But were they wrong that a minimum wage set high enough will cost low-wage workers their jobs? If they were right, and a $15 per hour minimum by 2022 proves to be too high too fast, the workers who will lose their jobs will disproportionately be people of color, immigrants, the disabled and women the very people labor reformers vilified as low wage threats a century ago. Thomas C. Leonard teaches economics and history at Princeton. He is the author of "Illiberal Reformers: Race, Eugenics and American Economics in the Progressive Era." He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. Going by one definition of this highly elastic term, N R Narayana Murthy could be considered "anti-national" for his plain-speak about Indian IT companies, says Kanika Datta. Now that the issue is convulsing the headlines on almost a daily basis, this is a good time to do an "anti-national" check of Indian business, the constituency that collectively expressed so much hope in Narendra Modi's economic agenda. Going by one definition of this highly elastic term, N R Narayana Murthy could be considered "anti-national" for his plain-speak about Indian IT companies at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Tuesday. He excoriated the Indian IT industry for acting like "immigration agents" for their employees in guaranteeing them visas and Green Cards for offshore work and went as far as to suggest it had a responsibility to create jobs for American youngsters. Creating jobs for foreigners? Our jobs versus their jobs? That would have touched some nerves in the political establishment. In fact, Mr Murthy was making a subtle and practical point. It is hard to deny that Indian IT has developed a global reputation for usurping local jobs, a sophisticated version of the demonisation to which Mexicans are currently being subjected. This may be a distorted notion, amplified by the artificial indignation of foreign media and shrill triumphalism of the domestic press. Being perceived as generating jobs for local people at a time of slower growth can be a handy reputation-enhancing tool to ensure the durability of the Indian IT companies in their key markets. Luckily, no one is likely to accuse a respected pioneer of India's global IT revolution of "anti-nationalism", even if this most amiably dignified of industrialists is unlikely to yell "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" on random occasions. Still, his statement unwittingly highlights a fundamental tension between the brute patriotism that informs the political discourse today and the realities of doing business in an acutely competitive global environment. No one understands this better than Mr Modi, which is why he has jettisoned any hint of nationalism in his bid to attract private sector investment and expand employment. Over the past two years, he has regularly signalled his intent with Make in India (September 2014), Digital India and Skill India (both July 2015) and StartUp India (January 2016) plus some effort to nudge the country up the World Bank's Doing Business ranking. The only trouble is India Inc does not appear to be responding with due patriotic fervour. It must be said, however, that Indian business' appetite for outbound investment has also waned. Foreign direct outbound investment in 2014-15, which roughly coincides with Mr Modi's first year in power, fell 68 per cent. Officials in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), who appear to have been infected by the muscular nationalism of their political masters, saw this as a sign that Indian business was regaining confidence in the Indian economy. Unfortunately, other data do not corroborate DIPP's optimism. The Economic Survey shows that gross fixed capital formation as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), one rough and ready indicator of business confidence, has fallen sharply, from 33.4 in 2012-13 to 29.4 in 2015-16 (the latter being a provisional figure). Independent analysts suggest that the falling outward foreign direct investment (FDI) figures have more to do with an ailing global economy than substantial renewed interest in India (just as much as the composition of inward FDI numbers overstate the case). All the same, even the most pro-national Indian should take pride in India's outbound forays since the start of this century. India is now the UK's third largest investor - Indian direct investment to that country jumped 65 per cent in 2015, creating 9,000 more jobs, which may partly explain why Tata Steel isn't getting quite the bad rap it would have for its plan to close or sell its Welsh plant. "The Empire Strikes Back" has been the cliched idiom on which the Indian media falls back to describe developments of this nature, but Mr Murthy probably has a shrewder grasp of the realities of business. Global investment is agnostic when it comes to nationalism. On the whole, it is clear that that the only "ism" that business, whatever its provenance, respects is opportunism. In the context of the Panama Papers, it is interesting that the bulk of outbound investment from India in the past decade or so has been directed towards tax havens - Mauritius, Singapore, British Virgin Islands (all former British colonies!) and the Netherlands. Anti-nationalism or sheer resourcefulness? In the business world, those judgements are likely to be considered quite pointless. Agency offers door-step collection of application, biometric data Those going to the UK can submit their visa forms and biometric data from the convenience of their residence. On Demand Mobile Visa service launched by VFS Global and UK Visas and Immigration gives applicants the choice of submitting their visa forms and biometric data from a place of their convenience, subject to risk assessment. The on-demand service costs 750 British pounds or about Rs 70,000 for up to 10 applicants. Visa fee is extra. The service will be useful for high net worth individuals and large groups going to the UK such as corporate employees, students or film production unit members who do not wish to visit visa application centres. VFS Global's COO-South Asia Vinay Malhotra said: "This service is applicable for all categories of visas, except long-term student visas whose applicants may be required to come to the visa application centre for a video interview with authorities in the UK." Last year, UKVI issued more than 450,000 visas to Indian citizens. Collection of biometric data was introduced for UK visas in 2007, making the visit to a processing centre mandatory. Before that, an applicant or a representative could submit a visa application at an application centre, Malhotra said. The UK government collects biometrics such as fingerprints and facial images of visa applicants. Other countries that collect similar data include the US, Ireland and the Schengen members. Four Schengen member-countries -- Portugal, Denmark, Hungary and Slovenia -- will introduce similar biometrics and visa-form collection service in India soon. Nick Crouch, UK Visas & Immigration's regional director, said, "This is yet another example of UKVI and VFS working in partnership to offer visa applicants the service they want. "It is a direct result of customer feedback and we are confident that these services will prove popular. "We will continue to work together to improve our services even further." Image: British Airways' Airbus A380 arrives at a hanger after landing at Heathrow airport in London. Photograph: Paul Hackett/Reuters The image is used for representational purpose only Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan on Thursday said there is a need to make country's banking system more vibrant and to strengthen the markets. "We need to do a lot of things to make our banking sector more vibrant," Rajan said during an interactive session with Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a Confederation of Indian Industry event in Mumbai. He said the entry of a whole set of new banks of different kinds is going to contribute towards improvement of the sector. Last year, Reserve Bank of India had given in-principle approval to 11 payment banks and 10 small finance banks. Some of these entities are looking at starting their operations later this year or early next year. In the first bimonthly policy of the fiscal announced earlier this week, RBI had said it will be looking at issuing more differentiated banking licences. "In addition to recently licensed differentiated banks such as payments banks and small finance banks, the Reserve Bank will explore the possibilities of licensing other differentiated banks such as custodian banks and banks concentrating on whole-sale and long-term financing," it had said in the policy. The governor also emphasised on enhancing capacities of existing banks. "Also, improving the capabilities of the existing banks is extremely important and which is why the asset clean up is part of the answer," he said. Rajan has set March 2017 as the deadline for banks to clean up their balance sheets. On markets, he said there is a need to strengthen markets by allowing new instruments and new set of participants. "We have a lot of new technology which allows us to do this and we have to make sure that we do it in a safe way," the governor said. Image: Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan. Photograph: Reuters Entrepreneurs Vani and AVIS Viswanathan may look like the happiest couple on earth right now (which they obviously are). But a few years ago, they had a five crore debt and were jobless -- a phase which tested them emotionally and financially for almost a decade. How they survived and found true happiness is a story worth knowing. If happiness were to be assigned a state of matter, I would imagine it to be liquid. For is it not true that we all drink our share of happiness from our own imaginary cups, bottles, goblets, even saucers -- half full or otherwise? We each look at happiness in a different shape that we have fashioned with our unique experiences of dealing with life's ups and downs. This intangible and abstract condition has now come to be valued as a billion-dollar industry worldwide, encompassing the self-help, wellness, and the positive psychology industry. There are many out there peddling happiness as a commodity mostly in the form of self-help books. Countries are looking at calibrating their growth and economic progress using it as a metrics, with the Kingdom of Bhutan which measures its GNH (Gross National Happiness) as opposed to GDP, being a case in point. Thus, when I heard about AVIS Viswanathan who referred to himself as a 'happiness curator', I was skeptical. But I soon found out this was like judging a book by its cover. AVIS and his wife and business partner Vaani experienced bankruptcy when the business they had run successfully for six years from 1996, experienced turbulence from 2002 and finally went down in 2008 leaving them with a humongous burden of a Rs 5-crore debt. In the eight years, the couple has gone through an emotional and personal crisis that very few survive to tell the tale. They have battled legal and criminal persecution, family prejudice, and societal censure to come up with their own paradigm of happiness to learn to be happy despite their circumstances. Pursuit of happiness When they decided to tell their story they were opening up to public scrutiny. "Society often judges people who are going through a financial crisis or failure harshly as opposed to say someone battling a health crisis," says Vaani. AVIS writes in his book Fall like a Rose Petal that he authored for his children as a 'father's lessons on how to be happy and content while living without money', "We discovered that integrity of purpose was more important than money; and wearing your life on your sleeve and facing life is better than running away from it." Is money not directly proportional to happiness then? For as much as we may differ on the true meaning of happiness, I bet we all believe that though money may not necessarily buy happiness it is an essential ingredient in the cocktail of happiness. "No," says AVIS, adding, "When we started doing more and more stuff within the realm of our joy, a phenomenal amount of abundance started coming in." This story is as much about AVIS and Vaani's loss as it is about the straws of learning they clutched on to, to swim ashore. It is perhaps also a story of all those with an entrepreneurial spirit who set sail on the high sea of life with nothing more than their faith and passion, and perhaps a compass ready to brave any storm. Calm before the storm AVIS and Vaani met when he was 19 and she 20. AVIS quit business journalism to move from Bengaluru to Chennai to start his own business in 1996. "We had the best six years running our company that was into total reputation management. It was a new concept. We would work with CEOs to identify their company's purpose, mission, and value and take it to the shop floor through workshops. The other component of the business was external communication and branding," AVIS says. It was more like a boutique consulting firm and their ambition was to see it become global. They already had a Hong Kong-based client which was an important one as 60 percent of their revenues came from that one client. Around 2002, things took a turn when the time came for renewing the contract with this particular client. "I went to meet them least suspecting that the contract would not be renewed even though we had given them the best service and they were happy with it too," recalls AVIS. At the meeting, the client instead proposed to buy their company and offered AVIS a job in their Hong Kong office. "I would still have considered the offer had they not made what I call an indecent proposal. They were offering to buy my company at the service value. When I asked them why they were valuing it so low, they said what else can you expect an Indian company to be valued at?" AVIS says he was furious, and he left the meeting rejecting the offer. "Entrepreneurial prudence is that when your revenues are down, you lay off team members and control costs. But entrepreneurial passion also blinds you to that sense of wisdom," he says. They did the opposite choosing to fight this out "together" and until their revenue increased they decided to fund the company with debt finance. "That was the first big mistake," says AVIS in hindsight. "I now realise that Excel sheet mein zindagi nahi banti hai (life does not pan out according to a business plan on an Excel sheet)." Bomb your company It had now become what Vaani calls 'a game for cash'. If earlier they were selective about choosing their clients, now they grabbed even those who wanted just PR and external communication work. "It became a big monster and we were not enjoying it one bit," she says almost shuddering, recalling the worst phase of their life. It was on New Year's Eve in 2004, when the family was on a holiday in Coorg and AVIS says he suddenly realised that he did not want to go back to Chennai. He sat Vaani down and told her about his fears that they had reduced themselves to nothing more than a vanilla PR company. "There's this saying if you do not like the culture of your company, bomb it. I simply did not like the culture of my company," adds AVIS. Once he was back home, he prepared a 'Ctrl, Alt, Del' document which detailed his strategy for the company. "I decided to refuse PR work totally, and instead said we will focus only on reputation management, and third I finally decided to let go of my large team." But as he realised these decisions were coming three years too late. "When we evaluated we had 40 employees, six offices, 38 paying customers and all those 38 were for PR-related work. Which meant that we were bombing our firm," he says. But they did not know the ramifications of what they were getting into. "We thought there will be a certain path visible to us" trails off AVIS. Instead the path turned out to be strewn with landmines. New happiness paradigm This was an intense period of emotional upheaval for the couple. AVIS was dogged with feelings of guilt and frustrations. The thought of leading his family into the eye of the storm was killing him. So even as they bombed their company, they retained two offices, one in Bengaluru and another in Chennai, and hired some new team members as the entire old team had quit either upset or angry with him for withholding some of their PF or bonus. "We were still borrowing," he says, exasperated at his own mistakes. These borrowings were in their personal capacity as banks were not ready to give them a corporate loan. "It is so important for entrepreneurs to evaluate where their borrowings are from. There was no one to guide us," he rues. When 2006 dawned, they had zero revenue. AVIS says, "Our entire premise of the Coorg conversation was that I was not happy going back to my old office. So we thought if we can take decisions in the realm of our happiness then why not take these learnings and share with the corporate clients we work with." This is where their 'happiness strategy' came in. They rebranded themselves as a workplace happiness firm. Luckily, because of their earlier pitches, they signed three multi-national clients paying them top-draw fee. "So the new strategy was working," he says. A Kafkaesque nightmare And then something crazy happened. "As we entered 2007, we had a large amount of money to be paid out as debt servicing and all that remained of what we had earned in 2006 was barely enough to run our family and clear some employee related dues and other statutory dues," he says. The contract for the companies that had signed up in 2006 was for a calendar year. AVIS says he had no choice but to go beyond the banks. "I now went to family, friends, and non-conventional financiers." So 365 days of 2007, AVIS and Vaani were borrowing from 'Peter' to pay back 'Paul', and at the same time pitching to 185 potential customers, none of whom signed up. "That is what led us to the cathartic experience on December 31, 2007, when our lawyer friend told us that we were bankrupt. It was the most incredible moment of our lives." When 2008 opened, they were left with Rs 2000 and the value of their debt was Rs 5 crore. "My son was finishing his high school and wanted to go abroad for further studies, my daughter was 13 and I could not meet any of her wishes. I did not know where to start from," says AVIS. As we know trouble never comes alone; it brings a long trail of troubles along. To make matters worse, AVIS says he was 20 kilos overweight, was addicted to tobacco, and was a diabetic. "Our doctor friend told me only half jokingly that I would not survive to see 40." To top this all, there were legal cases filed against him, and some creditors would call threatening to kidnap his daughter. His mother and extended family thought he was a cheat. "I would go to the bathroom, look into the mirror and cry," says AVIS. He was drowning in an emotional cauldron. At that time, he was ready to do anything to get his family out of this mess. They visited astrologers. He wore different rings in the hope of bringing good luck. "People advised me to get into real estate business, recruiting, even take up a job," he says adding, "Believe me I tried everything. I even held a job for a year, but when you have so many court cases against you, dealing with them becomes a job in itself," AVIS says. Vaani, on the other hand, had to look after her father who was diagnosed with cancer. "That was when I came upon 'mauna' where you silence your inner self. I found this quote of Vivekananda's very powerful, which goes something like this: 'Any man can be calm in sleep or in a cave, but if you can stay calm in the middle of chaos then you've found your centre.' I wanted to be there." Empowered by this, AVIS started taking charge of his life. He gave up tobacco, lost 20 kgs in six months and his sugar levels came under control. "So when the body began to cope and mind began to anchor, a new clarity emerged. We had lost everything. Except for something happening to the four of us there was nothing to lose. I told Vaani from here on let us not compromise on who we are and on our inner joy." Resilience is like a Bluetooth From 2008 to 2012, small projects trickled in. "In 2014, we were struggling like in 2007, but we also realised we were not suffering. We learnt to fight this better and better." But when business was still not taking off they decided to flip the paradigm and instead of wanting to be successful they decided to be useful. Slowly, the book was published. Their lawyer friend invited him to speak at different gatherings. "Driven by that sense of purpose, anywhere people were willing to pause and reflect, we would tell them our story and the learnings from it," says AVIS. They started offering open public workshops calling it 'Help yourself to happiness', first for free and slowly moving on to charge for the workshops. They run, 'Bliss Catchers', a series of talks featuring people who had braved odds or given up a life of comfort to follow their bliss. As AVIS says, something miraculous happened. "As we were doing work that gave us joy, a phenomenal amount of abundance started coming in." Despite his reservations, he did not come in the way of his son's decision to study abroad. He had no idea how his fees would be paid, "but every quarter some friend would help us out." The flat they were living in was Vaani's twin's flat and she let them stay there rent-free. "My brother would ask me, 'how come these miracles only happen to you'? I don't know really, but we had learnt to let go," says AVIS. Among his 179 creditors, while there are some who are still skeptical, there are others who have kept faith in them. "We continue to have the debt hanging over our heads but we hope to repay everyone someday," he says. According to AVIS, his learnings from his failures have been tremendous. "We found that we can be resilient. Resilience is like a Bluetooth, you have to activate it. The second was resourcefulness. "We also worked how to be non-worrying in the midst of worries. The other, in fact, most important lesson was to accept reality. And this is what happiness is. We may not have the money yet but we are finding ourselves to be extremely useful," he adds. Though it sounds trite, but the best lesson from AVIS and Vaani's life is the importance of love that bound them to overcome misfortune together. Again, an abstract concept. But a way to test the existence of love is to look at it as a gaseous substance -- it has the ability to compress under pressure! The characters drawn for the 2016 film have an edge that wasn't present in the 1967 version. This is perhaps why The Jungle Book has been given an U/A certificate in India. For once, Pahlaj Nihalani may be right, feels Aseem Chhabra. Disney's 1967 animated The Jungle Book -- a charming, delightful adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's book -- is imprinted in my mind as if it is a narrative of my own life story. There is a personal reason for that. In the 1990s, my son, now in his mid-20s, loved the film and would play its VHS tape on a loop. I have lost count of the times I watched that film, but on this rare occasion, the adult in me was equally enthralled by a film that so appealed to my child. The seductive voice of Sterling Holloway as Kaa, the snake (he also gave the voice to Winnie the Pooh) singing Trust in Me as if it was a jazz club lounge number is a great example of how some of the films produced by the Walt Disney company were so creative and artistic. And who can forget the joyful The Bare Necessities in the voice of Phil Harris (as Ballo, the bear) and Bruce Reitherman (Mowgli, the man cub and the protagonist of the tale). The song and its composer, Terry Gilkyson, was nominated for an Oscar. So the purist in me was rather dismissive about the news the Disney was updating The Jungle Book making it into a live-action film with one actor (Neel Sethi, an Indian-American kid from New York City) and with a star cast (Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson among others) lending their voices to CGI-created animals. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book is a hugely entertaining film with a nod to the 1967 classic, but yet very different in mood and texture. The new film, based on Justin Marks' screenplay (his only feature film credit to date is the 2009 Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li), is a thrilling adventure that will remind viewers of the edge-of-the-seat moments from films like steven Spielberg's The Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park (the first one) and Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong. Under Favreau's guidance The Jungle Book -- entirely shot in the Disney studios in the suburbs of Los Angeles -- is the right product for our times. Today's audience, including children, teenagers and even adults, have been exposed to realistic computerised images with a healthy dosage of violence and gore, in the form of video games. With the Jungle Book, Favreau and his technical team (there were hundreds listed in the credits -- with many Indian sounding names, indicating a lot of post production work may have been done in India) have given us the best possible narrative cinema using today's cutting edge technology. The film is realistic looking so it is very believable that we are somewhere in a jungle in India and not in a studio in California. The plot of the film is more or less the same as that of the animated work, with a minor change to the ending. Mowgli (the adorable Sethi was a real find for Disney), a young boy abandoned in a jungle is raised by a pack of wolves. Hence, he is referred to as a man cub. He is watched over by Bageera, the kind panther (Kingsley with a very statesman-like presence). Life is good for Mowgli, until the menacing Shere Khan (a terrifying Elba) decides he wants to eat the child. Mowgli is forced to run, but along the way he meets some amazing colourful characters Kaa (Johansson), Ballo (Murray) and a humongous orangutan King Louie (Christopher Walken). The characters drawn for the 2016 live action film have an edge that was not present in the 1967 animated film. Shere Khan in the new film is genuinely scary at times, especially how he leaps across the screen in 3D and his roar accentuated by the digitally enhance Dolby Atmos sound is frightening. This is perhaps why the film has been given a PG certificate in the US (according to the MPAA the film has 'some sequences of scary action and peril') and an U/A certificate in India. Indian Censor Board Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani was quoted as saying 'The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience.' As has become a regular practice, Nihalani was mocked on Twitter, but I have to admit that for once he is right. Kaa in Johansson's voice becomes a female snake, although one could say that Holloway had a soft gentle voice -- the cause of a lot of speculation that the voiceover actor may have been gay or bisexual. Many observers noted Kipling's racist text and how King Louie was presented in the 1967 film. Critics and others actually took offense to the way the jive-talking Louie sang I Want To Be Like to Mowgli, given that Kipling was an apologist for the empire (he wrote the poem The White Man's Burden). But now King Louie is no longer a dancing giant monkey. As created by Favreau's animators, the upgraded Louie (with a definite nod to Marlon Brando's Colonel Walter Kurtz in Apocalypse Now), speaking in Walken's voice, is a menacing terror who along with his army of monkeys provides one of the best action sequences in the film. Murray and Sethi get to reprise The Bare Necessities and one can tell they are having so much fun. A recent video of the two performing on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show is a telling example of how beautifully Favreau's film captures the jazzy moments of the 1967 animated film. I have one request. Everyone should stay seated through the end credits. For that is when you will get to hear Scarlett Johansson sing Trust in Me. Her voice is so smooth, sultry and sexy. That song alone is worth the price of admission. Rediff Rating: If things work out, it will be a great leap forward in the Indian-Iranian economic ties in the new phase of Irans reintegration with the world market following the lifting of sanctions, says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. The Narendra Modi government is approaching the home stretch in a historic reset of the India-Iran relationship. Two senior Cabinet ministers are heading for Teheran this month. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will visit Tehran on April 9-10, to be followed within a week by the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on April 16. Conceivably, it isnt too early to begin pondering about a landmark visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran. A historic visit seems to be in the making. Pradhans is a working visit insofar as he has so much business to transact -- and they involve tens of billions of dollars in business ranging from Indian companies investing in the production of oil and gas in the Iranian fields, transportation of the gas to India possibly in LNG form, a possible swap deal and transportation of the gas through the construction of a subsea pipeline from Chabahar, setting up of petrochemical complex in Iran, and, of course, the development of Chabahar container port itself (external link here). If things work out, it will be a great leap forward in the Indian-Iranian economic ties in the new phase of Irans reintegration with the world market following the lifting of sanctions. There can be no two opinions that economic partnership is the cornerstone of an enduring India-Iran reset in the 21st century. Both countries leaderships attach high importance to the development of the economy in their respective national agenda. Significantly, within no time Swaraj proposes to follow up on Pradhans talks in Teheran and endeavour to give an overarching political direction to the new emergent impulses of strategic partnership. One can well anticipate that a top agenda item the Iranian leadership will bring forward as talking point with Swaraj will be an early visit by PM Modi to Iran. Possibly, Swarajs mission could be to firm up Modis visit and prepare the ground for it. As I had written earlier, Modis recent visit to Saudi Arabia had an eye on Pakistan (see my article Modis tight rope walk in Saudi Arabia in Rediff.com), but it was never intended to be a tilt in Indias Persian Gulf policies nodding approval of any form of regional axis as such. Teheran did not appear even for a moment worried about Modis visit to Saudi Arabia. Actually, it was already preparing for the visits by two senior ministers in Modis cabinet. . This brings to the fore a consistent trait in the Iranian diplomacy, namely, its marvellous capacity to view life as a many-splendoured thing and to never reduce relationships to zero sum terms. Unlike Israel or Saudi Arabia -- or the US in a bygone era -- Iran has no problem if India maintains diversified relationships in the Persian Gulf region (or anywhere else in the Middle East.) There is no paranoia in the Iranian mind that Israel sells a lot of high-technology weapons to India or that Saudi King Salman has conferred the Abdulaziz Sash on Modi. Our pundits have a long way to go to appreciate the subtleties and sophistication of the Persian mind. Be that as it may, much depends on how fast and efficiently India can advance the economic collaboration with Iran. Unlike in the past three or four decades, the Iranian market is going to be highly competitive (external link here). Another aspect to be kept in mind is that India should not waste its breath too much on the containment of Pakistan. It is simply not worth our while. The Iran-Pakistan relationship has been a deeply flawed one all along for a variety of reasons. Admittedly, the atmospherics has distinctly improved of late but a relationship of genuine trust and mutual confidence will take a very long time to develop, the reason being Pakistans historical role as Saudi Arabias sidekick in the region. Trust the Saudis to put a spoke in the wheel whenever the Pakistan-Iran ties show signs of looking up or to summon their influence with the Pakistani generals to continue to make attempts to foster terrorism and destabilise Irans eastern regions bordering Pakistans Baluchistan. A complete break from this pattern is unlikely anytime soon -- that is, until and unless the tensions in Saudi-Iranian relations ease. No doubt, this is also a pattern that Pakistans political class can easily jettison. Things were probably better while Benazir Bhutto was in power but that was an exception for obvious reasons. Indias big advantage here is that we have no conflict of interests with Iran. In fact, Iran is a natural ally in the fight against terrorism, in the diplomatic effort to force Pakistan to rethink its policies on using terrorist groups as instruments of state policies, in the stabilisation of Afghanistan, and in preserving regional stability and security on the whole. Today, happily enough, the US-Iranian engagement also means that it is possible for India to now develop a full-spectrum partnership with Teheran. In the ultimate analysis, energy cooperation will be the flagship of this partnership (external link here: Press TV). The heart of the matter is that given its population size (80 million), land mass, mineral reserves and human resources, industrial and technological base, a relatively developed agriculture and geographical location, it is genuinely a regional power. A strategic understanding with Iran will be to Indias advantage. There is also a congruence here insofar as Iran has great awareness of India as an emerging powerhouse and it also prioritises cooperation with India. Suffice to say, the best part of our Persian Gulf diplomacy is that we are steering clear of the discords in that region, and without being prescriptive or partisan, we are endeavouring to pursue our core concerns and vital interests. This is a wise, far-sighted policy. Finally, it is a tantalising thought but it must be put on paper -- the revival of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. Against the backdrop of the prevailing tensions in India-Pakistan relations and the signs of a very grim and dangerous scenario on our western borders, the gas pipeline still offers a ray of hope to stabilise the regional security situation. It can indeed prove to be a peace pipeline. Make no mistake, Iran will be only too willing to cooperate. In fact, not many would know that the Iranians were lukewarm about cooperating with Pakistan alone, without India as the ultimate destination for the pipeline. But, of course, all in good time, as they say. Image: Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif greet each other before their meeting in New Delhi, August 14, 2015. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters. Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar is a retired diplomat, who is widely acknowledged as one of the most authoritative experts on Afghanistan. Mr Bhadrakumar blogs at http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/ 'I may not indulge in chest thumping to express my patriotism every day.' 'I may be cynical about many things happening in our country.' 'I may not roar Bharat Mata Ki Jai at the top of my voice. But I still love my country, just as one loves one's parents with all their weaknesses.' 'Does that make me any less of a patriot?' asks Shobha Warrier. 'Man stabbed for eating beef.' 'Man lynched for stocking beef in the fridge.' 'Man attacked for not saying Vande Mataram.' Chief Minister says, 'If you don't say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, you have no right to live in this country.' Yoga guru says, 'If I can, I will cut the throats of those who don't say Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Says the Muslim leader, 'No, we will never say Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' A few prominent newspaper headlines of the last few months. Television news channels were calling these out as 'Breaking News' every minute of every day. If someone from another part of the world watches Indian television news channels or reads our newspapers, s/he may think the country is descending into barbarism. If India has the image of a barbaric country today, in spite of the prime minister flying around the world selling India as an excellent business destination, who is to be blamed? It has to be the party that is ruling the country, the party that is allowing its hooligans to create chaos and make a mess of everything, the party that thinks it has the right to decide what nationalism is and who patriots are. So those who malign and tarnish India's image the most are the people who preach patriotism and nationalism to us. "When job creation is weak, we are going to have a lot of problems. When people coming from schools and colleges do not find the jobs they expect, there is going to be a social impact!," Dr Saumitra Chaudhuri, a former member of the prime minister's economic advisory council, told me in an interview recently. "The solution to this does not lie in raising the political temperature, but cooling it!" Dr Chaudhuri, a former member of the Planning Commission, added. "Unless there is political and social calm, the economy will not grow." What kind of economic growth can a country expect when crazies are screaming for somebody's blood all the time? I was under the impression that the prime minister, the PMO and those advising Narendra Modi are sober individuals with intelligence and common sense. What we see is people digging their own graves. Unfortunately, ever since the BJP came to power with a majority, riding on expectation and hope, we have only seen pandemonium. Does the BJP leadership believe that by shouting and disturbing the peace of Indian society, they will bring about development? in contrast to the Vajpayee government's India Shining campaign, the Modi government is indulging in an India Shouting campaign. I light a lamp and pray every day, both in the morning and in the evening. I have not kept a photograph of Bharat Mata in my puja room. My day starts by playing M S Subbulakshmi's Venkatesa Suprabhatam. If I were to oblige the country's new decision makers, I should be listening to Desabhakti Geetam. Am I supposed to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai instead of the Hanuman Chalisa? Even as a schoolchild, we never had to shout Bharat Mata Ji Jai in our school assembly. We only sang the Jana Gana Mana and then said Jai Hind! at the end of the national anthem. Does that make me less of a patriot than members of the RSS and BJP? What authority do they have to judge the patriotism of any individual? I may not indulge in chest thumping to express my patriotism every day. I may be cynical about many things happening in our country. I may whine about the lack of discipline, ethics, cleanliness, and courtesy in our country. I may not roar Bharat Mata Ki Jai at the top of my voice. But I still love my country, just as one loves one's parents with all their weaknesses. Does that make me any less of a patriot? If Amit Shah believes that all Indians love the BJP's animated debates about nationalism and patriotism, that all Indians like to be told how to behave, I for one believe he is wrong. The average Indian likes to be left alone in peace where s/he can live, breathe and think calmly. Nobody wants or needs a Big Brother breathing down her/his neck, monitoring what s/he eats, wears and thinks. Mr Shah, this was not what we had bargained for when we voted your party to power with such a huge majority. You have betrayed the trust millions of people thrust upon you. There is no point blaming hostile television channels for discussing silly and ridiculous issues day in and out. By creating mayhem, these channels get the TRPs they crave. But by enabling them to do so, the BJP is losing its TRP. Who gives these channels fodder, but members of the BJP? Through their reckless and irresponsible behaviour, if they spoil the image of the country and party, the blame must go to Amit Shah for not reining in these people. Look at what is happening at our universities. Having no idea about how to deal with students, they made a Che Guevara out of an obscure student leader who has proved himself incapable of completing his PhD after years of trying. Nobody talks about the prime minister's good initiatives. Nobody talks about the many kilometres of highways laid by the highways ministry. Nobody talks about the extremely responsive railway minister. Nobody talks about the external affairs minister's resourcefulness. So many ministers work silently and diligently, but only those who scream at the top of their voices about inanities get heard. It is as if there is no positive news in this country. We heard hours and hours of debates on awards wapsi, but did we hear about Odiya writer Haldhar Nag after he was awarded a Padma Shri? He dropped out of school after Class 3, but his poems in the Kosli language are the research topic of no fewer than five scholars! If we don't see headlines like 'Padma Shri for a Dalit Adivasi poet'; 'Christian priest rescued from terrorists; or 'Ganga is clean now,' it is the failure of the party that lets the imbeciles within shout inanities out to the nearest microphone. I paid a visit to Varanasi last fortnight and was surprised to see how clean the mighty Ganga is. The ghats were so clean that we could sit on the steps -- steps that had piles of excreta till recently. We could watch the sun rise to all its glory while live Hindustani music played in the background. It was magical. The stage, Subah-e-Benares, where musicians sing every morning, was inaugurated by Narendra Modi a few months ago. How many in India know that the Ganga and its ghats are clean now? The one question I encountered from friends when I returned home to Chennai was, 'Is the Ganga clean now?' If the rest of the country has no knowledge about what is happening in Varanasi, who is to blame? I feel this government has the worst PR machinery ever because it fails to publicise the good work it does. Don't they realise that they are committing hara-kiri by not clamping down on those who talk nonsense and create tension, confusion and panic instead of crowing loudly about its many achievements? 'My father would always tell me not to worry because he was innocent and had to be in jail because of the politics involved.' 'You just carry on with the legal fight'. 'Jeet hamari hogi.' Former Gujarat cop D G Vanzara -- the main accused in the Ishrat Jahan and Sohrabudin Shaikh encounter cases, who was imprisoned in the Sabarmati central jail for eight years and in Mumbai since last February on the Bombay high court's bail condition in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh case that he not enter Gujarat -- will be back home on Friday, April 8, after a special CBI court gave him the permission to do so. His son Prithviraj Vanzara spoke with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com about his father's homecoming. Prithviraj was the one who coordinated with his father's legal team as well as elders in the family who entrusted him with the responsibility to handle all the preparations necessary to fight his father's legal battle. He would travel from one state to another, meet his father in the Sabarmati jail and act as the go to man in the family. How are you going to welcome your father in Ahmedabad on Friday? He will be arriving at Ahmedabad domestic airport at 9 am where we will be having a small ceremony. About 1,000 people from all over Gujarat will welcome him at the airport with garlands and vermillion. From there, with a convoy of over 100 cars, we will drive towards the Gandhinagar town hall. There he would be received from people belonging to various castes and communities who are coming from all over Gujarat. There will be a big swagat satkar samaroh (welcome celebrations). After lunch there with all the dear and near ones from the family and close friends, we will head to our home where an aarati of 21 thalis will herald him to our home. We will be welcoming him back home with all the vidhi-vidhan (rituals) that were done to welcome Lord Ram and Sita into Ayodhya after their 14 years in exile. He will be coming home after spending eight years in jail and almost a year in Mumbai. How did the family cope with his absence? We have a huge but very close-knit family with whom we share a very strong bonding. All our first cousins are like real brothers to us. When there are so many people around to support you, you get the strength to fight through such terrible times. We had to fight continuously and that's what we all did. And the family played the most important role. The entire family stood with us strongly and was always there to support our fight for justice for my father. The legal fight took nine years and went on from one state to another. Now the CBI court has given him permission to go back where he belongs. What would your father tell you when you would meet him in the Sabarmati central jail? What was his state of mind like in prison? He would always tell me one thing: I have done nothing wrong. What I am saying is the truth but that truth has been overwhelmed for some time by the power politics involved in the case and the way the media is painting a one-sided picture. Also, you guys (the media) must focus on and write about why the case has not yet started in a court of law? When the Supreme Court gave bail to all the eight accused the most important observation it made was 'The Supreme Court gave bail to these eight people because they were kept in prison for eight years without any trial.' Sanvidhaan main saaf-saaf likha hua hai CrPC main (in the CrPC and India's Constitution it has been clearly written that) when somebody faces a trial it is just an accusation (charge) to prove which the trial is going on. A trial in itself should not be construed as the accused are guilty. So my father would always tell me not to worry because he was innocent but had to be in jail because of the politics involved. You just carry on with the legal fight. Jeet hamari hogi (Victory will be ours). What legal steps are you contemplating so that the trial against him begins in earnest? Till about a month ago there was a stay on the trial. Two weeks ago we got a judgment that this stay has been lifted. So, first of all, we will try for the discharge (of this case)... see whenever the trial begins the case would not drag on for long. See, there are no merits in the accusation against my father and other co-accused in the case. There will be 100 per cent acquittal in this case and there will be no convictions at all. So, our first step will be to get the discharge application through. Let's see what happens, but we will very soon consult our legal advisers as to how we can expedite this trial. For now, the most important thing is that he is coming home after nine years. Among your father's well-wishers and friends who would come home to welcome him, will there be BJP leaders from Gujarat as well? If somebody is already in the BJP and he happens to be our friend then, of course, he is welcome. But there is no such thing happening on Friday. People who believe in his work and who believe that whatever the Gujarat police did to fight terrorism in the state and those who believe that he was imprisoned wrongly will be there. Was BJP President Amit Shah (who was the Gujarat minister of state for home when the encounters occurred) in touch with you or your family during your father's stay in jail or when he was in Mumbai for more than a year now? He was a co-accused in this case. He has already been discharged. He was not in touch with either me or anybody else in the family. He is too big a man for that. During his days in jail your father had written a letter calling Narendra Modi his god and accused Amit Shah of driving a divide between him and his god. That letter was based on the prevailing circumstances then, but woh toh ab raat gayi baat gayi, ab uska kuch lena dena nahi hai (that is a closed chapter now and has nothing to do with my father now). IMAGE: Prithviraj Vanzara with his father D G Vanzara. Photograph: Kind courtesy Prithviraj Vanzara/Facebook IMAGE: Students and police face off at the main gate of the Hyderabad University campus. Photographs: SnapsIndia 'The police are warning students to leave their own campus.' 'This is a university and the police are dictating to students what to do and what not to do.' Avnish Kumar, currently pursuing a PhD from the English and Foreign Languages University, passed out with an MA in print journalism and new media from the University of Hyderabad. He has been filming and documenting the students protest at his alma mater since the protests broke out after student Rohith Vemula's death. Avnish spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com about why Hyderabad University has become a hot spot. What is the protest in Hyderabad University about? There are many issues, but the first thing that is happening right now is that there are certain people who are allowed entry inside the university while others are not. The protest on Wednesday (April 6) was against this blockade. The lawyers and students who got interim bail are also not allowed inside the campus. This is the first demand. Secondly, the vice-chancellor (Appa Rao) who has been booked under the SC/ST Atrocities Act (for Dalit student Vemula's death) is trying to portray as if he is still the authority. He is trying to prove that everything is normal in the university through social media. There are police vans in the university and they take the students away. We are cut off completely from the rest of Hyderabad. It is like an open prison. Are the gates blocked? Yes. Even the media is not allowed inside. Is the gate closed for every student or only for certain students? This rule came on March 23. Till March 22 everything was fine. There is heavy presence of police in the campus. The police are warning students to go, to leave their own campus. This is such an irony. This is a university and the police are coming from outside and dictating to students what to do and what not to do. What happened on Wednesday? There was a meeting headed by the vice-chancellor. The Joint Action Committee (of protesting students demanding justice for Vemula) is not acknowledging Appa Rao. They were protesting the meeting. The protest was at one corner of the university and then it went to the main gate. What about studies? Studies are going on. There is a voluntary call to students to boycott classes. No one is forcing anyone. Those who want to study are going to class and those who want to protest are protesting at the main gate of Hyderabad University. A lot of students were detained. IMAGE: Students scuffle with the police inside the campus. Several were arrested. The matter seemed sorted out after Vemula's death, so why have things erupted again? Things have not been sorted out till date as Appa Rao has not been arrested. The investigation is going on. Six times he has appealed in court, but he has not got bail. He has still not been arrested. He is still continuing as the VC. The JAC is saying that the VC who has been charged with atrocities and who ordered a lathi-charge on March 22 is still holding power. So how can a fair investigation or inquiry happen? This is the present situation. Nothing has changed. If you follow the official channel of Hyderabad University you will not get a sense as to what is happening inside the campus. It is totally cut off. There is a fresh controversy where the VC has been accused of plagiarism over his doctoral degree. How far is that true? I read about that, but I cannot confirm it. The (April 6) protest is against the crackdown on students on March 22. Secondly, open the gates of Hyderabad University for everyone and not a particular section of students. This is a public place and therefore it should be open to everyone. You posted on social media that policemen in plainclothes are roaming on the campus. That is true. From March 23 to March 29 I have seen plainclothes cops roaming inside the campus. I don't know why the government needs to do it. If you want to have a police presence, then let them be in police uniform. If you are a student of Hyderabad University and have a valid identity card, then can you enter the university? No, I can't. Even the alumni are not allowed. Right now no one is allowed and the gates are closed. Even with a identity card no one is allowed. There must be some reason for this. I didn't see any official reason. The reasoning we got from some registrar last Saturday (April 2) was that it was a unanimous decision of a committee. They felt the media gave a lot of unwanted attention in January (after Vemula's death). They don't want media attention, but this is all oral and nothing was in writing. You cannot just block the gate and say that no one is allowed. The VC is addressing students only through YouTube and Facebook that he wants to meet students, but there is no official statement from the administration on this. But the students are demanding that he be sacked. Yes, that is the strongest demand. At least keep him away till the full investigation is over, so that there is a chance of some fair inquiry. I thought that there was a compromise with the students that the vice-chancellor would go on leave and return once the inquiry was over. There was no compromise. He went on leave for a while, but the investigation into the death is not over. So how can he come back? The case is going on. He came all of a sudden without even informing acting Vice-Chancellor M Periasamy. Even he had no clue what is happening. Appa Rao came on March 22, the day the lathi-charge happened. The movement had started slowing down and when he came back it erupted again. Do you believe the VC is responsible for Vemula's death? I don't say that he is the only one who is responsible for all the things. He is part of the system. The problem is in the system and he is not the only one who is responsible. I am saying that until the investigation is over he should be on leave. I am not accusing him of anything. We have an acting VC. The university administration is functioning, so why is there a blockade at the gate? When do you think this deadlock will end? I think it will take some time to sort this out. It will not end so soon. Whom do you blame for this deadlock? It is a central university, but the Telangana government is also playing a political role in it. I blame both the Centre and the state. The Telangana police is very much visible in Hyderabad University. The government has planned a series of events in the next three weeks to highlight the rural and agrarian focus of its policies and programmes, particularly those for farmers and Dalits. These events would include celebrating the centenary of Mahatma Gandhis Champaran Satyagraha in Bihar in a big way. It was Gandhis first mass agitation in India, where he had led a protest of peasants against forcible cultivation of indigo. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a Stand-up India scheme for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Congress leader Jagjivan Ram, a Dalit. In his speech, the PM lauded Rams contribution as Union defence minister in the 1971 Bangladesh war and as agriculture minister. As part of the scheme to encourage entrepreneurship, each of the 1,25,000 branches of nationalised banks will offer loans from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore to one woman and one person each from the SC and ST communities. Modi said each year at least 2,50,000 SCs, STs and women entrepreneurs will be so funded. The PM unveiled the scheme along with all 17 of his Bharatiya Janata Partys Dalit MPs elected from Uttar Pradesh. In 2014, the BJP had won all of the 17 reserved seats of UPs 80 Lok Sabha constituencies. The state is scheduled for assembly polls in early 2017 and Dalits are a significant part of the states electorate. On Monday, the BJP had expelled its UP womens wing chief, Madhu Mishra, for making a statement insulting to Dalits. The BJP is still smarting under the Oppositions campaign of it being anti-Dalit after the suicide of HyderabadUniversity research scholar Rohith Vemula in mid-January. It has planned a determined outreach to show itself as a party that works for the welfare of Dalits, tribals and peasants. On Wednesday, the BJP marked its 36th foundation day, with all its workers asked to hoist the party flag atop their homes, and asked to help spread the word on its belief regarding Antyodaya, working for the welfare of the poorest. This is to be followed by events to mark the birth anniversary of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar on April 14. From April 14 to 17, party workers have been asked to visit Dalit hamlets and homes in the area of their polling booths and honour Dalit students. Also, several ministries will come together on taking the Gram Uday se Bharat Uday to villages from April 18 to 21. This is supposed to highlight the farmer-friendly elements of the Union Budget to each of the countrys panchayats. The government will also mark Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 with a series of programmes, culminating with the PMs speech from Jamshedpur on the day. The government has asked 600 Krishi Vikas Kendras and Agricultural Technology Management Agency centres to spread information about government policies to each gram panchayat, including the budgetary proposal of allocating Rs 80 lakh for each. Dalit panchayat leaders are scheduled to meet for a days discussion in Hyderabad. The BJP believes that each village in India should promote social harmony among people, and have ek talab/kuan, ek mandir, ek shamshan (one pond, one temple and one cremation ground) for all people, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. The plan to mark the centenary of Gandhis Champaran satyagraha would focus on encouraging cultivation of indigenous variety of seeds and breeding of indigenous livestock. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh is expected to be the pointsperson for the programme. The Pathankot terror strike has once again reinforced centrality of terrorism in Indo-Pak ties and it will be hard for India to treat the relations as normal unless Pakistan addresses the issue effectively, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. "Until we are able to address the issue (terrorism) effectively, obviously it is hard for us to say that the relationship is normal. Because this is what puts Pakistan in a different category than our other neighbours," he said during an interaction. However, the foreign secretary maintained that given the "challenge" of the relationship with Pakistan, India has "fared well" in keeping the focus firmly on the central issue of terrorism. "If you see the interactions, I think, one change has been the centrality of addressing the issue of terrorism to dialogue... That was reflected when the two prime ministers met in Ufa. It was underlined when the two NSAs met in Bangkok. "If you see the reconstituted dialogue that we have, the comprehensive bilateral dialogue, the salience of terrorism (is there). Because this is not a point of argumentation. It is taking into account about what is happening on the ground," he said. He was asked about the Modi government's policy towards Pakistan, particularly in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack. Talking about India's ties with neighbours, Jaishankar said "Pakistan, of course, is a category by itself. "But given the challenge of the relationship we have fared well in keeping the focus firmly on the central issue of terrorism in maintaining an engagement that factors in the complexity of that polity and in enhancing the global understanding of our approach. "That said, we also look beyond to a more normal relationship featuring economic cooperation and people-to- people ties." Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party leaders, who were summoned as accused in a criminal defamation case filed against them by Union Minister Arun Jaitley, were on Thursday granted bail by a Delhi court. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass granted the relief to Kejriwal and AAP leaders Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai, on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 each with one surety of like amount. Kejriwal and other accused had appeared in court in pursuance to the summons issued against them on March 9. The court has now fixed the matter for May 19 for further arguments in the case. During the hearing which commenced at around 2.35 pm, all the accused moved their bail pleas before the court which granted the relief to them. Jaitley was also present in the court room. During the brief hearing, the counsel appearing for the accused told the court that they have not been supplied all the documents of the case after which senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who appeared for Jaitley, said that they would provide entire sets of documents to the defence counsel. Initially, the court granted bail to the accused on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 each with one surety of the like amount but one of the defence counsel told the court that they have brought fixed deposit receipts of Rs 20,000. Hearing this submission, the court reduced the amount from Rs 25,000 to Rs 20,000 and fixed the matter for arguments on framing of notice for May 19. Gopal Mohan, advisor to the CM, stood surety for Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Imran Hussain stood surety for Ashutosh, while AAP MLAs Naresh Balyan, Nitin Tyagi, Naresh Yadav and AAP leader Sanjeev stood sureties for Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Dipak Bajpai and Raghav Chadha, respectively. Before the commencement of the hearing, supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party gathered outside gate number 2 of the Patiala House Court complex and shouted slogans against each other. The accused AAP leaders and Jaitley came to the court amid heavy security presence and entry to the court room was restricted by the police. Only the accused, those giving sureties, Jaitley and lawyers appearing in the matter along with six journalists were allowed to enter the court room. The court had on March 9 directed Kejriwal and the five other AAP leaders to appear before it today while noting that allegations were derogatory and amounted to slander and libel. Jail authorities in Maharashtra are considering shifting inmates from drought-hit Beed and Latur districts in view of the acute water scarcity in the areas. We have prepared a contingency plan for shifting the jail inmates in these districts. So far, no inmate has been shifted, but we will do so if the situation warrants, a top official said. If the situation demands, the prisoners will be shifted to places like Nashik and Dhule, the official said. The move comes amid decision by officials in drought-hit Parbhani town, which is experiencing an unprecedented water scarcity this summer, imposing prohibitory orders near water supply spots in the town. Orders under section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in the vicinity of the water supply spots in Parbhani, Parbhani district collector Rahul Mahiwal had said. The orders will be in force from April 4 to May 3. The development came after police in Latur decided to deploy police at water supply spots in that town if the situation demands. The municipal corporation has already deployed home guards at the water tanks. If needed, we will deploy police there to prevent law and order issue over water supply, Latur Superintendent of Police Dnyaneshwar Chavan had said. There are six main water tanks in Latur. There is already a police chowki next to one of the tanks. We have increased patrolling in these areas, Chavan had said. Amid an unprecedented scarcity of water, district collector Pandurang Pol last month clamped section 144 of CrPC in drought-stricken Latur to bar assembly of more than five people around the wells and water filling points to prevent possible violence. This image is not photoshopped! A huge alligator, which weighed some 800 pound (363 kg) and measured more than 15 feet, was captured by two hunters on a Florida farm after it killed its cattle. The large reptile was shot by Lee Lightsey who runs hunts for alligators, wild boar and turkey on his farm near Okeechobee in south east Florida. Although this animal is huge I was not that surprised it existed, Lee Lightsey, one of the hunters was quoted as saying, adding, We have come across lots over the last 20 years that have been only a little smaller. But what really drew our attention to this animal was the fact that it seems to have been feasting on the cattle on my farm, because mutilated body parts were found in the water. It was a monster which needed to be removed. American alligators are especially common in Florida and can range from 10 to 15 feet long. They live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes and rivers. The Florida state record for the largest alligator caught is 14 feet, 3 1/2 inches from Lake Washington, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee. That gator weighed in at 654 pounds (296 kg) but is not the heaviest on record. The record holder in Florida for weight is 1,043 pounds (473 kg). Image: Nine-year-old Mason Lightsey is pictured with a 363 kg giant alligator caught at his father Lee Lightsey's farm in Venus, Florida. Photograph: Lee Lightsey/Outwest Farms, INC/Reuters A 28-year-old Bangladeshi law student who was critical of radical Islamists has been hacked to death by machete-wielding militants, the latest in a series of attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath Universitys law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhakas Sutrapur area on Wednesday night. He was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death, the official said. Nazim, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Monchos Sylhet wing. His friends said Nazim used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the countrys law and order in a Facebook post. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Nazims activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Nazim got admitted to the university two months ago. We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him, he said. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhakas Tejgaon area. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. The Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. Image: Nazimuddin Samad was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home. Two persons have been detained from Bareilly and Sahaspur districts of Uttar Pradesh in connection with the murder case of National Investigation Agency Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tanzil. According to police sources, the bike used in the murder has also been recovered. It is also suspected that property dispute could be one of the reasons behind Tanzils murder. The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday said the investigations and analysis of evidences are pointing at some personal angle behind the murder. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Daljeet Chowdhary said that the slain officer had some personal as well as professional matters, adding separate teams of Anti-Terrorism Squad, Special Task Force and the Uttar Pradesh police have been constituted to inquire into the same. Tanzil was on his way back from the marriage ceremony of his niece, along with his wife and two children, when two armed bike-borne assailants shot at him and his wife in a village under Syohra police station area late in the night of April 2. The NIA officer died on the spot, while his wife was rushed to the FortisHospital in Noida. Guitars from Malawi camp hit right note with musicians around the world Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 6 April 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Guitars from Malawi camp hit right note with musicians around the world, 6 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5706142b4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Hidden among the dirt footpaths of Dzaleka refugee camp is the nerve centre of a business that strikes a chord worldwide. In one of the mud houses crammed together in the congested camp, Patron Palushong can be found carving and polishing handcrafted wooden guitars, his signature product. Born in 1980 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palushong learned how to make guitars at a skills training centre in his home town of Bukavu in the conflict-torn east of that vast country. He fled civil war in the DRC in 2007 and was separated from his wife. The couple were reunited in Dzaleka camp, outside Malawi's capital Lilongwe, where they now live with two young daughters. Realizing he could use his guitar-making skills to survive, he got to work. "Life in the camp can be very hard if one is idle," Palushong said. "But those with special skills like myself can survive in one way or the other. My aim is not to rely on UNHCR handouts forever, but to survive on my own. I started making guitars in the DRC and continued even when I arrived here." Word of his meticulous work and craftsmanship spread and his guitars were soon being snapped up, not only in Malawi, but also by customers in the United States, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Palushong has been a refugee in Malawi for almost a decade. In accordance with the country's strict rules, all refugees must live at Dzaleka. He says life in the camp is a challenge, but his skill, talent and entrepreneurial flair have enabled him to survive financially. He has received training in entrepreneurship and community development from the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), UNHCR's partner in Malawi, which has helped his business forge ahead. Palushong says his work requires concentration, as well as finesse in carving, polishing, measuring and fine-tuning the guitar. It takes several weeks to complete one instrument using products such as wood, string and sometimes, cowhide. "Apart from the physical work, making one guitar requires a lot of physical stamina, meticulousness and mental calculation, so that I produce a product that is sophisticated enough for international consumption," he said. The money he earns supports his family, and buys farm equipment for his maize field and supports other small businesses he is involved in. Some of the guitars are sold to clients who visit Dzaleka refugee camp and to musicians based in Malawi. However, most are referrals from people abroad whom he has never met. Palushong's aim is to grow his business using his business acumen and determination, but he says insufficient capital is a major impediment. Monique Ekoko, UNHCR's representative in Malawi, said UNHCR would like to continue to help refugees in Dzaleka and elsewhere in Malawi to become self-reliant. "However lack of resources does not allow us to provide more in start-up capital," she added. Food rations were cut between October 2015 and January 2016, and refugees in Dzaleka struggled to make ends meet. "We are happy that a number of our refugees, despite the many challenges we face in supporting them, are using some of the opportunities we are availing them, to change their circumstances in life, especially through various forms of entrepreneurship," Ekoko said. "It is even more critical that we support them, as the refugees in Dzaleka are almost completely dependent on international aid." Dzaleka camp was established by the Malawian government in 1994, and has more than 25,000 refugees, mostly from the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa. There are more than 35,000 persons of concern to UNHCR in Malawi, of whom more than 10,000 are asylum seekers from Mozambique. They have been arriving since December 2015, fleeing clashes between RENAMO rebels and Mozambican government forces. By Kelvin Shimoh, Dzaleka refugee camp, Malawi Cuba Joins Global Ban on Cluster Munitions Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 6 April 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Cuba Joins Global Ban on Cluster Munitions, 6 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061ada4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Cuba acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions on April 6, 2016, following through on a pledge it made in September 2015, Human Rights Watch said today. Prior to that pledge, Cuba had been critical both of the convention's provisions and the unconventional diplomatic process that led to it. "Cuba is showing others that it is wrong to cling to cluster munitions - weapons that inevitably cause harm to civilians," said Steve Goose, arms director at Human Rights Watch and chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition. "It also shows how concerns can be overcome in the interest of working together with other nations on the treaty, which provides the international framework for eradicating cluster munitions." Cluster munitions pose an immediate threat to civilians by scattering multiple submunitions or bomblets over a wide area. They continue to pose a threat after a conflict ends by leaving remnants, including submunitions that fail to explode upon impact and become de facto landmines. Cuba deposited its instrument of accession to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions with the United Nations in New York on April 6, 2016, becoming the 119th country to sign or accede. The convention comprehensively bans cluster munitions, and requires destruction of stockpiles as well as clearance of cluster munition remnants and assistance to victims of the weapons. Cuba did not participate in the fast-track diplomatic "Oslo Process," which created the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It had long objected to the way in which the treaty was concluded, outside the framework of the UN. But at the treaty's First Review Conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on September 8, 2015, five years after the treaty went into effect, Cuba said it was considering accession. Ambassador Rodolfo Benitez Verson, Cuba's representative at the conference, announced that "Cuba is carrying out the required constitutional procedures for the accession." He said that Cuba "strongly supports the prohibition and complete elimination of cluster munitions and condemns its use." At the UN General Assembly in October 2015, Cuba confirmed it was preparing to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and voted to support the first General Assembly resolution in support of the ban treaty. The non-binding resolution passed by 139 votes and 40 abstentions. Only Russia and Zimbabwe voted against it. Cluster Munition Monitor - the report by the international coalition of organizations working to eradicate the weapons - has reported that Cuba is not known to have used, produced, or exported cluster munitions. In 2013, Cuba said that it has never confirmed or denied stockpiling cluster munitions. But it has stocks of cluster bombs of Soviet Union/Russian origin, according to the authoritative Jane's Information Group. Cuba must formally declare any cluster munition stocks and destroy them within the eight-year stockpile destruction deadline required by the Convention on Cluster Munitions. In 2016, Human Rights Watch has reported the use of ground-launched and air-dropped cluster munitions in Syria and Yemen. Neither country has signed the convention. Syrian government forces have used cluster munitions extensively since 2012, and the number of attacks appeared to increase significantly after Russia began its joint military operation with Syrian authorities late last year. Since a cessation of hostilities agreement was concluded at the end of February 2016, there are no longer daily cluster munition attacks, but use of the weapons continues, with at least six attacks reported in March. For the past year, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition of nations has used cluster munitions in Yemen as part of a joint military operation against local against Houthi forces, also known as Ansar Allah. There is evidence that coalition members are using recently transferred US-manufactured cluster munitions in civilian areas, contrary to United States export requirements. And these cluster munitions also appear to be failing to meet the reliability standard required for US export of the weapons. With Cuba's accession, all except nine countries in the Americas region have now signed or ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The nine are Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, the US, and Venezuela. Cuba and the US are the last countries in the Americas region that have not signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, also negotiated outside UN auspices. "Cuba's accession shows how the best response to new use of cluster munitions is to embrace and reinforce international law rejecting these weapons," Goose said. "Civilians have been harmed by cluster munition attacks in Syria and Yemen in 2016, and we expect these casualties to continue until all the remnants have been cleared and destroyed." Human Rights Watch is a co-founder of the international Cluster Munition Coalition and serves as its chair. Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Yemen: US Bombs Used in Deadliest Market Strike Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 April 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Yemen: US Bombs Used in Deadliest Market Strike, 7 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061b874.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Human Rights Watch conducted on-site investigations on March 28, and found remnants at the market of a GBU-31 satellite-guided bomb, which consists of a US-supplied MK-84 2,000-pound bomb mated with a JDAM satellite guidance kit, also US-supplied. A team of journalists from ITV, a British news channel, visited the site on March 26, and found remnants of an MK-84 bomb paired with a Paveway laser guidance kit. Human Rights Watch reviewed the journalists' photographs and footage of these fragments. "One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemen's year-long war involved US-supplied weapons, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia," said Priyanka Motaparthy, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The US and other coalition allies should send a clear message to Saudi Arabia that they want no part in unlawful killings of civilians." Launch Gallery Human Rights Watch has called on the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other countries to suspend all weapon sales to Saudi Arabia until it curtails its unlawful airstrikes in Yemen, credibly investigates alleged violations, and holds those responsible to account. Selling weapons to Saudi Arabia may make these countries complicit in violations, Human Rights Watch said. On March 15 at about noon, two aerial bombs hit the market in Mastaba, in the northern Hajja governorate, approximately 45 kilometers from the Saudi border. The first bomb landed directly in front of a complex of shops and a restaurant. The second struck beside a covered area near the entrance to the market, killing and wounding people escaping, as well as others trying to help the wounded. Human Rights Watch interviewed 23 witnesses to the airstrikes, as well as medical workers at two area hospitals that received the wounded. A United Nations human rights team visited the site the day after the attack and compiled the names of 97 civilians killed in the strike, including 25 children. The UN team said that another 10 bodies were burned beyond recognition, bringing the total number of victims to 107. Two Mastaba residents said that many members of their extended families had died. One lost 16 family members, and the other 17. A local clinic supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) received 45 wounded civilians from the market, three of whom died and were counted in the total death toll. A witness who helped retrieve bodies said that he saw the bodies of about 10 Houthi fighters, whom he knew previously, among those killed. He said that some armed Houthi fighters regularly ate and slept in a restaurant about 60 meters from where one bomb detonated. The restaurant was not damaged. He said some residents objected to the Houthis' presence but were powerless to remove them. Human Rights Watch was not able to confirm these claims with other witnesses. The only Houthi military presence identified by Human Rights Watch during its visit was a checkpoint manned by two or three fighters about 250 meters north of the market. On March 16, the day after the attack, the Saudi military spokesman for the coalition, Gen. Ahmad al-Assiri, said that the strike targeted "a militia gathering." He also noted that the area was a place for buying and selling qat, a plant widely chewed in Yemen as a mild stimulant, indicating that the coalition knew the strike hit a civilian commercial area. On March 18, al-Assiri told Reuters that the coalition used information from Yemeni military forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi when targeting the Mastaba site. He said the Houthis "deceived people by saying it was a market." A graphic forwarded to Reuters prepared by Hadi's government indicated that the target was a military area where Houthi forces had gathered but provided no further detail. The laws of war prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks, which are attacks that strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction. Attacks that are not directed at a specific military objective are considered indiscriminate. An attack is disproportionate if the anticipated loss of civilian life and property is greater than the expected military gain from the attack. The Houthis' use of a building in the market as a barracks would have amounted to failure to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians under their control from the effects of attacks. However, this in itself would not have justified the coalition airstrikes as carried out. Individuals who commit serious violations of the laws of war with criminal intent may be prosecuted for war crimes. Individuals may also be held criminally liable for assisting in, facilitating, aiding, or abetting a war crime. All governments that are parties to an armed conflict are obligated to investigate alleged war crimes by members of their armed forces. Hadi's government announced on March 18 that it had formed a committee to look into the bombing. Human Rights Watch contacted the Yemeni human rights minister, who said that a Yemeni national investigative body created in September 2015 and based in Aden was charged with the investigation. Findings have not yet been reported. Since March 26, 2015, a coalition of nine Arab countries has conducted military operations against the Houthi armed group and carried out numerous indiscriminate and disproportionate airstrikes. The airstrikes have continued since the announcement of a ceasefire, to begin on April 10. The coalition, whose targeting decisions are made in the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh, has consistently failed to investigate alleged unlawful attacks or to hold anyone accountable. On February 25, 2016, the European parliament passed a resolution calling on the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Federica Mogherini, "to launch an initiative aimed at imposing an EU arms embargo against Saudi Arabia." On March 15, the Dutch parliament voted to impose the embargo and ban all arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch and other international and Yemeni groups have called for foreign governments to halt sales and transfers of all weapons and military-related equipment to parties to the conflict in Yemen if "there is a substantial risk of these arms being usedto commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law." The US military has deployed dedicated personnel to the Saudi joint planning and operations cell to help "coordinate activities." US participation in specific military operations, such as providing advice on targeting decisions and aerial refueling during bombing raids, may make US forces jointly responsible for laws-of-war violations by coalition forces. As a party to the conflict, the US is obligated to investigate allegedly unlawful attacks in which it took part. "Even after dozens of airstrikes on markets, schools, hospitals, and residential neighborhoods have killed hundreds of Yemeni civilians, the coalition refuses to provide redress or change its practices," Motaparthy said. "The US and others should pull the plug on arms to the Saudis or further share responsibility for civilian lives lost." Market Airstrike At about noon on March 15, 2016, an airstrike hit the crowded market in Mastaba, in northern Yemen. It detonated in front of a line of shops selling groceries and household items, and a restaurant on the floor above the shops. Ali Ahmad Nahan, a secretary working at his home nearby, said he heard the sound of planes and ran outside. He saw two planes circling the market area, then saw an explosion. Approximately five minutes later, he said, he saw a second explosion. The second strike hit near the entrance to the market, approximately 12 meters north of a covered area containing several market stalls. Ali Abdullah Bakily, a 19-year-old high school student, was sitting in the covered market. "People ran out of the market to the north after the first strike," he said. "But those who ran north were killed in the second strike." Bakily himself ran east behind the line of stores, into the village. Mohammed Yehia Muzayid, a cleaner at the market injured in the attack, said: When the first strike came, the world was full of blood. People were all in pieces, their limbs were everywhere. People went flying. Most of the people, we collected in pieces, we had to put them in plastic bags. A leg, an arm, a head. There wasn't more than five minutes between the first and second strike. The second strike was there, at the entrance to the market. People were taking the injured out, and it hit the wounded and killed them. A plane was circling overhead. I was helping to remove the dead, trying to pick a man up to see who he was. Then the second strike hit. Shrapnel hit me in the face. After the second strike, I just ran away. The shrapnel cut my lip and inside my mouth, I lost these teeth. Sixteen members of the extended Muzayid family died in the attack, he said. The airstrike also killed 17 members of the al-Obeid family, another witness told Human Rights Watch. Abbas Mastabani, 35, said he had parked his car across the street from the market and was approaching it to buy some goods when the first bomb struck. He was thrown to the ground, but was able to crawl back to his car to check on his four-year-old son, Majid. He said he crawled past bodies, limbs, and livestock until he reached his car, and saw a leg was wedged under the front tire. He pulled himself up and looked through the shattered front window but his son was no longer in the car. He then fled the site, terrified that there might be another strike and panicking about the fate of his child. When he got home he found that a friend who had been standing by his car had grabbed his son when the first bomb hit and taken him home. Hamid Muhammad Yahya, 25, pointed to a red scarf hanging on the remains of the roof covering the patio of the shops and restaurant: "That is Muhammad Hussein al-Aslami's scarf. He was a qat seller at the market. We found his body on the other side of the street, about 60 meters away." Three witnesses gave Human Rights Watch the names of relatives whose bodies they had not been able find even weeks after the strike. Ahmed Bakeel Abdullah, 50, a local sheikh, said that local residents found 48 body parts that they could not identify, and buried them in a pit just outside the village. Several witnesses said that the wounded could not receive medical treatment for at least an hour because bystanders and emergency medical services could not enter the site, fearing additional strikes. Othman Saleh, a Health Ministry official at the MSF-supported clinic in Abs, said that the clinic's staff received 45 wounded from the Mastaba attack, one of whom was dead upon arrival and two of whom died over the next five days. He and other medical staff estimated that about a quarter of the wounded had been women, a quarter children, and a quarter elderly. Saleh said his team sent medical kits to Mastaba's healthcare center and that residents there had treated a number of the wounded. Previous Airstrikes in the Area Coalition airstrikes have struck the area in and around the village of Mastaba at least six times over the last eight months. Between July 16 and 19, 2015, airstrikes hit an Agriculture Ministry office, a newly constructed municipal administration building that had yet to open, and a storage hangar in the building's backyard. Three more strikes hit the road next to the buildings as well as the local courthouse, damaging its outer wall. These government building compounds are about 800 meters from the Mastaba marketplace. One witness said that Houthi fighters had been sleeping in all three buildings leading up to the airstrikes, but he did not know how many. On August 3, at about 2 a.m., a bomb landed next to a small shop across from a hut being used by the Houthis as a checkpoint along the road into Mastaba village. It did not detonate or cause any casualties. Across northern Yemen, Human Rights Watch has documented airstrikes on 11 other marketplaces. On May 12, 2015, a strike on the marketplace in the town of Zabid, along the western coast, killed at least 60 civilians. A July 4 strike on the marketplace in the town of Muthalith Ahim in the northwest, 20 kilometers from Mastaba, killed at least 65 civilians. In the northern Houthi stronghold city of Saada, the coalition has bombed at least five of the city's main marketplaces. Coalition Airstrikes Generally Since March 26, 2015, the UN and nongovernmental organizations have documented numerous airstrikes by coalition forces that violate the laws of war. The UN Panel of Experts on Yemen, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2140 (2013), in a report made public on January 26, "documented 119 coalition sorties relating to violations" of the laws of war. Human Rights Watch has documented 36 unlawful airstrikes some of which may amount to war crimes which have killed at least 550 civilians. Human Rights Watch has also documented 15 attacks in which internationally banned cluster munitions were used in or near cities and villages, wounding or killing civilians. Cluster munitions have been used in multiple locations in at least five of Yemen's 21 governorates: Amran, Hajja, Hodaida, Saada, and Sanaa. The coalition has used at least six types of cluster munitions, three delivered by air-dropped bombs and three by ground-launched rockets. Human Rights Watch has said there should be an immediate halt to all use of cluster munitions and that coalition members should join the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Just What Did Obama Achieve in Cuba? Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Ernesto Garcia Diaz Publication Date 31 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Just What Did Obama Achieve in Cuba?, 31 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061dde4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. US-based Cuban activists say that they are sceptical over just what President Barack Obama's historic trip to Cuba last week achieved. Ahead of the visit, the first by a US president for nearly 90 years, hundreds of detentions, beatings and arrests were recorded, and many well-known Cubans in exile had already expressed doubts. Orlando Gutierrez, president of the Cuban Democratic Directory, argued that the "dictatorship cannot be reformed". The US-based Assembly of the Cuban Resistance and the Cuban Rights and Freedom Forum also both objected to Obama's visit from the start, while Silvia Iriondo, the president of Mothers and Women Against Repression (MAR) warned that once Obama left the country "everything will continue the same under the Castro dictatorship". Basulto, president of Brothers to the Rescue, said that the normalisation of relations was with the regime, rather than the Cuban people. Santiago Alvarez, president of the pro-democracy Legal Rescue Foundation, agreed that the visit simply served to legitimise the Castro dictatorship. "Obama's government has betrayed the exiles and human rights defenders in Cuba," he said, adding, "I don't think the Cubans' [human rights situation] will improve. I'll be waiting." Some opposition figures said that Obama's actions and public statements had had an impact, especially he gave a speech at the Havana theatre where he called for reconciliation between Cuba and the US. "Obama broke the rhythm, the press conference and his speech at the Alicia Alonso National Theatre, shook Cuba," Roberto Ruiz Casas, vice president of the Forum of Continental Democratic Promotion, told IWPR. "The Cuban regime was stripped bare, he lifted the veil of the Cold War and empowered the people so that they could choose their destiny." Obama appeared to emphasise that message on the last day of his visit, when he said, "I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas. I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people." Ramon Saul Sanchez, from the Democratic Movement, argued that Obama's speeches had been full of subliminal messages to the Cuban public. "Although he didn't mention current repression, the result of his visit was very positive for the Cuban people," he said. "He made it clear that the United States does not intend to infringe on Cuban sovereignty. He empowered exiles, he recognised them in a human way and that their intentions were good." However, others say that Obama did not go far enough in addressing the question of human rights and politically motivated detentions. According to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN), there are almost 90 political prisoners in Cuba. This did not stop Cuban president Raul Castro from denying their existence during his joint press conference with Obama. When a journalist asked a question on the subject, Castro answered, "Give me a list this minute of political prisoners so I can free them. Tell me now." Alvarez said that this reply demonstrated the true nature of the regime. "Raul showed what a dictator is," he said. "He knows that there are prisoners and he denied it publicly. He knows the real situation and he treated it with dishonesty in front of the Cuban people." Ernesto Garcia Diaz is a journalist for the digital news portal Cubanet News. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Cuba: Media Repression Mars Obama Visit Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 25 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Cuba: Media Repression Mars Obama Visit, 25 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061e1e4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Activists say that the Cuban government unleashed a concerted campaign of intimidation against independent journalists in the run-up to US President Barack Obama's March 20-22 visit. The Association for Freedom of the Press (APLP), a body tolerated by the Cuban government although it has no legal status, reported that since March 16 numerous journalists had been harassed, threatened and detained. Two journalists from Hablemos Press Information Centre - Lewis Miguel Guerra Tamayo and photojournalist Yaser Fernando Rodriguez - were arrested by plain-clothed policemen near the Ernest Hemingway Museum. On March 19, other journalists from the same news agency were detained at the Jose Marti International Airport when returning to Cuba. Officials tried to take away their recording equipment. Local reporters for Cubanet News, a website based in Miami, were not allowed to leave their homes to cover the president's visit. Elsewhere, a state security officer told another journalist, Augusto Cesar San Martin, that he did not want to see him "with a camera for the next few days". Another reporter, Lazaro Yuri Valle Roca was beaten and arrested on March 20 and only located several days later when his wife learned that he was being held at the police station in Santiago de Las Vegas. In Isla de la Juventud province, independent journalists were summoned to police stations without explanation, a practice denounced by the APLP as a way for the government to intimidate journalists and activists. On March 18, the APLP published a report on the state of freedom of expression since the US-Cuba detente agreed in December 2014. It documented 54 attacks against journalists, including physical and psychological violence, as well as incidences of arbitrary arrest. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Cuba's Private Sector Anticipates Tourism Boom Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Maria del C. Quintana Hechavarria Publication Date 19 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Cuba's Private Sector Anticipates Tourism Boom, 19 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061e844.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Cubans renting out private accommodation to tourists are hoping for a boost from an anticipated influx of American travellers following the US-Cuba detente. Rooms or entire properties registered with the state but rented out by private owners - known as casas particulares - are often deemed the best way to discover Cuba. Sometime these are rooms in family homes, or properties bought specifically for rental. Much cheaper than state-run hotels, they also offer a taste of "real" island life. The business is still state-controlled; landlords must pay taxes, register all foreigners who stay in their properties and report this to the migration office. Travel agencies such as Cubanacan, Cubatur and Habanatur that sell packages to tour operators and groups in the state sector also liaise with private landlords. Isabel Hamze Ruiz, director of the department of work and social security in Havana, said that there were now more than 12,000 houses available for private holiday lets in Cuba. In Havana alone there are 8,000 such homes, of which 100 are included in tourist packages offered by the state provider. As for the state, it has 63,000 hotel rooms, 70 per cent of which are in four or five star establishments, the Cuban News Agency (ACN) reported in January of this year. Havana is planning to increase this capacity to more than 85,000 rooms by 2020. Even so, state infrastructure may struggle to cope with the anticipated rise in demand. US tourism to Cuba jumped as soon as the detente was announced on December 17, 2014 Some 160,000 American tourists flew to the island in 2015, an increase of 77 per cent over the previous year, despite the on-going embargo on tourism from the US. Travel is only permitted through one of the 12 licenses approved by Barack Obama's government that authorise particular visits, such as educational or religious trips. This tourism boom should pay dividends for private landlords. Airbnb - one of the first US accommodation companies to operate in Cuba - also reported soaring interest in accommodation in Cuba for American visitors. According to a press release from the home rental website, there was a 70 per cent increase in searches for Cuban listings by users from the US in 2015. Havana became one of the most searched-for Latin American destinations for US citizens, beating Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Only homeowners can rent their property, and a permit to do so must be bought from the National Tax Administration Office in either Cuban pesos (CUP) or in convertible pesos (CUC). CUC is on a par with the US dollar, while the CUP is worth 25 times less. Those who hold permits in CUC can rent to both Cubans and foreigners, while permits obtained in CUP are only for receiving Cuban residents. There is also a large domestic market, although in this case rentals are most usually by the hour or overnight. For Cubans living in sometimes overcrowded conditions, casas particulares are a convenient way for couples seeking some privacy. Cuban citizens pay between three to five CUC or 75- 125 CUP for a three-hour rental period. Alfredo Caballero has more than 10 years experience in renting his home out to foreign visitors. "This business is a major benefit because it helps the family economy, though like all business it has its highs and lows according to the time of the year," the 50-year-old said. A major problem for those renting out property is continuing state control over the internet. Although Cuba has relaxed its grip on the web in recent years, access is still largely limited to dedicated access points, similar to internet cafes, around the island. (See also Tight Controls Over Cuban Web Access). This makes it harder for individuals to advertise their properties. Some enterprising landlords manage to access listing site Revolico, although it is banned by the government, or hand out business cards to advertise their properties. The fact that internet is still banned for private homes, although one pilot project is currently underway to provide restricted access in Old Havana, also puts landlords at a disadvantage. "If I could have wifi in my house competition with the state would be fairer," said Mariela Castellanos, a host in Habana Vieja. There are other obstacles to the successful running of casas particulares. For instance, the government does not have a wholesale market to supply the private sector. Private landlords have to shop in government chain stores, which only accept CUC, and they have to pay everything at the same price as the rest of the population. Food and cleaning materials are their biggest cost. Then there are taxes, which can make a significant dent in profits. Landlords can charge foreign citizens around 15-20 CUC for a private room, or 40-60 CUC for an apartment. However, the monthly tax for a room is 150 CUP or approximately 6 CUC depending on the currency chosen for the permit. If the house has a swimming pool, there is an extra charge of one CUC or ten CUP per square metre. A garage means an extra charge of six CUC or 40 CUP. "You have to pay the state 65 CUC [65 dollars or 1,625 CUP] for each room you have in the house, whether they are occupied or not. Plus 10 per cent of the earnings, without counting everything we have to buy in the [chain stores]," Castellanos said. "Just imagine, plenty of taxes and low earnings," Castellanos said. "I mean that you can eat, but you can't save money." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Cuban Opposition Still Divided Over US Detente Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Anddy S.A. Publication Date 19 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Cuban Opposition Still Divided Over US Detente, 19 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061ec04.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Opposition activists remain divided over the potential benefits of US president Barack Obama's historic visit to Cuba. While some view it as a unique opportunity to promote change, others warn that the visit takes place amid rising incidences of political detentions and human rights abuses. Last December the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) recorded some 930 politically motivated detentions. This was nearly double the number - 489 - for same month of the previous year. Antonio G Rodiles, the director of the opposition group State of Sats, is one of the most vocal critics of the detente. He warned that the political process currently unfolding had little substance, and that it was still unclear just who Obama would manage to talk to during his visit. "Whether he'll meet with all the [civil society and political] sectors that he wants to remains to be seen," Rodiles said. "Unfortunately violence has increased, above all political arrests." State of Sats, along with other groups such as the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), were supporting new campaign calling for the release of political detainees, under the auspices of the Rights and Freedom Forum. Todos Marchamos (We All March) demands an end to repression and amnesty for political prisoners. "The arbitrary arrests started to become more frequent. The Rights and Freedom Forum responded with this campaign," Rodiles said. Jose Daniel Ferrer, coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), one of Cuba's largest movements, has a more conciliatory attitude. Since the detente was announced on December 17, 2014, UNPACU has considered the "United States' government's movements to be positive," he said. The biggest impact, Ferrer continued, was on the mindset of ordinary Cubans. "The people's mentality is changing," he said. "Now it's hard to see a Cuban who isn't critical of the system." More people were joining dissident groups, which explained the soaring number of arrests, he continued. "[The] Cuban government has increased the repression, because there are more opponents and activists asking for the Cuban government to change," Ferrer said. Rodiles disputed this, arguing that the actions against the opposition had increased because the regime felt much more secure. Berta Soler, leader of the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White) agreed. "President Barack Obama's visit will not change Cuba as long as the Cuban government continues to say that it does not want interference in internal affairs and continues stating that it is a sovereign government," Soler argued. As for the role of the opposition in this new context, Soler insisted that her group had no plans to shift its policy. "We have always advocated the freedom of political prisoners in Cuba. This March 30, we will have completed 13 years of peaceful struggle," she said. Soler raised issue of deteriorating human rights on the island in a letter to Obama on January 28. In his response, the US president wrote, "We take seriously the concerns you have raised regarding human rights in Cuba." "I will raise these issues directly with President Castro, just as I have done in the past. I also have great hopes for my meeting with Cuban civil society, where I hope to hear more of their concerns," Obama added. Cuba is ranked 169 out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index. According to the 2016 report by the Freedom House NGO, Cuba was 193 out of 210 countries and territories. Manuel Cuesta Morua, head of the Arco Progresista Party and the leader of the Otro 18 (Another 18) campaign, believes the visit is a bold move by the Obama administration. "Two political cycles are ending, one is a hostile and confrontational policy, the other is the end of the revolutionary political power," Morua continued, adding that he was hopeful for future free and democratic elections in Cuba. "My political strategy has always been to mobilise ideas as resources and as a vision, that the transition must be gradual, through dialogue, agreed and put into practice through legal or constitutional reforms," he said. The detente was a positive start, he continued. "I'm one of the people who saw the policy change positively; it represents a challenge and an opportunity. It will help to change the mentality of the Cuban people who have been educated with the idea that the USA is their historic enemy," Morua said. Ferrer agreed, arguing that Cubans have begun to realise that the guilty party in the conflict was the Cuban government rather than the US. "It's about attitudes; Cubans feel like now it's the Cuban government's turn" to make changes, he continued, adding that the first step would be to end restriction on entrepreneurship. Ferrer, who will be attending an event with the US delegation, said he planned to thank Obama personally for his solidarity with the Cuban people. Change was coming, he continued, adding, "It is becoming more complicated for the Cuban regime to justify its acts of repression." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Havana Cleans Up For Obama Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Odelin Alfonso Torna, Julio C.A. Publication Date 19 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Havana Cleans Up For Obama, 19 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061f124.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Brigades of workers clad in fluorescent vests have ploughed through the streets of Havana in recent weeks, unblocking drains and sewers. Streetlights, rubbish bins and road signs have sprung up in places where they have never been seen before. Other labourers worked against the clock to paint the facades of the houses lining the capital's central avenues, while the Latinoamericano, the flagship stadium for Cuban ballgames, was also painstakingly refurbished. The regime has been making meticulous preparations for the March 20-22 visit of Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, the first official visit by a US president since 1928. Not all locals, however, have been impressed. "This is another pantomime," said Nestor Torres, a 39-year-old builder and one of Cuba's growing number of small-scale private entrepreneurs. He noted numerous previous visits by dignitaries that had led to short-term cosmetic improvements but no lasting change. "We've already seen it with the [visits of] popes John Paul II, Benedict and Francis. Also when [in 2009] Olga Tanon and Juanes announced the Peace Without Borders concert in Revolution Square. While these old guys [Fidel and Raul] are in power this country won't be fixed even if Jesus Christ himself comes down." Residents were further infuriated by the efforts of sanitation inspectors issuing fines to those deemed to be dumping rubbish or failing to maintain their properties. At the beginning of March, for instance, about 60 residents were fined for water leakages inside their homes in the capital's San Francisco de Paula neighbourhood. Obama is due to visit the district to tour the Ernest Hemingway Museum. With no prior notice, the authorities asked for identification and handed fines ranging from 30 to 300 Cuban pesos (1.50-11 US dollars). The average monthly salary in Cuba is 23 dollars. "I hope Obama talks to me so I can tell him that we were fined for leaks inside our homes," complained 57-year-old housewife Elisa Contino. "And what about the leaks on the streets? Who's fining the government? All of this is because Obama is going to the Hemingway Museum. Now they want the neighbourhood to be cleaner than ever. When Kerry [the US Secretary of State] came to the museum, they stopped all the leaks on Buena Suerte Road, and afterwards everything continued the same or worse." Many citizens want it to be human rights issues that play a central part in the meetings between Obama and Castro. The independent Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) has reported at least 2,555 politically motivated short-term detentions so far this year. A student at Havana's Kim II Sung college, who asked not to be identified, said, "It would be a step in the right direction if there were an opportunity not just for exchanges with the government but also to meet with civil society organisations, and to also let the opposition speak; they really know more about current problems." Tamara Rodriguez Quesada, an activist in the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), agreed. "I don't think that this visit will bring us hope of any kind," Rodriguez said. "I'd tell Obama that if he wants to know about people's reality, he should walk with the people, interview the people. Don't let them direct your visits. Understand the people, the real people of Cuba." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Cuban Dissidents Divided Over Obama Visit Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Ernesto Garcia Diaz Publication Date 2 April 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Cuban Dissidents Divided Over Obama Visit, 2 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061f924.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Members of the Cuban opposition have called on US president Barack Obama to condemn Havana's repressive policies ahead of his historic visit to the island later this month. Orlando Gutierrez, president of the Cuban Democratic Directorate NGO, told reporters at an event in Miami that his organisation did not support the state visit. "The Castro regime has not changed, violations of human rights continue to rise, every day violence increases against the people and the Cuban opposition," he said. "Political prisoners are not released, nor is there any real democratic change in the country." In January, the Spain-based Cuban Observatory of Human Rights recorded 1,474 arbitrary arrests in Cuba. According to statistics collected since 2010 by the Havana-based Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, this was the highest monthly figure since their records began. Activists from within Cuba as well as exiles spoke at the February 27 event held by the Presidio Politico Historico Cubano. One of the guests was Berta Soler Fernandez, the leader of the Ladies in White, a pacifist group campaigning for human rights on the island. She argued that Obama had chosen to visit "in times of increased repression, when political prisoners who were released precisely as a result of the [December 2014] agreements between the two governments are kept imprisoned. "There is a lot of hypocrisy by the president of the United States," she concluded. Other Cubans who travelled to Miami for the event included Antonio Rodiles, project coordinator of State of Sats and a prominent critic of the US-Cuba detente, as well as Jorge Luis Perez Antunez, general secretary of the Civic Resistance Front. Gorki Aguila, the frontman of famed Cuban rock band Porno para Ricardo, and independent journalist and blogger Yuri Valle Roca were also there. Exiles who attended the briefing included Santiago Alvarez, the president of the Legal Rescue Foundation, and Luis Felipe Rojas from the Democracy Movement. The Cuban opposition has been divided on the issue of dialogue between Havana and Washington ever since the detente was announced in December 2014. Obama will be the first US president to visit Cuba in 88 years and his trip is seen as a major step in the normalisation of bilateral relations. Ernesto Garcia Diaz is a journalist for the digital news portal Cubanet News, and an intern with IWPR. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Riding "The Beast" to the US Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Anddy S.A., Ernesto G. Publication Date 24 February 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Riding "The Beast" to the US, 24 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57061fff4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Juan Orlando, a 35-year-old Honduran, sits in the hot mid-morning sun outside a hostel for migrants next to train tracks in the Mexican municipality of Huehuetoca. With him there are dozens of other men and women, also waiting for a train they hope will lead them to a land of opportunity. La Bestia - the Beast - is the name given to cargo trains that cross the whole of Mexico, and each year thousands of Central Americans risk their lives trying to reach the United States this way. The San Juan Diego Migrant House, run by the Cuautitlan diocese, is just one of many such refuges dotted along the route of La Bestia. Migrants can find water, food, a bed for the night and perhaps a blanket and a pair of shoes for the rest of the journey. At the entrance there is a sign welcoming "brother migrants" and announcing that the local Catholic church offers them "rest, food, clothes, medical attention and bathing." "If you need legal advice, we'll happily provide it," the message continues, ending, "You are not alone, Christ walks with you." Orlando says that he has embarked on this dangerous journey three times before. This time, he says, nothing and no one will stop him reaching his goal. He was 23 years old when he made his first attempt, accompanied by his wife. They walked most of the way long way through Guatemala but decided to wait for the Bestia when they reached Tapachula, on Mexico's southern border. "We rode the Bestia for several hours. When night fell, sleep overtook us. We woke up several times with a start, thinking we were falling into the void," Orlando said. At one point near morning the train stopped and several people got on. Orlando woke up in fright again to hear a man demanding money from him. It was a member of the Zeta cartel, the drug syndicate that controls the routes migrants take to the US. "I told him that I only had 50 [Mexican] pesos with me," Orlando said. "The man looked annoyed and told me that permission for us both to continue on the train would cost 200 pesos." Faced with this warning, Orlando told him they'd get off immediately. The train runs at about 50 kilometres per hour and he jumped off the train first, expecting his wife to follow. As Orlando started to get up, he felt a body fall heavily by his side. "The coward had thrown my wife off the train," he said. To his terror, he saw that a wooden stake had pierced her side as she landed. Blood was streaming from her body and she lay on the ground, incapacitated. Orlando crawled for a few metres. The sun was rising and in the distance he saw a car with the logo of the Beta Group from the National Migration Institute (INM), the organisation tasked with migrants. He shouted over to them for help and they called a helicopter to transport Orlando's wife to hospital, saving her life. Hundreds of migrants meet with accidents while riding the train across the country. According to INM and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Mexico, between 2002 and 2014, at least 476 migrants suffered mutilations as a result of falling from La Bestia. SEIZED BY KIDNAPPERS Seven years later, Orlando decided to attempt the journey again, this time on his own. He managed to safely get as far as the border city of Nuevo Laredo, in Tamaulipas state in northeast Mexico. However, here he faced one of the biggest threats migrants meet en route - kidnap. Orlando was seized and taken to a casa de seguridad, a safe house used by organised crime syndicates where prisoners are held until a ransom is paid. This is big business for the cartels; the INM recorded 682 cases of kidnapping in 2014 . "There was a prisoner in each room," he recalled. "I could tell because I could hear them crying or moaning at night." His captors demanded the enormous sum of 10,000 US dollars for Orlando's release. So there would be no doubts regarding what would happen if his friends and family did not pay the ransom, the kidnappers cut off the first joint of the little finger on his right hand. Orlando displays his mutilated hand as if it were a war wound. "I was held for four months. They only gave me beans to eat so I wouldn't cost them anything," he said. Only in the last month did his captors come up with the idea of connecting him with his family and friends through Facebook so that they could collect the money. "Thank God some Dominican friends responded to the call; between everyone, bit by bit, they got together what was demanded," Orlando said. He was released after the payment. For this, his third attempt, Orlando decided to take the more circuitous route to the US via Sonora, in north-western Mexico. "The journey is longer, but it's safer," The Zetas, he explained, operate on the north-eastern side of Mexico. This time, Orlando said, he feels more confident. Now he has experience on his side. COMPASSION FOR THOSE IN NEED Further south, in Apaxco, another hostel is also hosting a group of Hondurans. The small Baptist temple has Matthew the Apostle's quote, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations" painted on its wall. The dozen men and women have just had lunch and are resting on some benches. Alberto left in April, escaping both poverty and the gangs that threaten his family and tried to recruit him into drug trafficking. He has already worn out two pairs of shoes walking most of the way. His goal is to reach Los Angeles, where he used to work, and he thinks he will make it there in less than a month. The facilities are modest. In the main room there is a table with place for six people and a shelf that holds some rice and beans. Tucked behind some curtains are mattrhttp://swiged076.unhcr.local/cgi-bin/texis.exe/refworld/rwcmsesses and blankets for those who want to spend the night. Mario, the pastor, is full of compassion for those seeking a better life in the US. When his parishioners complained about the continual presence of migrants in the temple, he told them that if they wanted he could place a sign at the door warning migrants that they were not welcome. In that case, though, Mario himself would be the first person to leave. No-one complained again. "Here, we ask them only to stay a day so there is space for the people coming next," Mario explained. But he accepts that sometimes people stay longer because they are not sure if they can carry on with their perilous journey, adding, "We don't encourage them to continue, because we know that this doubt has been planted in their hearts by God." Andy S.A. and Ernesto G. are Cuban journalists. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Could Karabakh Violence Spur New Peace Talks? Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Publication Date 6 April 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Could Karabakh Violence Spur New Peace Talks?, 6 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5706207e4.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. A ceasefire has been reached between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces following the worst spike in violence over the Nagorny Karabakh region in decades. Arastun Orujlu, director of the East West Research Centre in Azerbaijan, talked to IWPR about the factors possibly fuelling the latest hostilities and what prospects he saw for meaningful peace talks. Until now, he said, negotiations had been largely for show and had done nothing to resolve the fundamental issues. IWPR: How do you explain what is going on? What are the reasons for the escalation of the conflict, and why now? Orujlu: What is going on? Lets start with this. What is happening is that a crisis of the peacemaking process has come about. For 22 years, since the signing of the armistice, an imitation of peace talks has been held. In addition, almost all the international participants in the process have forgotten that a considerable part of Azerbaijans territory is under occupation. The international community has put the occupier and the victim of occupation on the same level. What happened is that the status of the parties to the conflict has not been determined properly. Of course, this has led to the current crisis. The crisis is fairly serious. All these years, both sides have been arming. Primarily, Russia has been arming both sides. A couple of Russian politicians have cynically called it the conservation of parity. They sold weapons worth billions of dollars to Azerbaijan. Then, observing "parity," they sold Armenia, as their strategic ally, the same or nearly the same amount of weapons. All of this was bound to explode at some time. Throughout this period, Armenia has felt very comfortable in the occupied lands. Moreover, the ceasefire was violated fairly intensively. From time to time, it openly sabotaged the negotiation process. So, you get what you get. Why did it happen now? I think that Azerbaijan wanted to catch up. Have internal factors in Azerbaijan - the economic crisis, the warming of relations with Europe and the West, distancing from Russia - influenced the intensification of military activity? I do not know to what extent the economic crisis has had an effect on the situation, but the impact of political changes in the country are obvious. In recent times, Azerbaijan has systematically moved away from NATO, violated its principle of a balanced foreign policy and ended up standing alone before Russia. When Azerbaijan started to receive offers to join the [Moscow-led] Customs Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, of course it was not in the interest of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijans relations with the West were destroyed from within the authorities, precisely by those groups that are consciously and systematically carrying this out, so that Azerbaijan will be vulenrable in front of Russia without the support of the West. These forces are satisfied with the pro-Russian foreign policy. However, at the very last moment, this has started to change. I mean literally in the last few months. Finally, [Azerbaijani president] Ilham Aliyev's visit to Washington took place with meetings, negotiations, positive statements by US officials towards Azerbaijan, even before the summit on nuclear security. In particular, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Robert Cekuta, and the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, James Warlick, said that the occupied territories of Azerbaijan must be liberated. US Congress suspended funding of the unrecognised separatist regime in Nagorny Karabakh. Apparently, all this has caused some irritation [in Armenia]. And it was decided to draw Azerbaijan into conflict. In recent months, there was an intense concentration of Armenian troops in the occupied territories, which resulted in a clash. The confrontation took place right at the time when the heads of both countries were in Washington. I think this was no coincidence. How realistic is the narrative that Turkey and Russia are trying to shift their differences from Syria to the Caucasus? I do not think so. This is a rather biased version, which serves a certain political agenda. Speaking more bluntly, this version has the character of blackmail against Turkey, so that it does not intervene in the conflict in any form. It is known that Azerbaijan and Turkey have an agreement on military-strategic partnership. Of course, Turkey cannot become actively involved [by sending] troops, but it can provide necessary military assistance in many different forms. Therefore, they want to move Turkey into the background. At the same time, I think that this version serves to divert attention from the real levers of escalation of the conflict. The main lever is not be found in Ankara and Moscow, but mostly likely in Moscow and Yerevan. What do you think will change in terms of geopolitics? There are several possible versions of events in terms of geopolitics. The fight over Azerbaijan has not come out of nowhere. An east-west and north-south transport corridor [led by Russia, Iran and India and signed by nine other regional powers] is planned through Azerbaijan. The fight broke out precisely on this basis. Talking about transport links, which will soon connect Europe with Indochina. Here we are talking about trillions of dollars of business. Naturally, Russia also wants to have a north-south corridor to Iran to maintain its presence in the Middle East. I do not exclude that some agreement was reached or is intended. I do not mean the agreement between Baku and Moscow or between Baku and Washington, but a triangular Moscow-Baku-Washington agreement. The second version of events is that Russia really wants to thwart the plans of the West to connect Indochina with Europe via Azerbaijan, the Central Asian countries, Ukraine and so forth. But this analysis is weak, it does not correspond with the relations between Washington and Moscow in recent weeks. We are seeing some positive development. There is also a possible third version. Azerbaijan just wanted everyone to know that it does not plan to accept the further occupation of its lands, especially if they have great geopolitical importance. That is the message for everyone. And Azerbaijan will be at the centre of how events develop. Can the escalation of the conflict be considered a collapse of the Minsk process? Or is it a transition to some other stage or level of peace negotiations? I think this will be the beginning of negotiations. As I have already said, so far there has only been an imitation of the peace process Perhaps [people hoped that] the problem will eventually sink into oblivion. But everything went astray. Everyone - in Washington, Brussels and Yerevan too - has witnessed the complete opposite. Everyone has seen that Azerbaijanis, irrespective of their views and age, are in no way prepared to make concessions on such a question as the countrys territorial integrity. Reconciliation with the occupation is perceived very negatively. It is a psychological moment, which can be called a humiliation of national dignity. If you follow the dynamics of public opinion today, one can see that the mood to go to the end with military action dominates. This also sends a certain message. And the peace process will have to take these realities into consideration as it develops. So you think that the situation has changed in favour of Azerbaijan? I think so. If you do not take into account some "side effects," such as the Russian mass media, which has turned to anti-Azerbaijani hysteria. Lets hope that this is not the official position of Moscow. Basically, I think the situation has changed in Azerbaijans favour. A truce has now been announced. Do you think this was achieved under the pressure of international organisations? Or did the parties come to such an agreement between themselves? A ceasefire agreement was to be expected. There are several reasons. First, Azerbaijan has already reached its goal. On the other hand, the continuation of hostilities would have caused greater loss of life and could have escalated into a large-scale war. Neither side needed that. In addition to all this, the pressure of the international community also played a role, of course. What prediction can be made as to what will happen next? What solution to the Karabakh conflict can be expected? Now intensive negotiations will begin. This will not be an imitation of negotiations, such as were held by the Minsk Group. This will be a more serious process. As for trying to persuade Armenia that it can no longer Azerbaijans territory under occupation, if the superpowers understand that all this can turn into a major war in the region, they have to influence Armenia that it releases the occupied territory. The psychological advantage today lies with Azerbaijan and makes it stronger at the negotiating table. Moreover, one should not try to escape from the main reason of todays confrontation. This is the occupation of the territory of one party by the other. Of course, this will stimulate a real peace process. I am convinced that there is no alternative to this. Information leaks about Russia being on the verge of bringing peacekeeping forces to Karabakh under the auspices of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation [CSTO] are just nonsense. The CSTO has absolutely no right to send peacekeepers there. Peacekeeping operations can be held under the auspices of some [other] international organisations. Also, Azerbaijan is not a member of the CSTO, and Nagorny Karabakh is officially considered to be Azerbaijans territory. Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting RSF condemns warrant for newspaper editor's arrest Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 6 April 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF condemns warrant for newspaper editor's arrest, 6 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570621324.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled by the warrant for the arrest of Khaled El-Balshy, the head of the Journalists Syndicate's freedoms committee and editor in chief of the independent newspaper Al-Bedaiah. It was issued on 4 April in response to a complaint by the interior ministry. El-Balshy is accused of insulting the interior minister and police, inciting protests and calling for the government's overthrow in Facebook and Twitter posts. He told local media outlets he had been surprised to hear the official announcement about the warrant as he had not received any summons for questioning. "We call for these charges to be withdrawn," said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF's Middle East desk. "The situation is serious when the authorities not only harass journalists but also target those who defend them. The authorities must, as a matter of urgency, allow journalists to work normally without fear of reprisals." Local human rights groups and media personnel condemned yesterday this complaint targeting a journalist who defends his colleagues. The Journalists Syndicate gave the interior ministry a 48-hour deadline (expiring tomorrow) to withdraw or rescind the arrest warrant. El-Balshy said on Facebook that the complaint against him concerned all journalists, both those who are imprisoned and those who are threatened with imprisonment, and the cause of media freedom in general. In February, the Journalists Syndicate held a sit-in to condemn the mistreatment of imprisoned journalists and to demand their release. According to RSF's tally, at least 23 journalists are currently detained. The trial of Mahmoud Abou Zeid, a press photographer also known as Shawkan, finally began on 26 March but was adjourned until 23 April. RSF has meanwhile been unable to obtain any information about the current status of Anwar Al-Sabry, a journalist with the Al-Badil website who was arrested by police at his home on 21 February. His family does not know where he is currently held. Ranked 158th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2015 World Press Freedom Index, Egypt was the world's fourth biggest prison for journalists in 2015, after China, Eritrea and Iran. Untangling Plans for Russia's Military Force Structure Publisher Jamestown Foundation Publication Date 5 April 2016 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Untangling Plans for Russia's Military Force Structure, 5 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570621a94.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website Russia's Ground Forces are moving away from the brigade-based structure of the "New Look" reforms to form divisions in the western strategic direction. This involves the formation of three divisions in western Russia, with two being constituted in the Western Military District (MD) and one in the Southern MD. This is mainly cast as a response to the United States' and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) posture toward Russia. However, its underlying driver seems to be a desire to back away from the reforms initiated by former defense minister (2007-2012) Anatoly Serdyukov and move to something more comfortable for the current leadership of the General Staff. Nevertheless, while being portrayed as a response to NATO, there are many contradictions in these plans-which will probably experience adjustment before full implementation-as well as reluctance to synergize the latest transformation efforts with improving strategic and operational mobility (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, April 1; see EDM, January 19). On January 12, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu addressed the top brass during a video conference at the National Defense Management Center (Natsional'nyy Tsentr Upravleniya Oboronoy-NTsUO), in Moscow. A central part of the military's plans for 2016, according to Shoigu, was the need to form new divisions to counter moves by NATO. This reflected measures already in place: forming the 1st Tank Army in Western MD from units in the 20th Combined Arms Army (CAA) and conducting a limited reorganization from brigades to divisions. The impact of the structural changes appeared marginal, but held out the promise of such units as first in line for new advanced hardware (TASS, January 12). The Russian political-military leadership has been explaining the need for such structural changes in the "Western strategic direction" by referring to US and NATO military activities close to Russia's borders. In December 2015, Shoigu portrayed the NATO "build-up" near Russia's borders in terms of a year-on-year increase in aircraft numbers (patrols) and increasing military personnel numbers; he also noted missile defense and naval activities and referred to the continued presence in Europe of tactical nuclear weapons. Consequently, according to the top brass, Russia must respond asymmetrically and strengthen its forces in the Western and Southern MDs (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, April 1). NATO is bolstering rapid-reaction capabilities in its northeastern and eastern flanks in response to the Ukraine crisis. And this shift in emphasis has been enhanced with plans to boost the rotational US Army presence in these parts of Europe. US European Command (EUCOM) announced that in February 2017, as part of the European Reassurance Initiative, EUCOM will begin continuous troop rotations of armored brigade combat teams (ABCT); a total of three fully equipped brigades will be involved in nine-month rotations from the US. By late 2017, there will be a continuous presence of three fully equipped ABCTs-one armored, one airborne and one Stryker-with prepositioned equipment and division-level enablers (Army.mil, March 30). Russian General Staff sources suggest the 1st Tank Army and the 20th CAA in the Western MD, designated as "divisions," will contain four maneuver regiments like their earlier Soviet versions. The new divisions in the Western MD will be headquartered in Yelnya and Boguchar. Two Motorized Rifle Divisions (MRDs) will form the basis of the 20th CAA by the end of 2016: these will be located in Smolensk and Vorenezh, each MRD will have a personnel strength of 10,000. "Now, as it was in Soviet times, each tank division will have three tank regiments, a motorized rifle regiment, a self-propelled artillery regiment and an anti-aircraft missile regiment; and each motorized rifle division [will include] three motorized rifle regiments, a tank regiment, a self-propelled artillery regiment and an anti-aircraft missile regiment," noted a General Staff source. The division will include supporting units: intelligence, communications, logistics, electronic warfare, nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) units, and others. These formations will be the first in the Ground Forces to procure T-14 Armata platforms and new Kurganets combat vehicles (TASS, April 1; Lenta.ru, March 31). Similar restructuring is underway in the Southern MD, aiming to deploy a new MRD headquartered in Rostov by late 2016. Also with 10,000 personnel and reflecting the structures being formed in the Western MD, the defense ministry plans to build supporting infrastructure for the division. Southern MD staff described the new MRD as "full blooded" and estimated the initial costs for building its facilities at 5 billion rubles ($73 million) (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, April 1; TASS, March 24). No less an authority on these plans, the commander of the Ground Forces, Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov, explained that they are driven by General Staff assessments conducted during "snap inspections" of the Armed Forces. According to their conclusion, the Serdyukov-era reforms had resulted in an imbalance in favor of brigades. Salyukov stressed that the three divisions promised by Shoigu are not being formed from scratch, but on the basis of existing brigades, with the aim of adding to their firepower, strike force capabilities and the need to perform tasks along a "much wider battle front." The General Staff wants to establish a variety of differing formations, from divisions to brigades and battalion tactical groups (BTGs), to shape appropriate responses to various theaters of conflict. Salyukov said the Ground Forces' command conducted a detailed study in 2014-2015 on the formation, support and use of tactical groups of forces in the Soviet Union, Russia and leading militaries to create an "optimal composition for the BTG formations of the Ground Forces." While the current priority is unchanged in terms of seeking exclusively contract-personnel-staffed BTGs, the main effort is to prepare each BTG for action on any axis in "complex conditions" and in "unfamiliar terrain" (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, February 10). Though the Serdyukov reforms switched to a brigade-based model for the Ground Forces, aspects of the legacy Soviet force approach were preserved due to concerns about retaining sufficient firepower. A Russian brigade differs from its NATO counterpart. But the single most significant error was forming generic "heavy" brigades, identified by the General Staff during strategic exercises that rehearsed the movement of formations over great distances; their recommendation to form "medium/multirole" and "light" brigades was never implemented; impairing mobility. The latest effort will offer more structural variation, but still inhibit strategic mobility due to the prevalence of heavy armor. Salyukov, despite talking up the divisions, still recognizes the need to break these down to meet operational requirements and rely on deploying BTGs. Yet, there is a real underlying message for NATO: along its Western periphery, Russia will emplace its very best units, fully equipped with its most advanced weapons and hardware. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Social Protests in Russia Repeatedly Force Kremlin to Respond Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Richard Arnold Publication Date 6 April 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Social Protests in Russia Repeatedly Force Kremlin to Respond, 6 April 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570622144.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website While Russia's economic woes are usually blamed on a combination of Western sanctions and falling global oil prices, it is worth remembering that some of the country's economic wounds are self-inflicted. For example, on March 28, Russian agricultural workers planned to stage a protest (stylized as a "march") from Labinsk (Krasnodar territory-krai) to Moscow. The farmers came from nine villages and hamlets in the Krasnodar territory, including Labinsk, Tblisi, Kalinin, and Novopokrovskiy Kuban. The protestors were mostly concerned about the neutrality of so-called "pocket courts" and the unfair distribution of agricultural land. According to the farmers, "raiders" use legal ambiguity to capture the land of local farmers and shareholders. The situation is so bad, apparently, that some have compared the position of the farmers in Krasnodar to that of the serfs in pre-1861 Russia (Novaya Gazeta, March 26). Indeed, undermining the notion of the Russian Federation as a single legal space, farmers from the village of Geymanosky Tblisi had won a legal case before the Russian Supreme Court, but are still waiting for the return of their agricultural lands: the raiders have simply ignored its verdict. While the protest might be thought of as a purely localized issue, one of the march organizers told journalists that it was impossible for the problem to be addressed at the regional level given the current architecture of the regional administration: "It all started with [former Krasnodar governor Alexander] Tkachev, the current minister of agriculture of Russia [He] built a powerful system, which currently cannot restrain the local administration and the new governor of the [Krasnodar] region." The farmers' march organizer continued, "Agricultural holdings do what they want: the land is [taken away from] individual peasant farms. The shareholders, put pressure on the farmers without regard for their struggles. Each district has its own prince, and court supervisors dance to his tune. Not in Kushchevskaya of course, not after the massacre [a reference to the 2010 mass murder of 12 people, including 4 children, by local thugs (RIA Novosti, November 19, 2010)], but who knows what will happen next." The leader of the rally had prepared about 100 tractors and 3,000 people to participate in the march as well as disseminated press releases to ensure maximum coverage (Novaya Gazeta, March 26). Just as it is worth remembering that some of Russia's economic problems are of its own making, the government's responses designed to deal with those problems are also often insufficient or self-defeating. Notably, the farmers' rally ended before it could begin; when Moscow learned of the protesters' intent and their demands, it sent a representative of the All-Russia People's Front (ONF), Natalia Kostenko, to negotiate with them. The ONF is a pro-Kremlin umbrella coalition of non-governmental organizations, political parties, business associations, labor unions and civil society groupings, started by then-prime minister Vladimir Putin, in 2011, to support his presidential reelection campaign (see EDM, June 2, 2011; October 20, 2011). Claiming that "Moscow came to you," Kostenko sat for three hours with the farmers and promised to establish a working commission to investigate the situation in the region (Novaya Gazeta, March 29). Burying investigations in a committee that promises to take action but rarely ends up doing so is a classic move of bureaucracies, which hope a problem goes away on its own and does not reappear. Still, the Krasnodar farmers' case is interesting for what it says about the future of protest in Russia and the forms such protests may take. In early January 2016, Russia's Center for Economic and Political Reform (CEPR) warned that protests in the coming year will be much harder for the authorities to handle than those that took place in 2011. Protests in 2011 featured mainly members of the so-called "creative classes" (young, educated, metropolitan, middle class entrepreneurs, professionals, etc.) from Moscow and St. Petersburg, with some limited public support. VtSIOM opinion polling from that time showed that 10 percent of the Russian population surveyed declared themselves ready to protest, and 38 percent passively supported the fundamentally political goals of the protesters. The CEPR went on to state that in 2016, a year with scheduled Duma elections, the situation has changed and the goals of Russia's protesters are now mainly economic (Gazeta.ru, January 8). As if to confirm this, the largest domestic protest of recent times was the truckers' strike, whose members were demonstrating against the new Platon taxation system. The protest, which began on November 30, 2015, drew truck drivers from all over the country and garnered public wide support across Russia (see EDM, November 30, 2015; The Moscow Times, December 14, 2015). Whereas the Moscow authorities had previously been able to ignore the complaints and the plight of those on the periphery, now it is becoming more difficult to discount such growing domestic grievances within Russian society. There have already been some signs of growing tensions at the regional level in the form of protest votes against the preferred candidates of the Kremlin. In the regional elections that took place in Irkutsk oblast last year, voters turned the tide in favor of the Communists, and in Amur they almost forced a second round of elections for the candidate from United Russia (Gazeta.ru, January 8). In the case of both the Krasnodar farmers and the truckers' strike, there appears to be an important lesson about the concerns of the government and the form that will be taken by effective future demonstrations. What prompted Moscow to action in Krasnodar was the threat of the farmers marching on Moscow and making a regional issue into a national one. This concentration on the Russian capital was also the strategy of the truck drivers, who carried out one of the most effective protests in recent times. With national parliamentary elections due to be held this year, the authorities may have to secure the votes needed to win by listening to the voices of those on the periphery-or else resort to the dangers of outright falsification of the results. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Government and Religious Authorities Disagree on Causes of Radicalization in the North Caucasus Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Valery Dzutsati Publication Date 6 April 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Government and Religious Authorities Disagree on Causes of Radicalization in the North Caucasus, 6 April 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570622b74.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website On March 23-24, the Public Council of the North Caucasian Federal District held a conference in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. The primary purpose of the conference was to work out ways to prevent the spread of religion-based radicalism in the North Caucasus. Only officially approved religious leaders were represented at the conference, but the differences between them still were quite evident. Some religious figures even contradicted themselves. For example, the Russian Orthodox Archbishop of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessia, Feofilakt, first said that the way of life in the North Caucasus has always been open to inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue. The Russian Orthodox cleric then asserted that globalization was posing dangers to the culture and traditions of the region's small ethnic group and that certain unnamed foreign forces were using globalization in their own interests (Skfo.gov.ru, March 23). It was unclear how the inherent openness of North Caucasians to other cultures was incompatible with globalization. The North Caucasus is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the world and, thus, locals have been exposed to cultural diversity for a long time. The leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, however, advance a view that is strikingly similar to the position of the Russian state. Moscow traditionally views foreign influences on its periphery as a threat. And Moscow is especially concerned about the Muslim-majority regions in the North Caucasus, which have increasingly become culturally distinct from the rest of Russia. One particular point of contention among the conference participants was the government's involvement in religious affairs. The dean of the Department of Eastern Languages and Cultures at Pyatigorsk State Linguistic Institute, Ibragim Ibragimov asked: "Why do young people in Russia choose the path of radicalism even though religion is given a lot of attention, the state helps religious groups, freedom of conscience is implemented? Why do young people end up fighting in the war-torn Middle Eastern countries? Many of our brothers and sisters are fighting in the ranks of terrorists and die there. But what for? Maybe because of their false understanding of religion? I do not want to discuss the sincerity of their intentions, because only the Almighty knows about them. But such a problem exists." A civil activist from Ingushetia, Movlad-Girey Dzagiev, however, retorted that the core problem is precisely the government's attempts to control religion. "There are more than 100 tariqas [orders] in Islam, and new teachings also appear. But who is the judge of those developments? The existing religious structures, which are completely fused with the government, judge them. In my opinion, such a merger of the religious and secular authorities is completely unacceptable. Such coalescence undermines the moral foundations of society. Religion must act on its own. Instead, the authorities feed and tame religious movements-and, accordingly, the religious authorities do not criticize any of the government's actions" (Kavkazskaya Politika, March 27). Some experts have pointed to the government's support for some religious teachings and its suppression of all others as the cause of destabilization in the North Caucasus. The majority of Muslims in the North Caucasus have traditionally been the adherents of Sufism. The Salafist school of Islam, however, has become increasingly popular among the locals. Part of the reason for the change is that the Sufi religious leaders are often so well connected to the authorities that ordinary Muslims equate them with the government. The Salafists have much less in common with government officials, and thus, many Muslims have started to regard Salafism as morally superior and non-corrupt. Experts often miss yet another side of the issue: why do Muslims who are disappointed with Sufism switch to Salafism, instead of becoming more secular? While some cases of secularization probably happen from time to time, the rise of Salafism and its increasing political importance indicate that the most active parts of the Muslim community often end up in the Salafist camp. Apparently, secularization is a less attractive option for disappointed Sufi Muslims than Salafism. The reason for this phenomenon may be connected to politics. Secular institutions are in crisis and do not provide adequate avenues for channeling the social and political grievances of disenfranchised young people. Indirect evidence of this is the fact that many of the radical Salafists are, in fact, well-educated and politically active people. Instead of political liberalization, however, Russian activists propose moving in the direction of greater government control over religion. Russian nationalists like Valery Korovin, an activist with the Eurasian Movement and scholar of "conservative research" at Moscow State University, said that the registration of religious groups in Russia is too liberal and should become stricter. Stricter registration laws, according to Korovin, would allow the state to weed out the "wrong" religious organizations (Kavkazskaya Politika, March 27). While discussing the causes of religious radicalization in the North Caucasus, the authorities and official religious leaders carefully avoid the political aspect of the problem, even though it is not hard to see. Although religious radicals use religious rhetoric, they almost always voice political concerns that go beyond religion. It is only logical to suggest that religious radicalization is related to the political issues in the Russian Federation and, in particular, in the North Caucasus, where Moscow and its representatives in the republics severely restrict secular ways of expressing political discontent and promoting political change. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Azerbaijan's War of Attrition: A New Strategy to Resolve the Karabakh Conflict? Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Zaur Shiriyev Publication Date 6 April 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Azerbaijan's War of Attrition: A New Strategy to Resolve the Karabakh Conflict?, 6 April 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 67, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570623394.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website The escalation of tensions between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces along the line of contact (LOC) saw the outbreak of a five-day exchange of fire, the bloodiest since the 1994 ceasefire agreement. The latest clashes ended with a mutually agreed ceasefire on April 5. According to official estimations from both sides, the Azerbaijani side lost 31 soldiers (Azadliq.org, April 6), while Yerevan's last official statement-not updated-says they lost 20 men, with 26 soldiers missing (Panarmenian.net, 5 April). Both countries have also lost military equipment, including tanks and military helicopters. The outbreak of clashes prompted speculation about the timing-both the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents were in Washington, DC, for the Nuclear Summit. Russia's approach also led to questions: Moscow contented itself with a statement calling for an end to the violence, rather than the expected intervention to demonstrate Russia's key role in the Karabakh conflict. This is precisely what happened back in August 2014, when hostilities were cut short by Moscow's involvement. It was suggested at the time that Moscow had manufactured the escalation of tensions in order to show off its mediation capacity to the West, emphasizing Russia's regional influence on the eve of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) September 2014 summit in Wales (Caucasus Analytical Digest, September 17, 2014). But Moscow did not attempt such an intervention during the recent clashes, despite their devastating outcome. Moreover, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Moscow-led military bloc in which Yerevan has placed its hopes, limited itself to calls to end the fighting. It did not support the Armenian position. On the contrary, one member state, Kazakhstan, released a statement of neutrality, while another, Belarus, declared that the conflict should be resolved based on international legal principles of territorial integrity, creating deep bewilderment in Yerevan (Euro Belarus Information Service, April 4). These two developments undercut early speculation by some analysts that Moscow had also manufactured this month's skirmishes, in order to punish Azerbaijan for attempting to revitalize relations with the United States and the West, following a long period of relative disengagement. Azerbaijan's military offensive and its policies during the period of escalation may have been precipitated by a "gentlemen's agreement" between Baku and Moscow; or Russia could have given Azerbaijan a kind of "green light" for military action, as long as the latter refrained from pushing Armenia to question its strategic alliance with Moscow. Whether or not such an understanding was reached, clearly Baku did not cross Moscow's red line-i.e. April's military operation did not lead to a full-fledged war. At the same time, Russia benefits financially from this situation and so is taking a business-like approach. The Azerbaijani army's military offensive means that Baku will need to negotiate the purchase of replacement military equipment from Moscow in the future. At the same time, Yerevan is also requesting help to arm its military. This situation strengthens Russia's role in conflict management. However, Azerbaijan's military strategy suggests this was not just a case of displaying military muscle. Rather, Baku apparently hoped to open up the way for the diplomatic resolution of the conflict, bringing Armenia to the negotiations table by militarily changing the status quo along the LOC. The overall situation shows that Azerbaijan's military commanders had planned in advance for their army units-with some degree of support from the air force-to be prepared to react to an Armenian violation of the LOC. Armenia's strategy was to rely on a hazardous landmine zone on its side of the LOC. This zone would be much harder to penetrate for Azerbaijani forces, and would result in devastating personnel losses (Crisis Group, Europe Briefing no. 71, September 26, 2013). If they succeeded in getting through the second echelon of defense, Azerbaijani army units would face mobilized Armenian units. The aim of the Azerbaijani forces was to isolate Armenian units that had been cut off near the various fortifications along the contact line, and operations were launched in five directions (Anadolu Agency, April 2). With that, the initial goal was to take strategic heights-providing an important advantage in terms of targeting military infrastructure. By April 3, when Baku declared a unilateral truce, Azerbaijani forces had taken Lele Tepe, a small peak in occupied Fuzuli region; a hill around the Talish village in the Aghdere region; and the Seysulan settlement (APA, April 2). Azerbaijani forces calculated that Armenian troops would mobilize to take back these lost territories, and Azerbaijan would respond by deploying Orbiter 2M weaponized drones with the Spike-LR missiles system. This response also enabled Azerbaijani troops to capture other nearby strategic locations. In total, Armenia lost three positions in the southern direction and three in the northern direction (Armenianow.com, April 4). By not pursuing a limited war strategy, Baku demonstrated its strategic approach-a short, sharp intervention. This can be described as a policy of attrition: wearing down the enemy to the point of compromise through continuous losses. The idea is that Armenian defense forces will now be more vulnerable to targeting by Azerbaijani offensives from higher ground, leading to greater losses in the future, and/or a forced retreat. However, the ultimate goal of Azerbaijan's attrition strategy is actually to bring Armenia back to the negotiations table, as maintaining the military status quo along the LOC will now be more costly for Yerevan and could spark domestic turbulence in Armenia. The latest clashes destroyed the belief that Azerbaijan is not prepared to use force. Whether or not Baku's strategy will work depends on the international environment, how the mediators and Yerevan react, and whether the situation achieves anything in terms of the diplomatic resolution of the conflict. This strategy also holds disadvantages for Baku: First of all, it will require the purchase of more armaments, which in the current economic conditions is problematic. Also, it may incur further losses on the front line, especially if Armenia tries to retake the military positions that Azerbaijan gained. Yerevan might also launch a preventive attack at any time. During the recent clashes, the majority of the population was very supportive of the government's military actions. But more troop fatalities in the absence of a resolution could damage public backing. In sum, the strategy of attrition warfare seems to demonstrate a new approach by Baku toward conflict resolution. It may achieve short-term success, if international mediation efforts capitalize on the current momentum to push for a resolution. Otherwise, in the long term, this strategy could spark a full-blown war. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Transnistria Moves Toward Russia Despite Talk of Rapprochement With Moldova Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Mihai Popsoi Publication Date 5 April 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 66 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Transnistria Moves Toward Russia Despite Talk of Rapprochement With Moldova, 5 April 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 66, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570623d94.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Galbur, who also serves as the minister of foreign affairs and European integration, paid a working visit to Moscow, on April 4-5. Just days before, the Moldovan parliament approved a controversial declaration proclaiming "the inviolability, sovereignty, independence and permanent neutrality of Moldova" (Jurnal.md, March 31). This way, the Moldovan leadership hopes to improve economic and political ties with Russia. Ironically, one day later, on April 1, Moldova's Deputy Foreign and European Integration Minister Lilian Darii summoned the Russian ambassador to Moldova, Farit Mukhametshin, following media reports that the Russian Army had been recruiting Moldovan residents in Bender, Transnistria (Deschide.md, March 31; TASS, April 1). Furthermore, the so-called prime minister of Moldova's breakaway Transnistrian region, Pavel Prokudin, led a delegation to Moscow on March 24, with the goal of boosting exports to Russia, which have dropped tenfold in the last decade to a mere 7.5 percent (Novosti Pridnestrovya, March 25; RIA Novosti, March 25). Transnistria continues to seek closer integration with both Russia and the Eurasian Union. Falling remittances and exports, including a lower price for electricity that Moldova buys from Transnistria, precipitated a currency crisis in the breakaway region (Regnum, March 10; Publika, March 26; TCV, March 26). The head of the local "Central Bank," Eduard Kosovskiy, warned of a looming 30 percent depreciation of the Transnistrian ruble (Regnum, March 22). Transnistria's local economy has been struggling for some time. Salaries and pensions have been cut, and now real wages are going to shrink even further. These conditions have contributed to the opposition winning a constitutional majority in the separatist regions' legislative elections on November 29, 2015. Furthermore, lack of progress makes the sitting "president," Yevgeny Shevchuk, an easy target in the presidential race scheduled for December 11. Even though he defeated Anatoliy Kaminski, who was supported by Moscow in the 2011 election; this time around, Shevchuk's only chance of staying in power is a strong endorsement from the Kremlin. Yet so far, his main competitor, Vadim Krasnoselski, elected with the backing of the opposition Obnovleniye party to become "parliament" speaker, seems to have the upper hand in courting that endorsement. On February 17, Krasnoselski led a "parliamentary" delegation on a four-day working visit to Moscow, striking a partnership agreement between Obnovleniye and the ruling United Russia party (TCV, February , 17; 20). Krasnoselski even met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, an honor previously bestowed only upon Shevchuk, prompting journalists to quip about the start of the Moscow primaries (Newsmaker, March 3). Meanwhile, in Chisinau, the ruling social-democrat faction (Democratic Party and 14 Communist defectors) allied itself with the Communists and Socialists from the opposition to approve a largely symbolic declaration reaffirming Moldova's sovereignty and constitutional neutrality (Jurnal.md, March 31). The move is as much an attempt to please Moscow as it is a warning for those supporting Moldova's reunification with Romania (see EDM, February 9). Seemingly in response, the story about the Russian Army recruiting openly in Transnistria suddenly hit the press. These allegations against Russia are not a new revelation. But the fact that the story made the news again in the past week suggests it was likely orchestrated as a response by the pro-unionist camp, particularly the Liberal Party. This member of the Moldovan government had earlier nominated the current head of the country's Information and Security Service (SIS), Mihai Balan. And Balan, in turn, was likely the source for the leaks to the media of the photos and details pertaining to Russia's alleged recruitment activities in Transnistria (Deschide.md, March 31). An alternative explanation posits that Moldova's ruling majority used this opportunity in an attempt to increase in Chisinau's leverage vis-a-vis Moscow ahead of Deputy Prime Minister Galbur's visit to the Russian capital. Russian authorities have not presented a response so far. As of late, attempts by the Moldovan leadership to improve relations with Russia are apparently being reciprocated by Moscow. The recent visit by the Russian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Grigoriy Karasin to Moldova and plans for a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin indicate that Russia may be finally reconsidering its strategy in Moldova (Kommersant, March 31). Now that Russia is facing international isolation and major economic difficulties, it has been suggested that the Kremlin is looking for a way out and would support a special status for Transnistria within Moldova's recognized borders. Such a proposal-unlike the 2003 Kozak Memorandum, which called for an asymmetric federalist arrangement-may be acceptable to Moldova. Russia's cost of subsidizing Transnistria, including the natural gas that Tiraspol does not pay for, has been estimated at about $1 billion per year (Europalibera.md, April 4). Hence, finding a mutually acceptable solution would not only save Moscow valuable resources, but would de facto increase Russian leverage over the reintegrated Moldova, as Transnistrian voters would inevitably remain strongly pro-Russian. Yet, any real discussion about a potential reintegration remains premature. The 5+2 negotiations format over Transnistria, likely to be renewed soon, will offer some clarity as to whether there is any promise for a way forward or if everything will remain just business as usual. On one hand, Valeriy Litskai, a former negotiator for Tiraspol and the current advisor to parliamentary "speaker" Krasnoselski, has expressed optimism about Transnistria becoming a platform for finding mutual understanding between Russia and the European Union-particularly in light of Germany's chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) this year (Newsmaker, April 1). And such optimism was echoed by Moldova's Foreign Minister Andrei Galbur when he told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, "Moldova should not serve as a field of geopolitical confrontation, but rather can become a platform for cooperation" (Mfa.md, April 4). However, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. The "presidential" race in Transnistria, which is essentially a competition about who is more pro-Russian, is not at all conducive to reintegration. Neither is the presidential election in Moldova. In fact, Moldova's approach of avoiding the Transnistrian issue in public discourse and strictly focusing on the diplomatic route can only contribute to an already volatile political situation in the country. Little evidence exists for the painstaking work that would be needed to create fertile ground for reintegration, especially as it pertains to the public discourse on both sides of the conflict. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Looking for Risper Publisher IRIN Author Mohammed Yusuf Publication Date 5 April 2016 Cite as IRIN, Looking for Risper, 5 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570627584.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Isaac Mutisya stands next to a grave, a simple cement slab shaded by a gum tree on the family farm in Kitui, eastern Kenya. "This is where I buried my daughter; the one who always brought happiness and joy to this family," said the soft-spoken high school maths teacher. Risper Mutisya died a year ago almost to the day. She was one of 142 students killed when the Somali militant group al-Shabab stormed Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya on 2 April. The attack and subsequent siege lasted more than 10 hours. Risper, aged 24, managed to survive the initial gun and grenade assault that began in the early morning. But then the militants, believed to be five heavily armed men, started hunting for the students who were hiding. Helen Titus, a third-year student of education, had taken shelter in the same dorm room as Risper and a group of other young women. But there were bars on the windows, no fire escape, and they were trapped. "The attackers convinced us to come out of our rooms, [that] they were not going to kill us." said Titus. The students were ushered to the ground floor, a tiled general-purpose area. "They told us to line up, and that was the last time I saw her." Titus remembers in those terrifying moments the militants assured them that Islam did not permit the killing of women. Instead, "they separated the boys from us and started killing the boys." News reports said they had focused on executing Christians. "After killing the boys, they started giving us a lecture. They were saying they wanted KDF [the Kenya Defence Force] out of Somalia. They said they were going to give us a chance to speak to our parents and for our parents to call the president and convince him to withdraw the soldiers from Somalia." But that didn't happen. After warning everyone not to move, "they went up to other rooms and killed more students. One hour later, they came back for us". The gunmen opened fire. Titus kept her face down and played dead. Although nicked by a bullet, it was a flesh wound, and she remained motionless. No answer The day of the attack, Isaac Mutisya had planned to M-Pesa (a phone-based money transfer) Risper the bus fare so she could spend the Easter break with the family. When he heard news of the assault, he began to frantically call her number. "The telephone rang, but there was no answer. Nobody responded. It rang until around 5pm on the same day when it went off completely." "The loss feeling in my heart is weighing me down," said Isaac. "Up until today, I dream about her almost every night. It has not been an easy situation." The Kenyan government has been widely condemned for its response to the attack. The elite anti-terror RECCE police unit was mobilised, but there was seemingly no helicopter available to fly them the 380 kilometers to Garissa, which borders Somalia. They were forced to go by road, a journey of seven hours. There was confusion over the coordination of the security forces at the scene. Worse still, the attack may well have been prevented: credible intelligence reports warning of an impending raid on universities had been ignored. Where is my daughter? Risper was a bright second-year business management student. Titus, who had shared a room with her for a year, said she was "very serious with her studies" and had talked about specialising in accounting. "I had so much hope in her," said Isaac, a successful farmer with a solid home and respectable land holding. Risper was the Mutisyas' second-to-last born, and was adored. The loss of a child is bad enough, but what happened next magnified the family's grief. Discover More Chibok girls - do we really care? Risper's body was airlifted to Nairobi, but then disappeared. She should have been kept at Chiromo Mortuary, a University of Nairobi-owned facility, along with the remains of the other students. But the Mutisiyas could not trace her. Isaac made several trips to the mortuary - checking and re-checking the gradually decomposing bodies. As the number of unclaimed corpses fell, to three, then two, he began to hope that, somehow, maybe, Risper was still alive. One student had emerged from hiding five days after the attack, why not Risper? The DNA test on the last remaining cadaver was negative - had the authorities made a mistake in reporting her as dead? The unknowing continued for six months. Isaac shuttled from government office to government office, going back to his family to report each time that there was no news. But then, finally, realisation dawned. Risper's second name - Kasyoka - was the surname of a young woman who had already been buried. A DNA test was organised for the parents and it was a match for the unclaimed corpse in the morgue. There had been a tragic mix-up over the name and fingerprints of the two students. "The other family was ordered to exhume the body. The scene at the gravesite was very traumatising," said Isaac. "I could not hold myself. I felt like falling and dying." A second DNA test on the disinterred body confirmed it was Risper. "I felt relieved to some extent when I got the body of my daughter," said Isaac. "But the loss in my heart is weighing me down... I miss her." Aftermath The gunmen were all killed at Garissa. But, a year later, five additional suspects have been charged in connection with the raid - including a Tanzanian national discovered hiding within the campus, and a university security guard found taking photographs on his phone of the carnage. The suspects deny any involvement, and the trial is continuing. The university re-opened in December, and there will be a fresh intake of students at the start of the new academic year in September 2016. The government hopes that the worst is over. "Since the Garissa attack the government has made specific efforts not only just in Garissa but in most areas prone to terrorism," said interior ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka. "One of the key things that was done in Garissa was [the] establishment of a police post within the university, and administratively there were changes in the entire security sector within the region." But there has been no public inquiry over what went wrong, which has not helped public confidence. Kenyan students don't appear to feel any safer. Ten days after Garissa, a student perished in a stampede at Nairobi University when a power transformer blew outside the hostels. In November, administrators at Strathmore University in Nairobi failed to announce a mock security drill in advance. The shot fired in the air to begin the simulation triggered mayhem. A staff member died. And then, in March, a disturbance at Kenyatta University in Nairobi led to a stampede, with panicked learners jumping out of third-floor windows. At least 38 people were injured. Although Garissa has re-opened and the attack has, to some extent at least, brought people together, security expert Richard Tuta warned that the policy of the Kenyan government towards Somalia hasn't changed. Without a settlement in Somalia, "the attacks in northeastern Kenya and in the country won't stop; they will continue," he added. What became of 25 young Afghan deportees? Publisher IRIN Author Kristy Siegfried Publication Date 6 April 2016 Cite as IRIN, What became of 25 young Afghan deportees?, 6 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570628074.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Zakir was just 14 when he fled pressure from Taliban fighters to join their ranks and embarked on the long and dangerous journey from Afghanistan to Britain. In the UK, he found not only safety but also the opportunity to pursue the education he could never have in Afghanistan. But his legal status was temporary and shortly before turning 18, he received a letter from the Home Office saying his status would soon expire and he faced the prospect of being returned to Afghanistan. Now aged 23 and still waiting for a decision on his final appeal to remain in the UK, Zakir's life has been on hold for the past five years, but he remains determined to avoid deportation to his home country. "There is no way I can go home," he said in a pre-recorded speech played at an event in London on Tuesday night to launch a study into what happens to former child asylum seekers forcibly returned to Afghanistan. "People are still looking for me [there]," Zakir said. "My culture has changed. I feel British." The research, which followed 25 returnees over 18 months, shows that Zakir's fears are well founded. It discovered that the young people experience numerous severe difficulties after their return to Afghanistan. These range from insecurity to a lack of social networks, work or education opportunities, and mental health problems. More than half the returnees said they planned to leave Afghanistan again. By the end of the research period, six had done so, while the whereabouts of 11 others was unknown. Young Afghans make up the second largest group of unaccompanied children who apply for asylum in the UK - 656 out of 3,043 asylum applications from unaccompanied children made in 2015 were Afghan. The majority are given only temporary leave to remain and are placed with foster families or in the care of local authorities. Reaching 18 means not only leaving the care system but also losing the right to remain in the UK. Applications to extend status or appeal the original decision on their asylum applications are rarely successful. "Most adult Afghans get some kind of protection status on appeal, but it's much more common for young people to be refused because of inconsistencies in their stories," explained Emily Bowerman, a programme manager with the Refugees Support Network (RSN), which provides educational and legal support to young unaccompanied refugee children in London and produced 'After Return', the report released on Tuesday. "Imagine a 15- or 16-year-old who's probably spent a year travelling. When they have their initial interview after they arrive in the UK often they struggle to articulate their claim for asylum," Bowerman told IRIN. According to Home Office data, 2,018 young people have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan from the UK since 2007. A lack of post-return monitoring means very little is known about their whereabouts or wellbeing, but there is mounting evidence that security conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated over the past year, since the withdrawal of international forces. Last year saw the highest number of civilian casualties since 2009. An August 2015 court injunction that had halted deportations to Afghanistan from the UK due to the worsening security situation was successfully overturned by the Home Office last month. Discover More Afghanistan's surprisingly predictable economic crash The 'After Return' study found that 12 of the returnees interviewed had experienced security incidents including bomb blasts and targeted attacks. One was beaten unconscious by unknown assailants in Kabul and another witnessed the killing of another young returnee. "Being a returnee does increase their risk," said Bowerman. "It makes them stand out and subjects them to particular targeting by Taliban groups." She added that it also affected their ability to form new friendships or reconnect with family. "Other people in society fear they'll put them at risk," she said. Many young people in the study hid their status as returnees from new friends while less than half were living with their families. In some cases families were still paying off debts incurred from funding their migration to the UK and couldn't afford to support them. Some even resented their return. Only a fifth of the returnees had found stable employment in Afghanistan, where jobs are already scarce and their lack of personal connections and status as returnees worked against them. Feelings of isolation, stigmatisation and hopelessness about their futures meant that 22 of the 25 returnees were struggling emotionally and 15 had mental health issues including severe anxiety and depression. "I have seen my worst days after the return to Afghanistan," said one. Another talked about being constantly mocked by people: "They say I have wasted my life and now have returned with empty hands. It feels so depressing from inside." RSN is hopeful the findings will be used as evidence that could result in fewer young Afghans having their asylum applications refused or spending long periods in limbo before ultimately being returned. Zakir has been offered a place at university and even a bursary, but he can't accept either until his immigration status is resolved. In the meantime, he has to sign in with the Home Office every two weeks and lives in constant fear of being detained and deported. "I have made friends and a future for myself here in London, but I am facing having all of that taken away from me." Bangladesh: Authorities must act as another secular activist hacked to death Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 7 April 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Bangladesh: Authorities must act as another secular activist hacked to death, 7 April 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570659d34.html [accessed 23 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The vicious killing of another secular activist in Bangladesh is a grave reminder that the authorities are failing to protect people exercising their right to freedom of expression, Amnesty International said. Four masked men attacked Nazimuddin Samad, 28, with a machete in Dhaka late last night before shooting him dead. No one has claimed responsibility, but the killing fits the pattern of other similar attacks on secular activists by radical Islamist groups over the past year. "There can be no justification for the brutal killing of Nazimuddin Samad, who has apparently paid with his life for nothing but being brave enough to speak his mind. This is not just a senseless murder, it is a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression," said Champa Patel, South Asia Director from Amnesty International. Nazimuddin Samad was a student activist who had organised campaigns for secularism on social media. He was named on a "hit list" of 84 bloggers published by a group of radical Islamists in 2013. In 2015, at least five people - four bloggers and one publisher - were killed because of their secular opinions and writings. No one has yet been held to account for these killings and the Bangladeshi authorities have failed to strongly condemn the attacks. Instead, they have instructed secular activists to stop "offending" religious sentiments through their writings. Dozens of other bloggers have been forced into hiding or exile, fearing for their lives. "Bangladeshi authorities must categorically condemn these killings and take serious steps to end this horrific cycle of violence. Those responsible for the killings of secular activists must be held to account, anything less will send a signal that these attacks are tolerated and permitted by the government," said Champa Patel. "The authorities must also ensure that those activists and writers who are under threat are effectively protected in accordance with their wishes." Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Halloween events, fall festivals pack October in Abilene, Big Country From family-friendly to frightful, there are plenty of opportunities to don the costumes and scare up some treats. On Monday April 4, Yamamoto Isoroku, the military strategist behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was born. Also on April 4, well into the Pacific War Isoroku's country started, Maj. William Edwin Dyess and 11 others, including two Filipino convicts, walked out their prisoner of war camp for another day of labor. On this day, they kept walking ... toward freedom. It was only the start of yet another arduous journey for Dyess, one that end successfully but only years later was recognized as one of the great feats of that war. Our Air Force base is named for this man, who was a hero by hero's standards. Col. David Benson, the new commander at Dyess AFB, wants the men and women of the 7th Bomb Wing to know more about this man and base history. That's why the movie theater on base was open and popcorn popping Monday afternoon for a showing of the documentary "William Edwin Dyess and the Greatest Story of the War in the Pacific." Dyess died a hero. Eeight months after the escape, when he went down with his P-38 near Burbank, California, to avoid civilian deaths. He could've parachuted to safety when an engine on the left began sputtering and he could not navigate back to his base. But that's not how this Shackelford County boy lived. In war, his risks were calculated. That day, his risk cost him his life. To avoid a car that had pulled onto the four-lane road on which he was trying to land, he pulled up and his plane clipped a building and crashed. In addition to learning more about the man for whom the base is named, Benson and others in leadership roles believe his story underscores what being in the Air Force is all about being dedicated and putting the mission and others first. He asked for a show of hands of those more than 25 years old. He then asked how many of those were squadron commanders. Those hands were few. At 25, Dyess commanded the 21st Pursuit Squadron. He was a born leader and while born to fly, the amphibious assault he led and survived the infamous Bataan Death March upon his capture and surrender are feats worth retelling for generations to come. To take in the whole story, you can read books about Edwin Dyess or go to the small but interesting museum near the main entrance to the base open to the public when it's open. But the documentary focuses on the Japanese attack on overwhelmed American forces in the Philippines and his surrender to the Japanese. When you don't have planes, ammunition and food is running low, you make hard choices. The Japanese viewed surrender as weaknesses but it was the only option that made sense to Dyess. Dyess already had earned combat acclaim, and could've been evacuated before it came to this. But he stayed to continue the fight. What Dyess and scores of others soon learned, however, was that the Japanese were not going to play by the rules of war. They were gathered, along with Filipinos, and marched over a week's time on the Bataan peninsula. More than 70,000 started this march, but thousands died many at the hands of the Japanese who tortured them along the way. More would more would die at camps, the last of which was the Davao Penal Colony. Dyess would be a prisoner of war for about a year, then spend another three months trying to return to U.S. forces after the escape. Dyess burned with motives of revenge but realized the best course of action was not a futile attempt to fight back and die but to escape and live to inform the world that had no idea of the savagery. And so they planned for two months at Davao 10 men and two Filipinos who said they could help lead the escapees through swamps and away from the Japanese. They walked out of the camp on a quiet Sunday and never came back. They had stashed some helpful items on previous trips. Long story short, all 10 Americans would survive and for their help, pardons secured for the two convicts. Some of the group stayed to fight the fight to liberate the Philippines, one eventually dying in combat. Dyess and two others were evacuated to a U.S. submarine in July. The story he so badly wanted to tell was hushed. It was feared the American public would turn its attention to the Pacific War when the European War was Priority One. Eventually, though, the story was told though Dyess never was given the credit that seems to be coming his way today. He was honored by the state of Texas last year, and a campaign is underway to award him a posthumous Medal of Honor. Monday also was the anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. The lives of Dyess and King are greatly different and yet, both men exhibited extraordinary leadership skills and the ability to see the greater picture. Both died too young, well before their work was done. The documentary was made possible by local funding, both from Abilene and Albany. Benson noted this example of how closely West Texas and the Air Force are tied. We should honor Edwin Dyess he is one of us, someone who stepped up when stepping up was needed. The kind of airman that Benson would be proud to command. Those new to Dyess learned Monday about a hero they may have known in name only. So did others, such as City Manager Robert Hanna, who only came to Abilene last year. One plan for the museum is to show this documentary to visitors. The museum features a display of Dyess memorabilia that includes his wallet, retrieved from the crash site, and the mess kits on which he etched to keep to his mind sharp. For schoolchildren who come for a tour, the Dyess story would be one about a real-life superhero. Not from another planet or genetically altered, but a boy who grew up to be a man among men. SIGN THE PETITION The effort continues to award Lt. Col. William Edwin Dyess a posthumous Medal of Honor. A petition, which requires 21,000 signatures, has been started at www.thepetitionsite.com. To date, fewer than 1,000 have signed the petition. If you know someone older who is not computer savvy or has access to one, help them get online to sign. Go to the www.4-4-43.com website; on the home page, toward the bottom, youll see Sign the Medal of Honor petition and CLICK HERE. That will get you to petition website. Police arrested Christian Ray Martinez, 26, Tuesday, following the execution of a search and arrest warrant in connection with debit card abuse. According to the court document filed Tuesday afternoon by Abilene Police Department officer Chris Collins and signed by 350th District Court Judge Thomas Wheeler, about 7:30 a.m. March 28 a man told police someone burglarized his work vehicle and stole numerous items, including an Abilene Federal Credit Union debit card. The suspect reportedly attempted to withdraw money from an ATM about 8:49 a.m. March 28 at 349 N. Mockingbird Lane but the cardholder had canceled the card less than 20 minutes minutes earlier. Police retrieved surveillance pictures of a man reportedly wearing a New York Giants hat, driving a gold 2002 Dodge minivan. And police said they were able to make out part of the license plate, which they traced to Martinez's residence. Police identified Martinez as the suspect in the pictures. Martinez remains in Taylor County Jail, in lieu of bonds totaling $25,000 for state jail felony charges for debit card abuse, theft of property and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), as well as a third-degree felony charge for possession of a controlled substance (heroin). Twitter: ARN_Titus Sweetwater police are looking for "other evidence that might be tied into items used to carry out" a fatal shooting Sunday in the 1100 block of Fowler Street, Sweetwater Police Chief Brian Frieda said Wednesday. Tanner Engle, 26, is suspected of shooting 39-year-old Brandon Heath Abeita, who was found unresponsive in a vehicle at the scene Sunday morning. Abeita later was pronounced dead at Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital. Engle has been charged with murder. He remained Wednesday in the Nolan County Jail in lieu of $125,000 bail. "We're working on a very extensive jigsaw puzzle," Frieda said, adding that details about the shooting remain unclear. Texas Ranger Danny Crawford of the Texas Department of Public Safety is working on the case with the Sweetwater Police Department. A pair of construction contracts pertaining to portions of the Abilene ISD $87.7 million bond project will be discussed at the district's school board meeting Monday, April 18. Chief among the proposed projects, and the most extensive work in this round, will be at Abilene High School, Construction Coordinator Joe Humphrey said. "These are just the instructional need things we didn't get to, the (Americans with Disabilities Act) renovations, at Abilene High School," Humphrey said. "Work's primarily at the gym, the 'old' vocational building, plus we'll also do the safety and security upgrades like we did at Cooper, the electronic door locks, the security cameras, we're doing those at Abilene High now." Work at Abilene High, which started in the summer of 2014 when crews created a bus drop-off area for students, renovated the school's performing arts center and upgraded several bathrooms into compliance with the ADA, will be completed with these summer projects, Humphrey said. Other portions of the work include repaving some of the parking lots and roofing, the latter of which is not related to the school bond project but is instead a result of hailstorm damage. "I think when we're done, every section of Abilene High will have a new roof," Humphrey said. According to preliminary bid tabulations provided by the school district, The Crowe Group, of Abilene, would be the low bidder of the project at $2.8 million for the base proposal. Five alternates are also included in the tabulation document, pushing the total price tag to $3.7 million, though the district has yet to determine which would be included in the project and which would not be recommended. Other bidders include Lubbock's Collier Construction Co. ($4.4 million total) and Weatherford's Imperial Construction ($4.6 million). Scott McLean, associate superintendent of operations, said work at Austin, Bassetti, Dyess, Jackson, Ortiz, Reagan, Thomas and Ward elementary schools will also be discussed at the April 18 meeting. The project includes minor demolition and construction at some bathrooms within the listed schools, miscellaneous ADA upgrades in restrooms and parking lots and other unspecified improvements. An alternate is also proposed, providing aluminum sidewalk canopies at Ortiz and Bassetti elementary schools. This work is on a separate contract from the Abilene High project, with this bid tabulation also indicating The Crowe Group as low bidder ($746,000 including the base proposal and one alternate). Collier Construction Co. ($780,000 total) and Don Faulkner Construction, of Abilene, ($802,000) also submitted bids. "Proposals are being evaluated," McLean said. "Included in the evaluation will be the determination of which alternate proposals will be recommended. We anticipate completing the evaluation of the proposals well in advance of the April 18th meeting. Based upon preliminary review of the proposals, it appears both projects will be well within the estimated construction budget for both projects." Although a fire destroyed the building that housed the Christian Service Center of Abilene, the ministry has not been swayed from its mission. The Christian Service Center temporarily has relocated its offices to 949 Mesquite St., or the older Meals on Wheels facility, according to a news release. The center will remain at that location while its permanent facility is being renovated at 3185 N. 10th St., according to the news release. Saturday's fire destroyed the center's building at the intersection of North Ninth and Mesquite streets, which had been the home of the Christian Service Center since the 1960s. Renovations on its new location should be completed by December, officials said. Starting April 18, the center will begin accepting donations of goods at its temporary warehouse at 904 Walnut St. The warehouse will take donations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Christian Service Center, which has been serving those who struggle with poverty since 1965, will resume providing basic assistance and spiritual support May 2. Food, school clothing and basic essentials will be offered at its temporary offices while supplies last. To donate to the Christian Service Center Fire Relief Fund, go to cscabilene.org. When Rick Pritchett was asked to relate stories that would demonstrate the personality of his father W.G. "Dub" Pritchett, he offered a quick response: "How much time do you have?" He, his wife, Linda, and Mary Pritchett, Dub's wife, were then off and running. They spoke of his poor childhood in Corinth, between Anson and Stamford, where he walked to school barefooted, three miles each way ("We traced the path he walked; it really was three miles."); his plan to just work after high school until a teacher talked him into college ("I'll go to the bank an borrow money so you can go. You've got to go."); how he described his school life at Texas A&M University as "I worked and went to class" (He took 21 semester hours and worked two jobs, Rick said.); and how he immediately accepted as his own his wives' children and grandchildren. "Dub" Pritchett died Monday in Abilene at age 92. He will be remembered with a visitation at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Highway 277 South, from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Following private burial services, a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at First Central Presbyterian Church. Pritchett's constant humor was a source of pride with his family. Rick said that on one of his last visits with his father while he could still communicate, "he was cracking a joke with me and digging at me. My son and I looked at each other and laughed and said, 'He's still got it'." Pritchett acquired the nickname Dub while at Texas A&M when fellow students shortened the W.G. he normally was called. He and his classmates were pulled into World War II when they were taken into the Army and, after training, were sent to France. At age 19, he commanded anti-tank and rifle platoons as Allied forces advanced through France and Germany. At war's end, he spent a year with occupation forces in Austria. He moved to Abilene in 1949 and was active in many business and civic endeavors, earning him the Jaycee's Outstanding Young Man Award in 1952. He co-owned and managed the AAMCO Transmission Center from 1967 until retiring in 1990. He was active in Kiwanis Clubs and was a charter member past president of Key City Kiwanis Club and a member of Kiwanis Club of Abilene for more than 40 years. He remained active around the home well into his late years ("I can only work about four hours at a time without stopping," he once told them), causing no end of concern to his family. Rick said the family finally admitted that "That's where he was happiest. If that's where he went to meet his maker, he was happy. We finally just said OK, just be sure you stay hydrated, because he was gonna do it." Pritchett always had time for family, which include five children and stepchildren, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Linda Pritchett recalled the family gathering last Thanksgiving. "One of his last requests before he went into the rest home was for all of his family to get together for Thanksgiving," she said. "Kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, he wanted everybody here. "He didn't get up (from his chair), because he couldn't; he sat right there and just watched, just absorbed everything that was going on." Wife Mary stated that he wasn't perfect and she wasn't trying to say he was a saint which brought the quick response from Rick, "He is now. "He was about as close as anyone I know." Everything from historic trails to atomic energy and rock 'n' roll will be covered during the 93rd annual meeting of the West Texas Historical Association. The conference will begin at 6:15 p.m. Thursday with two speakers and a dinner, include events all day Friday, and will conclude with a tour of Abilene at 2 p.m. Saturday. Sessions will be held at the host hotel, MCM Elegante Suites, with Friday night's dinner scheduled for the Johnson Building at Hardin-Simmons University. The West Texas Historical Association was organized in 1924 at Hardin-Simmons, under the leadership of the late Rupert Richardson, a history professor, author and president of Hardin-Simmons from 1945 to 1953. "The association has really deep roots in Hardin-Simmons history and in Abilene history," said Tiffany Fink, a Hardin-Simmons history professor and member of the association. B.W. Aston and Ken Jacobs, both now deceased, continued the ties between the university and the association until it moved to Texas Tech University in 1998, Fink said. This year's conference will feature a number of professional and nonprofessional historians. Abilenians Rob and Tiffany Fink, John Caraway and Joe Specht are on the local arrangements committee. Specht, Rob Fink and fellow Abilenians Tim Chandler and Robert Sledge will present papers at the conference. Also, several area residents are on the program. Other speakers are coming from various parts of the state. Keynote speaker for Friday night's dinner will be author and historian Glen Ely, whose latest book, "The Texas Frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail, 1858-1861," was released in March by the University of Oklahoma Press. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Bankhead Highway. Known as the Broadway of America, the Bankhead spanned the country from San Diego to Washington, D.C., connecting the east and west coasts before the interstate highway system. In Texas, the Bankhead covered more than 850 miles between El Paso and Texarkana, passing through Abilene and many other towns now on Interstate 20. One of the sessions at the annual meeting is titled "The Bankhead Highway in Texas." It will begin at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the Acapulco Room of MCM Elegante Suites. Specht, a retired McMurry University librarian and historian, will chair the panel. The highlight of Saturday's agenda will be the awards luncheon beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the Baja Room of the hotel. Awards will be given for best article, best book, best fiction, best student essay and heritage service. A student scholarship award and election of officers will conclude the luncheon. Speaker for the awards luncheon will be Diana Hinton, a history professor at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and president of the WTHA. Her address is titled "Ladies in the Jazz Age Oil Patch." Hinton said the historical association is enjoying a growth in membership and an emphasis on teaching local history in the community. "We make a point of outreach in that regard," she said. IF YOU GO: WHAT: 93rd Conference of the West Texas Historical Association WHEN: Thursday-Saturday WHERE: MCM Elegante Suites ADMISSION: Informational sessions are free and open to the public; for programs with meals, check ticket availability at the registration desk or call the conference information line at 806-543-9741. TheThursday early bird dinner is $24; the Friday Womens History Luncheon is $22; and the Friday evening reception and banquet is $28. DETAILS: Conference will begin at 6:15 p.m. Thursday with two speakers, Jerod Haines of Wayland Baptist University and Bill ONeal, Texas State Historian. The early bird dinner will begin at 7:15 p.m. Both events will be in the Baja Room of the hotel. Conference will end at 2 p.m. Saturday with a tour of Abilene SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS: Sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Friday at the MCM Elegante Suites. A reception for the president of the association, Diana Hinton, will begin at 6 p.m. Friday,followed by dinner, in the Johnson Building at Hardin-Simmons University. Keynote speaker will be author and historian Glen Ely, whose latest book, The Texas Frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail, 1858-1861, was released in March by the University of Oklahoma Press. On Saturday, sessions will be held 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the hotel. An awards luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m. followed by a tour of Abilene at 2 p.m. COMPLETE SCHEDULE: www.swco.ttu.edu/westtexas BACKGROUND: The West Texas Historical Association was organized in 1924 at what is now Hardin-Simmons University. In 1996, the association moved its editorial offices to Texas Tech University. Executive offices were moved there in 1998. The association is for both professional and non-professional historians. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Suth Dina, Cambodia's ambassador to South Korea (C), is taken away from Phnom Penh Municipal Court, April 7, 2016. Cambodias ambassador to South Korea is facing corruption charges as investigators there say his wealth increased by about $3 million during the two years he spent as envoy to Seoul, RFAs Khmer Service has learned. Anti-Corruption Unit officials say that they have evidence showing Suth Dinas total cash assets rose to about $7.2 million from $4.2 million during his time in South Korea. ACU investigators also said Suth Dina possessed 13 kilograms of gold. When arriving at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court from Prey Sar Prison Suth Dina shouted: Injustice for me! ACU chief Om Yentieng, accused Suth Dina of embezzling $180,000 from the embassy in Seoul. The source of his other assets was unclear, but they could be seized they were illegally gained. It is also unclear exactly how many charges the government will bring against Suth Dina, but he is facing at least one charge of effective abuse of power and one charge of taking advantage of his office for personal gain. In particular, the government accused Suth Din of running a scam where he sold visa stickers in South Korea and then kept the $120,000 he earned for a long period of time before depositing it in Cambodias bank account. He is also accused of opening an account at a South Korean bank and secretly transferring large amounts of Korean won into Cambodia. At the same time authorities say he embezzled insurance money from Cambodian workers in Korea. Suth Dina is facing up to 10 years in prison, if he is convicted of the two charges. What to do with $3 million For the $3 million dollars, if he can answer for it, then we will not confiscate it, Om Yentieng told reporters on Thursday. After this, we will question him at the Prey Sar Prison, so the next step for questioning over there, is to see if he can explain where he got the $3 million. He added: If he wont answer, then we seize $3 million first. For a time, Suth Dina was being held for a time in Prey Sar Prisons Room Number 15 in Building B, next door to Meach Sovannara, the media director of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, who was sentenced for participating in and directing an insurrectionary movement, sources tell RFA. Cambodia has a reputation as one of Asia's most corrupt countries. The problem is a political liability for long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose Cambodian People's Party fended off an unexpectedly strong challenge in the 2013 general election. Corruption issues are also expected to play a role in the upcoming Cambodian elections as well, and its unclear if Hun Sen is trying to send a signal before the election, said Ou Virak, president of the Phnom Penh-based think tank Future Forum. We should remember that Suth Dina is not popular in South Korea, Ou Virak said during an RFA call-in show. I guess that there may be corruption activities because there are many poor workers and families who have to save up or borrow extra money to make it possible to work there, and that includes paying bribes to enable them to send their daughters and sons to Korea in order to get a job there where wages are higher. While Hun Sen may hope that the arrest sends a signal that the government is serious about stamping out corruption, it is unclear how far it will go because corruption is endemic in Cambodian society, Ou Virak said. If we talk about corruption, many officials may be involved in corruption activities, he said, About 80 to 90% of the Cambodian people can see corruption activities, according to the Transparency International Cambodia, Thats why I said there nothing to be surprised about in terms of corruption, or to think if it is true, he said. Reported by Moniroth Morm, Maly Leng, Sothearin Yeang for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Pagnawath Khun. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Identity documents from the Panama Papers. Clockwise from top left: Patrick Henri Devillers, Jia Liqing, Hu Dehua, Deng Jiagui and Li Xiaolin. As more details emerge from the Panama Papers, Chinese censors are fighting to ensure the top-down deletion of information that details how Chinese high-ranking political and financial elites managed and hid their wealth offshore. "All websites: Please self-inspect and delete all content related to the Panama Papers leak, including news reporting, microblogs, WeChat, forums, community pages, bulletin boards, cloud storage, comments and other interactive media," an April 4 national-level directive from propaganda officials said. "Delete mobile content at the same time," said the order, which was translated and posted online by the China Digital Times (CDT) website. The massive leak of 11.5 million files from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca has revealed details of the operations and ultimate, hidden ownership of a slew of offshore shell companies, including those owned by family members of top Chinese leaders and Chinese celebrities. "Offshore companies incorporated in offices in China and Hong Kong account for 29 percent of Mossack Fonsecas active companies worldwide," a global investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and more than 100 other news organizations, reported. Included in its report was the brother-in-law of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Deng Jiagui, and the daughter of late former premier Li Peng, Li Xiaolin, both of whom were named in leaked documents as the beneficiaries of companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Repeated calls to one of the companies owned by Deng rang unanswered during office hours on Thursday. Mao Zedong's grandson Now, reports have emerged that relatives of five other high-ranking Chinese leaders including revolutionary icon Mao Zedong also appear in Mossack Fonseca's records. Mao's grandson by marriage Chen Dongsheng set up British Virgin Islands-based Keen Best International in 2011, while Hu Dehua, son of late ousted premier Hu Yaobang, is the ultimate beneficiary o Fortalent International Holdings, that was also incorporates in the BVI. According to the ICIJ website: "Hu Dehua registered the company using his home address the traditional courtyard home where his father lived while party chief." More current Chinese political figures also make an appearance in the documents. Politburo standing committee member Zhang Gaoli's son-in-law Lee Shing Put is named as a shareholder of three BVI companies: Zennon Capital Management, Sino Reliance Networks Corporation and Glory Top Investments. Jia Liqing, daughter-in-law of fellow Politburo member Liu Yunshan is director of BVI-incorporated Ultra Time Investments Ltd., while Zeng Qinghuai, brother of former vice president Zeng Qinghong, directs the offshore China Cultural Exchange Association, now registered in Samoa. Repeated calls to the propaganda ministry's listed number in Beijing resulted in a "no such number" message. According to the anti-censorship website GreatFire.org, the ICIJ's website has been blocked in China since Monday, but was only 80 percent blocked on Thursday. A matter of time A journalist who gave only his surname Huang said Internet censorship wouldn't be able to prevent the news of the Chinese names revealed in the Panama Papers forever. "Now that it's all over the media, it's just a matter of time before it will find its way into the country," Huang said. "Even the Chinese government won't be able to keep it out." He said the Panama Papers are likely already creating political shock waves among the ruling Chinese Communist Party's members, where there has been mounting resistance to a nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched by President Xi Jinping in 2012. "As for how they deal with those whose information has been leaked in these files, that will all probably be negotiated as part of a political power struggle," Huang said. He said Xi is likely to try to use the information in the documents to pursue more high-ranking officials on corruption charges. "But I don't think they will take action against all of them, because there are far too many people involved," he said. Mossack Fonsecas customers from China aren't just related to its political elite, but include celebrities like Jackie Chan and wealthy businesspeople like mall magnate Shen Guojun, both of whom are listed as shareholders in a BVI-based company called Dragon Stream. Parking the cash It has long been suspected that much of China's offshore wealth also boomerangs back into China, sometimes via Hong Kong. In the case of soft drinks heiress Kelly Zong, the purpose of her Purple Mystery Investments company was listed as "investment in China." A Chinese academic source who asked to remain anonymous said many of Zong's peers are following suit. "A lot of them have business operations inside China," he said. "The money comes back into the country as investments by overseas companies." He added that the leaks suggest China's richest people are finding it harder to park their money where it won't be found. "It's a bit risky for them just to stick the money in banks in the United States or Switzerland, so they have to find somewhere a bit more exotic to put it, via shell companies," the source said. He said they are also likely to close ranks in the face of the scandal. "They are very used to covering these things up, and Chinese people have short memories," he said. "In a while, it'll be as if nothing ever happened." Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. China remained the worlds top executioner, as global use of the death penalty skyrocketed worldwide in 2015, according to an annual report by the London-based rights group Amnesty International (AI). "Amnesty International believes that thousands of people were put to death and thousands of death sentences were imposed in 2015," the group said in a statement on Thursday. "There are signs that the number of executions in China has decreased in recent years, but the secrecy around the death penalty makes this impossible to confirm for certain," it said. The group's secretary general Salil Shetty told reporters earlier this week "our estimate [for China] is that they execute as much as the rest of the world," the New York Times reported. The AI report said 2015 saw a dramatic global rise in the number of executions, with more people put to death than at any point in the last 25 years. It blamed the surge on executions carried out by Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The group said it had recorded a total of 1,634 people executed in 2015, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the figure for the previous year and the highest number it had recorded since 1989. The figure, however, excluded executions in China, where death penalty statistics are treated as a state secret. AI China researcher Patrick Poon told RFA that Beijing likely considers the numbers a secret because they are embarrassingly high. "We believe that China doesn't want to make public its execution figures, because they are probably very high indeed," Poon said. "They don't dare to publish them." "Otherwise, it's hard to understand why they don't make the numbers public," he said. Recent reforms Last August, China eliminated the death penalty in cases involving nine different crimes including smuggling weapons or explosives, nuclear materials or fake currency, as well as counterfeiting currency. Financial fraud, organized prostitution, forced prostitution and obstructing the military in the course of their duty, as well as "spreading rumors and stirring up the masses in time of war" were also removed from the list of capital crimes. The move also made it harder for those given a death sentence with reprieve, which is typically commuted to 10-15 years' imprisonment with good behavior, to eventually be executed. Poon welcomed the recent reforms, but said they don't go far enough. "There are still capital crimes on the statute books, which leaves open the possibility that forced confessions will be used ... during the investigation or that evidence will be gained through the use of torture," he said. "This is something that is very worrying indeed," he said. Unfair and not objective Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing in Beijing on Thursday that the AI report was "unfair and not objective," and that China "has no interest in commenting on it." Commentators have previously told RFA that the death penalty has broad public support in China. Anhui-based dissident Shen Liangqing said he is personally in favor of it, but only if administered fairly. "The rules surrounding the death penalty vary from country to country, and while EU countries have abolished it, a lot of U.S. states haven't," he said. "Personally, I don't support abolishing the death penalty for very serious crimes causing loss of life to many people," Shen said. "The problem in China is to do with impartiality in the judicial system." Rights groups have also raised concerns over the use of harvested organs from executed prisoners. Government figures revealed that some 65 percent of transplant organs came from executed prisoners in 2009. And while the ruling Chinese Communist Party banned the practice at the start of 2015, activists say the measures may be largely cosmetic, as some 300,000 patients are placed on waiting lists for organs every year in China. Human rights researchers have warned that "voluntary" donations can still be coerced out of death row prisoners, who are under the total control of the authorities. Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. An industrial plant that mines cast-off electronics for their valuable metals appears to be pumping polluted waste water into the neighborhood surrounding Vientianes Special Economic Zone causing contamination levels to jump dramatically, local residents told RFAs Lao Service. The Hokeng Metal Processing Co. plant located in Nonthong village in Vientianes Saythany district reclaims copper, lead and other valuable minerals from computers, televisions, batteries and other castoff electronics, and then resells the metals to customers worldwide. I see the plant drain the waste water into the surrounding fields, and during the rainy season it will spread to other areas, said one resident who spoke on condition of anonymity. The plant has done it for a few years. In addition to the fear of water contamination, residents near the plant say the smell is horrible. Villagers have trouble with the bad smells day and night, another villager told RFA. When we are home, we must stay inside the house with the windows closed. People driving past that area also smell the burning, and it seriously upsets their noses. Hokeng Metal Processing is a subsidiary of Sunrise Metal International, according to Sunrise Metals website. While Sunrise is headquartered in New Zealand, it is a part owner of Hokeng, which has operated for five years since winning approval by the government. While company executives could not be reached, an official working closely with the company who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the villagers have need for concern. He told RFA that a recent inspection turned up contamination at more than 16 times the normal level. The result of the inspection, found that the severe contamination is 3.4, he said. In general normal contamination in water is only 0.2. While Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment officials told RFA they are working on pollution management at the plant, the ministry has yet to take any action against the company for dumping the waste water. However, the company was found guilty of importing raw materials from Hong Kong, and now those materials are being kept in the Vientiane Thanalaeng warehouse until authorities can dispose of the case. According to the Ministry of Finance, the officials quarantined 58 containers of raw materials imported by the company in the government warehouse because they suspect Hokeng failed to comply with the international treaty known as the Basel Convention that attempts to regulate the transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries. Lao authorities accused the company of failing to identify the kinds of raw materials contained in the containers; avoiding customs inspections; failing to inform officials of the types of waste; and it may have imported a type of waste that is unacceptable in Laos. While its unclear what action, if any, Vientiane will take, the government is aware of the problem, according to a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Deputy Prime Minister, Somsavat Lengsavad who is in charge of economic affairs called relevant sectors to have a meeting for resolution, but it is unclear the date of the meeting and the summary of this issues, the official said. Representatives of the ministries of natural resources and environment, industry and commerce, government office economic department, the national committee for special economic zone management, and representatives of the company are expected to meet at the end of this month. Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFA's Lao Service. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Detained Myanmar students, Khaing Mar Nyein (L) and Phyu Phyu Khaing (R) stand behind a barbed-wire fence outside the courthouse before their trial in Tharrawady, central Myanmar's Bago region, April 5, 2016. Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said Thursday that releasing political prisoners and detained students is an urgent priority for the new government in her first statement since her appointment to the new cabinet role that gives her considerable influence over state affairs. I am going to try for the immediate release of political prisoners, political activists and students facing trials related to politics, she said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the office of President Htin Kyaw, but did not give any indication of a release date. The Presidents Office issued the announcement after the governments first cabinet meeting. Aung San Suu Kyis plan lays out the laws under which the prisoners could be released, the Associated Press reported. We have known that new government has been trying for the release of student activists and political prisoners since state power was transferred to it, said Ko Jimmy, one of the leaders of the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students group and a former political prisoner. We also understand of the difficulties of doing it, especially since Daw [honorific] Aung San Suu Kyi has released the statement soon after she became the state counselor, he said. About 100 political prisoners are in jail in Myanmar, and more than 400 activists face trials on political charges, according to the countrys Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. They include students charged with participating in protests last year against educational policy changes by the previous government. Amnesty for Thingyan Protesters in the commercial capital Yangon on Thursday demanded that the new government led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party grant amnesty to political prisoners and jailed farmers and students before the Thingyan New Year festival, which begins on April 11, Eleven Myanmar media group reported. Authorities detained six activists who led the rally for violating Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, which forbids demonstrations without an official permit, Eleven Myanmar said. Dissidents and student protestors were routinely imprisoned by the former military junta that ruled the country for a half-century, prompting international criticism from rights groups. The quasi-civilian government under former president Thein Sein, which held power from 2011 to last week when the NLD took over the administration, freed thousands of prisoners, but ordered the jailing of farmers and students involved in protests over land grabs and controversial state education reforms. Dozens of students and their supporters remain behind bars in Tharrawaddy prison, Bago region, charged with various offenses for participating in a protest last March against education reforms in the central Myanmar town of Letpadan. The demonstration had turned violent with beatings by police and resulted in the arrests of nearly 130 students and their supporters. About 30 others are currently standing trial and face sentences of up to nine and a half years on various charges. Aung San Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest, and several current lawmakers from the NLD, which she chairs, have served time behind bars. Though she cannot become president because of a constitutional provision barring anyone with foreign-born relatives from holding the nations top office, Aung San Suu Kyi has vowed to rule Myanmar from a position above the president. Foreign minister role Aung San Suu Kyi is also minister of foreign affairs and the Presidents Office under the current administration of her long-time aide and proxy President Htin Kyaw. In her role as foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi met with her counterparts from China, Italy and Canada earlier this week. Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion on Thursday offered to help with efforts to end ongoing civil wars between armed ethnic groups and the Myanmar military in the countrys northern, northeastern and western regions, the Associated Press reported. The rebel groups are seeking autonomy under a federal union and control of natural resources in their respective states. Aung San Suu Kyi has made lasting peace and reconciliation one of the new governments goals. Reported by Thiri Min Zin for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Vietnamese police at Huong Phuong church where a local priest says they clashed with parishioners, April 6, 2016. Just days after the top U.S. diplomat for religious freedom worldwide left Vietnam, at least three Catholic parishioners were injured in a clash with local authorities in Quang Binh province, according to a local priest. Its unclear what led to the April 6 altercation at the Huong Phuong church, but local priest Le Nam Cao told RFAs Vietnamese Service that police and soldiers fired bullets near the church and used tear gas and batons on the parishioners before tearing down decorations erected for an annual festival. It was noon time and most of the men were at work, so only old women and children were at home, he told RFA. Parishioners told me of the crackdown. I told them that I would not go out and they should go home and just let them do whatever they wanted because we had no weapons, so it was not good for us. While Le Nam Cao tried to convince his parishioners to stand down, some of them ignored his advice. Tear gas, bullets and batons Some people did not agree, so they fought back against the troops including policemen and soldiers who were well equipped with tear gas, bullets and batons, he said. They fired tear gas. We could feel it inside our church. They shot some bullets near the church. Le Nam Cao said three or four people were injured, with some sustaining cuts on their heads and many suffering from tear gas. Authorities took some of the parishioners into custody, but they were later released, he said. One parishioner was looking at the scene, and he was detained and beaten by the police while some people got tear gas in their eyes, but they were not in danger, he said. I heard the ones that were seriously injured were treated in the hospital, and the rest just went home. The parishioners took care of bruises and bleeding. The timing of the attack was also odd as Le Nam Cao said he had just finished a meeting with local political leaders. They just came to talk to us for a short time then left, he said. After they left our church, the troops rushed in. When RFA contacted local authorities, they denied that an altercation had occurred. Not the first It isnt the first time authorities have clashed with church parishioners, but usually it comes in the form of individual harassment, Le Nam Cao explained. Huong Phuong has been suffering for quite some time, but they have showed some resistance in recent years. Sometimes they spoke out about their demands in public, he said. Maybe that was why they cracked down on us. He added: This is the second time, not counting some small incidents and some threats. There were times they sent troops here to guard our village for two days. When they came here before they said they were searching for some drug dealers or something else. They did not say that they were cracking down on us. Le Nam Cao told RFA the attacks and harassment appears to be directed at Catholics. Most of the parishioners here are afraid of the local government, especially the people who are in charge of security because they seem to have some hostility against Catholics, he said. They usually abuse their power to take revenge on a personal level. They create difficulties for parishioners, and not only in Huong Phuong. Clash follows envoy's visit The alleged altercation comes just days after David N. Saperstein is the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom wrapped up a visit to Vietnam. After his visit, Sapperstein told RFA the Vietnamese government appeared to be more open to religious freedom. In the main, there was a feeling that things are moving in the right direction, he told RFA. Saperstein toured Vietnam from March 26-31 and met with government officials as well as religious and civil society leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities for improving religious freedom in Vietnam. While Saperstein told RFA Vietnam was making progress, he also said there were still problems there. There were stories of more overt harassment and interference by the authorities, particularly for the unregistered churches. These were more common in the ethnic minority communities, he told RFA. More of them proportionally were unable to get their churches registered, and more of those people face harassment and interference from the local authorities. Its a mixed picture. Reported by Gia Minh for RFA's Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Azerbaijan has accused Armenian-backed separatists in its breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region of violating a cease-fire agreed between the two sides. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a statement on April 7 that the separatists violated the cease-fire 119 times in the last 24 hours. Separately, the Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces shelled several districts in Azerbaijan's Naxcivan exclave. Naxcivan is surrounded by Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. On a visit to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized Moscow's special role as mediator in the conflict. "Beyond all doubt, we are interested -- maybe more than the other foreign partners of these two countries -- in this conflict being settled as soon as possible," Lavrov said after meeting his Azerbaijani counterpart on April 7. Lavrov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to urge an end to the violence, and that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was traveling to Armenia on April 7, then onto Azerbaijan the next day. Since the cease-fire took effect on April 5, Azerbaijan and the separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have said the situation along the "line of contact," which effectively serves as a front line separating the combatant sides, remains tense but calm. The cease-fire came after fighting erupted on April 2. The four days of ensuing fighting was the deadliest flare-up over the mountainous South Caucasus enclave in decades. Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict have brought little progress. With reporting by Reuters It's hard to determine who started the recent outbreak of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. And it is also a bit of a stretch to argue, as some have done, that Moscow actually provoked the fighting. But, nevertheless, it's crystal clear who benefits the most from the hostilities: none other than the regime of Vladimir Putin. As a member of the Minsk group, Russia is supposed to be a mediator between Yerevan and Baku -- and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's current trip to Azerbaijan and Armenia aims to highlight that role. But it is pretty odd, to say the least, for an alleged mediator in a conflict to also, at the same time, be arming both sides. And this is exactly what Russia is doing. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh weakens both Armenia and Azerbaijan and keeps both dependent upon Russia. The longer the frozen conflict lingers, the more Moscow benefits. And every time tensions simmer and the conflict comes unfrozen -- as it has over the past week -- the stronger Russia's hand becomes. An editorial in The Wall Street Journal correctly noted that "Putins dream of a Russian-led Eurasian empire depends on a weak South Caucasus in which Moscow is the principal outside power exercising military influence and controlling the flow of Caspian oil across the region." So while it was Armenians and Azerbaijanis who were shooting at each other in the past week, the clear winner was Moscow. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. The Dutch government says it may have to reconsider ratifying a treaty establishing closer European Union ties with Ukraine after a strong majority of voters rejected an Association Agreement in a nonbinding referendum. Dutch broadcasters NOS and RTL reported that turnout for the referendum among the Netherlands' 13 million voters was 32.2 percent -- above the 30 percent minimum level that makes the vote valid -- with all of the votes having been counted and reported by municipalities to the national news agency ANP's election service. Official results will not be known until April 12. The preliminary results show that among those who voted, 61.1 percent rejected the pact with Ukraine and 38.1 percent supported it, according to the ANP count. European Council President Donald Tusk said he was waiting for the Dutch government's conclusions on the referendum. "I will continue to be in contact with Prime Minister [Mark] Rutte on this, as I need to hear what conclusions he and his government will draw from the referendum and what his intentions will be," Tusk said in a statement on April 7. "The EU-Ukraine agreement continues to be applied. The EU-Ukraine agreement has already been ratified by the other 27 member states." Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko remained upbeat despite the setback. "We will continue our movement towards the European Union," he told reporters in Tokyo on April 7. Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum but said Ukraine should "take it into consideration." Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said the result of the referendum was "an important political fact." "It means that the ratification [of the agreement] cannot proceed as was expected before," he said late on April 6. "So we have to take a step-by-step approach. Now we have to talk within the [Dutch] cabinet, with the parliament, with our European partners, also with the Ukraine, to see what the consequences of this decision might be." French President Francois Hollande has said France and Germany will continue to back the EU-Ukraine pact despite the outcome of the Dutch referendum. "As far as Europe is concerned, it will implement what it can of the association [agreement]," Hollande told a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 7 in Metz in eastern France. Ukrainian Ambassador to the Netherlands Oleksandr Harin, speaking late on April 6, said he was taking positives from the referendum's outcome. "I am looking at it from the other [angle] -- 70 percent [of Dutch voters did] not [come to] the poll and were not participating in the vote," he said. "So, if we look at the situation from this point of view, we can say that 70 percent are not satisfied with the way the campaign [has been run in the run-up to] the referendum." Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said in a televised reaction that "if the turnout is above 30 percent, with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, you can't just go ahead and ratify the treaty." That sentiment was shared by Diederik Samsom, leader of the Labor Party, the junior partner in the governing coalition. "We can't ratify the treaty in this fashion," he said. Anti-EU activists who pushed for the referendum declared victory. "It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with Ukraine," tweeted popular anti-EU lawmaker Geert Wilders. "The beginning of the end of the EU." Wilders said the Dutch referendum could act as an incentive for British voters to reject the EU in a referendum scheduled for June. "So it could be today that it is the start of the end of the European Union as we know it today, and that would be very good," he said. The vote highlighted a deep-rooted skepticism about the Netherlands' place in Europe and the EU's expansion to the east, incorporating ex-Soviet states and allies in recent years. Exactly what will happen to the agreement with Ukraine now remains unclear. The deal has already been ratified by 27 other EU states, and was being provisionally implemented even in the Netherlands after being approved last year by both houses of Parliament. Rutte said he would not be rushed into stopping implementation. He said he will discuss the voting results with his cabinet, the EU, and the Dutch parliament before deciding what to do -- a process he said could take "days if not weeks." For the EU, options for dealing with the Dutch vote include leaving the agreement with Ukraine in force provisionally, or drafting exemption clauses for the Netherlands in the agreement. The rejection deals a harsh blow to Ukraine at a time when its shaky government already faces a political crisis. It also builds on the turbulent history of such pro-EU efforts in Ukraine, as it was former President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign such an agreement in late 2013 that led to violent street protests and his eventual ouster. Yanukovych's downfall in turn led to Russia's annexation of Crimea, and a drawn-out conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that continues to dominate Ukraine's economic and political life. The Kremlin is sure to celebrate the "no" vote, which is likely to at least slow Ukraine's march toward closer ties with the EU. Dutch opponents of the pact with Ukraine said the bloc shouldn't be dealing with Ukraine's leadership because of widespread corruption in the country. Just this week, leaked documents revealed Ukrainian President Poroshenko moved his candy business that made him wealthy into an offshore holding company in 2014, possibly depriving the country of millions of dollars in tax revenues. Poroshenko says the move was necessary to put his assets into a blind trust when he took office. Dutch supporters of the Ukraine deal argued it would provide the EU with the benefit of increased trade and stability while helping Ukraine in its battle against corruption and efforts to improve human rights. Ukrainiian ambassador Harin called the agreement a "plan for reforms which Ukraine has to execute in order to become a really civilized, liberal democracy with a socially oriented market economy." Because it strengthens the hand of anti-EU forces, the vote will reverberate well beyond Ukraine. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had warned earlier this year that a "No" vote "would open the door to a great continental crisis." With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, AFP, and TASS U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called for all efforts to be applied to maintain the cessation of hostilities in Syria and build momentum for peace talks. "We will need to apply all of our efforts in order to maintain not only the cessation of hostilities but to build some possible momentum in the negotiations themselves," Kerry said after talks with his foreign ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Manama on April 7. Kerry als said the United States could be open to a "new arrangement" with Iran for peacefully resolving disputes such as Tehran's recent ballistic missile tests. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that Gulf Arab states rejected the intervention of Iran into the affairs of the GCC states and what he called its attempts to smuggle weapons into some GCC states. "If Iran continues its aggressive policies and continues to intervene into the affairs of the GCC states, it will be difficult to deal with Iran," he added. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Kosovos newly elected president, Hashim Thaci, will be inaugurated in the capital, Pristina, on April 7. On February 26, Kosovo's parliament elected Thaci, the former foreign minister and ex-leader of the governing Democratic Party of Kosovo, as president in the absence of nearly all opposition lawmakers who earlier tried to disrupt the voting. Protesters hurled stones at the Kosovo parliament as Thaci was being sworn in and opposition parties boycotted the ceremony. Kosovo has been facing a months-long political crisis, with the opposition denouncing an EU-brokered deal with Serbia to give more rights to local Serbs and a border demarcation pact with Montenegro. "The state of Kosovo is committed to normalizing relations with Serbia. We cannot change the past but we have to work not to repeat it," Thaci told parliament after taking the oath. Kosovo's Constitutional Court on April 4 turned down an opposition request to void the election of Thaci because of irregularities. The court said it had found no evidence to substantiate the claims. Thaci led the fighters of Kosovo's successful separatist war against Serbia in 1998-99. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, although that is rejected by Serbia. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Kyrgyzstan is marking the sixth anniversary of a popular revolution that ousted authoritarian President Kurmanbek Bakiev in 2010. April 7, officially known as the Day of the People's April Revolution, was marked as an official holiday for the first time this year. Hundreds of people attended a special ceremony at a memorial site near Bishkek on April 7, including top government officials and the relatives of victims who died during the revolution. People laid wreaths and flowers and held prayers for the deceased. On April 7, 2010, mass antigovernment protests in Bishkek turned violent, with nearly 100 people killed by security forces. Bakiev fled the country soon afterwards. President Almazbek Atambaev, on April 4, signed a presidential decree authorizing April 7 as a public holiday. A member of Thailands royal family is making a first-ever visit to Kyrgyzstan. The princess of Thailand, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, arrived in the Central Asian state on April 7. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said Princess Sirindhorn is expected to hold talks with President Almazbek Atambaev and First Lady Raisa Atambaeva. According to the ministry, the princess will also visit the Kyrgyz National University, the Arts Museum, and the Confucius Institute in Bishkek. Princess Sirindhorn will also be given a tour of ancient Buddhist artefacts located in Kyrgyzstans northern Chui and Issyk-Kul regions. The ministry expressed hope that the visit will establish "a good basis" for greater economic, cultural, and educational ties between the countries. If Vojislav Seselj's "not guilty" verdict had been announced a day later, I would have considered it an April Fools' joke. Of course it's not -- and this tragic miscarriage of justice threatens all the potential benefits that Bosnia-Herzegovina and the region might have gained from the recent conviction of Radovan Karadzic by the same tribunal. It also raises the question: To what extent can a decision by an international court undermine our trust in justice and turn a war criminal into a hero? There were strong emotional reactions to the verdict in the Balkan capitals -- Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Podgorica -- and in cities like Tuzla (120 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo), or even villages like Hrtkovci, ethnically cleansed in 1992 by Seselj and his paramilitary units. Even more dispiriting than the verdict were the arguments given by The Hague judges, writes Daniel Serwer, a Balkan expert, in his immediate reaction to the news of Seselj's acquittal. The judges concluded that he was not responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, but merely of propagating ethnic nationalism. However, Seselj didn't just talk the talk. In addition to his rhetoric about creating an ethnically pure "Greater Serbia," he helped set up paramilitary units to carry out his plan. Serbian paramilitaries drove tens of thousands of Muslims and Croats from their homes in eastern Bosnia and around Sarajevo, killing at least 900 people. Prosecutors have said they will appeal, but the damage after the "not guilty" verdict has been done, and it is hard to find an excuse for The Hague judges. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, the leader of the conservative Serbian Progressive Party, could well become an unlikely victim of the decision. Despite having a comfortable majority in the Serbian parliament, he has called for new elections, scheduled for April 24, to strengthen his mandate. At the time he had no reason to worry, as the opposition was fragmented and weak. Seselj's far-right Serbian Radical Party was a marginal force only a week ago. However, in the new reality following The Hague verdict, Seselj has emerged as a new Serbian hero and national "saint." Posters with his face have already surfaced celebrating him as having slain the dragon of the hated international court. His acquittal was celebrated not only in his party headquarters in Belgrade, but in many places across Serbia and Republika Srpska (one of the two constituents of Bosnia's federal system), where The Hague tribunal is seen as an "anti-Serb" entity. In a political culture that is no stranger to paranoia and conspiracy theories, Vucic already finds it hard to believe that The Hague tribunal does not care about the Serbian elections, and that the Seselj verdict was not deliberately timed to prevent him from shoring up his domestic power base. Speaking about the Seselj ruling at a press conference in Belgrade, Vucic bitterly inquired whether the tribunal was aware of the upcoming elections as they announced the verdict. "They knew," he said, answering his own rhetorical question. In November 2014, The Hague tribunal declared Seselj "gravely ill" and granted him a provisional release. Barely two years later, his election campaign is suddenly gathering momentum. Having "vanquished" The Hague, he is now promising to bring Kosovo back to Serbia and to build stronger relations with Russia. All the ghosts of the last Balkan wars are coming back to haunt the region. Disabled war veterans in Tuzla, a Bosnian town that suffered greatly during the 1992-95 war, harshly denounced The Hague tribunal for the Seselj verdict, and made a gloomy forecast: "For now we remain in civilian dress, but for the next press conference we will be wearing our military uniforms," RFE/RL's Maja Nikolic reported. Those who lost their limbs, or had been seriously wounded in the conflict, are ready to fight again. For the first time since the war they felt compelled to admit as much, and in public. In the village of Hrtkovci, in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, most residents were undoubtedly happy to see Seselj acquitted of all charges. It means that they no longer have to worry about their former Croatian neighbors, who were forced to leave their homes following an orchestrated campaign of violence and intimidation. On May 6, 1992, Seselj personally presided over the final act of the expulsion, speaking before a village assembly where the names of those who had to leave were read out. One stubborn Croat who remained in the village told an RFE/RL reporter on March 31, that his friends who left had knives placed on their throats. There were exemplary murders, assaults, beatings, and thinly veiled threats of further violence. But The Hague judges concluded that these people had a desire to join their own ethnic kin across the border in Croatia and that Seselj's paramilitary units merely facilitated their move. Around 25,000 people were expelled from Vojvodina and 25 killed, just because they had the wrong last name. My personal memory of Seselj goes back to the end of 1991, when he drew up an infamous list of Belgrade-based journalists who should be killed. Among them were Muslims, Croats, and even Serbs who refused to support extreme nationalism. One of them was my good friend Azra Nuhefendic, a Sarajevo-born journalist who had worked for Radio Belgrade for over 10 years. As soon as the list was made public, I phoned Nuhefendic and told her to come to Sarajevo. She rejected the idea of leaving Belgrade and said she was curious to find out how she would lose her job. She did not have long to wait. One day her pass card for the radio station simply stopped working and Nuhefendic could not get into her newsroom. There was no written notice or any other formal announcement. Soon after that my home city of Sarajevo was besieged, while Seselj was busy with his ethnic-cleansing campaign in Vojvodina. From time to time, I would receive short letters from Nuhefendic, delivered by foreign journalists who were covering the war in the Balkans. She was still in Belgrade, working as an interpreter, subject to late-night visits from the Serbian secret police and daily threats. Yet by remaining there she was able to help her parents trapped in Grbavica, a Serbian-controlled part of Sarajevo during the war. Any money she was able to make was spent on powdered eggs, tins, flour, salt, oil, and other basic foodstuffs that she would pack and send with humanitarian convoys organized by ADRA, a relief organization run by the Adventist church, or with foreign journalists. Nuhefendic believed that if foreign journalists were occasionally seen dropping by her parents' place, it would improve their chances of staying alive. News of people with Muslim last names being killed in Grbavica was reaching her through those who made the journey in the opposite direction. Following Karadzic's conviction for genocide and crimes against humanity, there was genuine hope that it would allow Bosnia and Serbia to draw a line under the recent past and move on. And then there was the Seselj verdict. If ethnic cleansing can be interpreted as "humanitarian resettlement," just as it was often defined by the perpetrators themselves, then instead of the future being a clean slate, it is the past that is once again being rewritten. Meanwhile, the future is at risk of resembling the past. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says it is vital that a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia-backed separatists over the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh does not slide into a "hot phase." On a visit to Armenia on April 7, Medvedev said Russia was ready to continue to act as an intermediary in resolving the conflict and hoped a cease-fire agreement would hold. Dozens of people were killed in Nagorno Karabakh in fighting that erupted on April 2 between Azerbaijan's military and Armenian-backed separatists. It was the worst fighting since a 1994 cease-fire that stopped the conflict but did not resolve the underlying dispute. A tense calm has held since a cease-fire was agreed on April 5. On April 7, each side alleged the other had violated the truce in skirmishes overnight. Each said one of their servicemen was killed. Those incidents aside, the cease-fire was broadly holding, reports said. On a visit to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized Moscow's special role as mediator. "Beyond all doubt, we are interested -- maybe more than the other foreign partners of these two countries -- in this conflict being settled as soon as possible," Lavrov said after meeting his Azerbaijani counterpart on April 7. Based on reporting by Reuters KYIV -- Ukrainian officials said vile Russian missile strikes on civilian energy sites have caused power outages nationwide, leaving more than a million households without electricity, while Russian authorities ordered residents to leave Kherson "immediately" ahead of an expected effort by Kyivs forces to retake the crucial southern city. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram on October 22 that Russia carried out a "massive attack" on Ukraine overnight and that "the aggressor continues to terrorize our country." "At night, the enemy launched a massive attack: 36 rockets, most of which were shot down...These are vile strikes on critical objects. Typical tactics of terrorists," he wrote. "The world can and must stop this terror." Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskiys office, said Ukrainian air defense forces had shot down 18 of the missiles. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a number of missiles had been shot down on the approach to the capital. "Several rockets flying toward Kyiv were shot down in the region by air defense forces. Thanks to our defenders!" Klitschko said. There was no immediate word on deaths related to the missile attacks, but officials said several people had been injured. It was not possible to verify the reports on either side. In the face of continued Russian strikes, Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba again urged Ukraine's Western allies to speed up the delivery of modern air defense systems. "We intercepted some, others hit the targets. Air defense saves lives. In [Western] capitals, there should not be a single minute of delay in the decision regarding air defense systems for Ukraine," Kuleba said. Local officials said power stations were hit in the regions of Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Lutsk, while other regions reported problems with electricity. "Another rocket attack from terrorists who are fighting against civilian infrastructure and people," the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on the Telegram app. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told a government meeting that from October 10 to October 20, Russian strikes damaged more than 400 facilities in 16 regions of Ukraine, including dozens of energy facilities. "The Russian Army has identified our energy sector as one of the key targets for its attacks," Shmyhal said on October 21. "Russian propagandists and officials speak openly about the purpose of all these attacks: Ukraine, according to them, should be left without water, without light, without heat," he said. Meanwhile, Russian-appointed authorities in the occupied and illegally seized southern Kherson region on October 22 ordered the estimated 60,000 residents of the region's eponymous main city to leave "immediately" in the face of Kyiv's advancing counteroffensive. "Due to the tense situation on the front, the increased danger of mass shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the left bank of the Dnieper River," the region's Russia-backed authorities said on social media. Russina-installed officials are moving people out of the strategic city in what they are calling an evacuation but which Ukrainian officials label as deportations. The order came in spite of a claim by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22 that its forces had prevented an attempt by Ukraine to break through its line of control in Kherson. "All attacks were repulsed, the enemy was pushed back to their initial positions," the Defense Ministry said, adding that Ukraine's offensive was launched toward the settlements of Piatykhatky, Suhanove, Sablukivka and Bezvodne, on the west side of the Dnieper River. The ministry's statement said Russian forces had also repelled attacks in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Kherson city, which had a prewar population of 280,000, is one of the first urban areas occupied by Russia at the start of the invasion. Zelenskiys office said 88 settlements in the southern Kherson region and 551 settlements in the northeastern Kharkiv region have been de-occupied, while the Ukrainian forces' counteroffensive in the Kherson region moves ahead. Ukraine is trying to drive Russian forces in Kherson back east across the Dnieper. Russian soldiers on the western bank, where the city of Kherson is located, are reportedly close to being cut off from supply lines and reinforcements. Natalya Humenyuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraines southern operational command, said the Ukrainian military struck the Antonivskiy Bridge over the Dnieper in the city of Kherson during an overnight curfew Russia-installed officials put in place to avoid civilian casualties. We do not attack civilians and settlements," Humenyuk told Ukrainian television. Ukrainian strikes made the Antonivskiy Bridge inoperable, prompting Russian authorities to set up ferry crossings and pontoon bridges to relocate civilians and transport supplies. Russia has sent in thousands of recently mobilized troops to reinforce the defense of Kherson, the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces said on October 21. Zelenskiy again on October 21 urged the West to warn Russia not to blow up a dam at the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River as this could flood settlements toward Kherson. Zelenskiy said Russian forces had planted explosives inside the dam, which holds back an enormous reservoir, and were planning to blow it up. "Now everyone in the world must act powerfully and quickly to prevent a new Russian terrorist attack. Destroying the dam would mean a large-scale disaster," he said in his nightly address. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and the BBC Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked the massive leak of financial and legal documents known as the Panama Papers that reportedly implicate several people close to him, saying the project was part of a Western government campaign to destabilize Russia. In his first remarks since news organizations on April 3 began publishing articles based on the leak, Putin denied having any links to offshore accounts detailed in the trove of materials revealing vast networks of shell companies, some apparently being used to hide sizable wealth. "Our opponents are above all concerned by the unity and consolidation of the Russian nation, our multinational Russian people," he told an April 7 forum for local and regional journalists in St. Petersburg. "They are attempting to rock us from within, to make us more obedient." Among the names reportedly appearing in the documents is that of cellist Sergei Roldugin, an old friend of Putin's and reportedly a godfather to one of his daughters. Media reports on the Panama Papers have said Roldugin holds hundreds of millions of dollars in offshore assets. Putin said he was "proud" of Roldugin. "[Roldugin] has spent nearly all the money he has earned on buying musical instruments abroad and he brought them to Russia," he said. "We always welcome it when somebody does things like that, but he has gone much further," Putin added. "I know that he has spent several months already on efforts to have the instruments registered as property of government-financed institutions." Putin himself is not named in the some 11.5 million documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, according to news organizations that have accessed the materials, a point the Russian president stressed. "Your humble servant is not in them, so there is nothing to talk about," he said. "However, there is a specific purpose in it. What have they done? They have produced an information product. They have dug up some of my acquaintances and friends. I will talk about them too. They've poked here and there and mashed something up." The Kremlin frequently criticizes what it portrays as a systematic campaign by Western governments and media outlets to undermine Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed the Panama Papers days before the reports were published after being contacted by media outlets for comment. He claimed that an effort was under way to taint Putin and disrupt parliamentary elections scheduled for September. At the St. Petersburg forum, Putin suggested that the U.S. government may have been behind the leak, and he made reference to an April 6 tweet by WikiLeaks, the organization that orchestrated the massive leak of U.S. State Department cables in 2010. WikiLeaks suggested the U.S. government was involved because one of the Panama Papers' partners -- the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) -- has received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), among other sources of financing. "WikiLeaks has shown that behind, let's say, [the Panama Papers issue] there are certain U.S. officials and agencies," Putin said. Putin's comments also reflect a tacit Kremlin endorsement of WikiLeaks and its controversial founder, Julian Assange, who has hosted a talk show on the Kremlin-funded TV channel RT, previously known as Russia Today. Moscow has also given sanctuary to another well-known leaker of U.S. government documents, Edward Snowden. In Washington, U.S. officials have denied involvement in the Panama Papers leak. The Sarajevo-based OCCRP has denied any government involvement as well, saying USAID was only one source of funding and that receiving government money was important for doing projects in regions where few institutional donors exist. "The idea that OCCRP is not an independent media outlet simply because it has taken some government money, while appealing to the world view of some, is simply not true," it said. "We accept government money knowing this may affect our credibility with some, but we chose doing some good over not existing at all," it added. Russian state media outlets have largely ignored reports about Putin's associates identified in the Panama Papers, focusing instead on the offshore dealings of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that were revealed in the leak. Aleksei Navalny, the opposition leader who has investigated corruption among top Russian officials, ridiculed Putin's defense of Roldugin. He noted that the cellist's offshore companies reportedly engaged in suspicious commercial contracts that netted him substantial profits. Putin is a "monstrous liar," Navalny wrote on his website on April 7. In typically wry fashion, Putin opened his remarks joking about St. Petersburg's tumultuous role in Russian history, pointing out the city was home to three revolutions: 1905, February 1917, and then October 1917, when the Bolsheviks came to power. "I hope the results of your efforts won't result in a fourth revolution," he said, "but just the opposite." Dmitry Tikhonov is safe, and for that I am glad. But his recent flight from Uzbekistan leaves the people of that Central Asian country with one less voice to speak for them, and that thought is disturbing to me, all the more so due to the way Tikhonov was run out of the country. Tikhonov was a rare breed in Uzbekistan, a rights activist and an independent journalist. And "rare" is actually a generous way to describe rights activists and independent journalists in Uzbekistan; it is perhaps more accurate to say "nearly extinct." Tikhonov has documented forced labor in Uzbekistan's cotton fields. For many years, children were taken into the fields to pick the cotton, but due to the work of people like Tikhonov and complaints from international rights organizations, Uzbek authorities a few years ago finally halted this practice. However, the children were replaced by compulsory work by college students and adults, including schoolteachers, doctors, and factory workers. Tikhonov documented that also, and wrote articles that were published by websites outside Uzbekistan, such as Fergananews.com. A December 18, 2013, New York Times article about forced labor during the cotton harvest mentioned Tikhonov: "In this system, your boss at work is also your boss in the fields. Cotton-picking skills become a component of annual job evaluations, skewing decisions on promotions, said Dmitri Tikhonov, a rights activist and an authority on Uzbekistan's cotton-picking policies." I first heard about Tikhonov in early 2010, after two men assaulted him while he was working in his garage. Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote: "They choked him and hit him over the head with a metal object, leaving him unconscious. Neither his cell phone nor his wallet was taken. The police agreed to investigate only reluctantly and after several days had passed." The HRW statement added that "There is no doubt that the vicious attack on Tikhonov was meant to intimidate him, to stop his human rights activity." If stopping Tikhonov's human rights activity was the goal, it failed. In December 2010, Tikhonov joined fellow rights defenders Abdullo Tajiboy-ugli, Vladimir Khusainov, and Viktoria Bazhenova in Tashkent, at Mustaqillik Maydoni (Independence Square). They held up signs that read, "President resign" and "We demand new elections." Police arrived and ordered them to leave, which the rights activists did. But the four were detained shortly afterward and taken to a police station, then transferred to a district court where they were convicted of violating the order of holding public meetings, rallies, marches, or demonstrations. The court ordered them to pay the equivalent of 60-70 times the monthly minimum wage in fines, a sum amounting to between $1,780 and $2,080. Tikhonov continued his work as a rights activist with the usual problems of detentions and fines, but in April 2015 the situation changed. Tikhonov had been reporting on the demolition of a Soviet-era World War II monument in his home city of Angren, some 80 kilometers from the capital, Tashkent. On April 20, he left a local cafe and encountered a young man, who reportedly picked a fight with Tikhonov. Tikhonov later said he had no idea who the man was or what the cause of the dispute was. However, Tikhonov and veteran rights defender Yelena Urlaeva had filed a request with the Tashkent provincial governor's office to hold a demonstration against the demolition of the monument on April 22. (The request was rejected.) On September 20, 2015, Angren police detained Tikhonov on suspicion of petty hooliganism. His accusers were three women who claimed Tikhonov had used foul language in a cafe where they were all eating. The three women were all officials of Angren mahalla (neighborhood/community) committees. Tikhonov left Angren temporarily at the end of September, later saying he did so because he was being followed by security agents. On October 20, in the middle of the night, his apartment caught fire. Tikhonov returned and noticed that the blaze seemed to have been confined to his workroom. He said a special metal box that he used to store computer hard drives with records of his rights activities had survived the fire but was empty. He commented that even if the fire had destroyed the hard drives there should have been some burnt material left there. Also destroyed in the fire were one of Tikhonov's computers (another was missing), mobile phone, photographs, and all documents pertaining to his work as a rights activist. Early in 2016, Tikhonov crossed into Kazakhstan, where he stayed until leaving Central Asia. Tikhonov arrived in Berlin on April 4 and requested political asylum. Based on material from RFE/RL's Uzbek Service Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries can reach an agreement to freeze oil production, even if Iran doesnt join in, a top OPEC official told Bloomberg News. Kuwaiti OPEC governor Nawal al-Fezaia's prediction of an output freeze excluding Iran in an interview with Bloomberg helped send oil prices soaring more than 5 percent on world markets on April 6 and 7. Fezaia said oil-producing countries have no alternative but to reach an agreement to freeze output when they meet on April 17 in Doha, Qatar, because prices are too low. She said the freeze may be at February levels and would be aimed at setting a floor under oil prices. Oil producers have no option but to freeze their production as oil prices are low and hurting everyone, she said. All early signs before the meeting point to this conclusion. Producers are meeting in Doha to finalize the agreement to freeze production reached earlier this year between OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia and Russia, the largest producer outside the cartel. Russian sources told Reuters on April 6 that the output freeze is on track and Russia and OPEC are discussing the details, such as how long to maintain it and how to monitor it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on April 7 that the energy ministers from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan will attend the talks in Doha. That's despite earlier in the week suggestions by Russia that OPEC would start the freeze without Iran and allow Tehran to join next year after it restores the 4 million barrels a day output that it maintained before international economic sanctions were imposed in 2012. The Russian-Saudi output freeze plan was thrown into doubt after Iran insisted it must be allowed to restore output after the sanctions were lifted in January, and Saudi Arabia said it would not freeze production unless Iran follows suit. But Fezaia told Bloomberg that rising production from Iran wont hinder the output freeze agreement as Tehran will find it difficult to sell its crude in an oversupplied market. Fezaia expects the oil market to return to balance in the second half of the year. Oil prices may end the year between $45 and $60 a barrel, she said. Brent North Sea premium crude jumped $1.97 to $39.84 a barrel in London trading on her comments on April 6, and the gains were extended in early trading in Asia on April 7. With reporting by Bloomberg, Reuters, and AFP Russian police have arrested a suspect in the killing of independent journalist Dmitry Tsilikin. The Russian Investigative Committee said on April 7 that 21-year-old Sergei Kosyrev was arrested in St. Petersburg after he confessed to killing Tsilikin. No other details were available. Tsilikin, 54, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in his apartment in St. Petersburg on April 1. Police said Tsilikin appeared to have been dead for at least two days. Police said his laptop computer and mobile phone were missing. Tsilikin was well-known for his writing on culture and music. He also contributed to independent media outlets, writing mainly about social issues and civil rights. His articles were published in popular newspapers such as Chas Pik, Kommersant, the Moscow News, and Vedomosti, among others. From 2001 to 2003, Tsilikin hosted two popular programs on Russia's RTR television channel. Tsilikin also appeared frequently on roundtable discussions and other programs hosted by RFE/RL's Russian Service. Based on reporting by regnum.ru and Interfax ON MY MIND The gloating in Moscow has begun in earnest. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said today that Dutch voters' rejection of the European Union's Association Agreement and free-trade pact with Ukraine in a referendum is "an indicator of the Europeans' attitudes toward the Ukrainian political system." So according to Medvedev's logic, in a referendum that had a 32.2 percent turnout, the fact that 61.1 percent of this minority of Dutch voters rejected the pact represents "Europeans' attitudes." That's pretty ridiculous. But then again, Medvedev is a pretty ridiculous figure. What is not ridiculous, however, is what the results of the Dutch referendum do show. They represent Moscow's first success in its efforts to weaponize the West's electoral politics. Russia has long been backing Euroskeptic, extremist, and xenophobic forces in Europe -- from Marine Le Pen's National Front in France, to Jobbik in Hungary, to the UKIP in Great Britain. And there are sufficient grounds for suspicion that the hand of Moscow was present among the anti-Ukraine camp in the Netherlands. The Kremlin has proven that it can manipulate Europe's democratic institutions for its own antidemocratic ends. The Dutch referendum may have been their first success. But it probably won't be the last. IN THE NEWS Dutch voters have rejected the European Union's Association Agreement and free trade pact with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called results of the Dutch referendum "an attack on European unity." Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev travels to Azerbaijan on April 7 and to Armenia on April 8. Prosecutors in Moscow have opened an investigation against opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's Anticorruption Foundation for inciting ethnic hatred. Russia and OPEC may be ready to freeze oil production without Iran. WHAT I'M READING What Happens Now? So what happens with the EU's Association Agreement and free-trade pact with Ukraine in the wake of the Dutch referendum? Writing in New Eastern Europe, Sijbren de Jong, an analyst with the Hague Center for Strategic Studies, looks at the implications. RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak also outlines the options. Migrants As Weapons In a piece in The Observer, outspoken former U.S. National Security Agency analyst John Schindler looks at "how Russia exploits Europe's refugee crisis." More Panama Papers Fallout Citing unidentified U.S. officials, Bloomberg is reporting that Washington may impose sanctions on some officials exposed in the Panama Papers. According to the report: "The U.S. plans to search the millions of documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm for information about people who may have helped companies or individuals evade sanctions related to Russias role in destabilizing Ukraine, a person familiar with the matter said. These people could be added to the U.S. Treasury Departments list of sanctioned parties. Meanwhile, Vox Ukraine has unpacked what the Panama Papers reveal about President Petro Poroshenko. The Siloviki Shuffle Continues One of the overlooked aspects of Russia's security overhaul this week, which established a powerful new National Guard that reports exclusively to President Vladimir Putin, was some important changes at the Interior Ministry. As part of the same reorganization, the Federal Antinarcotics Service and the Federal Migration Service were folded into the Interior Ministry. This seemed like a big blow to one of Putin's closest associates, Viktor Ivanov, who ran the Federal Antinarcotics Service. But reports are now surfacing that Ivanov may be named deputy interior minister You Can't Always Get What You Want In a piece in The American Interest, former U.S. State Department official Kirk Bennet illustrates the paradox of Russia's relations with the West: "What Russia Wants, The West Can't Deliver." "The most insuperable problem with creating a Russia-West condominium is the belief or pretense that the fate of the vast and diverse population in Russias borderlands can be decided by some sort of Russian-Western 'understanding,'" Bennet writes. "Even if Moscow could induce a critical mass of Western leaders to consign the post-Soviet space, and possibly Central Europe, to some zone of privileged Russian interest, there is no reason to believe that the people affected would allow themselves to be so consigned. We can throw them under the bus, but we cannot force them to lie passively in the street." The winner in Nagorno-Karabakh is...Russia Instability in the South Caucasus is a boon to Moscow, argues an editorial in The Wall Street Journal. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Ukraine has expressed "regret" after photos appeared online showing two of its staff at the wedding celebrations of the daughter of a pro-Russia separatist in Ukraine. One of the images shows an unidentified OSCE monitor -- employed to be an impartial observer "to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security," in the words of the OSCE website -- being embraced by the separatist, Volodymyr Tymofeyev. Yevhen Spirin, a journalist for Ukraines Hromadske TV, published the photos, taken from VKontakte screenshots, on his Facebook page on April 6. Among the guests at the June 2015 wedding of Anastasia Bessedina, Tymofeyev's daughter, were the OSCE monitor and his translator. The Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk regions were a hotbed of fighting once separatism-fueled violence broke out in April 2014, and swaths of both areas remain in Russia-backed fighters' control since a shaky truce went into effect last year. Another image shows Tymofeyev himself (left) hugging the OSCE monitor and smiling for the camera. After Shirins post was shared more than 700 times on Facebook, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) confirmed the photos but insisted that the monitors were not actual guests at the celebrations. The OSCE SMM regrets the incident. Even though the monitors did not attend the wedding as such, the photo clearly shows misjudgment on their part. These monitors are no longer with the Mission, OSCE wrote on its official Facebook page on April 7. The unprofessional behavior displayed by the monitors in the picture is an individual incident that should not be abused to cast a shadow on the reputation of other mission members. In an e-mail to RFE/RLs Current Time, a representative for the Special Monitoring Mission press service said the monitors had been passing by the main square where members of the wedding party were taking photos. They stopped by to chat with the people with whom they were later photographed. The press service added that they could not disclose personal information about when or under what circumstances the monitors left the Mission. Timofeyev recently had a falling out with the separatists who currently control part of the Luhansk Oblast. Ihor Plotnytsky, leader of the Luhansk People's Republic separatist group that opposes Kyiv and controls part of the region, accused Timofeyev of looting, rape, kidnapping, torture, and murder in Stakhanov. According to Ukrainian media, separatists arrested him and several members of his battalion in March. OSCE monitors have been accused by both sides of bias during the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which followed Russia's covert occupation and annexation of Crimea in early 2014. Spirin, the Hromadske journalist, expressed outrage. I want to ask, is OSCE an independent mission? This crap is trampling my lawns, kills my neighbors and I am supposed to read their reports? he wrote. The Kremlin has cast the Panama Papers as an attack on President Vladimir Putin, and the response on the Russian street was muted. Instead of the massive protests that took place in Iceland over revelations about the use of offshore companies to hide wealth, Moscow saw several one-man pickets. Some Russians, however, turned to their creative side to voice discontent. A poster depicting Vladimir Putin as Raoul Duke, the drugged-up antihero of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, hung on a downtown Moscow bus shelter for several hours on April 6 before it was taken down. The poster, which portrayed Putin sporting a panama hat and sunglasses, read: "What Panama?" The unknown author of the poster, however, wasn't the first one to use the movie reference. Just a day after the Panama Papers were published, Russian airline-ticket search engine Aviasales used a similar image to sell tickets to Panama on Facebook. "The most fashionable vacation place, where the world's most famous people leave their money. Find out how much the cheapest ticket to Panama costs," the announcement reads. Wry Internet humor also targeted Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin, a close friend of Putin. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) called the musician "the secret caretaker" of much of the up to $2 billion the Panama Papers say was funneled into offshore shell companies by close Putin associates. One Twitter user suggested that a single "rank-and-file cellist" has more money than the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan's entire debt to Russia, despite "all of its cotton." In late March, media reported that Moscow had written off Uzbekistan's $865 million debt, prompting criticism from some Russians amid a prolonged economic downturn. Another Twitter user posted this still from the U.S. crime drama Breaking Bad -- but added the caption "Cellists after the concert." Then there was this old black-and-white photo of children playing the cello: "Panama offshore. The beginning," the tweet reads. Another Tweet suggested that Roldugin is richer than some of the world's biggest rock stars. The Internet didn't forget Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, even though his name isn't featured in the Panama Papers. But this tweet implies that Medvedev, widely seen as playing a distant second fiddle to Putin, was out of the loop once again. "Your face when even Navka has an offshore, and you don't," it reads -- a reference to Tatiana Navka, an Olympic champion ice dancer and the wife of Putin's spokesman. Final Summary for April 13 -- The Russian cellist linked by the Panama Papers to murky offshore finances says the money came from donations. -- German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has outlined details of a plan to combat tax havens in the wake of the Panama leaks. -- British Prime Minister David Cameron is set to announce that new legislation making companies criminally liable if employees aid tax evasion will be introduced this year -- -- Cameron had earlier published his tax records in an attempt to draw a line under questions about his personal finances raised by the mention of his late father in the Panama Papers for setting up an offshore fund. -- The unauthorized use of the International Red Cross's name by entities listed in the Panama Papers poses "enormous" risks for its operations and staff, the head of the humanitarian body said. -- Several thousand people filled a big square in Malta's capital on April 10 and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat after the leaked Panama Papers said two of his political allies had offshore accounts. -- Police have raided the El Salvador offices of the Panama-based law firm at the heart of the "Panama Papers" scandal that has revealed how the wealthy in many countries stashed their riches offshore. 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. 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. COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims. A government report released Wednesday lays out grim trends across the country for expectant mothers and their newborn babies. It finds that pregnancy-related deaths have spiked nearly 80 percent since 2018, with COVID-19 being a factor in a quarter of the 1,178 deaths reported last year. The percentage of preterm and low birthweight babies also went up last year, after holding steady for years. And more pregnant or postpartum women are reporting symptoms of depression. The Virginia Supreme Court on Thursday granted a writ of actual innocence to Keith Allen Harward, tossing out the convictions against the former sailor wrongly convicted of the 1982 slaying of a Newport News man and the rape of his wife. Harward, 60, who was arrested at his parents home in Floyd County in 1983, has been locked up for 33 years for the beating death of Jesse Perron and the hours-long sexual assault of his wife. He was convicted largely on the now-discredited findings of two experts who matched Harwards teeth to bite marks left on the rape victims legs. DNA testing by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science recently failed to find Harwards genetic profile in sperm left by the assailant but did identify the profile of Jerry Crotty, a shipmate of Harwards on the USS Carl Vinson at the time of the killing. Crotty died in prison in Ohio in 2006; he was being held for abduction, attempted burglary and other charges. The unanimous action by the Virginia Supreme Court came just a day after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced he believed Harward was innocent and his office joined the petition for a writ of actual innocence filed with the high court March 4 by the Innocence Project and the Washington law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that petitioner has proven all of the requirements ... and that no rational trier of fact would have found proof of Harwards guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court grants the requested writ of actual innocence, and vacates Harwards convictions for murder, rape, forcible sodomy and robbery, says the two-page ruling. We are absolutely thrilled the Supreme Court moved so quickly, said Olga Akselrod, a lawyer with the Innocence Project. Akselrod and others in San Antonio for an Innocence Network conference planned to fly to Richmond on Thursday night. Tentative plans are for Harward to be released from the Nottoway Correctional Center in Burkeville on Friday. This is wonderful news and its great to know that Mr. Harward will soon be reunited with his family, Herring said. Its just heartbreaking to think that more than half of his life was spent behind bars when he didnt belong there. The commonwealth cant give him back those years, but we can say that we got it wrong, that were sorry, and that were working to make it right. The justices three-page order reads in part: The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that petitioner has proven all of the requirements ... and that no rational trier of fact would have found proof of Harwards guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court grants the requested writ of actual innocence, and vacates Harwards convictions for murder, rape, forcible sodomy and robbery. The Attorney Generals Office said this is the fifth writ of actual innocence granted by the Supreme Court of Virginia based on new biological evidence. Once the commonwealth files an answer to a petition for a writ of actual innocence, the Supreme Court typically considers it for several weeks before acting on it. Thursdays ruling by the justices said that the court, after consideration of the pleadings and exhibits in this case, deems it prudent to accept the attorney generals declaration that an independent review of the underlying criminal record is unnecessary for the court to evaluate the merits of the petitioners claim. A Nevada man was airlifted from a multi-vehicle wreck that backed up traffic for 2 miles on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County on Thursday morning, according to state police. Trooper M.W. Coake said the wreck was reported near mile marker 94 after a tractor-trailer going close to the areas 70 mph speed limit pushed a pickup truck into a tractor-trailer going 45 mph in the right lane at about 8 a.m. When the pickup truck slammed into the tractor-trailer, the camper shell on the vehicle flew off and struck a car traveling in the next lane. Coake said the driver of the pickup truck Steven Boyer of Las Vegas was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in good condition Thursday afternoon. No other injuries were reported. Mark Chambers, 49, who was driving the Carelock tractor-trailer that hit the pickup truck, was charged with reckless driving, Coake said. Chambers is from Peachland, North Carolina. Coake said police do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the wreck. The wreck was cleared by 10:40 a.m., Coake said. WORKERS building a biomass power station in Templeborough blocked rush hour traffic in a dispute over pay. Dozens of construction staff (pictured) picketed the Sheffield Road site this morning (Thursday), stopping traffic between Sheffield and Rotherham. The strikers - members of the UCATT, GMB and Unite unions - later joined junior doctors picketing at Rotherham Hospital. Ged Dempsey, union convenor for Unite, said the protest was against exploitation. He claimed bosses were undercutting national agreement pay rates by 10 per hour and undermining health and safety on site. The criticism was aimed at Danish contractors Babcock and Wilcox Volund and British firm Interserve. It was the third time workers have protested at the site. An Interserve spokesman said: We are disappointed that protests have been called at the Templeborough Biomass Power Plant again. We comply with UK legislation on pay and generally use UK contractors and UK supply chain partners on these projects. We have discussed the matter with the unions and will continue to work with them to try and find a solution that is acceptable to everyone. The Advertiser has also contacted Babcock and Wilcox Volund for comment. (Times Live) Dodgy dealings within the Steinmetz Group seems to indicate undervaluing of diamonds, which is costing Sierra Leone tax payments. He is De Beers most prolific diamond buyer, a supplier to the luxury jewelry brand Tiffany & Co., and an alleged criminal, accused of bribing the wife of a former Guinean president to land a multibillion-dollar iron deal. Given that profile, its not surprising that Beny Steinmetz and his eponymous company try to stay out of the limelight. But with the Steinmetz Groups alleged tax avoidance scam in South Africa and an ongoing US grand jury investigation into corruption in Guinea, for the past two years, Steinmetz hasnt been able to keep his name out of the headlines. So, to avoid exposing the company, the embattled billionaire allegedly sold his 37.5% share in the Steinmetz Groups diamond segment, Diacore, to his brother, Daniel, in 2014. Steinmetz left the Steinmetz Groups diamond business, Diacore, but has kept a business in Sierra Leone diamonds through the British Virgin Islands-based entity Octea. The company, which he runs through BSG Resources (BSGR), counts the Steinmetz family as beneficiaries. Unlike BSGR which operates in West Africa, Diacore maintains a presence in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Leaked data from a Panama-based offshore fiduciary Mossack Fonseca, shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and Germanys Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, sheds light on the internal financial structures created by BSGR to camouflage Octeas financial activities. The data reveals a BSGR corporate structure, dated 2015, identifying Octea as wholly owned by Guernsey-based BSGR Resources the latter directly involved in the Guinea scandal. In turn, BSGR is owned by several foundations based in Liechtenstein and Switzerland such as Nysco and Balda. Surat's diamantaires are protesting a new campaign instituted by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) to collect professional tax' from the diamond manufacturers in Varachha, Katargam and Mahidharpura, reports the Times of India. Some two dozen small units, each with four or five diamond emery wheels, have reportedly shut down in the last few days in Varachha after they were served with notices for the outstanding professional tax payment by the SMC. The small diamond manufacturers have approached the Surat Diamond Association (SDA) and the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) to resolve the professional tax issue with the SMC, reports the news source. They reporting are demanding that the tax be dropped from the diamond industry and have threatened to close the units. While it is the diamond unit owners who are liable to pay the professional tax' on behalf of the workers, explains TOI, the diamond workers protest when the diamond unit owners deduct professional tax from their wages. Mansukh Mangukia, a small unit owner, who closed his unit employing 15 workers said, "The tax officials only target the small people like us, while the big unit owners enjoy all the freedom. The workers are not permanent and we are not going to pay tax from our own pockets," said Mangukia, as quoted by TOI. Gemfields has racked in $33.1-million in revenue from the sale of 469 000 carat of mainly higher-quality rough emeralds mined the companys 75 percent-owned Kagem Mining, in Zambia. It said 558 000 carats had been placed on offer. The auction realised an overall average value of $70.68 per carat, which was a new record for higher quality auctions. Our return to Lusaka has delivered another strong and indeed record result at a time when global commodity and diamond prices remain volatile and uncertain, said company chief executive Ian Harebottle. Demand for and prices of emeralds clearly remain as robust as ever and gemstone mining represents one of the healthier segments of the sector. Gemfields has hosted 21 Kagem auctions since July 2009, generating an aggregate $412-million in revenue. Meanwhile, the companys 50 percent owned Kariba Minerals placed 9.4 million carats of higher quality amethyst extracted from Kariba on offer, with 8 of the 14 lots offered being sold, generating revenues of $220 000 from the 6.6 million carats sold. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Clients of prostitutes have to pay a fine of 1,500 . That penalty will rise to 3,750 for repeat offenders. The National Assembly has to approve the bill. Prostitutes fear this will only make their lives more dangerous. We will simply face more poverty, more violence and more stigmatization, they say. The prostitutes will be forced to work in remote places, hidden away so as not to risk being discovered by the police. This will simply mean they will be more exposed to violence, theft and rape, Morgane Merteuil, who is a spokeswoman for sex workers union Strass, told to the media. It will be even difficult for prostituts to go to the police and make a complaint when is the case, she added. The bill will give essential support to people who want to get out of prostitution, and help them reintegrate into society with jobs, and accommodation, the associations working with sex workers insist. Brothels are legal in some countries like Germany, Belgium and Spain. The analysts already observed that a visit to a refugee camp by the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches is not a pleasant fact for the EU leaders who are under the pressure of many human rights groups. Because the real problems which occurred linked to the presence of refugees, the EU was forced to limit access of new refugees and even to deporting them back to Turkey. Considering changes to the asylum rules, the Europe is in self defense. This is the biggest inflow of migrants since the end of World War II and the most difficult fact is that the refugees have almost in all cases some preferred destinations. If changed, the new rules force the arrivals to register and seek asylum in the country in which they arrive with the possibility to be redistributed in a second step. But it can be possible to be adopted another variant which permits a distribution from start. A good solution needs more time but all, the refugees and the politic leaders are pressed now. Senator Pat Toomey, R-Penn., leads either of the two Democrats challenging him in the Pennsylvania Senate race, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. The poll showed Toomey with a 47 percent to 39 percent lead over former Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Penn., and a 47 percent to 38 percent lead over Katie McGinty. Toomey seems to be benefiting from a positive 50 percent to 29 percent job approval rating and a positive 45 to 24 percent favorability rating. Meanwhile, 51 percent of Pennsylvania voters said they don't know enough about Sestak to form an opinion and 64 percent said they don't know enough about McGinty. "Toomey can take some comfort in the lead he has on his two Democratic challengers, but it's a lot easier to be the front runner when voters don't know much about the challengers," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. The poll also found that Pennsylvania voters disapprove 52 percent to 35 percent of Governor Tom Wolf's job performance, reflecting his lowest job approval rating since taking office. Meanwhile, Senator Bob Casey, Jr., D-Penn., has a positive 45 percent to 24 percent approval rating, the poll showed. The Quinnipiac survey of 1,737 Pennsylvania voters was conducted March 30th through April 4th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Presidential frontrunners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are leading in their respective parties' Maryland primaries later this month, according to the results of a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. Forty-one percent of likely Republican primary voters support Trump, while 31 percent favor Ohio Gov. John Kasich and 22 percent prefer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex. A poll conducted by the Baltimore Sun and the University of Baltimore in early March found Trump with a nine-point lead but with Cruz in second. The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll also showed Clinton with a 55 percent to 40 percent lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on the Democratic side. Clinton's lead is much narrower than the 61 percent to 28 percent advantage shown by the Baltimore Sun-University of Baltimore poll. In a potential general election matchup, Clinton leads Trump by 63 percent to 28 percent in Maryland, which has voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1988. Maryland is scheduled to hold its primary on April 26th along with contests in Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The Washington Post-University of Maryland survey of 1,503 adults was conducted March 30th through April 3rd and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The survey included 283 likely Republican voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 7.5 percentage points and 539 likely Democratic voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points. (Photo Credit: Michael Vadon) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani revealed Thursday he is supporting real estate tycoon Donald Trump in the upcoming New York Republican presidential primary. "I support Trump. I'm gonna vote for Trump," Giuliani said in an interview with the New York Post, telling the paper he likes the billionaire's focus on the , immigration and security. He added, "Trump is a negotiator. He negotiates from a high bar to get people's attention. Threatening to withdraw from NATO will get a better deal with NATO." Giuliani also predicted Trump will get more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary and amass a lion's share of New York's 95 delegates. "It's a question of how much he gets over 50 percent," Giuliani said. "If he wins 70 to 80 delegates, Donald has a good shot of securing the 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination before the convention." The former mayor said he met with Trump rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., earlier in the campaign but expressed concern about the senator's criticism of "New York values." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News 50% of Indian mobile users wish to upgrade to new device in 5G era About 50 per cent of smartphone users in India plan to buy a new device within the first year as 5G ... 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 Here are the Halloween and fall events happening in Salina As people in Salina get ready for fall, there are several events happening on Halloween and the days before it. Is it a coincident that a thundering explosion and a deadly blaze is followed by revelations about a woman claiming to be carrying the marks of Jesus Christ? Dont these incidents bring back memories of the incidents of 2009 where an image of Mary spotted at the John Williams Building was followed by the fire at the then Kitano Tusitala Hotel and the deadly tsunami which struck the south coast? These questions and more have gripped the nations attention as the result of the events of the past few days. The questions are openly posed on social media attracting thousands of comments and views. In Samoa, the subject has become the topic of conversations throughout the country. Yesterday, the Samoa Observer spoke with 23-year-old Toaipuapuaga Opapo, the daughter of an E.F.K.S. Reverend, who has become the centre of attention since her stigmata story was made public. Does she believe the explosion on Monday was a coincident? Are these signs? I think it is a wake up call for Samoa, she said. Toa said she was at home at Vaitele when a woman called to tell her about the explosion. I looked out my window and saw the fire from my room. Immediately I felt the pain, I felt for the people who will be affected. Toa said she attempted to contact her father so they could pray together. When he couldnt come home right away, her mother picked her up and took her on Beach Road where she could see the fire. Her father joined her there. I knelt on the side of the road facing the fire and poured my heart out to God for Samoa, she said, adding that as she was praying she lost sense of where she was. I closed my eyes and I heard a voice saying that the tank wont explode and the fire wont go off. People must kneel down and ask God for a miracle. God can work miracles. According to Toa, God worked a miracle that day. We could have lost so many lives that day but God saved us, she said. I didnt work a miracle, God did. She added that the wake up call for Samoa is that people need to be appreciate of each other and know that the next five minutes of our lives is an uncertainty. I know many people dont believe me but that is okay. I feel that my mission is to spread the word of God. We will all one day be judged. According to Reverend Opapo Oeti, his daughters marks appeared fresh again during the fire. I saw blood again coming from her hands, her legs, the marks of the crown of thorns and the spear sign on her side. On Monday, Rev. Opapo said he joined his daughter in prayer on the side of the road, adding it was the first time he has knelt in such a public place. If this is how God is send his message and vision to Samoa, who are we to question it? he asked. Later that day, Rev. Opapo and his daughter went to Father Mikaele where they joined in prayer at the Catholic Cathedral on Beach Road. Two weeks ago, the story of Toa emerged, dividing opinions among Samoans here and abroad. Some people including Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi believe its a miracle. Others have suggested that she is a fake, calling for her to be delivered from demonic spirits. From the start, Toas family has maintained that its up to people what they want to believe. When I first saw the vision, I was confused I did not think that the messiah will reveal himself to me in this wayI was thinking Im not a pastor, Im not a missionary, Toa said. But me? Im a sickly person. Its been three years since Ive been carrying this sickness. Its a sickness without a cure. All I know is that Jesus is the doctor of all doctors. To receive a vision from God is humbling but she added that it is also a message to the church and to Samoa. Im just another human being but my body has been used as a reminder because God knows that the faith of his servants are dying. It starts from the people who are heading the churches, the sin begins there In the search for answers, some of Toas relatives approached a traditional fortuneteller who gave them a different story, involving someone who is dead. But this hasnt diminished Toas growing number of followers who have been flooding to take pictures with her and be blessed by her. Toas story has reached far beyond Samoa. Yesterday, ABC Australia quoted Professor Paul Morris from the department of religious studies at Victoria University of Wellington as saying that it was extremely unusual for stigmata to occur outside of the Roman Catholic Church. "It is unusual... there are literally a handful of non-Catholic stigmata cases," Professor Morris told the ABC. "But the Congregational Church the largest in Samoa has undergone tremendous pressure over the last 15 to 20 years from [other churches]. "In the history of stigmata incidents, they arise in a particular social reality and context and call those who are ebbing away from faith, back to faith. "So in that way, it isn't all that unusual in terms of the context, but, she should be Catholic." "Auto-suggestibility can lead to this physical transformation [stigmata]." But questions remain over what would be an appropriate response to the case. "The first response must be that this is a breach of nature, and that it doesn't make sense," Professor Morris said. But he said there was good evidence to see it not simply as a hoax, which is generally the norm. "The other explanation is that it's psycho-somatic, that intensity of identification... where a young woman or man identify with Jesus to an extreme degree," Professor Morris said. "This auto-suggestibility [can] lead to this physical transformation." Professor Morris cited rapid social change and the challenges of religious security, which can catalyse "a call to faith", for reasons why it could have happened in Samoa. In the meantime, Toa said she is grateful to those who have visited her from the beginning. She added that her door is always open to anyone who wants to talk to her and share the love of God. Dear Editor, Unfortunately, due to the current global disturbances and unrest the religion of Islam is gravely misunderstood. Be it the recent attacks in Belgium or threats around Europe, or disturbances in the Middle East; the likes of ISIS on one end of the scale and anti-Muslim rhetoric from some candidates for World leadership on the other, just add to the mix. It is a shame that less than 1% of the Muslim population has become the face of Islam in the media. If all Muslims (almost a quarter of the worlds population) were violent terrorists as is suggested by some, you can imagine the repercussions. I am a Muslim Imam and Missionary and have been in Samoa for over a month. There are very few Muslims in Samoa and therefore my religion is gravely misunderstood here too. I belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and we are Muslims who believe in the 2nd coming of the Messiah. We advocate and believe that Islam is a religion of peace, as the name suggests. We openly condemn any and all form of violence. We believe in and practice our well known motto of Love for All, Hatred for None and it is this message that we wish to spread around the world. Why? Because we dont want ignorance and a handful of terrorists to hijack our faith and religion. We dont want bridges of understanding and acceptance to be broken due to the actions of a few violent individuals who have nothing to do with our faith. Just as the violence by groups such as the KKK or the atrocities from the crusades or even the recently convicted Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic who masterminded the genocide of thousands of Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s, according to him to defend Christian values and culture, do not reflect the peaceful teachings of Jesus, likewise the religion of Islam cannot and should not be understood to be represented by the violence of these extremists who are using religion to achieve their own geopolitical motives. From my experience I have found the Samoan people to be some of the most friendly and accepting people in the world. To us, religion should teach humanity and unity. No matter what religion or denomination you belong to, we are first of all, ALL the creation of God, and should love and respect each other as brothers and sisters. If you love the artist you must love His work! If you love the creator you must love His creation! Lets show the world that Samoa truly is heaven on earth. Lets work around our differences and unite in fighting extremism and bringing peace in the world. Regards, Mustenser Qamar Dear Editor, In the past weeks there have a lot of writings, about the Stigmata. It is no secret that this is clearly something that is out of the ordinary, the fact that this girl had been chosen, In my opinion, must be viewed as a blessing, not just to her but to all of Samoa. The fact remains that there are forces in this life that we cannot pretend to understand. On Sunday a preacher, said , he doubts that what has been described as a miracle is in line with the word of God. Good Sir, I am surprised. One would then pose the question to you. What is then the basis of Christianity? It is Faith. Faith misguided or not, is powerful, I need not tell you, about the history of religion, and how it was used by some of the leaders to progress agendas, that we are now enjoying today. You and the likes of Rachel , and M.S. Filimoeatu question the validity of the stigmata, and you in particular have made a point and referenced Moses. What you have forgotten, my good sir is the message, behind the miracles performed by Moses, Goodness conquers Evil case in point, swallowing of pharaohs snakes by Moses and Aarons snakes. I agree Right from the scriptures there was always another spirit that goes against the spirit of God. Yes that is true. BUT I urge you to read Matthew 12: 22-28, Mark 3: 24-25 and Luke 11:17 Matthew 12: 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. M.S Filimoeatu, .. But to have an exhibition of this sort and to use the Lords name in Vain is ungodly and Unholy I ask you; what about the saints? They too Exhibited their deeds all in the name of Jesus and for all the world to see, the only difference is technology. What we have taken for granted is that, if it werent for these Exhibitions we would never have believed in Christ. It is human nature that we doubt. We know from history that not all the saints Men of God were holy, in fact I must say, 80% of them were Unholy and Ungodly yet we have overlooked their pasts and only appreciated their wins. Their deeds, allowed for the Evolution of our Christian Faith, that we now enjoy. We see everyday, how the Lords Name is been used in Vain, yet do we voice it? No we dont. Why? Because we have grown accustomed and are comfortable and are unable to distinguish, between the abusing of HIS HOLY NAME and the later. Rachel Signs/Stigma has only approached through individuals of purity due to their constant love and care for others this girl however, not only does not have any proof behind such conspiracy but have claimed to receive a message from that is somewhat addressed only to Samoa and its church.. Who are we to question the purity of another? Who gave us the right measure how one cares and loves? How much more proof do we need? If it is To see is to believe, then why do we accept the accounts of the bible. We accept it because it is by faith. Faith in the unseen is the true measure of Christianity. In relation to the message, I put this to you. Is the message wrong? Oscar Wilder.Every Saint has a past and every Sinner has a future to me this is what I am taking away from the Message of Toaipuapuaga it has given me hope. That I too must change my ways; That I too, must do my part in the grand scheme of things. Our Leaders have also acknowledged this, and only now is my respect for the PM, restored I now believe that he will lead Samoa righteously. Toaipuapuaga. I thank you for your courage, you have been chosen, it is not an easy path that awaits you, but it is one that you must take. From a Sinner, I pray, May the Lord keep you, May the Lord guide you, May the Lord be with you ALWAYS Amen. Someone told me that before you were born you were named by your dying grandfather. And the meaning of your name is beautiful. And I believe that he too was shown a vision about your future. To all I leave you with the prayer of Serenity by; Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen. Women Parliamentarians from the Pacific region in Samoa have hailed Samoas leadership role in empowering women especially in terms of politics. The widespread praise for Samoas groundbreaking initiatives including the Constitutional amendment to ensure 10 per cent of members of Parliament are women comes as the 4th Pacific Womens Parliamentary Partnership (P.W.P.P) Forum ends. Attended by more than 60 Parliamentarians, the meeting wrapped up last night with closing dinner in Apia. During a press conference yesterday, Munokoa Poto Williams, a Member of Parliament for the New Zealands Labour Party, said there is much to celebrate. Although she conceded that some Pacific countries still have a long way to go in terms of achieving gender equality, she said meetings such as the P.W.P.P are important to gauge progress. With regards with some tangible results we find that there is a real value for Pacific women members of Parliament to meet each year and to support one another with the discussions of these issues, she said. The tangible results are the increasing number of women Parliamentarians in the Pacific region and notably we have also been able to grow the base of women across the different Parliaments. Ms. Williams pointed to Samoas temporary special measures to increase the number of women Parliamentarians. On top of that, Samoa having its first female Deputy Prime Minister in the form of Fiame Naomi Mataafa is something to be proud of. Samoa also has the added bonus, something that we are really proud of on your behalf, is having a woman deputy Prime Minister, she said. We understand that it was the absolute leadership of your Prime Minister that put those measures in place but we still feel it is a huge success. Elsewhere, Ms. Williams also hailed the appointment of Hilda Haine as the President of Marshall Islands. These, she said, are achievements worth celebrating. Looking into the future though, Ms. Williams said there is still some work to do. All of our governments have signed up to the gender equity platform so we know that all of our governments are very hopeful that our outcomes from here will be able to be put in place, Ms. Williams said. So today has been about deciding what those outcomes are so weve put that outcome statement together and this afternoon will be more about discussing some of the issues that are part of the forum agenda, namely climate change. Ms. Williams also praised Samoas hospitality in hosting the Forum. Its been one of the best attended forums and that is probably partly because most of us wanted to be here to celebrate Samoa with their recent elections and the great results that the temporary special measures have provided, she said. The Forum, which is an initiative by the Australian government, has been running for four years. It is designed to get women together to talk about three key issues which are: Womens representation in the house of parliament of which the pacific region has somewhere to go to make sure they have 50% representation of women. Family/domestic violence which is a concern across the entire pacific region. The economic empowerment of women so that they can participate equally in the economic financial sense of their countries. The meeting was opened by the Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, on Monday. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, did not mince words yesterday when he was asked about the deadly fuel tank fire at the Matautu wharf on Monday. This is what happens when people are negligent, he said. According to Tuilaepa, if the fire had spread to the other two tanks nearby, he is certain the entire Apia Township would have been affected. If it exploded, it wouldve burnt the Tusitala, the big government buildings heading to the Parliament house and other buildings because this (in Sogi) is where petrol is stored, Tuilaepa said. Accusing the workers and the company responsible, P.P.S, of being negligent, the Prime Minister said there should never have been any work that involves fire near the fuel tanks. He also assured that the government is already looking at a plan to ensure what happened on Monday is not repeated. To protect us from such negligence, there are plans to remove the fuel tanks and relocate them somewhere far away that is not near the big buildings (in town) and where people are crowded so that no one will be affected, he said. Tuilaepa said he is extremely grateful to God for his protection and the firefighters who battled the blaze. He is also grateful that it was diesel tank, which caught fire, not the petrol or the gas one. That is why it was easy to put out the fire because it was diesel and it doesnt explode like petrol. It is why we shouldnt sit around because the development of Samoa is continuing to grow and in another 40 years, there will be a lot more containers coming in. So what is the governments plan? Tuilaepa believes the planned international wharf at Vaiusu is the way to go. Its not a plan that can be done next year, said Tuilaepa. There needs to be discussions on financing it because if we dont start talking about it nothing will be done. The Prime Minister recalled that the first year a survey was conducted on a wharf at Vaiusu was 1972. He said after the findings the report was put away and was only dug up again when a lot of issues in terms of space surfaced at the Matautu wharf. Two days ago, claims that the fire could have blown up the wharf, destroying a large part of the Apia waterfront and placing hundreds of lives at risk, were rejected by Petroleum Products Supplies Ltd (P.P.S). The tanks were designed in a way that it cannot be destroyed by a fire, said P.P.S. Managing Director, Fanene Samau Sefo. I believe the evacuation was called for precautionary measures but with the fire alone, there wouldnt have been a time when it would spread outside of the tank. The tanks are surrounded by a cement wall so if there is any fuel leakage it is contained inside the bund wall. Fanene also downplayed the concerns about the pipeline that pumps fuel from the wharf to P.P.Ss main terminal at Sogi. This pipe is buried six feet deep underground, he explained. When the incident happened, the workers shut down all fuel valves and there isnt any possibility that a problem like that will happen because any fire requires oxygenno oxygen can get through down where the pipeline is locked. According to Fanene, the explosion happened when two P.P.S workers including the man who died did maintenance work. They started work from the first tank, second and it was the third and last tank where the incident happened, he said. A consultant responsible for the design and supervision of the tank team, Peseta Konelio Tone, said it is understandable that what was seen made people believe that the fire could have spread outside the tank. He maintained, however, that the tanks are designed to a standard that is safe. Even if the lid had blown off, there are other measures to prevent a fire. According to Peseta if the oil had spilled, there is a separator tank that can be used to extract the fuel so that the environment will not be damaged and people living close to wharf would not be affected. A hotelier and a prominent businessman has issued a warning to the government in the wake of the deadly fuel tank fire at the Matautu wharf on Monday. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, owner of Millenia Hotel, Tuala Oli Ah Him, said he keeps having nightmares about what could have happened. Im not an expert on these fuel storage facilities, he said. But what happened is an eye opener for our government and for everybody to look at what happened and how they can improve from it. We also need to upgrade our response to this sort of disaster in terms of possible oil leakage to the ocean and to the waterfront which will damage the reef from these villages to Leulumoega. Located at Sogi, Tualas hotel is not far from the oil tanks and Petroleum Products Supplies headquarters at Sogi. According to him, the government needs to come up with a better plan in terms of extracting the oil from Matautu and where they should store it. He reminded that there are a number of hotels and restaurants located just outside the Matautu wharf. From there a line of the main and bigger hotels in town stand in front of the waterfront starting from Aggie Greys, Tanoa Tusitala, Amanaki, Hotel Elisa and let alone Millenia hotel. Its a real worry, he said. You see, what happened on Monday was a big concern for the business community, especially the businesses on the waterfront. From Hotel Millenias view, Tuala said Sogi is another area that should be looked at. There are about six storage tanks similar with the tank that blew up (in this area), he said. It is a great concern that what happened on Monday actually happened because we are under the impression that safety is the utmost priority. These things should not just blow up. According to the businessman, had the wharf blown up, it could have spelt an economic disaster for Samoa. It could have crippled the businesses and the countrys economy. And thats not to mention the safety aspect. This is why Tuala wants the authorities to take what happened seriously, with the view of making changes to avoid a repeat. Tuala understands that the government is under resourced and are faced with other constraints but he believes this is an important issue that should be prioritised. He acknowledged the hard work of firefighters that battled the fire and expressed his condolences to the man that died as a result of the explosion. During a press conference on Tuesday, P.P.S Managing Director, Fanene Samau Sefo said there was no threat to members of the public from the explosion. The tanks were designed in a way that it cannot be destroyed by a fire, said Fanene. I believe the evacuation was called for precautionary measures but with the fire alone, there wouldnt have been a time when it would spread outside of the tank. The tanks are surrounded by a cement wall so if there is any fuel leakage it is contained inside the bund wall. The explosion killed a worker of P.P.S. The Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, is awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the American Samoa Attorney Generals (A.G.) Office into an outstanding warrant of arrest against him in the territory. Contacted on the telephone yesterday, Faaolesa told the Samoa Observer he has not heard anything from the American Samoa A.G yet. Im waiting for the investigation by the Attorney Generals office (American Samoa), he said. He added that the matter (where the allegations) originated from has been resolved. But the warrant is different, he said. Pressed for details, he said: Ill call back as I have some people here with me. As of press time last night, the Minister had not called again. But Faaolesa was asked for a comment after American Samoa, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, told the Samoa Observer last week that they are looking into the issue. This is something that happened before I came into office, he said. A copy of the warrant obtained by the Samoa Observer shows that it was issued by the American Samoa Attorney Generals office in 2008, containing a number of allegations. It was signed by Associate Justice John L. Ward, during the time of Fepuleai Arthur Ripley as the Attorney General. Im not sure of detailsits been looked at and someone is following it up, Talauega said. He added that an email with questions about the issue from the Samoa Observer has been passed on to the criminal division to look through it for information. According to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, the report about the warrant came as a surprise to Minister Faaolesa. I have spoken with the Minister who is shocked about it, said Tuilaepa. He said he has contacted his lawyer in American Samoa who is also shocked about it. (From what Ive been told) the matter had been resolved long time ago but it has been dug up again. Allegations of election corruption leveled against the Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi, by an election rival have cast doubts over his future in Parliament. But Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has told the Samoa Observer that he is prepared for whatever the outcome might be. These appointments are done on the assumption that there will be no problems, he said. But if there will be problems, then we have to have another election. Tuilaepa added that there are other options within the H.R.P.P for the Speaker should he not make it through the petition hearing. Leaupepe was unanimously elected by the Human Rights Protection Party during a caucus meeting to take over from former Speaker, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao. Soon after the H.R.P.P appointed and swore in Leaupepe as the Speaker, former Member of Parliament, Aiono Tile Gafa, filed a petition against him. During the March General election, Aiono polled 446 votes while Leaupepe had 570 votes. In a petition document published in the Samoa Observer, Aiono alleges that the Speaker is guilty of corrupt practices in that his agents committed bribery with the purpose of inducing voters. It was not possible to obtain a comment from the Speaker yesterday. But the petition is one of six petitions before the Courts at Mulinuu. The hearing of the petitions are scheduled for next week. Thats according to a note from Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava'asue Falefatu Sapolu, to all the counsels involved in the petitions, obtained by the Samoa Observer. The first petition to be heard will be between Lafaitele Patrick Leiataualesa and Aliimalemalemanu Alofa Tuuau. According to the note, all petition respondents are to file and serve affidavits in reply and any counter allegations with supporting affidavits today. Every petitioner is to file and serve any affidavits in reply to any counter allegations by any respondent by Tuesday, 12th April 2016 at 12:30pm. All petitions would then be re-mentioned on Wednesday, 13th April 2016 at 10:00am. The other four petitions involve: Maualaivao Pat Ah Him vs Faumuina Wayne Fong Ale Vena Ale vs Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi and the Office of the Electoral Commissioner Palusalue Faapo II vs Leaana Ronnie Posini and Manualesagalala Enokati Posala Anae Misa Pita vs Taefu Lemi Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, 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of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan 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Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/07/2016 -- According to a recent market research report published by Transparency Market Research, the global base metal mining market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 5.01% during the period between 2015 and 2023. The report, titled "Base Metal Mining - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023," projects the global base metal mining market to reach 160.19 MMT by 2023 in terms of volume. The overall market stood at 103.33 MMT in 2014. Complete Report Base Metal Mining Market with TOC : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/base-metal-mining-market.html Base metals are invaluable to the global economy. The growth of the utilities, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors is dependent on base metals. Base metal mining includes the key industrial non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, led-zinc, nickel, copper, and tin. These metals are more abundant in nature and hence are cheaper than precious metals such as silver, gold, and platinum. Owing to their significant role in the global economy, the prices of these base metals are very sensitive to the global economic trends. For example, copper is a leading base metal and has witnessed drastic price fluctuations due to the economic slowdown in China. The growing demand for base metals across various sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, durable goods, and others will propel the growth of the global base metal mining market. During the forecast horizon, the demand for base metal mining is expected to be driven by the growing infrastructure development and the rising demand for energy. On the basis of metal type, the global base metal mining market has been segmented into nickel, copper, lead-zinc, tin, and aluminum. The aluminum segment dominated the overall market in 2014 with a share of 53.73% in the market. The demand for aluminum is the highest in the market owing to its wide applications across areas such as construction, transportation, packaging, consumer durables, electrical systems, machinery equipment, and others. Aluminum is extensively used in the automotive sector to manufacture light-weight vehicles that are energy-efficient. In terms of market share, lead-zinc and copper followed aluminum with 24% and 16% share respectively. Zinc is another widely used base metal due to its galvanizing properties and ability to bond with various metals. Rapidly growing portable batteries market is expected to drive the demand for lead. The copper market is being propelled by the rise in power infrastructure. To Get More Details : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4629 The report studies the base metal mining market across five key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South and Central America, and the Middle East and Africa. In 2014, Europe and Asia Pacific held 14% and 63% of the market respectively. In Europe, Russia and Kazakhstan are the major regions for base metal mining. Australia, China, India, Japan, and Indonesia drive the Asia Pacific base metal mining market. High urbanization growth rate in Asia Pacific can be attributed to the rapid expansion of the market in this region. Modernization of utility infrastructure is driving the demand for base metal mining across the developed economies in regions such as North America and Europe. Describing the competitive landscape, the report profiles some of the key players in the global base metal mining market such as Anglo American plc, Alcoa Inc., Antofagasta plc, Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile (CODELCO), BHP Billiton Ltd., Freeport-McMoRan Inc., First Quantum Minerals Ltd., Glencore plc, Rio Tinto plc, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, Teck Resources Limited, Southern Copper Corporation, and Vale SA. The report further provides insightful information about the key players including their business strategy, financial overview, and recent developments. Global Base Metal Mining Market has been segmented as follows: Global Base Metal Mining Market- Metal Type Segment Copper Mining Nickel Mining Lead-Zinc Mining Aluminum Mining Tin Mining Global Base Metal Mining Market- Regional Segment North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa South and Central America About Transparency Market Research (TMR) Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/07/2016 -- The "Battery Materials Market - By Types (Cathode, Anode, Electrolyte, Separator, Binders, Packaging Material), Applications and Geography - Trends and Forecasts To 2018" analyzes battery materials market with respect to drivers, opportunities, and trends in various regions. The report entirely focuses on lithium battery materials market. Browse 140 market data tables and 30 figures spread through 384 pages and in-depth TOC on "Battery Materials Market Trends & Forecasts To 2018". http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/battery-raw-materials-market-866.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Battery materials offer different characteristics as per its manufacturing and applications requirement in the end products. The materials have high demand at a global level and its manufacturing is mainly dominated by Asian countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea. Current demand is for low cost battery in this industry, manufacturers prefer blend of high performance and cost effective materials. The major industries for battery materials are consumer electronics, automotive, power tools, marine & medical equipment, and defense & military industries. The manufacturing companies, research institutions, and battery makers are infusing high investment for the future advancements and technology. These investments are to create batteries with high power density, long life cycle, low cost, high performance, and environmental friendly which benefits to battery and end-user industry. The Asia-Pacific is the largest region followed by North America and Europe. These different regions with countries such as U.S., Germany, Japan, South Korea, China, India, and others are growing markets for battery materials. Major players in Asia-Pacific, European and North American regions include Umicore (Belgium), Toda Kogyo (Japan), Celgard (U.S.), Hitachi Chemical (Japan), etc. Japan is the global hub for battery raw material manufacturers in Asia-Pacific and major market players are headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. In North America, major market players are headquartered in U.S. Within Europe, most of the major market players are situated in countries such as Germany, Belgium, and U.K. For more Info Speak to Our Analyst @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=866 Battery materials demand market is analyzed by considering every possible factor which affects this market. The materials demand is in terms of value & volume market depicts current and future projections of lithium batteries according to parallel economic and industrial outlook. This analysis covers major developments, expansions, agreements, and mergers & acquisitions of leading global companies. The global battery materials market was is $5.1 billion in 2012 and is estimated to reach $11.3 billion by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 13.0% from 2013 to 2018. The high demand across the industries such as automotive and consumer electronics will increase overall materials consumption. The electric vehicles are expected to be the key revenue generators for global battery materials market. Enquire Before Buying of this Report @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=866 Browse Related Reports: Advanced MaterialsMarket http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/advanced-material-market-research-12.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Burbank, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/07/2016 -- Today Draffles LLC, a company that partners with celebrities to conduct raffles to raise awareness and money for causes the celebrities are passionate about, announced that they will be partnering with comedian and internet star on a project benefiting Maltese Rescue California. Morgan is one of the three original host of Source Fed. He has also been involved with mega successful projects like Mashable, Rainn Wilson's Soul Pancake, Rhett & Link, The Fine Bros, and The Annoying Orange. He recently launched his comedy special Premature on Vimeo and a podcast with Lee Newton called Shooting Stars with Elliott and Lee. Through Draffles, Elliott's fans will have an opportunity to purchase contest entries for a trip to see him perform in Los Angeles. The winner will also appear in an adoption video that Morgan will be making for one of the rescue dogs in urgent need of a home. Maltese Rescue California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization staffed entirely by dedicated volunteers. The dedicated rescue volunteers work tirelessly to ensure unwanted, homeless Maltese are placed in permanent loving homes. Maltese come to the rescue from many sources; animal shelters, animal control agencies, owner surrenders, other rescue groups, veterinarians, death of the primary caretaker, people whose health has changed, and those facing loss of home. Along with purchasing raffle entries, fans will have an opportunity to purchase limited addition collectibles, signed memorabilia, and live FaceTime sessions with Morgan, all with the proceeds being given to Maltese Rescue California. Of the partnership, Draffles founder Tom Burkhardt said, "We are really excited that Elliott will be using his extensive reach and unique voice to help such an amazing organization! Maltese Rescue California works hard to help so many dogs that need urgent help. They rescue many dogs with costly medical issues and do they're very best to help them recover and find loving homes. I'm excited about our opportunity to help them continue their efforts" Tom Burkhardt Draffles LLC. 323-251-2910 tom@draffles.com www.draffles.com Head Office P.O. Box 10053 Burbank, CA 91510 https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ky/0893966 Grand Rapids, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/07/2016 -- viastore Systems, a Hytrol integration partner, will be exhibiting at MODEX 2016 April 4-7. John Clark, Director at viastore Systems, noted, "viastore Systems is a proud integration partner for Hytrol Conveyor. Our strong relationship will be on display at MODEX April 4-7. Hytrol brings nearly 70 years of technological excellence and innovation to our customers in food logistics, cold supply chain, automotive, and more." David Peacock, President of Hytrol comments, "We are in an incredibly exciting time for the industry, for Hytrol and for our integration partners. MODEX provides an opportunity to showcase the technologies and partnerships that make Hytrol a leading provider in the material handling industry. The interaction between Hytrol, our integration partners like viastore and their customers enables us to tailor innovative solutions and then couple them with our best-in-industry lead times. This collaboration with our integration partners like viastore has proven successful and resulted in our having high expectations for a very successful show." viastore Systems will present a special session at MODEX 2016. The session titled, "An Incremental Approach to Automation and ROI" will be held on April 5 from 12:45-1:30 in Theater H of the Georgia World Congress Center. Myles Harmon will define the different levels and types of automation; he will address how manufacturers can get ROI on automation investment. viastore Systems will be exhibiting April 4-7 at booth #1439. About viastore Systems, Inc. For over 40 years, viastore Systems, Inc. (http://bit.ly/1PxYifB) has been a leading international provider of automated material handling solutions including AS/RS (automated storage and retrieval systems), conveyor and shuttle systems, warehouse management systems software, material flow and process controls, and integrated SAP logistics solutions. The company employs over 470 people worldwide and has annual sales of over $140 Million. viastore's focus is on consulting and planning, together with the implementation and constant improvement of intralogistics solutions with locations in Germany, USA, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Russia, China, Croatia, Turkey, Poland, Israel, Ukraine, Sweden, and Brazil. viastore, with North American headquarters in Grand Rapids, MI, is an integrated and certified partner for all major ERP system database and operating system suppliers such as SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft. viastore earned a return spot on Food Logistics' 2015 FL100+ list of software and technology providers whose products and solutions are key to the global food supply chain. viastore is a proud member of MHI. Follow viastore Systems on Twitter @viastoresystems. Jonesboro, AR -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/07/2016 -- MHI has announced that Hytrol's Chris Glenn, Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering, is the winner of the 2016 YPN Mentor Award. This award is given to one MHI member who instills and nurtures talent, advocates for employees, is a positive and inspiring role model, and offers professional guidance. Glenn received the award at the MODEX Industry Night April 6. A committee selected Glenn for the award based on his abilities as a professional guide and role model, and his commitment to his company and industry. His accomplishments in the industry over his 22-year employment span range from right-sizing the workforce to restoring delivery times to over 98 percent, but his participation as a mentor was a main component for his selection. Professionally, Glenn is affiliated with the STEM Advisory Board for Jonesboro High School, a Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center Board Member, a Tek Starz mentor, the Program Chair for the local ASQ chapter, a participant in "Partners of Education," and graduate of the Leadership Jonesboro program. Hytrol employees praised Glenn for his professionalism and industry knowledge. "Chris has affected this industry and a great many lives in it very positively in his career," said Bob West, Hytrol Vice President of Corporate Development. "There are many technically experienced individuals in this industry; I don't know of any who have the same level of professionalism, the willingness to help, and the congeniality that Chris carries throughout each day." The MHI Young Professionals Network provides resources to those who are looking to advance their careers in material handling and the supply chain. The network hosts several events and awards throughout the year. Hytrol's Brandy Lloyd was a finalist for the YPN Outstanding Young Professional award. About Hytrol Hytrol (http://www.hytrol.com) designs and manufactures advanced conveyor systems, controls, and solutions for customers with processing, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution needs. For almost 70 years, Hytrol has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to understanding the unique material handling needs of businesses. Hytrol is focused on creating innovative, customized conveyor solutions that help companies achieve their goals. Hytrol is experiencing consistent growth; 2016 will be the company's best year ever and significant plant expansion continues. Hytrol is strengthened by its Integration Partner Network with 100+ locations worldwide. Hytrol's Technology Center is the birthplace for many industry-changing innovations, such as EZLogic zero-pressure accumulation and E24, an energy efficient, 24-volt solution. These technologies are complemented by Hytrol's extensive line of advanced sortation offerings, the ProSort 400 Elite series high-speed shoe sorter, as well as the ProSort MRT series narrow belt sorter. Hytrol sortation technology can accommodate any product or market requirements, while ensuring the highest throughput at minimum speed. Hytrol is a proud member of RILA (Retail Industry Leaders Association) MHI, CEMA (Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association), along with IABSC (International Association of Baggage System). Follow Hytrol on Twitter @hytrol. British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced last week that it would stop filing patents in the worlds poorest countries, opening the door to manufacturers in the developing world who wish to copy GSK drugs and sell them at lower prices. The high cost of prescription drugs is a major development challenge. Historically, poor countries have addressed it by purchasing generic drugs made in middle-income countries such as Brazil and India, which can sell these through a loophole in World Trade Organization patent law. Pharmaceutical firms have fought for years to have this loophole closed and their patents enforced globally. Nonprofits such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) have campaigned to reform patent rules that protect drugmakers in the global South. So is GSKs move a victory for campaigners? We dont think this is a very bold announcement, Rohit Malpani, director of policy and analysis for MSFs Access Campaign, tells me. We have been saying for years that cost [of drugs] is a barrier to access, and the pharmaceutical industry has been saying it isnt. This is an acknowledgement from GSK that this is an issue, but thats not really a victory. Instead, he says, the announcement is a response to changing politics. Historically, rich governments helped pharmaceutical firms based in their countries to defend their patents abroad. But rising drug costs are also problematic for poor populations within rich countries not just poor countries and growing cost pressure on Western healthcare systems has prompted new interest in medical patent reform. This includes the formation of a UN panel on access to medicines, and a call by French President Francois Hollande to include drug access for discussion at G7 and G20 summits. We have been saying for years that cost [of drugs] is a barrier to access, and the pharmaceutical industry has been saying it isnt. This is an acknowledgement from GSK that this is an issue, but thats not really a victory. Rohit Malpani, MSF Malpani believes that GSKs loosening of patent control in poor countries may be an attempt to get ahead of the political process to thwart more significant reform and safeguard its core intellectual property interests: developed world patents. And he points out that the details of GSKs proposal leave much to be desired. The policy will only exempt the very poorest countries from patent enforcement, but such countries often lack the capacity to make drugs so pharma companies have filed few patents there, if any. So its unclear what difference it will make. Malpani also cautions that GSKs measure of which countries are least developed relies on World Bank data about gross national product per person. But this metric, like most metrics of economic development, does not necessarily correlate with medical access because it does not take into account the state of a countrys health infrastructure or the ability to pay for drugs. Malpani suggests that using any single measure of development to make decisions about drug access a problem that is not simply about poverty is unlikely to succeed. And, indeed, with the long timeframe involved in drug development, its unclear whether the countries currently classed as least developed will still qualify when GSKs next round of new drugs reach market Ultimately, it is governments that must intervene to make real progress on drug access, Malpani says. The pharmaceutical industry is reliant on government for every stage of its life, from patents to authorising clinical trials, he says. Even if they have a lot of power and can dominate the thinking in government, governments have many tools to change the power dynamic and the relationship between the two. And we hope that as the situation [on pricing] becomes more intractable, governments will look to do that. Maha Rafi Atal is a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, where she is researching the political effects of multinational firms acting as public service providers in the developing world. She was previously a journalist, including at Forbes, where she covered the intersection of business, development and international affairs. You can contact her on [email protected] or follow her on Twitter: @MahaRafiAtal More generous policies for paid maternity leave can save the lives of babies in developing countries, a study has found. The paper estimates that each extra month of maternity leave is linked to about eight fewer infant deaths for each 1,000 live births. This represents a 13 per cent reduction a pretty sizable decrease, says lead author Arijit Nandi, an epidemiologist at McGill University in Canada. Based on our analysis, Im fairly convinced that increasing the duration of paid leave is an effective way of reducing infant mortality. Arijit Nandi, McGill University Paid maternity leave improves access to health services before and after childbirth because it provides time, an income and job protection to mothers, helping to reduce anxiety and improve their health, the study says. Maternity leave also increase the likelihood that mothers will breastfeed their child and stick to vaccination schedules, adds the paper, published in PLOS Medicine last week (29 March). Based on our analysis, Im fairly convinced that increasing the duration of paid leave is an effective way of reducing infant mortality, Nandi says. He adds that his team controlled for other factors that reduce infant deaths, such as GDP (gross domestic product) and national health spending. The researchers compared rates of infant deaths in two groups of low- and middle-income countries, covering about 300,000 live births between 2000 and 2008. The first group comprised Bangladesh, Kenya, Lesotho, Uganda and Zimbabwe, which increased their paid maternity leave over that period. The 15 countries in the control group including Bolivia, Cambodia and Rwanda did not change their policies and offered an average 12 weeks of paid leave throughout. Studies have already demonstrated the benefits of maternity leave on child health in rich countries, but this is the first time a study has focused on developing nations, the researchers say. However, Zulfiqar Bhutta, a child health researcher at the University of Toronto, also in Canada, says caution should be exercised in extrapolating this to all low- and middle-income countries. While the findings are plausible, the major limitation here is the assumption that maternity leave policies in a country are universally applied, which they are not, says Bhutta, who also leads a research centre on woman and child health at Aga Khan University in Pakistan. In response, Nandi admits: We look at the impact of changing policies but dont have good data about implementation. But he points to research in other areas, which suggests that policies improving the conditions of employees tend to have spill-over effects, with those working outside formal employment reaping similar improvements. We can expect the same thing with maternity benefits, he says. A rare Sumatran Rhino that was caught in a pit trap just a month ago in East Kalimantan province had died of an infection. The discovery of the female rhino named Najaq was affirmed as a conservation success. But the celebration was short-lived as it died just a few weeks after it was captured. International Business Times reports that the rhino was killed due to the leg infection from the wounds that have been perpetrated by the poaching traps, according to Nyoman Iswarayoga, the spokesman for World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia. The rhino's health deteriorated because of the infection. Meanwhile, an autopsy was commissioned to recognize the official cause of the rhino's death. "The death of this Sumatran rhino proves they exist in Borneo, so we will continue protecting them," said Tachrir Fathoni, a senior official at the environment ministry. Yahoo noted that the conservationists including WWF that the discovery of a rhino is a foremost milestone for the conservation of rhinos in Indonesia. On the other hand, they stated their disappointments at the death of Najaq. The head of WWF Indonesia, Efransjah, said that its death serves as a valuable lesson and needs the support of the experts to save a rhino. Many rhinoceros were roaming around Borneo before but they had disappeared in time. They have substantial populations with one on Borneo, four on Sumatra and one in the Malay Peninsula. Some people believe that the decline of rhinos is caused by the expansion of mining and plantation and poaching. They are now almost extinct and estimated to be only fewer than 100. Sumatran rhinoceros or also referred to as Asian two-horned rhinoceros are considered the smallest rhinoceros but they are big mammals. The head-and-body length of a rhino is about 2.36 to 3.18 meters (7.7 to 10.4 feet). Its weight ranges from 500 to 1,000 kg (1,100 to 2,200 lb.). Sumatran rhino's body is covered by a reddish-brown hair. True or false: women are volatile, emotional creatures that can create medical conditions - like migraine -for themselves due their inability to handle stress and emotions. Answer: False. While hormonal imbalance can cause a lot of stress and unwanted emotions, it can't exactly make up conditions like migraine. Neurologists agree that a migraine is a real medical condition that is related to temporary abnormal brain activity. Even though many women experience them during their period, emotions have nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, the misconception still persists. According to The New York Times, around 36 million people experience migraines in the United States alone. While it is more common in women, it does also affect men, which debunks the myth that it is something make up during "that time of the month." Causes of migraines aren't too clear, but as noted by Mayo Clinic, genetics and environmental factors may also play a role. As for women experiencing migraines during their period, the involvement of imbalance of brain chemicals may also play a part. Serotonin, for one, helps regulate the pain in the nervous system, but these levels drop during migraine attacks. Fluctuation in estrogen are also likely to be involved. Still, that is not all that can affect people -- lights, smells, alcohol, and even certain kinds of food can trigger migraines as well. According to David W. Dodick of the International Headache Society, variations of over 40 genes can be associated with migraine Whatever the cause or trigger of migraines may be, it is important that it is not overlooked by both men and women. According to Health Central, migraines increase the risk of stroke. Doctors may not exactly agree to the degree in which it increases the risk, but they do agree that there is one. So if you or anyone you know experiences frequent migraines, it is recommended that you check up with your doctor right away. The first public vaccine program for dengue fever is presented in the Philippines for millions of school children. It is the world's first authorized immunization against a mosquito-borne illness that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates infects 390 million individuals each year. Many fourth-graders at a government funded school in metropolitan Manila's Marikina city were given the first of three shots of Dengvaxia according to Big Story. The Philippines had the most elevated dengue cases in the WHO's Western Pacific region from 2013 to 2015, enlisting 200,415 cases a year ago, based on the Department of Health records based on Science World Report. Health Secretary Janette Garin entitled the program's introduction "a historic milestone" in public health. "We are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through (the) public health system and under a public school setting," she added. The government is burning through 3.5 billion pesos ($76 million) to oversee the free immunizations, which it purchased at a marked down cost of 3,000 pesos ($65) for three doses for every child. Free immunization programs guarantee that "health should be for all, rich or poor," Garin mentioned. Dengvaxia, created by the French pharmaceutical organization Sanofi Pasteur, acquired its first permit in Mexico in December 2015 for use in people aged 9 to 45. Administrative offices in Brazil, the Philippines and El Salvador took after. The immunization is anticipating administrative reviews in Europe and many non-European nations according to CNN. "A vaccine able to reduce six out of 10 cases, or more importantly to reduce by 80 percent the risk of hospitalization or 93 percent of the risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever, is a major breakthrough," Guillaume Leroy, Sanofi Pasteur's vice president for dengue vaccine, mentioned to The Associated Press, including that the immunization would be particularly vital in Asia and Latin America, where dengue occurrences are high. Leroy included that while there are contrasts in the level of adequacy against the diverse dengue strains, the immunization "has shown efficacy against all the four serotypes, all the serotypes circulating in the world." Conservative biologists have found that thousands of loggerhead turtles are annually dying in the Mediterranean waters bordering North Africa, the Middle East and Cyprus, by getting get trapped in fishing nets used by small scale fishing fisheries in the region. The species migrate annually to the areas of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria in search of food and breeding ground. Researchers at the University of Exeter in UK, who tracked the movements of female loggerhead turtles by satellite, came up with the evidence that instead of returning to the place of their birth for nesting, the water reptiles travel to other area that may sometimes be as far as 2,100 kilometers away. During breeding season, the females forage sites spread across the waters bordering North Africa, the Levant and Cyprus. It was found that from the time they left nesting grounds in Cyprus, out of the 27 female loggerhead turtles that were being monitored through satellites for a decade, three died within a year of being tracked, owing to accidentally being caught in fishing nets. The study suggests an 11 percent mortality rate annually, which is higher than the expected life span of the species. The findings do not a have a good implication for the future of the turtles as they need to live long enough to produce offspring, necessary for the survival of the species. Professor Brendan Godley, project leader of the research, pointed out that the future of the loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea could be secured by eliminating threats posed by fisheries as well as gas and oil related seismic activity. Godley, furthermore, suggested that a simple and inexpensive step of introducing LED lights on the fishing nets can go a long way in significantly reducing turtle bycatch. In fact, according to him a similar research work which was conducted elsewhere had led to positive results. EUKOR plans to deploy ships with capacity to load 5,500 cars more than once a month, and may increase the frequency of the shipping services depending on the trade volume, according to Incheon Port Authority (IPA). Last year, Incheon port saw 187,168 units of used cars shipped out as the port plays a vital role in used car exports, handling around 90% of the total volume of South Koreas used car exports. The current export of used cars to the South Asian country (Myanmar) stands at just a little more than 2% with 5,117 cars in 2014 and 3,760 cars in 2015. The launching of the non-stop services, however, would help increase the export from Incheon port to Myanmar, IPA said. Noting that the export of used cars was done through transhipments in Singapore or Japan, the port authority expects the launch of regular direct carrier service system to lower the logistics costs and help boost the countrys export of used cars to Myanmar, the port authority added. Press Release April 7, 2016 Cayetano on Kidapawan: Where is the gov't when farmers need them the most? Vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano today said if the national government had addressed the public's concern about the ill effects of the El Nino phenomenon early on, the shooting and violent dispersal of protesting farmers in Kidapawan City would have been averted. In a statement released during a Senate hearing on the incident on Thursday, Cayetano said that by failing to take immediate action to curb the effects of the dry spell, the national government has aggravated the situation of poor Filipino farmers. "Matagal nang nararanasan ng mga magsasaka ang hirap, pero hanggang ngayon, marami pa rin ang patuloy na naghihirap at 'di naaabutan ng ayuda. Nasaan ang national government? This is criminal neglect, the government has failed the farmers," he stressed. During the hearing, Cayetano questioned the absence of concerned national officials. "Where are the national leaders?" "Most of my questions are for the secretaries. Ang problema, I only see one undersecretary here. Kahit isa sa mga secretary ay wala dito. This is a national issue and they are not here? I hope we don't have to issue subpoenas to these secretaries if we aren't satisfied with the findings today," Cayetano said. While directing his questions to PNP officials, Cayetano also stressed that police units assigned in Kidapawan did not seem to follow proper regulations in enforcing the dispersal. "Why did the police have long firearms and live ammunition? It is clear in the law the enforcers should not carry firearms. Noong panahon ng Martial Law, normal siguro 'yan. But we're under a different Constitution now," he stressed. The senator, meanwhile, said the tragedy in Kidapawan should serve as a reminder that government inaction leads to hunger and even violence. "We do not want this incident to happen again. Hindi naman natin kasalanan ang El Nino, pero ang gobyerno ang inaasahan ng mga tao," he stressed. State of calamity To address the problem, Cayetano urged the national government to declare all El Nino-hit areas under a state of calamity. He said doing so will allow local government units (LGUs) access to calamity funds sourced from higher offices, and impose a price freeze and price ceiling on basic necessities in affected areas. He cited areas that declared a state of calamity in view of the damages brought by the drought - Zamboanga City, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Guimaras, Maguindanao, Davao del Sur, Bukidnon, Sarangani, Iloilo, and Basilan. "LGUs already acknowledged the severity of the situation. But where is the national government in all of this? Where is the national response to this crisis and the counterpart funds? They are missing in action while the oppressive drought ravages the countryside," Cayetano said. Press Release April 7, 2016 CHIZ: 'PANAMA PAPERS' SHOULD PROMPT LIFTING OF PH BANK SECRECY LAW Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said the report on the "Panama Papers' tackling leaked documents on the vast amount of wealth stashed by politicians and famous personalities, including officials from the Philippines, using offshore companies underpins the lifting of the country's bank secrecy law on bank deposits of public officials. "The scandal surrounding the illegally amassed deposits of public officials from around the world, including some of our own public officials, kept in secret foreign accounts is a renewed reminder that we should pass a law compelling all our state workers--from the president down to the lowest clerk--to sign a waiver on their bank deposits in favor of the Ombudsman," Escudero said. "We've been repeatedly told and warned: a public office is a public trust. Every single peso of the people's taxes should be handled with care, sincerity and honesty. Every peso paid by a taxpayer should be used to advance public good, not one's private good," explained the leading vice-presidential candidate based on all pre-election surveys. The so-called Panama Papers details transactions by a Panamanian legal company showing an insider's view of the massive offshore wealth of prominent politicians and public figures in different parts of the world. Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigned on April 5, becoming the first casualty of the Panama Papers, so named because the documents came from a Panamanian law firm. The documents detailed paper trail and transactions of extremely rich individuals taking advantage of offshore companies to hide their wealth. The Panama Papers gave proofs that premier's wife owned an offshore company with big claims on Iceland's banks, an undeclared conflict of interest for Gunnlaugsson. This revelation forced many citizens to call for his resignation. Since 2010, Escudero has been submitting a written waiver on secrecy of his bank deposits attached to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) he files annually with the Office of the Ombudsman. The independent vice-presidential bet filed in 2013 his proposal to compel people in government, except those who serve in honorary capacity, to submit a written permission or waiver in favor of the Ombudsman to look into all deposits of whatever nature in banks within and outside the country. He first filed the measure in 2007 when he was first elected senator. Recently, he called on all candidates to sign a waiver to assure the electorate that they won't enrich themselves once elected into office. Republic Act No. 1405, or the Bank Secrecy Act of 1955, strictly prohibits disclosure of or inquiry into deposits with any banking institution. It also provides penalties of imprisonment or fine for offenders. "If a Filipino politician is named in the Panama Papers, he or she should be held accountable if he or she committed any wrongdoing. Filipinos named in the Panama Papers must explain why they opted to hide behind the veneer of questionable offshore companies," Escudero said. The Panama Papers is a collection of more than 11.5 million documents, whose leak from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca fueled outrage globally after it was revealed how a group of rich and powerful people are able to keep away from the public their wealth to avoid taxes amid the sufferings in their own countries. The Mossack Fonseca, a company known for setting up offshore companies, flatly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the Panama Papers, labeled as "the unprecedented leak of 11.5m files from the database of the world's fourth biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca." The documents were reportedly obtained from an anonymous source by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which eventually shared them with the CIJ. The ICIJ then shared them with a large network of international partners, including the Guardian and the BBC. CHIZ CLINCHES ENDORSEMENT OF MAJOR TRANSPORT GROUP The Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators (ACTO), one of the country's biggest transport groups, endorsed the candidacy of Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero for vice-president and promised to deliver substantial votes for him in the May 9 general elections. ACTO is a major transport group with 400,000 members nationwide. Its members include drivers and operators of jeepney, tricycle, taxi, school bus and UV Express vans. "Ngayon po, dinedeklara ko sa hanay ng transportasyon, sa bumubuo ng ACTO, na ibibigay natin ang ating boto sa magiging bise-presidente sa darating na Mayo 9--walang iba kundi si Chiz Escudero," said ACTO national president Efren de Luna during the group's meeting Wednesday night in a Quezon City restaurant, which was attended by over 250 transport leaders from Metro Manila. ACTO also supported Escudero when he first ran for senator in 2007 and sought re-election in 2013. De Luna assured Escudero that all ACTO members and their families are also behind him in his vice-presidential bid. Escudero is running as independent under the "Gobyernong may Puso" platforms of rapid and inclusive growth, poverty alleviation, transparency and global competitiveness, alongside presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe. Press Release April 7, 2016 PRESS STATEMENT University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao City AS the public hearing spearheaded by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights unfolds, I stand before you today as a concerned son of Mindanao. I am deeply affected by the violence that marred the protest-rally of my constituents who demanded food but received bullets instead. As a result of the merciless dispersal of their mass action, a few have died and more than a hundred are still nursing injuries. I am sad that their misery continues to this very day. I am confident that this hearing will bring answers to my questions. Did impoverished farmers receive aid due them since Kidapawan was declared under a state of calamity in January because of climate change? Is it incorrect to say that the protesting farmers were defenseless against heavily-armed police forces that opened fire on them? Are the rights of the faithful being trampled upon by the shakedown of Church premises by police authorities? I come not to judge but to be one with Mindanaoans who have the heart to seek justice for the poor. They can count on me to always be at their side in times like these. Press Release April 7, 2016 BONGBONG MARCOS TO ALCALA: HOW ARE YOU SPENDING DA BUDGET? VICE presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. today said the Department of Agriculture, particularly Sec. Proceso "Procy" Alcala, has a lot of explaining to do on how it is spending the budget of the agency. He also expressed suspicion that the budget is just being used for politics rather than on programs that would help farmers cope with El Nino and increase their production. Marcos aired his concern regarding the disbursement of the DA budget in the wake of the bloody dispersal by the police of the rally in Kidapawan City that left 3 farmers dead and many injured. He has filed a resolution that sought a Senate probe on the incident. "Napakalaki ng budget ng DA sa 2016 pero ginagamit yata sa pampulitika, hindi ginagamit para sa suporta sa farmers. Kakulangan talaga ng DA 'yan...kung saan-saan napupunta ang malaking pera na ina-appropriate para sa Department of Agriculture," he said. Records show that for the current year 2016, the total appropriation of the Department is P48.447 billion, more than P2 billion of which was earmarked for El Nino mitigations programs. He said the farmers shouldn't be blamed for protesting since they were hungry and fighting for the survival of their families. "Seventy percent ng mga mahihirap ay nasa agrikultura...Hindi mo naman sila (farmers) masisisi eh kasi gutom sila. Hindi mo sila masisi na ipinaglalaban nila 'yung kanilang pamilya, 'yung mga pangangailangan nila," he said. He also expressed suspicion that the DA could be using its money for importation because of huge kickbacks and not for projects that will help farmers improve production like construction of more irrigation systems and opening up of more windows for soft loans with affordable and easy repayment terms, among others. "Alam natin kung paano gawin 'yan pero hindi pa natin magawa-gawa dahil masyadong naging madali ang pag-import at pinagkikitaan ng kung sino. Alam naman natin kung pinagkakakitaan ang pagi-import, eh walang gustong magpaganda ng sistema dito at tuluy-tuloy ang importation," he said. He said it's a shame that the Philippines is now the biggest rice importer in the world, considering that there was a time when the country had exported the staple because of high agricultural yields. Press Release April 7, 2016 BONGBONG MARCOS GETS WARM WELCOME FROM BRGY. CHAIRMEN IN LP-RULED PARANAQUE An overwhelming majority of barangay chairmen in the City of Paranaque, considered a stronghold of the ruling Liberal Party, had welcomed independent vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos when his "Unity Caravan" visited the city Wednesday. This developed after 13 out of the 16 barangay chairmen of the city, whose incumbent mayor is a member of the LP, attended a private meeting with Marcos in a fast food outlet near the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran. "I am glad that you are willing to listen to our call for national unity," said Marcos. Having served as governor of Ilocos Norte, Marcos said he is aware of the concerns of local government officials, particularly in the barangay level, and that he would always work to promote the interest of local government units. In particular, Marcos reported to them the approval last December in the Senate of his bill to provide monetary benefits to retiring barangay officials and volunteer workers. Likewise, Marcos reiterated his support for the call of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas for the postponement of the forthcoming barangay elections in October this year to enable Congress to review the term limits of elected barangay officials. The warm welcome Marcos received in Paranaque is typical of the warm reception he has been getting from local government officials, particularly barangay officials, in practically all the areas that he had visited during the campaign period. On the very same day he was meeting with the Paranaque barangay chairmen, the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines (BCLP), through its national president, Ricardo B. Junio, a kagawad in Valenzuela City, issued a manifesto of support for Marcos. The BCLP credited Marcos for sponsoring and securing the Senate approval of Senate Bill No. 12 entitled, "An Act Providing Barangay Officials, including Barangay Tanods, Members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa, Barangay Health Workers and Barangay Day Care Workers Retirement Benefits." The measure provides a retirement pay of P100,000 for each qualified Barangay Chairman, P80,000 for each member of Sangguniang Barangay, and P50,000 each for the Barangay Treasurer and Secretary, Barangay Tanod, Member of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa, and Barangay Health and Day Care Workers. Recto: "We are used to China's tantrums" Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto today laughed off the outburst made by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang labeling him irresponsible for linking Chinese hackers to the $81-million cyberheist on Bangladesh Bank, describing China's response as "mere tantrums." "We are used to China's tantrums. They need not hyperventilate on this issue," Recto said. The Senate leader stressed that he was not blaming the Chinese government for the $81-million cyberheist, saying he merely pointed out the involvement of Chinese and Macau nationals as possible masterminds behind the crime. "Hindi naman Chinese government, but Chinese citizens ang involved. Clearly the Senate hearings have shown the involvement of their citizens. Persons of interest are Chinese nationals," Recto said. "I will not apologize. Hindi naman natin sinabi na it is a state-sanctioned project, or a government-instigated enterprise. Crimes committed by citizens should not be blamed on the state," he added. Instead of throwing tantrums, Recto said the Chinese government should help the international community identify the hackers who stole $81 million from Bangladesh Bank. "Sayang ang laway nating lahat kung puro salita ang gagawin. Sa halip na makipagbangayan, dapat tumulong ang China sa Interpol (International Police) para makilala at maipakulong ang mga hackers na ito," the senator said. "Every minute of delay in stopping these hackers increases the risk of cyberattack on the international banking community," he added. Recto said he would never accuse the Chinese government of sanctioning hacking, except on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. "Sa West Philippine Sea, doon malinaw na hackers sila. They've been hacking away large chunks of territory from us," Recto said. "They have built a Great Wall of Sand in our territory. They don't have the basis to ask me to correct my statement," he added. Recto surmised that the Chinese government's outburst on the cyberheist issue was an attempt to divert the international community's attention from their aggressive stance in the West Philippine Sea. "Binakuran ang traditional fishing grounds natin. Nilagyan ng 'Bawal Mangisda' ang Pilipino. Maraming 'Do not Enter' signs. Massive reclamation. Ito ang kailangang ipaliwanag ng Chinese government," he said. Press Release April 7, 2016 BREAK FREE FROM U.S., MIRIAM SAYS AMID BALIKATAN Amid the fresh round of military exercises between the Philippines and the U.S. and a lingering territorial dispute with China, presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago urged the government to move toward self-reliance and end its dependence on American forces for national security. "The Philippines will have to once and for all abandon its full-spectrum dependence on America as a guarantor of its national security," said Santiago, who is a major critic of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) at the Senate. The senator noted that both the VFA and the EDCA are silent on the extent of American commitments to the Philippines, while imperiling the country's sovereignty and welfare. It is also unclear whether the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951 covers the West Philippine Sea disputes, she added. "Instead of relying on the U.S., or acquiescing to China, the Philippines will have to augment its surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence-gathering capabilities in order to effectively monitor developments in its surrounding waters, preferably at least within its 200- nautical-miles exclusive economic zone," Santiago said. She then vowed a refurbished, empowered, and well-equipped Philippine Coast Guard if elected president, to protect the country's territorial integrity through civilian law enforcement operations against illegal, underreported, and unregulated fishing, especially from China and Vietnam. Santiago said white-hull coast guard forces, not grey-hulled naval vessels, should primarily be deployed in the West Philippine Sea. "The moment the Philippines employs naval vessels for law-enforcement operations, as it did during the Scarborough Shoal standoff in 2012, it risks escalation and all-out war," she added. The senator also said that in the issue of territorial integrity, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should be developed only second to the Coast Guard. She noted, however, that it is crucial for the AFP to adopt a more outward, maritime-centered security doctrine, instead of focusing on domestic security. "Obviously, the Philippines or any regional state can never match Chinese defense spending, but we will have to have to develop minimum deterrence capabilities that allow us to resist and inflict sufficient retaliation if China continues to undermine Philippine territorial integrity," Santiago said. Once elected, Santiago said she will fortify Philippine presence in disputed areas, by effectively maintaining, if not augmenting, its facilities in Pag-Asa, Ayungin, and other features under its control, in order to provide minimum necessary protection against Chinese adventurism. "So long as we don't permanently alter the nature of disputed features, we will not be violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," said Santiago, who is also an international law expert. She nonetheless said her government will leverage on the outcome of the Philippine-initiated arbitration case. The senator said her government will ensure that Philippine relations with China are not defined only by territorial dispute. Besides engaging with China on key areas of cooperation, a Santiago presidency will also work with fellow Asean countries to create an optimal level of regional unity on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. "The Philippines must ensure that it adopts, as much as possible, an equi-balancing strategy towards both China and America. To push back against Chinese adventurism by deepening Philippine dependence on another power runs counter to the very logic of protecting its national sovereignty," Santiago said. A man with tattoos on his face is suspected of pulling an armed robbery at a Nordstrom Rack in Pleasant Hill before leading police on a car chase and driving into oncoming traffic with three children in the vehicle, authorities said. Around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, officers responded to reports of the robbery at the department store in the Sun Valley Mall on the 700 block of Contra Costa Boulevard, police said. Legislation seeking to further tighten a San Francisco sanctuary-city law that restricts the citys cooperation with federal immigration agents will come before a Board of Supervisors committee for the first time Thursday. The law came under fire last year with some critics hoping to get rid of it after a man wanted for deportation by federal authorities was instead released from San Francisco County Jail and was then accused of killing a woman on Pier 14 on the Embarcadero. The measure, introduced by Supervisor John Avalos in January, would bar city law enforcement officials from notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when an individual will be released from local custody, except in very limited circumstances. Immigration agents want to be notified about people theyre seeking to deport so they can pick them up. San Franciscos Sanctuary City and Due Process for All ordinance now prohibits the city from holding jail inmates flagged by immigration agents for hours or days past their release date, but it does not specifically forbid prerelease notifications. In April 2015, the Sheriffs Department released Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who had been brought to the city after serving 46 months in federal prison for unlawful re-entry into the country. Though the federal government wanted to deport Lopez-Sanchez a sixth time, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said the city sanctuary law restricted his office from turning the inmate over. Critics of Mirkarimi, including Mayor Ed Lee, said he could have simply picked up the phone, called immigration agents and told them to pick up Lopez-Sanchez before his release. However, a month earlier, Mirkarimi had issued a department memo banning all communication with immigration agents seeking to deport jailed suspects absent a warrant or court order. After the city was thrust into the national spotlight in July when Lopez-Sanchez was charged in the shooting death of 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle on Pier 14, newly elected Sheriff Vicki Hennessy made it a priority to reverse that move. During her campaign, Hennessy said she favored notifying federal agents about inmates with certain serious convictions on their record. Eileen Hirst, her chief of staff, said Hennessy will be testifying at Thursdays hearing about her thoughts on the proposed legislation. Avalos and the citys immigration advocates have long been against any cooperation with immigration officials and what they describe as deceptive practices by the federal government. Avalos pointed to a case in which a San Francisco car-theft victim was jailed by federal immigration authorities for two months after he sought help from city police. San Francisco police officials will also testify at Thursdays hearing of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. The meeting starts at 12:30 p.m. in Room 250 of City Hall. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo Catherine Shen, whose long career in newspapers included 11 years as an editor at The Chronicle, died in Seattle on March 31. Ms. Shen, who suffered from pancreatic cancer, was 68. Her newspaper positions included four years as publisher of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, later as general manager of the Horvitz Newspapers in the Pacific Northwest, and as a senior vice president at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She also worked as an executive with the Gannett newspaper chain and as associate publisher of the Marin Independent Journal. For 60 years, William Denny Weisgerber has been making the long drive from his Milpitas home to San Francisco National Cemetery to visit the graves of 2,273 fellow Korean War veterans. So one cold and windswept afternoon in December he drove up in his big Lincoln and parked in his usual spot in the Presidio. But this time, for the first time, he turned his back on the cemetery gates, and crossed the street to stare at a plot of dirt, covered in tanbark. On this plot of land is taking shape, at long last, a Korean War Memorial that will be the first in San Francisco, where it has always belonged, and maybe the first memorial to any war to be built in a National Park outside of Washington, D.C. It is scheduled to open in June. This will be the biggest and best Korean war memorial on the West Coast and probably in the United States, says Weisgerber, a decorated gunnery sergeant in the war, and former mayor of Milpitas. As chaplain of the First Marine Division Association Weisgerber, 85, was here in July wearing his war medals to give the invocation during a symbolic groundbreaking with gold shovels and elected officials. But Korean veterans have seen false starts before, and when the conflict you may have given a leg to is known as the Forgotten War, you dont believe anything until you see it and touch it. Work begins Sure enough, no ground was broken until Dec. 1 when a bulldozer arrived to clear the vacant lot at the intersection of Sheridan Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard. The money was finally in hand, $3.4 million raised equally among the American and Korean communities in the Bay Area. The monument, a 40-foot-long, 10-foot tall curved wall of black granite panels bearing battle images in bas relief, is being carved and laser etched at a foundry in Minnesota. It will sit on a promontory that has been sculpted into a mound, and when Weisgerber steps off the pavement and onto the ground, he can feel the pride traveling up through his polished black oxford and the prosthesis on his right leg. An old verse from the Marine Corps hymn comes to mind and he sings it to himself. Admiration of the nation. We are the finest ever seen. And we glory in the title of the United States Marine. Standing on this man-made rise, Weisgerber has a clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the last thing Marines and soldiers and sailors saw as they headed out and the first thing some of them saw sailing back home, many of them aboard hospital ships bound for Letterman Army Medical Center in the Presidio or Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland. Beyond the bay, to the north in Marin County, is the 38th parallel, which extends to Korea where the war started. The 38th parallel is where the war ended, too, a complete stalemate that left 54,000 Americans dead, only 4,000 less than in the Vietnam War, which was six years longer. But the only Korean War memorials in California are in out-of-the-way places like Sonora (Tuolumne County), Bakersfield and Gustine (Merced County). Foundation started Why dont we have a memorial here? says John Stevens, a retired lieutenant colonel who asked that very question over lunch with some fellow veterans at the Marines Memorial Club in 2009. By the time they walked out onto Sutter Street, the Korean War Memorial Foundation had been started. Stevens is a proven leader, having led a rifle company over the Inchon Wall, which was to the Korean War what Iwo Jima was to World War II. He later worked for IBM and started a few tech companies of his own. But he is modest and quiet, not charismatic and connected. So he took the job as secretary of the foundation. Don Reid, who had been a machine gunner before becoming an executive at Wells Fargo, became the groups treasurer. To make this succeed, they needed a president with name recognition, who can tell a story and command a room. There was only one Marine for that job and he was riding a tractor at his farm in Rumsey, two hours east in Yolo County retired Col. Paul N. Pete McCloskey. As a Stanford-educated attorney, McCloskey is probably best known for beating the unbeatable Shirley Temple Black in a special election for the House of Representatives in 1967. McCloskey was re-elected seven times but the number six has always been more important to him. Thats the number of bayonet charges he led in one vicious and deadly battle, in front of a rifle platoon in Korea. To be selected to lead a Marine rifle platoon on even one bayonet charge was a greater honor than being elected to Congress, he later said. McCloskey was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism, the Silver Star for bravery in combat and two Purple Hearts. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1974 but he has always had a complicated relationship with the U.S. military. Im not much for memorials. Theyre fine, says McCloskey, 88, by phone from his farm in Yolo Countys Capay Valley. Im for getting rid of all this pride and militarism. Veterans recruited Still, a Marine never truly retires from the Marines. Both Stevens and McCloskey had served in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the most famous battalion in the Corps. So when Lt. Col. Stevens tracked down Col. McCloskey, he was duty-bound to serve. McCloskey agreed to be president of the Korean War Memorial Foundation, which did not have much going for it at the time. There was no staff, no money, and it took the first three years just to nail down the location. The obvious choice was on a hill overlooking the coastline near the only other war memorial in the Presidio the World War II Memorial to the Missing. But the Korean vets have lived in the shadow of the Greatest Generation long enough. They wanted to be closer to people in cars, on foot and in graves, and they found a place with all three. Its a little triangle of land and a proper place for the memorial, McCloskey says. The land comes free but the money to build the memorial had to be raised privately, which took twice as long as expected. To orchestrate it the foundation hired its one paid staffer, Executive Director Gerry Parker, whom Stevens met at the Marines Memorial Club. Parker is a semi-retired freelance writer with neither administrative nor fundraising experience. Korea was not even his war. He was in Vietnam. But Parker had one qualification that counted. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. He rented a tiny office in the Presidio. I tell people it is the same exact dimensions as a San Quentin cell, with one window, says Parker, 75. But he is not complaining. His boss, Stevens, goes to work every day in a windowless office on Van Ness, and he is 94. When it came to finding the money, everybody did the grunt work, and they all teamed up to sell Dongman Han, Consul General for the Republic of Korea in San Francisco. That meeting was so urgent that McCloskey came straight from his farm. He wasnt in Farmer John overalls but almost, recalls Parker. It did not matter. He was still a hero to Han who promised that the Korean government would donate $1 million if the foundation could match it. Korea would not be enjoying peace, democracy and prosperity without the sacrifice of the Korean War veterans from America, Han says. A health scare has since forced McCloskey to step down from his role as president of the foundation, a position now held by retired Superior Court Judge Quentin Kopp, who served in the Air Force in Korea. Funds are still being raised to maintain the memorial and support education programs at www.kwmf.org . One way theyve raised small donations is by selling tiles for $250 each that will form a wall of names complementing the monument. Tiles honor vets McCloskey bought one for every man he led on those bayonet charges, and the Navy corpsmen who carried them out. He has also bought tiles to be named for two Marine fighter pilots, John Glenn and Ted Williams. Ted Williams. Hit 406 in 1941. Stevens bought one for Lt. Baldomero Lopez, the Marine in his rifle company who was the first man over the seawall in the daring landing at Inchon. Weisgerber bought a tile for himself and plans to buy one for the 18-year-old private he carried on his back, injured after making a charge to take out a machine gun nest. Weisgerber got hit by a mortar but kept going, though hed lost his right foot, and would soon lose the leg, too. That same blast killed the Marine he was carrying. His name was Torres, but everybody called him Torro. The tile will read, In memory of Torro who lost his life at Outpost Seattle, Oct. 1, 1952. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf Video: Tour the Korean War Memorial with Denny Weisgerber at: http://sfchron.cl/memorial This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Supervisors Jane Kim and Scott Wiener clashed over affordable housing, poverty, transportation and police weaponry Wednesday in the first of a series of debates leading up to the state Senate primary in June. Wiener, a moderate, and Kim, a progressive, are vying for Mark Lenos soon-to-be-empty 11th District seat, which includes San Francisco and northern San Mateo County. The top two vote-getters in June will reach the November general election. As the only two big-name candidates in the race, they are expected to make it to November. At Wednesdays debate at Congregation Shaar Zahav in the Mission, the San Francisco supervisors clashed on issues ranging from whether the homeless should be allowed to set up tents on city streets to how much below-market-rate housing developers should be required to rent and sell, and whether the shuttle buses that transport workers to Silicon Valley should be allowed to use public right-of-ways. While Wiener has the financial edge and big party endorsements, including support from Leno and the state Democratic Party, Kims profile could grow as she pushes a June city Charter amendment that could double the below-market-rate housing requirement for developers. Wiener and Kim agreed that San Francisco is facing an affordability crisis, with Kim noting that the city is no longer one that accepts artists, nurses or immigrant families, despite its reputation as a city of refuge and acceptance. Both supervisors vowed to continue reformation of the Ellis Act, which allows landlords leaving the rental market to evict their tenants. The issue of affordable housing and development projects a huge focus for Kim, whose district includes the South of Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods that are being targeted for development drew pointed remarks from both candidates. Wiener jabbed Kim for rejiggering the definition of 40 percent affordable housing at 5M a huge, mixed-use project south of Market and Kim lashed back at Wiener for rezoning a parcel meant for a homeless shelter into a park. Yes, this is a public-private partnership, Kim said of the 5M project. But I havent seen my opponent in the negotiation room. This is a city where we have to work with developers to build more. ... We want property owners to run their businesses here, not run San Francisco. Tech shuttle buses use of public rights-of-way also sparked heated remarks from both candidates with Kim critical and Wiener in support. Parents dropping off their children get a $300 ticket if they park in a red zone, while the shuttle buses only pay $3, Kim said, adding that she supports the shuttles but believes the city needs a balanced system with pick-up and drop-off hubs. Wiener countered that that system would make it harder for tech buses to pick up employees, pushing them toward using their cars. The issue of homelessness and the Division Street tent city drew tension, with Wiener criticizing the encampments for being a public safety hazard. Those tents are not progressive, for the neighborhoods and the people in those tents, Wiener said. We need to transition people out. But Kim maintained that the tents were a better option than kicking people out and not offering another place to go. I dont think the tent cities are humane, Kim said. But neither are sweeping them when we have nowhere else to put them. ... Instead of passing more ordinances, lets build more housing and shelters and navigation centers. Other issues discussed included the tear-down of Interstate 280 under the Caltrain tunnel plan, which Kim does not support and Wiener wants more research on, and the use of stun guns by police, which Kim also does not support and Wiener favors. Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn Getty Images The California Highway Patrol is asking for help identifying the driver behind a fatal Wednesday afternoon hit-and-run on Highway 101 in Redwood City, officials announced Wednesday. A 58-year-old man from Lyme, New Hampshire, died from his injuries after the driver of a brown early 2000s model Toyota or Nissan van hit the back of the mans 2006 Scion around 1 p.m., CHP officials said. A San Francisco man who led a failed effort to take over the San Francisco chapter of the Sierra Club and make it more development friendly has been charged with voter fraud, District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday. Donald Dewsnup, 49, was charged with registering to vote using a false address, which allowed him to vote in a supervisorial district in which he didnt live. It also allowed him to infiltrate the influential Telegraph Hill Dwellers neighborhood association to advance his political agenda, Gascon said. Two young political scientists at UC Berkeley and at Stanford who exposed a major research fraud less than a year ago are now reporting the results of their own work on countering prejudice, and are being hailed for it by a leading expert in their field. The scientists said they have found that the attitudes of voters who strongly disdain transgender people and opposed laws protecting them can be rapidly changed by brief conversations with volunteers, regardless of whether those volunteers are transgender. The change in prejudice can be long-lasting, too, and persists for at least three months, the two investigators found. In the cloudy field of social science inquiry, findings like those can help clear up many unknowns about the techniques and validity of opinion research, experts say. ALSO Teen publicly shuts down homophobic aunt with brutal retort David Broockman, 27, a newly minted assistant professor in the Stanford Business School who had earned his advanced degree at Berkeley, and Joshua Kalla, 23, a Berkeley graduate student, were working on their own research project a year ago when they detected fraudulent data in a UCLA researchers report on prejudice against marriage equality for gay people. The research report had just been published in the widely respected research journal Science, and the two political scientists detected major flaws in the article, finding it was based on fraudulent data. The editors of Science retracted the entire article a year ago, and its UCLA author lost a promising job offer from Princeton. And now Science, the same journal, is publishing detailed new research findings by Broockman and Kalla, together with the opinion of a prominent Princeton psychologist known for her expertise in the study of prejudice. In a separate article on the controversy, Professor Elizabeth Levy Paluck of Princetons department of psychology and international affairs called the research by Broockman and Kalla a rigorous field experiment and said its results were based on long-term, high-quality measurement that clearly showed for the first time how prejudice is subject to peer influence. Miami voters Broockman and Kalla described how they had worked with the Los Angeles LGBT Centers Leadership Lab, whose experts helped recruit volunteers in Miami to canvass voters there who had voiced strong hostility to transgender people and had supported repeal of a city ordinance protecting them from discrimination. The earlier, fraud-ridden report on marriage equality purported to have found that only gay interviewers could convert people prejudiced against gays. But Broockmans and Kallas data showed that regardless of the interviewers sexual orientation, they were all equally able to lower levels of prejudice among hostile voters during sympathetic interviews with volunteers that lasted only about 20 minutes. The research team recruited a pool of 68,378 registered voters in Miami, and randomly selected a total of 1,825 of them to note their opinions as the volunteer canvassers interviewed them. And in succeeding interviews up to three months later, the same voters continued expressing significantly lowered levels of prejudice than they had voiced at the start of their first interviews, the report said. The two researchers used widely accepted social science techniques to evaluate how much the voters actually moderated their opinions, and intend to continue their opinion-changing experiment indefinitely to determine whether its longer-lasting, they said. Broadly successful The results indicate that the intervention was broadly successful at increasing acceptance of transgender people, they said in their report, and also found that the hostile opponents were more supportive of the law protecting transgender people from discrimination, compared with opponents who had been interviewed on topics unrelated to the transgender issue. Weve shown that reducing prejudice is possible, even in people with strong feelings, when a brief conversation asks them to reflect deeply and asks them to think their feelings out, Broockman said in an interview. Theres so much politics about this issue, Kalla said, and our finding that people have the power to change others minds on this sensitive issue is pretty encouraging. This is good news for stigmatized groups that are a demographic minority and require outsiders to help campaign for them, Paluck said in her commentary. David Perlman is The San Francisco Chronicles science editor. Email: dperlman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @daveperlman Two drivers walked away shaken but unscathed from a crash early Wednesday in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood that left one of their vehicles flipped over on its roof, officials said. The two-vehicle crash occurred around 6 a.m. at the intersection of Eighth and Mission streets. IOWA CITY, Iowa A lottery vendor for years manipulated drawings to enrich himself and associates by installing software code that allowed him to predict winning numbers on specific days of the year, Iowa investigators alleged Wednesday. Authorities called the newly obtained forensic evidence a breakthrough in the investigation of alleged jackpot-fixing scheme by Eddie Tipton, former security director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, an Iowa-based nonprofit that administers Powerball and other games for states. A jury convicted him last year of rigging a $16.5 million jackpot, and hes awaiting trial on charges linking him to prizes in Colorado, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Kansas. If you want to talk about historic weeks that shaped the Bay Areas economy, it would be hard to top the first seven days in April 1976. Not only was Apple Computer founded April 1, but Genentech got its start April 7. As the South San Francisco companys website explains, biochemist Herbert Boyer and geneticist Stanley Cohen pioneered recombinant DNA technology in the early 1970s. Their breakthrough drew the interest of venture capitalist Robert Swanson, who met with Boyer, and the two founded Genentech. Number of the day $160 billion That was the size of what was going to be a record deal between top U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Irish rival Allergan until the Treasury Department stepped in with some new rules that are meant to block American companies from moving their corporate addresses overseas on paper to avoid U.S. taxes. Once those rules wiped out the financial incentives for Pfizer, the two drugmakers mutually agreed to scrap their deal. The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techbriefing Lyfts proposal to pay its California drivers an average of $53 each to drop claims that they should be treated like employees was rejected by a judge as glaringly inadequate. A federal judge ruled Thursday that a proposed payout of $12.25 million for the 100,000 drivers in the case represents only about one-10th of the amount of mileage reimbursement they were seeking under their own attorneys methodology for valuing claims. Adding in other uncompensated claims, the drivers may have been shortchanged even more, San Francisco U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria wrote. Reddit lurched into the mobile present on Thursday with the launch of its first homegrown smartphone apps. For the 10-year-old company that has long styled itself the front page of the Internet, its the latest effort to stay relevant for users who are more likely to pick from the apps on their smartphones home screen than make a site like Reddit their homepage. More than 50 percent of Reddits 200 million users use a mobile device to browse the sites deluge of topic-based forums, the company said. Over the years, several third-party apps have surfaced. Alien Blue, the most popular of the bunch, was purchased by Reddit in 2014 and had been used as the de facto Reddit app since. Not having an app built and updated by in-house developers has held Reddit back from engaging its mobile audience as well as it could, said Alex Le, Reddits vice president of consumer product. Facebook launched its first mobile app in 2008, built in-house. Twitter took a path more like Reddits, first acquiring Tweetie, maker of a popular Twitter app, in 2010 and then building subsequent versions on its own. Social media startups today tend to launch as mobile apps first. This is the first move into mobile by Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman, who returned to lead the company last year. Reddit has long wrestled with the question of how best to allocate its relatively modest resources 162 people list themselves as working at Reddit on their LinkedIn profiles, while Facebook and Twitter have thousands of employees and for the last couple years put off having to build a mobile app by relying on Alien Blue. The companys reliance on what was originally a third-party app may have cost it users and revenues by compromising its ability to tailor the app to its users needs and host in-app advertising. Reddit is a 10-year old company that has a lot of die-hard fans, Le said. But when people go to the App Store or the Google Play store and type in Reddit, theyre confused because theyre not finding anything. Alien Blue, which offered users a more visual mobile version of the website, has been downloaded 3.84 million times since its launch. There was never an Android version of Alien Blue, though others have created unofficial Reddit apps for Googles mobile operating system. The new app, simply called Reddit, will open with a so-called card view feature that allows Reddit users to preview articles. Reddit employees and volunteer moderators can showcase popular threads, photos or posts. The Reddit app will borrow some beloved features from Alien Blue, including a night mode that changes the contrast and colors to make reading Reddit in the dark less straining on a users eyes. The app will also enable Reddit communities, known as subreddits, to have their own look and feel like they do on the website. The food subreddit, for example, will look different from Reddits cats community. Reddit, which has famously relied on its users in making decisions about its products, allowed a select group of several thousand users to test the app and offer suggestions on how to improve it, according to Le. One of the upgrades to come of those focus groups was a button in the iPhone version that will allow users to jump from comment to comment, rather than relying on scrolling. This, Le said, would be especially useful in the platforms Ask Me Anything forums where famous people respond to questions posed by anonymous users. With the jump button, a person could switch from question to question quickly, without getting lost in a parade of responses to comments. People are landing on Reddit on their mobile devices already thats the experience were trying to improve upon and optimize, Le said. Performance will be much better in a mobile-native app. And the things we can do with it in the future, like working with location data that phones provide or creating mobile-exclusive features, really give us an opportunity to provide more for our users. Le said the apps have been in the works for about six months and will continue to improve after launch. The app arrives a day after Reddit strengthened its block user tool in an effort to better control for and discourage harassment on its platform, which has struggled to overcome its designation as the Wild West of the Web where anything goes. The new blocker tool not only hides a persons posts and profile, but erases entire comment threads they may have started. This update went a step beyond Reddits previous tool, which allowed people to block others from sending them private messages. Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae WASHINGTON The Senate refused Thursday to come to the aid of airline passengers squeezed by the ever-shrinking size of their seats. An amendment by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would have blocked airlines from further reducing the size, width, padding, and pitch of seats, passengers legroom and the width of aisles. It costs you an arm and a leg just to have room for your arms and legs, Schumer said. The amendment also would have required the Federal Aviation Administration to set standards for the minimum amount of space airlines must provide passengers for their safety, health and comfort. Airlines would have had to post the size of their seats on their websites so that consumers could take the information into consideration when buying tickets. The proposal failed 42-54, with all but three Democrats in favor and all but one Republican against. Economy-class airline seats have shrunk in recent years on average from a width of 18 inches to 16.5 inches. The average pitch the space between a point on one seat and the same on the seat in front of it has gone from 35 inches to about 31 inches. Many airlines are charging passengers for extra legroom in amounts that used to be standard. No senators spoke against the proposal, but airlines opposed to the measure have accused lawmakers of trying to re-regulate an industry that has been deregulated since 1978. The Senate is considering a bill to renew FAA programs, due to expire July 15, through Oct. 1, 2017. The bill also contains policy provisions that lawmakers have been working on for more than four years, including greater access for drones to the airspace and protections for airline passengers chafing at fees for basic services such as checked bags and ticket changes. Also Thursday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved amendments seeking to boost security at airports and other transportation hubs in response to last months attacks in Brussels, as well as the downing of a Russian airliner in Egypt last year that is suspected to have been caused by a bomb planted by an airport worker. The security amendments would: Authorize an increase from 30 up to 60 in the number of government viper teams that stop and search suspicious passengers in public areas before screening, often using bomb-sniffing dogs. Require the Transportation Security Administration to use private companies to market and enroll more people in its PreCheck program while ensuring PreCheck screening lanes are open during high-volume travel times. The aim is to reduce crowds waiting for security screening by vetting more passengers before they arrive to get them through checkpoints quickly. Enhance the vetting of airport employees with access to secure areas. It also expands the use of random and physical inspections of airport employees in secure areas and requires a review of perimeter security. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Uber agreed Thursday to pay up to $25 million to settle a 2014 lawsuit filed by city officials in San Francisco and Los Angeles who argued that the ride service gave customers a false sense of security by touting its background checks as the toughest in the industry. The suit, brought by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, alleged that Uber misled consumers by suggesting its driver-screening process was superior to the ones used by taxi companies. Taxi drivers are vetted with fingerprint checks, whereas Uber drivers are not. The suit also questioned Ubers compliance with California laws regarding airport rides and fare calculation. Under the terms of the settlement, Uber will pay $10 million within 60 days, according to Gascons office. The remaining $15 million penalty will be waived in two years if Uber complies with all of the settlements terms. The result we achieved today goes well beyond its impact on Uber, Gascon said. It sends a clear message to all businesses, and to startups in particular, that in the quest to quickly obtain market share, laws designed to protect consumers cannot be ignored. If a business acts like it is above the law, it will pay a heavy price. The settlement averts a courtroom fight that could have proved embarrassing for San Franciscos Uber, which has a history of tangling with government regulators at home and abroad. The money will be split between the two district attorneys offices. Were glad to put this case behind us and excited to redouble our efforts serving riders and drivers across the state of California, an Uber representative said. Ubers ride-hailing rival Lyft paid $500,000 in 2014 to settle similar allegations from the two district attorneys. Uber took a hit to its public image when Gascon discovered 25 instances in which San Francisco and Los Angeles Uber drivers had serious criminal backgrounds. The drivers included sex offenders, identity thieves, burglars, kidnappers and a murderer. Gascon also questioned Ubers compliance with a California law allowing regulators to check the apps fare calculations for accuracy. The state has since found Ubers fare calculations accurate in initial testing. It issued a temporary use permit for the company in August so the company could legally operate while working toward full state certification. As part of Thursdays settlement, Uber promised to operate only in airports where the company has permission. When the suit was filed in December 2014, Uber had just reached an agreement with San Francisco International Airport to pick up and drop off passengers there. But the company had not yet received approval from any other airports, even though it encouraged its drivers to work at other airports, according to the suit. Uber now has permission to operate at all three major Bay Area airports as well as Los Angeles International Airport and others in southern California. Uber has raised $9.01 billion from more than 50 investors and is valued at more than $60 billion. But it continues to rile regulators. The company paid $28.5 million in February to settle two class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of customers challenging Ubers representation of its background checks. As a result, the company agreed to rename its safe ride fee to a booking fee. Jessica Floum is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jfloum@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfloum A Martinez man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting underage girls, including 94 he recruited for online child pornography. Prosecutors said Blake Johnston, 42, had sex with four of his victims. He pleaded guilty in December to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor, a 14-year-old girl whom he took from her home in Oregon to California. A day after the girls mother reported her missing in October 2014, police checked her phone and computer records, determined her likely whereabouts, and contacted police in Martinez, who found her in Johnstons bed, prosecutors said. Officers also found a computer hard drive with 500 folders with females names, most of them containing images or videos of child pornography, prosecutors said. They said investigators identified 94 girls from at least 30 states and six foreign nations whom Johnston had persuaded to create pornographic images or otherwise sexually exploited online. In some cases, prosecutors said, Johnston encouraged girls to cut or choke themselves or use drugs. At Johnstons sentencing hearing Tuesday, prosecutors said, one of his victims, who was 13 when she first encountered him, told him, You took away my childhood. You took me away from my family. You killed who I could have been. But I am free now. Blake Johnston sexually exploited an untold number of children to satisfy his demented fantasies, U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch said in a statement. Defense lawyer Mark Goldrosen argued for a 15-year sentence. He said Johnston, the child of an alcoholic father, was addicted to methamphetamine when he committed his crimes, has no excuse for the horrific nature of his conduct, and could live as a law-abiding citizen if freed from prison in his late 50s. But U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White of Oakland imposed the 30-year sentence sought by prosecutors. White has scheduled a hearing June 28 to determine the restitution he will order Johnston to pay his victims. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko La Angelo Darnell Stroughter lost his mother when he was 2 years old, so when he was shot to death near a Fairfield middle school Wednesday, it was his Auntie Christina who mourned. Christina Mitchell said her 28-year-old nephew had been in trouble from time to time, but had a job and was working to get his life back on track when his violent death prompted a temporary lockdown at Grange Middle School. Stroughter was fatally shot in the 1800 block of Blossom Avenue around 9 a.m., Fairfield police said. No suspects have been identified. He was such a sweet, beautiful person, Mitchell said Thursday. Hes been through some very hard things, but that babys heart was good as gold. Stroughter was born in Oakland but was raised in Vallejo by his grandparents after his mother died. As a child, he moved with his grandparents to Fairfield, where he spent his teen years caring for his grandmother, she said. Theres nobody like him. He took care of his grandmother till the day she passed, said Mitchell, a 44-year-old social worker. Ive never seen a young man ever make such a commitment as a teenager. Stroughter moved in with Mitchell a couple of years ago. She said he would mix with the wrong crowd sometimes and tried to hide those parts of his life from her. Although hes not in any gangs, he has had a few run-ins with police, Mitchell said, declining to describe them further. Sometimes, kids get wrapped up in things they shouldnt be in. The crime scene was just over 400 feet from Grange Middle School, which prompted the temporary lockdown on Wednesday. Stroughter was not associated with the school, and his aunt said it is unclear who would be motivated to shoot him. Who would want to do this to him? she said. I dont know. I have no idea. ... He has the biggest heart in the world. He would not ever hurt anyone. Anyone with information on the incident can call the Fairfield Police Department at (707) 428-7300. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno A Concord dental assistant was arrested on suspicion of touching and photographing the private parts of a sedated 8-year-old girl and police believe there could be more than 50 other victims in the case. The distraught girl told a family member, who then contacted police, said Cpl. Christopher Blakely, a police spokesman. The man allegedly touched and took the photos of her Saturday morning in an examination room. Police arrested 24-year-old Alejandro Saro of Antioch, who had worked at La Clinica Monument since March 2015 as a dental assistant. He previously worked at Patino Orthodontics and Western Dental, both in Concord, and at a second Western Dental office in Antioch. Saro is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on $8.1 million bail. He was booked on three counts of lewd and lascivious acts on children under 14 years old, according to inmate records. Investigators searched Saros house and cell phone and found evidence suggesting more than 50 other young girls, all between the ages of 6 and 12, were victimized while sedated, Blakely said. He said police suspect Saro both photographed and videotaped the young patients. There was plenty of evidence to suggest this has been going on for a while, and this wasnt the first time it happened, he said. Clinic staffers declined to comment, but officials there released a statement saying they are cooperating with investigators. La Clinica Monument takes the safety of its patients very seriously and is cooperating fully with the officials who are investigating this matter, the statement reads. For the privacy of our patients and all concerned, we cannot comment any further. Police set up a hotline and encouraged anyone with information about other potential victims to call (925) 603-5836. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If the fact that Leffe beer is not made by monks in a Belgian abbey shocks you, join the class action club. A beer drinker was so surprised that Leffe beer is made by beer giant Anheuser-Busch and most notably not by men of the cloth, he filed a lawsuit against the beer manufacturer, according to Reuters. Henry Vazquez of Florida filed a class action lawsuit in Miami last week, stating that he was "deceived by (Anheuser-Busch's) labeling and packaging into believing that Leffe Beer is brewed in an abbey, and thereby brewed in smaller quantities under the supervision of monks." That deceit is what caused Vazquez to overpay for Leffe, according to the complaint. Leffe beer, however, does happen to have a history of being brewed in abbeys, Consumerist reported. The beer recipe dates back to 1240 until the abbey and brewery were destroyed in the 1790s. The recipe was eventually licensed to a brewery, and through some mergers, ultimately wound up being made in a factory by Anheuser-Busch. "Their marketing quite clearly shows Leffe to be a specialty craft beer," Natalie Rico, a lawyer for Vazquez, told Reuters in a phone interview. "Consumers believe they are buying something that is limited quantity and very high quality. That is not the case." The lawsuit noted that other beers call their product an "Abbey style ale" if they aren't made by monks and stated that Anheuser-Busch should have done the same. Various media outlets did note that this is the same court where a similar lawsuit went to trial, also involving Anheuser-Busch. In that case, the company was sued over passing off Beck's as a German beer despite being made in St. Louis. An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Eater.com that they brew Leffe under an agreement they have with the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe. "The Union of Belgian Breweries provides guidance for certifying that a beer is a Belgian Abbey beer, and Leffe meets these criteria," the representative said to the food news website. "We believe that the labels on Leffe are accurate and will vigorously defend our company against the lawsuit." Lets rip this Band-Aid off right away: Theres no alcohol at Taco Bell Cantina. No beer, no sangria, none of the boozy Mountain Dew slushies that they serve at the flagship Cantina in downtown Chicago. The 6-month-old San Francisco Cantina on Third Street, a base hit away from AT&T Park, is the second of a new class of Taco Bells meant to appeal to the young professional crowd. Its interior is a study in restaurant design trends: all exposed brick, subway tile and scuffed-up wood, with electrical and USB outlets at almost every seat. Workers build your Crunchwraps and Quesalupas in full view behind glass, like a certain other mega-popular burrito chain. The idea with Cantina is to make Taco Bell into less of a place you pick up food and more of a place youd hang out after work. Its a seemingly savvy move for the chain to diversify into alcohol sales, in this era of shrinking profits and new competition from clean fast food restaurants such as Sweetgreen, Amys Kitchen and the USDA-certified Organic Coup. As a brand, Taco Bell seems to inspire more fierce devotion than any other fast food chain except maybe In-N-Out; it makes sense to try to broaden that loyalty through happy hour. Jen Fedrizzi / Special to The Chronicle A location in San Francisco may have been a tactical error, however, as the city is pushing back on the Cantinas application for a liquor license, crushing any hopes of a wine pairing with your Chalupa, at least so far. Neighbors are concerned about the potential for increased noise, vagrancy and underage drinking, and more than 200 have filed complaints during the mandated 30-day window for comment. (For perspective, Lt. David Falzon, the San Francisco Police Departments liaison with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, says that 10 complaints are generally considered a lot; 200 is borderline unprecedented.) The drama didnt stop there. The SFPD already had its own concerns about the neighborhoods high crime and saturation of alcohol licenses, as well as the potential for copycat applications like a sudden urge to sell beer from the McDonalds across the street. It recommended that Cantina be denied its beer and wine license application. The ABC then conducted its own investigation and recommended approval with some conditions, including noise management and reduced hours. An administrative hearing on May 25 will probably resolve the question of alcoholic slushies once and for all. Jen Fedrizzi/Special to the Chronicle In the meantime, we have a new Taco Bell in the middle of a city thats notoriously chain-adverse. For all of Cantinas fancy trappings, its not much different from any other Taco Bell location except for a short menu of shareables, a selection of special dishes that probably sounded good in a marketing meeting, but arent so much on the plate. The best of them is the chicken strips, salty and crisp, which come with a tangy buffalo sauce and harmless avocado crema. Rolled tacos are no better or worse than your basic frozen supermarket taquitos. Nachos are uniformly disappointing, with oddly rubbery chips and lackluster toppings, and even the exciting-sounding quesadilla nachos were nothing more than a pile of wan tortillas filled with tasteless cheese. But you can also order from the regular Taco Bell menu, and seeing as most of us have years-long relationships with certain menu items, Im not even going to try and convince you to stray. Personal attitudes toward fast food may vary depending on class, income and upbringing, but Taco Bells menu items are designed to taste good and most of the time they do. I made three visits to Taco Bell Cantina between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Liquor license or not, it was full every time. Anna Roth is a freelance writer in San Francisco. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annaroth What to order: Avoid the nachos and you should be fine. Where: Taco Bell Cantina, 710 Third St. (at Townsend), San Francisco, (415) 979-1587. www.tacobell.com When: 7 a.m.-midnight daily This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It should come as no surprise that the "Capital of Silicon Valley" topped a list of the most future-ready economies in the world. San Jose took the top spot in a new study by computer manufacturer Dell thanks to its human capital, meaning the strength and engagement of its labor force and the education levels of its residents. Its businesses and local government also ranked high due to their innovation. The San Francisco-Oakland region came in a close second, weighed down by high housing costs and a slightly lower grade on infrastructure. "We live in a digital age in which the power of innovation to transform our world is all around us," said Liz Matthews, Dell's executive director for corporate brand and purpose, in a news release. "The cities where we live are faced with new challenges every day, from supporting a growing population and building a thriving culture, to fueling economic opportunity for everyone." To build the ranking, Dell looked at three major dimensions: Human capital, infrastructure and commerce. The study measured whether people had the right skills to drive social and economic change, whether the infrastructure was ready to support progress and whether the economy could help sustain innovation and growth. "This ranking scores large, high-growth global metropolitan areas based on attributes that enable people and organizations to access new tools and new ideas that deliver better connectivity, better economic performance and a greater ability to attract talent," the release said. The study notes that San Jose has been riding the innovation cycle for decades, in which educated and engaged people are drawn to a city because of job, culture and social opportunities. This in turn draws more businesses, which draws more people with new ideas and innovation. San Jose and San Francisco topped Dell's lists of for both future-ready cities of the world and the U.S. Among U.S. cities, San Jose and San Francisco rose to the top thanks to their combined high innovation and investment rankings with strong showings in education and labor force engagement. The study also notes that between 2014 and 2015, real wages grew by eight percent in San Jose, where job gains also grew by 5.1 percent. Dell rolled out the findings at a dinner event Tuesday night in Seattle, set to include people from Dell, Microsoft, the mayor's office and other local businesses. Click through the gallery above to see the full list of 50 future-ready cities. 1 Border seizures: A complaint filed by advocacy groups alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents are looting immigrants of possessions before deporting them to Mexico without their IDs or money. The ACLU of New Mexico and a coalition of organizations filed the administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday. The complaint said immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally were deported without their belongings in 26 separate cases. Advocates say immigrants were deported to cities in Mexico where they have no acquaintances. 2 Racketeering lawsuit: Hundreds of residents of Flint, Mich., have filed a racketeering lawsuit targeting Gov. Rick Snyder and other state and local officials over lead contamination of the citys drinking water. The case was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Flint. Its one of many suits arising from the decision to switch Flint from the Detroit water system to the Flint River in April 2014. It was considered a temporary move until Flint could join a new water authority that would pipe water from Lake Huron. The new lawsuit accuses Snyder and others of hatching a wrongful scheme to raise money for the debt-ridden city. It says instead of seeking bankruptcy protection, officials had Flint stop buying clean, safe water from Detroit. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Francisco police shot and killed a homeless man who was reported to have challenged officers while wielding a nearly foot-long kitchen knife Thursday in the citys Mission District, police Chief Greg Suhr said. But several witnesses at the scene contradicted Suhrs version of events, saying the Spanish-speaking man, who was not immediately identified, never challenged the officers and probably didnt understand what police were saying before he was shot. The episode was the first deadly officer-involved shooting since the controversial Dec. 2 killing of Mario Woods, a 26-year-old stabbing suspect who police also say wielded a kitchen knife when officers shot him in the Bayview. Thursdays encounter began around 10 a.m. when workers from the city Department of Public Healths Homeless Outreach Team called 911 after they were threatened by the man waving the large kitchen knife on Shotwell Street between 18th and 19th streets, Suhr said at the scene while reading from a police dispatch log of the incident. The outreach workers went to the scene to look into a report from a neighbor that a disturbance was going on in one of the homeless encampment tents in the area, according to sources familiar with the situation. The HOT team members are very highly trained in de-escalating people, but when they cant because there are weapons or they feel like the situation is out of control they do call the police and its very rare when they do, said Rachael Kagan, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health. Officers arrived minutes later and deployed at least four less-lethal beanbag rounds in an attempt to subdue the man, police said. Suhr said the man challenged police with the knife, and two officers fired a total of seven rounds. The Police Department did not release the names of the officers. Paramedics rushed the man to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died after going into surgery. Anytime this kind of thing happens, its no less tragic, Suhr said. City investigates shooting Mayor Ed Lee said Thursday that he is calling for an independent investigation into the shooting from the Office of Citizen Complaints, while the district attorneys office conducts its own investigation. The officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated, in keeping with standard protoc ol. We are all striving to make sure officer-involved shootings are rare and only occur as a last resort, Lee said in a statement. And, while we dont know all the facts of this mornings officer-involved shooting, we do know that Homeless Outreach workers providing services to homeless people in the area called the police for help after encountering a person armed with a knife. Two of the mans friends disputed police accounts of the encounter. John Visor, 33, and Stephanie Grant, 31, live at a homeless encampment on Shotwell and said they were roughly 10 feet from the man when police arrived. Visor said the man was sitting by a wall when police shot him with beanbag rounds. He didnt charge the officers, Visor said. He was going in circles. He didnt understand what they were saying. They just shot him. They just shot him. Visor said the man carried a knife for safety but that he didnt have it out when police arrived. Everyone carries something for safety, Grant added. It was the second time in recent months that violence ensued after law enforcement officers confronted a homeless man with a knife in San Francisco. On Feb. 2, Noel Corpuz allegedly stabbed California Highway Patrol Officer Andre Sirenko in the neck, leaving him severely injured during a run-in near the Essex Street on-ramp to Interstate 80. Corpuz was later arrested in the citys South of Market neighborhood, still armed with a large kitchen knife, police said. Visor said the man killed Thursday was friendly and often collected cans and kicked a soccer ball around the area. Neighbors told police the man had been living on the streets in the area for several months. He didnt ever charge, said one neighbor, who saw the shooting from his kitchen window and asked to remain anonymous. It seemed unnecessary. He didnt move toward them, but you could tell he was mad. The witness said the man was seated against a wall on the east side of the street with his hands on his knees when officers arrived. He appeared to be holding something, he added, but he couldnt make out what it was other than it was black and resembled a notebook. He said the man stood up and raised his arms out to the side, seemingly angry that he was being shot with beanbags, then one of the officers yelled, Drop it, but he didnt and thats when they started shooting. Marco Rahmani, the office manager at Kaiser Glass at 19th Street and South Van Ness Avenue, said he heard the gunshots and ran over to see what was going on. I ran over and saw a guy lying on the floor in a red shirt, he said. I didnt recognize him, but I didnt see his face. I know there are too many homeless, but its very sad. Growing homeless problem Rahmani said he has noticed the homeless population growing on Shotwell in recent months and that he avoids walking on the street. But he said he has never witnessed any violence in the area. Streets were shut down into the afternoon while investigators processed the scene. Thursdays shooting comes amid contentious discussions between city officials and the police union on proposed reforms to the departments use-of-force policy in the wake of Woods killing. That shooting was captured on video and showed Woods shuffling along a wall with his arms at his sides when five officers opened fire, hitting him with as many as 15 rounds. The killing sparked outrage from some community members and police watchdog groups and prompted a unanimous vote from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to create a Mario Woods Remembrance Day. In February, Suhr and Lee proposed a shift in use-of-force tactics, particularly for when officers encounter suspects with edged weapons. The reforms are designed to reduce police killings and rebuild community trust. Reforms will ensure officers have the training and equipment necessary to protect our communities, keep our city safe and protect the safety of our officers, Lee said Thursday. Seeking reforms When announcing the proposed new policies in February, Suhr stressed the need for officers to create more time and space when engaging suspects with knives. The San Francisco police union, however, has blasted the efforts, saying some of the policies may endanger officers. Many in the rank and file have agreed to some of the proposed changes, including crisis-intervention training for all officers, and equipping them with stun guns. This tragedy might have been prevented if our officers were equipped with Tasers, which the Police Commission has repeatedly blocked, said Martin Halloran, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association. Halloran said one of the officers involved in the shooting had completed crisis intervention training and tried to verbally de-escalate the situation. Based on the preliminary facts that weve learned so far, it appears that the officers acted appropriately, he said. A group of nearly 100 protesters marched around the Mission on Thursday night, beginning at Buena Vista Horace Mann school. They marched to the site of the shooting and then to the Mission police station, said Brother Damian of the Society of St. Francis in San Francisco. Brother Damian, who regularly works with the homeless population, said someone in my congregation died. We have to speak truth, we have to speak love, and that always means justice, he said. Chronicle staff writers Kevin Fagan and Jenna Lyons contributed to this report. Kale Williams and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale, @EvanSernoffsky HIT, Iraq As they advanced on the Islamic State-held town of Hit, Iraqi counterterrorism troops had to decide how to press the attack. If they stormed in with armor and air strikes, they risked heavy casualties and might allow the militants to flee. Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, the commander of the elite troops, chose a different approach: Surround the strategic western town with a slow and methodical cordon, trapping the extremists inside. Its a tactic thats been used elsewhere to claw back Iraqi territory that was seized by the Islamic State group in 2014. While the decision may have been more time-consuming, allowing the militants in Hit to dig in, lay defenses and launch attacks that initially also trapped tens of thousands of civilians, Iraqi forces believe the approach is a key to making their territorial gains stick and reduce their casualties. Six counterterrorism battalions pushed up from the west last weekend to cut off Hits northern edge, zigzagging in the soft desert terrain and taking more than 12 hours to advance only a few miles. We dont want them to be able to flee, al-Asadi said, referring to the Islamic State fighters. We want them to stay inside so we can finish them. If the militants escaped, he said, they would probably return and infiltrate the town once his men had moved on to the next battle. Hit, in Anbar province west of the capital of Baghdad, sits along an Islamic State supply line that links Iraqi territory controlled by the extremist group with its base in Syria. Officials in the Iraqi military and the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State believe that by clearing the town, they can build on recent territorial gains in the vast province. That would move them closer to two major goals: isolating the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, and linking up government forces in the west and the north in preparation for an eventual push on Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city that also is held by the extremist group. As Iraqi forces closed in on Hit, al-Asadi said he ordered the towns main bridge over the Euphrates River destroyed by a coalition air strike to slow the flight of Islamic State fighters. In the days that followed, dozens of boats used by the militants were also destroyed by coalition bombs, the Pentagon said. In the initial stage of the operation last month, some militants sought to knit themselves further into the civilian fabric of the town. Fighters vanished from Hits main streets, occupying abandoned houses or forcing their way into homes where civilians were still living, according to residents who evacuated. Al-Asadi said his men were increasingly finding fighters from the Islamic State group posing as civilian refugees. JUNEAU, Alaska Every Friday during the Alaska legislative session, a growing group of state lawmakers trades suit coats and sweater sets for a loose-fitting traditional Alaska native garment commonly called a kuspuk (KUH-spuhk). The kuspuk cuts vary almost as much as the trim chosen by the seamstress. Some have long sleeves, or are three-quarters length. Some are hooded, and others are long and worn as dresses rather than over pants. All are part of a cultural tradition spanning generations among Alaska native groups, who combined make up nearly 20 percent of the vast states population. Now, state lawmakers Alaska native or not are incorporating their own traditions into the pattern-making process and wearing the garments every Friday, marking a seemingly small but significant cultural change at the Capitol, in a state where federal regulations once banned Alaska native students from speaking their language in schools. Visually, I think its a real nod to First Alaskans and their resourcefulness and practicality, said former legislator Mary Sattler, who grew up outside of Bethel, a remote town in far west Alaska. For her and other Yupik Eskimos, the kuspuk is often part of a daily wardrobe. A five-term lawmaker in the House first elected in 1999, Sattler is credited with starting the Legislatures kuspuk tradition, but says she didnt do so singlehandedly. Inupiat legislator Eileen MacLean occasionally wore her kuspuk during floor sessions before Sattler, she said. MacLean, a Democrat from Barrow, was a teacher and advocate for Alaska native rights. After she died in 1996, her daughter gifted Sattler with one of her kuspuks. Theyre just really practical and fun. So when I got into the Legislature it was hard not to want to wear one every day, Sattler said. So I just kind of restricted myself to Friday. Sattler cant pinpoint the year the tradition developed, but remembers that she started wearing kuspuks regularly to the Capitol in 2004. Others began following her lead. From Democratic Anchorage Rep. Les Garas sea-green, fish-patterned kuspuk to Rep. Matt Clamans cream-colored, oar-printed pullover, legislators personalized the tradition. Kuspuk Fridays have become a mainstay at the Capitol amid a wave of policy changes honoring the states multicultural heritage, including a law passed two years ago that added 20 Alaska native languages to the list of the states official languages. Selina Everson, a Tlingit elder from Angoon, south of Juneau, just last month delivered an invocation on the House floor in both Tlingit and in English. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) San Francisco taxpayers will no longer pay for city employees to travel to Mississippi after the state's governor signed a law allowing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, Mayor Ed Lee announced today. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on Tuesday signed a law called the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" that provides legal protection for government employees, businesses and faith-based groups to discriminate on the basis of sexual or gender orientation or marital status. Among other things, the act allows government employees to refuse to issue marriage licenses or perform marriage ceremonies, and could allow businesses and faith-based groups to deny housing, jobs and adoption and foster-care services to people based on their sexual orientation. Lee today said the law "undermines all of our civil liberties." "Enough is enough," Lee said in a statement. "I believe strongly that we should add more protections to prevent discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in the United States, not diminish them and deny people their constitutional rights." Lee said he is directing all city departments to bar any publicly-funded city employee travel to Mississippi unless it is absolutely essential to public health and safety. In addition, he said he's in talks with other mayors about ways to apply "even greater economic and political pressure." The mayor announced a similar travel ban last week on North Carolina, after Gov. Pat McCrory signed legislation prohibiting local governments from passing anti-discrimination laws protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The legislation also requires transgender people to use the restroom indicated by the gender on their birth certificates. The legislative moves in both states have drawn an immediate backlash from business groups. On Tuesday, San Jose-based Paypal announced it was dropping plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina that would have brought 400 skilled jobs to the state. Governors in other states, including Georgia and Virginia, have vetoed similar legislation in recent weeks due in part to business pressure. From a perch above Swallow Bay on the East Shore Trail, the view of Del Valle Reservoir and beyond across miles of water, parkland, foothills and ridges brings springtime to life in the Bay Area. The 5-mile-long, nearly full lake is nestled in a landscape renewed by winter rains and warm April temperatures. Del Valle Regional Park is the only park in the Bay Area that provides boating and boat rentals, camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnic sites, backpacking and wildlife watching. Over the next two months, it will rank as one of the best parks for outdoors recreation in the Bay Area and across Northern California. Del Valle Regional Park, 10 miles south of Livermore in the remote foothills of Alameda County, spans 4,335 acres and adjoins more than 1,000 square miles of wildlands to the west across the Ohlone Regional Wilderness and wildlands managed by East Bay Municipal Utility District. For many, the question to answer each spring is: What sets you free? Del Valle provides many of the answers: Family biking: A near-flat ride along the lake is an easy trip with gorgeous views. Drive to the marina and park at the adjacent parking lot. Just north of the boat launch is the trailhead for the East Shore Trail (a service road). It runs along the lake, with a short dip at Hidden Canyon Creek, for 1.8 miles to Venados Group Camp. 3.6-mile round trip, easy. Mountain biking: This 10-mile round trip offers sensational lake views and lookouts across the surrounding ridges. Start the trip as above, at the boat launch, with the easy ride on the East Shore Trail to Venados, then turn right on the Swallow Bay Trail. Its a rhythmic climb around Badger Cove and then a drop to Swallow Bay. There are several sites here for pretty views. The trail continues north, at times venturing inland, and then returning to the Lake at Heron Bay. 10-mile round trip. Moderate. Walk: Start at the Rocky Ridge Visitor Center on the southwest end of the lake and walk along the West Shore Trail along a pretty cove set against the West Swim Beach (swimming now prohibited). 20-30-minute round trip. Hike: A butt-kicker climb to 2,426-foot Rocky Ridge rewards the work with sensational views. Start at the trailhead for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, located near the Lichen Bark Picnic Area (past the campgrounds near the southwest shore of the lake); sign in at the box near the trailhead. The hike is on a service road that climbs 1,700 feet over 2.4 miles, including a 1.5-mile stretch with a 1,600-foot climb. The view is spectacular across Del Valle Reservoir below and across to Cedar Mountain (3,675 feet) and the southern flank of the Diablo Range. Blooms of goldfields are often good; to the west is Wauhab Ridge. 5-mile round trip. Challenging. Boating: With the lake near full, this is one of the best lakes (along with San Pablo, Anderson and Calero) for boating in the Bay Area. A 10-mph speed limit keeps it calm for kayaks and its plenty big enough for sportfishing boats. No water contact, no personal watercraft, inspection for mussels required prior to launch. Boat rentals: At the small marina, boats with motors, fishing boats with steering wheels, party-style pontoon boats, rowboats, canoes and pedal boats are available for rent. Fishing: Del Valle is winning the annual trout war this spring at the lakes in the East Bay hills, with excellent trout fishing, both for boaters and shoreline bait-dunkers. A $5 daily fishing permit makes sure the lake is stocked about every week. My favorite spots: the southern end of lake on the eastern edge of an underwater river channel, using a two-hook rig, Power Nuggets and a nightcrawler; and the corners of the dam, trolling a gold/black jointed Rapala, 15-20 feet deep. The former gets you a chance at a limit, the latter a chance at 5-pounder. Water temperature is 63 degrees and the clarity is good. Camping: Campsites are available in open areas with lake views, and also in wooded and more private settings. There are sites for tents and sites for RVs with hookups. Outside of Coyote Reservoir near Gilroy, this is the only lake-based camping in the region. Backpack: The Ohlone Wilderness has a series of backcountry trail camps that are set above Murrieta Falls (Stewarts Camp) and beyond on the 28-mile Ohlone Wilderness Trail (that emerges at Mission Peak above Fremont). After the 1,700-foot climb to Rocky Ridge (see the hike listed previously), the trail drops 500 feet, then climbs 1,200 feet toward Wauhab Ridge and Stewarts Camp. Other sites are available. Two days, 12.25-mile round trip. Wildlife watch: Two nesting bald eagles are believed to be active on private property south of the park and the eagles make occasional trips to the lake to nab a trout. Near the inlet at the upper (southern) end of the lake, waterfowl and shorebirds are common. Deer numbers are high and often emerge at the lake near dusk. Reports of coyotes, fox and bobcat are common, but sightings seem random. Keep alert. You never know when they might emerge. Tom Stienstras Outdoor Report can be heard at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9). E-mail: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com If you want to go Where: Del Valle Regional Park Location: South of Livermore in remote Alameda County Cost: $6 entry fee per vehicle, $2 per dog Camping: Sites for tents or self-contained RVs, $25 per night; RV sites with hookups, $45 per night; reserve ($8 reservation fee) at www.ReserveAmerica.com, (800) 444-7275. Restroom with showers available. No generators. Quiet hours 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; notify park at (510) 881-1121 if the curfew is violated. Backpacking: Reserve trail campsite in Ohlone Wilderness at (888) 327-2757, option 2; $5 per camper 16 and over, free for those 15 and younger with adult; $8 service fee per site reserved. Boating fees/rules: $5 launch fee for trailered boats, $3 for car-top or inflatable boats; inspection for mussels required before launching private boats, $4 for car-top boats, $7 for trailered boats. Boats must be clean and dry before launching; 10-mph speed limit, no personal watercraft. Boat rentals: Standard 14-foot boat with motor, $35 for two hours, $10 per additional hour, with maximum of $85 per day; deposit required. Fishing boats with steering wheels, party boats also available. Canoes, rowboats and pedal boats, $15 for first hour, 10 per additional hour. Fishing: $5 daily fishing permit, available at small marina bait and tackle shop; used to purchase and stock trout beyond that provided by Department of Fish and Wildlife. Trout stocks: Del Valle will be planted this week with 1,000 pounds of rainbow trout from Mount Lassen Trout Farm. Lake records: 40-pound striped bass; 30-pound channel catfish; 25-pound sturgeon; 22.6-pound rainbow trout; 18-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass; 9-pound king salmon; 5-pound, 12-ounce smallmouth bass; 2-pound, 2-ounce crappie; 1-pound, 14-ounce redear sunfish. No water contact: Del Valle Reservoir is closed to swimming; avoid water contact; keep dogs away from the lake. Dogs: Leashed dogs permitted Map/brochure: Provided at entry kiosk; PDF at www.ebparks.org How to get there GPS: Use 7000 Del Valle Road, Livermore From San Francisco: Take Interstate 80 east over the Bay Bridge (get in right lane) to the split with I-580. Bear right on I-580 east and drive 34 miles to Livermore and Exit 52A for Portola Avenue/North Livermore Avenue. Take that exit and go a short distance to Portola. Turn left and drive 0.8 of a mile to North Livermore Avenue. Turn right and drive 2.5 miles (through Livermore) and continue (the road becomes Tesla Avenue) 0.5 of a mile to Mines Road. Turn right and drive 3.5 miles to Del Valle Road. Continue straight (Mines Road turns left) on Del Valle Road and drive 3.1 miles to park entrance. From entrance station: Pay entrance fees at kiosk and then continue ahead to a fork. Turn right at fork for boat ramp, marina, tackle shop and mountain bike trailhead near marina for East Shore Trail; or turn left at fork, drive less than a mile around the lake to campground (on right) and Lichen Barn Picnic Area and trailhead (on left) for Ohlone Wilderness Trail, Rocky Ridge and Murietta Falls. Distances: 9 miles from Livermore, 21 miles from Dublin, 39 miles from downtown San Jose, 43 miles from Alameda, 57 miles from downtown San Francisco, 58 miles from San Mateo Bridge, 64 miles from Half Moon Bay, 66 miles from San Rafael, 95 miles from Sacramento. Contacts: Del Valle Regional Park, (888) 327-2757, option 3, ext. 4524, www.ebparks.org; Del Valle Marina, (925) 449-5201, Rocky Mountain Recreation, www.rockymountainrec.com (website not updated); Rocky Ridge Visitor Center, (510) 544-3146. Tom Stienstra This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Donald Trumps well-publicized campaign woes may have cost him the Wisconsin primary, but hes holding a solid 39 to 32 percent lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in California ahead of the June 7 GOP presidential primary, a new Field Poll shows. Whats remarkable is that no matter what outrageous thing (Trump) will do or say, it doesnt matter to his voters, said Mark DiCamillo, the polls director. But the poll also highlights a growing rift among California Republicans thats not likely to disappear after the votes are counted in June. Thirty-eight percent of likely GOP voters would be upset or dissatisfied if Trump was their nominee and better than a third would be equally unhappy with Cruz on top. These are all Republican voters, but one-third of them are going to be upset regardless of who gets chosen, DiCamillo said. Despite Trumps lead in the new poll, only a bare majority of California Republicans believe the New York businessman should get the nomination if he arrives at Julys Republican National Convention in Cleveland with the most pledged delegates, but still short of the majority needed for a first-ballot victory. In that case, 36 percent believe the party should pick someone other than Trump. Turnaround from January Trump trailed Cruz, 25 percent to 23 percent, in a January poll that included plenty of other GOP hopefuls who have since fallen by the wayside. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the only other Republican still in the race, is far behind at 18 percent in the latest survey, but up from 1 percent in January. The poll, which was taken from March 24 up until Monday night, included the worst weeks of Trumps presidential effort, when the outspoken, in-your-face candidate was pummeled for arguing that women receiving abortions should be punished, suggesting that the United States should leave the NATO alliance, and saying that he wouldnt necessarily back the GOP nominee if it werent him. But the new survey found that 53 percent of likely Republican voters have a favorable opinion of Trump, compared with 51 percent in January. And while Cruz is arguing that his overwhelming victory in Wisconsin and in a series of recent Western caucuses have made him the new front-runner, his favorable rating with California Republicans has skidded from 69 percent in January to 54 percent now. For Fred Thornton, an electrical engineer from San Mateo, Trumps unusual political resume is attractive. He has actually accomplished things in the financial world and has a way of thinking that the other total politicians dont have, he said. The 62-year-old Thornton also has concerns about Cruz and his continual campaign references to religion. Its about I fear Cruz as much as I like Trump, he said. Cruz mixes religion with politics, and I imagine that he feels it would be part of his job to moralize America. That January poll was taken around the Iowa caucuses, which Cruz won, DiCamillo said. Now, three months down the road, California voters are paying a higher-than-normal amount of attention to the presidential race and not everything theyre learning about Cruz is favorable. A statewide victory in California may be worth less that it seems, however. Although the states 172 Republican convention delegates is the biggest single haul in the country, only 13 of them will go to the candidate who collects the most votes. The rest go to the winner in each of the states 53 congressional districts, three delegates per district. Cruz leads in L.A. County That could be good news for Cruz, who holds a 40 percent to 29 percent lead over Trump in populous Los Angeles County, which by itself contains more than a third of the states congressional districts. A good showing there for the Texas senator could go a long way toward offsetting Trumps 45 percent to 23 percent lead in the GOP-heavy areas around Los Angeles County and his 39 percent to 32 percent edge in the Bay Area. Trump holds a wide 46 percent to 29 percent lead among GOP men, has a commanding margin with voters over 65 and those who have a high school education or less and among all but the most strongly conservative Republicans, where he and Cruz are essentially tied. Cruz leads among those Republican voters under 50 and has a slight edge with those who identify themselves as born-again Christians. But Trumps biggest lead over Cruz, 54 percent to 21 percent, is with Republicans who in the states 2003 recall election backed Arnold Schwarzenegger, another outsider who ran against the political establishment. Theyre the same voters, DiCamillo said. They were unhappy with the government and wanted to shake things up. Hard road in blue state The poll, however, also provided a reminder that California is a deep-blue state and that either Trump or Cruz is going to face a steep uphill struggle in November. Among all California voters, 74 percent had an unfavorable image of Trump and 64 percent felt the same way about Cruz. In a head-to-head matchup with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, the poll shows Trump losing 59 percent to 31 percent and Cruz getting beat 55 percent to 32 percent. The poll is based on a telephone survey of 1,400 registered California voters, including 558 likely Republican voters. The margin of error for all voters is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points and plus or minus 4 percentage points for the GOP sample. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth Beverage giant Constellation Brands has announced that it will purchase Napa Valleys Prisoner Wine Co. for approximately $285 million. The move is the latest high-profile acquisition in a buying spree by Constellation. In November, the company purchased San Diegos Ballast Point Brewing for $1 billion, three months after it bought Meiomi from Napa vintner Joe Wagner for $315 million. As with the Meiomi purchase, the Prisoner Wine Company deal includes only a brand no vineyards. These staggering brand prices suggest a significant departure from the model that has long dominated the wine industry, in which land carries the greatest capital. Now, it would seem, brand trumps land. David Duprey/AP Our goal is to be a leader in the premium U.S. wine market and to continue to premiumize our portfolio, and super luxury is one of the fastest growing segments in the category, said Bill Newlands, president of Constellations wine and spirits division. The super luxury category comprises wines costing more than $25 a bottle. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Craig Lee/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 David Duprey/AP Show More Show Less 5 of 5 This intense focus on the super luxury sphere is reflective of where wine consumers are gravitating. Constellation is trying to do the same thing that Gallos trying to do buying up fine wine companies and higher-priced wines, said Rob McMillan, executive vice president of Silicon Valley Banks wine division. The large wine companies which used to focus on higher-volume, lower-priced wines have recognized that the sales of those below-$9 wines have been dropping like a stone. 5 brands Theyre trying to get right in front of the market as it evolves. The Prisoner Wine Co., currently owned by Rutherfords Huneeus Vintners, includes five wine brands, which Newlands called category-leading, unique and innovative wine blends ranking in the top one or two in the super luxury category. The portfolio is composed of Blindfold, a Chardonnay blend; Cuttings, a Cabernet blend; Saldo, a Zinfandel; Thorn, a Merlot blend; and, of course, the Prisoner itself a $35 Zinfandel-based blend whose etched Francisco de Goya label will look familiar to patrons of wine shops all over the country. Other Constellation bottles are also probably familiar to the public: Robert Mondavi Winery, Cooks, Manischewitz, Clos du Bois. Its also a major player in the beer and spirits realms, owning beer brands including Corona and Modelo, and spirits including Svedka vodka. This wont be the first time the Prisoner has changed hands. Launched in 2000 by Dave Phinney, of Orin Swift Cellars, the Prisoner happily coincided with a surge in popularity of the red blend category of wine. It quickly found mass-market success. By 2010, the wines production had grown to 85,000 cases, and Phinney sold it to Huneeus Vintners. The price at the time was $40 million. Constellations history Six years later, the Prisoners production has increased to 170,000 cases annually. Constellation Brands was launched by 21-year-old Marvin Sands in Rochester, N.Y., in 1945 as the Canandaigua Industries Co., a negociant-style seller of bulk wine. Paul Sakuma/AP The company first went west in 1974 when it acquired Bisceglia Brothers Winery in Madera. Though the focus remained on wine for many years, Canandaigua truly solidified its presence in beer and spirits with the 1993 acquisition of Barton Inc. which brought beer brands Corona, Peroni and St. Pauli Girl, plus Ten High Bourbon whiskey, Montezuma Tequila and California sparkling wine pioneer Paul Masson. In 2000, Canandaigua was rechristened as Constellation Brands. Today, with behemoth brands like Svedka, Modelo and Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, one could almost imagine an entire bar stocked with Constellation products. It has more than 100 brands and owns 20,000 acres of vineyards. It sells 67 million cases of wine and spirits every year, and 182 million cases of beer. For the Prisoner, current general manager and winemaker Jen Beloz will remain in charge, but production will move to the Constellation-owned Franciscan Estate in St. Helena. When asked whether the current vineyard sources of the Prisoner wines would stay the same, Newlands hinted that some changes may be in the works. Keeping wine consistent We intend to continue their sourcing contracts as well as provide further access to our premium Napa fruit, he said, adding that the focus would be on maintaining the wine styles. If the vineyards do change, maintaining those consistent styles could be difficult. That ends up being the conundrum that big wine companies have to deal with, said McMillan. Returns on investments in vineyards arent great in the short term it takes about 25 years to see a good return. But its challenging to keep the wine consistent if you have to find new vineyard sources. Whether or not Constellation manages to achieve consistency, McMillan believes it is poised to find success. The brand is already up and running, in wide distribution, with loyal consumers and recognizable branding. I see this as a very intelligent move for Constellation, he said. Its going to be interesting to see where they take it. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine, beer and spirits writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley BRUSSELS It once seemed a quaint formality, but the Netherlands referendum on a European Union free-trade deal with Ukraine amounted to a slap in the face for the EU and yet another serious challenge to the European dream. Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the EUs Executive Commission, had warned ahead of Wednesdays poll that a rejection of the deal would open the door to a great continental crisis. Such is the EUs standing these days, however, that its warnings are not only disregarded but seen as a provocation. The great continental crisis may not be imminent just yet, but with a separate British referendum on whether to leave the EU looming in June, the 28-nation blocs future looks ever bleaker. The president is sad, said Junckers spokesman, Margaritis Schinas. He will continue to do battle for Europe, Schinas said, adding that if he would be left the only one to do it, he would do so. While the EU was a bandwagon everybody wanted to join two decades ago, it is indeed getting lonely at the top now. Even to the political groups that forced the Dutch referendum, it was never going to be so much about the finer points of trading with Ukraine. Under Dutch law, it gave them the best chance to snub their nose at Brussels increasingly used as a negative term for the home of EU institutions and their continentwide policies, which critics see as interfering with national life. Final results released Thursday in the Netherlands showed 61.1 percent rejected the EU-Ukraine deal, which was backed by the Dutch government and the EU leaders. Turnout was low, but just enough to make the vote valid. That is a vote of no confidence by the people against the elite from Brussels, said right-wing firebrand Geert Wilders, who has directed his venom against the EU as much as against the national government. The Netherlands already rejected a proposed EU constitution in a 2005 referendum, and that proved a tipping point for the fortunes of the bloc. Since then, it has stumbled from one crisis to the next, including financial woes in several member nations that raised questions over the future of its common currency, and open disagreements on how to deal with the influx of migrants. EU governments do compromise to get agreements, but if such deals get put to votes, electorates throughout much of the bloc tend to reject them. France and Ireland also have rejected deals over recent years. PIRAEUS, Greece Authorities in Greece say thousands of refugees camped out at the countrys largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps voluntarily or be expelled by force. The warning issued Thursday came as nearly a third of the 52,000 refugees stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. More than 4,000 refugees remain at Piraeus, which as the main port linking the mainland with vacation islands is important for Greeces vital tourism industry. It is also one of Europes busiest ferry ports. Every effort will be exhausted to persuade refugees and immigrants that it is in their own interest for them to move, a statement from the Greek coast guard said. There is a 10 to 15 days timeframe for them to leave the port. Athens has toughened its position toward refugees since a March 20 agreement between the European Union and Turkey went into effect. Some 4,000 refugees who reached the Greek islands from Turkey after that date are in detention, with most due to be sent back to Turkish ports. The deportations started Monday and are expected to resume Friday. More than a million refugees reached the EU last year, most traveling through Greece and across the Balkans to central Europe. At Piraeus on Thursday, officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade refugees to move to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. We are trying to explain that the new camps have good facilities and that people there will be able to fill out their asylum applications there, said volunteer translator Ilias Iakovou. But people are afraid to go because they fear they will be cut off and will run out of money. They feel safe if they are near Athens. Iranian refugee Ahmad Devidjan said he wasnt sure whether he should move. Ive been in Greece for 19 days. I went two times to the border with Macedonia, but it was closed. Now Im back here, Devidjan said. I have a brother in Germany. Hes a teacher. I want to go there. Also Thursday, Greek police arrested a 36-year-old man after finding 17 refugees hidden beneath a false floor in his truck. MANAMA, Bahrain Secretary of State John Kerry dealt delicately on Thursday with concerns about persistent human rights abuses in Bahrain, stressing Americas close military ties to one of several Persian Gulf countries with which it wants to enhance cooperation on fighting the Islamic State and containing Iran. Making the first visit to Bahrain by a top American diplomat since its 2011 uprising, Kerry called the kingdom a critical security partner and praised its Sunni rulers for pushing human rights. He said more needs to be done to ensure the full political participation of everyone in Bahrain and promised U.S. support toward elections in 2018. BEIRUT In a brazen assault near the Syrian capital, Islamic State militants on Thursday abducted 300 cement workers and contractors in an area northeast of Damascus, Syrian state TV reported as fighting elsewhere in the country also worsened. Meanwhile, the U.N. special envoy for Syria said the next round of peace talks in Geneva was expected to start next week, around April 13. Staffan de Mistura said the new round should focus on a political process that he hoped would lead to a concrete or real beginning of a political transition. State TV said Thursdays mass abduction of workers from the al-Badia Cement Co. took place in Dumeir, an area where militants launched a surprise attack against government forces earlier this week. State-run news agency SANA quoted a source in the company as saying that there has been no success in efforts to establish contact with any of the workers. Britains Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syria conflict, said earlier in the day that contact was lost with dozens of workers in Dumeir. No further details of the abduction were immediately known and there has been no claim of responsibility. Mass abductions have taken place on occasion in Syria during the countrys devastating civil war, now in its sixth year, most often of religious minorities such as Christians. The abduction came as fighting with Islamic State militants raged in northern Syria on Thursday. Syrian opposition fighters have advanced on strongholds of the Islamic State group, including the Islamic State-held town of al-Rai in northern Aleppo along the border with Turkey. De Mistura told reporters in Geneva that he is also embarking on a tour that will take him to Damascus and the Iranian capital of Tehran and possibly also the Jordanian capital, Amman, in search of an understanding about what could be a framework of a political transition. Two rounds of proximity talks involving Syrian opposition and government representatives in Geneva have ended without any progress on ways to end the war in Syria, now in its sixth year. Earlier Thursday, Jan Egeland, de Misturas humanitarian aid adviser, said he is disappointed with recent efforts to get aid convoys into hard-to-reach and besieged areas, and called on the government to live up to its promises. Also speaking in Geneva, Egeland told reporters that April was supposed to be our best month but that aid delivery is not getting better and better, its actually slowing down. Humanitarian assistance to Syrias people is part of an international response to the countrys crisis that also includes a cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia that has largely held over the last month. 1 Resettlement program: The first Syrian family to be resettled to the U.S. under its speeded-up surge operation departed to the United States Wednesday from the Jordanian capital, Amman. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said that although he is thankful to Jordan where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syrias civil war he is hopeful of finding a better life in Kansas City, Mo. Ahmad, who was unable to find work in Jordan, said he wants to find a job to support his family and learn English. Since last October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved from Jordan to the U.S. The resettlement surge hopes to increase that number tenfold. 2 Le Pen convicted: Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder and former head of Frances far-right National Front party, has been convicted of denying crimes against humanity for repeating that the Nazi gas chambers are a detail of World War II history. A Paris court convicted and then sentenced Le Pen on Wednesday to a $34,000 fine plus paying damages to three plaintiffs in the case. Le Pen, 87, was convicted of the same offense in 2012 for claiming the Nazi occupation of France was not particularly inhumane. Decades ago, Le Pen was convicted for saying the gas chambers were a detail of the history of the Second World War. He repeated the remark last year. Le Pen was removed from the partys ruling hierarchy by Marine Le Pen, his daughter. New Zealand businesses spent more on research and development in 2015 but the number of firms doing so has been static for some years and R&D spend as a percentage of overall innovation actually fell, a new survey shows. The Business Operations Survey: 2015 shows total R&D spending rose by 15 per cent to $1.4 billion from 2014 and the Innovation Rate increased for the first time since 2009 to 49 per cent, up 3 percent. However the R&D spend within the total amount spent on product development dropped to 52 percent, 4 percent down on 2013. Product development expenditure also fell in both the design and marketing areas but rose in other areas such as prototyping, trials and commercialisation. The proportion of businesses that reported engaging in R&D has shown little change since 2012, along with the number exporting. Labours Science, Innovation, Research and Development spokesman David Cunliffe said the overall rise in R&D expenditure is just a drop in the bucket when the big picture is considered. In essence, not much has improved and for me the big picture is very stark, he said. He points to the timing of the survey release yesterday after 180 Fisher & Paykel Appliance workers had been told they had lost their jobs, with manufacturing now being carried out mainly in Thailand. New Zealand business R&D still ranks in the bottom quarter of the OECD and far below leading small countries, he said. New Zealand business expenditure on R&D (BERD) is 0.54 percent of GDP, a third of the OECD average of 1.62 percent which places New Zealand in the bottom quarter of the OECD. Small advanced economies like Denmark, Finland and Israel typically invest more than 3 percent in R&D. However, the figures Cunliffe is quoting the latest available - are from 2014. While other OECD countries have updated their figures to 2015 and do so annually, New Zealand only provides BERD figures every two years and wont update them until next year, so they dont yet reflect whether the latest expenditure rise has significantly shifted the dial. Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce said New Zealand has historically had low levels of R&D conducted by businesses compared with most other OECD countries, but the latest survey confirms that is now changing. The annual Business Operations Survey is conducted on 7,500 companies nationwide as a representative sample of the 39,000 companies employing six employees or more. Statistics NZ points out it is just one measure of estimated R&D spending. The largest growth in R&D spending was from medium-sized firms those with 20 to 99 staff. Their R&D spending grew 19 percent to $434.6 million compared with 2014 while large firms spend rose 15 per cent to $800 million. Cost and lack of management resources were the two biggest barriers to innovation, the same as the last time this was measured in 2013. The survey also showed only 8 percent of businesses surveyed sold both in the domestic market and overseas and less than 1 percent exported only. The percentage of companies trading with China dropped to 7.8 percent in 2015, slightly less than in 2011, despite a 61 percent boost in exports to that country to $10.9 billion over the same period. Australia remains the largest overseas market by those surveyed with 21 percent selling goods and services across the Tasman compared with 19 percent in 2011. (BusinessDesk) BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. 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Related News: Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses MOVE Completes Purchase of Vessel for Trans-Tasman Service One-time political rivals Winston Peters and Don Brash effectively tag-teamed at the opening hearings at Parliament of submissions on a government bill to reform the Resource Management Act which both believe has made too many concessions to the Maori Party. Brash, a former leader of both the Act and National parties, described as "incomprehensible" a National-led government supporting reforms that he said would give unelected iwi representation authorities a say in local environmental decisions that are currently governed by democratically elected local and regional authorities. Peters, the New Zealand First party leader, will be substituting for his deputy, Ron Mark, on the environment and local government select committee when it is politically useful to do so. At this morning's meeting he sparred with the committee chairman, Scott Simpson, over the permission given for Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox to attend the meetings without voting rights and on procedural points. He also challenged the DairyNZ manager of policy and advocacy, Carol Barnao, on her claim to have heard no feedback from dairy farmers opposing what he called preferential rights for Maori contained in the controversial Resource Legislation Amendment Bill, which amends the RMA and several other pieces of environmental legislation. Later, Peters renewed his call to the National Party to offer a broader set of RMA reforms in return for dumping the iwi participation rights negotiated with the Maori Party to secure its support. Of National's three parliamentary support partners, only the Maori Party would support the bill, subject to negotiating Maori representation rights that Brash claimed were both an insult to Maori and a charter for "bureaucracy, delay and potential for corruption." The United Future and Act parties oppose the bill for different reasons, making National dependent on the Maori Party's two MPs' support - a fact that Peters is seeking to exploit by claiming National won't work with him on an alternative formulation which NZ First could guarantee would pass with its 12 MPs supporting it. His offer to work with National comes days after Peters ruled out working on election year policy accommodations with the Labour Party, which would need NZ First as well as the Green Party if it hopes to form a government after the 2017 election. "During and after the Northland by-election (in March 2015) the National Party said there was no chance of RMA reform if New Zealand First won," said Peters, who won the seat after National's Northland MP Mike Sabin was forced to resign for unexplained reasons."That claim was false," said Peters. "The lesson here for every National Party voter is that your party would rather give separate rights away to Maori than work with me and my team to fix the RMA. "They'd rather ignore me than help you," said Peters, who sees political potential among disaffected regional voters affected by the dairy downturn. In questioning DairyNZ's Barnao, Peters expressed disbelief that dairy farmers were not expressing concern about the costs of additional consultation with Maori representatives. "Where's the democratic component in the iwi authority?" Peters asked. "I don't know," said Barnao. In his submission, Brash said the reforms were a recipe for "bureaucracy, delay and potential for corruption" where they gave additional rights "for people with a Maori ancestor." "It is incomprehensible to me how a National Party-led government could put forward a bill that violates every principle of democratic governance" and its own constitutional commitment to equal citizenship, Brash said. While supporting government settlements with Maori for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, Brash crossed swords with Fox when she pointed to a recent Waitangi Tribunal report suggesting that Maori did not cede sovereignty in the 1840 Treaty. "Frankly, they did (cede sovereignty)," said Brash. "Moreover, they have behaved as if they did ever since." (BusinessDesk) BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses MOVE Completes Purchase of Vessel for Trans-Tasman Service BANGALORE: In the early years of the 20th century, Gopal Krishna Gokhale remarked that What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow. Since then it has been a quote which every Bong has been proud of! And a recent innovation by a Kolkata boy has indeed given this saying some substance! Sumesh Dugar, an entrepreneur has successfully developed software that can recognize emotions reports Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay of TNN. Yes, software that can recognize emotions! This means the problem which Rajnikanth had with Chitti in his movie ROBOT, has been solved! So, where did he find inspiration for a technology like this from? Well, Dugar was troubled to see the way in which humans have allowed emotionless technology to take over their lives, making them robotic. Kolkata is called City of Joy for a reason, Kolkata is highly emotive, and robotic behavior of those around Dugar made him feel this emerging deficiency even more. Moreover, he also was bothered as the social media had ensured the loss of human touch in social communication, making the condition even lament. All these reasons inspired him and spurred the entrepreneur mind of his to develop TrueEmoji! Recognizing the power TrueEmoji has to change the way in which humans engage with interfaces and people in their social circle on a daily basis, Google honored Dugar by inviting him to their Launchpad event. His organization was one of the 10,000 startups that were invited at this event. Not only that, he was also awarded credit worth $20,000 by Google to develop 'TrueEmoji' further. Excited by the respect and the monetary help he received from Google, Dugar explained that how this technology was going to change the way humans interact now-a-days by recognizing their state of mind. He also believes that today's technology is advanced enough to design products that will enrich digital communication with emotions. This innovation eliminates the divide between emotion and communication by moving to Emotional Intelligence (EI) from Artificial Intelligence (AI). This will be a sheer revolution is the communication space as a man's emotional state will read by this software by analyzing the facial contour through camera! Whats even better is that this software can be downloaded on smart-phones as an application which will be able to recognize the state of mind of a human, making the communication smarter and more effective! When asked about how exactly this application will work, Dugar explained that suppose if a person you are communicating with is angry, you will try to be less offensive. If the person is happy, you will continue talking and perhaps even turn your efforts up a notch. If the person is confused, you may go on explaining things better. Hmmmwill that not mean that we cant be fake over conversations anymore? Well, now thats an issue! But no pain, no gainright? The software will also have an impact upon the marketing strategy of organizations! As now, once the technology reads the consumer's expressions, it will respond by sharing relevant information making it easy for the organizations to know what the clients really feel! Dugar is all set now to get some help in launching the software in the market and he has been meeting investors lately for the same. A working prototype is already in shape and Dugar claims that it will take 3 months to launch TrueEmoji once the first-round of funding is secured. Innovations have been shaping the human ways for quite a long now! And recent innovations have shown the flexibility Science and Technology has to support them. Self-lacing shoes, solar-operated cell-phone chargers, face recognition security features, and now emotion recognizing software, the band of scientific innovation is limitless! Read Also: Indian Girl Part of the Proud Team That Unraveled Zika Virus Government Soon To Take A View On Putting China In 'Concern' List BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi strikes gold again, after his recent Saudi trip, promising mutual ties between the two countries, reports indiatoday.in. India and Saudi Arabia have entered into an agreement that is bound to improve trade ties, with large investments to be made by Saudi firms, especially in the oil-drilling front. Following the growth of bilateral trade between the two countries, which summed up to $39Bn in the 2014-15 timeframe, Prime Minister Modi and Saudi king, Salman bin Abdulaziz agreed to build a substantial and deeper partnership in the energy industry. From a joint statement issued by the two leaders, it was revealed that there will be focus on expanding trade and investment ties to drive strategic engagement forward. Both India and Saudi Arabia have directed their respective Finance and Trade Ministers to work in collaboration with each other. It is believed that this will lay the cornerstone for the ministers to device prospective plans, which will increase the flow of bilateral investments and growth of trade ties. On this note, the two countries have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The cooperative program between Invest India and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority will put forth a framework for the bilateral investment strategy. One of the key points of the MoU stresses on the Ministry of Labor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India working together to promote recruitment of general category workers (foreign workers). Building a technical bridge between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) was another key point that was signed off. In the light of the recent Panama Papers leak pulling out reputed names in the international political circles and other celebrities, the Indo-Saudi treaty also addressed a Memorandum of Understanding that brings the Financial Intelligence Units of both the countries together for intelligence exchange related to money laundering, terrorism financing and related crimes. The leaders also welcomed the move for promoting cyber security initiatives that will counteract terrorism caused in the cyber space to disrupt social harmony. In an effort to highlight the handicraft industry, Modis memorandum will also introduce a cooperation program between the Export Promotion Council for Handicraft (India) and Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. Read Also: Gatimaan Express: India's First Semi High-Speed Train Kolkata Boy Invents 'TrueEmoji' Technology, Gets Awarded by Google WASHINGTON: U.S. Republican Ted Cruz has won the presidential primary in Wisconsin, dealing a blow to front-runner Donald Trump, while Democratic contender Senator Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton in a close contest. The loss is more damaging to Trump, because he is in greater danger of failing to lock up the party's nomination ahead of the July convention. In the Republican race, the first results showed a massive lead for Cruz: With more than 20 percent of votes in, he led Trump by more than 20 percentage points. Trump may still get some delegates from Wisconsin, however, the state awards some delegates by congressional districts, and he was leading in rural districts in Wisconsin's northwest, according to Washington Post. Cruz savoured the victory, casting it as proof that the GOP race had turned. The party's anti-Trump forces had coalesced behind an unlikely champion: a Texas senator who seemed like the worst possible choice for the GOP establishment, right up until they met candidate Trump. Early results with 23 percent of all votes counted show Cruz won 52 percent compared to Donald Trump's 30 percent, while in the Democratic field, Sanders beat Hillary Clinton with 54 percent to 46 percent with 27 percent votes counted, Xinhua reported. Mathematically, the victories of Cruz and Sanders in Wisconsin did not change the contour of the races where Trump and Clinton continued to hold an almost insurmountable delegate lead. Trump entered the contest on Tuesday with 736 delegates, 267 delegates more than Cruz, while Clinton led Sanders by 263 pledged delegates, according to the latest delegate count by the New York Times. However, the victories on Tuesday would be crucial for Cruz and Sanders to build momentum as the contests now move to New York, the home turf for both Trump and Clinton. "Tonight is a turning point. It is a rallying cry," Cruz told supporters in Milwaukee. "We have a choice. A real choice. The national political terrain began to change two weeks ago," he said, meaning when he won by a large margin in Utah. Cruz said his campaign had raised $2 million on Tuesday alone. In the Democratic race, Sanders was leading Clinton by about seven percentage points, 53 percent to 46 percent, with 30 percent of precincts reporting A victory on that scale may not allow him to make up significant ground on Clinton in the race for Democratic convention delegates. But it will allow Sanders to cite growing momentum going into a crucial contest in New York, where Sanders was born -- and where Clinton served as senator -- on April 19. A win in Wisconsin also allows Sanders to make the case to "super-delegates", who can make up their minds about whom to support. After Wisconsin, the next state to vote in the primaries to elect the Republican and Democratic candidates for the November presidential election is New York, where voters will go the polls on April 19. New York has a large number of both Republican and Democrat delegates at stake. Read Also: NATO Is Critical To Security Of United States: Barack Obama U.S. Attuned To India's Security Concerns, Clarifies White House Source: PTI STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was frank conversation at PS 48 in Concord on Wednesday afternoon as Borough President James Oddo engaged an audience of over 50 high school seniors to ask him questions about Staten Island and other issues. The two-hour event -- replicating last year's success -- brought together seniors from the Island's public, parochial and private schools. Breaking the ice in introductory remarks before taking questions, Oddo told the students that he was the first person in his family to graduate from college. He also told them this: "Staten Island is more similar to the rest of the U.S. than to the other four boroughs (of New York City). This creates a lot of challenges for us. We are, for the most part, a bedroom community, with one-family homes and back yards." Oddo also noted how the borough has changed dramatically over the decades: "I grew up on Old Town Road (in Dongan Hills), across the street from the woods," he said. Now, "we're drowning in our own traffic," commented Oddo, telling the students that his first priority as an elected official has been to "fight for our quality of life -- a clean, safe place." Oddo started off the conversation with the students by asking their opinions of Staten Island. "What do you like about it?" he said. "Give me one word." WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT STATEN ISLAND? And here came the replies: "Diversity," said a student from Port Richmond High School, the first one to respond. "We learn from one another." "Aware," replied a second student. "Vibrant -- we're always on the move, never stopping," came the third reply. "The Island is very compassionate and amiable," said a student from Tottenville High School. "There's never a time when you don't know somebody." Another student followed up, stating what she observed at the foot of Hylan Boulevard in Tottenville in the days after Hurricane Sandy's 2012 destruction. "It was amazing to see," she said, citing the volunteers who were there to provide for those affected by the super storm. WHAT DON'T YOU LIKE ABOUT STATEN ISLAND? "The drug epidemic," the first student replied. "How can we destroy it so it can never come back again?" Oddo agreed with her that the drug crisis has "moved from 'over there' to everywhere" on the Island," he said. The borough president noted that since Feb. 24 of this year there have been 20 overdose deaths, including "people in their 30s, 40s and 50s -- it is an epidemic," citing statistics from Richmond County district attorney Michael McMahon. A Tottenville High School student then took the mic and complained that her public institution -- with 4,000 students -- has only one drug counselor. A student from Moore Catholic who lives on the South Shore complained about bus public transit on the Island, describing the situation as getting "worse and worse." Another question about unbearable traffic conditions came from a Monsignor Farrell senior, who cited construction as part of the problem. Here, Oddo noted that Staten Island residents comprise about five to six percent of NYC residents but have 18 percent of the registered vehicles. "We're a community addicted to automobiles," he told the students, noting that part of the problem is the lack of public transportation. "The glass began to spill over in the 1990s because of overdevelopment," he added. "You can't build your way out of it. If there's an accident deep into the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), you feel it on Staten Island." WHO WILL YOU VOTE FOR AND WHY? The student who asked this question about the contest for U.S. president did not get a polite hedge from the borough president. This is how Oddo answered: "I think John Kasich is the most accomplished on my side," said Oddo, a Republican. "He knows Washington, and has had a successful run as governor of a difficult state. "Ideas, records, policies matter. I want to see a discussion of the issues. "I like the guy -- I just don't think he's gonna be the nominee," Oddo told his student audience. WARNING: The gallery of art above contains nude paintings of the female body. Parental discretion is advised. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Stapletonite Cynthia Mailman's now-iconic painting of God debuted in 1978, the criticism came in the form of death threats. The painting, simply titled "God," was a 60-by-108 inch painting which imagines God as a nude woman, towering over cosmos and viewer alike. It was originally part of the groundbreaking exhibition "The Sister Chapel," which premiered at P.S. 1 and is currently generating headlines with a revival at the Rowan University Art Gallery in Glassboro, N.J. (Details at the bottom of this page.) When Mailman -- who also served as a model for the painting -- introduced the public to her God, and for many years after, the hate mail and death threats rolled in. Drawing God was in and of itself a delicate endeavor. And the fact that God was a woman made it especially controversial. "It was a double whammy," Mailman said. The reactions probably had something to do with the painting's physical presence too. Angled such that the pelvis is the focal point, its viewer is forced to confront God in all her woman-ness. "It's not just a nude," Mailman laughed. "There's something about how in your face it is. She's 9-feet-tall and when you stand in front of her, you're sort of in front of a vagina." A SISTER CHAPEL SHOULD HAVE A SISTER GOD Nearly 40 years later, the images of empowerment are as important as ever. The exhibition, which plays on Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, had influential feminist artists of the 70s imagine influential women for their own chapel of feminine power. It will be on display at the Rowan University gallery until June 30. Mailman and her Sister Chapel peers were asked to envision a universe in which women were celebrated for their power. The artists painted contemporary and historical women, deities, and conceptual figures. The paintings include a portrait of the American Congresswoman and social reformer Bella Abzug, painted by Alice Neel; a portrayal of the influential author of "The Feminine Mystique," Betty Friedan by June Blum and a painting of Frida Kahlo, the celebrated Mexican artist, by Shirley Gorelick -- among others. Mailman chose to paint God as a woman because she felt a Sister Chapel should have a sister God, simple as that. But more so, she saw flaws in the "unprovable suggestion" that God was a man. And having a male God meant there would always be a man in power, no matter the strides mortal women made. "For women to come into their own totally, maybe they do have to believe that there isn't a man in charge of everything and making the rules for them," she said. 1978-2016: THE MEANING HASN'T CHANGED After it's initial debut in 1978, Sister Chapel toured the New York area and gradually its concepts became less controversial. When the exhibition re-opened at the Rowan gallery, it was welcomed with applause. I asked if the meaning of "God" had changed since its first appearance at PS1. Now, we don't just have to imagine women in powerful positions. They're there. But Mailman rejected the notion that the exhibition's meaning has changed with the times. Still, she added, women today face the same prejudices as they did in the 1970s. The wage gap is still intact as male politicians continue to introduce laws limiting a woman's right to choose, Mailman said. Even in the world of art, images like Mailman's and others in the Sister Chapel are needed just as much as they were in 1978. In 2015, only 7 percent of the artists in the Museum of Modern Art's collection galleries were women, according to a survey by Maura Reilly, curator of the Brooklyn Museum's Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Reilly also found that "of all the solo exhibitions since 2007 at the Whitney Museum, 29 percent went to women artists," she wrote among her findings. "It's not looking much better at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. "In 2004, when the museum opened its new building...of the 410 works on display in the fourth- and fifth-floor galleries, only 16 were by women. That's 4 percent." Mailman said the women who came to the Sister Chapel's opening panel last month agreed that sexism continues to hold women back. It makes art like Sister Chapel's all the more important in 2016. "There does seem to be a new movement among women to get out there and break these prejudices," Mailman said. "This exhibition is just a reminder, perhaps to those who have forgotten, that there are women heros." -- "The Sister Chapel: An Essential Feminist Collaboration" is up through June 30 at the Rowan University Art Gallery at Westby Hall; enter at 257 Mullica Road, Glassboro, N.J. Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Note: The gallery is wheelchair accessible. More information here. nws grant harrington Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, left, and Deputy Inspector James Grant. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two NYPD bosses who live on Staten Island were placed on modified duty by Police Commissioner William Bratton Thursday amid an FBI probe into whether police officials were accepting gifts for favors. Deputy Inspector James Grant, who lives on Staten Island, and Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, of Westerleigh, were stripped of their badges and guns and reassigned, Bratton said in a press release. Grant was the boss at the 19th Precinct on the Upper East Side and Harrington was the deputy chief of the Housing Bureau and was the former deputy chief of Manhattan North, Advance records show. Harrington comes from a long line of police officers, with 11 family members having served or currently serving in the NYPD throughout the city. Grant allegedly accepted diamonds and cash from a businessman at the center of the FBI probe into whether NYPD officials took handouts for certain services, according to a report by the New York Post. Grant vehemently denies the allegations, his attorney, John Meringolo, said. "He's been a very decorated officer for over 20 years," Meringolo said. "He's an excellent father." Grant was handed hundreds of dollars by businessman Jeremy Reichberg around Christmas, according to the Post, which cited information from sources. Investigators believe Grant personally escorted Reichberg from the airport after overseas trips to pick up diamonds, sources told the Post. The FBI probe began two years ago after the NYPD and the Internal Affairs Bureau initiated an investigation in 2013. "The potential violations under investigation include violations of NYPD rules and policies, the city conflicts of interest rules and the federal criminal laws," Bratton said in the release. "The investigation is examining the conduct of current and former NYPD officers and several others. Quahgs.jpg The purple pigment on the inside of the quahog shell was used by the native Lenape to make beads that were part of wampum belts. (Clay Wollney) The shells of the hard clam, or quahog as it was known to the Native Americans, are frequently found along the island's beaches. The name quahog is still used today, especially for the large adults. Its thick, heavy shell is pale brown to gray in color with a series of growth rings. The inside of the shell often has a deep purple color near the hinge and rear edge. Before the arrival of Europeans, quahogs and oysters were the main natural resource that drew the native Lenape to the shores of Staten Island. Indeed, the collection of these shellfish continued to make a major contribution to the local economy until the early twentieth century. In those past times, Raritan Bay was known as one of the best places for harvesting these shellfish on the eastern seaboard. Although silt from storms and increased levels of pollution limited their harvesting in the early 1900s, the health and size of the local population of quahogs has rebounded in recent decades as the water quality of the Raritan Bay improved, reviving the bay's reputation for clam production. NATURAL PREDATORS The quahog plays an important role in the natural ecosystem of our coastline. Seagulls can frequently be seen at low tide picking up hard shell clams then dropping them on rocks from a height of thirty feet or so to break the hard shell allowing them to eat the clam inside. Shells found on the seashore are sometimes observed to have a small hole drilled near the hinge. This is the work of the oyster drill, a small snail that rasps its way through the shell to feed on the clam inside. Other natural predators include starfish, moon snails, whelks, crabs and fish. SALINITY AND REPRODUCTION Salinity is one of the main reasons that the Raritan Bay provides such a good home for the hard clam. With the Raritan River, Arthur Kill and other freshwater estuaries feeding into the bay, salinity here is lower than the open ocean. Although adult clams can withstand salinity as low as 10 parts per thousand, egg and larval stages develop best at salinities between 21 to 30 ppt. A hard shell clam begins its life as an egg produced during the summer when water temperatures range from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Within the first 12 hours, the fertilized egg moves into its first larval stage and shells develop in about 26 to 30 hours. By the time another 12 hours have passed, the developing clam reaches the veliger stage, which floats among the plankton until it settles to the seafloor after another two weeks. Since the male reproductive system develops first, almost all young clams are males at first. As they develop, the ratio evens out as almost half develop into females within a year. FILTER FEEDERS One feature of all clams is that they are filter feeders. To accomplish this, the clam has a structure known as the siphon. This fleshy tube is like a double sided straw. Water enters through the incurrent siphon then flows over the clam's gills where oxygen is removed. Particles of algae and small plankton are trapped on the gills as well then gently brushed into the clam's digestive system. The depleted water then exits through the excurrent siphon. NATIVE AMERICAN USE OF QUAHOGS The quahog provided more than food for the Lenape. After the body was consumed, the strong shells were used as spoons, scrapers, knives and hoes. The deep purple coloration of the inside borders of the quahog shell provided the Native Americans with one of the materials needed to make the beads that were sown into strings or belts known as "wampum." While wampum was used for exchanges, it wasn't quite the same as the way we use money today. Nonetheless the scientific name of the quahog is Mercenaria mercenaria, which is Latin for "money, money." COMMERCIAL CLAMMING TODAY Today, about 80,000 bushels of clams are commercially harvested in the bay each year. This amounts to nearly half of the state's total clam production. Since the process of filter feeding traps pollutants and bacteria along with food the clams are sent to Little Peconic Bay and Southold Bay for three weeks of cleaning out. The law requires that quahogs must be harvested by hand. Though this is a time and labor intensive process, it helps maintain the local populations at levels which can benefit both nature and man. Factcheck: Are climate models wrong on rainfall extremes? Posted on 7 April 2016 by Guest Author This is a re-post from Robert McSweeney at Carbon Brief Several media outlets are reporting that new research shows climate model projections of rainfall extremes may be flawed or wrong. The study, published yesterday in Nature, reconstructed periods of wet and dry extremes for the last 12 centuries. The paper says that large extremes of wet and dry conditions that climate models simulate for the 20th century arent found in the reconstruction. The paper prompted a MailOnline headline of, Projections of global drought and flood may be flawed, while the Australian followed suit with, Climate model projections on rain and drought wrong, study says. Elsewhere, a brief news story in todays Times subsequently bumped from the second edition claims that climate scientists have wrongly blamed manmade emissions for droughts and floods, under the headline Climate change row. But other scientists tell Carbon Brief that the discrepancy between the data reconstruction and model simulations is more likely because the reconstruction underestimates climate extremes, not that models overestimate them. Proxy records The focus of the new study is how researchers pieced together a record of extreme wet and dry periods across the northern hemisphere for the past 1,200 years. To understand how climate changed before anyone was actively taking records, scientists use techniques known collectively as palaeoclimatology. These involve looking for climate information in places where it is stored indirectly, such as in tree rings, lake sediments and ice cores. The researchers used 196 of these proxy records to create a hydroclimate reconstruction of the northern hemisphere back to the 9th century. Now, when scientists build climate models, they test them by running them for the past and seeing if the models replicate what actually happened. So, the researchers compared model simulations of past climate against their newly-created reconstruction. The study finds that the proxy data and model simulations of wet and dry periods match well for most of the past 1,200 years. However, the same isnt the case for the 20th century, the researchers say. Lead author Dr Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, a medieval historian and palaeoclimatologist at Stockholm University, explains to Carbon Brief: [T]he climate models do simulate centennial-scale hydroclimate variability almost surprisingly well from the 10th to the 18th centuries. The problem in the models is the too strong intensification of wet and dry extremes in the 20th century. The implication of these findings is that if climate models dont tally with past climate, this questions how well they can project future climate, Ljungqvist says: Our study indicates that climate models might have a more limited ability to predict which regions will get drier and which regions will get wetter with global warming than previously assumed. However, Prof Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, who wasnt involved in the study, says the researchers may have got their conclusion the wrong way around. In a post on his Facebook page, Mann writes: The discrepancy could arise, of course, from the opposite problem: that the palaeoclimate proxy data are underestimating hydroclimatic extremes. In my view, that is a far more likely explanation. Less variability Mann suggests that differences between the palaeo record and model simulations are a result of shortcomings in the proxy data, not flaws in climate models, as he explains to Carbon Brief: [M]y own extensive work using these [palaeo] data has led me to the conclusion that they are not well suited for reconstructing past climate extremes. Tree rings and many other chemical and biological climate proxy records, by their nature, tend not to record very large short-term fluctuations, and for this reason they are likely to show less variability than actually exists in the climate record. Prof Steven Sherwood, director of the Climate Change Research Centre at theUniversity of New South Wales, who also wasnt involved in the study, agrees: [The Nature study is] heavily smoothing the data so as to look only at centennial-scale shifts, not what we usually think of as droughts or rainfall extremes, which would be scales of days to at most a decade or two. Indeed, for the 20th century, scientists also have the meteorological records they have collected directly. And these show that wet and dry extremes have been intensifying, says Prof Brian Soden, professor of meteorology and physical oceanography at the University of Miami. He tells Carbon Brief: The proxy records used in this study appear to contradict other studies that have used direct observations of precipitation from rain gaugesAll else being equal, I would trust direct rainfall measurements over proxy records. Big challenge So, does the study show that climate models are wrong on rainfall, as the Australian headline suggests? In an accompanying News & Views article in Nature, Prof Matthew Kirby, a professor of palaeoclimatology at California State University who wasnt involved in the study, tackles this exact question: Do their results invalidate current predictive models? Certainly not. But they do highlight a big challenge for climate modellers, and present major research opportunities both for modellers and for climate scientists who work with proxy data. Sherwood agrees: If this papers conclusion about model overprediction holds up to further scrutiny it will be extremely interestingButI am not convinced that this particular conclusion will hold up. Data gathering Despite reservations about the papers conclusions about climate models, there is one element of the study that scientists can be sure about: that gathering more proxy data like this is a good thing. For example, in the maps below from the paper, you can see the sparseness of the proxy records that the researchers had available to create their rainfall (left map) and temperature (right map) records. Proxy data covers key regions, such as China, Europe, and much of Central America and North America, Ljungqvist says, but many areas lack data: Unfortunately, the geographical coverage of hydroclimate proxy records is still very limited or nonexistent in many parts of the world. Prof Richard Harding from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in Wallingford says he hopes the study will encourage more palaeo reconstructions to fill the gaps in the record: The long-term observational record of main components of the hydrological cycle rainfall, evaporation, river runoff and soil moisture is woefully incomplete, particularly in sensitive semi-arid regions, and this study is a significant contribution to support this record. And more comprehensive data allows scientists to refine climate models even further, adds Ljungqvist: [I]mproved reconstructions, with hopefully increased geographical coverage, are important for further testing the climate models. 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Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612e252a140)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50b910)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612e252a140)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50b910)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efe32d48)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50b910)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50b910)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50c258)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612ee50c4f8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612ee50c4f8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02038b0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0418170)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02038b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0418170)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01d95f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0418170)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0418170)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612ee50b8e0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f061aeb8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f061aeb8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Tony Abbott has left the door open to serving in cabinet in a re-elected Turnbull government, though he has stressed such an idea is "entirely hypothetical", while also suggesting he would not have proposed state governments be given the chance to take a share of federal income tax. And Mr Abbott says he doesn't "think it would be fair" to suggest the Turnbull government was in trouble - despite falling behind Labor in a Newspoll published this week - and pointed out that he had not commented on polls while opposition leader or prime minister. Mr Turnbull specifically cited the Abbott government trailing in 30 consecutive Newspolls when he snatched the leadership last September. The Rhodes scholar was associate secretary at the giant department until he left in February last year to become chief executive of Melbourne Council, in a move that was seen a recruitment coup by the city authority. Ben Rimmer , former associate secretary with the Department of Human Services, says the dictatorship model leads to bad outcomes when "people are more worried about looking good in front of the [departmental] secretary than they are about providing the right advice". There are too many "dictators" at the top of the public service, running departments with a management style that is 10 to 15 years out of date, says a former high-flyer in the Commonwealth's largest department. He told public-sector news site The Mandarin that poor quality leadership was the Australian public sector's "achilles heel" and that women in government workplaces were likely to be victims of old-fashioned thinking at the top. "If we're honest as a sector, we have people in senior leadership roles who don't personify a contemporary way of leading and managing, and whose values and behaviours as leaders are no longer consistent with where the Australian community is at," Mr Rimmer said. Is your boss a public service dictator? Send your tips to ps@canberratimes.com.au The dictator approach to leadership "is still pretty persistent in parts of the public sector", he said. "It means we're not getting the best advice to ministers because people are more worried about looking good in front of the secretary than they are about providing the right advice." "What we value is whether a minister or a council works well with a particular leader. We value that very highly, and we don't value as highly the leadership style and management approach the leader brings to the task. A child who died after being hit by a car in Sydney's west on Thursday morning has been named as 16-month-old Shreyan Thapa. The toddler was walking with his great-grandmother on Marion Street in Auburn about 9.30am when the pair were hit by a Toyota sedan which was believed to be travelling in the same direction. The boy was treated at the scene by paramedics and was taken to The Children's Hospital at Westmead with a police escort, where he died later on Thursday. His great-grandmother was not injured, but was taken to Westmead Hospital in shock. Paris: The French parliament has finally approved changes to the country's prostitution laws. On Wednesday legislators approved a bill against prostitution and sex trafficking that bans buying sex, not selling it. Customers who break the law will face fines and be made to attend awareness classes on the harms of the sex trade. The legislation, which passed 64-12 in the parliament's lower house, the National Assembly, makes French law one of the toughest against sex buyers in Europe. Prostitution in itself is legal in France though brothels, pimping and the sale of sex by minors are illegal. A senior public servant threw rat poison over his back fence to silence a neighbour's barking dog so he could get some sleep, a court has heard. Lawyers for Jason Young-Hwan Koh, 40, said he felt immediate remorse and turned himself into police hours after laying the poison one morning last October. Sonny Riener Oeti, 30, has not yet entered pleas. Credit:Graham Tidy But prosecutors described the offences as "quite sinister" and argued Koh admitted he intended to hurt or kill the dog when he threw the rat bait. Police facts tendered in court said Koh grabbed a packet of RatSak and scattered the pellets over the fence of the Wright home after the barking animal disturbed his sleep about 2.30am. When a circus comes to town with its hoops, ropes and trampolines, the use of animals is a deal breaker for some potential visitors. But Robert Joyes, animal trainer with the Great Moscow Circus, believes shows are too often tarred with the same critical brush when it comes to animal welfare. From left, vet Ivan Gavazov, of Weston Woden Animal Hospital and Clinic, and animal trainer Robert Joyes with the Great Moscow Circus' water buffalo. Credit:Jamila Toderas "I think there is a lot of ignorance and unwarranted negativity," he said. "We don't operate behind closed doors, so people are always welcome to come down and have a look at the animals sitting out the back doing their thing, and learn more about how we operate." The ACT Government will continue to provide $400,000 in annual funding to the embattled school, education minister Shane Rattenbury confirmed. The school in Weston looks set to remain open in Term 2, despite the withdrawal of $1.1 million in federal government funding at the end of Term 1. Students are expected to return to the Islamic School of Canberra next term, despite the loss of Commonwealth funding from Friday. "The Islamic School of Canberra provides a valuable education option for many in the community and it is understandable that there is significant concern within the community about its long term future," Mr Rattenbury said. "I have committed to work with the school to assist them as much as possible, so that the school can remain open." But the school must demonstrate it can remain financially viable in order for the funding to carry on, Mr Rattenbury said. "In the unfortunate event that we are unable to resolve these issues, all current students would be catered for across the ACT Public School system," he said. "The Directorate would work with the school community, including parents, carers and students to support them in accessing another suitable school." Racist City Employees Are on Notice, and 9 Other Greater Cincinnati News Stories You May Have Missed This Week Catch up on local government, politics, sports, celeb sightings and Halloween fun. Other customers coming out of Whole Foods that morning gave several reasons for not paying with their phones. Most were concerned about the security of the transactions - or of losing their phones and having other people get access to their financial data. They also doubted phones were much faster than credit or debit cards. Even Yuen said, "I still think that swiping is faster." And people who activate a payment method like Apple Pay may not use it much. Only 15 per cent of people who had tried it said they used the service more than once a month, according to a survey in January by First Annapolis, an electronic payments consulting and research firm. Katie Clark-AlSadder, an Apple spokeswoman, said the usage of Apple Pay accelerated significantly in the second half of 2015, compared with the first half of that year. She did not define how Apple was measuring usage. Payment apps Large numbers of consumers don't appear to be making frequent use of the other payment apps, either. Part of the problem may be that many apps are simultaneously vying for consumers' attention, keeping one from becoming dominant, at least for now. Confronted by the low enthusiasm for mobile payments, companies are looking for ways to generate some excitement. Samsung has taken a technological step that substantially increases the number of places where its service, Samsung Pay, can be used. Many phone payment methods require the technology near-field communication. But it does not exist on older payment terminals, which use magnetic secure transmission. Samsung Pay, however, can be used on both types of terminals. Rival mobile payment services from Apple and Android do not work on the older technology. As a result, Samsung Pay can be used in more places, according to Thomas Ko, Samsung Pay's global co-general manager. "Truly, you don't have to carry your wallet anymore," he said. But that advantage may not last, as the number of near-field communication terminals grows. Phone benefits Companies might also try to increase adoption by underscoring the ways in which paying by phone can be more secure than using a card. Thumbprint authentication and passcodes can make it almost impossible for a thief to use a stolen phone to pay for something. By contrast, a stolen credit card, or information from the card, can be easily misused until the theft is suspected or reported. Services like Android Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay use technology that allows the phone to make a credit card payment without transmitting the card's details into the store's payment system. This makes such services safer than, say, a card swipe, in which the card's number enters the store's systems and can be vulnerable to hackers. But because card users generally do not have to pay fraudulent charges, the more secure nature of phones may not ultimately be the big draw that leads consumers to use them more for payments. Speeding up transactions Another way to increase use might be to make paying with a phone far quicker than using a card. Services like Apple Pay are designed to be fast. But at some stores, the customer still has to sign when using such services. And even when that isn't the case, taking out a phone and making a payment is probably not that much faster than using a card. Many payments specialists say they believe that for mobile payments systems to take off, they have to reduce costs for retailers. Seeing the savings, retailers may then offer their customers benefits for using their phones to pay, like rewards programs. Such a program has been one reason for the popularity of the Starbucks payment app. And once consumers see real benefits from paying with their phones, they may finally turn to their phones a lot more at the checkout. That is why many payments experts are waiting to see what happens with JPMorgan Chase's digital wallet, called Chase Pay, which the bank aims to offer this year. JPMorgan has payments relationships with a wide range of merchants, which, the bank hopes, will give Chase Pay critical mass with both retailers and customers. Still, shoppers' infrequent use of mobile payments does not bode well. Credit and debit cards have drawbacks, but are easy to carry and generally quick to use. What's more, they don't have batteries that run out during a shopping trip. What goes up must come down. And so it is with business confidence in Queensland, with the latest Sensis Business Index Survey showing optimism among the state's small and medium businesses has taken a hit in the last quarter. Queensland business confidence has dropped in the latest Sensis Business Index Survey Credit:Glenn Hunt In January, Treasurer Curtis Pitt was celebrating the survey showing Queensland had achieved its "best record" with +35 points, "higher than at any time under the LNP and the equal largest increase of any state, with NSW, with a 22 point lift". But the last three months has seen that reverse, with Sensis reporting the Queensland government "is now viewed as the least supportive of small and medium businesses" with just 12 per cent rating the Palaszczuk Government as supportive. Administrators for failed electronics group Dick Smith are investigating transactions dating back to Anchorage Capital Partners' ownership of the business, as it maps out the once-iconic chain's roller coaster ride from Woolworths cast-off to its retail collapse via a $520 million public float. It's understood McGrath Nicols' report, due out in early June, will include details of a broad range of transactions, including information from when Anchorage was in charge of the electronics chain, and its white-knuckle ride from reporting a $43.4 million full-year profit in August to a receiver sale in January. Sources suggest public examinations of the key figures in the Dick Smith drama are likely, which could compel Anchorage to answer questions over its involvement with the business. The retailer's recently departed management team, including Nick Abboud, the chief executive private equity hand-picked to lead the operation, could also be in the spotlight. Both the administrator and receiver can apply to publicly examine individuals to gain a better understanding of specific issues but this may not happen for many months as applications are processed by the courts and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. Atlantic salmon producer Tassal has pulled out of the race for two contracts to supply Coles, saying warm weather has depleted supplies of the fish. Shares in the Tasmanian company dived 6.8 per cent to $3.55 their lowest since last July. Mark Ryan says a warmer summer has affected its supply of salmon. Credit:Gabriele Charotte Chief executive Mark Ryan said it would withdraw its tenders for Cole's fresh salmon deli business and a contract to supply US food giant Simplot with product also destined for Coles. "This decision was taken to ensure Tassal continues to generate sustainable returns moving forward in light of warmer water impacting growing conditions for near-term supply," Mr Ryan told the ASX. Scientists in Australia's universities and research organisations are responsible for ground-breaking inventions such as the world's first effective influenza drugs; smart mathematics that enabled superfast Wi-Fi and the bionic ear. These have also been resounding commercial successes, and show that local discoveries can be profitable. Government policy emphasises the importance of commercially focused research and rightly encourages researchers to fully capitalise on their discoveries. But, in our focus on innovation geared towards commercialisation, have we overlooked the tremendous value to our community of research done in the public interest? It is in this context that the emails sent between CSIRO executives revealed this week are worrisome. The email trail suggested that, in early stages of planning, there was a contemplation of removing all public-good climate research from CSIRO that "public good" was not considered to be sufficient reason for CSIRO to be carrying on research. While it is important to realise that CSIRO's priorities will rightly change from time to time to reflect the challenges facing Australia, this sentiment does raise some difficult questions about its role in Australia's overall science and research effort. Some of the most critical challenges our society faces such as combating epidemics of chronic disease or finding ways to better predict natural disasters, or improving our ability to live the good life while caring for our environment have almost no prospect of generating a commercial return. Yet every Australian would attest to their importance, and recognise that research in these areas contributes greatly to the welfare of the community. Question. When is libertarianism not liberating? Answer: When it's really a feudalistic patriarchy, a trompe l'oeil of birds and flowers hiding a hardhead pile-driving agenda. In particular, when it's the low-profile but remarkably influential Institute of Public Affairs. The IPA is usually described as a "radical libertarian think tank" but it's not libertarian, since its freedoms for the few spell oppression for the many. It's also not-thoughtful and so not-public it's almost clandestine. This is no semantic thing. We're used to weasel words. Australian politics is like one of those World War II towns with its street signs turned awry to confuse the dreaded Hun. We all know that the Liberals are not liberal, the Nationals are not national, and the IPA is not some august public-interest watchdog stamped with official gravitas. No, this is about who and what is driving the national political agenda. "Climate change will see higher temperatures, increased sea-level rise and will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events," the report states. "These effects will exacerbate the challenges of population growth and environmental degradation, and will contribute to food shortages and undermine economic development." In short, the white paper says that the Australian Defence Force will be called on more often to respond to instability or natural disasters. Many Australians may still be unaware that climate change is now a bipartisan national security issue. This was cemented only in the latest Defence white paper that, building on the 2009 and 2013 (Labor) iterations, identifies climate change as a "major challenge" to Australia's national security. In some sense, this white paper is groundbreaking because it is the first time that the Liberal-National Coalition has put its imprimatur on a capstone security document that identifies climate change as a security issue. The message is now clear: So what if these cuts risked in any way our nation's security? What price would the public be paying then? Australia is still waiting to find out exactly what funding cuts made to our national science organisation will mean. However, this week we learnt from media reports that CSIRO senior bureaucrats had emailed each other about plans to stop doing "science for science sake" or in the interests of "public good" unless it was linked to jobs and economic growth. This has been no secret in Defence circles, and they should know. The military have firsthand experience of how climate change is increasing the ferocity and frequency of disasters in the region. They are, of sorts, first responders to large-scale, climate-related disasters. Consider, for instance, the sheer size and scale of ADF relief operations following the 2009 Black Saturday fires in Victoria. Or, the 2011 and 2013 Queensland floods. Then, there are repeated tropical cyclones. When Cyclone Winston barrelled into Fiji in late February (the strongest on record to hit that country), Australia's first response was to dispatch RAAF Globemaster cargo planes with urgent aid and defence personnel to help the battered Pacific populace. By mid-March, the ADF had delivered some 500 tonnes of humanitarian supplies from combinations of army, navy and RAAF platforms. To do their job well, military strategists rely heavily on the veracity and accuracy of intel and research. For years, they have drawn indirectly on information from climate scientists, including those at CSIRO, who monitor climate patterns closely and model what is to come. It's the sort of information that the ADF uses to define strategic risks and allocate resources. Even more fundamentally, a stable climate is the bedrock of international peace and security. Climate change is altering this calculus and the militaries around the world are attentive. The US Department of Defence recently released its most comprehensive climate policy yet, the "Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Directive", in preparation for the coming impacts of climate change. Understanding how climate change is unfolding in different countries and regions in terms of rate of change, exact locations and specific impacts lies at the heart of security planning in this new epoch of the Anthropocene. This brings us to an interesting junction. The Defence white paper also identifies climate change as a threat to ADF bases, with rising sea levels named as a specific risk to naval bases and worsening extreme weather as a risk to wider Defence facilities and infrastructure. However, many of the existing ADF assessments on exactly where and how sea-level rise will impact have thus far relied heavily on the analysis and modelling efforts of CSIRO's Ocean and Atmosphere division. Although Hobhouse was at the time a farmer in Somerset, his book caught worldwide attention and was translated into a dozen languages. Henry Hobhouse, who has died aged 91, was best known as the author of a remarkable book published in 1985, Seeds of Change. Many readers said that it was impossible, after reading it, ever to see world history over the past 500 years in quite the same way again. What made it so original was how it brought to light the astonishing extent to which human history has been shaped by five plants. With a mastery of technical and historical detail, Hobhouse began the first of his stories with the serendipitous event in 1638 when the dying wife of a Spanish viceroy in Lima was cured of malaria. What brought her recovery was the bark of a tree growing 800 kilometres north in the Andes, where malaria itself was unknown, but which the local "Indians" used to treat any fever. Until this chance discovery of the miraculous properties of quinine, malaria was the greatest killer of human beings across half the world. Quinine enabled Europeans to conquer India and great tracts of Africa. Hobhouse showed how even the search in the late 19th century for a way to synthesise quinine led directly to the creation of later synthetic products, from pharmaceuticals to plastics, which have became so crucial to modern civilisation. Hobhouse's second "seed of change" was sugar, to which the British became so addicted that by the 18th century it was the most traded commodity in the world. This was dependent on the horrific treatment of millions of African slaves transported to the Caribbean islands and America. Even more was history changed by cotton, which again, in the southern US, depended on slavery, leading in 1861 to the second bloodiest war of the 19th century. But it had also created the horrors of those Lancashire mill towns to which most of that cotton was exported, inspiring Engels and Marx to conceive the revolutionary ideology which was to be so powerful in shaping the 20th century. The instructions were clear. Governor Lachlan Macquarie wrote in his diary in April 1816 that he felt compelled to "inflict terrible and exemplary punishments" upon Indigenous people living on the outskirts of Sydney. Genevieve Grieves' Remember is "like a remembrance wall that you'd find at a war memorial" to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Appin massacre. Credit:Peter Rae Macquarie's diary, held at the university named in his honour, records that three military detachments were deployed to clear the country entirely of "hostile natives". "In the event of the natives making the smallest show of resistance the officers commanding the military parties have been authorised to fire on them to compel them to surrender; hanging up on trees the bodies of such natives as may be killed on such occasions, in order to strike the greater terror into the survivors," Macquarie wrote. "How strange to have a paper love." Devotees of the bestselling works of Nick Bantock will recognise that this sentiment comes from Griffin Moss, the reclusive London postcard designer. His declarative wonder is directed towards Sabine Strohem, fellow artist and soulmate who lives in the South Pacific. Twenty-five years ago, their correspondence first delighted romantics and lovers of the humble epistle in Griffin & Sabine, Bantock's picture book for adults. With surreal and dreamy images adorning their fictional postcards and letters, Griffin and Sabine were one another's creative muses and Bantock's book became a classic; a gorgeously tactile hybrid of words and pictures. The Pharos Gate completes the Griffin & Sabine series Nick Bantock began 25 years ago. His subsequent books (including Sabine's Notebook and The Golden Mean) continued to climb the bestseller lists and now there's a final volume in the series, The Pharos Gate. Visually it's as decorative as the others, and constructed in the same multimedia manner: with letters that have to be plucked from their envelopes a canny literary ploy that offers the reader a voyeuristic thrill. Bantock calls it "the missing link that ends the first trilogy and signposts the second". Asked why he took so long to produce The Pharos Gate, he denies it was pressure from his fans or his publisher. Channel Nine's 60 Minutes has denied filming a child snatch operation in Lebanon that was alleged to have involved gunman and an assault on a grandmother. 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown and a film crew were detained by police as they reported on an operation to retrieve two Australian children in Beirut on Thursday. A controversial Europe based child-recovery agency is thought to have recovered the children of Brisbane woman Sally Faulkner from an address in Beirut. CSIRO chief Larry Marshall has ruled out any discrimination against staff on the basis of union affiliation or location despite internal emails showing such factors might play a role during the agency's painful job cuts. Private emails released to a Senate inquiry last week included one noting a staff member whose age was "over 60" and with "strong union links". Another email has a CSIRO official pledging to work to "minimise impacts at Hobart" because of the need to address employment losses in Tasmania, "a regional political issue". Dr Marshall was questioned over the issue at the latest Senate committee hearing on Thursday in Canberra examining the process and rationale behind CSIRO's plans to lop 350 jobs, including many climate scientists, and to rehire any staff in other growth areas over the next two years. The staff union says job losses may reach 450. It was the day before Easter in Drake, a sleepy village in northern NSW, when the peace was interrupted by a helicopter depositing Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on a sporting field behind the popular local pub, the Lunatic Hotel. Drake is just a 40-minute drive from Mr Joyce's second electorate office in Tenterfield but his office insists a helicopter was the best option to avoid a four-hour drive from his home base in Tamworth. It was his second chopper ride to the village in less than a year. The latest Drake visit, which will cost the public almost $4000, happened two days after the Turnbull government released a long-awaited review into parliamentary entitlements sparked by the "choppergate" scandal that engulfed former speaker Bronwyn Bishop and sent Tony Abbott's prime ministership into a final nosedive. The review called for clear guidelines so the "use of charter transport must constitute value for money, and in particular that, in the absence of compelling reasons, helicopters cannot be chartered to cover short distances". Federal Labor is seriously considering a royal commission into the banking sector, with the proposal to be formally considered by the shadow cabinet in the coming days. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten lashed the federal government for inaction over scandals at the major banks on Thursday, while a second Coalition MP, Warren Entsch, called for such an inquiry into the "immoral conduct" of the major banks. Speculation rippled through Canberra that Mr Shorten had been poised to announce the inquiry at an afternoon press conference - a fact highlighted by Treasurer Scott Morrison after Mr Shorten's office contacted Westpac in the morning - but the Opposition Leader stopped short of making the announcement. Well-placed Labor sources said Mr Shorten remained "on board" with the move, which would happen if Labor wins the next election, but the federal Opposition did not want to rush the process, nor be seen to be simply trying to one up Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after he rebuked the banks in a major speech at Westpac on Wednesday. Orange: If Tony Abbott is hoping for another stint in The Lodge, the comeback trail might well begin in Orange. The former prime minister was mobbed by supporters, young and old, as he and other Pollie Pedallers downshifted gears into the town's Robertson Park on Thursday afternoon. Foremost among the cheer squad was Sharyn Aiken, a former constituent who left Sydney's northern beaches for Orange five years ago. Hard-to-miss in her cobalt blue "Tony Abbott for Warringah" t-shirt, Ms Aiken wasn't shy about seeking out an audience with her hero. Tony Abbott says there has been "more continuity than discontinuity" between his government and Malcolm Turnbull's and flagged he will continue to defend his record as Prime Minister arguing that doing so is in the Coalition's interests. The former prime minister said he was proud of his legacy, which he said also belonged to Mr Turnbull given he was a senior member of the Abbott government. Two weeks ago, Mr Turnbull unknowingly appropriated a catchprase from the US satirical sitcom Veep and said the Coalition had experienced "continuity and change" with the leadership transition. Veep comedy writer Simon Blackwell later described the phrase as the "most meaningless slogan" his team could devise. This is merely the latest calamity in Australia's economic transition - an unalloyed disaster for thousands of workers and related businesses. Yet unfortunately, it is also a harbinger of broader decline. A powerful symbol of the essential vulnerability of Australia's once dominant manufacturing sector, whose demise threatens a cascading effect through the economy and would signal the end of related competencies as diverse as medical equipment innovation, and defence and heavy engineering. The company itself has mismanaged its way to a staggering $2.8 billion in debt through foolhardy mining ventures and misfortune. The state's Labor Treasurer, Tom Koutsantonis, has resisted politics, suggesting rather that the federal Industry Minister, fellow South Australian Christopher Pyne, has engaged actively in the search for solutions. As a parochially inclined marginal seat MP, Pyne has dismissed a bailout as "a very blunt instrument", which is code for saying it will not happen, but Pyne went on to all but award the stricken company an $80 million contract for 72,000 tonnes of steel for the Adelaide-Tarcoola railway. That should help, but short of an actual bail-out, significant restructuring of the company with accompanying job losses is probably the best the town and the vulnerable South Australian economy can hope for. In the end it wasn't the carbon tax's python squeeze or its wrecking ball that put the town on its knees. The slow and painful death of manufacturing has that covered. The gross over-representation of Aboriginal people in prison is a "national disgrace" and should be tackled by abolishing controversial mandatory sentences for a range of minor offences, the nation's peak body for barristers has urged. High rate of indigenous incarceration: Nigel Scullion. Credit:Ben Rushton In a plan unveiled on Friday, the Australian Bar Association called on state and territory governments to scrap or amend mandatory sentencing laws for crimes including minor assaults, driving offences and petty theft. The laws, which differ significantly between jurisdictions, are partly to blame for the disproportionately high rate of incarceration of Indigenous Australians, who account for approximately 24 per cent of the prison population but just 3 per cent of the general population. The mother-in-law of Islamic State jihadist Khaled Sharrouf has returned to Sydney after failing to recover her grandchildren from Syria - but she has vowed to try again. ABC's 7.30 reported on Thursday night that Karen Nettleton's plan to rescue her grandchildren was foiled after intense media attention deterred people who may have helped her, and she was told that remaining in Turkey would put her grandchildren at greater risk. "I'm coming back, I'm not going to leave them here ... It might take three, four, five attempts. Don't under estimate the determination of this nanna," Ms Nettleton told the program before she left. Ms Nettleton's daughter Tara, who died from complications associated with appendicitis, was the wife of notorious terrorist Sharrouf and had five children with him. It was always going to be a big deal - building thousands of new homes in one of the most significant sites of colonial heritage in Australia. And then the British monarchy got involved. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, has shown a personal interest in a major development project in western Sydney. The heir to the throne, Prince Charles, met with NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes in London in February, where particular discussion focused on plans to revamp North Parramatta. And, it is not even the first time the pair have chatted about the proposal to transform a 30-hectare site, which is home to dozens of heritage buildings, into a new residential community on the fringe of Parramatta's CBD. A naked man was found standing in the water over the body of a naked woman when police officers responded to reports of an assault at a ferry wharf in Sydney's inner west overnight, police say. Concerned residents called triple zero about 11.30pm on Thursday after hearing screaming and yelling at Cabarita Wharf, on the southern side of the Parramatta River at Cabarita. Detective Superintendent Mark Jones said the first officers arrived to find a 35-year-old man standing over the 27-year-old woman, who had cuts to her face and was floating in about 30 centimetres of water. Officers pulled the woman to the shore and performed CPR on her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. One of Australia's leading think tanks will host a jobs summit in Brisbane this month on the back of employment data showing the changing face of Queensland's industry. The Australia Institute will host a range of government and industry speakers at the morning summit on April 26 focussing on Queensland's jobs growth potential. A jobs summit in Brisbane this month will look at the city's future employment scene and how it is expected to evolve. Deputy premier Jackie Trad, treasurer Curtis Pitt, environment minister Steven Miles and economists Saul Eslake and Professor John Quiggin will present keynote speeches about the state's employment situation along with a range of industry speakers from commerce and unions. Keynote speaker Mr Eslake said with the mining boom over Queensland's employment landscape had changed forever. A paramedic has been injured while attempting to treat a patient who was electrocuted on the Gold Coast. A spokeswoman for Queensland Ambulance said the paramedic received an electric shock and was taken to hospital in a stable condition. A man has died after suffering an electric shock on the Gold Coast. Credit:Seven News The man who was being treated was unable to be revived despite urgent attempts from paramedics. Earlier reports that the man had been working on solar panels proved to be untrue, it is believed he had been attempting to install a powerpoint in the home of a family member. Charles Watson, convicted of seven first-degree murders in 1971, does not dispute that he stabbed, shot and mutilated several people to death. Nor does he deny being "the right-hand man" of the cult leader and killer Charles Manson. But Watson, still serving a life term in Ione, California, does reportedly want to set the record straight on a couple of scores: last week, someone claiming to be the 70-year-old convict submitted a list of meticulous corrections to Wikipedia. Charles Watson at the time he was jailed. Among other things, the person claiming to be Watson disputes that he took $70 from one of his victim's purses, or that he ever went by the nickname "Mad Charlie." He also wants the world to know he attended Cal State, not the University of California and that, four years after his infamous killing spree, he converted to Christianity. The requests, which were made on a print-out copy of Watson's Wikipedia page dated February 16, reached Wikipedia via a little-known process that lets non-editors suggest changes to the site. Watson's request was processed on Thursday when a volunteer noted it in the discussion thread on his page, and became public earlier this week when it was reported by the Wikipedia watch blog The Wikipedian. "They are really worried for their future," Mr Davis said. "No one wants to go through this." Australian Workers Union state secretary Ben Davis said the company employs more than 8000 workers nationally, including 1000 Victorians across sites in Laverton North, Sunshine, Altona, Lyndhurst, Port Melbourne and Geelong. The South Australian-based steel and mining company, which suspended trading on Wednesday, has appointed Grant Thornton as administrators. The jobs of 1000 Victorian workers are in jeopardy after national steelmaker Arrium entered voluntary administration. Mr Davis said Arrium's mills in Victoria could continue to operate even if the plant in Whyalla was shut down. He said day-to-day operations continued as usual on Thursday, and workers were still being paid, after executive control was handed to the administrators. "It's going to take some time for the administrators to work through it, and there will be no job losses in the short term," he said. The Victorian government said it had been talking with the company, the administrator, the union and Australian Steel Institute about the news, and had been advised the company would continue to operate. Arrium, formerly known as OneSteel, has faced a decline in iron ore and steel prices in recent years. Shares were put in a trading halt on Monday and were suspended on Wednesday after failed discussions with lenders over a funding deal. Protesters plan to crash a dinner in Melbourne attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and key Liberal Party figures that will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the Howard Government's election. The Refugee Action Collective has invited members to a protest against offshore processing outside the Harbour Esplanade venue, Peninsula, in Docklands on Friday night. The Liberal Party flyer for the $1100-a-head event. The $1100-a-head sold-out function is being hosted by the Liberal Party and will feature speeches from Mr Turnbull, former prime minister John Howard and Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy. Several state and federal ministers and MPs are also expected to attend the event. A bank card and a few possessions; that's what Kylie Blackwood's life was taken for. August 1 marks three years since the suburban wife and mother was cruelly killed in her own home in what is believed to be a bungled burglary in Pakenham in Melbourne's south-east. Her death remains unsolved, but in what homicide squad detectives say is their most significant breakthrough yet, they have linked a white car captured on CCTV to a man who was seen lurking at the Blackwood family home before and after the murder. Footage shows the car, believed to be a late model Nissan Tiida sedan with a rear spoiler, driving into and out of Balmoral Way, which runs off McCaffrey Rise, where the Blackwood family lived, between midday and the early afternoon. The clean-up of almost 50,000 litres of petrol spilled from a crashed tanker in regional Victoria may take weeks. Emergency crews have managed to lift the B-double truck upright again after it hit a power pole and flipped onto its side in Inglewood, near Bendigo, on Wednesday night. The fuel tanker was travelling north on the highway when the driver lost control entering Inglewood on a sweeping bend about 7.45pm, police said. The 50,000-litre tanker, which was carrying a mixed load of petrol and diesel, rolled onto its side, crashing into fences and narrowly missing a house. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is attempting to keep alive the dumped East West Link with the ongoing offer of $3 billion for the controversial tollway, but is so far offering just $10 million for the Melbourne Metro project. In a letter which has apparently not yet been received by Premier Daniel Andrews or Treasurer Tim Pallas, federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has reiterated former prime minister Tony Abbott's "locked box" promise to hand over $3 billion to the first Victorian government prepared to build the East West Link, which was sensationally scrapped by the Andrews Government after the 2014 state election. The letter, provided to The Age, states: "Our offer of $3 billion still stands should any Victorian Government choose to proceed with the project." Australia's auditor-general late last year recommended that the Commonwealth take action to recover $1.5 billion of federal money hastily given to Victoria by Mr Abbott for the road. But in an apparent act of conciliation, the letter reveals efforts will not be undertaken to claw the money back. The Malaysian cosmetics clinic where medical tourist Leigh Aiple underwent surgery before his death has defended the care he received. The Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur has released a statement saying Mr Aiple received "the best of medical and surgical care" and that steps were taken to minimise "all possible risks" associated with his surgery. Mr Aiple died in his mother's arms in Melbourne after a blood clot in his calf travelled to his lungs on May 12, 2014, hours after he had returned home on an international flight. The cause of death was recorded as a pulmonary embolism linked to deep vein thrombosis, with risk factors including recent surgery and air travel The Victorian coroner is investigating after a push by lawyers Maurice Blackburn on behalf of the family. "Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre and our team had given the best of medical and surgical care to Leigh throughout his stay for medical treatment here," the clinic said in a statement emailed to Fairfax Media on Thursday night. People could soon change the gender on their birth certificates without having to undergo sex reassignment surgery. The Victorian attorney-general's department has signalled that it is working to "remove barriers to new birth certificates for trans, gender diverse and intersex Victorians", in line with a Victorian Labor election commitment. Lawyer Anna Brown: ''Being transgender is not an illness.'' Credit:Eddie Jim In a letter to a parent of a transgender child, the attorney-general's chief of staff advised that the office was "progressing work to address discrimination in Victoria's birth certificate laws". The current laws are complex and confusing. If a person wants to change the gender on their certificate, they must be unmarried, 18 years of age or over, and to have undergone sex reassignment surgery. The Turnbull government wants to wrest control from the states for key infrastructure decisions, including Melbourne's $10.9 billion Melbourne Metro Rail project. In an ominous sign for the Andrews government's flagship project ahead of the May 3 federal budget, Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher has suggested the federal government wants powers to veto state infrastructure decisions that involve federal cash. "Where the Commonwealth provides funds for a major infrastructure project it will reserve the right to impose conditions, including Commonwealth approval being required for key decisions in relation to the project," Mr Fletcher said in a speech on Tuesday to the Centre for Independent Studies. In February the Andrews government released a business case for the cross-city rail project, concluding it would return $1.10 for every $1 invested using conservative assumptions, or $1.50 after including so-called wider economic benefits. Ever wondered how many kilojoules you need to burn to run off that burger? Now fast food restaurants will have to tell you. Laws announced on Thursday will require Victorian fast food outlets to list the energy content of their menu items. The legislation will apply to all food chains with at least 20 venues in Victoria, or 50 venues nationwide. Such chains will be required to display the average adult daily intake of 8700 kilojoules at the point of sale. Supermarkets will also be required to label unpackaged and ready-to-eat items. A Perth woman who allegedly threatened a driver with a blood-filled syringe before stealing the man's car on Wednesday has been arrested by police. The 30-year-old Armadale woman is alleged to have approached a vehicle on Bulwer Street in Highgate around 1.30pm. An Armadale woman will face court after allegedly threatening a driver with a blood-filled syringe. A police spokeswoman said the woman then threatened the driver. "It will be alleged about 1.30pm the woman approached a green Toyota Camry on Bulwer Street and threatened the driver, a 20-year-old man from Kelmscott, with a pen and what is believed to be a blood filled syringe," she said. Beirut: Islamic State fighters have kidnapped scores of workers in an area northeast of Damascus after launching an attack on government forces there this week, Syrian state television and a monitoring group said on Thursday. State TV quoted the industry ministry as saying 300 workers and contractors of Al Badia Cement were taken from near the town of Dumeir and that the company had lost all contact with them. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights later gave a figure of around 170 workers who had been abducted from the cement factory and taken to undisclosed areas controlled by the militants in the Damascus suburbs. Copenhagen: Danish police arrested four people on Thursday at different addresses near Copenhagen on suspicion of having been recruited by Islamic State in Syria to commit terrorist violence. Ammunitions and weapons were found in a connected search, the police said. Danish police after searching an apartment in Ishoej on Thursday. Credit:Polfoto "All four suspects are accused of having violated the penal code ... by allowing themselves to be recruited by Islamic State in Syria to commit terrorists acts," a statement by Copenhagen police said. Channel Nine has aired dramatic footage of children being snatched from the street in an operation that was alleged to have involved gunmen and an assault on a grandmother. Reporter Tara Brown and a film crew from 60 Minutes were detained by police as they reported on the operation to retrieve two Australian children in Lebanon on Thursday. Footage aired by Nine News on Thursday night purported to show the moment the children were taken. In the surveillance footage, two women walk along a footpath with children in tow as three men slowly get out of a car next to them. Dhaka: Attackers in Bangladesh wielding machetes have killed another liberal blogger, the latest in series of murders of secular activists by suspected Islamist militants. Postgraduate law student Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was attacked as he was returning from a class at his university in the capital, Dhaka, late on Wednesday, police said. Bangladeshi students protest seeking the arrest of three motorcycle-riding assailants who hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death. Credit:AP Last year, suspected militants killed five secular writers and a publisher, including a Bangladeshi-American activist. A banned Islamist militant group, Ansarullah Bangla Team, claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the publication of the so-called Panama Papers, calling the leak of millions of documents relating to confidential offshore accounts a Western plot against Russia. The comments were Putin's first public reaction to the leak of documents from a Panamanian law firm that for decades has helped some of the world's most prominent leaders set up offshore accounts, shell companies and other transactions. Also on Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted that he had personally profited from his father's offshore dealings. The British prime minister said he had sold his own slice of his father's offshore investment fund, Blairmore, just months before becoming prime minister. London: British Prime Minister David Cameron had a stake in an offshore fund set up by his late father, Ian, until six years ago, he said, answering for the first time the question of whether he ever benefited from the investment. The Prime Minister has been under intense pressure to give details of his interests in the Blairmore Holdings Inc. fund since it was mentioned in reports that emerged following the leak of millions of documents from a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies. He previously said only that he, his wife Samantha and their children hold no offshore funds now and will not in the future. "Samantha and I had a joint account," Mr Cameron said in an interview with ITV News on Thursday. "We owned 5000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010," a few months before he became prime minister. The stake "was worth something like 30,000 ($78,000)". Brussels: Belgian prosecutors have appealed for help to find a man suspected of leaving a bomb at Brussels Airport on March 22, saying they're keen to find a coat he discarded and to speak to people who saw him on his hour-long walk back into the city. Federal prosecutors released new pictures of the suspect, dubbed the "man in the hat", who appeared to arrive at the airport with two suicide bombers and left along with passengers after the first two bombs exploded. There were reports that investigators had arrested the man in the days following the attacks, but the claims proved false. Montclair, New Jersey: As a New York high school student checked her phone for the results of her university admissions applications, she was overcome by disbelief. One by one, each relayed the same news: Harvard. Yes. Dartmouth. Yes. Princeton. Yes. The University of Pennsylvania. Yes. Cornell, Yale, Columbia, Brown: yes, yes, yes, yes. Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna boosted her admission score by taking the hardest classes at school. Credit:ABC7 It was March 31, the emotion-filled day when Ivy League universities posted their decisions online. And Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, a senior at Elmont Memorial High School, Long Island, became the second student there to pull off an exceedingly rare feat: She swept all eight. She screamed. Then she cried. PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of public health, social development, and labor Emil Lee, recently returned from a fact finding mission to Columbia. As the Ministry has been forced to make budget cuts, as a show of support for cost cutting, Minister Lee financed his own travel expenses. The purpose of the visit was to get a first-hand assessment of the quality of healthcare that the people of St.Maarten receive when referred there. My instructions to Coomeva was that I wanted to be treated as a patient from SZV. I wanted to experience exactly what our people experience when they are referred to Columbia, from ground transportations, to hotels, to medical facilities said Minister Lee. During the visit, an assessment was made of Coomeva, who is a client representative for our public health insurance SZV, for patients from St.Maarten. An assessment was made on the quality of hotels, hospitals, transportation, and quality of medical care. The minister visited the cities of Cali, Bogota, and Medellin. Based on concerns of reports in St.Maarten, Minister Lee went with concerns about extended stays, mortality rates, the quality of care, and language. In his findings, Minister Lee concluded that he was very comfortable with Coomeva as a partner. Coomeva was very professional, transparent, and provided me with all information that I requested. Their quality of care seems excellent, many of their hospitals have international accreditation, many of their physicians are trained internationally. Overall, my experience was very positive said Minister Lee. Based on meetings, Ministry VSA has some follow up action points, which includes: finalizing an agreement between SZV and Coomeva, reviewing the entire referral process, and establishing improved protocols for communication. Other action points are: coordinating meetings on the island with reference to the review of business/care strategies, reviewing of the committee for patient referrals, exploring tele-medicine possibilities, and looking into the quality control protocols on the referral process. overall, I am very comfortable with the professionalism and capacity of our partnership with Coomeva, the quality of medical care and patient services in Columbia seems to be very capable. Clearly, there are areas for improvement in the relationship between St.Maarten and Colombia, and we will be working on this on short order concluded Minister Lee. PHILIPSBURG:--- USZV interim director Glen Carty signed contracts with three companies on Wednesday afternoon for the completion of the Government Administration Building located on Pond Island. The contractors are Lievense, Windward Roads and Windward Islands Electrical Company (WEC). The signing ceremony took place in the presence of several members of the Council of Ministers while Prime Minister William Marlin paved the way for the construction work by getting behind the wheels of a backhoe, a traditional act by elected officials to officially pave the way for the construction work to take place. The project is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2016, the contruction and completion of the building will be supervised by SZV project team. alpha-En Corporation Advances Development by Joining JCESR, a Leading Energy Research Partnership TARRYTOWN, NY (Marketwired) 04/06/16 alpha-En Corporation (OTC PINK: ALPE), an innovative clean technology company enabling next-generation battery technologies through the production of high purity lithium metal, announced today it has joined the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR). JCESR is a major research partnership that integrates government, academic, and industrial researchers to overcome critical scientific and technical barriers to create and advance new breakthrough energy storage technology. Sited at the U.S. Department of Energys , JCESR seeks to establish next-generation electricity storage through a new research paradigm that unites discovery science, battery design, research prototyping and manufacturing collaboration. JCESR focuses exclusively on beyond-lithium-ion energy storage. Prominent affiliate members of JCESR include advanced materials companies such as Dow and Corning; battery manufacturers such as Energizer, Johnson Controls and Lockheed Martin Advanced Energy Storage; Automotive companies such as General Motors; and electric power utilities such as Ameren and Exelon. Joining an established and focused research partnership with a large affiliate network provides us significant resources and opportunities for collaboration which are valuable to us as an emerging growth company, stated Steve Fludder, Chief Executive Officer of alpha-En. Our affiliation with JCESR also helps bridge the gap between R&D and the commercial market. The experts affiliated with JCESR will expand our resources, strengthen our existing partnership with Argonne National Laboratory, and help us expedite commercialization of our disruptive clean technology. JCESR is one of several DOE Energy Innovation Hubs, major integrated research centers involving many different institutions and technical backgrounds that combine basic and applied research with engineering to accelerate scientific discovery in critical energy areas. They are modeled after the strong scientific management characteristics of the Manhattan Project, Lincoln Lab at MIT that developed radar, and AT&T Bell Laboratories that developed the transistor. alpha-En Corporation (OTC PINK: ALPE) is an innovative clean technology company focused on enabling next generation battery technologies by developing and bringing to market high purity lithium metal and associated products produced in an environmentally sustainable manner. For more information, please visit . Except for the historical information herein, the matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect managements current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as they are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary materially. alpha-En Corporation assumes no obligation to update the information in this release. Reference to the Companys website above does not constitute incorporation of any of the information thereon into this press release Michael Feldman Alpha-En Corporation 914-418-2000 Rob Fink Hayden IR 646-415-8972 Isabelle Marcoux, Co-Chair of the Centraide of Greater Montreals 2016 Campaign MONTREAL, QUEBEC (Marketwired) 04/06/16 Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B) is pleased to announce that Ms. Isabelle Marcoux, Chair of the Board of Directors of Transcontinental Inc., will co-chair the Centraide of Greater Montreals 2016 campaign, one of the largest annual fund drives to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion in Montreal. Ms. Marcoux will co-chair the campaign with Mr. Mitch Garber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Caesars Acquisition Company and Chairman of Cirque du Soleil. It will be launched on September 29th at the March of 1,000 Umbrellas. It is with great enthusiasm that I have accepted to co-chair the Centraide of Greater Montreals 2016 campaign, said Ms. Isabelle Marcoux. I firmly believe that Centraide plays an essential role in our community, and I am proud to join forces with Mitch Garber and the executives who have generously agreed to be part of the 2016 cabinet in support of this cause, which affects us all. We are planning a dynamic and fruitful campaign, and together, we will make a difference. Each year, TC Transcontinental donates over 1% of its adjusted operating earnings to over 400 organizations. Over the past 30 years, the Corporation has contributed close to $6 million to Centraide, and many of its leaders are involved with the organization in various ways. In fact, Mr. Francois Olivier, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental, has been a member of the cabinet for the Major Donors Campaign for Centraide since 2014. In addition, Mr. Remi Marcoux, TC Transcontinentals founder, co-chaired Centraides 2006 campaign. About TC Transcontinental Canadas largest printer, with operations in print, flexible packaging, publishing and digital media, TC Transcontinentals mission is to create products and services that allow businesses to attract, reach and retain their target customers. Respect, teamwork, performance and innovation are strong values held by the Corporation and its employees. The Corporations commitment to all stakeholders is to pursue its business and philanthropic activities in a responsible manner. Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B), known as TC Transcontinental, has over 8,000 employees in Canada and the United States, and revenues of C$2.0 billion in 2015. Website Contacts: Media Nathalie St-Jean Senior Advisor, Communications TC Transcontinental 514-954-3581 Financial Community Jennifer F. McCaughey Vice President, Communications TC Transcontinental 514-954-2821 Winners of the innovation award Bio-based Material of the Year 2016? announced Yesterday evening, the Innovation Award Bio-based Material of the Year 2016 was awarded to three innovative materials in suitable applications. The competition focused on new developments in the bio-based economy, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2015 or 2016. The winners were elected by the participants of the 9th International Conference on Bio-based Materials in Cologne, Germany (www.bio-based.eu/conference). Award sponsor is InfraServ GmbH & Co. Knapsack KG, a service provider for the planning, construction and operation of plants and sites. The ?International Conference on Bio-based Materials? is a well established meeting point for companies working in the field of bio-based chemicals and materials. 200 participants, mainly from the industry and representing 25 countries, met in Cologne to discuss the latest developments in the sector. 24 companies presented their products and services at the exhibition. The event was supported by FKuR, Linotech and Livemold Trading. The discussions showed unexpected impacts of the low oil prices and a less favourable political framework on the bio-based economy: Bio-based drop-in chemical commodities fade more and more from the spotlight. On the other hand, special bio-based fine chemicals and materials for end products are more attractive than ever. Because of their new functionalities and properties, they are not in direct competition with conventional petrochemical products. This will enable them to conquer the market without the need for strong support simply because they have a lot to offer ? to the industry and to the consumer. Worldwide substantial investments are being made in this sector with high added value and strong market growth. The winners of the award are nice examples of this new generation of bio-based products with improved features. Six companies were nominated by the conference?s advisory board and experts from nova-Institute. Each nominee introduced its innovation in a short 10-minute presentation to the audience. The three winners were elected by the participants of the conference and announced at the Innovation Award Ceremony. nova-Institute and the award sponsor InfraServ GmbH & Co. Knapsack KG (DE), are proud to announce the winners of the ?Bio-based Material of the Year 2016?, which are from Belgium and Germany: 1) Orineo BVBA (BE) (www.orineo.com): Touch of Nature? ? Filled bio-based resin for stimulating biomaterials Orineo has developed a new range of biomaterials based on the 80% waste of your cup of coffee, coffee grounds. The biomaterials are designed for a 20 years? lifetime. Plenty of time for nature to replenish the feedstock! And it does not stop here. Branded as Touch of Nature?, these materials look good, feel good and perform well. One more step? Same story with used cork stoppers, berry seeds, olive leaves, to obtain a range of colours and patterns based on nature. It?s now commercial: liquid bio-based formulations for seamless floors, table and furniture surface based on these sidestreams. 2) Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH (DE) (www.corporate.evonik.com/de/unternehmen/segmente/nutrition-care/Pages/default.aspx): REWOFERM SL 446 ? Novel sophorolipid-type biosurfactant REWOFERM SL 446 is a novel sophorolipid-type biosurfactant. It is made by fermentation with a natural, non-GMO yeast using European sourced sugar and oil feedstock. Due to its environmentally benign production process, REWOFERM SL 446 has a low carbon footprint and a Renewable Carbon Index (RCI) of 100%. It exhibits an excellent toxicological and eco-toxicological profile and is completely biodegradable. It is compliant with EU Ecolabel requirements. It also behaves as a super-mild surfactant to the skin. Replacement of petro-based surfactants by REWOFERM SL 446 boosts the foaming and the grease removal efficiency in hand dish wash formulations. Thus, it is possible to increase both the performance and the ecological footprint of your cleaning formulations. 3) Covestro Deutschland AG (DE) (www.covestro.de): Impranileco ? Bio-based waterborne polyurethane dispersions for textile coatings Sustainability has an increasing impact on the product and raw-material purchasing decisions of consumers and brand owners. Covestro has developed a technology to raise the content of renewable resources in polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) up to 65%. This makes new levels of sustainability possible for PU synthetic materials (footwear, garment, accessories?). Thanks to this development, it is now possible to produce coated textiles with high performance and low content of fossil-based raw materials in each layer. The key benefits are: 43% ? 65% renewable carbon content, not in direct competition with the food chain; can be used in every layer of the production of synthetic materials or coated textiles; drop-in of existing Impranil PUD types, i.e. low reformulation efforts. Click here for more information on the six nominated candidates and the winners: http://www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de/award The following pictures can be downloaded at this link (please include the source): http://biowerkstoff-kongress.de/ ? 16-04-05_Collage_Innovation-Award_Winners.jpg: Collage of the winning products ? 16-04-05_Bio-based_Material_Award_Winners.jpg: The winners of the Innovation Award ?Bio-based Materials of the Year 2016?: v.l.t.r.: Michael Carus, Florence Aeschelmann (both nova-Institute), Philippe Willems (Orineo), Gordana Hofmann-Jovic (InfraServ Knapsack), Dr. Dirk Kuppert (Evonik), Dr. Gesa Behnken (Covestro) ? 16-04-05_Award_Winners_Sponsor_and_Organizer.jpg: v.l.t.r.: Gordana Hofman-Jovic (InfraServ Knapsack), Michael Carus (nova-Institute), Boke Tjeerdsma and Philippe Willems (both Orineo) nova-Institute is a private and independent institute, founded in 1994; nova offers research and consultancy with a focus on bio-based and CO2-based economy in the fields of feedstock, techno-economic evaluation, markets, LCA, dissemination, B2B communication and policy. Today, nova-Institute has 25 employees and an annual turnover of more than 2 million ?. Multimedia Platforms Unveils New FrontiersMedia Website Powered by WiRLD FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (Marketwired) 04/06/16 Multimedia Platforms, Inc. (OTCQB: MMPW) (MMPW or the Company), the only publicly traded LGBT media company, today announces the unveiling of the website powered by the WiRLD user interface (UI) which includes the first-of-its-kind rewards program for reading stories, watching videos and sharing Frontiers content. features an integrated LGBTQ powered solution for advertising partners to connect and engage WiRLD members and site visitors globally with the first-of-its-kind rewards partnership program. The WiRLD UI is currently in beta, attracting LGBTQ members to read stories, watch videos and share with friends and other members. In doing so, members earn reward tokens redeemable for a variety of unique offers targeted towards the LGBTQ consumer. We are excited to launch the new website powered by the WiRLD UI that is optimized across all digitally connected devices. Our loyal online Frontiers fans will now be able to earn reward tokens through our reward loyalty program for reading stories, watching videos, sharing stories with their friends and engaging with our advertisers and partners. Members will be able redeem reward tokens for a variety of gifts, goods, services, hospitality and travel along with sweepstake entries for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. This is our unique value proposition to have our audience participate in having a relationship with our brand, content and advertisers that we have been so proud to provide to our Southern California and global readers for the past 35 years, says Michael Turner, Publisher of Frontiers and President of Media Ventures and Digital Media. Bobby Blair, Chief Executive Officer of Multimedia Platforms, comments, With our mission to be the worlds largest LGBTQ media company, the roll-out of the new website powered by the WiRLD UI is our first step to showcase why for us digital content aligned with our audience in local markets across the U.S. is an important strategy in our success around how we will build real value with our audience and members. This is our first step of many that we intend to make in 2016 that will showcase the power of the WiRLD user interface and the ability to connect locally, nationally and globally with the LGBTQ online-mobile community. : Multimedia Platforms Inc. (MMPW) is an industry-leading multimedia, technology and publishing company that delivers content and advertising to one of the most sought-after demographics in the world the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) population. MMPWs top brands include Frontiers magazine, Florida Agenda, FunMaps re-branded as WiRLD City Guides, Guy magazine re-branded as Next Florida and Next magazine, representing approximately 7.5 million readers and more than 4 million unique online visitors annually. For more information please visit or follow us on Twitter at . Any statements that are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements as that term is defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA), which statements may be identified by words such as expects, plans, projects, will, may, anticipates, believes, should, intends, estimates, and other words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions or orders that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions, the performance of management and our employees, our ability to obtain financing or required licenses, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in our periodic reports and on documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and the companies do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA. Capital Markets Group, LLC Valter Pinto PH: 1.914.669.0222 x201 Email: Metalogix Launches Worldwide Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365 Roadshow WASHINGTON, DC (Marketwired) 04/06/16 , the premier provider of unified software to migrate, manage and secure content across enterprise collaboration platforms, today announced the launch of a worldwide . Featuring talks from the worlds leading Microsoft MVPs, consultants, and other experts, IT professionals across Asia Pacific, Europe and North America will have the opportunity to hone their skills and fortify their knowledgebase on such critical topics as how to improve business productivity, increase security and enhance operational efficiency. In addition, Metalogix will appear and present at other notable industry events during the month, including SharePoint Saturday and SharePoint Fest DC. Last but not least, Metalogix will continue its webinar series on critical issues relating to SharePoint and Office 365 addressing such topics as archiving, compliance, E-discovery, and the EUs General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) global consequences. During April 2016, Metalogix will appear and present at the following events: The Microsoft and Metalogix SharePoint 2016 & Office 365 Roadshow April July 2016 Asia Pacific, Europe and North America Each full day event will provide attendees with the opportunity to engage with local SharePoint and Office 365 MVPs to learn more about how to improve business productivity, increase security and enhance operational efficiency within business organizations. Ample time will also be allotted for networking (and participating in raffles). SharePoint Saturday During the month of April, Metalogix will be participating at SharePoint Saturday events across the U.S. and Canada. SharePoint Saturday is an educational, informative and lively day filled with sessions from respected SharePoint professionals and MVPs, covering a wide variety of SharePoint-oriented topics. Houston, Texas (April 9): Calgary, Canada (April 23): Twin Cities, Minnesota ( April 23): SharePoint Fest DC April 27-29, 2016 Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Washington, D.C.) Metalogix Booth: D3 SharePoint Fest brings together Microsoft Certified Trainers, Engineers and MVPs to discuss and teach technical classes and workshops on topics ranging from enterprise content management (ECM), social SharePoint, SharePoint and Office 365 implementation/management best practices, and much more. Slippery Slope of Migration Metalogixs Adam Levithan, Product Manager, and Jill Hannemann, Practice Director for SharePoint Advisory Services, Portal Solutions Metalogix and Portal Solutions to host a SharePint Reception April 28, 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. RSVP Here: During April 2016, Metalogix will present the following live webinars: Office 365 to SharePoint 2016: Delivering SharePoint Storage Best Practices in Three Easy Steps April 7 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time This webinar will present storage best practices for Office 365 and SharePoint 2016. Attendees will learn how Microsoft has improved its SharePoint storage architecture to deliver Office 365 for todays business and organizational needs. Topics covered will include how to reevaluate strategies based on SharePoint 2016s new storage limits and boundaries, improve performance, overcome limitations, and how to deliver the same Office 365 storage architecture to on-premises SharePoint. Paul LaPorte, Director of Product Marketing, Metalogix How Data Breach Concerns and Changes in Collaboration Practices Are Impacting SharePoint IT Pros April 14 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time Life is tough for SharePoint administrators. Not only are they dealing with growing numbers of sites, users and content but now the IT world is throwing new problems in their direction. As the pressure to secure content within SharePoints walls increases so do the penalties for not securing that content enough. Even something as relatively straightforward as a back-up presents an issue with several new regulations. Join Dr. Steve Marsh and Jai Dargan from the Metalogix Administration, Security and Compliance Team as they share their experiences and insights helping companies comply with todays regulations and preparing them avoid upcoming penalties. Dr. Steve Marsh, Snr. Director of Product Management and Marketing, and Jai Dargan, Product Manager, Metalogix How Painless Archive Management Before the eDiscovery Request April 21 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time Electronic information is increasingly being used as evidence in legal proceedings. Yet, its not just being requested by the legal team. Increasingly those requests are coming from auditors and human resources professionals who are turning to IT administrators to not only understand eDiscovery requests but to do the heavy lifting when it comes to understanding legal holds. Join us as we explore the role of the archive manager during an eDiscovery event and the disruptive nature of activities an administrator may be asked to execute. The stakes are high when failure results in large fines, lost lawsuits and personal accountability. Preparation increases that success, reduces risk and decreases the potential for legal oversight. Paul LaPorte, Director of Product Marketing, Metalogix For a continuously updated listing of Metalogix events, please visit: . For a continuously updated listing of Metalogix webinars, please visit: . : .@Metalogix >> Want to learn more about how to master #Microsoft #SharePoint & #Office365? & is the premier provider of unified management software to migrate, manage and secure content across enterprise collaboration platforms. Over 20,000 clients trust Metalogix to optimize the availability, performance, and security of their content across the collaboration lifecycle. For more information visit us at or call us at +1 202.609.9100. Metalogix is a registered trademark of Metalogix, Inc. All other trademarks used are the property of the respective trademark owners. Sabrina Sanchez The Ventana Group (925) 785-3014 Nicole Gorman The Ventana Group (508) 397-0131 Spark Networks(R) Announces First Quarter 2016 Subscriber Metrics LOS ANGELES, CA (Marketwired) 04/06/16 (NYSE MKT: LOV), a leader in creating communities that help individuals form life-long relationships, today announced subscriber metrics for the first quarter of 2016. In Q1 our average subscriber base declined by 0.2% compared to last quarter, with our average Jewish Networks subscribers down 1.1% and our average Christian Network subscribers up 0.2%. Our quarterly average MAUs on mobile applications reached 337,952, growing 6.2% relative to Q4, with our strongest performance coming from our Christian brands, stated Michael Egan, Spark Networks Chief Executive Officer. We continue to make very solid progress against our core 2016 initiatives. JSwipe, our mobile dating application focused on the millennial Jewish community formally launched its first premium feature at the beginning of March (Super Swipe). In a single month, this initial feature has already attracted just over 600 subscribers (accounted for in our Jewish Networks numbers) at an average revenue per user that is comparable to our company average. Though it is still very early days, we are seeing solid adoption of the new Super Swipe feature, and most importantly, the feature is contributing to more successful interactions for those using it, with twice the likelihood of matching when compared to normal swipes. The JSwipe team is on pace to roll out a suite of additional premium features in Q2. We believe this new product portfolio will be a significant new channel of paid subscribers for our Jewish Networks franchise. We are also making progress with our CrossPaths mobile application aimed at the millennial Christian community. Weve embarked on a national roll out of the application, and are close to completing a consolidation onto the JSwipe platform, enabling CrossPaths to both benefit from JSwipes new premium features and accelerate the launch of its Android application. Finally, we recently signed our third large church, with approximately 15,000 single adults, to our ChristianMingle Church program. This doubles the programs audience month-over-month to over 25,000 single adults. We expect all three churches to be live on ChristianMingle in early Q2. The Church program is another example of our ability to leverage ChristianMingles leadership in Christian dating. The fact that the site is responsible for more marriages than any other site amongst church-going Christians in the United States makes it a clear choice for church leaders when advising their members about dating alternatives. Our Church program also provides valuable benefits to our existing community as these new members are concentrated in specific local areas and acquired organically with minimal direct marketing investment. We are pleased with the pace of improvements we are making and our prospects moving forward, concluded Egan. Today, Sparks Board also authorized an increase in the availability under its existing stock repurchase plan to $5.0 million, up from $2.6 million at the end of 2015. The repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, including pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, at prices that the Company deems appropriate and subject to market conditions, applicable law, including Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and other factors deemed relevant in the Companys sole discretion. The Company is not obligated to repurchase any dollar amount or any number of shares of common stock, and the program may be suspended, discontinued or modified at any time, for any reason and without notice. (1) In accordance with Segment Reporting guidance, the companys financial reporting includes detailed data on our separate operating segments. The Jewish Networks segment consists of the companys JDate.com, JDate.co.il, JDate.fr, JDate.co.uk, JSwipe and Cupid.co.il Web sites and their respective co-branded Web sites. The Christian Networks segment consists of the companys ChristianMingle.com, CrossPaths, ChristianMingle.co.uk, ChristianMingle.com.au, Believe.com, ChristianCards.net, ChristianDating.com, DailyBibleVerse.com and Faith.com Web sites. The Other Networks segment consists of Spark.com and related other general market Web sites as well as other properties which are primarily composed of sites targeted towards various religious, ethnic, geographic and special interest groups. (2) Paying Subscribers are defined as individuals who have paid a monthly fee for access to communication and Web site features beyond those provided to our members. Period ending subscribers for each quarter represent the paying subscriber count as of the last day of the period. Average paying subscribers for each month are calculated as the sum of the paying subscribers at the beginning and end of the month, divided by two. Average paying subscribers for periods longer than one month are calculated as the sum of the average paying subscribers for each month, divided by the number of months in such period. (3) Total Period Ending Subscribers and Total Average Paying Subscribers exclude results from the companys HurryDate business due to its relative size. (4) Mobile monthly active users are calculated based on the number of unique users accessing our mobile properties in a given month. The metric average mobile monthly active users is used for periods longer than one month and is calculated as the sum of the mobile monthly active users, divided by the number of months in such period. (5) ChristianMingle Android application was launched in late Q4 2014, however user activity was immaterial. (6) Jewish Networks Q4 2015 figures include the post-acquisition impact of JSwipe. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding our positioning for continued growth gains in 2016 as a result of the redesign of our JDate and ChristianMingle websites, and our belief that these newly redesigned websites will help drive subscriber growth, particularly in the first quarter of 2016. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Written words, such as may, will, expect, believe, anticipate, estimate, intends, goal, objective, seek, attempt, or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially, including, but not limited to our ability to: successfully implement our strategy to stabilize our subscriber base and grow; avoid significant subscriber declines; attract and retain members; convert members into paying subscribers and retain our paying subscribers; retain and enhance the new marketing team; develop or acquire new product offerings and successfully implement and expand those offerings; keep pace with rapid technological changes, including making the technology stack more nimble; drive use of newly-updated mobile applications; maintain the strength of our existing brands and maintain and enhance those brands; continue to depend upon the telecommunications infrastructure and our networking hardware and software infrastructure; estimate on-going general and administrative costs, and obtain financing on acceptable terms. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ are discussed under the heading Risk Factors and in other sections of the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and in the Companys other current and periodic reports filed or furnished from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or provide similar metrics in future periods. The Spark Networks portfolio of consumer Web sites includes, among others, JDate.com (), ChristianMingle.com (), Spark.com (), BlackSingles.com (), and SilverSingles.com (). Stack Launches the Stack Enabled Program, Designed to Accelerate Growth of Responsive Lighting Products and Services CUPERTINO, CA (Marketwired) 04/07/16 Stack, the technology leader behind the worlds first responsive lighting solutions for homes and buildings, today announced the launch of its global partner program, Stack Enabled. The Stack Enabled program is designed to provide organizations ranging from lighting manufacturers to security platform and smart home system providers with access to Stacks motion sensing algorithms and ambient light sensor technology, which can be embedded inside the actual light bulb itself. Stack is announcing today that they are currently partnering with several lighting partners, including , , , and . Lunera Lighting, which designs and manufactures innovative commercial LED lighting fixtures and lamps, and Brilia, a Brazilian provider of LED lighting products and solutions, have already announced entire product lines based on the new technology. Stack Enabled was born out of a desire to accelerate and quickly scale the process of bringing our sensor technology and machine learning algorithms, currently only available through our product portfolio, to mass markets all around the world, said Neil Joseph, Founder & CEO of Stack. Through these partnerships, we are able to share our proprietary technology within specific partner solutions, so their customers can also experience the simplicity and intuitiveness of responsive lighting. With Luneras successful integration of Stacks sensor technology and wireless networking into our plug-and-play LED lamps, we created a simple, elegant way to deploy sensors for a powerful, data-driven control system for buildings. This cost effective approach enables businesses to receive valuable operations and environmental data from networked sensors that wirelessly connect to the cloud, said Lunera CEO, Doug Schendt. We are excited to partner with Stack at such an incredible time, said Vinicus Marchini, CEO of Brilia. Combining Brilias unique human centric design and Stacks advanced sensor and software technology, LED lighting becomes intelligent, digital and beautiful. Becoming a Stack Enabled partner offers cutting-edge companies the ability to integrate Stacks embedded sensor technology, which detects motion, occupancy, and brightness, at a fraction of the cost of competing solutions. Partners will have early access to Stacks advanced Radio Frequency (RF) motion sensing technology, initially launching as part Stacks Classic (A19) bulb format this summer, which enables the bulb to see and detect motion even under a traditional lampshade or from within fixtures. Stack Enabled Partners immediately have access to Stacks APIs and SDKs, which will allow them to build their own valuable applications atop the Stack technology, while retaining the majority of any SaaS and data services revenue their applications and platforms may drive. This represents a major step forward in the distribution of lighting oriented IoT operating systems, and the first of its kind to focus on embedded sensing technologies in replacement lamps and fixture products. As part of the Stack Enabled program, Stack also provides a full Partner Development Kit, as well as a number of reference products built on the architecture, to help partners easily integrate the technology into various lighting formats and other product platforms. The Stack Enabled program is available today, and open to all companies. For more information, please contact About Stack Lighting Stack is a leading innovator in home and building automation, seamlessly integrating lighting controls for better living. Stack is the creator of the worlds first responsive light bulb for homes and commercial use, and through their Stack Enabled platform, lighting partners across the globe are embedding Stack technology into their products. Stack is revolutionizing the way buildings are automated and controlled. For more information, please go to or @stacklighting. Contact: Chad Torbin 508.740.5899 Katie McDonald 408.421.8192 After a fabulous 16 days in Spain we arrived home as expected on April 25th to find that our internet was not working. Three phone calls and two tech visits, which means a time investment of well over 10 hours for me has finally got things right. Calitano, the beach area was wonderful as was the entire city, including the mountainess areas to the north going up to Tibidaboh. We didn't do as much body weight exercise as I anticipated, but we averaged over 11 miles walking per day and ate very healthy with a result that we lost weight while away. Certainly a vacation first. Since this is SR and I believe in total transparency I have to write that I had some glasses of red wine. Not every day and not a lot on any given day, but I did. Honestly, I don't regret it and now that I'm back home I'm back to total abstinence. For those concerned about a slippery slope situation, I'll refer you back to the last glass of wine I had which was in September. That time it was one night, two glasses, and for the next seven months I've been on my merry sober way without incident or craving. I fully expect a similar experience going forward, not meaning I plan to drink in seven months, but that alcohol is not a part of my life. As time permits I'll be catching up around here. Economy April 7, 2016 Gavin Fridell Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities exported by the global South (seconded only by oil and illegal drugs), generating billions of dollars in corporate profit each year. And yet, despite the expansion and increased visibility of fair-trade coffee, the majority of the worlds coffee families live in relative poverty. Gavin Fridells recent book, Coffee (Polity, 2014), not only charts coffees long and tortuous history of exploitation and colonialism, but endeavours to expose the culprit for such vast inequality. Central to the books arguments are Fridells rejection of the contemporary fixation on market-driven projects as a solution to the problems of poverty, inequality, and environmental destruction associated with this tropical bean. He builds this critique by asserting that the state and the market are inseparable and that coffee statecraft, both good and bad, has been and continues to be central to the everyday operations of the coffee industry. Thus, even in an industry constrained by extreme market volatility and corporate oligarchy, Fridell asserts that the quest for more socially and ecologically just forms of coffee production cannot be resolved solely through market adjustments, but rather requires a greater push for better coffee statecraft, guided by the history of gains and losses in the highly imperfect global coffee market. Arturo Ezquerro-Canete (AEC): To begin with, can you briefly describe your academic background and how you came to take up research on agricultural commodity production and world trade arrangements? Gavin Fridell (GF): I began to study commodity chains during my Ph.D. at York University during the early 2000s. My initial interest stemmed not necessarily from any particular concern for commodities themselves, but rather from attempts to regulate the market in different ways. So I started off working on fair trade coffee in Mexico, interested perhaps more in the model of fair trade than coffee itself. That gradually led to working on commodities more generally, including later work on bananas in the Caribbean. In my mind, the consistent theme throughout has been the market under capitalism, as Ive looked to explore and critique the limits of market rule and the fantasies of free trade, while searching for new models that might point to a more socially just alternative. AEC: In your previous book Alternative Trade: Legacies for the Future , you discuss three commodities: bananas, wheat and coffee. What was it that made you want to focus exclusively on coffee in this book and how does coffee differ from other commodities in your prior research? GF: The focus on coffee really stems from the nature of the Polity Resources Series, which asks authors to develop their ideas with a focus on a distinct resource or commodity. At the same time, the focus on coffee alone allowed me to tease out and develop some ideas from the Alternative Trade book as well as my earlier book Fair Trade Coffee . There are many differences between all commodities, of course, although my own work has tended to focus on the similarities: the growing concentration of power and wealth among the largest corporations, or persistent poverty among the smallest farmers and rural workers. One interesting factor that has always drawn me to coffee, however, is its rich history and, in particular, the many historical examples of state involvement in coffee markets. I think there is a tendency among consumers to romanticize their favourite commodities, which in the case of coffee often includes notions around coffees exotic, dark, or wild history. Coffee certainly has a brutal history, and there is no shortage of extreme stories, from Black Frosts to stock market crashes, to fill volumes of entertaining books. And yet, at the same time, so much of coffees history has been dominated by what some might mistakenly think of as banal: a long history of intense state involvement, from the colonial era to the present day. Often this has taken the form of violent state activities to conquer people and land, and defend elite interests. At the same time, coffee offers some of the most unique, and I would say relatively successful, development models in modern times. From the 1960s to the 1980s, for example, the worlds coffee consuming and producing countries regulated coffee prices on a global scale. This is, in my view, a highly unique model that has received far less attention from academics and policy makers than it should. Many unique models also exist at the national level; Costa Rica built an impressive social welfare state in the post-war era, based on reforming its coffee sector. This used to be discussed more as a developmental model, and I think it should be again. AEC: A particularly important theme that comes across from the book is how the state, for good and for bad, has remained absolutely central to how the global coffee market runs. You illustrate this through the notion of coffee statecraft. I wonder whether you see this as the main theoretical contribution of your book? GF: Yes, I think this is the books main theoretical contribution. Drawing on the works of David Harvey, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Peter Gowan, and others, I argue that coffee statecraft has been and remains central to the functioning of the global coffee economy. I find Harveys work particularly useful regarding his understanding of capitalist states being driven by a territorial logic, to defend domestic industry, jobs, and profits, and a capital logic, to make sure the policies are in place to protect private property and the reproduction of capitalism. The idea of coffee statecraft is not really that new to people who have long studied the capitalist state. It does, however, allow us to rethink some of the dominant assumptions around how the global coffee market operates. For example, from 1998 to 2002, the coffee world experienced a major crisis due to plunging coffee bean prices. Many have attributed this to a dramatic swing in the coffee market driven in particular by Vietnams rapid rise from an insignificant coffee exporter to the second largest in the world in a relative short amount of time. This is true at the general level. In my book, however, I point out that the rise of Vietnam was to a large extent driven by coffee statecraft on the part of the Vietnamese government, which encouraged migration to the coffee region while providing farmers with subsidized inputs, chemical fertilizer, extensive credit, irrigation, low-cost land, seedlings, and a wide range of state supports. As a result, Vietnam is one of the most efficient coffee economies in the world. Seen from this lens, the global coffee crisis and Vietnams rise occurred not strictly due to market forces, but was driven to a large degree by coffee statecraft on the part of Vietnam. AEC: The International Coffee Agreement (ICA) had its shortcomings but, in economic terms, it oversaw a period of less volatility and higher standards of livings for small holder farmers worldwide. But what are some of the political insights we can gain from the rise and fall of the ICA? GF: The ICA was created in 1963, in the wake of the Cuban Revolution and after Kennedy launched the Alliance for Progress. It ended in 1989, with the Cold War nearing its end. While there are a lot of specific political details around both the ICAs creation and its eventual collapse, the overarching lesson, I think, centres on the political context at the time. Put simply, the U.S. was willing to accept something like international price regulation, and many Latin American countries were willing to pressure for and promote it, precisely because of the Cold War and the fears among elites of the threat of Communism. This threat was very real at the time, with socialist and communist movements springing up throughout the world, resulting in a very different political landscape than the one we see today. The lesson to be gained from this is that major changes can happen, but usually only when those in power are confronted with real political pressure for substantial change, in this case revolutionary change. A great deal of the dialogue on the coffee world today is about how to bring together all the different stakeholders, in a more or less harmonious way. The history of coffee, however, reveals that it was often political confrontation that drove the most significant and substantial changes. The politics of the Cold War, and the threat of socialism and communism, set the context under which the ICA emerged, and the decline of socialism and communism set the stage for its abandonment. AEC: In your book you talk about the corporate-driven scaling up of fair trade strategies and how this often weakens the standards of pro-poor policies and sustainability in the coffee sector. I wonder whether you see this growing convergence between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Fair Trade continuing in the foreseeable future and, if so, does this necessarily mean the continuing watering down of the fair trade project? GF: Unfortunately, I think this is where things will continue to go. I think that the future of fair trade, and the general idea of ethical certification as an effective strategy for social justice, will be characterized by a gradual watering down, although one can never really predict the future. Many corporations are not interested in meeting Fair Trades standards, or if they are, only for a portion of their beans. Starbucks, for example, buys around 8.6 per cent of its beans Fair Trade certified. The rest it certifies with its own system, which is a watered down version of Fair Trade. And yet, Starbucks is the largest Fair Trade partner in North America, giving it significant influence over the future direction of Fair Trade. Over the past few years, there has been significant pressure on Fair Trade to water down its standards to expand its sales or to develop common standards with other certification bodies and corporations. For example, Fairtrade America, Conservation International, Starbucks, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), and many leading coffee groups have been meeting to develop common standards to certify all of the worlds coffee beans. One can only guess what this will lead to. I suspect, however, that it will eventually lead to a series of standards that allow for all of the worlds coffee farms to be certified, even while the majority of small farmers and workers continue to live in poverty. In the end, even Fair Trade certification as it currently stands, helps small farmers, but they remain in relative poverty. AEC: Despite their limitations, do Fair Trade and similar programs still provide consumers with the most ethical option within the current hegemonic corporate culture? As a consumer of coffee yourself, do you buy Fair Trade coffee? GF: Yes, I do buy Fair Trade coffee. And I would encourage other people to do the same, and to try to buy it from dedicated Fair Trade and social justice partners, like Planet Bean in Guelph or JustUs! Coffee in Halifax. I do this because, as you suggest, it is the most ethical consumer option out there. And I do it because its important to support any project that seeks to work with marginalized farmers and workers in the global South, which many Fair Trade organizations do. At the same time, I always caution people that there is really only so much you can do for the world as a consumer. To go beyond the limits of consumerism, one needs to engage in what Ilan Kapoor calls the necessarily messy terrain of politics. The long-term solutions to fighting poverty and injustice in the global coffee industry can only come through collective politics, not through individual consumption choices. AEC: How important is it to connect these small acts of consumer purchases with organized opposition to corporate trade deals? GF: I think this is very important. And I think its important to have a broad understanding of what it means to be concerned about small coffee farmers and workers. International trade agreements that allow rich countries to subsidize their farmers while blocking poorer countries from supporting their own farmers with protectionist barriers and other supports are not good for small farmers. International trade agreements, like the TPP, which seek to expand the rights of corporations, through investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms, while providing no additional enforceable rights for labour or to protect domestic industry or the environment are ultimately not in the interest of small farmers and workers. Its not just trade deals, of course, but the general political and ideological push toward free trade, which so often masks what are essentially pro-corporate policies. The fall of the Canadian Wheat Board is an excellent example. In 2012, the Conservative government eliminated the Wheat Board without a vote from farmers, and with relatively little protest on a national scale, outside of farmer groups. I recall that year teaching a class with several students that were passionate about Fair Trade and food sovereignty. Hardly any of them even knew that the Wheat Board had been eliminated. And yet here we had lost what is, in my mind, one of the most successful state trading enterprises in modern times. The loss of the Wheat Board does not just affect Canadian grain farmers, but also impacts the terrain of global politics; it narrows down what we can ask for, what we can demand, and what we can point to as a successful alternative model to support farmer livelihoods. Since that time, the main beneficiaries have been giant agro-businesses, which only further entrenches a corporate-dominated agricultural system. A recent report by Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board points out that while farmers used to receive 90 per cent of the port price under the Board, they are now receiving only 40-60 per cent, amounting to a loss of billions of dollars per year for Canadian grain farmers. AEC: In the concluding chapter of your book, you make reference to a coffee leaf rust outbreak that hit Central America in 2012, resulting in yet another coffee crisis. How has the coffee rollercoaster played out since the publication of your book? GF: The final tally on the impact of the coffee leaf rust outbreak on Central America still remains to be done, and I havent visited any Central American countries since the outbreak. Hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs during the peak years and small farmers have been hit hard. Overall production in most countries has just begun to recover to where it was in 2012. Either way, the long-term prospects for coffee in Central America remain uncertain, as some experts fear that rising temperatures due to climate change may wreck the quality of Arabica beans in many lower-lying coffee regions. On a global scale, the rollercoaster has swung prices down once again since the publication of the book. Coffee bean prices are now at their lowest in two years, generally below the cost of production for most farmers. Some market analysts are optimistic that prices will begin to rise again soon, but one can never tell. In the end, as I highlight in the book, it is not just low prices that hurt small farmers and workers, but the constant swings in the coffee market, plunging below the cost of production one year, and then above the next. It creates a constant sense of chaos that differs sharply from the hopes of many market analysts, who seem to suggest that we are always on the verge of stable and upward prices, even though we never seem to arrive there. In my view, only a return to internationally regulated prices can resolve this problem. AEC: You end the book by extending Peter Gowans observation that economic statecraft always entails a risky gamble and that the state needs to play a much better hand with the cards it holds. I wonder if I can put you on the spot: what do you think a viable policy mix for better coffee statecraft, in the here and now, should look like? GF: Well, I think better coffee statecraft is the kind of statecraft that builds off the best examples. This would involve, at the national level, a more equitable distribution of land and resources, a variety of state supports for small farmers, and strong labour rights for rural workers. At the international level, some form of international regulation is ultimately required to deal with low prices and intense price fluctuations. In terms of the viability of these ideas, in the here and now, of course, that is a tough question in these neoliberal times. At the same time, if we look at specific national or regional contexts, the right policy mix may not be as far away as it sometimes seems. In Colombia, for example, coffee farmers protested in 2013 and were able to force the government to offer subsidies to farmers during a time of low coffee prices. With prices now low again, farmers are once again pressuring government for subsidies and supports. There are even some indications of shifting terrain at the global level. At the recent World Coffee Conference in Ethiopia in March, representatives of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) announced a new initiative to promote collective action strategies to stabilize global coffee prices. It remains to be seen what this could involve and how successful it might be, but the initiative has already received the support of the major African coffee grower organizations. One final thought on the focus of coffee statecraft in my work, as opposed to the current vogue of fair trade and corporate social responsibility, is that it can seem to leave those in consuming countries, where no coffee is grown, with little recourse to act globally. In the end, there is only so much a Northern consumer can do to impact coffee statecraft in Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia and Brazil. At the same time, I would argue that there are still many things for someone in the North to do. They can work in solidarity with a range of peasant and labour groups in the South that are working tirelessly to improve the lives of the poor. But, they can also look at home in ways they may not have before, supporting struggles for better wages among retail workers in the coffee chain (such as the recent battle that successfully unionized a Tim Hortons in Winnipeg), and paying greater attention to the importance of such things as the Canadian Wheat Board. In the end, buying Fair Trade is only one very tiny piece of a much larger puzzle. What we all need to do is resist neoliberalism and the purported inevitability of free trade policies by defending, promoting, and extending socially just alternatives, South and North, that allow us to point toward what better statecraft can look like and where we need to go. Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER Isaiah Foskey's heroics on defense, special teams lead Notre Dame No player in program Notre Dame history had ever blocked two punts in a game, much less a quarter, before Isaiah Foskey 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 An Inflatable Space Room Bigelow Aerospace BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, is an inflatable space room prototype built by Bigelow Aerospace that could pave the way to inflatable moon bases and more. In April 2016, BEAM will launch to the International Space Station to test how it could be used as an orbital habitat. See photos of BEAM and its mission here. Jeff Williams enters BEAM ESA/NASA NASA astronaut Jeff Williams became one of the first humans to enter an expandable habitat in space. Williams is shown here in the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) on June 6, 2016. Read our full story of BEAM's grand opening in space. An Inflatable Room NASA TV NASA astronaut Jeff Williams is shown here in the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) on June 6, 2016 (the picture was taken from outside the BEAM hatch). Astronauts will not occupy BEAM full time, but will periodically enter the habitat to collect data and check the status of the module. Read our full story of BEAM's grand opening in space. BEAM Module Fully Inflated NASA TV The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is seen fully inflated on the International Space Station after being successfully expanded to its full size on May 28, 2016. The Bigelow Aerospace-built BEAM is a prototype space habitat for future space stations, moon colonies and moon bases. BEAM Module Inflation Series NASA TV The inflation of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, a prototype space habitat, is shown in this series of images taken by a NASA camera on the International Space Station during expansion operations on May 28, 2016. The process took over seven hours. BEAM Module Partially Inflated NASA TV The inflatable Bigelow Expandable Activity Module on the International Space Station is seen partly inflated during expansion efforts on May 28, 2016. SP_160526_beam_fail.jpg NASA Bigelow Module On Space Station Fails To Deploy On First Try | Video BEAM Habitat Location NASA This NASA graphic shows the location of the inflatable Bigelow Expandable Activity Module on the International Space Station. The module will be tested for its effectiveness as a space habitat for two years. BEAM on the Space Station NASA TV The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, an inflatable space room built by Bigelow Aerospace, is moved by robotic arm to its new home on the International Space Station on April 16, 2016 in this exterior camera view. BEAM is a prototype for future space habitats. BEAM Habitat Docked Bigelow Aerospace NASA awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) in April 2016. This artist's impression released Jan. 16, 2013. Bigelow Expandable Activity Module Lifted SpaceX (via Flickr as SpaceX Photos) A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to the International Space Station on April 8, 2016. BEAM will provide extra space for astronauts working in space. Here: Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable habitat is lifted into Dragon capsule's trunk to the space station. Image taken February 24, 2016. Before there was Photoshop, there was the back of the photograph. The white space on the back of a photo is where newspaper editors would scribble notes about how to crop an image or where to place it in the article; it's where newswires would often paste or type a caption, thus assuring that the text could not be separated from the image it described. A series of works by German photographer Thomas Ruff brings those back-of-the-photograph scribblings to the front. Using mostly spaceflight-related newspaper images from the middle of the 20th century, Ruff used digital tools to make it look as though the markings from the back had been placed on the front. In one piece, a space traveler's helmet is marked with an Associated Press stamp; in another, an editor's notes, written in red pencil, make an arc across the sky above a rocket that looks poised to launch. The new images are aesthetically striking, and they also reveal more about the history of these images than the front of the photos could do alone. With the addition of the editors' scribblings, the images remind viewers not only of the early days of the space race, but of the people who were reporting on it, who kept the world informed. It's a project that probably could have been done with press images that were not related to spaceflight, but the combination brings up a discussion about the history of space and photography. [Giant Leaps: Top Milestones of Human Spaceflight] The aesthetic appeal of Ruff's photo collages is, of course, entirely subjective I happen to think they're quite lovely. The black-and-white images that Ruff chose all seem to show moments of calm that come between moments of intense action in spaceflight: There's the quiet surface of the moon passing below a spacecraft; a rocket not yet ready to launch. They work well as photo collage backgrounds. I know it's more than just the aesthetic beauty that I'm personally responding to. I am a space reporter, and the writing and markings on these images were made by my occupational ancestors. I can imagine all too well the panicked atmosphere that might have surrounded them as they quickly scrawled on the back of photographs, making urgent decisions about how best to tell these stories. These editors worked hard to make themselves invisible, to let the stories stand on their own, but Ruff has brought them out into the spotlight. As I try to imagine these people at work, I think about the ways that their workday would have differed from mine. It occurs to me that there's a great irony about these photo collages: The editors were working with primitive tools no Photoshop, no digital images, no email. And yet, the images recall the Apollo era and humans visiting the moon using technologies that, while technically archaic, are so out of reach to humans in 2016 that they seem futuristic. The editors who wrote those notes could not have imaged how much their profession would evolve, or how little the space program would. A photo collage by German Photographer Thomas Ruff, titled press++00.53, 2015. The photo collage is part of a collection on display at the David Zwirner Gallery in New York. Chromogenic print. 79 1/2 x 72 7/8 inches (202 x 185 cm). (Image credit: Thomas Ruff. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London) Adding and subtracting information I spoke with Ruff about the works at the David Zwirner Gallery in New York, where they are on display through April 30. Ruff started collecting the space-age newspaper photographs without any intention of using them in his art, he said. He's an astronomy fan he even thought about becoming an astronomer and told me that "from time to time, astronomy shows up in my artistic world, and I'm always happy when that happens." He found the images on eBay, and thinks they're mainly from the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun. At some point it occurred to him to start playing around with the information conveyed by each side of these prints. By combining the two sides, its possible same information is lost, he said. For example, it's difficult to read the captions or get a good look at what the images show. But it's also possible to create something new "extra fun," he says. I've certainly gained something new from looking at the images in this way. Even so, the science reporter in me wonders why someone would want to lose information. "Because I'm not a scientist," Ruff said. "I don't have to be precise with these images. I can play around. It's not my information that I want to give, it's somebody else's. So I can be very playful with these images and just [see] what happens if I bring the front to the back." These photo collages aren't like the scientific articles I write. There's no ideal, intentional outcome no specific message Ruff wishes to convey. His goal when he started the project, he said, was more or less just to play around with photography, with the information that photographs convey. And that means the project didn't necessarily require that he use space photographs. It could very easily have been executed with non-space related images, and I would likely never have seen those images, and never connected with them the way I did. I feel a certain disappointment about that. Maybe because my own work, as well as science and engineering, has to be intentional to be effective, I feel strange about someone making effective work without a specific intention. As we continued to discuss the photo collages, Ruff starts to talk about the relationship that photography and astronomy have had through the ages. He talks about the first close-up images of the moon, broadcast back to Earth via radio, and later, when astronauts carried film cameras. Photography was intimately linked to arguably one of the greatest feats ever accomplished by humans. A photo collage by photographer Thomas Ruff uses a photograph sent to a newspaper, and the editor's markings on the back. (Image credit: Photo by Calla Cofield. Collage courtesy of David Zwirner, New York/London. ) In addition, astronomy is perhaps the most powerful example of the fact that the camera can show us things that our eyes cannot perceive. When I take a photograph I'm not just recording what I saw I'm gaining new information. Observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope "see" distant galaxies and nebulas in ways that human eyes never could. Telescopes can be used to capture images that are aesthetically pleasing to a general audience that are used to convey information about the size or beauty of the universe. Telescopes can also capture images that aren't particularly interesting to a general audience, but from which a scientist may extract new information about the cosmos. In photographing the universe, and everything it contains, the viewer is also responsible for how much information is lost, and how much is gained. At 11:02 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2001, crowds watch a Boeing Delta II rocket lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, carrying NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft into space on its seven-month journey to Mars. A long-lived NASA Mars spacecraft began its record-setting Red Planet mission 15 years ago today. On April 7, 2001, the Mars Odyssey orbiter blasted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, kicking off a mission designed to hunt for water ice and study the Red Planet's geology and radiation environment. In December 2010, Odyssey became the longest-serving Mars spacecraft in history, and it's still going strong today. "Every day for more than five years, Odyssey has been extending its record for how long a spacecraft can keep working at Mars," Odyssey project manager David Lehman, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. "The spacecraft is remarkably healthy, and we have enough fuel to last for several more years." [Mars Odyssey: Pictures from Longest Mars Mission] Odyssey's long run of success has helped revitalize NASA's Mars exploration program, which had fallen on tough times just before the orbiter blasted off. For example, the space agency's Mars Climate Orbiter, which launched in December 1998, zoomed too close to the Red Planet and burned up in its atmosphere. The Mars Polar Lander and twin Deep Space 2 penetrators, which blasted off together in January 1999, failed in their missions as well. Things have gone smoothly since Odyssey, however: All of the NASA Mars missions that blasted off after that spacecraft the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover and the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) orbiter have been successful. Odyssey's full name is 2001 Mars Odyssey, in honor of visionary sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke, who is perhaps most famous for the 1968 novel "2001: A Space Odyssey." The orbiter has accomplished a great deal in its 15 years of service, NASA officials said. "One suite of instruments found evidence for water ice close to the surface in large areas of Mars," they wrote in the same statement. "Another investigation measured the natural radiation environment on the way from Earth to Mars and in orbit around Mars, gaining information vital for design of human missions in what has become NASA's Journey to Mars." The orbiter's long tenure at Mars has also allowed researchers to investigate seasonal phenomena such as dust storms, which can differ greatly from year to year, NASA officials added. In addition to its science work, Odyssey has served as a relay link between NASA's Mars surface craft and mission control back on Earth. More than 90 percent of all of the data received from Spirit and Opportunity have been routed through Odyssey, NASA officials said. The orbiter, along with MRO, helps beam home data from Curiosity as well. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. The R/V Neil Armstrong pulls into its homeport at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts on April 6, 2016. The world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to studying marine science and engineering took a giant leap forward on Wednesday (April 6), welcoming its new research vessel, the R/V Neil Armstrong, to its port in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The 238-foot-long (72.5 meters) ship, which was named in 2014 for the first man to walk on the moon, arrived at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), where it was met by an audience of invited guests that included members of Armstrong's family and an International Space Station (ISS) commander. "Welcome to the Neil Armstrong," said Sunita Williams, a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain who flew twice to the ISS. "It's really great to see her here to start her new career." [Photos: Neil Armstrong - American Icon Remembered] The R/V Neil Armstrong pulled into port just after 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on Wednesday to begin its decades-long mission of science and exploration. Capable of putting out to sea for as long as 40 days with 44 scientists and crew, the ship is equipped to conduct advanced ocean research almost anywhere in the world. The first of the new Armstrong-class of research vessels, the R/V Neil Armstrong was launched on Feb. 20, 2014 in Anacortes, Washington. The ship underwent outfitting and trials prior to its delivery to Woods Hole on Wednesday. Owned by the Navy, the R/V Neil Armstrong was provided to WHOI under a no-cost lease by the government. "Since Neil Armstrong [the astronaut] landed on the moon almost 50 years ago, there have been only nine ships built and added to the academic research fleet," said Williams. "Neil Armstrong will be one of just seven large vessels of the nation's research fleet." The Neil Armstrong replaces the R/V Knorr, best known for supporting the researchers who discovered the wreck of the RMS Titanic in 1985. That ship was named for Ernest Knorr, a leader of the Navy's first systematic charting and surveying effort from 1860 to 1885. In service to WHOI for 44 years beginning in 1970, the R/V Knorr traveled the rough equivalent of two round trips from the Earth to the moon. "Much like astronauts, we go out and explore new worlds," said Mark Abbott, the president and director of WHOI. "But we are doing more than just exploration. Our ships service whole new fleets of moorings, of gliders, robots and Earth-orbiting satellites." "And ships like the Neil Armstrong and her sister ship, the [R/V] Sally Ride, are essential to take us to these places and deploy and service these fleets of instruments. They will serve us for the next 50 years. They are the technically most capable ships in the fleet today," said Abbott. The R/V Neil Armstrong is outfitted with a modern suite of oceanographic equipment, including acoustics capable of mapping the deepest oceans and advanced over-the-side handling gear to deploy and retrieve scientific instruments. "With the discovery and evidence of water on Mars, I think all of us are now becoming acutely aware that if we want to sustain life on Earth, we need a greater understanding of the oceans' vital impacts on the Earth's climate and life," said Williams. "Luckily for us, in the next half a century, the R/V Neil Armstrong will take generations of researchers to remote ocean frontiers." In addition to the Ride and Armstrong, the Navy has four other ships named after U.S. astronauts. The USNS Alan Shepard, named for the first American to fly in space, was launched in 2006; the USNS Wally Schirra, named after the only pilot to fly Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, was launched in 2009; and the USNS John Glenn, named for the first American to orbit Earth, was named in 2014. The R/V Neil Armstrong, which can support a crew of 44 for 40 days at sea, is expected to be in service for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the next 50 years. (Image credit: WHOI) The R/V Neil Armstrong was christened in the memory of the Apollo moonwalker, who died in 2012 at the age of 82. Armstrong served at NASA as an engineer, research test pilot, astronaut and administrator. Prior to joining the space program, he flew combat missions during the Korean War as a naval aviator. "I know Neil would love this because Neil was Navy," said Carol Armstrong, the astronaut's widow. "That is where he started and that is where his heart was." Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2016 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. SpaceX will try yet again to land its Falcon 9 rocket on a robotic ship in the Atlantic Ocean Friday (April 8). The landing attempt will come during the launch of SpaceX's robotic Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA, which is scheduled to take place at 4:43 p.m. EDT (2043 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. You can watch the action live here at Space.com beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT), courtesy of NASA TV. SpaceX has tried four such "drone ship" landings before in January and April of 2015, and January and March of this year. Each of these attempts was a near miss; the first stage of the two-stage Falcon 9 succeeded in hitting its target but ended up toppling over on the uncrewed ship's deck. [Inside SpaceX's Epic Fly-Back Reusable Rocket Landing (Infographic)] Company representatives are optimistic that the fifth time will be the charm. "I certainly hope we're going to nail the landing this time," Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of mission assurance at SpaceX, said during a prelaunch briefing Thursday (April 7). Return to resupply flight Friday's launch will kick off SpaceX's eighth robotic resupply flight to the ISS, but its first in nearly a year. The company's previous such mission ended just minutes after liftoff in June 2015, when the Falcon 9 broke apart in the Florida skies. SpaceX traced the June 2015 accident to a faulty steel strut in the Falcon 9's upper stage. That problem has been addressed, Koenigsmann said. In addition, the company has since upgraded and modified the Falcon 9. Friday's liftoff will mark the revamped rocket's first ISS cargo flight, but it has launched on two other missions in December 2015, and just last month and performed well both times. Dragon is packed with about 7,000 lbs. (3,175 kilograms) of supplies and scientific hardware for this mission, including the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). BEAM will be attached to the ISS to test out the on-orbit performance of inflatable habitat modules, which offer much more usable volume per unit mass than traditional rigid, metallic structures, advocates say. "It is the future," Kirk Shireman, ISS program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, said during Thursday's briefing. "Humans will be using these kinds of modules as we move further and further off the planet and, actually, as we inhabit low Earth orbit." Testing reusable rocket technology If all goes according to plan Friday, the Falcon 9's first stage will separate shortly after liftoff, and then perform a series of engine burns to head back to the drone ship, which is called "Of Course I Still Love You" and will be stationed off the Florida coast. Dragon, meanwhile, will continue toward the ISS, arriving there Sunday morning (April 10). Another private cargo spacecraft, Orbital ATK's Cygnus freighter, is already at the orbiting lab; Dragon's arrival will mark the first time both vessels have been at the ISS at the same time. The landing attempt is part of SpaceX's effort to develop fully and rapidly reusable rockets, technology that the company views as critical to opening up the space frontier. Indeed, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has said that reusable boosters could cut the cost of spaceflight by a factor of 100, perhaps making Mars colonies economically feasible. While SpaceX has not yet pulled off a drone-ship landing, the company has brought one of its rockets softly back to Earth. In December 2015, a Falcon 9 first stage touched down on terra firma at Cape Canaveral the first time this had ever been done during an orbital launch. Blue Origin, the company established by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, landed its New Shepard rocket a month earlier, in November, but that was during a suborbital test flight. (The same New Shepard has since launched and landed two more times, most recently on April 2.) Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. In response, "extra 3" received myriad expressions of solidarity while Erdogan became a target of derision. The editors of the "heute show," aired by public broadcaster ZDF, joked that Erdogan had summoned the full moon "for insulting the Turkish flag." Twitter users began sending around unflattering photo compositions featuring the Turkish leader and the staff of "extra 3" chose Erdogan as "Employee of the Month." The German Foreign Ministry suddenly found itself in an awkward situation. Normally, the country that summons an ambassador is responsible for making the incident public. But Turkey had said nothing. How should the German government now react? The Foreign Ministry in Berlin decided to simply confirm that the summons had taken place. Still, the issue quickly became a source of diplomatic friction, and not least because of the German media's extensive coverage of it. The Turkish side didn't let it drop either. Last Tuesday, exactly a week later, Erdmann was again summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. This time, the issue was his participation in the trial against the Cumhuriyet journalists. Given that Erdogan himself had commented, it was not a summons that could easily be ignored. "This is not your country. This is Turkey," he said in reference to Western diplomats who had observed the trial. "Who are you? What were you doing there?" Nowhere, though, is it written that diplomats are not allowed to observe trials. 'Blackmailed by Turkey' Markus Ederer, state secretary in the Foreign Ministry, called his Turkish counterpart to explain to him Germany's approach to freedom of opinion. One day later, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made an unusually strong statement. "I believe that we should be able to expect that a European Union partner country shares our common European values," he said. Still, he avoided direct criticism of Erdogan. As such, the statement is unlikely to assuage those in Merkel's governing coalition who would like to see a tougher approach to Turkey. "Almost every day, Turkey is providing yet more evidence for why the easing of visa requirements and the acceleration of EU accession negotiations should be viewed critically," says Transportation Minister Alexander Dobrindt, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to Merkel's CDU. "Europe cannot allow itself to be blackmailed by Turkey." Erika Steinbach, human rights spokesperson for the conservatives in parliament, agrees with him. "I view the actions of Mr. Erdogan as a targeted provocation." She believes the Turkish president wants to demonstrate that he is indispensable for Europe and can do what he wants as a result. "We cannot remain silent," she says. CSU General Secretary Andreas Scheuer says: "The extra 3 case shows that Erdogan's attack on press freedoms is an attack on our constitution." Turkey, he continues, has distanced itself ever further from EU values in recent years. "This deficit must be clearly criticized by all democrats." Erdogan, in recent months, has lost a significant amount of respect in Washington as well. A week ago Tuesday, he flew to the US capital to take part in the Nuclear Security Summit and received a markedly cool reception. Prior to his visit, Erdogan had inquired as to whether US President Barack Obama was interested in accompanying him to the opening of a mosque in Maryland, but was turned down, with the White House blaming unfortunate scheduling problems. Ultimately, Obama did meet for one hour with his Turkish counterpart to discuss cooperation on issues of regional security, counter-terrorism efforts and migration." During the dinner, the two also discussed efforts to combat the Islamic State. Still, the protocol surrounding the event underscored simmering tensions between Washington and its NATO partner Turkey: the White House refused to have a joint photo taken of the two leaders as normally would have been done. The US government is upset by current developments in Turkey, particularly by Erdogan's attacks on the opposition and the raids on Zaman. Erdogan, it seems, overestimated his importance to the US, despite the fact that the Americans need him too. They use bases in Turkey to fly airstrikes against IS targets in Syria. 'Instincts of a Street Fighter' Erdogan's cool reception in Washington isn't likely to rein him in. On the contrary, at an off-the-record dinner with political advisers in Washington, he badmouthed Obama's Syria policies and US support for the Kurds in the country. Years ago, a US diplomat said: "Erdogan has the instincts of a street fighter." Indeed, combat would seem to be Erdogan's elixir of life. He needs enemies and has always worked against others on his climb to the top. His entire career has been based on a defeat that he transformed into victory. It came in spring 1998. At the time, he was the mayor of Istanbul, but his popularity was suffering due to accusations of corruption, and his party, the Islamist Refah, was banned. The military government took him to court, in part because he had quoted verses in a speech a few months prior that seemed to prosecutors to be Islamist: "The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers." In the end, he only spent four months in prison, separated from the general prison population and in a cell with carpeting, freshly painted walls, a television and a refrigerator. Faithful Muslims have since honored him. They see Erdogan as a man who stood up to the military for the good of the country, as a defender of Muslims and as a hero. In contrast to many high-ranking politicians, Erdogan is not a child of the secular establishment, but the son of a blue-collar worker. He grew up in the rough dockland neighborhood of Kasimpasa, with his family sharing an apartment in a wooden barracks with relatives. His father Ahmet shipped goods across the Bosporus and raised Tayyip, his sister and three brothers as devout Muslims. Erdogan later said that his father once hung him up by the legs in punishment and he still today tells the story of how he used to kiss his mother's feet. "My mother demurred, but I always told her, mother, that is the fragrance of heaven." Erdogan learned early on how to get his way, with force if necessary. As a child, he sold sesame rings on the street to earn money and elderly customers of a tearoom in Kasimpasa remember an angry young man. "Tayyip never turned away from a fight. He would climb up onto the roof of the mosque and recite verses from the Koran." He played striker for Erokspor, a local soccer club and his friends called him "Imam Beckenbauer," after the famous German footballer. His father, though, rejected the sport as un-Islamic because of the shorts they wore and sent his son to a religious Imam Hatip school. Never Back Down The Istanbul bourgeoisie looked down on people like Erdogan, with new arrivals from Anatolia, like his family, being referred to as "black Turks." Erdogan used the contempt as motivation. He studied business administration at Marmara University in Istanbul, joined the conservative Naksibendi fraternity and became involved in the Islamist political party of Necmetin Erbakan, who would later become prime minister. Erdogan's origins have molded his political style. If you want respect in Kasimpasa, you can never show weakness and never back down. There are only friends and enemies, black and white. Such are the rules of the street and the laws of the docklands. Still today, Erdogan views criticism as a personal affront, and when he feels insulted, he goes on the attack. His quick temper is feared. After he was released from prison, he leveraged his rebel image into a political career. Just one year after its founding in 2002, he led his Justice and Development Party (AKP) to a surprising election victory, after which he put down the opposition and withstood overthrow attempts by the military and the judiciary. Erdogan has now personified Turkey for more than 13 years, first as prime minister and then, since 2014, as president. He had a Sultan's palace built for him in Ankara with 1,000 rooms. Yet he still presents himself to the electorate as an outsider, as the representative of oppressed, conservative Muslims. Erdogan and his supporters have long felt excluded from Europe, and not without cause. For years, Turkey has been kept at arm's length by the EU, with Germany at the forefront. Despite Turkey's membership aspirations, Merkel only wanted to offer the country a "privileged partnership" at most. Now, Erdogan is no doubt gratified that Merkel needs him. Humiliation is one of the tools of the street. The summoning of the German ambassador and the tirades against foreign media are not just expressions of Erdogan's character; they are also the product of political calculation. Erdogan has never been one for political trade-offs and he likewise has no interest in placating the population of his country. He seeks to divide and provoke. He wants to win. Which is why the "extra 3" video came at an opportune time. Erdogan is not so naive to believe that he could get Germany to censor the video. More than anything, his attacks carry a message for voters in Turkey: A man like Erdogan doesn't bow down to anybody. Erdogan is strong because Europe is weak. Because EU leaders were unable to reach agreement on the best way to confront the refugee crisis, they -- and Merkel most of all -- need him. Europe should have been able to establish joint control of its external borders and quotas for the distribution of refugees. But because it couldn't, the EU needs somebody to do the dirty work: to fend off the refugees and send them back. Erdogan is that person. And people who take care of the dirty work tend not to be particularly refined. Official Equivocation That is Europe's and Merkel's dilemma. She has delivered the EU into the hands of a man who often behaves like a thug, a man who oppresses the opposition and who is establishing an autocracy. He is a politician who has launched a bloody war against the Kurds, in part to win an election. In exchange for his stopping the refugees, Turkey isn't just receiving billions in funding from the EU, but also visa relief and even the prospect of EU membership. That is the price of Europe's failure. Last Wednesday, the German government had but a single goal: that of not further antagonizing the wild man from the Bosporus. German officials were long silent about the summoning of the German ambassador. But then came the government press conference. "There are diplomatic channels the German government used to expound on and make clear its stance on freedom of opinion," muttered Merkel's government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz. And it was only after repeated questions that Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Sawsan Chebli was prepared to admit that the German ambassador had not simply dropped by for a cup of tea, but that he had been formally summoned. "It was a blunter method for indicating the need for dialogue, let's put it that way," she said. The spokeswoman's equivocating clearly shows the consequences of Merkel's failed refugee policies. It was the chancellor who pushed through the deal with Turkey against opposition from her EU partners -- it was her solution to the refugee crisis. While Eastern Europe and Austria have focused on closing the Balkan Route, Merkel views the deal with Turkey as the only effective way to limit the numbers of refugees. Her idea makes a certain amount of sense: Instead of rolling out the barbed-wire, she wanted Turkey to ensure that refugees ceased crossing the Aegean Sea to the Greek islands. For months, Merkel negotiated with Turkey and her EU allies in an effort to find agreement and it was finally reached on March 18. Turkey said it was prepared to take back all refugees who managed to make it across the Aegean, but in return, the EU has opened the door to an increasingly autocratic Turkey. It is part of the chancellor's job, of course, to talk to shady characters and even to make deals with them if needed. All of Merkel's predecessors have done the same. But the consequence of Merkel's plan has been that the EU has become completely dependent on Erdogan; he was the key to her solution to the refugee crisis. That was her mistake. There are, to be sure, no morally unimpeachable answers. The closure of the Balkan Route has led to thousands of refugees being stuck in the miserable camp in Idomeni, the Greek town on the border with Macedonia. But the decision by the Balkan countries and Austria to close their borders also prevented complete dependence on Erdogan. No Checks and Balances The Turkish president is fully aware of the trump card the refugee crisis has handed him and has done little to conceal his willingness to use it. Last November, he threatened European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker by saying: "We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and we can put the refugees on buses." This sort of friend-or-foe logic has helped Erdogan survive even the most difficult crises in Turkey. But it has also divided Turkish society. The country is now dominated by an isolated man who stubbornly follows his own rules and who is slowly losing his grip on reality. That may be the result of having no one left in his circle who dares to contradict him or warn him of political miscalculations. It is a system that he himself has created -- but it is one without checks and balances. Former AKP deputy head Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat says that Erdogan has complete control over his party. The president, he says, appoints every single parliamentarian from his party and every governor. Erdogan's son-in-law recently became a cabinet minister and his former chauffer is now a member of parliament. Erdogan demands obedience and loyalty and those who disappoint him are punished and persecuted. There is a whole list of former companions who have broken with the president, and loyal yes-men have replaced able advisors. Some parliamentarians and even cabinet ministers complain that they can no longer even get an audience with the president. Erdogan once campaigned on a platform of fighting corruption and nepotism, but he now views the country as his own property, complains parliamentarian Ayse Danisoglu. Were Turkey to join the EU, it would immediately become the union's second-most corrupt country after Bulgaria, according to Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perception Index. In the cables released by WikiLeaks in 2010, US diplomats wrote about corruption at all levels in the country . They make it clear that the US suspected Erdogan of having enriched himself via the privatization of a state-owned oil refinery, for example. Prime minister at the time, he was said to have control over eight Swiss bank accounts. He has denied the accusations and said merely that he had received gifts. But three years later, a corruption scandal plunged the AKP into its deepest crisis to date. AKP politicians and sons of three government ministers were accused of, among other things, accepting millions of euros in bribes and setting up illegal oil deals with Iran. At the home of the general director of the state-owned Halkbank, investigators found $4.5 million in a shoe box. Erdogan's own son Bilal has been accused of fraudulently obtaining preferred treatment in the awarding of property and construction rights -- accusations that he has vehemently denied. Opposition politicians have also accused Bilal of setting up illegal oil deals with Islamic State. In one alleged phone conversation, Erdogan reportedly ordered his son to remove illicit funds from the house. Erdogan has said the recordings were a conspiracy, accusing opponents of having created a "shameless montage," and police and public prosecutors who dealt with the case were fired or transferred. But in Italy, public prosecutors have now initiated proceedings against Bilal Erdogan on suspicions of money laundering. In the US, a businessman confidant of Erdogan's was arrested in mid-March for allegedly having set up illegal deals with Iran. All or Nothing The upshot is that Erdogan's motivation for remaining in office goes beyond merely wanting to hold onto power. Opposition politicians have said that, should Erdogan ever be voted out of office, the corruption cases would be restarted. The president and his family members could quickly end up behind bars. That's yet another reason that he keeps such a tight grip on the country: For him, it's all or nothing. He is omnipresent in Turkish television. No matter when one channel surfs, it is always possible to find Erdogan delivering an address somewhere. Every day. He talks about how he envisions the role of the Turkish woman, he discusses the latest monumental project he has undertaken or he insults his opponents. Since he has been president, he has also taken to inviting even the most unimportant regional leaders from remote areas of Anatolia to Ankara. During such visits, the president holds forth at length while his audience feels honored at the opportunity. The personality cult surrounding Erdogan has begun to take on increasingly absurd contours. Recently, a young Istanbul politician published a photo on Twitter of a water glass on a lectern. He wrote: "This is the glass our president drank from while delivering his speech." It was as though the water glass was a relic and Erdogan was the saint. According to the Osman understanding of politics, the sultan must be kept happy. Because when "Baba," the father of the nation, is doing well, he will do things that are beneficial to his subjects. In such a system, many Turks are willing to forgive their ruler his errors, whether it be corruption or his volatile temper. The danger, however, is that the ruler will begin to feel unassailable. Erdogan governs as though the entire world were Kasimpasa. When someone makes trouble, violence is the answer. The president sees himself as the embodiment of Turkey. Those who criticize him, are "acting against Turkey and against the Turkish people," he says. His power is also supported by devout Muslims who were discriminated against for decades in secular Turkey. Women in headscarves were not allowed to enroll in university and were shut out of state jobs. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, violently installed secularism at the beginning of the 1920s. He also replaced Arabic writing with the Latin alphabet and banned Osman dress. Ataturk and his followers, the Kemalists, believed they could implement Western culture, Western lifestyle and secularism in Turkey in just a few years. Two Pillars of Success Under Erdogan, the Muslim faithful once again feel respected. He himself is considered devout, even if some critics accuse him of simply using Islam as an instrument of power. Erdogan's success is based primarily on two pillars: Religion and economic growth. Before he rose to power, both politics and economics were firmly in the hands of the Kemalists. Islam and economic success, it seemed at the time, were incompatible. To his credit, Erdogan has disproven this preconception and under his leadership, large state-owned companies have been privatized, including ports, airports and energy sector conglomerates. New industries have arisen and exports have grown. In the initial years of his rule, Turkey's gross domestic product grew by up to 9 percent annually: It was Erdogan's economic miracle. A new god-fearing middle class developed, one which has Erdogan to thank and supports him as a consequence. They are businesspeople like the steel and iron manufacturer Mahmut Hicilmaz, a friendly, bespectacled gentleman. As head of the chamber of commerce of Kayseri in central Anatolia, he represents the interests of around 17,000 companies, many of which wouldn't exist without Erdogan. A gold-framed calligraphy of the word "Allah" and a photo of him with Erdogan hang in Hicilmaz's office. The people of Kayseri are religious, he says, which is also the secret to their success: "For religious reasons, it is important to us to work hard." Erdogan and the AKP, he says, have brought the country forward and given the Turks a new self-confidence. They have invested in infrastructure, building streets and bridges that have connected cities and made trade easier. Erdogan's origins in the world of workers and the faithful could explain his aversion to intellectuals. When academics demanded an end to the violence in southeastern Turkey three months ago, Erdogan insulted them as a "dark, ignorant mob" and "traitors." Disciplinary proceedings were launched against 109 scientists and 15 of them lost their jobs. Thirty-six were arrested. Journalists who write critical stories, by contrast, tend first to be overwhelmed with threats. Then, like Can Dundar, editor-in-chief and capital bureau chief of the government-critical daily Cumhuriyet, they land in court -- charged with spying, which can be penalized with a sentence of life in prison. Insulting the President In the case of Cumhuriyet, the paper published photos and videos supporting accusations that the Turkish secret service had delivered weapons and munitions to Muslim extremists in Syria. Erdogan personally filed the complaint against the journalists. They were released provisionally in late February after the country's constitutional court ruled that their pre-trial detention violated their "right to personal freedom and security." But Erdogan raged: "I will say this openly and clearly, I don't accept the decision nor will I obey it." Should such rulings be repeated, he threatened, it would call into question the legitimacy of the court. There are some 2,000 cases pending against people accused of insulting the president. Bloggers have been prosecuted and writers threatened. SPIEGEL correspondent Hasnain Kazim also became intimately acquainted with the president's rage. Back in 2014, he began receiving threats from Erdogan's followers, with hostile messages coming via email, Facebook and Twitter, including such threats as: "If we see you on the street, we will cut your throat." Two years later, the Turkish government declined to renew Kazim's journalist accreditation and residency permit. The documents of several German correspondents were delayed early this year, to the point that Chancellor Merkel got involved by repeatedly addressing the hold-ups. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu promised her several times that German correspondents would receive the accreditation, but Kazim's wait was in vain. In mid-March, he and his family were forced to leave Turkey. The laws of the street, the rules of the docklands, the thinking in terms of friend and foe have likewise led Erdogan astray in the two significant conflicts in the region: In Syria and in the Kurdish regions. To get the best of his enemy, Syrian President Bashar Assad, Erdogan long threw his support behind Islamist rebel groups, even including Islamic State. Even as rebels and Kurds in Syria had long since begun fighting side-by-side against IS out of sheer necessity, Turkish security officials continued to ignore the IS extremists traveling through their own country. They would fly in from all over the world to Istanbul before crossing the border unchallenged into Syria. They even put down roots in Turkey itself. Erdogan the Savior Erdogan's reversal on his approach to the Kurds has likewise been destructive . In the winter of 2012, his government began negotiating with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) with the aim of establishing peace in southeastern Turkey. Erdogan himself launched the peace process and the two sides were making progress -- until the elections in June 2015, when the moderate Kurdish party HDP won 13 percent of the vote and Erdogan lost his absolute majority. He promptly put an end to the peace process and the country slid into chaos and unrest. Yet Erdogan's risky strategy bore fruit once again. After months of unrest, including terror attacks in Suruc and Ankara, he was able to present himself as the savior. He promised that the AKP would bring back peace and security and blocked the creation of a new government with HDP. When new elections were held last November, he got his absolute majority back. It was a ruthless maneuver, but it was effective. Now, the army and police force are once again fighting the Kurds and the senseless civil war has proven beneficial to Erdogan. The state has imposed curfews in several cities in the region and heavily armed soldiers have surrounded city quarters or entire villages, such as the Syrian border town of Nusaybin. Anyone who is seen on the street during the curfew is considered a terrorist. According to the president's logic, that means they may be killed. In late March, Erdogan said that 300 members of the security forces had thus far fallen victim to the fight, but added that the number of enemy deaths was at least 10 times as high. The opposition Kurdish party HDP says that hundreds of civilians have been killed since the beginning of the military operation. Erdogan said last year that he intends to annihilate the PKK and fight until the "region is cleared of all terrorists." He has also noted in recent months that no European governments are doing anything to stop him from doing so. And he knows that Merkel is keeping quiet because she needs his help in the refugee crisis. "Erdogan has a plan to destroy everything," says an HDP parliamentarian. The opposition, he says, has no chance to intervene politically. Although the HDP won almost 11 percent of the vote in the new elections and has a robust faction in parliament, capriciousness and repression have almost completely paralyzed the party. Erdogan accuses the HDP of being the political arm of the PKK. And he says: "The anti-terror operations will continue with resolve." It is once again his approach from early in life, it is the law of the streets of Kasimpasi: friend and foe, black and white. You can hit hard, but you can never yield an inch. By Onur Burcak Belli, Markus Brauck, Clemens Hoges, Hasnain Kazim, Katrin Kuntz, Ralf Neukirch, Ann-Katrin Nezik, Rene Pfister, Maximilian Popp, Gordon Repinski, Christoph Reuter, Christoph Schult and Samiha Shafy Drama In the mermaid-obsessed sea town of Bristol Cove, everyones lives will change when actual mermaids come ashore, causing sides to be taken, loyalties to be tested and a war between man and mermaid to begin. Executive producers include Eric Wald, Dean White, Brad Luff, RD Robb and Nate Hopper.From executive producer Mila Kunis, Hunted centers on Valerie who escapes prison to prove she did not murder her husband. While the police hunt for her and attempt to prove her family helped her escape, Valerie fights to exonerate herself but is she really innocent? Along with Kunis, Ed Bernero and Hugh Sterbakov executive-produce.A sci-fi drama from executive producer McG, Lore tells the story of the lone survivor of an ancient race of paranormal beings who is abducted and forced to put his extraordinary abilities to work for the government. When an old nemesis resurfaces, this arrangement turns into an uneasy alliance, and the only hope for survival in a dangerous world of mystery and magic. The series is written by Zack Stentz (Thor) and executive-produced by McG, Mary Viola, Zach Stentz, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross.A drama based on a hit British series, a group of twenty-somethings are exposed to a mysterious chemical, and subsequently develop peculiar superpowers. The series is from ABC Signature Studios and executive-produced by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.Executive-produced by Joel Silver and writer/director Don Roos, in association with Lionsgate, this dramedy focuses on a middle class family who adopted identical twin boys at birth. One is all boy, one grew up trans. The series is inspired by the book Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family.From executive producer Will Packer, Nine Years Under tells the story of a law school grad who blows off the bar exam to take a job at a funeral home after the sudden death of her mother. Along with Packer, Korin Huggins executive-produces.Executive-produced by Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey and Aaron Kaplan, this drama is set in a low-income Latino neighborhood, and is told through the eyes of an 18-year-old girl destined for greatness. Ana Cobarrubias will be a consultant on the project.From The Lonely Islands Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, two misfits from different backgrounds try to make their way into the vain and status-obsessed culture of Los Angeles. Along the way, they find salvation in their male/female, strictly platonic friendship.From executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, along with Mila Kunis, Made in LA is a half-hour comedy set in the world of fashion, centering on two friends who join their different skill sets to become fashion entrepreneurs. The series is loosely inspired by the creators of fashion label Juicy Couture and the authors of The Glitter Plan. The series is from ABC Signature Studios.Elizabeth Banks executive-produces this single-camera comedy that follows the insulated life of a childrens book author who hates children. Her life is turned upside down when her brother shows up on her door with his two young daughters. The show comes from Warner Horizon TV, and executive producers Banks, Max Handelman and Susan Jaffee.A spinoff of the networks popular sitcom Young & Hungry executive produced by and starring Ashley Tisdale as Logan Rawlings. Greenwich billionaire Steven Cohen is creating as many as 25 clinics nationally to offer free mental health services to veterans, pledging $275 million to the effort. Cohen is founder of Stamford-based Point72 Asset Management, a family investment office built on the fortune created by Cohens hedge fund SAC Capital, which in 2014 paid $1.8 billion to settle a probe into whether the firm engaged in insider trading. The Cohen Veterans Network lists its main office at Point72s address, with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation listing its primary location in Greenwich. The Cohen Veterans Networks goal is to help 25,000 veterans annually, with the network following the model of a clinic at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center that Cohen funded alongside the Robin Hood Foundation, backed by Greenwich hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones. Other locations will include Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio and Addison, Texas. The nonprofit is led by Anthony Hassan, a former clinical professor at the University of Southern California, and officer in the U.S. Air Force, with his resume including service during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 on the first-ever Air Force combat stress-control-and-prevention team embedded with the U.S. Army. We are launching this network to provide veterans with a real choice as they transition home, Hassan said in a written statement. We are offering free, confidential mental health care, with no wait times, not only to veterans but to their family members, as well. ...We will make in-home visits, offer telehealth appointments, or pay for transportation to our clinics. Cohen has committed another $30 million for his Cohen Veterans Bioscience initiative. The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation gave out $51 million in grants in 2014, a year in which it saw the fair-market value of its assets swell to $566 million, according to the charitys most recent Internal Revenue Service filing posted online by the Foundation Center, doubling its war chest of the preceding year. An individual answering the phone at the foundations office said the Cohen Veterans Network is unrelated to its work to benefit veterans. The foundations largest gift in 2014 was a $6.8 million donation to the New York City-based Robin Hood Foundation, but the Cohen Foundation disbursed funds to more than 50 organizations in Connecticut that year. In late April, Alexandra Cohen plans to take a weeklong bus trip to the middle part of the country to build awareness of philanthropic needs there. From the research we have done, the middle of our country does not get the attention it deserves, Alexandra Cohen stated in a Wednesday blog post. You see this more now during election season the states are full of the forgotten many. Like many of the generous and fortunate people we know, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation tends to focus our giving in our general vicinity. As a result, much of the money is spent on both coasts but nowhere in the middle. I hope this trip serves as an education for all of us. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-964-2236; www.twitter.com/casoulman NORTH STAMFORD-Residents of Sky Meadow Drive face another year of work to repave area streets and improve drainage between Scofieldtown and High Ridge roads. The combination of the narrow and hilly Sky Meadow Drive and aging and undersized drain pipes exacerbates flooding during storms, City Engineer Louis Casolo said at a meeting last Saturday at Villa Maria School. While the first phase of the project to install new drainage lines and repave a stretch of Sky Meadow Drive east to Larkspur Road is expected to be finished within a week or so, work to set to begin in August to pave west to Scofieldtown Road is contingent on the approval of $1.4 million in funding in the citys 2016-2017 capital budget, Casolo said. Bill Janocha, a resident at the corner of nearby Skyline Lane and Northwind Drive, said the situation is frustrating for area residents but that the priority for the neighborhood is fixing the poor pavement condition and insufficient drainage correctly, not speed. Im very particular about the condition of roads being good but I also think they did a good amount of work over the winter..., Janocha said. But I prefer they take the time they need to do it right. Sister Carol Ann Nawracaj, executive director of Villa Maria School thanked State Rep. William Tong-D-Stamford and Casolo for holding the meeting, though she said she had hoped the work could be expedited to avoid overlapping another school year. We are also grateful to(Tong) for his efforts in arranging for City Engineer, Lou Casolo, to conduct the meeting and advise the residents about the construction timeline, and explaining the complex process that must be followed before any work of this kind can be undertaken, Nawracaj said. Tong told the property owners they should contact their city representatives to push for approval of funding for the second phase of the project this year. Tong said he empathized with residents who tolerated the unfinished state of the roads over this past winter into spring. What you can do is call your city representatives and remind them of how bad it is, Tong said. To share your community and neighborhood news with the Advocate, contact Staff Writer Martin B. Cassidy at 203-964-2264 or at martin.cassidy@scni.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Nearly a third of Stamford Academy students were expelled or suspended in the last school year the 11th-highest rate in the state mirroring a trend at charter schools and in urban districts facing higher rates of punishment. In the 2014-15 school year, 7.2 percent of students in Connecticut received either an in- or out-of-school suspension, or an expulsion, according to a report presented Wednesday to the state Board of Education. That compares with 9 percent in 2009-10. Leon Smith, director of the Racial Justice Project for the Center for Childrens Advocacy, said more needs to be done. This report highlights the need for significantly more scrutiny on the charters and their discipline practices, Smith said. Education reform districts, especially the Connecticut cities, have shouldered the brunt of criticism on the school discipline issue and there is certainly a great deal of work that still needs to be done in those districts to bring down their numbers and the disparities. But charters need to be looked at in an equal or more intense spotlight given that their numbers are worse. Garland Walton, a spokesman for Stamford Academy, said the 30 percent rate for expulsions and suspensions is actually a decline from 36 percent in 2013. The school, founded in 2004 by Domus, has about 150 students in grades 9 through 12 who struggled in traditional school environments or had dropped out of school. More Information Area Schools and Districts with High Suspension/Expulsion Rates in 2014-15 Elementary schools (Pk-5) Bridgeport Achievement First 19.93% Park City Prep Charter School 18.68% New Beginnings Family Academy 10.03% Middle schools (Grades 6-8) Bridgeport Achievement First 48.92% Great Oaks Charter School 43.31% The Bridge Academy 27% Bridgeport School District 21.67% Derby School District 21.47% High schools (Grades 9-12) Bridgeport Achievement First 42.67% Bridgeport School District 30.21% Stamford Academy 29.79% Danbury School District 26.64% Derby School District 20.9% See More Collapse The school had no expulsions in the past two years, but in-school suspensions rose from 58 in 2013 to 162 in 2014, according to numbers provided by Walton. We target students who have a history of being unsuccessful in school and have multiple suspensions and in some cases have been excluded, so we expect these behavioral challenges," Walton said. We believe we are helping young people we work with with social, emotional and behavioral skills. If you look at our young peoples history of in-school or out-of school suspensions, they actually are doing better with us. A breakdown of the number of suspensions and expulsions at Stamford Academy wasnt included in the report. In-school discipline Stamford Public Schools, however, issued more out-of-school suspensions, which grew to 86 percent of major disciplinary actions from 71 percent in the 2013-14 school year, the report said. Total suspensions dropped to 620 in 2014-15 from 708 the year before, while out-of-school suspensions rose to 531 from 504. Stamford Schools Interim Superintendent James A. Connelly said he is analyzing the criteria for out-of-school suspensions and may seek to reduce their use with a more robust, in-school suspension program. Decreasing the amount of out-of-school suspensions is important, he said. If the number of in-school suspensions increases, that is OK. You are much better keeping them in school on suspension, according to all the research, than sending them out into the community. For a lot of kids, a suspension is a vacation for 5 days or 10 days. Connelly said he could not comment on the cause of the higher rate of suspensions until he examines the breakdown of punishment by school. The state has focused on suspensions and expulsions because they can lead to academic deterioration. Even one suspension increases the likelihood of academic failure, school dropout and entry into the juvenile justice system, state Department of Education officials told the Board of Education. Over the past six years, the statewide number of suspensions and expulsions has dropped to 97,000 in 2014-15 from 127,000. Excluding repeat offenders, the count of students that received one or more of those punishments last year was 39,400. At state-funded charter elementary schools, however, the rate of suspensions and expulsions 13 percent is substantially greater than the state average of 2.9 percent. At the high school level, the charter school suspension and expulsion rate of 30 percent compares with 12 percent statewide. The Racial Justice Projects Smith said at the charters, students of color male and female are disciplined more harshly than their white counterparts. Silver lining Despite the high tallies for charter schools, many of them saw improvements from the 2013-14 school year. Park City Prep in Bridgeport, for instance, saw its overall out-of-school suspension rate drop to 56 percent from 81 percent, according to the state. Under state law, out-of-school suspensions are limited to students who pose a danger to themselves or others, or the administration determines it is appropriate based on prior behavior. According to the state, offenses that led to a suspension or expulsion last year were due to a school-policy violation 64 percent of the time. Fighting was involved in 12 percent of the incidents. The state also examined instructional days lost. The average out-of-school suspension cost students more than three days while the average expulsion resulted in nearly 120 lost school days. Students in public charter schools also tended to lose far fewer days. The average out-of-school suspension at a charter school was fewer than two days and the average expulsion about 35 days. lclambeck@ctpost.com; @lclambeck T he storm clouds gathering over the London luxury property market have spread to Canary Wharf, with buyers being offered discounts of as much as 30% for City flats, residential experts said today. Fears are growing that the once-derelict Docklands district could become the latest victim of a hike in stamp duty and uncertainty over Brexit deterring both British and foreign buyers. London-based JR Capital, which buys properties for Middle Eastern investors said it is increasingly being offered property bargains. JRs director, Michael Ferris, told the Standard: We have been offered discounts of up to 20% if we buy flats in bulk off plan for investors, and for some individual homes costing 7 million and above we have seen 30% come off the asking price. Discounts are partly in response to a glut of new homes in Canary Wharf, with thousands under construction. Investors are also being put-off by the new 3% additional stamp-duty rate on property bought as a second home or buy-to-let. As a result, estate agents are having to work harder to sell in the area, according to Adrian Owen, residential head at BNP Paribas Real Estate. Its not like shelling peas for them anymore, he said. Property developers are allowing agents to put more incentives in place to seal deals, such as agreeing to cover stamp-duty taxes or being more accepting of price negotiations. A spokesman for Canary Wharf Group pointed out that any property discounting on Isle of Dogs is not located at Canary Wharf. He added: In line with other industries, the property market is not immune to either political or economic uncertainty. However, the values of homes at the next phase of Canary Wharf reflect the very high specification of the apartments and their prime location, delivered by a high quality developer. Sales are progressing very positively with a high level of interest from prospective buyers. Over 80% of apartments at our first development at Canary Wharf known as 10 Park Drive have already sold and we are not considering discounting apartments. So far concerns over a luxury property bubble have been confined to south and west London. Institutional investors willing to take 100 flats or more were being offered discounts of around 20%, Bloomberg reported today. A record number of high-end homes are planned in Nine Elms and Earls Court even as demand wanes. Trevor Abrahmsohn, managing director of upmarket estate agent Glentree International, said: I know of a handful of residential developers in London who have not sold even one of their new-build flats over the last six months. A fund at the centre of the political storm involving Prime Minister David Camerons late father is lagging the world market after collapsing in value during 2016 due to a string of bad bets. The Smith & Williamson Blairmore Global Equity fund, one of the offshore funds thrown into the spotlight since the release of the Panama Papers, has lost its well-heeled investors 5% cumulatively since the turn of the year. A similar index called the MSCI World Index is down by 1.7% in comparison The loss is embarrassing given the recent focus on the Blairmore fund, which was founded by Ian Cameron in Panama in 1982. It moved to Dublin in 2012, where it is currently based. Data from Trustnet shows the fund has lost 8.8% over the past 12 months after its Japanese and oil investments turned sour. It had risen by 5.8% over three years. Blairmore declined to comment. The Prime Minister has been forced to clarify his links to offshore vehicles after the release of papers from law firm Mossack Fonseca, which was a legal adviser to the Blairmore fund founded by Cameron Snr. The PM said he currently has no investments in shares, offshore trusts or offshore funds. It emerged today that David Cameron argued for the EU to treat offshore investment trusts differently to companies when the European Council was drafting anti-money laundering rules in 2013. I n recent years the pillars of the establishment have been crumbling one by one. The MPs expenses scandal, the financial crash, the Jimmy Savile cover-up, phone-hacking and other outrages have revealed elites putting greed, corruption, recklessness and cynicism ahead of the public good. The Panama Papers, with their revelations about the rich and powerful exploiting offshore tax havens, will only stoke the flames of public anger further. And understandably too. If your familys wellbeing has been hit by years of stagnant wages and austerity because of a crash in 2008 caused by financiers who seem to have got away scot free, you have every right to be angry when the richest in society still seem to be playing by another set of rules. Little wonder, then, that a tidal wave of angry populism is sweeping across the Western world. From Donald Trump in the US and Marine Le Pen in France to Beppe Grillo in Italy and the far-Right parties that are now in government in Poland, Finland and Switzerland, the howls of rage against the sins of the establishment are widespread. And its not just on the Right. On the angry Left, the likes of Syriza in Greece, Podemos in Spain and Bernie Sanders in America are on the march too. In the UK, we have nationalists north of the border turning Scotland into a virtual one-party state, Ukip winning nearly four million votes at the general election and Jeremy Corbyn, a one-time fringe figure on the radical Left, leading the Labour Party. What they all have in common is an abhorrence of the establishment, whether it is bankers or big business or the political class. Every tub-thumping populist claims to be the standard bearer for the people against the elites. Its easy these days to point an accusatory finger of blame at them and get a rousing round of applause from angry and disillusioned voters. And now Brexit campaigners in the referendum campaign want a slice of the anti-elite action too. They are desperate to frame the debate as the people versus the establishment, with themselves as the self-styled anti-elite crusaders. Liam Fox, a former defence secretary, described the Leave campaign as a peasants revolt. Nigel Farage called it the people versus the politicians. The Vote Leave website calls on its supporters to take on the establishment. So who are the leading lights of this peoples army? What are the anti-establishment credentials of these latter day revolutionaries? Well, theres Lord Lawson, the 83-year-old former chairman of Vote Leave who was Chancellor of the Exchequer under Margaret Thatcher. He now lives for much of the year in the South of France, nurturing his climate-change scepticism and loathing of the EU from the sunny climes of the Gascon countryside. Then theres Nigel Farage, always ready to claim the everyman mantle over a pint of ale in a traditional English pub. Nigel had a long career as a City trader before he became an MEP 17 years ago, and has failed now on seven occasions to become an MP hardly evidence of someone seeking to shun the Westminster establishment. 'Dont be fooled. The campaign to leave the EU is not an anti-establishment movement, it is just one wing of the establishment attacking another' How about Arron Banks, the millionaire Conservative donor who defected to Ukip and co-founded the Leave.EU campaign? The insurance magnate was named in the Panama Papers this week as the shareholder of a company based in the British Virgin Islands. Theres Zac Goldsmith, the Eurosceptic Tory mayoral candidate, who parades himself as a scourge of the Westminster establishment. He is the son of a billionaire whose whole mayoral campaign appears to be based on the claim that his closeness to the powerful in Westminster will help Londoners. And then, of course, there is the de facto, swashbuckling Brexiteer leader himself, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, late of Eton College and the Bullingdon Club. As anti-elitists go, they are an extraordinarily rarefied elite themselves. So dont be fooled. The campaign to leave the EU is not an anti-establishment movement, it is just one wing of the establishment attacking another. It is as if they see Trump as a role model: a billionaire TV star property developer posing as the champion of the little guy. That his hypocritical anti-elitist shtick appears to be working so well across the pond is depressing enough. That the Brexiteers are now trying the same trick here is even more dispiriting. But the ultimate hypocrisy is not just that these people live the comfortable life of the elite themselves but that they are not the ones who will have to live with the consequences of leaving the EU. It is the jobs and livelihoods of ordinary working people that are at risk, not theirs. Indeed, Boris is probably the only person who thinks his job prospects will improve if we leave. The side that wins an election or referendum is usually the one that succeeds in framing the question: not the words on the ballot paper as such, but the question that defines the choice people are faced with. At last years general election, for example, the Conservatives posed the question Do you want a Labour government led by Ed Miliband and propped up by the SNP? For millions of Brits, the answer was no and a vote for the Conservatives the surest way of avoiding that fate. The question at this referendum shouldnt be some synthetic us versus them argument, or some self-serving bilge about the people versus the ruling elite. It should simply be this: What is best for the future prosperity, safety and wellbeing of our country? No matter how hard the Brexit camp claim they represent the interests of ordinary people against an unfeeling elite, this should remain the real question. So beware the hypocrites who rage against the elite from the comfort of their ivory towers. Their cynicism comes at your expense. W omen and children first. Thats supposed to be the rule of the sea but on land women keep coming last. Over and over again, 51 per cent of the population are treated as an afterthought, a problem, our needs overlooked or dismissed. The junior doctors contract. Pension changes. The British Transport Police axeing its sexual offences unit. Austerity. In a week when The Archers has put domestic violence on the front pages, lets remember that refuge provision is in crisis. A thread runs through all this: women suffering most. They are bearing the brunt of Government cuts. According to the Fawcett Society, 85 per cent of welfare benefit trimmings have fallen on female pockets. Since women use council and community facilities more, slashing there hurts them most. Hack away at the state and you hack at women too. Recently, I revealed that the British Transport Police was scrapping its sexual offences unit. Thanks to the outcry that followed, that move has been halted for an urgent review. But what the BTP had planned was to disband that team while keeping the units handling cycle and property theft. Because thats where women fall in the pecking order: below nicked bikes and pickpocketed phones. Our needs also come secondary to the Governments ludicrously under-funded plans for its so-called seven-day NHS. Because, despite David Camerons pledge to end the gender pay gap in a generation, the contract he is making the biggest employer in the country impose in England is regressive. But dont take my word for that: listen to the Department of Health. In its own equality analysis, it mentions 14 times that the contract may discriminate against women, especially those working part-time or taking maternity leave. It debates making special provisions for those groups but then decides against it because any indirect adverse effect on women is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. Sure. Women? Whatevs. Theyre only the majority of the workforce coming through now. Incidentally, teachers have told me they believe the academisation of schools will chip away at maternity rights too because academies are not subject to the same rules on staffing as local authority schools. The Department of Health analysis also notes that obstetrics and gynaecology will be particularly adversely affected by the new contract. Thats because more women work there and theyre more likely to be part-time. So this isnt just about female doctors; women generally will be hit too. And who will suffer most from the new contract? Single parents, the majority of whom are women. Because whats worse than being a woman? Being a woman without a man, it seems. You dont want to be older either. Because women with the misfortune to be in their mid-fifties to early sixties are getting battered by a sudden decision to equalise the state pension age. Some have already been made redundant by employers who deemed them past their sell-by-date; others may be ill or carers themselves. Were any women involved in these decisions? I ask because a former civil servant once told me about her time at the Treasury. She was often the most junior person (and only female) in the room and would find herself piping up with the same line: Er, have you thought about how this will affect women? Incidentally, women and children first is a myth. A 2012 study found that the survival rate of women in maritime disasters is around half that of men. As with the lifeboats, so in life. But why is this Government so determined to let women sink? Harassers just get away with it Has Twitter really improved in the way it handles harassment? Recently after some twerp started re-posting my tweets with words such as c***, f*** off, and female journos should have to pay to write columns in front I decided to do an experiment. So I reported him. I didnt think he should be banned, just scolded maybe, but I wanted to see how Twitter handles such behaviour, given that victims may be more fragile than rhino-hided me. It turns out that the onus falls entirely on a victim to provide evidence, even though Twitter could just look at the accuseds timeline. Eventually, I got a stock response, saying the site would do nothing. So I asked Twitter if I could speak to someone at the company. We do not comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons, came another stock reply. I asked again nine times explaining that I wanted a general chat about harassment. Twitter refused to put anyone forward. Last week, a male journalist was copied in to some of the weirdness I receive as a woman online. Bloody hell, he texted. I cant believe what you have to put up with. And I dont get it nearly as badly as some. When life in the office means life Imagine being stuck in the office with just your colleagues and no guarantee of escape. Thats the hellish premise of X, a new play at the Royal Court, only the office is a research base on Pluto (brutally demoted from planetary status in 2006 in a move that made my childhood feel like a lie. Never forgive. Never forget.) Its a shame that in the second half X turned into Waiting for Godot 2: In Space because I loved the initial idea. You neither choose your co-workers nor forgive them as kin. I used to sit next to a man who sniffed incessantly and Im sure Susannah Butter, the model colleague beside me now, must wish I had a mute button. Hell isnt other people, but it may be other people youre made to work with. * My heroes of the week are the protesters currently occupying Carnegie Library in Herne Hill. They have been there a week sleeping on the floor in a bid to stop Lambeth council from turning it into a gym with a room for books. Campaigners have now been served with an eviction notice but theyre still fighting. Join them on Saturday to help save a cathedral of thought. G et ready to laugh: the fifth London Comedy Film Festival (Loco) starts later this month in cinemas across the capital. The festival is a mix of premieres of independent British movies, cult French films, silent classics and much more. For those craving a little more of Tom Hiddleston after The Night Manager, he pops up in a rarely seen short, Friend Request Pending, which stars Judi Dench trying internet dating. Some of the finest names in comedy feature, from The Mighty Booshs Noel Fielding to Mirandas Sally Phillips. Styles range from satirical fantasy to brutal realism and the main aim is to gain exposure for new talent, says Locos co-founder, Denise Hicks. We set up the festival because we know there is a hunger for British independent comedy films, but many of them never make it to the screen. Were here to help audiences discover the most original new British comedy films. The festival is not just about putting smiles on faces. The organisers are on a mission, too. British film-makers know that comedy is often the best way to tackle taboos and capture the spirit of the times, adds co-founder Jonathan Wakeham. The Darkest Universe A world premiere for a new film co-directed by rising stars Will Sharpe and Tom Kingsley, whose debut, Black Pond, won the duo Best Newcomer at the Evening Standard British Film Awards in 2011. City trader Zac goes on a journey to find missing sister Alice, last seen on a narrowboat. The dreamy, melancholy narrative gradually fills in the details of Alices life. A strong supporting cast includes Inbetweeners Simon Bird and Joe Thomas and the comedy ranges from the quirky to the deadpan as Zac is constantly frustrated in his quest. Picturehouse Central, W1, April 30, 6.30pm Hot Property A stylish satire on everything from gentrification to celebrity chefs. MyAnna Buring, who played maid Edna Braithwaite in Downton Abbey, stars as high-flying corporate spy Melody Munroe, whose life unravels when she loses her job and is evicted from her warehouse apartment. Munroe soon turns the tables on the people who have wronged her, using hacking skills and the blowtorch she carries in her handbag. Meanwhile pretentious cook Harmony wants to pursue his career in America: Do you know how hard it is to get 300 placenta in California? he whinges. Buring is very watchable shed be a shoo-in for a Debbie Harry biopic. Picturehouse Central, W1, May 1, 6.30pm My Anna Buring in Hot Property Set the Thames on Fire Sadie Frost co-produced this visually inventive, futuristic film set in a flooded London, which may explain her cameo as buxom landlady Mrs Hortense. Michael Winder and Max Bennett are Art and Sal, two innocent friends trying to navigate their way through the city, now ruled by mysterious tyrant The Impresario. The painterly spirit of Peter Greenaway and the vivid imagination of Terry Gilliam have surely exerted their influence on director Ben Charles Edwards, while Noel Fielding chips in wearing a white dress in one particularly menacing scene. BFI NFT1, SE1, April 21, 8.40pm Aaaaaaaah! Steve Orams directorial debut had a brief release last year but its worth catching here, particularly if you have just seen Ben Wheatleys High-Rise. As in Wheatleys recent dystopian vision, Oram, who also stars, portrays a modern city tumbling into primitivism, symbolised by the fact that everyone communicates with ape-like grunts between outbursts of violence and animalistic sex. Mighty Boosh fans will also enjoy a partial reunion of Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding they both have notable roles, although sadly not together. Residents of East Dulwich, where Aaaaaaaah! was mostly shot, may now understand why they kept seeing actors from their favourite television shows monkeying about in their shops. BFI NFT1, SE1, April 23, 8.45pm Steve Oram in AAAAAAAAH! Black Mountain Poets Alice Lowe and Dolly Wells play best friends Lisa and Claire, who find themselves in trouble and hide out in an obscure poetry society in Wales. Their big mistake is to pretend to be writers, which means the others want to hear their work. Lowe is engagingly unpredictable while Wells, from the sitcom Doll and Em, has a nice line in oddball poshness. They clearly have great chemistry, as the film was shot in just five days and was largely improvised. Tom Cullen plays the local versifier who comes between them. Hackney Picturehouse, E8, April 30, 6pm Burn Burn Burn A road trip with a difference. Seph (Laura Carmichael) and Alex (Chloe Pirrie) have another passenger in their Volvo Dan, who has been cremated and is in an urn in the glove compartment. His wish is for them to scatter his ashes in places that have a special meaning for him. Flashbacks via video diary footage tell the story of why he wants the ashes scattered in different locations. This is the first feature from director Chanya Button and writer Charlie Covell and a contemporary role for Carmichael, who was Lady Edith in Downton Abbey. BFI NFT1, SE1, April, 23, 5.45pm Big Shorts An evening of bite-size comedies, including Judi Dench as a single pensioner learning how to cyber-flirt in Friend Request Pending, with Tom Hiddleston as her son. Johnny Vegas stars in Dark_Net, a cautionary tale about what can go wrong when you hire a hitman online, and in Anthony, Tim Key is Santa Claus, who has to make a crash landing on his busiest night of the year. BFI IMAX, SE1, April 25, 8.45pm iShorts + Funny Girls The world premiere of new shorts by female film-makers. Highlights include Sarah Chong Is Going to Kill Herself, directed by Ella Jones and written by Elaine Gracie, which tells the story of an office worker who turns grenade-toting revolutionary, and newcomer Cat Joness Little Big House, a prison comedy which she wrote and directed. It concerns young offender Liam, who has to hand over drugs to the prisons Mr Big but they are stashed in the dead body of another prisoner. BFI NFT3, SE1, April 21, 8.45pm & April 26, 8.30pm Loco London Comedy Film Festival runs from April 20 to May 1. Visit locofilmfestival.com. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout Aiya. Sam Rollinsons South Yorkshire voice is as deep as her dark blue eyes and as smooth as her clear skin so faultless it actually looks airbrushed in real life framed by that famous choppy black bob. She extends a hand, elbow cocked laddishly: Dyou want a cuppa? Weve swapped the grey pavements of London for the wide boulevards of Paris for the ES Magazine couture-themed cover shoot. On set, the 21-year-old is a spirited, jesting tomboy Just dont call me Samantha, she jokes at one point chatting about baking shortbread and watching Corrie while crossing the road in a priceless Giorgio Armani Prive gown. And thats precisely her magic: she makes wearing the worlds most rarefied, astonishing couture clothes seem like an everyday thing to do. This low-fi attitude belies a glittering career. Scouted at 13, within three years she was being photographed by Mario Testino for Burberry. The past year has seen her career go stratospheric having starred in campaigns for Zara, Chanel Watches, Tods and DKNY. Shes still adjusting to the fame. Obviously its nice, but you dont want to be recognised with your shopping trolley in Sainsburys. All that just blows my mind. I can understand Cara and Kendall [Jenner], because they are mega-famous. She describes Jenner, who she met on the show circuit, as really sweet, but admits to being baffled by Kanye Wests fashion foray: I dont know why Kanye West is coming to fashion shows. Beats me. Or why he is doing his own line. Its absolutely dreadful. I could do it better. Genuinely. Its rare these days to find a model who speaks so candidly; totally refreshing, in fact. Valentino Haute Couture Oiseau Psychedelique velvet dress, by appointment (00331 55 35 16 00) Ben Rayner / Ben Rayner Born in Doncaster, she moved to London at 18 and describes it as home. She lives in a flat in Kings Cross overlooking the canal with two model friends, Charlotte Wiggins, 22, and Eve Delf, 21. What do these girlfriends banter about? Shoes? Boys? Try politics. In another life Sam would have studied politics or philosophy. Ill vote to stay in the EU, she pronounces proudly. So she leans to the left? Definitely. Liberal. Behind Corbyn all the way? Oh yeah. Im not very right wing. Im definitely centre left. Such fighting talk rings true with her down-to-earth upbringing. Growing up with an older brother, Ben, 25, she says, equipped her with a sense of humour and a thick skin essential for the modelling world. Rejection is the hardest thing. People say, Dont take it personally, but you do if you really want a job. Sometimes I get a bit upset, but its just part of the job. Sam Rollinson 1 /8 Sam Rollinson CHANEL Haute Couture bomber jacket with embroidered butterflies, chiffon sheath dress with embroidered necklace effect (by appointment only: 00331 44 50 66 00) Ben Rayner Giambattista Valli Haute Couture cocktail dress in silk crepe with ruffles and floral bouquet paillette embroidery, ON Motcomb (020 7235 4146; on-motcomb.com) Ben Rayner Dior Haute Couture knitted silk top (by appointment only: 00331 40 73 54 44) GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVE lace dress with flounces, embroidered with Swarovski crystals, (by appointment only: 00331 56 89 01 18) Ben Rayner Ralph & Russo Couture caped palazzo jumpsuit in matte crepe, with guipure bodice, embroidered with silver bullion, crystals, pearls and petals (by appointment only: 020 8878 5399) Ben Rayner Valentino Haute Couture Oiseau Psychedelique velvet dress, by appointment (00331 55 35 16 00) Ben Rayner Despite any lingering insecurities, she has numerous magazine covers under her belt and 142,000 Instagram followers, plus her career has its super-glamorous upside: I love the Paris catwalk shows, she says. Theyre proper legit, you know what I mean? Louis Vuitton, Chanel. Its all the big dogs. She has not one but two wardrobes, bursting with buys from The Kooples, Sandro and Topshop, as well as the odd designer item (she cites Saint Laurent as her favourite designer and is particularly proud of a rare Versace handbag picked up in the vintage concession at Liberty). Her other indulgence is less likely: This is going to sound really poncey but UberExec is my biggest guilty pleasure, she grins. GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVE lace dress with flounces, embroidered with Swarovski crystals, (by appointment only: 00331 56 89 01 18) Ben Rayner / Ben Rayner Shes been dating The Xtra Factor presenter and stand-up comedian Matt Richardson, 24, since last March. Shes clearly besotted, giggling at the mention of his name. She clocked him in 2014 at Leeds Festival. I said to Charlotte, who knew him, Hes fit, isnt he? and then we got each others numbers and now were going out! Despite her hectic schedule, they manage to see each other all the time: Recently he had a gig in Liverpool so I went with him and he ripped me to shreds on stage. Maybe thats his way of getting me back for being plastered all over buildings. Aside from the occasional spin class, she rarely works out. I press her for the secret to her luminous skin. Nothing special really, she shrugs. Neutrogena face wash and Clinique moisturiser twice a day. Does it take her long to get ready for a night out? You mean out on the lash? she clarifies, in which case its half an hour of procrastination and primping followed by dinner in Soho and a night out at The Box. I dont really get hangovers. Lucozade Orange is my thing and a nap late in the day fresh as a daisy. The last time she really let her hair down was at the Brits in February. It was the best night ever, it was just unreal. Everywhere you looked there was someone famous. I went with my boyfriend and Charlotte, and we had a great table with Abbey Clancy, who is really lovely. And the Superman guy Cant remember his name. She means Henry Cavill. He was all right. I enjoyed Justin Biebers performance far more than I care to admit. Where does she see herself ten years from now? Oof! she says, recoiling at the thought. Ill be 31. I probably will have bought my own house. Id quite like to open my own business, but I dont know what yet. Im just figuring out life. Basically, Ill do modelling till they stop having me. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial T hink of Malbec and at once we think of Argentina. After all, this velvety dark purple wine bursting with juicy red-berry and black fruits, approachable tannins, balanced acidity and high alcohol is the perfect partner for a sizzling steak and maybe a handsome cowboy. April 17 is World Malbec Day, marking the date in 1863 when the grape was first introduced to Argentina by Michel Aimee Puget. The French agronomist realised the potential these vines would have in the Andes mountains - and how they could improve the overall quality of Argentine wines. Argentine Malbec is all about altitude. The hot days and cool nights of the Andes provide a lengthy ripening period, while the grapes maintain their acidity and distinctive flavours. Fruit ripened at lower altitudes generally makes for fuller-bodied wines while grapes from higher-altitude vineyards have a better balance of acidity, with cleaner, fresh fruit flavours and an overall elegance and richness. Mendoza, the heart of Argentinas wine country, hogs the limelight for this big red - but its birthplace is Cahors in south-west France, east of Bordeaux. Here, the grape goes by the name of Auxerrois or Cot (in the Loire) and the flavours are very different - more rustic with some farmyard savouriness, leather and spice; with age these wines soften to reveal cedar and earthiness. Historically they were described as black wines, so charcoal in colour and high in tannin, your tooth enamel would surely be eroded. Drunk as a varietal and also as a blend in Bordeaux wines, the grape came close to being wiped out by the 19th-century plague of Phylloxera aphids. Thankfully, improvements both in viticulture and in processes in the winery meant a reprieve and the birth of a broader style. Malbec wines 1 /10 Malbec wines Gouguenheim Malbec Bubbles, Extra Brut Rose 9.95, Tanners Buy it now From the Uco Valley in the foothills of the Andes, this is a bit of a surprise. A bone-dry sparkling wine made from 100 per cent Malbec, full of strawberry and red cherry flavours. Malbec thrives in high-altitude vineyards and this sparkler reaps all the rewards, maintaining the structure of the fruit and refreshing acidity. Alpamanta Natal Malbec, Mendoza, 2012 14.95, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Buy it now Located south of Luyan de Cuyo, with vineyards at 950m above sea level, the coolness of Alpamanta keeps the damson fruit and violet aromas crisp and clear rather than jammy or muddled, and the acidity well balanced. Biodynamic, medium-bodied and unoaked, this is one to drink now to maximise the fresh fruit pickings. Mas del Perie La Roque, 2014 19.90, The Sampler Buy it now Winemaker Fabien Jouves calls himself an artisan vigneron. His Mas del Perie La Roque Rouge is served at The Remedy wine bar in Fitzrovia and co-owner David Clawson is clearly in agreement: His wines embody everything we think Malbec, and especially Cahors Malbec should be - fresh, supple, pure inky dark fruit and not heavy or over-oaked like some you tend to see from New World producers. This natural wine, no added sulphur, really tastes of its surroundings - from the Kimmeridgian soils of the vineyard to the intense fruit aromas and firm tannins. Los Haroldos, Roble, 2013 15.95, Harrods Buy it now From the cooler Uco Valley in Mendoza, Los Haroldos from the Falasco family bursts with bright and juicy raspberry, dark cherry and plum. This smooth-tasting number is perfect to open up midweek for an impromptu dinner among friends. It is aged for six months in French and American casks, the use of both bringing different flavours - the French gives more toast and vanilla, and the American more sweet spice, vanilla, toasted coconut and chocolate. Well balanced and very satisfying on the palate, serve it with simple tapas dishes and charcuterie. Magnum Chateau de Mercues Grand Vin 2009 42, Dulwich Vintners, Buy it now With a blend of 85 per cent Malbec, this elegant wine is complex, rich and full-bodied. Inky black in the wineglass, the dark red fruits fuse with spice and leather. According to Vigouroux 2009 is the best vintage Mercues has ever produced this big bottle is rare, precious, and the epitome of what a Malbec should be. With seven years aged in bottle, the tannins are smooth and the addition of tannat maintains the overall structure but this is a wine that could also age for 20 years or more. If youve got the patience, youll be well rewarded, if not, make sure you let the wine breathe for a few hours before and - either way - enjoy it with a beautifully elegant meal. Michelini Brothers Superuco Malbec, Calcareo Rio de Los Chacayes, 2013 27, The Good Wine Shop Buy it now The dry weather in Argentina provides ideal conditions for biodynamic and organic farming. The Michelini brothers use whole bunches, fermented in concrete amphorae with native wild yeasts. This is a terroir-driven wine, clearly expressing the soils of Chacayes, the sub-region of Tunuyan with stone and chalk minerality and flavours of blueberries, thyme, rosemary, and chocolate. The finish is long and satisfying, with a delicious sweetness. Martinfort Malbec, Selection Belles Vignes, IGP dOc, 2014 7.40, Tanners Buy it now At 12 per cent this is a lighter-style Malbec from the Languedoc-Roussillon area. Soft and smooth with a full mouth of fresh black cherry and black plum, its great value for money and effortless to drink. Fromm Malbec, Marlborough, 2012 33.50, NZ Cellar, Buy it now New Zealand has a soft spot for the beloved thin-skinned, late-ripening grape, offering up slightly less rustic styles to those found in the milder climates and keeping the structure of the wine in check. Youll find blackberry and bramble, rose petal and violets, and a long, savoury, slightly bitter finish. More spicy than overly fruity and with a fair amount of grip, too, this full-bodied, meaty wine makes the perfect partner to a beef or lamb joint. Bertrand Gabriel Vigouroux, one of the top Malbec producers in Cahors, knows both climates well. If 12,000km and the Atlantic ocean separate Mendoza and Cahors, they are more like cousins than siblings, and should not be identical in their style. The structure of Argentinian Malbec has a lot of very ripe fruit but lower acidity overall; with Cahors the structure is built around the freshness of dark blackberry fruit, and higher acidity. Malbec or Auxerrois, this style of wine is a perfect partner for a variety of meaty and textured dishes. The lighter-bodied, young and fruitier styles are great with charcuterie. The higher-alcohol wines (from 14 per cent ABV) are just right with steak, roast beef and venison, and also with more substantial vegetarian dishes such as burnt aubergine, roasted root vegetables - in fact anything thrown on the Josper grill, whether meat or veg, will taste great with a glass or two. And with the wines from Cahors, look to the foods enjoyed locally, such as slow-cooked Quercy lamb, cassoulet, confit de canard and creamy Rocamadour goats cheese. So on April 17, gather a selection of different styles, some good friends, and raise a well-deserved toast to flavoursome, fruity Malbec. Nuria Stylianou is our WSET-qualified wine and spirits columnist. Email her on nuria.stylianou@ Follow us on Twitter @eslifeandstyle and sign up to our newsletterhere. T he end of a long, mind-numbing day at work. You flop on the sofa and pour yourself a well-earned glass of wine. Because youre proper sophisticated, you give it a swirl and take a large sniff: Hmm, yes, full-bodied and fruity, with a distinct metallic zip of... microchips. Delish. These are words that could well be tripping from the tongue of Saturday Kitchens Olly Smith if one Boston start-up has anything to do with it. Kuvee, the worlds first smart wine bottle, is nearly here, and its wi-fi enabled, battery-operated and refillable. Not only that, but it promises to keep your bottle of plonk fresh for 30 days once opened. A metal canister of screw-cap wine slot into the glass Kuvee bottle and its patented valve system stops oxygen touching your plonk. When youve filled your boots, or fancy a glass of something else, you remove the cartridge and insert another perhaps a nice rounded pinot noir or the like. Because why commit to a bottle when you can drink all of the drinks? Entrepreneur Vijay Manwani and co-founders Geoff Lansberry and Mike Tomovich set up Kuvee specifically to allow us to chop and change without wastage. Your guests will never again need to say, Ill have whatevers open. With Kuvee, everyone can choose their favorite wine, they promise. Thats not exactly true if your favourite wine is a 1982 Saint-Emilion Kuvee is currently only working with Californian vineyards, so youre looking at a fairly chardonnay n cab-sav-heavy wine rack. London's best wine bars 1 /17 London's best wine bars The Laughing Heart The Laughing Heart is well-equipped for lingerers it is very much a place for gathering and cracking open as many bottles as is sensible. The personal touch of its convivial nature is echoed in a wine list that champions artisan growers, in turn showcasing the entire portfolio of a chosen small producer. Its by-the-glass list is short but precise, while its bottle menu is sprawling youll have time to explore more than one, considering the place stays open until 2am, with a kitchen open until 1am from Monday to Saturday. The late-night food isnt just your average stomach-lining grub either: chef Tom Angleseas innovative cooking melds British produce with Asian flavours his signature dessert is a creme brulee with sparky Sichuan peppercorns. P. Franco East Londons natural wine scene just keeps getting better and a lot of that is down to the team behind P. Franco. This unassuming Clapton wine bar was set up in 2014 in a former Chinese takeaway by Liam Kelleher and James Noble, of the Noble Fine Liquor shops. In the years since, it's garnered runaway praise for mixing an innovative wine selection with an eclectic, very contemporary food menu in utilitarian surroundings. It's so relaxed that they don't even have a wine list, technically the daily changing selection is delivered verbally. Bright and latterly Peg have followed in its suit all are wonderful places to take wining and dining back to basics. Benjamin McMahon Terroirs Just off Trafalgar Square, Terroirs is always busy. Evenings start at a hum and end on with a roar as reams of Londoners bravely battle their way through glorious bottle after glorious bottle. The list is long enough to offer lots of choice and good enough that youll struggle to make a bad one. Food is excellent and there is barely a better spot in town to quaff down a bottle than up against the bar. Theyre big on natural wine here: if youre unsure about organic and biodynamic wine, try it here. A slight price premium comes attached, but its good fun. Wine is categorised by region and includes lesser-spotted wines from the likes of Greece, Slovenia and Georgia. Humble Grape This wine-merchant mini-chain prides itself on its organic, sustainable producers and how well it knows them. The bars get their wines directly from artisan, often family-run producers this means they skip out the expensive distributors and both you and the winemakers save a little. Humble Grape is also so keen to stay in-the-know with its sources, the bar even gets producers in to train the staff. You can currently find the bars in Battersea, Fleet Street, Islington and Liverpool Street, with one more opening in Canary Wharf this summer. Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels This Covent Garden outpost of a popular Parisian spot offers a catalogue of wine options that focuses on lesser-known styles and varieties hence its popularity with those in the industry. French wine takes top billing, naturally, but there are bottles from around the world and the team are on hand to enthuse over what to try. Theres an impressive range by glass including an extensive selection of Madeira to facilitate more trying, while a fun touch is the inclusion of a mystery wine on the list. This regularly-changing offering costs 9 a glass and could be any wine from the list that costs between 35 and 95 a bottle. If you guess which one it is, you get a bottle free. Noble Rot Earlier this year, the World Restaurant Awards named Noble Rot the best Red-Wine Serving Restaurant on the planet. Yes, the vast majority of restaurants in the world serve red wine, but Noble Rot does do it particularly well. More than 60 per cent of its 700-bottle strong list is red, and wine leapfrogs food to the top of the agenda. The whole set up is rebellious in nature: the menu lambasts lazy misconceptions by proclaiming chardonnay to be the the worlds greatest white wine and its shop sells both its own magazine and tote bags emblazoned with Sex & Drugs & Pinot Noir. The food is not to be forgotten in the fracas: Stephen Harris of the Sportsman in Kent has a consulting role, making it easy to fill up both glasses and plates. Sager + Wilde This modern spot set up by wine experts Michael Sager and Charlotte Wilde is easy enough not to notice on the Hackney Road and the blinds on the windows do nothing to suggest they want people in. But to take it that way would be a mistake: inside, all marble, dark wood and glass bricks, is an unpretentious take on a wine bar, modern London and old Paris all at once. They serve up some unusual offerings, perfect for anyone wanting to explore and, happily, the small plates of food they serve arent very small at all. The more restaurant-leaning Paradise Row edition in Bethnal Green is also excellent, while the new Fare Bar and Canteen is natural wine hotspot. Gordon's Enough has been written about Gordons to sell the place a thousand times over. There isnt anything left to say, really: its an institution thats far more about the atmosphere than the wine served (though they do that pretty decently, too). Its family run, has been since 1890 and has become a London institution in its own lifetime. Some prefer it in the summer time, when the outside tables fill up, but the cave-like indoors are a wonderful place to get lost in. Just remember to get there early: Gordon's gets full to bursting extremely early. Info: 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE gordonswinebar.com Comptoir Xavier Rousset can be found at the helm of many an acclaimed, wine-centric hotspot in London. Formerly head sommelier at Raymond Blancs Le Manoir aux QuatSaisons, Rousset went on to set up the 28-50 wine bars alongside restaurants Blandford Comptoir, Cabotte and Michelin-starred Texture. His most recent opening, Mayfairs Comptoir, showcases his love for a glass or two in more informal settings a cafe and wine shop during the day, a wine bar by night. Around 30 wines are available by the glass but more than 1800 are available by the bottle. Andrew Edmunds There are few better things to do in Soho than take your time over a bottle of wine. Where better to do such a thing than in one of the last bastions of Old Soho? Andrew Edmunds is small in size, but big in character, history and wine list. Wines by the glass at this restaurant start at a startling 4 something, and dont climb too much. A gloriously wide-ranging repertoire will take you up to the heady heights of a 475 1996 Abreu, but its possible to stay mercifully down to earth with enough bottles for less than 30. 10 Cases This small bistrot is a little like the French place you always wished you could find: somewhere for home-cooking and jugs of plonk. The only difference is that they dont serve any plonk they do, however, have a very respectable selection under 10. Wines can be bought by the glass, carafe or bottle, with bottles available to take-away or drink in with 12 corkage. Youll also never be tempted (nor able) to settle into ordering your favourite wine over and over again: wines are only ever purchased in 10 case orders, and once theyre gone, theyre gone in all its years of trading, the venue has never listed the same wine twice. 68 and Boston Bottles Rather than bothering to taste the wine to see if its still all right, an RFID chip the sort typically used to track packages keeps tabs on how many days you have left to drink it. The smart tech inside the bottle also makes it a Dummys Guide to Wine: when you slot your canister of wine in the bottle reads it and gives you its background history. Its similar to the Vivino app the reason otherwise respectable people have started waving their phones at Chianti in restaurants. Uploading a photo of the wine label to Vivino gives you instant information, recommendations and reviews from its 1.5 million global users. The more we know about wine the more we want to try, without having to fork out a grand for a bottle of 20-year-old Bordeaux. Coravin revolutionised the budding oenophiles access to fine wine in 2013, and Londons wine bars have been quick to install its patented system. A fine needle inserted through the cork while its still in bottle means some liquid can be extracted while exposing the rest of the bottle to a bare minimum of oxygen, which can taint it. Its brilliant for both amateur oenophiles and wine bars, who have more chance of selling prohibitively expensive grog. Theoretically Kuvee could pour cold Chardonnay all over that but until theyve increased their range it seems unlikely wine buffs will embrace it. James Fryer, head of beverages at oenophile restaurant Portland, predicts that the fact that the system only works with the wines Kuvee provides will be its biggest setback. The advantage of the Coravin system has always been that it works on any bottle. The idea of paying even more to be limited in choice sounds fairly unappealing. Not to mention the fact that snapping cartridges in and out is bound to harshen the wine-chilled vibe. Well find out if it will work when Kuvee is rolled out internationally next year. Cheers to that. Follow Frankie McCoy on Twitter: @franklymccoy E arlier this week the BBC asked Zac Goldsmith a few simple questions about the city he hopes to run. As you may know, he didnt do terribly well. The Conservative mayoral candidate didnt know that Holborn comes after Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road on the Central line. He didnt know that QPR play at Loftus Road. He did manage to guess the identity of the Queen Vics first landlord Dirty Den! but by that point its fair to say he had lost the crowd. Now, who knows what the reporter was trying to prove here. Perhaps that Goldsmiths gilded upbringing had shielded him from the daily routines that circumscribe the lives of ordinary Londoners? Only Labours Sadiq Khan didnt fare much better when he took the test. And we might ask whether 40-year-old soap storylines are really the best gauge of a politicians character. Top places to live in London The episode does call into question what constitutes essential knowledge for the modern Londoner. We all develop our little specialisms. There are those of us who can recite the entire Piccadilly line off by heart (at least until it splits at Acton Town). There are others who can tell you where to find the best Ethiopian food or which gay saunas are open at such-and-such a time or which private members clubs admit women or who has the best cocaine. This knowledge is hard-earned and dispensed with no little pride. But what of the common knowledge the mark of how in tune you are with the modern city? Test yourself but no Googling. TODO: define component type apester A billionaire businessman who has failed to pay a 2.2million debt racked up at the Ritz casino should be jailed for ten months, a top judge has ruled. Safa Abdulla Al Geabury, 52, claimed the casino should have stopped him playing as he is a known gambling addict, telling the High Court: "the Devil made me". However, his argument was rejected last year as "deliberately dishonest" and the property tycoon was ordered him to pay back the money. At a hearing today, Mr Justice Spencer found Al Geabury had not repaid the debt and was in contempt of court by not declaring his assets, deliberately breaching a worldwide financial freezing order. He said Al Geabury should be jailed for ten months for contempt, but he could be freed in six months if he complies with the freezing order "promptly". The court has heard the businessman is currently in Switzerland, and failed to attend the High Court hearing today because he claims to not be able to afford the flight. The judge said there is "evidence of enormous capital wealth" and refused to adjourn the hearing, saying Al Geabury could have attended if he wanted to. He said despite Al Geabury being abroad, there was no reason why the court should not impose a prison sentence. "I'm sure on all the evidence that the defendant was well aware of the obligations to provide information as to his worldwide assets", said the judge. "I'm sure that he was sent the order promptly by solicitors - I'm sure he was notified by solicitors of the relevant terms of the order. "I'm sure he deliberately chose to do nothing to comply with these orders and deliberately shut his eyes to the obligations upon him." Al Geabury had emailed the Ritz's solicitors on the eve of the hearing offering to come to the UK to be questioned on his assets at the end of this month, but only if the casino paid for his flights and accommodation. However, the judge said this was a "red herring" designed to put off the consequences of not paying back the debt. The court has heard Al Geabury boasted in the past of owning $1 billion of Islamic art in Geneva. The Swiss national, who owns a home in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, handed over a cheque to cover a huge gambling spree on February 19 2014. But it bounced when staff at the casino, based in the exclusive Ritz Hotel, tried to cash it the next day. The tycoon was taken to court by The Ritz Hotel Casino Ltd, demanding the total debt owed with 438 a day interest added on top. He had been a member of the Ritz Club since August 2012, and claimed in court that staff should have known about his gambling problem. He also counter-sued the casino for 5.4million, making allegations about the conduct of the venue's senior managers. But Mr Justice Spencer said his claims to have a gambling problem was based on a tissue of lies. "He manufactured evidence in relation to his supposed gambling addiction, and advanced numerous statements he knew to be false", he said. The judge ruled Al Geabury was in contempt of court on four occasions and imposed concurrent ten month prison sentences for each breach. B elgian prosecutors have released new CCTV images of the "man in the hat suspected of leaving a bomb at Brussels airport in an Islamic State terror attack. The suspect appeared to arrive at the airport with two suicide bombers and left before the bombs exploded, federal prosecutors said. In a video accompanying the appeal, viewers are shown the route he took away from the airport at 7.58am, travelling through the town of Zaventem and along a main road. He was last seen on video footage at Meiser square in northeastern Brussels at 9.42am. Bombing: Prosecutors want to trace the 'man in the hat' / Reuters Investigators are now looking for a light-coloured coat he took off during the journey and want to speak to anyone who may have captured him on camera. Prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt told a news conference today: "It is especially the coat which interests us." The two suicide bombs, along with an attack on one of the citys Metro stations, killed 32 people. A controlled explosion destroyed a third bomb at the airport about six hours after the initial attack. O ne of the airport bombers responsible for the deadly Brussels attacks previously worked at the European Parliament as a cleaner, it has emerged. An official from the European Union institution said that for a month in both 2009 and 2010, one of the men worked a student summer job in the parliament. Although the spokesman did not confirm which of the men involved in the attacks was being referred to, it has been reported that it was one of the airport bombers - Najim Laachraoui. The man was employed through a cleaning company, contracted by the European Parliament, the spokesman said. But the official insisted that the man did not have a criminal record at the time as the firm had submitted proof of this to the parliament. The Islamic State suicide bombings at the airport and on the rush-hour metro on March 22 killed 32 victims and wounded 270. TODO: define component type brightcove Briton David Dixon, 50, who was originally from Hartlepool but was living in the Belgian capital, died in the metro bombing and the Foreign Office said that seven British nationals were injured in the attacks. European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said: "The European Parliament confirms that seven and six years ago, one of the perpetrators of the Brussels terrorist attacks worked for a period of one month for a cleaning company which was contracted by the European Parliament at the time. "As a student, he held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. Those were the only instances he worked at the Parliament. "As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record to the European Parliament." T he family of a man who battered his mother to death with a bottle have raised serious concerns over why he was allowed out on day release from a south east London mental hospital. Gilbert Corette admitted the manslaughter of 81-year-old Marie Corette and also attacking his sister Patricia after being let out of Lewisham Hospital's Ladywell Unit on July 8 last year. Today, the 45-year-old, who has autism spectrum disorder and a major depressive disorder with psychotic features, was given an indefinite hospital order by Judge Charles Wide at the Old Bailey. Judge Wide told him: "It is a terribly sad and tragic case. You were obviously mentally ill at the time and this case must have caused great distress and anxiety to members of your family." Afterwards, the Corette family said in a statement: "The last nine months have been an incredibly difficult time for all of us, but we welcome the sentence of the court so that now Gilbert can get the full care and treatment he deserves. "We have serious concerns and questions about how he came be released when clearly unwell, on the day he killed our mother, and will await the forthcoming NHS investigation with interest. "We sincerely hope that it makes a real difference, so that tragedies like this can never happen to any other family in London ever again." Prosecutor Edward Brown told the court that Corettes mother had been afraid of him and fitted padlocks to rooms in her home at Lochaber Road, Lewisham. The day before the killing, a neighbour saw Corette knocking loudly on the door appearing "agitated and angry". His mother told him he could not stay at the house, so he went back to hospital only to turn up again the following morning. Mrs Corette told her daughter not to let him in but when she opened the door to tell him to go home, he forced entry, the court heard. He hit both women over the head with a bottle and when asked why, he said: "I have got to." When emergency services arrived, they found Mrs Corette lying in a pool of blood and she died later in hospital. A spokesman for the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Ladywell Unit, said: "We offer our full condolences to the family in this tragic case. We have carried out a thorough internal investigation into the care and treatment of Mr Gilbert Corette and shared this with his family. "The trust is also participating in a domestic homicide review in relation to the incident. We are unable to offer any further comment until this review is published." Additional reporting by the Press Association. A father was jailed after putting hot chilli sauce on his newborn baby's bottom to help with constipation. The 25-year-old, who has not been named to protect the child's identity, left the baby suffering from severe chemical burns. He used a 1.99 packed of "Hot Diggidy Dog Hot Original Pepper Sauce" in a bid to relieve his baby's discomfort. Salisbury Crown Court heard that police were called when the infant was taken to hospital for a routine check-up days after the sauce was applied in 2014. The dad was later arrested after a syringe containing the liquid was found at his home. He admitted he used the syringe to apply it to his son's bottom when he was less than one month old, the Mirror reported. Judge Andrew Barnett branded the dad's actions "fantastically irresponsible". The defendant also admitted possessing more than 150 images and videos of extreme porn, and the child has been taken into care. The father was yesterday jailed for three years, the Daily Mirror said. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were found in the search for missing police officer Gordon Semple. The discovery was made on an estate in Southwark a few hundred yards from where he was last seen six days ago, a few hours after visiting the Shard's Shangri-La hotel for a meeting. A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene. Forensics teams continue to scour the flat on the Peabody Estate, off Southwark Street, where the discovery was made on Thursday afternoon. Gordon Semple disappeared six days ago / Metropolitan Police A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We are unable to make formal identification at this stage, but this is devastating news for all those involved in the search for Gordon. "His family are being supported by specially trained officers and his colleagues have been briefed." A housing block on the estate was sealed off amid a large police presence after officers were called at about 1pm. The estate is close to where PC Semple was filmed by CCTV cameras in Great Guildford Street at about 3pm on Friday, in the last known sighting. Police guard the housing block / @TheStreetgym/Twitter He had left the meeting at the Shard at about 12.30pm, police said. The Metropolitan Police officer was reported missing by his partner after failing to return home from work on Friday. A CCTV still of Gordon Semple / Metropolitan Police The Met''s murder squad took over the hunt to find him on Thursday. Police divers started trawling the River Thames on Friday as more police units became involved in the search for the anti-social behaviour officer, 59. Gordon Semple / Metropolitan Police A spokesman for the Met added: "Officers attended the address where human remains were discovered. "Our work at that scene is crucial to ensure we capture all available evidence and this may take some time. "At this stage we will not speculate any further on what may have happened or possible motive. "A post-mortem will be held in due course, and until that has taken place we will not speculate on the cause of death." A man has been quizzed by police after a Muslim woman suffered Islamophobic abuse while trying to buy sweets in a west London newsagent. Ahlam Saed, 25, was allegedly called Batman because of her niqab face veil and subjected to an anti-Muslim rant after going into the shop in Shepherds Bush to buy a packet of Starburst. Londoner Ms Saed filmed the man on her mobile phone and the footage was widely shared on social media. The man, who was with two young children, could be heard saying: My kids cant even see your face, who the f*** are you? Are you a man or woman? He added: This is a Christian country. Christian, western world. Detectives had been appealing for the man to come forward. They today said a 39-year-old has been spoken to under caution in connection with the incident and the investigation continues. The man was not arrested, police added. The confrontation happened on Saturday at a shop in Uxbridge Road. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said officers have been in contact with the alleged victim who initially did not report the incident and are offering their ongoing support. The Metropolitan Police Service will not tolerate hate crime and is committed to tackling it in all its forms, they added. S cotland Yard was today accused of failing victims of hate crime as figures obtained by the Evening Standard revealed a shocking fall in prosecutions. The number of people facing police action for hate crimes in London has dropped by 13 per cent in the past five years despite the number of recorded offences rocketing 72 per cent during the same period. Campaigners described the new figures as a wake-up call both for police and communities in the capital. The data shows that the total number of hate crimes recorded by the Met jumped from 9,455 in 2011 to 16,296 last year. However, the number of offences that led to police action fell from 3,931 to 3,418. It means that the Met acted in 41 per cent of cases in 2011 but only 21 per cent in 2015. All categories of hate crime including racist, religious, homophobic, transgender and disability-related incidents saw a fall in prosecutions. Loading.... Human rights activist Peter Tatchell said: These statistics blow out of the water the idea that London is safe for LGBT people and that the police are bringing the perpetrators to justice. Most anti-LGBT criminals get away with their hate crimes. It is a wake-up call to the police and the LGBT community. A spokesman for gay rights charity Stonewall said: While we cant be certain if a rise in reported homophobic hate crime indicates a rise in incidents or increased confidence in reporting these crimes or both there is no denying the decrease in cases that are taken forward in court. This is disappointing, and must be addressed. We must unpick what the issues are here to ensure that LGBT people feel more confident in reporting hate crimes. Omar Khan, director of race equality think-tank the Runnymede Trust, said: While it is good to see some data released, those affected need assurances and evidence that when they do report a hate crime they will have some sort of effective response. Scotland Yard said the rise in recorded offences showed a greater willingness of victims to come forward but was also due to world events. In December the Met, led by Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, revealed that the number of Islamophobic incidents in the capital more than tripled in the wake of the Paris terror attacks. Ch Supt Dave Stringer, head of the Mets community engagement team, said a possible reason for the fall in prosecutions was a rise in the recording of non-violent incidents. Were seeing more people report non-violent offences such as an exchange of words, he added. Often these are cases where the victim doesnt know the offender and it is more difficult to capture evidence. He said that the exception was racist attacks on public transport and that police were working more closely with Transport for London on tackling the issue. In November Simone Joseph, 36, admitted causing racially aggravated distress after subjecting a pregnant Muslim woman and her two friends to a tirade of abuse on a bus in Brent. Joseph, of Willesden Green, was given a 16-week suspended jail sentence after Hendon magistrates heard she accused her victims of supporting Islamic State. She said she would kick the pregnant woman in the stomach so she would never have children, the court heard. Mr Stringer said the Met had boosted the number of specialist hate crime in-vestigators to 900 and added: We have reviewed our hate crime policy, placing extra focus on evidence-gathering and technology. It is also rolling out disability hate crime awareness training. The figures, obtained via a Freedom of Information request, reveal racist or religious hate offences almost doubled over the last five years from 7,989 to 14,111 or more than 38 offences a day. However, the number of prosecutions and other police action fell from 3,343 to 3,056 in the same period. Reports of homophobic offences were up from 1,276 in 2011 to 1,781 in 2015 but police actions fell from 537 to 321. Incidents of transgender hate crime were up 150 per cent, from 59 to 152. But the number of people proceeded against fell from 13 to 11. Kay West, president of transgender support group the Beaumont Society, said this figure was shockingly low. There was also a rise in the number of hate crimes related to disability in the same period, from 131 to 252, along with a fall in the number that led to action down from 38 to 30. A policeman who had awarded just 20 compensation when a fleeing man drove a car over his foot has now allegedly been assaulted and left with concussion. PC Alex Christie was chasing a man through Surbiton and managed to get hold of his hoodie when the pair fell to the floor. Kingston police say the man, who had run from a suspicious vehicle nearby, then started to "violently fight" the officer, whose head slammed into the pavement, nearly knocking him out. Although another officer arrived on the scene, the man managed to escape and evaded a police helicopter and dog unit who were dispatched to help out in the search. A spokesman for the force said: "PC Christie was left concussed, confused and he wasnt making any sense to his colleagues. "He was rushed to Kingston Hospital and treated for his injuries. "However, unbelievably, he was on patrol looking after the borough the following day." Last year, PC Christie made headlines after being awarded 20 when a suspect drove a car at him and ran over his foot. Following the latest incident, which happened on March 30, police want to trace Zakaria Yahiaoui. The 20-year-old is described as of large build, black, with two gold teeth at the front of his mouth. Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. P olice arrested seven youths after a mass brawl broke out outside a bar in south London. A large group of male teenagers started a fight outside Ronnys bar in Bromley High Street at around 9.30pm on Wednesday, police said. The youths, all aged between 15 and 17, were arrested on suspicion of affray. They remained in custody today at a south London police station. Police said no-one was seriously injured in the fight. A Met Police spokesman said: The fight was in Bromley High Street, outside a club called Ronnys, at around 9.30pm. In addition to four arrested by task force officers, another three were arrested by local Bromley officers. All young males from London are still being processed in custody. Anyone with information is asked to call Bromley police on 101. T wo teenage girls who took selfies as they battered a 39-year-old alcoholic to death with household objects in a five-hour ordeal have been jailed for a minimum of 15 years. The teens, aged 13 and 14 at the time, used weapons including a shovel, TV set and a stick studded with screws to inflict more than 100 injuries on Angela Wrightson at her home in Harltepool. Both girls stopped to take photos of themselves over the course of their attack in December 2014, with one even posting an image on Snapchat from the back of the police van afterwards. While at the house, the younger girl made a phone call over Facebook to a friend who heard her say: "Go on. Smash her head in. Bray her. F****** kill her," as another laughed in the background. During sentencing at Leeds Crown Court today, the older of the pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wiped away occasional tears as the judge described how they punched, kicked and stamped on Miss Wrightson. Mr Justice Globe told the 15-year-olds, who were convicted of murder on Tuesday, their "cowardly attack" had included "gratuitous degradation". He said: "She undoubtedly suffered considerably, both mentally and physically, before she ultimately lost consciousness and died. "Her alcoholic state, considerable though it was, may have numbed the pain but I stress the word may and it most certainly would not have taken it away." Detective Chief Superintendent Peter McPhillips, of Cleveland Police, said he had never come across a crime like it in his 25-year career. Additional reporting by the Press Association. D evelopers behind the Citys tallest skyscraper have won the backing of the City of London authorities in a right to light dispute that threatened to stop it being built. The owners of dozens of buildings around the site of the planned 62-storey tower at 22 Bishopsgate had refused to agree compensation deals over loss of light and could have brought legal challenges against its construction. However, property company Lipton Rogers persuaded a key City of London Corporation committee earlier this week to use its powers to sideline their legal rights because of the importance of the scheme to the Square Mile. A City of London spokesman said the Corporation exercised section 237 of the Town and Country Planning Act sparingly and only after careful consideration. He said: In this instance, the view of the committee was that their decision was justified and this is was a major development which will result in significant improvements to the local area, increased floor space and help create jobs. An artist's impression of how the finished tower would look The same piece of legislation was used in 2011 to overcome potential objections to the construction of the 160-metre Walkie Talkie building on nearby Fenchurch Street. The 22 Bishopsgate tower is on the site of the now-abandoned Pinnacle skyscraper. At 278 metres, the glass and steel building will be almost three times the height of Big Ben when it is completed in 2019. Londons tallest building, the Shard, is 310 metres high. A spokesman for Lipton Rogers and its joint venture partner, AXA IM Real Assets, said: We remain committed to working with all our neighbours in an open fashion, as well as the City of London, as we progress this important scheme and todays decision is a positive step in allowing us to bring forward the development of 22 Bishopsgate within the intended timetable. Construction underway at the site of the tower at 22 Bishopsgate / Glenn Copus Property experts believe right to light disputes are likely to become increasingly commonplace and fiercely contested as developers seek consent for more tall buildings to accommodate the need for more homes and offices. A second City right to light row over a development at 120 Moorgate was settled this week after developers reached an agreement about compensation with a local landowner. Loss of light is also expected to play a key role in a public hearing on April 18 about a controversial skyscraper development at Bishopsgate Goodsyard in Shoreditch when Boris Johnson will use his planning powers for the last time as Mayor. Loading.... James Souter, property litigation partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, said of the 22 Bishopsgate decision: I dont expect that this case will open the floodgates to further use of these powers by the City of London Corporation or other local authorities. Rather, this is a case where the use of the powers was justified in the eyes of the committee due to the high-profile nature of 22 Bishopsgate and its significant value to the City.@JonPrynn A bus driver today told how he saved a young passengers life by driving him straight home after he suffered a severe allergic reaction to nuts. James Rossi announced to other passengers on the 268 bus that he was not stopping as he took the 16-year-old from Hampstead to the front door of his home in Golders Green. The boy had approached Mr Rossi for help after the bus, which was heading for Golders Green, was told to wait at a stop in Hampstead High Street for five minutes to regulate the service. The boy said he desperately needed to get home to get his EpiPen adrenaline injector after falling ill, apparently after eating a cereal bar. Mr Rossi, 37, said: A young guy got on. His face was all puffed out. I didnt think anything of it you are in London, and people are all different. My operator radioed me and said can you hold on. I put the loudspeaker on and said we are going to sit here for five minutes. About 30 seconds later he came up he was bright red now and had water in his eyes and said: Im having an allergic reaction. I need to get my pen. He said it was an allergic reaction to nuts. I didnt know if his life was at risk but I knew he needed his pen. I said to the passengers: Im not picking anyone up, and Im not stopping unless I have to. If anyone needs off, press the bell. One person rang the bell and the rest of them stayed on the bus and stayed quiet. I got him back to Golders Green in five or six minutes, which is a lot quicker than I usually go. It was a medical emergency and common sense kicks in. As long as you are not putting anyone else in danger, the medical emergency takes priority. Mr Rossi, a father of two from Watford, who works for the bus firm Arriva, thought nothing of the incident last month until he was contacted by his manager and asked if he had helped a passenger suffering an allergic reaction. The boys mother, a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, had got in touch to thank Mr Rossi for his help. His mum said my actions saved his life, Mr Rossi, a bus driver for seven years, said. Mike Weston, Transport for Londons director of buses, said: Jamess actions undoubtedly prevented the young man from becoming seriously ill and may even have saved his life. His quick thinking and decisive actions are in the finest traditions of the capitals bus drivers. The boy is said to be embarrassed about the incident and has asked not to be named. He and his mother are due to visit Arrivas Watford garage to thank Mr Rossi in person. It is not the first time Mr Rossi has intervened to help a member of the public. On a previous occasion, when a passenger became suicidal, he off-loaded other people from the bus and drove straight to the Royal Free. He has also volunteered in Nepal to help communities devastated by an earthquake last year. Im just doing good deeds and as a good person you should always get involved when you can, he said. T he son of a celebrated war poet will be kicked out of the home built by his late father after a bitter feud with his sister over a 1 million inheritance. Corporal Rupert Dorgan wrote almost 100 poems about the Second World War and some of his works adorn memorials in France and Belgium. Following the war, in which he had served as an explosives expert in the 49th Reconnaissance Regiment and helped to liberate Belgium, he set up a successful engineering business, amassing a property, car and shares portfolio worth more than 1 million. But when he died aged 84 in 2005 before writing a will, it sparked an inheritance battle between his children, Paul and Laurenne. Paul Dorgan, 62, claimed that he was entitled to the whole of his fathers estate including six-bedroom Bigwood House in Wokingham, Berkshire because he had devoted his working life to the family business and his father had promised that he would inherit everything. But his 55-year-old sister accused him of being greedy and claimed 250,000. A judge at Central London county court has now ruled that the siblings are both entitled to a share of the estate, but that the three-storey house, which their father built over five years up to 1962, must be sold to settle tax and administration debts. Mr Dorgan, who lives there with his son Jack, has been given until April 21 by Recorder Siobhan McGrath to leave the house so the sale can go ahead. He has branded the ruling ridiculous and said the case has left him with a 100,000 legal bill. Its four of us kicked out on the street. We are homeless from the 21st April, he said. Im not even allowed to take anything out of the house no furniture, nothing. The court heard that Mr Dorgan left school at 14 to join the family business. He later returned home to look after his ailing parents and claimed that his sister only made weekly visits. Before he died, Rupert Dorgan signed over 470,000 of his assets to his son, who said he was also promised the house and a 1956 Jaguar XK140 which they had restored together over 20 years. He said the stroke that led to his fathers death came out of the blue as he was fit as a fiddle despite his age. Barrister Shomik Datta, representing Mr Dorgan, told the court: It would be unconscionable if Ruperts clear and expressed intentions were not given effect merely by the cruel intervention of time. Seth Cumming, for Ms Dorgan, said her brothers bullish claim that he is entitled to virtually everything the deceased owned could be seen as greedy. In her ruling, Judge McGrath said that Mr Dorgan should receive slightly over half the value of the estate as he had built his own flat at Bigwood House and had expected to continue living there. But she added: I am not satisfied that Paul acted on an assurance that he would inherit the whole of the Bigwood Estate. T he family of a newlywed City banker who plunged to his death from a roof terrace today paid tribute to fine young man claimed before his time as a coroner ruled his death was a tragic accident. Clark Boustridge, 30, a chartered financial analyst with Lloyds, fell through a glazed conservatory at a house party in December last year, an inquest heard. Mr Boustridge, a New Zealander known as Ray, had climbed on to the roof with two friends to set off fireworks. But as the trio climbed back across the rooftop Mr Boustridge, who had married girlfriend Sally Colemen just six months earlier, tripped and fell. He suffered a skull fracture and neck injuries that killed him instantly. Mr Boustridges father Ian, an acclaimed sculptor in New Zealand, attended the hearing at St Pancras Coroners court along with his sister and widow yesterday. After the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, they said: This was a tragic accident which claimed a fine young man before his time. His friends and family are still mourning his loss and continue to do all they can to honour the memory of this wonderful husband, son, and dear friend. Clark will be remembered as a family man, whose wit and grin produced endless laughter and happiness for all who knew him. Paramedics tried to revive Mr Boustridge but he was declared dead at the scene in Crouch Hill, north London. A report found he had 309 milligrams of alcohol in his blood, almost four times the drink-drive limit of 80, and traces of cocaine. Jacob Kerkin, a friend who had been on the roof with him, told the inquest: Wed been drinking but in my view Clark wasnt intoxicated. It was a usual Friday and his mood was consistent with just having some beers after work. Economics graduate Mr Boustridge, known as Ray Ray, moved from New Zealand to London in 2010 to pursue his career in finance. He had worked for Barclays, Credit Suisse and Capco before joining Lloyds last summer. More than 100 friends and relatives attended a memorial service for Mr Boustridge in his hometown of Greymouth, New Zealand, in January. Ian Boustridge told mourners: Sally loved him deeply and made him so happy. We had never seen him so happy than when he was with her. They moved to London to pursue their dreams. Coroner Richard Brittain said: It was a usual Friday night for Clark. He had been drinking with friends. Alcohol doesnt seem to have contributed to his death. I f the mayoral election was decided on a candidates grasp of policy, theres a good chance Caroline Pidgeon would win it. The Lib-Dem hopeful who has eight years on the London Assembly under her belt has impressed even her better-known rivals with her inside knowledge of the City Hall empire. Zac Goldsmith tells me shes great, before glancing at his media adviser and asking, Am I allowed to say that? Sadiq Khan agrees that her handle on London policy is impressive. But barring a political earthquake she doesnt have much chance of winning Londons top job. The Lib-Dems are hovering at around three per cent in the polls and were badly shaken by the general election, which left them with a single MP in the capital. Many felt the no-nonsense Ms Pidgeon would be a safe pair of hands. Her policy expertise has been honed during her time holding Boris Johnson to account she has been one of his sharpest interrogators and on display throughout the election campaign. Ms Pidgeon catches the eye of commuters in her yellow coat when we meet outside the under-threat Black Cap drag bar in Camden. In a cafe round the corner, she says she wants to do something for Londoners, rather than be someone, and is unafraid of criticising rivals, in particular Mr Khan and Mr Goldsmith. Theres a lot of cheap shots which turn off voters. Ive seen better behaviour at my toddlers nursery than I sometimes see at the debates between the two of them, she says. They are playing a very hard campaign and its already got incredibly dirty and I think its only going to get worse. How well Ms Pidgeon performs could help determine how many Assembly seats the Lib-Dems win. Ms Pigeon is taking on Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith in the race to run the capital / PA She wants to make fares fairer including an early-bird discount and a one-hour bus ticket but has held back from promising a cut. She doesnt believe Mr Khans fare freeze proposal is realistic. It would take huge investment out of Londons budget at a time when the Government is removing the 700 million a year revenue funding to TfL. Ultimately if we want to see the transport network growing then weve got to see investment in transport, she says. I just dont think Sadiqs plans stack up. You will see fewer buses. You will see increasing overcrowding at all times of day on trains and Tubes. We wont be able to afford the upgrades. It is really, really worrying. We need that investment in order to help to build the housing to grow the city. She describes Londons poor air quality as a silent killer which she would address with an immediate ban on dirty diesel vehicles in central London and switching taxis and single-decker buses over to fully electric as soon as possible. The congestion charge would go up to 20 at rush hour. Her plans for the Met include 3,000 more police officers on the transport network to help tackle the problems of extremism acting as extra eyes and ears and also sexual offences. She describes neighbourhood policing as the best thing the Met did in 20 years and suggests Mr Johnson made a big mistake by stripping local teams back to just one Pc and one PCSO per council ward. She would like them brought back to full strength. She wants the Governments much maligned anti-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, to be devolved to London government so it can work directly with community groups and young people and would encourage knife education in all secondary schools. London Mayor Election 2016: Caroline Pidgeon Ms Pidgeon has promised an Olympic effort to get 200,000 homes built over a four-year term including 50,000 directly delivered, with the money raised by retaining the 20-a-year Olympics council tax precept. She has proposed following the lead of several London boroughs by setting up an arms-length building company to increase borrowing power. Theres only a certain amount the private sector is prepared to build because its all about profit margins. Weve got to build homes on a scale that weve not seen for a generation, she says. She has placed a particular emphasis on supporting working parents. (She has a two-year-old son of her own). She wants to make it easier to build more nurseries, provide more wrap-around childcare and train more childminders in an effort to harness the huge economic potential wielded by mothers. When 10 per cent fewer women are returning to work in London that has to set alarm bells ringing when we have such a qualified workforce. We have to offer more flexible working, she says. As a Lib-Dem she is a passionate European Union in-er but isnt sure if the referendum will affect the outcome of the mayoral race. I dont think its the issue on the doorstep, but it might affect how people transfer their second preference vote, she says. If the race is close, her Tory and Labour rivals will both be desperate to get their hands on her supporters (in 2012 the Lib-Dems came in fourth on just over 90,000 votes). But she has no plans to endorse either. Its not my job to promote other candidates, she says. Does she get frustrated when they pinch her ideas? Mr Khan has already adopted her one-hour bus ticket proposal and Mr Goldsmith her plan for a construction academy. No, its very flattering. Ive learned on my time on the Assembly that actually you can achieve things working with other parties, she says. But she doesnt think her rivals have been radical enough. Youve got to be bold and have a vision and I dont see that. Theyre too worried about upsetting any group and want to please all people, and actually you cant do that. S adiq Khan came under pressure to return donations given to his mayoral campaign today after it emerged he received thousands of pounds from a property firm which put tenants lives at risk. The Labour candidate, who has pledged to crack down on rogue landlords, accepted 10,000 from a property group based in Manchester which was prosecuted and fined more than 14,000 for breaching tenant safety rules. He received a further 19,900 from a developer in Croydon who was linked to an expensive legal battle against council plans for a landlord licensing scheme. Mr Khan has promised to work with town halls to create similar landlord vetting schemes across the capital. He also wants to set up a public website which names and shames landlords who have been prosecuted for housing-related offences. The revelations will be embarrassing for the Tooting MP as he has made getting a better deal for renters a key plank of his campaign and has described the mayoral race as a referendum on housing. The Tories called on the Labour hopeful, who is ahead of their candidate Zac Goldsmith in the polls, to return the donations. Paul Scully, Conservative MP for Sutton and Cheam, said: This hypocrisy from Sadiq Khan shows he cant be trusted to deliver any of his promises. He said hed take a stand against rogue landlords, even as he took the cash. If Khan had a shred of principle he would return these donations. According to the MPs Register of Interests, Mr Khan received 10,000 from a firm called Inv1.0 Ltd, which is a subsidiary of MCR Property Group. CostDesign Ltd and UK Real Estate Developments Ltd, which are part of the same group, were fined more than 14,000 at Manchester magistrates court in August 2011 after they admitted failing to meet safety standards. Council surveyors found serious breaches of fire safety rules at a 55-flat student housing development, including a lack of self-closing fire doors and external wall fire barriers to stop flames spreading. Windows required for smoke ventilation were said to be completely obscured by scaffolding, while fire escape routes passed through a building site. After the hearing, local Labour councillors said the lives of students had been put at substantial risk. Speaking at the launch of his manifesto, Mr Khan said: Most landlords treat their tenants well, but Im determined to name and shame the rogue ones who break the rules. A spokesman for MCR Property Group said: On this one occasion several years ago a contractor let us down and subsequently he remedied the situation and the tenants, who we rehoused during that period, were moved back in. We have got thousands of tenants all over the country and not had any other problems. Mr Khan also received donations totalling 19,900 from AA Homes and Housing Limited for his mayoral campaign. The firms managing director, Dr Anwar Ansari, was a member of the Croydon Property Forum, which launched legal action against Croydon councils borough-wide licensing scheme last summer. The group argued that a blanket approach was contrary to central Government policy and there had been inadequate consultation, but its High Court bid was rejected. Under its scheme, the council assesses if a landlord is a fit and proper person before deciding whether to grant a licence. It aims to tackle the anti-social behaviour of some private tenants, and improve standards of accommodation. Dr Asani said: There was no objection per se to the consideration of a selective scheme targeting only those parts of the borough where there was tangible evidence of anti-social behaviour, rather than seeking to penalise all landlords and developers with hefty fees and potential penalties which myself and many others regarded as a stealth tax on business initiative and development within the borough. Labour insiders said Mr Khan was not expected to return the donations. A spokesman for his campaign said: The campaign accepts donations from a variety of sources, some larger donations from individuals or organisations, and a lot of smaller donations. All donations are made in accordance with Electoral Commission rules." A leading figure in the British Jewish community today lashed out at Jeremy Corbyn over clear-cut cases of anti-Semitism in the Labour party. Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush said the alleged cases could not be dismissed as differences over Israel and it would be incomprehensible if Mr Corbyn failed to act. It follows a series of incidents in which Labour supporters have written tweets seen as anti-Semitic. Mr Arkush said today: We cannot imagine that any other minoritys concerns would be dismissed off-hand in this way. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: It is Jeremy Corbyn who is taking action on anti-Semitism. He has consistently condemned anti-Semitism and all forms of racism and under Jeremy Corbyns leadership, Labour is clamping down on anti-Semitism and taking clear action against offenders. A complaint was sent to police today asking them to investigate whether a website shadow chancellor John McDonnell linked to had broken laws banning the glorification of terrorism. The letter focuses on Innovative Minds, a website that in the past published articles paying tribute to suicide bombers. The Standard has revealed how Mr McDonnell redirected readers of his website to Innovative Minds in a 2014 post, but removed the link when contacted about the historic content, which he said he was unaware of. In a letter to Met Chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Bromley and Chislehurst MP Bob Neill wrote: Innovative Minds explicitly glorifies terrorism, celebrates violence and incites anti-Semitism. I therefore believe there is a clear case to investigate this website and I urge you to do so. A 2001 piece on Innovative Minds about Saeed Hotari, who blew himself up outside a Tel Aviv disco, killing 19 Israelis, quotes his father saying: When martyrs blow themselves up, then the Jews and Americans listen to us. A Innovative Minds spokesman said the articles had been taken out of context and added: Innovative Minds is an anti-racist organisation that abhors all form of prejudice. A spokesman for McDonnell said he had a zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism. D avid Cameron insisted he has nothing to hide about his financial affairs today after revealing he and his wife sold shares worth more than 30,000 in an offshore tax haven fund set up by his late father. The Prime Minister has faced pressure to revealed his interests since the Panama Papers leaks included details of his father's Blairmore fund. In an interview with ITV News, he insisted that it was a "fundamental misconception" that it was set up to avoid tax, saying his father was being "unfairly written about". And he said that while his and wife Samantha's profit from the scheme was "subject to all the UK taxes in the normal ways", it came to just below the threshold where capital gains tax would have applied. Mr Cameron also repeated his willingness to publish his own tax returns. He told ITV: "I paid income tax on the dividends, but there was a profit on it but it was less than the capital gains tax allowance, so I didn't pay capital gains tax, but it was subject to all the UK taxes in all the normal ways. "So I want to be as clear as I can about the past, about the present, about the future, because frankly, I don't have anything to hide. "I'm proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established and all the rest of it. David Cameron insisted he has nothing to hide about his financial affairs / Kacper Pempel/Reuters "I can't bear to see his name being dragged through the mud, as you can see, and for my own, I chose to take a different path from my father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who were all stockbrokers, and I've got nothing to hide in my arrangements and I'm very happy to answer questions about it." Number 10 said Mr and Mrs Cameron bought their holding in April 1997 for 12,497 and sold it in January 2010 for 31,500. The annual personal allowance for an individual in 2009-10 was 10,100, meaning the joint profit was just outside the threshold. Downing Street had initiallysaid it was a private matter before first clarifying that the PM had no offshore funds and trusts and then making clear the family would not benefit in future either. Additional reporting by the Press Association. A new wave of divorce battles could be launched in London if the Panama Papers show that wealthy individuals hid their fortunes overseas from their ex-partners, lawyers said today. They believe the leak of 11 million documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca will excite a lot of ex-wives and could lead to some cases being re-opened. Georgina Hamblin, director at specialist divorce lawyers Vardags, said complex trust structures were regular features of legal cases. Whilst first set up in the context of a happy marriage to reduce tax exposure, often trust structures swiftly become vehicles through which parties seek to reduce their spouses financial claims against them on divorce, she added. There will therefore be many a scorned divorcee out there watching the leak of the Panama Papers with interest. The documents reportedly revealed that British tycoon Scot Young helped to keep details of a 500 million fortune from his ex-wife Michelle in a game of hide and concealment, allegedly aided by Mossack Fonseca. Mr Young died after plunging onto railings below his 3 million Marylebone penthouse in December 2014. He was in a relationship with Noelle Reno. Mr Young is among a number of wealthy husbands said to have been named in the data from the law firm. It denies any wrongdoing but the scandal showed little sign of dying down with: Cabinet minister Michael Fallon forced to defend David Cameron over the storm about his late father Ians Blairmore Holdings offshore company, which was allegedly moved from the Bahamas to Ireland after he became Prime Minister in 2010. Downing Street refusing to say whether Mr Cameron benefited from the fund in the past. Labour stepped up pressure following reports that he intervened to block the public naming of trust beneficiaries in an EU tax avoidance clampdown. The Treasury insists the move was to keep the focus on tackling shell companies and the public trust beneficiary register was not achievable. Several celebrities were named in the fall-out from the data leak including Simon Cowell, the Duchess of York, Sir Nick Faldo and Sir Paul McCartneys former wife Heather Mills. There is no evidence that any of them did anything illegal or wrong. China sought to maintain a media blackout over claims that relatives of eight members of its Communist party elite were shown in the leaked papers to have used offshore companies. Questions were being asked as to why so few high-profile Americans have been named, sparking speculation over its source. Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson was named as Icelands new Prime Minister after Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson quit following claims over an offshore company. He denies any wrongdoing. Tom Farley Hills, family lawyer at Harbottle & Lewis, said there were likely to be repercussions if UK residents had failed to disclose assets in offshore firms during divorce proceedings in English court. A homesick expat asking where he could buy bacon and a man concerned about encountering Spanish nudists are among the most bizarre consular calls made by Britons abroad, it has been revealed. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has released details of the strangest enquiries made to its staff in the last year to remind the public its helpline is only for emergencies. The unusual calls also included a woman in Lebanon looking for help recruiting an English butler and a man in Singapore asking for assistance obtaining illegal employment. Foreign minister James Duddridge said: "Our consular staff are a helpful bunch and do an amazing job helping out Brits in trouble around the world - but it is important that people remember they are there to help with genuine emergencies and not as an alternative to directory inquiries. "Every minute they spend handling a call requesting advice on butlers or nudists is time taken away from dealing with life and death cases, so I urge the public to think before picking up the phone." Operators also received a call from a man in South Korea asking what he could do with his old pound notes. One woman called to express her disappointment that the British Embassy had not sent someone to give her a tour of St Petersburg on her arrival in Russia. Almost half a million calls were made to the FCO's consular service in the past year. The vast majority were from people with genuine requests, including 3,250 Britons who were taken to hospital, 4,770 who were arrested and the families of 3,670 who died overseas. Almost 38,000 replacement travel documents were issued. A law student who criticised Islam on his Facebook page has been shot and hacked to death with a machete in Bangladesh. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, whose family live in London, was murdered on a busy road near Dhakas Jagannath University, where he was studying. He is the latest suspected victim of a string of killings of secular activists in Bangladesh. Mr Samad had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers drawn up by radical Islamists. A friend said his family, from Manor Park, east London, were preparing to fly to Bangladesh after being informed of the death late last night. They said: Everything is very raw at the moment. They only found out last last night and are still preparing to fly out there as soon as they can. Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police, said in a statement: At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samads head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot. It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility. The killers were reportedly heard shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) before fleeing the scene. Tributes poured in on the activists Facebook page this morning in a mixture of English and native Hindi. Mr Samad was known for being critical of state religion. Before deactivating his Facebook account about a month ago after his family feared he may become the victim of an attack, he was said to have written: Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people. Writing on his Facebook page Subrata Das said: Another brutal execution... example of a failed Government of Bangladesh. P aying for sex is to become illegal in France after a new law was passed in a clamp down on prostitution. French MPs have approved legislation that makes payment for sex illegal and imposes fines of up to 3,750 (3,025) for those who exchange money for sexual acts. The bill was tabled in 2013 but the final vote was delayed because of arguments between France's lower parliamentary chamber and senate. However, the new law was passed by 64 votes to 12, although many MPs were absent. It abolishes previous legislation passed in 2003, introduced by then interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy, that banned passive soliciting on the street, reversing the legal burden from the sex worker to the client. However, opponents have raised fears women will be endangered by the new law as the sex trade is driven further underground. Dozens of prostitutes protested outside the assembly building in Paris during the closing stages of the debate. Around 60 sex workers carried placards and banners with one reading: Don't liberate me, I'll take care of myself", according to the AFP news agency. Socialist MP Maud Olivier, who sponsored the legislation, told the Associated Press: The most important aspect of this law is to accompany prostitutes, give them identity papers because we know that 85% of prostitutes here are victims of trafficking. Prostitutes will be offered temporary work permits and state help if they give up the trade. The move follows Sweden which was the first country to criminalise those who pay for sex rather than the prostitutes. Authorities say the number of women on the streets in the prostitution area in Stockholm has dropped since the legislation was introduced. M acaulay Culkin has admitted that he prefers to go for walks in the middle of the night to avoid getting recognised. The former child star, who has kept a low profile in recent years, says that he usually leaves the house around 2am as there is nobody on the streets. Admitting that he is essentially retired', the 32-year-old Home Alone star has no plans to return to film or television. Speaking to New York Magazine, he said: Ill take walks at two or four in the morning, because theres nobody out on the streets and its easy for me to go unnoticed. Im a man in his mid-30s whos essentially retired. I kind of go where the wind takes me a little bit. Culkin, who splits his time between New York and France, admitted that he likes to spend his days painting, writing and whatevering. The star still gets recognised when hes in France, but claims that he doesnt get stopped or hassled in the same way. He said: It turned out that no, they recognized me, they just didnt care. I was like, "where have you people been my entire life? LINCOLN A new report says that nearly half of all Nebraska prison inmates released in the final months of 2015 left prison without any parole or other supervision, a statistic that two state senators called unacceptable and a threat to public safety. State Sens. Heath Mello and Bob Krist, both of Omaha, said Tuesday that officials of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and Nebraska Board of Parole need to further explain why 47.2 percent of inmates left prison without parole supervision during the last quarter of 2015. In response, Jeff Beaty of the Corrections Department and Rosalyn Cotton, the chairwoman of the state parole board, both said theyre not happy with the figure, either. But they said coming changes in the agency and in parole should decrease the number of inmates who jam out of prison without a transitional period of supervision. Were not satisfied where we are now, said Beaty, the agencys director of planning, research and accreditation. Our goal is to get those numbers down. During the months of October, November and December, 257 inmates were discharged from state prisons without supervision, either by a parole officer or through supervised release. Beaty, though, said that more than half of those inmates 138 werent eligible for parole, either because their sentences did not allow it or because they had been placed on parole previously but violated the conditions of release. Last year, state lawmakers passed a prison reform package, Legislative Bill 605, that had a goal of ensuring that most inmates undergo a period of supervised release after completing their prison sentence or are placed on parole. The idea is to better prepare inmates for re-entry into society and to reduce repeat crimes, thus avoiding a return to prison. LB 605 was developed under the guidance of the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments, an office that has helped more than two dozen states reduce prison spending by emphasizing alternatives to incarceration, including increased use of parole and supervised release. The bill required the Corrections Department to submit an annual report on the number of inmates who jam out of prison, without going through parole or supervised release. That provision was inspired, in part, by the case of Nikko Jenkins, a mentally troubled inmate who murdered four people in Omaha shortly after being released from prison in July 2013. Jenkins, it was discovered, had received little preparation for release and no supervision upon leaving prison after spending months in solitary confinement, which experts say can exacerbate behavioral problems. LB 605 took effect Aug. 30, and judges have begun using new sentencing guidelines that include a mandatory period of supervised release. Corrections first report on the issue included the first full quarter since the law took effect. The report stated that the Council of State Governments is working with the department and the Board of Parole to reduce the number of inmates who jam out and to review the states rehabilitation programs in prison. The Board of Parole, which decides whether an inmate should be released on parole supervision, is also revamping its guidelines to ensure that inmates are paroled at the earliest opportunity. Beaty said that a new risk-assessment test for inmates, scheduled to be implemented by July 1, should give the Corrections Department a better idea of what caused them to commit crimes, such as drug use or mental illness, and how to address those issues. Krist said he is growing impatient. Corrections and the Board of Parole, he said, need to quit studying problems and begin taking action to correct them. I dont see a lot of changes going on, the senator said. Contact the writer: 402-473-9584, paul.hammel@owh.com LINCOLN The first piece of Gov. Pete Ricketts property tax relief package cleared second-round debate Wednesday in the Legislature. Legislative Bill 959 advanced 45-1. State Sen. Kate Sullivan, the Education Committee chairwoman, introduced the bill on the governors behalf. The measure is projected to reduce property taxes by increasing state aid to schools more than $8 million. That figure represents a small percentage of total annual property tax collections by local governments nearly $3.8 billion in 2015. The original bill would have tightened a number of budget and levy limits on schools. The version advanced out of the Education Committee would eliminate a law that takes away state funding from schools unless they set their levies at least at 95 cents. The change would allow schools to qualify for state aid if their levies are set below 95 cents. Sullivan said the change largely benefits rural schools, which have been able to reduce their levies as the taxable valuation of agricultural land rose. Under LB 959, those schools could qualify for about $8.5 million in school aid. Another change in the bill would tighten limits on a special tax levy that school districts can use to address health, safety and accessibility problems in school buildings. The bill would cap the special levy at 3 cents, down from the 5.2 cents allowed now, and would prohibit the revenue from being used for new construction. The second piece of the governors property tax package is scheduled for second-round debate today. LB 958 would put $20 million more into the states Property Tax Credit Fund to boost tax credits available to owners of farm and ranch land. Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com * * * Additional information on the Legislature This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page Published: 7 April 2016 Median earnings of wage and salary earners highest in densely-populated municipalities According to Statistics Finland's Structure of Earnings statistics, the size of the municipality where the workplace is located is connected to the earnings of wage and salary earners. In 2014, the median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was EUR 3,143 per month when their workplace was located in a municipality of over 100,000 inhabitants. The corresponding median earnings were EUR 2,647 per month in a municipality of under 10,000 inhabitants. Median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners according to the population of the municipality of where the workplace is located in 2014 Median of earnings of full-time employees EUR 2,946 per month In 2014, the median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was EUR 2,946: one-half of wage and salary earners made more than that and one half less than that. If all wage and salary earners are placed in the order of size of their pay, the pay of the midmost wage and salary earner is the median pay. Total earnings include regular working time, overtime compensations, all bonuses and benefits in kind. Total earnings do not include one-off pay items, such as performance-based bonuses. Total earnings in the Structure of Earnings statistics are gross wages and salaries. A full-time wage and salary earner refers to a wage or salary earner who has worked a full working week during the statistical reference month. Median earnings in management and professional tasks highest in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants Around 50 per cent of the wage and salary earners in the Structure of Earnings statistics were working in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants. In 2014, these municipalities were Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu, Turku, Jyvaskyla, Lahti and Kuopio. In the group formed of these municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants, the median of total earnings was highest in five main groups of the Classification of Occupations (AML 2010). These groups were managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers. Correspondingly, in the group formed of municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants, the median of total earnings was lowest in all main groups of the Classification of Occupations, except for the group of skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers. The connection of the size of the workplace municipality to median earnings was highest in management and professional tasks. The median earnings of managers were EUR 6,166 per month in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants and EUR 4,592 in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants. The median earnings of managers were thus 34 per cent higher in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants than in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants. The corresponding difference for professionals was 16 per cent and for technicians and associate professionals 13 per cent. For clerical support workers, the difference in median earnings between the biggest and smallest municipality workplace groups was eight per cent. The corresponding difference for service and sales workers was two per cent. The difference was smallest in median earnings in the occupational group of elementary occupations, where the difference between municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants and under 10,000 inhabitants was around one per cent. The occupational group includes cleaning workers and other assisting workers in different fields. If municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants in Uusimaa, that is, Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, were removed from the examination, the median earnings would be even higher in large than small municipalities in nearly all main groups of the Classification of Occupations. Median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners by the main group of the Classification of Occupations (AML 2010) and the population of the municipality where the workplace is located in 2014 Classification of Occupations 2010 Population Over 100,000 50,001100,000 10,00050,000 Under 10,000 1 Managers 6 166 5 107 4 956 4 592 2 Professionals 4 104 3 790 3 657 3 547 3 Technicians and associate professionals 3 242 2 978 3 013 2 866 4 Clerical support workers 2 631 2 490 2 478 2 447 5 Service and sales workers 2 386 2 383 2 350 2 339 6 Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers 2 416 2 365 2 332 2 429 7 Craft and related trades workers 2 937 2 891 2 848 2 651 8 Plant and machine operators, and assemblers 2 882 2 958 2 925 2 652 9 Elementary occupations 2 140 2 134 2 185 2 118 Total 3 143 2 877 2 812 2 647 Size of the workplace municipality has more effect on earnings in the private sector When examining median earnings on the most detailed level of the Classification of Occupations, interesting differences can be seen. In general terms, the differences in median earnings are big in those occupational groups where the majority of wage and salary earners work in the private sector. Correspondingly, the connection between median earnings and the size of the workplace municipality is weaker in occupational groups concentrating in the public sector. For example, the median earnings of finance managers were EUR 6,735 per month in the biggest municipalities, while in the smallest municipalities the median for finance managers was EUR 4,770 per month. Mechanical engineers and credit and loans officers mainly working in the private sector earned, on average, more in large than small municipalities. In occupations where the majority of wage and salary earners work in the local government sector, the size of the workplace municipality has not an equally clear connection to the earnings level. Child care services managers and psychologists earned slightly more in big than small municipalities. The median of total earnings of early childhood educators was in turn at its highest in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants. There are occupational groups in service industries where the median earnings are higher in small than larger municipalities. The median earnings of cooks and food service counter attendants were highest when they were working in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants. Office cleaners had the highest median earnings in municipalities with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. The median earnings of general medical practitioners were 16 per cent higher in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants than in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants. When working in smaller municipalities, general medical practitioners earn clearly more working time-related allowances, but on the whole, the difference in median earnings is not explained by premium pay. The age distribution of general medical practitioners does not explain the difference either. It is not possible to take a comprehensive stand on pay differentials between municipalities of different size based on the Structure of Earnings statistics: the statistics do not include data on personal premium pay or pay groups. Differences in earnings may also be related to work performance, experience or other factors with an effect on remuneration. Median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners in certain occupational groups (AML 2010) and the population of the municipality where the workplace is located in 2014 Classification of Occupations 2010 Population Over 100,000 50,001100,000 10,00050,000 Under 10,000 1211 Finance managers 6 735 5 306 5 509 4 770 1341 Child care service managers 3 347 3 239 3 208 3 124 2144 Mechanical engineers 4 466 4 083 4 239 3 940 2211 General medical practioners 5 898 6 388 6 670 6 837 2342 Early childhood educators 2 558 2 569 2 597 2 601 2634 Psychologists 3 563 3 653 3 560 3 555 3255 Physiotherapists, etc 2 627 2 582 2 588 2 569 3312 Credit and loan experts 4 604 4 140 4 279 3 989 4411 Library clerks 2 540 2 524 2 533 2 518 4313 Payroll clerks 2 373 2 259 2 234 2 228 51201 Cooks 2 160 2 171 2 185 2 202 5246 Food service counter attendants 1 897 1 895 1 932 1 994 7411 Building and related electricians 3 133 3 063 3 035 2 943 8160 Food and related products machine operators 2 830 2 721 2 731 2 524 91121 Office cleaners, etc. 1 900 1 949 1 975 1 984 Big municipalities have a different occupational structure than small municipalities The mean and median of total earnings of full-time employees are the higher the bigger the workplace municipality is. This is caused first of all by that earnings are higher, on average, in large municipalities in the same occupational groups. Another factor influencing pay differential is the occupational structure differing according to municipality size. For instance, there are relatively more professionals and technicians and associate professionals who typically earn more than other wage and salary earners in large than small municipalities. In municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants, around 50 per cent of full-time wage and salary earners worked as professionals or associate professionals, while the corresponding figure was around 30 per cent in municipalities of under 10,000 inhabitants. What would mean earnings look like in small municipalities if their occupational structure was similar to that in municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants? The figure below answers this question. There the occupational structure of municipality size groups is standardised in accordance with the occupational structure of municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants on the most detailed level of the Classification of Occupations (AML 2010). Around 500 occupational groups were taken into consideration in the standardisation. Pay differential by the size of workplace location compared to municipalities of over 100,000 inhabitants in 2014 In 2014, the difference in the mean earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was around 20 per cent between a municipality of over 100,000 inhabitants and a municipality of 10,000 inhabitants. When the occupational structure is standardised, the difference lowers to 12 per cent. Median earnings clearly higher in Uusimaa than in the rest of the country In 2014, the median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was EUR 3,217 per month in Uusimaa. Median earnings did not go beyond EUR 3,000 per month in any other region. The median of total earnings was lowest in Etela-Savo (EUR 2,731) and in South Ostrobothnia (EUR 2,717). Differences between regions are partly caused by the occupational structure. For example, more managers, professionals and associate professionals are working in Uusimaa than in the rest of the country. In these occupational groups, the earnings level is, on average, higher than in the other occupational groups. Median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners by region in 2014 The Structure of Earnings statistics for 2014 provide data on the earnings of around 1.6 million full time and part time wage and salary earners. The data in the statistics are collected from monthly-paid wage and salary earners for September, October or November, and from hourly-paid wage and salary earners for the last quarter of the year. The statistics for 2014 were supplemented with the Tax Administration's Palkka.fi data, see Changes in these statistics. Apart from earnings for regular working hours, total earnings also include pay for any possible overtime and working hour supplements, premium pays, supplement for location and adverse working conditions, supplements based on duties, professional skill and years of service, performance-based pay components, compensation for standby and on-call work, pay paid for hours not worked and benefits in kind. Total earnings do not include one-off pay items, such as performance-based and holiday bonuses. Source: Structure of Earnings 2014, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Sampo Pehkonen 029 551 3452, Jukka Pitkajarvi 029 551 3356, palkkarakenne@stat.fi Director in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko Publication in pdf-format (240.4 kB) Updated 7.4.2016 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Structure of Earnings [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-0092. 2014. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 23.10.2022]. 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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. Thursday, 07 April 2016 23:50:42 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo Brazil exported 43,100 mt of hot dip galvanized (HDG) products to the US in March, 35 percent more than in February, according to the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade, MDIC. Exports by CSN increased by 78 percent to 34,000 mt at $525/mt, while exports by Usiminas declined by 30 percent to 9,100 mt at $465/mt, both FOB conditions, price deals probably closed in January. Total exports of Brazilian HDG in March reached 60,100 mt, with 17,000 mt shipped to Latin American countries, of which 12,300 mt to Argentina at $550/mt FOB, a figure that includes 3,300mt shipped by ArcelorMittal to Argentina at $515/mt, also FOB conditions. A major exporter told SteelOrbis that he is exporting HDG products to the US at $625/mt, FOB conditions, with price and volume showing an uptrend. Thursday, 07 April 2016 23:54:26 (GMT+3) | San Diego In a letter to customers Wednesday, Nucor Bar Mill Group announced that effective with new orders on April 7, the company will increase the published price for most merchant and structural products by $1.50/cwt. ($30/nt or $33/mt). The company also said that all confirmed orders as of the close of business on April 6 will be price protected if shipped before May 1, 2016. By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com During last Thursdays county commission meeting, the topic of tourism came up. First District Commissioner Karen Stuppy reported on the Tourism Advisory Council and Tourism Tax Commissions joint meeting earlier that week, at which a task force was formed. She said that the tourism department has an $89,548 budget, with $45,000-50,000 President Klaus Iohannis announced on Wednesday night that the chief of Presidential Chancellery, Dan Mihalache was proposed as ambassador to the United Kingdom. "I can confirm that Mr. Mihalache was proposed for the office of ambassador of Romania to the United Kingdom of Great Britain [and Northern Ireland] and I can say that I have approved this demand, and it is not the only one. We are working on a package of some 20 positions of ambassadors that I have approved," Iohannis said in an interview to the public television TVR.He also mentioned that Daniel Ionita, secretary of state in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, is the proposition for ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, while the former ambassador in Chisinau, Marius Lazurca is proposed as ambassador to Hungary.The head of state specified that the list of new ambassador will be communicated on Thursday to the Parliament for hearings in the specialist committees.Dan Mihalache has been appointed presidential advisor on 22 December 2014. Agerpres Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier The board earmarked $1.54 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the dredge, designed to keep channels open and supply sand to nourish eroding beaches up and down the York County coast and beyond. HOUSTON A fire erupted at Exxon Mobil Corp.'s Baytown, Texas refinery on Thursday afternoon, sending a large plume of black smoke into the air that was visible for miles across Houston. Exxon said the fire was later extinguished, no workers were injured and output would not be hurt at the 560,500 barrel per day oil refinery, the second-largest in the United States. The company provided no information on the affected unit but said it would monitor air quality around the complex and the community. Television footage showed firefighters extinguishing the blaze on one of the plant's towers. People in the vicinity and the U.S. Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Service near the Houston Ship Channel had first reported smoke coming from the facility, which includes a chemical plant. Emergency management officials did not immediately comment. Additional reporting by Kristen Hays and Liz Hampton. A delay in appointing members to the U.S. Export-Import Bank board threatens to cost Boeing Co. sales, the company's chief executive said on Thursday, raising similar concern for General Electric and other U.S. companies that depend on the agency's export financing. Boeing is on the verge of losing orders because only two of five seats on the agency's board are filled, not enough to approve deals over $10 million, Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said at Export-Import Bank's annual conference in Washington. The appointment of a third board member would allow the agency to help finance billions of dollars in sales of U.S. aircraft, rail, power and communications equipment around the world, Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg said. But confirmation has been held up by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby's moratorium on some of the 16 Obama administration financial nominees who have been awaiting panel confirmation. The moratorium has effectively blocked sales for Boeing, General Electric, Caterpillar Inc. and other companies. Muilenburg said Ethiopian Airlines was among the customers concerned that a lack of Export-Import Bank financing could prevent it from buying more Boeing planes. Banks have been cautious about offering loans of 10 years or more to smaller carriers or ones with higher credit risk without a government guarantee, and some experts have voiced concern that if Boeing self-financed such deals, it would drain resources from product development. Industry sources say Boeing already has had to provide or arrange bridge financing for several airlines because of the gap in Export-Import Bank funds. Last year Boeing said it lost two signed or potential satellite deals after Export-Import Bank's charter lapsed on June 30. The charter was renewed later in the year. General Electric decided to move some production overseas to use foreign export credit. This year, global jetliner sales have slowed as an industry-wide boom in orders fades, making export credit more important. Boeing plans to trim production in 2017. On Thursday it said it delivered 176 airliners in the first quarter. That pace is below Boeing's target of 740 to 745 deliveries for the year, but many deliveries are made later in the year. Muilenburg also voiced support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that has been an issue in the U.S. presidential campaigns. He said the pact would not put U.S. workers at a disadvantage. He added that the defense industry needed a "dependable, robust" U.S. defense budget so it could invest. Additional reporting by David Lawder in Washington, D.C. and Tim Hepher in Paris. John Contini didnt always dream of a life in the theater. In fact, its worked out pretty well for the tall, versatile actor, a veteran of most St. Louis stages and plenty of others elsewhere. Last year, he received a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for his portrayal of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman at Insight, and he received another in March for his direction of Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the St. Louis Actors Studio. But when he was in high school at St. Marys in south St. Louis, Contini just wanted to illustrate comic books. He and his older brother, Rich, invented their own superheroes. Rich wrote the stores; John drew copious illustrations of them for future use. That future is now. Those characters populate the comic book at the heart of Four Color Eulogy, a feature film opening Friday with a red-carpet premier at Wehrenbergs Ronnies 20 Cine. The audience at Ronnies where the movie will run for a week, maybe longer may recognize some of the settings, from Uncle Bills Pancake House to Melrose Club on the Hill to the Compton Water Tower. Theyre apt to recognize some of the faces, too. The movie co-stars Contini as Rich, who runs a bar, and his son, Jason Contini, as Chris, an aspiring comic book writer. The Continis wrote the screenplay with the director, Wyatt Weed, and Nicholas J. Hearne. Hearne also stars as Chris best friend, along with Jessica Winningham as Chris girlfriend, and Amy Loui as his mother. Taylor Pietz, Jason Continis real-life girlfriend, not only appears but composed and performs the films theme song. If those names sound familiar to you, perhaps thats because youve seen them onstage. All the actors in Four Color Eulogy and there are lots of them are, or used to be, stage actors in St. Louis. That was the whole idea. Theres a divide between the St. Louis stage community and the St. Louis film community, says Jason Contini, who opens this month in The Glass Menagerie at Upstream Theater. (He got his own Circle Award for his performance as Willy Lomans son Happy in Salesman.) I wanted to bridge that divide. My brother Nate and I started Archlight Studios to bring quality film-making to St. Louis on a regular basis. The more we do this kind of stuff, the more of it will happen. Four Color Eulogy takes its title from a comic book printing process. It grew out of an idea that Jason, who has self-published comics, had for a movie about a comic-book illustrator, and his fathers idea for a play set at a south St. Louis bar. They melded them together to create a family drama about a young writer who comes home to St. Louis with his girlfriend, Anne, an artist, to take care of his sick mother. The young couple create their comic book here. Weed whose company Pirate Pictures makes commercials, industrials and short films thought it sounded promising. (Pirate and Archlight produced the movie.) Jason Contini and Weed have been friends for about 10 years, ever since they worked together on a vampire movie that was made here, Shadowland. They remain close. Cutting costs, not corners Making a film is hard making a good film is harder, Weed says. But if the studios do something, we found a way to do it. Sometimes we borrowed things, or doubled up on jobs. But we didnt cut any corners, and that paid off. At first, Weed and Contini thought they could make Four Color Eulogy for about $70,000 a fraction of the cost of a Hollywood production. Their online funding campaigns raised a little under $15,000. A disappointment? Sure. But they didnt give up. Instead, they trimmed their sails. They gave up the idea of getting a Hollywood actress to play Carol, the mother. I was supposed to be somebody else, says Amy Loui with a laugh. She won her Circle Award for The Amish Project at Mustard Seed Theatre. Her father, Wayne Loui, was the Circle-winning director of Salesman. (A lot of these people share long, entwined roots, mainly along the St. Louis University theater axis. Rich Contini, a director, was part of it, too. He died 20 years ago, and John Continis movie character is named for him.) Casting Loui offered an unexpected plus. Long ago, she baby-sat the Contini boys: Jason, Nate and Sean. (Sean died in a climbing accident in 2008.) The photos of Carol and her little boy, Chris, are actual photos of Loui and Jason Contini. Cooperation from local businesses and others enabled them to shoot as economically as possible, in terms of both time and money. Wehrenberg, of course, took the movie on. And there were lots of others as well. Scenes at Carols house were shot at Michelle Bolins house in south St. Louis, where Jason and her son Billy used to play ball in the yard. Uncle Bills let them shoot while the restaurant was open. The Melrose Club welcomed the cameras, too. About half a dozen local bands play on the soundtrack. Kevin Koehler, of the iLLPHONiCS, arranged and produced Pietzs song, Color Me. He made it sound fantastic, she says. I was just amazed. St. Stephens Parish let the filmmakers use a shuttered chapel near Carondelet Park. MoDOT (the best people ever, according to Weed) let them shoot on the sides of highways and overpasses as long as they kept the agency updated. And New Castle Comics and Games, in Maryland Heights, stayed open all night to provide the perfect backdrop for all the comic book scenes. Obviously, they needed a comic series to focus on. Not only are there significant licensing considerations (especially in this age of franchise movies), but its supposed to be the work of Chris and Anne. Thats where the old Contini originals fit in. After years in John and Sharon Continis basement, the drawings were in pretty bad shape, stained and wrinkled. My dad started to throw them out more than once, but Mom and I wouldnt let him, Jason says. At the time, he admits, they would have been hard-pressed to explain why. My drawing style looks old-fashioned now, said John Contini, whos still a comic-book collector. Nate Contini another artist in the family and Aaron Allen, also an artist, updated the designs to look more streamlined and cinematic, their originator says. But theyre still the characters he and his brother dreamed up years ago. That makes the movie more personal. The producers hope the movie will do well here and go on to play throughout the region. Theyre already starting on their next project, a Western. But at Friday nights opening, they intend just to savor the moment. Were all pretty proud of this, Jason Contini says. Its almost exactly 100 percent what I saw in my head when we started. FERGUSON As Tuesdays municipal election approached, city officials warned the public about the consequences of turning down two proposed tax increases on Tuesdays ballot. Massive staff reductions. The closing of a fire house and municipal jail. Popular festivals ceasing to exist. The scenarios drove residents to the polls, where the results were mixed. Voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase but rejected a city plan to increase property taxes an outcome that city officials said would force the elimination of 19 full-time positions. But trimming the citys workforce that much wont be difficult, because Ferguson is already down 19 full-time employees. As the citys financial situation has appeared increasingly grim, some employees have resigned for fear they might be terminated. The shortage has been felt most acutely in the Police Department, which is budgeted for 67 employees but has 57. City Manager DeCarlon Seewood estimated five officers had resigned in the past two months. St. Louis city and county and neighboring municipalities have been aggressively recruiting officers so if you have the opportunity to move on from a high stress environment, you may take that opportunity, Seewood said. The city will review which services it will reduce, including the possibility of shutting down the jail, Seewood said, but he does not anticipate closing a firehouse. He said he expected Ferguson to be able to abide by the terms of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to overhaul Fergusons police department and court. The agreement, called a consent decree, addresses patterns of alleged constitutional violations exposed by a federal investigation in the aftermath of protests over Michael Browns death in August 2014. In a memo, Seewood had said that a community policing program specified in the decree required 52 police officers. That number is not in the agreement but was provided by a community policing consultant. Of the police departments 57 current employees, 44 are police officers. The hiring process can take months, and Seewood said it would be tough for Ferguson to hire the eight officers the city was told it needed for community policing in the next year. But he hoped that Ferguson would receive a Justice Department grant to help with the costs. The grant gives preference to departments under federal agreements and those, such as Ferguson, that are located in empowerment zones, a designation for distressed communities eligible for federal tax incentives, Seewood said. Heather Robinett, who was elected to a council seat on Tuesday, said successfully complying with the terms of the consent decree was her top priority. She has close friends on both sides of the demonstrations, she said. She said her experience at the polls on Tuesday showed that residents with different views want to work together. Activists opposing the tax increases joked with firefighters supporting them. Robinett had meaningful conversations with protesters supporting one of her opponents. People talking to people, thats whats going to move this city forward, she said. As she headed into the voting booth, a leading organizer of the demonstrations wished her luck. I said, Good luck to you guys, too. JEFFERSON CITY Motorists in Missouri could see higher prices at the pumps under a plan advancing in the Legislature. The Senate endorsed a plan Wednesday, 21-10, to ask voters in November whether they want to raise the 17-cents-per-gallon motor fuel tax by 5.9 cents. The proposal moved quickly with little debate and awaits action in the House. The sponsor, Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, was feeling ill Wednesday evening and said little in support of the measure. Last week he told the Senate the fuel tax is the fairest way to finance highway projects at a time when the list of crumbling bridges and roads is growing. If you drive more, you pay a little more. If you drive less, you pay a little less, Libla said at the time. Supporters said an increase is overdue. A 2014 referendum to raise the sales tax for highway improvements failed. I dont think a majority of my constituents are too concerned about raising the gas tax. Quite frankly, the wear and tear on their cars because of the deteriorating state of our roads and bridges will cost more than the tax will, said Senate Minority Leader Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis. The plan would generate an estimated $165 million in new revenue for state highways and bridges. It also would provide a new funding stream for local governments to use for street improvements. The plan, if adopted, would bring Missouris state motor fuel tax to 22.9 cents per gallon, higher than the 20.88-cent national average, according to the American Petroleum Institute. That doesnt count other taxes, including federal levies. Although House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, earlier said the House does not support raising taxes during an election year, he told the Post-Dispatch on Monday that he would discuss the tax increase referendum with members of his majority caucus before deciding on a whether to bring it up for a vote. Among those voting no was Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph. He said he didnt think voters would support the increase if it made it on the ballot. Others voting no were Sens. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis; Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale; and Scott Sifton, D-St. Louis County. Sen. Maria Chappell-Nadal, D-University City, was absent for the vote. The legislation is Senate Bill 623. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri Republican senators moved forward with contempt proceedings against a Planned Parenthood official Thursday. The Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee voted along party lines 5-2 to advance a resolution that would compel a Planned Parenthood official to appear before the whole Senate. The resolution now moves to the full Senate for debate. Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, issued a subpoena in November to Mary Kogut, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. James Miller, owner of Brentwood-based Pathology Services Inc., was also issued a subpoena. He too faces contempt proceedings. Senators sought from Planned Parenthood six years worth of documents pertaining to fetal tissue and other information about Planned Parenthood operations. Miller was supposed to testify before the interim Senate Sanctity of Life Committee in December but didnt. On Dec. 23, after the two hadnt complied with the subpoena, state Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia and committee chairman, recommended that the Senate interim committee move forward with contempt proceedings against Miller and Kogut. If the full Senate approves the resolutions, Kogut and Miller could be forced to appear before the full Senate to explain themselves. Chuck Hatfield, attorney for Planned Parenthood, says the organization already has explained itself. He said the Senate hasnt listened. After the initial subpoena in November, Hatfields firm sent a letter on Dec. 4 to Richard outlining the groups objections. The letter said that the subpoena was overly broad, onerous and would violate patient privacy laws. We heard nothing from them no phone call, no letter, Hatfield said. Instead, on Dec. 23, they issued a report initiating contempt proceedings. According to a timeline from Hatfield, through February and March, Senate lawyers and Planned Parenthood representatives exchanged more calls and letters. Planned Parenthood again outlined its concerns. On March 15, a Senate lawyer, Todd Scott, said in a letter that Planned Parenthood wouldnt have to include personally identifiable patient information such as names and addresses. Federal law covers more than just names and addresses, Hatfield said. Federal HIPAA law covers 18 identifiers including Social Security numbers and medical record numbers, Hatfield said. The group has other objections. For example, the committee seeks records of when ambulances went to Planned Parenthoods St. Louis location, which doesnt have anything to do with fetal tissue, Hatfield said. On March 30, Schaefer filed his resolutions that would compel Kogut and Miller to appear before the Senate. At the Senate hearing Tuesday, Schaefer said he sought to assert Senate authority in the face of intransigence on the part of Planned Parenthood. If we dont have ability to issue subpoenas and actually enforce them, that is a severe disability to the Legislature to actually do its job, Schaefer said. Both sides have accused the other of being uncooperative. If Miller and Kogut are found in contempt, they could face 10 days in jail, a $300 fine or both. Republican lawmakers began investigating Planned Parenthood this summer after videos were released elsewhere alleging the abortion and health care provider sold fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood has denied these allegations, and Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat running for governor this year, found no evidence of wrongdoing in Missouri. Schaefers resolutions are Senate Resolution 1793 and 1794. EDWARDSVILLE The Madison County treasurer is gathering signatures on petitions seeking a vote on lowering the countys maximum general property tax rate, but law enforcement officials protested Wednesday that the measure could lead to cuts in public safety programs. According to Treasurer Kurt Prenzlers petition, lowering the maximum rate to 0.2 percent of assessed valuation from 0.25 percent would reduce the tax on a $100,000 home by $16.66. It would reduce the countys maximum collection to about $9.3 million a year from about $11.7 million, according to the petition. Prenzler, a Republican running for county board chairman, said the county had no debt and padded its budget with an unneeded surplus of up to $4 million a year. You should not tax for what you dont need, he said. States Attorney Tom Gibbons and Sheriff John Lakin, both Democrats, oppose the effort. They say the lower tax rate could cut the sheriff departments budget by more than $600,000 and the states attorneys budget by more than $200,000, according to a news release Wednesday from Gibbons office. They say it could mean layoffs of deputies, jailers, probation officers and prosecutors. A safe community is our number one goal and it is one of the top reasons people choose to call Madison County home, Gibbons said in the release. At a time when citizens are calling for tougher law enforcement, this proposal does the exact opposite. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Signatures of about 17,000 registered voters, 10 percent of the total, are needed to put Prenzlers proposition on the November ballot. He said petitions need to be turned in by May 1. CLAYTON Ballot shortages, delayed vote tabulations and faulty polling equipment resulted in a botched municipal election Tuesday that has everyone from Gov. Jay Nixon to the voting public denouncing the agency responsible for the fiasco: the St. Louis County Board of Elections. The polls had yet to close before Nixon, Secretary of State Jason Kander, County Executive Steve Stenger and countless voters delivered a verdict on the performance of an agency that managed to deliver incorrect ballots or no ballots at all to more than 60 precincts spread across the county. Stenger said Tuesday during the voting problems, That board really needs to get its act together. He said the situation is completely unacceptable because it affects every resident in St. Louis County. Nixon, who appoints the members of the board, was notably aggressive, promising that Democrat Eric Fey and Republican Gary Fuhr, the officials heading the election agency, be held accountable for this unacceptable failure. The governors spokesman deferred questions on Wednesday about the fate of Fey and Fuhr to the findings of an inquiry by the Secretary of States Election Integrity Unit. Kander, who commissioned the investigation, said the process of debriefing election officials began Wednesday. Reeling from events that turned him into a target of abuse on social media and in polling places countywide, Fey acknowledged that job security could not be a priority. Its kind of out of my hands, said Fey, the lead director of an agency with a staff of 90 full- and part-time employees. My focus has to be on correcting the issues here. Chief among those issues is how some precincts on Tuesday wound up with too many ballots, not enough ballots or ballots listing candidates and issues from other jurisdictions. Fey said it appeared that the disconnect was rooted in a database glitch coupled with a breakdown of systemic checks and double checks before the start of voting at 6 a.m. Tuesday. Were going to get to the bottom of what went wrong, Fey pledged. And were going to address the problems and put new controls in place. An inexcusable debacle In an interview, Kander credited Fuhr and Fey for taking full responsibility for a situation that spiraled out of control. The secretary of state said he expected to disclose next week the results of the Integrity Unit investigation. We will try to determine what went wrong, said Kander, calling the chaos at as many as 50 county polling places inexcusable. The concern in Clayton in the aftermath of an Election Day that included orders issued by two separate state courts focused in part on how the irregularities might affect county finances. It could lead to some contested races by people who feel they were disenfranchised, said County Councilman Mark Harder, a Republican, who successfully pressed Tuesday night for the council to hold a public hearing or Committee of the Whole on the marred election. The county court system will absorb the cost of challenges to Tuesdays results. Meanwhile, in Jefferson City, State Rep. Courtney Allen Curtis, D-Ferguson, responded to the debacle by summoning Fuhr and Fey to a hearing Thursday morning. Curtis later postponed the proceedings to provide the officials with additional time to gather more information about what went wrong. Curtis said he fully intended to pursue the matter at a later date. What happened Tuesday, he said, doesnt restore faith in the electoral system, thats for sure. Bad planning The overarching question in both Clayton and Jefferson City on Wednesday centered on how to best rectify a pattern of Election Day irregularities in St. Louis County. The chair of the Senate Financial, Governmental and Elections Committee, Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa, acknowledged that something has to be changed. But Wasson wasnt sure a remedy lay with state lawmakers. I cant legislate bad planning, the senator noted. Nor is it clear what powers, if any, Nixon might have to reverse what many characterize as a systemic electoral breakdown. In Missouri, the responsibility of appointing the six election board commissioners three from each party falls to the governor. The commissioners then select two directors, one from each party, to essentially run the electoral apparatus. Each commissioner serves for four years. But, as former Elections Director Rita Days learned, the length of tenure is not set in stone. The commissioners dismissed Days, a political ally of former County Executive Charlie Dooley, in mid-January 2015 from the directorship she had held since 2011. State statutes give the governor authority to hire or appoint members of election boards and other commissions. But the law allows the removal of a sitting commissioner or board member only for misconduct in office. Kander, for his part, contends the electoral dysfunction should be addressed at the local level. The folks in St. Louis County are the only ones who can take care of it, he said. David Kimball, a University of Missouri-St. Louis professor of political science with an expertise in elections, said the process could start with a thorough review of the election headquarters staff. Kimball said he believed Fey and Fuhr had been unfairly castigated by Nixon and other critics. You have to hold an election with the staff youve been handed, he said. Firing the two of them wont solve the problem. You have to clean house with what you have. Searching for solutions, state Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, wondered on Wednesday why the task of voting in the county had regressed given the availability of technology that helps get things right. Youd think this would get easier, not harder, said Schupp, a member of the Senate Financial, Governmental and Elections Committee. The county is in fact poised to bring up-to-date technology to the electoral process. In a request for proposals posted last month, the county began soliciting bids from vendors interested in supplying an election management system that will introduce poll books (a hand-held computer such as an iPad) to county precincts. Given the track record in recent elections, Harder is wary of that solution. The introduction of poll books, he notes, will require intensive training of officials both in the field and at election headquarters. And we cant have that if we cant even get the paper ballots right, Harder said. We all need to do everything we can to ensure that every individual in every case in our system of justice is treated with respect and his or her case adjudicated fairly and impartially under the law. Until that is true in 100 percent of our courts, we cannot rest. Even a perception of justice denied anywhere should concern us all, no matter who or where we are. Missouri Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge, State of the Judiciary Address, January 2016 Chief Justice Breckenridge provides the right framework for court reform that works. However, the Supreme Courts Municipal Work Group report fails to convert her aspirations into reality. In reality, it will result in no meaningful reforms at all. Nothing will work, short of significant municipal court consolidation, making it capable of active oversight. The recommendations of the work group rely on the good faith of the very bad actors who have created the present problem. Over the past 18 months, reports issued by the Department of Justice, the Ferguson Commission, Arch City Defenders, Better Together and St. Louis University have detailed St. Louis Countys broken municipal courts system. In vivid detail, these reports uncovered a court system utilized not to pursue justice but to pursue municipal revenue at the expense of justice. Of the 35 recommendations of the work group, more than half primarily require the independent actions of individual municipal courts (11), municipal prosecutors (5), municipal law enforcement agencies (1) or municipal governments (2). These are the very same actors who the work group describes as being driven by perverse financial incentives, rather than the provision of justice. It is disheartening and illogical that the work group expects the reform to be effected by the very same actors who followed these perverse incentives in creating todays crises. If these individuals and municipal bodies were able to prevent abuse of the courts, the work group would not exist. Yet, it is worse than that. The work group points to the complete inability of the current actors and municipal bodies to implement and sustain meaningful reforms. For example, the work group calls for municipal courts to comply with their obligations under the Missouri Constitution, state law, and Supreme Court rules and for court personnel to be informed of their obligations to collect only those costs, fees, and surcharges which are authorized by law. How can a system of courts that must be reminded to follow the law be entrusted with its own oversight? It cannot and it should not. It is not good practice and in practice, it has not resulted in justice. The 81 municipal courts must be properly overseen. They must be consolidated into a manageable, professional, full-time system. The work group cautions the Supreme Court against consolidation, citing political concerns and reasoning that from a long-term perspective, there would likely be a negative impact on the perception of the role of the judicial branch. The St. Louis municipal court system is already perceived as predatory and mercenary. There is no place further down for that perception to go. It is a reality. The court must do everything it can, as Breckenridge stated, to ensure that every individual in every case in our system of justice is treated with respect and his or her case adjudicated fairly and impartially under the law. Within the current system, this cannot be assured. The Supreme Court has the authority and responsibility to consolidate the municipal courts. LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 ends higher; Mordaunt makes UK PM tilt Friday, October 21, 2022 - 17:22 The pound regained some poise on Friday afternoon but remained in precarious territory, after falling below the $1.11 mark in afternoon trade. The pound was quoted at $1.1203 at the close on Friday, down versus $1.1294 at the London equities close on Thursday. It hit an intraday low of $1.1063 not long after midday. Sterling was hurt by continued political uncertainty. Speculation about who will join Penny Mordaunt in throwing their hats in the ring in the race for Number 10 continues. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, one-time neighbours at Number 10 and 11 Downing Street - but now bitter rivals - have pockets of support from Tory MPs. Adding to the pressure on sterling, disappointing UK retail sales data showed a bigger-than-expected decline in September, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Retail sales fell 6.9% annually in September, with the decline accelerating from a 5.6% fall in August. It also was worse than FXStreet-cited market consensus, which had expected a fall of just 5%. The pound had initially found some support on Thursday after Liz Truss called an end to her disastrous tenure as prime minister - poking above $1.13 - but has since been dragged lower. The FTSE 100 index closed up 25.82 points, or 0.4%, at 6,969.73 - closing out the week up 1.6%. The FTSE 250 lost 182.38 points, or 1.1%, at 17,206.55, but still managed to gain 1.0% this week, and the AIM All-Share ended down 1.04 points, or 0.1% at 785.40 - but advanced 0.8% over the past five days. The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.4% at 696.31, the Cboe UK 250 ended down 1.0% at 14,694.15, and the Cboe Small Companies lost 0.3% at 12,240.46. In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt gave back 0.3%. The Tories have begun to declare their allegiances in the party's second leadership contest of the year as speculation mounts over who will seek to replace Truss at the helm of the party. Supporters of Johnson are backing the former prime minister to make an extraordinary political comeback, while ex-chancellor Sunak and Commons Leader Mordaunt also have the public support of several MPs. Mordaunt become the first to declare her candidacy, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided party. The leader of the House who finished third in the last leadership election said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs. There has also been no declaration yet from Sunak, who did not answer questions from reporters as he left his home on Friday morning. Whoever does win will face an immediate test, choosing whether to go ahead with the planned Halloween statement setting out how the government intends to get the public finances back on track, Downing Street has said. Work is continuing in Whitehall, led by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in preparation for the medium-term fiscal plan to be announced on October 31 along with an updated set of economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. However, a Number 10 spokeswoman said it would be up to Liz Truss's successor to decide whether to proceed with that approach and with the same timetable. In London, blue chip miners helped push FTSE 100 higher. Glencore gained 3.6%, Anglo American 3.1%, Antofagasta 2.7%, and Rio Tinto added 1.6%. Retailers, however, were showing weakness after the disappointing UK retail sales data. A profit warning from Adidas did nothing to help the mood either. JD Sports closed down 6.1%, Frasers 4.0%, Burberry 2.2%, and Next shed 2.9%. On Thursday, Adidas lowered annual guidance as it struggles with "deteriorating traffic" in China and high inventory levels. The sports apparel maker said it has needed to turn to "higher clearance activity" to try and shift stock. It lost 9.0% in Frankfurt. Deliveroo gained 3.6%. The London-based online food delivery service said gross transaction values rose 8.3% annually in the third quarter to 1.70 billion from 1.57 billion, though orders fell by 1.1% to 72.8 million from 73.6 million. Deliveroo said the decline in orders was due to a difficult consumer environment. With economic data on Friday showing that UK consumer confidence remains near record lows, this seems unlikely to change anytime soon. InterContinental Hotels gave back 2.2% but reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter to September 30, saying that high global employment levels are boosting occupancy levels. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, rose 28% year-on-year and now exceeds its pre-pandemic level, being up 2.7% on the third quarter of 2019. In the third quarter of 2022, the average daily rate increased by 13% compared to a year ago and was up 11% on 2019. Chief Financial Officer & Head of Strategy Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson will leave the company in six months time to become CFO of Flutter Entertainment in the first half of 2023. IHG has started the process of finding a new CFO. The euro stood at $0.9802 Friday evening, down against $0.9822 at the close on Thursday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP148.03, compared to JP149.77 late Thursday. The yen was staging a fightback after the open on Wall Street, after nearly hitting JP152 during the Asia session. Stocks in New York opened higher on Friday, with the DJIA up 1.1%, the S&P 500 index up 0.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.6% higher. Brent oil was quoted at $92.84 a barrel late Friday, down from $93.29 late Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1,643.70 an ounce Friday, up against $1,641.90 from Thursday. In the international economics events calendar next week, Monday will be dominated by a slew of composite PMIs, with Japan overnight followed by Germany, eurozone and the UK in the morning then the US in the afternoon. A quiet Tuesday will be headlined by a US house price index. On Wednesday, there is Chinese GDP, retail sales and industrial production overnight, then on Thursday attention will be on the European Central Bank interest rate decision at 1315 BST. Friday will be headlined by a Bank of Japan rate decision. In the local corporate calendar on Monday, there are half-year results from Dr Martens, while education publishing firm Pearson will issue a third quarter update. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. European Union supporters in Stratford at the weekend included, from left, Professor Jeff Kenner, John Cain, John Lander, Ingrid Stevens and Shlinder Lander. Photo: Mark Williamson. (B10/4/12/4) LEAVE Europe? It would ruin my life! Those are the words of Ingrid Stevens, from Germany, who was in Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday to be with supporters of the Stronger in Europe campaign as they gathered in Rother Street to meet and talk with residents about the benefits of Britain staying in the European Union. Ingrid is a freelance translator who travels back and forth to Europe as part of her business activities. I do not deal with America, all of my business is in Europe and has been for nearly ten years; to leave now would ruin my life. The people I know are all for staying in, Ingrid said. Prime Minister David Cameron has called the referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union. It will be held on Thursday, 23rd June. Last Saturday members of the public, including people from all political persuasions, handed out leaflets and spoke with passers-by about the EU referendum and why Britain should vote to stay in the Union. There is cross party support for remaining in the EU, Labour parliamentary candidate at the 2015 General Election, Professor Jeff Kenner said. This event was to raise awareness of the key issues with the public and is the first of a series of regular events to promote the European Union. On a local level leaving the Union would affect tourism, business, the theatre, and our ability to get investment in local industry. This is a major issue that ordinary people are interested in regardless of party politics. Two events supporting the EU have been staged in Stratford. Leafleting was carried out at the towns railway station last Thursday and Saturdays event, by the American Fountain, was a repeat exercise, in the towns market square. Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE : BKS) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Bahwan CyberTek (BCT), a global software products and services company, in which BCT will take over certain NOOK technology services, including cloud management and development support for NOOK software. The Company also reiterated its commitment to the NOOK business and said it will continue to provide an exceptional NOOK reading experience without customer interruption. Barnes & Noble said that as a result of the agreement with BCT, it plans to close both its Santa Clara, California and Taiwan offices. The business will be transitioned and the offices will be closed by July 2016. Over the last two years, the Company has done a significant amount of work to improve NOOKs overall performance, said Fred Argir, Chief Digital Officer at Barnes & Noble. While we have been able to reduce costs, we still have a lot more work to do to rationalize the business. We believe that by outsourcing certain technology functions of our NOOK business we will further improve NOOKs performance. This transition is expected to result in annualized cash savings of approximately $13 million, which includes approximately $8 million of expense reductions and approximately $5 million of capital expenditure reductions. In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the company expects to record severance charges and transition related costs of approximately $6 million. Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) today announced that after more than five years, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed its exhaustive investigation of the company for its compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The SEC made no finding of corrupt intent or bribery by Las Vegas Sands. The company neither admitted nor denied any of the SEC findings. The administrative order from the SEC includes a $9 million civil monetary penalty under the internal controls and books and records provisions of the FCPA and an agreement to retain an independent compliance consultant for a period of two years. Since its receipt of the February 9, 2011 subpoena from the SEC, the company has disclosed its belief that the investigation was a result of allegations made in an employment lawsuit filed by Steve Jacobs, a former executive who was employed by the company for only nine months. Regardless of the origins of the subpoena, the SEC's comprehensive investigation, including the allegations made by Jacobs, is resolved via the commission's findings. Ultimately, not one of Jacobs' allegations was the basis for those findings. The SEC findings were primarily related to projects which started in 2006 a period long before Steve Jacobs' tenure began with the company or any of its subsidiaries. The projects were orchestrated through a consultant whose activities under a former company president and other former employees were not sufficiently monitored. The SEC's conclusion was consistent with the preliminary findings of the company's audit committee, which were disclosed in the company's 2012 annual report. "We are pleased to have the matter resolved. We are committed to having a world class compliance program that builds on the strong policies we already have in place. While we started corrective action on this particular matter prior to the initiation of the government investigations, we understand that running an industry-leading compliance operation takes time, resources and the full support of senior management I'm proud to say our company has exactly that," stated Las Vegas Sands Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon G. Adelson. "We will build on this experience, which has reemphasized to our 50,000 team members worldwide the same values I have made the foundation of my seven decades in business integrity and reputation matter." At the time of the events in question, the company's compliance function was shared with the legal function. Today, it is a free-standing function with enhanced financial controls, an independent global controller, a larger internal audit program, and a newly created board compliance committee, which is in addition to the existing oversight functions of the board's audit committee. Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders pumps his fist after announcing he won the Wisconsin primary at a campaign rally at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming April 5, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich By Ginger Gibson and Michelle Conlin WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump's Republican rivals were invigorated on Wednesday by the front-runner's loss in the Wisconsin primary and moved quickly to bolster efforts to block the New York billionaire from capturing the party's presidential nomination. Ted Cruz's emphatic victory in Wisconsin on Tuesday night dealt momentum to his once long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination. The U.S. senator from Texas made the case he is increasingly viewed as the main Trump alternative by Republicans who cannot bring themselves to support Trump as their nominee for the Nov. 8 election. Allies of Ohio Governor John Kasich, who is positioning himself as a mainstream candidate who could emerge from a contested convention, met in Washington to brainstorm about how they could use obscure procedural rules to their advantage when the party convenes in Cleveland. One group trying to defeat Trump, who has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his comments on immigration, Muslims and trade, was hopeful on Wednesday of a cash infusion to fund their efforts. "Our funders are committed to nominating a principled conservative that can win in November and can help Republicans up and down the ballot," said Katie Packer, who is leading the anti-Trump Our Principals PAC. "They understand that this is a long slog now and they are supportive of our mission and strategy. I expect that we will have the funds necessary to execute." U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, lobbyists and congressional staffers were among those who met with Kasich advisers on Wednesday to discuss what one Republican congressional staffer present admitted was the governor's "long-shot" bid. He has won only his home state in nominating contests so far. Kasich's campaign has "a plan going into the convention ... and if the convention goes to a brokered convention, they have a legitimate chance," the staffer said. SHIFT TO NEW YORK The next big test in stopping Trump will be New York, the state he calls home. A Monmouth University poll of New York Republicans released on Monday showed Trump with 52 percent of the state's support, a huge lead over Kasich at 25 percent, and Cruz at 17 percent ahead of the state's April 19 primary. Trump held a rally in Bethpage, New York, on Wednesday evening where he referred only obliquely to his Wisconsin loss, saying it "takes guts" to run for president and criticizing Cruz for drawing small crowds in the state. The Trump campaign also announced members of its New York-based team, including party leaders in each of the state's 27 congressional districts. "It's very important for Trump to bounce back strong. The sense of his inevitability is one of his strengths," said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Center at Southern Illinois University. Cruz met with black and Hispanic religious leaders earlier in the day in the New York City borough of the Bronx. "The men and women of Wisconsin resoundingly rejected (Trump's) campaign," Cruz told reporters afterward. "Donald has no solutions to the problems that were facing." A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Cruz statistically even with Trump among Republicans nationally. His recent gains marked the first time since November that a rival had threatened Trump's standing at the head of the Republican pack. Trump has 743 delegates, Cruz 517, and Kasich 143, according to an Associated Press count. Trump would need to win about 55 percent of the remaining delegates to reach the 1,237 threshold. "We fully expect this to go to Cleveland," Packer said of the anti-Trump effort. CLINTON GOES ON ATTACK On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born U.S. senator representing Vermont, is trying to stage a come-from-behind upset of Hillary Clinton, but will struggle to overcome a large deficit in delegates. Sanders' big win in Wisconsin, which brought his victory tally to six out of the last seven contests, added to Clinton's frustration over her inability to knock out a rival who has attacked her from the left. That frustration was on full display on Wednesday when the former secretary of state gave two live televised interviews in which she criticized Sanders. In contrast to a Republican primary season that has been rife with personal insults, the Democrats have largely avoided personal attacks and stuck to policy arguments. But Clinton attacked Sanders for his position on guns and said he lacked a depth of policy understanding. "You cant really help people if you dont know how to do what you say you want to do," Clinton said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." She criticized him for an interview to New York's Daily News in which he failed to offer specifics on how he would break up large banks - a key part of his campaign message - when he was asked how he would put to use the existing financial regulation Dodd-Frank law. "It's not clear that he knows how Dodd-Frank works," Clinton told CNN in an interview on Wednesday afternoon. The Democratic Party nominating race moves to Wyoming on Saturday before New York on April 19. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New forum for discussion of national issues will debut with a program on the evolving relationship of medicine and "smart" machines and their impact on 21st century healthcare Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, and the globally-recognized Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) today announced the launch of the first program offering of the AAHC Thought Leadership Institute, an innovative new concept designed to provide a forum for provocative and inspiring thought leaders from diverse backgrounds, disciplines and sectors, to identify transformative ideas and discuss their applications. The first Institute program, to be launched in April and supported by Elsevier, will be Professional Intelligence: Medicine, Machines, and the Future of Healthcare, and will focus on the growing interface of medicine and artificial intelligence - specifically "smart" machines. The Institute will concentrate on substantive, future-oriented topics. Its purpose is to advance ideas through inspired thinking; seize opportunities by bringing together leaders on each issue who can make a difference; and drive reform by promoting creative ideas that can flourish into productive, tangible solutions. AAHC strives to be the global thought leader on issues impacting academic health centers and their tripartite mission: educating the next generation of health professionals, conducting biomedical research, and providing patient care. A Leadership Council, composed of AAHC members and thought leaders, will provide knowledge and expertise in guiding the development of The Institute. "With advances in science and technology, medicine and machines are increasingly becoming 'partners' in the care of patients," said Steven A. Wartman, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of AAHC. The goal of the Professional Intelligence program is to lay the groundwork for building consensus and pathways to develop and leverage the interface between artificially intelligent machines and humans in healthcare to improve 21st century health and well-being. The April meeting is the first of several offerings of the Professional Intelligence program to be presented this year. "As machines become more intelligent, care providers, patients and entrepreneurs need to think deeply about how the boundary between medicine and machines will be managed," said Dr. Wartman. I am pleased that this thought-provoking topic is the first to be undertaken by the AAHC Thought Leadership Institute, which will bring together a wide array of perspectives with the goal of informing both practice and policy. I am grateful for the interest and support of Elsevier as the Institute addresses this challenging area for the future of medicine." "Elsevier believes in supporting initiatives that help to advance the public discourse around the advancement of scientific research and nowhere is this more crucial than in the medical field," said Dr. Brad Fenwick, Senior Vice President, Global Alliances for Elsevier. "Medical science is one of Elsevier's most important areas of expertise and this new partnership will enable AAHC to leverage our vast assets to help drive the national conversation about the future of healthcare in this country." About AAHC and AAHCI The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC)-with its subsidiary the Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI)-is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advances health and well-being through the vigorous leadership of academic health centers worldwide. AAHC and AAHCI strive to achieve this by enhancing the ability of its members to educate the next generation of health professionals, conduct biomedical research, and provide comprehensive and advanced patient care. AAHC believes that improving the health and wellbeing of communities, both locally and globally, depends on the continuous advancement, alignment, and optimization of each element of this three-part mission. About Elsevier Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Media contact Marie Gentile +1-646-213-7249 (desk) / +1-917-679-6299 (mobile) [email protected] SOURCE Elsevier HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (NYSE: SCM) will release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 on Thursday, May 5, 2016, after the market closes. Stellus Capital Investment Corporation will host a conference call to discuss these results on May 6, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time. The conference call will be led by Robert T. Ladd, chief executive officer, and W. Todd Huskinson, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, treasurer, and secretary. For those wishing to participate by telephone, please dial 888-364-3109 (domestic). Use passcode 5115564. Starting approximately twenty-four hours after the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available through May 14, 2016 by dialing (888) 203-1112 and entering passcode 5115564. The replay will also be available on the company's website. About Stellus Capital Investment Corporation The Company is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) through first lien, second lien, unitranche and mezzanine debt financing, and corresponding equity investments. The Company's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Capital Management. To learn more about Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, visit www.stelluscapital.com under the Stellus Capital Investment Corporation link. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements" which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the final prospectus that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Contacts Stellus Capital Investment CorporationW. Todd Huskinson(713) 292-5414Chief Financial [email protected] Source: Stellus Capital Investment Corporation Benin Presidential candidate Patrice Talon (C, in white) arrives at a polling station during presidential elections in Cotonou, Benin, March 20, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Placide Tossou COTONOU (Reuters) - Businessman Patrice Talon was sworn in as Benin's president before a large crowd on Wednesday, saying he would foster economic development and fight corruption and terrorism during what he pledged would be his only term in office. Benin's leader can serve two terms but Talon has said he will step down after five years to avoid "complacency" and seek to limit future presidents to a single term. The West African country is seen as a bastion of democracy and stability in a troubled region where military coups are a regular occurrence and polls are often marred by violence. "My mandate will be a mandate of rupture, transition and reforms," said Talon, adding that he would strive to combat corruption, improve the economy and fight terrorism. "I will make diplomacy an instrument of cooperation for development," he told a crowd estimated by organizers at 20,000 at the ceremony in the capital Porto-Novo. Benin already contributes to a multinational task force fighting Boko Haram, a militant group that is based in the northeast of the country's giant neighbor Nigeria. Talon is a cotton magnate who handily beat former prime minister Lionel Zinsou in a run-off election last month. Zinsou was the preferred choice of former president Thomas Boni Yayi, who stepped down after 10 years in power. Benin's minister for energy and water resigned in May amid a corruption scandal that caused the Netherlands to suspend aid after $4 million went missing in 2014 from a project to improve the nation's water supplies. Talon, who was educated in Senegal and France, once supported Boni Yayi but the two fell out and the then president accused him of being involved with a plot to poison him. Talon sought exile in France but was later pardoned, returning to Benin in October. (Reporting by Samuel Elijah; Additional reporting by Allegresse Sasse; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Catherine Evans) By Megan Cassella (Reuters) - California Department of Justice agents have raided the home of David Daleiden, the anti-abortion activist who targeted women's healthcare group Planned Parenthood with a series of undercover videos, his attorney said on Wednesday. Eleven agents seized four computers and hundreds of hours of video footage from Daleiden's apartment in Huntington Beach on Tuesday, said Charles LiMandri, a civil attorney for Daleiden in three cases in California. Daleiden and his group, the Center for Medical Progress, began releasing videos in mid-2015 purporting to show Planned Parenthood officials trying to negotiate prices for aborted fetal tissue. Under federal law, donated human fetal tissue may be used for research, but profiting from its sale is prohibited. Planned Parenthood denied the accusation and called the probe politically motivated. The videos caused a political uproar, leading several Republican-controlled states as well as Republicans in the U.S. Congress to try to halt funding for the women's health organization. They also renewed the debate over abortion rights, which has since become one of the central issues of the presidential campaign. Asked about the raid, Brenda Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for California Attorney General Kamala Harris, said: "I cannot comment on any ongoing investigation." Harris said last year she would "review" the undercover videos. On Wednesday, a source with knowledge of the matter said her office was conducting an investigation. Daleiden is under criminal investigation in Texas, where he was indicted in February for tampering with a government record and violating a prohibition on the purchase and sale of human body parts. LiMandri said the California seizure came "out of nowhere" as Daleiden continued to cooperate with authorities in civil investigations. He added that Daleiden was working to secure a criminal attorney. "We will pursue all remedies to vindicate our First Amendment rights," Daleiden said in a statement released on Tuesday. Planned Parenthood said the raid showed Daleiden was "paying the price" for creating his undercover videos and maintained it had done nothing wrong. "David Daleiden's lies are catching up with him," communications director Erica Sackin said in a statement. (Reporting by Megan Cassella in Washington; Additional reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney) Former Croatian Foreign Minister and U.N. Secretary-General candidate Vesna Pusic speaks at the International Peace Institute in the Manhattan borough of New York April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Croatian politician Vesna Pusic, hoping to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, says being a woman plays a key role in her election bid by shining a light on her career of gender equality activism. The former foreign minister of Croatia is one of a quartet of female candidates vying to become the first woman to hold the U.N.'s top office. "I am not a gender-neutral candidate," Pusic said on Wednesday at an appearance at the International Peace Institute. "It's not about you, personally. It's about changing the way institutions function and societies think," she said. Another contender, Helen Clark, New Zealand's former prime minister, played down the gender aspect when she announced her candidacy this week, saying she has "never sought election as a woman." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's term finishes at the end of 2016. The members of the U.N. General Assembly vote on a new leader later this year. Kicking off the race late last year, the presidents of the U.N. Security Council and the General Assembly told member states in a letter that they were "encouraged to consider presenting a woman." Pusic stressed her activism on gender equality and her support for quotas to place women in political institutions. But asked how she would increase female representation in the upper echelons of the UN, she did not mention quotas but said: "I would look for the best." As Croatia's foreign minister, she opted for a results-oriented team rather than "specifically" seeking gender balance, she said. Eight candidates so far are campaigning to succeed Ban. Along with Pusic and Clark, they are Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, head of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Natalia Gherman, Moldova's former foreign minister. The men are former Slovenian President Danilo Turk; former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who is also a former Portuguese prime minister; former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim and Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic. The candidates' homeland also is likely play a role. The U.N.'s top job traditionally rotates among regions, with Eastern Europe next on the list. Pusic expressed support for increased scrutiny of U.N. peacekeepers following a spate of allegations of sexual abuse. She said military organizations that have committed crimes of sexual violence at home should not be deployed as peacekeepers abroad. Next week, U.N. member states are scheduled to grill each candidate in a series of informal public meetings. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) BERLIN (Reuters) - German police detained an Iraqi aged 46 and a Nigerian aged 29 on Thursday on suspicion of having links with Islamic State and of planning "a serious act of violence", officials said. Security sources had provided information that both could have been in contact with members of Islamic State, state prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said in a statement. The suspects were detained in the Bavarian capital Munich and nearby Fuerstenfeldbruck, police said in a separate statement, adding there had been no imminent threat to the public. Police did not immediately find any suspicious items, but were pursuing their investigation, they added. They declined to give any more details, saying there would be no further statements before Friday. Islamic State released a video on Tuesday suggesting it might carry out further attacks in the West, naming London, Berlin and Rome as possible targets. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for bombings that killed 31 people in Brussels in March and attacks in Paris in November that killed 130. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Scot W. Stevenson; editing by Andrew Roche) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Thursday that the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not being discussed at the moment, RIA news agency reported. "No one is talking about any personalities now," Gatilov said. "This is why this question about the future - who will be the president and how it will all look like - is first of all an issue (expected) as a result from intra-Syrian negotiations." (Reporting by Alexander Winning and Dmitry Solovyov) Its the unbiased witness: Choosing no sides, merely relaying what is seen by the police officer wearing it. Its a body-worn camera. Those cameras were the subject of a special Public Safety Committee meeting held at Carlisle Borough Hall, 53 W. South St., at 7 p.m. Wednesday night. Police have concerns because residents may not want to speak once they know theyre being recorded, over the officers own privacy, and the fear the device wont work. Residents too have concerns, namely privacy, but the benefit far outweighs any concerns, according to Lt. Clarence Trapp of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, who delivered a presentation on body cameras. If it shuts down even one lawsuit, its worth the cost; if it clears one officer, its great, you invest lot of money in each officer. On the other side, if it helps you get rid of a bad officer, its priceless, Trapp said. We do kind of look out for each other, but no good cop wants a bad cop. And when youre overseeing it, you want to get rid of that potential problem. You as citizens certainly dont want to encounter a bad police officer, he added. Police departments run on having the trust of the public, and we have to earn that trust, and historically police have burned through that trust, especially with the minority communities. The current landscape of relations between police and minority specifically black communities, was a topic raised at the meeting. Trapp mentioned the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, which spurred nationwide awareness to the usefulness of body cameras. Only two people know exactly what happened, and one of them is dead, he said, referring to Brown, the unarmed black teenager shot and killed Aug. 9, 2014, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer. Well probably never know exactly what happened there, but if there were a body-worn camera, we might know. One resident, Anthony Stackfield, said that he doesnt believe the cameras are helping the kids dying every day, and touched upon the many incidents of police shootings involving young black people. I probably put this through a lot when I was young, Stackfield said, turning to point toward recently retired Police Chief Stephen Margeson, who sat alone in the back of the room. But the thing about it is our mistakes we did when we was young still carries, so I dont think the cameras are the ones that are helping. Kids are dying. Why cant a bad cop get fired for too many complaints, and theres been a lot of bad things in Carlisle, PA. Trap said he agreed with Stackfield, and that as far as cameras are concerned, its a lot harder to hide or protect that bad cop once theres video. Mitchell Chappelle asked a number of questions, one being what the policy will be in Carlisle concerning who has access to the footage captured on one of the cameras. Interim Police Chief Stephen Latshaw said that the chief, a manager of the body camera footage and the lieutenant will all have access to view the material at any time. When we get a good data management policy, were going to have supervisors who have to view, at random, certain videos of their officers, he explained. Any use of force, any pursuit, any critical incident has to be reviewed. Carlisle Mayor Tim Scott said that borough staff and the police department are currently working to put together policies and storage procedures for the cameras. Our officers will be donning the cameras this summer with a pilot involving some officers later this month, Scott said. My hope is it will lead to a broader discussion within the community on the topic. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (2nd L) and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) arrive to speak to reporters ahead of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial meeting in Manama, Bahrain April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Jonatha By Arshad Mohammed MANAMA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gently pressed Bahrain on human rights on Thursday as he praised security cooperation with the Gulf monarchy, where the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in part as a bulwark against Iran. Kerry made the comments before he met ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, all of which resent what they regard as Iranian interference in the region, including its support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war, for the Houthis in the Yemen conflict and for Hezbollah in Lebanon. Rights groups accuse Bahrain of failing to implement reforms to give its majority Shi'ites a bigger voice in government. They also accuse security forces of using torture against opponents and discriminating against Shi'ites, charges Bahrain denies. Sporadic violence targeting Bahrain's security forces has continued since pro-democracy, Shi'ite-led protests in 2011 were put down by the Sunni-ruled kingdom with help from Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia. At a news conference, Kerry called Bahrain "a critical security partner" but was circumspect about its rights record. "Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential in order to allow citizens to be able to reach and live out their full potential," he said. Brian Dooley of advocacy group Human Rights First described the comments as "disappointingly weak". He faulted Kerry for not raising specific cases in public and said his "watery, tepid" language did little to push Bahrain to improve its record. Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa defended his nation's rights policies and said activist Zeinab al-Khawaja, who is serving a two-month prison sentence with her child for tearing up a photo of the king, would be freed although the case against her will continue to be pursued. Sheikh Khaled also criticized Iran for its recent ballistic missile tests and accused it of "hegemonic interventions through proxies in several parts of our region." Concerns about Iran's behavior are the underlying reason for Kerry's visit and for an April 21 summit in Riyadh that U.S. President Barack Obama will attend with the GCC - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. That summit aims to reassure Arab states of U.S. support and protection following the July 14 nuclear agreement under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Speaking after Kerry met the GCC ministers, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said they wanted better relations with Iran but it had to change its behavior. "If Iran continues its aggressive policies and continues to intervene into the affairs of the GCC states, it will be difficult to deal with Iran," he said. (Reporting and writing by Arshad Mohammed and Sami Aboudi; Editing by Angus MacSwan) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 27 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released on Thursday, the Combined Joint Task Force said eight strikes near four cities in Syria hit five tactical units, disabled seven well-heads and destroyed fighting positions, a rocket system and four vehicles. In Iraq, 19 strikes near 10 cities destroyed bridges, assembly areas, a tunnel system and a homemade explosive cache, among other targets, the statement said. (Reporting by Megan Cassella) UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 FORM 6-K REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 April 07, 2016 Commission File Number 1-14712 ORANGE (Translation of registrants name into English) 78, rue Olivier de Serres 75015 Paris, France (Address of principal executive offices) Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F Form 20-F Form 40- F Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): Yes No Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant, by furnishing the information contained in this Form, is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Yes No Press release Paris, 6 April 2016 Orange completes the acquisition of the Liberian mobile operator Cellcom Orange announced today that it has completed the acquisition of 100% of Cellcom, Liberias leading mobile operator[1], through its subsidiary Orange Cote dIvoire. Less than three months after signing the agreement with Cellcom Telecommunications Limited for the acquisition of its Liberian subsidiary, Orange has obtained all the official approbations necessary to complete the transaction. Cellcom Liberia has 1.4 million customers. Liberia will now become the 20th country in Africa and the Middle East to join the Orange group. With a population of 4.3 million people and relatively low mobile penetration rate (66% of the population), the country has a high-growth potential for Orange. Over the next few months, Liberian customers will benefit from the arrival of Orange, one of Africas leading players in the telecoms industry. Orange will provide its marketing expertise and world-class technical capability to further strengthen the operators established network and enhance customer service. This acquisition is part of the international development strategy of Orange, which aims to accelerate growth by entering new emerging markets with high potential. This will enable Orange to strengthen its positions in Africa, where almost one in ten people are already customers. About Orange Orange is one of the worlds leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion euros in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 98,000 employees in France. Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 263 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 200 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan Essentials2020 which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN). For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com , www.orange-business.com , www.livetv.orange.com or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr . Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. Press contact: +33 1 44 44 93 93 Tom Wright; [email protected] Caroline Simeoni ; [email protected] [1] Based on the number of subscribers at end December 2015 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): April 6, 2016 CAREDX, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 001-36536 94-3316839 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File No.) (IRS Employer Identification Number) 3260 Bayshore Boulevard Brisbane, California 94005 (Address of principal executive offices) (415) 287-2300 (Registrants telephone number, including area code) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) ITEM 5.02. Departure of Director or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers On April 5, 2016, CareDx, Inc. (the Company) appointed Charles Constanti as the Companys Chief Financial Officer, effective April 6, 2016. Upon commencement of his appointment, Mr. Constanti will assume the duties of the Companys principal financial officer and principal accounting officer until such time as his successor is appointed, or until his earlier resignation or removal. Mr. Constanti succeeds Ken Ludlum, who has served as the Companys Chief Financial Officer since March 24, 2014. There are no reportable family relationships or related party transactions (as defined in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K) involving the Company and Mr. Constanti. On April 6, 2016, the Company executed an offer letter with Mr. Constanti. Mr. Constantis annualized salary will be three-hundred-twenty-five thousand dollars ($325,000) and he will have an annual performance bonus with a target of 35% of Mr. Constantis base salary. Mr. Constantis employment will be on an at will basis. Additionally, upon approval of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Company expects to grant Mr. Constanti an option to purchase 40,000 shares of the Companys Common Stock (the Option) under the Companys 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. The Option shall vest, subject to Mr. Constantis continued employment with the Company, one fourth (1/4th) on the one year anniversary of Mr. Constantis start date, and one forty-eighth (1/48th) of the total number of shares subject to the Option shall vest at the end of each calendar month thereafter. The Company also entered into the Companys standard change of control agreement and indemnification agreement with Mr. Constanti, in the forms filed by the Company as exhibits to the Form S-1 filed on June 3, 2014. A copy of the offer letter relating to the employment of Mr. Constanti is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1. Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits. Exhibit No. Description 10.1 Offer Letter by and between CareDx, Inc. and Charles Constanti, dated April 6, 2016. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. CAREDX, INC. Date: April 6, 2016 By: /s/ Peter Maag Peter Maag Chief Executive Officer EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. Description 10.1 Offer Letter by and between CareDx, Inc. and Charles Constanti, dated April 6, 2016. Exhibit 10.1 OFFER LETTER Charles Constanti [PRIVATE ADDRESS] Dear Charles: I am pleased to offer you a position with CareDx, Inc. (the Company) as Chief Financial Officer, reporting to Peter Maag, President and CEO, beginning April 6, 2016. This position is a full-time, exempt position, based at our headquarters in Brisbane, California. Effective upon commencement of your full-time employment at the Company you will receive an annualized salary of three hundred-twenty-five thousand dollars $325,000 paid on a semi-monthly basis on our regular paydays. Deductions required by law or authorized by you will be taken from each paycheck. Additionally, you will be eligible to participate in our variable performance bonus plan, which has a current annual target of 35% of your base salary. You must be employed at the time of payout and the amount is subject to all state and federal taxes. As a Company employee, you are also eligible to receive certain employee benefits pursuant to the terms of Company benefit plans as described in the Employee Handbook. You should note that the Company may modify, in its sole discretion, job titles, salaries, holidays, vacation and any other benefits from time to time as it deems necessary. Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Company, you will be granted an option to purchase 40,000 shares of the Companys Common Stock. This option shall vest, subject to your continued employment with the Company, as to one fourth (1/4) of the shares on the one year anniversary of your start date, and as to an additional one forty-eighth (1/48th) of the total number of shares subject to the option at the end of each calendar month thereafter. Details of the price of these options will be provided in your stock option grant and determined by the board of directors. You should be aware that your employment with the Company is for no specified period and constitutes at will employment. As a result, you are free to resign at any time, for any reason or for no reason. Similarly, the Company is free to conclude its employment relationship with you at any time, with or without cause. For purposes of federal immigration law, you will be required to provide to the Company documentary evidence of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States. Such documentation must be provided to us within three (3) business days of your date of hire, or our employment relationship with you may be terminated. Your employment also is subject to successful verification of your professional references, and to our standard pre-employment process, which includes completion of an employment application and successful completion of a standard background check. As a condition to your employment with the Company, you will be required to sign the Companys standard At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement, a copy of which will be provided to you. We also ask that, if you have not already done so, you disclose to the Company any and all agreements relating to your prior employment that may affect your eligibility to be employed by the Company or limit the manner in which you may be employed. It is the Companys understanding that any such agreements will not prevent you from performing the duties of your position and you represent that such is the case. Moreover, you agree that, during the term of your employment with the Company, you will not engage in any other employment, occupation, consulting or other business activity directly related to the business in which the Company is now involved or becomes involved during the term of your employment, nor will you engage in any other activities that conflict with your obligations to the Company. Similarly, you agree not to bring any third party confidential information to the Company, including that of your former employer, and that in performing your duties for the Company you will not in any way utilize any such information. In the event of any dispute or claim relating to or arising out of our employment relationship, you and the Company agree that all such disputes shall be fully and finally resolved by binding arbitration conducted by the American Arbitration Association in San Mateo County, California. REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK -2- This letter, along with the CareDx At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement, sets forth the terms of your employment with the Company and supersede any prior representations or agreements, whether written or oral. This letter may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. This letter may not be modified or amended except by a written agreement, signed by the Company and by you. To accept this offer, you may sign, date, and fax this letter to Charon Spencer, Sr. Director, Human Resources, at (415) 287-2457. Alternatively, you may scan a copy of the signed offer letter and e-mail it to [email protected] We look forward to working with you at CareDx, Inc. Sincerely, CareDx, Inc. /s/ Peter Maag Peter Maag President and CEO ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO this 6th day of April, 2016. /s/ Charles Constanti Charles Constanti -3- Auckland train schedules are playing catch-up following a signal glitch that caused widespread delays for rail commuters during rush hour on Friday morning. An Auckland Transport spokesman said KiwiRail had fixed the fault shortly after 8am and all services were back up and running - but it would take some time for the services to catch up timewise. Commuters could still expect delays of around 10 minutes, he said. Auckland Transport warned train users early on Friday morning to expect delays to services due to a track fault at Britomart. READ MORE: * Auckland train commuters can expect delays on all lines * Train fault causes major disruptions in Auckland The delays were caused by a fault with the KiwiRail signal between Newmarket and Britomart. Multiple services heading to the station were being cancelled or terminated at Newmarket or The Strand, and passengers being transferred onto buses. The eastern line was also affected, and Onehunga line services were suspended. Commuters using Onehunga line services were advised to use scheduled buses or southern line services to Penrose, and then transfer to shuttle services. Auckland University student Kaitlin Logie missed her 9am lecture as a result of the delays, which she said were "absolutely infuriating". The third year student had sat at the Manukau train station for 45 minutes after finding southern line services were suspended from Takanini. Logie said she had lost count of the number of faults in the past few weeks, as well as the "countless" lectures she had missed as a result. An aerial shot of The Base in 2013. Half of the development has been sold. The country's largest listed property owner, Kiwi Property, is strengthening its portfolio with the purchase of half of Hamilton's huge shopping mall, The Base, an analyst says. Waikato-Tainui has sold half its flagship mall in Te Rapa for $192.5 million to Kiwi Property, which owns six malls around the country including Auckland's high profile Sylvia Park. The deal includes 120-year ground leases rather than the underlying land, and a possible option to buy the other half of the mall. Regarded the country's biggest single retail site with 85,000 square metres, The Base was Kiwi's way of getting into a stronger asset after exiting another Hamilton mall, Centre Place South, Forsyth Barr analyst Jeremy Simpson said READ MORE: * TGH to sell up to half of The Base * Kiwi Property Group increases portfolio value to $2.7 billion * Why Scentre sold three NZ Westfield shopping malls "There's been strong rumours that they've been pretty keen on buying this. They've sold half of Centre Place and the other half's on the market, and their preference is to be involved in the largest dominant asset in the area. "I think over time, the way retail's going, if you own these big centres you probably want to be in potentially a smaller number of really strong ones, with online and all that sort of stuff." New Zealand's other major shopping centre owner, Scentre Group, had been following a similar strategy, selling three of its nine Westfield shopping malls, and holding onto half stakes in its strongest performers. A number of large retail assets like supermarkets and shopping malls have hit the market in recent months as increasing interest in New Zealand's economy from offshore makes it a good time to sell. However Simpson said big assets like The Base were "pretty tightly held" and it looked like a "pretty firm price". "The challenge for Hamilton is there's a lot of retail for its size but then it's growing pretty quickly." Chris Gudgeon, the chief executive of Kiwi Property, said his company was focussing on where New Zealand's population growth was highest. "The top of the North Island, the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland is where we're going to get our population growth. Auckland and the Waikato are the first and third fastest growing regional economies, so it's where the future of New Zealand is in many respects. "Hamilton is a rural and agricultural powerhouse and it's increasingly connected to Auckland. We don't really take a short-term view." He was not worried about Hamilton's reputation for being over-shopped, which was largely a CBD issue. The Base was suburban with plenty of space, and its total retail sales were up 12 per cent in the last year. "It's a big landholding with further opportunity for development and we're a specialist retail centre manager. And to be fair to Tainui, they've done a great job developing the centre but it's not their core business. That's part of the attraction for them, is bringing us in." Tainui Group Holdings (TGH), Waikato-Tainui's business arm, said it would use the sale proceeds to reduce debt and ultimately re-invest in a balanced range of investments. It is developing an inland port at Ruakura on the eastern edge of Hamilton and TGH's chief executive Chris Joblin said the tribe wanted to diversify its investments. "TGH received strong overseas and local interest in The Base during an intensive nine month sales process, and we believe we have found the right investor to take the shopping centre to the next level of excellence," TGH's chief executive Chris Joblin said. Rahui Papa, chairman of the tribe's executive committee, Te Arataura, said the iwi would meet to consider selling the other half of the centre in the next few weeks. The sale met the tribe's financial objectives in order to support its social, cultural and environment development goals. It will also protect tribal ownership of the underlying land. "At the end of the long-term lease, ownership of The Base shopping centre will return to Waikato-Tainui at no cost." Marae representatives were comfortable with the 50 per cent sale, but tribal member and Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta said they were likely to dig their heels in over the remaining share. "I think it would be much harder to get the other 50 per cent on the table for tribal approval and sell 100 per cent of shares in The Base," Mahuta said. The land was some of the first returned in the 1995 treaty settlement and there was concern the 120-year lease was too long. "The tribe wasn't of a strong mind to sell off their interests for 100 years and that's a huge hurdle to get over. That's why I think they will hesitate." TGH had retained one hectare, and secured an option over a further half hectare at The Base to develop a possible future Whanau Ora centre. Kiwi Property's $2.7 billion portfolio includes Sylvia Park, New Lynn's Brickworks, Centre Place North, Palmerston North's The Plaza, Porirua's North City and Christchurch's Northlands shopping malls. Its office assets include the ASB North Wharf and Vero buildings in Auckland and Wellington's Majestic Centre. Sign up to receive our new evening newsletter Two Minutes of Stuff - the news, but different Two companies have been charged over Veronique Bond's death. Two companies facing charges over the death of a female motorcyclist, who was reversed over by a truck at road works, have entered pleas. Waikato woman, Veronique Bernadette Renee Bond, 38, died when her motorbike and a reversing road contracting vehicle collided near Meremere in March 2015. The 38-year-old and her husband, Neil, had moved from Waiuku to their dream 11ha section just four weeks prior to her death. Worksafe NZ brought charges against NZ Traffic Hamilton and Transfield Worley - now trading as Broad Spectrum NZ Ltd. READ MORE: Police name motorcyclist killed near Meremere Neither companies had a representative appear in person in the Huntly District Court to enter pleas on Thursday morning, a move Justice Philip Connell said was an option open to the prosecution and defendants. "I have asked for it to be called in court because I am aware of public and media interest in the case," he said. Broad Spectrum formally pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to take all practicable steps to prevent harm, by way of written notice, in the Huntly District Court on Thursday morning. NZ Traffic Hamilton pleaded not guilty to a similar charge in the same manner. At the time of the crash Detective Russell Crawford said Bond was travelling along Island Block Rd through a road works site when the accident occurred around midday on March 4. Waikato District Council contractors were widening the road at the site where the crash occurred, which had a 30kmh speed restriction. Broad Spectrum had the contract for the road-widening project approved by the Waikato District Council. It had subcontracted the site's traffic management to NZ Traffic Hamilton. This St Vincent St was sold to Auckland buyers for $445,000 more than $100,000 over its most recent valuation. Buyers from Auckland are helping drive up property prices in the Nelson region. Nelson real estate agents say they have noticed an increase in Auckland inquiries and buyers, adding to Nelson's already pumping property market. A four-bedroom, one-bathroom old character home, with a garage on St Vincent St, traditionally at the lower-valued end of Nelson's property market, was recently sold to Auckland buyers for $445,000 more than $100,000 over its last capital valuation (CV). Another property in Victory Square had more than 200 people view the property in 10 days. In that case the majority of those looking were from Nelson. READ MORE: * Out-of-towners flock to Nelson * North Islanders driving up prices in top of the south * Lifestyle lure drives property boom Summit, Bayleys and Ray White real estate agents had all noticed a trend in Auckland buyers, particularly since January 2016 around the region. The drive meant first home owners were faced with higher property prices and a lack of buying options. Ray White Nelson co-owner Grant Chaney said previous trends in the Nelson market typically involved mainly local buyers with Christchurch purchasers making up 10 to 20 per cent. "Now we have just as many [a further 10 to 20 per cent of buyers] from Auckland," he said. "I'm surprised this hasn't happened earlier. Generally speaking property prices are cheaper here than other destinations." Chaney said most out-of-town buyers looked for property investments and admitted first home buyers would need to cough up extra cash to get their foot in the local market. "We're still seeing first-home buyers but they are having to go a bit higher in pricing. It's still better here than Auckland," he said. "Nelson offers value." He had also noticed inquiries from overseas with people formally from New Zealand choosing to move back and settle in Nelson. "They're looking at the $300,000-600,000 range," he said. Bayleys Real Estate principal licensee Graeme Vining said a year ago he would see "maybe one" buyer from Auckland a month. "Twelve months later we have five or six [buyers] each month from Auckland, so about 10 per cent of sales are from Auckland," Vining said. "Primarily they are retirees people downsizing to Nelson, but a couple of them are life-stylers dashing out of Auckland." Vining said he had noticed buyers trickling down to Nelson from other parts of New Zealand as well. "Yes there is more buyer demand than places to buy," he said. "Our total stock levels are running at 60 per cent from the same time last year. That means we don't have as many listings or sales, but the time on the market has shortened dramatically." He said despite the unbalanced buyer-to-available-property ratio, he expected the buyers market in the Nelson region would be sustainable because of continued interest from outside the area. "We have identified where the buyers are and are fishing where the fish are," Vining said. Summit Real Estate sales manager Ben Nalder said he had noticed "quite a trend". "Generally they'll [Auckland buyers] fly down, have four or five properties they're looking at and then make quite a quick decision." Nalder said while he had seen people sell-up in Auckland and make a lifestyle change for Nelson, the majority of properties purchased were for investment. Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) Nelson region spokesperson Darryl Marshall said Auckland buyers were on the rise and purchasing properties at $500,000 and under. "It's right across our market, not so much at entry level prices," he said. Marshall said to his knowledge the number of people who have moved from Auckland to Nelson had not yet been recorded. "There are definitely a lot of people moving here." Despite the trend with most agents, Haven Realty agent Jeff Rackley said its primary property purchasers were from Nelson. "We noticed a bit of an increase before Christmas and thought it was the case, but not in the last few months," he said. "There is strong activity, mostly for property under $500,000 and I would say about 90 per cent of buyers from Nelson." 'Bidding wars' on region's homes A strong housing market in the Nelson region is forcing buyers into bidding wars, according to agents. Latest QV statistics show Nelson homes values have risen 4.3 per cent in the last three months with the average house cost in the city currently priced at $446,860. Tasman homes have also increased with the average value at $441,024 up 1.1 per cent in the last three months. QV Nelson registered valuer Craig Russell said the nature of the Nelson Tasman market meant homes were being snapped up quickly. READ MORE: * Nelson prices on the rise * QV stats show steady housing market * House prices continue to rise "A number of agents have switched to no price marketing which is another indication of a strong market given purchasers can be forced into a bidding war," he said. "We have seen a continuation of a proactive market with properties selling in a short time frame with asking prices typically being achieved or exceeded." Around the country, residential property value has increased by 11.4 per cent over the past year, 0.2 per cent over the past three months and is currently 35 per cent above the 2007 market peak. The average national house cost is $559,492. QV facts: - Tasman home values have increased by 5.1 per cent in the last 12 months and 8.9 per cent in Nelson. - Since the 2007 peak market home values have increased in Nelson by 16.7 per cent and 9.8 per cent in the Tasman region. - The Auckland market has increased by 16.9 per cent in the past 12 months but has decreased by 0.2 per cent over the past three months. - Auckland house values are up 70.4 per cent from the 2007 peak market. Lightning the fare-dodging runaway may have been hitching her way back to her old home, her owners believe. The six-month-old staffy-ridgeback cross made it from Petone to Wellington's CBD after joining peak-hour Tranz Metro commuters on Thursday morning. Hohepa Tawhara, whose 6-year-old daughter owns Lightning, said it was the third time the pup had run away since the family moved house from the Wellington suburb of Strathmore to Lower Hutt. "She didn't used to run away at the old place, I'm thinking she's trying to make her way back home," he said. "She hasn't really settled yet. We've only been here a week, she's been crying and stuff. She's a bit lost, I think." Tawhara said the dog was a bit nuts, and loved playing with the children. She was also a bit sneaky, and the family had already fixed a hole in the fence she'd made to escape through, before she got out on Thursday. Witness and commuter Andrea Fairbairn was heading to work on the 7.20am service when she heard a commotion on the carriage. A man was speaking loudly on his phone, saying "something about a dog", followed by uproarious laughter from the people around him on the jampacked service. It turned out that a dog, later identified as Lightning, had run on to the carriage just before it left the station. "Everyone tried to get it out, but they couldn't. Then the train door closed, and away everyone went." Lightning was eventually caught and seated with a passenger who found her owners' phone number on her collar, then called to tell them their dog had caught the train into the city. Fairbairn said the dog looked quite calm and happy when she left the train in the central station. "I think she must have quite an adventurous spirit, because it takes quite a lot of gumption to run onto a train at 7.20 in the morning. It doesn't happen by accident." The person who made the call was Chris Totton, who was sitting mid-carriage when suddenly he saw the dog "come barrelling through". He reached out and grabbed Lightning, who was jumping up and trying to lick fellow passengers. On Lightning's collar was a contact number for Tawhara, which Totton immediately called. "I rang him and said, 'Have you got a dog?' And he said, 'Yeah'. I said, 'She's currently on the train to Wellington'." Tawhara said Lightning belonged to his 6-year-old daughter Te Aorangi, who had been very relieved to be reunited with the runaway pup. Totton said he was a dog owner himself, and hanging with Lightning was "nothing new" although to be fair, Lightning had spent half the trip chewing on his hand. "I don't think she liked being held." Tawhara said he would get back in touch with Totton, to say thank you for looking after the dog and getting in touch. "She means the world to us, the little one [Te Aorangi] would have been destroyed." KiwiRail spokeswoman Julie Wiezoreck confirmed there was an "unusual" commuter who boarded at the Petone station on Thursday morning. "Due to the busy train, TranzMetro staff didn't notice the dog onboard until after the express service had left the station." "Tranz Metro staff said the owners were pretty relieved that the dog was returned safely and, judging how fast the dog moved while on the train, it seems it lived up to its name Lightning." NOTICENOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of MARY ELIZABETH WILSON late of Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Carlisle, Pennsylvania (died October 30, 2019), having been granted to the undersigned, all persons indebted to said estate are required to make immediate payment, and those having all claims will present them without delay to: Lester Norwood Straub Jr. Executorc/o Mateya Law Firm, P.C.Mark A. Mateya, Esq.55 W. Church AvenueCarlisle, PA 17013(717) 241-6500 There has been interest in the old villa but she's never sold. Boom and bust seem to hold no meaning for a lonely old country house that has sat unsold near Cambridge for nearly a decade. The real estate market there is now "booming", but the 100-year-old villa has maintained a general listing with various real estate agents in the area since 2009. Remax agent Cary Ralph inherited the old girl from a former staff member and has had it under his name since November 2015. SUPPLIED/FAIRFAX NZ The dining room looks out to a rural setting. He said it was a beautiful property, but suspects it hasn't sold because most people interested in owning a villa would prefer it to be in town, rather than a rural setting. READ MORE: Property boom leaves sinking Waikato home behind "It's got a high stud and the wooden ceiling, a claw foot bath and stain glass windows," he said. SUPPLIED/FAIRFAX NZ Take a dip or watch the action unfold from the lounger. "It's not a standard original villa, it has been added on to but that does not detract from it." He said houses in Cambridge priced in the middle bracket sold within days or weeks, but houses priced higher often took a little longer to sell. The rateable value of this property was $865,000 in July 2014. SUPPLIED/FAIRFAX NZ An expansive deck to entertain friends and family during dusky autumn evenings. It was originally listed with Remax in 2009 and has been cycling through other agents throughout the years. Its current listing with Remax has lasted nearly two years. Offers have been presented, but turned down. Office manager Gayle Patterson-Gray, who has viewed the property several times herself, said as with any villa there is maintenance required but it remains a "gorgeous property" The house is situated in Abergeldie Way, formerly known as Hannon Rd, before the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway opened. "It went through that name change and I think that made people aware it was going to be close to the motorway I think several people were concerned about it," she said. The house features four bedrooms and two bathrooms, an office, a games room, a tree-lined driveway, several outbuildings, a stable, a saltwater swimming pool and nearly three acres of land. Ralph was recently recognised internationally for his work at Remax. He was given a silver status worldwide and gold status New Zealand-wide, making him the 7th best-selling agent for Remax in the country. "I just think because it's a villa it has a limited market, both the price and the type of dwelling has a limited market. There is a buyer for every house," he said. A police pursuit in Mosgiel resulted in three arrests and two damaged vehicles New Zealand is soft on juveniles who know how to exploit the system, a criminologist warns. It has been revealed a teenager who allegedly rammed a police car in Mosgiel was also in the car stopped by the infamous sheep roadblock near Queenstown. The Dunedin teen sparked a police pursuit in his mother's stolen car at Mosgiel, about 11.40am on Wednesday. CHE BAKER/FAIRFAX NZ A flock of sheep on Littles Rd, near Queenstown, stopped a 90-minute police car chase. The 14-year-old was also allegedly involved in a joyride around Otago, which was ended by a flock of sheep near Queenstown, on January 21. READ MORE: * New Zealand laps up the most Kiwi police bust of all time * Raise the age of criminal culpability Dr Greg Newbold, of the University of Canterbury, said New Zealand was "soft on juveniles". HAMISH MCNEILLY/FAIRFAXNZ A Dunedin teen allegedly rammed this police car before running off on foot. He was eventually caught by police dogs. "Kids can't be prosecuted of they are under the age of 17 for anything other than an indictable offence. "So these kids are aware of that and they can exploit it . . . they do these things because they are young and stupid." Some of the children could be put in the care of Child, Youth and Family if not in proper control, but "police can't do much". HAMISH MCNEILLY/FAIRFAX NZ A 14-year-old boy allegedly rammed this police car in Maple Gr, Mosgiel. Newbold said the "root of the problem" was dysfunctional families. "That is where the energy needs to be put." FROM SHEEP STOP TO POLICE RAM The Dunedin teen's earlier joyride made international headlines after the vehicle, which reached speeds of 150kmh and was driven over and around road spikes, stopped when a mob of sheep halted traffic. During the Mosgiel chase on Wednesday, the boy left the Gordon Rd BP service station without paying for petrol just as a police car pulled in. "He [the officer] chased it [the boy's car] around Mosgiel and came into this cul-de-sac . . . stopped in the middle of the road to try and block it coming out, but he drove straight at him and collided with the police car," Senior Sergeant Alastair Dickie said. The boy then "legged it" behind houses on Maple Gr, before a police dog tracked him near Taieri Airport. Three passengers including two 14-year-old girls who were "unco-operative" and a 15-year-old boy were charged with unlawfully getting into a vehicle. The driver was charged with theft, failing to stop for police, dangerous driving and unlawful taking. All were referred to Youth Aid. The car was also involved in petrol drive-offs from Timaru during the joyride to Dunedin, Dickie said. The driver was charged with three thefts relating to petrol drive-offs and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle in connection with the Central Otago incident. Sign up to receive our new evening newsletter Two Minutes of Stuff - the news, but different. World War II Royal New Zealand Air Force photo intelligence officer Doug Vahry, with a model of the planes he flew in, celebrates his 100th birthday this month. Doug Vahry certainly has a lot of memories to draw upon for his next birthday speech. So much so that the World War II Royal New Zealand Air Force photo intelligence officer, who turns 100 on April 26, is having two birthday celebrations. Doug, who is the oldest living member of the Taupo Returned and Services Association, will celebrate his 100th birthday in a private function with his five children Patricia, Peter, Penny, Paul and Prue on April 23 and then again on his actual birthday with fellow residents at Liston Heights Retirement Village. "There is a whole tribe of family members coming, even from Australia, and I have started to make notes of what I am going to say," he said. "Turning 100 hasn't struck me yet and I am certainly feeling no different from the years gone by. I am a bit lucky." He said he still remembers the early years of his childhood living in Auckland. "I spent a great deal of my life in Auckland and from the age of four I lived in Epsom," he said. "My first memories of life were horse troughs all around Auckland. Deliveries were all done by horse and the baker called with fresh bread everyday and the milkman arrived early morning and from cans on his cart transferred milk into billies left out by residents." "The oddest service was that of the night man and they used to call in their carts and take away the doings left in cans outside houses. There would always be a clatter in the mornings," he said. During the war Doug, who only stopped driving last year, worked alongside American forces providing them with photographic intelligence. "We used to take photographs of the damage just after the bombs would blow hell out of a place, process the films, and do the intelligence interpretation of the photographs," he said. "I never understood why English film equipment was used in American planes because the American technology was a lot more advanced. I made the change over and the Americans thought a lot of me because of that," he said. He was also present for the surrender of the Japanese on Rabaul Island and was one of few men to meet American general Douglas MacArthur. "I was one of four men selected to take over the surrender of the Japanese in the Pacific and Rabaul itself," he said. "I alone was also put in charge of having to get back all the Japanese [military] equipment and had to go into all their tunnels and caves and I didn't know if they were still readied with stupid traps." "I worked on this for several months sending crates of equipment back to New Zealand. Air Department was so delighted they said I could fill a crate of my own but it never arrived so someone must have altered the address," he laughed. After the war he settled in Auckland with his late wife Patricia Dougal, a Christchurch physio who he met during the war while in hospital with an injured hand. After working in advertising for many years he eventually established his own photography company called Vahry Photography in Parnell. "We were the biggest in New Zealand and were immensely successful. We worked for 49 years and everyone was so kind to me," he said. He moved to Taupo 30 years ago with his wife to the family cottage which was used for regular trout fishing trips. "She was a lovely lady and we were terribly lucky in life," he said. An announcement by the UK Government it will implement a tax on soft-drinks spurred calls for the tax in New Zealand. New Zealand public health advocates are celebrating the United Kingdom Government's move to tax soft-drinks but others remain unconvinced, including Health Minister Jonathan Coleman. "Our position on a sugar tax hasn't changed it's not something we're actively considering," Coleman said in a statement. He said the Government would "keep a watching brief on the emerging evidence". On Wednesday, British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne took the UK parliament by surprise by announcing a sugar levy on soft drinks from 2018. READ MORE: * Sugar tax needed: paediatrician * Anti-sugar campaign wowsers * Sugar tax off the table, health minister says * Kiwis don't want sugar tax Founder of FIZZ, a pro soft-drink tax group, and Auckland University academic Dr Gerhard Sundborn said the UK Government had given New Zealand an example of strong leadership. "It needs to happen here, we have the third highest rate of obesity in the OECD and for the sake of our children it needs to be introduced." Over 25 per cent of sugar consumed by children in New Zealand came from sugary drinks, Sundborn said. "By taking a significant amount of sugar out of consumption this will reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, weight gain and dental caries." Economist and researcher at business-friendly think tank the NZ Initiative Dr Eric Crampton said the level of tax announced in the UK, and implemented in Mexico from 2014 would not make any difference to consumption or rates of obesity. "The tax rates that are being discussed for the UK are unlikely to do much for obesity and taxes of a similar magnitude in New Zealand would be similarly ineffective. "To have substantial effects on consumption taxes would have to be substantially higher and they would have to be structured differently." Excise taxation on tobacco is about 60 per cent of the cost of a packet of cigarettes. "No one is talking about that kind of range...that will have little effect and especially when people substitute over into other kinds of sweet things." If the tax were high enough to reduce consumption, Crampton said people would substitute other sugar-sweetened foods, or even buy bags of sugar to make their own soft-drinks. Producers were likely to change production to sweetened milk products if the taxes were high enough to affect consumption of soft drinks. Obesity expert Dr Boyd Swinburn said a soft-drink tax is in the top three policies needed to address high levels of obesity in New Zealand. "A tax on sugary drinks always comes up as one of the most cost effective measures to implement the biggest bang for the buck." Swinburn said evidence from the soda tax in Mexico showed it had reduced consumption which was a reasonable expectation. "There's plenty of evidence, both empirical and modelled, of the impact. Now it's not a magic bullet but it's part of a range of strategies needed to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods, especially amongst teenagers." He said there was no evidence the tax would reduce obesity, but there was proof it lowered consumption. "I think it's inappropriate to expect every single strategy that is included to be proven to reduce childhood obesity." The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) welcomed the UK Government's move as a "bold step" and said the Government should consider one as a priority. "This is one of a suite of measures the NZMA recommends our Government consider to address obesity in New Zealand." In its 2014 policy briefing, Tackling Obesity, the NZMA asked for priority to be given to consideration of a tax on sugar sweetened beverages. Green Party health spokesman Kevin Hague said it was time for Coleman to take action and follow Britain's lead. "George Osborne's actions highlight how dangerous it is for those with the power to act on the obesity epidemic, to instead sit on the sidelines and watch while our children's health is damaged." Labour was waiting for more evidence, but spokeswoman for health Annette King said recent studies "looked promising". "We did not rule out such a tax in the future but any decision would be evidence-based." Basic training is set to shift from Waiouru to new facilities built in Burnham, Christchurch. The Defence Force has confirmed it is reviewing its sites as part of a series of reviews that has already led to the shift of army basic training from Waiouru to Burnham. An army training camp at Tekapo is one of the sites whose future appears uncertain ahead of a report on the review being presented to the government within the next few months. The Tekapo military camp covers 9500ha, and hosts the only live field firing facility in the South Island. It also hosts an array of pre-deployment and general training for soldiers. Labour Defence spokesman Phil Goff said the review meant the future of the Tekapo facility "may be put at risk" as the cost of running training bases was high. READ MORE: Basic training moves to South Island Defence Force budgets were tight, and it would be looking for ways to reduce costs, he said. A Defence Force spokeswoman did not return a request for information about the operating cost of the Tekapo facility by deadline on Thursday. She also declined to answer questions about what types of activities took place at the training base, or whether there were any plans to upgrade its facilities. "As this review is ongoing we cannot provide any further information at this time," she said in a statement. The Defence Force was working on a plan to regenerate its estate, and that plan would go to Cabinet mid-year for approval, she said. "However, it's important we let NZDF staff know that planning is underway to regenerate our estate because many of our buildings are reaching the end of their useful life, and some are not suitable for a modern, well-equipped, professional Defence Force. "Once the plan has been approved around the middle of the year, we'll be announcing the details." Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee declined to comment on the review or Goff's comments. He said it was an operational matter and referred questions to the Defence Force. In its 2015-2018 Statement of Intent, the Defence Force outlined its intention to produce an Estate Plan by December 2015. Questions about whether the plan was the same as the review currently underway went unanswered by deadline on Thursday. News of the review comes hot-on-the-heels of the announcement that basic training for new recruits will be shifted from Waiouru to the South Island. The shift, planned for after 2018, will see all new recruits undergo basic training at new facilities built in Burnham, Christchurch. The headquarters training, doctrine command, the army command school and the army depot would also be shifting to Burnham. The move was driven by families wanting more say over posting locations and more choice with housing and jobs, Chief of Army Major General Peter Kelly said in the Army News newsletter. Sign up to receive our new evening newsletter Two Minutes of Stuff - the news, but different. How can Donald Trump be stopped? For months, conservatives have debated what Trump represents and whether they can or should support him. While millions of voters still have time to make their choice (and still need to be informed about his baleful record), among those pundits, politicians, activists, donors and strategists whove been hashing this out for a seeming eternity, that argument is over. Trump is either someone you can live with or celebrate as the standard-bearer of your cause and your party, or he isnt. As I wrote last week, this is an insurmountable divide within the party and the conservative movement. That means its a zero-sum contest. There will be winners and losers. Either Trump wins or #NeverTrump wins (thats the umbrella Twitter hashtag for a diverse coalition of conservatives who will never vote for the man). Theres no compromise. So if youre a #NeverTrumper, the debate now is all about the how. The most desirable, but least plausible, way to stop Trump would be for Ted Cruz or John Kasich simply to beat him before the Republican convention in Cleveland. Unfortunately, Cruz would need to secure more than 80 percent of the remaining delegates to win the nomination outright. Kasich, the longtime candidate of math deniers, would need to capture a lot more than 100 percent. The second-best, but more likely, scenario is to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates required to automatically win on the first ballot. Right now, that seems quite doable. Recently, University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato projected the most likely scenario for Trump to get to 1,237. It required Trump to carry both Wisconsin and Indiana handily, and even then he only landed at 1,239. Right now, that looks unlikely. And if Trump loses just a couple congressional districts in Sabatos scenario, hell fall short. Most observers believe that if Trump cant reach the magic number, hed hemorrhage support after each ballot at the convention, because delegates tend to be party regulars (and more and more delegates are released to vote their conscience after each round of voting). Thats why the margin of Trumps shortfall matters so much. If he comes just a few shy of 1,237, he could probably cut deals with a handful of delegates. Or he could horse-trade with Kasich, making the Ohio governor his running mate. Whats more important, however, is delegate psychology. Some argue, in defiance of the rules, that Trump should be the nominee even if he fails to reach 1,237. My Fox News colleague Sean Hannity says he will support whoever gets the most delegates, which, given the math, means he will support Trump, no matter what. That sentiment might be compelling with a narrow shortfall. But if Trump misses the mark by, say, 150 delegates, that would be significantly more than the delegate totals of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina combined. Its one thing to deny the trophy to the guy who finished a few yards shy of the finish line. Its another if he misses it by a mile. The bigger the shortfall, the easier it is to convince delegates that they are not defying the popular will by denying Trump, particularly given the widespread conviction that Trump would be crushed in a general election (with the GOP being torn apart in the process). Cruz would be the most likely victor in a floor fight, but that isnt assured. The longer the balloting goes, the more likely it is that the bitter and bleary-eyed delegates will opt to order off-menu. Thats what Kasich is allegedly counting on. But Kasich is widely disliked, and it might be a good deal easier to find a unifying candidacy in, say, Rick Perry, Scott Walker, Nikki Haley or Mike Pence. The third option is what Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol calls Plan B. If the #NeverTrumpers fail to stop Trump at the convention, they could rally around an independent candidate. Who might that be? Thats the billion-dollar question. Some want a true outsider like retired Marine General James Mattis. Others think Mitt Romney could leap into the breach. The path to an independent candidacy is perilous. But if youre of the opinion that Trump and Hillary Clinton arent acceptable options, the perilous path is the only one available. Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior editor of National Review. You can email him at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com. Bronze bust of Aryabhatta unveiled at UNESCO Headquarters Published: April 7, 2016 A bronze bust of ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta was unveiled at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. It was unveiled by Union Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani. She was in the French capital to attend the International Conference on Zero. The bust has been sculpted by renowned Indian sculptor Ram Sutar who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, Indias third highest civilian awards for his contribution to the world of art. International Conference on Zero The international conference was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France from 4 April 5 April 2016. It was hosted by the permanent delegation of India to UNESCO along with Pierre and Marie Curie University. The Conference was held on the following topics: (i) Gems of Ramanujan and their Lasting Impact on Mathematics. (ii) Indian Mathematics: Negative Numbers, Zero, Infinity and Beyond. (iii) Zero: Infinity and Set Theory (iv) Panel discussion on the Arabic traditions in Mathematics and (v) Mathematics in Indian Music. It shared the rich and remarkable history of mathematics, through the participation of some brilliant minds. Month: Current Affairs - April, 2016 Topics: aryabhatta France UNESCO Latest E-Books Almost eight years after Matthew Hamill went missing, police have not given up hope of finding out what happened to him. Matthew was last seen in the Frankton area of Queenstown on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Green Energy Chronicles John's latest update on graft, corruption and waste in the energy sector. --- SunEdison Preparing to File for Bankruptcy Solar-energy company SunEdison Inc. plans to file for bankruptcy protection in coming weeks, a dramatic about-face for a company whose market value stood at nearly $10 billion in July. Separately Monday, Reuters reported that more than two dozen lawsuits have been filed against SunEdison and its executives since the beginning of the year, primarily from shareholders claiming to have been misled about the company's financial position. The lawsuits also include large and small plaintiffs seeking payment, including Massachusetts-based Valley Home Improvement, alleging it's owed $37,000 for solar panel installation, and Silicon Valley's Khosla Ventures and partners claim SunEdison owes them $6 million related to a $27.5 million acquisition of EchoFirst Inc., according to the news agency. TerraForm Says SunEdison Deal Robbed Division of $231 Million Under the First Wind deal, SunEdison and TerraForm Power bought 500 megawatts of operating wind farms, 21 megawatts of operating solar farms and 1.6 gigawatts of development-stage projects. They deferred about $510 million in earn-out project payments, and about $231 million of that amount remains unpaid. Thats the amount D.E. Shaw and Madison Dearborn Capital are seeking from TerraForm Power, which also was one of the buyers and shares responsibility for the debt, according to the suit. The case involving the First Wind deal is D.E. Shaw Composite Holdings LLC v. TerraForm Power LLC, 651752/2016, New York State Supreme Court, New York County. The other case is TerraForm Global Inc. v. SunEdison Inc., No. 12159, Delaware Chancery Court (Wilmington). SunEdisons Subsidy-Fueled Collapse The company burned no fossil fuels but plenty of taxpayer dollars. Even $1.5 billion in subsidies and loan guarantees cant save a clean energy company from bankruptcy. Thats the takeaway from the looming failure of SunEdison, a company that touts itself as the largest global renewable energy development company. Once a darling of Wall Street and the green Left because of SunEdisons portfolio of wind and solar projects, the companys stock is now in free fall. Furthermore, two related companies that were spun off from SunEdison TerraForm Global and TerraForm Power also appear to be in financial distress. On March 30, Brian Wuebbels, the CEO of both TerraForm companies, resigned effective immediately. If all that werent enough, the company is also under investigation by both the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission about its finances and the disclosures it made to investors. Bloomberg Video SunEdison Death Spiral Former First Wind CEO sudenly departs Sun Edison. (just weeks after being name EVP of North American Operation). A new law enabling a more flexible and modern governance of the property owned by the 44 Christian Churches of New Zealand was passed this evening with unanimous support from Parliament. This new law replaces the Associated Churches of Christ Church Property Act 1929 and provides the new trust with broader powers in managing the millions of dollars of property owned collectively by the 44 churches across New Zealand, Dr Smith says. This new law is about securing a strong future for a group of churches that have a rich history of 172 years. It will enable the Church Property Trust to use its assets more flexibly to ensure its church facilities and services maintain the needs of a changing population. I have personally witnessed the work of the five Nelson-associated churches from Unite in Nelson City, Annesbrook in Stoke, the Church of Christ in Richmond, the Alive Church of Christ in Motueka and the Church of Christ in Takaka. They do a power of good work with youth, helping families in need and supporting grieving loved ones at a time of loss. These are also churches that outreach and provide services to the wider community. It has been a privilege to work with the senior leaders nationally to draft, introduce, and pass this Bill and I particularly want to express my thanks for the work of Mr Viesturs Altments for his part in securing this law change. Dr Smith sponsored the Bill through Parliament because the Christian Church movement started in Nelson in 1844 and because of the number and strength of the local churches in his constituency. The Bill passed its third reading and takes legal effect when signed by the Governor-General. SOURCE: Office of Dr Nick Smith Heres an extra little push for all you secondary school students considering entering this years Smokefreerockquest. Youre not losing anything by entering, you should take opportunities when you can cause you never know what will pop up, says Joes Van drummer Rory Priest. This model introduced an innovative layout to create a home with no boundaries to the water, featuring the owners/VIP quarters aft with sliding glass doors giving access to the aft platform, dubbed the 'Terrace-on-the-sea by her builders. As a result, the interiors are flooded with natural light while reflecting the Wally inside-outside concept to have living areas inside that extend outside and vice versa, firstly introduced with the revolutionary sailing super yacht Tiketitan, in 1998. Wally Casa reflects this concept even further by featuring the unique three cabin layout with the aft huge owners suite: a 33 m2 private area which opens onto the terrace. Additionally, the aft platform has been extended by over one meter than that of the previous units, enhancing the entire beach platform. The Wally inside-outside concept runs throughout this displacement yacht: the living area under the superstructure is completely surrounded by glass offering a 360-degree view. The Wally DNA is to enjoy open-air living and the sea, and is reflected in the open-air social areas: 130 m2 of outside space over two decks, larger than any other yacht in her size range. A first of Wally Casa is the outdoor custom hot tub located in the forward social cockpit of the main deck, with beautiful sun pads on both sides. The garage of the 5-meter tender is uniquely located amidships over the engine room with direct access to the crew and service area, and separates the guest and crew quarters for maximum privacy. The 26m wallyace offers large interior volumes as well: more than 160 m2 of living space with unusually tall headroom. The new Wally Casa will cruise around the Mediterranean during the summer, and head to the Caribbean at the end of the year, on her way to her home port in Baja California, Mexico. FORT WORTH, Texas The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District will host its ninth annual Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Networking Forum on April 8 to provide networking with and inform SDVOSBs of opportunities with contractors who frequently do business with the Corps. The forum is free and planned for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fritz G. Lanham Federal Building, located at 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 Room 4A14H. Public parking for a fee is available nearby. Small businesses are critical to the success of our communities, our State and the Nation, said Col. Calvin C. Hudson II, commander, Fort Worth District. We are especially honored to host an event that is focused on support of our Service disabled Veterans who have and continue to provide service and value to our Nation. Other agencies and organizations participating include the Trinity River Vision Authority; the Small Business Administration, Veterans Administration; and the University of Texas, Arlington, Procurement Technical Assistance Center. For more information and the complete forum agenda, visit the Fort Worth Small Business Programs Office events link at https://apps.swf.usace.army.mil/Events/. -30- About the Fort Worth District: The Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was established in 1950. The District is responsible for water resources development in two-thirds of Texas, and design and construction at military installations in Texas and parts of Louisiana and New Mexico. Visit the Fort Worth District Web site at: www.swf.usace.army.mil and SWF Face book at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-District-US-Army-Corps-of-Engineers/188083711219308 2015-10-4-ss-CRT_FINAL_12.JPG Syracuse police officers patrol targeted areas in the city in September. The Syracuse Citizen Review released an annual report with an index of the frequency of complaints against a small number of officers. (Scott Schild | Syracuse.com) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Alleged misconduct of 11 Syracuse police officers has prompted nearly a quarter of all complaints against Syracuse's roughly 400-officer police department since 2012, according to the city's police watchdog board. The officers' identities and the details of those complaints, however, are secret under Syracuse city policy. The Syracuse Citizen Review Board, which released its annual report this week, included for the first time an index that shows the frequency of complaints against a small number of officers. The board also recommended a number of changes to the department's use-of-force policy in the 60-page report. Two police officers received nine complaints, one received eight complaints, and four received seven complaints since 2012, according to the report. That works out to 54 complaints, or 22 percent of the complaints received since 2012. Of those 54 complaints, 14 were sustained, meaning the board ruled there was "substantial" evidence that the misconduct occurred. The majority of the unsustained cases either don't go to a hearing or are deemed to have "insufficient evidence" to substantiate the allegation, said CRB administrator Joseph Lipari. Of the 54 complaints, 18 alleged excessive force; five of the 18 were sustained, according to Lipari. There were 407 police officers and supervisors -- not including deputy chiefs and chief -- on the city's payroll last year, though that number fluctuates. Therefore, the report indicates that approximately 2.5 percent of all police officers were behind 22 percent of all complaints filed against police since 2012. Four of the nine complaints against one officer were sustained, including two for alleged excessive force. The same officer was accused of excessive force five times, according to Lipari. The volunteer board is made up of board members appointed by the Common Council and Mayor Stephanie Miner. It reviews complaints against police, rules on them and submits disciplinary recommendations to the Chief of Police, who has the final say in officer discipline. It's largely unclear whether discipline was imposed against the 11 officers, as that information is not made public. Also, Police Chief Frank Fowler in October stopped telling the board whether he imposed discipline in cases that took the CRB longer than 60 days to review, prompting a lawsuit by the CRB. The board included in its report a recommendation for a new comprehensive use-of-force policy that is aimed at giving officers guidelines for what type of force is appropriate based on the type of resistance officers encounter. It also attempts to be more specific and to bring the policy up-to-date with recent best practices established by policing think-tanks. The report also detailed, however, that allegations and findings of excessive force that came to the board have dropped by about half since 2013, from 49 complaints in 2013 to 26 in 2015. The CRB sustained 12 excessive force complaints in 2013 and six in 2015. Syracuse police declined to comment, and a message seeking comment from the Mayor's Office was not returned. Repeated requests by Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard to review citizen complaints like those against the officers referenced in the report have been denied. City officials cited section 50-A of the state Civil Rights Law as the basis for denying the requests. That section of the law prohibits the release of personnel records of police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders from public disclosure. The law, however, specifies that it applies to records "under the control of any police agency". Robert Freeman, the executive director of the New York State Committee On Open Government, has said that section of the law does not apply here because the Citizen Review Board is not a police agency. Freeman said the requested records should be released. City officials last year denied a request and appeal for citizen complaints against officers involved in a July 2015 officer-involved shooting. City officials said they based their decision on section 50-a. Meghan P. McLees Craner, associate counsel in the city's Office of Corporation Counsel, said in an email in late January that the records would not be released. "While section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law does apply to, inter alia, any 'police agency', there is case law which does apply section 50-a to civilian complaint review board records," Craner wrote. She did not identify the case law and did not respond to a question asking her to cite the relevant case law. The report is available on the CRB's website. Syracuse Police take a supect into custody on East Willow Street between South Warren and North State Streets near downtown Syracuse, April 7, 2016. The man was taken into custody minutes after a reported robbery at the Bank of America near Clinton Square. Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A suspect didn't make it very far after robbing a bank Thursday morning in downtown Syracuse, police say. Daniel C. Carroll, 29, of 221 Davis St., Syracuse, was arrested about 1,000 feet away from the Bank of America at Clinton Square and charged with robbery. The arrest came minutes after Carroll robbed the 100 S. Salina St. bank, said Syracuse Sgt. Richard Helterline. Carroll entered the bank at 9:39 a.m. and ordered a teller to hand over money, Helterline said. Although Carroll told the teller he had a gun, he didn't brandish any weapons, he said. Carroll fled from the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash and headed north on North Salina Street on foot, Helterline said. A suspect description was released, and officers rushed to the scene. Minutes after the robbery, responding officers spotted Carroll -- who Helterline said matched the suspect's description -- a few blocks away from the bank. When officers tried to stop Carroll, he ran away, Helterline said. After a short chase, police stopped Carroll on East Willow Street near Pearl Street and took him into custody. Surrounded by uniformed officers, Carroll stood quietly on the east sidewalk of East Willow Street with his hands cuffed behind his back. As it started to rain, one officer photographed Carroll before bagging what appeared to be a stack of money. Carroll was charged with third-degree robbery, a felony. He will be held in the Onondaga County Justice Center pending arraignment. Helterline said Carroll's mugshot would be released after police complete the investigation. Police asked anyone with information about the robbery to call (315) 442-5222 or submit anonymous tips through the SPD Tips app. Grady Wide Mug.jpg Ander Grady (Syracuse police ) Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse teenager who returned to high school after a 1 1/2-year sentence in a 2013 "Knockout" death brought a knife to school this week, according to police. Ander Grady, 18, was not arrested because he committed no crime with the knife, said Syracuse police Sgt. Rick Helterline. (Carrying a knife is not illegal; it becomes an illegal weapon when used in a crime.) Grady, a former Corcoran High School student, was found with the knife at Sidney Johnson Vocational School, Helterline said. The Syracuse School District said it could not comment on Grady's particular punishment due to student privacy rights. However, a district spokesman said that possessing an object that could be used as a weapon is a "Level 3 or Level 4 behavior violation" that requires notification to a Syracuse police officer working at the school. A Level 4 violation may lead to a "long-term or permanent suspension," spokesman Michael Henesey said. Grady was 15 years old when he punched 51-year-old Michael Daniels in 2013, causing his death. He was playing the so-called "Knockout" game with other teens. The teens repeatedly punched Daniels and then kicked the 51-year-old in the head while he was on the ground. Despite the prolonged assault, Daniels probably died from a single punch thrown by Grady, the medical examiner determined. Prosecutors decided that wasn't enough to charge Grady with murder. Grady was tried for manslaughter in Family Court and sentenced to the maximum punishment under law, 18 months in juvenile detention. He then enrolled in Corcoran High School and was accused of threatening to "knock out" an administrator during a fight in 2015. Grady was in court late last month and appeared to be on track to graduate this June. His case involving the 2015 fight -- which led to a non-criminal disorderly conduct charge -- was planned to be dismissed if he stayed out of trouble. He promised to write a letter of apology to the administrator. Grady had completed an anti-violence leadership class after the fight, his lawyer, Lisa Gilels, said at the time. It's not clear what impact, if any, this latest incident will have on Judge Karen Uplinger's decision on whether or not to dismiss his disorderly conduct charge. 2012-05-18-pc-lipari1.jpg Joseph Lipari took over in May 2012 as the administrator of the Citizen Review Board, which investigates allegations of police misconduct. He announced he would step down for a position in NYC on April 7, 2016. (Peter Chen / The Post-Standard) SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- The administrator of the board tasked with reviewing allegations of police misconduct is stepping down to take a job in civilian oversight in New York City, according to a news release from the board's chairman. Joseph Lipari, who became the CRB administrator in 2012, will step down May 6 and become senior policy manager with the NYPD's Office of the Inspector General. A three-person search committee has already been created to find his replacement. Lipari's announcement comes amid a legal battle between the CRB and the City of Syracuse over the police chief's failure to report his disciplinary decisions to the board in cases that take more than 60 days to complete. The CRB also won recent conflicts over 911 tapes and the hiring of an additional investigator and a medical investigator in its reviews of allegations of police misconduct. "Despite some differences of opinion along the way, the CRB, the Common Council, the Administration and the Police Department have always striven to act in the best interests of those they serve, the people of Syracuse," Lipari said in the news release. Lipari is the board's full-time administrator making about $60,000 a year, according to city payroll records. In addition to investigating and compiling complaint records for the 11-member volunteer board's review, Lipari also produces annual and quarterly reports detailing the board's actions and findings. He just finished the 2015 report, which, among other things, detailed the high frequency of misconduct allegations against a small number of officers and proposed a new use-of-force for the police department. The CRB report also detailed a decrease of around 50 percent in both allegations and sustained findings of excessive force between 2013 and 2015. Board chairman Peter Christiana praised Lipari's "stellar work" and "leadership" and said his successes in Syracuse led to his being recruited for the New York City position at "one of the largest and most-respected oversight agencies in the country." The CRB is holding its monthly meeting this evening at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers in Town Hall. Jeff Immelt General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt speaks during a news conference in Boston, Monday, April 4, 2016. The conference was held to unveil more details about GE's move to the city. GE is pledging to spend $50 million on a series of initiatives in Boston. (Steven Senne / AP) Jeffrey R. Immelt is chairman and chief executive of GE. By Jeffrey R. Immelt | Special To The Washington Post We at GE were interested to read comments Monday by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who told the New York Daily News editorial board that GE is among the companies that are supposedly "destroying the moral fabric" of America. The senator had been asked to cite examples of corporate greed at its worst. Somehow that got him to talking about us. GE has been in business for 124 years, and we've never been a big hit with socialists. We create wealth and jobs, instead of just calling for them in speeches. We take risks, invest, innovate and produce in ways that today sustain 125,000 U.S. jobs. Our engineers innovate every day to build hardware and software solutions that meet real-world challenges. Our employees are proud of our company. I meet second- and third-generation employees whenever I travel across the country. I am one myself. Our suppliers and partners are proud of our company. Our communities are proud of our company. Our pride, history and hard work are real -- the moral fabric of America. The senator has never bothered to stop by our aviation plant in Rutland, Vermont. We've been investing heavily (some $100 million in recent years), hiring and turning out some of the world's finest jet-engine components in Vermont since the 1950s. The plant employs more than 1,000 people who are very good at what they do. It's a picture of first-rate jobs with high wages, advanced manufacturing in a vital industry -- how things look when American workers are competing and winning -- and Vermont's junior senator is always welcome to come by for a tour. Elsewhere in Vermont, GE Healthcare employs more than 340 men and women in South Burlington. Yearly, GE does about $40 million worth of business with dozens of suppliers of parts and services across Vermont. Nationwide, we have 200 GE plants, including 15 that were built in the past five years -- all with the aim of making GE the world's premier industrial company. Sanders says that he is upset about GE's operations abroad -- as though a company that has customers in more than 180 countries should have no presence in any of them. He never mentions that we are one of the United States' prime exporters, annually selling in excess of $20 billion worth of American-made goods to the world. Nor does he mention that our sales around the world support our manufacturing base here at home, along with the thousands of U.S. companies in our supply chain. You want to cause big problems for our suppliers -- many of whom are small and medium-size businesses -- and their workers? The surest way would be to pull out of those countries and lose those customers. We are competing globally with foreign companies whose governments care whether they win and support them in innumerable ways. U.S. companies continue to wrestle with an outdated and complex tax code that puts them at a distinct competitive disadvantage. Sanders has stated many times that GE pays no taxes. Repeating a lie over and over does not make it true. We pay billions in taxes, including federal, state and local taxes. The U.S. tax system has not been updated in 30 years and isn't designed for today's economy, which is why we support comprehensive tax reform -- even if it raises our tax rate. It's easy to make hollow campaign promises and take cheap shots in speeches and during editorial board sessions, but U.S. companies have to deliver for their employees, customers and shareholders every day. GE operates in the real world. We're in the business of building real things and generating real growth for a nation that needs it now more than ever. I'm proud of all that we do, and how it all figures into "the moral fabric" of America is so plain to me. It seems Sen. Sanders is missing the point. Andrew Cuomo New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has issued a ban on nonessential, taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina and Mississippi because of recent legislation discriminating against LGBT residents in those states. (The Associated Press) To the Editor: Gov. Andrew Cuomo now has issued his second travel ban to a state because he disagrees with a legal decision made by duly elected officials of that state. Now all unnecessary travel to North Carolina as well as to Mississippi is forbidden by New York state employees. Last year New York residents, like me, were invited to leave the state , their home , if we did not agree with the governor's dictates on certain issues, such as gun control, Common Core, minimum wage and others measures he deems essential to be enacted during his reign. Did this governor, the grandson of immigrants, who left their home for who knows what reasons -- political, economic or social -- not understand they fled to this new land for the freedom to do just what he is now forbidding? Other governors and state legislatures are free to enact laws they find fitting for the constituents who elected them. This is their right and their duty. We are a federal republic, not a monolithic monarchy. We are constituted on states' rights. Cuomo rules New York state and no other, and we and state employees are free to move about as we choose. To send an arrogant message to other places in our republic is embarrassing as well as overreaching. Albany is not Rome setting the tone for a vast empire. Will he next prevent private businesses from moving into the state in job creation, unless they first approve of his agenda, and will he then insist state civil servants pass a political means test before an appointment? He is taking steps on a slippery slope on the way to autocracy. I would suggest the governor remember he was elected not anointed, installed and not crowned, and therefore understand his views should reflect those of his constituents and end at the state line. Josephine D. Thomas Syracuse SHARE Kevin Howe, homicide victim Javon Roberts, homicide suspect Jason Hiler, homicide suspect By Lamaur Stancil of TCPalm INDIAN RIVER COUNTY The man killed in a Hampton Inn hotel room two years ago had engaged in several drug deals with one of the two men accused of killing him, according to a warrant affidavit released Thursday. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office this week announced it had charged the pair with third-degree murder in the shooting death of Kevin Howe, 30, of Vero Beach, on July 27, 2014. On Wednesday, Javon Roberts, 22, of Sanford was booked into the Indian River County Jail after he had been held in Seminole County. Authorities are waiting for extradition from New Jersey of the other person charged, 26-year-old Jason Hiler, formerly of Deland. Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar praised detectives for the variety of tools used to assemble evidence in the case pointing toward Hiler and Roberts. The item that led them to Hiler's name was one of Howe's cellphones, which showed text messages between the two men going back to March of that year. A witness also told detectives Hiler and Howe had conducted at least a half dozen drug deals. Deputies found more than 100 grams of crack cocaine and more than 200 grams of Ecstasy in Howe's hotel room after the shooting. Detectives said they haven't confirmed what the motive was in the shooting. According to the affidavit, Howe's girlfriend told detectives she and Howe went to the hotel that night in the 9300 block of 19th Lane, Vero Beach. She said she fell asleep about 3 a.m., then briefly woke up to find two men she didn't know inside the room talking with her boyfriend. About 6:35 a.m., the girlfriend said she woke up to the sound of a gunshot and saw Howe fall against a wall. One of the men in the room said, "We need to shoot her," but the other one said they should leave, she told detectives. Detectives showed Howe's girlfriend and a Hampton employee photo lineups that included Hiler. Both women narrowed their choices to Hiler and one other person in the lineup, but they couldn't positively identify Hiler as the person they saw in the hotel. Weeks before the shooting, Hiler purchased a round-trip flight from Sanford to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to visit family and his ex-girlfriend in New Jersey, the affidavit states. Hiler took the flight on July 31, 2014, the day Howe died at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce. Hiler was supposed to fly back to Sanford on Aug. 4, 2014, but told his father he missed his flight, the affidavit states. He declined an offer from his father to pay for another ticket, the father told detectives. A witness who told police he had facilitated drug deals between Hiler and Howe identified Roberts as someone who sometimes accompanied Hiler. DNA and fingerprint analysis placed both Hiler and Roberts in the hotel room, the Sheriff's Office said. Hiler's DNA was found on a Styrofoam cup, while Roberts' fingerprints were discovered on a vodka bottle. Hiler and Roberts each initially consented to an interview with detectives, but both declined further sit-downs, the affidavit states. Roberts admitted he and Hiler went to the hotel and met with Howe that night, but he denied he had a gun with him, he told detectives. Hiler denied to the detectives he had ever visited Vero Beach. That's despite cell tower records placing his phone in Vero Beach on the day of the shooting, detectives said. SHARE By Nicholas Samuel of TCPalm INDIANTOWN Raymond Sheltra routinely spreads sunflower seeds as bait to lure turkeys for him to hunt. But late last month, undercover sheriff's deputies were hunting Sheltra when they followed him to a private ranch, where they caught him trespassing and hunting and arrested him, according to sheriff's reports. Martin County sheriff's deputies charged him March 24 with armed trespass; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials charged him with illegally hunting turkey and an alligator. Sheltra, 31, of the 16000 block of Morgan Street, arranged to meet with two men March 24 he did not know were undercover Martin County deputies, to hunt for turkeys, FWC arrest reports say. Sheltra drove them to Box Ranch, private property on Southwest Pratt Whitney Road, where they began calling turkeys. Sheltra also took several gunshots at an alligator, but missed. FWC officers and Martin County deputies arrested him at the ranch. He was taken to Martin County Jail, and posted a $5,250 bail. SHARE By Andrew Atterbury of TCPalm INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Four years after declining a virtual-school partnership with area districts, Indian River County is launching its own. School officials are optimistic the web-based program can boost enrollment by offering face-to-face guidance from local teachers. "We're trying to give (students) the best of a virtual world and a real classroom setting," said Micheal Arnett, director of career and technical education with Indian River County School District. Indian River's "IR Virtual" school will offer a free online education for county high school students. It debuts this summer as a franchise of Florida Virtual School, the state's public online school. The agreement will allow Indian River County to use Florida Virtual School's curriculum and course catalog while giving students support from district teachers and counselors whom they can visit on local campuses during office hours and by appointment, Anett said. IR Virtual students also will be invited to events such as homecoming and prom, Arnett said. The state provides school districts an average of $5,230 per virtual student compared to $7,107 for traditional students, according to the Department of Education. Florida Virtual School will receive $50 for each IR Virtual student. Superintendent Mark Rendell pushed for Indian River County to have its own virtual school when he came to the district in 2015, Arnett said. School officials believe IR Virtual will increase the district's reach as more people move into the county, he said. Arnett said his goal for the 2016-17 school year is to have 200 full-time enrollments. Every six course enrollments count as a full-time student equivalent, which add up for every six courses taken by students. "This is going to provide a great service for a large population out there," Arnett said. Some Treasure Coast students already take Florida Virtual School classes, since at least one online course is required for graduation. Many districts partnered with Florida Virtual School in 2009 when they were required by law to provide more online options. Last year, more than 1,600 of Indian River County's approximately 18,000 students took Florida Virtual School courses, according to Tania Clow, a spokeswoman for Florida Virtual School. Fifty-one of those students were enrolled full-time online. Yet those students have no access to local teachers and counselors unless they enroll through IR Virtual in the future. Mosaic Digital Academy in Port St. Lucie provides a K-12 virtual option for students from Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. Indian River County was included in the talks to open a joint virtual school, but it decided not to participate when Mosaic opened in 2012. School officials sought to open a local virtual school instead of having students regularly travel to Port St. Lucie, Arnett said. Mosaic, also franchised through Florida Virtual School, enrolls 169 full-time and about 200 part-time students, said Jeanne Ziemba, school administrator at Mosaic. Students are on campus up to three days a week for tutoring and instruction and participate in events such as field trips, Ziemba said. "That has been a winning combination for us," Ziemba said. "Students enjoy that culture." IR Virtual will bring those benefits to Indian River County students, Arnett said. FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL Florida Virtual School has 34 franchise campuses throughout the state, according to Tania Clow, a spokeswoman for Florida Virtual School. The school served 200,844 part-time and 5,595 full-time students in 2014-15, according to a district enrollment summary. Last year the school served 1,617 students in Indian River County, 2,300 in St. Lucie County and 1,577 in Martin County, according to the summary. Florida Virtual School offers more than 150 courses and staffed 1,347 full-time teachers in 2014-15, according to the summary. Visit FLVS.net for more information and registration. Source: Florida Virtual School Mark Perry (front right), of Florida Oceanographic Society, talks about problems with the state's plumbing system during an Everglades Day event Tuesday at the Stuart Riverwalk. (TYLER TREADWAY/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Hannah Schwab of TCPalm Happy Everglades Day! In March 2012, the Florida Legislature voted to make April 7 Everglades Day in honor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who fought to protect the Everglades. Douglas' book, "The Everglades: River of Grass," published in 1947, still draws attention to the threats facing the national park. April 7 was Douglas' birthday. She died in 1998. On the fourth annual Everglades Day, environmentalists and lawmakers met at the Stuart Riverwalk to talk about the state of the Everglades. Among the speakers were members of the Everglades Foundation, the Florida Oceanographic Society and State Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart. Join us at Stuart Riverwalk in downtown Stuart tomorrow as we celebrate Everglades Day. It is also the birthday of... Posted by Florida Oceanographic Society on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 The Everglades are inextricably linked to the Indian River Lagoon by the diversion of Lake Okeechobee water, which is released via the St. Lucie River when the lake level gets too high, posing a risk of the dike breaking. That water historically flowed south to the thirsty Glades. Now it devastates the lagoon, killing marine life that needs salty water to live, and polluting it with nitrogen, which can cause algae blooms. Some types of algae can be toxic. In 2013, Treasure Coast Newspapers created an Indian River Lagoon team dedicated to covering the problem, seeking solutions and holding government leaders accountable. Keep up with all of our lagoon content at TCPalm.com/lagoon or click on the links below to read some of our biggest stories and learn how you can get involved in saving the waterway. Click here to view the Storify in a full window. On April 1, 2015, a fire broke out at Viesel Fuel on Dominica Terrace in Stuart. Although an exact cause of the fire was not determined, OSHA fined Viesel $13,090 for safety violations involving items such as wiring methods and portable fire extinguishers. (FILE PHOTO) By Lisa Broadt and Laurie K. Blandford of TCPalm MARTIN COUNTY The cloud of black smoke that spewed from a blazing Viesel Fuel last year dissipated within days, but its effects linger. Safety specialists, government officials and the Martin County-based business have spent the past year sorting through the physical and financial aftermath. A state investigation into the fire is complete, as is a lengthy, $1.2-million cleanup. The company has corrected safety violations and is paying off fines. County officials are taking steps to better regulate biodiesel fuel, a cooking-oil-based replacement for petroleum diesel fuel. There's a moratorium on new biodiesel facilities, and they're planning to hire a consultant, an expert in biofuels, who can help improve zoning regulations and code enforcement for such businesses that are inherently dangerous because they deal with flammable liquids. Meanwhile, Viesel Fuel still is in business, operating in a limited capacity, according to county officials. Viesel officials didn't return calls or respond to office visits for comment. Its 1.38-acre property at 3041 S.E. Dominica Terrace in the Manatee Business Park has been for sale since Jan. 21 for nearly $1.4 million, according to the NAI Southcoast commercial real estate agency. What Happened? At 11 a.m. April 1, 2015, a boom rocked the row of mostly industrial businesses on Dominica Terrace, just north of Port Salerno. When Viesel Fuel employee Frankie Mathis investigated, he saw 4-foot yellow flames at the base of a biodiesel tank, according a report by the Division of State Fire Marshal. Mathis tried to extinguish the fire, but he evacuated the facility when he saw a heat wave move toward the highly flammable methanol tanks. By the end of the day, the evacuation radius had expanded to a half mile, including 140 extended-day students from Port Salerno Elementary School. More than 40,000 gallons of vegetable oil, biodiesel and methanol had escaped, leaked or burned, according to Fire Rescue Division Chief Jon Belding. In the following weeks, the Division of State Fire Marshal identified several elements on site that had the potential to self-ignite, according to a report. On the day of the fire, a leak in the pumping system in the methanol holding area was identified, and a bad seal was replaced on the tank, according to the state report. Plus, fuel overflowed the tank where the fire began during the production process, allowing biofuel and methanol to come into contact with foam insulation, possibly causing combustion, state officials said. In June, the Division of the State Fire Marshal ruled the cause of the fire as "undetermined" because extensive damage destroyed any physical evidence, but accidental, noting it found no suspicious circumstances or activity and determined no human component contributed to the cause of the fire. In August, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Viesel $13,090 for safety violations involving items such as wiring methods and portable fire extinguishers. The company fixed those violations within 15 days of learning about them, said Condell Eastmond, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale. The company removed all contaminated material from the site, so the state Department of Environmental Protection raised no environmental concerns. The investigation into the fire an incident from which Viesel employees were "lucky to escape serious injury or death," according to OSHA closed by the end of summer. What still worries Travis Blain, co-owner of Mack Sails, two doors down from Viesel Fuel, is that no one knows what started the fire. "Unknown, accidental is extremely disturbing," Blain said. "It could happen again at any time." He was happy to see the "For sale" sign go up in the park, an industrial subdivision comprised of about 30 manufacturing, warehousing and supply companies along Southeast Dominica Terrace between U.S. 1 and Dixie Highway. "It should never have been allowed to be set up in our park," Blain said. Biodiesel's Future On Jan. 30, the county received $1 million from its insurance carrier for cleanup expenses. "We were made almost whole, and for us, the matter is closed," said County Attorney Michael Durham. However, the county's investigation into how to better regulate biodiesel is just beginning. In July, it enacted an 18-month moratorium on new biofuel facilities; the two existing facilities Viesel and Genuine Bio Fuel Inc. in Indiantown were grandfathered and unaffected. Petroleum diesel facility regulations will not be reviewed, according to the county. "We recognize that we perhaps haven't done enough to make sure that business was safe and that its neighbors were safe," Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard said in July. "That's the purpose of the moratorium. It's to study regulations that would do a better job of protecting us." County staff earlier this year began looking for a biofuels expert to help them better understand the industry and prepare for the future, according to Growth Management Director Nicki van Vonno. Regulations could become critically important: Biodiesel, which can replace petroleum diesel in traditional diesel engines or can be used as an additive to petroleum diesel, is becoming increasingly popular, with the United States producing an expected 12 billion gallons annually by 2020, according to the National Biodiesel Board. Economic Losses All biofuel businesses shouldn't be lumped together. Production processes and investments in infrastructure and materials and a host of other factors can cause safety levels to vary widely from business to business, according to Jeff Longo, Genuine Bio Fuel executive vice president. Genuine Bio Fuel is in the process of expanding to Fort Pierce, although that wasn't its first choice location. The company hoped to expand in Indiantown, but because of the county's biofuel climate now, it "wasn't practical," Longo said. "It's unfortunate," Longo said, noting the new facility is expected to employ 40 workers. Limiting biofuel operations could result in long-term economic losses throughout Martin County, according to Wilfred Vermerris, University of Florida associate professor who focuses on renewable fuels. "The main drivers behind biofuels in general, are that they are produced from local feedstocks, whereas the majority of petroleum is imported," he said. "Biofuels can, therefore, stimulate rural economies, by creating job opportunities associated with the production of the feedstocks and their conversion to fuels." To view the timeline in a new browser, click here. SHARE By Laurie K. Blandford of TCPalm ST. LUCIE COUNTY A 19-year-old man had three big gashes on his leg after he said he was bit by a shark last month, Fire District officials said. The man said he was bodysurfing in the ocean about 3:30 p.m. March 11 in the 6400 block of North State Road A1A, which is just south of the Indian River County line, when he felt something slam into his right lower leg and foot, said St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney. The man said he was bit by something in the ocean. He was taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce with nonlife-threatening injuries that were consistent with a shark bite, Chaney said. Officials can't say for sure if the man was bit by a shark. Daniel Kenny, a Boston College sophomore who said he was staying in Vero Beach with friends for spring break in March, told WCVB-TV in Boston he was bit by a shark. Kenny said he and his best friend were spending their last day of vacation swimming in waist-high water. He told the television station he was bit in Vero Beach. However, lifeguards and rescue workers in Vero Beach and Indian River County said they responded to only one incident in March that involved a bite an 11-year-old was bit by a fish or shark on South Beach on March 30, but the child's injuries weren't severe enough to be taken to a hospital. Kenny's wound was cleaned before he flew back to Boston to have surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital where doctors repaired his sliced Achilles tendon and removed a small fragment of shark tooth, which he kept as a souvenir, according to WCVB-TV. Brightline runs first full-speed tests through Martin, St. Lucie counties The railroad initially planned to begin the tests Monday, but had delayed them throughout the week. The first round of tests will continue through Sunday. Stuart Police Officer Ngoan Vo (right) patrols Jan. 14 while on a Segway and talks with residents at the 10th Street Recreation Center basketball courts in East Stuart. (XAVIER MASCARENAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) East Stuart had a problem. Through the first 11 months of 2015, there had been 22 calls for shots fired, with five people injured. Stuart Police and residents feared it was only a matter of time until someone was killed. So in early December, community leaders convened a town hall meeting where police and residents agreed neither could solve the problem on their own. They needed to work together. They did. And four months later, it's made quite a difference. There have been no confirmed reports of gunfire in East Stuart since that meeting. That's not to say there's been no crime or disorder in the community. But the problem of violence does appear to have been mitigated. And for that, credit is due both the Stuart Police Department and the community it serves. "Community-oriented policing" has been around for decades, lauded as a way to build relationships that ultimately result in safer communities. It focuses on crime prevention rather than crime response; officers get out of their cars and walk, or ride a bike, getting to know the people who live in the neighborhoods they patrol. Residents begin to see police as individuals who want to help, rather than an occupying force. Stuart Police is not the only Treasure Coast department engaged in community policing. Since taking the position of Fort Pierce Police Chief last June, Diane Hobley-Burney has focused on "community interaction." She's made sure police are visible in the community; when they serve search warrants, they knock on nearby doors to let neighbors know what's happening. When police handed out presents to the needy last Christmas, they went door-to-door for the first time. And Hobley-Burney holds what she calls "front porch roll calls," where a group of officers meets somewhere in the community in front of stores, churches or homes providing an opportunity for citizens to see officers and hear what they're working on that day. In Indian River County, Fellsmere police have worked to gain the trust of the mostly Hispanic city, forming partnerships with nonprofit agencies, government entities and churches through the Fellsmere Action Community Team, which the police department helped establish. And on Monday, the first session of the "Police Partners Program" will be held, with a potluck dinner and a presentation by police and other law enforcement officials. In the mid-2000s, such efforts were commonplace. But in the wake of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, many police departments cut back on community policing because of manpower shortages and budgetary constraints. The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services surveyed the Major Cities Chiefs Association a group of chiefs and sheriffs from the largest cities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and more half of the 42 agencies that responded said the recession affected community policing efforts. Other agencies have chosen to focus on a newer strategy called "data-driven policing," which utilizes mapping to target crime "hot spots" for stepped-up enforcement. Many law enforcement officials say this approach can be highly effective. But the drop in violence in East Stuart shows that there's still plenty of value in a cop walking a beat. In the wake of that Dec. 8 meeting, Stuart Police deployed "walking teams" on foot, bicycle and Segway with a goal of interacting with residents, younger ones in particular. "We are spending a lot of time with the next generation in hopes they do not grow up with a poor image of who a police officer is and what they do," said Stuart Chief David Dyess. A new neighborhood group is forming, said Dyess, and police will be involved in it. Last month, police delivered Easter baskets to the Gertrude Walden Child Care Center and Building Bridges to Youth. And police have stepped up code enforcement, taking down uninhabitable, abandoned buildings. Dyess calls this "community policing with a scalpel" removing criminals, even structures, that blight an otherwise good neighborhood. Community policing, however, is a two-way street: It requires buy-in from the community itself to succeed. East Stuart residents have done their part by volunteering for a neighborhood crime watch, tackling blight and showing a willingness to build relationships with the police to take back their neighborhood. Residents should be proud of the difference their efforts have made. Unfortunately, effective as community policing might be, the approach requires both manpower and money. And Stuart Police have been unable to sustain that commitment. Dyess said police in February had to scale back the Segway/foot/bicycle patrols because of overtime costs, though the department is applying for a federal grant that would allow it to hire another full-time officer. It's a long shot, admitted Dyess; should the money not materialize, we'd urge Dyess and other Stuart officials to investigate other options to make the necessary resources available to police. It's worth noting, too, that events in Port Salerno last weekend suggest some of the violence has merely moved to a place where there are fewer eyes on the street. There, three East Stuart men were arrested after a fight led to gunfire. The relative calm in East Stuart may not last indefinitely; the work's not done. But for now, Stuart Police and the East Stuart community deserve plaudits for their willingness to work together, and for what they've accomplished. Their efforts have made East Stuart a better place. And they serve as a reminder of the broader power of community-oriented policing. SHARE By Editorial Board CUSHY JOBS: Enterprise Florida is tasked with bringing high-paying jobs to the state. But the public-private agency's payroll shows it has created some high-paying jobs for itself, too. A salary roster for Enterprise Florida shows 10 of its 90 employees make a minimum of $130,000 a year and can earn up to $215,000 a year, the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau reported. Another 15 staffers, all of whom are vice presidents, earn $80,000 to $120,000 a year. The Legislature recently refused to approve $250 million in taxpayer money for an Enterprise Florida incentive fund requested by Gov. Rick Scott to attract businesses. Last week, Scott called on Enterprise Florida to cut $6 million from its budget by cutting employees and office leases. Is the belt-tightening too little too late? Government supporters staged a counterprotest to one held by Ladies in White, a dissident women's group that calls for the release of political prisoners, near the dissident group's weekly protest in Havana, Cuba, March 20. U.S. President Barack Obama made a three-day visit to Cuba, the first visit by a U.S. president to the island in nearly 90 years. The signs at bottom read in Spanish: "We all march on for my homeland." (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) By Colleen Lundy March 20 marked the date of President Barack Obama's historic visit to Havana, Cuba, the first by a U.S. president in 88 years. It's the latest step to normalize Cuban-American relations. Developments yet to come include the closure of the military prison, the return of Guantanamo Bay to Cuba and the removal of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba in 1960 and formalized in 1962. In 1992 and 1996, the Torricelli and Helms-Burton acts strengthened the embargo, aggravating an already serious economic crisis, by making it illegal for foreign and U.S. companies to conduct business in Cuba. Not all Americans agree with the sanctions against Cuba, but the lobby has stayed alive largely through the activities and propaganda campaigns of the Cuban American National Foundation, an organization comprised largely of anti-Castro Cuban exiles. Should one or two interest groups be allowed to dictate international policy? There is overwhelming international condemnation of the embargo. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly supported lifting the sanctions and only two of the 193 countries were opposed (the U.S. and Israel). While the U.S. embargo has made life difficult, it has not resulted in the isolation of Cuba. A number of countries, including Canada, have maintained uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Cuba, have defied the embargo and operate joint business ventures in Cuba, including hotel and resort construction, oil extraction and nickel mining. They, along with offending U.S. companies, continue to face multimillion-dollar fines. Foreign universities have established projects and faculty and student exchanges with Cuban universities. Numerous international solidarity groups offer support, and Cuba is a prime tourist destination. Cubans remain internationalists, and are well known for the provision of medical professionals to needed areas around the world. For example, Cuba dispatched over 6,000 medical personnel to Haiti and doctors and other medical personnel to Sierra Leone during the Ebola virus epidemic. Cuba was prepared to send 1,500 doctors to New Orleans to provide medical support after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but President George W. Bush's administration refused the offer. It is disingenuous to raise issues of human rights and democracy in Cuba out of context. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights are considered the "International Bill of Rights" and guide human rights discussions. Ratification indicates commitment. The U.S. has signed and ratified the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights but not ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Cuba ensures collective rights, such as access for everyone to education, health care, housing and adequate food. Cuba's life expectancy and infant mortality rates, important indicators of the general health of a country, compare favorably with those of the U.S. Unknown to most, Cuba has elections with voter turnout of over 90 percent. Limitations on free press are not restricted to Cuba. Western media is increasingly monopolized by a few corporations that wield tremendous power over public opinion and government policy. Therefore, corporate media is selective in what news and what views will be broadcast. While public debate on how to improve socialism is encouraged, Cuba has detained those who organize against the government and are financed from foreign sources. For example, WikiLeaks recently published a memo from the U.S. Special Interests Section in Havana to the State Department requesting $5,000 in funding for the Ladies in White whose protest was widely covered in the U.S. media during President Obama's visit. According to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, the U.S. also has human rights concerns. These include the CIA's rendition, interrogation and detention program and the use of torture, National Security Agency mass surveillance and drone strikes. More than 50 years ago, Cubans began to develop a system of governance that supports the collective rights of people over individual rights. President Obama is correct in stating Cuba's future is for the Cuban people to decide. Colleen Lundy is a seasonal resident of Vero Beach and professor emeritus at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She has traveled widely in Cuba and was involved in a five-year funded partnership with the University of Havana. PROVIDED PHOTO The beautiful blonde guard had been working another beach and "when she came to Jupiter we just hit it off immediately. We fell love and have been together ever since," Peter Leo SHARE PROVIDED PHOTO "Coming on a boat with my dad from Connecticut in 1973, I was so excited to spend the winter in Florida. As we rounded the corner I said, 'No way! This is it?" Peter Leo PROVIDED PHOTO "It's been pure bliss with Julia," says Pete Leo of his wife and fellow guard. LORI GRIFFITH/SPECIAL TO THE COURIER NEWSWEEKLY Retirement certainly isn't slowing down this waterman. LORI GRIFFITH/SPECIAL TO THE COURIER NEWSWEEKLY Left to right, are Pete Leo, Julia Leo, Steve Kaes, Jenn Noonan, Phil Wotton and Rob Rogerson. By Lori Griffith, Special to The Courier Newsweekly "Coming on a boat with my dad from Connecticut in 1973, I was so excited to spend the winter in Florida. As we rounded the corner, I said 'No Way! This is it? A dock, trailer park and lighthouse?' "I was expecting Fort Lauderdale with big buildings, bars and neon. I turned to my dad immediately saying, 'We gotta' leave,' " ... Peter Leo's reflections Fast forward 43 years and that young boy who was dreading the thought of life in a little fishing village is now the man retiring from a life of service with the Palm Beach County Beach Patrol. Exploring the nooks and crannies Capt. Peter Leo USCG 100 ocean operator licensed as he is now known - actually fell in love with Jupiter within a few days of his arrival, after exploring its nooks and crannies in his 4 hp dinghy. That first winter, he and his dad lived at the marina by the U.S. 1 bridge (now Jetty's), working various jobs until returning north for the summer. Longing to return to Jupiter, he came back the following year working at a wood shop in exchange for room and board at the "Suni Sands" development nearby Jupiter Inlet. "It was a wonderful experience. I had no idea what an electric hand saw was, but by the time I finished I knew every hand tool and how to use them," Leo said recently. Back in 1977, while at Dubois Park, he struck up a conversation with one of the lifeguards and then decided to apply for a position. A boater and not a strong swimmer due to a previous shoulder injury, he was determined to learn. "I knew my boating experience would be helpful. I must have tried out 20 times before finally landing the job." Hired full-time in July 1979, he was stationed at Jupiter Beach Park (south Inlet) where he felt most at home with the fisherman and waves. "The other guards wanted to go down to Carlin or Juno in the 70s and 80s because there were more girls and surf. The Inlet was primitive with a lot of commercial fishermen, rough water and lots of accidents. It was a boater's nightmare on different times of day depending on the tides." First guarded beaches Jupiter, Juno and Carlin were the first guarded beaches in Palm Beach County, later expanding south to Lake Worth. It was a small tight-knit group of guys and girls. "If we weren't insulting each other, we weren't happy, he laughs. We were young, healthy and getting paid to be on the beach." Life got even better the day that Julia transferred into the PBC Beach Patrol. This beautiful blonde guard had been working another beach, and "when she came to Jupiter, we just hit it off immediately. We fell love and have been together ever since. Life with Julia is pure bliss." The couple were married on Leo's 33-foot "Glander" sloop 20 years ago. Later, with his strong boating background, he was thrilled when the Jersey Boys came down with two-man ocean surf boats and he took the lead in use and training fellow guards. The Van Duyne boats have t-hole pins and blocks with a reputation for being the finest designed boats for rowing through waves. A welcome addition to the rough waters at the Inlet, surf boats enabled the Beach Patrol to save numerous lives. Ironically, the boat Leo loved nearly took his life after flipping and pinning him underneath with a broken scapula. Fellow guard Mike Savinski got to him quickly and saved the day. Pete's impact on Dennis Ward Dennis Ward, of Riviera Beach, recalls the impact Leo had on his career. "When I was hired in 1986, I quickly learned that Pete Leo was a knowledgable expert on all things boaty," Ward said. "Pete taught me many things about boats over the years but there are two particular 'all-time greatest life experiences' I'd like to share. "The first is that Pete taught me how to row the Van Duyne surf boats. Not only how to row, but how to row in rough surf, strong currents, adverse weather, equipment failures (snapped oars usually), etc, as well as how to ride waves like a surfer. "Rowing hard to catch a glassy-perfect 4- to 5-foot wave off Jupiter inlet, then jumping to the stern and sticking an oar in the water and using it to steer the boat as it speeds across the wave's face with the breaking surf falling just barely behind the stern is certainly one of the most exciting things I've ever done. "It's like surfing with a 300-pound board. Pete also could explain how the specific design of that boat would allow such use when most rowboats would simply capsize right away. "The other life experience Pete taught me was how to run the inflatable rescue boat (IRB) at the Jupiter inlet. Pete (operator) and I (crewman) made many harrowing rescues in the IRB before I earned the high privilege of becoming an IRB operator. "Working at the edge of my physical and mental capabilities combined with knowing intimately the limits of the IRB made the difference in many successful rescues of capsized boaters. Pete taught me how to save lives by running a tiny rubber boat in and out of breaking surf. Coast Guard doesn't do that. Law enforcement doesn't do that. Fire/Rescue doesn't do that. Too dangerous they say. "But PBC's ocean lifeguards do it regularly with confidence confidence they earned through relentless training, many years of keen observation and just plain guts when needed. Pete Leo helped start the IRB-rescue program in the early '80s and I believe it's still largely an unknown unique jewel in PBC's EMS. "I don't run the IRB much anymore my 52-year-old body doesn't recover as quickly from the physical demands of rough water training. But the knowledge I've gained from working with Pete has helped launch my passion for building wooden rowboats." Inflatable boats Years later, inflatable boats were added to the fleet. These high powered motorized boats could quickly cut through the surf, ultimately increasing the guards' ability to reach people in distress and assist other agencies when needed. With rough surf on one particular day, a package was spotted floating off Jupiter. Police asked for assistance from the guards and Leo along with John Hink rode out to retrieve the package a "million dollar" suitcase containing uncut cocaine. "There was a helicopter overhead directing me where to go. I picked up the bag,then looked at the helicopter with open arms like 'what next?' " Leo said. The crew replied that they should return to shore immediately. "As soon as we hit the beach, the police were on it and gone. It was sad ... we never even got a thank-you," he laughed. Shipwreck Discovery One of the most infamous events associated with Leo is the discovery of a shipwreck on July 13, 1987, 10 feet down and 100 yards off the South Jetty beach. During his morning workout on a crystal clear morning, Leo spotted a dark object and dove down to investigate. He was startled to see an anchor and cannon partially buried. With access to a boat and barge, the quick thinking young guard retrieved both, moving them to a local marina. "I had access to a nice crane and winch. We lifted a 1,000 lb. cannon; and once secured I was advised to contacted a maritime lawyer." A legal battle ensued between Leo and the State of Florida, with a federal judge awarding each 50 percent rights to the wreck. Reflecting on the salvage operation and the erosion that ultimately uncovered the wreck, he said, "It had been a beach wreck for all of these years, and buried. "Erosion uncovered it, and I happened to be at the right place at the right time with the right tools. There is testimony of a couple from Maine four years prior who were told to stay away from it by the State of Florida. "Then I came along and just took it. I knew it was going to be a big issue so I just grabbed it, didn't ask questions and got an attorney. We salvaged 20,000 silver coins, two 4 lb. gold bars, brass navigation dividers, iron tools, pewter "shaker box," pewter forks, musket balls and cannon balls." Research shows the remains to be from the San Miguel de Archangel lost in December 1659, while transporting precious cargo of gold and silver to Spain. Contents of the shipwreck can be viewed throughout Jupiter including at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, and Dubois Park. Mother Nature Throughout his 35 year career and more than 40 years living in Jupiter, Leo has borne witness to the fury of Mother Nature, citing devastation from the 1984 Thanksgiving Day storm, which tore a swath down Jupiter/Juno beaches, taking with it all guard towers and the Juno Pier. Beach erosion continue for years afterward, ultimately uncovering the San Miguel de Archangel cargo. Recalling the hurricane season when Frances, Jeanne and Wilma storms hit Jupiter, Leo was helping an older neighbor and his 1969 44-foot Hatteras. "They hit us, eye and all. The owner captain said to me, 'bring your motorcycle helmet.' " Leo said. "OK. So I brought my helmet and it's full-visor. He has his on, too; and what a good thing. "We drove all night in the ICW with 70-80 mph wind/rain. The helmets saved our sight. Each eye had very hot humid still air, full of tiny flying biting bugs." Old Jupiter With decades of memories, saves and stories to last a lifetime, the boy who came ashore at 17 to a tiny fishing village longs for the days before development took over the town he loves. "I'm so happy that I lived those last four decades and saw the tail end of Old Jupiter. I remember seeing horses riding the beaches and (could) live aboard marinas with school children who would be picked up by the school bus right at the marina (now Jetty's). "Old Dixie Highway was rutted and dangerous, and Double Roads was like a campground with people pulling off and spending the winter in their campers right there. Some people would live all winter that way," Leo recalled. "It was a small town with a couple of bars. It was a blast. I found it perfect and what it's become is not so good. I'm not crazy about it, especially Suni Sands. It's a historical landmark with an old railroad running through it and the midden. After Harbourside (Place) and Suni Sands, I think I'll look the other way. "Manatee Pocket is the closest I can relate to as far as old Jupiter now." No slow-go Retirement certainly isn't slowing this waterman down who is diligently fixing up a trawler with plans to leave in May for a round trip which will take him up the Hudson, St. Lawrence Seaway, Montreal, Thousand Islands, Lake Champlain and back again. Pete Leo may be a lifeguard, yet if you ask him, there are three things that saved his life: My dad getting me on a boat from Connecticut and landing right here in Jupiter; Finding a job with Palm Beach County Beach Patrol; Meeting and marrying Julia and being with her. I love watching her take the beach patrol into the next century. Many owe their lives Rob Rogerson, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue training officer offers the following: "Many swimmers and boaters owe their lives to Ocean Lifeguard Lieutenant Pete Leo. Over the course of his 35-year career with PBC Ocean Rescue He went calmly and confidently into situations that others desperately wished to get out of. "In 1987, as a young excited guard of 26 years of age, I had the opportunity to work Jupiter Inlet and be involved with the budding rescue boat program. Pete Leo was the senior lifeguard at the Inlet which is classified as un-navigable by the U.S. Coastguard because of the strong currents and the dangerous shallow and shifting offshore shoals. "His calm demeanor, expert water skills and mariner's eye - for hazards that most people could not see - made him the perfect fit to be a leader at that location. Pete patiently showed me how to operate a vessel with confidence and finesse in high seas on those shoals and surrounding waters. "Over the course of Pete's career, scores of young wide-eyed lifeguards benefited from his knowledge and confidence and were put at ease by his love of the ocean and great sense of humor. "He is a one-of-a-kind waterman and boat captain with a zest for life reminiscent of an earlier era of explorers and adventurers. "I feel fortunate to have worked with him." SHARE PROVIDED SUSAN THURSTON PROVIDED DARIA BONNER PROVIDED FORT PIERCE MAYOR LINDA HUDSON By Sydney Liebman, YourNews contributor ST. LUCIE COUNTY Looking for a way to obtain health care CEUs without the expense of traveling to another city? Look no more! Premier Business Alliance (PBA) is now established as offering the leading local semiannual participative conference for education and networking in the health care industry. The third Healthcare Education & Career Conference, being held on April 23, is a unique opportunity to learn, share, and network with a wide range of colleagues from the Treasure Coast and the United States. "The Alliance is a community of professionals dedicated to accelerating excellence in health care performance through education, advocacy and collaboration," says Dari Bonner, president of Premier Business Alliance. "It's exciting to be a part of this. Through PBA, we are providing a variety of learning opportunities to help meet the needs of professional development in the local health care industry." Designed to be a timesaver for health care professionals along the Treasure Coast, the Healthcare Education & Career Conference is from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on April 23, at IRSC's Kight Center for Emerging Technologies. Three classes, recommended for all medical professionals including nurses, coders, billers, and compliance officers, will provide a total of six Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The focus will be on Clinical Documentation. Speaker Susan Thurston, holds her Master's Degree in Curriculum Design and is currently the National Auditing & Coding Director for Stericycle. She is the former Director of Education for AHCAE and served as an Education Director for AAPC. Her clinical background has given her a 'heartfelt understanding' of the challenges that health care providers face today. She uses a sense of humor and respect in teaching and auditing. Speaker Dari Bonner is owner of Xact Healthcare Solutions. She has more than 20-years of health care industry advisory consulting and project management experience. Dari is an expert in commercial and VHA health care business process analysis, process modeling, project management, software development, and health care information technology. Guest speaker Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson is a Fort Pierce native. She spent 25-years in Chicago as an association executive, initially with the American Medical Association, retiring in 1994 as a vice president for the Illinois State Medical Society. Have you been searching for a job in the medical field? In addition to the three classes, the Career Fair, which is open to the public, will open at 9 a.m. It will be a great opportunity to meet with companies that are now hiring. The conference is also being held as a fundraiser for HANDS of St. Lucie County, PBA's charity of choice. The cost for health care professionals attending the classes is only $85 per person, which includes breakfast and lunch. To learn more, or to register, visit pbatc.org. Friends After Diagnosis Breast Cancer Support Group meets four times a month in Indian River County. SHARE By Maureen Nicolace, Your Newsweekly Contributor Medical massage for cancer patients will be the topic of discussion at the April 11 meeting of the Friends After Diagnosis breast cancer support group. Pami Gales of Vero Beach Medical Massage will be the guest speaker. The 90-minute meeting will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Earnshaw Room on the second floor at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Blvd.. There is no cost to attend. Friends After Diagnosis meets the second and fourth Monday of the month and typically features a guest speaker on the second Monday. They also meet on the first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. at Sebastian River Medical Center in the conference room next to the cafeteria, and on the fourth Saturday at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in the Eleanor T. Smith Lounge. Breast cancer survivors, caregivers and loved ones are welcome to attend. For more information, visitFriendsAfterDiagnosis.com or call 772-978-9392. Jeanne Ziemba /SUBMITTED TO YOURNEWS Pictured, from the left, are Dana Tillberg (school counselor), Christine Bourgoin (Mosaic Digital Academy sophomore), Congressman Patrick Murphy (18th District,) and Jeanne Ziemba (principal). SHARE By Kerry Padrick, YourNews contributor ST. LUCIE COUNTY St. Lucie Public Schools' (SLPS) sophomore Christine Bourgoin of Mosaic Digital Academy was presented a Congressional Award on April 3 at a ceremony hosted by Congressman Patrick E. Murphy. Bourgoin, a bronze medal recipient, was among 50 young Floridians from St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach honored for volunteerism, leadership and personal development. According to Jeanne Ziemba, principal of Mosaic Digital Academy, "Christine is already working toward earning the Silver award for next year and plans to go for the Gold during her senior year!" A log of her hours reflects that Bourgoin volunteered more than 100 hours including an investment of 50 personal development hours, 50 personal fitness hours, and a two-day, one-night leadership expedition. Since its inception in 1979, the Congressional award has recognized youth across the nation who have recorded more than 3.5 million hours of service to their community. This prestigious award promotes initiative, service, and achievement with a goal of establishing a positive foundation for the upcoming generation of leaders. St. Lucie Public Schools /SUBMITTED TO YOURNEWS Florida low vision initiative program supports eligible students. SHARE By Kerry Padrick, YourNews contributor ST. LUCIE COUNTY The ESE Department of St. Lucie Public Schools recently hosted a free vision clinic as part of the Florida Low Vision Initiative (FLVI) Clinic. This is an annual opportunity for students who have been evaluated and meet the criteria for initial or continued placement in the Visually Impaired Program under Exceptional Student Education. "Great value rests in these evaluations which are important in order to update low vision devices and to track visual changes," explained Maria Benham, program specialist for visually impaired. The FLVI is a portion of the Critical Initiatives in Visual Impairment (CIVI) Project a grant-funded program through Florida Department of Education located at Florida State University. Students who are selected to participate in the FLVI receive, at no cost to the family or the school district, a low vision evaluation from a FLVI project-approved provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist), as well as any prescribed non-electronic portable low vision device (i.e., glasses, contacts, sunglasses, magnifier, monocular). Students are also permitted to receive an educational assessment prior to the first low vision evaluation with additional evaluation follow-ups every one to three years thereafter. The educational evaluation assesses reading comprehension and reading speed using the prescribed low vision devices. It also includes device evaluation to determine if the student is using the prescribed device(s) proficiently. If you are interested in finding out more about this free service, contact Maria Benham at 772-429-7701. Following Apples announcement last week, I noticed a number of reports on how disappointed customers were that there was nothing they wanted to wait in line for hours to buy. I personally thought they should have been excited about that, because I hate to stand in lines. Ive never really figured out an Apple fanatics penchant for pain. Still, it is very clear that todays Apple is a very different company than it was just six years ago. That got me thinking. Dell, HP and Lenovo also are very different. They all have nearly completely different personalities and only Dell is run by the same guy (and almost wasnt). Ill point out the big changes some that I think are kind of insane and close with my product of the week: a little gadget that can make your car smart (well, smarter anyway). 2000: The Decade It All Changed It was apparent, soon after Steve Jobs return to Apple, that hed not only studied Louis Gerstners turnaround at IBM, but also had decided to go one better. He set what is now the gold standard in turnarounds. Jobs did that by cutting Apple to the bone, massively simplifying its product lines, and convincing Bill Gates to invest in Apple (which had to be incredibly painful for him). Dell, on the other hand, appeared to be at the top of its game, tied at the hip to Microsoft and doing very well. All was not well under the covers, however. Michael Dell wanted to retire, and Microsoft was well into making what likely was its biggest mistake: pivoting from a focus on users to a focus on companies. Microsoft also was reeling from an antitrust action. On top of that, and likely because of it, Bill Gates wanted out. HP was sick, in need of fresh blood, and basically treading water. It wasnt clear if it knew who its customers were. It was in far too many businesses, with little resources to fully fund any of the efforts. It looked a lot like IBM did before it collapsed in the 1980s, and if one word could have summed up the firm, it might have been geriatric. Lenovo largely was unknown in North America. It was a powerful company in China, but China had yet to become a true world power in technology and like most Chinese companies, Lenovo was having trouble breaking out of the region. It desperately needed an edge, but it wasnt clear where it could get one, and few outside of China took the company seriously. 2010: The Decade It All Changed Again This decade found Apple as the most valuable company in the world and Steve Jobs the CEO of the decade. He had done something amazing at least twice first in seeing the opportunity of the iPod and pivoting the entire company to it, and next in cannibalizing the iPod for the iPhone. He nearly singlehandedly created the impression the PC was dead, which is kind of interesting since Apple really launched the modern PC. Dell had been through a number of changes and was in the midst of a major transformation. There were doubts that Dell would survive. Its attempts to follow Apple in both MP3 players and smartphones had failed spectacularly, leading some to doubt the firm had long to live. There wasnt a death watch, as there had been with Apple, but Dell was in trouble largely because Microsoft had lost its way, and its pivot from users to enterprises had gone very badly for the PC business. HP, which was headquartered near Apple and followed IBM closely, had observed both successful turnarounds but it ignored everything it learned. It seemed there was no mistake it didnt want to repeat. Then it brought in an industry expert, Mark Hurd, and he was making solid progress. HP seemed to be out of the weeds, and it even bought Palm and had a solid plan on how to pivot the company to compete better with Apple. Everything was looking pretty good. After acquiring IBMs PC business, Lenovo had become a force to be reckoned with. It reversed a bad decision to divest phones and was back in that business, but still mostly in China. It was the only company heavily in the PC business, other than Apple, that could showcase success in phones as well. Lenovo was making it clear that a Chinese company could execute out of China. Its headwinds increased animosity between the U.S. and Chinese governments, which created a drag on business but not execution. 2016 Status Report Apple is weakening, but its far from being in trouble. It doesnt seem able to lead anymore, however. Rather than following Steve Jobs model of focused, simple products, it now offers products that are starting to look like the industry standard. They are relatively difficult to use (compared to earlier Apple offerings), and theres an increasing number of products to choose from. Tablets are in decline, smartwatches have yet to take off, and the companys risky pivot to cars has yet to materialize. The move away from phone subsidies appears to be killing its unusually high market share for a premium product (its typically closer to 10 percent than the near 50 percent it once enjoyed) and forcing it to bring out cheaper phones. Instead of leading, it appears to be following at least with tablets. Dell did the impossible and went private, realizing that a big part of the problem with every company in this segment is the forced focus on quarterly results and expensive efforts to prop up valuations. For once, Apple seems to be following it into business with a tablet line (iPad Pro). However, Dell still lacks any smartphone presence, and that is likely its biggest client exposure. Microsoft has a subject matter expert running the firm, and it appears to be recovering as a result, though its move into hardware with the Surface line has introduced a new exposure for Dell. Dell currently is in the process of buying EMC and if successful, that could make it the most powerful company in enterprise technology, with a blend of software, services and hardware that could be unmatched. That potential has yet to be realized, though, because the merger isnt complete. Having seen the Apple turnaround, the IBM turnaround, Lenovos growth after buying the PC business, Suns failure to pivot to software, and Mark Hurds success, HP came up with a new plan. After being proven right in deciding that keeping PCs was a good idea, it first decided to pivot to software with a new CEO who didnt even last a year. Then it brought in a CEO who had even less industry experience than Carly Fiorina had, and she decided to ignore everything most recently spinning off the PC and printer business. What remains are two companies both now far better focused, but also with reduced economies of scale. HP Inc. has the stronger management team, but it is saddled with both massive debt and printers. HP Enterprise is relatively debt-free, but it lacks experienced leadership. HPs last 16 years with the partial exception of Mark Hurds time there (he did showcase why office affairs are dangerous) provide a strong example of what not to do. Lenovo is now a world power, on paper. Having recently acquired both Motorola and IBMs server business, it now is the only company with credible presence not only in every major market, but also in every major computing arena. It has a significant world presence in smartphones, tablets, PCs and servers. It is light on software, preferring partnering to owning, and it is light on services. However, in terms of computing hardware breadth, it is unmatched. Lenovo currently is experiencing financial pain as a result of two huge simultaneous mergers, but it actually appears to be pulling the move off, and it has been making major staffing realignments to finish the process. Looking Forward Apple appears to be pivoting from consumer to enterprise, and it likely should take a look at how that screwed up Microsoft to see what not to do. Its choice to partner with IBM and Cisco rather than do it all is a good indicator that it actually may avoid repeating some of Microsofts mistakes. However, tight partnerships arent Apples strength, and the firms will need to become closely coupled at least with regard to their joint business efforts in order to work. Still, the market hasnt adjusted to looking at Apple the way it is rather than the way it was. When it does that, the result could be economically painful. Still, I expect that will leave Apple in a better place with more reasonable expectations. Dell has to complete the EMC merger and address, either through product or partnering, its lack of presence with handheld devices. It could pivot the market, like Apple did, but it cant continue to act as if smartphones dont exist. However, once it completes the EMC merger and both firms are private, it will have a flexibility that no other firm in its segment has, as well as resources that match or exceed all other players. If it plays its cards right, Dell has the best chance to emerge at the end of 2020 as the most powerful U.S. tech company. Whether it is the most powerful in the world likely will depend on what happens between the U.S. and China. HP well, HP as we knew it effectively is gone. It has been replaced by two smaller, more focused companies. The PC firm is back where Dell was in 2000 but with printers. The enterprise firm is a weak clone of IBM. Focusing on the PC side, HP needs some kind of an iPod breakout product. 3D printing could be it, and it could flip printing from a liability to an asset again. I actually see some good things out of the printer unit in product and marketing execution, and it has a strong leadership team. However, Im seeing more folks angling to get out of both companies than Im seeing at any other firms in technology, and that makes HPs future less certain. Lenovo has to lock down the Motorola and IBM server mergers, and it appears to be nearing the end of that process. Once done, it has to be able to show some kind of end-to-end synergy for the market to truly get excited about the result. It remains the only firm trying to replicate Steve Jobs with Ashton Kutcher, a strategy that still has unmet potential. It also has one of the strongest product marketing people (David Roman) Ive ever met. Lenovo is now the strongest technology company in China, and it has a shot at becoming the strongest technology company in the world in 2020. That depends on what happens between the U.S. and China. Lenovo is more of a multinational, though, and that may give it a unique edge. Wrapping Up Now there are a number of other major and fringe players that could disrupt the hell out of all of this. Amazon in particular, with its heavy focus on cloud services even though it bounced with smartphones could be the tech company to watch. Samsung, LG, Huawei, Alibaba, and others from overseas also could disrupt this entire process by the decades end. Thats not even considering the impacts of war or massive natural or manmade disasters that could change dramatically what people buy. Finally, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence could change the tech landscape massively by decades end. As a result, the only thing we can be sure of is that 2020 will be very different from 2016. Unless its a Tesla, my advice on the cusp of the era of self-driving cars is to not buy a new car right now. The reason is that Im told that once self-driving cars hit critical mass, insurance companies will change fees dramatically, and cars that arent self-driving will become too expensive to own. That said, a lot of the smart connected stuff is just arriving on new cars, and some of it is pretty cool. Automatic is the best tool to bring some of this smart technology into an older car that Ive yet seen. Automatic Connected CarAdapter Its big value is that if you get into an accident, it automatically will use your phone to call for help. Also, it will give you Fitbit-like reports on your driving, helping you to drive more safely and economically. It will connect to an increasing number of third-party apps to provide other functions connected to your smartphone. What makes Automatic nice is that it costs just US$99, and there is no subscription. It will give you a feeling for what is coming without buying a new car (it worked fine with my 2008 Audi A3), and it is very easy to install. Be aware that it pulls power, so you dont want to leave it attached if you are away from your car for a long time. Because Automatic makes a dumb car a tad smarter oh, and it works with Amazon Echo it is my product of the week. It appears that the Obama administration will refrain from giving its outspoken support to any legislation that aims to compel high-tech companies to help law enforcement agencies crack mobile phone encryption. On the other hand, it wont level any outspoken opposition either. Introduction of such a bill sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected soon. Although the White House has reviewed a draft of the measure and offered feedback, it is expected to provide minimal public input, Reuters reported Thursday. The bill gives federal judges broad authority to compel tech companies to assist government agencies, but it doesnt prescribe what the businesses have to do or the circumstances under which they could be ordered to help. Penalties for not complying with the law also appear absent from the draft measure. The White House did not respond to our request for comment for this story, but earlier this month at a press gaggle on Air Force One, Press Secretary Josh Earnest shed doubt on the ability of Congress to tackle the encryption issue. I continue to be a little skeptical of Congress ability to handle such a complicated policy area, given Congress recent inability to handle even simple things, he told reporters. Lack of Understanding More public discussion is needed before Congress starts to act on encryption, maintained Jonathan Katz, director of the Maryland Cybersecurity Center. We need to see where the public stands on how much they value privacy of their communications versus the ability to track terrorists. The public hasnt been given chance to think through the issues and understand whats going on, he told TechNewsWorld. Nor, for that matter, have a lot of the politicians who have come out with opinions about this. I think they dont fully understand the technical issues either, Katz added. Its worthwhile for them to really understand these issues before they start passing laws that relate to them. White House Unclear If the White House opposes what Feinstein and Burr are cooking up, its not being very clear about it. It seems that theyre not actively backing the legislation, but theyre not opposing it either, Katz said. Congress isnt alone in trying to grapple with the encryption issue. The states are taking action, too, and while Feinstein and Burr seem to be stopping short of forcing tech companies to weaken their encryption to accommodate government agencies, proposed laws in states like California and New York do not. I predict that one side will always be unhappy, and well eventually see the U.S. Supreme Court weigh in on the issue, vThreat CTO Marcus Carey told TechNewsWorld. Weak Encryption, Weak Solution If theres a solution to the conflict between law enforcement and the tech companies, it doesnt lie in weaker encryption, maintained Steve Kelly, president of Intego. A tech companys first responsibility is to the consumer, so its correct to make products as impenetrable as we possibly can, he told TechNewsWorld. When you create any backdoor to your encryption, you ultimately open it up to attackers who will exploit it, Kelly explained, and compromise the security and personal information of consumers. While tech companies shouldnt weaken their encryption, they shouldnt refuse to help law enforcement when they can, he added. Its in the tech companies best interest to do everything they can to help the government, because public sentiment could turn against them very quickly in the wake of a large-scale terrorist attack. FBI Show and Tell Meanwhile, the FBI visited Capitol Hill to brief Feinstein on how it gained access to the data in the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino killers, Syed Farook. Since the agency has not shared the technique with Apple, the move could be interpreted as a slight to the Cupertino company, which refused to help the FBI crack the phones password. However, that may not be the case. The move to brief Congress wasnt an ego stroke, maintained Mark Longworth, CEO of Shevirah. There are legislators who are sympathetic and have proposed amendments and bills to give the FBI greater technical access to modern, encrypted communications like they have with CALEA (the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act ), he told TechNewsWorld. The FBI is simply supplying those legislators with ammunition on how difficult and costly the methods they have are, said Longworth, as well as how important it is to get to the data in cases like San Bernardino. Newegg customers that need assistance from the company's support team now have another avenue to turn to. The computer hardware and software retailer said on Wednesday that it'll begin offering customer support through Facebook's Messenger platform. Merle McIntosh, SVP of Sales and Marketing at Newegg, said they are investing heavily in mobile and that offering support via Messenger is the next important step to provide customers with the best possible mobile experience. As you may know, Newegg already offers support options via e-mail, text message, voice calls and online chat. Customers have a couple of different ways to reach Newegg via Facebook. One option is to simply visit Newegg's Facebook page and send a message through that interface. Alternately, users can search for Newegg directly from within Messenger to start a conversation. Newegg notes that customer support representatives will be on hand during regular business hours (Monday - Friday: 5:30 am PDT - 5:30 pm PDT, Saturday: 8:30 am PDT - 5:00 PDT, Sunday: Closed). Messages received after hours will be handled the following business day. With the move, Newegg becomes one of the first companies to pilot Messenger for Business which Facebook introduced at its F8 conference in 2015. Just last month, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that travelers can now check in, receive flight confirmation, access boarding passes, get flight updates and more - all through Facebook Messenger. The multi-function platform also allows users to hail an Uber or Lyft as well as send or receive money from friends and family. Samsung on Thursday announced earnings guidance for the first quarter of 2016 that seems to suggest the South Korean technology giant got its mojo back. The company estimates a consolidated operating profit of roughly 6.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion) for the three-month period ending in March, good for a 10.4 percent increase from the 5.98 trillion won during the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter is also up, likely by four percent. Samsung no doubt owes the shift in outlook to its latest smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and the curved-screened Galaxy S7 Edge. The handsets arrived on the market on March 11, nearly a month earlier than the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge did a year ago. This gives Samsung even more time on the market (and also happens to coincide with tax refund season in the US). As Bloomberg notes, the phones are also a bit cheaper with the marquee Galaxy S7 Edge being sold for as much as eight percent less than last year's model. The inclusion of features like waterproofing and the return of the microSD card slot certainly didn't hurt, either. It's estimated that the world's largest smartphone manufacturer will sell around nine million Galaxy S7 devices during its first month on the market. If the figures pan out, that'd be more than three times the number of S6 models Samsung sold in its first month in 2015. Lead image courtesy PC-Tablet Hackers have reportedly managed to infiltrate the Philippines' Commission on Elections (COMELEC) entire database, potentially putting at risk some 55 million registered voters. On March 27, Trend Micro says a hacker group defaced the COMELEC website. The site's entire database was then posted online by another group. Despite initial efforts to downplay the impact of the leak, the security firm says its investigations showed a "huge" amount of sensitive personally identifiable information including passport and fingerprint data was included in the data dump. Given the number of registered voters in the country, Trend Micro says this may very well be the largest government-related data breach in history - an honor currently belonging to last year's hack on the US government's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which impacted 20 million Americans. The incident could be politically-motivated. Trend Micro notes that the country's national elections take place on May 9. What's more, the first hacker group warned COMELEC to implement the security features of their Automated Voting System (AVS). COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez conceded that the security of the website isn't very tight but that the AVS runs on a different, more secure network. The spokesperson added that everything will go smoothly during the elections. Regardless of whether or not the election is tampered with, perhaps the bigger issue here is the fact that all voter information was leaked and can now be used against citizens. Some of the data was reportedly encrypted while other fields were apparently left wide open. In an effort to bolster its global reach, Amazon is embarking on yet another ambitious payment program that is sure to send their competitors scrambling to protect their own turfs. It recently launched its Amazon Payments Partner Program to extend the trust and familiarity of Amazon Payments to third-party e-commerce merchants. When Amazon relaunched its payments business in 2013, it allowed Amazon customers to pay for their online purchases with their Amazon account on other websites. The April 4 launch offers merchant partners a payment solution that can be integrated with their online stores across three continents. "We are working together across geographies and industries to help merchants grow and create experiences that delight customers throughout the shopping journey." Patrick Gauthier, Amazon Payments vice president said. Participating merchants will be qualified to receive exclusive white-glove services such as seamless integration and knowledge-sharing. Participation is free and initially available by invitation in the U.S., UK, Germany and Japan. The Amazon Payments Partner Program includes three distinct levels: Premier Partner, Certified Partner and Certified Developer. They come with different levels of management, planning, technical and training support depending on merchant needs and usage. Should PayPal Worry? PayPal still dwarfs Amazon Payments, having the widest reach among all the online payment options. It has the capability to process transactions in 24 different currencies, support 300 types of shopping carts, accept debit and credit cards and process payments from bank accounts. PayPal can also take comfort in what skeptical merchants claim that Amazon is a potential competitor, itself being a retail giant. However, being Amazon Payments' biggest competitor, PayPal needs to flex its innovative muscles to counter any impact the new Amazon offering may create. It has to contend with Amazon's 244 million active users versus its 110 million registered users. With its recent acquisition of Braintree, PayPal needs to act quickly on consolidation with the acquired company to further solidify its position in the online payments market. Beyond Amazon Payments, there are competitive online payment options that customers can choose from. But the Amazon Payments Partner Program for merchants is a steroid shot for Pay With Amazon and an attempt for Amazon to attract more merchants looking for a viable alternative. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cryoballoon ablation did not prove less effective than radiofrequency ablation among patients suffering from drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or irregular and very fast heartbeat, a new study found. The two established techniques for treating the underlying cause of a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, showed similar efficacy and safety outcomes. A team of researchers from Germany described the findings of the study in the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2016 Scientific Sessions and published it in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dubbed Fire And Ice, the study is considered the largest randomized trial to compare radiofrequency and cryoballoon ablation, two techniques used to disable small portions of the heart that generate irregular and erratic electric signals. Atrial fibrillation or otherwise known as AFib, is an irregular heartbeat that could lead to blood clots, heart failure, stroke and other heart-related complications. According to the American Heart Association, about 2.7 million Americans are living with AFib. Worldwide, there is an estimated 33 million people with this illness. Resolution of the heart rhythm is vital to prevent serious complications. Radiofrequency ablation is an older technique that uses heat energy to disable the tissue causing the problem. Cryoballoon, on the other hand, is a newer treatment procedure that uses extreme cold temperature to disable the same portions of the heart. Among 762 patients suffering from AFib, 378 were subjected with cryoballoon ablation while the remaining 384 were treated with radiofrequency ablation. The average duration of the treatment was 1.5 years. The primary efficacy endpoint occurred in 138 patients in the cryoballoon group and 143 people in the radiofrequency group. After the patients were subjected to the procedures, clinic visits were scheduled at three, six and 12 months, then every six months thereafter. During visits, an electrocardiogram (ECG) tests were done to assess the heart rhythm and function. A Holter monitor, wherein a patient wears a cardiac monitor for 24 hours to check any abnormal rhythm, was also used. On average, the results show no significant difference in the rates of recurring irregular heart rhythm. In terms of safety, the primary safety endpoint happened in 40 participants in the cryoballoon group and 51 patients in the radiofrequency group. "In this randomized trial, cryoballoon ablation was noninferior to radiofrequency ablation with respect to efficacy for the treatment of patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and there was no significant difference between the two methods with regard to overall safety," the researchers concluded. Photo: Leon Brocard | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ford Motor Co. announced on Tuesday that it would build a new car plant in Mexico. The assembly plant will create more than 2,800 jobs outside of the United States by 2020. Ford is currently the United States' second-biggest automaker. The company will invest $1.6 billion for the construction of Ford's car plant in San Luis Potosi State, Mexico. Production at the new Mexico plant is set to start in 2018. The recent announcement added to the growing trend of carmakers increasing their production in Mexico due to favorable trade laws and lower wages. In 2015, Mexico produced approximately 3.4 million cars. About 80 percent of these were exported to the United States and several countries around the world. Criticisms Ford's announcement drew criticisms from Republican nomination front-runner Donald J. Trump because of its aggressive expansion outside the country, especially in Mexico. Trump called the move "an absolute disgrace." "These ridiculous, job crushing transactions will not happen when I am president," said Trump. In his campaign trail, the Republican presidential candidate repeatedly criticized Ford's recent move and insinuated that when he is president, he will not allow Ford to move jobs outside of the U.S. Business Is Business The movement was not an unexpected one. In 2015, Ford announced that they will cease production of its C-Max hybrid and Focus sedan at its Wayne assembly plant in Michigan in 2018 but did not specify where the cars will be assembled moving forward. But Ford did, however, mention that they will replace the hybrids and sedans with other car models in the Wayne assembly plant. According to Mark Fields, Ford's chief executive, that since the last recession, the company had added 25,000 jobs in the country along with a $10 billion investment. As a company, Ford plans to grow in China, Mexico and other countries. "At the end of the day we are a multinational company, and we will do what's best for the business," said Fields during the New York International Auto Show last month. Ford said moving its small cars production in Mexico will increase profitability due to lower wages. While the United Automobile Workers did not challenge Ford's plans for a new Mexican plant, its president, Dennis Williams, called the move "troubling." Williams said it's an example of how American carmakers are exploiting the North American Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, United States and Canada. Kia, Toyota, and Volkswagen's Audi luxury division are also opening new car plants in Mexico. Photo: Mike Mozart | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An anti-vax mother in Australia turned into an immunization advocate after she passed the potentially deadly whooping cough to her newborn baby. Cormit Avital refused to take the whooping cough vaccination during her pregnancy because she said she was a "healthy, fit, organic woman." Cormit recorded a video to share her "nightmare" experience and to warn other parents. In the video, Cormit says she had been a "very healthy pregnant woman." She worked out, went to the gym and ate healthily. She had no complications, deficiencies or pregnancy problems, which is why she saw no use for the vaccine. Unfortunately, she managed to contract the whooping cough disease during the last two weeks of her pregnancy. After she gave birth, she learned that she had passed the disease onto her newborn baby, Eva. Cormit shares that when Eva was 2 weeks old, her cough escalated to the "point of going blue." Eva is still at the hospital, spending nearly a month in the intensive care unit of the Gold Coast Health Hospital. "If I could turn back time I would protect myself," Cormit says in the video, which was released by Gold Coast Health. According to Dr. Paul Van Buynder, the hospital's public health medical officer, Eva seems to have improved and can be released in the following weeks. Whooping Cough Also known as 'pertussis,' whooping cough is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. This disease often affects newborns who are at risk of developing several complications, including death. The earliest symptoms of whooping cough are quite similar to that of a common cold. They can escalate into a cough that can lead to pneumonia. Infants affected by whooping cough can turn blue amid the short, abrupt coughs that are often followed by gasps for air. While adults can become infected, many cases are often undiagnosed. According to the Government Services report, which was released in February, whooping cough cases in Australia increased from 3,988 to 6,670 from 2014 to 2015. The Australian government recommends that pregnant women, as well as newborns and children, get a whooping cough vaccine. During the pregnancy's third trimester, health experts recommend getting a booster shot because antibodies can be transferred to the unborn baby via the placenta and, after birth, protect the baby from the disease. "Every pregnant woman in every pregnancy needs to have another pertussis vaccine," said Buynder. "That means she will give antibodies across the placenta to her baby when it's being developed so they will be safe in their first six months which is when they [can] die." Photo: NHS Employers | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Every person inherently possesses the right to privacy, but Ramon Fonseca, lawyer and Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca co-founder, is now in hot waters defending that right. The hacking of some 11.5 million confidential documents from Mossack Fonseca has created a global firestorm that has embarrassed many world leaders. The law firm specializes in setting up offshore companies, catering to the rich, famous and powerful. Initial investigation revealed that hacking was done on the law firm's email server. Now referred to as the "Panama Papers", the leaked documents were first obtained by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and later landed in the hands of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The ICIJ in turn shared them with the Guardian and BBC in the UK for analysis. The ICIJ staffers soon learned of the unprecedented magnitude of the content of the documents as it revealed an underground system that allowed the powerful to hide their wealth in offshore havens. The papers implicated prominent world figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko because the names of their relatives and/or allies were found. Fonseca came to the defense of his firm saying the email extracts were misinterpreted and taken out of context. He rules out an inside job, claiming that there was no leak, only a hack. "The only crime that has been proven is the hack," said Fonseca, emphasizing that all the operations of his firm are legal. Fonseca reveals that he employs about 500 people in Panama and in franchises around the world, and has set up an estimated 250,000 companies in a span of 40 years. Tip Of The iceberg The prominent names that have been initially identified may only be the tip of the iceberg. In a TIME report, news of more explosive revelations is in the offing, including the offshore transactions of well-known Americans. Michael Hudson, a senior editor at the ICIJ, said that the names of at least 200 Americans were discovered in the initial documents and some of them have been earlier embroiled in financial scandals. He and his team vow to keep looking and digging, noting that their work is far from over. "[T]he biggest thing the Panama Papers has revealed is that regardless of ideology or political party, powerful people, especially high-level politicians, and their families and people closely connected to them are using offshore," said Hudson. Offshore dealings per se are not bad, but the term often implies a negative connotation. The first prominent casualty of the Panama scandal is Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who resigned on April 5. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The mystery link between Zika virus and neurological problems continues to deepen as more and more cases of microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) are being linked to Zika-exposed patients. To say that experts are now forming a consensus that the two neurological disorders have become the forefront ailments of Zika is not surprising. To add to that, recent documentations of other nerve cell impairments such as meningitis, encephalitis and myelitis are also increasing among people exposed to the virus. Zika Virus: Spreading And Changing nalysis shows that Zika virus has become a widespread disease. Moreover, the disease seems to be evolving more and more, deviating distantly to how it was previously looked at by experts. Two main things caused experts to focus on microcephaly and GBS when talking about Zika virus. The first one is the once unnoticed characteristics of the virus that seem to unravel as the disease spreads to larger populations. The second is the more apparent evolution of the virus based on new disorders detected. "What we're seeing are the consequences of this virus turning from the African strain to a pandemic strain," says Dr. Peter Hotez from the Baylor College of Medicine. Focus On Microcephaly Microcephaly was first associated with Zika virus when autopsy reports showed the virus reproducing in the brain tissues of the aborted and stillborn babies. Experts also discovered other anomalies possibly linked with Zika including brain injury, fetal growth delay, placental inadequacy and fetal deaths. Medical experts are also thinking about the potential hidden consequences of being exposed to Zika virus while babies are still in the womb. Such consequences include learning difficulties and behavioral problems, which cannot be detected at birth. Dr. Alberto de la Vega from San Juan's University Hospital in Puerto Rico says that if a virus can cause microcephaly, then it can most likely cause a wide array of other conditions that experts may not have been able to understand yet. Focus On Guillain-Barre Syndrome GBS was first included in Zika discussions during a 2013 outbreak in French Polynesia. During that time, approximately 32,000 individuals were affected by the virus and 42 patients were diagnosed with GBS. WHO said that this number represents a 20-fold increase in incidence in the past four years. GBS is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body attacks itself as a consequence of infection. The rare condition causes one to suffer from temporary paralysis, weak muscles and inability to breathe naturally, thus requiring respirators. The mystery creeps in as the new brain and spinal cord infection detected are recognized to have been caused by a different process - a direct attack on the nervous system cells. This then made experts think that the virus may also directly infect adult nerves as they have once suspected in babies. WHO Report In a recent paper (PDF) submitted to the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Mary Kay Kindhauser and colleagues aimed to identify the distribution of Zika virus and its associated neurological problems from 1947 to February 2016. The team devised a timeline of Zika reports based on literature searches made via PubMed and by looking at the formal notifications to WHO. In the end, the authors concluded that Zika virus looks to have changed its characteristics while becoming widespread geographically. The infection has gone from an African strain to a global phenomenon affecting larger populations since 2007. Most importantly, they noted that Zika virus has been linked with microcephaly, GBS and other neurological disorders across the Americas and in the Pacific. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. When you're having the time of your life on a luxury cruise ship, it seems that nothing might go wrong except for cockroaches and potentially hazardous food. Wait, what? Health inspectors found unsanitary conditions on two luxury cruise ships and these might pose health threats to passengers and crew members. U.S. inspectors discovered potentially hazardous food, unsanitary pool water and cockroaches on board two Southampton-based cruise ships, Carnival Corporation's P&O Oceana and P&O Oriana. The sanitary problems were seen by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials during a spot check on sanitation. P&O Oceana failed the inspection with a score of 82 out of a perfect score of 100. According to the report, the ship had kitchens with soiled grout, insect remains and other potentially hazardous food. "The tile grout in [the soup kitchen] was soiled and in disrepair, while nine fruit flies were observed on the seam to the deckhead above the preparation counter behind the beverage station," the inspection report said. CDC closed the ship's swimming pools and spa pools after discovering that its chlorine levels were insufficient. A total of 48 violations were noted during the spot inspection on March 1. No other cruise ships received a failing mark on the first quarter of 2016. The cruise ship receiving a failing mark, however, will have time to address the issues because a re-inspection will be scheduled within 30 to 45 days. The ship is still permitted to sail even if it incurred a failing mark. If the violations needs immediate action and there's an imminent health risk, that's the time health officials will ban the ship from sailing. P&O Oriana, on the other hand, incurred a score of 90 even if the inspectors found cockroaches in a grill. The passing score is 85 out of 100. "We are extremely disappointed in the result of this inspection and we immediately rectified the areas identified as needing attention," a P&O Cruises spokesperson said. Only four cruise ships failed a CDC inspection since 2008. In 2012, more than 400 passengers aboard the Oriana have been confined to its cabins during a 10-day trip due to a norovirus outbreak. Norovirus infection is usually transferred through the oral-fecal route, which means it's considered a food borne illness. Photo: Joe Ross | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Close to 2,000 individuals were put to death in 25 countries and that is just in 2015 alone, according to Amnesty International. The global human rights group has detailed in its report that the actual number of people executed in the said period reached 1,634 - the highest in the last 25 years. The report said that it is a 54 percent increase from known executions in 2014. The value does not include data from China, where executions are treated as state secrets. The agency estimated that China execute thousands of individuals every year. It is particularly alarming that only three countries - Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan, account for about 90 percent of the recorded deaths. Pakistan only reinstated its capital punishment in 2014 after a six-year moratorium. In the U.S., Amnesty was able to verify 28 executions for 2015, the lowest since 1991. All those executions were carried out by lethal injection - the country's primary method of execution. The American Pharmacists Association strongly opposes the use lethal injection and asks fellows not to participate in executions, as providing injections that result in death is against their core values as health care providers. Amnesty states that data provided is based on the verified executions and adds that in countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Somalia, the actual numbers may be higher than what is confirmed. The international human rights group also calls out government officials with the rise of death penalties carried out in 2015, saying that it does not help curb crime rates. "The rise in executions last year is profoundly disturbing," said Amnesty Secretary General Salil Shetty. "In 2015, governments continued relentlessly to deprive people of their lives on the false premise that the death penalty would make us safer." Amnesty also took a jab at Japan for executing inmates with mental disabilities. In Japan, prisoners on death row were subjected to solitary confinement and prohibited from communicating with fellow prisoners. This practice has angered penal reform advocates, as they see solitary confinement as a cause of further deteriorating mental health. Salil expressed concern that most of the prisoners were executed after unjust trials and in an attempt to contravene international laws. The report also took note of the 102 countries that completely abolished the death penalty. Just last year Madagascar, Fiji, Suriname, and Republic of Congo passed a law abolishing death penalty. Mongolia has recently passed a law against death penalty effective later this year. "Thankfully, countries that execute belong to a small and increasingly isolated minority," said Salil. "The majority of states have turned their back on the death penalty." Photo: Tim Menzies | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A California sea lion in critical condition was rescued off the coast of Salt Spring Island on Monday. The animal is now under the care of Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre. Locals say that it was in distress, lethargic, and just stayed in one place the whole time. "We had several reports of a male sea lion in distress on Salt Spring through the weekend," said Martin Haulena, head veterinarian of Vancouver Aquarium. Looking at the pictures they received, Haulena describes that the animal is in a very poor condition. It is so thin that the ribs and spine can be seen. It also suffered "massive weight loss." Together with the Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Haulena helped bring the animal from the coast to Vancouver Aquarium's rescue center to receive medical treatments. They then confirmed that the sea lion is a male, believed to be five to seven years old. Aquarium's staff are currently working to stabilize the animal. He is now being treated with gastric protectants, subcutaneous fluids, and antibiotics. However, it is still uncertain why the sea lion is in trouble. He will stay under observation and will have to undergo further examination. "The animal is in such poor condition that now is not the time to perform potentially stressful medical procedures," said Haulena. He added that it will be hard to target the treatment without diagnostic information. California sea lion, known for its playfulness, intelligence, social behavior and noisy barking, is a common animal found from British Columbia down to the southern part of Baja California. It has a steady growing population of approximately 238,000. Aside from Baja California and British Columbia, California sea lions can also be seen in Monterey, San Francisco, and Galapagos Islands. Sea lions are the most common patients of The Marine Mammal Center, a nonprofit veterinary research hospital and educational center devoted to rehabilitate and rescue ill and injured marine mammals. The common reasons why the sea lions are rescued are: toxicity, leptospirosis, pneumonia, cancer, entanglement on fishing gears, gunshots and malnutrition. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Microsoft may unveil three variants of its Surface phone sometime in early 2017. These three models of the long-rumored premium flagship may finally see the light of day alongside other new Windows 10 devices, claims a report. Citing its sources who are said to be "close to Microsoft's plans," Windows Central reports that these upcoming three variants of the much-anticipated Microsoft Surface phone are aimed at different pricing tiers and markets. Another interesting information the sources have revealed is that Microsoft may be readying three models to include in its Surface phone family, ranging from Consumer, Business or Prosumer / Enthusiast. While details on the difference of these categories are still scarce at the moment, word has it that the three Surface phones may differ on features and price points. It is speculated that variations in internal storage, processors and features may be part of the differentiation. If this speculation turns out to be true, this may support with what Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella told in July 2015 to ZDNet about the phone's "three segments." "For people who love Windows, we'll have a flagship device ... For business customers, it's about custom apps they want to deploy onto those endpoints with management and security," said Nadella. "For the value smart phone segment, I want to focus on where we can put Office and our communications and Skype ... Let's grow from there." The three variants of the phone could come out along with the rolling out of the Windows 10 Redstone 2 probably in spring of 2017. Windows Central likewise discusses about Microsoft pulling back the development of its Lumia line. It lays out a slew of reasons regarding the matter, including: 1. Windows 10 Mobile is still presently being developed and beefed up; 2. Microsoft allows OEM partners to have some breathing room to build new hardware; and 3. Give the company enough time to come back with a strong produce that could make a splash and that could take the market by storm. In January, Microsoft China accidentally unveiled its smartphone named Lumia Phone X. During the time, rumor was rife that this could be the Surface phone that many have speculated about for several months now. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung started mass producing the 10-nanometer class, 8 gigabit DDR4 DRAM chips, the first of this kind produced in the industry to date. The new DRAM chip uses the latest and smallest semiconductor fabrication process of 10 nanometer, which can help in building faster and more efficient memory. The latter is said to power the future generation of computers, whether they are for personal usage or enterprise-based. "[The company's] 10nm-class DRAM will enable the highest level of investment efficiency in IT systems, thereby becoming a new growth engine for the global memory industry," said Young-Hyun Jun, the president of Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. The new DRAM is said to have up to 3,200 Mbps of data transfer support, which is definitely faster than the 20 nm DDR4 DRAM's 2,400 Mbps by more than 30 percent. Moreover, the new modules that are based on the DRAM chips consume less power by 10 to 20 percent compared to the earlier 20 nm version. Samsung said the new DRAM chips will help improve the design efficiency of future HPC systems as well as major enterprise networks. Nanometers are used in describing semiconductor manufacturing processes wherein a 10 nm version is considered as the latest and hottest technology that is being used today. Apart from the 10 nm's ability to cram more cells within a single die of silicon, it also promises a much faster data transfer rates while consuming less power. Compared to NAND flash storage that are currently used in SSDs and memory cards, the 10 nm process for DRAM is still on a nascent stage and seemed more difficult to accomplish. While NAND uses a single transistor for every cell, DRAM crams the same cell space with both a transistor and a capacitor with the latter usually positioned on top. The new 10 nm for DRAM currently has 8 million cells, each of which contains a transistor and a capacitor. By using a proprietary circuit design technology along with quadruple patterning lithography, Samsung was able to successfully create the industry's first 10nm-class cell structure. Samsung plans to further strengthen its leadership in the ultra-HD smartphone market by launching a 10nm-class mobile DRAM solution that brings high density and speed this year. The company's huge array of 10nm-class DDR4 modules will also pave the way for future notebook PCs and enterprise servers to have capacities of up to 4 GB and 128 GB, respectively. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A plan to repopulate the dry forests of Cambodia with tigers after they have been declared 'functionally extinct' in the country has been revealed in a joint statement released by the Government of Cambodia, WWF and the Wildlife Alliance. There are no breeding populations of tigers anymore. The last big cat spotted in Cambodia was in 2007 by a camera trap a hidden camera that is triggered remotely by associated movement of animals. At one point in time, there were actually about 20 to 50 tigers prowling about the Eastern Plains Landscape of Northeast Cambodia. This rapid decline in numbers is largely owed to the extensive rate of illegal poaching of tigers as well as their prey such as Banteng, Sambar Deer and Muntjac Deer. Not to forget the weak law enforcement practices. In order to revive the tiger population, the Government has unveiled a plan wherein tigers from other countries will be rehabilitated into the Mondulkiri protected forest in Eastern Cambodia. The Government intends to introduce around two male species and five female species to begin the breeding process with. Similar practices are intended to be carried out in other countries like India, Malaysia and Thailand. The total cost of the project has been estimated to be somewhere between $20 million and $50 million. The tigers are expected to be brought into the country by 2017, provided that all the related issues such as provision of a safe habitat, stringent no-poaching laws, increasing the number of prey to a level that can support the tigers' sustenance, reduced deforestation, etc are taken care of effectively. According to WWF, tigers have been classified as nearly extinct species worldwide with approximately 3,200 tigers existing in a total of 13 countries that includes India, Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam. In 2012, all these countries had joined their hands together for the launch of a project called Tx2, which aims at doubling the number of tigers in their respective countries by 2022. 2022 is interestingly the next Chinese year of the tiger. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Red deer on islands off the coast of Scotland may have been brought to that region from Europe 5,000 years ago by humans of that distant era. Scientifically known as Cervus elaphus, these creatures lived on the Scottish isles long ago. New research from the University of Cardiff in the UK suggests these animals may have been delivered to the islands from the European mainland, rather than from Scotland. This species of deer lives throughout most of Europe, in a greater diversity of habitats than nearly any other large land mammal. Red deer are found in all areas of the European continent, other than northern Scandinavia and Iceland. Scotland alone boasts between 360,000 and 400,000 of the animals. Stone Age sailors may have brought the animals to the islands in order to provide a steady supply of food, skins and antlers, say the researchers. Red deer are roughly twice the weight of their white-tailed American counterparts. Archaeologists have found evidence that ancient people utilized the animals long ago. Bones of the creatures have been found in trash piles, known as middens, dating from 4,500 years before the modern day. Red deer are only capable of swimming less than 5 miles, meaning the animals would not have been able to arrive on the outer Scottish islands, even when sea levels were at their lowest during the last ice age. Analysis of 46 bone samples recovered from ancient remains revealed a total of 14 genetically distinct varieties of animals, or haplotypes. Of these, 10 had never before been seen in previous studies of animals in the region. "Our data showed that outer island ancient Scottish red deer were unlikely to have originated from mainland Scotland. We found no shared haplotypes between the ancient outer isle and Inner Hebridean/mainland deer," wrote the researchers, led by evolutionary biologist David Stanton. The findings suggest that the red deer on the outer islands came from a place that researchers say "has not previously been considered." Mitochondria within the bone samples match the genetic code of red deer currently living in western Europe, suggesting a possible original homeland for the creatures. The analysis of how red deer may have arrived on islands off the coast of Scotland was profiled in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Brain scans of Brazilian babies born with microcephaly reveal that Zika virus (ZIKV) may disrupt the development of the brain. The severe anomalies found in the babies' brains were observed through the CT scans of those whose mothers were believed to have had Zika virus infections while pregnant. The link between neurological disorders and Zika virus is becoming stronger, not to mention, more mystifying by the minute. This is because of the widespread brain anomalies noted in people exposed to the infection despite experts not being able to confirm a link. Imaging scans provide objective data that definitively identify if something is wrong in a particular body part such as the brain. While clinical signs and symptoms are valuable for diagnosis, it is with objective tools such as CT scans that experts are able to confirm abnormalities. CT Scan Results: Zika Disrupts Brain Development For the study, a group of international scientists performed CT scans on 23 infants who were born with microcephaly. The scans were done when the babies were between 3 days and 5 months old. The scans showed that all the babies exhibited signs of calcifications within the brain, which suggests inflammation. Majority of the infants also had other problems in brain structures such as swelling, brain fold problems, underdeveloped brain parts and anomalies in the nerve fiber-protecting myelin. The researchers also conducted numerous diagnostic tests on the babies' mothers to ascertain other potential reasons why their children developed the condition. They conducted tests for HIV, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, parovirus and rubella. The results all turned out negative. Worthy to note is that during their pregnancy, all the mothers experienced fever and rash, which are commonly observed in patients with Zika virus. The researchers then tested the spinal fluid of seven of the infants and found that it was positive for Zika virus antibodies. The results of the study therefore suggest that "ZIKV is associated with a disruption in brain development rather than destruction of [the] brain," the authors write. The authors, however, noted that the results are not conclusive and that it can also be found in infants with other congenital viral infections. The Link Between Zika And Microcephaly Zika virus is caused by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The recent outbreak started in May 2015 in Brazil, where there have been astounding numbers of babies born with microcephaly in Zika-affected regions. The World Health Organization says that there are strong points suggesting a link between Zika and microcephaly. However, definitive evidence to confirm the association may take years to surface. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on April 6. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Through a letter sent to lawmakers this week, the Drug Enforcement Administration reveals plans to decide on changing the medical classification of marijuana in the next few months. Currently classified as a Schedule1 drug alongside heroin and LSD, marijuana is considered to have a high abuse potential and with no recognized medical use. Changing its federal status will help researchers better study its potential uses and benefits a move that medical marijuana advocates have been pushing for. While still believed to have a high potential for abuse, Schedule 2 drugs such as morphine and cocaine at present maintain an accepted medical use for treatment and can be prescribed while being tightly regulated. Reclassifying cannabis will make scientific research easier and will send a strong signal that the U.S. government is finally ready to acknowledge that marijuana has medical value, says Marijuana Majority Chair Tom Angell in a Washington Times report. Signed by the heads of the DEA, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the letter states that the agency has obtained medical and scientific evaluations along with a scheduling recommendation from HHS, which it did not disclose. It adds that the DEA hopes to release a decision by the first half of this year. Rescheduling a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 2 drug is quite rare, something that the agency has done only five times, as shown by a 2015 Brookings Institution report. The tight restrictions in place have led others to conduct clinical trials on the effects of cannabinoids, marijuanas active compound, instead of marijuana itself, which is legal for medicinal use in 23 states and the District of Columbia. According to a 2015 Marijuana.com report, the DEA also received a recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration about a potential reclassification, although it remains unknown what the recommendation states. It is also uncertain whether the agency would respond to the petitions before President Barack Obama leaves the White House to give way to a new president. While federal authorities shut down more state-legal medical marijuana firms during Obamas first term than during George W. Bushs two-time presidency, Obama signed two budget bills preventing the justice department from spending money to interfere with laws on state medical cannabis Obamas very mixed legacy on the matter, says Mike Liszewski of Americans for Safe Access in a previous interview. More than six out of 10 American adults now believe that marijuana use should be made legal, according to a newly released national polling data by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In California alone, 60 percent of registered voters say they will favor an initiative in November to legalize the substance for recreational use under state laws and allow government to tax its retail sales, as reflected in a Probolsky Research poll in February. Some experts also argue that prohibition drives markets undergoing, putting the control in the hands of people operating outside the law. Regulation is hoped to allow authorities to maintain oversight and set legal boundaries for how a cannabis market for adults should operate. There are others, however, who are not too hopeful about the DEAs forthcoming decision, given its history of rejecting petitions to reschedule marijuana. The latest was in 2011, a time when a slew of medical researchers and organizations started to come out and speak in favor of rescheduling. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Two local hunters in Florida have become popular seemingly overnight after photographs of them together with the carcass of a massive alligator they killed went viral online. Okeechobee natives Lee Lightsey and Blake Godwin were on a guided hunt when they came across the remains of cattle in one of their ponds. They soon discovered a giant alligator lurking in the area, leading them to believe that it could be the one responsible for killing the livestock. Godwin said Lightsey shot the alligator as it was beginning to come out of the water about 20 feet from where they were at the time. He added that the gator was so large and heavy they had to use a farm tractor just to pull it out of the pond. The pair took photographs of the massive alligator and posted them on the Facebook page of Lightsey's hunting store Outwest Farms. One of the photos shows Lightsey's 9-year-old son, Mason, posing next to the dead gator, which emphasizes just how big the animal is compared to humans. Despite insisting that the photograph is not a hoax, Godwin said many people still don't believe the massive alligator they killed was real. "There's a lot of folks saying that, but it's 100% real," Godwin said. "I took that picture, the photo is real." Lightsey said that the gator weighed in at about 780 pounds and measured about 15 feet long. These measurements are consistent with those of American alligators that are endemic in the ponds, rivers and marshes of Florida. These animals are known to grow to an average length of 10 to 15 feet. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee said the largest alligator ever to be caught in the state came from Lake Washington and it measured at about 14 feet and 3.5 inches. While this particular alligator weighed in at about 654 pounds, it is not considered to be the heaviest one. That record was given to another gator that weighed in at 1,043 pounds. Outwest Farms has been in business for close to 20 years, conducting guided hunts for turkey, wild boar and alligators in the region. Signing up for a guided hunt for a 13-foot alligator costs $10,000. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. At ISC West in Las Vegas, slated to take place through April 8, Panasonic announced several new additions and changes to its lineup of video surveillance and security technology. The electronics manufacturer debuted new cameras, firmware and storage platforms at the security industry trade show. A new durable camera known as the Aero PTZ was revealed, adding to the company's line of surveillance devices. This camera has a 360-degree aerodynamic spherical design, as well as the ability to record video outdoors, where footage is often skewed due to weather. Panasonic also made updates to its i-PRO 1 Series camera platform, in addition to expanding its Smart Coding firmware onto 1, 3, 5 and 6 Series Panasonic cameras and True 4K cameras. In an effort to beef up network infrastructure security, the company announced that a new Secure Communication feature will be available on all new Panasonic 5, 6 and True 4K cameras. This protects against false data, video tampering and stealing of passwords. Secure Communication provides PC-level security for all of Panasonic's specified IP cameras. To keep up with the growing 4K technology industry, Panasonic stated that new versions of its Video Insight Video Management Software and WV-ASM200 i-PRO video management client will include 4K support. Finally, Panasonic announced the launch of a new digital archival storage platform called the Freeze-Ray Platform. This technology is designed to ingest any form of data, and it's being marketed as an option for consumers on a tight budget. Panasonic has several items displayed at its exhibit booth at ISC West, including its Arbitrator BWC camera, Aero PTZ and its i-Pro 1 Series cameras. The company is one of more than 1,000 businesses participating in ISC West, which is expected to bring out approximately 28,000 security professionals. At the end of March 2016, Panasonic eliminated its $89 billion revenue goal for the fiscal year ending in March 2019. Chief Executive Kazuhiro Tsuga stated in a news conference that the slowing Chinese economy had been a reason for the change. However, Panasonic continues to release a number of products on the electronics market, including solar lanterns, cameras and updated firmware for its existing lines of devices. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Googles New Health Cards to Help Access Better Healthcare Information | TechTree.com Information regarding health and healthcare can be easily and quickly searched on Google with its newly launched health cards in Knowledge Graph. Google in association with Apollo Hospitals and Columbia Asia Hospitals will review the content and health information that covers over 400 health conditions, including common ailments in India like malaria and dengue fever. While searching on google about common health conditions, users can access information cards with typical symptoms, as well as details on how common the condition is, whether its critical, if it is contagious, what ages it affects, and more. India is the third country after the US and Brazil to have health information in the Knowledge Graph, and the content has been specifically designed for the Indian context. The cards are available in Hindi and English, and cover common local conditions. As connectivity can sometimes be a challenge, Google will automatically load a lighter version of the cards when a slow connection is detected so people can get to the information they need, quickly. Around the world, health conditions are among the most important things that people ask Google about. In fact, one in 20 searches are for health-related information, explained Prem Ramaswami, Senior Product Manager at Google. We worked closely with a team of local and international doctors to curate and validate this information including Apollo Hospitals and the Columbia Asia Hospitals here in India. During product development we also consulted the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and ASHAs who are community health workers to ensure the information on the cards is useful and accessible. Apollo Hospitals is very proud to be working with Google on this initiative. Apollo Hospitals has a long history of using technology for the benefit of patients. Were looking forward to building on this track record and being able to provide quality healthcare information to potentially a billion Indians, Ms Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited said. People will be able to see these new cards when they search for conditions with the Google app on Android or iOS phones and tablets, as well as mobile and desktop browsers. For some conditions you will also see high-quality illustrations from licensed medical illustrators. Users can also search by symptom, so when looking for Madras eye symptoms the user will be taken straight to the symptoms tab and can easily download a PDF copy of these to print. These search results are not intended as medical advice, but for informational purposes only. People should always consult a medical professional if they have a health related concern. Google will keep working to bring more conditions and useful health information, specifically for India at the user's fingertips, whether in the Google app or on desktop. TAGS: Google, Knowledge Graph, Healthcare This scientist nearly went to jail for knowingly publishing fraudulent data Professor Bruce Murdoch, a former University of Queensland professor who faked a breakthrough study on Parkinsons disease giving sufferers false hope has been given a two-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to 17 fraud-related charges. Murdoch had falsified a research paper, which was published in the high-profile European Journal of Neurology, between 2011 and 2014. Sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, Magistrate Tina Privitera declared that there was no evidence that Murdoch had even carried out the clinical trial on which his supposed findings were based. Also, Murdoch forged consent forms from so-called study participants, one of whom had died before the alleged study took place. Privitera said Murdoch knew the research was false, but took a $20,000 grant on the basis it was genuine. Your research was such as to give false hope to Parkinsons researchers and Parkinsons sufferers, she added. Murdochs co-author, speech pathologist Caroline Barwood, who has also been charged with fraud, is yet to go for the trial. Privitera said Murdoch was suffering from severe depression and reeling from a cancer diagnosis at the time. The University of Queensland has so far returned the first of two instalments of a $300,000 bursary awarded to her by the Lions Medical Research Foundation. The case came to light when an unidentified whistleblower made a complaint to the Australian Crime and Corruption Commission that there was no proof that their clinical trial was ever carried out. Back in 2014, based on falsified claims regarding a multiple sclerosis clinical trial, the journal Aphasiology withdrew a paper by Murdoch and Barwood. The Washington Post reports: Since 2000, the number of US academic fraud cases in science has risen dramatically. Five years ago, the journal Nature tallied the number of retractions in the previous decade and revealed they had shot up 10-fold. About half of the retractions were based on researcher misconduct, not just errors, it noted. The US Office of Research Integrity, which investigates alleged misconduct involving National Institutes of Health funding, has been far busier of late. Between 2009 and 2011, the office identified three cases with cause for action. Between 2012 and 2015, that number jumped to 36. While Murdochs case is certainly very rare, even on an international scale, academic frauds like these are increasing. Jail time is even rarer, but not unheard of. There was no precedent for Murdochs particular case, which could partly explain why he was not sentenced to jail time. However, if these trends continue, we could see more cases like Dong-Pyou Han, a former biomedical scientist at Iowa State University, who pleaded guilty to two felony charges of making false statements to obtain NIH research grants and was sentenced to more than four years in prison. The court cannot get beyond the breach of the sacred trust in this kind of research, District Judge James Gritzner said at the trial in July 2015. The seriousness of this offence is just stunning. Fortunately, while such kinds of cases are few and far between, the disparity between punishments is significant, with Han originally only being banned from receiving funding for three years in an initial 2014 trial. In the meantime, three Italian researchers almost went to jail last year for unknowingly publishing false data. The Washington Post reports that no national or international database of scientific retractions exists. However, Ivan Oransky, the executive director of the Centre for Scientific Integrity, recently announced plans to change that. He said his non-profit would partner with the non-profit Centre for Open Science to create a database of retractions designed to reduce waste in science and allow scholars to study the scientific literature in order to promote scientific integrity. Congressmans son makes $1300 worth Steam game buys with his fathers campaign fund An US congressman is facing heat from authorities for missing campaign funds that his son used to buy games on Steam. over campaign funds spent on Steam games. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported yesterday that Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-Calif.) listed $1,302 worth of video games on a campaign finance disclosure form as a personal expense to be paid back, but hasnt yet done so. Federal election regulators are questioning a U.S. congressman over how the money was spent. The spokesman for Hunter said Hunters teenage son actually is the one responsible for the purchases, getting hold of his fathers credit card to buy one game. The spokesman added that Hunter was trying to get Steam to refund the money so that he can repay it back into campaign fund. The same spokesman also told The Daily Beast that he was unsure if the teens original purchase was authorized. The federal authorities said that though this not an investigation but Hunter could face some heat over the missing money. The FEC, however, has asked his campaign treasurer for an explanation of the expense and to amend the disclosure as necessary. He has until May 9 to respond. Hunter, who was elected to the San Diego-area district his father once represented in 2008, argued in a 2013 Politico editorial that video games shouldnt be used as a scapegoat for real-world violence. The narrative that children and young adults today stare at television and computer screens, developing lethal skills through first-person gaming experiences, disingenuously portrays video games as having a corrosive influence, he wrote. The problem with this rationale is that it conveys an image that Americas youth are incapable of discerning right from wrong, which simply is not true. Xiaomi launches awesome new tablet that can turn itself into a Transformer robot Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi in collaboration with American toy manufacturer Hasbro is launching a new crowd-funded toy version of their Mi Pad that can convert into a Transformer robot. Codenamed Soundwave, it basically looks like the Mi Pad 2 that turns itself into a Transformer like bot. Soundwave, which is being produced in honour of Xiaomis sixth anniversary on April 6 is primarily made for Xiaomi fans in China. R&D worked really hard to ensure that the colour, details, and feel are exactly the same as Mi Pad 2. They were challenged at turning such a slim 7mm tablet into a 3D robot, but they managed to do so with a 30-step folding assembly, said Hugo Barra, Global Vice President of Xiaomi in a Facebook post. Xiaomi says the Mi Pad 2 is lighter and thinner than the first-generation Mi Pad. The original Mi Pad 2 comes with a 7.9-inch display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution, a 2.24GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor coupled with 2 GB of RAM, and 16GB or 64GB of internal storage. The device also comes with a 6190mAh battery that the company claims offers 649 hours of standby time and comes with support for fast-charging technology. On the camera front, the tablet features an 8-megapixel rear camera along with a 5-megapixel front facing camera. Further, on the connectivity front, the Mi Pad 2 includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the latest USB Type C connectivity. However, it has no support for 4G LTE or GPS. The device is also going for $199.99 and runs on Windows OS, which allows you to install Office software and use the tablet just like you would a laptop or desktop. It is very convenient, because your way of work on the tablet will be similar to the work on the computer, says Xiaomi. Mi Pad 2 is more convenient and more compact than a laptop, put it in a bag or in a pocket, and tablet is always at your hand. The Mi Pad 2 Transformers edition will only be available in China and starts shipping on May 13 only if the crowd funding goal is achieved. This robot will be up for sale for 169 Yuans (approx $26). Before purchasing this robot, users should keep in mind that this is not a standard working tablet. A 40 anos de Malvinas "Revisar el pasado es pensar el futuro". La frase de la presidenta de Telam, Bernarda Llorente, resume el espiritu del documental coproducido entre la agencia de noticias y el canal publico de TV sobre la cobertura que los medios de comunicacion hicieron del conflicto, plagada de censura y mentiras. Una autocritica necesaria para mirar hacia adelante en un (ya viejo) contexto de fake news y negocio informativo. Its April. Which means its time for the world of interiors to converge on Italys capital of industry to see and be seen. The biggest and longest running global design event, the Salone del Mobile (12-17 April), marks the start of the design calendar and along with hundreds of other events and exhibitions around the city provides the launchpad for more new products and ideas than you can point an iPhone at. Even for those with a strict agenda, its physically impossible to get around to everything worth seeing in the five-day fiesta, so its futile even to try. Safe in the knowledge it will all be viewable online in a matter of hours anyway, the real point of Milan is now the networking. The cocktails, the parties, the crowd as no industry is as creatively convivial as the design world; during Salone this city doesnt sleep. Picking up on this subtle shift in priorities, the savviest brands and galleries are shunning the traditional product-launch approach and instead creating spaces and experiences that enhance the party. Bringing fabulous food, drink and company to the table as well as the chairs, lighting and other accessories, these design experiences cant be shared in quite the same way online. The Conagua indicated that the atmospheric phenomenon registered maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 165 kilometers per hour. | Read More AP Govt to protect children from diarrhoea Hyderabad, April 7 (INN): Ahead of the launch of the Rotavirus vaccine in Andhra Pradesh, over 40 journalists from the national and state media were briefed about the importance of new vaccines in reducing under-five child mortality and improving child survival at a media consultation on Rotavirus Vaccine in the city today. Organised by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and UNICEF, the workshop was addressed by senior representatives from the State Government, UNICEF, WHO, and other experts. Addressing the journalists, Child Health and Immunization Joint Director Dr Vanisri Saride said, 'Andhra Pradesh Government will now protect the state's children from severe diarrhoea with the Rotavirus Vaccine. This vaccine, which was available till now only at private health facilities in the state, will soon be a part of the routine immunization schedule of the State Government's Universal Immunization Programme.' UNICEF Health Specialist Dr Sanjeev Upadhaya said, 'Rotavirus alone is responsible for 40% of the severe diarrhea cases, and kills 1 child every 4 minutes in India. We are confident that the introduction of this vaccine will bring down the Infant Mortality Rate in the state.' Andhra Pradesh has shown 17 per cent decline in the Under-5 mortality between 2009 and 2012 (SRS 2013). Yet each year diarrhoea affects 8 per cent children under five years (RSOC 2013-14), which is a high number. The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry is introducing a series of new initiatives nationally. New and more effective vaccines like Rotavirus vaccine, Inactivated Polio Vaccine (injectable) and bivalent oral polio vaccines, not available in the public health programme earlier, are being introduced in a phased manner in the full (RI) programme. The Rotavirus vaccine was nationally launched in the Universal Immunization Programme in Odisha on March 26. Besides Odisha, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, the vaccine will be provided, in the first phase of roll out, through the national immunization programme, to all children in Himachal Pradesh. Later, it will be exp News Posted: 7 April, 2016 AP Govt confirms 45 deaths due to heat wave Hyderabad, April 7 (INN): The Andhra Pradesh Government on Thursday confirmed 45 deaths due to ongoing heat wave conditions in the State. Speaking to media persons, Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa informed that Kadapa district was on top with 16 deaths followed by Prakasam (11), Anantapur (4), Vizianagaram (3), Chittoor (3), Kurnool (3), Srikakulam (2), Krishna (2) and one death in East Godavari. The Deputy CM said that the State Government would extend required assistance to the families of those killed due to heat wave. He advised people to either stay indoors during day time. He said that elaborate arrangements were being made at all public hospitals to provide best treatment those affected with heat wave. News Posted: 7 April, 2016 Nagam to give PPT presentation on KCR's failures Hyderabad, April 7 (INN): BJP senior leader and head of Telangana Bachao Mission Nagam Janardhan Reddy said he was preparing a power-point presentation on failures of TRS Government in the State. Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, Nagam said he would give a PPT presentation on June 1, to mark the completion of two years of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He alleged that KCR has cause immense damage to Telangana due to his inexperience and wrong policies. He said his presentation would cover the functioning of all major departments and schemes. Nagam said that the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre has released Rs. 358 Crore for drought affected areas and Rs. 300 crore for NREGA. However, the State Government was not utilising these Central funds. He demanded that the State Government immediately disburse these funds to all affected districts and provide relief to the affected farmers. News Posted: 7 April, 2016 Two of Asias biggest social media players, Kakao Talk and Line, are growing by making mobile messaging apps an integral part of the lives of young Asians. Younger generations prefer to communicate more privately instead of shouting out in virtual arenas and risking troubles with trollsor disclosing aspects of their lives to their parents theyd rather not share. Kakao Talk is the top messenger app in South Korea, with more users than Facebook or Twitter. People use it to hail cabs and transfer money, advancing toward a cashless society. Even South Korean government officials prefer Kakao chat rooms for communicating with colleagues as opposed to email. In Japan, where Line users outnumber those on Facebook or Twitter, people buy cute digital stickers to link to messages and use the app to search for music and jobs. In doing so, the apps are serving as test beds for digital services, demonstrating ways the latest trends in technology and communication can be integrated with daily life in the 21st century. Above all, they are making money, although some of their products, such as digital stickers, would be a hard sell in other markets. Silicon Valley investors and tech startups everywhere are watching closely. Source: Mobile chat apps Line, Kakao flourishing among young Asians Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... The man accused of murdering his parents on the family farm near Wangaratta had visited a drug and alcohol counsellor seven months before their deaths to help improve his relationship with them, a court has heard. Counsellor Catherine Downey told the Supreme Court on Thursday that Ian Thomas claimed he was finding it challenging living back with his parents after having lived in Western Australia for some time. Pauline and Bill Thomas had been married for 40 years and had five children. Credit:Border Mail Ms Downey who had been working for the Ovens and King Valley community health centre in Wangaratta when Mr Thomas came to see her on September 24, 2012 said Mr Thomas had told her he was unable to spend quality time with his mother because his father was always around and would interrupt him. She said Mr Thomas felt his father would talk in a critical way to him and put him down. Washington: Republicans are eyeing the prospect of a rare contested convention at which a "white horse" candidate could emerge as the party's presidential nominee, after Ted Cruz's resounding defeat of Donald Trump in Wisconsin. Senator Cruz's victory cuts Mr Trump's chances of gaining enough primary election delegates to clinch the nomination, but the Texas senator has no realistic path to win a majority himself. The party establishment is therefore hoping to parachute Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House, into the nomination at July's convention. If no contender gains an outright majority, even someone who had not declared as a candidate can be nominated as the convention turns into a scramble for the delegates' votes. The party elite sees Mr Ryan Mitt Romney's 2012 running mate as well positioned to triumph. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz campaigning in Wisconsin last month. Credit:Darren Hauck It's easy to see why Senate Republicans are frustrated with him. Since running for Senate in 2012, Cruz has gone to war with his own party at least five high-profile times -- from engineering the opposition that led to a 2013 government shutdown in his attempt to kill the Affordable Care Act, to making his colleagues come back to work on a Saturday at the last minute in a futile attempt to stop President Obama's immigration actions from taking effect. After all that drama, Senate Republicans might be in the unenviably awkward position this autumn of having to publicly embrace their least favourite guy on campus. Perhaps Trump's rise has made them forget how little affection they have for Cruz; Cruz being the nominee could quickly reinforce that reality. Donald Trump in Florida last month. Credit:Bloomberg 2. Cruz is broadly very unpopular, too Here's what comes to mind for Senate Republicans - and much of the nation - when they think of Cruz: a socially conservative politician who caters to the religious and Tea Party right, and not many other people. Ted Cruz in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week. Credit:AP Republicans worry that Cruz's far-right politics may make it tough for him to appeal to a broader electorate, especially because he hasn't shown much of an inclination to support policies that might be more agreeable to moderate Republican and independent voters. More than half of Americans -- 51 per cent -- already think of Cruz unfavourably, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll. That's nowhere near Trump's 67 per cent unfavourability rating. But it is on par with that of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, even as Cruz is less well-known. Cruz's favourable rating (35 per cent), meanwhile, is 11 points lower than Clinton's (46 per cent). He is not a popular guy. Ted Cruz, right, with Wisconsin governor Scott Walker in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday. Credit:AP In head-to-head general-election match-ups -- with all the caveats that apply with such polling -- Clinton beats Cruz by an average of three points. Of course, we've never seen Cruz in a position where he has needed to appeal to moderate voters to win. He's a senator from Texas, one of the most conservative states in the nation, and he's running in one of the most conservative presidential primaries in recent history. Republican Presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz last month. Credit:AP There's always the chance that if Cruz is nominated, he would step back from his proposals to build a wall along the Mexican border or patrol US "Muslim neighbourhoods" for suspected terrorists. But aside from offering some platitudes about "uniting" the party, he has not indicated that he would shift his policies. 3. His brand is harder to distance the party from "Statements like these make the world more dangerous and the United States less safe," said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Credit:AP One silver lining for Republicans if Trump is their nominee is that the real estate magnate has a spotty conservative record at best. He likes the idea of universal health care and openly acknowledges that he's "new" to the anti-abortion movement (a newness that contributed to him stepping in it on abortion recently). Republicans can try to innoculate themselves against Trump by arguing that he's just not one of them. Yes, that's tricky to do when Trump is their presidential nominee, but they can contrast their conservative record with Trump's and argue that they don't agree with Trump's politics. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin on Saturday. Credit:AP That story gets much harder for Republicans to tell if Cruz, whom no one would confuse for a Democrat, is their party's nominee. Cruz could arguably make life harder for the handful of vulnerable Senate Republicans running for re-election in swingy or even blue states who don't want to be lumped in with such a conservative candidate. He's their colleague, after all, and many of them have joined in his quixotic pursuits. 4. Democrats think they have a case to make against Cruz With Cruz's win in Wisconsin, Senate Democrats are taking a break from trying to link their Republican colleagues to Trump and test-driving what they'd say about Republicans if Cruz were their nominee. Their first line of attack would be to punch through the party's veneer of unity by pulling comments from Senate Republicans predicting Cruz would be worse than Trump for "our chances of keeping the majority". Senate Democrats' campaign arm sent out a memo Tuesday saying as much. The implication is clear: Senate Democrats' game plan to try to make Senate Republicans as unpopular as their nominee doesn't just go away with Trump. But Trump is a wildcard; Cruz isn't. We'll end on a positive note for Senate Republicans considering a Cruz nomination. Aside from unannounced weekend work or the occasional government shutdown, they know what they're getting from Cruz. He is a politician who has demonstrated that he can stick to his principles and navigate politically sticky situations with as much deftness as the next candidate. Republicans, by contrast, have no idea what they're getting with Trump. One day he's suggesting Muslims be banned from the country, the next he's retweeting a quote from Mussolini, the next his campaign manager is getting charged with battery for allegedly grabbing a reporter's arm and bruising her. As the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza wrote after the Mussolini retweet incident, Trump's unpredictability is more dangerous for Republicans than anything else this presidential campaign could throw at them. The Australian National University denies it has plans to demolish the university's oldest undergraduate residential college Bruce Hall as it moves to redevelop the 55-year-old complex to expand the university's student accommodation. In March, Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt said the university was exploring an opportunity "to design and build a new Bruce Hall", intended to open in 2018, when he announced a "separate" initiative to seek private investors to meet growing demand for student accommodation. Former Bruce Hall resident Allan Connelly-Hansen wants the 55-year-old building saved. Credit:Jay Cronan Several alumni of the college told The Canberra Times they understood there was a proposal to demolish the 240-bed catered on-campus college and replace it with an 800-bed facility. The self-catered Packard Wing built in 2004 would remain. Nicci Haynes, known for quirky videos and prints documenting performance and her interest in "language and its limitations" has a new show opening this week at CCAS in Civic. "No method of conveying information ever seems adequate to translate my first-hand knowledge of the world into words," she says. Speech Acts is the "current manifestation of her ongoing struggle with linguistic systems". Speech Acts, by Nicci Haynes, opens April 13 at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, City Corner of London Circuit and Hobart Place, Canberra City, and runs until May 21. We are so hanging out for this show! Canberra sculptor Rosalind Lemoh has a new solo show at ANCA that explores "the transformative interchange between humans, animals, plants and minerals". "The gentle playfulness of the title Animal, Vegetable, Mineral beguiles the sense of gravitas that pervades the exhibition. There is a strong use of raw and weathered materials pitched against the conceptual undercurrent of the works that explore the human condition the fear of death or the fascination with flight as a metaphor for transcendence. Lemoh's eclectic mix of sculptures explores aspects of the natural world such as skin and surfaces, self-defence and protection, herding instincts and language, and present an unlikely collision of the past and the present." Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, by Rosalind Lemoh, is showing until April 24 at ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place, Dickson. Nicholas Combe has been kicking around the Canberra jazz scene for years, and now he's finally finally! releasing a debut album under his own name. "Once Is Enough features a more personal side, with compositions from his back catalogue that have been waiting very patiently to be released. As stated by Melbourne/Berlin/Canberra's own free-playing trumpet wizard Reuben Lewis who features on the album: 'It's about bloody time!' " The concert will present the album in full, as well as tracks by two of Combe's favourite jazz composers Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington. The Nicholas Combe Nonet will play at The Street on Saturday, April 16, at 8pm. Bookings and information at thestreet.org.au. Bot and Blakebrough at Beaver Another beautiful new show by Canberra artist GW Bot is now showing at Beaver Galleries, with works that "engage with the environment in a topographic and metaphysical sense and can be interpreted as an allegory for a person's passage through life". "And ceramicist Les Blakebrough is showing works that are part of his ongoing investigation of the aesthetic and physical qualities of 'Southern Ice' porcelain All of Les' works have a luminous quality, revealing an extraordinary precision of technique and an uncompromising insistence on the harmonious unity of form, colour and surface treatment". Endangered Glyphs, by GW Bot, and Gathering Light, by Les Blakebrough, are showing until May 1 at Beaver Galleries, 81 Denison Street, Deakin. Northern Lights in Forrest Autumn in Canberra is about as far away from the Northern Lights as possible, so what better reason to be inspired by said lights? Art Song Canberra's Season of Song 2016 is presenting a program on Sunday of music from lands illuminated by the Aurora Borealis, featuring mezzo-soprano Christina Wilson, and Alan Hicks on piano. The program includes "songs and piano solos from Nordic composers including Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius, as well as Scottish favourites and Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs". Northern Lights is on Sunday, April 10, 3pm at Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit. Admission, including program and light refreshments: $35/$30. Art Song Canberra members $25. Full-time students $15. Tickets on the door. Visit artsongcanberra.org for more information. Donna "Donnatello" Furber is used to surprised looks when she gets off her motorbike. "You take your helmet off and men still look at you and think 'oh, it's a woman'; they still don't quite expect that from people," the co-founder of Female Riders of Canberra (FRoC) said. Donna Furber and Josie Hamilton from Female Riders of Canberra will join women riders from around the country in Dubbo in their world record quest. Credit:Jay Cronan "But [female motorbike riders are] definitely getting more recognised and other riders are really happy for it to happen and really encouraging." To raise the profile of female motorbike riders, women from all over Australia will converge on Dubbo at the weekend in an attempt to break the world record for the most females on bikes at a motorcycle meet. Dowse keeps a low profile with no discernable online presence. Mr Dowse sent an email in response to calls, saying Dowse, which had 10 staff, had been engaged by the Giants as project managers, construction management advisers, to deliver "commercial partnering arrangements", to engage and manage sub-consultants, and for consortium governance. A spokesperson for Mr Barr said he had "seen nothing to suggest there is any conflict in this situation". "Minister Fitzharris has done the appropriate thing at every stage to make sure of that," he said, suggesting the scrutiny was connected to Ms Fitzharris's sex. "In 2016 any suggestion that a woman might be conflicted, [or] cannot appropriately manage a perceived conflict, because of where her husband works is concerning," he said. "Minister Fitzharris has been very open about her relationship with Mr Huetter. She has sought advice from the Assembly's ethics and integrity adviser and ensured there is no real or perceived conflict of interest. This is exactly the exemplary standard of integrity the Chief Minister demands from his ministers." A spokesperson for Ms Fitzharris said she had sought advice from Assembly Clerk Tom Duncan and ethics and integrity adviser Stephen Skehill when she entered Parliament. Mr Skehill had advised that she should always act with integrity, honesty and transparency and disclose any perceived or real conflict of interest at the earliest opportunity, which she had done. She had written to Mr Barr about her husband's employment with Dowse Projects and told him that if a project involving Dowse came before her as a minister or in cabinet, she would "take any necessary action to avoid a real or perceived conflict of interest", including removing herself from discussions or deliberations. "At this point in time this has not been required," she said. Neither Mr Lamont nor Mr Huetter have signed up to the ACT Lobbyist Register. Another consultant closely connected to the government, Dan Stewart, is also working on the Manuka bid. He is also not registered as a lobbyist, prompting the Greens' Shane Rattenbury to refuse a meeting with him to discuss the casino, another project with which Mr Stewart is involved. Mr Stewart left his job as deputy chief executive in the government's Land Development Agency in August last year when he went to work for Elton Consulting. Elton's job on the Manuka Oval bid is in community consultation rather than government liaison. Lobbyist rules require anyone who communicates with a politician, a staffer or a public servant on behalf of a third party to be registered. Lobbying is defined as any communication with a public official to influence policies, decisions or legislation. Mr Stewart has met with Mr Barr and others about the casino redevelopment bid but not about the Manuka bid. He told Fairfax Media in March that he would not register because his work did not amount to lobbying. A Giants spokesman said Dowse had been working with the Giants from the start, including working with Ernst and Young to find "the right development partner". That work had led to the appointment of Grocon. Dowse was now working to ensure local sub-contractors could be involved as much as possible. If the project got the green light, Dowse would remain involved "throughout the duration of the project", he said. "To the extent that any Manuka Green team members have potential conflicts of interest then the project has appropriate project governance arrangements in place." Mr Barr's spokesman said the government would consider the Manuka bid on merit. As much as Bungendore IGA supermarket owner Darren Heathcote wanted to celebrate Woolworths' backflip on taking up a new lease in the village, he could not on Wednesday night, when he heard the news. "I just passed out with exhaustion," Mr Heathcote said. Before Woolworths sudden decision not to open in Bungendore, Mr Heathcote was facing the prospect of going broke. IGA owner Darren Heathcote , butcher Paul Darmody and Local Liquor boss Michael Blore are jubilant as Woolworths withdraws from Bungendore lease. Credit:Jay Cronan Now he plans to celebrate with butcher Paul Darmody and Local Liquor operator Michael Blore, next month with a sausage sizzle and wine tasting in Gibraltar Street. For three years Mr Heathcote negotiated with Canberra developer Krnc Group to occupy a new site for his expanded supermarket, next to Le Tres Bon French restaurant in Malbon Street. Singapore Airlines has lifted its stake in Virgin Australia amid uncertainty over the future ownership of the Australian carrier. The move comes as The Australian Financial Review's Street Talk column on Thursday reported Singapore Airlines was viewed as the most likely buyer of Air New Zealand's 25.9 per cent stake in Virgin. Singapore Airlines is the third largest shareholder in Virgin Australia. In an announcement to the Singapore Stock Exchange on Wednesday evening, the Singaporean carrier said it now owned 23.11 per cent of Virgin, up from 22.91 per cent previously. Singapore Airlines said it had elected to physically settle a series of equity swaps it had entered into with a counter-party at a cost of $3.18 million, or 46.72 a share. That represents a significant premium to Virgin's closing price of 35.5 on Wednesday. Singapore Airlines is the third-largest shareholder in Virgin behind Air NZ with 25.9 per cent and Etihad Airways with 25.1 per cent. The appointment of a voluntary administrator to Arrium the owner of the Whyalla steelworks heralds the start of both the break-up of this corporate conglomerate but more importantly adds to the inevitability that the steelworks operation (as we know it) will ultimately disappear. And with it a large part of what is left of traditional heavy manufacturing in Australia. Malcolm Turnbull did his best to give the steelworks a de facto government assistance package a few weeks ago promising it a contract worth around $80 million to rebuild some railway lines. Mr Turnbull helpfully noted while announcing his government's largesse that Arrium needed a stronger steel price and more customers. But it needs more than that. If done nationally, KPMG reckons the average household would be better off by nearly $1600 a year and more than 32,000 extra jobs would be created. If NSW went it alone, the figures are slightly better for that state at the expense of the rest of the nation. As politicians fail the nation on tax reform, civil society increasingly has been stepping forward to do the work. The KPMG modelling is at the behest of a coalition of the business and social welfare lobbies the NSW Business Chamber and NSW Council of Social Service with the goodwill of a major union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, thrown in. Like every other report, inquiry, study, modelling and investigation of tax reform, it demonstrates overwhelming gains from scrapping economically damaging conveyancing stamp duty and replacing it with extremely efficient and equitable land tax. Thus new KPMG modelling that should be a no-brainer, knockout blow for replacing conveyancing stamp duty with a broad, no-exemptions land tax is more likely to send the average state politician scurrying to hide under the nearest owner-occupied house. If it's a choice between winning an election or substantially increasing the nation's wealth and creating many thousands of jobs for other people, the pollie's own job is very likely to come first. Replacing stamp duty with land tax would be a financial boon for the states. Credit:Virginia Star Very briefly, stamp duty does economic harm by discouraging mobility and the most efficient use of land. It's highly inequitable as those who move homes the transferees, the downsizers, the upgraders and investors pay much more tax than those who stay put. Land tax, on the other hand, is about as good as a tax gets it's unavoidable (land doesn't move easily to Panama), transparent, cheap to collect, doesn't negatively influence behaviour and is inherently progressive as the rich tend to own more-expensive dirt and more of it. Remove stamp duty and the effect should be to stimulate more construction as land is used more efficiently and allow greater mobility, both geographically and in housing size. So what's not to like? From the politicians' point of view, it's the visible pain of annual (or preferably quarterly) land tax. While we collectively would be better off replacing stamp duty with land tax, many individuals would see the impact of a "Big New Tax" only on themselves and the sacrilege of "taxing the family home". Cue the shock jocks with the stories of asset-rich but income-poor pensioners copping simply unpayable land tax bills. While the KPMG report stresses the positive impact of reform, it also includes an estimate of the tax rate all NSW owners would need to pay to replace stamp duty: 1.3 per cent of the unimproved value of the land. Sticking with the NSW example, the Valuer General thinks the median land value in Premier Mike Baird's Manly is $1.26 million, and the median block in Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian's Willoughby is $1.32 million. So to do the right thing by NSW, Mike and Gladys would have to tell their median home-owning electors they want them to pay $16,380 and $17,160 respectively a year in land tax $315 and $330 a week. In Opposition Leader Luke Foley's Auburn, the median land value is $567,000 so $7371 a year, $142 a week. For all three of them, that's a very hard sell. It doesn't matter that the KPMG model is revenue neutral, that we collectively are already paying that much individuals tend to lump the stamp duty slug into the cost of buying a home and don't work out the average cost over the years. And those who don't move are generally very happy to effectively freeload on the rest of the community. Pfizer's chief executive has said a decision on whether to break up the company will be made by the end of the year after its $US160billion ($210 billion) merger with Allergan collapsed. Ian Read said a decision to split the American company by selling off its lower-margin unit of older products facing generic competition would be taken "no later than the end of 2016". Pfizer and Allergan walked away from their multi-billion dollar merger agreement on Tuesday, blaming the US Treasury for the collapse of what would have marked the largest ever healthcare acquisition. Allergan, which is run from New Jersey but has a legal domicile in Dublin, last year agreed to merge with Pfizer in a deal that would have given the New York-based company a foreign address and a lower tax rate. But new Treasury rules announced on Monday, tightened the restrictions around so-called inversion deals in a way that would have made it difficult for Pfizer to assume an overseas base in Ireland, where corporation tax is lower, following a merger with Allergan. Since the beginning of the peace process, Israel's settlements have more than doubled in size. Since 2015, Israel's settlement activities have further intensified. According to Israeli non-government organisation Peace Now, in 2015 construction began on 1800 housing units in the settlements. Since January, several additional expansions have been announced. Israel's settlements are built on land seized from Palestinians in 1967 land that was to be set aside for the basis of a Palestinian state to emerge through the US-sponsored Oslo peace talks that kicked off in the early 1990s. In February, Britain's Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron issued a startling rebuke of Israel's policies and behaviour in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Despite being "a strong friend of Israel", Cameron said his visits to the region had lead him to see Israel's settlements built on Palestinian territory as "genuinely shocking" and he reiterated his government does "not support illegal settlements". The Labor NSW conference in February saw no fewer than seven motions most put forward by local Labor branches calling for boycotts against the settlements or other action by Australia to oppose the settlements. None of the motions was passed by the conference. These motions represented an important opportunity for practical action by the ALP in the face of the serious threat to peace posed by the settlements. This matters for Australian taxpayers because of the significant political support Australia, particularly Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his government, provides to Israel and its settlement policies. It also matters given the lucrative contracts the government has awarded to Israeli arms companies the same Israeli arms companies that actively support Israel's occupation and associated settlements. Analysis of a key set of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade financial records, made available to the public for the first time here, show that over the past 10 years the Australian government has spent more than $1.5 billion on contracts with Israeli arms companies, primarily the company Elbit Systems. (The data is also summarised here.) Elbit supplies surveillance equipment for the highly controversial wall Israel has built throughout the occupied Palestinian West Bank, a wall that is integral to Israel's occupation and settlement activities. The wall, like the occupation and settlements, is illegal under international law. Last month, it was revealed that Mary Easson, one of five members of the NSW branch of the pro-Israel lobby group the Australia Israel Labor Dialogue, is also a lobbyist for the Australian subsidiary of Elbit Systems. The Australia Israel Labor Dialogue was highly active in lobbying ALP members to reject motions at the NSW Labor conference critical of Israel or its supporters, including those calling for a boycott of the settlements. In response to the revelations about Easson's Elbit role, former foreign minister and former NSW premier Bob Carr called for greater transparency from the Australia Israel Labor Dialogue in how it raises its funds. Australia's political support for the settlements and continuing trade with Israeli arms companies that profit from the wall associated with the settlements is deeply problematic. It reveals a deep and dangerous double standard in how Australia responds to human rights abuses in one the world's most volatile regions. Compare it with the range of punitive sanctions Australia levels at other governments and groups in the region that also have highly problematic human rights records: Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Iraq, Hamas and other Palestinian groups. Last week I came across an online picture of two train passengers: an elderly woman perched on an aisle seat and a young man sitting on the floor nearby. They were not making eye contact, but they were holding hands. According to the photographer, Ehab Taha, the man had been shouting, swearing and moving about erratically. On his Facebook page Taha wrote: "While everyone was scared, this one ... woman reached out her hand, tightly gripping his hand until he calmed down ... I spoke to the woman after this incident and she simply said, 'I'm a mother and he needed someone to touch'." My viewing of this photograph should have induced a renewed sense of human compassion. Instead, I felt a wave of despondency crash on my emotional shore. I knew I would not have reached out a hand to that man. Treating people suffering from mental illness with compassion is a huge step towards a kinder world. In 1998, as a first-year university student, I was walking along a busy Melbourne street. It was lunchtime; the city was filled with people. Suddenly a man came rushing at me. His face was hard, his fists clenched. As he came closer he grabbed the neck of his T-shirt with both hands and ripped the fabric apart, right down the front. Then he looked me in the eye and screamed, "I'll fight you, you c---!" I didn't feel empathy or pity for this man. I didn't sense loneliness in his contorted features. It didn't occur to me that he might just need somebody to touch. I was terrified. My response had nothing to do with compassion. In that moment I only cared about my own safety, so I ran up the street and dodged around a bin. I'm not going to lie, friends: up until last night I thought technophobic hyperbole about the imminent rise of the machines was nothing more than the ranting of paranoid freaks. Sure, there have been huge strides in artificial intelligence in recent times, from natural language chatbots to Apple's phone robot Siri to Facebook's weirdly targeted ads. However, each of those systems have certain undeniable flaws. And artificial intelligence is a popular thing about which to irrationally panic, thanks to half a century of warnings about the robopocalypse. Films have been clear about this, whether it's HAL's strident anti-pod bay door agenda in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the time-travelling murderbots of the Terminator franchise or the dystopian nightmare of having Scarlett Johansson trapped inside your computer in Her (not to be confused with the genuinely terrifying Scarlett Johansson machine some Hong Kong roboticist recently built for reasons we should definitely not think about too deeply but all immediately assume). Noah Taylor with his untitled paintings at his new exhibition at Lindberg Galleries. Credit:Simon Schluter "Everyone in my family is a published author," he says. Best known as an actor, starring in the 1996 film Shine and more recently appearing in TV mega-hit Game of Thrones, he's also a musician who has toured with his band and, after exhibitions in London and Sydney, is gaining a reputation as an artist to watch. Noah Taylor, Untitled No. 2, 170 x 100cm. Credit:NOAH TAYLOR Now the Melbourne-raised Taylor, who has lived in the UK for two decades, is showing his art at Collingwood's Lindberg Galleries, his first exhibition in his home town. Gallery director David Moulday cold-called Taylor after seeing his paintings and was delighted he agreed to create new works specifically for the untitled show. The bulk of the paintings are small, colour portraits of characters who look like they could inhabit the pages of a graphic novel (a result, perhaps, of his interest in comics, an influence even more pronounced in an earlier large black and white work at the gallery). We Will Rock You writer and director Ben Elton has made an impassioned plea to keep Australia's live music scene alive, as it faces the threat of lockout laws and the all-consuming internet. The musical, which is based on Elton's book and uses the music of Queen, is returning to Australia after 13 years - and it's message has resonance now more than ever. 'We need pub rock' ... Director Ben Elton has spoken out for the need to support live venues in Australia. Credit:Janie Barrett We Will Rock You is set in a future world where live entertainment, particularly rock 'n' roll, is banned. "Technology moves on and suddenly the iPhone happens, and we were kind of predicting it and suddenly instead of being the future it's actually happening right now. There's no record shops anymore. People are downloading their stuff," Elton said in Sydney on Thursday. 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown and a film crew have been detained by Lebanese police after trying to film the recovery of two Australian children who had been taken to Beirut by their Lebanese father. Brown, veteran producer Steven Rice and a cameraman were reporting on an operation to recover the two children of Brisbane woman Sally Faulkner from her former husband Ali Elamine. The children, Lahela, 6, and Noah, 4, were taken to Lebanon for a holiday by Mr Elamine who runs a Beirut surf business. Despite promising the holiday would last for only a short period of time Mr Elamine is alleged to have refused to return the children to Australia. Scott and Michelle Robertson in Wagga Wagga with their kids Lila, 1, and Charlie, 3. Credit:Les Smith They hope to be able to buy their own home later this year. "The first 12 months was really a trial to see if it was going to work," Scott says. "It is working for us so we want to try to be here on a more permanent basis. There is a chance that if it doesn't work, one day, with the business we might have to go back but we're hoping that doesn't happen and [that] we do have enough saved if we do go back." Feeling less under the pump financially makes for a happier home life, says Michelle. "We don't have that financial stress of, 'how are we going to enter the market in Sydney?'," she says. "We're happier here because we feel like we can, that's achievable you can get a beautiful home for around $400,000 here, which is just so unachievable in Sydney, it really is." Former Melburnians Cathy Parry and Chris Guest also managed to transplant their small businesses in their case, to the goldfields town of Castlemaine, 120 kilometres from the state capital, for similar reasons to the Robertsons. They moved seven years ago, with one young son in tow and a second on the way, after despairing of ever owning a home in a city where prices were hovering at the $500,000 mark. "Chris had friends in Castlemaine and we would visit regularly and after looking at a few other places we decided Castlemaine was the place that we wanted to be," Parry says. "Because my partner's an architect he wanted to build for himself and we found a little block of land and it was something like $76,000, right in town." Parry runs an industrial sewing business and while both she and Guest work locally, they travel to Melbourne about once a month. It's a 90-minute drive or a little longer on the train. The costs of country living are lower but so too are opportunities to climb the greasy pole or pull in the big bucks, says Parry. "We both set ourselves up so we would have a mix [of clients]," she says. "Especially in a regional area, you do need to have a lot of different irons on the fire because we can't ever assume that one's going to keep going. "If being financially well off is important to you then there's less opportunity for that here, I'd suggest." Promoting relocation Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson is the chairman of Evocities, a marketing campaign launched in 2010 to encourage city folk to move to the NSW regional cities of Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga. The median house price across the seven cities is $366,000, according to Dickerson. That buys a three-bedroom brick house on 800 square metres a snip compared with median prices of $718,000 in Melbourne and north of a million in Sydney. Most Evocities relocators are in their "early family" stage, and typically they'll find a job in the region before upping sticks. The unemployment rate across the Evocities sits at around 3.9 per cent and Dickerson believes comprehensive rollout of the NBN it's currently available in Armidale and Tamworth will make relocation even more attractive to young families: "It will make it an easier sell. It's another piece of the puzzle." Lower priced living may be a major draw but look before you leap, because the largest cost associated with regional relocation is change of mind, financial adviser James Gerrard warns. If you own a capital city property, keep it and rent in your new location, he advises. It's a safer approach than selling up, only to find yourself priced out of the capital a couple of years down the track, if the bucolic charm wears thin and city prices have risen faster than those in the country. "It can be a shock to the system when you move," Gerrard says. "[People think] country, fresh air, save lots of money but once you're there that lifestyle may not agree with everybody. People who've never lived in the country before need to be very careful when planning such a big move." Accommodating children in their university years if there are no study options close by can be an added cost of regional living and after they've graduated you'll be shelling out to visit them, Melbourne financial adviser Steve Enticott points out. "Move to a country town your kids' career options are going to be in the city, so you will lose them," he says. If you've decided smaller town life is for you, shift somewhere that's an easy journey back to the capital and organise things so you don't have to make it too often, Enticott adds. "If you're on a train line it's not so bad an hour and a half, three hours you catch up with your emails, have a nap, read the paper, do all those sorts of things but if you've got to get in your car and drive for three hours, that's a nightmare," he says. "I tell people to avoid it if they can. If you're working, you should be working where you move, not trying to commute to a big city. That's the whole idea, you move to the country, your income's less and your costs are less, especially from a housing point of view." Career change Job options are less plentiful and salaries often lower outside major cities so finding a regional role you're happy with can necessitate reinventing yourself, according to Albury real estate agent David O'Connell, 40. He traded inner-city lifestyle and a career as a recruitment consultant in Melbourne for his current gig five years ago. "There aren't the opportunities for the salaries in a regional area that you can get in a metropolitan area or capital city, but it does afford you a really good lifestyle," O'Connell says. Lower outgoings enabled his wife Jill to spend the past five years caring full-time for their daughters Lilah, 6, and Eden, 4. She recently returned to work part-time, as an events co-ordinator at a local restaurant. The family bought a house in central Albury for $300,000 shortly before the move and have found their other costs on par with those in Melbourne. "We haven't sacrificed anything," David says. "If anything, we probably live better than we do in the city." They make the three-hour journey to Melbourne regularly for a city hit "there might be a restaurant that we want to try or we'll take the kids to the zoo" but are planning to stay put. "I wouldn't move back to a city now at all," O'Connell says. The Presbyterian Church has stood behind Scots College principal Ian Lambert, after an emergency meeting to decide the future of the Bellevue Hill school. The decision comes despite advice from former NSW judge Ken Handley that the church's trustees acted with "fundamental jurisdictional error" in replacing the Scots College school council to save the job of its principal. On Wednesday, more than 100 delegates shuffled through the leafy streets of Roseville to the stained-glass halls of the Presbyterian church. "It's the calm before the storm," remarked one delegate as Dr Lambert marched in, flanked by two supporters. Another said: "We hope that relationships will be mended." Opposition to Sydney's $16.8 billion WestConnex motorway project is gathering pace after Marrickville Council used its powers to try to block contractors from accessing roads to carry out preliminary work. In a further sign of the level of resentment in the city's inner west to the project, the council has refused to grant WestConnex a road operating permit to install underground electricity mains to service the proposed spaghetti junction of motorway ramps at St Peters. The council, which has been a vocal opponent of the new motorway, rejected the permit to work on eight roads on the grounds that government approval has yet to be given for the second stage of the project. It is has told WestConnex and subcontractors that it will not consider other applications to carry out work until the project is approved. Do you often find yourself thirsty? Tired? Any darkened spots on your skin, or a bruise that just won't seem to go away? You may have diabetes and not know it. Up to 500,000 Australians have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Another two million are on the cusp of developing the potentially deadly disease. One in three of those at risk will develop the disease over the next 10 years unless they take action. The number of people around the world with diabetes has quadrupled since 1980 from 108 million to 422 million in 2014, according to a new study published in the UK medical journal, The Lancet. Nothing has been committed beyond a name and a route, but the latest incarnation of Brisbane's Cross River Rail project has ruffled northern feathers, with Bob Katter claiming the announcement was yet another reason to divide Queensland into two states. Mr Katter said he was "outraged" by the estimated $5.2 billion project, adding Brisbane already had plenty of tunnels, while the north had "nothing". "Brisbane ALREADY has 21 kilometres of tunnels and nearly 200 overpasses!," he said in a statement, complete with exclamation marks and capital letters. "Sydney only has 14 kilometres of tunnels and it's twice the size of Brisbane!" Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten will throw his weight behind the new cross-river underground rail for Brisbane, declaring it his highest priority for the city. Tipped to be revealed on Thursday, a new proposal is for the Cross River Rail to run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills and include a 5km tunnel beneath the Brisbane River and the CBD. Mr Shorten is expected to say a federal Labor government would assist with funding the rail project, which was previously floated in former premier Campbell Newman's government. AAP After years of promises, at least two different routes, more promises, and a constant stream of political rhetoric over funding, Queensland's most important infrastructure project is once again on the table. Acting Premier Jackie Trad and Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe will "unveil the new design and alignment" for the Cross River Rail project on Thursday, a transport project which has been listed as vital by Infrastructure Australia and successive state governments for the last seven years. Brisbane has one inner-city rail crossing across the river - the Merivale Bridge. The latest announcement will see a 10.2 kilometre alignment from Dutton Park to the Ekka Showgrounds at Bowen Hills, through Albert Street. The High Court ruled on Wednesday this week that HIV-positive Godfrey Zaburoni was not guilty of intentionally transmitting the virus to his (now ex) partner, despite his knowledge of his HIV-positive status and the transmission risks of unprotected sex. The prosecution did not have the evidence of intention beyond reasonable doubt that is required under Queensland's criminal laws for a conviction. Therefore, in the eyes of the law, Zaburoni is instead only guilty of the lesser charge of grievous bodily harm. Godfrey Zaburoni was jailed in 2013 after infecting his girlfriend with HIV. Zaburoni concealed his HIV-positive status from the victim and had unprotected sex with her on many occasions during their 19-month relationship in 2007-08. A grade 5 sex education class could tell that Zaburoni either knew or could have predicted the HIV transmission risk, but that is not the test here. Proving he knew or could predict that he would transmit HIV to his partner is not the same as proving he actually intended that outcome. It's close but not close enough under the current laws. Some public outcry over the High Court decision has been misdirected towards the judges, when it belongs squarely at the feet of Queensland lawmakers. Judges are bound by the law, and in this case the law requires the prosecution to prove intention beyond reasonable doubt. There's no point shooting the messengers. A passenger injured in a helicopter crash swam 800 metres to shore to raise the alarm, sparking a large-scale search for a missing pilot in far north Queensland. The Robinson R22 helicopter ditched into waters about 800 metres off the Noah Beach camping area about 7.45pm Thursday night. Police said the passenger, a 43-year-old Port Douglas man, borrowed a camper's phone but had to walk to high ground to get reception. He told police he intended to go back and search for the 50-year-old pilot and helicopter owner after calling the Queensland Ambulance Service but a police spokesman said he did not return to the water. Drought-affected communities in Victoria's north-central districts will be hooked up to the state's water grid under an $80 million plan to lay 1300 kilometres of new pipes. The project will connect the isolated Wimmera Mallee pipeline system to the rest of the state in what Water Minister Lisa Neville said was "game-changing." North-central Victoria is set to be connected to the state's water grid in an $80 million plan. Premier Daniel Andrews, on a two-day tour of drought ravaged regions, announced on a farm outside Wedderburn on Thursday that the south-west Loddon Shire would be connected to the grid through West Waranga Channel, near Bendigo and the Wimmera Mallee pipeline. Since coming to office the Andrews government has stressed the importance of an interconnected state water grid, allowing authorities to move water around the state where it was needed most. Manjula O'Connor, an Indian-born psychiatrist and Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health director, has been campaigning to ban dowry in Australia. She said the recommendations would give greater clarity to authorities, and a voice to the victims. Premier Daniel Andrews has said he will implement all recommendations of the 1900-page report. Now the Royal Commission into Family Violence has recommended that within 12 months the Victorian government should include dowry-related abuse as a form of family violence - in particular economic abuse . The young woman had barely exchanged a few words with her husband before marrying him. Credit:Joe Armao "When the young women goes to the police and say, 'He has kept my dowry, he has got my gold, and all the cash', police say to the girls,'We don't know what you mean by dowry?'" Dr O'Connor said. "When they explain it is a gift, [the police] say, 'Why did you give so much gifts in the first place?' They have no cultural awareness of the pressure the family are under to give these huge amounts of gifts. "What this will do is make them [the women] feel heard and validated, and it will allow the judiciary to document, and the police to document the words 'dowry-related gifts' in their statement." In 2014, former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu tabled a petition in State Parliament calling for the practice of dowry to be made illegal in Victoria. For Simran, the relentless coercion for money spelt the end of her young dreams. Amsterdam: The Dutch government may reconsider ratifying a treaty on closer European Union ties with Ukraine after a vast majority of voters rejected the agreement in a non-binding referendum. The outcome of the referendum was too close to call, with early tallies indicating that a 30 per cent turnout, required for it to be valid, was only marginally met. Flags of the Dutch EU presidency and campaign posters for the referendum on the EU-Ukraine agreement in The Hague on Wednesday. Credit:AP "It's clear that 'No' have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient," Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is facing general elections next year, said in a televised reaction. Beijing: Fresh revelations to emerge from the cache of 11.5 million leaked documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca have exposed further links to senior Chinese political figures, including a relative of Chairman Mao. A new China-focused report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on Thursday named the relatives of eight current and former members of the Communist Party's elite leadership who have set up or invested in companies incorporated in offshore tax havens. It came as the mainland's internet censors continued to order the blanket deletion of "all content related to Panama Papers" as more politically sensitive details continue to emerge from the 2.6 terabyte trove of data, first obtained by journalists at German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. The current Broadway production of Becky Mode's solo comedy Fully Committed, starring five-time Emmy Award nominee Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), has released production photos. As the show's only actor, Ferguson plays more than 40 characters. Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Fully Committed at the Lyceum Theatre. ( Joan Marcus) Fully Committed follows a day in the life of Sam, a reservation-line receptionist at one of New York's trendiest restaurants. The play, inspired by characters Mode created with Mark Setlock (who originated the role), was first presented at the Vineyard Theatre in 1999, transferring to the Cherry Lane Theatre and running for nearly 700 performances. Jason Moore directs Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Fully Committed. ( Joan Marcus) Under the direction of Jason Moore, Fully Committed begins performances Friday, April 1, and opens Monday, April 25. The limited engagement runs through July 24. This marks Ferguson's return to Broadway for the first time since originating the role of Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2005. Fully Committed opens April 25 for a run through July 24. ( Joan Marcus) For tickets and more information, click here. Broadway Bound Kids, a New York City performing arts education organization, will host the first annual Broadway Bee on Monday, May 9, at 7pm at the Cutting Room. Featuring actors from current hit musicals, the adults-only spelling bee will raise funds to benefit the organization. Hosted by Rebecca Feldman and Jay Reiss, the original creators of the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the event is described as follows: "Ten teams, each representing a Broadway show, are encouraged to pull out all the stops to correctly spell the words. Cheating is encouraged and drinking is allowed the more funds each team raises, the more they will get to cheat!" The roster of participants includes Jose Llana (from the original Broadway cast of Spelling Bee), two-time Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten!), Drew Gehling (Waitress), Melvin Tunstall and Jessica Keenan Wynn (Beautiful), Karl Kenzler (Fiddler on the Roof), Joseph Medeiros (Matilda), Mary Page Nance (Finding Neverland), and Jonah Platt (Wicked). Founded in 2004, Broadway Bound Kids provides school-based performing arts residencies, community-based workshops and summer programs, master classes with Broadway professionals, full-scale musical productions, and trips to see Broadway shows. The goal is to ensure that all kids have access to the performing arts regardless of their financial resources. For tickets and more information, click here. DETROIT & TEL AVIV, Israel April 7, 2016; Security announced today that it is coming out of stealth mode to launch its unique approach to in-car security. Karamba has purpose-built an ECU endpoint solution that protects a car's externally connected components, identifying attack attempts and blocking exploits from infiltrating the car's network to ensure drivers' safety. The FBI's recent warning has highlighted the cybersecurity risks of the increasingly connected car. Attackers have been able to infiltrate and take control over car systems, even killing a car's engine as it drove on the freeway. Karamba enables car companies to protect their automobiles from these threats by hardening Electronic Control Units (ECUs) that are open to external access (via the Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), so they can't be used by hackers to infiltrate the car's network and launch attacks. With Karamba, automotive companies can embed robust security detection and enforcement capabilities directly on the ECU to ensure only explicitly allowed code and applications can be loaded and run on the controller. Karamba blocks any foreign code, which means the controller is safe from attackers, regardless of how they entered (via the internet, USB drive, service port, etc.), with no false alarms. "Customers have been very excited about our ECU endpoint approach," said Ami Dotan, CEO of Karamba Security. "By stopping attacks at the ECU, attackers can't make it inside the car's network, which means the car's ongoing operations are safe. Our early warning and malware prevention capabilities allow car companies to provide drivers smart vehicles that will get them where they want to go, safely." "At CVTA we see a growing need for cybersecurity to ensure drivers' safety, as connected cars may become a target for hackers," said Scott J. McCormick, President of the Connected Vehicle Trade Association. "Early detection of cyberattack attempts and prevention of malware without false positive risks are essential to immunize cars against malicious software. We are impressed with Karamba Security's unique approach, which can be used to provide early warnings of attack attempts and prevent malware from infiltrating the safety controllers of both new and existing cars." Karamba received $2.5 million in seed funding from YL Ventures and from GlenRock, Leon Recantai's private investment company. The company has been focused on developing its technology, after validating it extensively with leading automotive companies. "We were impressed with Karamba's unique focus on developing an unobtrusive solution to the cybersecurity problems of the automotive industry," said Yoav Leitersdorf, Managing Partner of YL Ventures. "The experience of the team gave us confidence they could take a unique, shrink wrapped, approach and make it a reality." Karamba's co-founders are Ami Dotan, Tal Ben-David, David Barzilai and Assaf Harel. Tal and Assaf bring deep cybersecurity expertise, from their days managing Check Point Software Technologies, (CHKP) endpoint security research and development teams; while Ami and David bring entrepreneurial experience building successful Business to Business companies. About Karamba Security Karamba Security is a pioneer in ECU endpoint security to protect the connected car. The company hardens the connected Electronic Control Units (ECUs) within automobiles to protect them from cyber-attacks and ensure the car's safe, ongoing operations. To learn more, please visit www.karambasecurity.com. About YL Ventures YL Ventures is a global venture capital firm that invests in cybersecurity, cloud computing, big data and SaaS companies, with particular focus on the Israeli market. YL Ventures accelerates the evolution of portfolio companies via strategic advice and Silicon Valley-based operational execution. For more information, please visit www.YLVentures.com. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America 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 Disused fire station set for 10m revamp HULLS employer-led university technical college has been given the green light for a 10m building. Hull City Council has given the go-ahead for the Ron Dearing UTC building in the city centre. Named after Hull-born educational reformer Lord Ron Dearing, the UTC will specialise in digital technology and mechatronics as well as academic subjects such as maths, English and science. The site earmarked for the development is currently occupied by a car park and disused fire station. Charlie Spencer OBE, chairman of the Ron Dearing UTC Trust and executive chairman of Hull-based specialist engineering business Spencer Group, said: Were delighted our planning application has been approved and would like to thank the committee for their support for this important development. Granting of planning consent will enable our plans to continue to move forward strongly. Once the conditions have been addressed, we anticipate construction will begin in early summer to enable the building to be complete, fully fitted out and equipped ready to welcome our first students in September 2017. The Ron Dearing UTC will have up to 600 students, aged 14 to 19. It is backed by the University of Hull and leading local employers KC, Siemens and Spencer Group and supported by Hull City Council. Recently the UTC announced the appointment of leading local headteacher Sarah Pashley as Principal Designate from the start of the 2017/18 academic year. For Dogs, its Trick and Treat Its almost Halloween, a great time to teach your dog a trick and give him a treat. Most trainers are fans of trick training. Its not as silly as it... Muzzle is not a bad word If you see a dog in a muzzle, you immediately think the dog is aggressive. Right? Well, this is not always true. Unfortunately, seeing a dog in a muzzle carries... A mythical sea creature might have bestowed its majesty on London. Alternatively, some marine mammals might be trapped in the citys Thames Riveragain. While crossing the Thames in a cable car last month, a YouTube user recorded footage of a moving shape in the river. The object surfaced to reveal two dark gray bumps, before retreating underwater. Marine mammals have appeared in the Thames in increasing numbers in recent years, often dead. But this most recent sighting, which looks conspicuously like a whale or two dolphins, has lead internet commenters to speculate that the video shows a mysterious Loch Ness-style river monster. This was on the cable car in Greenwich yesterday, YouTuber Penn Plate wrote in the description to his video, something huge was moving under the water and then briefly surfaced. Are there whales in the Thames?? Or is it some weird submarine. Some of his audience was less skeptical. [T]he lochness monster has moved to england, one commenter wrote. In order for the Loch Ness Monster to move to London, it would have to swim northeast to the top of Loch Ness, 12 miles through the relatively small River Ness, through the Beauly and Moray Firths, into the North Sea, down the length of Great Britain, and many miles along the Thames. The tripalmost 600 miles by land, and considerably longer by seawould move the Loch Ness Monster between freshwater and saltwater bodies, a dangerous environmental change that would also likely see the Loch Ness Monster run aground in some shallow inlets. The Loch Ness Monster would also have to be real. Common marine mammals are a more likely explanation for Penn Plates YouTube video. Londons Thames River has been the watery grave for a number of whales in the past decade, after the animals become trapped in the narrow waterway. In 2006, the city made headlines for a three-day whale rescue attempt. The 16-foot juvenile bottlenose whale became stuck in the Thames, gathering cuts and bruises from the river bottom and passing boats before rescuers managed to lift her from the water. The whale died of dehydration shortly after. Later that month, a porpoise and a sperm whale washed up on the rivers shores, followed by humpback whale in 2009. Penn Plates video might also depict no animals at all. The Loch Ness Monster is part of rich tradition of hoax photos and videosand some viewers suspect this latest video to be another prank. Penn Plate has only uploaded two YouTube videos, both on the same day. His profile displays no photograph, no email, and no identifying information other than his username, which does not appear to match any other social media handles. Penn has, however, licensed the video to Newsflare, an online video company that purchases rights to photos and videos, and sells them to news organizations. The videos original owners get a cut of the profits. Penn Plates original video has racked up well over one million views. Its content, however, is questionable. The 30-second video only shows the mysterious object for a second. The footage is shaky, filmed vertically from a cell phone, leading some commenters to question its authenticity. Look something awesome and spooky, one wrote. Better shake the camera as much as I can. MOSCOW Before the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released the now famous Panama Papers, the enormous leak of offshore financial records, almost nobody in Russia remembered that Vladimir Putins closest friend from the 1970s was a St. Petersburg musician named Sergei Roldugin. Even fewer could imagine that the cellist with an old- fashioned haircut lived a secret life offstage, allegedly plotting huge scams and moving more than $2 billion through a network of offshore bank accounts and companies. Many wondered if Roldugin could have done all that for his best friend, were curious to know why Putin chose the musician, and not a business tycoon, not an FSB agent or a judo sparring partner to be his finance man. So the mystery life of the soloist from the Mariinskiy Theater orchestra pit was quickly and widely discussed in Russian business and civil society circles when the news broke. I am so surprised, I have no wordsI always thought that somebody like the billionaire Timchenko or Putins sons-in-law would be his bag men, investigative reporter Pavel Kanygin told The Daily Beast. But maybe all of them were in the cross-hairs of tax police. And nobody expected that the bag man would be the cellist. The head of civil society organization Russia Behind The Bars, Olga Romanova, admitted she had never heard the name Roldugin before the Panama Papers. This is an amazing journalistic investigation, Romanova told The Daily Beast. I am very surprised to learn about Roldugin and now I am waiting to hear about Putins personal masseur, also supposedly a trustee, like Roldugin. I believe there are several men who Putin is using in his shadowy financial life. Russian experts agreed that the musician Roldugin was a perfect candidate for shadowy scams. If Roldugin was hiding the money for Putin, as his personal finance man, nobody was supposed to know about thatmoney, as we all know, likes silence, Moscow financial expert Aleksei Kozlov told The Daily Beast. Analyzing the transfers to one Mossack Fonseca, the company at the heart of the scandal, Kozlov said, All the deals are fake, their goal is to receive offshore money from big corporations and the receiver is a man close to the president, a politically exposed person, Kozlov said. Several Russian public figures assumed that the only politician Roldugin could be saving the money for was president Putin and that the musician did not inform the offshore company that he was a politically exposed person, or PEP, in the jargon of corruption investigations. (PEPs are individuals entrusted with prominent public functions that could be abused for money laundering, bribery and the like.) It would be difficult to prove that Roldugin was keeping money for the president, but the legalization of moneythe laundering of illicit fundswould be possible to investigate and punish for, as that was corruption, Kozlov told The Daily Beast. The vice-president of Transparency International, Yelena Panfilova, was impressed to learn about Roldugin: That was a very-very smart choice of a character, any transactions could be done through Roldugin, while it would be very difficult to catch and prosecute him for breaking both anti-money-laundering and anti-corruption laws, Panfilova said. He is an ideal instrument. While Russian officials mentioned in the Panama Papers denied their sins and threatened to sue the authors, the talk of the town in Moscow was about the punishment for Russian politicians, their friends and family members keeping money on offshore accounts. Where did Roldugin get the money from? Maxim Mironov, a professor at the IE Business School in Madrid, has studied Raldugins transactions. In the blog published on Echo of Moscow website, Mironov said that he was absolutely certain that the money was bribes given to the president. But if the money collected overseas for a decade came from various bribes to Putin, who would punish his friend? That was a difficult question even for Transparency International. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) delegates such issues to national jurisdictions and Russia, in spite of multiple promises for years, never created the record of PEPs. Indeed, given what we have now discovered, why would it? Confirmation is arriving on HBO at exactly the right moment. As President Obamas Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland languishes on the sidelines and Republicans refuse to even hold a hearing, the publics mind is on the Supreme Court. And with FXs smash hit The People vs. O.J. Simpson finishing its 10-episode run this week, TV viewers are primed for another true story from the Before he took on the role of the Supreme Court justice in HBOs Confirmation, the actor had to find empathy for a man whose politics he disagrees with 90s teeming with racial and sexual tensions that feel just as relevant 20 years later. The compelling new film chronicles the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas and stars Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, the woman who reluctantly came forward with sexual harassment allegations that almost ended her former bosss career. But while the Scandal star delivers an impressively nuanced portrayal of Hill, Wendell Pierce best known for playing Detective Bunk Moreland on The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste on Treme may have the harder job. He has to make viewers sympathize with Clarence Thomas. Ahead of Confirmations premiere next Saturday, April 16, Pierce spoke to The Daily Beast about taking on the role of a man whom he had long ago written off based on political differences alone. He also discusses the GOPs current obstructionism on the Supreme Court vacancy and the state of the 2016 presidential race. Below is the full transcript of our conversation. How did the part of Clarence Thomas come to you? The director Rick Famuyiwa called and said they were interested in me playing the role and I had a meeting. They told me Kerry Washington was producing, so that was great, and she was going to be in it. It was a classic, You know, we just want to have a meeting, but Im a realist. I brought the script and said, Hey, lets just read a couple of scenes. And that kind of sealed the deal for everyone. Justice Thomas hasnt spoken much in public recently. Did you examine old footage of him to capture his essence? Yeah, I had the confirmation tapes, which I looked at intensely, almost like a score of music. So I wanted to make sure that I had the exact phrasing, the exact inflections that he had and that actually opened up doors into how to play him. The most iconic linehigh-tech lynchingyou see that he probably wouldnt have said it. He sits back in his chair and you see that he has a moment of revelation. And he comes back to the mic and says it. To kind of study all the behavior opened the door to that sort of thought. And then internally I thought, its really not a political journey for him. It was a personal journey. It was a man at the height of his career, about to mount the summit, to go to the highest position in his field. And an event from his past comes back to haunt him, and possibly take that opportunity away from him. I knew he was self-reflective about it because he said it himself in the confirmation [hearings]. He said, I deny each and every one of these allegations. He said, But, if there is anything that I said or did to Anita Hill or any other woman, I apologize. And anyone who would say that means that theyre reflecting on whats happening. So that made it a personal journey for me. While his public persona we know, his personal persona was an enigma. And that phrase, high-tech lynching, do you remember when you heard that for the first time and how you reacted to it? I distinctly remember. I was glued to all of the hearings and used to watch it late into the night when they had all the different witnesses come in. I appreciated where it came from. Like many people, it was curious to me how he could understand institutional racial attitudes, but he would never allow in cases or in his legal briefs, and he would never allow anyone to use that same argument when it came to the defense of Affirmative Action. Thats where the conflict comes and the attitudes and community of people who really have strong feelings against him, it really comes from that. How you can understand it when it personally affects you, but never allow it when a plaintiff comes before you? So, that was the thing that struck me then, too. Like, wow, he has an understanding of it, but he doesnt share that same belief when someone asked for redress of a slight or a discrimination with Affirmative Action or other ways that we have collectively tried to redress racial issues. But even all of that aside, for me playing the role, I looked into how he came to that point. This is a man who is not only going through racial incidents at school, where no one believed him and called him epithets and told him he sounded stupid. But he was also seen in his community as country or geechee, so he was kind of ostracized on both sides. So that would make someone a little cautious when it comes to trusting people and a little defensive when people attack them and who they are. His family puts a great premium on education and thats how he was brought up, so he relied on that to embolden him, to defend himself at all costs. So I saw it as a reaction of that man, a man who is very protective of his character and integrity, and more importantly, his love of family and the relationship he had with his son. Because it really concerned him how Jamal would see him, how he looked in Jamals eyes. So that was the personal thing that I tried to connect with. Did you find it easier to empathize with Thomas as you inhabited the character compared to when you were watching him on television? Ill be the first to say that I had preconceived notions about the justice. All of my preconceived notions come from the political side. Its an open secret that we dont share the same politics, so thats why people always ask me, How did you take this role? Hes a man first and so researching him gave me a broader view of who he was personally. And I found out something that was a surprise. It wasnt how little we had in common but how much we had in common. African-American families from the South, five generations back from slavery to the violence of Jim Crow, who valued education. My familys from a little place in Plattenville, Louisiana. We value education so much. The area is called College Point. Going back to the beginning of the 20th century, we sought to go to college. My grandfather used to be ostracized and made fun of because they would say, Youre wasting time sending all those girls to college. That was frowned upon to send girls to college when it was illegal to go past the sixth grade for blacks in Louisiana. We had all of that in common, so it really opened the door to who he was as a man, for me. Do you have to know in your mind whether Thomas is guilty of sexually harassing Anita Hill in order to effectively play him on screen? Like I said, that window of self-reflection that he opened up for me made me realize that he was thinking about what had happened. Being a student of human behavior as an actor, you always realize, even when youre accused of something, the first rational impulse is always, I didnt do that, I couldnt have done that. Because even if a person had, they rationalize whatever their behavior was. If they did do it with full awareness, I think thats pathological. Yeah, I did it. And Ill lie about it, I dont care. Hes not a man of that sort of pathology. Hes a man of strong principles, whether you agree with him or not. And Im sure that his self-reflection first came from a place of, Theres nothing that I could have done. I did not do this, I disagree with it. He says it in that statement: I deny all of these allegations. And then upon self-reflection, he considered the possibility of him not being aware of it. He said, if I did do something, I apologize for it. And I think that was the journey that he took. And its the same journey that I took. My opinion gets in the way of playing the role. You try to inhabit the role by putting yourself in his position and approach it like a psychologist would. What are all the things that would influence his opinions about it? And his self-reflection has nothing to do with my opinion of him. Afterwards, I look at now and I kind of agree with the fact that he did not feel that he did anything and he was looking for a way to be aware of what possibly could have happened. If anything happened, it probably happened without him being aware. A couple of Republican senators who were on the Judiciary Committee have lobbed complaints at HBO, saying the film makes them look bad. Do you think their objections have any merit? No, theyre knee-jerk reactions. Theyre protecting their political agenda. Theyre protecting their viewpoint. Some of the complaints of how Angela Wright was handled, that you dont know exactly what happened, and it didnt happen the way you think it didwhat they were complaining about not being in the film is actually in the film. So you knew, immediately, they didnt see the film. Its a knee-jerk reaction that I expected, [with the film] being political and being historical, people are going to try to protect how theyre viewed. Since then, some of those same Republicans have seen the film and said, Oh no, OK, its fair. What I hope for the film is that people see it and realize the real importance of confirming Supreme Court justices. Because generations are affected by their decisions. And I hope that we would be able to learn also from this film that it is in no ones best interest to have the level of political discourse that we have now, with this partisan back and forth. Theres a scorched-earth policy now. If we cant win, lets just burn the whole thing down. That doesnt work for anyone. I would hope that in their own self-interest, even then, people say, We cant burn the house down. Lets figure out how to work this out. Were seeing that even now with Republicans in Congress refusing to even hold a hearing for President Obamas Supreme Court nominee. What do you make of that decision? They should at least meet with him. They should begin the process. Do your condemnation within the process. Dont destroy the process in the attempt to uphold your agenda. Allow the process to happen and you have a multitude of variables and places where you can condemn the nominee and actually stop the nomination. But people believe that itll work to their benefit in this election year, so thats what its all about. Right now, I never thought Id say this, but I feel for Paul Ryan. Because right now thats their brightest spot. Theres a civil war going on in the Republican Party. But you know, its nothing new. Do you think Obama made the right call in nominating someone who is a little older and more moderate or do you wish hed taken a bigger swing? I dont know enough about the nominee. Im glad that he made a nomination. There are some people on the Democratic side who dont like the nomination either, because they do think hes too moderate, that he may not be the justice that they think he is. I think his nomination is really close to who Anthony Kennedy is. Hes going to be a swing guy that we dont know about. It will be really interesting to see his confirmation hearing. If it ever happens. I dont think its going to happen. Because the Republican senators are entrenched. You said you make no secret of your own personal politics. You have been a little critical of Bernie Sanders on Twitter, questioning how realistic some of his bigger promises are. Where are you in the Democratic primary between Bernie and Hillary? That was one tweet, cmon. Someone attacked me because I said something nice about Hillary. I said, just consider this, young people. I love the fact that hes engaged young people and got them active. I think its a beautiful thing. I think its really great that hes gotten them involved. But theres a consistency in challenges of all the candidates. Trump being off-the-cuff and kind of wild and out there to the right. Cruz having burned bridges with everybody in his party. To Hillary, people say I dont trust you or whatever. People are consistent with their complaints. And with Bernie, its the facts. Yes, hes great, I love a lot of things he says. But hes spent 30 years in Congress and how many bills have you offered? Its the same complaint. We all know about the three bills, two of them that moved a post office in Vermont. You would hope that somebody offered more bills [that became law] than that in 30 years, thats all. I have not made my decision. Ive contributed money on both sides of the aisle, actually. Im going to let this primary season play out. I know the media is enjoying it because its the most active participation and ratings and readership and everything. People are going to see an open convention for the first time, and not just on House of Cards. Its going to be very interesting. Im just happy that our film is coming out with a heightened sense of civic awareness thats happening now. People realize the responsibility that we have as citizens. They work for us. People have to be actively involved. Like I tell people all the time, there is blood on that ballot box, of people who died overseas and people who died on these roads of Mississippi and Alabama to give us our right to vote. So we should exercise that. In the wake of last years loss on same-sex marriage, the Christian Right has begun to act tactically, attacking what it perceives to be the LGBT equality movements weakest links. And yet amazingly, this strategy is backfiring. Not only is the right failing to make their easiest cases, they are hardening opposition in those very cases, losing key battles in the areas of transgender rights and religious freedom. Consider the strategy in North Carolina. North Carolinas Republican legislature and governor used what they thought would be their best tactic to repeal anti-discrimination ordinances, one that that worked in Houston and elsewhere: that pro-LGBT laws would let men use womens restrooms. This is a lie on many levels: Restrooms are only one possible application of non-discrimination ordinances, which are actually about jobs and schools; transgender women are not men; there are no recorded instances of sexual predators exploiting such laws in order to attack women. But its a lie that works. Boys and girls showering together sounds like the latest in P.C. craziness, and people dont like it. And yet, the only way North Carolina could pass the law was in a bizarre special session, passing a bill that no one seems to have read. The bill was so overbroad, it was like putting out a match with a fire hose. And it was passed like a midnight massacre, suddenly and taking everyone by surprise. This may seem like a victory, but in the long run, it will go down as a loss. The reaction has been swift, from Fortune 500 companies to religious leaders to celebrities. (Among others, PayPal just canceled plans to expand in the state.) The law has been widely condemned, and Gov. Pat McCrory is on the defensive. What he presumably hoped would help shore up his base now threatens to alienate the moderate voters he needs to win reelection this year. And notice what North Carolina didnt do. They didnt mount a frontal attack on Charlottes anti-discrimination law. They didnt argue that gay people shouldnt get special rights. They sneaked in under the cover of a lie, and still lost, first in the court of public opinion and next, probably, in courts of law. But their defeat goes even further: Even within their own false context, theyre losing. This is not the way trans advocates wanted to have a public conversation about gender identity, but here the conversation is, and, not unlike same-sex marriage, trans people are persuading people simply by telling the truth. There are little transgender girls out there, kids like Coy Mathis who were born biologically male but who have dressed like girls, played with girl toys, and understood themselves to be girls since as long as they could talk. And there are butch transgender men like the bearded, country-boy-looking James Sheffield, whose Twitter post to Gov. McCroryIts now the law for me to share a restroom with your wifehas gone viral. Thanks to North Carolinas odious, ignorant law, these folks are now able to tell their stories to wider audiences. And when they connect, on a human level, with reasonable people willing to listen, they are their own best advocates. The second tactic of the Right has been to talk about religion. Fine, the argument goes, youve won on same-sex marriage. But dont force churches to host gay weddings, dont force religious bakers to bake gay cakes. Because, religion! This, too, is partly a lie. Under clear First Amendment precedent, no church could ever be compelled to host any wedding of any sort. The government cant make an Orthodox synagogue host an interfaith wedding, and it cant make a Catholic church host a gay wedding. This is how it is, how it should be, and how its going to stay. But the Rights attempt to move out from there to include for-profit businesses (bakers and otherwise) has run into trouble, most recently in Georgia, where the Republican governor, Nathan Deal, vetoed a religious freedom bill that would have enabled businesses to discriminate for religious reasons, under heavy pressure from dozens of large corporations including the National Football League. Unlike North Carolina, the Georgia fight has been brewing for a while. A similar bill failed last year, after conservatives including Mike Bowers (the former attorney general named in Bowers v. Hardwick, a 1986 Supreme Court decision upholding a sodomy ban) said it undermined the rule of law. By the time it came around this year, a similar coalition of businesses, celebrities, advocates, and religious leaders was ready. Once again, the religious baker and the pious florist should be the easiest cases for the Right. Theyre businesses, yes, but theyre often small businesses run by individuals who sincerely dont want any part of a gay wedding. The real stakes are much higher, though: corporations wanting to be able to fire LGBT people, hospital systems seeking to refuse them treatment, insurance companies not wanting to pay for transgender health care, and so on. The baker is just a Rights poster child, the sympathetic face of a nasty corporate movement. And yet even the baker is losing. People dont think its fair that some folks dont have to obey the same laws as everyone. Businesses are worried about being perceived as anti-gay by association, or about falling behind when it comes to recruiting the best employees, 5 percent of whom are likely to be LGBT. And in vetoing the bill, Gov. Deal was able to sound some pretty mainstream themes: Georgia is a welcoming state filled with warm, friendly, and loving people. Hardly smash the church, smash the state. As with North Carolina Republicans anti-trans gambit, Georgia Republicans religious ploy has backfired. Even their best poster children couldnt compete with big business on the one hand and common sense on the other. They tried to sneak massive discriminatory legislation inside a bakers hat, but they even lost the baker. Of course, its far too early for LGBT activists to claim victory. First, there are always places like Mississippi, which just passed an even worse anti-LGBT bill than North Carolinas or Georgias, which doesnt have the same kind of big business presence to fight it. Second, there is so much money behind this movement from billionaire foundations (like the Bradleys, DeVoses, Coorses, and Greens) that its not going to go away anytime soon. Third, the Republican Party has no moderates left to alienate, e.g., witness Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Finally, its risky to fight these battles on the rights turf. Five years ago, most Americans didnt know what transgender even meant, and even today, Im sure there are many women who would feel uncomfortable peeing next to Caitlyn Jenner. We can call that transphobia if we like, but the fear is understandable; this can all seem quite sudden, new, and threatening. Indeed, thats exactly why the Right is trying to exploit the fears that are out there. Ultimately, though, what the left has that the right doesnt have is truth. Im not naive enough to think thats enough to win every battle but it certainly does help. Just as gay men are not getting married in order to more effectively recruit youngsters to homosexuality, trans women are not transitioning in order to spy on the ladies room. There are actually facts of the matter, and theyre almost all on one side. That, I think, is why these tactics are backfiring. For an ostensibly religious movement, theyre awfully cynical maneuvers. And sometimes, lying to folks is a bad idea. You have no people. You are no longer my son. The first issue of the much-hyped, Ta-Nehisi Coates-penned Black Panther limited series landed at comic book shops this Wednesday, with fans of the titular character and fans of one of Americas most visible cultural commentators clamoring to see what Coates can do with Marvel Comics second most mythic African character (Storm still holds a special place in the publics collective heart and in Marvel lore.) With the superhero set to make his motion picture debut in May alongside Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, and the rest of the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, and with a Ryan Coogler-helmed Black Panther film slated for 2017, all eyes are on TChalla right now. A Nation Under Our Feet opens with Black Panther tormented by his own feelings of failure and regret, struggling with issues of identity and responsibility. Wakanda is in turmoil and support for TChalla at low ebb, raising the question of what happens if his people reject him. In one of the issues most compelling moments, TChallas stepmother, Ramonda, conveys to the frustrated hero that intelligence must inform all actionand that the burden of leadership is heavy. But hes confused and angry. The country is on the brink of civil war, and Black Panther himself may resort to desperate measures to resolve the bloodshed.Because of Coatess status as one of the more high-profile commentators on race in America, its hard not to read a lot of it as an allegory for the conflicting elements that contribute to so much of the black experiencea legacy of righteous rebellion born of oppressions weight. And this character and story is the perfect vessel to address and examine those realities. I think over the past year I have enjoyed, to be frank with you, an amount of success I did not expect, I never expected to happen, Coates told NPR when discussing his work on the book. When that happens, people place you in certain positions you did not even necessarily ask for, and I found myself writing about that in the comic book. And Coates also acknowledged how the characters angst mirrors anyones expected to be a leader or a spokesperson: If they say, You king of the blacks, youre king of the blackswhether you like it or not. You understand what Im saying? Even if you in your heart never accept it and you can say it over and over and over again, people have a perception of you nonetheless. But to bring that back to TChalla, that was how I got to the character being in a position where he felt committed to do certain things, but in his heart was really not there, Coates continued. It just really wasnt who he washe was someone else. And its like where we began this conversation. In my heart, Im a comic book writer, I am, and I dont necessarily see that in conflict in the kind of essay writing I do with The Atlantic, but when people hear that theyre like, What? Black Panther was created in the late 1960s, when black awareness was at its most visible. He debuted in the pages of the Fantastic Four before becoming a fixture in The Avengers and in the early 1970s, landing a centralized role in the Jungle Action series. Black Panther landed his own self-titled series in the late 70s, but it was cancelled after just 15 issues. Despite a 1989 mini-series, Black Panther had been relegated to the background of my mind as a young comic book fan in the late 80s. I knew him mostly from older issues of The Avengers and Marvel Whos Who books, but he didnt seem anywhere near as emphasized as other Marvel mainstays. As such, I grew up much more versed in the X-Men and Spider-Man than I did the King of Wakanda. But, as has been well-documented, the late 90s series by Christopher Priest reinvigorated the character after decades of being underappreciated, and Reginald Hudlins take on the character from 10 years ago fortified his origin story. Black Panther became one of the coolest characters in the modern Marvel universeand the timing couldnt be better. You are not a soldier. You are a king. Marvel superheroes have become more high-profile than ever over the past 10-15 years via acclaimed and popular movies and television shows. Even people who have never set foot in a comic book store can now offer some casual commentary on characters like Wolverine, Daredevil, and Thor, but for the most part, black characters have only been afforded a peripheral spotlight. Its easy to forget that the comic book film renaissance of the 2000s largely started with 1998s Bladea film about a somewhat secondary Marvel character that starred Wesley Snipes and grossed $131 million worldwide. After the X-Men and Spider-Man film series launched, and following the emergence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most black superheroes featured have been relatively ancillary. Thats why fans were understandably excited when it was announced that Black Panther would be making an appearance in Captain America: Civil War and subsequently, would take center stage in his own 2018 feature film. Weve seen Storm, Nick Fury, Falcon, and War Machine onscreen fighting bad guysbut Black Panther will be the first Marvel hero to land a starring gig since Blade almost 20 years ago. An African hero of royal lineage who watches over a technologically and culturally advanced nation makes for an intriguing movie character, and one that fans have been clamoring for. This current fascination with the character of Black Panther coincides with a surge in black stories being told in the most visible spaces. Two of the biggest television events of 2016 thus far have been The People v. O.J. Simpson and WGNs Underground. Albums like Kendrick Lamars To Pimp A Butterfly became critical darlings over the past year and superstars from Beyonce to John Legend are all making sure their voices are heard in regards to black identity and the current state of race relations in America. Black Panther-as-imagined-by-Ta-Nehisi Coates is right on time. How long must I be divided from my own people? From my country? From my own blood? Coates may be inexperienced as a comic book writer, but him being tapped to pen this series, Brian Stelfreeze doing the artwork, and Ryan Coogler being named director of the upcoming Black Panther film is significant because of the timing and because its important for this character, especially at this moment, to be guided by black experience and perspective. Regardless of Black Panther being the invention of two white men in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, black people are playing a major role in bringing him to mass audiences in 2016-18. The characters most acclaimed iterations came through the lens of black writers in Priest and Hudlin, and the voice always matters. I havent really considered myself a comic book fan since around 1994. I havent been the guy getting into debates in shops and on social media about various crossovers and miniseries events. I dont know much retconned history since the early 1990s and Im not one to nitpick the movies for not toeing the line in terms of accuracy to source material (although Kitty Prydes time-displacing abilities in X-Men: Days of Future Past just make no sense at all.) But even with all of that considered, Ive been beyond excited for Black Panther. And Black Panther #1 is a great first step in the pop culture re-emergence of TChalla. Its fun to see Coates putting his spin on Wakanda, the Dora Milaje (his cadre of female protectors), and the heros persona and folklore. The cynical could suggest that centering Black Panther now is merely Marvels way of pandering to current socio-political trends, but this is a good time to emphasize Black Panther as an important and compelling character. Comic book fans have known it for years. Time for the rest of us to catch up. Donald Trump needed some help in 2006. He was setting up Trump Institute, a series of seminars teaching the way to wealth, and was looking for expertise on how the conference business worked. He turned to a pair with a troublesome legal history to give him a hand. Mike and Irene Milin were known to law enforcement officials in a number of states for a host of get-rich-quick schemes and alleged real estate scams. They were prosecuted by the Texas attorney general for deceptive trade practices, and sued by the makers of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, to name just two of the Milins many legal entanglements. But Michael Sextonthen president of Trump University, which he said at the time included the Trump Institute seminars, as well as online coursespartnered with the Milins nonetheless, according to a report from The Sacramento Bee. The Milins oft-investigated National Grants Conferences, in effect, became the blueprint for Trump Institute. The two seminar businesses used some of the same speakers and shared office space in Boca Raton, Florida. The ads for Trump University promised to make people millionaires, just as the National Grants Conference commercials told customers theyd make them rich from government money. And, most importantly, Trump Institute operated itself in much the same manner as National Grants Conferences: After a promise of easy riches and a free seminar, customers were cajoled into doling out more and more money to get the key to unlocking wealth. The problem in both cases: The key never opened anything. The Milins launched National Grants Conferences in 1998, promising customers lucrative grants from the government, which they could not fulfill. Before that, the couple basically got run out of each state in which they set up a different iteration of the same shady practice. Similarly, Trump Institute promised to make people into savvy real estate investors, thanks to advice from The Donald himself. The customers never met the straw-haired impresario, however. They only got to see a cardboard cutout of his likeness. NGC went bankrupt just two years after the partnership began, after being dogged by a major complaint from 34 attorneys general across the United States. Trump University would also earn a reputation as a fraud operation and both New York State and former students have brought charges against the Republican frontrunner as a result. And hes not shaking those charges anytime soon; Trump may have to testify in court this summer in the civil suit brought by his unhappy students, while he would otherwise be trying to consolidate his grip on the Republican nomination. The GOP frontrunner has staked his political brand on his commercial acumen. But Trumps relationship with the Milins calls into question that business judgment, while adding to the stink surrounding Trump University. Its unclear why Trump linked up with a pair with such a long history of legal trouble in the first place. While Trumps current camp denies any and all involvement, the ties between the organizations are clear. NGCs audience was the infomercial circuit, running long, flashy ads to entice new customers. Triumphant horns played over a gold backdrop as words careened in from off screen. The secrets of how you can get government grants, loans and subsidies, the grainy title card promised before a nearly six-minute video presented by NGC began. The Milins peered into the camera readying themselves to promise riches to the masses. Its one of the only images available online of the couple, who in the near-decade since this was filmed have retreated into quiet seclusion in their Boca Raton home, less than 30 miles from Donald Trumps Palm Beach palace, Mar-a-Lago. National Grants Conferences claimed that it could offer customers hundreds of billions of dollars in free government grants and loans. Following previous models the Milins developed, the program would provide one free seminar, after which individuals were encouraged to pay $999 for access to this information about grants, which amounted to a series of brochures and counselors who promised to help people get money. It will not shock you that the operation wasnt exactly above board. Grants.gov lays out the criteria for getting this kind of money, which often goes to government organizations and nonprofits. It explicitly warns against late night infomercials promising millions in free money. Mike Milin began his career as a salesman in the mid-1980s for the notorious get-rich-quick scheme artist Tony Hoffman, who was famous for wearing dollar sign-shaped rings and driving a brown limousine with a license plate reading NEGOT8R. When Hoffmans company National Superstar Inc. went bankrupt in 1986, Milin and his wife, Irene, began to run their own seminar programs, using an infomercial hosted by Robin Leach of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous to advertise their products. According to a 1987 article in the Los Angeles Times, the half-hour infomercial called Two Years to Financial Freedom gave the appearance that the couple was actually featured on the Leach-hosted show. In fact, Leach was merely hired for the day, along with a rented Rolls-Royce and a jet. The owners of the original program Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous later successfully sued the Milins for copying their brand, forcing the couple to alter the infomercial to keep it on the air. In the video, Milin claims that he became a banking expert after writing his masters thesis at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on banking and sociology. He also alleges that he turned to real estate investing as a result of being laid off as a sociology professor at the university where he taught after graduating. According to the Times article, Berkeleys office of admissions had no record of Milin attending or teaching at the university. And Kathleen Maclay, of Berkeleys Media Relations department, told The Daily Beast we have no student records for a Michael Milin. The next move for the scamming couple was a Texas-based company called Information Seminars International, for which they were also suedthis time by the Texas attorney general in 1993who found them liable for deceptive trade practices. The Milins program promised that if customers paid $499 for what they referred to as the Milin Method, the company would turn around and help them re-sell real estate at government auctions. This was basically the same method they would use in their partnership with Trump. Then-Texas Assistant Attorney General Bruce Griffiths alleged that the couple made $30 million annually off this scheme and that when customers tried to reach anyone associated with the company by phone, no one would pick up. In a settlement that the couple signed that year, they and their partners were permanently barred from claiming that they had become wealthy from real estate. The Milins also agreed to use full names in any testimonialsthough the brochures later distributed by NGC in the mid-2000s did not. In 2006, the year that Trump joined forces with the now-bankrupt company, the Milins were accused of violating Vermonts Consumer Fraud Act by William Sorrell, the state attorney general at the time. Sorrell called National Grants Conferences unconscionable and illegal in public documents of the allegations reviewed by The Daily Beast. The company was ordered to pay $65,000 in legal fees and an additional nearly $325,000 to customers. Less than a year later, 34 state attorneys general wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission calling out the company for deceptive advertising. In 2010, then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took legal action against the company as well, resulting in them being unable to advertise as they had done so in the state. A source who previously worked with the Milins at NGC confirmed Trumps involvement with the accused real estate scammers. And a lawyer involved in legal proceedings against the Milins also said the Trump and Milin operations were linked. The Milins loaned out some of their staffers to actually deliver seminars for Trump Institute, which have been described as live-action real estate infomercials. At the initial free seminars, attendees were allegedly encouraged to pay nearly $1,500 to go to another three-day conference, where Trump was promised to appear and give his personal advice. But if he ever came, evidence of it doesnt appear to have been reported anywhere publicly. In two instances cited in a New York lawsuit involving Trump Universitythe umbrella organization for Trump Institute and other educational offeringsindividuals said that all they received were cardboard cutouts of Trump, rather than personal visits. They were offered access to the Gold Elite Program for the price of $34,995, which was littered with more empty promises. It is unclear what if any direct contact Trump himself had with the Milins, but according to a 2006 report, NGC and the Trump Institute shared at least three of the same owners and a joint Boca Raton address. Yet Alan Garten, current executive vice president and general counsel for the Trump Organization, denied a number of times to The Daily Beast that Trump had any prior business with the Milins. Neither Mr. Trump nor any of his companies ever worked with or were associated with NGC, Garten emailed. When sent the 2006 article referencing their business deal, Garten once again said Untrue. Never partnered or associated with NGC. When asked a third time, he responded simply not accurate. But Michael Sexton, the president of Trumps now-defunct Trump University, stated in 2006, according to The Sacramento Bees story, that NGC was selected to partner with them because they were the best in the business. The Milins themselves did not respond to multiple calls and emails from The Daily Beast. I dont know how to describe Mike. He was an egomaniac, not very smart, insecure guy who struck lightning in a bottle, a source who worked at NGC, and wished not to be named, told The Daily Beast. He confirmed that NGC was using its own infrastructurestaffers and office spaceto help run Trumps fledgling education operation. Hesitant to even speak the Milins name aloud, the source said, They wanted the big house and the fancy car and could give a shit. Nolan Apostle, a 55-year-old small-business owner in San Francisco, said he learned this the hard way. They should definitely be in jail. They should definitely pay the consequences, Apostle told The Daily Beast about the Milins. He paid the $999 at a seminar in California in the late 90s and didnt receive all the materials he was promised. After half a dozen attempts to reach people affiliated with the company, Apostle didnt get his money back. They said, Well get back to you. Of course they didnt call, he said. Apostle says he spoke to nearly 200 customers about their experiences with the company and not a single person got what they were promised. I honestlyIve never met or spoken to anybody that actually got a grant through their system. Ed Magedson, who runs RipoffReport.com, shared a number of emails with The Daily Beast in which customers used his services to help them get individual refunds from NGC when they didnt get the products they were promised. His site is full of these complaints about the company. By the time that NGC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008, they owed $2.1 million to 20 of their creditors, most of which was recovered by Scott N. Schreiber, a Chicago-based lawyer. It was a typical take the customers money, give them a cheap introduction class, try to get them an upsell [scheme], Schreiber said describing NGC to The Daily Beast. He said the company provided no value for its customers and that the Milins had committed fraud. The couple also has an outstanding lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County court alleging the Milins defaulted on a commercial property lease. The court has not responded to an inquiry from The Daily Beast about the status of this litigation. Its unclear when, or if, the Milins and Trump parted ways but Trump University largely ceased operations by 2011. Two years later, New York State filed a $40 million lawsuit against Trump University alleging illegal practices and false claims. A year later, a separate class-action civil suit was filed in San Diego, involving claimants from California, Florida, and New York. The lawsuits are still pending and Trumps attorneys have expressed interest in postponing further litigation until after the presidential election. The plaintiffs are seeking to go to trial over the summer. After their business crashed and burned, the Milins later got politically involved, hosting a fundraiser for Mitt Romney in Boca Raton, shortly after his disastrous 47 percent comment. They have contributed considerable amounts of money to political candidates, but surprisingly none to Donald Trump this cycle. Marco Rubio, however, received a $1,500 check from Irene Milin as recently as Feb. 29, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Why Trump, who at the time had an internationally recognized real estate brand and a reality television show, would allegedly team up with a ubiquitously known snake oil salesman is anyones guess. But for a former associate of the Milins, the answer was simple. It was all about the money. Like all the other deals. The U.S. military is planning to expand the number of so-called fire bases in northern Iraq to prepare for an assault on Mosul, ISISs Iraqi capital. The bases will be there to support local Iraqi forces. But theyll also put U.S. troops near the front lines of what will likely be the biggest battle of the war with the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Troops at up to three temporary bases, on the north-south route from central Iraq to the northern city of Mosul, would advise Iraqi security forces, provide logistical support so Iraqi troops can move toward Mosul and even ground base support fire, defense officials told The Daily Beast. The movement of U.S. troops within miles of the ISISs Iraqi capital would be yet another indication that the American military is increasingly conducting offensive operations even though President Obama has never publicly acknowledged the U.S. is back at war in Iraq. On Wednesday, the Pentagon began sending out signals that the U.S. role in Iraq could change, one day after the president led a meeting with his top national security advisers about the war. In a briefing with reporters, Rear. Adm. Andrew L. Lewis, the Joint Staffs Vice Director for Operations, said the U.S. is considering accelerating the campaign against ISIL, the governments preferred acronym for the terror group. One way, he said, would be by adding more bases. As Iraqi security forces progress toward isolating Mosul, there may be a situation in which there is another base, Lewis said. Their mission is to provide fires and support of Iraqi forces, just like we do with airplanes, just its surface-to-surface fires [versus] air-to-surface fires. The U.S. military often compares such shifts to the 20-month air campaign, in which U.S. troops launch strikes in support of local forces. But of course, ground forces are much closer to harms way. Currently, near Mosul, there is one such U.S. base near the Iraqi city of Makhmour, Iraq, where roughly 200 Marines serve and where one Marine, Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin, was killed in an ISIS rocket attack. The base sits 70 miles south of Mosul and serves as a staging area for the Iraqi forces. U.S. officials renamed the base Kara Soar Counter Fire Complex after Staff Sgt. Cardins death. The new name notably did not include the word base, as some Iraqis fear the return of any U.S. footprint that resembles the eight-year war that began with the 2003 invasion. The U.S. military proposal to expand the number of well, lets call them outpostsis still in its preliminary stages. And it is short on the number of U.S. troops needed and how soon. Moreover, the Iraqis have yet to make significant advances toward Mosul that would demand U.S. help. They are about 65 miles away from the ISlS stronghold. It depends on what the Iraqis need, one official explained. The plan to move so many troops close to the fight is just another sign that the Iraqis cannot take Mosul without heavy U.S. assistance. Part of the planning challenge is that the Iraqi security forces are trying to clear a number of cities before what could be a months-long Mosul offensive. On Wednesday, the Iraqi security forces were still engaged in heavy fighting against ISIS in the central Iraqi city of Hit, in what many hope will be the final day of that fight. U.S. military officials suggested Iraqi troops could battle for the city of Fallujah next, But it remains unclear whether the Iraqi military can reclaim that many cities, hold them and still push forward into Mosul. The Iraqi military is training the divisions that would be tasked with moving from central Iraq north toward Mosul, the defense officials said. Kurdish forces would simultaneously move east to reclaim Iraqs second-largest city. Up until the Marines arrived in Makhmour to support members of an Iraqi division, the Iraqis had failed to advance toward Mosul. Indeed, some Iraqi troops hid from ISIS attacks in the nearby mountains. About a week after the Marines arrival, the Iraqis took control of three largely abandoned villages. It appears the Iraqi Army has since lost one of those villages, stopping their push toward Mosul. There only are believed two such support bases in Iraq. When asked if there were any other bases than the two the U.S. military already has acknowledged, Lewis said: Not to my knowledge. The U.S. could close the one other such base, al-Taqaddum, in the countrys restive Anbar province, and move it north to bolster the U.S. effort in Mosul, one of the defense officials explained. The Obama administration already is weighing a plan to sending hundreds more Special Forces to bolster U.S. efforts to search for potential targets, according to Reuters. On Tuesday, the president met with key members of his national security team to discuss potential changes to the U.S. strategy. In recent weeks in Syria, ISIS has lost several citiessome to Russian forces, some to Syrian government troops, and others to U.S.-backed coalition forces. The rapid succession of losses, coupled with an ISIS that eventually walked away from a fight in each city, has buoyed U.S. hopes of taking back Mosul, one of the two most important cities to ISISs caliphate, the other being the Syrian city of Raqqa. The fall of Mosul would mark the beginning of the end for ISIL, Army Col Steven Warren, a coalition spokesman, said on CNN Wednesday. Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. anCnoc adds 2001 to vintage expressions Premium single malt Scotch whisky, anCnoc has introduced an exclusive 2001 vintage to its range of vintage expressions. The limited edition liquid joins the family of single malts crafted at the Knockdhu distillery in Aberdeenshire, and follows a string of successful new releases for the brand which positions itself as refreshingly modern whilst still paying homage to age-old tradition. Matured for over 15 years in Spanish and American oak casks in traditional dunnage warehouses, the 2001 vintage has been bottled in its most natural form, neither chill-filtered nor coloured at 46% ABV. anCnoc brand manager Stephanie Allison comments: Like all anCnoc bottlings, fans will be able to detect the unmistakable Knockdhu style in every drop of this spirit, but in particular its the complex depth of flavour of the 2001 that were really proud of. Were sure it will be a hit with even the most discerning whisky drinker. Staying true to the distinctive anCnoc style, the 2001 Vintage packaging mirrors the minimalist design of anCnocs core range and features the contemporary yet traditional illustration of the Knockdhu Distillery in ice blue foil. With just 1,000 cases available globally this single malt has an RRP of 55 for 70cl. Stockists include specialist and independent retailers in the UK, US, Canada, Sweden and Japan. 7 April 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor Nearly 70 embellished undergarments have been scattered on the walls of a Downtown Bryan eatery since the beginning of April. It's not the aftermath of a Mardi Gras festival, but rather the second annual Bra Art Event, a fundraiser that showcases artistic lingerie donated by local artists, businesses and nonprofit organizations. The Village Cafe is playing host for the second year to the garments, where they will be displayed until April 27 when each one is auctioned off at the Phillips Event Center in Bryan. All proceeds from the bras will go to Health For All, a nonprofit, free health care clinic for low-income residents of the Brazos Valley. Judy LeUnes, a Health For All board member and one of the organizers for the event, said she came up with the idea for Bra Art last year in an effort to raise money for the clinic. "I like to come up with out-of-the box events," she said. "I thought it would be something fun, yet different, to bring to our community." LeUnes also founded Wiener Fest, an annual fall festival that raises money for the Aggieland Humane Society in Bryan. Last year's bra fundraising event saw more than 300 people bid on 70 entries. More than $25,000 was raised and LeUnes said she expects a bigger total this year. "Since it's in the second year, more people know about it," she said. "We've also combined [the Bra Art Event] with some of our other Health For All events, so I know that we're going to do better." While on display, the bras are examined by a panel of local judges to determine which garment will have an advantage in the live auction. LeUnes said anyone is welcome to attend the sale or donate. The auction will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. April 27. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at hlth4all.org/braart/2016braartevent. Those who donate $500 or more will be invited to attend the VIP hour-before event. For more information, contact LeUnes at 979-492-2889. Brazos County has less than 15 days to remove signs banning weapons at the courthouse, unless officials decide to challenge Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's opinion on the matter. The ruling puts the county at risk of litigation and thousands of dollars in fines. The county has informally banned guns at the courthouse on East 26th Street in Bryan since 1998, when the capital murder trial for Lawrence Russell Brewer, who was charged in the dragging death of James Byrd Jr., was moved from Jasper County to Brazos County. Brazos County Judge Duane Peters has defended the county's decision to post a "30.06" sign at the building's front entrance banning licensed owners from entering the building with handguns in response to the state's open carry law that took effect at the start of the new year. "I am extremely disappointed in the attorney general's opinion," Peters told The Eagle on Wednesday. The signs are designed to be used by private property owners to notify patrons that concealed carry is prohibited on the property. But the attorney general's office said in a letter to Peters dated March 30 that the signs are in violation of state law. While the Texas Penal Code allows the exclusion of weapons from any government court or office used by the court, it does not allow a political subdivision to prohibit licensed handgun holders from entering an entire facility simply because those spaces are located in a portion of a multipurpose building, the letter states. Paxton's office last week told the county to remove the signs, saying "a reviewing court would likely conclude the county abused its discretion by seeking to protect areas of the multiuse courthouse that are clearly neither a government court nor offices essential to the operation of a court." Peters said county officials will meet in the next few days to decide whether to comply and take the signs down or take other action. He wasn't sure if the county will appeal the ruling, and as of now, the signs remain posted. Peters stands by Brazos County's interpretation of the law, saying that the entire courthouse, which also houses the offices of the county attorney, district attorney and county and district clerk, could not function without those offices. The county sent a letter to Paxton's office March 14 stating that hallways, stairwells, elevators, common areas and restrooms are also necessary to the courts' operation. Peters said he doesn't see how it could be safe to interpret the law in a way that would allow guns in hallways and other areas of the building open to witnesses, defendants and other individuals associated with criminal cases or those involving "supercharged emotions." "In our opinion, it is a courts building, and courts can be very volatile," Peters said. "There are just numerous things that could have caused a normal person to be emotionally distraught and maybe do something they would not typically do." Still, a complaint was filed in January about the "30.06" sign at the front entrance and a general "no firearms" sign at a side door to the courthouse under a new state law that went into effect in September. The measure allows Texans to formally challenge local "no gun" policies. Paxton's office investigates such claims and determines if legal action is warranted. According to Assistant Attorney General Matthew Entsminger's violation letter, Brazos County has 15 days from the receipt of the written notice to remove the signs and send the office proof that the violation has been rectified, or face a lawsuit in district court. The county may also be liable for a civic penalty of no less than $1,000 and no more than $1,500 for a first violation and no less than $10,000 and no more than $10,500 for a second or a subsequent violation. The Brazos County Commissioners Court did not discuss the issue at its meeting Tuesday because it was not posted on the agenda -- Peters said the county only received notice of the ruling earlier that morning. He said the court will discuss the matter at a future meeting. If the county chooses to appeal the ruling, the office of the attorney general will review and reconsider whether there is a violation. A "30.07" sign banning open carry is also posted at the courthouse, but it is not addressed in the violation letter. Paxton's office handed down several similar rulings in letters to other local governments. The McClennan County Courthouse and annex and the Dallas County government center were also found to be in violation of state law. On Monday, almost a hundred cultural figures, politicians and academics published a letter calling on the new director of the British Museum to end its sponsorship deal with BP. They argued that to receive sponsorship from BP is to condone its business plan - one that is incompatible with a stable climate. Since then, cynics have tried to discredit the signatories - but yesterday they were stopped in their tracks. After a 34-year partnership with BP, Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) launched its new programme - but this time without BP's cash. BP blamed the end of the deal on a "challenging business environment" - oddly enough, exactly the same excuse it gave just weeks ago when the end of its sponsorship deal with Tate was announced. It's clearly not true. The amount of money the company provides to Tate - and to the British Museum - represents just a couple of hours' worth of the 2 billion profit they made last year. In reality, public pressure and protest had become too great for these deals to continue. The truth - 'big oil' provides small potatoes Writing in the Telegraph on Monday, Tom Harris claimed to be concerned about the "shed-loads of cash" the British Museum would lose if it decided to drop BP. I'm also concerned about cuts to arts funding but BP's so-called 'donations' make up just 0.8% of the British Museum's budget. And with the EIF launching a blockbuster programme without BP sponsorship, it's clear that these institutions are far from reliant on oil money. But what would happen if the British Museum did take a stand? Cutting out BP would not put the museum's core work at risk, and it's likely that the majority of staff would welcome such a move. A survey by the PCS union last month found that 66% of British Museum workers are supportive of the anti-BP protests. And in a poll commissioned by the campaign group Platform, 49.6% of Londoners agreed that the British Museum should drop BP as a sponsor. Tom Harris rightly points out that "expecting the public to dig even deeper at this time of austerity is a non-starter." So maybe he should consider the vast amounts taxpayers are currently giving to fossil fuel companies, including BP, in the form of misguided tax breaks and subsidies that run into billions of pounds. Those are the credible estimates of the cancer death toll from Chernobyl. None of them are conclusive - far from it - but that's the nature of the problem we're dealing with. Moreover, LNT may underestimate risks. The 2006 report of the US National Academy of Sciences' Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionising Radiation (BEIR) states: "The committee recognizes that its risk estimates become more uncertain when applied to very low doses. Departures from a linear model at low doses, however, could either increase or decrease the risk per unit dose." So the true Chernobyl cancer death toll could be lower or higher than the LNT-derived estimate of 60,000 deaths - a point that needs emphasis and constant repetition since the nuclear industry and its supporters frequently conflate an uncertain long-term death toll with a long-term death toll of zero. Another defensible position is that the long-term Chernobyl cancer death toll is unknown and unknowable because of the uncertainties associated with the science. The UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) states (p.64): "The Committee has decided not to use models to project absolute numbers of effects in populations exposed to low radiation doses from the Chernobyl accident, because of unacceptable uncertainties in the predictions. It should be stressed that the approach outlined in no way contradicts the application of the LNT model for the purposes of radiation protection, where a cautious approach is conventionally and consciously applied." Pro-nuclear environmentalists So there are two defensible positions regarding the Chernobyl cancer death toll - estimates based on collective dose estimates (with or without a DDREF or a margin of error in either direction), and UNSCEAR's position that the death toll is uncertain. A third position - unqualified claims that the Chernobyl death toll was just 50 or so, comprising some emergency responders and a small percentage of those who later suffered from thyroid cancer - should be rejected as dishonest or uninformed spin from the nuclear industry and some of its scientifically-illiterate supporters. Those illiterate supporters include every last one of the self-styled pro-nuclear environmentalists (PNEs). We should note in passing that some PNE's have genuine environmental credentials while others - such as Patrick Moore and Australian Ben Heard - are in the pay of the nuclear industry. James Hansen and George Monbiot cite UNSCEAR to justify a Chernobyl death toll of 43, without noting that the UNSCEAR report did not attempt to calculate long-term deaths. James Lovelock asserts that "in fact, only 42 people died" from the Chernobyl disaster. Patrick Moore, citing the UN Chernobyl Forum (which included UN agencies such as the IAEA, UNSCEAR, and WHO), states that Chernobyl resulted in 56 deaths. In fact, the Chernobyl Forum's 2005 report (p.16) estimated up to 4,000 long-term cancer deaths among the higher-exposed Chernobyl populations, and a follow-up study by the World Health Organisation in 2006 estimated an additional 5,000 deaths among people exposed to lower doses in Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Australian 'ecomodernist' academic Barry Brook says the Chernobyl death toll is less than 60. Ben Heard, another Australian 'ecomodernist' (in fact a uranium and nuclear industry consultant), claims that the death toll was 43. In 2010, Mark Lynas said the Chernobyl death toll "has likely been only around 65." Two years earlier, Lynas said that the WHO estimates "a few thousand deaths" (actually 9,000 deaths) but downplays the death toll by saying it was "indiscernible" in the context of overall deaths. Yes, the Chernobyl death toll is indiscernible ... and the 9/11 terrorist attacks accounted for an indiscernible 0.1% of all deaths in the US in 2001. There doesn't appear to be a single example of a PNE - or a comparable organisation - providing a credible account of the Chernobyl death toll. They're perfectly entitled to follow UNSCEAR's lead and argue that the long-term death toll is uncertain. But conflating or confusing that uncertainty with a long-term death toll of zero clearly isn't a defensible approach. The Breakthrough Institute comes closest to a credible account of the Chernobyl death toll (which isn't saying much), stating that "UN officials say that the death toll could be as high as 4,000". However the Breakthrough Institute ignores: the follow-up UN/WHO study that estimated an additional 5,000 deaths in ex-Soviet states; scientific estimates of the death toll beyond ex-Soviet states (more than half of the Chernobyl fallout was deposited beyond the three most contaminated Soviet states); scientific literature regarding diseases other than cancer linked to radiation exposure; and indirect deaths associated with the permanent relocation of over 350,000 people after the Chernobyl disaster. Cherry-picking Cherry-picking is abundantly evident in PNE accounts of the Chernobyl death toll. In a review of Robert Stone's 'Pandora's Promise' propaganda film, physicist Dr Ed Lyman from the Union of Concerned Scientists writes: "One after another, the film's interviewees talk about how shocked they were to read the 2005 report of the Chernobyl Forum - a group under of UN agencies under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the governments of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine - and discover that 'the health effects of Chernobyl were nothing like what was expected.' The film shows pages from that report with certain reassuring sentences underlined. "But there is no mention of the fact that the Chernobyl Forum only estimated the number of cancer deaths expected among the most highly exposed populations in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and not the many thousands more predicted by published studies to occur in other parts of Europe that received high levels of fallout. "Nor is there mention of the actual health consequences from Chernobyl, including the more than 6,000 thyroid cancers that had occurred by 2005 in individuals who were children or adolescents at the time of the accident. And the film is silent on the results of more recent published studies that report evidence of excesses in other cancers, as well as cardiovascular diseases, are beginning to emerge. "Insult is then added to injury when Lynas then accuses the anti-nuclear movement of "cherry-picking of scientific data" to support their claims. Yet the film had just engaged in some pretty deceptive cherry-picking of its own. Lynas then goes on to assert that the Fukushima accident will probably never kill anyone from radiation, also ignoring studies estimating cancer death tolls ranging from several hundred to several thousand." Shaky understanding Evidence of PNE ignorance abounds. For the most part, PNEs had a shaky understanding of the radiation/health debates (and other nuclear issues) before they joined the pro-nuclear club, and they have a shaky understanding now. Ed Lyman writes: "When Lynas says that in his previous life as an anti-nuclear environmentalist he didn't know that there was such a thing as natural background radiation, or Michael Shellenberger [Breakthrough Institute] admitted to once taking on faith the claim that Chernobyl caused a million casualties, the audience may reasonably wonder why it should accept what they believe now that they are pro-nuclear." James Hansen's understanding of the radiation/health debates is shaky, to say the least. He falsely claims there is a "generally accepted 100 millisievert threshold for fatal disease development." But the accepted scientific position is that there is no threshold. Thus a 2010 UNSCEAR report states that "the current balance of available evidence tends to favour a non-threshold response for the mutational component of radiation-associated cancer induction at low doses and low dose rates." Barry Brook is another example of someone whose understanding was shaky before and after he joined the PNE club. Brook says that before 2009 he hadn't given much thought to nuclear power because of the 'peak uranium' argument. By 2010, Brook was in full flight, asserting that the LNT model is "discredited" and has "no relevance to the real world". In fact, LNT enjoys heavy-hitting scientific support. For example the US National Academy of Sciences' BEIR report states that "the risk of cancer proceeds in a linear fashion at lower doses without a threshold and ... the smallest dose has the potential to cause a small increase in risk to humans." Likewise, a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences states: "Given that it is supported by experimentally grounded, quantifiable, biophysical arguments, a linear extrapolation of cancer risks from intermediate to very low doses currently appears to be the most appropriate methodology." Conspiracy theories On Chernobyl, Brook said: "The credible literature (WHO, IAEA) puts the total Chernobyl death toll at less than 60. The 'conspiracy theories' drummed up against these authoritative organisations rings a disturbingly similar bell in my mind to the crank attacks on the IPCC, NASA and WMO in climate science." But the WHO, IAEA and other UN agencies estimated 9,000 deaths in ex-Soviet states in their 2005/06 reports, and more recently UNSCEAR has adopted the position that the long-term death toll is uncertain. Brook repeatedly promotes the work of Ted Rockwell from 'Radiation, Science, and Health', an organisation that peddles dangerous conspiracy theories such as this: "Government agencies suppress data, including radiation hormesis, and foster radiation fear. They support extreme, costly, radiation protection policies; and preclude using low-dose radiation for health and medical benefits that apply hormesis, in favor of using (more profitable) drug therapies." Brook promotes the discredited 'hormesis' theory that low doses of radiation are beneficial to human health (for a scientific assessment see Appendix D in the BEIR report). Lynas lends support to the hormesis theory and uncritically quotes a contrarian scientist who argues that the annual public radiation dose limit should be increased from 1 millisievert to 1,200 millisieverts! And for comic relief Brook promotes his citation as one of the 'Outstanding Scientists of the 21st Century'. But in fact the citation comes from the International Biographical Centre, an organisation whose raison d'etre is to separate the gullible and the narcissistic from their money. One of Brook's academic colleagues nominated a squeaky toy lobster and Prof. Lobster was accepted for inclusion in the list of Outstanding Scientists. Good for wildlife? If Brook, Lynas and contrarian scientists are right, Chernobyl (and Fukushima) have been beneficial by spreading health-giving, life-affirming ionising radiation far and wide. And according to some PNEs, Chernobyl has been a boon for wildlife and biodiversity. The region surrounding Chernobyl is one of Europe's "finest natural preserves" according to Stewart Brand. Lynas says the Chernobyl "explosion has even been good for wildlife, which has thrived in the 30km exclusion zone" and he says that restrictions on fishing around Fukushima "will improve the marine environment there". James Lovelock says the land around Chernobyl "is now rich in wildlife" and - bless - he follows this asinine argument to its logical conclusion: "We call the ash from nuclear power nuclear waste and worry about its safe disposal. I wonder if instead we should use it as an incorruptible guardian of the beautiful places on Earth. Who would dare cut down a forest which was a storage place of nuclear ash?" According to most PNEs, radiation exposure from Chernobyl has been harmless (except for those exposed to extremely high doses), and according to some it has been beneficial to human health. And Chernobyl has been good for wildlife and biodiversity (mutations aside). Follow the PNEs down these rabbit-holes and you come up with Hansen's claim that the nuclear industry's safety record is "superior to any other major industry", or Lynas' claim that nuclear power is "extraordinarily safe", or Brook's claim that "nuclear power is the safest energy option". Nuclear power the safest energy option? Safer than wind and solar? To arrive at that conclusion, Brook and others understate the death toll from Chernobyl (and Fukushima) by orders of magnitude. They conflate an uncertain long-term Chernobyl death toll with a long-term death toll of zero. They also trivialise or ignore the greatest hazard associated with nuclear power - its repeatedly-demonstrated connections to WMD proliferation - and they trivialise or ignore related problems such as conventional military strikes against nuclear plants, nuclear terrorism and sabotage, and nuclear theft and smuggling. Psychological trauma Finally, PNEs also trivialise Chernobyl by peddling the furphy that the psychological trauma was greater than the biological effects from radiation exposure. There's no dispute that, as the WHO states, the relocation of more than 350,000 people in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster "proved a deeply traumatic experience because of disruption to social networks and having no possibility to return to their homes." How to compare that psychological trauma to estimates of the death toll, such as the UN/WHO estimate of 9,000 cancer deaths in ex-Soviet states? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps the biological damage and psychological trauma can be compared and ranked if we consider the second of the two defensible positions regarding the long-term death toll - UNSCEAR's position that the death toll is uncertain. Does the psychological trauma outweigh the 50 or so known deaths, around 6,000 non-fatal thyroid cancers (with another 16,000 to come), and an uncertain long-term death toll? The argument only begins to make sense if you accept the third of the two defensible positions regarding the death toll - the view that there were no deaths other than emergency workers and a small number of deaths from thyroid cancers. Thus Mark Lynas asserts that "as Chernobyl showed, fear of radiation is a far greater risk than radiation itself in the low doses experienced by the affected populations" and he goes on to blame anti-nuclear campaigners for contributing to the fear. But the trauma isn't simply a result of a fear of radiation - it arises from a myriad of factors, particularly for the 350,000 displaced people. Nor is the fear of radiation necessarily misplaced given that the mainstream scientific view is that there is no threshold below which radiation exposure is risk-free. Most importantly, why on earth would anyone want to rank the biological damage and the psychological trauma from the Chernobyl disaster? Chernobyl resulted in both biological damage and psychological trauma, in spades. Psychological insult has been added to biological injury. One doesn't negate the other. Dr Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia and editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter, where a version of this article was originally published. Nuclear Monitor, published 20 times a year, has been publishing deeply researched, often critical articles on all aspects of the nuclear cycle since 1978. A must-read for all those who work on this issue! SHARE The following information is based on public records from local and area law enforcement agencies and/or court systems: A Henderson County grand jury on Tuesday indicted 36 people, referred three cases to the next session of the grand jury, dismissed several charges and remanded cases back to district court. Indicted Those who were indicted, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Bobby S. Dunbar, 41, address unavailable, second-degree burglary, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and theft under $500. Rodrick D. Armstead, 19, 900 block of Pebble Creek Drive, first-degree robbery and/or complicity. Marcus H. Bailey, 23, 1400 block of Mattingly Drive, first-degree robbery and/or complicity. Travis Buckreis, 23, 800 block of North Adams Street, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. David W. Batts, 38, 1000 block of Clay Street, third-degree criminal trespassing, two counts of third-degree assault, one count of resisting arrest, second-degree disorderly conduct and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Matthew E. Murray, 43, Evansville, careless driving, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Ronnie L. Linton, 19, Evansville, speeding, first-degree fleeing/evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment and rear license not illuminated. Lacey A. Powers, 41, Spottsville, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and first-degree promoting contraband. Shane Kirkman, 47, Adamville, Tenn., manufacturing methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a meth precursor, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Willie E. Cranick, 43, Hanson, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft of an identity without consent and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Adrian C. Howard, 34, address unavailable, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Christopher A. Sheridan, 32, 600 block of Lincoln Avenue, receiving stolen property $10,000 or more and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Seth A. Critser, 27, 100 block of Fencerow Lane, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, second-degree disorderly conduct, third-degree assault (police or probation officer), being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Paul A. Cohron, 48, Waverly, second-degree assault (domestic violence) and fourth-degree assault. Keith L. Knepp, 36, Montgomery, Indiana, second-degree burglary. Jeremy L. Romain, 30, 1600 block of Bruce Street, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, tampering with physical evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia. A charge of violation of Kentucky EPO/DVO was dismissed. Chasity A. Khan, 28, Reed, first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Justin W. Ralph, 22, 800 block of Constanza Drive, second-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief. Two charges of theft of less than $500, one of which was amended from theft under $10,000, were remanded back to district court. Christopher F. Smith, 44, 2000 block of Old Corydon Road, operating an ATV on a roadway, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. A charge of driving on suspended/revoked license was dismissed. Blake J. Niswonger, 23, Evansville, public intoxication, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kalandis E. Herrell, 25, 9600 block of Kentucky 136-East, theft under $10,000 and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Lemesha Rodriguez, 26, 200 block of South Alves Street, theft under $10,000, and theft of a controlled substance. Mallory F. Hardiman, 22, Barboursville, West Virginia, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Patricia L. Sizemore, 33, 100 block of North McKinley Street, second-degree robbery, alcohol intoxication, second-degree disorderly conduct and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Cory A. Weisser, 37, Evansville, two counts of criminal possession of a forged prescription and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Four counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance were dismissed. Louis Stokes, 40, 5500 block of U.S. 60-West, theft of identity and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Jesse A. Mayes, 22, 1300 block of Fairground Lane, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with physical evidence, first-degree wanton endangerment, trafficking marijuana less than 8 ounces, first-degree criminal mischief and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jason O. Gibson, 40, Morganfield, giving a police officer a false name/address, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Mary E. Long, 36, 1400 block of Helm Street, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence. Holli A. Vignone, 34, 900 block of Pebble Creek Drive, disregarding a stop sign, failure to stop at a railroad crossing, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence. Pamela M. Proctor, 25, 400 block of Smith Avenue, rear license plate not illuminated, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, failure of owner to maintain insurance, manufacturing meth and/or complicity and fourth-degree controlled substance endangerment to a child and/or complicity. Samuel D. Green, 18, 1400 block of Powell Street, second-degree fleeing/evading police, second-degree disorderly conduct and tampering with physical evidence. Charges of alcohol intoxication in a public place and person 18-20 in possession of alcohol were dismissed. Michael B. Alexander, 35, 100 block of Kennedy Circle, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, manufacturing meth and/or complicity, trafficking in marijuana, fourth-degree controlled substance endangering a child and/or complicity, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Charges of third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a methamphetamine precursor. Danielle M. Walker, 30, Louisville, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with physical evidence and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Joshua W. Kerr, 26, address unavailable, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Tommy W. Fulkerson III, 23, address unavailable, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Referred Those whose cases were referred to the next session of the grand jury, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Elizabeth M. John, 28, 1700 block of South Green Street, two counts of theft of an identity without consent. Donaven Hatton, 16, address unavailable, first-degree wanton endangerment. Sheila R. Utley, 45, 4800 block of Old Madisonville Road, second-degree assault. Remanded Those whose charges were remanded to district court, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Jeffrey S. Brooks, 42, address unavailable, theft under $500, from theft under $10,000. Tony Magwood, 21, address unavailable, second-degree promoting contraband, from first-degree. A charge of first-degree possession of a controlled substance was dismissed. EDITOR'S NOTE: Those charged with crimes are considered innocent until they are found guilty in a court of law. Every effort is made by this newspaper to report the final disposition of each case. In the event we fail to do so, a call to our newsroom, 827-2000, will prompt a background check on those cases and, if necessary, a published report on the final disposition. Beth Smith / The Gleaner Henderson Police K-9 Officer Kyle Stone and Exo approach a house on Sutton Drive during a drug raid early Thursday dubbed Operation Spring Cleaning. SHARE By Beth Smith of The Gleaner Some Henderson and Evansville residents received some disturbing news early Thursday morning that went something like this "You're under arrest." Operation Spring Cleaning 2016 kicked off at 6 a.m. Thursday with the Henderson Police Department and the Kentucky State Police's Drug Enforcement Special Investigations Unit knocking on doors here and the Evansville Police Department looking for three across the river as part of a roundup of 38 suspected drug traffickers. "The investigation began around six months ago after we met with representatives from Audubon Kid Zone, Engage Henderson and other groups working to revitalize the East End," said Henderson Police Chief Chip Stauffer. "The thing we heard from East End residents is how drug trafficking is impacting the area. So I spoke with Lt. John Nevels and requested an intense investigation in response to their concerns." "That's how it started. A focused investigation into illegal drug trafficking is a way that the Henderson Police Department can show we hear the concerns of the residents, we understand their frustrations and are trying to help in the East End," Stauffer said. The results of the campaign went to the Henderson County grand jury on Tuesday. "We got our sealed indictments from the grand jury, then on Wednesday, we finalized our plans for Operation Spring Cleaning," Stauffer said. "The warrants we are serving are half from Henderson police and half from KSP's DESI unit," said Lt. John Nevels. "We have an HPD detective who is part of the DESI task force so we worked together on this investigation." Nevels said with at least three Evansville residents on the target list of those trafficking illegal drugs in Henderson, the Evansville Police Department agreed to assist in the roundup. "We conduct undercover buys of illegal drugs every day," Nevels said. "But for this special operation we are serving a lot of warrants at once." "When we send in our DESI Task Force it goes to show our commitment to the community," said Trooper Corey King, public information officer for Post 16 in Henderson. "It sends a message that by using our special drug unit, we are trying to improve our community by eliminating drug trafficking." "We hope that this drug round up will show the community that the police department hears their concerns and we are committed to making the East End a safer place," Stauffer said. As of Thursday afternoon, approximately 18 people were in custody one of whom wasn't among those on the list for illegal drug trafficking, but was found to have warrants for other alleged crimes. Mason Book, age unavailable, was arrested in the 1300 block of Washington Street while officers were taking others into custody on drug charges. Book was found to have outstanding warrants for contempt of court and fleeing/evading police. "We will arrest people during the next few days," Nevels said. "We should have them all rounded up within the month." Operation Spring Cleaning is not the end of concentrated efforts toward crippling the illegal drug trade in Henderson, said HPD Detective Brad Newman. "There's more to come," he said. Those charged in connection to the drug sting are: Ernest Blackwell, 56, was arrested at the Holiday Motel on South Green Street on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Teral Easley, 33, was arrested in the 400 block of South Adams Street on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Eric B. Shultzabarger, 26, was arrested in the 2300 block of Wood Drive on a warrant for two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin). Ashley R. Farris, 23, was arrested in the 2300 block of Wood Drive on a warrant for two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin). Star Yates-Culver, 39, was arrested in the 2300 block of Adams Lane on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Hubert McGuire, 57, was arrested in the 600 block of Washington Street, on warrants for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Roger Shaw, 47, was arrested in the 1400 block of Woodland Drive, on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine). Clarence Smith, 56, 100 block of Rankin Avenue, was arrested on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Mattison Stone, 51, was arrested in the 400 block of Lieber Street on warrants for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Andrew Farris, 35, was arrested in the 2300 block of Balmoral Drive, on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin) and trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin, less than 2 grams) (second or greater offense). Rhonda Cummings, 58, was arrested on Madison Street on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Jeremy Denton, 29, was arrested in the 1700 block of Washington Street on warrants for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), being a felon in possession of a handgun, possession of drug paraphernalia and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Joshua Denton, 27, was arrested in the 1300 block of Washington Street on warrants for three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Zachary Bartley, 26, was arrested in the 17000 section of Kentucky 136-East on warrants for two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Milford Burress, 55, was arrested in the 500 block of South Adams Street on warrants for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Brittany Frey, 29, was arrested in the 2600 block of Zion Road on two warrants for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin) and first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Rashaad Bushrod, age unavailable, Evansville, arrested at a residence there by the Evansville Police Department's SWAT team on a warrant for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine). All but Bushrod were lodged at the Henderson County Detention Center. Historic Golden Rule sailboat docks in Burlington The refurbished sailboat has been navigating the Upper Mississippi River for the past month to spread a message of peaceful activism. Faster loading time (lower bounce rates from) A faster loading ensures that your site visitors don't leave your site when it starts to load for too long. Guaranteed dedicated resources Bandwidth, memory, CPU power, storage of up to 200 GB SSD Storage, NVMe. Privacy and control (server admin) You will get total control over digital assets, databases, customer information, and files with no ovhcloud control panel. Easier scalability You will able to increase your resources as often as you want easily. Dedicated IP address Our VPS services will ensure that you get IPv4 and IPv6 for a reasonable fee. Other amazing benefits include the following: - Better capabilities to handle additional websites - Unaffected by traffic and security of other sites - Control panel and full root access to your server - Lower cost than hardware and management of physical servers A possible reason not to use a VPS hosting provider is that it costs a bit more than shared hosting (but far less costly than physical servers). But the costs arent much higher, and if youve outgrown your shared account, or want the value of the advantages listed above, then its time to upgrade. Another reason might be a lack of technical knowledge, making VPS servers harder to set up, manage, and secure. But thats why managed VPS hosting is such a good choice. PARIS (AP) -- Your lost or stolen passport may have found a new life in the shady underworld of a crime gang or in the pocket of a terrorist plotting an attack. Like crime syndicates, terrorist networks are often globe-spanning operations, and doctored documents are the keys to unlocking borders and staying below the radar. Fighting bogus identities is now a top security priority, with France's interior minister pushing for Europe-wide action, and Interpol pleading for tougher document policing as it warns that the world is awash in 38 million lost or stolen passports that are ripe for doctoring. False identities have complicated the task of investigators trying to untangle the many-tentacled and overlapping networks that carried out the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels. Many of the attackers used fake identities. Investigators spotted the trail of Najim Laachraoui after he built the bombs used in the Paris bloodbath -- but couldn't stop him before he blew himself up at the Brussels airport four months later because they knew him only from his fake Belgian ID under the name of Soufiane Kayal. A fraudster's den discovered in a Brussels suburb indicates the scale of the crime, and how hard it is to vanquish: It held some 1,000 digital images used to make false documents. Weeks after authorities raided the site in October, three people connected to those documents joined in the attacks on Paris. It was four months before the chief fraudster was arrested -- across several European borders, in Italy. "The central element for the secrecy of organizations is to have false passports and false identity papers. It is absolutely indispensable," said retired anti-terrorism judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere, once France's top counter-terrorism investigator. The underworld of document doctors provides many choices for finding a new identity, from industrial-sized operations to artisans working from home on easily procured and increasingly refined equipment. A newcomer to the business is the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, which reportedly seized thousands of blank passports and equipment in towns it conquered. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has been pressing his European partners to do more to fight the Islamic State, which he says has created a "structure that manufactures fake documents." That organization claimed responsibility for the November attacks that killed 130 Friday night revelers in Paris and the March attacks on a Brussels airport and subway station that killed 32 people. Two of the suicide bombers at France's national stadium remain unidentified except for their fake Syrian passports. One of those passports had been listed by Interpol, the international police agency, as among a batch of stolen blank passports. Germany stopped recognizing passports issued in territory controlled by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq at the start of the year. Belgium raided the document den in the Brussels suburb of Saint-Gilles in October, but put out a warrant for the suspected forger Djamal Eddine Ouali only in January. On March 26, Italian police arrested the 40-year-old Algerian when he applied for a residency permit. A court in Salerno, in southern Italy, granted Belgium's extradition request on Sunday, but Ouali plans to appeal that decision, according to his lawyer, Gerardo Cembalo. Information-sharing is critical in the effort to catch fraudsters, a message hammered out by Interpol. Its database had nearly 38 million travel documents reported lost or stolen by 166 countries as of July 2013, the latest figures available. Layers of security are built into U.S. and European passports, the most valuable documents for anyone trying to sneak into the borderless Schengen region or to return home covertly from places like Syria. European Union passports have added value for those crisscrossing the continent, an increasingly frequent tactic, because visas aren't needed. No passport -- the ultimate identity document -- is fully fraud-proof, despite holograms on identity pages, complex watermarks and biometric data contained in embedded chips. Bruguiere, the retired anti-terrorism judge, said document forgers operate as part of the outer circle of terrorist operations -- "people who are somewhat or a bit or perhaps not concerned with the operation" but who contribute logistical support such as "a hideout, for example, a car, fake papers, without being directly linked to the project." "There are guys who meet from time to time," Bruguiere said. "And then, 'Can you give me a hand? I need fake papers.'" ___ Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report. HIT, Iraq (AP) -- Heavy resistance has slowed Iraqi forces Tuesday as they pushed toward the center of a town held by Islamic State militants in western Anbar province, commanders at the scene said. Hundreds of roadside bombs, car bombs and heavy mortar fire slowed advancing Iraqi troops to a near halt Tuesday after entering the small town of Hit the previous day. Hit -- which lies along the Euphrates River in a valley in Anbar's sprawling desert -- is strategically important as it sits along an IS supply line that links territory controlled by the extremist Sunni group in Iraq and in Syria. Through the line, IS ferries fighters and supplies from Syria into Iraq. Iraqi troops entered Hit on Monday, under cover of heavy airstrikes and a week after launching the operation to retake the town. Their advance has been stalled as tens of thousands of civilians become trapped by the fighting. A political crisis in Baghdad as well as poor weather conditions further slowed the push. Iraqi commanders overseeing the operation said Tuesday that counterattacks and a shortage of engineering teams to clear roadside bombs slowed their advance. "If we had more specialized engineers we wouldn't be in this situation," said the head of Iraq's counterterrorism forces, Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi. Gen. Husham al-Jabri said Iraqi counterterrorism forces were hit with a barrage of mortars and a string of suicide car bombings on Tuesday morning as they pushed into Hit from the north. He didn't give casualty figures. "Our speed depends on the resistance we're facing," said al-Jabri, adding that they want to "keep our casualties in the lowest level." At a makeshift base on Hit's southern edge, Iraqi troops at the front line could be heard saying over a handheld radio to commanders that the "mortars are coming down like rain." While Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces are some of the country's most capable ground forces, they still depend heavily on U.S.-led coalition air strikes to clear territory. The head of Iraq's counterterrorism forces, Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, said he was not surprised by the tough resistance and slow progress. "Every main road is rigged with explosives," al-Asadi said, explaining that the three small teams of engineers his troops have to clear the area just aren't enough to deal with the density of the bombs. Over the past five days, two armored bulldozers used by Iraqi forces to clear roads were put out of service by roadside bomb blasts. "The only thing that's not rigged with explosives is the air," al-Asadi said. On Sunday, a rocket attack killed two Iraqi troops and wounded four others as they entered the city's northern edge. Since Friday, al-Jabri said his forces have been hit with more than 10 suicide car bombs. "Incoming V-B-I-E-D, 300 meters, over," an Iraqi forward air controller radioed to Australian coalition forces using a military acronym to refer to a car bomb. Coalition forces confirmed the location from the Habaniyah air base about 50 kilometers away using a code name to identify the street the car bomb was approaching on. Moments later a missile was fired from an aircraft overhead destroying the car before it reached the advancing Iraqi forces. On the city's northern edge hundreds of families continued to flee the fighting Tuesday. Iraqi forces said IS fighters began firing on fleeing civilians Monday night to discourage people from leaving. Men were separated from women and children for interrogations at a nearby police station before being allowed to move on to camps for displaced civilians. Since parts of Ramadi were first taken back by Iraqi forces in December, Iraqi security forces say more than 1,500 men have been arrested on suspicion of being IS members. "This all happened because of you!" a woman from Hit yelled at a truck full of men also fleeing violence. "You let these (people) settle in our city and they just left us to pay the price," she screamed using a profanity and holding one of her small children. Like many of Iraq's long-marginalized minority Sunni Muslim population, many civilians in Hit initially welcomed IS fighters, as an alternative to the Shiite-dominated government at that time headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. But as IS rule brought with it loss of government services, random violence and increasingly limited access to food and water due to a lack of trade, many civilians began to resent extremist rule. "You are no longer men in our eyes," the woman yelled before climbing onto a truck to be evacuated from the town's edge. "The children are better than you!" The Hit offensive comes after a string of territorial victories for Iraqi forces over the past six months. Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital, was declared fully "liberated" by Iraqi and coalition officials in February. Coalition officials estimate IS has lost more than 40 percent of the territory it held in Iraq after the summer of 2014. Iraq's counterterrorism forces estimate more than 20,000 civilians remain trapped inside Hit. ___ Associated Press writer Khalid Mohammed in Hit, Iraq contributed to this report. BERLIN -- The president of Ukraine became the latest prominent politician to deny wrongdoing Wednesday after his name was linked to secretive offshore accounts arranged by a Panama law firm. The revelations have raised suspicion that such offshore entities were set up to avoid taxes, but Petro Poroshenko denied that was the purpose in his case. Rather, he said, it was necessary to create an offshore holding company to put his candy business in a blind trust when he became president of Ukraine in 2014. "This is absolutely normal procedure, and I think this is the main difference from the naming of all the political figures in this Panama list," Poroshenko said in Tokyo, where he was meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and business leaders. "If we have anything to be investigated, I am happy to do that," he said. "But, this is absolutely transparent from the very beginning. No hidden account, no associated management, no nothing." Reports, based on a trove of confidential documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, have purported to expose the offshore arrangements of public officials, businesspeople and celebrities around the world. Iceland's prime minister became the first casualty of the affair Tuesday, stepping down two days after a video was aired showing him breaking off a television interview over questions about his family's offshore dealings. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson had faced opposition calls to resign over revelations he had used a shell company to shelter large sums while Iceland's economy was in crisis. He denied wrongdoing and has recommended that his deputy Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson take over as prime minister for an unspecified period of time. Protesters planned to gather outside parliament Wednesday afternoon in the third consecutive day of demonstrations calling for a new government. The so-called Panama Papers reports, which were coordinated by the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, have prompted both fierce criticism of those named and strong denials of wrongdoing. While there are legitimate reasons for setting up offshore companies, corruption experts say such constructs are frequently used to hide assets -- be it from tax authorities or ex-spouses. In Poroshenko's case, Ukrainian opposition groups argue that the president's decision to set up an offshore holding company in the British Virgin Islands could have deprived his country of millions of dollars in taxes. A British Virgin Islands company has also been linked to Formula One driver Nico Rosberg, though his lawyer said the offshore firm was created solely for liability reasons and to enable him to operate internationally. German public broadcaster NDR reported that Mossack Fonseca manages a company called Ambitious Group Ltd which has a contract with Mercedes for Rosberg's "driver services." Rosberg's German lawyer, Christian Schertz, said Ambitious Group, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands, wasn't used for tax avoidance. "Tax-wise, Mr. Rosberg acted correctly in every way," Schertz said in a statement late Tuesday. Rosberg, who won Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, is registered in Monaco for tax purposes and receives all payments there, he said. A prominent Bollywood actor, Amitabh Bachchan, denied reports by The Indian Express newspaper that he was connected to four shipping companies registered in tax havens. "It is possible that my name has been misused," Bachhan tweeted late Tuesday. "I have paid all my taxes including on monies spent by me overseas," he said. "Monies that I have remitted overseas have been in compliance with law, including remittances through LRS (Liberalized Remittance Scheme) after paying Indian taxes. In any event the news report in the Indian Express doesn't even suggest any illegality on my part." France's far-right National Front party said Wednesday it was filing law suits for defamation against media who imply that it or leader Marine Le Pen -- who plans to run in the 2017 presidential race -- may be implicated in the Panama papers scandal. Paris daily Le Monde reported Tuesday on the offshore dealings of a longtime Le Pen acquaintance whose company provides publicity for electoral campaigns. The paper also examined potential but unproven offshore interests of Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, via a former employee. Le Pen's anti-immigration National Front portrays globalization as one of the enemies to redressing the French economy and preserving the nation's identity, making any innuendo that people linked to the party may allegedly be using foreign shell companies to hide funds a sensitive issue. ___ David Keyton in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this report. NORWALK -- A Norwalk man was held on multiple charges, including kidnapping, following allegations that he drove his child's mother around for hours against her will and demanded that they discuss their relationship issues. Police were dispatched to 74 Ohio Avenue Ext., at approximately 12:41 p.m. Tuesday on a complaint from a distraught female who reported that she didn't feel safe with her boyfriend following an early morning argument in which he accused her of cheating on him. The woman told police that her boyfriend, Cesar Jimenez, 23, was supposed to drive her to college for an 8:30 a.m. class, but instead drove her past the school and allegedly told her, "You won't be going to school today. I want to talk about our relationship," police said. At that point, police said that Jimenez dropped their young child off at preschool and when the female told him that she wanted to go to a friend's house, he kept driving and ended up back at the Ohio Avenue Extension residence. Upon the woman's refusal to exit the car and enter the residence, police said that Jimenez drove north on the Merritt Parkway. He allegedly told the woman that he would keep driving until they spoke about an undisclosed incident that "happened on Saturday." Police said that Jimenez stopped the car at a park in Fairfield, where he allegedly yelled at the woman and punched the car's dashboard and steering wheel repeatedly. He allegedly told the woman that he would kill himself if she broke up with him and also allegedly told her that he would slash her throat and kill her if she dated anyone else and he would kill that person too. Jimenez reportedly stated that he didn't care if he went to jail, and when he got out he would kill anyone she was dating, police said. Police said that he ordered the woman out of the car and threatened to kill himself. The woman reportedly told police that she didn't know what to do, so she got into the back seat of the vehicle and the two drove back to their Norwalk residence. At the residence, when the female reportedly refused to go inside, Jimenez allegedly dragged her by the coat into the house, locked the door, and yelled accusations about cheating. According to police, he told the woman that he would slash her throat if she tried to go to the door. At one point during the reported argument, he dared the woman to call police, and handed her his phone to do so. During his alleged tirade he was pacing back and forth and grabbed a kitchen knife which he put down before leaving, police said. The woman contacted police, and investigating officers contacted Jimenez on his cell phone to tell him to come to police headquarters. Police said that Jimenez came to headquarters and they observed that his hands and knuckles were red and swollen. Jimenez was charged with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, second-degree threatening, and disorderly conduct. He was issued a $40,000 bond and given a court date of April 6. Police said that an order of protection was issued against Jimenez. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Norman Willard Hanssen, 94, of Grand Island died Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the Life Center in Elkhorn. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Caroline Price-Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at All Faiths Funeral Home. Norman was born at home to Arnold and Paula (Keuscher) Hanssen on Nov. 8, 1921. He was raised on a farm south of Grand Island along with his brothers, Harold and John. Prior to finishing high school, Norman went to California to become a machinist. He received his high school equivalency diploma while in California by attending night school. He worked for Douglas Aircraft as a specialized aircraft skin riveter. During this time he also worked at North American Aviation. His job included installing engines, repair and maintenance of the BT-13 trainer, P-39 fighters, P-63 night fighters, B-24 and B-25 bombers and C-47 transport aircraft. Early in his service period he was a flight Engineer crew member on a B-24 bomber. At the end of his Army career, he was involved in maintaining large C-97 and C-124 transport aircraft. Norman enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Aug. 21, 1942, at Fort MacArthur in Los Angeles. While on a trip by train from Grand Island back to California, he met Thelma Gessmann of Manilla, Iowa. They were united in marriage on Nov. 8, 1942, in Las Vegas on Normans 21st birthday. Thelma was buried on what would have been their 66th wedding anniversary. Normans Air Corps accomplishments include: Conferred Citation for Carbine Marksman, Good Conduct Medal, ATO Ribbon and The Victory Ribbon. Corporal Hanssen was honorably discharged Feb. 27, 1946, from Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He joined the USAF Reserve in 1946 and was honorably discharged in January 1949. He had been honored to be selected to go on the Hero Flights for Military Veterans to Washington, D.C., in 2012. His cap from the flight has been a source of pride and followed him to nursing homes and his many hospitalizations. Norman and Thelma moved to Grand Island in July of 1951, residing with Normans parents on the family farm south of the city. They moved to a home he built near Stolley Park and later built a new home on the original Hanssen homestead. He was employed with a sheet metal fabrication and fitting business in Grand Island while working evenings for his National Schools degree. Norman received his Technical diploma from the National Schools in Los Angeles for Radio, Television and Allied Electronics in 1952. Norman and Thelma operated a radio and television repair shop in their home that developed into a television sales business. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Champion Camping Group and Platt Duetsche Society. Norman enjoyed fishing, boating, camping and talking with people. He is survived by his sons, Richard and Cindy (Otto) Hanssen of Omaha and Bill Hanssen of Lincoln; grandchildren, Nik and Lacy Hanssen of Omaha, Randy and Heather Peterson of Manhattan, Kan.; great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Shane and Libby Hanssen and Colbie Peterson; brothers, John Hanssen of Grand Island and Harold and Bonnie Hanssen of Doniphan; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Preceding Norman in death were his wife, Thelma; his parents; and a sister-in-law, Sharon Hanssen. Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be left at www.giallfaiths.com. Phillies bash Padres in wild Game 4 to move to brink of World Series Philadelphia hit four home runs in the win, overcoming a 4-0 deficit before they even came to bat against San Diego. Drawing on its extensive textile collection, the Missouri History Museum has created Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night. This 6,000 square foot exhibition explores the incredible journey of the black dress from a symbol of morning to the iconic fashion statement that it is today. With more than 60 dresses on display as well as incredible accessories, Little Black Dress examines the way womens lives have changed since the Victorian era through the lens of this wardrobe staple. Little Black Dress showcases dresses primarily from the Missouri History Museums collection, many of which have never been on display before. The large number of black dresses in this collection speaks volumes about the relevance and importance of the little black dress to women in St. Louis. Most women purchased from local stores and dressmakers. Others went as far away as Paris to buy their fabulous frock or to have a special little black dress made just for them. Women spend their entire lives searching for the perfect little black dress, said Senior Curator Shannon Meyer. But what is perfect to you is not necessarily perfect to the person next to you. Thats what the visitor will find in this exhibit - examples of everyones perfect little black dress. Although Coco Chanel has been credited with creating the little black dress in the 1920s, the color black has been used in womens dress throughout history. During the mid to late 1800s, black clothing was worn primarily during times of mourning. Following the death of Prince Albert of Britain in 1861, the rituals of mourning became popular in both Europe and the United States. Fashion magazines regularly published articles and images about appropriate mourning etiquette. Several accessories included in the exhibit show the extent of mourning culture from intricately beaded bags to jewelry made from a deceased persons hair. This culture of mourning began to fade at the turn of the 20th century. Urbanization, technological advancements, suffrage, and the onset of World War I, influenced how women dressed. The time for elaborate mourning rituals soon came to an end. However, the color black became more popular than ever. As early as the 1920s, fashion designers began to introduce their own versions of the black dress. Over the decades, the color remained the same, but the styles, shapes, and fabrics evolved with the times. A close look at each of the dresses in Little Black Dress, many on display for the first time, reveals the complexity and significance that can be found in one seemingly simple garment. Little Black Dress is a fun and thought-provoking exhibition that tells the story of not just what women wore, but why they wore it, and why the little black dress is a staple in the modern womans wardrobe. In addition to the exhibit, which runs April 2nd through September 5th, the Missouri History Museum Press is be publishing a companion book, which includes 75 color photographs and additional historical background for many of the objects in the exhibit. The book, also title Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night is available for purchase in the Missouri History Museum Shop or online at mohistory.org/publications or Amazon.com for $35. Admission to Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night is free. The Missouri History Museum has been active in the St. Louis community since 1866. Founding members established the organization for the purpose of saving from oblivion the early history of the city and state. Today, the Missouri Historical Society serves as the confluence of historical perspectives and contemporary issues. Due to its innovative approach to public service, the Missouri History Museum was the first recipient of the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Award for Museum Services in 1994. The Missouri History Museum offers programs and outreach services, including traveling exhibitions; tours; theatrical and musical presentations; programs for school classes and youth groups; family festivals; special events; workshops; and lectures. The Missouri History Museum is funded by the St. Louis City and County taxpayers through the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District and by private donations. The Museum is open seven days a week with general admission always free. The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park also operates the Library and Research Center at 225 South Skinker Boulevard near the Washington University campus. Kick up some dust for St. Louis Childrens Hospital Make Tracks for the Zoonow in its 31st year. The race is set to run on Sunday, May 22, 2016. The Saint Louis Zoos annual 5K race/walk at 7:30 a.m. will wind through Forest Park, on a USATF-certified course. Participants will receive a disposable timing chip for more accurate results. Children ages 7-12 can participate in a half-mile fun run at 8:50 a.m.; children ages 6 and under can participate in the quarter-mile fun run at 9 a.m. All ages can participate in a timed and competitive one-mile race at 9:10 a.m. Register online at stlzoo.org/maketracks by April 17 to be entered to win a behind-the-scenes tour for four of the cheetah habitat at the Zoo. All races begin and end near the Kiener Memorial gates of the Zoo at the corner of Washington and Government Drive. All registrants will receive a complimentary T-shirt and continental breakfast (while supplies last). Awards will be presented to overall winners and first place finishers in each age bracket for the 5K and one-mile races at a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. in the Anheuser-Busch Theater in The Living World building. Join St. Louis Children's Hospital for Just Like You at the Zoo activities that teach children why it's important for peopleand Zoo animalsto take care of their bodies. Children collect animal cards at four stations throughout the Zoo and can win a prize after the cards are collected. For individuals participating in the 5k or 1-mile races, registration is $20 for those who register online by April 16, $25 April 17- May 21, and $30 on race day. Kids run registration for children ages 12 and under is $12 per child in advance, and $15 on race day. The Family registration, which includes two 5K-1-mile registrants and two kids run registrants, is $55 through April 16 and $60 from April 17 through May 8. Free parking is provided on the Zoos north and south lots before 8 a.m. on race day. Spaces are limited. Registration is available online at stlzoo.org/maketracks through May 21. In-person registration is also available in The Living World on Thursday, May 19 from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on race day (May 22) from 6 to 8:45 a.m. Proceeds help support the conservation efforts of the Saint Louis Zoo at home and around the world. Make Tracks for the Zoo is sponsored by St. Louis Childrens Hospital, Prairie Farms Dairy, Mid America Chevy Dealers and Big River Race Management with media support from FOX 2 and KPLR-TV 11. Imagine Hillsboro is excited to announce the lineup for the 7th Annual Summer Concert Series presented by Care Otter, Roger Jennings and Consolidated Communications. The series will be held in the Sherwood Forest Campgrounds on the bluegrass stage located at 920 City Lake Road in Hillsboro on Saturday nights June through September. This summers series is expected to be the biggest yet as the talent has played to sell out crowds in major cities and music festivals. Lineup: June 4 - The Steve Ewing Band (Rock). St. Louis, MO Steveewingmusic.com St. Louis based musician Steve Ewing is best known as the golden voice behind the seven piece powerhouse The Urge. Formed in high school back in late 80s, The Urge took their eclectic mix of punk, reggae, hip hop, ska, and sent a sonic shockwave from the Midwest that can still be felt to this day. After 4 independent label releases they were picked up by the Immortal/Epic label, home to such artists as Korn and Incubus, and released 3 albums of their own. Alternative radio stations everywhere were spinning All Washed Up, Brainless, Its Gettin Hectic, Straight to Hell, Four Letters and Two Words, Too Much Stereo, and the top ten Jump Right In featuring Nick Hexum of 311 fame. Many St. Louis natives fondly remember The Urge from their intense, face-melting shows at venues such as Mississippi Nights and local festivals like PointFest. The Urge spent much of their time touring alongside aforementioned artists Korn, Incubus and 311. Besides still playing with The Urge, Steve as been involved in a multitude of projects including production work for artists such as Lojic, Egress, and many others. However, the passion still lies in performing and he tears it up onstage every chance he gets. Steve Ewing shows come in one of two enticing flavors, whether its an acoustic outing with axe-man extraordinaire Adam Hansbrough or a full band assault. Either way youre in for a stellar mix of classic covers, Urge favorites and outstanding selections from any one of the six independently released albums including the latest, Zodiac. July 4 -Petty Cash Junction (Tom Petty / Johnny Cash Tribute) St. Louis, MO Pettycash Junction performs the music of Tom Petty and Johnny Cash! All the hits and then some! Something for everyone! David G. Kalz, Jimmy Griffin, and Robynn Ragland, with Greg Hulub, John Gore, and Kevin Bowers perform spot-on renditions of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, and June Carter... Add in some guitar virtuosity and it's quite a show! August 6 - Grass Fed Mule (Bluegrass / Jazz / Folk) St. Louis, MO Grassfedmule.com "The St. Louis act started as a side project for two members of jam-band Acoustics Anonymous, then expanded to enfold a member of Elemental Shakedown. Prog and jazz streams flow into the bands sound, which displays its members sure-handed instrumental prowess." - Columbia Daily Tribune 2016Smokey Bluegrass with a healthy dose of Jazz 'n Funk. Expect grass, funk, jazz, ole timey folk, and much more! "If you like your bluegrass in a jam, Grass Fed Mule should be sweet to your ears." - Columbia Daily Tribune 2016 September 3 - Aaron Kamm and the One Drops (Reggae / Blues / Funk) St. Louis, MO Hailing from St. Louis, MO, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops merge flavors of Roots Reggae, Mississippi River Blues, Improv-laced Jams, and Soulful Vocals. With a High energy performance and a unique sound this band is a must see. This concert series is created not only for the community but by the community working together. Top-quality celebrations and events like these would not be possible without the involvement of a dedicated corporate community. The series is presented by Care Otter, Roger Jennings and Consolidated Communications. Additional sponsors: Caseys General Stores, CNB Bank & Trust, Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Boewdes, P.C, Hayes Abrasives, Hurst-Rosche, Springfield Clinic and TCCU of Hillsboro. Food will be prepared on site, camping is available and various events leading up to show time. The Summer Concert Series is free to attend. Donations accepted. Any procceds will benefit Imagine Hillsboro for future improvement projects. For more information, to volunteer during the series or to become a sponsor visit www.facebook.com/hillsborosummerconcertseries or contact concert co-chairs Lesley Pollard 217-816-6802 or Zach Wygal at 217-556-4246. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gao Yuan (China Daily/Asia News Network) Thu, April 7, 2016 Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is preparing to challenge Apple Inc in a premium-end smartphone market as the Chinese telecom equipment maker unveiled a new flagship handset in the United Kingdom and a top executive spoke of plans to enter the United States. The Shenzhen, Guangdong-based company debuted its latest device, the P9, a pamphlet with a dual-lens camera, in London on Wednesday. Huawei, the third-largest handset maker in the world, is betting on the new device to further expand its presence outside of China. Huawei has been introducing its flagship devices in Europe since 2014, a strong indication the Chinese company is shifting its focus from China to developed markets. After steadily growing market share in countries including the UK and Spain, the company may finally step into the US, a highly profitable yet extremely competitive market for global vendors. Richard Yu, head of Huawei's consumer electronics unit, told The Wall Street Journal the company plans to launch a flagship device in the US later this year. "We want to become the No 1 as a premium brand," Yu was quoted as saying by the newspaper on Wednesday. Huawei, which started off as a budget phone manufacturer more than a decade ago, is now focusing on developing devices priced above 3,000 yuan ($460), a widely accepted threshold for high-end market. The most expensive Huawei devicethe Mate Sis selling at 4,899 yuan, close to the price of an iPhone 6S. Calling Huawei's smartphone ambition "aggressive", Nicole Peng, research director at Shanghai-based consultancy Canalys, said the top priority for Huawei this year will be increasing its presence in overseas markets while fighting Xiaomi Corp on its home ground. Huawei was one of the fastest-growing smartphone vendors by the end of 2015 with a whopping 37 percent year-on-year jump, according to the research firm International Data Corp. Shipments of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd saw a drop in the same period while the iPhone shipments went flat.(China Daily/Liu Lunan) Huawei was one of the fastest-growing smartphone vendors by the end of 2015 with a whopping 37 percent year-on-year jump, according to the research firm International Data Corp. Shipments of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd saw a drop in the same period while the iPhone shipments went flat. Huawei's consumer electronics unit, which sells smartphones, wearables and accessories, generated a revenue of 129 billion yuan in 2015, a surge of 73 percent year-on-year, the company said earlier this month. It shipped about 108 million smartphones last year and 75 million in 2014, according to Huawei. This spring presents an opportunity for Huawei to close gaps with Apple after the US giant's latest rollout failed to catch buyers' attention. The iPhone SE had the lowest adoption in its first weekend of availability since 2012, according to Localytics, a mobile app analytics company. The iPhone SE took 0.1 percent of the overall iPhone market by the first weekend since its availability, it said. In comparison, the iPhone 6S grabbed 1 percent in market share by the first weekend of release and iPhone 6 took 2 percent. But Huawei may still find it difficult to face off Apple this year. Anthony Scarsella, an IDC analyst, said to combat Apple at the high-end, Huawei will need to bring more value to consumers. "Many vendors have placed a renewed focus on pushing premium-looking mid-tier devices as a new value proposition to consumers in both developed and emerging markets," said Scarsella. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Macau Thu, April 7, 2016 US-based IT company HP introduced a new skinny laptop to the market in Macau on Thursday. Dubbed Spectre, the laptop features sixth generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, 13.3-inch display, up to 8GB memory and 512GB of hard disk storage, and three ports USB Type C. With a thickness of only 10.4 millimeters and weighing 1.1 kilograms, it has been boasted as the world's thinnest laptop. Unlike the majority of other super thin PCs on the market, this laptop doesnt compromise power of features, Anneliese Olson, HP Asia Pacific and Japans vice president of personal system business, told thejakartapost.com during the launch in Macau. With its full HD display, Intel Core i processors, powerful sound from Bang & Olufsen and up to 9.5-hour battery life, Olson said the HP Spectre had set a new standard in its class. During the event, the company also launched a new generation 15.6-inch HP Envy laptop featuring processors of up to i7 and 16GB of memory, with a dual storage option of up to 1TB hard disk and 256GB of PCIe SSD. Both of the new laptops will be available for the Indonesian market by the end of July with prices to be announced in the near future. However, HP's international price tag for Spectre and Envy have been set at US$1,249 and $779 respectively. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Ashgabat Thu, April 7, 2016 Turkmenistan has passed a law under which all people seeking a marriage license must be tested for HIV. The law, which was reported by state-controlled media on Wednesday, implies that anyone found to be infected with the virus that is the precursor to AIDS would be denied a marriage license. The reports said the law was enacted "in order to create conditions for forming healthy families and avert the birth of HIV-infected children." Authoritarian Turkmenistan has given little public information about the extent of HIV infection in the country. The new law also requires HIV tests for anyone suspected of using narcotics, foreigners seeking work visas, prisoners and blood donors. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 People grouped under Gerakan Rakyat Menggugat (GeRAM) are raising awareness for the need to protect the Leuser Ecosystem Zone (KEL) in Aceh through an online petition. Posted on change.org in February, the petition calls on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to protect one of the richest expanses of tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia. It has garnered 55,000 signatures as of Thursday. Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has also promoted the petition through social media following his visit to Mount Leuser National Park in late March. The petition is among efforts to urge the government to revise an Islamic bylaw on spatial planning that does not include KEL as among the protected forests and national strategic areas in its land-use plan. The group filed a class action lawsuit in January against Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah and Aceh Legislative Council speaker Muharuddin at the Central Jakarta District Court. The government has only made empty promises despite the group's push for KEL protection since 2013, Farwiza Farhan, chairperson of Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh (HAKA), said on Wednesday. "We want the promises to be legally binding, so we took the matter to court," Farwiza told journalists at a press conference. Three mediation attempts with the government resulted in a deadlock one month after the lawsuit was filed. The lawyer for the Aceh administration refused to continue negotiating and suggested that the case be taken to court, Farwiza said. A lack of political will from the local government hampered the groups efforts in demanding KEL preservation, she added, with local officials having the tendency to accommodate the interests of business players rather than that of citizens. "In the last few years, the Aceh administration has issued more permits and land clearing has continued, with land being converted to oil palm plantations," Farwiza said. GeRAM member Abu Kari said the group aimed to fight for KEL to be included in the Spatial Planning Bylaw. As one of Asia's largest carbon sinks, KEL protection was important for the environmental balance in Aceh, he said. Not only the general citizens, indigenous people living in the forests depend their lives in the unique tropical rainforest area where endangered species such as elephant, Sumatran rhinos, orangutan and Sumatran tigers all live in one habitat. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Thu, April 7, 2016 Authorities in Bali arrested an Australian man wanted by Australian Federal Police (AFP) in a drug case on allegations of using multiple fake identities on Wednesday. Immigration officers from Ngurah Rai International Airport arrested Shaun Edward Davidson for allegedly staying on the resort island since January under multiple fake identities. Based on a tip-off from locals on foreigners overstaying their visas, immigration officers raided Rabasa hotel in Kuta on Feb. 29, where Davidson was staying. "Davidson used someone elses passport to check in at the hotel," Ngurah Rai Immigration Office surveillance and response unit head Mohamad Soleh said on Wednesday. The officers also seized a fake temporary stay permit (KITAS) from Davidson. Davidson was initially detained on March 7 at the immigration detention center in Jimbaran while he was being investigated, Soleh said on Wednesday David has been transferred to Kerobokan prison, where he will remain while awaiting trial. The immigration office has been in communication with the Australian Embassy and the AFP since the arrest. Davidson has been charged under the Immigration Law for allegedly using multiple fake identities. Davidson arrived in Bali on Jan. 28 last year, where he entered with a visa-on-arrival, according to immigration data. "He said he was in Bali a tourist, not for work," Soleh said. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) will intensify its deradicalization programs in Poso, Central Sulawesi, where the Santoso-led East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) is based, a BNPT director has said. Deradicalization as been carried out in Poso since 2010 and will be stepped up in line with the joint police-military Operation Tinombala, said BNPT prevention director Brig. Pol. Hamidin said on Thursday. The agencys deradicalization programs places its participants into two groups, soft-liners and the hard-liners. The deradicalization program for the two groups are different," Hamidin said. Hamidin said Poso residents welcomed the BNPTs efforts in carrying out the programs as they wanted to eradicate terrorism in their region. Locals are afraid of Santoso's group, which has threatened and forced them to act as logistics couriers, he added "We are establishing a deradicalization center for a bigger program," Hamidin said further. Previously, BNPT chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the agency was drafting the concept for the deradicalization programs and mapping the spread of radical adherents around Poso. Since its establishment in 2012, MIT members have become infamous for their beheadings of locals who they consider police affiliates and enemies of Islam. The joint Operation Tinombala began in early 2015, with security forces now also cutting logistics to the group. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Nurbianto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 PT Muara Wisesa Samudra (MWS), a subsidiary company of Agung Podomoro Group, will continue the reclamation of G Islet in Jakarta Bay amidst the ongoing controversy about legality of the project. The company says it has obtained all necessary documents, including the environmental impact analysis (Amdal) document. "We will reclaim the islet based on the gubernatorial permit. Unless the Administration Court orders us to dismiss the project, we will go ahead with our work," Ibnu Akhyat, a lawyer representing MWS, told journalists at the Jakarta administrative court on Thursday. The Jakarta Administrative Court is currently hearing a lawsuit against PT MWS and the developers of other islets city owned Jakarta Propertindo, PT. Jaladri Kartika Pakci and PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol filed by environment activists and fishermen who oppose the reclamation project. Ibnu said that the company had complied all of the developer obligations, including the construction of a parking lot for Jakarta police, social facilities, public facilities and pump house. "I don't know the amount of the contribution yet but it may exceed the 15 percent contribution [required by the law draft]," he said. Ibnu's statement is in line with current administration statements. Jakarta Development Planning Board (Bappeda) head Tuty Kusumawati said the reclamation project would continue based on the existing law. Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama also said that the reclamation project would go on as planned as the project was not in violation of any law. Jakarta Legal Aid lawyer M. Isnur said that the permit granted to developers involved in the reclamation project had violated the existing laws. He also accused Ahok of using irrelevant laws, including the law issued during the Soeharto government. "We deem that the governor doesn't have authority to issue reclamation permits. The procedure for the license grant has also violated the law," Isnur said. Marthin Hadiwinata, from the law division of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Union (KNTI), said that Jakarta was a countys strategic area, which means that the authority to give the reclamation permits is held by central government, not Jakartas governor. Marthin added that the Jakarta administration had issued the reclamation permits without sufficient legal basis. "The administration issued reclamation licenses without the spatial planning regulation required by the law. This regulation is needed in order to minimize conflict in the utilization of natural resources," Marthin said. Isnur further insisted that the Jakarta administration's argument that reclamation would help the city mitigate flooding was baseless. Experts from the Bandung Technology Institute (ITB) and the Bogor Agriculture University (IPB) have also foreseen that the reclamation project may even cause flooding in Jakarta because the project is likely to hamper water flow to the ocean, Isnur said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 25, 2016 Etihad Airlines has conveyed its regret for refusing to allow Dwi Ariyani, 36, an Indonesian woman with physical disabilities, to board a flight to Geneva, Switzerland, on Saturday due to her not traveling with an aide. The United Arab Emirates flag carrier admitted that in Ariyanis case the company had failed to follow the procedure of serving a passenger in a wheelchair. Etihad management said it would seriously follow up the case, and that passenger safety and comfort were priority for the company. "We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience that we caused to Mrs. Ariyani, when she was asked to leave our plane that was bound for Geneva from Jakarta this week," said Etihad in its official email, as quoted by Kompas.com on Thursday. Etihad management added that the company had launched a thorough internal investigation and taken the proper measures in response to the procedural violation, and to prevent a similar incident from occurring again. "We have contacted Mrs. Ariyani to apologize and offer an alternative trip," Etihad said in the statement, emphasizing that the airline regularly accommodated disabled passengers on international flights without problems. As previously reported, after 20 minutes on board, the cabin crew manager approached Ariyani, who was heading to Switzerland to attend a UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities, and asked whether she could evacuate the plane without an aide. "I said that I need assistance for evacuation," she wrote in her change.org petition, in which she claimed that Etihad had unfairly discriminated against her. Minutes later, she continued, an airport operation officer, Abrar, approached her and asked whether she could walk. Ariyani replied that she could walk by holding on to a handle bar. "And then he said that, according to the cabin crew, I had to leave the plane because I didnt have any assistants with me," she said, adding that the staff had said that they were acting in accordance with the airlines rules. However, having checked Etihads flight regulations, Ariyani did not find any rules saying that disabled persons were not allowed on flights without an aide. The story went viral after Ariyanis husband Yonnasfi posted an account of the incident on his Facebook account. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama plans to relocate fishermen currently operating off Jakartas coast to Thousand Islands regency once the reclamation in the Jakarta Bay proceeds on a massive scale. The Jakarta Bay is highly contaminated with heavy metals, said Ahok, responding to the protest by dozens of fishermen, who expressed their opposition to the city administrations program to carry out reclamation work in the Jakarta Bay. Previously, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti had called on the city administration to find solutions for hundreds of households that rely on catching fish for their daily earnings. Whether or not the reclamation would go ahead, relocating fishermen to Thousand Islands should happen in any case due to the heavy pollution in the Jakarta Bay, he added. The city administration will prepare fishermen kampung on certain islands of the regency to accommodate those that currently catch fish for a living, he said, adding that the fishermen would not only rely on their catches but also on fish that they cultivated. Ahok said the city would also develop low-cost apartment buildings in the regency and would provide fishermen with free boats for their daily transportation. We plan to provide fishermen with better sanitation in their neighborhoods. They will cultivate fish so that they will not only rely on fish they catch, said Ahok, who expressed his optimism that fishermen would agree with his plan. Through its reclamation program, the city administration plans to develop 17 islets in Jakarta Bay. Then-governor Fauzi Bowo issued one permit, Joko Jokowi Widodo did not issue any permits and Ahok issued five. The project is part of the Giant Seawall project intended to prevent the city from being hit by tidal flooding. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 The government will continue with efforts to secure the release of 10 Indonesian sailors being held by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in the Philippines, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi says. Retno said her office was intensifying communication with her counterpart in the Philippines every minute, every hour, every day, continuously. "The situation is certainly not easy, but we emphasize will not give up and we will continue with our efforts to free our 10 Indonesian sailors. Were doing our best, of course, and at the same time praying for their safety," Retno said in Jakarta on Thursday. The minister said the government had received information that all 10 sailors were in good condition. "All activities are being monitored," she said. Earlier, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudi said the government had prepared the ransom to free the hostages, adding that launching a military operation to rescue the Indonesian sailors would be too risky. He was reluctant to explain the source of the money. "It is definitely not state money," he said. Two Indonesian-flagged vessels, the Brahma 12 and Anand 12, were hijacked by Abu Sayyaf militants in Philippine waters. Brahma 12 has been handed over to Philippine authorities. The militant group contacted the owner of the vessel and demanded US$1.08 million by April 8 to free the Indonesian sailors. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 The government has intensified negotiations and is preparing the ransom demanded to free 10 Indonesian sailors taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf, a Philippine militant group, a minister has said. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said the government had stepped up measures to negotiate with Abu Sayyaf for the release of the hostages, stressing that rescuing the Indonesian sailors via a military operation was too risky for their safety. "I hope the negotiation process will achieve good results since a military operation would make casualties," he said. The minister said the deadline for the negotiations might be extended. As reported earlier, two Indonesian-flagged vessels, the Brahma 12 and Anand 12, were hijacked by Abu Sayyaf militants in Philippine waters last week. The Brahma 12 tugboat has been handed over to the Philippines, but the militant group has contacted the owner of the vessel and demanded a ransom of US$1.08 million by April 8 to free the Indonesian sailors. "Definitely, it [the ransom] is not from state money," Ryamizard said in Jakarta on Thursday. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan held a meeting on the hostage crisis on Monday. A number of ministers and security officials attended. In the meeting, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi outlined the results of her visit to the Philippines last week. These included commitments to intensify communications and coordination with the Philippine government for the safe release of the 10 Indonesian crewmen. The minister also reiterated the importance of the safety the hostages. She conveyed the governments appreciation to its counterparts in the Philippines over its cooperation to solve the hostage crisis. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 The directorate general of taxation will inspect the local offices of international technology giants Yahoo, Google, Twitter and Facebook on account of alleged unpaid taxes. Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said evidences showed that the four companies should have established permanent establishments in Indonesia, but opted against doing so to avoid taxes. A permanent establishment is a fixed place of business that is used by an individual or company which generally gives rise to income or value-added tax liability. Most multinational corporations choose to open representative office in other countries to enjoy lower taxes. "The tax office will look into the back taxes of their business units. The companies earn income from Indonesia from advertising services, but listed them as the income of their Southeast Asia headquarters in Singapore," Bambang said in a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. Since July 2009, PT Yahoo Indonesia has acted as a dependent agent of the Singapore-based Yahoo Singapore Pte Ltd. Likewise, PT Google Indonesia, which has been registered in Indonesia since September 2011, acts as a dependent agent of Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. Meanwhile, social media companies Facebook and Twitter have representative offices in Indonesia. They registered their representative offices in February 2014 and April 2015, respectively. "They are supposed to pay taxes based on their income in Indonesia," Tax office head Ken Dwijugiasteadi underlined, adding that the government would go after the back taxes due to their profitable operations in the country. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has instructed his Cabinet members carry out budget reform in the ministries and institutions they lead, highlighting that budgets must follow programs instead of preset allocations. Budget reform was among topics Jokowi discussed in a plenary Cabinet meeting on Thursday. He asserted that the government aimed for a more efficient state budget, with non-priority operational costs, capital expenditures and ambiguous budget nomenclatures to be cut. "We must focus on what we do. It is unnecessary to have a lot of programs, so we will only be concerned about programs that benefit the people and create a multiplier effect on business and society," Jokowi said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday. Jokowi also reminded Cabinet members to strengthen synergy by sharpening priority programs. "Focus on what has already been planned to be implemented and realized, to produce great benefits for society. Aside from sharpening budget reform in the revised 2016 state budget, the meeting also discuss Indonesias ease of doing business and one-map policy. According to the World Bank's Doing Business 2016 ranking, Indonesia is ranked 109th among 189 economies in terms of ease of doing business, lagging behind neighboring countries Singapore (1st), Malaysia (18th), Thailand (49th) and Vietnam (90th). Meanwhile, the one-map policy aims to help resolve agrarian conflict resulting from the use of different data and maps that often cause land disputes and overlapping permits for plantation and mining operations. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 Investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday questioned Jakarta Financial and Asset Management Agency head Heru Budi Hartono as a witness in relation to a corruption case surrounding the deliberation of two bylaws on reclamation. Heru has been named by Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama as his deputy candidate in the lead-up to the 2017 gubernatorial election, in which the governor will run as an independent. [Heru] will be questioned as a witness regarding alleged gifts and promises relating to the deliberation of draft bylaws, KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said in Jakarta on Thursday. Last week, KPK investigators arrested Mohamad Sanusi, chairman of the Jakarta City Councils Commission D overseeing development affairs, for allegedly accepting a bribe from an official of PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL). The KPK has named three suspects in the case, including APL president director Ariesman Widjaja and another company official. The bribes allegedly related to the ongoing deliberation of two draft bylaws on zoning for coastal areas and small islands and the revision of a bylaw on reclamation implementation and Jakartas Northern Coastal Spatial Plan. The crucial article mentions a requirement for developers to put aside a certain percentage of reclaimed land for the city administration. Ahok said a draft bylaw submitted by the city administration stipulated that the requirement was 15 percent of the reclaimed land. Reportedly, developers had lobbied the council to reduce the requirement to 5 percent. Priharsa said that Heru, a former mayor of North Jakarta, would be questioned as a witness for Ariesman. The KPK will also question other officials from the city administration and private companies. Ahok suggested that the questioning of Heru could be part of the KPK's inquiries to confirm whether officials from the Jakarta administration were involved in the corruption case. The governor also expressed his readiness to testify if the KPK needed information from him. Ahok said he had given clear instructions to his subordinates in connection with the draft bylaws, and therefore the relevant officials had adequate information to provide to the KPK. But if the KPK still wanted to seek information from him directly, Ahok said, he would be summoned. If the KPK wants to crosscheck the answers [of my subordinates], they will summon me, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Aida Sultanova (Associated Press) Baku, Azerbaijan Thu, April 7, 2016 Azerbaijan and Armenia on Thursday accused each other of violating a two-day-old cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh, while Russia and Iran joined diplomatic efforts to prevent an all-out war that could destabilize the strategic Caucasus region. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said its troops returned fire after Armenian forces fired mortars and large-caliber machine guns at Azerbaijani military positions and populated areas. The Armenian side accused Azerbaijan of shelling its positions. The intense skirmishes have threatened to derail the Russia-brokered cease-fire declared at midday Tuesday following an outburst of fighting that marked the worst violence since a separatist war ended in 1994. That conflict left Nagorno-Karabakh, officially a part of Azerbaijan, under the control of local ethnic Armenian forces and the Armenian military. Armenian forces also occupy several areas outside the Karabakh region. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has said 31 of its soldiers have been killed since Saturday; Karabakh has acknowledged the loss of 30 and said 101 others have been wounded. Each party put enemy losses in the hundreds, rival claims that couldn't be independently verified. Several civilians also have been killed on both sides. The fighting involving heavy artillery and rockets raised fears of a possible escalation, with Turkey strongly backing Azerbaijan and Russia obliged by a mutual security pact to protect Armenia. Russia also has sought to maintain friendly ties with energy-rich Azerbaijan and provided it with weapons in a bid to shore up its influence in the Caucasus region, a conduit for energy resources from the Caspian Sea to the West. Russia also has acted as a mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks along with the United States and France, which have dragged on since 1994 without any visible results. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced hope that the cease-fire will hold and emphasized the need to advance a political settlement. "Practically all components of an agreement are already on the table," he said following talks with his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Iran in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, meanwhile, was in the Armenian capital Thursday. Lavrov said he also would continue to pursue a diplomatic solution during meetings with Armenia's foreign minister on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has talked to both Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to help reach the cease-fire agreement, which was negotiated by the top military officers of the warring sides during Tuesday's meeting in Moscow. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia's friendly ties to both nations helped it quickly broker the truce, but he acknowledged that that "the situation now is far from being stable." For Iran, the Baku meeting was a chance to improve its sanction-stricken economic ties with neighboring countries. During their joint news conference, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif focused on plans to boost cooperation with Azerbaijan and Russia on transport, energy and security. _____ Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the largest political party in the country, has announced that it will begin the recruitment process for gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial elections. Registration for the potential candidates will start on April 8, Gembong Warsono, chairman of PDI-P Jakartas election campaign division, said in Jakarta on Thursday, adding that registration would also be open to people who were not PDI-P members. We are giving similar access to figures from outside the party to register, he added. Before announcing that he would run as an independent candidate, incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, was the strongest potential candidate to run on the partys ticket. Ahoks decision reportedly disappointed PDI-P members, particularly chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who Ahok claimed was his close friend. Gembong said that after hopeful candidates had registered with the recruitment committee, they would undergo a selection process that would include scrutiny of their track record and a fit and proper test. Holding 28 seats of the total 106 on the Jakarta City Council, PDI-P is also the most-powerful party in the capital. It is the only party that is able to nominate its own candidate without forming a coalition with other political parties. Several PDI-P politicians have been suggested as strong potential candidates for the gubernatorial contest, including Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang, Central Java Thu, April 7, 2016 The Central Java Police have confiscated hundreds of protected sea creature shells from a store in Cilacap, Central Java, during an operation to curb illegal wildlife trade in the province on April 1. During a separate operation in early February the Central Java Police had seized six eagles and one spotted kestrel that had been illegally raised by a Semarang resident. The Central Java Police special crime investigation division chief Sr.Comr. Edhy Moestofa said on Thursday that the police had confiscated shells and other body parts of protected species from a vendor selling wildlife and animal parts and products. The confiscated parts and products included eight hawksbill sea turtle carapaces, three turtle shells, 342 turtle carapace-made bangles, 40 carapace-made rings, 33 horned helmet shells, 42 Tritons trumpet shells, 68 pearly nautilus shells, 155 trochus shells, 40 fluted giant clam shells and 25 maxima clam shells, which had been carved into ashtrays. The police also confiscated four largetooth sawfish spouts. Stacked A stack of preserved turtles on display in a press conference held at the Central Java Police in Semarang on Thursday. The illegal goods were confiscated at a store trading in wildlife and animal parts and products in Cilacap, Central Java. (thejakartapost.com/Suherdjoko) We confiscated those goods in Cilacap from a suspect identified only as SG, a vendor of wildlife and animal parts and products. SG got them from suppliers. We are still tracing the suppliers who provided the illegal goods to the suspect. The wildlife and animal parts and products were sold at a small store in Cilacap and also marketed in several areas around Cilacap. Some of the goods were exported to other Southeast Asian countries, said Edhy. He said the police obtained information on the trade of sea creature shells and preserved turtles from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), an NGO which had begun to investigate the protected species trade three months ago. We found the wildlife parts and products in Cilacap. We also believe that similar goods have also been marketed as souvenirs for tourists at various beaches. We have contacted the police, as they have the law enforcement authority to take legal action against them, WCS Wildlife Crime Unit coordinator Irma Hermawati said. SG is considered to have violated Article 21 and Article 40 of Law No.5/1990 on the conservation of biodiversity and its ecosystem. SG faces a maximum one-year prison term and a maximum Rp 50 million (US$3,793.63) fine. The suspects case dossier has been handed over to the Prosecutors Office. Earlier in February, the police confiscated seven protected wild bird species from their owners in Tlumpak village, Tembalang district, Semarang. The confiscated birds comprised one spotted kestrel, two crested hawk-eagles, one black eagle and two white-tailed eagles. The seven protected wild bird species have been entrusted at an agro tourism center belonging to Hotel Candi Baru in Semarang and at the Dolphin Center Unit IV of the Indonesia Safari Park. Adj.Sr.Comr.Ferry Irawan of the Central Java Police special crime directorate said the police had named the various owners of the birds as suspects as they were considered to have violated Article 21 (2) Law No.5/1990 on the conservation of biodiversity and its ecosystem, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a Rp 100 million fine. From our investigation, we found that the eagles had been trained to participate in competitions, he said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Slamet Susanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 A study has revealed that the majority of corruption perpetrators in Indonesia are politicians and private businesspeople. Politicians and private businesspeople have committed corruption collectively through the arrangement of laws and regional regulations, University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) School of Economics researcher Rimawan Pradiptyo said about the results of his study. Although many private businesspeople had been proven guilty of corruption, there were no laws regulating corruption perpetrators from the private sector, he went on. Laws only regulate corruption involving politicians and civil servants, said Rimawan. The studys results and data from UGMs economic science laboratory show that during the period of 2001-2015, the number of corruption convicts, comprising politicians (legislators and regional heads) and private businesspeople, reached 1,420 people, with total state losses amounting to Rp 50.1 trillion (US$3.79 billion). Meanwhile, 1,115 corruption convicts were civil servants. Rimawan said the funds returned to the state were small compared to state losses. Citing an example, Rimawan said a corruption case in Bantul regency involving 12 convicts with state losses amounting to Rp 16.3 billion only saw Rp.4.2 billion returned to the state. He further said that in Denpasar, Bali, a corruption case involving 21 convicts with state losses of Rp 71.5 billion only saw Rp 1 billion returned to the state. Rimawan said Greater Jakarta and Sumatra were among the most corrupt areas in Indonesia. The study found that Rp 121.3 trillion, 94.08 percent of Rp 195.14 trillion worth of state losses were incurred in corruption cases in Greater Jakarta and Sumatra. Concerning the condition, Rimawan said Indonesias corruption eradication strategy must be reoriented. In principle, corruption starts from a conspiracy between politicians and private businesspeople during the arrangement of laws and regional regulations, he said. Rimawan further said there also should be a revision to Law No.20/2001 on corruption eradication, in which articles on corruption crimes perpetrated by private businesspeople and corruption practices among private institutions must be included. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 Almost 25 percent of the people of Central Java still defecate in the open, especially in rivers, putting them at greater risk of contracting water-borne diseases, a health official says. Central Java Health Agency chief Yulianto Prabowo said in Semarang on Thursday that only 78 percent of residents in the province had toilets in their homes. Several regencies, especially in the western part of the province, still need to increase their awareness on environmental health, he said. Of the 35 regencies and municipalities in Central Java, those located on the western side of the province need to pay more attention to improving environmental health. These areas include Banyumas, Brebes, Cilacap, Pemalang and Tegal. The poverty level in those areas is relatively high and so improving the health of people there is important, said Yulianto. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo voiced apprehension about the matter. During the closing ceremony of a five-year partnership between US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Indonesian people and government via the Indonesia Urban Waste, Sanitation and Hygiene (IUWASH) program, Ganjar advised Wonosobo residents to stop the unhealthy practice of defecating in the open. Many people in Wonosobo still defecate in the open. Some of them are better off, but still they dont change their ways. I once urged a Wonosobo resident, who was building a house, to make an indoor toilet. A toilet was then installed in a tiny space in the house. This is part of efforts to encourage people to adopt a healthier lifestyle, said Ganjar. In Central Java, IUWASH assisted in providing people with adequate access to clean water and sanitation in 10 regencies and municipalities over the past five years. They comprise seven regencies Batang, Kendal, Klaten, Kudus, Rembang, Semarang and Sukoharjo and three municipalities, namely Salatiga, Semarang and Surakarta. Semanggi district, in Surakarta, for instance, has a poor community, which now has a public toilet and access to clean water provided by Surakarta tap water company PDAM. People in the district used to defecate in rivers. Yulianto further explained that there was a need to improve environmental health, especially around public spaces and markets. On the other hand, Central Java provided access to clean water to 80 percent of its residents. He said Central Java had 279 hospitals spread evenly across 35 regencies and municipalities across the province. A community health center with doctors can be found in every district. Community health centers are even available in remote areas such as Karimunjawa in Jepara regency and Kampung Laut in Cilacap, said Yulianto, adding that improvement was needed because to access hospitals, people in the remote areas had to travel by boat. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita Dewi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 Sharp differences among political factions at the House of Representatives have affected deliberations of the draft tax amnesty bill, making it difficult for the bill to be completed by the end of April. During a House Steering Committee (Bamus) meeting on Wednesday, House Deputy Speaker Agus Hermanto said several factions had not yet agreed to proceed further with the draft bill "It will be difficult to finish the bill during this sitting session," Agus said at the House complex in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Wednesday. Several House political factions reportedly requested that the draft bill be discussed with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. This would temporarily halt deliberations of the draft bill. Agus did not say how long deliberations would be postponed. Democratic Party politician Airlangga Hartarto, who sits on House Commission XI overseeing banking and finance, said on Tuesday it was hoped that the draft bill could be passed in the third quarter of 2016, at the latest. In contrast, House Speaker Ade Komarudin insisted that the draft bill discussion would not be delayed. He said the results of the Bamus meeting would be given to Jokowi and the draft bill would be discussed according to the Presidents schedule. Ade previously said he was optimistic that the House would be able to pass the draft bill before the submission of revised 2016 state budget. In the draft bill, the government offers tax discounts to individuals and companies who declare their untaxed wealth. Unclear political stances Agus did not give details when journalists asked him to give examples of conflicting political stances over the draft bill. Agus said the Democrats wanted to study matters related to good governance and budget utilization. Separately, Azis Syamsuddin, secretary of the Golkar Party faction, conveyed a different stance. "We should be able to decide whether to further discuss the draft bill. This is because four factions have requested a consultancy meeting on the discussion of the bill while six other factions have agreed to discuss the bill," Azis said on Wednesday. He claimed that the Golkar faction had agreed that the bill should be further discussed. Meanwhile, Hanura Party faction secretary Dadang Rusdiana said two factions rejected further discussing the draft bill, while four factions had agreed to discuss the bill. Four other factions demanded a consultancy meeting, he added. Apart from preparing the draft bill, the government plans to revise the state budget to obtain a more realistic figure, including for its tax revenue target. In the 2016 state budget, the total tax revenue target is currently set at Rp 1.36 quadrillion (US$102.64 billion), 28.2 percent higher than the Rp 1.06 quadrillion achieved in 2015. The House resumed on Wednesday its fourth sitting session, which will run until April 29. (ebf) CtrlS plans to set up six new physical data centres with an investment of Rs 600-Rs 700 crore. Hyderabad: With more and more small and medium companies going digital creating unprecedented amounts of data, city-based data storage firm CtrlS plans to set up six new physical data centres with an investment of Rs 600-Rs 700 crore. Sridhar Pinnapureddy, the founder and CEO of CtrlS, said, Almost all companies are thinking of outsourcing their data storage capacities. While smaller companies may choose cloud services, others will look at physical storage. Currently, it has centres in Hyderabad and Mumbai and is planning to launch two new centres in Delhi and Bengaluru shortly. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josh Lederman (Associated Press) Washington Thu, April 7, 2016 President Barack Obama has opened his final presidential campaign against Republican front-runner Donald Trump. His name won't be on November's ballot, but Obama is slowly embracing his role as the anti-Trump, using the contrast between himself and the boastful billionaire to paint Trump as anything but presidential. A Trump victory in the presidential race would mark an overwhelming rebuke to Obama and the likely demise of many of his policies. So with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders still fighting it out in the Democratic primary, it has fallen increasingly to Obama to take on Trump in ways that no other Democrat can. For months, Obama and his aides mostly avoided getting dragged into the fray or letting the campaign din distract from Obama's agenda. The White House would sidestep questions about the latest Trump controversies, refusing to turn Obama into a pundit on the race to replace him. When Obama waded in, it was only to offer implicit rebukes of the Trump phenomenon, such as Obama's assertion in September that "America is great right now" a not-so-veiled reference to the business mogul's campaign promise to "make America great again." Now the Trump critique is coming with increasing frequency and ease. Asked Tuesday whether Trump's proposals were already damaging US relations, Obama answered unequivocally: "Yes." "I am getting questions constantly from foreign leaders about some of the wackier suggestions that are being made," Obama said. "They don't expect half-baked notions coming out of the White House. We can't afford that." The Democratic National Committee quickly circulated video of Obama's remarks, arguing they illustrated how Trump "simply doesn't have the temperament necessary to be commander in chief." Yet by calling attention to Trump's positions, the White House risks further elevating him, while giving Obama's critics a fresh reason to get behind the billionaire businessman. Obama has said repeatedly he doesn't believe Trump will win, and White House officials said there was no concerted effort to insert Obama more visibly into the election debate. After all, every minute Obama spends talking about Trump is a minute wasted when it comes to Obama's many unfinished pieces of business. Still, the president in recent days has rarely passed up a chance for a Trump takedown especially on foreign policy, where Obama's status as commander in chief gives him a unique perch to besmirch Trump's approach. Closing out a nuclear security summit last week, Obama said Trump's suggestion that South Korea and Japan develop nuclear weapons "tell us that the person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy, or nuclear policy, or the Korean Peninsula." "Or the world generally," Obama added wryly. And in his latest rebuke, Obama unloaded on Trump's proposal to compel Mexico to pay for a border wall by threatening to cut off remittances that Mexican immigrants in the US send back home. Asked about that idea, Obama issued a point-by-point rebuttal, arguing that would actually increase the flow of immigrants into the US and that tracking huge numbers of remittances was impossible. "Good luck with that," Obama said. Obama's public scolding of Trump, who for years peddled inaccurate claims about Obama's birth certificate, dates back to 2011, when Obama roasted him at the glitzy White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Trump was visibly humiliated as Obama lobbed joke after joke at him on national television. Obama, echoing the broader message from Democrats this year, has stressed that Trump isn't the only Republican espousing "draconian" rhetoric about Mexicans, Muslims and others. Yet the brunt of Obama's criticism has centered on Trump, who has the best mathematical path to the Republican nomination despite losing to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in Wisconsin on Tuesday. Though Clinton and Sanders have both vigorously attacked Trump, neither has been able to focus exclusively on the Republican as their battle for the Democratic nomination continues. Obama hasn't endorsed either of the Democrats or campaigned on their behalf, leaving his condemnation of Trump as his primary foray into the race to date. The White House said once the Democrats choose their nominee, Obama will be out in full force campaigning, raising money and activating his own supporters. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin thejakartapost.com (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 7, 2016 Tragic incidents took place during a rehearsal of the Air Force's anniversary celebrations at a Jakarta airport on Thursday as two Military skydivers died during separate parachute accidents. The two skydivers were members of the Air Force's Special Troops (Paskhas). They were Second Corporal Beni and Private First Class Supranoto, Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Dwi Badarmanto said on Thursday. "Yes, there was an incident. There were hundreds of skydivers and two had imperfect landings. Both died at the hospital," Dwi said as quoted by kompas.com. The two soldiers died during the skydiving rehearsal at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in East Jakarta prior to the 70th anniversary of the Air Force on April 9. They jumped out of a military Hercules aircraft for the rehearsal. Supranoto's parachute ropes became tangled and hard to control, causing him to land on a house near the airport, Dwi explained. Meanwhile, Beni managed to land but strong winds forced him into a hard impact. The Air Force brought the bodies to Esnawan Antariksa Hospital in the Halim area. The Air Force would also hold a service for the two soldiers at 461 Battalion in Halim, East Jakarta. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Frank Jordans and Raf Casert (Associated Press) Berlin Fri, April 8, 2016 A European Union official threatened Thursday to sanction Panama and other nations if they don't cooperate fully to fight money laundering and tax evasion, after a leak of data showed the small country remains a key destination for people who want to hide money. The 11.5 million documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca showed it helped thousands of individuals and companies from around the world set up shell companies and offshore accounts in low-tax havens. Because such accounts often hide the ultimate owner of assets, they are a favored tool to evade taxes, launder money or pay bribes. So far, the scandal has brought down the leader of Iceland and raised questions about the dealings of the presidents of Argentina and Ukraine, senior Chinese politicians, famous actors, athletes and the circle of friends of Russian Vladimir Putin, who some allege has profited indirectly from such accounts. On Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged he profited from his father's investments in an offshore tax haven before being elected. "People are fed up with these outrages," said Pierre Moscovici, who heads financial affairs for the 28-nation EU. He took to task countries like Panama that facilitate such secretive, low-tax accounts. "The amounts of money, the jurisdictions and the names associated with this affair are frankly shocking," he said. Panama is listed by the EU as a country that is not cooperative on tax issues, and Moscovici urged the country to "rethink its position in this regard." The EU has to "be ready to hit them with appropriate sanctions if they refuse to change," he said. The Central American country's government is offering to cooperate more. On Wednesday, President Juan Carlos Varela announced the creation of an international committee of experts to recommend ways to boost transparency in Panama's offshore financial industry. But Varela defended his country against what he called a "media attack" by wealthy nations that he says are ignoring their own deficiencies and unfairly stigmatizing Panama. Ramon Fonseca, a co-founder of the law firm at the center of the scandal and until recently a top adviser to Varela, said Thursday the only law that has been broken so far is the right to his clients' privacy. He said the biggest source of secretive shell companies is Europe and the US "If a company in England has problems nobody says anything against England, but when it happens to a firm in Panama it's a big problem and the entire world beats up on poor Panama," Fonseca told The Associated Press in an interview. He said his firm creates about 20,000 shell companies annually but also rejects about 70 to 80 clients every year due to conflicts that crop up during due diligence. "We're not perfect and some surely escape by," he said. "But in all our years in business we've never been accused or condemned by a court." Europe also is home to countries with a record of acting like tax havens and providing banking secrecy Luxembourg, Switzerland, Andorra, among others. The United States has also become a haven, with several states including Wyoming and Delaware now popular places to open anonymous accounts that are cheap to maintain and pay little or no local tax. Since the first reports based on Mossack Fonseca documents were published Sunday, prominent politicians, celebrities and businesspeople have had their offshore business dealings dragged into the spotlight. On Thursday, the German newspaper that first obtained what have been dubbed the "Panama Papers," said it won't publish all the files, arguing that not all are of public interest. Sueddeutsche Zeitung received the documents from an unidentified source more than a year ago and shared at least parts of them with dozens of other media outlets around the world. Fonseca said his firm has hired forensic experts to investigate and have already uncovered the method used to penetrate its systems. He said the hack was probably carried out from Europe and dismissed speculation it may have been an inside job. Sueddeutsche Zeitung and the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which helped coordinate reporting on the leak, have said they won't make the complete set of 11.5 million documents available to the public or law enforcement but rather mine the information for details of public interest. Responding to readers' queries about the absence of prominent German or American politicians in the reports, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said such names haven't yet been found in the documents. It said the documents include copies of the passports of 200 Americans and about 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies have listed addresses in the United States Fonseca said his firm has only a handful of American clients, mostly expats living in Panama. He said both he and his German-born partner have longstanding ties to Europe and over the years have focused their business there and in Latin America. Meanwhile, Britain's Cameron looks to become the next European politician ensnared by the scandal. After four days fending off headlines about his family's finances, he acknowledged Thursday that he and his wife, Samantha, sold shares worth 31,500 pounds (currently $44,300) in an offshore fund named Blairmore Holdings in January 2010 five months before Cameron became prime minister. They had paid 12,497 pounds for the shares in 1997. The prime minister's father, Ian Cameron, an affluent stockbroker who died in 2010, was a client of Mossack Fonseca. There's no indication the offshore fund was set up to avoid paying taxes but the revelation has reinforced the prime minister's image as a scion of wealth and undermined calls to boost transparency at a time many British overseas territories act as tax havens. Also on Thursday, an Argentine prosecutor asked a judge to authorize an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's role in offshore companies. Federal prosecutors said an investigation is necessary to see whether Macri "maliciously" omitted his role in two offshore companies in his annual tax declarations. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the document leaks scandal as part of a US-led plot to weaken Russia. Speaking at a media forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses even though his name didn't feature in any of the documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm. Putin described the allegations as part of the US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. "They are trying to destabilize us from within in order to make us more compliant," he said. The ICIJ said the documents it obtained indicated that Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin acted as a front man for a network of Putin loyalists and, perhaps, the president himself. The ICIJ said the documents show how complex offshore financial deals channeled as much as $2 billion to a network of people linked to the Russian president. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Eunice Au (The Straits Times/ANN) Kuala Lumpur Thu, April 7, 2016 Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday defended his pet project, the national carmaker Proton, arguing that the company has given the government more than it has taken from it. Mahathir listed details of Proton's contribution to the government since 1985 on his personal blog, with the sum collected by the government from excise duty, sales tax, corporate tax, import duty and goods and services tax amounting to RM24 billion (US$ 6,1 billion). The figure is almost double the RM14 billion the carmaker has received from the government in the same period through tax incentives, stimulus packages and special grants. "Clearly Proton has paid more to the government than government to Proton," Mahathir asserted, a week after he resigned as Proton Holdings chairman amid a bitter spat with Prime Minister Najib Razak. He said Proton had funded an RM1.8 billion Tanjung Malim plant in Perak and also repaid two seed funds injected by the government earlier amounting to RM400 million. Besides financial contributions, he claimed Proton provided 12,000 jobs and indirectly created another 250,000 jobs. Proton also reduced the outflow of funds to more than RM100 billion. Mahathir also claimed that he had not been expelled by the Proton management but had resigned to avoid any fallout between Proton and the government. "I know I am persona non grata with the government. I do not want to be the cause of Proton's inability to recover because of my presence," he said, urging Proton owners and supporters to help the national carmaker. The Straits Times has reported that Proton suffered more than RM2.5 billion in losses for the past four years and was looking to the government for a grant to stay afloat, but the request had been threatened by the feud between the former premier and PM Najib Razak. In response to Mahathir's blog post, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said that Mahathir's appeal to Malaysians to support Proton was impractical because buying a car was not simply based on patriotism or nationalism but whether it is value for money. He said that, when buying cars, Malaysians would consider the depreciation of the car's value and what they can recoup when they decide to sell or trade in the car. "The issue of market forces and the law of supply and demand dictate what you do. If there is a demand, then you can create the supply," he said. "But you cannot create a demand by asking Malaysians to buy your product just because they are Malaysian and Proton is also Malaysian." He added that competition and globalization were the causes of Proton's poor sales and not the lack of patriotism on the part of Malaysians. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Shivaji Das (The Jakarta Post) Ujung Genteng, Sukabumi Thu, April 7, 2016 Pak Teteng had a midwifes patience. It was a long night ahead. The mother turtle he was sitting behind had just got comfortable enough to begin laying eggs. Plop, plop, plop, one by one, the mother was dropping the eggs into the pit she had dug. She had chosen her spot carefully, high up in the beach, just before the forest began. Pak Teteng grabbed these slimy ping-pong ball shaped eggs as soon as they came out, putting them in a basket he had brought along, his only tool as the midwife for the night. Mother laying eggs.(Shivaji Das/-) Only once everything was settled, could he rest for a few minutes at the makeshift hut he had made at the beach, a plastic sheet resting on three poles, just high enough to sit inside and wide enough to cover his body. But right now, there was work to do. Every night, staff from the Turtle Conservation Centre at Ujung Genteng in Sukabumi, West Java, stand watch all night to track nesting green turtles, collected their eggs for safekeeping until they hatch after which they release the babies into the Indian Ocean. The Turtle Beach at Ujung Genteng, 250 kilometers south of Jakarta, is one of the worlds largest nesting grounds for green turtles. Earlier we had met Opang and Nyaye, two research students currently stationed at the Turtle Conservation Center. Opang looked like a reggae musician, with long hair and a relaxed air about himself, just how a conservation research scientist should look. Nyaye was like a conventional forest ranger with his lanky physique and wide-brimmed khaki hat. They had promised to call us at night when there was a turtle. And just as we had gone to sleep, we received the call. It was drizzling and the kilometer-long walk from our hotel to the Turtle Beach passed through a pitch-dark forest. Yet, the lure of the mother turtle made us rush toward the beach, dodging the countless toads that were practicing long jumps along the cobbled path. It takes seven hours to reach Ujung Genteng from Jakarta. But owing to heavy long-weekend traffic between Jakarta and Sukabumi, the journey had taken us 10 long hours. Yet, once we saw this giant mother turtle, who lay completely exhausted after traveling around the world to come back to her ancestral place, we forgot all the hassle of getting there. That is when we saw Pak Teteng, the patient midwife for the turtles. Mother heads back after nesting.(Shivaji Das/-) More than 4,000 turtles live here, said Opang, who was a walking-talking encyclopedia on turtles. A turtle will only nest at her favorite area. The mothers come once a year. These months, there are one or two every night. But during the peak season from July to August, there could even be 50 turtles in one night. The turtles, elegant swimmers in the ocean, are cumbersome on land. Once she was done with laying eggs, she began using her hind flippers to swipe the sand and cover up the pit she had dug for the eggs. This activity was strenuous for her and she rested after every four or five swipes. She seemed unaware that all her eggs were actually in Pak Tetengs basket. It was now permitted for visitors to see her from the front. She had beautiful eyes that were tearful. Opang took away the melodrama, These are tears to protect her eyes. Turtles eyes are better adapted to sea water than air. So these secretions help to put on an additional layer. My research is about finding the relationship between the depth of the nesting hole and the success rate in hatching, said Opang. Sometimes, the holes are 50 cm deep. Sometimes, they could dig up to 80 centimeters. Also, one interesting fact about green turtles is that the proportion of male to female varies with the temperature during the hatching period which is usually two months. Sometimes, a turtle will make two or three such pits to camouflage the real one. But tonight, she looks too tired to do all these smart tricks, said Pak Teteng as he left to bury the eggs in the hatchery. Turtle sex is rather intriguing too. The male climbs on the female and they swim together, said Opang. Other males try to get him off by biting his sensitive areas or drag him down. The male has to persevere while he is in so much pain from all the bites from his rivals. Its a dangerous adventure. The turtle babies.(Shivaji Das/-) Once the turtle had covered her pit, she began using her flippers at the front to turn. We tried to help the tired mother by tearing away dry branches that obstructed her movements. After an hour of trying, she finally faced the sea. Then, she began her descent. It was fast as she went down like a sand-boarder but once she hit the flat beach, it was an arduous task again. She pushed the sand with her flippers and then she rested. Judging from her size, she is probably 60 to 70 years old, said Opang. She may be anywhere from 60 to 100 kilograms. So this turtle would have been born around Indonesias independence. However, these great survivors of the wild who can live up to 100 years are now listed as endangered species. Look at all those bright lights, says Opang. Those are all fishing boats. They catch a lot of the baby turtles. They are not supposed to be here as this is a protected area. But this is Indonesia. After nearly three hours of nesting, our mother turtle finally swam into the water. I was deeply moved by the effort of this mother who was still behaving as if things hadnt changed, that she continued believing that her children would inherit a safe and resplendent earth, oblivious to the continuing devastation that we humans have unleashed on her pristine world. We completed our trip by watching the newly hatched turtles getting released the next evening. Anxious for this great event of nature, we had passed time by visiting the other attractions of Ujung Genteng the Cikaso waterfall and the infamous surf breaks at Ombak Tujuh. At sunset, a crowd had gathered at Turtle Beach, tourists from Bandung and Jakarta. Opang was with a megaphone working up the crowd, getting them to cheer the release. Once released, the two-day-old turtles instinctively scrambled for the sea, tripping, flipping, getting swept by the unforgiving waves back to where they had started from. But as the sky, the sand and the sea turned a marvelous red, one by one they disappeared into the open ocean at Ujung Genteng. The next few days will be tough for these babies, says Opang. They will be eaten up by birds, crabs, and then there are the fishermens nets. Only 2 percent of these babies will reach adulthood. We can control things inside this center. But we cant control the sea. The mother turtle.(Shivaji Das/-) I was envious of those 2 percent, those who will outlive me, watching stages in human society that I will not be able to see. As we said goodbyes to Opang and Nyaye, they mentioned that today was their last day at the center. We have spent more than two months here, said Nyaye. But it feels like we arrived just yesterday. Here, one doesnt realize how time passes by. The centers permanent staff came to thank us for our visit. They are the real heroes, said Nyaye. People like Pak Teteng are the ones doing all the hard work. As the crowd departed, the beach became a deserted place with only the waves that battered the fast-walking crabs. The earth darkened itself to prepare for the mothers who would appear later to begin the cycle again. The fishermen on the horizon turned on their neon lights. *** Writer, traveler, and photographer; India-born Shivaji Das is the author of Journeys with the caterpillar: Traveling through the islands of Flores and Sumba, Indonesia and Sacred Love: Erotic art in the temples of Nepal. He is presently working as a management consultant in Singapore. His full accomplishments can be found at www.shivajidas.com. --------------- Interested to write for thejakartapost.com? We are looking for information and opinions from experts in a variety of fields or others with appropriate writing skills. The content must be original on the following topics: lifestyle (beauty, fashion, food), entertainment, science & technology, health, parenting, social media, and sports. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Melissa Lin (The Straits Times/ Asia News Network) Singapore Thu, April 7, 2016 Despite already being a popular tourist attraction, Little India is getting a push with new community spaces and its own online marketplace. Two unused plots of land in the precinct will be set aside for community activities over the next seven months to make the area even more vibrant, in a pilot project organised by the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). A stage and art installations - such as colourful statues of cows and trees with umbrellas - have been put up at the two fields along Clive Street and Hindoo Road. Each month, community groups will organise performances and activities there based on a theme. To kick off the project, the Indian Cultural Fiesta will be held for a month from Monday (April 11). Participants from 14 ethnic groups will showcase their traditions through performances and activities such as henna-painting and garland-making. Formerly known as the Indian New Year celebration, the event first started in 2010 as a means to commemorate then Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to Little India in a long time. "Nowhere in the world will you see 14 ethnic groups in the Indian community come together because the diaspora is so large and the groups are all over India," said the chairman of Lisha, Mr Rajakumar Chandra, at a press conference on Wednesday (April 6). "This is a chance for locals and tourists to come to Little India and experience different (Indian) cultures." Mr Kenneth Lim, STB's director of cultural precincts development, said 20 per cent of all visitors to Singapore make a trip to Little India, making it one of the most visited tourist attractions here. "Little India is a very important precinct in Singapore," he added. "We are constantly trying to find ways to see how we can engage our visitors, whether they are tourists or locals." If successful, the project will be extended to other unused plots of land in Little India, said Mr Rajakumar. Meanwhile, consumers wary of weekend crowds in Little India can look forward to shopping online for clothes, groceries, garlands and spiritual items such as joss sticks commonly found in the precinct. An online marketplace for goods and services by Little India merchants will be launched next Friday (April 15). Named after a slang word used among local Indians to call out to one another, Dei.com.sg is a collaboration between Lisha and IT solutions and service provider Auberon I. It now has 15 Little India merchants onboard, and aims to get the rest of the over 300 merchants in the precinct online by the end of the year. Shoppers can have items delivered to their homes for a fee, or collect them at a point near Little India MRT station. Mr Rajakumar said the initiative was in response to the growing trend of online shopping, as well as complaints by visitors about crowds and lack of parking spaces and taxis in the area on weekends. "We hope this will ease the hassle of shopping in Little India and bring convenience to them," he added. The Essex Street Market this month is beginning a new series of free evening events focused on the changing food landscape of New York City. The series, called Talk & Taste, will bring together industry experts and entrepreneurs for quarterly conversations, preceded by tastings from market vendors and complimentary sips (from Tiger Beer). The first event takes place Thursday, April 14. It features Robert LaValva, founder of the New Amsterdam Market. Hell be discussing the history of public markets in New York and why he feels theyre worthy of preservation (his Seaport market ended its run at the South Street Seaport in 2014). As part of the series, they will be unveiling a series of historic, one-of-a-kind prints taken at the Essex Street Market in the late 1970s by photographer Marcia Halperin. Heres the schedule for future Talk & Taste Events: June 16 Immigration in the Kitchen: A Generation of Food Entrepreneurs, in partnership with MoFAD September 15 Framing Urban Renewal on the Lower East Side, in partnership with Tenement Museum December 8 How Bakeries Became NYCs Biggest Food Manufacturers, in partnership with Turnstile Tours The events are being hosted in partnership with with New Amsterdam Market, Museum of Food and Drink, Tenement Museum, and Turnstile Tours. The talks are free but theyre limited to 50 people and you need to RSVP. More info here. Mumbai: Director Nagesh Kukunoors Dhanak has garnered fame at several film festivals and is now set to release in India. The makers have released the trailer online that has created a lot of buzz. With 'Dhanak', the noted filmmaker completes his humane trilogy after his award-winning films, Dor and Iqbal. The Ayesha Takia-Gul Panag starrer Dor and Iqbal starring Shreyas Talpade had tugged the heartstrings with their simple but heartwarming stories and now Dhanak is touted to be notches above. Dhanak revolves around eight-year old visually impaired boy Chotu and his 10-year-old sister Pari, who has promised her younger brother, that he will be able to see by the time he turns nine. Happy and precocious Chotu is the life of his small village in Rajasthan, while Pari is his eyes and his best friend. Once when Pari sees a poster of Sharukh Khan (SRK) appealing to people to donate their eyes, she is convinced that her reel life hero can help her fulfill her promise to her brother. What unfolds is a magical journey that only the innocence of childhood allows to experience with their ability to see magic in every little corner of this complicated world. Bollywood's King Khan, Shah Rukh also applauded the trailer by tweeting, "My best wishes to these beautiful kids & to Nagesh & Elahe." My best wishes to these beautiful kids & to Nagesh & Elahe. https://t.co/K7zX9gpM55 Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 6, 2016 Written and Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Dhanak stars Krrish Chhabria and Hetal Gada, Vipin Sharma and Gulfam Khan amongst others. Set to release on June 10, the film has been produced by Manish Mundra, Nagesh Kukunoor & Elahe Hiptoola. Watch the trailer below: , , , , . Kangana's advocate Rizwan Siddiqui sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police on April 6 requesting him to look into the matter and take appropriate action. Mumbai: The Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut spat got murkier with the actress approaching the Commissioner of Police seeking the actor's arrest for allegedly circulating her personal photographs and e-mails to the media and "willfully outraging" her modesty. Kangana's advocate Rizwan Siddiqui sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police on April 6 requesting him to look into the matter and take appropriate action. "My client Kangana Ranaut has been given to understand that her absolutely private and confidential e-mails as well as photographs which were collected by Hrithik Roshan during his association with her are being malafidely and mischievously misused by Hrithik Roshan with criminal intentions of damaging my client's reputation and to willfully impute in-chastity to her," the letter signed by Siddiqui to the Police Commissioner (Dattatray Padsalgikar) read. Kangana said that Hrithik had committed "cognizable offences" under sections 149 and 150 of CrPC and it was the duty of the police to arrest him under Section 151 of CrPC (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences). "Please do note that Hrithik Roshan has even criminally threatened my client of these actions in his notice to my client. However, as his notice received a befitting reply from me and he was not in a position to reply to the same he is now indulging in these criminal acts to put fear in the mind of my client," the letter said. The letter further stated that while Kangana reserves her right to file FIR, she would request the police to immediately look into the matter and take appropriate action. "We will wait for a few days and see how the matter shapes up. I don't think we can wait for too long to initiate criminal action against him (Hrithik). Earlier, we did not think of it (criminal action) as he is a family man with two kids," Siddiqui told PTI. He added that till now they have been only replying and responding and not attacking. Hrithik's advocate Dipesh Mehta, however, denied the allegations and said his client has not indulged in any such activities as alleged by the 29-year-old actress and her lawyer. Earlier this week, accusing Hrithik of resorting to deviations and media trial as a face-saving tactic, Kangana had asked the actor to withdraw his legal notice to her or face action. Hrithik, 42, had in February sent a notice to Kangana asking her to hold a press conference and tender an apology for referring to him as 'silly ex'. Kangana, in turn, had responded with a 21-page notice, charging Hrithik with intimidation and threat. The legal fight between the two stars, who worked together in 'Kites' and 'Krrish 3', has been grabbing headlines for some time now. Hrithik's side claims that he never had a relationship with the actress. The actor had accused the "Queen" star of sending up to 50 e-mails a day, some of them explicit in nature, whereas Kangana has alleged that he had hacked into her email account to delete mails that could have complicated his divorce proceedings with his then wife Suzanne Khan. Kangana, however, has charged the actor of a clumsy attempt to cover up their relationship. The actress had said she was not "some dim-witted teenager who has been smitten and that whatever happened between the two of them was with full consent of both parties." 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They will be seen together in the comedy Housefull 3. Nargis Fakhri performs for a special song sequence. Nargis Fakhri grooves on the sets of Banjo. Nargis Fakhri will be seen playing a DJ from New York City. Nargis Fakhri's character in the film will be called Christina. Pratyusha, known for her role as Anandi in TV series 'Balika Vadhu', was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her apartment on April 1. Mumbai: Rahul Raj Singh, who has been booked for abetting the suicide of Television actor Pratyusha Banerjee, had accused her mother of practising black magic and tried to create obstacles in the couples wedding plans. Read: Hours after lawyer withdraws from case, Rahul moves anticipatory bail plea According to Soma Banerjee, Rahul had told Pratyusha that her parents were making no money of their own and were clinging on to her savings. After this, her parents decided to move back to their hometown Jamshedpur. Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Rahuls lawyer Neeraj Gupta quits case Pratyusha rose to fame with her successful show Balika Vadhu. She went on to participate in reality shows like Bigg Boss 7 and Power Couple. However, according to Pratyushas friends and family, Rahul would fight with her on several occasions and would suspect her of being in touch with her former boyfriend. Read: Pratyushas friend Vikas Gupta makes shocking revelation about Rahul's past Soma claims that she had three joint bank accounts with Pratyusha, but Rahul forcibly got their phone number de-linked from the account and started operating Pratyushas debit card. Read: Our daughter's soul won't rest in peace unless Rahul is punished: Pratyusha's father On the other hand, Rahul filed an anticipatory bail application at the Dindoshi sessions court. He said Pratyusha might have committed suicide because she was unable to clear her bank and car loans. He went on to claim that he was paying the rent for the Goregoan flat and he had even paid the security deposit of Rs 1 lakh. Read: Rahuls ex-girlfriend sent an intimate clip of them to Pratyusha: Rakhi Rahul gave away 90% of the money received from Power Couple to Pratyusha out of love and affection for the girl he was going to marry. Pratyusha, known for her role as Anandi in TV series 'Balika Vadhu', was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her apartment on April 1. A case under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC has been registered against Rahul. Mumbai: A local Mumbai court rejected Rahul Raj Singh's bail plea after he was booked by the police for 'abetting' girl friend and television actress Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide. Rahul, currently in hospital for the third day, was booked for abetment after the police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the actress' mother Soma Banerjee at the Bangurnagar Police Station. A case under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC has been registered against Rahul. Read: Rahul accused me of practising black magic, claims Pratyusha's mother Pratyusha's lawyer Falguni Brahmbhatt said, "Court has rejected Rahul Raj's bail plea. Whether it's abetment of suicide or murder, is yet to be probed." Read: Hours after lawyer withdraws from case, Rahul moves anticipatory bail plea Rahul's lawyer Neeraj Gupta withdrew from the case on Wednesday saying his client had hid facts from him. Rahul's new lawyer is Ashok Sarogi. Neeraj had said, "I withdrew from the case on humanitarian grounds. I felt I shouldn't be fighting the case, and hence left it so that injustice is not done to anyone." Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Rahuls lawyer Neeraj Gupta quits case He further added, "A client should pass on all information, right or wrong, good or bad, to the lawyer, but I was kept in the dark and got all details (pertaining to the case) from outside (media)." On April 1, the 24-year-old actress, who shot to fame for her role of Anandi in hit TV series Balika Vadhu, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself inside her flat in Goregoan, Mumbai. Priyanka Chopra wrote, "I'm truly so happy for my friend @bipsluvurself n her handsome bridegroom to be @Iamksgofficial Ure a golden heart..u deserve so much n more" Mumbai: Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover have so far kept mum about their impending marriage, but Priyanka Chopra just let the cat of the bag. Read: Bipasha Basu breaks her silence on her alleged wedding with Karan Priyanka, who is a close friend of Bipasha's congratulated the couple on Twitter, thereby confirming the news of their wedding. She wrote, "I'm truly so happy for my friend @bipsluvurself n her handsome bridegroom to be @Iamksgofficial Ure a golden heart..u deserve so much n more" I'm truly so happy for my friend @bipsluvurself n her handsome bridegroom to be @Iamksgofficial Ure a golden heart..u deserve so much n more PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 7, 2016 Hours after Priyanka's tweet, Bipasha Basu confirmed the news by posting a picture of her with Karan on Instagram. The post read: "We are happy to finally share the good news with everyone. 30th April 2016 is the big day and we cannot thank our family, friends, fans and well wishers enough for all their love and support. The wedding will be a private, intimate affair. Our deepest gratitude for respecting our privacy this far. We hope to have your continued blessings and warm wishes as we embark on this new journey together." We are happy to finally share the good news with everyone . 30th April 2016 is the big day and we cannot thank our family,friends, fans and well wishers enough for all their love and support. The wedding will be a private intimate affair .Our deepest gratitude for respecting our privacy this far .We hope to have your continued blessings and warm wishes as we embark on this new journey together.Love Bipasha and @iamksgofficial . A photo posted by bipashabasu (@bipashabasu) on Apr 7, 2016 at 6:03am PDT Our sources say the couple have started sending out the first lot of invites to their friends. A grand Bengali wedding will take place at Bipasha's home followed by a big reception. Brake failure blamed as long-haul fruit truck spills load on Phuket hill PHUKET: Traffic backed up on the Kamala-Patong hill road for more than three hours yesterday afternoon (April 6) after a six-wheeler spilled its full load of fruit on the road due to brake failure. accidentstransportpolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Thursday 7 April 2016, 12:04PM Workers took three hours to clear the overturned truck from the road. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Workers took three hours to clear the overturned truck from the road. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Workers took three hours to clear the overturned truck from the road. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Workers took three hours to clear the overturned truck from the road. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Police and Kusoldharm rescue workers arrived at the Kwan Yak curve shortly after 3:40pm to find the truck on its side halfway into a roadside drain. Debris from the crash spilled across the road, causing traffic jams in both directions in and out of Patong. The truck driver, Somphan Talunai, 42, from Ratchaburi, suffered only small bruises to his arms, said Lt Somneuk Damkaew of the Kamala Police. Mr Somphan said that he was driving alone all the way from Pathum Thani to deliver fruit to a client in Patong. There were no other injuries or accidents caused by the crash, Lt Somneuk added. Mr Somphan said that when he came to the bend, the brakes failed and he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the guardrail before the vehicle flipped onto its side, he said. Workers with a crane took more than three hours to clear the road and allow traffic to pass freely again. Mr Somphan is facing charges of reckless driving and causnig damage to government property, Lt Somneuk added. Four arrested in Phang Nga with B6M worth of drugs PHUKET: Four people were arrested in Phang Nga with more than B6 million worth of drugs, police also seized from the four B300,000 worth of assets. crimedrugspolice By Darawan Naknakhon Thursday 7 April 2016, 06:12PM Only two of the four were presented at the press conference and they were named as Sanong Hangtae, 37, and Jatuporn Kerdyindee, 48. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon Region 8 Police Commander Maj Gen Tesa Siriwato, Phang Nga Police Chief Maj Gen Worawit Panprung and Phang Nga Vice Governor Sripong Buthdeengam held a press conference this morning (Apr 7) to announce the arrest of the four who were arrested during an ongoing anti-drug and -crime crack down. Only two of the four were presented at the press conference and they were named as Sanong Hangtae, 37, and Jatuporn Kerdyindee, 48, who between them had in their possession a 7.65mm automatic pistol, 39,520 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) and 1,031.5 grams of crystal meth (ya ice). The other two arrested were not present at the conference as police are continuing to question them, however, they were named as Nattapong Sookkaew, 19, and Ms Patchara Jaroon, 26. Maj Gen Tesa said at the press conference, Drugs worth more than B6M were seized from the four and we also seized two pick up trucks, two motorbikes, one gold necklace, account books and bank cards from them. Drug dealers love to make deliveries during public holidays because they think police are busy with other duties, he said. Phang Nga has a lot of tourist attractions and many tourists visit the area each year. Many dealers try to blend in with the crowd during festivals to carry out their illegal activities. The arrests were possible because of a sting operation by local police, he added. Hunt for lone, armed robber in Pattaya CHONBURI: Police today (Apr 7) continued a hunt for an armed robber who made off with almost B9 million from a cash delivery van yesterday evening (Apr 6). crimepolice By Bangkok Post Thursday 7 April 2016, 12:37PM Police cordon off the Samco cash delivery van after it was held up in front of Big C superstore, south Pattaya, Chon Buri, on Wednesday evening (Apr 6). Photo by Chaiyot Phuttanapong Col Sukthat Pumpunmuang, Pattaya police chief, ordered checkpoints set up in Bang Lamung district to block escape routes likely to be used by the audacious bandit. The robber struck about 6pm yesterday. He was wearing a full-face crash helmet when he arrived on a motorcycle and parked about 10 metres away from a cash delivery van operated by Siam Administrative Management Co (Samco) in front of Siam Commercial Banks south Pattaya branch at Big C superstore in Pattaya City. The rider then pulled out a pistol, fired one shot into the sky and immediately snatched the cash bag from two delivery guards. He then fired one more shot into the rear of the van before fleeing, police said after questioning Methakorn Supadee, one of the two employees. Mr Methakorn, 26, and Jeerasak Seeladlao, 28, were carrying B8.8 million cash from the bank branch to the vehicle when the robbery occurred. They were unhurt. Police and forensic officers inspected the robbery scene and found two spent pistol cartridges. Footage of closed-circuit television cameras showed the robber fleeing toward Wat Bunsamphan intersection. Maj Gen Kittipong Ngaomuk, deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 2, ordered an immediate manhunt for the robber. A similar robbery occurred on March 27, when a hooded man robbed employees of Samco Co delivering more than B5 million to a Siam Commercial Bank ATM in front a Lotus Express branch in Chon Buris Muang district. Read original story here. New Phuket bridge to host light-rail PHUKET: Transport Minster Arkom Termpittayapaisith has revealed that the recently completed Thepsrisin Bridge on the outskirts of Phuket Town is planned to be used by the long-awaited light-rail system, when it finally arrives. transporttourismeconomicsconstructionenvironment By Eakkapop Thongtub Thursday 7 April 2016, 10:25AM The official opening saw a host of high-ranking officials join the event. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The official opening saw a host of high-ranking officials join the event. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The new Thepsrisin Bridge on the outskirts of Phuket Town will host the light-rail transit route, when the system arrives. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Mr Arkom delivered the news at the official dedication ceremony for the bridge yesterday (April 6), in the presence of Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, Department of Rural Roads Director Pisak Jitwiriyawasin, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana and a host of other officials, business operators, residents and students. The bridge will help ease traffic congestion leading to town, especially at the junction of Chao Fa and Bangkok roads. People can use this route connect to the main destination spots on the island, Mr Arkom said. And in the future the Transport Ministry will have our light-rail project running across Thepsrisin bridge. Construction of Thepsrisin Bridge, which comprises two spans that traverse protected mangroves and the Klong Koh Phee canal in Wichit, began in 2013, explained Rural Roads Chief Mr Pisak. The bridge connects Sakdidet Rd in Wichit to Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd Phuket Town. The total cost for the project was about B176.3 million, he said. Plans for the bridge were initially proposed more than 20 years ago, but as the spans cross protected mangroves, the project needed specific approval from the Cabinet to go ahead. The bridge was finally completed earlier this year and opened to traffic last month. (See story here.) Mr Arkom added, This project is one of many on the island that will help bring Phuket tourism to international level. The island receives about 12 million people each year. Besides the underpass projects, Phuket is looking forward to the light-rail transit system that will connect Phuket International Airport to Phuket Town and Chalong, and link Tha Khanun in Phang Nga to Phuket. Another promising project is the Patong tunnel, which the Expressway Authority of Thailand is taking care of. However, all these are the projects still need more preliminary studies before they can move forward, he added. Six soldiers jailed for beating of army privates YALA: The army yesterday (Apr 6) jailed for 30-45 days six soldiers who allegedly colluded to beat two privates in Yala last Friday (Apr 1), leaving one dead and the other seriously injured. militaryviolencecrimepolice By Bangkok Post Thursday 7 April 2016, 09:00AM The picture of Pvt Songtham Mudmad, 23, was placed at a local Buddhist temple in Sichon district, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, for his funeral. Photo: Nujaree Raekrun Sub Lt Patnat Lertchaikul was jailed for 30 days at the 15th Infantry Division in Pattani province. Five other non-commissioned officers Cpls Kasiti Chalok and Pathara Phetcharat, and three Private 1st Class Thasanai Chaipanyut, Natthawut Cherdsaeng and Jakrapong Sangmul were imprisoned for 45 days at the 46th Military Circle in Pattani. Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the suspects could face more punishment, including military discharge. He added that the relatives of the victims could file lawsuits. Army spokesman Winthai Suvaree said on Tuesday (Apr 5) that a panel set up by the 15th Infantry Division had concluded the six colluded in the assault on the privates. Col Winthai insisted the army will not protect the offenders and harsh punishment will be brought against them. Gen Prawit said on Tuesday that the six had attacked the privates in an altercation about theft. He said the military and police will conduct the investigation jointly as it involves criminal matters. The inquiry was launched after Pvt Songtham Mudmad, 23, and Pvt Chatpisut Chumphan, 23 both attached to the 1st Battalion of the 152nd Infantry Regiment were assaulted at Payak Camp in Yalas Bannang Sata district on Friday night. After the attack, Pvt Songtham was admitted to intensive care at Yala Regional Hospital while Pvt Chatpisut was admitted to Sirindhorn Military Hospital at Ingkhayuthaboriharn Military Camp in Pattani with serious injuries. Pvt Songtham was pronounced dead on Monday morning. According to Pvt Chatpisut, who spoke to police after the beating, he and Pvt Songtham accused one of the officers who would later beat them of stealing their money. The accused officer made a counter claim, accusing Pvt Songtham of taking illicit drugs. Both privates asked to search the officer, but he refused, leading to a brawl. They dispersed after other officers intervened. About 9pm, both were allegedly attacked by six officers including the officer they accused of theft. They were kicked and beaten with hard objects. The assault lasted until 4am the next morning. Pvt Chatpisut found Pvt Songtham, who passed out during the incident, and subsequently stopped breathing. Pvt Songtham was revived by CPR and taken to hospital. Col Winthai expressed his condolences to Pvt Songthams family, adding the 15th Infantry Division will provide them with assistance. Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4s Forward Command, said 4th Army commander Wiwat Pathompark also delivered his condolences and apologised to the public for the incident. The incident was caused by a small group of people. The army can ensure fairness to all sides. We will not protect the offenders, added Col Pramote. Pvt Songthams family on Tuesday filed a complaint with Bannang Sata police station against the officers who beat the private to death. A video clip featuring bruises on Pvt Songthams body was also submitted to police. The relatives also asked forensics officers to record the cause of the injuries in an autopsy report to ensure they received justice. Read original story here. According to Kangana's lawyer, such tactics are being used to turn the issue into a media trial with baseless judgements being passed without any proof. Mumbai: Rubbishing reports that the police has demanded Kangana Ranaut to surrender her laptop, the three-time National award winning actress lawyer has clarified that certain people are trying to feed false information to misguide the media. According to Kangana's lawyer, such tactics are being used to turn the issue into a media trial with baseless judgements being passed without any proof. Her lawyer claim that these seem to be a clear indication that Hrithik Roshans team is running out of ideas to fight it out legally, as there seems to be a consolidated strategy to completely move away from the actual issue. Advocate Rizwan Siddiquee says, Besides the duty of the Police Officer is to file an investigation report in the form of A, B or C Summary report. In any event I am surprised as to on what grounds a media report is being carried that my clients any specific laptop has been demanded by police. No such specific demand has been made yet and the generic Notice which was first sent by the Cyber crime wherein a demand of computer, laptop and phone etc. was made by them has been duly withdrawn and instead a request letter has been sent to my client in accordance with the provisions of Section 160 of CRPC. The lawyer further added, My client who has been shown as a victim in the FIR has never shown her dissent in recording her statement before the Police. However as per the provisions of law she wants to first verify the contents of the FIR and the statement made by Mr. Hrithik Roshan before the Police, wherein he has also mentioned the name of her sister. The reasons of mentioning the name of her sister needs to be duly ascertained. Vadivelu, the comedy king who ruled the roost for almost two decades, has been on a long hiatus after the change of guard in the state in 2012. Actor-comedian Santhanam has filled the void since then. With Vadivelus recent attempts to be a solo hero proving futile, and with the state assembly elections around the corner, the actor is now back to what he is best at churning out humour! All thanks to the recent Nadigar Sangam elections, which brought him to forefront once again. The Imsai Arasan star actively involved himself in various activities during the Sangams elections, supporting Vishals team. Director Suraj has roped him in for a Vishal film titled Kaththi Sandai, hoping to get a taste of his trademark comedy. One may recall that the Suraj- Vadivelu combo had worked wonders in the movies Maruthamalai and Thalai Nagaram. Even Vadivelus comedy in the Vishal-starrer Thimiru released a decade ago, was a riot. A full-on commercial flick, Kaththi Sandai is being produced by Nandagopal. The hunt is on to decide the lead heroine for the project. How to watch and what to know about South Dakota State at North Dakota More than her long stint in films as an actress and later as a director, Lakshmy Ramakrishnans distinctive style of hosting the television reality talk show Solvadhellam Unmai is what took her to heights. After taking a self-imposed hiatus from the show, the actress is back now with a new agenda. The most sought after amma in Ktown, shes now also gearing up for her directorial venture Ammani, and says that the show has reached all strata of society, from commoners to the elite classes. Im returning to Solvadhellam Unmai after a gap of 10 months. I was traveling to places like US, Kuwait and Dubai where expat Indians were asking me when Id be making a comeback. It was very satisfying to know that people hadnt forgotten me. The programme deals with real life stories and portrays positive societal values and provides solutions within the established framework and traditions of the society. Also this is definitely not a show designed to improve TRPs, but to truly help people find meaningful solutions to their problems, Lakshmy tells DC. Wyoming Department of Transportation crews will be installing 70 mph speed limit signs around the state in April and May to bring the roads up to the new statutory speed limit for non-interstate highways in Wyoming. WYDOT expects to have about 1,500 miles of highways raised to the 70 mph limit by the end of April, with another 1,000 miles to follow in May. Until the new signs are up, the existing posted speed limit remains in effect. "Drivers are reminded to obey whatever speed limit is posted on the highway section they are traveling," Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller said. Crews installed the new signs on WYO 120 Meeteetsee to Thermopolis on Tuesday. Other Area highway sections expected to be signed for the 70 mph limit in April include: US 16 Worland to Tensleep, US 20-26 Casper to Shoshoni. WYDOT's 511 Travel Information Service map at http://www.wyoroad.info will be updated to show all highways increased to the 70 mph limit when the signing is completed on that section. By Yishi Liang liangyis@grinnell.edu 1010 High Street, aka Phi Slama Jama: Texas Tallest Fraternity, is known by most Grinnellians for being home to basement dance parties nearly every weekend. Most students dont know, however, that Phi Slama Jama is also home to a group of six guys that met over Libertarian literature and bond over a variety of unusual traditions. Tim Greenfield 13, Victor Oochie Wally Kyerematen 14, Dylan Naylor 13, Alex Phillips 13, Jake White 14 and Clint Williamson 13 all live in the house. They met three years ago when Kyerematen (Oochie Wally) started a reading group for Ayn Rands magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, and they were the only ones who showed up. From that point on, the housemates found more common interests. According to Williamson, a love of 50 Cents Get Rich or Die Tryin has been one of them. When the members of the house first moved in, none of them had a bed to sleep on. But White quickly came to the rescue. Jake found mattresses for us all. But he only found four so, like the captain of the house, he went down on the mat, Naylor said. Now Im really into rugs and carpets, White added. In addition to self-sacrifice, the residents have also based their house on many traditions, all of which have mandatory attendance. One of these traditions is Friday night potluck, which everyone from the community is welcome to attend. Some of their favorite dishes have been gumbo and Ghanaian pancakes. Another tradition is Sunday morning homework sessions at West Mex Saints Rest (known by non-Slama Jamas as Taco Johns), where the cheap coffee, free wifi, and Potato Oles keep the clan coming back every week. For Greenfield, who is the only science major of the bunch, making it to all of these mandatory get-togethers is not always easy. When Im not working, Im baking. When Im not baking, Im knitting. When Im not knitting, Im in Noyce, Greenfield said. The house also hosts Booty Jams Dance Parties where the only rules are no dubstep or beer pong. Despite going against the norm, they have yet to hear any complaints. In fact, for their Southern Hip-Hop Dance Party, the housemates had trouble getting guests to leave after it had ended. But as great as the dinners and parties are, the members of the house like to switch things up from time to time. We occasionally host anarchical feminist pornography photo shoots in our attic, Naylor fondly reminisced. If anyone finds this hard to believe, contact Phillips for definitive visual proof. Their ideas do not stop there, though. Over Spring Break, the group plans to go hunting in Montana for wolverines and elk. All of the members are also self-proclaimed amateur taxidermists who are hoping to get a chance to practice their art this spring. Recently added murals in the living room, of a ferocious monster trout on one end and a grizzly bear on the other, add to the Hunting Lodge vibe that embodies Phi Slama Jama. The next residents of 1010 High Street may not have any beds to sleep in when they move in, but they will have some big shoes to fill when it comes to creative recreational activities and overall swag. Finally, the residents of 1010 High Street would like to dedicate this article to Tyrone Greenfield 11, a recent graduate and beloved rap star. Seven years after his death in 2009, Michael Jackson remains etched in the hearts of millions of fans. One such diehard fan is Chennai-based granite businessman Chandrasekaran. After he decided to carve a statue of the King of Pop from a single black granite stone, it was but natural for him to choose none other than Prabhu Deva, often referred to as the Indian Michael Jackson, to unveil the statue on Thursday at Vels University. In an exclusive to DC, Prabhu Deva, recalled his memories of meeting the dancing sensation In 1999, when Michael Jackson came to Mumbai, I was called from Chennai and I immediately took the first flight there. I was invited to take part at the big bash thrown in his honour. Much to my disappointment, I could not meet him then. However, to my pleasant surprise, his organisers asked me to go to his hotel room. It was one of the biggest moments of my life I was speechless when I finally met my inspiration. There was high security around him, but they were nice enough to tell him about me. I went to shake his hand and he in turn, hugged me. I was stunned and speechless, Prabhu says. The choreographer turned actor/filmmaker reveals yet another ecstatic moment. People from all over the world were performing at the concert titled Michael Jackson and Friends held at Munich, Germany. My brother Raju Sundaram, AR Rahman sir, Shobana madam and I performed together on stage. Our slot was the last one before MJ came on and we were supposed to share the stage with him. Unfortunately it did not happen. But I still remember that day clearly. I watched his entire performance and was spellbound. He was my biggest inspiration and continues to be so. He still lives on in our hearts, sums up the actor-director. Canadians have a propensity to spend their vacations at all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean. They often dont stray too far from the hotel pool or beach. Can you blame them? With so much winter to escape from, they become sunseekers. Cuba is a favourite sun destination of Canadians, and while its beaches are beautiful, theres so much more to the country than sand and sea. Here are five other spots worth a visit: 1. Trinidad There is no town in Cuba more picturesque than Trinidad. The colourful, cobblestoned destination near the north shores of the island is stunning. Its also one of the best places in Cuba to mix with locals who are eager to chat with foreigners. Theres a lot to see and do, as well, from horse-riding to shopping, to climbing the cathedral towers for amazing views of the town and the surrounding hills. 2. Havana How could a traveller visit Cuba without going to Havana? This city is one of the most interesting places on Earth. At times, visitors may feel like theyve slipped into a time portal and landed 60 years in the past. On the streets of Havana, a mix of old Russian Ladas and beautifully maintained American classic cars drive by stunning colonial architecture and crumbling buildings. The people are also a constant source of beauty, as they always seem to have a smile and a beat of music from which to dance. 3. Vinales Up in the far west part of the island, Vinales and the limestone karst mountain features the most beautiful landscape in Cuba. Moreover, there are plenty of activities and attractions in town to keep visitors entertained theres a bar in a cave, bird watching, zip-lining, and tobacco farms. 4. Las Terrazas When thinking of the natural side of Cuba, visitors might think of the beaches and hilly mountain landscape. What they might not realize is a place like Las Terrazas exists. This is Cubas first protected eco-resort. Once a poor town, the people here decided to preserve and restore the nature in the area to draw in tourists. Now, the lakes, waterfalls and pristine forests bring in visitors from around the world, and the prosperity of the town is growing. 5. Camaguey Many cities in the world have been built for efficiency, but Camaguey has been built for inefficiency on purpose. Pirates and privateers constantly attacked cities in Cuba, so in order to slow down invaders, a confusing mess of disorganized streets and maze-like urban design took shape. For a view of the wild street layout from above and a mojito visitors should head to the rooftop bar of the Grand Hotel. SHARE: They had nicknames like Weiner, Boxer, Taz, Little Mikey, Bam Bam, Chopper and Crash. They were all connected whether as members, associates or just hangers-on to the Toronto chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. And on the night of Friday, April 7, 2006, some became murderers and others their victims in what remains Ontarios worst mass killing in modern times. The circumstances in which seven men lured eight biker brothers to a southwestern Ontario farm to be summarily executed sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie. But the events of 10 years ago this week were all too real, and both police and bikers say the Bandidos massacre changed the balance of power in the Canadian underworld. THE KILLINGS WERE orchestrated by Wayne Weiner Kellestine, a former president of the Bandidos Toronto chapter. Kellestine had become convinced that he could seize control of the U.S.-based biker gangs Canadian operation and a lucrative trade in methamphetamine only by wiping out most of his fellow Toronto members and then pinning the killings on their rivals, the Hells Angels. Kellestine was arrested within days of the executions which the Ontario Court of Appeal later called an execution assembly line at his farm outside the sleepy hamlet of Shedden. He and five other men were charged with the killings of: George Pony Jessome, 52, a tow-truck driver who was dying of cancer, and only craved companionship during his final days. George Crash Kriarakis, 28, a newlywed and former rugby player with no criminal record, who was trying to make the Bandidos more respectable. John Boxer Muscedere, 48, and Frank Bam Bam Salerno, 43, both of whom talked about devoting more time to their infant children. Paul Big Paulie Sinopoli, 30, who lived at home and had just been granted permission to leave the club to deal with his extreme obesity. Jamie Goldberg Flanz, 37, who wasnt a full member of the club and had no criminal record. He ran a computer business and had a wife and two daughters. Michael Little Mikey Trotta, 31, who had just landed a full-time job leasing vehicles, and proudly showed off his new business cards. Luis Manny Chopper Raposo, 41, who had quit the club and been talked back into returning. Raposo lived at home with his parents. THE TORONTO BANDIDOS had plenty of bravado, but very little money or underworld influence. The self-styled No Surrender Crew, didnt have a clubhouse of their own, either, so they held what they liked to call church meetings in the basement of a now-defunct Greek restaurant near the corner of Queen St. E. and Broadview Ave. But on the night of April 7, 2006, they were summoned out of the city to a meeting on Kellestines farm, just west of London. The men joked and made small talk as they were ushered into the barn around 10:30 p.m. Perched in the rafters above them with a military-style rifle was their fellow club member, Michael Taz Sandham. Back in the farmhouse, Brett Bull Gardiner monitored police radio scanners. And outside in the darkness, circling the barn and armed with rifles and shotguns, were Dwight D Mushey, a Winnipeg nightclub owner; Marcelo Aravena, a failed mixed martial arts fighter; Frank Mather, 42, a homeless man with no violence in his extensive criminal record. and a Winnipeg biker who was only ever identified M.H. M.H. would later dodge prosecution by becoming the star Crown witness at his fellow bikers trial. He gave a chilling account of what happened next. When Sandham stirred at his snipers perch, Raposo turned upwards towards him. Raposo was the only member of the intended victims who was armed and, sensing an ambush, he fired his sawed-off shotgun, hitting Sandham in the chest. The pellets bounced off Sandham, who was wearing the same sort of bulletproof vest hed been issued when hed worked as a police officer in rural Manitoba. Sandham fired back at Raposo, killing him. Kriarakis and Sinopoli bolted for the barn door and were immediately cut down by pistol blasts from Kellestine. Kriarakis was caught in the stomach and Sinopoli in the thigh. Over the next few hours, the men were held at gunpoint by Mushey, M.H. and Mather, while Aravena brandished a baseball bat. Kellestine, who was also armed, swigged beer as he ranted at the captives. Kriarakis prayed and talked about his love for his family until another captive told him to shut up. The court would hear that Kellestine tried to convince Muscedere to join the murderers, but that Muscedere laughed in his face and refused to betray his biker brothers. Glen Atkinson, a former secretary-treasurer of the Toronto Bandidos, knew the men and says he wasnt surprised that Muscedere was brave in his final moments. He certainly would be the guy who would stand by you in a fight, Atkinson said. He was very, very loyal. Instead, Muscedere pleaded with his fellow bikers to get medical help for Kriarakis and Sinopoli, who were bleeding from their gunshot wounds. He also repeatedly denied that Flanz had been disloyal to the club, even though he knew this would enrage the Nazi-loving Kellestine, since Flanz was Jewish. At 12.37 a.m., Muscederes cellphone rang. It was his girlfriend, calling to tell him that she had made a collage of photos of their infant daughter. Despite being held at gunpoint, he didnt let on there was any problem. Muscedere stuck to the biker code, which forbade turning to the police for help, even in the most dire of circumstances. Hows the baby? he asked. Ill see you in a couple hours. I love you. Shortly after that, Kellestine began to march his captives out of the barn, one-by-one, and order them into their vehicles. Each was then shot dead at close range. In one case, childrens toys had to be moved in a car to make room for a victim. As he was led to his death, Salerno asked his captors to help take care of his newborn son. Between shootings, Kellestine danced a jig and sang the German national anthem, Das Deutschlandlied. A police wiretap later picked up Mushey marveling at Muscederes courage when his time came to be shot by Kellestine, a man he had considered a friend. This guy, he went out like a man, Mushey told Aravena. . . . He laughed. Went like a man. Flanz was last to be ushered out of the barn. Kellestine told him that because he was Jewish, he would have to wait until all of the others were executed so that he would suffer the most. Flanz couldnt stop talking about his love for his young children as he awaited his turn. The sun was starting to come up when Flanz was finally called outside to die. Once the executions were done, Kellestines plan was to drive the bodies down Highway 401 and dump them near Kitchener, where the Hells Angels had a strong presence. He figured that the larger club would naturally be blamed for the murders. Almost immediately, tragedy met farce. Sinopolis massive body nearly rolled out onto the highway because the hatchback wouldnt close on the SUV carrying it. The killers then realized that the SUV, which held two other bodies, was almost out of gas. They pulled off the highway and ditched the cars in a cornfield in Shedden, previously best known as the home of Canadas rhubarb festival. The abandoned vehicles were spotted by a retired farmer before 8 a.m. Not long after that, paramedics arrived, their lights flashing and sirens wailing. Kellestine, Mather and Gardiner were arrested at gunpoint at Kellestines farm later the next day. Kellestine was cocky and defiant when he was taken in for questioning by police. Im not leaving without my friends, he told them. He neednt have worried. The three men have all been in custody ever since. Two month later, Sandham, Mushey and Aravena were arrested in Winnipeg. SO WHY WERE they killed? A former associate believes the seeds of the massacre lay in Kellestines drug use. Its meth logic, Edward Winterhalder, a former secretary-treasurer of the Bandidos internationally, said in an interview last week. Thats all that was. It was logical in (Kellestines) mind because he was whacked out on methamphetamine. At his trial, the court heard Kellestine was upset that he had been shunted aside by the Toronto group, many of whom considered him unstable and annoying. Atkinson, whose job it was to smooth over things when a Bandidos member crossed one of the Hells Angels, added that Kellestine wasnt the sharpest knife in the drawer. What a waste, Atkinson said. An absolute waste . . . A whole bunch of kids without dads. Even a few without granddads. Such a waste. Atkinson has no doubts about his own fate had he stayed in the club, which had once offered a refuge and the promise of rough brotherhood. Id be dead. Absolutely. Kellestine, Mather, Gardiner, Sandham, Mushey and Aravena were all convicted of first-degree murder in 2009 and given mandatory sentences of life in prison. They will be eligible for parole in 2034, when Kellestine will be 85. They were convicted in part on the testimony of M.H., the seventh man to leave the Kellestine farm alive that night. The former drug dealer and Hells Angels bodyguard became a paid police agent after the slayings. He cried occasionally while testifying at the killers joint trial, then disappeared into a witness-protection program. Atkinson knew the victims and Kellestine well. Ten years later, he says it still makes no sense. It was for nothing, Atkinson said. Absolutely nothing . . . To take over an empire and what was the empire? There was nothing. THE NUMBER OF outlaw bikers across Canada has risen slightly since the massacre, says Det. Sgt. Len Isnor of the Ontario Provincial Police biker squad. There are currently about 450 full members of the Hells Angels in Canada, followed by 100 each from the Bacchus and Outlaws, 40 each from the Vagabonds and Para-Dice Riders, 25 from the Devils Army, 20 each from the Loners and Vagos, and 10 Rebels. Thats just slightly higher than the number of outlaw bikers in Canada 10 years ago. The big difference is the disappearance of the Bandidos, who once had members in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. While the number of outlaw bikers is roughly the same, the power balance has shifted, Atkinson said. I dont think theres any chance anyone would ever seriously challenge the (Hells Angels) in Ontario, Atkinson said. I think thats one of the reasons things have been pretty peaceful in Ontario. Isnor said the younger recruits to outlaw biker clubs in Ontario often dont know much about riding motorcycles, unlike Muscedere and the other old-school bikers. Theyre not bike enthusiasts like they were back in the old days, Isnor said. Now, they have to learn how to ride a motorcycle. There are a lot of patches on the street but not a lot of motorcycles anymore, Atkinson said. Winterhalder predicted that outlaw bike clubs wont be able to sustain their efforts to recruit younger members, and that old age not police, rival clubs or internal violence will see their numbers begin to dwindle. But in his view, the Bandidos fate was sealed when methamphetamine use and trafficking became widespread within the club, giving power and influence to erratic users like Kellestine. They tried to turn a blind eye to the use of meth and it became acceptable, Winterhalder said. It was a horrible way for the era to go out. Peter Edwards covered the murders for the Toronto Star. He is the author of The Bandido Massacre: A True Story of Bikers, Brotherhood and Betrayal. SHARE: There is nothing illegal about moving money offshore. Buying and selling U.S. dollars decades ago was much easier for banks if the trades were done offshore, for instance. And if you lived where a corrupt or predatory government might seize your assets, then moving your wealth offshore could protect it. But the secrecy surrounding the offshore industry has become increasingly unpalatable for world leaders like Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama, who have called for more transparency. We knew that tax avoidance has been a long challenge, Trudeau told reporters Wednesday, criticizing how some people can hop between favourable jurisdictions to avoid taxes. Obama also lamented the offshore industry, saying that global tax avoidance generally is a huge problem, Tuesday, adding: The problem is that a lot of this stuff is legal, not illegal. The Panama Papers reveal the names of many well-known individuals who have had offshore dealings through companies provided by Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the centre of the leak. There is nothing to suggest that any of those named here sheltered, or sought to shelter, money or assets offshore to avoid tax or for any unlawful purpose. But in the current political climate, it raises legitimate questions about why they have done so, what benefit they were hoping for, and whether they will continue to use such arrangements. Simon Cowell The music tycoon is the sole shareholder of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) companies Southstreet Ltd. and Eaststreet Ltd. Both were set up in 2007 as Cowell was planning to purchase two plots of land in Barbados, where he holidays most years. The land is part of a major development that had attracted other celebrities. Other plots in the development were reportedly snapped up by the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and former Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan. Buyers reportedly paid between $11 million and $20 million (U.S.) for plots, with Cowell paying more because he bought two. Neither Lloyd-Webber nor Jordan appears in the Mossack Fonseca data and there is no suggestion that they have offshore holdings. The building project has been mired in financial disputes, with construction falling far behind schedule. Neither of Cowells companies was ever used, and both are now dormant. Cowells spokesman said: The companies were set up, not by my client, but by accountants acting for him as a common means for an overseas investor to purchase property in Barbados. My client, however, preferred to purchase them transparently in his own name. Therefore, the companies were never used for anything at all. I can also confirm on behalf of my client that he has not used any offshore companies for any purpose whatsoever. Under Barbadian law, companies incorporated outside Barbados must be registered as an external company before they can own real estate on the Caribbean island. One of the companies, Southstreet, was registered in Barbados in March 2007, shortly after the British Virgin Islands company was established. Using an offshore company to own land in Barbados can avoid a 1 per cent tax on the purchase and a property transfer tax of about 2.5 per cent when the land is sold. There is no suggestion that Cowell sought or did benefit from this. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Cowell is worth about $600 million. The talent show boss says he pays tax all over the world: Whenever I got knocked for what I do, I always say, Well, I do pay my taxes, and it helps, and Im quite proud of that, here and all over the world. Stanley Kubrick American film director Stanley Kubrick famously spent the last decades of his life as a semi-recluse in a grand 18th-century English country manor. After Kubrick died in 1999, the ownership of the property passed to three companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and controlled by his daughters, a move that could have saved the family hundreds of thousands of dollars in inheritance tax. The papers do not reveal if this occurred. The filmmaker bought the 18-bedroom Childwickbury Manor in 1978 and lived in it for the rest of his life. He used it as a base to work on films including The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut and Full Metal Jacket. He is buried on its grounds. The house is now owned by Anya K Holdings Ltd., Vivian K Holdings Ltd. and Katharina K Holdings Ltd. The companies names refer to his daughters Anya, who died in 2009, Vivian, and his stepdaughter Katharina. The companies shares, in turn, are held by trusts on behalf of Kubricks children and grandchildren. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York The documents reveal a degree of chaos around the Duchess of Yorks finances. Letters between Mossack Fonseca and Sarah Fergusons solicitors show her advisers trying to make sense of the complex arrangements around Essar Company Inc., which was set up in the British Virgin Islands in May 2000. The company was managed through a trust services company in Geneva. In September 2001, the duchesss solicitors wrote to Mossack Fonseca, trying to establish how the company had been structured. Her solicitors said Essar held certain of her interests, adding: We have been instructed by her relatively recently and are trying to ascertain who the directors of the company are and who the beneficial owners of the company are. We appreciate that this is not information you will disclose to us without prior authority but could you please let us know urgently what authority you need to enable you to disclose this information to us, they requested. The Geneva and British Virgin Islands divisions of Mossack Fonseca then had to grant each other permission to disclose the names of Essars directors to the duchesss solicitors. At the time, Essar owned trademarks for Little Red, a series of childrens books written by Ferguson. By the end of September, the BVI branch told her solicitors that the company directors were two individuals operating out of Mossack Fonsecas Panama office. A spokesman for the duchess said: Essar Company Inc. was formed by the partners who were to develop the business opportunities with the duchess. Had any of the intellectual property generated income or gains or other profits, it would have been disclosed by the duchess as part of her normal tax filings. The spokesman said the duchess always disclosed all sources of income in her tax returns. Since her 1996 divorce from Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, Ferguson has made up to $3.7 million a year from a variety of roles, including as an ambassador for Weight Watchers. In 2009, she lost more than $5.9 million in the collapse of Hartmoor, her lifestyle and wellness company. Nick Faldo The English golfer was the sole shareholder of a British Virgin Islands company called Blenhim Road Ltd., which was set up in 1995, two years after the six-time major tournament winner turned professional. The company was shut down in 2009, at about the time his playing career was starting to wind down. Faldo declined to comment. Bobby Fischer The American chess grandmaster was granted power of attorney over a company called Kettering Consultants Inc. in October 2007. It gave him the ability to control the Panama-based company, which was managed by Landsbanki Luxembourg SA. Fischer was considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time. In 1972, he won the World Chess Championship against then Soviet champion Boris Spassky in a Cold War clash in Reykjavik. However, during a hiatus in his chess career, Fischer became more and more reclusive. Increasingly paranoid, he made a series of anti-Semitic statements. In 1992, he played a $5-million rematch against Spassky in the former Yugoslavia. At the time, Yugoslavia was subject to sanctions, and Americans were barred from doing any business in the country. The U.S. government warned Fischer that he could face a $250,000 fine and 10 years in prison. At a press conference in the run-up to the rematch, Fischer defiantly announced that he had not paid any taxes since 1976. He was indicted and never returned to the U.S. He died a citizen of Iceland in 2008, three months after being given power of attorney over Kettering Consultants. The company was owned by four bearer shareholders, an arrangement that would grant control of the company to whoever held the physical shares. The company was shut down in 2012. Heather Mills The former wife of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney was a shareholder of Water 4 Investment Ltd., which was originally set up in the British Virgin Islands to create health foods. However, Mills said the investment ended in a long legal battle, losing her a seven-figure sum. The company intended to develop technology to extract the fatty acids usually found in fish oil from algae. Mills owned 100 shares in the company; the other 898 were owned by another investor. Mills said she had invested a large sum in the company, but the investment had failed. I can say hand on heart I am a straight taxpayer and you will never find anything on me if you investigate thoroughly, she said in an emailed statement. A spokesman said: Heather invested 1 million in a company which intended to utilize algae (rather than fish) to harvest Omega 3 oils, thus preserving the marine ecosystem. In 2008, Mills was awarded $47.5 million in her divorce from the former Beatle. SHARE: Fresh off resounding victories in Wisconsin by Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the presidential campaign shifted Wednesday to New York, where both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are trying to seize on their home-state advantage to reverse recent setbacks. Trump and Clinton, who still maintain wide delegate leads in the Republican and Democratic nominating contests, will be working furiously to win New York to blunt the momentum of their opponents, who are devoting significant resources to the delegate-rich state before its April 19 primary. The pressure is perhaps greatest for Trump, who is enduring the most challenging stretch of his insurgent candidacy and who is holding one of his rallies in Bethpage, Long Island, on Wednesday night, which is expected to draw up to 10,000 people. A week of damaging questions about his treatment of women and knowledge of policy was capped Tuesday by a stinging double-digit defeat in Wisconsin, emboldening the Stop Trump movement within the Republican Party. The shine is off and the Donalds impermeable Teflon coating has finally been pierced, said Ryan Williams, a Republican political consultant and former spokesman for Mitt Romney. The sheer magnitude of the margin of Trumps humiliating loss shows that his trail of outrageous comments is finally catching up with him. Trump is planning to respond to the onslaught of negative attention with a series of more polished policy speeches and endorsements from Republican county chairmen in New York. But in a sign of what his campaign will bring to the media-saturated New York metropolitan region, the police on Long Island will be bracing for potential violence as throngs of protesters are also planning to greet Trump with No Hate in Our State signs at his rally. We have listened to him disparage his fellow Republican candidates, denigrate the Democratic candidates, belittle the press and deprecate all who disagree with him, the Long Island Progressive Coalition wrote in a Facebook post organizing the protest. On this day we will come together, and say no to his thirst for hatred, and violence. New York should be friendly terrain for Trump, but Cruz is hoping conservative voters will forgive his disparaging remarks about New York values and fall behind him as he courts the Stop Trump movement by arguing he is a viable alternative who can win important states. The Texas senator will not be too far from Trump on Wednesday as he heads to the Bronx for a meet-and-greet event at a Latino restaurant, courting voters in a borough where Hispanic evangelicals are a potent political force. Trump stayed off Twitter and morning talk shows in the wake of his Wisconsin defeat, but his frustration was palpable in a statement the campaign released overnight assailing the millions of dollars in attack ads levied at him. His spokeswoman called Cruz Lyin Ted and described him as a Trojan horse who was being used by the Republican establishment to steal the nomination from Trump. As Trump tries to regain his footing, drama within the campaign could be percolating. Trump has shrugged off reports of internal strife, but calls to fire his campaign manager, who is facing battery charges, could grow if Cruzs team continues to outmanoeuvre them in the hunt for state delegates across the country. The loss in Wisconsin means that it is increasingly likely that Trump will need to be ready for a fight at the convention in Cleveland starting July 18 unless he pulls off a string of big victories in coming states. The threat of Trump using Wisconsin as a potential springboard to the nomination probably focused the minds of anti-Trump voters in Wisconsin, and many strategically voted for Cruz as a way to block Trump, said Kyle D. Kondik, the director of communications at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. The chances of a contested convention just went up, but Trump still has a chance to finish April strong. On the Democratic side, Clinton is also looking to finish the month on a better note after losing six of the past seven states to Sanders. With Wisconsin behind them, both candidates were headed to Pennsylvania, one of five states holding primaries April 26. A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found Clinton holding a six-point lead among likely Democratic voters in the state. Despite his recent gains, Sanders faces a challenge when it comes to erasing Clintons lead of more than 200 pledged delegates. Math is not the only concern, however, as increased scrutiny this week appeared to lay bare some gaps in the Vermont senators knowledge of policy. In an interview in New York with the Daily News editorial board, Sanders struggled to explain how he would carry out his Wall Street reform plans, and he was vague when asked about the economic ramifications of thousands of bankers losing their jobs. Clinton, who has clashed repeatedly with Sanders over financial regulation, took notice of her rivals apparent blunder in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday and suggested that he was not prepared to be president. Well, I think he hadnt done his homework, Clinton said. Hed been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadnt really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions. Read more about: SHARE: Earlier this week, Black Lives Matter Toronto ended more than two weeks of continuous public protest in front of the citys police headquarters. In that short time, the group negotiated a unanimous city council vote to review police accountability, especially as it relates to black residents. Premier Kathleen Wynne met briefly with BLMTO organizers in front of a throng of media, and promised to meet them again soon about their concerns. Young people, specifically black queer and trans women, transformed the black communitys pain over police violence into civic action and inspiration. This ability to respond to state-sanctioned aggression with peaceful resistance is beautiful and rare. Yet a BLMTO organizer is being labelled a racist, violent person because she publicly prayed for the strength not to harm those who harm her. Yusra Khogalis tweet asking, Allah, give me the strength not to cuss/kill these men and white folks out here, is the opposite of a call to violence it is an honest appeal to restraint and wisdom in the face of violence, racism, and misogyny. Since one of my Newstalk1010 Radio colleagues publicized Khogalis tweet, which she wrote in February, the media has demanded she explain herself. Was this some kind of threat? Was such a comment befitting of the representative of a public movement? Khogali has turned down all media requests, but her subsequent tweets suggest she will not apologize for the controversial remark. Nor should she. Khogali and BLMTO have achieved such impressive political success and relevance that their previously ignored public comments are now deemed relevant. While folks are now clearly interested in Khogalis thoughts, they shouldnt be surprised by them. The most common response to violence and injustice is anger, and black women who express that anger should be heard instead of being scrutinized as perpetrators themselves. Those who deny that Khogali is truly fighting against oppression will obviously fail to understand her intense feelings. But many of us know that she and hundreds of supporters slept on the cold pavement outside police headquarters because they oppose the systemic racism and hyper-masculinity that drives modern policing. Violence makes their blood simmer, but they do not respond in kind. They turn their frustration into words, songs, tweets, prayers, chants, and political demands. They camp on public property in freezing rain storms, and refuse to leave until someone comes to address them. Somehow, people mistake these righteously angry responses to violence for violence itself. Khogali rightly pointed out that it took Wynne and her local counterpart John Tory days or weeks to respond to BLMTOs demands, including a request to review the Special Investigations Unit that oversees police, but only hours to respond to a tweet she made two months ago. The local media contributed to this misplaced focus through its eagerness to scrutinize Khogalis tweet, an eagerness that in many cases has not been found in the coverage of BLMTOs historic and successful protest. If only the media had been as eager to get answers to the actual police violence that Khogali and protesters faced on March 21, when Toronto Police Service officers pushed and kicked the mostly black women who were demonstrating outside 40 College Street in order to dismantle their tents and extinguish a contained fire they were using to keep warm. Too bad its so easy to justify the violence of the powerful, while questioning the tweets of someone who endures aggression, and who prays not to return it in kind. Police chief Mark Saunders has still said nothing about the protest, or his officers violent disruption of it, and few in the media seem to be demanding a response. Khogali joined me recently on the radio to explain what the movement shes been a part of means to her. Weve taken a space of violence, and created love, said Khogali, her voice raspy from days of singing and chanting. From this point forward, thats how were going to move, with love as the foundation of everything we do. Those who question whether this statement contradicts Khogalis tweet should look to the local movement she and others have worked to build. Black Lives Matter is very clearly all about love, even though it is borne out of anger and despair. But asking organizers to challenge systemic oppression in a way that does not offend or frighten an indifferent public is itself a form of violence. Desmond Cole is a Toronto-based journalist. His column appears every Thursday. SHARE: If you say it is a transition period for Nivin Pauly, no one will disagree because it is evident that the actor is trying his best to come out of his romantic hero image. It was with Abrid Shines Action Hero Biju Nivin took a different path. Now, for the first time in his career, the young super star is trying his hands in a family film with his friend-director Vineeth Sreenivasans Jacobinte Swargarajyam. And it is Nivins first movie with his guide Vineeth, post superstar status. However, Nivin doesnt think he is a star or a superstar. I am not a superstar. In fact, it is the term used by people when films become hits. I am not bothered about such a status, he says. Nivin says that for Vineeth, he is not a star but a friend and colleague. Though I was acting in a Vineeth film after a gap of four years, we both didnt feel like there was such a gap. We are good friends who call and meet regularly. Amid that, we have acted together in Ohm Shanthi Oshana and Oru Vadakkan Selfie, says Nivin, who appears as Jerry in Jacobinte Swargarajyam. According to Nivin, this is the first role he gained upon request. It was for the first time in my career I requested a director for a role. In fact, it was the story of Jacobinte Swargarajyam that prompted me to do a role in this film. Thats why I continuously asked Vineeth to cast me as Jerry in this film, he says. It was during the shoot of Oru Vadakkan Selfie that Nivin came to know of Jacobinte Swargarajyam. Vineeth had briefed me on some scenes of the movie, which was then in scripting stage. I really liked the script and expressed my desire to join the project, but Vineeth said that along with direction he was essaying the role of Jerry too, he recollects. But Nivin was not ready to give up. After the pack-up of Oru Vadakkan Selfie, I called him and asked for that role again. He said that it was not a hero-centric film, but a story about a family and father character (Jacob). More than that, he claimed that it would be a small film. But for me those factors didnt matter; my only demand was to consider me for Jerrys role if he wanted to focus completely on direction. Even during the production of Action Hero Biju, I used to follow up on the role. At last, he gave in, says the actor. As Jacobinte Swargarajyam is a family subject, each character is important. My character Jerry is the elder son of Jacob, who owns a business firm in Dubai. As Vineeth said, Jerry has no heroism to show. Like the film, my role also will be a feel-good one; it will be completely different from my previous roles. Nivin points out that he does not consider it as a transition phase for him. Yes, it is true that I am getting some different roles, but it is not a purposeful move. It all happens just because different characters and scripts come to me, says the actor, who has not zeroed in on his next project. After Jacobinte Swargarajyam, I have not acted in any film. As of now, I have not decided on my next project, says Nivin, who is happy to be part of Tamil actor Vikrams music video. It was during the shoot of Jacobinte Swargarajyam I got the call from Vikram sir to act in the music video the flood relief anthem in connection with the Chennai floods that he was directing. During the schedule break of Jacobinte Swargarajyam I joined Vikram sirs set in Chennai. He used to narrate the scenes in Malayalam, English and Tamil. It was a great experience working with a legend like him. He is such a down-to-earth person. Even at those who came there to see the shoot, he was not behaving like a film star, but as a common man, he sums up. About 230 copies of the First Folio are known to exist. A copy owned by Oxford University sold for 3.5 million pounds in 2003. (Photo: Screengrab) London: In a monumental literary find, a copy of William Shakespeare's original First Folio, one of the world's most sought-after books containing 36 of the Bard's plays published seven years after his death, has been discovered at a stately home on a remote Scottish island. The goatskin-bound book which was published in 1623 was found at Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute and will now go on public display at the stately home for the first time. Academics who authenticated the book called it a rare and significant find. "Like hell they have," was professor of Shakespeare studies at Oxford University Emma Smith's first reaction on being told about the discovery. "We've found a First Folio that we didn't know existed," Smith told the BBC after inspected the three-volume book, adding that it was authentic. The discovery comes ahead of the 400th death anniversary of the playwright on April 23. Adam Ellis-Jones, director of the Mount Stuart House Trust, said the identification of the original First Folio was "genuinely astonishing". About 230 copies of the First Folio are known to exist. A copy owned by Oxford University sold for 3.5 million pounds in 2003. The First Folio, printed seven years after Shakespeare's death, brought together 36 plays - 18 of which would otherwise not have been recorded. Without this publication, there would be no copy of plays such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and The Tempest, the report said on Thursday. The new discovery comes two years after the last copy was found. There is uncertainty about where this copy had been for four centuries since being printed. Alice Martin, Mount Stuart's head of historic collections, believes it was bought by the third Marquess of Bute, an antiquarian and collector, who died in 1900. The story of the First Folio usually focuses on the literary genius of Shakespeare, but the survival of his plays depended on the practical skills of the people who produced this book, Smith said. "The vast majority of plays from this period have been lost, because they were never printed," she said. "I'm sure there are a few more out there. I don't think they're in people's lofts, even though it would be lovely and romantic. I think they're in libraries which have been neglected or forgotten, I suspect more will be in mainland Europe," she added. Shakespear's body of work consists of 37 plays, 154 sonnets and two long narrative poems. Kate Middleton completed her outfit with diamond and sapphire earrings and navy high-heels. (Photo: Twitter/ KensingtonRoyal) London: Britain's Kate Middleton has flaunted a sheer navy blue dress from India-born British designer Saloni Lodha's creations at a reception here for expatriates from India and Bhutan, days ahead of her visit to the two countries. The Duchess of Cambridge joined husband Prince William to host a pre-tour reception for representatives of the Indian and Bhutanese expatriates at their home in Kensington Palace on Wednesday. The royal couple will be setting off on their six-day India and Bhutan tour from Sunday. The Duke and Duchess meet and pose for a photo with @cheveningfco students from Bhutan pic.twitter.com/o99KV2XWKP Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 6, 2016 The high-collar, floor-length dress is called the Mary Illusion Dot Dress from Lodha's Pre-Fall 2016 collection. It featured polka dots all over, a high ruffled neck and long sleeves. It was also cinched in at the waist with a band-like belt. The dress gave an illusion of a plunging neckline and had a v-shaped cut-out detailing at the back. The dress gave a very Victorian vibe to the Duchess's style. The 34-year-old completed her outfit with diamond and sapphire earrings and navy high-heels. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are all set to embark on the Indian tour and as a taster met representatives from the Prince Charles' charity, British Asian Trust. TRHs arrive at the reception and chat to guests from the two countries they'll shortly be visiting pic.twitter.com/agKsnMRo2w Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 6, 2016 Lodha is among the favourites as the Duchess plans to showcase Indo-British designers during her South Asia visit, which will also include a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Lodha founded her luxury label in London in 2007 and is known for her exotic designs. Just a few days after it was announced the Duke and Duchess would be travelling to India, Kate wore a dress by Lodha for a function in London, hinting perhaps that she will also rely on the designer's print and colour filled collection for the upcoming tour. One hundred years after World War I ended, the saddest thought on Armistice Day must be the almost relentless danger of wars and extremism that have threatened the worlds peace and prosperity. Storm-centres dot the world of 2018 and much as the leaders of Europe and the US commemorated the fallen on November 11 ~ the day the Armistice was signed ~ the comity of nations ought also to reflect on the belligerence that has ignited conflicts over the past century. This is no less critical than Sundays grandstanding in Paris, attended by Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel. The world leaders, not to forget Theresa May who was in London to attend the ceremonials at the Cenotaph, are acutely aware that the nations fought and failed to win peace. A century after the historical Armistice, there is as yet no enduring peace. The fineprint of the anniversary must be that the momentous event (1914-18) marks a moment to reflect on the realities of the peace of yesterday and the peace of today. On Sunday, Trump, Macron, Merkel, and Putin stood together to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, in which all their nations fought and failed to win peace. On Remembrance Day, it would be pertinent to recall that the US President, Woodrow Wilsons dream of a cooperative international order was vetoed by a recalcitrant Republican- Senate Congress and he was shortly supplanted by a string of Republican presidents, with the most isolationist and protectionist instincts. The contrast between Wilsons internationalism and principles stands in stark contrast with the belligerent approach of President Trump, who, with the exception of North Korea, cannot see an international opponent without starting a war, be it diplomatic, economic or actual. In 2018, the world is almost as fraught as it was in 1914. Not that Russian-American relations today are less complex. A century ago, the emergence of a hostile Communist regime was countered by America with troops, and the US refused to recognise the Soviet regime. The rest is history. The White House has now expressed its displeasure about President Putins expansionism, though not its interference in US elections. Of the great powers, as they were once called, only the Franco-German relationship is stronger today than a century ago, and through their co-leadership of the European Union, they are closer now than ever before, sharing a currency, the political structures of the EU and a pledge to build an ever closer union in Europe. The war of 1914-18 casts a long shadow. The violent politics of the Middle East can trace their origins to the 1917 Balfour Declaration that pledged the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, and the dismemberment of the Turkish empire, with the creation of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria. The world is still dealing with that legacy, not least the extremist challenge. History has been quirky these past 100 years. Although still a rarity, acceptance at every Ivy League school appears to be a growing phenomenon. (Photo: Twitter/ WeAreElmont) Elmont, New York: For the second year in a row, a student at a suburban New York school has been accepted at all eight Ivy League universities. Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, whose parents came to the U.S. from Nigeria, has until May 1 to decide whether she'll attend one of the prestigious northeastern universities. She also can choose from Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It's the second time in as many years that a student at Elmont Memorial High School has been accepted at all Ivy League universities. Last year, Nigerian-born Harold Ekeh chose Yale from among the 13 universities where he was accepted. "There are some really great things happening here," Caron Cox, chairwoman of pupil personnel services at Elmont Memorial High School, told Newsday. Although still a rarity, acceptance at every Ivy League school appears to be a growing phenomenon. Because the universities all operate independently on their admissions, there are no reliable statistics on how many students are accepted at all eight. Grey whales are known to be very gentle creatures of the sea. (Photo: Pixabay) Whale watchers were lucky enough to experience what could very much be a once-in-a-lifetime chance when they were able to touch a grey whale after it unexpectedly swam up to the surface. The amazing moment happened in Baja California when a group of tourists were on a sea boat looking out for whales. To their utter surprise, an enormous grey whale came up from the depths of the sea and was so near to the side of their boat that they could actually touch it. The gentle creature allowed the excited tourists to stroke it with their hands. Some of the people even opened the whales mouth, which allowed them to take a close look at its great set of teeth. The Spanish-speaking whale lovers are then heard shouting in joy after the awe-inspiring experience. The incredible video was uploaded by the website LiveLeak a few days ago. Click on the link below to view the video: Log In Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. Log In A push to sign new labor agreements is helping United (UAL) to battle hedge fund investors that want a bigger role in management. That battle is playing out against the backdrop of United's 90th birthday, which occurred Wednesday, a day when United's pilots and flight attendants demonstrated at the Boston offices of hedge funds Altimeter Capital and PAR Capital, which hold 7.1% of United's shares. They want to add six new members to United's 15 member board, against United's wishes. The demonstration underscored an effort by CEO Oscar Munoz, who took over in October, to reverse what had been a hostile labor climate. Recent gains have been significant. A tentative deal with the International Association of Machinists, announced last week, promises 30% pay rate increases over five years and also would bring in at least a hundred jobs that have been outsourced. Meanwhile, long-stalled talks with the Association of Flight Attendants are moving ahead six years after the 2010 merger between United and Continental. "There is finally a focus on employees and concluding contract negotiations," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 24,000 United flight attendants. "Prior management was only focused on share value and share price and compensation for the executive team. "This is an airline with longevity," Nelson said. "That is the significance of the 90th birthday. Now, we need to stick with the vision that Oscar Munoz has put forward. "These hedge funds want to run the airline as their piggy bank, as opposed to supporting the employees and Oscar Munoz's plan for long-term success," she said. The hedge funds don't view their effort as one that undercuts Munoz or places them in conflict with employees. "We have deep appreciation for all the employees of United," a spokesman for Altimeter Capital said Wednesday. "However, under this board of directors, employees, customers, and owners have suffered. We will support Oscar and a new board to make the changes necessary to put United back on top." On April 6, 1929, a mail flight by United predecessor Varney Airlines took off from Pasco, Wash., for Boise, Idaho, an early example of the U.S. government subsidizing startup technologies that later enabled vast economic gains. Today, the flight is viewed as United's first. United's 90-year history also includes the first Boeing 777, creating the first flight kitchen, starting the flight attendant profession and becoming the first airline to serve 50 states. Today, United serves every state but Delaware. Another chapter in United's history involves the 1989 escape from a takeover bid by a Los Angeles billionaire named Marvin Davis. The getaway wasn't exactly methodical. Davis' $6.2 billion bid was trumped by a $6.75 billion bid by a management-employee group headed by then CEO Stephen Wolf. But the group's announcement that it couldn't come up with financing triggered a one-day 190 point decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which fell to 2,569. It was the biggest decline in two years and it put a damper on what had been a flourishing market for airline takeovers -- including one by Donald Trump, who wanted to take over American. United's labor unions sought to ward off Davis' bid by joining with Wolf. Now they back Munoz, who has reversed the course set by predecessor Jeff Smisek, who resigned under pressure in September. In January, United pilots ratified a two-year contract extension with a 79% approval. "We do not welcome outside influences attempting to raid our financial coffers when those resources should be reinvested into the corporation and its employees, thereby providing a better product for all stakeholders," Todd Insler, chairman of the United chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association, said Wednesday in a prepared statement. Next week, the 30,000 United employees represented by the IAM will vote on seven tentative agreements that call for 30% pay increases over five years and a 25% hike in defined benefit pension plans. Additionally, the contract brings back work that had been outsourced. "We're happy with the deal we were able to get with this United management team," said IAM spokesman Joe Tiberi. "We have work coming back, including work with ExpressJet, who they code share with. We've never had that work guaranteed before." The work involves hundreds of jobs, Tiberi said. Nelson said a tentative joint contract agreement for the flight attendants is likely in "the near future." Since the 2010 merger of United and Continental, the flight attendant groups have worked under separate contracts. Under, Munoz however, "contract negotiations are finally moving," Nelson said. "We can visualize a conclusion." Looking back on United's history, Nelson said Munoz is the best CEO since William Patterson, who ran the carrier from 1934 to 1966. "There was a real recognition that everyone at the airline plays a part in its success," she said. There was a focus on employees, a focus on what Oscar Munoz is calling 'United being United.'" This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. History seems to be repeating itself, with Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google running headlong into pressure from the European Union's antitrust body. After European Competition Commissioner Margret he Vestager filed charges against the global search engine giant last April for taking advantage of its position as the search engine leader to push its own shopping service, it is now sniffing out details about information regarding a similar matter, this time in relation to the company's Android operating system. Up to this point, Alphabet has been among the most promising growth stocks. Will this scrutiny stop the stock's momentum? In the latest case, Google has allegedly forced smartphone and tablet manufacturers to load a suite of its own applications for search, messages, and email among others, if the device makers want to include even one of them. Additionally, despite lauding Android as an open mobile platform, Google allegedly prevents manufacturers from developing modified versions of the operating system. Parallel investigations are also under way on whether the company is abusing its dominance with its Adsense advertising service by restricting web operators from placing other ads on their websites that compete with its own service. Even if Google does come out clean or settles these matters (in the event that charges are filed in the apps case), the commission has yet another ax to grind. Google is being monitored to see how it might be plagiarizing rivals' web content. News Corp. had filed a formal complaint with the antitrust regulator with respect to Google's competition practices. Although Alphabet has shown considerable momentum this year, these developments are worrisome. However, Alphabet isn't the only U.S. company the EU is scrutinizing. It is also looking at Amazon and Apple but mostly for their tax practices. And unfortunately for Alphabet, its problems aren't limited to the EU scrutiny. Alphabet is a holding in Jim Cramers Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL? Learn more now. Alphabet's $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest Labs, a producer of home security systems, has been riddled with problems, ranging from management troubles to falling sales. Nest's 2015 revenue of about $340 million fell significantly short of Wall Street's expectations of between $400 million and $672 million. Finally, sales of Nest's acquisition Dropcam, which initially did better than the company's other products are starting to slow. Finally, Nest has also attracted the ire of owners of smart-home device maker Revolv, which it acquired in 2014. The company has decided not to support the device and will instead use the resources for its "Work with Nest" initiative, effectively rendering the Revolv device useless. Things could get even worse at Nest as employees' stock options, which were intended to retain workers for at least three years after the buyout, expire later this year, potentially leading to more resignations. Despite its troubles, Alphabet may be far from pulling the plug on Nest. But the same can't be said for some of its other moonshots. Last month, the company pulled the plug on its robotics effort and decided to sell Boston Dynamics, which it acquired in 2013, amid rising disagreements on future direction and scrutiny of costs. In its continuing effort to shelve loss-making operations, Google also announced the closure of the Google Wallet Debit Card, which helps the company track data on customers' offline shopping patterns, among other functions. The biggest problem that Google faces isn't with its healthy revenue-generating Internet businesses, but its cash guzzling and far-fetched projects. Alphabet's ambitious units from Nest to life sciences company Verily are led by executives who apparently are causing employees a lot of dissatisfaction. Add to that the pressure on these units to start showing signs of revenue generation, and Alphabet is staring at a huge problem that can eat into its profitable business, ironically the reason that revenue generators were separated from the moonshots in the first place. Things may seem hunky-dory for now, with analysts expecting earnings to increase 16.8% annually over the next five years and the stock price to soar over the next 12 months, but these issues can seriously undermine the potential of the search engine giant. Hold the stock for now, but remain vigilant. Best biotechnology stock under $10: Here is a small-cap biotech "rocket stock" that is about to take off. UCLA researchers are stunned by a Nobel Prize-winning cancer breakthrough that is proven in clinical trials to eliminate lethal forms of cancer with a single dose. One small company owns the patent to this life-saving treatment. Now trading at about $5 a share, the stock of this innovative company is projected to surge 2,700% on an imminent Food and Drug Administration announcement. To download the full report, click here. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. The Fed is feeling anxious about global growth -- at least that's the message that investors got from yesterday afternoon's release of the central bank's March policy meeting minutes. That caution from Janet Yellen and company appears to be a note that investors are taking in stride. Despite a momentary burble in Wednesday's price action, the S&P 500 index still managed to end the session up more than 1% higher. Just in case there was any question, the bulls are still clearly in control of things this spring, ratcheting the S&P's rebound performance to about 12% since the broad market bottomed back in mid-February. And even more upside looks like it could be on tap in some of Wall Street's biggest stocks in April. To take advantage of the breakout stance in stocks, we're turning to the charts for a technical look at five big stocks that are showing bullish trades this week -- and when to buy them. First, a quick note on the technical toolbox we're using here: Technical analysis is a study of the market itself. Since the market is ultimately the only mechanism that determines a stock's price, technical analysis is a valuable tool even in the roughest of trading conditions. Technical charts are used every day by proprietary trading floors, Wall Street's biggest financial firms and individual investors to get an edge on the market. And research shows that skilled technical traders can bank gains as much as 90% of the time. Every week, I take an in-depth look at big names that are telling important technical stories. Here's this week's look at five big stocks to trade. Procter & Gamble Topping off the list this week is Procter & Gamble (PG) . As a stereotypical blue chip, Procter is more or less expected to move with the rest of the market -- but in fact, shares have been serially outperforming lately. P&G's shares have rallied almost 6% in 2016 alone and more than 22% since last September. But don't worry if you've missed the recent up-move in Procter & Gamble; shares look ready to kick off a second leg higher in April. Procter & Gamble is currently forming a textbook ascending triangle pattern, a bullish continuation pattern that's formed by horizontal resistance up above shares (at $84 in P&G's case) and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as Procter ricochets between those two technically important price levels, shares have been getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above their $84 price ceiling. When that happens, we've got our buy signal. The 50-day moving average has been acting like a decent proxy for support for the last month and a half now. That makes it a logical place to park a protective stop once P&G can catch a meaningful big above $84. Stay tuned -- shares ended yesterday's session within grabbing distance of that big breakout level. SLM We're seeing a similar price setup in shares of mid-cap education lender SLM (SLM) -- albeit with a bit of a twist. SLM's ascending triangle pattern is showing up at the end of a downtrend, rather than the top of an uptrend like P&G's pattern. But even though this stock's price setup isn't textbook, it's still tradable. The key breakout level to watch for in SLM is resistance up at $6.75. Why all of that significance at the $6.75 level? It all comes down to buyers and sellers. Price patterns, like this ascending triangle pattern in SLM, are a good quick way to identify what's going on in the price action, but they're not the actual reason a stock is tradable. Instead, the "why" comes down to basic supply and demand for SLM's shares themselves. The $6.75 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a spot where sellers have previously been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above $6.75 so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level. Keep a close eye on SLM here -- shares could be ready for a major change in trend. AstraZeneca It's been a pretty awful year for shares of pharma firm AstraZeneca (AZN) -- shares of this big drug maker have fallen nearly 15% since the calendar flipped to January, underperforming the rest of the broad market in a very big way. In fact, AstraZeneca has even underperformed the rest of the laggard-filled pharma sector by half-again year to date. But long-suffering shareholders could be in store for a reprieve. Here's why. AstraZeneca is currently forming a double bottom pattern, a bullish reversal setup that looks just like it sounds. The double bottom pattern is formed by a pair of swing lows that bottom out around the same level -- the buy signal comes on a breakout through the peak that separates those two troughs. For AstraZeneca, that breakout level to watch is resistance up at $30. Momentum, measured by 14-day RSI up at the top of the chart, adds some extra confidence to AstraZeneca's price setup right now. Momentum has been making higher lows at the same time this stock's price action made its second bottom in the pattern -- that's a bullish divergence that signals buying pressure is building in AstraZeneca. If $30 gets taken out, we've got our signal that buyers are back in control of shares. Microsoft Things are looking pretty straightforward in shares of Microsoft (MSFT) right now. This gigantic tech firm may only be around breakeven year-to-date, but zoom out on the chart a bit, and Microsoft's true trajectory becomes a bit clearer. In short, Microsoft is a "buy-the-dips stock" right now -- and shares are showing traders a buyable dip this spring. Since last fall, Microsoft has been bouncing its way higher in a wide-ranging uptrending channel. The trend is formed by a pair of parallel trend lines that have corralled this stock's price action since shares bottomed back in late August -- every test of the bottom of the channel has provided an excellent buying opportunity from a risk-reward standpoint. From here, it makes sense to buy Microsoft's next bounce off of that long-term support line. Actually waiting for the next bounce is important for two key reasons: It's the spot where shares have the most room to move up before they hit resistance, and it's the spot where the risk is the least (because shares have the least room to move lower before the channel breaks, and you know you're wrong). Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for a bounce to happen first, you're ensuring Microsoft can actually still catch a bid along that line before you put your money on shares. Coty The last potential breakout trade we're looking at today is $10 billion beauty company Coty (COTY) , a company that actually has something in common with the first stock on the list today -- Coty is in the process of buying Procter & Gamble's specialty beauty business. But the price pattern that in play in shares of Coty is pretty far removed from the one in P&G right now. Coty is showing traders a long-term reversal setup that triggers a buy with a move through $29.50. The classic reversal pattern in Coty is an inverse head and shoulders, a price setup that signals exhaustion among sellers. You can spot the inverse head and shoulders by looking for two swing lows that bottom out around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a bigger trough called the head; the buy signal comes on the breakout above the pattern's "neckline". That's the aforementioned $29.50 level in Coty. The trading pattern in this stock is long-term -- it began forming last fall -- and that means it also comes with long-term breakout implications if shares are able to trade above their neckline. Remember to be reactionary here -- technical analysis is a risk-management tool, not a crystal ball. Coty doesn't become a high-probability trade until buyers are strong enough to keep shares above $29.50. Once that happens, the 50-day moving average becomes a strong place to put a stop loss. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Shes a handful. She had some choice words for us in the clinic when we didnt book her case in two weeks, says the doctor. A woman was shocked when she heard her doctor insulting her while she was being sedated for a surgery. Ethel Easter from Texas decided to secretly record her hernia surgery after she had an unpleasant conversation with her doctor. The device was hidden in her hair extensions. Easter told Fox26 that she cried when the doctor informed her that she needs to wait for two months to get the appointment for the surgery. She played the recording after the surgery and was horrified to listen to the nasty comments made the doctor and his team about her body and about touching her and also a reference to Bill Cosby. After the doctor told her she would have to for two months, Easter told him: I was like, I cant wait for two months. I am terminally ill right now Doctor got very abrupt and said, Who do you think you are? You have to wait just like everybody else. She got nervous and decided to hide a recorder in her braided weave before the surgery at a hospital operated by Harris Health System. As soon as she is heard starting to snore on tape, the doctor is heard talking about her with his colleagues in the operating room. (Photo: Screen grab) In the video soon after you hear Easter snore, her surgeon says, Shes a handful. She had some choice words for us in the clinic when we didnt book her case in two weeks. He talks about how Easter said she would call a lawyer and file a complaint and other were heard laughing. On of the man in the OR is heard saying, That doesnt seem like the thing to say to the person whos going to do your surgery. (Photo: Screen grab) Easter says that the medical professionals made very hurtful comments about her body and also about her belly button. One of the doctor said while operating Precious meet Precious, as if I was this fat black woman, says Easter. Precious a reference to Gabourey Sidibes character in the 2009 film. She also informed that one staff member referred to her as queen and felt sorry for her husband. Easter has also said that she doesnt intend to sue anyone but just wanted to share her story. A Harris Health System spokesman was not available for comment. Click here to watch the video: NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- U.S. futures were headed lower Thursday morning, despite continued gains in oil and gold prices. European markets were also experiencing declines, with the FTSE 100 and CAC 40 both down 0.3% and the Dax 0.5% lower with about three hours left in trading. Asian indices were mixed, with the Shanghai Composite decreasing 1.4%, but the Hang Seng and Nikkei closing the day in the green. Crude prices were climbing ahead of the latest Energy Information Administration natural gas report. Friday will see the release of the latest Baker-Hughes rig count. Industry benchmark Brent crude for June delivery was up $0.08 to $39.92 per barrel while West Texas crude contracts was rising $0.06 to $37.81 per barrel. Shares of Action Alerts PLUS holding Twitter (TWTR) were declining premarket after analysts at Morgan Stanley halved their user-growth estimates for the year and also cut the stock's price target to $16 from $18. The firm now believes Twitter will add 2.6 million users a month globally, down from its previous 5.2 million user estimate. Yahoo! (YHOO) was falling premarket following a Re/code report that the struggling tech company expects 2016 revenue to fall between 15% and 20%, citing an internal company document. Yahoo! expects revenue this year of $3.5 billion with an EBITDA of $750 million, the report said. Shares of ConAgra (CAG) were climbing premarket following the release of its latest earnings results. The company reported fiscal third quarter net income of $204.6 million, swinging to a profit after reporting a loss in the year-ago period. The company reported earnings of $0.68 per share, ahead of analysts' expectations by $0.10. CarMax (KMX) was also rising premarket following its latest earnings release. The automobile retailer reported fiscal fourth-quarter EPS of $0.74 per share, topping analyst expectations of $0.71. Revenue of $3.71 billion for the February quarter also topped forecasts. Shares of Rite Aid (RAD) were largely flat premarket, but the company could see a tailwind in trading today after reporting mixed fiscal fourth-quarter results. The company topped bottom-line expectations by $0.01 per share, but missed top-line estimates for the February quarter. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- DreamWorksAnimation's (DWA) AwesomenessTV is becoming a "material layer of growth" for the company, Pacific Crest Securities said, reiterating its "overweight" rating on the stock with a $31 price target. This comes after Verizon Communications (VZ) announced yesterday that it agreed to buy a 24.5% stake in online-video maker AwesomenessTV, which DreamWorks acquired in 2013. The deal values AwesomenessTV at about $650 million. Overall, analysts are bullish on DreamWorks' future as the sale of a stake in AwesomenessTV highlights its unique strategic position in being a key supplier of content to emerging digital platforms, which will likely accelerate strong growth and margin expansion. Shares closed Wednesday's trading session up 3.36% to $25.21. Based in Glendale, CA, Dreamworks Animation primarily develops, produces, and exploits animated films and their associated characters worldwide. Separately, TheStreet Ratings currently has a "Hold" rating on the stock with a letter grade of C+. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and impressive record of earnings per share growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that the company's return on equity has been disappointing. Recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles' author. You can view the full analysis from the report here: DWA However, after reaching Villupuram, Muthu informed the police that he pledged the jewels in Chennai. Chennai: The XVI Additional Sessions court here on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment the then inspector, SSI and a head constable of Vadapalani police station for the death of a man in custody in 2011. According to sources, Subramani of Vadakku Kondalamman Koil Street, Thirunagaram, Aruppukottai, lodged a complaint with Vadapalani police on August 7, 2011, alleging that during his stay at a Vadapalani hotel 25 sovereigns and Rs 12,000 were stolen from his room. A police team arrested Shahul Hameed of Thanjavur. Based on Hameeds confession, his suspected accomplice K. Muthu alias Muthulingam of Cuddalore, was picked up on October 1, 2011, in his Virugambakkam house. Muthu worked as an assistant manager in several films, including Atta Kaththi. Vadapalani police inspector (Crime) Natesan, special sub-inspector V.K. Murthy, Head Constable Murugesan, constables Ashok Kumar and Rajmohan took him to Villupuram to identify a pawnbroker, who allegedly collected the jewels. However, after reaching Villupuram, Muthu informed the police that he pledged the jewels in Chennai. On the way, Muthu tried to flee from custody. Angered over this, police attacked him severely. Muthu, who sustained injuries, died in a hospital. His family members alleged he was beaten to death in police custody. The Valasaravakkam police registered a case against Natesan, V.K. Murthy, Murugesan, Ashok Kumar and Rajmohan. They were placed under suspension. The case was later transferred to CB-CID. The judge awarded life sentence to Natesan, Murthy and Murugesan. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on them. The judge acquitted Ashok Kumar and Rajmohan from the charges. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Earlier this morning L Brands (LB) announced its March 2016 sales results, the restructuring of its Victoria's Secret brand and the elimination of 200 jobs. The company's reported net sales grew by 5% to $1.03 billion in March, when compared to the same month in 2015. Comparable sales for the five week period ended April 2, 2016 climbed by 3% year over year, but was negatively impacted by the early Easter holiday by one to two points. LB Brands is a Columbus OH-based specialty retailer offering women's intimate apparel and beauty and personal care products, under the Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works brands. The company's changes to its Victoria's Secret unit are designed to increase focus on the brand's core merchandise categories and streamline operations. The changes include restructuring the organization into three business units: Victoria's Secret Lingerie, PINK and Victoria's Secret Beauty. The company will also integrate the direct business as a primarily digital channel within the Victoria's Secret and PINK businesses to align with how customers engage with the brands. L Brands will focus its resources on core merchandise channels where it feels there is the most growth potential. Additionally, L Brands is looking to streamline the business by eliminating approximately 200 Columbus and New York home office associates. "Coming off a record year, now is the best time to make improvements ... going from best to even better," company CEO Leslie H. Wexner said. "We are making these changes to accelerate our growth and to strengthen the business for the long term by narrowing our focus and simplifying our operating model." Separately, TheStreet Ratings has set a "hold" rating and a score of C+ on L Brands stock. The primary factors that have impacted the rating are mixed - some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, revenue growth and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, TheStreet Ratings finds that the stock has had a generally disappointing performance in the past year. TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. You can view the full analysis from the report here: LB The cancellation of a production shift and layoff of 1,420 workers building Chrysler 200 sedans in Sterling Heights, Mich., illustrates the ways in which consumer preference and market forces conflict with U.S. government energy policy. Amid generally strong demand and rising prices for new vehicles, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) announced the move on Wednesday. The decision foreshadows a previously announced plan eventually to phase out Chrysler 200 and another smaller car, the Dodge Dart, altogether. Sergio Marchionne, FCA's CEO, said he's interested in partnering with another manufacturer that could take over production of the two models or variants. "We will be continuing discussions with potential partners that will be able to allow us to access that architecture and effectively provide us the product from their facilities that would allow us to continue to cover the market," he told Automotive News in February. In other words, Marchionne can't stop selling small models, which are needed to comply with federal fuel-efficiency standards, though he must find a less costly way to do so. Detroit-based manufacturers like FCA, Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) , with major manufacturing plants and the higher costs of a union work force in the U.S., face an additional penalty when selling small cars. Ford is moving small-car production to Mexico, where costs are lower. For the first three months of the year, Chrysler 200 sales fell 63%. The entire segment in which it competes fell 2.2%, while the overall U.S. vehicle market rose 3.3% on the strength of pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers. No automaker selling vehicles in the U.S. is eager to manufacture smaller sedans, like the 200 and the Dart, which command weak prices and often are sold at a loss. American consumers -- not surprisingly -- tend to favor and will pay premium prices for larger models that are roomier, more useful and come equipped with more features. The larger and heavier the vehicle, the less fuel efficient. Automakers thus are constrained by federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards introduced in 1975 and amended frequently since then. At the time, foreign supply of oil created leverage over the U.S.; since then, the U.S. has become a net exporter of energy. Many auto executives are critical of the standards and suggest that a direct tax on fuel, which currently is relatively inexpensive for consumers, would be a more effective way to align consumer preferences with limits on fuel consumption. Bob Lutz, a former GM vice chairman, used to inveigh against CAFE, saying it was akin to "combating obesity by forcing the manufacture of clothing in small sizes only." The latest standard, announced by the Obama administration in 2012, requires automakers to comply with a fleet average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, a goal that automakers say they're not yet sure how they'll reach. One method has been to invest in alternative propulsion systems like batteries, gas-electric hybrids and diesel. Yet consumers have been lukewarm to these technologies as well, which must be subsidized by taxpayer-funded federal and state incentives to make them more appealing. Doron Levin is the host of "In the Driver Seat," broadcast on SiriusXM Insight 121, Saturday at noon, encore Sunday at 9 a.m. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. One of Washington's most notorious lobbyists is singing the same tune as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders when it comes to corruption on Capitol Hill. Jack Abramoff, dubbed by Time as "the man who bought Washington," was once among the most influential power players in U.S. politics, rubbing elbows with figures like Karl Rove, Ken Mehlman and President George W. Bush before being enveloped in scandal in the mid-2000s. There is little Abramoff didn't do during his time as a lobbyist to ensure his clients garnered favors from government, including lavishing gifts and campaign contributions on members of both houses of Congress on both sides of the aisle. After serving 43 months in federal prison for his misdeeds, Abramoff has now emerged a reformed figure. He says Washington, D.C. has been corrupted by money nearly beyond repair and is calling for an overhaul of the system -- not unlike what the democratic socialist senator from Vermont has been saying on the presidential campaign trail, or, for that matter, billionaire businessman Donald Trump. "Washington is about one thing, folks, and that's about power. Grabbing power, Keeping power, grabbing money, spending money," Abramoff said at a debate Wednesday hosted by Intelligence Squared U.S. in New York City. "The system that has developed is so immensely corrupt, is so corrosive of what we all believe -- what we were all raised to think about our government that the American people are rising up, and we just need to join them." The words could easily have come from Senator Sanders, who at a February Democratic debate in Milwaukee against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "The American people have responded to a series of basic truths, and that is that we have today a campaign finance system which is corrupt, which is undermining American democracy, which allows Wall Street and billionaires to pour huge sums of money into the political process to elect the candidates of their choice." Or from Trump, who is largely self-funding his campaign and, like Abramoff, says he understands how broken the system is because he is one who used to take advantage of it. "Frankly, I know the system better than anybody else and I'm the only one up here that's going to fix that system because that system is wrong," the real estate magnate said during a GOP debate in March. How dire has the situation become in Washington that Abramoff, Sanders and Trump seem to agree that the influence of money has placed American politics nearly on the brink of political disaster? "There's no precise way of knowing, because we can't measure corruption very well. It's usually secret," said Michael Johnston, professor of political science at Colgate University and expert in political corruption and political culture. According to Johnston, in legal terms, definitions of what qualifies as corruption has changed in recent generations. Still, compared to other periods in history, like the 1890s and the Gilded Age, the current system looks quite good. Instead, what may differ today is perception. "The pervasive power of money in politics is seen by most citizens as corrupting American," Johnston said. According to a 2015 survey from Gallup, 75% of Americans perceive corruption as widespread in the country's government. A sense of reduced financial security among many Americans only compounds distrust in the political system. And even if much what's going on is technically legal (most of what Abramoff did was), it is largely beside the point. "If 75% of people think money has corrupted politics, then the system is losing its credibility," Johnston said. Compounding the situation is the fact that the influence of money in politics is quite different from what many voters believe. For example, Johnston said that Americans tend to think corruption is lowest in local politics and most problematic at the federal level, when in fact it is often the other way around. And even in the highest echelons, it is a lot more than a lobbyist dangling a check in front of a congressman -- it is a line buried deep in a bill added right before a vote, or a senator's aide intimating to a lobbyist that without a donation, they won't be able to help. "Money's influence is huge, but it's in more complicated and more contextual ways than most people appreciate," said Johnston. At Wednesday's debate, Abramoff surveyed the current political horizon and pointed to the rise of figures like Sanders and Trump as a consequence of this increasing corruption and money-fueled disillusionment among voters. "Anyone who looks fairly at what's been going on politically in our country has noticed something, that there's a rebellion out there, whether it's the Bernie Sanders on the left or it's the Donald Trump, whether he is on the right, or -- among Trumps, Trumpians, or Ted Cruz. People are dissatisfied," he said, highlighting Congress' dismal approval ratings as well. "A lot of it has to do, unfortunately, with the fact that we have a culture in Washington about taking our money and giving it out to those who can lobby best." Is reform possible? Most agree that, while a herculean task, the answer is yes. Sanders says we need a revolution, Trump says we need Trump, and Abramoff says it can be done -- but it won't be easy. "Washington's about grabbing power and grabbing money and grabbing things, and people who grab things don't like to give them up," he said. Bernie Sanders' tough talk on Wall Street and America's largest corporations has finally sparked a backlash. After months of blaming the country's largest financial institutions for the Great Recession, and slamming major corporations for moving capital out of the U.S., the Vermont senator has been on the receiving end of a surge of criticism stemming from an April 1 interview with the New York Daily News editorial board. In the interview, Sanders seems less than sure as to how exactly he would execute the reforms he has called for. Are they legitimate criticisms? Hillary Clinton and her supporters thought they were. Clinton herself took to MSNBC to declare that "the core of his campaign has been break up the banks and it didn't seem in reading his answers that he understood exactly how that would work under Dodd-Frank ... And that means you can't really help people if you don't know how to do what you are campaigning on saying you want to do." Elsewhere, economist Austin Goolsbee of the University of Chicago and a onetime Obama aide told Politico "it seems like a guy whose number one issue is a crackdown on Wall Street would know more about Wall Street reform." General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt also threw in his two cents, writing in a Washington Post editorial that Sanders is "missing the point" when it comes to understanding how companies like GE create jobs and new businesses. Yet, even as Sanders skeptics made hay of the Daily News interview, even The Wall Street Journal acknowledged that the senator had "offered a clearer vision than the political backlash suggests." Regardless of the fallout, Sanders' position on breaking up the country's largest financial institutions, explained here, has already become a part of the political zeitgeist. The campaign, which many of its followers consider part of a larger movement, has arguably accelerated a reshaping of the Democratic party, and U.S. politics, that has been building through the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Sanders himself was in the right place at the right time, though he has been talking about income inequality and the outsized influence of large corporations in political life for more than 30 years. The Democrat running to Clinton's left could have been Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who some insist is better schooled than Sanders in the finer points of Wall Street oversight. But she didn't want to run, and Sanders did. Sanders' weakness, as the Daily News flap underscored, is the impression that he makes promises and throws jabs built on rhetoric rather than specifics. In an exit survey of voters in Wisconsin, where Sanders won a resounding primary victory with 57% of the vote, 64% of Clinton supporters cited "electability" as the main reason they voted for her. Yet, even as it seems as if Sanders will not capture the Democratic nomination, his supporters says he's already won, infusing the party's platform in economic populism while stirring the efforts of the next generation of liberals and progressives. With a bevy of wine, beer and spirits brands crackling up the charts, Constellation Brands (STZ) is scorching Wall Street. Just like its wines, the company's growth prospects keep getting better with time. The stock is up nearly 12% year to date after rising 255% between 2012 and 2015. Further, the company enjoys solid "brand intangible assets" based on its portfolio of imported Mexican beers, which are among its best-selling items. On National Beer Day, it's worth taking a look at how this leading beer stock will perform over the coming months and years. Constellation is currently at an all-time high after delivering another good year, but that's not all. Constellation followed up those numbers with double-digit earnings-per-share (EPS) growth guidance (for 2017) as well as the acquisition of a $285-million wine brand The Prisoner Company. Constellation is on a fast-track to spectacular success this year, making it one of the most exciting growth investments of the year. Here are the details. At all-time highs, Constellation is trading at nearly 24-times forward earnings, justifiably at a premium when compared to peers. Diageo trades at 20.1-times but its 7.2% EPS growth per annum for the last five years is nothing compared to Constellation's unbeatable momentum. Pernod Ricard's shares trade at nearly four-times forward earnings but its three-year average sales growth is behind industry standards and profits have dropped at a sharp pace as well. Growth for Constellation's beer brands hasn't slowed down. The company's Corona and Modelo Especial brands are experiencing overwhelming demand. The billion-dollar acquisition of Ballast Point Brewing Company will, over a period of time, help Constellation grab a larger slice of the craft beer market. Compared to its peers like Molson Coors Brewing (which has posted a consistent decline in sales since 2007) and Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman (a five-year average sales growth of 5% compared to Constellation Brands' over 12%), Constellation's stock obviously offers superior possibilities. This trend will continue as Constellation out-performs the industry. Also, Constellation doesn't have to counter the challenge of emerging markets that rivals including Brown-Forman have to endure. Constellation is also the world's leader in premium wine, selling great brands including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The company's premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky. All these businesses put together a solid consumer proposition and also a compelling proposition for investors as well. With over 100 brands in its portfolio, sales in approximately 100 countries and operations in approximately 40 facilities, Constellation Brands doesn't offer a huge dividend yield like many other beer and spirits companies, but this is typical in the early stages for an emerging player. When a company triples revenues (from around $2 billion in 2012 to over $6 billion in 2015) and almost doubles profits, the stock itself is a good reason to buy its portfolio of brands. Constellation, despite its aggressive moves, is still free-cash-flow positive (over $350 million in 2015). Investment guru Jim Cramer thinks Constellation can take over the world. Given its strong position, earnings outlook and robust fundamentals, the consensus forecast amongs 21 polled investment analysts following the stock is that the company will outperform the market. With 2017 targets now out in the public domain, it's evident Constellation is ready to rocket. Pick up its shares and enjoy the ride. 85% Accurate Trader gives his Personal Guarantee. He turned $50,000 into $5 million trading this way and for a limited time, he's guaranteeing you at least $67,548 per year in profitable trades if you follow this simple step-by-step process. Click here to see how easy it is to collect thousands of dollars in "Free Money" every month. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Two wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: ANI Twitter) Srinagar: Two wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a former policeman, were killed on Thursday in a gun battle with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir. An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Vehil village of Shopian, 55 km from here, after the troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in the area, an army official said. He said two militants were killed in the encounter. Two weapons were recovered from the militants. The official said the dead militants were identified as Naseer Ahmad Pandit and Inamul Haq alias Waseem Malla, both wanted militants of Hizbul Mujahideen. Pandit had joined militant ranks after deserting police force last year. He was posted on security duty at the residence of PDP MLA and then worked with minister Altaf Bukhari at the time of quitting the force. Good news out of Lockheed Martin (LMT) this week indicates that the world's largest defense contractor is in position to more than deliver on its guidance for the year, as well as bringing potential growth profits to investors. There has been concern raised over the aerospace, defense, and security behemoth's mounting debt levels. In the last quarter, Lockheed Martin increased its debt load by nearly 100%, to $15.26 billion, thanks mostly to the $9 billion deal it made to acquire aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky. Back in January, Lockheed Martin issued some relatively soft guidance for its fiscal year 2016. The company stated that it would expect sales of $49.5-to-$5.15 billion, with earnings -per-share (EPS) of $11.45-to-$11.75. This was a bit lower than the analyst consensus of $12.23. Another bit of bad news came when Lockheed Martin lost a deal for long range bombers to rival Northrop Grumman. However, here's some good news: Yesterday, the company announced that is has taken on new contracts for its Commercial Flight Training segment with Allegiant and Hawaiian Airlines. Lockheed Martin will provide full-flight simulators to these companies. These simulators provide full aviation training for Boeing 787, 737, 777, and 767 jetliners and Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft. Portfolio managers Jim Cramer and Jack Mohr also like LMT's prospects. Lockheed Martin stock is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells LMT? Learn more now. In addition, Lockheed Martin announced that on Monday it successfully launched its Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK) interceptor from Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) during a demonstration. These missiles are designed to take down artillery, mortar, and rocket targets at a longer range than currently able. MHTK program manager Hal Stuart remarked, "Today's global security environment demands agile, close-range solutions that protect soldiers and citizens from enemy rockets, artillery, and mortars." With the demonstration, Lockheed Martin proves that it's at the top of the defense game, and that its innovations in the sectors will lead it to more contracts around the globe. Despite the amount of debt Lockheed Martin is sitting on, the company's positive prospects for earnings this year and beyond, combined with strong operating cash flows and growing dividends, makes the company an attractive investment in the defense sector. The newly proven capabilities of its MHTKs continue to make Lockheed Martin the go-to missile supplier for governments around the world, while its flight simulator business caters to the commercial aircraft industry. The company may have released soft profit targets for the year, but it shouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to say that Lockheed Martin is poised to skyrocket and beat those expectations for the year, netting investors some highflying gains in the process. Best biotechnology stock under $10: We've found a small-cap biotech "rocket stock" that's about to take off. UCLA researchers are stunned by a Nobel Prize-winning cancer breakthrough that's proven in clinical trials to eliminate lethal forms of cancer with a single dose. One small company owns the patent to this life-saving treatment. Now trading at about $5 a share, the stock of this innovative company is projected to surge 2,700% on an imminent FDA announcement. To download the full report, click here. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- California Resources Corp. (CRC) stock is down by 2.99% to $1.13 in late afternoon trading on Thursday due to retreating oil prices. Crude oil (WTI) is falling by 0.77% to $37.45 per barrel and Brent oil is dropping by 0.7% to $39.56 per barrel this afternoon, according to the CNBC.com index. Oil prices are sliding on Thursday due to skepticism that OPEC members will agree to freeze oil production when they meet later this month, the Wall Street Journal reports. Industry experts doubt that Saudi Arabia and Libya will agree to the proposal. "Without the participation of the two countries with the most capacity headroom, a production 'freeze' is a misnomer at best," Michael Hsueh, analyst at Deutsche Bank, told the Journal. "Such an agreement would do little to change the supply outlook." Based in Chatsworth, CA, California Resources is an energy exploration and production company that operates in California. Separately, recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. TheStreet Ratings rates this stock as a "sell" with a ratings score of D-. This is driven by several weaknesses, which we believe should have a greater impact than any strengths, and could make it more difficult for investors to achieve positive results compared to most of the stocks we cover. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its weak operating cash flow, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and feeble growth in its earnings per share. You can view the full analysis from the report here: CRC remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. In this photo taken March 11, 2016, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., listens at left as Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst announces that its FARM-PAC has endorsed Blunt for re-election, at the groups state headquarters in Jefferson City, Mo. When Donald Trump came to St. Louis last month for a raucous rally with thousands, Blunt was more than 130 miles away, simultaneously announcing a Missouri Farm Bureau endorsement in front of a few dozen company employees and two news reporters. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Rahul Gandhi said from the moment the Left and the Congress have joined hands, the people of Bengal have known that Mamata Banerjee won't come to power again. (Photo: Twitter) Niyamatpur: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused him of trying to kill democracy in the country and claimed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was doing the same in West Bengal. "Modiji is trying to crush democracy in the country. He has brought down Congress governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the most arbitrary manner," he said at a joint election rally here with Left Front leaders. Gandhi, who shared the stage with former CPI(M) MP Bangsogopal Chowdhury, said, "He (Modi) wants only one leader to be there in the country and that is himself." Alleging that Modi is attempting to spread the RSS ideology, he said, "Vichardhara ki baat kare to poore Hindustan me ek vichardhara ho, soch ki baat kare to ek hi soch ho, Nagpur (RSS headquarters) ki soch poore Hindustan me dalna chahta hai (There should be one point of view; one way of thinking; the thinking of Nagpur is being imposed on the entire country)". Addressing Congress and Left Front workers on a sultry day on the campaign trail for the upcoming Assembly elections, Gandhi alleged that Banerjee was doing in Bengal the same thing that Modi was in the country. "When I meet TMC MPs in Parliament, they say it is only what she (Mamata) wants that is done. None of them has any say. It is the same in BJP as well," he claimed. "We want Bengal to have a government in which everyone has a voice," he told the rally which was attended by the candidates of both the Congress and Left Front who are contesting from the seats in the area. Suggesting there was an apparent understanding between BJP and TMC, Gandhi said, "Modiji removed the Uttarakhand government citing a sting operation and corruption, but in Bengal, he looked the other way even after the Narada sting operation against TMC leaders." Neither did Mamataji say anything on the Saradha scam", he quipped. Stating that Congress had played a big role in the 2011 Assembly polls in Bengal, Gandhi said, "All promises made by her (Banerjee) were broken. Mamataji forgot food security project, which the UPA government had started. She also attempted to crush the Congress everywhere. Recover your password. A password will be e-mailed to you. Five Bajrang Dal activists were arrested after they beat up a Muslim man seen with a Hindu girl. (Representational Image) Mangaluru: A 21-year-old Muslim man, Arshad, was allegedly assaulted by 10 Bajrang Dal activists when he went shopping to Forum Fiza mall in Mangaluru with a Hindu female friend, last Sunday. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the two spent an hour in the mall and were in for a shock when they saw a gang of 10 youth waiting to confront them on their exit. On knowing the girl's name, they asked her to head home and when she retaliated, they threatened her, saying if she did not obey she would have to face dire consequences. The group then bundled Arshad into a van and took him to an isolated place outside the city where he was threatened and warned to stay away from Hindu girls. The young woman lodged a compliant with the police and also gave a description of few members of the gang, basis which police arrested Chetan (22) from Kujathbail, Rakshit (23) from Sringeri, Sushanth Shetty (23) from Karkala, Sharat Kumar (20) and Ashwin Raj (21) from Mangaluru on Monday. Police is on the lookout for other five accused who are absconding and are believed to be hiding in Kerala. Arshad who works in a private firm in Dubai, befriended the girl on Facebook. He recently returned to Manguluru and met the girl, who hails from Maharashtra and is studying at a private college in Manipal. The police found out that four of the 10 accused worked in the mall as outsourced staff. When one of them noticed the duo shopping, he alerted his friends and the gang decided to teach the youth a lesson. FEATURING BAIS MENACHEM, MATARA, OHR YITZCHAK & LEV SHLOMO Less than one week remains until the Pomegranate Day of Giving for Youth kicks off, a massive one day fundraising effort by 20 organizations to raise $2 million for at risk teens. The campaign, to be held on the Charidy platform, will be a 24 hour, all or nothing effort, with all donations to be quadrupled by private donors. The number of at risk teens in the Orthodox Jewish community has spiraled out of control in recent years. Many have been turned off by their lack of success in school, and feeling like complete failures, they have sought solace in all the wrong ways. Getting these kids back on track is a group effort that requires many variables but one common denominator exists: the need to find appropriate learning environment that will accept these teens as they are, recognizing the hidden potential that lies deep inside each one. The right placement in the proper school can make all the difference in the world and, thankfully, there are schools that specialize in bringing out the best in every student, explained Rabbi Aryeh Young, executive director of Our Place, who is coordinating the campaign together with Abe Banda of Pomegranate. The Bais Menachem Youth Development Program has been helping those in the Chabad community who have found it difficult to succeed in a traditional yeshiva setting for the past 18 years. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the program offers both formal and informal counseling, recovery, Judaic studies and recreational and community service activities as well as a GED program and vocational and career training in a warm, non-judgmental environment. With a small staff to participant ratio, students receive individualized attention, guidance and an educational plan that is custom tailored to them. Bais Menachem serves 35 students in their flagship facility and a group of twelve younger students, ages 14 through 16, at a satellite location. In its dual role as a community organization, Bais Menachem has played a role in the growth of the local community which now includes over 100 members, a new synagogue, a Jewish elementary school with an enrollment of 75 and a network of adult education and womens classes. Bais Menachem is more than a school, its a place that teaches young men how to accept who they are, overcome past issues, make plans and take steps toward their future, noted Bais Menachems founder and director, Rabbi Uri Perlman. The Matara Therapeutic Boarding School, founded by Dr. Stuart Chesner, is the only Jewish answer for teenagers ages 12 through 19, who need individualized education as well as a therapeutic environment. Located in Jerusalem, Matara supplies a caring home away from home for its teenagers. At Matara, autism, PDD, bipolar or depression are not allowed to stand in the way of mental health wellness and academic success. With the collaboration between three thousand years of Jewish wisdom, licensed professionals providing medical, psychological and educational care, Matara provide its students with unique opportunities for intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. Ohr Yitzchok is a free nightly program that combines hot meals and camaraderie with vibrant shiurim. The Rabbeim, hand-picked mentors that are carefully matched with talmidim, strive daily to create meaningful and deep connections with their students in order to provide them with an empowering feeling of accomplishment through their learning, and to give them the ability to be able to shmooze with their students about virtually any topic. Over 100 young men from all walks of life attend Ohr Yitzchok: some are full time workers, while others are college students holding down part time jobs, struggling teens desperate for guidance or lost souls in need of love and motivation. The free nightly dinners are a big draw for many of the students and, over time, Ohr Yitzchok has seen its students flourish, returning to yeshiva full time, going to Israel to further their personal and educational growth and finding meaningful employment. For others, the commitment to being shomer Shabbos is a huge step forward and, hopefully, the first of many more positive life changes. Dedicated to local high school boys in Baltimore, Yeshivas Lev Shlomo is an alternative high school program offering low student to teacher ratios, around the clock availability, communal participation and constant rabbinic involvement. Providing a warm and nurturing environment to teens aged 15 to 18, Lev Shlomo is a positive Torah atmosphere that focuses on the individual needs of each student. Among the many services provided by Lev Shlomo are GED preparation, time management training, personal responsibility, nightly extra-curricular activities, a summer camp, and various excursions including shabbatons and year round trips. Other organizations that are taking part in the Charidy campaign are Aliya, Aliya Youth Space, Aliya The Girls Loft, The Center, Amudim, Yedidim, Center Girls Merkaz Rochel, Regesh, Tekuma, Retorno, The Living Room, Our Place Boys, Our Place Girls, Saving Lives Coalition, SAFE Foundation, Matara, Ohr Yitzchok, Yeshivas Lev Shlomo, BJX, Gavs Boys, Project Extreme, Torah Youth Cener, Chananya Backer Memorial Institute and Aish Tamid. To learn more about the Pomegranate Giving Day for Youth or to consider participating, please contact Rabbi Aryeh Young at 516-512-4494 or at [email protected]. To learn more about New York Citys premier Kosher shopping experience or to place an online order, visit ThePomPeople.com. MK (Bayit Yehudi) Moti Yogev and members of the Regavim organization have documented ongoing illegal PA (Palestinian Authority) construction in the area south of Hebron. According to Regavim official Oved Arad, in his report to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Subcommittee on Yehuda & Shomron Affairs, an actual illegal city is under construction. The area in question is referred to by the IDF as live fire zone 917. Regavim reports the IDF Civil Administration has received orders to act to stop the illegal construction but to date, nothing has been done. The construction includes homes, schools, mosques and medical facilities. Yogev points a finger at the European Union, which has been documented to be funding illegal PA construction to undermine Israeli policy. The Civil Administration reports the area of this construction was planned in the 1980s for Bedouins and over the years the Bedouins violated the agreements and necessary demolition was carried out. No one seems to be explaining why the current construction is permitted to continue without Israeli intervention. Ynet reports that the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Major-General Yoav Mordechai denies the accuracy of the Regavim report. He states the IDF enforcement policy against illegal construction is stricter in the PA than against Israelis. He added there have been no new permits for construction given to the PA in that area, but he neglects to address Regavims claim that illegal construction is ongoing. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [By Rabbi Shloime Pollak] Ted Cruz is simply the best by far on our top two issues: Israels security and school choice. We send politicians and Shtadlanim (special pleaders/lobbyists) to Washington and state capitals with the hope that they will advocate on our behalf. We hope they can lobby the powers-that-be, to be sensitive to our communitys concerns. Imagine having a President that unapologetically advocates for our values himself! Foreign policy: Israel The most concerning foreign policy issue to our community and its not even close is the safety and security of our brothers and sisters, the six million Jews living in Eretz Yisrael. Caroline Glick has publicly stated that Israel has no greater friend than Senator Ted Cruz. That is an understatement. Senator Cruz has been defending and FIGHTING against Israels many mortal enemies for a very long time. A Cruz Presidency would be the most pro-Israel presidency IN HISTORY. Do you think that this is an exaggeration? You wont, after you hear what happened, when newly elected Senator Ted Cruz was invited to give the keynote address at the Gala-dinner in Washington D.C. In Defense of Christians is a non-profit group created to raise awareness of the plight of Christians in the middle east at the hands of Muslims. They invited the freshly elected, outspoken, and articulate Senator, to be their main speaker. As a devout Evangelical Christian, and a passionate voice for his Christian brethren the world over, Cruz was a perfect choice, and the senator accepted. Cruz would later say that he had been informed on the day of the dinner, that there will be Jew haters at the event. Did he temper his remarks, or pander to the audience, like any politician would? NO! Tonight, began Cruz, we are all united in defense of Christians. Tonight, we are all united in defense of JEWS. Boos began. Didthat stop the courageous LEADER? Of course not! Two sentences later Ted Cruz announced in no uncertain terms, Christians have no greater ally than Israel. The boos resumed as did cries of just stop it!!! (Apparently, the Senator was offending the sensitivities of the anti-Semites in the crowd.) Calmly, the statesman paused, collecting his thoughts, and, without a hint of anger or trace of confrontation, said, If you will not stand with Israel and the Jewish people, then I will not stand with you. Good Night and G-d bless you. Cruz then smiled, waved to the crowd and walked off the stage!!! Had Senator Cruz been just another pro-Israel politician, he would have rationalized that the dinner was about an important issue and simply refrained from mentioning the two words that drove those anti-Semitic bigots crazy [Jews and Israel]. BUT NOT CRUZ! If you dont stand with the freedom-loving Jews of Israel, Senator Cruz wants to have nothing to do with you! Lest you think this was some publicity stunt on behalf of the senator to garner Jewish votes, consider the way this story was reported at the time (and is still reported as such, online): Cruz Gets Booed Off Stage! It was treated as a great humiliation and failure on Cruzs part, and he wasnt given any credit in the media for being principled and standing up for an ally the State of Israel. But, WE must recognize that we truly have a one-of-a-kind friend, in Senator Ted Cruz. In his short time in the senate, Cruz led many efforts on Israels behalf. He successfully led the effort to cancel President Barack Obamas anti-Semitic travel ban, during the Gaza war. He also shone a bright light on the plight of the three kidnapped Kedoshim by giving an impassioned speech on the floor of the senate next to a big picture of the three of them. Most critically, against the catastrophic Iranian deal, there is not one person Jew or Gentile that has worked, advocated, campaigned or argued as much as Cruz has. As for promises for the future, Cruz has given his word which has so far been as good as gold to rip up the Iranian deal, and to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, on his FIRST day as president. He also intends to de-fund universities that engage in Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement and to prosecute those engaged in illegal boycotts. Most importantly, for the first time since Oslo in the mid-1990s, a President Cruz would not impose on Israel a commitment to the failed Two-State Solution. To put it in perspective, here are the current candidates for president all self-proclaimed to be pro-Israel and where they stand relative to past presidents relationship to Israel -Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton: Barack Obama biased toward the poor Hamas killers. -Donald Trump: Bill Clinton neutral, and even-handed and very susceptible to bullying the more reasonable and peace-loving side Israel. -John Kasich (Marco Rubio, mainline GOP): George W. Bush biased toward Israel, but easily distracted or overridden by other regional concerns. -Ted Cruz: A class of his own committed to the safety and viability of the State of Israel. For those of you considering supporting Trump and ignoring his very troubling statements regarding Israel, because Trumps daughter, and her family are Jewish, so Trump will certainly be good towards Israel. Dont forget that Hillarys [ONLY] daughter is also married to a Jewish boy, and Senator Bernie Sanders is HIMSELF a Jew from Brooklyn!!! Domestic policy: school choice Our community is uniquely affected by the ongoing debate nationwide between the public school system and empowering the parents to send their children to a school of their choosing. Senator Cruzs oft-repeated cry, that school choice is the civil rights issue of this generation, can potentially SAVE financially our struggling families. With public school absolutely off the table in the Orthodox Jewish community, every family is forced to pay tuition to educate our typically large families. In effect, we are all essentially being double taxed. We pay taxes to educate our neighbors children in public schools, and then pay again, in the form of tuition, for our large families. For years, we have understood, that if only every parent would receive a voucher to pay tuition to the school of their choice, almost everyone will be happy. Those of us inclined to send to private schools would be able to do so in an affordable way. For the public in general, the free market would dramatically improve academic levels and equally as dramatically drive down the cost. A President Cruz, that is an ardent supporter of school choice, can help arguably the three most vulnerable among us: the yungerleit/young families (havent secured themselves financially); the large families (drowning in tuition bills); and the yeshivas and their supporters (unable to recover all the tuition owed/unable to cover the collection costs). It is also important to realize that, free-market principles are an integral part of Cruzs world view. He isnt pandering (telling a group of voters what they want to hear) to Orthodox Jewish voters. In fact, Ted Cruz, unlike Trump, DOES NOT pander. So when Donald Trump was promising Iowa farmers that he will force Americans to buy their corn for ethanol/gas, Ted Cruz did not tell that powerful interest group what they wanted to hear. Senator Cruz also does not try to sound like something he is not. Trump cynically tries to fool the voters that he is a religious guy, and very pro-life, and then ends up embarrassing himself when his ignorance is exposed in public. Why is this so important? Simple. When a politician is pandering to a specific group, even if he were inclined to keep that promise, he would only be doing so, to curry favor from that group. The politician will easily change his mind when a more powerful group with an opposing viewpoint comes along, and then he wants to pander to them. (For example, in the case of school choice, the powerful teachers union is dead-set against it). Ted isnt pandering, so his intentions wont be easily overridden. Couple that with his perfect record on keeping his word, and we are in business! Cruzs unshakable support for Israel is also not a nod to the pro-Israel lobby. It flows from a firm belief in fairness and rule of law, and the commitment to friends and allies. So, even if you dont feel like you are working for the federal government for three months a year, and you dont care for Ted Cruzs 10% flat tax, and even if your insurance premiums didnt double under Obamacare (or you are on Medicare), and even if your deductibles didnt skyrocket in the last few years, Ted Cruz should still be your choice! For the first time that any of us can remember, the primaries in New York and New Jersey are consequential. Let us show our gratitude to Ted, for his unwavering support of the State of Israel. Cruz can, and Bezras Hashem will, win this race. Let us do our hishtadlus to make it happen. Additionally, an outpouring of support from our community will certainly shape the cost-benefit analysis for other politicians, too, to be more positive towards Israel. In your states primary, vote for Cruz like your life depends on it because your brothers and sisters probably does. Rabbi Shloime Pollak is a Maggid Shiur. He studied at Brisk-Yerushalaim and Beth Medresh Govoah in Lakewood, N.J., where he and his family live. His weekly lectures on the Parshah can be viewed online and are posted on multiple websites. Photo by: Andrew Harrer Bloomberg (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The Obama administration will take $589 million in existing federal funds most of which were intended to combat the Ebola virus and spend the money instead on fighting the spread of the Zika virus. The move, which federal officials described as a stopgap measure, came after GOP congressional leaders refused to provide $1.9 billion in emergency funds to limit transmission of Zika in the United States and abroad. In a conference call with reporters, the officials said they would reprogram $510 million in Ebola funds and $79 million in other resources to prepare for and respond to Zika. These repurposed funds are not enough to support a comprehensive Zika response, said Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan. The government was compelled to take the step because without it several key initiatives would have to be delayed or curtailed or stopped within months, he added. We cannot wait for the fall. Donovan said lawmakers were acting recklessly by refusing to grant the administrations request to support activities including mosquito control and vaccine research. We should not play with fire here, Donovan said. We want to be clear that Congress needs to act immediately. We cannot wait. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee said they expect to discuss additional funding to combat Zika in the annual spending process that is currently underway. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who chairs the subcommittee that oversees federal health and human services issues, said he is still assessing how long the Ebola funds will last and how much additional money is needed. It does meet the immediate need, Blunt said. I think were going to continue to talk about what were going to do to get us to a better place in the future. Democrats were disappointed the White House was forced to raid the Ebola fund. Were putting ourselves at risk by taking the Ebola funding, said Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Labor Health, Human Services and Education Appropriation subcommittee. It is still an issue worldwide and we need to address it but I know they also need to deal with Zika. I dont think they had a choice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he hopes to begin consideration of spending bills, which would likely include Zika funding, by mid-April. He set an ambitious timeline that would set aside three full months for the Senate to vote on all 12 regular spending bills. If the Senate can complete their work within McConnells suggested timeframe, the Zika legislation will still face an uphill battle in the House where leaders are in a standoff with hardline conservatives. It is unlikely that the House and Senate will agree on a spending strategy before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 and Congress will likely be forced to pass a short-term stop-gap spending bill to keep the government open until after the election. That would leave any long-term Zika funding to be negotiated in a lame-duck session in December. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a Zika summit with state and local officials in Atlanta last week. Government officials there said they were not sufficiently prepared to fight the disease as the weather in the continental United States and American territories is warming and mosquitoes that serve as the diseases primary vector are becoming more prevalent. As of Friday, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, there were 672 confirmed cases of Zika in the continental United States and U.S. territories and 64 pregnant women who had tested positive for the disease. Of those cases, 323 are travel-related and 349 came from local transmission. Nearly all the locally transmitted cases, 325, occurred in Puerto Rico. One American citizen who contracted Zika a baby born in Hawaii has the severe birth defect associated with the disease, microcephaly. Burwell said that the remaining $79 million in funds came from other HHS accounts. More broadly, she emphasized that scaling back U.S. efforts to address the future threat of Ebola could backfire. We face two real global health challenges, and we dont have the option to set one aside in the name of the other, she said. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Juliet Eilperin U.S. aircraft destroyed a car carrying core al-Qaida members in northwestern Syria, Tuesday night, according to Pentagon officials. It is the second strike against the groups affiliate in Syria in less than 72 hours. According to a senior U.S. defense official, who requested anonymity to discuss an operation that had yet to be publicly announced, it is unclear if the strike eliminated any leadership figures. According to local news reports, the strike was carried out by a drone in Idlib city and killed five members of the al-Qaida offshoot in Syria, known as Jabhat al-Nusra. On Sunday a U.S. airstrike targeted Abu Firas al-Suri, a spokesman for al-Nusra. Al-Suri had deep ties to the original elements of al-Qaida in Afghanistan, having fought along side Osama Bin Laden in the 1980s and 1990s. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook described those ties when explaining the rationale for the strike. The Pentagon is still working to confirm al-Suris death. According to the defense official, at least 20 other people were killed in the Sunday strike that targeted a meeting between al-Nusra and another Islamist group in the village of Kafr Jales in Idlib province. The strike was considered counter-terror in nature and conducted unilaterally, according to the official, hence it was absent from the daily airstrike reports released by the U.S.-led coalition mission against the Islamic State. The U.S. has gone after al-Qaidas affiliate in Syria in the past, including elements of the Khorasan Group a cell within al-Nusra that planned external attacks against the West. The Pentagon, for the most part, has refrained from striking al-Nusra. In July, U.S. airstrikes targeted the group after they overran a small contingent of U.S.-backed rebels that had been recently sent back into Syria following the completion of their Pentagon-led training course. Al-Nusra is well established in Idlib province and other parts of western Syria and has often fought alongside opposition groups that are considered more moderate by the United States and some of its allies. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Thomas Gibbons-Neff [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] Take an ecxlusive tour of the worlds most famous hat brand which uses techniques invented by Mr. Giuseppe Borsalino 160 years ago. By Mica Soffer The array of customers visiting the new Borsalino Brand Store on Avenue J in Brooklyn, NY, fit in perfectly with the eclectic selection of fedoras the famous hat company has been meticulously manufacturing in Italy since 1857. On any given day in the store, you might find an exuberant 13-year-old ready to practice maturity, a father sent to purchase new attire for his daughters wedding, or a stylish fellow seeking an updated look for his next visit to Shul. The name Borsalino, the most recognized hat brand in the world, has always conjured images of the classy, dignified man in the most elegant attire. Whether an elderly rabbi or a world statesman, the felt head covering has completed if not created a mans honorable look. As the holiday of Pesach nears, customers frequent the Flatbush-based upscale boutique. They try on a few options, rush to the mirror, and then painstakingly choose one from the finalists. Most are unaware that as hard as their decision-making might be, the creation of the hat is tenfold more complex. Lets take an exclusive tour into the renowned hat-making process, most of which remains discreet and hidden from the public eye in the small Italian town of Alessandria, on a plain between the Tanaro and Bormida rivers. VIDEO: Inside Borsalino Filmed by Gianluca Miotto, Edited by Daniel Finkelman The Orthodox Jewish community is important for us, the youthful Edouard Burrus, Borsalinos recently appointed Vice Chairman, told us. He is part of the Geneva-based Quest Partners led by Italian financier Philippe Camperio that bought the company after it faced financial troubles. Burrus and his partners have taken the reins of the iconic hat company which have become renowned as the makers of coveted accessories for fashionable men and women, sold in elegant boutiques and prestigious department stores across the world, as well as Borsalinos single-brand sales points in Italy, Paris and Tokyo. To better understand the hat industry join us on our virtual visit with the manufacturers of Borsalino. The Jewish market represents approximately 10% of their turnover per year, and we plan on expanding it, Burrus tells us. For the Orthodox Jewish community, which dons fedoras on a daily basis, the Borsalino brand has attained even higher status, having established itself as the preferred choice for consumers. More than simply a fashion statement, head coverings in the Jewish world proclaim an identity and a sense of belonging, often revealing the origin and connection to a movement or stream founded in Russia, Poland or Lithuania. Today, frum Sephardic Jews wear hats as well. Located an hour from Milan, workers in the factory deal with the provinces humid subtropical climate which can get hot and wet during the summer and very cold in the winter. Touring the large and busy plant, most notable is the amount of employees working with the materials, shaping the felt and doing many quality checks. In a way, not much has changed in the production process that began 160 years ago. Credited with inventing its creation is Giuseppe Borsalino. He was an errand boy and an apprentice before earning his nickname u siur Pipen (Master Joe) and becoming the namesake of the most famous hat brand today. He developed his love and knowledge of hats at the Berteil hat factory in Rue du Temple, Paris, where he worked for 7 years before becoming a qualified Master Hatter. Upon returning to his hometown of Alessandria, Mr. Borsalino opened a workshop together with his brother, Lazzaro. With demand growing and the work depending on their physical labor, Mr. Borsalino decided to join the Industrial Revolution and imported machines from Denton, Stockport, in the suburbs of Manchester, which had revolutionized the hat-making industry. According to legend, Mr. Borsalino paid a visit in 1897 to Battersby hat-making factory in London. Without being seen, he dipped his handkerchief in a vat of tar, and took back to Italy the English secret for making perfect bowler hats. Mr. Borsalinos drive for quality and detailed craftsmanship remains alive in the factory which still operates some of the machines that he invented or perfected. These machines are part of our companys secret formula, and are what makes the hats so special and unique, one employee explained. The machines were all custom designed and built by Mr. Borsalino and his factory staff to solve different problems, our guide explains. Thats how Mr. Borsalino worked, if there was something he needed, he would invent a solution and then they would build it, she explains. Borsalino hats are made from the softest and highest quality rabbit fur, which is then heated, molded and shaped into the classic fedoras in many different colors and styles. They are shuttled around the factory on specially designed wooden carts, which they explain is to protect the hat from damage while they are being fashioned, from being shaped, to having ribbons carefully cut and sewn on, to the genuine 18K gold Borsalino stamp which is embellished by hand on every single hat. The time needed to produce a hat from the day we receive the raw rabbit hair until it is ready to leave the factory takes 7 weeks and goes through 52 steps of production, Burrus explains. By the time the customer receives the hat, it has been worked on by 65 different people. Burrus says with the new leadership, the company is looking towards future expansion and growth. As of today our main focus is to consolidate and to capitalize on the brand and build brand awareness, he says. Our team puts a lot of effort into producing the best quality hats which we are very proud to sell throughout the world. One market in which the brand enjoys consistently solid sales is the Orthodox Jewish community. Borsalino spends the first 2 months of every year, January and February, producing the specialized hats made for the Jewish consumers in Israel, North America and Europe. Burrus says the Borsalino company is proud of their popularity among Orthodox Jewish consumers. The loyalty of the community is incredible, he says, noting the new specialized brand stores they opened in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Brooklyn, NY. We have plans to open several more, including in Lakewood, NJ by this summer, and other locations in the next few years, he says. The benefits of the brand stores are threefold, explains Borsalino sales manager Claudio Mennuni. We can offer a large variety of Borsalino products in the same store, giving the customers the experience of choosing from a variety of qualities, price points, and different details that make Borsalino the best hat in the world. [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] Moshe Arazi is a young man with an unusual story. He is a 27 year old Israeli, currently in the US for medical treatment. He is battling Behcets syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks blood vessels, joints, and internal organs. Moshe unfortunately has the distinction of being one of the most severe cases of this disease that doctors have ever seen, both in Israel and the US. The doctors in Israel were unable to offer any treatment for Moshes condition, so on the advice of Rav Chaim Kanievsky he travelled to the US on a special medical transport for treatment. The doctors in the rheumatology dept. at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NY have been able to offer a glimmer of hope for a treatment that hopefully will improve his condition. Moshe has always been a fighter. He was a soldier in an elite commando unit in the IDF and he was seriously injured in the Gaza war. As a newly married couple a few years ago, he and his wife Leann legally adopted her six siblings and took upon themselves the support of this extended family. Leanns mother had died a few years before, and her father was neglectful and abusive. Leann herself suffers from kidney disease and has been the beneficiary of two kidney transplants. Moshe and Leann need our help in continuing this support while he is undergoing treatment in the US. Moshe is also a fighter in another way. Both he and his wife were raised in irreligious homes, and both of them have not only become completely shomrei mitzvos, but they have become instrumental in bringing others back to torah observance. Over the past few years, Moshe has been confined to a wheelchair as his condition worsened. Despite that, he has accompanied Rav Aryeh Schechter, a noted Kiruv figure on the Israeli scene, on many lectures and seminars to Baalei Teshuva in Israel. He has used his own ability to overcome hardships as a source of inspiration for others. Now its our turn to help Moshe cover the cost of his treatment which will include major surgery, and the cost of supporting the family in Israel. Hopefully, through that he will be able to benefit from the lifesaving treatment being offered in the US, and he and his wife will be able to enjoy a full life together. Moshes family is from Migdal Haemek in Israel, and Rav Yitzchak Grossman, the respected Kiruv pioneer behind the Migdal Ohr Institutions, is quite familiar with Moshes situation. In the US, Yitzchak Skolnik and Naftali Horowitz are familiar with the situation and can attest to the facts. Any inquiries can be made to 347-405-1368. Lets join together and show them an outpouring of love and support. Please donate generously. Click HERE to donate or visit https://www.youcaring.com/moshe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT5kC-0PHqU For tax deductible receipts for contributions in excess of $360 please contact the creator of You Caring account through the donation page. Moshe has been the subject in Mishpacha magazine click here to read the article. Hillary Clintons presidential campaign fired back at her rival Bernie Sanders after the Vermont senator questioned whether she is qualified to be president. In a fundraising email sent late Wednesday, Hillary for Americas deputy communications director, Christina Reynolds, rebuked Sanders accusations, saying it was a ridiculous and irresponsible attack for someone to make not just against the person who is almost certainly going to be the nominee of their party this November, but against someone who is one of the most qualified people to run for the presidency in the history of the United States. Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people at Temple Universitys Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday that Clinton has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote-unquote not qualified to be president. I dont believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds, he said. Reynolds added in her email: I dont know why he said quote-unquote shes never said that. Sanders also said Clinton is not qualified because of her vote for the war in Iraq and her support for trade agreements that he says are harmful to American workers. Its the latest salvo in a war of words that has gotten increasingly heated as underdog Sanders has gained ground on front-runner Clinton, capped by the Vermont senators victory in Tuesdays Wisconsin primary. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon responded quickly to Sanders comment, writing on Twitter: Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was not qualified. But he has now absurdly said it about her. This is a new low. Clinton did not say Sanders was unqualified or not qualified during a much-quoted interview Wednesday morning on MSNBCs Morning Joe. In a discussion of an interview with Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States. She responded, Well, I think he hadnt done his homework and hed been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadnt really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Wednesday evening that Sanders was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined, Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president. Whether or not Clinton called Sanders unqualified, she clearly ratcheted up her attacks Wednesday. In an interview with Politico, she said she tries to explain things in a more open and truthful way than my opponent. Later, at a Philadelphia job training center, Clinton said people should know what she would do if shes elected president, not just lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric. (AP) The first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up surge operation for refugees left Jordan on Wednesday and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syrias civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the U.S. Im happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there, al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. I am ready to integrate in the U.S. and start a new life, he told The Associated Press in Ammans airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City late Wednesday night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the U.S. from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by Sept. 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said U.S. Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number, Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes, she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. (AP) Hyderabad: Escalating temperature has taken its toll on the residents of Telangana. Around 66 people have lost their lives due to sunstroke. As per the figure released by the Telangana Government, majority of the deaths has taken place in Mahabubnagar, where 28 people lost their lives. At least two people have been killed in Nalgonda, five in Khammam, 28 in Mahabubnagar, five in Karimnagar, 11 in Medak, four in Adilabad, seven in Nizamabad and four in Warangal respectively. However, no deaths have been recorded in Hyderabad and Rangareddy. The figure is just an indication of the impending situation which will clamp down on Telanagana owing to an increase in temperature in the coming days, said the Meteorological Department. Around 2,500 people had lost their lives in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana last year due to heat wave. Fighters allied with the United States and Russia, long on opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, are both zeroing in on Islamic States center of gravity. After routing the self-declared caliphate in the ancient city of Palmyra March 27 with the help of Russian air power, the Syrian armys next major objective is cutting off the terror groups main supply route between Iraq and Syria. Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States are also getting closer to ISISs capital of Raqqa, raising the possibility of a pincer movement that would bring the U.S. and Russia into a de facto alliance. That would have the effect of bolstering Syrian President Bashar Assads hold on power, analysts say. As the United States and Russia step up efforts to complete a peace deal to follow a partial cease-fire they brokered in February, their interests are converging in fighting the radical Islamist group even amid American reluctance to legitimize Assad. A successful campaign could prove critical for Europe as it grapples for a solution to rising terrorist attacks and the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. After Kremlin talks involving Secretary of State John Kerry late last month, its clear that there is an understanding, even if its not on paper, that we need to keep the cease-fire on track as well as coordinate our actions against Islamic State, said Viktor Ozerov, head of the defense committee in the Federation Council, the upper house of Russias parliament. Islamic State seized swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, which its used as a base to expand across the region and plot terrorist bombings from Beirut to Paris and Brussels. The groups territory has shrunk by more than a quarter since the start of last year as the U.S. and later Russia backed an offensive against it, according to the London-based research group IHS. Its sources of revenue have also been squeezed because of U.S.-led and Russian airstrikes on its oil facilities since late 2015. The Pentagon said March 29 that it welcomed Russias turn against Islamic State. After President Vladimir Putin started an air campaign in Syria in September, the U.S. complained that 90 percent of the strikes were hitting Assad opponents rather than Islamic State and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. They said initially that their primary goal was to go after ISIL in Syria, and theyre doing so now, said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook, using an alternate acronym for Islamic State. He said the U.S. is accelerating plans to move toward Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul held by the terror group. While Cook declined to comment on whether the U.S. would welcome a Russian-Syrian push toward Raqqa, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said military officials of the U.S. and Russia are discussing concrete aspects of possible coordination to liberate the city. A U.S. military official said it isnt really feasible now to have coordination as the U.S.-led coalition and Russia operate separately. However, things may change given the recent evolution in the Russian approach, the official said. The cease-fire in the five-year-old conflict between the Syrian government and Sunni rebels has held, enabling the government to deploy more forces against Islamic State, said Columb Strack, a senior Middle East analyst at IHS. The Syrian army this week seized control of Qaryatain, a strategic town to the southwest of Palmyra. The push is backed by the Russian air force, which has deployed attack helicopters in Syria to assist fighters on the ground even after pulling out part of its warplanes in March. An attack to break the Islamic State siege of Deir Ezzor, a strategic crossroads about 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Palmyra across the desert, will probably start within a few weeks, said Anton Lavrov, a independent Russian military analyst. Ahead of the offensive, Syrian military transport planes escorted by Russian fighters on April 6 dropped 30 tons of aid by parachute to Deir Ezzor, where 200,000 people are trapped, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on its website. This increases pressure on the West to come to a compromise with Russia over President Assads future, and to enter into some form of at least tacit cooperation with Assads forces, if only to de-conflict operations in the air and on the ground as the respective forces converge, IHSs Strack said by email. In a sign of its reluctance, the U.S. rebuffed a Russian invitation to join its efforts to clear Palmyra of land mines, which would have involved U.S. deployments to Syrian-held territory, U.S.-based risk consultancy Stratfor reported March 30. Outright collaboration with the Syrian government would further strain relations between the U.S. and its regional allies including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, said Omar Lamrani, a senior military analyst at Stratfor. While the Obama administration has softened its demands for Assads ouster, it continues to insist he cant be part of Syrias political future. Still, the U.S. will find it increasingly hard to avoid direct engagement with Russia as rebel and government forces they respectively support end up operating in the same battlefield against Islamic State, Lamrani said by phone. (c) 2016, Bloomberg Henry Meyer An indictment was handed down in the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday morning 28 Adar-II against Abed Abu Sneineh, of Akib, a village on the northern Jerusalem border. While serving a sentence in the Ketziot Prison, he and fellow prisoner Ihab Subah planned the terror attack last summer. Released in September 2015, Subah asked Sneineh to assist him in perpetrating the attack outside Jerusalems popular Malcha Mall. They agreed that when Sneineh is released, they would work together. Sneineh was let out of prison in January 2016. The two met in a Ramallah cafe a month following Sneinehs release, and it was then they decided to move ahead with the attack. They agreed on a Thursday afternoon because then there would be many soldiers heading home for the weekend. Subah gathered weapons and ammunition and he was going to dress as an IDF soldier, realizing this would permit him to be armed and approach soldiers at a bus stop. Sneineh conducted video surveillance of the area around the mall and that is when he was taken into custody. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is in the United States, speaking at different universities. During an address he was giving on Wednesday, 27 Adar-II in San Francisco University, dozens of pro-Palestinian protestors wearing kufiyahs, waving PLO flags and carrying megaphones interrupted his address. They heckled him and shouted calls in support of resuming the intifada. Shouting From the river to the sea Palestine will be free they called for an end to the occupation, accusing Israel of being a state of terrorism and apartheid. Police responded and the mayor insisted on continuing his address, undeterred by the interruption. He told his audience that Israel will continue to build and strengthen the nation and United Jerusalem and he will continue to voice the message anywhere he is invited to do so. Barkat did voice his protest with the university president as well as the citys mayor, questioning how they permit such incident from occurring against a democratic nation on a college campus. The mayor will be in Columbia University in NYC on erev Shabbos 29 Adar-II. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] This Motzei Shabbos, women and girls of Klal Yisroel will gather in 34 locations around the world to commemorate the first Yahrzeit of the Sassoon children. Turning Tears into Triumph, an amazing video presentation will be shown, and will focus on growing and rebuilding together. Leading Gedolim will give powerful divrei chizuk. Mrs. Gayle Sassoon will speak as well, along with many Sassoon family and friends. Join us, and witness their unprecedented response to the tragedy of epic proportions. Through their extraordinary faith, they have risen from the depths, to infinite heights, and they will share their growth with us, so we too can strive higher. It is Mrs. Gayle Sassoons mission to build a center of Sasson vSimcha, joy and happiness, on the site of the tragedy. This vision is called The Sassoon 7 Project. All donations made at the presentation, will benefit this project, and help that vision become a reality. Head of the Shuvu Banim Kehilla, Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlita, has reportedly been taken into custody in Johannesburg, Southern Africa. According to the reports reaching Eretz Yisrael, the arrest followed a pursuit that lasted hours. A number of the Rabbis closest associates were reportedly taken into custody with him for assisting him to flee authorities in this and other cases. The news was received with shock in the Shuvu Banim Kehilla. The Rabis attorney, Sharon Nahari, is verifying the reported arrest. It is added Rabbi Berland recently underwent surgery for an unreported condition and was not totally well when arrested and has been hospitalized. Rabbi Berland has been wanted for question by Israel Police for a number of years. In fact, he fled over three years ago and has since been traveling to avoid arrest, seeking refuge in countries that do not maintain an extradition agreement with Israel. The Rabbi fled to Morocco, but was then compelled to flee that country and spent Chanukah 2013 in Zimbabwe. He was instructed to leave there in April 2014 and from there he headed to S. Africa. An international warrant for his arrest was issued against him while in S. Africa and from there, he traveled to Amsterdam where he spent Yom Kippur with hundreds of chassidim. During this period he was hospitalized and then he was permitted to leave custody while the court deliberated the case addressing his extradition to Israel. In February 2015 the Dutch court ruled to honor the Israeli extradition request and send him back. He managed to flee again and remained in hiding until his arrest now, in S. Africa. The ravs travels to escape extradition to Israel included other stops as well, including a brief stay in Switzerland. According to one version of the report, the rav was hospitalized for some type of cardiac episode and when he was released, he was shocked to find special forces and agents of Interpol waiting to place him and two aides into custody. It would now appear that the rabbi will finally be returned to Israel where he is likely to face charges of assault against a number of women. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The FBI has not decided whether to share with Apple Inc. details about how the bureau hacked into an iPhone linked to a California terrorism investigation, the bureaus director says. James Comey discussed the situation during a speech Wednesday evening at Kenyon College in Ohio. He called their ability to get into the iPhone a technological corner case and said the flaw the FBI exploited in Apples software works only on a narrow slice of phones the iPhone 5C, running version 9 of Apples mobile operating system, not on newer or older models. If we tell Apple, theyre going to fix it and were back where we started, Comey said. As silly as it may sound, we may end up there. We just havent decided yet. The Justice Department dropped its legal fight to compel Apple to provide it with specialized software that would allow the FBI to hack into the iPhone, which was issued to San Bernardino county health inspector Syed Farook. Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people in December; the couple died in a shootout with authorities. The iPhone was found in a vehicle the day after the shooting. Two personal phones were found destroyed so completely the FBI could not recover information from them. U.S. Magistrate Sheri Pym had ordered Apple to provide the FBI with software to help it hack into Farooks work-issued iPhone after the government said only Apple could help authorities access the encrypted and locked iPhone. The order touched off a debate pitting digital privacy rights against national security concerns. Comey told the university audience that the case also inspired a lot of efforts to try to break into the phone everybody and his uncle Fred called us with ideas. Someone outside the government, in response to that attention, came up with a solution, Comey said. One that I am confident will be closely protected and used lawfully and appropriately. The government then purchased a tool that allows court authorized access to the phone, Comey said. The government has declined to release the identity of the third party that made it possible to access the iPhone in the case. The FBI is very good at keeping secrets and the people we bought this from I know a fair amount about them, and I have a high degree of confidence that theyre very good at protecting it and their motivations align with ours, Comey said. Comeys comments were the closest hints about whether or what the FBI may do with its knowledge of a vulnerability in Apples software that could let someone bypass built-in digital locks to access private information. It remains unclear whether or when the FBI may share details about the technique with state or local police agencies or law enforcement offices. The FBIs solution apparently would not help Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who told a congressional panel that he has 205 iPhones his investigators cant access data from in criminal investigations. Not one of those phones is an iPhone 5C, according to his office. The FBI frequently receives requests from local departments to help with cellphone forensics, including getting into locked phones and dealing with deleted and encrypted content or damaged hardware. The bureau said its received requests for technical assistance from state and local law enforcement on more than 500 cellphones during a four-month period beginning Oct. 1 and responds on a case by case basis. Comey said the new method to get into the iPhone is quite perishable whether or not its disclosed and would disappear if Apple changes its software. It would also disappear if used in a criminal case where it must be disclosed during the discovery process and would become public, he said. The encrypted phone in the California case was protected by a passcode that included security protocols: a time delay and self-destruct feature that erased the phones data after 10 tries. The two features made it impossible for the government to repeatedly and continuously test passcodes. (AP) New Delhi: With the crucial GST Bill still stuck in Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday launched an indirect attack on Congress and questioned the extent to which the Upper House can be used to block economic decision-making and said the weight of directly elected House (read Lok Sabha) must always be maintained. Jaitley, who in May last year stated that Indian democracy faced a serious challenge with an 'indirectly elected' Upper House questioning the wisdom of 'directly elected' Lok Sabha, on Thursday said he will again be speaking to the Congress on the GST bill. "To what extent our Upper House is going to be used to block economic decision making, in Australia the debate is on, the UK has gone through this debate a while ago and Italy is having the same debate. Because ultimately the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained," he said at a seminar here. Read: Will continue to persuade Congress on GST bill: Arun Jaitley Opinion on a bicameral system of legislature world over has been sharply divided with some being of the opinion that a second chamber is essentially undemocratic as it can override the opinion of a directly elected House. Others however maintain that the Upper House provides for detailed scrutiny of bills, which may have been rushed through in haste due to political compulsions by elected members. The Goods and Services Tax bill, which seeks to replace a slew of central and state levies with a uniform GST rate, was passed by Lok Sabha in May and is pending ratification by Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority. Congress is opposing the bill in the current form, demanding a cap on GST rate be included in the Constitution Amendment Bill. "It is now coming down really to one issue. The only opponent to GST is the Congress party. Curiously, the party, which had sponsored the law in first instance, has some belated wisdom that you must have a Constitutional cap. Now that seems a little difficult," Jaitley said. Finance Minister said he would be discussing the issue with the Congress in hope of getting the bill passed in the second half of Budget session, which begins on April 25. "I am all for the idea of having a reasonable rate as far as GST is concerned which the GST Council will decide. But I hope with some consensus on that reasonable rate between two national parties, we are able to arrive at a more consensual approach," he said. The finance minister said stand on crucial economic legislations should not depend on where one sits in Parliament. "For instance, I am faced with a reversal of position when I accept some of the moves which the Congress party itself started," he said. He said the idea of keeping corporate tax down to 25 per cent was included in the Direct Tax Code (DTC), which the then Finance Minister P Chidamabaram had mooted. "GST was first mooted by Chidambaram and then introduced by the present President when he was finance minister and there is no point in taking a reversal as far as those issues are concerned," he said. On the Congress demand for capping the GST rate at 18 per cent, he said, it is a fair stand but "whether you put it in the Constitution or (it is the) GST Council (of the states) who suggests that (rate)." "I have no problem with the rate," he said. He added that there is now a demand to keep luxury items out of the proposed taxation system, which would mean that luxury items are subsidised by essential goods. "I am then reminded of President Clinton's comment on economy -- you can't create a situation where GST moves up into 20s by keeping luxury items and then say that now maintain it at 18 per cent," he said. Jaitley said there was a "greater need for a mature level of thought and discussions as far as these issues are concerned." This, he said, was not a problem specific to India. "As I travel around the world I see a lot of democracies having it." Asked whether he would term the reform initiatives as Big Bang, Jaitley said the government has taken a series of incremental reforms, which taken together are much more than Big Bang. "I think this government is yet to commit its first mistake as far as the economic policies are concerned. All steps, which are taking place are in one direction and slowly and surely you are moving in that direction carrying the democratic opinion along with it," he said. New Delhi: A senior Chinese official said on Wednesday there was a need for more evidence from India for a United Nations ban on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar. Liu Jinsong, deputy chief of mission and minister at the Chinese embassy, justified Chinas action on Indias bid against the Pakistan-based terrorist and said his country cant decide who is right and who is wrong on the issue. Last week, China stopped the UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as a terrorist, maintaining that the case did not meet the requirements of the Security Council. This is not the first time China has blocked Indias bid to get Pakistan-based militant groups and leaders proscribed by the UN. Read: India takes up Masood issue with China at high level India accused Azhar of masterminding the fatal attack on the Pathankot airbase in January. India had requested that JeM chief be added to a UN Security Council blacklist of groups linked to al-Qaeda or Islamic State, but China objected. At the UN, this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss (on the issue), we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries. Pakistan is not your enemy right? Its your brothers, its your neighbour. It is a nation (born) from one nation. You were one family before. You cant move neighbours. And you can have a new boyfriend or a girlfriend tomorrow, but you cant have your neighbours changed, Liu said when asked about the Chinese action. Pakistan says Indias position is not good for them, it is against Pakistan. But India says its position is in its national interest. China cant be the judge (to decide) who is right, who is wrong. With Pakistan, we are good friends. With India, we are also good friends, said Liu. We cant be on any side. We cant stick to one side. We cant veto, we cant (remain) absent. Only thing we can do is (to put it on a) technical hold, he added. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent comment that there cannot be any distinction between good and bad terrorists, he said China endorses the view and complimented him for trying to improve ties with Pakistan. Our view is Prime Minister Modis view...There is no good or bad terrorists. So there should not be any kind of double standard. At the UN this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss, we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries, the official said, adding we are very pleased to say that Prime Minister Modi tried to do his best to improve relations with Pakistan. We like our two neighbours-- India and Pakistan. Liu said India and Pakistan must engage in talks. We always tell our Indian friends (that) if you mention something related to Pakistan then why dont you have some bilateral talks. You can have some agreement, you can have some close door argument, he said. Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered a probe into the recent incidents of violence including a police cane-charge at protesting outstation students at Srinagars National Institute of Technology (NIT). The campus overlooking the Dal Lake had on April 1 witnessed clashes after Kashmiri students celebrated Indias defeat at the hands of West Indies in ICC Twenty-20 semi final by chanting pro-Pakistan slogans and lightening fireworks. Exasperated by it, the outstation students who outnumber the locals allegedly attacked them, leading to clashes and closure of the campus for students for four days. On Tuesday evening, the outstation students attempted to leave the campus but were confronted by local police which used force, leaving many students injured. The incident evoked outrage across the country and many people took to social networking sites to denounce police action. The Centre rushed a two-member team of Human Resources Development Ministry (HRD) to hold talks with outstation students and asses the overall situation on the campus. Also, CRPF was deployed on the campus. J&K Deputy Chief Minister, Nirmal Singh, said that the state government has ordered a probe. It would be monitored by Srinagars additional deputy commissioner and would be submitting its report within 15 days. "We have got the report (about incidents). Yesterday, I had a conversation with the Chief Minister where it was decided that an inquiry would be instituted over the whole incident where police baton-charged and the students got injured," he said. Singh was scheduled to arrive here from Jammu to visit the campus but was advised to defer it in view of the prevailing security situation. The Deputy Chief Minister had on Wednesday termed the previous evenings incident as a mild baton-charge, which was resented by outstation students and their parents. Explaining it, Mr. Singh said, When the incident took place, I got to know from a local level report that it was a mild- baton-charge'. But later on I got to know that the police exceeded its duty and an unnecessary action was taken by them. That's why we have instituted an inquiry which would submit its report within 15 days." The outstation students on Thursday reiterated their demand that they be evacuated and the NIT should be shifted from Srinagar. The women students from other states, chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai marched through the campus demanding shifting of NIT from Kashmir Valley. Earlier, Director General of J&K Police, K Rajendra Kumar, arrived at the institute to take stock of the situation. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir police has released a video showing how the outstation students damaged the NIT property and clashed with police personnel, deployed there on April 5. The protesting outstation students told the HRD team comprising S.K. Sharma, Director NITs and Fazal Mehmood, Deputy Director Finance, at the ministry that they are being issued academic threats. They openly tell us we will ruin your careers, said a female student. She and two other female students also alleged that when they raise the issue they are being accused of spreading rumours which is totally false. Demanding evacuation of outstation students, they also said that the NIT should be shifted from Srinagar. The NIT at Srinagar, earlier known as Regional Engineering College (REC), has nearly 2,500 students and 400 academic staff members. A majority of the students, however, comes from outside Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to police lathicharge in which several outstation students were injured on Tuesday evening, they asked which law authorises the police to use brute force against students and hit them in their heads. Were not gangsters that we would be treated like that. Were students and have come here to study, pleaded one of them before the team. At the same time, they also said we want peace here as we are here to study. One of the female students complained that every time including during religious festivities they want to go out of the campus they have to seek permission of the NIT authorities for it. Are we prisoners here? she asked. She also alleged that she was told by locals that if we rape one of you, the others will fall silent. A male student demanded strict action against the J&K police and the authorities and said evacuate us from here and shift the NIT. The students also demanded that their course duration be reduced from six to four years. The HRD ministry has said that the outstation students can appear in exams later. However, some of other demands of the outstation students have been countered by local students and the faculty. In a memorandum submitted to the HRD ministry team, the local students have said the presence of central forces on the camps will set a tone of hostility and fear amongst every student and parent, given the political and security situation of Kashmir. We are all aware of the volatile nature of the Kashmir region. Presence of central security or armed security forces of any type will only make the campus (and subsequently, its students) vulnerable to disturbance owing to political events outside college, they said adding the NIT Srinagar has overcome a long history of struggle to get rid of security forces on campus in the first place. Lets make this very clear. They are demanding the presence of armed security upon the grounds of an educational institute. This is not acceptable here or anywhere in the world. In the past, security forces used to reside in the hostel. This set a tone of hostility and fear amongst every student and parent. We call upon any of the representatives of the non-local brethren to cite a single incident (including and especially through the turmoil of 2008 and 2010) where a non-local student was harmed, the memorandum reads. Reacting to the demand that fifty percent staff at the institute should of non-locals, the memorandum says, After just a few seconds of thought, it is very clear that the onus of selecting teaching faculty is on the MHRD. There is already a set procedure in place to ensure that there is fair selection of teaching faculty. The MHRD has the power to review the recruitment and selection procedure. This is purely an administrative issue and needs to be dealt with upon the directions of MHRD. The local students have strongly denied that their outstation mates are subjected to academic harassment and said that this allegation has come as a surprise. The academic section has the award rolls of the current students and the years before. This demand is unfounded. Upon taking a look at those records, a fair number of the toppers are non-locals. This reinforces that in NIT Srinagar, the only requirement to succeed is merit and hard work. They have never been academically harassed before and will never be academically harassed in the future, the memorandum says. It adds that this allegation is disrespectful to our teachers and by that extension, MHRD who selects them. It further says, The current situation is already sensitive. There is a growing divide between different groups within the college. The formation of councils, unions, and bringing politics into the scene will only exacerbate these divides. On the charge of religious impositions, the memorandum says the local students celebrate and will continue to celebrate Holi, Diwali, and every occasion with the outstation students. In fact, we have a very memorable photograph of one of the local students celebrating Diwali, complete with fire-crackers. There is no religious imposition on anybody within the campus. This demand itself comes as a shock. The memorandum concluded, NIT Srinagar has always been tightly-knit community. We have always been great hosts to the students who come here from outside. We do our best to make them feel at home, and can assure you without an iota of doubt, that we will continue to do so. Our hands are always extended. Faculty members have also said that they were shocked at the allegations levelled against them and pledged they will not compromise on the standards of this prestigious institute. Tanzil Ahmed, probing terror cases related to Indian Mujahideen, was shot dead on April 3 by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants who also wounded his wife. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Lucknow: Several people have been questioned in connection with the killing of NIA officer Tanzil Ahmed but no arrest or detention has been made so far, police said today. "We are quizzing a number of persons, but there is no detention or arrest so far. If there is something concrete, we will share it with media," Additional Director General of Police (Law and order) Daljeet Singh Chaudhary told PTI here. Chaudhary was replying to some media reports claiming that a relative of the slain NIA officer had been detained. Tanzil Ahmed, probing terror cases related to Indian Mujahideen, was shot dead on April 3 by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants who also wounded his wife when they were returning home from a wedding near UP's Bijnor town. The ADG had yesterday said some personal matter may have been the reason behind the killing and hoped to crack the case at the earliest after zeroing in on certain links. "We are gradually zeroing in on certain links, especially some personal matters and are assessing forensic evidences. There are certain things which are indicating towards a personal matter," Chaudhary had said. The police is also looking into any terror angle and a senior level Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) team with the help of other agencies is working on the case, Chaudhary said. Meanwhile, data of the officer's mobile phone, which was damaged in firing, was being examined. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry The new transit chief and several of her top staff took part in a town hall meeting in Sunnyside Tuesday night to discuss years of weekend shutdowns and frequent service disruptions on the No. 7 subway line. Shortly after she was named president of New York City Transit, Veronique Hakim received an invitation from City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) to come to Queens and hear the straphangers frustrations with constant delays, overcrowding and sub-par service. She arrived at the Sunnyside Community Services center on 39th Street to find a civil audience of 200 commuters. The service we are getting is just not good enough, said Van Bramer, who hosed the event with Melissa Orlando, the founder of Access Queens, a transit advocacy group. People are moving out of this neighborhood because of the No. 7 and thats unacceptable. Hakim, in her first public meeting, began with a slide show presentation describing the task of modernizing the 100-year-old system: a $1 billion project replacing the outdated signal system, replacing the aging track panels and repairing damage from Hurricane Sandy in the Steinway Tube that runs under the East River. The No. 7 is one of our busiest lines in terms of frequency with 622 one-way train trips each day with 525,000 daily riders,she said. When you have that kind of frequency, when there is a problem, theres a series of cascading effects that affect thousands of people because of one problem on a train. Hakim moved on to some crowd-pleasing information, that repairs to the Steinway Tube will be completed the weekend of April 23 and that 94 percent of the track panels have been replaced. She got a burst of applause when she announced that starting this fall there will be two additional trains during the evening rush hour. A question-and-answer session followed with complaints about the condition of the elevated section from 61st Street to 108th Street where paint is peeling and the dust affects peoples lives. Hakim said a contract would be awarded next year for repairs. Several riders from Flushing and Jackson Heights complained of booth attendants lacking foreign language skills. A senior said there was a lack of benches to sit on after climbing 40 steps at 82nd Street. Orlando suggested that service notices should be posted at ground level so seniors would not make the climb only to find there is no train. Brent OLeary, the president of the Hunters Point Civic Association, said the meeting to address a larger issue that is facing his members. A few more cars are nice but it avoids the real problem of the population explosion (in LIC), he said. Its a band-aid on a hemorrhage. We need a structural fix to handle the new and coming ridership brought by the development. Astoria attorney James Iniguez echoed OLeary when he complained that four of his firms employees are 7 train riders. Im sick and tired of them being late all the time, they cant get on the trains, he said. What are we going to do with all of the people that are coming with all of this new development? Access Queens Orlando, who also started the 1,700- member Facebook group 7 Train Blues last year, said she was very pleased with the event. I appreciated there transparency and their willingness to listen to our frustrations, she said. It was really a discussion that establishes a new tone for our relationship going forward. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie Members of Community Board 11 expressed frustration that a longtime board members appointment was not renewed by the Queens borough presidents office at the boards monthly meeting Monday. Board Chairwoman Christine Haider made the announcement during the meeting, held at Middle School 158 at 46-35 Oceania St., that Melvyn Meers appointment had not been renewed. Meer had been a member of the board since 2000, according to CB 11 District Manager Susan Seinfeld. She said it was fairly unusual for a board members application not to be renewed, to the best of her recollection. No explanation was given for Meers removal from the board. At the meeting, some community board members thought that they should draft a letter to the borough presidents office expressing their displeasure about the decision. Board members are renewed to their respective community boards every two years, according to Sharon Lee, a spokeswoman for Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. Appointments and reappointments are made at the discretion of the borough president, pursuant with the city charter, half of which are in consultation with the City Council members, she said. Council members can offer guidance about board appointments, depending on how many people in the board live in that council members district. Meer, a retired attorney who was interested in education issues during his stint on the board, said he had not yet received official notification from the borough presidents office about the decision. He said Haider called him to alert him to the news. When this happens, you do wonder whats on their minds, and I really dont know, he said in a telephone interview. Im an active member, but Im not particularly controversial. The meeting also included a presentation by Christina Farrell, a deputy commissioner at the citys Office of Emergency Management, to detail the rules and procedures the city follows during emergency situations. A representative from state Sen. Tony Avellas (D-Bayside) office also announced the New York State Department of State would hold a hearing about whether or not the state should re-adopt Cease and Desist zoning laws that would make it illegal for real estate brokers to solicit individuals about their property. The meeting will be held at Bayside High School April 28 at 6 p.m. New Delhi: Introducing a fresh chill in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan on Thursday said the bilateral peace process stands "suspended", indicating that it would not allow Indian investigators to travel there and accused India of creating unrest in its territory. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit did some plain- speaking at a media interaction here when he said presently the peace process was "suspended", something India has been reluctant to admit. Read: Sushma Swaraj likely to raise Masood Azhar issue with China He poured cold water on India's expectations that a team of NIA investigators would be allowed to visit Pakistan in connection with the Pathankot terror strike probe on the basis of reciprocity, a Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) having just concluded a visit to India. "The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident," Basit said. This flies in the face of India's expectations that after the JIT's visit, a team of NIA investigators would be travelling to Pakistan. NIA had conveyed to the JIT that it would like to send a team to Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry confirmed today. Read: Pak agreed its JIT won't get access to military personnel, says Centre Basit opened his interaction at the Foreign Correspondents' Club with a written statement in which he made a pointed reference to a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Yadav, currently in detention in Pakistan on charges of spying. Yadav's arrest "irrefutably collaborates what Pakistan has been saying all along", he said alluding to Pakistani charges that India was fomenting trouble in the restive province of Balochistan. "We are all aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and de-stabilise the country," the envoy said. A Pakistani commentator said on TV later that Basit was speaking for Pakistan, a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of National Security Council attended by the chiefs of armed forces. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie The city Department of Education should alert parents about their right to refuse to let their students take the high-stakes tests that have inspired the opt-out movement, Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) last Sunday. He issued the appeal at a news conference just days before New York State English Language Arts and math exams began. ELA exams started in the city Tuesday and math exams will begin Wednesday. The tests have generated controversy among parents, teachers and critics of the Common Core standards, who argue that the state relies on standardized testing results to the detriment of students education and well-being. The Department of Education has not done an adequate job of informing parents of their rights despite the City Council passing a resolution last year calling on the DOE to do just that, Dromm said at the conference. The City Council approved a resolution on March 31, 2015, requesting that the DOE amend the Parents Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to include information about how parents can opt their children out of testing. In a phone interview, Dromm, who was previously a public school teacher for 25 years, said the DOE had not done enough to make the resolution a reality and elaborated on why some parents resisted the tests. Its been used to define the whole child, and they think thats wrong, he said, noting the states emphasis on testing had caused ramifications throughout the system. It comes from the state, to the superintendent, to the principal, to the teacher. Devora Kaye, a spokeswoman for the DOE, said the tests were changed since the previous year in response to parents concerns, with fewer questions, no time limits for students, and no impact on teacher evaluations. She also said the DOE had incorporated new tools to better judge students progress in a holistic manner. Results from these assessments give families, teachers, principals and the DOE important information to hold ourselves accountable to improve instruction and ensure students have the skills they need to succeed, she said. We will continue to listen to and work closely with families, educators and elected officials on this important issue. Loy Gross, the co-founder of United to Counter the Core, said that many of those reforms enacted by Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration were merely lip service and that real reform would have to happen in the state Legislature. In a nutshell, bureaucrats are driving education decisions, she said. We want to bring that control back to people who have degrees and experience in education. Gross said Tuesday it was too early to tell what percentage of students would opt out, but she felt certain that New York City would exceed last years opt-out rate of 2 percent. She said the high-stakes tests were hindering students progress. We know what the problems are, she said. And measuring those problems every year doesnt do anything to solve them. In recent months, prominent education officials have offered mixed signals about their support for the states opt-out movement. State Education Commissioner Mary Ellen Elia cautioned against trying to reform the test too quickly, but Betty Rosa, the newly elected chancellor of the Board of Regents, told reporters in March that if she were a parent, she would likely opt her child out of testing. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry City Comptroller Scott Stringer took a walking tour of small businesses in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst with the 82nd Street Partnership, community leaders and advocates after releasing the findings of his Red Tape Commission. Over the last year, the commission held hearings in each of the boroughs and conducted an online survey of 300 business owners to better understand the challenges they faced in the city. Queens 45,000 small businesses are the economic backbone of this borough, employing 182,500 New Yorkers, but as my Red Tape Commission found, too often government has been an obstacle rather than a partner to success, Stringer said March 31. Small business owners deserve better than this. We put forward 60 recommendations that will break through the bureaucracy, hold agencies accountable, and cut the red tape that is holding businesses in our city back. During his visit, Stringer discussed many of the difficulties small businesses face, including the painfully slow approval process and inadequate communication from city agencies. Nearly one-third of small business owners wait six months or longer for approvals they need from the city to open their business, and four in 10 said they had to hire expediters to navigate agency bureaucracy, a labyrinth that includes more than 6,000 rules, 250 licenses and permits, and 15 agencies. When it takes months on end to get permits and half of business owners dont feel like they get a fair shake from the city, its time to take a sledgehammer to the bureaucracy, Stringer said. He spoke with several shop owners about some of the recommendations in the commissions 61-page report such as creating clear timelines for permit approvals, improved services for owners with limited English proficiency, and making better use of technology for small businesses. Asked to identify their single greatest frustration with city government, fines and inspections were cited by 20 percent of respondents as the most common complaint, followed by agency response times at 18 percent and high taxes and fees from 17 percent of the respondents. If we want to expand economic opportunity and give every New Yorker a fair chance to make it in our city, Stringer said, we need to cut the red tape that is holding small businesses back. Stringer spoke at length with Ali Hussein, 50, the owner of Brands & Co., a clothing store 37-57 82nd St. Hussein is currently paying $14,500 for his 1,700-square-foot shop. Ive had six stores since 1989, He said. In 1990 I was paying $1,500 for a 1,000-square-foot store and everything was good. The rent would go up just 5 percent every year. Now, when a lease expires, the landlords want to increase it by up to 50 percent to chase the small businesses out to make way for the bigger chains. Small businesses are slowly dying. Stringer agreed and said the de Blasio administration and City Council are discussing several proposals that would help alleviate rent costs. Leslie Ramos, the executive director of the 82nd Street Partnership, pointed out that Husseins business was losing foot traffic after the MTA closed off an entrance for repairs at the No. 7 subway station on his side of the street, without any notice. Its a classic example of government not working with the BID, Stringer said. When the MTA shuts down a station entrance in the middle of the night, it has to at least notify the businesses that would be affected so they could better prepare. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Mark Hallum In recent years, New York City election laws have been shown to have a negative effect on voter turnout. In fact, New York City has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the nation with only 58 percent of registered voters showing up at the polls in 2012.A study, put together by City Comptroller Scott Stringer and a coalition of elected officials and community leaders, shows a gradual decline in voter participation, with the 2014 midterm general election only seeing one in four registered voters showing up at ballot boxes. The report, titled Barriers to the Ballot, utilizes 60 years of data and presents 16 proposals in whichvoter turnout can be brough back from its downward trend. The coalitions plan includes improvement in the areas of voter registration, access to polls, Election Day operations, and election administration. As New Yorkers head to the polls to elect our next president, its important to remember that voting is not only a fundamental right it is the most important tool we have to ensure accountability in our democracy, Stringer said. Turnout in recent elections in New York has been abysmal and yet our laws often prevent rather than encourage people from participating. We need to make it easier for every New Yorker to register to vote. Voter registration throught these proposals will be increased by allowing pre-registration for 16- and 17-year olds which will become active once they turn 18, allowing same-day registration and expanding registration through existing state and city databases, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, the comptroller said. Eleven other states already allow same-day registration for voters and New York is looking to these examples to improve the outlook for 2016. Access to polls could be improved by enacting no-excuse absentee voting. This would allow voters to request an absentee ballot for any reason, ensuring that voters would have access to absentee ballots. Early in-person voting seven days prior to Election Day and including weekends would mean that people would have plenty of time to make it to the polls. Mail-in ballots have been adopted by Oregon, Colorado, and Washington, and are something that New York City officials are interested in exploring. New Yorkers convicted of felonies and recently released from corrections facilities would be informed of their ability to re-register to vote while on parole. It is proposed that the city Board of Elections will be instructed to increase and switch to more modern methods of communication, including email and text messaging. Training, recruitment, and improved compensation will be included for poll workers. Ensuring that polls are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and surveying voters about their experiences will expose weak points that prevent many from making it to the polls. The coalition also plans to pass the Voter Friendly Ballot Act, which would make the wording on ballots easier to understand and be beneficial for voters unfamiliar with political phrasing. In terms of election administration, improvements will be aimed at saving money and streamlining processes. Among other recommendations are ballots in a wider range of languages and instant runoff voting two weeks after the primaries based on the ranking of candidates by voters at the start. Technology is here to stay, and what better way to increase voter registration and access to the polls than using high tech models that get rid of our antiquated system said state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst). Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigrant Coalition, welcomed the report as an essential framework to reduce barriers for voting. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure At the second annual Black Lives Matter Summit at LaGuardia Community College that drew nearly 200 people Thursday morning, Rev. Al Sharpton urged African Americans to rally together to fight for justice, stressing that they all have the same goals. The daylong summit, held in the Mainstage Theater of the college at 31-10 Thomson Ave., touched on inequality faced by minorities in contemporary society. Discussions centered on race, education, police brutality, health and wellness. Sharpton reminded attendees of the Poor Peoples Campaign, a national movement Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. started in 1968 that sought economic justice for poor individuals in the United States. As King was building the campaign, a labor strike took place in Memphis and he was able to attend and demonstrate the parallel between the Poor Peoples Campaign and the labor strike to get support for his campaign, Sharpton said. But some younger, more radical attendees who attacked him for being a nonviolent advocate started breaking windows and someone ended up getting killed, which prompted some people to accuse MLK of leading a riot, Sharpton continued. MLK went back to Memphis to prove that he could be the nonviolent advocate but he was assassinated there April 4, 1968. I start with that story because 48 years later, were still dealing with the issue of economic failure, poor people not getting a fair share, he said. Were still arguing about whos the most militant, whos the most radical and whos not and still not focused on (the fact that) we can all have different tactics. It doesnt matter what route you choose if were all headed to the same place, he continued. In the middle of all of that arguing about whether King was a selloutthey killed King. Sharpton also said that although he believes that all lives matter, not all lives have been treated the same way and that ahead of the April 19 New York state primary, voters should focus on the candidate who is on the side of the black community. The only counsel I will give is decide what your goals are and agendas (are) and see who speaks to that agenda, he said. They keep asking me who am I going to endorse. Im more concerned with whos going to endorse us. Darren Ferguson, campus life manager for the Multicultural Exchange in the colleges Division of Student Affairs, and Michael Baston, the colleges vice president of student affairs, also spoke. Tamika Mallory, a civil rights leader and anti-violence activist, gave the keynote address. Supreme Court expressed anguish over the apathy of the states in refusing to accept that there is a drought. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped the States of Gujarat, Bihar and Haryana for not declaring drought in their states despite experiencing deficient rainfall and fall in production of food grains. Expressing anguish over the apathy of the states in refusing to accept that there is a drought and people are suffering, a Bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and N.V. Ramana told the counsel The case is about peoples lives. When counsel for Gujarat submitted that only 526 villages were affected, Bench questioned as to why there was delay in declaring drought even in these villages. Counsel said the State could not do so because of local body elections. Annoyed at this submission, the bench asked Will all work stop if there are elections? Elections cannot bring everything to a standstill. People are dying, how can you be so careless? When situation was clear in September last that there could be drought, why did you wait till April 1 this year to declare drought? The bench was referring to the municipal polls in the state which were conducted in December-January. The bench directed Gujarat government to immediately releases the special packages for farmers in drought-hit districts. Referring to Haryana which had not filed an affidavit in the writ petition filed by Swaraj Abhyan, the bench told the counsel Is this seriousness that you show on this (drought) issue? We are talking about people who are dying, not tourists. Please do something. This is not a picnic, he added. Upon this, the state counsel handed over some documents to the Bench which mostly turned out to be old statistics with no relevance to the PIL case about scanty rainfall in 12 states in the last two years. Haryana, however, said it was not declaring drought as there was no fall in its foodgrains production. Farmers mainly depended on river waters supplied through canals, besides tubewells, it said. Bihar also said there was no drought in the State. This prompted the Bench to wonder as to why the Centre had come out with the drought manual if states were not to follow it. At this, Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand said the manual was recommendatory and not binding on the states. The Bench said the government could not deny the poor people the benefits due to them in the event of drought. In drought hit areas, people were entitled to 150 days of work, against 100 days in other places under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). There were also entitled to supply of essential commodities such as lentils, egg, oil and milk at subsidised rates. According to the petitioner, NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, the other nine states facing drought are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. 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. JUDITH MCGINNIS/TIMES RECORD NEWS Early 20th century self-education books Autodidact. It's a heck of a word in the English language, but it means "a self-taught person." It has nothing to do with home schooling. That is a matter between parents, school districts and state law. Long before the Internet gave billions virtual books, for rural, undereducated adults who had little access to libraries or higher education there was self-learning. Real books that made learning after the workday possible. While prowling estate sales and resale shops, my first self-teaching discovery was Dr. Elliot's Five Foot Shelf. Harvard University President Charles Elliot collected the greatest works of literature in 1909 for publication as the Harvard Classics. Many times Elliot said that if someone spent 15 minutes a day reading from a collection of good books they could achieve a liberal education. The editions would fit on a 5-foot shelf. (Before somebody gets their briefs in a twist, a "liberal education" gives readers the skills to deal with a complex, diverse and changing world with knowledge and ethics. Elliot's focus was literature while others took on science, culture and social issues.) "Our Wonder World: A Library of Knowledge in Ten Volumes" was published in 1914. The frontispiece illustration, "Off For The Planets," is a biplane headed for the moon and beyond. A half-century would pass before powerful rockets sent jet pilots to circumnavigate the Earth. With the Great Depression only years away, in 1926 the Twentieth Century Self Culture Association of Chicago, with editor Adolph Berle published "Berle's Self Culture. Volume I." "At Mother's Knee" is a treasury of classic children's rhymes, age appropriate short stories by authors like Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Dickens; kindergarten music, songs and games and Bible stories from Old and New Testaments. And that's just the first Berle's, a chance for parents to put their children on an early learning track. Found in some of my Mamaw's things were Little Blue Books. The 5x3-inch softbound booklets of essays covered a wide range of subjects, from Goethe's "Life and Character" to Herward Carrington's "Psychology for Beginners." Very interesting was "Are The Planets Inhabited?" by Maynard Shipley. The booklets were made small enough to tuck in a vest pocket or handbag. Somewhat like using an iPad Air. Day by day it becomes more evident that many Americans are poorly informed and think their beliefs and values are under attack. Unable to deal with a changing world they're satisfied to throw tantrums and demand a return to the past. To make America great "again." It must be a past where lifelong education did not exist. A place where 15 minutes a day with a good book was not worth the time. Better to live in a present where TV network and radio hosts tell them what to think. It's easier than turning pages. Soon a bunion will confine me to the recliner for a few days. Rather than focus on discomfort I thought it would be a good time to read books missed, take on some rereads and a few things from the Five Foot Shelf. Maybe I'll start with Machiavelli's "The Prince." Judith McGinnis, whose column appears here on Thursdays, may be reached at mcginnisj@timesrecordnews.com or 940-763-7534. SHARE Sturm Cribb Wichita Falls police arrested a man, accusing him of driving his vehicle into a house. Colin Wayne Roe, 24, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault. According to a WFPD news release: About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers were sent to the 2600 block of Lebanon to check on a disturbance. They spoke with a victim, who said she and a neighbor were in her home when she got into a argument with Roe. Roe left and got into a 2005 Ford Taurus and drove the vehicle into the victim's residence, causing damage. When the victim and witness came out to see what was going on, Roe revved the engine and then drove it towards them, stopping only a few feet away. Roe was still on scene when officers arrived and arrested him. His total bail is set at $50,000. Warrant yields 143 grams of meth Two people were arrested on drug and gun charges after Wichita Falls police allegedly found almost 150 grams of methamphetamine in their hotel room. John William Sturm, 54, and Kelly Elaine Cribb, 25, are each charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance in penalty group one more than four grams but less than 200 grams. According to a WFPD news release: On Wednesday, the Organized Crime Unit and SWAT executed a narcotics search warrant at the Howard Johnson Hotel, 3209 Northwest Freeway. During the search, officers located 143 grams of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun. Sturm and Cribb were arrested and taken to Wichita County Jail. Sturm also had outstanding warrants. The following is taken from Wichita County court records: Bails Suspect: John Michael Waggoner, 29 Charge: possession of a controlled substance Offense date: March 5 Bail: $10,000 Suspect: Marcos Antonio Morataya, 36 Charge: evading arrest or detention with a vehicle Offense date: March 7 Bail: $10,000 Suspect: Matthew Elie Barakat, 33 Charge: possession of marijuana Offense date: March 8 Bail: $15,000 Suspect: Matthew Elie Barakat, 33 Charge: possession of a controlled substance Offense date: March 8 Bail: $7,500 Suspect: Marissa Helena Ramos, 22 Charge: possession of a controlled substance Offense date: March 9 Bail: $50,000 SHARE Jones Contreras Smith By Times Record News Wichita County sheriff's deputies nabbed a man they had been searching for since he eluded arrest March 30. Late Wednesday night, the Sheriff's Office got a tip on the location of Jerome Aki Jones. Jones, 31, who had escaped in a vehicle from the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Jefferson Street. A deputy had tried to arrest him on warrants related to drug charges. The tipster said Jones was returning to the area from Oklahoma. Deputy Jeff Penney spotted the suspect vehicle near I-44 and Daniels Road just before 1 a.m. and stopped it. Jones was taken into custody and was jailed in lieu of total bail of $83,000 on a variety of charges, including evading arrest. Also arrested from the vehicle were Rachel Gonzalez Contreras, 34, and Christopher Dwight Smith, 37. Contreras was arrested for hindering apprehension and an outstanding Wichita County warrant for theft of service over $500. Smith was arrested for hindering apprehension. All three suspects were in the Wichita County Jail Wednesday. Debbie Dipprey SHARE By Lana Sweeten-Shults of the Times Record News Debbie Dipprey told the Times Record News in a 2012 interview, when she first took the reins as principal of Wichita Falls High School: "Have faith in us. This generation of kids are the smartest kids who have ever walked the halls of the school." It is that faith in her students that has propelled Dipprey in her 30 years as an educator -- all of them, except for one, at Wichita Falls High School. The Texas Association of Secondary School Principals is recognizing that dedication, as Dipprey was recently named the organization's Outstanding Principal of the Year for Region 9. As such, she will be recognized during the Josten's Night of the Stars Awards Dinner June 14 at the Hilton Austin Downtown Hotel. She will be recognized in a commemorative booklet called "Texas Principals, Texas Heroes." Also, she is eligible to compete for the state title of Texas Principal of the Year. Dipprey, who is married to husband John, is a native of Wichita Falls. She attended Midwestern State University, where she received her bachelor of science degree and master of education degree in school administration. That love of education is something that runs in her family. One son, Caine, teaches at Hirschi High, and another, Camden, is studying at MSU to become a teacher. "I have been with WFISD my entire career," Dipprey said Wednesday. ".... I taught English and dance for many years. I also taught P.E." Other positions she has held include WFHS magnet coordinator, testing coordinator, school improvement coordinator, and campus curriculum coordinator for English. She worked for one year as an administrative intern to provide support when Huey Elementary and Fannin Elementary merged, then returned to WFHS. Dipprey served as Old High's assistant principal until being named principal in the 2012-13 school year. She transitioned into school administration slowly; she knew she would miss her students. But she said she felt she could help students in a broader role in administration. The best thing about her job, Dipprey said, is all the people she has come to know. "The thing I least like is paperwork," she said with a laugh, though she said the district works hard to limit paperwork. "This is a very exciting time for WFHS and the entire school district. Our focus on career and technology and the opening of the new CTE center will not only give our students unlimited opportunities, it will be a basis for growth in the economy of our community." TASSP recognizes outstanding principals and assistant principals from the 20-region Education Service Centers in the state. School administrators are nominated and chosen by their peers within their regions. Nominations are based upon exemplary performance and outstanding leadership. What she is most proud of as an educator, she said, is the "small part I have played in the great tradition that is Old High." When asked about being named the region's outstanding principal, she said, "It is gratifying to be selected for recognition by peers. I work with the greatest people anywhere. All our school administrators love and support each other in our common goal of providing the best possible education for our kids." SHARE A sophisticated global sewer system of law firms and banks located in accommodating locales serves the dirty financial demands of corrupt political leaders and their cronies. The so-called Panama Papers, obtained via leak by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, provide an astonishingly detailed look at this mucky system. The ICIJ is a Washington-based nonprofit organization that links some 200 investigative journalists worldwide. The scandal's instant name deliberately echoes the Vietnam-era's Pentagon Papers. That leaked trove provided shocking revelations, to include war-related lies peddled by the Johnson Administration. The Panama Papers are actually 2.6 terabytes of digitized information containing over 11.5 million client records belonging to a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca. The ICIJ says the firm's financial and legal records expose "a system that enables crime, corruption and wrongdoing, hidden by secretive offshore companies." Clients include companies and individuals sanctioned and blacklisted by the U.S. government for doing business with drug cartels, terrorist organizations and rogue nations. Some files address "the offshore holdings of drug dealers, Mafia members, corrupt politicians and tax evaders ..." Such awkward revelations. Yes, crooked politicians worldwide many of them staunch socialists, government interventionists and populists! -- filch millions of dollars, billions in some cases, via graft, extortion, bribery or outright theft. Then they stash their dirty money in hidden bank accounts and trusts. The offshore holdings of 12 current and former leaders receive premier billing in ICIJ's analysis. These cads earned it, since they either rule or ruled their respective nations. Though it appears Russian President Vladimir Putin was not a client, the ICIJ believes the law firm helped Putin's his cronies "shuffle" $2 billion "through banks and shadow companies." Putin's childhood friend, the cellist and conductor Sergey Roldugin, is a key shuffler in what could be a classical case of money laundering. In that dark business, Panama is regarded an accommodating locale. Files suggest Roldugin helped snag "a big slice of Russia's TV advertising industry." Exposing the corruption is worth it. Corruption undermines genuine economic progress. Cronyism destroys free markets. While it's doubtful that Putin and Roldulgin will ever face indictment, they and other bad actors do confront the stigmatization of awkward revelation. In the 21st Century, thanks to the Internet, awkward facts can penetrate closed borders. Authoritarians will still attempt to limit access. China has tried to curb Internet dissemination of the revelations. The ICIJ reports family members of several "current or former members" Communist China's Politburo Standing Committee used Mossack Fonseca to create offshore companies. "They include (current) President Xi's brother-in-law ..." Ouch. It is likely that many people who utilized the talents of Mossack Fonseca didn't use its tentacles meaning they committed no crime. There are legitimate reasons to have offshore accounts, but in a mass data dump the crimes of the crooked mar the reputations of the legitimate. The hard lesson here is to work with firms that don't have sewer clients. Iceland's Prime Minister, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, surely wishes he had been fully transparent. As I write this column, it isn't quite clear if Gunnlaugsson has resigned or taken a leave of absence. He has suffered severe political damage. Evidence suggests what he did was technically legal. On the last day of 2009, while a member of Iceland's parliament, he sold his interest in a company he co-owned with his wife to her for a dollar. A new law coming into effect in January 2010 required him to declare his ownership as a conflict of interest. That company now claims over $4 million from three failed Icelandic banks. In 2013 Gunnlaugsson helped craft deal to aid the banks' claimants. Self-serving? Oh, yes. And Icelanders are outraged. Austin Bay is a commentator on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," covering foreign affairs but often addressing issues in Texas that have a national interest. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Rose Aikens gets a hug from her coworker, Brenda Spencer, left, after hearing that repairs to her car had been paid for with help from Times Charities, Grace Ministries, KFDX's Pay It Forward, First National Bank and donations from other employees of the Walmart on Central Expressway. Burk Light Truck and Auto replaced the motor, repaired the air conditioning, electrical and numerous other smaller repairs totalling more than $4,000 and reduced their bill by half to help the 82-year-old Aiken get back behind the wheel. SHARE TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Rose Aikens, center, smiles after coworker Josie Hash presented her with part of the money raised on her behalf. After Aikens' car broke down, Burk Light Truck & Auto made numerous repairs which included replacing the motor, fixing the air conditioning, electrical issues and much more and then cutting their bill in half to help. The repair bill was paid for and more by donations from Times Charities, Grace Ministries, KFDX's Pay It Forward, First National Bank and fundraisers by Walmart employees. The 82-year-old has been relying on friends and coworkers to get back and forth to work. By Judith McGinnis of the Times Record News Rose Aikens was ready to go the distance, walk along I-44 from her home in Burkburnett to her job at Walmart on Central Freeway in Wichita Falls. Unable to afford repairs to her car, it seemed like the only choice. The 82-year-old woman's needs were met Wednesday when co-workers, Grace Ministries, Times (Record News) Charities, Burk Light Truck & Auto and Park Light Truck & Auto came together to return Aikens's car fixed and ready to go. "Now I want to go for a ride!" Aikens said, beaming from the front seat of her restored auto. "This is great!" "We were approached for help but facing a more than $4,000 bill it would be a challenge," said Mel Feller, Grace Ministries executive director. "Parts and services were donated, the Walmart employees put in $600, Time Charities added a $1,500 grant, KFDX Pay it Forward and First National Bank funds that made it possible to finish the work." Burk Light Truck & Auto originally planned to have a drawing for a car that would go to a family in need. Several of Aikens co-workers nominated her based on the broken car. Her lack of transportation moved the repair specialist to step up and help. On Aiken's behalf, Burden's Towing moved the car for free and LKQ Salvage Yard sharply reduced the price of an engine. Six co-workers raised funds with steak cookouts and dessert sales. Other Walmart employees pitched in. "She told me her car was broken," said colleague Alicia Warren, who also lives in Burkburnett. "There was no doubt I would give her a ride." Ruben Canadeo took care of appointments at Grace Ministries. "We're like family," said Darrell Robertson, store manager for Central Expressway Walmart. "We're all together and look after each other." Mumbai: Taking a swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' remarks that those who cannot chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' must leave the country, ruling ally Shiv Sena on Thursday said people should be able to live first to chant the pro-India slogan, referring to the grim spectre of drought that looms over the state. "It would have been better if he (Fadnavis) would have given a war cry that he would give drinking water in homes, in each village of Maharashtra or will leave the CM's post," said an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "One will have to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', but to say that people need to be alive first," it quipped. "At present, the politics over 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is in full force. Let my Chief Minister's chair go, but I will chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', is a good call by the CM. But the children of 'Bharat Mata' are roaming all over for water, are harried, incidents have gone to the extent of seeking each other's blood," it said. Reminding that youth take to Naxalism and pick up arms against 'injustice', the Sena asked, "Will the youth of Marathwada for the sake of a sip of water take up arms and become terrorists?" "If that happens, 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' will have no meaning. If the people are happy then Bharat Mata will be happy," it said. The Shiv Sena said that the "Jai" (victory) of Bharat Mata is "Jai" of the people, but they do not have a sip of water, cattle are withering to death and fields are turning into burial grounds. "Then if anyone stands in such fields and raises nationalist slogans, Bharat Mata will not be thrilled and rise up," it said. "This is not the Maharashtra of the dreams of Bharat Mata. Chief Minister, sit on your chair and give water to Maharashtra," it exhorted. However, the Sena remained silent over a case before the Bombay High Court, which had said that in view of the severe water crunch in Maharashtra due to drought it would be better to shift the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches outside the state. The party also termed as "shocking" the deployment of police squads to protect water tanks and tankers at some places in the state. In many regions of the state and Marathwada, people are becoming enemies of each other over water, it said. "Many have foretold that the third world war will be fought over water. That seems coming to be true. The picture of riots breaking over water is disturbing," the Sena said. Arguing that water policies of the previous rule may have gone wrong, the Sena said you cannot keep the people thirsty by blaming it on the past government. For want of water, industries might shut down and danger of unemployment may rise, the editorial cautioned. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Berlin The fallout from a massive leak of records on offshore accounts dragged a growing number of leaders and celebrities into the spotlight Wednesday, with a Bollywood actor, a race car driver and Ukraine's president among those denying they evaded taxes. The reports center on millions of documents detailing how the rich and powerful use shell companies in low-tax states like Panama or the Cayman Islands. The suspicion that such accounts are used to skirt taxes prompted a rush of denials, statements and, in some cases, media blackouts. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was the latest high-profile politician to face scrutiny over the issue, denying he had meant to evade taxes by putting his candy company offshore. Poroshenko had promised voters he would sell his business when he ran for office in 2014. But according to the reports, he merely moved it secretively offshore. On Wednesday, he said he had done nothing illegal when he created the offshore holding company to put his business in a blind trust when he became president. "This is absolutely normal procedure," Poroshenko said during a visit to Tokyo. "If we have anything to be investigated, I am happy to do that. But this is absolutely transparent from the very beginning. No hidden account, no associated management, no nothing." Ukrainian opposition groups maintained the move could have cost the war-torn country millions of dollars in desperately needed tax revenues. But analysts said the Ukrainian leader does not appear to have broken the law. The data leaked from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca was reported on this week by an international group of media companies with the coordination of the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. When used legally, offshore companies can reduce a person or company's tax bill. A company, for example, might route its revenue from multiple countries to one low-tax base. Critics argue that while that's not illegal, companies and people should not be allowed to do so, but instead pay taxes where they earn their money. Because offshore accounts can obscure the identity of the owner, they are often used illegally to hide money from the taxman or launder ill-gotten gains. For politicians, using offshore accounts even in a strictly legal sense can be problematic because they are expected to be transparent about their interests and contribute to the country's economy. That's what fueled outrage against Iceland's prime minister, who became the first casualty of the so-called Panama Papers case on Tuesday. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson had faced opposition calls to resign over revelations he used a shell company to shelter large sums while Iceland's economy was in crisis. He denied wrongdoing but after days of street protests he stepped aside, recommending that his deputy take over as prime minister for an unspecified period of time. Also dragged into the spotlight were: Formula One driver Nico Rosberg, whose lawyer said an offshore firm linked to him was created solely for liability reasons and to enable him to operate internationally. Rosberg's lawyer, Christian Schertz, said Ambitious Group, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands, wasn't used for tax avoidance. Rosberg is registered in Monaco for tax purposes and receives all payments there, he said. Prominent Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan denied reports by The Indian Express newspaper that he was connected to four shipping companies registered in tax havens. "It is possible that my name has been misused," Bachhan tweeted late Tuesday, adding that he has paid all the taxes he owed. Thomas Maino knew he was going to die. Suffering from serious ailments, the 93-year-old veteran had rejected invasive treatments and asked only that he be made comfortable after he was admitted to a Syracuse nursing home in November 2008. But on a snowy Saturday morning the following January, his moans could be heard down the hallway. Over the next eight hours, coworkers reported to the nurse in charge of Maino's unit that he needed pain medication. That nurse, Maura Quinn, gave him only Tylenol and never alerted the doctor. Other nurses told her Maino was in agony, but she ignored them, even when his moaning turned to yelling, seven staffers at the home later testified in depositions taken during an investigation by the state Attorney General's office. "Oh great, now people are going to tell me how to do my freaking job," Quinn said when a nurse from a nearby wing left a note for her about Maino, according to one deposition. Maino died that evening. After an administrator reported the incident to New York nursing home regulators, Quinn was fired and, in December 2010, convicted of a misdemeanor for providing Maino with inadequate care. The state Attorney General's office reported Quinn to the Office of the Professions, the agency that licenses and disciplines nurses, when she was sentenced two months later. More Information This article was reported by ProPublica, a nonprofit devoted to producing investigative journalism in the public interest. Support for this project was provided by the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University. Reporting research was contributed by Nina Agrawal, Malena Carollo, Darwin Chan, Tyler Daniels, Folasade Falebita, Zoe Kirsch, Alexandra Levine, Liza Lucas, Emily Silber, Miriam Sitz, Tal Trachtman and Mohamad Yaghi. The project was supervised by Columbia University adjunct professor Charles Ornstein, a senior reporter at ProPublica. Visit ProPublica.org for more. See More Collapse But it would take another three years for the Office of the Professions to suspend her from nursing. By then, the agency had learned that Quinn lied on her initial licensing application, failing to disclose a 1988 conviction for drug possession, and that she was convicted in 2012 of driving without a license both grounds for more disciplinary action. The agency finally suspended Quinn's nursing license for three months in May 2014. Over the past 15 years, nursing boards across the country have taken steps to tighten oversight of nurses, screening applicants more extensively before issuing licenses and instituting swifter, tougher sanctions for problem licensees. Not New York. Unlike many states, New York does not require applicants for nursing licenses to undergo simple background checks or submit fingerprints, tools that can identify those with criminal histories and flag subsequent legal problems. And it often takes years for New York to discipline nurses who provide inept care, steal drugs or physically abuse patients. A ProPublica review of hundreds of disciplinary records, arrest reports and court filings shows New York's system for overseeing nurses is deeply flawed. Among the findings: The Office of the Professions often fails to act when it is informed that other states or even other New York agencies have disciplined New York nurses. One example: The state health department penalized a nurse in early 2014 for administering an overdose of insulin that nearly caused a patient's death, but the Office of the Professions has taken no action against her license. Though the Office of the Professions can take immediate action against nurses accused of endangering the public's health or safety, it has not done so, even in egregious cases. After a nurse in the Bronx was caught sexually assaulting a patient in February 2014, the agency didn't revoke his license for more than a year and a half, records show. New York disciplines nurses far less often than other large states. In 2014, Ohio disciplined more than 1,600 (1 in 153), and Texas disciplined almost 2,300 (1 in 167). In fiscal 2014, California disciplined over 1,600 nurses, roughly 1 in 325. The same year, the Office of the Professions disciplined fewer than 350 licensees, which works out to 1 in 1,190. "As a professional nurse who is registered in the state of New York, I'm appalled," said Donna Nickitas, the executive officer of the nursing PhD program at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. "This is (about) the health and welfare of the general public." The Office of the Professions is an arm of the state Department of Education. In response to these ratios, a spokeswoman for the education department said that New York's numbers only reflected actions that needed the approval of the Board of Regents. The department did not respond to multiple requests to quantify or elaborate on this. Even inside the Office of the Professions, concerns have grown so pronounced that one investigator wrote to state Sen. Michael Venditto, R-Long Island, last July about the consequences of not performing background checks on nurses, as well as delays in disciplinary action, letters obtained by ProPublica show. The investigator cited one nurse who was licensed despite a violent criminal history because he never reported it on his application. Another nurse maintained an active license for three years while she awaited trial on charges of selling prescription drugs, the investigator wrote. In response to a letter from Venditto about the investigator's concerns, state Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia said in October that her agency would support background checks and fingerprinting for nurses if state legislators proposed a measure requiring them. (They have not done so.) But Elia cited an "extraordinarily high" success rate for the investigations completed by the Office of the Professions. "We are very proud of the work the office does and believe that New York's licensed professionals are among the safest in the country," Elia wrote in a second letter in December 2015. She did not clarify how she was defining success, and also declined requests to be interviewed. Peggy Chase, a member of the New York nursing board, the licensing entity for nurses that is part of the Office of the Professions, acknowledged the blind spots in the oversight system. Chase said she did not remember the issue of background checks being raised at any of the board's meetings. In a phone interview, she conceded that "people can lie and we will never know," but said the responsibility for spotting and dealing with problem nurses should not fall exclusively on the Office of the Professions. In an e-mailed response to ProPublica's findings, Jeanne Beattie, a spokesperson for the Education Department, acknowledged that the Office of the Professions had limited ability to discipline nurses. "We are working with the chairs of the Senate and Assembly Higher Education Committees to improve the disciplinary process to include greater authority and tools for the department," said Beattie. Quinn could not be reached by phone and did not respond to a letter sent to her most recent address in Florida. The education department declined to comment on Quinn's discipline record or the cases of any other individual nurses that ProPublica asked about. In a handwritten statement three days after Maino died, Quinn said she had left her shift that Saturday afternoon believing Maino was stable and resting. "I was not concerned (with) Thomas's yelling act because that's what he had been doing for weeks," she wrote. Quinn's disregard for her patient left a lasting impression on her former colleagues. "Whenever I think about what happened that day I get sick to my stomach," Veronica Barricella, one of the aides who tended to Maino, said in her February 2009 deposition. "I have also had nightmares." Back from the dead There may be no better illustration of the value of checking nurses' criminal histories than the strange tale of Randall Silsby. Silsby received a New York nursing license in 1992. Five years later, faced with two divorces and child support payments, Silsby decided to solve his "midlife crisis" by faking his own death. He left Niagara Falls for the Dominican Republic, where he paid a lawyer to draw up a fake death certificate and assumed the name of Julio DiMuerte (muerte means "death" in Spanish). When he decided to resurrect himself and head back to New York, the federal government charged him with making a material false statement to the government, a felony. He was sentenced to six months in prison in 2001. As a condition of his release, Silsby was ordered to receive mental health treatment. But in 2002, Silsby was able to renew his New York nursing license and return to work simply by not disclosing his conviction on the renewal application. As is typical, the Office of the Professions didn't independently seek out records on his criminal past. It only does this if nurses admit they have been convicted of crimes or are accused of wrongdoing, officials say. Silsby's scheme only came to light more than a decade later, when state officials investigated a claim that he touched the breasts of a sedated 85-year-old patient at Wilson Medical Center in Broome County. According to a 2014 nursing board document, Silsby was not disciplined for the sexual abuse allegation, and was suspended for one month for forging his death certificate. His license is still active in New York. Silsby did not respond to multiple emails or phone calls. New York's approach to vetting nurses is increasingly out of step with that of other states. In 2005, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the trade group representing state nursing boards, issued a report recommending that nursing boards conduct state and federal criminal background checks on all applicants and licensees. "Consumers needing health care are vulnerable. Nursing is a stressful profession. Stress tends to cause bad habits to reappear," it said, adding that it was "appropriate to establish high behavior standards" for nursing applicants. In the last decade, a majority of state boards have adopted such measures. In 1998, only five states performed background checks on nurses; by 2014, 37 states did them and more were initiating these procedures. New York not only relies on nurses to self-report criminal convictions, it also only requires them to do so every three years, when they renew their licenses. Other states mandate that nurses report problems far sooner. Florida, for example, requires nurses to report convictions within 30 days. Georgia gives nurses 10 days to report felony convictions. And nurses in Pennsylvania must report criminal convictions as well as pending criminal charges within 30 days. As Silsby's case demonstrates, in the absence of background checks, nurses aren't always honest. Kathy Thomas, the executive director of the Texas Board of Nursing, said her board instituted background checks and fingerprinting in 2003 after consulting other state boards that discovered many nurses with criminal histories when they stopped relying exclusively on self-reporting. "We knew self-reports were unreliable," Thomas said. When Texas added background checks, the board discovered "serious criminal history that hadn't been disclosed." According to data provided by the Texas Board of Nursing, the board received just over 4,000 reports filed against Texas nurses in 2004. The state gradually began implementing the fingerprinting system that year. By 2015, the number of reports against nurses had ballooned to almost 14,000, largely as a result of a system that automatically sends reports of criminal convictions and arrests to the nursing board. David Keepnews, a professor at the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, said background checks and fingerprinting would likely turn up a relatively small number of nurses with serious criminal convictions. But that should not deter New York from pursuing reform, he said. The "nursing profession as a whole has an interest in ensuring safe nursing care and in maintaining the public's trust," he said. "We should see this as an opportunity to make the practice even safer by working to plug the holes in our disciplinary system." Even when nurses do report their own misconduct, New York's system falters. The unit within the Office of the Professions that renews licenses is separate from the unit that pursues investigations, so both processes renewals and investigations can proceed simultaneously, on separate tracks. In August 2012, licensed New York nurse Matthew Schroeder was sentenced to three years in prison for selling a drug without a prescription over eBay. The FDA had initiated an investigation after a Georgia teenager who purchased drugs from him died of an overdose. "I thought what I was doing was legal. I was trying to branch out and become a self-made businessman," Schroeder said in a phone interview, explaining that the drug he sold was not listed as a controlled substance. In April 2015, Schroeder applied to renew his state nursing license, although he was not released from prison until that July. Schroeder said he admitted his conviction on the application but the state renewed his license anyway, though it later informed him it had opened an investigation. "I think it is completely OK for me to be a nurse. I have always taken great care of my patients," Schroeder said, adding that he expected to pay a fine but continue practicing. Schroeder voluntarily surrendered his California license in March 2014 while he was in prison because he said he could not be present for the hearing in front of the state board. States share disciplinary actions against their nurses, but Schroeder's New York license has remained active. New York nurses who report minor crimes say the Office of the Professions can take years to complete investigations, leaving their professional lives in limbo. Registered nurse Danielle DiSciullo was nervous when she reported a December 2010 DUI on her renewal application in 2013, and was relieved when her license arrived in the mail the following month. But months later, DiSciullo received a letter informing her that the nursing board was investigating her. State records indicate she had a hearing in May 2014, nine months after she voluntarily disclosed the conviction. She received a month-long suspension the following September. "It was torture at times; I just wanted to know what was going to happen," said DiSciullo, whose license is now clear. Edie Brous, an attorney who represents nurses in front of the Office of the Professions, said DiSciullo's situation is not uncommon. Many of her clients have been disciplined for minor crimes several years after admitting to them. The drawn-out process ill serves nurses without protecting the public, she said. "If you believe that this is a licensee that needs to be disciplined in order to protect the public's safety, you don't sit on it for six months or a year." Disciplinary maze In most states, nurses are overseen either by health departments or independent nursing boards. In New York, however, the Office of the Professions, like the rest of the Department of Education, comes under the Board of Regents, whose primary responsibility is to oversee the state's vast public education system. The Education Department once oversaw all licensed professionals, but in 1975, the Health Department assumed authority over doctors and physician assistants after the Board of Regents was criticized for failing to provide adequate oversight. "It has been our experience that the response of the Regents to our investigations has been inaction," Dr. Lawrence Essenson, chairman of the Medical Society of the County of New York's Board of Censors, wrote in a 1975 letter quoted by the New York Times. Under the Board of Regents' umbrella, there's a complex disciplinary process for nurses accused of misconduct. First, a member of the state nursing board partners with an investigator for the Office of the Professions to determine what happened and, in some cases, recommend discipline. Then a member of the Board of Regents' Professional Practices Committee reviews and refines their recommendation. Then the full Board of Regents has to approve the final recommendation at its monthly meeting, along with recommendations for disciplinary action from the other 53 professions overseen by the Office of the Professions. Regent Wade Norwood, the co-chair of the board's Professional Practice Committee, defended this process, saying the layers involved created a more "fair and thorough review." But Regent Catherine Collins, the only licensed nurse on the Board of Regents, was concerned by the comparatively few disciplinary actions against nurses approved by the board and felt the board does not have a deep enough understanding of individual professions. She said it was crucial for the regents to pay special attention to professions that care for those who are vulnerable, such as nurses. "People look for loopholes when they want to commit bad behavior. If there is a hole in our system we need to plug it," Collins said. Doctors received closer scrutiny after the health department took over their discipline, but legislators say it would be near-impossible to shift authority over nurses. "There would be a lot of logic to that, but it would be like moving heaven and earth in terms of a legislative task," said Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, who chairs the chamber's Committee on Health and sits on the Higher Education committee. Legislative oversight of nurses falls to higher education committees, so the committees charged with overseeing health have no ability to initiate legislation concerning the profession. Kemp Hannon, R-Long Island, chair of the state Senate's Health Committee, said there had been "incredible" resistance from the higher education committee when his committee had attempted to write measures that included nurses. Some have pointed to budgetary issues as an explanation for the inefficiency of the Office of the Professions. Democrat Deborah Glick of Manhattan, who chairs the state Assembly's Higher Education Committee, said the professions office had been "systematically starved" of finances since it doesn't have the power to raise licensing fees without legislative approval. But data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows New York's licensure fees are comparable to other states across the country. Ohio charges lower licensing fees than New York but disciplined almost five times as many nurses in 2014. ProPublica requested a breakdown of the Office of the Professions' spending to compare with that of other state nursing authorities, but a spokeswoman was unable to provide one beyond aggregate numbers for revenue and expenses. The Office of the Professions also does not post disciplinary documents online (as its neighbors, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, do), instead providing short summaries for why nurses have been disciplined on its website. The summary of Silsby's case, for example, simply states that he made a false statement to the government, and not that he faked his own death. While it is routine for states to track the average time it takes to discipline a nurse, New York could not provide this information. Beattie, the education department spokeswoman, said because "there is no average case, it is nearly impossible to define an average time." While the Office of the Professions has sole authority over nurses' licenses, multiple other agencies have a hand in investigating misconduct by nurses. The state health department enforces care standards at many types of health facilities, from hospitals to nursing homes. If regulators find facilities have not met nursing requirements, they can levy civil fines and report nurses to the Office of the Professions. The state attorney general's office also tells the Office of the Professions when nurses are convicted of crimes, including cases involving Medicaid fraud. Still, even when the Office of the Professions is alerted to wrongdoing by other agencies, it re-investigates the allegations from square one. Between 2013 and 2015, 48 nurses in New York with active licenses were convicted of crimes related to Medicaid fraud investigations, according to data provided by the Attorney General's office. All were referred to the Office of the Professions for disciplinary action, yet 17 have not been disciplined. The office has not disciplined a nurse convicted of Medicaid fraud since November 2014. The Office of the Professions also rarely acts on cases referred by the Health Department, ProPublica found. Documents obtained under state Freedom of Information Law show that out of the 54 nurses DOH recommended for discipline in 2014, only 13 were disciplined by the end of 2015. In March 2012, on her first unsupervised day as a nurse, Linda Ansa administered insulin to a resident of the Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The 99-year-old patient was supposed to receive two units of the drug, but Ansa recorded that she'd administered 100. The nurse who took over on the next shift found the patient with labored breathing, sweating, and unresponsive. It took 24 hours to get her blood sugar back to normal, and days later she was still disoriented. Records show the patient nearly died. The Health Department investigated. Ansa claimed in a hearing that the entry of "100" was simply a clerical error, and that the patient's symptoms could have reflected her age or other circumstances. In October 2013, a Department of Health administrative judge ruled that Ansa had neglected the patient and therefore violated public health law, though he did not levy a fine. "The Petitioner has been fired from this position and will, in all likelihood, lose her license for her deeds. This is a severe enough penalty for the proven facts of this case," he wrote. But even though the health department reported Ansa's case to the Office of the Professions in January 2014, no action has been taken on her license since then. When reached by telephone, Ansa declined to comment on the case. A health department spokesperson said in an email that "the New York State Department of Education is responsible for overseeing the Office of the Professions, not (the) State Department of Health." Blind across borders In addition to receiving reports when other New York agencies sanction nurses, the Office of the Professions is also alerted automatically when other states discipline New York practitioners through NURSYS, a national system run by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. But an analysis of disciplinary records in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey shows that the Office of the Professions routinely does not sanction New York licensees disciplined by those states. Of 13 nurses disciplined by Connecticut since 2013 who also held active New York licenses, the Office of the Professions has only imposed its own sanction in three cases. In the same time span, it took action against four of 17 nurses disciplined in Pennsylvania who also had active New York licenses and zero out of 26 disciplined in New Jersey. In March 2012, Heather Graham was summoned before the Pennsylvania nursing board. A physical examination done that month at the board's request showed she was suffering from "opiate dependence in full early remission" as well as ongoing anxiety and depression due to medical and legal problems, Pennsylvania disciplinary records say. New York court records show Graham was arrested with three other nurses in June 2013 for stealing 31 vials of hydromorphone, an opioid pain medication, from a Watertown hospital where she was employed. She then made false entries in the medication dispensing system to cover up the theft, according to the testimony of a narcotics investigator for the state health department. In August 2013, New York received a notification through NURSYS that Pennsylvania had revoked Graham's license. The following year, Graham was convicted and sentenced to three years' probation in a New York court for falsifying business records and acts prohibited under the public health law. Yet the Office of the Professions took no action on Graham's New York license until September 2015. At that time, she was fined $500, but her license was not suspended, according to a summary of her disciplinary action. Graham's New York license remains active to this day. Graham could not be reached for comment through her former attorney. Cindy Powell, a former nurse who worked for the investigative arm of the Office of the Professions for more than two decades until 2011, said she often handled cases of nurses stealing medications who had already been disciplined by another state. Asked whether New York should screen applicants for out-of-state discipline, she said, "That would have made our job so much easier." ProPublica's analysis turned up several other nurses with troubling records in other states and clear licenses in New York. Celeste Nwanna voluntarily surrendered her New Jersey license in February 2013 while facing criminal charges for improperly drugging an elderly resident of a group home, landing the patient in the emergency room. She had previously been disciplined in New Jersey for making up entries on a patient's chart. Two years later she applied for a license in Connecticut and to renew her license in New York. Connecticut denied her application because she lied about her criminal history. New York approved the renewal and Nwanna's license remains active in the state. (Nwanna could not be reached for comment.) Diane Posthauer voluntarily surrendered her Connecticut nursing license in February 2015 after she was caught taking oxycodone from her hospital. A few months later, Wyoming and North Carolina revoked her licenses in those states. But the same month that she surrendered her Connecticut license, Posthauer's license was renewed by New York the only state where her license remains active. Contacted by phone, Posthauer said she had been prescribed the drug by a doctor and was not addicted. She said that instead of undergoing an expensive drug treatment program, she decided to retire. Sanctions at a snail's pace Just after 1 a.m. on a February morning in 2014, a nurse's aide walked in to find Nanic Aidasani in the bed of a 64-year-old dementia patient at a Bronx nursing home. The nurse was moving his body back and forth on top of the patient, according to a police report. The woman had suffered a stroke, which left her unable to speak. Her gown was found unsnapped and her vagina was exposed, the police report said. Aidasani was charged with attempted rape, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, and the story soon made the local news. The day after his arrest, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing sent a news article to the Office of the Professions to alert it to the incident, a spokeswoman for the NCSBN confirmed. The Office of the Professions can suspend a nurse's license on an emergency basis, pending a full hearing, in cases in which it decides someone could pose a serious public safety risk. Aidasani's case appeared tailor-made for such a step. But for more than a year and a half, Aidasani's license remained active in New York. It remained active after Aidasani posted $20,000 bail and walked out of Rikers Island days after his arrest. It was active in April 2015, when he was sentenced to prison and agreed to relinquish his license to the court under the terms of a plea deal. Although the Bronx District Attorney's office notified the Office of the Professions of his sentence, and Aidasani submitted paperwork to voluntarily surrender his license at the time of his sentencing, his license remained active and reflected no punishment even when he was released from jail in August. Aidasani's license was finally revoked in September, and he was deported to the Philippines in November. "A discipline that takes that long is an injustice," said Barbara Zittel, the former executive secretary to the New York Board of Nursing, when told of Aidasani's case. The Office of the Professions declined to comment on Aidasani's case, other than to say officials had "cooperated fully" with the investigation and his sentencing. Loida Rivera, the victim's daughter, was surprised to learn it had taken so long for the Office of the Professions to revoke his license. She had been disappointed with the six-month prison sentence and hoped at least his license would be revoked immediately so others wouldn't be hurt. After the attack, Rivera's mother suffered nightmares and broke out into cold sweats, and it took her months to trust the home health aide that now cares for her. In the first few months, she trembled and clutched her diaper when the aide tried to help her change it. "It's something she is unable to understand because she is disabled," said Rivera. "She just knows something happened to her body." The family is now suing Manhattanville Health Center, the nursing home that employed Aidasani. In the last 10 years, the Office of the Professions has used its emergency suspension powers just twice, according to a review of disciplinary action summaries posted online. Both times, it was in response to a nurse sexually abusing a patient. By comparison, the Department of Health levied 89 summary suspensions against physicians between 2011 and 2013. Other nursing boards in large states often use this power, saying they view it as a critical tool to protect patients. The Florida board of nursing issued 87 emergency orders against nurses in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, while Michigan filed 134 emergency suspensions in the same period. These suspensions allow the state "to act quickly to ensure public safety," said Michael Loepp, a spokesman for Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Without them, "a licensee who presents a risk to patients could continue to practice for months before a decision to suspend the license could be reached through the administrative process.". Florida even created a special unit to handle emergency actions. New York's education department said that in part, the low number of emergency suspensions against nurses is due to how the law was written. Unlike other states, which often can issue summary suspensions before a hearing, New York nurses can only be summarily suspended after a hearing and with the approval of the Regents board. This process said Beattie, the SED spokesperson, "takes a fair amount of time, which makes it not as an effective tool" when compared to the authority the health department has over its physicians. Beattie added that the numbers for emergency suspensions do not reflect cases in which the Office of Professions initiated actions and nurses voluntarily surrendered their licenses before this process was finished. She did not say how many such cases there have been. Even when New York's nurses face accusations of horrible abuse, discipline comes slowly. In April 2015, nurse Oluyemisi Adebayo was accused of killing a 2-year-old toddler by submerging her in a bath so hot that her skin peeled off, police said. The national nursing board trade group sent New York nursing overseers a news notification the day after Adebayo's arrest, a spokeswoman said. But nearly a year later, the state has not taken any action. The family of the toddler is suing Adebayo and the agency that employed her. Adebayo is currently in jail facing second-degree murder charges. A lawyer for the family, Mark Shaevitz, was surprised to learn that despite the charges, Adebayo's license remains active. "For someone to do something like this, even to be alleged, and still be able to retain their nursing license is absolutely ludicrous," he said. Ground staff waters the pitch at the Wankhede stadium, even as a row rages in Mumbai. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: The first IPL match will be played in Mumbai on April 9, and the Wankhede Stadium would get 22,000 million litres of water as scheduled from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. A division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice M.S. Karnik refused to stay the match while hearing a PIL filed by two Hyderabad NGOs, Loksatta Movement and Foundation of Democratic Reforms, seeking to shift IPL matches out of Maharashtra in view of the acute shortage of water and an expected huge amount of water to be wasted during IPL. It, however, slammed the Maharashtra government, saying: You (state) are dealing with people at large.... animals have died, cattle have died, people are dying and you want to mainta-in pitches and grounds. The bench asked acting advocate general Rohit Deo to inform the court on April 12 if the water supplied to the stadiums in tankers was potable and if it has other resources of water. We all know of the name Woodstock. The festival was both an iconic musical and cultural moment mark of the 1960s. But what many may not know is the hidden story of the years since and the perpetual yearning among some to regain the magic of those times. Filmmaker David McDonald and author Barney Hoskyns will talk about that yearning when they share their Woodstock-related works from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Spotty Dogs Books and Ale in Hudson. They have both been members of the Woodstock community, and through film and literature, took a deeper look at the town itself. Both feel that the aftermath of the August 1969 festival (actually held in nearby Bethel) and the demise of the counterculture of that era ended up creating a ghost in the small Catskill community. McDonald made a film called, "Woodstock Can't Get There From Here," which in his words creates a metaphor to emphasize the changes in culture from the 1960s until today. "I remember one specific moment sitting in a parking lot in Woodstock outside of one of its overpriced "organic" markets, watching tons of these old hippies creaking out of their huge SUVs ... and I just asked myself, 'What the frick happened here?' " McDonald said. "Where did the 'we' turn into 'me'?" More Information If you go Filmmaker David McDonald and author Barney Hoskyns When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 Where: Spotty Dogs Books and Ale, 440 Warren St., Hudson Info: 671-6006 or www.the spottydog.com See More Collapse Hoskyns, author of the book, "Small Town Talk: Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock," had a very similar idea. Having also lived in the town, he felt that a deeper story lay hidden below the surface. Talking about how McDonald's film and his own book blend together, Hoskyns said, "I think they both attempt to address the dark, debauched side of Woodstock's utopian promise." Whether one was alive during the 1960s and '70s or not, a general idea of peace and togetherness shade the occurrences from those decades. These two works take a step back, and uncover not only how the town of Woodstock has changed from then until now, but also how the people have changed. A common theme in both the book and the film is the idea of counterculture in the 1960s and after. The musicians of that time took the culture created in the town's past, and further developed Woodstock with their "back-to-the-roots Americana music," Hoskyns said. Now, many years later, Woodstock still conjures an idea, readily familiar for those that hear it. "The name alone stands for a dream, an idea of countercultural radicalism," Hoskyns said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. On Thursday, McDonald will be showing his film for the first time publicly in its entirety since its release was delayed by legal threats 10 years ago. Through an attempt to tell this story of Woodstock, McDonald faced criticisms. "I think the simple answer as to why I was criticized so harshly for my film is related to what the Woodstock/hippie era signified to a lot of people who grew up during that time period," McDonald said. "For many people, including me, that era represented the absolute height in human consciousness, the first time ever in human history large groups of people were discussing concepts such as peace, love, spirituality, and consciousness. For many people, those concepts and those aspirations are close to being holy and sacrosanct so why would anybody want to attack that?" Although McDonald and Hoskyns believe that Woodstock is not the same as it was during the '60s and '70s, they both agree that the essence of creativity and a feeling of community still holds true for the town. "What is most memorable to me about the town of Woodstock is that you could be out in the sticks or in the mountains, and still espouse left/liberal, countercultural values. Hippies and blue-collar farmers can still co-exist in harmony," Hoskyns said. "When I moved to Woodstock back in 1999," McDonald said, "there was a palpable feeling of loss. Every bar stool and every stage was a reminder of someone, often someone famous who had gone before. You can feel the ghosts, you can feel the echoes of people, but you can also still feel the amazing creative magic. Maybe it's close to being a sort of black magic of the mountains around you. It becomes an irresistible story that you absolutely must tell." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy Adam Rupeka was always ready to take off, his estranged wife said Wednesday, but she didn't expect three misdemeanor sex abuse charges would trigger his fatal run with his girlfriend to a $35 a night hotel in Tijuana, Mexico. "He always said he would go underground. He had a tendency to be a little paranoid," Rebecca Rupeka said Wednesday in an interview on the porch of her Guilderland home. Rupeka had no idea her 36-year-old husband, a self-styled police watchdog, and his 26-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer Ogburn, had fled to Mexico until U.S. Consulate officials called her Monday to tell her the couple had died. The pair was found in the Hotel Caesar's in the center of Tijuana, a 10-minute drive from the U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The officials from the consulate in Tijuana told her that Rupeka was found dead in the hotel room Sunday and had died there that day, while Ogburn died Monday in a Tijuana hospital, she said. Authorities told her it appeared Adam Rupeka, whom she said did not use drugs, and Ogburn, died of drug overdoses. The family, she said, is waiting for the autopsy results. Mexican authorities view the deaths as possible suicides. Family members went to Mexico to bring his body home, she said. The U.S. Department of State issued a statement Wednesday about the couple's deaths in response to Times Union inquiries. "We can confirm the deaths of U.S. citizens Adam Rupeka and Jennifer Ogburn in Tijuana, Mexico. The U.S. Consulate in Tijuana is providing consular assistance," Niles Cole of the Bureau of Consular Affairs wrote. "For questions about the circumstances of their death and the investigation, we refer you to Mexican authorities. Out of respect for the families of Mr. Rupeka and Ms. Ogburn during this difficult time, we have no further comment," Cole said. The idea that her husband's death was caused by drug use staggered Rebecca Rupeka. She repeated that he had never touched any narcotics or other drugs when they were together. They separated three years ago. "He was a good person," said Rupeka. They maintained a cordial relationship and have a son together. She said this whole experience was tremendously stressful, especially when she told her son about his father's death. In the aftermath of their arrests, Adam Rupeka and Ogburn had said on social media that they had fled to Canada. Each posted $5,000 bail to get out of the Rensselaer County Jail on March 26 after Troy police charged them with misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child, sexual abuse and forcible touching. "He used to tell me the law didn't apply to him," Rebecca Rupeka said about her husband. She said she always responded that the law applied to everyone. It made no sense that he skipped out of the country when he was facing just three misdemeanors, she said. She was trying to make sense of that whole scenario that ended in the couple's deaths. She confirmed what police and a Tijuana newspaper, Zeta, previously reported. The couple, who jumped bail and fled Troy, "were found dead in a room at the Hotel Caesar's in downtown Tijuana, pulmonary embolism, common cause of death by drug overdose," according to a translation of the article. A message was scrawled on the hotel room mirror in English that read, "Nobody knows we're in Mexico," the newspaper reported. The message also referred to keeping their identification papers with their bodies. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Hotel staff declined to comment on the incident Wednesday and an email to the general manager was not answered. Troy police consider Rupeka's and Ogburn's cases to be open at this time, said Capt. Dan DeWolf a department spokesman. When Ogburn did not appear for her March 29 Troy City Court appearance, police were advised by another law enforcement agency that the two apparently had headed toward the Midwest, DeWolf said. Rupeka did not appear for his April 1 court date. Bench warrants were issued for their arrests. Since the two faced only misdemeanor charges, Troy police do not typically pursue out-of-state suspects. Rebecca Rupeka said she was not friends with her husband and Ogburn on social media and had not seen their posts. Adam Rupeka had posted videos on social media claiming police have targeted him for his efforts to expose their misconduct. "I am now on the run for my life and this is all because of everything I've exposed of police doing," Rupeka said in a video posted March 27 on YouTube and his Facebook page, Capital District Cop Block. "As soon as I get to another safe location, I'll make an update to let everybody know what's going on." A day later, Rupeka posted a video showing snow and a body of water and spoke about crossing the Canadian border. Rupeka did not appear in that video, and it was unclear where and when the video was made. In May, Rupeka, caught the public's attention when he flashed his middle finger at a Saratoga Springs Police Officer Nathan Baker while driving in the city and videotaped the officer pepper-spraying him after Rupeka's refusal to get out of his car without hearing what he was being charged with. Rupeka filed a lawsuit and received a $50,000 settlement. Baker resigned. In September, State Police said Rupeka operated a drone equipped with a camera that crashed into a chimney at the state Capitol. He was charged with reckless endangerment, but a judge dismissed the charges on March 17. kcrowe@timesunion.com 518-454-5084 @KennethCrowe This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany In upstate New York, summers are essential a precious but brief time when we can forget about bleak January days and shoes soaked by slush. So imagine, then, how people here would react to snow and freezing temperatures in May, more snow in early June, a damp and even frosty July, and a deep freeze in August. Consider the psychological toll of such freakish weather. It would be bitterly disappointing, like discovering your birthday cake is made entirely of kale. But that was the weather endured by people across the Northeast and other parts of the world exactly 200 years ago during what became known as the "year without summer." It was bewildering and devastating, especially for people who relied almost exclusively on local agriculture. More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse "The whole summer has also been so cold," wrote the Albany Gazette newspaper after another frost struck the region in mid-September, "that there will be no Indian corn in all this country." The quotes and information used here are drawn from two books "The Year Without Summer" by William and Nicholas Klingaman, and "Volcano Weather: The Story of the Year without Summer" by Henry and Elizabeth Stommel. Both mention Albany and other parts of upstate New York frequently. As the title of the second book suggests, it was the eruption of Mount Tambora, an Indonesian volcano, that was responsible for the bizarre cold of 1816. But that connection went unrealized by nearly everyone at the time. In an era before TV talking heads could explain away meteorological mysteries, some blamed the cold on "malevolent magic" or God's displeasure. Some presumed it foretold the end of the world. One Albany resident, in a letter to a newspaper, even blamed the weather on President James Madison's refusal to invade Canada. "It is very clear that Canada must be ours," he wrote, "or we must all migrate to the southward in a very few years." And if we invade Mexico, it will never snow again! After the cold we've experienced this week, along with that early-April snowstorm, it would be easy to joke that we're on the verge of another year without summer. But we know our problem is really just the opposite. I wouldn't say that we didn't have a winter this year, but it was close. I vividly remember walking out of church on Christmas Eve into a 70-degree night, the start of a winter that delivered just 10 inches of snow the second lowest total on record, according to the National Weather Service. One mild winter doesn't prove the truth of global warming, just as the bitter cold of the prior winter didn't prove that it was a big, fat hoax. But the trends are obvious to those who care to extricate their heads from the sand. Last year was the hottest on record globally, while 2014 was the second hottest. Fifteen of the 16 warmest years on record have occurred since 2000 a depressing stat for those of us who love the beauty of a frozen night or the blanketing silence of a snowstorm. Yes, I enjoy winter. But not so much that I would welcome snow in June, as happened 200 years ago. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Arctic temperatures and snow swept across upstate New York and New England that month. For the rest of the summer, temperatures would rise enough to convince farmers that it was safe to plant their crops, only to dive below freezing again. "The prospect to the farmer, as far as we have heard in the country, is, at present, very gloomy," wrote the Albany Daily Advertiser. In an age before widespread refrigeration and mass transportation, the consequences were dire. There were food shortages across the Northeast and in parts of Europe, leading to famine and disease outbreaks in some areas. Farmers were plunged into desperate poverty, and many in New York and New England simply abandoned their land and departed for Ohio and other "western" states. Colder-than-average weather continued for several years after, and it's hard not to feel for the families of the time while reading about the resulting misery. The weather was betraying them, and they had no idea why. It's also hard not to think about our relationship with climate and the world we're leaving to our children. It isn't fear mongering to suggest that our continually warming temperatures could unleash global consequences far more devastating and severe than those experienced in 1816. We know why it's happening, at least. We're just too stupid to do anything about it. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill Nothing draws a crowd like a $173,700-a-year job. To that point, 10 would-be candidates streamed through Albany County Democratic Party headquarters Tuesday to interview for this year's opening in Albany City Court. The field of hopefuls more than doubled when incumbent Judge Rachel Kretser abruptly reversed course last week and opted not to seek re-election, even after the party's law committee backed her for a second 10-year term. On Tuesday, the committee voted to transfer its support to Albany County Public Defender James Long, a veteran local defense attorney and longtime party loyalist who has handled election law cases for Democratic candidates for years. More Information Contact Jordan Carleo-Evangelist at 518-454- 5445 or email jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com. On Twitter: @JC Evangelist_TU See More Collapse Long, 65, passed on the first round of interviews for the job last month, he said, because he had no intention of challenging an incumbent judge. He had also just been named public defender by County Executive Dan McCoy a $115,000-a-year post the Albany native said he had coveted since law school. Kretser's departure, he said, changed that calculus. Long's deep ties to the party, however, won't spare him a primary. One of the other nine contenders, Joshua Farrell, confirmed Thursday that he still plans to run. Farrell, 40, an assistant state attorney general, said he expects to make a formal announcement soon. Farrell's family has strong ties to the county's legal community and Democratic political scene. His uncles are County Judge Peter Lynch and state Supreme Court Justice Michael Lynch. Farrell's wife is former Albany school board President Ginnie Farrell, and his supporters include 8th Ward Councilman Jack Flynn, whose ward routinely produces among the heaviest Democratic turnouts in the city. Farrell was among four candidates, including Kretser, who sought the committee's blessing last month and was said to be preparing to primary Kretser regardless. In bowing out, Kretser cited family obligations, including her son's upcoming wedding, among the reasons she was reluctant to commit to a citywide campaign. Assuming both men make the ballot, this year's race would be the first Democratic contest for a city judgeship since 2011, when Sherri Brooks challenged incumbent Judge Helena Heath. Heath prevailed and Brooks was named alternate public defender by McCoy five months later. Brooks was among the 10 candidates to interview for Kretser's seat Tuesday, as was Albany Corporation Counsel John Reilly, Assistant Corporation Counsel William Kelly, defense attorney Holly Trexler, Assistant District Attorney Jasper Mills and Assistant Public Defender LaVonda Collins. Incumbent judges William Carter and Thomas Keefe ran unopposed for re-election in 2012, and incumbent Gary Stiglmeier got a free pass in 2013. Some of the hopefuls may have been auditioning for the future. Heath's term is up next year, and Carter's seat could become open if he wins a seat in Albany County Court this year. Mayor Kathy Sheehan would have the power to fill any vacancy until the next election. County Democrats' endorsement strife The intra-party strife over the Democratic presidential nomination has bled into the Albany County Democratic Committee. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Chairwoman Carolyn McLaughlin says she won't call a full committee meeting to endorse a candidate before New York's April 19 primary. That means the only official word from the 600-some-odd member organization will remain the executive committee's endorsement of Hillary Clinton a move that incensed Bernie Sanders supporters who allege the vote, held on a hastily organized conference call last week, violated party rules by freezing out rank-and-file members. "The quote-unquote endorsement that was reached was invalid," charged County Legislator Andrew Joyce, a Sanders supporter. "If the party supports Hillary Clinton, let's do it the right way." McLaughlin, who is running to be a delegate for Clinton at the Democratic National Convention, insists the executive team was entitled to endorse a candidate and called it "logistically impossible" for the full membership to assemble before the primary. (A meeting requires at least 10 days notice.) The full committee can accept or reject the executive panel's recommendation when it meets May 4, McLaughlin said. But Sanders supporters counter there will be little point to the gesture two weeks after the primary. "I will not be accused of doing anything illegal, immoral to the extent that I'm trying to suppress voting," McLaughlin said this week. The email alert for the conference call apparently didn't reach every member of the executive committee because of problems with their email addresses, McLaughlin said, not because she tried to tilt the table toward the former senator from New York. "I didn't pick out people because they had a 'B' or an 'H' by their name," McLaughlin said. "I didn't know where people stood on this." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany "This is Nijmegen," a World War II-era Dutch film missing for six decades, a cinematic thank-you to Albany's citizens for sending a shipload of relief supplies to the war-ravaged city in the Netherlands, has been found. After years of hunting in dusty archives on both sides of the Atlantic, including three trips to Albany, independent scholar Anja Adriaans was informed that a private collector in Nijmegen has a copy of the 11-minute. black-and-white film commissioned by the Dutch government. "It's exciting that the film was located, but I'm a little disappointed I didn't find it myself. Luckily, it's in excellent shape," said Adriaans of Nijmegen, who made three annual trips to Albany, beginning in 2013. She scoured local museums and archives and spoke to several groups, including the Dutch Settlers Society, in hopes of solving the mystery. More Information Links To learn more about the Albany-Nijmegen connection, to the Friendship Albany Nijmegen website, http://stichtingfan.nl Or, go to the group's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Stichting-FAN-Friendship-Albany-NY-Nijmegen-1516360788611561/ See More Collapse She will introduce a screening of the long-lost film on Monday during a festival of cinema sponsored by the Nijmegen film society. "There's a lot of interest in the film here because of the long connection between Albany and Nijmegen," Adriaans said. "We didn't talk about the war for a long time because of the sadness over all we lost." The film was an expression of gratitude from a thankful Dutch city, heavily damaged in fighting to rid the city of German occupiers led by the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division in September 1944. Among Nijmegen's populace of 120,000, more than 2,200 civilians were killed and 5,500 critically wounded; 2,260 homes destroyed and 1,300 damaged; and 400 streets ruined. Three-quarters of the historic center of the city was reduced to rubble. Albany adopted Nijmegen as a sister city after the war and residents gathered 300 tons of food, vitamins, pots and pans, medical supplies, clothing, shoes, toys, window glass, building materials and other goods valued at nearly $1 million. The humanitarian aid was loaded onto the cargo ship Westerdam at the Port of Albany on July 9, 1947. Time magazine published photos and Albany's assistance gained national attention. The civic generosity of the Dutch-settled city of Albany was spearheaded by Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd, an Army private who returned from combat in Europe in September 1945 after he witnessed the ravages of World War II "This is Nijmegen" was last shown for several days in January 1950 at seven theaters across Albany: the Strand, Ritz, Madison, Delaware, Paramount, Eagle and Royal. An estimated 50,000 moviegoers watched the arrival unloading of the Westerdam in Nijmegen in 1947, along with still photos of the historic city before and after the wartime destruction. American bombardments and an Allied offensive led by the 82nd Airborne drove the German army out of their last line of defense in the strategic city. The film was shown in Albany to generate additional donations for Nijmegen's postwar reconstruction. Several residents of Albany forged deep friendships with citizens of Nijmegen. A researcher interviewed an 84-year-old Nijmegen woman, Mrs. G. Wouters, who recalled watching paratroopers dropping into the city to begin its liberation in 1944. She was a teenager who took refuge from the bombing at her grandmother's house and the force of an explosion blew her under a table. She remembered when her mother brought home a bundle of clothing from the Albany aid shipment. "I got a red winter coat with a beautiful fur collar," Wouters recalled. "I was very proud of it. I also got a stunning white 'big girls' dress with an embroidered emblem. The dress was too big, but I wore it many times when I got older. It was the most beautiful piece of clothing I ever owned." She saved a photo of herself wearing the dress with her husband, Joseph Weesenaar, in the summer of 1948. The Albany woman who donated the red winter coat put a letter inside and Wouters corresponded with her for years and she visited the family in Nijmegen. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. The researchers also interviewed John Leesberg, of Nijmegen, who's in his 80s. He still has an Underwood typewriter that came in the 1947 Albany shipment and saved the career of his father, a lawyer, whose office was destroyed in the bombing. Adriaans was formerly affiliated as an independent scholar at Radboud University in Nijmegen. She is the founder and president of Friendship Albany Nijmegen, a volunteer organization that hopes to publish a commemorative magazine about the Albany-Nijmegen bond. Their plans also include developing an exhibit that would include the film, which could be displayed in both cities in 2017, the 70th anniversary of Albany's humanitarian aid shipment. The discovered copy of "This is Nijmegen" is silent and does not include the soundtrack. Adriaans previously uncovered a script with the film's narration and interviews. There is also a stirring Dutch song played on the soundtrack titled "The Mayor Corning March." Adriaans vowed to continue her search. She has documentation that at least two copies of the film that included the soundtrack were sent to Albany. She searched as recently as last summer through archives at the Albany Institute of History & Art, the State Library, Albany County Hall of Records and other local collections all to no avail. "I'd like to go back to keep looking," Adriaans said. "It's a wonderful story. I've made it my mission and I'm not finished yet." pgrondahl@timesunion.com 518-454-5623 @PaulGrondahl THE ISSUE: A raise for state legislators could be decided after this fall's elections. THE STAKES: What's a fair rate for a part-time legislature that has yet to reform itself and a corrupted political system? More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse There's a date in November a lot of state lawmakers are looking forward to. No, not Election Day on Nov. 8, but exactly a week later. Nov. 15 marks the deadline for something many New York lawmakers have long awaited. No, not an ethics reform package that so many citizens would like to see, but a possible pay raise. How much of a raise? That's yet to be determined by a commission the Legislature created last year, but numbers that have been tossed around range from 25 percent to 42 percent, and even more. State lawmakers now make a base salary of $79,500, not including travel, food and lodging reimbursements of well over $100 a day, nor stipends worth as much as $34,000 a year for committee and partisan leadership positions. Here's a thought: How about something more like what lawmakers decided minimum wage workers deserve? And how about they wait for it as long as they think minimum wage workers should? To be fair, lawmakers haven't received a raise since 1999. And talk of a substantial raise comes with certain possible conditions, including a ban or limit on outside income, and turning the part-time legislative jobs into full-time ones. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. It's unclear whether enough lawmakers will want to give up their outside incomes and take on legislating as a full-time job. Given the centralized power in the Legislature, too, it's unclear what rank-and-file lawmakers would even do if the job was full-time, other than adding to the thousands of bills that don't even get voted on each year, and spending more time at taxpayer expense raising money to run for re-election and preserve their jobs. Jobs that will, if those raises go through, be worth over twice the median household income in New York, or more. Perhaps it might be better to keep the jobs part time and limit, but not eliminate, outside income to address the corruption that unlimited outside income has fostered. What would be a fair raise for that? One guideline might be the minimum wage hike the Legislature passed last week, in some cases grudgingly. That measure will phase in a $15-an-hour minimum wage by 2018 in New York City and by 2021 for Long Island and Westchester County. So how about state lawmakers get an equivalent wage hike, based on the part-time job many do for six months a year? At, say, 20 hours a week for half a year, that's $3,120, phased in over three years for New York City lawmakers, and over six years for the Long Island and Westchester delegations. And upstate, where the minimum wage will go up to only $12.50 by 2020, lawmakers would see a $1,820 raise, five years from now. Hey, if it's good enough for the 3.2 million New Yorkers who survive on a full-time time minimum wage, it seems only fair for their 213 part-time representatives who think that's a great deal. Oh, and as Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggests, no legislative pay hike should come unless lawmakers pass substantive ethics reforms. Consider it the reward for an honest day's work. THE ISSUE: The hacking of a flood control dam in Westchester County is a call to action. THE STAKES: The nation must commit to building effective defenses against cyberattacks. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse As the dispute between the FBI and Apple over the unlocking of an iPhone used by the San Bernardino terrorists shows, no computer, smartphone or similar device should be considered absolutely secure. That's why it's especially worrisome that the gates of a flood control dam in Westchester County could be accessed over the Internet. In 2013, says the Department of Justice, hackers linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard broke into the network controlling the dam's water levels as part of a series of cyberattacks on dozens of U.S. banks and other business and governmental networks. The startling vulnerability of Bowman Avenue Dam in Rye Brook was not an isolated gap in our infrastructure. The Wall Street Journal recently reported computer systems that control an estimated 57,000 critical industrial control systems in the U.S. are connected to the Internet. In many cases, the networks are old and predate widespread use of the Internet by consumers, and the levels of security may be just as outdated. These include computers that control major pipelines, large dams, and even electric power networks, the newspaper reported. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch correctly called the 2013 hacks by Iranians "a frightening new frontier of cyber crime," which is why the recent incidents must be the wake-up call for governments and private industry to take immediate steps to end this unnecessary risk. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. For years, military and computer industry officials have warned the next major assault on the U.S. could well be a cyberattack, in which an enemy uses computer sabotage to cripple our most vital systems, including water, electricity and communications. As the FBI's hack into the seemingly impregnable iPhone and previous hacks of U.S. government systems, including Pentagon email, have demonstrated, hackers can circumvent even the most sophisticated encryption systems. And there are plenty of them across the globe. Previous hacking incidents have been traced to Iran, China, North Korea and Russia. It's difficult to understand how, in the face of so many high-level and high-security breaches, how controls of facilities like the Westchester County dam could remain on networks accessible over the Internet. Political leaders, like U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, are correct in calling for action to identify weaknesses and put these unprotected systems out of reach by opponents. Review and oversight are not enough. We must apply the resources needed to build an ironclad cyber defense, supporting military and civilian development and training that provides a shield to our physical infrastructure as well as our systems of banking and commerce. The idea that the very technology and interconnectivity that serves us would serve our enemies as well may seem like futuristic thrill stuff. It's not. It's a real danger, right now. New York's gas safety oversight is ranked among the best nationally. The state Department of Public Service, which oversees 92,000 miles of gas pipelines transporting much-needed energy across the state to consumers, prides itself on its zealous safety oversight. Our rigorous review of utilities' natural gas infrastructure and operations exceeds federal requirements and includes prescribing aggressive safety performance metrics, holding utilities financially accountable to meet standards and conducting thousands of incident investigations. Another accused, Jyothi Patel, was business development manager of Promatrix, the papers said. Hyderabad: The recorded transcripts of conversations between the US Homeland Security Investigations agents and company owners, brokers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana origin, have revealed the extent of the visa fraud network. Documents of the US District Court (New Jersey). to which DC has access, reveal that Kodali Tejesh, Nimmala Karthik, Dyvarashetty Govardhan and Avinash Shankar had enabled numerous job seekers from India, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to obtain job authorisation fraudulently and had created fictitious documents. Tejesh, who did his BSc Commerce in Badruka Col-lege here, had set up several companies in the US. Of these, Promatrix has been named in the scam. Court documents said Tejesh was chief executive officer and MD of Proma-trix Corporation, a purported IT consulting and outsourcing company in New Jersey. Read: Four Telugus in United States charged with H-1B visa fraud Another accused, Jyothi Patel, was business development manager of Promatrix, the papers said. During the course of conspiracy Tejesh changed his companys name from Promatrix to Blue Cold Techs Corporation. Tejeshs firm had students as staff Documents submitted at the New Jersey District Court showed that day-to-day business operations, personnel and its location remained constant after the name change from Promatrix to Blue Cold Techs Corporation. The transcripts revealed that Kodali Tejeshs company had foreigners as employees with F-1 student visas. In the recorded conversation, Tejest told the undercover special agent that the students wouldnt even come to the University and he would be making money on the placement of the student. Read: 10 Indians arrested in US visa sting, hundreds of students face deportation Another defendant, Govardhan G. Dyavarashetty, alias Vardhan Shetty, a resident of Avenel in New Jersey, was employed and associated with HCL Infoserv Inc / HBL Infoserv Inc, an IT staffing company. He was an H-1B (foreign worker) non-immigrant. He had fraudulently obtained forms like I-20 and fake school acceptance letters. During the probe, Dyavarashettys clients paid the university approximately $15,000 to get three I-20 forms and related fraudulent documents. In each case he falsely claimed that his clients would be attending classes. Freelancer Nimmala Karthik, who has been charged on two counts, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and conspiracy to harbour aliens for profit, had collected tuition payments for his recruits. Nimmala, Kodali, enabled numerous foreigners to fraudulently maintain non-immigrant status and obtained employment authorisation to remain in the US on the pretext that these aliens were studying at an academic institution. Nimmala facilitated creation of false student records including transcripts from some of the foreign students for the purpose of deceiving immigration authorities, alleged the US Homeland Security Investigation. The cases were booked based on the complaint lodged by US Department of Home Land Security special agent Mr David A. Ferrante. Lee Clinton is expected to begin his new position with Titusville Area Hospital in May. Volunteer walks in honor of her husband Thousand Oaks resident Joan Hull will be among those participating in this years Conejo Valley Walk to End Alzheimers at 9 a.m. Sat., Oct. 22 at the Westlake Promenade. Hull... Overpass could get protective fencing A substantial safety upgrade for the areas most notorious overpass is finally getting some Caltrans considerationbut dont expect changes any time soon. At the Sept. 21 Moorpark City Council meeting,... Early detection is the best way to survive breast cancer Every October, we celebrate those men and women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. But what is breast cancer and how can it be diagnosed and managed? There are... The banned global terror organisation, has been let off by the Central agencies after intense questioning for two days at an undisclosed place. (Representational image) BENGALURU: Ismail Musab Abdul Rawoof (34) from Bhatkal, who was detained on April 5 at the Pune international airport for alleged links with Daesh the banned global terror organisation, has been let off by the Central agencies after intense questioning for two days at an undisclosed place. His father Abdul Rawoof told Deccan Chronicle that Ismail had called him at 10.10 pm on Wednesday to inform him that the police had released him and he would return to Bhatkal soon. He was sounding very relieved. He told me that he would come to Bhatkal before proceeding to Dubai. I was so emotional that I forgot to ask him his date of arrival here. I knew that Ismail is innocent and the police may have caught him because of mistaken identity. We are very happy and waiting to see him, said Rawoof. Ismail was detained when he was about to board an (IX) Air India flight (211) to Dubai. Meanwhile, sources in the National Investigation Agency, which had detained and questioned Ismail along with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), said that they may call Ismail for another round of questioning. Ismail had spoken to his father on April 5 and told him that he was detained at the Pune airport around 11 am after the immigration officials found meat in his baggage and they suspected that it could be beef, which is banned in Maharashtra. Was Ismails detention a case of mistaken identity or was it a strategic move by the Central Intelligence and enforcement agencies to send a message across to the minority community besides instilling confidence in them that they will not incarcerate an innocent person in a fabricated case? You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Raipur: The allegation by Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singhs son and BJP MP, Abhishek has undisclosed offshore accounts as per the Panama Papers leak, on Thursday triggered a fresh controversy, generating heat in state politics. Quoting Panama Papers leak, Mr Ramesh at news conference at New Delhi on Thursday alleged that Abhishek Singh aka Abhishak Singh, son of Dr Raman Singh, of Kawardha in Chhattisgarh was a shareholder of Quest Heights Limited, as exposed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), and demanded a judicial probe into it. Read: Emmar scam accused Koneru Madhu used Panama firm for business Interestingly, both the CM and his son had already dismissed the allegation also made earlier by anti-graft crusader and expelled AAP leader Prashant Bhusan, saying that the junior Mr Singh has no illegal foreign accounts. Earlier issuing a statement, the first time MP had said a special investigation team (SIT) was already probing the issue of black money and undisclosed offshore accounts of Indians on the direction of the Supreme Court. Read: Sleepless nights ahead for illegal Panama account holders: Jaitley Describing the charges as baseless and unfounded, Chhattisgarh home minister Ramsevak Paikre said a conspiracy has been hatched by Congress to defame the CM and his son. State BJP spokesman Sri Chandan Sundrani said the allegation was made six months ago. But, no evidence to establish the charges has so far been produced by the Opposition parties. Had there been evidence to establish the charges, Opposition parties would not have kept mum all this period, he said, and added A high level probe will unravel the truth. A spokesman of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) however said a judicial probe into the matter can alone unearth the truth. Lucknow: In a shocking incident, a Samajwadi Party leader in Agra allegedly assaulted a vegetable vendor and urinated on his mouth over a minor altercation. According to reports reaching here, SP leader Muslim Khan Thekedar and his father Haji Punni thrashed the vendor, Narotam Singh Baghel, when the latter asked for space to walk ahead in Etmadpur area. Baghel told local reporters that he was assaulted by the SP leader and his aides without any apparent provocation. I was returning home on Tuesday night when I politely asked Haji Punni to allow me to walk ahead as I was in a hurry. An infuriated Punni called his son and other relatives and thrashed me. If that was not enough, Muslim Khan and his aides including Aslam, Mobin and three others urinated on my mouth. The SP leader, on the other hand, insisted that Baghel was drunk and had abused his father who is mentally unsound. I admit that I assaulted him but never urinated on him, he said. The SP leader also blamed the local VHP leaders of instigating Narotam Singh Baghel to give a wrong statement in the matter. Coming from punk royalty like The Ramones, there isnt a question Richie Ramone hasnt been asked. Oh, except what size Keds he wears. And, the answer to that is 12. And, he has now matured to leather ones. Well you know, when youre twenty you wear canvas and now I wear leather, he said. Of course, that stuff doesnt really matter to Ramone because punk, in its truest form, is the antithesis of caring about what you wear, or what others think about you. It does, however, provide a great analogy for sustaining a successful music career across the decades, as Ramone has done. Richie Ramone is best known from his time as the most powerful drummer who ever played with the legendary punk band, The Ramones. He joined the band in 1983, performed in over 500 shows around the world and wrote several critically acclaimed and fan-favorite songs for the albums Animal Boy, Too Tough to Die and Halfway to Sanity. [include_post id=433799]As one of the only other people ever allowed to write for The Ramones, [Richie] saved the band as far as Im concerned, punk rock icon, Joey Ramone reportedly said, Hes the greatest thing to happen to the Ramones. He put the spirit back in the band. When Ramone was touring as a young punk in the 80s, it was all about the show, staying out all night and finishing with a greasy feed of burgers. Nowadays, its still all about the show, but being selective about when to stay out all night and finishing with a healthy serve of veg. Youve got to look after yourself. Theres no other way to keep doin it night after night, Ramone said. One thing you can be sure of when Richie Ramone hits Aussie shores this month, he will be bringing the blistering back-beat he gave The Ramones and that high energy, in-your-face, F-You attitude we love about punk. I know what fans want, Ramone said, Well play the classics and a couple of new ones. The Ramones classics will undoubtedly include Im Not Jesus, I Know Better Now, Humankind and Smash You. As for the new tracks, Ramone has been in the studio continually pushing the boundaries and direction of his music. Fans can expect more singing and more lyrical content, he told Tone Deaf. One new song he is most stoked to share is Cellophane, a song about touring night after night. As for the state of the current punk scene, Ramone said, I dunno man. Its all rock n roll to me, ya know? If you never saw the punk band that blew the minds of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, now is your chance. The man who saved The Ramones Richie the Too Tough to Die Ramone is smashing his way through Byron Bay, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this month: Richie Ramone Tour Dates Thursday, 28th April 2016 Great Northern Hotel Byron Bay NSW Tickets: www.thenorthern.com.au Friday 29th April 2016 Wooly Mammoth Brisbane QLD Tickets: www.mammothmanestage.com.au Saturday, 30th April 2016 Newtown Social Club Sydney NSW Tickets: newtownsocialclub.com Sunday 1st May 2016 Appearing at CHERRY ROCK 016 Melbourne VIC www.cherrybar.com.au We listen to a lot of music here at Tone Deaf HQ, and were the first to admit were perhaps a little biased towards sounds of the Australian variety. We do make the best music in the world, after all. In honouring our favourite Aussies, weve once again compiled a list of the most outstanding local releases you should be listening to right now whether theyre smaller indies acts or big-name essentials, these are the newest Australian records you should be adding to your must-listen list. Lets get started. Hoodlem Hoodlem (Caroline) Local duo Hoodlem have been winning hearts with their refreshing and experimental take on hip hop and electronic pop for a little while now. After copping serious critical acclaim from tastemakers MTV, NYLON, Noisey, MTV, Fader and Pigeons and Planes, plus tours across Europe and North America and organically accumulating hundreds of thousands of plays on Soundcloud theyre now ready to quench our Hoodlem thirst with the release of their self-titled EP. With meticulously crafted, yet still relaxed production cleverly chaotic melodies, the EP which is out now via Caroline Records, the EP cements the band as definite ones to watch the hype it legit. The Drones Feelin Kinda Free (TFS Records) As our writer David Couri explains The best songs are like bad dreams is as much a prophecy as it is an opening lyric. Its (Gareth) Liddiard firing a warning shot ever so slightly over your head. The kind of slap that stings the back of your neck and the pit of your stomach all at once. If the best songs are, indeed, like bad dreams, then Feelin Kinda Free sees The Drones offering up a sweaty nightmare. This sweaty nightmare is The Drones seventh studio album, their first since the iconic 2013s I See Seaweed, and potentially their most gut punching LP yet. As an overall picture its a really good representation of where the band are at the moment percussionist Chris Strybosch told us in a recent interview, and fuck its great. Good Boy No Love For Back Home (Independent) Fresh off the back of performing at St Jeromes Laneway Festival in Brisbane, and then playing to a capacity crowd at their hometown venue The Foundry. Indie rockers Good Boy have just released their brand new EP and what a killer intro to the band it is. Titled No Love For Back Home the EP comes after copping some serious radio accolades including play from triple j, RRR,FBI and 4ZZZ and sell out launch shows around the country. Give the EP a spin and see for yourself just what the fuss is about. The Goon Sax Up To Anything (Chapter) Weve been in love with Brissy trio The Goon Sax for a little while thanks to their uncanny knack for crafting endearingly guitar pop gems. Having signed last year to Chapter on the strength of an unsolicited demo, (the first time that has ever happened in the labels history), the young collective have gone on to slay critics hearts internationally and play with the likes of US Girls, Twerps, Blank Realm and Crayon Fields, and nabbed a spot on Brisbane Laneway Festival earlier this year. Comprising of Louis Forster, James Harrison and Riley Jones, have recently dropped their debut LP Up To Anything. Riding a down tempo wave of both laconic wit and painful longing its an absolutely stunning effort from a band talented beyond their years. Eastward Laurie Came Home (Independent) Following his stunning singles Golden Morning and Old Green Thumb Melbourne master of trip-hop, funk, indie folk, and everything in between, Eastward has just recently dropped his impressive new EP and its worth paying attention to. Recorded at Mini-700 studios in Melbourne for Omelette Records and mixed by Steve Schram (Eagle and the Worm, Paul Kelly, San Cisco) and mastered by William Bowden (Gotye, Hermitude, Empire of the Sun), Laurie Came Home sees the multi-talented solo artist push his sonic boundaries to create something truly special. Psychic Sun Death Rattle (Independent) Get pumped because local fuzz rockers band Psychic Sun have unleashed their second album Death Rattle, out now via Bandcamp. Blending psych-based textures with supercharged grit and dirt, this new album, which we have the pleasure of premiering today really defines the bands live energy and showcases their unshakable DIY work ethic. Recorded by the group at Wollongongs Silversound Studios, Death Rattle builds upon the unique style and atmosphere Psychic Sun created in their earlier efforts big riffs, melodic hooks and spaced-out, otherworldly sounds shape the journey of this hold holds barred release. A Melbourne man is standing trial after allegedly swindling music lovers out of almost $40,000 by selling fake tickets to concerts by the likes of One Direction, Coldplay, and others via the online retail space Gumtree. As The Herald Sun reports, 31-year-old Flemington native James Zombolas is set to face Melbourne Magistrates Court later this month. Hes facing 149 charges, including assaulting a woman, drug possession, and committing offences whilst on bail. However, the majority of the charges are of obtaining property by deception. Zombolas ran his racket between 2013 and 2015, at one point fleecing the same woman out of $1,000 on two separate occasions. Zombolas sold non-existent tickets to concerts by One Direction, Coldplay, Chet Faker, and Falls Festival. He also allegedly scammed a woman out of $300 by selling her fake tickets to the play Les Miserables. If you thought Mr Zombolas couldnt get any scummier, one man claims the fraudster asked to see his drivers license as proof of identity. Zombolas then used the mans identification to defraud several other people. Gumtree has urged users to make transactions face-to-face and never transfer money to someone they dont know. As weve previously noted, its hardly the first time that someones been stitched up on Gumtree. Last year, we wrote about a UK politician who was busted after selling $200ks worth of fake music festival tickets. 23-year-old Charmaine Bowers duped at least 311 people looking to attend Belgiums popular Tomorrowland festival. Craig Glazer: Has Donald Trump Been Stopped? With Ted Cruz victory in Wisconsin yesterday and all the hate aimed at 'The Show,' Donald Trump, is he now a long shot to win the nomination? So it seems. The Republican Party is willing to lose the race for the white house to get rid of Donald.There have been ten contested nominations before. Only three candidates with the most voters and delegates going into the convention came out with the nomination! The 'Stop Trump' noise has gotten so loud and well organized that it leaves us to believe that Trump must have the needed delegates going into the convention to be nominated. The last two weeks with the media's help, the old guard Republicans have framed out Donald as a racist, a man who sees women as sex objects, not clear on abortion issues or nuclear ones. The minor mistakes Trump has made, like his tweeting of Ted Cruz's wife, have taken their toll. While Trump still maintains a solid core of support ranging from 35 to 40 percent of Republican voters, he can't seem to add to it or unite the party behind him. Clearly Ted Cruz is less popular based on the vote, but Cruz looks like the man the party will support in the end at a contested convention.CNN and FOX have gone over the remaining states and what is likely to happen with votes and delegates. It would appear Trump even with wins in New York, California and Illinois will fall short by 40 to 100 delegates to lock up the nomination. Cruz will continue to win the smaller populated states and secure enough delegates to force the contested convention later this year. It would seem likely Cruz will be nominated on a second ballet by the 'free' delegates votes though he will be in second place going into the convention. John Kasich's dream of being the nominee seems remote considering he is running fourth with only three candidates left in the official runoff. Hard to nominate a man won only won one state, his own.We talked about the importance of Donald Trump doing more homework on the issues and presenting plans that had substance and not just catch phrases like "Make America Great" "It will be Amazing" " We don't win anymore" on and on. Donald is a great showman but his message is starting to fade a bit. Cruz is the much more educated politician and can speak in much more detail with his ideas. Donald has come off as a man who will just attack the 'enemy' but the name calling makes him often look like a kid on the playground and not a presidential candidate that people can trust or believe in today.The media and many Americans want to see a Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton battle. The debates would be 'priceless' and worth the price of admission. Hey, Hillary has her own problems with Bernie Sanders who might just be the most popular overall candidate today. Sanders could take her down if not for her 'super delegates.' The man is winning state after state.Can Donald Trump come back and convince delegates to get on his bandwagon? It's still possible but uphill, the damage has grown, women clearly are not fans, and again his lack of a believable plan to 'fix' things is just piling up. Donald will continue to be the SHOW, the rest is pretty boring.If he goes down in the end the guy will have much to brag about...the 'hey I scared the crap out of the establishment and just about became president of the United States.' It has been quite an entertaining show. In the end barring some major change, Hillary Clinton will be elected and it will be business as usual. Who knows maybe thats not a bad thing. I have enjoyed the ride thus far. Trump has been a real showman, maybe that was the problem in the first place.############# Authorities are looking for a Metallic Blue Ford 500 with a sunroof according to their latest presser. A Kansas City weekend killing is resonating across the nation . . .Accordingly . . .An off-duty officer heard gunshots outside the South Kansas City Price Chopper on the 8700 block of E. 63rd and observed a male victim down in the parking lot. KCFD personnel responded and declared the victim deceased at the scene.If anyone has information on this incident please call the TIPS hotline 816-474-TIPS (8477). Developing . . . A TKC EXCLUSIVE NOTE FROM A DENIZEN OF THE STAND UP KC FORCES WARNS OF AN EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER CALL FOR A KANSAS CITY MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE NEXT WEEK!!! "TKC, you ain't seen nothing yet. We are getting a ton of support from a diverse cross-section of supporters all across Kansas City for our upcoming protest. It will be a sight to be seen and we plan making our presence felt that day . . ." Stand Up to End McPoverty! Let's call this a Kansas City lunch time link in order to give our broke-ass bloggy community something to contemplate over our cold cuts and a half-hour work respite from an angry boss.Check it . . .- One day before tax day . . . Look for Kansas City minimum wage activists to hit local streets and fast food joints hard in order to reignite their cause.Here's the word:Remember City Hall passed an ordinance supporting this cause which was later put down by Jeff City given that municipalities aren't allowed to raise the minimum wage according to Missouri Law. A court case challenging this ruling in Jackson County has stalled yet the fight for $15 is about to heat up again in Kansas City.Here's a recent statement from activists about their protests coming up one week from today . . ."America has a rigged and broken McPoverty economy! On April 14th one day before Tax Day - Kansas City will stand up and march for $15 and union rights for all and demand that billionaires, corporations, and CEOs pay their fair share in taxes!"The McDonald's profit model rigs the economy and stacks the deck against us all. It's not just fast food. Nearly half the country - 64 million workers - makes less than $15."The McPoverty economy forces workers to rely on public assistance to survive while corporations refuse to pay their fair share in taxes. Corporations make billions in profits, tax payers subsidize billionaires, and our schools and neigbhorhoods all suffer."That's why on the day before tax day, KC will stand up--black, white, and brown -- to demand an end to the McPoverty economy, union rights for all workers, and that corporations pay their fair share!"Join us on Thursday, April 14 at 5pm for a day of action. We will mobilize at 5pm at 63rd and Paseo and march at 5:30pm."##################Developing . . . Check this portion of a statement just released which continues to hold former Bishop Finn accountable for a Kansas City Catholic crisis . . .Under the headline Hometown Team, the latest issue of Catholic St. Louis portrays Bishop Robert Finn as one of several local priest who have climbed the clerical ladder to become prelates.In a nutshell, this is one key reason why the clergy sex abuse and cover up scandal keeps roiling the church: because those who endanger kids, hide predators, stonewall prosecutors, deceive parishioners are almost never defrocked, demoted, disciplined or even denounced by their Catholic colleagues or supervisors.Ignoring wrongdoing essentially encourages more wrongdoing.Archbishop Robert Carlson should apologize for the deceptive and hurtful portrayal of Bishop Finn as some kind of local boy who makes good. And he should discipline the editor of Catholic St. Louis.Finn is a criminal. Pretending otherwise rubs even more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of Catholics whose kids were hurt by Finns priests, especially those whose daughters were shrewdly turned into child pornography pictures during the months Finn refused to give Fr. Shawn Ratigans huge photo collection of child pornography to the police. (Imagine how those moms and dads feel seeing their convicted bishop put forward as some sort of hero or role model in a Catholic publication.)Last year, three years after having been found guilty, Finn voluntarily resigned as head of the Kansas City diocese. But he remains a bishop with all of the salary, benefits, honors and status that title and position confers. He has faced no disciplinary action for his law-breaking . . .#########. . . You decide . . . New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped Gujarat, Bihar and Haryana for not declaring drought in their states though there is deficient rainfall and fall in production of foodgrains. Expressing anguish over the apathy of the states in refusing to accept that there is a drought and people are suffering, a Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and N.V. Ramana told the counsel The case is about peoples lives. When counsel for Gujarat submitted that only 526 villages were affected, Bench questioned as to why there was delay in declaring drought even in these villages. The counsel said the state could not do so because of local body elections. Annoyed at this submission, the Bench asked Will all work stop if there are elections? Elections cannot bring everything to a standstill. People are dying, how can you be so careless? When situation was clear in September last that there could be drought, why did you wait till April 1 this year to declare drought? The bench was referring to the municipal polls in the state which were conducted in December-January. The bench directed Gujarat government to immediately releases the special packages for farmers in drought-hit districts. Referring to Haryana which had not filed an affidavit in the writ petition filed by Swaraj Abhyan, the Bench told the counsel, Is this seriousness that you show on this (drought) issue? We are talking about people who are dying, not tourists. Please do something. This is not a picnic, he added. Upon this, the state counsel handed over some documents to the Bench which mostly turned out to be old statistics with no relevance to the PIL case about scanty rainfall in 12 states in the last two years. Haryana, however, said it was not declaring drought as there was no fall in its foodgrains production. Farmers mainly depended on river waters supplied through canals, besides tubewells, it said. Bihar also said there was no drought in the State. This prompted the Bench to wonder as to why the Centre had come out with the drought manual if states were not to follow it. At this, Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand said the manual was recommendatory and not binding on the states. The Bench said the government could not deny the poor people the benefits due to them in the event of drought. In drought hit areas, people were entitled to 150 days of work, against 100 days in other places under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act. There were also entitled to supply of essential commodities such as lentils, egg, oil and milk at subsidised rates. According to the petitioner, NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, the other nine states facing drought are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav while speaking in the national capital welcomed the Supreme Courts critical observation against the Centre over non-release of MNREGA funds. One of the Athens Acropolis' finest and best-preserved votive korai - the archaic statues depicting young women is put on display in the Roman Courtyard of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg One of the Athens Acropolis' finest and best-preserved votive korai - the archaic statues depicting young women - will be presented outside Greece for the first time on Friday, when it is put on display in the Roman Courtyard of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, ANA-MPA reports. The statue, which leaves Greece for the first time, is travelling to Russia as one of the cultural exchanges organised for the Year of Greece and Russia 2016. The exhibition will be inaugurated on the Greek side by Greece's Culture Minister Aristidis Baltas and on the Russian side by St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko and Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky. A culture ministry announcement said that the two countries are planning a series of such initiatives throughout the year, in order to further cement the bonds of friendship between the two countries. Such initiatives will also include the organisation of exhibitions, including archaeological exhibitions, that will give the Greek and Russian people an opportunity to become acquainted with important aspects of each other's culture. These exhibitions will begin with two separate "advance" presentations, the first of which was the loan of Greco-Scythian gold objects from the State Hermitage Museum to the Acropolis Museum on March 11, where they will remain until October 2, and the second being the Kore statue. The kore loaned to the Hermitage Museum was discovered in 1886 northwest of the Erechtheion. It is dressed in richly coloured clothing and jewellery and is lifting her long chiton as she walks. The hair, eyes, clothes and jewellery all retain traces of the original coloured pigments decorating the marble statue. 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 The NBG governor noted the first precondition is to complete the countrys program review to achieve political and economic stability in the country so that banks can help the real economy Political and economic stability as well as the effective management of non-performing loans (NPLs) are two of the five main preconditions that would allow the domestic banking system contribute effectively to Greeces growth and provide loans to small and medium-sized businesses, the head of the Hellenic Bank Association, Louka Katseli, said on Tuesday. Katseli, who is also the governor of the National Bank of Greece (NBG), was speaking at an event organized by Greek-German Business Forum and the Economist Conferences on Greek innovation and the role of start-ups in the economys return to growth. The NBG governor noted the first precondition is to complete the countrys program review to achieve political and economic stability in the country so that banks can help the real economy. The banking system, not only in Greece but also internationally, is not isolated from the wider economic and political environment. The successful completion of the first review of the Greek program is the first key parameter in building confidence and reducing uncertainty, she said. The second precondition is ensuring a climate of stability to the financial system that would allow the return of bank deposits. The third is the effective management of NPLs and specifically of business portfolios held by banks. The fourth element is creating innovative funding tools to attract investments, by limiting the cost of money, especially for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as improving corporate governance in the banking system. Katseli said the last precondition is to have a comprehensive rebranding of the Greek financial system. Capital controls in Greece could also be lifted According to her, capital controls in Greece could also be lifted soon if three important terms are met. Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Ms Katseli expressed optimism that such a development could happen in the coming months. It will depend on the steps to be taken in the coming months. The steps are specific. First, the evaluation of Greek reforms must be completed, which we hope will happen as soon as possible. Secondly, the ECB should put us in the normal flow of funding, so that we as Greek banks can borrow like all other European banks with low cost. I imagine that, immediately after, the restrictions on capital movements will be lifted. I hope all this happens in the coming months, she said. Furthermore,, Ms Katseli assured that after the recapitalization process, Greeces banking system is on track and all problems are manageable. Nevertheless, she stressed that growth is impossible with capital controls. 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 The IMF's engagement in Greece is no longer necessary with the EU capable of resolving the situation alone, ECB Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny said "Economically speaking, the IMF is no longer necessary for Greece's stabilisation," said Ewald Nowotny, head of Austria's central bank and an ECB Governing Council member. "This is a problem that the EU can resolve on its own," Nowotny told Austrian daily Die Presse in an interview. His comments came after WikiLeaks released what it said was a transcript of a phone conversation between IMF officials expressing frustration at Greece's slow pace enacting reforms. The document published by the whistle-blowing website quoted the officials as suggesting in a March 19th conversation that Greece needed a "crisis event" to spur it into action. The IMF has yet to officially sign onto Greece's latest bailout, the third, agreed in July, making its participation conditional on Athens not backtracking on reform promises. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who last year said the IMF bore "criminal responsibility" for Greece's painful austerity cuts, wrote to IMF chief Christine Lagarde to complain. She replied in a published letter that any speculation "that IMF staff would consider using a credit event as a negotiating tactic is simply nonsense". On Monday Greece resumed talks on the reforms with mission chiefs from the EU, IMF and the ECB. Tsipras said he was confident the latest audit would be concluded by April 22nd. The IMF is also pushing for EU nations to grant Greece relief on its mammoth debts, but members in the bloc, not least powerhouse Germany, are resisting this. "Explicit debt relief is unlikely," Nowotny said. "Greece has already made massive progress." Source: AFP 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. A new study has listed `factories automation as one of the top three emerging trends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the UAE in 2023. The other two upcoming trends for 2023 in the two GCC countries, according to the study by Poly, are smart liv Demand for auto parts and accessories in Africa is growing at rate of 11 per cent year-on-year and is expected to reach $15.3 billion by 2020, according to analysts Frost & Sullivan. The various opportunities and trends of East Africas automotive aftermarket were highlighted at the annual Automechanika Roadshow, held in Ethiopia and Kenya, last month, said a statement. More than 200 industry professionals attended the two-day roadshow and analysed the regions fast-growing potential, it added. The event was led by countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda, it said. The roadshow was presented by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organiser of Automechanika Dubai and Automechanika Jeddah, the wider regions largest international exhibition network for the auto aftermarket. Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: Despite its highly fragmented nature, the African automotive aftermarket is among the most promising in terms of potential growth. Therere nearly 22 million vehicles on the continents roads today, creating demand for parts and accessories worth more than $8 billion per year. Its therefore become an increasingly significant market for global manufacturers of accessories and engine components such as bearings, brake pads, spark plugs and filters with a large amount of these being re-exported from the UAE, he said. Africa is also a major source of trade buyers and exhibitors at Automechanika Dubai and Jeddah, and the roadshow takes on increasing significance as it reaches out to African stakeholders to better understand their industry requirements and preferences, he added. The other South African pavilion exhibitors set to take part in the upcoming Automechanika Dubai 2016 spoke of the three-day event as a key stepping stone to the rest of Africa. Zane Scullard from Unicontinental Natal, a manufacturer of adhesives and sealants, said: Through Automechanika Dubai 2016 were planning to reach new customers and possibly extend our business into the North Africa. We consider Africa as very important for the growth of our business, while Dubais status as a major transhipment and re-export hub plays a fundamental role in fuelling the growth of Africas automotive aftermarket trade, he added. Automechanika Dubai 2016 will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors from 60 countries, and focuses on the six core product groups, consisting of parts and components; electronics and systems; repair and maintenance; tyres and batteries; car wash, care and reconditioning; and accessories and customising. The event is scheduled to take place from May 8 to 10, in Dubai, UAE. TradeArabia News Service Oman's Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad) has awarded a RO77.1-million ($255 million) contract for the implementation of the third package of its port project, said a report. The third package involves construction of roads, commercial gate, check-in zone, truck registration building, one-stop terminal, customs area, among other facilities of the commercial wharf, reported the Oman Observer. The contract has been awarded to Kuwait-based United Gulf Construction Company (UGCC), which will complete the project within the next three years, it stated. The upcoming port is a strategic multi-function facility and a key driver for the special economic zone of Duqm. It has a distinctive geographical location close to the international shipping lines and the Asian and African markets, it stated. Bengaluru: There's certainly more to it than meets the eye as JD (S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday. Mr Gowda met Mr Modi two days after Governor Vajubhai Vala, a leader handpicked by the PM for Karnataka, declined to meet the former PM when he arrived in Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum against the government's decision to set up the Anti Corruption Bureau. The meeting assumes significance in view of forthcoming elections to Rajya Sabha with leaders of BJP keen to retain two seats with the support of JD (S) legislators. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu is among two Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka who are scheduled to complete their term in June 2016. Sources said the leader called on Mr Modi only to seek his intervention for an early solution to the dispute over sharing water of the river Mahadayi with Goa. He met Union finance minister Arun Jaitley to press for release of central funds to support drought relief works in the state, and railway minister Suresh Prabhu for speedy completion of projects of his ministry. UAE-based Gulf Craft, a leading superyacht shipyards, said that it is participating at the ongoing Singapore Yacht Show. The event which kicked off today (April 7), will run till April 10, at One15 Marina Club, Sentosa Cove, Singapore. An annual exhibitor at the show since the events inception six years ago, Gulf Crafts yearly participation is part of its determination to fulfill the growing regional demand for leisure cruising, which, according to the shipyards CEO Erwin Bamps. Figures from The Boston Consulting Groups report titled Global Wealth 2015: Winning the Growth Game, revealed that the Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region in terms of private wealth, with 15 per cent year-on-year growth and a total private wealth of $33 trillion. This significant growth is expected to continue, according to the report, with a projected $55 trillion in private wealth in 2019 accounting for just above one-quarter (26 per cent) of the worlds financial wealth, surpassing Western Europe (a projected $49 trillion), and closing in on North America (a projected $62 trillion). Bamps said: Strategically located in the heart of South East Asia and in the economic hub of the region, the show serves as the ideal networking platform to connect with customers, both existing and new. More than ever-before, South East Asians are not merely looking for a boat that will take them from point A to point B they are yearning for a memorable journey that allows them to truly maximise their on-water experience, while also sharing it with friends and family. They want to spend more time cruising, and they want to do so comfortably so the focus has shifted from the destination to the quality of time spent on board, he added. Serving this growing appetite for long-range, comfortable cruising is Gulf Crafts oceangoing and long range Nomad Yachts series, allowing those who revel in the idea of extended sea travel to explore the regions countless islands, or take their journey a step further and cruise to the corners of the globe, said the statement. Following last years success, the companys first hybrid semi-displacement yacht, the Nomad 65, will be making its return to the show. Engineered using the most sophisticated technology, this oceangoing yacht combines on board luxury with deep sea performance, enabling owners to take the five-star loft experience into the midst of the worlds oceans. With white oak parquet flooring, marble counter tops, cozy soft furnishings, and sofas crafted from high-end leather, it stated. Gulf Craft will also be showcasing its largely popular Majesty 48, a luxury full-option yacht ideal for families to comfortably entertain more than a dozen persons from its viewing decks, and even more inside the panoramic deck. Designed expressly for leisure cruising, the craft is the perfect choice for entry owners who would like to easily manage the fly-bridge yacht on their own, it added. TradeArabia News Service The International Air Transport Association (Iata) announced a decision of its Board of Governors to recommend Alexandre de Juniac, chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM, to succeed retiring director general and CEO, Tony Tyler. With confirmation by the Iata Annual General Meeting to be held from June 1 to 3 in Dublin, Ireland, de Juniac will take up duties as the head of the association after a short handover period. The Iata Board of Governors is very pleased to recommend Alexandre de Juniac to lead Iata. Under Tylers leadership Iata has grown stronger. This has been achieved by building partnerships across the industry and with governments, and by increasing the diversity of business models within Iatas membership that has grown to 264 airlines. Alexandres broad experience in aviation and government makes him the ideal candidate to take our association to even greater heights, said Andres Conesa, CEO of Aeromexico and chairman of the Iata Board of Governors. I am honored by the confidence of my industry colleagues and mindful of the heavy responsibilities that the director general and CEO bears. Tony Tyler has done a great job at the helm of Iata and I am excited to succeed him. Iata has a critical role to play in supporting the success of the aviation industry--leading advocacy, safeguarding the industrys money, building the standards that underpin global connectivity and partnering with stakeholders and governments to drive important changes. I look forward to leading Iata as it supports safe, efficient and sustainable global connectivity, said de Juniac. De Juniac joins Iata from Air France-KLM where he has served as chairman and CEO since 2013. Prior to that, he was the chairman and CEO of Air France (2011-2013). Under de Juniacs leadership Air France and the Air France-KLM Group have undergone a successful restructuring which has improved efficiency and strengthened performance. From 1995 to 2009 de Juniac held various leadership positions in Thales (the French aerospace, defense and transport company previously known as Thomson-CSF). In his last position at Thales, de Juniac was responsible for the companys operations and sales in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. De Juniac has also held positions in the French government. His career began with the Conseil dEtat (State Council) from 1988 to 1993. Subsequently, he served in the Department of Budget as a technical advisor and was then Deputy Chief of Staff in the cabinet of Nicolas Sarkozy (1993-1995); and in the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employment as Chief of Staff to then Minister Christine Lagarde (2009-2011). Alexandre will be a great leader for Iata. He knows the business well and brings valuable experience from both government and industry. I am sure that he will keep Iata close to its members and fully focused on delivering the value that they expect from their association. I cant think of a better person to lead the Iata team and I look forward to handing over the job in a few months time. Until then, I remain fully committed to my duties and await an exciting AGM in Dublin with great interest, said Tyler. - TradeArabia News Service Chennai: With AIADMK announcing the election campaign schedule of party chief J. Jayalalithaa, the DMK is looking to expedite the seat identification process and release the party manifesto and candidates within this week. The DMK has allocated 41 seats to Congress and the seat identification process has begun. The party leaders hope to complete the dialogue with Congress quickly and finalise seat arrangements with its major allies. Besides, the party is in the final round of discussions to allocate the seats to Indian Union Muslim League and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, besides three smaller outfits which are contesting on the DMK symbol rising sun. The IUML and MMK had got five seats each while the Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi, Thamizhaga Vivasaya Thozhilalar Katchi and Samooga Samathuva Padai Katchi had been given one seat each. Only after allocating the seat to allies, the DMK is planning to release the candidates list. The Socialist Democratic Party of India which initiated negotiations with DMK and demanded five seats had not returned to the talks. Besides, talks with Puthiya Thamizhagam led by Krishnasamy has not commenced as expected. The DMKs stand on Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, which has not got any seat in AIADMK front is not known. Although, there are speculations that rebel DMDK members could be given seats in DMK alliance, such a possibility appears to be remote as it will strengthen allegations that the DMK is behind the dissidence in DMDK headed by propaganda secretary V.C. Chandrakumar. It will be better for DMK if the rebels mustered more strength and freezed the drum symbol, by convening a parallel general council meeting, claiming to be the real DMDK. The DMK is planning to sort out all alliance talks within this week and release the party manifesto, which is getting final touches. Besides prohibition, waiver of farm loans and special schemes for backward communities are expected. It is said waiver of educational loans to attract youth and extension of free cycles and laptops to students of private schools and colleges could be a major election promise. The election campaign schedule for DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin is also being prepared and will be released immediately after or along with the election manifesto. Guwahati: Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Thursday said that discriminatory attitude of the Modi-government was the biggest stumbling block in development of Assam. Addressing an election rally at Sarukhetri in lower Assams Barpeta district Mrs Gandhi said that Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi fought against the discriminatory treatment of BJP government to ensure the pace of development. She reiterated, Congress is the only party that takes along all communities without any discrimination. "The danger of communalism is looming large over Assam as the BJP is engaged in spreading communalism and dividing the society which has thrived for ages on the principles of love, peace and harmony," Gandhi said. Warning electorates against the communal design of BJP led alliance, Mrs Gandhi said, When abroad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks of peace and development, but after returning home he is silent on hate comments of his colleagues. Lauding the performance of the Gogoi government, the Congress president asked, What have they done for small businessmen? They have only increased the burden of tax on them. She also regretted that BJP government was curtailing fund in most of the development schemes that UPA government had introduced for the welfare of poor and downtrodden. Coming down heavily on BJP for making false propaganda to woo the voters, Mrs Gandhi questioned as to what happened to their commitment of generating employment and containing the skyrocketing price-rise. She also accused that if BJP led alliance is voted to power RSS would be running the government in Assam from Nagpur. Meanwhile, soon after BJP leaders intensified their anti-foreigners rhetoric for second phase of polling, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi launched his counter offensive accusing BJP and RSS of being more concerned of Bharat. In an obvious attempt to give a spin to outsiders and insiders issue, Mr Gogoi told reporters, It's an issue for RSS. Congress' concern is the people of the country. I work for all, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. My job is to take all the communities in society towards development and security. Bogged down by charges of BJP accusing him of patronizing infiltrators Mr Gogoi said, If we have been protecting foreigners, why the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not issued show cause notice to the state? If Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah can prove that I have protected and given shelter to a single illegal infiltrator from Bangladesh, I will quit politics. If they can't, let them quit too, dared Mr Gogoi. Pointing out that BJP government at the centre could not take out time to discuss foreigners issue in last two years, Mr Gogoi said, Why does BJP always talk about infiltration before the polls only and then remains silent ? Himanta Biswa Sarma was the Assam Accord implementation minister in my government. Doesnt that imply that he gave them protection? said Mr Gogoi accusing BJP led alliance of misleading the people in their campaign. Mr Gogoi reminded that his government initiated the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in the state to separate foreigners from Indians. He also claimed credit for completing the fencing on Indo-Bangladesh border. Mr Gogoi also targeted chief ministerial candidate of BJP Sarbanada Sonowal while accusing him of trying to bring change only through false propaganda and slogans. Mrs Gandhi was in Assam to address election rallies in second and final phase of polling on Monday. She also addressed an election rally at Jagiroad in central Assam's Nagaon district. CHENNAI: The Tamil Maanila Congress on Thursday turned down AIADMKs proposal to contest the Assembly elections with its symbol Two leaves, effectively applying brakes in the talks between the two parties. The fledgling party led by G.K. Vasan insisted that it would contest the ensuing elections only on the coconut farm symbol, allotted to Tamil Maanila Congress. Mr Vasan convened a meeting informing that the negotiations with the ruling party have not yielded the desired results. As unrest prevailed, he also assured party men that he would take a decision on the alliance in the next two days. The ruling party wants the TMC to contest on the Two leaves symbol. The TMC will contest only on the coconut farm symbol and this has been communicated to the concerned. Unless this demand is accepted, there is no way, he told the TMC leaders. Senior TMC leaders told DC that the ruling party was willing to give 15 seats but was adamant on it contesting on the two leaves symbol citing AIADMKs Mission 234. Mr Vasan told the AIADMK leaders with whom he was negotiating that it was just not possible to contest in any symbol other than coconut farm. He also told them that his party was not a single man outfit, but one which has a strong cadre base, a senior leader said. It was revealed there were some differences on the number of seats to be allotted as well, but the core issue at the centre of the breakdown of the talks was the AIADMKs insistence that all alliance partners should contest only with the two leaves symbol. Immediately after the news spread that the AIADMK-TMC talks had failed, leaders of PWA said their invitation to Mr Vasan still stands and that he was welcome to their fold. These days, whenever I get into the car and the FM radio comes alive, there is no escaping the definitely unfit-for-broadcast voice of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In the advertisement Mr Kejriwal gives Delhiites the good news that the Odd-Even scheme is coming back for the fortnight beginning next Friday (April 15). Though it would, like in January, usher in a phase of inconvenience too, Mr Kejriwal claims that the news is good because Delhis maiden run of the Odd-Even idea was successful. Mr Kejriwal stresses three factors for terming the return of the Odd-Even as news that should cheer people: roads will be vacant and pollution will be less. But, more importantly, the second run of the innovation requires endorsement from Delhiites because the world has seen them as a disciplined lot. For a self-declared anarchist, this is quite a transition. Mr Kejriwals claim on reduced pollution levels is not backed by empirical data. Whatever evidence exists, demonstrates little or no impact of the 15-day programme in January. But this fact is sidestepped in the ads and in the build-up to the second phase, Mr Kejriwals pitch is more emotional than backed by facts. Another radio advertisement narrates how the scheme enabled people to make new friends by pooling cars. Negative opinion on the Odd-Even regulation is being neutralised by propping other positives and by not mentioning any data on reduced pollution. Mr Kejriwals emotive pep-talk hides the fact that the scheme is among the most disruptive policy interventions in any democratic setup. The world over, whenever leaders have little facts to back their case, they resort to the use of sentiment to make a case. Though pollution remained constant, if not higher than previous years, the scheme was considered successful by people. They cooperated with the plan evident in few cases of violations. This was contrary to fears that Delhiites would flout norms with impunity. Mr Kejriwal is on record that he was extremely apprehensive about the schemes success and couldnt grab a wink on the night of December 31. Peoples cooperation in making the scheme successful was unexpected and demonstrated that the policy touched a chord. Instead of seeing the initiative as coercive, people adopted the programme as their own. This was due to the way Mr Kejriwal presented his idea and made citizens stakeholders. He convinced people that he had nothing to gain and all benefits would accrue to them. No one sought facts on basic claims because other publicised positives worked as a smokescreen. Mr Kejriwal encashed Delhiites discomfort with their lives in the city and its traffic which provides no escape. The situation was also tailor-made for it: winters in Delhi are gloomy and smog is psychologically depressing besides causing breathing disorders. The Kejriwal government succeeded while the previous government failed to sell the bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor aimed at decongesting roads, a problem afflicting every citizen, because it pit bus users against private car users and created a clear class divide. In contrast Odd-Even is bridging the class divied. The Odd-Even scheme would not have had many takers if it was introduced when pollution was not so evident. This time Mr Kejriwal is not talking about current levels of pollution, but is invoking the memory of the past feat to make Phase II an equal success. If he is able to pull it off again, the scheme will acquire permanence in Delhi and soon spread to other cities. But if the scheme is not as successful as last time, it will end Mr Kejriwals brainchild and much more. Most importantly, Phase II will determine the future of citizens participation in government schemes. There is no data yet to assess the number of car conversions to CNG after Phase I. But from whatever one can see on Delhis road, the number is fairly high and random conversations suggest that this has been mainly done with an eye to beat the scheme and remain on road and not motivated by the desire to use cleaner fuel. Roads will surely be more crowded this time than in January because rising heat will make public transport less comfortable. The response of people needs close monitoring. The Odd-Even plan is not the only instance when citizens have responded to a call for voluntary action. For several years the United Progressive Alliance government provided an opt-out option on websites of oil marketing companies for people to declare that they did not wish to purchase subsidised LPG cylinders. But till Prime Minister Narendra Modis evocative push to the programme in March 2015, there were few takers for the scheme. Since then we have seen dramatic rise in the numbers who heeded to his call to give it up. The few millions who have so far given up subsidy are miniscule when compared to the LPG user base of approximately 155 million. Yet, as a social phenomenon among the middle-class, not known for sensitivity to needs of underprivileged, this trend requires understanding. When he sounded the give it up call, Mr Modi said that he realised that desh ka har nagrik bhagidaari karne ko tayyar hota hai (every citizen of the country wants to be a stakeholder). Mr Modi declared that he was giving people such an opportunity (main unko avsar dena chahta hun). Leaders like Mr Modi and Mr Kejriwal create an illusion among people that they are stakeholders in the system by allocating small, minor tasks to them. Mr Modis emotional appeal to give it up instils a sense of patriotism among citizens who view the act as their share of national duty. As a child, Mr Modi collected clothes for Indian soldiers going to the front to fight the war with China. He told this writer much later that these clothes would have been of no use to Armymen but everyone who donated these felt that they had done their bit for the country. Giving up subsidy of `200 per cylinder is all that it now takes to be a patriot and a responsible citizen. If you dont give it up, you will soon be declared anti-national! Paradoxically, neither Mr Modi nor Mr Kejriwal prefer partnerships when it comes to sharing political power, but use the illusion of partnership to enlist support of people whose votes they require. Both Odd-Even and give it up are intensely political calls of two leaders who are aware that governance must also help their chances in the next elections. Indias latest defence budget is about 1.72 per cent of its gross domestic product (the lowest in GDP terms since the disastrous 1962 Sino-Indian war), and its about 25 per cent of the Chinese defence budget. By 2035, the Chinese economy will be the worlds largest. Its defence budget is expected to be $450 billion, it will need to increase its annual energy production double that of the US as 31 per cent of the global energy consumption would be by the Chinese. The disputed South China Sea (SCS) has proven oil reserves of 7.7 billion barrels and the proven plus potential gas reserves are 190 trillion cubic feet. Presently $5 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes through the SCS annually. China, which has claimed 80 per cent of the SCS, has been taking frantic innovative steps to convert this international shipping area into its own territorial waters. There are, of course, other claimants, but they are comparatively small, weaker nations like Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia. Last month, the Chinese fishing fleet and Coast Guard were in the news. A Chinese fishing trawler was sunk by Argentinas Coast Guard while trying to flee from distant Argentinian territorial waters this incident highlights the growing global reach of Chinese sea power, and its only a matter of time before we have incidents in the Indian Ocean Region and possibly in our 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is well known that fishing trawlers equipped with electronic sensors are used for electronic snooping-cum-intelligence-gathering at sea. Closer to the SCS, the Vietnamese arrested a Chinese fishing trawler for entering its territorial waters, while Malaysia and Indonesia faced similar intrusions in the case of Indonesia, the arrested Chinese fishing trawler was forcibly rescued inside Indonesian territorial waters by a much larger Chinese Coast Guard ship. Since 2014, the Chinese have been extremely busy in the SCS, converting some existing islands into unsinkable aircraft carriers heavily fortified islands which operate warplanes. The Chinese-controlled and disputed Woody Island, called Yongxing Island by the Chinese since taking control in 1956, in the Paracel Islands which is equidistant from Vietnam and mainland China at about 250 nm, while in the disputed Spratly Islands (810 nm from mainland China) using innovative sand filling to convert seven rocks, submerged reefs, into artificial islands which are now being upgraded to host aircraft, radars, weapons, etc. The small but 100 per cent Chinese population in some of the Chinese-controlled, but disputed Paracel and Spratly Islands are supported by ships providing food, water and medicines, while state-controlled fishing trawlers are being encouraged to use these as bases for carrying out not just fishing but intelligence-gathering missions. The 2,700-metre airstrip on Woody Island is under the control of the Chinese Air Force, which operates surveillance aircraft, helicopters and warplanes. Civil aircraft are expected to commence operations by the end of 2016 to support the Chinese population of 1,443 living on this island of 2.13 sq km. Recent reports indicate that Chinese have moved in radars and YJ-62 long range anti-ship cruise missiles (400 km range) on the island. For air defence, the Chinese have introduced the HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) having a 200-km range against intruding aircraft. The Chinese radar, which provides inputs to the HQ-9 LRSAM, is the very sophisticated HT-233, which is capable of detecting American stealth fighter jets. In case any aircraft or cruise missiles penetrate the LRSAM defences, the Chinese have a layered system which includes the 20 km range SAM called HQ-6 and the four km range 30 mm seven barrelled rapid fire gun called LD-2000 which fires 5,000 shells (1/2 kg each) per minute. More importantly, the radars and surveillance aircraft on Woody Island provide targeting data to Chinese mainland to launch its latest game changer the mainland China based, 1,500 km range DF-21D ballistic missile which has been dubbed the aircraft carrier killer. The Chinese are busy replicating the Woody Island unsinkable aircraft carrier model on the seven Chinese-controlled artificial islands in the Spratly Islands, and have recently constructed lighthouses on three of them to assert their territorial claims. India has been training Navy and Coast Guard personnel of Vietnam and numerous Indian Ocean nations, while providing patrol boats and aircraft to some of them. Recently, the US, Japan and Australia too have begun to provide similar assistance to nations like Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, etc. The Philippines has even taken its dispute with China for international arbitration. But China will not be deterred by these small nations or any adverse international arbitration. India, which has a long history of being taken by surprise by both China and Pakistan, and its fastest growing large economy in the world relies on seaborne trade for 90 per cent of its exports/imports (50 per cent of which passes through the SCS), and whose sea-imported energy needs by 2035 will be second only to that of China, has a vital stake in keeping the sea lanes open. India urgently needs to build up its Navy to operate in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. It also needs to build up its Coast Guard. Its also high time that we emulate the Chinese and invest in converting a few of our 1,197 islands off both coasts into unsinkable aircraft carriers. We need real time intelligence and maritime domain awareness, along with a long range blue-water navy, including nuclear submarines (SSNs) which can operate in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans to deter the sea dragon from any misadventures against our national interests. And we need home-built Indian sea power, which means doubling the Navy and Coast Guard budgets. There will be no economic growth if our sea-based trade is impeded by China or its proxies. Mumbai: Samsung was recently awarded a patent in South Korea for interactive contact lenses that has the capability to transmit or receive data to another nearby smartphone. The patent pointed out that the mechanism of the smart contact lens requires numerous integrationscamera, movement sensors, a transmitter, and a display unit in the lenses' glass. Surprisingly, the smart lens technology can be controlled by the blink of an eye! Yes, you read it correctly; a user has to blink in order to take pictures or interact with data displayed on the contact lenses. After the motion sensor picks up the blinking, the commands are sent to the users handset for further processing and the results are sent back immediately. Moreover, users can stream video or send images to the contact lens from their device, and also send pictures taken with the integrated lens camera to their mobile devices for storage. The blueprints of the patent showed that some of the circuits will be visible in the contact lens but will not obstruct vision in any case. Additionally, the blueprint also includes details about manufacturing methods. Well, Samsung is not the first company that is en route to manufacturing smart contact lenses. Prior to this patent, a Swiss healthcare startup Sensimed was granted approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start researching on this technology; they received a patent in March 2015 but the prototype never saw the light of the day. On the other hand, Samsungs project is specifically aimed at exploring the methods of integrating augmented reality with modern day devices. The patent file on September 26, 2014, was approved a couple of days back. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The 2-year-old boy's mother returned to their Wichita home on Tuesday night and found 36-year-old Matthew Gallagher, her boyfriend, performing cardiovascular resuscitation on the child, who was not breathing, television station KAKE reported. (Representational Photo: Pixabay) Kansas: A Kansas toddler had a small octopus of the kind used for sushi lodged in his throat, prompting police to arrest on suspicion of child abuse the 36-year-old man who was with the boy at the time, local media reported on Wednesday. The 2-year-old boy's mother returned to their Wichita home on Tuesday night and found 36-year-old Matthew Gallagher, her boyfriend, performing cardiovascular resuscitation on the child, who was not breathing, television station KAKE reported. Police said the child was rushed to a hospital where doctors extracted a dead octopus with a head 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter that was lodged in the boy's throat, according to the Wichita Eagle newspaper. The boy, who was listed in serious condition, also had bruises on his face, the newspaper reported. Police questioned Gallagher about the boy's injuries and later arrested him on suspicion of child abuse, according to the Wichita Eagle. A representative from the Wichita police department and Gallagher could not be reached for comment late on Wednesday. "We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," she said. (Photo: AP) New York: "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi says she would never vote for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump from being elected. "Even if he wasn't the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn't vote for him," Lakshmi said. "But as an immigrant, I obviously don't see his worldview as mine," she told Variety. Lakshmi, 45, who moved from India to New York as a child, said she is particularly bothered by Trump's controversial views on immigration. "We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," she said. "He himself is an immigrant of immigrant decent. Unless you are from the Cherokee nation, your ancestors are immigrants so you may be an umpteenth generation immigrant but there you are, squatting on someone else's land," she added. The former wife of author Salman Rushdie noted that because she runs the women's health organisation, she has been paying close attention to Trump's recent comments on reproductive rights specifically, that women receiving abortions should be punished. "I think he is insane. I think he's blabbing, I don't think he really knows what he is saying, I am not even sure he really believes that a woman shouldn't have a right to choose. But I can only judge someone by what they say," she said. Melissas parents are now pursuing legal action, as they do not believe their daughter could have threatened the police with a mere pocketknife. (Representational image) Alabama: For parents of 36-year old Melissa Boarts, a manic-depressive struggling with suicidal tendencies, a call for help to 911 turned out to be a death knell. Melissas mother, Terry Boarts, noticed her daughters odd behaviour when she had gone to pick up her two-year-old granddaughter on Sunday in Auburn, Alabama. She had heard Melissa heading to the drawing room, and followed her there to speak to her, only to realize that she had left. Using the GPS installed in Melissas car, her family managed to track her down, but got stuck in traffic. We were able to find out she was headed on the interstate going to Auburn. She was threatening to slit her wrists with a knife, said Terry. Fearing that she might hurt herself, they called 911 for assistance. Terry told the police that her daughter was "having mental issues, that she was bipolar, that she had been really depressed, that she was saying she was going to cut her wrists." She also informed them that Melissa was carrying a knife. After a while, the officer on the call told them that her car has suddenly come to a halt. While her parents figured Melissas car had probably hit a tree, it turned out that she was shot down by the police because she charged at them with an unidentified weapon, prompting an officer to open fire and kill her. According to a report in The Washington Post, 1,100 people have been killed in the United States by police officers, out of which at least a quarter of those people suffered from mental illness or similar problems. The analysis has found that the officers involved in such cases are not trained to deal with people suffering from mental illness. Melissas parents are now pursuing legal action, as they do not believe their daughter could have threatened the police with a mere pocketknife. Their attorney echoes their sentiment, stating that shooting her was totally unjustified. ST. MAARTEN (April 6, 2016) - Veteran Caribbean hotel industry professional Karen Hana has been appointed General Manager of one the newest hotels in the Choice Hotels International Caribbean portfolio on the island of St. Maarten. Hana, who was most recently Executive Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, takes charge of the recently renovated Alegria, a distinctive 78-room resort on the southern coast of St. Maarten. Alegria joins Choice Hotels' Ascend Hotel Collection, a global portfolio of independent boutique-style hotels and resorts. A graduate of The Hague Hotel Management School in the Netherlands, with 22 years of experience working in the St. Maarten tourism sector, Hana - a Dutch native - grew up and worked in Mexico and the Caribbean. She has extensive experience working at resorts ranging from all-inclusive to timeshare, from boutique hotels to large chain hotels. "Karen is a consummate professional and we expect her leadership to translate into the positioning of Alegria as a leading hotel and guest experience on the island," said Fadi Salem, Chief Operations Officer of Alegria. Hana welcomed the opportunity to make a difference in the island she now calls home. "We look forward to welcoming many more guests to Alegria," she said, explaining that the hotel has benefited from a thorough refresh. Hana reported that the response to the hotel has been encouraging. "With new bedding, new amenities and with the Ascend Hotel Collection, guests are just thrilled," she said. Overlooking the ocean at Sunset Beach and adjacent to Maho beach, Alegria is an oasis where guests can immerse themselves in world-famous white sand beaches or join the visitors from around the world who flock to Maho Beach to experience the close-up excitement of jets soaring overhead as they approach Princess Juliana International Airport. In contrast, the night skies remain clear, as the airport restricts flights after 9 p.m. The hotel is a short taxi ride from Philipsburg, capital of the island's Dutch side, and numerous beaches. Nearby attractions include the Loterie Farm Nature Reserve nestled in the hillside of Pic Paradis on the French side of St. Martin which offers dining, hiking and zip-lining over the treetop canopy. Guests can also make day-trips to neighboring islands, visit Fort Amsterdam, a historic site that was built by Dutch settlers in 1631 and renowned for its architectural ruins and spectacular views, and enjoy the wide variety of culinary offerings. on an island dubbed the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean. Alegria offers several spacious room types that are fully equipped with upscale amenities and balcony views of the gardens or turquoise Caribbean waters. The two-bedroom penthouse features more than 2,000 square feet of space, king beds, two and a half baths, a lounge area with sofa bed, designer kitchen, and a washer and dryer. The hotel also has two pools with a swim-up bar, and duty-free shopping is just a short walk away. Excellent dining options, casinos, nightclubs and an 18-hole championship golf course are also nearby. The Choice Hotels International Caribbean portfolio currently includes hotels in the Caribbean destinations of Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten. For further information, visit www.choicecaribbean.com ENDS Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : AFRICA TRIP TO VICTORIA FALLS, MASAI MARA, SERENGETI AND RWANDA GORILLAS LAUNCHED Industry: Safari Hallmark Travel Planners 16-day Africa Safari visiting Victoria Falls, Masai Mara Game Reserve, the Serengeti and the mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. The tour is designed to begin from the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, southern Africa. After 3 nights, you fly to Nairobi in Eastern Africa to begin the trip that will take you to Kenya's Masai mara, Tanzania Serengeti and Ngorongoro before flying to Rwanda to visit the Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National park. (TRAVPR.COM) KENYA - April 7th, 2016 - Hallmark Travel Planners, has just just packaged and published an awe-inspiring African Safari. The affordable 15-night Africa trip includes touring the the Victoria Falls in the southern Africa all the way to the Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, before concluding with the visit of the mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. "Hallmark Travel Planners has been building unique safari itineraries offering travellers to Africa the opportunity to enjoy one-in-a-life type trip when they visit this amazing continent. We are always excited to create personalized tour itineraries for our new and repeat clients" said Mr. Levis Omondi, director and senior safari consultant at Hallmark Travel Planners. "Over the last many years, we have helped tens of people experience Africa by tailoring trips that capture their dreams and wishes and we are very pleased to have very many 'ambassadors that can vouch for the quality of our services of offering Safaris in Africa" Mr Omondi added. See and read what some of Hallmark Travel Planners' past clients say here The 16-day trip launched can be customised to meet guests needs in terms of budget, time available, interests and activities of choice. Jet into African via Victora Falls Airport,Zimbabwe (most likely from Johannesburg, South Africa). The small town aptly named Victoria Falls is the entry point to the majestic falls. On arrival at the airport, You are met by your local guide and transfer to the the hotel, located very close to the falls. The schedule on your tour program is designed to stay at this resort for 3 nights, enjoying the falls and sampling various adventure and leisure activities and possibly interaction with the local people. On the very next morning after your arrival, start with a guide tour of the Victorial Falls. The Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and the major waterfall on the Zambezi River in Africa. It is famous for being the largest waterfall in the world, in the wet season. The African people who live around the falls call it Mosi-oa-Tunya which means 'smoke that thunders'. The water makes a roaring noise as it falls over the cliff and down into the Zambezi River below. A cloud of water vapor is always seen around the falls. During your stay, you may take advantage and indulge in a variety of other activities like elephant-back rides, kayaking and white water rafting. A sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi River is included on your last evening, before flying out to East Africa. Four days after your landing in Victoria Falls,cross over into Zambia, to Livinstone Airport to catch an early afternoon flight from Vic Falls to Nairobi. Your next destination in Masai Mara but an overnight in Nairobi is necessary before you get to the Mara. You fly on Kenya Airways that offers Livingstone - Nairobi flights 3 times in a week; Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. After the night in Nairobi, fly into world-renown Masai Mara game reserve. You wildlife adventure starts here. Stay there for 3 nights. You big 5 safari adventure will continue with another 3 nights in Serengeti - described by some as the dream destination for anyone longing to see the whole of Africa in one place. The last 2 nights in Tanzania are spent on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater. During this time in east Africa, your will experience and hopefully enjoy Africas wildlife from the safety of your safari vehicle, and with the help of your skilled safari guide. From Ngorongoro, drive to Kilimanjaro airport to catch a flight to Kigali, Rwanda, where you will go trekking to visit the mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Most people who have done the gorilla tour agree, that exhilaration experienced wild mountain gorilla tour is difficult to describe. Highlights of this Safari: EXPERIENCE the amazing falls, with 550 Million Litres of Water dropping 93 metres below, every minute SAVE BIG through highly discounted prices, while enjoying top class services from top tour operators ENJOY the thrill of African wildlife viewing on game drives in top-rated parks and reserves in East Africa VISIT the remaining few mountain gorillas and help in their conservation in the process Suggested Accommodations for mid-range trip option: 3 nights aZambezi River Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 1 night EKA Hotel, Nairobi City, Kenya 3 nights Ashnil Mara Camp, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya 3 nights Serengeti Serena Lodge, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 2 nights Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservancy, Tanzania 2 nights Flame Tree Village, Kigali, Rwanda 1 night Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Kinigi, Rwanda. Prices based on private safari of 2 persons only From US$7,776 per person, on double occupancy during the low season; Apr - May From US$8,930 per person, on double occupancy during the high season; Jun - Oct From US$8,550 per person, on double occupancy during mid season; Nov - Dec These prices include all the local and intra-Africa flights but not international flight into and out of Africa. To view the full itinerary of this tour follow the link given below 16 Days Vic Falls - Masai Mara - Serengeti - Gorilla Safari ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release : CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Aaron Ladebe Company: Hallmark Travel Planners Phone: +254708518470 Email: info@africantravelhub.com Web: www.africantravelhub.com... PRESS RELEASE TAGS MEDIA GALLERY Visit Our Site Self-driving cars have been a thing on TreeHugger since 2011, when we predicted that they would be shared, smaller and lighter, electric and there would be far fewer of them. And back then we were predicting them taking over in 2040. How things have changed; now they are apparently right around the corner, and many are worried that they are not the answer to all our urban problems that we once thought they were going to be. Rebecca Solnit explains why in the Guardian: We dont need new ways to use cars; we need new ways to not use them. Because heres the thing people keep forgetting to mention about driverless cars: theyre cars. She goes on to explain why we can't have nice things like high speed trains and subways that work and libraries that have books and parks that are maintained: because the car and the home in the suburbs meant that we no longer had to share common spaces when we had a media room instead of a neighborhood theater, a backyard instead of a park. The rise of the private automobile accompanied the white flight of the postwar era. It was subsidized by a massive governmental program to build highways and freeways and by a withdrawal from public life and public space, which suburbanizing modernist designers saw as useless, chaotic and menacing, when they saw it at all. They tried to design it out, with much success. Their designs pushed people into what sprawl gives rise to: the rise of private transit, the decline of public transit, socially and economically segregated landscapes, and unpleasant commutes. We have written before about how self-driving cars are beloved of conservatives who see them as a way to eliminate mass transit; just throw a pile of cars at the problem. As one Florida senator said about investing in rail: "Its like theyre designing the pony express in the world of the telegraph." Solnit makes the same case about the Silicon Vally technocrats. Apple, Tesla, Uber, Google and various auto manufacturers pursuit of driverless cars is an attempt to preserve and maybe extend private automobile usage....Thats not the future. Thats dressing up the past. We need people to engage with bicycles, buses, streetcars, trains, and their own feet, to look at ways they can get places without fossil fuel. Institute Without Boundaries/via Solnit discusses how apps and technology can make our transit experience better still, with apps that tell you when the bus is coming. She notes that spending an hour on a train with a book (or even twiddling with your phone) is very different than an hour in stop and go traffic (although to be fair, in a self-driving car you can twiddle with your phone, read a book or have a martini too) Self-driving cars are, like so much technology, a solution in search of a problem. We already have beautiful solutions, well-deployed, to moving people around, better solutions in terms of safety, emissions, efficiency, and the rest. All we need is the political will and cultural imagination to get on the bus. Or train. Or ferry. Or bike. It's a good read, by an author who previously wrote Wanderlust: A history of walking and knows her topic. But in the end it has all been said before in the Best Tweet Ever about urban design and transportation, by Taras Grescoe: Taras Grescoe/Screen capture When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. It's concerning that our partners don't use all of our data, says the head of FBI's Terrorist Screening Centre. (Photo: AFP) Washington: US allies, especially in Europe, are ignoring tools that US officials have given them to track potential terrorists, the head of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Centre said on Thursday. "It's concerning that our partners don't use all of our data," said Director Christopher Piehota, interviewed on CNN. "We provide them with tools. We provide them with support, and I would find it concerning that they don't use these tools to help screen for their own aviation security, maritime security, border screening, visas, things like that for travel," Piehota said. While the United States has a centralised database for suspected terrorists, in the European Union each country maintains its own watch list. Asked if those involved in the Paris and Brussels attacks were on a US watchlist, Piehota said, "We were aware of some of the people." Last month's bombings at Brussels airport have revived criticism of the alleged weakness of Belgian police and its intelligence services, charges that local officials have rejected. Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the two suicide bombers who struck the Brussels airport, was on a US counterterrorism watch list even before the November Paris attacks, CNN reported in March. His younger brother Khalid, who blew himself up at Brussels' Maalbeek metro station, was added to the list "soon after the Paris attacks," CNN said, without specifying which US counterterrorism list. El Bakraoui was deported by Turkey to the Netherlands in July, after being arrested in June by Turkish authorities near the Syria border. Piehota said that if the Brussels attackers "were on our list and they were properly identified they may have been caught at our borders." US officials rely on our partners to look for suspects "and conduct investigations and operations that help us identify them," Piehota said. A Syrian refugee with her children prepares food near her tent in a camp for Syrians in the Chouf mountain town of Ketermaya, Lebanon. (Photo: AP) Jordan: The first Syrian family to be resettled to the U.S. under its speeded-up surge operation departed to the United States on Wednesday from the Jordanian capital, Amman. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said that although he is thankful to Jordan where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syrias civil war he is hopeful of finding a better life in the U.S. Im happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there, al-Abboud said. The family, who are from the Syrian city of Homs, had been living in Mafraq, a town north of Amman. He was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. Protesters hold a banner reading 'Don't liberate me, I'll take care of it myself!' during a demonstration by sex workers and supporters near the French National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday. (Photo: AFP) Paris: France on Wednesday passed a controversial law that makes it illegal to pay for sex and imposes fines of up to 3,750 euros ($4,270) on prostitutes clients. Around 60 sex workers staged a noisy protest outside parliament during the final debate on the bill that will affect the livelihoods of at least 30,000 prostitutes in France, four in five of whom are foreign. Some carried a banner reading Dont liberate me, Ill take care of myself!, while another poster read, in English, Sex work is work. Backed by the Socialist government, the legislation has been nearly two and a half years in the making. All European countries penalise pimping, but France will become only the fifth to punish the clients of prostitutes, along with Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Britain. Sweden in 1999 became the first country in the world to make it illegal to pay for sex, in a bid to lower demand. In France, predominantly right-wing senators have opposed the ban on paying for sex, which will be punishable by a 1,500-euro fine for first offenders, increasing to 3,750 euros for repeat offenders. But after previous debates in both chambers of parliament ended in deadlock, the lower house, dominated by the left, had the final say. The proposal introduced in October 2013 has divided public opinion in France, prompting a group of 343 public figures to issue what they called a scumbags manifesto asserting the right to use prostitutes. The signatories, who included journalists, writers and actors, said they resented being depicted as perverts or psychopaths and refused to allow deputies (to) legislate norms on our desires and our pleasures. Socialist lawmaker Maud Olivier, the architect of the bill, has argued repeatedly that prostitutes should be seen as victims and no longer as delinquents. The new law will supersede a little enforced 2003 measure penalising the solicitation of clients for sex. Changing the mentality This law is essential to ending the idea that it is normal to buy someones body, Olivier told AFP. We will succeed in changing the mentality, but new efforts are needed to raise awareness, to train police officers and magistrates. The new law will also require offenders to take a course to learn about the conditions faced by sex workers. The bill calls for measures -- backed by an annual budget of 4.8 million euros -- to help prostitutes find other jobs and a six-month residency permit for foreign sex workers. The bulk of sex workers in France are from eastern Europe, Africa, China and Latin America. The law will increase police repression (and) degrade working conditions a member of the Strass sex workers union said at Wednesdays protest. Around 20 people held a counter-demonstration nearby waving a banner reading Prostitution, Just One Option, Abolition. On Tuesday, 13 associations that support prostitutes joined forces to condemn the law which they said threatened the livelihoods of sex workers and was essentially repressive. We already see the consequences. Those who can afford to have left for neighbouring countries, while others are looking for... procurers to put them in contact with clients, said Morgane Merteuil, another Strass member said earlier. Critics also point to the difficulty of proving payment for sex, since the money usually changes hands in private. And those who buy sex over the Internet are unlikely to be caught by the new law, experts say. Dating websites are one of the main ways to connect prostitutes and clients, said sociologist Laurent Melito. Then people call each other. How are you going to control that? The kinds of algorithms used to block child pornography and jihadist recruitment cannot be used to combat prostitution because the risk of error is too great, communications researcher Olivier Ertzscheid told AFP. Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 6 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started investigations into the allegations of corruption and non-payment of dues to contractors at two military farms in Jammu and Nowshera. The CBI took up the matter for investigation after receiving two complaints last year against some officers, including civilians, posted at these military farms and the branch overseeing these farms at the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur. One of the complainants has alleged misappropriation of government money, fabrication of documents and payments made to unauthorised persons by the said officers in the procurement of bales of hay valued at several crores of rupees. Records were fudged over the quantity of hay received at military farms, and only part payments were made to the contractor, the complainant has alleged. Further, the security deposit for the tender was also not released. There are a number of military farms across the country which provide fresh milk and milk products to the armed forces through the livestock maintained by it. Conceived in 1889 by the British, the military farms are being shut down in a phased manner with only a handful now functional as their relevance has been reduced because of the easy availability of milk from the civilian markets. According to sources, CBI officials visited the office of the Director, Military Farms, in the Northern Command last month and have also been to the two military farms several times. They have taken various documents and records into their custody for scrutiny and have questioned some persons. The counsel for the complainant, Col SK Aggarwal (retd), maintained that he was contacted by the CBI officials twice over the past few weeks for providing some information pertaining to the matter. He said a complaint had been made earlier too over the issue to the Army authorities in the Northern Command, but the case had been closed after a one-man inquiry. New Delhi, April 7 Introducing a fresh chill in the Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan today said the bilateral peace process stands suspended, indicated that it would not allow Indian investigators to travel there and accused India of creating unrest in its territory. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit did some plain-speaking at a media interaction here when he said presently the peace process was suspended, something India has been reluctant to admit. He poured cold water on India's expectations that a team of NIA investigators would be allowed to visit Pakistan in connection with the Pathankot terror strike probe on the basis of reciprocity, a Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) having just concluded a visit to India. The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, however, said before the visit of the Pakistan JIT, it was agreed by Pakistan that it would be on the basis of reciprocity. The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident, Basit said. This flies in the face of India's expectations that after the JIT's visit, a team of NIA investigators would be travelling to Pakistan. NIA had conveyed to the JIT that it would like to send a team to Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry confirmed today. Basit opened his interaction at the Foreign Correspondents' Club with a written statement in which he made a pointed reference to a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Yadav, currently in detention in Pakistan on charges of spying. Yadav's arrest "irrefutably collaborates what Pakistan has been saying all along", he said alluding to Pakistani charges that India was fomenting trouble in the restive province of Balochistan. "We are all aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and de-stabilise the country," the envoy said. A Pakistani commentator said on TV later that Basit was speaking for Pakistan, a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of National Security Council attended by the chiefs of armed forces. Asked about the possibility of meeting between foreign secretaries of the two countries which was suspended following the Pathankot attack in January, Basit said no such meeting has been scheduled. At the same time, he asserted that Pakistan would like to have a "comprehensive and meaningful" dialogue with India in order to resolve "all our problems". "But if India is not yet ready, we can always wait. Because as far as Pakistan is concerned, we consider dialogue process important to resolve our problems," he said, adding, "It is not a favour by one country to another. So we will wait and see how India evolves its position on the dialogue process itself." Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir "dispute" was the root cause of "mutual distrust", he said its "fair and just" resolution as per the aspirations of the people was imperative. "Attempts to put it on the back-burner will be counterproductive. It is high time to break the carapace of complacency and dispense with self-serving approaches," he said. The Pakistan envoy said there shouldn't be any doubt that his country wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India on the basis of "sovereign equality and mutual interest", noting there is a national consensus on this in Pakistan. "However, there is no short cut to achieving a lasting peace. Nor does cherry-picking work. What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively and meaningfully," he said. Asked about India seeking consular access for Yadav, he said the request is under consideration. "I cannot exactly tell you exactly as to when the Indian authorities would be given consular access to him. The Indian request is under consideration," Basit said. He trashed the reports claiming that Yadav was sold to Pakistan by Taliban. Referring to action against terrorism by Pakistan, he said authorities in the country have arrested scores of terror operatives with foreign linkages in the last one month and presence of such elements was quite disturbing to "say the least". Asked about details of those arrested, he refused to share details but said Pakistan's operation against terrorism and militancy is yielding "good results". The envoy said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly believed in enhancing regional cooperation and connectivity. But at the same time added that a strong regional cooperative structure cannot be built on unpredictable bilateral relations. "The 19th SAARC Summit will be held in Islamabad in November this year. We sincerely hope the Summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and win-win situations," he said. Queried about China blocking India's bid to have JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN, Basit said "I subscribe to Chinese viewpoint" on the issue. PTI Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 7 The probe into the killing of Mata Chand Kaur (85) revealed that security guidelines issued by the police for the protection of the Namdhari matriarch were blatantly violated. In December last year, the IG, security, had visited Bhaini Sahib and assigned 17 PAP personnel at Bhaini Sahib for Mata Chand Kaurs security. The IG had issued a number of security guidelines for the dera authorities to follow. These included installation of CCTV cameras at all vital locations across Bhaini Sahib; providing walky-talky systems, connected with the police control room, to the sevadars; strengthening the outer wall of the complex with barbed wires; putting blinders at gates and barricades at all routes leading to Bhaini Sahib; and a thorough checking of visitors. The authorities were also told to register the names and identities of the persons working at Bhaini Sahib and all should wear their identity card while working in the compound. However, none of the guidelines were followed. The 17 security personnel were returned saying Mata Chand Kaur was against carrying paraphernalia. The darbar provided only one personal security guard who did not turn up for work on the day Mata Chand Kaur was killed. Surinder Singh Namdhari, president, Namdhari Darbar, said CCTV cameras were installed inside the compound while the incident took place out of the campus. He denied that Mata Chand Kaur was ever offered security cover. He said her personal security officer used to travel with her. Phone numbers out of service The police announced a cash reward of Rs10 lakh for providing information about the killers and mentioned two phone numbers for the purpose 7837018502 and 9815900016. However, when dialled, these numbers were found out of service. Sri Lanka is of great importance to China's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean as Pakistan cannot provide a strong foothold due to its calamitous state of security, the state media in Beijing on Thursday, coinciding with the visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. Sri Lanka can be of great importance for China in the security strategic layout in Indian Ocean. Besides, it will also promote the 21st Maritime Silk Road, said an article in the state-run Global Times. India has not yet endorsed the silk route due to its concerns about the Indian Ocean Paris attack plotter to be extradited to France BRUSSELS: Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in November's Paris attacks, will be extradited to France from Belgium in a few weeks to allow for additional questioning by Belgian investigators, his lawyer said on Thursday. Abdeslam hid from police for four months until he was captured in a raid on a house in the Brussels district of Molenbeek on March 18. Reuters Panama Papers fallout: Icelands new PM sworn in REYKJAVIK: Iceland's new Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson was sworn in on Thursday after his predecessor resigned over the Panama Papers scandal. Johannsson, the unpopular former fisheries and agriculture minister, takes over from Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and is set to take Iceland into legislative elections expected in the autumn. AFP Vietnam gets new Prime Minister Hanoi: Vietnam's parliament approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the communist country's new prime minister on Thursday, handing him a five-year term and a range of tough challenges from domestic economic reforms to a simmering maritime dispute with China. Phuc, a former deputy prime minister, was the only candidate nominated for the position by party officials. AFP Asad Shah was stabbed 30 times and had his head stamped on during a savage attack at his store in Glasgow. (Photo: gofundme.com) London: A man accused of murdering a Muslim shopkeeper in Scotland's largest city Glasgow issued a statement today saying he killed him because he disrespected the Prophet Mohammed. Asad Shah, 40, was found with serious injuries outside his store last month and was pronounced dead at hospital. Police described the killing as "religiously prejudiced". Shah, an Ahmadi Muslim who moved to Glasgow from Pakistan in 1998, had recently posted a message on Facebook wishing people a happy Easter, "especially to my beloved Christian nation". The message posted by Asad Shah hours before has was stabbed to death. (Photo: Facebook screen grab) Tanveer Ahmed, 32, from Bradford in northern England, appeared at a preliminary court hearing in Glasgow today and afterwards issued a statement through his lawyer admitting his guilt. "Asad Shah disrespected the messenger of Islam the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Mr Shah claimed to be a Prophet," the statement said. "If I had not done this others would and there would have been more killing and violence in the world. "I wish to make it clear that the incident was nothing at all to do with Christianity or any other religious beliefs -- even although I am a follower of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I also love and respect Jesus Christ." The legal process against Ahmed, who is also a Muslim and is being held in custody, will continue. The date for his next court hearing has not yet been set. Printing is one of several ways e-logs can be presented to enforcement officials at roadside. (Photo courtesy Continental VDO.) Electronic logging devices to track driver hours of service become mandatory in December 2017. Everything you need to know about compliance is spelled out in the final rule, but here's a quick look at some of the more common sources of confusion and a few things you'll need to consider that are not spelled out in the text of the rule. A couple of these points will be of particular interest to really small carriers and independents. 1. Self-certified doesn't mean compliant. FMCSA has left it up to suppliers to certify that devices they offer meet all the requirements of the rule. The agency offers a rather lengthy checklist to help suppliers but does no verification of its own. The onus is on the vendor to self-certify their product, says Joel Beal of JBA Telematics. It's the honor system, Beal explained in a recent webinar, because FMCSA says they don't have the budget to check all of the product that's coming to market. It's still early days, but Beal says there are already what appear to be some non-compliant devices on FMCSA's list of self-verified devices. He recommends asking the vendor to supply all the documentation they used in the self-certification process as well as all the driver documentation. For example, if you operate under the California agricultural exemption or the oil field exemption or into Canada [a Canadian ELD rule is forthcoming], make sure the device you choose fits with and can comply with the rules you operate under, Beal advises. 2. The required supporting documents. This requirement could prove to be a burden to some carriers because it takes us back to the retention of paper, or it will require the manual conversion of a paper receipt to some form of digital image. Drivers are required to retain all related documentation for a period of eight days, but receipts must be submitted to the carrier no later than 13 days after the document comes into the driver's possession. The final rule states this requirement is to verify on-duty not driving time. The rule says carriers must retain each supporting document generated or received in the normal course of business, and goes on to say that carriers need not retain more than eight supporting documents. Among them must be the earliest and the latest time indications of all the documentation. Supporting documentation can include dispatch records, trip records, expense receipts related to on-duty not driving time, payroll records, settlement sheets, etc. They must include appropriate data to link the record to a driver and a date and trip as well as the time, location, etc. Such documents must be retained for six months. 3. There are (a few) exemptions. The list of operations exempt from using electronic logs under the new federal mandate is short three to be precise. Drivers who are on time cards, typically those that operate within a 100-air-mile radius of the terminal. Some casual drivers are exempt as well, provided they work no more than eight days out of 30. Drive-away and tow-away operations, typically those that deliver or ferry new or used trucks from factories to dealers or customers. Trucks manufactured for model-year 1999 or earlier, which may not have the electronic infrastructure to support ELDs. 4. What happens during Inspections. At roadside, inspectors will be looking for a certification sticker supplied by the manufacturer and the handbook explaining how the ELD is used. When asked to produce the log, the driver may electronically transfer the information to the officer via email using an identifier unique to that inspection request, or via bluetooth or USB file transfer. The driver may also hand the officer printed copies of the logs if a printer is available. A fourth option is handing the device to the inspector if it is not tethered to the vehicle or if the cable is long enough to reach outside the truck. In a facility audit, inspectors can demand six months of logs, in which case the carrier can display the logs on screen or in printed form. Inspectors can also ask to see any edits performed on the logs, meaning they will need the originals of all electronic records of duty status. They will also ask to see supporting documents (see number 2). 5. Interoperability of different devices. Managing owner-operators use of ELDs could be among the biggest challenges here, but it's certainly not the only one. Allowing each owner-operator to use the ELD of his or her choice could require a lot of back-end infrastructure on the carriers part. On the other hand, requiring owner-operators to acquire and use your choice of ELD could pose some hiring and retention strife. Depending on how you manage it, management's decision could impose significant cost on one party or the other. Your approach also runs the risk of compromising the arm's-length carrier/owner-operator relationship. In the replies to various comments contained in the full document, FMCSA says, the independent contractor relationship is outside the scope of this rulemaking, so you're on your own on this front. In a broader context, there may be reasons one brand or type of ELD might suit one division of the company better than another, or in the event of a merger or acquisition, there could be significant cost associated with retooling. Learn more about living with ELDs in the April issue of Heavy Duty Trucking. Oscar winner Louise Fletcher has died at age 88. Fletcher's agent tells The Associated Press Friday that she died at her home in France. She was 88. Fletcher set a new standard for screen villains with the role of Nurse Ratched opposite Jack Nicholson in 1975's One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest." Director Milos Fletcher chose the late-blooming star after many more prominent stars turned down the role. Fletcher won the Academy Award for best actress for the role. She would work steadily for the rest of her life, including guest spots on TV shows that saw her nominated for two Emmys. CATOOSA Catoosa Public Schools will make the move to a four-day week starting next school year. The districts Board of Education approved the move at a special meeting earlier this week. The move is expected to save the district about $200,000, said Superintendent Rick Kibbe. Catoosa has been considering the option since early October. The discussion was temporarily put on hold because of parent concerns, and district officials decided to await further word from the Legislature regarding how large education cuts could be in the upcoming year. The district sought feedback from the community through various methods over the past months. Kibbe said about 68 percent of those surveyed approved the change in schedule. Kibbe said people need to realize that education funding is now at the same level it was about 10 years ago, with cuts piled on to cuts that were never re-funded when the economy improved. Schools have got to do drastic things, he said. This is devastating. The districts new schedule means students will not be in school on Fridays. Kibbe said his district is trying to reach a savings of $750,000 next year in anticipation of the state aid cuts. In addition to moving to a four-day week, Catoosa has had a de facto hiring freeze, with other employees absorbing the responsibilities of most people who have resigned or retired this year. That means class sizes are going up, Kibbe said. The district is also looking at general cost-savings areas, such as watching its utility costs. Although there was a suggestion of cutting bus service to students, district officials did not think that was a viable option. Were not there yet, Kibbe said. Buses are a vital service to provide for our student body. Catoosa Public Schools has about 2,100 students. Sheriff-elect Vic Regalado appeared to begin trying to mend some fences Tuesday night during his victory speech after his strong campaign rhetoric on undocumented immigrants that rubbed some in Tulsa Countys Hispanic community the wrong way. The Republican took a moment to deliver first in Spanish and then in English a message of what he explained to be equality and unity under the law. For those of you who are lacking in your Spanish-speaking skills, what I said was, We will all be treated the same, and well all seek to live under the same set of laws that are applied equally and fairly to everyone, Regalado told his supporters. A few moments later, Regalado explained to reporters the statement was about engaging all communities, not just the Hispanic population. He said its important moving forward for the Sheriffs Office to be a part of the community and vice versa to achieve success. Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsa posted a 25-second video to its Facebook page in March with four young members of the local Latino community saying, Vic Regalado does not represent me. The Dreamers expressed concerns that Regalados rhetoric would perpetuate fear in Hispanics and cause them to be wary of reporting crime. Regalado had been airing TV ads that stated he will fight illegal immigration, which is personal for me. My parents came to America legally, the right way. This community Ive sworn to protect wont become a sanctuary for those who break the law. A subsequent lengthy meeting between Regalado and Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsa at the Equality Center in downtown Tulsa didnt appear to assuage the Dreamers concerns. Christina Starzl Mendoza, a co-leader of Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsa, on Wednesday said she agrees with the statements Regalado delivered Tuesday night. Mendoza said the community cant ostracize other cultures and thanked Regalado for meeting with the Dreamers. Mendoza reiterated that not all of Tulsa is as supportive of the 287(g) program as Regalado is, with critics contending it allows for racial profiling, stigmatization and fear of law enforcement. The 287(g) program is a local-federal partnership that endows the TCSO with immigration enforcement powers that include deportation. I hope that he continues that dialogue, because a lot of these policies especially 287(g) do affect our Latino families disproportionately, Mendoza said. Regalado on Wednesday said he felt the Dreamers passion and that he appreciated being able to have meaningful dialogue with them. He said he understands their concerns and that he hopes he addressed them. If we are called to serve, we are going to serve and not ask if you are here legally, Regalado said. He emphasized that undocumented immigrants who are committing crimes will have a specific pod waiting for them in the Tulsa Jail, where they will be held for immigration enforcement. Francisco Trevino, president of the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said he believed Regalados victory message was a good one to voice because of his controversial commercials. Trevino said he understands Regalado was focused on the criminal element when he spoke of enforcing the law. But the door needs to remain open for Hispanics and the community in general to give advice on changing the perceptions of the Sheriffs Office, he said. Im hopeful that hes going to do a good job, Trevino said. Anything is better than what weve had. A British man was removed from a London-bound easyJet plane by police after a fellow passenger complained that she 'did not feel safe' with him. London: A British man was removed from a London-bound easyJet plane by police after a fellow passenger complained that she "did not feel safe" with him. Meghary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis, was escorted off the plane, which was travelling from Fiumicino, Rome to Gatwick, London by armed police in a move that left him feeling "violated" and an act of "racial profiling". "I was subjected to further questioning and intimidation by the Italian authorities before being left to sit in the airport for a further 15 or so hours," he was quoted as saying by ITV News. Tesfagiorgis said that the plane was waiting on the tarmac when a member of the cabin crew made an announcement. "After a 20 minute delay the captain explained a technical fault with luggage and informed us that the flight will commence shortly," he said of the incident that took place last week. The cabin crew emerged and asked "Is there a passenger with the last name of Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on board?" "I was then asked to come to the front of the cabin where I was greeted by armed police and was asked to leave the plane by the captain which he was explained that a fellow passenger has stated that she does not feel safe with me on board," he said. "Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was questioned by the authorities as a result of another passenger reporting concerns about his behaviour. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority and airlines have to take any security-related concerns seriously," easyJet said. "easyJet rebooked Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on the next flight from Rome to Gatwick after the authorities confirmed they were satisfied he could travel," they added. It's Divali time so at TV6 over the next few days, we bring you some of the interesting aspe Damascus: Around 250 Syrian civilians are feared kidnapped after an attack by the Islamic State jihadist group on a cement factory east of Damascus, residents told AFP on Thursday. "We haven't been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh on the factory," said a resident of the town of Dmeir, 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Damascus, using the Arabic acronym for IS. "We have no information about where they are," the resident added. An administrator at the plant said 250 employees had been unreachable since Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "dozens" of staff were believed to have been seized by IS from the cement factory and taken to an unknown location. The Badiyah cement factory lies outside Dmeir, which has seen fierce fighting in recent days as government forces have shelled IS positions inside the town. The Observatory said 18 civilians were killed in government shelling of the town. A Syrian security source told AFP that IS fighters had also tried to seize the nearby Dmeir airbase and power plant from the government but had failed. Nines Tara Brown and a 60 Minutes crew have been detained in Beirut whilst filming a story on a family at the centre of a custody tug of war. Fairfax Media reports two Australian children, aged 2 and 5, were taken to Lebanon for a holiday by their father. But the father did not return the children to their mother in Australia as promised. 60 Minutes was reportedly with the mother during a recovery operation, involving a European-based agency. But after the childrens mother and the children escaped to a safe house, Beirut police located the crew and the employees of the recovery agency and local security and sought to interview them. The mother and her children are said to have avoided interception by police. A Nine spokesperson said, We can confirm a crew from 60 Minutes has been detained in Beirut. We wont be giving out any more details, other than to say we are working with authorities to get them released and back home ASAP. The incident again highlights the dangers of filming volatile stories in foreign territories. Earlier this year a 60 Minutes crew was attacked whilst filming a story in Stockholm, Sweden and a Four Corners crew was detained in Malaysia last month after quizzing Prime Minister Najib Razak about a corruption scandal. UPDATED: Local Lebanese media reported the recovery agents fixers were gunmen and that there had been an altercation involving a grandmother when the children were snatched at a bus stop. These claims have been denied by 60 Minutes, which was not involved in arranging the operation. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed that DFAT is seeking to confirm the whereabouts and welfare of the crew and have offered the consular assistance. Next week ABC begins a five part interview series Meet The Mavericks featuring artists, performers, cultural leaders and trouble-makers. It pairs guests from different generations and fields who have aspects of their work or areas of interest in common. The first episode features Archibald Prize-winning painter and activist Ben Quilty, with indigenous filmmaker and visual artist Warwick Thornton. Also coming up are: Turner Prize-winning sculptor, TV presenter and cross-dresser Grayson Perry, with comedian and author Magda Szubanski. Award-winning actor, Miranda Tapsell, with mentor and fellow actor/director Leah Purcell. Cultural commentator and Radio National host Phillip Adams, with musician, actor, and composer Tim Minchin. Triple j host, satirist, documentary maker and author John Safran, with his British counterpart and fellow gonzo journalist Jon Ronson. 10pm Tuesdays on ABC. Actress Debra Lawrance may have left Home and Away 18 years ago, but that doesnt stop her being asked by fans about a possible return. There are not many days that dont go past, if I am out and about, that people dont say to me Can you come back? she explained. But I say to them, Its a completely different show. The long-running soap in which she played a foster mother to a brood of teens was now dominated by Guns and a lot of alcohol. Back when we were there Alf would have a drink Michael (husband Dennis Coard) could have a beer at a party. Pippa would have a champagne. Irene couldnt drink because she was an alcoholic. And the 20-somethings didnt drink, she continued. I think it was a policy, in much the same way as there was no cigarette-smoking. So nearly at the ripe old age of 60, Im now starting to sound like a wowser! Having performed in the Seven soap for 8 years, Lawrance is duly familiar with the trust they enjoy with devoted audiences. A lot of people out there in TV land who dont have very much look to shows like Home and Away or Neighbours, or any of them, becoming their familiar (comfort food). Thats why its appointment television, she insists. There is something the people need in their lives from that show. In recent years Lawrance has won praise for her portrayal of another mum, that of Josh (Josh Thomas) in ABCs Please Like Me. This week the show was nominated as Most Outstanding Comedy in the Logie Awards, whilst Thomas is up for Best Actor after only a minimal campaign. It means lots of people are voting for Josh. There was only just a little thing on Twitter and the Please Like Me Facebook page, but everybody voted. Im not entirely sure that people in Canada, Brazil and Ireland and everywhere else in the world where its been pirated hacked the internet! I guess it depends on the filters at TV Week? Despite soft ratings for the show in a late timeslot, ABC has kept the door open on the possibility of another season. As Lawrance explains, there is more to the success of the show than Overnight figures, with iview and overseas sales. I think I can say were waiting to hear if Please Like Me 4 is going. There are lots of fingers in the pie now, she said. Dont underestimate the international audience. There are people tweeting from all over the world, who just love it. Mel Gibson is an old mate of mine from drama school and I caught up with him at the AACTAs last year and he was speaking with Anthony LaPaglia. I had never met him before, but as I approached he said Ive been watching your show in LA! We love it! That was because he had worked with Matt Saville, our director. LaPaglia isnt the only star devotee of the show with reports Girls Lena Dunham has discussed the idea of writing with Thomas. Wouldnt that but utterly fabulous, given that they love each other? she smiles. Lets forget about Josh for a moment. The idea that Lena Dunham has watched my work on the screen fills me with incredible delight! NITV will mark National Youth Week, between 8-17 April, with several Indigenous youth titles screening. Alongside three first-run documentaries there will be a dedicated online offering across the week. Tanya Denning-Orman, NITV Channel Manager, says: NITV recognises the importance of engaging our youth and their ability to adapt and make successful change. Our National Youth Week content gives our younger generation a voice, celebrates their achievements and acknowledges the uniqueness of their contribution to our communities. Bush to Belly (Wednesday 13 April, 7.30pm) Narrated by Deborah Mailman, Bush to Belly is the life-affirming adventure of the Bush to Belly Cafe in the Australian outback: serving the best coffee for hundreds of kilometres for adventurous, caffeine-loving cyclists on one of the gnarliest mountain bike rides on the planet the 700 km Gibb Challenge. It follows the journey of a group of Indigenous kids from Yiyili, who take their Italian espresso machine on the Gibb River Rd, making coffees for 600 bike riders. Witnessing the highs and lows of mobile cafe life bull dust, bikes and rich cultural exchange, its a story of engagement through laughter and lattes, thats empowering one of the most remote communities on earth. Cunnamulla Dreaming (Saturday 16 April, 7.30pm) Cunnamulla Dreaming follows a group of students in the South West Queensland town, who unite to create a large-scale theatrical production for their small community. Using performing arts to celebrate their unique way of life, they also address the issues facing the community and share their dreams for the future. This heartfelt and optimistic documentary sees the youth of this remote Australian township bring the community together. The stage play is a celebration of five years of the theatrical workshops running in Cunnamulla by Project Manager and Creative Director of the program, Peter Cook, in partnership with local youth group, Eagle Edge Solutions and the Cunnamulla P-12 State School. One Mob to CGEN (Sunday 17 April, 7.30pm) Following on from last years Our Spirit to CGEN, One Mob to CGEN, follows a new crop of students from South East Queensland coming together to represent their culture, identity and stories through song and dance. Mentored by some of Australias finest dancers from the Bangarra Dance Theatre, the students create a dance based on a story from their Elders, representing rekindling and reconnection with their culture, their community and their people. Their symbolic journey culminates with a performance for thousands live on stage and for a national television audience as part of the Creative Generation State Schools Onstage spectacular (CGEN), presented by the Queensland Government. Season Two of Sally Wainwrights gritty Happy Valley begins May 1st on BBC First. After Season One debuted on ABC thats likely to rankle many fans of the show, unfamiliar with the way programming rights work. Its not expected to air on ABC in 2016. The six part series sees the return of Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton and Charlie Murphy joined by Kevin Doyle, Amelia Bullmore and Shirley Henderson. It aired in the UK in February. As series two opens, we join Catherine (Sarah Lancashire), the altruistic and forthright police sergeant who is back heading up her team of dedicated police officers in The Calder Valley in West Yorkshire. Tommy Lee Royce, the father of her grandchild and the man who nearly killed her, may be in prison, but hes still very much in Catherines thoughts. While on duty Catherine makes a gruesome discovery a body. The victims injuries bear a striking similarity to a string of other murders over the previous few months, suggesting a serial killer is on the loose. But the case becomes even more shocking when it emerges that Catherine knows the victim something that could have significant repercussions for both herself and her family. Elsewhere, Detective John Wadsworth is struggling to put an end to an affair that is rapidly spiralling out of control and Tommy forms a bond with a mysterious female admirer despite being behind bars. Sundays at 8.30pm from May 1 on BBC First. Imagine growing up abroad, visiting various places, and then becoming a member of the U.S. Air Force and embracing its culture. This was the case for Master Sgt. Martha Dunning, AFNORTH standards and evaluations manager, and this weeks unsung hero. Born and raised in Colombia until the age of 7, Dunning is the eldest of four children and the first member of her family to join the Air Force. The Torrance, California native is currently in her 15th year of enlistment. She has six years of prior active-duty Air Force service. Her subsequent years of service have been primarily as a proud member of the Florida Air National Guard. Dunning is a graduate of Torrance High School. She attended El Camino College for a year prior to enlisting. She has also earned a bachelors degree in instructional systems design through Southern Illinois University. Education has always been important to me so I encourage my sons to have a positive outlook when it comes to obtaining knowledge and learning, Dunning said. Its challenging, but we teach our children the importance of service to our country. They know they are my purpose, and that everything I do, I do for them. Dunnings primary position is as an aerospace control and warning systems specialist. When not performing duties as a one charlie five (1C5) or standards and evaluations manager, she leads her units Combined Enlisted Association as its president. The Combined Enlisted Association is a group which meets monthly with the goal of providing members with resources for development, enrichment and organizational leadership opportunities, Dunning said. We discuss topics that reflect day-to-day challenges, such as priority management, stress management, and conflict resolution. Considering April is sexual assault awareness month, were looking forward to having a representative from the sexual assault prevention and response office offer a more in-depth look at the severity of sexual assault and how to handle its unique circumstances, Dunning said. Dunning will also be an implementer of the Green Dot program, a new Air Force program that prepares others to implement a strategy of violence prevention that reduces power-based, interpersonal violence, which includes not only sexual violence, but also domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, child abuse, elder abuse and bullying. In the past, Dunning has also served as the honor guard manager for the 601st Air Operations Center Color Guard Team and as a member of the Tyndall Honor Guard Team. I was awarded the opportunity to be a part of the honor guard team on Tyndall as an airman 1st class, she said. Some aspects that appealed to me the most were the uniforms and the demonstration of discipline and character by its members; just like the time when I was a young girl witnessing a very similar ceremony in Colombia. These were the same characteristics that drew me to become an Airman. In her spare time, Dunning participates in physical exercise activities which she uses to maintain a positive lifestyle and attitude. I love to be outdoors and be physically active. I am part of an awesome gym on the beach, Dunning said. Its family owned and filled with pretty wonderful people whom I consider part of my extended family. My advice to all Airmen is to focus on your why, Dunning said. You can pretty much endure anything if you remember why youre doing it. There are times when you may get frustrated and or upset, but sometimes those are the things you need to push you and to prepare you for even greater opportunities. 1:11 p.m., April 7, 2016--The University of Delaware will host U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest J. Moniz and representatives from the Department of Energys national laboratories at National Lab Day in Delaware, May 13, at UDs Clayton Hall Conference Center. University faculty, staff and students, as well as industry and government representatives, are invited to attend. Register online at this website by May 2. Moniz is scheduled to participate in the event, along with invited guests Delaware Gov. Jack Markell and the states congressional delegation, including U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper and U.S. Rep. John Carney. The University of Delaware is pleased to host National Lab Day in Delaware, said Charlie Riordan, deputy provost for research and scholarship at UD. This is an opportunity for Delaware researchers across academia and industry to learn more about the Department of Energys extensive research facilities and to explore opportunities for collaborating on innovative solutions to the challenges we face in clean energy, the environment, technology, national security and STEM education. The Department of Energys network of national labs is one of the best assets our country has to offer, and I am proud to support their mission and work in helping solve national challenges, said Coons. I look forward to welcoming Sec. Moniz to Delaware, and to the University of Delaware, to mark National Lab Day in Delaware. Its my hope that Sec. Moniz will discover what many of us have known for a long time: The University of Delaware and the state of Delaware are home to some of the worlds most talented and creative scientists, who help lead the way in clean energy research. Coons added, I am also excited to host a fireside chat with Sec. Moniz and look forward to talking with him further about the important work that the federal government, through the Department of Energy and the national labs, has done in coordination with industry and academia to advance research and science in our country and to begin to address the challenges that lie ahead of us as a nation. More broadly, I know this event will be a unique opportunity for expanding a dialogue among lab leaders and business and academic representatives in our state and region. The agenda will include: A keynote address on clean energy challenges and opportunities; An overview of DOEs national labs and how to work with them, including information on their proposal process, tech transfer and STEM education opportunities; A fireside chat with Moniz and Coons; Break-out sessions and panel discussions on lightweight composites manufacturing, clean energy generation, storage and the grid, and cyber- and grid security; and A poster session and reception. DOEs national laboratories were founded in the period of intense scientific investment preceding World War II. Their role is to conduct high-caliber research in physical, chemical, biological, and computational and information sciences; advance U.S. energy independence and leadership in clean energy technologies; enhance global, national and homeland security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent; and design, build and operate distinctive scientific instrumentation and facilities and make them available to the research community. UD researchers are working with DOEs national labs on a wide variety of projects, from the development of breakthrough technologies for producing biofuels and useful chemicals from cornstalks and other biomass, to next-generation magnets for increasing the energy efficiency of electronics, to high-performance computing systems that are green, robust and secure. Additionally, world-class instruments such as the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Lab provide researchers with indispensable tools for determining, for example, the chemical form of metals found in polluted soils critical information for planning environmental remediation efforts. For more information about the event, contact the UD Research Office at 302-831-4007. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy 8:27 a.m., April 7, 2016--The University of Delawares Art Bridging Cultures program will continue its mission to promote cross-cultural exchange and understanding through art, food and relationship building in the third World Kitchen Series dinner and mixer event on April 11. UD students are invited to celebrate the rich cultural and artistic traditions of Germanic culture from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, April 11, in the ballroom of the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel on the Laird Campus. The free Art Bridging Cultures program event exclusively for UD undergraduate, graduate, international and English Language Institute students will feature world class musical artists, German cuisine prepared by a professional chef, quirky interactive art works and thought-provoking presentations. Chef Heinz Ambrosch will showcase his culinary talents with a carefully crafted menu of traditional German delicacies. Following the inaugural World Kitchen Series dinner surrounding the Lunar New Year and the second dinner in March celebrating Turkish culture, Mozarts classic opera The Magic Flute will set the scene for the exploration of Germanic arts and culture. Monday evenings event will feature an excerpted performance from the opera and a brief presentation by renowned opera director Martin Katz. Featured vocalists will include graduate students Kaitlyn Tierney and Rachel Pomeranz and alumni Megan Supina and Shari Feldman, accompanied by pianist Matthew Brower. This performance will give students a sample of the Master Players Concert Series upcoming concert The Magic Flute: A Concert Opera and Season Finale, with exclusive $5 tickets available for sale to students at the event (cash only). In addition to the musical performances and fine dining, the evening will offer an opportunity for University students to explore various craft traditions of Germanic culture through hands on activities and programming, spearheaded by Iris Busch, UD assistant professor of German. As in past events, student interaction and peer engagement are central to the evenings programming, with German, international and domestic students expected in attendance. Space is limited and advance reservations are required. Students can sign up for the free event here. Students who have not signed up will not be admitted. For those who missed the first two World Kitchen Series events, click here for a short video of the Chinese event and here for a short video of the Turkish event. Future events will feature cuisines and artists from countries such as South Africa, Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Scotland, and more. About the World Kitchen Series As a part of the Art Bridging Cultures program, the World Kitchen Series is presented by the Universitys Master Players Concert Series under the direction of Xiang Gao and the UD artist-in-residence program under the direction of Colin Miller. This free concert-dinner series, co-sponsored by the English Language Institute, is conceptualized by San Francisco-based consulting director Alex Wang and is open exclusively to UD students. The World Kitchen Series explores flavors, sights, and sounds from across the globe. A wholly immersive and interactive experience, it invites students to enjoy international cuisines that complement an authentic performance by a leading performing artist/ensemble from that region or country. The series is designed to help students initiate dialogue, network, and create community through the arts. This program is made possible by a grant from UDs English Language Institute, which is committed to offer the highest-quality intensive English programs. Other sponsors include UD artists-in-residence program; the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management; Vita Nova restaurant; and the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel. For a complete list of sponsors, see the website. As many as 1,845 cases have been opened against people accused of insulting President Erdogan since he came to office in 2014. (Photo: AFP) Istanbul: The trial of a Turkish journalist accused of insulting President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has opened and been immediately adjourned in Istanbul. Cengiz Candar, a veteran columnist of newspapers Radikal and Hurriyet, faces up to four years in prison on charges of insulting the president in seven articles that appeared in Radikal. His next appearance in court was set for May 31. Ahead of Thursday's trial, Candar published a column in Radikal announcing his retirement from journalism after 40 years. His column appeared in the liberal-leaning online newspaper's final edition on Wednesday before its shutdown for economic reasons. As many as 1,845 cases have been opened against people accused of insulting Erdogan since he came to office in 2014. A resident of Izyum town in the Kharkiv region, who prepared an explosion on the railroad, was arrested without the right to post bond. Head of Kharkiv regional prosecutors office Pavlo Uhrovetsky told Ukrinform. According to him, it was found out that the man installed two explosive devices on two tracks at the railroad Izyum station to ruin the objects of great economic importance. "The suspect didnt succeed in his attempt to and was detained by the SBU officers," added Uhrovetskyy. "The man, who is charged with the intent intent to sabotage, faces 15 years imprisonment with confiscation of his property," said Uhrovetskyy. He said steps were taken to detect the persons who were involved in the crime. Earlier, Ukrinform reported that while installing the explosives on the railroad, which is used strategically to ship goods to the ATO zone in Donbas, the resident of Izyum was detained on April 5. He was recruited by DPR rebels for $15,000 to carry out the terrorist attack. The militants launched 67 attacks on the ATO troops in eastern Ukraine. This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center. "The militants continue to shell the Ukrainian servicemen in the ATO area using weapons of different caliber. The militants launched 67 attacks over the past day," reads the statement. As noted, the tensest situation was observed in Donetsk direction. The mortars of various calibers were used to shell Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk), Novhorodske (34km north of Donetsk), Opytne (11.5km north-west of Donetsk), Butovka coal mine (11.4km north-west of Donetsk) and Zaitseve (67km north-north-east of Donetsk). In Mariupol direction, the terrorists used grenade launchers, machine guns, anti-aircraft mounts and small arms to shell Ukrainian troops near Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk). ol Five Russian soldiers were killed and nine others were wounded in combats outside Avdiyivka town in the Donetsk region. The press center of the chief intelligence directorate at the defense ministry reports. "New losses reported among soldiers of the 1st Army Corps (Donetsk city) of the Russian Armed Forces who are engaged in fighting outside Avdiyivka (30 km north of Donetsk city). On 6 April five Russian servicemen were killed and another nine injured. Among those victims are from the 11th separate motorized infantry regiment (Makiyivka city), 3rd separate motorized rifle brigade (Horlivka city) and from the 5th separate motorized rifle brigade (Makiyivka city) from the 1st Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces," a statement said. Recall that for about two past weeks the situation in Avdiyivka, Donetsk region, remains aggravated, nearly half of shelling incidents are reported outside Donetsk city occur outside Avdiyivka. No Ukrainian servicemen were killed but one soldier was wounded in the ATO area in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the anti-terrorist operation, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at the briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "No Ukrainian servicemen were killed as a result of the armed hostilities over the past day. However, one our soldier was wounded in shelling near Avdiyivka [18km north of Donetsk]," Motuzianyk said. ol The Infrastructure Ministry has denied reports that Ukrainian ships carry domestic materials to annexed Crimea for the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge and ore for the plants of Dmytro Firtash. Ships from the Ukrainian ports sail in line with the acting legislation, this means they do not enter the ports of temporary occupied Crimea, the Infrastructure Ministry told Ukrinform. The ministry stressed that the observance of this regulation is being monitored by the prosecutors office, the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Border Service. And in case of violations - relevant measures are applied, the ministry added. Earlier, former Ukraines government commissioner for the European Court of Human Rights Borys Babin stated that Ukrainian ships delivered to the annexed Crimea domestic materials for the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge and ore for the plants of Firtash. iy facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published April 4, 2016 MONROE, La. Six Ph.D. and three B.S. students from the ULM Toxicology Department participated at the 2016 meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in New Orleans last month. The SOT is an international organization of professional toxicologists working in academia, industry, government regulatory agencies, risk assessment and consulting. This was the 55th annual meeting and approximately 7,000 attended the annual meeting. Bree St. Germain, Taylor Snell and Sydney Wade from Donaldsonville, Farmerville and Bogalusa, LA, respectively, participated in several networking and recruiting events hosted by the SOT for undergraduate students and viewed cutting-edge research in scientific sessions and posters. Graduate student Vivekkumar Dadhania was the 3rd place recipient of the 2016 Graduate Student Award from the Molecular and Systems Biology Specialty Section. Mr. Dadhania also received a Supplemental Training for Education Program Award from the SOT Graduate Education Subcommittee. Graduate student Joshua T. Salley won the outstanding poster award from the Mixtures Specialty Section for his poster Use of Partial Least Squares Regression to Identify GC/MS Spectral Peaks Correlated with Toxicity Outcomes in Rats of Crude Oil from Various Sources. Graduate students Hanin F.A. Hussin and Vivekkumar Dadhania won the SOT Graduate Student Travel Support Awards. Ms. Hussin and Mr. Dadhania presented posters Comparison of 1H-NMR Fingerprints of Echinacea Purpurea Extracts with Stimulation of Myelopoiesis in Rat to Identify Active Constituents and Wnt/Catenin Signaling Drives Thioacetamide-Mediated Heteroprotection against Acetaminophen-Induced Lethal Liver Injury, respectively. The major professor of Mr. Dadhania is Dr. Harihari M. Mehendale, and of Mr. Salley and Ms. Hussin, Dr. Sharon A. Meyer of the ULM Department of Toxicology. According to Meyer, This meeting was an extraordinary opportunity for the Toxicology students to present their research to leaders of the field and network for the purposes of being recruited for employment and for exploring career options. The ULM Toxicology Department is very proud of the outstanding performance of our students before this prestigious international audience. | By Chris Zang The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) has spent the past 2 years preparing for the reaffirmation of its accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. On April 6, UMB took a giant step toward that important goal with a glowing preliminary report from the Middle States evaluation team. The government accreditation is needed every 10 years to ensure the University remains eligible to receive federal funding for students and researchers. UMB appeared to meet all 14 standards necessary, said the evaluation team, which will turn its findings over to the Middle States full commission for a final decision in November. UMB has a clearly articulated and well-demonstrated commitment to fulfilling its obligations as a public institution that is training the next generation of health care, social work, and legal professionals for the state of Maryland, said Middle States evaluation team chair Denise V. Rodgers, MD, FAAFP, vice chancellor for interprofessional programs at Rutgers University Biomedical and Health Sciences. The University mission statement speaks eloquently about the need to improve the human condition and serve the public good. The educational, research, clinical, and community service activities in most of the schools all have components that specifically address the needs of Maryland residents as well as the needs of the adjacent community in West Baltimore. Rodgers, whose evaluation team included eight other academic standouts from institutions in New York and Pennsylvania, also lauded UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD. During his six-year tenure as president, Dr. Perman through his transformational leadership has created a culture that values interprofessional education and collaboration, enhanced financial transparency, shared governance, and the adoption of seven core values. The evaluation team arrived in Baltimore Sunday to add several days of interviews and impromptu visits with UMB personnel to put into context the comprehensive and very well organized 3,000-page Self-Study Report those at the University submitted in February. The in-person visits left an impression on Rodgers and the evaluation team. Middle States evaluation team chair Denise V. Rodgers addresses UMB faculty, staff, and students in the School of Social Work auditorium. Throughout the University, Rodgers said to a huge crowd assembled in the School of Social Work Auditorium, faculty, students, and staff are all highly complimentary of Dr. Permans inclusive and consultative leadership style. He is also making significant progress in his goal to create UMB as one institution out of many. UMB enrolls 6,300 students in six nationally ranked professional schools dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work and an interdisciplinary Graduate School. Breaking down silos in the schools and taking a team approach has been a priority of Perman. Middle States was such an interprofessional project, with contributors from all UMB schools and units helping with work groups, attending town halls, and supporting UMBs Middle States Steering Committee, headed by co-chairs Natalie Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP, dean of the School of Pharmacy, and Roger Ward, EdD, JD, MPA, chief accountability officer and vice president for operations and planning. Rodgers noted UMBs strong commitment to high-quality research, education, and clinical care and said establishing the Center for Community-Based Engagement and Learning is an excellent example of a central effort to align school-based efforts in the local community and serve as a catalyst for greater collaboration in community-based student engagement. She urged UMB to pursue six priorities it established in the Self-Study Report for its next strategic plan and to act on faculty support for a Universitywide Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Instructional Design. Through the Middle States evaluation process, institutions can receive probation, warning, recommendations, or suggestions. The evaluation team will present to the Middle States Commission that UMB receive the most favorable action reaccreditation with suggestions. Among them were to enhance professional development for school-based student affairs staff, to include course level expected student learning outcomes in all syllabi, to develop a committee for online learning, and for the School of Medicine to consider developing a stronger shared government model. But Rodgers comments for all 14 standards, ranging from Leadership and Governance to Institutional Assessment to Student Admissions and Retention, were favorable and Perman and his Middle States leadership team were obviously pleased afterward. They gave us a clean bill, said Perman, who had expressed his thanks to the University community in his March newsletter message. Throughout this 30-month evaluation process, UMB has had to hit dozens of important milestones and deliver impeccable products that reflect the strengths and ambitions of this University. The fact that we uniformly did so is a tribute to the hundreds of people who took part. The market place in Basateen, the Somali-majority area of Aden in south Yemen has a mix of food stalls, qat sellers and craftsmen. UNHCR/H. Macleod ADEN, Yemen, April 7 (UNHCR) - Ethiopian refugee Nouria believed she would finally be able to live in peace when, at the age of 63, she moved into a care home run by the Missionaries of Charity in the Yemeni port of Aden earlier this year. She was wrong. Gunmen burst into the home in March and shot dead 16 people, including four Ethiopian asylum-seekers and one refugee, who were employees at the home. Traumatised, Nouria survived the attack but is still struggling with the psychological effects. "I still suffer flashbacks and nightmares," she said. "When I recall the attack, I often faint. I am scared of staying at home alone." She has returned to the Kharaz refugee camp, where she lived for 15 years before moving to Aden. Nouria is one of more than 260,000 refugees of various nationalities in Yemen. She originally fled Ethiopia years ago because of political instability and settled in the Kharaz camp, in Yemen's Lahij governorate, which houses about 18,000 refugees. However, without family members to support her, she found life a struggle. In September 2015, she moved to Basateen district near Aden, seeking a better life and hoping to obtain medical assistance, but ended up living on the street. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partner InterSos, a non-profit agency that works with the survivors of the conflict in Yemen, found a place for Nouria at the care home for the elderly, where she would be able to receive medical and psychological care. At the time of the attack, three refugees and four asylum-seekers were living in the care home. Nouria was one of two women refugees who survived. Nouria, 63, remains traumatised after gunmen overran the care home where she was trying to rebuild a shattered life. UNHCR, InterSos, Samir "This is a terrorist act that targeted innocent people and refugees," said refugee community leader, Abdulbasit, who helped arrange the burials for the Ethiopian asylum seekers killed in the attack. He said the refugees lived in fear of another attack. "Nowadays, we avoid gathering at one place for the fear of being attacked." Security in Yemen has deteriorated since fighting there intensified in late March 2015, and tens of thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers in urban areas decided to move to other parts of the country. Many returned home in the past few months after some stability returned to the province (governorate) of Aden. In recent weeks, however, security in the city has again deteriorated and the refugee communities there feel a growing sense of despair. Many have lost their livelihoods and are afraid to travel, yet cannot return to their home countries. More than 21 million people - 82 percent of Yemen's population of more than 26 million - are in need of protection or humanitarian assistance and a further 173,000 have sought safety abroad. That was not an option for Nouria. Yemen has historically been a transit hub for refugees, asylum-seekers and economic migrants from the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. Although it is the poorest country in the Gulf, it has been exceptionally generous towards refugees. It is the only country in the Arabian Peninsula that has signed the 1951 UN refugee convention and its 1967 protocol. The attack on the care home has left Nouria once again without a safe place to call home. Although now back in the Kharaz refugee camp, she has no family members or relatives to take care of her. "I want to find a place where I can feel peaceful but right now," she said. "I don't have anywhere else to go." By Tiffany Tool and Soojin Hyung, Yemen Last month, two people, including a 4-year-old boy, were killed in Turkey by rockets fired from Islamic State-controlled territory across the border. (Representataional Photo: AP) Ankara: Turkey's state-run news agency says two rockets fired from Syria have landed in a Turkish border town, wounding at least two people. Anadolu Agency says one of the rockets exploded near a park in Kilis on Thursday. The second rocket did not explode, the agency reported. Several ambulances were sent to the area and two schools were evacuated. Last month, two people, including a 4-year-old boy, were killed in Turkey by rockets fired from Islamic State-controlled territory across the border. The Turkish military has been retaliating to any rockets or shells fired from Syria that land on Turkish territory in line with its rules of engagement. Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday said India had not produced witnesses belonging to the security forces before its Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the Pathankot terror attack. In its first statement after the JIT returned here following its visit to Pathankot and New Delhi, Pakistan Foreign Ministry made no reference to media reports in this country that claimed that the Pathankot attack was "stage-managed" by India. The report had been sharply condemned in India as double-speak by ISI and Pakistani armed forces. "The JIT visited the crime scene and also recorded the statements of some witnesses. However, the witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not produced before it," said the Pakistan Foreign Office statement. Noting that the JIT visited India from March 27 to April 1 for investigating the allegations regarding the attack on Pathankot Airbase, it said the visit started with a presentation given by the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding its investigations so far. "The JIT briefed the NIA on progress of investigations in Pakistan. Further investigations are underway," it said. The statement said the visit took place "in the context of the cooperative approach being pursued by the Government of Pakistan as part of its commitment to effectively fight terrorism in all its forms." According to the Indian side, the JIT was provided all evidence pertaining to the attack, including the DNA of four terrorists, their identity as well as call records showing involvement of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists behind the terror strike on the Pathankot airbase on the intervening night of January 1 and 2. The gunbattle, which lasted for more than 80 hours left seven Indian security personnel dead. Lahore: On the lines of the Taliban, Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed - led Jamaat-ud-Dawah has set up a 'Sharia Court' here to hand out "easy and swift justice", the first such parallel judicial system in Pakistan's Punjab Province. The JuD has set up the 'Sharia Court' with its headquarters at Jamia Qadsia, Chauburji, under a Qazi (judge) who is assisted by Khadmins (court associates) to decide complaints. Darul Qaza Sharia -- a parallel private judicial system -- has been set up by the group in Lahore to provide "easy and swift justice" to the people and deals mostly in civil cases relating to property and monetary disputes. The complaints are addressed to Saeed who later refers them to the Qazi for further proceedings. According to a copy of one of the 'JuD summons', it has been dispensing private justice through the court for the last couple of months. The 'summon', bearing monograms of Darul Qaza Sharia, Jamat-ud-Dawah, Pakistan, and 'Saalsi Sharai Adalat-i-Aalia' (Arbitration Court of Sharia), orders a man named Khalid to appear before the 'court' at the Jamia Qadsia Chauburji to 'record his statement' in a complaint against him. He is warned of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response from his side. The organisation's 'Arbitration Court of Sharia' has been taking up complaints of citizens approaching it for justice and summoning the 'defendants' in person or through a legal counsel with warnings of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response. JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid defended the establishment of the 'Sharia Court'. "Sharia Court is not a parallel system to the constitutional courts of the country. It is an arbitration court, which decides disputes with the consent of the parties," he told Dawn News. Mujahid said disputes have been resolved in accordance with Islamic laws and that offering arbitration to confronting parties is not illegal. However, he could not justify issuance of summons carrying a "warning of strict action" in case of non-compliance. This is the first Sharia court ever established in Punjab province. Earlier, the Sharia courts were established in Kyber Pakhtaunkhawa province by pro-Taliban groups. "The Punjab government of Shahbaz Sharif is aware of this but it has deliberately turned a blind eye to it because it is not willing to lay hand on the JuD," a source in the Punjab government said. The Punjab government in past used to give funds to the JuD for its educational institutions in the province. He said a number of applicants visiting the JuD's Sharia Court is rising as it is ensuring "swift" justice unlike the conventional courts where a civil case takes years to be decided. Pakistan Bar Council member Azam Nazir Tarar said, "Setting up a Sharia court is in sheer violation of the Constitution of Pakistan. The Constitution does not allow any private organisation to use the word 'court'. The word can be used for Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court, High Courts and all other courts established by a High Court only. This is a parallel judicial system and against the law of the land." He said conventional courts of the country are working under Quran, Sunnah and Sharia laws. The Constitution of Pakistan bars any law against Quran and Sharia. Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Lahore Police Haider Ashraf said, "We will take action if we receive any complaint in this regard." The law does not allow any parallel judicial system, he said. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was hacked to death by suspected Islamists in Bangladeshs capital, Dhaka. He had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers. (Photo: Facebook) Dhaka: Three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked and shot a student to death as he was walking with a friend in the capital of Bangladesh, police said Thursday. The killing on Wednesday night follows a string of similar attacks last year, when at least five secular bloggers and publishers were killed allegedly by the radical Islamists. Police suspect 28-year-old Nazimuddin Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country, and for supporting a 2013 movement to demand capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. No group immediately claimed responsibility. The assailants, who had been riding a single motorcycle, escaped after the assault while shouting, "Allahu Akbar," or "Allah is great." Friends and fellow students of Samad rallied Thursday on the ground of the state-run Jagannath University, where Samad was studying law and had attended class the evening of the attack. "This is very sad for us. We are trying whatever we can do to support the family during such difficult time," university proctor Nur Mohammad said. A supporter of the ruling Awami League party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Samad took part in the movement that successfully pushed authorities to create a wider scope for prosecution for the suspected war criminals. AIM - To study the relationship between erectile dysfunction and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)/metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS - This prospective study invited male patients with T2DM attending for a routine outpatient check-up to complete two questionnaires. A general questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical characteristics, while sexual function was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function scoring system. The prevalence of MetS in this patient population was determined using information from the general questionnaire. Risk factors for erectile dysfunction were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS - A total of 175 patients provided valid questionnaires; of these, 148 (84.6%) had MetS. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 90.9% (159/175) in the entire survey population compared with 89.2% (132/148) in patients with MetS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following risk factors for erectile dysfunction in patients with T2DM and/or MetS: age, blood pressure and duration of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS - These current findings suggest that the MetS and its components have a negative impact on male erectile function. The Journal of international medical research. 2016 Apr 01 [Epub ahead of print] Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary, Bilal Haider Shamsi, Tan Tan, Hui-Ming Chen, Jun-Ping Xing Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China., Department of Paediatrics, Shenmu Hospital, Shenmu County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, China., Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan Province, China., Department of Urology, Shaanxi Kangfu Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China., Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27036148 Acupuncture is a promising therapy for relieving symptoms in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), which affects >15% of adult men worldwide.The aim of the study was to assess the effects and safety of the use of acupuncture for CP/CPPS. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, Wang-Fang Database, JCRM, and CiNii were searched from their inception through 30 November 2015. Grey literature databases and websites were also searched. No language limits were applied.Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with CP/CPPS treated by acupuncture were included. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of RCTs using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tools, respectively.Seven trials were included, involving 471 participants. The result of meta-analysis indicated that compared with sham acupuncture (MD: -6.09 [95%CI: -8.12 to -5.68]) and medicine (Levofloxacinand, Ibuprofen, and Tamsulosin) (MD: -4.57 [95%CI: -7.58 to -1.56]), acupuncture was more effective at decreasing the total NIH-CPSI score. Real acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms (pain, voiding) and quality of life (Qof) domain subscores. Compared to sham acupuncture and medicine, acupuncture appears to be more effective at improving the global assessment. Two trials found that there is no significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in decreasing the IPSS score. Acupuncture failed to show more favorable effects in improving both symptoms and the Qof domain compared with medicine.Overall, current evidence supports acupuncture as an effective treatment for CP/CPPS-induced symptoms, particularly in relieving pain. Based on the meta-analysis, acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture in improving symptoms and Qof. Acupuncture might be similar to medicine (Levofloxacinand, Ibuprofen, and Tamsulosin) in its long-term effects, but evidence was limited due to high ROB among included trials as well as potential heterogeneity. Acupuncture is associated with rare and slightly adverse events.Protocol registration PROSPERO CRD42015027522. Medicine. 2016 Mar [Epub] Zongshi Qin, Jiani Wu, Jing Zhou, Zhishun Liu From the Department of Acupuncture (ZQ, JW, JZ, ZL), Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences; and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (ZQ, JZ), Beijing, China. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26986148 Objectives. Although research demonstrates the public health burden of prostate cancer among men in the Caribbean, relatively little is known about the factors that underlie the low levels of testing for the disease among this population. Study Design. A cross-sectional study of prostate cancer testing behaviours among men aged 40-60 years in Dominican Republic using the Demographic and Health Survey (2013). Methods. We use hierarchical binary logit regression models and average treatment effects combined with propensity score matching to explore the determinants of prostate screening as well as the average effect of health insurance coverage on screening. The use of hierarchical binary logit regression enabled us to control for the effect of unobserved heterogeneity at the cluster level that may affect prostate cancer testing behaviours. Results. Screening varied significantly with health insurance coverage, knowledge of cholesterol level, education, and wealth. Insured men were more likely to test for prostate cancer (OR = 1.65, p = 0.01) compared to the uninsured. Conclusions. The expansion and restructuring of Dominican Republic universal health insurance scheme to ensure equity in access may improve health access that would potentially impact positively on prostate cancer screening among men. Journal of cancer epidemiology. 2016 Mar 10 [Epub] Joseph Kangmennaang, Isaac Luginaah Department of Geography and Environment, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1., Department of Geography, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada N6A 5C2. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27034669 excalibur said: "Sky-high" is not a scientific formulation. And has no bearing on the study exploding the "models" failures. Sky-high? :mellow: Click to expand... Predictions of unprecedented rainfall extremes in the 20th century driven by global warming turned out wrong, a study said Wednesday, casting doubt on methods used to project future trends. A massive trawl of Northern Hemisphere rainfall data for the last 1,200 years revealed there had been more dramatic wet-dry weather extremes in earlier, cooler centuries before humans set off fossil fuel-driven global warming. This is problematic, said a study in the journal Nature, as the same data models used to anticipate that global warming would cause record rainfall extremes in the 1900s, are the basis for projections of things to come. "It might be more difficult than often assumed to project into the future," the study's lead author Fredrik Ljungqvist of Stockholm University told AFP of the findings. "The truth can be much, much more complicated." The UN's climate science panel, the consensus authority, contends that dry areas will become ever drier and wet ones wetter as the global temperature rises in response to greenhouse gas emissions. But the new work said sky-high temperatures in the 20th century did not directly translate into record extremes between wet and dry weather, as many had expected. This meant that "much of the change is not only driven by temperature, but some internal, more random variability," explained Ljungqvist. "It's therefore very, very hard also to predict (precipitation extremes) with models." Yes, sky-high from your quote which I will paste here in its entirety:You're attacking the quote you posted.Capiche? All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In lobbying for the Panama-United States Trade Promotion Agreement, Clinton paved the way for major banks and corporations, most notably the Deutsche Bank, to skirt national laws and regulations. After she resigned as Secretary of State, the Deutsche Bank paid her $445,000 for a speech. While criminality cant yet be definitively established, this may change when the Suddeutsche Zeitung publishes its comprehensive list at the end of the month. In addition to the aforementioned connection, Clintons name has already surfaced in connection to a billionaire and a Russian-controlled bank named in the files.The fallout from the Panama Papers is being felt around the world. On Tuesday, Icelands Prime Minister resigned after it was revealed his family had used a shell company to hold millions of dollars worth of bonds in a collapsed bank. After an interview in which Prime Minister Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson had a meltdown when asked about the companys assets, over 20,000 citizens of Iceland protested. For context, thats approximately 10% of the countrys population.How does this lead to Bernie Sanders defeating Hillary Clinton? The Sanders campaign has been run on the premise that Clinton is inextricably linked to political corruption, disastrous military interventions, and collusion with Wall Street. If it can be shown that Clinton was involved in criminal improprieties exposed by the Panama Papers, this will constitute yet another major line of attack for Sanders headed into the April 14th debate in New York. If Sanders wins the New York primary a few days later and scoops up a proportion of its 247 delegates, the narrative of the election will dramatically shift.When added to the myriad other Clinton scandals and political vulnerabilities, the Democratic partys gatekeeper superdelegates could decide that Clinton is too big of a liability going into the general election. It all comes down to New York, though Sanders must win New York. If he does, you will see historic chaos unleashed upon the American electorate. And if the Panama Papers leak sets off an unstoppable domino effect, the DNC may soon find its fractured party looking just as ghoulish as the clowns autopsy being conducted on the Republican Party. A Southern California high school student has died after the homemade model rocket he attached to his skateboard deck to propel it forward exploded, killing the student and injuring his friend. According to authorities, 18-year-old Bernard Moon, of Thousand Oaks, California, died after the blast Monday night while he and a fellow, unnamed 17-year-old senior at Thousand Oaks High School were experimenting with the homemade rocket-propelled skateboard in the courtyard at Madrona Elementary School in Thousand Oaks. The pair of honor roll students were using a rocket roughly 1 foot long and three quarters of an inch in diameter. As reported by the Associated Press, the rocket was specifically designed to move the skateboard. It wasnt meant to go up into the sky, Ventura County Sheriffs Office Captain Garo Kuredjian told the AP. It was meant to go horizontally to propel a skateboard. On Monday, students at Indiana University Bloomington mistook a priest for a Ku Klux Klan member, taking to social media to express their fear of the alleged Klansman, who they claimed was carrying a whip, and dressed in white robes. Rumors of a Klansman on campus were extinguished after it was pointed out that the passerby was actually a priest innocently making his way through Bloomington, Indiana. When sighted on campus, students thought his white robes indicated an affiliation with the KKK. Residential hall advisor Ethan Gill quickly wrote an email to his students, warning them of the threat on campus: There has been a person reported walking around campus in a KKK outfit holding a whip. Because the person is protected under first amendment rights, IUPD cannot remove this person from campus unless an act of violence is committed. Please PLEASE PLEASE be careful out there tonight, always be with someone and if you have no dire reason to be out of the building, I would recommend staying indoors if youre alone. Later in the evening, Gill was forced to retract his warning on his Facebook page, where he clarified that the purported Klansman was actually just an innocent priest dressed in liturgical garments. The whip turned out to be the clergymans robe-like belt that was tied around his waist. This is what happens when there is miscommunication, Gill wrote. So what happened tonight goes like this: a person saw white robes and what looked to them like a weapon, got scared (rightfully so), warned people, warned staff, which in turn caused me to warn my residents because I need to look out for my residents, which in turn made it spread. Then my residents, terrified, come running to me, saying yeah the report must be true, they saw him and couldnt believe there was a klansmember [sic] with a whip, he explained. And I see this picture. Its a priest. With a rosary. ... Societe Generale, a financial service firm in France, said that it stood by all the rules of its operating nations. The bank confirmed that it no longer detained any establishments in the process in the Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories (NCCTs). Societe Generale noted that it was conducting an active policy against tax fraud as well as tax avoidance. With regard to the information that the bank declined to provide details regarding its clients to the authorities, Societe Generale denied this statement. The bank said that it was not petitioned and that it always answered to demands from its authorities. The French bank embraced a Tax Code of Conduct in 2010, framing a clear charter for relations with customers in connection with the tax fraud fight. The bank said it refuse to take part in tasks that would be conflicting to these principles. The financial service provider has decided to organise private banking events in jurisdictions, which have embraced the rule for the spontaneous interchange of information created by the OECD. According to Reuters, Societe Generale is named among other financial forms in a document that purportedly portray the use of Mossack Fonseca's service in Panama, requesting offshore firms for clients. The documents appeared in an investigation released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Meanwhile, Michel Spain, finance minister of France, has summoned the bank's executive team for an unscheduled summit after the media reports regarding Societe's previous dealings with Mossack Fonseca. Christian Eckert, the budget minister, said that the government is examining the report and exploring possible options to control such incidents in the future. Bloomberg quoted a report from ICIJ, which stated that the bank accounted for nearly 979 offshore firms fixed by the law firm over the recent decades. HSBC Holdings fixed over 2,300 of offshore firms while UBS Group and Credit Suisse Group each account for roughly 1,100 of entities through the law firm. Societe Generale said that it offers services to holding firms for its customers in a transparent method and respect all rules fighting against tax evasion and other related fraud. The bank noted that the number of active charters framed through the law firm for customers totals a few dozen. The bank is also preparing to reduce 128 workforces in its investor solutions and global banking business in an effort to trim expenses. The business unit that includes the bank's asset controlling, prime brokerage and wealth supervising businesses accounts for 38% of EUR 850 million in expense reduction, which the bank expects to accomplish next year. The bank is determined to approach the Panama investigation positively and is hopeful regarding the prosperity of its financial condition. Anti corruption activist and lawmakers heavily criticized the draft of EU anti tax-evasion law. In the meantime, Prime Minister of Iceland resigned following protest over offshore account. Transparency International advocacy group posted the draft on its website. In the draft, all EU multinational companies was obliged to disclose their tax and financial data to the public for every EU country in which they operate. However, they are require to do so for the activities conducted outside the region. While all European Union multinational companies are only required to provide aggregated information for their activities beyond the bloc. The draft, which is due to present next week, has drawn more criticism from anti corruption activist following the leaks of more than 11.5 million documents belonging to Panamian lawfirm, Mossack Fonseca, on Sunday. The advocacy group strongly requsted European Union to amend the draft. In the statement, as quoted by Reuters, the Berlin-based group said the European Union multinational companies must also provide comprehensive report for their activities, regardless of the location they operate. "You can't have 28 reports for the EU and one report for the rest of the world. It defeats the purpose of this legislation and means that companies will still be able to use tax havens," Transparency International said. In the draft, the regulation only imposed on companies with a minimum annual turnover of 750 million euros ($855 million). The minimum threshold aim to avoid smaller companies to be burden with unnecessary costs. In regard to the minimum threshold, another group, Oxfam, said in its statement, "The proposed measures would cover too few companies. It makes us wonder if the European Commission is really willing to put an end to tax dodging." The Panama leaks have exposed many politicians worldwide who used Mossack Fonseca's service to launder money, dodge sanctions and avoid tax. One of them is Finland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugson. BBC reported that the document mentioned about him having an undeclared interest linked to his wife's wealth. The document showed the Prime Minister Gunnlaugson and his wife had investments placed in the British Virgin Islands, including debt in three failed banks of Iceland. The irony is that his offshore investments were held while Iceland enforced capital controls. Thousands of angered citizens marched the street in a protest asking Gunnlaugsson to step down. Bloomberg reported that Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson finally resigned following the protests and pressure of opposition and his own party. Panama Leaks have drawn interest from many advocacy groups related to the draft of EU anti tax-evasion law. While following the document leaks, Iceland Prime Minister resigned over allegation of tax evasion and hiding his wealth. Canada's biggest bank, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), had responded to the Panama Papers documents leak connecting the bank to an offshore money trail. The bank has denied having or supporting any illegal activities in offshore tax havens. The RBC is listed among thousands other high-profile individuals and institutions in a documents leak obtained from Panama-registered law firm Mossack Fonseca. According to CBC News, the documents suggest that the bank used the law firm's services to set up at least 370 offshore companies for its clients. While setting up a holding company overseas itself is not always associated with illegal activities, there are some illegal reasons to set up offshore companies, including money laundering, tax evasion, or support for criminal activities such as drug dealing, among others. The RBC is quick to respond and explained in an official statement that their practices are legal as it has high standards to make sure its services are not being use for wrongdoings or illegal activities such as tax evasion. "We have an extensive due diligence process to ensure we understand who the client is and what their intentions are, and will not proceed with a transaction until we do," as revealed in the statement. Furthermore, the bank claimed that they would report accordingly and terminate business with a client if they found any reason to believe a client is up to a criminal offense, including tax evasion. "We make sure our clients have the information they need to properly file their taxes and we advise them of their obligation to do so," the statement said. After its name was revealed to have set up about 370 offshore corporations, RBC claimed to have been working within the legal and regulatory framework, not only in Canada but every other country in which the bank operates. According to Financial Post, the statement also explained that the RBC also advises clients to seek independent tax advice from professionals. The law firm, from which the 11 million documents were obtained, is reportedly one of the world's top firm to create offshore or shell companies for various reasons, including tax evasions. According to CTVNews, the authenticity of the documents have been confirmed by the firm but denied any wrongdoing in association with any clients named in the documents. Canada's RBC has defended its name after being listed as one of Mossack Fonseca's clients in the Panama Papers. The bank claimed to not have help or advised any of its clients to evade tax using shell companies in offshore tax havens such as Panama. Lumber Liquidators Holdings, a US-based flooring firm, won a civil case, which had alleged the company for violating a state law in California that urges companies to report warnings regarding the possible harmful substances in their products. Following the news, shares of the company increased 11% during the trading session on Tuesday. In a preliminary ruling, the jury George C. Hernandez Jr. discovered that Sunshine Park and Global Community Monitor, which filed a case against the company, had not produced any proof, supporting the violation of California's law. The case applicants had accused that the company failed to provide warning details to its customers in California about the presence of formaldehyde in some of its flooring products. Revenues and stock price of Lumber were impacted in the past year following a "60 Minutes" section on CBS that charged the company with selling some China-made laminate floor covering, which emitted formaldehyde above the standard level prescribed in California emissions law. In March, the company agreed to pay a settlement fee of $2.5 million to the California Air Resources Board, as reported by THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Over the recent period, Lumber Liquidators implemented strict safety measures like halting the sale of China made flooring materials that contained high quantity of formaldehyde, threatening the increased cancer risk factors in people with continuous exposure to the flooring. The stocks of the company ended Tuesday trading session at $14.20. In a press release issued on Tuesday, Lumber Liquidators said that this incident marks a significant milestone in its history as the company moves forward to achieve its business goals and improve its functional performance. "We have implemented significant enhancements to our sourcing and compliance practices, and we look forward to continuing to deliver products that are compliant with California's environmental standards," the company noted. Share Trading.NEWS quoted a latest report, which stated that 0 analysts have rated Lumber's stock with a "strong buy" rating, o experts with "buy rating, while 13 analysts have rated the stock with "neutral" rating, 1 expert with "sell" rating and 0 analysts with "strong sell" rating. Wedbush's analysts reiterated their rating on the company's stock at "neutral" and fixed a target price of US$13 on the stock. Meanwhile, financial experts followed by Zacks Research unanimously expect Lumber to report a $-0.29 a share for the quarter. The company's earnings report is scheduled to be released on or around 2016-05-04. Lumber's earnings were $-0.73 per share during the previous quarter that ended December 31, 2015. The analysts had expected an earnings number of $-0.5 per share for the quarter. The company is optimistic about the financial position and expect to achieve its financial goals in the coming periods. The victory over the plaintiffs in the lawsuit highlights the company's progress in the long run. France's Minister of Environment and Energy Segolene Royal is offering a manufacturing facility in the country for American automaker Tesla. The offer came after Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk spoke at an event in France of planning to establish a manufacturing facility for electric cars in Europe. According to Reuters, the minister has offered France's oldest nuclear reactor site to be Tesla's European electric car factory, the Fessenheim in the Alsace region. The facility will be closed at the end of the year, as it is about to start processing its shutdown soon. Also, if Tesla accepts the offer, the company could use the place after the process is completed. The French government has been planning to close the nuclear plant down but is facing resistance from local politicians and unions that would lose their jobs. The minister thought of a transformation of the site as a solution for the facility. "We need to give hope to this community. My idea is to bring a Tesla factory," Royal said. Fessenheim employed 850 staff and 250 contractors. The minister said that she is delighted that Musk did not reject or say "no" to the offer. Royal is delighted by the possibility of building Tesla's facility in the site after the closing of the nuclear plant. "We turn the page and look to the future. And electric cars are the industry of the future," she added. Even so, Royal admitted that there are some complexities to pursue that transformation. As noted by electrek, the decontamination of a nuclear plant can take years before the site could be used for other purposes. As the process is to start by the end of the year, it is most likely that Tesla will not be able to use the site soon. The offer is not yet a reached deal and it could take time before an agreement is formed, but the local people are excited to possibly have Tesla around. According to Jalopnik, the people even edited a short video to advertise the potential Tesla site. As for now, the local officials are set to meet with Tesla's representatives this month to further discuss the possibility of a deal. Tesla has received an official offer from the French government, particularly the Minister of Environment and Energy, to take the country's site formerly used as a nuclear plant as a new manufacturing facility. The representatives from the company will meet region officials to discuss potential deal regarding the offer. Tesla's electric car factory is expected to keep local people employed after the nuclear plant shutdown. Intel acquired Italian semiconductor company to strengthen its IoT and autonomous car system. Yogitech is the small company which has worked closely with other chip makers. As part of Intel, Yogitech will be part of Internet of things group. The Santa Clara-based company estimated that around 30% of the IoT market segment will need a functional safety by 2020. For years, Intel has been working on the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which enhance safety in the transportation and factory systems. ADAS is a technology behind the assisted parking in current automobiles. The technology also become the most important part of the autonomous vehicle technoly and other IoT-related market. Anticipating the future increase of functional safety technology, Intel acquire Yogitech, the Italian semiconductor company. Yogitech is known for its functional safety and the processes to build them into semiconductors. Its flagship technology, faultRobust, is a system performing functional safety analysis which is built into an integrated circuits. Previously, the Italian company had worked with other chip makers such as Texas Instruments, ARM, Toshiba, Fujitsu, and ST Microelectronics. In its official press release, Intel announced the acquisition on Tuesday, April 5. Vice president and general manager of platform engineering and development in the Internet of Things (IoT) Group at Intel Corporation, Ken Caviasca, said, "We're excited to welcome the YOGITECH team to Intel. While we're not ready to share product roadmap details yet, this team and technology will take our autonomous systems efforts to the next level." Intel acknowledged that in the near future, IT systems will merge with operational systems in buildings, factories and vehicles. Therefore, a functional safety such as Yogitech's technology become an important piece in a wide range of Internet of Things (IoT) market opportunities. Tech Crunch reported that although Intel did not share how the technology will be implemented, but prior acquisition of Altera could point out where it would work. In June 2015, Intel acquired Altera, the manufacturer of integrated circuit to become the Programmable Solution division in Intel. Following the acquisition team from Altera work on the "lockstep" safety solution for the Nios II embedded processor. Altera said the solution would reduce risk in design cycles and help system designers to simplify certification for industrial and automotive safety applications. Intel also reportedly made another acquisition to strengthen its IoT Division. According to Forbes, Wind River unit, an Intel division that focuses on IoT software has bought Arynga, company that build software which allow cars to receive over-the-air updates. Over-the-air updates is a crucial part for safety as carmakers can update software in their cars on-the-fly, instead of recalling the product. Intel has moved further ahead with its IoT and autonomous car technology. The company acquired Yogitech which build a functional safety processss and embedded them in chip. Yogitech will become part of Intel IoT division. U.S. Department of Justice has prepared a lawsuit to block Halliburton acquisition of Baker Hughes, based on antitrust law. Halliburton took over Baker Hughes in November 2014 on a $3.5 billion deal. Halliburton acquired its oil field service company's rival in 2014 and before the merger, the Houston-based company was required to divest over $5 billion of its assets. Bloomberg reported that the Justice Department said that the merger "threatens to substantially lessen competition in numerous markets." Both companies are industry leaders in the oil field service, with Halliburton is the second largest oil field service company and Baker Hughest is the third largest. Merger between the companies will create the oil field service giant behind Schlumberger. Justice Department argued that the merger violated antitrust laws by eliminating competition between the firms. Wall Street Journal reported that if the merger falters, Halliburton must pay $3.5 billion break-fee to Baker Hughes, its intended partner. That is equal to more than 10% of its market capitalization of $30 billion. Reuters reported that Justice Department worried on two areas regarding the merger. The first one is the divested drilling technology businesses would go to small companies. Those companies are not up to par to compete with either Halliburton or Baker Hughes. The second concern is that the merger will stop innovation in oil field technology. Since merger between Halliburton and Baker Hughes would make industry leaders to have less incentive to continue innovating. Reuters also reported the new company would create a dominant leader in hydraulic fracturing or fracking technology. Halliburton is one of the oldest American company in the oil field service. Founded in 1919 in Oklahoma, the company is now headquartered in North Houston and a leader in the fracking technology. Fracking is the oil drilling technique which injecting a high-pressure water mixed with sands and thickening agent into the rock to release the gas. Fracking is a controversial method because of increasing seismic activities during the drilling process. Nevertheless, the method has more economic benefit. Baker Hughes can track its history from the Hughes Tool Company in 1908 by Howard Hughes. After a series of merger and acquisition between oil service companies for decades have made what is known as Baker Hughes today. The company is famous for its agressiveness in developing new oilfield technologies. Halliburton proposed an acquisition deal to Baker Hughes in 2014 in a $35 billion deal. The deal is waiting for regulatory approval from several countries. Along with United States, European Union, Brazil and regulators from other countries have concern the merger will affect the competition level and prices. U.S. Department of Justice has prepared lawsuit to block Halliburton acquisition on Baker Hughes. The deal is also waiting for regulatory approvals from European Union and Brazil. Pfizer, a US-based drug company, is said to dismiss its merger deal with Allergan. The US drugmaker wants to quit from the $160 billion merger deal since Washington authorities set new rules, making corporate inversions harder. On Monday, the government under President Barack Obama proclaimed stricter rules aimed to halt overseas inversions. Pfizer will need to pay the Botox maker a termination fee of $400 million, Bloomberg said quoting unidentified sources with knowledge of the matter. In 2015, Allegan, which has its legal address in Dublin, agreed on a deal that would have provided Pfizer an overseas dwelling and also the benefit of a smaller tax rate. The merger deal would have created a new company headquartered in Ireland. But the dreams of Pfizer, enjoying low tax rate in a foreign land, were shaken when the government officials proposed a new rule threatening foreign inversions. According to the new rules, firms that have already involved in acquisitions within the previous 36 months could not part take in further inversion deals. Unfortunately for Pfizer, its deal partner has been involved in many inversion deals within the time frame set by the government. On Tuesday, Obama said reporters that corporate inversions make "hardworking Americans feel like the deck is stacked against them." Nearly 53 US firms have changed their tax domicile to foreign lands since the time when corporate inversion entered the US soil in 1982. Treasury authorities pointed out that this new rule is not aimed against any specific taxpayer. According to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, Allergen would possibly seek more acquisitions on its own as soon as it finishes Teva deal, which involves selling its generic drugs to Teva Pharmaceutical. The journal said that inversion transactions have become common in the US corporate community, with many firms seeking a lower tax rate in foreign markets. The inversions have become a matter of debate even in the presidential election campaign, with candidates criticizing the relocating of US firms in foreign countries and reducing tax bills in the country. Pfizer and Allergen merger deal was a campaign debate among the Democratic and Republican candidates, who ridiculed the deal. Shares of Allergen dropped 15% on Tuesday trading session, signalling the lack of faith among investors over the merger deal. Financial Market News reported that Diligent Investors have reduced their shareholdings in the New-York based drug maker by 1.4% in the final quarter of 2015. The seventh largest shareholder sold 820 shares of Pfizer during the period. Sanders Capital acquired new shares in the company worth about $341.2 million. Russell Frank increased its position in the firm by 27.5% and currently owns 18 million shares of Pfizer. The growing anxiety of the US government regarding the inversion deals prompted it to set new principles in order to safeguard its nationality and also protect its tax gains. Pfizer decided to end the deal with Allergan on fears that US authorities will not allow the deal to take place. PayPal announced Monday that it would no longer be opening an office in North Carolina after Republican Gov. Pat McRory signed into law a bill requiring people to use the biologically correct bathroom, a move PayPal CEO Dan Schulman said violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPals mission and culture. But PayPals values didnt keep the company from opening and maintaining a global operations center in Malaysia, where homosexual acts are punishable by public lashings and jail sentences up to 20 years. According to Schulman, PayPals decision to kill 400 jobs reflects PayPals deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect. The same day that Schulman issued his statement, Malaysian student Hazim Ismail was granted asylum by Canada because he is gay and it would be too dangerous for him to return to his home country. Ismail testified that he faced persecution in the heavily-Muslim Malaysia because he had been publicly outed as a homosexual. So far, Schulman has remained silent on the persecution of homosexuals in Malaysia. Malaysia isnt the only country persecuting gays in which PayPal has set up shop. PayPals international headquarters are based in Singapore, where homosexual acts even those done privately are punishable by up to two years in jail. And Singapores anti-gay laws look like theyre here to stay. In 2014, the countrys highest court upheld laws criminalizing homosexual behavior. Hennes & Mauritz, a Sweden-based fashion clothing manufacturer, reported its earnings for the first quarter that ended February 29, 2016. The company's quarterly sales including VAT rose by 9% in domestic currencies. After converting into SEK, revenues comprising VAT grew by 8%. The company earned a profit of SEK 2.5 billion during the first quarter, down from SEK 3.6 billion in the same period in 2015. The decline in quarterly profit was due to the robust US dollar, adversely impacting the company's purchasing expenses. On a per share basis, earnings declined to SEK 1.54 from SEK 2.18 in the previous year quarter. Profit including financial items amounted to SEK 3.32 billion during the first quarter, down 30% from SEK 4.7 billion in the year-ago period. Quarterly operating profit dropped to SEK 3.27 billion from SEK 4.6 billion in the corresponding period in 2015. However, Hennes & Mauritz's gross profit increased to SEK 22.7 billion from SEK 22.2 billion in the prior year period. The group's sales before VAT totalled SEK 43.7 billion, up from SEK 40.3 billion in the previous year period. Quarterly sales comprising VAT was SEK 50.6 billion, up by 8% from SEK 46.8 billion in the prior year quarter. According to MarketWatch, analysts surveyed by FactSet had anticipated a net profit of SEK 2.49 billion for the first quarter of 2016. The fashion clothing designer is intending to expand its e-commerce business in Canada, Greece, South Korea and Japan in late 2016. The number of new stores was 46 in the first quarter and the company operated 3,970 stores as of February 29, 2016, across 61 markets. The company's selling and management expenses rose by 11% in SEK and in domestic currencies during the first quarter. The rise in expenses was due to the widening of product portfolio and investments in the online market. Moreover, the company is planning to open its 4000th store in April, in a New Delhi Mall, India. The stores in Germany reported sales comprising VAT of SEK 8.66 billion, down 1% from SEK 8.67 billion in the previous year quarter. However, sales including VAT from stores in the USA increased to SEK 6.4 billion from SEK 5.4 billion in the year-ago period. According to Microcap Magazine, Zacks Investment Research raised Hennes & Mauritz's SPON ADR EA REP o.2 to a "buy" rating from a "sell" rating and set an objective price of $7.25 on the stock. Jefferies Group also upgraded Hennes & Mauritz's SPON ADR EA REP to a "buy" rating from "hold" rating while Goldman Sachs lifted Hennes & Mauritz's SPON ADR EA REP to a "neutral" rating from "sell" rating. Societe Generale reduced Hennes & Mauritz's SPON ADR EA REP to a "sell" rating from "hold" rating. The company is aiming to expand its business horizon into e-commerce markets despite weak economy across the globe. Quarterly profits were impacted by higher purchasing expenses that resulted from the strong dollar against local currencies. CompareAsiaGroup, Goldman Sachs-backed consumer finance startup, has welcomed its new CEO, Sam Allen. CompareAsiaGroup in 2015 closed a Series A round of funding led by Goldman Sachs. The total seed funding reached to $45 million so far. CompareAsiaGroup may go for a second round of funding shortly to enhance its technology applications to serve its consumers in a more better way. Having presence across eight countries, CompareAsiaGroup runs sites in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The financial startup's operations include providing different rates on term loans, credit cards, insurance and other financial products. The different rates enable its consumers to make a comparison to choose a better product. TechCrunch reports that CompareAsiaGroup will go for a second round of funding soon. The financial startup will use mobilized funds to enhance technology applications in analyzing and making comparisons on several financial products. It's planning to add more information from banks, telecoms and other providers, enabling faster growth of its sites. Established in 2014, CompareAsiaGroup monetizes several financial products, while working with financial service providers. It charges financial service providers whoever signs up for its services through its sites. CompareAsiaGroup is also considering a plan to launch sites in new Asian countries. However, it still has to finalize its expansion plan. e27 further adds that CompareAsiaGroup is in the process of raising a large Series B funding, following the $40 million Series A funding last year. Allen's appointment comes close on the heels of the Series B round plan. CompareAsiaGroup hopes the Sam Allen's inclusion will further strengthen its position as a leading comparison platform in Asia. Being a Business management graduate from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford, Allen earlier worked as Director at KKR and handled private equity investment portfolio operations. Allen said "We have 20 million users across the region. We help consumers save time and money and as we grow and continue to invest, we will continue to do that." Sam Allen worked for nine years at KKR. He was a member of the Asia Leadership Team as well. As an advisor and interim executive, he handled portfolio companies in several Asian nations. Before his stint at KKR, Sam Allen worked at McKinsey & Company and AT&T Wireless, according to CompareAsiaGroup. New York-based Goldman Sachs Group Inc is an American multinational investment banking firm engaged in global investment banking, investment management, securities and other financial services. Goldman Sachs totally backed the Series A round funding for CompareASiaGroup, which offers comparison platform for over 1,500 financial products from leading banks and insurance companies. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is emerging as India's number one smartphone manufacturer, outpacing its rival Apple. The Korean company's sales and profile in the country soared after the launch of a revamped line-up of products. The strong sales in India could be largely attributed to its mid-tier products, according to the company. Samsung's Galaxy J model series have been supporting the company's strong sales, considering India's huge mid-to-low-end segment. The company believes that the series are driving the trend in the particular segment. With the mid to low end segment in mind, Samsung is also pushing its sales with a line-up with advanced special features. According to Business Insider, the products' special features include a safety mode for motorcyclists, S bike. The feature is specifically targeted at India's motorbike riders. When the feature is activated, it will automatically notify callers that the phone owner is riding and cannot get to the phone at the time. Reports show that Samsung's Indian market share was increased to 30 percent as of February this year. Previously, the company got just 28.6 percent of share in Q4 of 2015, slightly above Q4 2014's number of 27.4 percent. India's two biggest smartphone maker, Samsung and Apple, has been preparing themselves to take over India's market. Apple is reportedly aiming to boost iPhone sales in India with expansion plans including used units sales. The Cupertino-based tech giant is also preparing to open its first official Apple Stores in the country. Quoting data from Cybermedia Research, The Economic Times reported that Samsung sectioned 46 percent of the premium smartphone market. Apple, on the other hand, got just about 44 percent in the segment. It's also worth noted how much the smartphones markets have grown in India. Last year, about 3.3 million premium smartphones were sold in the country. The total base of smartphones sales for 2015 was 96.4 million. Analysts also projected that smartphone sales in India will rise to at least 5 million this year. Besides Samsung and Apple, India's smartphones market has other key players, including local companies Micromax and Lava. Chinese brands are also putting up competition in the markets, as reported by Indian Express. Samsung's Indian market share of smartphones is rising as the country's smartphone markets are growing fast. Samsung is winning the markets with a new line-up of products with special features targeted at Indian mid to low segment. The company outpaced rival Apple, who is also planning to dominate India's market. The Carmichael mine which is Australia's largest proposed coal project gets approval for its lease to tap on the massive fossil fuel reserves situated in the Galilee Basin. The project is led by the Indian mining company Adani, and site an approximate 60 metric tons of coal shipped to Asia via a port that piles it out right next to the Great Barrier Reef. Environmentalists instantaneously criticized the go signal representing the final major regulatory hurdle for a mine that some cite as the passport toward a considerable expansion of extracting coal from the heart of Queensland. The Australian Conservation Foundation calls it 'grossly irresponsible' to approve a project expected to generate billions of tons of climate pollution for many years to come when global warming is already taking its toll on the world's biggest reef, as reported by Gizmodo. According to The Australian report, Carmichael coal mine has a proposal of $21.7 billion in the remote heart of Queensland, Australia located in the upper north of the Galilee Basin. The coal mine company said that the project will create 10,000 jobs. The infrastructure will include accommodation as well as airport. The mine plans to provide India with sufficient coal to generate power for up to 100 million people. Green groups called Adani's suggested billions, a 60 million tonne a year a 'carbon bomb' that helps forward the world over the warming target of less than 2C world leaders conceded in Paris in December. Although Adani gets government approval for its new mine, it doesn't mean that everything will be fine with the coal mine. Even if Adani has been granted three licenses to mine an approximated 11 billion tonnes of thermal coal in the Carmichael area, the company still has to comply with conditions to start mining in the region, as reported by Crikey. "The mine's environmental authority had about 140 conditions to protect local flora and fauna, groundwater and surface water resources, as well as controls on dust and noise. A further 99 stringent and wide-ranging conditions apply to the rail and port elements of the project." Before the project can go ahead, it still need more approvals including secondary approvals for an airport, power, port facilities, rail and road works. Additionally, it needs to secure funds for the project, however, the four major banks, ANZ, NAB, Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank refused to back up the project. Wal-Mart, the nation's largest grocery chain announced on Tuesday that it targets to cease its sale of egg from caged hens come 2025. Its egg suppliers will be required to practice an industry standard for the way hens are being treated by 2025 and have their submissiveness checked by a third party. It had signaled of its plan of switching to cage-free eggs in May when it announced that it would persuade its suppliers to cling to the "five principles" of animal welfare, which is a set of guidelines including the surety of animals not starving, do not suffer from mental distress and have enough space to move around, according to NBC News. Following Nokia's acquisition of rival Alcatel-Lucent, is the reduction of its worldwide workforce as part of the cost-cutting program. The takeover is purposed to help Nokia in the race with Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei where market growth is restricted and strong competition are aggravating the prices. The firm already had talks with labor unions on Wednesday about the reported job cuts. Finland's largest company has laid off thousands of local jobs over the past years as its former dominant phone business was obscured by the rise of smartphone rivals. The phone business was later sold to Microsoft which ceaselessly lay off jobs in the country hit by recession, MSN reported. Nokia will trim 1,300 jobs from its Finnish bases in Espoo, Tampere and Oulu. It will cut 400 positions by 2018 in its native country and will hire 500 workers in the research and development field in accordance with promises made to the French government to keep 4,200 employees in the country for two years after the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. The company currently has 6,850 employees in Finland that add to its 104,000 strong worldwide workforce, based on The Wall Street Journal report. Additional cut of 4,100 jobs will be from Germany where the company still has a huge operation from its former partnership with Siemens. The company did not disclose the total figure of jobs that would be lost. The Finnish company also mentioned that it is restructuring the group "to adapt to challenging market conditions" by switching resources to new technologies including 5G, internet of things and cloud computing, as reported by the Financial Times. "The actions are designed to ensure that Nokia remains a strong industry leader. We know that our actions will have real human consequences and, given this, we will proceed in a way that is consistent with our company values and provide transition and other support to the impacted employees," according to Rajeev Suri, Nokia's chief executive. The move of cutting jobs is Nokia's way of cutting operational costs and to focus on areas of overlap such as in the field of sales and corporate functions, and for the research and development. In December, Nokia shareholders agreed on the 15.6 billion acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. On January 14, both companies began working as an operationally combined group. US oil prices rose 5.18 percent owing to a surprise draw in domestic crude stockpiles. US crude stocks declined by 4.9 million barrels last week as imported eased. US refineries have been raising their output, as stated by Energy Information Administration (EIA). The marginal drop in US dollar is also making dollar-denominated imports cheaper. US crude futures were up $1.85 or 5.18 percent at $37.75 per barrel. International Brent futures gained $1.91 to $39.76 a barrel. Analysts predicted inventories to reach record high for eight weeks in a row with a build of 3.2 million barrels. CNBC reports that US crude futures received additional support from the restart of TransCanada Corp's pipeline which became operational with a delay. Keystone pipeline has a capacity of 590,000 barrels per day and delivers crude to Cushing and Illinois. The US government has reported surge in gasoline stocks for the first time in six weeks. Despite the rise in crude futures, some traders hold cautious note that physical supply and demand fundamentals didn't warrant the strong price recovery at present. International Brent futures rose over $40 per barrel and were trading at $40.10 per barrel. This is up 26 cents from Tuesday's closing. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were hovering at $38.09 a barrel up 34 cents and eight cents above April low level. Reuters sees the reason for surge in oil prices as the unexpected drop in US crude inventories. At a time, when imports are easing, US refineries have decided to ramp up production levels. ANZ Bank said that oil prices spiked after the EIA data release. US crude stockpiles eased 4.9 million barrels in the week which ended 1st of April as against the analysts' forecast of rise in output by 3.2 million barrels. Recovery in the manufacturing sector is also boosting demand. Macquarie bank said "Global manufacturing PMIs (Purchasing Managers' Index) saw their strongest MoM (month-on-month) recovery in two and half years in March, according to our calculations." New York Mercantile Exchange recorded light and sweet crude futures for May delivery, which advanced to 5.2 percent or $1.86 to $37.75 a barrel. This was a major rise since 16th of March. June Brent crude on London ICE Futures Exchange gained $1.97 or 5.2 percent to close at $39.84 a barrel. Oil futures reached support after the data from American Petroleum Institute showed a 4.1 million barrels drop in stockpiles. This decline was considered to be a major drop since 1997, as reported by MarketWatch. Meanwhile, the North Sea oil field in Europe is scheduled for maintenance in May, supporting Brent futures as these are prices off supplies from this region. The drop in US dollar over five percent is also supporting oil price while the weakening US dollar makes dollar-denominated oil imports cheaper for countries using other currencies. Contributed Photo/Andrew Eccles Akua Noni Parker and Jamar Roberts of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The acclaimed dance company will perform April 12 and 13 at Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. SHARE THEATER VENTURA COUNTY "Nunsense": Camarillo Skyway Playhouse presents this musical comedy about five nuns who use their varied talents to put on a charity show. Through May 8, 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo. 388-5716; skywayplayhouse.org. "4,000 Miles": Santa Paula Theater Center presents the second show of its 2016 Main Stage Season of the Masters: Amy Herzog's Pulitzer Prize-nominated dramatic comedy about the relationship that develops between a 21-year-old man and his 91-year-old grandmother. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, April 15 through May 22, 125 South 7th St., Santa Paula. $20 general admission, $18 seniors and students. 525-4645; santapaulatheatercenter.org. "A Child Left Behind": The critically-acclaimed show explores public education, autism and every child's first teacher. 7 p.m. April 9, 2 p.m. April 10, OYES Theatre, 316 E. Matilija St., Ojai. $25. 646-4300; aclbshow.org. "Clarity": The Ojai Art Center Theatre presents a staged reading of Christine Rosensteel's new play about hunting and guns. A reception and discussion with the actors, peace activist Brian Berman and Toni Wellen, chair of the Santa Barbara Coalition Against Gun Violence will follow. 2 p.m. April 10, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. $10 suggested donation. For more information, call 646-0117 or email ojaiartcenterlit@gmail.com. "Men of Tortuga": Elite Theatre Company presents the Jason Wells play about four businessmen whose greed begets their own ruin and sheds light on real-life issues like surveillance, corruption and power. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, April 15 through May 15, 2731 S. Victoria Ave., Oxnard. $18 general admission, $15 seniors and students. 483-5118; elitetheatre.org. "Phantom of the Opera": Moorpark High School presents its production of the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, in association with its newly established Career Pathways program, which aims to help students identify and explore different career opportunities. 6:30 p.m. April 13, 7 p.m. April 14-16, 2 p.m. April 16, 4500 Tierra Rejada Road, Moorpark. $12 general admission, $8 seniors and students. 378-6305; mrpk.org/mhs. "Children of Eden": Cabrillo Music Theatre presents Stephen Schwartz's contemporary retelling of some of the best known biblical tales. With music and lyrics by Schwartz, who also penned "Wicked," "Pippin" and "Godspell," and a script by John Caird, the musical features storytelling, dance, comedy and songs, including "Spark of Creation," "Lost in the Wilderness" and "In Whatever Time We Have." 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Through April 17, Kavli Theatre, Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. $35-$75. Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. Information: 449-2787. "The Waiting Room": Ventura College Theatre Arts Department will end the academic year with Lisa Loomer's dark comedy in which three women from three different time periods sit in a present-day surgeon's waiting room and grapple with society's impossible standards of image which have kept women in a state of inadequacy. 8 p.m. April 8-9, 8 p.m. April 14-16, 3 p.m. April 17, Ventura College Performing Arts Center, 4700 Loma Vista Road, Ventura. $15 general admission, $5 seniors and students. 289-6261; venturacollege.edu/pac. "The Wizard of Oz": Conejo Players Theatre presents the musical adaptation of the book by L. Frank Baum. Directed by Devery Holmes, the production includes classic songs like "If I Only Had a Brain," "We're Off To See the Wizard" and "Over the Rainbow." 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through April 10, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. $20 general admission, $18 seniors, students and military. 495-3715; conejoplayers.org. "An Open Table": Flying H Group Theatre Company presents James James' dark comedy about a group of waiters who are emboldened to stand up for restaurant workers everywhere after a chance encounter with notorious street artist Banksy. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays through April 9, 6368 Bristol Road, Ventura. $15 general admission, $12 opening weekend. 901-0005; flyinghgroup.com. Down south "The Threepenny Opera": The Pepperdine University Fine Arts Division Theatre Department presents Bertolt Brecht's musical, which features the hit song "Mack the Knife," as part of its Mary Pickford-Stotsenberg Performance Series. 7:30 p.m. April 8, 2 p.m. April 9, Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. $15 general admission, $10 full-time Pepperdine students, $12 Pepperdine faculty and staff. 310-506-4522; arts.pepperdine.edu. "Rain A Tribute to the Beatles": Seen by more than 2 million people worldwide, "Rain" is one of the most comprehensive Beatles shows on the planet. From the early hits to the later classics, this tribute show takes viewers back to the '60s when all you needed was love. Through April 10, Hollywood Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. hollywoodpantages.com. "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder": Direct from Broadway and fresh off a win for Best Musical at the Tony Awards, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder" is the newest hit on the stage. The show spins the tale of Monty Navarro, who schemes to become the next in line to his family fortune, by whatever means necessary. Through May 1, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. centertheatregroup.org. CLASSES VENTURA COUNTY African drumming class: Malik Sow, an African master drummer from Senegal, and Solo Soro, from Ivory Coast, lead a weekly class in West African drumming from 7:30-9 p.m. Mondays at Lightning Ridge Screen Printing, 4435 McGrath St., Ventura. Cost is $20 per class and a drum can be rented for $5. For information or to arrange a drum rental, call 650-7455. COMEDY VENTURA COUNTY Shawn McMaster: As part of National Library Week 2016, this year themed "Libraries Transform," Grant R. Brimhall Library will host Shawn McMaster performing his interactive comedy and magic show for all ages. 2 p.m. April 10, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. 449-2660; toaks.org/library. #Comedy: The next #Comedy show, an intimate cabaret setting, is at 8 p.m. April 16 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts. Future performances are slated for May 21 and June 18, and will feature Nick Guerra, Bijan Moustafavi, Jack Assadourian Jr. and Suli McCullough. $12 presale, $15 at the door, $9 with student ID. 18 and older only. 381-1246, www.hillcrestarts.com. DANCE UP NORTH Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the acclaimed dance company in two programs that celebrate the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and feature contemporary favorites and classics like "Revelations." 8 p.m. April 12-13, Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St., Santa Barbara. $40-$75 general admission, $20 UCSB students. 893-3535; artsandlectures.ucsb.edu. LISA MCKINNON/THE STAR Tempeh lasagna by chef Juan Agustin is among the dishes served during an event benefiting the creation of the Ventura Food Cooperative. The tempeh was made using a prototype of the TempehSure Protein Pod machine, the focus of a recent Kickstarter campaign. Lisa McKinnon Columnist SHARE LISA MCKINNON/THE STAR Chef Juan Agustin of the pop-up restaurant Vincere poses in the offices of The DuPuis Group in Ventura before presenting a Slow Food Ventura County dinner benefiting the Ventura Food Cooperative. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Shown as a prototype, the TempehSure Protein Pod could go into production this summer for shipment in the fall. It is the focus of a Kickstarter campaign spearheaded by Joy and Steven DuPuis and John Silva, of The DuPuis Group in downtown Ventura. LISA MCKINNON/THE STAR The culinary team for the Vincere pop-up event benefiting the Ventura Food Cooperative includes, from left, Hannah Wilson, Brett Levin, Diego Felix (kneeling), Chris Hollobaugh, Robert Parker and Jose Sepulveda. Located in the landmark Bank of Italy building in downtown Ventura, the upstairs offices of The DuPuis Group were the setting March 31 for a pop-up dinner with an all-vegetarian menu and a single stated goal: to raise money for the creation of the Ventura Food Cooperative. Mission accomplished, to the tune of $2,000. The money will help cover the cost of incorporation for the cooperative, described as a community-owned grocery store, said VFC co-founder Ally Gialketsis. The incorporation process could take about three months after papers are filed. Organizers don't have a specific location for the store, but hope to find one in or near downtown Ventura, Gialketsis said. A membership drive is planned this summer, when one-time, buy-in pledges of $250 will be collected to "demonstrate people's level of interest" and to help move the project forward, Gialketsis added. The future store will be open to members and nonmembers alike. An informational meeting about the cooperative will take place at 4 p.m. April 17 in the Topping Room of the E.P. Foster Library (651 E. Main St.). For updates, click on http://venturafoodcoop.com. But the March 31 gathering also saw other, less publicized accomplishments. As the featured chef, Juan Agustin of the pop-up restaurant project Vincere led a team of volunteer prep cooks, sous chefs, servers and others through the creation of what he described as 1,300 dishes 13 courses for 100 people. Passed hors d'oeuvres included Pixie tangerines from Ojai, cut in half and filled with bits of pineapple bathed in Champagne and flower petals, followed by deep-fried zucchini blossoms filled with ricotta and served in bowls with spicy beet marinara. Next came single-bite circles of trumpet mushrooms seasoned with thyme and topped with ribbons of seaweed. Later, five entrees were served from chafing dishes. Among them: tempeh lasagna, in which fermented plant-based protein replaced the traditional sheets of pasta. "I never worked with tempeh before, but the moment I discovered it, my mind had (so many) ideas about it," Agustin said. "I like tempeh's texture and flavor. It's nutty." Plus, this wasn't just any ol' tempeh. Agustin's supplier was Joy DuPuis, who as leader of the Tempeh Girls blog site discovered a proprietary tempeh-making process developed in the early 1980s by the late Gunter Pfaff and Betsy Shipley, who now lives in Port Hueneme. Joy and Steven DuPuis, joined by DuPuis Group president John Silva, are spearheading a Kickstarter campaign to raise $95,000 for the launch of a modernized version of Pfaff's and Shipley's process. Dubbed the TempehSure Protein Pod, the machine will allow home cooks, chefs and food-service entities to make their own plant-based protein from soy beans, chickpeas, peanuts and more just as Joy DuPuis did for the dinner. Prototypes of the machine were on display but virtually hidden from view as attendees swarmed into a room just off the kitchen to sample beverages poured by Five Threads Brewing Co. and Archium Cellars, both of Westlake Village, and by Fermensch Kombucha of Orange County. After moving to a separate room to listen to remarks from Gialketsis and others, the crowd returned en masse to the first room to descend upon the chafing dishes. (Note to self: When Slow Food Ventura County is the presenting organization, "dinner" doesn't always mean a meal served at tables with a chair for each ticket holder.) A week after the event, the TempehSure Protein Pod Kickstarter campaign had bypassed its goal by several hundred dollars (http://kck.st/1S2O8ei). And Agustin? He's already planning another pop-up to take place elsewhere in Ventura County this spring. "Like" his Vincere Facebook page for details. Lisa McKinnon is a staff writer for The Star. Her Cafe Society column appears in the Sunday Life section and 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. Star file photo SHARE By Staff Reports A Santa Paula attendance program designed to keep kids in school has been recognized as a model statewide. The program was one of nine honored by the California Department of Education for being innovative in reducing student absences. Districts' school attendance review boards, usually called SARBs, apply for the award. The Santa Paula Unified School District's board looks at what issues might be behind a student's absences and tries to address those, said Robin Gillette, principal of Renaissance High School, an alternative school. A student may have to work to support her family or might be homeless, said Gillette, who applied for the recognition on behalf of her school. If a student needs them, the district might arrange for meals or counseling. Students who are tardy may get an early-morning wake-up call from the district. The district also was honored in 2013 for its attendance program. Students who are chronically absent can have significant trouble reading by the third grade, according to recent studies. "You can have the best facilities, the best teachers, and the best curriculum in the world, but none of that matters if students are not in school," said Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, in a news release. SHARE Bobby Gleason By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com Authorities located a minimum-security inmate Thursday they said escaped from a Camarillo fire camp the previous night. Officials with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation notified the Ventura County Sheriff's Office about 8:45 p.m. that Bobby Gleason, 37, had been located and taken into custody in San Diego County, said sheriff's Capt. Bill Schierman. Gleason was last seen at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday before he was reported missing at 11:30 p.m., said Ventura Conservation Camp Commander Derrick Taylor. Officials believe he cut a hole through a fence to escape from the facility at 2800 Wright Road. He is serving a nine-month sentence for burglary out of San Diego County, said Bill Sessa, spokesman for the state corrections department, which handled the search for Gleason. Other local law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol were notified of his escape. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Rebecca Lopez hangs a T-shirt at the Clothesline Project on the Oxnard College campus to commemorate April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Women and men affected by violence were invited to express their emotions by writing a message on a shirt and then hanging it on a clothesline. SHARE JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Mario Robles, left, is comforted by Linda Martinez-Truax, mental health counselor at Oxnard College, at the Clothesline Project on campus to commemorate April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Women and men affected by violence were invited to express their emotions by writing a message on a shirt and then hanging it on a clothesline. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Rebecca Plonta, a third-year student at Oxnard College, expresses herself at the Clothesline Project on campus to commemorate April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Women and men affected by violence were invited to express their emotions by writing a message on a shirt and then hanging it on a clothesline. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Mario Robles, left, is comforted by Linda Martinez-Truax, mental health counselor at Oxnard College, at the Clothesline Project on campus to commemorate April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Women and men affected by violence were invited to express their emotions by writing a message on a shirt and then hanging it on a clothesline. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR Rebecca Plonta, left, and Autumn Robertson, students at Oxnard College, express themselves at the Clothesline Project on campus to commemorate April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Women and men affected by violence were invited to express their emotions by writing a message on a shirt and then hanging it on a clothesline. By Anne Kallas, Special to The Star Sometimes the best way to deal with a traumatic event is to put feelings into words. At the first Oxnard College Clothesline Project on Wednesday, about a dozen people wrote messages on T-shirts expressing outrage and anger over events in their lives, then hung the shirts on a construction fence near the school's central gathering area where people could stop and read them. "Oxnard College is dedicated to having a safe, healthy environment," said Deanna McFadden, a member of the Oxnard College faculty who helped coordinate the event, one of several at the school and across the county during April Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Upcoming events Tuesday: The Coalition for Family Harmony will receive a proclamation from the Ventura County Board of Supervisors at 10 a.m. and one from the Oxnard City Council at 6 p.m. April 20: The coalition will host a screening of the movie The Hunting Ground, which looks at sexual assault on college campuses and how its handled, at 6:30 p.m. at the Roxy Theater, 5001 Verdugo Way, Camarillo. Its free to students with student identification, and a $5 donation is suggested for those without student ID. For information, call Caroline Prijatel-Sutton at 983-6014 or visit www.thecoalition.org/. April 27: Coalition staff will be participating in Denim Day, wearing denim to work. Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against negative attitudes about sexual assault, and teal is the official color of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Information: www.thecoalition.org/ or call 983-6014. She noted that the school's Clothesline Project is gender-neutral because one in 10 victims of sexual assault is a male. Sandy Gomez, crisis response intervention program supervisor at the Coalition for Family Harmony, explained that Clothesline Projects were started in 1990 in Massachusetts by activists who wanted to get word out about the effect of sexual assault. "This is the first time Oxnard College is doing the Clothesline Project, which is a very big step in taking the initiative to raise awareness of sexual violence in college youth," said Gomez. "We are holding educational institutions accountable to deal with the problem." Lt. Cesar Romero, of the Ventura County Community College Police, said there are very few reports of sexual assault on the Oxnard College campus. "We don't see (sexual assault cases) very often here because we don't have dorms, and students come in to class and then leave," Romero said. He added that there have been cases where students came to the campus police to report a sexual assault, but because the incidents didn't occur on campus, the reports were transferred to the Oxnard Police. "We'll do anything we can to help them when they come to us," Romero said. "We're here for the students." Mario Robles, a junior studying film, said he wrote messages on two T-shirts as a way to purge "hurtful memories." "It tells my story of what I went through as a kid," he said. A greenish shirt stated, "I left you in a closet to rot with marks on your back," and on a corner he placed three large red marks titled "My marks of shame." He said being able to express his anger over his experiences was cathartic, and he hoped others would find strength to report their own abuse. SHARE By Gretchen Wenner of the Ventura County Star The legal battle unfolding between Oxnard and resident Aaron Starr over sewer rate hikes took an interesting turn Tuesday night and that's not counting the surprise theater of having a lawsuit served during public comments. Starr, who was sued by the city March 23 over his proposed ballot initiative to overturn recent wastewater rate increases, was this time on the delivery end of process service. Starr announced during public comments he was suing the city as a man got up from the audience and served the city attorney and city clerk. Starr's lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Ventura County Superior Court, will be a courtroom rematch of sorts for two law firms that have previously faced off over the same issue. Documents Starr hired Sacramento firm Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk LLP, which represented former Fresno County Supervisor Doug Vagim in his fight against the city of Fresno over a ballot initiative on water rate increases. In that case, Fresno was represented by Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley PC of Los Angeles, the firm now representing Oxnard. The document at the center of the legal tussle is a title and summary. Starr cannot collect signatures to put his initiative on the ballot without the title and summary provided by the city. The city sued Starr rather than provide him with the document. The rub is in the timing. Starr faces a May 20 deadline to turn in signatures in time to make the November ballot. But, as he noted when addressing the council Tuesday night, the first status conference in the city's case against him is slated for August. "The expensive law firm you hired to do this tried that same sneaky trick in Fresno and lost twice," he told the panel, calling it a bullying tactic. "With a heavy heart," he continued, "I hired the law firm that prevailed in the Fresno case against your attorneys." Because Starr's suit concerns an election matter, he will seek an expedited hearing schedule, he said. A status conference is slated for Thursday morning. In the Fresno case, the city was ordered to provide a title and summary. Ultimately, the situation ended with a settlement in 2014, with Fresno agreeing to repeal the rate increases, pay $150,000 for Vagim's attorney fees and provide clearly marked, postage-paid protest ballot information for future rate increases, among other things. Starr's lawsuit seeks a judge's order for the title and summary, which it says is clearly required in the state elections code. The suit also claims the proposed initiative is "specifically authorized" in the California Constitution, which says initiative power "shall not be prohibited ... in matters of reducing or repealing any local tax, assessment, fee or charge." Such powers were approved by state voters in November 1996 with Proposition 218, which governs the process cities, counties and other local government entities must follow when raising fees and charges. "Twenty years ago, the voters put into our state constitution a right for residents to challenge rate increases such as the city's wastewater increase," said Brian Hildreth, Starr's attorney in the case. "It's the voters who are losing by virtue of the city's action." Oxnard City Attorney Stephen Fischer said Starr's suit concerns "essentially the same subject matter as the action we currently have pending with the court." Fischer called Starr's initiative illegal because it would set wastewater rates back and wouldn't allow the city to meet debt obligations or maintain facilities. "We're only seeking to abide by state law and protect the public health and safety by setting rates at a level that will allow us to meet our statutory obligations," Fischer said. A series of annual wastewater rate increases that took effect March 1 would, by 2020, increase a typical household's bill by nearly $326 a year, according to city figures. Starr's initiative calls the increase excessive. STAR FILE PHOTO SHARE By Staff Reports Port Hueneme police Wednesday arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with a residential burglary and other incidents in the city, officials said. Officers responded to the area of Pearl and Second streets to a call of a man going into a home through an open window. Officers surrounded the home and detained the man, police said. An investigation revealed that the man, Anthony Martinez, of Port Hueneme, broke into the home while the owners were not there and was in possession of their property. He was arrested and booked into Ventura County jail on suspicion of residential burglary, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Martinez had previously been arrested on March 29 on suspicion of another residential burglary, grand and petty theft and five outstanding warrants, officials said. He was linked to three other house burglaries in the city. AP FILE PHOTO An honor guard moves the casket for a graveside service for Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library last month. SHARE By John Scheibe of the Ventura County Star An arraignment has been postponed for a Los Angeles Times photographer charged with misdemeanor resisting or delaying a law enforcement officer while sending photographs of the funeral motorcade for former first lady Nancy Reagan in Simi Valley last month. Ricardo DeAratanha's attorney, Mark Werksman, asked Superior Court Judge F. Dino Inumerable if the arraignment, scheduled for Thursday, could be held on May 12 and Inumerable agreed. Ventura County District Attorney's Office prosecutors filed a misdemeanor complaint against DeAratanha this week, nearly a month after his March 9 arrest. DeAratanha was sitting in his vehicle at the time, parked nearly a mile away from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley, where a public viewing for the former first lady was being held, Werksman said. DeAratanha was transmitting photographs on his laptop computer at the time and had covered part of his vehicle with a blanket for shade, his attorney said. Simi Valley police were notified about a suspicious vehicle in the area and contacted DeAratanha, Werksman said. "It was certainly reasonable for police to check the vehicle out," the attorney noted. "But once my client identified himself to police as a journalist who was covering this story that should have been enough," he added. Instead, the situation escalated with three police officers pushing DeAratanha to the ground and arresting him, he said, even after DeAratanha told police he was a photographer for the Los Angeles Times and identified himself as such. "I think that working journalists on a story such as this one should be shown a little deference," Werksman said, adding police did not do so in this case. Simi Valley police said DeAratanha was uncooperative and refused to identify himself, something they said ultimately led to his arrest. Werksman disputed this assertion, saying "my client broke no law." "Moreover, he has never had a problem with the law before." DeAratanha was taken to an area hospital following his arrest where he was treated for a minor injury. FILE PHOTO SHARE By Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star The death rate for nine health conditions, from breast cancer to stroke, improved in Ventura County from 2009 to 2014. Not for Alzheimer's disease. Of 11 illnesses assessed in a new study by the California Department of Public Health, the adjusted death rate worsened only for Alzheimer's and diabetes. The 14 percent jump in the Alzheimer's rate came close to doubling the 8 percent increase in diabetes. Sue Lindemann's husband died of Alzheimer's in April 2005, some two decades after he was diagnosed. The support group leader and caregivers advocate from Thousand Oaks knows more people who have died of the disease than she can count. "Absolutely not," she said of whether the growing death rate surprised her. "We haven't got cures. We don't have things that really arrest the disease." At least 14,000 people in Ventura County have the disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Nearly 300 people died from the disease each year on average from 2012 through 2014, said authors of the state report that compared the three-year period to data from 2009 through 2011. Nationwide, it is the sixth-leading cause of death and the fifth in California. "It is the only cause of death in the top 10 causes of death for which there is no way to prevent it, no treatment and no cure. Alzheimer's is 100 percent fatal," said Rhonda Spiegel, executive director of an Alzheimer's Association Central California chapter that includes Ventura County. On Wednesday, Spiegel was in Washington, D.C., on a lobbying effort. She said the way to push the death rate down is allocating more money for research. Another factor affecting the death rate is a population that grows more vulnerable to the disease as it ages, said Ken Kosik, an Alzheimer's researcher at UC Santa Barbara. People's risk for the disease increases in their mid-60s and rises again a decade or so later. Nearly one of three people who reaches age 85 faces the disease. "We are making progress in some of these other diseases," said Kosik, referring to other conditions listed in the state report. "In Alzheimer's, we really have not made any inroads in how to treat the disease." The 8 percent growth in the mortality rate for diabetes also elicited little surprise. Dr. Theresa Cho said she considers the increase part of the tidal wave of Type 2 diabetes, a condition often linked to obesity and inactivity. Type 1 is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the cells involved in making insulin. "There are just more patients with diabetes and prediabetes," said Cho, director of diabetes management for the Ventura County Medical Center. By the time people realize they have the disease, complications have already begun. "All of those things," she said of complications that can include stroke, heart disease and amputations, "lead to an increased death rate." The state data is included in an annual report on the health status of counties across California. Coronary heart disease owned the highest death rate in Ventura County over three years ending in 2014, followed by stroke and Alzheimer's. In addition to mortality, the report assessed how often certain conditions occur, comparing 2012 through 2014 with 2009 through 2011. The rate of AIDs fell slightly in Ventura County as did tuberculosis, according to the data. The rate of chlamydia rose slightly, according to the report. Gonohrrea rates climbed for females and males ages 15 to 44. The level for both genders still fell far below statewide rates. For the entire report, go to http://bit.ly/1Vyd5h5. STAR FILE PHOTO SHARE By Staff Reports Detectives arrested two registered sex offenders while conducting compliance checks Wednesday in Ventura, authorities said. Ventura police major crimes unit detectives and a member of the agency's sex offender registration unit conducted the checks from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 14 locations in the city, police said. Seven of the offenders were in compliance with registration requirements, authorities said. Five of them were not at their home or had moved, police said. The two others were arrested, police said. Jason Sani, 43, of Ventura, was arrested in connection with a felony warrant linked to a criminal case in which he is suspected of sexually assaulting a female juvenile, authorities said. Raymond Munyon, 72, of Ventura, was arrested on suspicion of a parole violation, which is a felony, and being a convicted felon in possession of pepper spray, police said. Detectives plan to follow up on the offenders they could not contact. STAR FILE PHOTO Luke Patton climbs onto the railing of a 1929 Model A Ford pickup on display to get a closer look during the 2015 Community Street Festival, hosted by the Rotary Club of Westlake Village. SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO The city of Oxnard put on Earth Day 2015 in Downtown Plaza Park in Oxnard. STAR FILE PHOTO Handler Lena Chang talks about Miki, a Mississippi kite, at the Ojai Raptor Center's open house in 2015. By Arlene Martinez, amartinez@vcstar.com 1. WALK TO END MS: Walk MS: Conejo Valley 2016 hosts a 1K and 5K family walk, run or stroll around Conejo Park Creek. Registration opens Saturday at 8 a.m. followed by opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. The race starts at 10 a.m. At the finish line enjoy music, food, giveaways and more. The event raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Limited, free parking is available at Conejo Creek Park North. Get directions and more information here. **CANCELED** FROLIC UNDER THE STARS: Play games, observe the night sky and listen to stories about creatures of the night while going on an easy stroll in Thousand Oaks. The walk on the one-mile Oak Creek Canyon Loop Trail starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Register online at bit.ly/1S0jzGe. It costs $6. 2. PARTY WITH THE PLANET: The city of Oxnard celebrates Earth Day on Saturday at Plaza Park. Themed "Our Paradise," the free event includes displays, activities, music and food. And don't worry about parking: A complimentary bike valet will be provided. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park is at 500 South C St. in Oxnard. For more information, contact Trish Honigsberg at 385-7928 or at Trish.Honigsberg@ci.oxnard.ca.us. 3. VISIT WITH BIRDS OF PREY: The Ojai Raptor Center hosts its spring open house Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The main attractions are the hawks, falcons and owls, but there will also be Chumash stories, children's activities, a silent auction and snacks and refreshments. The center is at 370 Baldwin Road. Children under 10 are admitted free, but a donation of $5 is suggested for all others. Go to ojairaptorcenter.org or call 649-6884 for more information. 4. ENJOY LIVE MUSIC: A dozen musical performances are set as part of the inaugural Oak Park Music Fest. The event runs Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Medea Creek Middle School, 1002 Doubletree Road. The school's choir, jazz band and advanced band are among the performers. Tickets are $5 and gates open at 11:30 a.m. For more information or to buy tickets in advance, go to oakparkmusic.org/musicfest. 5. TAKE TO THE STREETS O'FUN: The 22 annual Community Street Festival returns to Westlake Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Rotary Club of Westlake Village hosts the event, which features a kids' zone, a classic car exhibit, a green living zone, music and local craft beers. The event is on Lakeview Canyon Road between Agoura and Watergate roads. Parking and admission are free. For more information go to rotarywlv.org. SHARE The good news was that some anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights groups found common ground. The bad news was that it took Donald Trump threatening to prosecute women for getting abortions. That position, expressed to Chris Matthews in last week's MSNBC town hall, was reversed within hours. Someone in Trump's campaign (probably not campaign manager Corey Lewandowski) must have pointed out to him that even the farthest right of the right wing hasn't called for penalizing women: not Ted Cruz, not Mike Huckabee, not Rick Santorum. They've limited themselves to advocating prosecution for abortion providers. But Trump, who apparently never gave the matter much thought after switching from declaring himself pro-abortion rights years ago, was prepared to go all the way. Even 10 years in prison? In response to Matthews' question, Trump said he didn't know. But he didn't rule it out. Writing about Trump used to be fun because of his penchant for outlandishness: You never knew where or how far he'd go next. But it's starting to be revolting in the same way as writing about battery or rape. Because these outlandish positions are always at the expense of vulnerable people Muslims, immigrants, minorities, women. And because he's on track to win the Republican Party's nomination for president. He's not some no-name, third-party candidate without a prayer. That's why, when his detractors ask me why the media gives him so much attention, I ask them how we could not report on him. Even Trump's supporters complain about the coverage he gets. After his campaign manager was charged with simple battery against reporter Michelle Fields, Rush Limbaugh said the media, particularly CNN, were out to get Trump by covering the incident with video. Maybe a better question than why we report on Trump is why his legions of male supporters hang with him despite every new insult or outrageous proposal he makes. Not women, though. A stunning 70 percent of women don't view him favorably, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. With men, he has an unfavorability rating of 59 percent. Contrast the slack that men cut Trump with the speed with which they backed away from John McCain after his running mate, Sarah Palin, started talking to Katie Couric. Let's face it, neither Trump nor Palin has shown a penchant for deep thinking or a sophisticated knowledge of the world and its problems. Yet Trump's supporters see that knee-jerk, shoot-from-the-hip style as an asset, while McCain's supporters saw it as evidence the nominee for vice president was underqualified. Because he chose Palin, McCain's judgment was questioned. But Trump doesn't seem to have lost any supporters for choosing, as the person to run his campaign, a man (Lewandowski) with a penchant for crass behavior, including shoving and allegedly propositioning female reporters. Nor for Trump's own compendium of slurs, slights and provocations, including ridiculing the appearance of Cruz's wife and questioning McCain's war heroism because he was captured. Or for refusing to admit to being wrong or apologize for anything, including the recent incident for which Lewandowski is charged. The latter is alleged to have grabbed reporter Fields' arm and pulled her away when she tried to ask Trump a question, leaving bruises. Before the security footage showing the incident surfaced, Lewandowski tweeted at Fields that she was "totally delusional," and "I never touched you." But even after Lewandowski was shown grabbing her, Trump dug in his heels and claimed it was Fields who changed her story about Lewandowski. I'm no fan of Palin's, but ask yourself why she became a national joke while Trump seems to become more of a national hero to his supporters with every crude, bigoted, uninformed thing he says. By his own admission, he has no policy advisers and relies on himself for his positions. And he's at the top of the ticket. Could it be because he's speaking to every guy who's mad at things he can't control? Mad at women and immigrants for getting jobs he might have wanted? Mad at an ex for getting child custody and then child support? Mad at the government for thinking a mother of young children deserves public assistance to feed them? Mad that the president is a black man with an African father, and that Muslim people are still allowed to live here after 9/11? And mad that to voice objections is considered politically incorrect? "I got your back, Bro," they imagine Trump telling them. "We'll stand up to the politically correct and tell it like it is." So will Trump's stated willingness to entertain the idea of 10 years in prison for a woman getting an abortion be the last straw for any of his followers? Will they stand by their sisters, wives, mothers and daughters in deploring these frightening efforts to scapegoat and control women? Or will the men continue to stand by their man? Rekha Basu is a columnist for the Des Moines Register. SHARE The city of San Francisco is going to require all businesses with 20 or more employees to guarantee every worker six weeks of fully paid parental time off. At a time when other government regulations are requiring businesses to rightfully provide more for their employees, this step seems too much, too soon. Many employees are able to plan at least some time off to bond with a new child by saving vacation and sick time and using it for this occasion. That gives them full pay. But in many occupations, that gives them only two weeks. Currently, federal law gives workers up to 12 weeks of parental leave, but it is unpaid. Businesses are required to hold the employee's job during the leave. The employer bears a cost, particularly for smaller businesses, of funding temporary help to replace the new parent for those three months. The employee, however, is left to find a way to make ends meet during that period. California currently allows workers to receive 55 percent of their pay for up to six weeks of leave. The business does not have to pay; the money comes from a state insurance program that is funded by workers. The employee receives something, although at the low end of the pay scale, 55 percent of a less-than-livable wage does not pay the bills or put food on the table, particularly given the expenses of a new child. San Francisco is stepping in to say businesses now must make up the other 45 percent of that wage for the six weeks of fully paid leave. Here's our problem with the idea: It comes on the heels of government ordering businesses to pay more in benefits to their employees. There was health care coverage and required sick leave and two bumps of the minimum wage, to be followed now by six years of annual increases. There were valid reasons, we believed, for those actions, despite the business community railing that they constituted government intrusion. We have a come a long way in the recognition of parental leave and the establishment of a system that allows mothers and fathers time off work to care and bond with their new children without fear of losing their jobs. We recognize that without an income source, those days off do not really help many families living paycheck to paycheck. There is no savings or accrued paid time off that can be used to keep the lights on, the diapers in stock or the car full of gas. But to require a business to pay twice for the employee and for the replacement help for every new child born to a worker is a stiff penalty. Some businesses today offer fully paid parental leave as an added benefit to their employees. Twitter, for instance, is planning to offer up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for new parents starting May 1. This stimulates the marketplace to examine benefits packages to determine what options businesses can offer to attract the best-qualified applicants. That's a far different approach than a government-mandated benefit package. If government believes as it does in San Francisco that every employee has a right to this leave, then it should be willing to find a creative way to pay for it, rather than reach one more time into the wallets of business owners. SHARE Re: your editorial March 27, Settlement shows problems with City Council: The Star states, Reading between the lines, that means the insurer believed her case was so valid that the best course of action was to write a big check. The problem is the Port Hueneme City Council majority (Douglas Breeze, Jonathan Sharkey, and Sylvia Munoz Schnopp) appears to have directed the Joint Powers Insurance Authority to approve the settlement. However, there was no specific allegations made whereby an independent investigation could be conducted. There were only broad allegations. City Attorney Mark Hensley (no relation to Councilman Jim Hensley) appears to have recommended the settlement. This is the same city attorney who recently disagreed with the district attorney's admonishment on the citys recent Brown Act violation. There are several conflicts in play, not one acknowledged by the city attorney, The Star or the insurance authority. In this county, we have seen independent public investigations of elected officials. It appears the best interests of the city would have been served by an independent investigation. Because this case is subjective, the conflicting parties do not agree on what was said. In this scenario, a 3-2 council vote takes on a whole new meaning with what appears to be a gift. There are former city employees suing for wrongful termination/harassment against former city manager Cynthia Haas. Their cases are on the more traditional path, as outlined by The Stars editorial. Will there be an independent investigation? Is the insurance authority 100 percent responsible for the claims made against Cynthia Haas? Will the $279,000 settlement of Ms. Haass claim conflict with the administration of those other claims? What will be the future premium cost increases with all the claims involving Ms. Haas? There are plenty of lines to read between here, and I am having trouble distinguishing those lines representing the best interests of Port Hueneme. Steven Gama, Port Hueneme Tacos & Tequila (T&T) at Luxor Hotel and Casino will host a wild South of the Border Spring Break fiesta with a lineup of food and drink specials available daily throughout March. Spring Break specials will include: Seis y Seis package with six specialty tacos and six bottled Sol beers, priced at $29. Buckets of six bottled Sol beers for $18. $3 JELL-O shots available at the daiquiri bar. $15 tequila flights where guests will choose three shots from five different tequilas including Jose Cuervo, Cabo Wabo, Don Julio, Avion and Patron. T&Ts Chonga, a giant frozen margarita served with two upside down 7-ounce Sol beers flowing directly into the drink, priced at $20. Spring Breakers may also enjoy a $5 menu offered daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring Fiesta Nachos, Habanero Wings, Chicken Quesadillas, Flautas, Guacamole, Dos Equis bottles, Jose Cuervo shots, well drinks, house red or white wine and sangria. The party never stops with T&Ts Fiesta Weekends complete with a resident DJ spinning high-energy sets and $5 Dos Equis and Jose Cuervo shots every Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. T&Ts signature Mariachi Brunch will be offered every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with two-for-one Top Shelf Margaritas and Bloody Marias, along with Executive Chef Saul Ortizs signature breakfast specialties including Chilaquiles, Huevos Rancheros, Machaca Breakfast Burritos and more. "It has been months since the companies suffered losses, and investors are aware that any improvement will depend on not only the companies' actions but also macro-economic conditions," the analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said."- Illustrative Image/ Photo motthegioi On the HCM Stock Exchange (HoSE), SMC Trading Investment was put on the warning list on April 6, as the firm posted an after-tax loss of nearly VND185 billion (US$8.2 million) last year. The HoSE will also place steel maker Dai Thien Loc Corporation on the warning list on April 7, as the company's financial reports showed it suffered a loss of more than VND63 billion in 2015. Tomorrow, the southern bourse will do the same for the Viet Nam Export Import Bank, or Eximbank, which witnessed accumulated losses over two consecutive years. The bank's undistributed profit of 2014 has been adjusted from VND114 billion to minus VND835 billion, and the undistributed profit of 2015 was about minus VND817 billion, according to its audited financial statements. Vung Tau Construction and Real Estate will also be on the warning list of the HoSE on April 7 with an after-tax loss of more than VND5 billion reported in 2015. Pomina Steel has also been placed on this list after posting a loss of roughly VND212 billion as of December 31, 2015. Earlier this week, the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) put shares of several companies on the warning list after audited financial reports revealed negative figures in their after-tax records. The companies included tobacco leaves producer Ngan Son, Viet Nam National General Export-Import JSC No 1 and Asia-Pacific Investment, besides travel firm Fiditour, Song Da Infrastructure Construction and Song Da JSC No 7. Today, the HoSE put shares of some businesses under supervision because of their continuous losses over the last two years. Among them was Viet Nam Ocean Shipping, which posted after-tax losses at minus VND144 billion in 2014 and some minus VND298 billion in 2015. The other firm was Chang Yih Ceramic & Porcelain Tiles, which witnessed after-tax losses of more than VND13 billion in 2014 and approximately VND37 billion in 2015. Shares of marine transport firm Vinaship are also being supervised by the HoSE, after financial reports showed that company's after-tax losses amounted to nearly VND69 billion in 2014 and some VND40 billion in 2015. Ninh Van Bay Travel Real Estate is now being supervised by the southern exchange, with financial reports revealing negative figures in after-tax profit records. The figures were more than VND84 billion for 2014 and nearly VND128 billion for 2015. Asked if the situation of these companies may affect investors' psychology and local stock indices, an analyst at brokerage VietinBank Securities said, "No problem. This is a normal situation and investors understand it." "It has been months since the companies suffered losses, and investors are aware that any improvement will depend on not only the companies' actions but also macro-economic conditions," the analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said. "Personally I think the authorities revealing the names of the warned and supervised firms so soon at this time of the year is a good move. It shows that standards of the domestic stock market are enhanced, and it helps investors make better choices in their investments," he said. The HoSE and HNX stipulate that shares of a company will be put on the warning list if audited financial reports show that the firm suffers after-tax losses in the latest fiscal year. The shares will be placed under supervision if the company witnesses after-tax losses in the latest two consecutive years. After-tax losses are just a basis for exchanges to decide on which companies to warn or supervise, besides some other bases related to reduction in charter capital, a halt in production and business activities, violation in information announcement and shortcomings in shares transactions. A company will be taken off the warning or supervision lists if it manages to resolve the causes that lead to its unsatisfactory situation, according to the exchange regulations. This week, the HoSE removed the warning for shares of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Construction and Urban Development, and Song Da Urban & Industrial Zone Investment and Development. As the State Bank of Vietnam plans to tighten credit for the real estate sector, Vietnamese developers have started to think of alternative ways to mobilise capital for their projects. One of the ways is to call on small investors through funds. As of now, there are only foreign real estate funds in Vietnam, such as VinaLand, Indochina Land Holding, Vietnam Opportunity Fund, Vietnam Property Fund and Vietnam Property Holding. There has yet to be a truly Vietnamese real estate fund. Nguyen Tran Nam, chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, said that developer Hoang Quan Group was working on a project named Vietnam real estate investment fund, and that many developers have shown interest in joining. The project is expected to be the flagship of more such funds, making it easier for developers to mobilise capital. Hoang Van Cuong, vice president of National Economics University, said that funds had to have prestige to be able to call for capital from individual investors. Another alternative is to list the project on the stock market. Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of National Resources and Environment, said that in the future this model is going to replace the nowadays common practice of direct investment between developers and buyers. No developer has attempted to set up a fund like this yet in Vietnam, though the legal framework allows it. Companies are only waiting for relevant government agencies to state the requirements for the projects to be listed. For the past month, Duong Thi Hoa, a cattle breeder in Dong Nai Province, has stopped mixing her own pig food from such ingredients as corn, soy beans, and premixes, which are a blend of various raw materials and additives that contain vitamins, minerals, antibiotics, and other essential ingredients. Instead, Hoa is shifting toward buying ready-to-eat pig food from a local manufacturer. It costs me over VND1,000 [US$0.04] more for each kilo of pig food, but I feel safer this way, Hoa said. Ill have it this way for now, rather than risk buying ingredients on the market that may contain banned chemicals. Hoas worries are understandable, as a revised law that will come into effect on July 1 this year states that those who that feed their cattle banned chemicals can face to up to 20 years in prison. According to Hoa, some households in her area were fined at the beginning of March, after excessive amounts of salbutamol, a banned chemical that boosts the growth and production of meat in cattle, were found in their pigs urine. Many other breeders like Hoa herself have grown wary of the hundreds of animal food brands currently circulating on the market, for fear of mistakenly buying chemically contaminated food. Tran Quang Trung, owner of a farm of over 3,000 pigs in Dong Nai Province, said there was no way a regular breeder could know which brand put banned substances into their food, when all brands advertise their products as clean and of good quality. I only buy products by long-established manufacturers, because they use a qualified production process and have their reputation to lose if they do something illegal, Trung explain. Nguyen Kim Doan, vice chairman of the Dong Nai Animal Husbandry Association, said the Association has advised local breeders to be careful when picking their fodder brand, and keep the proof of purchase to protect themselves on legal terms. Pigs are currently sold at a high price while the price of fodder is dropping, so breeders are getting stricter on choosing cattle food in order to maximize their profit without putting themselves at risk of breaking the law, Doan said. As a move to assure customers of the quality of their products, many fodder brands are now offering proofs and making solemn pledges. Late last month, Tran Minh Tien, sales director at VH Company in Dong Nai, brought his companys fodder in for a test to prove that the food contained no banned substances. Customers are anxious about banned substances in animal food, so we had to take the initiative to prove that we build our business on the basis of prestige and quality, Tien said. Similarly, Lee Meng Hong, director of research and development at Anco and Proconco cattle food companies, said they had started printing no banned substances stamps to be stuck on their products as a proof of quality. According to Lee, apart from regular quality standard inspections, his brands also send samples of their fodders to an independent testing center appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to monitor the levels of beta-agonists such as salbutamol, ractopamine, and clenbuterol. One hundred percent of the hundreds of samples of our products have tested negative for beta-agonists. This practice will continue to ensure that no banned substances are present in our fodders, Lee stressed. Meanwhile, Dr. Duong Nguyen Khang, director at the Center for Research and Transfer of Technology under Nong Lam (Agriculture-Forestry) University, advised breeders to turn to technical methods to increase the productivity of their cattle. Khang said the quickest way to do this was to import foreign breeds and crossbreed them with domestic ones and create high quality breeds that adapt well to Vietnams climate. Vietnam had imported 14,903 completely built-up automobiles (CBUs) by mid-March this year, a decrease of 4,066 compared with the same period last year. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, imports of complete cars from January to the middle of March decreased notably in the first quarter with turnover falling $60 million to $364 million compared to Q1/2015. Vietnam imported less CBUs in the first quarter. Photo: VnExpress Truck imports increased in volume while small imported cars (sedan, SUV, etc.) tumbled sharply. Specifically, under-nine-seat cars imported to Vietnam in the first quarter reached only 5,649 units, down 3,470, but imported trucks rose to 6,993 vehicles, up 1,057 units compared with the same period last year. Regarding car exports to the Vietnamese market, Thailand ranked first with 4,731 vehicles worth $80 million as of the end of February, followed by Korea with over 2,000 CBUs worth more than $27 million. Japan exported 1,141 cars ($48 million), while China accounted for 1,180 units ($46 million), mostly trucks. Beside cooled purchasing power based on the demand reached at the of peak last year, the main reasons for the dip are the impacts of special consumption tax policies and new tax calculations. At the next National Assembly meeting, the revised Law on Special Consumption Tax may be adopted. This would mean a tax of up to 150 percent on CBUs based on the wholesale price of importers rather than CIF (cost, insurance and freight) plus import tax as before. Prev Next The Vertical Academy Climbing Club in District 2 was established in late 2015 by Cedric Deguilhem. The 40-year-old French instructor, also the clubs owner, is an expert in rope access, a form of positioning, initially developed from techniques used in climbing and caving. Cedric regularly guides porters through the use of climbing equipment, safety rules and practice. Porters are the muscular young local men tasked with carrying camping gear, food, and adventurers luggage on the long, treacherous journey from outside into Son Doong Cave. The men are also responsible for preparing meals for groups of tourists during tours to the cave. The special course for porters lasts three days, while training classes for amateurs open year-round with an entrance price of VND150,000 (US$6.73). Unlike other gyms where climbers are secured with rope and climb on a vertical wall, here, players grab the climbing holds with no training aids. The club has three climbing areas with varying levels of difficulty. The first area is called Top rope, featuring an eight-meter artificially constructed wall. Dedicated to amateurs, it allows climbers to secure themselves to a rope and climb vertically while grabbing artificial holds. The instructor holds the other side of the rope to ensure safety in case the climber releases it and drops down. Two other areas, called Bouldering 1 and 2, are more difficult as the wall is not only steep but also includes obstacles. Most of the climbers here are foreigners accustomed to a mountaineering environment from an early age. Ngo Hien Thuc, one of the instructors, guides climbers through exercises using their hands, feet, abdominal muscles, and fingers, which are considered the most important parts of the body in mountaineering. Thuc says climbers should choose a shoe slightly smaller than their normal shoe size, which will help them grab the climbing holds easier. Pierre Fontain, a French climber, said he was born in Annecy, a city in south-eastern France that has lots of mountains. It is great that we have this kind of gym in Ho Chi Minh City to maintain the weekly workout. Mountaineering is an activity that strengthens many parts of the body, he shared. Fontain is not only a customer but also a volunteer here. He helps the staff re-arrange the climbing holds to create new routes on a weekly basis. In Europe, we travel or picnic every weekend, so children get used to climbing, Cedric said. The Frenchman explained that the concept of climbing does not only mean using professional equipment and climbing on high mountains. It includes climbing, also called mountaineering, and bouldering, which means climbing on large rocks. Bouldering is much more common as anybody can do it. We consider climbing a life skill in which we learn how to be safe rather than the adventure sport Vietnamese call it, Cedric concluded. The club organized a mountaineering tournament called the Bouldering Cup on March 26. Climbers competed with each others on dozens of different routes, which increased in difficulty as the competition went on. The event, the first of its kind in Ho Chi Minh City, attracted around 100 climbers. According to Hien Thuc, the gym welcomes from 20 to 30 customers every day. The club includes 200 members, 80 of which are Vietnamese. The man who admitted to hijacking an EgyptAir flight last week with a fake bomb will be extradited to Egypt, after Cypriot and Egyptian authorities agreed to the legal procedure Thursday. Seif al-Din Mustafa, 58, has been held in Cyprus since last week when he used the fake suicide belt to force the flight off course and to the southern coastal city Larnaca. Cypriot Attorney General Petros Clerides described Mustafa as being psychologically unstable. He told the Associated Press Mustafa is objecting to the extradition and has hired a lawyer to defend him. According to Clerides, an extradition hearing has been scheduled for April 22, where a Cypriot court will hear Mustafas argument as to why he should not be sent to Egypt. Mustafa was detained March 29 after he voluntarily admitted the hijacking. He hijacked the plane with more than 70 people onboard shortly after it took off from Alexandria en route to Cairo, but he demanded the plane be flown to Cyprus. Mustafa told investigators he wanted to see his ex-wife and children, who he hadnt spoken to in more than 10 years. He had been forbidden to see them by Egyptian authorities. The hijacking incident ended peacefully after a six-hour standoff on the tarmac after landing in Cyprus. Most of the hostages on the plane were released shortly after it landed in Larnaca, though Mustafa held a few until just before he surrendered. The extradition process could take as long as 60 days, but will likely be accelerated. Russian President Vladimir Putins announced plans Tuesday to form a National Guard with the stated goal of fighting terrorism and organized crime. But analysts say the main aim is to put down public unrest as Russias economy worsens, and the country heads into elections. They see the move as a chance for Putin to consolidate power. A draft law in Russias parliament, the Duma, authorizes the guard to use water cannons, armored vehicles, and riot gear to disperse mass protests. While the draft law forbids shooting in crowded areas or at pregnant women, the disabled, or children, it says Putin will be able to directly order the National Guard on armed missions and for them to fire without warning if they see a threat. For all that Putin claims, its to fight organized crime and terrorism and drugs and so forth, its nothing of the sort, says professor of Global Affairs at New York University Mark Galeotti in a VOA interview via Skype. This is essentially a paramilitary security force. Its really designed for two purposes; one is to keep control of the streets in case there are renewed forms of labor unrest or anti-government political unrest. And, the second function might also be actually as a praetorian guard to make sure that the elite dont try to conspire against Putin at all, says Galeotti. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media the National Guard would be used against terrorism and crime, but also acknowledged it would likely be used to suppress what were called unauthorized mass actions. When asked if the establishment of the National Guard meant a crisis of confidence in the powerful officials of military or security background surrounding Putin, called the siloviki, Peskov answered, No, it does not mean that. Centralizing Power The idea of a National Guard was floated numerous times in the past, but quashed because it was seen as unnecessary. To me, this very much suggests theres a certain mood of paranoia in the Kremlin these days, says Galeotti. The executive order calls for the National Guard to integrate existing Interior Ministry troops, riot police, and special forces under the central command of Putins former chief body guard, Viktor Zolotov, who would answer directly to the president. And, a bodyguard, from his point of view, is the best choice, said independent defense analyst and deputy editor of Russia's Yezhenedelny Zhurnal (Weekly Journal) Alexander Golts. Because all these so-called Siloviki, representatives of power structures-military guys, guys from security services, police, all of them were trained and indoctrinated to defend people, to defend citizens, he says. The only people who are indoctrinated to defend only one person and sacrifice everything in order to save his life are bodyguards, adds Golts. After losing its forces to Putins National Guard, the Interior Ministry would take over Russias Federal Drug Control Service and Federal Migration Service. Russian media reports say the National Guard could eventually number up to 400,000 troops. Critics of the Kremlin say it sounds like the establishment of a police state, while analysts say it is just heading off potential threats to Putins power. "I think it is a direct answer to the main threat to Russian security as Mr. Putin sees it, said Golts. This threat is the so-called 'Color Revolutions'-peoples' uprisings, he told VOA. Elections a Crucial Test With parliamentary elections scheduled for September and presidential elections in 2018, the Kremlin does not want to take any chances, says Golts, "No doubt they really are preparing for something that can happen during the elections or before them." After shady parliamentary elections in 2012 sparked massive anti-Putin demonstrations, the Kremlin reacted with a crackdown on critics, a series of repressive laws against public protest, and nationalist campaigns against alleged traitors and enemies of the people. Russias March 2014 annexation of Crimea jolted Putins popularity at home to new highs amid a wave of nationalism. While the tough line appears to have worked, the Russian economy is worsening with low oil prices and Western sanctions over the Kremlins actions in Ukraine. Galeotti says the economic problems are eating away at Putin's legitimacy and the elections will be a crucial test for the Kremlin. Almost certainly, the election results are going to have to be rigged for the Kremlin to get the kind of result that it wants, he says. And, weve seen in the past that actually that is a point at which public protest can just suddenly flare up seemingly from nowhere as people demonstrate their anger. So I imagine they want to be at least ready, just in case there is any such protest around the elections, Galeotti said. Angola will begin loan negotiations with the International Monetary Fund on a three-year loan facility next week as lower oil prices hammer the finances of Africa's second-largest crude exporter, the Finance Ministry and the IMF said on Wednesday. Angola's economy has grown rapidly since a 27-year civil war ended in 2002, peaking at 12 percent three years ago, but a sharp drop in oil prices has sapped dollar inflows, dented the kwanza and prompted heavy government borrowing. Oil output represents 40 percent of gross domestic product and more than 95 percent of foreign exchange revenue. Brent crude traded below $39 a barrel on Wednesday, down more than 30 percent compared with a year ago. "The government of Angola is aware that the high dependence of the oil sector represents vulnerability for the public finances and the economy in an extensive way," the Finance Ministry said in a statement. "The government requested the support of the IMF for a supplementary program ... taking account of the decline in the price of petroleum." Finance Minister Armando Manuel told Reuters in March Angola had no plans to approach the IMF for loans. In Washington, IMF Deputy Managing Director Min Zhu said discussions would start with Angolan authorities next week during the Fund's spring meetings on a three-year Extended Fund Facility. The talks will move to Angola shortly thereafter. In a statement, Zhu said low oil prices have challenged oil-exporting countries, especially those that have not yet diversified their economies. "The IMF stands ready to help Angola address the economic challenges it is currently facing by supporting a comprehensive policy package to accelerate the diversification of the economy, while safeguarding macroeconomic and financial stability," Zhu said. The IMF's Extended Fund Facility program is designed for countries with balance of payments issues and slow growth or structural impediments. Under normal access, it allows a member country to borrow up to 145 percent of its quota share in the Fund annually. For Angola, that could mean about $1.5 billion a year, based on its share and current exchange rates, with a cumulative total capped at just over $4.5 billion, net of repayments. Angola will work with the IMF to design reforms aimed at improving fiscal discipline, simplifying the tax system and increasing public finance transparency and the banking sector, as part of loan talks, the Finance Ministry statement said. Authorities in Lebanon detained an Australian television crew for allegedly assisting an Australian mother in abducting her children from their father, a Lebanese national. The television crew was identified as members of the 60 Minutes news team from Australias Nine Network, the network confirmed in a statement. They were filming the mother as she attempted to recover her children from their father. In a statement, Lebanons Internal Security Forces said they detained the mother and took her two children into custody Thursday. The television crew was taken into custody earlier in the day. The Australian mother, Sally Faulker, hired an international retrieval agency to bring the children back to Australia after she said their father brought them to Lebanon last year for vacation and never returned them. The two children disappeared Wednesday while they waited for their school bus. A low-quality security camera video of the incident shows several large men emerge from a parked car and grab two young children, believed to be Faulkners four-year-old son and six-year-old daughter as they walk with two women. The car then speeds away as one of the women falls to the ground and the other briefly gives chase on foot before walking back to aid the fallen woman. Local news agencies report the two women are the childrens paternal grandmother and nanny. The kidnappers ran away after having hit the grandma and snatched the two children, Lebanons state-run National News Agency reports. Forces started their investigations into the kidnapping, with family reasons looming in the background. According to the statement from Nine Network, the news agency was doing everything in its power to secure the release of the crew. "We are working with authorities to get them released and home as soon as possible," the company said. The Nine Network said it lost contact with the news crew for about 15 hours, but the station found out later the crew had been detained at a Beirut police station and was in contact with the Australian consular office. It is a relief to know that Australian officials are about to speak to them, a network spokesman said on Nine Networks evening news. The crew knew that this was a risk, going to do the story. Police in Hanoi today seized Chinese national Zhou Yun Miao, 47, the leader of a transnational gambling ring wanted by Interpol. According to Interpol, Miao has been one of four leaders of an online gambling ring since 2012, and was responsible for financial management. Zhou Yun Miao. Photo: doisong.vn The online gambling website has connections with hundreds of games providers and makes illegal money through selling digital currencies. Chinese police recorded illegal transactions worth $90 million between 2012 and 2014. Miao and his accomplices have been on the run in Vietnam since 2013, where they have managed to continue the operation. Chinese police and Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for him in October 2014. Miao was transferred to Chinese police on April 5, Hanoi police said. The foreign ministers of Russia and Iran joined efforts on Thursday to prevent a new war between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh, while the sides in the conflict accused each other of violating a two-day-old cease-fire. The Russian and Iranian foreign ministers were meeting with their Azerbaijani counterpart in Baku, and the Russian prime minister was due in the Armenian capital later in the day. Fighting that erupted over the weekend has killed at least 64 people, including three civilians. It is the worst outbreak of violence since a separatist war ended in 1994 and left Nagorno-Karabakh - officially part of Azerbaijan - under the control of local Armenian forces and the Armenian military. Armenian forces also occupy several areas outside the Karabakh region. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on Thursday said the Armenian side had violated the cease-fire 119 times over the past day and Azerbaijan's forces had returned fire. The ministry reported no fresh casualties. Nagorno-Karabakh's military accused Azerbaijan of opening fire and reported that one of its soldiers had been killed in the shelling Wednesday night. On Wednesday, each side said its troops were observing the cease-fire, which went into effect at midday Tuesday. The fighting has raised fears of a possible escalation in hostilities, with Turkey strongly backing Azerbaijan and Russia obliged to protect Armenia by a mutual security pact. Russia, however, has supplied weapons to both countries, reflecting its desire to expand its influence in the strategic South Caucasus region, a conduit for energy resources from the Caspian Sea to the West. For Iran, the Baku meeting is a chance to improve its sanction-stricken economic ties with neighboring countries. So far, Iran only has urged restraint by both sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, apparently because of a lack of influence on either Azerbaijan or Armenia. Upon arrival in Baku, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Iran's state news agency IRNA that he planned to discuss boosting cooperation with Azerbaijan and Russia, including the transit of goods. A former Auschwitz guard has died just days before he was set to face trial for his role in the killings of more than 1,000 people, a court spokesman said Thursday. The 93-year-old Ernst Tremmel belonged to the Nazi SS Totenkopf unit at the death camp in German-occupied Poland from November 1942 to June 1943, where he processed the arrival of prisoners to the prison. He was allegedly directly involved in three transport trips to the prison from locations throughout Europe. A court spokesman said the trial was expected to start next Wednesday in the western town of Hanau, near Frankfurt. The court was to hear testimony from Auschwitz survivors, but "all the appointments related to these proceedings have now been canceled," the court said in a statement. The cause of Tremmel's death was not released by authorities. According to a previous court statement, at least 1,075 people were killed upon their arrival at Auschwitz, which would have implicated Tremmel since he was involved with processing the new prisoners. Despite being 19 to 20 years old during the time of his alleged crimes, the court chose to try him under juvenile criminal law. Tremmel was one of 14 former Nazis arrested by German authorities in February 2014 in a last-ditch effort to bring to justice the few remaining living Nazi perpetrators. A Bangladeshi student activist has been brutally killed in Dhaka by group of machete-wielding attackers. Postgraduate law student Nazimuddin Samad was hacked with machetes and then shot by motorcycle-riding assailants as he was returning from class Wednesday at Jagannath University. Dhaka police said they thought Samad was targeted for his outspoken views. He often criticized radical Islam and promoted secularism in the Muslim-majority country. Police said no one had been arrested and no group immediately claimed responsibility for the killing, but they said people heard the attackers shouting Allahu akbar ("God is great") as they fled the scene. Samads slaying followed a series of similar attacks last year, when at least five secular writers and a publisher were killed. A banned Islamist militant group claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Samad was on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a radical Islamist group compiled and sent to Bangladeshs Interior Ministry. Hundreds of students at the university where Samad studied protested his killing, demanding the prompt arrest of those responsible. Some international proponents of freedom of expression said the ongoing attacks show the Bangladeshi government is failing to protect its people. One by one, the critical voices are being silenced forever, at a time that I would say that the country needs these voices more than ever, Sumit Galhotra of the Committee to Protect Journalists told VOA's Bangla service. With every passing death, the government continues to watch on, and we are not seeing any indication that government is taking any steps to address this violence." Lawmakers in Tennessee are one step closer to making the Bible the southern state's official book, alongside the state's official fruit a tomato and its official wild animal the raccoon. The move comes just weeks after the legislature's attempt to designate an official state gun the high-powered rifle. Official designations are usually a lighthearted, symbolic exercise meant to draw attention to unique aspects of a state, but the battle over the so-called "Bible bill" highlights the ongoing debate over the role of religion in government. Republican lawmakers who passed the legislation in the state Senate by a 19-8 vote Monday said the bill was not a government endorsement of religion, but an effort to honor the Bible's historical and cultural contributions. "We're recognizing that the only way that we can in the state of Tennessee," said the bill's sponsor, Republican Senator Steve Southerland. This is the second attempt by the Tennessee state legislature to designate the Bible as the official state book. Last year, legislative action on the bill was delayed and the State's Attorney General found the bill violated the First Amendment's establishment that "no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship." Bishop Gene Robinson, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told VOA the legislature's argument about the cultural importance of the Bible ignored the direct violation of the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. "We do have language about religious institutions and not favoring one over the others," he said. "This is an opportunity to teach the public about what our Constitution says and what it really means." Cultural clash A 2014 Pew Research Center survey found 81 percent of adults in Tennessee identify as Christian compared to 70 percent of adults nationwide. Robinson said this legislation is one of many bills coming up in state legislatures to address problems that don't actually exist, and that lawmakers could acknowledge the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United States by passing a resolution acknowledging the Bible's influence. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, a Republican, said the bill wasn't "very respectful" because it places the Bible on the same level as trivial items like the state's official beverage milk and its official fish the smallmouth bass. Passage of the bill would mark the first time the Bible has been made an official state book. Religious believers "feel that progressive social changes in the laws are threatening their way of life and they have a right to speak up," said Chad Pecknold, an associate professor at the Catholic University of America, who studies the intersections between religion and culture. "But this is the wrong way to make that case," he said Haslam has not said if he would veto the bill. It will automatically become law within 10 days of House and Senate speaker approval if he does not veto it. Nearby controversies Governors in the nearby southern states of Georgia and Mississippi faced intense protests recently over controversial decisions about religious-based legislation. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, a Republican, on Tuesday signed into law a bill permitting churches, religious charities and private businesses to decline services to same-sex couples on the basis of their religious beliefs. The Republican governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, vetoed similar legislation last week under pressure from activists and businesses threatening boycotts. Deal said he did "not think we have to discriminate against anyone to protect [Georgia's] faith-based community." Burundi is to sign a memorandum of understanding with African Union officials following concerns the government is violating citizens rights. Burundi Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe denied accusations that his government uses state security agencies, as well as supporters, to violate the rights of opponents. He says the administration in Bujumbura is cooperating with African Union (AU) officials, who are currently in the country to investigate allegations of abuse. The government is committed to protecting the rights of citizens regardless of their political affiliation, Nyamitwe says. I, again, don't understand that while we are using the language of openness, others are in the business of blackmailing the government, calling the government names, which I believe is not going in the right direction, he said. Now as far as we are concerned, it is up to the AU monitors through the AU military experts to tell their part of the story. But as far as we are concerned, we have done our best." Nyamitwe's comments follow criticism by opposition groups that the government has been engaged in violating citizens rights. Fueling this claim is the March 31 death of former Rwandan Ambassador Jacques Bihozagara in prison in Bujumbura. Critics of the government say the death is an example of the administration's disinterest in protecting the rights of citizens. They demand an independent inquiry into Bihozagaras death, as well as complete access to international human rights monitors and the United Nations police in investigating rights violations in the country. Nyamitwe dismissed critics claims. "These are the same people who asked the Security Council to get involved in Burundian affairs, he said. Now that the Security Council has come up with a resolution, they are the very first people to reject the resolution. they don't know what they are talking about. U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says he plans substantive discussions with Syrian government and opposition parties next week in Geneva in hopes of kick-starting Syrias political transition process. De Mistura did not give a specific starting date, saying only that The great thing about proximity talks is they are dramatically flexible. As the warring parties refuse to meet face to face, the U.N. envoy shuttles from one delegation to another. Therefore, he said it was not necessary for all the delegations to be present at the same time. He said he expects staggered arrivals to begin early next week, with earnest negotiations set for April 13. The next round of the talks need to be quite concrete in the direction of a political process leading to a real beginning of a political transition. Since this is real stuff, I need to verify the international and regional stakeholders position in order to [assess] the level of a critical positive mass leading to concrete results in the next round of talks, de Mistura said. For this to happen, the U.N. envoy said he was going on a mini verification tour to gauge the level of agreement from countries of influence for delving seriously into the political process. He said he already has met with Russian officials and that in the coming days he will be going to Damascus and Tehran, followed by meetings in Europe with Turkish and Saudi Arabian authorities. Earlier this year, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced parliamentary elections to be held April 13. De Mistura said he was aware of this is happening on the day talks he hopes to resume talks. He said he expects the Syrian government delegation is likely to arrive in Geneva on April 15. He declined to comment on the parliamentary elections, noting the only elections he is willing to discuss are those sanctioned by Security Council Resolution 2254. This resolution calls for UN-monitored elections to be held in Syria within 18 months of the restart of the peace process in March. Copenhagen police says they have arrested four people recently returned from Syria and suspected of having been recruited by the Islamic State group to commit terror. Police tweeted Thursday ammunition and weapons were found in a related search. Authorities have not released more details on the identity of the suspects who will be seen by a judge on Friday. Justice Minister Soren Pind said, We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq may pose a specific security threat against Denmark." Danish forces have been on alert since a shooting at a free speech event in a Copenhagen synagogue in February 2015. Danish intelligence service PET believes that as of last October, over 125 people have returned to Denmark after joining IS in Iraq or Syria. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump did not appear to be discouraged by his big loss to Ted Cruz in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary as he spoke to an enthusiastic crowd Wednesday outside New York City. New York is Trump's home state, and polls ahead of the important April 19 primary give him a huge lead over Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Trump mocked Cruz during the rally on Long Island, saying only about 100 people turned out in The Bronx to hear Cruz speak Wednesday, while about 20,000 came to hear Trump. There also was a group of protesters outside the venue where Trump spoke. Several protesters also greeted Cruz, who has said voters are tired of "New York values." Although Cruz says that remark is directed toward liberal politicians, many New Yorkers see it as an insult. After winning Wisconsin by a landslide Tuesday night and getting all of its 42 delegates, Cruz called it a "turning point" in the Republican race. But he still badly trails Trump in the all-important delegate count. Cruz would have to take nearly 90 percent of the remaining available delegates to claim the Republican nomination. Trump also has the difficult task of needing to win 60 percent of those delegates to take the nomination, making it more and more likely that the Republican convention in July will be a brokered convention one in which no candidate has enough delegates when the gathering opens. Republicans have not had a brokered convention since 1976, when neither incumbent President Gerald Ford nor his main challenger, Ronald Reagan, had enough delegates to win the nomination on the first round of voting. For the Democrats, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin. He has topped Clinton in six of the last seven Democratic primaries or caucuses. But Clinton still has what may be an insurmountable lead over Sanders in the number of delegates. Sanders is appealing to young voters in the remaining primaries to help him close the gap. European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker is saddened by the outcome of a Netherlands referendum on an EU trade deal with Ukraine, but a spokesman says Juncker remains committed "to the development of its relations with Ukraine." Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko also said he remains committed to the deal despite the Dutch vote, in which nearly two-thirds of the voters rejected the measure. The vote was also marred by low turnout, barely reaching the 30 percent minimum needed to validate the decision. The referendum Wednesday was nonbinding, but it indicates popular disapproval of the Dutch government's plans to ratify the trade deal. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said late Wednesday the Dutch government will consult with parliament and with its European partners to decide what do to next. Rutte said the process could take "days or weeks." Watch: Dutch Reject EU Ukraine Agreement While the vote count is nearly complete, officials results are not due to be released until April 12. Unofficial results after polls closed Wednesday indicated that 61 percent of voters rejected the deal, while 38 percent approved it. Only about 32 percent of the Netherlands' 12.5 million registered voters participated in the referendum. Opposition Dutch opponents of the EU agreement say its ultimate goal is to bring Ukraine into the trade bloc, despite Kyiv's struggles with corruption and an ongoing separatist movement in the east. Supporters say the agreement would aid economic development on both sides and improve human rights in the former Soviet republic. The United States backs the deal. State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday it is "in the interests of the United States, of the Netherlands, of the EU to help ensure that Ukraine becomes a democratic and economically stable country. The Netherlands referendum was seen as a measure of Dutch support for the European Union in general. It came just three months before Britons are to vote in a referendum on whether to leave the union altogether, in a potential move that has been nicknamed "Brexit." The trade bloc was formally established in 1993 with the Netherlands as one of its founding members. It is now struggling to cope with economic woes, political divisions, and the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Belgian police have released new video of a wanted Brussels airport bombing suspect even as the lawyer for a Paris attacks suspect says his extradition may take a few more weeks. Released Thursday in French and Flemish, the police video shows the minutes following the March 22 Zaventem Airport bombings and the apparent getaway of the third surviving suspect -- often identified in the media as "the man with the hat." Local media previously released security camera video of the man at Zaventem Airport shortly before the bombings, wearing a hat and a light jacket and walking alongside suicide bombers Ibrahim el-Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui. All three men are seen pushing carts with bags on them. With running commentary in French and Flemish, the police footage shows the third man leaving the airport after the bombs went off at 7:58 a.m. First he is walking, then he breaks into a jog. His face is not seen clearly in the new images. Watch video released by FedPol Belgium: We are sorry, but this feature is currently not available According to Belgian authorities, the man walked more then 10 kilometers in the ensuring hours, crossing the town of Zaventem with video finally showing him in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels, before disappearing at a crossroads at 09:50 local time. Police say he got rid of his jacket along the way, and subsequent footage shows him in shirtsleeves. He is described as wearing a light blue shirt, dark pants and brown shoes with wide white soles. Asking for citizens' help Belgian police have released local and international phone numbers for people to call if they have any information on the man or a jacket that looks like the one in the video. The Brussels airport attacks, along with a suicide bombing at the Maelbeek metro station in the Belgian capital about an hour later, killed 32 people and wounded more than 340. Ibrahim el-Bakraouis brother, Khalid, was named as the suicide bomber in the metro attack. Both brothers had criminal records. Turkish authorities had earlier caught Ibrahim el-Bakraoui trying to cross into Syria and deported him. Authorities have found a tangle of links between the Brussels attacks suspects and those involved in the November attacks in Paris including surviving Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, who is believed to have been in charge of logistics. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for both attacks. Born in France but brought up in Belgium, Abdeslam was arrested days before the Brussels attacks and is currently in a high-security Belgian prison awaiting extradition to France. That move had been expected to be imminent, but his Belgian lawyer, Sven Mary, told journalists Thursday that Abdeslams extradition would not happen for several weeks. Lawyer Mary also said Abdeslam was not formally implicated to date in the Brussels attacks. Criticism of intelligence lapses Belgian authorities have been sharply criticized for intelligence lapses leading up to the attacks. The countrys justice and interior ministers both tendered their resignations, which Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel refused to accept. Last month, Belgian authorities said they had arrested the suspected "man with the hat," who the prosecutors office identified as Faycal C., before releasing him days later, apparently for lack of sufficient evidence. Media identified him early on as Faycal Cheffou, a self-styled freelance journalist. In interviews after his release, Cheffou said the arrest had ruined his life. Vietnam's new Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has delivered his first speech after assuming the post, in which he promised to listen closely to public opinion and eliminate shortcomings that still exist while improving anti-corruption efforts. This is a great honor and also a great responsibility that the party, state and people have entrusted in me, Phuc said, addressing other state leaders and near 500 NA deputies Thursday. As the head of the states executive body, Phuc promised to do his utmost with his government to serve the people and fulfill the duties assigned to him by the constitution and the law. Phuc said that he and his administration will continue to value the traditions and achievements made by the outgoing government and listen to the opinions and aspirations of people and voters nationwide. They will address any shortcomings and limitations that are holding back the country's socio-economic development, while boosting the countrys renewal process and global integration. The new prime minister also promised to step up the fight against corruption and waste, which some NA deputies have expressed concerns over, considering them a threat to the countrys prosperity. Phuc said he will firmly safeguard the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the country and ensure happiness, security and safety for its people. The newly appointed prime minister also offered flowers to his predecessor Nguyen Tan Dung in a farewell gesture. Prior to this speech, Phuc took an oath of office at his inaugural ceremony, making him the third state leader to perform the practice after newly elected Chairwoman of the NA Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President Quang. Before the sacred national flag, the National Assembly, the people and voters nationwide, I vow my resolute loyalty to the nation, the people and the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I pledge to make a concerted effort to accomplish the missions assigned by the party, the state and the people, Phuc said as he was sworn into office. If the Clinton presidential campaign has accepted any advice this election, it's this: Take no vote for granted. Coming off a fresh battle in Wisconsin Hillary Clinton's seventh defeat of the last eight contests the focus of the Democratic primary now heads east to New York, where the Clinton campaign is swinging hard on immigration reform, and with good reason. Steadily, the former secretary of state and New York senator has seen her lead in the state over Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders diminish from 21 points one month ago, to just 10 points today, according to a recent poll by CBS News/YouGov. Amid trying times, the Clinton campaign has sharpened its focus on one of the most reliable strongholds it has in the state thus far the Latino vote. She enjoys 75 percent support to Sanders' 19 percent, Clinton's single greatest base among any racial/ethnic group. Throughout the week, the Hillary for America campaign has organized events among New York Latino legislators and elected officials to discuss Clinton's and Sanders' immigration records. "Senator Sanders has not been there side-by-side with us, and that's why Hillary Clinton really is the best candidate," said New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito in a conference call hosted by Clinton's campaign. "She's always been consistent about her quest for equality and social justice." New York Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) hit Sanders for his opposition to a 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill, which included a path to citizenship for roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants a vote Sanders warned at the time would drive down wages for low-income workers. "At the moment when immigrants were being demonized, Sanders was playing for the wrong team," Velazquez said. Amid the attacks, Team Bernie has not stood idle. The Brooklyn-raised Vermont senator has consistently defended his record, including a vote in favor of comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 and in support of President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration in 2014. This week, Sanders issued a statement urging the president to halt raids against those who have fled violence in Central America. "Raids separating families are not who we are," Sanders wrote. "Families deserve fair treatment and our compassion, not a process rigged to expose them to danger." Counterattack Pro-Sanders Latinos have been quick to criticize Clinton for her response to the 2014 surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America, in which she urged deporting recently arrived children in order to send a "clear message" to families: Do not send your children on such a dangerous journey. Latinos for Bernie NYC co-founder Carmen Hulbert said that such a hardline stance on the issue shows that Clinton is not strong on immigration. "Our children have to be protected," said Hulbert, a Peruvian-born citizen from Red Hook, Brooklyn. "Their children and our children should be on the same level. She just lost it." Sanders by comparison, she argued, is an honest politician that "history has proven, defends the working class on issues of health care, education and raising the minimum wage" matters she says are important to Latinos. Hulbert's co-founder, Victor Ortega, agrees. He says that on economic and social justice, like immigration, Hispanics have a lot to gain from Sanders' proposals. "They are interested in free education, free health care; anything that can allow those that have come to this country to provide a better life for their own children," Ortega said. Immigration, economy, Trump For many of New York's 3.7 million Hispanics 1.9 million are eligible voters, 14 percent of state voters immigration is essential, but so is the economy and stopping businessman Donald Trump, who has proposed the strictest anti-immigration measures of any candidate. Nora Gomez, a New York resident and self-described "Nuyorican" (New Yorker + Puerto Rican), describes the Republican front-runner as "scary." She says she is undecided between Sanders, who she likes for his "authenticity," and Clinton, but believes either will keep the country safer than Trump. Clara Batista a Dominican-raised Democrat who has spent 40 years in the Bronx says her mind is made up. Clinton, she says, has the best proposals for Latinos and is the nation's best shot at preserving Obama's legacy. "Obama is a good president and has done what he can," Batista said, "but we entered in an economic crisis, and need continuation." Unity in November Come the general election, Batista like a majority of Democrats says she will rally behind the party's eventual nominee. Ortega, from Team Sanders, says he would not campaign for Clinton, but would urge Pro-Bernie Democrats to support her if necessary. "The possibility of Trump winning scares me so much," Ortega said. "If Bernie loses, I say, well, put a clothespin on your nose, wear a Bernie badge do whatever you do but vote Clinton.'" Hulbert feels differently. "I'm sorry, no," she said. "I'm for real change. It's Bernie Sanders or bust." Bombs used in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a Yemeni market that killed at least 100 people on March 15 were supplied by the United States, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch on Thursday. The death toll includes 25 children, according to the rights group. Forty-seven people were also injured in the airstrike, making it the deadliest yet in the year-long war in Yemen, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, said Priyanka Motaparthy, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. Investigators from the human rights group traveled to the site of the strike in the Hajja province, currently under Shi'ite rebel (Houthi) control. Bomb remnants found are said to be fragments of a GBU-31 satellite-guided bomb consisting of U.S. supplied parts. These results are consistent with findings of British news channel ITV during an investigation it conducted on March 26. Kerry declines to comment The release of the report coincides with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Bahrain. Kerry declined to comment on the situation, saying, I dont have any solid information, any documentation with respect to what weapon might have been used. Although Saudi officials say the majority of casualties in this strike were Houthi rebels, Human Rights Watch said the attack caused disproportionate loss of civilian life, in violation of the laws of war. Such unlawful attacks when carried out deliberately or recklessly are war crimes, the rights group said. Human Rights Watch has also indicated that if the U.S., Britain and France continue supplying weapons to a non-compliant Saudi Arabia, they may be held responsible as being complicit in the unlawful airstrikes. Multiple human rights groups have criticized the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The United Nations says 60 percent of the 3,200 civilian deaths during this conflict have been the result of airstrikes which have hit markets, clinics and hospitals. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized Yemens capital, Sana'a, in September 2014, and the war that followed has left 80 percent of the country in dire need of food, leaving it the poorest nation in the Arab world, according to the U.N. The International Monetary Fund says Somalia has marked a milestone in its development by taking steps to normalize relations with international financial institutions. The IMF said Wednesday that a mission led by Rogerio Zandamela met with Somali authorities in Nairobi from March 30 to April 5 to discuss a staff-monitored program that will focus on policies to improve governance and fiscal management and foster development in the financial sector. Staff-monitored programs are informal agreements between a government and the IMF to monitor the implementation of the country's economic program. Zandamela said after the meetings that Somalia's efforts to rebuild the state and its social and economic infrastructure are "bearing fruit," with growth for 2015 estimated at 3.7 percent. But he said insecurity and war-induced destruction continue to take a toll on revenue collection and delivery of services to the general public. Zandamela said the IMF's staff-monitored program would aim to initiate comprehensive currency reforms to enhance transparency accountability of government operations, as well as strengthen supervision and regulation of commercial banks. But the establishment of such a program is not yet a certainty. Zandamela said a proposal for the mission will be submitted to IMF authorities for consideration later this month or in May. Bypassing the big supermarkets, Harsh Chopra is browsing through the shelves of a neighborhood store that stocks products of a company launched by a yoga guru. She wants to pick up toiletries and food items like biscuits because she believes they do not contain chemicals. In my daily life, I prefer natural products, even soap and everything. There are so many shampoos, but I prefer this soap with reetha (soap nuts) and all these things, Chopra explained. The 50-year-old orange-clad, long-bearded, Baba Ramdev has long been a household name in India as the guru who popularized yoga through a television show. Now, tapping into growing demand for products that are herbal and organic, he is building a fast growing consumer goods company that has multinationals taking notice. Pitching the products as healthy and based on Indias ancient knowledge system of ayurveda, Baba Ramdev is the clear frontrunner among Indian gurus who are no longer content with preaching spiritualism, but have forayed into the world of commerce in one of the worlds big retail markets. In modern factories located in a sprawling facility in the northern, holy city of Haridwar, Patanjali Ayurved churns out about 500 products ranging from soaps, shampoos, cookies, honey, health drinks, fruit juices and flour. Items like breakfast cereal, instant noodles and muesli cater to urban consumers. Their success, said Patanjali managing director Acharya Balkrishna, comes by providing people with an alternative. We have taken the ayurvedic concept and given it to consumers in a way that modern day consumers require. If we had to make toothpaste or shampoo, we thought what are the maximum herbs we can put inside, he said. Helping the company is the fact that many of the goods cost less compared to similar ones in the market. Retail consultants say Patanjali has successfully leveraged the growing concern among consumers about products that contain synthetics. For Mumbai-based brand expert Harish Bijoor the company is at the right place at the right time. When there is an option which is all about being holistic, clean, good for the environment, good for the body, good for the mind, then people tend to say this is a no brainer and I must switch, he said. The company recorded sales of $300 million in the financial year that ended in March 2015. Estimates suggest that could have doubled in the past year. Calling Patanjali one of the most spectacular arrivals in the consumer goods market in recent times, Arvind Singhal, head of the retail consultancy Technopak, said big consumer companies now see it as a contender to be reckoned with. Even six months ago, probably they were not looking at the same kind of attention as they are doing now. But when the numbers start to come out in the public domain, anyone who was not taking them seriously would now be taking them very seriously, Singhal said. Baba Ramdev is not the only Indian holy man tapping into the countrys huge consumer market. In what has been dubbed a trend toward spiritual capitalism, some others are beating the same path, though they have not achieved the same scale. Another guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, last month launched his own line of organic food products. In southern India, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar makes products such as toothpaste and shampoo. These holy men insist they are not in manufacturing for the profit. Saying that he has no stake in the company he promotes, Baba Ramdev, a self-avowed nationalist, said he wants the nation to become healthier and wants to promote goods made in India to keep the countrys wealth at home. But he has sometimes attracted controversy for positions he has taken -- for example opposing homosexuality and sex education in schools. Many were outraged when he said recently that only the rule of law restrains him from beheading anyone who refuses to say a nationalist chant, Bharat Mata ki Jai (Hail Mother India). Such controversies have put off some people, like Suhasini Sood in New Delhi. I dont feel he has projected himself in a manner that I can trust, so that has sort of translated into the companys products as well, she said. Under fire Patanjali too has come under some scrutiny. Its launch of noodles last year came amid allegations that necessary approvals were not obtained reports the company denied. A recent government laboratory in Uttar Pradesh state said that Patanjali noodles was one among three brands in which they found higher than permitted ash content in the taste-maker. Acharya Balkrishna insists the company is keeping an eye on its product line as it prepares to build many more factories to cope with demand. As we go ahead we will ensure that we have our own set-up and our production will be in-house. From cultivation to procurement, until the end user, we have our own network, he said. Experts caution that maintaining quality will be vital. Brand consultant Bijoor said the road ahead will be good provided he is able to occupy the high ground of quality and the high ground of being consistent in what he is offering. Even one small error, one small mistake, could create havoc for Patanjali." Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, has urged more diplomacy in dealing with world powers, saying that the implementation of last year's nuclear deal shows that "logic and argument can triumph over hard power and threats." "Being radical is disadvantageous to us everywhere," Rouhani said in a speech marking the country's national day of nuclear energy. "It creates the biggest danger for any society." Rouhani said that Iran should both talk to the world and also seek self-reliance, warning that the benefits provided by the nuclear deal will not last forever. "The opportunity the nuclear deal has created for us is not permanent and eternal," he said. "Opportunities pass like passing clouds." Rouhani's comments come days after the chief of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, criticized the deal, saying it was "not a document of honor." Under the deal, Tehran pledged to scale back its uranium-enriching activities, submit to inspections and accepted a cap on its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. Experts say the Islamic State is looting and selling cultural antiquities from Iraq and Syria on an industrial scale. The destruction and sale of these treasures is not only condoned but has been institutionalized within the Islamic State itself. And artifacts are beginning to show up on antiquities markets around the world. In May 2015, Islamic State fighters seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra a UNESCO world heritage site north of Damascus known for its Greek, Roman, and Persian ruins and archaeological treasures. Many feared they would destroy the priceless remains. When Syrian forces recaptured the city last month, they found a few of the famed monuments were destroyed but many of the ancient ruins are still intact - though IS was said to have looted ancient graves around the city. Experts say one of the reasons for the destruction has to do with the extremist group's rigid interpretation of history. They would say they are restoring the true Islam. They are unconcerned with history before Mohammed and they are not too much concerned with accurate history after that," said Professor Daniel Serwer, who is with Johns Hopkins University. The Islamic States interest in the site is far more than religious, says Deborah Lehr, Chairwoman of The Antiquities Coalition in Washington. They have recognized that there is value in the destruction of culture in terms of intimidation of local populations and that there is value in the looting of it and then the sale for the raising of funds for their own cause," said Lehr. Lehr says IS also understands the global propaganda value of destroying a priceless cultural heritage - such as the pillaging of the Mosul Museum in Iraq - making front page news around the world. The Mosul Museum under attack and the video that they posted on YouTube has gotten more attention than any other single event," she said. There's also a monetary motive. The Islamic State has created a ministry of antiquities to industrialize the looting and sell the treasures. It is going and finding treasure and encouraging people to dig," Lehr said. "And what is unfortunate is that many of these people are not trained archeologists so that we not only lose the treasure, but we lose the whole context in which these are found." Under international law, destroying cultural antiquities is a war crime. And authorities hope one day they will be able to prosecute Islamic State members for their crimes. The Israeli military has more than tripled its demolitions of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank in the past three months, U.N. figures show, raising alarm among diplomats and human rights groups over what they regard as a sustained violation of international law. Figures collated by the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which operates in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, show that from an average of 50 demolitions a month in 2012-15, the average has risen to 165 a month since January, with 235 demolitions in February alone. The Israeli military, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, says it carries out the demolitions because the structures are illegal; it says they were built without a permit, in a closed military area or firing zone, or violate other planning and zoning restrictions. The U.N. and rights groups point out that permits are almost impossible for Palestinians to acquire, that firing zones are often declared but seldom used, and that many planning restrictions date from the British Mandate in the 1930s. "It is a very marked and worrying increase," said Catherine Cook, an OCHA official in Jerusalem who closely monitors the demolitions. She described the situation as the worst since the U.N. body started collecting figures in 2009. "The hardest hit are Bedouin and Palestinian farming communities who are at risk of forcible transfer, which is a clear violation of international law," she said. Houses, tents, schools The structures include houses, Bedouin tents, livestock pens, outhouses and schools. In an increasing number of cases, they also include humanitarian structures erected by the European Union to help those affected by earlier demolitions. Appearing before a subcommittee in the Israeli parliament Wednesday, Major General Yoav Mordechai, the coordinator of the Israeli government's activities in the West Bank, defended the policy and told right-wing lawmakers he was doing all he could to carry out 11,000 outstanding demolition orders. The lawmakers summoned Mordechai to the hearing because of their concerns that he is not doing enough to dismantle Palestinian structures and is focusing instead on removing unauthorised Israeli construction in the West Bank. "I want to state unequivocally that enforcement is more severe towards the Palestinians," Mordechai told them a comment that would appear to substantiate the concerns raised by diplomats, aid workers and human rights groups. "Moreover, much of the enforcement with regard to the Palestinians takes place on private Palestinian land." From the point of view of B'Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights group, that admission would appear to confirm that Israel's policy discriminates against Palestinians. Mordechai said Israelis and Palestinians were treated the same. "There is undoubtedly a wave of demolitions and displacements that is severely threatening the ability of thousands of Palestinians to live in these areas," said Sarit Michaeli, the spokeswoman for B'Tselem. "To demolish the homes of Palestinians who are protected under the Geneva Conventions and to build [Israeli] settlements is a clear violation of international humanitarian law." Policy questions While it is clear have picked up sharply, it is less clear why the policy is being pursued more vigorously now or where it leads. One factor that appears to have increased the pressure on the government is the work of Regavim, a right-wing Israeli nongovernmental organization that describes its goal as the "responsible, legal, accountable and environmentally friendly use of Israel's national lands." To Regavim, "national lands" includes the West Bank, which the group refers to as Judea and Samaria the biblical areas many religious Jews see as their ancient heritage. The Palestinians want the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip for their own independent state. Regavim flies drones over the West Bank to capture footage of where illegal construction may be going on. Its lawyers and field workers then compile detailed files of alleged violations and present them to the government and courts. The group, co-founded by Betzalel Smotrich, an ultranationalist West Bank settler who is now a member of parliament, makes frequent submissions to the subcommittee on Judea and Samaria, the same forum that questioned Mordechai. While Smotrich is no longer involved with Regavim, his party, coalition partner Jewish Home, supports more settlement building and the annexation of "Area C" of the West Bank, where most Palestinian structures are being demolished. Area C, which makes up 60 percent of the West Bank, has been under complete Israeli military control since the mid-1990s. Apply the law Ari Briggs, an Australian-Israeli who runs Regavim, says the group's aim is not to target Palestinians but to apply the law usually Israeli military law rigorously and equally. "What's happening on the ground is massive illegal construction in the Arab sector," he wrote in the Jerusalem Post in January. "Illegal construction is only a symptom of a much wider problem: The failure of the state of Israel to impose the law equally, on all its citizens, throughout the land." Diplomats see a wider trend. When Palestinians' homes are destroyed in Area C, they are forced to move away from the sector, which is where most Jewish settlements are based. Settlements known as outposts built without Israeli government permission are sprouting up across Area C and now number around 100. Some are even based in "firing zones" where Palestinian homes have been destroyed. "They are exerting ever greater control over strategic areas of the West Bank," said a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "[Israeli] settlements are the vehicle for taking control of the land." Kosovos new president, Hashim Thaci, was sworn in Thursday in a parliamentary session boycotted by opposition parties. "With consciousness and responsibility, I will perform all my duties. I swear." Thaci, 47, who replaces Atifete Jahjaga, was elected on February 26 in the absence of nearly all opposition lawmakers who had earlier tried to disrupt the voting with tear gas. After taking the oath, Thaci told parliament that he will be a unifying political and civic factor, representative of all citizens of Kosovo. He said that his goals were Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU and the continuation of the process of normalizing relations with Serbia. We cannot change the past but we have to work not to repeat it," Thaci said, adding that both countries (Kosovo and Serbia) should work to become members of the European Union as soon as possible, by facilitating and not obstructing each other. Thaci promised that Kosovo will contribute even more actively to regional, European and global initiatives. Earlier this week, the Constitutional Court turned down a request to void Thaci's election, saying it had found no evidence of voting irregularities, as the opposition parties Self-Determination Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, and Initiative for Kosovo had claimed. A lawmaker from the opposition Self-Determination party, Ylli Hoxha, called Thaci an "illegal president" and said his party would not recognize him. "I think that he [Thaci] was elected only through the application of brute force against opposition and peace, through the blackmail of LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo) MPs, who were clearly against his election, and through unacceptable concessions towards Serbia that goes beyond his constitutional rights. As such, he is an illegal President, we will not recognize him and we will not attend to the estimation of any of his acts," said Hoxha. The opposition has been disrupting parliamentary proceedings since last September to protest a deal between Kosovo and Serbia that gives more power to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo and another on a border demarcation pact with Montenegro. Boko Haram fighters have kidnapped and conscripted thousands of young men and women since 2013. Soldiers from a regional force composed of fighters from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon continue to liberate captives by the hundreds during an operation to flush the terrorists from their remaining hideouts, but those formerly held say their struggles are far from over. Hamidou Mohamat, 21, says he was seized from the Nigerian town of Kumshe three years ago. Boko Haram forced him and his three brothers to join them, and those who tried to escape were killed, he says. The fighters attacked schools and markets, and ordered him and others to transport stolen food and goods to Boko Haram camps in the bush. He says the militants attacked farmers, cattle ranchers and businesses. Mohamat arrived at the Minawao refugee camp in northern Cameroon unarmed, and is cooperating with the military. The military says anyone caught with weapons is arrested and charged before a military tribunal. But others who turn themselves in, as Mohamat did, are held in special camps for investigation. VOA was not allowed to visit those camps. Former captives say they are being met with stigma and suspicion. Eighteen-year-old Yazan Imra came to Minawao after regional troops raided the Boko Haram camp where she had been held for two years. Boko Haram fighters forced them and their children to the camp, she says, where the boys were used as domestic workers and taught how to operate guns and explosives. The women and girls were used as sex slaves and forced to cook for the fighters. She wiped tears from her face as she spoke, and held her crying 16-month-old baby in her arms. She says she doesn't know who the father is. Alain Myogo, Cameroon's senior military official in the area, says traumatized refugees are getting counseling and other special attention. He says the military is working with humanitarian groups to take care of their health needs and provide them with food. The global objective, he says, is to free all those who have been held in bondage by Boko Haram and bring peace to their communities. Djibouti goes to the polls Friday. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, in power since 1999, is widely expected to win another term though concerns have been raised about the country's human rights situation in the run-up to the poll. Djiboutis president is seeking his fourth term in office. It's an about-face on the president's previous pledges to step down in 2016, but there is little suspense. President Guelleh faces six challengers, none of whom have emerged as a clear frontrunner. Some opposition parties are boycotting the poll, saying the electoral commission is not independent. The parties also complain of unfair media coverage and arrests of their supporters. Strategic location Djibouti sits on the Red Sea, and the United States, France and Japan have important military bases there. China announced in December that will build a naval base. The bases are a key source of revenue for the tiny country. Regional political analyst Abdiwaha Sheikh Abdisamd says stability is paramount. If there is any problem... Djibouti cannot afford to have the political violence which is witnessed in Africa, said Abdisamd. Authorities detained and expelled a team of BBC reporters last week. The Committee to Protect Journalists called it "an act of censorship" and said two local reporters had also been detained without charge in January. Results of the poll are expected as early as Friday night. State President Tran Dai Quang Thursday nominated the new vice state president, new chief judge of the Supreme People's Court and new prosecutor general of the Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy today. Deputy Chairwoman of the Office of the Central Party Committee Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh was nominated to become Vietnam's vice state president. Photo: Giang Huy The nominations were made after the National Assembly passed a resolution allowing Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court Truong Hoa Binh and Prosecutor General of the Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy Nguyen Hoa Binh to step down. Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, deputy chairwoman of the Office of the Central Party Committee, was recommended for vice state president; Nguyen Hoa Binh, former prosecutor general of the Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy, for chief judge of the Supreme People's Court; and Le Minh Tri, deputy head of the Party Central Committee Commission for Internal Affairs, for prosecutor general of the Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy. The results of a vote for the new positions are expected to be announced on Friday. Only the new chief judge of the Supreme Peoples Court will take an oath of office. Aggressive wild turkeys have become such a problem for the town of Teaneck, New Jersey that it plans to get 20 air horns to scare away the birds. "We have to coexist as best as possible," said animal control officer Vincent Ascolese. In an interview with The Record newspaper, he said he will give the air horns to officials to distribute to the public. Town officials say they have received about a dozen complaints about the aggressive turkeys, adding that the angry birds have attacked residents, pecked at cars and held up traffic." One bird even flew through a resident's glass kitchen window. "I grabbed the kids and we literally ran for our lives out of the house because we were so scared," Teaneck resident Courtney Lopchinsky told CBS New York. "All of a sudden, it went straight through the window. We were covered in glass. The turkey was covered in mud and water and kept flapping its wings throwing mud water everywhere," she said. Only the state is able to touch the birds, but residents can scare them off by spraying them with water or making loud noises. One official from the states Department of Environmental Protection said the capture of an aggressive male bird earlier this week could ease the wild animals' aggressive behavior. The official said that putting cardboard in windows or adding window decorations could stop the birds from attacking windows and defecating in yards. Myanmars ruling party leader Aung San Suu Kyi has promised to push for the release of political prisoners and student activists in the Southeast Asian country. In her first statement since assuming the role of state counselor, the National League for Democracy leader said I am going to try for the immediate release of political prisoners, political activists and students facing trial related to politics. Lawmakers voted to establish the state counselor position this week, a move that makes Aung San Suu Kyi the country's de facto top leader. According to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a non-profit human rights group based in Thailand, there were 90 political prisoners in jail and more than 400 activists facing trial as of February. Included in the new government in Myanmar, sworn in last week, are many many democratic activists who spent years in jail under the former military-ruled government. Aung San Suu Kyi herself spent many years under house arrest. Her National League of Democracy party came to power following a landslide November election that ushered in the country's first civilian-led government in more than five decades. But the military still remains a political force - it holds 25 percent of all parliamentary seats. The democracy leader, who stated during the election campaign that she would hold a position above the president, is also Foreign Minister and Minister of the President's Office. Because her children are foreign nationals, Aung San Suu Kyi is constitutionally barred from being president. Her childhood friend Htin Kyaw holds that position. The friendly handshake between Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi this week is being portrayed in China as a good beginning for Sino-Myanmar ties. But the neighbors long-term relationship will hinge on how Myanmar's new civilian government addresses China's concerns about border security and business disagreements. Considering Myanmars economic dependence on China, analysts say it will be difficult for Aung San Suu Kyi and the new government to contain their superpower neighbors growing influence over the domestic economy. Yet China will have to make compromises to resolve its business spats with Myanmar, they add. Friendly talks During his two-day official visit, Chinas Wang extended an olive branch to Myanmar. "I've come to send out a very clear signal to the international community that China is pleased to stand by Myanmar and continue to be a good neighbor, a good friend and a good partner, now that Myanmar has turned over a new page in its annals," Wang told Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's capital, on Tuesday. The Chinese official's visit ensured that the close ties Beijing enjoyed with Myanmar's former military-run government will continue now that Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy are now in power. Wang also expressed confidence that consultations can resolve outstanding business disagreements between the two countries, and he said China would guide its enterprises toward a more socially responsible role in Myanmar. Ending his visit on a positive note Wednesday, Wang assured Myanmars Armed Forces commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing, that China is committed to working with Myanmar in safeguarding peace and stability along their shared border. Regional tensions On Chinas policy agenda are the long-simmering tensions between the central government in Myanmar and ethnic militias in the northern border region near Yunnan province, which have a direct impact on Chinas security and bilateral relations with Myanmar. The two countries also have disagreed over controversial Chinese investments in Myanmar, including - but not limited to - the $3.6 billion Myitsone mega-dam project, which Myanmar unilaterally suspended in 2011. China counts on the new civilian government to resolve both issues soon. By receiving Wang as her government's first foreign visitor, Aung San Suu Kyi cleared doubts about the trajectory of Myanmars future ties with China. However, she failed to commit to a quick solution to the Myitsone dam controversy. We want to cooperate peacefully with the world. We will cooperate for peace and human development," she said during a joint news conference with Wang. Non-alignment That suggests that the new leader is seeking to keep a neutral stance in Myanmar's bilateral relations with China and other western allies, most notably with the United States, said Jonathan Chow, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Macau. What I think we are actually seeing is Myanmar returning to its traditional posture of non-alignment, and I think in that sense we can see continuity with its joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 1997, Chow said. He disagrees with the view that since its reforms began in 2011 Myanmar has moved to reduce its dependence on China, in order to align with the United States against China as part of the Americans' encirclement strategy. Myanmar is diversifying its diplomatic options, but China will remain vital to the fate of the emerging state, Chow added. Myanmar needs Chinese investment and trade. China desires access to Myanmar for its natural resources and access to the Indian Ocean, he said, as an alternative route for China to import Middle Eastern oil. But in return, China also needs to address Myanmars concerns by encouraging its companies to ensure a positive social impact there. A number of Chinas large-scale resource-extraction and infrastructure projects, such the Shwe gas project, are seen to have harmed the environment in Myanmar and affected public health and the peoples income. Cease-fire agreements In addition, Aung San Suu Kyi needs China to mediate cease-fire agreements among several of largest militias active in Myanmar, including the Chinese-speaking United Wa State Army and the Kokang-led Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which do business with Yunnan in the renminbi currency. The Wa State is currently the biggest ethnic minority militia in Myanmar, which has closer ties to China [than to the rest of Myanmar] a fact that Aung San Suu Kyi simply cant overlook, said Chao Chung-chi, an assistant professor of Southeast Asian studies at National Chi Nan University in central Taiwan. So even if the West wishes to use her to contain Chinese influence, she will have to think twice, he added. Chinas economic importance in Myanmar may eventually outweigh that of the West. But Myanmar will still look to the West to promote democracy at home, said Liang Jinyun, a professor of political science at Yunnan Police College. The West plays a bigger role in facilitating [Myanmars] democratization while China is key [to foster its] economic benefits and proximity [advantages], he said. Uber, the U.S.-based online taxi company, operates a mobile app that allows consumers with smartphones to book cab service from Uber drivers who use their own cars. As the company makes inroads in Africa, entrepreneurs in the West African nation of Ivory Coast are trying to stay one step ahead. At least four Uber-like car services have launched since last year. Abidjans distinctive orange taxis have been zigzagging through traffic here for decades. But recently, new competition has rolled onto the streets. In front of his house, TV producer Jean-Louis Zahibo hops into the unmarked car he ordered as the driver closes the door behind him. Taxijet sent him the details of the car and the driver by a text message on his cell phone. Zahibo said he often carried a lot of things with him because of his work. "If I forget it in a regular taxi, its unlikely Ill get it back. And I insist on punctuality, it is paramount to me," he said. At the headquarters of Taxijet, all cars are tracked at all times. The service, which launched last June, now receives about 100 bookings a day. Most of Taxijet's 500 drivers use their own traditional orange taxis. But the company has begun to expand its own fleet of unmarked vehicles to meet demand. Inspired by the American booking service Uber, Taxijet co-founder Parfait Ouattara believed some Ivorians were ready to pay a bit more for better service. The concept of Taxijet is to provide comfortable and safe transportation for Ivorians," Ouattara said. "Our drivers are qualified. They drive peacefully and are polite. Over the past year and a half, three other transportation companies have made similar bets in Abidjan, proposing various rates and levels of luxury. Taking one of these services' unmarked cars costs an average of 50 percent more than hailing a traditional orange taxi. Entrepreneur Vangsy Goma launched its Africab service in Abidjan earlier this year. Goma explained, In our taxis, we have electronic tablets, on which you can check emails and city guide. There is also a 4G network available on board. The Congolese entrepreneur plans to expand throughout Africa, and notably in his home country, but he chose to start in Abidjan. Abidjan is French-speaking Africa and West Africa's powerhouse, with a growth rate around 10 percent," Goma said. "Africab targets all kind of customers, but the people most likely to use the service are the middle class. And it's working. Africab has already had to double its fleet. And the company now has a partnership with a big hotel. So what does this mean for the citys thousands of orange taxis? Drissa Diaby of the local taxi union said they were trying to improve service. Some taxis now have GPS trackers. Others are fixing their meters, though many drivers still prefer to negotiate rates. Diaby said hes not worried. Diaby said the union has requested a meeting with the Ministry of Transport to discuss the new car services but he was not too worried about competition. We go to the working class neighborhoods. We drive 24/7 to help Ivorians." he said. "These new companies are not here to help average Ivorians. They are here to help the rich." As for the cab drivers' notoriously reckless driving, Diaby said thats probably not going to change. He believed its just part of navigating the citys crowded streets. Vietnam has a new prime minister. The country's rubber stamp parliament approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc Thursday, a foregone conclusion since he was the only candidate chosen at the Communist Party's congress back in January. "Before the flag of the motherland, before the assembly, in front of the people of Vietnam, I swear to have the utmost loyalty to the country, the people and the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I promise to try my best to fulfill the responsibilities and missions given to me by the Party, the government and the people," said Phuc as he was sworn in. The 61-year-old former deputy prime minister takes over from Nguyen Tan Dung, who stepped down after a decade in office. Dung enacted a set of economic reforms that helped Vietnam attract a slew of new foreign investment, spoke out forcefully against China's aggressive expansion in the South China Sea, and strengthened ties with the United States. But he is also leaving behind a legacy of crippling public debt, widespread corruption and inefficiency in state-run enterprises. Nguyen Xuan Phuc is part of Vietnam's new ruling triumvirate, joining party Secretary-General Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang. Trong beat back a challenge to a seat on the 19-member ruling Politburo from Nguyen Tan Dung during January's party congress. Tran was elected to the ceremonial post last week. U.S. President Barack Obama returned to the school where he once taught to warn Republicans' "unprecedented" refusal to consider his Supreme Court nominee could erode the "institutional integrity of the judicial branch" and cause the American people to lose confidence in the court. "If you start getting into a situation in which the process of appointing judges is so broken, so partisan that a eminently qualified jurist cannot get even get a hearing - then we are going to see the kinds of sharp partisan polarization that have come to characterize our electoral politics seeping entirely into the judicial system," Obama said. The presidents remarks Thursday came during a town hall with federal and state judges, students and faculty at University of Chicagos law school, where he taught constitutional law for nearly a decade. "It was really fun and I missed it," he joked. The American president used the opportunity to make the case on why the U.S. Senate should consider his nomination of Garland to the nine-member Supreme Court. "Merrick Garland is an extraordinary jurist who is indisputably qualified to serve on the highest court of the land, and nobody really argues otherwise," Obama said. Top Republicans Still Oppose Vote The president nominated chief judge Garland in March to fill the vacancy on the nine-seat Supreme Court bench, following the sudden death in February of Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative stalwart on the country's highest court for nearly 30 years. Leaders of the Republican-controlled Senate, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have adamantly said the congressional body will not hold any hearings or a confirmation vote on Garland's nomination. "I'm sure he will repeatedly claim that his nominee is quote - moderate - end quote. Not that he means it. It's just a useful piece of spam that's been dutifully echoed across the expanse of the left and in the media for years," McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday. He and other top Republicans say the lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be left to the next president - the person who wins the November national election to replace Obama when he leaves office in January 2017. Scalia was part of the five-member bloc of conservative justices who often held sway in key decisions over the court's four liberal justices. As a result, his replacement, no matter who it is, could hold a key vote in court rulings for decades. "They [Obama administration] will say what they always say to get what they want today, a far-left Supreme Court for decades to come," McConnell said. Some Republican senators have started to meet with Garland and called for hearings on his nomination, but Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Chuck Grassley, who controls that decision, on Thursday repeated his opposition to holding a hearing for the nominee. Republicans are banking on the notion that they will win the presidency in November and come January will have a president who would make a conservative Supreme Court nomination more to their liking than Garland. Conversely, some Republicans already are suggesting they could consider Garland's nomination after the election if a Democrat wins the presidency, on the theory that the likely Democratic presidential nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, could nominate someone more liberal than Garland. A massive data leak from a Panamanian firm has revealed that from relatives of the founding father of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong, to current leader Xi Jinping, offshore holdings are common place among the families of China's ruling elite. Among the more than 11 million documents are details about the offshore holdings of relatives of at least seven current and former Politburo Standing Committee members, a powerful political body in China, and the grandson-in-law of the founding father of the Peoples Republic of China, Mao Zedong. On Wednesday, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said that Chinese leaders relatives who have offshore holdings include: Deng Jiagui, the brother-in-law of President Xi Jinping; Lee Shing Put, a son-in-law of Standing Committee member Zhang Gaoli; Zeng Qinghuai, a brother of former Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong; and Li Xiaolin, the daughter of former Premier Li Peng. The ICIJ also said its analysis of leaked records indicates that by the end of 2015, Mossack Fonseca the law firm at the center of the document dump was collecting fees for more than 16,300 offshore companies from China and Hong Kong, accounting for 29 percent of its business worldwide. Hong Kong is the companys busiest office in Asia and the world. Putting money in offshore accounts is not necessarily illegal, and can be used to establish legal tax shelters or ease international business deals. But the report said the documents show banks, law firms and other offshore players often fail to follow legal requirements to make sure their clients are not involved in criminal enterprises, tax dodging or political corruption. Suspicious switch The documents confirmed some details already known about financial connections between Gu Kailai, the wife of former rising Chinese political star Bo Xilai, and a French architect. There is also new information. In an article for ICIJ, Alexa Olesen noted data showing that Gu switched the ownership structure of her offshore company just two weeks after she murdered British businessman Neil Heywood. Both Gu and her husband are now in prison in China. Massive wealth accumulated by the families of Chinas ruling party members has long been a big concern in China, but also a topic on which discussion is tightly controlled. Much less is known, however, about the ways China's rich and powerful hide their wealth. China has moved quickly to limit discussion of the Panama Papers online and the foreign ministry has refused to comment on the massive document dump, describing the revelations about links between officials relatives and offshore firms as groundless. Even Maos relatives The documents also include information about Chen Dongsheng and a company he incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in 2011. Chen is the husband of Kong Dongmei, a granddaughter of Mao Zedong. The two were married that same year. The couple were thrust into the spotlight in 2013 when they were included in New Fortune magazines rich list, ranking 242nd with an estimated personal wealth of $815 million. In an interview with the Financial Times later that same year, however, Chen said his relationship with Kong had nothing to do with his business success. Details about the holdings of Hu Dehua, the son of late Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang, were also among the files. According to documents obtained by the ICIJ, the late leaders son listed his familys home address in Beijing, where Hu Yaobang lived when he was head of the party, for a company he incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in 2003. Dollar transaction One of the youngest family members with offshore holdings unveiled through the leaked documents is Jasmine Li Zidan, the granddaughter of Jia Qinglin, a former Politburo Standing Committee member. As a freshman at Stanford University in California in 2010, Li became the owner of an offshore company called Harvest Sun Trading Limited. According to the ICIJ, documents show ownership was transferred to Li for one dollar from Zhang Yuping, the founder of Chinese luxury watch distributor Hengdeli Holdings Limited. Li has two companies registered in the British Virgin Islands: Harvest Sun and Xin Sheng, which are parent companies of two Beijing-registered consulting companies. More transparency According to documents, Deng Jiagui, the son-in-law of Xi Jinping, became the sole director and shareholder of one offshore company in 2004 and two more in 2009. The "shelf companies" corporations that have no activity were in the Mossack Fonseca inventory. The ICIJ said that by the time Xi Jinping became president in 2013, the companies were dormant. Since coming to power, Xi has carried out a high-profile campaign against corrupt officials, publicizing some prosecutions in state media as evidence that the Communist Party is serious about punishing graft. However, authorities also have aggressively censored news stories by foreign publications that explore the overseas investments and financial gains by top officials and their relatives. The Chinese public wants more transparency about the financial dealings of its officials and their families, but it is unlikely that the new revelations will lead to any concrete actions by the government to address the use of offshore holdings. On a VOA Mandarin call-in talk show Wednesday, a caller surnamed Peng said, "The saddest thing is the attitude taken by the Chinese government. They tried to cover up, to block the news, in order to 'maintain stability.' Their so-called anti-corruption campaigns are fake, because it is institutional corruption. Officials under this system cannot survive without corruption." A panelist on the program, economist and news commentator He Qinglian, said offshore accounts are not against the law in China. "China is concerned about whether the source of the money is legal. What is exposed by the Panama Papers is really just the tip of the iceberg," she said. That massive leak of records about offshore bank accounts from a Panamanian firm is revealing more information about the affairs of relatives of the Chinese Communist Party's top leadership, including the country's president. China has moved quickly this week to silence any discussion about the so-called Panama Papers and information about the use of tax havens by the families of at least eight current and former members of the party's Politburo Standing Committee, its top decision-makers. But disclosures by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) keep coming. On Wednesday, the ICIJ said that among those relatives of Chinese leaders who have offshore holdings are: Deng Jiagui, the brother-in-law of President Xi Jinping; Lee Shing Put, a son-in-law of Standing Committee member Zhang Gaoli; Zeng Qinghuai, a brother of former Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong; and Li Xiaolin, the daughter of former Premier Li Peng. Massive wealth accumulated by the families of Chinas ruling party members has long been a big concern in China, but also a topic on which discussion is tightly controlled. While most Chinese publications have been silent about the Panama Papers story, a popular party-backed newspaper, the Global Times, ran an editorial in English and Chinese this week that alleged the massive document dump overwhelmingly focused on non-Western leaders. According to documents obtained by the ICIJ, Deng Jiagui became the sole director and shareholder of one offshore company in 2004 and two more in 2009. The "shelf companies" corporations that have no activity were in the inventory of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the document dump. The ICIJ said that by the time Xi Jinping became president in 2013, the companies were dormant. Deng Jiagui and Li Xiaolin have been mentioned in previous documents that the ICIJ released about offshore holdings. When asked about the information earlier this week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said he had no comment. In recent years Xi has carried out a high-profile campaign against corrupt officials, publicizing some prosecutions in state media as evidence that the Communist Party is serious about punishing graft. However, authorities also have aggressively censored news stories by foreign publications that explore the overseas investments and financial gains by top officials and their relatives. On a VOA Mandarin call-in talk show that aired Wednesday, a caller surnamed Peng said, "The saddest thing is the attitude taken by the Chinese government. They tried to cover up, to block the news, in order to 'maintain stability.' Their so-called anti-corruption campaigns are fake, because it is institutional corruption. Officials under this system cannot survive without corruption." A panelist on the program, economist and news commentator He Qinglian, said offshore accounts are not against the law in China. He noted, "China is concerned about whether the source of the money is legal. What is exposed by the Panama Papers is really just the tip of the iceberg." Putting money in offshore accounts is not necessarily illegal; such accounts can be used to establish legal tax shelters or ease international business deals. But the report says the documents show banks, law firms and other offshore players often fail to follow legal requirements to make sure their clients are not involved in criminal enterprises, tax dodging or political corruption. The main suspect in the 2015 terror attacks in France, Salah Abdeslam, will be detained in Belgium for several more weeks before being extradited to France. The word came Thursday from his lawyer after a hearing on continuing Abdeslam's detention in Belgium. The lawyer said Abdeslam cannot be extradited to France until he is questioned in another case concerning a shootout with police during a raid last month in Brussels. Abdeslam was captured in Belgium on March 18 after more than four months on the run. Global terrorist On Tuesday the U.S. State Department named Abdeslam a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist." The order says, "All property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Abdeslam has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him." It said Abdeslam "is an operative for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," a group the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The Belgian-born suspect is accused of helping plan the November 13 terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people at multiple locations. He allegedly rented rooms for the suicide bombers and bought explosives. "Witnesses identified Abdeslam as the driver of a car full of gunmen that killed patrons at numerous restaurants in Paris," the State Department said. Authorities found his DNA both on a discarded suicide belt and on traces of explosives in a Brussels apartment, the statement said. Pope Francis will make a short trip to the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16 to meet with refugees accommodated there, the Holy See said in a statement Thursday. The Vatican said the pope accepted the invitation from the leader of the Christian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Greek president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Bartholomew, as well as Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Jerome II, will join the pope in Lesbos. The visit is seen as a symbolic gesture to draw international attention to the plight of refugees, most of them trying to escape the war and poverty in Syria. Facebook Live: VOA's Luis Ramirez from Izmir, Turkey The pending papal visit comes as the European Union struggles to adjust its plan for deporting illegal migrants in exchange for Syrian refugees. Tensions rising among migrants Meanwhile, tensions have risen among migrants camping in the Greek port of Piraeus, where authorities are urging them to move to other accommodations. Some 4,700 migrants are estimated to be camped out at Greece's biggest port, where scuffles broke out on Wednesday. In an incident caught on camera, a group of young men held a sit-down protest in the middle of a road, leading to disrupted traffic and clashes with port officials. Police arrested at least one man who was alleged to be the ringleader. Another protester grabbed an infant and held it above his head during a scuffle with authorities. Within minutes, the baby was snatched out of the man's hands uninjured and returned to safety. Greek authorities say they are investigating. The incident took place two days after the EU sent a group of 200 illegal migrants to Turkey in exchange for the same number of Syrian refugees who had been sheltering in Turkish refugee camps. The plan has sparked concern among human rights advocates about the fate of the migrants sent to Turkey and led to a revision in refugee plans for the EU. 'No automatic return' EU officials on Wednesday pledged there would be no automatic return for the migrants before they are given a chance to apply for asylum. There will be individual assessments. There will be no automatic return. Everybody will be given the right to ask for asylum, Jean-Pierre Schembri, spokesman for the European Asylum Support Office, told VOA from Lesbos. Schembri was among nearly 70 EASO staff arriving on the island Wednesday to begin handling asylum claim procedures following a wave of protests against the deportations, which are happening under the terms of a March agreement between the EU and Turkey to address Europe's migrant crisis. After Monday's initial transfer, a second group of 200 migrants was scheduled to leave Greece for Turkey on Friday. Schembri said EU asylum officers would take the individual applicants vulnerabilities into consideration. This would be key to addressing activists concerns about sending the deportees to Turkey, a country with a spotty human rights record. Those deemed ineligible for asylum will have five days to appeal the decision. The new procedures for handling asylum cases could further slow the process of clearing an estimated 3,000 migrants now housed at Moria, the largest, overcrowded migrant detention center on Lesbos. EU officials say about 1,000 migrants have expressed interest in applying for asylum. Starting Thursday, officials will only be able to process up to 50 cases a day. Greek officials say between 300 and 500 migrants continue to arrive from Turkey daily. Vietnams National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution to appoint Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the country's new prime minister. 90 percent of National Assembly members voted for Nguyen Xuan Phuc to be the new Vietnam Prime Minister at 8.30 am this morning. Former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stepped down yesterday. Phuc was the sole candidate recommended by newly elected President Tran Dai Quang for the position. Phuc took an oath of office at his inaugural ceremony, making him the third state leader to perform the practice after newly elected Chairwoman of the NA Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President Quang. In a National Assembly social-economic debate on April 1, Deputy Bui Manh Hung said the new government for the next five years must place the anti-corruption and wastefulness on the top of their agenda, considering these as a threat to the countrys prosperity. Corruption has spread beyond the economic sector to other sensitive fields such as policymaking and state job appointments, Hung said. "It is no longer small deals but have solid linkages, not at one level or sector but has been spreading. In some sectors, corruption has become a norm or a routine". This is dangerous for the country. I hope the prime minister will take an oath to express the strong determination to fight against corruption and wastefulness, just like how Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had about the East Sea issue. (The prime minister) must consider this as if we are fighting invader from within our own country. The new prime minister was born in 1954 in the central province of Quang Nam. Before becoming prime minister, he held the positions of chairman of the Quang Nam Peoples Committee, deputy inspector-general of the Government Inspectorate, chairman of the Government Office and deputy prime minister. He was a member of the Party Central Committee (X, XI, XII); a member of the Politburo (XI, XII); and a National Assembly deputy (XI, XIII). Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied allegations that documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm contain evidence of corruption among his closest associates, saying the so-called Panama Papers are part of a Western campaign to undermine Russia. Speaking Thursday to a media forum in St. Petersburg, the Russian president said the leaked documents are part of an attempt to make his country "more docile," to create "distrust within society toward the authorities, the state administration bodies, and to set one against the other." Citing an allegation made by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Putin accused the U.S. government of being behind the Panama Papers. "That behind this stands...officials and official bodies of the United States, WikiLeaks has now shown us." Putin noted that he himself was not mentioned in the documents. "You went through these offshore [documents]," he told the assembled journalists. "Your humble servant is not there, so there is nothing to talk about. But there is an assignment! [So] what did they do?...They found acquaintances and friends." According to the journalists who analyzed the Panama Papers, the cellist Sergei Roldugin, a close friend of Putin since the 1970's, is linked in the documents to offshore transactions worth $2 billion. Putin defended Roldugin Thursday. "Many creative people in Russia, maybe every second one, is trying to do business, and, as far as I know, Sergei Pavlovich [Roldugin] as well," he said. "But what is his business? He is a minority shareholder in one of our companies and earns some money there, but this is certainly not billions of dollars. Nonsense, there's nothing like that." Putin said Roldugin had spent his own money to advance Russian culture, and to acquire musical instruments abroad and bring them to Russia. "I am proud that I have such friends," said the Russian president. The Panama Papers consist of more than 11.5 million documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca that detail hidden offshore accounts held by world leaders and celebrities. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), in a collaborative effort by more than 300 journalists from more than 70 countries, analyzed the financial data. Released recently, the ICIJ report contains details on more than 214,000 offshore entities connected to people in more than 200 countries and territories. It also named 140 international politicians, including 12 current and former political leaders, who allegedly set up offshore bank accounts to hide their assets and possibly evade taxes. WATCH: Putin Makes 1st Public Appearance Since 'Panama Papers' Leak The two U.S. Democratic presidential candidates, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, are feuding over who is qualified to be the country's leader, trading contentious barbs Thursday even as they made a nominal effort to cool the rhetoric between them. "She has attacked me for being unqualified, and if I am attacked for being unqualified, I will respond in kind," Sanders told reporters in Philadelphia, a major eastern city where Democrats are holding a presidential nominating election April 26. "I'm not going to get beaten up." Clinton, in New York, criticized Sanders for his lack of details in promoting his agenda aimed at curbing the financial clout of Wall Street, saying, "I think it is important to tell people how you're going to get things done. Don't make promises you can't keep." But even as they sniped at each other, Sanders said, "I do have respect for Secretary Clinton." For her part, Clinton said she did not know why Sanders is saying she is unqualified to be president, but would take him "anytime" over the two front-running Republican presidential contenders, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump. Try to disqualify Sanders voiced his anger at political media reports that Clinton's campaign plans to try to "disqualify" him with its campaign attacks in upcoming state nominating contests in New York, Pennsylvania and elsewhere in their months-long campaign for delegates to July's Democratic national presidential nominating convention. Clinton holds a substantial delegate lead over Sanders, but he has won six of the last seven nominating contests. Clinton, the country's top diplomat from 2009 to 2013, launched an attack Wednesday against Sanders based on an interview he gave to the New York Daily News this week, in which he failed to explain how he would break up the nation's biggest financial institutions. Clinton told an audience at a Philadelphia job center that a candidate should do more than deliver "lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric" when talking about his agenda. At a Sanders campaign rally later Wednesday, he said Clinton wasn't qualified to become president for numerous reasons, including her vote for the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq when she was a senator from New York, and her past support for free trade deals. Clinton took aim at Sanders for voting for legislation to provide legal immunity to gun manufacturers over deadly gun violence, such as the 2012 massacre of 26 schoolchildren and educators in Newtown, Connecticut. When asked by CBS News whether he should apologize to the parents of the Newtown victims, Sanders said Clinton might want to apologize for "the families who lost their loved ones in Iraq." Sanders's victory in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary has given him fresh momentum heading into the April 19 primary in New York, although Clinton holds a double-digit lead in pre-election surveys in the state. She is hoping for a decisive win that will seal the nomination for her, while Sanders is aiming for an upset victory that he hopes will convince convention delegates that he can win the November general election. New York values Meanwhile, Trump is brushing off his big loss to Cruz in the Republican primary in Wisconsin. Trump mocked Cruz during a large rally outside New York City Wednesday, saying only about 100 people turned out in the Bronx borough to hear Cruz speak, compared to the thousands who appeared at his rally. There also were a group of protesters outside the venue where Trump spoke. Several protesters also greeted Cruz, who has said voters are tired of "New York values." Although the conservative firebrand says that remark is directed toward liberal politicians, many New Yorkers see it as an insult. Cruz called his landslide victory in Wisconsin, where he won 36 of the state's 42 delegates to the national convention, a "turning point" in the Republican race. New York is Trump's home state, and polls ahead of the party primary give him a huge lead over Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich. And Cruz still badly trails Trump in the all-important delegate count. Cruz would have to take nearly 90 percent of the remaining available delegates to claim the Republican nomination before the convention starts. Trump also has the difficult task of needing to win 60 percent of the remaining delegates in the 16 states yet to vote to take the nomination before the convention convenes, making it quite possible there will be a contested Republican convention, the first for the party since 1976. The U.S. and Gulf allies have a shared concern about "Iran's destabilizing actions in the region," said Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday, following talks with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministers. "We will continue to push back" against such provocations, said Kerry, during an appearance with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. He commented following a series of talks on regional security issues with Bahraini and GCC officials. Jubeir, speaking on behalf of the six-state GCC, said that if Iran wanted normal relations with the regional body, it would have to change its policies. Iranian missiles, proxy fighters Since September, military ships have intercepted four vessels containing weapons that were believed to have come from Iran. All were believed intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen. The most recent incident took place in late March. The U.S. Navy said it seized AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns from a dhow off the coast of Oman. Also, Tehran has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles. U.S. officials say the tests do not violate the nuclear agreement, but are a U.N. Security Council resolution violation. Earlier Thursday, Bahrain's foreign minister said Iran needs to change its foreign policy in the region and stop weapons shipments, training "terrorists" and financing and supporting "proxies." Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said Tehran needed to devote as much effort to its neighbors as it did to securing the nuclear agreement with the United States and five other world powers. Gulf leaders had begun raising concerns about Iran's destabilizing activity in the region before the deal was implemented in January. It is an issue the Obama administration has been addressing with Gulf leaders since a 2015 summit at Camp David. "The fact of the matter is that, notwithstanding our reassuring rhetoric, U.S. actions have not tempered Iranian behavior in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia," said Adam Ereli, a former U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain. "Unless and until our Arab Gulf allies see the U.S. match words with deeds, they will remain appropriately skeptical," he added. U.S. expands aid to Yemen Kerry also announced new aid for Yemen, where a U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition has been leading airstrikes against Houthi rebels. He said the U.S. Food for Peace Program would provide $139 million in new funding this year to assist with humanitarian efforts. Bahrain's rights record questioned Bahrain's human rights record was a focal point during Kerry's appearance with Al Khalifa. He was asked about the case involving Zainab al-Khawaja, a political activist who was detained with her young son last month. Al Khalifa said the woman chose to keep her son with her in detention. He also said she would be released "pending her case in the court." Without specifically addressing the case, Kerry said Bahrain had made progress in some areas, but that more work remained. Regional conflict discussed The main goal of Kerry's visit to Bahrain is to lay the groundwork for President Barack Obama's attendance at the April 21 GCC summit in Saudi Arabia. Kerry and Gulf ministers also discussed the status of the cessation of hostilities and political talks in Syria, as well as efforts to combat Islamic State militants. Kerry visits U.S. Navy base Kerry also visited the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain that is the headquarters for both the Fifth Fleet and a multinational force that deals with maritime security and combats piracy. "The core of the focus is the destruction of Daesh, ISIL," said Kerry to military personnel at the base, referring to Islamic State. "You are all central to our ability to do this," he added. Bahrain is the first stop of a weeklong trip for Kerry. Later, he travels to Hiroshima, Japan, where he will attend a G7 ministerial meeting and visit a World War II memorial. Close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin figure prominently in the Panama Papers, the leaked financial documents that shocked the world this week, but the revelations are drawing little more than a shrug in official Moscow. The Russian public appears to accept that those in power amass wealth. And moreover, Russian commentators say that nothing in the Panama Papers directly links Putin with any criminal act. Alexei Navalny, the well-known Russian anti-corruption campaigner and opposition figure, does not agree. He told VOA in an interview that he can envision very serious consequences arising from the Panama Papers disclosures. The Panama Papers - more than 11 million documents and a huge volume of associated data - reveal details about offshore business and secret financial arrangements involving a worldwide array of political figures, celebrities and public figures. A consortium of international journalists has been publishing details from the documents, all of which came from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca that says it was the victim of computer hackers. The leaked Panama Papers have made headlines worldwide, and the political consequences are just beginning. Icelands Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigned this week after it was disclosed that he and his wife own a corporation in the British Virgin Islands. The foreign company, which Gunnlaugsson avoided mentioning in financial disclosure reports, holds $4 million in bonds issued by three Icelandic banks that collapsed but were bailed out by Gunlaugssons government. Navalny says the Panama Papers revelations are one of the most significant news stories in many years and he has "no doubt that it will leave a rather large mark on history." The significance for Russians, Navalny told VOA in Moscow, is "not simply for understanding that Putin is corrupt we already knew that but for understanding the mechanism for how they accumulate and transfer the money, and to where." The Panama Papers indicated that a close friend of Putin's, a cellist, owned foreign shell companies that received $2 billion from state corporations and other sources in Russia. Navalny says he has no doubt about the reliability of the documents leaked in Panama, and expresses hope the information eventually will serve as "legal evidence" leading to corruption charges against "Putin and his inner circle." However, he also said financial scandals "cannot have a serious impact on the general [Russian] population ... [and that they] also have absolutely no political consequences." Navalny, a 39-year-old lawyer and political activist who has become one of the most prominent figures in the Russian opposition to Putin, said his country "has reached a stage of authoritarianism" where no political consequences can be expected to arise from a scandal over secret offshore companies. In another case not directly related to the Panama Papers, Navalny said he is now convinced that a Russian multimillionaire found dead in the U.S. capital under mysterious circumstances was "one of the organizers of a corruption scheme in which Putin himself was personally complicit." He was referring to former Russian press minister and advertising mogul Mikhail Lesin, who was found dead with blunt-force injuries in a Washington hotel room in November of last year. Navalny said he had no "proof" or definitive evidence, but indicated that Lesin may have died because, "as they say in detective stories, he knew too much. Navalny had many specific comments to offer on the Panama Papers in general, and about Russian companies and individuals in particular. Here is a transcript of the interview: VOA: How do you assess the scale of the Panama Papers? Can the information be trusted? Navalny: I regard this investigation, of course, as highly professional. It may be one of the most significant in modern journalism worldwide. I have no doubt that it will leave a rather large mark on history and most likely will enter the textbooks. I have no reason to doubt the veracity of the information. One could believe that this whole leak, as the Kremlin calls it, was intended to discredit [Russia's leaders], were it not for the fact that the whole Russian part of the papers is only 5 percent of the total batch, and that it involved figures who are much more significant than Vladimir Putin [British Prime Minister] David Cameron and many others. ... I have no doubts about [the investigations] reliability. (David Camerons late father, Ian Cameron, was listed as a client of Mossack Fonseca. A spokesman in London said Wednesday that neither David Cameron, nor his wife or their children benefit from offshore funds.) This investigation is certainly very important, not simply for understanding that Putin is corrupt we already knew that but for understanding the mechanism of how they accumulate and transfer the money, and to where. From this point of view, the figure of [Sergei] Roldugin (a cellist and close Putin friend who is listed as controlling offshore companies that received $2 billion from Russia), and all the schemes by which state corporations pumped up Roldugins wallet, are important. Perhaps it will - sooner or later, I hope serve as legal evidence in the process of charging Putin and his inner circle with corruption. Q: But will this information have any impact on Russian society? A: Russia has reached a stage of authoritarianism where this investigation cannot have political consequences domestically.... The elites are uneasy. The elites are worried. The corrupt Putin elite realizes that there are no safe havens (abroad). But this cannot have a serious impact on the general population, because Russia is no longer the same country it was even in 2009. And, in this sense, it is absolutely in the same ranks as Azerbaijan [and] Kazakhstan, which also figure in these papers and where this will also have absolutely no political consequences. Q: Russia participates in several organizations involved in the fight against money laundering for example, the FATF (Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering) and GRECO (the Group of States against Corruption). Do you think these organizations can ask Russia about the Panama Papers? A: I very much hope that Russia and Russian companies will be held accountable for laundering money, for illegal operations. And here, of course, there is the corpus delicti (concrete evidence) of the crime. The actions of companies listed on stock exchanges, such as [the Russian state oil company] Rosneft [and the state-owned bank] Sberbank, they have engaged in insider trading, which under international law must be prosecuted. The [steel and mining] company Severstal, which listed bribes to Roldugin (a Panama Papers document indicates Severstal made a $6 million loan to Roldugin and then immediately forgave it) has big business interests in the United States, and must be called to account under American law for these bribes. Unfortunately, I fear this will not happen for purely political reasons. In recent years, we have seen practically not a single case in which a Russian company or a Putin friend - even those who clearly violated international prohibitions on money laundering - was held accountable. And even when it comes to the sanctions adopted by the top political leadership of Western countries (in response to Russian actions in Ukraine), we have not seen anything actually seized from anyone. The one exception was [Putin insider Arkady] Rotenberg, who had a small part of his Italian assets seized. And so, in general, all these villains [billionaire oil trader and Putin associate Gennady] Timchenko and the Rotenbergs (Arkady and his brother, Boris), and all the others on the sanctions list none of them has felt a single pennys worth of tangible material harm or tangible material claims. So we need a political solution. Unfortunately, thus far Western countries have in every possible way refused to implement these options. Q: But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that offshores are "legal, and many economists agree, saying they actually see nothing criminal in the published transactions. A: Offshores as an institution are, of course, legal. Offshores are much more widely used in European countries [than] in the United States. And even the relatively small part of the [Panama Papers] dossier devoted to Russia simply shows that among the more developed countries, the larger their economies are, the more often offshore accounts are used. Therefore, Britain and Germany are much more involved in all of this. It really is quite a normal business practice... that is used for tax optimization. It is not even in a gray zone; it is absolutely in the white zone. Many countries are actively fighting against this - for example, Germany and the United States in recent years - but it is legal. However, the legality of the offshore company as an institution does not mean that you can use offshore companies to take bribes. They - I mean, corrupt Russian officials use offshore companies to hide money, to launder bribes, to extract bribes, for corrupt payments from Russian state-owned companies. Therefore, the fact that offshore companies are legal in general is not an excuse. Q: In the published documents, one can find the name of former Russian press minister Mikhail Lesin, who died a mysterious death in Washington last year. Do you think his demise could be related to information he possessed and, perhaps, that he was willing to share? A: The Panama Papers showed us, and we are now convinced, that Lesin knew a lot. Not just about corruption in the highest echelons of power, but [he] was one of the organizers of a corruption scheme in which Putin himself was personally complicit. And against the backdrop of his death, against the backdrop of the strange things that were happening around him, it's a more than reasonable assumption that, in any contacts he may have had with the federal authorities in the United States, Lesin may have been asked about it. I cannot prove it, but I do not rule out that his mysterious and sudden death could be related to the fact that, as they say in detective stories, he "knew too much. A religious charity in Pakistan that the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization has confirmed it is running a special tribunal in the city of Lahore, where disputes between rival parties are settled according to Islamic law, or Sharia. Local media say the controversial charity known as Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has established the Islamic court, separate from the regular judiciary, at its headquarters in the capital of the countrys most populous province - Punjab. The court has been taking up complaints of citizens approaching it for justice and summoning the defendants in person or through a legal counsel with warnings of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response, the Dawn newspaper said in a report published Thursday. The emergence of this JuD-linked court raises questions about Pakistan's counter extremism efforts and attempts to rein in radical Islamist groups operating in the country. But a JuD spokesman, Yahya Mujahid, has denied allegations it has established a parallel judiciary, describing the tribunal as an "Arbitrary Council." He went on to explain the councils do not issue any kind of summons or seek money for arbitration. The arbitrary council established by the JuD, presided over by the Ulema [religious scholars], merely provides arbitration services to consenting parties in light of the Quran and Sunnah [sayings and actions of the Prophet Mohammad], Mujahid told VOA. Unusual in Pakistan cities The emergence of such a court is rare in urban Pakistan. The practice of dispensation of justice through such panels until now was confined to the semi-autonomous volatile tribal belt near the Afghan border, which is beyond the jurisdiction of regular Pakistani laws. The controversial Sharia courts were the hallmark of the five-year Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan, where Islamist scholars would conduct summary trials. Mujahid defended the JuD court, saying it is functioning according to the traditional Panchayat system in parts of Punjab, where village elders settle disputes according to prevailing cultural norms. The only difference, he says, is that the arbitration council is strictly abiding by Islamic law. The spokesman revealed a similar council also has been functioning in Karachi, the commercial hub of Pakistan. The JuD, according to United Nations and U.S. officials, is a front for the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is suspected of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people. India accuses LeT of being behind terror attacks in the India-ruled portion of the divided Kashmir region. JuD describes itself as a humanitarian group rendering welfare services in addition to running charitable Islamist seminaries or madrasas and hospitals in calamity-hit regions of Pakistan. In 2012, the United States offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, who founded LeT and led it until Pakistan banned the group under international pressure. When the first prehistoric people trekked into South America toward the end of the Ice Age, they found a wondrous, lush continent inhabited by all manner of strange creatures like giant ground sloths and car-sized armadillos. But these hunter-gatherers proceeded to behave like an "invasive species," with their population surging, then crashing, as they relentlessly depleted natural resources. Only much later did people muster exponential population growth after forming fixed settlements with domesticated crops and animals. Those are the findings of research published Wednesday in the journal Nature that provides the most comprehensive look to date at the peopling of South America, the last habitable continent colonized by humankind. The researchers identified two distinct colonization phases. The first unfolded about 14,000 to 5,500 years ago, with the human population hitting around 300,000, and the second occurred about 5,500 to 2,000 years ago, with the population reaching about 1 million. "Humans are just like any other invasive species," Stanford University biology professor Elizabeth Hadly said. "If we use up our resources, we will decline. It is stating the obvious, but our study shows that even over vast geographic areas such as continents, humans can consume too much, too fast." The researchers reconstructed the history of human population growth in South America using radiocarbon-dating data from 1,147 archaeological sites. Africa first Our species first appeared in Africa about 200,000 years ago, then spread to Europe and Asia and eventually crossed into the Americas roughly 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, using a land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska. The first phase of colonization in South America coincided with the extinction of many large animals, including elephant relatives, saber-toothed cats, big ground sloths, armadillos and huge flightless birds. During this period, human populations underwent "boom-and-bust cycles" as people exhausted local plant and animal resources, Stanford anthropologist Amy Goldberg said. Some people, particularly in certain Andes regions, began domesticating animals and growing crops, including squash and peppers. But most remained nomadic. About 5,000 years ago, people settled into stable societies, launching 3,000 years of exponential growth when the continent's population roughly tripled, Goldberg said. "We find that it is the large settlements, not merely stable food sources, that allow humans to 'conquer' their environment and grow unbounded," Goldberg said. "Most lived in modern Peru, Ecuador and northern Chile, as well as a smaller but substantial population of hunter-gatherers in Patagonia." South Sudanese rebels are seeking to delay the inauguration of the beleaguered country's transitional government to allow representatives of the rebel group to arrive in the capital, Juba, for the crucial phase in the peace process. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, secretary for foreign affairs of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-In Opposition, said Thursday logistical problems are preventing rebel leader Riek Machar from arriving in Juba ahead of the April 14 inauguration of Transitional Government of National Unity. Machar, the first vice president-designate of the new governing body, will not arrive in the capital until April 18. Gatkuoth said the rebels have asked the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which is supervising the implementation of last Augusts agreement to end the conflict in South Sudan, to delay the event. "It is going to be very difficult for us to make it to Juba in five days. So definitely we are appealing to the JMEC to move the launching of the Transitional Government of National Unity to another day, and we are also appealing to the people of South Sudan to bear with us, 12th of April and 18th of April is just only six days, Gatkuoth said. According to the tentative timetable announced by JMEC, Machar was to arrive in Juba on April 12 and meet with President Salva Kiir to discuss the expansion and inauguration of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly the following day. The transitional government was to be inaugurated and national government ministers appointed on April 14. On April 15, the first meeting of the new government's council of ministers will be convened, followed by a meeting with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on how to finance the new government and rescue the countrys deteriorating economy. Gatkuoth said the proposed April 12 arrival date was never discussed with Machar before it was announced. He said the rebel leader had just arrived at the rebels' headquarters in Ethiopia following his tour of African capitals, including Nigeria, Chad, Egypt, South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti to mobilize support for the peace process. Rebel troops and their heavy weapons have been arriving in Juba in the past few weeks. The JMEC has said it hopes to transport all 1,370 rebel fighters to Juba by Friday. Gatkuoth said the SPLA-IO is happy with the transportation of its forces to Juba. Dont forget that this is the first phase. As of today, we have 850 soldiers who are in Juba. We were supposed to have 1,370. What we are getting is that the transportation of the troops will be completed by Friday or Saturday, and then on Sunday, the 10th, the organic, heavy weapons will be transported to Juba. So the second phase will start to be launched, he said. There have been chronic delays in the implementation of the peace agreement signed last August between the Juba government and the SPLM-In Opposition. Both sides have blamed each other for causing the delays. As life in cities worldwide becomes more hectic and more expensive, urban designers are resorting to modern technology to help citizens avoid traffic snarls, and shorten the time needed for shopping and other errands. Technology also is used to cut costly waste. Santander is a port on the Northern Atlantic coast of Spain that spreads along a bay. Parking is easy to find. As one car drives away, an underground sensor registers that a parking space is now free. Four hundred sensors send messages to signs at street intersections, and GPS devices direct drivers to the nearest available parking spaces, reducing traffic congestion. A smartphone app makes the payment easy and eliminates the problem of finding coins to feed the meter. Most Santander businesses use scannable barcodes in their windows to save their customers time. "When we are closed, they can find out about our opening hours, our products and where our other shops are. They can also learn about any sales and special offers we have," said Angel Benito, owner of a shoe-store chain. In Santander, trash is collected only when the bins are full and bus stop signs show exactly when the next bus is coming. The public parks are watered only when the soil gets dry. All this is made possible by 20,000 sensors installed on buildings, street posts and even buses. They are part of the "smart city" project, launched by the University of Cantabria seven years ago. University researchers like Luis Munoz regularly meet with locals to discuss how to make their city even smarter. "They have ideas they propose and sometimes even develop by themselves. Here, we give them the opportunity to see these ideas happen in real life," said Munoz. For example, the university helped a woman create an app that outlines the easiest route for walking with a baby stroller. Another provides information to residents about their water consumption and sends an alert to their phone if there is a leak. The next innovation on Santander's streets will be ecofriendly streetlights that automatically turn down when no one is there. One challenge to overcome is making all residents aware of the extent of the innovations available to them. "They need to do more so everyone can know about it all. Me, I wasn't up to speed at all. Older people don't even know about," said Marina Garcia, a student. "My son, yes, he knows about it. He is young and handles all those technologies much better than I," added Olga Alzata, a nurses aid. The Santander pilot project is attracting the attention of larger cities in Europe and elsewhere that are looking for smart solutions to urban problems. Among the tens of thousands of refugees stranded in Greece are many Afghan nationals. VOA spoke to several of them who claim they were forced to flee threats from the Taliban because they had worked with U.S. and coalition forces. Among them are Mohammed and Yusuf, who say they feel abandoned by the United States. Weve changed their names to protect family members back home. Until last year, the former medical students worked in a hospital run by South Korean forces at the U.S. Air Base at Bagram in Afghanistan. They lost their jobs after the South Koreans withdrew from the country. I went to Bagram airfield for six years. I was just covering my face you know, going from home and going back covering my face, so the people dont know where I am working, said Mohammed. Mohammed and Yusuf applied for Special Immigrant Visas or SIVs, a program set up to help Afghan and Iraqi nationals who worked with U.S. forces to gain asylum in the United States. VOA has seen their documentation. At the end they told me that you are not eligible for this visa, Mohammed told VOA. Then I asked why, they said because we have been working with South Korean people. But the South Korean hospital was located in Bagram airfield. Bagram airfield is U.S. property. Then they asked the Seoul government for help, but were told that South Korea has no asylum procedures. After receiving threats from the Taliban, they fled to Europe, with Mohammeds 16-year-old son. They now live in a makeshift refugee camp at the former Olympic Park in Athens. Their bed is a concrete floor; they dont even have a tent. There is no hygiene, the situation is very bad. And I am Physicians Assistant and Medical Interpreter. But why I am here, what should I do here? asked Mohammed. In an emailed statement, a U.S. State Department official told VOA that amendments had been made "to include certain Afghans who were employed by the International Security Assistance Force." The official added that, "improving the processing time remains an area of focus both here in Washington and at our embassy in Kabul." Mohammeds decision is on appeal, but he has been given no time frame. Benjamin Hill, a retired U.S. Army physician and one of several former servicemen who provided Mohammed with a reference for his visa application, told VOA that he is dismayed by his former colleagues situation. I really have very little concern that he would be a threat of any kind to the United States, just by the character that he presented. And of course the level of competency he brings in relative to his skill as well as his language abilities again can only do positive things for the receiving nation, said Hill. VOA spoke to several other Afghan refugees in Greece who said they were awaiting decisions on SIV applications. The U.S. government says it has issued more than 20,000 visas to Afghan nationals since October 2014. For Mohammed and Yusuf, the wait goes on. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir says he will step down when his current term is over, four years from now. In 2020, there will be a new president and I will be an ex-president, Bashir said during an interview with the BBC, broadcast Thursday. During the interview, he said his job is exhausting and he would not be a candidate in the next presidential election. Bashir, 72, is among Africa's longest-ruling leaders. He has been in power since 1989 when he seized power through a military coup. In 2015, he won re-election amid poor turnout, international criticism, and an opposition boycott. The president is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The charges stem from the long-running conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, which according to the United Nations has killed 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million from their homes. In his interview, Bashir denied that his forces carried out abuses during recent fighting in the Jebel Marra area. All these allegations are baseless, none of these reports is true, he said. We challenge anyone to visit the areas recaptured by the armed forces, and find a single village that has been torched. Vietnam has demanded China withdraw an oil rig from an overlapping area in the East Sea, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh said in a statement on Thursday while responding to reporters questions. China moved its HD 981 oil rig to an area outside the Gulf of Tonkin on April 3 that Vietnam and China are negotiating for demarcation, according to Binh. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh. Photo: Quy Doan "Vietnam strongly objects and requests China to cancel its drilling plans, immediately withdraw the HD 981 rig from the area and not take any unilateral action to further complicate the situation," the spokesman said. A Vietnamese ministry representative met with an official from the Chinese embassy in Hanoi on April 5 to hand over a diplomatic note protesting China's actions. Vietnam reserves its legal rights and interests over the area by all peaceful means and in accordance with international law, the statement said. China has also begun operating a lighthouse on Subi Reef in Vietnams Truong Sa archipelagos, according to the Vietnamese statement. Once again, we affirm that Vietnam has full legal and historical evidence for its indisputable sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos. Chinas illegal and worthless action has seriously violated Vietnams sovereignty over the archipelagos, the Vietnamese statement said, referring to Chinas new lighthouse. Vietnam has asked China to cease all actions that violate Vietnams sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos, strictly comply with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea (DOC), and avoid actions that could further complicate the situation, Binh said. Prosecutors in Taiwan charged five people Thursday with professional negligence for their role in constructing a massive apartment tower that collapsed in a February earthquake and killed more than 100 people. The prosecutors office in Tainan, the city worst hit by the February 6 quake, filed charges against the developer, the head of his design department, two architects and an engineering technician. Investigators found they had played a part in the construction of Weiguan Jinlong, a 17-story housing complex built in 1989. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake caused the giant housing complex to fall, killing all but one of the total dead. Another 550 were injured. It was Taiwans worst earthquake death toll since 1999, when a 7.6 magnitude quake killed more than 2,300 people. Prosecutors began in February exploring who might have caused construction problems at the apartment tower, which was built partly with tin cans. They found that defendants had taken shortcuts to save money, prosecutors office spokesman Chen Chien-hung said. They had altered beam-column joints and column sections in the 27-year-old building, he said. Construction shortfalls reduced the buildings lateral earthquake resistance by 16 percent, he added. The prosecutor decided that these five had committed the crime of professional neglect, said Chen. We hope that whatever the maximum sentence is the judge can impose that. The prosecutor is charging all five with professional negligence leading to grave harm or injury and recommending that a district court give each person the maximum sentence of five years in prison. Three of the five have been arrested. The Taiwan quake had already prompted a review of building safety throughout Taiwan. Last month the government released a soil liquefaction evaluation labeling swathes of land in eight cities and counties as highly at risk of letting structures collapses. The weakest areas cover about half of developed Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The government had ordered inspections of all schools in February. Officials said in March they would spend $735 million over the next six years on improvements. Structures built in Taiwan before 1970 are at the most risk of collapse, quake experts say, followed by those built between 1970 and the quake of 1999. After the earthquake that year, construction standards became more rigorous. Pope Francis will make a short trip to the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16 to meet with refugees accommodated there, the Holy See said in a statement Thursday. The Vatican said the pope accepted the invitation from the leader of the Christian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Greek president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Bartholomew, as well as Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Jerome II, will join the pope in Lesbos. The visit is seen as a symbolic gesture to draw international attention to the plight of refugees, most of them trying to escape the war and poverty in Syria. The pending papal visit comes as the European Union struggles to adjust its plan for deporting illegal migrants in exchange for Syrian refugees. Tensions rising among migrants Meanwhile, tensions have risen among migrants camping in the Greek port of Piraeus, where authorities are urging them to move to other accommodations. Some 4,700 migrants are estimated to be camped out at Greece's biggest port, where scuffles broke out on Wednesday. In an incident caught on camera, a group of young men held a sit-down protest in the middle of a road, leading to disrupted traffic and clashes with port officials. Police arrested at least one man who was alleged to be the ringleader. Another protester grabbed an infant and held it above his head during a scuffle with authorities. Within minutes, the baby was snatched out of the man's hands uninjured and returned to safety. Greek authorities say they are investigating. The incident took place two days after the EU sent a group of 200 illegal migrants to Turkey in exchange for the same number of Syrian refugees who had been sheltering in Turkish refugee camps. The plan has sparked concern among human rights advocates about the fate of the migrants sent to Turkey and led to a revision in refugee plans for the EU. 'No automatic return' EU officials on Wednesday pledged there would be no automatic return for the migrants before they are given a chance to apply for asylum. There will be individual assessments. There will be no automatic return. Everybody will be given the right to ask for asylum, Jean-Pierre Schembri, spokesman for the European Asylum Support Office, told VOA from Lesbos. Schembri was among nearly 70 EASO staff arriving on the island Wednesday to begin handling asylum claim procedures following a wave of protests against the deportations, which are happening under the terms of a March agreement between the EU and Turkey to address Europe's migrant crisis. After Monday's initial transfer, a second group of 200 migrants was scheduled to leave Greece for Turkey on Friday. Schembri said EU asylum officers would take the individual applicants vulnerabilities into consideration. This would be key to addressing activists concerns about sending the deportees to Turkey, a country with a spotty human rights record. Those deemed ineligible for asylum will have five days to appeal the decision. The new procedures for handling asylum cases could further slow the process of clearing an estimated 3,000 migrants now housed at Moria, the largest, overcrowded migrant detention center on Lesbos. EU officials say about 1,000 migrants have expressed interest in applying for asylum. Starting Thursday, officials will only be able to process up to 50 cases a day. Greek officials say between 300 and 500 migrants continue to arrive from Turkey daily. WATCH: Migrants Fear Deportations to Turkey Secret methods employed to unlock an Apple iPhone used by a shooter in last year's terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, will work on only a narrow slice of phones, FBI Director James Comey said. Comey said Wednesday night that the tool the FBI used to unlock the phone, provided by an unnamed third party, would not work on newer iPhone models, such as the 5s, 6 or 6s. The FBI ended a high-profile legal battle with Apple after it acquired the technology and accessed the phone in question, but that left the larger legal issue of general iPhone encryption and privacy unresolved. The FBI already faces the prospect of again asking for Apples help in cracking an iPhone connected to a case. The Justice Department has asked a New York court to force Apple to unlock an iPhone 5s involved in a drug investigation. Prosecutors in that case will let the court know April 11 whether it will ask for Apples help, but in doing so the government could give the company the opportunity to force the FBI to reveal its secret technology by claiming legal discovery, a source familiar with the situation told the Reuters news agency. If the FBI tells Apple about the encryption flaw that was exploited to gain access to the phone, then theyre going to fix it and were back where we started from, Comey told an audience at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. The iPhone in question belonged to Syed Farook who, along with his wife, killed 14 people in San Bernardino in December. Growing political differences are emerging again between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as the country faces increasing domestic and international woes. The Turkish military crackdown on the Kurdish rebel group the PKK has become the focal point of growing differences between the president and prime minister. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu opened the door to a resumption of peace talks with the PKK if it withdrew its forces from Turkey. That drew a swift rebuke from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who ruled out talks, saying the rebels either had to surrender or be killed. When the prime minister voiced concern over the controversial pre-trial detention of academics who organized a petition calling for a resumption of peace talks with the PKK, Erdogan again contradicted Davutoglu. Why shouldn't academics be detained? Erdogan asked, openly challenging the prime minister. Turkey should consider stripping supporters of terrorism of their citizenship. Carnegie Institute visiting scholar Sinan Ulgen says the divisions expose a deepening power struggle. "In Turkey, constitutionally, the prime minister has executive authority," said Ulgen. "But we are now witnessing a governance where the president has taken the initiative to speak on almost all executive matters. So it is unavoidable that we shall see and continue to see these types of differences of opinions emerging. But so far, Erdogan continues to dominate the political agenda." Iron grip on ruling party Erdogan retains an iron grip on the ruling AKP and the loyalty of many ministers in Davutoglus government. While Erdogan was pushing for the stripping of citizenship of terrorist sympathizers, Davutoglu said it was not on the agenda. Davutoglu was then contradicted by his justice minister, Bekir Bozdag, who declared steps are being taken. Political columnist Semih Idiz of Turkeys Cumhuriyet newspaper and Al Monitor website says, despite Davutoglu's weak party position and isolation in government, it is still not easy for Erdogan to remove him. "The AKP and the country is now like a big ship in a storm. Do you want a fight in the captains cabin, when we are dealing with so many domestic and external [issues], which might end up landing everyone in a much worst position than before? I think this is another thing he [Erdogan] has to factor in." Pushing for constitutional reforms Erdogan, the first president elected by the people, is pushing for constitutional reform to extend his presidential powers; but, observers say Davutoglu is not enthusiastic. Davutoglu recently described a presidential system strictly controlled by a strong checks and balances mechanism. While Erdogan chose Davutoglu as the leader of the AK Party, Idiz says since the November election victory, he has become very much his own man. "He may have been implanted there by Erdogan initially and he may have lost the first elections, but he did win the second. And not only did he win it, he brought home a landslide. So at one point or another he is going to rely on this fact. Davutoglu does represent a more moderate and perhaps slightly liberal line. I notice from my contacts with diplomats in Ankara that they point to this," said Idiz. Western diplomats increasingly talk of Davutoglu as a voice of moderation, which observers say is only likely to infuriate Erdogan further. A senior U.N. official is accusing the Syrian government of refusing permission for relief agencies to distribute humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Syrians in blockaded and hard-to-reach areas. U.N. special adviser Jan Egeland calls this past week very disappointing. He says the United Nations has been waiting for four days for the Syrian government to give the green light for the delivery of aid to 287,000 people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. Egeland says five convoys of food and other essential relief supplies are waiting for the go-ahead. He says aid agencies only have been able to deliver supplies to 45,000 people during the past week. He says opposition forces also have blocked the entry of some relief. But he says the government bears the major responsibility for this impasse, since 15 of 18 besieged areas are under its control. Egeland says access to these areas is particularly crucial as the United Nations is entering the intensive phase of a big national vaccination campaign. There are problems in many places in going as planned. The appeal to the government and to the armed opposition groups, do not stop our volunteers and our health workers that are to vaccinate millions of children for epidemic disease," said Egeland. Egeland says the one positive note in this otherwise grim scenario is the United Nations likely will be able to do major evacuations of wounded, sick, and their relatives from four towns under siege in the near future. Altogether, it could be up to 500 people. It is one of the biggest medical evacuations that have been planned. We hope it will happen, because it will happen from places where people have recently bled to death, died totally unnecessary because there were no medical evacuations," he said. Egeland says in this situation of life and death, medical evacuations, medical assessment missions, and assistance, should be routine. He says they should not be one-time situations or be used by the warring parties for political purposes. U.S. and Turkish authorities are discussing ways to support the moderate Syrian opposition in the effort to push Islamic State from the Turkish border farther east in Syria. Speaking to members of the Diplomacy Correspondents Association on Thursday in Ankara, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass said the two countries had the same goals in fighting Islamic State. "Some of these groups are now able to devote more of their attention to clearing Daesh [Islamic State] out of the area around Manbij," he said, "and we are determined to work closely and provide all the support we can, with our friends and partners here in Turkey and with many of the other members of the coalition, to enable them to be successful, and we will continue to do that. ... I think it's important to remember that the United States and Turkey share the same goals in Syria." Watch video report from VOA's Zlatica Hoke: Bass also called on Kurdish rebels to lay down their arms in Turkey. He said any return to a peace process could be possible only if the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) ended its attacks. "We call again on the PKK to stop its campaign of violence, to put down its weapons and to undertake a legitimate conversation, to the extent there are opportunities to do so, in a manner in which the citizens of this country conclude is acceptable, to talk about the underlying problems or grievances which have contributed to the violence," he said. Bass also said that the U.S. does not provide weapons to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which is affiliated with the PKK. Washington is opposed to any efforts by the group to change the demography of a region "under the guise" of fighting Islamic State. Anne Segal remembers driving past the for-sale sign outside an ice cream shop in Laurel, Maryland, and telling her husband she wanted to try her hand at running it herself. As a woman, who would have thought? I come from Africa. I wouldnt have thought I would start a business in America, Segal said as she opens her Sweets and Treats Creamery on this sunny morning. The last year has not been without its challenges for Segal, who left Uganda 25 years ago to start a new life in the United States. After leaving a corporate job to focus on family - Segal is the mother of a young daughter - she used her familys savings to get the year-old ice cream shop off the ground. Its so easy for a man to go to the bank and they give him a loan. Me, a woman: 'What do you do?' 'Oh, I am a housewife.' Oh, yeah, really? Nobodys going to give you a loan, Segal said. She is not alone. Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Womens Chamber of Commerce, says the challenges of being a female business owner are reflected in the statistics. While women own 36 percent of all U.S. companies, they generate only 4 percent of all U.S. annual revenues. A 2015 chamber report named Wake Up Call found 70 percent of women-owned firms have less than $25,000 in revenues annually. Only 1.7 percent have revenues over $1 million, and just 10 percent have paid employees. We have been undervalued for decades now, the fact that we still dont have fair pay. We have to leave corporate America to start our own businesses to maybe get fair pay and a family-friendly work environment, and still struggle when we have gotten into the marketplace, Dorfman said during an interview at the chambers headquarters in Washington. Voting for Clinton On who might best address the struggle, Dorfman says Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wins her organization's endorsement. She is committed to making sure that small businesses have access to capital and access to markets and is very interested in the access to affordable health care, the U.S. Womens Chamber of Commerce CEO said. If the U.S. presidential campaign were to come down to Republican Donald Trump versus Democrat Hillary Clinton, 60 percent of American women polled in a recent CNN survey said they would cast their ballots for Clinton. Bukie Opanuga, a Clinton supporter, is paying close attention to womens workplace issues during this presidential campaign. We women do have the power and the ability to drive the conversation in that direction because these are issues that matter to us, Opanuga said. The Nigerian-American used high-interest credit cards to grow her Atlanta-based web design firm and has seen firsthand the struggles many women face. Some people dont necessary want to go the entrepreneur route, but they are having to essentially come out of the workplace and become 1099 workers [self-employed] because they are having to choose between a paycheck or being able to take care of a sick child at home. These are some of the issues I am going to be paying attention to and a lot of women should be paying to, Opanuga said. Voting for Trump Back in Maryland, Anne Segal is paying close attention to the economy as she works to make her shop profitable. Though she voted for Barack Obama, she says she is disappointed with Democrats and is now looking in a different direction. This time I am going to [vote] for someone who has created a job, who is Trump. He has created a job. He is employing people. When it comes to the economy, at least he knows better than the other guys running around telling us what to do. Regardless of whom they support, both Segal and Opanuga say American women should ensure their voices are heard come November. When Ray Choto got a call inviting him to team up on "one of the biggest data projects ever," the reporter for VOA's Zimbabwe service couldn't resist. He joined hundreds of other members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in reviewing more than 11.5 million documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. Their findings from the so-called Panama Papers began rolling out Sunday, revealing a vast global network of secret offshore tax havens for the privileged and the powerful. Choto's initial report detailed how Zimbabwe's leading platinum mining company, Zimplats, allegedly funneled managers' salaries through an offshore company, violating the country's exchange control rules. Zimplats' majority shareholder, South Africa's Impala Platinum (Implats), has called for "an urgent investigation." The documents also showed that Mossack Fonseca clients include 23 people who've been sanctioned for supporting regimes in Zimbabwe, North Korea, Russia, Iran and Syria, Choto reported. He's also pursuing other leads found through the tedious, exacting process of sorting and reviewing data, looking for patterns, then following up with countless hours of reporting. Selective group The VOA reporter is one of 370 journalists, scattered among more than 100 news organizations in roughly 80 countries, working with the Washington-based ICIJ. The broad collaboration nonetheless is "an exclusive project, not open to any journalist. There's a lot of vetting that has to be done," said Choto, who has been involved with ICIJ since 2001. ICIJ Director Gerard Ryle told VOA that more than half of the reporters on the project are not ICIJ members, but collaborating with these journalists is a key part of the group's publication strategy. "In the traditional American nonprofit [journalism] model, you get funding and at the end of the project you approach a publication partner. I think a better way of doing it is getting the publications involved from the start. You're able to basically parlay the value of the story to get the resources of all the media partners." Choto built a reputation for strong investigative work at The Standard in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 1998, the journalist linked some cabinet ministers, police officials and business people to drug rings and money laundering. The following year, he reported that 23 Zimbabwe military members, including some officers, were jailed for conspiring to overthrow longtime dictator Robert Mugabe. Choto says he and his publisher were arrested and tortured for refusing to divulge the names of military sources. "I was beaten with wooden planks on my naked body," Choto said, adding that his captors also "would apply electric shocks. The torture was for three days; my editor was held for 10 days." The two were released after steady publicity from South African media pressured the government to relent. Choto and his editor, Mark Chavunkuka, later were jointly honored with the International Press Freedom award. Relocating to U.S. Choto came to the United States in the fall of 2000 as a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. Three years later, he joined Voice of America in Washington. Now 54, he covers breaking news while also continuing investigative work. Early last year, he collaborated with ICIJ on an investigation into the foreign accounts of international banking giant HSBC. Its Swiss private banking arm "made huge profits by allegedly engaging in shady deals of over $270 million with some Zimbabwean citizens seven years ago, in the process, disadvantaging the poor southern African nation of the much-needed foreign currency," he wrote for VOA. That story arose from files shared with ICIJ by the French newspaper Le Monde. ICIJ's Ryle told WIRED that the Panama Papers' document trove represents the biggest leak in history, "about 2,000 times larger than the WikiLeaks state department cables." The journalists worked in secret on the files some of them for up to a year sharing information via secure websites and avoiding email or any other communications that might compromise confidentiality, according to WIRED. Journalists have a proprietary claim on information relating to their own countries, Choto said, and they pass along information they discover that might be useful to a foreign colleague. His ICIJ colleagues have turned out stories of possible misdeeds. While offshore havens themselves are legal, their lack of transparency makes them attractive for hiding crime and corruption. In Iceland, Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, tendered his resignation Tuesday, a day after angry crowds gathered in Reykjavik to protest what they suspect was an effort to hide assets offshore. Close associates of Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China also have been linked to the law firm's secretive services. Choto suspects Zimbabwe residents "are excited in their hearts" about his findings, but he says his homeland "is one of those places where people cannot freely express themselves, to go out and demonstrate unless you belong to the ruling party. You've seen people being beaten for demonstrating peacefully." He continues digging into the Panama Papers. "There are a lot of amazing stories that are still to be told." Zimbabwes war veterans held a meeting with President Mugabe today and made several demands including a call for the president to allocate more ministerial posts to former freedom fighters. Such demands come at a time when Zimbabweans expected the war veterans to ask the president to rest after almost 36 years in power. But this issue was raised at all as the former freedom fighters mainly focused on their welfare and related matters. It is fair for former freedom fighters to press for more ministerial positions from a ruling party riddled with factionalism? One of the factions, comprising mostly of people who did not physically take part in the liberation struggle, is believed to backing First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband. The other faction is allegedly led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa calling itself Team Lacoste. For perspective, Studio 7 reached Zanu PF activist Gadzira Chirumanzu and political commentator Charles Mutasa. Chirumanzi said war veterans are happy about the outcome of the meeting. He said by agreeing to meet the war veterans once a year, the president paved the way for long-lasting relations with the former freedom fighters. In short I can say everybody was more than happy about the outcome of the meeting. But Mutasa said, I dont think so (merely) meeting does not constitute happiness Everybody knows that these people have been complaining about the same issue they raised today and there is no measurement that they were happy because they were able to meet their patron and talk to him. Chirumanzu dismissed suggestions that the war veterans want almost all ministerial positions. He also noted that it was not true that the war veterans wanted President Mugabe to step down. "It is only the imagination of those who do not know how Zanu PF works." Zimbabwes war veterans present a list of demands to President Robert Mugabe, which include calls for the party to have a political commissar who participated in the liberation struggle of the 1970s. The British government has allegedly rejected President Robert Mugabes ambassador designate, Ray Ndhlukula, who is accused of seizing a white-owned commercial farm recently in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean police arrest Ernest Mudzengi of the Media Center following the publication of a story in an online-based news site detailing alleged attempts to bomb the first familys Gushungo Holdings Dairy. We will take a closer look at war veterans demands and President Robert Mugabes reaction on some of the issues. Stay tuned for these stories and more coming up on Studio 7 at 7:30 pm on 9-0-9 Medium Wave and on the 4-9-3-0, 5-9-4-0 and 1-5-4-6-0 shortwave frequencies. We also broadcast on www.channelzim.net. Please check us out on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. This evening on Livetalk our hosts of the Womens Round Table, Marvellous Mhlanga Nyahuye and Praxedes Jeremiah, will be talking with listeners and experts about human trafficking. Hundreds of Zimbabwean women are stuck in Kuwait where they were promised fake jobs. Participate by sending your messages on our WhatsApp number 001 202 465 0318. The number again 001 202 465 0318. Stay tuned!!!!!! To mark Zimbabwes 36th independence anniversary, Studio 7 will be giving out solar-powered radios for our lucky winners. Simply invite 10 friends to join our VOA Studio 7 Facebook page. Ask them to like our page. Keep their names so we can verify your claim. We will also be running a daily competition for lucky winners. You only need to answer a simple question about Zimbabwes independence. The question today is: Who was the first president of Zimbabwe? The answers to our last two questions are Joshua Nkomo and Josiah Magama Tongogara. The draw will be conducted April 18th. Dont be left out!! After new Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs swearing-in ceremony and speech on Thursday morning, State President Tran Dai Quang asked the National Assembly to allow Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court Truong Hoa Binh and Prosecutor General of the Vietnam Supreme People's Procuracy Nguyen Hoa Binh to step down. Due to the requirements of rearranging the leadership of the Party and State after the 12th National Congress in January, Quang asked the NA to grant the officials permission to leave office. NA deputies will discuss and cast a secret ballot on the proposals. Nominations for the three vacant positions are expected to be announced in the afternoon. A young Zimbabwean woman who returned to Zimbabwe after living under difficult conditions in Kuwait says she was abused by her so-called employer. Twenty-seven year-old Nyasha Moyo says she was promised a lucrative deal, which later turned into a nightmare as her employer reneged on paying her a hefty salary. She is among hundreds of Zimbabwean women that were promised good jobs in that nation but were later allegedly turned into commercial sex workers and slaves. Moyo says she was denied basic needs like food, time to go to the toilet and regular working hours. "I would be given left overs on a daily basis and was not allowed to communicate with my family and worked long hours and with no breaks. The salary I was promised never materialised and I only received a quarter of the promised amount," says Nyasha. Nyasha, who holds a degree from a local university, says she was prompted to make the move to Kuwait after being unemployed for a number of years. She says she had never been a maid before but the lucrative pay offered by agents in Harare who recruited her was irresistible. Nyasha warns others thinking of taking up positions in foreign lands to exercise due diligence. "If it's too good to be true then it probably is, I suggest people consult with Embassies that they plan to work in to find out what conditions are like in that country before accepting some of these lucrative job offers. Another 21 year-old lady who is still in Kuwait, Chipo Sanyika, says she will give anything to return home but currently does not have the $3,000 needed to buy a plane ticket. She begged her employers to get her a phone after telling them she had a young child at home so she could communicate with her family. "My mum has advised me to work for a few more months so that I can raise money to buy the ticket, the agent said once I have that ticket I can go home but my mum has been saying if she had the money she would have bailed me out but she can't because of the deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe," says Sanyika. "I don't even know which city I am in as I am consistently locked inside the house and work ungodly hours that do not comply with normal eight hour day I was told by my agent. Sanyika says although she and other young girls want to return home, some older women who have children and families back are being forced to stay and work despite the harrowing conditions. She says because of these extenuating circumstances some women are now resorting to fulfilling their two-year contracts in order to look after their families back home. Twenty of the 200 women that are said to be in Kuwait have been sent back home. Moyo says her saving grace was the Zimbabwe Embassy in Kuwait which assisted her to return home. "I sourced my own ticket and the Zimbabwe Embassy in Kuwait assisted me to return home although things are tough here I feel safer to be back with my family. Seven agents have been hauled before the courts in Harare facing charges of allegedly duping the women and young girls with promises of lucrative financial packages, without disclosing that they would be working long hours and that others might be turned into commercial sex workers or slaves. They are now out on bail. Women rights movements like the Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance and the Zimbabwe Activists Alliance says they will continue to fight for the women being held under duress to be returned home despite the intimidation they received at the hands of police Wednesday in Harare when they tried to stage a peaceful protest against human trafficking. MDC-T legislator Thabita Khumalo told VOA's Women's RoundTable on Livetalk, a weekly womens magazine programme which covered the issue Wednesday, that she will be engaging the International Migration Organisation in Zimbabwe to explore ways in which they can repatriate women being held against their will back to the country. I am touched by this issue and will work with other women rights organisations to approach the International Migration Organisation to repatriate those held against their will back home. Media Center director Ernest Mudzengi was on Thursday picked up by Harare detectives who interrogated him over a story published by the online Zimbabwe Sentinel on a plot to bomb Gushungo Dairy. The Zimbabwe Sentinel website is run by the Media Center. Mudzengi, who was represented by Gift Mtisi of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said he was taken to Harare Central Police Station where he was questioned by police detectives about the publication of the article. It was sort of an interview. They wanted information around a story which was published on the Zim Sentinel website, Mudzengi said. Mudzengi said the story which the police detectives were interested in quoted jailed Zimbabwe People Front party leader Owen Kuchata declaring that his political party would roll out demonstrations to compel President Robert Mugabe to step down. The reporter, who then worked at the Media Centre, reported what Kachuta simply said, that is what is contained in the story on Zimbabwe Sentinel website, added Mudzengi. He said police also questioned him about the operations of the Media Centre and recorded a statement from him as they considered to treat him as a witness in a case in which they are reportedly investigating. Some Zimbabweans have commended a judges ruling that spouses should not pry on each others mobile phones with legal practitioners noting that the judge merely interpreted the law enshrined in the countrys constitution. Passing judgment on a culpable homicide case involving 36 year-old Fortunate Nsoro on Tuesday, High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi said it is illegal for spouses to pry into each others mobile phones as that infringes on the privacy of individuals. Nsoro was convicted of killing her late husband 55 year-old, Petros Mutasa, for refusing to show her a message that had been sent on his mobile phone. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Some Chinhoyi residents welcomed the judgement, which becomes a judicial precedent, meaning that some judges may refer to it when handling similar cases in the future. Gwendolyn Chitemo welcomed the judgement saying that will minimize some misunderstandings among couples. Tapiwa Chakwizira concurred, adding that the judgment gave individuals the right to privacy that was no longer observed among spouses. But Crispen Neshambe said this judgement may cause problems as it defeats the purpose of marriage, which defines those who tied the knot as becoming one flesh after exchanging vows. Human Rights lawyer, Dzikamai Machingura, said the learned judge interpreted the law correctly, as he upheld the right to privacy which is in the supreme law of the country. Nsoro will serve eight years in prison after two years were suspended on condition that she does not commit a similar crime within the period. April 7, 2016 | 02:05 am PT The fact that many Vietnamese students decide to stay in foreign countries where they have studied rather than return home has aroused controversy among Vietnamese people. "Most people who grow up here and leave for other countries to earn a living dont come back." That is what a vendor told me when I was spending a summer's day at Tam Dao Mountain about 80 kilometers from Hanoi. Her words stirred up a sense of sadness inside me. Then I thought about myself, my friends and acquaintances. We all left our beloved homes behind in search of life-changing opportunities. Hardly any of us returned to our hometowns, and visits are now limited to a couple of days before we get back to our hectic lives. For some time, the issue related to Vietnamese students who study abroad and never return home has been a concern among Vietnamese people. They wonder why the country does not find a way of retaining its talent, and it's a hard question to answer. From my point of view, we should look at it in a simple light. Every individual has a home, so the only thing that matters is how far they travel away from it. Vietnamese students who study abroad, to some extent, are simply an extension of the hundreds of thousands of students who flock to the central cities every year for higher education. Those migrants also choose to stay in big cities rather than return to their hometowns after graduating. They face many problems such as congestion, pollution and unsafe food in the big cities, but it is the sense of opportunity that keeps them there. Everyone has their own desires that motivate them to grasp opportunities. If you find somewhere you feel you belong, where you can find a plum job, where your children can access good education, your life will be more meaningful. For now, I also intend to settle in Hanoi as I think it is difficult to live in a place where there are limited opportunities. Instead of being stuck thinking about meritocratic policies or brain drain, it is time we thought big. The world has entered the era of global citizens. Overseas students returning to Vietnam will contribute to the country development while others who choose to stay in foreign countries will contribute to global development. If each person always moves forward, return or not, it does not really matter. The European Commission and the International Energy Agency will address the impact of the energy crisis on SMEs in an online event on 21 October. Charlie Sheen. Photo: Charley Gallay/2016 Getty Images The LAPD has Charlie Sheen pegged as the subject of a criminal investigation prompted by his ex-fiancee, according to NBC News. The development comes four months after the actors ex, Scottine Ross (a.k.a. Brett Rossi), sued him for assault. Ross approached the LAPD to request an emergency protective order on March 31, after The National Enquirer and Radar Online published material about a taped phone call that allegedly had the actor detailing past lies about his HIV status, as well as threats to kill Ross. At time of publication, the LAPD wasnt giving media many details only that detectives from an elite stalking unit were helming the ongoing felony-threat investigation. Rosss lawyer, David Ring, told USA Today that his client didnt make the tape, and that she takes the threats extremely seriously because she knows him and knows his personality and behavior I know the context, and there are things he said on the tape that only he would know because we were in settlement talks at the time [over last years lawsuit]. Authorities reportedly served a search warrant to The National Enquirer, requesting the full tape. We believe the search warrant is illegal and violates federal and state law prohibiting the use of search warrants against media companies who are reporting news and information, The National Enquirers editor told the AP. NBC obtained a copy of the warrant, which echoes claims of physical and mental abuse that Rossi made in her civil suit at the end of last year. That suit is on hold, pending arbitration, till May 2017. Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images When I was cast as Justin Guarinis sibling in Stephen King and John Mellencamps Ghost Brothers of Darkland County back in 2012, I wasnt sure what to expect. Was he just a smiley guy with a spectacular perm? Could he act? Would I be able to make From Justin to Kelly jokes? (For the record, the answers to those questions are no, yes, and yes.) Certainly, becoming one of the most famous people in the country for a whirlwind period in 2002 can have an effect on you. Others in his position might have buckled under that pressure, but despite a few bumps in the road, Guarini has managed to maintain a thriving stage career and family life away from the spotlight (he lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and three kids). Since Idol, he has appeared on Broadway in American Idiot, Wicked, and Romeo and Juliet, among others. Hes also performed his solo shows to sold-out crowds around the country. On Sunday, he heads to Sweden for a few weeks to record a new album, his first full-length since 2005s Stranger Things Have Happened. But this week hes back in American Idols world for the series finale of the behemoth competition reality program along with many of his fellow former contestants. Guarini and I caught up over the phone during a short break in rehearsals for Wednesday and Thursday nights shows. Hows it going? Are you hiding in the corner of the theater right now? Yeah, theyve been working me like crazy; weve got a whole bunch of rehearsals here today. Were doing it right where we started in what used to be the Kodak Theatre, now its the Dolby Theatre. The whole 15 seasons has a real nice symmetry to it because were all ending up right where it began, which is cool. How would you describe the experience so far? Has it been surreal, or fun, or weird, or some combination of those things? I feel like Im part of a living time capsule. You know in school when you dug up the time capsule you put in the ground like 15, 20 years ago? I literally feel like Im doing that, but inside the capsule were all different people. And everyones aged in different ways. Weve aged really well! Everyones doing well. Its absolutely surreal. But its a cool perspective for me because I was there from the beginning when the budget was like $5, and now its pretty extraordinary to be here for a thing that not only influenced American pop culture but the world. It really influenced the whole world. Rewatching the special last night, its pretty wild to see peoples personalities and appearances sort of shift and evolve over the years. I always forget Carrie Underwood was literally straight off of that farm. Yeah, a lot of styles have changed pretty drastically. You usually dont get to see the evolution of an artist that close and personal. Thats one of the crazy things about Idol. You see us all from the very beginning. You kept in touch with quite a few people from the show, didnt you? I think when you do something like this, its like youre in a really exclusive club. And you end up seeing people out all the time. Nowadays its impossible not to run into people who were part of it, part of the whole machine. A lot of people kept in touch, and I now know so many of the people from other seasons. Its like a high-school reunion except I actually like everyone. [Laughs.] Everyone has had different career trajectories since the show ended. Despite varying levels of traditional success, does everyone seem happy overall? I think so. The people that are here, for this event, theyre some of the more known and more successful Idol contestants, so I think, yeah, everyone seems happy. Nigel [Lythgoe, former Idol director] was telling us last night, When you go out on this stage you represent everything Idol has done, not only for your lives but also the lives of people all over this country. And thats a pretty pervasive through line for this finale. We really are there to celebrate how big a change this has made in all of our lives. I know you had certain issues with the Idol brand and the hold that it had on you for many years after the show ended. Do you think people are grateful even though they felt trapped or thrown out to sea at certain times? With any big organization youre going to have things that fall through the cracks. Thats just the nature of the beast. But I can say that I have, personally, been at the top of the mountain, and I have rolled all the way down the hill to the bottom, you know? And now Im somewhere in between. But that experience of having those extreme highs and lows has made all the difference in my career. So Im eternally grateful for Idol, really. Have people been making annoying references to your formerly enormous hair? No, actually! It really hasnt been that much. But honestly, you cant buy branding like that. You really cant. Its not annoying for me, but its fun watching people do double takes. You know, some of these people havent seen me in 15 years, some of the crew and other contestants, so its been fun to see the reaction. You really do look about 14 years old in some of those old clips. We all do. You saw the Kelly Clarkson Piece by Piece performance. That was pretty unreal. Yeah, it was amazing. Shes amazing. I mean, she really represents everything Idol is. That moment was just perfect. It should be known: You also play that 80s hair-metal guy in the Diet Dr. Pepper commercials. Lil Sweet. Yeah, I just shot three that are airing now. Theyre just ridiculous. Ive shot like five or six of them, and about nine internet videos as well. I like seeing those commercials, because you do have this darker, weirder sense of humor that people dont often get to see. Yes, youve definitely seen that. Do people know that its you? Some people know right away. Others have no idea. Some of the Idols were like, Wait, youre Lil Sweet?! and laughed about it. With those commercials theres a pretty good separation of church and state for me, since I can kind of disappear into it. The Waco Symphony Orchestra closes its 2015-16 season on April 14 with only three pieces on the program, but dont think that translates into a smaller sound or stylistic monotony. All three works Juan Contreras El Laberinto de la Soledad (The Labyrinth of Solitude, Mozarts Clarinet Concerto and Shostakovichs Symphony No. 5 will feature full orchestration and distinctive palettes of tonal color. In the concert opener, El Laberinto de la Soledad, the color is Latin, with Contreras interweaving Mexican folk and party music motifs, set to ever-shifting rhythms, WSO Music Director Stephen Heyde said. The short work draws its title from the book of the same name, a collection of essays by Mexican author Octavio Paz that explores his countrys identity and alienation. It is the American premiere of El Laberinto, and Contreras, a winner of the William Schumann Prize for composing, is planning on attending, Heyde said. The tone shifts to the transparency of Mozart in his Clarinet Concerto, played by the concerts guest artist Franklin Cohen. Cohen led the Cleveland Orchestras clarinet section for 40 years before retiring and has more than 200 solo appearances over his lengthy career. Cohen, who started his career appointed by Leopold Stokowski as principal clarinet of the American Symphony Orchestra, has played as featured artist with nearly a dozen of the worlds top chamber ensembles. He and his daughter started ChamberFest Cleveland, an international summer chamber music festival, in 2012. He is the first clarinetist to perform as WSO guest artist under Heyde and its fitting that the piece hell play is the Mozart concerto, Heyde said. Mozart was so important to the repertory of the clarinet,he explained. He championed the clarinet in his writing, and it speaks to his kind of sonority. Shostakovichs Symphony No. 5 closes out the concert with a fine example of rich, muscular orchestral writing from the 20th-century Soviet composer. Its a real joy one of the most loved, most frequently played of Shostakovichs symphonies. Theres such power and such emotion in that piece, the conductor said. (Shostakovich) was the greatest symphonist of the 20th century. Shostakovich wrote under the pressure of an oppressive Soviet government that often criticized, often with lethal consequences, artists whose work didnt meet its cultural standards. The composer, who fell under official disapproval for a time, sometimes dealt with that criticism with musical in jokes that his government censors failed to catch. He may have done that with the finale of his Fifth Symphony, whose metronome markings have proved slightly controversial: Using his metronome markings to set the tempo results in a drastically slower pace that turns triumph into a dirge. The metronome numbers dont fit it at all, Heyde said, adding that he and the WSO wont use them. The bright, vibrant finale is an audience pleaser, a more fitting conclusion to a successful WSO season, the conductor said. The faster tempos also dont wear out the brass players, he said. AUSTIN The state's top education official says a computer glitch erased answers on about 14,220 standardized tests taken by Texas high school students. Education Commissioner Mike Morath told the Board of Education on Wednesday that many of the affected tests were taken by special education students. Students must pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness to graduate high school. But last week, some in the Austin, Bryan and Arlington areas were unable to complete the exam known as STAAR because of glitches. This is the first year New Jersey-based Educational Testing Services is administering the exam, after winning a $280 million contract. The Austin American Statesman reports (http://atxne.ws/1oCsikb ) that Morath said that, if problems aren't fixed by next month, the state will reconsider its contract with the company. ___ Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com The Cameron Park Zoo herpetarium staff will lead a free night hike for nature enthusiasts at 7:30 p.m. Friday through the Lake Waco Wetlands, 1752 Eichelberger Crossing. Guests should wear appropriate clothing and mosquito protection and bring water and flashlights. For more information, call 848-9654 or email noras@wacotx.gov. Axtell FFA benefit Axtell FFA Boosters Club will have its annual scholarship dinner and live auction at 6 p.m. Saturday in the cafeteria at Axtell High School, 308 Ottawa St. in Axtell. Cost is $8 for adults or $5 for children and senior citizens for a meal of loaded Texas Taters with a choice of three meats, salad, dessert and iced tea. The event also will include door prizes, a 50/50 drawing and raffle items. Proceeds will support scholarships for Axtell FFA students. Democratic women Texas Democratic Women of Central Texas will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday at the McLennan County Democratic Partys office, 4800 W. Waco Drive, Suite 135. Light refreshments will be served at 10:45 a.m. Barbara Aydlett will present a program about the Texas Silver Haired Legislature nonprofit group. Before the meeting, the McLennan County Democratic Party will meet for its bimonthly meeting at 10 a.m. The meeting is open to like-minded individuals. For more information, email Colleen Haley at colleenh531@gmail.com or call 855-1994. Nonprofit giveaway The nonprofit Elegant Ladies Haven, 1017 Preston St., will have its monthly community giveaway event at 11 a.m. Friday. Items will include clothing, diapers, toiletries and paper products. For more information, call 722-3627. Altrusa rummage sale Altrusa Club of Waco will have a rummage roundup fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Sunset Plaza Shopping Center, 1613 N. Valley Mills Drive. Proceeds will support the clubs community service projects. For more information, call Marci Barletta at 715-4302 or Anna Kazanas at 772-5693. MCC art opening McLennan Community College will have an opening reception for its Moonlight Sunlight art exhibition by John Chatmas from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at MCCs Visual Arts Building. The exhibit, which features new paintings and wall pieces, will be on display through May 6. For more information, call 299-8791. Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Allergan announced Wednesday they have mutually decided to cancel their $160 billion merger after the Obama administration introduced new rules that would limit the ability of American companies to lower their tax bill by relocating overseas. Allergan operates a plant in Waco. Allergan officials released a statement saying they are disappointed the deal did not materialize but that the company remains strong. The company also said the Waco plant at 8301 Mars Drive remains vital to its operations and could see an expansion of manufacturing processes and a jump in employment. Allergan CEO Brent Saunders, who visited the Waco plant in January to celebrate its 27 years of operation and its $450 million impact on the local economy, blamed the new regulation, in part, for killing the merger. It really looked like they did a very fine job of constructing a rule here, a temporary rule, to stop this deal, Saunders said to CNBC. He was referring to new regulations issued this week by the U.S. Treasury Department to prevent so-called inversion deals, in which U.S. companies use a merger with a smaller company based overseas to avoid U.S. taxes. The Pfizer merger would have moved the combined companys home base to Ireland, where Allergan is based. Pfizer approached this transaction from a position of strength and viewed the potential combination as an accelerator of existing strategies, Ian Read, the chairman and chief executive of New York-based Pfizer, said in a statement. We remain focused on continuing to enhance the value of our innovative and established businesses. Pfizer will pay Allergan $150 million to reimburse expenses associated with the transaction, according to the companys statement. President Barack Obama said Tuesday that new guidelines would help prevent companies from taking advantage of one of the most insidious tax loopholes out there, fleeing the country just to get out of paying their taxes. Allergan released a statement from Saunders, saying, While we are disappointed that the Pfizer transaction will no longer move forward, Allergan is poised to deliver strong, sustainable growth built on a set of powerful attributes. He said the company continues to produce brands in seven categories, adding that 14 new products are awaiting final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and another 16 soon will go to the FDA for consideration. The 400,000-square-foot facility in Waco makes pharmaceutical products primarily for the eyes and skin, including Restasis and Latisse. Allergans Waco plant now employs 750 people whose average annual compensation totals $78,965, including benefits, according to a report prepared by Baylor University economist Tom Kelly, who was asked by the company to compile information about Allergans impact on the Central Texas economy in anticipation of Saunders visit. Kelly predicted that the total impact of Allergans capital investments and operations would reach $450.3 million this year, operating at the same capacity. But that capacity could change, Allergan has indicated. Company officials have said the Waco facility is on a shortlist of facilities to produce new drugs. Allergan reportedly is looking to double its production capacity, a move that would create the need for a few hundred more employees. We remain strongly committed to our Waco operations and future plans to expand the facility, which would increase production capacity for our products and add jobs to the local Waco economy. Allergan spokesman Mark Marmur said in a statement Wednesday. Pfizer tried unsuccessfully to acquire AstraZeneca and create the worlds larger pharmaceutical company two years ago. Pfizer abandoned the pursuit as its British rival repeatedly snubbed Pfizers approaches, and the proposed takeover faced political opposition over potential job losses in Britain, The New York Times reported. American acquisitions Meanwhile, Allergan, a drugmaker based in Dublin, Ireland, was largely built through acquisitions of American companies. The company, then known as Actavis and based in New Jersey, bought Warner Chilcott in October 2013 for $8.5 billion and moved its tax home to Ireland. In July 2014, Actavis acquired New York-based Forest Laboratories for $28 billion. The next year, Actavis took over Allergan for $70.5 billion, and the company announced Wacos plant would remain one of the main cogs in the company wheel. The latest rule changes by the Treasury Department are intended to discourage such transactions by targeting serial inverters, foreign companies that bulked up by buying American ones for tax advantages. The new rules seek to restrict such transactions by disregarding the value of the American businesses acquired during the last three years. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump had criticized the proposed merger of Pfizer and Allergan before the two sides agreed Wednesday to go their separate ways. A 31-year veteran of the Fort Worth Fire Department is poised to become Wacos new fire chief after an international search and interviews with city administrators and firefighters. Bobby Tatum Jr., a Fort Worth deputy chief in charge of fire prevention, is expected to be ratified for the position by Waco City Council on April 19. City Manager Dale Fisseler chose him for the job after a monthslong recruitment process that involved a private firm and panels of city leaders. He discussed the appointment with the council in executive session this week. Fisseler said Tatum impressed him and other city officials with his leadership ability. I am excited to recommend Bobby to the city council for consideration as our next fire chief and am looking forward to introducing him to them at our next meeting, Fisseler said. The interview panels were impressed with his experience and enthusiasm, and I believe that he will bring outstanding leadership to this important position. The appointment puts a black chief in charge of a department that has struggled to find minority recruits. Of the departments 203 civil service positions, only 14 are held by minorities. One of our goals is to increase diversity, not only ethnic diversity but gender-wise, and he has some ideas for that, Fisseler said. Tatum said he hopes to make young minority students in the area more aware of firefighting as a career. I think we can present a positive image to show that its available to them, said Tatum, who started with the Fort Worth department at age 19. When I started in fire service, I was looking for a job. I wasnt one who said I wanted to be a firefighter when I grew up. But once I saw others advancing in the fire department, I saw the opportunity. He said he also hopes to recruit more female applicants, possibly including local college athletes who could pass the firefighters physical exams. Tatum, 50, said it is a big step to move out of the city where hes lived all his life, but added hes looking forward to new challenges. Im so excited about the opportunity to live in Waco, he said. I never imagined being there. I dont say that in a negative way, but I never had the opportunity to stop and visit the city. Tatum said he got a tour of the city during the interview process and for the first time visited Wacos attractions, such as Cameron Park, the zoo and Lake Waco. While I was riding in the car, I started thinking, this is the place for me, this is a place I can bring my family, he said. Tatum said he plans to live within the city limits of Waco with his wife and wants to be actively engaged in civic affairs. Community connection Its not a requirement to live in the city of Waco, but I wanted to be connected with the community, he said. Tatum would replace Acting Chief Paul Simmons, who has led the department since former Chief John Johnston stepped down in January for family reasons. Johnston remains an assistant chief. The private recruitment firm Strategic Government Resources considered 76 applicants from 23 states and Australia and narrowed the search to four finalists that were interviewed by the city panel. Simmons was among the four finalists. Since Tatum started with the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1985, he has graduated from the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and earned master firefighter and master arson investigator certifications from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He is an FBI-certified bomb technician and is certified in aircraft fire rescue, hazmat and other courses of study. He holds a masters degree in leadership with an emphasis in disaster preparedness from Grand Canyon University, as well degrees from Midwestern State University and Tarrant County College. Fisseler served as Fort Worth city manager before coming to Waco but did not know Tatum, who served as a fire captain at the time. But Fisseler said he has heard glowing reviews of Tatum from Fort Worths city manager. He said Tatums experience with a larger city is also valuable. Fort Worths department has about 950 firefighters and a geographical coverage area about three times that of Waco. Tatum said other Fort Worth fire officials in the past year have gone on to be fire chiefs in Plano and Burleson. Fort Worth has a reputation of doing things right and developing their employees, he said. About 4,000 students who were scattered around Waco on Wednesday tasted milk, ranked livestock and examined soil at the ninth annual McLennan Community College Agricultural Invitational. Fourteen contests were spread out at four locations: MCCs Highlander Ranch, the Extraco Events Center, Speegleville Park and Baylor Universitys Willis Equestrian Center. The invitational is open to any Future Farmers of America chapter, and students competed for individual and team awards. Kids like to compete, and most of them in FFA have been taught an eagerness to learn something, said Bob Young, co-chair of the event. They get instilled by the agriculture teachers. Theyre given an opportunity to excel. Kori Priest, a junior at Clear Brook High School in Friendswood, said she judges wool, but her experience goes beyond the information. My favorite thing is bonding with my team, Priest said. Its a good memory Ill have for the rest of my life. Other events focus on livestock, poultry, floriculture, dairy products and land judging. Young said students judging land consider soil types, layers and slope of the land, while deciding which crops would grow. Dale Hyatt led the poultry competition at Extraco Events Center. He said students grade eggs and carcasses, identify parts and check processed products for defects. This is just a fun thing, Hyatt said. Its good practice as they prepare for area contests and hopefully make state. Some lucky person will make nationals. Though some get awards for their invitational performances, a fraction of the students advance to a regional contest. One representative is taken from state contests to a national event in Indianapolis. Everyone wants to be remembered for what they do good, instead of what they do bad, Young said. Its a chance to show they know something. Theyre starting to understand (that) the more they know, the better chance they get to make a good living once they get out of school. Hasten Wold, a junior at Dayton High School, which is northeast of Houston, said studying agriculture seemed like a logical extracurricular activity. I dont see myself having a career in it, but I see myself doing it next year as a senior, Wold said. In a victory for both noncitizens and common sense alike, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected the argument that state election districts must be drawn equally based on eligible voters rather than population. The courts decision staves off a xenophobic push to discount noncitizens, which is a good thing. But almost equally noteworthy was an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, who was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in saying that states could use eligible voters to redraw their districts if they wish. Begin with the background: All states currently use population, not eligible voters, when drawing their legislative districts. When it comes to congressional districts, the Constitution expressly requires the use of consensus population, not voters. And the Senate has no districts at all, a reflection of the famous compromise at the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. The Constitution is silent on how states should do their districting. But in 1964, in the landmark case of Reynolds v. Sims, the high court adopted the one person, one vote principle and applied it to state legislative districts. Henceforth, all state legislative districts had to be made equal. A state, therefore, cannot design its own Senate in the way that the U.S. Senate is designed, ignoring population. Put another way, if it werent for the Framers compromise being written in stone, the design of the Senate would be unconstitutional under the logic of one person, one vote. Somehow, the court has never managed to say with total clarity that the person in the one person, one vote formula was anyone living in a district, not just its eligible voters. Mondays case arose from a clever effort by two Texans, supported by advocacy groups, to exploit that failure. They maintained, based on scattered phrases in a number of court opinions, that what is required is actually equalization using eligible voters. The result they desired would have reduced representation in districts that have lots of recent immigrants in them. The political cast of this effort is hard to miss given our current anti-immigrant atmosphere. In an opinion for six justices, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg denied the plaintiffs claim. Technically, the court only needed to say that states arent under any obligation to use voter numbers rather than population to set districts. It didnt need to say that the current norm of using population is the only permissible constitutional formula under the Reynolds precedent. Yet Ginsburg, at the prompting of the solicitor general in the governments brief, did what she could to suggest that using population wasnt just permissible but required. Section 2 of the 14th Amendment says that Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state. Ginsburg quoted Sen. Jacob Howard of Michigan, an important radical Republican during Reconstruction, explaining the meaning of this provision from the floor of the Senate: Numbers, not voters; numbers, not property; this is the theory of the Constitution. She then said that the plaintiffs were seeking a rule inconsistent with this theory of the Constitution. Thats about as close as the court could come to saying that total population, not voters, is the only legitimate constitutional rule. Alito wasnt having it. He wrote a separate concurrence saying that although states should be permitted to use population to draw districts, they should also be allowed to use the total number of eligible voters. Alito pointed out, correctly, that the two options rest on different conceptions of political representation. If total population is used, then elected representatives stand for the entire people, not just those citizens who are entitled to vote for them. If voters are used, then the idea is that representatives only stand in for potential voters not even citizens who are ineligible to vote simply because theyre still too young. Alito concluded that the Constitution doesnt require choosing between these two theories of representation. In essence, he disputed Ginsburgs adoption of Howards statement as constitutional doctrine. Alito only garnered Thomas vote and his own for this opinion. But its significant nonetheless because it remains technically possible that a state might actually rely on it to change its apportionment rules, claiming in a process that the majority opinion doesnt exclude the possibility. Thomas, for his part, went even further. In a separate concurrence entirely his own, he wrote that the Reynolds principle of one person, one vote isnt required by the Constitution at all. Thomas spent a good deal of time analyzing statements made by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, emphasizing that the original Framers favored both majoritarianism as well as some countermajoritarian features, such as the Senate. The useful feature of Thomas opinion is that it demonstrates how indefensible originalism can be in practice. One person, one vote has become a fundamental constitutional principle, one of our most important. Noah Feldman, a Bloomberg View columnist, is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard. All messed up We have witnessed an election so utterly flawed that it should be obvious that a new election should be called. However, retired District Judge James Morgan does not think so, even though the expense would have been minimal, given that the election redo could have simply been placed on the May 24 runoff ballot. I hope that Precinct 1 County Commissioner Kelly Snell will at least try to do a better job of communicating with his constituents. I have tried many times over the past seven years by leaving voice mails and multiple emails for Snell and, so far, have received no phone call or email in return. Both of his predecessors, Wayne Davis and Wendell Crunk, always returned my calls, even if the call did not yield the decision that I wanted. I have spoken with many people who have this same complaint, including some city of Waco officials. The general consensus: Dont bother calling Kelly because he wont call you back. We had a good chance to remove him from office, and then this election messed it up. Lets hope the McLennan County Elections Commission pays more attention to the next election and gets it right. Mr. Snell, open your lines of communication and listen to the citizens of Precinct 1. David Light, Lorena Beyond politics I saw the movie A Single Frame the other night. Amid this story of ethnic cleansing and war in Kosovo, President Bill Clinton was mentioned. It seems a public square there is named in his honor, complete with statue, because he was one of the world leaders who did something to help, even if it was toward the end of all the killings. One film sequence highlighted a man who has built a shrine in his home to Clinton, President Bush, other world leaders and the generals. When asked what he would do if he ever met Clinton, the man got down on his knees and bowed, saying he would do it 10 times to show his gratitude and respect for the decision to aid the people of Kosovo. A row of the audience in back got to laughing and joking about Clinton, but if a calamity as enormous as that war occurred in the United States and someone in another country came to our aid, I bet they would do something similar to what this man did in gratitude to Clinton and world others. Even though the Kosovo War was 18 years ago, the people in that movie theater simply couldnt get past the politics of our era and give Clinton credit for helping fellow humans in need. I am sick of the divisiveness evident in our politics and country. A political party determines if you care and to what degree you care about each other. Some of the veterans I met from that conflict had awful cases of post-traumatic stress because of the amount of civilian horror they witnessed. Few of us back here in safety knew the extent of all this. Think of the liberators of Auschwitz. Nancy Marquis, Waco On June 25, 1996, members of the Saudi Hizballah terrorist group attacked the Khobar Towers apartment complex used to house U.S. and foreign military personnel near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The attackers drove a tanker truck filled with plastic explosives into the parking lot and detonated it, all but destroying the nearest building. The attack killed 19 U.S. servicemen and one Saudi citizen, and wounded 372 others of many different nationalities. Abdelkarim Hussein Mohamed al-Nasser, a Saudi citizen, helped plan and carry out the attack. A U.S. federal court has indicted him for conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against U.S. nationals, conspiracy to destroy U.S. property, and related charges. AlNasser stands approximately 5 feet 8 inches, or 173 centimeters, tall, and has black hair and brown eyes. The Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to five million dollars for information leading to al-Nassers arrest or conviction. The U.S. guarantees that all credible reports will be investigated and the identity of all informants will be kept confidential. If appropriate, the U.S. is prepared to protect informants by relocating them. If you have information on this man, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate and the tip line at www.rewardsforjustice.net or e-mail information to RFJ@state.gov. WAHOO Magda Brown and Sami Steigmann, holocaust survivors, gave students first-hand information about their experiences and a message against the hate that perpetuated the atrocities of the holocaust. Brown and Steigmann talked last week at Wahoo Public Schools for the Live from Wahoo event. In March 1944, Germany decided that Hungary was not doing enough toward Hitlers final solution, so the within 51 days, half-a-million people were shipped to their death, said Brown. Brown and her family were some of the Hungarian exports. At 17, Brown and her family were packed onto rail cars that went to the Buchenwald concentration camp. I stood for three days straight so my parents could sit on the floor, said Brown. The families were told they would stay together. But when she was dropped off in Buchenwald, her parents went back on the rail cars and straight to the gas chambers in Auschwitz. It was a premeditated, scientifically coordinated mass murder, said Brown. Browns time in the concentration camp was spent working at an ammunition factory. Working with the raw materials caused Brown and her co-laborers physiological changes, their hair turned orange, their skin turned yellow and their lips turned purple, she said. A glass of milk was given to them two months before they were liberated, as an attempt to counter the affects of the poison. Exit from the camp was on foot for three days, sleeping in ditches, escorted by Nazi soldiers. During this exodus through the countryside, she and a few others decide to crawl on their bellies to a nearby barn. We had totally lost self-esteem. We thought if they find us and kill us, at least it will be all over, she said. A few did make the venture toward the barn, but the soldiers that found them were American liberators, she added. Brown said there are three reasons for telling her story, to inform others to protect their freedom, to think before you hate and to validate the existence of the holocaust. This is the tragedy of hatred, said Brown. There are some parts of her story she does not tell to audiences, and she does not cry. I cant stand in front of the children and cry, then I dont accomplish the task, she said. Now living in Skokie, Ill., Brown works with a holocaust museum and reaches 8,000 people a year with her talks. First-hand accounts allow for the children to put a face to it all, she said. As long as I can maintain, I will be up there, said Brown. Brown travels with her daughter and also mentors a 27-year-old graduate student that is part of a second-generation program that knows her story and will continue to tell it after Brown is gone. Brown spoke to high school students in the afternoon, and Steigmann spoke on the morning of March 30. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Tiger Dustin Martin's father was leaving the country on Wednesday after his visa was cancelled, according to reports. Shane Martin was spotted at Sydney airport ready to board an Auckland-bound flight, News Limited is reporting. Dustin Martin makes things happen as a matter of course. Credit:AFL Media/Getty Images It has been reported he was locked up early in March after officials decided he did not meet the minimum character requirements of a residency visa. On April 1, 2015, the Canadian government announced it would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees. This was on top of the 25,000 refugees the country had already settled over the past few months. Since Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister on November 4, 2015, Canada's government has transformed its response to Syrian refugees, generating huge amounts of goodwill and generosity among the people of Canada and providing a safe new start for thousands of Syrian families. Photo op: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, greets refugees fleeing Syria, during their arrival in Toronto. Credit:Nathan Denette Just months earlier, Canada's stance towards Syrian refugees was anything but generous. On September 2, 2015, images of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi lying on a beach on the Mediterranean Sea were broadcast across global media channels, his fate highlighting Canada's harsh immigration policies; the fatal ocean crossing was a last-ditch attempt at a better life by his desperate parents, who had unsuccessfully applied several times to legally seek asylum in Canada. In the lead-up to the child's death, Canada's then prime minister Stephen Harper's government had settled about 2500 Syrian refugees over three years. Resettling procedures were hampered by slow processing times and a bias towards non-Muslim applicants. As the ups and downs of the mining boom stole the headlines Australia was experiencing a less celebrated economic transformation: a know-how boom. Since the middle of last decade the share of adults with an advanced post-school qualification has swelled dramatically. Illustration: Kerrie Leishman In 2005 the proportion of Australians aged between 20 and 64 with a Certificate III qualification or higher has jumped from 47 per cent to 60 per cent (Certificate III level recognises advanced technical skills and knowledge, such as a tradesman). In that period the share of 20- to 64-year-olds with a bachelor degree or higher has climbed from about 21 per cent to nearly 30 per cent. The trend for school students to stay in class longer is similar. Over the past decade the national year 12 student retention rate has climbed from 74.7 per cent to 87 per cent. Waleed Aly has taken aim at the hypocrisy of Malcolm Turnbull's "age of innovation" aspirations as leaked documents reveal significant delays to the government's NBN roll out. On Wednesday's The Project, Aly dethroned Mr Turnbull, the so-called "man who virtually invented the internet in this country" - a title bestowed by former PM Tony Abbott, along with the NBN plan he championed as communication minister. The Logie-nominated host skewers the Coalition over its "mongrel" NBN promises, suggesting the earlier completion date was the only thing the inferior infrastructure had going for it over Labor's NBN plan. Former television news presenter Chris Bath is returning to radio, the medium in which she launched her career three decades ago. Bath will replace ABC 702 Drive host Richard Glover for three weeks from next Monday. "I have had an ongoing conversation with 702 since I left Seven and the opportunity came up to fill in for Richard and I first thought, 'Wow,' and then I thought, 'Huge shoes to fill,' " Bath told Fairfax Media. The regulator found the model standing up appeared "unhealthily thin" and "gaunt", and that the advert breached the rules on responsible advertising as set out in the code. Gucci advert banned for using a "gaunt" model but the fashion house says she's just "toned and slim". Credit:Gucci The ad on The Times website - which appeared in December 2015 - included stills at the end of a video of two models - one sitting on a sofa, and another leaning against a wall wearing a long, printed dress. A Gucci advert featuring a "gaunt" model was irresponsible, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has ruled. One complainant, who believed the featured models appeared unhealthily thin, had challenged whether the ad was irresponsible. The ASA upheld their complaint saying: "We considered that her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body. Further, her pose elongated her torso and accentuated her waist so that it appeared to be very small. "We also considered that her sombre facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt. "For those reasons, we considered that the model leaning against the wall appeared to be unhealthily thin in the image, and therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible." The Italian fashion house told the ASA that the ads were part of a video portraying a dance party and were aimed at an older, sophisticated audience, in keeping with The Times' readership. A new skincare ad is shining a light on the intense pressure to marry on modern young women in China. The documentary-style ad focuses on the term "sheng nu" which literally translates to "leftover woman". It refers to women who stay single in their late 20s and beyond. Parental pressure is a large part of the "leftover women" problem. The campaign by luxury brand SK-II, follows a group of young women and their families grappling with the deep-seated issue. Alas, it seems we are now even more certain that dying from a broken heart is more than just a poetic metaphor. Using extensive nationwide data, Danish researchers have found that the severely stressful life event of losing a partner is followed by an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, lasting for 12 months. The Heart Foundation is leading a campaign to increase funding for a rehabilitation program. Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm connected with increased risk of stroke and heart attack. The study, led by Simon Graff at Aarhus University, found that the overall risk of developing atrial fibrillation within 30 days of a bereavement was 41 per cent higher than the control group. Residents in some south-eastern suburbs of Perth say rubbish has been left strewn across the streets for several weeks because of delays in the verge collection pick-up. Rubbish was meant to be picked up off the verges in Harrisdale and Piara Waters by a contractor employed by the City of Armadale on March 14, but almost three weeks later it is still just sitting there, residents say. A person posted a picture in the Harrisdale and Piara Waters Facebook chat page of their lawn dying after delays to the verge collection. Credit:Facebook In the surrounding suburbs of Haynes, Hilbert, Brookdale, Armadale and Wungong the rubbish collection is already 10 days overdue. According to Armadale mayor Henry Zelones the contractor told the city delays were caused by inclement weather, breakdown and staffing issues. Brussels: One of the suicide bombers who attacked Brussels airport on March 22 had worked as a cleaner in the offices of the European Parliament. The man "held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament" in 2009 and again in 2010, a EU statement quoted by Agence France-Presse said. While it did not name the man, AFP learnt it was Najim Laachraoui who is also suspected of being the maker of bombs used in the November 13 attacks in Paris. Photographs of Najim Laachraoui released by authorities. Credit:AP The revelation comes two weeks after Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks which killed 32 people at the airport and at a train station in Brussels, and a week after it was revealed a file with the floor plan and photographs of the office of the Belgian prime minister was found on a laptop discarded by one of the terrorists linked to the attacks. Fijian authorities imposed a nationwide curfew on Thursday as officials examined damage from a category three cyclone that passed to the south of the Pacific island nation overnight, two months after a more powerful cyclone wreaked havoc. Tropical Cyclone Zena weakened and moved quickly over Fiji without causing significant damage during the early hours of Thursday, just six weeks after Cyclone Winston ravaged the country. The storm reached a category three rating on Wednesday evening. Fiji's Koro Island was badly damaged by Cyclone Winston in March. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen While the threat had passed, the public remained indoors as emergency and essential aid services were deployed across the country to assess damage from heavy rain and flooding. . In February, category five Winston one of the most powerful storms recorded in the southern hemisphere killed 42 people and flattened settlements. Tokyo: A Japanese military jet carrying six airmen has disappeared from radar over southern Japan. The plane disappeared on Wednesday afternoon about an hour after take-off from Kanoya base for what was supposed to be a three-hour flight, the Defence Ministry said. Japan Self-Defence Force personnel discuss the search operation in Kanoya, Japan, on Wednesday. Credit:Kyodo/AP After more than 300 troops joined the search effort without success, it was called off for the night and was set to resume on Thursday morning. The ministry said the U-125 search and rescue jet lost contact while it was flying over mountains about 10 kilometres north of the Air Self-Defence Force's Kanoya base in Kagoshima. London: A regional manager for Australian Reserve Bank subsidiary Securency promised to "pull a rabbit out of a hat" to lock down valuable business orders in Nigeria shortly before he arranged for a bribe to a key official, a London court was told. Referring to the man he was allegedly bribing, Peter Chapman told his bosses in an email he had seen the man and won a promise of millions of dollars worth of orders for polymer for printing banknotes. Southwark Crown Court in London. Credit:David Holt/Commons "There are some aspects to this I need to discuss, but essentially this particular rabbit will jump out of the same battered hat again. Details to follow but they are likely to be along the same lines as the last rabbit," Mr Chapman said, in a passage he had highlighted in red text in an email to his superiors at Securency. Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020. Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work. Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri. April 12, 2016, marks the anniversary of the Bundy Standoff two years ago when the federal government intentionally slaughtered Bundy cattle and proceeded to roundup and remove another 300 to 400 free ranging on public land managed by the Bundys for generations even before the Bureau of Land Management (1946) existed. This was all over the news for days with American flags brandished by hundreds of sympathetic Bundy supporters. Last month, beginning with the arrest of Cliven Bundy in Portland, Oregon, the Feds, in a sting operation, arrested 19 men from five states, Arizona, Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah and as far away as New Hampshire. Charges include conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; threatening a federal law enforcement officer; obstruction of justice; attempting to impede or injure a federal law enforcement officer; and several firearms charges. All this, unlike two years ago, is now without a word from the establishment media on the federal sting. The federal government waited two years and then, when the Nevada standoff was consigned largely to history, swept in with the arrests. Bundy had good reason to be encouraged and to believe that the people had defeated a government that no longer represented them. Almost a year after the Standoff, he wrote, We have not been bothered by nor have we even seen a US government licensed vehicle of any kind on the Bundy Ranch or the northeast portion of Clark County. Cattle prices are good and green grass is growing! (An Update on Nevada Scofflaw Cliven Bundy, High Country News, March 7, 2015). Bundy refused to enter a plea before a federal judge. Attorney Joel Hansen argued for him that he was not a flight risk. He is going to go back to the ranch and take care of his chores there. Bail was denied. To make matters worse the Associated Press reported April 2, that U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro has refused to let nationally known conservative lawyer Larry Klayman, founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, join the Cliven Bundy defense team at the request of Hansen. Still, Bundy (69) may have a good case. His legal brief read in part, He never brandished a weapon at any federal officer. He never stood in the way of any federal officer. He has never assaulted anyone in his life nor has he ever committed a battery on anyone, (Nevada Rancher Cliven Bundy Denied Bail for 2014 Standoff, March 18, 2016, High Desert Hustle). If the Constitution is allowed as evidence the case is even stronger. Presently the federal government owns 87.7 of Nevada. Basically the federal government did not give western states all their land when they qualified for statehood. States were so excited to get coveted statehood that they went along with the conditions despite the confiscation of, for most in the West, at least a third of their land. The Founders understood that the size of land holding was proportionally related to the perceived size of the federal government and they intentionally wanted that perception small. The Federal government was permitted to have but 10 square miles for a federal capital. The only other land that they could acquire had to be for military purposes as specified in the common defense clause of the Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 which reads: and to exercise like Authority over all places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock Yards, and other needful Buildings. Any new acquisition, outside the capital, had (1) to be purchased, (2) have the consent of the State Legislature where the land exists, (3) and be for military purposes. None of these constitutional requirements were met with respect to Nevada or any of the western states, although some military bases do exist in most of them. Nor have there been any additional amendments to the Constitution authorizing additional federal ownership of land as required for any additional federal power. Constitutionally there exists no federal land or Bureau of Land Management or even public land. Again, in the case of the Bundys, the land in dispute was not purchased by the federal government, did not receive the consent of the Nevada State Legislature for sale to the feds, and is not for military purposes. The fact that the federal government acquired it fraudulently in the first place, or that both political parties have ignored this part of the Constitution for over a hundred years, does not make federal confiscation now constitutional. Constitutionally, Bundy has more preemptive right through a long line of ancestors to be there than does the BLM. Neighbors considered the slaughter and theft of Bundy cattle as government tyranny equal to anything the British had done to early Americans and rushed to the Bundy defense. Approximately 400 citizens came to his aid guarding the impoundment site from further confiscation of Bundy cattle. They came from as far away as New Hampshire and Florida many with their guns. Yes the standoff got ugly but not violent. Video footage, now available, shows that four armed snipers had their guns trained on the family during the incident and there were a few armed citizens with their guns aimed at the government snipers should they have shot any of the family. The federal government has now rounded up prominent Bundy defenders with nary a word from the establishment news. CORDON On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that Spains prime minister wants to end the siesta. The US daily was referring to Mariano Rajoys proposal to return the country to GMT, the same time zone as its western European neighbors Portugal and Britain, which makes geographical sense. He also said he wanted to encourage employers to end the working day at 6pm, rather than the usual 8pm or later. In short, Rajoys goal is to bring Spanish timetables in line with the rest of Europes. According to The Washington Post, this would mean ending a long-standing and well-recognized tradition [] siestas, the sleep-filled breaks some Spaniards take. This is not the first time the English-speaking media has reported on Spains supposed penchant for an afternoon nap. In 2013 UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph criticized Spains poor timekeeping and late nights, and a year later, The New York Times quoted an official from Spains National Statistics Institute who rebuffed the claim, insisting that those three-hour siestas simply do not exist. The soporific truth While its largely true Spains midday break is longer than in other countries, sometimes lasting up to two hours, that doesnt mean Spaniards use it to snooze. Research is patchy, but in 2009 a foundation attached to the San Carlos Clinical Hospital (Fundadeps) and the Spanish Bed Manufacturers Association (Asocama) conducted a joint survey among 3,000 adults that yielded the following results: 16.2% of Spaniards take a nap every day. 22% take occasional naps. 3.2% only nap on weekends. 58.6% never nap at all. The data also showed that the residents of southern Murcia took the most daily naps (21.2% of them) while Basques, from the north of the country took the fewest (12.2%). Compare this to a 1998 survey reported on by EL PAIS, which showed that 23.8% of Spaniards were getting some afternoon shuteye at the time. Sign up for our newsletter! The EL PAIS English Edition is launching a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. American nappers To put the figures in perspective, lets compare with the United States. A survey by the Pew Research Institute published in 2009 revealed that on any given day, 34% of Americans take a nap whether post lunch or at any other time. Whats more, Hispanics ranked an average 33%. Then there is the question of whether the siesta is good for you. The answer appears to be yes. According to Scientific American, daytime napping in healthy adults does indeed lead to benefits in terms of alertness, mood and cognitive functioning. The experts say twenty-minute naps are best, as one hour or more of sleep puts us in a deep slumber that will not make us feel as refreshed when we wake up. According to the 2009 Spanish study, Spaniards who do take a siesta sleep for an average of just over an hour, although a third doze for around 35 minutes. English version by Susana Urra. A pair of bodies discovered in Kentucky Lake this week By West Kentucky Star & WKCTC Apr. 06, 2016 | 10:39 PM | PADUCAH, KY Throughout the remaining weeks in April, West Kentucky Community and Technical College will include a wide variety of community education offerings for kids and adults.Classes are listed as follows.Challenger Semester OfferingsClub Challenger BApril 19, 4:15 5:45 p.m.Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, WKCTC campusAge: Current Grades 3-5Students can explore the amazing wonders of science during the Challenger Learning Center after school program, Club Challenger. Students join the fun once a month to participate in exciting hands-on activities related to space and science. Cost: $45Between Earth & SkyApril 23, 9 11 a.m.Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, WKCTC campusAge: Daisy Girl ScoutsHow does a seed become a plant? Take a nature walk and learn all about seeds through hands-on activities and experiments in the Journey series, Its Your Planet Love It! Cost: $15.Wow! Wonders of WaterApril 23, Noon 2 p.m.Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, WKCTC campusAge: Brownie Girl ScoutsLearn about the wonderful world of water through experiments with conservation, filtration and the water cycle. These activities are from the Journey series, Its Your Planet Love It! Cost: $15.Space TravelerApril 29-30, 7 p.m. 10:30 a.m.Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, WKCTC campusAge: Junior Girl ScoutsDuring this overnight trip, be one of the few to earn the title of Girl Scout Space Traveler! In the evening, scouts will train for their mission Rendezvous with a Comet. Then make an out of this world snack and spend the night under the stars in our star dome. In the morning, students will fly the mission in our space simulators. Cost: $40.Culinary OfferingsSee Whats Cooking with Traci LedfordApril 12, 19 or 26, 6 9 p.m.Anderson Technical Building, Room 159Age: AdultLearn to cook delicious meals on a budget with expert Traci Ledford. Cost per class: $45.April 12 Easy Homemade Mexi-MealApril 19 Getting Down to the Delicious BasicsApril 26 Mother's Day SpecialFor a full description of each class visit http://ws.kctcs.edu/westkentucky , select Culinary.One Session Cake DecoratingApril 18 or 25, 6 8 p.m.Emerging Technology Center, Room 114Age: Adults, all skill levelsCake decorating is one of the most popular continuing education courses offered at WKCTC this spring! Certified Wilton Method Instructor Linda Mayes, who has been decorating cakes for nearly 20 years, will teach the one-session classes. Cost for class is $28.50.April 18 5 Steps to a Great Cake!An additional estimated cost of $23 for required student class supplies applies.April 25 Cupcake BasicsAn additional estimated cost of $13 for required student class supplies applies.For a full description of each class and required student class list visit http://ws.kctcs.edu/westkentucky , select Culinary.Friday Night Science OfferingHot Wheels LabApril 22, 5 7 p.m.Challenger Learning Center at Paducah, WKCTC campusAge: Current Grades 1 5Students will discover the science behind Hot Wheels cars as they engineer different tracks and explore how the height of the ramp transfers energy to the car. Cost: $25Paducah School of Art and Design Community OfferingsWelding for Artists and HobbyistsApril 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.Sculpture Building919 Madison Street, Downtown PaducahAge: AdultStudents in this class will cover the basics of ARC welding as well as Oxy-Acetylene welding. Safety and best practices will be covered with an eye toward providing basic skills for participants who would like to know how to weld but not within a vocational context. Cost: $120. An additional $80 estimated cost for student supplies available from PSAD.Registration for summer camps are now being taken. Download a full listing of summer camps and upcoming community education classes at http://issuu.com/jblythe0001/docs/communityeducation/1 Preregistration is required for all classes and early registration is encouraged. The registration deadline is seven days prior to class starting date. Classes may be cancelled due to lack of enrollment. Register online at http://ws.kctcs.edu/westkentucky/category/category.aspx or by calling 270-534-3335.For more information about the Community Education Catalog or upcoming offerings, contact Kevin ONeill, WKCTC community education director, at kevin.oneill@kctcs.edu or 270-534-3206. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 07, 2016 | 02:42 PM | PADUCAH, KY Friday night's episode of Dateline on NBC will tell the story of a Paducah woman who was killed in an early morning house fire, and the subsequent trial of her husband.The bodies of Julie Griffith and her two dogs were found January 17, 2014 at the Tudor Boulevard home she shared with her husband, Keith. As the McCracken County Sheriff's Department investigation progressed, Keith became a murder and arson suspect, to the disbelief of friends and neighbors.NBC spoke with investigators and others involved in the investigation to get an up-close glimpse of Julie, who loved her family and especially enjoyed time spent with her young grandchildren.In a preview of the show, Dennis Murphy of Dateline says he was struck by how differently things might have turned out if a few people hadn't paused or asked a second question."For instance, there was the Coroner. No one would have second-guessed him if he had checked that box that said, 'Death by Accident - Smoke Inhalation,' or the Detective holding on to an interviewee's cell phone as it starts to ping, and he asks, 'Who's the message from?'"NBC says their team also spoke to Keith Griffith and his two sons.Keith Griffith's trial ended with a hung jury and was declared a mistrial in February 2015. As the Commonwealth prepared for a new trial two months ago, Griffith pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 25 years on the charges. He also got 5 years for solicitation to commit 1st degree assault, related to an attempt to have another jail inmate shoot Captain Matt Carter, the lead detective in the murder case.The Dateline episode, entitled, "Consumed," is scheduled to air at 9:00 pm Friday on NBC. On the Net: An artist's rendition of what the giant TMT telescope would look like atop the Mauna Kea. Imagine that Europes largest telescope were to be built atop Saint Peters Basilica in the Vatican. Suppose that this Catholic holy place had unbeatable conditions for space observation. Should it be built? Many Hawaiians are facing this dilemma, and have been doing so for decades. It began when NASA started taking advantage of the magnificent conditions of Hawaiis sacred mountains by building some of the worlds largest telescopes there. The largest of all was scheduled for construction at Mauna Kea, a volcano that is something like the Mount Olympus of the Hawaiian divinities. There is no scientific work that can be done in Hawaii that cannot be done in La Palma Rafael Rebolo, IAC director But the gods appear to have won a battle that could ultimately benefit an observatory in the Canary Islands, which already hosts the worlds biggest telescope. Mauna Kea is already home to 13 world-class astronomical observatories, including several giant telescopes such as the Keck twins, with their 10-meter primary mirrors. The University of California and Caltech were now planning to build the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) on this most sacred of the Hawaiian mountains, one which still contains burial sites. According to the project, the exact site where TMT is to be built on Mauna Kea has no known archaeological shrines or burial sites The TMT delegation during its visit to La Palma, as posted on Facebook. But management of the TMT project, which had a budget of more than 1.2 billion, can be described as disastrous. Construction began in 2014, but was halted due to serious protests. All construction material had to be brought back down from the 4,200-meter altitude it had been taken to. And in December, a court ruled that due process was not followed when the building permits were issued. All of which brings the project back to square one, legally speaking. At that point, one individual in Spain showed quick wits: Rafael Rebolo, director of the Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC), wrote to the scientific board of TMT with a proposal. In March, four members of the board, including project chief Gary Sanders, visited the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma. And this month, says Rebolo, a five-member task force will return to the facilities to gather more detailed information. Sign up for our newsletter! EL PAIS English Edition is launching a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here. As far as I know, we are one of the alternatives together with two other places in Chile and Mexico, says the head of IAC, which oversees all astronomical observatories in the Canary Islands. The Indian press adds another candidate, the Hanle observatory, given that India is one of the countries financing the TMT project together with Canada, China and Japan. Rebolo said that by May two sites could be shortlisted to replace the failed Hawaiian location. But sources at TMT said there are still no set deadlines or firm alternatives. Mauna Kea is still the first option, said project spokesman Scott Ishikawa. The board of directors gave the green light early this year to study a list of sites, some of them new, that could work as a Plan B in case the TMT does not get built in Hawaii. All construction material had to be brought down from the 4,200-meter altitude where it had been taken up TMT managers are in a rush to get the project completed, because it has a European rival: the Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) is already under construction atop Chiles Cerro Armazones, and will be operational by 2024. The TMT was supposed to start working before that, but now finds itself on the sidelines. In Hawaii, it could take a long time to rent public land that is protected because of its cultural value. And the answer could still be no, just like back in 2006, when an extension was requested to upgrade the Keck telescopes. Authorities are so desperate that state governor David Ige offered detractors a trade: building the new telescope in exchange for tearing down a quarter of the existing ones. By comparison, Canary Islands politicians at all levels of government have offered nothing but support for the project. Socially, the observatories are a point of pride, and there is even a Sky Law by which residents accept to live with lower light pollution so as not to affect space observation, which requires dark skies. There is no scientific work that can be done in Hawaii that cannot be done in La Palma, says Rebolo, adding that there are financial advantages as well. The TMTs operating costs are 40 million a year. We could do it for half of that, which is a lot of savings for a device with an expected lifespan of 50 years. English version by Susana Urra. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 06, 2016 | 07:26 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Eligible voters may begin casting mail-in absentee ballots in Kentuckys May primary election, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced today. Registered voters who are eligible and need to vote by mail can request an application now so their ballot can be submitted in plenty of time before the May primary. Individuals who may be eligible to vote by mail-in absentee ballot include: Military personnel, their dependents, and overseas citizens Students who temporarily reside outside the county Voters who temporarily reside outside Kentucky (e.g., vacationers) Voters who are incarcerated but have not yet been convicted Voters whose employment takes them outside the county for all days and hours the polling place is open Voters of advanced age or who suffer from disability or illness Voters who are participants in the Secretary of States Address Confidentiality Program Voters may request an absentee ballot application from their county clerk in person or via telephone, fax, or email. Applications for mail-in absentee ballots must be received by the clerks office by no later than May 10, and the completed absentee ballot must be received by the county clerk by 6:00 pm local time on Election Day. The identities of absentee voters will not be disclosed until after the election as part of a law Grimes championed. In the past, absentee ballot applications were subject to open records requests, making absentee voters particularly susceptible to attempts to buy their votes. Individuals who do not qualify to vote by mail-in absentee ballot may still be eligible to vote in person prior to Election Day beginning no later than May 3, or 12 working days (which may include Saturdays) prior to the election. Persons with questions about absentee voting should contact their county clerk or the State Board of Elections at elect.ky.gov. For details about the Address Confidentiality Program, please visit sos.ky.gov. By The Associated Press Apr. 06, 2016 | 10:04 PM | FRANKFORT, KY U.S. Senate candidate Jim Gray says he has raised $750,000 in individual contributions to his campaign for the Democratic nomination. The Lexington mayor also says he loaned his campaign $1 million, giving him $1.5 million in cash available to spend. Gray is one of seven people seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Rand Paul in November. Fundraising reports are not due until April 15. But Gray's campaign put out a news release announcing his totals on Wednesday. The campaign said Gray's willingness to spend $1 million of his own money illustrates his confidence and said he is the best candidate to take on Paul in November. Paul has not announced his fundraising totals yet. He had about $1.2 million available to spend as of his last report. Free Air Force Adventure Camp to be held in Texas Military members with children between 13 and 18 years old and who are looking for a unique camp experience this summer should consider a free camp being held in Texas The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service and 4-H Military will host the camp for Air Force children of those members on active duty, or in the reserve, and guard. The camp will run June 20 to the 23rd. Space is limited. Parents who are interested should visit www.airforcecamp.eventbrite.com to register. The camp is located at Texas A&M in Austin. Parents will be responsible for the cost of getting their children to the camp. For more information, contact Lindsey Jewell via email at Lindsey.Jewell@ag.tamu.edu or via phone at 972-952-9283. Loading... Talawa Theatre, Britain's leading black theatre company, first staged King Lear in 1994. To mark its 30th anniversary, artistic director Michael Buffong returns to the play with Don Warrington in the title role. This is not an all-black production, nor is it a pointedly black reading of the play. In fact, it's ultra-trad: an empty space staging played in passable period costumes. If any Shakespeareplay can handle that, it's Lear, with all its nothings and nakedness, but goodness it's dry and dated. There is a point to this Buffong is staking a claim to British history. A black King of England, even a fictional one, asserts ownership of this country. Seeing black men in medieval cloaks and tunics, women with braids built up into raised cornettes, challenges the textbook image of those times. You could point to a Game of Thrones aesthetic, backed up by Lear's divided kingdom, but the style is really old-school RSC. That's the big problem, though. This is mightily old-fashioned, gruellingly so, and played at a geological pace to boot. It's sword-fights and alarums and flaming torches. Everything is generically olde England. Men chomp of grapes and letch at wenches. There's even the obligatory Bloke Eating a Chunk of Bread In The Background. None of it rings true. These aren't real people. They're acting tropes. It reads better than it plays: a treatise on power and the loss of it. Warrington's king is majestic to start: his voice thunders with authority; his subjects kowtow to his commands. In dividing his kingdom, Lear gives that up, only to hanker after it later, and Warrington is at his best on the wane, demanding then pleading for his private army. His daughters Rakie Ayola's stern Goneril and Debbie Korley's wavering Regan and their husbands grow into their supremacy and abuse it. Power is given, not earned, but how people cling to it. Against race, that becomes a stark critique of the (white) establishment's refusal to yield and truly embrace equality. Buffong equates powerlessness with madness. Lear loses his wits after his status. Warrington's growl becomes a burr, until volume finally deserts him in those final five o's. Alfred Enoch's Edgar adopts Poor Tom's insanity (and loincloth) to hide in plain sight, deemed harmless by soldiers hunting for him, and Miltos Yerolemou's whitefaced Fool the ying to Lear's yang has a lowly lunacy. What never materialises, however, is the freedom and beauty of that. After Gloucester's blinding so violent an optic nerve ended up in the front row a servant (Sarah Quest) bandages his eyes. The tender moment is singled out with a spotlight, but it's a mark of Buffong's direction that she fails to wash the wound. That lack of detail runs throughout almost every performance is marred by it and it's fatal. It makes for monotony and, if Warrington's Lear is anything it's that. He doesn't stretch the part to its extremities, not so much scaling Mount Lear as flattening it. King Lear runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester from 6 April to 7 May, after which it transfers to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 19 to 28 May 2016. Venezuelas President Maduro during a TV appearance this week. AFP Amid worsening power outages, Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro has introduced a four-day week for government employees until May. The administration had already closed government offices during Easter week in an attempt to reduce energy costs by 60%. Tomorrow the special decree establishing all Fridays as non-working days during April and May, beginning this week, will appear in the Official Gazette, the Venezuelan head of state said. The government is adopting the measures in response to low water levels in the Guri Dam, which supplies around a third of the countrys electricity El Nacional newspaper reported that federal, state and local offices will follow the directive. Maduro said the government is adopting the measures in response to low water levels in the Guri Dam, which supplies around a third of the countrys electricity. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda state, responded to the initiative by tweeting: Maduro has never worked, so its normal for him to decree non-working days. Once again, hes showing his inability to govern. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. Donald Trump on the campaign trail in Wisconsin. SCOTT OLSON (AFP) Mexico has decided to confront the Donald Trump phenomenon. The time for silence, for biting ones tongue and waiting for the storm to pass is over. The administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto has shifted its strategy, and is now making significant changes in diplomacy in response to the Republican presidential hopefuls xenophobic campaign. The move is part of a plan to reverse the unprecedented levels of political tension between Mexico and the United States. About 50 million immigrants, their children and grandchildren make up 15 percent of the US population There is fear among our community in the United States that the exacerbation may get out of control and lead to hostilities, says Mexicos Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu. Thats why we have rethought our strategy. Mexico has swiftly replaced its ambassador in the United States and its undersecretary for North America. Theses changes represent a desire to show the enormous power Mexico has in the United States. About 50 million immigrants, their children and grandchildren make up 15 percent of the US population. Mexico is the United States second-largest trade partner, the largest importer of goods from California, Arizona and Texas, and the second-largest market for products from 20 other US states. Almost six million jobs depend on business with Mexico, and trade relations between the two countries is worth a million dollars every minute. After months of insults from Trump, it has become clear that silence worked in his favor After months of insults from Trump, it has become clear that silence worked in his favor. Now Mexicans have decided the time has come to make sure their potential is appreciated. Sources close to the president say just flexing its muscle as a demographic with significant electoral power in the United States and a coordinated high level response can stop the Trump phenomenon. By showing its teeth the Mexican government is warning Americans that Trump is a threat to their interests, and responds to concerns at home. Mexico will hold gubernatorial elections in June in 12 localities and the federal administrations silence has started to feel like a weakness that may affect the 2018 presidential race. Mexico is a country where patriotic sentiment acts like political glue; opposition groups have gathered around their president. Despite Pena Nietos lack of intervention in the Trump case, the opposition has not criticized him on foreign policy. And now they are closing ranks around him as he prepares to change course. In defense of Fox and Calderon Former Mexican Presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon have redoubled their attacks against the real estate mogul. Even Pena Nieto and his strongman, Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, have marked out their territory. We have to inform, project and communicate, Ruiz Massieu says. Changes in Mexicos diplomatic corps have strengthened its front lines. The new Mexican ambassador in the United States, Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, is an experienced civil servant who knows the United States well and understands the strengths of the Mexican community he will need to mobilize. He has served as consul general in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles three hubs for Mexican immigrants. He is a respected voice capable of answering to Trump something his predecessor, former Tufts University professor Miguel Basanez, failed to do. Basanez served as ambassador for just eight months. His thunderous silence was deeply discouraging for Mexicans living in the United States. The other pillar of the new policy is Paulo Carreno King. As undersecretary for North America, a key post in a country where 80 percent of its exports go to the United States, King will have to articulate a communication strategy and make sure Mexico does not commit mistakes that fuel the Trump machine. His previous posts attest to his ability in this arena. King, a quick strategist, was tasked with building up Mexico as a brand and handling relations with the international press for the executive office an assignment that gave him great government contacts and a good understanding of the media machine. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/04/2016 (2391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Toronto-based airline is preparing to dip its landing gear in the Winnipeg market. Porter Airlines, which operates a fleet of mid-sized planes out of Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island, is flying a pair of round trips to southern Ontario to bookend the Liberal Party of Canadas convention in Winnipeg next month. There will be one round trip between Winnipeg and Toronto and Winnipeg and Ottawa on May 26 and two inbound flights from Toronto, with one outbound flight to each of Toronto and Ottawa, on May 29. TANNIS TOOHEY / TORONTO STAR FILES A Porter Airlines plane at Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island. Porter spokesman Brad Cicero said the companys first-ever flights into Winnipeg are a one-off for now, but theyll also serve as a test to gauge possible service in the future. Weve been looking at Winnipeg for a while. We dont have a short-term plan to add it to our network on a daily basis, but it will give us a good opportunity to see the response, he said. Well look at some operational factors going in and out of (Richardson) airport, which is good to understand when youre evaluating routes for the longer-term plan. Porters fleet is made up of 26 Bombardier Q400s, which seat 74 passengers, but it wont fill them quite to capacity on any of the Winnipeg-related legs to manage the fuel requirements for the trips. Tickets are available to the public on Porters website (and not just for Liberal delegates). A round-trip to Toronto will set you back $355. Passengers can take one carry-on bag for free, but checked luggage will set them back at least $27. Other perks, such as early seat selection, also come a la carte. Passengers receive complimentary in-flight service, including beer, wine and snacks, as well as free airport lounge access in Toronto and Ottawa. Barry Rempel, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, said theres no doubt Winnipeg can support more flights to southern Ontario because the WAA saw passenger growth of three per cent both last year and during the first quarter of 2016. Our view of Winnipeg is were probably a little more constrained in terms of capacity than a lot of other Canadian markets, he said. If we show (Porter) our willingness to work with them, theyre going to be far more likely to view us favourably when the next opportunity comes for them to add capacity. The number of total seats available out of Winnipeg is down from a year ago, and while carriers are using larger aircraft, the number of landings was down seven per cent in January, Rempel said. Porter, which has been in business for 10 years, offers regular flights to Montreal, Ottawa, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins and Windsor. The Liberals biennial convention will be held May 26 to May 28 at the RBC Convention Centre. geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA For the second time in a week, the federal environment minister has suggested the Liberal government is prepared to tap the brakes on its aggressive climate change agenda in the interests of national unity. Catherine McKenna appeared Thursday at a town hall-style meeting with Gina McCarthy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where the two women sang each others praises and touted continental environmental co-operation. McCarthy said bilateral relations have never been better for cross-border climate action, citing the apparent kinship between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy (right) speaks to reporters as Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna looks on, Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Both women played up mutual promises to reduce methane emissions and work co-operatively in the Arctic. And they played down contentious issues on climate policy, whether between the two countries or within their own borders. In three years I hope that I can look back at this and say that all Canadians stayed with me, McKenna said during a question-and-answer session with the room full of academics, students and advocates. Sometimes we get into very unhelpful discussions where we have different groups pitted against each other, and that results in paralysis and inaction and its extremely unhelpful. McKenna says shell continue talking every single day about the merits of pricing carbon. Shes also committed to the transition to a low-carbon economy, but acknowledged the diversity of views and economic realities across the country. We cant have everyone in the oil sector lose jobs, said the minister, speaking on a day when Canadas oil and gas industry reported it is facing the biggest two-year capital spending decline in its 70-year history due to crashing world prices. You know what? I will become the environment minister that has no power. That is just the reality. McKenna noted that Canada didnt get into fossil fuels overnight and were not going to get out of them (overnight), but we absolutely need to go in that direction. Last week at a panel discussion hosted by the left-leaning Broadbent Institute, McKenna made a similar point about moving too fast and losing the crowd. I dont want this to be a national unity crisis, she said at the time. I get nervous about the way the conversations sometimes go, that its east versus west. The Liberals have been facing hard questions about new oil pipelines and international market access for Alberta and Saskatchewan oil and gas almost from the day they took office last November. President Obama announced shortly after Trudeaus cabinet was sworn in that he was rejecting a cross-border permit for the long-running Keystone XL pipeline proposal, which would have carried Alberta bitumen to Gulf Coast refineries and ports. To keep the planet inhabitable, Obama said at the time, were going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them. His top environmental agency bureaucrat was far more circumspect Thursday in Ottawa. McCarthy wouldnt bite when asked about the great Canadian pipeline debate, nor did she have much to say about the U.S. Congress lifting a four-decade-old ban on American crude oil exports. She said every country needs to take its own path forward. The goal for all of us is to continue to look at how you reduce carbon pollution, no matter what your energy system looks like, said McCarthy. It is not a goal of shutting anything down or keeping anything in the ground. Its all about whether you can reduce the carbon pollution that is fuelling climate change. Follow @BCheadle on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The House of Commons defence committee will hold closed-door hearings on the state of security at Canadian military bases, The Canadian Press has learned. Conservative MP James Bezan, the partys defence critic, proposed the idea, which was recently accepted by the all-party committee, although a date for the investigation has yet to be scheduled. In the aftermath of a stabbing of two military members at a north Toronto recruiting facility last month, National Defence conceded that some elements of a full-scale security review at its installations were still ongoing 18 months after the terror attacks of October 2014. Vehicles enter Canadian Forces Base Halifax, in Halifax, on October 22, 2014. The House of Commons defence committee will hold closed-door hearings on the state of security at Canadian military bases, The Canadian Press has learned. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan Bezan says its been clear since the 2014 deaths of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo attacks inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant that members of the Canadian military need better protection. He says that at some bases, visitors can drive on to the property without being challenged by security, and the incident last month in Toronto shows a need to improve protection at recruiting centres. Ayanle Hassan Ali, 27, faces nine charges, including three counts of attempted murder, after two soldiers were attacked and injured by a man with a knife. Police said the man said afterward that Allah told him to do it. Bezan says MPs want to hear from senior members of the military, including possibly the chief of the defence staff, about what measures have been taken, what resources they need and what can be done to improve. The motion to conduct the committee investigation passed on March 22, the same day the federal budget was tabled. Bezan says he proposed holding the meetings behind closed doors to avoid compromising security procedures that are already in place, and insisted that findings of the committee can be reported to the public through the House of Commons. On the face of it, the proposal which the Liberals voted to approve flies in the face of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus campaign promise of more openness and accountability in Parliament. At the time of the stabbing, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said many recruiting centres are storefront operations that must balance security and accessibility for the public and that he was confident DND would make sure security arrangements were always appropriate. A spokeswoman for the military said the review of so-called force protection was broken up into several smaller components and that measures, including some base security and safety awareness training have already been implemented. A review of some security and force protection directives are complete while others are ongoing, Cmdr. Nathalie Garcia said in an email. However, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) continuously assesses the threats posed against CAF members and implement appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of personnel. As such, continuous review of force protection is required. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/04/2016 (2391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal government does not seem intent on resurrecting child-care funding agreements the previous Liberals had with the provinces a decade ago, but the new national child-care and early learning framework will be based on similar principles. There was $400 million earmarked in the recent federal budget for the framework, and the money is set to flow next year. Another $100 million is intended to be spent on child care on reserves. In an interview with the Free Press, Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the framework will be developed in consultation with the provinces and will reflect the different realities in each province with respect to existing child-care programs and needs. But he consistently shied away from saying whether he expects to sign individual agreements with each province on child care as the former Liberal government did in 2005. That year, under Prime Minister Paul Martin, a five-year, $5-billion child-care strategy was developed with each province being allowed to use the money how they saw fit, within a broad framework. Those agreements were torn up when the government changed hands in 2006 in favour of the Universal Child Care Benefit, flowing money to parents. The new Liberal government is again moving in a different direction, eliminating the UCCB in favour of an income-based, tax-free Canada Child Benefit for parents, as well as funding directly for child-care programs. Duclos said hes not even at the stage of determining whether the new framework will draw from those 2005 agreements, and wouldnt say whether its likely Ottawa will end up having 10 different child-care agreements again. Were not there yet, he said, noting he met with his provincial counterparts in February where a committee was established to keep working on the issue. The ministers will meet again this fall. Duclos said whatever framework does develop will follow four principles quality, inclusivity, affordability and flexibility. Those principles will ensure certain standards of care, will target funding to families who need help the most, will aim all funding at making child care more affordable and more reflective of the needs of modern families. Our current child-care circumstances in Canada almost everywhere need to be more flexible to the changing nature of the labour market, he said. Don Giesbrecht, CEO of the Canadian Child Care Federation and formerly executive director of the Assiniboine Childrens Centre in Winnipeg, said those principles sound very much like the QUAD principles which guided the Martin child-care plan 11 years ago. QUAD stood for quality, universally inclusive, accessible and developmental. Giesbrecht said hes thrilled to see money on the table for child care, but without any specifics its hard to know what impact that money can have, or even if the provinces will be able to come to any agreement in time to see the money flow next year as promised. Its promising, but what exactly will it mean, he said. Duclos was in Winnipeg Wednesday meeting with local social development agencies and announcing $167,500 to help analyze and understand the homeless populations in Winnipeg and Brandon. mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Newcomers to Manitoba Thursday are learning about and commemorating the 99th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. At 10:30 a.m. in Vimy Park, a wreath-laying ceremony to honour the soldiers who fought at the battle will be held with members of Manitobas immigrant and refugee community and the Canadian Forces. At 12:15 at Welcome Place, 521 Bannatyne Ave., newcomers are gathering for a talk about the relevance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge as a symbol of Canadian nationhood. It marks the first time that Canadians from coast to coast fought in a battle together against a common enemy, event organizers said in a news release. THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Canadian soldiers man the trenches at Vimy Ridge in 1917 during the First World War. Canadas contribution to the war effort enabled its transformation from a British colony to a nation, they said. The event includes lunch and is sponsored by the Pakistan Canada Cultural Equation of Manitoba and the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council. Members of the public are welcome to attend. How media outlets work during war (video) Journalism and propaganda are different things. Propaganda tries at all price to sell this or that product or idea to the readers, audience, users, very often not refraining from cheating or humiliating its opponents. Journalism presents facts and opinions the way they are given by the initial sources. Another question-during the time, when the soldiers of your country fight and die in the battlefield for your homeland, should we use the sources of the adversary? During this 4-day war the Armenian media outlets mainly havent acted like that. Of course, there are minor exceptions, which, more likely, are conditioned by solving inner political problems. Approximately in that way all the media outlets around the world work during war. It is another question what the war means. For example, a year ago there was a war between Ukraine and Russia over Donbass and Lugansk, to call it as it is, information war was also very natural. But the fight between the media outlets, as it turns out, didnt start at that time and didnt end after it. The guest is Ukrainian journalist Natalia Gamenyuk. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/04/2016 (2391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. More than a year after the death of a toddler who only just been returned to his birth mother, RCMP announced theyve charged the boys mother with second-degree murder. RCMP said the arrest of the woman from Waywayseecappo First Nation in western Manitoba wraps up an investigation that began with the discovery of the death Jan. 31, 2015. On April 5, RCMP investigators from the Serious Crimes Unit arrested and charged a 36-year-old woman, the mother of the two-year-old boy, with second degree murder, the statement said Wednesday. The death shocked the small Ojibway community located 350 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, prompting residents to speak out at the time. A number of residents said then that the toddler was declared dead less than two days after reportedly being returned to his biological mother by child-welfare authorities. Residents said the biological mother had lost her children and then successfully fulfilled provincially mandated programs to get them back. Residents reported that the mother called the death accidental, saying the toddler had fallen off a bed and hit his head, fracturing his skull. Manitoba RCMP were called into assist the Dakota Ojibway Police Service a year ago in January when the death occurred, police said in their announcement of the arrest. Police did not name the mother or the boy. The brief statement said the woman was remanded into custody and is to appear in Brandon provincial court Thursday morning. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/04/2016 (2391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The relationship between Greg Selinger and his former top political adviser is again in the spotlight after the NDP leader admitted this week to knowing she has faced past criminal charges. Court documents reveal that Heather Grant-Jury, 53, when president of the Winnipeg Labour Council in 2003 was charged with theft under $5,000. Charge papers obtained by the Free Press reveal that while she was an employee at the former Zellers store on McPhillips Street, she and her father, Herbert Grant-Jury, were charged with stealing merchandise. The charges were later stayed. Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files Heather Grant-Jury. She did disclose that item (the charge) after she was hired, Selinger told the Free Press on Tuesday. What I appreciated is that she identified that this occurred in the past several years ago. Selinger maintains that Grant-Jury walked into his office some time after she was hired as his principal secretary 17 months ago and disclosed to him what had occurred. Selinger said she told him the charge occurred at the same time she had been identified as someone trying to get the store unionized. She identified that there had been an incident there and she has been identified as someone working to help the people there get organized, Selinger said. They happened at the same time. Attempts to reach Grant-Jury for comment were unsuccessful. Transcripts from the subsequent court proceedings show the charge against Grant-Jury and her father was eventually stayed April 5, 2004, after a letter from Grant-Jury was presented to the judge and it was established that Grant-Jury did not want her previous job back. That same year, Grant-Jury was hired by United Food and Commercial Workers Local (UFCW) Local 832. David Camfield, an associate professor of labour studies and sociology at the University of Manitoba, said its not unheard of to hear of companies going to extreme lengths to keep workers from unionizing. Unions tend to improve workers rights and raise workers wages and companies will sometimes go to great lengths in their attempt to stop that, he said. It is illegal, but it is not uncommon. Grant-Jury was on secondment from the UFCW when she was hired by Selinger as his principal secretary at a rate of $134,000 a year on Nov. 3, 2014. She returned to the union as its education and training director on April 2, 2015, after Selinger successfully defended his party leadership at a vote the previous month. In February, the Free Press broke the news the NDP and UFCW had cut all ties with Grant-Jury, 53, amid an internal investigation being conducted by the union. The Winnipeg Police Service later confirmed they had received a report from the UFCW. Heather Grant-Jury is no longer employed by the UFCW Local 832 Training Centre. We are conducting an internal investigation and have no other details to provide at this time, union spokesman Blake Crothers said in an email in February. Jeff Traeger, the current president of UFCW Local 832, said he only learned about the 2003 charge when the information was presented to him by the Free Press. Dave Sauer, the current president of the Winnipeg Labour Council, also said he was unaware of any past charges. Both were not in their current positions when Grant-Jury was hired by the organizations. TREVOR HAGAN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Premier Greg Selinger arrives at a provincial council meeting with then-principal secretary Heather Grant-Jury, Saturday, December 6, 2014. I dont know why she wouldnt have told us, but she didnt, Traeger said. The current internal investigation into Grant-Jury is ongoing and Traeger said he will only speak to it when the investigation is closed. These things do take some time, but I have no update. But I have committed to the members that I am elected to represent that at such a time when I am in position to be completely transparent about what happened, I will do so and will do so with the media, Traeger said. Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister said the latest information puts Selingers judgment further into question. The big issue is the fact that he enlisted help during the leadership race from Ms. Grant-Jury, used his office and signed a six-figure contract for her purposes. The position was vacant before she was hired and vacant after she left, Pallister said. with files from Larry Kusch kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca Columbus Community Hospital volunteers and leadership joined over 1,000 others from healthcare organizations across the state at the Wisconsin Hospital Associations Advocacy Day in Madison March 30. The day included a keynote address by Gov. Scott Walker, who signed the Wisconsin Health Care Data Modernization Act into law in front of the record crowd. The Volunteers of CCH were represented at the event by 18 members of their organization. Our volunteers are dedicated to staying on top of key health care issues. Advocacy Day assists our volunteers in learning more about how policy decisions made by our legislators can help protect our local hospital, patients and communities, said Patti Walker, CCH volunteer coordinator. Advocacy Day attendees also heard from Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, and a bipartisan state legislative panel of State Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield), State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), State Rep. Jim Steinke (R-Kaukauna) and State Rep. Peter Barca (D-Kenosha). In 2015, hospital volunteers in Wisconsin donated over 1.3 million hours to Wisconsin hospitals, according to Bonnie Olson, Partners of WHA president. CCH volunteers donated nearly 10,000 hours to CCH in 2015. For more information regarding the Volunteers of Columbus Community Hospital, call 920-623-1280. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for Wisconsins spring non-partisan election which, for the first time, doubles as the states Presidential Preference Primary. Here are some answers to questions that voters might have about the election: How do I find out where my polling place is located? If you live in Columbia County and do not have access to the Internet, you can find out where you vote by calling the County Clerks office at 608-742-9654, and giving your home address. If you live in Marquette County, the County Clerks office is at 608-297-3016. If you have access to the Internet, there are several sites that can help you locate your polling place. Here are two of them: The Columbia County Clerks site lists all the countys polling places, by municipality, at http://tinyurl.com/gmf7mml. Caution: the name of the community in your mailing address might not be the same as the location of your polling place. If you live outside of a village or city, you would vote in the town of your residence. For example, people with a mailing address of Pardeeville, but who dont live in the village limits, might vote in the towns of Wyocena, Pacific, Marcellon, etc. In Wyocena, the polling places for the village and the town of Wyocena are on opposite sides of Highway 22. The Government Accountability Boards My Vote Wisconsin website, https://myvote.wi.gov, allows you to find not only your polling place, but also whats on your ballot, if you are already a registered voter, by entering your name and birth date. I thought the spring election was supposed to be non-partisan. Why are the presidential choices separated by party? This marks the first time that the Wisconsin Presidential Preference Primary has been held in conjunction with the spring non-partisan election. Thus, the only partisan part of the ballot deals with the voters choice for Democratic or Republican presidential nominee for the presidential election, to be held on Nov. 8. What youre really doing, when you vote Tuesday, is helping to pick delegates for your partys convention. When you vote for one particular candidate, that means that youre saying you want a delegate who is committed to that particular candidate at the convention. You may also choose to have an uninstructed delegate for the party convention. But whether your vote results in a delegate for a particular candidate depends on which party you vote in, and on how many primary votes a candidate gets. The Republican primary is winner-take-all. All 42 of the states delegates to the Republican National Convention three from each of the eight congressional districts, for a total of 24, plus 18 at-large are awarded based on the primary results. The candidate with the most votes statewide wins all the statewide delegates, and the candidate with the most votes in each district wins that districts delegates. (People who live in Columbia and Marquette counties live in Congressional District 6.) The Democratic primary is proportionally based on statewide and district totals, but a candidate must get at least 15 percent of the vote, in the district and statewide elections, to be eligible to have any convention delegates. Wisconsin awards 86 pledged delegates based on statewide and district vote totals, plus there are 10 superdelegates whose convention vote is not based on the primary outcome. Does a voter have to be registered with a particular party to vote in that partys primary? No. And the slates of candidates for both parties (including some who have already announced that they have suspended their campaigns) are on each ballot. So does that mean I can choose one Republican and one Democrat for president? No. Vote in one party only, or your ballot will not count. What is the main non-partisan statewide race? All Wisconsin voters will choose Tuesday between two candidates for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court: Justice Rebecca Bradley, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, or JoAnne Kloppenburg. Are there county elections as well? All 28 seats on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors are up for grabs, but in most cases, the incumbents are running unopposed for re-election. There is just one contested race, in District 25 (town of Lodi), where incumbent Robert Collins faces a challenge from Steven Attoe. There are two districts where a newcomer is running unopposed: District 21 (Columbus area), where Henry St. Maurice is running for the seat now held by Brad Basten, who opted not to run again, and District 26 (Lodi and town of Lodi), where James Brooks is seeking a seat formerly held by Philip Baebler, who died Nov. 29. There is no one on the ballot for the District 1 seat, currently held by Robert McClyman, who chose not to run for re-election. Are there town, village and city elections? Yes. In the city of Portage, voters will choose between incumbent Mayor Bill Tierney and his challenger, Alderman Rick Dodd, for a three-year term as mayor. There also is a race in Alder District 2, where incumbent Richard Lynn is being challenged by Mark Hahn. In Alder District 5, Jeff Monfort is alone on the ballot for re-election, but Tim Zillmer has declared write-in candidacy for this seat. (Note: the only write-in votes for Zillmer that will be counted will be those cast by voters who live in District 5.) In District 6, Bill Kutzke is running unopposed for re-election. All Portage Common Council terms are for three years. In Columbia Countys other cities and villages, there are few contested races. Two notable ones: A four-way race for three Pardeeville Village Board seats, with the ballot includes incumbent Robert Abrath, Brian Hepler, Tony Amelio and Phil Blader; and in Lodi, a challenge for Mayor Paul Fisk from Alderman Jim Ness. All these are two-year terms. Are there school referendums on the ballot? Yes. Both the Portage Community School District and the Rio Community School District have referendums related to school district taxation as does the Montello School District in Marquette County. Do I have to bring photo ID to the polls? Yes. For most people, that means a Wisconsin drivers license or an ID card issued by the state. A passport also is acceptable, as are, in most cases, student IDs from Wisconsin universities, colleges and tech schools. For information on the states voter ID law, and how to get a free state-issued ID, go to http://bringit.wisconsin.gov. or call toll-free at 1-866-VOTE-WIS. 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 They are ready even to peel potato on the border (video) Chairman of Union of Women Freedom Fighters Aida Serobyan is receiving phone calls from women freedom fighters, When are we leaving for the front line? The students also ask them to take them to the front line, We are ready even to peel potato, they say. Today during the meeting with journalists Mrs Serobyan noted that during these days Azerbaijan used impermissible weapon on the border. I think that during these days Aliyen carried out large money laundering. Azerbaijan sent ISIS mercenaries against Armenian soldiers, drones, but it isnt important what kind of weapons they use, spirit is important. We defend our land and we still have many lands to be liberated, she said, regretting to say that her health condition today doesnt let her be on the front line. As for the shots fired during the declared cease-fire, the Colonel says that shots always have been fired during the cease-fire. The NA lawmaker Ruzanna Muradyan, who was present at the press conference, noted that she is excited by the readiness of the young to unite and help the soldiers on the border. She noted that women in parliament decided to address the international community. We have prepared a call for the international organizations so that women around the world unite and condemn the actions of Azerbaijan, she said. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression 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 Eduard Sharmazanov had a telephone conversation with Sergey Narishkin On April 7, the Head of the RA NA Delegation to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov had a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Council, the Speaker of the RF State Duma Sergey Narishkin. The parties discussed the situation on the Karabakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact, considered inadmissible the efforts of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement through military means. The NA Deputy Speaker has noted that the actions by the Azerbaijani side are obvious aggression towards the Nagorno Karabakh people. Edurard Sharmazanov condemned the announcements supporting the Azerbaijans terrorist policy by Turkey. The Head of the RA NA Delegation to the CSTO PA has underlined that in this situation it is more than important that the international community make targeting and condemning statements. Eduard Sharmazanov has noted that despite the reached agreement, the adversary has undertaken subversive and reconnaissance operations in the north-eastern direction of the Line of Contact between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani conflicting forces during the night of April 6-7. In his turn the Speaker of the RF State Duma has stated that the Russian Federation as one of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries is concerned over the peaceful settlement of the NK problem within the Minsk Group format. NA Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. British firms extend cooperation with China 07 April 2016 Share Amec Foster Wheeler has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation (CNECC) on cooperation in nuclear energy. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has signed contracts with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) covering technical training. Armand Kirk, strategic development director of Amec Foster Wheeler's clean energy business, signs the MOU with director of CNECC's International Cooperation Department Deng Xiaoliang (Image: Amec Foster Wheeler) The two agreements were signed in Beijing yesterday as part of a nuclear trade mission organized by UK Trade & Investment and the China-Britain Business Council. Amec Foster Wheeler said it had signed a "wide-ranging agreement" with nuclear power plant constructor CNECC covering potential collaboration in the nuclear industry. The two companies "have committed themselves to work together to develop opportunities in nuclear power development, construction, operation and decommissioning projects globally", it said. According to Amec Foster Wheeler, the two companies will also "identify specialist knowledge that can contribute towards reactor outage management, operation, ageing management, [operating period] extension and upgrading of existing units". The scope of the agreement also covers training, waste management and decommissioning, it said. Amec Foster Wheeler anticipates that, through the agreement, CNECC will make use of its new 2 million ($3 million) High-Temperature Facility (HTF). This facility will carry out testing and research on materials capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1000C. CNECC is currently building a demonstration high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR) in China. Work began on two demonstration HTR-PM units at China Huaneng Group's Shidaowan site in December 2012. China Huaneng is the lead organization in the consortium to build the demonstration units together with CNECC and Tsinghua University's Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET), which is the research and development leader. Chinergy, a joint venture of Tsinghua and CNECC, is the main contractor for the nuclear island. The demonstration plant's twin HTR-PM units will drive a single 210 MWe turbine. It is expected to begin operating around 2017. "High-temperature reactors have great potential to provide safe, clean and sustainable energy for the future," commented Tom Jones, vice-president of Amec Foster Wheeler's clean energy business. "We hope that our collaboration with CNECC will help the UK and China to realise the potential benefits of this tremendously important technology." The British company noted, "It is the first time CNECC has agreed to collaborate with a global engineering consultancy on the deployment of high-temperature reactors in the UK and internationally". Rolls-Royce contracts Rolls-Royce, meanwhile, announced the signing of contracts with CNNC "agreeing specific engineering and consultancy services" to be provide by the British company. The signing of the contracts between CNNC and Rolls-Royce (Image: CNNC) The contracts cover technical training packages, including the utilization of CNNC non-destructive testing experts to support Rolls-Royce in the UK, the company said. "We are very pleased to sign these contracts with CNNC today," said the president of Rolls-Royce's nuclear business Harry Holt. "It demonstrates the progress that both companies have made towards the development of a trusted and robust partnership that can benefit the UK and China nuclear industries." Rolls-Royce has supplied CNNC with safety-critical instrumentation and control (I&C) technology for over 20 years. It supplied some of the I&C systems for the Qinshan and Daya Bay nuclear power plants. The two companies signed an initial agreement in June 2014 to explore areas to work more closely together. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Contract for decommissioning Canadian Slowpoke 07 April 2016 Share SNC-Lavalin subsidiary Candu Energy has been awarded a contract by the University of Alberta to lead the decommissioning of its Safe Low Power Kritical Experiment (Slowpoke) research reactor. The University of Alberta's Slowpoke reactor (Image: CNSC) SNC-Lavalin said that under the "multimillion dollar" contract - awarded through a public procurement process - it will perform and manage the decommissioning work, including waste management. In addition to providing the necessary tooling, equipment and training for the work, SNC-Lavalin will also deliver project, training and support documentation. The company said that decommissioning work on the Slowpoke reactor began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in late-2017. The University of Alberta's Slowpoke reactor - located at its main campus in Edmonton - was commissioned in April 1977. It is a 20 kWt sealed-container in-pool type reactor fuelled with slightly less than 1kg of highly enriched uranium. The reactor was used for elemental analysis, radionuclide production and teaching. Its current non-power reactor operating licence was issued by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in June 2013 for a ten-year period. However, in August 2013 the university's vice-president of research announced his decision to begin the decommissioning process of Slowpoke as it had "not been able to meet its ongoing operational costs for some time". In May 2014 the university's board of finance and property committee approved the expenditure of over $6.5 million on decommissioning the reactor. SNC-Lavalin chief nuclear officer and executive vice-president of nuclear Preston Swafford said, "Decommissioning and waste management is part of our holistic life cycle approach to nuclear. Our decommissioning experience, combined with our waste management capabilities, will ensure that this research reactor is retired in the safest and most cost-effective manner." The Slowpoke research reactor design was developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in the 1960s. Slowpoke is one of four currently in operation at Canadian universities, providing support for research, teaching and industry. Such reactors continue to operate at the Royal Military College of Canada, the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and the Saskatchewan Research Council. The Slowpoke reactor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia was decommissioned by AECL in 2011. AECL's former Candu Reactor Division was sold to SNC-Lavalin subsidiary Candu Energy Inc the same year. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics 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 Early Morning Car Fire Thought To Be Caused By Arsonists This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 7th, 2016 A car has been destroyed after it was torched by arsonists in the early hours of this morning. Fire fighters were called to the vehicle fire at the back of the Crossways, Caia Park shortly before 4am this morning. A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the vehicle had been abandoned. One crew from Wrexham attended the incident and two hose reel jets were used to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the blaze. A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the cause of the blaze is thought to be deliberate ignition. *Thanks to Savvy Lloyd on Twitter for sending us the image featured above! Russian expert: The Armenian side can strike a big blow to Azerbaijans economy (video) In the interview to the Russian-Armenian news agency the Russian military expert Vladimir Yevseyev touched upon the resumed hostilities between the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan. I think Baku aimed at setting control in the security zone in one or several circles. The beginning of the hostilities was relatively successful for Azerbaijan, but later, using tanks, the Azerbaijani side faced the fact that the tanks were destroyed. In general, their operation wasnt a success; the Azerbaijani side has numerous killed soldiers, he highlighted. The military expert also spoke about the soldiers fighting from the Azerbaijani side, We have information that Turkish servicemen and Ukrainian mercenaries helped the Azerbaijani side. Mr. Yevseyev highlighted the fact that the NKR capital Stepanakert isnt far from the border. Azerbaijan could strike a blow against Stepanakert using heavy military equipment. It is clear that the consequences would be very serious. I think that the Armenian side would destroy Azerbaijans pipelines, which arent far from the border. It relates both gas and oil pipelines. It means that it would be a blow at Azerbaijans economy. For that reason, the threats connected with shelling Stepanakert, were provocations, like all the other actions, which were conducted. The expert draws attention to the fact that the Armenian side has appropriate position in some places, in high parts, and could attack Azerbaijan and pass the border. Here Russia did its best in order to convince Armenia and the NKR Armed forces not to conduct retaliatory attack. Speaking about the role of the CSTO, he noted, I think, it isnt worth pinning hopes on the CSTO. It is worth pinning hopes on the Russian-Armenian allied relations. There are various states in the CSTO; some of them support Azerbaijan. Speaking about the armed forces of two sides, Mr Yevseyev said, If we compare the armed forces of Azerbaijan and two Armenian states, we can say that Azerbaijan has advantage in the number of tanks, but there is no quality advantage. I think, Azerbaijan doesnt have resources for lasting hostilities. The Austrian government has announced it will turn away refugees at the border after conducting summary hearings. A determination will be made as quickly as possible on whether they can be deported to third countries. In this way, the grand coalition of the conservative Austrian Peoples Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) under Chancellor Werner Feymann is attempting to permanently reduce the number of refugees coming into the country, the DPA news agency reported. Beginning in mid-May, all asylum applications will be decided at the border within an hour, including the possibility of an appeal. The only reason allowed for granting a residency permit will be the presence of close family members in Austria. This could be determined within a few minutes through the registration system, a senior interior ministry official said. All other refugees would be rejected on the basis that they came from safe third countries into the Schengen zone, which surrounds Austria. At the beginning of the year, the government in Vienna introduced a cap on asylum seekers. But now, a legal report has established that a strict limit based on numbers could possibly be difficult under international law, as defence minister Hans Peter Doscozil admitted in Vienna last Wednesday. The upper limit was to have been 37,500 people per year. In addition, Austria decided to implement a daily limit of 80 asylum applications at its southern border. According to the interior ministry, 15,000 applications have already been filed. A radical policy of deportations and the sealing off of the border will prevent refugees from entering. The military will be permanently deployed to enforce the policy. Notorious right-wing interior minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner (OVP) announced a strengthening of border controls. There is no reason for complacency, he said, warning that after the closure of the Balkan route, refugees would try to reach Austria through Italy. At the initiative of Defence Minister Doscozil, soldiers will take over securing the Austrian border, above all on the Brenner-Pass, the main traffic route from Italy to Austria. After a meeting of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC), Doscozil declared that cooperation with the military in the refugee crisis was the supreme goal. The conference brought together defence ministers from Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Doscozil also announced plans to send Austrian soldiers to the European Unions external borders, e.g. Greece or Bulgaria. He was thereby explicitly supporting the brutal treatment of refugees by Macedonia, which has utilised tear gas and water cannon to prevent women and children from crossing the border. A state like Macedonia cannot be left isolated a second time, the defence minister stated. Doscozil told Bavarian state radio (BR): We notice that there is a significant development of the Mediterranean Sea/Italy/Brenner route. We have to focus on this, we have to pool our forces and expand them if the situation requires it. After the closure of the Balkan route, so-called alternative routes should not emerge under any circumstances, through which refugees could reach the EU, he said. To achieve this, the EU border protection agency Frontex should be supported by soldiers and the police. Austria, together with the Eastern European states, is taking the most brutal measures against refugees. Even the small number living in Austria are subject to attacks and the deterioration of their living conditions so as to persuade them to leave. According to the plan of the OVP-Freedom Party state government in Upper Austria, asylum seekers will receive just 520 instead of 914 for basic necessities. The hardline stance towards refugees is shared by the Greens and trade unions in Austria. Within the Greens, a leadership crisis has developed. A number of parliamentary deputies have, according to the Kronen Zeitung, called for a palace coup against party leader Eva Glawischnig. Glawischnig is considered a supporter of German Chancellor Angela Merkels policy. On the issue of refugees, she has demanded a European solution. The trade unions, which are closely tied to the SPO, also support the governments line. Presidential candidate and long-standing chairman of the Austrian trade union association Rudolf Hundstorfer has repeatedly stated that he backs the governments approach, according to which the upper limit of 37,500 refugees is the biggest contribution to the refugee crisis that Austria can afford. This policy is strengthening the far right. Based on the latest monthly poll by research firm Unique Research, the ultra-right Freedom Party (FPO) would come in first place in elections to the national parliament. According to this survey, the FPO would obtain 32 percent of the vote, the OVP 24 percent, and the SPO would come in third with 22 percent. FPO candidate for federal president Norbert Hofer began his campaign on Saturday in the Upper Styrian town of Kapfenberg. Together with FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache, he agitated against the asylum chaos. He called upon the government to stop the invasion of Muslims. Strache blamed the Muslims crusade for the attacks in Paris and Brussels. There could only be one upper limit for refugees, according to Strache, zero. He praised Hungarys Prime Minister Victor Orban for his brutal anti-refugee policies. Hungary showed the way forward. Thanks to Orban, Strache proclaimed, adding, Thats what I would do as a future Chancellor, but first comes President Hofer. The FPO has been organising rallies and protests against refugee accommodation throughout Austria. The result has been 25 attacks against refugee centres across the country over the past year. This figure was provided by the interior ministry in response to a question tabled by Green deputy Albert Steinhauser. Facilities were affected in all states apart from Burgenland. Attacks were particularly high in Carinthia. The most serious incident occurred in Lower Austria, which along with Vorarlberg reported five attacks. Refugees were shot at with an air gun in Wiener Neustadt. At institutions in Hohenems and Wolfurt in Vorarlberg, Nazi propaganda was distributed. It is significant that, according to the reports, the perpetrators were not investigated in the majority of cases. There have already been several attacks on facilities this year. A federal judge sentenced former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship to one year in prison yesterday and issued him a $250,000 fine for conspiring to willfully violate federal mine health and safety laws. Blankenship was at the helm of Massey when its Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine exploded in April 2010 killing 29 West Virginia coal miners. The sentence comes a day after the sixth anniversary of the UBB explosion, the worst coal mining disaster in four decades. Following the sentence, several family members of those killed at UBB screamed at Blankenship as he left the Robert C. Byrd Courthouse in Charleston, West Virginia and his defense team told the press of their intention to appeal. There was no direct evidence I committed a crime, Blankenship told the court in his brief address before the sentencing. I am not guilty of a crime. Blankenship was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2014 and pled not guilty to a three-count superseding indictment in March 2015 alleging he conspired to willfully violate federal mine health and safety laws, obstructed and defrauded the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and gave false statements to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and investors. However, the Obama administration chose not to charge Blankenship for causing the UBB disaster or the mass murder of the 29 coal miners despite the overwhelming evidence supporting such a charge, which they had at their disposal. In the aftermath of the disaster, four separate investigations were conducted: one by MSHA, another by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), a third commissioned by then West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and headed by former MSHA chief Davitt McAteer, and a fourth by the West Virginia Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training. The four investigations all agreed that sparks from a longwall mining machine ignited a minor methane gas explosion, which was transformed into a massive coal-dust explosion due to the accumulated coal dust in the mine. The initial spark was the result of the worn cutting blades and inoperable water sprays on the longwall machine. The high concentrations of methane gas were a product of inadequate ventilation. The accumulated coal dust was due to a lack of basic cleanup practices and rock dusting, which involves the spreading of pulverized limestone to render the coal dust inert. Over the course of Blankenships two-month trial late last year, federal prosecutors not only took testimony from more than a dozen former UBB miners and employees confirming these appalling conditions as the mines normal operating state. They also demonstrated that Blankenship was intimately aware of, and involved in, the maintenance of these conditions for the sake of boosting Masseys corporate profits and amassing his own multi-million-dollar fortune. Evidence at the trial showed that between January 2008 and April 2010, UBB was cited by MSHA for federal health and safety violations 836 times, 311 of which were classified as significant and substantial (S&S), where there existed a reasonable likelihood of serious injury. Over the same period, UBB was issued 59 unwarrantable failure orders, where sections of the mine were shut down due to aggravated conduct constituting more than ordinary negligence. By putting profits of the company ahead of the safety of your miners, you, Mr. Blankenship, created a culture of non-compliance at Upper Big Branch, US District Judge Irene C. Berger said as she handed down the sentence. Instead of being able to tout you as a West Virginia success story, we are here as a result of your participation in a dangerous conspiracy. These words rang hollow, however, when coupled with the absurdity of the one-year wrist-slap sentence and $250,000 fine, which was the maximum allowed. The charge of conspiracy to willfully violate federal mine health and safety laws became a misdemeanor offense once detached from the second part of the first-count charge of defrauding MSHA, for which Blankenship was acquitted. The second and third counts in the indictment related to the charges that Blankenship lied to the SEC and investors in the wake of the disaster in an effort to stem the plunging value of Masseys stock amidst a wave of damaging media reports of the companys recklessness. A conviction on these counts would have exposed Blankenship potentially to decades in prison and steep fines. Earlier this week Judge Berger also shut the door to any restitution to the victims of Blankenships conspiracy, ruling on Tuesdaythe sixth anniversary of the UBB disasteragainst the nearly 100 requests she had received. While the details of the 94 requests remain confidential, Judge Bergers ruling makes clear they were overwhelmingly from former Massey miners and their families in connection with the UBB explosion. While Judge Berger wrote, The court recognizes that many of these individuals have suffered actual financial loss and other loss for which there could be no adequate award of restitution, she also noted, The overwhelming majority of these claims for restitution explicitly link the claimed losses to the Upper Big Branch explosion of April 5, 2010. However, the cause of that explosion was not at issue in this case, she explained. This was the direct result of the Obama administration, she wrote, which sought to preclude any evidence, argument, or testimony concerning the cause of the Upper Big Branch explosion in its pre-trial filing. This in turn laid the basis for Judge Berger to deny about a dozen former UBB miners and family members the right to speak at the hearing, since they were not technically victims of Blankenships crime and therefore had no legal right to be heard. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that Judge Berger likewise interrupted Blankenship when he began referring to the UBB disaster as he addressed the court before his sentencing, saying that he too had no right to speak about the tragedy. Judge Berger also ruled against the restitution requests from certain other claimants [who] did not specifically discuss the explosion at Upper Big Branch as the basis for their restitution claim, writing that they too failed to allege any basis sufficient for the court to find direct and proximate causation. On Monday, Judge Berger similarly ruled against a $28 million restitution claim filed by Alpha Natural Resources for costs it has incurred cooperating with the five-year federal investigation, including legal fees associated with witnesses now with the company. Alpha purchased Massey in a $7.1 billion deal in June 2011, about six months after Blankenship was allowed to retire from Massey with a $12 million golden parachute. The company then reached a $210 million settlement with the Obama administration, which granted Alpha immunity from any future corporate criminal liability from the UBB disaster. Blankenship remains free on $1 million bond and will be allowed to voluntarily report to prison; however, the date has not yet been set. Judge Berger has given Blankenship and his attorneys 10 days to appeal her ruling. Born to Be Blue, written and directed by Robert Budreau; Miles Ahead, directed by Don Cheadle, written by Cheadle and Steven Baigelman Coincidentally, two films based on the lives and personas of leading post-World War II jazz musicians have been released recently. Each deals with only a fragment of a lengthy career, uses flashbacks and liberally mixes in fiction with historic truth. Despite some reservations, I enjoyed Born to be Blue, written and directed by Robert Budreau and starring Ethan Hawke as Chet Baker. However, Miles Ahead, directed (and co-written) by Don Cheadle, who also plays Miles Davis in the film, is largely an embarrassment. Davis (1926-1991) and Baker (1929-1988) had parallel careers, with notable similarities and notable differences. Both played trumpet, and occasionally its larger cousin, the flugelhorn, and both were renowned during the 1950s and early 1960s for their understated, strikingly beautiful improvisations centered in the horns middle register. Davis spoke in a deep, hoarse whisper, while Baker had an alto voice that he used to great effect when singing romantic ballads. Both, although small physically, were extraordinarily charismatic and photogenic individuals who projected strong sex appeal. Remarkably, each started his professional career in a quintet led by alto saxophonist Charlie Bird Parker (1920-1955), a troubled genius principally responsiblealong with the more intellectual trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)for bebop, the frenetic style of improvisation at the foundation of modern jazz. After leaving Parker, Davis acquired a reputation during the late 1940s as the result of his collaboration with arranger Gil Evans, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and others on an innovative series of recordings for Capitol Records that later became known as The Birth of the Cool. Based in New York City, Davis led a series of cutting edge, critically acclaimed small groups throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Baker skyrocketed to popularity as a member of Mulligans Los Angeles-based quartet during the early 1950s, his strikingly good looks and moody demeanor leading to comparisons with the actor James Dean. Because of his personal difficulties, however, Bakers celebrity appeal did not last. Both Davis and Baker struggled with substance abuse and other personal demons, causing each to take a half-decade hiatus from music during the autumn of his career. Each then had an uneven comeback. Baker, at the age of 58, fell to his death out of an Amsterdam hotel room window while loaded on cocaine and heroin. Davis died from multiple ailments in a California hospital three years later, at age 65. There were also significant differences in their lives and musical trajectories, aside from race. Davis came from a well-to-do dentists family that set him up with a trust fund to study music at Juilliard in New York. Bakers family moved to Southern California from Oklahoma when the future trumpeter was ten because his father, a frustrated country musician, found work in a Lockheed aerospace plant. Baker got most of his formal musical training during two stints in the US Army and at mostly working class El Camino Community College. Davis joined Parker in 1945, at the dawn of the bebop era, Baker played with Parker during its sunset in 1952. Davis was a potent leader and innovator who rightfully took credit for changing the course of jazz on multiple occasions. Baker was a follower with little direct influence on other musicians. Davis abandoned acoustic, straight-ahead jazz altogether in the late 1960s for an electrified, funky concoction that opened the door to mass audiences while alienating many of the admirers of his earlier work, while Baker remained true to his bebop and cool roots until the end. The treatment of such complex cultural figures demands serious consideration of the interplay between the personal and the social factors underlying their art. Unfortunately, neither film makes any important attempt to do that. Born to be Blue Born to Be Blue opens with a confusing, but eventually comprehensible sequence in which Baker (Hawke), while suffering through opiate withdrawal in an Italian jail cell, is offered an acting role in a Hollywood film based on his own life. Next, a black-and-white flashback portrays Birdland, the New York City nightclub named after Charlie Parker, with Bakers quartet opening opposite Davis and Gillespie in 1954. Davis (Kedar Brown) tells Baker he needs to live more before he will have anything to say musically, and sends a woman into Bakers dressing room to administer a syringe of heroin. Born to Be Blue cuts back to its film-within-a-film as the actress playing Bakers wife in the enactment of the Birdland dressing-room scene finds her husband nodding from the drugs while in the arms of Davis friend. Off the set, Baker and the actress, Jane, nicely played by Carmen Ejogo as a supposed composite of Bakers several wives and girlfriends, become romantically involved after his charm predictably overcomes her obligatory I dont want to date a junkie resistance. Baker undergoes various travails, including a beating over drug debts and Janes horror over his continuing heroin use. He tries to shake that addiction. The films events culminate in a predicable manner, with Bakers triumphant return to his jazz origins and his deliberate resumption of his old, bad habits. A postscript describes Bakers subsequent life in Europe, where he remained, with occasional trips to the United States and one notable tour of Japan, until his death. Yes, the plot is actually that hackneyed. But Born to Be Blue overall is sweet and reasonably well done, sort of mimicking the astringent sentimentality of a Chet Baker solo. It is correct that following the breakout recordings with Mulligan, Bakers quartet headlined opposite Miles Davis at Birdland in 1954. Davis expressed resentment over Bakers somewhat undeserved early popularity, but was not responsible for his addiction as Baker was no doubt using heroin long before the Birdland engagement. Baker did move to Italy in the late 1950s, and was jailed there for 16 months on drug charges. He had done some acting, and producer Dino de Laurentiis approached him while in prison about making an autobiographical film, but no such project occurred until 1987, when fashion photographer Bruce Weber made Lets Get Lost, a disturbing documentary focused on the last year of the musicians life. Baker returned to the United States in the mid-1960s and, after some initial musical success, sank deeply into addiction. The beating portrayed in the film occurred in 1969 and resulted in Bakers absence from music until 1974, when he played in a successful reunion with Mulligan. There is no evidence that Baker at any stage of his life ever voluntarily refrained from narcotics. Among Bakers best late-career recordings is a Tokyo performance, however, available on video, while he was on methadone maintenance and free from heroin and cocaine because of Japans strict enforcement of narcotics laws. No actual Baker recording appears in the film, but several of his best solos from the mid-1950s are convincingly played note for note, and Ethan Hawke sings a particularly moving version of Bakers signature tune, My Funny Valentine. Miles Ahead Miles Ahead is veteran actor Don Cheadles debut as a director, and his lack of experience shows. Apparently with the support of heirs to the Miles Davis estate, Cheadle set out to craft a fiction about a gangsta that Davis would have enjoyed portraying. The resulting train wreck disgraces the legacy of one of the most important figures in twentieth century music. The movie opens in the late 1970s, near the end of Davis documented five-year absence from music. A fictional journalist played by Ewan McGregor forms a typically atypical buddy relationship with Davis, which plays out through the end of the movie in ever more ludicrous ways. Cheadle crudely intersperses this material with flashbacks, whichtaken togethercomprise a thin, conventional biopic covering the productive middle years of Davis career, during which he had a relationship with classical dancer Frances Taylor, elegantly played by Emayatzy Corinealdi, whom he married in 1960 and bitterly divorced amid allegations of physical abuse, infidelity and drugs eight years later. The flashback scenes include snippets of Davis finest music along with actors whom the cognoscenti will recognize as portraying, among others, Gil Evans, the arranger for the seminal late 1950s albums Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain and Porgy and Bess, as well as alto saxophonist Julian Cannonball Adderley, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and pianist Bill Evans, three members of the historic sextet that recorded 1959s Kind of Blue, the critical consensus selection for the greatest jazz album of all time. One flashback portrays with a high degree of accuracy a notorious 1959 incident on the sidewalk in front of Birdland. While Davis was on a break, New York police officers beat him severely and arrested him on concocted assault charges. Although Davis would later write in his autobiography that the incident made him feel bitter and cynical again when I was starting to feel good about the things that had changed in this country, Miles Ahead does nothing to explore such issues. Whatever value the flashbacks possess is more than dissipated by the abrupt cuts back and forth to the fictional main story line, which consists of drug use, car chases and gun battles related to a purloined session tape tied to Davis return to music. In the final scene, the title Miles Davis (May 26, 1926) rolls in the foreground. Miles never died, but lives on through his musicget it? Why so much fiction? One has to ask why all the fabricated nonsense is necessary when dramatizing a life as interesting as Miles Davis, and why the Chet Baker story could not be told with more respect for historical truth. The best performances of Davis and Baker express in a quite beautiful way the aspirations for a better, more harmonious world that emerged out of the carnage of the Second World War and the ensuing struggle for democratic and civil rights. Jazz as an art form arose through the interaction of various ethnic and cultural strainsprimarily, the descendants of slaves and exploited, mostly immigrant workers. The development of jazz over the course of the last century reflects both the ability of art to overcome divisions within the population and the emergence of the United States as the dominant power in the world. Of course neither film has anything to say about such matters. Neither makes meaningful reference to the profound political and social movements that roiled the US during the post-war period. One can perhaps understand a certain poetic licenseafter all, the filmmakers are attempting to squeeze an artists life into the time allotted for a feature film. However, the distortions and outright fabrications that pepper these two works seem to be the means by which the writers and directors evade larger questions and, in that manner at least, reflect the general cultural weakness expressed in contemporary films. The following is an amended version of a report delivered March 26 by Chris Marsden, the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (UK), to a party aggregate in Sheffield. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss in detail our statement For an Active Boycott of the Brexit Referendum. I welcome the participation of our German comrades because the issues raised have burning relevance for the European work of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). We meet under conditions of a militarisation of world politics the likes of which has no parallel since 1945, of which the war in Syria is only one expression. The main line of development in the Middle East and internationally is towards a conflict between the US, Russia and China. This resurgence of militarism and war will inevitably meet a response from workers and especially young people that we have set out to provide with the necessary political leadership and programme. Moreover, the working class is being driven inexorably into struggle by the growing crisis of the British, European and world economy. I will draw your attention to just one indication as to how the implications of this crisis are understood within ruling circles. Allister Heath in the Daily Telegraph makes an apocalyptic warning that The world cant afford another financial crashit could destroy capitalism as we know it. He states baldly that no developed nation today could possibly tolerate another wholesale banking crisis and proper blood and guts recession. We are too fragile, fiscally as well as psychologically. Our economies, cultures and polities are still paying a heavy price for the Great Recession; another collapse, especially were it to be accompanied by a fresh banking bailout by the taxpayer, would trigger a cataclysmic, uncontrollable backlash. The public, whose faith in elites and the private sector was rattled after 2007-09, would simply not wear it. Its anger would be so explosive, so-all encompassing that it would threaten the very survival of free trade, of globalisation and of the market-based economy. There would be calls for wage and price controls, punitive, ultra-progressive taxes, a war on the City and arbitrary jail sentences. We must draw yet more far-reaching and revolutionary political conclusions from what is clearly an existential crisis of the capitalist world order. It is in these circumstances that a political realignment of the working class internationally must now take place. Indeed, it is one that has already begun. In country after country, governments are in the grip of a palpable crisis. They have no legitimacy in the eyes of millions due to the brutal austerity measures they have imposed and the militarist policies they pursue. Yet the bourgeoisie wants more of the same. Consider the fact that in the last months two European countriesSpain and Irelandhave had elections that did not provide the basis for a functioning government and onePortugalcould form one only with the assistance of the pseudo-left Left Bloc and the Stalinists. To this point, right-wing parties of reaction have been able to exploit social discontent, as evidenced in the emergence to prominence of such movements as the Front National, the UK Independence Party and the Alternative for Germany. But this is not inevitable. Indeed, the outbreak of class struggles can rapidly change this situation in favour of the working class, provided that these are politically prepared and led. That is why we have launched a political offensive against the pseudo-left forces such as Syriza in Greece and those seeking to channel social protest behind Bernie Sanders in the United States and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn here in the UK. These are the forces that are responsible for the growth of the right due to their role in politically paralysing the working class. The political situation in Britain is extremely volatile. The Brexit referendum was called only because the Cameron government was incapable of regulating the deep divisions within its ranks on fundamental issues of strategy in any other way. But having done so, the UK has been placed centre stage in a generalised crisis of European capitalism and the European Union that threatens its break-up and disintegration. Under these conditions, the importance of our campaign for an Active Boycott of the Brexit Referendum cannot be overstated. The SEP has set out to define the independent political standpoint of workers and youth through which they can demarcate their independent class interests from those of the opposed camps of the bourgeoisie. In so doing, we have charted a course for the entire European working class. Our discussions on the June 23 referendum from the outset involved comrades internationally. It proceeded from the understanding that what was required was a concrete analysis of the present political situation, the balance of class forces, and how this impacts our tactical approach. We insisted on making an objective estimation of the issues at stake for the working class, beginning from the understanding that the threat of Brexit is only one expression of the ongoing breakup of the EU under the twin impact of escalating national and social antagonisms. In light of the gravity of the situation facing the working class, we examined carefully each of the possible options on the ballotto Remain or Leavefrom the standpoint of the concrete circumstances in which the ballot was being held: that is, a referendum called by Prime Minister David Cameron in which the opposition is dominated by the right-wing of the Tory Party and the UK Independence Party. We concluded that neither option could be endorsed. It was not permissible to call for a vote for the EU on the supposed basis of opposing nationalism, because the EU is an instrument for the subjugation of the working class across the continent to the dictates of the financial markets and a forum in which the European bourgeoisie seeks to fight its economic competitors internationally and well as each other. This is most clearly shown in the EUs role as the mechanism for brutalising migrants and remilitarising the continent for war against Russia. This is underscored by the deal struck by Cameron with the EU as the terms for the referendum, which include an emergency brake on EU migrants claiming in-work benefits and other anti-migrant policies, as well as measures to protect the speculative and criminal activities of the City of London. However, to support a Leave vote under existing conditions is to politically line up behind the xenophobia and jingoism of the official Leave campaign. In appraising our standpoint, we examined various historical precedents. In 1975, there was a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Community after Conservative Prime Minister Ted Heath took the UK in through a parliamentary vote on January 1, 1973. In the 1975 referendum, the Workers Revolutionary Party, then the British section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, had urged a vote to leave. However, this position at the time had the support of a significant layer of workers who were involved in militant class struggles. They correctly regarded EC membership as a means through which the British bourgeoisie was seeking to open up a second front that could be used to undermine their struggles for social reforms and demands for nationalisation, which many saw in terms of the struggle for a socialist Britain. Even so, it was necessary at that time to sharply delineate a socialist opposition to the EC from the Stalinist and Bennite Labour lefts nationalist defence of national sovereignty and British capital, which saw them share a common platform with the notorious right-wing Tory Enoch Powell and, in the case of the Communist Party, with the fascist National Front. It would be false and disorienting to take 1975 as a political template for today, as do, for example, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party. Given the rightward evolution of the Labour Party and the trade unions, no faction of the bureaucracy gives even a confused or partial expression to socialist and left-wing sentiment amongst broad layers of workers and especially the youth. While many are rightly hostile to the EU because it is associated with austerity, militarism and anti-democratic measures, no faction of the bureaucracy is calling for a socialist opposition to the EUof even the palest reformist stripeoutside of the occasional rhetorical flourishes of the pseudo-left groups. Rather, the Stalinist- and pseudo-left-staffed trade unions that are backing a Leave vote are loyal adjuncts of the official Leave campaign and fully endorse its reactionary nationalist political agenda. In any event, our approach to history, and the history of the socialist movement in particular, in determining our standpoint in this referendum is of a far more serious and comprehensive character than the pseudo-lefts selective citations of Lenin and Trotsky, which are made solely to justify their latest opportunist political gyrations. We understood from the more recent history of the ICFI that there was an alternative course to takethat of an Active Boycott. This was the standpoint the IC adopted in the 2002 French elections, which made clear our refusal to go along with the spurious lesser evil claim made by the pseudo-left in the presidential runoff between National Front candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen and right-wing President Jacques Chirac. The April 26, 2002 statement of the IC should be studied. It explained, An active policy, in the form of an organized boycott, is needed to unite the working class and open a new road of struggle that will contribute to the construction of a genuinely independent, mass socialist movement Against the national chauvinism, xenophobia and protectionism promoted by Le Penand echoed by large sections of the so-called leftthe working class must advance its own internationalist program to unite the struggles of workers throughout Europe in defence of living standards and democratic rights. The alternative for workers to the Single European Market of the transnational corporations is the struggle for a United Socialist States of Europe. As a result of this international discussion, we returned to the call for an Active Boycott. In doing so, our statement offers a clearly defined and independent position on the referendum. It does so through an examination of strategic historical experiences of the working class that raise issues of fundamental political perspective. The most important political consideration shaping our discussion centred on the recognition that, against the background of escalating militarism, trade tensions between the major powers and the degrading treatment meted out daily to refugees by the EU, the most dangerous error we could make was to in any way blur the lines between an internationalist and socialist opposition to the EU and any form of left nationalism. David North urged in this regard that we study carefully Trotskys 1934 essay Nationalism and Economic Life and his 1931 critique of the position taken by the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) in supporting a Nazi-inspired vote against the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), which the KPD dubbed the Red Referendum. As we note in the Brexit referendum statement, Trotsky described as the basic tendency of our century the growing contradiction between the nation and economic life, and posed the question, How may the economic unity of Europe be guaranteed, while preserving complete freedom of cultural development to the people living there? How may unified Europe be included within a coordinated world economy? The solution to this question may be reached not by deifying the nation, but on the contrary by completely liberating productive forces from the fetters imposed upon them by the national state. This was our essential premise in urging a struggle for the United Socialist States of Europe as the strategic axis for the political development of the working class, and which is central to our political struggle against the pseudo-left. Indeed, the first significant polemic we engaged in was against the former Respect MP George Galloway, who joined UKIP leader Nigel Farage in launching the Grassroots Out campaign in support of Britain leaving the EU. We began our campaign by warning that a mixing of class banners was the worst political crime and that Galloways stance does not merely muddy the class line. It obliterates it, with his infamous declaration, Left, right, left, right, forward march. Not just the Red Referendum, but the lessons of the 1929 referendum in Germany have also proved to be extraordinarily relevant in defining a correct position in the upcoming referendum. Our statement explains how the 1929 referendum was held on the instigation of the German Nationalist Party against honouring reparations dictated by the Treaty of Versailles. It explains, There was mass opposition to the terms of Versailles, but the referendum was recognised by class conscious workers for what it wasan effort to exploit this sentiment by the nationalist right, and especially Hitlers Nazi Party, which used it to establish its national presence. The statement notes that the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) at the time correctly opposed the referendum and how this position was subsequently reversed under instruction from Stalin and the Comintern. The result was that the KPD made a wholesale adaptation to German nationalismsupporting the Red Referendum and enabling Hitler to take power without a shot being fired. These issues, which are central to our campaign, provide a devastating exposure of the stance taken by the pseudo-left, which essentially mirrors that of the KPD. Our call for an Active Boycott, moreover, draws upon the position advocated by Lenin in 1905 in relation to the reactionary constitution drafted by the Russian minister of the interior, Alexander Bulygin. This was an attempt to divert a gathering revolutionary upsurge of the working class behind harmless constitutional changes. Lenin distinguished the active boycott from passive abstention by stressing that it should imply increasing agitation tenfold, organising meetings everywhere, taking advantage of election meetings, even if we have to force our way into them, holding demonstrations, political strikes, and so on and so forth.... The SEP is not in a position to emulate these tactics today. Lenin was writing from the standpoint of urging an insurrection in Russia at a time of strike waves, peasant unrest, military mutinies and the first manifestations of dual power expressed in the formation of the St Petersburg Soviet, which came under the leadership of Trotsky. But the essence of Lenins position was the struggle to secure the political independence of the working class from the bourgeoisiethrough exposing the role of the constitutional monarchists. As the Brexit statement stresses, The SEPs call for a boycott is not made lightly and has nothing in common with political abstention of an anarchist character. Nor is it advanced as a timeless principle The SEP conceives of an active boycott not as an individual protest, but as a means of beginning the political clarification of the working class and countering the disorientation created by the Labour and trade union bureaucracy and its pseudo-left apologists. We will utilise the active boycott campaign to provide workers and youth with a conscious political orientation and leadership. What we are explaining is that the active component of the boycott is above all of a political character. That is, we are utilising the referendum campaign not to stage a series of protests, but to cut through the confusion created by the pseudo-left, educate the advanced workers and youth, and strengthen the influence of the party as the sole advocate of revolutionary socialist internationalism. I would urge comrades in this regard to read carefully the two-part article, The pseudo-lefts nationalist Leave campaign in the UK Brexit referendum. It closes with remarks directed against Neil Davidson, formerly of the Socialist Workers Party, and his article, A socialist case for leaving the EU. The polemic focuses on Davidsons hailing of the supposed reformability of the nation state, which he contrasts to the un-reformable supra-national structures of the EU. He argues that capitalist states can adopt different policies according to the political parties or coalitions which oversee the apparatus at any time In fact, behind the facade of continuity, the British state has been one of the most flexible and adaptive states in the history of capitalism and always concedes reforms when forced to, which is one reason why it has managed to survive for so long. Besides Davidsons parliamentary cretinism, also of note in his position is that he makes the case for a Leave vote in direct opposition to the call for an Active Boycott. He writes: It is certainly true that the radical left cannot join either of the highly fragmented official camps, both of which espouse anti-working class politics of one variety or another. But refusing to take a side is also untenable. Abstention will simply mean invisibility and, consequently, irrelevance We have to approach this situation, not as bystanders, observers or commentators, but as participants who can help determine whichever outcome looks most likely to open up a dynamic advantageous to the leftproviding, of course, the left is capable of recognizing the possibilities and acting on them. Neither Davidson nor, indeed, any other of our critics can explain why a refusal to take sides in the faction fight within the ruling class condemns us to invisibility or irrelevance. Nor does he spell out why a nationalist exit from the EU will open up a dynamic advantageous to the left, as opposed to parties such as UKIP and the Tory right that are its most prominent advocates. To do so, he would have to admit that he views such a stand as impermissible because it cuts the pseudo-left off from support for the bourgeoisie and the type of rotten political alliances they are seeking to build. This is underscored by his reference to the campaign by the pseudo-left in support of Scottish nationalism in the 2015 referendum on independence for Scotland, the victory of Corbyn as Labour leader, and support for Bernie Sanders as expressions of the speed with which positions can shift in quite unexpected ways. For us, in contrast, isolating ourselves from such forces, or, to be more precise, differentiating ourselves from them, is the essential political route to the working class. It is to defend his own rotten politics that Davidson spends such great effort belittling any political concerns over the Brexit campaigns right-wing character and any threat being posed at all by the far right. Consider the accumulated political impact of the following statements: the arguments for remaining in the EU most commonly expressed on the radical left are essentially negative. This perspective begins from the correct observation that the main drive for withdrawal from the EU has historically come from the hard right Now, the hard right is certainly our enemy, but in this context at least, it is not the main enemy There is a problem with some left analyses of the hard right and its far-right component in particular, which is the assumption that it represents the real face of capitalism unmasked. In fact, in the developed world at least, it is only in very rare situations of dire extremityand usually after facing the kind of threat from the labour movement that has unfortunately been absent for several decadesthat capital has ever relied on the far right to solve its problems It is a fixation with the hard right and its policies on migration to the exclusion of virtually everything else that has led sections of the left to embrace the problematic notion of the lesser evilregrettably, since it has not proved to be a particularly successful tactic in the past. Davidsons aim is to dull the political faculties of his readers and make out that it is possible to advance a progressive nationalist policy, miraculously unsullied by any association with the right. His venom is reserved instead for the struggle to win the working class to an internationalist policy, which is referred to only in terms of calls to reform the EU, which are, in fact, the polar opposite of a genuinely socialist alternative. In any event, he proclaims, it would be easier to achieve reforms in Westminster than in the EU, where it requires winning unanimity in the Council, and there is more possibility of simultaneous revolutions in all 28 member states than of this happening Instead of invoking imaginary battalions of workers organized at a European level, it would more useful to begin building where we are. It could not be clearer. The struggle for socialism is a chimera. Better by far to fight for reforms to be granted by the UK statenot for the working class, but in the interests of the petty-bourgeois forces represented by the pseudo-left in Scotland. The difference between the pro-Leave pseudo-left and the pro-Remain groups at one level is that the latter place a plus where Davidson places a minus. They stress that the EU must be preserved as a guarantor against fascist reaction, a means of checking the right-wing excesses of the Tory government and thealbeit imperfectvehicle for unifying the continent and its peoples. Nevertheless, the open embrace of the EU by the bulk of what passes for the left and its readiness to work to that end with literally anyone confirms the counterrevolutionary character of these tendencies. The Remain camp is an alliance between the pseudo-left groupsled by Greeces Syriza, which has made the leap to become the bourgeois party of government, as well as governmental parties such as Die Linke in Germany and the French Communist Partywith other representatives of the European bourgeoisie in both Conservative and social democratic parties. In the Brexit referendum, it takes the form of an alliance stretching from Cameron and the Conservatives, through the main business groups, to the Labour Party, Trades Union Congress and the Scottish National Party, the Plaid Cymru and the Greens. The pseudo-left advocates of a Remain vote are just as surely tied to this bourgeois front as the Leave advocates are to UKIP and the Eurosceptic Tory right. They too occasionally cite socialist phraseology to legitimise their defence of the EUthey are against nationalism, the failed project of building socialism in a single country, etc. Typical is the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), which states: The events in Greece reinforce the argument that socialism in one country is impossible in the 21st century globalized world However, the reaction to this cannot be to run away, we must instead fight to position ourselves to provide genuine support for the next country to take on the EU and to the ongoing struggle across the continent to democratize the EUs institutions supposedly being waged by Syriza, the Left Party and others. Citing Syriza, which betrayed the Greek working class precisely in the name of maintaining EU membership, gives the lie to such fake socialist rhetoric. The real motive force for the SSP aligning itself with the EU is its defence of the strategic interests of the Scottish bourgeoisie and the perspective of securing capitalist independence within the EU espoused by the Scottish National Party. As the SSP states, A final crux of the matter is that it would be entirely laughable for the SSP to support a pro-EU Scottish Independence Referendum if we had just campaigned to leave the EU. The bourgeois character of the pro-EU campaign is exemplified by the leading role played by the Party of the European Left (EL). The EL brings together various Stalinist and pseudo-left groups in the European parliament and is led by Pierre Laurent of the French Communist Party (PCF) and his vice president, Alexis Tsipras of Syriza. In 2014, the EL was busy denouncing the EU as unreformable and a neo-liberal project, but it now publishes a statement, Yes to a United Social Europe! Against the chauvinist anti-EU left! It calls for a different EU and for the left to act as partner to the feminist, ecological, and peace movements, in order to be recognised as an actor capable of influencing and changing European politics. The European Left, it continues, defends the social state, and renews it, as well as redistributes wealth, power, and influence The perspective outlined here is for a redistribution of power and influence through the mechanisms of the EU to the privileged upper layers of the petty-bourgeoisie represented by these parties. John Palmer, a prominent figure in the Remain campaign, a former state capitalist and European editor of the Guardian, makes this clearer still in an interview with Britains RS21 group republished by the International Socialist Organisation in the US. He argues: The starting point, I think, for any serious discussion about the European option has to be the recognition that national states everywhere are in decline. Their capacity even to negotiate with more powerful economic forces operating is steadily and, seemingly, irreversibly weakening. Small and medium-sized states tend to be reduced to supplicant status in relation to major powers at the global level. Neoliberal ideology acknowledges this reality. That is to say: unless you are ready to break with the global system entirely (whatever that means), you have to live at least to some extent on its terms. What Palmer is saying is that the only way to defend national interests in the small states of Europe, in the face of the economic and military power of the US and China, is as part of the EU. To this end, he urges his former comrades to seek alliances with the bourgeoisie. He points to the political possibilities opened up by the crisis of the EU for the pseudo-left, writing: I do think that the neo-liberal project cannot be sustained in its full ferocity without doing unacceptable collateral damage to the main political constituents of the ruling class. Politically and sociologically the ruling class is not simply an aggregation of big finance and big capital. It is a far more complicated alliance of social forces comprising even large chunks of what we used to consider the middle class. The damage done to the economic and social environment by deskilling, de-professionalisation and all that has gone with the neoliberal project is undermining the hegemony of the conservative right, he concludes, creating the political space necessary for the pseudo-left to secure a piece of the action for themselves. My instinct is that around the Greek discussion there may still be at the end of the day a retreat by the EU and somehowever marginaltailoring of the loan terms, he writes. All previous opposition to the EU from these layers has been ditched, precisely because the stability of European capitalism is now at stake. The ELs think tank, Transform, makes this clear in a position paper, under the heading The point of departure. It warns, However, the fact is that the EU itself has now been called into question. For this reason, they add: The radical Left must reject the false dichotomy of European integration versus national self-determination. It is indeed so that under conditions of globalised capitalism, national self-determination can only be exercised where space is created for it by democratically institutionalised, transnational cooperation A broad alliance for a democratic and transparent EU has therefore been proposed. To state this more clearly, the defence of the national interests of their own bourgeoisie is inseparably bound up with the EUs preservation as a trade, political and military bloc. The broad alliance advocated by the EL already exists. A key player is Tsiprass former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and his DiEM25 movement. Varoufakis openly proclaims that his defence of the EU is not based upon socialism, but is rather a democratic movement that must cut across the left/right divide and bring on board both liberals and conservatives. His is above all an appeal on the part of the Greek and southern European bourgeoisie to Germany, France and the EU core countries for certain economic concessions. To this end, the DiEM25s appeal, suitably launched in Berlin, is framed in entirely national terms. Varoufakis writes, Democracy is not (and cannot be) a luxury afforded to creditors while declined to debtors No European nation can be free as long as anothers democracy is violated. No European nation can live in dignity as long as another is denied it. No European nation can hope for prosperity if another is pushed into permanent insolvency and depression. Varoufakis advocates a surge of democracy. This centres on his key complaint that Europes immediate crisis is unfolding simultaneously in five realms: Public debt, Banking, Inadequate Investment, Migration and Rising Poverty, which are currently left in the hands of national governments powerless to act upon them. Varoufakis wants to Europeanise all five by re-deploying existing institutions (through a creative re-interpretation of existing treaties and charters) What does this mean? Greece and other weaker states will cede governmental powers to the EUand support its existing institutionsin return for some measures to guarantee their financial viability. This is a pledge to impose austerity in return for such favours, not to oppose it. The British arm of the left Remain vote is tied to these forces internationally and to Labour under Jeremy Corbyn here in the UK. The main pseudo-left body is Another Europe is possible, which includes as signatories Caroline Lucas, MP for the Green Party; Cat Smith, MP and Labour shadow minister for women; Clive Lewis, MP and Labour shadow minister for energy and climate change; and Owen Jones of the Guardian. Its pretence at radicalism is not helped by the endorsement of Neal Lawson, the head of Labours right-wing Compass think tank. Left Unity, headed by Alan Thornetts Socialist Resistance, is a supporter, as is Workers Liberty, led by Sean Matgamna. Thornett, back in June, first mooted a shift to support for a Remain vote in an article that is a masterwork in political cynicism. It declares in caustic terms that the real face of the EU is the Troika, whose brutal role has been to use Greece as a test bed for extreme neoliberal measures, after which it baldly declares, In my opinion, however, the right way to vote in this referendum will be Yes. The politics of the pseudo-left, on both sides of the referendum debate, is bourgeois and not socialist, nationalist and not internationalist. Our intervention in the Brexit referendum is of decisive significance and will play a part in clarifying workers far beyond the UK by exposing the pseudo-left as right-wing apologists for reaction. Destroying the political influence of the pseudo-left is how we free the working class from its subordination to the bourgeoisiewhich has always occurred through the mechanism of a petty-bourgeois ideological offensive against socialism. This is the only way that the working class can begin to define its independent class standpoint. We stress that the working class can oppose the threat of austerity, militarism and war only by transcending the nationalist division of Europe and the world through socialist revolution. The United Socialist States of Europe is the only conceivable form through which the working class can exercise its rule, under conditions of the integrated character of production across the continent and globally. But this cannot emerge either through the reform of the EU or as a by-product of its nationalist fracturing. It requires above all the conscious political unification of the working class under the leadership of the ICFI. Our campaign is in turn a component part of an international political offensive being waged by the IC. We are making an appeal to the most advanced workers and young people on the highest political levelso that they can understand the gravity of the situation they face, but also the necessity to act and the fact that the means through which to do so is the building of the ICFI. The ICFI has emerged with ever greater clarity in the eyes of growing numbers of class conscious workers internationally as the sole revolutionary force on the face of the planet. The expanding readership of the World Socialist Web Site testifies to this fact. We do not look on the crisis facing the bourgeois order with dread and seek its rescue as do the pseudo-left. Rather, we are arming the working class for the struggles to come, above all by familiarising working people with the historic struggle for socialism embodied in the Trotskyist movement. The 48-hour strike by junior doctors that began yesterday is their fourth industrial action in four months. National Health Service England reports that 5,165 operations have been cancelled as a result. The British Medical Association has called another two-day strike on April 26 and 27. For this first time in the history of the NHSwhich was founded in 1948it will involve a full withdrawal of labour which means that all junior doctors will not attend work, or provide emergency cover. Junior doctors have been demanding more effective action after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that he would impose a new contract by August 1, which will remove unsocial hours payments and reduce the safeguards against junior doctors working excessive hours. The imposition of the contract is a test case for the restructuring of the terms and conditions of the 1.3 million workers in the NHS, who have already seen their pensions attacked and real wages slashed. At the same time, the Conservative government is driving through 22 billion in efficiency savings in the NHS budget over the next five years on top of the previous coalition governments 20 billion in cuts. The lowest ever funding increase for the NHS in its history and the burden of Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) have already led to huge deficits. The greatest political danger facing junior doctors would be to underestimate what is at stake in their fight and to believe that the BMAs limited action offers a chance of victory, especially given the role played by the rest of the trade unions and the Labour Party in isolating their struggle. The aim of the Conservative government is not merely to cut wages, or step up exploitation. It is to destroy the NHS. As far back as 2005, Jeremy Hunt co-authored a policy pamphlet that called for the NHS to be replaced by an insurance system. Our ambition should be to break down the barriers between private and public provision, in effect denationalising the provision of health care in Britain, he wrote. To show how far the ruling class is prepared to go is indicated by the March 25 edition of the Daily Telegraph. Executive Editor (Politics) James Kirkup threatened the doctors not to repeat the the mistakes of the miners strike in 1984-1985. The BMA had to learn the lessons of what happened to the National Union of Miners, which will soon slip into history; it will this year be legally wound up for lack of members. It was about time, he wrote, that workers realised that the days of a job for life and a gold-plated pension were over... The future of work will mean freelance, flexible, footloose, economic free agents skipping from employer to employer, job to job. Kirkups favoured model, and that of the government if it was free to state so openly, is the production-line hospitals pioneered by Devi Shetty, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Indian heart surgeon once called the Henry Ford of medicine. These hospitals operate for a fraction of the cost in the West and employ surgeons working six-day weeks on much lower pay. Narayana Health is valued at US$1 billion. The Wall Street Journal s glowing tribute is unintentionally a devastating indictment of private medicine. Noting that Naraya Health charges a fraction of the cost of open-heart surgery, compared with hospitals in the US that are paid between $20,000 and $100,000, depending on the complexity of the surgery, the Journal reports, By next year, six million Americans are expected to travel to other countries in search of affordable medical care, up from the 750,000 who did so in 2007 Kirkup also pointed to George Washington University study that estimates 85 percent of a typical doctors work can be done perfectly well by a physicians assistant with a fraction of the training or wages. His calls were taken up by the ConservativeHome blog, owned by Lord Michael Ashcroft, former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and a tax-exile who appears in the recently leaked Panama Papers for making use of law firm Mossack Fonseca to set up his shell companies. Henry Hill advised Hunt on How a Government can beat the BMA to become a modern-day Margaret Thatcher, bringing truculent trades unionists to heel and unleashing modernity on one of the UKs totemic industries. Like Thatcher he should create a scab workforcesome form of Territorial NHS, or Health Service Reserve, modelled on its military counterpart who would receive pay, training, and legal rights to take time out of their civilian life to work for so many weeks of the year in the NHS. He then echoed Kurkups call for A larger, flexible pool of physicians assistants [who] would reduce the NHSs dependence on full-time professionals. Hill called for the government to adopt a blunt-force approach and declare doctors to be an essential profession and forbidden to strike. Alternatively hospital trusts could be broken up into independent legally-distinct employers, which would end national strikes and drive down pay and conditions. One day, Hill declared the BMA will have their 1984 Conservative strategists owe it to themselves, and to the country, to lay the groundwork properly. On the same day as Hills article appeared, ConservativeHome published a piece by Lord Howard Flight, chairman of private equity company, Flight & Partners Recovery Fund, and a former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Entitled, We simply cannot afford to carry on protecting spending on welfare, the NHS and schools, Flights article lamented the fact that after years of austerity, there was still a 56 billion hole in the public finances, high government borrowingover 72 billion this yearand a public sector debt standing at 1.6 trillion. It is obvious that the main areas of spendingWelfare at 240 billion, Health at 145 billion and Education at 102 billion will have to be constrained at some point. The BMAs insistence that the junior doctors dispute is non-political is false to the core and, left unchallenged, will ensure only defeat. It is not a fight over pay, but to prevent the destruction of public health care and must be pursued as such. The trade unions are opposed to this. They have played the key role in enabling the government to push its measures, making no attempt to link up the junior doctors with the nurses and midwives, who are opposed to the government decision to scrap NHS bursaries in 2017, or the struggle of any other group of workers, and making no appeal for solidarity action. The BMAs demand not to politicise the dispute is also supported by the Labour Party, which while in office from 1997 to 2010 began opening up the NHS to the market through schemes such as Independent Sector Treatment Centres and the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The Labour Party has refused to officially back the dispute, with leader Jeremy Corbyn confining his remarks to criticisms of the government for provoking a protracted industrial dispute. NHS Fightback, the political initiative of the Socialist Equality Party, has insisted that the junior doctors dispute underscores the necessity for the working class to strike out on a new political course, based upon the recognition that the defence of jobs, the attacks on pay and closures of hospital facilities cannot be taken forward through the trade unions and the Labour Party. It is time that junior doctors, other health care workers and their supporters begin to organise themselves independently in action committees to defend the NHS. The Socialist Equality Party must be built to provide leadership in this essential political conflict. Governments worldwide executed at least 1,634 prisoners in 2015, an increase of more than 50 percent above official figures for 2014, Amnesty International reported Wednesday. After bottoming out during the 1990s and early 2000s, the number of executions registered by Amnesty has steadily risen since the mid-2000s. In a trend described as profoundly disturbing by Amnesty secretary general Salil Shetty, the number of executions has spiked in the past few years, including a sharp increase in 2015. Not for the last 25 years have so many people been put to death by states around the world, Shetty said. In 2015 governments continued relentlessly to deprive people of their lives on the false premise that the death penalty would make us safer. China executed the highest number, killing more than 1,000 prisoners, followed by Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. The United States ranked fifth worldwide, with 28 executions in 2015. American prisons continued to use the death penalty in ways that contravene international law and standards, including on people with mental and intellectual disabilities, Amnesty found. Egypts US-backed military dictatorship also sharply increased its execution rate, joining Iraq, Somalia, Indonesia, and Chad to round out the top 10 executioner states. The most common methods of execution were hanging, lethal injection, shooting and beheading. In the United States, all of the death sentences were by lethal injection, a method whose reputation as being more humane has been increasingly discredited amidst a growing number of high-profile botched executions resulting in extreme suffering, easily comparable to medieval forms of torture. Many US states are considering revival of the firing squad (Oklahoma and Mississippi), electric chair (Virginia) and gas chamber (Wyoming) in response to costs and other difficulties associated with obtaining the cocktail of deadly chemicals used for the procedure. At least nine of the victims documented by Amnesty worldwide were under the age of 18 at the time of their execution. Leading US client states, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain and Iraq, continue to execute prisoners for a range of non-capital offenses and pre-modern crimes, including drug offenses, adultery, petty crimes, and religious blasphemy, and frequently carry out executions based on confessions given under torture and after unfair trials. More than 20,000 prisoners are currently awaiting execution globally. The Pakistani state, whose military and intelligence services have maintained close ties to Washington for decades, is currently engaged in a state-sanctioned killing spree, Amnesty finds. Despite the rising number of executions, the report noted a countervailing trend of governments abandoning the barbaric practice. The report noted that a growing list of countries have abolished the death penalty including Congo-Brazzaville, Fiji, Madagascar, and Suriname. Altogether more than 100 states have formally abolished capital punishment. Another subset of states maintain death penalty laws but have not carried out any killings within 10 years, termed by Amnesty abolitionist in practice, including Russia, Mongolia, Algeria, Myanmar, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Kenya, and Tanzania. The Amnesty data makes clear that the escalated pace of official state killings has been spearheaded by US imperialism, its ultra-reactionary regional allies in Riyadh and Islamabad, and the Stalinist ruling elite in Beijing. Taken as a whole, the growth of state killing is ultimately an expression of the immense social antagonisms building up within world society. All major governments are implementing increasingly violent domestic and foreign policies in response to the crisis and breakdown of world capitalism and the reemergence of mass struggles in the international working class. The widespread application of the death penalty by the Chinese government, typically presented in pro-imperialist propaganda as evidence of Beijings exceptional status as a human rights abuser, is, in reality, a product of capitalist social relations in China. It is an outgrowth of the determination of the billionaire capitalists running the Chinese Communist Party to maintain their grip over an increasingly restive labor force of hundreds of millions of Chinese workers. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) calls on youth and workers in India, across South Asia and internationally to oppose the witch-hunt Indias Hindu Supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is mounting against students at Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) whom it claims raised anti-national slogans. The state repression at JNU is aimed at criminalizing dissent. It is part of the governments preparations to answer opposition from workers, the rural poor and students to its pro-investor reforms and its lining up behind US imperialisms war preparations against China with state violence and communal reaction. JNU Student President Kanhaiya Kumar and two other students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, have been charged with seditionmeaning they could be jailed for lifefor their role in a February 9 protest marking three years since the judicial murder of Afzal Guru. A Kashmiri Muslim, Guru was framed up by Indian authorities for the December 2001 terrorist attack on Indias parliament. At the governments behest, the JNU administration is also targeting Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharaya, along with 18 other students, for harsh discipline, including possible expulsion from the university. The attack on the JNU students has been spearheaded by the highest levels of the BJP government. Home Minister Rajnath Singh instructed the Delhi police to raid JNU and arrest Kumar after receiving complaints from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the youth wing of the BJPs close ally, the fascistic RSS. Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, the minister directly responsible for Indias universities, has been demanding university administrations crack down on anti-national elements, while promoting a pamphlet edited by BJP Vice President Balbir Punj, Communists and Jihadists at Work in JNU. Last year Irani pressured Hyderabad University to strip PhD student Rohith Vemula of his fellowship after he screened a documentary film that exposed the BJPs role in provoking communal violence against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. The government-backed victimization of Vemula rendered him destitute and led directly to his taking his own life in January. Citing the JNU events, Irani is now calling for Indias national universities to be compelled to hire military instructors to teach patriotism. The governments case against the JNU students is a transparent, politically motivated frame-up. Video footage that reputedly shows students at the Feb. 9 JNU protest raising pro-Pakistan slogans and which the corporate media disseminated widely has been shown to have been doctored. More fundamentally, the notion of state-proscribed anti-national speech violates the most elementary democratic principles and must be vigorously opposed. It goes hand in hand with the BJPs promotion of a bellicose, Hindu communalist-laced Indian nationalism. During their 23 months in office Primer Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP government have systematically intervened to place Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) ideologues in charge of the countrys educational, cultural and scientific organizations, while excusing or downplaying violence against Muslims and other minorities. State Repression and Communal Reaction The Modi governments witch-hunt of the JNU students is part of a turn to authoritarian methods of rule and stoking of social reaction whose principal target is the working class and rural toilers. Battered by the global capitalist crisis, the Indian bourgeoisie brought the self-styled Hindu strongman Modi and his BJP to power to pursue social incendiary neo-liberal reforms aimed at wooing international capital. Continuing on from the previous Congress Party-led government, Modi has slashed social spending, cut price-subsidies and accelerated privatization. But this has only whetted big businesss appetite for even more unpopular measuresthe gutting of labour law restrictions on layoffs and plant closures, easy access for industrialists and developers to cheap agricultural land, and the shifting of an even greater share of the taxation burden onto working people through a regressive Goods and Services Tax (GST). As it conspires with big business to implement these measures, the Modi government is transforming India, behind the backs of the population, into a frontline ally of Washington in its strategic offensive and war preparations against China. By acting as satraps for US imperialism, the Indian bourgeoisie hopes to realize its own predatory great power ambitions, in the first instance securing regional dominance in South Asia This ultra-reactionary agenda cannot be implemented peacefully. The Indian elites rhetoric about high growth cannot hide the reality. India is more socially unequal than ever. While a handful gorge on the profits of the past quarter-century of capitalist expansion, the overwhelming majority are condemned to poverty, hunger and economic insecurity. By labelling its opponents as anti-national, the BJP government seeks to legitimize their state suppression. By stoking Hindu communalism, it seeks to incite reaction and divide the working class. Globally, under conditions of capitalist breakdown, the ruling classes around the world are adopting similar methods. Everywhere the phony war on terror has been used to justify a massive expansion of the repressive apparatus of the state and sweeping attacks on democratic rights. Meanwhile, the bourgeois elites sponsor parties and politicians who promote bellicose nationalism, like Modi and Japans Prime Minister Abe, and rail against refugees, immigrants and minorities, as exemplified by Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the US Republican presidential nomination. The Stalinist CPI and CPM and the political suppression of the working class Social deprivation, the attacks on democratic rights, the Indian elites complicity in US imperialisms bloody and reckless drive to maintain global supremacy, the growth of communal reactionall speak to the urgency of the Indian working class advancing its own socialist solution to the failure of capitalism and in opposition to the entire bourgeois political establishment. However, the response of the Stalinist partiesthe Communist Party of India Marxist or CPM and the Communist Party of India (CPI)has been just the opposite. They have redoubled their efforts to chain the working class to the Indian political establishment and state. JNU Student Union President Kanhaiya Kumar is a leader of the CPIs student group, the All India Student Federation (AISF). On the instructions of the CPI leadership, Kumar has repeatedly voiced his confidence in the institutions of the Indian state, including its courts and army, and advocated allying with the Congress Party, the Indian bourgeoisies traditional party of government, to defend democracy and secularism. In fact the Congress has a decades-long record of conniving with the Hindu right, to say nothing of violently suppressing the struggles of the working class. Indeed even as it was claiming to oppose the witch-hunt of the JNU students, the Congress was pressing for the suspension of a Muslim legislator from the Maharashtra state assembly because he had refused to shout the slogan, Victory for Mother India. Citing the need to defeat the BJP and a sometime BJP ally, the Trinamool Congress, the CPM-led Left Front is now jointly contesting the West Bengal state election with the Congress and hoping post-election to form a coalition government with it. For the past quarter-century, the Stalinists have justified supporting a string of right-wing governments at the Center, most of them Congress-led, on the grounds that this was the only means of blocking the Hindu supremacist BJP from power. The result of the Stalinists unrelenting drive to politically smother the working class, tying it to governments that have pursued neo-liberal reform and a strategic partnership with US imperialism, is that today the BJP has a parliamentary majority for the first time ever. A second and very much related element in the Stalinists response to the repression at JNU and the BJPs labelling of their opponents as anti-national has been the CPI and CPMs full-throated campaign to promote themselves as the foremost defenders of what they call the true progressive Indian nationalist tradition. In reality Indian nationalism is and has always been an ideological weapon of the Indian bourgeoisie, a means for it to mask its rule and harness the masses to its selfish class aims. Terrified that the struggle against British colonial rule would escape their control, the progressive nationalists of the Congress, led by M.K. Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, suppressed the anti-imperialist upsurge that had convulsed the subcontinent in the first half the 20th century. In 1947-48, they struck a deal with British imperialism under which they inherited the colonial state apparatus and implemented the communal partition of South Asia into a Muslim Pakistan and a Hindu India. Not only did this produce a horrendous bloodletting, with more than 1 million killed in Partition massacres, and more than 10 million rendered refugees: It gave rise to the reactionary inter-state conflict between India and Pakistan and transformed communalism within India into an indispensable prop of bourgeois rule. Leon Trotsky and the program of socialist internationalism It is high time for Indian workers and youth to draw a balance sheet of the ruinous role of the Stalinists parties in India and around the world. The reactionary politics of the CPM and CPI flow inexorably from their common Stalinist roots, from their support for the privileged bureaucracy that usurped power from the Russian working class in the 1920s, renounced the program of world socialist revolution, and, under the banner of socialism in one country, pursued accommodation with world imperialism. In line with this in India, and other countries of belated capitalist development, the Stalinists advocated the two-stage theory of revolution, claiming that socialism was not on the historical agenda and that the working class could do no more than support the progressive section of the national bourgeoisie in opposing imperialism and feudal reaction. For decades the twin Stalinist parties have functioned as an integral part of the bourgeois establishment, including administering the capitalist state apparatus for long periods in West Bengal and Kerala. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union by the bureaucracy under Gorbachev in 1991 and the Indian bourgeoisies abandonment of state-led development, the CPM and CPI have lurched still further to the right. They have fully supported the ruling class drive to make India a haven for cheap-labour production for world capitalism, pursuing wherever the Left has formed the government what they themselves call pro-investor policies. Leon Trotsky, with Lenin the co-leader of the 1917 Russian Revolution, fought tooth and nail against the Stalinist bureaucracy, upholding the program of international socialism. It is to this program, today embodied in the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and its internet organ, the World Socialist Web Site, that Indian youth and workers should now turn. The BJPs anti-working class and communalist agenda can only be defeated though the independent political mobilization of the working class in an alliance with the rural poor on the basis of a socialist program to establish a workers and peasants government in India, as part of the struggle for the United Socialist States of South Asia. The Indian bourgeoisies alliance with US imperialism in its war drive against China underscores the urgency of building an anti-war movement of the international working class on the basis of international socialism. These are the tasks confronting the working class, students and other young people in contemporary India. The IYSSE is the youth organization of the ICFI which is fighting to build revolutionary Marxist-Trotskyist parties in every country. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP), the Sri Lankan section of the ICFI, and the IYSSE (Sri Lanka) are eager to offer their unstinting support to all those ready to take up the fight to build a revolutionary party of the Indian working class. As a first step, join the ICFIs International May Day rally, Sunday, May 1. The German military will soon station combat drones in Mali. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) made the announcement during her April 5 visit to troops in the West African country. According to media reports, two to three Heron drones will be transferred to the city of Gao by the end of the year. 227 German soldiers have already been stationed there since the beginning of February. In the next week, they will be joined by 200 more. According to von der Leyen, the large drones will be used to monitor virtually the entire conflict-ridden northern part of the country, including several hundred kilometer-long roads between cities. Here is the situation in this desert region: Whoever controls the roads can grant access to a city or cut it off from supplies, explained von der Leyen in Gao. Because of this, she continued, it is important to be able to survey this large region. She added, We are therefore planning to deploy the Heron 1 here toward the end of the year. The defense ministers announcement exposes the public assurances made by the German government that the intervention in Mali is not a combat mission, but a peacekeeping and reconnaissance mission. The exact opposite is obviously the case. Until now, the German military has only used Heron drones, manufactured in Israel and equipped with missiles, in Afghanistan where German peacekeeping troops fought a bloody combat mission alongside the United States over the course of several years. As in Afghanistan, the German military will not bring stability and peace to Mali, but only more chaos and terror. The Tuesday evening news shows broadcast images of German soldiers armed to the teeth as they combed through the cities and villages of Northern Mali on foot and with armored scout vehicles. The commentators on broadcaster ARDs Tagesschau discussed the potential security crisis of a mission which could drag on several years or even decades and expressed concerns about a new Afghanistan. Also on Tuesday, von der Leyen explained in a statement to the German-Dutch Camp Castor in Gao: It is the most dangerous UN mission that Germany has at the moment, because there are two bitter enemies. There are the criminal networks that live off smuggling weapons, drugs and people, and there are the Jihadists in the North of the country. On Monday, von der Leyen further justified the German intervention during a meeting with her Malian counterpart Tieman Hubert Coulibaly in the capital city of Bamako, again calling it a struggle against the reasons for flight. She said, The more stable it is in this part of the West African region, the better we can successfully eliminate together the root causes for illegal migration. The lesson of the past year was to restore peace locally in conflicts, or else they would spread and become global problems which sent people fleeing from war and conflict. This argument is as cynical as it is transparent. Von der Leyens statements, like all official propaganda, conceal that, above all, the militarist policies of the West are the reasons for war, refugees and conflicts. Mali is the best example. The country was first destabilized by the Nato war against Libya in 2011 and then plunged into chaos. As a consequence of the destruction of Libya, an influx of weapons and militants made their way to Mali, the Tuareg militias were created and Islamist forces launched an uprising in northern Mali against the central government in Bamako at the beginning of 2012. As the official Malian army stood at the brink of dissolution after heavy fighting and a military coup in March 2012, France, the former colonial power, intervened at the beginning of 2013 to reconquer the resource-rich north of the country. The mission was sold as an anti-terror operation. In reality, it was part of the new scramble for Africa by the imperialist powers. Unlike the Nato bombing of Libya, the German military was involved from the beginning and supported the French intervention with logistics and personnel. Since then, Berlin has worked systematically to increase Germanys contribution. While the German military was initially only involved in a so-called training mission of the EU (EUTM) in the relatively peaceful south, the new combat troops are part of UN mission Minusma, in which 70 soldiers have been killed during the last three years. According to a report in the Bundeswehr aktuell, the official newspaper of the German army, the EUTM mission will now also be expanded to northern Mali and a large part of the Sahel region. This was decided by the Council of the European Union last week. Bundeswehr aktuell reports: In addition to an extension of the mission until May 18, 2018, the Council decided on an expansion of the missions operational area. The mission area will soon reach the bend of the Niger River, including the cities Gao and Timbuktu. The report continues: To facilitate the rebuilding of Malian armed forces, the mission may in the future develop units incorporating former members of armed groups. To improve the interoperability and cooperation of armed forces of the G5 Sahel nations, the mission will include unified training activities. The G5 Sahel is an association of five African countries, including Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. The extension of the German combat mission has long been planned and is part of Germanys return to an aggressive foreign policy and great power politics. Speaking on behalf of the German government, Norbert Rottgen, the chair of the German parliaments committee on foreign affairs, recently told Tagesspiegel that Germany must intervene more strongly than before in international conflicts and fight the root causes of violence. Berlin must strengthen its diplomatic initiatives and enlarge the military component. Just a glance at the official web site of the Foreign Ministry reveals the imperialist interests concealed behind Rottgens propaganda phrases about combatting violence. In the country information section on Mali, it explains that the West African country is increasingly oriented toward a market economy and taking steps toward the privatization of state owned businesses, although not without difficulties. It adds, The volume of foreign direct investment in Mali, is, however, as before below Malis economic potential. The raw material reserves in the country, including gold, lime, phosphates, diamonds and marble were at present still barely exploited. It continues: Increased revenues through exploration of the hoped-for deposits of oil and phosphates in the north appear possible only in the mid-term in light of open questions regarding support and transportation infrastructure and the current security situation. The German government is apparently now seeking to change this through the reinforcement of the German military and drone operations in the North. The military is here because we are firmly convinced that Mali is a key nation in West Africa and that it makes an enormous difference whether Mali demonstrates stability [] and can create permanently stable conditions, von der Leyen explained in the manner of a colonial ruler. Niels Annen, the foreign policy spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) justified the combat mission at the end of January with these words: If one looks at the trade routes through the Sahel region and Sahara, one quickly realizes how strategically important the north of Mali is for the entire region. In the wake of Senator Bernie Sanders crushing victory over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays Wisconsin primary, the corporate-controlled media and the political establishment have been at pains to dismiss the significance of half a million people voting for a candidate claiming to be a socialist. Sanders outpolled Clinton in 79 of the states 82 counties and dominated nearly every demographic and income group. He won more than 80 percent of the vote among those aged 18 to 29, more than 70 percent of the vote among independents, and defeated Clinton by 54 percent to 44 percent among nonwhite voters under 45 years of age. He has now won seven of the last eight contests for the Democratic presidential nomination. In its election night coverage, the American media barely reported these figures, showing far greater interest in the fortunes of billionaire demagogue Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner. The media portrayed the victory of Texas Senator Ted Cruz over Trump as a political earthquake while downplaying Sanders more sweeping victory over Clinton. The media consensus was that the Wisconsin result meant little in terms of the Democratic presidential contest. The Washington Post headlined its report, Sanders wins in Wisconsin, keeping alive his improbable bid for the nomination, referring in the second paragraph to Clintons still-overwhelming lead in delegates. The New York Times wrote off the across-the-board rout of the Democratic frontrunner, declaring, Mrs. Clintons defeat does not significantly dent her comfortable lead in the race for the 2,383 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination. Neither the major newspapers nor the television networks have attempted to grapple with the political implications of a candidate claiming to be socialist locked in an increasingly tight race with the near-unanimous choice of the Democratic Party establishment. On Wednesday, a McClatchy-Marist poll found that Sanders has taken a two-point lead over Clinton among likely Democratic voters nationwide, 49 percent to 47 percent. The Sanders campaign represents a historical milestone in American politics. Some seven million people have gone to the polls or attended caucuses to vote for a candidate identified as a socialist, who calls for a political revolution to end the domination of billionaires over American political life. Two million people have donated to the Sanders campaign, and his rallies routinely attract crowds of 15,000 to 25,000 people. Among young people, in particular, support for Sanders is immense. More people aged 18-29 have voted for Sanders than for Clinton and Trump combined. The media silence on the subject of the Sanders surge is an expression of political nervousness in the ruling elite. Its concern is not over the messenger, a Vermont senator who has long functioned as a reliable Democratic Party ally. Rather, it is deeply shaken by the message of social and political discontent delivered by millions of people in the United States who are voting for a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. The mass vote for a candidate claiming to be socialist discredits what has become a foundational narrative of American politics: that the United States is a country where the working class is unalterably hostile to any alternative to the free enterprise system. Not only socialism, but even liberalism has been virtually banned from official politics, referred to by cowering Democrats as the L-word, from which they seek to distance themselves. Marxists have always insisted that American exceptionalism was of a historically limited and relative character. The slow political development of the American working class was bound up with the privileged position of American capitalism, which made possible steadily rising living standards for the working class and thus encouraged illusions in the viability of the profit system. The change in the objective situation is beginning to produce a corresponding change in consciousness. It is of enormous significance that Sanders has won his greatest support among working class voters under the age of 45. This generation is being politically radicalized by the protracted decay of American capitalism--its decline on the world market and the resulting devastating impact on the jobs and living standards of American workers. It required social processes maturing over many years to create the conditions where a somewhat anomalous figure, a little-known senator from a tiny state, could disrupt the planned coronation of the Democratic presidential frontrunner. The 2016 election campaign is unfolding against the backdrop of eight years of economic upheaval and slump in the wake of the Wall Street crash, and eight years of the Obama administration, which bailed out the banks at the expense of working people and presided over a further concentration of wealth at the top alongside a further deterioration of jobs and living standards for the vast majority. It comes as well after 25 years of nearly uninterrupted imperialist war, with vast resources squandered, human and material. Sanders is riding a wave of economic anger and hostility over social inequality. Despite all efforts to cover it up, it has proven impossible to conceal the deeply rooted sickness of American society: the ever-widening economic gulf between the top one percent (or one-tenth of one percent) and the broad masses who work for a living and produce the wealth. By now, the economic figures are familiar: the financial aristocracy has seized virtually the entire increase in national income over the past two decades; wages and living standards for working people have stagnated or declined; temporary and contract jobs account for all the increase in employment since the 2008 financial crash. It is under these conditions that there is such a broad popular response to Sanders critique of Wall Street and corporate greed. Millions of young people and workers are looking for a way to fight back against the attacks on jobs, living standards and democratic rights, and the mounting threat of war, and they have seized on the Sanders campaign as a means of doing so. As it moves to the left, the American working class is beginning to take up political questions. Nowhere is this process clearer than in Wisconsin. This is the state where in 2011 a mass movement erupted in the working class and among young people, triggered by the reactionary anti-worker legislation pushed by Governor Scott Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled state legislature. Demonstrators flooded the state capitol and there was a growing movement for a general strike. This was forestalled only by the intervention of the AFL-CIO unions, which blocked any direct action by the working class and diverted the mass opposition into a campaign to recall Walker and replace him with a Democrat committed to similar cuts in wages, benefits and jobs, only carried out in collaboration with the unions. The Democratic Party cannot be an instrument for combating the social crisis. Like the Republicans, it is unalterably committed to the defense of the profit system and shares responsibility for the bipartisan assault on the working class. The Democrats have moved steadily to the right over the past four decades, abandoning whatever remained of the reformist policies of New Deal liberalism and the social-welfare programs of the 1960s. The Clintons are the personification of this process. Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992 as the candidate of the Democratic Leadership Council, the right-wing formation that embraced the reactionary policies of the Reagan-Bush era. He notoriously pledged to end welfare as we know it, eliminating the federal program dating from the 1930s that provided financial support for the long-term unemployed, while unleashing a law-and-order campaign that ended with more black men in prison than attending college. Hillary Clinton continues this tradition, running as the continuator of the policies of the Obama administration, which has escalated US military aggression in the Middle East while preparing for war with China and Russia, massively expanded the surveillance state, and single-mindedly promoted the interests of Wall Street and the super-rich. Sanders is likewise a defender of American capitalism, and no one has been more surprised than the candidate himself at the mass response to his campaign. He initially intended to serve as a lightning rod, drawing discontented workers and young people back into the embrace of the Democratic Party, following in the footsteps of Dennis Kucinich, Al Sharpton, Howard Dean and Jesse Jackson. His socialism goes no further than 1960s liberalism. While he criticizes Clinton for having supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he explicitly backs the war policies of the Obama administration. Throughout his political career as mayor of Burlington, congressman and US senator from Vermont, Sanders has never supported any wider challenge to the domination of the corporate-controlled two-party system. He has caucused and voted with the Democrats in both the House and Senate and has supported every Democratic presidential candidate since Walter Mondale in 1984. He is committed to backing Hillary Clinton if she staggers across the finish line ahead of him, telling the New York Daily News this week that Clinton was far, far preferable to any of the Republican candidates. Sanders has won the support of millions not despite, but because of his professions of democratic socialism. These have been taken seriously by an electorate that sees socialism as an alternative to the conditions of life created by capitalism. But there is nothing genuinely anti-capitalist in Sanders perspective. This was shown most recently in his interview with the Daily News. When asked about his repeated calls to break up the Wall Street banks, Sanders could not explain how it was to be done, in the end declaring that the banks would be allowed to decide how to break themselves up. It is one thing to recognize the objective significance of the mass support for Sanders. It is quite another to adapt to Sanders politically. The Socialist Equality Party opposes his campaign for president and warns that if he were elected, a Sanders administration would be an instrument of the American ruling elite to confuse and disorient the working class and prepare new attacks, while defending the worldwide interests of American imperialism. The task of the SEP is to prepare the working class by making clear what it means to fight for socialism, combating illusions in Sanders and all other efforts to divert working people away from a struggle against the capitalist system, and advancing a genuine revolutionary alternative. When Melissa Boarts of Montgomery, Alabama left home after threatening to commit suicide on Sunday, April 3, her parents called 911 hoping that someone would intervene to keep her from harming herself. To their horror, Auburn Police Department instead gunned her down. Two police officers are on paid leave pending investigation. Boarts suffered from bipolar disorder and was experiencing acute depression. She had scheduled an appointment for May to seek more effective medication for her disorder. Her parents, Terry and Michael Boarts, had come to her house on Sunday to pick up Melissas two-year-old daughter, Skylar, for their weekly outing. Boarts suddenly drove off, threatening to slit her wrists with a pocket knife. Terry and Michael loaded Skylar into their car and followed as closely as they could. Using her computer, Melinda, Melissas twin sister, tracked the path of her car via the GPS the family had installed on it. Melinda relayed the information to Terry and Michael as they drove. When Melissa stopped at a rest area on Interstate 85, the family panicked, fearing that she would carry out her threats to cut her wrists. Realizing that traffic would prevent them from reaching her quickly, they called 911. We were thinking they could get her help, Terry Boarts told the Montgomery Advertiser. She explained to the dispatcher that Melissa was bipolar and was threatening self-harm. She told them that Melissa had a pocket knife. Using Melindas information, the Boarts gave police a turn-by-turn account of her path. Terry remained on the phone with the dispatcher. When the Boarts finally caught up to their daughter, a helicopter hovered overhead, and fourteen police cruisers surrounded her car. They were unable to see what was going on; the dispatcher told them simply that Melissas car had stopped. They sat at the scene for hours, assuming that her car had left the road and hit a tree. Finally, Michael Boarts asked for information from a police sergeant who was leaving the scene. All I know, the sergeant replied, is that there is one female casualty. They left, still assuming that Melissa had died in a car crash. They were called back to the scene by police; only then were they informed that Melissa had been shot to death. The Boarts family has expressed confusion about Melissas death. They reported her movements to the police with the expectation that Melissa would be prevented from harming herself. Although they do not dispute the Auburn Police Departments statement that Melissa threatened police with her pocket knife, they do not understand why police insisted on using deadly force. Michael Boarts has stated that the police knew exactly what was going on, and that they had been told that Melissa was mentally ill. Thats why we dont understand why they had to shoot her, he told the Advertiser . Any kind of decent police training would teach you how to deal with people with mental health issues, said Julian McPhillips, the Boarts attorney. If you go around shooting them all just because they have a knife in their hand, thats terribly wrong. In February of this year, hospital employees in Athens, Alabama called police to help them restrain Randy Nelson, a schizophrenic patient, so that staff could administer tranquilizers and other medications to him. The doctor on duty told the cops that they basically needed someone with a strong back and weak mind to help hold Nelson down as they injected him with Ativan. Instead, police officers cleared doctors out of the area and approached Nelson themselves. He began throwing items at the officers. They tasered him several times before he fell, semi-conscious, to the floor. In the body cam footage released by the Athens Police Department, an officer can be heard telling the doctor, as they kneel over Nelsons supine body, that Nelson had hit his head. I dont think he noticed it, though, the officer says. When hospital staff turned Nelson over, they noticed that he was cyanotickinda blue, as the officer put itand was struggling to breathe. Nelson did not regain consciousness; five days later, he died. Athens Police Department released the body cam footage to the press two weeks after Nelson died. Although the footage was edited to protect Nelsons dignity, according to Athens Police, it portrays a deeply humiliating situation for Nelson. Completely nonverbal, he struggles confusedly with his caregivers and the police until the end. Naked and bleeding, he lay unconscious on the floor as hospital staff and police detachedly discuss whether or not he is breathing. In Boarts case, the Auburn Division Chief of Police, Paul Register, has clearly stated that he expects the investigation into Boarts death to affirm that officers legitimately used deadly force against the suicidal victim. Register blamed Boarts for her own murder, stating, Its unfortunate when someone intending to harm themselves involves law enforcement to do so. Alabamas mental health budget has been slashed for the past three consecutive years. Medicaid for adults is almost nonexistent, which leaves those who are caught between poverty and mental illness to rely upon county, municipal, and charitable organizations for psychiatric evaluation and treatment. When such treatments fail, as they did for Nelson and Boarts, those in crisis are exposed to the utmost brutality and murder by the police. Azerbaijan violated convention by opening fire at ambulance (video) Several hours ago new serviceman in critical condition was transferred from Artsakh to Muratsan military hospital by helicopter, informed Head of the DM Military-medical department, Colonel Kamavor Khachatryan. In general, the number of the wounded during the Armed forces full operations is 121. As of 12:00 in the morning, we have 5 wounded in critical condition, in the intensive care unit, 10 servicemen- in serious condition. But I was informed short time ago that the health condition of one of the servicemen improved, the device was switched off, there is a contact. The others have light shrapnel wounds and after treatment they will be sent to military service, noted Mr Khachatryan. Only one case of death was registered in case of injured serviceman transferred to garrison hospitals, in Martakert hospital, In all other cases every wounded soldier was saved. It is an unprecedented indicator in case of so many inured servicemen, highlighted Head of the Military-medical department. He noted that at present there are 32 wounded in Yerevan hospital. Kamavor Khachatryan also gave details from the incident connected with damaging the ambulance car, One of the ambulance cars, which was heading to the front line, was destroyed by the Azerbaijani side in case when there was a cross on the car. According to the international conventions it isnt allowed to open fire at a red cross. But the Azerbaijani side opened fire and damaged a car; but there arent casualties. Though the hospital doesnt carry out plastic surgery, the doctors do their best to save the limbs of the wounded, We fight not only for the life of a soldier, but also for preventing disabilities. As a result of operation limbs were maintained. As for the military crimes committed during the hostilities, the DM spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan said, All the materials were collected. They will be summed up and will be presented to the relevant bodies. There are various materials. As for the cases of death of two servicemen in Karvachar, he said that investigation is underway. Search operations are being carried out for finding the missing. Price of gas imported from Russia to Armenia to be reduced (video) Today the RF Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is in Yerevan on official visit, and the RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan made a joint statement for the media. After the speech of Mr Abrahamyan, such was the reaction of the RF Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Not everything was comprehensible, nevertheless, the general thought was comprehensible. Then Mr Medvedev continued smilingly, Our meeting, like in the past, was held in a friendly, warm atmosphere. Dmitry Medvedev says that not the soldiery but the diplomats are to solve the conflict, Of course, we cannot but discuss the situation over Nagorno Karabakh. The situation, of course, gives rise to serious concerns. Medvedev hopes that the cease-fire regime will be maintained and the political process will be resumed. Of course, so that people will not die and the infrastructures will not be destroyed: Russia, like in the past, is ready to act as a mediator. The existing mechanism doesnt have an alternative. The most important thing is to exclude the conflict to be transferred into heated phase, as it may have tragic consequences for the region. After the meeting with journalists, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, answering the question whether there was any mention about Russia's arms sale to Azerbaijan during a meeting with the Russian Prime Minister, said, If people have a chance to sell arms, buy arms, they will sell and will buy. In any case, if they want to buy arms and have means for that, they will buy either from Russia, or Turkey or some other country. By the way, the price of gas imported from Russia to Armenia will be reduced by 15 USD, becoming from 165 USD to 150 USD for thousand cubic meters. But still it isnt known, how it will influence the consumers, Relevant calculations must be done for it, said the RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Levon Yolyan. LONGVIEW, TX (WTXL) - Police in Longview, Texas are on the scene of a submerged truck, which may be connected to the stolen truck investigators believe Florida escaped prisoner Michael Rotunno was linked to. According to our affiliate in Texas, KLTV, officers are investigating the possibility of this truck in Lake Lamond being connected to Rotunno, who was spotted in Longview Tuesday night. Witnesses on the scene say told KLTV that the license plate of the partially submerged truck matches the plate of a stolen Ford F350, linked to Rotunno. He is one of two inmates who escaped the private prisoner transport van in Walton County, Florida early Monday morning. The Walton County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the other inmate, James Banks was arrested after trying to call a cab in Mississippi Wednesday morning. Banks and Rotunno have been on the run since Monday, after managing to escape from a transport van that made a stop in Walton County on its way to an unscheduled stop at the Leon County Jail. Stay with WTXL.TV for updates on this developing story. TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - Writers, musicians, and artists will be coming to Tallahassee from across the country this weekend for Word of South. One science fiction writer hopes to contribute to the artistic presence of the festival. Dexter Palmer is a twice published science fiction novelist, coming to Tallahassee from Princeton, New Jersey. His first novel, The Dream of Perpetual Motion, was published in 2010 and his second, Version Control, came out in February. Palmer admits he was a little late to publish his first novel, "It took me 14 years to write (The Dream of Perpetual Motion)." He was writing his dissertation while working on the book and says he had to re-write it twice before he was able to send it out to agents. "It turns out that writing a novel is a bit easier when you have an outline in-advance instead of just making it up as you go along. Which I did with the very first draft," said Palmer. Palmer will be reading from Version Control and one of his recently publish short stories at Word of South on Sunday. Word of South kicks off on Friday and runs through the weekend. You can learn more about the festival and see the line-up by visiting WordofSouthFestival.com. You could win reserved concert tickets to Jason Isbell and Dawes in addition to an Edison gift card, VIP Parking AND a meet and greet with the bands. Visit WTXL.com/Contests to learn more about how to win. Bernie Sanders had only just won the Wisconsin primary when the transcript of his interview in the New York Daily News was published, an interview which cast serious doubt over his readiness to become President of the United States. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Of the many issues covered in the interview, one which stood out was his position on Israel. During the interview, Sanders estimated that 10,000 Palestinian civilians were killed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. When asked whether or not he supports the Palestinian Authority turning to the International Criminal Court in order to prosecute Israel, Sanders said no. When pressed to explain his answer, Sanders simply said, " Look, why don't I support a million things in the world? I'm just telling you that I happen to believe...anybody help me out here, because I don't remember the figures, but my recollection is over 10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza. Does that sound right? Sen. Bernie Sanders. "10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza." (Photo: AP) The interviewer replied, telling the Senator from Vermont that the number he quoted was probably too high. Sanders then said, "I don't have it in my number...but I think it's over 10,000. My understanding is that a whole lot of apartment houses were leveled. Hospitals, I think, were bombed. So yeah, I do believe and I don't think I'm alone in believing that Israel's force was more indiscriminate than it should have been. When asked what Israel could have done differently during Operation Protective Edge, Sanders responded by saying, "You're asking me now to make not only decisions for the Israeli government but for the Israeli military, and I don't quite think I'm qualified to make decisions. But I think it is fair to say that the level of attacks against civilian areas...and I do know that the Palestinians, some of them, were using civilian areas to launch missiles. Makes it very difficult. But I think most international observers would say that the attacks against Gaza were indiscriminate and that a lot of innocent people were killed who should not have been killed. Look, we are living, for better or worse, in a world of high technology, whether it's drones out there that could, you know, take your nose off, and Israel has that technology. And I think there is a general belief that, with that technology, they could have been more discriminate in terms of taking out weapons that were threatening them." Sanders: Gaza remains a destroyed area (Photo: Roee Idan) Nevertheless, Sanders did try to save face, stating "I lived in Israel. I have family in Israel. I believe 100 percent not only in Israel's right to exist, a right to exist in peace and security without having to face terrorist attacks. But from the United States' point of view, I think, long-term, we cannot ignore the reality that you have large numbers of Palestinians who are suffering now, poverty rate off the charts, unemployment off the charts, Gaza remaining a destroyed area. And I think that for long-term peace in that region, and God knows nobody has been successful in that for 60 years, but there are good people on both sides, and Israel is not, cannot, just simply expand when it wants to expand with new settlements. So I think the United States has got to help work with the Palestinian people as well. I think that is the path toward peace." The true number of casualties in Operation Protective Edge, conducted over a period of 50 days in the summer of 2014, is about 2,125. About 44 percent of them were reportedly armed combatants, fighting for Hamas or other terror organizations. STOCKHOLM- Sweden is charging a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden. The Prosecution Authority said on Thursday that it believed the man had intended to join the jihadist group Islamic State in Syria. Instead, he was detained in Turkey last June and sent back to Sweden. "My belief is that he obtained, stored and combined liquids and objects with the purpose of making a suicide bomb," prosecutor Ewamari Haggkvist said in a statement. "The criminal act that was in preparation could have seriously harmed Sweden." 20 wounded soldiers and members of the security establishment took off for a "post service trip" to the Far East on Wednesday, organized by the Friends of Nechei Tzahal (disabled IDF veterans) organization in cooperation with El Al. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "This trip will be for the soul," said Ohad Ben Yishai, 21, who was the most severely wounded IDF solider during Operation Protective Edge. He will be accompanied by his parents on the trip. His father Shimon added that "we didn't plan to do anything special. We'll go with (the trips flow), and we'll try to soak up the quiet (which will contrast with) the hustle and bustle we've been surrounded by for the past two years." Ohad Ben Yishai an his family in the airport (Photo: Itay Blumental) Ben Yishai was in the Egoz unit (a special forces unit specializing in counter-guerilla warfare) and was critically wounded when mortar shrapnel became embedded in his head and face during fighting in the Saja'iya suburb of Gaza City. He was evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, where he underwent two complicated surgeries to save his life. After a long rehabilitation process, he was released from Tel Hashomer hospital three months ago. The group preparing to board the plane to Nepal (Photo:Sivan Fraj) After the trip, the Ben Yishai family will continue to Thailand, where he will meet up with his former Egoz team members and conduct a Passover Seder together with them. The purpose of the trip is for these people to experience a post-IDF service trip like every other Israeli. They'll raft down the Trishuli River, go on a jeep safari, and then do the four day long Gosaikund frozen lake trek before hiking up into the Himalayas. Yet not all of the wounded veterans are in their early twenties. Hilal Bisan, 35, of the Israel Prison Service, will also join the trip. He was critically wounded in 2014 after he was shot by an inmate in the Rimonim Prison. Hilal Bisan waring a necklace with a picture of his brother (Photo: Itay Blumental) As he stood in Ben Gurion International Airport, he could be seen wearing a necklace with his brother's picture on it. His brother, Jalal Bisan, perished in the Mt. Carmel disaster during the Mt. Carmel fire of 2010. "We always planned on doing a trip together after we got discharged, but we never got around to it because we got too busy with our own lives," he said. "Today I'm realizing our dream and I'm going to travel the world. This trip is both for me and for my brother." Regarding the necklace he said "I had it made especially so that I would have something to remember my brother by. I plan on leaving it on the summit of the mountain, so that a part of me and something which connects me with my brother and God will remain there." Major General (ret.) Eliezer Shakedi, Chair of the Friends of Nechei Tzahal organization, said that the trip helps the rehabilitation process due to the challenges it faces in front of them. "Self-reliance and the ability to deal with challenges like these will allow for a better rehabilitation process. In the first trip that we did last year, the group came back as a cohesive unit, and it seems to have the same effect on individual participants as well." Belgian officials released on Thursday afternoon a video which shows how the "man with the hat", one of the Brussels Airport terrorists that killed 16 people, fled the scene, as part of public appeal seeking any information about his whereabouts. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially interested in any people who might have filmed or photographed the man. Video of 'man with a hat' terrorist fleeing Brussels Airport X He was seen at the airport with two suicide bombers before they died in the March 22 attacks. A subsequent explosion at Brussels' Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same morning. Photos released by prosecutors showed the "man in hat" leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were reportedly lost. The suspect also wore a white jacket but discarded it at some point, prosecutors said. Terrorist leaving Brussels airport The appeal for public assistance more than two weeks after the suicide bombings indicated that investigators have hit a standstill. Three bombers, two at the airport and one in the subway, also died in the attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State. According to a video reconstitution of the suspect's itinerary presented to reporters, the man left the Brussels Airport terminal at 7:58 a.m. before two other men he was with in the building exploded suitcases laden with explosives. He passed by a Sheraton hotel, walked through the town of Zaventem, discarded his jacket, and was seen on video footage at Meiser square in northeastern Brussels at 9:42 a.m. Eight minutes later, his trail vanishes. Damage done by suicide bombing to Brussels Airport (Photo: Reuters) Belgian authorities are hoping that they or someone finds the discarded light-colored jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. Federal Prosecutor Thierry Werts also said there had been many people around the hotel when the suspect walked by who may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked "people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information" to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. Earlier Thursday, the lawyer for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam said it will take some weeks before his client can be extradited from Belgium to France. Sven Mary spoke after a legal hearing on the Belgian-born French citizen's continuing detention in Belgium. He said the existing "Belgian arrest warrant must be lifted for (Abdeslam's) transfer" to France, in accordance with the extradition request. Mary said before Belgian authorities allow Abdeslam to leave they want to question the 26-year-old about another case -- a deadly police raid in the Forest neighborhood of Brussels days before his arrest. Abdeslam fled to Belgium after the deadly Nov. 13 attacks on Paris and was arrested March 18 after four months on the run. Since his arrest he has been in a prison in the Belgian city of Bruges. He faces preliminary terrorism charges in France for the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people and left hundreds wounded. The cyber attacks launched by the anti-Israel hacker-group Anonymous are more hype than harm, according to Israeli cyber security experts, who claim that media coverage is fomenting unnecessary fear out of sync with the reality of the threat. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Anonymous, a loosely-organized hacking collective that has gone after targets ranging from PayPal to ISIS, has tried to breach Israeli websites annually on April 7, beginning in 2013 when it launched its campaign against Israel on the countrys Holocaust Memorial Day. This year it has threatened to carry out cyber attacks on government offices and to leak personal details of Israeli citizens in an operation dubbed Operation Israel. While so far there have been minor leaks of Israelis credit card details taken from poorly secured websites, experts claim that Anonymous has proven to be a relatively amateur organization incapable of breaching Israels highly secured internet systems. Anonymous tries to breach Israeli websites annually on April 7 (Photo: TPS) Jonathan Glinger, a cyber law attorney, dismisses the threat as unwarranted hysteria. Each year we see the same thing, Glinger said. Anonymous has a list of websites it says it has defaced or is attacking and when you go through all of them you see that some may have been temporarily disrupted but they are up and running again very quickly," he said. According to Glinger, the extent of cyber threats against Israel does not particularly increase on April 7. Im not saying you dont have to be vigilant. You have to be vigilant all year round. Focusing on one day, though, is not enough, he asserted. Anonymouss main strategy is to generate artificial web traffic to websites in order to overload a website until it collapses, explained Nitsan Sabdan of Israels Computer Emergency Response Team (IL-CERT) in an interview with TPS. IL-CERT is Israels civilian command center for cyber security. This hacking tactic, known as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, is relatively basic and poses little threat, Sabdan said. Usually all we see is a large amount of low-level attackers who use low-level tools. Most of their participants are not very skilled in cyber offense, so their emphasis is on quantity and not quality. But they still remain poorly skilled. Thus far there has been no considerable damage to any Israeli website or service. Indeed, Sabdan spoke contemptuously of Anonymouss activities, deriding their abilities to publicize outdated email addresses and the paucity of advanced breaching mechanisms at their disposal. They claim to have more data and tools but we check them all them time and we have found nothing new, threatening, or dangerous. This is simply another Operation Israel. This year will also probably end in failure for them, just as in previous years, Sabdan predicted. In addition to Anonymouss weakness in expertise, Sabdan cited Israels formidable infrastructure when combating cyber threats. Israels strong infrastructure is very advanced. Our operation center, IL-CERT, is comprised of Israels best security specialists. The knowledge base is massive and the attackers have no tactics, so we can mitigate their attacks. While Sabdan conceded that the day had not yet ended and that the possibility of surprises could not be overlooked, he concluded that little damage would be caused and largely agreed with Glinger regarding the disproportionate hype fostered by the media. There is a big difference between media hype and reality. Anonymous also tries to make a big deal out of its operation because it wants to attract more cyber attackers. "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is ... fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." This is the famous quote from President Roosevelts inaugural address in 1933. In the context of the 2016 electoral campaign in United States and Trumps rhetoric, Roosevelt's words sharply illuminate a reality that has changed, one in which light is so lacking in our world in 2016: US citizens are falling into a pit of fear, many Europeans are dragged into the abyss of dread, and also here fear drives the political behavior of our leaders and the general public. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Fear and the manner in which it is leveraged by leaders in the US, Europe and Israel strikes at the political culture which is the underpinning of democracy. The common denominator of what is developing within the US presidential election campaign (the Trump phenomenon), Europe, in which the echoes of the extreme right wing parties are growing, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus rhetoric of intimidation in Israel is a creeping threat to the foundations of democracy. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AP, GPO) Democracy is a complex organism. Its fortitude depends on several variables, one of the most important of which is civil societys self-confidence that democracy serves as its way of life. Self-confidence is a prerequisite for a life of hope, welfare and stability, particularly in a reality where there is a variety of religious, ethnic and cultural differences. Self confidence is what provides the ability to cope with the consequences of the variety of differences, especially with the tensions and conflicts arising from them. Self-confidence is also a solution for dealing with ambiguous situations that characterize political reality. In times of threats to physical security, where exposure to risks (security, economic, social ) increases, the challenges facing democracy increase . Its difficult trials pop up precisely at such times. What is being challenged is the ability to distinguish and respect these differences and look at the reality, no matter how difficult , with a critical look able to differentiate between human phenomena. However, unlike fear, which is part of human nature, self confidence is not natural. When there is mounting fear - the great enemy of freedom self-confidence is the first victim. Fear without reason paralyzes it. The language of generalization and hatred employed by Trump and Netanyahu ( the latter without the vulgarity of the former), acts on the primary instincts that human intelligence is supposed to defend against. This language takes the fear from its crypts and amplifies it. This is the essence of Netanyahu's unfounded warning on election day of buses packed with Arabs flocking to the polls; this is the meaning of the incitement against the non-Jewish minority in Israel in his speech on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, the day after a terrorist attack there. This is not essentially different than Trump's calls to prevent the entry of Muslims and immigrants to the United States. The same goes for Netanyahu's absurd attempt to equate the terrorism in Brussels with the terrorism of knives that Israelis are currently facing. The use of generalizations marginalizes self-confidence. It is reflected in the frequent references made using the definite article the: the Muslims, the Arabs, the leftists. The frequent use of generalizing and its trickling down from leaders' language to the political culture and the rhetoric of hate which ensues, hits the weak spots of the democratic organism. The bill aiming to suspend members from the Knesset, a law that doesnt exist in any other democracy, are examples of weak leadership. Trump and Netanyahu embody the opposite of the leadership required during difficult times - competent leadership which has a complex vision of reality, which points to milestones in bleak situations and which is honest and trustworthy. It is that type of leadership that Roosevelt talked about in that famous speech: "In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days." There are many ways to say hello. Along the dirt roads of Kenya, people greet one another with hodi. Deep in the mountains of Turkey, locals welcome you into their home by saying merhaba. In Baku, Azerbaijan, you will hear exchanges of salaam while wandering through the medieval walled city. Traveling west on the volcanic islands of Indonesia, halo is the polite custom to recognize a friend. The sheer number of languages and unique cultures across the globe is both fascinating, and remarkable. Our world is growing and evolving rapidly in the 21st century. Advancements in technology and transportation allow us to connect instantly with anyone on any continent. From commerce and trade to foreign relations and higher education, the need to communicate across borders has never been more important. Young Nebraskans are embracing these demands and taking advantage of new programs that immerse them in the worlds languages and cultures. In 2015, four outstanding Nebraska students participated in an initiative known as the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. Sponsored by the State Department, the CLS Program is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Students who are accepted to this prestigious program spend their summers expanding their horizons by traveling overseas to study a new language. Peter Oster, a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, lived in Russia for a summer. Kyle Rohrich, a native of Pierce and a student at Tufts University, studied two hours west of Peter in Vladimir, Russia. Sandra Adams of Omaha spent her summer in Gwangju, South Korea. She is currently an undergraduate at William Jewell College in Missouri. Another Nebraskan, Marguerite Wedeman, lived in a city called Dalian on the coast of China during a summer away from George Washington University. Each of these Nebraskans lived with host families in their respective countries. This experience allowed them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Peter, Kyle, Sandra, and Marguerite were able to engage in an incredible cultural exchange and improve their language skills. They also served as strong representatives on behalf of Nebraska and the United States. The State Department launched the CLS Program in 2006 as part of a new initiative to encourage more Americans to learn foreign languages and build relationships between the United States and other countries. Nebraska began sending representatives to the program in 2007. Today, the program has grown to include over a dozen countries throughout Asia, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Todays young men and women are the leaders of tomorrow. They are future entrepreneurs, public servants, and community leaders. Through the CLS Program, American students are given the opportunity to take their skills and learn to compete in the global workforce. Successful candidates must also demonstrate how they will apply their skills into future academic or professional careers. Many past participants are now thriving with vocations in diplomacy, academia, business, and other exciting fields. The CLS Program breaks down every barrier outside the classroom. Young students from across our country are finding themselves surrounded in cultures they have only read about or viewed on a movie screen. It takes great courage and determination to travel so far from home, and Im proud to see this dedication grow in our young Nebraskans. While our nation faces many challenges, we can take heart in the motivation of future generations. Initiatives like the CLS Program are providing Americans with both experiences and opportunities that will make our country better prepared for the road ahead. Due in large part to young people who want to learn about, and engage in, the world around us, our best days are still ahead. If you or someone you know is interested in programs like this, I encourage you to research it online and consider applying. There is a whole world waiting to say hello. Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. Domains latest Rental Report, which covers the March quarter, paints a relatively positive picture of the rental market, with a continued rise in rents predicted. Despite the recent influx of home building, we can expect to see upward pressure on both house and unit rents in most capital cities continuing in the foreseeable future, Domain Group senior economist Andrew Wilson said. But analysis by CoreLogic RP Data isnt quite as upbeat, with its March Rental Review up a number of concerns for the market. According to CoreLogics findings, rents across the combined capital cities increased by just 0.2% during the month and fell by 0.2% in the 12 months to March, the first annual fall in rents on record. We have been tracking the annual change in capital city rents since 1996 and this is the first time we have seen rental rates falling, CoreLogic RP Data research analyst Cameron Kusher said. The extra accommodation supply, as a result of the current building boom, along with the recent record high levels of investment purchasing is adding substantial new dwelling supply to the rental market at a time when the rate of population growth is slowing from quarter to quarter. Furthermore, wages are increasing at their slowest annual pace, Kusher said. According to CoreLogic, the median combined capital weekly rent in March was $489 for a house and $469 for a unit. Those figures mean that during March house rents rose 0.1% while unit rents increased 0.4%. The past 12 months have also shown a difference in fortune for the house and unit markets, with CoreLogics figures showing a 0.5% fall in house rents in the year to march, while unit rents rose 1.5% over the same time. Over the year, Melbourne recorded the biggest increase in rents at 2.0% followed by Sydney at 1.4%, Canberra at 1.2% and Hobart at 0.3%. On the flipside, the cities to see a drop in rents included Darwin at 11.5%, Perth at 8.4 %, Adelaide at 1.0%, and Brisbane at 0.7% drop. Source: CoreLogic RP Data With the current residential construction boom still wagging its tail, Kusher said landlords shouldnt expect to be able to increase rents anytime soon. [The] results also highlight a swift easing in rental market conditions over the past year. Weve attributed this ease to a variety of influences such as falling real wages, excess rental supply in certain areas and lower rates of population growth which have impacted on demand for rental accommodation. With dwelling approvals recently at record highs, construction activity set to peak over the next 24 months and many new properties still to settle, the rental demand weakness is expected to persist. In all probability, there wont be much scope for landlords to lift rental rates given current conditions have given greater negotiation opportunities to those in rental situation. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said all political parties were together on imposition of a total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar, put into action after in-depth study of prohibition in various states. Kumar, who had announced a total ban on liquor, country and spiced as well Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, in the state after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said all political parties were together on prohibition. Kumar said efforts on imposition of liquor ban have been made from time to time. "Mahatama Gandhi, Jayprakash Narayan, Karpoori Thakur and Morarji Desai were in favour of prohibition and made attempts for it," he said. "We have implemented total ban on liquor only after studying different aspects and experiences of varied states," he said. He laughed away media reports that said Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor was against liquor ban, and because of which, Kapoor said, he would not come to Bihar. "It seems as if he used to come every now and then to Bihar before prohibition," Kumar told reporters, dismissing criticism from the actor without taking his name. The Bihar CM did not give much importance to criticism that prohibition would entail loss to state exchequer. "But, this is not a moral trade. Alcohol is not good for health," he said. "The money saved due to ban on liquor would be spent on other sectors like health, education and nutrition which would improve market economy of Bihar," he said. Heralding the decision to declare Bihar a dry-state, Kumar said an environment was being created for social change. "The success of ban on booze would spread as 'Jan Andolan' (mass movement) across the country. Encouring messages have been received from different areas on prohibition in Bihar," he said. In reply to a question on drought, Kumar said there was an "alarming" situation in the country. Water table was going down in Bihar too due to inadequate rainfall, he added. Aizawl: Grinder Muivah, the nephew of NSCN (I-M) General Secretary Th. Muivah, who died of stroke in Delhi yesterday, was an important go-between in the talks between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M). Grinder Muivah, who had been arrested in 2000 in Kolkata on the charge that he attempted hijacking an Indian Airlines aircraft operating between Aizawl and Kolkata, was later found not guilty and discharged by a court. Grinder Muivah had returned from Bangkok and put in custody at the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata on March seven, 2000 after his alleged accomplice Ranju Rangan, posing as Director of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation was arrested at the lone Lengpui Airport near Aizawl about a fortnight before Muivah's arrest in Kolkata in 2000. Police had then alleged that the duo was planning to hijack an aircraft to secure the release of the NSCN (I-M) leader, then languishing in a Bangkok jail, a state official said today quoting records. Grinder Muivah was, however, discharged after the charges could not be proved and the court ordered his release. He was instrumental between the peace talks of Centre and NSCN (IM). Canberra: Australia should follow Britain's lead and impose a "sugar tax" in order to curb the skyrocketing number of diabetes cases, a leading health expert said on Thursday. Stephen Colagiuri, a diabetes expert and the only Australian to contribute to the World Health Organization's (WHO) inaugural global report on the disease, said the number of people worldwide who live with diabetes had quadrupled since 1980. According to the report - released on World Health Day - 422 million people worldwide were currently living with the condition, reports Xinhua news agency. Colagiuri said Australia was one of the worst nations for feasting on sugary snacks, something evidenced by the high number of diabetes cases. "We are also regrettably average in the increasing rates of diabetes that we see in Australia," Colagiuri told the Australia Broadcasting Corp (ABC). "And we're fairly high up on the list of countries with regard to overweight and obesity, which is a major driver of diabetes." Colagiuri said government intervention was crucial to getting the message through to Australians that too much sugar can have negative effects on the human body. He said a "sugar tax" - similar to the one enacted by the British government last month - was one way the government could tackle the problem and discourage Australians from seeking out sugary foods. "A sugar tax will clearly not be the only solution to the problem, but there has never been a successful public health intervention which has not involved some form of legislation and regulation, and leaving the changes to be made on a voluntary basis simply doesn't work," he said. World Health Day is a global health awareness day held every April 7. London: Britain's National Health Service (NHS) plans to bring in general practitioners (GPs) from India to tackle a shortage of the health professionals in the UK. Health Education England (HEE) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Apollo Hospitals in India last year which is to lead to the transfer of around 400 GPs to England, it emerged today. "England and India have signed a memorandum of understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas. The details of the MoU are still in discussion once we have further confirmed information we will share with you," an HEE statement said. However, according to GP magazine 'Pulse', the move is directed at meeting the government pledge to recruit 5,000 extra GPs by 2020. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association's General Practitioners Committee chair, said: "Doctors from overseas have always provided a valuable contribution to this country's health system, especially as they undergo a rigorous assessment process to ensure they have the right skills for the NHS. "However, it is clearly an admission of failure that the government seems to have launched a new recruitment scheme overseas to plug what is clearly a widening gap in the number of home-grown GPs in our workforce." In a statement, Apollo Hospitals said the MoU would involve an exchange of clinical staff. It said: "We have signed this Memorandum of Understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas and clinical staff in improving the education and training of healthcare staff and therefore the quality of care provided to patients. "These are initial discussions but we look forward to announcing the outcomes of this work over the coming months and years as it progresses." New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over handling of Pakistan policy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the announcement by Abdul Basit is a slap on India's face. Within hours after Basit's statement, Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote, Today's announcements by Pakistan are a slap on India's face, thanks to our PM. Todays announcements by Pak are a slap on India's face, thanks to our PM Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 7, 2016 A couple of days ago, Kejriwal had addressed a press conference wherein he had said that PM Modi's "invitation" to Pakistani JIT, which included an ISI official, amounted to giving a "clean chit" to the spy agency for the Pathankot attack and demanded that he tender an "apology" for the "monumental" foreign policy failure. He had alleged that Modi had entered into a deal with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his Lahore visit in December last year, and sought to know its details "in the country's interest". "The Prime Minister called over ISI officials despite being aware that it was behind the Pathankot terror attack which amounted to a clean chit. Now the JIT has reportedly claimed that India had itself staged the attack. No prime minister has capitulated before Pakistan the way Modi ji has," Kejriwal had said. After such an "abject surrender", who will believe India's long-held position that the Pakistani spy agency is behind terror strikes in India. "It's a monumental foreign policy failure," the AAP chief had said. "But what is the reason behind this failure? The country wants to know about the deal struck between Modi ji and Sharif. The country is being sold. The Prime Minister should apologise to the people of the country," he had added. During an event at the Foreign Correspondents club in the national capital today, Basit had said that the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended. New Delhi: In a strong reaction to Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit's statement over Indo-Pak peace process, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday said that he should go back now. Speaking to ANI, Swamy said, We must ask Abdul Basit to go home and call our ambassador back from Pakistan. During an event at the Foreign Correspondents club in the national capital today, Basit had said that the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended. As far as I know there is no meeting scheduled between two foreign secretaries (India-Pak) yet. Lets see if we are able to commence the dialogue process (Indo-Pak)," Pakistan High Commissioner said. "There shouldnt be any doubt that Pak wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India. However, there is no shortcut to achieving a lasting peace. Nor does cherry-picking work. What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively, and meaningfully," he said, adding, "We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize it. They are bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities on basis of sovereign equality and mutual interest. There is national consensus on this in Pakistan." New Delhi: Congress Thursday came down hard on Pakistan for its "unilateral suspension" of peace process, and hoped NDA government has learnt the lesson and will refrain from "unthought, unconsulted" diplomatic moves aimed at building Prime Minister Narendra Modi's persona. "Pakistan's unilateral suspension of peace process is extremely unfortunate. It is also a grim reminder of how Pakistan time and again has betrayed the peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiations," party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. He hoped that BJP Govt has learnt their lesson and will "refrained from unthought, unconsulted diplomatic moves" purely aimed at building Modi's "larger than life persona at the cost of compromising our nation's safety and security." At the same time, Surjewala said Congress stood with all Indians in condemning Pakistan's skewed move to undo the peace process. Another party spokesman Manish Tewari said the government has itself to blame for the development. "The Government of India has no one but itself to blame for this unfortunate development. Prime Minister Modi's flip flops, U-turns and somersaults over the past 22 months have allowed the Pakistani deep state i.E GHQ-ISI-terror groups orchestra to run circles around India." "We do hope that this government realizes that diplomacy is not done on the fly by the seat of their pants. Government needs to introspect their failures in retrospect", he added. The sharp reaction from the Congress came close on the heels of Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's remarks that at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended". Kathmandu: India on Thursday said Begum Hazrat Mahal, who had rebelled against British colonial rule in the country in 1857-58, will always be remembered for her contribution in India's freedom struggle and described her as a "source of inspiration". Recalling Begum's contributions towards the freedom movement of India, India's Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae laid a wreath on her tomb to commemorate her 137th death anniversary here. "We must remember her with great honour as she has been a source of inspiration for us all," Rae said. Begum of Awadh and the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, who was one of the heroes of freedom struggle of 1857, died on April 7, 1879 during her refuge in Nepal. Noting that Mahal was one of the freedom fighters of the first freedom movement of India, Rae said she had always been remembered for her contributions in India's freedom struggle. He also offered to provide necessary assistance to protect and preserve one and a half century old Hazrat Mahal tomb located in the heart of Kathmandu. "Hazrat Mahal has been a symbol of age old tie between Nepal and India," Rae said. Begum fiercely fought the British East India Company during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, with the help of her commander Raja Jailal Singh. When her forces regained power of Lucknow for a brief stint, her son Brijis Qadra was declared ruler of Awadh. When the forces under the command of the British re-captured Lucknow and most of Awadh, she was forced to retreat. She then took refuge in Kathmandu along with 10-year-old Qadr and some other loyal supporters. Begum's rebellion was ignited by the demolition of temples and mosques by the East India Company to make way for roads. New Delhi: India on Thursday said the visit of the Pakistani joint investigation team (JIT) probing the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase was on a reciprocity basis after Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit claimed to the contrary. We have seen comments by the Pakistani high commissioner on the visit of the JIT team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase that have reference to reciprocity, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry would like to clarify that on March 26, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian high commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani foreign ministry that the terms of reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions', it said. Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016, it added. After a team of Pakistani officials visited Pathankot to probe Indian charges that Pakistani terrorists were to blame for the terror attack, New Delhi had expected Islamabad to allow a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to visit that country to take the investigation forward. But, addressing a press conference here, Basit ruled out the possibility. "The investigation is not about reciprocity," he said. Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Basit said, "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended. In this connection, the External Affairs Ministry, in its statement, referred to the response of the Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman to a question in his press conference on Thursday in which he said, "Your question implies whether the foreign secretary level talks will take place or not. I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian foreign secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place. Foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries scheduled for the middle of January this year, were derailed following the January 2 cross-border attack on the Pathankot Indian Air Force base in which seven Indian security personnel were killed. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack in which the six attackers were also reportedly killed. With Agency inputs Delhi: Introducing a fresh chill in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan on Thursday said the bilateral peace process stands 'suspended' and indicated that NIA team may not be allowed to visit Islamabad for the Pathankot attack probe. It also accused India of creating unrest in its territory. "I think at present, the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended", Basit said, adding, "As far as I know there is no meeting scheduled between two foreign secretaries (India-Pak) yet." "Lets see if we are able to commence the dialogue process (Indo-Pak)," Pakistan High Commissioner added. At the same time he also denied possibility of NIA team's visit to Pakistan. "Not about reciprocity but co-operation of our two countries. Personally feel that this whole investigation isn't about reciprocity, but about extending co-op to get to the bottom on this," Basit said when asked if NIA team will be allowed to visit Pakistan. "There shouldnt be any doubt that Pak wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India. However, there is no shortcut to achieving a lasting peace. Nor does cherry-picking work. What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively, and meaningfully," he said, adding, "We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize it. They are bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities on basis of sovereign equality and mutual interest. There is national consensus on this in Pakistan." "We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize the country, The recent arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along. They're bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities ," the Pakistani envoy alleged. "In the last one month, our authorities have arrested scores of terror operatives with foreign linkages. The presence of such elements is quite disturbing to say the least," Basit added. On Yadav, he said, "Indian request is under consideration, but can't say when they would be given consular access." "It is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues. Therefore, its fair and just resolution, as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, is imperative. Attempts to put it on the back burner will be counterproductive," Basit maintained. "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly believes in enhancing regional cooperation and connectivity. However, a strong regional cooperative structure cannot be built on unpredictable bilateral relations. We need to move on all fronts simultaneously if we are to benefit from the opportunities unleashed by globalization," he pointed out. "19th SAARC Summit will be held in Islamabad in November this year. We sincerely hope the Summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and win-win situations," he said. Talking about Pakistan, he said, "Let me conclude by saying that Pakistan straddles South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia. Our country is therefore destined to become a regional economic hub. And the world will see this happening sooner than later." Basit was speaking at Foreign Correspondents club in the national capital. A Pakistani commentator said on TV later that Basit was speaking for Pakistan, a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of National Security Council attended by the chiefs of armed forces, as per PTI. Countering the Pakistan High Commissioner's assertion that the visit by Pakistani JIT was not on reciprocity, India today said before the team's visit here, both sides had agreed that it would be on the basis of reciprocity. "We have seen comments by the Pakistani High Commissioner on the visit of the JIT Team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Base that have reference to reciprocity. MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry that the Terms of Reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions'. Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016," External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup said, as per PTI. Reacting on the development, Congress' Manish Tewari said to a TV channel, "It is major diplomatic incident and embarrassment for government of India." He also said, "There is a need for PM and BJP to get off the high horse of jingoism and introspect on foreign policy for Pakistan," as per ANI. "If government expected JIT to validate Pakistan's involvement in Pathankot attack then they were being imbeciles," Tewari added. On the other hand, Delhi CM Tweeted: "Todays announcements by Pak are a slap on India's face, thanks to our PM." Another Congress leader and party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Pakistan's unilateral suspension of peace process is extremely unfortunate. It is also a grim reminder of how Pakistan time and again has betrayed the peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiations." He hoped that BJP government has learnt their lesson and will "refrained from unthought, unconsulted diplomatic moves" purely aimed at building Modi's "larger than life persona at the cost of compromising our nation's safety and security." At the same time, Surjewala said Congress stood with all Indians in condemning Pakistan's skewed move to undo the peace process. Meanwhile, BJP's Subramanian Swamy said, "Abdul Basit should be told to go back home. Also, our ambassador in Pakistan should be called back to India." (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday greeted the people on 'Navreh' and 'Gudi Padava' festivals on Friday and wished these joyous festivities reinforce the message of fundamental unity in the vast and diverse nation. Mukherjee extended greetings and good wishes to the people on the festivals of Navreh, Gudi Padava, Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Chetti Chand and Sajibu Cheiraoba which mark beginning of new year in different parts of the country. "These traditional festivals mark the advent of spring and the new year. They represent the multi-hued cultural heritage of our country. May the joyous festivities usher in prosperity and reinforce the message of fundamental unity of our vast and diverse nation," the President said. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise the issue of China blocking India's bid to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar by the UN with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, whom she will be meeting on the sidelines of a trilateral in Moscow on April 18. A day after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the Chinese action at the UN was raised at "fairly high level", MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup today said, India was in constant touch with China on the matter and further action will depend on the outcome of "conversations" between the two countries. Announcing Swaraj's visit to Moscow to attend Russia- India-China (RIC) trilateral, Swarup said during her stay, the minister will hold bilateral meetings with senior Russian ministers and Yi to take stock of the issues of mutual interest. Asked if Swaraj will raise the issue of Masood with Yi, the Spokesperson said,"all issues of mutual concerns and interests will be discussed." Asked about India's future course of action viz-a-viz China, which has once again blocked India's attempt at the UN to get Pathankot terror attack mastermind Azhar banned, Swarup said,"Our Position on this issue has been stated very clearly that there cannot be different standards to judge terrorism. "This point is known to China, especially in the context of China's oft-repeated concern on spread of terrorism and their desire to cooperate with us on counter-terrorism. This issue will be dealt with in the UN context. We are in constant touch with China on the matter." He also said India has raised the issue at "high diplomatic level and our conversations with Chinese on this issue are ongoing and further action will depend on the outcome of these conversations." Last week, China stopped UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case "did not meet the requirements" of the Security Council. This is not the first time China has blocked India's bid to get Pakistan-based militant groups and leaders proscribed by the UN. The UN had banned the JeM in 2001 but India's efforts for slapping sanctions on Azhar after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack also did not fructify as China, that has veto powers, did not allow it apparently at the behest of Pakistan again. Last July, China had similarly halted India's move in the UN to take action against Pakistan for its release of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, saying its stand was "based on facts and in the spirit of objectiveness and fairness" with Beijing again claiming at the time that it was in touch with New Delhi. Swaraj will be embarking on a two-nation visit from April 16 when she will travel to Iran for a Joint Commission meeting and from there she will fly to Russia for the trilateral. Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered a magisterial probe into the unrest in the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar, even as the police have registered two FIRs regarding the violence in the campus. "The magisterial probe will be carried out by additional district development commissioner Srinagar who will submit his report to the government within 15 days," IANS quoted Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who arrived here on Thursday morning from Jammu, as saying. The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup, PTI reported. The police has invoked sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (mischief), 336 (endangering life of others) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for the clashes between local and outstation students that took place on Friday, a police official said. In the second FIR registered on April 5, the police, besides slapping the charges of the previous FIR, has added sections 353 (assault on public servant) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). While no one has been named in the two FIRs yet, the official said police is investigating the video evidence of the violence that took place on the days of incidents. Police also released video clippings showing non-local students attacking the cops with stones and damaging property at the campus. The video, shot on Tuesday when trouble restarted in the campus, shows a large number of non-local students protesting against the NIT administration and trying to march towards the main gate of the campus. The students, some of them masked, are seen carrying iron rods and stones. Some of the students threw stones at Jammu and Kashmir Police and many buildings of the campus resulting in damage to many window panes. They are also seen vandalizing the property at the campus, including damaging a private car of an administrative official. The security forces then resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students. Meanwhile, a group of non-local girl students today said their fight was against the administration and the issue should not be given a political or religious colour. "Our issue was not to incite the tempers. We all want justice. We are just fighting against our administration and we are not fighting on religious issues. So please don't make it a religious issue," said a girl student at the NIT in a video message. "We neither want a temple to be built here nor do we want to demolish a mosque. We only want justice on what happened to our friends and don't make it a political or religious issue," said another girl said in the video. They said the non-local students were not against the local students but wanted justice for their friends who, they alleged, were beaten by the police on Tuesday. "They (the administration) is saying (that) the situation is normal. Only 10 per cent of the students are going to the classes and 90 per cent are boycotting. Is this situation called normal? We are not against the locals, we are really not against them. "All we want is the justice for our friends who were brutally beaten by the police," the girl said. For the third day on Thursday, protests by outstation students continued at the NIT. Some outstation students staged a protest march within the campus demanding shifting of the institute from Kashmir besides action against policemen involved in lathicharge on them on Tuesday. The protesters, who included girl students, were chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", officials said. As tension prevailed, state police chief K Rajendra Kumar visited the campus to take stock of the situation. Outstation students have accused some faculty members of harassment and demanded their resignation so that "they do not play with any student's career". Faculty members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked at the allegations levelled against them. "The allegations are shocking. Just check the records and you will see outstation students have been doing better at examinations. If anything, we have been generous with them," a faculty member said. He, however, said the faculty will not compromise on the standards of this prestigious institute. "We cannot pass even those who are mediocre in studies. The minimum standards have to be upheld," he said. The Union HRD Ministry, which rushed three-member team of officials here yesterday, said students will have an option to appear for the exams later. The exams are beginning on April 11 and will be held as scheduled, officials said. Meanwhile, the state government today ordered a time-bound magisterial inquiry into the clashes that have taken place at the campus. (With agency inputs) Agra: In yet another incident of high-handedness by those in power, a poor man was allegedly beaten and made to drink urine by a Samajwadi party leader and his aides in Agra. As per a report in The Times of India, SP leader Muslim Khan Tekedar along with his father Hazi Punni thrashed one Nirotam Singh Baghel and urinated in his mouth over a minor altercation. The victim says that he was subjected to violence without any provocation while the SP leader insists that Bhaghel was drunk and had abused his father who is mentally unsound. The TOI quotes Baghel as saying, "I was heading for home, when Hazi Punni without any provocation abused me. I had merely asked him to give me side. Later infuriated Punni called his son and other relatives and thrashed. Not satisfied even after the assault, Muslim Khan and his aides such as Aslam, Muvin and three other men urinated on my mouth." The newspaper also quoted Muslim Khan Tekedar. "Baghel was heavily drunk and was abusing my old-aged father who is mentally unsound. Infuriated over his act, I did assault Baghel but never urinated on him. I'm human and no matter how much hatred or anger I have for a wrongdoer, but I will not disrespect man by doing inhuman act," he said. Muslim Khan went on to blame the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of instigating Bhagel to give a wrong statement against him. The police is probing the case, no arrests have been made yet. Lucknow: Distributing gifts at a Holi function has landed Uttar Pradeshs minister of state for religious affairs Vijay Kumar Mishra into trouble. The minister had gone to attend an event organised by Rajya Sanyukt Karmachari Parishad, a government employees union at Ghazipur. In the event he gave away prizes to 10 employees who were selected through a lottery. However, what turned out to be shocking for everyone, were the items kept inside the gifts. As the men in the all-male gathering unwrapped the gifts they found women's cosmetics and lingerie in them. As per a Hindustan Times report, some of the men began throwing the items inside the gift pack - lipstick, bindi, mascara and lingerie - at their colleagues. Some also recorded video of the whole act. This did not go down well with many women's rights activists who later condemned the act. The Opposition too did not lose the opportunity and attacked Mishra. The act was disrespectful towards women and the state government should immediately seek the ministers resignation, BJPs media in charge for eastern UP Sanjay Bhardwaj was quoted as saying by HT. Meanwhile, defending himself on the issue, Mishra claimed that he had received the invitation to be the chief guest and was unaware about the items kept inside the gifts. Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has claimed that NIA official Tanzil Ahmed was shot dead last week over a "personal animosity arising out of a property dispute". A senior police official told IANS that while the matter is still being probed, they have zeroed in on the personal angle as the motive behind the high-profile murder. Of the two people police have detained, one is a former student of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) while the other is a sharp shooter and a contract killer. Sources said Tanzil Ahmed was killed owing to a dispute over a shop in New Delhi. "A villager of Tanzil Ahmed's native place had given the contract to kill him," the sources added while pointing out that the former AMU student Muneer is from Bijnor. The Pulsar bike, allegedly used by the assassins during the killing has also been recovered from Bareilly. Senior official Deepak Ratan, who is in-charge IG of Law and Order however said that "there were some crucial leads based on which the line of action is being decided." He also added that for now all angles were being explored. The NIA official was shot 21 times when he was driving back home from a family wedding in Bijnor on Sunday. While he died on the spot, his two children survived the attack and his wife, who sustained four gun shot wounds, is admitted to a Noida hospital, where her condition continues to be critical. Initially, it was believed that the killing had a terror angle as Tanzil Ahmed was involved in some sensitive cases, including the Pathankot terror attack probe. Dehradun: In a tough message, the Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday asked the Centre not to take any action regarding the political crisis in the state, otherwise it would be forced to pass an order to protect the litigant in the case. While hearing former chief minister Harish Rawat's appeal challenging the Centre's recommendation for imposition of President's Rule in the state, a bench of Chief Justice Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bisht cautioned the Centre against any hanky-panky before April 18. The High Court warned the Central government, saying that it can revoke the President's rule in Uttarakhand. The crisis in the hill state erupted on March 18 when nine Congress MLAs rebelled against the Rawat government, resulting in a flip-flop in the passage of the Appropriation Bill. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met Governor KK Paul on the same day and staked claim to form a government. However, the Centre imposed President's Rule last Sunday, a day before Rawat was supposed to take the floor test in the Assembly. Narayangarh (WB: One of the main architects of Congress-Left alliance in Bengal, CPI(M) state secretary and Opposition leader Surya Kanta Mishra, is likely to face a tough challenge in his own backyard at Narayangarh in West Midnapore district. A doctor by training, Mishra, locally known as "daktar Babu", is a five-time MLA from Narayangarh since 1991. The CPI(M) had wrested the seat in 1982 from the Congress in alliance with which it is fighting the poll this time. Fighting as an alliance candidate, Mishra is facing a tough challenge from TMC candidate Pradyut Ghosh. BJP candidate Krishna Prasad Roy and SUCI(C) candidate Surya Pradhan are also in the fray from the constituency which has 220190 voters. Mishra, the second CPI(M) leader after Jyoti Basu to contest an election while holding the post of CPI(M) state secretary, is confident of his victory from this semi-rural seat. "The people have united and forged an alliance and if the people are allowed to vote freely and fairly, Bengal will witness a new government after May 19. The people will resist and defeat the TMC which has unleashed a reign of terror and throttled democracy," Mishra told PTI. TMC, on the other hand, is banking on the development work that was done by the Mamata Banerjee government in last five years. The Trinamool Congress is highlighting various social security projects such as 'Kanyashree? (aimed at stopping early marriages of minor girls and inspiring them to complete school education) and 'Khadya Sathi' (providing subsidized food grain at Rs 2 a KG to a large section of the population), besides scholarships, bicycles for students. "What has Dr Mishra done for Narayangarh in last 30 years? He was even health minister during the Left Front government. People of Narayangarh wanted a super specialty hospital in Belda, but Mishra has never bothered about it," TMC candidate Pardyut Ghosh said. Ghosh continued, "After TMC came to power we have built several new hospitals in West Midnapore district. And if I become an MLA I will ensure that a super specialty hospital come up in Belda for the people here." Dhaka: A Bangladeshi man, who languished in Pakistani prisons for 15 years as a suspected "Indian spy", died today four years after his return to the country. Moslemuddin Sarkar, 50, died after suffering from diabetes and kidney failure. "He returned home with a broken health four years ago... he eventually died today at his village home as he was suffering from multiple complications including diabetics and renal problems which he developed during his imprisonment in Pakistan," Sarkar's nephew Abdullah Al Mamun told PTI. Sarkar left home at the age in 1989 and went to India and then to Pakistan without a passport. He was detained by Pakistani authorities from near the Indian border six years later when he was returning home, Mamun said. "They (Pakistanis) suspected him as an Indian spy and in the subsequent 15 years he languished in prisons there until the Red Cross intervened," Mamun said. For 23 years, Mamun said, Sarkar's family in a village in northern Mymensingh district knew nothing about his whereabouts. They thought he was dead. But one day they received a letter from Sarkar in which he informed them that he was in a Pakistani jail. "We then sought Red Cross assistance and with their intervention he was freed and returned home... But it took over a month for him regain his Bengali accent as he was almost forgot his mother tongue while in captivity, but he could not regain his health," Mamun said. After his return from Pakistan in 2012, Sarkar had said he spent 15 years in prison in various jails of Pakistan. He had said he first crossed into India, touring New Delhi, Assam and Meghalaya and then preferred to visit Pakistan in search of work. Copenhagen: Danish police said they had arrested four people on Thursday suspected of having been recruited by Islamic State (IS) to commit terrorist violence, and two others of breaking Danish weapons law. Police said in a statement the four had been indicted for "having violated the penal code ... by allowing themselves to be recruited by IS in Syria to commit terrorist acts". Later on Thursday police arrested two people they believe could be linked to ammunition and weapons found during a search carried out in connection with the earlier detention of the four. The two will be indicted for breaking Danish weapons law, Copenhagen Police said in a statement. Neighbouring Sweden on Thursday charged a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden. The Danish arrests were part of a joint effort by police and the intelligence service PET to combat the enlisting of people by terrorist groups in war-torn areas of Syria and northern Iraq, police said. The police would not provide more details on the identities of the six, or the charges against them. They will appear before a judge for preliminary hearings on Friday. The prosecution had requested that Friday`s hearing for the four suspected IS recruits be closed to the public, police said. More than 125 people are believed to have joined IS after going to Syria and Iraq from Denmark, PET said in October, adding that at least 27 had died there. "We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq may pose a specific security threat against Denmark," Justice Minister Soren Pind said in statement shortly after the arrests. Only one person, a 23-year-old, has previously been charged under the same section of the Danish penal code with being recruited for terrorist acts. He was charged in December and his trial is expected to begin in May. Danish authorities have been on high alert since two people were killed in shooting attacks at a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen in February last year. Islamic State claimed responsibility for suicide bomb attacks that killed 32 people in Brussels last month and attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people. The Hague: Dutch voters Wednesday rejected a key European pact with Ukraine in a people`s referendum seen as a barometer of anti-EU feeling, media predictions said, dealing an embarrassing blow to the government. In a result swiftly hailed by eurosceptic groups, the Dutch news agency ANP said that with 99.8 percent of the votes counted the "No" camp had won the day with 61.1 percent. Only 38 percent voted in favour of the two-year-old treaty with Kiev. After initial doubts, ANP also projected that 32.2 percent of the electorate had turned out, meaning the ballot is valid and must be considered by the coalition government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. "It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with the Ukraine. The beginning of the end of the EU," far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders crowed late Wednesday. Voters were asked if they supported the European Union`s association agreement with Ukraine, which aims to foster better trade relations with the war-torn country and former Soviet satellite. But organisers admitted the non-binding ballot was essentially about pushing a broader anti-EU agenda -- humiliating at the very time that the Netherlands holds the rotating EU presidency. The vote was being closely watched by Europe and Moscow, and could prove an important yardstick only months ahead of Britain`s "Brexit" referendum in June.The Dutch "No" may pose a major headache for the European Union as it also gears up for the ramifications of a possible British exit from the bloc. The Netherlands is now the only member in the 28-nation EU not to have ratified the Ukraine accord which has already been given the thumbs up by both the upper and lower houses of the Dutch parliament. Rutte agreed "the `no` camp won convincingly". And he was forced to concede that "if the turnout is above the (30 percent) margin then this accord cannot be ratified as is." He had earlier urged voters to vote in favour of the pact with Kiev saying "we have to help Ukraine build up a judicial state and its democracy." "Europe needs more stability at its edges." It remains unclear what will happen next, with Rutte vowing a "step-by-step" approach in full consultation with the government and Brussels. Official full results are only due on April 12. The vote is non-binding. But it could mean that the coalition government -- already under fire due to the refugee crisis -- will seek to opt out of certain provisions of the EU-Ukraine deal to satisfy the voters. It could also boost Wilders`s Freedom Party (PVV) which is already riding high in the polls due to his stand against migrants.The leaders of the Netherlands` six largest parties all agreed Wednesday the country could not just ratify the agreement with Ukraine. "The accord cannot just be ratified. We have to take into account this `no` vote," said Diederik Samsom, the Labour Party leader which is Rutte`s junior ruling coalition partner. The "No" camp had highlighted concerns about corruption in Ukraine, and continuing separatist unrest in the east, among reasons to refuse closer ties with Kiev. Ukraine, where a Moscow-backed president who rejected the cooperation deal was ousted in 2014, had actively campaigned for a "yes" vote But the message appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. "I voted against because I don`t think the accord is a good thing for the Netherlands," said Nik Tam, 65, adding there were already "too many" countries in the EU. Leave EU, one of the main pro-Brexit campaigns, swiftly lay down the gauntlet to EU supporters. "Nobody could accuse the Dutch of not being good Europeans, but they have no willingness to open their borders to more migrants and pick up the tab for Ukraine`s problems, just like most UK voters," said Leave.EU spokesman Brian Monteith. The vote was a signal to the British to follow suit, he said, adding: "The sun is now setting on the European Union." Amman: The first Syrian family to be resettled in the US under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the US. "I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there," al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. "I am ready to integrate in the US and start a new life," he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City last night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the US from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said US Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. "The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number," Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. (AP) The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. To review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. "We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes," she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. Refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. Paris: French lawmakers on Wednesday passed a controversial law that makes it illegal to pay for sex and imposes fines of up to 3,750 euros ($4,270) on prostitutes` clients. Around 60 sex workers staged a noisy protest outside parliament during the final debate on the bill that will affect the livelihoods of at least 30,000 prostitutes in France, four in five of whom are foreign. Some carried a banner reading "Don`t liberate me, I`ll take care of myself!", while another poster read, in English, "Sex work is work". Backed by the Socialist government, the legislation has been nearly two and a half years in the making. All European countries penalise pimping, but France will become only the fifth to punish the clients of prostitutes, along with Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Britain. Sweden in 1999 became the first country in the world to make it illegal to pay for sex, in a bid to lower demand. In France, predominantly right-wing senators have opposed the ban on paying for sex, which will be punishable by a 1,500-euro fine for first offenders, increasing to 3,750 euros for repeat offenders. But after previous debates in both chambers of parliament ended in deadlock, the lower house, dominated by the left, had the final say. The proposal introduced in October 2013 has divided public opinion in France, prompting a group of 343 public figures to issue what they called a "scumbags` manifesto" asserting the right to use prostitutes. The signatories, who included journalists, writers and actors, said they resented being depicted as "perverts or psychopaths" and refused to allow "deputies (to) legislate norms on our desires and our pleasures". Socialist lawmaker Maud Olivier, the architect of the bill, has argued repeatedly that prostitutes should be seen as "victims and no longer as delinquents". The new law will supersede a little enforced 2003 measure penalising the solicitation of clients for sex."This law is essential to ending the idea that it is normal to buy someone`s body," Olivier told AFP. "We will succeed in changing the mentality, but new efforts are needed to raise awareness, to train police officers and magistrates." The new law will also require offenders to take a course to learn about the conditions faced by sex workers. The bill calls for measures -- backed by an annual budget of 4.8 million euros -- to help prostitutes find other jobs and a six-month residency permit for foreign sex workers. The bulk of sex workers in France are from eastern Europe, Africa, China and Latin America. The law will "increase police repression (and) degrade working conditions" a member of the Strass sex workers union said at Wednesday`s protest. Around 20 people held a counter-demonstration nearby waving a banner reading "Prostitution, Just One Option, Abolition". On Tuesday, 13 associations that support prostitutes joined forces to condemn the law which they said threatened the livelihoods of sex workers and was "essentially repressive". "We already see the consequences. Those who can afford to have left for neighbouring countries, while others are looking for... procurers to put them in contact with clients," said Morgane Merteuil, another Strass member said earlier. Critics also point to the difficulty of proving payment for sex, since the money usually changes hands in private. And those who buy sex over the Internet are unlikely to be caught by the new law, experts say. "Dating websites are one of the main ways to connect prostitutes and clients," said sociologist Laurent Melito. "Then people call each other. How are you going to control that?" The kinds of algorithms used to block child pornography and jihadist recruitment cannot be used to combat prostitution because the "risk of error" is too great, communications researcher Olivier Ertzscheid told AFP. Reykjavik: Iceland`s government named a new prime minister and called for early elections in the autumn on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson quit to become the first global politician brought down by the "Panama Papers" leaks. It was unclear whether the naming of Fisheries Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson to head the government or the call for early elections would satisfy the thousands of Icelanders who in street protests this week demanded the government resign immediately for early elections. Gunnlaugsson quit as prime minister on Tuesday after leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm showed his wife owned an offshore company that held millions of dollars in debt from failed Icelandic banks. The government said the decision to hold elections in autumn would give it time to follow through on one of the biggest economic policy changes in decades - the ending of capital controls introduced to rescue the economy from the 2008 financial crisis. Johannsson, who had served also as agriculture minister in the government, told reporters the government would further pursue its big projects of the last three years, the largest being the abolition of capital controls. The opposition has been trying to force a new election with a vote of no confidence in the government, which could lead to a radical political shift. A few thousand demonstrators, though fewer than on Monday, gathered for another evening of protests in front of the parliament building on Wednesday. Protesters, already fed up with the financial and political elite after the 2008 banking crisis wrecked their economy, have gathered the last three nights in the capital Reykjavik, some pelting parliament with yoghurt and eggs. "I feel like I am watching a live show of House of Cards," Erla Gisladottir, a 32-year-old mother on parental leave, said ahead of the government`s decision to call new elections, referring to a television show about political intrigue. Polls show the anti-establishment Pirate Party in the lead if a new election is called in the country of 330,000 people, a result with potentially wider impact across Europe where mainstream political parties are fending off populists. A poll by Icelandic media outlet Visir showed 43 percent of those polled would cast ballots for the Pirate Party if elections were held now, a stunning victory for a group set up by opponents of copyright enforcement rules. The Pirate Party, which campaigns in favour of transparency and direct democracy, has had a small following in several European countries for a few years but has never before come close to political power. The Panama documents revealed that Gunnlaugsson`s wife owned a previously undisclosed firm with what the government says is $4.1 million in claims on the island`s collapsed banks. His opponents have said that represents a conflict of interest, because the government is negotiating the value of such claims. Iceland has struggled to recover from the 2008 collapse of its highly indebted banks, which led to popular protests, the fall of a government and the jailing of many bankers. Many Icelanders still harbour a strong distrust of their leaders. "I`m here for many reasons," said Jon Thor Olafsson, a 33-year-old musician who protested near parliament on Wednesday. "To protest the arrogance of the government in its entirety and a ruined financial system in Iceland - as the outrageous number of Icelanders in the Panama Papers shows." The leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm that specialises in setting up offshore companies were unveiled this week by news organisations around the world, shining a light on the finances of global politicians and public figures. Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought a company called Wintris Inc from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca in late 2007 through the Luxembourg branch of Landsbanki, one of the three Icelandic banks that collapsed in 2008. Court records show Wintris had investments in bonds in all three of those banks, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which coordinated the leaks investigation. It said Gunnlaugsson sold his 50 percent share in Wintris to his wife for $1 on Dec 31, 2009, the year he entered parliament, and violated Iceland`s ethics rules by failing to disclose it. In a Facebook post on March 15, his wife Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir said she was the sole owner of Wintris`s assets, and that her husband had been listed as co-owner due to a mistake by the bank, which she said was corrected in 2009. The money came from the sale of her share in her family`s business, she said. Gunnlaugsson has said his wife`s assets were taxed in Iceland. The estates of the failed banks agreed with Iceland`s central bank and finance ministry late last year on how to wind down their business ahead of lifting Iceland`s capital controls. Glitnir said in December it had begun paying creditors, whereas Britain got its final payment from the estate of Landsbanki in January. It was not clear whether Wintris was among those creditors who had been paid. District of Columbia: The number of Islamic State group fighters in Libya has doubled to up to 6,000 in as little as a year, the head of US forces in Africa warned Thursday. Despite the vast increase the IS group is not likely to settle and seize swathes of territory inside Libya, as it has done in Syria and Iraq, said General David Rodriguez, head of the US Africa Command. According to the US intelligence community, about 4,000 to 6,000 IS fighters are now in the country, a number that has doubled in the last 12 to 18 months, Rodriguez said. The Islamic State group has exploited the turmoil in Libya since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi five years ago, raising fears that it is establishing a new stronghold on Europe`s doorstep. But Rodriguez said it is significantly harder for IS extremists to grab large areas of Libya and then consolidate. "It`s possible but right now I am not concerned about it," he said, citing "significantly different conditions" in Libya. Among them is the fact that the IS group does not "have the homegrown people that know as much about Libya like they did in Iraq and Syria," Rodriguez said. And the Libyan people "don`t like external influences." The IS group last year seized control of Kadhafi`s coastal hometown of Sirte and has been fighting to expand to other areas. Rodriguez said that Libyan militias "are contesting the growth of ISIS in several areas across Libya." "In the east, in Benghazi and Derna, they have fought back against the Islamic State and made it much tougher for them to operate." Libya has a new UN-backed unity government, which is being led by Fayez al-Sarraj, who arrived in the capital only a week ago. Libya has had two rival administrations in place since mid-2014 when a militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognized parliament to flee to the country`s east. Any possible international intervention against the IS group in Libya, Rodriguez said, "is going to be driven by their leadership and what they want us to do." Johannesburg: With South African President Jacob Zuma facing growing calls to resign over a series of corruption scandals, attention is turning to one potential contender to succeed him -- his former wife. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 67, is a long-standing heavyweight in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, holding several ministerial positions since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. Confirmation last week that Dlamini-Zuma will not run for re-election as head of the African Union (AU) Commission fuelled rumours that she may position herself for a shot at the top job back home. Her high-profile term running the executive branch of the AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, comes to an end in July after four years in the international spotlight. "There is no doubt that some behind-doors lobbying on her behalf is already underway," Mcebisi Ndletyana, associate professor of political science at the University of Johannesburg, told AFP. After failing in their bid to impeach him this week, Zuma`s opponents now hope to prosecute him on graft charges after he leaves office, and the advantages of having his ex-wife -- with whom he remains on good terms -- succeeding him are clear. "It may provide a bit of comfort, because I don`t think that she would like to see the father of her children jailed," Ndletyana said. But Dlamini-Zuma`s name recognition also presents a dilemma to the ANC, where some factions want a clean break from her ex-husband`s tarnished reign. "Although she is an accomplished politician, those who are opposed to Zuma may not be too happy with another Zuma taking over," Ndletyana said. The ANC normally puts forward its party leader as the presidential candidate, so Dlamini-Zuma would first have to climb her way to the summit of the party in order to succeed. If she does make a bid for power, her big moment would be the ANC`s elective conference next year where the new party president will be chosen and lobbying for positions is likely to be a bruising exercise.Mavuso Msimang, a former senior official under Dlamini-Zuma when she was minister for home affairs, described her as "an extremely intelligent person". "It`s a real possibility that she would become president," Msimang told AFP. He said she should be "considered on the merit of her experience in the ANC" over years of service. "I don`t think she would continue the legacy of her former husband," said Msimang, who added that he was in favour of a female president. A medical doctor by training, Dlamini-Zuma, like her polygamist ex-husband, hails from the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The couple met in exile in Swaziland, during the depths of the apartheid era. In 1972, Dlamini-Zuma became Zuma`s second wife and the couple went on to have four children. They divorced in 1998 but still enjoy good relations, often shaking hands and hugging in public at ANC events or government conferences. Dlamini-Zuma boasts anti-apartheid struggle credentials as an underground member of the ANC when it was still banned. She went on to become democratic South Africa`s first health minister between 1994-1999, appointed by Nelson Mandela. Mandela successor, Thabo Mbeki, put her in charge of foreign affairs, where she worked to implement his much-derided "quiet diplomacy" with neighbouring Zimbabwe as it sank into a deep crisis under President Robert Mugabe. In Zuma`s administration, she served as home minister, where she was credited with limited reforms to a department mired in bureaucracy and corruption before she took the African Union Commission posting in 2012. The soft-spoken Dlamini-Zuma is a loyal ANC member and is seen as relatively scandal-free after being out of domestic politics during the turmoil of recent years. But she appears to lacks the easy charm and common touch that her former husband has used so effectively to shore up support, and she still must overcome widespread prejudice over her gender. The ANC in its 104 years of existence has never had a female leader. In any leadership bid, her main rival will be Zuma`s deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, a business tycoon and former trade unionist who is the second-in-command in the ANC. Zuma`s term as ANC leader is set to end in 2017. Under the constitution he must stand down as state president after serving a maximum two terms that end in 2019. Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian parliamentary inquiry presented on Thursday said a state-owned fund linked to Prime Minister Najib Razak made more than $3 billion in unexplained overseas payments, calling for its former CEO to be investigated. The report by the parliament`s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) marked the first time an official Malaysian probe has suggested misconduct or recommended action over the scandal swirling around Najib. Najib, who founded the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in 2009, has battled for months to fend off allegations that billions of dollars were looted from 1MDB in complex overseas financial transactions. He and 1MDB have consistently denied wrongdoing. But the PAC said more than $3 billion in unapproved payments were made from 1MDB funds, and alleged "restrictions and weaknesses" in 1MDB`s management. "The PAC is of the opinion that the former CEO of 1MDB Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi has to take responsibility for those restrictions and weaknesses," the 106-page report said. "As such, enforcement agencies are asked to investigate Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and anyone else related." Shahrol was 1MDB`s CEO from 2009 to 2013. The report did not make further recommendations on who should be investigated, nor did it allege misconduct by Najib. Najib has faced a cascade of corruption allegations stemming from 1MDB`s troubles and his own admitted acceptance of a mysterious $681 million overseas payment. Swiss authorities have said as much as $4 billion may have been stolen from 1MDB. Authorities in Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere are investigating. Critics have alleged debt-stricken 1MDB, set up to fuel Malaysian development projects, was bled dry in a vast campaign of fraud and embezzlement stretching from the Middle East to the Caymans. The Wall Street Journal, which has detailed many of the money movements, also last year revealed the $681 million payment made to Najib`s bank accounts in 2013. It has said in subsequent reports that he may have received more than $1 billion. Najib has taken steps to scuttle official investigations, purge officials demanding accountability, and stifle media reporting on the scandals. He initially denied taking the $681 million but his government now claims he accepted a "donation" from the Saudi royal family, most of which was given back. Saudi Arabia is yet to confirm that explanation, which is widely dismissed in Malaysia as a cover story. The Journal last week said documents show the same Najib bank accounts were used to purchase $15 million in luxury goods and pay out millions more to political figures ahead of 2013 elections. The newspaper also reported that some of the money used to make Hollywood hit "The Wolf of Wall Street", a movie about financial corruption starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was laundered from 1MDB. Paris: More than 120 countries have said they are ready to sign the UN`s accord to fight global warming, French ecology minister Segolene Royal said Wednesday. Royal said the strength of support meant the climate deal clinched in Paris last year would likely be ratified in New York on April 22. Almost 200 governments reached an agreement in December which set a target of limiting global warming to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. "I fixed an objective... of a hundred signatures and we are now at over 120 signatures," Royal, who took over as head of the COP21 this year, told a press conference in Paris. Garnering a "record number of signatures with such a brief delay... will allow us to begin the ratifications". COP21 is the acronym for the 21st conference of parties to the UN climate arena. The 32-page deal also calls on rich nations to muster at least 100 billion dollars (90 billion euros) a year in climate aid from 2020. Just how that will happen has yet to be worked out. The deal only comes into force, however, if at least 55 countries responsible for at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions ratify the accord. Top emitters the United States and China will be among the nations signing the Paris climate agreement in New York, the White House announced last week. The European Union also agreed to sign last month, and Royal said another key developing country, India, had also agreed. "We have also received commitments from practically all the African countries," she added. Royal, heads the UN`s COP21 climate forum and thus plays a key role in brokering agreements, said that 60 countries would send their head of state to the signing ceremony in New York. Beijing: Sri Lanka is of great importance to China's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean as Pakistan cannot provide a strong foothold due to its "calamitous state" of security, state media here said today, underlining Beijing's concern in this regard for the first time. "Currently, the China-funded constructions in Pakistan cannot serve as a strong foothold for China, given the calamitous state of Pakistan's security," said one of the two articles in the state-run Global Times coinciding with the visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe here. "Sri Lanka can be of great importance for China in the security strategic layout in Indian Ocean. It will not only provide security assurances for nearby navigation channels, but will also promote the 21st Maritime Silk Road," it said. India has not yet endorsed the MSR due to concerns over its potential for China to take dominant role in Indian Ocean. Besides a foothold in Sri Lanka, China looks to gain access to the Indian Ocean through its USD 46 billion economic corridor with Pakistan connecting its Xinjiang with the strategic Gwadar port in Arabian Sea. Gwadar location also provides an opening to the Indian Ocean. Blaming India for stalling of the USD 1.5 billion Colombo Port City project which was kept on hold by the present Maithripala Sirisena government for a year, the report said "apart from partisan politics in Sri Lanka, pressure from India has also been playing a crucial role in suspending the project". "New Delhi is often biased when viewing Chinese investment in South Asia. New Delhi's anxiety stems from its suspicion that China is making an attempt to contain India. Despite the fact that neither Beijing's investment to Sri Lanka nor the latter's economic development will do any harm to India, New Delhi is still obsessed with the idea that China might create a military encirclement around India," it said. "The argument within the country over being pro-India or pro-China might gradually calm down along with Wickramasinghe's China tour," it said. Beirut: Syrian rebels seized control today of the Islamic State group's main supply route to Turkey, a monitor said. "Rebel factions and Islamists took control of the northeast of Al-Rai," a town occupied by IS on the border between Syria and Turkey, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "This is the main and one of the last crossing points with Turkey." Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that rebels entered Al-Rai today following two days of clashes. According to Abdel Rahman, the jihadists still control a crossing point further east, in the town of Halwaniyeh, but "Al-Rai was where they mainly smuggled in jihadists, whereas Halwaniyeh is reserved for top commanders". IS has suffered a string of setbacks in recent months, including the loss of the ancient city of Palmyra, east of Damascus, to pro-regime forces in March. A ceasefire that came into effect on February 27 has drastically reduced violence across Syria, but areas controlled by IS, the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra front, and other jihadist groups were exempt from the truce. Abdel Rahman said that IS had lost control of at least 18 villages in the northern province of Aleppo in recent days. Since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011, thousands of people have gone missing -- many of them arbitrarily arrested by armed forces -- across the country. More than 270,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes. UN-backed peace talks to bring an end to the conflict are set to resume next week in Geneva. Berlin: Two men suspected of links with the Islamic State group and of planning an attack were on Thursday held for questioning in Germany, the public prosecutor said, although no evidence of any "concrete threat" had been found The pair, an Iraqi, 46, and a Nigerian, 29, would be held until Friday when they will either go before a judge or be released, prosecutor`s office spokesman Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said. The men were questioned in southern Bavaria on Thursday afternoon. "From what we know now there is no concrete threat," Bavarian police added in a statement. According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily`s online edition, one of the suspects was arrested in Munich while the other was picked up in Furstenfeldbruck in Bavaria. "The two men... have been identified as possible suspects (likely to commit) an act of serious violence," police added. Although initial investigations failed to establish any imminent threat, police decided to question the men immediately. Searches were carried out but no suspicious items were found, a police spokesman said. Since the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, German authorities have repeatedly said they believe Germany faces the threat of jihadist attacks. London: A British man was removed from a London-bound easyJet plane by police after a fellow passenger complained that she "did not feel safe" with him. Meghary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis, was escorted off the plane, which was travelling from Fiumicino, Rome to Gatwick, London by armed police in a move that left him feeling "violated" and an act of "racial profiling". "I was subjected to further questioning and intimidation by the Italian authorities before being left to sit in the airport for a further 15 or so hours," he was quoted as saying by ITV News. Tesfagiorgis said that the plane was waiting on the tarmac when a member of the cabin crew made an announcement. "After a 20-minute delay the captain explained a technical fault with luggage and informed us that the flight will commence shortly," he said of the incident that took place last week. The cabin crew emerged and asked "Is there a passenger with the last name of Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on board?" "I was then asked to come to the front of the cabin where I was greeted by armed police and was asked to leave the plane by the captain which he was explained that a fellow passenger has stated that she does not feel safe with me on board," he said. "Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was questioned by the authorities as a result of another passenger reporting concerns about his behaviour. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority and airlines have to take any security-related concerns seriously," easyJet said. "easyJet rebooked Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on the next flight from Rome to Gatwick after the authorities confirmed they were satisfied he could travel," they added. London: British Prime Minister David Cameron will urge young Britons on Thursday to make sure they vote in a June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union, warning that leaving the bloc would hit youth voters hardest. With overall public opinion evenly split, youth voters are expected to play an important role in the referendum outcome because polling shows they are generally more pro-European, but less inclined to vote. Cameron, who wants Britain to stay in the 28-country bloc, will speak at the launch of a campaign targeted specifically at young voters. "Get out there. Register. Vote. Tell your parents, grandparents, friends and colleagues: this referendum will really help determine whether your generation is stronger, safer and better off," he will say according to extracts of his speech. Cameron will argue that young people`s job prospects would be disproportionately affected by the economic impact of an EU exit. "Who gets hit hardest by those shocks? Young people," he will say. The rival "Out" campaign dismissed that claim, saying that money sent to Brussels under Britain`s membership terms was adding to the national debt that would have to be paid off by young workers. "The best thing we could do for current and future generations is to take back control and spend our money on our priorities," said Tom Harwood, Chairman of Students for Britain. United Nations: An escalation in fighting in Darfur has forced 138,000 people to flee their homes since mid-January and there is no end in sight to the 13-year conflict in Sudan's largest region, the UN peacekeeping chief has said. Herve Ladsous yesterday painted a grim picture to the UN Security Council of the upsurge in fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra area between Sudanese government forces and rebels loyal to the Sudan Liberation Army's founder Abdul Wahid Elnur. The government has blocked access to the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID and humanitarian organisations, so the number of casualties is unknown, he said. The Security Council briefing follows a report from UN experts monitoring sanctions against Sudan dated mid-December that has been circulated to council members but not released because of Russian objections to some recommendations. The report, obtained by The Associated Press, said armed groups in Darfur are capitalising on gold mined in the region to illicitly raise funds. Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Khartoum is accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes known as the the janjaweed and unleashing them on civilian populations- a charge the government denies. The United Nations says at least 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.6 million have fled their homes. Ladsous, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, said the security situation in other parts of Darfur remains "fragile" with persistent conflicts between local tribes over land, water and other resources. He said the political process remains "polarised" and urged the government and Abdul Wahid to immediately stop fighting in Jebel Marra and start peace negotiations without conditions. "The pursuit of political objectives through military means over the past decade has only contributed to the prolonged suffering of the civilian population," Ladsous said. Despite the "volatile security environment," Ladsous said a referendum is scheduled to take place from April 11-13 on whether Darfur should become a single region or retain the current division into five sub-regions. He cited a controversy over the criteria for voter eligibility and concerns about what some call "the unsuitable timing." Washington: The US has carried out another raid against al Qaeda militants in Syria, on the heels of a strike that killed the spokesman of the group's Syrian branch, the Pentagon has said. "I can confirm that the US struck a vehicle killing several Qaeda militants," said spokesman Matthew Allen. "The results of this strike are still being assessed." The latest strike was carried out in northwestern Syria, according to a Defense department official who asked not to be named. The Washington Post reported the latest raid was late Tuesday. On Monday, the Pentagon said the US military conducted an air raid on an Al-Nusra meeting in northwest Syria the previous day. Qaeda's Syrian affiliate confirmed yesterday the death of its spokesman Abu Firas al-Suri in a US air strike. US strikes on the Al-Nusra Front in Syria have not been very frequent with their raids overwhelmingly targeting the Islamic State group. News of the strikes came as talks in Geneva aimed at ending the conflict loomed on April 11. Syrian peace talks which fail to address the question of President Bashar al-Assad's fate are "doomed to failure", a spokesman for the main opposition grouping involved in negotiations said. Riad Naasan Agha, of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, said that the talks which are set to resume must focus on the future of the Syrian leader. "If negotiations did not address the fate of Assad, it would be a waste of time and doomed to failure," he said late Tuesday at a forum hosted by Al-Jazeera in Qatar. The UN has said the upcoming round of talks will focus on plans for a political transition to lead Syria out of five years of brutal civil war. Caracas: Venezuelan workers will get Fridays off for the next two months as part of an emergency plan to save electricity, the president said. Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves but its economy is a mess, with rampant inflation, shortages of goods as basic as soap and toilet paper and constant blackouts. Now, because of a severe drought that has left levels at hydroelectric dams at extremely low levels, in order save on electricity the government is effectively shutting the labor force down for a three-day weekend, starting this Friday and lasting until June 6. The decision was announced by President Nicolas Maduro in a speech on state TV. He said the country is in dire straits because of low water level in Venezuela's 18 hydroelectric dams. As an example, he cited the Guri dam in southeast Bolivia state. It supplies 70 per cent of the country's electricity. Maduro said its water level is just three centimeters (roughly one inch) above what is considered the critical level. Maduro also ordered state-run industries to cut their electricity consumption by 20 percent, just as he has ordered the government to do. But he stopped short of ordering electricity rationing in the residential sector, which is the largest consumer of electricity in Venezuela, or mandating utility rate hikes. With Iceland's Prime Minister stepping down over revelations of his financial secrets, thanks to the Panama Papers, many assumed that elections couldn't be far behind and if the recent polls could be relied upon, the Icelandic Pirate Party would form the next government. But the former Prime Minister's "resignation" was a bizarre kind of stepping down: Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson is keeping his Parliamentary seat and he's also going to go on running his party, though his deputy will formally have the PM's title. What's more, the Icelandic finance minister, Bjarni Benediktsson who was also implicated in financial wrongdoing in the Panama Papers but has not resigned has called Iceland's opposition "rubbish" and has vowed not to dissolve parliament or call an election. The protests about the Prime Minister's role in the Panama Papers were arguably the largest demonstrations of any kind, in any country, ever (proportionately speaking). The Pirates have introduced a no-confidence vote for Friday'; if the popular resentment doesn't diffuse by then, it's hard to imagine how parliament can last and if they are forced to step down, their defeat will be even more humiliating than a graceful exit might have been, and will have a longer-lasting effect on the party's political future. The Pirates, along with three other opposition parties, introduced a motion of no confidence in the government Gunnlaugsson has left behind, to be debated on Friday. By then, popular anger is likely to have ratcheted up still further, following reports on Thursday that three bankers who were jailed last year for their part in the collapse of Iceland's Kaupthing bank in 2008 were granted early release, as the result of a new law passed by the current government. With Iceland's Pirate Party Surging in the Polls, Its Government Resists New Elections [Robert Mackey/The Intercept] By David Shepardson and Bernie Woodall WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) - A 17-year-old driver of a recalled 2002 Honda Civic was killed last month after a Takata Corp <7312.T> air bag ruptured during a rear-end crash, Honda Motor Co <7267.T> and U.S. regulators said on Wednesday, the 10th U.S. death linked to a defect that has prompted recalls of tens of millions of vehicles worldwide. The latest death took place on March 31 in Fort Bend County, Texas. Honda said the owner had been mailed multiple recall notices about the five-year-old recall effort, but repairs were never made. The victim, a high school senior from Richmond, Texas, ran into the back of a Honda CR-V that was waiting for traffic to clear to make a left turn, said Fort Bend County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Beckwith. The driver was not excessively speeding and was wearing her seat belt, he said, saying the crash resulted in moderate damage to her car. "Everybody should have walked away from this," Beckwith said in an interview. He said shrapnel punctured the air bag and sliced the young woman's neck and carotid artery. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Honda spokesman Jeffrey Smith said the automaker has more than doubled the size of its customer relations team working on this issue. "This is a very motivated, dedicated and engaged group, working seven days a week to help customers get their vehicles repaired," Smith said. He said Honda has sent more than 9.9 million mailers, 11.9 million postcards, 4.5 million emails, 12.8 million direct and automated phone calls and used targeted advertising, social media and other efforts. Overall, 10 people have died in the United States in accidents linked to exploding Takata air bags. Nine of those U.S. deaths have occurred in Honda vehicles, Honda said. Ford Motor Co has reported a death from a Takata air bag rupture in one of its vehicles in the United States. A pregnant woman was killed in Malaysia in July 2014 after the rupture of a Takata air bag in a 2003 Honda City. Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said in a statement the latest death "shows that the current recall efforts are just not getting the job done. Takata and the automakers have to step up their efforts to locate, notify and fix every impacted car as soon as possible - before anyone else dies." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement it "has demanded that manufacturers work to a 100 percent completion rate, and take all efforts necessary to reach that goal." The agency said it "is renewing its call to all auto manufacturers involved in the Takata air bag recall to intensify and expand their outreach to affected vehicle owners." To date, 14 automakers have recalled about 24 million vehicles involving about 28 million Takata air bag inflators, , which can explode with excessive force and spray metal shrapnel into vehicle passenger compartments. They have been linked to more than 100 U.S. injuries. In late December, NHTSA named John Buretta, a former official in the Justice Department's criminal division, to serve as independent monitor overseeing the Takata recalls. Last month, NHTSA said automakers have replaced more than 7.5 million defective Takata inflators, or about a third of those recalled through December. Honda has replaced about 5.4 million inflators, or 54 percent of vehicles it had recalled through December, the highest completion rate of any automaker. Honda said it has enough replacement inflators to complete repairs under the open recall of the 2002 Civic, "and we continue to encourage all owners of affected vehicles to seek repair immediately." Honda said it does not have replacements for a driver air bag inflator recall announced in February, but it expects to begin receiving replacement inflators for that recall within a few days. (Reporting by David Shepardson, editing by G Crosse and David Gregorio) [A female tiger and its cub lie in a cage at a private zoo in Kamport, southwestern Cambodian province on August 12, 2006. AP/Heng Sinith] Cambodia was once home to many Indochinese tigers. But on Wednesday, conservationists declared the breeding populations of the animal are no more. The World Wildlife Fund says the last tiger in the country was spotted in 2007 in eastern Mondulkiri province, according to AFP. The number of the big cats in the countrys dry forests has dwindled due to poaching which is also affecting their prey. Last month, Cambodias government gave the go ahead to a plan to save the countrys tiger population. The efforts call for reintroducing the big cats into a protected forest in one of the nations eastern regions. Officials also want to introduce actions to protect the animals from poachers and efforts to save their prey. An official told the press Cambodia hopes to start by importing five to six female tigers and two male tigers, but also notes the enormity of the task at hand. To get these wild tigers, Cambodia is turning to nearby countries like Thailand, India and Malaysia. But other countries with big cats have also seen their tiger populations sink. In 2010, the Associated Press reported 13 of those countries, including Cambodia, aimed to double their number of tigers by 2022. [International Business Times] Thirty years ago, the images of starving children in drought-ravaged Ethiopia spurred the world to action. Hundreds of thousands died before international aid including the Live Aid effort founded by rocker Bob Geldof helped the nation to recover. Ethiopia became a humanitarian success story. Relief funds helped the east African nation to secure its food supply; maternal and child health initiatives helped reduce the infant mortality rate; the past decade saw economic growth at a hearty 10 per cent a year. But today Ethiopia faces the possibility of the worst famine in its history, brought on by widespread drought caused by the same El Nino weather pattern that has dried up crops in the United States and is killing coral reefs in Australia. The entire Horn of Africa has seen widespread crop failures and livestock deaths. The charity Care Canada has issued an appeal for donations, warning that the gains from Canadas substantial development funding are at risk. I think the concern right now for us is if we dont respond with significant resources at this stage were going to risk moving into a situation of protracted crisis, Marnie Davidson, Care Canadas global health manager, tells Yahoo Canada News. I can say that if we dont provide sufficient supports now we risk escalating the situation and it turning into a longer-term crisis that is going to require many more resources. We will see a decline in the nutritional and health status of the population. Davidson recently returned from Ethiopia, where she says she met families cutting back to two meals a day. There are startling levels of malnutrition and in some areas, such as the Afar region in the northeast, almost all pregnant women are suffering to some degree from malnutrition. In one of the hardest-hit regions, Afar, she says the pastoral population has suffered a near-complete collapse of livestock herds, either from direct loss to drought or having to sell animals for food. Story continues Davidson herself is working on maternal health programs. Cares partners tell her that every woman coming into health facilities in the region are suffering from some level of malnutrition. Ethiopia had been hugely successful in meeting many of its millennium development goals before El Nino struck, she says. The Ethiopian government says 10.2 million people in the drought-affected region are in need of US$1.4 billion in food aid, about 400,000 of them children who are severely malnourished. The international community is hearing the appeals. About half of the needed funding has been committed. Canada is the fifth-largest international donor to Ethiopia and, in December, announced an additional C$30 million in emergency humanitarian assistance. The Canadian government gave $50.5 million for humanitarian aid to Ethiopia last year and has earmarked $73 million this fiscal year. Global Affairs Canada has been monitoring the effects of El Nino on the food security situation in countries throughout eastern and southern Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and Central America for several months, Global Affairs spokeswoman Diana Khaddaj told Yahoo Canada News recently as the crisis emerged. Global Affairs Canada will continue to monitor the situation in Ethiopia and other affected countries and will provide support as needed and appropriate, Khaddaj said in an email. Care Canada says the organization is pleased with the federal governments swift response but, still, there is a funding shortfall. The appeal to Canadians is, in part, an effort to raise awareness of the situation and urge Canadians to reach into their own pocketbooks to help. The drought has been largely overshadowed by the many other global crises, including the dire situation of Syrian refugees. But its not too late, Davidson says. Were in a crisis but we do have the possibility of preventing the most devastating effects of that crisis if we can act now, she says. The United Nations launched its own international appeal at the end of March to fill the US$700 million gap in emergency funds. Ethiopia is currently contending with one of the most serious climatic shocks in recorded history with 10 million people facing lost harvests and livestock as well as severe water shortages and health risks, Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Ethiopia, says in a statement. We need to rally urgently to protect the development gains of Ethiopia over the past decade and ensure the country remains on its remarkable development trajectory. Care Canada estimates that without donations of $238 million right now that the food could run out for more than seven million people by the end of May. VIENNA (Reuters) - The European Union should consider coming to refugee agreements with North African states along the lines of a deal it has already reached with Turkey, Germany's interior minister said on Tuesday. "We will have to hold discussions with North African states on models similar to the one we have set up with Turkey," Thomas de Maiziere said at a news conference in Vienna, adding that the goal was to put an end to trafficking. "That kind of deal is appropriate - we should apply it to the central Mediterranean route from North Africa via Italy as well," he said. Under the EU-Turkey agreement Ankara should take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean to enter Greece illegally. In return, the EU will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations. (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; Editing by Michelle Martin) A worker takes oil samples from a well at the Gazpromneft-owned Yuzhno-Priobskoye oil field outside the West Siberian city of Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, in this January 28, 2016 file photo. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/Files (Reuters) By Vladimir Soldatkin MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia believes an oil price at $45-$50 per barrel is acceptable to allow the global oil market to balance, as it prepares to meet leading oil producers in Doha later this month, sources familiar with Russian plans said on Wednesday. Leading oil producers plan to meet in Doha on April 17 to cement a preliminary deal reached between Russia, Venezuela, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in February to freeze oil output at levels reached in January, to curb a surplus on the oil market. "Now there is discussion of how long production will be frozen and ways to monitor the agreement," one of the sources said. "The level of $45-50 (per barrel) is acceptable from the point of view of market balance: if prices go higher shale oil production could start to recover." A Russian Energy Ministry spokeswoman confirmed that the information provided by the sources was correct. Oil producers such as Russia and Venezuela are highly dependent on energy revenues, with their state budgets at risk after global oil prices fell to under $40 per barrel from over $115 in June 2014. The Doha meeting is expected to bring together major oil producers, including the ex-Soviet nations Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, which along with Russia have seen their currencies falling sharply on weak oil. The key question concerns Iran, which saw its oil output curtailed for years by sanctions that have been lifted this year, and wants to bring its output to pre-sanctions levels before sticking to any agreement. Tehran plans to attend the Doha meeting, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said this week. The sources who discussed Moscow's position said they believed Iran would struggle to quickly reach levels it has announced. They said Iranian growth is now coming mostly from selling oil from storage and putting easy-to-launch fields on stream. "A freeze without Iran is being discussed. At the moment we don't see tough conditions (from others) for Iran to join," one of the sources said. Story continues The sources added that 17 countries in total could take part in the Doha meeting. They said Russia was considering a number of options to deepen its cooperation with OPEC, but they don't include joining the organization. PRODUCTION, NOT EXPORTS The Russian sources said that the deal to freeze oil output is expected to speed up rebalancing of oil supply and demand by around half a year. Russia was pumping at a 30-year high last month of 10.91 million barrels per day (bpd), even higher than its previous record in January. The sources said the agreement in Doha is set to cover production, not exports. They said Russia would not put new projects on hold as part of the freeze deal, and may use other methods to regulate its production, including technical ones. They did not elaborate. Last month, industry sources told Reuters that Rosneft , the world's top listed oil company by output, was floating the idea of a domestic production cut to balance the global market and as the firm faces a natural decline this year. "A cut in production was not discussed as it is hard to implement and may lead to a sharp jump in prices, causing a new wave of output activation at more costly fields," one of the sources said. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; writing by Katya Golubkova; editing by Jason Bush and Peter Graff) Authorities in Greece say thousands of migrants and refugees camped out at the country's largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps voluntarily or be expelled by force. The warning issued Thursday came as nearly a third of the 52,000 refugees stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. More than 4,000 refugees remain at Piraeus, which as the main port linking the mainland with vacation islands is important for Greece's vital tourism industry. It is also one of Europe's busiest ferry ports. 'In their own interest' "Every effort will be exhausted to persuade refugees and immigrants that it is in their own interest for them to move," a statement from the Greek coast guard said. "There is a 10-15 days timeframe for them to leave the port." Athens has toughened its position toward refugees since a March 20 agreement between the European Union and Turkey went into effect. Some 4,000 migrants and refugees who reached the Greek islands from Turkey after that date are in detention, with most due to be sent back to Turkish ports. The deportations started Monday and are expected to resume Friday. More than a million refugees reached the EU last year, most travelling through Greece and across the Balkans to central Europe. 'They feel safe if they are near Athens' At Piraeus on Thursday, Interior Ministry officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade migrants to move to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. "We are trying to explain that the new camps have good facilities and that people there will be able to fill out their asylum applications there," volunteer translator Ilias Iakovou told the Associated Press. "But people are afraid to go because they fear they will be cut off and will run out of money. They feel safe if they are near Athens." Story continues Iranian Ahmad Devidjan said he wasn't sure whether he should move. "I've been in Greece for 19 days. I went two times to the border with Macedonia, but it was closed. Now I'm back here," Devidjan said. "I have a brother in Germany. He's a teacher. I want to go there." 'Open the borders' A man protesting the proposed evacuation to refugee centres grabbed a few-months-old baby and threatened to throw her at police on Wednesday, Greek media reported. Another man later took the child from his hands and handed her back to her mother. The Greek General Secretary for Migration Policy Vassilis Papadopoulos, who had been at the port to inform the refugees of their options, faced a heated protest. Dozens shouted at police and sat on the dock chanting "open the borders". A haul of guns and ammunition has been found in Denmark after the arrest of four suspected Islamic State terrorists. Danish police believe the group detained near Copenhagen had been recruited by the militant group in Syria to carry out attacks. The cache of weapons were recovered in a connected search. The police said in a statement: "The arrests took place as part of efforts to combat people enlisting in terrorist groups in the war-torn areas in Syria and northern Iraq." All four are due to appear at a hearing before a judge on Friday. In a statement issued a short time after the arrests, Justice Minister Soren Pind said: "We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq may pose a specific security threat against Denmark." The Danish intelligence service PET said last October that more than 125 people from the country are thought to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join IS. At least 27 of them have been killed there. The security forces in Denmark have been on high alert since two people were killed in gun attacks on a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen in February last year. IS claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb attacks that killed 32 people in Brussels last month and the deadly rampage in Paris in November that left 130 dead. By Brian Love and Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - By the age of 35 he had brokered a $10 billion takeover deal. Could precocious investment banker turned politician Emmanuel Macron really become President of France before his 40th birthday? French media were abuzz on Thursday with the prospect of the 38-year-old economy minister as head of state by next year after his launch of a new political movement called 'En Marche' or 'Stride Forward' on Wednesday night. He says the project is neither of the left or the right. Whether he seeks the presidency or not, it could revive the coalition-friendly politics of the time before centrist Valery Giscard d'Estaing moved out of the Elysee palace in 1981, yielding to an era of deeper left-right division. So far, Macron has not made clear whether he will mobilize for or against Socialist President Francois Hollande's creaking re-election machine, or whether any presidential bid of his own would come next year 2017, or the next time in 2022. "Macron Strides Forward, but for whom?" asked Le Parisien daily on its front page. "Whatever his aims are, he is OK," said Gael Sliman of pollsters Odoxa. "Depending on what the future holds for him over the next six months he can adapt his new tool to his own needs." Since Socialist Francois Mitterrand defeated Giscard, French presidents have come firmly from the left or the right, sometimes with a cabinet from their own party, sometimes cohabiting uneasily with a parliament that names a prime minister from the other side. The presidential electoral system pits the two top-placed candidates from a first round of voting against each other in a decisive second round, which has tended in the past to turn the run-off into a showdown between champions from the left and right. Major candidates appealed to their party grassroots first, leaving the fight for the middle ground for the run-off. The one exception was 2002, when far-right National Front leader Jean Marie le Pen surprisingly squeaked past the Socialists in the first round. He was crushed by center-right incumbent Jacques Chiraq in the run-off, the most lopsided election in the history of the Fifth Republic. But the continued rise of the far-right since then has changed the calculation. Polls now consistently show Marine le Pen, Jean Marie le Pen's daughter and successor as Front leader, winning one of the top two spots more convincingly than her father. That means candidates from the mainstream left and right know they could be battling from the outset for a single spot to oppose her in the run-off, making the middle ground more crucial early on. It is also partly why Les Republicains, the party of the right, is mulling whether party chief Nicolas Sarkozy or the more centrist Alain Juppe should stand next year. VALLS UNDER PRESSURE After Macron's intervention, other French politicians have some thinking to do, not least Prime Minister Manuel Valls, 53, himself once the widely popular pro-business and reformist icon of the Socialist centrist wing, now eclipsed by Macron and tainted by association with the unpopular Hollande. "I won't waste my time with that," snapped Valls to reporters on Thursday when asked about Macron's moves. Asked whether the right-left divide was finished, he added; "No. It's a good divide." Opinion polls suggest voters are tired of traditional political parties and their leaders, and keener than ever to see a fresh and independent person at the helm. Three in four voters are "worried about" or "angry with" France's existing political parties and three-quarters of voters would be willing to vote for a non-party challenger in 2017, according to a February poll by the Elabe institute. An Odoxa poll conducted in March that compared Macron to Valls showed voters preferred the younger man by 61 percent to 31 percent. Valls had led Macron in the same question just six months earlier. However, recent French history provides a cautionary tale: "outsider" candidates have tended to flame out. Francois Bayrou, a pro-EU centrist, won 18.5 percent of first-round votes in 2007, placing third behind Socialist Segolene Royal and the right's Sarkozy, who won the run-off. By 2012, Bayrou fell to fifth place. "Bayrou is the comparable scenario here," said Sliman. "It's that promise to transcend the right/left flows in a system built on bipolar politics and the presidential election that is all important." TOO LOYAL? In launching his movement on Wednesday, Macron was careful not to completely rule out a 2017 bid for the presidency. Government sources said he warned both Hollande and Valls beforehand of his new initiative. One person close to the minister doubts he would put himself up as a rival if Hollande runs. "He sees the weaknesses of Hollande but he's loyal. I have never heard him criticize him... It would be too huge a gamble," said the person, who did not want to be identified, speaking before Macron's announcement on Wednesday. That said, Hollande could conceivably cede his place as candidate. The latest polls are among the worst he has faced since he was elected in 2012 and show him missing out by a mile on the second round, regardless of who stands for the right. Macron is not an elected politician and joined the government only in 2014. While championing pro-business labor reforms, he has also polished his interventionist credentials, wading in to influence corporate deals from telecoms to cars and energy. Before entering government service, he worked for the Rothschild merchant bank and brokered the 9 billion euro takeover of drugmaker Pfizer's baby food business by Nestle. As a 16 year-old, according to a profile in Le Monde, he fell in love with his teacher, Brigitte Trogneux, a mother of three then in her mid thirties. They were married in 2007. Despite these idiosyncrasies, his approachability works in his favor. The pollsters have noticed. "He has this huge trump card in that people like him," said Sliman. "It's that he just doesn't seem like a politician." (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and Paul Taylor; writing by Andrew Callus; editing by Peter Graff) By Steve Holland MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Republican Ted Cruz easily won the Wisconsin presidential primary on Tuesday, dealing a blow to front-runner Donald Trump's hopes of amassing enough delegates for the party's nomination and boosting chances of a rare contested convention. Cruz's double-digit win over Trump was a breakthrough for Republican Party forces battling to block the controversial New York billionaire, and it raised the prospect of a prolonged nomination fight that could last to the July convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders also won in Wisconsin, gaining momentum in his fight against front-runner Hillary Clinton and trimming her commanding lead in delegates. Trump entered the night with 737 convention delegates to Cruz's 481, leaving him 500 delegates short of the 1,237 needed to become the party's nominee in the Nov. 8 election. Cruz said the result in Wisconsin showed the party was beginning to rally behind him, but he acknowledged the growing possibility that the fight could go all the way to the convention. "Either before Cleveland, or at the convention in Cleveland, together we will win a majority of the delegates and together we will beat Hillary Clinton in November," Cruz told cheering supporters in Milwaukee. "We're winning because we're uniting the Republican Party." Cruz, a conservative U.S. senator from Texas, was aided in Wisconsin by Republican Governor Scott Walker, who dropped his own presidential bid in September, and by a barrage of ads from Super PACS - independent funding groups - backed by party establishment figures worried that Trump will lead Republicans to a broad defeat in November. Trump's campaign released a blistering statement saying Cruz had been propped up "by countless millions of dollars of false advertising" from anti-Trump Super PACs. "Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet - he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump," the Trump campaign statement said. The Wisconsin primary capped a difficult week for Trump, who was forced to backtrack after saying women who have abortions should face punishment if the procedure is outlawed, and who voiced support for his campaign manager after he was charged with misdemeanor assault for grabbing a reporter. CRUZ GAINS ON TRUMP A new Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Cruz about even with Trump nationally, with Cruz's recent gains the first time since November that a Trump rival has threatened his standing at the head of the Republican pack. The poll of 568 Republicans, taken between April 1-5, showed Cruz winning the support of 35 percent of Republicans to Trump's 39 percent. Cruz and Trump were also briefly about even early last week. In the Democratic race, the win for Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is his sixth in the last seven contests for the nomination. Sanders said his message of breaking up big banks, reining in Wall Street and reducing income inequality was bringing new and young voters into the process. "What we have been seeing throughout this campaign is extraordinary voter turnout in state after state," Sanders said at a rally in Laramie, Wyoming. Clinton, who did not appear in public on Tuesday night, tweeted her congratulations to Sanders. "Congrats to @BernieSanders on winning Wisconsin," Clinton said on Twitter. "To all the voters and volunteers who poured your hearts into this campaign: Forward! -H." Sanders still faces a difficult task overtaking Clinton as the race moves to New York on April 19 and to five other Eastern states on April 26. Heading into Tuesday, Clinton led Sanders by 263 pledged delegates in the race for the 2,383 needed to be nominated at the party's July convention in Philadelphia. She also has a big lead in superdelegates, who are party leaders free to back any candidate. Sanders needs to win up to two-thirds of the remaining delegates to catch Clinton, who will keep accumulating delegates even when she loses under a Democratic Party system that awards them proportionally in all states. Sanders needs to rack up big winning margins over Clinton in the remaining states to close the gap. He has vowed to stay in the race until the convention, and his campaign says superdelegates could begin to shift their support to him if they see he has popular support. (Additional reporting by Eric Beech and Amanda Becker in Washington, Amy Tennery and Chris Kahn in New York; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Leslie Adler and Simon Cameron-Moore) By Joe Brock CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived an impeachment vote in parliament launched after the constitutional court ruled he had ignored an order to repay state funds spent on his private home. At a fiery session, the African National Congress (ANC), which controls almost two-thirds of the 400-seat assembly, gave Zuma the support he needed to save him from impeachment. A total of 233 lawmakers voted against the impeachment motion, with 143 voting in favour. Zuma did not attend the proceedings. The motion, launched by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), led to emotional debate following last week's ruling by the court that the president had breached the constitution by ignoring an order to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his home. "The choice is whether or not you will choose to protect your oath of office that you took here in this house, to protect the constitution or to serve Jacob Zuma," Mmusi Maimane, leader of the DA party said. Julius Malema, leader of the smaller opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters, said "Zuma and the ANC want to convert South Africa into a banana republic." After the vote, he said: "We are not going to be part of this mess of a useless parliament that votes for wrong things. You are traitors." ANC lawmakers argued that Zuma had not violated the constitution deliberately and did not deserve to be impeached. But they acknowledged the party had much to do to rebuild its image. "There has been damage on the part of the ANC. We need to go down on the ground and explain exactly what happened. We still have a lot to do," ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu told reporters outside parliament. "We believe him (Zuma). We accept his apology. We think we can now move forward." The rand weakened by more than two percent, partly on political risk jitters over the vote. (Additional reporting by James Macharia and Stella Mapenzauswa in Johannesburg; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Richard Balmforth) By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - When Hagoda Gamage Shalika Perera, a small Sri Lankan businesswoman, got a deposit of $20 million in her account last month, she said the funds were expected but had no idea they were stolen from Bangladesh's central bank in one of the largest cyber heists in history. Unknown hackers breached Bangladesh Bank's systems between Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 and tried to steal nearly $1 billion from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Many of the payments were blocked. But $20 million made its way to Perera's Shalika Foundation before the transfer was reversed. Bangladesh central bank officers said they acted after a routing bank, Deutsche Bank, sought clarification on the transfer because hackers misspelled the company's name as "Fundation." Another $81 million was routed to accounts in the Philippines, and diverted to casinos there, where the trail runs out.. The Philippines Senate is holding hearings in the case, but until now, few details had emerged on the Sri Lanka link. In her first public comments on the case, Perera, a struggling businesswoman who heads Shalika, told Reuters she expected $20 million to come from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to help fund a power plant and other projects in Sri Lanka. She said she had no direct dealing with JICA, but the deal was arranged by an acquaintance who she met in Sri Lanka but had connections in Japan. Shalika was set up in October 2014 and says in its registration documents that it constructs low-cost houses and provides other social services. Reuters was unable to independently confirm Perera's account or to reach the acquaintance she named, via the email and phone numbers she provided. JICA, a Japanese government agency that provides official development assistance, said it has no ties with Shalika Foundation, including through any intermediaries. "We have had no exchange with them, and that includes such areas as loans and grants," JICA spokesman Naoyuki Nemoto said. The Sri Lankan police's criminal investigation division declined to comment because the probe is ongoing. "GENUINE PEOPLE" "We are very genuine people. We are not doing any illegal things," said Perera, speaking in English and Sinhalese in an interview in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital. The 36-year-old was accompanied by her husband, Ramanayaka Arachchige Don Pradeep Rohitha Dhamkin, also a director in her company. Perera said she now thinks the acquaintance was either a victim of the hackers or in league with them, and she was hoodwinked into becoming a part of their scheme. She showed Reuters a copy of an inward remittance advisory from the SWIFT bank messaging system to put the $20 million in her company's account. The remitting entity was shown as a Bangladesh government electricity agency that had taken a loan from JICA in 2010 to fund an electricity project. The head of the Bangladesh government agency, the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, said it was "ridiculous" to think that the money could have come from them. "Maybe they used this government organisation's name to make it believable," said Brigadier General Moin Uddin, the agency head. Police have questioned Perera's acquaintance, according to an investigation report filed in the Colombo Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The man told authorities that a Japanese middleman had helped arrange the funding, according to the report. The report provided the names of Perera's acquaintance whom Reuters has been unable to locate and the Japanese middleman. Reached by phone, the middleman said he was travelling and unable to provide immediate comment. The court has ordered a travel ban on Perera, her husband, the acquaintance and four other people listed as directors of her company. Perera maintains she is innocent and describes the government's move as "an injustice". STRUGGLING BUSINESSWOMAN Perera is, by her own admission, struggling. She said she has four other enterprises, including a publishing firm, an auto parts company, a construction company and a catering firm. In 2014, losses from her publishing firm were so bad that she was forced to sell her computers. She said she now does her business from Internet cafes, and held meetings with potential investors at Pizza Hut and other restaurants. In early February, Perera said her acquaintance, who had been helping her for more than a year to meet investors, told her to expect $20 million from JICA. Under their agreement, the payment would be split, between her power plant project and a housing project controlled by her acquaintance, she said. According to a Sri Lankan police investigation report seen by Reuters last week, Perera told her bank, a Colombo branch of Pan Asia Bank, that the company expected to receive $20 million from a Japanese fund. A Pan Asia Bank official declined to comment, citing the investigation. Perera said she had not seen the report, which was submitted to the magistrate's court last week. According to the report, bank officials said Perera left instructions with them to transfer $7.72 million to her own personal account and $11.12 million to an account controlled by her acquaintance once the transaction had cleared. Perera confirmed she had given the instructions to the bank, and said they reflected the money earmarked for the two projects and commissions. The rest was to be used for taxes, she said. The money was remitted by the Pan Asia Bank to Shalika Foundation's account on Feb 4, but the bank refused to release the funds as the amount was unusually large and sought further verification, according to last week's police report. On Feb. 9, Perera was told by her bank that the Bangladesh central bank had asked for the transaction to be reversed, according to the report. (Additional reporting by Ranga Srilal in Colombo, Serajul Quadir in Dhaka and Kiyoshi Takenaka in Tokyo; Writing by Paritosh Bansal, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) A Vancouver police officer who pleaded guilty to unauthorized possession of a firearm is going to court in a bid to stop a police complaint commission investigation. In a B.C. Supreme Court petition, Sgt. Chi Sun Jason Chan claims the commission is investigating the origins of several unregistered and restricted firearms RCMP officers found during a search of his Port Coquitlam home. According to a notice of investigation cited in Chan's petition, officers "located a quantity of items that appear to be property seized from individuals in the course of his duties. Some of these may have been recorded and removed from the VPD Property Office, while others did not appear to have been recorded." Officer seeks to stop probe Chan is seeking an order to stop an investigation by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner on the grounds that it "is based entirely on material that was seized during an unlawful search and seizure" of the home he shares with his wife, Port Moody Police Const. Jody Chan. Vancouver Police spokesman Const. Brian Montague says Chan is an active member. But the department would not comment on either the ongoing complaints investigation or the civil suit. According to Chan's petition, RCMP first obtained a search warrant for his home on Feb. 15, 2012, two days after his stepson shot himself with a handgun. His stepson died ten days later. Chan claims police were authorized to search and seize a black handgun, 45 calibre ammunition, a towel, a shirt and his stepson's Blackberry, all of which would have been in plain view in a bedroom. But Chain claims officers searched the whole house, seizing and noting items they would later look for as part of a second search warrant obtained on Feb. 18, including more firearms, safes, a lock box and ammunition. "The RCMP had located these items during an illegal and unauthorized search on 15 February," the petition reads. "The RCMP had in fact already seized the lock box and keys." Story continues Chan was charged with four counts related to the possession and storage of restricted firearms in 2014. He pleaded guilty last April, receiving a conditional discharge and six months probation. Officer complained about RCMP In his petition, the officer claims he was told he was the subject of a police complaints commission investigation in 2012. The file was initially given to Victoria Police to investigate, but re-assigned to RCMP in 2013. Chan claims he complained to the commissioner several times about RCMP conducting both a criminal investigation and a Police Act investigation into him at the same time: essentially, he claims he feared his statements in one proceeding might be used against him in another. In the petition, Chan claims little happened with the Police Act investigation until 2015. He claims an officer asked him to attend an interview with notebooks dating back to 2001; but Chan says the commissioner has not provided him with sufficient detail about the allegations against him. He also says the police complaint commissioner made an amended order for investigation in February 2016, which says his wife is facing "potential criminal jeopardy" as a result of the weapons found in their home. "The claim that Jody Chan 'is facing potential criminal liability' in connection with the firearms located in the house is false," the petition reads. Chan claims the complaint commissioner is involving his wife "for the dominant purpose of improperly coercing the petitioner to abandon his rights." The officer claims his Charter rights were violated by the "unlawful" search which precipitated the investigation. He also claims the proceedings have been subject to unreasonable delay. A spokesman for the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner said it has been served with the petition and planned to respond. Eight more charged as part of Green Manalishi drug investigation Yellowknife RCMP announced Wednesday that 11 people have been charged in connection with a lengthy drug investigation, culminating in one of the largest seizures of illicit drugs, guns, cash, and merchandise in the territory in a decade. Monday's seizures, which began with an arrest of a British Columbia man en route to Yellowknife during a traffic stop near Fort Providence and included executing search warrants at six separate locations in Yellowknife, Ndilo, and Dettah, were the culmination of a months-long investigation into a drug ring operating in the Northwest Territories and Yukon, according to RCMP Supt. Michael LeSage. "The investigation focused on the activities of Todd Christopher Dube, and a criminal network operating underneath him to distribute drugs," said LeSage. "In addition to the aforementioned seizures, police monitored an extremely busy 24-hour drug trafficking operation, which utilized an extensive network of taxi cabs, street level drug traffickers, and stash locations." The investigation, named "Green Manalishi," began in November 2015, though RCMP say they were investigating the network for more than a year. In addition to Monday's seizures, LeSage confirmed that a March traffic stop, in which two women aged 55 and 77 were charged with drug trafficking, was related to the investigation. Dube, 20, is in police custody and has been charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking; possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana; conspiracy to commit aggravated assault; trafficking cocaine; trafficking cocaine, marijuana, and codeine; trafficking cocaine, marijuana, codeine, and fentanyl; and possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000. Ten other individuals are facing various charges as a result of the investigation. In total, 1,200 fentanyl pills, four kilograms of cocaine, 16 pounds of marijuana, 11 litres of liquid codeine, $75,000 in cash, and 10 guns were seized during the investigation, as well as two vehicles and a snow machine. Numerous high-end items believed to have been purchased with the proceeds of trafficking were also seized, including designer clothing and diamonds. Story continues RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko said that the seizure "in terms of quantity and size, is probably one of the most significant we've had in about 10 years." Despite the success of the operation, Yellowknife RCMP detachment commander Matt Peggs said that "seeing the scope, first hand, of the demand for illicit drugs in our community should be a sobering moment for everybody. "Drug trafficking cannot exist where there is no demand. We must continue to work to extinguish the demand for these toxic substances." In addition to the charges laid against Todd Dube, the following individuals have been charged: - Brittany Dube, of Yellowknife, charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana; - Byron Bibby, of Yellowknife, charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana; - Luqman Hussein, of Toronto, charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana; - Yohannes Seyoume, of Edmonton, charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana; - Katrina Stiopu, of Ndilo, charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, trafficking cocaine, marijuana, codeine, and fentanyl, and possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000; - Ryley Moore, of Hay River, charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault; - Eddy Radeka, of Burnaby, B.C., charged with trafficking cocaine, marijuana, and codeine, and trafficking cocaine, marijuana, codeine, and fentanyl; - Sam Ovayuack, of Yellowknife, charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine; - Vitaline Lafferty, of Ndilo, charged with trafficking cocaine, marijuana, and codeine; and - Marie-Anne Lafferty, of Ndilo, charged with trafficking cocaine, marijuana, and codeine. Moore and Hussein remain at large and warrants have been issued for their arrest. The other nine suspects are in police custody. KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT--(Marketwired - Apr 7, 2016) - Kuwait was rocked on June 26th, 2015 when a bomb tore through a local Shia mosque claiming the lives 27 people while injuring another 227. The tragic event led the Kuwait Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to adopt more stringent regulations regarding video surveillance in the country as part of an attempt to thwart future attacks and to protect its citizens, including a mandatory retention time of at least 120 days. The bombing along with expanding construction activities from the development on new cities, in which Kuwait is expected to spend close to $100 billion, has led to the rapid increase in the demand for IP video surveillance systems in the country. Promise Technology, a leading developer of open platform storage solutions for IP video surveillance, is very active in meeting the requirements in Kuwait along with its partner Business Automation and Security Services (BASS). Promise places a strong focus on service and support, and training is considered one of the main pillars in the company's strategy to further strengthen its presence in the country. Many security professionals know every specification for cameras and video management software (VMS), but there are gaps in the knowledge around storage and surveillance infrastructure. Promise is working hard to increase the knowledge level around storage solutions with onsite certified hands on training, including through the event the company held at the end of March in Kuwait where over 35 security professionals were certified by Promise. Through the training, the participants developed the skills and expertise needed to design, install, configure and maintain the optimal security solution for their customers with Promise's Vess NVR appliances and external storage solutions. "We want to thank BASS and all of the participants of our latest trainings for their enthusiasm in working together with Promise to develop the best surveillance solutions for their customers in Kuwait," said John van den Elzen, General Manager Surveillance Business Unit, Promise Technology. "The Promise Certified Trainings not only equip the security professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in supporting their customers, but the certification also serves as an important way for them to differentiate themselves when customers are selecting their security professional." Story continues "Thank you very much to all of the valued clients who took the time to join Promise and BASS at the certified training," said Mohamad Boussi, Business Development Manager - Kuwait, BASS. "There is no substitute to the knowledge and expertise the security professionals gained through the comprehensive training and this is invaluable to ensuring total satisfaction from our end-customers here in Kuwait." To learn more about Promise's video surveillance solutions, please visit: www.promise.com/Surveillance. To preregister for the next training courses in Romania, Egypt and South Africa, please contact Promise at promisecertified@eu.promise.com. About Promise Technology Inc. Promise Technology is a recognized global leader with over 27 years of experience in the storage industry. Promise has developed its own enterprise-class hardware and software storage architecture, in addition to complete SAN, NAS and unified storage platform product lines. Promise is committed to providing dynamic storage solutions for vertical markets, including cloud and IT storage solutions, video surveillance storage solutions, rich media storage solutions and much more. With industry leading technology and research and development capabilities, combined with highly experienced global sales and after sales service teams, Promise is at the forefront of the industry with the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Promise Technology is an ISO-9001:2008 and ISO-14001:2004 certified manufacturer with operations and sales and support teams throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions providing unparalleled service and support to customers around the globe. For more information, visit: www.promise.com. About Business Automation and Security Systems Business Automation & Security System (BASS) was established in 2002 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. BASS is a provider of high-level Video Surveillance, Access Control Systems, Retail Security Solutions, Building Automation, Home Automation, Fire Alarm and other Low Voltage Systems for commercial, government and industrial sectors throughout the U.A.E. and G.C.C. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2988940 EAST HARTFORD, Conn., April 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster (NEESC), led by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT), is partnering with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to showcase the region's hydrogen and fuel cell capabilities at Hannover Messe 2016, the leading international trade show for industrial technology innovations. The event runs April 25-29 in Hannover, Germany. This year, the United States will be the partner country for the show, which will draw 5,000 exhibitors from 70 countries. President Barack Obama will join German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the fair's official opening ceremony on Sunday, April 24, and again on Monday, April 25 for the traditional opening tour of the fair. Participants from the Northeast region's hydrogen and fuel cell industry will include Precision Combustion, Inc., Dexmet Corporation, US FuelCell, Advent Technologies, Giner Inc., Engineered Fibers Technology, LLC, Mott Corporation, and Novorocs Technologies, LLC. The event provides energy companies in the region with an exceptional venue for reaching the global market. "This is a great opportunity for us to make new connections and expand our business to an international market," said Tony Anderson, director, marketing and business development, Precision Combustion, Inc. "Our experience at this show the last few years has been excellent. We are delighted to participate again this year when the U.S. is the partner country." The exhibit is made possible in part with funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) , DECD, and NEESC. The Connecticut STEP program provides grants for eligible Connecticut small businesses to increase international sales and exports by spurring participation in export opportunities. "Last year, the SBA surpassed our record for trade finance, supporting $3.3 billion in export sales. I believe we can do even more to help our small businesses reach the 95 percent of consumers who live outside our borders," said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. "Small businesses are increasingly engaging in the ever evolving global market place. Through our STEP awards, states can transform more small businesses to become exporters and expand their export sales. In the process, these small businesses will create jobs and strengthen their communities." Nearly 60 percent of the U.S. companies participating in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Fair part of the show are from the Northeast region."The exhibit at Hannover Messe is the result of a strong collaboration between the SBA, NEESC, DECD and industry partners," stated Joel Rinebold, director, energy initiative, CCAT. "By exhibiting at this major international event, we are helping hydrogen and fuel cell companies reach new markets, increase revenues, and boost the regional economy." The Northeast is home to world leaders in the research, design, and manufacture of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. The industry supply chain includes over 1,200 companies involved in the manufacture, development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell products. In 2015, the hydrogen and fuel cell supply chain had a significant economic impact, contributing nearly $1.4 billion and more than 6,500 direct, indirect and induced jobs. ABOUT NEESC The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster is a network of industry, academic, government and non-governmental leaders working together to provide energy storage solutions. The cluster is focused on the innovative development, production, promotion and deployment of hydrogen fuels and fuel cells to meet the pressing demand for energy storage solutions. The cluster is based in New York, New Jersey, and the New England States, and is funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration's Innovative Economies Initiative. NEESC is administered by CCAT. ABOUT CCAT Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. (CCAT) is a nonprofit organization, headquartered in East Hartford, Conn., that creates bold, new approaches for designing and implementing applied technologies, IT strategies, STEM education, career development, and energy solutions. By leading state, regional, and national partnerships, CCAT helps manufacturers, academia, government and nonprofit organizations to succeed. Learn more at ccat.us or follow CCAT on Twitter - @CCATInc Danish English Company announcement no 2016-05 7 April 2016 Annual general meeting Today, William Demant Holding A/S held its annual general meeting at the Companys premises, Kongebakken 9, 2765 Smrum, Denmark. All proposals put forward by the Board were adopted by the general meeting, implying among others the following decisions: The Companys Annual Report 2015 was approved, and the years profit, DKK 1,171 million, will be transferred to the Companys reserves. Lars Nrby Johansen, Peter Foss, Niels B. Christiansen and Benedikte Leroy were re-elected members of the Board of Directors, and Lars Rasmussen was elected new member of the Board of Directors. The Companys auditors, Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, were re-elected. The Companys share capital will be reduced by nominally DKK 1,208,870, corresponding to the Companys holding of treasury shares at 9 March 2016. The Companys holding of treasury shares was acquired as part of the Companys share buy-back programme in 2015 and 2016. As a result of the capital reduction, article 4.1 of the articles of association will be amended no later than four weeks after expiry of the time limit for the filing of claims by creditors. Until the next ordinary general meeting, the Board was authorised to let the Company buy back shares with a nominal value of up to 10% of the share capital. A revised Remuneration Policy and new Guidelines on Incentive Pay were adopted, providing the possibility of concluding agreements on retention schemes for the Companys management. The proposed increase of the Board of Directors basic fee and the introduction of remuneration for the members of the audit committee were adopted. The minimum nominal denomination that the Companys shares may have was amended from DKK 1 to DKK 0.20, and each share amount of DKK 0.20 will carry one vote, which will allow the Board to carry through a share split of the Companys shares at a ratio of 1:5 at a later time. The Companys shares will be changed from being registered in the name of the bearer to being registered in the name of the holder. The power to bind the Company was amended to the effect that in the future the Company can also be bound by the joint signatures of two members of the Executive Board. The limit concerning the number of members of the Executive Board was extended to 1-5 executives. Until 1 April 2021, the Board of Directors was authorised to increase the Companys share capital as follows: By issuing at one or more issues new shares with preferential rights of subscription for the Companys existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 6,664,384. By issuing at one or more issues new shares without preferential rights of subscription for the Companys existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 6,664,384, provided that the increase is made at market value. The Board of Directors authorisations under this and the above bulletpoint may only be exercised in aggregate by way of issuing new shares of a total nominal value of DKK 6,664,384. By issuing at one or more issues new shares without preferential rights of subscription for the Companys existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 2,500,000 in connection with the new shares being offered to employees of the Company and of any company which is regarded as being affiliated to the Company by the Board of Directors. In his address, the Chairman of the Board, Lars Nrby Johansen, gave an account of the Groups development in 2015. He said among other things: 2015 was the year in which our classic core business wholesale of hearing aids came back on the growth path. It is a great pleasure to see that once again we succeeded in winning considerable market shares. And it is also gratifying that we can now start reaping the benefits of our extensive investments in new technology not least in Oticons coming major product launch. Through investments such as these, we have created a solid foundation for growth in 2016 and in the coming years. In the William Demant Group, we continue to invest massively in the future. In order to support the establishment of a genuine hearing healthcare Group, we have taken initiatives to benefit from the Groups common infrastructure and will continue to do so in the coming years. Moving our ITE production to Poland and Mexico and establishing a new global distribution centre in Poland. After the general meeting, the Board of Directors elected Lars Nrby Johansen Chairman and Peter Foss Deputy Chairman of the Board. 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 Being organized by the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam and Canada Pork International, both events will consist of a presentation by Canada Pork International on the Canadian pork industry, business-to-business meetings, and a networking dinner featuring dishes made with Canadian pork meat. Ambassador of Canada in Vietnam, Mr. David Devine, spoke at the event in Hanoi. (Photo: Tuyet Trang) Canada Pork International is the export development and promotion agency of the Canadian pork industry, with its members representing Canadas pork exporting industry. The Canada - Vietnam trade relation has been expanding strongly in recent years. Exports of Canadian agri-food and seafood to Vietnam last year reached CAD353.6 million, which grew by more than five times since 2010. The impressive growth of 230% in Canadian pork exports to Vietnam in 2015 confirms the high potential of the Vietnamese market for Canadian pork products and also the confidence that Vietnamese clients have in the quality and safety of this fine Canadian product, said Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam, Mr. David Devine./. Lighthouse built by China on Xubi Reef (Source: Xinhua) He made the statement in reply to reporters queries on Vietnams reaction to Chinas sending of the Haiyang Shiyou 981 rig to operate in the waters off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin on April 3rd. According to the Spokesperson, the rig was located at 17 degrees 3 minutes 12 seconds north latitude and 110 degrees 4 minutes 18 seconds east longitude, on April 3rd. The demarcation of this area is being negotiated by Vietnam and China. Vietnam demands China not repeat such unilateral actions that complicate the situation and make pragmatic contributions to peace and stability in the East Sea, Binh said. Vietnam maintains and protects all of its legitimate rights and interests to the above-mentioned area through peaceful measures in tune with internal law, he affirmed. On April 5th, a Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative met and handed a diplomatic note to the Hanoi-based Chinese Embassys representative to protest against Chinas act. Also on April 7th, Binh extended Vietnams response to China witching on a lighthouse on Xubi (Subi) Reef of Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Vietnam requests China to immediately stop its violations of Vietnams sovereignty in Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagoes, seriously observe international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and take no more actions complicating the situation in the East Sea, he said. Vietnam, once again, affirmed that the country has full legal foundations and historical evidence proving its indisputable sovereignty over the two archipelagoes, he noted. The diplomat said Chinas aforementioned act has seriously violated Vietnams sovereignty over Truong Sa archipelago. And it is illegal and void. The same day, a Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative met and handed a diplomatic note to a Chinese Embassy representative to object to the deed./. Texas DPS Hosts Annual Emergency Management Conference "As a large and geographically diverse state, Texas faces the full gamut of public safety threats, including severe weather and natural or manmade disasters, and preparedness is our number-one defense against such emergencies," said Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw. The Texas Department of Public Safety's Texas Division of Emergency Management is hosting its annual conference through Friday at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. About 2,500 public- and private-sector emergency management professionals are attending the 2016 Texas Emergency Management Conference to participate in workshops, training sessions, and an expo. "As a large and geographically diverse state, Texas faces the full gamut of public safety threats, including severe weather and natural or manmade disasters, and preparedness is our number-one defense against such emergencies," said DPS Director Steven McCraw. "This conference is an outstanding opportunity for our first responders, local officials, and emergency management professionals to share ideas and receive the latest training that is so crucial to protecting Texans and providing effective emergency management." Conference participants include representatives from local, state, and federal emergency management; law enforcement; border security and port security; transportation and cyber security; firefighters; emergency medical personnel; state military forces; and others. Representatives of more than 22 state agencies on the Texas Emergency Management Council are participating. Sri Lanka's prime minister will seek to restructure some of the cash-strapped island's $8 billion Chinese debt, Colombo said Thursday, as he met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing. As it faces a spiralling debt crisis that has forced it to seek a bailout from the IMF, Sri Lanka's government is hoping to convert some of its loan burden into stakes in infrastructure projects. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also hopes to resolve a dispute over a $1.4 billion Chinese-built "Port City" in the Sri Lankan capital, State Enterprise Development Minister Eran Wickramaratne told reporters in Colombo. The premier will seek to negotiate a $125 million government compensation claim from a Chinese firm over delays to the massive land reclamation project, Wickramaratne said. The project represents the biggest single foreign investment received by the island and will add 233 hectares (575 acres) of real estate in the congested capital. But it has been controversial as Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a "string of pearls" strategy to counter the rise of rival India and secure its own economic interests. Sri Lanka's president suspended the plan shortly after taking power in January last year, before recommending last month that it be resumed. Chinese foreign ministry official Xiao Qian told reporters after a meeting between Wickremesinghe and China's Premier Li Keqiang that both sides agreed to "speed up" the project. "On the Chinese side, we hope to see the earliest possible resumption. We believe we won't have to wait too long," he added. The two also agreed to "give priority" to the construction of an industrial park at Hambantota Port, he said, without giving details. During his Beijing visit, which ends Saturday, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will seek investment to revive loss-making white elephant projects commissioned by former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse. Rajapakse relied heavily on Chinese financing to rebuild the country's infrastructure after the end of the island's decades-long ethnic war in May 2009. Story continues But the present administration has accused the previous government of agreeing to unfavourable terms for the loans. President Maithripala Sirisena's government temporarily halted all projects signed off by Rajapakse, who is under investigation over allegations of corruption during his decade in power. "I believe your trip will give new impetus to relations. I'm willing to exchange views with you on bilateral ties and other issues of mutual concern," Li told Wickremesinghe at the start of a closed-door meeting. The two oversaw the signing of seven agreements, including an extradition treaty and a loan to extend a highway in southern Sri Lanka. The Vietnamese Youth Association in Romania was established on January 16th, including overseas Vietnamese youths and students in Romania. Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Romania Tran Thanh Cong appreciated the contributions of the association for community activities as well as representative agencies of Vietnam. The Ambassador hoped the Vietnamese Youth Association in Romania would promote strength, enthusiastic youth, further positive contribution to building and strengthening the community, as well as contribute to the promotion of multifaceted relations between Vietnam and Romania. The Congress elected an executive board of a head and three deputy heads, and adopted the tasks and operational direction of the association for the coming time. On this occasion, the delegates also enjoyed art programs performed by members of the Vietnamese Youth Association in Romania./. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's battle to cling to power enters a crucial phase Wednesday as lawmakers hear a motion on whether there are grounds to impeach her. A congressional committee has wrapped up its preliminary sessions and will now hear lawmaker Jovair Arantes present his recommendation on whether congress should vote to open an impeachment trial. He is expected to make his recommendation to the commission at 1700 GMT. Brazil's political crisis rumbled on Tuesday when a Supreme Court judge ordered a new impeachment committee be set up to consider allegations against another top official, Vice President Michel Temer. Rousseff meanwhile announced she would postpone a looming reshuffle of her cabinet until after the lower house of congress votes on the impeachment proposal. The crisis has brought the government close to collapse, as it battles a deep recession in the country due to host the Olympics in August. A long recession and huge corruption scandal have pushed the government to the brink of collapse. This mess was exacerbated last week when Temer's powerful PMDB party broke away from its coalition with Rousseff. Abandoned by her main partner, Rousseff is now racing to secure enough votes in Congress to block the lower house from sending her to face impeachment in the Senate. Rousseff's chief of staff said last week a reshuffle was imminent. In a country with dozens of political parties, ministerial posts and other government jobs have become key bargaining chips. But the leftist leader said Tuesday she would not reshuffle her cabinet before the lower house vote, expected in mid-April. "We won't touch anything for now," she told reporters. Newspaper O Globo reported that the president's camp was reluctant to move too soon for fear that supposed new allies could betray her and vote to impeach her anyway. - Lobbying for political survival - Rousseff's critics accuse her of manipulating the government's accounts to boost public spending during her 2014 re-election campaign and hiding the depth of the recession. Attorney General Jose Eduardo Cardozo lambasted the case against her Monday in final arguments before the impeachment committee. He accused the president's opponents of violating the constitution and seeking revenge for their own legal woes in a graft scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras. Rousseff, 68, needs at least 172 abstentions or votes against impeachment in the lower house. If the case proceeds to the Senate, a two-thirds vote there would remove her from office. Rousseff has sent out her predecessor and mentor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to lobby on her behalf. He is courting small centrist parties with promises of ministerial posts vacated by the PMDB. - Call for new elections - Rousseff's approval rating has plunged to 10 percent, polls show. But those working to oust her face serious allegations themselves, including the PMDB's Eduardo Cunha, the house speaker who is leading the impeachment push. He was charged in the scandal last year with taking millions of dollars in bribes. Temer, who will become president if Rousseff goes, has also been linked to the Petrobras scandal, although he has not been charged. A Supreme Court judge on Tuesday ordered Cunha to launch a new impeachment committee to consider allegations against Temer. Like Rousseff, Temer is accused of taking out unauthorized government loans to fudge the government's books. Rousseff may also find out this week if the Supreme Court allows Lula to become her chief of staff, which would shield him from prosecution. He has been barred from assuming that job over charges in a case connected to the Petrobras scandal. Former minister and presidential candidate Marina Silva called for the speeding up of a separate probe of alleged electoral irregularities against Rousseff and Temer. If those allegations are proved, she told a news conference, "the way forward is to hold new elections." BEIJING China has begun operating a lighthouse on one of its artificial islands in the South China Sea near which a US warship sailed last year to challenge Chinas territorial claims. China claims most of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. But neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Chinas transport ministry held a completion ceremony, marking the start of operations at the 55-meter lighthouse on Zamora (Subi) Reef, where construction began in October, state news agency Xinhua said late on Tuesday. The US guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in late October, drawing an angry rebuke from China, which called it extremely irresponsible. Subi Reef is an artificial island built up by China over the past year or so. Before Chinese dredging turned it into an island, Subi was submerged at high tide. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 12-nautical-mile limits cannot be set around man-made islands built on previously submerged reefs. China says much of its construction in the South China Sea is designed to fulfill its international obligations in terms of maritime safety, search and rescue and scientific research. Xinhua said the lighthouse, which emits a white light at night, can provide efficient navigation services such as positioning reference, route guidance and navigation safety information to ships, which can improve navigation management and emergency response. The South China Sea is an important maritime area and major fishing ground, it added. However, high traffic density, complex navigation condition, severe shortage in aids and response forces have combined to threaten navigation safety and hindered economic and social development in the region. China has lighthouse projects on two other reefs in the area Calderon (Cuarteron) Reef and Mabini (Johnson South) Reef. Reuters AFP News Pro-Russian authorities on Saturday urged residents in the southern Kherson region, which Moscow claims to have annexed, to leave the main city "immediately" in the face of Kyiv's advancing counter-offensive. It comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched 36 rockets overnight in a "massive attack" on Ukraine, following reported strikes on energy infrastructure that resulted in power outages across the country. And Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida became the latest world leader to reproach Moscow for its talk of using nuclear weapons. Kyiv's forces have been advancing along the west bank of the Dnipro river, towards the Kherson region's eponymous main city. Kherson was the first major city to fall to Moscow's troops, and retaking it would be a major prize in Ukraine's counter-offensive. In recent days, Russia has been moving residents in the region -- which Moscow claims to have annexed in September -- east to Russia, in efforts Kyiv has denounced as "deportations". "Due to the tense situation on the front, the increased danger of mass shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the left bank" of the Dnipro river, the region's pro-Russian authorities announced on social media. A Moscow-installed official in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, told Russian news agency Interfax on Saturday that around 25,000 people had made the crossing. Sergiy Khlan, the Ukrainian deputy head of the Kherson region, said Russians were removing property and documents from banks and the passport office as they withdrew. Ukraine's general staff said Moscow's forces had abandoned two more settlements in Kherson and were evacuating medical personnel from a third, accusing them of looting local civilians. - A 'serious threat' - Earlier Saturday, Japan's Kishida denounced Moscow's comments regarding the possible use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict. "Russia's act of threatening the use of nuclear weapons is a serious threat to the peace and security of the international community and absolutely unacceptable," he said. The 77-year period of no nuclear weapons use "must not be ended", said Kishida, speaking in Australia. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Putin has made several thinly veiled threats about his willingness to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. Earlier this month, the European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that the Russian army would be "annihilated" if Russia launched such an attack. Washington has also warned Moscow of "catastrophic" consequences should they use such weapons. Japan is the only country ever to have been hit with nuclear weapons: the US atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, which killed 140,000 people, and the second US bomb on Nagasaki, three days later, which killed 74,000 people. - 'Afraid for our lives' - At a train station in the town of Dzhankoy in the north of Crimea, a peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, Kherson residents were boarding a train for southern Russia, an AFP reporter saw Friday. "We are leaving Kherson because heavy shelling started there, we are afraid for our lives," said Valentina Yelkina, a pensioner travelling with her daughter. More than a million households in Ukraine have been left without electricity following Russian strikes on energy facilities across the country, the deputy head of the Ukrainian presidency Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Saturday. Fresh Russian strikes targeted energy infrastructure in Ukraine's west, the national operator said earlier, with officials in several regions of the war-scarred country reporting power outages as winter approaches. Russians "carried out another missile attack on energy facilities of the main networks of Ukraine's western regions", Ukraine's energy operator Ukrenergo said on social media. "These are vile strikes on critical objects," said Zelensky. "The world can and must stop this terror." Power outages were reported in other parts of the country and local officials repeated calls to reduce energy use. Some parts of Ukraine have already cut their electricity use by up to 20 percent, according to Ukrenergo. "Saturday in Ukraine starts with a barrage of Russian missiles aimed at critical civilian infrastructure," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. He once again urged Kyiv's allies to hasten the delivery of air defence systems. In the Russian Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, at least two civilians were killed in strikes on Saturday, according to the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Nearly 15,000 people were left without electricity, he added. Russia last week reported a "considerable increase" in Ukrainian fire into its territory, saying attacks had largely concentrated on Belgorod region and neighbouring regions of Bryansk and Kursk. bur-imm/jj/ah Libya's new unity leaders worked to tighten their hold on Tripoli Thursday, taking over the website of a rival authority in the capital whose head is refusing to stand aside. A week after arriving by sea with a naval escort, the UN-backed unity cabinet appears to be winning the support of key institutions that control Libya's wealth and, crucially, militias in the capital. But a call by Tripoli's unrecognised prime minister Khalifa Ghweil on Wednesday for his ministers not to cede power, contradicting an earlier announcement, highlighted the still-chaotic situation. It was unclear how much influence Ghweil, an engineer from the port city of Misrata east of Tripoli, still wields in the largely tribal nation. Libya's warring rivals have come under intense international pressure to rally behind the unity government at a time when the country is grappling with a growing jihadist threat. The Islamic State group has exploited the turmoil in Libya since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi five years ago, raising fears that it is establishing a new stronghold on Europe's doorstep. In a sign of its widening influence, the UN-sponsored administration of prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj took over the website of the unrecognised Tripoli authorities on Thursday. The site now bears the logo of the unity government, and the names of Ghweil's cabinet have been replaced by those of a presidential council created under a power-sharing deal in December. That agreement was inked by some lawmakers from both sides but not endorsed by the country's two rival governments. The other administration, which has long claimed international legitimacy because it was appointed by the parliament elected in the last polls in 2014, has so far refused to back the unity government. - Militias hold key - The reason behind Ghweil's apparent U-turn was unclear but it hinted at divisions within the Tripoli authorities that were installed by a militia alliance that seized the capital in 2014. A statement issued a day earlier in the name of his so-called National Salvation Government had said that it was ready to step aside. The fear is that a new power struggle could spark fresh violence in a country that has been in turmoil since the 2011 uprising. Much now depends on the support of powerful militias that overran Tripoli two years ago, forcing the government backed by the international community to take refuge in the country's far east. A politician close to the unity government said money was a key factor because some of the militiamen who brought Ghweil to power are no longer being paid by his authorities. According to a security source in Tripoli, there were talks between the unity government and armed groups for weeks before Sarraj's arrival to ensure the transition went smoothly. "There is no security body or armed group now opposed to the unity government, and they are holding back while the situation, and this government's actions, become clear," he said. Sarraj's cabinet has in recent days been broadening its support, winning the backing of the National Oil Corporation, the Central Bank and the Libyan Investment Authority. His Government of National Accord on Wednesday ordered all government "ministries and institutions and committees" to respect its authority and use its logo. It also instructed the Central Bank and the Audit Bureau to freeze all state accounts immediately, except for salary payments to government employees. French President Francois Hollande said Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke on Thursday with Sarraj to "reaffirm our support" to his government. Hollande told reporters at a Franco-German cabinet meeting in Metz, eastern France, that Sarraj had asked for the EU's help in efforts to combat human trafficking from Libya. UN envoy Martin Kobler, who visited Libya this week, was due to brief the UN Security Council Thursday on his efforts to bring about a peaceful power handover. Kobler has welcomed the Tripoli authority's willingness to hand over but cautioned that "deeds must follow words". SAF commandos taking part in a military exercise. Photo: Xinhua More Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers will be deployed to patrol public areas as part of counter-terrorism efforts, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament on Thursday (7 April). In the light of the terror attacks in Paris and Brussels - where airports, train stations and town centres were targeted - the SAF must be able to deal with orchestrated attacks by training more units and conducting deterrent patrols in places including populous areas, said Ng. The first responders in a terror attack would be the officers from the Special Operations Task Force (SOTF), which includes the commando and naval diving units, among others. Their incidence response rate will be enhanced, he said. The Special Ops Task Force must have the capability to respond even faster when activated, and have the means to neutralise armed attackers, in addition to hostage risks, said Ng. To ensure that officers undergo realistic counter-terrorism training, the SAF will also build new high-density urban training facilities, which will include high-rise buildings, mock-ups of transport nodes and complex road networks. The SAF will also be introducing a new SAF Engineering Scholarship to encourage bright young individuals with the interest and commitment to sign up as military engineers and scientists, said Ng. Those who take up SAF Engineering Scholarship will be able to depart for the university studies earlier so that on their return, they can apply their specialised skills and knowledge to the SAF as military engineers. (This is) important because they will form the next generation of leaders in our engineering core. The headcount for the SAFs Cyber Defence Operations Hub will also be doubled by 2020. No scrimping on defence As our population ages and our social spending increases, Singapore must maintain steady defence spending as this is the most effective way to stretch every defence dollar, said Ng. He added that doing so will provide other benefits such as long-term planning and the ability to avoid disruptive changes such as fluctuating expenditures. It is very difficult to suddenly wake up and say I need a stronger defence because the threats have gotten worse - and then quickly expect to build a strong defence, he said. * OCBC to buy Barclay's Singapore, Hong Kong operations * DBS became cautious on poaching fears - sources * OCBC Singapore assets under management to rise a third (Recasts, adds adviser name, shares, Barclays CEO quote) By Saeed Azhar SINGAPORE, April 7 (Reuters) - Barclays has agreed to sell its wealth and investment management business in Hong Kong and Singapore to Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) , as the British lender continues its drive to reduce risk and simplify. OCBC, Singapore's second-biggest lender, said on Thursday it had agreed to pay $320 million for the units - its second-largest private banking deal since 2009 and deepening its presence in Southeast Asia, Greater China and the Middle East. The sale is part of drastic restructuring measures by Barclays' new chief executive, Jes Staley, and comes as several European banks rethink their Asian strategy due to pressure at home to cut costs. "The sale of our wealth and investment management business in Singapore and Hong Kong marks further progress in our aggressive pursuit of non core cost and risk weighted asset reductions," Staley said in Barclays' announcement on Thursday. Barclays shares dipped by 0.6 percent by 1000 GMT in London. OCBC's purchase price was set at 1.75 percent of Barclays' $18.3 billion in assets in Singapore and Hong Kong, similar to what DBS Group Holding paid for the Asian private bank of Societe Generale in 2014. DBS, the only other bidder in the final round for the Barclays assets, had been seen as an early favourite to win, people close to the auction said. But it failed to bid aggressively amid talk several bankers at the Barclays units were negotiating to go elsewhere following the departure of Barclays Asian wealth chief Didier von Daeniken for Standard Chartered in December, they added. The head of Barclay's wealth management business for South Asia also left in January. Poaching is always more of a risk for private banks than for other industries as clients will often stay loyal to their bankers and move assets with them. "There is no regret at DBS for losing this," said a person with knowledge of the bank's strategy. A DBS spokesman declined to comment directly on the Barclays deal, saying only that Singapore's biggest lender would be disciplined in how it expanded its wealth business. OCBC declined to comment on whether it would provide retention packages to keep bankers at Barclays. SINGAPORE PUSH Singapore's banks have been keen to pick up wealth management assets put up for auction by Western banks, many of which are in retreat as they focus on their own markets. Bahren Shaari, chief executive at OCBC's Bank of Singapore, told Reuters he expected the integration would be smooth as the two businesses were led by teams which share the same operating and management philosophy. The deal is set to boost OCBC's private banking assets by a third to $73.3 billion, putting it just below DBS which is ranked by Asian Private Banker as the sixth-biggest private bank in Asia. The number of private bankers at OCBC's Bank of Singapore will climb by 88 to 400. It is OCBC's second major acquisition since it pounced on the Asian wealth unit of Dutch lender ING in 2009. Credit Suisse advised OCBC on the deal, while Lazard advised Barclays, sources said. (Reporting by Saeed Azhar; Additional reporting by Anshuman Daga in Singapore and Lawrence White in London; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Mark Potter) By Gul Yousafzai Quetta, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan on Wednesday arrested a suspected Afghan spy believed to be behind assassinations and bombings in its Baluchistan province, security and government officials told Reuters. The move comes two weeks after Pakistan detained another man it said was an Indian spy who illegally entered the country and was also captured in the mineral rich province. "The arrested man is an Afghan national living in a rented house in Boghara area at the outskirts of Chaman town. Paramilitary forces raided the house on intelligence and detained him," Manzoor Ahmed spokesman for the paramilitary force said. "He was working for Afghan spy agency National Directorate of Security (NDS)," Ahmed said. Initial interrogation pointed to an NDS role in killings and blasts in the Baluchistan cities of Chaman and Quetta. The accused has not been identified and Afghan authorities did not immediately comment on the arrest. "He was on the payroll of NDS," said Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, spokesman for the Baluchistan government. Security forces also said they had seized a large arms and ammunition cache due to information gleaned from the Afghan. Pakistan has uneasy relations with neighbour Afghanistan. Kabul has long accused Pakistan of sheltering the Afghan Taliban insurgency's leadership, a charge Islamabad denies. For its part, Pakistan has demanded that Kabul do more to capture leaders of the separate Pakistani Taliban. They are believed to have sought refuge on Afghan soil after being dislodged in a Pakistani military operation from North Waziristan along the border. Pakistan last month said it had detained a spy from regional arch rival India in Baluchistan who had illegally entered from Iran. It later released a videotaped confession by the man. India has confirmed that the man was a former Indian navy official but denied he was a spy. (Writing by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Jon Boyle) By Vladimir Soldatkin ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said a friend of his named in the "Panama Papers" leaks had done nothing wrong and spent the money he earned from business on buying expensive musical instruments which he was donating to public institutions. Media reports based on the leaked documents from a Panama-based law firm alleged that Sergei Roldugin, a cellist and friend of Putin, had quietly built up a sprawling business empire involved in offshore transactions that might be linked to the Russian leader. Speaking to supporters in St Petersburg, Putin said the leaks were part of an orchestrated attempt to destabilise Russia by fabricating allegations of corruption. "Our opponents are above all concerned by the unity and consolidation of the Russian nation. They are attempting to rock us from within, to make us more pliant," said Putin, in his first public comments on the leaks. "There is a certain friend of the president of Russia, he did such and such a thing, and there is probably a corruption element there," Putin said, describing the allegations. "But there isn't any (element of corruption)." Putin said Roldugin was a brilliant musician and a minority shareholder in a Russian company from which he earned some money but not "billions of dollars." He said Roldugin had spent almost all the money he had made from the venture on acquiring expensive musical instruments abroad which he was in the process of handing over to state institutions. "I am proud to have such friends," said Putin. The papers, which included more than 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, were leaked to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. They then became part of a broader investigation coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The files, which contained the details of clients around the world, prompted Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, the prime minister of Iceland, to quit, put British Prime Minister David Cameron under pressure over his family's financial affairs, and sparked calls in Ukraine to investigate President Petro Poroshenko. But in Russia, where state media closely hews to the Kremlin's line, the allegations have either been played down or portrayed as part of an attempt to undermine the ruling elite before parliamentary elections later this year. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, has dismissed the allegations as the result of "Putinophobia" and said that the journalistic consortium behind the Panama Papers included "many former state department and CIA employees, as well as those of other intelligence services". (Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Dmitry Solovyov, and Alexander Winning; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Christian Lowe) A walk to raise funds for AO victims (Photo: dantri.com.vn) Receiving President John Bachtell, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Rinh, VAVA President, said that he hoped the CPUSA would continue to encourage the US public to assist the lives of Vietnamese AO victims and support the victims struggle for justice. During the meeting, the two sides showed their confidence that the CPUSA delegations visit to Vietnam would help reinforce and heighten Vietnam - US relations, making active contributions to the struggle for peace, development and social advancement. The Vietnamese nation has shouldered serious consequences caused by the toxic chemical used by the US troops during the war in Vietnam. Some 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to the toxic chemical, including 3 million victims of AO. Hundreds of thousands of the victims have died, while millions of the others are struggling with dangerous diseases caused by the chemical. Meanwhile, the chemical has now caused consequences to the fourth generation in Vietnam. Over the past years, the Vietnamese Party and Government have made great efforts to overcome the AO calamitys consequences. Each year, the nation dedicates VND10 trillion to giving monthly allowances to AO victims and assist extremely disadvantaged regions seriously affected by the toxic chemical. Recently, the US Government has given support in environmental detoxification and bomb and mine disarmament in Vietnam./. A Bangladeshi law student who posted against Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Nazimuddin Samad, a 26-year-old atheist who had taken part in protests against Islamist leaders, was attacked late on Wednesday near his university in Dhaka by unknown assailants carrying machetes. "They hacked his head with a machete. As he fell down, one of them shot him in the head with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot," deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Syed Nurul Islam told AFP. "It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility," Islam said, adding police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing. Police said the attackers followed Samad home from an evening class on Wednesday before they attacked him on a busy road near Dhaka's Jagannath University, where he was a law student, reportedly shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest). It was the sixth such killing in 15 months and sparked protests in Dhaka, where more than 1,000 students blocked a busy road to demand the attackers be brought to justice. "You just can't kill a man just because he is an atheist," one protester shouted. No one has yet been prosecuted for the murders of four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher hacked to death last year, although police have arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Rights group Amnesty International said Samad's killing was a "blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression", urging Bangladesh to take action to end the violence. Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladesh's largest online secular activist group, said Samad's name was on a list of 84 atheist campaigners that a hardline Islamist group had sent to the home ministry in 2013. Samad had joined nationwide protests that year against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the country's war of independence, and is the fifth person on the list to be killed. "He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism," said Sarker, head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association. - 'Climate of fear' - Samad had posted several comments on Facebook criticising radical Islam and mocking hardline Islamists. In one, he described religion as "the most barbaric invention", while another mocked a hardline Muslim cleric who was recently arrested for raping a young boy. Samad's childhood friend and fellow activist Gulam Rabbi Chowdhury said he had gone into hiding, although he did not know whether he had received any specific threats. "When I last met him in February, he told me that he deactivated his Facebook page for a few weeks and left Sylhet city to live in hiding in his village," Chowdhury said. Another friend, Kawsar Ahmed, said Samad had received anonymous calls on his phone and had been attacked last year, although he did not elaborate. A Facebook post last August hinted at fears of an attack. Responding to a friend's request that he continue to write -- even if it meant leaving the country for his safety -- Samad posted, "I'll first save my neck and then I'll invoke Allah's name". Secular groups have called for nationwide protests and rallies to demand more protection for publishers, bloggers and writers, some of whom have fled the country or gone into hiding. "The persistent failure of the Bangladeshi government and the international community to better protect threatened thinkers has created a climate of fear and direct threat to free thought in the country," PEN America said in a statement condemning the latest murder. Samad had only recently arrived in Dhaka from Sylhet to study law. Deputy police commissioner Islam said the attackers had likely been monitoring him prior to his arrival in Dhaka. Sylhet police chief Kamrul Ahsan told AFP Samad had not complained of any threats. Several foreigners have been murdered in recent months in Bangladesh, which has also suffered attacks on minority Sufi and Shiite Muslims. A long-running political crisis in the majority Sunni Muslim but officially secular country has radicalised opponents of the government and analysts say Islamist extremists pose a growing danger. Russia looks out for its best interest. It intervened militarily in Syria on President Bashar al-Assads behalf and recently announced mission accomplished. Lets hope Russian leader Vladimir Putins victorious moment goes over better than George W.s premature celebration in Iraq aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The end of the combat mission in Iraq in May 2003 will likely not be the same failure as the winding down of military action by Russia in Syria in March 2016. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov stated, I believe that the task put before the defense ministry and Russian armed forces has, on the whole, been fulfilled. With the participation of the Russian military. . .the Syrian armed forces and patriotic Syrian forces have been able to achieve a fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism and have taken the initiative in almost all respects. And so, with ISIS seemingly on the run, in Syria anyway, Russia is declaring that the Assad regime will remain in power for now, and the terrorists will be kept out of Damascus. The Russians are not leaving the region though. Far from it. The Russian military is still maintaining a naval base in Tartous, on the Mediterranean coast of Syria, and at Khmeimim airbase, southeast of the city of Latakia. So, with Russia withdrawing its main forces for now without really pulling out, the recent announcement in mid-March comes as a declaration that the real war on terrorism is finally going in the right direction. Putin honed the Russian militarys mission with laser focus, taking out major ISIS supply routes and bombing major oil fields where ISIS was making money to continue fighting. Russia certainly has more of a willingness to inflict collateral damage than the U.S., so maybe that is why their air campaign has been ten times more effective in a few months than the American-led one that has gone on well over a year now. Yet, with ISIS and al-Nusra being decimated in Syria now, there have been more than a few reports stating that the terrorists are blending into the hordes of refugees flooding Europe and other parts of the world. Recently, ISIS has been opening new fronts on their war against the world by expanding their footprint in Libya and Afghanistan. This is something that must be taken into account as we debate security and borders in the 21st century. Those who dismiss outright leaders who warn about refugees coming to ones country from Syria or Iraq are ignoring the facts of the metastasizing migrant crisis. Story continues Russias effectiveness in the Middle East should be seen as a lesson to America and other Western countries looking to change events on the ground. Like the first U.S. War in Iraq have an obtainable objective and commit to it. Russias intervention began and ended in a fraction of the time that the U.S. has been fighting ISIS, as Tony Cartalucci points out in Global Research. While U.S. warplanes bombed from the sky and the CIA attempted to train up more moderate rebels to overthrow Assad, ISIS territory in the region actually expanded. When Russia came onto the scene, almost all of the gains the terrorists made during mid-2015 were rolled back, while supply lines coming in and out of NATO country, Turkey, were destroyed. Yet, for all the gains Russia has helped the Syrian government make, Iraq remains a chaotic mess, without the help of American military might. The second largest city in Iraq, Mosul, remains under ISIS control. According to the Washington Institute for Middle East Policy, there are over 100,000 former Iraqi servicemen not linked to ISIS in Mosul versus around 7,000 active ISIS supporters. The push to take Mosul back from the extremists is underway and will require coordination from Iraqi military, Kurdish forces, and American military advisors. However, when the city falls out of terrorist control, there could be an even bigger mess on our hands. Groups like the Iraqi Internal Security Forces, Kurdish forces, Shia militias, and anti-ISIS Sunni militias could all vie for power over the city. Turkey and Iran will certainly be involved in this offensive and the ensuing power grab as well. Moscows success in Syria solidifies its rising relevance on the world stage. Though not returning to threaten America the way the Soviet Union did, Russia is certainly asserting itself by cementing its legitimacy as an international player who must be at the table. Russias co-sponsorship of the International Syria Support Group, a coalition of 20 countries designed to facilitate a diplomatic solution, ensures that the future political solution to the Syrian conflict will come out in its favor. Moscow and Washingtons work together in this group has produced a cease-fire that, though not perfect, has reduced the violence in the country somewhat. However, the two powers remain at odds about whether Assad should play any role in the future of the country. Putins decision to withdraw some of his troops from Syria will reinforce Assads view that his bet on Tehran and Hezbollah steering the dictator in the right direction was correct. This will make Putin more dependent on Tehrans willingness to assist him in handling Assad in such a way as to reach a political solution. It will also make Tehran, not Moscow, the indispensable signatory to any political agreement in Syria. But, as Ronda Slim pointed out in Foreign Policy last month, Russias pullout proves that they are banking on Iran being able to rein Assad in and force him to negotiating table. Iranian motives seem to be to keep a Shia-friendly regime in power, regardless of whether that is Assad or not. The cease-fire seems to be working well as negotiations limp forward, but it is not a lasting solution to the myriad of problems affecting Syria. As Washington, Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara dictate the future of the country of Syria, the inhabitants are being lost in the shuffle. Syrians must play a greater role in the political transition, as David Ignatius pointed out in the Washington Post. Reporting on a forum of Syrian experts, there was a consensus of sorts reached on what needed to happen in addition to the added Syrian involvement. A role for the Kurds in Syria must be found, but it must not threaten the interests of Turkey. The Kurds are Americas most reliable ally in the region and can be continuously counted upon to hold and take ground in northern Iraq and Syria. Turkish President Erdogan has perpetuated war on these rebels he sees threatening his power, as he continued intense bombings of Kurds in northern Iraq recently. Syrian Sunni fighters must be more involved in the fight against ISIS and al-Nusra, rather than relying on an ineffective U.S.-led air campaign. And of course, humanitarian aid and mediation remains essential to the refugees and the future of the country. With the cease-fire holding for at least a few good weeks in March, there are signs that the conflict may be coming to an end at some point in the near future, God willing. Only in the past week has the cease-fire looked under threat. Rebels and other extremists launched an assault against Assads forces in the north, taking back some villages from the regime, as The Financial Times reported on April 3rd. The opposition forces fighting Assads army have regained some momentum following Russias retreat. The decision to pull back its operations in the area were likely sparked by the push just last week by the Syrian army to retake the ancient city of Palmyra with the help of Russian airstrikes. Rebel groups justify their attacks in the southern Aleppo province because Syrian government forces have attacked the northwest area near Damascus. Regime air strikes also killed over 30 civilians in that same region last week. So, the shaky truce that has been in effect for most of March seems to be coming to an end as this neverending conflict continues to unravel out of control. The Russian withdrawal from Syria was a signal to Bashar Assad to find a political solution to the crisis. After Palmyra was liberated Russia reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against terrorism, an article from the French newspaper Le Monde stated. If Washington and Moscow can learn to coordinate together to maintain the territorial integrity of Syria, instead of forcing Assad out of power, then we can see success in finally bringing this conflict to a much-needed end. On April 3rd, Syrian government forces took back the strategic city of al-Qaryatayn in the Homs province. Heavy fighting continues southeast of the city of Aleppo, as previously mentioned. And over 1,500 Iraqi prisoners were freed from an ISIS-run prison in Hit in the east of Ramadi, by the Iraqi army. This update of the latest fighting in the never-ending Syria-Iraq battlefield proves that this fight will be a long one and will require a commitment from all sides involved. Washington, Moscow, and other outside powers can only accomplish so much. Local actors in the region need to take more responsibility for their future by taking back their religion from the extremists who have hijacked it. Order must be restored to Iraq and Syria as soon as possible if they are to remain sovereign countries at all. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's military said a Syrian warplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in Aleppo province and that its pilot ejected, state media reported. A monitoring group and a rebel source said the pilot was captured by the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. The military source quoted by state media said the plane was on a reconnaissance mission. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said Islamist rebels had shot down the jet south of the city of Aleppo. (Reporting by John Davison and Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman; editing by John Stonestreet) By Aidan Lewis TUNIS (Reuters) - The U.N. envoy to Libya has urged a rapid, complete handover of power to a unity government that arrived in Tripoli a week ago, warning that a fragile peace in the city may not hold if the new government is unable to deliver. Martin Kobler also called on Libya's internationally recognised eastern parliament on Wednesday to hold a long-sought vote on whether to approve the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), telling Reuters in an interview that the chamber risked being sidelined if it failed to do so. Shortly after he spoke the prime minister of Tripoli's self-declared National Salvation government issued a statement calling on his ministers to stay in place. That contradicted a statement backed by some ministers on Tuesday saying the National Salvation government was stepping down. The GNA emerged from a U.N.-mediated deal signed in December and aimed at resolving the political chaos that engulfed Libya after the 2011 overthrow of autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. From 2014 the country had two pairs of rival parliaments and governments in Tripoli and the east, both backed by loose coalitions of armed brigades. Western powers are backing the GNA as the best chance for uniting armed factions against Islamic State in Libya, stemming the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean, and rescuing the economy by reviving oil production. Kobler, who visited Tripoli on Tuesday, said a handover of power at the foreign ministry was yet to be replicated in other ministries. "We know of ministers who are willing to hand over," he said. "But the ministers have to change, they have to peacefully hand over their power and give the new administration to the Government of National Accord." A source close to National Salvation government head Khalifa Ghwell said his ministers were divided over whether to hand over power. He said Ghwell was still in Tripoli but no longer working out of his old office, which has been secured by an armed brigade loyal to the GNA. Kobler said the GNA needed to be able to quickly improve economic conditions and failing health services. "It can change tomorrow, but now it's quiet. If the government doesn't deliver, it will not stay quiet." The GNA's leadership, or Presidential Council, has been operating out of a naval base in Tripoli, where Kobler said it was being guarded by "regular forces". He said previously hostile militias had been persuaded to protect or tolerate the Council because both the militias and people in Tripoli wanted a "way out" from conflict and increasing economic hardship. ARMED GROUPS As part of efforts to win the acquiescence of Tripoli's armed groups, Kobler said he had also held meetings with figures of influence including Turkey-based former Islamist militant Abdel Hakim Belhadj and Qatar-based cleric Ali al-Sallabi, and that although he had not got concrete assurances, they were "pretty supportive". "The popular support of the overwhelming majority of the population, this is the biggest backing for the Presidential Council," Kobler said. "But of course they don't have weapons and you need also at least to be tolerated by those who have weapons." The U.N. envoy also said it was still "crucial" to secure a vote of approval for the GNA from the eastern parliament, or House of Representatives, as required by the December deal. In February, GNA supporters in the chamber said their rivals had used physical force and threats to prevent a vote. "Now there must be another (attempt), otherwise the House of Representatives loses importance," Kobler said, adding that he saw growing signs of support for a vote in the east. "There is a considerable movement within the municipalities, many House of Representatives members, but also within the tribes. They really want to have progress now." Kobler said the political process had to keep moving so a coordinated security structure could be built to tackle Islamic State, which took control of the coastal city of Sirte last year and has established a presence in other parts of Libya. But he said it was too early to say when this could be achieved. "The Presidential Council is in Tripoli since one week. They do not yet have their ministers in place. They do not even have the handover of the government, so this will take time." (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By Martin Petty HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's parliament approved a new prime minister on Thursday, handing former bureaucrat and legislator Nguyen Xuan Phuc the challenge of maintaining the momentum of one of Asia's fastest-growing economies. Phuc rises from deputy prime minister to lead a government committed to overhauling its troubled state sector and broad reforms under a U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade pact covering four-tenths of the global economy. The 61-year-old completes the trio of core leaders of a youthful country hooked on social media, and growing in its awareness of politics and Vietnam's complex ties with China and the United States. Phuc has some big shoes to fill, taking over from Nguyen Tan Dung, a tough-talking reformist whose decisiveness won him broad support but, say experts, saw him sidelined by conservatives concerned he would become too powerful. Vietnam is officially ruled by consensus with key decisions made by the Communist Party's elite politburo. Dung had served a maximum two terms and is no longer a politburo member, although key policy makers from his government are among the new 19-member body. "Phuc certainly will be lower key than the hard-charging Dung," said Murray Hiebert, a Southeast Asia specialist at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "We should expect him to operate within the consensus of the ruling politburo. He will have seen the impact on Dung of his more flamboyant, independent style." Phuc was the only candidate chosen at the party's January congress. His appointment for a five-year term was approved by 475 of 480 lawmakers present. He is from the central province of Quang Nam and his expertise is management and economics. He held key posts in local politics and on legislative committees and was once head of planning and investment in Danang, Vietnam's third-biggest city. Phuc becomes part of a new triumvirate with party chief Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang, who was endorsed last week. Addressing the assembly, Phuc pledged to achieve targets for the economy, which grew 6.7 percent in 2015, tackle graft, improve the investment climate and fight to protect Vietnam's sovereignty. Hiebert said Phuc would initially have a lower international profile than Dung, who stood up to China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and sought tighter U.S. ties. "Phuc will recognise that there's broad consensus in Vietnam not to let Beijing push Hanoi around and hedge ties with China through closer relations with Washington," he said. (Reporting by Martin Petty; Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Robert Birsel) Fighting Fear Groups Urge FBI to Dismantle Website Aimed at Schools 'Don't Be a Puppet' criticized for targeting Muslims and discouraging freedom of speech. The American Civil Liberties Union, along with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and other groups, has formed a coalition to urge the FBI to get rid of its Dont Be a Puppet website. The federal agency created the site to educate youth about violent extremism, but critics have argued that Dont Be a Puppet focuses on American Muslims and discourages students from thinking and expressing their thoughts freely. This website will seriously damage trusted relationships between educators and students and cannot be described as a legitimate or credible law enforcement tool, the coalition stated in a letter sent Tuesday to FBI Director James Comey, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The website would have teachers and community leaders ... determine whether views are extremist or radical and report them to police, inappropriately discouraging views protected by the First Amendment, the letter said. It continued: Not only will Dont Be a Puppet hinder the free exchange of speech, ideas, and debate on controversial topics because students are afraid of being labeled suspect and being reported to the police, but it will also isolate students and possibly subject them to bullying. The FBI rolled out the website, which functions like a game, in February for utilization in schools to instruct teens about violent extremist groups, both foreign and domestic. The site also strives to prevent visitors from becoming radicalized and recruited by groups such as the Islamic State. Dont Be a Puppet encourages students to report suspicious behavior to teachers or others, including law enforcement. The initial launch of FBI-created site was delayed last November, due to critiques from Muslim and Arab groups who pre-screened it and expressed concerns that it seemed fixated on Muslim and Islamic threats, without addressing far-right or white-supremacist groups. In the modified version, visitors click on various subjects, such as groupthink, propaganda and distorted principles, navigate through a messy resistance cell, read attributes of extremist groups and ultimately free a puppet from its strings. The website is an effort to counter an expanding problem, according to the FBI: the recruitment, especially online, of young people by violent extremist organizations. However, since Dont Be a Puppet went live in February, it has been the subject of increasing criticism and questioning media reports. The FBI did not comment on the request that the website be taken down, the Journal said. The website does recognize that extremist thoughts are not illegal, and it offers that students should be tolerant and inclusive of all people. In its letter to the FBI director, the coalition said the website reinforces the idea that holding views that may be outside the mainstream equates to support for violent extremism, and that the site reinforces the notion that Muslims are prone to participate in extremist violence. The coalition also criticized the websites list of possible warning signs that someone might be planning to commit an act of violent extremism. The list includes talking about traveling to places that sound suspicious and using code words or unusual language. In its letter, the coalition said: A trip to France or Germany, which are home to many far-right groups, is not likely to be considered suspicious by most teachers and community leaders. Although there should be nothing inherently suspicious about traveling either to Saudi Arabia or Iraq, where some Muslim holy sites are located, bias could lead individuals to report innocent, constitutionally protected activity to law enforcement. The coalition argued that bias could easily lead individuals to conclude that speaking foreign languages, such as Arabic, amounts to using unusual language. Along with the ACLU and the American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, the other groups that signed the letter to the FBI included the Muslim Legal Fund of America, the Friends of Human Rights, the Sikh Coalition, and Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Counseling Princeton Review, CollegeWeekLive Partner on Virtual College Fair The Princeton Review and CollegeWeekLive have partnered in an effort to provide prospective college students greater insight to universities they are interested in attending. As a result of the partnership, The Princeton Review will host a virtual college fair at collegeweeklive.com on May 25. Students and families attending the virtual fair will have access to college admissions officers to help them narrow down their choices. "These personal conversations will help students get to know the unique attributes of each school so they can hone in on the best college match," according to a news release. The event will also feature live videos covering test prep and other topics in an effort to help prepare students to better navigate the college search and application process. "Students already visit The Princeton Review for test preparation and other college counseling services," said Young Shin, senior vice president of global business development and partnerships at The Princeton Review, in a prepared statement. "The Princeton Review Virtual College Fair will be the first in a series of events that augment this offering to help students find the right school for them through live interaction." "Today's students want more than a slick brochure or email from the schools they're considering," said Sumant Mauskar, CollegeWeekLive president, in a news release. "They want to have authentic conversations with those who know the schools best. That's why an increasing number of universities are giving students opportunities to meet with their admissions staff, students, and alumni virtually." CARACAS/BOGOTA (Reuters) - The Colombian government will begin formal peace talks with leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels, moving the country a step closer to ending its five-decade-old conflict, the two sides said in joint statement on Wednesday. There is no start date yet for the Ecuador-based negotiations, which were announced by the leaders of the peace delegations in Caracas, Venezuela. Colombia and the ELN, the Andean nation's second-largest guerrilla group, have been in preliminary talks for over two years. The group recently freed two hostages, which President Juan Manuel Santos had demanded as a condition for the start of formal talks. "Peace is a supreme asset for every democracy," the statement said, adding that the goal of the talks was to move quickly "toward national reconciliation." The two sides will work on a six-point agenda that includes the rights of victims, social justice and an end to the conflict, among other issues. Cuba, Norway, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil and Ecuador will act as guarantor nations. "It will be the end of guerrilla groups and we can all concentrate - democratically - on making our country the free, normal, modern, just and inclusive place it can and should be," Santos said during a televised address. Negotiations with the ELN are separate from those underway in Havana with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country's larger rebel group. Both organizations are considered terrorist groups by the United States and European Union. MISSED DEADLINE Official talks would come as approval ratings hit new lows for Santos, who replaced hard-line President Alvaro Uribe in 2010. Now an opposition senator, Uribe and his backers have harshly criticized the FARC talks, saying they will foster impunity for human rights violations. Colombia has been negotiating with the FARC for over three years. Last week, the two sides failed to reach a self-imposed deadline for a final accord. The 2,000-strong ELN has increased oil pipeline bombings in recent months and continued kidnappings, in what many saw as an attempt to pressure the government into talks. Inspired by Cuba's 1959 revolution, the ELN has battled a dozen Colombian governments since it was founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964. While many Colombians are suspicious of peace talks, they are tired of the violence that has killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions over more than half a century. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta, Julia Symmes Cobb and Helen Murphy in Bogota and Eyanir Chinea and Girish Gupta in Caracas; Editing by Paul Simao and Tom Brown) By Teis Jensen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish police said they had arrested four people on Thursday suspected of having been recruited by Islamic State (IS) to commit terrorist violence, and two others of breaking Danish weapons law. Police said in a statement the four had been indicted for "having violated the penal code ... by allowing themselves to be recruited by IS in Syria to commit terrorist acts". Later on Thursday police arrested two people they believe could be linked to ammunition and weapons found during a search carried out in connection with the earlier detention of the four. The two will be indicted for breaking Danish weapons law, Copenhagen Police said in a statement. Neighbouring Sweden on Thursday charged a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden. The Danish arrests were part of a joint effort by police and the intelligence service PET to combat the enlisting of people by terrorist groups in war-torn areas of Syria and northern Iraq, police said. The police would not provide more details on the identities of the six, or the charges against them. They will appear before a judge for preliminary hearings on Friday. The prosecution had requested that Friday's hearing for the four suspected IS recruits be closed to the public, police said. More than 125 people are believed to have joined IS after going to Syria and Iraq from Denmark, PET said in October, adding that at least 27 had died there. "We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq may pose a specific security threat against Denmark," Justice Minister Soren Pind said in statement shortly after the arrests. Only one person, a 23-year-old, has previously been charged under the same section of the Danish penal code with being recruited for terrorist acts. He was charged in December and his trial is expected to begin in May. Danish authorities have been on high alert since two people were killed in shooting attacks at a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen in February last year. Islamic State claimed responsibility for suicide bomb attacks that killed 32 people in Brussels last month and attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people. (Additional reporting by Nikolaj Studsgaard; Editing by Andrew Roche) By Matt Scuffham MONTREAL (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Canada is reviewing its records after being named in leaked documents that appeared to show a Panamanian law firm's clients evaded taxes and laundered money, Chief Executive Officer Dave McKay said on Wednesday. RBC, Canada's biggest bank, is one of several financial institutions named in data that emerged following an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The bank and its subsidiaries were associated with 378 shell companies registered in the Mossack Fonseca law firm's data. At the bank's annual meeting, McKay faced several questions from shareholders who were unhappy about the impact they felt the allegations had had on the bank's reputation. One investor described the effect as "catastrophic". I am equally unhappy RBC has been dragged into this," McKay told reporters after the meeting. McKay said RBC had not been accused of any illegality or wrongdoing and reiterated that it had controls in place to prevent illegal activity. He also said the bank had so far not been able yet to verify the data, which goes back decades. "We don't have access to this data, this data goes back 40 years, we don't have understanding of this information and we have teams now going through our businesses trying to determine where the relationships may exist," he told reporters. In a separate matter, McKay confirmed RBC was not the unnamed Canadian bank fined C$1.1 million by the country's financial intelligence agency on Wednesday for failing to report a suspicious transaction. McKay also said he expected oil price gains since the beginning of the year to hold, addressing concerns about the effects of a longtime slump on the bank. RBC is one of Canada's biggest lenders to oil and gas companies and has a sizeable consumer loan book in the oil-producing province of Alberta, which has been hit by thousands of job losses. However, McKay played down the bank's exposure. "Oil and gas represents about 1.6 percent of our total loan book, and our provision for credit loss remains in line with historic norms," McKay said. "We also believe the significant gains that oil markets have made since January will hold, given that the U.S. economy continues to grow." RBC said in February that impaired loans to companies in the oil and gas sector had almost doubled from the previous quarter. That warning, along with increased provisions by other lenders, raised concerns that the impact on Canadian banks could worsen this year. (Editing by Matthew Lewis and Lisa Von Ahn) By Ed Cropley JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - With their economy flatlining, currency on the ropes and politics in turmoil, many South Africans are turning to humor for relief, mainly at the expense of President Jacob Zuma and his $16-million home improvements. Within minutes of Zuma surviving Tuesday's heated impeachment vote in parliament thanks to unanimous support from African National Congress (ANC) loyalists, the 73-year-old traditionalist Zulu was facing another roasting on the nation's irreverent stand-up circuit. "Jacob Zuma is the dude who just threw up all over the dance floor but still doesn't want to go home," comedian Lazola Gola quipped, to roars of laughter at an open mike event at Kitchener's Bar, a 100-year-old watering hole built in the heyday of Johannesburg's gold rush. For comedians, Zuma is the gift that keeps on giving, a politician whose career has run the full gamut of scandal, from a love-child and corruption charges to foot-in-mouth insults of African countries and his belief, expressed during a 2006 rape trial, that having a shower can prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS. However, no episode has surpassed the six-year imbroglio over the "security upgrades" to his sprawling Nkandla private residence that included an amphitheatre, swimming pool, cattle enclosure and chicken run. Even though South Africa's top court said last week he had broken the constitution by disobeying a watchdog's order to pay back some money, Zuma has plowed on, blaming his lawyers for giving bum advice and apologizing for creating "confusion". That represented a rare moment of contrition from a leader who has mocked his non-Zulu opponents' pronunciation of Nkandla - rolling his eyes in parliament and dragging out the main syllable, 'Nkaaaaaaaandla' - and has criticized "clever blacks" for getting upset about the issue. Demonstrating political analysis as sharp as his wit, comedian Mojak Lehoko said Zuma's ability to ride out the constitutional court smack-down was no surprise. "This is a man who has survived more than 700 corruption charges and a rape case. There's no way he's going to jail over some home improvements and a swimming pool," he said backstage. MAD REALITY While much of South Africa's humor inevitably plays on the racial divides that remain two decades after apartheid - particularly between blacks and whites - the ruling ANC party and its leaders, past and present, are also frequent targets. Nor are there any sacred cows. In one Lehoko skit mocking the broken manner in which Zuma reads out large numbers in English, he and Mandela are sitting round a fire smoking marijuana, when the anti-apartheid leader accuses Zuma of hogging the joint. "Come on, Comrade Jacob, you know the rules - two puffs and pass it on," Mandela says. "But I've only had one...," Zuma protests. "Thousand, seven hundred and twenty eight." Zuma's reputation for gaffes - in January his office had to correct his assertion Africa was bigger than all the other continents put together - is even starting to make waves internationally. South African host of the Daily Show, Trevor Noah, explained to U.S. audiences this week how Zuma was elected in 2009 without ever being formally cleared by a court of hundreds of corruption charges. "I know, I know, that should have been a red flag to South Africans but ever since apartheid we've strived to be color blind, so all we saw was a flag," Noah said. Others have taken the view that the politics of the self-styled 'Rainbow Nation' have become so bizarre that satire is unable to compete with the real thing. "April Fools' Day 2016 canceled till further notice," the Daily Maverick, a respected online political magazine, wrote on April 1. "We couldn't come up with anything half as mad as SA reality today. Sorry." (Editing by James Macharia and Raissa Kasolowsky) By Orhan Coskun and Karolina Tagaris ANKARA/LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - Turkey is ready to take in another 200 migrants deported from the Greek islands this week, a senior government official said, as it presses ahead with a disputed EU deal aimed at shutting down the main route for illegal migration into Europe. A first group of 202 migrants, mostly Pakistani and Afghan, were shipped back to Turkey on Monday under an agreement which will see Ankara take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean to enter Greece illegally. In return, the European Union will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations. "This arrangement will prevent the Aegean Sea being turned into a cemetery for migrants," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in parliament of a deal meant to dissuade migrants from attempting perilous illegal sea crossings. Turkey was initially expecting a second group of 200 migrants to be sent back on Wednesday, but the government official said Greek authorities had informed their Turkish counterparts that the move would be delayed until Friday. The pact has been criticised by refugee agencies and human rights campaigners, who have cast it as inhumane, questioned its legality, and argued Turkey is not a safe country for refugees. Several dozen migrants being detained at a holding camp on the Greek island of Lesbos protested behind the barbed wire fence of the compound on Tuesday, shouting "We want freedom!" They were among thousands of refugees and migrants who have arrived on Lesbos on or since March 20 from Turkey and who are being held until their asylum requests are processed and they are accepted or sent back under the deal. The first group of returnees from Greece were brought from Lesbos and Chios to the Turkish Aegean coastal town of Dikili on Monday. They were then taken in buses escorted by gendarmes to a "reception and removal" centre in a fenced compound in the town of Kirklareli near the Bulgarian border, from where most are expected to be sent back to their home countries. MIGRANTS DEMAND FREEDOM On parts of Turkey's Aegean coast where refugees had long gathered before attempting to cross the Aegean, the deterrent effect of the EU deal, struck last month, is apparent. Turkish security forces have increased checkpoints on roads in a bid to detain would-be migrants. Syrian and other refugees who once packed the cafes and hostels of Basmane, a district of the region's biggest city Izmir, have all but disappeared. "There's no work. The hotel has been empty for the last 20 days," said Mehmet, whose Basmane hotel had done a thriving trade sheltering migrants in the months ahead of the deal. But some stores in the neighbourhood still stock unlicensed life jackets and, despite the risks, migrants are still trying to cross. Altogether, more people arrived on the Greek islands in the 24 hours to Monday morning than were transported to Turkey, Greek authorities said. Those returned from Greece on Monday included 130 Pakistanis, 42 Afghans, as well as nationals of Iran, Congo, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Iraq, Ivory Coast and Somalia, people familiar with an internal European Commission report said. There were also two Syrians who had requested a return to Turkey, Turkish officials said. Davutoglu said a first group of 78 Syrians had been sent to Europe in return as part of the deal. Thirty-two went to Germany, 11 to Finland and another 34 were expected to go on Tuesday to the Netherlands, the European Commission report said. Rights groups and some European politicians have challenged the legality of the deal, questioning whether Turkey has sufficient safeguards in place to defend refugees' rights and whether it can be considered safe for them. The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR has stopped transporting arrivals to and from the Moria camp on Lesbos, initially set up to register arrivals but which has since become what UNHCR calls a "detention centre". Through barbed wire at the camp, one man held up a piece of cardboard, which read: "Kill us if you want." On the wall of the sprawling gated complex, which was once an army camp, graffiti read: "No one is illegal". UNHCR says there are some 600 people above capacity at Moria, including pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, with insufficient food. Other aid groups have also pulled out from the site in protest at conditions there. (Additional reporting by Dasha Afanasieva in Izmir, Turkey; writing by Nick Tattersall; editing by Richard Balmforth and Peter Graff) 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 KKR has agreed to buy into seeds provider Advanta Enterprises in a deal which values the business at about $2.25bn. Modified On Apr 07, 2016 01:36 PM By Raunak There are more Android users than iOS in India, probably in the world too; and availability of Android Auto will certainly make things simpler The Mountain-Viewbased search giant has announced the availability of Android Auto in 18 countries, including India. The Android Auto saw the light of day on June 25, 2014, at Google I/O 2014. Wondering what it does? Android Auto integrates your Google's Android OS-based smartphones and reflects important and relevant information on the vehicles' touch-based infotainment screen. Maruti Suzuki has been offering Googles only competitor Apple CarPlay with the S-Cross, the Baleno and the recently launched Brezza. The company is expected to offer Android Auto support soon. Mahindra became the first automaker in India to announce Android Auto support for the XUV500 and the Scorpio last year. The next-gen Hyundai Elantra, which is rumoured to launch later this year, will also offer support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A few new luxury offerings also feature the same. It is a matter of time until almost every new car will come with Android and iOS OS integration. What you need Since it is available in India, you can download the Android Auto app from the Play Store. The application is only compatible with mobiles running Android 5.0 or above that is, Lollipop or Marshmallow. Lastly, what you need is a vehicle supporting Android Auto or an aftermarket unit offering the same. See how it works Android Auto is not like the MirrorLink system, which just reflects your mobiles screen onto the infotainment system. In Android Auto, your phone is connected to the cars head unit through a USB cable. It only shows relevant apps that youll be requiring while driving. Moreover, only important notifications will be reflected in a card layout, similar to what we get in Android smartwatches and Google Now. A simplified version of Google Maps will be available and you can access your music from the Play Music app on the go. The interesting bit is that it also supports third-party app availability. We can only imagine that the future possibilities, which seem endless! Recommended: Maruti Vitara Brezza - Expert Review Australia's regulation on foreign investment has sparked debate as to how open the world's 12th largest economy really is, but the country's trade minister told CNBC on Thursday that the situation was being blown out of proportion. Recent messages from Canberra suggest the government is increasingly taking a tough stance on foreign business interests controlling domestic assets such as farmland. Treasurer Scott Morrison said in November that he would block the sale of Australia's largest cattle property portfolio, S. Kidman & Co, to overseas buyers. And the government announced in February that it would launch a register of foreign ownership of water rights, citing data that showed foreign ownership climbed by 55 percent from 2010 to 2013. Australia boasts an advanced water-trading system whereby landholders can sell water on their property. But Australia's Minister for Trade and Investment, Steven Ciobo, largely dismissed worries about what some call the nation's "protectionist" policies. "We've got to maintain perspective on this. Since 2001, there's only been three occasions that the Foreign Investment Review Board has said no to a foreign investor. On average, we get 1,000 applications a year," he told CNBC's "Asia Squawk Box." "I'm not going to deny there are concerns ...But the actual framework for investment is governed by what we call a national interest test, i.e. it has to be in Australia's natural interest for this investment to happen. And the vast bulk are." The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is monitoring cases in federal courts in Washington, D.C., challenging the Dodd-Frank Act, that could create important precedents for those under the jurisdiction of Dodd-Frank, and those looking to challenge it. Both PHH Corp. and MetLife Inc. have challenged certain aspects of Dodd-Frank, including actions of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). On April 12, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear oral arguments in PHH Corp.s challenge to a $109 million enforcement actionin June 2015. The CFPB alleged that PHH accepted kickbacks in the form of mortgage reinsurance premiums. This case is the first challenge to a CFPB administrative action. When the action was first decided by an administrative law judge, PHH was handed a $6 million fine. After PHH pushed back against the decision, the CFPB increased the fee, to $109 million. This daily digest focuses on market sentiment, new developments in Chinas foreign exchange policy, changes in financial market regulations and Chinese-language economic coverage in order to keep DailyFX readers up-to-date on news typically covered only in Chinese-language sources. - Chinas central bank published the first SDR-denominated foreign reserves figure. - Chinese local analyst expects additional drops in foreign reserves in the long term despite the March increase. - Alibaba becomes the largest retail company in the world with a daily sales volume of $1.3 billion. To receive reports from this analyst, sign up for Renee Mu distribution list. PBOC News: Chinas Central Bank. - Chinas Central Bank announced on April 7 that the regulator starts to release foreign reserves data denominated in both the US Dollar and Special Drawing Rights (SDR) this month. The regulator said that the SDR, a basket of currencies, tends to be more stable than individual currencies and thus it helps to reduce valuation changes caused by large fluctuations in specific major currencies. With this modification, foreign reserve figures can be more objective and this can also improve the role of SDR as a unit of account. Though PBOC did not mention it, introducing a SDR-denominated data will help to improve the Chinese Yuans role as well, as the currency has been approved to be included in the SDR basket last November. On October 1, 2016, Yuan will officially join the basket. Hexun News: Chinese leading online media of financial news. - Chinas foreign reserves increased $10.258 billion to $3.3126 trillion in March, the first increase since November 2015. The March foreign reserves were 2.28 trillion in SDR. China Minsheng Bank Chief Analyst, Wen Bin commented that after the Lunar New Year, Yuan rates in both onshore and offshore markets have seen improvement. Seasonal increase in demand of foreign exchange and increases driven by panic have reduced and therefore, helped to narrow drops in foreign reserves. Longer term, however, many local analysts believe that the foreign reserves will continue to drop. Tsinghua University Research Center Head, Liu Taoxiong, said that China does not need to hold such a large amount of foreign reserves as it will not benefit the country. He believes that the probability of seeing further drops in foreign reserves in the long term is high. Sina News: Chinas most important online media source, similar to CNN in the US. They also own a Chinese version of Twitter, called Weibo, with around 200 million active usersmonthly. - China Everbright Bank and Boston Consulting Group issued a joint report on the performance and outlook of Chinas asset management market. As the end of 2015, the total amount of assets under professional management was approximately 93 trillion yuan. The average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was 51% over the past three years. In year 2020, the total amount is expected to increase to 174 trillion yuan. Excluded channel business, the total amount is expected to increase to 149 trillion yuan, with an average CAGR of 17% from 2015 to 2020. In terms of sources of funds, funds from financial institutions have taken up 40%, but this is lower than the global average of 60%. However, with the development of pension funds, the proportion of funds from financial institutions will increase. In terms of asset management institutions, commercial banks will still be the main participants in this market over the following five years. China Finance Information: a finance online media administrated by Xinhua Agency - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the Chinese giant online marketplace company, announced on April 6th that it has surpassed Walmart and become the largest retail company in the world as of its fiscal year end on March 31, 2016. According to Alibaba, as of March 21, 2016, the total sales volume in 2016 has hit 3 trillion yuan ($475.89 billion), which means the daily sales volume in 2016 was roughly $1.3 billion. The giant online marketplace company has contributed approximately 10% of the total retail sales in China and has directly provided 15 million jobs and 30 million jobsindirectly. Alibaba said its target is to increase its sales to 6 trillion yuan by 2020. Written by Renee Mu, DailyFX Research Team To receive reports from this analyst, sign up for Renee Mu distribution list. Agrochemicals giant Bayer is set to launch at least seven new pesticide products, including a new SDHI fungicide product and a nematicide, over the next two to three years. The group, which sell products like Aviator and Atlantis, is hoping to introduce four new herbicides and an insecticide as well as the SDHI and the nematode killer depending on the official approval process. Global research chief Adrian Percy is also expecting high-yielding hybrid wheats in the next decade and also biopesticides with broad uses across a number of crops. UK growers can look forward to a number of new products within the next two to three years, and then more beyond, he tells Farmers Weekly on a visit to London from the groups headquarters in Monheim in Germany. See also: Syngentas bulging agchem pipeline offers hope for growers The new SDHI product is hoped to be launched for the 2017 season following the groups first SDHI product Aviator in 2012, while a new nematicide in 2018 could be particularly useful after supply problems with Vydate. Actives Aviator SDHI bixafen + azole prothioconazole Atlantis iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron Liberator diflufenican + flufencet Vydate oxamyl Dr Percy talked about an explosion of technology bringing forward new products in all three areas of the German groups business agrochemicals, seeds and biopesticides. The company spends about one billion euros a year on research and development, and has about 4,800 scientists working worldwide on new products for which it hopes to win regulatory approval. Fungicides The new SDHI fungicide product expected to be launched next year for use on wheat, and will be a mix of two SDHIs and the azole prothioconazole. The new product is expected to be more effective than existing SDHIs and comes when the first indications of septoria disease resistance to SDHIs are being seen. Each generation of SDHIs will have better efficacy, and we are not in the business of producing me-too products, says Dr Percy. The group says it has a further new SDHI which is further down its pipeline. Nematicides and insecticides A new nematicide for use in potatoes and carrots is hoped to be launched in 2018, and comes at a time of a severe shortage of Vydate due to an accident at DuPonts US production plant. Dr Percy describes the new Bayer nematicide, which controls potato cyst nematodes and free-living nematodes, as an environmentally friendly product. A new insecticide to control aphids is planned for launch in 2018 for use in root and vegetable crops, including potatoes and peas. The new active flupyradifurone is from a new class of insecticides and has a good environmental profile, while the active is already available in the US and some other countries. Herbicides Four new herbicides are in the pipeline with three set to give improved blackgrass control and extra broadleaved weed control over existing Bayer products Atlantis and Liberator. These three will be based on existing chemistry with the new post-emergence option set for launch in autumn 2016, while there is another post-emergence product and then a pre-emergence herbicide coming later. The other product is one that is planned to be used on herbicide-tolerant sugar beet varieties being produced by plant breeder KWS, within a growing system branded Conviso Smart. The varieties have natural tolerance a specific ALS (acetolactate synthase) inhibitor herbicide, and the growing system could be available in 2019 offering beet growers a new herbicide to tackle troublesome weeds. Hybrids and seed Dr Percy says hybrid wheats are expected to be launched in the early 2020s with high yields while they will be better able to cope with a range of climatic conditions than conventional varieties. We see stronger and higher yielding wheats in Europe in the early 2020s, he says. The group, which has bred Harper and Fencer oilseed rape varieties, is also hoping to introduce pod-shatter resistance into its future varieties. This trait comes from Bayer varieties in North America and is expected to be incorporated into European varieties in the next few years. Investigation of police abuse and violence against members of the public shouldn't be hidden from us, the taxpaying public! We Have a Right to KnowDid you know that California law requires that police departments keep all information related to officer misconduct a secret? Even if a police officer is, for example, found by their own department to have committed sexual misconduct involving a member of the public while on the job, or found to have planted evidence. You will never even know if the officer was disciplined or what that discipline was. The same goes for internal investigations into police shootings and other uses of force.Sure, the department might tell you if that officer was found to be in compliance with the department's use of force policy. But that's it. In fact, the law prohibits them from sharing anything else, even if they want to. Instead, the public and victims' families are expected to blindly trust that the police are capable of policing themselves and of holding officers accountable for their actions.It's time police departments earn our trust.You and I both know that isn't always the case. We've seen and heard far too many stories of people especially people of color and other vulnerable members of the community being mistreated and brutalized by police officers with impunity. Mario Woods, Charly "Africa" Keunang, Alex Nieto, and Fridoon Nehad. We know their names and that they died at the hands of the police, but what we don't know is how police departments handled the internal investigations into their shootings.That's why the ACLU and our partners are supporting a bill that would lift this veil of police secrecy. SB 1286 was introduced by state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) to bring transparency to how police officers public servants use and abuse their power in California. This would also ensure that police department standards on use of force align with the values of the communities they're policing.A recent poll found that almost 80 percent of Californians think the public should have access to findings of confirmed police misconduct. Are you one of them? Broad Coalition Urges State, Feds to Update Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan by Dan Bacher The coalition wrote, "The Board is required under federal and state law to review the WQCP every three years. The latest delay would in essence start the 3-year clock ticking again, after six years of work. Water quality conditions in the estuary are simply too urgent to allow for such a delay. There is more than enough information available for the Board to adopt scientifically justified, more protective new standards in the next twelve to twenty-one months. We are united in urging you to take the information before you and make a decision as soon as possible." Photo of State Water Resources Control Board Members. From left to right: Dorene D'Adamo; Vice Chair Frances Spivy-Weber; Chair Felicia Marcus; Steven Moore, and Tam Doduc. A large coalition of over 150 conservation, fishing, recreational, and tribal organizations on April 5 sent letters to the California State Water Resources Control Board and to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding Californias failure to update Bay-Delta Water Quality Standards. The letter was sent as Governor Jerry Browns California Water Fix plan to build the massive Delta Tunnels is in complete chaos while the economic, scientific and financial justifications for the project become increasingly untenable. The San Francisco Bay Delta ecosystem is now in an unprecedented crisis as winter-run Chinook salmon, Delta and longfin smelt, and other fish species draw closer and closer to the abyss of extinction under the current water quality standards. The letter states, There is no dispute in the scientific or resource management communities that the current water quality standards are failing to protect fish and wildlife and other beneficial uses of the estuarys water. The record is strong and clear that insufficient freshwater flows and inadequate water quality are primary drivers of the long-term degradation of ecological conditions for the public trust resources of the Bay-Delta estuary, and this state of affairs is only growing worse. The decline of pelagic organisms that was first detected in the early 2000s has accelerated, with many native fish species at record or near-record low population levels in recent surveys. Below are the two letters: April 5, 2016 Felicia Marcus, Chair State Water Resources Control Board P.O. Box 2000 Sacramento, CA 95812-2000 RE: ADOPT NEW BAY-DELTA STANDARDS IN NEXT 12-21 MONTHS Dear Chairwoman Marcus: Our organizations are writing to urge the State Water Resources Control Board to complete its update of the 2006 Water Quality Control Plan (WQCP) for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary and adopt new water quality standards in the next twelve to twenty-one months. There is no dispute in the scientific or resource management communities that the current water quality standards are failing to protect fish and wildlife and other beneficial uses of the estuarys water. The record is strong and clear that insufficient freshwater flows and inadequate water quality are primary drivers of the long-term degradation of ecological conditions for the public trust resources of the Bay-Delta estuary, and this state of affairs is only growing worse. The decline of pelagic organisms that was first detected in the early 2000s has accelerated, with many native fish species at record or near-record low population levels in recent surveys. Yet the Board has not substantively or comprehensively updated the current water quality standards for the Bay-Delta estuary since 1995. The Board initiated its current review of the standards in 2009, but six years later has yet to adopt any amendments to the WQCP. Instead of adopting new protections, in fact, the Board relaxed standards over the last two years, completely devastating several year classes of multiple Chinook salmon runs, risking extinction of some native fish species, and causing significant injury to other fish and wildlife beneficial uses. Recently, the Board again revised its schedule for completing the WQCP update, this latest delay to mid-2018. The Board is required under federal and state law to review the WQCP every three years. The latest delay would in essence start the 3-year clock ticking again, after six years of work. Water quality conditions in the estuary are simply too urgent to allow for such a delay. There is more than enough information available for the Board to adopt scientifically justified, more protective new standards in the next twelve to twenty-one months. We are united in urging you to take the information before you and make a decision as soon as possible. Sincerely, (see list below) --- April 5, 2016 Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator Region IX, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105 RE: STATE OF CALIFORNIAS FAILURE TO REVIEW AND AMEND BAY-DELTA WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Dear Regional Administrator Blumenfeld: Our organizations are writing to urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to initiate proceedings to develop and adopt sufficiently protective new water quality standards for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, in light of the continuing failure of the California State Water Resources Control Board to do so, as required under the Clean Water Act. There is no dispute in the scientific or resource management communities that the current water quality standards in the 2006 Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (WQCP) are failing to protect fish and wildlife and other beneficial uses of the estuarys water. The record is strong and clear that insufficient freshwater flows and inadequate water quality are primary drivers of the long-term degradation of ecological conditions for the public trust resources of the Bay-Delta estuary, and this state of affairs is only growing worse. The decline of pelagic organisms that was first detected in the early 2000s has accelerated, with many native fish species at record or near- record low population levels in recent surveys. Yet the State of California has not substantively or comprehensively updated the current water quality standards for the Bay-Delta estuary since 1995. The Board initiated its current review of the standards in 2009, but six years later has yet to adopt any amendments to the WQCP. Instead of adopting new protections, in fact, the Board relaxed standards over the last two years, completely devastating several year classes of multiple Chinook salmon runs, risking extinction of some native fish species, and causing significant injury to other fish and wildlife beneficial uses. Recently, the Board again revised its schedule for completing the WQCP update, this latest delay to mid-to-late 2018. The Board is required under federal and state law to review the WQCP every three years. The latest delay would in essence start the 3-year clock ticking again, after six years of work. Water quality conditions in the estuary are simply too urgent to allow for such a delay. Given the existence of an extensive record on which to base action and the State of Californias continuing failure to use that information to take action, we are writing to urge US EPA to initiate the process of adopting scientifically justified, more protective new standards, with an end-date of final action by the end of 2017. Sincerely, Adam Stern Executive Director Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet Jeff Miller Director Alameda Creek Alliance Lynette Kofinow SF Chapter Representative American Cetacean Society, SF Bay Chapter Dave Steindorf California Stewardship Director American Whitewater Steve Welch General Manager ARTA River Trips Marily Woodhouse Director Battle Creek Alliance Gary Bobker Program Director The Bay Institute Carol Perkins Water Policy Advocate Butte Environmental Council Bill Wells Executive Director California Delta Chambers & Visitors Bureau Bill Jennings Executive Director California Sportfishing Protection Alliance David Shugar Development Committee Chair California Student Sustainability Coalition Patty Clary Executive Director Californians for Alternatives to Toxics Katelyn Roedner Sutter San Joaquin Regional Director Catholic Charities, Diocese of Stockton Steve Rothert California Director American Rivers Barbara Vlamis Executive Director AquAlliance Hengsothea Ung Program Manager Asian Pacific Self Development and Residential Association (APSARA) David Loeb Executive Director Bay Nature Joan Herskowtz Conservation Chair Buena Vista Audubon Society Keith Miller President California Canoe & Kayak Lloyd Carter President California Save Our Streams Council Jim Cox President California Striped Bass Association Carolee Krieger Executive Director California Water Impact Network Sarah Aird Acting Executive Director Californians for Pesticide Reform Jeff Miller Conservation Advocate Center for Biological Diversity Christopher Lim Executive Director Central Coast Salmon Enhancement John Buckley Executive Director Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center Florence LaRiviere Chairperson Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge Jennifer Clary Water Program Manager Clean Water Action Bill Loyko President Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton Dan Randall Owner Current Adventures Ken Scheiddeger Owner Delta Boat Works Siobahn Dolan Director Desal Response Group Linda Sheehan Executive Director Earth Law Center Melinda DeVincenzi Advisor East County Student Anglers Fred Evanson Director Ecological Rights Foundation Tom Parrington President Central Sierra Audubon Society Chris Conrad President Central Valley Bird Club Jeff Kellogg President Clavey Paddlesports Alan Levine Director Coast Action Group Eddie Kurtz Executive Director Courage Campaign Rachel Zwillinger Water Policy Director Defenders of Wildlife Ron Forbes Conservation Chair Delta Fly Fishers Nate Knodt Facilitator Downtown Comeback Club of Stockton Trent W. Orr Staff Attorney Earthjustice Susan Robinson Vice Chairperson Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch Dan Silver Executive Director Endangered Habitats League Mark Rockwell California State Representative Endangered Species Coalition Colin Bailey Executive Director Environmental Justice Coalition for Water Connor Everts Facilitator Environmental Water Caucus Dan Bacher Managing Editor Fish Sniffer Lowell Asbaugh Conservation VP Fly Fishers of Davis Adam Scow California Director Food & Water Watch Paul Hughes Executive Director Forests Forever Alan Harthorn Executive Director Friends of Butte Creek Michael Garabedian President Friends of the North Fork American River Mitch Avalon President Friends of the San Francisco Estuary Roger Thomas President Golden Gate Fishermans Association Caryn Mandelbaum Freshwater Program Director Environment Now Natalynne DeLapp Executive Director Environmental Protection Information Center Crystal Sanders Founder Fish Revolution Trevor Kennedy President Fishery Foundation of California Chuck Hammerstad Conservation Chair Flycasters of San Jose Cecily Smith Executive Director Foothill Conservancy Jim Linburg Legislative Director Friends Committee on Legislation of California Scott Greacen Executive Director Friends of the Eel River Eric Wesselman Executive Director Friends of the River Les McCabe President Global Green USA John McManus Executive Director Golden Gate Salmon Association Cindy Charles Conservation Director Golden West Women Flyfishers Douglas Wilhoit President & CEO Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce John Hocevar Ocean Team Leader Greenpeace Pennie Opal Plant Co-Founder Idle No More SF Bay Peter Bosshard Executive Director International Rivers Ger Vang Executive Director Lao Family Community Empowerment, Inc. Helen Hutchison President League of Women Voters of California Bruce Reznik Executive Director Los Angeles Waterkeeper Gordon Beebe President Madrone Audubon Society Kate Powers President Marin Conservation League Jefferson Greywolf-Kelly Chief Modoc Nation Mel Odemar Vice President, Conservation Chair Granite Bay Flycasters Constance Higdon Gannon Executive Director Green Space Jennifer Kalt Director Humboldt Baykeeper Pietro Parravano President Institute for Fisheries Resources Konrad Fisher Riverkeeper Klamath Riverkeeper Daniel Cooper Co-Founder & Attorney Lawyers for Clean Water Osha Meserve General Counsel Local Agencies of the North Delta Roger Mammon President Lower Sherman Island Duck Hunters Association Barbara Salzman President Marin Audubon Society Michael Martin, Ph.D. Director Merced River Conservation Committee Steve Shimek Coastkeeper Monterey Coastkeeper Jim Edgar President Mount Diablo Audubon Society Doug Obegi Staff Attorney Natural Resource Defense Council Anna Swenson Action Committee North Delta CARES Larry Glass President Northcoast Environmental Center Larry Hanson Manager Northern California River Watch Tim Sloane Executive Director Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermans Associations John Tobin Conservation Chair Pasadena Casting Club David Keller Executive Director Petaluma River Council John Hooper Co-Founder Protect Our Water Roberta Lyons President Redbud Audubon Society Ken Scheiddeger Owner River Boat Marina Melissa Samet Senior Water Resources Counsel National Wildlife Federation Jay Ziegler Director of External Affairs and Policy The Nature Conservancy Jim Ricker President North Fork American River Alliance Lowell Asbaugh Conservation Vice President Northern California Council International Federation of Fly Fishers Steve Shimek Executive Director The Otter Project Greg Haller Conservation Director Pacific Rivers Council Jack Ellwanger President Pelican Network Jonas Minton Water Policy Advisor Planning and Conservation League Michael Warburton Executive Director Public Trust Alliance Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla Executive Director Restore the Delta Katherine Baer Director of Science and Policy River Network Megan Isadore Executive Director River Otter Ecology Project Tim Little Executive Director The Rose Foundation Lucas Ray RossMerz Executive Director Sacramento River Preservation Trust Todd Steiner Executive Director Salmon Protection and Watershed Network David S. Kossack, Ph.D. President San Andreas Land Conservancy Larry Collins President San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association Steve Mayo Project Manager San Joaquin Council of Governments Sally Shanks Treasurer Sandhill Crane Festival Stephen Green President Save the American River Janet McCleery President Save the California Delta Alliance Ara Marderrosian Forestkeeper Sequoia Forestkeeper Dan Randall Owner The River Store Don McEnhill Executive Director Russian Riverkeeper Larry Glass Executive Director Safe Alternatives for our Forest Environment Jessie Raeder Board President SalmonAID Sejal Choski Executive Director San Francisco Baykeeper Matt Ryan President San Francisco Herring Association Lynn Plambeck President Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment Jack Sanchez President Save Auburn Ravine Salmon & Steelhead David Lewis Executive Director Save the Bay Katherine ODea Executive Director Save Our Shores Kyle Jones Policy Advocate Sierra Club California Marty McDonnell President Sierra Mac River Trips Greg King Executive Director Siskiyou Land Conservancy David Keller Board Chair Sonoma County Conservation Action John Herrick General Counsel South Delta Water Agency Caleb Dardick Executive Director South Yuba River Citizens League Jennifer Savage California Policy Manager Surfrider Foundation Chandra Ferrari Water Policy Advisor/Staff Attorney Trout Unlimited Jason Weiner Coastkeeper Ventura Coastkeeper Brent Plater Executive Director Wild Equity Institute Mati Waiya Executive Director Wishtoyo Foundation Elizabeth Lasensky Council Co-Chair Yolo MoveOn Peter Van Zant Executive Director Sierra Nevada Alliance Don Marshall President Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermans Association Richard Dale Executive Director Sonoma Ecology Center Michael Schweit President Southwest Council, International Federation of Fly Fishers Conner Everts Executive Director Southern California Watershed Alliance Donna Olsen Chair Tri-City Ecology Center Peter Drekmeier Policy Director Tuolumne River Trust Dick Pool President Water4Fish Caleen Sisk Spiritual Leader & Tribal Chief Winnemen Wintu Tribe Heidi Perryman, Ph.D. President Worth a Dam Prosperity either for individuals or nations Tedr77 [at] aol.com) by Ted Rudow III, MA Israel on Sunday expanded the Palestinian fishing zone off the southern portion of Gazas coast to nine nautical miles from six, allowing fishing in areas that had been off limits for a decade. Palestinian officials welcomed the decision, which they said applied to about 60 percent of Gazas Mediterranean coastline. The Israeli military enforces a naval blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave of Gaza, which is controlled by the militant group Hamas. Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent weapons smuggling. Under the Oslo peace accords, the fishing zone was supposed to extend to 20 nautical miles, but it has shrunk over the years as Israel has imposed greater restrictions, citing security concerns. In the years before 2006, fishermen could go out 10 to 12 nautical miles, but from 2006 until 2012 the zone was limited to three nautical miles. Gazas farmers are restricted from farming in a buffer zone along the border with Israel, and the fishing restrictions have added to the challenges facing Gazas people, about 80 percent of whom receive some form of food aid. Egypt, Gazas neighbor to the south, also tightly restricts movement to and from Gaza across its border. The Palestinians are just trying to take back their own homeland, which has been stolen by the Israelis. Selfishness doesn't lead to prosperity either for individuals or nations. Ted Rudow III, MA Letter from Al Rojas to Arturo Rodriguez on UFW and the Delano 1965 Grape Strike by via Al Rojas "Dear brothers and sisters many of you for the last several months have been asking me whether I was invited or decided to attend the "UFW" 50th year commemoration of the Delano 1965 Grape Strike. Three days prior the event I received an invitation from, "Arturo Rodriguez." President of the "UFW" Union in so doing after consulting with my Family having sent our response have decided to share and to release publicly the letter that was sent to brother Arturo Rodriguez." -Al Rojas ** No, the UFW and Arturo did not read the letter. It was the same program as always. [ Al Rojas spoke on October 2, 2008 in Jesse Wrench Auditorium at University of Missouri. During the discussion, sponsored by the MU Labor Education Program, Rojas spoke in favor of immigrant rights and unions. Photo by Nicholas Jain / Staff Photographer at Maneater Student Newspaper. ] September 27, 2015 Arturo Rodriguez President United Farm Workers Brother Arturo, Unfortunately, me and my family will not be able to attend; however, it is my request that you read this letter at the 50th Anniversary of the Grape Strike and Boycott event. No Time To Celebrate, Agricultural Workers In California and Mexico Are Still Unorganized! The 50th anniversary of the Grape Strike and Boycott is important to address, but the reality is that the vast majority of farmworkers are still unorganized, more so today than before -- and they continue to face tremendous exploitation and discrimination. Today there is an anti-labor offensive not only against farmworkers but against all workers -- from postal workers who face privatization, to teachers who face charters and union-busting along with more segregation in the schools. A critical lesson is that farmworkers need a democratic union in which the rank and file can elect their representatives, and all union officials and officers must come from the rank and file who are paid a similar wage. We need locals where the rank and file control their union and the working members are the elected representatives, locally and nationally. The UFW needs to end its reliance on the Democratic Party and on officials like Jerry Brown, who has been supported by labor yet then help the farm owners prevent unionization. The politicians are putting forward people like Driscolls chairman, Miles Reiter, who was appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Both Republicans and Democrats take money from the growers and when push comes to shove they end up siding with the companies. We need to get Miles Reiter off this board for the way he has treated the workers in Mexico. The UFW also needs to end its support of an indentured servitude "guest worker" outsourcing program. Unfortunately both the AFL-CIO and the SEIU, and other unions, have supported the so-called Comprehensive Immigration Reform legislation (S-744), approved by the U.S. Senate, which included a guest worker program that sets up labor brokers in Mexico to recruit workers to be "union workers as replacement workers in the United States. How would this help U.S. agricultural workers when, for example, the striking Sakuma workers, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (FUJ) in the state of Washington, are faced with replacement "guest workers? Already the FUJ has experienced employers use of replacing FUJ workers, using replacement guest workers. We need to revitalize our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Mexico, not with a "guest worker" program but by supporting their struggle for independent unions and for direct action, and by building solidarity with them. The key struggle that we need to actively support is the strike by the Alliance of National State and Municipal Organizations for Social Justice of over 50,000 workers. The U.S. government, through the immigration laws and support for union-busters like the Driscolls corporation, is helping to maintain virtual slave labor on our borders with wages at $7.00 a day. Our struggle is and must be -- with our brothers and sisters and their families in San Quintin, Mexico, and with the Sakuma workers, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (FUJ), in the state of Washington. They need our support through a boycott and also direct solidarity rallies and action between U.S. and Mexican workers. We face the same bosses and same corporate-controlled anti-labor governments. It is not enough to "commemorate" the anniversary with talk. We need to support a mass organizing effort in the Central Valley and throughout California -- for the future of our families and children. We need to organize in our communities for the boycott of all Driscolls products, and to work for the victory for human and labor rights for our brothers and sisters in Mexico and against the use of reactionary U.S./Mexican laws that pit worker against worker and that prevent unionization on both sides of the border, which NAFTA has encouraged. We have the power, and we need to build solidarity and education to win this struggle. The UFW must actively support the Driscolls international boycott campaign. I would like to now add at a note on a more personal level: My family takes great pride and honor to have been part of the UFW Grape Strike and Boycott history. Our family, like many families, experienced great suffering during the movement, and the UFW has never shown any good faith or compassion toward my family to this very day. Me and Elena, and our children live with a great pain in our hearts that our family was so mistreated by the very union that we helped to found: The United Farmworkers Independent Union, founded in 1965. Fraternally, Al ROJAS Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers Union Organizer - Grape Boycott - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Organizer - Tomato Strike - Woodland/Davis/Sacramento, California 1964-1979 Gearhart Named Kemp Teaching Award Winner Linda French (left) and Rebecca Gearhart are winners of the 2016 and 2017 Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. April 6, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Rebecca Gearhart has been named the 2017 recipient of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence at Illinois Wesleyan University. The award recipient, announced at the Honors Convocation on April 6, is selected by the faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee from nominations by the faculty. Provost and Dean of the Faculty Jonathan Green announced Gearhart as the recipient. A professor of anthropology, Gearhart is chair of the sociology and anthropology department. She received a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Florida and joined the faculty at Illinois Wesleyan in 1999. She takes an interdisciplinary approach (visual anthropology, history and performance studies) to her research on non-Western music and dance performance traditions. Her area of interest is East Africa, which she first visited as an undergraduate student in 1987. She has frequently lived in East Africa, primarily among the Swahili people of the Kenyan coast. She is co-editor of the book Contesting Identities: The Mijikenda and Their Neighbors in Kenyan Coastal Society (Africa World Press, 2013) and the author of numerous scholarly papers. Professor of Physics Linda French, the 2016 Kemp Award winner, was the featured speaker. Watch her remarks. In her presentation, entitled The Long and Winding Trail, French quoted a line from The Lord of the Rings: Not all those who wander are lost. French told the seniors and other students honored for scholastic and activity achievements that she first announced her intention of becoming an astronomer after receiving My Little Golden Book about the Sky for her fifth birthday. As a student at Indiana University, she changed her major to English and then to elementary education before taking a survey of astronomy course for non-majors in her junior year. I fell in love with astronomy all over again, she said, cramming an astronomy major into four semesters. Somehow, the wandering, the less direct path, worked for me. In graduate school at Cornell, French found herself as a teaching assistant for Carl Sagans astronomy class just as he was becoming a household name and the first celebrity scientist in Frenchs lifetime. To my amazement, students started coming to my office hours, even students who werent in my section, she recalled. It seemed that they felt I had something to offer. One undergrad told my officemate, she doesnt make me cry like my TA did. As a diversion from the rigors of graduate school, French accepted a friends invitation to try hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. On the first hike, she was hooked, telling the audience the view from the top of a mountain has been described best as: therapy, church, the gym, and a love affair all at the same time. Linda French quoted Tolkien, "Not all those who wander are lost." Over the course of 20 years, French has climbed all 48 of the 4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire, doing many of the hikes alone. The sense of pride I took in this accomplishment was enormous, and clearly its still important to me today, she said, displaying a slide of the patch shes earned for that accomplishment which she has stitched onto her academic regalia. Her work in Cornells labs was satisfying and groundbreaking, she said, yet she missed teaching. Something was missing inside the lab where, to study how a rock reflects light, you have to turn off almost all the lights, she said. So, I wandered again, still trying to fit those pieces together. As a postdoctoral researcher and instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, French found her true calling. French and others established a Field Camp where students go to Lowell Observatory in Arizona to do research with a staff member. In this setting, French began to develop the research program that would eventually bring her to Illinois Wesleyan observations of the shapes and spin rates of special asteroids known as the Jovian Trojan asteroids. Eventually French joined the faculty at Wheelock College in Boston, where she focused more on teaching than on observing research. Wheelocks mission is the preparation of elementary teachers and social workers, and French worked with science educators in encouraging students to explore their own learning and developing new curriculum, she said. I loved working with future teachers I still do and I look back fondly on those times, she said. But something was missing. Astronomical research. Chasing asteroids. Asking questions of the universe and looking for new answers. The sensible thing for a tenured faculty member is to stay put, she said. But unable to carve out time to do research and work with majors along with developing and teaching advanced classes such as observational astronomical techniques and astrophysics, she began looking for new positions. And here I am, she said, noting how challenging it can be to re-enter a focused research track once an academic has gotten off one. However, heres where the mountains come in, she said. Without the determination and the tenacity Ive developed in logging those miles and thousands of feet of climbing, I dont think Id be here at all. The ability to ignore sensible advice, such as dont go hiking alone, probably helped, too. In many ways chasing mountains here on earth and mountains in the sky, I see as two aspects of the same quest, she added. For more than a decade, French and her IWU students have been making regular trips to observatories in Arizona and Chile. Shes proud of upgrades to the Mark Evans Observatory and of the research her students have conducted and published on their own right in refereed scientific journals. Some people do indeed move from one career goal to another in a straight line, she said. For whatever reason, that has not been her way, she noted. Ive learned from listening to, and working with, great scientists, but Ive also learned from discussing Newtons Laws with a pre-service kindergarten teacher and from answering questions with Illinois Wesleyan students, she said. My life has been enriched by working at world-class observatories, but also by having star parties and eclipse-watching parties on campus. We all need to recognize and cherish the things that nourish us, and we need to honor those things by spending time on them, for in that way we honor ourselves. Quoting a Beyonce song, I did all that I wanted and more than I thought I could do, French said to the students, My wish for each of us is to be able to say the same thing. Toni Jenkins, representing the Kemp Foundation, presented French with the 2016 Kemp Award for Teaching Excellence. The award honors one faculty member who brings spirit, passion and scholarship to the art of teaching. The Kemp Family Foundation began funding the award in the 2009-2010 academic year. During the Convocation, Provost Green also paid tribute to retiring faculty members Professor of Sociology Georgeanne Rundblad and Associate Professor of Nursing Susan Swanlund. A 1980 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan, Swanlund plans to retire in December. - No fewer than 800 members of the Boko Haram terrorists group have surrendered to the Nigerian army - Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, acting director defence information made the disclosure Nigerian Army waging war against Boko Haram The Nigerian army has informed that no fewer than 800 members of the Boko Haram terrorists group have surrendered their arms in the last three weeks. READ ALSO: Boko Haram commander Shekau's right hand man nabbed Ynaija reports that the acting director defence information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar made the disclosure on Wednesday, April 6. I can confirm that about 800 of the Boko Haram members have surrendered to the military, he said. This announcement comes on the heels of the Nigerian armys successful rescue of about 11,595 persons held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists within the last one month. Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, the acting director army public relations in a statement said: On 1st March 2016, troops of 155 Task Force Battalion received 10,000 refugees from the Republic of Cameroon at Banki and Bama axis. Two days later, Army Headquarters Special Forces (AHQ SF) Battalion also rescued 63 persons held captives by terrorists at Maleri. The same unit on 5th March 2016 rescued 779 persons at Fotokol general area, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon. Within the first week of March 2016, the 254 Task Force Battalion also rescued 45 persons at Kuaguru, while 143 Battalion similarly rescued 27 persons at Gadayamo,15 at Galadadani Dam in Madagali and 10 persons from Disa village. On 11th March 2016 troops of 231 Battalion and Armed Forces Strike Force (AFSF) also rescued 7 persons held captives by Boko Haram terrorists at Betso village; 5 of whom were elderly women and 2 young girls. Similarly 117 Task Force Battalion on 15th March 2016, received 14 refugees from Sahuda a border town with Cameroon. The Battalion equally rescued 59 at Bitta general area on 19th March 2016. In similar vein, troops of 22 Brigade in conjunction with Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) rescued 309 hostages from Kala Balge general area on 23rd of March 2016. While on 30th March 2016 troops of 25 Task Force Brigade rescued 45 men, 85 women and 137 children from the Boko Haram terrorists at, Zahdra and Weige villages. Thus the total number of persons rescued by the troops during the ongoing clearance operations is 11,595 from February 26th, 2016 to date. READ ALSO: Boko Haram releases another video The Boko Haram terrorists in a recent video warned President Muhammadu Buhari regarding making any move, which could backfire on him and the generality of Nigerians. In the new video, leader of the insurgents read out a prepared written text, saying it could be forced to attack Aso Rock Villa. The insurgents also spoke of their continued oath of allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). The sect's recent threat is considered to be a reaction to what the US secretary of state, John Kerry said a few days ago, while acknowledging the efforts of President Buharis administration to bring an end to the activities of the terrorist group. Source: Legit.ng Accor is in an investing mood, at least when it comes to prime areas in Germany with dynamic perspectives. The French hotel group has now invested in five buildings in Munich and Hamburg which were previously being operated by the company under a lease. Novotel, Ibis and Mercure The French a... [] Things are moving ahead in Frankfurts prime shopping street, Zeil. As reported last week, the demolition of the Zeilgalerie in the coming years is decided . A modern new build should soon replace the former shopping centre. In mid-March 2016 the city of Frankfurt granted the building permission for Photos: RFR Management GmbH [] CBRE has confirmed growing interest in the local market in the industrial sector from companies with a dominant share of Chinese capital. This interest is due to increasing expansion by these companies in the Czech Republic, both in manufacturing plants and logistic facilities. This mainly concerns investments in the automotive, [] Banned in India, Bajaj Qute is exclusively made for export markets as of now. First launched in Dec 2015, the new Bajaj quadricycle is being exported to 19 markets across the globe, from Turkey and Russia to Indonesia and Peru. Until now, 334 units of Bajaj Qute have been exported. This month, with export network in place for certain countries, Bajaj aims to export 500 units of Qute. For FY17, the company aims to export 10,000 units. Recently, Brussels EURO NCAP crash tested the Bajaj Qute for safety. Bajaj Qute quadricycle got 4 marks for frontal impact and 6 marks for side impact in crash test undertaken at a speed of 50 kmph thus scoring 10 out of a maximum of 32. According to Euro NCAP, the very structure of the Bajaj Qute is unstable. Spot welds were released while deformation of the structure showed that it will not be able to stand a high degree of loading. Where side impact to A Pillars was concerned, the Bajaj Auto Qute door became detached from the hinges. The very safety of Bajaj Qute quadricycle has been questioned ever since it was announced. The company listed out its benefits which put the quadricycle in the category halfway between an autorickshaw and a small car where price, fuel efficiency, safety and auto emissions were concerned. Largely, the Qute is viewed as a new-age small taxi for commercial purpose, which will replace the highly unsafe three-wheeled auto rickshaws from the market. The company has also had to face a legal battle in the Supreme Court in the country against a stay on the new Qute for sales in local markets. Litigations were filed by Automotive Engineers Association and rickshaw Drivers Association as they viewed the new Qute as a potential threat. But there are unconfirmed reports that this is work of rivals who do not want Bajaj to have a first-movers advantage in the segment. Speaking about other manufacturers in India who are currently working on developing a quadricycle of their own Tata Motors, Mahindra, Piaggio, Eicher Motors, etc. Bajaj Auto has been running Free The Qute campaign. Till April 6, 2016 the support counter has registered 3,914 hits. The Mercedes hit and run case in which the young 32-year-old marketing consultant Sidharth Sharma was killed has been making headlines across all platforms. He was rammed into by a speeding Mercedes Benz E Class (license no DL 2F CM 3000), reportedly being driven at about 150+ kmph on Monday night at Delhi Civil Lines. The car was driven by a 17-year-old 12th standard student who was behind the wheels of the Mercedes Benz. The released CCTV footage shows Sidharth approaching the intersection and looking to the right side of the street for approaching traffic. On nearing the kerb, a speeding sedan can be seen travelling at very high speed. Viewing the speeding vehicle, Sidharth increases his speed even as the Mercedes driver swerves towards the left of the road which led to the fatal accident. Below is a pictorial break-down of the accident. Siddharth crossing the road. From the corner of his eye, he notices the approaching Mercedes. Reference time 37 seconds. The car is about to hit Siddharth. He tries to move out of the way. But the speed of the car is approaching at a very high speed. The distance of over 60 meters (from the time the car appeared in the video frame, till it hit Siddharth) was covered by the speeding car in less than 1.4 seconds. This means it was traveling at a speed of more than 150 kmph. The impact was so great that Sidharth was tossed into the air and out of the frame of CCTV footage, leaving his backpack at the exact spot of the accident. Eyewitnesses claimed that the Mercedes was being driven by a teenager along with five other youngsters as passengers. All six of them try to run away in the car, but due to gathering of crowd, they were not able to get away with the car. Thus they fled the scene on foot and abandoned the vehicle. Though the police have fined the owner of the Mercedes whose son was at the wheel, the family of the victim claims police inaction in the case. The owner of the car apparently hired a driver to state that he was driving the Mercedes at the time of the accident but the driver later changed his statement when he learnt that the victim had died. Police finally apprehended the accused, but as he is a juvenile, he was given bail immediately. More details in the video below. A more accurate method of modeling heat generation and transfer in electromagnetic machines could lead to more efficient electric motors. An improved method to track and control heat generation in electric motors for cars, or power generators, such as those in wind turbines, has been developed by researchers at Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, in collaboration with colleagues from the UK. The scientists devised a numerical model that can predict the thermal properties of these energy conversion machines which includes heat transfer across multiple device components. For permanent magnet electric machines, a precise knowledge of the temperature distribution is important, as excessively high temperatures can degrade their magnets and electrical windings, and can even lead to a complete failure of the machine. A detailed understanding of heat creation and distribution is crucial for their design, says Jonathan Hey, from the A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) who conducted the study along with colleagues from the Imperial College, London. "These machines are often constructed from an assembly of multiple components, and complex heat transfer mechanisms between the components make it difficult to model the process accurately." Previous models either have modeled heat conduction within individual components, or studied heat convection on a larger device scale, but failed to consider the specifics of heat transfer across individual component parts. To solve the issue of simulating the heat transfer between components, the model added a virtual thin material between the simulated parts. A mathematical optimization process was used to determine the thermal properties of the virtual thin material such that it best describes the heat transfer across the interface. Other components of the machines, such as the heat generated by the permanent magnet, are modeled using a similar inverse modeling method. The computations reveal that the imperfect contacts between components contribute considerably to the thermal properties of the entire machine. However, by including the modeled interfaces into the simulation, and by using experimentally determined parameters, the numerical modeling technique achieves a realistic model of the heat distribution. The model is so accurate that it differs to the measured one by a mere 2.4 per cent. In future research, the goal is to apply this model to machines of different size and configuration, adds Hey. "Part of the development is to translate the modeling technique into a software tool that can be used by a machine designer. Such a software tool could improve the power density and reliability of next-generation high-performance electric machines." Using these computer models, the software tool could reliably model the properties of a broad range of devices, and therefore help develop prototypes of more efficient energy generation machines. The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology Increasing exposure to outdoor light is the key to reducing the myopia (short-sightedness) epidemic in children, according to ground-breaking research by Australian optometrists. Optometrist and lead researcher on the project, Associate Professor Scott Read who is the director of research at QUT's School of Optometry and Vision Science, said children need to spend more than an hour and preferably at least two hours a day outside to help prevent myopia from developing and progressing. Speaking at the Australian Vision Convention in Queensland on the weekend, Professor Read said it was not 'near work' on computer and other screens causing myopia, but a lack of adequate outdoor light. "While screens are contributing to children spending more time indoors than in previous years, the research shows they are not the direct cause of the increased incidence of myopia," he said. "Optometrists need to make their patients aware that less than 60 minutes' exposure to light outdoors per day is a risk factor for myopia. "It looks like even for those with myopia already, increasing time outside is likely to reduce progression." Optometry Australia president Kate Gifford said "this new finding is of significant importance in our endeavour to mitigate the growing rate of myopia in children." In February, it was announced that half the world's population will be short-sighted by 2050 with many at risk of blindness. The global study, published by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, forecasts that 10 per cent of the world's population will be at risk of blindness by 2050 if steps are not taken to stop myopia turning into high myopia (requiring glasses with a prescription of minus five or stronger). The QUT study measured children's eye growth via study participants wearing wristwatch light sensors to record light exposure and physical activity for a fortnight during warmer then colder months to give an overall measurement of their typical light exposure. "Children exposed to the least outdoor light had faster eye growth and hence faster myopia progression," Professor Read said. Six new species of Chinese dragon millipedes, including species living exclusively in caves, are described as a result of an international cooperation of research institutes from China, Russia and Germany. These cave species have unusually long legs and antennae, with one of them resembling a stick insect, only with a lot more legs. Others appear ghostly white and semi-transparent. The study is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys. Underresearched in many tropical countries, numerous millipede species are still awaiting discovery and description in China as well. In the present study, three researchers from South China Agricultural University, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig describe six particularly extraordinary new species of so-called 'dragon millipedes' from the two southern Chinese regions of Guangdong and Guangxi Zhuang. Both areas host a large number of spectacular caves, which have only recently been thoroughly surveyed. Four of the species never leave their underground homes. Dragon millipedes, a genus of millipedes living in southeastern Asia, are characterised with their 'armour' of unusual spine-like projections. Furthermore, some of these species produce toxic hydrogen cyanide to ward off predators. Among the public, the genus gained particular attention when the "Shocking pink dragon millipede" was discovered in Thailand in 2007. This discovery highlighted a large number of unknown millipede species in the Mekong region and worldwide. While the newly described cave dragon millipedes from China lack the "shocking" warning colour of their surface-living relatives, they are no less spectacular. One of the new millipedes has received a formal name translating to the "stick insect dragon millipede" because of its extremely long legs and antennae. Therefore, it looks a lot like a stick insect, only with much more legs. Another two of the species have fully lost their colours, which is a common characteristic among exclusively cave-living animals. As a result, they appear ghostly white and even semi-transparent. Miss Liu Weixin, PhD candidate at the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, China, and co-author of the present study, has conducted the research at the Centre of Taxonomy at the Research Museum Koenig (ZFMK), Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity in Bonn, Germany as a part of her PhD, which focuses on Chinese cave millipedes. She worked along with her advisor and lead author Prof. Tian Mingyi, and renowned millipede expert Dr. Sergei Golovatch from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. Over the course of her PhD, Miss Liu Weixin has explored more than 200 Chinese caves, where she has discovered over 20 new millipede species. The dragon millipedes are among her most spectacular discoveries as they exhibit extreme cave adaptations including loss of pigmentation and extremely elongated legs and antennae. Still on her guest research year in Germany, Liu is currently busy describing additional batch of more than two dozen millipede species, she collected from the Chinese caves, literally bringing to light an unknown world. Organizational models known as "network governance" can help big conservation alliances govern themselves, researchers argue in a special April issue of the Ecological Society of America's journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. The Special Issue explores the life cycle of networks, plumbs examples in cities and wilderness, and examines community-based conservation within larger governance networks. Conservation efforts can leverage the problem solving power of stakeholder networks, strengthening connections through communication to facilitate collaboration, cooperation, and accountability, the authors say. Ecological systems, and ecological problems, are not nicely contained within neat human boundaries. Animals move. Watersheds sprawl across regional and national borders. Wildfire respects neither property, nor sovereignty. Conservation-minded groups and governments are increasingly attempting to address this reality with large, jurisdiction-spanning conservation programs. But big environmental programs face the additional big problem of coordinating many and varied stakeholders in distant physical, economic, and psychological spaces. In coalitions, no central authority sets goals or enforces performance targets. "Ultimately, accountability for conservation performance lies with the stakeholders themselves," said Patrick Bixler, a research scientist at Texas A&M University who served as guest editor for the Special Issue along with Lynn Scarlett, global managing director for public policy at The Nature Conservancy, and Matthew McKinney, director of the Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at The University of Montana. In a network, no one entity is on "top." Networks connect constituent groups without hierarchy, unlike traditional state governments. Networks emphasize inclusivity. Though network governance, disparate stakeholders can envision what they want to achieve together, then choose metrics for measuring progress, improving efficiency by sharing information and coordinating parallel conservation efforts. Networks are flexible, able to link up new constituent groups and release those with waning interests. They can bud off subnetworks to work on problems of specific or local interest. As consequence of decentralized authority, governance networks struggle with accountability. Hierarchical governance structures enforce compliance with conservation goals through legal or executive mandates. Market-driven governance models motivate individuals towards conservation goals with financial incentives, through instruments like fishery catch shares or carbon cap-and-trade agreements. Self-governed networks have no singular authority that can enforce agreements made by the group as a whole. Networks rely on social connection, trust, and commitment to shared goals to motivate constituent groups to resolve conflicts and adhere to the agreements they have made. "In some of these landscapes, just getting governments and local communities to communicate at all is a challenge. It takes a lot of work to get to the point where we can worry about performance measures," said Bixler. Bixler points to the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent as a success story with lessons for other large conservation efforts. The 18 million acre (44,000 square kilometer) Crown ecosystem follows the Rocky Mountains as they sprawl across northwest Montana, southeast British Columbia, and southwest Alberta. The Crown encompasses private lands, tribal lands, First Nations, and protected areas managed by multiple agencies and local, regional, and national governments in two countries. Over 100 entities manage parts of the system. "Crown of the Continent is, to my mind, an incredible success story. Communication between tribes, agencies, and other stakeholders built a connective tissue of trust that allowed them to work together to keep certain invasives out of the landscape, connect watersheds across jurisdictions, share data and choose landscape-wide ecological indicators," said Bixler. It sets a really high bar for what I'm looking for when I think about other landscape projects." Other examples of network governance in action include Chicago Wilderness and America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative. Explore more ideas and examples of network governance for conservation in the open access Special Issue, available at: http://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/issue/10.1111/fee.2016.14.issue-3/ Astrophysicists at the University of Bern have modelled the evolution of the putative planet in the outer solar system. They estimate that the object has a present-day radius equal to 3.7 Earth radii and a temperature of minus 226 degrees Celsius. How big and how bright is Planet 9 if it really exists? What is its temperature and which telescope could find it? These were the questions that Christoph Mordasini, professor at the University of Bern, and his PhD student Esther Linder wanted to answer when they heard about the possible additional planet in the solar system suggested by Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. The Swiss scientists are experts in modelling the evolution of planets. They usually study the formation of young exoplanets in disks around other stars light years away and the possible direct imaging of these objects with future instruments such as the James Webb Space Telescope. Therefore, Esther Linder says: "For me candidate Planet 9 is a close object, although it is about 700 times further away as the distance between the Earth and the Sun." The astrophysicists assume that Planet 9 is a smaller version of Uranus and Neptune -- a small ice giant with an envelope of hydrogen and helium. With their planet evolution model they calculated how parameters like the planetary radius or the brightness evolved over time since the solar system has formed 4.6 billion of years ago. Heated from the inside In their paper accepted by the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics the scientists conclude that a planet with the projected mass equal to 10 Earth masses has a present-day radius of 3.7 Earth radii. Its temperature is minus 226 degrees Celsius or 47 Kelvin. "This means that the planet's emission is dominated by the cooling of its core, otherwise the temperature would only be 10 Kelvin," explains Esther Linder: "Its intrinsic power is about 1000 times bigger than its absorbed power." Therefore, the reflected sunlight contributes only a minor part to the total radiation that could be detected. This also means that the planet is much brighter in the infrared than in the visual. "With our study candidate Planet 9 is now more than a simple point mass, it takes shape having physical properties," says Christoph Mordasini. The researchers also checked if their results explain why planet 9 hasn't been detected by telescopes so far. They calculated the brightness of smaller and bigger planets on various orbits. They conclude that the sky surveys performed in the past had only a small chance to detect an object with a mass of 20 Earth masses or less, especially if it is near the farthest point of its orbit around the Sun. But NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer may have spotted a planet with a mass equal to 50 Earth masses or more. "This puts an interesting upper mass limit for the planet," Esther Linder explains. According to the scientists, future telescopes like the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope under construction near Cerro Tololo in Chile or dedicated surveys should be able to find or rule out candidate Planet 9. "That is an exciting perspective," says Christoph Mordasini. The study was financed by the research project of the Swiss National Science Foundation PlanetsInTime and the National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS. Patients with a low-grade type of brain tumor called glioma who received radiation therapy plus a chemotherapy regimen, including procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine (PCV), experienced a longer progression-free survival and overall survival than patients who received radiation therapy alone, according to the results of the clinical trial, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9802 published in the April 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "This is the first phase III trial to demonstrate conclusively a treatment-related survival benefit for patients with grade 2 glioma," says Jan Buckner, M.D., the study's lead author. Dr. Buckner is an oncologist and chair of the Department of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Rochester, Minnesota. "Our early results, reported at a median patient follow-up of 5.9 years, showed that radiation therapy plus PCV chemotherapy was associated with a statistically significant prolongation of median progression-free survival, but not with overall survival. However, additional follow-up demonstrated an improvement in overall survival as well for these patients," Dr. Buckner says. Between October 1998 and June 2002, 251 patients with low-grade glioma were enrolled in the RTOG 9802 trial. Patients enrolled were at high risk, compared to other patients with low-grade glioma, because they were 40 or older, or had a less-than-complete surgical removal of their tumor. Patients were randomized to 1 of 2 trial arms, radiation therapy plus six cycles of PCV chemotherapy or radiation therapy alone. Before treatment, researchers conducted a pathology review on tumor samples and prepared for samples for correlative laboratory studies to assess mutational status and identify prognostic variables. At a median follow-up time of 11.9 years, 67 percent of enrolled patients were identified as having tumor progression, and 55 percent of patients had died. Patients in the radiation therapy plus PCV chemotherapy arm had longer median survival times, compared with those in the trial arm who received radiation therapy alone (13.3 versus 7.8 years, respectively; p=0.003). Median progression- free survival time for patients receiving radiation therapy plus PCV chemotherapy versus radiation therapy alone was 10.4 years and 4.0 years, respectively. Ten-year, progression-free survival and overall survival rates for patients in the radiation therapy plus PCV chemotherapy arm versus those in the radiation therapy alone arm were 51 percent versus 21 percent and 60 percent versus 40 percent, respectively. For progression-free survival and overall survival distributions, a difference between treatment arms became apparent only after two to four years following randomization. The favorable prognostic variables researchers identified for progression-free and overall survival included the radiation plus PCV chemotherapy arm and oligodendroglioma histology. As expected, treatment toxicity was greater in the PCV chemotherapy arm and consistent with patients receiving multiagent chemotherapy regimens. The most common toxicities were fatigue, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, which were mostly grade 1?2 in severity with the exception of grade 3?4 neutropenia. "Our results indicate that initial radiation therapy followed by PCV is necessary to achieve longer survival in patients with grade 2 glioma and that salvage therapy at relapse after radiation therapy alone is less effective," says Dr. Buckner. "It has also been hypothesized that other genetic alterations may be responsible for a small subset of patients whose glial brain tumors are chemotherapy-resistant. However, radiation therapy plus PCV appears to represent the most effective treatment identified to date for the majority of patients with grade 2 glioma," Dr. Buckner says. While grade 2 glioma constitute only 5 percent to 10 percent of all brain tumors, they are responsible for progressive neurologic symptoms and premature death in nearly all patients diagnosed with this type of brain tumor. "RTOG 9802 involves a network of investigators across the U.S. and Canada working through the National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trials Network," says Dr. Buckner. "This trial could only have been conducted through a publicly funded national clinical trials network." If there was ever a cat in need of a clean slate, it was Tyrone. So from the moment he arrived at his new home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he got to work. "Right now, he's giving himself a bath," his new mom Lori Raleigh tells The Dodo. "He's always cleaning himself. He tries to clean the other ones - as well as us. None of us are ever clean enough." Lori Raleigh We don't know why this cat is so obsessed with order - on a couple of occasions, he's even turned on the vacuum cleaner. Maybe it's a natural response to the horror and abject chaos that was once all he knew. After all, before he came to live with the Raleighs, he used to live here: Amy Haas-Gray Everything from his old chaotic home, where he was among more than 40 cats rescued from an Iowa hoarder last October, had to go. Everything. Even the name. No longer Tyrone, he would be christened Cubbie. Wonder why? Daddy's a fan. Dodo Shows Foster Diaries Guy Falls In Love With His Little Meatball Of A Foster Dog Lori Raleigh And then, there's this thing he does with a ball. A dog might call it "fetch." But we suspect this little game of returning a ball to the very spot Dan Raleigh throws it from has something to do with everything having to be in the right place. This browser does not support the video tag. Lori Raleigh "He trained me," Dan tells The Dodo. "He brings it over and drops it in my hand. Then he gives me a high five." Maybe it's because for too much of Cubbie's life nothing was in its right place. This is how Amy Haas-Gray and Denise Yantis found him back in October. Amy Haas-Gray It took two months for Haas-Gray, founder of Hardin Eldora Animal Rescue Team (HEART), working alongside Yantis of Rescue Inn, to find all the cats in this debris- and feces-filled house. The rescues are still looking for homes for scores of them. Cubbie was in the second batch of castaways found. "He was just standing there looking pretty forlorn," Haas-Gray tells The Dodo. "He had big scabs behind his ears and was missing half his hair. I didn't even know until we got to the vet that he had bi-colored eyes." Lori Raleigh "All I did for Cubbie was give him a chance, which is something that, historically, cats from hoarder cases don't get, as they are all routinely killed in most larger shelters," she adds. Then the Raleighs saw him up for adoption online and made him their own. Lori Raleigh "He's been different from our other cats because of the hoarding situation," Lori says. "He didn't know not to jump on the stove and the refrigerator. We never had to deal with that before." But everything soon came together perfectly. "He watched the other cats and figured out what to do and what not to," Lori said. And then he set his new house in order. Lori Raleigh "He cleans himself and he cleans everyone else in the house too," Lori added. Including a certain touch-aversive sibling. "He's got five brothers and sisters and he loves every one of them," Dan says. "But there's one cat - a brother named Gabriel - who won't let any other cat come near him. "Cubbie comes over and cleans him every day now." Yes, even you Gabriel. | Lori Raleigh For five months, Scotty didn't know what a life in the sun felt like. California's Hope for Paws recently received a call from a woman who was concerned about a stray poodle who lived in her neighborhood, according to a video recounting the rescue. Apparently Scotty had lived underneath the woman's house for five months - the dog too scared to allow anyone near him to give him the help he needed. Thankfully, members of Hope for Paws were up to the grueling two-hour task of getting Scotty out from underneath the house once and for all. Doing the right thing isn't easy sometimes - but when it comes to helping an animal whose life is at stake, the reward in the end is always well worth the effort. For the last week or so, folks frequenting the local Cultural Center in Araras, Brazil, had been puzzled to hear the crying sound of kittens emanating from the ground outside. Though the exact source wasn't clear, they tried alerting officials that animals may be trapped, but were told to turn a blind eye. "Unfortunately, some people wanted to leave the kittens die there," one of those involved, Ricardo Urbach, told The Dodo. Instead of ignoring it, however, they started digging. This browser does not support the video tag. Facebook/Kirk Daves With the help of authorities sympathetic to the situation, including workers from a utility company, the rescue was underway. Using a jackhammer, they began to tear up the concrete, careful to avoid injuring the creatures stuck beneath. It is believed that the kittens had been born on the roof of the building, only to wind up falling into the rain gutter's drainage pipe. Since the rescuers didn't know precisely where that pipe lay, it was a matter of trial and error to find it. Fortunately, their hard work and persistence paid off. Dodo Shows Cat Crazy Fluffy Cat Wants To Sit On His Dad At All Times This browser does not support the video tag. Facebook/Kirk Daves Eventually, after the first hole came up short, the rescuers hit the mark. Inside the pipe they found four tiny kittens, amazingly still alive and kicking despite their long ordeal. This browser does not support the video tag. Facebook/Kirk Daves They had done it - saved the lives of helpless animals who some others thought were not worth the effort. "Thanks to everyone who helped!!!" rescuer Guillya Nahirniak wrote on Facebook. "Thanks so much!" Here's footage of the rescue in its entirety, though there's more to this happy story yet. The group's efforts didn't stop with just saving the trapped kittens. Now, they're making sure they have the best shot at a happy life as well - and they're not the only ones. "Since we announced the rescue of the kittens on social media, people in the area have donated milk, bottles, medicine and pet products," said Urbach. "Today, they were treated by a veterinarian here in the city. They will be rehabilitated, then put up for adoption." Every rabbit is special in his own way. But Wally - well, he's just spectacular. Wally is a very pampered rabbit whose adventures are featured on his very own Instagram page. An English Angora, Wally should look like a giant puffball. But his owner treats him to a regular haircut that leaves him looking absolutely adorable. For reference, here's what a show-quality Angora looks like without a haircut: Angoras are often bred for their long, silky wool, which can lead to very bad lives for the poor rabbits. Fortunately, Wally got lucky and is living with his loving owner in Massachusetts while showing off what a good pet he makes. Here's Wally adventuring outside: Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life Here's Wally looking very pretty: Here's Wally asking for attention: Here's Wally pretending to be a dog: Here's Wally standing up: And here's Wally just being Wally: Also, these are Wally's feet: Of course, it's not all fun and games. Here's Wally right after he peed on the couch out of spite (he was stopped from eating the house plants): Before you run out and adopt your own Wally, do your research. Rabbits are very high-maintenance pets, often more demanding than even cats or dogs. And Angoras in particular are hard to keep, as their hair requires special care. But with a face like this, who wouldn't be up for such a big job? Earle C. Williams, the former president and chief executive of the Northern Virginia contractor BDM. (Family Photo) Earle C. Williams, one of the architects of the Washington areas government contracting industry popularly know as the Beltway bandits, and the top executive of one of its prime exemplars, BDM International, died March 25 at a nursing home in Springfield, Va. He was 86. The cause was complications from pneumonia and myelodysplasia, said a daughter, Sharon Rainey. From 1972 to 1992, Mr. Williams was president and chief executive of BDM, a government services contractor whose work ranged from technology development to political and scientific risk assessment. BDM tested weapons for the Army, studied how to bring improved health-care systems to children in rural areas, tested the effects of large electromagnetic fields on missiles and aircraft, and examined communications for the U.S. Strategic Air Command. Ninety percent of its business was with the federal government. He was also a leader in professional and Northern Virginia community organizations: a former board chairman of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, an aggressive booster of George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College, a hefty bankroller of political candidates, and an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Virginia. Mr. Williams was well connected on Capitol Hill and in high echelons of the Republican Party. In 1988, he made a personal $100,000 interest-free loan to President George H.W. Bushs inaugural fund, and he hosted political fundraising events at his home, then in McLean. Earle Carter Williams was born in Selma, Ala., on Oct. 15, 1929, and grew up in nearby Linden, where his father was mayor. He was a 1951 electrical engineering graduate of Auburn University in Alabama, then served in the Army for two years during the Korean War. He worked for Standard Oil before joining BDM as an engineer in 1962. He was its 17th employee. The company, founded in 1959 and named for the initials of its three founders, was then located in El Paso, Tex. Wanting to be closer to the seat of government, BDM moved to the Tysons Corner area of Northern Virginia in 1970. By 1972 Mr. Williams was at the helm. Within five years, revenues had more than quadrupled to $47.9 million and profits had boomed to $1.5 million from $365,000. Growth continued as defense budgets increased in the 1980s. The company went public in 1981, was sold to Ford Aerospace in 1988, a division of Ford Motor, for $425 million. BDM was taken over by private-equity firm the Carlyle Group in 1990 and sold seven years later to space and automotive giant TRW for nearly $1 billion in cash and assumed debt. TRW was bought by defense contractor Northrop Grumman in 2002. For five years after his 1992 retirement, Mr. Williams remained on the companys board of directors. By 1997, when he stepped down, the company had a billion dollars in revenue and 8,000 employees worldwide. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, June Anson Williams of Springfield; three daughters, Gayle Datson of Colorado Springs, Carol Ford of Fairfax Station, Va., and Sharon Rainey of Great Falls, Va.; a brother; and seven grandchildren. In 1993, the year after he retired from BDM, Mr. Williams took a run at the Republican nomination for governor of Virginia, spending more than $2 million of his own money, only to have former congressman George F. Allen beat him 2 to 1 at the Republican State Convention. Mr. Williams attributed his loss to a phrase used frequently on the hustings to describe him: millionaire defense contractor from Northern Virginia. He quipped at the time, Look at it this way. I had a run for the office of governor . . . in lieu of an airplane, a yacht and a mistress and my wife is particularly happy about the latter. Kim Turner holds her daughter, Adelaide, at City Hall in San Francisco before the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a provision to require six weeks of paid leave for new parents. (Jeff Chiu/AP) A week after Vanessa Harlin gave birth, she returned to work but could not sit down. The staples in her stomach would tear. Harlin, an assistant bank manager at the time, had used up her sick days that year to care for her three older boys. So, as her mother watched baby Chloe, she strove to make rent on their San Francisco apartment. I leaned against the wall until the wounds healed, she said. I cried in the office. I cried all the time. Harlin, 36, was among the roughly 88 percent of American private-sector workers who receive no paid family leave from employers, a benefit generally reserved in the United States for high earners and those in the perk-friendly technology sector. She was thrilled to learn that this week, San Francisco became the first city in the country to require businesses to offer new parents fully paid leave. All I thought then was, Why did I leave my baby? Why? said Harlin, whose daughter is 4 years old. This is going to help people. The measure, unanimously approved Tuesday by the citys Board of Supervisors, comes as momentum grows nationwide for workplace policies that better support families an effort pushed by both workers rights activists and Silicon Valley juggernauts. Twitter, for example, this week became the latest company in a string of high-profile firms, including Netflix and Spotify, to expand its paid-leave policy, offering new parents up to 20 weeks off. The San Francisco provision gives mothers and fathers six weeks of time off without losing a penny of income. The help, expected to take effect next year, would also be available to parents who adopt. Lower-paid, private-sector workers just get screwed, said Supervisor Scott Wiener, who backed the rule. They either have no access to paid leave or they cant afford to take leave. That, he said, undermines the health of the family during one of lifes most stressful events. Under federal law, most American employers must offer at least 12 weeks of leave. None of it, however, has to be paid. California, Rhode Island and New Jersey offer new parents partial pay, using employee-funded programs. New York joined their ranks last month, approving up to 12 weeks of partial coverage. Lawmakers in at least 18 other states, meanwhile, are considering some form of paid-family-leave policy, advocates say. The District could soon outpace San Francisco in benefit generosity, with council members discussing legislation that would provide new parents with 16 weeks of paid leave, funded through a new employee tax. In California, workers can take home 55 percent of their wages for up to six weeks to care for a new child. The money comes from a state insurance program. The San Francisco mandate requires firms with at least 20 workers to cover the rest of a new parents salary. Supporters say the action will chip away at inequality, since Americas low-wage workers are among the least likely to have access to any paid time off. Those without savings can slip into poverty, said Ellen Bravo, executive director of Family Values at Work, a national advocacy group. Even middle-class families who have some cushion that can be all wiped out with one unexpected pregnancy, she said. You have mothers whose babies are still in the hospitals. They go to work and wait for the call. Theyre wondering, Will my baby be okay? Small-business owners, however, say the mandate will hurt their bottom lines. They just have fewer resources to absorb the costs, said Dee Dee Workman, vice president of public policy at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, which works with about 2,500 small businesses. The provision, she said, could hurt the local economy. They might decide to move outside of the city, Workman said. You dont have to go very far to have a thriving small business in Berkeley or Oakland. Since California implemented its paid-leave policy, workers in the state have filed at least 2 million claims, applying mostly for days to spend with newborns. It appears that the law might strengthen womens ties to the workforce after they return from leave. Weekly work hours of mothers with young children increased by 10 to 17 percent after the law was enacted, with a corresponding bump in wages, according to research by economists at the University of California and Columbia University. Mothers gaining hours and income, the researchers theorized, could be a sign that the availability of extra support encourages women to keep working rather than drop out of the labor force. The benefit, the economists explained, could lead to the retention of specific human capital. New Jersey added the benefit in 2009. Most employees who requested paid leave applied for time after childbirth, a Rutgers University study found. New mothers who used the benefit, researchers saw, were more likely to return to work and, eventually, earn higher pay. But not every broad family-friendly mandate produces favorable results. A 2015 study in Chile found that, after the government required companies to offer child care to working mothers, womens wages dropped. Another look at 22 countries uncovered drawbacks to long maternity leaves in Europe: Although the benefits boosted female labor force participation, women who used them were less likely than their American counterparts to get promoted. . Peggy Fortnum, a British illustrator whose winsome, whimsical drawings brought Paddington Bear to life in 1958 and have delighted young readers around the world ever since, died March 28 at a nursing home in Colchester, England. She was 96. She had dementia, said a nephew, film scholar Kevin Brownlow. Generations of youngsters have learned to read, whiled away rainy afternoons and drifted off to sleep in the company of Paddington, one of the best-known and best-loved members of the abundant ursine population in childrens literature. He was the creation of Michael Bond, a BBC cameraman who stumbled into a London department store on Christmas Eve in 1956 and purchased a lonesome-looking teddy bear as a last-minute gift for his wife. A writer on the side, Bond imagined a scenario that might have brought a bear to the United Kingdom: The creature was an orphaned immigrant from darkest Peru, sent to England as a stowaway by an aunt admitted to a home for retired bears in Lima. He wrote the tale in a book published two years later as A Bear Called Paddington. The Paddington books, first illustrated by Peggy Fortnum, above, sold tens of millions of copies and were translated into dozens of languages. (Family photo) Ms. Fortnum, already an seasoned illustrator, was commissioned to do the artwork. The Paddington book grew into a Paddington series that sold millions of copies in dozens of languages, joining A.A. Milnes Winnie-the-Pooh, Else Holmelund Minariks Little Bear and Stan and Jan Berenstains Berenstain Bears books in the category of literary classics featuring bears. Few readers, young or old, who have thumbed the pages of a Paddington book can think of the bear without picturing Ms. Fortnums illustrations, which she developed after visits to the London Zoo. The paws, she said, presented a particular challenge. He had to look real, she wrote in unpublished memoirs transcribed by her nephew. People who saw him had to believe in him just as they believe in Winnie-the-Pooh. But he just happened. I had bearish qualities in my mind, but he just arrived in my imagination. For readers, the bear arrived, after a long trip across the Atlantic, at the Paddington railway station in central London, where he was rescued and where he got his name. A kindly English couple, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, spot him on the platform and notice the message on his suitcase: Please look after this bear. Thank you. Overcome by equal parts pity and curiosity, they take him home to their family, promising him daily servings of marmalade his favorite food and honey on Sundays. In her original pen-and-ink drawings, Ms. Fortnum depicted Paddington with a floppy hat and duffel coat. With a few strokes of a pen, she could send him flying on a bicycle or direct his eyes up or down to betray a universe of emotions. Her line is exquisite in its loose and nervous rhythm; she can create movement with what, out of context, would be a meaningless squiggle; she can suggest by a few doodles a storm-clouded sky or the hidden recesses of a candlelit room, a reviewer wrote in the Times Literary Supplement, according to Ms. Fortnums obituary in Britains Guardian newspaper. Years after they appeared, some of Ms. Fortnums drawings were colored in by artists including her niece, Caroline Nuttal-Smith. Paddingtons coat became blue, and his hat became red. In color as in black and white, the drawings conveyed Paddingtons clumsiness and yet his dignity. It was noted that Paddington was a refugee a fact not lost on the books first readers, who were born during or in the aftermath of World War II, and that gave the young bear enduring resonance as the decades wore on. The Paddington franchise grew to include board books, stuffed animals, and television and movie adaptations. By virtue of its durability the most recent title, Love from Paddington, was published in 2014 the book series employed several illustrators after Ms. Fortnum, among them Fred Banbery, David McKee and R.W. Alley. Ms. Fortnums original drawings are regarded as valuable collectors items and can fetch thousands of pounds at sale a tangible measure, perhaps, of the intangible nostalgia that they inspire among formerly young readers. Margaret Emily Noel Fortnum was born in Harrow on the Hill, an affluent area of London, on Dec. 23, 1919. She didnt do well in school but loved to draw. She abandoned her early artistic training to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the womens branch of the British army, during World War II. She was severely injured when she fell out of a troop carrier and was run over by a truck, returning to her studies only after a long period of convalescence. At a London art school, Ms. Fortnum befriended Judith Kerr, who had escaped Nazi Germany and would later write childrens classics including When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. In school, Ms. Fortnum wrote, she learned that one should try and get inside the character one was drawing, even if it was only a doll. Her first illustrations were for the book Dorcas the Wooden Doll by Mary F. Moore. Mrs. Fortnum later illustrated works by Kenneth Grahame, the author of The Wind in the Willows, and Noel Streatfeild and Jane Gardam. Arthritis eventually forced her to retire. Ms. Fortnums husband of three decades, Ralph Nuttall-Smith, died in 1988. She had no immediate survivors. In her unpublished memoirs, Ms. Fortnum recalled that when she first read the manuscript of A Bear Called Paddington, she laughed all the way through there were tears in my eyes. I believed in Paddington I believed he really existed, she wrote. I felt a bit like this animal myself. Thomas Jefferson still looms over visitors to his temple on the Tidal Basin, but more than 200 miles away, everybodys clamoring to see him as the outrageous villain in Lin-Manuel Mirandas Broadway musical, Hamilton. Oh, were on to randy old Tom now. We know his soaring lines in the Declaration of Independence are smudged by the sweat of hundreds of slaves. We know the Father of our country was also the father of several children by a woman he owned named Sally Hemings. Were a young nation, and like any adolescent, nothing rouses us to fits of bitter delight more than detecting hypocrisy in others. Twenty years ago, Atlantic magazine confidently declared that Jeffersons hallowed status was already crashing. Jefferson is a patron saint far more suitable to white supremacists than to modern American liberals, wrote Conor Cruise OBrien. But the host of Monticello may prove more tenacious than his critics are willing to admit. After all, todays assaults are no worse (or more deserved) than what Jefferson endured during his presidency. Centuries before Trump and Cruz began hurling insults at each other about intimate matters, no less a statesman than John Quincy Adams mocked Jefferson and dusky Sally in a crude poem. Even while weathering these assaults, old and new, Jefferson has become the subject of increasingly nuanced research by scholars capable of acknowledging the man in all of his fascinating, maddening complexity. Next week, Annette Gordon-Reed, who already has brought such compelling erudition to bear on the Jefferson-Hemings debate, will publish another book that deals with this issue with exceptional clarity and moral breadth. Most Blessed of the Patriarchs, co-written with historian Peter S. Onuf, presents Jefferson as a man who lived a paradox: He was one of the largest slaveholders in Virginia, who nevertheless condemned slavery in the harshest terms; he was a revolutionary in the cause of liberty, who, when it came to human chattel, declined to be an active agent for change. He was, Gordon-Reed and Onuf conclude, a man with the capacity we all have to tell stories about ourselves that obscure, elide, and overlook unpleasant truths. [The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, by Annette Gordon-Reed] Into that cloudy realm, creative writers, too, have boldly flown. At least since Barbara Chase-Ribouds first novel, Sally Hemings, published in 1979, novelists, playwrights and poets have corroded Jeffersons golden mythos by forcing us to acknowledge his exploitative relationship with a woman who had no legal recourse to refuse him. My own understanding of Hemingss life is indelibly imprinted by seeing Robbie McCauley perform Sallys Rape some 25 years ago. And now comes the most revolutionary reimagining of Jeffersons life ever: a colossal postmodern novel thats often baffling, possibly offensive and frequently bizarre. In fact, its prognosis for popular success is so bleak that its something of a miracle it made it into print. But what a dazzling experience this book is for the intrepid reader. Thomas Jefferson Dreams of Sally Hemings is no mere retelling of the scandal at Monticello or Hemingss secret life or Jeffersons service in Paris and Washington although it certainly throws all that into its furnace. Stephen OConnor, who teaches at Sarah Lawrence College, has engineered a Rube Goldberg machine of literary gadgets that shouldnt work at all but somehow works wonders. Through one strain of the novel runs the story of Jeffersons life, from his lonely childhood to his famous death, told with the close, psychologically astute detail of an omniscient, third-person narrator. We see the dark, introverted thinker, thoroughly conscious of his history-changing mission to ignite the flames of freedom and keep them burning. But that traditional narrative is syncopated with a host of other voices, perspectives and forms that constantly disturb our understanding of this man who is drawn inexorably and full of self-loathing to a much younger black woman he owns. Early in the novel, theres a perfectly captured vignette of life at Monticello when Jefferson meets little Sally for the first time. He graciously insists on being called Mr. Jefferson, not Master Jefferson, but then the scene breaks off, and we turn to his rousing condemnation of slavery this infamous practice from A Summary View of the Rights of British North America. OConnor repeats this strategy for hundreds of pages, and at first these ironic juxtapositions feel too easy gotcha! but as the weight of Jeffersons festering moral failure accrues, we come to understand the tragedy of his life and the intricacy of his self-delusion. Alongside inspirational lines from Notes on the State of Virginia, we read passages from the memoirs of some of his slaves. Damning excerpts from surviving letters and newspapers mingle with imagined scenes of Jeffersons lust and shame. At other points, OConnor dons the voice of a modern-day historian and dispassionately explains, say, the conditions of sex work in late 18th-century America. Short reflections on the subjective nature of colors also run through the story, implicitly deconstructing the specious principles of racism even as Jefferson clings to the peculiar institution that he claims to loathe. If this sounds like a well-researched historical novel decorated with snippets of challenging historical documents, thats only because Ive held back partly out of nervousness the truly radical elements of OConnors book. What really distinguishes Thomas Jefferson Dreams of Sally Hemings is its willingness to break any rules of context, history or convention. For instance, in one of the most amusing story lines stirred into this pot, James and Dolley Madison take Jefferson to see a Hollywood movie about him and Sally. The incongruity of this makes no more sense to us than it does to Jefferson, whos baffled by the moving pictures, the disembodied music and especially the highly romanticized vision of his life. And there are far more surreal story lines that involve Sally as a vast flying machine and another one of woodsmen wandering inside the body of Jefferson. In a comparatively grim series of episodes, we read the transcripts of Jefferson as he is interrogated in a place something like Abu Ghraib in Iraq. Elsewhere, Jefferson nervously eyes Sally on a modern-day subway car. Absurd-sounding in summary, these ahistorical and phantasmagoric scenes are remarkably effective at startling us from our Mount Rushmore image of the man. Author Stephen O'Connor (Ema OConnor) And then there are those few times when we turn the page to read just one chilling line on an otherwise blank sheet: I will make it good. . . . I will be gentle. What is that? The voice of Jefferson as a sensitive lover? An avuncular rapist? Have we ever been drawn so close into the conflicted mind of our slaveholding philosopher-president? But the most troubled and troubling chapters come from the fictional diary of Sally herself. Its here that OConnor dares to imagine both her hatred and affection for her famous owner. Under slavery, she writes, ones very desire to live a decent and ordinary life can be an unending source of humiliation. In this intimate, blazingly candid memoir, we see her repulsed by Jefferson, horrified by her position and outraged at his endless equivocations and deferrals. And yet, we also see her in love with the president and capable of considerable resistance to him. In OConnors telling, she is a person with the emotional capacity to understand Jeffersons tortured soul without excusing him for enslaving so many of the people who make Monticello possible. In a different way, she emerges just as conflicted as the man who owns her. In the afterword, OConnor says that he came to believe that Hemingss feelings for Jefferson might well have fallen somewhere along the spectrum between love and Stockholm syndrome. Hes running awfully close here to the third rail of American history: If he makes Sally a willing participant in this relationship, he risks excusing the malignancy in our national mythology. But if he portrays Sally as a wholly powerless victim, he denies her ability to negotiate the contradictory forces at work in Jeffersons delusional paradise. As the masters substitute wife, Sally must have exercised a degree of influence that other slaves at Monticello did not, and OConnor has the temerity to imagine how an intelligent, trapped woman would have dealt, emotionally and strategically, with that horrible dilemma. That problematic characterization will not satisfy all readers and will surely outrage some. But OConnors deeply humane treatment of Sally, whose actual thoughts will never be known to us, is the novels most haunting accomplishment. Ultimately, this is a book in vigorous debate with itself, just as strange and contradictory as the author of the Declaration of Independence. With its magically engineered collection of fiction, history and fantasy, and particularly with its own capacious spirit, Thomas Jefferson Dreams of Sally Hemings doesnt just knock Jefferson off his pedestal, it blows us over, too, shatters the whole sinner-saint debate and clears out new room to reconsider these two impossibly different people who once gave birth to the United States. Its heartbreaking. Its cathartic. Its utterly brilliant. Ron Charles is the editor of Book World. You can follow him on Twitter @RonCharles. On April 16 at 6 p.m., Stephen OConnor will be at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. A scene from April and the Extraordinary World. (Gkids) 10 and older April and the Extraordinary World (PG) With its gorgeous steampunk aesthetic and its complex, science-inspired storyline, April and the Extraordinary World is one French animated film that is not for kids younger than 10 or even 12. Parents will have to make a judgment about their kids intellectual maturity and assume theyll have to do some explaining afterwards. That doesnt mean April wont hold kids interest. It is visually ravishing, and the characters are fun and kind of spiky, although their faces could use more expression. The film takes place in a sooty version of mid-20th-century Paris. This alternate world hasnt evolved past coal power, and Napoleons descendants still rule the French Empire. A family of scientists at work on an anti-death serum are whisked away by mysterious government forces, who already have the likes of Einstein in their grip. Only the grandfather, Pops, and his granddaughter, April, escape. Years later, April, now a young woman in hiding, works on her parents formula with her beloved talking cat, Darwin, who is dying. Julius, a policemans snitch, tracks her, but finds he wants to protect her. The secret of her parents disappearance unfolds in much sci-fi and ethical complexity. The movie will be offered in French with English subtitles and in versions dubbed into English. (105 minutes) THE BOTTOM LINE: The steampunk tone is dark, with battles and deaths, looming structures, clouds of pollution, thuggish policemen, abductions, threats and talking dragons. A black cloud emitting electrical charges is especially scary. Julius and April have a couple of romantic kisses. PG-13 Midnight Special This movie is a strange brew of science fiction, mystery and mysticism, and it could easily capture the imaginations of sci-fi loving high-schoolers. There are, however, many slow and quiet moments that could lose their attention but not for long. Although rated PG-13, Midnight Special is probably too dark and violent for many middle-schoolers. Writer/director Jeff Nichols has laced his fantasy with grim and ambiguous elements of religious cultism and government conspiracies. We meet two intense men, Roy (Michael Shannon) and Lucas (Joel Edgerton). Both are protecting Roys little boy, Alton (the impressive Jaeden Lieberher). Theyre on the run, always keeping Alton, who wears goggles and sound-blocking earphones, out of daylight. The reason becomes clear later on. The three seem to be on the run from a Texas-based religious cult. But thats not all. The F.B.I. visits the cults ranch, searching for information on little Alton, who apparently has powers emanating from his eyes that can scramble military satellites and read the top-secret codes they emit. Whats so intriguing is that the cult members see Altons powers as mystical, while the government sees him as a weapon, and his father and estranged mother (Kirsten Dunst) just want to protect him. When a more open-minded science nerd (Adam Driver) from the National Security Agency enters the fray, historic choices get made. (111 minutes) THE BOTTOM LINE: There are several loud and unsettling shootouts. These are not graphically violent, but they do show blood, and the little boy is close by when they occur. The action sequences with car and foot chases involving lots of armed men are quite menacing. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Director Zack Snyder yanks this superhero saga from its comic-book roots and infuses it with thick dollops of existential, post-9/11 angst. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is long, sometimes hard to follow and overstuffed with plot and digital effects, but it is nearly always gripping. High-schoolers who prefer superheroes with moral and intellectual grit can revel in this film. That noted, its very dark mood and intense violence make it a decidedly iffy choice for timid or nightmare-prone middle-schoolers. The story opens with flashbacks of a Superman (Henry Cavill) skirmish that nearly levels Metropolis, then cuts to his recent bloody rescue of his love, reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams), from possible terrorists. A Senate subcommittee and even Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) over in Gotham City, question whether Supermans efforts are worth the collateral damage. As for Superman, he views Batman as an out-of-control vigilante. Enter addled young tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), who gets ahold of the mineral kryptonite, so dangerous to Superman. Batman and Superman continue on a rather anti-climactic collision course until Luthors evil plans erupt. (151 minutes) THE BOTTOM LINE: The mood, tone and violence are all very dark. The superheroes begin to wonder if humankind even deserves their help. The gunplay, aerial dogfights, impalements and chases, while not graphic with blood and gore, have a lethal intensity that implies much loss of life. The script includes one S-word. Hardcore Henry unfolds from the point of view of the title character. (STX Entertainment) R Hardcore Henry Highly inventive it may be, both visually and in its twisty narrative, but Hardcore Henry remains an adults-only enterprise. It is a slam-bam-boom-shoot-stab-hack sci-fi action thriller steeped in blood. Its nihilistic hyper-violence draws from virtual reality and other video games, as well as films, and it unfolds entirely from the point of view of the title character, through his eyes. We never actually see him fully. So kinetic and kinetically bloody is the P.O.V. result, that some audience members may get motion sickness. Apart from the celebration of amoral mayhem, there is sexual content thats inappropriate for under-17s. Director Ilya Naishuller has expanded Hardcore Henry from a video he made for the punk band Biting Elbows. Henry has lost several body parts in a gun battle and been remade into a bionic warrior by his scientist wife (Haley Bennett). Once out in the streets, he automatically follows orders barked at him by a cocky fellow named James (Sharlto Copley), who keeps changing appearances. There is a bloodthirsty villain with kinetic powers who likes to torture. Henry is tasked with going after him and his army of reanimated dead guys. (96 minutes) THE BOTTOM LINE: Limbs, heads, internal organs and more fly across the screen amid gun-and-knife-play, chases, fights and destruction. The language is only occasionally profane and crude, but very strongly so. There is a group-sex situation that is not explicit but involves toplessness and cocaine. El Sol's cueritos tacos. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) The two tortillas wrapped around my tinga taco are so thin, they border on supermodel-emaciated, yet they still have enough strength to contain the juicy, brick-red chicken and toppings. A sweet fragrance, an echo of corn harvested who knows when, practically combines with the DNA of the chipotle-marinated meat, as if the chicken were raised on the same grain. To achieve this kind of taco harmony, El Sol chef and co-owner Alfredo Solis had to find a way to roll his tortillas whisper-thin, so their texture and thickness wouldnt distract from their essential functions: perfuming the snack and allowing the fillings to shine. Modernist architects once called this concept form follows function, the idea being that a buildings purpose would dictate its shape. Clearly, the concept applies to cooking, too. Through a lot of trial and error, Solis realized he could press his tortillas as thin as crepes if he mixed the masa with hot water, not the usual cool or room-temperature water. Its a lot of labor. It takes a lot of time, explains Solis. Just as problematic, the masa degrades faster than organic produce, requiring new dough batches every two to three hours. Guacamole served in a molcajete from El Sol. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) El Sol's pozole rojo. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) That is not standard operating procedure at many taquerias, even those that make their own tortillas but then treat them like hostages, releasing them randomly throughout the day. Then again, El Sol is not your standard taqueria. Founded in 2014 by Solis, wife Glenda Torres and sister Jessica Solis on 14th Street NW (and expanded to 11th Street NW last year), El Sol combines the technical obsessiveness of a chef-driven restaurant like Oyamel in the District with the intimate, unadorned charms of a family-run taqueria in Riverdale. Im tempted to call El Sol the best taqueria in Washington by a long shot. But such a declaration diminishes the breadth of El Sols ambitions. Its kitchen prepares seviches, mussels, tortas, carnitas, pozole, huaraches, quesadillas and a mole rojo darkened, in part, with Negra Modelo beer. Even the plating matches the kitchens cooking: Every dish has its own art, a minimalist, white-plate canvas on which sauces are not allowed to spread willy-nilly to the very edges of the dinnerware, as if looking for escape routes. El Sol's mole rojo. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) [The $20 Diner: Taqueria Habanero is a gift from Puebla.] Yes, Alfredo Solis has chops, which he honed over the years at chef Jeff Tunkss Passion Food Hospitality group. Soliss story is a classic immigrant tale: He started as a dishwasher in San Diego before coming into his own as a chef in the District. Solis faithfully managed kitchens at a diverse array of Passion Food restaurants: the late Ceiba (pan-Latin), Acadiana (Cajun-Creole fish house), District Commons (American tavern), Burger Tap & Shake (re-read the name) and Fuego Cocina y Tequileria (where he got to channel his Mexican roots). He was routinely tapped to open Passion Food restaurants, the valuable utility player trusted with a new prospect. It was too much. I was working a lot of hours, Solis says. It was time to open my own. El Sol's pambazo sandwich. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) The chefs decision to go it alone came with a bonus: his younger sister, Jessica, who also toiled in Passion Food kitchens, often by her brothers side. Jessica Solis prepares the squeeze-bottle salsas at El Sol, including a salsa verde whose serrano-pepper heat must be respected. Shes also responsible for the superb mole rojo, an inky, brooding, four-pepper sauce that clings to the leg and breast meat like a second skin. Its dark chocolate lurks in the background, haunting the dish with equal amounts of sweetness and bitterness. The Solis siblings grew up in Mexico City, and their childhood tastes still exert an influence. The most obvious example is the pambazo, a chorizo-and-potato-stuffed torta popular on the streets of their home town. The sandwichs selling point is its brief dip in a guajillo salsa, which lends the soft, griddled roll a kind of freshly sunburned appearance. The dip doesnt wield much power; the starchy bite reaches its full potential only with a squeeze of salsa verde and a few delicate slivers of habanero and onions soaked in lime juice, a complimentary condiment available to all (heat) seekers here. The siblings time in Passion Food kitchens hasnt muted their affection for the scorpion pinch of the chili pepper. If a dish requires chilies, the Solises will make sure you feel their presence. Pepper heat hides out in an innocuous mound of creamy guacamole, into which the kitchen folds pureed serranos for a clear, even burn in every bite. Slices of habanero are dropped into the tart, fresh seviche, exploding at random like depth charges. Even the burrito mojado, with your choice of protein, is not immune from the sting; the twin-pepper salsa roja that collects around the base of this flour-tortilla brick smolders but never ignites, thanks to the built-in fire suppression system of meat, rice, black beans and cheese. El Sol's carnitas gorditas. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) The fire-engine-red pozole looks as if it sets blazes, the soupy equivalent of Ray Bradburys firemen in Fahrenheit 451. But thats an illusion: Despite the presence of guajillo and arbol peppers, the pozole rojo purrs, its pork richness more dominant than its spice. The presence of cactus paddles, a favorite at the Solis table in Mexico, tends to signal that a dish will go easy on the chili pepper S&M. The crackly gordita shells are stuffed silly with cactus, adding a slippery vegetal note to the pork carnitas, which are prepared traditionally in a copper pot with lard. Cactus also garnishes the slender huarache flatbreads, which feature a variety of meats, including a beer-marinated steak so lush, it rivals tenderloin. Alfredo Solis tells me that some Latino customers complain about the tenderness of the beef, their palates still siding with the good, chewy meats of home. My complaints are more of the insufferable-Washington-hipster variety: a flan served too cold, its custard rubbery; servers who double as bartenders, their skill at making margaritas still a work in progress. Mainly, though, Im frustrated that the Solis crew will soon close their 14th Street NW location, an apparent victim of gentrification. The elder Solis, of course, is not content with the situation. He has plans. Skills such as his and his sisters cannot be contained to one restaurant. Reader: Im a freelance writer struggling to get paid for a project I completed. The people who originally hired me have been let go. Im dealing with a new executive who seems to be trying to intimidate me. Shes asked for a detailed breakdown of my fee (I was hired for a project rate), asked if I have a contract for hire (the original people never offered me one) and said my finished work was unusable (I was never asked for revisions after submitting this project, and no clients in 22 years have ever said that). I have emails indicating that I was asked to take on the project at X rate. What recourse do I have, aside from spending money to have a lawyer send a stern note on letterhead, which this new CEO might ignore? My only weapon seems to be shaming the company on social media. Karla: Im surprised that after two decades of freelancing, you dont regularly insist on a signed contract and that this is the first time youve gotten stung for it. Employment lawyer Amy Epstein Gluck, a partner with FisherBroyles, says having a contract is the best insurance against this type of situation but your email record may show that you had at least a quasi-contractual relationship with the CEOs predecessors, which may be binding for the company. So your best weapon is the one you dismissed: Have an attorney make your case in a demand letter no smart CEO can afford to ignore. And stay off TwitFaceInstaLinked. As Epstein Gluck points out, publicly attacking a client could expose you to defamation charges and harm your prospects with future clients. Reader: For a few months, my 20-year-old son worked evenings as a busboy and dishwasher. It was a small restaurant: my son, the cook and the proprietor. Every paycheck he received bounced, and the proprietor has not made good on them. My son is shy and feels bad for the place business is bad. But he wants his money! He didnt keep exact records of hours worked but can roughly reconstruct them. Karla: Your son should (1) gather any check stubs, bank records of the bounced checks or other evidence of what hes owed and (2) file a no-cost complaint with the Labor Departments Wage and Hour Division . It may take months, but unpaid wages are a hot-button topic with the Labor Department, Epstein Gluck says. If hes not ready to sic the government on a struggling business owner, he can request via certified mail that the owner pay him his back wages within a short grace period, after which he will file with the DOL. If he really feels bad, he can deliver the letter in person. And in future, the first time a paycheck bounces, its a sign he should, too. Ask Karla Miller about your work dramas and traumas by emailing wpmagazine@washpost.com. Read more @Work Advice columns. For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit The Washington Post Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. Find books by Nora Roberts (and J.D. Robb, her pen name) at Turn the Page Bookstore, owned by Robertss husband, Bruce Wilder, in Boonsboro, Md. (Christine Koubek/For The Washington Post ) Road-trip-worthy Boonsboro, Md., has small-town flair, with its brick- and vinyl-sided houses with deep porches. Add to that post-Civil War-era churches and small, odd shops, such as Crawfords Confectionery, a self-described restaurant and guns-and-ammo store. And whats spring without an adventure, especially if its driving to a town thats also the base for a best-selling romance and thriller author who has put down roots, including an elegant inn for literary lovers. It doesnt hurt that the Washington County town, about 55 miles northwest of the District, is close to Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Silver Spring native Nora Roberts, her husband, photographer Bruce Wilder, and son Dan Aufdem-Brinke, are prominent business owners in Boonsboro. They employ some 100 people in a population of 3,460. The familys businesses include a craft brew pub, an arts and crafts gallery and the crown jewel, the Inn BoonsBoro. Six of the romance-themed inns eight guest rooms take their design cues from classic works such as A Midsummer Nights Dream, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. No reservation? Time your visit and you can tour the inns first floor twice a year (June 18 and Dec. 3). But theres plenty to do in this town founded in 1792 by George and William Boone, cousins of the Daniel Boone. The brothers purchased a 140-acre tract of land and laid out half-acre lots on each side of what was then a wagon road and is now Alternate Route 40. Here are a few places to check out: Turn the Page Bookstore 18 N. Main St. Owned and operated by Wilder, the store features an excellent collection of Civil War-related books, novels by Roberts, as well as under her pen name J.D. Robb, and organic coffee drinks. Several book signings with Roberts and other nationally known writers are held each year and draw hundreds to the area. Gifts Inn BoonsBoro 16 N. Main St. Adjacent to the bookstore, the shop is filled with fine-art drawings and photography, clever craft items and Mountaineer Brand beard-care products. Inn BoonsBoro-related items include bath salts and body sprays that correspond with each guest rooms signature scent. Josies on Main 4 N. Main St. Its easy to lollygag in one of the towns larger stores, which offers home decor, accessories and clothing. There are one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and earrings made from bottle caps, and handbags crafted from recycled saris. The Robins Nest 103 N. Main St. Interior designer Robin Spires opened this shop in August. Think of a small-town Anthropologie. Vintage lockers are a hot commodity, as well as small side tables, says Spires. Robins Nest classes, offered Thursday nights and Saturdays, cover subjects such as art journaling and digital photography. Dans Restaurant & Tap House 3 S. Main St. Top off the day with a DuClaws Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. The 34-beer selection has American craft drafts that include porters, stouts, lagers and pale ales. Aufdem-Brinke owns the place. Menu stars include burgers and the Tap House chicken sandwich with bourbon bacon, pesto aioli, lettuce, tomato and Gouda. That may be worth a drive all on its own. Split is a ride-sharing app that bills itself as cheaper than Uber or Lyft. Drivers for the Washington-based start-up pick up multiple passengers en route, and Split divides the fare among them. When I first tried to test the service, I got this alert: Holy Split! All our cars are busy. Try again later. An hour later, I checked again, but the next available car was 16 minutes away. I opted for a bus. Two days later, I snagged a ride at O and Eighth streets NW to the center of Georgetown. Splits map interface told me exactly where to go to pick up the ride, which is better than having to scan the area for your Uber drivers car. A silver Toyota Corolla, its sides clearly marked with the Split logo, pulled up. I was warmly greeted by a driver named Angel, who has been driving for Split since July. I told him this was my first ride with the company, and he praised the service, saying it was cheaper and better than its competitors. We waited a minute to pick up another passenger. A young man named Thomas entered the car. Angel asked Thomas if hed ever used the service before. He had. Lots. Youve saved me a lot of money compared to Uber and Lyft, Thomas said. App review: Split ride-sharing service. Then, Thomas took out his phone and didnt look up from it until we arrived at his destination in the West End. Angel dropped me off at M and Wisconsin. The ride, split with Thomas, cost me $4.60. For comparison I then tried Ubers ride-sharing service, UberPool, launched in the District in October. A fresh-smelling, leather-upholstered Mercedes-Benz C-Class, an Uber sign dangling from the rearview mirror, met me in Georgetown for a reversal of my trip with Split. I had to remind the driver about my destination, and my trip was interrupted by two calls from my fellow passenger, Jamie, asking where her ride was (the driver had headed in the wrong direction and had to make a U-turn to collect her). Like Thomas before, she mostly stared at her phone. After I was dropped off, the bill came to $8.98. UberPool, unlike Split, serves routes into Northern Virginia. But Splits ride-sharing program seems to work more smoothly, and its fare was $4.38 less. I have to agree with Angel. Split is better and cheaper than its competitor. More Apptitude For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. The Posts Teacher of the Year, Shalonda Holt, in her biology classroom at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, Md. (Mike Morgan/For The Washington Post) Rhoda Buckner was 17 when she gave birth to her daughter on a bathroom floor. She was a high school senior, and she had kept the pregnancy a secret from her family, hiding it by wearing baggy clothes, fearing their disappointment. After attending classes on a Friday, at about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 14, 1984, she stumbled into her parents bathroom in pain. On a burgundy rug next to the toilet, she gave birth to a baby girl she named Shalonda. The teenagers ambition of becoming a nurse instantly vanished, as did her dreams of college. As a single mother, Buckner instead got a job of necessity, performing clerical and orderly tasks at a hospital. But the mother wanted better for her daughter, and she saw a bachelors degree and a professional career as an escape from the trap of teen pregnancy. She was my life I put my stuff on hold, Buckner said. I told her, I just want you to be the person you want to be when you grow up. I dont want you to be a teenage mom like me. As a child, Shalonda Holt vowed to learn from her mothers experiences and absorbed the importance of an education. She became a dedicated student inside the classroom and out, spending her weekend nights reading books while other kids looked for parties. She finished fourth in her class at Calvert High School and graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2007, later earning a masters degree from McDaniel College. [A principal met a student she expelled, and it changed her approach to discipline] Now 32, Holt is a biology teacher at Centennial High School in Howard County, where her peers consider her a model educator and her students regard her as an ideal mentor. Holt credits her mothers sacrifices for her success; she was named The Washington Posts 2016 Teacher of the Year (formerly known as the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Awards). School systems in the District, Maryland and Virginia, including D.C. public charters and private schools, selected nominees. The finalists, chosen by a panel of experts, educators and parents, are listed below. Each winner receives a trophy and $7,500. Growing up, education was just stressed to me, Holt said. My Saturday night was with Ben and Jerrys and my vocabulary book. She spent her childhood living in her grandparents house, surrounded by family, except for her father, who had been her mothers high school sweetheart. He just ran away from responsibility, Holt said. Despite the distance of his relationship with his daughter, he was never far away: He lived across the street. It was really weird for me, Holt said, noting that shed see him walking in the neighborhood, but he never stopped to wave or say hello. She remembered thinking: I know who you are, but I really dont know you. Ive never hugged him. She fostered a strong bond with her mother, whom she treats like a sister. I went through things that she never got to experience, Holt said. Holt dealt with her own challenges along the way, abandoning her pursuit of medical school after receiving a C in organic chemistry during her sophomore year of college, followed by a difficult breakup and a tragedy that would force her to reevaluate her life: the death of her brothers girlfriend in a car accident while the couple were speaking to each other by phone. Her last words were screaming his name, Holt said. Amid a moment of reflection, Holt decided to pursue her true passion: teaching. She realized she had been living for other people for too long and began a new career track at UMBC. Before earning her diploma, she met a programming student who helped fix her computer. For his generosity, Holt took him to dinner at Red Lobster. They are now married. Hes always there to make my life easier, Holt said. Hes just dependable. He supported her as she trained to become a teacher, working at a tough high school in Anne Arundel County, an eye-opening embedded tour. Early on, as she was walking through the hallways alongside the principal, he spotted a student wearing a hat. The principal asked the teen to remove it. The student said, Shut the f--- up and kept walking, Holt said. In one class Holt became so frustrated by her disruptive students that tears streamed down her face as she tried to get the teens to cooperate. I felt so defeated, Holt said. But it turned out to be a valuable lesson. As a teacher, youre an actor, youre a performer, Holt said. You could be having a bad day. But when the bell rings, you come alive. During her last year at UMBC, she learned about a teaching opportunity in Howard County and was hired at Centennial in 2007. On her first day, she wore a suit and high heels, hoping to appear mature and professional in front of her new students teens just a few years younger than she was. But standing all day in heels brutalized her feet. A rookie mistake. I walked barefoot back to the parking lot, Holt said. Since then, she has emerged as a role model for her students and for other teachers. Shalonda Holt is a one-woman powerhouse, Centennial Spanish teacher Jade Jordan wrote in a letter as part of her nomination for Teacher of the Year. She is constantly striving to improve our students experiences at school while encouraging their own development as progressive and compassionate global citizens. A student, Ashley Berry, wrote that Holt is one of the easiest teachers I know to talk to. I can tell her anything and I know she will always hear what I have to say without passing any judgment. Holt mentors young women and led the creation of a student club aimed at encouraging diversity. Now Everyone Stand Together, or NEST, has contributed to a more positive environment at a time when racial tensions in Howard have become a focal point. At nearby Mount Hebron High School, a white teenager was recorded in a viral video disparaging black students earlier this year. Who the f--- cares about some black man who dies? the student said in the 30-second video, adding that black lives do not matter because they are an inferior race. [Maryland students walk out after viral video attacks Black Lives Matter movement] For Holt, the video represented everything she had been working against at Centennial, where she had strived to foster inclusion and unity at a school with a small population of black students. She is patient, soft-spoken, a peace maker; yet she knows how to stand her ground, Centennial student Kendra Grissom wrote in a letter. She is poised and carries herself with dignity. It was Holts grace that kept her collected when a white student came up to her a few years ago to tell her what he believed was a joke: Whats black and hanging from a tree in my back yard? A tire swing. Holt said the classroom culture has improved, largely because of efforts by Principal Claire Hafets. But the suburban school still faces challenges, Holt said. Its micro-aggressions little paper cuts every day, Holt said, noting that she can count the black faculty with her fingers. But Holt said that she chose Centennial hoping to contribute to diversifying the educational experience. In Holts classroom, the students are regarded as a close-knit learning community and a family, Assistant Principal Tracy Scaltz wrote. During a recent class, Holt taught sophomores about how cells create proteins. Holt uses a flipped classroom method, where students watch videos to learn new material at home. She uses class periods to lead her students through exercises to deepen their understanding of the subject. In one drill, the students turned RNA nucleotides into sentences of amino acids that represented new proteins. Formed correctly, Holt told the students, one sentence read: We are all in this together. Alison Serino, principal of Westland Middle School in Montgomery County and a member of the committee that selected Holt as Teacher of the Year, said she stood out. She is the type of person who sees a need in a school community and finds a way to fill it, Serino said. Holts work mentoring minority students was an important example of her leadership for the committee: She exudes a strong will but a caring side, Serino said. Between classes on a recent day, a student approached Holt in the hall and asked about completing missed assignments. Holt gently told the teenage girl not to worry, that shed help her catch up. The girls brother had been killed in Baltimore, and she had had a breakdown in class, screaming in grief on the floor just a few days earlier. She was saying, Oh, why did they take him. They took him from me, Holt said. I know things are bigger than school, bigger than grades. Holt said she recognizes the influence she can wield and the responsibility that comes with it. She recalled clearly when a first-grade teacher chastised her in front of her classmates, telling her: Shut up, Shalonda. I remember how that felt, Holt said. I just know how big of an impact teachers have on students. For me, I just know that students feel like when they need something they can come to me. ... I like to be there, and I want them to know that someone cares for them in the building. Finalists for the 2016 Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award Carol Bak Chesapeake High School, Anne Arundel County Kevin Barry La Plata High School, Charles County Patricia Breland Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School, Stafford County Jennifer Burgin Oakridge Elementary School, Arlington John Cavanaugh Congressional Schools of Virginia, Falls Church private school Kathleen Dail New Directions Alternative Center, Prince William County Molly Freitag T.C. Williams High School, Alexandria Amy Havaich C.M. Bradley Elementary School, Fauquier County Shalonda Holt (winner) Centennial High School, Howard County Janna Huynh D.C. Scholars Public Charter School, D.C. charter Kelly McConville Kemptown Elementary School, Frederick County William Moulden Samuel Ogle Middle School, Prince Georges County David Redden Calvert High School, Calvert County Kimberly Skufca Shady Grove Middle School, Montgomery County Corey Thornblad Kilmer Middle School, Fairfax County Emily Thulier Bruce-Monroe Elementary School at Park View, D.C. Public Schools John Tuck Rolling Ridge Elementary School, Loudoun County Heather Van Gorder Mount Daniel School, Falls Church Sarah Weaver Osbourn High School, Manassas Lori Grebner Manassas Park Elementary School, Manassas Park April Wathen George Washington Carver Elementary School, St. Marys County Correction: A previous online version incorrectly listed New Directions Alternative Center in Prince William County as New Dominion Alternative Center. This version has been updated. T. Rees Shapiro is an education reporter. Education editor Josh White contributed to this report. E-mail us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. For more articles, as well as features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit The Washington Post Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Students in a moment of silence and relaxation led by Joanne Bagshaw, professor of psychology, before class begins at Montgomery College in Germantown, Md. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) On a rainy February afternoon, the ionic charge is palpable in Michelle Francls physical chemistry class at Bryn Mawr College near Philadelphia. As Francl scribbles a mathematical equation for wave function thats projected on an overhead screen, students twirl ponytails, peck at keyboards and peek at their smartphones. They are quiet, yet theres an undercurrent of anxiety. Francl is nudging students toward understanding the Bohr correspondence principle, a cornerstone concept in quantum mechanics thats as easily discernible as Mona Lisas smile. Bohrs principle illustrates how classical mechanics (which predict how objects viewed with the naked eye will move) and quantum mechanics (which predict how microscopic objects will move) yield the same mathematical answer when the objects are large enough to observe. Francl has students work together to calculate a quantum mechanics probability on their laptops and projects their findings as a line graph. Then she asks students to do something odd: Were going to take a minute and a half and just look at it. Students look perplexed or exchange smirks that speak to the unorthodoxy of the request, especially for a science course. Devices invite distraction, but they are also essential in Francls class. Some ESL students need smartphones for translation, and all the students need laptops to do the math. But she uses other methods to get them to focus. Go ahead, Francl repeats. Just look for 90 seconds. Complete quiet. Stillness. The ionic charge has fizzled or has it? Michelle M. Francl, a professor of chemistry, uses a technique called beholding where students stop multitasking and silently focus on a subject in her classes at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. (Jim Graham for The Washington Post) After a minute or so, Francl pulls the image off the screen. Take 30 remaining seconds, and make a sketch of what you think might be important about the findings, she says. Once they stop drawing, she projects a different chart, this time a line graph created using classical mechanics, whose trajectory resembles the previous one. She asks, Did you notice anything different that you didnt notice before? A student wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt blurts out: It looked like there were two curves. She holds up her hands like two flat, parallel planes, flying past each other. Youre discovering the Bohr correspondence principle for yourself, Francl says as she adjusts her round, 1920s-style eyeglasses. Your close, careful attention paid off. Now youre thinking like scientists. For the first time that class, heads nod throughout the room. What just happened here? How did a classroom of students go from being fidgety and doubt-filled one minute to beaming, nascent scientists the next? The answer is beholding a deceptively effective technique where students stop multitasking and silently focus on a graph (or a text or a painting). A growing body of research is showing that the states of being we fear in the 21st century decelerating, absorbing less information, quietly, no less are what this generation of overwhelmed, hyper-stimulated, often-depressed college students need to succeed. Everything about this approach to learning runs counter to the sensibilities and lifestyles of these young digital natives: flexibility at the expense of commitment; Shark Tank-worthy resumes and social media brands; around-the-clock connectivity fueled by energy drinks. Is it any wonder that a University of Virginia-led study (11 studies, actually) discovered that participants would rather face electric shock than sit quietly alone with their thoughts for six to 15 minutes? Is it really surprising that we encourage children to constantly juggle as much as they can, though research shows that the resting (not restless) brain sorts through and saves recently acquired information and deepens cognitive connections? Lets face it: As a cultural ethos were suspicious, at best, of stillness and silence. Yet professors at both community colleges and elite universities are rallying around the virtues of stillness and silence as essential to learning. In a 2014 speech, Harvard University President Drew Faust told a group of Texas high school students the ability to examine a piece of information skeptically, before deciding whether to accept it or not, is a vital skill in the workplace, and a vital skill in life. Think Slow may never become a slogan, like Steve Jobss Think Different, she said. But it strikes me as an attractive claim. Her colleague, Jennifer L. Roberts, the Elizabeth Cary Agassiz professor of the humanities, has put Think Slow into practice. She assigns graduate and undergraduate art history students an intensive research paper and requires them, before they start, to spend at least three consecutive hours gazing at one work of art. This deceivingly simplistic assignment shows students that just because you have looked at something doesnt mean that you have seen it, Roberts said, according to an essay in Harvards alumni magazine in 2013. Just because something is available instantly to vision does not mean that it is available instantly to consciousness ... What turns access into learning is time and strategic patience. Critics of this sort of curricular brake-tapping argue that, even if such approaches work for humanities courses, they could never translate effectively to mathematics or the hard sciences. The same critics rolled their eyes at Barbara McClintock when she was asked, near the end of her life, how she made great science. The Nobel Prize-winning cytogeneticist, whose research centered on corn, responded, Really, all I can tell you about doing great science is that you somehow have to learn to lean into the kernel. But Francl insists that the disciplined, muted immersion McClintock referred to is essential to success in science. She says she made this connection 10 years ago during daily Mass at a nearby friary. Every day after Mass she joined the monks for lauds, chanting in two lines facing each other, a liturgical call and response. It taught a willingness to wait, she says. This has helped her with her research. Sometimes Ill spend six months looking at a molecule, she says. And it has made her more deliberate and effective in the classroom. Inspired by the monks values and spartan lifestyle, Francl decided to stop stuffing stuff into my classes for the sake of volume. If Im dumping so many equations on the board, she says, and students arent understanding any of them, what [is] the point? Alexis Van Venrooy listens to Francl during a quantum mechanics class. (Jim Graham for The Washington Post) Francls techniques are examples of whats called mindful-based or contemplative education. It takes many forms, such as meditative breathing, visualization, beholding and lectio divina(divine reading). It gets students to slow their bodies and brains as they become more aware of their thoughts, bodily sensations, feelings and immediate environment. One of the outcomes is that practitioners can learn to accept, without judgment, the thoughts and feelings that surface. A 2008 report, Toward the Integration of Meditation Into Higher Education: A Review of Research, cites a 1998 study conducted over two semesters on 56 undergraduates split into two study groups, one of which practiced concentration-based meditation. At the end of the study, those students had significantly higher GPA scores compared to the control group. A 2012 randomized controlled study on 48 undergraduates, published in the journal Psychological Science, found that students who undertook a two-week mindfulness-training course achieved improvements in GRE reading-comprehension scores and working memory capacity, along with reductions in distracting thoughts. Joanne Bagshaw, associate professor of psychology at Montgomery College in Germantown, has seen similar results. She attributes them in part to teaching her students to manage stress, which, experts say, is exacerbated by our chronically overstimulated, technologically overloaded circuits. Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin observes that multitasking exacts a toll on the brain by boosting production of the stress hormone cortisol and the fight-or-flight hormone adrenaline. Joanne Bagshaw, professor of psychology, at Montgomery College in Germantown, Md. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post) Bagshaw says, on top of that, many community college students face additional stressors such as caring for children, working two or three jobs, or helping to support extended family members. Ive learned that its important to give them a space where they can relax, learn to breathe in silence, be present. When theyre more present, theyre more open to learning, she says. Bagshaw has students put pens and laptop screens down and listen to the lecture or spend a few moments quietly reflecting on the topic. Kenya Sesay, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Maryland who transferred from Montgomery College, says: Most of the time you dont review notes later because youre so busy, so any connections you might have made during class are gone. But the silence [in Bagshaws class] made everything more understandable it encouraged us to ask questions right then and there that many of us never asked otherwise. At the end of classes, Bagshaw turns off lights and asks for a moment of silence. She instructs her students to breathe meditatively (inhale, hold, exhale) and to focus on feelings and the causes of their hurt and stress. Then she tells them to let go of this negativity. Sesay, who hopes to pursue graduate studies in either counseling or forensic psychology, says the exercise helps her because she is always stressed. All I can think about is how much Im going to fail. How Im not succeeding for what my parents sent me here to do, she says. Having that 10 minutes of peace gives a student a whole new feeling for the rest of day that, yes, I can get this done. Andrew Reiner is a regular contributor to the Magazine and teaches at Towson University. To comment on this story, email wpmagazine@washpost.com. E-mail us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. For more articles, as well as features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit The Washington Post Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. More than 1,500 people attended the black-tie reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the National Gallery of Art. (Kate Patterson for The Washington Post) Darting into a room filled with priceless paintings by van Gogh, Degas and Gauguin, Catherine Conover spotted van Goghs Still Life of Oranges and Lemons With Blue Gloves in an ornate gilt frame. This was in our living room, without a frame, said the daughter of the late philanthropist Paul Mellon. She turned to look at van Goghs Green Wheat Fields, Auvers. This one, too. I think they look better without a frame. A few steps away hung another painting from the family collection: Degas The Riders, a beautiful composition of men and horses. This was my fathers favorite kind of art, she said. And now, instead of hanging in a private home, the paintings adorn the walls of Gallery 83 of the National Gallery of Art. To kick off its 75th anniversary, the NGA hosted a black-tie reception Wednesday night for 1,400 art collectors, donors large and small, and other patrons. On the surface, it was a celebration of past, present and future. The subtext was the importance of traditional, old-fashioned philanthropy. The gallery is such a fixture in Washington that its hard to remember that it didnt open until 1941, thanks to the vision of one man. Andrew Mellons idea was an American idea, said Earl Rusty Powell III, the NGAs director for the past 24 years. It was the idea that America should have a great national gallery. Traditionally, wealthy art lovers of the 19th century built and donated to local museums, creating cities with great art collections such as New York and Boston. Mellon, a wealthy businessman from Pittsburgh, was inspired by the National Gallery in London and Madrids Prado. A former Treasury secretary and ambassador to Britain, Mellon donated his art collection to the nation and paid for the imposing neoclassical West Building on the Mall to house it. He insisted that it be called the National Gallery of Art it was his gift to the nation, not a monument to himself, and he wanted it to inspire others. He built it hoping they would come, and they came, said Powell, ticking off the names of other great collections Widener, Rosenwald, Kress and Dale donated to the gallery. Mellons son, Paul, continued the family tradition by not only giving his vast private collection but also paying for the construction of I.M. Peis modern East Building. Champagne flowed at the gala. The gallery donors large and small and other art-lovers were there for the celebration. (Kate Patterson for The Washington Post) Now, billionaire David Rubenstein, who became one of the gallerys five trustees last year, is following in their footsteps. He donated $10 million for the expansion of the East Building (along with $10 million from former NGA president Victoria Sant and her husband, Roger, and $10 million from current trustee Mitch Rales and his wife, Emily) and is trying to encourage others to emulate Andrew Mellons patriotism. Im trying to get people to do more of giving things to their country, like the Mellons did, Rubenstein said, and Im trying in my own modest way to do it. But I hope other people will begin to do it as well. Andrew Robison, a senior curator at the gallery for 42 years, said that the National Gallery has enormous meaning nationwide, which gives him an edge with donors. I never ask for everything, he said. I always say, when I go see a collector: Support your local museum, but give us a slice of pie. For the nation. Many of those donors were invited to Wednesdays celebration. It was the biggest party in the gallerys history (as far as anyone can remember), with a crush of people who drank champagne, swarmed the buffets and wandered through the permanent collection, where they were allowed to take selfies with the priceless art. A plate crashed onto the marble floor and broke into pieces. It was an accident, not performance art. Now it was officially a party. [Mellon Foundation awards $30 million match grant to National Gallery] The mood was expansive partly because of all that champagne, partly because there were so many people running around, but mostly because this is a big year for the gallery: a year-long anniversary with a $75 million endowment drive and the reopening of the East Building this fall, both designed to ensure the NGAs position as one of the top art institutions in the world. National Gallery President Frederick Beinecke with his niece, Kit Krugman, at the reception. (Kate Patterson for The Washington Post) The biggest thing this year is not this party. Its the opening of the East Building, NGA President Frederick Beinecke said. Its by far the most important thing were doing. The expanded space will house the 20th-century collection, which Powell calls the future of the gallery. All art was modern art at some point, he noted. For the gallerys 50th anniversary, then-director Carter Brown spent five years persuading collectors to give a portion of their prize artworks to the gallery. Now Powell is trying to raise money to add to the existing $750 million endowment fund a critical but harder task, because no one gets their name on a wall next to a beautiful painting. Again, the Mellon legacy is crucial. To mark the 75th anniversary, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has pledged $30 million if the gallery raises $45 million within five years. Well do it, said Powell, with the confidence of a man who has two billionaire philanthropists on his board. Maryland Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) has been trying to pass legislation that would help adults who were sexually abused as children. (C.T. Wilson) For the second year in a row, he put it all out there: the shame, the fear, the self-loathing, the pain, the dark details of his horrific, repeated rape. An Army veteran and attorney, Maryland Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) stood before his colleagues in Annapolis, confessed that he really, really didnt want to be there and told them why he doesnt sleep much at night. Why he hoped his children would never be boys. Why he knows he is a monster on the inside. And for the second year in a row, lawmakers in the state legislature put all that in a drawer. And closed it. Its usually the case when we tell our stories, Wilson said. Nobody wants to hear this. And we want to be heard. Wilson wants his fellow delegates to understand what the adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse endure. And what recourse they have years and years later. And for two years, he has sponsored legislation aimed at helping them. As it stands, a criminal case against an abuser can be pursued anytime, no matter how long ago the abuse happened. But a civil case the kind of action that can get a patients treatment paid for has a statute of limitations. Victims have seven years once they reach adulthood to file a civil suit against a molester or a school, a team or a church that enabled that abuser. And unless a victim comes to terms with the abuse, recognizes it, fights through it and files a civil suit before age 25, no dice. And thats a big problem. Because many victims of childhood sexual abuse repress the memories in order to survive. Some even kill themselves. I was 38 when I finally [talked about it], Wilson said. Hes 44. He spent his early years in and out of foster homes. When he was at last adopted, his adoptive father a man Wilson described to his colleagues as a churchgoing married man repeatedly beat, then sodomized him from the time he was 9 until the year he left for the Army, when he was 18. Tom Wilson, his adoptive father, is dead. Wilson never told anyone about the abuse while he was alive. What followed was 20 years of bulking up in Army combat training, 20 years of womanizing, rage, short fuses, withdrawal, sleepless nights before he was ready to consider the possibility that all these demons inside him should be addressed. And hes hardly alone. [The Sandusky legacy: More sexual abuse victims speaking out] About three-quarters of children who were sexually abused dont tell anyone for at least a year, about 45 percent keep it a secret for five years, and many never tell anyone, according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. But Md. House Bill 1215 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 69, would give victims 20 years to file their suits once they reach adulthood. So, youd have to decide to confront your abuser by the time you turn 38. Like Wilson 38. A handful of other states, including Delaware, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, have extended or have no statutes of limitation. Whats the holdup in Maryland? Lobbyists representing the Catholic Church which for years has been at the center of a global scandal over priests sexually abusing children have helped block the bill. Passing the legislation is unwarranted and unjust, the Maryland Catholic Conference wrote in testimony submitted last month against the bill. Mostly, the church said, the bill unfairly targets it. Private, religious and non-profit organizations would face dramatically greater risks of potentially devastating civil claims, according to the testimony. Quoting California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) when he vetoed a bill that would have suspended the statute of limitations for civil suits in child sexual assault cases, the testimony continued: There comes a time when an individual or an organization should be secure in the reasonable expectation that past acts are indeed in the past and not subject to further lawsuits. The opposition matters. Maryland is a Catholic state, you know, said Del. Susan K. McComas (R-Harford). House Judiciary Committee Chairman Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Prince Georges) has refused to put the bill up for a vote. He did not respond to my request for comment. Vallario knows it will pass, Wilson said. But McComas, who said she may support the bill if it were to come up for a vote, is skeptical that it would do any good. Money isnt going to cleanse any souls, McComas said. She said that was what she meant when she emailed John Plaschke, 50, a University of Maryland biotech researcher and a sexual assault survivor. He had written to McComas urging her to support the bill. This is what she told him in the email: Dear John: I hope that you have sought treatment and have moved beyond the abuse. It is very much about your personal resilience to live and thrive. The best revenge is to be well and be happy. I think that many of the Jews that survived the holocaust are wonderful role models of courage and survival. Susan McComas That response made the rounds on social media. And McComas got slammed by survivors furious with her response. I meant it in a nice way, McComas said. But for Plaschke, for Wilson and for thousands of other survivors, its a discouraging and insulting refrain: Move past it. We are victimized twice, said Plaschke, who said he was abused by a priest in Illinois when he was 7. Once as a child and again as an adult. The lives of those abused as children their perspectives, their sexuality, their morality and their self-worth were totally twisted when they were in their most delicate, formative years. The survivors that McComas cited to Plaschke as examples of resilience They should look at the survivors of the Bataan Death March, she told me had a chance to form normal, moral foundations before they were traumatized. Kids who were abused? Their entire foundation is corrupted. And they fight to right it their entire lives. Im lucky Im still alive, Plaschke said. A lot of us kill ourselves. Wilson said he struggles every day to move forward. I slept about an hour and a half last night, he said. I know, if I go sleep, Im not going to dream. Im going to remember. Twitter: @petulad D.C. Council members are questioning how a man with quesionable credentials could have been hired as chief executive of St. Elizabeths Hospital. (Evy Mages/For The Washington Post) The city official behind the selection of the chief executive of St. Elizabeths Hospital, who abruptly resigned this week amid questions about his qualifications, defended the choice to the D.C. Council on Wednesday. At a budget hearing for her agency, Department of Behavioral Health Director Tanya Royster told lawmakers that James Edward Kyle was a good fit for the $171,000-a-year position to lead the Districts only public psychiatric hospital. Kyle, 50, resigned Monday after facing questions about his experience and background. A spokesman for Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) declined to comment on the resignation, and Royster said Kyle offered no reason. [St. Elizabeths CEO resigns under fire over qualifications]A nurse by training, Kyles only experience as the head of a hospital was four months, starting last July, as chief executive of an Indian Health Service facility serving the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in Rosebud, S.D. Kyle abruptly left that job in November, and the following month federal regulators said conditions in the emergency room were unsafe for patients. He was found unqualified for a position at the University of the District of Columbia in 2013, and his doctorate not in medicine but in leadership was earned from Charisma University, a British West Indies school unaccredited in the United States. Dr. Kyle met the qualifications for the position, and the staff that worked with him were engaged and invested, said Royster, who is serving as the hospitals interim chief executive until a new chief executive is hired. Why D.C. politics is D.C. politics, I cannot answer. [Bowsers pick for St. Elizabeths came from troubled S.D. hospital] That drew a rebuke from council member David Grosso (I-At Large), who said it was appropriate to question the fitness of the person at the helm of an institution that cares for some of the Districts most vulnerable people. It wasnt just politics in D.C. we do have a lot of politics here but this was more of a serious concern about whether or not there was a qualified person running St. Elizabeths, Grosso said. Kyles resignation doesnt change the need to have a qualified person running St. Es so that we dont lose the progress we made, Grosso said. St. Elizabeths serves nearly 300 patients a day, including people accused of committing crimes. A history of troubles including crowding, assaults and patients wandering off campus prompted seven years of federal oversight that ended in 2014. Grosso was disturbed that Royster was relying on the Mayors Office of Talent and Appointments to find a new chief executive. I dont understand how that can even be possible, Grosso said. Is there anyone else at your agency more important than the person running St. Elizabeths? Kyle replaced a 20-year veteran of the hospital who was serving as interim CEO. Michael Czin, a spokesman for Bowser, declined to outline the steps taken to review Kyles record except to say that standard practices were followed. Kyle was not approached by Royster or the mayor to apply for the job, he said. Bowser did not interview Kyle, Czin said. When the mayor announced Kyles appointment, she praised him in a news release, noting that that he had 30 years of experience in the medical field. But his resume indicates he had worked in health-related jobs for 10 years. Czin said the mistake was due to a typographical error in the news release. Royster said Kyle was one of three finalists she interviewed with two officials from the mayors vetting office. She said he was recommended by his previous supervisor at the Indian Health Service, who has not returned messages from The Washington Post. Speaker of the House of Delegates Michael E. Busch (D) leads the session on March 22 in Annapolis. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) Marylands House of Delegates on Thursday voted to strike down Gov. Larry Hogans first two vetoes of the 2016 legislative session, reminding the highly popular Republican chief executive that Democrats still wield considerable power in the state capital. The Senate, meanwhile, narrowly rejected a Hogan nominee to the state handgun permit review board who has questioned the constitutionality of some of Marylands gun laws and has shared provocative messages about police-involved shootings on social media. The vote on the nomination of Richard Jurgena, of Montgomery County, was 23 to 22 one vote shy of a constitutional majority, because two of the 47 senators were not present. Republicans argued that a simple majority should be enough to approve the appointment and said they would appeal to the state attorney general. At the same time, the chamber approved six Hogan nominees for the State Board of Education, despite objections from some lawmakers concerned that the appointees are strong advocates for charters schools and vouchers. [Hogan most popular governor in Md. since at least 1998] And it approved the Public Service Commission appointment of Michael T. Richard, a former deputy chief of staff to Hogan, who was accused of inappropriate communication with the governors office after he had joined the regulatory board as an interim appointee. The votes came on a busy day in Annapolis that included preliminary approval in the Senate for a $37.5 million tax credit over the next five years to Northrop Grumman, an aerospace company based in Anne Arundel County. Critics call the bill corporate welfare, but Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said the measure, which is supported by the Hogan administration, is about keeping jobs . . . creating jobs, bringing new jobs to Maryland. Lawmakers also gave final approval to a bill that restricts all consumer use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been linked to mass deaths of honeybees. If Hogan signs the bill which applies only to amateurs, not farmers and professionals Maryland would become the first state in the country to pass such a ban. [Heres why Marylands honey bees are being massacred] An effort to expand voter participation in the state by automatically placing eligible residents on the voter rolls narrowly failed to move out of the Senate, 24 to 21. The debate over Hogans appointments took up much of the Senates morning session. Jurgena, a cowboy-hat-wearing businessman from Montgomery County, told the Baltimore Sun this week that he believes Marylands handgun-permit law is unconstitutional. Based on that interview and on Jurgenas social-media postings, the advocacy group Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence lobbied the Senate to reject the nomination. Republicans said it was unfair to question Jurgenas appointment on the Senate floor because the Senate Executive Nominations Committee approved his selection. But Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery), who voted against the nomination, said the committee approval came before Jurgenas views were known. Reached by phone Thursday evening, Jurgena confirmed that he believes Marylands handgun-permit law would be overturned if it were challenged at the Supreme Court. But he also said that if he were approved to serve on the handgun permit review board, he would uphold the statute because it is enacted Maryland law. The board hears appeals from individuals who have been denied permits. Doug Mayer, a spokesman for Hogan, would not comment specifically on Jurgenas rejection. Instead, he repeated the governors recent comments that the Senates role is to advise and consent. The House of Delegates easily overrode Hogans rejection of bills that would require the state to score transportation projects before deciding which to fund and strip him of the ability to appoint five people to the commission that nominates school board members for Anne Arundel County. The vote on the transportation bill was 88 to 52, three more votes than needed, and the vote on the school board legislation was 90 to 50. The Senate, which also must vote to override in order for the bills to become law, could take up the issue as early as Friday. Miller said the Senate is moving closer to resolving concerns over a police accountability bill that hit a snag earlier this week. He said he is confident that both the police bill and a measure designed to reduce the state prison population and costs will receive final passage before the session ends on Monday. Both bills are controversial because there is something in them that each and every member of the Senate doesnt particularly care for, he said. 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. Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Hillary Clinton has a clear but narrowing lead over Bernie Sanders three weeks before Marylands Democratic primary, according to a new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. The poll also has good news for Donald Trump, who has a slight edge among likely Republican voters, with Ohio Gov. John Kasich in second place. In a general-election matchup, Clinton wallops Trump by 35 percentage points among registered voters, wider than President Obamas winning margins in the reliably blue state in 2008 and 2012. Maryland which holds its primary April 26, along with Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticut so far has received little attention from the 2016 hopefuls. But Clinton will visit Baltimore Sunday, for a grass-roots organizing event. [ Read full Maryland poll results ] In the Democratic contest, the states 95 delegates will be awarded proportionately. The statewide Republican winner will receive 14 of 38 delegates, with the remaining 24 delegates awarded in sets of three to the winner of each of Marylands eight congressional districts. The poll shows Clinton leading Sanders 55 percent to 40 percent among likely Democratic voters. Clintons advantage is half what it was last month in a Baltimore Sun poll, which showed her up roughly 30 percentage points. Last fall, a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll of Democratic voters found Clinton leading Vice President Biden (never a declared candidate) by 17 points and Sanders by 23 in a six-person field. Maryland is seen as a Clinton stronghold because of its proximity to Washington and because more than one-third of the Democratic electorate is African American, a group that has heavily favored the former secretary of state this year. Even while former Maryland governor Martin OMalley was seeking the Democratic nomination, his support stayed in the low single digits, and scores of Maryland officeholders across the state endorsed Clinton. [Little love for OMalley in home state] She leads Sanders among black voters 63 percent to 33 percent, according to this weeks poll, and among women 60 percent to 35 percent. Clinton has even larger advantages among moderate and conservative Democrats (63 percent to 30 percent) and voters 50 and older (66 percent to 26 percent). Hermione Nickens, a Prince Georges County teacher who decades ago voted for Ronald Reagan, said she thinks Sanders is too old to be president at 74. Nickens, 56, says shes disgusted by Republican rhetoric that has left immigrant students in her high school class feeling ostracized and afraid of deportation. She thinks that Clinton, 68, has the best record in the field. No one has the experience on the global front that Hillary has, said Nickens, who is African American. Mirroring many primaries held so far, Sanders performs best among those who are younger, leading Clinton with voters under age 40 by a margin of 61 percent to 38 percent. Sanders runs roughly even with Clinton among white Democratic voters, 46 percent to 47 percent. The senator from Vermont, a self-described Democratic socialist, leaned on a winning margin among whites in each of his four state victories where exit polls were conducted. On the Republican side, Trump has a slight edge among likely voters, garnering 41 percent of their support, compared with Kasichs 31 percent and Ted Cruzs 22 percent. Although the 10-point margin bodes well for Trump, it is not statistically significant given the surveys sample size of 283 likely Republican voters. Kasich, who has won only his home state, has been banking on a strong showing in Northeastern states to show that he is a serious candidate. He leads among Maryland college graduates with 43 percent, ahead of Trumps 28 percent and Cruzs 23 percent. In 2012, 56 percent of Marylands GOP primary voters had college degrees, one of the highest shares in the nation. Trump is buoyed by support from Republicans without college degrees, leading with 51 percent among this group, compared with Kasichs 22 percent and Cruzs 21 percent. Kasichs record on balancing the federal budget as a congressman appeals to John Cirelli, a property manager in Anne Arundel County. Hes not off the wall. Hes not crazy like Trump, who doesnt think before he speaks, said Cirelli, 61. Hes more of a statesman. Colette Delwiche, 61, says she thought Trump was joking when he first announced his presidential bid. But the former office manager from Charles County is backing the Manhattan billionaire as a way of expressing her disgust with national politics. She says shes been disillusioned by watching her 10 children grow up apathetic about their government. I figured he cant do any worse than Obama, Delwiche said of Trump. What a disaster for our country has that been. The world thinks we are a joke. [Hogan is Marylands most popular governor since at least 1998] Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), whose approval ratings are soaring, has said he does not think Trump should be the partys nominee. But he has declined to endorse any other candidate since New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a close friend, dropped out of the race. Among Republican voters, those who strongly approve of Hogans performance are slightly less supportive of Trump than GOP voters are overall. Republican disaffection with Trump is one reason for Clintons 63 percent to 28 percent showing over the GOP front-runner in a head-to-head matchup. By comparison, Obama beat GOP nominee Mitt Romney by 26 points in Maryland in 2012. Just over 7 in 10 registered Republicans (72 percent) say they would support Trump over Clinton in such a contest, while 87 percent of Democrats who outnumber Republicans in the state more than 2 to 1 would support Clinton. Clinton also leads 59 percent to 27 percent among political independents. The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll was conducted March 30 to April 3 among a random sample of 1,503 Maryland adults on landline and cellular phones, conducted in partnership with U-Md.s Center for American Politics and Citizenship. Results among the sample of 539 Democratic likely voters have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points; the error margin among 283 Republican likely voters is 7.5 percentage points. Scott Clement contributed to this report. Marine Maj. Mark Thompson at the U.S. Naval Academy, where two female students accused the former history teacher of having sex with them. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) The military has launched a new investigation of Marine Maj. Mark Thompson, the former U.S. Naval Academy instructor who insisted that he was innocent of sexual misconduct with two young women while they were students at the school. Following Washington Post revelations about Thompson, a Marine Corps prosecutor and an investigator met this week with one of his accusers, Sarah Stadler, to review the contents of her long-missing cellphone, she said. I can confirm that the Marine Corps is examining new evidence that has recently come to light as a result of the Washington Post article about Maj. Thompsons case, Rex A. Runyon, a Marine Corps spokesman, said in an email. I cannot provide additional details as it is our policy not to discuss ongoing investigations. Before the meeting, Stadler said she sent the prosecutor several images of text conversations between her and Thompson, who was convicted in 2013 of five counts of sexual misconduct but was allowed to remain a Marine. A number of the more than 650 messages she and Thompson exchanged appear to contradict what he said under oath in 2014 to an administrative board deciding whether he should be expelled from the armed forces. Military law experts say that such wrongdoing can lead to serious consequences. Service members who make a false official statement may face up to five years confinement and a dishonorable discharge. Sarah Stadler holds her long missing cell phone, showing a text conversation with Maj. Mark Thompson. Its discovery has launched a new investigation into Thompson by the military. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/For The Washington Post) [A Marine fights to prove hes innocent of sexual misconduct. Then a lost cellphone is found.] In response to an email from The Post, Thompson asked for more information but didnt answer a request for comment on the governments actions. His attorneys also did not respond to requests for comment. Stadler first heard from the prosecutor last week, she said. When he asked what she hoped would happen to Thompson, Stadler told him that she wanted the former history instructor court-martialed and kicked out of the military. The prosecutor, she said, told her that Thompson could go to trial a second time, although the military could also pursue administrative punishment. I hope he gets dismissed from the Marine Corps, she said, before he has a chance to retire. Thompson and military officials have said that he will be eligible for retirement in November. The Marine major has been fighting to prove his innocence since Stadler and a 21-year-old woman alleged that he had sex with them amid a drunken night of strip poker at his Annapolis home. Stadler said the 2011 liaison was consensual and part of an ongoing relationship. Her friend called it rape. After a flawed sexual assault investigation, a Naval Academy instructor tries to prove he has done nothing wrong. But did he? (Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post) At his court-martial in 2013, Thompson was acquitted of the assault charge, but the jury still concluded that hed had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the women, whom he knew through the schools rifle team. He was found guilty of five lesser offenses and sentenced to two months in a military brig and fined $60,000. In 2014, his case was reviewed again at what is known as a board of inquiry hearing. There, three Marine officers were assigned to decide whether Thompson should be discharged for his crimes. The combat veteran testified that he was never friends with Stadler outside the rifle team, insisting that his interactions with her were appropriate, professional and within academy guidelines. [Why sex assault reports have spiked at the Naval Academy, West Point and Air Force Academy] He told the board that she had created a complete fiction about a relationship that never existed and specifically denied ever having any sexual conversations with her. The board members believed him, allowing him to remain a Marine and even publicly decrying his convictions as unjust. But many text messages on Stadlers old phone which she discovered after being contacted by The Post strongly imply that the two were involved in an inappropriate relationship. One exchange was sexually explicit. The texts also revealed that Thompson had misrepresented to the board the last time he saw Stadler. Stadler had alleged during his court-martial that they had sex a final time on the night of her May 2011 graduation, a time when Thompson had a compelling alibi. The texts, however, show that the two actually saw each other at 11:30 p.m. the following night. At his board hearing, Thompson testified that the last time he remembered seeing Stadler was nearly one month earlier. When confronted by The Post in January this year, Thompson acknowledged that Stadler had come to his house the night after graduation but insisted she did so only to give him a pair of commemorative glasses and her photograph. He still denied ever having sex with her. Asked why he hadnt been honest with authorities about the rendezvous, Thompson described the immense pressure the rape charge had placed on him. I simply had to, when they were coming after me for 41 years, Thompson said. I cant begin to say, you know, how terrifying that is. What will happen to him next could take months to determine. Meanwhile, Stadler is contending with her own challenges. She was expelled from the military in 2014 after initially lying about her relationship with an enlisted sailor in California. The government has since tried to recoup more than $85,000 for the time she owed the Navy after graduating from the academy. Stadler wants that debt forgiven, and she recently discussed her options with military attorneys, both active-duty and retired. She had hoped that the evidence contained on her phone might help her cause, but she said that even without assurances that her debt will ever be erased, she is eager to cooperate with investigators. The right thing to do, she said, is to see that justice is served. Craig Harmons idea of what it might look like to fly a massive American flag from the top of the Washington Monument. Its been done before,on Flag Day in 1916. (Photo illustration by Craig Harmon) Craig Harmon has a dream. Craigs dream is to fly a massive American flag from the top of the Washington Monument, transforming the 555-foot stone obelisk into one of the worlds largest flagpoles. And Craig has the perfect time to do it: June 14, 2016, the centennial of the biggest Flag Day celebration Washington ever saw. On that day 100 years ago, a 38-by-60-foot Stars and Stripes was hoisted to the top of the monument. Youre not asking anybody to do anything that hasnt been done before, Craig told me. Craig, 60, is entranced by big patriotic gestures. He was moved by the 1999 State of the Union address, in which Bill Clinton challenged Americans to mark the coming millennium by launching projects to save our history and keep alive what George Washington called our sacred fire of liberty. Craig did that by immersing himself in the history of the Lincoln Highway, one of the countrys earliest transcontinental highways, which went through his home state of Ohio. Craig bought a 1964 Maxim open-cab ladder truck and spent a year and a half piloting the 100-foot fire engine across the country. He also drove it in three inaugural parades. He now lives in Washington, and for the past 10 years, hes been going to archives and libraries to track down any scrap of Lincoln Highway arcana. Thats how he stumbled upon stories about Washingtons big 1916 Flag Day event. The whole thing was planned in three weeks, Craig said. When President Woodrow Wilson was asked by the organizers to review the parade, he said hed rather lead it. All Washingtonians were invited to participate. All you needed was a flag. Department stores sold them for a nickel. More than 35,000 marchers were organized into thematic groups. The 7th Division, for example, included hardware dealers, moving picture operators, photoengravers and shoe men. The 11th Division was composed of African American organizations, including members of the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of St. John, the Howard Park Citizens Association and AME ministers. It was an odd and oddly familiar time in U.S. history. War raged in Europe, and anarchist violence had been causing dread and disorder on both sides of the Atlantic for decades. The march had been envisioned as a Preparedness Parade, designed to demonstrate the countrys readiness for a war many thought was coming. In the speech Wilson gave, he warned against alien-born plotters. What captivates Craig, however, is how Old Glory flew briefly on that great exclamation point on the Mall. Eleven sailors and an officer from the USS Sylph, the presidential yacht, were detailed to make it happen. The citys largest flag was carted from the Old Post Office to the monument grounds. The Navy Yards longest rope 1,000 feet was spliced with another rope and carried to the top of the obelisk. The two ends were snaked through windows in the north and east faces of the monument. Once the flag was attached, a series of pulleys and a lot of elbow grease were employed to hoist it into the sky. The Washington Post called the flag a much admired feature of the celebration. We did not run a photo. (Other papers did, but the quality was very poor.) Craig said he has reached out to the National Park Service, but had not gotten much of a response. I checked with Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst. Wed be happy to talk to him about any ideas he has for a program or event to commemorate the centennial of the 1916 Flag Day parade, Mike wrote in an email, though logistically and from a security standpoint, hoisting a flag up the exterior of the monument might be a little trickier now than it was a century ago. For starters, Mike said, in 1916 there were no windows at the monuments observation level, just shutters. Craig said that if Americans could figure out how to fly a flag from the Washington Monument 100 years ago, we ought to be able do it now. Just call in the engineers, and let them kick it around, he said. In this election year, the United States seems mired in bitter disagreements about the direction the country should take. Surely we all respect the flag and love a spectacle. Thats the beauty of the flag, Craig said. You have all these cultures that make up the United States. The one thing that people can agree on is the flag. Craig doesnt understand what the big deal is. President Obama could go to the monument its right out his back door give a Flag Day speech, fly the flag, inspire the nation, and it could all be done in an hour. Flag Day is two months away. Come on, Park Service. Come on, White House. Come on, America. Twitter: @johnkelly For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly. Law enforcement personnel and others search a section of the U.S. National Arboretum for the remains of Relisha Rudd on April 6 in Washington, D.C. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) Authorities continued to search the U.S. National Arboretum in Northeast Washington on Thursday for the remains of Relisha Rudd, the girl who disappeared 25 months ago with the janitor of a District homeless shelter. D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said that officers completed a shoulder-to-shoulder search of the targeted area of the park conducted Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday morning, she said dive teams were headed to two murky ponds. We have not recovered anything, Lanier said of the search thus far. Police said they should conclude the latest search by the end of the day Thursday. Relisha, 8, disappeared in February 2014 from the homeless shelter at the old D.C. General Hospital, where she was living with her family. She was in the company of the janitor, Kahlil Malik Tatum, at the time and was seen walking with him down a hallway of a Holiday Inn Express at Bladensburg Road and New York Avenue on Feb. 26, 2014. Relisha was last seen March 1, according to D.C. police. [Police resume search for Relisha Rudd at Arboretum] Police efforts to find Relisha have focused on several areas of the city. After an unsuccessful March 2014 search at the 700-acre Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, which abuts the arboretum, police all but declared Relisha dead and described further searches as recovery missions. During that earlier search, police found Tatums body in a shed at the park. Police said he committed suicide after abducting Relisha and killing his wife in a Maryland hotel room. They also said that Tatum, 51, had bought large trash bags and was seen on surveillance video at the Holiday Inn Express. The hotel is not far from the site of the December search and is down the street from the arboretum. Officer Noah Leotta died after being hit by a suspected drunk driver on Dec. 3 (Montgomery County police.) (Luis Reluzco has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in the case. (Montgomery County police)) Keith Covey was sitting in a parked car 30 feet away when the violent crash erupted in front of him. Covey jumped out, ran toward the wreck and bent over a young man on his back. The mans eyes were open, but focused on nothing. Hold on, Covey told him. Hold on with me. Covey grabbed the mans radio. Officer down! he yelled. Officer down! Officer down! The chaos seen by Covey on the night of Dec. 3 made him one of seven eyewitnesses to the crash that took the life of Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta, according to a 13-page Collision Reconstruction Report obtained this week by The Washington Post in response to a public information request. The death of Leotta, 24, has captured national attention. He was an energetic, well-liked officer out trying to find drunk drivers when one of them, according to officials, pulled away from a Hooters restaurant after four hours of drinking, drove north on Rockville Pike for a mile, and plowed into him. The case has invigorated efforts to toughen drunken-driving laws in Maryland. Letting Noah Go: Officers family channels grief to fight drunken driving The report makes clear how rapidly the crash occurred and how many people saw it. One of the witnesses was another police officer, Kristopher Starks, who moments before had been driving south on Rockville Pike. From across the road, he saw a fellow officer had pulled over a vehicle and was out of his police cruiser. Starks decided to help. As he prepared to turn left, Starks looked to oncoming traffic. He saw an SUV approaching fast in the lane directly behind the flashing lights of Leottas Chevrolet Impala. Hes going to hit that cruiser, Starks realized, seconds before seeing the impact. Rich Leotta, the father of Officer Noah Leotta, holds a photo of his son at a news conference in February calling for stronger drunken-driving laws in Maryland. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/ The Washington Post) Among the reports key findings: The driver of the SUV, Luis Reluzco, 47, was confirmed to have been in Hooters through restaurant surveillance video and his credit-card bar tab. The tab showed that he bought four Stella Artois beers, one large Big Daddy Bud Light beer, two shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey and two shots of another whiskey. He paid for additional drinks in cash. Reluzcos blood-alcohol concentration later was tested at 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit. After Reluzco left Hooters, he could see flashing police lights in front of him, he would later tell police. But he also said he could not distinguish which lane held the stopped police car and reacted too late to avoid it. Reluzco also told police that on the way to the restaurant, he smoked pot while driving. And he said that he took a Xanax pill. The roadway bore no tiremarks of any kind leading up to the Impala, with no evidence of deceleration or evasive action. Leotta appears to have been at the worst position when Reluzcos SUV approached. After pulling over the other vehicle, getting out, speaking to the driver and walking back to his police car, Leotta opened his door and was trying to get inside when Reluzcos Honda CR-V struck the rear drivers-side corner of Leottas police car, swiped down its side and hit Leotta, according to a crash diagram. After hitting Leotta, Reluzco continued driving in the middle and left lanes, veered back right, stopped along the right curb, and then stayed in his car. At least three civilians ran to help Leotta. Leotta suffered massive head injuries, was rushed to a hospital and died a week later. He is survived by his sister and parents. John Roth, an attorney for Reluzco, declined to comment on findings in the collision report. He totally understands the gravity of his actions, Roth said. His life will never be the same. Reluzco, of Olney, remained held Wednesday on a $250,000 bond, according to a jail officer. In the report, police said they could not determine how fast Reluzco was driving. Speed was not cited as a factor by crash investigators. The seven eyewitnesses listed in the report include Reluzco, Covey and Starks. Of the other witnesses, one declined to comment for this report through a family member, and three couldnt be reached. In an interview, Starks, 33, said he had been working his usual shift for the Rockville City Police Department when he spotted the Montgomery police car and decided to provide backup. (Rockville City police officer Kristopher Starks was on patrol when he saw the collision. (Courtesy of Rockville City Police.)) At that moment, Covey, 43, was seated in the front seat of a car in a parking lot adjacent to the northbound lanes of Rockville Pike. He and a friend had returned from a business dinner and were wrapping up their visit. They casually watched a police officer directly in front of them walk back toward his police car after talking to a driver hed just pulled over. From Coveys left, a dark SUV suddenly appeared, striking the police car. No brakes, Covey remembered. No swerving. There was just hitting. In his police car, Starks, with his flashing lights, crossed Rockville Pike, parked in a way that hemmed in the striking SUV to hold it at the scene, and then ran toward the fallen officer. He, too, said, Officer down! into a radio. Starks bent and saw Leottas open eyes. He couldnt get a response. He held Leottas hand and picked up a pulse. An officer for eight years, Starks had served four with the Detroit City Police Department. Hed been at other fatal wrecks. And he knew instantly how bad this one was. But gazing down at a fellow cop, he pushed aside logic and opened himself to hope. Help is on the way, Starks recalls saying over and over. Minutes later, the road swarmed with officers and medics. Leotta was sped to a hospital. Starks returned to the Rockville police station and learned the injured county officers first name Noah the same name as Starkss 2 year-old son. The next day in the hospital where Leotta lingered, Starks was introduced to Leottas father, Rich, and told him hed been at the crash and that he and others had held Leottas hands. The two men embraced. In the moments after impact, Covey, too, had remained fairly calm. A former Army reservist, he had worked as a combat photographer. The day after the crash, though, as he drove back to his home in North Carolina where he works as a salesman for a furniture manufacturer Covey was on the phone for most of the ride, talking to friends and rattled about what hed witnessed. Six days later, his friend in Maryland with whom hed watched the crash called to say the officer had died. Covey said he still has trouble understanding how Reluzco couldnt switch to another lane. I dont know how you miss that cruiser, he said. I dont know how you miss those lights. Frustrated by swarms of off-road motorcycles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles commandeering public streets, police from the District and across the region pledged on Thursday to target what they described as a dangerous public menace. Enough is enough, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said, joined at a news conference by top law enforcement officers from Maryland and Virginia. Efforts to stop the riders, however, stop short of officers chasing the vehicles, which authorities agreed is too dangerous a practice. Lanier said that since last year, police have worked to safely intercept the groups as they come in to the District. We have ways of getting them, she said. In that time, police in the District said they confiscated nearly 400 dirt bikes, ATVs and other similar vehicles, and made about 100 arrests. On Thursday, Lanier published photographs of 245 riders from nine group rides in recent weeks in the District, Maryland and Virginia, and urged the public to help to identify them so they can be arrested. D.C. police offer a $250 reward for people who turn in illegal off-road vehicles and lead police to the operators. [D.C. police publish pictures of hundreds of dirt bike, ATV riders seeking public help to arrest them] Green Man, left, kick-starts his dirt bike behind the offices of NPR on Pierce Street in the District on June 15. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post) Authorities said they plan to destroy 86 of the seized vehicles next month. We want to turn these into scrap, said Kevin Donahue, the Districts deputy mayor for public safety. In recent years, large groups of dirt-bike riders have taken over streets in the District and the suburbs, riding in packs and doing wheelies, weaving around traffic and ignoring traffic laws. In December, dozens rode from Arlington County across the Key Bridge and filled Georgetown streets before heading onto the Beltway, slowing traffic to a crawl as they performed stunts and laid down so much rubber that plumes of smoke rose from the pavement. This week, some Shaw residents complained about seeing packs of illegal bikes, and a D.C. police motorcycle officer was injured when an ATV struck his bike and dragged him across a road, police said. [Complaints pour in as dirt bikes take over streets in District, Beltway] On March 23, officials said a private ambulance contracted by the D.C. Department of Health was boxed in by bikers as it was transporting a critical-care patient to Childrens National Medical Center in Northwest. Two people in Prince Georges County were killed last year in off-road dirt-bike or ATV accidents, and an officer with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police was badly injured last year when he got trapped between his cruiser and an ATV as he broke up a group illegally riding on trails. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine called for tougher penalties for those arrested, who face misdemeanor charges that result in probation, fines or suspended jail sentences. [Outlawed dirt bikes take over District streets in shadow of Capital] Of 203 arrests made in the District since July 2013, Racines office, which prosecutes most misdemeanors, moved forward on 177 cases, securing convictions in 94. Twenty-three cases remain open, and others were either dismissed, dropped or suspects diverted to programs instead of jail. Officials said the majority of defendants received probation or fines; one went to jail. Dana Hedgpeth and Lynh Bui contributed to this report. Two students, a chaperon and police officer were injured when a Fairfax County police cruiser and school bus collided in Springfield, authorities said. (Fairfax County Police Department) Two students, a chaperon and a police officer were injured Thursday afternoon after a cruiser and school bus collided in Springfield, a Fairfax County police spokesman said. A county police cruiser was heading north on Backlick Road and approaching Floyd Avenue when the crash happened around 12:44 p.m., said Officer Roger Henriquez, a police spokesman. Henriquez said the county school bus was heading west on Floyd Avenue. Investigators believe the bus stopped at a stop sign and started pulling into an intersection to cross Backlick Road. The officer could not avoid a collision and struck the side of the school bus, he said. The officer, two students and chaperon were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Henriquez said. He said the students were on a field trip with teachers and chaperones at the time of the accident. Authorities closed Backlick after the collision to investigate. It reopened around 3:50 p.m. Police ask that anyone who witnessed the crash contact the Fairfax County Police Department at 703-691-2131. Officer Geoffrey Napper, right, and Officer Nick Cook patrol Woodland Terrace, a public housing complex in Southeast Washington, in July 2015 after a spate of slayings in the neighborhood. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post) The law students came armed with charts and statistics about arrests, crime trends and recidivism rates. More important, they came with budget numbers trying to show how reducing the number of people arrested and put behind bars can save the District money. And, the students said, that money should be given right back to the criminal justice system to continue reforms that help more people stay out of trouble, or at least not repeat past mistakes. Why not the Justice Reinvestment Initiative? Melvin Scott, a senior at the University of the District of Columbia, said at a forum Tuesday night that included the Districts city council chair and deputy mayor for public safety. Scotts quote became a mantra for four other students as they presented their ideas to reform the Districts criminal justice system, notably by incorporating the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a program being used by 27 states, including Maryland, and developed by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The forum was led by their professor, Edwina Dorch. [Read about the Justice Reinvestment Initiative] The Justice Reinvestment Initiative helps states fund data studies of arrests and other factors that drive incarceration rates, and look at efforts such as diversion programs to keep nonviolent offenders out of prisons. Then it determines how much money can be saved. The government then matches that amount in grants back to the states. The District does not use the program, and officials who were at Tuesdays event did not address whether participation would be sought. Many used their time to showcase existing programs used to help offenders either stay out of prison or get help re-entering society after getting freed. Scott showed D.C. police figures showing that the number of arrests dropped from about 51,000 to 41,000 from 2011 to 2014. If that trend continues, Scott said, the District could reap $7 million in savings. Other students pointed to drops in the population at the D.C. jail and with the number of people on supervised release. All meant cost savings, they argued, that could be put back into programs to help those in trouble with the law. Ronald Mason, president of UDC, told students that the criminal justice system has been less about achieving justice and more about a system of law and order. Kevin Donahue, the Districts deputy mayor for criminal justice, noted that many crimes, including homicide, have dropped sharply since the late 1980s but plateaued in recent years. The deputy mayor said that the District could take full control of the D.C. jail. The medium-security Correctional Treatment Facility, next to the general detention center, is run by a private company whose lease expires next year. Donahue said that the District can run the center more efficiently an initial $5.9 million investment, he said, could save the District $5 million in years to come and allow for the hiring of 200 additional people. More important, he said, it would give the city room to offer more mental health treatment and space to offer training to prisoners. Donahue stressed that the cause of crime is complex, rooted in myriad social ills and challenges, including poverty, mental health, living amid violence, broken homes, and drug and alcohol abuse. He said District officials are beginning to harness efforts to address such problems, and are bringing neighborhood stabilization units into areas hit by homicides and shootings. Donahue came up with the idea for the stabilization unit one day last winter, during what promised to be a mild snowstorm. While discussing the Districts response to the storm with about two dozen other city leaders, he got a text message about a shooting. He thought, If only I had the same focus on the shooting as we had on the snowstorm. Four days after a pair of Amtrak maintenance workers were killed when a train slammed into their backhoe, federal regulators have ordered the passenger rail line to conduct a thorough safety review of work-crew rules and regulations. The mandate issued by the Federal Railroad Administration on Thursday is the strongest indication to date that investigators think that the two men would not have died in the wreck just south of Philadelphia if federal regulations had been observed. [Two Amtrak maintenance workers killed when train plows into backhoe] In addition to reviewing safety rules with workers and their supervisors, the FRA also ordered Amtrak to focus on the effectiveness of communication between work crews and the dispatchers who control train movement. Amtrak also is required to review cellphone use near and on tracks. The two men struck by the southbound train were identified by the Delaware County medical examiner as Joseph Carter Jr., 61, and Peter John Adamovich, 59. The medical examiner said Carter was operating the backhoe. The lead investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board said that a camera on the train captured images of the work site as it approached. The video showed there was construction equipment on the track and work train equipment on the track immediately adjacent to the Amtrak trains track, NTSB investigator Ryan Frigo said. The backhoe was on the track where the Amtrak train was traveling. He said that the train was going 106 miles per hour in a 110-mph zone and that the trains operator slammed on the emergency brake five seconds before it hit the backhoe. Amtrak President Joe Boardman, a former FRA administrator, said he welcomed the stand-down orders. We agree with the FRA directive and are moving to immediately take action, he said. A safety stand down is a reinforcement tool we have used at Amtrak in the past to draw immediate attention to and reinforce understanding of an issue that we believe has the potential to affect the safety of the railroad or our employees. The FRA directive helps us impart the seriousness of following our rules to prevent accidents, injuries and deaths. [Were rules violated in Amtrak wreck that killed 2 workers on tracks?] Although the investigation continues, federal regulations show that the two workers probably ignored one or more safety regulations that could have saved their lives. Among them: Work crews can trip a red signal halting an approaching train by cutting off a low electrical current in the rail. Known as shunting, the crews clamp a device on the track that halts the flow of power, indicating that the track is occupied. Workers are required to perform as teams, with one member keeping watch for approaching trains. That member, the regulations stipulate, shall not be assigned any other duties while functioning as watchmen/lookouts. Work crews are to notify a dispatcher when they prepare to undertake a task on the rail bed. The train dispatcher or control operator shall not permit the movement of trains or other on-track equipment onto the working limits . . . until the roadway worker . . . has reported clear of the track, the regulation states. The train departed Philadelphias 30th Street Station about 18 minutes earlier and had a straight run of more than two miles before it reached the site where it collided with the backhoe. ICELAND Fisheries minister claims premiership Icelands fisheries minister emerged from the presidents residence Thursday and announced that he has become the nations new prime minister after days of political turmoil. Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson told reporters that he had secured President Olafur Ragnar Grimssons formal backing after his predecessor resigned because of links to an offshore account. This is a good thing that will allow the center-right governing coalition to continue its policies, said Johannsson, 53. Johannsson said he doesnt think the offshore accounts scandal brought on by a massive leak of financial documents held by a Panamanian law firm has damaged Icelands reputation. But his coalition faces a stiff challenge in Parliament from opposition parties demanding an immediate election. They introduced a no-confidence measure Monday against then-Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who has resigned. But now the opposition proposes a vote against the entire coalition government. Associated Press YEMEN U.S. bombs allegedly used in deadly strike A Saudi-led coalition battling Shiite rebels in Yemen used U.S.-supplied bombs in an airstrike last month that killed at least 119 people at a market, a human rights group said Thursday. The March 15 bombing targeting the northwestern town of Mastaba was the second-deadliest airstrike of the year-long Saudi-helmed campaign. Human Rights Watch said its investigators traveled to the town in Yemens northwestern Hajjah province, controlled by the Shiite rebels known as Houthis. There, the group said it found fragments of a GBU-31 bomb, which the group said was supplied by the United States. One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemens yearlong war involved U.S.-supplied weapons, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, said Priyanka Motaparthy, an emergencies researcher for the group. The United States is believed to offer the Saudi-led coalition satellite images and other intelligence about Yemen. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, asked about the report in Bahrain, said, I dont have any solid information, any documentation with respect to what weapon might have been used. Associated Press LEBANON Children freed after Beirut kidnapping Ibtissam Berri was taking her two grandchildren to school on Wednesday morning when she saw a car parked on the Beirut street and a cameraman filming them. Two men jumped out, pushed her away and whisked the boy and girl off in the car. On Thursday Lebanese police said the children were freed and reunited with their Lebanese father while their Australian mother was detained. The mother, Sally Faulkner, traveled to Lebanon to try to regain custody of her children ages 3 and 5 nearly two years after separating from her ex-husband Ali al-Amin. The abduction occurred in the southern suburb of Hadath. Within hours, officials detained five Australians, including a TV presenter and her crew, Faulkner, two British citizens and two Lebanese suspected in the abduction, police said. Associated Press Court rules for same-sex marriage: Colombias highest court is paving the way for same-sex couples to marry in the conservative Roman Catholic nation. Gay couples were already allowed to form civil unions, but the Constitutional Courts 6-to-3 ruling would give gay couples marriage rights as well. Activists with the support of President Juan Manuel Santos had argued that denying gay couples the right to wed was discriminatory. Zika infections in St. Lucia: The Health Ministry in St. Lucia says a man and a woman have locally contracted Zika, the first cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the Caribbean island nation. From news services IRAN HAS complied with the principal terms of the nuclear agreement reached last summer, mothballing much of the infrastructure that could be used for weapons production and shipping enriched uranium out of the country. It also has aggressively exploited loopholes in the agreement and tried to create new ones. Most seriously, it has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles that could be used for carrying nuclear warheads, even though a U.N. Security Council resolution approved in tandem with the nuclear accord explicitly called on Iran not to engage in such activity. Tehrans behavior comes as no surprise to the many observers who predicted the deal would not alter its hostility to the West or its defiance of international norms. Unfortunately, the Obama administrations response has also been much as critics predicted: It has done its best to play down Irans violations and avoid any conflict out of fear that the regime might walk away from a centerpiece of President Obamas legacy. The missile tests are one example of U.S. waffling. The administration has described them as a violation of U.N. Resolution 2231 and responded with mostly symbolic sanctions of several individuals and companies associated with the program. But it has appeared to yield to Russias contention that Iran did not, technically, breach the resolution because it was only called upon, not ordered, to stop testing. A letter sent by the United States, Britain, France and Germany to the Security Council last week described the tests as inconsistent with the resolution, rather than a violation that would mandate enforcement action. Another area of potential accommodation concerns dollar transactions linked to Iran. U.S. sanctions tied to terrorism and human rights still prohibit Iranian access to the U.S. financial system. Iranian officials are complaining that they have been unable to draw on newly unfrozen assets elsewhere in the world, or make trade deals, because international banks are afraid to conduct any transactions in U.S. dollars. The administration is considering issuing a clarification to foreign banks that they can conduct dollar exchanges linked to Irans assets or future trade deals under certain conditions. Administration officials say the action may be needed to comply with the spirit of the nuclear deal, which promised Iran access to its frozen assets and the resumption of international trade. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, the accords architect, said Tuesday that the regime deserves the benefits of the deal they struck. Theres logic to that. But theres also a problem of reciprocity: Should the United States take steps not strictly mandated by the text of the nuclear accord at a time when Iran is testing nuclear-capable missiles? Not surprisingly, Republican opponents of the nuclear deal are lining up to block the administrations prospective action; legislation is being introduced by Sens. Mark Kirk (Ill.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.). A better response would resemble that being discussed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committees chairman, Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and ranking Democrat, Ben Cardin (Md.), though action is not likely before the U.S. election. They would mandate sanctions against all Iranian entities, including financial institutions, connected to the missile program and renew the broader Iran Sanctions Act. That would allow the nuclear accord to go forward, while sending Iran the message that its infractions will be costly. This campaign cycle has shown that even the craziest of ideas can gain traction. But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps proposal to block remittances in order to compel Mexico to pay for a border wall is not just outlandish, but also yet another example of Mr. Trumps bullying and cruel nature [Trump plans ultimatum to make Mexico pay for wall, April 6]. The majority of the reporting on Mr. Trumps proposal is dedicated to the enormous scale of remittances at the macro level and the questionable legality of imposing such a bar on transfers. But the proposal obscures the tremendous human suffering that would result if Mr. Trump were to succeed in cutting off remittances to Mexico. It is worth recalling what remittances represent: They are primarily a way for immigrants to provide family members still living in Mexico with the most basic of necessities, such as food and shelter. Though Mr. Trump presents his proposal as a way of bullying Mexico, it really is a proposal that strikes at the basic humanity of immigrants, their love for members of their families, and, I believe, all Americans. Ezra Rosser, Great Falls In explaining how hed extort $5 billion to $10 billion from Mexico to pay for a wall between the United States and that country, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made some blunders. Mr. Trump said he would propose to amend the regulations implementing Section 326 of the Patriot Act, which requires financial institutions to verify the identities of new account holders and check them against lists of known terrorists, by adding a prohibition against any immigrant wiring money outside the United States unless he or she can prove lawful presence in the United States. But Section 326 doesnt authorize the executive branch to interfere with money transfers on any basis. Authority to interfere with transfers for financing terrorism is presumably found in the specific law against this activity. Unless there is some specific law against sending money to another country for the purpose of supporting ones family there, it does not seem possible to issue regulations to achieve that purpose. Phillip R. Kete, Chesapeake Beach A Greek coast guard boat carries migrants from Syria and Iraq to the port of Mytilene on the first day of forced deportations to Turkey. (Jodi Hilton/For The Washington Post) When President Obama brags about defying the foreign policy establishment to craft his Syria policy, he probably doesnt have people like Vicki Aken and Ahmed Mestow in mind. Obama recently said in an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic that he was very proud of his decision not to bomb Syria after its dictator, Bashar al-Assad, killed 1,400 or more people in a chemical gas attack. He said he has been criticized because he refused to follow the playbook that comes out of the foreign-policy establishment, which would have counseled greater U.S. intervention. The president believes he should be credited for having the fortitude to sidestep a potential quagmire. Aken is Syria country director for GOAL, one of the worlds largest humanitarian aid organizations, based in Ireland, which amazingly manages in the midst of war to keep providing fresh water and bread to as many as 1 million desperate people inside Syria. Mestow, a Syrian, worked for GOAL inside Syria for three years before he had to flee to Germany, after being threatened by both the Assad regime and its Islamist enemies. They visited The Post this week. Their views on U.S. policy differ from Obamas. Mestow is a civil engineer, a father and a former construction manager in Bahrain, who remembers when the protests against Assads brutal dictatorship began in 2011. He remembers peaceful crowds of thousands of people demonstrating at the university in Aleppo, none of them with weapons. And he remembers how Assad responded with violence, with accusations that anyone opposing the regime was a terrorist and even, Mestow says, with the release from Syrian prisons of genuine terrorists who went on to seed the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. He also remembers the day that Obama cites with pride when the United States, after saying the use of chemical weapons was a red line that Assad should not cross, decided not to respond militarily. My people were asking, okay, where is the red line for America? Mestow said. Its not chemical weapons but how about the barrel bombs? How about the snipers? How about a half-million people killed? The barrel bombs are a feature of Assads war against his people kegs full of shrapnel, nails and other sharp pieces of metal that his helicopters drop on civilians to cause the most gruesome injuries possible. Assad and his Russian allies have made a habit of targeting clinics and hospitals, to the point that Syrians beg GOAL not to bring health facilities to their villages, said Mark Bartolini, chief executive of GOAL USA and a former U.S. Agency for International Development official. The snipers are Syrian soldiers who make a sport out of their job, Mestow said. And the half-million killed? Well, no one knows for sure how many of Syrias prewar population of 22 million have died. The United Nations and other groups kept tabs for a while, reaching 250,000, and then stopped counting so for more than two years, weve been writing more than 250,000. Certainly the number is far greater. Meanwhile, at least half of all Syrians have been forced from their homes. More than 4 million have become refugees; thousands more are trapped at the Turkish border, unable to leave. Hundreds of thousands have fled to Europe. Together, those refugees and the terrorist attacks spawned by the Islamic State, which took root in the chaos of Syrias civil war, have fueled a xenophobic politics in Europe unlike anything the continent has seen since World War II. Given these consequences, you have to wonder whether Obama really takes pride in his policy, or is trying to convince himself. The White House argues there is nothing useful the United States could have done, though along the way Obamas senior advisers pushed a series of options: destroy the helicopters dropping those barrel bombs, provide training or equipment for moderate rebels, create a safe zone where rebels and displaced people could regroup. Aken, who moved to the Turkish side of the Syrian border in 2014 to take charge of GOALs aid effort, remembers how Syrians then still believed the United States would create a safe zone. They would say, Of course America is going to do something. They have to, Aken recalled. It was heartbreaking because I knew the policy wasnt going to change. But that was their only hope. Aken said Syrians last glimmer of hope disappeared when Russia intervened, attacking civilians with a force that was so much more powerful and targeted. In the Washington arguments over doctrine and Americas role, its easy to forget that a country is being destroyed. When I asked if it could be put back together, Aken, who previously worked in Sierra Leone and South Sudan, said she thought the talent and resourcefulness of the Syrian people could help them overcome a lot, if the war ended soon enough. If it goes another five or 10 years, then no, she said. There wont be anyone left. Read more from Fred Hiatts archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. ONE WOULD have thought Prince Georges County school officials would have seen the need to strengthen policies to prevent sexual abuse of students after the high-profile scandal involving a school board members interactions with students in 2007. Or in 2012, when the Maryland State Board of Education, in a case involving a teacher from neighboring Montgomery County, took the rare step of urging every system in the state to reexamine its practices. Or in December, when a federal civil rights lawsuit involving sustained abuse of students at a Prince Georges high school was settled. That the district didnt act showed a lackadaisical approach to protecting children from sexual abuse. Now, following the eruption of a new scandal, more than words are needed to assure county residents that this critical issue is finally being taken seriously. The arrest in February of a volunteer at a Prince Georges elementary school on charges that he directed children at least 17 victims as young as 9 years old to perform sex acts and then video-ecorded them demonstrated, again, inadequate policies and practices. Who didnt notice that this man was away with these kids for a long period of time? And, if they knew, why didnt they say anything? were the apt questions of a parent at Judge Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School, where Deonte Carraway allegedly was allowed to prey on children. A searing report by The Posts Donna St. George and Lynh Bui pointed to a systemic failure to put in place sufficient safeguards to prevent and detect abuse. Among their findings: the apparent lack of a code of conduct for employees and volunteers spelling out unacceptable behavior toward students; outdated procedures for volunteers working in schools; no policy setting out a systemwide approach to preventing and recognizing abuse in school settings; and the failure to take the states attorneys office up on its offer last summer to train educators to spot sexual predators. Experts consulted by the Post reporters agreed that the countys minimal defenses against predators were badly in need of updating. Kevin M. Maxwell, chief executive of Prince Georges schools, told a Post reporter he believed current policies are sufficient to protect children, but he wants to make sure. He appointed a task force that will undertake an independent review of district procedures and has taken other steps including retraining all the systems employees to respond to the problem. But deeper institutional reforms are clearly needed, and soon. What happened to the children of Woods Elementary was inexcusable; school officials need to be serious about instituting the changes necessary to prevent others from being victimized. We now know how big the Republican Partys Donald Trump problem is: so big that some in the GOP have convinced themselves the solution is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). Yes, the erstwhile government-shutter-downer trails Hillary Clinton by only 3.1 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average, as opposed to Trumps 10.8-point deficit. But be skeptical: Those polls probably exaggerate Cruzs electability, which may diminish further if he gets the nomination, and the general electorate focuses on his ideology, even if his opponent is the unloved Clinton. A lackluster economy and irritation at poor government performance dominate voters concerns, just as Cruz says; whether Americans think Cruzs purist brand of conservatism represents the best way to deal with them is another question entirely. Abolish the IRS, Cruz cried after his Wisconsin primary victory repeating a promise that, whatever its merits, only 34 percent of Americans favor, according to a recent Gallup poll. The same survey showed that only 18 percent support Cruzs plan to eliminate the Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development. As Gallups Frank Newport explained: Our research . . . shows that only about a third of Americans favor limiting government to performing only basic functions, a third favor government being empowered to do all it can to fix problems and a third are in the middle between these two extremes. Thus, Cruz is simply fighting an apparent uphill battle with the public taken as a whole in his philosophical position that government must be scaled back. On taxes, only 51 percent of Americans think their federal income taxes are too high, according to Gallup down 17 points since the start of the century. Meanwhile, 52 percent of Americans, including 29 percent of Republicans, agree with a proposition Cruz rejects: Government should redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich. Only 45 percent favor Cruzs 10 percent flat-tax proposal. Cruz is on firmer ground, potentially, with Obamacare, every word of which he has sworn to repeal, and which has an approval rating that is still 12.6 points underwater, according to the RealClearPolitics average. However, a lot will depend on his ability to articulate an alternative. The health plan he has sketched, based in part on individual accounts, may be difficult to sell given a fresh Pew Research Center finding that Americans, by a 51 percent to 46 percent margin, think universal health coverage is a federal responsibility; thats a reversal of how they viewed the matter two years ago. The big picture in American politics is partisan polarization, coupled with a discernible leftward shift of the political center on domestic issues, especially the social issues upon which Cruz has relied to fire up conservative evangelical Christians. Though the Democrats advantage over the GOP in voter identification is not particularly large eight points, according to Gallup 24 percent of Americans now accept the no-longer execrated label liberal, up seven points since 1992. Conservative, meanwhile, held steady at 37 percent. Also per Gallup, Americans by a 51 to 43 margin say government should not promote any set of values, rather than promoting traditional values, a reversal of the historical norm. 1 of 53 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz on the campaign trail View Photos The Texas Republican was the first major presidential candidate to formally declare a bid. Caption Looking back at the Texas senators presidential bid. May 3, 2016 Sen. Ted Cruz speaks with his wife, Heidi, by his side during a primary night campaign event in Indianapolis. Cruz ended his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trumps march to the Republican nomination. Darron Cummings/AP Wait 1 second to continue. The backlash against gay marriage has proven astonishingly weak, limited mainly to state laws aimed at preserving religious objections to participation in same-sex nuptials, which Cruz has backed but which most Americans seem to reject. Heck, even on Cuba, Cruz, who opposes President Obamas outreach to the Castro regime, is well to the right of most Americans: 54 percent now regard that Communist island favorably, according to Gallup. In short, Cruz is offering America an updated version of the original 1980 Ronald Reagan package small government, tax cuts, traditional values, strong defense at a time when that package is no longer nearly as compelling to most Americans as it was 36 years ago. Whereas Reagan offered a course correction from the excesses of the 1960s, which voters blamed on Democratic liberalism, todays voters are still reeling from two shocks, the Iraq War and the Great Recession, which they associate with the Republican presidency of George W. Bush. No doubt Cruz, despite the bombast and disruptiveness that even his Republican colleagues have found off-putting in the Senate, would be, for lack of a better word, a much less embarrassing GOP nominee than Trump. His presence at the top of the ticket might enable Republicans to stave off a loss of the Senate and hold their large majority in the gerrymandered House. And of course, anything, even a Cruz victory, can happen in politics, especially this crazy year. But anyone who thinks todays America longs for a purist Reaganite should reflect on this: In every 2016 poll that pitted the two men against each other head to head, Cruz has lost, by an average margin of 9.8 points, to Bernie Sanders. Read more from Charles Lanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. GOP leaders are scrambling to minimize Donald Trump's dominance in the polls, leaving many wondering what would happen if no one candidate wins a clear majority before the national convention. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) GOP leaders are scrambling to minimize Donald Trump's dominance in the polls, leaving many wondering what would happen if no one candidate wins a clear majority before the national convention. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Donald Trumps campaign will soon announce the hiring of several seasoned operatives and well-known, established names to help the Republican front-runner quickly grow his operation and prepare for a likely contested convention, his campaign manager said Wednesday. The burst of new hires will have to navigate a political organization unlike that of any modern major presidential candidate, where loyalty is valued above all else and advisers seldom challenge Trumps vision. Over the past two months, Trump has been growing his campaign staff to deal with a series of unforeseen or underestimated problems, including the need to better monitor delegates to avoid losing more to his chief rival, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.). A larger staff could limit Trumps ability to micromanage his campaign, a practice that has proved to be both a benefit and a drawback. An expansion also shifts at least some power away from Trumps tiny circle of dedicated top aides, most of whom travel nearly everywhere with him: campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, deputy campaign manager Michael Glassner, press secretary Hope Hicks and social media director Daniel Scavino. Coming off Tuesdays loss to Cruz in the Wisconsin primary, preparing for the convention and protecting Trumps delegate count have become some of the campaigns most urgent priorities. Top aides have assigned several staff members to the cause, and new delegate wrangler Paul Manafort met with his team in New York on Wednesday along with Lewandowski and Glassner. The circle is getting wider and wider, said Barry Bennett, who was former Republican candidate Ben Carsons campaign manager and is now a senior adviser to Trump. Coreys in charge, but we all have access, and we all have our marching orders. 1 of 12 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Who is Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski? View Photos Corey Lewandowski, 42, has turned himself in after being charged with a misdemeanor count of battery for allegedly yanking a Breitbart News reporter out of Donald Trumps path. Heres a look at his background. Caption The presidential candidate has fired Lewandowski, who was connected to several controversies during his tenure. Corey Lewandowski, an unknown political operative before signing on with Trump, saw his star rise with his candidates. Charlie Neibergall/AP Wait 1 second to continue. [Trump shows new vulnerabilities and has only himself to blame] Some of Trumps most influential advisers are not on the payroll. Trump regularly consults with his adult children, especially Ivanka Trump, and his ex-wife Ivana Trump. He refers to his current wife, Melania, as his chief pollster and has praised her ability to monitor the temperature of the country. Ivankas husband, Jared Kushner, wrote Trumps policy speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the help of the editor of the newspaper he owns, the New York Observer. (The paper has since said that its editorial staff will no longer assist the candidate.) And buzzing around the campaign is former staffer and ongoing informal adviser Roger Stone, a political operative who has long clashed with Lewandowski. Manafort, who is the latest top addition to the campaign staff, is a longtime Stone ally who is known for managing the 1976 contested convention for Gerald Ford. Manafort also has an apartment at Trump Tower in Manhattan and, over the years, has run into Trump in the elevator and lobby. In the past month, Trump has found himself even closer to the nomination and under even greater scrutiny, with missteps and gaffes seeming to hurt his candidacy more than before. The campaign announced this week that Trump will soon give a series of policy-focused speeches and will release documentation of his positions on key issues, staples of typical presidential campaigns that he has previously ignored. Trump sometimes seems ill-prepared for the dozens of interviews he does, despite monitoring the news himself. He has claimed to have not known that asking his followers to pledge their support to him with raised right hands had been compared to a Nazi salute or that one of his chief surrogates an evangelical pastor from South Carolina said at a rally that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish, needs to come to Jesus. Recent interviews with the Washington Post Editorial Board and the New York Times also have exposed large gaps in Trumps knowledge of foreign affairs. And last week, Trump stumbled through a series of questions about his abortion-related positions. [Who is Corey Lewandowski? His rise and relationship with Donald Trump] William J. Bennett, who served as one of Ronald Reagans education secretaries and has informally advised Trump on policy, said he has found his conversations with the campaign wanting. Im pounding my desk saying, Get up on the issues! And I and others have offered to help, but it doesnt seem to make any difference, Bennett said. I had one call with him, one call with a very senior adviser, but theres more he could be doing. Republican consultant Edward J. Rollins said Lewandowskis challenge will be to expand the campaigns circle and make peace with party figures rather than antagonize them. Lewandowskis penchant for traveling with Trump, he said, is another aspect of Trumps approach that may need calibration. A campaign managers role is the big picture, to plan out the strategy and execute it and watch everything thats happening, not just being by the candidates side, Rollins said. But Trump is Trump, and longtime staffers have said they do not want to stifle their bosss priorities and authenticity, which has been a key to his success even as concerned outsiders warn that his style could lose him the election. Trump will frequently respond to news or attacks within minutes, and there appears to be no formal vetting process for the stances he decides to take. At the end of the day, people are voting for Mr. Trump because they believe in what hes saying and support what hes been saying, and we would never do anything to try and limit his ability to speak directly to the voters, said Lewandowski, who has denied reports of tension between longer-term staffers such as him and newcomers. A reminder of the singular nature of the operation came Tuesday night, after Trump lost the Wisconsin primary. Although the states delegate count is relatively small, the contest is the only Republican primary during a three-week stretch, and the defeat dampened morale. The campaign released a lengthy and typically Trumpian statement. Lyin Ted Cruz had the Governor of Wisconsin, many conservative talk radio show hosts, and the entire party apparatus behind him, read a statement that went on to accuse Cruz of illegally coordinating with a super PAC and included several grammatical errors. Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump. Trump monitored the results at home and quickly shifted his focus to the April 19 primary in his home state of New York, which he has long been determined to win. A Monmouth poll released Wednesday had him at 52 percent, trailed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 25 percent and Cruz in third at 17 percent. Robert Costa 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. Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Wednesday said that he does not believe Hillary Clinton is qualified to be president based on her acceptance of special-interest money, her support of free trade and her vote for the Iraq War. Sanderss blunt assessment at a raucous rally here came at the end of a day of testy exchanges between the two White House contenders in a race that Sanders has prolonged by continuing to win nominating contests, despite Clintons formidable lead in the delegate count. Earlier Wednesday, Clinton launched a fierce two-pronged attack on Sanders, questioning her persistent challengers qualifications as a Democrat and for the presidency although she stopped short of saying he was unqualified for the job. Appearing at a rally at Temple University, Sanders told supporters that Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous. She has been saying lately that she thinks I am quote-unquote not qualified to be president, Sanders said. Let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton, I dont believe that she is qualified if she is through her super PAC taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest money. I dont think you are qualified if you get $15 million through Wall Street for your super PAC. How Bernie Sanders won Wisconsin, in less than 60 seconds. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) I dont think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq, he continued, referring to Clintons 2002 vote as a U.S. senator from New York. Sanders also criticized Clintons past support of trade deals, suggesting that that also undermines her ability to be president. Responding late Wednesday night on Twitter, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said Sanders had reached a new low. Counting down to what has become a make-or-break Democratic primary in New York on April 19, the two campaigns traded other zingers Wednesday via speeches, interviews and social media. If you want to vote for me, I think you should know what I want to do, not just a lot of arm-waving and hot rhetoric, Clinton said during a visit to a job-training program here. The former secretary of state spoke with new urgency, reflecting both the shrinking window for underdog Sanders to overtake her in the nominating contest and a growing grudge match over which candidate can rightfully claim leadership of a restless Democratic electorate. Sanders also threw some elbows Wednesday when he was asked during a CBS News interview whether he should apologize to victims of the Sandy Hook school massacre for voting for legislation that provided immunity to gun manufacturers a position Clinton has continued to criticize. This summer's political conventions could get heated but it certainly wouldn't be the first time. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Maybe Secretary Clinton might want to apologize to the families who lost their loved ones in Iraq, or to the massive levels of destabilization were now seeing in that region, said Sanders. Earlier in the day, Clinton did not try to disguise her frustration with Sanders, which bordered on scorn. Like a lot of people, I am concerned that some of his ideas just wont work, because the numbers dont add up, she told a union audience. Others wont even pass Congress, or they rely on Republican governors suddenly having a conversion experience and becoming progressives, she asserted to laughter. In a number of important areas, he doesnt have a plan at all. Sanders was set to address the same Pennsylvania AFL-CIO convention on Thursday, and both candidates were scheduled to return to New York after that. Although Pennsylvania offers a rich trove of delegates on April 26, it is the rough-and-tumble New York contest that both campaigns have cast as an essential test. Sanders plans a news conference Thursday in Philadelphia to highlight his opposition to a series of disastrous trade deals that Clinton supported. He has pressed that issue, with some success, in industrial Midwestern states. Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said that among the deals that Sanders will talk about is the Panama free-trade agreement. In a statement this week, Sanders blasted the deal, saying it had enabled thousands of corporations to evade U.S. taxes by using a law firm in Panama. While Sanders was opposed to the deal from Day One, he criticized Clinton for reversing her position on the deal from opposition as a presidential candidate in 2008 to support while she was President Obamas secretary of state. That put Clinton on the defensive before union workers Wednesday, and she devoted a large section of her speech to a defense of her approach to trade. Clinton has not been able to put the primary phase of the presidential campaign behind her despite holding a lead in overall votes and convention delegates from nearly the start of the contest. Sanderss easy double-digit victory Tuesday night in Wisconsin was only the latest example of his staying power, while a fierce back-and-forth between campaign aides showed the increasing willingness to attack qualifications and character on both sides. D-E-L-U-S-I-O-N-A-L, Fallon tweeted about post-victory comments from Weaver. Clintons campaign never formally acknowledged the Wisconsin result. She spent Tuesday evening raising money in New York instead of holding a primary-night party.Her campaign ignored reporters requests for information about her plans ahead of time. On Wednesday, the Clinton campaign gloated over Twitter at the New York Daily News front-page critique of Sanderss comments and record on gun control. Clinton aides also made hay out of Sanderss stumble in an editorial board interview with the newspaper over his signature promise to break up big banks. Lets see how she does before the same editorial board, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said of Clinton. Also Wednesday, Clinton implied that Sanders, a self- described democratic socialist, is not a full Democrat and might not feel the same fealty to the party and its other candidates. The senator has always caucused with Democrats in Congress but is an independent. I think he himself doesnt consider himself to be a Democrat, Clinton said in an interview with MSNBC. You know, look, hes raised a lot of important issues that the Democratic Party agrees with, income inequality first and foremost. But its up to the Democratic primary voters to make that assessment. A Clinton loss in New York would bolster Sanderss claim that he can still catch up to her and become the nominee, perhaps in part by convincing Clinton delegates that she no longer deserves their support. The argument over who is or is not a Democrat is aimed primarily at elected Democrats, party leaders and activists, many of whom are already backing Clinton. As Sanderss campaign has started talking about flipping Clinton delegates, she and her surrogates have begun to question Sanderss commitment to the Democratic Party and to other elected leaders. Clinton supporters note that Sanders has not raised money for the party. Her campaign has recently emphasized how she and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, have worked for decades to support Democratic candidates.The point has become less subtle as Sanderss recent string of caucus and primary victories he has won six out of the last seven state contests has eroded Clintons still-large lead among pledged convention delegates. Ive been in the trenches for a long time, and I believe in electing Democrats up and down the ticket, Clinton said in the MSNBC interview. Weaver disputed Clintons contention that Sanders hasnt helped Democrats in the past, saying he has both campaigned for them and helped raised money for them. Weaver cited fundraising letters Sanders had written for the arms of the Democratic Party that try to get members elected to the House and Senate. After his most convincing victory yet over Donald Trump in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz sought on Wednesday to shed his reputation as a divisive bomb-thrower and position himself as the candidate who can bring the Republican Party together. But it wasnt clear whether it was working. In Washington and across the country, many mainstream Republicans who despise Trump including many supporters of former candidate Marco Rubio are still declining to support the senator from Texas, whose antagonism toward GOP leaders has been the centerpiece of his political rise. The lukewarm reception highlighted the difficulty Cruz faces in recasting himself as a bridge builder after years of bridge burning. Many top Republicans remain strongly opposed to both Cruz and Trump and hold out hope that long-shot candidate John Kasich, or perhaps another Republican not in the race, can somehow clinch the nomination. I think stopping Donald Trump has got to be the number one goal, and to rally around Ted Cruz in these future primaries I think is important, said billionaire GOP donor Frank VanderSloot, who backed Rubio. But neither I nor very many of the people I know are enamored with Ted Cruz, and I think that everyone is hoping it is a brokered convention where we can have a third choice. Cruzs attempts to broaden his appeal beyond evangelical Christians and tea-party activists will be crucial in the upcoming slate of Northeastern primaries, beginning on April 19 in New York. A Monmouth University poll released Wednesday showed Cruz trailing Trump and Kasich in the Empire State. 1 of 53 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz on the campaign trail View Photos The Texas Republican was the first major presidential candidate to formally declare a bid. Caption Looking back at the Texas senators presidential bid. May 3, 2016 Sen. Ted Cruz speaks with his wife, Heidi, by his side during a primary night campaign event in Indianapolis. Cruz ended his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trumps march to the Republican nomination. Darron Cummings/AP Wait 1 second to continue. Addressing reporters at a Dominican-Chinese restaurant in the Bronx, Cruz underscored the unity message he delivered in Milwaukee after his primary win. We saw Republicans come together and unite, stand united, and really thats what this election is all about. It is about unity. If we come together, were going to win. If we remain divided, we will not, and I could not be more encouraged, he said. In recent weeks, Cruz has struck a more inclusive tone. He reached a new register in his Milwaukee victory speech by seeking to draw a contrast with Trumps antagonism. Wisconsin has lit a candle guiding the way forward. Tonight, we once again have hope for our future. Tonight is about unity, and tonight is about hope, he said. But the words didnt move support on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. I have my own town-hall meeting, and I quite frankly didnt watch any of it, said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a former Rubio backer who said he has no plans to make another endorsement. While Cruz has won the support of five former candidates, Rubio has held out. So have many of the donors and elected officials who backed him. Cruz has tapped former U.S. senator Phil Gramm (Tex.) to head up his outreach on Capitol Hill. Since his 2013 arrival in the Senate, Cruz has ruffled feathers on both sides of the Capitol, openly plotting against Republican leadership on a series of issues and helping force a government shutdown in 2013. Gramm said racking up endorsements has not been his main goal because they dont mean as much this late in the race. Instead, his target has been opening lines of communication and working toward crafting a platform that Republicans up and down the ballot can run on this fall. My message has not been what we want from you, but what we want to do with you, said Gramm, who said he has spoken with House and Senate Republican leaders. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), one of just two senators backing Cruz, is also trying to cultivate relationships on the Hill. He is making a concerted effort to woo Rubio for an endorsement, for example. But in a chamber where Cruz has irked his colleagues, the firebrand Texan is proving to be a hard sell. Take Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), a freshman conservative whose first choice for president was Rubio and his more optimistic tone. As the Colorado Republican Party finalizes delegate selections this weekend, Gardners support might be a huge boost to Cruz, but no such endorsement is coming. Any nominee is going to have to earn my support, just like theyll have to earn the support of the delegates this weekend in Colorado, he said. Lee played down Cruzs lack of support in the Senate, arguing that those who supported candidates who have dropped out may be gun shy. They have swung and missed once or in some cases multiple times, and they are not necessarily anxious to jump on board, said Lee. Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) has spoken directly with Trump and with Cruz but said he has no plans to endorse anytime soon and is trying to get the presidential candidates to focus their campaigns on the national debt. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he has not heard from the remaining candidates or their surrogates and suggested that they shouldnt bother trying to win endorsements from Washington. Lets face it, Senate endorsements havent had much sway, Cassidy said, an indirect reference to the strong support that Rubio and former Florida governor Jeb Bush had in the chamber. In Wisconsin, Cruz showed an ability to expand his support beyond his natural base. Exit poll data showed that he won a plurality of non-born-again or evangelical Christians, for example. With April 26 primaries in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island states where Republicans tend to be more moderate than Cruz he will face new tests soon. New York could be especially difficult for Cruz, who has clashed with officials there. Im not going to make any endorsement before the primary, said Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a frequent Cruz foe. But I have high regard for Kasich, no regard for Cruz, and Trump is a work in progress. Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor and 2012 presidential candidate, wrote in an email that Cruzs win in Wisconsin gives him momentum and an increased likelihood of a contested convention at which he would have some advantages. But Pawlenty, who was a Rubio supporter, added that he has not yet decided what I might do next in this race. Minnesota media mogul Stanley Hubbard, a top GOP donor, said he gave to many candidates, including Cruz, and hit his maximum level of candidate giving allowed under the law. Although he is permitted to give unlimited sums to super PACs such as those backing Cruz he said he will wait until the nomination process is done before cutting any more checks. I was never a big supporter of Mr. Cruz, but hes been a gentleman, Hubbard said. Katie Zezima in New York and David Weigel in Washington contributed to this report. President Obama has negotiated with business leaders periodically during his presidency and, at times, joined with them to push issues such as expanded international trade or comprehensive immigration reform. But in his last year in office, Obama seems to have shed any hesitation to take actions that critics might dub anti-business, a move that harkens back to his early campaign rhetoric and also fits the current mood of a populist American electorate. The shift is evident in three controversial decisions the administration announced this week, including a change in tax policy which the president, in an unusual step, promoted himself from the podium in the White House briefing room. The rule, issued by the Treasury Department, aims to make it harder for American companies to reduce their taxes by purchasing or merging with smaller foreign firms, a move known as a corporate inversion. It bore fruit immediately, forcing the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on Wednesday to call off its $160 billion merger with the Dublin-based Botox-maker Allergan. Also on Wednesday, the Labor Department finalized a rule that requires brokers selling retirement investments to put the clients interest ahead of their own. And the Justice Department announced a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed merger between oil services firms Halliburton and Baker Hughes. All three announcements were long in the works, and senior administration officials said Wednesday they reflected the administrations long-standing interest in bolstering the middle class. National Economic Council director Jeff Zients said the presidents action occurred in the face of immense opposition by the special interests and their Republican allies in Congress, but . . . weve delivered real progress for the American people. But coming now, at a time when anger at corporate America is animating the presidential contests for Democrats and Republicans alike, they underscore the degree to which Obamas approach to business issues has evolved through his two terms. They also illustrate how Obama is now attempting to leverage his powers to his partys advantage in the race to succeed him as president. The inversions rule, in particular, was met with stinging criticism from business interests in Washington. This is event-driven tax policy: You see something happening, and then you make a rule to keep it from happening. And this one is as weird as you can get, said Tony Fratto, a former Treasury official in the Bush administration who is now a partner at Hamilton Place Strategies. I was surprised when they started to do these sorts of things. I dont think its a good thing, but now its what they do. Discussing the inversions policy on Tuesday in the briefing room, Obama called on Americans to examine how the nations wealthy have been able to game the system, acknowledging a desire to affect the presidential campaign debate. And I hope this topic ends up being introduced into the broader political debate that were going to be having leading up to election season, he said. He blamed congressional Republicans for the pervasive voter anger on the campaign trail this year: When politicians perpetuate a system that favors the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, its not surprising that people feel like they cant get ahead. Its not surprising that oftentimes it may produce a politics that is directed at that frustration. Obama has courted business leaders during his tenure, but he has also chastised them in sometimes harsh terms. He described big Wall Street bonuses as shameful shortly after taking office in 2009 and later that year ripped fat cat bankers. In the midst of his 2012 re-election campaign, he called for CEOs to create jobs in America because its good for the country that made their business and their personal success possible. U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has abandoned its plans for a $160 billion merger with Allergan, citing new U.S. rules cracking down on tie ups aimed at saving on taxes. (Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images) The president was elected on promises to curb the excesses of corporate America and to empower the nations beleaguered middle class. He inherited a financial crisis upon taking office, endorsing a much-maligned Wall Street bailout signed by his predecessor, George W. Bush, and a bailout of the American auto industry that he signed himself. His administration included pharmaceutical companies in the negotiations over his signature health-care bill and financial firms in discussions of what would become the Dodd-Frank finance regulations. The most influential business groups in the country ended up denouncing both the health-care and financial-regulation bills. They have sparred loudly and frequently with Obama over taxes and over his efforts to reduce carbon emissions. An administration business charm offensive of sorts under William Daley, Obamas second chief of staff, failed in its efforts to cajole a major increase in corporate investment in America. Obama and congressional Republicans have failed to reach agreement on several issues that top business groups agendas, including immigration and tax reform. Obama and business groups are continuing to work together to push for congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, though its prospects look dim this year. Meanwhile, Obama has embraced an agenda in recent years that targets the gap between the very rich and everyone else, including an increased minimum wage, mandated family leave for workers and regulations meant to empower union organizing. He has tested the boundaries of executive authority to win victories on his domestic priorities. Business groups have criticized many of those unilateral actions, including the inversion and fiduciary rules announced this week. The inversions rule is both counter-productive and ultimately self-defeating, said R. Bruce Josten, executive vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Its punitive. Its ultimately going to drive companies out of the country. John Engler, the president of the Business Roundtable, said he expects the administration to continue the course of new regulations his group opposes until Obamas term ends in January, including new actions from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board. Its probably going to be pretty unrelenting the next nine months, Engler said. Were just marking down the days. Obama allies said the president is simply making good on his promises to act on critical issues if Congress refuses to and also on his pledge to make the economy work better for the middle class. It is a recognition that the public is demanding real action to address the kind of fundamental inequities in the economy. Its obviously roiling both parties, said Neera Tanden, the president of the liberal Center for American Progress think tank. Five years ago, I think you would have heard a lot more outcry from Congress about the president intervening in the markets [with the inversions rule]. I dont think youre seeing the same kind of outcry you would have seen. Jared Bernstein, a former economic adviser to Obama and Vice President Biden, said the moves reflect Obamas team finding new ways to push long-standing policy goals. In 2011, he said, Obama aides struggled to brainstorm actions that could bypass the new Republican Congress and help the middle class. Back then, I dont remember coming up with much, he said. And yet, if you look at what theyve done since then, its hugely impressive, from my perspective. President Obama is nominating Merrick Garland to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. He introduces himself in this White House video. (White House) President Obama is nominating Merrick Garland to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. He introduces himself in this White House video. (White House) Back in the fall of 2001, liberals considered Miguel Estrada particularly dangerous. Nominated for a lifetime appointment to the second-highest court in the land, Estrada was viewed as young, smart and conservative, and Republicans seemed to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment, according to a Democratic aide. Thats why Democrats helped defeat Estradas bid for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, helping lead a historic filibuster of the nomination. Now, 15 years later, with the latest judicial confirmation battle focused on the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, Estrada finds himself largely on the same side as Democrats such as Sen. Richard J. Durbin (Ill.). [Garlands been considered for the Supreme Court before. Is this his year?] Rather than supporting the Republican blockade against Garland, Estrada has joined a small but growing, influential bloc of legal conservatives who support his confirmation or are calling for hearings and a vote, sometimes defending the judge from right-wing attacks. These conservatives often share a common bond beyond legal ideology. Many faced grueling confirmation battles of their own. Some eventually got their appointments after a contested Senate nomination process; others did not. Maybe it is a plea for the process to be more sensible and less partisan, Durbin said in a recent interview, reflecting on his early days as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee waging a fierce fight to block President George W. Bushs nominees. Estrada and other conservatives have been careful not to completely oppose how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is handling the Garland nomination. The GOP leader has declared that presidents should not make such consequential lifetime appointments in their final year in office. It doesnt take much reading between the lines to realize the sentiment from Estrada and his allies. Days after Justice Antonin Scalia died, Estrada co-authored an op-ed in The Washington Post that skewered Republicans and Democrats for their handling of the confirmation process. Today, there is no principle and no norm in the judicial nominations process that either side would not violate itself and simultaneously demand the other side observe as a matter of decency and inter-branch comity, Estrada wrote in a piece with former Washington Post editorial writer Benjamin Wittes. [There no longer are any rules in the Supreme Court nomination process] Last week, in an interview with NPR, Estrada defended Garlands handling of a gun rights case after which the judge faced criticism from conservative groups such as the National Rifle Association. Estrada declined to be interviewed for this piece, saying he was done talking about the process. At an American Enterprise Institute event last week, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who serves with Garland on the D.C. circuit court, called Garland supremely qualified for the Supreme Court. Careful to avoid telling the Senate how to act, Kavanaugh, a Bush appointee, also suggested the Senate eventually adopt a new confirmation process to assure timely votes. Peter Keisler, whose nomination to the D.C. circuit court was blocked by Democrats late in the Bush administration, supports Garlands outright confirmation based on his qualifications, not his own experience. Then theres Kenneth Starr, Kavanaughs former boss as the independent counsel who led the impeachment investigation of President Bill Clinton. Now president of Baylor University, Starr called Garland a brilliant jurist who is superbly qualified for the Supreme Court. As a group, these conservative legal minds were the tip of the Republican spear in the Bush White Houses bid to transform the federal judiciary. Today, their views are being ignored by the same Senate Republicans who fought for their confirmation. [Where do Senate Republicans stand on Merrick Garland?] It doesnt really make any difference they dont get to vote, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.). So, I respect their views, but its not going to change our decision. Cornyn, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, said support for Garland is probably just a sense of collegiality toward the chief judge of the circuit court. Of course, Estrada never did join Garland on that court, nor did Keisler, so their sense of collegiality toward the nominee comes from arguing cases before him and, to some degree, their own nomination experiences. Just 39 when he was nominated, Estrada had been raised in the Honduras and immigrated to the United States when he was 17; he graduated from Columbia University and went on to Harvard Law, where he was Law Review editor. By his mid-30s, Estrada was seen by many leading Republicans as a history-making jurist the first Latino member of the Supreme Court. Instead, his nomination to the D.C. Circuit faced strong opposition from Democrats. Republican staffers inappropriately accessed thousands of Democratic emails and memos back then, leaking them to the press and laying bare the rationale for blocking Estrada. He has a minimal paper trail, he is Latino, and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment, a Durbin staffer wrote in a November 2001 email, summing up the opposition from liberal groups. After seven failed attempts to break the Democratic filibuster, Estrada withdrew from consideration in late 2003. Kavanaugh won his confirmation fight, but it took three years and only after a bipartisan rank-and-file deal cleared many nominations. Keisler, a top Justice Department official who briefly served as acting attorney general, had the misfortune of getting nominated just before Democrats won control of the Senate. They had no intention of allowing the staunch conservative on the influential court and never acted on Keislers nomination. Asked about how Democrats behaved back then, Durbin sounded almost as if he were about to apologize, then cut himself off. Its hard to go back in history and figure out what started us down this path, but we have clearly reached a break point, where a presidential nominee for the Supreme Court cannot even get a hearing, he said. The living room features a dramatic stone fireplace. (Courtesy of Studio Trejo) Over the past 20 years, the new-home market in the Washington area has undergone a dramatic transformation, and nowhere are the changes more apparent than in new townhouses. In the mid-1990s, most were modestly sized and purchased by first-time buyers. Today, townhouses come in all sizes, and every segment of the market is buying them. Even more surprising is the crossover appeal. All segments of the market including first-time buyers, first- and second-time move-up buyers, and move-down empty-nester buyers are purchasing the same houses, which makes for more diverse neighborhoods with younger and older buyers living side by side. Two good examples of the crossover phenomenon are the Knutson Cos. Rockland at its Crescent Place development in Leesburg, designed by Bill Foliaco of Lessard Design in Vienna, and Miller & Smiths Verde in the Meridian Collection subdivision of the firms Victory Lakes development in the Bristow area of Prince William County, designed by Smita Anand of KTGY in Vienna. More important to prospective buyers, each offers a checklist of what to look for when considering a townhouse purchase in the current market. First, dont be guided by size and price alone. By these criteria, these two townhouses could not be more different. Knutsons four-story Rockland has 2,853 square feet of finished space and range from $449,990 to $565,990, while Miller & Smiths three-story Verde has three-quarters as much finished space and the base price is $169,000 lower. 1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Design innovations in new Va., townhouses View Photos Residences in Leesburg and Bristow show that stylish finishes dont necessarily come with a huge price tag.. Caption Residences in Leesburg and Bristow show that stylish finishes dont necessarily come with a huge price tag. The Rockland townhouse model is priced starting at $449,990 and is built by the Knutson Cos. Courtesy of Studio Trejo Wait 1 second to continue. But when you see the houses, their surprising similarities are what youll notice first. The first wow moment will occur at the same point in both houses as you ascend the stairs and turn the corner into the main living area on the second floor. It is completely open from one end to the other with a stunning island kitchen in the center and dining and sitting areas at each end. Because both houses have almost the same size footprint (Knutsons is 20 by 42 feet; Miller and Smiths is 20 by 43 feet, 8 inches), the size of each individual area on this floor is almost the same. [More Salant: The gloomiest color on the spectrum is now the hottest for your home] This spatial configuration with the central island kitchen has become a hallmark of current townhouse design in the Washington market, but it is rarely done as well as it is here. In both cases, much of the impact is in the cumulative effect of the details: The kitchen island in each house is big enough 4 by 12 feet in Knutsons; 3.5 by 11 feet in Miller and Smiths to be a visual anchor for the very large space but not so big that an observer might say it looks like a parked car, as New York architect Barry Goralnick wryly described kitchen islands that have become ridiculously big. The length and width that gives these islands a visual heft that others have likened to a sculptured piece of furniture is also practical. The island counters are big enough for breakfast and informal family meals, and the base cabinets incorporated at each end of each island make up for the storage capacity lost when builders excised the kitchen walls to make the floor completely open. The central kitchen location that works so well architecturally can also enhance the quality of family life, said Dan Fulton, a Washington-area housing market analyst. With the kitchen in the middle of the floor, youre only 10 feet away from household members in either end close enough for a pretty good conversation. The kitchen island is a spacious 4 by 12 feet. (Courtesy of Studio Trejo) The window and door openings in both houses are unusually large, which increases the amount of natural light and the perception of spaciousness. The light level in the models, both end units, is further enhanced by side windows. The question of where to place the powder room is neatly solved. When builders removed all the walls on the main level to make the space more open, this became an issue, said Dale Hall, Miller & Smiths vice president of operations. Everyone wants the convenience of a half-bath on the main floor, but no one wants a powder room that opens onto a living area especially the kitchen and these preferences make a design solution challenging. Foliacos design for Knutson tucks the powder room discretely into a corner, with the door facing a stair landing; Anands design for Miller & Smith takes discretion one step further: She created a small, private hallway off the stair landing from which both the powder room and a small closet can be accessed. Not only does this provide more privacy, the closet will be a handy place to store table leaves and the special-occasion dishes and table linens many households use for holidays and family celebrations. [More Salant: Porcelain ceramic tile is making a comeback, and its big] The stairs do not occupy a lot of space. In both houses, the staircases hug the sidewall opposite the central island kitchen. The stairs do not protrude into the living and dining areas, which can eat up useful floor area. The main living level will resonate with different buyers for different reasons. Older, empty nesters moving from a large house with large rooms will like the big house feel of such a large, open space. Millennial buyers (generally considered to be age 35 or younger) who grew up in single-family houses with an eat-in kitchen family room will sense a larger version of the familiar. Buyers coming from smaller houses or apartments will feel liberated by the sheer size of this 800-square-foot area. The master bedroom is larger than those found in most single-family houses. (Courtesy of Studio Trejo) But furnishing the large main living level may prove to be more challenging than most buyers realize. On the one hand, the large, completely open floor offers an unusual degree of flexibility in how you decide to use the space. On the other, both family room areas, which run the full 19-foot interior width of the floor, and the dining areas are unusually large and tricky to furnish. To make them look and feel comfortable, both furnished models have oversize furniture. Ceiling treatments can give an individual living area below more definition and make it feel more cozy, but the treatments must be subtle and shallow. If a dropped beam or bulkhead is more than six inches deep, most people will perceive the space below to be too small, not more comfortable, said Jack McLaurin, a local architect considered to be the dean of townhouse design by Washington-area home builders for the hundreds that he and his team at Lessard Design in Vienna designed over more than 20 years. McLaurin now heads planning and design for EYA, a Bethesda-based home-building firm. The beamed-ceiling treatment in the family room area of Knutsons Rockland not only gives the space some visual definition but also adds historical cachet. This type of exposed wood beam is often found in the old farmhouses that still dot the working farms in the Leesburg area, said Rebecca Taylor of Taylor Interior Design in Reston, who designed the interiors. A further connection to Leesburgs past, the fir and poplar used to make the beams was salvaged from an old barn in nearby Berryville. Your second wow moment will be the master suites on the third floor. In both houses, the master bedroom is larger than those found in most single-family houses. The one in the Rockland runs the full width of the house and is almost as big as the family room below. Both bedrooms feature optional bay windows; the one in the Verde is outfitted as a window seat and is long enough for two adults to stretch out at each end. For households with children or grandchildren, this will likely become a favored spot for playing games or doing homework, and dogs will find that its a great perch for napping. The 10- by 19-foot roof deck is no mere balcony: Its big enough to qualify as an outdoor room. (Courtesy of Studio Trejo) Both master bathrooms have upscale details, including a separate toilet area and a large shower with a seat. There are also generously sized walk-in closets. A major difference between the two houses is the size and location of the secondary bedrooms. In Miller & Smiths Verde, theyre smaller and down the hall from the master suite on the third level, an arrangement that is vastly preferred by families with young children and some older buyers who dont want an extra flight of stairs, Hall said. The secondary bedrooms in the Rockland are larger, each has its own bathroom and they are on separate floors. One is down the hall from the master suite, and the other is up a flight of stairs on the fourth level (the bathroom is optional). Both builders offer an optional fourth bedroom that is nearly identical in size plus an optional full bath on the ground floor (the base price for both houses includes a ground-floor finished rec room/study that can be upgraded to a bedroom). Only the Rockland will elicit a third wow moment. This will happen as you reach the large fourth floors rec room (its also nearly as big as the family room on the second floor) and step out onto the adjacent roof terrace. This 10- by 19-foot outdoor area is no mere balcony: Its big enough to qualify as an outdoor room. Characterized by many in the home-building business as a yard in the sky and a private rooftop refuge, the roof terrace has proved to be enormously popular with buyers, Fulton said, adding that from a historical perspective, the bigger change in townhouse living in the Washington area is not the terrace but the addition of a fourth level. Before the housing market collapsed in 2007, it was unusual. But as the market started to come back, it has become one of the major identifiers of this era of homebuilding, he said. Miller & Smith offers a similarly sized 10- by 18-foot outdoor living area, but it is a deck off the family room space on the second level. There is also a small 20- by 20-foot back yard off the rear of the ground floor. Katherine Salant has an architecture degree from Harvard University. A native Washingtonian, she grew up in Fairfax County and now lives in Ann Arbor, Mich. If you have questions or would like to suggest topics for coverage, contact her at salanthousewatch@gmail.com or www.katherinesalant.com . Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of Joe Luce and Advisors LLC, the company he co-founded. A remodeling project at this McLean, Va., home was supposed to take one year. Instead, it took nearly three years and cost 70 percent more than the original contract price. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Every renovation project is inherently optimistic, because homeowners start out with a plan to improve their home with visions of glorious new living spaces or at least a shiny updated bathroom galvanizing them to power through the less pleasant side of home improvement projects. While most people come through the mess and expense and enjoy the results, the biggest fear of many homeowners is that they will be among the unhappy group who suffer from inflated costs, low-quality workmanship or an incomplete renovation. The worst-case scenario for that situation, which thankfully doesnt always happen, is that they will be forced to sue their contractors. Some are able to get all or part of their money refunded. But others never get repaid for their financial loss, much less the time and aggravation of renovation disaster. Jay Timmons and Rick Olson, married homeowners in McLean, never thought they would be among the unlucky group. Weve renovated many homes before and had remodeled the first floor of our home with a builder who did an excellent job, says Timmons. Unfortunately, when we hired him again to redo our upper level and add a garage and bonus room, the experience turned into an absolute nightmare that was extremely disruptive to our kids and to our lives. [How to get a high-quality kitchen remodel without the sticker shock] The remodeling project at Timmonss home was supposed to take one year and instead has taken nearly three years and cost 70 percent more than the original contract price. Timmons and Olson, as experienced homeowners, anticipated some delays and hurdles during their renovation, but as the problems piled up and werent addressed, they became concerned. We ended up with a multipage list of incomplete items and defective work, says Timmons. The contractor reassured us that everything was fine but kept asking for extra money. We were stunned to get a bill of $100,000 in overage charges, particularly when our project wasnt finished. 1 of 13 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad When a home rehab goes awry View Photos Some homeowners turn to rescue firms to fix a nightmare renovation. Caption Some homeowners turn to rescue firms to fix a nightmare renovation. Jay Timmons and Rick Olson, a married couple, said they had a nightmare experience when they hired a contractor to remodel their home in McLean. Bill OLeary/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Olson says that in retrospect they should have asked for receipts during the project instead of trusting their contractor. Eventually, the list of problems grew to more than 300 items, some of them minor and some of them major, such as the lack of tile or a toilet in the new master bath. They hired an intermediary to talk to their builder after they couldnt get satisfaction and, when the intermediary was unable to move the project forward, they hired an attorney. After 20 months, the builder abandoned the project with hundreds of items left incomplete, including the floors and the heating and air conditioning system, says Timmons. [For kitchen and bathroom remodeling, finding ways to cut costs] The homeowners turned to Bowa, a custom design/build remodeling firm in McLean, for a renovation rescue. Unfortunately, we get requests pretty frequently from homeowners who are at an impasse with their contractor, says Josh Baker, founder, co-chairman and owner of Bowa. Our first recommendation is always to try and work it out with the original contractor because thats the fastest and least expensive option. If the relationship with the original contractor is broken, if the contractor is unreachable or if the homeowners dont trust the contractor to finish the work correctly, a new contractor can be brought in to examine the home. Often when we investigate we find that the work has been done so poorly that we have to start over from scratch, which costs even more money for the homeowners, says Rick Matus, senior vice president of Case Design/Remodeling in Bethesda. [Why suing a contractor may not be as beneficial as you think] Baker says a rescue renovation typically starts with approximately four weeks of research to determine what needs to be fixed and completed. Rescue renovations are far more challenging than projects weve designed ourselves, says Baker. The homeowners and the home are usually in distress. We typically uncover multiple problems that they didnt even know about and that will cost them more money, but they also need to protect their investment in their home. On the other hand, the gratitude from people once weve fixed their home is tremendously satisfying. Flooding in the home was a result of a contractors incompetence, causing a pipe in the attic to burst. (Courtesy of Jay Timmons) Bowa, a custom design/build remodeling firm in McLean, repaired the floor. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Nightmare renovations Timmons and Olson lived with their young children in their McLean home during their three-year drama, which included a burst pipe that had been installed by their first contractor in an unconditioned attic and not properly insulated. The water damage from that issue wiped out about one-third of the renovation that had already been completed, says Olson. We were living in the basement with our kids, who were 2 and 4 when this started, and now we have a third child, says Timmons. The original contractors had not taken appropriate steps to protect the house when they took off the roof, and we ended up with mold on the basement drywall and flooring. We moved into the unfinished upstairs while that was remediated, and then, after the pipe burst, we moved out for four months into a rental home. The disruption to our kids lives was terrible, particularly because the oldest was starting kindergarten by then. Once Bowa started work, its staff scheduled the work so that the family always had a place to spend time together in some part of the house. Having a full-time supervisor onsite, as Bowa provided, makes a huge difference in how a major remodeling gets accomplished, says Olson. [Estimating the cost of your home renovation project] Sometimes, a home improvement project is completed before problems appear. One client called us about 90 days after her contractor finished a barrier-free bathroom, which looked beautiful but had started to leak into the room below, says Russ Glickman, president and founder of Glickman Design Build in Potomac. The homeowners wanted us to guarantee a repair, but although we could patch it, we couldnt provide a guarantee because without tearing it apart we didnt know what other problems existed. We ended up remodeling the shower stall and rebuilding it, but we had to make sure that the shower door, which had cost $4,000, still fit. In the end, the entire project cost about double the original price because it had to be done twice. While that situation was certainly painful and costly for the homeowners, a couple in western Loudoun County, Margit Royal and Jerald Wolford, had their entire home compromised by shoddy construction. Wolford, who had retired, ended up returning to work to help pay for the additional cost required to repair numerous problems. We were living in North Carolina and decided we wanted to build a home in the Virginia countryside for our retirement, says Royal. When we found the land we wanted to buy, the seller turned out to be an architect with a portfolio of homes to show us in the area. Since we were doing this long-distance, we liked the idea of having an architect who lives and works in the area. Water damage from a burst pipe wiped out about one-third of the renovation that had already been completed. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The finished kids playroom is shown. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The couple interviewed several builders recommended by the architect and checked their licenses, but Royal says their biggest mistake was not checking on the architect, who turned out not to be licensed and whose design caused some of the problems that were then compounded by contractors faulty work. About two-thirds of the way through what was supposed to be an 18- to 20-month project, we started noticing issues with sloppy work, says Royal. Some of it was simple, like splashed paint in drawers, but they also stored the wood for our trim in an unheated garage so it warped and then couldnt be stained the way we had planned. The exterior stain wasnt applied properly, and the interior stairs were too narrow. Worse, stress cracks appeared on the roof three times within three months, sliding-glass doors were installed upside down, and a transom window cracked; all before the couple moved into their new home. After we moved in, we had repeated hot-water failures in the master bath because they had installed an undersized tankless water heater, says Royal. One of the worst issues, which unfortunately happened when we had family visiting, was that sewage started coming up in a guest bathroom shower. While fixing that problem, we found a gas line leak that had been caused by the original plumbing installers. [How to save money on your bathroom remodel] At this point, fearing other unknown problems, Royal and Wolford hired Joe Luce, a forensic home inspector with Advisors LLC in Bethesda. Luce found 220 defects and insufficiencies in the home and recommended Bowa to fix their problems. The extent of the problems with the home required nearly two years of investigation and repair. Royals renovation cost about 30 percent above the original cost of building the home, plus approximately $100,000 in legal fees. The Royal-Wolford home problems were more than frustrating: The homeowners and their guests were living in unsafe conditions from the gas leak, sewage issues and a weak roof. Matus worked with a similar case on a home in Bethesda. The project was a renovation of a basement with a powder room and a full bath and the homeowners called us after the job was finished because the bathroom smelled like sewage, says Matus. When we got there, we found numerous problems, but the worst was that they had cut into the joists of the floor above to run the ductwork and left that floor 298 percent overloaded, which is incredibly dangerous. We had to rebuild the first floor from underneath. Case also had to redo both bathrooms because the plumbing had been installed incorrectly, causing the sewage smell as well as the danger of frozen pipes since the water pipes were installed on uninsulated exterior walls. Unfortunately, the homeowners could only afford to pay to put the home back to the way it was before the renovation, says Matus. We gave them a second proposal to complete the renovation the way they wanted it, but they didnt have enough money. They sued the first contractor and then eventually decided to sell the house without renovating it. Steps to resolving renovation problems Most contractors establish a work schedule with payments at different milestones, so it may be possible to find an appropriate stopping point or at least a time to reevaluate the project, says Matus. Some of the triggers that indicate it may be time to stop a project are when the contractor isnt showing up when hes expected or when youre consistently asked to pay extra money, says Matus. You should also call a halt if you see shoddy work or you ask an inspector to check the work. But, of course, when your house is torn open, the last thing you want is to stop. At that point, your only recourse is to find some way to get it finished by your original contractor or a different one. Whether youre facing a failed project or are frustrated with the pace or quality of work on your home, how you handle the situation depends in part on your contract and your jurisdiction, says Glickman. First, read your contract because you may have a mediation or arbitration clause that will guide you, says Glickman. If you reach the point where you feel you must file a lawsuit, hire an independent, third party inspector to review your contract and written plans to point out the differences between what was promised and what has been done. [5 questions to ask yourself before starting a kitchen renovation] Glickman says photos and an engineering report, which could cost a few hundred dollars, are important to validate your claims against a contractor. The inspection and documentation will also be valuable if you need to bring in a new contractor. Sometimes when a contractor realizes you plan to bring in an inspector and file a lawsuit, they will jump back in and fix their mistakes, says Glickman. That should be the goal if the contractor is competent to do the work. If you do bring in a new contractor, their guarantee for their work depends on how far along you are in your home improvement project. Matus says that if the project is still in process, Case can come in and take it over and provide a warranty for all of it. However, if the project has been completed, such as a finished roof or addition, the company can only guarantee any additional work they do such as adding siding or flashing, not the entire scope of work. Its always an individual call as to how to handle a renovation problem, says Glickman. If you dont trust your contractors or theyre making your life miserable or theyre not showing up, then you may want to pull the plug. But if you dont have the money to hire another inspector and another contractor, you may be willing to put up with more or at least give your contractor 30 days to fix the problems. There is a new no-go term on Chinas Web: brother-in-law. Over the past few days, as the disclosures from the Panama Papers sent a shiver through the global elite, the search term brother-in-law briefly became a censor-evading path in China. The brother-in-law who cant be named is none other than Deng Jiagui, a businessman married to President Xi Jinpings sister. Deng is among a handful of elite Chinese with family ties to at least eight current or former top leaders named in reporting and documents about offshore holdings published this week by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). [Is Chinas leader losing his grip?] In addition to Deng, the papers note in-law ties to Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, who are on the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee, the seven-member group that ultimately rules China. Also appearing in the leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm is a host of relatives of four former politburo members. A descendant of the late Communist revolutionary Mao Zedong is also named. The Panama Papers consist of 11.5 million documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The papers apparently implicate a number of high-profile global figures in potentially illegal financial activities. (Deirdra O'Regan/The Washington Post) Its all too claustrophobic for Chinas leadership, which has moved quickly to censor references to China in the Panama Papers reports even though there is no direct evidence of wrongdoing. Shell companies and offshore accounts specialties of the law firm at the center of the leak, Mossack Fonseca are technically not prohibited in China and do not specifically point to any illegal or questionable dealings. The law firm has publicly denied any work outside international codes. [Corruption runs deep in Chinese system] But for Xi, the princeling son of a revolutionary hero, a president who extols socialist core values and has waged a high-profile anti-corruption campaign, all this talk of offshore wealth is clearly uncomfortable. Since the news broke Sunday, Chinas news-minders have moved quickly to squelch speculation and scrub domestic reports of mentions of China in the Panama Papers reports even as they prominently note Russian and Western links to the disclosures. Meanwhile, curious Chinese hammered away with Web searches such as brother-in-law in hopes of breaching the Great Firewall with a roundabout query. The more you try to cover up, the more there will be attention from the public, said Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based historian and political analyst. This weeks disclosures are a mix of familiar names and new revelations about the apparent wealth of the Communist Partys Red Nobility, a topic thats particularly sensitive as Xi urges his comrades to tackle the countrys reputation for political payoffs, bribery and other corruption. [Chinese anti-graft campaign borrows name from Terminator films] In 2012, a Bloomberg News investigation probed the business dealings of Xis sister, Qi Qiaoqiao, and her husband, Deng. The article documented offshore holdings and investments worth hundreds of millions. That report, and a New York Times account of the family wealth of former premier Wen Jiabao, resulted in both publications being denied some journalist visas for years. The topic of offshore wealth flashed again in 2014 with the publication of a joint ICIJ and Center for Public Integrity report on 22,000 alleged tax-haven clients from Hong Kong and China. The findings referred to relatives of Wen and Xi and noted Dengs offshore holdings. A woman identified in the Panama Papers, Li Xiaolin, was also named in the earlier report. She is the daughter of Li Peng, the former premier who oversaw the bloody 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square. Asked about the article at a Foreign Ministry news conference in 2014, a Chinese government spokesman called the investigation hardly convincing. The report was blocked, and the Chinese news media did not play it up. This weeks news sheds fresh light on how politically connected Chinese use offshore companies. [The mysterious message that led to the Panama Papers leaks] After Xis family, the highest-ranking cadres in the Panama report are Liu Yunshan, Chinas propaganda czar, and Zhang Gaoli, the current vice premier. Lius daughter-in-law and the son-in-law of Zhang are named as shareholders in companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, a well-known tax haven. The islands are also home to a company whose sole director and shareholder was Maos grandson-in-law, Chen Dongsheng, according to the ICIJ. Jasmine Li Zidan, the debutante granddaughter of Jia Qinglin, a Standing Committee member from 2002 to 2012, has interests in two companies there. In 2010, as a freshman at Stanford University, Li took ownership of an offshore company, Harvest Sun Trading, for a $1 token amount, documents show. Harvest Sun and another company were later used to set up two companies in Beijing. Because of that ownership structure, those companies were not listed under Lis name. Other prominent names in the Mossack Fonseca leak include the brother of former vice president Zeng Qinghong and the son of Hu Yaobang, who led the Communist Party from 1982 to 1987 before he was purged. [The expanding list of Chinese elite on the Panama Papers] Since coming to power in 2012, Xi has waged a public campaign against official corruption, promising to root out both tigers (high-level officials) and flies (the rank and file) and to hunt wrongdoers who flee overseas. The fruits of this campaign are featured regularly on party-controlled newscasts, and eye-popping tales of official extravagance have long been popular in the party-controlled and private press. But those stories are told on the partys terms. Members of the ruling classes are purged at times a former top military official went down on corruption charges this week but the lives and livelihoods of Xi, his relatives and his close allies are generally not discussed. The average per-capita income in China is still under $10,000, and the leadership doesnt want it to be known that relatives of senior leaders are millionaires or even billionaires," said Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Especially right now. As Chinas economy slows, the government is trying to instill faith in whats to come a message that could be undercut by stories about party scions storing wealth elsewhere, Glaser said. There is suspicion in China, not without foundation, that people who invest or park their money overseas have low confidence in the countrys future, she said. The latest revelations, while unlikely to topple the powers that be, will certainly fuel cynicism and distrust in some quarters. Before the censors swept in, users on Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer site similar to Quora, were having a carefully worded field day with the reports on Mossack Fonseca. Asked one post that was circulated widely before being scrubbed: What should I do if my brother-in-law does something wrong? Ana Swanson in Washington and Gu Jinglu and Xu Jing in Beijing contributed to this report. Flags of the Dutch E.U. presidency and campaign posters for Wednesday's non-binding referendum on the E.U.-Ukraine association agreement fly in The Hague. (Peter Dejong/AP) When Dutch voters overwhelmingly rejected a European Union trade deal with Ukraine on Wednesday, they affirmed an increasingly outspoken Euroskeptic movement in their own country and abroad. The Wednesday vote was specifically a referendum over a lengthy and complicated trade agreement that the Dutch parliament had already ratified, along with the other 27 E.U. member states. But in a larger sense, the vote was the first populist plebiscite in a season that will test relations between Brussels and its subordinate capitals more than ever before. The no vote reverberated swiftly across a Europe still struggling with the euro-zone financial crisis, the largest migrant influx on the continent since World War II and recurring terrorist attacks committed by radicalized members of its own citizenry. [Dutch voters reject trade deal out of anger against E.U.] On June 23, Britons will go to the polls to answer the question: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? Advocates of a Brexit the shorthand for a British exit were celebrating the Dutch referendum as early as an hour after polls closed Wednesday night. Dutch exit polls seem to indicate big No to EU vote, Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing U.K Independence Party, wrote on Twitter. Hooray! Farage later wrote that he had spoken to members of GeenPiel, the Dutch anti-E.U. campaign largely responsible for the referendum in the Netherlands, and that lots of them were planning on traveling to Britain to campaign for Brexit. In Russia, where the administration of President Vladimir Putin has quietly supported right-wing and anti-E.U. parties across the continent, the referendum results were seen as a victory. The voters rejection means that citizens of the Netherlands have questions, mistrust, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said after the referendum, the Interfax news agency reported. E.U. advocates worried that Wednesdays results will create the perception of a Europe turning its back on a post-revolutionary Ukraine still rooted in its Soviet past. It looks like Europe is not committed to the long haul, said Judy Dempsey, a senior associate at Carnegie Europe, a Brussels think tank. Ukrainians are going to see it as the beginning of a domino effect, and it just shows that the E.U.s heart is not in it. Russian officials have already begun exploiting that perception. As Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, wrote in a Facebook post: The only thing I am really sorry about is that the experiment is carried out on the live body of the Ukrainian people without any anesthesia. [London Mayor Boris Johnson backs Brexit, boosting anti-E.U. campaign] Peter Pomerantsev, a senior fellow at the London-based Legatum Institute, said the referendum illustrates a shift in Hollands international reputation from Anne Frank Holland, liberal Holland to a country where a radical right led by Geert Wilders, an outspoken critic of Islam is rising significantly in the polls. Across Europe, he added, groups like Wilderss Party for Freedom can no longer be considered to be on the fringe. This shows that the right wing can be really effective, Pomerantsev said. They can target their aims, and achieve their real goals. Maybe in Brussels people will start waking up. The unusual Dutch outrage over the E.U. trade bill, Pomerantsev added, also raises significant questions about the future of political life in Europe, now home to a number of populist parties with broad bases of support: Are we going to start having referenda about everything now? he asked. For some, what was most devastating about Wednesdays referendum was the lack of a pro-European campaign to match the clamor of the E.U.s many critics. Theyre letting the populist movements set the tone and set the agenda, Dempsey said. The E.U. seems to have no sense of mission, no sense of unity about what it stands for. Read more European leaders strike deal to try to keep Britain in the E.U. Whats a Brexit? A guide to Britains E.U. drama for confused non-Europeans. Europe wants Britain to stay in the E.U., but not at any cost Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Thursday called on Iran to stop its destabilizing behavior and work with its neighbors in the Middle East to end the wars in Yemen and Syria. Kerry, who came to the island kingdom of Bahrain to meet with his counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council, said they all were concerned about Iran. Last week, a U.S. Navy ship stopped a small ship and seized hundreds of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled-grenade launchers and machine guns that Kerry said were on the move from Iran to arm Houthi rebels in Yemen. Rather than send weapons to the Houthis, join in efforts to convince the Houthis to make peace, Kerry said. U.S. officials are concerned about the fragility of an existing cease-fire in Syria and have expressed uncertainty over the prospects for a cease-fire that is due to start this weekend in Yemen. Kerry said he and the foreign ministers of Arab states in the Persian Gulf were in the early stages of assessing whether a partnership between NATO and the six GCC nations would contribute to regional security. [The tragic story of a dead baby shows the terrible toll of Yemens war] Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of gulf countries conducting airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, whose country chairs the GCC, said relations with Iran will be chilly until the country ends its interventionist policies. We stressed that if Iran wants to have normal relations with the GCC states, it has to change its policies and abide by the good-neighborhood principle, he said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has made overtures for warmer relations, efforts that powerful segments of the Iranian government do not support. Tehran wants interaction with the world, with its neighboring countries, Rouhani told a gathering in Tehran aired live Thursday on state TV. The criticism of Iran emanating from the gulf came as ships in the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, joined in a three-week, multinational exercise to practice mine clearing and other tactics designed to keep open the sea lanes through which at least a third of the worlds oil resources are shipped. At least four ships thought to be bound from Iran to Yemen have been stopped in the past six months, and large quantities of weapons were seized. [Navy investigation into how U.S. sailors were detained by Iran reaches top admirals] If Iran is going to give meaning to the words in the last few days about wanting to work with people, it is by getting engaged in making peace in Yemen, not adding more weapons and fueling the conflict, Kerry said. Referring to Bahrain earlier in the day, Kerry criticized the Bahraini opposition, saying its boycott of a 2014 election had a polarizing effect. Kerry, appearing with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, praised reforms Bahrain has made to open its political system but said more steps were needed to counter violent extremism. He suggested that the opposition had played a role in preventing more reforms. Regrettably, I think a great mistake was made when the opposition chose to boycott an election, said Kerry, the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Bahrain since a government crackdown that followed protests in 2011 by Bahrains majority Shiite Muslims. I think that polarizes things rather than helps them. [One family pays a heavy price for demanding democracy in Bahrain] Standing beside the foreign minister, Kerry hailed Bahrain as a critical security partner of the United States and said security was the foundation of the relationship between the countries. At the end, our relation with Bahrain is built on common interests that we share, and one of those interests is joint efforts to combat violent extremism, Kerry said. We believe that broadening rights and opportunities, bringing people together in the political process, is one of the ways to counter it. International human rights groups have criticized the Bahraini government since a security clampdown on protesters demanding reforms and a greater voice in the governing of the kingdom, which is led by Sunni Muslim rulers. Human Rights Watch says there has been little meaningful progress in reforms since then, and it accused the government of pressuring the opposition by detaining activists. In one of the most recent cases, activist Zainab al-Khawaja, the daughter of a well-known human rights activist serving a life sentence for his role in anti-government demonstrations, was imprisoned after she tore up a photo of the king. She took her 15-month-old son to jail with her. Read more: Kerry declares Islamic State has committed genocide Kerry announces provisional agreement for truce in Syria John Kerry keeps calling the Islamic State apostates. Maybe he should stop. After dodging questions for days, British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged Thursday evening that he had owned and profited from shares in an offshore trust set up by his late father. The admission came as the impact from a huge leak of financial data continued to ripple across the globe, with Russian President Vladimir Putin alleging a Western conspiracy and Iceland reckoning with the fall of its prime minister. Cameron himself faced calls to resign from at least one member of the opposition Labour Party on Thursday night. But so far at least, theres been no evidence that Cameron did anything illegal or improper. Still, the admission of a past financial stake in an offshore trust represented an awkward moment for a leader who has spoken out forcefully against international tax avoidance and evasion. [The mysterious call that launched the Panama Papers probes] The Panama Papers consist of 11.5 million documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The papers apparently implicate a number of high-profile global figures in potentially illegal financial activities. (Deirdra O'Regan/The Washington Post) After the fund was linked to Camerons stockbroker father this week, Downing Street issued a series of statements first claiming that the issue was a private matter, then saying that Cameron did not currently own shares in the trust and finally that the prime minister and his family would not benefit from it in the future. But until Thursday night, Cameron had been vague about the past. He told Britains ITV News that he had sold his interest in the trust in 2010, months before he became prime minister, for about 30,000 British pounds, or nearly $50,000. The Panama-based trust did not have to pay British taxes on its profits, though Cameron said that he had paid income tax on his dividends and that both he and his father had followed the law. I dont have anything to hide, he said. Im proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established. The acknowledgment was part of the ongoing fallout from this weeks publication of the Panama Papers, a leak of millions of documents from a Panamanian law firm that for decades has helped some of the worlds most prominent leaders set up offshore accounts, shell companies and other transactions. The Panama Papers documents carry references to people around the world, including prominent Chinese officials. On Tuesday, Icelands premier, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, resigned amid an uproar about an offshore account held by his wife. Putin on Thursday condemned the leak of confidential offshore account details, claiming it was part of a Western plot to weaken Russia. The comments were his first public reaction to the Panama Papers. An international consortium of journalists examining the papers found that Putins childhood friend, renowned cellist Sergei Roldugin, was linked to a web of transactions totaling about $2 billion. [NSA leaker Snowden mocks British leaders call for privacy] Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a media forum in St. Petersburg on April 7. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) Roldugin has denied any wrongdoing. Putin was not personally named in the papers, a fact he used to suggest that the disclosures were meant to harm him by association. Yours truly is not there, Putin said, referring to himself. So what did they do then? They produced an information product. They found some acquaintances and friends. They dug up some stuff and glued it together. Putin said that Roldugin who introduced Putin to his wife was simply involved in a bit of business. Many creative professionals in Russia probably half of them are trying to do business and, to my knowledge, Sergei Pavlovich has been trying, too, Putin said, referring to Roldugin by his first two names. What is his business? He is a minority shareholder in one of our companies, and he is making some money but definitely not billions of dollars. Nonsense, there is nothing of the sort, Putin said. The reports are aimed at dividing Russia from within, Putin claimed, by infusing some mistrust in society toward government bodies and the government, and by setting people against each other. In many cases, the offshore accounts were politically embarrassing but not illegal, highlighting a loophole in the international financial system that has helped generations of the worlds wealthiest people sidestep taxes and guard their money. The public reaction in Russia to the Panama Papers has been muted, in part because pro-Kremlin outlets have paid little attention to the Russians named in the files. Far more publicity has been given to the offshore accounts of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who has also denied any wrongdoing. Read more: Kremlin denies Putin connection to allegations of secret bank accounts A terror attack exposed Belgiums security failings. Europes problem is far bigger. Assad, buoyed by a win over the Islamic State, dismisses oppositions demands Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Birnbaum reported from Moscow. Ellen got serious on Thursday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, blasting Mississippi's recently passed "religious freedom" bill as something that was the very "definition of discrimination." Mixing humor with seriousness, DeGeneres used her opening monologue, video of which was released Wednesday, to pick apart Mississippi state legislation that will not punish individuals, businesses or organizations that refuse to provide services, fire or refuse to employ LGBT people on the basis of religious belief. DeGeneres, who began the segment by saying that she was "not a political person" argued that the legislation was not about politics but about human rights. A visibly upset DeGeneres continued, saying that "when I see something wrong, I have to talk about it." "It's the very definition of discrimination. It's also something that the Supreme Court already ruled on when they made marriage a right for everyone, everyone," she said, before humorously adding that "they're supreme. I mean, that's the best you can get. Like the nacho supreme from Taco Bell." Read More: Kate McKinnon Impersonates Ellen DeGeneres on 'Ellen': "I Got This, Blondie. Step Aside." Adding a personal dimension to the impact of this law, DeGeneres talked about growing up in Louisiana and visiting Mississippi as a child, before ending with a powerful rally of support for LGBT people living in the South. "If you're in Mississippi or North Carolina or anywhere, and you're saddened by the fact that people are judging you based on who you love, don't lose hope. I was fired for being gay, and I know what it feels like. I lost everything. But look at me now." Then she quipped: "I could buy that governor's mansion, flip it, and make a $7 million dollar profit." DeGeneres ended the segment by listing injustices and inequalities in the world and simply asking for "less hate and more love," in the world. Story continues Read More: Ellen DeGeneres Launches Digital Dance Series See the full video below. International hit Scandinavian scripted crime series The Bridge is set to be adapted for the Russian market, Endemol Shine said Monday. Russia's NTV Channel has commissioned Endemol Shine partner company Weit Media to produce 20 episodes to run over two seasons, with a storyline sparked by the discovery of a body on the Narva Friendship Bridge that connects the border between Russia and Estonia. Based on the original scripted format for Bron/Broen from Scandinavian producers Filmlance International and Nimbus Film, it follows adaptations of the series for the U.S., French and U.K. markets. Russian investigator Maxim Kazantsev (Mikhail Porechenkov) and Estonian Detective Inga Savisaar (Ingeborga Dapkunaite) team up to hunt down a serial killer operating in both countries. Production will begin on the series in June for transmission in 2017, with season two being filmed consecutively. The Bridge debuted in Sweden and Denmark in 2011 and has since sold to 157 territories. The U.K. adaptation aired on BBC4 to an average audience of 1.49 million viewers and the 10 episodes screened were the highest-rated shows for the channel in 2015. "NTV is one of the key broadcasters in Russia, and their involvement is a real testament to the quality of the project," said Marina Williams, COO of Endemol Shine international operations. Read More: 'The Bridge': TV Review Oxygen A Tampa-area family's long wait for answers about the disappearance of their husband and father has come to an end. The Tallahassee Police Department announced this week that skeletal remains had been found in a wooded area off Apalachee Parkway, a commercial road dotted with strip malls and hotels on the east side of the city. Shortly thereafter, they announced that, with information received from the local medical examiner's office, they had identified the deceased as Jason Winoker, 52, of Lan If you are at the mid-career level, you may be thinking about how to expand your professional portfolio to help you move up the corporate ladder. While you might have your eyes on getting a job that brings you closer to the top of your company's ranks, there are options outside of your company that you may not have considered. Even if you're at a senior level, you may feel that you've reached a plateau and are unsure of how to develop yourself further. Here are some things you can do to grow professionally. You don't have to do all of these things. Choose two or three options that you feel most comfortable with and go from there. [Read: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making a Job Change.] 1. Join a board. One of the most obvious ways to take your career to the next level is to join a board -- nonprofit, private or public. You can list your interest in joining a board on LinkedIn, but that's not going to take you very far. You need to network and become known among top company leaders. One resource for doing just that is BoardProspects.com, which is like LinkedIn, but exclusively for aspiring corporate directors. Individuals can join for free or pay for a premium membership, and there are opportunities to participate in webinars and online forums to learn the latest trends on board topics. 2. Assume a community leadership role. This is something you can work toward even if you're starting out in your career. Schools, religious organizations and nonprofits are often in need of volunteers to offer their expertise. The marketing or sales skills that you use at work could be beneficial to fundraising or enhancing participation in an organization. Volunteering could turn into a role as chairman or secretary of an organization. In addition, you can get involved in organizations in your field or another area of interest and look into chairing committees for local, regional or national conferences. Not only will these positions give you experience to add to your resume, you will also meet a large number of professionals who can help you develop your career. Story continues 3. Perform pro bono work. If you are passionate about a certain cause, you can offer to do pro bono work for a nonprofit that works in that area. Organizations are always looking for outside expertise and help to further their goals. This gives you additional credibility in your field and you can commit to whatever amount of time you are able. This may open up unexpected possibilities for the future, either with other organizations, nonprofit boards or create a path to the career transition you've been looking for. [See: 10 Job Resolutions to Revitalize Your Career in 2016.] 4. Become a mentor. Along the lines of sharing your knowledge with organizations or causes, you may want to serve as a mentor. There are mentorship programs for entrepreneurs, young professionals, women and others that are always looking for mentors. Some groups offer more formal programs than others and vary based on location. Search online and contact your local chamber of commerce to find out about such opportunities. Teach. You've built up years of invaluable expertise on the job, so why not share it with students of those subject areas? Check out local colleges and universities to find out how to become a lecturer. Look at current openings, and if you don't see anything relevant to your background, contact the head of the department that you are targeting or the school's administration to find out how to become a lecturer. 5. Identify speaking engagements. As a panel moderator or speaker at a conference, you expound on your area of expertise and thus become better known by others in your field. This is a great way to increase your professional reach and enhance your network. If you don't already know of some, search for events and conferences in your industry and reach out to the organizers to propose a brief chat. Be sure to tell them the value you can add as a presenter. [See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.] 6. Write. Much like taking on speaking engagements, writing can position you as a specialist. Start small by considering local publications where you may be able to successfully pitch an article topic. Then consider trade magazines that may value your insights. Try to propose an article on a recent trend in your field and offer your perspective on it. You don't have to limit your professional potential by only thinking inside your company. If you have your eyes on personal growth, take the time to invest in some activities that will help you advance over the long term. This can take on many forms, and each allows you to become better known in your field and grow your network for potential opportunities down the road. With tax season well underway, taxpayers should officially be on the alert for all kinds of innovative scams. From imposters posing as company executives to fake IRS agents, con artists are constantly developing new ways to steal your personal information and your money. While these scams happen year round, they are particularly noticeable during tax season. Related: The Best and Worst States for Taxes Here are seven common tax scams the IRS is warning taxpayers to watch out for this year: 1. Fake emails from the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. Some taxpayers are receiving bogus emails that appear to be coming from the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel regarding a tax refund. Recipients are typically asked to provide personal and financial information. If you receive such an email, its best to avoid replying to it. Taxpayers can forward the email to phishing@irs.gov and explain that you believe its a scam email phishing for personal information. The real Taxpayer Advocacy Panel serves as an advisory board to the IRS and never asks for or receives personal and financial information on taxpayers. 2. IRS impersonators on the phone. Someone from the IRS calls and asks to verify your tax return information. The caller says theyve received your tax return but need to clarify a few details -- like your Social Security number, bank numbers and credit card information -- in order to process it. Only theyre not with the IRS theyre con artists trying to steal your personal information. Related: 10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Scammers This Tax Season 3. Fictitious corporate executives. A new type of scam has emerged over the past month and has already hit a number of companies, including Weight Watchers International. Scammers impersonating high-ranking company executives are duping staffers in human resources and payroll departments into forwarding employees financial and personal information via email. The IRS issued as alert about the scam last month and said that the con artists typically ask a company employee to send the W-2 forms or a list of details like social security numbers and home addresses for a number of employees. The staffer who receives the email believes it came from a superior in the company and follows through with the information. Story continues 4. Official websites. Over the past year, the IRS has seen a 400 percent uptick in phishing and malware scams. These phony emails, constructed to look like theyre from the IRS or another legitimate entity, ask for information related to filing status, PINs, refunds and personal information, among other data. When a taxpayer clicks on links in the email, theyre directed to a website thats designed to resemble an authentic-looking site, such as IRS.gov. In addition to potentially containing malware that can harm your computer and grant scammers access to your files, the sites typically request Social Security numbers and other personal information. The information can then be used to help file fake tax returns. Related: Taxpayers Lose $23 Million in IRS Phone Scam This scam has also been seen in the form of a text message and has been reported countrywide. 5. Phony IRS phone calls. Checking your caller ID to avoid scammers calls isnt enough anymore. Crafty cons have figured out how to modify the caller ID when theyre phoning taxpayers to make it seem like the IRS is calling. These con artists use phony names and fake IRS identification badge numbers to sound more legitimate. Victims are informed that they owe the IRS money and must pay it back immediately through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. The caller threatens them with arrest, suspension of a drivers or business license, and possibly deportation if the victim refuses to comply. The caller can be rude and aggressive. Another tactic is to inform the victim that they have a refund due in order to dupe them into disclosing private information. 6. Targeting tax professionals. Even tax professionals arent immune to tax scams. Fake emails, which appear to be from the IRS e-services program, ask tax professionals to update their IRS e-services portal information and Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). But the links provided in the email are actually a phishing scam meant to steal user names and passwords. 7. Bogus IRS website. In another email scam that has recently surfaced, victims receive an email that appears to be from the IRS and that asks recipients to update their IRS e-files. The email includes a link to a sham website that resembles the official IRS site and once victims click on the link, they are subject to a phishing scam. Related: The IRS Tax Scam That Can Rob You Blind The IRS requests that any taxpayer who receives an email like this not to respond to it or click on the links and forward it to the IRS. How to Avoid the Scams Its not that difficult to avoid a tax scam if you follow these tips from the IRS: * The IRS never calls taxpayers about money owed without first mailing a bill. * The IRS never demands that you pay taxes before giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. * The IRS does not require taxes to be paid using a specific method, such as a prepaid debit card. * The IRS never requests credit or debit card numbers over the phone. * The IRS does not threaten to have the local police or other law-enforcement groups arrest you for not paying your taxes. So if you see any of these red flags, be sure to stay clear. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Uncertainty in the markets drove up the price of gold during the first quarter of 2016, posting its biggest gain since 1986. With gold prices on an upward trend, many investors are wondering whether now is the time to buy the precious metal or focus on equities. Greg King, CEO of Rex Shares, says investors no longer have to choose between the two options. There's a new way to bet on gold's next move. Two funds launched this week, the REX Gold Hedged S&P 500 ETF (GHS) and the REX Gold Hedged FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (GHE), are unique concepts for the U.S. ETF market. Both funds diversify an investors portfolio through exposure to gold, without reducing equity allocations. The new funds give investors a different way to access gold that has never been done in the U.S. market before, Greg King, CEO of Rex Shares, told Yahoo Finances Seana Smith in the video above. Traditionally there was this misconception that in order to get access to gold in ETF portfolios, you needed to sell out of stocks or bonds to get that allocation. What our fund does for the first time is allow you to stay long stocks while getting exposed to gold through gold futures. GHE is benchmarked against the FTSE Emerging Gold Overlay Index, and GHS is benchmarked against the S&P 500 Dynamic Gold Hedged Index. According to King, speculation of a challenging upcoming earnings season and uncertainty over the Feds rate hike timeline make gold-hedged ETFs a timely and attractive investment play. Syrian state TV says more than 300 workers from al-Badia Cement Company were abducted, while Agence France-Presse put the figure at 250. Heres AFP on the significance of the fighting outside Damascus: Dumeir is divided between IS control in the east and rebel control in the west, but several key positions around it, including a military airport and a power plant, are still in government hands. ... The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the fighting was heavy but the jihadists had not managed to gain significant ground. ... IS had seized five regime positions in the area, including two checkpoints, since Monday ISISs offensive against government positions east of Damascus began this week after a series of setbacks suffered by the militant group. Although ISIS has shown an ability to strike at the heart of Europe, and has inspired people to carry out attacks in the U.S., the group has, in fact, lost much of the territory it controls in Syria and Iraq (though it has made inroads in Libya). Wednesdays attacks outside Damascusand the abduction of the workersmay be an indication ISIS is trying to reverse those losses. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Hindsight is 20/20ask any entrepreneur. We did just that. We gathered some of the best (and most successful) minds across a number of fields and asked them what advice they would give to their 25-year-old selves if they could go back in time. Steve Chen, founder, YouTube.com and Nom.com Id tell myself to maybe hold off a little bit before selling the company YouTube to Google. I was still in my 20s at the time. Danny Meyer, CEO and founder, Union Square Hospitality Group I would say dont get so upset about making mistakes as long as the mistakes youre making are honest mistakes that didnt lack integrity. I think that my 25-year-old self was always way too hard on myself for making honest mistakes. What Ive learned through all these years is that mistakes are the greatest renewable resource for human beings. We make more of them and better mistakes than any animal on earth. As long as youre willing to learn from it and teach from it, you can generally end up in a better position. Max Levchin, co-founder, PayPal and CEO of Affirm I would say keep going, I dont know if I would change anything. So far Ive had a fantastic run, and Im loving every moment of it. I was very lucky to discover in college that entrepreneurship was what Id like to do. Andrew Zimmern, host, Bizarre Foods" There are people in your life who are going to give you lots of advice, and its because they actually care about you, theyre not the enemy. Your teachers arent the enemy, your parents arent the enemy, the nice lady down the street isnt your enemy. I think weve lost a way of trusting each other and weve become too single-minded and closed to new ideas. I think thats a very dangerous thing as human-beings. We need to be open to new ideas. So I would go back to my 10-year-old or 25-year-old self and slap a little sense into myself, and say dont be closed to these ideas. Pete Cashmore, CEO and founder, Mashable You never regret taking a risk and seeing if it pays off, so for entrepreneurs I think if youre not sure about something, try it. Give it a go, see if it works and dont be shy about something not working. You just have to try it and quickly move on if its not working. Thats the only way you can learn. Nobody knows whats going to happen in these environments. Theres no game plan and no crystal ball. You cant predict what is going to happen, and everyone is finding their own way. The closer you are to the cutting edge, the more you youll learn and the faster youll learn, and the more ahead youll be. Youve got to take a few steps forward, expect to trip a couple of times, but keep running. KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes conducted two air strikes in Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan on Wednesday but there were conflicting reports on whether the casualties were civilians or combatants. The two strikes in Paktika province were aimed at insurgent targets, U.S. military spokesman Commander Fernando Estrella said on Thursday, but he gave no more details. Paktika provincial police chief Zorawar Zahid said 14 insurgents were killed. But another local official said those killed were civilians. "I am from the area where the incident happened and I can say there were all civilians," said Nimatullah Baburi, a deputy provincial council chief. The first strike killed about 15 people and the second six, including men who were trying to collect the bodies from the first bombing, Baburi said. The men were armed but only for their own protection, he said. Estrella said there was no evidence that civilians were killed and Afghan security officials also denied the report. U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan have increased in recent months, especially along the eastern border with Pakistan. (Reporting by Elyas Wahdat in Paktia and by Josh Smith in Kabul, Editing by Angus MacSwan) In this limited series, OZY looks at leading-edge ideas from the fields of technology, health care and education that are emerging from different countries within Africa. Its 3 p.m., and 13-year-old Sam is happily flicking through the pages of a math course on the newest-generation Android tablet with the ease of a digital native. But Sam isnt in a futuristic school in Silicon Valley or the Big Apple hes in Kibera, Nairobis largest slum. In fact, outside of the small library where he reads, surrounded by a handful of equally absorbed children, there are all the signs of unregulated housing and the urban sprawl of developing metropolises: houses built of corrugated metal, open sewers and makeshift electrical grids. Welcome to Kenya, the Wild West of educational innovation, where 46 percent of people are under the age of 15. In the past few years the country has become a mecca for many who are trying to reinvent the way we learn and teach. The marriage of a thriving tech scene with a vast network of children-focused nonprofits is giving birth to educational solutions the West can only dream of, from pay-per-view textbooks to low-cost private schools and animated math classes. Whats more, last year the government said it would stop ranking schools according to test results and also announced an ambitious plan to put a tablet in the hands of every first-grader. Kenya is a natural breeding ground for innovation, says Tonee Ndungu, founder of Kytabu, a pay-per-view tablet system that drastically reduces the price of textbooks. Kenyans are not scared of technology, he says. We think everything is possible. Sure, Nairobi is a tech hub, and widely successful solutions like mobile payments have bred a generation of tech optimists. But while Kenyas young population is growing, its infrastructure from the lack of schools to its poorly trained teachers isnt up to the task. So edupreneurs are being funded by a unique combination of eager venture capitalists and optimistic nongovernmental organizations interested in shaking up the traditional education model. We need to have big dreams so that, even if we fall short, we will have gotten further. Tonee Ndungu, founder of Kytabu Some argue that the country should be prioritizing needs like electricity or water, but Ndungu says, education is the one thing everyone agrees sucks. New initiatives seem ubiquitous and include Masai warriors accessing Wikipedia in their informal schools as well as big panels on the side of Nairobi highways advertising Bridge schools, a company promising low-cost private education. Meanwhile, at iHub (Kenyas biggest startup incubator), Sam Rich talks about the future of education over a lemon-and-poppy-seed muffin on a terrace packed with MacBooks. It is a very exciting time to be in this space, says the Brit. You can see progress being made. Gettyimages 492950152 A student in Nairobi uses a tablet during class that was created by the local tech company BRCK. Source: Simon Maina/Getty The company Rich runs, eLimu, builds interactive educational software for tablets, and was started by two Kenyan women under the premise that their country could leapfrog education in the same way it has mobile banking. If their bet pays off, it would mean a much better chance of success and health for the next generation. According to UNESCO, every year of schooling increases a persons lifetime earnings by 10 percent while drastically reducing the risk of infant mortality. And kids learning from computers at age 6 would grow up more tech-savvy than the so-called Facebook generation. Indeed, just a floor below the iHub cafeteria is BRCK, one of the companies trying to build tablets for thousands of students. In a corner of its swanky office lies piles of big black boxes that look designed to hold ammunition, except each is a portable classroom containing 40 new tablets. BRCK is now trying to get a governmental contract that would not only help children learn but also make the startup extremely profitable. This sort of unique collaboration between sectors for-profit, nonprofit and public will lead to Kenyas educational success, says James Otieno Jowi, executive director of the African Network for Internationalization of Education. Yet heavy-handed private involvement has raised some concerns, too. After all, isnt education too important to leave outside governmental control? The lack of a centralized system is also likely to lead to awkward overlaps the U.S. Agency for International Development, for example, is now getting ready to roll out a service similar to what eLimu is doing, except its would be free. Lack of adequate coordination can lead to the proliferation of several systems, and this will water down the quality of education, says John Koskey Changach, professor of education at Moi University, in Eldoret, Kenya. Whats more, there is a chance this will all turn out to be a pedagogical flop. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has actually said that, based on its data, school technology has raised too many false hopes and doesnt improve pupil results. To entrepreneurs like Ndungu, though, failure doesnt matter much. We need to have big dreams so that, even if we fall short, we will have gotten further, he says. And yes, he admits that its hard to be competing with NGOs and fellow Kenyan startups. But its through competition that local children will end up with the best educational tools, he says. May the best one win. Related Articles BERLIN (Reuters) - European aerospace group Airbus has signed a deal with industrial group Siemens to work on hybrid electric propulsion systems with the aim of building small planes that could be partly powered by electricity by 2030. The two companies will aim to demonstrate the technical feasibility of various hybrid electric propulsion systems by 2020, they said in a statement on Thursday. The two have put together a team of about 200 people to work on developing electrically powered aircraft and will make "significant contributions" to the project. "We believe that by 2030 passenger aircraft below 100 seats could be propelled by hybrid propulsion systems and we are determined to explore this possibility together with world-class partners like Siemens," Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders said. (Reporting by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Christoph Steitz) By Dan Whitcomb (Reuters) - An Alaskan volcano that began erupting 10 days ago, belching an ash cloud 20,000 feet (6,906 meters) high that triggered aviation warnings, ended its latest round of seismic activity on Wednesday but may not stay quiet for long, scientists said. Satellite observations showed no evidence of further "eruptive activity" on Mount Pavlof and low levels of seismic activity suggested that the volcano had subsided, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said in a statement. But the mountain could stir again with little or no warning, the agency said, adding in a post on Twitter: "The volcano remains restless and a return to robust eruptive activity is possible." Pavlof, one of the most active volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula, began erupting on March 27, unleashing a towering plume of ash over its icy slopes drifting to the northwest. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a "red" aviation alert in response to the ash cloud, which required that local and regional flights, including cargo air traffic out of Anchorage, be re-routed. The alert level was dropped to yellow on Wednesday. Scientists say the eruption did not pose an immediate danger to nearby communities on the peninsula, which were monitoring the ash fall. The closest residential area is Cold Bay, located 37 miles (60 km) southwest of Pavlof. There have been more than 40 eruptions from Pavlof, including between May and November of 2014, when ash plumes also triggered aviation warnings. Such events can last weeks or months. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Leslie Adler) Republished with permission from Poets and Quants. The most elusive yet revealing stat about a business school is the size of its endowment. Few schools disclose this number in any public way, though its fair to say that B-school deans put more focus on this one number than any other. After all, its the ultimate measure of a schools true wealth. And a wealthy school is more likely to attract and retain the best faculty and staff. Its no surprise that business schools with the largest budgets devote at least half of their expenses to salaries and benefits. A wealthier school is also more likely to have better facilities, in the form of new state-of-the-art buildings or well-maintained historic buildings with the latest technology. Wealthy schools typically have more flexibility to fight for the best students in the form of scholarship money, which in turn improves the overall profile of an incoming class and ultimately the career outcomes of its graduates. In fact, the size of a schools endowment is far more important an indicator of a schools power and impact than an individual ranking, location, facilities, acceptance rate, career prospects, network strength, or industry placement. Because a business schools wealth typically comes from gifts and other donations from its alumni network, a schools wealth is a good indication of the strength of its alumni base. So which schools lead and which institutions have some catching up to do? THE GAP BETWEEN HARVARD & STANFORD: $2 BILLION With painstaking research, Poets&Quants has produced the most complete and up-to-date list of business school endowments ever published, with more than 50 top schools sharing their latest data. (Only two top U.S. schools declined to provide this information: Notre Dame Universitys Mendoza School of Business and the University of Pittsburghs Katz School). Not surprisingly, youll find a strong correlation between endowment and the rankings, the quality of a class profile, and career statistics. But the numbers pull back the curtain on overvalued and undervalued programs and provide a potential explanation as to why certain schools are climbing the rankings every year while others stay put or lose ground. Story continues It wont shock anyone to know that Harvard Business School is at the top of the endowment heap. More surprising is its lead over all its rivals. As of fiscal 2015, ended June 30th, 2015, HBS treasure chest totaled a whopping $3.3 billion, the size of many university and college endowments. The gap between Harvard and Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business is now $2 billion, given the GSBs current $1.3 billion endowment. In the past four years alone, HBS has increased its endowment by 24.5%, or $658 million, from $2.7 million in fiscal 2012, when the Great Recession walloped all endowments. After the big two, youll find a predictable set of schools at the top: the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School at $1.289 billion, Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management at $866.0 million, and MITs Sloan School of Management at $812.9 million. A big surprise is the endowment size of Yale Universitys School of Management at $743.0 million, placing it sixth among the top business schools. And an equal surprise, in the other direction, might well be the University of Chicagos Booth School of Business which has an endowment of $734.0 million. The Chicago Booth number, however, does not include investment manager David Booths $300 million naming gift in 2008 which can yield more annual income than the cash thrown off by the Booth endowment. If the grant from Dimensional Fund Advisors Co-Founder David Booth were included, the Booth endowment could be double its actual size, putting it behind only Harvard (see table for complete list). Explains Joe Buck, associate dean for the office of advancement, The Booth gift is not part of our endowment because there was no transfer of assets. The gift is structured so that the school receives a cash flow each year based on the stock dividends of Dimensional Fund Advisors. Its also fascinating to examine U.S. business school endowments compared to the funds raised by non-U.S. schools. INSEAD has the largest endowment of any of the top European schools, but at $206.6 million the size of that fund puts the institution just above the University of Wisconsins Business School and just behind Cornell Universitys Johnson School. London Business Schools $65.2 million endowment places the school just above the University of Arizonas business school. By and large, the spirit of university giving in Europe and other parts of the world lags far behind that of the U.S. At one business school after another, the endowments are significantly lower for schools that have risen to prominence in global rankings by The Financial Times and The Economist. IESE Business School in Spain has an endowment of $56 million, while IMD in Switzerland boasts just $24.6 million and ESADE in Spain of $4.7 million. ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE DATA: ENDOWMENT PER STUDENT While the overall size of a schools endowment is important, the size of the institution also matters. Larger programs have larger networks but they also require higher expenses and greater investments to stay on par with smaller rivals. Thats why we are examining the numbers not merely by overall endowment but also by endowment per student. We are ranking them by endowment and by endowment per student. Looking at the numbers per student, Harvard may still rule the roost but things get switched up fast when accounting for the size of a schools enrollment including undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Harvard has nearly $1.7 million in endowment funds for each enrollment student, compared with No. 2 Stanford which sits at $1.0 million. Yale SOM is third with $968,709 per student, while Dartmouth Tuck is fourth with $585,538 per student, and Vanderbilt Universitys Owen School is fifth with $527,915 per student. The highest public university is Virginias Darden School which has an endowment per student of $526,291, placing it sixth overall (see table here). HOW MUCH CASH DOES A TYPICAL ENDOWMENT THROW OFF? How does an endowment work? Its like a treasure chest that throws off cash each year to cover part of a schools operating costs. No school uses its endowment as a checking account, but rather as savings that throw off some cash each year while preserving the base capital of the fund. At Harvard Business School, for example, the targeted annual payout goal is between 5% and 5.5% of the total $3.3 billion endowment. So in 2015, when the payout was 5.1% of the endowment, this treasure chest produced $127 million, accounting for 18% of the schools total revenues. The year-over-year increase in Harvards endowment from $3.2 billion a year earlier reflects a 5.8% net appreciation in the endowments market value, the subtraction of the years distribution of $127 million, offset by $69 million in endowment gifts received by HBS during the year. How much a school taps into its endowment for cash is dependent on university guidelines, the market appreciation or depreciation of the funds, as well as a schools needs. In 2015, HBS endowment took a hit on the appreciation side, with the market value of the fund increasing by only 5.8%, versus the 15.4% rise of a year earlier. But the $69 million increase in endowment gifts also was just part of the $166 million in gifts and pledges to Harvard Business School last year. Ultimately, the size of a schools endowment amplifies its ability to carry out its mission and to enable and support growth and development for the school and its community. Daniel J. Bonsoms, a CFA, is undecided on which MBA offer he will ultimately accept. Hes worked in private equity for the past four years and currently lives in Los Angeles. America's Wealthiest Business Schools It's no surprise that Harvard Business School tops this newest list compiled by Poets&Quants. Among the big surprises is the lead HBS now has over its rivals, Yale's School of Management having the sixth largest endowment, as well as Babson Colleges sizable treasure chest that places it ahead of such schools as Dartmouth, USC and Berkeley Poets & Quants All numbers are fiscal 2015, ending 6/30/15, for endowment as defined by the National Association of College and University Business Officers. * The Chicago Booth number does not include David Booth's $300 million naming gift in 2008 which can yield more annual income in some years than the Booth endowment. If it were included, the Booth endowment could be double its actual size. A spokesperson for Booth, however, says that the annual outlays from the grant can vary considerable from year to year. Source: Business schools reporting to Poets&Quants Get the data Ranking Schools On Endowment Per Student Poets & Quants Source: Business schools reporting to Poets&Quants Notes: Total students includes undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students enrolled in 2014-2015. Not getting enough sleep at night? Youre not alone. A lack of sufficient sleep is the most common unhealthy behavior among Americans, according to new research. A new study from the United Health Foundation looked at how pervasive five unhealthy behaviors and conditions smoking, excessive drinking, inadequate sleep, physical inactivity and obesity are among American adults. These five were chosen due to their connections with heart disease and other chronic conditions. Insufficient sleep, characterized as less than seven hours of shut-eye per night, plagues 34.7 percent of Americans. Nearly 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep and wakefulness disorders. Related: 17 Products to Help You Get a Good Nights Sleep Although lack of sleep might seem like a minor problem that can be solved by a strong cup of coffee or two, its not that simple. A sufficient amount of sleep is necessary to help the body metabolize sugar and help the immune system function properly. Sleep Deprivation in Adults | HealthGrove Adults who get less than seven hours of sleep on average are more likely to have chronic illnesses such as depression, cancer, diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Poor sleep is also linked to an uptick in car accidents and occupational errors. But its not all bad news. The report found that the portion of the population getting insufficient sleep dropped six-tenths of a percentage point from 35.3 percent in 2014. Related: Are You Getting Enough Sleep? These 10 Tips Could Help Obesity is the second most common of the five health issues in the study, afflicting 29.6 percent of adults. The study found that more than 70 percent of adults have at least one of the unhealthy behaviors or conditions, while 12 percent have at least three. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Karolina Tagaris ATHENS (Reuters) - Migrants held on the Greek islands Lesbos and Chios live in "appalling" conditions with little access to legal aid or information about their fate under a European Union agreement that will send some back to Turkey, Amnesty International said on Thursday. Under a deal between the EU and Ankara in place since March 20, undocumented migrants who cross to Greek islands will be kept in holding centers until their asylum claims are processed. Those who do not qualify will be returned to Turkey. The first group of 202 migrants to be returned, most of them from Pakistan and Afghanistan, were sent back to Turkey on Monday. "People detained on Lesbos and Chios have virtually no access to legal aid, limited access to services and support, and hardly any information about their current status or possible fate," said Amnesty Deputy Director for Europe Gauri van Gulik. "The fear and desperation are palpable," she said. In a report published Thursday, Amnesty said among those held in the centers are a small baby with complications after an attack in Syria, heavily pregnant women, people unable to walk, and a young girl with a developmental disability. Many refugees spoke about the lack of access to doctors or medical staff. Legal aid is scarce and inaccessible to the vast majority, and asylum procedures are expected to be rushed, it said. Refugees told Amnesty that they did not get enough information about what the asylum process will entail. Many have received no or incomplete documentation of their registration. "It is likely that thousands of asylum seekers will be returned to Turkey despite it being manifestly unsafe for them," Amnesty wrote. Monitors visited the islands this week. One Syrian woman told Amnesty she and her family signed several documents despite not having an interpreter present, and were not provided with copies. "I don't need food, I need to know what is happening," the woman was quoted as saying. "Serious and immediate steps must be taken to address the glaring gaps we've documented in Lesbos and Chios," Amnesty's van Gulik said. "They show that in addition to Turkey not being safe for refugees at the moment, there are also serious flaws on the Greek side of the EU-Turkey deal. Until both are fully resolved, no further returns should take place." (Reporting by Karolina Tagaris, editing by Larry King) LUANDA (Reuters) - Angolan oil minister Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos said on Thursday he had done nothing wrong after a Panama Papers leak named him as having an interest in an offshore company based in the Pacific island nation of Niue. Media reports based on leaked documents from a Panama-based law firm said Botelho de Vasconcelos was listed as one of two people who had power of attorney for Medea Investments Ltd, a firm founded in 2001 that valued its own capital at $1 million. The company moved to Samoa in 2006 and became inactive in 2009, according to the leaked documents. Botelho de Vasconcelos said there was nothing wrong in his involvement with the firm, which had not been active. "In 2001, the Company Medea Investments Limited was created with the objective of participating in partnerships that, however, for different reasons, did not come to exercise any activity," he said in a statement. "I have to emphasize that this action carried out in 2001, does not call into question the my good name, in particular, nor of the country in general. I am aware of my moral duty, as a citizen and a patriot." The Panama Papers, which included more than 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, were leaked to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. They then became part of a broader investigation coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The files, which contained the details of clients around the world, prompted Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, the prime minister of Iceland, to quit, put British Prime Minister David Cameron under pressure over his family's financial affairs, and brought calls in Ukraine to investigate President Petro Poroshenko. (Reporting by Herculano Coroado; Writing by Joe Brock) Antoine Fuqua is expanding his relationship with The Weinstein Co. The Training Day and Southpaw director has signed a multiple-year first-look television deal with the studio, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Under the pact, TWC will have first-look options with Fuqua to direct, develop or produce his next TV projects. The deal marks TWC's first overall deal since expanding into television. As part of Fuqua's pact, sources say his first project will be Mario Puzo's Omerta, the final book in the author's mafia trilogy that started with The Godfather and The Last Don. The book was published in 2000, a year after the two-time Oscar-winning author's death. A network is not yet attached, but sources say the pilot will film in the summer. "We are thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with Antoine. We have been lucky enough to work with some of the best storytellers in the business. Antoine has a unique vision that is all his own," TWC co-chairman Harvey Weinstein said. "His ability to take the adrenaline of action and emotion of drama, weaving them together, makes him one of the best contemporary directors and producers in our industry. We look forward to adding his powerhouse strength to our TV division." The pact expands TWC's relationship with Fuqua following the feature Southpaw. The director, meanwhile, also has CBS' TV adaption of Training Day in the works. He'll exec produce the drama, which hails from Warner Bros. Television. "It's a great time to work in TV with the type of high-quality caliber shows that are out there now," Fuqua said. "Harvey, Bob and the entire Weinstein team have been great collaborators, so I can't think of a better studio to partner with on this endeavor." The deal was negotiated by David Glasser, Megan Spanjian and Sarah Sobel on behalf of TWC, with Rob Kenneally and Scott Greenberg from CAA and Brian Lazarus from Ziffren Brittenham on behalf of Fuqua. By Maximiliano Rizzi BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - An Argentine prosecutor on Thursday asked a judge to open an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's connection with offshore companies as revealed by the "Panama Papers" leak which has shone a light on the financial schemes of the world's elite. A leak of four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specializes in setting up offshore companies, has triggered similar investigations across the world. Macri, who won last year's election partly on promises to root out corruption, has said he was not legally obliged to declare his connection with the offshore company named in the "Panama Papers" as he never had a stake in it. The president said he was simply director of the Bahamas-based company, Fleg Trading Ltd., now closed, which was created by his tycoon father to make investments in Brazil. Critics say he owes a more thorough explanation of this and his alleged connection with another offshore company, Kagemusha SA", registered in Panama, given that such firms are often used to launder money and evade taxes. "As a first step, it is necessary to check if Mauricio Macri maliciously failed to complete his tax declaration," state prosecutor Federico Delgado wrote in his appeal to Judge Sebastian Casanello, noting this was a crime which carries a sentence of 15 days to two years. Casanello must now decide if there is sufficient evidence to open an investigation. Asked about the prosecutor's request, a government spokesman said Macri had already made it clear he had committed no wrongdoing. Norman Dario Martinez, a lawmaker for the opposition Front for Victory party, instigated the case. "Macri's participation as director and vicepresident of two companies in the Bahamas and Panama is clear, proved and admitted, and these places are tax havens that are usually used for money laundering and tax evasion," he told broadcaster C5N. The millions of leaked documents implicated scores of politicians and business figures internationally and the case already forced one head of state, Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, to step down. Argentine opposition lawmakers are calling for the resignation of the head of the Argentine anti-corruption office, Laura Alonso. Alonso is a member of Macri's party and swiftly defended the president after the Panama Papers emerged, saying that creating a company in a tax haven was not a crime. "She came out immediately defending the president when her role is to investigate whether an act of corruption was carried out," the Front for Victory said in a statement. (Additional reporting and writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Andrew Hay) By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Ahmad Ghaddar LONDON (Reuters) - Dozens of journalists at oil-price reporting agency Argus Media are set to become multi-millionaires when a deal to bring an investor onboard goes through later this year, potentially valuing the firm at as much as $1.3 billion. Argus, which makes the bulk of its revenue by assessing energy prices and selling subscriptions to the industry, has been seeking investors since last year to expand its business and as some of the founding shareholders want to sell out. The firm is in the final stages of reaching a deal to sell a stake, with four investment and private equity funds vying and prepared to value the company at up to 900 million pounds, according to sources close to the bidding process. Argus declined to comment. The deal will make founding members - the Nasmyth family - and Argus' chairman and publisher Adrian Binks worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to disclosure documents. But it will also turn dozens of Argus' shareholding employees - many of whom are journalists - into multi-millionaires in a development that contrasts deeply with the woes facing much of the general print media. While traditional news outlets have cut hundreds of staff in recent years as they struggle to compete with free online media, niche publications have thrived due to rising demand from specialized audiences for high-quality, selective information. This development certainly rings true for Argus, whose beginnings date back to 1970 when Jan Nasmyth set up the weekly newsletter Europ-Oil Prices to cover the oil products market in Western Europe just as global energy trading picked up. Binks, after a career with BP , bought a stake in the newsletter in 1984 and was appointed managing director. Argus expanded in the following decades, competing with other price-reporting agencies such as Platts and Thomson Reuters , acquiring smaller rivals and establishing itself as a benchmark in some crude and gasoline markets. Story continues Its sales grew by 15 percent in the 12 months to June 30 last year to 123 million pounds, and pretax profit rose by around 10 percent to 32.5 million. MILLIONAIRE JOURNALISTS After the Nasmyth family decided last year that it wanted to sell out, Argus attracted as many as 60 potential buyers and investors despite a steep fall in energy and other commodity prices, according to industry sources. A consortium of private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and U.S. buyout firm Hellman & Friedman are thought to be among the final bidders. Intermediate Capital Group (IGC), General Atlantic and Permira might also be bidding, Sky News reported on Wednesday. IGC declined to comment, while other potential bidders were not available for immediate comment. "It is remarkable that in an environment where you can buy an oil company for $1 you have to pay over $1 billion for an oil publisher," a source familiar with one of the bidders said. "The reasons behind it are quite simple - money is cheap these days, investors are looking for stable returns on investments and Argus is delivering. However, I don't think their subscription can be entirely isolated from the oil price weakness," he said. Argus' filing to UK corporate registrar Companies House last June showed that more than 36.4 million shares in the company were held by around 80 individuals. A separate filing last month showed Argus had granted extra options for around 0.5 million shares. The Nasmyth family owns over 18 million shares, or half the stock, with a value of at least $650 million. Binks, who sources say does not plan to sell out, owns close to 10 million A and B class shares. He is the only shareholder with B shares, which give additional voting rights. The registrar also shows that around 40 employee-shareholders, many of whom are current or former journalists, own enough shares to give them a valuation of $1 million or more. Among the other top shareholders are head of business development Peter Caddy with almost 1 million shares, which would value him at above $35 million, Argus America's president and head of business development Daniel Massey with over 730,000 shares, and CEO Americas Euan Craik with over 300,000 shares. Argus' editor Ian Bourne, who joined the company in 1995, holds close to 200,000 shares. (Editing by Dale Hudson) Armstrong Flooring (AFI), the newly-spun off company Armstrong World Industries (AWI), may be a key beneficiary from the formaldehyde controversy that has plagued Lumber Liquidators (LL). We certainly have seen a nice pick-up across our other channels which have benefitted from that situation, Armstrong Flooring CEO Don Maier told Yahoo Finance. For us, when theres times of uncertainty, consumers look for the most trusted brand. And Armstrong has the two most trusted and recognized brands in the flooring industry. Lumber Liquidators shares has been under pressure since the beginning of 2015, dropping after a 60 Minutes investigation into the companys China-made products. In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the flooring has a greater risk of causing cancer or other health problems than previously believed. Its cheaper to source in the U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has rallied anger about increased outsourcing especially to countries like China. Much has been made particularly about unfavorable environmental impacts of low-cost sourcing in China. But Armstrong Flooring doesnt see outsourcing to China as a major source of cost savings. We have onshored almost all of our engineered wood production, Maier said. Weve got a trend of bringing those jobs back to America. We believe that gives us the best cost position, he added. Strong housing trends Maier said his newly-focused company has benefitted from improving trends in the housing market. US housing starts have grown at a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2013 through 2015, existing home sales at a 2% CAGR and later-cycle non-residential construction at a 9% CAGR. Maier sees the housing recovery continuing at a slow and steady pace. Weve liked the trends we see, he said. We like the forward look as well. Maier added that improved confidence in the housing market and stabilizing prices have added the remodel business, which is the majority of the companys sales. Addis Ababa (AFP) - The African Union has readmitted the Central African Republic, ending a three-year suspension following a coup that sparked the country's worst sectarian bloodletting. The AU's Peace and Security Council late Wednesday hailed "positive developments" in Central Africa, including landmark presidential elections in February to turn the page on three years of violence that killed thousands. It also lauded the country for "successfully holding" the elections, which passed off without violence despite widespread fears of unrest. "In view of the successful completion of the transition process and the restoration of normal constitutional order", the AU decided "to lift the suspension", a statement said. The violence disrupted farming, transport and public services in one of the world's poorest nations and was so serious that France -- the former colonial power -- launched a military intervention and the UN deployed a peacekeeping force. Beirut (AFP) - Lebanese authorities on Thursday detained an Australian woman for allegedly abducting her two children and an Australian television crew as well as two Britons accused of involvement. The crew were filming an operation by a child recovery agency involving two young children from Australia who were in Beirut with their Lebanese father. The two children disappeared on Wednesday while waiting for their school bus. Lebanon's Internal Security Forces said in a statement that they had detained the Australian mother who was with her two children in Beirut. "The woman and her two children are in ISF custody after being located in a home in Beirut 24 hours after their kidnapping," a source from Lebanon's interior ministry told AFP. The ISF had detained the four-member television crew from Channel Nine's "60 Minutes" programme earlier on Thursday for questioning. The two children, meanwhile, were "handed to their father, based to a judicial order," the ISF later tweeted. It also said in a separate tweet that "five Australians among them the mother, two British and two Lebanese citizens, were arrested in the kidnapping". The mother of the children, identified by Australian media as Sally Faulkner, has said their Lebanese father, from whom she is divorced, took them for a holiday and then allegedly refused to return them to Australia. "The woman made an agreement with the 60 Minutes programme from Channel Nine to come help her recover her children from Lebanon," a security source told AFP. The source said the children had been taken while with their grandmother and there was a plan for them to be removed from Lebanon by boat. Australian media said the two children are a six-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy. A grainy video of the incident released by Lebanon's Al-Jadeed television showed the children walking with an older figure, reportedly their grandmother. Story continues Several figures jump out of a nearby car and carry the children into the vehicle, which then speeds off. Channel Nine said that the crew had been unreachable for 15 hours but were later tracked down to a Beirut police station and put in contact with Australian consular officials. "It is a relief to know that Australian officials are about to speak to them," a network spokesman told the channel's evening news bulletin. "The crew knew that this was a risk, going to do this story." Australian media named two of those held as reporter Tara Brown and producer Steven Rice. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement that the pair have been "offered all appropriate consular assistance". It is the second time an Australian television crew has been detained overseas in recent weeks after two Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalists were held in Malaysia for trying to question Prime Minister Najib Razak about multiple scandals swirling around him. They were soon released and deported. Cash-strapped Australian miner and steelmaking giant Arrium was on Thursday placed into voluntary administration with big debts on the back of plunging commodity prices. The company owes more than Aus$2.0 billion (US$1.5 billion) and its shares were suspended on Wednesday after its lenders rejected a proposed US$927 million recapitalisation plan by GSO Capital Partners that would have involved bankers taking a haircut on their debts. With no other alternatives looming, Arrium said "it has become clear to the board of Arrium that it has, unfortunately, been left with no option other than to place the relevant companies into voluntary administration". Arrium operates in 15 countries with 8,350 employees, of which 7,000 are based in Australia, according to latest annual report. Formerly known as OneSteel when it was spun-off from BHP Billiton in 2000, it has been hammered by a plunge in iron ore and steel prices over the past two years amid weak growth in China and delivered a full-year loss of Aus$1.9 billion in 2014/15. The weak prices have hurt higher-cost producers across the globe, while resource giants such as BHP and Rio Tinto -- which enjoy lower costs -- have added to a supply glut by boosting output. Administrator Grant Thornton said Australia will assume control of the company and undertake "a comprehensive and thorough review to identify the steps that can and should be taken to stabilise the Australian steel and mining businesses, with a review to restructure". Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said he was hopeful of a good outcome. "The federal government is disappointed by today's announcement by the board of Arrium to place the company into voluntary administration, however remains hopeful that a positive outcome can be achieved," he said. Vienna (AFP) - Vienna's famous Leopold Museum on Thursday settled a long-running feud over five Nazi-plundered drawings by Austrian painter Egon Schiele with the descendants of the works' Jewish former owner. The museum said it had agreed to return two of the watercolours -- including a self-portrait of Schiele -- to the New York-based heiress of Viennese art collector Karl Maylaender who was deported from Austria in 1941. The remaining three drawings will stay in the possession of the museum, which is home to the world's largest permanent Schiele exhibition. Austrian Culture Minister Josef Ostermayer hailed the settlement as "a very happy day." "It puts an end to years of conflict while allowing both parties to save face," Ostermayer told reporters in Vienna. Maylaender's descendant, 95-year-old Eva Zirkl, spent nearly two decades trying to reclaim the drawings by Schiele, a leading figure of Austrian expressionism and protege of Gustav Klimt. Since Austria passed a law in 1998 covering the restitution of vast numbers of artworks stolen by the Nazis, thousands have been returned -- including major works worth millions of euros. In 2010, the Leopold made worldwide headlines when it reached a $19-million settlement with a Jewish art dealer's estate in the United States over "Portrait of Wally", another Schiele masterpiece stolen by the Nazis. The same year, an art commission set up by the culture ministry recommended the museum hand back Schiele's watercolours to Zirkl. As a privately-funded institution, however, the museum was not obliged to follow the ruling. Austria's Jewish Community, which had represented Zirkl in the case, called Thursday's deal "tremendous". "I am so happy that the heiress can still enjoy these works," said community representative Erika Jakubovits. Austria's most famous restitution case in recent years concerned Maria Altmann, who after a lengthy legal battle secured the return of five Klimts in 2006. One of them, "Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer I," sold for $135 million, a record at the time. During the Third Reich, the Nazis carried out large-scale cultural looting across occupied Europe, with many stolen art works still unaccounted for today. One of the most spectacular finds occurred four years ago when more than 1,200 artworks, including pieces by Cezanne, Delacroix and Munch, were discovered in the Munich home of Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of a powerful Nazi-era dealer. VIENNA (Reuters) - The chief executive of Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg, an Austrian lender mentioned in the massive "Panama Papers" data leak, has become one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on those files. Michael Grahammer, who has been chief executive since 2012, has told the bank he is stepping down, the lender said on Thursday, adding his decision was a surprise. Austrian broadcaster ORF, one of the more than 100 news organisations that investigated the trove of data leaked from a Panama-based law firm, said the bank was connected to offshore companies through trustees in Liechtenstein. Austrian financial markets regulator FMA is investigating whether Hypo Vorarlberg and another Austrian bank mentioned in the Panama Papers reports, Raiffeisen Bank International, took steps required to prevent money laundering. "I remain 100 percent convinced that the bank at no point violated laws or sanctions," Grahammer said in a statement issued by the bank, majority-owned by the province of Vorarlberg, which borders Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The decision was the result of various developments in the past year, he said, adding: "In the end, the media's prejudgement of Hypo Vorarlberg and of myself in recent days was decisive for me in taking this step." (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Mark Potter) Avicii looks tired. Tired, but happy. The Swedish electronic dance music superstar is en route from Bahrain, where he was the headline act for Bahrain Grand Prix concert series, stopping over for a few hours in Cannes before heading out for the final stretch of what, if the 26-year-old DJ is to be believed, will be his final tour. Last week, Avicii, who also goes by his given name, Tim Bergling, shocked his millions-strong global fan base when he announced his retirement from live touring in an emotional letter he posted on his website. "Two weeks ago, I took the time to drive across the U.S. with my friends and team, to just look and see and think about things in a new way," he wrote. "It really helped me realize that I needed to make the change that I'd been struggling with for a while." Sitting down with The Hollywood Reporter, ostensibly to talk about Stories, an upcoming documentary about his short, spectacular career in music (which BBC Worldwide has snatched up for international distribution), Avicii was in a reflective mood. "I was nervous when I made the announcement," he says, "mainly that I would look ungrateful. But I've gotten so many supportive texts from friends in the industry, other DJs, other artists. The fan response has been incredible. And even the press response has been incredible. So yeah, its been a lot better than I expected." Indeed, the artist's EDM peers - Morgan Page, Steve Aoki, Nicky Romero and the The Chainsmokers among them - took to Twitter and Instagram to offer their support. Canadian DJ Deadmau5 was less kind. .@Aviciii pic.twitter.com/VQDVo3DoX5 - dead mow cinco (@deadmau5) March 29, 2016 "Yeah, I saw that," says Avicii, of the Deadmau5 tweet. "That's fine. It's not my problem if he can't quit." Avicii had suffered from very public health problems for the past few years, including acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking. After having his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014, he canceled a series of shows in attempt to recover. Story continues "To me it was something I had to do for my health," he says of his decision to quit touring. "The scene was not for me. It was not the shows and not the music. It was always the other stuff surrounding it that never came naturally to me. All the other parts of being an artist. I'm more of an introverted person in general. It was always very hard for me. I took on board too much negative energy, I think." Read More: Avicii to Undergo Surgery, Cancels Ultra Appearance Today, with his deep-set eyes gazing out from a pale, gaunt face, Bergling still looks far from healthy. But he is smiling. "I just feel happy. I feel free at this point. Like I have my private life back and focusing on myself for the first time in a long time," he says. "This was obviously the hardest decision of my life so far. But so far it has paid off tremendously in terms of well-being for me. I'm happier than I have been in a very, very long time. Stress-free more than I have been in a very long time. I can't say I'm never going to have a show again. I just don't think I'm going to go back to the touring life." Directed by Levan Tsikurishvili, the film Stories follows Avicii from the release of his debut album, True, in 2013 to his follow-up, which shares its title with the documentary. It records his rocket-like rise as a pioneer of the EDM movement, to one of the world's top DJs, who has enjoyed cross-over success with hits such as "Wake Me Up" and "Hey Brother," won two MTV Music Awards, one Billboard Music Award and earned two Grammy nominations. "'It's been a very crazy journey. I started producing when I was 16. I started touring when I was 18. From that point on, I just jumped into 100 percent," Avicii recalls. "When I look back on my life, I think, 'Whoa, did I do that?' It was the best time of my life in a sense. It came with a price - a lot of stress a lot of anxiety for me - but it was the best journey of my life." Despite his own decision to step away, Avicii says he thinks EDM, as a musical and commercial genre, still has a lot of life left in it. "The music is still growing, it's still evolving," he says. "That's why, in a way, I had to make the decision I did. Because I don't feel that EDM is going to stop. So I had to figure out how am I going to deal with that? Am I going to be able to go on this train for another eight years?" With 33 dates left on 2016 tour, Avicii isn't quite done yet. He is also working to finish his new album, which he says is still a work in progress. "I'm collecting what I have left from the last eight years, stuff I've always loved but haven't had an outlet for, and I'm seeing what to release and what not to release." In his remaining live shows, Avicii said he'll be premiering new songs "here and there to see what flies and what doesn't." That includes a new track featuring vocals by Australian artist Sia, though Avicii says the version he played a show last weekend in Dubai, was "a demo, not the finished version." In fact, he said during the concert he pushed the wrong button and played a different version of the track by mistake. "It's one of a lot of new songs that I haven't finally worked out yet. That version isn't the Sia/Avicii song. We're still trying to find the right version." Even after he wraps his last show - scheduled for August 28 in Ibiza - Avicii says he'll keep making music. In fact, he says retirement will likely mean he'll make a lot more music "whether that means doing other projects, songwriting for other artists, or whatever." Bergling also hinted he may branch out into other creative fields, though he didn't provide any details, besides saying he planned "to play around a little bit and see what sticks, see what I feel I'm good at and what I enjoy." He'll also have a chance to catch up on the news - like the reunion of LCD Soundsystem, James Murphy's pioneering electronic dance band that ended its 10-year-run in 2011 when Murphy, much like Avicii now, decided he had enough with the touring lifestyle. "LCD Soundsystem are getting back together? I didn't know. I haven't even been paying attention. That's super exciting," Bergling says. He pauses, pondering the idea. "I could envision a comeback. Maybe in 60 years." Read More: LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy: "If You Think Music Is Silly, Try the Film Business" (Q&A) By Serajul Quadir DHAKA (Reuters) - A Bangladeshi company has suspended work on a planned Chinese-backed coal-fired power plant after four demonstrators opposing its construction were killed earlier this week, a senior company official said on Thursday. Villagers for and against the power plant clashed on Monday before riot police fired their weapons after coming under attack. Three protesters died that day and a fourth died later in the hospital. S Alam Group, a Bangladeshi conglomerate responsible for building construction at the site, has halted the work because of safety concerns, said the official. "The development work is suspended for now and hopefully the situation will be improved soon to start our work again," he said, asking not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The $2.4-billion, 1,320-megawatt project in the coastal district of Chittagong would help Bangladesh end electricity shortages. The plant, located 265 km (165 miles) southeast of the capital Dhaka, is a major source of foreign investment into Bangladesh, and one of a series of plans Beijing is pushing to cultivate closer ties with Dhaka. China's SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corp, which signed a deal to build the plant with S Alam on Monday, wants the government to intervene to end the violence before it restarts work, the S Alam official said. "They wanted to know how many days will it take to settle the issue and how it will be solved," he said. A leading protester told Reuters on Thursday that he had given the government a deadline of Friday to cancel the plant or opponents would continue their demonstrations. "If necessary, the people will sacrifice their lives to save their forefathers home and land," Liakot Ali said. The protesters say villagers around the project will lose their homes and it will disturb the graveyards of relatives as well as cause environmental damage. The plant aims to produce electricity by 2019 but it might miss the target, Ajharul Islam, chief engineer of the state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board in Chittagong said. S Alam project coordinator Bahadur Alam said 360 acres (146 hectares) of land has been purchased for the project. He said the site lies in an isolated area and accused protest leaders of provoking neighboring communities after their demand for money was rejected. Liakot Ali denied demanding any money from S Alam. Bangladesh's government would provide assistance in moving the site of the plant if asked, Nasrul Hamid, a junior minister for power, energy and mineral resources, said Thursday. Electricity "is a top priority sector," he said. (Reporting by Serajul Quadir; additional reporting by Nazimuddin Shyamol from Chittagong; Editing by Tommy Wilkes and Christian Schmollinger) PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - The Mauritius central bank said it has issued a banking licence to Bank of China, the first Chinese bank licensed to operate on the Indian Ocean island. Zhang Xiaoqing, who is leading a team setting up the Mauritius unit, said Bank of China wanted to provide financial services to African businesses and serve multinationals and others doing business between China and Mauritius. Bank of Mauritius Governor Ramesh Basant Roi told reporters on Friday the bank was expected to start operations in the next few months but did not give a date. Mauritius has a growing financial industry and has been promoting the territory as a base for businesses working in Africa and beyond. (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Editing by Edmund Blair and Alexander Smith) Paris (AFP) - As he worked on his new album, the blues rocker Ben Harper looked on with horror at the killings of young African Americans and knew he had to put their plight into song. "I have to write about what moves me the deepest or what's knocking the loudest. I wanted to say it loud," said Harper, whose 13th studio album, "Call It What It Is," comes out Friday. "There was Trayvon Martin, Ezell Ford, Michael Brown," he said, referring to unarmed African Americans who have been shot dead, with Brown's 2014 killing by police in Ferguson, Missouri setting off mass protests. "By the time it got to Michael Brown, it was my tipping point. My back was against the wall," Harper told AFP on a recent visit to Paris. Harper on the album's bluesy title track concludes with the line, "Call it what it is -- murder." Activism is not new for Harper, whose early successes included the 1994 song "Like a King" about Rodney King, the African American motorist whose filmed beating by white Los Angeles police set off riots after the officers were acquitted. Harper noted that the latest killings took place under Barack Obama, the first US president who is African American, and said that race was inadequately discussed in the United States. "I do think possibly having a black president, it made it a lot better. He's such a symbol around the world, a cultural symbol," he said. "But I also think that it stirred things up from the bottom. There's been too many situations now to not look at race, culture and politics holistically and question, why now? "People are so used to pressing the delete button and making things go away quickly that they think that culturally the same thing will happen, but there is no cultural delete button, right?" - Morning coffee and slide guitar - Besides his return to activism, "Call It What It Is" marks Harper's reunion with his old band, the Innocent Criminals, for the first time in eight years. Story continues "You have to know in your life when it's time to make the right moves, you hope. It had been too long. All roads led back to my original band," he said. Harper has stepped up collaborations in recent years, forming the rock group Relentless7 and the more folksy Fistful of Mercy. He has also recorded with the blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite and his own mother Ellen, who runs the Folk Music Center in Claremont, California. "The way our voices sound together is like I could never sound like that with anyone else 'cause it's my mom. "Same with the Innocent Criminals, I've been with them in the 90s, 2000s and 2010s. We've known each other so long that there is a sort of genetic encoding," he said. On the new album, the band revives its blues rock with Harper taking the lead on slide guitar. Harper and the Innocent Criminals go to a more rugged sound on "When Sex Was Dirty" and bring in reggae elements on "Finding Our Way" while also producing powerful ballads "Deeper and Deeper," "All That Has Grown" and "Goodbye to You." But not all of the album is stern, with the chorus of "Pink Balloon" inspired by his daughters. The reunited band plans an extensive tour for "Call It Like It Is," with dates until the end of the year throughout North America and Europe as well as dates in Australia and New Zealand and Japan's Fuji Rock Festival. At 46, Harper said he no longer felt obliged to write one song each day as was long his habit. But he said he cannot imagine spending a day without creating music. He wrote "Call It Like It Is" quickly but said that he is content simply to jot down a few lines before the end of a day. "When I wake up in the morning, I pick up a slide guitar. That's the first thing: coffee and slide guitar," he said. "I don't force a song a day, I let it come." In an escalating a war of words between Democratic rivals, Bernie Sanders says Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be president. Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous, Sanders said at a rally in Philadelphia on Wednesday. And she has been saying lately that she thinks that I am not qualified to be president. Well, let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton: I dont believe that she is qualified. The Vermont senator cited the former secretary of states voting record in the Senate and her ties to Wall Street as reasons she should be disqualified from consideration for the nations top job. I dont think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super-PAC, Sanders said. I dont think you are qualified if you voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I dont think youre qualified if you supported almost every disastrous trade agreement. He added: I dont think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed, which gave the green light to wealthy people and corporations all over the world to avoid paying taxes owed to their countries. Sanders comments came in response to a pair of interviews in which Clinton questioned whether he is qualified to be president and whether an independent senator and self-described democratic socialist is even a true Democrat. Hes a relatively new Democrat, and, in fact, Im not even sure he is one, Clinton said in a podcast interview with Politico published Wednesday. Hes running as one. So I dont know quite how to characterize him. Sanders has previously sought and won office only as an independent, remaining formally outside the Democratic party from the start of his political career as mayor of Burlington, Vt., in 1980 until the start of his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2015. Story continues On MSNBCs "Morning Joe Wednesday morning, Clinton was asked whether Sanders answers about his plan to break up big banks during a well-scrutinized interview with the New York Daily News were disqualifying. Well, I think he hadnt done his homework, and hed been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadnt really studied or understood, Clinton said. And that does raise a lot of questions. I think the presidents who are successful know what they want to do and they know how to do it, Clinton said later on CNN. And they hit the ground running, able to do every aspect of the job both as president and as commander in chief. The Clinton campaign fired back, insisting their candidate never said Sanders was not qualified to be president. Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified, Brian Fallon, press secretary for the Clinton campaign, wrote on Twitter. But he has now absurdly said it about her. This is a new low. Bernie Sanders, take back your words about Hillary Clinton, Fallon added on Twitter along with the hashtag #TakeItBackBernie. In response, Sanders supporters have taken to Twitter to mock the Democratic frontrunner with their own hashtag: #HillarySoQualified. The back and forth over presidential qualifications comes ahead of New Yorks Democratic primary on April 19, a crucial contest that Clinton hopes to win in her adopted home state to stem Sanders momentum. The Vermont senator has won six of the last seven primaries and caucuses. Its kind of a silly thing to say, Clinton said on Thursday when asked about Sanders remarks. I dont know why hes saying that. By Jonathan Allen (Reuters) - Bill Clinton faced down protesters for 10 minutes at a presidential campaign rally in Philadelphia for his wife, Hillary Clinton, over their criticisms that a 1994 crime bill he approved while president led to a surge in black people being imprisoned. Several protesters heckled him and held signs, including one that read "CLINTON Crime Bill Destroyed Our Communities." Video footage of Hillary Clinton defending the bill in 1994 by calling young people in gangs "super predators" who need to "be brought to heel" have been widely circulated during the campaign by activists in the Black Lives Matter protest movement. Bill Clinton defended her 1994 remarks, which protesters say were racially insensitive. "I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped on crack and sent them out on the street to murder other African-American children," he said, shaking his finger at a heckler as Clinton supporters cheered, according to video of the event. "Maybe you thought they were good citizens. She didn't." Hillary Clinton, who also has faced protesters upset by her remarks, has said she regrets using the term. Bill Clinton said last year that he regrets signing the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act into law because it contributed to the country's high incarceration rate of black people for nonviolent crimes. (Editing by Jonathan Oatis) NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Thursday that it had booked four orders for its 747-8 freighter, the first sales of the year for the plane. Boeing did not identify the customer for the orders, which come after the plane maker booked two net orders in 2015 and none the year before. Boeing is due to cut annual 747 production to six from 12 this year, reflecting declining demand for the jumbo jet, which first flew in 1969. Boeing has 23 current orders for the plane, including 11 freighters and 12 passenger models. The U.S. Air Force also has made a provisional order for an unspecified number to renew its fleet of Air Force One planes. Randy Tinseth, Boeing's marketing vice president, recently said the company expects global trade to pick up this year, which could increase air cargo demand by 3 percent to 4 percent. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Tom Brown) By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - An electric carsharing scheme being rolled out in London by French firm Bollore is taking longer than expected to set up fully because contract talks with the capital's local councils are dragging on. Cedric Bollore, the company's director of development, said he wanted all of London's 33 local authorities to reach the same agreement on charge points with the company, which runs electric carsharing schemes, including in many French cities and the United States. "The boroughs are rather independent in their approach and we absolutely need to have the same contract. We must admit that the discussion, negotiations are going well but are taking a bit more time than we thought," Bollore told Reuters. "Probably we will be one year or two years behind but what we will achieve will be what we have planned to achieve." Bollore's Blue Solutions division has previously said it was aiming to put 3,000 electric cars on London's streets by 2018 but agreement needed on the infrastructure has pushed that back. Dealing with the capital's local authorities, which control issues such as street maintenance and parking, and are run by different political parties, has been a problem for others trying to set up carpooling schemes. Bollore said it had been easier to set up its electric carsharing scheme in other cities such as Paris where the mayor has more power to push boroughs to introduce key infrastructure. ELECTRIC INVESTMENT German carmaker Daimler axed its Car2Go operation in 2014 in London after failing to establish a wide network of "free floating" parking spaces where customers could pick up and drop off vehicles across the city. Six months later, BMW opted to begin its DriveNow scheme in just three adjoining areas of northeast London with both electric and conventional models now in use. Zipcar, Hertz and Enterprise are among companies also running schemes in parts of the capital. Facing tougher environmental regulation and growing demand for less polluting cars, automakers are investing heavily in electric vehicles, but many consumers have been deterred by the limited distance they can travel on a single charge. Less than three percent of the cars bought in Britain last year were alternative fuel models, primarily plug-in hybrids and pure electric models, according to industry data. Bollore said it has 19 BlueCity electric cars in London at the moment but not all were on the streets as it was finalising some of the technology, and was aiming to have up to 100 by the end of 2016. It is investing 100 million pounds in the car club and a network of electric charging points known as Source London, which it expects will boost demand over time. The firm is aiming to have 6,000 charge points in London by the end of the decade, where users pay to charge any car no matter the brand. "It will probably take something like five, six years before we begin to be really profitable," Bollore said. (Editing by David Clarke) (Reuters) - A Kansas toddler had a small octopus of the kind used for sushi lodged in his throat, prompting police to arrest on suspicion of child abuse the 36-year-old man who was with the boy at the time, local media reported on Wednesday. The 2-year-old boy's mother returned to their Wichita home on Tuesday night and found 36-year-old Matthew Gallagher, her boyfriend, performing cardiovascular resuscitation on the child, who was not breathing, television station KAKE reported. Police said the child was rushed to a hospital where doctors extracted a dead octopus with a head 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter that was lodged in the boy's throat, according to the Wichita Eagle newspaper. The boy, who was listed in serious condition, also had bruises on his face, the newspaper reported. Police questioned Gallagher about the boy's injuries and later arrested him on suspicion of child abuse, according to the Wichita Eagle. A representative from the Wichita police department and Gallagher could not be reached for comment late on Wednesday. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Himani Sarkar) By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Brain scans of 23 Brazilian infants with the birth defect microcephaly showed widespread and severe abnormalities suggesting that Zika may invade fetal nerve cells and disrupt brain development. The findings, published on Wednesday in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, are based on a large trove of computed tomography, or CT images, done in infants whose mothers are believed to have had Zika infections during pregnancy. The study included researchers from Brazil's Northeastern state of Pernambuco, such as Dr. Ana van der Linden of the Instituto de Medicina Integral, who were among the first to sound the alarm about increasing cases of microcephaly in Brazil thought to be linked with Zika infections. Microcephaly is a typically rare birth defect marked by unusually small head size, signaling a problem with brain development. Brazil is investigating thousands of cases of microcephaly and has confirmed more than 940 cases to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Scientists in the study ran several tests on the mothers to try to rule out other possible causes of microcephaly, including toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, parovirus, HIV and rubella. All were all negative. All of the mothers had symptoms during their pregnancies - such as fever and rash - that were consistent with Zika infections. Testing on spinal fluid from seven of the infants was positive for Zika antibodies. The researchers did CT scans when the babies were between three days and five months old. All showed signs of brain calcification, which is suggestive of brain inflammation. Many of the babies had other abnormalities, including brain swelling, disruptions in brain folds, underdeveloped brain structures and abnormalities in myelin, which forms protective sheaths on nerve fibers. Researchers said the findings were consistent with a study published last month testing lab dishes full of nerve stem cells similar to those in the brains of human fetuses. They showed that the Zika virus was able to easily infect these cells, stunting their growth. Researchers said evidence from the brain scans suggests the abnormalities occurred from a disruption of brain development, rather than a destruction of brain cells. According to the World Health Organization, there is a strong scientific consensus that Zika can cause microcephaly, although conclusive proof may take months or years. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Leslie Adler) It almost seems too good to believe. The grip trashy reality shows hold on television may be about to be broken by a new wave of intelligent documentaries, according to some of the biggest names in the business. Cable channels such as HBO which revolutionised TV series with such high-quality hits as "The Sopranos" are now doing the same for documentaries, with online platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Maker Studios even keener to tap into the hunger for smarter, more ambitious non-fiction stories. Morgan Spurlock, best known for his junk food odyssey "Supersize Me", said the backlash against junk reality TV is growing into an unstoppable "tsunami". "The onslaught of low-brow, low-rent, low-bar programming" has had its day, he told the MIPDOC festival in Cannes, France, this week -- part of the world's biggest TV market. Boosted by the success of such engrossing documentary series as HBO's "The Jinx", which investigated the dark secrets of the American millionaire Robert Durst, he said there had been a huge change in thinking. - Net is raising the bar - "It is as cheap to make really good compelling content now... as some trashy reality show that makes you want to shoot your TV," Spurlock added, with online platforms helping to raise the bar on quality. "It's brain over brawn," he claimed. "We have got the most educated generation in the history of the planet... and they have been neglected." The millennial generation "is no longer watching TV", Spurlock said, with 70 percent of them in the US doing their viewing online, where they can pick and choose programmes that don't insult their intelligence. He said Netflix's "Making of a Murderer" gripped America with its story -- shot over ten years -- of a prisoner's fight to clear his name only to be arrested for murder shortly after he was released. Spurlock, who made "Connected", the first documentary series for Internet provider AOL last year, said "more people are watching intelligent documentaries than ever before. Story continues "All of the networks across the board now are betting on smarter shows and that will be huge as those franchises go out around the globe. There is a tsunami coming." - Thirst for quality - Amazon Studios, the film-making arm of the retailer, is one of the online leaders of the push to go more high-brow. It brought in acclaimed documentary maker Alex Gibney ("Going Clear") to produce short high-end films for its half-hour series "The New Yorker Presents", which draws on the articles and the personality of the venerable magazine, including its famously wry cartoons. The link-up with the magazine allows it to make documentaries for its Amazon Prime customers from stories in the New Yorker's archives, including reports on US prison business and asking whether the September 11 attacks could have been stopped. Big-name directors Steve James ("Hoop Dreams") and Eugene Jarecki ("Why We Fight") are among those who have already shot segments for the series. Amazon's Joe Lewis said their Emmy-winning "Transparent" about a transgender father coming out and the classical music drama series "Mozart and the Jungle", had shown that there was a thirst for "work with high artistic integrity that is trying to get into different worlds which have not been seen before". Lewis, whose studio is also backing Woody Allen's new film, "Cafe Society", which will be premiered at the Cannes film festival next month, said with viewing online "there is not as much flipping and (channel) surfing as there was before with TV." People are looking for something specific, "a destination", he told another gathering at the festival which ends Thursday. "The New Yorker is a style of writing, it is a particular kind of story and technology allow brands to transcends mediums." But many of the new wave of documentaries are also far more cinematic than their predecessors. "It is really striking how documentary series we are seeing now draw on fiction techniques in their storytelling," Nathalie Darrigrand, executive director of the France 5 channel told AFP. "You can see it particularly in the cliffhangers at the end of episodes and the way characters are presented," she said. For Spurlock there is one major lesson to be learned. "US TV lived for decades by (the showman) T P Barnum's famous maxim, 'No one ever got rich underestimating the intelligence of the American people.' "That is no longer the case as far as non-fiction television is concerned," he insisted. By Reese Ewing SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A Brazilian court has ordered the government to suspend its agrarian reform program, citing evidence that instead of helping the poor it was used to hand out free land to thousands of politicians, business owners and wealthy individuals. The TCU, as the country's audit court is known, was unanimous in its criticism of the flagship reform program during a plenary on Wednesday, calling for a "complete restructuring" of the agency responsible for settling impoverished Brazilians on farmland. The decision to halt the program marks another blow to the government of leftist President Dilma Rousseff, who is facing impeachment proceedings over allegations of concealing fiscal overruns in the federal budget. Rousseff's possible ouster comes as Brazil's is locked in a crisis fueled by a massive corruption scandal involving state-run oil company Petrobras and a widening investigation that has reached her inner circle. The National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform, or INCRA, was set up in 1970 to help narrow the wealth gap in Brazil, one of the world's worst, by reallocating to the poor idle or under-utilized land, which is still disproportionately in the hands of the rich. The court estimated in a 72-page report seen by Reuters that since 2014 more than 479,600, or a third, of all allotments of land across Brazil's 26 states and the federal district were improper and could cost taxpayers as much as 41 billion reais ($11 billion). INCRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The most glaring example of corruption and abuse at the land reform agency, which the TCU investigated by cross-referencing landowners' social security numbers, included 1,017 politicians that had received free land. The court did not name the individuals, but said one federal senator and four mayors were among the politicians who received land meant for the poor. There were also more than 36,000 land grants to people who were dead, according to the TCU. It said irregular land distribution was concentrated in areas where most of the country's agricultural expansion is occurring, namely Mato Grosso, Para and other northern and northeastern states near the Amazon. The court was also able to cross reference motor vehicle registrations, turning up recipients of land who were also owners of luxury cars, including a Porsche Cayenne GTS, a Range Rover and a BMW X5 Diesel. The Porsche Cayenne was valued at 460,700 reais ($127,000), according to its registration. (Reporting by Reese Ewing; Editing by Tom Brown) BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's attorney general Jose Eduardo Cardozo said on Thursday that President Dilma Rousseff's government is absolutely confident it has the votes to block an attempt to impeach her in the lower house of Congress. Cardozo said in a conference call with foreign reporters that the government's confidence is based on its conviction that Rousseff committed no crime by delaying payments to state banks. Her opponents are seeking to remove her from office alleging that she hid overruns in the government budget to boost her re-election prospects in 2014. A vote in the chamber is expected in 10 days. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle) Brasilia (AFP) - Bribe money from a giant corruption scheme at Brazilian state oil company Petrobras went into President Dilma Rousseff' reelection campaign coffers, a former CEO has told prosecutors, a report said Thursday. Folha de Sao Paulo daily quoted what it said was leaked testimony from Otavio Marques Azevedo, ex-CEO of Andrade Gutierrez, Brazil's second-largest construction company, who was arrested last June. Testifying as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors probing Petrobras corruption, Azevedo reportedly said that millions of dollars in legal donations to the 2014 Rousseff campaign were originally funded with money from bribes paid in connection to huge contracts handed to Andrade Gutierrez. Folha's report said that it was not clear whether the dirty money was paid into the accounts of Rousseff's reelection committee or to her Workers' Party. The report fuels a potentially explosive new front in the crisis engulfing Rousseff and Brazil's government. She is already facing impeachment on allegations that her government illegally masked budgetary shortfalls during her reelection year. But a so far quieter probe is also underway at the country's electoral court into allegations that her campaign was funded with stolen Petrobras money. If the court finds Rousseff guilty on this, then her reelection victory would be annulled, meaning both she and her vice president would have to step down, followed by new elections. Prosecutors say that for years under the presidency of Rousseff's predecessor and ally Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a group of powerful companies and politicians conspired in a pay-to-play scheme where bribes were given to win inflated contracts. Bribes went to executives at Petrobras and other state companies, influential politicians and also allegedly into political campaigns, including those of Rousseff and her narrowly defeated rival in 2014 Aecio Neves. The money allegedly ending up in Rousseff's campaign originated in contracts won by Andrade Gutierrez at a Rio oil facility, a nuclear power station, and the huge Belo Monte hydroelectric dam complex, the report said. Folha quoted Rousseff lawyer Flavio Caetano responding that all donations had been given "legally and voluntarily to the 2014 campaign -- and in smaller amounts than those given to the opposing candidate." "It is unfortunate that the instrument of a plea bargain should be used, yet again, for political reasons via selective leaking," he said. Looks like everything will be coming up roses on Broadway once more. According to unconfirmed reports, talks are underway between Roundabout Theatre Company and British producers Michael Harrison and David Ian to transfer the smash hit London revival of Gypsy, starring Imelda Staunton, to New York. Directed by Jonathan Kent, the production originated in 2014 at the Chichester Festival Theatre and transferred to London's West End in April last year, earning ecstatic reviews across the board. Michael Billington in The Guardian described Staunton's work as "one of the greatest performances I've ever seen in musical theatre." Read More: 'Gypsy': Theater Review On Sunday, the show won four Olivier Awards, the British equivalent of the Tonys, including best musical revival, actress in a musical for Staunton, supporting actress in a musical for Lara Pulver and lighting design. If the brewing transfer happens, it would mark the belated Broadway debut for Staunton, a distinguished British stage veteran known for her acclaimed turns in Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd, among many others. While Roundabout reps had no comment on the negotiations, the production appears likely to find a spot in the 2016-17 season, making it eligible for next year's Tony Awards. The revival closed at London's Savoy Theatre at the end of November but was filmed for British television, airing Dec. 27 on BBC Four. The film also is reportedly due to air in the U.S. as part of PBS' Great Performances series, though no date has been announced. Often referred to as the greatest of American musicals, Gypsy debuted in 1959 on Broadway with Ethel Merman in the lead role of Rose, the pushy stage mother of two daughters playing the vaudeville circuit in the early 1920s. When the star daughter grows out of her cutesy Baby June act and runs away, Rose is left to focus on the comparatively shy and insecure Louise. As vaudeville makes way for burlesque, Louise gains confidence, blossoming into sophisticated striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee and leaving her suffocating mother behind. Story continues Loosely based on Lee's memoirs, the show features a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The latter has a long history with Roundabout, which has staged productions of his musicals Sunday in the Park With George, Pacific Overtures, Company, Follies and Assassins on Broadway. Gypsy has been revived on Broadway four previous times, with Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Linda Lavin, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone among those stepping into the role of Rose, considered the King Lear of musical theater. The most recent of those productions won Tonys for LuPone, Laura Benanti and Boyd Gaines in 2008. A political campaigner in Washington, D.C., Kate Doehring, 31, decided to pack her bags and move to the Midwest to earn an MBA in a place with a cheaper cost of living. "I was looking at Georgetown and George Washington here," says Doehring, who is about to finish her first year of business school at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. "To stay in D.C., just sheer cost would have been at least double or triple than Madison." Like many prospective MBA students, Doehring looked at her MBA as an investment and weighed the cost of living, lost wages and potential debt along with a projected post-degree salary of $100,000. Average salary after graduation compared with debt, referred to as salary-to-debt ratio, is one tool for calculating the return on investment for prospective MBA students. "I used just over $100,000 annually , plus or minus $10,000," says Doehring, who is on target to finish the program with less than $15,000 in debt. "I used $100,000 as a benchmark because those numbers were communicated when I did my campus visit." [See the 2017 Best Business Schools.] According to data submitted to U.S. News by ranked business schools, UW--Madison had the highest annual salary-to-debt ratio for full-time MBA graduates who found jobs paying an average of more than $100,000 in salary and bonus within three months of earning their degree. Students at Wisconsin School of Business can expect a 7.4-to-1 salary and bonus-to-debt ratio. That translates into an average salary and bonus of $114,815 and $15,481, on average, in debt. Of the other ranked business schools with grads earning more than $100,000 in salary and bonuses, these schools had the highest salary and bonus-to-debt ratio for the Class of 2015: the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University at 5.4-to-1, the Hough Graduate School of Business at the University of Florida at 3.6-to-1, the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington at 3.4-to-1 and the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University--University Park at 3.1-to-1. Story continues More than one-third of the 129 ranked schools that submitted salary data to U.S. News had an average starting salary and bonus of more than $100,000 for their 2015 graduates. The average for all schools was $91,940. A typical MBA student from the Class of 2015 finished his or her degree with $50,054 in debt, according to U.S. News data. MBAs differ from other professional degrees, such as those in law and medicine, since MBA programs are shorter in length. For that reason, these students tend to have less debt and are less likely to drop out, student loan experts say. "If everyone considered education as an investment and the ROI, people would be making drastically different decisions," says Andrew Josuweit, founder and CEO of Student Loan Hero, a site specializing in paying off student loans. [Discover six hot jobs for MBA graduates.] Student loan experts say that prospective MBA students should go beyond salary-to-debt ratio to calculate ROI, although it's one piece of the puzzle for calculating a program's return. Most business schools publish employment records with average salaries for different industries. Prospective MBA students can use these numbers to project future salaries, experts say. Two things that aren't included are forgone salary -- the salary a student gives up by attending the program -- and the accumulated interest on student loans over 10 years, the Student Loan Hero CEO says. To calculate ROI, Josuweit says to subtract current salary from the expected future salary and divide that number by the total cost. Total cost should include debt, forgone income and accumulated interest on a loan for 10 years, he says. An MBA grad who earned $65,000 before his or her degree and now makes $100,000 with $55,000 in student debt can expect to have a return of around $195,000, Josuweit says, for example. [View job rates and starting salaries for MBA graduates based on U.S. News data.] Most entrepreneurs graduating from an MBA program tend to have lower salaries because they are starting a new venture or company, says Dan Macklin, co-founder of SoFi, a San Francisco-based financial technology company. Schools that have graduates who pursue entrepreneurial avenues, such as Babson College, might have a lower salary-to-debt ratio for this reason, Macklin says , referring to data calculated from SoFi's refinance applicants. A bad salary-to-debt ratio doesn't mean an MBA is a terrible investment if the graduate can make up for it in the long run, says Macklin, who points out that salary-to-debt ratio only captures earning potential near graduation. "Look at long-term salary projections," Macklin says. An MBA grad from Columbia University might be heavily in debt with a salary much higher than $100,000 and that low salary-to-debt salary ratio diminishes over a longer period of time, Macklin says. "People should go beyond the starting salary," says the SoFi CEO, who points out that a grad with a higher debt load who eventually earns $180,000 might come out ahead of someone with a lower debt burden and lower salary over a 10- to 20-year period Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Graduate School center. Farran Powell is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering paying for college and graduate school. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at fpowell@usnews.com. By Sharon Bernstein SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A California bill aimed at reducing eating disorders among models cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, following efforts in several countries to fight extreme thinness in an industry that pressures models to lose weight. The measure would require the state to develop health standards for models and regard them as employees of the brands they represent. "The goal of the bill is not only to protect the health of the workers themselves, but also to help young people who emulate models," said the bill's author, state Assemblyman Marc Levine, a Democrat who represents the Marin County suburbs of San Francisco. Last year, France banned excessive thinness in models, partly in response to the death in 2010 of Isabelle Caro, a 28-year-old former French fashion model. She died from anorexia after posing for a photographic campaign to raise awareness about the illness. Israel enacted a similar measure in 2013, while Italy and Spain rely on voluntary codes of conduct to protect models. The California bill passed the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on Wednesday. It must be approved by additional committees and the full legislature before it can go to Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, who has not said if he would sign it. At Wednesday's committee hearing activist Sara Ziff, a former fashion model, wept as she recounted abuses she endured as a teenage model, including pressure to strip for photographers. "I felt like I was being treated more like an escort than a model," said Ziff, 32, who founded the group Model Alliance. By requiring that models be considered employees, she said, the state would protect them from sexual abuse and exploitation, and the risks of developing an eating disorder. The Association of Talent Agents has called the bill unworkable. A licensing requirement for modeling agencies is redundant because California talent agencies are already licensed, association President Karen Stuart said. "This does nothing to reduce the problems that you heard about today," Stuart said. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Richard Chang) (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged in a TV interview on Thursday that he once had a stake in his late father's offshore trust, which was revealed in the "Panama Papers" leak from a law firm. Cameron told ITV News that he had owned shares in the Panamanian trust, Blairmore, but had sold them in 2010, before becoming prime minister. "We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000", he told the television channel. "I paid income tax on the dividends. There was a profit on it but it was less than the capital gains tax allowance so I didn't pay capital gains tax," Cameron said. Cameron was expected to publish his tax returns as soon as possible, Sky News said in a tweet. Cameron's late father, Ian, was among tens of thousands of people named in leaked documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca which showed how the world's rich and powerful stash their wealth.. The firm specializes in establishing offshore companies, which could be used to avoid taxes, but there are several legitimate reasons for individuals and corporations to set them up. In a statement on Tuesday, a spokesman for Cameron said that the prime minister, his wife and their children did not benefit from any offshore funds at present. On Wednesday, a spokesman for Cameron said: "There are no offshore funds or trusts which the prime minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future." (Reporting by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru and James William in London; Editing by Grant McCool) London (AFP) - British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose father ran an offshore investment fund according to the Panama Papers, wrote to European leaders in 2013 to warn against opening offshore trusts to full scrutiny, it emerged Thursday. The letter, published on the government website at the time, was brought to public attention by the Financial Times on Thursday amid the global Panama Papers scandal. Finding himself under pressure to reveal whether he benefited from offshore assets following his father's death in 2010, Cameron has so far only said that there were "no offshore trusts or funds" that he or his immediate family would benefit from "in future". However, the publication of the letter sent in 2013 raised further questions about what happened to his father's assets from Blairmore Holdings Inc, details of which were revealed by the leak from Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca. The two-page note to former European Council president Herman Van Rompuy backed an EU clampdown on secretive offshore shell companies but argued against extending the clampdown to trusts. Offshore trusts can be used to protect its beneficiaries from paying tax on its assets, which can include property, cash and trading companies. In the letter Cameron wrote: "As we clamp down on the misuse of companies, we must take care not to displace illicit activity elsewhere. "I know some want Europe to go even further to prevent the abuse of trusts and related private legal agreements. "It is clearly important we recognise the important differences between companies and trusts," he added. A government spokesman said the letter was meant to focus attention on the use of anonymously-run shell companies, which have been used to evade tax and launder money. "The government was concerned that including trusts would distract from action against those areas of most concern, such as shell companies," he said, according to the BBC. Cameron has claimed to be leading efforts to clamp down the use of offshore havens, but the leaks have led to criticism that the government is too close to Britain's huge finance sector to implement serious change. London (AFP) - Prime Minister David Cameron denied Thursday that a Dutch referendum rejecting a key EU pact with Ukraine would boost the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, insisting it was a "very different issue". "I hope it won't affect the results of our referendum because it is a very different issue," the Conservative leader said while campaigning for the June 23 referendum on whether Britain should stay in or leave the bloc. The Dutch referendum on Wednesday, in which voters rejected the EU's association agreement with Ukraine, is seen as a barometer of anti-EU feeling and was swiftly hailed by eurosceptic groups. "It is important that the European institutions and the Dutch government listen carefully to what people are saying, to try and understand that and to try and work with that," Cameron said. But he added: "I don't think it has any effect on us because we have a bigger question." Nigel Farage, the leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), hailed the Dutch vote as a "tremendous victory for democracy". Farage said Dutch campaigners could come to Britain to help in the "Leave" campaign. "I look forward to working with them," he said. Brian Monteith, a spokesman for the Leave.EU campaign group, added: "This result gives the British people the signal that it is moderate and normal to reject the EU and stand up for what's in our country's best interests." Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, another pro-Brexit campaign group, also welcomed the result. "Time and again, voters are choosing to reject Brussels whenever they are consulted about the EU," he said. By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron urged young Britons on Thursday to make sure they vote in a June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union, warning that leaving the bloc would hit them the hardest. With public opinion evenly split, youth voters are expected to play an important role in the referendum outcome because polling shows they are generally more pro-European, but less inclined to vote. Cameron, who wants Britain to stay in the 28-country bloc, was speaking at the launch of a campaign targeted specifically at young voters. "Whatever you do, June 23rd make sure you vote. It is your voice, it's your future, it's vital for you, vital for our country," he said. The intervention is designed to increase voter turnout and thereby boost the prospects of a flagging "In" campaign which has ceded ground to eurosceptics in some recent opinion polls. But polling shows younger voters tend to back the centre-left Labour party and Cameron has endured a difficult few weeks following a budget row, accusations of failing to protect British steel, and questions over his family's tax arrangements. Low turnout was seen as one of the factors behind a defeat for the Dutch government on Wednesday in a referendum that rejected an EU treaty on deepening integration with Ukraine. Asked about the outcome of that vote, Cameron said there were no direct comparisons with the British referendum. 'MOST TO GAIN, MOST TO LOSE' He argued that young people's job prospects would be disproportionately affected by the economic impact of an EU exit. "You have the most to gain by staying in a reformed European Union and you also have the most to lose if we leave," he said. Rival "Out" campaigners dismissed that claim, saying that money sent to Brussels under Britain's membership terms was adding to the national debt that would have to be paid off by young workers. Eurosceptics were also angered by the government's decision to spend 9.3 million pounds on a 16-page leaflet setting out "why it believes that remaining in the EU is the best decision for the UK." "This is not the facts, it is a misleading government propaganda campaign," said Vote Leave chairwoman Gisela Stuart. The leaflet will be sent to every household in the country and promoted online to meet voter demand for more information on how to cast their ballot, the government said. (editing by Stephen Addison) Ottawa (AFP) - Investment in Canada's oil and gas sector is predicted to plunge 62 percent or by Can$50 billion (US$38 billion) from 2014 to the end of this year, an industry group said Thursday. If the dire warning comes true it would be the largest two-year decline in capital spending since the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) started tracking data in 1947, the association said in a statement. CAPP said it expects investment to fall to Can$31 billion this year, down from a record Can$81 billion in 2014. The industry downturn has so far cost more than 110,000 direct and indirect jobs across Canada, according to CAPP. "Times are tough today in Canada's oil and natural gas sector," said CAPP president Tim McMillan. Montreal (AFP) - Canada is leveraging a free trade agreement with Panama to root out tax evaders, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday in the wake of the Panama Papers revelations. "We will use levers within this free trade agreement to ensure that Canadians do not use tax havens, tax evasion and tax avoidance," Trudeau said in an interview with public broadcaster Radio-Canada. The trade pact, which came into force in 2013, "outlines specific (state) responsibilities in fighting tax evasion," he said, without providing details. Trudeau welcomed the worldwide media spotlight on the 11.5 million leaked documents from the Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, saying it has provided a wealth of leads for tax authorities to investigate possible wrongdoing, and has highlighted why "real action" is needed against tax evasion. He added, however, that Canada alone cannot eradicate tax cheating, and urged cooperation among nations to tighten controls. The vast stash of records from Mossack Fonseca was obtained from an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with more than 100 media groups by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The network of journalists published their first findings Sunday after a year-long probe. Offshore financial dealings are not illegal in themselves, though they may be used to hide assets from tax authorities, launder proceeds of criminal activities or conceal misappropriated or politically inconvenient wealth. According to the Toronto Star, which is a member of the consortium, some 350 Canadians are listed in the leaked documents. That prompted the Canada Revenue Agency earlier this week to ask for copies of the Panama Papers in order to cross-reference the information with its own files. Nairobi (AFP) - Chronic shortages of essential medical supplies are worsening an already dire humanitarian situation in war-torn South Sudan, the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned Thursday. It said aid agencies and international donors had failed to address the shortages, putting additional lives at risk in a country where civil war has killed tens of thousands and left millions homeless and starving. "On top of this already dire humanitarian situation, an additional and preventable medical emergency is unfolding," MSF president Joanne Liu wrote in an open letter. Liu said there were "unacceptable and devastating outages of drugs throughout the country" after a donor-backed programme known as the Emergency Medicines Fund was handed over to the government and subsequently collapsed. "A new rainy seas is approaching fast, promising new outbreaks as well as complicated logistics," Liu said. One of the world's least developed nations, South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 but two years later a new civil war began, pitting President Salva Kiir against his former deputy Riek Machar. The conflict has been characterised by human rights abuses, attacks on civilians, ethnic massacres and widespread rape. At least 50,000 people have been killed, 2.4 million have been forced from their homes and 2.8 million need emergency food to survive. Fighting has continued despite an August peace agreement. Charlize Theron will join the next installment of the Fast and Furious franchise. Theron has been in talks for some time, but sources say her deal is now closed. She'll play a villain in the film. A Facebook post on the film's site stated: "Our crew will face its greatest adversary ever in our next film as we welcome Charlize Theron to the Fast family." She'll join returning stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson. F. Gary Gray is directing the next installment, which is set for release on April 14, 2017. Theron is repped by WME and can next be seen in The Huntsman: Winter's War. Read More: 'Fast and Furious 8' Eyeing to Shoot in Cuba (Exclusive) BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party has begun a year-long campaign to reassert the importance of Marxism and ensure members' ideological "consistency" to root out bad behavior, state media reported. Since assuming office three years ago, President Xi Jinping has come down hard on deep-rooted corruption and tried to return the party to its traditional values of serving the people selflessly, following a series of graft and extravagance scandals. Launching the new campaign, Xi said all levels of the party should be instilled with good values, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Wednesday. The report was widely carried in major state newspapers on Thursday. "Arranging the new study campaign is a step toward expanding intra-Party education from 'a key few' to the party members more broadly," Xi said. The campaign aims to "consolidate party members' Marxist positions and ensure that the entire party maintains a high degree of ideological and political consistency with the party's Central Committee", he added. "The campaign will address problems and loopholes in the management of Party organizations and misconduct of members so as to set the bottom line," Xi said. "Those that fail to exercise their duties will be overhauled and pushed to correct their problems." The party, which controls the country's legal system, has repeatedly insisted it can tackle China's corruption problem internally, ruling out establishing any sort of independent graft-fighting body. The party routinely conducts such ideological campaigns, which typically involved members having to attend study sessions where they listen to speeches and are supposed to pledge themselves to upholding the party's instructions. Along with his fight against corruption, Xi has also been reining in overt dissent by party members on key issues. New discipline rules unveiled last year ban "baseless comments" on major policies. In November, the government said it would prosecute the former editor-in-chief of the official party publication in the violence-prone far western region of Xinjiang on charges of corruption after he queried ethnic and security policies. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Sri Lanka are both determined to push forward with a stalled port project in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday following a meeting between the two country's premiers. Sri Lanka ordered a review of the $1.4 billion Colombo port city project last year, citing irregularities in the award of the contract to state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) by a previous government. Last month, the Sri Lankan government, grappling with a difficult economy, ordered the Chinese firm to resume work on the port city, the island nation's single biggest foreign investment project, that includes apartments, shopping malls and marinas. But CCCC, which had estimated that the shutdown would result in losses of more than $380,000 a day, has sought compensation of $125 million, according to the Sri Lankan government, which has said it can't pay and wants to negotiate. Xiao Qian, head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asia department, told reporters following a meeting between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that the project was an important one. "On the Colombo port, both sides agreed to further speed up the overall and comprehensive resumption of work on this project. The announcement to resume the work has been made by the Sri Lankan side but now we will go into further technical details," Xiao said. "This is an important project and both countries have a strong desire to further enhance and advance this project. On the Chinese side, we hope to see the earliest possible resumption. We believe we won't have to wait too long." He made no mention of the compensation issue, only that Sri Lanka had promised to protect the rights of Chinese companies and foster a sound environment for Chinese investors. Wickremesinghe, in remarks in front of reporters, said only that he would be looking to finalise an agreement for future bilateral cooperation. Asian giants India and China are both vying for influence in Sri Lanka. China has built roads and ports on the island that India has long seen as its area of influence. Sri Lanka has sought to balance ties with China and India under President Maithripala Sirisena. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have visited India seeking investment, but the pace of Indian activity on projects is slow, offering China a chance to gain ground. China and Sri Lanka are also in talks on setting up a special economic zone in Hambantota in the south where China has already built a sea port and airport. Xiao said China would give priority to that project, and speed up free trade talks too. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Sri Lanka are both determined to push forward with a stalled port project in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday following a meeting between the two country's premiers. Sri Lanka ordered a review of the $1.4 billion Colombo port city project last year, citing irregularities in the award of the contract to state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) by a previous government. Last month, the Sri Lankan government, grappling with a difficult economy, ordered the Chinese firm to resume work on the port city, the island nation's single biggest foreign investment project, that includes apartments, shopping malls and marinas. But CCCC, which had estimated that the shutdown would result in losses of more than $380,000 a day, has sought compensation of $125 million, according to the Sri Lankan government, which has said it can't pay and wants to negotiate. Xiao Qian, head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asia department, told reporters following a meeting between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing that the project was an important one. "On the Colombo port, both sides agreed to further speed up the overall and comprehensive resumption of work on this project. The announcement to resume the work has been made by the Sri Lankan side but now we will go into further technical details," Xiao said. "This is an important project and both countries have a strong desire to further enhance and advance this project. On the Chinese side, we hope to see the earliest possible resumption. We believe we won't have to wait too long." He made no mention of the compensation issue, only that Sri Lanka had promised to protect the rights of Chinese companies and foster a sound environment for Chinese investors. Wickremesinghe, in remarks in front of reporters, said only that he would be looking to finalize an agreement for future bilateral cooperation. Asian giants India and China are both vying for influence in Sri Lanka. China has built roads and ports on the island that India has long seen as its area of influence. Sri Lanka has sought to balance ties with China and India under President Maithripala Sirisena. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have visited India seeking investment, but the pace of Indian activity on projects is slow, offering China a chance to gain ground. China and Sri Lanka are also in talks on setting up a special economic zone in Hambantota in the south where China has already built a sea port and airport. Xiao said China would give priority to that project, and speed up free trade talks too. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) Thousands of protesters clashed with police in Indian Kashmir Thursday after two militants were killed in a gun battle with government forces, the army and witnesses said. Protesters torched a police armoured vehicle as masked militants fired automatic rifles into the air in honour of the dead men, a police officer at the scene told AFP on condition of anonymity. The gun battle broke out early Thursday morning in Shopian, 45 kilometres (28 miles) south of the main city of Srinagar. "The militants fired on a patrol party. In retaliation both were eliminated," army spokesman, Colonel N.N. Joshi told AFP. The two militants were members of Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest local rebel group operating in Kashmir. After the shootout, thousands of angry villagers came out onto the streets, throwing stones at police and chanting slogans in support of the rebels. Police fired tear gas at the protesters but later withdrew to avoid an escalation. Authorities in Kashmir say there has been a rise in violent protests over the deaths of local militants in the restive Himalayan region, which is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both. Local police and the army have issued public warnings asking residents within a two-kilometre (1.25-mile) radius of a gun battle to stay indoors, but the request is usually ignored. Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several rebel groups fighting an estimated half a million Indian forces deployed in the restive region, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands have died in the fighting, mostly civilians, since the insurgency broke out in 1989. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947 and the two neighbours have fought two wars over its control. New York (AFP) - Hillary Clinton and leftist challenger Bernie Sanders turned up the heat Thursday in the Democratic race for the White House, locking horns over trade and the "Panama Papers" scandal ahead of the New York primary. Clinton, the frontrunner and former secretary of state, holds a six-point lead over Sanders in the RealClearPolitics national poll average but has lost seven of the last eight nomination contests to the Vermont senator. The New York primary on April 19 has turned into a battleground, where Clinton needs a commanding win in her adopted home state, which elected her twice to the Senate in 2000 and 2004. Sanders, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, must build on his recent momentum by winning in New York and then in Pennsylvania on April 26 to keep alive his hopes of snatching the Democratic nomination from party favorite Clinton. The 74-year-old senator seized on the leaked "Panama Papers," which expose how terror groups, drug cartels and pariah countries hide money in tax havens, by conflating it with Clinton's support for a 2012 Panama free trade agreement. "I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed," he told a rally in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Sanders contended at the time that the free trade agreement would make it harder for the United States to crack down on offshore tax havens in Panama. Clinton, who said on a campaign stop that she would shut down "outrageous tax havens and loopholes" if elected president, helped push the trade deal through Congress when she was secretary of state. The two candidates have each questioned whether the other is qualified to be commander-in-chief -- Clinton took a fresh swipe Thursday at her self-described democratic socialist rival's radical promises that few believe he can deliver. "Don't make promises you can't keep," she told reporters while campaigning in the Bronx, where she rode the subway joined by a local Democratic politician. Story continues "Know what you want to achieve and then bring everybody together to get the results and that is what I'm going to do." - New low - New York, America's largest city and one of its most diverse, has demographics that play well to Clinton's support base among the wealthy and minorities, but observers warn there may be tougher terrain outside the city. Communities in the more economically hard-hit western and northern parts of the state voted Clinton into the Senate, but have not seen the job growth they were expecting. Sanders has resonated strongly among voters, particularly independents, for his steadfast opposition to the trans-Pacific trade deal signed by President Barack Obama that Clinton has only opposed more recently. A Clinton campaign spokesman on Thursday accused Sanders of sinking to a new low in questioning her suitability to be president because she voted for the Iraq war, takes money from Wall Street and supports trade agreements. "This is an absurd line of attack. And it's probably the lowest we have sunk here in terms of the rhetoric on the Democratic side," press secretary Brian Fallon told CN. "The Sanders campaign is getting increasingly desperate, flailing, because in spite of the recent victories they've had, the delegate math remains daunting." Sanders's campaign director Jeff Weaver said if the Clinton campaign wanted "a more bare-knuckled kind of approach, we're happy to do that." "Secretary Clinton is funded by Wall Street interests and other special interests. You know, she's really made a deal with the devil, and the devil always wants his due. So that time will come," he told MSNBC. This week Clinton ripped into her opponent for saying in a newspaper interview that he did not agree with efforts by parents of children killed in a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school to sue gun manufacturers. They also sparred for days about holding a debate ahead of the New York primary -- now scheduled for April 14 in Brooklyn, the borough where Sanders was born and which Clinton made her national campaign headquarters. Clinton leads Sanders 54-42 percent among likely Democratic voters in New York and 50-44 percent in Pennsylvania, according to Quinnipiac University polls. By Luciana Lopez and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former President Bill Clinton faced down protesters angry at the impact his crime reforms of 20 years ago have had on black Americans and defended the record of Hillary Clinton, his wife, who is relying on the support of black voters in her quest for the presidency. The former president spent more than 10 minutes confronting the protesters at a campaign rally in Philadelphia for his wife on Thursday over criticisms that a 1994 crime bill he approved while president led to a surge in the imprisonment of black people. The Democratic race for the Nov. 8 election has become increasingly heated as Hillary Clinton, stung by a string of losses in state contests, has traded barbs with her rival for the party's nomination, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, over who is better prepared for the White House. In Philadelphia, several protesters heckled the former president mid-speech and held up signs, including one that read "CLINTON Crime Bill Destroyed Our Communities." Video footage of Hillary Clinton defending the reforms in 1994 has been widely circulated during the campaign by activists in the Black Lives Matter protest movement. In the footage she calls young people in gangs "super-predators" who need to "be brought to heel." Hillary Clinton, 68, who also has faced protesters upset by her remarks, in February said she regretted her language. Bill Clinton, 69, who was president from 1993-2001, on Thursday defended her 1994 remarks, which protesters say were racially insensitive, and suggested the protesters' anger was misplaced. "I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped on crack and sent them out on the street to murder other African-American children," he said, shaking his finger at a heckler as Clinton supporters cheered, according to video of the event. "Maybe you thought they were good citizens. She (Hillary Clinton) didn't." "You are defending the people who kill the lives you say matter," he told a protester. "Tell the truth." Hillary Clinton promised to end "mass incarceration" in her first major speech of her campaign last year. She has won the support of the majority of black voters in every state nominating contest so far, often by a landslide. Spokesmen for the campaign and Bill Clinton did not immediately respond on Thursday to a request for comment. A SURGE IN PRISONERS The United States has more people in prison than any other country. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1.05 million prisoners were held in federal or state facilities in 1994. By 2014, it was 1.56 million. That year, 6 percent of all black men in their 30s were in prison, a rate six times higher than that of white men of the same age. Bill Clinton said last year that he regrets signing the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act into law because it contributed to the country's high incarceration rate of black people for nonviolent crimes. On Thursday, he did not explicitly recant those regrets, but appeared to be angry at any suggestion the bill was wholly bad. The legislation imposed tougher sentences, put thousands more police on the streets and helped fund the building of extra prisons. It was know for its federal "three strikes" provision that sent violent offenders to prison for life. The bill was backed by congressional Republicans and hailed at the time as a success for Clinton. Although Bill Clinton is popular among Democrats who view him as a gifted speech maker and crowd pleaser, he has in the past veered from the carefully calibrated message put out by her campaign, causing problems for her spokespeople. During Hillary Clintons failed 2008 presidential bid, civil rights leaders and high-ranking Democrats in Congress criticized the former president for statements he made during a heated campaign against then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Bill Clinton said that Obama's campaign had played the race card. Obama became the first U.S. black president in November that year. Bill Clinton's remarks on Thursday drew criticism online. Some saw him as dismissive of the Black Lives Matter movement, a national outgrowth of anger over a string of encounters in which police officers killed unarmed black people. Johnetta Elzie, a prominent civil-rights activist, wrote online that Clinton "can't handle being confronted by his own record." "This is like watching a robot malfunction," she wrote. Earlier in Philadelphia, Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, assailed Clinton as unqualified to be president as the two campaigns became increasingly testy less than two weeks before New York's nominating contest. "Are you qualified to be president of the United States when you're raising millions of dollars from Wall Street, an entity whose greed, recklessness and illegal behavior helped destroy our economy?" Sanders said at a news conference. Clinton this week sharply questioned Sanders' credentials and ability to carry out a campaign pledge to break up the big banks. Spokesmen for Clinton noted that she never said the word "unqualified" when she questioned his preparedness for the presidency, but they declined to say whether she believes in that characterization. Clinton aimed for a more magnanimous tone than her aides when speaking to reporters during a subway ride in New York City. "I don't know why he's saying that," she said of Sanders' calling her unqualified. "But I will take Bernie Sanders over Ted Cruz or Donald Trump any time," she said of the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Megan Cassella, Alana Wise and Amanda Becker in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states should agree on a common list of tax havens in the next semester and impose sanctions on countries that hide EU-taxable revenues, the EU's executive said on Thursday, pursuing tax plans in the wake of the Panama leaks. Currently EU states have broadly different national lists of so-called non-cooperative jurisdictions on tax matters and are free to decide whether to impose restrictive measures. "We need now a true European list of non-cooperative jurisdictions," EU tax and economics commissioner Pierre Moscovici told reporters in Brussels. "I want this list of tax havens in the next six months at the latest," Moscovici added, urging an acceleration of legislation to that end. The move comes after last weekend's leak of more than 11.5 million documents from Panama-based firm Mossack Fonseca that exposed how politicians and businessmen use shell companies in tax havens to reduce their taxes. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, announced in January plans to set up a common list of tax havens and joint EU measures to sanction non-cooperative countries. But legislative proposals on tax issues face enormous hurdles in the EU as countries often have differing interests and the unanimity of the 28 EU states is required to turn proposals into law. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Mark Heinrich) In the first of a two-part series, National Constitution Center constitutional literacy adviser Lyle Denniston looks at the Supreme Courts unusual order to ask for more written arguments in the current Obamacare case in front of the eight Justices. The facade of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. The facade of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. THE STATEMENT AT ISSUE: The parties are directed to file supplemental briefs that address whether and how contraceptive coverage may be obtained by employees [of non-profit religious institutions] through [the institutions] insurance companies, but in a way that does not require any involvement of [the institutions] beyond their own decision to provide health insurance without contraceptive coverage to their employees. Excerpt from a Supreme Court order issued March 29, calling for added legal arguments from both sides in the seven combined cases now under review by the Justices on womens access to birth-control devices and techniques under the Affordable Care Act. The first of those added briefs are to be filed April 12. All such filings must be completed by April 20. The court has not indicated how it will proceed beyond that point. WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND The Constitution has two sturdy guarantees of religious freedom in the First Amendments promise of free religious expression and its ban on government establishment of religious bodies or principles. Neither is directly before the Supreme Court now in the high-profile dispute over the new heath care laws contraceptives mandate, but the group of seven pending cases may rank together as one of historys most important tests of church-government relations with constitutional overtones. After listening to lawyers argue the case, the Justices issued a highly unusual order a few days later, summoning additional written arguments by lawyers on both sides presumably to assist the Justices in making up their minds how to decide. There are few, if any, parallels to that kind of order in the courts entire history. Story continues In essence, the Justices have put together what they appear to believe to be a plan that could satisfy the dictates of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act the law that is directly at issue in the cases filed by religious hospitals, schools and charities who object to birth-control on the premise that it is an aid to abortion. With the order, the Justices seemed to be asking the lawyers on both sides whether they agree that the plan would satisfy RFRA, and, if so, whether their clients would agree to go along. Because the Justices probably experienced little doubt that they had the authority to make such an odd request (rather than taking the case as it had come to them), one perhaps should not dwell on quite serious questions about whether such an order was beyond its authority. Such questions seem to hang over the order, because it looks somewhat like an attempt at mediation and something like an advisory opinion of what might be legal under RFRA. Normally, the court does not do either, and that may be because it shouldnt, constitutionally. Taken on its own terms, though, here is what the court said it had in mind. The non-profit religious institutions would start with new contracts with an insurance company, if they wanted to provide health insurance coverage for their employees. But such a contract would make specific that it was not covering access to the kind of contraceptives to which the non-profit objected on religious grounds. All that the institutions would have to do was to enter such a contract as specified, achieving employee health coverage exactly as they wished. The insurance company, knowing that it was not to put together any coverage for contraceptives under the institutions existing health plan, would draw up another plan one involving no role for the institutions that independently provided access to contraceptives. From the obvious meaning of the orders terms, the court seemed to be accepting, at least temporarily, that RFRA does require the government to provide several degrees of separation between a non-profit institution and actual access to the kind of birth-control it believes to be sinful. And it also appeared to be accepting, at least tentatively, that the ACA would do just that, in keeping with RFRA, because the independent arrangement would be the alternative with the least threat to the institutions religious beliefs. There are reasons to question whether either side would go along, or would be entirely comfortable if it did go along. For the non-profit institutions, they object not only to being responsible for providing access to contraceptives, but even to having a contractual relationship with an entity that itself made the contraceptives available. The court has been told that, at least for the Roman Catholic non-profit institutions, the teachings of the church would not tolerate such a contractual relationship any more than it would tolerate an institution having itself provided the contraceptives. For the federal government, the courts proposal apparently would not allow for what government officials believe to be essential to making the ACA program of contraceptives available to women that is, such access must be seamless. By that, the government means that the women should not have to go to different doctors to get contraceptives, and should not have to carry two insurance cards one for health coverage generally, one for contraceptive access. Those kinds of additional obstacles, government officials believe, would act as strong deterrents for many women. But, assume for the moment that each side could find a way to put those potential problems aside. Would that clear the way for them simply to tell the court that its proposal is the way these cases should come out, as an approach that RFRA would permit, and then have it actually happen in real-world terms? It might not, or at least that might not happen quickly. First, it would appear that the non-profit institutions would have to enter new contracts with their health insurance companies, because explicit exclusion of contraceptives is not a provision in most, if any, of the existing contracts. The Supreme Court, of course, would have no authority to dictate that such contracts be drawn up and signed. Would enough non-profits go along to make the court plan workable to spare their beliefs under RFRA? Second, it would appear that the government would have to go back to the rules-writing process and craft entirely new regulations to implement this alternative approach. The existing regulations under the ACA contraceptives mandate are, in fact, the reason that there is a controversy now before the court, and the Justices appeared to be imagining that those would be replaced. How long would it take to go through the rather labored process of drafting new rules, putting them out for public comment, and then putting them into final, and binding, form? The court, on its own, cannot simply write new regulations. Of course, creative and knowledgeable lawyers can make many difficult things happen, in legal terms. The Supreme Court cases that will go down in history under the name Zubik v. Burwell may be a stern test of those talents. And, should one or both sides refuse to embrace the courts suggestion, then the court itself might have to become quite creative. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Constitution Check: What does one-person, one-vote mean now? Constitution Check: Is Ted Cruzs eligibility for the presidency a serious issue? What really killed the first President to die in office? MIAMIThe types of fruit Angel Hernandez sells havent changed much over the last 48 years. There are still rows of guanabanas and mangos in Los Pinarenos Fruteria, each wooden crate decorated with a Cuban flag stapled to the side. The people who pop into his Little Havana open-air fruit market, however, have shifted in recent years. His Cuban American regulars still swing by to pick up some fruit or to just talk politics, but so do Nicaraguans, Costa Ricans, and Mexicans. The neighborhood where thousands of political exiles landed after the Communist takeover of Cuba in the late 1950s is now primarily Cuban in name and history only. As whats happening in the rest of Miami, where just half of the citys 70 percent Hispanic population is Cuban, Little Havana is diversifying. Today, its more international, from many countries, Hernandez says, leaning on his countertop decorated with old photos of the neighborhood and insignia from his time in Brigade 2506, the group of Cuban exiles who led the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961. His shop is just across the street from a boulevard where an eternal flame adorns the top of a memorial to that invasion, along with other marble and granite monuments of Cuban military heroes and national figures, stone reminders of a previous era in a neighborhood nine miles west of South Beach. Recommended: What Can Help Poor Kids Thrive? Hernandez knows quite well how the neighborhood has changed over the years. He doesnt have to look any further than the ownership of his fruit market to see the progression. Before Hernandez took the business over in the 1960s, it had Jewish, white, and black proprietors, dating back to the turn of the century and in many ways matching the demographic shifts of the neighborhood. When Hernandez began selling fruit, Cubans were just moving in. Dilapidated after Jewish residents moved out of the city and black residents moved to neighborhoods further north, the area was one of the few places in Miami that was affordable. It became a landing zone for exiles fleeing Cuba. Thats where the businesses began, says Guillermo Grenier, a Cuban exile and professor of sociology at Florida International University, who co-authored a book on Little Havana. Thats where the ideology of people getting together and hating Fidel Castro began. It was a very intense, dense environment. Cubans who arrived early in Miami never expected they would stay there long. They were only 100 miles from their home and thought the U.S. would soon intervene and kick Castro out of power. They were sure of it, says Grenier, who left Cuba in 1960 when he was 10. They werent going to be there for 50 years. They were going to go back. While the neighborhood became an incubator for counter-revolutionary activity, they also started to build a community. As Cuban-owned businesses and restaurants began popping up, residents brought back elements of Cuban life. Men would informally play dominos in open areas, just like they did back home. Today in Domino Park, a fenced-in square where elderly exiles banter and throw bones during the day, theres a photo posted of them playing before there ever was an established park. By 1970, the neighborhood was more than 85 percent Cuban, says Grenier. Recommended: A Workplace-Diversity Dilemma As Cuban Americans gained wealth, they started spreading out across the city to more affluent areas. Little Havana, however, remained a place where incoming immigrants, many Cuban, could find an affordable place to live, ease into American society while still speaking Spanish, and find a job. Businesses remained Cuban-owned, but residents started reflecting the different crises that were taking place in Latin America. When the left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front took power in Nicaragua in 1979, Nicaraguans came in droves to Little Havana. Economic blight and civil war would soon bring Guatemalans, Hondurans, and other Central Americans to the neighborhood, as well. Little Havana has firmly established itself as a haven for new, poorer immigrants, and remains that way today. Its the Ellis Island of Miami, says Grenier. Folks do come, and they may not be exiles, but they come running away from poverty, trying to find a better chance. Cubans today make up about a third of the neighborhood, he says, and that percentage continues to fall. Little Havana has firmly established itself as a haven for new, poorer immigrants. Frank Rodriguez Melos biggest clientele are new arrivals, mostly from Nicaragua. The real-estate broker rents out apartments on the east side of Little Havana that are sometimes 40 percent below fair market rates. His one-bedroom apartments have an average rent of $700well below increasingly unaffordable units in other parts of Miami, and matching the needs of a community that has a median household income of $15,000, according to Census figures. The only Cubans Melo rents out to, he says, are in their late 60s. The young population of Cubans do not live here because they associate it with their past, their beginnings, says Melo. Within the Cuban population, if you have the option you dont live in Little Havana. The Hispanic culture is about pride. Moving up and on is the goal. Most businesses here are still owned by Cuban Americans, even if many of them dont live in the neighborhood anymore. But the waves of immigrants from different countries in recent years has led to a new generation of business-owners, like Marco Incer, who are capitalizing on the Little Havana brand. Incer left Nicaragua in 1985 when he was 16 during a time when Sandinistas were recruiting young men out of parks, schools, and theaters, pulling up in a truck and taking them to the mountains to fight for them. He fled to Mexico and soon after illegally crossed the U.S. border. Since then, hes earned a visa, gone to school, and built a career as a civil engineer. Recommended: The Tesla Model 3 Is Still a Rich Person's Car On the side, Incer runs Art District Cigars, a cigar lounge in Little Havana that he opened in 2008. Paintings from local artists decorate the burnt orange walls of the dimly lit lounge, as a dozen or so patrons smoke cigars and lean back in leather couches. Around 70 percent of his business comes from tourists, who come to his lounge to seek out the cigar culture thats synonymous to Cuba. This is the closest thing to Havana, Incer says. Everybody thinks this is the capital of the tobacco industry, and everybody who comes in here asks for Cubans. He has Cuban flags around the shop, knowing he survives off the Little Havana identity, even though hes not Cuban. Local tour guide Corinna Moebius, who also isnt Cuban, wants to show the diversity of Little Havana. Just a few hours before the 10-block section of Southwest 8th Street dubbed Calle Ocho transforms into a chaotic showcase of Cubanness for Viernes Culturales on the last Friday of the month, I met with Moebius at Los Pinarenos Fruteria. Soon, dancers performing the mambo pour out of restaurants into sideways, where vendors sell Cuban food and cigars to wide-eyed tourists, clumsily dancing to music from street performers. While the neighborhood as a living community may not be Cuban, Little Havana as a brand is distinctly Cuban. People want to consume this idea of it being traditional and stuck in the past. Often, how businesses in Little Havanna use Cubanness to market themselves frustrates Moebius. (This is a phenomenon that Grenier, the FIU professor, calls created communityan ersatz sense of community that people are using to sell goods.) When we met, she was about to start a tour about the cultural influence of Afro-Cubans, a topic that can be passe to locals, she says. Moebius tries to tailor her tours what she sees as the real Little Havana. But thats not what people always want to see. Its less sexy if youre not Cuban, she says. Its so hard for me. Im a tour guide. I want to share my neighborhood and all the cultures. But the demand is literally a little Havana. Thats the perception, and people want to consume this idea of it being traditional and stuck in the past. They consume that idea in large quantities, it seems, as tourism accounts for a massive chunk of the local economy$23.7 billion in 2014Little Havana being a major part of that revenue. Harnessing the Cuban theme in business has been tricky in some ways for Jose Santana, a Salvadoran who runs the local Cuban restaurant, El Cristo. But, he says, imagine if you came to Little Havana and business-owners didnt want to talk about Cuba. It would be unthinkable, he says. Plus, if you go to an Italian restaurant, the chef is not necessarily Italian, nor is the owner necessarily Italian. Carole Ann Taylor, the owner of tourist shop Little Havana To Go, says she loves that the neighborhood is morphing into a place for all immigrants, but wants to celebrate the history of Little Havana, even as a black businesswoman. People come to Miami not just for the beach, but to imbibe the vibe of Miamis Cubans, she says. Even so, businesses that dont fall into the Little Havana brand still thrive. On her tour, Moebius leads her pack past Mexican and Honduran restaurants, a Nicaraguan bakery, and a Colombian jewelry shop, before ending near Colon Supermarket, owned by Daniel Sore, who just moved to the U.S. from Venezuela two years ago. The store has been open for just a few months and caters to mostly local clientele90 percent of his customers, he says, use food stamps. We have everybody, he says, listing off Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Honduran, Costa Rican, Argentine, Venezuelan, Colombian, and Cuban customers, making up the new look of this neighborhood. Hernandez, the owner of Los Pinarenos Fruteria, comes in every morning to buy the newspaper. This store, like the fruit market, has changed with the times. Before Sore bought the supermarket, it was owned by Dominicans for 18 years and then Cubans for 30 years before then. Theres rumbling among different business-owners in the neighborhood about development creeping from the swanky Brickell Avenue area, threatening what made Little Havana so attractive to immigrants: its affordability and culture. We believe in the neighborhood, Sore says. Hes says hes ready to take on whatever incarnation Little Havana will transform into next. Related Video Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Michele Kambas ATHENS (Reuters) - Cyprus is enhancing requirements on commercial banks and intermediaries to know the identity of their customers, days after a massive data leak detailing how the world's rich skipped through loopholes to park cash in low-tax jurisdictions. Tighter regulations forcing banks and intermediaries to know their clients, as well as suspending account transactions for non-compliance, came into effect on Thursday, the Central Bank of Cyprus said in a statement. The east Mediterranean island is home to thousands of offshore companies, many of them Russian. Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday a network of secret offshore deals and loans helped people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin get rich, identifying some firms based in Cyprus. One bank named, Cyprus-based RCB, denied any wrongdoing. The disclosures were part of a leak of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca on the financial arrangements of prominent figures worldwide, from Putin's circle of friends to relatives of British Prime Minister David Cameron. Cypriot legislation allows the creation of companies with a "nominee" structure whose beneficiaries are not listed in company filings, but authorities say they impose a "know your customer" regulation on banks and intermediaries. Tighter requirements were applicable immediately, the Central Bank said in a circular to commercial banks on Thursday. It included a raft of new provisions stipulating that banks have personal contact to verify identities of beneficiaries and their risk profile, in addition to the verification process from intermediaries. It also imposes a suspension of bank account transactions if that verification is not carried out within a three-month period. "Today's amendment is part of a continuous effort to further boost the regulatory framework, always with the aim of zero tolerance to deficiencies or weaknesses which could possibly lead to opportunities of money laundering, or terrorist financing," the Central Bank said in a statement. The OECD said in October 2015 that Cyprus was largely compliant with its exchange of information standards, along with Luxembourg and the Seychelles. (Editing by David Holmes) ATHENS (Reuters) - Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said on Thursday he did not expect Cyprus would need a new international bailout in the event of a peace agreement which would re-unify the island, split by a war in 1974. Speaking at a news conference in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, Anastasiades said the potential benefits of a Cyprus settlement could be huge. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are now carrying out studies into the matter, he said. "I dont see how it would be possible for us to be led into to a new Memorandum of Understanding, if one takes into account there will be transitional periods and safeguards built in (to a solution) so there will be no economic oscillations," he said in response to a question. Cyprus exited a three-year bailout program on March 31. "In any case, from the first day of a solution - and I hope that will be the soonest - the common currency will be the euro," Anastasiades said. Cyprus was divided after a Turkish invasion in 1974 following a brief Greek-inspired coup, and the island's Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities remain separated. The Greek Cypriot side, which represents the whole of Cyprus in the European Union, has been a member of the euro zone since 2008. North Cyprus, a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state, has as its official currency the Turkish lira. Anastasiades represents the Greek Cypriot community in peace talks with Mustafa Akinci, the Turkish Cypriot leader. Diplomats say the negotiations represent the best chance in years to settle the conflict. Cyprus received a 10 billion euro international bailout in 2013, but only used about 70 percent of the cash. The financial lifeline extended by the EU and the IMF was contingent on Nicosia imposing a bail-in on deposits -- a raid on peoples savings which were then converted to equity -- to recapitalize banks badly exposed to debt-stricken Greece. (Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Angus MacSwan) PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech Republic will halt a program to take in 153 Christian refugees from Iraq after some of those who have arrived tried to move to Germany and others returned home, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said on Thursday. The country agreed in December to take in 37 families of Iraqi Christians voluntarily under a special program. So far, 89 people have arrived. But the program suffered when 25 of them took a bus to Germany on Saturday, where they were stopped immediately after crossing the border and returned to the Czech Republic. One family has decided to return to Iraq. "It is impossible to support a project that is not meeting its objectives," Chovanec said on his Twitter account. The Czech Republic has seen only a trickle of the migrants flooding into Europe from the Middle East and beyond in the past year. Both the government and public opinion strongly oppose taking in a large number of them. Last year, the Czech Republic opposed plans to distribute 160,000 asylum-seekers seekers among European Union member states. On Wednesday, it again rejected any quota system for distributing migrants among the EU countries. The country of 10.5 million recorded 1,525 asylum applications last year. It had granted protection to 71 people, Interior Ministry data showed. Several thousand people, mostly Muslims, were detained while trying to pass through the Czech territory to Germany last year. (Reporting by Robert Muller, editing by Larry King) Copenhagen (AFP) - Copenhagen police said Thursday they had detained four people on suspicion of joining the Islamic State group in Syria and seized weapons and ammunition in a search linked to the arrests. Another two people were detained later in the day suspected of having violated Danish weapon laws as police said they could be "tied to the find of weapons and ammunition during the day's searches." The initial four were suspected of breaking Denmark's terrorism law while in Syria, and were arrested in the Copenhagen area, police said in a statement without giving any further information on their identities. "The suspects have been identified through investigations carried out in close cooperation between the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and Copenhagen police," the statement said. Under Danish law, "letting oneself be recruited to commit acts of terrorism" is punishable with up to six years in jail. "At one of the addresses we (searched) today we found some weapons and ammunition," police inspector Poul Kjeldsen told reporters. A person living at the address had ties to one of Copenhagen's criminal gangs, police added later on Twitter. On the suburban housing estate of Tingbjerg, Turkish-born taxi driver Mehmet Konmaz watched outside as police searched an apartment in the building where his wife and children lived. "The police came with two big cars and two surveillance cars and a regular car," he told AFP. "My daughter... is shocked that something like that could happen where they live," he added. Local media said one of the apartments searched was linked to a 27-year-old man whose name appeared in leaked documents that were given to Britain's Sky News, containing information on jihadists who have joined IS. Sky reported last month that a disillusioned former IS member had given the news channel tens of thousands of documents containing the names, addresses, phone numbers and family contacts of those joining the group. Story continues - Europe on edge - "The arrests took place as part of the effort against people letting themselves be recruited to terror groups in war-torn parts of Syria and northern Iraq," police said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday. So far only one returning Syria fighter in Denmark has been charged with joining a terrorist organisation. "Since my first day as justice minister it has been crucial for me to ensure that foreign fighters who take part in the armed conflict in Syria and Iraq are held responsible when they return home," Justice Minister Soren Pind said on Facebook. "I am pleased that the authorities' efforts now appear to be bearing fruit." Europe is on edge after the Paris attacks in November and last month's bombings in Brussels, both blamed on homegrown jihadists radicalised and trained by IS. Around 4,000 Europeans have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups as foreign fighters, according to a study from the Hague-based International Centre for Counter-Terrorism released last week. Data from Denmark showed that 125 people had left the country to fight in Syria or Iraq, and that 62 of them were believed to have returned to the Scandinavian country. The Danish city of Aarhus has drawn international attention for its "soft-hands" approach to battling the radicalisation of young Muslims with social techniques used in gang exit strategies. A Danish-Palestinian gunman -- seemingly inspired by the deadly assault on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo -- killed a filmmaker and a Jewish security guard in twin attacks last year. In this occasional series, OZY takes to streets and neighborhoods across the globe to ask a simple question: How was your day? Bill Miklos Hiller Aviation Museum San Carlos, California Today was pretty hectic. Its a holiday week, and we had so many people. I greeted everyone and gave them an overview of the museum, walked them through the gallery of airplanes. We have something like 52 aircraft artifacts in the museum right now. Some of them go back to 1911 and have been restored. I get all types of people in here, from prekindergarten to senior citizens, so I have to tailor my content to the age group and what theyre looking for. With the kids, I have them sit on the carpet and I get down on the floor with my little airplane model and talk to them. You have to get down to the child-to-child level so they warm up to you. I always build up the excitement by asking, You want to go see something really cool? We want them to get the tactile experience and put their paws all over the airplane fuselage. There are different ways to get into a persons mind through their eyes, ears, fingers and we try to get all of them in the experience so each kid will get something helpful to them to understand aviation. Ive had an interest in aviation since I was a kid. I retired in 2011 and came by [the museum] and decided to become a docent. Most of the gallery here relates to the San Francisco Bay Area and people learn things that they never knew took place before. I enjoy telling stories about the Wright brothers and Glenn Curtiss and other pioneers of aviation, like Lincoln Beachey, a great aviator who wowed crowds in San Francisco in the 1910s. In fact, when he passed away, the city had a Lincoln Beachey day. At the end of the day, people go away with a little bit more understanding of aviation and its history. Thats the beauty of it. I got my degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Then I spent 13 years in the Air Force at Millstar, a military communications site in Los Angeles. After that, I decided to go into the civilian side and worked on the Air Forces space programs. When I left the military, I came up here to work for Lockheed Martin, on defense space programs. Story continues Tru 2 Source: Sean Culligan / OZY My very first flight was in 1968, when my uncle took me around to see colleges. He was an aerospace engineer and knew I wanted to go into that field too. So he took me on a Boeing 707 from New York to South Bend, Indiana, to visit Notre Dame. He wanted me to have confidence that I could go to college. My father was blue collar and didnt go to college. I had to wear a tie and a nice white shirt for the flight. You used to have to dress up to go on an airplane. It was a social occasion to fly. The golden days of aeronautical engineering were in the early 1950s, when they were building a lot of jet aircraft for the first time. One classic Lockheed designer named Kelly Johnson worked on 22 different aircraft during his career. Nowadays, a graduate may work on one or two planes during his entire career since they take so long to build. Im retired, but my passion remains airplanes and space. I dont fly like I used to; in the Air Force, I took 130 flights over four years. The plane was just like a big bus, but it was special every time. We have a doctor who brings his son to the museum every Tuesday after school. The kid has got a collection of airplanes in his room. In the summertime, we have aviation camps for kids 180 kids a week. You see their eyes light up. You hope that among one or two, well get a scientist or engineer. If you plant this little seed in a childs head, over the years it may grow into a profession. Thats what we hope. Related Articles By Luke Baker JERUSALEM (Reuters) - In the past three months, the Israeli military has more than tripled its demolitions of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank, United Nations' figures show, raising alarm among diplomats and human rights groups over what they regard as a sustained violation of international law. Figures collated by the U.N.'s office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA), which operates in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, show that from an average of 50 demolitions a month in 2012-2015, the average has risen to 165 a month since January, with 235 demolitions in February alone. The Israeli military, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, says it carries out the demolitions because the structures are illegal: they were either built without a permit, in a closed military area or firing zone, or violate other planning and zoning restrictions. The U.N. and rights groups point out that permits are almost impossible for Palestinians to acquire, that firing zones are often declared but seldom used, and that many planning restrictions date from the British Mandate in the 1930s. "It is a very marked and worrying increase," said Catherine Cook, an OCHA official based in Jerusalem who closely monitors the demolitions, describing the situation as the worst since the U.N. body started collecting figures in 2009. "The hardest hit are Bedouin and Palestinian farming communities who are at risk of forcible transfer, which is a clear violation of international law." The structures include houses, Bedouin tents, livestock pens, outhouses and schools. In an increasing number of cases, they also include humanitarian structures erected by the European Union to help those affected by earlier demolitions. Appearing before a sub-committee in the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, Major General Yoav Mordechai, the coordinator of the Israeli government's activities in the West Bank, defended the policy and told right-wing lawmakers he was doing all he could to carry out 11,000 outstanding demolition orders. The lawmakers summoned Mordechai to the hearing because of their concerns he is not doing enough to dismantle Palestinian structures and focusing instead on removing unauthorized Israeli construction in the West Bank. "I want to state unequivocally that enforcement is more severe towards the Palestinians," Mordechai told them, comments that would appear to substantiate the concerns raised by diplomats, aid workers and human rights groups. "Moreover, much of the enforcement with regard to the Palestinians takes place on private Palestinian land." From the point of view of B'Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights group, that admission would appear to confirm that Israel's policy discriminates against Palestinians. Mordechai said Israelis and Palestinians were treated the same. "There is undoubtedly a wave of demolitions and displacements that is severely threatening the ability of thousands of Palestinians to live in these areas," said Sarit Michaeli, the spokeswoman for B'Tselem. "To demolish the homes of Palestinians who are protected under the Geneva Conventions and to build (Israeli) settlements is a clear violation of international humanitarian law." WHAT AIM? While it is clear have picked up sharply, it is less clear why the policy is being pursued more vigorously now or where it leads. One factor that appears to have increased the pressure on the government is the work of Regavim, a right-wing Israeli NGO that describes its goal as the "responsible, legal, accountable and environmentally friendly use of Israel's national lands". To Regavim, "national lands" includes the West Bank, which the group refers to as Judea and Samaria - the Biblical areas many religious Jews see as their ancient heritage. The Palestinians want the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip for their own independent state. Using drones, Regavim overflies the West Bank to capture footage of where illegal construction may be going on. Its lawyers and field workers then compile detailed files of alleged violations and present them to the government and courts. The group, co-founded by Betzalel Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist West Bank settler who is now a member of parliament, makes frequent submissions to the sub-committee on Judea and Samaria, the same forum that questioned Mordechai. While Smotrich is no longer involved with Regavim, his party, coalition partner Jewish Home, supports more settlement building and the annexation of "Area C" of the West Bank, where most Palestinian structures are being demolished. Area C, which makes up 60 percent of the West Bank, has been under complete Israeli military control since the mid-1990s. Ari Briggs, an Australian-Israeli who runs Regavim, says the group's aim is not to target Palestinians but to apply the law - usually Israeli military law - rigorously and equally. "What's happening on the ground is massive illegal construction in the Arab sector," he wrote in the Jerusalem Post in January. "Illegal construction is only a symptom of a much wider problem: The failure of the state of Israel to impose the law equally, on all its citizens, throughout the land." Diplomats see a wider trend. When Palestinians' homes are destroyed in Area C, they are forced to move away from the sector, which is where most Jewish settlements are based. Settlements - known as outposts - built without Israeli government permission are sprouting up across Area C and now number around 100. Some are even based in 'firing zones' where Palestinian homes have been destroyed. "They are exerting ever greater control over strategic areas of the West Bank," said a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "(Israeli) settlements are the vehicle for taking control of the land." (Writing by Luke Baker; editing by Giles Elgood) By Teis Jensen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish police said they had arrested four people on Thursday suspected of having been recruited by Islamic State (IS) to commit terrorist violence, and two others of breaking Danish weapons law. Police said in a statement the four had been indicted for "having violated the penal code ... by allowing themselves to be recruited by IS in Syria to commit terrorist acts". Later on Thursday police arrested two people they believe could be linked to ammunition and weapons found during a search carried out in connection with the earlier detention of the four. The two will be indicted for breaking Danish weapons law, Copenhagen Police said in a statement. Neighboring Sweden on Thursday charged a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden. The Danish arrests were part of a joint effort by police and the intelligence service PET to combat the enlisting of people by terrorist groups in war-torn areas of Syria and northern Iraq, police said. The police would not provide more details on the identities of the six, or the charges against them. They will appear before a judge for preliminary hearings on Friday. The prosecution had requested that Friday's hearing for the four suspected IS recruits be closed to the public, police said. More than 125 people are believed to have joined IS after going to Syria and Iraq from Denmark, PET said in October, adding that at least 27 had died there. "We know that people who have fought for IS in Syria or Iraq may pose a specific security threat against Denmark," Justice Minister Soren Pind said in statement shortly after the arrests. Only one person, a 23-year-old, has previously been charged under the same section of the Danish penal code with being recruited for terrorist acts. He was charged in December and his trial is expected to begin in May. Danish authorities have been on high alert since two people were killed in shooting attacks at a free speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen in February last year. Islamic State claimed responsibility for suicide bomb attacks that killed 32 people in Brussels last month and attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people. (Additional reporting by Nikolaj Studsgaard; Editing by Andrew Roche) COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish food ingredient maker Chr Hansen is looking to gain a foothold in more African markets, Chief Financial Officer Soren Westh Lonning said after the company reported a better than expected second-quarter results on Thursday. The company posted second-quarter operating profit of 63.9 million euros ($72.7 million) before special items, against 52.5 million euros in the same period last year and a consensus forecast of 60.2 million euros in a Reuters poll of analysts. Revenue was up nearly 10 percent at a slightly better than expected 228.9 million euros. Lonning said that Chr. Hansen is looking for new markets in Africa and the Middle East for its Food Culture and Enzymes division, which makes ingredients for the dairy, meat and wine industries and accounts for about 60 percent of revenue. The CFO mentioned Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt as potential target countries, but emphasised that there are no concrete plans as yet. Chr. Hansen, the share price of which has more than quadrupled since it went public in 2010, operates in 30 countries and said that revenue growth in Asia was 25 percent in the first half of the financial year. "We're very successful in China at the moment, in all our business areas," Lonning said. Sydbank analyst Morten Imsgard said that infrastructure presents a potential obstacle to expansion in Africa but was upbeat on the company's prospects, citing its presence in emerging markets expected to benefit from demographic development and increased wealth. Shares in the company were up 1.2 percent at 0927 GMT. ($1 = 0.8788 euros) (Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard; Editing by David Goodman) Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC, ^RUT) are lower in midday trading, after the minutes from the last Fed meeting showed some disagreement over the pace of tightening. After the bell today, we have an interesting meeting with Janet Yellen and the last three former Fed chairs. Jonathan Corpina of Meridian Equity Partners joins us live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the markets. Joining Yahoo Finance's Alexis Christoforous to discuss some of the other big stories of the day are Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman and Melody Hahm. Alibaba becomes largest retailer by gross volume Step aside Walmart (WMT), Alibaba (BABA) is taking over. The Chinese e-commerce giant is now officially the largest retailer by gross volume, according to a statement by the company. While Alibaba has yet to report its financial results for the year, its revenue must have surpassed $481 billion to back up its claim. CEOs pushing back Youd think those eight-digit compensation packages might thicken the skin of some of Americas best-paid corporate leaders. But as the rhetoric against corporate greed heats up, especially with the presidential race in full swing, three top CEOs are fighting back. Pfizers (PFE) Ian Read wrote an op-ed in the Journal saying the Treasury is wrong about the nixed merger with Allergan. General Electrics (GE) Jeff Immelt says in the Washington Post that Bernie Sanders is wrong when he says GE is "destroying the moral fabric of America," and JPMorgans (JPM) Jamie Dimon, in his annual letter to shareholders, also had a message for Sanders, whos fighting to break up the big banks. Victoria's Secret? Restructure business Despite March sales that topped estimates, Victoria's Secret isn't standing pat. The lingerie maker's corporate parent L Brands is restructuring the business to focus on three core brands: Victoria's Secret Lingerie, Pink, and Victoria's Secret Beauty. By Matthias Williams and Margaryta Chornokondratenko KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainians blamed their political leaders on Thursday for not doing enough to tackle corruption and improve the country's image, after Dutch voters emphatically rejected a treaty on closer ties between the European Union and Ukraine. The Association Agreement, which aims to forge closer political and trade ties, was the spark for the pro-European Maidan protests in 2013/2014 that brought down a Kremlin-backed president and triggered Russia's annexation of Crimea. In the Netherlands, the non-binding referendum could spell trouble for the increasingly unpopular government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. It could also fuel an anti-establishment mood ahead of the Brexit vote in June. In Ukraine, the disappointment reflected disillusion with Western-backed leaders who came to power after the Maidan, as corruption scandals and party squabbles stymied reforms. "People there in Europe understand the level of corruption, that the authorities are now simply incapable of doing anything better for their own citizens," said Ilya Zhyzhyyan, a 29-year-old Kiev resident. "So the Dutch probably think why do they need a country that can't do any good for its own people?" With its ties to Russia ruptured and Kiev still fighting a Russian-backed insurgency in its eastern industrial heartland, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the Dutch result would not blow his country off a European course. Poroshenko's predecessor, Viktor Yanukovich, fell after mis-calculating the cost of bowing to Russian pressure and backing away from signing a political and trade deal with the EU which had been long in the making. His swerve away from Europe towards closer ties with Moscow brought thousands out on to Kiev's central Independence Square and, after 100 protesters were shot dead in February 2014, he fled the country. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the Dutch vote reflected Europe's opinion of Ukrainian politics. "The result doesn't affect Ukraine's European integration, but in the long-term it shows that not all of Europe is waiting for us with open arms," said political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko. "Our European prospects will not depend on the result of the referendum but on how successful our reforms will be, our fight with corruption and whether Ukraine will become a democratic country." The vote came days after disclosures in the so-called "Panama Papers" that Poroshenko had set up an offshore company in 2014 at the height of Ukraine's battle against the separatists. He has denied wrongdoing. Iryna Herashchenko, a lawmaker with Poroshenko's party and the head of the Ukrainian parliament's committee on European integration, blamed the fallout from the Panama leaks for negatively influencing the Dutch vote. She also blamed "other developments in Ukraine - the incapacitated government, the populist parliament, the lack of a critical mass of responsible politicians and officials in all state institutions, corruption, irresponsibility, 'technocrats' who screwed up and disappeared on holiday, wimps, poor communication, and a lack of dialogue with the people." "It is a very poor reflection of anyone linked to government institutions in Ukraine," she wrote in a Facebook post. Ukrainian opinion polls show that, for many, corruption has stayed the same or even got worse and support for Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk is in single digits. The vote "means that they probably don't really want to welcome us in Europe," said Taras Voychenko, a 50-year-old Kiev resident. "That's all. Why? Who needs a country that is sinking into the mud?" (Additional reporting by Alessandra Prentice, Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets; Editing by Richard Balmforth) By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Many women with a bowel disorder that can affect fertility choose not to attempt pregnancy even though treatment may make it possible for them to conceive, a recent study suggests. Researchers studied more than 1,300 women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which involves chronic or recurring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are the most common forms of IBD. People with Crohns have inflammation throughout the entire digestive tract, while in ulcerative colitis, only the large intestine is inflamed. Almost one in six women were voluntarily childless, often because they were older, had worse IBD symptoms or were unaware of options that might improve their odds of having a baby, the study found. Poor knowledge is one of the drivers of voluntary childlessness, said lead author Dr. Christian Selinger, a gastroenterologist at the University of Leeds in the U.K. While IBD doesnt necessarily reduce fertility, medications to treat these conditions can impact the odds of conception and are also linked to certain birth defects. Surgical treatments can also lead to scarring that limits fertility, and many patients with IBD also experience sexual dysfunction. Despite these challenges, many women can still conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive technologies. For the current study, Selinger and colleagues surveyed female members of the patient support group Crohns and Colitis U.K. who were between 18 and 45 years old. Participants were 33 years old on average. Almost 59 percent were diagnosed with Crohns, while 38 percent had ulcerative colitis. While 14 percent of the women had kids before they got an IBD diagnosis, 26 percent had kids afterwards and another 36 percent said they planned to in the future. The women who said they didnt want kids tended to have more hospitalizations and were more likely to have had surgeries for IBD than their peers who were mothers or planned to start a family at some point. The voluntarily childless women were also more likely to be single and unemployed. Some women with no plans to have children also said they were concerned their baby might inherit IBD or that the disease might make pregnancy difficult, and they expressed concerns about raising a child while coping with their disease. Because the study only included people in a patient support group for IBD, its possible the women surveyed were more knowledgeable about their medical issues and fertility options than women in the general population might be, the authors note in the Journal of Crohns and Colitis. In addition, the study relied on self-reported health information that wasnt verified with the womens doctors or medical records. The study also doesnt assess exactly how women who opted not to conceive decided that they didnt want to have children, Dr. C. Janneke van der Woude, a researcher at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, who wasnt involved in the study said by email. Symptom severity may very well come into play, said Dr. Yvette Leung, a researcher at the University of Calgary in Canada who wasnt involved in the study. The vast majority of treatments for Crohns and ulcerative colitis are completely safe for a female to take when she is conceiving and equally safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, Leung said by email. For patients who are acutely ill, however, from their Crohns or ulcerative colitis, there may be multiple good reasons not to have children including depression, malnutrition, amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), and general poor quality of life, Leung added. Still, women who get acute symptoms under control and ensure their specific medications are safe during pregnancy shouldnt necessarily be deterred from trying to conceive, said Dr. Jane Andrews, head of the IBD service and education at Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. The news is almost all good, Andrews, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Very few women should be advised not to go ahead with a family due to IBD. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1ULlG1d Journal of Crohns and Colitis, online March 17, 2016. As a smart homeowner or renter, you keep an eye on what's happening to homes on the market and available units in your area to get an idea of how much your rent could go up when you renew your lease or how much your home's value may have increased in the past year. But have you noticed all those construction cranes lately? From 2006 to 2014, the number of renters in metro areas throughout the U.S. increased 5 percent, from 136.4 million to 158.4 million, according to a study by the New York University Furman Center and Capitol One. The higher demand for rental units is common in major cities like New York and Los Angeles, and it's spreading to other parts of the country that are experiencing significant population growth, like Denver. With single-family home options either limited or out of their price range, many would-be homebuyers are turning to renting -- and developers are working quickly to meet the new demand. It's not any old apartment building going in, either, but luxury developments geared to entice renters with more amenities, higher-end retail options and a lifestyle that could even tempt existing homeowners. Regardless of whether you rent or own, new housing construction in your area could have a significant impact on how much it costs for you to live there, as well as how much your home could be worth down the line. [See: The 20 Best Places to Live in the U.S.] Renting The majority of multifamily buildings being built are not just a newer version of your place, but they're equipped with all the bells and whistles, too, says Ryan Koechel, head of marketing for the apartment listing site Abodo. "What we see from a lot of the new development is really developments that are larger in unit numbers, and they're catered toward millennials and the higher income threshold, so you're seeing really high amenities -- rooftop pools, in-unit laundry -- and all that kind of stuff has really contributed to the increase [in rent] for that matter," Koechel says. Story continues Denver is a city experiencing a high demand for housing. A population growth of more than 5 percent from 2010 to 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, has pushed up both rent costs and home values in Denver. Year-over-year growth in rental rates for the city peaked at 14 percent in July 2015, according to online database company Zillow. While rental rates will continue to climb, the pace will slow down a bit, partly from expected completion of new apartment buildings in the area, says Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow. "Given that we actually have a fair sense of what future supply is going to look like, which is going to be quite robust in Denver, we expect there to be more inventory coming online. And that itself will relax rental prices because there's more renters now, there's a ton of rental demand ... and the increased supply of rental units will help ease those pressures," Gudell says. With construction permits approved for 2016 and beyond, multifamily developments are expected in many major markets for the time being, which appears to fit with the demand in those markets, Koechel says. "For the foreseeable future, we see the demand being there. I think you've got to look more 18 months, maybe two, three years out before we start to see kind of that saturation point," he says. Owning A high rental rate in the same neighborhood won't have a direct impact on your home's value, but it could be indicative of other neighborhood features that will keep your return on investment climbing. Many luxury apartment buildings bring in high-end retail on the ground level of the property -- from designer clothing stores to upscale restaurants -- and convey an image of walkability to the neighborhood. Often homebuyers will pay more for the luxury of being able to walk to their favorite restaurant. "If the area's up and growing and there's a lot of activity, and it's making the area better, it should make [home values] go up," says Matt Nixon, chief operating officer of Pendley & Pendley Appraisers in Cumming, Georgia. "But if you get an area where they're just going to come in here and drop this building and there's nothing around like it and all, it could potentially have a negative impact." The focus on high-end retailers coming in has changed with the emergence of luxury multifamily housing being built as well -- developers are focusing on bringing in retail tenants that appeal to the target residents, explains Bruce Leonard, managing principal of Streetsense, a commercial real estate brokerage firm based in the District of Columbia area. "We're starting to target tenants that reflect the desires and aspirations of the renter above. For instance, if I'm a millennial living downtown, having a yoga studio and a wine bar at the base of my building is far more desirable than having a dry cleaner," Leonard says. Other common tenants in the retail space at the base of new, luxury apartment buildings include health clubs or gyms to act as an additional amenity for renters, and food and drink spots that are either local or national to better fit the aesthetic of the neighborhood. For a new development to make a positive impact on nearby home values, both the developer and the neighborhood have to communicate to address the current problems in the area that might affect home values, like a section of the neighborhood that sees more crime than other areas down the block partially because it isn't well lit. [See: 10 Unorthodox Ways Your Real Estate Agent May Market Your Home.] San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood is known for its high-end home values, but the area had a lack of new development until developer Trumark Urban came in with a plan for townhomes and condos, called The Pacific. The Pacific is a redevelopment of almost an acre that was previously a school of dentistry, according to the firm's managing director, Arden Hearing. He explains the property had little to no parking, and with plenty of students, teachers and patients coming in and out throughout the day, traffic in the neighborhood was a headache. When Trumark Urban came in, the potential for added housing supply with a decrease in vehicle congestion made the redevelopment especially appealing to those living in the area. "This particular site was a beacon for parking and traffic issues, so the neighborhood welcomed us with open arms," Hearing says. With only 76 homes in the plan and one or two parking spaces per new residence, Hearing says The Pacific, which is already partially completed with the rest expected to come on the market later this year, helps to reduce traffic in the area by as much as 50 percent. And while he says "the direct impact [on home values] isn't as quantifiable," the better traffic statistics could certainly have an impact on future buyers of some of the existing homes in the neighborhood. The potential impact on your home's value from new multifamily housing depends on what the developer includes in its plan. If the new property brings in new retail and increases the neighborhood's walkability, you could easily see your home becoming more desirable and more likely to get higher bids from homebuyers, thanks to the area's sense of community. But if the developer doesn't consider existing headaches in the neighborhood, like not enough parking, a high-density building could easily make things more difficult for you both while you live there and when you try to sell your home. Looking Forward For the time being, luxury developments are successfully answering a demand. And while midlevel and affordable housing seems to be forgotten in the new development realm, they'll be back once luxury developments reach their saturation point. At the same time, climbing values of existing homes due to a lack of inventory will eventually even out as well because, as Gudell explains, a home is only worth as much as a person is willing to pay for it, and affordability will hit a limit at some point. "You're going to start putting a ceiling on home value ... simply because people can't afford them anymore," she says. If you're worried about being squeezed out of your neighborhood based on the cost of living, don't extrapolate too far in the future. Expectations of neighborhood improvements to increase rental rates or new inventory to relieve demand don't matter until it's already affecting the market. [See: 9 Alternative Building Materials to Consider for Your Home.] Nixon stresses home appraisals won't take future developments into account because the market value of a home reflects a moment in time for the whole market: "Until it's done, and until you see how the market reacts, you don't know. Then we'll be able to tell what it's going to do." Dolce and Gabbana have teamed up with Smeg to create a fashionable line of designer refrigerators. The Sicilian designers took to Instagram to announce the news, posting a video offering a sneak peek at the elaborate Renaissance-inspired motifs featured in the range. They accompanied the post with the caption: "Dolce&Gabbana and Smeg have teamed up to design a special edition of the FAB28 refrigerator, transforming it into a work of art." According to Vogue, the limited edition designs will be available in just 100 units, each of which will be hand painted, leaving every piece unique. The collection will launch during the Salone del Mobile in Milan on April 13 and each fridge will retail for 30,000 (approximately $34,140). File this under collaborations that surprised us: Dolce & Gabbana has partnered with Italian appliance company Smeg to design limited-edition FAB28 refrigerators that will feature hand-painted artwork. Every piece is unique, but they all tell a story consistent with our brand identity, designer Domenico Dolce told Vogue of the art being featured on the retro iceboxes, which include the Trinacria symbol, medieval puppets and lemons - motifs that have appeared in past collections by the Milan-based fashion house. Not surprisingly, the fridge will cost a pretty penny. According to Vogue, each one will be priced at &euro30,000 (about $34,209) and will be available at Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana on April 13. Considering that Gabbana told the fashion bible that these items are really the perfect collectors pieces, it should be worth it, right? At least itll be good for storing all that spaghetti. Dolce&Gabbana and Smeg have teamed up to design a special edition of the FAB28 refrigerator, transforming it into a work of art. The result of this partnership is the special Smeg refrigerator with unique Dolce&Gabbana styling. #DGSmeg By Zoe Tabary TAMISSI, Burkina Faso (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Dieudonne Sedogo waits patiently in line to see the doctor in the scorching 49-degree Celsius heat of this village in central Burkina Faso. But the ailment he's seeking to address today isn't his own. Instead, it's the one afflicting the wrinkled aubergine with yellowing leaves he's carrying in his hand. "Every year during the dry season I have the same problem, confesses Sedogo, who has been farming the same patch of land for 15 years. His aubergines, he said, each year become as dry as prunes, rendering most of the harvest useless. But today two "plant doctors" Maurice Albert and Rihanata Sawadogo have set up a one-day clinic near a maize field in the village. They question Sedogo: Has he changed the crops he's planting? Or where he plants the aubergines? What fertilisers does he use? Sawadogo examines the sickly plant under a microscope while Albert carefully takes notes. Their verdict: an insect agricultural pest, most likely spider mites, is responsible for Sedogo's ailing crop and the pest is resistant to many chemical insecticides. But they have a prescription to offer too: an environmentally friendly, natural pesticide to be applied twice a week until the damage subsides. The doctors also advise Sedogo to plant a wider variety of crops, to plant them in new areas each season and to convince his neighbors to bring samples of their own crops in for a consultation. Otherwise the infection might return, they say. TRAINING DOCTORS Albert and Sawadogo, who tour village markets across the region, are trained by the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the Building Resilience to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) program, supported by Britain's Department for International Development. They have been in the job for a year. The ministry's accreditation gives the plant doctors credibility among farmers, and is a source of pride for the doctors themselves, who are agricultural extension agents. "I think of myself as a real doctor", beams Albert. "I diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatment to cure plants, which ultimately improves people's food security." The doctors see an average of 20 farmers per session, with most patients returning for a follow-up consultation. Sedogo is satisfied with the advice he's received though he says he still faces plenty of other issues in making sure he gets a harvest. "I don't have enough water or fertilisers. And I'm on my own in the field my kids can't help because I want them to go to school," he said. Erik Dirkx, who works for Welthungerhilfe, a German non-governmental organization that has helped establish the plant doctor system as part of BRACED, said the program is gaining in popularity. "The plant clinics took a while to get off the ground but are starting to bear fruit," he said. "The farmers we speak to appreciate getting expert advice that's available to them locally." A GROWING THREAT Tamissi, like many Burkinabe villages, is battling more frequent and ever-longer droughts, experts say. The dry season, which traditionally lasted from mid-February to June, is increasingly extending into July and August, delaying the start of much-needed rainfall for planting. In a country where over 80 percent of the population relies on subsistence agriculture, that is a problem with big implications for hunger. The government is ramping up efforts to help rural communities combat food insecurity and adapt to climate change. These include providing fertilizer and seed subsidies, as well as training technicians and doctors like Sawadogo and Albert to teach new farming practices on the ground. "We may not control drought, but we can prepare for it," said Maurice Traore, the country's deputy minister for vegetable production. "My hope is that we ultimately create a collaboration at the village level, rather than perpetuate a top-down approach relying on subsidies only," he said. He laments the fact that international aid to the country often arrives on the heels of a disaster rather than being provided in a long-term manner aimed at addressing underlying problems. "Money helps, of course, but what we need is people and capacity to help us become self-sufficient, food-wise", he said. (Reporting by Zoe Tabary, editing by Laurie Goering.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate) Teustepe (Nicaragua) (AFP) - Nicaragua may boast a southern lake that is Central America's biggest body of freshwater, but in the center of the country years of drought have taken a severe toll. "This is like looking for gold," Pedro Membreno, a 55-year-old resident said as he dug into the rocky earth near the town of Teustepe, one of 33 communities in a parched corridor. His hole was already 15 meters (50 feet) deep, and still there was no water. He and hundreds of other rural dwellers are desperately searching for aquifers, underground layers of water in permeable rock. But many have simply dried up under the drought that has dragged on for three years now. Nicaragua's central region has witnessed an absence of rain and temperatures hovering around 36 to 39 degrees centigrade (97 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit). Conditions worsened further over the past year with El Nino, the cyclical climatic phenomenon that warms the eastern Pacific, heating up and drying out much of Central America. The change accelerates deforestation and prompts farmers to divert scarce water for their crops. The result has been despair for the towns of Teustepe, Ciudad Dario, Las Banderas, San Francisco Libre and Tipitapam, stretching from the center to the north of the country, one of the poorest in the Americas. - Dry riverbeds - Their towns lie in arid fields, among bald hills where plants have shriveled, and dry riverbeds. Women and children can be seen walking along the roads with empty containers, looking for water. Despite the apocalyptic scenes, and worried protests that have sprung up in some outlying suburbs of the capital Managua to the west, environmentalists say there is no danger of the entire country going thirsty. Still, said Denis Melendez, a coordinator for an environmental umbrella group called the National Platform for Risk Management, the drought was having a sharp impact. "We knew that the climatic phenomenon was going to affect severely affect us. That was clear. But this prolongation of nearly three years has exacerbated the situation," he said. Story continues "In the hand-dug wells, people are saying the water is much deeper than before, that they have to go further down or the waters have receded like in the big lakes." Silvia Luna, aged 29, confirmed the worry felt by many. She was bathing and washing clothes with other women and children in a meager waterhole located between boulders, a couple of hundred meters (yards) from her home. "Sometimes the waterhole is dry and we wait for water to come out for us to do our chores," she said. - Economic impact - The drought has affected parts of the economy, notably agriculture and fishing. "In the countryside people no longer want to farm -- it's no longer attractive for those people because they have lost genetic material, the soil is degraded," explained Melendez. "The hope is that, after El Nino, we'll see La Nina," a different phenomenon that usually brings heavy rains, he added. The capital Managua should have a buffer against the drought because it sits on Lake Xolotlan. But Oscar Vilchez, a 55-year-old fisherman who lives on its banks, said: "There are no fish. They have all gone deeper inside." In Ciudad Dario, 60 kilometers (40 miles) north of Managua, one resident, Maura Centeno, said fish were dying in what was a local lagoon. "It's a puddle now," she said. While El Nino was getting much of the rap for the extended drought, some experts noted it wasn't solely responsible. "We are doing things to make the impact dramatically worse. We are seeing a direct relationship between the deforestation, the drying up of the well and the rivers, and the level of underground water," said Rosario Saenz, an ecologist with the Foundation for Nicaraguan Development. "In the Pacific dry zone they are continuing to strip forests and there is no policy for reforestation. We have asked for them to declare a forest moratorium in rural areas," he said. Although there are no official figures, environmental groups estimate that 80,000 hectares (nearly 200,000 acres) of forest are lost each year. Big agriculture exacerbates the problem by damming rivers for irrigation, leaving communities downstream without water, said Saenz. MOSCOW (Reuters) - A rejection by Dutch voters of a treaty on closer ties between the European Union and Ukraine in an advisory referendum shows Europe's attitude to Ukraine's political system, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on his Twitter account. Exit polls indicated roughly 64 percent of Dutch voters voted "No" and 36 percent said "Yes" in Wednesday's vote. Although turnout was too close to call, early tallies indicated it was just ahead of a turnout minimum of 30 percent required for the vote to be valid. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov) Kiev (AFP) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Thursday that a "No" vote in a Dutch referendum on a key EU pact with Kiev was no obstacle to the ex-Soviet country's integration with the bloc. Voters in the Netherlands on Wednesday rejected the cooperation deal in a people's referendum seen as a barometer of anti-EU feeling, although it is non-binding. "I would like to emphasise that this referendum has an exclusively consultative nature under the constitution and legislation of the Netherlands," Ukraine's pro-Western president said in a statement. "I am confident that this event is not a strategic obstacle for Ukraine on the path to Europe." Poroshenko said Ukraine would keep working towards European integration as "a way to modernise Ukraine and reinforce its independence". "We will not turn off the road of European integration. Ukraine and freedom cannot be stopped," he said. The president said that in his opinion the Netherlands vote was largely directed against the European Union itself. "This is an attack on the unity of Europe, an attack on the spread of European values." Dutch voters were asked if they supported the European Union's association agreement with Ukraine, which has been at the heart of the conflict with former master Russia since 2014. A decision by Poroshenko's pro-Kremlin predecessor Viktor Yanukovych to suddenly cancel the signing of the EU deal triggered a popular uprising in Kiev followed by Russia's annexation of Crimea and a pro-Moscow uprising in eastern Ukraine. The agreement signed by Poroshenko in 2014 includes a free trade accord known as the DCFTA (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement). "I would like to emphasise that Ukraine will keep on implementing the Association Agreement and ensure the establishment of DCFTA with the European Union," Poroshenko said Thursday. The West and Kiev accuse the insurgents of downing a Malaysia Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all on board, the majority of them Dutch. By Paul Taylor BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's long-running problem with voters just got a little worse after the Dutch rejected an agreement on closer EU ties with Ukraine, highlighting the difficulties of further European integration. Coming less than three months before a British referendum on whether to stay in the EU or leave after 43 years of semi-detached membership, the Dutch vote rang alarm bells in London and Brussels. Less than a third of the electorate turned out for the consultative Dutch referendum, forced by a grassroots petition launched by eurosceptics. But it was enough to make the ballot valid and oblige Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government to take account of the result. Jubilant eurosceptic Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders called it "the beginning of the end of the EU". His British counterpart, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, said: "Their 'No' to the EU was a tremendous victory for democracy." The EU's usual way of handling such setbacks - pressing ahead while giving some side-assurances to the country that voted "No" - only fuels anger among critics who see it as an elitist technocracy that ignores the popular will. "It will probably lead to a cosmetic solution, a little legal fix, which in future will give more reasons to vote 'No'," said Luuk Van Middelaar, a Dutch historian and an aide to former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. "This is the vicious circle of euroscepticism, which keeps fuelling itself." The Dutch "No" extended a dismal run of EU defeats since 2000 in plebiscites in Denmark and Sweden on joining the euro, and in Ireland, France and the Netherlands on approving new treaties giving greater powers to Brussels. Most recently the Danish government lost a referendum on opting back in to more EU judicial and police cooperation. Almost every time a European government has asked voters any question about "more Europe", the answer has been "No". The few exceptions included two in Ireland, where voters approved EU treaties at the second attempt after Dublin secured extra assurances from its EU partners following referendum "No" votes. "This confirms a 21st century trend that all referendums with the EU on the ballot paper result in 'No' to Europe," former British Europe Minister Denis MacShane told Reuters. "A low turnout helps the anti-EU/Brexit vote. If in UK the referendum has the same turnout as the European Parliament elections (35 percent in 2014) then Brexit wins," said MacShane, a pro-European who has forecast a Brexit vote since last year. TURNOUT IS KEY British Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the risky UK vote in response to rising euroscepticism that was tearing apart his Conservative party, is acutely aware that he needs to mobilize the electorate to avoid an historic debacle. Cameron made a big pitch on Thursday to young people, who polls show are more pro-European than their elders but less likely to vote, to register and cast ballots on June 23. Asked about the Dutch vote, he said: "I don't think it has any effect on us because we've got a bigger question: do we stay in this organization or do we leave? "But I think it is important that the European institutions and the Dutch government ... listen carefully to what people have said, and try to understand that and try to work with that rather than saying this is something they can't deal with." Edouard Lecerf, global director of Political and Opinion at pollster TNS-Sofres, said the main lesson from the Netherlands for Britain was that the ability of the rival camps to get their supporters to go out and vote will be crucial. "We often see that in European elections or votes about Europe, opponents of the EU have a greater capacity to mobilize than supporters," he told Reuters. "The European question has a way of crystallizing a whole series of discontents about institutions, policies and elites, with a high electoral payoff," he said. Early polling in Britain suggested barely more than half the electorate may take part in the referendum, Lecerf said, even though the economic and strategic stakes are far higher than in the Dutch vote on an arcane issue that stirred few passions. Some of the Dutch electors who bothered to turn out took the chance to vent discontent over the economy, immigration, globalisation or the Rutte government's policies rather than EU ties with Ukraine. The same could easily happen in Britain, where Cameron has been weakened by divisions in his party, a crisis in the steel industry, questions about his late father's use of a Panama-based offshore company and anger over welfare spending cuts. "THE ENEMY OF INTEGRATION" European unity was driven after World War Two by political leaders in France and Germany, but also Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who had national electoral mandates and parliamentary support, but most did not put the issue directly to their electorates until the 1990s. When they did, they got a nasty surprise. French voters only approved by a whisker the Maastricht Treaty on economic and monetary union that created the euro single currency, after the Danes had initially rejected it in a 1993 referendum. French President Francois Hollande, traumatized by the 2005 referendum defeat of the EU's Constitutional Treaty which split his Socialist party, has done everything to avoid treaty change for deeper euro zone integration to avert another plebiscite. The EU has advanced beyond the single market integration that could be sliced into a technocratic process and entered far more politically sensitive areas of control over national budgets, borders and foreign policy. In the Dutch case, the mainstream center-right and center-left parties which all supported the Ukraine deal were in a bind. As democrats, they could not publicly urge supporters to abstain in the country's first grassroots-driven referendum, but many quietly hoped that "tactical abstention" would keep turnout below the threshold for the vote to be valid. Some senior EU officials say referendums are inimical to the European project because they allow voters in a single country to block or delay agreements approved by other national parliaments, causing deadlock. All 27 other EU states have ratified the Ukraine pact. "Plebiscitary democracy is the enemy of European integration but it is the rising trend. I don't see how we avoid it and I don't see how we can advance with it," said one senior official, who requested anonymity because he does not speak for the EU institutions. The EU's most ardent federalists see the answer to the conundrum as lying in more pan-European democracy and greater powers for the directly elected European Parliament, even though many voters see their national parliament as the center of democratic life and most did not cast an EU ballot last time. Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a federalist who leads the centrist liberal group in the EU legislature, said he was not surprised by the Dutch outcome. "Europe is not capable of dealing with the big crises we face," he said. "We can only solve this by working more closely together and reform Europe. It is time for another way for Europe." (Writing by Paul Taylor, editing by Peter Millership) By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch voters have overwhelmingly rejected a Ukraine-European Union treaty on closer political and economic ties, in a rebuke to their government and to the bloc's establishment. The broad political, trade and defense treaty, which had already been signed by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government and approved by all other EU nations as well as Ukraine, took effect provisionally in January. But that didn't stop Dutch voters on Wednesday rejecting it by a 64-36 margin in a referendum that drew only 32 percent of voters to the polls - barely enough for the result to be considered valid. Voters said they were voicing their opposition not only to the treaty itself but also to European policymakers on matters ranging from the migrant crisis to economic policy, not long before Britain's June vote on whether to stay in the EU. Although the referendum was non-binding, Rutte acknowledged late on Wednesday it was politically impossible for his unpopular government to ratify the treaty in its current form. However, as the Dutch currently hold the EU's rotating presidency, he will need time to figure out whether and how he can alter the treaty in a way that could satisfy all parties. Rutte said the government would consult with parliament and its European partners "step by step. That could take days or weeks." Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday his country will continue moving towards the European Union despite the Dutch vote. "Under any circumstances we will continue to implement the association agreement with the European Union including a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement," he told reporters in Tokyo. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the result was "an indication of European attitudes to the Ukrainian political system." Any proposed changes to the treaty will have to pass both houses of the Dutch parliament, including the Senate, where Rutte's shaky coalition lacks a majority. Some political commentators have predicted a coalition collapse over the issue, though new elections must be called no later than March 2017 anyway. If a compromise can be found, it must also be palatable to other European countries, as well as the European Union Commission and the Ukrainian government. Rutte's main political rival, the anti-EU, anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, whose popularity has hit all-time highs amid Europe's refugee crisis, said the result was "the beginning of the end" for Rutte's government and the EU in its current form. "If two-thirds of the voters say no, that is a vote of no confidence by the people against the elite from Brussels and The Hague," he tweeted. The European Commission has said it will wait for the Dutch government to suggest a way forward. Options include leaving the Ukraine agreement in force provisionally, or drafting exemption clauses for the Netherlands as has happened in somewhat similar circumstances in the past. Manfred Weber, leader of the center-right European People's Party (EPP), the biggest bloc in the European Parliament, and an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the referendum result was a "big defeat" for the Dutch government and should be taken seriously. "We need to make Europe more democratic and transparent," Weber told Deutschlandfunk radio, saying there was too much backroom politics going on in Brussels. He added that politicians needed to engage more with citizens, explain things to them and show that they take people's concerns seriously. He said that applied particularly to Britain ahead of the June referendum on the country's membership of the European Union. The United States, which has supported Kiev's efforts to move closer to the West, expressed disappointment at the outcome of the Dutch vote. "Clearly we're disappointed by the results, but we do respect the views of the Dutch people," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters, adding: "We respect the Dutch political process." Toner said it was too soon to know what implications the vote would have for Ukraine's ambitions of closer ties with the EU. "I don't think we know yet," Toner said. "President Poroshenko has said that they're going to continue to work towards an association agreement, take the steps they need to take in terms of reforms and other measures. We support them in those efforts." (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Additional reporting by Elaine Lies in Tokyo, Michelle Martin in Berlin, Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow and Lesley Wroughton in Washington; editing by Hugh Lawson and Alan Crosby) Larnaca (Cyprus) (AFP) - The man accused of hijacking an Egyptian plane and diverting it to Cyprus has said he acted out of desperation to see his ex-wife and children, as he was remanded into custody Wednesday. A judge in Larnaca on the island's southern coast ordered Egyptian Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa held for eight days during his first court appearance after Tuesday's hijacking. The Egyptian state prosecutor's office said it had asked for Mostafa, 58, to be remanded into its custody under a 1996 bilateral extradition treaty. Mostafa is accused of forcing the Alexandria-to-Cairo flight to divert to Larnaca, where he demanded to see his Cypriot ex-wife, with whom he has children. "What's someone supposed to do when he hasn't seen his wife and children in 24 years and the Egyptian government won't let you?" Mostafa told authorities, police prosecutor Andreas Lambrianou told the court. Police told the court that Mostafa -- described by officials as "psychologically unstable" -- faces possible charges of hijacking, kidnapping, reckless and threatening behaviour, and breaches of the anti-terror law. Mostafa will not face any formal charges until a later hearing and only at that point will he be expected to enter a plea. He flashed journalists the victory sign as he was driven away by police from the courthouse, which is less than a kilometre (half a mile) from Larnaca airport where a six-hour standoff unfolded after the hijacking. Most of the 55 passengers on the EgyptAir flight were quickly released after it landed in Larnaca but it took hours of negotiations, including a conversation with his ex-wife, before Mostafa surrendered to police. Local daily Phileleftheros quoted members of the wife's Cypriot family as saying the estranged couple had four children but that Mostafa had shown no interest in them in years. - 'Best selfie ever' - Some passengers and crew escaped only minutes before the standoff ended, including one uniformed man who was seen clambering out of a cockpit window and dropping to the ground. Story continues Among them was a 26-year-old British man, Ben Innes, who asked crew to snap a photograph of him standing beside Mostafa that has been widely shared on social media. The image features a grinning Innes standing next to Mostafa, with what appears to be a rudimentary suicide vest strapped to his chest. "I figured if his bomb was real I'd nothing to lose anyway, so took a chance to get a closer look at it," Innes, a health and safety auditor from Leeds in northern England, told Britain's The Sun newspaper. "So I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever," he said. As it became clear on Tuesday that the hijacker was trying to contact his ex-wife and was likely not a real danger, Egyptians also took to social media to poke fun at the incident, many using the Twitter hashtag #loveisintheair. "This is what happens when you block your ex," one person wrote on Twitter, while another opined: "Some may wonder why the hijacker didn't just email his wife. They don't realise how terrible Egypt's Internet is." - 'Non-prohibited' items - H.A. Hellyer, an Arab affairs specialist at the Royal United Services Institute in London, tweeted: "My wife just told me: 'You don't love me enough. You haven't hijacked a plane to talk to me. Sort it out'" After several hours in Larnaca, passengers on the flight were flown to Cairo late on Tuesday. "Fifteen minutes after departure we saw on the screens that the plane was not going to Cairo and it was crossing the sea," passenger Noha Saleh said on arrival in the Egyptian capital. "They said it was a technical problem and they needed to go to Cyprus or Greece to fix it... they were professional and their attitude was normal," she said. Egypt's military said on its Facebook page that a team of special forces and negotiators dispatched to Cyprus after the hijacking had returned, posting a video showing the troops boarding a plane. Concerns were raised about security at Egyptian airports after a Russian airliner was downed on October 31 over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. The Islamic State group claimed to have smuggled a bomb on board. But Egypt's interior ministry said in a statement that all security measures had been applied. The accused hijacker and his luggage were scanned, it said, and he had used "non-prohibited belongings" in his handbag "to imply that he was wearing an explosive belt and to threaten the crew and passengers." Rome (AFP) - Egyptian investigators on Thursday spent more than four hours briefing Italian counterparts on their so-far inconclusive probe into the torture and murder of an Italian student in Cairo that threatens to derail close ties between the two countries. A team of five Egyptian prosecutors and police has come to Rome with a 2,000-page file on the probe into the murder of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old PhD student at Cambridge University. Their work, which Egyptian media described as ongoing, was presented to Rome prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone and senior security officials in a closed-doors meeting at a police training college. Italian officials are not convinced everything is being done to bring Regeni's killer or killers to justice and have warned of consequences if the Egyptians do not present a credible account of everything they know about his gruesome fate. The talks will continue Friday. To date there has been no attempt by the Egyptian team to contact Regeni's family, their lawyer said. The case is a testing one for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who has fostered a close relationship with Egypt's military-backed president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, but is under pressure to respond to public anger over the case. "The relationship is a huge deal for Italy but Egypt has burnt most of its credit in the last two months in a not very smart way," said Mattia Toaldo, of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in London. Regeni disappeared in central Cairo on January 25. His body was found on the outskirts of the city on February 3 bearing the signs of torture which, an autopsy concluded, had been inflicted over several days. Media coverage of the case has focused international attention on other disappearances and rights abuses in Sisi's Egypt. Regeni's family have threatened to release pictures of his mutilated body to keep the pressure on over his death. Their stance was praised Thursday by the mother of Khaled Said, whose 2010 killing by Egyptian police contributed to the wave of anger that led to the Arab spring uprising of 2011. Story continues "I thank you for standing with us and caring about torture cases in Egypt," Laila Marzouk said in a video posted on YouTube. - 'Lies again and again' - Italian officials were initially told Regeni had been killed in a car accident, then that his death had been linked to a personal dispute. At the end of last month, Egypt publicly announced police had killed four members of a criminal gang they suspected of murdering Regeni. That version of events was greeted with scepticism in Italy, where many suspect the murder was the work of elements in the security services -- a theory Cairo dismisses as without foundation. Italy has warned of "immediate and proportionate" action if the Egyptian delegation does not provide satisfactory answers. Investigators in Rome want to see Regeni's mobile phone records and CCTV images from the neighbourhood in which he was abducted. Unconfirmed reports from Egypt said some of these elements had been handed over on Thursday. Rome also wants to know if and why Regeni was under surveillance prior to his abduction. The student had been researching independent labour unions in Egypt. Toaldo said Italy's options in terms of action were limited to recalling its ambassador, warning its citizens against travel to Egypt on security grounds or seeking backing from its European Union partners to put pressure on Cairo over the case. All are problematic. An ambassador call-back risks being seen domestically as purely symbolic while a travel ban would hurt Egypt's battered tourism industry at the cost of escalating the rift with Sisi's government. And other EU countries might not be keen to jeopardise their relations with Egypt to support Italy given Rome's past courting of the Sisi regime. (Reuters) - Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has hailed the signing of Egyptian international Mohamed Elneny, believing the pair are forming a formidable partnership in the Gunners' engine room. Elneny joined Arsenal in January from Swiss side Basel and has performed strongly alongside the Frenchman in recent weeks, with central midfielders Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey all out injured. "It's going well, he's a great addition to the squad," Coquelin told British media. "He's settled really quickly, because don't forget he's only been here for two months. "We are getting stronger each game, and if it can carry on this way it will be a good partnership." Third-placed Arsenal, who trail Premier League leaders Leicester City by 11 points, travel to Upton Park to face sixth-place West Ham United on Saturday. (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru. Editing by Patrick Johnston) BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Ezzat al-Douri, the right-hand man to late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein who was reportedly killed, rose from an ice block seller as a boy to one of the country's most feared men. The governor of Iraq's Salahuddin province said on Friday that Douri, who was Saddam's last man standing after the U.S. invasion, was killed in a military operation. The pan-Arab television network al-Arabiya showed a photo of a dead man, who looked similar to al-Douri, one of the former Iraqi president's most trusted aides. Born in 1942, Douri was a top official in Saddam's Baath Party and has been declared dead several times before. After the 2003 invasion, he was ranked sixth on the U.S. military's list of 55 most wanted Iraqis and a $10 million reward was offered for his capture. U.S. officials accused him of organising the insurgency that peaked in 2005-07. He evaded capture during the long U.S. occupation as other Saddam aides were killed or put on trial and sectarian civil war engulfed the country. The mere sight of Douri, a wiry man with a red moustache who often wore a military beret, terrified Iraqis who endured what was known as the Republic of Fear. After Douri's long absence, Iraqis suddenly heard what appeared to be the voice of a man who played a role in many of the worst atrocities against Shi'ites, Kurds and Sunnis. A purported audio message from Douri called on all Iraqis to join efforts to "liberate" the country. This time Douri seemed to be on the side of Islamic State, and he praised the Sunni militants who seized large parts of the country and eventually declared a caliphate. Although elderly and reported to have been in poor health, Douri was believed to be the leader of the Baathist militant group the Naqshbandi Army, one of several groups said to have supported Islamic State. Some analysts speculate that shortly after going into hiding Saddam Hussein set up an insurgency, deploying his most trusted aide Douri and others to plot the return of the secular Baath. But divisions between Baathists sabotaged those ambitious plans, the analysts said, and Douri saw an opportunity in Islamic State militants who possessed heavy weapons and tanks. "Join the ranks of the rebels who liberated half the country," said the voice on the recording, which resembled previous tapes released in Douri's name. "The liberation of Baghdad is around the corner. Everyone should contribute, to the extent of his ability, to complete the liberation of the beloved country, because there is no honour or dignity without its liberation". Douri has been described as the mastermind of the insurgency against the Shi'ite-led government. But no solid evidence of that has emerged and there were also signs that the alliance of convenience was short-lived. Within three weeks of taking control of Mosul, Islamic State militants began arresting senior ex-military officers and members of the Baath, residents and relatives said. An intelligence official in the interior ministry said he believed Baathists, including Douri, had provided funding to Islamic State, but had ultimately been superseded by the radical jihadists. "In the beginning of 2014 and since military councils (Baathists) and Daesh (Islamic State) had a temporary marriage. It was a one night stand," he said. "The Baathists thought they could use Daesh to reach Baghdad, but the radicals used the Baathists to be acceptable and win over the people." Other Iraqi officials say, however, that former military officials once ruled by men like Douri acted as advisors to Islamic State who followed Saddam's playbook of assassinations and torture to deal with opponents. Mosul residents say Islamic State has cells and spies everywhere, much the same way the Iraqi state operated under officials like Douri. Douri was one of the main plotters of the coup that brought the Baath Party to power in 1968. He quickly rose through its ranks. In 1998, he escaped an assassination attempt in the city of Kerbala, home to may of the majority Shi'ites he repressed. His luck appeared to run out when Iraqi security forces surrounded an area after receiving information that "terrorists" were there, according to Salahuddin Governor Raid Jubbori. "Three of them were suicide bombers and blew themselves up. Amongst the bodies was Douri's," he told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Isabel Coles; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Giles Elgood) By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union executive is considering whether to make U.S. and Canadian citizens apply for visas before traveling to the bloc, a move that could raise tensions as Brussels negotiates a trade pact with Washington. Only Britain and Ireland have opt-outs from the 28-nation EU's common visa policy and the European Commission must decide by April 12 whether to demand visas from countries who have similar requirements in place for one or more EU state. Washington and Ottawa both demand entry visas from Romanians and Bulgarians, whose states joined the EU in 2007. The United States also excludes Croatians, Cypriots and Poles from a visa waiver scheme offered to other EU citizens. "A political debate and decision is obviously needed on such an important issue. But there is a real risk that the EU would move towards visas for the two (Americans and Canadians)," an EU source said. Whether such a step would be practical, however, is in question given that it would seriously undermine the EU's vast and lucrative tourist industry. Canada's visa policy is not based on reciprocity, that country's immigration service said. Romania and Bulgaria do not meet its criteria for free travel, which include migration issues, security of travel documents, public safety, border management and human rights, it said. The U.S. mission to Brussels highlighted that any proposal by the European Commission to introduce such visas could later be overruled by the European Parliament or the European Council - which brings together the 28 EU leaders - on the grounds of foreign policy, among other considerations. The discussion will take place on Tuesday, just over a week before U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Europe on a visit that will include trade talks. Trade negotiations between Brussels and Washington are at a crucial point since both sides believe their transatlantic agreement, known as TTIP, stands a better chance of passing before Obama leaves the White House in January. Obama is due to visit Britain before meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a trade fair in Hanover on April 24. "There are major question marks over TTIP, no one could now say exactly how it'll go in the end. We'll see if we can get Obama in Hanover to commit to more of what we want," said one European Parliament member tracking TTIP. (Editing by Alastair Macdonald and Mark Heinrich) You might say its an unusual pastime. And nearly 2,000 people attend the German camp. Its not the only one, but its by far the largest in Europe people come from Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic to take part. Meet Europes Native American hobbyists. From 2011 until 2015, Jen Osborne, a Canadian living in Berlin, photographed this elusive subculture all over Europe and in Russia. The subjects in her series, she says, are not ethnically First Nation, but rather Europeans who use cultural mirroring, as practiced heavily in the 1960s and 70s, to claim Indianness. Osborne says its also a means of declaring sympathy with Native Americans. According to the photographer, the hobby was once used as a form of psychological escape from Iron Curtain dictatorships. Because this deeply private subculture is still present today, says Osborne, I wanted to explore whether imitation is flattery. Related Articles By Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay BERN/GENEVA (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA said on Thursday that banks must clamp down on money laundering, as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," FINMA Chief Executive Mark Branson told Reuters following its annual news conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management centre with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has written to 20 banks and other financial firms, giving them until April 15 to spell out any involvement they have with the "Panama Papers". HSBC, Britain's biggest bank and its affiliates created more than 2,300 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. Also on Thursday, France's ACPR financial regulator said it has told French banks to hand over extra information about their business ties with tax havens. German regulator BaFin is likewise probing the role of Germany's banks, a source told Reuters on Monday. Watchdogs in Sweden, Netherlands and Austria said earlier this week that they were looking into banks named in the papers. The chief executive of Austria's Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg became one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on the data leak on Thursday, though he denies his bank violated any laws or sanctions. SWISS BANKS The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. No U.S. banks are among the 10 banks named as the biggest creators of offshore companies for clients in the Panama Papers. But U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the Treasury Department to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with Mossack Fonseca. "As the primary agency charged with protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system and enforcing our laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, we strongly urge the Treasury Department to conduct its own inquiry into Mossack Fonsecas activities and its clients, the senators, both Democrats, wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. The Treasury Department would not comment specifically on the findings in the documents but a spokeswoman said that "the U.S. government intently focuses on investigating possible illicit activity, including violations of U.S. tax laws or sanctions, using all sources of information, both public and non-public." "If there has been any violation of U.S. tax law or sanctions evasion, we will take appropriate action consistent with the national security and foreign policy of the United States," she said. The senators, both members of the Senate Banking Committee and both proponents of stronger financial regulation, said they were concerned "this firm may have facilitated money laundering or terrorist financing with sanctioned persons or entities." Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said FINMA would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial centre. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutors office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalisation to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derived from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. FINMA has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Branson said: "There are concrete indications that the measures those banks had in place to combat money laundering were inadequate." (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Lisa Lambert in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alistair Bell) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was saddened by the outcome of a Dutch referendum that overwhelmingly rejected a Ukraine-European Union treaty on closer political and economic ties, the Commission said on Thursday. "The president is sad," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a regular news briefing. However, he said the referendum would not affect the wider EU deal on closer ties with Ukraine and it was up to the Dutch government to analyze the outcome of Wednesday's vote. "The Commission remains strongly committed to the development of its relations with Ukraine," he said. Asked whether the Commission still intended to propose liberalization of visa requirements for Ukrainians this month, he noted that Juncker had previously proposed this. (Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop and Barbara Lewis) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said the European Union will wait to hear what the Dutch government will propose doing about Wednesday's rejection in a referendum of an EU-Ukraine treaty. "I have taken note of the reported outcome of the referendum in the Netherlands," Tusk, who chairs summits of EU leaders, said on Thursday. "I will continue to be in contact with Prime Minister (Mark) Rutte on this, as I need to hear what conclusions he and his government will draw from the referendum and what his intentions will be. The EU-Ukraine agreement continues to be provisionally applied. The EU-Ukraine agreement has already been ratified by the other 27 member states." (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald) Berlin (AFP) - A 93-year-old former guard at Auschwitz has died one week before he was to stand trial in Germany, the court due to hear the case said Thursday. Ernst Tremmel had been accused of 1,075 counts of accessory to murder for his time working at the death camp in German-occupied Poland from November 1942 to June 1943. The trial was to have started next Wednesday in the western city of Hanau, with plans to hear the testimony of Auschwitz survivors. "All the appointments related to these proceedings have now been cancelled," the regional court in Hanau said in a brief statement. No cause of death was released. Tremmel served with an SS Totenkopf unit processing the arrival of prisoners and was allegedly directly involved in three transports, from Berlin, the French city of Drancy and Westerbork in the Netherlands. "Among the deportees, at least 1,075 people were cruelly murdered immediately after their arrival at Auschwitz," the Hanau court said when it announced the trial in February. Because Tremmel was aged 19 to 20 at the time of his alleged crimes, he was to have been tried under juvenile criminal law despite his advanced age. Due to his frail health, the court had ordered hearings to be limited to four hours per day. The legal foundation for prosecuting ex-Nazis changed in 2011 with the German conviction of former death camp guard John Demjanjuk, solely on the basis of his having worked at the Sobibor camp in occupied Poland. Tremmel was initially one of 14 suspects targeted in coordinated raids by German authorities in February 2014 in a twilight bid to bring the last living perpetrators of the Holocaust to justice. Last July, Oskar Groening, dubbed the "Bookkeeper of Auschwitz", was sentenced to four years in prison for being an accessory to the murders of 300,000 people at the camp. But the trial of a former Auschwitz medic in the eastern town of Neubrandenburg, 95-year-old Hubert Zafke, on charges of abetting 3,681 murders, was suspended for the second time last month due to his ill health, raising questions over whether the case can proceed. Story continues A third man, former SS guard Reinhold Hanning, 94, went on trial on February 11 accused of complicity in 170,000 deaths at Auschwitz. Further investigations are ongoing. One million European Jews died between 1940 and 1945 at Auschwitz before it was liberated by Soviet forces. New York (AFP) - The former Massey Energy chief was given a one-year prison term for his role in a deadly 2010 mine blast that was one of the worst in US history, prosecutors announced Wednesday. Don Blankenship, convicted by a jury in December 2015 of conspiracy to willfully violate mine safety standards, will also be fined $250,000, the Justice Department said. The sentence was imposed the day after the six-year anniversary of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia in which 29 men died. It "lets companies and their executives know that you can't take chances with the lives of coal miners and get away with it," acting US attorney Carol Casto said. "Putting the former chief executive officer of a major corporation in prison sends a message that violating mine safety laws is a serious crime and those who break those laws will be held accountable." The government, in a sentencing document to the court, described Blankenship's indifference to safety violations as "monstrous" and said he "made a conscious, cold-blooded decision to gamble with the lives of the men and women who worked for him." In 2011, an independent investigation found that Blankenship had failed to implement proper safety standards at the mine and concluded the accident "was the result of failures of basic safety systems." The investigation found that an inadequate ventilation system allowed explosive gases to build up, while water sprays were not properly maintained and failed to extinguish a spark that caused the blast 1,000 feet (305 meters) beneath the surface. Blankenship's team had argued he was portrayed unfairly by prosecutors and had a commitment to mine safety. He was expected to appeal, according to US media reports. The government had also charged Blankenship with lying to regulators and investors, but he was acquitted by the jury on those counts. Massey Energy was acquired by Alpha Natural Resources in 2011. In December that year, the US Justice Department announced that Alpha had agreed to pay a record $209 million to settle a criminal probe into safety violations at the Upper Big Branch mine. The Massey mine accident was the worst US coal mine disaster since an explosion killed 38 workers in Kentucky in 1970. MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian appeals court sentenced former Finmeccanica chief executive Giuseppe Orsi to four and a half years in prison on Thursday for corruption and falsifying invoices, overturning a previous lower court ruling. The decision is a setback to the Italian defense group at a time when current Chief Executive Mauro Moretti is looking to restore the company's reputation, streamline its operations and cut its debt. The trial concerned alleged bribes in a 560 million-euro ($638 million) contract awarded to Finmeccanica unit AgustaWestland in 2010 to supply 12 helicopters to India. Bruno Spagnolini, former head of AgustaWestland, was sentenced to four years in jail. The court also ordered the two executives to pay 7.5 million euros ($8.5 million), a sum related to the amounts deemed to have been allegedly paid in bribes. The case against Finmeccanica itself was dropped by prosecutors in July 2014. AgustaWestland, which was treated separately, agreed on a 7.5 million-euro settlement with the court a month later. Ennio Amodio, a lawyer for Orsi, said both defendants will appeal to Italy's Supreme Court against Thursday's judgment. The men will not be detained until a final verdict is handed down. In October 2014 a lower court had convicted Orsi and Spagnolini of falsifying invoices but acquitted them of corruption. Both appealed against the conviction, while the prosecution appealed against the acquittal on the corruption charge. Meanwhile the helicopter contract in issue is currently suspended and the subject of international arbitration in Paris after AgustaWestland opposed the decision in 2014 by New Delhi to cancel it. A separate investigation over corruption and money laundering is still open in India and involves individuals who allegedly worked as intermediaries in striking the deal. The Milan verdict comes as the Italian group seeks to restore its relations with India, one of the world's fastest growing defense markets. Finmeccanica's unit Wass last June won a tender for the supply of Blackshark torpedoes to the Indian government but the signature of the contract is still pending. ($1=0.8783 euros) (Reporting by Emilio Parodi; Writing by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Greg Mahlich) By Carol Zhong and Greg Roumeliotis HONG KONG/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apex Technology Co Ltd, a Chinese company that manufactures ink cartridge chips, is in negotiations to acquire U.S. printer and imaging systems provider Lexmark International Inc, according to people familiar with the matter. The potential deal with Apex represents an opportunity for Lexmark to sell itself as a whole, after an earlier auction did not produce satisfactory offers. Lexmark has also been exploring selling its software and hardware assets separately. While Lexmark sees Apex's approach as promising, it needs assurances that the Chinese company will be able to close the deal, the people said this week. Apex's executives are due to visit their counterparts at Lexmark in the United States this month to try to reach an agreement, one of the people added. Apex is working with a U.S. investment bank and already has the backing of some Chinese banks, the people said, cautioning there was no certainty that a deal with Lexmark would materialize. The sources asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. Lexmark declined to comment, while Apex representatives did not respond to requests for comment. Headquartered in the province of Guangdong, China's export and manufacturing powerhouse, Apex Technology is a supplier of printing cartridges and integrated circuit chips used in ink cartridges. Like other printer makers, Lexmark has struggled to adjust as its corporate clients cut costs and consumers shift to mobile devices from personal computers. Lexmark, which has a $2 billion market capitalization, announced in October that it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale, and had hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc as an adviser. Over the past few years, Lexmark has sought to diversify and aggressively bought up software assets to bulk up its services catering to business customers. Last year it bought Kofax Ltd for about $1 billion, a company which provides data services to financial, insurance and healthcare companies. At the time, Lexington, Kentucky-based Lexmark said the deal would double the size of its enterprise software unit to a $700 million business. Lexmark's software can scan everything from spreadsheets to medical images, and provides services to banking, healthcare, insurance and retail companies. While the software business has a higher growth rate, it represents a small portion of revenue compared with the hardware business. (Reporting by Carol Zhong in Hong Kong and Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by Koh Gui Qing in New York; Editing by Stephen Coates) Mexico City (AFP) - Independent experts investigating the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico have threatened to stop working with government authorities, accusing them of manipulating the probe for political ends. The team of experts was sent by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to try to shed light on the murky disappearance of the teacher's college students in the southern city of Iguala in September 2014. They have been cooperating with Mexico's own investigators, but lashed out at them for releasing what the independent experts called an unfinished report without their consent. "The group will not continue collaborating on this case if the process does not adhere to the terms agreed and international standards and only adds to the confusion and discredit," said Claudia Paz, the former attorney general of Guatemala and a member of the team. The backlash came after prosecutors published what Paz called a "preliminary" report on an analysis of whether the students' bodies were burned at a garbage dump, as the Mexican authorities claim. The report, the third forensic analysis of the possible crime scene, found that at least 17 bodies were burned at the dump. But Paz told a press conference that releasing it unilaterally amounted to "political use" of the findings, which appear to support the Mexican authorities' version of events. The independent experts said they are still waiting for an analysis of the amount of combustible material that would have been needed to burn so many bodies. Prosecutors say police handed the 43 students over to members of a drug cartel, who killed them, incinerated their bodies and tossed the remains in a nearby river. But the independent experts and Argentine forensic investigators have said there is no scientific proof that a large fire was set at the dump. (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a tissue container bag for use in certain laparoscopic procedures along with power morcellators, that have been linked to the spread of cancer in women. Power morcellators are devices used in gynecological procedures like hysterectomy where the uterus or the uterine fibroids are cut into smaller pieces and extracted through small incisions. The tissue container bag, PneumoLiner, developed by privately held Advanced Surgical Concepts Ltd, is then inserted into the abdomen and the tissues removed during the procedure are placed into it. The FDA estimates that about 1 in 350 women who undergo surgical procedures for fibroids is found to have an unsuspected uterine cancer. If morcellation is performed on these women, there is a risk that it will spread the cancerous tissue within the abdomen and worsen the patient's likelihood of long-term survival, the FDA said in a statement. (http://1.usa.gov/1qa18Ci) The health regulator, in 2014, had warned against using these morcellators for surgical purposes as they flagged serious risks such as the spread of cancer. Johnson & Johnson immediately suspended the worldwide sales of its morcellator after the FDA imposed the warning. (http://reut.rs/1SDgiXP) The FDA said on Thursday that the PneumoLiner's label should contain a boxed warning stating that the use of these container bags does not reduce the risk of cancer that might spread through using the power morcellators. Boxed warning is issued by the FDA to flag serious risks associated with using a drug or a device. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that originate from the smooth muscle tissue in the wall of the uterus. Laparoscopic power morcellation is one of several available treatments for fibroids. (Reporting by Rosmi Shaji in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) (Reuters) - An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday unanimously backed the accelerated approval of Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc's drug to treat a rare liver condition. The drug, obeticholic acid (OCA), is being reviewed for use in patients with primary biliary cholangitis, a condition in which the body mistakes the bile ducts in the liver as foreign objects and tries to destroy their lining. "If approved, we project launch in July and gross peak annual worldwide sales could reach about $2.2 billion," Wedbush Securities analyst Liana Moussatos said in a note this week. Accelerated approval is given to drugs based on a surrogate endpoint such as a radiographic image or laboratory measure that points to a clinical benefit. Surrogate endpoints are used when clinical trials may require too many patients and the outcome may take too long. Companies are required to conduct studies to confirm the anticipated benefit. If a confirmatory trial does not prove such a benefit, the FDA can revoke the approval. (Reporting by Amrutha Penumudi and Rosmi Shaji in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian) DALLAS (Reuters) - Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan declined on Wednesday to say when he expects to call for the Fed's next interest rate rise, but said that while the United States is vulnerable to "some amount of" financial turmoil, he sees costs to excess monetary policy accommodation. "Being cautious or patient doesnt mean standing still," he told reporters after an appearance here. (Reporting by Lisa Maria Garza; Writing by Ann Saphir; Editing by Leslie Adler) NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economy is on a solid course and still on track to warrant further interest rate hikes, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Thursday. Speaking at a panel with former chiefs of the U.S. central bank, Yellen said the labor market was "close" to full strength and that inflation was currently held back by temporary factors. (Reporting by Jonathan Spicer in New York; Additional reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; Editing by Diane Craft) Fiji lifted emergency restrictions Thursday after the Pacific nation avoided a direct hit from Tropical Cyclone Zena and the storm weakened as it moved offshore. Authorities had imposed a nationwide curfew as Zena bore down on the main island Viti Levu overnight Wednesday, fearing a repeat of super cyclone Winston, which killed 44 people in February. But meteorologists said Zena weakened, rather than intensifying, and tracked further south than expected, staying out to sea and leaving the island relatively unscathed. "After a blissfully uneventful night across Fiji we can give thanks," Suva's Nadraki weather forecasting service said. "All who planned for the worst and hoped for the best were rewarded for their efforts by having everything turn out okay." The cyclone was preceded by heavy rain and flash flooding that claimed two lives, but the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said it could have been much worse. "Viti Levu has been spared a second major disaster in as many months," it said. "The weather has now dramatically improved in most areas and flood waters are starting to subside." Roads reopened and international flights resumed, with a police-enforced curfew lifted early Thursday. But OCHA said the thousands of people still in temporary accommodation after Winston -- the most powerful storm in Fiji's history -- had a "miserable night" in heavy rains. "Health and hygiene concerns remain including the risk of mosquito and water-borne diseases," it said. Forecasters said Zena had been downgraded to a category two system and was heading east towards neighbouring Tonga, where authorities warned residents to expect thunderstorms, high winds and heavy swells. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Fijian authorities imposed a nation-wide curfew on Thursday as officials examined damage from a category three cyclone that passed to the south of the South Pacific island nation overnight, two months after a more powerful cyclone wreaked havoc. While the public remained indoors, emergency and essential aid services were being deployed across the country to assess damage from heavy rain and flooding brought by Cyclone Zena, which packed winds in excess of 120 kph (75 mph). In February, category five Cyclone Winston, one of the most powerful storms recorded in the southern hemisphere, killed 42 people and flattened settlements. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said it could take years for Fiji to recover. With widespread damage to homes, many people returned to shelters as Cyclone Zena approached. Nearly 80 evacuation centres were opened with thousands people taking shelter, said the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Officials were particularly concerned about outlying islands in the archipelago, which bore the brunt of Winston. Aid agencies, meanwhile, were preparing for health problems. "In times of flooding there is an increase in water borne diseases such as diarrhoea, eye infections and the spread of mosquito diseases such as dengue fever and the Zika virus," Alice Clements, Fiji representative at the U.N. Children's Agency, UNICEF, told Reuters. The storm, now downgraded to a Category 2 cyclone, is heading towards Tonga. (Reporting by Colin Packham and Jane Wardell; Editing by Robert Birsel) Surfing is about more than just standing up. A killer core, cardio and strength workout, the paddling and pop-ups push new and old -- and not just in the physical sense. As it turns out, surfing functions as a life and wellness tool in and out of the water. Like yoga, surfing embodies a holistic approach to life. I was reminded of both the simplicity and strength of this message time and again during a weeklong surf retreat that humbled me, challenged me and inspired me as the waves and I came together (or didn't) off the coast of Cambutal, Panama. And it isn't just me who thinks surfing and wellness go hand in hand. Spafinder Wellness 365 recently announced its wellness trend report for 2016, and surfing topped the list. In fact, catching waves is booming in the wellness travel genre, especially among women looking to blend physical activity with self-care through all-female surf retreats. SwellWomen Surf & Yoga Retreat owner Lulu Agan has built an empowering program in Maui, Nicaragua and El Salvador with the belief that "through the experiential element, such as learning how to surf, you are invited to tap into your inner strength and courage. This experience of riding the wave can be applied to all facets of our lives." What happens on a surfboard to inspire wellness? Nic Jacobson, director of furf at Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort in Cambutal, Panama, tells his students that surfing is about catching waves. It isn't about looking strong in a perfectly positioned stance on your board over a wave (even if we admit that does look mighty fierce). There is no doubt: Surfing is a physical sport. Your body will be sore. Your muscles will respond. My core has never been as tight and strong as after I spent five days in the water (and sometimes on my board). But the long lasting wellness that you'll be able to take home with you and incorporate into your daily life happens in the mind and heart when you embrace the lessons from the water, waves and surfboard. Story continues [See: 8 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Life.] Surfing teachers you how to cope in daily life. There is only one reality when you're surfing, whether you're a newbie or veteran. The ocean is the only one in full control. Ocean waves come in sets, including the good and the bad, just like life. For Jacobson, the key moment occurs in the fight. He explains, "We push through the rougher waves to calmer waters. We keep paddling so that when the opportunity comes, and a wave rolls through, we are in a position to seize that moment. When life presents us with a challenge, or period of turmoil, we have to have this same dedication. We don't surrender to the challenge, but we push through it so we're back in position for greatness, whatever that looks like for you." [See: 5 People Who Are Changing the Face of Yoga.] Surfing encourages us to drop our ego. The good and bad news, even for experienced surfers, is that every day is a new day in the ocean. And even more importantly, every wave is a new wave. Eckhart Tolle writes, "The past has no power over the present moment." While you can develop strength, form and expertise while surfing more and more waves, each new attempt presents an opportunity to humble us. Through the great waves and the not-so-great waves, we learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and that it's OK to fall. "Challenge exists in our everyday lives, and with the art of surfing, we teach colors outside the lines of life back home, erasing egos and unleashing the bare human spirit. It's like we're all kids again, and everyone is on the same playground," Agan says. [See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.] Surfing encourages us to deal with frustration and fear. There's is no doubt that the ocean is relentless. Even on a calm day, surfing involves a lot of paddling through waves to reposition yourself for the next set. Finding yourself furiously stroking through the water in the hopes of catching the wave in just the right moment -- only to have it move by you or toss you around -- can be frustrating, if you let it. Jacobson reminds his students that "the ocean isn't going to shut off. So you accept it. You let go of control. And all of a sudden, it's not that bad." When you step outside the story of frustration and judgment that spirals into a full-blown novel in your mind to be present in the moment, a new perspective emerges. In that moment, you can face anything. Elena Sonnino is a travel and wellness writer, public speaker and chaser of dreams based in Northern Virginia. She inspires readers to discover everyday wellness in far-flung places and their own backyard at LiveDoGrow.com. Los Angeles (AFP) - It is unlikely to make as big a splash as "The Force Awakens" but the first trailer for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" has at least caused a ripple in the Force. The 100-second teaser released Thursday led to a frenzy of speculation over the similarity between female lead Felicity Jones, who plays the titular rogue, and "Awakens" heroine Rey, portrayed by Daisy Ridley. People have been trying to work out Rey's place in the "Star Wars" family tree since December -- with fans speculating that she could be Luke Skywalker's daughter or Obi-Wan Kenobi's granddaughter -- but many took to Twitter to claim Jones' character Jyn Erso could be her mother. "For dudes concerned abt keeping Rey & Jyn straight in your minds, use whatever flashcards/mnemonic devices that helped you figure Luke & Han," LucasFilm creative Paul Hidalgo advised in a sardonic tweet. Others debated whether or not a scene from the trailer showed a station on the London Underground's Jubilee Line, while many welcomed the appearance of strong female leads in two consecutive "Star Wars" films. Philadelphia-based film writer Scott Weinberg observed that "you could count the important women in the first six Star Wars movies on one hand -- nice to see the pendulum swing the other way now." Rebecca Keegan, a film critic for the Los Angeles Times, pointed out that the trailer even passed the "Bechdel test" -- which asks if two female characters in any given film have a conversation about something other than a man. The first standalone "Star Wars" story, "Rogue One" is set just before "A New Hope" -- the original film in the blockbuster series -- and stars Jones alongside Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed, in a distinctly indie-flavored cast. The 32-year-old British actress, who starred opposite Eddie Redmayne in "The Theory of Everything," plays rebel Jyn Erso, who has been on her own since the age of 15 and has notched up a string of convictions including forgery, assault and theft. Story continues She is sent on a mission to help investigate "a major weapons test" -- better known as the Death Star in development -- and find out how to destroy it. The trailer also features a fan favorite -- the Empire's AT-AT military vehicles -- as well as a smattering of Stormtroopers and a retread of John Williams' familiar "Star Wars" score. The music includes a snippet of the infamous "Imperial March," used to signify the approach of Darth Vader -- perhaps a hint that cinema's ultimate villain will make an appearance in "Rogue One," due for release on December 16. After a teaser that left us wanting more a few months ago, Disney is back with the official trailer for Steven Spielbergs The BFG. The friendly giant didnt really make an appearance in the teaser, but the new video makes up for that, showing us the glorious special effects that will define the upcoming movie. DONT MISS: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger Shot using motion-capture, the Big Friendly Giant played by Mark Rylance appears to be quite friendly. His giant ears are capable of hearing what goes on around town at a distance, and his mission is to deliver good dreams to kids. Not all giants in giant country are friendly though, and we get to see two of the meaner ones in this new trailer, including Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Flushlumpeater (Jermaine Clement). In fact, the big friendly giant is an outcast in this world that most humans arent even aware of. The BFG should definitely be on your must-see list, not only because of the story itself, which is adapted from Roald Dahls book of the same name, but also because the special effects needed to bring this world to life are incredible. Not to mention this is a Spielberg creation, which is one more reason to look forward to The BFG. The movie hits theaters beginning July 1st, and the full trailer is embedded below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0Bey4YUGI Related stories 8 new movie trailers you need to watch this week The first teaser for 'Batman: The Killing Joke' is out 8 new movie trailers you need to watch this week More from BGR: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger This article was originally published on BGR.com Rogue One is this years new Star Wars movie. Its not part of the new trilogy because it's a Star Wars Story instead. Disney is looking to broaden the Star Wars universe by releasing additional stories focusing on certain events and characters related to the trilogy, but that don't fit into the main movies. Rogue One tells the story of a band of rebels looking to steal the plans of the Empire's secret weapon, the Death Star, and now the film's first trailer has been released. DONT MISS: The FBI cant hack the iPhone 6s Set between the third and fourth episodes of Star Wars, Rogue One will show us how the rebels got their hands on the plans of the Death Star, which Luke and friends destroyed in A New Hope. The movie will star a bunch of new characters including new droids and stormtroopers, but itll also bring back Darth Vader in all his glory, at least according to some reports. Set to debut in December, the first teaser trailer of Rogue One has finally been released alongside a teaser for the next trailer. Check out both new videos, which are embedded below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wji-BZ0oCwg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaYv3Y8tyoQ Related stories 8 new movie trailers you need to watch this week Honest 'Force Awakens' trailer stomps all over your childhood Star Wars memories What you'll find in the deleted scenes from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' More from BGR: The FBI cant hack the iPhone 6s This article was originally published on BGR.com Five people were charged Thursday over the deadly collapse of an apartment block in Taiwan during an earthquake, including the building's owner, with prosecutors saying "corners were cut" which made the complex dangerous. The collapse of the Wei-kuan building during the 6.4 magnitude quake in the southern city of Tainan in February left 115 dead. It was the only high-rise to crumble completely, with questions raised over shoddy building methods. The building company's owner Lin Ming-hui, his design department's manager, two architects and a structural technician were charged Thursday with negligence leading to death and injury. "Lin Ming-hui for the purpose of saving architectural blueprint fees and construction costs... went so far as to cut corners and increase floor area... affecting the structural safety of Wei-kuan building," Tainan district prosecutors office said in a statement. Some reinforcement parts were found to be inadequate in the construction, "significantly reducing the building's seismic resilience," the statement said. "The building collapsed as it couldn't maintain its structural integrity, causing residents to be trapped, leading to serious harm and deaths as a result," prosecutors added. The safety of the building was called into question immediately after the disaster, when metal cans and foam were found to have been used as fillers in the concrete and residents said there had been cracks in the structure. The Wei-kuan building had 96 apartments and was completed in 1994, before a new building code was brought in following a devastating earthquake that left 2,400 people dead in 1999. The building collapse struck a nerve with Taiwan's public, increasingly embittered by a string of disasters, from food safety scandals to a water park explosion last year that left 15 dead. From Esquire Florida Man Lee Lightsey and fellow Florida Man Blake Godwin claimed they killed an 800-pound alligator that had been gleefully leaving mutilated cow parts all over the place. Just like that. It was a monster that needed to be removed, Lightsey told the BBC, like a perfectly normal human being, and not at all like a ruthless killing machine planted by Skynet or Vladimir Putin. The pair played coy, giving no rational explanation as to how they actually killed the 15-foot Cloverfield extra beyond claiming Lightsey shot it, merely mentioning they had to drag it home in a tractor with an air of nonchalance. Being the Dana Scully acolytes and Florida Man connoisseurs we are, weve compiled a list of 10 irresponsibly speculative conspiracy theories as to how this Leviathan really died, based on a careful analysis of past Florida Man stories: 1. Bathsalts 2. Florida delicacy, flakka 3. Our Dark Lord Satan, Prince of This World, The Tempter, Liar and Father of Lies 4. Meth 5. Crack 6. Ravenous hunger 7. Good, ol fashioned karma 8. Super powers gleaned from being sucked into a nuclear power plant and surviving 9. LSD 10.Insatiable lust RELATED VIDEO: BERLIN (Reuters) - A former Auschwitz guard has died only days before going on trial in Germany, accused of being an accessory to the murder of more than 1,000 people, a court spokesman said on Thursday. Ernst Tremmel was a member of the Nazi SS guard team at the death camp in occupied Poland from November 1942 to June 1943. His trial was scheduled to begin on April 13. A court spokesman in the western town of Hanau near Frankfurt said all trial dates had been canceled after police confirmed the death of the 93-year old. The cause of Tremmel's death was not made known. Germany is holding what are likely to be its last trials linked to the Holocaust, in which more than six million people, mostly Jews, were killed by the Nazis. Two other men and one woman in their 90s are accused of being accessories to the murder of hundreds of thousands of people at the Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The trial of 95-year-old Hubert Zafke, a former Auschwitz paramedic, and of 94-year-old Reinhold Hanning, a former guard at the death camp, have already started. No date has yet been set for the trial of the third defendant, 92-year-old Helma M., who worked as a radio operator at Auschwitz. She is accused of being an accessory to the murder of 260,000 people. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Richard Balmforth) BANGKOK (Reuters) - Politicians must love their people or risk the extinction of democracy, Thailand's fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told a gathering of supporters on Thursday, warning that Thais face tough times because of a weak economy. In recent months, Thaksin, who was ousted by the army in 2006, has been increasingly vocal in his criticism of the ruling military government. "Those in politics must love people. If they don't love people, democracy will die," Thaksin said in a Skype telephone address to the gathering to mark the Thai New Year that starts next week. He did not elaborate on his remarks, however. The meeting of more than 100 former politicians was a rare event in a country where political gatherings of five or more people have been banned by the military, which seized power in a coup in May 2014. No troops were present at the gathering. Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy is slowly recovering from the events of 2014, when months of street protests and the coup brought the economy to a standstill. "Right now our people are in a difficult position because the economy is weak," Thaksin added in his speech. Junta spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree declined to comment on Thaksin's speech, saying he had not yet heard, or read, the remarks. Thursday's gathering was seen by critics as a continuation of a publicity drive by Thaksin and his sister Yingluck, which has included the distribution of books, a cooking display and interviews with foreign media. Last week Thaksin said the government should focus on dealing with the country's problems after soldiers seized thousands of red plastic bowls he and Yingluck sent supporters as a New Year gift. Thailand has been politically fractured for more than a decade, split roughly along north-south lines between supporters of Thaksin and Yingluck and the military-backed royalist elite. The generals and their establishment allies largely despise Thaksin and accuse him of vote-buying and harboring republican sympathies, among other accusations, all of which he denies. The Songkran holiday, Thailand's traditional New Year, is typically a time when many people leave the city to spend time with family. In previous years the festival has been marred by often violent political protests, including anti-government protests in April and May 2010 that ended with a military crackdown in which 91 people were killed, mostly Thaksin supporters. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Yatseniuk orders revoking imports duty on used cars, apart from Russian ones Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has ordered that profile agencies submit a bill on revoking imports duty on used cars from all countries, apart from Russia, to parliament. "I ask the Finance Ministry, Economic Development and Trade Ministry and the State Fiscal Service to submit a bill on revoking imports duty on used cars to the Verkhovna Rada," he said at a government meeting on Wednesday. The prime minister said that the bill should apply to all imported cars, apart those made in Russia. "I've received dozens and hundreds of letters from citizens. People believe that this will be the right step to lift the burden from citizens and allow them to buy more cars," he said. By Gary Robertseon RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia's top court on Thursday ordered the release of a former U.S. sailor who has spent 33 years in prison, because new DNA evidence showed he did not murder a Newport News man and rape the man's wife in 1982. Keith Allen Harward, 60, was convicted on the basis of testimony by two experts who said they matched his teeth to bite marks found on the rape victim's legs. The reliability of bite marks as evidence in a criminal trial has increasingly come under challenge in recent years. The decision, by the Virginia State Court, came a day after the state's attorney general, Mark Herring, said he believed Harward was innocent. "It's just heartbreaking to think that more than half of his life was spent behind bars when he didn't belong there," Herring said. "The Commonwealth can't give him back those years, but we can say that we got it wrong, that we're sorry, and that we're working to make it right." The DNA found at the scene matched that of Jerry Crotty, who died in an Ohio prison in 2006, Herring said. Crotty had been a Navy shipmate of Harward's at the time of the murder and rape, according to The Innocence Project, a non-profit legal clinic that handles cases in which post-conviction DNA testing of evidence can result in conclusive proof of innocence. (Editing by Scott Malone) PARIS (Reuters) - France blamed Syria's government on Thursday for a breakdown in a truce and preventing an improvement in the humanitarian situation, the foreign ministry's spokesman said. "It (France) condemns the violations of the cessation of hostilities for which the regime is responsible and the restraints placed on the work of humanitarian organizations," Romain Nadal said in a daily briefing. He added that the situation in a number of towns besieged by the government was worrying, in particular the town of Daraya. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Leigh Thomas) METZ, France (Reuters) - France and Germany will continue to back an EU agreement on closer ties with Ukraine, French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday after Dutch voters rejected the pact in a referendum. "As far as Europe is concerned, it will implement what it can of the association (agreement)," Hollande told a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Metz eastern France. "As far as France and Germany, we will continue to support Ukraine and apply the association agreement in our respective countries," he added. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; writing by Leigh Thomas; editing by John Irish) A clutch of new details have emerged regarding James Franco's unusual remake of 1996 TV movie "Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?," with extra cast announcements and two additional twists made to the film's plot. Franco, who was already attached as an executive producer and writer for the Lifetime movie, will also appear as a member of the cast, it has been revealed. That's perhaps the least surprising development, given the frequency with which the actor produces, directs or writes his own material -- "11.22.63," "Child of God," "The Disaster Artist" three recent examples. More unexpected is the fact that the love interest for main character and college student Leah is now not only female, but also a vampire. As with the original, Leah's mother tries to accept her daughter's new companion, but can't quite put her finger on what's unsettling her. Tori Spelling, who played Leah in the 1996 treatment, was already confirmed to return as Leah's mother, Julie. This latest report from Vulture also has her original co-star, Ivan Sergei, as part of the cast. Leila George (Franco's 2017 drama "The Long Home") takes the role of Leah, and Emily Meade ("The Leftovers") becomes her girlfriend Pearl. "Mother, Can I Sleep With Danger?" will be broadcast through the Lifetime Movie Club on April 29. By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A new law passed in France that makes it an offence to pay for sex and moves the punishment from prostitutes to clients, has been hailed as revolutionary by activists who hope it will help stamp out sex trafficking. Under the law, passed on Wednesday, those who pay for sex will face fines of up to 1,500 euros ($1,700) for the first offence, and up to 3,750 Euros ($4,300) for subsequent offences. They may also have to attend a prostitution awareness course. France follows Northern Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Iceland in introducing laws designed to punish the client without criminalising those who have been driven into prostitution. "That's a revolution in France because they've been criminalised for the last 76 years," Gregoire Thery, secretary general of the French non-profit Mouvement du Nid, which works with men and women in prostitution, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Thursday. There are between 30,000 and 37,000 sex workers in France, according to the Central Office for the Suppression of Trafficking of Human Beings. Nearly 85 percent of them are victims of human trafficking, mainly from Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria, Cameroon and China, Thery said by phone from France. He said shifting the criminal charge from victim to the client would make France less attractive for pimps and traffickers. "If we really want to tackle trafficking of human beings we have to attack the profitability of the market, and the market is financed only by the money that the buyers spend," he said. "There is not a single state in the world that can argue that (it) is making a real effort to fight against trafficking of human beings if the demand is not tackled." Many sex workers do not have the right to work in France. The new law paves the way for those who want to leave prostitution to receive residence permits and financial support. ($1 = 0.8785 euros) (Reporting by Magdalena Mis, editing by Alex Whiting; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) Paris (AFP) - The new political movement set up by France's reform-minded Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron got an icy welcome from senior members of his Socialist Party on Thursday. Macron, a 38-year-old former banker, announced on Wednesday he was setting up "En Marche" ("On the Move"), fuelling speculation that he has presidential ambitions. The man often dubbed the "rock star" of French politics said he wanted to create "a new political movement, one that will be neither on the right or the left". Prime Minister Manuel Valls poured scorn on the initiative from his cabinet colleague, saying it was "absurd" to try to scrap the differences between left and right. "There are obviously political forces. There is even a left and even a right... and that's a good thing, that's how our democracy functions," Valls said. "It would be absurd to want to remove those differences." He said the Socialists needed to pull together, with just over a year to go until the presidential election. "We must be capable of overcoming this partisan divisions and put ourselves above little quarrels," Valls said. Macron's initiative also got a guarded response from the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, with whom he has often clashed. "If he helps to widen the majority (for the Socialists), then his contribution is positive," he said Thursday. But if he wanted to move the Socialists more to the right, "then he is on the wrong track," Cambadelis added. Hollande sounded unconcerned about the move from the man he brought into government two years ago, telling reporters at a summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday: "If a minister wants to have a dialogue with the people, that's called politics." - 'Clear vision' - While insisting that the 2017 presidential election is "not my priority today", Macron pointedly did not throw his support behind Hollande, who is likely to seek re-election despite approval ratings that are currently among the lowest ever for a post-war French leader. Story continues "Whoever it is in 2017, if we do not clearly set out a vision for the country, if there is not an open debate, then he or she will not succeed," Macron said at the launch event in his home town of Amiens in northern France. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a former centre-right prime minister, said this week he could imagine Macron as premier under a centre-right president such as Alain Juppe, who is vying to be the right's candidate for the 2017 election. "The best prime minister for a president from the moderate right would be Emmanuel Macron," Raffarin said. The new movement Thursday confirmed reports that it would be based in the Paris offices of a think-tank with close links to business leaders. Macron has cut against the grain of French politics since Hollande appointed his former economic advisor a minister in 2014 when he was a virtual unknown. In a country famously adverse to change, the former Rothschild banker and graduate of the elite ENA school has forced through pro-business reforms, for example increasing the number of Sundays on which shops can open. He attributes France's 10-percent unemployment rate to "a lack of competitiveness" and the lack of "mobility" in society. That approach and his criticism of Socialist party stalwarts over their attachment to the 35-hour working week has made him one of France's most popular politicians but has also brought demonstrators on to the streets in protest at his reforms. But Macron is also more socially liberal than Valls. He was opposed to the government's ill-fated efforts to strip convicted terrorists of French nationality in the wake of the November attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. In an embarrassing about-turn, Hollande was forced to abandon the proposed measure last week when the two houses of parliament failed to reach agreement. The fresh-faced economy minister's private life also fascinates the French. His met his wife Brigitte, who is nearly 20 years his senior, at his high school where she was a teacher. Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has proposed reducing the number of companies ineligible for privatization from 1,458 to 705 in a bill approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Yulia Kovaliv said that the current list was endorsed in 1999 and 497 companies from the list have been liquidated. She said that enterprises that are left ineligible for privatization have a strategic importance for the country's defense, economy and social life. A total of 394 enterprises are proposed to corporatize with purpose of improving their management. A total of 275 enterprises in Crimea that belong to Ukraine and are ineligible for privatization were placed to a separate attachment. Kovaliv added that if the bill is passed, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry will quickly draw up a draft resolution on privatization of the enterprises that become eligible for privatization. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk was skeptical about support of this measure by parliament. Head of the State Property Fund Ihor Bilous asked the government to revise the procedure for transferring companies, scheduled for the privatization, to the fund from ministries and agencies. He said that the fund received only 12% of the enterprises from the list of enterprises eligible for privatization approved on May 12, 2015 due to obstructions from the middle ranking officials in ministries and agencies. GENEVA (Reuters) - The Geneva prosecutor said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with the Panama Papers, which revealed the use of offshore companies, including many set up by lawyers and financial institutions in the Swiss city. "We have decided to open a procedure in the framework of the Panama Papers affair, but I cannot say more," Olivier Jornot, Geneva's chief prosecutor, was quoted by the daily Tribune de Geneve as telling a news conference. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Janet Lawrence) BERLIN (Reuters) - German police detained an Iraqi aged 46 and a Nigerian aged 29 on Thursday on suspicion of having links with Islamic State and of planning "a serious act of violence", officials said. Security sources had provided information that both could have been in contact with members of Islamic State, state prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said in a statement. The suspects were detained in the Bavarian capital Munich and nearby Fuerstenfeldbruck, police said in a separate statement, adding there had been no imminent threat to the public. Police did not immediately find any suspicious items, but were pursuing their investigation, they added. They declined to give any more details, saying there would be no further statements before Friday. Islamic State released a video on Tuesday suggesting it might carry out further attacks in the West, naming London, Berlin and Rome as possible targets. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for bombings that killed 31 people in Brussels in March and attacks in Paris in November that killed 130. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Scot W. Stevenson; editing by Andrew Roche) BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany must take care to integrate refugees as quickly as possible after they arrive in the country or risk the rise of political and religious extremism, President Joachim Gauck said on Thursday. Germany has borne the brunt of Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two, with more than one million asylum seekers arriving in the country last year, most fleeing war and poverty in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Gauck, a former Christian pastor in communist East Germany, said the experience of other countries had shown that the sooner new arrivals with a realistic chance of staying could learn German and find work, the better for everyone. "Otherwise, we risk frustration and boredom turning into violence and crime, or that political and religious extremism flourish," Gauck said in the text of a speech on integration. As president, Gauck wields little real power but his words carry moral weight in Germany and beyond. Emphasising that Germany is "strong and stable", he said that even if integration changed the country, "it will remain true to itself". "We can make a society where what counts is not where one comes from, but who one is and where one is going," he added. (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by David Goodman) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Glencore has laid arson charges against a South African mining union as a three-week coal strike turns increasingly violent, the mining company said on Thursday. Workers from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) torched two trucks and offices at the Wonderfontein Mine on Wednesday night, taking the petrol bomb incidents to around 10 since the strike started, Glencore said. Around 60 striking workers accused of intimidating other employees and damaging nearby farms have been arrested. AMCU and the police were not available to comment. Wonderfontein is a joint venture between Glencore and Shanduka Group, which was founded by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. The mine produces 3.6 million tonnes annually. Glencore said it was engaging with AMCU leadership over a wage dispute. (Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Joe Brock) Construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would not improve security of gas supply to the European Union (EU), Vice-President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic said at the conference entitled "Nord Stream II Energy Union at the crossroads" on Wednesday. "Nord Stream 2 could lead to decreasing gas transportation corridors from three to at least two abandoning the route through Ukraine. Also the Yamal route via Poland could be endangered. Such a reduction of routes would not improve security of supply," he said. "Despite economic and political challenges, Ukraine continues to be a reliable gas partner and transit country. It is in the interest of all parties that Ukraine remains a significant gas transit corridor," he said. EU Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete at a meeting with Managing Director of Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 Matthias Warnig and Board Chairman of Nord Stream AG Gerhard Schroder on Tuesday expressed alarm at the impact of Nord Stream 2 on security of supply, EU diversification strategy and the future of Ukrainian transit. Dikili (Turkey) (AFP) - Greece deported a second batch of more than two hundred migrants to Turkey on Friday under a controversial EU deal to stem mass migration as Germany announced a sharp drop in asylum claims. Greek officials said two boats carrying 124 migrants -- most of them Pakistani men -- had been sent back across the Aegean Sea where hundreds have lost their lives in a quest to reach Europe. A small group of activists leapt into the water, clutching onto the anchor of the first ferry in an unsuccessful bid to stop the deportation, while a group of protesters chanted "EU, shame on you" and "Freedom for the refugees". After arriving at the Turkish harbour town of Dikili, security officials escorted the downcast migrants, clutching blankets and with small backpacks on their shoulders, off the vessels. A Greek government statement said the migrants included 111 Pakistanis, four Iraqis, as well as citizens of Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Egypt, and a man claiming to be of Palestinian origin. One of the Pakistanis was not accepted by Turkish authorities at Dikili for undisclosed reasons and was returned to Lesbos, the statement said. In a separate operation, another 97 people -- mainly Pakistanis and Bangladeshis -- were returned to Turkey via the land border, Greek police said. The deportations are taking place under a deal between Turkey and the European Union, which is straining under the pressure from the unprecedented flow of migrants into its territory. Turkey has promised to take back all irregular migrants entering Greece since March 20 while Europe has agreed to resettle one Syrian refugee directly from camps in Turkey for each Syrian deported. The deported migrants arriving in Dikili underwent health checks and registration before they are due to be sent by bus to Kirklareli on the Bulgarian border, from where they are expected to be deported back to their home country. The threat of deportation is aimed at discouraging people from making the often deadly crossing in flimsy boats. Story continues - 'Off to good start' - The transfers began Monday with some 200 migrants returned to Turkey, but then stalled after a last-minute flurry of asylum applications. Human rights watchdogs say the scheme is badly flawed, and have raised concerns that migrants may not have the chance to apply for asylum before being deported. France's Secretary of State for Europe Harlem Desir, speaking in Athens Friday, called on EU members to do speed up efforts to help Greece deal with the migrants. Desir was in the Greek capital with his Dutch, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese and Slovak counterparts with whom he held talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. They will travel on to Istanbul on Saturday. If all the member states respect their promises," to provide humanitarian aid and personnel reinforcement to Greece "we would have the capacity to accelerate" both the sending of migrants from Greece to Turkey," he said. While concerns remain over the deal, Germany -- Europe's top destination for refugees -- said it had "got off to a good start". Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere announced that asylum applications had dropped 66 percent in March, down to 20,000. De Maiziere has warned that the shutdown of the Turkey-Greece route may encourage more migrants to attempt the even more dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy. The drop in migrant numbers appears largely due to much-criticised border closures in the Balkans, as well as an increased clampdown by Turkey on people smugglers. Greece, which has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis, plans to evacuate a huge makeshift camp at the port of Piraeus ahead of the busy tourism season. - Nothing for nothing - While Europe appears to be getting its side of the bargain, Turkey warning that if the EU broke its promises it "will not implement the agreement. "We have received lots of thanks for our action on the refugees and in the fight against terrorism. But we are not doing this for thanks," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Everything should happen in line with what has been promised, what has been set out in the text." Turkey has been promised visa-free travel for its citizens to Europe by June 2016, and the revival of its long-stalled EU accession process. Turkey is also to receive a total of six billion euros ($6.8 billion) in financial aid up to the end of 2018 for the 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. Rights groups have criticised these concessions as a "dirty deal", with the EU accused of turning a blind eye to Erdogan's slide into authoritarianism and crackdown on press freedom. Athens (AFP) - Flights in Greece were at a standstill on Thursday after air traffic controllers called a 24-hour strike over pension reforms sought by the country's creditors. The strike, due to end at 2059 GMT, halted all flights into and out of the country, Athens airport said. "Nothing is moving today," its press office said. The strike is also being followed in government offices, schools and hospitals, in a protest organised by the civil service union Adedy. Unionised Greek journalists also stopped work, affecting news channels and new websites. Several hundred people on Thursday set out on a 220-kilometre (136-mile) "right-to-work" march from Patras, Greece's third biggest city, to Athens. Greece's creditors are calling for an overhaul to pensions and tax in exchange for the lifeline they threw to the debt-crippled country last July. The government of Alexis Tsipras plans to lower the maximum pension to 2,300 euros ($2,500) from 2,700 euros, and introduce a new minimum guaranteed basic pension of 384 euros. The government resumed talks on Monday with the European Union, the European Stability Mechanism, the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund on the next phase of of savings due under the bailout, worth 86 billion euros ($98 billion). Russia is blocking Ukrainian confectionary products transit to Georgia and Azerbaijan. "Almost fifty wagons with Ukrainian products intended for Azerbaijan stayed on the Derbent customs checkpoint in Dagestan for more than one month. Only early April they were returned back to Ukraine. Recently Russian customs officers stopped all cargos on the Lars customs checkpoint on the border with Georgia, blocking our supplies to this country," Ukrkondprom Association President Oleksandr Baldyniuk told Interfax-Ukraine. He said that Russian officers explained that Ukrainian confectionary products transit across Russia is repeatedly banned due to the alleged sanitary embargo imposed by Russia's Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) in 2014. Baldyniuk said that the way out of the situation is the launch of alternative transit across the Black Sea via ferries. "According to recent calculations, the tariff for shipment using the advertised alternative ferry route, which is almost twice up the cost of transit across Russia and makes the major part of our goods uncompetitive in the Caucasus and Middle Asia, is offered to producers," he said. He added that the cost of transit of one wagon to Azerbaijan across Russia is $4,800 and by ferry - $7,300. Baldyniuk believes that the Ukrainian government should formulate competitive tariffs for shipping cargos bypassing Russia and toughen international pressure on Russia due to blatant violation of its liabilities to secure unhampered international transit across its territory. ATHENS (Reuters) - Flights were disrupted and hospitals ran on skeleton staff in Greece on Thursday in a strike called by public-sector workers against the pension and tax reforms sought by Greece's foreign lenders. Thursday's 24-hour walkout called by public sector union ADEDY coincides with a review by lenders of Athens's compliance with terms of an international bailout agreed last year. Greeks have seen their incomes and services slashed under austerity measures agreed as part of its international bailouts. European Union institutions and the International Monetary Fund are holding out for a conclusion of additional reforms by Athens before signing off on the review, which could potentially unlock further financial aid to the indebted country. "Our strike is just a warm-up, we will stage a 48-hour strike when the government submits the bill (to parliament) with the measures," said Odysseas Drivalas, member of ADEDY's executive board. "Workers have lost almost half of their income since the crisis started, they cannot bear any more of this burden. With labor action, we can at least put pressure on them (the government)." ADEDY represents about 500,000 public sector workers and pensioners. The review of Greek fiscal reforms has stalled for weeks because of disagreements between European Union institutions and the IMF on the level of fiscal adjustment Athens must pursue to cover any shortfalls, the form future debt relief should take, and Athens's recalcitrance in targeting pensions to trim spending. Government officials say they hope for a draft agreement in place by this coming Sunday. Debt relief is an integral part of the strategy of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to convince Greeks their sacrifices over six years of recession are finally paying off. Port workers were expected to walk off the job on Friday, to protest the sale of the country's largest port, Piraeus Port to a Chinese shipping giant. Privatizations are also part of the bailout deal. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) Washington (AFP) - The number of Islamic State group fighters in Libya has doubled to up to 6,000 in as little as a year, the head of US forces in Africa warned Thursday. Despite the vast increase the IS group is not likely to settle and seize swathes of territory inside Libya, as it has done in Syria and Iraq, said General David Rodriguez, head of the US Africa Command. According to the US intelligence community, about 4,000 to 6,000 IS fighters are now in the country, a number that has doubled in the last 12 to 18 months, Rodriguez said. The Islamic State group has exploited the turmoil in Libya since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi five years ago, raising fears that it is establishing a new stronghold on Europe's doorstep. But Rodriguez said it is significantly harder for IS extremists to grab large areas of Libya and then consolidate. "It's possible but right now I am not concerned about it," he said, citing "significantly different conditions" in Libya. Among them is the fact that the IS group does not "have the homegrown people that know as much about Libya like they did in Iraq and Syria," Rodriguez said. And the Libyan people "don't like external influences." The IS group last year seized control of Kadhafi's coastal hometown of Sirte and has been fighting to expand to other areas. Rodriguez said that Libyan militias "are contesting the growth of ISIS in several areas across Libya." "In the east, in Benghazi and Derna, they have fought back against the Islamic State and made it much tougher for them to operate." Libya has a new UN-backed unity government, which is being led by Fayez al-Sarraj, who arrived in the capital only a week ago. Libya has had two rival administrations in place since mid-2014 when a militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognized parliament to flee to the country's east. Any possible international intervention against the IS group in Libya, Rodriguez said, "is going to be driven by their leadership and what they want us to do." NEW YORK (Reuters) - A correction officer at New York's troubled Rikers Island jail complex has been charged with beating an inmate, authorities said on Thursday. Bradford Jones, 37, was captured on camera entering an inmate's locked cell on Wednesday and striking him repeatedly in the head with his radio, according to the city's Department of Investigation. Jones joins a growing list of guards at Rikers Island who have been arrested for assault, smuggling contraband and other crimes in recent years. Mayor Bill de Blasio and other city officials are pursuing a raft of reforms following allegations of widespread violence at Rikers Island, which is one of the largest jail complexes in the country and houses approximately 10,000 inmates. Darcel Clark, the Bronx district attorney, said in a statement the attack recorded on video was "stomach-turning" and "shocking." Video surveillance showed the inmate threw a cup of liquid in Jones' direction, prompting the guard to enter the cell despite two other officers' attempts to restrain him, according to authorities. The inmate was left with fractures in his face and cuts on his head and face, authorities said. Jones, who has worked for the Department of Correction since 2008, has been suspended. A lawyer for Jones did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by James Dalgleish) Hilton and Marriott top the latest ranking of best hotel loyalty and rewards programs released every year by market research group J.D. Power. It's the second year in a row that Hilton tops the guest satisfaction report. This time, however, Marriott closed the gap with its rival to tie for first place. The report measures customer satisfaction based on six factors: account maintenance and management; ease of redeeming points; ease of earning points; variety of benefits; reward program terms; and customer satisfaction. For the ranking, analysts looked at the responses of nearly 3,100 consumers in the US. Out of a possible 1,000 points, consumers gave Hilton's HHonors and Marriott Rewards programs an overall satisfaction score of 741 each. Both brands saw improvements to their score over the year previous. Satisfaction overall with hotel loyalty programs also spiked across the board, improving from 701 in 2015 to 711 in 2016. Here are the top hotel rewards programs: 1. Hilton HHonors 2. Marriott Rewards 3. IHG Rewards 4. La Quinta Returns 5. Best Western Rewards 6. Choice Privileges 7. Omni Hotels Select Guest 8. Club Carlson 9. Hyatt Gold Passport 10. Fairmont President's Club The situation in the Ukrainian banking system, including the declaration of bank Khreschatyk insolvent, is evidence of the absence of effective banking supervision by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the creation of unequal conditions for the banking market players. It results in destruction of banks, the Ukrainian Credit-Banking Union (UCBU) has said. "A lack of predictability, prudence and the selective policy of the NBU in the regulation and oversight matters results in the destruction of banks, the loss of funds by the public and business. The NBU's abrupt about-face on the rules and narrowing the additional capitalization schedules have resulted in a conflict between the regulator and shareholders in bank Khreschatyk," the association said. The association said that earlier the NBU did not provide a stabilization credit to the bank to support liquidity, while other banks, tightly associated with representatives of power, use the regulator's support without limits. The NBU on April 5 recognized Bank Khreschatyk (Kyiv) insolvent. Bank Khreschatyk was founded in 1993. The bank ranked 18th among 123 operating banks as of October 1, 2015, in terms of total assets worth UAH 10.09 billion, according to the NBU. By Megan Rowling BARCELONA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Reducing food waste around the world would help curb emissions of planet-warming gases, lessening some of the impacts of climate change such as more extreme weather and rising seas, scientists said on Thursday. Up to 14 percent of emissions from agriculture in 2050 could be avoided by managing food use and distribution better, according to a new study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). "Agriculture is a major driver of climate change, accounting for more than 20 percent of overall global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010," said co-author Prajal Pradhan. "Avoiding food loss and waste would therefore avoid unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and help mitigate climate change." Between 30 and 40 percent of food produced around the world is never eaten, because it is spoiled after harvest and during transportation, or thrown away by shops and consumers. The share of food wasted is expected to increase drastically if emerging economies like China and India adopt Western food habits, including a shift to eating more meat, the researchers warned. Richer countries tend to consume more food than is healthy or simply waste it, they noted. As poorer countries develop and the world's population grows, emissions associated with food waste could soar from 0.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year to between 1.9 and 2.5 gigatonnes annually by mid-century, showed the study published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal. It is widely argued that cutting food waste and distributing the world's surplus food where it is needed could help tackle hunger in places that do not have enough - especially given that land to expand farming is limited. But Jurgen Kropp, another of the study's co-authors and PIK's head of climate change and development, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation the potential for food waste curbs to reduce emissions should be given more attention. "It is not a strategy of governments at the moment," he said. 2030 GOALS The researchers analyzed food requirements in the past and for different future scenarios. They found that while global average food demand per person remains almost constant, in the last five decades food availability has rapidly increased - hiking the emissions related to growing surplus food by more than 300 percent. The paper did not look at how food waste could be shrunk, but initiatives to tackle the problem are already on the rise in both developed and developing countries. In January, for example, 30 company heads, government ministers, and executives with foundations, research groups and charities launched a coalition to work towards cutting food waste by half and reducing food loss significantly by 2030. The aims are in line with the new global development goals that took effect this year. "Champions 12.3", named after the food-waste goal number, includes the bosses of Tesco, Nestle, Rabobank, Unilever, Oxfam America, WWF International and the Rockefeller Foundation. Andrew Steer, another coalition member who heads the World Resources Institute, noted then that if food loss and waste were a country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. "Food loss and waste hurts people, costs money and harms the planet," he said in a statement. "Cutting (it) is a no-brainer." (Reporting by Megan Rowling; editing by Laurie Goering. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) Japan is ready to provide a $60 million grant to modernize turbines of Trypilska and Zmiyivska thermal power plants (TPPs), part of state-run Centrenergo, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. "We talked to the companies that had visited Trypilska and Zmiyivska plants, examined them thoroughly and are ready to provide a $60 million grant for modernization of turbines. This project was delayed, as Japan was not ready to pay taxes and VAT. Last week the government made the decision, which will allow importing the equipment without VAT payment," he said. He said that Japan will provide goods worth some $60 million, which would be a great help to Centrenergo. Demchyshyn said that the provision of the funds in the form of the grant is especially important. Centrenergo will be privatized soon, and any extra liabilities would affect the cost of the company. He also said that Japanese companies showed their interest to the privatization both in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He said that they are also ready to take part in tenders to build hydroelectric power plants. He reminded that Ukraine thanks to international financing of over $1 billion seeks to implement large projects at Kaniv and Kakhovka hydroelectric power plants in coming years. Fifteen years after Harry Potter's first big screen adventure, Universal is enchanting a new generation of Muggles with its most spectacular conjuring trick yet -- a theme park in the heart of Hollywood. The "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" follows similar money-spinning ventures in Florida and Japan, but is set to be the most technologically advanced so far, incorporating state-of-the-art 3-D effects with the traditional fun of the fair. Opening at Universal Studios beneath the Hollywood hills on Thursday, it is the latest attraction in a burgeoning film industry sideline which has become so lucrative executives are beginning to design sets with future theme parks in mind. "When you think about the property of Harry Potter -- all seven books and eight movies -- there's no better place than the filmmaking capital of the world to have this ultimate experience," said Thierry Coup, a senior vice-president of Universal Creative, the company's research and development division. The last Harry Potter film was released five years ago but the character's appeal remains as strong as ever, with fans eagerly awaiting stage show "Harry Potter And The Cursed Child," which opens in London this summer. Meanwhile a spin-off movie trilogy is due to hit the big screen, starting with "Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them" later in the year. Together with the recently introduced "Despicable Me Minion Mayhem," the award-winning "The Simpsons" park area and "Transformers: The Ride-3D," the Harry Potter attraction sees Universal partnering with Hollywood for a merchandising merry-go-round to rival Disney's. - Setting records - Next up for Universal is "The Walking Dead," a permanent attraction harnessing the phenomenal success of the AMC zombie drama, while Disney itself has been picking up the pace since its 2014 Magic Kingdom expansion in Florida. Story continues Before 2020, the company has plans for Avatar and Star Wars lands as well as Toy Story and Frozen expansions at its theme parks on both coasts. Meanwhile, Motiongate Dubai, set to open in October, recently announced a starting slate of 27 attractions inspired by films from DreamWorks, Sony and Lionsgate, including "The Hunger Games", "How To Train Your Dragon," and "The Smurfs." The new Harry Potter attraction marks Universal's fourth foray into the boy-wizard's universe, with two Orlando launches and an opening in Osaka, Japan, seeing the company increase visitors by up to 30 percent. "There's a huge effort to really address every facet of the creative process," supervising art director Alan Gilmore told AFP at a recent visit to "Wizarding World." "The film is only one part of that, but you want to try and create a film that can be translated into all of this." Harry Potter's enduring appeal was evidenced by Universal's announcement that Thursday's opening had sold out days ahead, marking the first time ever that the park has had to halt online ticketing transactions. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the growth of Universal Studios -- three quarters of the park has been transformed over the last five years -- would create new jobs, stimulate hospitality revenues and strengthen the economy. "In Los Angeles, tourism is surging. We've set records each of the last five years and we're just getting started," he added. The attraction, which boasts the forbidding Hogwarts castle as its iconic focal point, transports visitors into the visual landscape of J.K. Rowling's books and the Warner Bros films that followed. - 'A more magical experience' - The attention to detail is impressive, from the fading patinas on the slate-gray stone blocks that make up the aged rustic Hog's Head tavern to the painstakingly worn edges of the stained furniture and the grimy floors. The quaint fictional village of Hogsmeade bustles with the chatter of merchants on the cobblestone streets and a pub packed with thirsty patrons under a snow-capped roof. If all that sounds like the run-of-the-mill theme park, the signature "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride combining state of the art 360-degree 3-D special effects, live-action thrills and groundbreaking robotics, is anything but. Gilmore, an architect by trade, says "Wizarding World" boasts many original props from the films, including the luggage racks from the Hogwarts Express train, Hagrid's motorbike and a costume from the Yule ball. "Here, we don't have actors, we have real people. So it was very important that we at least realized the set design perfectly so that when you step into this world you feel you're in the film," he told AFP. Among a international pack of reporters and photographers seeking their inner wizard at a preview on Wednesday were a number of stars from the films, including Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, and Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick). "Even though I've experienced much like this, having worked on the films, for me coming to 'Wizarding World' is a more magical experience," said Davis, whose filmography includes several "Star Wars" episodes, "Labyrinth" and "Willow." "These environments are more immersive because you can walk into somewhere like the Three Broomsticks from Hogsmeade and it exists in reality, whereas when you make the movies these locations and sets are quite separate." Against tremendous odds, Disney managed to revitalize the entire Star Wars franchise in one fell swoop. The Force Awakens wasn't perfect, but it felt more like a Star Wars movie than any of the prequels had, and gave us a whole cast of new characters to root for in the coming years. But that doesn't make it immune to criticism. DON'T MISS: AT&T just increased fees to upgrade to a new phone even if you bring your own After months of anticipation, the Screen Junkies have finally taken the wraps off of their Honest Trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At nearly seven minutes long, it's not only one of the longest Honest Trailers they've ever done, but also one of the most clever, bringing back the original voice actor to play the role of the jaded critic to the current voice actor's overexcited fanboy. By now, you've likely heard all of the criticism leveled at the movie, from its plot (lifted straight from A New Hope) to its villain (a whiny child). Nevertheless, it's still pretty funny to hear two movie announcers argue back and forth about the movies strengths and weaknesses. Best of all, once you've done watching the Honest Trailer, you can go and download the entire movie in Digital HD. And if you'd rather own a physical copy of the movie, The Force Awakens is now available on Blu-ray as well. Watch the Honest Trailer for The Force Awakens below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs3sVrm_W4o Related stories The first trailer from this year's new Star Wars movie was just released What you'll find in the deleted scenes from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Sphero's smartphone-controlled BB-8 toy now reacts to 'The Force Awakens' as you watch More from BGR: 12 paid iPhone apps on sale for free right now This article was originally published on BGR.com ROME (Reuters) - Italy's coast guard said on Thursday it had rescued more than 300 migrants from a packed boat in which they had traveled hundreds of kilometers (miles) from Egypt to the Strait of Sicily. People fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East have been arriving in southern Italian waters for years, usually from Libya, where they pay smugglers for the passage. A spokeswoman for the Italian coast guard said migrants had arrived from Egypt in the past, but much less frequently than from Libya, which is about half as far away by boat. Italy's coast guard and a Spanish aircraft working for European Union border agency Frontex went on Wednesday to the aid of the boat, rescuing 156 men, 51 women and 107 minors. The migrants were from Syria, Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Palestinian territory, Libya, Sudan and the Comoros Islands, the coast guard said in a statement. A massive influx of boat migrants that began last year has been mainly channeled from Turkey to the Greek islands, prompting the EU to strike a deal with Ankara to send back newcomers. The rescued migrants are due to arrive in the southern Italian port of Crotone, about 770 nautical miles from the coast of northern Egypt. (Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - A hunter who admitted fatally shooting a 14-year-old Colorado boy after mistaking him for an elk was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison, prosecutors said. Guy Leslie Pohto, 60, pleaded guilty in January to felony manslaughter and one count of hunting in a careless manner, a misdemeanor, in the death of Justin Burns, who was bowhunting with his father when he was killed. Pohto, who lives in Minnesota, was with a group in the Uncompahgre National Forest of western Colorado hunting with old-fashioned black-powder rifles in September when he heard the archers making elk calls, Mesa County Chief Deputy District Attorney David Waite said in a statement. Shortly after he (Pohto) heard some elk calls, he saw movement in the brush, and before verifying what he was shooting at, fired his weapon, Waite said. A single bullet struck the boy in the chest, Waite said. Pohto did not offer any help but went to get his hunting companions, according to the statement. Due to the remoteness of the area, help was a long way off and the boy died by the time emergency crews arrived, Waite said. The boys parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against Pohto about a month after the shooting, accusing him of outrageous and atrocious conduct. Since Pohto did not respond to the lawsuit, the family has asked a federal judge to enter a default judgment against him. A hearing on that issue is set for next week, court records showed. Mesa County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein said in a statement that although Pohto did not intend to kill Burns, his reckless conduct merited a prison sentence. Hunting is a big part of this states rich culture," Rubinstein said. "Every hunter knows that it is not an activity to take lightly, and his actions (Pohtos) cannot be characterized as an accident. Colorado is home to one of the largest elk herds in North America, with an estimated 270,000 of the large, deer-like animals, also called wapiti, roaming within its borders, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials. At the time of the shooting, it was the start of the autumn rutting season, when bull elks emit loud bellows, called bugling, to attract cows and lock antlers with rival males in displays of dominance. (Editing by Steve Gorman and Peter Cooney) The Hague (AFP) - The International Criminal Court gave Congolese prosecutors the green light Thursday to proceed with a domestic case against convicted warlord Germain Katanga, accused of committing war crimes in the vast African country. Katanga, 37, who was sentenced to 12 years in jail by the Hague-based ICC two years ago, finished serving a reduced sentence in January in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Instead of being freed however, he remained behind bars with Kinshasa saying they wanted to also try him for "other crimes" committed in the DR Congo's mineral-rich but restive northeastern Ituri province. Katanga appeared back in the dock with five other co-accused in early February, facing "war crimes, crimes against humanity and participating in an insurrectional movement" in Ituri near the Ugandan border, where some 60,000 people died in fighting between 1999 and 2007. Katanga's lawyers argued against his prosecution, using an article in the ICC's founding Rome Statute that says a sentenced person cannot be prosecuted in a country where he is serving his sentence without the ICC's approval. His lawyers also said he cannot be retried in Kinshasa for the same crimes he had been sentenced for by the ICC. Congolese authorities sent a number of documents to the ICC earlier this year detailing Katanga's alleged crimes and saying it wanted to put him on trial. "The DRC has clearly indicated that the domestic prosecution of Mr Katanga... relates to crimes other than those for which he has been convicted and acquitted" by the ICC, president judge Sylvia Fernandez de Gurmendi said. "Therefore, the presidency approves the prosecution of Mr Katanga" in the DR Congo, she said in a court order released at the ICC's headquarters on Thursday. Katanga was the second person to be sentenced by the ICC since it began work in 2003 as the world's first permanent court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity. Story continues He was brought back from the Dutch city to Kinshasa late last year to complete his term and had been scheduled to walk free on January 18. He was convicted by the ICC in May 2014 over a 2003 attack on the village of Bogoro that saw 200 people shot and hacked to death. He was acquitted of sexual slavery and using child soldiers. Congolese authorities have claimed Katanga played a role in the killing of nine UN peacekeepers in the violence-torn northeastern region of Ituri in 2005. DR Congo, a country of more than 67 million people that is Africa's second largest, was torn by two wars between 1996 and 2003 estimated to have cost at least two to three million lives. Assets of Ukrainian insurance companies as of early 2015 exceeded UAH 70 billion, and they slid to UAH 60 billion in 2015. They could decrease by UAH 10-15 billion more by the end of this year, a member of the national commission for financial service markets regulation, Oleksandr Zaletov, has said. "We anticipate that the [downward] trend will continue in the segment of balance assets of insurance companies. We won't speak about our plans, but we expect that by the end of this year assets of insurance companies will shrink by UAH 10-15 billion more," he said at the presentation of the mandatory criteria and adequacy requirements, diversification and quality of insurance assets in Kyiv on Wednesday. He said that the insurance market is "losing its weight" due to the part of assets of insurers swelled by the companies. They did not display the real cost of capital. Director of the insurance oversight department at the commission Yulia Khrystoliubska said that adequate assets, in line with the presented criteria, were only UAH 27 billion out of UAH 60 billion as of early 2016. She said that the market falls short of UAH 2.4 billion of adequate assets to meet the new requirements. If the requirements took effect on December 31, 2015, 52 insurance companies would have failed to meet asset adequacy requirements. Some 146 companies would have failed to meet asset diversification requirements. Zaletov said that the market could see the improvement in the quality of insurance assets at the end of 2017. The bottom share of insurance reserves placed in assets with low risk for life insurance from June 30, 2016 is to be at least 25% of insurance reserves and for the rest of the companies at least 15%. Assets with low risk are government domestic loan bonds; funds in banks with rating of 'AA' or better under the national scale; bonds issued by these banks and bonds of international financial institutions (ISIs). The requirement will be in effect until March 31, 2017. Reykjavik (AFP) - Iceland's new right-wing government took office on Thursday, under fire from the start as the opposition sought a vote of no confidence and stuck to its call for swift elections. New prime minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson replaces Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who quit Tuesday amid mass protests over a hidden offshore account revealed in the "Panama Papers" leak of millions of financial records. Johannsson, a 53-year-old former veterinarian, has already announced new legislative elections will be held in "the autumn", about six months ahead of the scheduled April 2017 vote. But protesters have demonstrated outside parliament for three days in succession, throwing eggs and yoghurt at the building. They have called for the ouster of the coalition comprising Johannsson's centre-right Progressive Party and their junior partners, the Independence Party, and demanded elections be held sooner. Johannsson was sworn in by President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson at the presidential residence in Reykjavik. "You will see the difference," he promised later, but if he was expecting any political honeymoon he was quickly disappointed. "Kick out the crooks," demonstrators yelled outside the presidency, as he assumed his tricky premiership. Earlier, as Gunnlaugsson handed in his resignation to the president, he was met by angry protesters who brandished red cards at him and chanting: "Elections immediately, we want to vote!" - Pirate surge - Birgitta Jonsdottir, founder of the libertarian Pirate Party that has surged in the polls in the current crisis, has said people want more than a cabinet reshuffle. Formed in 2012 and campaigning for more transparency in politics, Internet freedoms and copyright reform, the Pirate Party is now credited with a whopping 43 percent of voter support. Their support stems from massive frustration over the political establishment's implication in two major financial scandals: the country's 2008 banking crash, and now the Panama Papers leaks. Story continues Icelanders generally have little else to complain about. The country boasts full employment, low crime levels, a well-functioning welfare state, low income inequality and a high life expectancy of 83 years. But the new prime minister, who held the important fisheries and agriculture portfolio in Gunnlaugsson's government, is hardly popular. A poll at the end of March suggested that just three percent of voters had a favourable opinion of him. He is seen by critics as emblematic of the old guard that turned a blind eye to the bankers' reckless investments that brought down the banking sector in 2008. The financial meltdown plunged Iceland into a deep recession and left thousands mired in debt. The leftwing and centrist opposition parties have presented a motion of no confidence to parliament, which is expected to be voted on Friday -- though it has no chance of being adopted because of the government's majority. - Ministers hit by Panama Papers - Gunnlaugsson became the first major political casualty to emerge from the Panama Papers, resigning over revelations that he and his wife owned an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands and had placed millions of dollars of her inheritance there. The prime minister sold his 50-percent share of the company to his wife for a symbolic sum of $1 at the end of 2009, but he had neglected to declare the stake as required when he was elected to parliament six months earlier. Gunnlaugsson has said he regretted not having done so, but insisted he and his wife had followed Icelandic law and paid all their taxes in Iceland. Two other Iceland cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, have been singled out in the Panama Papers. Benediktsson has denied any tax evasion. He said he built an offshore company to launch a real estate project in Dubai that never materialised, and the company has no business. A poll published Wednesday showed that 69 percent of Icelanders wanted Benediktsson out, even though he enjoys the full support of the Independence Party he heads. The government coalition does not want to hold a new election quickly given the uproar over the Panama Papers scandal, as it would surely suffer from a resounding protest vote. Reykjavik (AFP) - Iceland's new prime minister, 53-year-old Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, is a veterinarian by training now stepping into the political storm that ousted his predecessor, as his party's choice but not a favourite with voters. Johannsson, who has held Iceland's key cabinet portfolio of fisheries and agriculture since 2013, was formally sworn in as prime minister on Thursday after mass protests pushed Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to quit over a hidden offshore account revealed in the so-called Panama Papers leak. Johannsson is perhaps best known for staunchly defending the interests of the agricultural sector, of particular concern to his Progressive Party whose voter base is traditionally found in the rural areas outside the capital Reykjavik. On his CV, he lists his first work experience on his father's farm in southwestern Iceland, from the tender age of eight to 22. In a country with a strong tradition of farming, particularly sheep, he then decided to become a veterinarian, earning his degree at the University of Copenhagen. He ran his own farming and veterinary business for a while, before entering regional politics for the Progressives in 2001. The party was in power throughout Iceland's financial boom years but was ousted in 2009 after the three main banks failed at the end of 2008, plunging the country into a deep recession and leaving thousands of Icelanders mired in debt. Johannsson was elected a member of parliament for the first time in 2009 when the Progressives entered the opposition, then re-elected on the party's return to power after 2013 legislative elections. With typical fair Nordic looks, Johannsson has the rugged and stout stature one might expect of a farmer. A keen rider, he is known for his sense of humour and gravelly voice, which has nonetheless earned him a spot in a local men's choir. After being chosen by the Progressives on Wednesday to head a right-wing government not exactly known for its deft handling of crises, and often under the gun for defending the interests of the rich, Johannsson faces an uphill battle to win over voters. Story continues And he's starting from a low point: a poll at the end of March suggested that just three percent of the electorate had a favourable opinion of him. In any case, Johannsson's term is certain to be brief. He has already indicated that new elections will be held in the autumn, about six months ahead of schedule. Johannsson has three children with his first wife and two stepchildren with his second wife. By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday that its staff have agreed to deepen the Fund's engagement with Somalia through a 12-month program to assist and monitor the country's reforms of government operations and fiscal management. "This is a significant milestone for Somalia, marking the move toward normalizing relations with international financial institutions," IMF mission chief Rogerio Zandamela said in a statement. "The program will focus on policies to improve governance and fiscal management, strengthen institutions, foster financial sector development and fill considerable data gaps. Technical assistance and capacity building will be an integral part of the program," Zandamela said. The so-called Staff-Monitored Program does not involve financial support to the war-torn African country, but is a necessary step toward a potential IMF loan program. It is expected to start in May pending IMF approval. It sends a positive signal to international donors about Somalia's commitment to improve its governance. A similar program for Afghanistan has helped to mobilize billions of dollars in donation pledges. Somalia is one of the least developed countries in the world and is in the process of building a fully functioning government. The program will aim to devise ways to increase government revenue and help its budgeting process. It will also initiate currency reform and strengthen licensing and regulation of commercial banks and money transfer businesses. (Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Fiona Ortiz) San Francisco this week became the first city in the United States to pass a law guaranteeing fully-paid parental leave. The city council unanimously passed a measure on Tuesday granting new parents six weeks of paid leave. While many companies in the tech sector--including Netflix (NFLX), Facebook (FB), Alphabet (GOOGL) Ebay (EBAY), and Yahoo Finance's parent company Yahoo (YHOO)--offer generous paid leave packages, this benefit has not extended to the broader population. A report last year showed that only 12% of American companies offer paid maternity or paternity leave. This is a hot-button topic as it seems to affect women more than men. Morgan Stanley analyst Eva Zlotnicka laid out an in-depth analysis pointing to the importance of offering benefits aimed at retaining women in the workforce. Gender diversity has not only social benefits, but also commercial, macroeconomic, and regulatory relevance for companies, she wrote. Gender diversity contributes to employee inclusion, satisfaction and engagement, she added, which has been positively associated with stock returns, as shown in the exhibit below. Zlotnicka points out that parenthood is one of the major obstacles to women in the workforce as evidenced by the employment rate of women with children being lower than for women overall. The introduction of more flexible working practices, support for childcare and more equal parental leave arrangements have contributed to rising female participation rates in developed markets, she wrote. As YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, when Google increased paid maternity leave from 12 to 18 weeks in 2007, they found the rate at which new moms left the company fell by 50%. "Its much better for Googles bottom line--to avoid avoid costly turnover and to retain the valued expertise, skills, and perspective of our employees who are mothers," she wrote. In 2004, California became the first state to implement a paid-family-leave policy that enables most working Californians to receive 55% of their usual salary (up to $1,104) for a maximum of six weeks. According to a report last year from the President's Council of Economic Advisers, more than 90% of employers affected by California's paid family-leave initiative reported either positive or no noticeable effect on profitability, turnover, and morale. Story continues And in addition to impacting performance of companies, investors care too. According to a 2014 USSIF report on investing trends, $578 billion of US institutional investor assets in 2014 were invested using the social criteria of equal employment opportunity and diversity. Given recent announcements of new investment products focused on gender and rising shareholder activism on the top, we expect these figures will show substantial growth, Zlotnicka wrote. And Zlotnicka wrote that the benefits of gender diversity in the workforce apply broadly to economies as well. The benefits of more gender-balanced economies are multiple, including higher income, higher productivity gains, higher corporate bottom lines and reduced poverty in developing countries. In aging economies, higher female participation and employment rates can also help to counter a shrinking workforce, she wrote. The OECD estimates that a 50% reduction in the gender gap in labor force participation could lead to a GDP gain of 6% by 2030, rising another 6% if the gap is completely closed in the next 15 years. While the ruling in San Francisco is significant, despite a lot of talk, companies have made small progress installing work/life balance programs over the last six years. And the U.S. still remains far behind the rest of the world. JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia said on Thursday it will resume executions of drug traffickers this year, after a brief hiatus since last year's controversial executions of mostly foreign convicts. Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo told reporters "more than one" person would be executed for drug offences this year and foreigners were also on the list. "We will not stop. We will step up the war on drugs," Prasetyo said. He declined to name the nationalities of the convicts on death row. Indonesia executed 14 convicts, including nationals of Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands and Nigeria, by firing squad last year despite repeated pleas for mercy from foreign governments and international organizations and activists. Amid international outrage, Indonesia postponed other scheduled executions. Officials said it was so the government could focus on reviving a flagging economy. (Reporting by Jakarta bureau; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie) Molino Mechanical Industry and Trade Inc (Turkey), a manufacturer of equipment for grain industry, has proposed building a new grain terminal at Odesa port. "A relevant proposal was announced by company Vice President Salim Alaybeyi at the forum in Odesa. In particular, he proposed an option of constructing a terminal with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes on a turnkey basis. The project envisages the possibility of unloading grain from trucks, rail cars, and allows loading simultaneously two Panamax type vessels at a rate of 1,200 tonnes per hour each. The required area for the project is 170,000 square meters. The estimated cost of a turnkey project is $150 million with a payback period of four years. Alaybeyi also noted that the same or similar project can be implemented in any port of Ukraine. Currently Molino is looking for an investor in the project. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A link to a website which publishes photos without authorization of the author does not in itself constitute a copyright infringement, an adviser to Europe's top court said on Thursday. The opinion, by the European Court of Justice's advocate general, is not binding but the court normally follows such advice. While European Union rules say every act of communication of a copyrighted work has to be cleared by the copyright owner, it would be to the detriment of the Internet to make hyperlinks fall under these rules, the advocate general said. The case arose in the Netherlands where the GeenStijl website had provided a link to an Australian site showing pictures of a Dutch celebrity taken by Playboy magazine. The Australian site did not have Playboy's consent to do so. "Hyperlinks which lead, even directly, to protected works are not 'making them available' to the public when they are already freely accessible on another website, and only serve to facilitate their discovery," the opinion said. The advocate general added that this also depended on whether the link was indispensable in making the photos available, a matter which he referred back to the local Dutch court. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.) Tehran (AFP) - An Iranian delegation will meet Saudi officials next week to discuss arrangements for this year's hajj pilgrimage, the first dialogue between the rival powers since a diplomatic crisis erupted in January. Riyadh severed diplomatic ties with Iran on January 3, a day after its missions in Tehran and Mashhad were stormed and set alight by mobs following the Sunni kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Iran and Saudi Arabia stand on opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen but the death of thousands of pilgrims, including 464 Iranians, in a stampede at last year's hajj in Saudi Arabia also caused a major spike in tensions. Responding to an invitation, "the Iranian delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia to negotiate with their minister of hajj and other officials" about this year's event, the head of Iran's hajj organisation Said Ohadi told the official IRNA news agency late Wednesday. This year's annual hajj -- a pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca that all Muslims are expected to perform at least once in their lifetime -- is due to take place in September. "If both sides come to an agreement for sending Iranian pilgrims... a memorandum of understanding would be signed like in previous years." The arrangements were two months late, Ohadi said, criticising Saudi officials for not issuing visas for the Iranian delegation. "Despite an official invitation from the minister of hajj of Saudi Arabia... if the visas are not ready on time, this trip will not happen," he warned. The talks will also address last September's stampede. Iran blamed Saudi mismanagement for the deadly crush. So far, the Riyadh government has taken no action to compensate the families of Iranian victims, Ohadi said. By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary group said it will join government forces preparing to fight Islamic State for Mosul despite objections of politicians who fear this could instigate sectarian bloodshed in the mostly Sunni Muslim city. A much-touted government offensive to retake Iraq's largest northern city two years after its seizure by the Sunni Islamist insurgents has made a faltering start, casting doubt on the army's ability to do so without more ground support. The campaign will require the participation of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias, said a spokesman for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of its most powerful factions. "We think the battle to liberate Mosul will be huge, complex; it will be about guerrilla warfare in built-up areas, which only PMF fighters are good at ..., as forces may be fighting house to house, room to room," the spokesman, Jawad al-Talabawi, said in an interview on Wednesday in Baghdad. In an opinion column published in the New York Times on March 27, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri made a plea to keep the PMF out of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province. Jabouri, the most senior Sunni official in the Shi'ite led-country, said the PMF had destroyed Sunni houses and mosques, carried out reprisal killings in villages recaptured from Islamic State and barred people from returning to their homes. To avoid atrocities, Jabouri said, the Mosul campaign should replicate the recent recapture from Islamic State of Ramadi, capital of mainly Sunni Anbar province, by Iraqi army troops backed by Sunni tribal fighters and U.S.-led air strikes. Until Ramadi's recapture in December, it was the PMF, assisted by Iranian military advisers, that spearheaded operations to recover territory from Islamic State. The PMF says government forces will need the help of more than Sunni tribesmen to recover Mosul, which is four times the size of Ramadi. Asaib spokesman Talabawi dismissed the concerns of Sunni politicians about Mosul, saying the PMF would cause less damage to the city than if government forces stormed it under the cover of air bombardment as was done in Ramadi. He suggested the PMF rather than the army take the lead in pushing into Mosul, saying the army could advance effectively only when the ground had been cleared by heavy bombardment. Ramadi, 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first major success for Iraq's U.S.-backed army since its collapse in the face of Islamic State's lightning surge across the country's north and west in mid-2014. Ramadi suffered heavy damage as Islamic State militants typically use residential dwellings for cover, dig tunnels and lay mines and explosives to slow an enemy's advance. Most of the city's population fled before the final onslaught started. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared 2016 the year of "final victory" over Islamic State, which in 2014 proclaimed a caliphate from Mosul, by far the largest city under IS control in both Syria and Iraq with a pre-war population of about two million. But an offensive meant to bring the army closer to Mosul has been put on hold two weeks after its launch until more forces arrive to hold ground, the commander in charge said on Wednesday. (Additional reporting by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Sofia Barbarani MAKHMOUR, Iraq (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Fearing for the safety of her four children in battles between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants, Umm Rayyad left everything she once owned and last month fled her hometown of Khurbardan, in northern Iraq. The start of a military campaign to retake Iraq's second-largest city Mosul has seen the Iraqi army pushing westward towards the Tigris River. The northern city has been controlled by Islamic State, also known as ISIS, since June 2014.[nL2N1780LP] Clashes between the two sides have caused a fresh wave of displacement with 2,000 civilians forced from their home since the latest escalation in violence on March 24. "We left everything behind, we have nothing. ISIS took everything," said Umm Rayyad, who declined to give her real name for fear of reprisals, like the other displaced women the Thomson Reuters Foundation spoke to. Now safe following her arduous journey, Rayyad pointed to mattresses piled in the corner of a building in the town of Makhmour, in northern Iraq, where the newly displaced were being temporarily housed before being moved to a nearby camp. "I have only two mattresses for me and my four children," she lamented as men and women trudged up and down the building's twisted staircase, lugging U.N. boxes packed with hygiene kits and food. "We haven't washed in a week. This place is too small for so many people," she said. HARASSMENT In addition to nearly one million Iraqis displaced since 2006/7, there are more than 3.3 million people in Iraq who have been displaced since January 2014, the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said last month. In 2015, more than half of Iraq's displaced were women, most of them aged between 25 and 59, the United Nations said. Lone women, whose husbands or fathers have been killed or gone missing, are especially vulnerable with forced marriages, destitution and violence a reality for many struggling to survive without a male figurehead in the family. "These types of issues are increasingly apparent," said UNICEF spokesman in Iraq, Jeffrey Bates. "They're displaced from their community and don't have the social networks to protect them." The lack of segregated living spaces in a society where men and women are customarily separated presents a problem for displaced people, particularly in camps where two or more families are forced to share the same latrine and shower. "Women can't go (to the toilet) after dark and if they go during the day they have to have someone watching," Rezhna Mohammad, director of psychological services for local charity SEED, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "In some camps their movement is very restricted (because) they're at greater risk of harassment and rape," she added. This in turn fuels a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and anger that often leads to families breaking up because of the strain this puts on them, Mohammad said. Women are further isolated when this happens. The stigmatization of raped and sexually abused women means that survivors are reluctant to seek assistance or openly discuss their experience, and prefer to suffer in silence, aid workers say. GIRL BRIDES One of the war's most alarming consequences for young women and girls is the rise in forced marriages. Girls as young as 12 have been forced to marry by their families in order to secure a male "protector" and at the same time, lessen their family's financial burden. Widowed women, who rarely remarry in Iraq, and women separated from their husbands are also at high risk of sexual exploitation and violence as they are the sole breadwinners and desperate for money to feed their family. Sara Omar, 26, witnessed her husband being taken away by Kurdish security officers on suspicion of having ties to Islamic State. Sitting on a mattress in a room full of other displaced women, Omar and her mother Shadi Younes discuss their journey to safety amidst shooting and shelling. "The sky was full of fire," said 40-year-old Younes recalling the violence of the battle. Omar and her two children will be relocated soon to a camp for internally displaced people where she faces the daunting task of settling into a new environment as a married woman without a husband. Other women have seen themselves forced to start anew with one or more children lost to war a load too heavy for many mothers to bear. "Most of them never talk about their problems with anyone in the family, not even their mothers or sisters," said Mohammad from the organization, SEEDS. The United Nations estimates that another million civilians are likely to become displaced in the battle for Mosul, most of them likely to be women and their children. But in a society where trauma is seldom discussed and often internalized, aid groups such as SEEDS have taken on the immense challenge of opening the door to uneasy discussions on taboo issues such as sexual violence. "Some women come (to us) every single week, you get to know them and build trust with them," Mohammad said. "Then you can approach them about (their trauma)." (Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's second largest party Fianna Fail on Thursday rejected an offer of a coalition with the party of acting Prime Minister Enda Kenny by a sizeable majority, a senior party member told Reuters. The rejection means the country, which failed to re-elect Kenny's coalition government in an election on Feb. 26, faces a choice between an unstable minority government led by either Kenny's Fine Gael or Fianna Fail or a new election. "A sizeable majority has rejected the proposal that has been put by the Taoiseach (prime minister), we have been engaged with independents for the last four weeks to try to provide an alternative government and that still remains our focus," Fianna Fail frontbench member Robert Troy said after a meeting of Fianna Fail members of parliament. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Janet Lawrence) The Netherlands can't continue a process of ratification on Ukraine-EU Association Agreement because a majority of Dutch voters cast ballots against the agreement, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte said. "If the outcome of the referendum remains the same then we can't continue with the ratification of the Association Agreement with Ukraine. This is my political opinion," the prime minister wrote on his Facebook. Rutte said it is necessity to hold consultations about the Dutch referendum results with parliament and European partners. "We won't procrastinate. A process [of the consultations] will take weeks, not just days," the PM said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin confirmed an intention of the Dutch politicians to carry various consultations. Klimkin said he had talked with the Dutch foreign chief, who reported on Friday there would be consultations in the government, afterwards parliamentary consultations, and at all these parliamentary factions. "Thus they'll decide what to do further. For me it is very important that it won't affect an efficient implementation of the agreement," the minister said. As reported, the turnout at the referendum in the Netherlands was 32.1%, of whom 61.1% against ratification of the Association Agreement voted of those participated in the referendum and 38.1% backed the ratification. Poroshenko expressed his view that the outcome of the Dutch referendum won't be an obstacle on Ukraine's path of European integration. By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's second-largest political party rejected a coalition offer from acting Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Thursday, less than 24 hours after he made the unprecedented proposal to try to break a prolonged post-election deadlock. The Fine Gael party's Kenny made the offer on Wednesday evening during his first meeting with the leader of historic rival Fianna Fail, almost six weeks after voters rejected his ruling coalition without choosing a clear alternative. The rejection leaves the country facing the prospect of an unstable and potentially short-lived minority government led by one party and facilitated by the other, or a new election. "The consensus view of the party was a reiterating of our consistent message that the best interests of the Irish people are not served by a government made up of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael," Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin told reporters after a second meeting with Kenny that lasted just 10 minutes. "We would support a Fine Gael-led minority government but Fine Gael need to also make it clear that they would facilitate a Fianna Fail-led government if the numbers added up." Kenny, who insists his party would not back a minority administration led by its smaller rival, said in a statement that Martin's decision was a serious mistake and "driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest". The two centre-right parties differ little on policy but have been bitter foes for decades, tracing their rivalry back almost a century to Ireland's civil war. "It is a disappointing outcome that Fianna Fail haven't even given a day of consideration to a really significant and historic offer. I can only think that's for political, strategic reasons," senior Fine Gael minister Simon Coveney said. The impasse has so far had little effect on Europe's best-performing economy, which grew nearly 8 percent last year, but consumer sentiment posted its sharpest fall in 17 months last month. Ireland's 10-year bond yield [IE10YT=TWEB] rose 7 basis points on Thursday to 0.83 percent but is near record lows. Analysts say a weak minority government could potentially paralyse efforts to tackle bottlenecks in housing and infrastructure that threaten to choke the economic recovery. Bookmaker Paddy Power said on Thursday it had cut the odds of a second election taking place in 2016 to 6/4 from 4/1. "It now is starting to look seriously like we're going to walk into the next election if we're not too careful," said David Farrell, politics professor at University College Dublin. (Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's second-largest political party rejected a coalition offer from acting Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Thursday, less than 24 hours after he made the unprecedented proposal to try to break a prolonged post-election deadlock. The Fine Gael party's Kenny made the offer on Wednesday evening during his first meeting with the leader of historic rival Fianna Fail, almost six weeks after voters rejected his ruling coalition without choosing a clear alternative. The rejection leaves the country facing the prospect of an unstable and potentially short-lived minority government led by one party and facilitated by the other, or a new election. "The consensus view of the party was a reiterating of our consistent message that the best interests of the Irish people are not served by a government made up of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael," Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin told reporters after a second meeting with Kenny that lasted just 10 minutes. "We would support a Fine Gael-led minority government but Fine Gael need to also make it clear that they would facilitate a Fianna Fail-led government if the numbers added up." Kenny, who insists his party would not back a minority administration led by its smaller rival, said in a statement that Martin's decision was a serious mistake and "driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest". The two center-right parties differ little on policy but have been bitter foes for decades, tracing their rivalry back almost a century to Ireland's civil war. "It is a disappointing outcome that Fianna Fail haven't even given a day of consideration to a really significant and historic offer. I can only think that's for political, strategic reasons," senior Fine Gael minister Simon Coveney said. The impasse has so far had little effect on Europe's best-performing economy, which grew nearly 8 percent last year, but consumer sentiment posted its sharpest fall in 17 months last month. Ireland's 10-year bond yield [IE10YT=TWEB] rose 7 basis points on Thursday to 0.83 percent but is near record lows. Analysts say a weak minority government could potentially paralyze efforts to tackle bottlenecks in housing and infrastructure that threaten to choke the economic recovery. Bookmaker Paddy Power said on Thursday it had cut the odds of a second election taking place in 2016 to 6/4 from 4/1. "It now is starting to look seriously like we're going to walk into the next election if we're not too careful," said David Farrell, politics professor at University College Dublin. (Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Catherine Evans) Dublin (AFP) - Ireland's main opposition Fianna Fail party on Thursday rejected an offer to form a full coalition partnership with Prime Minister Enda Kenny's Fine Gael following inconclusive elections in February. Fine Gael had said in a statement on Wednesday after talks between Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin that it had offered the party a "full and equal partnership" in a future administration. Speaking to reporters after another meeting with Kenny on Thursday, Martin said "the best interests of the Irish people would not be served by a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael government". He said that his party could not betray a core electoral commitment not to enter coalition with its main political foe since the 1930s. Martin also said his relationship with Kenny over the past 24 hours "had left a lot to be desired." One or other of the two behemoths of Irish politics have held power since the foundation of the state evolved from the bitter divisions that catapulted the country into civil war from 1922-1923. The rivalry between the two dates back to that war. Speaking to reporters after talks with Kenny, Martin said "the best interests of the Irish people would not be served by a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael government". A spokesman for Fine Gael, which holds 50 seats in the 158-seat parliament, described Fianna Fail's decision as a missed opportunity and a mistake. Fianna Fail holds 43 in the Dail, or parliament. Given the rejection, political analysts say the options for the formation of a new government are fast running out. Fianna Fail has raised the prospect of forming a minority government with the support of independent deputies but without an indication of support from Fine Gael, this is regarded as improbable. Similarly, Fine Gael would not have the numbers to rule without some deal with its old foe. This leaves the country with the prospect of returning to the polls once more to break the political logjam and to end the current vacuum. Beit Jala (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israel began construction on a controversial part of its separation barrier in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, near a Palestinian Christian town, an AFP journalist reported. Cranes began lifting eight-metre(yard)-high blocks into place near Beit Jala, south of Jerusalem and close to Bethlehem, a photographer witnessed. This part of the wall could cut Palestinians from their olive groves. Nicola Khamis, mayor of Beit Jala, condemned what he saw as a land grab. "This land is for our families, our children," he said by phone from the bridge next to the construction site. The Israeli army referred questions to the defence ministry, which did not immediately respond. Residents of Beit Jala fear the construction of the wall may lead to the expansion of the nearby Israeli settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo. Khamis said they hoped to battle the wall's construction, with emergency strategy meetings planned, but he conceded they had no further appeals within the Israeli legal system. After a nine-year legal battle, Israel's high court ruled in July 2015 the wall was legitimate, making only small adjustments. "Without this land all the Christians will leave this country," Khamis said. "It is impossible to build in Beit Jala. We want to widen Beit Jala." Israel began building the barrier of walls and fences inside the occupied West Bank in 2002 at the height of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising), saying it was crucial for security. The Palestinians see it as a land grab aimed at stealing part of their future state and call it the "apartheid wall". "It is consistent with the Israeli governments policy of consolidating apartheid in the West Bank," Xavier Abu Eid, a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said of Thursday's construction. "It destroys the prospects for Bethlehem to grow". In a non-binding decision, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2004 that construction of the barrier was illegal and, like the UN General Assembly, demanded it be dismantled. Jerusalem (AFP) - A key Israeli minister said Thursday that the government is at risk of collapsing if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's narrow coalition is not enlarged soon. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan's comments came amid claims that talks have taken place between Netanyahu and the opposition Zionist Union on joining the coalition, which currently holds a one-seat majority in parliament. Speculation over such a move began shortly after elections in March 2015, but there have been claims in recent days of fresh negotiations. "The government will not be able to last much longer," Erdan, a senior member of Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party, told army radio. "I hope that the Labour Party and other parties will do what is needed." Erdan said a major obstacle will be this summer's budget discussions. Netanyahu's government is one of the most rightwing in Israel's history and its razor-thin majority has left it little room for manoeuvre. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon this week spoke of discussions with the Zionist Union, an opposition coalition led by Labour. Kahlon told local media that the Zionist Union was on the verge of joining the government, but discussions were frozen in late March when Labour leader Isaac Herzog was linked to a preliminary investigation into party financing. Both Likud and Zionist Union officials. however. dismissed Kahlon's claims as exaggerated, Haaretz newspaper reported. A recent poll showed that the current coalition would lose its majority if elections were held today. But some analysts say that right-wing and religious members of the government would be reluctant to leave the coalition since they currently wield significant power. They include the religious-nationalist Jewish Home and the Jewish ultra-Orthodox Shas parties. By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli cabinet minister described as "loony" on Thursday an account by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of the number of Palestinian civilians killed in the 2014 Gaza war that went well beyond any official assessments. The minister, Zeev Elkin, commenting on an interview by the Vermont senator in the New York Daily News on Monday, took a forgiving tack, saying politicians "sometimes make mistakes" in the heat of a campaign. "I don't remember the figures, but my recollection is over 10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza. Does that sound right?" Sanders told the newspaper. "I do believe and I don't think I'm alone in believing that Israel's force was more indiscriminate than it should have been." Sanders, who trails Hillary Clinton in the pledged delegates needed to win the nomination ahead of the Democratic partys July convention in Philadelphia, also criticized Gaza militants for launching rockets at Israel from civilian areas. The war killed around 2,100 Palestinians, according to Gaza officials, Israel and foreign observers. The Palestinians say most of the dead were civilians. Israel says more than half were fighters. Israel lost 67 soldiers and six civilians in the war. Asked about Sanders' toll, Elkin, using the Israeli military's term for the Gaza war, said in a radio interview: "Anyone who knows a little about what happened in Operation Protective Edge understands that this was a weird and loony statement." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept out of the often acrimonious U.S. election race - a practice that Elkin, one of his closest cabinet colleagues, endorsed. "What is ultimately important is what they (candidates) do and not what they say in election campaigns," Elkin, who serves as minister for Jerusalem and immigration, told Israel Radio. "Therefore I recommend to us all that we get a little less excited about this-or-that statement that is made." On Wednesday, the Anti-Defamation League called on Sanders to correct his figures. "As Mr. Sanders publicly discusses his approach to key U.S. foreign policy priorities ... accuracy and accountability are essential for the voting public, but also for U.S. credibility in the international community," said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. Sanders, who is Jewish, spent several months in Israel in the 1960s as a volunteer on a kibbutz, or communal farm. "I lived in Israel. I have family in Israel. I believe 100 percent not only in Israel's right to exist, a right to exist in peace and security without having to face terrorist attacks," he told the New York Daily News. He added: "I think the United States has got to help work with the Palestinian people as well. I think that is the path toward peace." (Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Richard Balmforth) Jared Leto is seeking a companion. Specifically, the Suicide Squad actor and Carrera Eyewear are searching for a Maverick to pose alongside him in the next video campaign for the shades. The 44-year-old, who went back to brunette for his first Maverick campaign earlier this year, recorded three call-to-action videos asking for mold-breaking musicians, athletes and visual artists to submit their work. One lucky winner will be invited to collaborate with Leto on a video project in Los Angeles, while others will be featured on Carreras digital media and gifted a pair of Maverick shades. According to Fashionista, the deadline for submissions is three weeks away - so theres no time to waste. This is your chance to meet the man bun that started a movement. Dont let it pass you by. By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - New Jersey's highest court on Thursday ordered the resentencing of a convicted murderer serving a 60-year prison term for a shooting during a Trenton robbery, after his trial judge said he "always" imposes sentences at least that long in similar cases. The state Supreme Court ruled 6-0 that Patrick McFarlane must be resentenced by a new judge because the comment by Mercer County Judge Robert Billmeier, made in an unrelated murder case, "undermined" public confidence in criminal sentencings. McFarlane, 27, was sentenced in September 2013 after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder in the May 2008 death of Richard Mason, who was shot in the back while being chased from a dice game that the defendant had disrupted. At a January 2015 hearing in the unrelated murder case, Billmeier said: "I always give defendants convicted by a jury a minimum of 60 years," subject to a state law governing early release, "and you can check my record." The judge later called his comment "improper," but said he did not predetermine sentences in such cases. McFarlane's appeal focused on the comment, and three other 60-year sentences the judge imposed for first-degree murder. An intermediate state appeals court upheld McFarlane's sentence last April. Writing for the Supreme Court, Justice Lee Solomon said, however, that judges must consider the "unique facts" of each case when imposing sentences. Billmeier's comment, "particularly when viewed in light of the trial judge's sentencing record, undermines public confidence in our system of criminal sentencing," Solomon wrote. A spokeswoman for Angelo Onofri, the acting Mercer County prosecutor, declined to comment. The county's Office of the Public Defender had no one available to comment. Alexander Shalom, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey who argued on McFarlane's behalf, welcomed the decision but said it should have gone farther. Story continues "The court condemned the trial judge for what he said, but missed an opportunity to condemn what he said he would do - give harsher punishments to defendants who go to trial and lose," he said in an interview. "This is a widespread practice that requires explicit condemnation from the court." Billmeier was not immediately available for comment, his chambers said. The case is New Jersey v McFarlane, New Jersey Supreme Court, No. A-7-15. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Peter Cooney) In the framework of the official visit to Japan, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna Poroshenko had a meeting with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan Akihito and Empress Michiko. The head of state expressed gratitude to Japan for the political support and solidarity with Ukraine in countering foreign aggression and the large-scale financial assistance in the implementation of important reforms, the president's press service reported on Thursday morning. The president invited the Emperor to make an official visit to Ukraine at his convenience. By Christine Soukenka REGENSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Afghan asylum seeker Yar Mohammad Haiqar can't stop smiling because he's finally found a job after arriving in Germany almost three years ago. Now he spends his days painting, plastering and sanding at a dry construction firm. The 23-year-old is one of 35 refugees who have found a job or apprenticeship through a model project run by the Bavarian Industry Association (VBW) that aims to integrate 120 migrants into German society via work. That's a small number compared to the 1.1 million migrants who arrived in Europe's largest economy last year. Germany desperately needs new workers to plug a skilled labor shortage caused by partly its ageing population but it is struggling to deal with the record influx and many newcomers do not have the training or language skills the country needs. "You can have a good life in Germany," Haiqar told Reuters. "Now I've found a job and I find the work very interesting and I would like to stay in this job," he said. It is not yet clear whether Haiqar, who left his parents and siblings behind in Afghanistan, can stay in Germany and finish his apprenticeship - he is still waiting for a decision on his asylum application. His employer, Anita Brunner, is helping him deal with all his paperwork and wants to keep him in her firm. "I think work is one of the best ways to integrate refugees and keep them here," she said. Bertram Brossardt, managing director of VBW, said it had not been possible to find 120 refugees to take part in the project when it was first set up as originally planned but of the 109 who did join, around 30 percent now had jobs or apprenticeships. (Writing by Michelle Martin Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) Global growth fears are putting investors on edge. All three major averages (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) were lower across the board in early trading, while gold (GCM16.CMX) rose and the yen strengthened to a 17-month high (USDJPY=X). Central Bank Spectacular Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and former Fed chairs Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, and Paul Volcker get set to share the stage in New York at 5:30 pm. EST. Dimon's warning A big warning from JPMorgan (JPM) chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon. In his annual shareholder letter, the big bank head noted that liquidity in many major markets has gotten worse and says volatility is here to stay. Twitter's (TWTR) NFL deal earlier this week offered some hope for investors, but Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak is not convinced. Nowak cut his price target on the stock to $16 from $18 a share and slashed user growth by half for the current year. In his note this morning he points out that new user trends "remain troubling" and that core user engagement on the platform "remains on the decline." The investment firm also maintained its underweight rating on the stock. Yahoo (YHOO) shares were lower in early trading following a Re/code report saying company documents reveal that the Internet giant has been in "a serious free fall." According to the report, Yahoo's revenue is expected to decline by 15% and earnings could drop more than 20%. Yahoo is the parent company of Yahoo Finance. Get the Latest Market Data and New with the Yahoo Finance App Sprint (S), the nation's fourth-largest wireless carrier, signed a deal with several bankrupt entities to sell and then lease back network assets. The deal will help Sprint raise $2.2 billion in cash. Pacific Sunwear (PSUN) shares sank in early trading after the struggling teen retailer confirmed it's filing for bankruptcy protection. The company said it's working with Golden Gate Capital and Wells Fargo to assist its restructuring. Pacific Sunwear is not alone. Several other major retailers have filed for bankruptcy over the past year, including Sports Authority, American Apparel, Quicksilver and Wet Seal. Story continues Bed Bath and Beyond (BBBY), the home goods retailer, delivered better-than-expected earnings and revenue for its holiday quarter. Even though profit fell from a year ago, revenue rose slightly and the company announced its first quarterly dividend. 'Panama Papers' Fallout Here's the latest fallout from the Panama Papers: The U.S. Treasury Department plans to issue a long-delayed rule forcing banks to pursue the identities of people behind shell-company account holders. It's a bird...it's a plane...it's a DRONE! And get ready, more drones may be flying in the sky soon. A federal advisory group has proposed rules to expand the use of small commercial drones, permitting them to fly over people and crowds. The Federal Aviation Administration currently prohibits most commercial use of drones over people. By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday rejected a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit against ride-hailing company Lyft, saying the $12.25 million deal "short-changed" drivers. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said in a San Francisco court filing that the amount "does not fall within the range of reasonableness." The sticking point, Chhabria said, was that attorneys for the plaintiffs estimated the total potential claim for expense reimbursement for drivers at $64 million, and then negotiated the $12.25 million settlement based on that figure. The $64 million estimate was based on driver data provided by Lyft from May 2012 through last June. Lyft later offered updated figures covering the period through February, which showed that drivers covered by the class-action lawsuit would have in fact been entitled to nearly twice that amount - about $126 million - according to court documents disclosed last month. "The drivers were therefore short-changed by half on their reimbursement claim alone," Chhabria wrote. Lyft in January agreed to settle the class action, which was brought in 2013 by California drivers who contended they should be classified as employees and were therefore entitled to reimbursement for expenses, including gas and vehicle maintenance. The drivers, who are currently independent contractors instead of employees, pay those costs themselves. The settlement did not reclassify the drivers as employees, a point that led the Teamsters union and five Lyft drivers to file formal objections to the deal. Lyft is among several so-called on-demand technology companies fighting legal battles with workers who claim they are incorrectly classified as independent contractors. A determination that workers are employees would affect the profits and valuations of these startups. Chhabria said on Thursday he would approve a settlement that does not classify drivers as employees. But the deal, he said, should be adjusted so it represents, at a minimum, roughly 17 percent of the maximum value of the reimbursement claim, or more than $21 million. Story continues Attorneys can file a motion for a new proposed settlement no later than May. "We are hopeful this settlement can be improved to meet the judge's concerns" said Shannon Liss-Riordan, an attorney at law firm Lichten & Liss-Riordan representing the plaintiffs. "If not, we look forward to taking this case to trial as well." At a hearing last month, when Chhabria first took issue with the settlement amount, the judge said it would be risky for drivers to proceed with the case. A jury could ultimately rule that drivers are contractors and then they would get nothing. Lyft voiced disappointment in the ruling: "We believe we reached a fair agreement with the plaintiffs and are currently evaluating our next steps," a spokesman said. Under the deal that Chhabria rejected, drivers would have received an average of $56 each after attorneys' fees and other expenses, documents show. Using the updated driver data that covers the period through February, drivers would have recouped an average of $835 each under a standard rate for mileage reimbursement set by the U.S. government, or about 15 times the settlement amount. Most of the drivers have worked for Lyft part-time, and would have made less. More than 100,000 of the 150,602 drivers included in the settlement drove fewer than 60 hours during the four-year period covered by the settlement. Lyft has 315,000 active drivers in more than 200 markets across the country. (Reporting by Heather Somerville. Additional reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco.; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Dan Grebler) (Reuters) - Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said on Thursday he signed a bill enacting a new school funding formula to replace one found to be unconstitutional by the state supreme court, which set a June deadline for legislative action. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in February that the funding system approved in 2015 by the Republican-controlled legislature was inequitable, falling $54 million short in funding for primary and secondary students in poor districts. Justices also warned that schools would be ordered to close if the legislature failed to take action by June 30. "This bill is the result of a delicate legislative compromise one that I respectfully endorse and that the court should review with appropriate deference, the Republican governor said in a statement. But Alan Rupe, an attorney representing four public school districts that sued the state, said the new law does not remedy the inequity problem and that he will ask the supreme court to review the law. "It's not going to work. It actually makes things worse in terms of equity," he said. A summary of the legislation said it appropriates $367 million in supplemental general state aid under a new formula that takes into account the assessed valuation of property within a district on a per pupil basis. It also adopts a previously court-approved capital outlay equalization formula and ensures no school district will have its current level of funding reduced, according to the governor's statement. School funding in Kansas has been the subject of litigation for decades. (Reporting By Karen Pierog; Editing by Dan Grebler) Manama (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Bahrain on Thursday that respect for human rights is "essential", as the Gulf kingdom faces persistent accusations of discrimination against its Shiite majority. "Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential," Kerry told a joint press conference in Manama with his Bahraini counterpart Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa. Kerry said he and Sheikh Khalid "had the chance to discuss the ongoing effort to address and to reduce sectarian divisions here in Bahrain and elsewhere." "I appreciate the seriousness with which he considers this issue," he said. "We all welcome steps by sides to create conditions to provide for greater political involvement for the citizens of this great country," he added. In 2011, the tiny but strategic island state, which is dominated by a ruling family drawn from the Sunni minority, crushed a Shiite-led uprising calling for a full constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister. Scores of Shiites were rounded up and sentenced to lengthy jail terms, including opposition chiefs. Asked about a Shiite opposition activist who was taken into custody with her toddler last month after she was convicted in 2014 for tearing up a poster of King Hamad, Sheikh Khalid said: "This is a humanitarian issue and Zainab al-Khawaja will be released pending her case in the court." "She is in jail and she chose to keep her child with her," said Sheikh Khalid. "But of course she will be sent to her home," he said, without specifying when, adding that "the case will continue." The daughter of prominent rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2014 after being convicted of insulting the king by ripping up a photograph of him. An appeals court last October reduced her term to one year behind bars, while upholding a fine of 3,000 dinars (about $8,000). Story continues Khawaja had said she would keep her son, who is reportedly just over one year old, by her side if she was jailed, Amnesty International said in October. Amnesty urged Bahraini authorities earlier this month to "immediately and unconditionally" release jailed opposition figures. "The alarming erosion of human rights in Bahrain in recent years means that anyone who dares to criticise the authorities or call for reform risks severe punishment," said Amnesty's regional deputy director James Lynch. Manama (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday urged Iran to help end the wars raging in Yemen and Syria, criticising the Islamic republic's "destabilising actions" in the Middle East. On the first visit by a US chief diplomat to Bahrain since 2010, Kerry also told authorities in Manama accused of discriminating against the country's Shiite majority that respect for human rights was "essential". Kerry later held a meeting with his Gulf Arab counterparts, two weeks before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh when Washington's Middle East policy is likely to come under the microscope. Speaking during a joint news conference with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, the top US diplomat condemned "the destabilising actions of Iran, which the United States takes very seriously". Kerry said the US Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, last week interrupted a shipment of weapons destined for Huthi rebels in Yemen. "We call on Iran to constructively join in the efforts to make peace and to help us to resolve Syria and rather than to continue to send weapons to Huthis, join in the effort... to make peace and to work toward a cessation of hostilities," Kerry told reporters. Tehran and the Gulf states back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen. During the GCC meeting the US secretary of state defended the historic accord between Iran and major Western powers under which Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions. After the meeting, Kerry added that the US and GCC nations "remain united in our opposition to Iran's missile activities". - Yemen ceasefire - The US Treasury last month imposed financial sanctions on Iran's Revolutionary Guards over ballistic missile tests conducted on March 8-9. Sheikh Khalid, whose government accuses Iran of stoking persistent protests among the kingdom's Shiites demanding an end to Sunni minority rule, echoed Kerry's call for Iran to cooperate. Story continues Iran's "interventions through proxies in several parts of our region (are) continuing unabated," the Bahraini foreign minister said. Tehran argues that it is Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies that are sowing instability in the region with their air strikes in Yemen and support for the opposition in Syria. All the Gulf Arab states, apart from Oman, are taking part in a Saudi-led coalition that has been battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen since March last year, in a war which the United Nations says has killed around 6,300 people. Human Rights Watch said Thursday that bombs supplied by the United States were used in coalition air strikes on a market in Yemen that killed at least 97 civilians including children last month. Asked to comment on the report, Kerry said he did not have "solid information" on weapons used in Yemen. Yemen's warring parties have agreed to observe a UN-brokered ceasefire from midnight Sunday to be followed by peace negotiations in Kuwait on April 18. - Syria talks 'key test' - The Gulf Arab states have also been staunch backers of Syrian rebel groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's regime since 2011. Iran, along with Russia, has been among the regime's main supporters in the conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and pushed nearly five million into exile. Kerry said that the key now is UN-sponsored peace talks set to take place in Geneva on April 13, where the main obstacle is Assad's future. "That discussion about transition is the key test of the seriousness of the Assad regime, of Russia and Iran," Kerry said. "We will need to apply all of our efforts in order to maintain not only the cessation of hostilities but to build some possible momentum in the negotiations themselves," he added after the GCC talks. The GCC comprises the Sunni-dominated monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have carried out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria as part of a US-led military coalition. "We're satisfied, I think, with the overall level of support that we're getting from the Gulf states in the coalition," the US official said. On Bahrain, Kerry urged authorities to adopt an "inclusive political system". "Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential," Kerry said. "We all welcome steps by sides to create conditions to provide for greater political involvement for the citizens of this great country," he added. In 2011, the tiny but strategic island state, which is dominated by a ruling family drawn from the Sunni minority, crushed a Shiite-led uprising calling for a full constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister. The Donbas militants have conducted 67 attacks on Ukrainian army positions over the past day, the Ukrainian army press center reported on Thursday. "Our positions near Maryinka were attacked six times by use of grenade launchers, machineguns, air defense systems and small arms," the press center wrote on Facebook. The militants' mortars shelled Ukrainian army positions near Shyrokyne and Krasnohorivka, it said. There were a number of infantry combat vehicle attacks on Ukrainian army strongholds near Luhanske. Mortars of various calibers delivered 11 strikes on Ukrainian army positions near Avdiyivka. One mortar attack was observed in each of Nevelske, Novhorodske, Opytne, the Butivka mine and Zaitseve. Militants' snipers were active in Pisky and Svitlodarsk. Air defense launchers and automatic grenade launchers were used near Novozvanivka in the Luhansk region. According to the press center, the Ukrainian army retuned the militants' fire ten times. CAIRO (Reuters) - An anti-terrorism court in Khartoum has sentenced 22 South Sudanese nationals to death and three others to life in prison on Wednesday for belonging to a militant group in Darfur. "The judge sentenced them to death by hanging on charges of terrorism, fighting the state, bearing arms against the state and undermining the constitutional order," Mahjoub Dawoud, defense attorney, told Reuters. The defendants belong to the Justice and Equality Movement, a rebel group based in Darfur that took up arms against the Sudanese government in 2003, complaining that their region was being marginalised. The group, led by Bakhit Abdul Karim (Dabjo), signed a peace agreement with the Khartoum government in 2013. Shortly after the agreement, the group handed in its weapons to the government and in return the Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, pardoned members of the group. However, the presidential pardon did not include the 25 South Sudanese nationals. The government considered them foreign fighters and brought them to trial for bearing arms against Sudan. Lawyers of the defendants said they will appeal the court decision next week, calling the Sudanese authorities to treat their clients as prisoners of war. Sudan regularly accuses its neighbour of backing insurgents in its Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions. South Sudan, which split away from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war fuelled by ethnicity and oil, dismisses the allegations and accuses Khartoum of arming militias in its territory. (Reporting by Khaled Abdelaziz writing by Amina Ismail Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) CAIRO (Reuters) - An anti-terrorism court in Khartoum has sentenced 22 South Sudanese nationals to death and three others to life in prison on Wednesday for belonging to a militant group in Darfur. "The judge sentenced them to death by hanging on charges of terrorism, fighting the state, bearing arms against the state and undermining the constitutional order," Mahjoub Dawoud, defense attorney, told Reuters. The defendants belong to the Justice and Equality Movement, a rebel group based in Darfur that took up arms against the Sudanese government in 2003, complaining that their region was being marginalized. The group, led by Bakhit Abdul Karim (Dabjo), signed a peace agreement with the Khartoum government in 2013. Shortly after the agreement, the group handed in its weapons to the government and in return the Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, pardoned members of the group. However, the presidential pardon did not include the 25 South Sudanese nationals. The government considered them foreign fighters and brought them to trial for bearing arms against Sudan. Lawyers of the defendants said they will appeal the court decision next week, calling the Sudanese authorities to treat their clients as prisoners of war. Sudan regularly accuses its neighbor of backing insurgents in its Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions. South Sudan, which split away from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war fueled by ethnicity and oil, dismisses the allegations and accuses Khartoum of arming militias in its territory. (This version of the story corrects headline to say 22 death sentences) (Reporting by Khaled Abdelaziz writing by Amina Ismail Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) SAO TOME (Reuters) - Kosmos Energy and GALP Energia will perform joint seismic studies in three offshore oil blocks in Sao Tome and Principe starting in January 2017, the island state's petroleum agency said on Thursday. The survey, expected to last six months, will cover roughly 12,800 square kilometres in exploration blocks 6, 11 and 12 off the coast of the former Portuguese colony, said Orlando Sousa Pontes, director of the petroleum agency. The cost of the project was not immediately clear. U.S.-based Kosmos and Portugal's Galp were not immediately available for comment. The tiny African country has 19 oil blocks in its exclusive economic zone and an additional joint exploration zone with Nigeria. It is located in the resource-rich Gulf of Guinea but has yet to find any commercially viable oil. Kosmos said on Saturday it had acquired a 65-percent stake in block 12, adding to stakes in three other blocks. One of those blocks, Block 6, is operated by GALP Energia. (Reporting by Ricardo Neto; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Edward McAllister and Mark Potter) Pristina (AFP) - Kosovo's powerful former premier Hashim Thaci was sworn in as president Thursday in a session boycotted by opposition parties which dispute his election to the top job. Thaci's inauguration followed his election to the post by MPs in February, in a tense vote marred by opposition tear gas protests in parliament and clashes on the streets of the capital Pristina. "I swear that I will dedicate all my powers to preserving the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci said as he took oath before MPs from the ruling coalition and diplomats. Later addressing parliament, he said his goals were Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU and continuing "the process of normalising relations with Serbia". Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 under Thaci's leadership, but Belgrade refuses to recognise its sovereignty. Opposition members refused to attend Thaci's swearing in because they insist his election was unlawful, claiming irregularities in the vote, but Kosovo's constitutional court dismissed their complaint. Thaci, 47, rose to prominence during the 1998-1999 war with Serbia as political leader of the pro-independence ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and he has since served two terms as prime minister. But his reputation has been sullied by a 2011 Council of Europe report which accused him of heading a mafia-style network involved in assassinations, unlawful detentions and even trafficking captives' organs during and after the war -- charges he strongly denies. Kosovo's opposition is also furious over a government deal with Serbia, backed by the EU, to create an association giving greater powers to Kosovo's Serb minority -- a move they fear will increase the influence of Belgrade. Thaci, who served as foreign minister before his election as president, has taken a lead role in the talks to improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which are a key requirement for both sides to become EU members. The father-of-one is also accused of corruption by protesters, some of whom took to the streets in February to try and stop him becoming president amid anger over Kosovo's slow development and lack of jobs. Thaci won support from 71 deputies in the 120-seat parliament in the third and final round of February's vote. By Fatos Bytyci PRISTINA (Reuters) - Protesters hurled stones at the Kosovo parliament as new President Hashim Thaci was being sworn in on Thursday and opposition parties boycotted the ceremony, underlining the political crisis besetting the country. Kosovos biggest opposition party Vetevendosje said its supporters were responsible for the stone-throwing, which broke windows. Police said they arrested two people. The opposition in the majority ethnic Albanian country accuses Thaci of helping to clinch an EU-brokered agreement in 2015 that gives a small Serb minority more power over local government decisions and raises the possibility of financing from Belgrade. Thaci, who led a guerrilla insurgency against Serbian forces in 1998-99, was elected president by parliament in late February despite protesters throwing petrol bombs outside while opposition legislators released tear gas inside. "The state of Kosovo is committed to normalizing relations with Serbia. We cannot change the past but we have to work not to repeat it," Thaci told parliament after taking the oath. Thaci, who was Kosovo's prime minister when it declared independence from Serbia in 2008, will serve a five-year term as president, a largely ceremonial role. Opposition parties have protested for six months against the deal with Serbia, staging street rallies, repeatedly setting off tear gas in parliament and clashing with police. In January, protesters set the government building on fire. Kosovo declared independence almost a decade after NATO air strikes drove out Serbian security forces accused of killing and expelling ethnic Albanian civilians during a counter-insurgency war. Kosovo's independence is now recognized by more than 100 countries, although not by Serbia. Many Kosovo Albanians believe last year's accord with Serbia could erode their hard-won sovereignty, though the agreement's status is unclear after a Kosovo constitutional court ruling in December that parts of it breach the country's laws. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday he did not think Thaci's inauguration would change anything in Kosovo. "I am hoping that they will manage to resolve their internal problems and I hope we will be able to continue the dialogue in Brussels," Vucic told reporters in southern Serbia, referring to talks between Serbia and Kosovo on normalizing relations. (Additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade; Editing by Adrian Croft/Mark Heinrich) MOSCOW (Reuters) - The results of an advisory referendum held in the Netherlands show that Dutch citizens have mistrust in a treaty on closer ties between Ukraine and the European Union, the Kremlin said on Thursday. "These (results) point to the attitude of the citizens of the Netherlands to a certain document. Dutch citizens have questions, have mistrust. They are sending a signal of their mistrust (in the Ukraine-EU treaty)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. In Wednesday's referendum, Dutch voters have overwhelmingly rejected a Ukraine-European Union treaty on closer political and economic ties, in a rebuke to their government and to the European Union establishment. (Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Maria Kiselyova) By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal judge has ruled that Los Angeles County violated the U.S. and state constitutions by placing a tiny cross atop a depiction of a California mission on its official seal, despite claims by local leaders that it was done for historical accuracy. The decision by U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder comes in response to a lawsuit filed by civil liberties activists and others who objected to the inclusion of a religious symbol on a government emblem and marks the latest twist in a six-decade saga that has seen the county seal redesigned three times. "A reasonable, objective observer aware of this contentious history would likely view the county's recent decision to reintroduce a cross at substantial expense as motivated by a sectarian purpose, despite the county's appeal to considerations of artistic and historical accuracy," Snyder wrote in her 55-page written opinion, which followed a one-day trial last November. The judge granted a permanent injunction against the county's use of the seal, presumably requiring another make over unless her order is overturned on appeal. A spokesman for Los Angeles County, David Sommers, declined to comment on the ruling, saying attorneys were still reviewing it. He said a decision on whether or not to appeal would be made by the county's board of supervisors. The dispute dates to 1957, when supervisors approved a new official seal that featured illustrations of the Roman goddess Pomona, a tuna, the Spanish galleon San Salvador, a champion cow named Pearlette, engineering tools, oil derricks and the famed Hollywood Bowl. Above that amphitheatre were shown two stars and a Latin cross. In 2004, the supervisors, faced with a threatened lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union and following a series of contentious public hearings, voted to recast the seal, removing the cross and replacing Pomona with a Native American woman. The oil rigs were removed in favor of sketch of the San Gabriel Mission. Story continues In 2014, five years after a Latin cross was added to the eastern facade of the actual mission, supervisors voted to put one on the seal as well, following a motion by two board members who said the rendering was otherwise "aesthetically and architecturally inaccurate." In issuing her opinion, the judge appeared skeptical that accuracy was behind the move, saying that the county made no effort to enforce such artistic rigor with regard to the San Salvador, Hollywood Bowl or prize-winning cow. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Alistair Bell) Ukraine's Justice Ministry is not taking part in talks with the Russian side on Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko's fate at this point, Ukrainian Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko has said. "A process of political negotiations is under way. The Justice Ministry is not taking part in the talks with the Russian side today. The talks are being held at the political and diplomatic levels," Petrenko told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday. The judicial procedure that the Ukrainian Justice Ministry can use to secure Savchenko's return "is exclusively extradition", he said. This procedure requires the consent of the person currently in the foreign country, or the consent of her relatives or her legal team, the minister said. "As of today, this process has not been launched," Petrenko said. On March 22, 2016, the Donetsk Court of the Rostov region found Ukrainian servicewoman Nadia Savchenko guilty of involvement in the killing of Russian journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin by a group of people by a previous concert on hatred and enmity motives, and sentenced her to 22 years in a penal colony. The court also found her guilty of attempted murder and illegally crossing the Russian border. One Ukrainian serviceman has been injured and no one has been killed in the eastern part of Ukraine over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian presidential press secretary for the anti-terrorist operation Oleksandr Motuzianyk said. "No Ukrainian servicemen have been killed in action, and one has sustained injuries over the past 24 hours. This occurred in Avdiyivka, as a result of the enemy's shelling," Motuzianyk said at a news briefing in Kyiv on Thursday. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. immigration officials should make bail more affordable for poor migrants detained ahead of deportation proceedings and who are not considered likely to abscond, a civil rights group said in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday. The proposed class-action lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, cited the example of a Honduran hair stylist who has been detained for more than three years because he cannot afford to pay his bond of $3,000. The legal action represents the latest effort by the ACLU to make it easier for detained immigrants to obtain bond in the U.S. immigration system while awaiting court proceedings that could end with their deportation. Last year, U.S. immigration officials deported nearly 70,000 immigrants who were apprehended inside the country, according to figures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a previous case, the ACLU successfully sued in federal court in California to obtain mandatory bond hearings for immigrants held for six months or more. "Poverty or lack of financial resources should not deprive a person of his or her freedom while in civil immigration proceedings," Michael Kaufman, a staff attorney with the group, said in a statement. The lawsuit, filed against U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and a number of immigration officials, said setting bail amounts too high for detained immigrants violated their right to due process under the U.S. Constitution. A representative from the U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the U.S. immigration court system, could not be reached for comment early on Thursday. The Department, in a written guide posted online, said significant factors in determining how high to set bond for immigrants include length of residence in the United States, family ties and any past attempts at flight. The ACLU lawsuit faulted the U.S. immigration system for not requiring judges and prosecutors to consider an immigrant's ability to pay when setting a bond amount. As a result, bail at times is set at more than $100,000, according to the suit. The suit asks a judge to require immigration officials to set a lower bond when an immigrant has made "good faith efforts" to pay, but cannot afford it. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by John Stonestreet) Ukrainian servicewoman Nadia Savchenko who has been convicted in Russia and has gone on a dry hunger strike in the Rostov detention center, is under constant medical surveillance, a source in the Federal Penitentiary Service press bureau has told Interfax. "She [Savchenko] is under constant medical surveillance," the press bureau said. Lawyer Mark Feygin said earlier on Thursday, that Savchenko, who had gone on a dry hunger strike, had demanded that foreign doctors be permitted to visit her. On March 22, 2016, the Donetsk Court of the Rostov region found Ukrainian servicewoman, Nadiya Savchenko, guilty of killing Russian journalists Igor Kornelyuk, and Anton Voloshin, by a group of people by a previous concert on hatred and enmity motives, and sentenced her to 22 years in a penal colony. The court also found her guilty of attempted murder and illegally crossing the Russian border. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese police have detained an Australian film crew and accused them of involvement in a kidnapping of two children from their Lebanese father on behalf of their Australian mother. "Four Australian nationals have been stopped on suspicion of kidnapping the two children," the Lebanese internal security services said on their Twitter account. CCTV footage broadcast on Lebanese TV appeared to show the two children, who the father said were aged five and three, being bundled into a car by several attackers on a busy street in southern Beirut. The children's grandmother told media she had been hit on the head with a pistol during the abduction. The father, Ali Zeid al-Amin, said by phone that he was scared for the children's safety but that they were with their mother. "It's their mum that kidnapped them, and that's what we know. She contacted me and told me she has the kids," he said. A Lebanese security source said the mother and two children had been found and were with the authorities. The four-member crew was making a film about the mother's efforts to recover her children for the Australian current affairs show "60 Minutes". The incident took place in the Hadath area of southern Beirut at 7.10am on Wednesday. Lebanon, unlike Australia, is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which allows for children normally resident in one location to be returned if taken by a relative. Lebanese Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk was quoted on Thursday as saying the crew were "involved in abducting the two children and detained in respect of their participation in the kidnapping operation". Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been in contact with Channel 9 over reports of the crew's detention, a spokesman of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said. "A crew has been detained. Our people are working with the authorities to have them released as soon as possible," a spokesman for Channel 9 said. "We are urgently seeking to confirm the crew's whereabouts and welfare, and have offered all appropriate consular assistance," he said. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and John Davison; Additional reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne and Angus McDowall in Beirut; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) If the presidential election campaign is any indication, conservatives and liberals inhabit parallel universes, with incompatible views on everything from immigration to religion to family. A recent survey on the American family pretty much proved that to be true. But the survey also found something startling. If a liberal family and a conservative one lived side by side, and never talked about all those controversial issues, they might be hard to tell apart. Liberal and conservative family life is pretty much the same, whatever people think or say. There arent red families and blue families, says Jeremy Pope, a political science professor at Brigham Young University, and co-director of the center that conducted The American Family Survey. Thats surprising, because the survey found sharply clashing opinions over family issues. For example, only 34 percent of the most liberal married respondents agreed that society is better off when more people are married, compared with 88 percent of very conservative married respondents. Do children need both a male and a female role model at home? Less than half of liberals agreed with that (27 percent of the most liberal), while roughly 90 percent of conservatives thought having a mom and a dad in the house was the best arrangement. Yep, definitely different planets until you look at how people actually conduct their lives in marriage. For the day-to-day stuff helping each other out, going out together, discussing politics and finance, having sex, arguing sleeping in separate bedrooms after a fight its hard to spot the difference. People tend to do the same sorts of things, says Pope. We really overplay polarization. There is one difference: Conservative families pray together more often. Aside from that, liberals tend to marry less often and to have slightly fewer children. Still, a healthy majority of everybody agreed that raising children is one of lifes great joys, even if conservatives felt that way more often than liberals. Perhaps the seeming inconsistency between opinion and behavior can be found in another part of the report. Most people said their own marriages were strong and getting stronger only 6 percent said it had weakened in the past two years and they believe themselves to be the exception. Forty-three percent said that other peoples marriages had weakened over that same period. Story continues Maybe if all those conservative and liberals started talking to one another, they wouldnt take such a dim view of the other. One of the optimistic findings of the survey is that theres room for discussion here, says Christopher Karpowitz, a co-director who worked on the study. Related Articles By Serajul Quadir DHAKA (Reuters) - Attackers in Bangladesh wielding machetes killed a liberal blogger, police said on Thursday, the latest in series of murders of secular activists by suspected Islamist militants. Postgraduate law student Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was attacked as he was returning from a class at his university in the capital, Dhaka, late on Wednesday, police said. Last year, suspected militants killed five secular writers and a publisher, including a Bangladeshi-American activist. A banned Islamist militant group, Ansarullah Bangla Team, claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Police officer Tapan Chandra Shaha said three or four men attacked Samad with machetes and then shot him after he fell to the ground. People heard the attackers shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is Greatest) as they fled, he said. Imran H. Sarker, convener of the BOAN online activist group, said Samad was an outspoken critic of injustice and militancy. "We found him always a loud voice against all injustice and also a great supporter of secularism," Sarker told Reuters. Bangladesh has seen a wave of militant violence over the past year or so, including a series of bomb attacks on mosques and Hindu temples. Some attacks have been claimed by Islamic State, including the killing of Hindu priest, a Japanese citizen, an Italian aid worker and a policeman. The government denies that Islamic State has a presence in the Muslim-majority country of 160 million people. Hundreds of students from the Jagannath University where Samad studied protested against his murder and demanded the prompt arrest of the killers. They blocked roads in and around the university and told reporters that if those behind the earlier murders of bloggers had been punished then Samad would not have been attacked. "Talented youths are killed one after another, but there are no visible measures against these heinous acts," said Kabir Chowdhury Tanmoy, president of the Online Activist Forum, which advocates secularism. EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon condemned the killing, saying freedom of expression was a fundamental human right. (Reporting By Serajul Quadir; Editing by Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie) The total income of the deputy head of the Opposition Bloc parliamentary faction, Serhiy Liovochkin, in 2015 amounted to almost UAH 2.1 million. According to his declaration of income, posted on the website of the Verkhovna Rada, in the structure of his total income almost UAH 65,000 was wage and more than UAH 2 million dividends and interest. In addition, Liovochkin declared $950,000, accrued from sources outside Ukraine - from Cyprus. According to the declaration, Liovochkin owns an apartment of 178.5 square meters and other real estate of 682.56 square meters. He also has a Mercedes-Benz S 600 car (2010) and two motorcycles (2008 and 2010). The MP keeps over UAH 49 million on bank accounts, of which about UAH 23.5 million was deposited in 2015. He holds securities worth UAH 130,505. SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonia's biggest opposition party has pledged to boycott an early parliamentary election, a move that would stall an EU-brokered deal to end months of political deadlock. Shortly before the Macedonian parliament was dissolved at midnight on Wednesday to pave the way for an early election, opposition Social Democratic leader Zoran Zaev said that conditions for free and fair elections had not been met. He cited a lack of reform to reduce government influence in the media and a failure to conduct a thorough review of the electoral roll in the EU candidate country. "In the name of democracy, the SDSM (Social Democratic Union) will not take part in these fake elections," he told reporters. "We call on all citizens, students, farmers and people of all ethnicities and religions to stand (together) in defense of democracy." The dissolution of parliament was expected after all sides agreed to early elections as part of EU mediation to resolve a crisis over allegations of illegal phone-tapping and widespread abuse of office made against Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's government. Initially, the election was planned for April 24, but after the European Union and United States voiced concerns over reports of pressure and intimidation of voters, the vote was delayed, most likely to June 5. The speaker of the parliament has until April 15 to officially set the election date. Hours before parliament was dissolved, opposition ministers in the caretaker government resigned but the parliament did not convene to vote on their resignations, which would be the usual procedure. After almost a decade in power, Gruevski's government was bombarded last year by allegations of illegal surveillance, meddling in the media and judiciary, rigging elections and appointing party faithful to public sector jobs. The accusations stemmed from a slew of phone-taps released by Zaev, who said the government had conducted the surveillance. Gruevski denied this and dismissed the accusations as a plot to bring him down. He submitted his resignation to parliament in February, in line with the deal, and a caretaker government formed by both the ruling VMRO DPMNE and opposition representatives took over to prepare the country for an election. Macedonia has been on the front line of Europe's migrant crisis, building a fence on its border to keep out thousands of migrants and refugees trying to reach the wealthy north of the European Union - they are now bottled up in Greece. A dispute with Greece over Macedonia's name, which is shared by a northern Greek province, has blocked Skopje's efforts to join NATO and the European Union. (Reporting by Kole Casule; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Adrian Croft/Mark Heinrich) Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday he would ask the Supreme Court to strike down an amnesty law passed by opposition lawmakers to free those they describe as political prisoners. The leftist leader, who is fighting off the ascendant opposition's bid to force him from power, told a crowd of thousands of red-clad supporters he had decided to ask the court to invalidate the "criminal" amnesty bill. Maduro accused the opposition of trying to sow divisions by passing the bill, in a nationally televised speech punctuated by shouts of "Justice!" from supporters outside the presidential palace. "If this law is approved, Venezuela will enter into a cycle of civil war. We cannot allow it. Division and hatred will not reign in Venezuela. For there to be peace, there must be justice," Maduro said. The president had until Saturday to sign the bill, send it back to the legislature for changes or challenge it before the Supreme Court. Earlier Thursday, Maduro supporters and opposition activists clashed in a rock-hurling brawl triggered by an opposition campaign to organize a recall vote to oust the president before the end of his term in 2019. Maduro and the National Assembly have been at each other's throats since the opposition took control of the legislature in January. Fed up with a deep recession, severe shortages and violent crime, Venezuelans gave the opposition a landslide victory in legislative elections, the biggest challenge yet to the "revolution" launched in 1999 by Maduro's late predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chavez. One of the touchiest issues is some 75 opposition figures the amnesty bill describes as political prisoners, including figures like protest leader Leopoldo Lopez. Lopez was sentenced to 14 years in September on charges of inciting violence at anti-government protests that shook the country in 2014 and left 43 people dead. His jailing has drawn international condemnation. Story continues But Maduro, who accuses his opponents of seeking to oust him in a coup, said the bill, which was passed on March 29, aimed to free criminals. He announced he would instead launch a "truth, justice and reparations commission" to deal with jailed opposition activists' cases. - Clashes at recall rally - The tensions come against the backdrop of a deep economic morass exacerbated by the crash in the price of oil, which long funded Chavez and Maduro's lavish social spending. Despite holding the world's largest crude reserves Venezuela's economy contracted 5.7 percent last year, its second year of recession. Maduro's popularity has plummeted amid the crisis, but he retains de facto control of the courts and the military. He also threatened in his speech that if the National Assembly passes a law to shorten his term -- one of the opposition's strategies to unseat him -- he will consider cutting short the legislative term. "I will evaluate it, in absolute seriousness. I promise the country. If I see the possibility of clearing out coup-mongering and the use of the National Assembly, I will myself activate it if the people are with me. I promise you that," he said. Violence erupted earlier in the day when about 150 people, including 30 lawmakers, marched toward the National Election Council to obtain forms for collecting signatures needed for a recall referendum. About 50 government supporters blocked their path, and as both sides traded insults rocks began to fly. National Guard troops briefly separated the groups, but the government supporters broke through the cordon and forced their opponents to disperse. Authorities were not immediately able to confirm casualties, but opposition deputy Tomas Guanipa said several people, including a fellow lawmaker, were injured in the melee. On Monday, April 11, at 11.00 the Interfax-Ukraine news agency's press center will host a press conference entitled "Torture of Imprisoned and Slave Labour in Kharkiv Penitentiary Institutions." Human rights activists and former prisoners will show videos and give their account of the systematic beatings, sophisticated torture, slave labour of prisoners, and of absence of response on the part of the prosecution with regard to reports of these crimes, as well as to facts of persecution and kidnappings of ex-convicts, who insisted on investigations. Participants: Director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group Yevhen Zakharov; lawyer Hanna Lytvyn (Kharkiv Human Rights Group); ex-prisoner Pavel Panych; Head of Syndykat Human Rights Protection Union NGO Yevhen Chepeliansky (8/5-A Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. Additional information by email: zakharove@gmai.com (Yevhen Zakharov). Lima (AFP) - Father is in jail for crimes against humanity. Uncles and aunts have fled corruption charges. And daughter? She is in position to follow in dad's footsteps by becoming president of Peru. The Fujimoris may look like one of Peru's most dysfunctional families, but they are also one of its most powerful. And although ex-president Alberto Fujimori, 77, is in jail, his children are looking to forge a dynasty. His daughter Keiko, 40, is close to being elected Peru's first woman president in elections this coming Sunday. That is in spite -- or because -- of the violence and drama of Alberto Fujimori's time as leader and in his own family. Fujimori seized vast powers by dissolving parliament and massacring leftist opponents. Keiko's mother Susana Higuchi accused his men of torturing her during his rule from 1990 to 2000. She fled the presidential palace and filed for divorce in 1994. Keiko took over from her mother as first lady of the nation at the age of 19. "She has remained among the most popular figures in Peruvian politics since then," said Maria Luisa Puig, a Latin America analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy. - Death squads - The Fujimoris are one of thousands of families of Japanese descent in Peru following waves of economic immigration. The family maintains strong ties to Japan. Alberto Fujimori fled there as allegations against him mounted in 2001. He resigned as president by sending a fax. He was arrested years later in Chile and extradited to Peru to face trial. In 2009 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for death squad killings targeting supposed members of the Shining Path guerrilla group in the 1990s. He has also been convicted of embezzlement and bribery. Aside from his own challenges, Alberto Fujimori's marriage to Higuchi was a dramatic affair. She said she was tortured by the secret service run by Fujimori's right-hand man, Vladimir Montesinos. Shortly after their divorce, Higuchi ran against Fujimori in an election in 1995. But he blocked her by passing a law that prohibited presidents' close family members from seeking office. Story continues Keiko Fujimori has rejected her mother's claims as "myths." Higuchi has appeared at some of Keiko Fujimori's recent campaign events, but they are not reputed to have warm relations. - Human rights promises - Alberto Fujimori's sisters, Juana and Rosa, and his brother, Pedro, are all on the run from the courts on corruption charges. They are accused of embezzling money donated to non-governmental organizations they ran when he was president. The sisters fled to Japan and Pedro to the United States, where the family says he died three years ago. Fujimori's youngest brother Santiago is an elected member of congress. So is Keiko's brother Kenji, the youngest of the ex-president's children. Kenji has said he too hopes to be president one day. The elder of Keiko's two younger brothers, Hiro, recently returned to Peru from a spell in Japan. He has joined the boards of two companies in which his brother Kenji holds shares. The last of the Fujimori children, Sachi, has stayed away from politics. She is an architect. Fujimori senior is in ailing health in jail. But he still casts a shadow over public life in this nation of 30 million people -- a relative economic success story in Latin America in recent years. Polls indicate Keiko's likely share of Sunday's vote -- roughly one-third -- would carry her through to a runoff. Her level of support reflects a split in views of her father's legacy. Keiko "has a sizable group of core supporters... largely due to the legacy of her fathers administration, which is perceived by a sector of the electorate as a success due to economic recovery and a crackdown on leftist insurgencies," Puig said in an analysis note. At the same time, however, "the main obstacle to Keiko's bid for the presidency remains on the links to the government of her father... This prompted her to sign a pledge in the (election) debate to defend human rights, respect democracy, and refrain from favoring her family if elected." I try not to form stereotypes about other cultures but... well, there's no denying Japan produces some really, really weird popular culture. Japan's penchant for weirdness was out in full force this week when Japanese heavy metal girl group Babymetal went on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week and ripped into their new single "Gimme Chocolate." The result was as bizarre as you'd expect. MUST READ: Legendary car designer discusses Teslas Model 3 and the future of electric cars Here is the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZApf9c8Tes A few things really stand out here: I love how the song has very metal verses that are followed by choruses that sound like they're from a Max Martin-produced pop hit with an unusual amount of double bass drum pedaling. The girls can't seem to decide if they want to look menacing or adorable. And this is actually very fitting seeing as how their sound is equal parts menacing and adorable. It's nice that we can actually hear the lyrics through the vocals, which is something that you can't hear in most metal songs. I mean, have you ever listened to Cannibal Corpse's "Hammer-Smashed Face?" We can assume that the lead singer is singing about smashing someone's face with a hammer, but we can't know for sure because he sounds like an evil version of Cookie Monster trying to stuff five bags of Oreos into his mouth at once. At any rate, these songs are shockingly catchy even though they're patently ridiculous. I must now go listen to some other music so I don't have "Give me the chc-co-late, the cho-co-late!" ringing in my ears all day. Related stories Viacom yanks The Colbert Report and The Daily Show from Hulu Stephen Colbert rocks the Grammys with an Apple iPad Brussels attacks were destined for Paris, investigation reveals More from BGR: Elon Musk says Tesla will fix what critics call the Model 3s biggest design fail This article was originally published on BGR.com Up until about a year ago, Donald Trump was but a minor figure in Megyn Kellys life. Hed made a couple of appearances on her Fox News show, The Kelly File, but beyond that, Kellys interactions with the real estate mogul had been minimal at best. Then, shortly before he launched his historically unconventional presidential campaign in June 2015, Trump started reaching out to Kelly directly. Hed call to compliment segments of her show that hed enjoyed or send autographed clips of newspaper articles that mentioned her. In retrospect, Kelly told Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric at Tina Browns seventh annual Women in the World summit Wednesday, the candidate was likely trying to curry favor with the Fox News anchor. She also told Couric that she later found out Trump had made similar overtures to other journalists. But at the time, Kelly said, she didnt think much of it. It was only after she hit the brazen billionaire with a hardball question during the first Republican presidential debate of 2016 prompting Trump to boycott the following Fox News debate and launch a stream of attacks against Kelly that Fox News recently deemed extreme, sick and beneath the dignity of a presidential candidate who wants to occupy the highest office in the land that Kelly said she recognized Trumps newfound friendliness for what it was. I think he felt betrayed, Kelly said of Trumps reaction to her question, which prodded him on his record of making disparaging and degrading comments about women. His immediate response, she noted, was, Ive been very nice to you. But I didnt ask him to call me or send me those clippings, Kelly told Couric. It was a nice gesture, but its not going to stop me from asking tough questions. Fox News Channel anchors and debate moderators, from left, Chris Wallace, Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier, begin the Jan. 28 Republican presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) Story continues Couric and Kelly later discussed whether the appeal of high ratings influenced the way the press covered Trump as compared to other candidates. If everyone had stood up from the beginning and asked very tough questions which is what we get paid to do there wouldnt have been this issue, because we would have all been shoulder to shoulder asking tough questions so you couldnt cut off access, Kelly said. You cant, as a presidential candidate, shut down everybody. You cant shut down Fox, CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, you cant, Kelly said. There is strength in numbers on our side too, and this was a moment, an opportunity for solidarity among the press that I think we missed. It was no doubt Kellys willingness to take on perhaps the countrys biggest bully that earned her a spot among the headliners at Browns annual gathering of female journalists, activists, world leaders and celebrities at Lincoln Center. Still, Kelly admitted Wednesday, being in Trumps crosshairs isnt always easy. Im not going to say it doesnt bother me, Kelly replied when Couric asked how she deals with the onslaught of nastiness from Trump. It has bothered me and at times it has gotten very ugly. But I also understand that its part of the job. METZ, France (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday the Netherlands would work out with Europe's institutions how to proceed with a Ukraine-EU treaty on closer political and economic ties that Dutch voters rejected in a non-binding referendum. "We of course have every interest that Ukraine's way towards the EU, and above all towards certain standards that are agreed on in the treaty of association, is a continuous way," Merkel told reporters after a joint Franco-German cabinet meeting. (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Michael Nienaber) Michelin is launching a new series of travel guides to help tourists quickly discover destination cities. The "Map & Guide" line comprises pocket-sized, 25-page guides designed to help people quickly pinpoint locations and attractions. The books are divided into neighborhoods, with each represented by a single-fold atlas-quality map. Information about major attractions is supplemented by Michelin travel editors' favorite restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping and nightlife spots. Destinations currently include Barcelona, London, New York, Paris, Rome and Venice. The Map & Guide range is available in bookstores for $9.95. Five executives from around the world were celebrated Wednesday at MIPTV's annual awards fete, with Disney president global distribution Ben Pyne, Studiocanal's head of U.S. television production Rola Bauer, Comarex president Marcel Vinay and Zeel co-CEOs and brothers Punit and Amit Goenka receiving the TV confab's Medal of Honor. The black-tie gala at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes was truly a celebration of international TV, as the honor is given to executives from around the world who have made a significant contribution to the field of television, with Bauer hailing from Germany, Vinay from Mexico and the Goenka brothers from India. Read More: Rola Bauer to Head StudioCanal's U.S. TV Operations Bauer, who is credited with pioneering the international co-production model, was praised in a video featuring actors Ian McShane and Donald Sutherland. McShane called her a "passionate, committed and tough producer," while Sutherland said, "She's as wonderful a producer as you can ever possibly have." After Bauer said all five honorees should create a massive co-production, Pyne joked the negotiations could begin immediately in the Carlton's dining room. "I love to negotiate around the clock, an all-nighter is my dessert," joked Pyne. "After all, I'm just a sales guy." The Goenka brothers are the first Indian executives to receive the honor. They built Zee TV from a local network into a global powerhouse, which now reaches 950 million viewers around the world. They launched in the Philippines earlier this week and will bow their first European channel in Germany in July. Read More: MIPTV: Studiocanal Buys into Benedict Cumberbatch's Production Company Sunny March TV Bauer, whose productions include the Eddie Redmayne-starring The Pillars of the Earth, was celebrated for her part in establishing the international co-production model which has transformed the global TV landscape. Vinay is famous for bringing Mexico's telenovelas to the world. He said they were performed live on Mexican television before he began filming them and packaging them for international distribution in the 1960s. The highly anticipated Sixth Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) will kick off on April 16. A total of 15 Chinese and foreign movies are nominated for the coveted Tiantan Awards, and the jury for the awards will be presided over by famous American film producer Brett Ratner. The organizers of the Tiantan Awards received a total of 433 submissions from 42 countries and regions, including 230 foreign films and 203 domestic ones. Eventually, after four rounds of eliminations, 15 movies were chosen to compete. The 15 finalists include the Spanish film "A perfect day," Romanian film "Aferim!," Canadian film "Grand Unified Theory," German film "Dark side of the moon," British film "Golden Years" and two Chinese films, "Go Away, Mr. Tumour" and "Master." Ratner produced the 2016 Oscar winner "Revenant." The other six members of the jury are Hong Kong director Teddy Chen, German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu, Japanese director Yojiro Takita, Bosnian director Danis Tanovic and Chinese actress Xu Qing. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the International Convention & Exhibition Center at Yanqi Lake in Beijing. More than 3,000 actors from home and abroad are invited to attend the event. The festival will end on April 23. A$AP Ferg is teaming up with Missy Elliot, Future and Skrillex on his new album. The hip hop artist has also brought in Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign and Big Sean to feature on the upcoming record, titled "Always Strive And Prosper," NME reports. The star announced the news by publishing the track list to the 18-track album, which will be released later this month, on Instagram. The record includes the tracks "Strive", featuring Missy Elliott, and "New Level", featuring Future. By Michelle Conlin NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Jamaican fashion model who alleges that Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's modeling agency defrauded her of $225,000 in pay is moving forward with her case, despite a federal judge's decision to dismiss the lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in New York dismissed the lawsuit on March 23, saying there was insufficient evidence that model Alexia Palmer had been misled or was owed back pay. On Wednesday, Palmer's lawyer, Naresh Gehi, said, "We are now going to pursue our rights before the Department of Labor, and, if necessary, we will then appeal this case to the New York state Supreme Court." Palmer accused Trump Model Management LLC of lying to the federal government in its work-visa application that she would be paid a $75,000-a-year salary while living in the United States, court documents show. Instead, Palmer earned just $3,380 during the three years she was under contract with the agency after it took an 80 percent cut of her wages by deducting charges for everything from postage to walking lessons to mobile phone costs, as well as $4,000 in administrative fees, court papers show. Trumps lawyers have blasted the case as "frivolous" and without merit. "The salary that was posited was aspirational in nature," said Trump's lawyer for immigration issues, Michael Wildes. "Trump Model has been in full compliance, and should fare well in any investigation or audit." Though Trump is not personally named in the lawsuit, his presidential campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement last month that Trump Model Management's treatment of Palmer was in line with "standard practice in the modeling industry." Trump has won Republican front-runner status in the 2016 election in large part by positioning himself as a champion of the American worker, vowing to protect U.S. jobs and bring back positions that companies have moved overseas to take advantage of cheaper foreign labor. The controversial H-1B visa program for foreign workers became an issue at a presidential debate in Miami last month, where Trump called H-1B visas "very, very bad for workers." He has acknowledged using them in his own businesses. I know the H-1B very well; its something that I, frankly, use, he said. In August, Reuters reported that Trump's companies had sought to import at least 1,100 workers on temporary visas since 2000. Of those, 250 were filed for foreign fashion models, according to a Reuters analysis of federal Department of Labor data. Palmer attorney Gehi will appear on Friday, along with immigration experts, at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington to discuss the case with reporters. (Reporting By Michelle Conlin; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Hong Kong (AFP) - The Panama Papers leak has put the spotlight on Hong Kong as a hub for setting up offshore firms, with much of the money flowing through the city coming from mainland China. New revelations on Thursday, revealed that more than 16,300 of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca's active shell companies were incorporated through its Hong Kong and China offices -- 29 percent of the worldwide total. The leaks show the lengths to which wealthy Chinese will go to safeguard their money and flout domestic currency controls. Hong Kong is a key cog in the process due to its proximity and financial freedoms. "Chinese are moving the money offshore because the economy is slowing," says Andrew Collier, managing director of Hong Kong-based Orient Capital Research. "The property market in many parts of the country is collapsing... and there's concern about the anti-corruption campaign and the impact that may have on the safety of capital in China," he adds. Here are some of the ways that Hong Kong plays a role in shipping that money out: - Trade accounts - One way to generate income outside the mainland is to falsify trade and service invoicing, analysts say. By underpricing goods exported through Hong Kong or overpricing those they import through the city they can generate extra cash to be syphoned off into offshore accounts set up in the city. "A lot of people say there's huge false invoicing of trade goods between China and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong is being used as a way-station to get capital out of the country," says Collier. Chinese companies will also apply for foreign exchange at domestic banks for a purchase, but overstate the amount they need, he adds. The extra can then be moved into offshore account. "It's very hard for a bank to work out which invoices are correct and which are not," says Collier. - Lack of transparency - The amount of capital moved out of China is limited to $50,000 per person a year, but funnelling more into secretive offshore accounts is made easy through Hong Kong, says shareholder activist David Webb. Story continues He says the city lacks full transparency in both its companies registry and stock exchange, partly because it does not want to lose Chinese business. "They've adopted this 'don't ask don't tell' policy, knowing there's a huge amount of corruption in mainland China where a lot of the business comes from," says Webb of the exchange. "They're worried (more controls) would reduce the amount of business and the attraction of listing in Hong Kong." - Money mules and underground banking - China caps the amount of cash tourists can take abroad to 20,000 yuan ($3,090) in local currency and the equivalent of $5,000 in foreign currencies. Earning a commission for taking money across the border from China to Hong Kong, "money mules" strap bundles of notes to their bodies to try to duck customs, or hide it in luggage. Cheques are easier to get in, and underground banks in China can issue them in a foreign currency in exchange for yuan. Currency exchange shops in Hong Kong also facilitate transferring money from wealthy Chinese overseas. One Hong Kong exchange operator told AFP most Chinese customers had bank accounts on both the mainland and in Hong Kong. Clients deposit an amount in yuan in an exchange store's mainland bank account -- the exchange store then pays in to the customer's Hong Kong account. "The amount can be huge...there are many requests every day," the exchange operator told AFP. - Luxury goods, insurance and property - Cash and cheques moved out of China are often sunk into Hong Kong property, forcing up prices in recent years. Wealthy Chinese have also been buying up insurance policies in the city using credit cards in order to cash them out in the future, although a new limit has recently been set on how much they can spend. In another money-moving method, expensive credit card purchases such as jewellery and cameras are sometimes refunded in cash immediately at shops, which earn a commission in the process. By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than 30,000 people displaced by fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been cut off from aid because of ongoing insecurity, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Thursday. Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee Mpati in North Kivu province after fighting erupted there at the end of March between government forces and armed groups, the NRC said. "There are more than 30,000 people displaced all over the place without support because we are for now unable to reach them because of the potential risk," Mickael Amar, NRC's head of mission in Congo, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "This is something common here in Congo, we are used to (stopping) activities because of insecurity and we go back after 10 or 15 days, but 10 or 15 days for a displaced person without any support is a lot," he said in a phone interview from Congo. Amar said that although NRC has not yet been able to assess the exact needs of the displaced, they lacked food and shelter. In a statement, he urged the warring parties to give aid agencies access to the people in need. "If this does not happen we will see an already critical situation turning drastically worse," he said. In January, the United Nations said a surge in kidnappings and general insecurity in North Kivu province in recent months had made delivering life-saving humanitarian aid a "Herculean task". [nL8N1561SO] Congo's east has been plagued by instability since regional wars between 1996 and 2003 killed millions, most from hunger and disease. Dozens of armed groups continue to prey on the local population and exploit the region's rich mineral deposits. Amar said that last week unknown people entered an NRC compound in Mpati and stole some of their assets, including phones and radio equipment. "It shows that humanitarian access starts to be a bit complicated," he said. "Today we've been informed that shooting took place in the same area ... No one has been injured because it was shooting in the sky (but) it creates a lot of confusion." In January, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) closed one of its projects in Congo following a December attack on one of their convoys and abduction of two of their staff. Amar said NRC was trying to negotiate with the Congolese government safe access to the displaced people through other partners, including the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (Reporting by Magdalena Mis, editing by Alex Whiting; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) By Aziz El Yaakoubi RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities have expelled eight European activists they said were in the country to undermine public order by supporting prisoners from Western Sahara protests in 2010, the interior ministry said on Thursday. A Moroccan military court jailed 24 Western Saharan activists accused of killing members of the security forces who stormed a protest camp, known as Gdeim Izik, in the disputed territory in 2010. Moroccan authorities say 13 people were killed - including 10 security officers, a firefighter and two civilians - and dozens injured in November 2010 when authorities dismantled a camp where thousands of Western Saharans, known as Sahrawis, were protesting. The 21 who remain in jail have been on hunger strike for more than a month to protest their sentences, rights groups said. Tensions over the Western Sahara territory have been high since last month when Morocco decided to expel members of a U.N. mission there over comments by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon which Rabat deemed offensive. The interior ministry said a group of Europeans representing what it described as the "so-called international collective" supporting prisoners of Gdeim Izik had been expelled. "Local authorities of the city of Rabat have decided to expel eight foreign citizens, including two French nationals, one Belgian and five Spaniards, for attempting to undermine public order," its statement said. Joseph Breham, a member of the group and a lawyer of one of the prisoners, said the group was arrested when they arrived at their hotel in Rabat on Wednesday. "Authorities were planning to expel them by boat via Tangiers, but when they protested they finally put them on a plane from Rabat airport on Thursday morning," Breham told Reuters by phone. The Rabat group were given varying prison sentences with eight of the 24 being jailed for life. Three of the accused who received the lightest sentences have already served their terms and have been freed. National and international right groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have been calling on the Moroccan authorities to free or retry the group. Morocco took over most of the Western Sahara in 1975 from colonial Spain. That triggered a guerrilla war with the Sahrawi people's Polisario Front, which says the desert territory in the northwest of Africa belongs to it. The United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991 and sent in its MINURSO mission to help organize a referendum on the future of the territory. But the sides have been deadlocked on how to proceed ever since. (Editing by Patrick Markey and Richard Balmforth) A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] Despite being of a scale similar to last year's, the ongoing "shoulder-to-shoulder" military exercises between the United States and the Philippines are more provocative because of the addition of an islands-seizing exercise. Such military exercises are one of the ways in which the US is militarizing the South China Sea. The military drills organized by the US unilaterally or together with its allies in the South China Sea in recent years have increasingly presented a provocative posture because of their shortened distance to sensitive areas in the sea. The exercise in which Philippine troops recapture islands occupied by "foreign troops" also makes the joint drill more targeted. The US has frequently sent warplanes and warships on patrol in the South China Sea as part of its attempts to militarize the waters. Under the excuse of "freedom of navigation", in October, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen made a muscle-flexing sail through the 12-nautical-mile waters around a Chinese isle where reconstruction work was being completed, one of more than 700 patrols the US navy has made in the South China Sea over the past year. Washington has also strengthened its military deployment in the area, such as by signing a series of pacts with the Philippines to allow its vessels to use Philippine ports. The South China Sea issue can be traced back to territorial disputes and rows over maritime rights following the illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands by some countries, such as the Philippines, since the 1970s. It is China's consistent stance that disputes should be resolved directly with the parties concerned, based on historical facts and in line with international law. China is also committed to working with Southeast Asian nations to maintain peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the waters. Militarization of the South China Sea benefits no one. The US should keep its promise of not taking sides, instead of fueling dissension and tension in the region. By Aziz El Yaakoubi RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities have expelled eight European activists who they said were in the country to undermine public order by supporting prisoners from Western Sahara protests in 2010, the interior ministry said on Thursday. A Moroccan military court jailed 24 Western Saharan activists accused of killing members of the security forces who stormed a protest camp, known as Gdeim Izik, in the disputed territory in November 2010. Moroccan authorities say 10 security officers, a firefighter and two civilians were killed and dozens injured when authorities dismantled the camp, where thousands of Western Saharans, known as Sahrawis, were protesting. The 21 who remain in jail have been on hunger strike for more than a month to protest their sentences, rights groups said. Tensions over Western Sahara rose last month when Morocco decided to expel members of a U.N. mission there over comments by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Rabat deemed offensive. The interior ministry said two French nationals, one Belgian and five Spaniards, representing the "so-called international collective" supporting prisoners of Gdeim Izik, had been expelled by Rabat city authorities. Joseph Breham, a member of the group and a lawyer for one of the prisoners, said the group had been arrested when they arrived at their hotel in Rabat on Wednesday. "Authorities were planning to expel them by boat via Tangiers, but when they protested they finally put them on a plane from Rabat airport on Thursday morning," Breham told Reuters by phone. Spain summoned the Moroccan ambassador for an explanation, expressing concern about the manner of the Spaniards' expulsion. Eight of the prisoners are serving life sentences. Three have already served their terms and been freed. National and international rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have been urging the Moroccan authorities to free or retry the group. Morocco took over most of the desert territory from Spain in 1975. That triggered a guerrilla war with the Sahrawi people's Polisario Front, which says the territory belongs to it. The United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991 and sent in its MINURSO mission to help organise a referendum on the future of the territory. But the sides have been deadlocked on how to proceed ever since. (Additional reporting by Sonya Dowsett in Madrid; Editing by Patrick Markey and Kevin Liffey) Washington (AFP) - The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in Iraq and Syria is better prepared to retake the Iraqi city Mosul than Syria's Raqa, a US military spokesman said Thursday. Iraq's second city Mosul and Raqa, the IS group's de facto Syrian capital, are the coalition's top objectives. "The plan to liberate Raqa is not as developed as the plan to liberate Mosul," coalition spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said during a video news conference broadcast from Baghdad. The coalition can rely on the Iraqi Army to help conduct operations in Mosul, he added. "In Syria, we don't have that." IS group fighters seized Mosul in June 2014 as they overran vast regions in northern and north-central Iraq, as well as in Syria. The city holds special significance for the Islamic State group as the location where its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. In Syria, the coalition has only a small number of advisers on the ground working with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), "essentially an irregular army" dominated by Kurdish militias, Warren said. "(We) work with the leadership we have identified within the SDF to try develop a plan" to retake Raqa, he said. "That's ongoing, it's in the early stages, it's a continuing process." The SDF numbers in the "tens of thousands," although that figure fluctuates, Warren added, saying the group includes around 5,000 Arab fighters. The IS group has experienced setbacks on several fronts in Syria in recent weeks, including the ancient city of Palmyra, which the Russian-backed Syrian military retook late last month. The jihadists also recently lost their main crossing point into Turkey, the town of al-Rai in Aleppo province, to factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The town is one of at least 18 in Aleppo the IS group has lost after holding them for two years. Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday vowed to press for the release of political prisoners and student activists, hinting that a mass amnesty may be imminent as her government seeks to stamp its mark on power in the former junta-run nation. Suu Kyi's administration, stacked full of democracy activists who spent years incarcerated by the military, took power last week, ending nearly half a century of repressive army domination. In her first statement since assuming a new, broadly-defined role as state counsellor, Suu Kyi said: "I am going to try... for the immediate release of political prisoners, political activists and students facing trial related to politics". She did not provide a specific timeline in the statement, which was posted on Facebook. The routine jailing of dissidents was one of the most egregious acts of the former junta, stirring international outcry and support for Suu Kyi's pro-democracy movement. Suu Kyi herself spent about 15 years under house arrest and many current National League for Democracy lawmakers served time in the country's notorious prisons. While the quasi-civilian government that replaced the junta in 2011 freed hundreds of political detainees, it also oversaw the detention of scores more, particularly those involved in land and education protests. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 90 political prisoners were in jail and more than 400 activists were facing trial as of February. The majority were arrested before last November's landmark elections, which Suu Kyi's NLD won in a landslide. - Raising hopes - Among them are about 40 students facing a mix of charges, including unlawful assembly and rioting over education reform protests in March 2015 that were violently broken up by baton-wielding police in the central town of Letpadan. Another 30 or so students are on bail but facing similar charges. The students present a special case because while many have been detained for over a year, their trial is ongoing. Story continues To free them, Suu Kyi's statement indicated that the state prosecutor could decide to drop the charges. The father of detained student activist Phyo Phyo Aung expressed hope that his daughter could be freed. "I am very glad to hear that (Suu Kyi) will work for their release. I think she is doing the right thing," Ne Win told AFP. Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency by the junta-era constitution and has anointed her school friend and close aide Htin Kyaw to act as her effective proxy. That means she does not have the direct power to order an amnesty, but it signals that a presidential order is likely to follow. In the first few days of her new government she has already shown her determination to live up to a pre-election vow to rule "above" Myanmar's president. The role of state counsellor, which was signed off by Htin Kyaw on Wednesday, was specially crafted for her and enables her to wield influence over parliament as well as in the cabinet. She is also foreign minister and held talks with her Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, prioritising Beijing in the first foray into international diplomacy under the new government. Myanmar's new administration inherits a country in the grip of its most fundamental political transformation since the military seized power in 1962. Reforms since 2011 have opened the once-cloistered nation to foreign investment and tourism, helping spark an economic resurgence. But there are many hurdles ahead, including a deeply flawed legal system, the continuing clout of the army, high poverty rates and civil wars in serval ethnic minority states. By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Swedish woman has agreed to accept a more than two-thirds reduction to an $18 million jury award in a lawsuit against a New York financier she accused of sexual harassment and defamation, her lawyer said on Thursday. A lawyer for Hanna Bouveng, an ex-employee of New York Global Group Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Wey, said he had informed a Manhattan federal judge that his client had agreed to accept the reduced sum of $5.65 million rather than pursue a new damages trial. U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe last week issued a ruling granting Wey a new damages trial unless Bouveng agreed to have her $18 million award be cut to the reduced sum. The June 2015 jury award against Wey and his companies followed a trial in a lawsuit accusing Wey of coercing Bouveng into having sex, refusing his further advances and defaming her in a series of blog posts. "We decided her best interest was to accept" the reduction, said Benedict Morelli, her lawyer, adding the award "is not a measly sum." Edward Wipper, Wey's lawyer, in an email said the recent proceedings were a "vindication of Mr. Wey's position and a positive initial step in rectifying an unjust result." Wey was separately indicted in September on federal securities fraud charges for engineering Chinese "reverse mergers" and then manipulating stock prices to earn tens of millions of dollars in illegal profits. He has pleaded not guilty. The Bouveng trial garnered lurid tabloid headlines by pitting the young woman against a Wall Street financier about 20 years her senior. At trial, lawyers for Bouveng contended that Wey had engaged in a relentless campaign of harassment after hiring her in 2013 when she was 24, buying her gifts and demanding sexual favors in return. Bouveng's lawyers said Wey's actions led to sexual encounters before she rejected his further attempts, and that Wey fired her after discovering another man in her apartment, which he was helping to finance, in April 2014. Story continues After she filed her civil lawsuit, Wey wrote several disparaging articles in an online publication, TheBlot, controlled by FNL Media, a New York Global Group subsidiary. Both companies were also defendants. A lawyer for Wey at trial argued his client and Bouveng never had sex, and that Bouveng attempted to extort Wey after she was fired for substandard work. The case is Bouveng v. NYG Capital LLC et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 14-cv-5475. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chris Reese) NASA astronomers have discovered a gigantic black hole at the centre of a galaxy in a cosmic backwater. Spotted by Hubble Space Telescope and the Gemini Telescope in Hawaii, the find is important because it suggests that these monster objects are more common than previously thought. Until now, supermassive black holes - those roughly 10 billion times bigger than our sun - have only been found at the cores of very large galaxies in part of the universe packed with other large galaxies. The black hole was found in a massive galaxy, catchily named NGC 1600, which NASA describes as a sparsely populated area of the universe. Located around 200 million light years from Earth, the newly discovered black hole is also 10 times bigger than scientists expected it to be, based on its location. It has been suggested that the black hole reached its massive size by merging with another black hole a long time ago. Image: This computer-simulated image shows a supermassive black hole at the core of a galaxy. NASA, ESA, and D. Coe, J. Anderson, and R. van der Marel (STScI) Mirrored carriages to be used in 'invisible' overhaul for Japanese commuter train Not content with 200mph bullet trains, Japan is set to get an 'invisible' train. The carriages will be coated in a semi-reflective surface, making it appear to almost disappear. Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima was commissioned by the Seibu Group to design a new version of the firm's Red Arrow commuter train for the company's 100th anniversary. Kazuyo Sejima was commissioned by the Seibu Group to design a new version of the firm's Red Arrow commuter train for the company's 100th anniversary, and it will be rolled out on a limited number of express-route trains in 2018. According to Dezeen, the brief also includes the design of the train's interior. Sejima was asked to create an atmosphere that allows for relaxation and comfort. described as a 'living room'. Her design will be rolled out on a limited number of express-route trains, and is expected to go into service in 2018. Seibu Group said that the train would be the first designed by Sejima, and that the design aimed to be 'soft' and 'blend into the landscape'. Seibu Group owns Seibu Railways, which operates around 180 kilometres of railway networks around Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture. The new design will replace some of the firm's Red Arrow commuter trains which operate around Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture Its trains are known for their bright yellow exteriors, although more recent versions have used blue and grey. The Seibu 10000 series has been in use since 1993. Last year it was revealed India is set to get another on Japan's train, the 200mph bullet. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday confirmed the purchase of the high speed Shinkansen trains from Japan. A new 325-mile railway will link Mumbai on the countrys west coast to Ahmedabad to its north. It is expected to cut journey times from the eight hours to around two. Last year it was revealed India is set to get another of Japan's train, the 200mph bullet. Railways are a lifeline for India's 1.25 billion people and the main form of long-distance travel. About 23 million people, equivalent to the population of Australia, travel by train every day. But the railways are creaking from decades of neglect and chronic underinvestment. The government is seeking foreign assistance and has signed a deal with Japan to build India's first bullet train. By James Mackenzie SORAB, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Chung, leading a team of U.S. advisers in Helmand province to help train the Afghan army's embattled 215th Corps, knows he does not have much time. If Washington sticks to its schedule for withdrawing troops, by the time his tour ends in November, the NATO training mission in Afghanistan will be nearing its end, despite local forces struggling to fight the Taliban insurgency alone. "There is still much work to do," said Chung, a veteran of several Afghan tours, speaking at Sorab base, a dusty expanse of blast walls and wire fences in Helmand. "You have to adjust your expectations," he told Reuters during a recent visit to the base in the southern province, where Taliban militants, bent on overthrowing the government and driving out foreign forces, made major gains in recent months. Corruption and issues like irregular leave due to heavy fighting and pay have undermined efficiency and hurt morale among local troops. He has seen progress since arriving in February but remains realistic: "We understand we're not going to be able to fix all that." As things stand, U.S. forces in Afghanistan are due to be nearly halved to 5,500 from the current level of 9,800 by the start of 2017. At that level, U.S. officials say the training mission would not be able to continue. But the timetable is coming under scrutiny, as the new U.S. commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan conducts a review of security before making recommendations to Washington some time in June. General John Nicholson recently told Reuters that heavy fighting and casualties in 2015 had meant the training mission was behind schedule. NATO commanders say big strides have been made by fledgling Afghan security forces, built virtually from scratch since the Taliban was toppled from power in 2001. But the sharp escalation in casualties and territorial losses in 2015, the first year Afghan forces fought without combat support from NATO, has underlined the risks involved in having only 5,500 U.S. soldiers in the country. Afghan officials say forces lack vital resources including close air support, which the small local air force cannot yet provide at anything like the levels NATO could, as well as expertise in areas like maintenance and logistics. "Those capabilities are still under development and there is a lot more work needed," Acting Defence Minister Masoom Stanekzai said on a recent visit to the Afghan 215th Corps headquarters at Sorab. "We need international assistance." FROM DEFENSE TO OFFENsE One of the biggest challenges Chung said he faced was trying to change the mindset of Afghan soldiers, as NATO pushes them to be more offensive in operations against the Taliban. "They'd go out to a certain area, and the first thing they'd do is ... build a checkpoint. From that point on, they'd become very stationary," he said, describing how local forces tended to operate. Chung and his team are among around 500 U.S. troops dispatched to bolster 215th Corps, a reflection of international alarm at how Helmand security had deteriorated early in 2016. The training, mainly by Afghan officers backed up by U.S. mentors, covers everything from battle tactics to driving, vehicle maintenance, equipment care and bomb disposal. "At some point, there's going to be an end-date on this," Chung said. "We're here to help them build something that they can sustain and manage." But U.S. officials acknowledge that the task has been complicated by problems including corruption among some officers that undermined confidence and morale. "If you don't know someone higher up in the army, all your benefits go to soldiers who know army officials," said Darweza Khan, a 215th Corps soldier serving in Gereshk district. A spokesman for the "Resolute Support" training mission said earlier this year that several senior officers in the 215th Corps had been replaced for graft that led to soldiers not being adequately looked after and supplies and equipment being stolen. "MORE TIME WOULD BE GREAT" Nicholson has declined to comment on troop levels as he prepares his review, but U.S. military spokesman Brigadier General Charles Cleveland said asking for more flexibility, including in use of air power, was among options he was considering. That would be welcome by the government, which has struggled to contain the insurgency since NATO formally ended combat operations at the end of 2014, leaving only a fraction of an international force that peaked at more than 130,000. Whether there is appetite for more delays in reducing U.S. forces remains to be seen, particularly in election year. If the current plan remains, U.S. focus will switch to counterterrorism operations against Islamic State, al Qaeda and other groups, with little capacity for training and advising. Foreign officers involved in the program remain realistic, given that time is running short. "This is not an overnight fix," said British Major General Paul Nanson, commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, which has worked closely with the Afghan army's officer training school near Kabul on building a new generation of army leaders. "This is a generational change. We've now committed to seeing it through 2016 which is good news. If we haven't got more time, we've got to do the best we can with the time available." (Additional reporting by Mohammad Stanekzai in Lashkar Gah; Editing by Mike Collett-White) The live-action adaptation of cult manga "Death Note" is close to being picked up by Netflix, according to a new report, with filming due to start in June. First developed as 108-chapter comic from 2003 to 2006, and then adapted as an animated series in 2006 and 2007, "Death Note" is a complex supernatural crime thriller whose main character finds a notebook that grants him powers over life and death. Anyone whose name is written in the pad dies shortly afterwards, and the antics of its new owner, a formerly upright high school student, soon attract the attention of Interpol and one of its most talented detectives. "Death Note" has already spawned four Japanese live action films, and Adam Wingard of thrillers "The Guest" and "You're Next" now looking to recreate the story with a Hollywood cast. Nat Wolff ("Paper Towns," "Palo Alto") and Margaret Qually ("The Leftovers," also "Palo Alto") are expected to retain their leading roles as the project moves from Warner Bros to Netflix which, The Wrap expects, will then add Keith Stanfield of "Selma," "Straight Outta Compton" and its own upcoming satire "War Machine." By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has received details of the long-awaited 2016 budget bill which he wanted to check before signing into law, his assistant said on Thursday, as lawmakers blamed delays on "sloppy" work by government officials. Buhari withdrew his original budget bill in January because of an unrealistic oil price assumption and flaws in the draft. Lawmakers approved an amended proposal last month but only submitted highlights, rather than the whole document, to the president's office. This prompted Buhari to say he would only sign the bill after checking it "ministry by ministry", and requested lawmakers to submit the document in its entirety. Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, is facing its biggest crisis for years after oil revenues, which make up about 70 percent of national income, slumped along with global oil prices. "The budget details have been transmitted to His Excellency, Mr President today. The constitutional process begins thereafter," Senator Ita Enang, Buhari's senior special assistant, told reporters. A government official who wished to remain anonymous said the president would set up a team to scrutinise the bill for changes on Thursday or Friday. "It is when this is done that we can talk of when it will be signed into law," said the official. It comes a day after the chairmen of the budget committees in the upper and lower houses of parliament issued a statement in which they blamed the budget delays on government officials, saying "most of the figures simply did not just add up". The task of balancing projected revenue and spending was "made very difficult by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive," they said. Last month the information minister said there was no rift between the executive and legislature on details of the budget. Nigeria has said it wants to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit which could be as high as 3 trillion naira ($15 billion). The president's spokesman on Wednesday said Buhari will, during a visit to China next week, sign a deal for a loan to help fund infrastructure projects. He did not disclose the sum involved. Nigeria has also said it wants to raise $1 billion from Eurobond investors, however no deal has been announced. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's parliament on Wednesday submitted the long overdue 2016 budget bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for additional checks at his request, with lawmakers blaming delays on the government for its "sloppy" work on the bill. Buhari withdrew his original budget bill in January because of an unrealistic oil price assumption and flaws in the draft. Lawmakers approved an amended proposal last month but only submitted highlights, rather than the whole document, to the president's office. This prompted Buhari to say he would only sign the bill after checking it "ministry by ministry", and requested lawmakers to submit the document in its entirety. [nL5N17252S] Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, is facing its biggest crisis for years after oil revenues, which make up about 70 percent of national income, slumped along with global oil prices. Abdulmuminu Jibrin, who chairs the budget committee in the lower house, told reporters late on Wednesday that the bill had been submitted the executive. He later issued a joint statement with his counterpart from the upper house, Danjuma Goje, in which they said that "most of the figures simply did not just add up". The task of balancing projected revenue and spending was "made very difficult by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive," they said. Last month the information minister said there was no rift between the executive and legislature on details of the budget. Nigeria has said it wants to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit which could be as high as 3 trillion naira ($15 billion). The president's spokesman on Wednesday said Buhari will, during a visit to China next week, sign a deal for a loan to help fund infrastructure projects. He did not disclose the sum involved. [nL5N1794Q9] Nigeria has also said it wants to raise $1 billion from Eurobond investors, however no deal has been announced. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Felix Onuah and Ulf Laessing ABUJA/LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will sign a loan deal with China during a visit next week, his spokesman said on Wednesday, helping to finance badly-needed infrastructure projects. "I can't tell you how much until the day the loan will be signed," spokesman Femi Adesina said. "Both countries will also be signing some bilateral agreements to strengthen their relationship, that is all I can say now." Nigeria, which has been hit hard by a slump in oil prices, has been in talks with China's state export import bank for a loan for months. A financial source said the loan would fund construction works of Chinese firms for infrastructure projects in Nigeria. In February, financial and government sources said the loan could be as high a $2 billion but officials have not provided an update since then. Nigeria has said it wants to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit which could be as high as 3 trillion naira ($15 billion). Buhari has not signed the 2016 budget bill yet as he still awaits details from parliament which passed it last month. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had earlier said in Beijing that Buhari would visit China from April 11-15 to sign "cooperation agreements" and attend a business forum. He gave no details. Buhari, who was elected in March 2015 on a promise to fix mismanagement and corruption, wants to turn around the economy by investing in power plants, transport and infrastructure. Chinese construction firms have been upgrading Abuja airport and building several railway projects in Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy. In November, Nigeria's agriculture minister said he hoped China would to set up 40 rice mills as Buhari wanted to expand the farming sector. Nigeria has said it wanted to raise $1 billion from Eurobond investors but no deal has publicly emerged. Analysts say Nigeria's reluctance to devalue the naira currency, which has plunged on the black market, might discourage investors which expect such a move to happen eventually. (additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Paris (AFP) - Anger over labour reforms has spawned a protest movement dubbed "Up All Night" that is taking over French city squares, with young people gathering until dawn demanding social change. Spreading from Paris to the western cities of Nantes and Rennes as well as Toulouse in the southwest, the protesters have been occupying central squares overnight until police disperse them at daybreak. In Paris, hundreds of people have been gathering every night since March 31 at the vast Place de la Republique. The labour reforms -- which have sparked angry protests across France -- are a unifying theme of the gatherings, but the movement embraces a range of anti-establishment grievances. An organiser said the aim was to "build a strong social movement that brings together all those in precarious situations against the oligarchy", describing the goal as "very ambitious". Students have been at the forefront of weeks of sometimes violent protests over the Socialist government's labour reforms, which will make it easier for struggling companies to fire people. The reforms, which have already been diluted once in a bid to placate critics, are considered unlikely to achieve their stated goal of reining in unemployment, which stands at 25 percent among young people. The "Nuit Debout" (Up All Night) movement has even spread across the border to Belgium, where a couple of hundred people turned out onto the streets of Brussels for the first protest there on Wednesday night. - Spanish inspiration - Up All Night protesters say they are drawing inspiration from the Spanish protesters known as the Indignados, who gave rise to the far-left Podemos party. Tens of thousands of Indignados occupied Madrid's Puerta del Sol square in 2011, furious over growing inequality, spending cuts and corruption. Podemos MEP Miguel Urban Crespo was among around 1,000 people who turned out for Tuesday night's protest in Paris. Story continues "One has to understand that if we don't do politics ourselves, (politicians) will do it for us, against our interests," Urban Crespo told AFP. On Wednesday, French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll played down the importance of the protest movement while saying it deserved "respect". "There's no need for concern," he told reporters. "I don't dispute the fact that... people need to ask questions and that should be respected." But he said that the protesters "cannot think they have a monopoly on the truth." Le Foll admitted there was a parallel with the Indignados, but stressed the "contingencies of reality", pointing to the Venezuelan revolution "shattered by falling oil prices" and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's humiliating concessions to international creditors. Hundreds of young people in Nantes and Rennes began their protests Tuesday after clashing with riot police during protests against the labour law last week. "I'm not a member of a union or a political party," one woman said as she joined the demo in Nantes. "We are not in control of our future, we have no way of acting on the issues that concern us." The movement kicked off Tuesday as well in Toulouse, gathering some 300 people vowing to "bring struggles together". "No one knows what this will lead to (but) don't forget what was achieved" in Spain by the Indignados, said Hegoa Garay, a worker's rights activist. "The labour law was a catalyst," said a 21-year-old philosophy student who gave his name as Loick. "I think it was a big mistake by the government, but we thank them," he smiled. Fresh daytime protests against the labour law are planned across France for Saturday. (Photo courtesy: Sun Jia) San Francisco, April 6Five giant nylon bunnies created by Australian artist Amanda Parer land in front of San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza Wednesday. Calling her work Intrude, the artist says on her website her art is about "changing usual places. In Australia, rabbits have caused a great imbalance in the country's delicate ecosystem since the animals were introduced in 1788. The exhibit will run through April 25. And it has been traveling around the country since the end of February and has already been on display in 19 locations, including Washington, D.C. The bunnies will also head to New York, Houston, Los Angeles and Denver. If you put water on the stove and heat it up, it will at first just get hotter and hotter. You may then conclude that heating water results only in hotter water. But at some point everything changes the water starts to boil, turning from hot liquid into steam. Physicists call this a phase transition. Related: The Robot Revolution Could Wipe Out 5.1 Million Jobs by 2020 Automation, driven by technological progress, has been increasing inexorably for the past several decades. Two schools of economic thinking have for many years been engaged in a debate about the potential effects of automation on jobs, employment and human activity: will new technology spawn mass unemployment, as the robots take jobs away from humans? Or will the jobs robots take over release or unveil or even create demand for new human jobs? The debate has flared up again recently because of technological achievements such as deep learning, which recently enabled a Google software program called AlphaGo to beat Go world champion Lee Sedol, a task considered even harder than beating the worlds chess champions. Ultimately the question boils down to this: are todays modern technological innovations like those of the past, which made obsolete the job of buggy maker, but created the job of automobile manufacturer? Or is there something about today that is markedly different? Malcolm Gladwells 2006 book The Tipping Point highlighted what he called that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Can we really be confident that we are not approaching a tipping point, a phase transition that we are not mistaking the trend of technology both destroying and creating jobs for a law that it will always continue this way? Related: Robots Welcome Visitors to Berlin Travel Fair Old worries about new tech This is not a new concern. Dating back at least as far as the Luddites of early 19th-century Britain, new technologies cause fear about the inevitable changes they bring. Story continues It may seem easy to dismiss todays concerns as unfounded in reality. But economists Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University and Laurence Kotlikoff of Boston University argue, What if machines are getting so smart, thanks to their microprocessor brains, that they no longer need unskilled labor to operate? After all, they write: Smart machines now collect our highway tolls, check us out at stores, take our blood pressure, massage our backs, give us directions, answer our phones, print our documents, transmit our messages, rock our babies, read our books, turn on our lights, shine our shoes, guard our homes, fly our planes, write our wills, teach our children, kill our enemies, and the list goes on. Looking at the economic data There is considerable evidence that this concern may be justified. Eric Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee of MIT recently wrote: For several decades after World War II the economic statistics we care most about all rose together here in America as if they were tightly coupled. GDP grew, and so did productivity our ability to get more output from each worker. At the same time, we created millions of jobs, and many of these were the kinds of jobs that allowed the average American worker, who didnt (and still doesnt) have a college degree, to enjoy a high and rising standard of living. But productivity growth and employment growth started to become decoupled from each other. Related: Google Artificial Intelligence Program Beats S. Korean Go Pro With 4-1 Score Productivity and average real earnings Lots more productivity; not much more earning. U.S. Department of Labor Statistics As the decoupling data show, the U.S. economy has been performing quite poorly for the bottom 90 percent of Americans for the past 40 years. Technology is driving productivity improvements, which grow the economy. But the rising tide is not lifting all boats, and most people are not seeing any benefit from this growth. While the U.S. economy is still creating jobs, it is not creating enough of them. The labor force participation rate, which measures the active portion of the labor force, has been dropping since the late 1990s. While manufacturing output is at an all-time high, manufacturing employment is today lower than it was in the later 1940s. Wages for private nonsupervisory employees have stagnated since the late 1960s, and the wages-to-GDP ratio has been declining since 1970. Long-term unemployment is trending upwards, and inequality has become a global discussion topic, following the publication of Thomas Pikettys 2014 book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century. A widening danger? Most shockingly, economists Angus Deaton, winner of the 2015 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science, and Anne Case found that mortality for white middle-age Americans has been increasing over the past 25 years, due to an epidemic of suicides and afflictions stemming from substance abuse. Is automation, driven by progress in technology, in general, and artificial intelligence and robotics, in particular, the main cause for the economic decline of working Americans? In economics, it is easier to agree on the data than to agree on causality. Many other factors can be in play, such as globalization, deregulation, decline of unions and the like. Yet, in a 2014 poll of leading academic economists conducted by the Chicago Initiative on Global Markets regarding the impact of technology on employment and earnings, 43 percent of those polled agreed with the statement that information technology and automation are a central reason why median wages have been stagnant in the U.S. over the decade, despite rising productivity, while only 28 percent disagreed. Similarly, a 2015 study by the International Monetary Fund concluded that technological progress is a major factor in the increase of inequality over the past decades. Related: Human-like Robot May One Day Care for Dementia Patients The bottom line is that while automation is eliminating many jobs in the economy that were once done by people, there is no sign that the introduction of technologies in recent years is creating an equal number of well-paying jobs to compensate for those losses. A 2014 Oxford study found that the number of U.S. workers shifting into new industries has been strikingly small: in 2010, only 0.5 percent of the labor force was employed in industries that did not exist in 2000. The discussion about humans, machines and work tends to be a discussion about some undetermined point in the far future. But it is time to face reality. The future is now. This piece was originally published in The Conversation Does Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont know what hes talking about when he calls for the breakup of big Wall Street banks, a regular feature of his populist presidential campaign stump speech? Or, has he really done his homework on the Dodd-Frank law and federal banking regulations--a topic that goes to the heart of his challenge to former of State Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination? Related: Sanders: Ill Win New York, Too and Then the White House The Daily News editorial page published a transcript Monday of its full interview with Sanders April 1 that highlighted vague answers to questions about the Middle East and foreign policy and his game plan for taking on the big banks. At one point in the interview, the editors grilled Sanders on precisely how he would go about breaking up the big banks, and the powers and role of the Treasury Secretary and the Federal Reserve in achieving that goal. Sanders said that if the Treasury Department concluded a breakup of a mega bank was necessary, then it would be up to the banks executives to determine how to unwind the institution within the financial parameters set by the administration to eliminate any risk to the economy. How you go about doing it is having legislation passed, or giving the authority to the Secretary of Treasury to determine, under Dodd-Frank, that these banks are a danger to the economy over the problem of too-big-to-fail, Sanders said, according to the transcript. Related: 4 Hillary Clinton Flip-Flops That Will Make Voters Think Twice That sounded fine, until the editors pressed him more on whether he thought the Federal Reserve currently has the power to force a breakup. Well, I dont know if the Fed has it, Sanders replied. But I think the administration can have it. The editorial board forged ahead, demanding to know how JPMorgan, Citibank or Bank of America would be restructured to eliminate the risk of a long-term failure. Im not running JP Morgan Chase or Citibank, Sanders snapped. No, but youd be breaking it up, one of the editors replied. Story continues Thats right, Sanders said. And that is their decision as to what they want to do and how they want to reconfigure themselves. And so it went. Members of the news media pounced on the transcript, describing it as pretty close to a disaster and a telltale sign that he hadnt adequately prepared for the interview. And Clintons campaign staff gleefully emailed supporters links to the Daily News transcript to back up their argument that the long-time Vermont senator is not prepared to lead the country. Related: Sanders Plan Would Raise Taxes a Staggering $13.6 Trillion over a Decade Writing in the Atlantic, David Graham said that while no one doubts Sanders core liberal convictions, turning convictions into policy is the challenge, and the Vermont senators interview with the editorial board of the New York Daily News raises some questions about his policy chops. Its striking that there hasnt been more coverage of Sanders policy ideas so far during the campaign, even at this late date, with most of the primary season concluded, Graham added. But Sanderss key advisers and supporters cried foul, insisting that Sanders had adequately and accurately answered all of the questions about breaking up big banks. Tad Devine, a senior campaign adviser, told CNN on Wednesday that the critics are wrong and that Bernies answer on that was absolutely correct. Everything he said in that interview was absolutely, 100 percent correct. Others echoed Devines line, including the Huffington Post, which claimed, In fact, in several instances, its the Daily News editors who are bungling the facts in an interview designed to show that Sanders doesnt understand the fine points of policy. Related: Study Challenges Clintons Tax Plan for $1 Trillion in New Spending Mike Konczal, a highly regarded financial expert with the Roosevelt Institute, wrote The real problem with Sanders language is his promise to begin downsizing banks within a year of taking office. Youd need to replace a lot of regulators to try this approach, and that takes time, and even then its a hard slog, he wrote. Konczal insisted, nonetheless, that Sanders did perfectly fine in answering the newspaper editors questions and gave some fairly normal answers on financial reform. Yet if Sanders and his advisers were totally comfortable with his performance last week, it wasnt very apparent. They rushed Tuesday evening to put out the fire with a detailed statement on the senators views on banking restructuring. Electing Senator Sanders as president would send a clear message to financial regulators that they need to do everything within their power to break up financial institutions so that they can no longer threaten the financial well-being of the American people, Michael Briggs, Sanders spokesperson, said in a statement, according to The Washington Post. Sanders has pledged to order the Treasury Secretary to create a too-big-to-fail list of commercial banks, shadow banks and insurance companies whose demise would pose a catastrophic risk to the economy. Within a year, his administration would work with the Federal Reserve and financial regulators to break up the large banks, utilizing authority of Section 121 of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform legislation, according to the campaign statement. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: From 1 April, National Servicemen will have more monetary incentives to recognise their services to the country, Senior Minister of State for Defence Ong Ye Kung said on Thursday (7 April). These incentives include $100 vouchers when an NSman gets married or welcomes a new child in the family, and a revamped award scheme that extends to the top performing NSmen, termed the NS Excellence Awards. Originally named the Family Recognition Voucher Scheme, the awards mean the top 10 per cent of NSmen during their In-Camp Training and NS courses will get $200 worth of vouchers, while the next 20 per cent get $100. The previous scheme awarded $100 to the top 10 per cent. Another enhancement for would be coming in the later part of the year, Ong said, with improved insurance coverage for full-time and operationally ready NSmen that would cover for all NS activities. Each serviceman will be covered for $150,000 in group term life and personal accident insurance, Ong said in Parliament. Recognition of servicemen was important to let them know that their sacrifices were important, Ong said. Training safety While the Singapore Armed Forces had a very good safety record, Ong said it was not congratulating itself but would instead strive to continue to improve. We recognise that for every Singaporean male serving NS, there will be loved ones at home worrying about their safety, Ong said. Speaking earlier during the Committee of Supply debate, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen also discussed training safety within the SAF, highlighting two incidents where servicemen put themselves in danger in order to protect others. The first incident occurred in 2010 when both engines on an Apache helicopter failed mid-flight and the pilots glided in free-fall and manoeuvred to an open field in Woodlands. Both pilots survived and no civilians were injured. In the second case, an NSF recruit had released the hand lever of a grenade while pulling out the safety pin. The safety officer, a lieutenant who was at that time also a NSF, instructed the recruit to throw the grenade away, then proceeded to pull him down to take cover and shield him. Both sustained minor injuries. Story continues Ng said the incidents exemplified the duty of the SAF to put others before self. I wish I could promise Singaporeans that risks do not exist for our SAF soldiers who are asked to protect Singapore, who are asked to train hard or conduct missions, Ng said. But all of you know that risks exists We will do all that we can to carry out our training and missions safely, because each life in Singapore is precious, the minister said. But ultimately, I would say for the SAF, the lives of Singaporeans must come first, Ng said. President Obama set a high foreign policy bar five months after his election by describing nuclear terrorism as the most immediate and extreme threat to global security, and by promising to lead an international effort to lock down all vulnerable nuclear material worldwide within four years. In so doing, he rhetorically placed the need to bottle up loose nuclear weapons or their sparkplugs the fissile materials that make them go bang even higher on the list of his priorities than slowing climate change, stopping an Iranian nuclear weapon, or brokering a historic Middle East peace deal. As the Obama administration winds down and the final U.S.-led international summit on this topic nears, its a logical moment to consider whether the president kept this promise. And theres now a broad consensus that, despite some progress, the sweeping ambition he articulated not only remains unfulfilled but out of reach for the foreseeable future. Why did the effort fall short? Certainly the challenge of ensuring nuclear explosives are not misused has been with us for decades. But why has a goal that seems so ordinary, and so sensible, and so important, and so urgent, been so hard to realize? Whos responsible? And how can the world make more progress, faster, before a calamitous nuclear explosion occurs potentially the first in a populated area in more than 60 years and makes everyone wish they had taken the issue more seriously, and acted more vigorously, and with more haste? These were some of the questions we posed when my colleagues and I at the Center for Public Integrity embarked in 2013 on an investigation into the nuclear security outliers the recalcitrant states, the misguided efforts, and the wasted opportunities that have undermined the decades-long U.S.-led effort to put fissile material genies back into bottles. This story is part of Nuclear Waste. A look at the worlds faltering efforts to control dangerous nuclear explosives. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another National Security investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. The scope of the threat is daunting. The worlds military and civilian nuclear programs have produced some 500 metric tons of pure plutonium, an amount that could fuel tens of thousands of nuclear weapons yet fit into a backyard shed. Countries with nuclear programs continue to add roughly 2 tons to this inventory every year. And yet it doesnt take much to unleash a catastrophe: A grapefruit-sized bit of plutonium is enough to build a nuclear bomb. Story continues Highly enriched uranium the other sparkplug of a nuclear blast besides plutonium is actually the terrorists explosive of choice, because its a bit easier to handle and use, and theres more of it around. Roughly 1,390 metric tons of highly-enriched uranium are still located at hundreds of military and civilian sites in two dozen countries. More grim news: A bombs worth could fit in an empty 5-lb sack of flour and emit so little radiation it could be carried in a backpack with little hazard to the wearer. Physicists say a sizable nuclear blast could be readily achieved by slamming two shaped chunks of it together at high speed. The majority of this inventory is in the United States and Russia, but large stocks also exist in the United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, China and Japan. Altogether, the stockpiles could be used in theory to construct 20,000 uranium bombs and nearly 80,000 plutonium weapons. These are not favorable odds for humanity, as Eric Schlosser has so eloquently written about other nuclear weapons-related dangers. Theyre a disaster waiting to happen. And this is not my view, or a partisan view. Its the view of those experts who have seriously studied this issue. A tiny fraction of the overall defense budget President Obama certainly hasnt been a slacker. Hes spoken powerfully about the nuclear terrorism threat before international audiences. Hes organized three summits focused on these risks, each used by his appointees to try to persuade or bludgeon other nations into taking this issue as seriously as nuclear weapons experts do. The summits have been useful stages for a dozen countries to announce that theyve had their last nuclear bender. Theyve told the world that they either have sent or will soon send all their nuclear materials back to Russia or to the United States. The Obama administration, moreover, has invested more than $5 billion in nuclear security programs, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington nonprofit group that advocates tighter control of nuclear explosive materials. That figure includes funds given to Russia and other countries to help secure their weapons, to convert research reactors so they burn fuel composed of materials that cannot be used in weapons, and to improve the physical security and accounting of nuclear explosive materials. Five billion dollars over seven years is not chump change, but its less than one percent of the amount spent on national defense during every single one of the Obama years. Over the course of his presidency, moreover, Obama has scaled back nuclear security goals and settled for what a senior White House official once described as the incremental nature of success," rather than throwing his administrations full weight behind the creation of new global security standards that independent experts say would have had a more lasting and significant impact. In advance of the 2014 summit, the Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration, in a document labeled Official Use Only, said that while U.S. initiatives under Obama had made the world safer, there are still serious threats that require urgent attention. That May 2013 report, obtained by the Center for Public Integrity, said that terrorists were obviously still seeking nuclear weapons or the raw materials to build them. It noted that hundreds of pounds of weapons-usable uranium are being stored at civilian sites, including in South Africa and Belarus, that experts have described as imperfectly-guarded. Scores of research reactors that use fuel composed of weapons-grade explosives are still operating, including more than 60 in Russia alone, and security precautions at these are lower than at military sites. Meanwhile, global plutonium stocks are rising, the report said, with more than 100 metric tons produced since 1998. The internal Energy Department report called for removing or eliminating 1.1 metric tons of weapons-grade uranium and 400 kilograms over 880 pounds of plutonium from sites around the world. It urged the removal of all highly-enriched uranium that is, uranium that could be fashioned into a bomb in eight more foreign countries by 2016. It proposed that the administration undertake a better accounting of existing plutonium stocks, decide the best ways to dispose of it, and persuade other countries to balance production with consumption so that the net global stockpile will finally begin to shrink. It proposed substantially accelerating U.S. efforts to convert research reactors that use weapons-grade uranium to burn a form of uranium that cannot easily be used to fuel weapons calling for 13 more such reactor conversions by the end of 2016. None of these deadlines was adopted by the department, or the administration. Too difficult diplomatically, and too costly domestically, the Obama administrations policymakers decided. There wasnt much interest in other countries, a former senior official deeply involved in the effort told us, and the political benefits for the administration turned out to be more limited than initially anticipated. Nuclear weapons modernization gets a higher priority Moreover, as the administration was debating how much to invest in nuclear security in 2014, there were debates, said Matthew Bunn, a nuclear weapons expert who formerly worked at the White House, in June of that year. Should they provide more money for nonproliferation, or more money for weapons? Its clear that weapons won that debate. Proposed spending since then has well fallen short of earlier projections. So where do we stand now? Japan, India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, North Korea, and the United Kingdom are increasing their stocks of weapons-usable nuclear materials, a circumstance that only adds to the burdens of locking them safely away. While four nuclear weapons states France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel signed a useful agreement at the 2014 U.S.-led summit entitled Strengthening Nuclear Security Implementation, three other key nations Russia, China, and Pakistan declined. (India declined then but more recently has indicated it may sign the agreement later this month.) The agreement asked for little more than a commitment to follow International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear security guidelines. Along with India and Russia, Japan still plans to build a new energy system based on advanced plutonium-burning reactors. In Japan, the fuel would be supplied by a factory at Rokkasho that will be the worlds largest for making plutonium. It has a security system that U.S. experts consider too casual, making its imminent opening a sore point in that countrys nuclear-related discussions with Washington for at least the past decade. South Korea has expressed a similar interest in plutonium production to supply reactor fuel, pointing explicitly to Japan as a precedent. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, and Indonesia could also follow Japans example. Experts also worry about Turkey, Vietnam or Egypt. Already, Japan has 9.3 metric tons of plutonium stored at Rokkasho and nine other sites in the island nation; about 35 tons of plutonium are stored in France and the United Kingdom. Once Rokkasho opens, the size of its stockpile could easily double in five and a half years, because by the governments own forecast Japan is at least 20 years from completing the first of the commercial reactors designed to burn the plutonium that Rokkasho will produce. Building such large factories for nuclear materials poses special risks. Experts say the International Atomic Energy Agency will likely be able to track 99 percent of the plutonium as it moves through the Rokkasho plant. While 99 percent might sound good, the plants annual output will be so high that a one-percent error rate means roughly eighty kilograms of plutonium a year could be untraceable enough for 26 bombs. Critics worry as a result that the sizable uncertainties will open the door to diversion attempts by insiders. India, meanwhile, completed in 2011 a reprocessing plant capable of extracting new plutonium from about 100 tons of spent fuel yearly at Tarapur, north of Mumbai. It joined three older plants that produced an estimated 3.8 to 4.6 metric tons of plutonium over the past 40 years. Another plutonium plant is under construction at Kalpakkam, south of Chennai on the Indian Ocean, which the Nuclear Threat Initiative said will likely surpass Tarapur as Indias largest plutonium producer. Indias security precautions at such sites have generally been panned by U.S. officials, who privately rank them below those in Russia or Pakistan, and also say they see little evidence the country is doing enough to keep potential terrorists at bay. A paramilitary force responsible for guarding all of Indias nuclear sites is short-staffed, poorly trained, and ill-equipped, our reporting revealed. (Since our series appeared, a debate has ignited there over whether India should create a more specialized nuclear security force). Don't miss another National Security investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. China, meanwhile, has criticized Japans plutonium plans but is considering building a new civilian plutonium plant about the size of Rokkasho at the site of two decommissioned military plutonium plants at the Jiuquan Complex in Gansu Province. And the United States itself has not exactly set a shining example. A deal with Russia that called on each nation to get rid of 34 tons of plutonium extracted from retired weapons has foundered. Russia has proposed to feed the plutonium into reactors that can produce more of it; the United States has separately made a complete mess of its plan to burn up the plutonium in reactors, with a half-built specialized fuel factory likely to be mothballed in the wake of massive cost overruns and persistent mismanagement. Washington still talks a good game. But in the course of our research, we discovered a simple but distressing fact: Many countries dont take the threat of nuclear terrorism as seriously as the United States. Why? First, no government is good at dealing with low-probability, high consequence events, like a terrorist nuclear blast. Its always easier to hope this is not a current-generation problem. Second, other governments argue, the United States is a more likely target for resentful extremists than nations with smaller international footprints. Let Washington deal with it, they say. Washington helped create the problem Third, other countries also dont bear as large a burden of history as Washington does. U.S. officials sowed the seeds of a potential terrorist-engineered disaster under a program that operated for decades with the avowed aim of helping smaller, non-nuclear weapons countries build research reactors and embrace a nuclear-powered future. Pursuing a policy that now evokes what-were-they-possibly-thinking wonder, the United States helped spread nuclear explosive materials around the globe. Of the 35 countries that received an estimated 23 tons of highly-enriched uranium under this program mostly France, Germany and Canada only fifteen have returned all they received, with about 6.1 tons remaining at 40 locations in 20 countries, according to a May 2014 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report. Fourth, some nations also regard the prospect of militants building an improvised nuclear bomb as the stuff of science fiction movie; their officials simply dont understand how easily such a weapon might be made, even by non-experts. They see themselves as unlikely targets and are reluctant to invest substantial sums to curb what they consider a distant threat. Its not their problem, they say with considerable boldness. Fifth, and in the most worrisome category, still others see nuclear explosive materials as a tool to heighten their international standing a dark reputation-enhancer, if you will or as a kind of insurance policy, something that could one day be converted into weaponry if international conditions warrant it. Japan falls into this category, our reporting shows, as does South Africa, which has indignantly rebuffed U.S. suggestions that it give up a stockpile of nuclear explosives sufficient to fuel a half dozen bombs, now locked in a former silver vault at a nuclear research center near the South African capital. Inside Japan, and that is not only within the Democratic Party of Japan, there are entities who wish to be able to maintain the ability to produce Japans own plutonium, Naoto Kan, the Japanese prime minister from 2010-2011, told us in an interview. They do not say it in public, but they wish to have the capability to create nuclear weapons in case of a threat. Pretoria has little plausible use for its own bomb-grade (enriched) uranium besides chest-thumping, our investigation showed. It intends not only to keep it but insists on the right to make more. Our international legally binding obligations allow for the enrichment of uranium for peaceful purposes only, irrespective of the enrichment level, South African president Jacob Zuma said at the 2012 nuclear security summit in Seoul. This is the same demand made by Iran, and approved in last years deal with that country by the United States and five other world powers. And its hardly theirs alone. Although the Obama administration has tried to discourage uranium enrichment everywhere, leaders in Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Jordan, and South Korea say they see nuclear power, along with the ability to enrich uranium, as their right. Theres no question that the Obama administrations attention to this issue and in particular its successful efforts to get a dozen countries to relinquish all their nuclear explosives has helped diminish the threat that existed in 2009. But a hard obstacle remains: Other countries find it easy not to take Washington seriously, and to keep creating or holding onto nuclear explosives, while the United States insists on keeping thousands of nuclear weapons in its stocks that it depicts as a vital component of its national security. As South Africas longtime nuclear ambassador and policymaker Abdul Minty memorably told us from his office in Geneva, People who smoke cant tell someone else not to smoke. Actually, they can. All the world's nations don't have equal standing, as we know. But Mintys sentiment reflects the fact that many developing countries deeply resent being told to give up the same activities that major powers have long undertaken even if doing the same thing winds up jeopardizing everyone. And after facing stout resistance in many foreign capitals, Washingtons eagerness to undertake diplomatic battles over nuclear security issues has now flagged. The fourth U.S.-led nuclear security summit, scheduled for March 31 to April 1 in Washington, may bring some new, minor progress: Experts say a few more countries are likely to offer to give back their nuclear materials; new tasks will be given to the International Atomic Energy Agency; and new discussions will be held about the dangers posed by a diversion of nuclear materials into so-called dirty bombs that might spread radioactive contamination. But there will be no shortage of urgent tasks for Obamas successor, if he or she looks closely at the nuclear security danger and decides it warrants their attention. Two circumstances could make a major difference, and speed up the worlds response. One is the detonation of a terrorist bomb with nuclear fuel or radiological materials in it; a classic low-probability, high-consequence event that everyone will say they didnt see coming and they deeply regret allowing to happen. The other is probably concerted pressure from the United States, more concerted and even more sustained pressure than the Obama administration provided. This story is part of Nuclear Waste. A look at the worlds faltering efforts to control dangerous nuclear explosives. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. By Marcus E. Howard NEW YORK (Reuters) - The topless women, Elmos and other costumed characters who work for tips in New York's Times Square will no longer be free to roam the area under a bill passed by the City Council on Thursday. In response to scared tourists and annoyed locals, the council's law would restrict the characters to a handful of designated zones, each about the size of a city bus, where they could solicit tips for posing for photographs. Other areas of the Times Square pedestrian plaza would be off limits. The legislation comes after complaints about aggressive solicitation of money and other behavior in the famed midtown Manhattan crossroads by the dozens of Elmos, Spidermen and other mascots who set up shop there. In the past two years, there has been a proliferation of costumed characters who pose for pictures with tourists in return for tips in Times Square. Once known for its sex shops, cavernous movie theaters and street crime, the area has been a family-friendly tourist attraction since the 1990s. But scattered incidents of violence and allegations of aggressive behavior by some characters have raised concerns that the area could regress, pushing politicians to call for new restrictions. The appearance of topless women with painted bodies raised particular concern about the area's "family" atmosphere being compromised. A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has voiced support for new restrictions, would not say whether he would sign the bill. The workers say the bill unfairly targets them and could hurt their access to tourists. Keith Albahae, who works as a green-haired Joker character, told a hearing last week that he and his colleagues "do not harass people or block traffic," adding that some tourists complain when they realize they are supposed to tip a few dollars for photos. To the Times Square Alliance, the business association that helped write the bill, it is a quality of life issue. "It really is a compromise to recognize that there are people earnestly earning a living, but also that there's been some real problems that just like any other commercial activity you need to regulate it," said Tim Tompkins, president of the alliance, said in an interview Wednesday. In 2015, more than 300 costumed characters, topless women and ticket vendors worked in Times Square, police said. Since January, at least 16 of the workers have been charged with crimes, including assault, aggressive soliciting, forcible touching and grand larceny, according to police. Last year, there were 15 arrests. (Reporting by Marcus E. Howard; Editing by Bill Trott) A planetarium was launched at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown on March 7. (Picture: PEOPLES DAILY ONLINE/ ZHANG JIEXIAN) South African children are encouraged to discover the universe through a newly launched planetarium at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg. The launch of the planetarium coincided with the handover of 2,000 Mandarin textbooks, as part of a strategic partnership on education between governments of SA and the Peoples Republic of China. Learning of the Chinese language is noted as the fastest- growing area of cultural exchange between the two nations. Mandarin was incorporated in SAs national curriculum as a non-official language in 2015. Doubts have been raised about the decision, with insinuations that the introduction of Mandarin would be detrimental to SAs indigenous languages. Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi clarified this by saying that it would be up to pupils whether they choose to learn the Chinese language at public schools in the province. Mandarin is implemented on a second additional language level in a selected number of schools. Other language options in the same category include German, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Serbian, Tamil, Telegu and Urdu. According to the Department of Basic Education, there are at least 14 pilot schools currently teaching Mandarin and a list of 13 other schools has been pro- posed for 2016. Its impressive to see the way they pronounce properly, said Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on the pupils performance in Mandarin. She doesnt see the discourse as a major problem. We have historical high-level partner- ships with the Chinese government. Perhaps we have not been able to develop the relationship among some of the population. Its a communication exercise. Motshekga said that most schools are requesting Mandarin courses, but with limited resources the department has to roll them out gradually to ensure quality teaching. Some of the state institutions and government departments are learning the Chinese language as well. Im part of them and its really exciting to learn something different, said Motshekga. The trend coincides with the growing interests in Chinese language learning around the world. It is estimated that more than 100-million people are learning Mandarin as a foreign language. More than 500 Confucius Institutes and more than 1,000 Confucius Classrooms have been established in 134 countries. In the US alone, there are more than 100 Confucius Institutes and close to 30 in the UK. SA is home to five Confucius Institutes and three Confucius Classrooms. Li Song, Charge d Affaire of China to SA, speaking at the launch of the planetarium, said that Mandarin can be a practical skill of self-development. For the numerous visitors the planetarium is about to receive, maybe only a few would go on to become astronomers or space scientists. For the thou- sands of student who are learning Chinese, its very likely that many will not associate their later work or life experience entirely with China. But the meaning of what we are doing here today is beyond that. The true value of todays gift is to ensure that the curiosity of our children for the unknown world be it nature, language, culture or people is encouraged and cultivated, so that they can be more motivated, accepting and united. Under the framework of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China has offered 55,000 scholarships to Africa and has trained 83,000 people. SAs Department of Higher Education and Training and Department of Basic Education have signed cooperation agreements with the Chinese Ministry of Education. More than 20 Chinese universities have established partnerships with schools in SA. The combined population of international students between the two countries has grown to more than 4,000. (The story was originally published on Business Day on March 31st, 2016.) What does Barack Obama have in common with George Washington, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson? All four presidents will go down in history as loving their beer, as well as their country. The current president released the two recipes for the White Houses top-secret beer brews in 2012, after a citizen filed a Freedom of Information Act request. Obama has been serving its own home brew since he took office in 2009 and the White House used honey from beehives managed by Michelle Obama on the South Lawn. That would definitely be approved by George Washington, who had a well-known love for porter, which he kept in strong supply at Mount Vernon. Historians have also unearthed one of Washingtons personal home brew recipes. The New York Public Library has his 1757 recipe for small beer (a type of light ale like a near beer) in Washingtons own handwriting. Thomas Jefferson got into making beer in a big way after he left the White House in 1809. Jefferson took beer making at Monticello seriously. By 1814, he had his own personal brew house. But James Madison takes the title of the patron of home brewing among the Founding Fathers. Madison wanted to form a national beer brewery in 1809 and appoint a Secretary of Beer to the presidential cabinet. Congress didnt agree with the plan. Madisons goals werent entirely altruistic. Popular ales and other liquors were being imported into the United States, and Madison sought to protect the domestic beer market by placing tariffs on the imports. If any president rivals Madison as a patriotic symbol for beer makers and beer drinkers, it has to be Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt signed the laws that ended Prohibition in 1933. The Cullen-Harrison Act was the first effort to get around the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act, by legalizing some beers and wines on April 7, 1933. The passage of the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933 fully repealed Prohibition. But it took another president, Jimmy Carter, along with Congress, to make home brewing legal again in 1979. Carter wasnt a big drinker, but his brother, Billy, had his own line of beer. Story continues Presidents also understood the importance of beer on the campaign trail. Heres an Abraham Lincoln quote that could still be true today: If given the truth, [the people] can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real factsand beer. Ronald Reagan used a quick trip to a Boston-area pub in 1983 to re-connect with voters, when he sat down and had a beer with a few Democrats at the Eire Pub. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library has a replica beer pub based on the one he patronized during a presidential trip to Ireland. Historical Stories on Constitution Daily What really killed the first President to die in office? Forgotten facts about George Washingtons private life The day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. died 50 interesting facts about Abraham Lincolns life By Roberta Rampton CHICAGO (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday defended his pick of a white man to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy against criticism he could have chosen someone from a more diverse background, saying Merrick Garland was "indisputably qualified" for the post. Obama was speaking at a town hall-style event at the University of Chicago Law School, where he once taught, as part of a White House campaign to pressure the Republican-led Senate to approve Garland, a centrist appellate court judge. Responding to a question from a student about what kind of "diversity" Garland brought to the job, Obama joked that he came from Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. "At no point did I say: 'Oh, I need a black lesbian from Skokie in that slot ... can you find me one? Thats just not how Ive approached it," Obama said, noting he had transformed the federal court with diverse picks. "Yeah, hes a white guy, but hes a really outstanding jurist. Sorry, Obama said of Garland, 63, calling him "indisputably qualified to serve on the highest court in the land." Obama's first two Supreme Court picks were women, including Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Hispanic justice. Some groups had hoped Obama would this time nominate appeals court judge Sri Srinivasan to be the court's first Indian-American member. Garland faces an uphill fight being confirmed in the face of Republican opposition. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has insisted the next president, who will take office on Jan. 20 after the Nov. 8 election, should fill the vacancy created by the Feb. 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Before the event, McConnell dismissed Obama's Chicago event as political theater. "I'm sure he'll gloss over the fact that the decision about filling this pivotal seat could impact our country for decades, that it could dramatically affect our most cherished constitutional rights like those contained in the First and Second Amendments," McConnell said in a Senate floor speech, referring to gun rights and freedom of speech and religion. The high court is now split 4-4 between conservatives and liberals. Garland, if confirmed, could tilt the court to the left for the first time in decades. 'INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY' Obama told the law school audience that the partisan fight over the nomination threatened to erode the "institutional integrity" of the courts. "We are going to see the kinds of sharp partisan polarization that have come to characterize our electoral politics seeping entirely into the judicial system, and the courts will be just an extension of our legislatures and our elections and our politics," Obama said. "At that point, people lose confidence in the ability of the courts to fairly adjudicate cases and controversies," he said. Most Republican senators have backed McConnell's stance. Only two of the 54 Republicans in the 100-seat Senate have said Garland deserves hearings and a vote. Some others have said they will meet with Garland privately for a "courtesy visit." That includes Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who is set to have breakfast with Garland next Tuesday, but only to explain why he will not consider his nomination. On Thursday, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, announced he would have a courtesy meeting with Garland. But Grahams spokesman said the senator had not changed his opposition to holding hearings and a vote on the nomination. (Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner and Susan Cornwell in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney) By Roberta Rampton CHICAGO (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday defended his pick of a white man to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy against criticism he could have chosen someone from a more diverse background, saying Merrick Garland was "indisputably qualified" for the post. Obama was speaking at a town hall-style event at the University of Chicago Law School, where he once taught, as part of a White House campaign to pressure the Republican-led Senate to approve Garland, a centrist appellate court judge. Responding to a question from a student about what kind of "diversity" Garland brought to the job, Obama joked that he came from Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. "At no point did I say: 'Oh, I need a black lesbian from Skokie in that slot ... can you find me one? Thats just not how Ive approached it," Obama said, noting he had transformed the federal court with diverse picks. "Yeah, hes a white guy, but hes a really outstanding jurist. Sorry, Obama said of Garland, 63, calling him "indisputably qualified to serve on the highest court in the land." Obama's first two Supreme Court picks were women, including Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Hispanic justice. Some groups had hoped Obama would this time nominate appeals court judge Sri Srinivasan to be the court's first Indian-American member. Garland faces an uphill fight being confirmed in the face of Republican opposition. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has insisted the next president, who will take office on Jan. 20 after the Nov. 8 election, should fill the vacancy created by the Feb. 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Before the event, McConnell dismissed Obama's Chicago event as political theatre. "I'm sure he'll gloss over the fact that the decision about filling this pivotal seat could impact our country for decades, that it could dramatically affect our most cherished constitutional rights like those contained in the First and Second Amendments," McConnell said in a Senate floor speech, referring to gun rights and freedom of speech and religion. The high court is now split 4-4 between conservatives and liberals. Garland, if confirmed, could tilt the court to the left for the first time in decades. 'INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY' Obama told the law school audience that the partisan fight over the nomination threatened to erode the "institutional integrity" of the courts. "We are going to see the kinds of sharp partisan polarization that have come to characterize our electoral politics seeping entirely into the judicial system, and the courts will be just an extension of our legislatures and our elections and our politics," Obama said. "At that point, people lose confidence in the ability of the courts to fairly adjudicate cases and controversies," he said. Most Republican senators have backed McConnell's stance. Only two of the 54 Republicans in the 100-seat Senate have said Garland deserves hearings and a vote. Some others have said they will meet with Garland privately for a "courtesy visit." That includes Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who is set to have breakfast with Garland next Tuesday, but only to explain why he will not consider his nomination. On Thursday, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, announced he would have a courtesy meeting with Garland. But Grahams spokesman said the senator had not changed his opposition to holding hearings and a vote on the nomination. (Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner and Susan Cornwell in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney) New York (AFP) - World oil prices slid Thursday after rallying sharply the previous session following the first drop in US petroleum inventories in seven weeks. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery lost 49 cents at $37.26 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent North Sea oil for June delivery shed 41 cents at $39.43 a barrel in London. Oil prices had risen more than five percent Wednesday after the US reported that commercial crude inventories fell 4.9 million barrels in the week ending April 1. But that set the stage for profit-taking on Thursday, especially since the oil market is still viewed as glutted, analysts said. "The petroleum markets have turned lower on profit-taking off Wednesday's rally, as traders recognize that the one-week decline in US crude oil inventories may not have signaled any change in the wider market," said Citi Futures analyst Tim Evans. James Williams of WTRG Economics said the oil market will probably trade in a rocky fashion ahead of an April 17 meeting in Qatar of oil producers to discuss capping production. "Between now and the Doha meeting, we're going to see the market up and down a lot depending on which member of OPEC says what," he said. By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil settled lower on Thursday after data showed higher weekly inventories at the U.S. crude storage base despite a pipeline outage, but prices pared losses on short-covering, suggesting more volatility ahead. "The energy trade remains choppy amidst fundamental and macroeconomic cross-currents that are shifting daily," Jim Ritterbusch of Chicago-based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates said in a note. Brent futures settled down 41 cents, or about 1 percent, at $39.43 a barrel, retracing losses from the session low that saw Brent down more than $1, or nearly 3 percent. U.S. crude futures finished down 49 cents at $37.26, after tumbling as low as $36.69. Prices fell after market intelligence firm Genscape reported a build of 255,804 barrels at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub for U.S. crude futures in the week to Tuesday. The build came even though TransCanada Corp had shut since Saturday its 590,000 barrels per day (bpd) Keystone crude pipeline that moves crude to Cushing and Illinois. The shutdown was ordered after the company feared a potential pipeline leak. While Genscape did note a 481,485-barrel decline at Cushing in the five days to Tuesday, potentially from the Keystone outage, that was not enough to offset total inflows for the week. "I guess people were expecting even more impact from the Keystone closure," said a trader. Crude prices were also pressured by data showing oil exports from Iraq's southern ports at an average of 3.494 million bpd since the start of April, versus 3.286 million bpd in March. Even so, as settlement approached, investors covered short positions and Brent and U.S. crude futures retraced more than half their early losses. Some attributed that to investor optimism that aside from Cushing, the overall supply-demand situation in U.S. crude is becoming more balanced. A U.S. government report on Wednesday showed a net draw of nearly 5 million barrels in domestic crude stockpiles last week. "This lower move today sets us up for a strong day tomorrow, before the weekend," said Mark Scullion, broker at New York's Eclipse International. "It's what you call the 'Friday Hedge'." Ritterbusch projects choppy price action of between $35.00 and $38.30 in U.S. crude futures next week if the dollar weakens further from the Federal Reserve's downplaying of U.S. rate hike expectations. (Additional reporting by Simon Falush in LONDON; Editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio) Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe kickstarted an official visit to China from Wednesday. One of the big questions of his tour is whether the two sides will nail the divergences down over the Beijing-funded $1.4 billion port city project in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. Ever since the country's new government was formed in January last year, Sino-Sri Lankan relationship has experienced some fluctuations, which have been reflected in the suspension of the port project. After a year-long pause, the project got the green light shortly before Wickremesinghe's visit. But the major part of the construction has not been resumed yet. In the meantime, protests were staged on Monday in Colombo, with hundreds of people demanding government to halt the project, according to media reports. Some in Sri Lanka are looking for ways to escape the tangle around the project. A comprehensive resumption of the project may be right around the corner, and it is believed that Wickremesinghe will finalize the agreement over the port city with Beijing this time. Apart from partisan politics in Sri Lanka, pressure from India has also been playing a crucial role in suspending the project. New Delhi is often biased when viewing Chinese investment in South Asia. New Delhi's anxiety stems from its suspicion that China is making an attempt to contain India. Despite the fact that neither Beijing's investment to Sri Lanka, nor the latter's economic development will do any harm to India, New Delhi is still obsessed with the idea that China might create a military encirclement around India. For example, in late 2014, Sri Lanka allowed a Chinese submarine and a warship to dock at its port in Colombo, and India strongly opposed it. After Sri Lanka's new cabinet assumed the office, it claimed that similar incident would not happen again. However, it is a common international practice for warships to dock at other countries' port for goodwill visit, refueling and maintenance. Besides, China's anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden need support from Indian Ocean nations. Therefore, there may also be discussions over the matter between the two sides this week. The argument within the country over being pro-India or pro-China might gradually calm down along with Wickremesinghe's China tour. New Delhi does have huge influence on Colombo, yet the relationship between Sri Lanka and China has not infringed on India's interests. Colombo is now well aware that neither pro-India nor pro-China is the appropriate policy, and the best option is to keep a good relationship with all major powers. Currently, the China-funded constructions in Pakistan cannot serve as a strong foothold for China, given the calamitous state of Pakistan's security. Sri Lanka can be of great importance for China in the security strategic layout in Indian Ocean. It will not only provide security assurances for nearby navigation channels, but will also promote the 21st Maritime Silk Road. Given Sri Lanka's underdeveloped infrastructure construction, it is looking forward to what the Beijing-initiated Maritime Silk Road can bring it. Further carrying out specific programs in the initiative will be very helpful for the country's economic development, employment and the improvement of infrastructural facilities. The major task for Sri Lanka's current government is economic development. Yet after its attempt to reduce its reliance on Beijing, Colombo has realized that there is no alternative. Over the past year, neither India nor the US has provided it with the attractive mega-projects that China did. It is therefore natural for Sri Lanka to turn around and embrace China again. Apart from the already existing cooperation, including the construction of Hambantota Port, Sri Lanka is now expecting to use its own geographical position to ink more new joint programs with China. The article was compiled by Global Times reporter Li Aixin based on an interview with Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies. By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Despite U.S. guidelines recommending against prostate cancer screening in elderly men, many specialists and older physicians still do these tests, a recent study suggests. In 2008, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a government-backed panel of independent physicians, recommended against routine prostate cancer tests for men at least 75 years old or with a limited life expectancy. They cited concerns that widespread screening often caught harmless tumors that didnt need treatment and led to unnecessary procedures with side effects like impotence and incontinence. By 2011, the year the task force expanded its recommendation against routine screening to cover men of all ages, doctors in the Veterans Affairs health care system were already testing fewer elderly men than they did under the pre-2008 guidelines, according to the current studys authors. But some types of doctors cut back on screening more than others as the guidelines shifted, the researchers found. Among the men with limited life expectancy still being tested in 2011, urologists screened 82 percent of them and doctors who were themselves over age 55 evaluated 41 percent of them. Geriatricians tested just 22 percent of these men. The training a type of provider receives may influence whether older men get PSA screening, said lead study author Dr. Victoria Tang, a researcher at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco. Geriatricians and other providers whose training emphasizes evaluating the risks and benefits of screening in the contexts of life expectancy may be less likely to do unnecessary prostate cancer tests, Tang added by email. To assess how characteristics of doctors influence which patients get screening, Tang and colleagues focused on a test for a substance in the blood called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The PSA test can pick up early signs of cancer, but it cant reliably distinguish between fast-growing malignancies that need treatment and tumors that are growing too slowly to require treatment. Researchers examined data on more than 826,000 veterans aged 65 years and older who had lab tests at the VA in 2011. This group included almost 204,000 men with limited life expectancy, meaning they had medical issues that made them likely to die within the next decade. Overall, 56 percent of the veterans got PSA tests, including 39 percent of the men with limited life expectancy, Tangs team reports in JAMA Internal Medicine. Screening rates ranged from 27 percent with physician trainees who are typically younger and recently out of medical school to 42 percent with staff doctors. Physicians aged 35 and under tested 29 percent of men. Female physicians over age 55 did fewer tests than older male doctors, with screening rates of 38 percent and 43 percent, respectively. These screening rates dont include men with a history of prostate cancer or symptoms of the disease such as unexplained weight loss or back pain or difficulty urinating. Recommendations against routine screening dont apply to these patients because testing them is medically necessary. One limitation of the study is that VA patients may be sicker than the general population, the authors note. Its also likely that data from 2011 doesnt reflect changes in screening guidelines that came out late that year. The concept of more thoughtful screening is gaining wide clinical adoption amongst all specialists, said Dr. Alexander Kutikov, a urologic oncology specialist at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia who wasnt involved in the study. Potential downsides of screening are now better appreciated and accepted by both general practitioners and urologists alike, so I have little doubt that more contemporary data would look different, Kutikov added by email. Disagreement among doctors about who should and shouldnt get the PSA test still contributes to a variation in practice patterns, said Dr. Quoc-Dien Trinh, a urologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston who wasnt involved in the study. But this shouldnt happen with elderly men, Trinh added by email. What is clear is that men with limited life expectancy do not benefit from PSA screening, Trinh said. They are much more likely to die with prostate cancer rather than from prostate cancer. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1q9hTxz JAMA Internal Medicine, online April 4, 2016. BOSTON (Reuters) - A 70-year-old Massachusetts man shot at and wounded a former co-worker, who had been involved in his firing from a business outside Boston, before ending his life with his own shotgun, officials said on Thursday. The man, a resident of Framingham, drove to the parking lot of an unidentified Cambridge business from which he had been fired in the last few months and waited in his car for his intended victim, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters. "When that employee came in, the individual got out of his car and began firing in the direction of that current employee," Ryan said. The victim sustained minor injuries, she said. The attack took place at around 8 a.m. EDT and ended when other employees arrived. Neither the shooter nor the 58-year-old victim was identified. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) By Emma Thomasson and Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) - When Europe's top online-only fashion retailer Zalando decided to overhaul its app to exploit mobile sales, it reaped the benefits of a new management philosophy that gives tech staff much more autonomy. Its software designers and developers were able to set goals with two to four week deadlines because progress was not held up waiting for managers to approve decisions. Who did what and when was up to them. The result was a slick new app, with bigger photographs of fashion items, mobile-only content and a new swipe feature, launched in under three months. That was twice as fast as would have been expected under old methods, Zalando said. It calls the new philosophy "radical agility", building on the "agile" software development method that has become popular in Silicon Valley. "We didn't have to go back and keep getting sign off. We were fully empowered and trusted to develop this app by senior management," said Nuzhat Naweed, the head of mobile product and engineering at Zalando. The app was launched in January, after Zalando saw 60 percent of its web traffic come from mobile devices in the final quarter of 2015, up from 48 percent a year earlier. It reports first quarter results on April 19. "To stay innovative, we need a certain degree of disorder you could also call it chaos," said human resources head Frauke von Polier. "If you structure everything and try to control the complex things, thats the moment when you lose speed." Founded in 2008 in a Berlin apartment by two friends selling flip flops, Zalando now employs 10,000 people and ships more than 1,500 fashion brands to customers in 15 European countries. Sales rose more than a third last year to almost 3 billion euros ($3.43 billion) and the company, which listed in Frankfurt in 2014, hopes to eventually take 5 percent of the fragmented European fashion market, up from about 1 percent now. Yet in a sign of the pressure to deliver, its shares are trading at 54 times forward earnings, twice that of established industry leader Inditex, owner of Zara, and based on expectations Zalando will more than double sales in the next four years, even as Amazon muscles into fashion too. Rivals like Britain's ASOS and Amazon also use "agile" methods to develop software, but Zalando says it goes further, combining more autonomy with continual learning, allowing staff to spend 20 percent of their time on developing their skills. It restricts self-management to tech staff, however, unlike U.S. shoe site Zappos - the firm on which Zalando was modeled but has since far overtaken in size. Zappos did away with managers completely in a system it calls "holacracy" but then saw an exodus of staff. At Zalando's tech hub near to the Alexanderplatz in east Berlin, the teams working on the new app held daily "scrums", short stand-up meetings where each developer gave a quick progress update, minimizing the need for emails and sit-down meetings. "It only works through face to face communication," said Naweed, who was poached from ASOS a year ago. "You have to have good leadership and facilitation, commitment from the top and support from HR. If left alone, it would fall flat on its face." Bernstein analyst Jamie Merriman, who rates Zalando shares "outperform", said it was still early days for the strategy. "It all sounds good but there is still a question mark over how it works in practice," she said. "The challenge is how you manage personnel to give them enough flexibility, without inefficiencies or duplication." Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips, said in March it will move away from a top-down culture and towards a working environment that fosters open dialogue to counter slower growth. That kind of approach can boost turnover and employee satisfaction, according to a survey of business leaders by German management consultancy Detecon. However, such new management techniques can founder due to resistance from staff and loss of control if leaders do not work hard to change company culture and provide a structure within which more autonomous ways of working can flourish. "It might seem that agile and dynamic structures need little coordination. The opposite is the case," said Detecon consultant Marc Wagner. "Employees who work in virtual and highly dynamic networks must organize themselves very efficiently." Zappos, founded in 1999 and bought by Amazon in 2009, said in January that about 18 percent of employees had left since it rolled out self-management to everyone a year earlier, while a migration of its technical infrastructure to Amazon's cloud service was taking much longer than expected. Zalando plans to hire another 1,000 staff this year and said the new philosophy is helping attract applicants from around the world and improve employee morale. It is introducing other new services such as dispatching clothes, shoes or accessories directly from stores, rather than from its warehouses, to allow same-day delivery. Anna Droege, a 29-year-old from the Netherlands, joined Zalando in marketing when it had fewer than 200 employees, but became disenchanted when its rapid expansion undermined the start-up buzz. She rejoined Zalando last year. "There was a time when I felt, 'Oh No' I need things quick and this is getting too slow. But then they made a lot of changes and that is why I came back," she said. (Editing by Susan Fenton) By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, one of the biggest investors in British infrastructure, said it is assessing daily the risk that Britain will leave the European Union and is considering hedging the currency risk on its investments. Ontario Teachers', Canada's third-largest public pension plan, led a consortium of investors that purchased London City Airport for about 2 billion pounds ($2.9 billion) last month. It also owns Britain's High Speed One Channel Tunnel railway link and its National Lottery operator. Bjarne Graven Larsen, the pension plan's chief investment officer, said it remained committed to investing in Britain in the long-term regardless of the outcome of the June 23 "Brexit" referendum, but has concerns over the short-term currency risk. Sterling has fallen by nearly 10 percent against the Canadian dollar since the referendum was announced in February. "It's a risk and we have to try and figure out how that risk will play out. We have people looking at it on a daily basis, but it's not something that will make us stop investing in the UK long term," Larsen told reporters on Wednesday. Reuters reported earlier this month that some of Canada's top pension funds were holding back on deals until after the British vote. Ontario Teachers', which administers pensions for 316,000 retired and working teachers in Canada's most populous province, on Wednesday reported a 13 percent investment return for 2015. That compared with an 11.8 percent return in 2014. The pension plan said its net assets grew to a record C$171.4 billion at the end of 2015 from C$154.5 billion a year earlier. Ontario Teachers' pioneered a move by Canadian pension funds to invest directly in private companies, infrastructure and real estate internationally as an alternative to Canadian equities and government bonds. Larsen, however, said it was becoming harder to find assets for sale at the right prices because of "unprecedented global competition" and emphasized the need to add value through the management of assets. "We are continuing to look at investments where we can hold assets for a long time and invest along the way to add value, so even if it turns out we paid a price that was a little bit too high on a one-year perspective, it might be a very good investment on a two-, three-, five- or 10-year perspective," he said. (Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Paul Simao) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors has voted to overhaul the system through which governors are elected, Academy CEO Dawn Hudson announced in a letter to members on Wednesday night. The board, in a vote on Tuesday night, replaced "a procedure that many felt was confusing and cumbersome" with one that is "more democratic, more transparent" and will "significantly expand the pool of possible candidates" to produce a board that is "representative of our entire membership." In past years, each branch's members elected only one-half of a nominating committee that, in turn, prepared a slate of candidates for the board. "Now, you will choose your candidates directly," Hudson wrote, before going on to encourage members - of which there are roughly 7,000 - to throw their hat into the ring ahead of the upcoming election season, when each of the organization's 17 branches will vote to determine the occupant of one of its three seats on the board. "In May, we will distribute the list of members in your branch who have opted in, and ask you to choose four candidates," she continued. "The top four candidates will make up the slate of those running for Governor of your branch. Final elections begin in June, and results will be announced in late July." Read More: Oscars: Governors Ball Creative Team Unveiled Hudson said the board was seeking "people who are fully engaged with the motion picture community," are "current with how their art functions in today's ever-changing world" and "are active, strong, forward-thinking people who are fully engaged with our film community." One imagines that this decision was made with little enthusiasm on the part of the incumbent board members, who have generally faced little in the way of real opposition when seeking re-election but whose seats are as vulnerable as ever in this year of great debate amongst the membership over the board's response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. Story continues Indeed, there are indications that this move was expedited, if not prompted, by recent communications to the Academy's leadership from strong critics of that response - such as William Goldstein, an outspoken member of the music branch who serves on its executive committee and has expressed interest in running for the board - who intended to make public their concerns about how hard it was for a member to get on the ballot. Another member who has been vocally opposed to the election process - in direct communications with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs before and after the #OscarsSoWhite controversy - is Bruce Feldman of the public relations branch. On Wednesday night, Feldman applauded the changes and announced his intentions to take advantage of them. "It's a sea change in beginning to correct lapses in good governance," he wrote. Read More: Stunt Coordinators to Rally at Academy for Oscar Category Recognition "I fully intend to run for governor on a very vigorous platform," Feldman continued. "I'm not just putting my name in contention and hoping people will vote for me, as was done in the past. They will know, for once, what I intend to do as governor so that they can make an informed decision when they vote." Here is the full text of the letter that Hudson sent to members: Dear Members: I have some exciting news to share with you about the Academy and the way we elect our Governors. Last night, the Board of Governors voted to allow you - our members - to nominate all of your candidates directly. This new process is more democratic, more transparent, and one that will significantly expand the pool of possible candidates. These changes will strengthen our leadership to ensure that it is both representative of our entire membership and well-equipped to guide our large and complex organization. Previously, through a procedure that many felt was confusing and cumbersome, the membership elected only one half of a nominating committee that in turn prepared a slate of candidates for the Board. Now, you will choose your candidates directly. As an important first step in making this new system work, we hope that you will seriously consider opting in to be a potential candidate yourself. I cannot stress how critical it is that as many members as possible volunteer their time and talents both for our Academy and for the entire motion picture community. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our structure, our board is an active, hands-on committee that sets the Academy's long-term goals and policies, and ensures our financial stability. It also oversees the progress on our many projects including our Academy Museum, awards and events, and our film preservation efforts. The role is demanding: there are seven board meetings annually and various committee meetings throughout the year. But I think if you talk to anyone who has served as Governor, they will also say their service was enormously fulfilling. We are looking for people who are fully engaged with the motion picture community and are current with how their art functions in today's ever-changing world. Our Governors are active, strong, forward-thinking people who are fully engaged with our film community and with every aspect of what we do. Each branch of the Academy is represented by three governors who are elected to three-year terms. Your governors are [INSERT NAMES]. [INSERT NAME] is up for re-election this year. If you would be willing to consider running, I ask you to follow the link below and add your name to the list of potential candidates. There are no prerequisites. And you don't have to be nominated to run. All submissions must be received by Saturday, April 30. You will receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting your name. In May, we will distribute the list of members in your branch who have opted in, and ask you to choose four candidates. The top four candidates will make up the slate of those running for Governor of your branch. Final elections begin in June, and results will be announced in late July. We look forward to hearing from you. By becoming a Governor, you will help shape the future of our Academy and our industry. If you have any questions, please contact the Membership Department at 310-247-3001 or membership@oscars.org. Thank you. All best, Dawn Hudson CEO Paris (AFP) - More than 120 countries have said they are ready to sign the UN's accord to fight global warming, French ecology minister Segolene Royal said Wednesday. Royal said the strength of support meant the climate deal clinched in Paris last year would likely be ratified in New York on April 22. Almost 200 governments reached an agreement in December which set a target of limiting global warming to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. "I fixed an objective... of a hundred signatures and we are now at over 120 signatures," Royal, who took over as head of the COP21 this year, told a press conference in Paris. Garnering a "record number of signatures with such a brief delay... will allow us to begin the ratifications". COP21 is the acronym for the 21st conference of parties to the UN climate arena. The 32-page deal also calls on rich nations to muster at least 100 billion dollars (90 billion euros) a year in climate aid from 2020. Just how that will happen has yet to be worked out. The deal only comes into force, however, if at least 55 countries responsible for at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions ratify the accord. Top emitters the United States and China will be among the nations signing the Paris climate agreement in New York, the White House announced last week. The European Union also agreed to sign last month, and Royal said another key developing country, India, had also agreed. "We have also received commitments from practically all the African countries," she added. Royal, heads the UN's COP21 climate forum and thus plays a key role in brokering agreements, said that 60 countries would send their head of state to the signing ceremony in New York. Tian Xuejun, the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to the Republic of South Africa The year 2015 marks a milestone in the history of China-SA and China-Africa relations. Today, at the invitation of South African President Jacob Zuma, Chinese President Xi Jinping will once again start a state visit to the rainbow nation and later co-chair the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China- Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) with President Zuma. This visit and summit will take China-SA relations to a new height and open a splendid chapter of China-Africa cooperation. China and SA have had longstanding exchanges and our people enjoy time-honoured friendship. Thanks to our joint efforts, China-SA ties have reached a historical high level with a strong momentum of sound and fast development. President Xis visit will definitely open up new horizons for our bilateral relations. At present, the important consensus between the two presidents and the China-SA Five-to-Ten Year Strategic Programme for Cooperation are being implemented in a comprehensive way. The political mutual trust between the two countries have been enhanced and fruitful results achieved in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Chinas total investment in SA has reached $13bn. This year, China is very likely to stay as SAs top trading partner country, number one export market and largest source of imports for the seventh consecutive year. SA will also remain as Chinas largest trading partner in Africa. There are also highlights in cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The Year of China events have been successful in different places of SA. The South African government decided to introduce Mandarin into the national education curriculum as an optional subject. Air China just opened its direct flight from Beijing to Johannesburg. Both as members of multilateral mechanisms including Brics, G20 and BASIC countries, China and SA have deepened their collaboration on major international and regional issues. Therefore, the old Chinese saying people with affinity make light of distance even when they are thousands of miles apart is now a true reflection of China-SA relations. Such sound momentum could not have been achieved without the care and guidance of the two presidents. SA was one of the countries President Xi visited during his first overseas trip in 2013 and President Zuma has also visited China many times. Moreover, the two presidents will have met five times altogether by the end of this year. During the upcoming state visit, the two presidents are expected to reach important consensus which will charter the future course of bilateral relations and steadily move the China-SA comprehensive strategic partnership forward. After the bilateral visit, President Xi will co- chair the FOCAC Summit with President Zuma, which will be the second summit after the 2006 Beijing Summit and the first on African soil. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of FOCAC. Over the past 15 years, FOCAC has advanced in parallel with China-Africa relations. It has already become a major platform enhancing China-Africa collective dialogue, an important engine promoting China-Africa practical cooperation, an effective mechanism deepening China-Africa understanding and friendship, and a banner leading international cooperation with Africa. The summit has chosen the theme Africa- China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development. Leaders and representatives from 50 African member states of FOCAC as well as leaders of the African Union and other major international organizations will attend the summit. President Xi will elaborate on Chinas new visions, new policies and new measures to further strengthen China-Africa solidarity and promote China-Africa cooperation. The upcoming FOCAC Summit will certainly become another landmark in the history of China- Africa relations. China-Africa solidarity and cooperation has always been the cornerstone of Chinas foreign policy. Now with highly complementary development strategies, China and Africa face golden opportunities for development. The aim of this summit is to seize the historic opportunity, be forward looking, seek common development, accelerate the deepening and upgrading of China-Africa practical cooperation and ensure a great leap forward in China-Africa relations. Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries and China is the largest developing country in the world. China-Africa cooperation serves the interests of both sides and follows the trend of world development and the collective rise of developing countries. The summit will contribute to the building of a new type of international relations based on win-win cooperation and make fresh progress in building a community of shared future for mankind. As a line in a Chinese poem reads: The truly great men are those whom we see today! Let us wish President Xis visit to SA as well as the FOCAC Summit all the very best for a resounding success. (The article was originally published on Business Day on December 2nd, 2015.) By Yashaswini Swamynathan and Tracy Rucinski (Reuters) - Teen apparel retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday, succumbing to mounting losses and intense competition from fast-fashion retailers and online rivals. The company, which joins recent U.S. Chapter 11 filings by surfwear brand Quicksilver and teen retailer American Apparel, plans to be taken private by investment firm Golden Gate once it emerges from bankruptcy, it said in a statement on Thursday. Its shares fell to a record low of 5 cents on Thursday and were still down 42 percent at 5.5 cents in late afternoon. Citing "significant and unusual trading," lawyers for the retailer asked a judge to restrict trading on Thursday due to concerns that a significant change in ownership could impair its ability to use tax benefits on operating losses down the road. Founded in 1982 as a surf shop, PacSun has posted an annual net loss since the financial crisis hit in 2008. It had about $342.7 million of net operating losses as of Jan. 31, which can be used to reduce tax liabilities if it becomes profitable again. "The company believes that this is an extremely valuable asset of the bankruptcy estate," Joseph Barry of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor said at an emergency hearing in Delaware on Thursday. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Silverstein approved the interim motion and holders of PacSun stock will be notified. Pacific Sunwear said Golden Gate plans to convert more than 65 percent of its debt into equity and provide a minimum of $20 million in additional capital. Golden Gate had lent PacSun about $60 million in 2011. The company also said it had a debtor-in-possession credit agreement of $100 million with Wells Fargo Bank. The Anaheim, California-based retailer listed assets in the range of $50 million to $100 million, and liabilities of between $100 million and $500 million, according to its court filing. Story continues It named Nike Inc and mall operator Simon Property Group Inc among its creditors, while top investors include investment firm GI2 Ltd with a 28.6 percent stake and Adage Capital Management LP with a 14.1 percent stake. PacSun said it would continue to operate all of its 600 stores and does not expect the bankruptcy filing to have an immediate impact on employees. Rival Aeropostale Inc said in March it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale, an option that sector experts said PacSun may also need to contemplate. (Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan and Ramkumar Iyer in Bengaluru and Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi and Matthew Lewis) By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - Pakistan wants to upgrade its aging fleet of fighter jets in anticipation of a prolonged battle against Islamist militants, although the purchase of fifth-generation planes would only be a last resort, a senior air force official said. U.S. ally Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people, is fighting a Taliban insurgency in its northwest, a separatist insurgency along its Iranian border in the west, and has a heavily militarised and disputed border with arch rival India in the east. In 2014, the military launched a crackdown in the northwestern areas of North and South Waziristan and has managed to push back militants into a few pockets. But its air force, which will need to retire dozens of jets over the coming years, lacks the latest technology and relies heavily on a fleet of about 70 U.S.-made Lockheed Martin F-16s, which are solely capable of carrying out precision targeting. "Our concern is that we don't know how long these anti-terrorist operations will continue," Pakistan Air Force second-in-command Muhammad Ashfaque Arain told Reuters in an interview late on Wednesday. "We have weakened them (militants) to a great extent, but I don't see an end in the very near future, so all the burden is being shared by the F-16s and its pilots." Skeptics suspect that Pakistan's military is seeking an improved arsenal to counter the growing military might of India, its eastern neighbor. The two countries have fought three wars since their violent separation in 1947 at the end of British colonial rule. Pakistan's fleet also includes hundreds of Dassault Aviation French-made Mirage jets that are over 40 years old and F7 Chinese warplanes that are over 25 years old, both of which the air force plans to retire over the next few years. To fill the void, Islamabad has decided to bet on the JF-17 fighter, jointly developed by China and Pakistan, rather than spending billions on fifth-generation multi-role aircraft like Dassault's Rafale, which rival India is buying, or the Russian Su-35. That option, Arain said, had almost been ruled out for being too expensive and because Pakistan did not want to mix technologies and resources. It would only be reconsidered if "it was pushed against a wall". Instead, 16 JF-17s will be produced this year with a further 20 in 2017, but Arain acknowledged that the jets' usefulness in current operations was limited because it lacks precision targeting. DAMOCLES POD "Operationally, the aircraft are working pretty well so we if we had a targeting pod on the JF-17, the burden would be shared," Arain said. He said his visit to Paris was in part aimed at assessing from French officials the prospects of supplying the Thales-made Damocles, a third-generation targeting pod. He said that was Islamabad's priority for now. Previous negotiations in 2010 for a deal worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion) worth of electronics and missiles collapsed under pressure from India, uncertainty over Pakistan's finances and fears of the transfer of technology given Chinese involvement in the JF-17. "We're looking at the best option. The Damocles is a battle- proven system and the other options are not," Arain said. "If we do not get the Damocles pod for example, then we will need to look for alternate options that may not be proven." He said that in the long run, the air force was thinking about its needs beyond 2030 when F-16s and JF-17s would start to be replaced. The United States in February approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets for the short term, but Arain said even that was proving complicated. "It's a much cheaper fighter jet, but buying more F-16s is economically not feasible for us and then there is a lot of human outcry," he said. Arain countered any suggestion that Pakistan might want greater air power to target India by saying that New Delhi itself was expanding its fleet. "We get eight aircraft and there are people who start to say that it will tilt the balance of power in South Asia. But when somebody across the border buys 36 aircraft and has plans to buy 126, that doesn't change the balance of power," he said, referring to India. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Nick Macfie) Washington (AFP) - The "Panama Papers" have laid bare how readily bad actors can circumvent global sanctions via the maze of anonymous shell companies set up in banking havens, as documented in the massive leak. Terror groups, drug cartels, and pariah countries like North Korea -- not just tax evaders -- use them to hide flows of money that would otherwise be blocked by sanctions, experts say. "They are designed for concealment and so are as useful for getting around sanctions as they are for tax avoidance or money laundering," said Pascal Saint-Amans, head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's unit fighting tax havens. That's a problem as the United States, Europe and the United Nations increasingly reach for sanctions as their weapon of choice against global trouble-makers. The United States in particular has made economic sanctions a key policy tool against countries like Iran, North Korea and Cuba, as well as extremist groups like Islamic State and Al Qaeda. To implement its sanctions, the US Treasury publishes extensive blacklists of names of individuals and companies that banks and other companies are barred from dealing with. The challenge is that with shell companies, it is often impossible to know the ultimate beneficiary behind it. "They're anonymous so you don't know if it's owned or controlled by somebody who's on a sanctions list. That's a real problem," said Liz Confalone of the organization Global Financial Integrity. According to the BBC, which has had access to the leaked Panama Papers -- a law firm's records of thousands of shell companies set up for wealthy and powerful people around the world -- 33 US-blacklisted individuals and companies based in Iran, Zimbabwe and North Korea are tied to some of the companies. - US paradox - Even before the Panama Papers hit the headlines, other cases made clear that offshore shell companies were being used to circumvent sanctions. Story continues Chinese telecoms giant ZTE had established a network of secret companies which permitted it to reexport US-made electronic components to Iran in violation of the embargo imposed on Tehran for its nuclear program, according to US authorities. To punish the company Washington placed restrictions on its US business last month. More stunning, anonymous companies set up in the British tax haven of Jersey allowed a bank affiliated with the Iranian government and restricted by sanctions to control a Manhattan skyscraper. Iranian shipping company IRISL, placed under US sanctions in 2008, used a similar strategy. It dispersed control of its fleet of ships through anonymous companies with no evident Iranian ties in Malta and Hong Kong, according to the report "Global Shell Game" released in 2014. Such cases are only the tip of the iceberg. Investigators chasing a case are often stymied by complex legal constructions involved in the shell companies, and by the ease with which fraudsters and sanctions-evaders move assets from one haven to another. "It's really a cat-and-mouse game, in which sanctions evaders would get caught and form a new company, get caught again and go form another company," said Bryan Early, a sanctions specialist at the University of Albany. US President Barack Obama himself condemned the use of anonymous companies to hide the identity of those behind them, but said it will not undermine the effectiveness of US sanctions. "Iran would not have cut a deal to end their nuclear program in the absence of strong sanctions," he said Tuesday. Yet the United States, in combatting banking secrecy, faces its own contradictions. A number of US states, especially Delaware, offers anyone the ability to set up a company and move money and other assets through it while hiding their identity. Saint-Amans said that this gives foreigners the ability to hide their US sanctions-busting activities behind a company based in the United States. "It is the paradox of the country," he said. The US Treasury on Wednesday told AFP that it would submit "soon" a new rule that will make it obligatory to identify the ultimate beneficiary of individual companies registered by foreigners. Once finalized, the Treasury said, the IRS, the US tax authority, "will be far better equipped to ensure that these entities are not facilitating US tax avoidance," a Treasury spokesperson said. By Christine Murray and Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama said on Wednesday it would form an independent commission to review the country's financial practices following the leak of information from a local law firm that has embarrassed a clutch of world leaders. "The Panamanian government, via our foreign ministry, will create an independent commission of domestic and international experts ... to evaluate our current practices and propose the adoption of measures that we will share with other countries of the world to strengthen the transparency of the financial and legal systems," President Juan Carlos Varela said in a televised address. Governments across the world have begun investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful after the leak of more than 11.5 million documents, dubbed the "Panama Papers," from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. In his brief statement, Varela reiterated Panama would work with other countries over the leak, which was published in an investigation by the U.S.-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and various news organizations. The papers have revealed financial arrangements of prominent figures, including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain and Pakistan and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as Ukraine's president. Panama is still considering who will be in the commission, and Gian Castillero, a senior government adviser, said in an interview he expected it to report within six months. Castillero conceded that the leak had hurt the reputation of Panama, which has an economy that was 83 percent services-based, he said. France's government responded to the revelations on Tuesday by saying it would put Panama back on its list of "uncooperative countries", though Castillero was dismissive of the move. "The declarations from France are emotional and political declarations which shouldn't be repeated," he said in response to a question about whether other countries could follow France's lead. Castillero stressed that no proof had been found to show Mossack Fonseca had acted improperly. And he was adamant that the fact that founding partner Ramon Fonseca was a friend of Varela's would not affect the government's judgment of the firm. "I don't think it's really that difficult," he said. (Reporting by Christine Murray and Elida Moreno; Editing by Leslie Adler, Robert Birsel) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in November's Paris attacks, will be extradited to France from Belgium in a few weeks to allow for additional questioning by Belgian investigators, his lawyer said on Thursday. Abdeslam, who returned from Paris hours after the Islamic State attacks in which his brother blew himself up, hid from police for four months until he was captured in a raid on a house in the Brussels district of Molenbeek on March 18. His finger prints were found three days earlier in an apartment in the southern Brussels borough of Forest after a gunbattle during which an Islamist gunman was shot dead and four police officers were injured. [nL5N16O1YZ] Prosecutors want to question him about that incident, his lawyer said. "There is a hearing, which will take place regarding the attempted murder of several police officers during the home search in Forest," Sven Mary told reporters. Abdeslam, who previously said that he wanted to be extradited to France, was not present at a court hearing in Brussels on Thursday. "As I said, he wishes to go to France and that is the reason that things need to proceed and why we hope that it will be over in a few weeks," Mary added. The shooting and bombing rampage by Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13. (Reporting by Jan Vermeylen; Writing by Robert-Jan Bartunek; Editing by Philip Blenkinsop/Mark Heinrich) Even in the midst of lowering oil prices throughout the global market, China's shale gas output has registered a year-on-year growth of 258.5 percent, amounting to more than 4.4 billion cubic meters (bcm). The proven geological reserves of shale gas amounted to more than 437 bcm last year, including more than 109 bcm of technically recoverable shale gas resources, said Yu Haifeng, Director-General of the Department of Mineral Reserves at a press conference yesterday. He added that the remaining technically recoverable shale gas resources were around 130 bcm by the end of 2015. During the 12th Five-Year Plan, China's geological reserve of shale gas totaled more than 544 bcm, Yu said. He also pointed out that China's shale gas output has reached more than 5.7 bcm since the shale gas field was opened for commercial operation in 2014. However, China's shale gas output in 2015 missed the target of 6.5 bcm, a goal set in 2012. When it comes to shale gas exploitation, China is at a disadvantage in terms of theoretical knowledge, technology, environmentally suitable mining areas and cost. For instance, the mining of shale gas requires water, and some research institutions say that more than three-fifths of Chinese shale gas fields are located in water-deficient areas. Besides, it is difficult for China to replicate the model of the U.S., as the two countries have different geological conditions and terrains. By Rozanna Latiff and Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian parliamentary inquiry on Thursday slammed the board of state fund 1MDB for being irresponsible and urged a probe into its former chief, but stopped short of implicating Prime Minister Najib Razak who was an advisor for the troubled firm. Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said senior management at 1Malaysia Development Bhd withheld crucial information from the board and made transactions without its knowledge or approval. The bipartisan PAC is the first Malaysian entity to level allegations against 1MDB, which is at the center of corruption and money-laundering investigations in the United States, Switzerland, Singapore and Luxembourg. U.S. Department of Justice officials have asked Deutsche Bank AG and JPMorgan Chase & Co to provide details on their dealings with 1MDB, as the global investigation into 1MDB widens. Goldman Sachs' relation with 1MDB is also under review. The 1MDB fund, which had piled up over 42 billion ringgit ($11 billion) in debt since its inception in 2009, said its board of directors have collectively offered their resignations after the report. 1MDB BOARD RESIGNS The parliamentary report said former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi has to take responsibility. "As such, enforcement agencies are asked to investigate Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and anyone else related," the report said. The executive board of the fund offered their resignations after the report was released. It called for the advisory board of the fund - chaired by Prime Minister Najib Razak - to be abolished and any reference to the prime minister be changed to finance minister in the company's memorandum and articles of association. Najib, who founded 1MDB in 2009, was not otherwise named in the report. Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He said the report showed that former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamed's allegations against him were false. Story continues Mahathir quit the ruling party in February and has stood with the opposition in calling for Najib to resign over the 1MDB scandal. The scandal has fueled a sense of crisis in a country under economic strain from slumping oil prices and a prolonged slide in its currency last year. OVERSEAS BANK STATEMENTS Shortly after it was released, opposition leader Tony Pua, who was part of the PAC, told a news conference that Najib, should at least be held culpable for the mismanagement at the fund. "Anything else we don't know, as we don't have the overseas bank statements of 1MDB," said Pua, an MP with the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Pua lamented the failure to get crucial information on 1MDBs foreign banking transactions. The report did scrutinize several overseas transactions that it said were made without 1MDB board approval. One was a $700 million transfer to an account belonging to a company named Good Star Ltd. Another unapproved transaction of $300 million was made to 1MDB PetroSaudi Ltd, a joint venture company set up in the British Virgin Islands. The report also said billions of dollars in unexplained payments were paid to a company called "Aabar Investments PJS Ltd (Aabar Ltd)" in 2012 without board approval. The report said 1MDB has not clarified whether Aabar Ltd was a subsidiary or linked to an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund called Aabar Investments or another Abu Dhabi fund called International Petroleum Investment Corp (IPIC). The Wall street journal, citing documents from international probes, reported that investigators believe around $1 billion moved through state agencies, banks and companies linked to 1MDB before eventually finding its way into Najib's personal accounts. The 1MDB fund has denied that any of its funds went to the prime minister. The Attorney-General cleared Najib in January of any corruption or criminal offences, saying the $681 million was a gift from a member of Saudi Arabia's royal family and that most of it was returned. The scandal has rocked Najib's government as public outrage over the alleged mismanagement and corruption grows. (Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Bill Tarrant) By Rozanna Latiff and Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian parliamentary inquiry on Thursday slammed the board of state fund 1MDB for being irresponsible and urged a probe into its former chief, but stopped short of implicating Prime Minister Najib Razak who was an advisor for the troubled firm. Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said senior management at 1Malaysia Development Bhd withheld crucial information from the board and made transactions without its knowledge or approval. The bipartisan PAC is the first Malaysian entity to level allegations against 1MDB, which is at the centre of corruption and money-laundering investigations in the United States, Switzerland, Singapore and Luxembourg. U.S. Department of Justice officials have asked Deutsche Bank AG and JPMorgan Chase & Co to provide details on their dealings with 1MDB, as the global investigation into 1MDB widens. Goldman Sachs' relation with 1MDB is also under review. The 1MDB fund, which had piled up over 42 billion ringgit ($11 billion) in debt since its inception in 2009, said its board of directors have collectively offered their resignations after the report. 1MDB BOARD RESIGNS The parliamentary report said former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi has to take responsibility. "As such, enforcement agencies are asked to investigate Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and anyone else related," the report said. The executive board of the fund offered their resignations after the report was released. It called for the advisory board of the fund - chaired by Prime Minister Najib Razak - to be abolished and any reference to the prime minister be changed to finance minister in the company's memorandum and articles of association. Najib, who founded 1MDB in 2009, was not otherwise named in the report. Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He said the report showed that former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamed's allegations against him were false. Mahathir quit the ruling party in February and has stood with the opposition in calling for Najib to resign over the 1MDB scandal. The scandal has fueled a sense of crisis in a country under economic strain from slumping oil prices and a prolonged slide in its currency last year. OVERSEAS BANK STATEMENTS Shortly after it was released, opposition leader Tony Pua, who was part of the PAC, told a news conference that Najib, should at least be held culpable for the mismanagement at the fund. "Anything else we don't know, as we don't have the overseas bank statements of 1MDB," said Pua, an MP with the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Pua lamented the failure to get crucial information on 1MDBs foreign banking transactions. The report did scrutinize several overseas transactions that it said were made without 1MDB board approval. One was a $700 million transfer to an account belonging to a company named Good Star Ltd. Another unapproved transaction of $300 million was made to 1MDB PetroSaudi Ltd, a joint venture company set up in the British Virgin Islands. The report also said billions of dollars in unexplained payments were paid to a company called "Aabar Investments PJS Ltd (Aabar Ltd)" in 2012 without board approval. The report said 1MDB has not clarified whether Aabar Ltd was a subsidiary or linked to an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund called Aabar Investments or another Abu Dhabi fund called International Petroleum Investment Corp (IPIC). The Wall street journal, citing documents from international probes, reported that investigators believe around $1 billion moved through state agencies, banks and companies linked to 1MDB before eventually finding its way into Najib's personal accounts. The 1MDB fund has denied that any of its funds went to the prime minister. The Attorney-General cleared Najib in January of any corruption or criminal offences, saying the $681 million was a gift from a member of Saudi Arabia's royal family and that most of it was returned. The scandal has rocked Najib's government as public outrage over the alleged mismanagement and corruption grows. ($1 = 3.8850 ringgit) (Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Bill Tarrant) Wu Jianmin, former Chinese ambassador to France That Global Times was being targeted in a criticism by a well-known Chinese diplomat Wu Jianmin during a recent speech has become one of the most discussed topics in China these days. On March 30, Wu was invited as a speaker in China Foreign Affairs University. During his speech, Wu openly criticized Hu Xijin, editor in chief of Global Times, a state-owned English-language Chinese newspaper. This debate highlights the two opposite opinions nowadays prevalently held by the people in China Dove vs. Hawk. Hu Xijin, chief editor of Global Times Global Times always publish articles that are very extreme and narrow-minded, said Wu, member of the Foreign Policy Advisory Group in Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs; former Chinese ambassador to France, as well as former dean of China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. Last year, I was invited by Hu Xijin to attend a Global Times conference. At the beginning of the conference, Hus description of whats currently happening in this world was all confusing. And this was what I said to them, Your eyes have not seen the world in a full scope. You failed to see the major developments in this world and you failed to get hold of the main global trends, Wu said. I thought, this is todays China. Hu is the chief editor of one of Chinas mainstream media and he should be very knowledgeable, yet he fails to understand the current global circumstances, Wu added in his speech. In response to this criticism, Hu Xijin posted a statement on his personal Weibo account on April 7 under his own name. According to his post, the Global Times chief editor commented Wu Jianmin as truly the representative of the dovish diplomatic field. The chief editor went on to criticize Wu saying that Wu is far different from his predecessor Li Zhaoxing, whom Hu praised for his mission-oriented characters and excellent diplomatic skills. The way Wu talked in his speeches was like reading from scripts. His only purpose was merely to have the media quote him, Hu said. Hu also said in the statement that Global Times will nevertheless continue to provide a platform for Wu, allowing him to publish his latest diplomatic thoughts and worldview. Readers who are interested to learn more about this debate can click on the links below: http://www.21ccom.net/html/2016/zlwj_0331/2889.html http://weibo.com/huxijin (Reuters) - Leftist presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza edged up in a poll ahead of Sunday's election in Peru but remains in a technical tie for second with Wall Street favorite Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, according to a survey from Datum seen by a source on Thursday. Center-right Keiko Fujimori maintains a wide lead with 43 percent of valid votes, which excluded likely blank and spoiled ballots in a mock vote, but that would not be enough to avoid a run-off. The survey from April 4-6 has a 2.2 percent margin of error. (Reporting by Teresa Cespedes; Editing by James Dalgleish) REUTERS - Leftist presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza edged up in a poll ahead of Sunday's election in Peru but remains in a technical tie for second with Wall Street favorite Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, according to a survey from Datum seen by a source on Thursday. Center-right Keiko Fujimori maintains a wide lead with 43 percent of valid votes, which excluded likely blank and spoiled ballots in a mock vote, but that would not be enough to avoid a run-off. The survey from April 4-6 has a 2.2 percent margin of error. (Reporting by Teresa Cespedes; Editing by James Dalgleish) By Mitra Taj and Teresa Cespedes LIMA (Reuters) - With a surname that sparks fury among some Peruvians and inspires adoration among others, center-right presidential contender Keiko Fujimori has managed to stay atop a turbulent field of candidates ahead of Sunday's election. The daughter of former strongman Alberto Fujimori has had the unwavering support of about a third of Peruvians the past two years, thanks in part to his public investments in rural areas and crackdown on leftist insurgents in the 1990s. But with polls showing Fujimori short of the simple majority needed to win outright, the chance at tapping a well of hostility to Fujimori in a run-off has fueled a hotly-disputed contest for runner-up. Out of Fujimori's nine rivals, two ideologically opposed candidates are in a virtual tie for second place, seeking the support of millions of undecided voters. "I change my mind every half hour," said Felix Castillo, a 39-year-old security guard, who is part of the 40 percent of the electorate not committed to any candidate, according to a poll by Ipsos published Sunday. This year's race was jolted by the unprecedented barring of two leading candidates, one for violating minor electoral procedures and the other for handing out cash while campaigning. Critics said the ejections unfairly favored 40-year-old Fujimori and the head of the Organization of American States warned elections would be "semi-democratic". Another seven candidates voluntarily dropped out of the initial line-up of 19. Fujimori's opponents, lacking a strong candidate to rally behind, have staged protests that led her to cancel campaign events twice. LAWMAKER VS ECONOMIST In a late surge, 35-year-old leftist lawmaker Veronika Mendoza has attracted undecided voters with promises of "radical change" to the free-market economic model of the past quarter century, spooking markets. Mendoza wants to ramp up spending, hike taxes and toughen regulations on global miners that she says have too much sway in the Andean country. "We don't think we should keep being a mere warehouse of rocks and raw materials," Mendoza said during a presidential debate. Peru is set to become the world's second-biggest copper supplier this year, behind neighboring Chile, as surging output from new projects drives the economy's recovery from slower growth at the end of a decade-long commodities boom. Mendoza is statistically tied with septuagenarian former World Bank economist Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, though she edged up 1.2 percentage points in a new Datum poll, slower than her previous 5-point rise. Peru's sol closed 0.30 percent lower and select stock index <.SPBLPGPT> fell 4 percent on Thursday on the poll, which showed Mendoza with 18.5 percent of valid votes compared with Kuczynski's 18.0 percent. Fujimori maintained her ample lead with 43 percent. Kuczynski has defended mining and pledged to slash red tape while drawing private investments in infrastructure to drive growth. Despite repeated promises to avoid the authoritarian ways of her father - now in prison for human rights abuses and corruption - Fujimori has failed to soften opposition to her candidacy. "All I know is I'm going to vote against Keiko in the second round," said Diego Cano, a 23-year-old engineer. Tens of thousands of Fujimori's detractors took to the streets Tuesday in the biggest political protest in Lima since rallies against Alberto Fujimori in 2000 - a sign of the polarized run-off that likely lies ahead. (Reporting by Mitra Taj and Teresa Cespedes; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell and Fiona Ortiz) Business leaders hate being involved in controversy. So when you find them writing newspaper stories protesting unfair treatment, somethings up. Pfizers (PFE) CEO Ian Read complained in the Wall Street Journal recently about the Treasury Departments ad hoc and arbitrary attempt to single out his company, referring to the new Treasury rules that killed Pfizers $160 billion merger deal with Irish drugmaker Allergan (AGN). To be pilloried as deserters when we are trying to stay competitive on a global stage so that we can continue to invest in the U.S. is wrongheaded, Read wrote plaintively. On the same day, General Electric (GE) CEO Jeff Immelt published a defense of his company in the Washington Post, rebutting criticism from Bernie Sanders, who said GE is doing a very good job avoiding the taxes. Immelt pointed out that GE employs more than 1,000 people in Sanders home state of Vermont, and basically told the Democrat presidential hopeful to back off. Weve never been a big hit with socialists, Immelt jabbed. We create wealth and jobs, instead of just calling for them in speeches. And in Jamie Dimons annual letter to shareholders, released this week, the J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) CEO said bad decisions by policymakers are one of his top concerns. Bad public policy creates risk for the economies of the world and the living standards of the people on this planet, Dimon wrote. He singled out the huge national debt, new banking rules he feels have gone too far, and the inability of Washington politicians to solve problems. [Donald Trump wants to "make America great again." When do you think America was last great? Take our survey and let us know.] Theres often tension between corporate leaders whose job is to maximize profits and politicians able to exploit voter anger toward the corporations they run. Much of the time its just rhetoric between public role-players who are cozy with each other in private. But were now seeing animosity toward big business migrate into policy and regulatory decisions likely to affect companies directly instead of just fading into the cable-news cacophony. The people want blood, and politicians seem intent on serving it up. Story continues A lot of CEOs must have thought this moment was over a few years ago. The 2008 financial crisis put corporate America, and Wall Street banks in particular, in an unusually vulnerable position. President Obama reflected the mood of the country in 2009 when he came into office railing on fat-cat bankers. The 2010 passage of the Dodd-Frank banking reforms was a stunning reversal for an industry previously able to scuttle such onerous rules. The anti-Wall Street Occupy movement peaked in 2011 with protests in New York and several other cities. The anti-business sentiment seemed to die down as the economy recovered and more Americans went back to work. A dominant theme of the 2016 elections, however, is the anger of voters who feel they have not participated in the economic recovery of the last seven years. Sanders has surprised mostly everybody with the popularity of a campaign built on screeds against J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs (GS), GE, and even Apple (AAPL). Donald Trump has found the same sort of success on the Republican side, repeatedly bashing companies like Pfizer, Ford (F), Carrier (UTX) and Eaton (ETN). Hillary Clinton has evolved from a free-trade supporter to a free-trade equivocator, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal with12 other countries now looks highly endangeredboth Trump and Clinton, the leading presidential contenders, say theyre against it. The Obama administrations surprisingly tough new rules against corporate inversionsthe sort of merger Pfizer planned with Allergan, in order to reduce the amount of taxes paid in the United Statesshow a late-term president acting on the animosity he seems to personally feel toward corporate America. Treasury had tried twice before to clamp down on inversions, but toughened its rules for a third time as American companies continued to pursue them. Obama called inversions insidious and chided Pfizer for trying to get out of paying their fair share of taxes here at home. Thats the language that prompted the Pfizer CEOs op-ed about wrongheaded thinking. But Obama won. There will be many more accusations flung at corporationsand some flung back at politiciansduring the next seven months of the presidential campaign. What comes after that will be the real test of how much new resistance corporate America faces. If its President Trump, new tariffs on imports and a clamp-down on free trade will be among the first orders of business. If President Clinton, the former friend of Wall Street, has vowed to impose new fees on financial firms and higher taxes on certain types of business. Hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones has formed a nonprofit group called Just Capital to explore new ways to improve the image and behavior of corporate America. Part of his motivation is to head off the unhappy consequences that can erupt when the entrenched become too powerful. Jones has warned that in the past, friction between haves and have-have-nots has often led to higher taxes, revolution or war. He forgot to add: the disdain of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Rick Newmans latest book is Liberty for All: A Manifesto for Reclaiming Financial and Political Freedom. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. By Justin Madden (Reuters) - Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana, saying a new state law restricting abortion was unconstitutional. The law, which was signed last month by Indiana Governor Mike Pence and goes into effect on July 1, prohibits abortion in the early stages of a pregnancy based on genetic abnormalities and mandates a fetus be buried or cremated, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. Planned Parenthood asked for an injunction on the law, according to the lawsuit, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the nonprofit organization's Indiana chapter. The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly stressed that a woman, not the state, is to determine whether or not to obtain an abortion," Ken Falk, legal director for ACLU of Indiana, said in a statement. "The state of Indianas attempt to invade a womans privacy and to control her decision in this regard is unprecedented and unconstitutional." The lawsuit named the Indiana State Department of Health, prosecutors of several counties and the state medical licensing board. A spokeswoman for the health department referred all questions to the attorney general's office, where no one could be reached for comment. A spokesman for the medical licensing board declined to comment about the lawsuit. Pence's press secretary, Kara Brooks, said the governor is confident the law is constitutional. "We will work with the attorney general to defend the law that enhances information expectant mothers receive and enhances protection for the unborn," she said. Indiana was the second U.S. state to prohibit abortions based on a prenatal diagnosis of disabilities such as Down syndrome, following North Dakota. Planned Parenthood does not ask patients to disclose why they are obtaining an abortion, but under the new law, doctors would be mandated to report if a fetal anomaly was present before the abortion. The new Indiana law would put physicians at risk for legal woes, and require additional costs for a fetus to be buried or cremated, according to the lawsuit. "Gov. Mike Pence isnt a woman and he isnt a doctor. He needs to get out and stay out of our doctors offices," Betty Cockrum, chief executive of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, said in a statement. (Reporting by Justin Madden in Chicago; Editing by Bill Trott, Ben Klayman and Marguerita Choy) Military exercise may escalate tension in region, expert says A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] The ongoing US-Philippines military drill, which apparently targets China, and the predicted passage of US Navy vessels near China's Nansha Islands are designed to serve US interests at the cost of China's, observers said. Manila is eager to expand its territory to China's Meiji Reef in the South China Sea, said Yang Xiyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, and the US "might use its joint drill with the Philippines to show support for the expansion." "It's highly possible that US forces will choose Meiji Reef for their passage," he added. Reuters cited an unnamed source on April 2 as saying that the US Navy plans to send ships through a passage near Meiji Reef this month, the third in a series of such challenges that have drawn sharp criticism from China. The US has conducted so-called freedom of navigation exercises in recent months, sailing near Zhubi Reef, part of the Nansha Islands, and Zhongjian Island, part of the Xisha Islands. The scale and number of vessels sailing near the reef are not likely to be lower than the previous two challenges undertaken by US destroyers, Yang said. Yin Zhuo, director of the People's Liberation Army Navy's Expert Consultation Committee, said Washington is using the South China Sea issue to endanger Beijing's ties with its neighbors and to draw Japan, the Philippines and Australia into a collective containment of China. The move will lead to escalated tensions in the region, he said. A small contingent of Australian troops will join the exercises, while Vietnam and Japan have sent officers in an observer capacity. "Eager to undercut China's mounting regional influence, some specific nations take delight in sowing seeds of discord between China and rival claimants, and boosting their military presence and patrols to thwart China in the name of safeguarding freedom of navigation," Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary. About 8,000 US and Filipino troops have been engaged in the annual, 11-day military exercise since April 4. Madrid (AFP) - Spain's Socialists, far-left party Podemos and centrist upstart Ciudadanos began their first three-way coalition talks Thursday, trying to put aside their differences as a deadline to form a government approaches fast. Nearly 16 weeks after inconclusive elections left Spain without a proper government, and as acrimony between party leaders intensifies, negotiators from all three groupings sat down to try and unblock the political paralysis gripping the country. And the clock is ticking -- if no power-sharing agreement is found by May 2 new elections will be called, most likely for June 26. This would extend the paralysis that has gripped Spain since December's general elections, at a time when the country is emerging limping out of a damaging financial crisis. "We are going with the clear will to do our utmost to obtain a government... but also knowing that it's very difficult, that we are political parties that are far apart from each other," Meritxell Batet, part of the Socialists' negotiating team, told Spanish radio. - Trading barbs - Talks will be all the more difficult following acrimonious exchanges in parliament between Podemos chief Pablo Iglesias and Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera on Wednesday. The two leaders traded accusations of cronyism, intolerance and shady financing, just 24 hours before the three-way meeting, prompting concern over how two parties already far apart ideologically could sit down for civil talks. Antonio Hernando, who heads up the negotiating team of the Socialists -- the party tasked with forming a government -- tried to play down these differences, in an interview with El Pais newspaper. "Attitudes are different in public and in private, whether there are cameras and microphones or not. There won't be any in today's meeting," he said. The December polls put an end to the traditional two-party system as voters fed up with austerity, unemployment and corruption scandals flocked to new parties, leaving a hung parliament divided among four main groupings, none of them with enough seats to govern alone. Story continues The Socialists were tasked with forming a government after acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy -- whose conservative Popular Party came first in elections with 123 parliamentary seats out of 350 -- gave up attempts to do so due to lack of support from other groupings. They reached a pact with Ciudadanos, which came in fourth place. But that only gives them a total of 130 seats -- far from enough to push a government through the necessary parliamentary vote of confidence, which requires a simple majority. They need the support of Podemos, which came third in the election with 65 seats, giving it considerable sway in coalition negotiations. - Growing dissatisfaction - Podemos, which has recently lost ground in opinion polls, had refused to sit down for negotiations with the Socialists if Ciudadanos was involved, but last week agreed to do so. But one major problem remains -- neither Podemos nor Ciudadanos want to be part of a government with the other one in it. Podemos, the anti-austerity party born just over two years ago out of the Indignados protest movement, would like to rule with the Socialists and persuade Ciudadanos to back out and agree to abstain or vote for any future parliamentary vote of confidence on a government proposal. And the same goes for Ciudadanos -- but the other way round. Faced with this seemingly intractable situation, analysts say one party could still back down to avoid repeating elections, particularly as Spaniards are starting to grow very weary of the current deadlock. The latest opinion poll by the CIS research centre revealed that close to 80 percent of the population said the political situation was either "bad" or "very bad." By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will make a lightning trip to the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16, the Vatican said on Thursday, a visit aimed at supporting refugees and drawing attention to the front line of Europe's migrant crisis. Hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in Syria, have poured onto the Aegean island over the past year, triggering Europe's biggest humanitarian crisis in generations. Under a contested plan, the European Union started returning newcomers to Turkey this month. The pope has repeatedly spoken out in support of refugees and has urged Roman Catholic churches around Europe to take in migrant families. His first trip after he became pontiff in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, which, like Lesbos, has received many thousands of migrants. "It's very clear that the pope recognizes that there is a significant emergency going on," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi. "Just as he went to Lampedusa, which was then the front line of the Mediterranean route, now that there is this difficult, dramatic situation on the Aegean front, he naturally wants to be present to show a sense of solidarity and responsibility." The Vatican said details of the day trip were still being worked out but that the pope would meet refugees along with Bartholomew, the Istanbul-based spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Christians, and Ieronymos II, head of the Greek Orthodox Church. Alarmed at the recent influx or refugees, the European Union and Turkey agreed to seal off the sea route last month after Balkan states shut their borders to migrants trying to reach wealthy western Europe, stranding thousands in Greece. Under the agreement, Turkey has said it will take back migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean. In return, the EU will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa-free travel for Turks and progress in its EU membership negotiations. Lombardi said the pope's trip to Lesbos was "a joint initiative" that will "show that various Christian churches are united when faced with great emergencies". Theological differences and historical circumstances triggered a schism in Christianity in 1054, splitting it into a Western branch, which is mostly Catholic and Protestant, and the Eastern branch, which is mostly Orthodox. (Additonal reporting by Michele Kambas in Athens; Editing by Crispian Balmer/Mark Heinrich) By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis issues one of the most eagerly awaited documents of his pontificate on Friday, a treatise on marriage and the family following two gatherings of Catholic bishops that exposed divisions in the Church. There is keen anticipation on what the 260-page document Amoris Laetitia, (The Joy of Love), will say about the full re-integration into the Church of Catholics who divorce and remarry in civil ceremonies. Under current Church teaching they cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner, because their first marriage is still valid in the eyes of the Church and they are seen to be living in an adulterous state of sin. The only way such Catholics can remarry is if they receive an annulment, a ruling that their first marriage never existed in the first place because of the lack of certain pre-requisites such as psychological maturity or free will. Francis, who has made numerous calls for a more merciful Church, has changed procedures to make obtaining annulments less cumbersome and expensive. Following an unprecedented poll of Catholics around the world, bishops held two summits, known as synods, at the Vatican in October 2014 and October 2015 to discuss family issues, such as why fewer Catholics are getting married and more are getting divorce. The bishops final document at the second synod spoke of a so-called internal forum in which a priest or a bishop may work with a Catholic who has divorced and remarried to decide jointly, privately and on a case-by-case basis if he or she can be fully re-integrated and receive communion. While progressives such as Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany, who is one of Francis favorite theologians, favor this approach, it is opposed by conservatives, who say it would undermine the principle of the indissolubility of marriage that Jesus established. At the end of the synod last year, Francis excoriated immovable Church leaders who he said bury their heads in the sand and hide behind rigid doctrine while families suffer. The papal document, formally known as a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, is also expected to call for better programs for marriage preparation and echo the synods stand that homosexual unions cannot be equated with heterosexual marriage. (Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Andrew Hay) Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis will next week make a brief trip to Lesbos, the Greek island on the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis, the Vatican confirmed on Thursday. "Accepting the invitation from his Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the president of the Greek Republic, his Holiness Francis will travel to Lesbos on April 16, 2016" where he "will meet with refugees," the Vatican said in a statement. Francis, who has made the defence of the world's downtrodden a cornerstone of his papacy, will visit the Aegean Sea island for a few hours to draw the international community's attention to the suffering of asylum seekers, many of them on the run from a devastating war in Syria. Greece's islands are the point of first arrival in Europe for hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who make the perilous boat journey from Turkey. The pope, who will set off from Rome mid morning and return at the end of the afternoon, will visit a refugee centre before making a stop at the port of Lesbos, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the press. Pope Francis in 2013 visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, where large numbers of migrants were arriving from conflict-hit Libya. In March, the EU signed an accord with Turkey setting out measures for reducing the continent's worst migration crisis since World War II, including the shipping back to Turkish territory of migrants who arrive in Greece. But on Thursday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the EU that Ankara would not implement the key deal if Brussels failed to fulfil its side of the bargain -- which included six billion euros in aid for Turkey for the over 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. The first transfer of over 200 migrants from Greece took place on Monday but the process has been stalled by a last-minute flurry of asylum applications by migrants desperate to avoid expulsion. By Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday his country will continue moving towards the European Union despite a resounding rejection by Dutch voters of a treaty on closer ties between the European body and Ukraine. The broad political, trade and defense treaty is already provisionally in place but has to be ratified by all 28 EU member states for every part of it to have full legal force. The Netherlands was the only country that had not done so. Many Ukrainian politicians feel their country deserves the treaty and are keen to show they have made progress in aligning their country with EU standards since the 2014 uprising that toppled pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich. Dutch leaders campaigning for the treaty had said voting against it would also hand a symbolic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Under any circumstances we will continue to implement the association agreement with the European Union including a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement," Poroshenko told reporters in Tokyo. "We will continue our movement towards the European Union." Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum, which is non-binding, but said Ukraine should "take it into consideration" and added that they were awaiting a decision by the government and parliament of the Netherlands. The Dutch government said on Wednesday that it could not ignore the vote but that it may take weeks to decide how to respond. The referendum was seen as a test of sentiment towards Brussels ahead of Britain's June Brexit vote and could also be a boost for Russia. Poroshenko also repeated his denial that he put his assets in an offshore trust to minimize taxes, after the country's fiscal service said it was looking into documents relating to his offshore assets that were included in the "Panama Papers." (Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Nick Macfie) AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch security minister battled to keep his job on Thursday as he faced criticism from across the political spectrum over his handling of counter-terrorism intelligence ahead of last month's suicide bombings in Brussels. Ard van der Steur came under fire during a heated parliamentary debate over the March 22 bombings that killed 32 people in the Belgian capital. In the days following the attacks, the minister said U.S. police had alerted the Dutch a week before the bombings that the two brothers who blew themselves up were wanted, but there was no follow up. "Why was there no pro-active response to this intelligence?" Emile Roemer, leader of the opposition Socialists, asked on Thursday. "I want to know if this minister is part of the solution or the problem." The minister last month published a letter from Turkey on the deportation in July 2015 of one of the brothers. He passed through customs in the Netherlands unchecked because he was not yet on an international blacklist and had requested not to be sent to Belgium, where he had violated parole. Geert Wilders, leader of the eurosceptic Freedom Party, told parliament: "I only have one question for the minister... don't you think it's time to resign?" Wilders' comment fueled expectations that opposition parties would call a no-confidence vote in van der Steur, who retained the backing of his own party, Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Van der Steur also admitted incorrectly citing in parliament the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, rather than the New York Police Department, as the source of information about bombers Brahim and Khalid El Bakraoui. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Brussels bombings and for strikes that killed 130 people in Paris last November. The need for better intelligence-sharing across the European Union has become a mantra since those attacks. But despite an agreement to pool data through European police agency Europol only a few of the bloc's 28 member states are doing so, intelligence sources say. Van der Steur said the Dutch intelligence services did all they could with the knowledge they had at the time, but that was rejected by political opponents. "When we are talking about terrorism, we want to hear from someone who knows what is going on," said Democrats 66 party leader Alexander Pechtold. "This minister answered more than 10 times: 'I don't know'. (Reporting By Anthony Deutsch; editing by John Stonestreet) Brussels (AFP) - Belgian prosecutors on Thursday launched a fresh appeal for help to find a suspected third attacker in last month's bombings at Brussels airport, releasing new video footage and pictures of the so-called "man in the hat". "We especially appeal to anyone who might have filmed or think they have photographed the suspect," a spokesman said, as prosecutors presented a video showing the man's escape route from the devastated departure hall back into central Brussels. By Alex Whiting LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - People's self-esteem, their need to gain approval or avoid humiliation are psychological drivers that help fuel conflicts, and must be factored into attempts to bring about peace, an expert said late on Wednesday. Like most individuals, leaders of countries or armed groups may go to great lengths to protect their self-esteem, and this can make them deaf to reason, said Paul Randolph, a mediation expert at Regent's University London and author of a new book on the issue. He said fear of humiliation has played a significant part in prolonging Syria's conflict, which has entered its sixth year. A second round of peace talks to end the war that has killed up to 470,000 people is due to resume on Monday in Geneva. Negotiators are expected to tackle the issue of a political transition in Syria, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's future. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is working with Russia to persuade Assad to step down, said on Tuesday there was no way to end the Syrian war with Assad still at the helm. "It's a very, very complex situation there. But why leaders of nations will not step down is the same driver that prevents somebody from saying sorry ... it is a shame for them, and shame is painful," Randolph told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Scientists have found that an attack on a person's self-esteem activates the same parts of the brain as physical pain, he said. "So when you're humiliated, your brain interprets it as if you're putting your finger in the fire ... our brain doesn't like it and it won't allow us to do it," he said. That, combined with the desire to make a mark on the world - another expression of self-esteem - makes it hard for leaders to retreat. "The last thing you want to leave is a mark that is a smudge. So it drives people to fight against all the odds just to protect and maintain their self-esteem," Randolph said. What is needed in Syria is a "golden bridge", a concept from ancient China, which advises any wise conquering general to build a golden bridge on which his defeated enemy can retreat, Randolph added. MEDIATION WORKS "All disputes are really very simple in the sense that it's about somebody wanting something and somebody else not being prepared to give it," said Randolph. Each side usually has both rational and psychological elements to them. So psychology has a huge part to play in understanding and resolving disputes, and getting the parties to shift their positions from a degree of intransigence to being collaborative, he added. Crucial to the process is for disputing parties to feel heard, which boosts their self-esteem. "One of the extraordinary things about mediation is that if the parties feel heard, their anger subsides," Randolph said. That is when logic and reason can begin, and through negotiation the needs of both sides can be addressed. The aim is to end up with no winner or loser, but with both sides gaining, he said. Randolph's book "The Psychology of Conflict: Mediating in a Diverse World" is being launched on Saturday at an international peace summit on mediation in London, organized by Regent's University London and the Tutu Foundation UK. (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) By Nick Brown SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico's governor on Wednesday signed an emergency bill allowing the government to halt payments on its debt, throwing into doubt broader restructuring plans to stave off a financial collapse of the U.S. territory. The measure, which earlier passed Puerto Rico's legislature, lets Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla declare a moratorium on any debt payment he deems necessary and could alter the structure of the Government Development Bank (GDB), the island's primary fiscal agent. "This legislation provides us with the tools to address the highest priority of needs providing essential services to our people without fear of retribution," Garcia Padilla said in a statement. Puerto Rico, burdened by a $70 billion debt load it says it cannot pay, a 45 percent poverty rate and shrinking population, faces economic collapse without measures that either change its laws or involve an agreement with creditors. Wednesday's emergency law was rushed into existence as the GDB faces possible default on a $422 million debt payment due on May 1. Garcia Padilla had said he would consider a debt moratorium ahead of that deadline. GDB and its creditors are trying to work out a consensual restructuring. But the new law could spark "a new era of litigation" from creditors, said Daniel Hanson, an analyst with Height Securities. "We believe the overwhelming majority of Puerto Rican issuers have violated their creditors' rights," he said in a Wednesday note. REBUKE AND PRAISE Some GDB creditors on Monday sued to prevent a run on the bank, asking a federal court to block depositors from taking out their money while talks continue. The passage of the law drew a quick rebuke from some creditors. Stephen Spencer, a financial adviser to bondholders including OppenheimerFunds and Franklin Advisers, said it might violate the terms of a prior restructuring deal at PREPA, the island's power utility. That deal, under which creditors agreed to take 15 percent repayment cuts, "should be explicitly preserved, rather than being cast into a state of uncertainty," Spencer said in a statement. He said the law could "close the door to anyone extending new credit to Puerto Rico, seriously impeding its ability to meet citizens' needs." In a statement on Wednesday night, PREPA Executive Director Javier Quintana Mendez said the agreement "remains in place and should not be negatively affected by the new law." "We continue working in collaboration with our creditors, focused on the implementation of our recovery plan," Quintana said. A second group of creditors holding debt issued by Puerto Rico's sales tax authority, COFINA, expressed support for the debt freeze bill, citing delays in legislative efforts by federal lawmakers in Washington to address Puerto Rico's crisis. "With entrenched private institutions obstructing the legislative process in Washington, it is understandable that Puerto Rican leaders are taking steps to equip the island with the tools it needs," Susheel Kirpalani, counsel to the COFINA Senior Bondholders Group at law firm Quinn Emanuel, said. A rescue bill being drafted by the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee so far uses U.S. bankruptcy rules as guidance for a solution, something many creditors oppose. Hearings are expected next week in Washington. Relations between Puerto Rico and its creditors are growing tenser as major debt payments in May and July loom. On Tuesday, some of Puerto Rico's general obligation bondholders criticized the debt moratorium law, at the time still being debated by lawmakers, saying Puerto Rico was ignoring their offer to restructure debt by extending principal payments. Garcia Padilla appeared to fire back on Wednesday, saying "our creditors have engaged in public relations efforts that contain falsehoods about their proposed fixes all of which are aimed at misinforming the public and dissuading Congress from doing what is right for our 3.5 million American citizens." Puerto Rico's benchmark 2035 GO bond <74514LE86=MSRB> is down sharply since talk of a debt moratorium bill surfaced earlier this week. On Wednesday the bond fell 2.45 points in price to bid 63.299, yielding 13.33 percent, according to Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board data. "Puerto Rico's problems stopped being legal problems and they've started being a math problem... at the end of the day Puerto Rico can't pay," said Nicholas Venditti, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management in Santa Fe, speaking at a luncheon for reporters in New York. (Reporting by a contributor in San Juan and Nick Brown, additional reporting by Hilary Russ in Nwe York; Writing by Daniel Bases and Nick Brown; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Andrew Hay) London (AFP) - The storm unleashed by the so-called Panama Papers continued to swirl Thursday as British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted benefiting from his father's offshore trust and prosecutors opened an investigation into Argentine President Mauricio Macri. A host of world leaders, celebrities and sports stars have been caught up in the tempest created by the worldwide media investigation of the 11.5 million documents leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. Cameron, who has been on the defensive over the revelations about the secret financial dealings of the rich and powerful, admitted he held a 30,000 stake in an offshore fund set up by his late father. He told television channel ITV he sold the stake in the Bahamas-based trust in 2010, four months before he became prime minister. "We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000," Cameron said. The sum is roughly 37,000 euros or $42,000. "I sold them all in 2010 because if I was going to become prime minister, I didn't want anyone to say you have other agendas, vested interests." He insisted he had paid income tax on the dividends from the sale of the units, which he bought in 1997. The Panama Papers have felled Iceland's prime minister and forced other political heavyweights onto the defensive, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and now Macri, the leading symbol of a budding right-wing resurgence in Latin America. Macri insisted he had made no "malicious omission" from his mandatory asset declarations as a public official, after federal prosecutor Federico Delgado asked a judge to request information from the national tax authority and anti-corruption office to determine whether the president may have committed any financial crimes. "I am calm. I have obeyed the law. I have nothing to hide," Macri said in a nationally televised address, vowing to present proof before the court Friday. Story continues The conservative president is listed on the board of directors of two offshore firms -- one registered in the Bahamas and the other in Panama. He did not list either in his financial declarations when he became Buenos Aires mayor in 2007 or president last December. Macri, who vowed to fight corruption during his presidential campaign, says the firms were legitimate operations set up by his father, a wealthy business magnate. - Putin derisive - Putin for his part ridiculed the international media probe behind the revelations, deriding it as US-orchestrated and boasting that a year-long investigation had failed to find any mention of his name. "They combed through these offshore accounts. Your humble servant is not there. What is there to talk about?" he said, referring to himself, at a televised forum held in Saint Petersburg. He denied corruption accusations and defended his friend, cellist Sergei Roldugin, whom the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) found had "secretly shuffled as much as $2 billion through banks and shadow companies." The ICIJ coordinated the investigation with more than 100 media groups around the world after the documents were obtained from an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Putin lambasted the probe as a Washington conspiracy, pointing to a Twitter post by whistleblowing group WikiLeaks that said "US govt funded #PanamaPapers attack story on Putin via USAID." - Panama to deepen talks - Although not illegal in themselves, offshore financial transactions may be used to hide assets from tax authorities, launder the proceeds of criminal activities or conceal misappropriated or politically inconvenient wealth. The leaks have left Panama fighting to salvage its reputation. Vice President and Foreign Minister Isabel De Saint Malo told AFP the country would open a "technical-level dialogue" with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on sharing tax information. The Paris-based, 34-nation OECD, which helps coordinate the global fight against tax evasion, has sharply criticized lawlessness in the Panamanian finance sector, which accounts for seven percent of the Central American country's economy. Panama is scrambling to avert being once again designated as a tax haven that facilitates money laundering. Fallout from the leaks also reached Colombia, where the government's two top negotiators in peace talks with leftist guerrillas, Humberto de la Calle and Frank Pearl, were named as holding offshore companies. Both denied wrongdoing. - Football under fire, again - The leaks have put the embattled world of football back in the spotlight, too. On Wednesday, Swiss police searched European football body UEFA's Geneva offices as part of a probe into a Champions League television rights deal signed by Gianni Infantino before he became president of the world football governing association FIFA. Uruguayan Juan Pedro Damiani was meanwhile forced to resign as a FIFA ethics judge after he was also named in the Panama Papers, which come from around 214,000 offshore entities and cover almost 40 years. In Iceland, former agriculture minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson was sworn in as premier after his predecessor, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, was forced out over allegations he hid millions of dollars of investments in the country's banks. Many of the world's top banks have also been named in the leaks, including HSBC, UBS, Credit Suisse and Societe Generale, as creating thousands of offshore companies. European banking shares took a pounding Thursday after British and French regulators ordered lenders to come clean on any links to the scandal. ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, commenting on his decision not to attend a nuclear summit in the United States last week, said on Thursday that Washington's failure to destroy its stock of weapons-grade plutonium was a major reason for that. Russia and the United States agreed in the early 2000s that each of the Cold War-era arch foes would eliminate its reserves of weapons-grade plutonium, which Russia did and the U.S. didn't, Putin said. "Our partners must understand ... that they should be able to meet their obligations," he said. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Alexander Winning and Dmitry Solovyov) ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia's military operation in Syria had reinforced the statehood of that country and its legitimate government but that it was too early to say a breakthrough had been reached. "It is too early to say we have reached a crucial breakthrough, but it is evident that we have accomplished our mission," Putin said, referring to Russia's operation in Syria. He added that with Russia's support Syria's army was liberating new settlements from "terrorists". (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Christian Lowe) By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) - Quebec's Liberal government said on Thursday it was aiming to cut the province's use of petroleum products by 40 percent by 2030 and would invest C$4 billion ($3.04 billion) to pursue that strategy. Renewable energy now supplies about 47 percent of Quebec's needs, an amount the province intends to boost to 61 percent by 2030, as part of five targets to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, Energy Minister Pierre Arcand told reporters in Montreal. Along with greater use of hydroelectric energy, Canada's second-most populous province would boost its consumption of natural gas to offset oil, both through imports and by encouraging local production. The province said it would also put an end to its already limited usage of coal. "What we are proposing to Quebecers is a new energy pact," Arcand said. Arcand said the energy project would be introduced as a bill in Quebec's provincial parliament, where the Liberals have a majority, by the end of the session in June. It could be approved into law by the end of the year. Quebec, the fourth largest hydroelectric producer in the world, pledged in 2015 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 37.5 percent by 2030. It is part of a cap-and-trade system with Ontario, Manitoba and California. Quebec Environment Minister David Heurtel called the greenhouse gas emissions target the most "ambitious in Canada and one of the most ambitious in the world." The province has set additional targets of boosting its production of renewable energy by 25 percent and bioenergy by 50 percent. Quebec also wants to improve its energy efficiency by 15 percent. Arcand said it did not appear that Quebec's new policy, with its goal of reducing oil usage, would have an impact on the province's evaluation of TransCanada Corp's proposed Energy East pipeline. On March 1, Quebec asked for a court injunction to ensure the Energy East pipeline complied with the province's environmental laws. "We have the objective of reducing greenhouse gases," Arcand said. "The TransCanada project transports oil that will use electric pumping stations. There are some greenhouse gas emissions, but will the emissions be significant - I can't say." (Reporting by Allison Lampert; Editing by Diane Craft and Peter Cooney) If it turns out that what you really have to do is go to college and make sure your roommate is the next Mark Zuckerberg in order to get ahead that doesnt work, Kevin Leicht, a sociologist. Its a groundbreaking work, but Freudenthals book is the most boring I have ever read. Logarithm tables are cool compared to it, Yvan Dutil, an astrophysicist, on a 1960 book about communicating with extraterrestrials. If you want to incorporate, fine. You pay the fee. Nevada doesnt investigate, so why should I? Robert Harris, a Nevadan who helps people avoid taxes. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Stockholm (AFP) - Never one to shun the limelight, Zlatan Ibrahimovic claimed Thursday that he could make a film about his life and portray it as a 10-part saga -- just like Rambo. "There are talks but nothing has been decided," the Paris Saint Germain star told Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri. "Lots of other people do films about me, my life and make money but it's obvious that if the subject of a movie is me then I should have control. "There are talks in progress. We can make a lot of films about me. It would be like Rambo I to Rambo V -- we could do Ibracadabra 1 to 10." By Russell Cheyne ISLE OF BUTE, Scotland (Reuters) - A nearly 400-year-old copy of a first edition of William Shakespeare's collected plays has been found in a vast aristocratic house on the Isle of Bute, off the western coast of Scotland. Published in 1623, the First Folio contains Shakespeare's 36 plays, including several that had never been published before and might have been lost without it, such as "Macbeth", "The Tempest" and "As You Like It". The discovery at Mount Stuart, grand neo-Gothic home of the Marquesses of Bute, brings the total of known surviving copies of the First Folio in the world to 234. Most others are in libraries and accessible only to scholars. It is usually a single volume that would have to be read sitting at a desk, but the Bute copy was split in the past for ease of reading into three leather-bound volumes, one each for comedies, histories and tragedies. "This is something that you could take to the fireside and enjoy," Emma Smith, a professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University who authenticated the Bute Folio, told the BBC. "It's a book we most likely now see ... in a glass case, and one of the things that this copy ... shows us is a time when people just really used this book, they enjoyed it, they scribbled on it, they spilt their wine on it, their pet cats jumped on it." Worth an estimated 2 to 2.5 million pounds ($2.8 to $3.5 million) according to Smith, the Folio is not up for sale and will be on public display at Mount Stuart until October. It was found in the home's library, which houses a collection of artworks and artefacts acquired by the Stuart family over the centuries. "The collection's managers were in touch to say they thought they had a Shakespeare First Folio, and I must say I thought right, yeah, sure you do. But on much closer inspection they turned out to be right," said Smith. Inside the first page is an inscription from an 18th century editor of Shakespeare called Isaac Reed, describing how he acquired the book in 1786. The Folio also includes annotations by Reed that suggest he used it as a working document. It was authenticated by a variety of methods, including painstaking, word-by-word checks to make sure the well-documented quirks and idiosyncracies of the genuine 1623 First Folio were present. Britain has been holding commemorations this year to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death on April 23, 1616. (Writing and additional reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary and Estelle Shirbon; editing by Stephen Addison) If you thought that your Facebook Messenger chats would be free from monetization, think again. It looks like Facebook has begun to roll out an interesting new way to make money off of its wildly popular mobile chat application. While the new strategy doesn't appear to be anywhere near as annoying as some of the advertising and sponsorship schemes we've seen in rival chat apps, feelings will undoubtedly be mixed if and when this new feature begins rolling out to users en masse. DON'T MISS: 15 paid iPhone apps on sale for free for a limited time As noted by Business Insider, some Facebook Messenger users have reported seeing a new section start to pop up in the app. When a user taps in the search bar to "search for people and groups," a special new section labeled "Suggested Businesses" appears. According to the report, there are 20 companies listed in a new scrollable carousel. With this section, Facebook displays companies that users can chat with, though not all of the listed companies have set up their chat services yet since this feature is still so new. For the time being, the list populates before a search is even performed and the listed companies have nothing to do with the actual search. It seems fairly likely that companies will be able to pay to be featured in this section. Here's what it looks like: facebook_suggestions Facebook has been known to test new features with small groups of account holders before making them available more widely, and it's not clear when this new section will start rolling out to more Messenger users. Related stories How to access the secret Facebook inbox full of messages you didn't know you received Facebook's Safety Check feature fails after deadly bombing in Pakistan Facebook swears it's not racially profiling you... except it kind of is More from BGR: Yup, the critics nailed it: Batman v Superman passes $700M at the box office This article was originally published on BGR.com Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli military court on Thursday ordered a soldier filmed shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant to remain confined to his base for a further week, his lawyer told AFP. Defence counsel Binyamin Malcha said the 19-year-old sergeant would appear for another remand hearing on April 14. The soldier, whose name is barred from publication by court order, was arrested by military police after he shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the head on March 24 while he posed no apparent threat. Sharif, 21, was shot as he lay on the ground wounded from earlier gunshot wounds by other soldiers. According to the army, Sharif and another Palestinian stabbed and moderately wounded a soldier minutes earlier. An autopsy on Sunday showed that the shot to the head was the fatal one. Video of the incident in Hebron in the occupied West Bank spread widely online and rights groups labelled it a summary execution. It has led to major controversy in Israel and sparked political tensions, with far-right supporters and politicians calling for the soldier's release. Top military brass, including chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, have strongly condemned the soldier's behaviour. The case has threatened to exacerbate Israeli-Palestinian tensions amid a wave of violence that began in October. Violence since October has left 200 Palestinians and 28 Israelis dead. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. But Israeli forces have also been accused of using excessive force in some cases, charges which they have firmly denied. The soldier, who holds both Israeli and French nationality, was initially detained in a military prison but an army judge last Friday ordered him transferred to his base. He has freedom of movement within the base's perimeters but may not talk to other soldiers who are witnesses to the incident. He has not so far been charged, but prosecutors say he is likely to face a manslaughter indictment. Story continues The defence argues that he shot the man in the belief that he still posed a threat, including the possibility that he was wearing explosives. But Sharif had reportedly already been checked for a suicide belt before the soldier shot him. Prosecutors say the soldier mentioned nothing about the possibility of explosives when he was questioned immediately after the shooting, though his lawyers say he was in shock at the time. The soldier serves with the Kfir infantry brigade, which the Israel military website says was formed last year to specialise in anti-terror operations and urban combat. Even before Ted Cruz thrashed Donald Trump in Wisconsin, there was incessant buzz in political circles about the possibility of a contested convention in Cleveland. Since Wisconsin, the buzz has ramped up substantially, consuming hundreds of hours of bloviation on cable news networks. Ive been gratified to see that, after months of effort by me and others, the term brokered convention has largely been dropped. There will be no brokers in Cleveland capable of delivering the nomination. Now, at last, some of our best analysts are weighing in with plausible scenarios, including Francis Wilkinson and Josh Putnam. Here are my own scenarios for what might happen next: Trump gets 1,237 delegates by June 8. The last contests are on June 7, and no one will be able to garner a majority before then. Only Trump has a plausible path to accomplish that goal when the last results roll in. It will be difficult for him, but far from impossible. If the experience in the GOP so far holdsnamely that every time Trump stumbles through his own gaffes or bonehead moves, or by a defeat in a state, and a slew of pundits proclaim his candidacy over, his voters stick with himhe might sweep New York and win a succession of victories in the rest of April, getting close enough that he looks like the winner. And that could mean more voters gravitate to him as the biggest prize in California looms. If that happens, expect many of those lawmakers and party nabobs who are trashing him now to find gold amidst the Trump dross and slag, virtues where they now find only vices and thuggery. But a lot of others will be appalled and angered, and try to figure out how to distance themselves from him or at least find a way to preserve majorities in the House and Senate. Recommended: The Obama Doctrine Trump falls short of 1,237 in June, but gets to the majority before the convention in July. There is a strong enough norm that the winner of the popular vote and the leader in delegates should be the nominee that a clear Trump lead after the primaries and caucuses endsay, over 1,100 delegates, to Cruzs 900 or lesswill bring a strong push at the grass roots to accept his victory and avoid the contested convention in Cleveland and the bloody mess that would accompany it. Indeed, 56 percent of Republicans in the Wisconsin exit pollthe state where Trump was thumpedsaid the leader in delegates should get the nomination. So the hostility of the party establishment aside, it is entirely possible that enough unpledged delegates or delegates pledged to others but released by defunct candidates would go to Trump to validate the norm that the popular leader should prevail. Which wont reduce the numbers of those appalled and angry. Story continues Trump falls short and Cruz trailsbut Cruz wins on the second ballot. This is a scenario raised by Josh Putnam, a political scientist whose website on delegate selection rules, Frontloading.blogspot.com, is the go-to site for the arcane but important subject. The actual selection of delegates on the Republican side is detached from the primary and caucus results (Democrats, by the way, are different.) And Cruz has been far more clever, organized, and adept than Trump at figuring out how the process works, and getting delegates who will lean toward or be loyal to him. Since delegates are pledged only on the first ballot, and in many states, Trumps pledged delegates will not be Trump people, it could well be that enough gravitate to Cruz to give him an early victory. And in this case, Cruz would be abetted by the establishment figures like Lindsey Graham and Jeb Bush who would rather go down with a genuine conservative than get saddled with Trumps erratic positions, ignorance about fundamental public policy, and isolationist and protectionist bent. The genuine Trump supporters would no doubt go ballisticand that could make the convention floor itself a battle zonebut it is a plausible scenario. Recommended: Why the Vatican Invited Bernie Sanders to Come Speak Trump and Cruz form an alliance against the chicanery and evil of an establishment bent on choosing someone else. So imagine that Trump ends up with 1,100 delegates in June, and Cruz follows with 900meaning the two of them have between them 2,000 of the 2,473 delegates, or 80 percent. And further imagine that in the convention rules committee meeting before Cleveland, party leaders stack the deck and propose a set of rules that allow other candidates to be put in nomination and that make it more difficult for either of the leading candidates to win the nomination, so that they can pave the way for Paul Ryan or John Kasich or another figure more palatable to the congressional, state, and party leaders. Despite the growing poison between the two men, one can imagine them joining forces to stick it to an establishment they both despise, one that would be perfectly happy going to a candidate who did not run in a single primary or bloody himself on any of the battlefields. A Trump/Cruz alliance, including possible a Trump/Cruz ticket, would easily prevail. Sounds crazy, no? What has not been crazy this year? The establishment has enough muscle and support to choose an outsider who does not have the negatives that are evident for Trump and Cruz. This scenario, of course, has gotten a lot of buzz, enhanced by the heralded (and presidential) speech given recently by Speaker Paul Ryan, the reports that the billionaire baron Charles Koch has signaled his support for Ryan at the convention, a lot of talk by reporters like Mike Allen raising the scenario, and commentators like Karl Rove calling for a fresh face. Many in the Rove camp see the desirability of having someone on the presidential ballot, ideally as the Republican nominee, who would at least get the base out to the polls in numbers sufficient to elect Republicans to the House and Senate and keep their majorities. Privately, many Republican office holders who are appalled by Trump and despise Cruz would rather take chaos and worse at the convention triggered by such a move to get a nominee they find palatable. I find this scenario the least likely of the five; manipulating the convention delegates without brokers, and violating all the norms of popular rule to choose nominees (foolish though they may be) to bypass two candidates with 80 percent support among the delegates does not make sense. And the upheaval at the convention would probably make Chicago 1968 look like a picnic. Recommended: What Do Bill Clinton's Crime Act Comments Say About the Election? * * * Back in August, I wrote about why this time might be different, while most punditsincluding the ones who still dominate the cable airwaveswere saying that the GOP would coalesce around a familiar establishment figure. I wrote then, Somewhere near half the delegates will feel jilted, and Cleveland will rock. I dont know which of the five scenarios above will prevail, or if there is one I havent thought of or mentioned. I am pretty confident, though, that Cleveland will indeed rock. And roll. And roil. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Baghdad (AFP) - Human Rights Watch called Thursday for Iraq to allow aid to reach starving residents of the city of Fallujah, and for the Islamic State group to allow civilians to leave. "The people of Fallujah are besieged by the government, trapped by (IS), and are starving," HRW's deputy Middle East director, Joe Stork, said in a statement. "The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population." HRW cited Iraqi activists who are in contact with Fallujah residents as saying that people "were reduced to eating flat bread made with flour from ground date seeds and soups made from grass." Anti-government fighters took control of Fallujah, just 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, in early 2014 during unrest that broke out after security forces demolished a protest camp farther west, and it later became an IS stronghold. IS seized more territory in surrounding Anbar province after launching an offensive later that year, but pro-government forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists. Iraqi forces have largely cut off access to Fallujah, while IS is preventing residents from leaving the city. Tribesmen battled IS in Fallujah for several days in February in a sign that its grip was weakening, but the fighting ended after the jihadists detained dozens of residents. IS has also announced the execution of alleged "spies" in the city. By Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called on Iraqi forces besieging the Islamic State-held Falluja to allow aid to reach tens of thousands of residents facing acute shortages of food and medicine. The Iraqi army, police and Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias - backed by air strikes from a U.S.-led coalition - have maintained a near total siege on Falluja, located 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, since late last year. Desperate residents are making soup from grass and using flour from ground date seeds to make bread, New York-based HRW said in a report. Food, when available, costs up to 50 times the normal price. "The people of Falluja are besieged by the government, trapped by (Islamic State), and are starving," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director. "The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population." Falluja - a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists - was the first Iraqi city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014, six months before the group swept through large parts of northern and western Iraq and neighboring Syria. Tribal sheikhs from Anbar province, where Falluja is located, held a news conference in Amman on Thursday to press the Iraqi government to find a way to lift the siege and get aid to residents stranded inside. HRW also called on Islamic State to allow food and medicine into the city and to permit residents to leave. Iraqi and U.S. officials have said they are worried the insurgents would confiscate any aid sent to Falluja. Defense ministry spokesman Naseer Nuri accused Islamic State of using civilians to obstruct the advance of Iraqi forces. "The real siege is not by Iraqi forces," he said. "The Iraqi forces are liberating, they want to liberate the city's residents who have been held hostage by Daesh (Islamic State) for more than three years. Daesh is the one really besieging Falluja." Nuri said Iraqi forces had opened three corridors for civilians to flee but alleged that the militants had barred them from leaving. BLEAK PICTURE HRW, which has not had access to Falluja, said it relied largely on activists in Baghdad to communicate with residents directly or through people in contact with them. "The humanitarian picture in Falluja is bleak and getting bleaker," said Stork. "Greater international attention to the besieged towns and cities of the region is needed or the results for civilians could be calamitous." Since recapturing Ramadi - a further 50 km to the west - from Islamic State in December, Iraqi authorities have not made clear whether they will attempt to take Falluja soon or leave it contained while the bulk of their forces head north towards Mosul, the largest city under the militants' control. The humanitarian crisis has made recapturing Falluja from Islamic State a priority, Nuri said, but added that the timing was up to military leaders. In the past two weeks, Iraqi forces backed by coalition air strikes have retaken significant parts of Hit, an important town 50 km northwest of Ramadi, and three villages in the Makhmour area that is set to be a key staging ground for a future assault on Mosul. Shi'ite militias, which played a central role in offensives before Ramadi, have been largely sidelined in the predominantly Sunni provinces of Anbar and Nineveh, where Mosul is located, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions. But a spokesman for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the most powerful Iranian-backed militias, told Reuters on Wednesday the group was prepared to enter Falluja, which he said Islamic State was using to launch bomb attacks in Baghdad. "We must cut off the head of the snake - Falluja - if we want to preserve the security and stability of Baghdad," he said. (Addtional reporting by Saif Hameed in Baghdad and Mostafa Hashem in Cairo; Editing by Mark Heinrich) After years of a depressed legal job market -- in part because of the Great Recession between 2007 and 2009 -- hiring for law school summer associates is on the rise. About 95 percent of 2015 law firm summer associates received a job offer, according to a February report from the National Association for Law Placement, which surveyed 361 employers and 121 member law schools for the report. Almost 70 percent of employer responses were from firms with more than 250 lawyers, the report states. Summer intern classes are, overall, slightly smaller than they were before the recession, NALP says, but the average number of summer associates per firm in 2015 matched the average in 2007: 13. Also, law school enrollment has steadily decreased in the last few years, which could affect the number of students in the job market. [Consider how a law school's location can affect employment prospects.] It's common for law firms to hire law school graduates who worked as summer interns, career experts say, making summer associate positions critical for students who want a certain career path. Law school applicants who are interested in working at a firm should first think about what type of clients they want to work with, since that can vary greatly from place to place, experts say. The needs of a small, local law firm that represents individuals or small businesses will be very different from the needs of an "Am Law 100" firm -- one of the top 100 law firms as defined by The American Lawyer magazine -- or a global law firm, says Shauna Bryce, founder and principal of Bryce Legal Career Counsel. "The way the firms are organized are really different. And, therefore, what they look for in lawyers is really different," says Bryce, who graduated from Harvard Law School. The top firms "put a high value on law school pedigree and grades," she says. "You're either going to want to go to a top five law school, a top 10 law school, or if you go to your local law school, you're going to want to be in the top 5 percent of the students there to increase your chances of working at a large law firm." Story continues Large firms often represent large corporations, says John DeRosa, associate dean for career services and employer relations at Cornell University Law School. [Assess career goals before becoming a law student.] In terms of the grades needed to become a summer associate, "the higher the better," says Ann Chernicoff, assistant dean for career development at the University of California--Irvine School of Law. Prospective law students with an interest in specific firms should also find out which schools' graduates typically get employed with those companies, she says. "You want to look at which schools have the strongest placement relationships with the firms that you're the most interested in the areas you most want to be." Second-year law students usually get summer associate positions, but students start working on obtaining these internships in their first year, experts say. "Since those interviews are taking place in August before the second year begins, you really only have the first year and the first summer," to prepare rising second-year students for recruitment season, says DeRosa. The career services department at law schools are often instrumental in teaching students about what it's like to work at different firms, as well as preparing them for landing and getting through firm interviews. "We bring employers and alumni to our campus throughout the first year, particularly in the spring, to talk about specific areas of practice within large law firms. We give law firms the opportunity to come here and describe themselves to our students. They'll bring attorneys here with them who are available to answer questions," says DeRosa. For Edward Pudup, a 2015 graduate of the law school at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, personal initiative and his school's career services offerings helped him to get a summer associate position, which later turned into a full-time job, he says. [Consider practicum offerings when deciding on a law school.] "I had someone in career services look over my resume, look over cover letters," says Pudup. He aIso participated in a recorded mock interview to get a better sense of how he performed during interviews and discussed with career services which writing samples to use when applying for jobs, he says. When evaluating schools, prospective law school students should speak with current students and administrators about getting summer employment, experts say. Applicants can research and ask about a school's employment data, which is published online for schools accredited by the American Bar Association. But mine the data to differentiate between full-time and part-time employment results, and found about what types of jobs students have, says Bryce. It's important, she says, to know about employment statistics for jobs that require a law degree or bar passage. When speaking with students, Bryce says, applicants can ask: What was your experience at the law school? What was your experience as you transitioned from student to lawyer? Did the market value a law degree from your school? Did you find that your school had a strong alumni base that helps bring students up? They can also make another basic inquiry, says Chernicoff, from UC--Irvine. "Ask current students whether they like working with their career services office." Searching for a law school? Get our complete rankings of Best Law Schools. Delece Smith-Barrow is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering graduate schools. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dsmithbarrow@usnews.com. DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - As many as three people were wounded when rocket fire from an Islamic State-controlled area in northern Syria entered Turkish territory, striking the border town of Kilis on Thursday, security sources. The artillery hit a house in the town center, they said. Another police source said one person was wounded. Television footage showed residents wearing pajamas and covered in gray cement dust rushing outside. NATO member Turkey, which faces multiple security threats, is on heightened alert after four suicide bombings already this year, two of which have been blamed on Islamic State, which holds swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria. Kilis, which is home to large numbers of Syrian refugees, has suffered repeatedly from cross-border shelling. In March, two people, including a young child, were killed in cross-border artillery fire blamed on Islamic State in Syria. (Reporting by Seyhmus Cakan and Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Daren Butler) Warsaw (AFP) - The wife of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts on Thursday became the first breeder to withdraw horses from a famed Polish stud farm after two other Arabian purebreds she owned died there. Breeder Shirley Watts' withdrawal of the two pregnant mares worth nearly half a million euros follows the death of her other two horses on March 17 and April 3 and a political storm in February over a government-appointed director who admits he knows nothing about horses. The horses left the 200-year-old Janow Podlaski stud farm, used by an array of sheikhs and celebrities, in a truck bound for Britain earlier Thursday. The state-owned farm made headlines in February when Poland's conservative government unexpectedly replaced its director with an economist with no equine expertise. The move triggered outrage at home and abroad against the Law and Justice (PiS) government, which has made several other controversial reforms since coming to power in November after eight years in opposition. The horses that died, Preria and Amra, were worth 230,000 and 340,000 euros ($260,000 and $386,000) respectively. Her remaining two horses, Augusta and Pieta, are worth 40,000 and 400,000 euros. Local media reports say other breeders from Poland and abroad are thinking of following her lead and withdrawing horses. Insiders charge that the world-renowned stud farm, where a broodmare fetched a cool 1.4 million euros at auction last year, is the latest state enterprise to be threatened by the actions of the government. In addition to former farm director and internationally acclaimed breeder Marek Trela, the government also sacked the equally respected head of the Michalow state stud farm, Jerzy Bialobok. The move sparked street protests and petitions for the reinstatement of both men, who quickly received a flood of job offers from leading Gulf state breeders. Since taking office the PiS government has pushed through several pieces of controversial legislation that have notably strengthened controls over public media and paralysed the EU member's constitutional court. The changes to the country's top court have sparked a constitutional crisis and set Warsaw on a collision course with the European Union, which launched an unprecedented probe into the reforms that could trigger punitive measures. The Council of Europe rights body said last month that the reforms "would undermine democracy". BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's opposition Social Democrats (PSD) were a hair's breadth ahead of the Liberals in a poll published on Thursday, only six months after the party resigned from government after massive street protests. Romania is due to hold a local election in June and a parliamentary election in late 2016, having been governed by a technocrat government led by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos since the November upheaval. The survey conducted by polling institute INSCOP showed 38 percent of voters said they would support the PSD at the next election, up from 36.3 percent in November. The centrist Liberals would get 37.2 percent of the vote, down from 40.1 in November, according to the poll, which was commissioned by newspaper Adevarul and has an error margin of 3 percent. Last November, tens of thousands of protesters across the country demanded resignations from officials over a deadly fire in a Bucharest nightclub that killed 64. Anger at corruption among officials was already at boiling point. Whichever party gets into power would need to rein in spending. The European Commission has forecast that Romania's budget deficit will overshoot the mandatory 3 percent of GDP ceiling next year as a result of already enforced public sector wage hikes and planned further tax cuts. The polls showed that other parties likely to get the 5-percent threshold to enter parliament are ALDE, a PSD ally, and PMP led by former president Traian Basescu, as well as the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR. "This confirms our view of a neck-and-neck race," ING Bank said in a research note. "The PSD is likely to win the local election ... which would give it an important advantage in the general elections, especially in rural and small-town areas." "We reiterate that in terms of economic and external policies there are no major differences between the two major parties and fiscal consolidation is likely to be the theme for 2017 regardless of the election result." (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) KIEV (Reuters) - The wealth management arm of Rothschild Group set up a trust it handles for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in line with international standards for the treatment of assets of politicians in office, the company said on Thursday. Poroshenko has had to defend himself repeatedly against accusations he tried to evade tax after the "Panama Papers" data leak on Sunday showed he had placed his Roshen confectionary business assets in an offshore account. Rothschild said Poroshenko had appointed it as a trustee of a blind trust to hold his shares in Roshen. "The trust has been modeled on international standards for politicians requiring trusts to hold their assets while they are in office," it said in emailed comments. On Monday, Poroshenko's financial and legal team said the offshore company did not violate Ukrainian law. It was set up offshore as part of the process of establishing the Rothschild trust - needed to avoid a conflict of interest, they said. Nevertheless some Ukrainian lawmakers have said the scandal influenced Dutch voters' resounding rejection of a Ukraine-EU treaty in a referendum on closer political and economic ties. It could also further delay attempts by Poroshenko's faction to form a new coalition next week. Political deadlock and stalled reform efforts have derailed a critical $40 billion international bailout program and raised concerns among Ukraine's Western backers that leaders in Kiev lack the political will to enact the changes they promised in the wake of the 2013-14 Maidan street protests. (Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Brasilia (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff called Thursday for a "grand pact" to unify the country in the midst of a political crisis that could end with her impeachment. "Brazil has already overcome difficult moments by making pacts," she said in the capital Brasilia. Rousseff promised to back "absolutely necessary political reforms" provided she were allowed to stay in power. "That is the pact I'm looking for." "No agreement will work without the premise of respect for legality and democracy. The first premise must be the defense of the popular will demonstrated at elections," she said in the capital Brasilia. Although the president did not give any detail about what she was proposing, her comments appeared more conciliatory than in recent days, when she has repeatedly accused the opposition of mounting a coup attempt. But Everaldo Moraes, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia, said Rousseff was grasping at straws. "Rousseff feels her situation is worse every day. Impeachment is taking shape and it's natural that she tries to raise the tone, but I think the moment of pacts as a way to seek support has passed," he said. While there has been widespread discussion about holding new elections as a way to avoid the trauma of impeachment, "I think that is unlikely because pro-impeachment groups feel that this is their moment," he said. Meanwhile, in another potential blow for Rousseff, new testimony emerged that dirty money from a huge scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras made it into her 2014 reelection campaign. - Scandals mounting up - The rapporteur for a parliamentary commission on Wednesday found that Rousseff's impeachment case -- based on allegations that she illegally masked budgetary shortfalls in 2014 -- should go ahead. That initial finding will be followed by a vote in the full commission on Monday. A week later, on April 18, the lower house of Congress will vote. A two-thirds majority there would send Rousseff to face an impeachment trial in the Senate, where another two-thirds vote would force her to step down. Story continues Rousseff, who says her accounting tricks were common practice in previous governments and not an impeachable offense, is battling to assemble a coalition able to defeat the impeachment vote. While the battle rages in Congress, another probe is under way at the country's electoral court into allegations that Rousseff's campaign was funded with money stolen in the massive Petrobras embezzlement scheme. If the court finds Rousseff guilty on this, then her 2014 reelection victory would be annulled, meaning both she and her vice president, Michel Temer, would have to step down, followed by new elections. Prosecutors say that for years under the presidency of Rousseff's predecessor and ally Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a group of powerful companies and politicians conspired in a pay-to-play scheme where bribes were given to win inflated contracts. Bribes went to executives at Petrobras and other state companies, influential politicians and also allegedly to political campaigns, including those of Rousseff and her narrowly defeated rival in 2014 Aecio Neves. On Thursday, that scandal bubbled up again with the leaking of testimony from a former CEO who said his company had funneled bribe money into Rousseff's reelection coffers. Folha de Sao Paulo daily quoted what it said was testimony from Otavio Marques Azevedo, ex-CEO of Andrade Gutierrez, Brazil's second-largest construction company, who was arrested last June. Testifying as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors probing Petrobras corruption, Azevedo reportedly said that millions of dollars in legal donations to the 2014 Rousseff campaign were originally funded with money from bribes paid in connection to huge contracts handed to Andrade Gutierrez. Folha's report said that it was not clear whether the dirty money was paid into the accounts of Rousseff's reelection committee or to her ruling Workers' Party. The money originated in contracts won by Andrade Gutierrez at a Rio oil facility, a nuclear power station, and the huge Belo Monte hydroelectric dam complex, the report said. Folha quoted Rousseff lawyer Flavio Caetano responding that all donations had been given "legally and voluntarily to the 2014 campaign -- and in smaller amounts than those given to the opposing candidate." "It is unfortunate that the instrument of a plea bargain should be used, yet again, for political reasons via selective leaking," he said. Queen Elizabeth II in Malta in 1967 We love this floral ensemble that the Queen donned during a visit to Malta in the late 60s. How excellent is that hat! [Photo: Rex] As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare to embark on a tour of India and Bhutan, we look back over the most chic outfits worn by Kate, Princess Diana and the Queen while abroad on royal business. Of course, theres the usual array of shift dresses, structured coats and show-stopping evening gowns, but trips abroad also give the royals the chance to step out of their comfort zones and wear garments appropriate to the country theyre visiting. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Thursday that the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not being discussed at the moment, RIA news agency reported. "No one is talking about any personalities now," Gatilov said. "This is why this question about the future - who will be the president and how it will all look like - is first of all an issue (expected) as a result from intra-Syrian negotiations." (Reporting by Alexander Winning and Dmitry Solovyov) By Denis Dyomkin and Christian Lowe YEREVAN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia staked out its claim on Thursday to be the lead player in brokering a settlement to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a role it hopes will enhance its clout in a region where it competes for influence with Washington. Dozens of people were killed this week in four days of shelling and rocket strikes between Azerbaijan's military and Armenian-backed separatists over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, prompting fears of an all-out war. A ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday at a behind-the-scenes meeting in Moscow between representatives of the warring sides. On a visit to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized Moscow's special role as mediator. "Beyond all doubt, we are interested - maybe more than the other foreign partners of these two countries - in this conflict being settled as soon as possible," Lavrov said after meeting his Azeri counterpart. Lavrov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken to the Armenian and Azeri leaders to urge an end to the violence, and that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was in Armenia and planned to visit Azerbaijan on Friday. Medvedev, after meeting his Armenian counterpart, said Russia was ready to continue to use its influence to mediate and there was no alternative to the dispute resolution mechanism. "The main thing is to avoid the conflict entering a hot phase because that could have the most tragic consequences for the region," Medvedev told reporters. The situation was a source of serious concern for Moscow, he said, adding that he hoped the ceasefire would be respected and nobody else would be killed or more infrastructure destroyed. If the truce held, he hoped talks to find a lasting solution to the dispute could be resumed. Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous enclave within Azerbaijan's borders, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians who reject Azerbaijan's rule. With support from Armenia they fought a war in the early 1990s to establish de facto control over the territory. The fighting this week was the most intense since a 1994 ceasefire that stopped the conflict but did not resolve the underlying dispute. On Thursday, each side alleged the other had violated the Moscow-brokered truce in skirmishes overnight. Each said one of their servicemen was killed. Those incidents aside, the ceasefire was broadly holding. A Reuters reporter in Nagorno-Karabakh's Martuni district, near the front line with Azerbaijan's forces, said there was no sign of fighting on Thursday. RESTORING INFLUENCE Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States and Europe have been cultivating ties in the South Caucasus region, which includes Azerbaijan, Armenia and their common neighbor Georgia. Western powers see the region as a strategically-important corridor through which Caspian Sea oil and gas can be exported to world markets. The route bypasses Russia, so reducing Moscow's stranglehold on energy exports from the former Soviet Union. Russia, the former imperial master, has seen its influence decline. In the Minsk Group, the body set up in 1994 to mediate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russia had equal status alongside the United States and France. According to Matthew Bryza, a former U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan and co-chair of the Minsk Group, Putin saw this week's outbreak of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh as an opportunity to re-assert Moscow's sway. Putin has already established a pattern of trying to restore Russia's clout beyond its borders, notably in Ukraine with his support for pro-Russian separatists and in Syria with a military campaign to help President Bashar al-Assad. Since the latest flare-up over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia has acted separately from the rest of the Minsk Group, Bryza told Reuters. "Russias goal in its lone mediation mission appears to be twofold: firstly, to repair its international reputation in relation to its debacle in Ukraine, and secondly to strengthen the impression in Armenia and Azerbaijan that Russia calls the shots in the South Caucasus," he said. The fact that the U.S. administration is so absent and timid in its response has the impact of ceding the strategic field in the South Caucasus to Russia. This can have profound and dangerous consequences in Syria, Ukraine, and far beyond." (Additional reporting by Nailia Bagirova in AZERBAIJAN, Hasmik Mkrtchyan in YEREVAN, and Dmitry Solovyov in MOSCOW; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Andrew Roche) By Se Young Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd flagged a 10 percent jump in quarterly profit on Thursday - a sign of robust early sales for its new Galaxy S7 smartphones although doubts abound whether momentum can be maintained in the face of new rival offerings. The South Korean tech giant's estimate for first-quarter operating profit handily beat market forecasts and has boosted hopes that its struggling mobile business will post its first annual profit gain in three years, also benefiting from an improved performance for mid-to-low tier devices and cost-cutting efforts. Samsung said January-March operating profit was likely 6.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion), well above the 5.6 trillion won profit tipped by a Thomson Reuters StarMine SmartEstimate derived from a survey of 23 analysts. The firm will not disclose a full breakdown of its results until late April, and gave no comment on the performance of its business divisions. More than a dozen brokerages had lifted forecasts for Samsung earnings since late March encouraged by reports of better-than-expected sales of its Galaxy S7 models, which boast an improved camera, waterproofing and microSD storage support. Samsung's mobile business was probably the top earner for the first time in seven quarters, analysts say. A decline in the value of the South Korean won is also expected to help lift the firm's first-quarter bottom line. But even so, competition from new products such as Apple Inc's recently launched iPhone SE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's [HWT.UL] upcoming flagship P9 phone are tempering investor enthusiasm. "First quarter earnings will be the peak this year," said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh, adding that marketing costs for the mobile business will rise in the next quarter, pushing profits lower. Investor caution stems from last year's launch of Galaxy S6 phones, which boasted major design changes and features and were widely praised. Initially expected to be Samsung's best-selling phones ever, sales fizzled following the launch. "S7 sales popped in the beginning but could very well fade as rivals launch new models," said Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo. "We have learned from the past." Other analysts said Samsung's decision to launch the Galaxy S7 models a month earlier than their predecessors may have simply have brought forward sales that would have been made in later quarters. Samsung's shares gave up early gains to be down 1.6 percent in midday trade, compared with a 0.2 percent fall for the broader market (Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs) By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - French drugmaker Sanofi has poached one of AstraZeneca's top scientists to be its new research head in another high-profile departure for the British drugmaker. Sanofi said on Tuesday that Yong-Jun Liu had been appointed as head of research with effect from April 1, reporting to Elias Zerhouni, the group's president of global research and development. Liu, a specialist in immunology with more than 250 published articles in leading academic journals, currently heads up research at AstraZeneca's MedImmune biotechnology division, a position he has held since 2014. Zerhouni said his appointment would help the transformation of Sanofi from a pharmaceutical into a biopharmaceutical company, with a strong research presence in cutting-edge biotechnology. Prior to that he led program at Baylor Research Institute and the MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he was founding director of the Cancer Immunology Research Institute. His decision to leave AstraZeneca follows the exit last June of Briggs Morrison, the company's former chief medical officer and head of late-stage drug development, and respiratory and inflammatory medicines head James Ward-Lilley. An AstraZeneca spokesman declined to comment on his move. AstraZeneca is going through a transition as older drugs lose patent protection and it invests heavily in new medicines, especially in the field of cancer immunotherapy. It has a promising pipeline of experimental drugs but has also suffered some recent setbacks, including last week's failure of its marketed heart drug Brilinta as a treatment for stroke patients and earlier disappointing results with a drug to treat lung and abdominal cancer mesothelioma. Sanofi, meanwhile, is seeking to rejuvenate its early-stage pipeline and Zerhouni said Liu's experience in immunology, oncology and translational medicine would be "vital assets" for this task. "He fits perfectly for us at this time," Zerhouni said in a telephone interview. "We have the luxury of a full late-stage pipeline and therefore we can step back and invest for the long term." Oncology is a particular priority. Sanofi may have missed the first wave of immunotherapy drugs that help fight tumors by removing brakes on the immune system, but Zerhouni hopes to "leapfrog" forward by focusing on new approaches and testing multiple cancer drug combinations. "Immuno-oncology is just at the beginning of its development," he said. "Frankly, I think it won't be enough to just remove a checkpoint inhibitor because it is also important to activate the immune system." (Editing by Jason Neely and Susan Thomas) Cairo (AFP) - Saudi King Salman on Thursday started a five-day visit to Cairo in a show of support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with the leaders due to sign a raft of investment deals. Saudi Arabia has been the key backer of Sisi since the then-army chief in 2013 overthrew his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood movement was viewed with suspicion by Riyadh. It has pumped billions of dollars in aid and investment into Egypt's battered economy, and the two heads of state are expected to ink more investment agreements on Friday amounting to about $1.7 billion. Live footage on state television showed Sisi greeting the 80-year-old Salman at Cairo airport, before heading off in a convoy to the presidential palace. The two met after Salman's arrival and were due to meet again on Friday, when they will sign 14 agreements that include a $1.5 billion deal to invest in the Sinai Peninsula, the presidency and an Egyptian government official said. Salman is expected to address the Egyptian parliament on Sunday, state media reported. Egyptian media gave full coverage of the visit, with state television welcoming Salman to his "second country" and playing celebratory music as his plane touched down in Cairo. "This is the first official visit by King Salman, whose valuable and honourable positions in support of Egypt and its people will never be forgotten," the presidency said in a statement before Salman's arrival. After he met Sisi, the presidency said the leaders sought "a qualitative transformation in the brotherly and historical bonds that tie the two nations". The visit follows months of reports in both Saudi and Egyptian newspapers of strained ties over Cairo's unwillingness to participate fully in the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen. Egypt had announced it would back Saudi Arabia with ground troops if needed, but appears to have balked at the prospect of becoming mired in the conflict. Story continues Sisi's close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who militarily backs Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Saudi-supported rebels, has reportedly also caused friction with Riyadh. However, Saudi Arabia has played a key role in propping up Egypt's economy, whose vital tourism industry has been devastated by years of political turmoil and jihadist attacks. For Saudi Arabia, which is in competition with regional rival Iran, keeping Egypt under its aegis is crucial. By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers from Sweden are seeking crowdfunding to test a type of "chemical castration" in men who report having paedophilic thoughts and fantasies. The team from Sweden's Karolinska Institute want to see whether a drug called degarelix - a hormone therapy that blocks brain signals which stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone - reduces the men's sexual urges. Experts estimate that up to 5 percent of the general population has paedophilia, a disorder marked by persistent sexual attraction to pre- or early-pubescent children. While not all people with paedophilia molest children, child sexual abuse is a widespread problem with around 1 in 10 girls and 1 in 20 boys suffering abuse, according to Christoffer Rahm, a Swedish consultant psychiatrist leading the planned trial. Experts say testosterone is key to at least three risk factors for abusing children sexually high sexual arousal, disturbed self-regulation and low empathy - so lowering testosterone could reduce the risk of men with paedophilic traits molesting children. Rahm said "a substantial number of patients with paedophilic disorder actually want help", but don't know how or where to get it. A key problem, he added, is that there are no evidence-based preventive treatments and no reliable risk assessment tools. "There is an urgent need for more research to be done," he told reporters at a briefing in London. Rahm said the majority of research into paedophilia has tended to be reactive - beginning "when the harm has already been done" and focussing on stopping perpetrators committing more acts of abuse. "I want to shift the focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place," he said. Degarelix is a rapidly acting injectable drug that can reduce testosterone to undetectable levels within three days. Researchers hope it may have measurable risk-reducing effects within two weeks, which could last for up to three months. Rahm's team is working with the UK-based science crowdfunding platform Walacea and asking the public for a total of 38,000 pounds ($53,500) to conduct the research. If the funding goal is met, the study will run from 2016 to 2018. It will include around 60 men and will be a double-blind randomised study - meaning participants will be randomly given either the drug or a placebo, and neither they nor the researchers will know at the time whether they are getting the real or the placebo injection. (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By Kate and Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers from Sweden are seeking crowdfunding to test a type of "chemical castration" in men who report having paedophilic thoughts and fantasies. The team from Sweden's Karolinska Institute want to see whether a drug called degarelix - a hormone therapy that blocks brain signals which stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone - reduces the men's sexual urges. Experts estimate that up to 5 percent of the general population has paedophilia, a disorder marked by persistent sexual attraction to pre- or early-pubescent children. While not all people with paedophilia molest children, child sexual abuse is a widespread problem with around 1 in 10 girls and 1 in 20 boys suffering abuse, according to Christoffer Rahm, a Swedish consultant psychiatrist leading the planned trial. Experts say testosterone is key to at least three risk factors for abusing children sexually high sexual arousal, disturbed self-regulation and low empathy - so lowering testosterone could reduce the risk of men with paedophilic traits molesting children. Rahm said "a substantial number of patients with paedophilic disorder actually want help", but don't know how or where to get it. A key problem, he added, is that there are no evidence-based preventive treatments and no reliable risk assessment tools. "There is an urgent need for more research to be done," he told reporters at a briefing in London. Rahm said the majority of research into paedophilia has tended to be reactive - beginning "when the harm has already been done" and focussing on stopping perpetrators committing more acts of abuse. "I want to shift the focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place," he said. Degarelix is a rapidly acting injectable drug that can reduce testosterone to undetectable levels within three days. Researchers hope it may have measurable risk-reducing effects within two weeks, which could last for up to three months. Rahm's team is working with the UK-based science crowdfunding platform Walacea and asking the public for a total of 38,000 pounds ($53,500) to conduct the research. If the funding goal is met, the study will run from 2016 to 2018. It will include around 60 men and will be a double-blind randomised study - meaning participants will be randomly given either the drug or a placebo, and neither they nor the researchers will know at the time whether they are getting the real or the placebo injection. (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By Kate Kelland LONDON - Researchers from Sweden are seeking crowdfunding to test a type of "chemical castration" in men who report having paedophilic thoughts and fantasies. The team from Sweden's Karolinska Institute want to see whether a drug called degarelix - a hormone therapy that blocks brain signals which stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone - reduces the men's sexual urges. Experts estimate that up to 5 percent of the general population has paedophilia, a disorder marked by persistent sexual attraction to pre- or early-pubescent children. While not all people with paedophilia molest children, child sexual abuse is a widespread problem with around 1 in 10 girls and 1 in 20 boys suffering abuse, according to Christoffer Rahm, a Swedish consultant psychiatrist leading the planned trial. Experts say testosterone is key to at least three risk factors for abusing children sexually high sexual arousal, disturbed self-regulation and low empathy - so lowering testosterone could reduce the risk of men with paedophilic traits molesting children. Rahm said "a substantial number of patients with paedophilic disorder actually want help", but don't know how or where to get it. A key problem, he added, is that there are no evidence-based preventive treatments and no reliable risk assessment tools. "There is an urgent need for more research to be done," he told reporters at a briefing in London. Rahm said the majority of research into paedophilia has tended to be reactive - beginning "when the harm has already been done" and focussing on stopping perpetrators committing more acts of abuse. "I want to shift the focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place," he said. Degarelix is a rapidly acting injectable drug that can reduce testosterone to undetectable levels within three days. Researchers hope it may have measurable risk-reducing effects within two weeks, which could last for up to three months. Rahm's team is working with the UK-based science crowdfunding platform Walacea and asking the public for a total of 38,000 pounds ($53,500) to conduct the research. If the funding goal is met, the study will run from 2016 to 2018. It will include around 60 men and will be a double-blind randomized study - meaning participants will be randomly given either the drug or a placebo, and neither they nor the researchers will know at the time whether they are getting the real or the placebo injection. (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE (Reuters) - An extraordinary "heat storm" could push temperatures as high as the mid-80s Farenheit (about 30 Celsius) in Seattle and parts of the U.S. Pacific Northwest on Thursday, offering respite from April showers and an early taste of summer. The heat comes on the heels of what the National Weather Service has called the wettest winter in the city's recorded history. The average daily temperature for this time of year in the region is mid-to-upper 50s F (13-15 C), accompanied by gray drizzles. "I am looking for my shorts," University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass said, dubbing the 24-hour burst of record-highs a "heat storm". In Seattle, hordes of office workers on lunch break lingered outdoors as Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, could be seen from downtown buildings standing out against a blue sky. It has been 40 years since temperatures hit 85 F (29 C) in Seattle in April, the National Weather Service said. The unseasonable warmth is part of a center of warm air shifting north across portions of the western United States, the National Weather Service said. In Oregon, temperatures were also forecast for the 80s F from the coast to the mountains, and were expected to hit 84 F (29 C) in Portland. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; editing by Sara Catania and David Gregorio) By Richard Satran NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will review the leaked "Panama Papers" exposing holders of thousands of hidden bank accounts for possible violations of anti-bribery law, said the head of the agency's unit that fights foreign corruption. "Yes, we will be looking at it, as we do all public sources" that flag potential corruption-linked financial activity, said Kara Novaco Brockmeyer, chief of the SEC's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) unit in answer to a question at an industry conference on Wednesday. The conference was sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. The SEC official did not elaborate on what the agency was reviewing in the leaked documents of Panamanian law firm Mossak Fonseca. The firm specializes in setting up offshore companies, often used to shelter the finances of politicians and public figures around the world. Global scrutiny into offshore accounts detailed among the millions of leaked documents implicated scores of politicians and business figures internationally, though it has had limited fallout in the United States to date. HIDDEN MONEY: CORRUPTION RED FLAG Industry officials and regulators at the conference on anti-money laundering and financial crime said that laundered money is a red flag that points to a wide range of illegal practices, the most obvious being narcotics and terrorism network financing. It also plays a lesser-known but critical role in many cases of bribery and corruption involving public officials and corporations subject to SEC oversight under the FCPA. "There will be much for the SEC to review" in the massive leak of data on clients of the Panamanian law firm, said Ratan Narnolia, senior manager of Crowe Horwath's anti-money laundering compliance consulting practice. Mossak Fonseca has said it was the victim of a computer hack, and that it has consistently acted appropriately. The case already claimed one head of state, Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who stepped down after his wife's secret offshore holdings were disclosed. WHAT SEC WILL LOOK FOR IN PANAMA PAPERS "The first thing the SEC will probably be doing is looking at names of U.S. corporations of individuals in the files. They need to cover their own risk," Narnolia said. "They can't go after everything. There are many countries looking and they will have their own investigations. The SEC needs to set a demarcation so they can focus on the top priorityany involvement of U.S. organizations or U.S. citizens." The agency will also likely decide which cases to pursue based on the amount of money that has been hidden in accounts, since its main concern is publicly traded international companies involved in corruption. The SEC also polices a large number of multinationals with U.S. operations, though it will likely stand aside to let country investigators take the lead with companies domiciled outside the U.S., anti-money laundering compliance experts said. (Reporting by Richard Satran for Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence; Editing by Randall Mikkelsen and Andrew Hay) A Bangladeshi law student who posted against Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Nazimuddin Samad, a 26-year-old atheist who had taken part in protests against Islamist leaders, was attacked late on Wednesday near his university in Dhaka by unknown assailants carrying machetes. "They hacked his head with a machete. As he fell down, one of them shot him in the head with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot," deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Syed Nurul Islam told AFP. "It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility," Islam said, adding police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing. Police said the attackers followed Samad home from an evening class on Wednesday before they attacked him on a busy road near Dhaka's Jagannath University, where he was a law student, reportedly shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest). It was the sixth such killing in 15 months and sparked protests in Dhaka, where more than 1,000 students blocked a busy road to demand the attackers be brought to justice. "You just can't kill a man just because he is an atheist," one protester shouted. No one has yet been prosecuted for the murders of four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher hacked to death last year, although police have arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Rights group Amnesty International said Samad's killing was a "blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression", urging Bangladesh to take action to end the violence. Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladesh's largest online secular activist group, said Samad's name was on a list of 84 atheist campaigners that a hardline Islamist group had sent to the home ministry in 2013. Samad had joined nationwide protests that year against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the country's war of independence, and is the fifth person on the list to be killed. Story continues "He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism," said Sarker, head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association. - 'Climate of fear' - Samad had posted several comments on Facebook criticising radical Islam and mocking hardline Islamists. In one, he described religion as "the most barbaric invention", while another mocked a hardline Muslim cleric who was recently arrested for raping a young boy. Samad's childhood friend and fellow activist Gulam Rabbi Chowdhury said he had gone into hiding, although he did not know whether he had received any specific threats. "When I last met him in February, he told me that he deactivated his Facebook page for a few weeks and left Sylhet city to live in hiding in his village," Chowdhury said. Another friend, Kawsar Ahmed, said Samad had received anonymous calls on his phone and had been attacked last year, although he did not elaborate. A Facebook post last August hinted at fears of an attack. Responding to a friend's request that he continue to write -- even if it meant leaving the country for his safety -- Samad posted, "I'll first save my neck and then I'll invoke Allah's name". Secular groups have called for nationwide protests and rallies to demand more protection for publishers, bloggers and writers, some of whom have fled the country or gone into hiding. "The persistent failure of the Bangladeshi government and the international community to better protect threatened thinkers has created a climate of fear and direct threat to free thought in the country," PEN America said in a statement condemning the latest murder. Samad had only recently arrived in Dhaka from Sylhet to study law. Deputy police commissioner Islam said the attackers had likely been monitoring him prior to his arrival in Dhaka. Sylhet police chief Kamrul Ahsan told AFP Samad had not complained of any threats. Several foreigners have been murdered in recent months in Bangladesh, which has also suffered attacks on minority Sufi and Shiite Muslims. A long-running political crisis in the majority Sunni Muslim but officially secular country has radicalised opponents of the government and analysts say Islamist extremists pose a growing danger. A group of selfie loving surgeons in Mexico have been slammed after taking a snap with a baby that they had just delivered. The ill-advised snap is believed to have been taken in the delivery room at the general hospital of the city of Calpulalpan, in the central-east Mexican state of Tiaxcala. The controversial photo was uploaded by Facebook user Ramon Villegas, alongside the caption: How professional! Whilst one worries about their wife and new baby, hospital professionals are without ethics in the general hospital of Calpulalpan. In the photo, three men in blue scrubs and face-masks are seen looking at the camera as one of them holds the tiny infant over the shoulder of the doctor in the middle. Ramon even asked for Facebook users to share the photo, in the hope that the doctors involved are identified and punished. He wrote: Share so that everybody knows what kind of people work there, hopefully the directors will see it and they will be dismissed. Its not known how Villegas is connected to the hospital, or indeed the baby. But while it has attracted furore, others have supported the surgeons - and say that they are just celebrating new life. J.d. Paredes wrote: I do not see the problem, the doctors are proud to have brought a life into the world and they want to celebrate it. The media writes that they hold it up like a trophy, as if they are trying to further degrade an insignificant act. If you think its of bad taste thats fair enough, but all babies are ugly when they are born. I think this is the year that everybody is offended by everything. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the Republican party's senior foreign policy voices, said on Thursday he would likely support the sale of advanced military equipment including Boeing F-18 fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait, despite Israel's concerns. Israel's government worries that equipment sent to Gulf states could fall into the wrong hands and eventually be used against the Jewish state. "The Israeli argument is that you've seen regimes in the neighborhood change pretty quickly. Be careful of introducing new weapons into the region," Graham told reporters following a trip to the region, citing the situation in Iraq. However, he said he thought it was important for such sales to go ahead despite those concerns, given instability in the region and threats including Islamic State militants. "I say to my Israeli friends, 'We need partners. Partners without capability are paper partners.' ... So I'll probably be in the camp of pushing the increased capability of Gulf Arab states, understanding Israeli's concern," Graham said. He acknowledged that there was strong opposition in Congress toward arming some Gulf Arab states. "I don't know how the votes go right now," Graham said. Graham is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees foreign aid. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by David Gregorio) By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator Lindsey Graham said on Thursday he would seek an emergency appropriation of "multiple billions" of dollars to help Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as they try to cope with the fallout from the war with Islamic State. Graham, who recently returned from a trip to the region, said the three countries are facing severe stresses as a result of the political and refugee crisis caused by the Syrian civil war and the overrun of parts of Syria and Iraq by Islamic State. "One thing I'm going to talk... about is an emergency appropriation that would help Egypt, Jordan and probably Lebanon to deal with the stresses they're facing," said Graham, chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee overseeing foreign aid. He said he also wanted money for Israel to help protect its borders, especially with Syria. Graham said he expected opposition from budget hawks, mostly his fellow Republicans. He said he expected Democratic support, although he acknowledged deep concern from some, including Senator Patrick Leahy, the party's leader on his subcommittee, about Egypt's human rights record. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted former President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against Mursi's rule. Sisi then launched a crackdown on dissent, drawing allegations from rights groups of abuse, which his government denies. Sisi initially gained the support of millions of Egyptians, who saw him as a decisive figure who could deliver stability. But that support has thinned as the public has grown frustrated with unemployment and high prices. Graham said Egypt is too crucial an ally, to both the United States and Israel, not to bolster Sisi's government militarily to fight terrorism, and economically, if he improves on human rights. A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Graham said he would ask the Pentagon to approve Egypt's requests for additional military equipment. "If al-Sisi did something that would be seen by me and others as a real serious move on the rights front, it makes it easier for a guy like me to help," he said. Longer term, Graham said he wanted a "Marshall Plan" for the region, similar to what Washington provided to Europe after World War Two. "We need to think broadly as a nation about some kind of Marshall Plan for front-line states that would allow Egypt to have access to low-interest loans, preferential trade agreements and bolstering their civil society," he said. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler) By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. senator on Thursday introduced legislation calling for airlines and aircraft manufacturers to disclose cyber security incidents to federal authorities, saying the aviation system lacks sufficient standards and oversight. The measure, introduced by Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, would also require the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal agencies to identify cyber vulnerabilities within the aviation system and establish standards for addressing them. The measure also calls for a study on potential vulnerabilities posed the use of consumer wireless devices aboard flights. Cyber security has emerged as a major issue for commercial airliners and other aircraft as the U.S. aviation system evolves to technology based on wireless and internet connectivity. The industry has stepped up efforts to forge a coordinated response. But companies are not required to report attempted or successful attacks in the United States. While introducing the measure, Markey said his own informal survey of airlines and aircraft manufacturers showed that no successful cyber attack against aircraft has been confirmed. But he said hacking attempts are common and efforts to thwart them can be inconsistent and poorly overseen. The senator presented his legislation as an amendment to an FAA bill that the Senate is expected to vote on later this month. The measure was quickly endorsed by the Association of Flight Attendants labor union. But it was not clear whether lawmakers would accept the measure as part of the FAA bill. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by David Gregorio) Belgrade (AFP) - Serbia's presidency on Thursday defended its decision to decorate Sudan's president and genocide suspect Omar al-Bashir, saying he was honoured for refusing to recognise Kosovo. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has come under fire for awarding the medal of the Republic of Serbia to Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and genocide. Nikolic's office confirmed to AFP in an email that the president had on Serbia's Statehood Day in February "decorated the presidents of all African countries that have not recognised Kosovo". Kosovo, a former southern province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008 in a move recognised by more than 100 countries but strongly disputed by Serbia and its ally Russia. The Coalition for the International Criminal Court, a global network of more than 2,500 civil society groups, wrote to Nikolic on Monday "to express dismay at the honour extended to an ICC fugitive". The letter, signed by the coalition's convener William Pace, pointed out that the ICC had indicted Bashir on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur in western Sudan. The conflict there killed some 300,000 people and forced about two million to flee their homes. "The award lends credibility to President al-Bashir as it praises his behaviour as leader while, at the same, this behaviour is precisely under consideration at the ICC. "It conveys a message of indifference and disregard for victims of alleged crimes and their families," the letter said, calling on Nikolic to reconsider the award. In an interview with Danas newspaper on Thursday, Nikolic's adviser Ivan Mrkic said the decision to decorate Bashir "could not have been avoided". "We cannot skip Sudan because some people cannot stand Bashir," he said. Some 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Darfur and 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, the United Nations says. The Sudanese president denies the ICC charges against him. Afghanistan is welcoming a new resident to Sesame Street with Zari, the first Afghan muppet. Zari is a 6-year-old girl who will be joining season five of Baghch-e-SimSim, the Afghan co-production of the show. The muppet will be featured in locally produced segments focusing on girls' empowerment, national identity, physical health and social and emotional wellbeing. The purple muppet's name means "shimmering" in the Dari and Pashto languages. "We are thrilled to continue our work with the Moby Group to bring Zari, our first Afghan girl Muppet and powerful role model, to the children of Afghanistan through Baghch-e-Simsim," said Sherrie Westin, Sesame Workshop's executive vice president of global impact and philanthropy. "Debuting a confident, inquisitive, and sweet Afghan girl character is a perfect opportunity to engage both boys and girls with lessons supporting girls' empowerment and diversity appreciation as we aim to help all children in Afghanistan grow smarter, stronger, and kinder," continued Westin in a statement. Read More: 'Sesame Street': TV Review The show will feature Zari speaking directly to viewers, interacting with children and interviewing Afghan professionals. Sesame Workshop released the following description for Zari's three segments: Zari Exercises - Starting with a stretch her mother taught her, Zari shows kids at home how important it is to stay healthy and active. You can play sports like volleyball and cricket, or even just play in the park with your friends! Zari Says "Salaam" - Zari explains the meaning of the greeting "asalaam alaikum" and encourages her friends to use it to show they are happy to see one another. Zari Interviews a Doctor - During her check-up, Zari talks to her pediatrician, Dr. Khadija, and learns what it takes to become a doctor - and what her own heart sounds like! Beirut (AFP) - The jihadist Islamic State group has faced major setbacks in Syria and Iraq over the past 15 months. The latest was its loss on Thursday of its main supply route to Turkey. Here are the key IS losses since January 2015 : - Syria's Kobane recaptured - After a series of victories, IS suffers its first serious setback on January 26, 2015 in Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town near the border with Turkey known in Arabic as Ain al-Arab. Kurdish forces backed by intense US-led air strikes capture the town after four months of fighting. In June, Syrian Kurds also capture Tal Abyad, another town near the border that controls a supply route to Raqa, the IS de facto capital in northern Syria. - Iraq retakes Saddam's hometown - Iraqi troops, police and Shiite-dominated paramilitary forces retake Tikrit, the hometown of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, on March 31, 2015. The operation, at that time the largest by Iraqi forces against IS, is aided by the fact that much of Tikrit's 200,000 residents had fled the city. - Kurds cut key IS corridor - On November 13, 2015, Iraqi Kurds backed by US-led coalition air strikes drive IS out of Sinjar, northwest of Baghdad, cutting one of the group's crucial supply lines between Iraq and Syria. IS had seized Sinjar in August 2014 and carried out a brutal campaign against its Yazidi minority that included massacres, enslavement and rapes. - Ramadi falls - Iraqi troops retake a key district of the Sunni Arab city of Ramadi on December 8. Two weeks later, the troops backed by coalition air strikes reach the city's centre. Ramadi is the capital of Anbar province, Iraq's largest which stretches from the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to just west of Baghdad. IS had seized Ramadi the previous May following an assault by dozens of suicide bombers driving explosives-rigged vehicles. - Mosul and Palmyra - On March 24, 2016 Iraqi forces oust jihadists from villages south of Mosul, IS's main hub in the country. Story continues The army says the operation was the first phase of an offensive to recapture Nineveh province and its capital Mosul. In Syria, regime forces backed by Russian warplanes and allied militia enter the IS-held ancient city of Palmyra retaking it a day later. Known as the "Pearl of the Desert", Palmyra was overrun by IS in May 2015, since when the jihadists blew up UNESCO-listed temples and looted ancient relics. - IS loses it main passage between Syria and Turkey - On April 7, 2016 Syrian rebels seize control of the IS's main supply route to Turkey, the northeast of Al-Rai, following two days of clashes. A new William Shakespeare First Folio, part of the original collection of 36 plays published in 1623, has been discovered on a Scottish island, the University of Oxford said Thursday. Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University, authenticated the First Folio as genuine, making it one of the most valuable books in the world. The discovery brings the total of First Folios known to survive to 234, and comes shortly before celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the English playwright's death, on April 23, 1616. The Folio was found at the Mount Stuart mansion on the island of Bute, where it will be on display to the public until October. The three-volume work formerly belonged to 18th-century literary editor Isaac Reed, according to Smith. "When the team at Mount Stuart first told me they thought they had a First Folio, I must admit I thought 'yeah, sure, and so do I!',' she said sardonically. "But when I went up to investigate, I could tell from the story of the book's origins, the watermarks and the idiosyncrasies of the text that it was genuine. It was a really exciting moment." The professor described the goatskin piece as "unusual, because it is bound in three volumes and has lots of spare blank pages which would have been used for illustrations." The book is part of the Bute Collection, one of Britain's most important private collections of artwork and artefacts that is kept at Mount Stuart. "In terms of literary discoveries, they do not come much bigger than a new First Folio, and we are really excited that this has happened on Bute," said Alice Martin from Mount Stuart. "But it is just the tip of the iceberg for the undiscovered material in the remarkable Bute Collection." The First Folio was printed seven years after Shakespeare's death, ensuring the survival of plays such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and The Tempest, which would otherwise have been lost. To mark the 400th anniversary, London auction house Christie's is to sell a First Folio bought in 1800 by renowned book collector Sir George Augustus Shuckburgh-Evelyn, which is expected to fetch more than 800,000 (1.1 million, 990,000 euros). London (AFP) - A new William Shakespeare First Folio, part of the original collection of 36 of his plays published in 1623, has been discovered on a Scottish island, the University of Oxford said Thursday. Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University, authenticated the First Folio as genuine, making it one of the most valuable books in the world. The discovery brings the total of First Folios known to survive to 234, and comes shortly before celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the English playwright's death, on April 23, 1616. The Folio was found at the Mount Stuart mansion on the island of Bute, where it will be on display to the public until October. The three-volume work formerly belonged to 18th-century literary editor Isaac Reed, according to Smith. "When the team at Mount Stuart first told me they thought they had a First Folio, I must admit I thought 'yeah, sure, and so do I!',' she said sardonically. "But when I went up to investigate, I could tell from the story of the book's origins, the watermarks and the idiosyncrasies of the text that it was genuine. It was a really exciting moment." The professor described the goatskin piece as "unusual, because it is bound in three volumes and has lots of spare blank pages which would have been used for illustrations." The book is part of the Bute Collection, one of Britain's most important private collections of artwork and artefacts that is kept at Mount Stuart. "In terms of literary discoveries, they do not come much bigger than a new First Folio, and we are really excited that this has happened on Bute," said Alice Martin from Mount Stuart. "But it is just the tip of the iceberg for the undiscovered material in the remarkable Bute Collection." The First Folio was printed seven years after Shakespeare's death, ensuring the survival of plays such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and The Tempest, which would otherwise have been lost. To mark the 400th anniversary, London auction house Christie's is to sell a First Folio bought in 1800 by renowned book collector Sir George Augustus Shuckburgh-Evelyn, which is expected to fetch more than 800,000 (1.1 million, 990,000 euros). OSLO (Reuters) - About 60 world leaders will attend an April 22 ceremony in New York opening the period for signatures on last year's Paris climate change agreement, though it remains unclear how many will actually sign the document that day. China and the United States have said they will ink the agreement on April 22 in a step to endorse the 195-nation deal mapping out a shift away from fossil fuels towards greener energies this century. After signing, the deal will require formal approval by at least 55 states representing 55 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions before it enters into force. China and the United States alone account for about 40 percent. "Over 130 countries have confirmed (attendance) and some 60 world leaders including President (Francois) Hollande of France," Christiana Figueres, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, told Reuters in an e-mail. She did not give other names. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to sign for the United States. Attending the ceremony does not mean that all will sign on April 22, the first day when the deal is open for formal signatures since it was negotiated in December. Some parliaments may not have given leaders formal permission to sign on the first day. "Not every country is perhaps ready or able to sign, but let's be patient and see," Figueres said. "The main aim here is to see pens on paper" - whether it was by a president, prime minister or other official.The Paris deal seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions to spur a shift towards cleaner energies to limit heat waves, droughts, desertification, mudslides and a rise in sea levels. (Reporting by Alister Doyle; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Erwin Seba and Jessica Resnick-Ault HOUSTON (Reuters) - A fire erupted at Exxon Mobil Corp's Baytown, Texas refinery on Thursday afternoon, sending a large plume of black smoke into the air that was visible for miles across Houston. Exxon said the fire was later extinguished, no workers were injured and output would not be hurt at the 560,500 barrel per day oil refinery, the second-largest in the United States. The company provided no information on the affected unit but said it would monitor air quality around the complex and the community. Television footage showed firefighters extinguishing the blaze on one of the plant's towers. People in the vicinity and the U.S. Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Service near the Houston Ship Channel had first reported smoke coming from the facility, which includes a chemical plant. Emergency management officials did not immediately comment. (Additional reporting by Kristen Hays and Liz Hampton; Editing by Terry Wade and David Gregorio) By Colleen Jenkins (Reuters) - South Carolina lawmakers have introduced a measure that would require transgender people to use public bathrooms matching their sex at birth, disregarding a growing outcry for a repeal of a similar provision enacted last month in North Carolina. Legislation such as the bill proposed in the Republican-controlled state Senate on Wednesday has fueled a national debate, with states entrenched on either side of the issue and major companies calling for a rollback on measures restricting transgender rights. The South Carolina measure would prohibit local governments from requiring private businesses to provide restroom access based on gender identity rather than birth gender. "Men should use the mens room, and women should use the womens room - thats just common sense, Republican Senator Lee Bright, a sponsor of the bill, told The State newspaper. North Carolina is getting so much flak over what is common sense. The South Carolina measure is narrower than North Carolina's law, which precludes local governments from adopting anti-discrimination ordinances with protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. But opponents warned the new proposal could spark the economic backlash seen this week in North Carolina, where PayPal Holdings Inc cited the discriminatory nature of the law in canceling a new operations center that was to employ 400 workers in Charlotte. More than 130 business leaders, including the chief executives of Bank of America, Herbalife and American Airlines, have signed a letter with the Human Rights Campaign calling for a repeal. "Government simply has no place in our bathrooms," said Jeff Ayers, executive director of South Carolina Equality, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group. PUSHBACK Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed two executive orders on Thursday aimed at safeguarding the rights of transgender people. One of them bans the state from discriminating against any employee or job applicant based on a host of criteria including "gender expression or identity." Story continues "This is the right thing to do. ... This is also the smart thing to do," Wolf said, citing PayPal's decision in North Carolina. Last year, the Democratic governor named a transgender woman as the state's physician general, a Cabinet-level post. More than a dozen states have considered bathroom provisions this year that would restrict access for transgender people, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures come amid a wave of legislation pushed by social conservatives after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last year. Mississippi's Republican governor on Tuesday signed a law allowing people with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and permitting employers to cite religion in determining workplace policies on dress code, grooming and bathroom and locker access. In response, a number of governors and mayors have banned non-essential government travel to Mississippi or North Carolina. Last week, the governors of Georgia and Virginia vetoed "religious liberty" bills, which critics said discriminated against same-sex couples. (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and Peter Cooney) By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's ruling conservative Saenuri Party is expected to regain its parliamentary majority in elections next week despite a sluggish economy and gridlock that made the last legislative term one of the least productive ever. A divided opposition, riven by infighting that led to a split in the main left-leaning party four months ago, has left many voters, especially younger ones facing record-high youth unemployment, disenchanted. Expected low turnout on April 13 is likely to work to the advantage of President Park Geun-hye's Saenuri Party, which holds half of the 292 seats in the National Assembly. Before recent defections, it held a majority with 157 seats. A strong showing by Saenuri would raise expectations that it will field the winning candidate in a December 2017 presidential election to find a successor to Park at the end of her single-term five-year term. Saenuri enjoys strong support among older voters and it has sought to cement that by emphasizing its tough position on North Korea following a spike in tension on the peninsula triggered by the North's fourth nuclear test in January and a space rocket launch a month later. The party has been doing well in opinion polls with 37 percent support, according to a Gallup Korea survey of 1,000 people released on April 1, compared with 21 percent for the main opposition Minjoo Party. South Korea's economy grew 2.6 percent last year and youth unemployment reached 12.5 percent in February, the highest since the government started keeping records in 1999, compared with single-digit joblessness in other age groups. [nL3N16N5UU] The opposition is seen as unlikely to mount a serious challenge at the ballot box if disillusioned voters stay away. "The Saenuri party has its solid support," said Bok Geum-hee of the non-partisan Powerhouse of Future Korea, which campaigns for young people to vote. "Moderate people might have come out to vote ... but they think the main opposition is no different from the Saenuri party." 'INEFFECTIVE' The country's youngest lawmaker, Kim Kwang-jin, 34, of the Minjoo party, acknowledged that the opposition had failed to put up a leader with a compelling message to win over young voters, in contrast to someone like U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. "A lot of young people in their 20s and 30s are behind him, supporting his ideas and ideology ... We need someone attractive," Kim told Reuters. Park has blamed both sides in parliament for hamstringing her push to boost growth, create jobs, and get on with structural reforms she says are needed to fix chronic problems in Asia's fourth largest economy. During its four years, the outgoing parliament has been the most ineffective and slowest in passing legislation, according to the Korea Economic Research Institute think-tank, spending an average of 517 days to pass a law. Just 40 percent of proposed bills were adopted, it said. Voter frustration could see turnout lower than the previous record low of 46 percent, analysts say. "Politicians can't lay out realistic or specific plans and people are disappointed with that and have decided not to vote," said Bae Hyun-joong, a 21-year old Seoul college student. Parliamentary elections are held every four years in South Korea. (Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel) By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudanese opposition leader Riek Machar said on Thursday he would return to the capital Juba on April 18 to form a transitional government with President Salva Kiir, more than two years after a feud between the two erupted into war. Kiir's spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny, said Machar's return was a significant steps towards the implementation of a peace deal signed in August to end the conflict that started in late 2013. Kiir sacked Machar as vice president in 2013, exacerbating a political dispute that escalated into fighting in December that year between soldiers taking sides, reopening ethnic rifts between Kiir's Dinka group and Machar's Nuer. Fighting was initially contained to Juba but Machar and his supporters left the capital. After that, violence spread across South Sudan, killing thousands and forcing more than 2.3 million people to flee their homes. Under pressure from the United States, the United Nations and other powers, the sides signed an initial peace deal in August and agreed to share out ministerial positions in January. The deal has broken down repeatedly. "I am therefore confirming the date of my arrival to be April 18 and thereafter form with President Kiir the Transitional Government of National Unity and hold the Transitional National Council of Ministers," Machar said in a letter to the head of the body monitoring the implementation of the peace deal. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan said in a statement on Wednesday that it had helped Machar's SPLM/A group transport 802 military and police officers to Juba, including two of its generals. His return will mark the real beginning of the implementation given that all this time partial implementation was not workable and the government is feeling relieved and the return of Dr Machar is applauded," Ateny told Reuters. Machar had said in February that a condition for his return to Juba and taking up his old position of vice president was the demilitarisation of the capital and that some of his soldiers be allowed to return with him. The conflict has hammered the economy of South Sudan, an oil exporter. Its currency has weakened, inflation has spiralled and oil revenues have dropped due to falling production and a plunge in world prices. (Reporting by Denis Dumo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Blanca Rodriguez MADRID (Reuters) - Talks among three Spanish opposition parties on Thursday made no progress towards forming a coalition government, a senior party official said, increasing the likelihood of a second general election in June. The opposition Socialists, market-friendly newcomer Ciudadanos and leftist upstart Podemos met for two-and-a-half hours in an attempt to end over three months of stalemate following an inconclusive Dec. 20 general election. Unless parties can form a government by May 2, parliament will be dissolved and fresh elections called. Polls show another election is likely to return a similarly fragmented vote. "I think we can conclude that the differences between Ciudadanos and Podemos are too great to lead to any agreement," said Jose Manuel Villegas, vice-general secretary of Ciudadanos, told a news conference following the meeting. The opposition Socialists, led by Pedro Sanchez, need the support of both Podemos and Ciudadanos to form a coalition. Sanchez was not present at the talks and nor was the Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera. Podemos and Ciudadanos emerged to answer Spaniards' call for a fresh approach to politics they tired of the center-right People's Party (PP) and the opposition Socialist PSOE, which have alternated in power since Spain emerged from dictatorship in the late 1970s. But the newcomers disagree on issues ranging from allowing the northeastern region of Catalonia to hold a referendum on independence to tax hikes and public spending increases. Harsh austerity measures implemented by the PP after the European debt crisis, coupled with a string of political corruption cases, have turned voters away from mainstream parties. The Socialists said late on Thursday they would continue to try to form a coalition. "We believe an agreement is still possible and we can still avoid an election," said Socialist spokesman Antonio Hernando. Podemos said it would make a statement on the talks on Friday. (Writing by Sonya Dowsett; editing by Andrew Roche) Madrid (AFP) - A Spanish far-left party filed a court complaint Thursday against acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for "crimes against humanity" over his support of a controversial EU accord to send refugees back to Turkey. Activists, rights groups and opposition parties in Spain have been hugely critical of the deal struck last month to try and rein in Europe's biggest migration crisis since World War II, joining a rising chorus of outrage on the continent. "Mr. Rajoy is making us accomplices of this atrocity," Alberto Garzon, head of Izquierda Unida (IU), told reporters. He said that refugees were fleeing from "terrorism" and "wars often directly provoked by Western countries... and by the Western military industry." "At the doors of Europe, they come across a lack of solidarity and asylum, and detention camps that clearly violate human rights, international law, and the principles and values on which the European Union should have been built," he added. Garzon's party on Thursday filed its complaint to the Supreme Court, accusing Rajoy and other European leaders of "having agreed with Turkish authorities to forcibly deport and transfer an unspecified number of people from EU territory." According to lawyers for IU, this represents a crime against humanity under the Spanish penal code. Hundreds of thousands of people -- many of them from conflict-ridden countries like Syria and Iraq -- have landed on Greece's shores over the past year after crossing over from Turkey in flimsy boats. Brussels sought to tackle the problem by signing an agreement with Ankara last month to send new arrivals back to Turkey, in exchange for resettling some of the millions of Syrians living in refugee camps on its soil. The deal has already contributed to a slowing of new arrivals, but it has been slammed by rights groups, the UN and even the pope, who used his Easter address to criticise the "rejection" of refugees. On Wednesday, Rajoy was heavily criticised when he addressed parliament on the issue -- Spain having welcomed just 18 refugees since the start of the crisis out of the 16,000 it promised to shelter under an EU relocation plan. Rajoy, who is Spain's acting leader while bickering parties try to agree on a new government following inconclusive December elections, recognised the process was "very slow." By Nick Brown SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - When Puerto Rico attempted to shore up its chronically underfunded public-employee pensions in 2013, Francisco del Castillo knew grown men and women who wept. Under the reform package, retirement ages rose. So did employee contributions. Current and future participants were transferred to less-generous defined-contribution accounts, similar to 401(k) retirement savings plans. Del Castillo, then the deputy chief of the islands largest government-employee pension system, said members of his own staff who were on the verge of retirement suddenly faced the prospect of working seven or eight more years for reduced benefits. The law extracted a pound of political flesh from those, like del Castillo, who helped craft it, he said. We wanted it to work. It didnt, largely because Governor Alejandro Garcia Padillas government hasnt held up its end of the bargain. To give the politically painful fixes time to take hold, the reforms required government employers to fund the pensions in the short term through annual lump-sum payments. The central government was supposed to have made $367.6 million in such payments since 2014; so far, it has forked over just $22.7 million. Governor Garcia Padilla's office declined to comment for this article. Failed fixes like the 2013 reforms help explain why Puerto Ricos public-employee pensions today are nearly broke a financial debacle decades in the making, and now deeply entangled with the islands $70 billion debt crisis. Since Puerto Rico gained self-rule in the late 1940s, improvident populist governments have lavished additional pension benefits on public employees, from holiday bonuses to loans for international travel. These measures have rarely been accompanied by moves to pay for them, and occasional efforts to fill the funding gap have fallen short. Puerto Rican leaders have been eternal optimists, always thinking things would eventually improve, said del Castillo, 40 years old and now legal counsel to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS), one of two main public-employee pensions on the island. But things continued to deteriorate, and deteriorate, and deteriorate. Today, TRS and the other main pension fund, the Employees Retirement System (ERS), together covering about 330,000 workers and retirees, are virtually penniless. Their combined unfunded liability totals $43.2 billion. With about $1.8 billion in assets to pay $45 billion in liabilities, the 96 percent combined shortfall is among the biggest of any U.S. state pension this century, and probably the biggest ever for pensions of this size and scale, said Keith Brainard, research director at the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. And theyre only sinking further. Their combined burn rate the difference between what they pay out and what they receive in contributions is more than $1 billion a year, forcing them to rapidly liquidate assets. At that rate, they are forecast to run out of money in 2019, according to a 2015 report by actuarial and consulting firm Milliman, on whose recommendations the government relies. TRS officials declined several interview requests. ERS Administrator Pedro Ortiz Cortes said pensions kind of fell off the radar after the 2013 reforms. The legislation was reasonable in theory, he said, though the ability to comply was not taken into consideration. SHIFTING THE BURDEN Absent a permanent fix, the responsibility to cover benefits will shift to the Puerto Rican government, creating a pay-as-you-go system funded mostly by taxpayers. At $1 billion a year, retirement benefits would cost the island around 11 percent of annual revenue, an unsustainable burden when combined with the 36 percent of revenue now going toward paying bondholders. The upshot is that an island of 3.5 million people, where nearly half the population lives below the poverty line and the economy has been contracting for most of the past decade, is at a crossroads where neither path forward is appealing. It can protect pensions, forcing hedge funds and other bondholders to accept draconian cuts under a debt restructuring a scenario that could wreck Puerto Ricos ability to borrow internationally for years. Or, it can lessen the burden for bondholders by cutting pensions as well, sparking domestic political backlash and fueling outmigration that would further shrink an already dwindling tax base. I would need to go to the U.S., sell my house and start looking for a job if pensions were cut, said Obdulia Lopez, 60, a retired social services worker from rural Juana Diaz who lives on a pension check of about $1,000 a month, after taxes. Puerto Rico cant fully control which path it takes. Governor Garcia Padillas administration on Feb. 1 unveiled a plan that would preserve pensions while reducing whats owed to bondholders. The Obama administration also promoted a plan to protect pensioners over investors, and Puerto Ricos top financial adviser, turnaround specialist Jim Millstein of Millstein & Co, in February said the island has taken pension reform as far as it can under current law. But creditors with lobbying power -- including hedge funds, mutual funds and bond insurers -- want the Puerto Rican government to do more to curb spending, on pensions and other things. One source in the creditor camp called it insane to propose that bondholders effectively take all the hit. Another said: Puerto Ricos people are really the ones being victimized. If I had a heart, it would be breaking for them. Majority Republicans in Congress are standing with bondholders. In a written response to questions from Reuters, Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said: Its pretty clear a pay-as-you-go Puerto Rico pension system is no more sustainable than Puerto Ricos debt. In March, a group of 170 House Republicans voiced opposition to a draft bill by the House Natural Resources Committee that would allow for debt restructuring. Garcia Padilla has warned that without a resolution of some sort, Puerto Rico stands to default on some of its $70 billion in debt as early as May, when $422 million comes due. The government payments into the pension funds under the 2013 law were designed to avoid the very conflict now playing out. Instead, they ended up as yet another example of how solutions can create new problems in the complexities of Puerto Ricos crisis. To reduce costs, Puerto Rico has cut its government payroll in recent years through layoffs and other measures that have led to declines in pension contributions. The payments from the governments general revenue fund were calculated in part to offset those declines, so skipping them means the islands payroll savings have only deepened the hole for retirees. Maria Carattini Alvarado, a 72-year-old former teacher who spends more than half of her monthly pension on medicines for a blood condition, supplements her income by making ribboned hats that she sells for $5 a pop. Id go live with my son in Texas if pensions were cut, Carattini said. In Puerto Rico, teachers, as well as police officers, are ineligible for Social Security, so pension payments are often all they have in retirement. Like many retired teachers, Carattini gets affordable healthcare and housing through programs set up by the Associacion de Maestros, one of Puerto Ricos teachers unions. But those benefits could disappear, too, if pensions collapsed, said union President Aida Diaz. If people cant afford their dues, we cant provide those services, said Diaz, herself a pensioner. Most pensions have a few decades to mature, building up assets in the early years before members retire. Puerto Ricos pensions carried big unfunded liabilities nearly from the outset, inheriting them from retirement systems in place before the island became a self-governed U.S. commonwealth in 1948. From there, longer life expectancies helped deepen the gap. So, too, did island leaders. Populist Luis Munoz Marin, Puerto Ricos first elected governor, in 1956 instituted cultural excursion loans for pensioners. Puerto Rico was in a stage of rapid social, economic and political development, the 1956 law said, and should aim to enable the largest possible number of Puerto Ricans to travel to foreign countries. Today, ERS and TRS participants can take out as much as $5,000 to travel if they can show that the trip will be culturally rewarding. The pensions also offer as much as $5,000 for personal loans and $100,000 for mortgage loans. Together, the two funds have more than $1 billion tied up in illiquid loan portfolios. 'CANDY TO CHILDREN' The largess continued under Luis Ferre, governor from 1968 to 1972, who increased benefits and instituted mandatory Christmas bonuses. Last December, creditors griped privately when Puerto Rico doled out about $120 million of the bonuses even as it missed some minor bond payments. Christmas and medication bonuses, ad hoc cost-of-living adjustments, death benefits and other perks were expanded periodically throughout the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. These now account for nearly $3 billion in liabilities, according to Millimans latest actuarial report, even after reductions under the 2013 reforms. Rafael Hernandez Colon, president of the Puerto Rico Senate during Ferres administration, said his party went along with the Christmas bonuses for political reasons to avoid being labeled obstructionist, but did not consider it good governance. We looked at it as giving candy to children, Hernandez Colon said in an interview at his foundation in Ponce, a city on Puerto Ricos southern coast. Yet when Hernandez Colon won the governors seat in 1972, his administration approved perhaps the most structurally damning benefit of all. Under a 1973 amendment to existing pension law, government employees who retired at 55, with 30 years of service, were entitled to lifetime annual payouts worth 75 percent of their salary. That percentage was based not on a workers career average salary, but on the average of his three highest salaries. So those who were promoted close to retirement, or for only a short time, could earn lifetime pensions disproportionate to contributions. People were making pensions that might not have reflected the average of what they were putting in over decades, said Marcos Rodriguez-Ema, a banker and former government official involved in pension reform efforts in the 1990s and 2000s. Familiar populist language peppered the 1973 legislation, vowing to stimulate the creative vitality of workers who had dedicated their lives to Puerto Rico, and cushion them against the uncertainty that comes with age. The amendment brushed off concern about future financial strain on the pensions, saying their investments were producing revenue twice what actuaries had approved, so the measures wont be burdensome. I feel that I was very sensitive to the pensioners and tried to comply with them in a responsible way, Hernandez Colon, now 79, told Reuters. Whether it was in fact responsible, youd have to analyze it. The benefit structure remained in place until reforms in 1990 - during Hernandez Colon's second stint as governor - reduced benefits for future workers. Today, of ERSs $30.2 billion total unfunded liability, about $24 billion 80 percent is attributable to that era, owed to people who worked, retired or were hired before the 1990 changes. Another set of reforms in 1999, known as System 2000, eased the pensions long-term liabilities by moving future retirees to a defined-contribution system. But legislation to ensure adequate long-term funding for benefits, such as by increasing employer contributions, has been rare. Unlike in some states, the rate Puerto Rico contributes to its pensions is set by statute, rather than the recommendation of actuaries, and requires legislation to change. This makes pension contributions a political issue. People dont want to make hard decisions today for savings that, when it would occur, they were not going to be in office, del Castillo said. Rodriguez-Ema helped shape what would become System 2000 as president of Puerto Ricos Government Development Bank (GDB). He said that so long as Puerto Ricos economy kept growing and ratings agencies werent concerned about pension liabilities, strengthening the pensions wasnt a priority. We realized we were going to have a problem, but it was in the future, he said. We could fund the retirement system without any problems whatsoever. ILL-FATED BONDS That blithe approach came to an end by the mid-2000s, as the islands economy showed its first signs of decline. When Anibal Acevedo Vila assumed the governors chair in 2005, the two pensions combined unfunded liability stood at around $12 billion. The new governor pushed a bill to authorize a $2 billion bond issue from the governments books, with proceeds to go to ERS. The bill died in Puerto Rico's legislature, a victim of political feuding. Acevedo Vilas next effort to boost pension funding proved disastrous. To skirt the need for legislative approval, his administration arranged for ERS to issue its own bonds unheard-of for a public pension and put up employer contributions as collateral. But, Acevedo Vila said, the government needed to assure people the pension would not collapse. The plan was to raise $7 billion -- the amount the administration calculated was necessary to earn enough interest to cover ERSs annual burn rate. The pension in 2008 sold $2.9 billion in the first of multiple planned tranches underwritten by UBS and arranged by Jorge Irizarry, then president of the GDB. But Acevedo Vila, plagued by a lengthy indictment on charges he violated campaign finance laws, lost his 2008 re-election bid. (A jury later found him not guilty.) His successor, conservative Luis Fortuno, had no interest in issuing more bonds. Instead, in what is widely viewed today as a political maneuver, Fortuno commissioned consultants Conway MacKenzie to examine his predecessors handling of ERS. The firms 2010 report excoriated the bond deal, calling elements of it so obviously flawed and not logical that it could imply a lack of understanding of the deal by island officials. Conway concluded that UBS was hired to place the bonds locally only after Merrill Lynch failed to place them internationally, showing a lack of appetite for the full $7 billion. The report said Alfredo Salazar, GDBs chairman at the time, and Irizarry should have known that raising less than $7 billion would fail to generate sufficient returns to pay bondholders and cover ERSs burn rate, only adding to the pensions liability down the road. In separate interviews, Irizarry and Salazar said it was never the idea to issue all the debt at once. Conways report misstated many facts and omitted others, Irizarry said. Salazar said the bonds were issued locally so they could qualify as tax-free. We decided, he said in an interview, to do whatever capacity we could get in the local market and then move on to the taxable market if we needed more. A Conway spokesman did not return calls seeking comment. UBS and Merrill declined to comment. Conways politically convenient conclusions may have taken pressure off Fortuno to solve the pensions problems, but few independent observers dispute one of its major findings: The bonds increased the complexity of fixing [ERSs] fundamental structural problems. The bonds saddled pensioners with a big new obligation without generating enough returns to stave off insolvency. Chunks of government pension contributions are now going out the door to pay bondholders who rank ahead of pensioners in the payout line. A former Acevedo Vila administration official told Reuters that if the administration had known that only $2.9 billion would be raised, it wouldnt have issued the bonds at all. Acevedo Vila insists the bonds extended the pensions life. I never said I fixed the problem, the former governor, now 54, said at his law office in San Juans Rio Piedras neighborhood. But I was doing something to give the pensions more time. FORTUNOS EFFORTS As governor, Fortuno signed a 2011 law that raised the governments pension contributions the first increase since the 1990 reforms then appointed a bipartisan commission to explore more comprehensive changes. In the end, he could not save the pensions, either. The commission never produced any draft legislation. Fortuno blames the man who eventually succeeded him as governor, Garcia Padilla. In early 2012 an election year Fortunos commission began to coalesce around a proposal to reduce bonuses, raise retirement ages and increase employee contributions, Fortuno said during a phone interview from his Washington, D.C., law office. Garcia Padilla, then a senator who headed the opposition party, withheld his partys cooperation on any pension fixes, according to Fortuno and members of his administration. Garcia Padilla was saying, Luis Fortuno is the enemy of retirees. Were not going to work with him. Vote against him, Fortuno said. When pressed on whether he could have done more to reverse the pensions downward spiral, Fortuno said: Maybe I could have done more in 2009 or 2010 to ram [pension reform] down the throats of lawmakers by shutting down Puerto Ricos government, but I didnt want to further shatter peoples faith in their economic future. As the crisis over pension funding was reaching fever pitch, Garcia Padilla, newly installed as governor, signed into law the kind of comprehensive pension reform that had eluded earlier generations and which he had months earlier criticized Fortuno for trying to enact. The April 2013 reform the one del Castillo said caused some people to cry imposed stricter terms on plan participants to improve ERSs funding over the long term while requiring the government to pay into the system for a few years to cover short-term needs. The law created a healing process for ERS, del Castillo said, putting it on track to stabilize as legacy obligations die out. Lawmakers tried to enact similar reforms at TRS, but Puerto Ricos Supreme Court invalidated some key elements, putting teachers benefits in jeopardy in both the short and long term. Pension reform efforts generally have not addressed teachers, who today remain eligible for guaranteed, defined-benefit payouts. Some people attribute this lack of action to the power of teacher groups. Theyre homogeneous, theyre well-organized, and they lobby hard, said Hector Mayol, the top official at both ERS and TRS from 2009 to 2013. Pension cuts are more politically charged at TRS because beneficiaries dont receive Social Security. The 2013 law has hardly fixed ERS, though, largely because Puerto Rico has failed to follow its own law by withholding the bulk of payments into ERS, so-called additional uniform contributions (AUCs). Maintaining pension benefits in the near term was part of the shared sacrifice to ensure pensioners long-term concessions were not made in vain. But 14 months after the 2013 reforms were passed and on the heels of credit downgrades by S&P and Moodys Puerto Rico enacted Act 66, a fiscal emergency law that let the government suspend some financial obligations. ERS is still waiting on about $345 million of the combined $367.6 million in AUCs owed by Puerto Rico's central government, according to data provided by ERS. Actuary Milliman raised the AUC for the current year, in part to offset decreases in pension contributions from layoffs and other payroll cuts, and in part to make up for previous years' missed payments. But Ortiz Cortes, the ERS administrator, said the pension has not received any of this year's infusion from the central government, and only about $23 million from municipalities, public agencies and other employers. That means next year's AUC will shoot even higher, and Ortiz Cortes said his staff has been told by the islands budget officials not to expect close to a full payment then, either. Through a spokeswoman, Budget Director Luis Cruz Batista declined to comment. Its going to be a bumpy road for pensions, Ortiz Cortes said. Whatever goes down, its going to be bumpy. (Edited by John Blanton) Elderly men throwing spinning tops across a room might sound like some kind of fever dream, but in actuality, it's one of the most impressive things you're likely to see all week. In a video produced by Kuma Films, a group of Japanese men wind strings around spinning tops and then try to toss them into increasingly tough spots. SEE ALSO: J.J. Abrams shines light on the creepiest Star Wars: The Force Awakens mystery Unfortunately, there's no real context for this video, but it's spellbinding nonetheless. If you like what you see, be sure to check out the Kuma Films YouTube channel, because there are dozens of other video with similarly wild feats. Here's the full video, which you really need to see to believe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLYazynm_1M Related stories Teardown video: How Sphero's amazing Star Wars BB-8 toy robot really works How it works: Inside the BB-8 Star Wars drone that's blowing everyone's mind Clarkson, Hammond and May can't use 'gear' in the name of Amazon's 'Top Gear' successor More from BGR: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger This article was originally published on BGR.com Elderly men throwing spinning tops across a room might sound like some kind of fever dream, but in actuality, it's one of the most impressive things you're likely to see all week. In a video produced by Kuma Films, a group of Japanese men wind strings around spinning tops and then try to toss them into increasingly tough spots. SEE ALSO: J.J. Abrams shines light on the creepiest Star Wars: The Force Awakens mystery Unfortunately, there's no real context for this video, but it's spellbinding nonetheless. If you like what you see, be sure to check out the Kuma Films YouTube channel, because there are dozens of other video with similarly wild feats. Here's the full video, which you really need to see to believe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLYazynm_1M Related stories Teardown video: How Sphero's amazing Star Wars BB-8 toy robot really works How it works: Inside the BB-8 Star Wars drone that's blowing everyone's mind No company deserves a second chance more than HTC More from BGR: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger This article was originally published on BGR.com By Sarah Peter CASTRIES, St. Lucia, (Reuters) - A man and a woman in the Caribbean country of St. Lucia have locally contracted the Zika virus, which has been linked to hundreds of cases of a rare birth defect in Brazil, the first infections by the mosquito-borne virus in the island nation, its health ministry said on Thursday. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has confirmed the cases, the Ministry of Health said at a news conference, noting that the individuals had no history of recent travel to a Zika affected country. "We have increased our surveillance within our health system to ensure the timely diagnosis," said Sharon Belmar George, senior medical officer at the ministry. "There are so far two cases of the Zika virus disease on the island." The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit so far. Tourism-dependent Caribbean countries are concerned that the virus will impact their economies. Hotels and travel companies operating there have reported moderate cancellations because of Zika, and some have offered discounts or agreed to allow travelers to defer trips. Zika has not been proven to cause the birth defect microcephaly, but there is growing evidence that suggests a link. The condition is defined by unusually small heads that could result in developmental problems. Brazil said it has confirmed more than 900 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. (Reporting by Sarah Peter; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Richard Chang) By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists on Thursday announced the creation of a synthetic organism stripped down to the bare essentials with the fewest genes needed to survive and multiply, a feat at the microscopic level that may provide big insights on the very nature of life. Genome research pioneer J. Craig Venter called the bacterial cell his research team designed and constructed the "most simple of all organisms." While the human genome possesses more than 20,000 genes, the new organism gets by with only 473. "This study is definitely trying to understand a minimal basis of life," said Venter. But the researchers said that even with such a simple organism, that understanding remained elusive. They noted that even though their organism has so few genes, they were still uncertain about the function of nearly a third of them, even after more than five years of work. The researchers predicted their work would yield practical applications in developing new medicines, biochemicals, biofuels and in agriculture. "Our long-term vision has been to design and build synthetic organisms on demand where you can add in specific functions and predict what the outcome is going to be," said Daniel Gibson, vice president for DNA technologies at Synthetic Genomics Inc, the company handling commercial applications from the research. "I think it's the start of a new era," Venter added. Venter helped map the human genome in 2001 and created the first synthetic cell in 2010 with the same team that conducted the new research. That 2010 achievement, creating a bacterial organism with a manmade genome, demonstrated that genomes can be designed on a computer, made in a laboratory and transplanted into a cell to form a new, self-replicating organism. Having created that synthetic cell, the researchers set out to engineer a bacterium by removing unessential genes. The goal was to use the fewest genes necessary for the organism to live and reproduce. Venter said initially "every one of our designs failed" because they took out too many genes, and had to restore some. ORCHESTRA, NOT PICCOLO PLAYER Venter said one lesson was that to understand life, it is more important to look across the entirely of a genome, an organism's complete genetic blueprint, rather than at individual genes. "Life is much more like a symphony orchestra than a piccolo player. And we're applying the same philosophy now to our analysis of the human genome, where we're finding most human conditions are affected by variations across the entire genome" rather than a single gene, Venter said. The researchers said they created a minimal cell possessing the smallest genome of any self-replicating organism. They said a cell with even fewer genes could be possible although it might, for example, reproduce excruciatingly slowly. Microbiologist Clyde Hutchison of the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla California, lead author of the study in the journal Science, said the goal is to figure out the functions of all the cell's genes and make a computer model to predict how it would grow and change in different environments or with additional genes. "It's important to realize there is no cell that exists where we know the functions of all the genes," Hutchison said. The environmental group Friends of the Earth expressed concern about the research, citing the lack of government regulations specific to synthetic biology and gene editing technologies. "Living organisms like bacteria are not machines to be rewired," said Dana Perls, an official of the group. "Not even the scientists know the biological function of 149 of these genes, which raises safety concerns. If we don't fully understand the science, it is more difficult to manage biosafety concerns." The research might shed light on the origins of life on Earth billions of years ago. "We may be getting hints of some early fundamental mechanisms that coincide with some of the most primitive kind of life forms," Venter said. "I think as we get the ability to explore further in the universe, my view is wherever we have the same chemical constituents, which is almost everywhere, life will happen," Venter said. "But that's a philosophical point until it's proven." (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by David Gregorio) Khartoum (AFP) - A Sudanese court sentenced 22 South Sudanese to death and jailed three for life on terrorism charges for fighting with rebels in the western Darfur region, their lawyer said Thursday. "The Khartoum North court headed by judge Abidin Dahi sentenced 22 men to death, all of whom are citizens of South Sudan," the head of the defence team Mahjoub Abdullah told AFP. All 25 had been members of a faction of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakhit Abdelkarim Dabajo, who signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government in April 2013. His troops were disarmed and taken to camps to be demobilised and pardoned by the government, which is where the 25 were discovered by inspectors and arrested last February because of their nationality. The 22 sentenced to be hanged were convicted of a range of offences including waging war against the state, undermining the constitutional order and on terrorism charges. "We will appeal the judgement," their lawyer said, adding the anti-terror laws stipulated he had one week to lodge his appeal. The sentence comes amid poor ties between Khartoum and South Sudan over allegations Juba backed rebels in Sudan's border Kordofan region. Ethnic minority insurgents in the western Darfur region mounted a rebellion against President Omar al-Bashir in 2003, claiming his Arab-dominated government was marginalising their region. Bashir launched a bloody counter insurgency, mobilising allied militia, ground troops and jet planes to crush the rebels. The International Criminal Court indicted Bashir over war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide charges, all of which he denies. More than 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict and there are 2.5 million displaced people living in Darfur, according to the United Nations. Juba (AFP) - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar said Thursday he would return to the country's capital Juba on April 18 to form a unity government with President Salva Kiir in accordance with an August 2015 peace deal. "I am therefore confirming the date of my arrival to be 18th April 2016 and thereafter form with President Kiir the Transitional Government of National Unity and hold the Transitional National Council of Ministers," Machar said in a letter to the head of the committee monitoring the deal, Botswana's former president Festus Mogae. Machar's return to Juba is a key step for the formation of a unity government agreed under the peace accord to end a brutal war which has killed tens of thousands of people over nearly two and a half years. Machar, who was Kiir's deputy before the war, had been living in exile in Kenya and Ethiopia, but was re-appointed vice president in February. Under the peace deal signed in August, Machar will join Kiir in a new 30-month transitional government leading to elections. The UN mission in South Sudan said Wednesday that around 800 soldiers and police from the rebel side had arrived in Juba out of a total 1,370 agreed under the peace deal. UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien told the UN Security Council last week that fighting was spreading despite the peace deal, with new outbreaks around Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria, Jonglei and Malakal. More than 150,000 people have fled their homes in the new violence that has already displaced more than two million people over the course of the war. After winning independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan descended into war two years later, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the poverty-stricken country along ethnic lines. By Krishna N. Das MUMBAI (Reuters) - The likely collapse of SunEdison Inc's solar project in India, the first of 32 planned "ultra mega" complexes, could delay Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal to increase renewable energy fivefold by several years and probably cost consumers more. As the U.S. solar giant fights to stave off bankruptcy, the 500 megawatt project in Andhra Pradesh state it won last November lies idle with ground yet to be broken. The other projects are still to be bid on. It's doubtful any rival will pick up the project at the aggressive power pricing promised by SunEdison, which beat out 29 other bidders with a record-low tariff of 4.63 rupees (7 U.S. cents) per kilowatt-hour. That will force Indian officials to tighten auction rules to ensure that only serious, bankable bidders show up, industry sources said. India plans to auction more of the "ultra mega" projects - those which generate at least 500 MW - in the current fiscal year through to March 2017. "There is always a tradeoff," Upendra Tripathy, secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, told Reuters of the renewable energy auctions. "There can be a relaxed condition so that more people can participate and there is another where you can make sure fly-by-night operators can't come in. It's an ongoing process and we are open to suggestions." Tightening auction rules could slow the pace at which projects are awarded and built, pushing back Modi's goal of expanding solar capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2020 to the middle of the decade, say officials and industry players. Tripathy, however, said India will for now stick to its goal, set by Modi soon after taking office in 2014, and that it has planned for SunEdison-like bumps in the road with a strong project pipeline. Modi is banking on India's 300 days a year of sunshine to help fight climate change rather than committing to emission cuts like China. But he has also pushed firms to provide cheap power, which risks leaving too little profit on the table. Heavily indebted SunEdison, which according to one of its publicly listed units could soon file for bankruptcy protection, drew criticism from analysts for its low winning bid for the Andhra project. The company is now exploring a sale of its Indian assets of around 1 GW or seeking partners for them, sources said, and has drawn preliminary interest from billionaire Gautam Adani's fast-expanding Adani Group. Apart from the Andhra project, SunEdison has several other small plants under construction across India. POSSIBLE RE-BID A person close to Adani said the low tariff agreed for the Andhra plant will make any deal with SunEdison difficult for Indian firms, which have a relatively high cost of capital. If no buyer is found, the project could be re-bid, the industry sources said. SunEdison did not respond to multiple requests for comment. "The tariffs are a tad aggressive and that may not be healthy for developers themselves and also for others in the ecosystem ... manufacturers and financiers," said Santosh Kamath, head of renewables at consultancy KPMG India. "That might be a warning signal for the industry." SunEdison's troubles notwithstanding, India has attracted deep-pocketed investors to its $100 billion solar energy program - the biggest in the world. Japan's Softbank Corp <9984.T>, Taiwan's Foxconn <2354.TW> and India's Bharti Enterprises have separately pledged to invest a total of about $20 billion in India's renewable sector. Global solar giants like First Solar Inc , Trina Solar Ltd and Finland's state-controlled utility Fortum Oyj are also expanding their presence. India wants the share of non-fossil fuel in total installed power capacity to jump to 40 percent by 2030 from 30 percent currently. Challenges include the weak finances of state distribution companies forced to sell subsidized power, difficulties hooking up solar projects to grids, and access to affordable capital. Land acquisition is also an issue that Modi's government has been unable to fix - a 500 MW solar project needs on average 2,000 acres (800 hectares). "Given the energy deficit, need for energy security and sustained economic growth, the potential clearly exists for 100 GW of solar (energy) in India," said Sujoy Ghosh, country head of First Solar. "The question would be on the timelines in which the goal is achieved." The Indian government is trying to persuade state banks to extend loans to solar projects, but most lenders are saddled with bad loans and unlikely to risk getting exposed to renewable projects with low rates of return. To avoid projects getting stuck for a lack of backing, India should make it mandatory for solar bidders to get funding assurances from banks at the beginning of an auction to ensure only serious players take part, analysts said. Tripathy, the government secretary, said he could consider the suggestion. "We'll have to take care that projects don't become unviable," KPMG's Kamath said. "If some projects become unviable then banks will stop lending to new projects and then they get stranded, like we have seen in the power and road sectors in the past." ($1 = 66.4938 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Raju Gopalakrishnan) (Reuters) - Supervisors instructed staff to falsify patient wait times at Veterans Affairs medical facilities in at least seven states to show they met performance measures, USA Today said on Thursday, citing reports by the agency's inspector general. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been under scrutiny since 2014 when a cover-up of long waiting lists and shoddy medical care for veterans at a hospital in Phoenix embarrassed the Obama administration. "The reports detail for the first time since the Phoenix VA wait-time scandal in 2014 how widespread scheduling manipulation was throughout the VA," USA Today said. It said the manipulations gave the false impression that wait times at facilities in Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, New York, Texas and Vermont met agency targets. The paper said its story was based on 70 reports released following a Freedom of Information Act request from USA Today. About half of the 70 reports are from investigations that were completed more than a year ago. Investigations launched by the inspector general into more than 100 facilities after the Phoenix scandal found that manipulations had been going on in some cases for as long as a decade, USA Today said. Asked by Reuters to comment on the report, the agency referred to a statement it had issued in February which said the inspector general had substantiated intentional misuse of scheduling systems in 18 reports. Twenty-nine employees were disciplined as a result, the statement added. USA Today said according to agency data, more than 480,000 veterans were waiting more than 30 days for an appointment as of March 15. "VA whistle-blowers say schedulers still are manipulating wait times," it added. (Reporting by Washington Newsroom; Editing by Sandra Maler) STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden is charging a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden. The Prosecution Authority said on Thursday that it believed the man had intended to join the jihadist group Islamic State in Syria. Instead, he was detained in Turkey last June and sent back to Sweden. "My belief is that he obtained, stored and combined liquids and objects with the purpose of making a suicide bomb," prosecutor Ewamari Haggkvist said in a statement. "The criminal act that was in preparation could have seriously harmed Sweden." The man's identity was not disclosed, in line with usual Swedish legal procedure. (Reporting by Sven Nordenstam; Editing by Kevin Liffey) BERN (Reuters) - Swiss banks need to be more meticulous so that Switzerland can crack down on money laundering, the head of the country's financial watchdog said on Thursday. "What we've seen too often in the cases we've investigated is plausibility checks by banks that aren't thorough enough," FINMA chief Mark Branson told Reuters, referring to banks' need to investigate the origin of money coming into an account. Branson was speaking after the supervisory body's annual news conference, at which he urged banks to step up their fight against money laundering in the wake of the so-called "Panama Papers" showing how offshore companies were used to conceal cash. "We've got a few indications (from the Panama Papers) that may be relevant here (in Switzerland)," Branson said. Switzerland is the world's largest center for offshore wealth, with Boston Consulting Group estimating that around $2.5 trillion in foreign assets was kept with the country's banks in 2014. The size of the Swiss financial center has meant many of Switzerland's banks have been caught up in financial scandals, such as corruption probes into Brazilian state oil group Petrobras and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign fund. Nevertheless, Branson said Swiss banks were not disproportionately implicated in such investigations. "I don't think Switzerland is over-proportionally involved in this data from what one can see compared to the size of the financial center," Branson said. (Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Michael Shields) By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi ZURICH (Reuters) - A school's decision to allow two Muslim pupils not to shake their teachers' hands has added fresh fuel to an ongoing debate in Switzerland about integration of immigrants. When the 14- and 15-year-old brothers refused to shake female teachers' hands last November, citing their religious beliefs, the school in Therwil near Basel replaced the customary greeting with a verbal one from the boys to both male and female teachers. The compromise solved the issue at the school, but when the public broadcaster SRF reported on it last week, it tapped into a groundswell of concern about immigration that is being felt all over Europe. The Egerkinger Committee, a lobby group that succeeded through a referendum in 2009 in banning minarets, and wants to do the same for Muslim face veils, has called for immigrants shunning Swiss customs to be shown the door. "Those refusing integration should not have their residence permits renewed," the committee wrote. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told SRF the schoolboys' action was not how she imagined integration. "We cannot accept this, even in the name of religious freedom," she said. "The handshake is part of our culture." Sommaruga, who has championed migrants' rights and pushed through legislation to handle asylum requests better, stands with other liberals who say women's rights are at stake along with Swiss customs. Muslim community representatives have so far taken a conciliatory line. Montassar Benmrad, president of the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, cited the Islamic principle of respecting others and avoiding unnecessary embarrassment. "It's important that the Muslim students concerned show respect towards the teachers that educate them year-round," Benmrad said on the organization's website. Some rights groups also note that an increasing number of Israeli El Al flights have been delayed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish male passengers asking not to have women seated next to them - an issue that has led one female 81-year-old Holocaust survivor to sue the airline for discrimination after being asked to move to another seat. Benmrad warned against responding too hastily to cultural differences. "From experience, it's more efficient and productive to solve such issues through constructive dialogue rather than in confrontation," he said. (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Geneva (AFP) - UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said Thursday the next round of Syria peace talks will begin on April 13 after he completes a diplomatic tour, including stops in Damascus and Tehran. "I will be very much insisting and pushing for... a serious discussion on political transition" at the upcoming round, de Mistura told reporters. The United Nations had previously said the negotiations aimed at ending the five-year conflict would resume on April 11. At the last round, which ended on March 24, the Damascus regime insisted it was premature to have a concrete dialogue on creating a transitional government, while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) put forward its plan towards forming a new government. De Mistura told journalists that in order to make progress on political transition next week, he needed to meet in person with key regional players and Syria's government. "I need to verify the international and regional stakeholders' position" in order to have "concrete results in the next round of talks", de Mistura said, adding that he expected to be back in Geneva on April 12 or 13. The main obstacle in the negotiations is the future of President Bashar al-Assad. The HNC has said Assad must go before a transitional government is agreed, while the regime insists his fate be excluded from the talks. De Mistura met with key regime ally Russia in Moscow this week, and will head to Tehran in the coming days for talks with another crucial Damascus supporter. He also plans to meet Turkish officials in Europe by the middle of next week. Ankara has emerged as one of Assad's main foes. The UN envoy said he has not requested a face-to-face meeting with Assad in Damascus, but expects to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. De Mistura added that two of his staffers are currently in Riyadh to meet with the HNC. The negotiations set for next week will be the third round this year, including a round that was aborted in February as violence raged on the ground. The UN said a more positive atmosphere at the March round was helped by a ceasefire in Syria, which was declared on February 27 and remains broadly in place, despite multiple reported violations. More than 270,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have fled their homes since the conflict erupted in March 2011. By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - The start of a new round of peace talks on the Syrian war has been pushed back by two days so that U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura can travel to Damascus and Tehran to sound out their position on a political transition, the envoy said on Thursday. De Mistura told a news conference he wanted to verify the position of international and regional parties to the conflict to ensure there was a critical mass about "what could be a framework of a political transition". "The next round of the talks needs to be quite concrete in the direction of a political process leading to a real beginning of a political transition," he said. A first round of talks ended on March 24 with de Mistura determined that the Syrian government would move beyond discussing principles and procedure in the next round, which had originally been scheduled to resume on April 9 and was then pushed back to April 11. De Mistura said he had already heard some interesting ideas from Russia and would also consult Turkish, Saudi, Jordanian and Lebanese officials before the talks resume on April 13. Syria is holding parliamentary elections on April 13, and the Syrian government delegation would not arrive until April 14 or 15, he said. The talks have gone hand-in-hand with a cessation of hostilities which has lasted more than a month, raising the prospect of an end to a war that has killed more than 250,000 people and driven many Syrians from their homes. There has also been a push to improve access for humanitarian aid, which has faltered in the past week. Jan Egeland, who advises de Mistura on humanitarian issues, said he was "disappointed and disheartened" at the slowdown and called on the Syrian government to live up to its promises to allow aid in. "April was supposed to be our best month. It's not looking so, so far," Egeland said. "We had five convoys ready to go, the last four days. All of the five convoys could not go. 287,000 people therefore did not get the relief, in hard-to-reach areas or in besieged areas." However, he said there was hope of an evacuation in the next week of up to 500 people -- the wounded and sick and their relatives -- from the four towns of Madaya, Zabadani, Foua and Kufreya. (Reporting by Tom Miles, editing by Angus MacSwan) AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebel forces on Thursday took over most of a town near the Turkish border that had been a major stronghold of Islamic State, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a rebel source said. The monitor said factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, some of whom are supplied with arms by Turkey and other foreign backers, had captured most of the previously IS-held town of al-Rai in northern Aleppo province. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; editing by Andrew Roche) BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters have kidnapped scores of workers in an area northeast of Damascus after launching an attack on government forces there this week, Syrian state television and a monitoring group said on Thursday. State TV quoted the industry ministry as saying 300 workers and contractors of Al Badia Cement were taken from near the town of Dumeir and that the company had lost all contact with them. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights later gave a figure of around 170 workers who had been abducted from the cement factory and taken to undisclosed areas controlled by the militants in the Damascus suburbs. The monitor, which tracks violence across the country, said 140 workers at the plant had fled before the militants arrived. Fierce fighting broke out around Dumeir and the nearby military airport, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the capital, late on Tuesday night after Islamic State militants launched attacks on government areas northeast of the capital. Opposition sources in the rural eastern suburbs of Damascus said militants in Dumeir fired at civilians protesting against their presence in the town and at the abductions. The town was mostly already in the hands of squabbling rebel groups including groups that are affiliated to Islamic State. Hundreds of families had fled since the militant assault, the sources said. The attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday included detonation of bomb-laden cars around the Dumeir military airport and an assault on the nearby Tishrin power station. Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes this week forced Islamic State militants out of al-Qaryatain, which lies between Damascus and the ancient city of Palmyra, itself recaptured by the government last week. (Story refiles with new headline). (Reporting by John Davison and Lisa Barrington in Beirut and Suleiman Khalidi in Amman; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Promit Mukherjee and Krishna N. Das MUMBAI (Reuters) - Sanjeev Gupta, the boss of metals trader Liberty House Group who wants to buy Tata Steel Ltd's loss-making British operations, says he has the financial resources to match his ambitions. Hitting back at critics who have questioned his capacity to take on a business dragged down by heavy debt and weak sales, the 44-year-old Cambridge graduate said he was serious about making an offer and had the backing of a group with $7 billion of revenues. "If you look at our financials, we are probably the least leveraged company in our sector," Gupta told Reuters in a phone interview on Thursday. "We like to punch above our weight, we like to take on challenges, but we know how to stay in business so we never over-stretch ourselves." Asked how profitable Liberty House's businesses were, a spokesman for the company said it could not provide details at short notice. Tata, the biggest steel producer in Britain, has been forced to try to sell its British businesses due to high costs, weak demand and a flood of cheap supplies from top producer China. The formal sale process for the assets, which the Indian company bought in 2007, is expected to start by Monday. Liberty's financial advisers will start due diligence on the assets within a week from that date, said Indian-born Gupta, who founded Liberty House in 1992 and is known among friends and former colleagues as a risk-taker with a strong network among British and U.S. financiers. TURNAROUND Tata, which entered the European steel market with a $12 billion acquisition of Anglo-Dutch Corus in 2007, will only produce steel in Europe in the Netherlands once it sells its UK business with production capacity of 7 million tonnes per year. The British business employs about 15,000 people, and Gupta plans to retain them if a deal goes through. But he wants the government to ensure "competitive power prices" so that he can change the raw material for the steel plants to locally available scrap from imported iron ore. The British government, under fire for the way it has responded to the crisis, opened talks with potential buyers for Tata Steel's UK operations, including Gupta's Liberty House, earlier this week. "It's a loss-making business and a loss-making business is not worth a lot in itself to buy," said Gupta. "It's more of a question of what are the resources required in turning it around." He declined to estimate the money needed for a revival of the Tata plants. Born in a family of businessmen in the western city of Ludhiana, he has grown his Liberty group into a multi-national player with operations run out of London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with assets in Asia, Africa and Britain. Gupta's Tata bid is part of a plan to turn his company into to a manufacturing conglomerate with interests in steel, power generation, renewables energy and financial services. The company last year also acquired a UK-based bank as a push towards financial services. "We've a company which is doing $7 billion of topline, assets worth a billion dollars, no long term debt, only short term working capital, so we too have resources," Gupta said. "I don't know if anybody will question the seriousness I am obviously putting myself all out to do this." (Additional reporting by Freya Berry and Clara Denina in LONDON; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Keith Weir) By Promit Mukherjee and Krishna N. Das MUMBAI (Reuters) - Sanjeev Gupta, the boss of metals trader Liberty House Group who wants to buy Tata Steel Ltd's loss-making British operations, says he has the financial resources to match his ambitions. Hitting back at critics who have questioned his capacity to take on a business dragged down by heavy debt and weak sales, the 44-year-old Cambridge graduate said he was serious about making an offer and had the backing of a group with $7 billion of revenues. "If you look at our financials, we are probably the least leveraged company in our sector," Gupta told Reuters in a phone interview on Thursday. "We like to punch above our weight, we like to take on challenges, but we know how to stay in business so we never over-stretch ourselves." Asked how profitable Liberty House's businesses were, a spokesman for the company said it could not provide details at short notice. Tata, the biggest steel producer in Britain, has been forced to try to sell its British businesses due to high costs, weak demand and a flood of cheap supplies from top producer China. The formal sale process for the assets, which the Indian company bought in 2007, is expected to start by Monday. Liberty's financial advisers will start due diligence on the assets within a week from that date, said Indian-born Gupta, who founded Liberty House in 1992 and is known among friends and former colleagues as a risk-taker with a strong network among British and U.S. financiers. TURNAROUND Tata, which entered the European steel market with a $12 billion acquisition of Anglo-Dutch Corus in 2007, will only produce steel in Europe in the Netherlands once it sells its UK business with production capacity of 7 million tonnes per year. The British business employs about 15,000 people, and Gupta plans to retain them if a deal goes through. But he wants the government to ensure "competitive power prices" so that he can change the raw material for the steel plants to locally available scrap from imported iron ore. Story continues The British government, under fire for the way it has responded to the crisis, opened talks with potential buyers for Tata Steel's UK operations, including Gupta's Liberty House, earlier this week. "It's a loss-making business and a loss-making business is not worth a lot in itself to buy," said Gupta. "It's more of a question of what are the resources required in turning it around." He declined to estimate the money needed for a revival of the Tata plants. Born in a family of businessmen in the western city of Ludhiana, he has grown his Liberty group into a multi-national player with operations run out of London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with assets in Asia, Africa and Britain. Gupta's Tata bid is part of a plan to turn his company into to a manufacturing conglomerate with interests in steel, power generation, renewables energy and financial services. The company last year also acquired a UK-based bank as a push towards financial services. "We've a company which is doing $7 billion of topline, assets worth a billion dollars, no long term debt, only short term working capital, so we too have resources," Gupta said. "I don't know if anybody will question the seriousness I am obviously putting myself all out to do this." (Additional reporting by Freya Berry and Clara Denina in LONDON; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Keith Weir) When the iPhone 3Gs was launched in 2008, Apple sold more than 1 million iPhones in just one weekend. At the time, analysts were taken aback. Sure, it was expected that the iPhone would do well, but not many analysts assumed that demand for the iPhone would be that high. Flash forward seven years and the iPhone is still racking up sales and impressing analysts. The only difference is that the numbers, both in terms of unit sales and overall profits, are far more impressive. This past September, following the release of the iPhone 6s, Apple's sold more than 13 million iPhones during the initial launch weekend, setting a new record in the process. And with the iPhone 7 launch looming, it's a safe bet that Apple will once again set a new sales record in just a few months. DON'T MISS: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger But there's another iPhone sales achievement Apple will likely reach even before the iPhone 7 hits stores shelves - 1 billion iPhones sold. Between the launch of the original iPhone and the end of the 2015 calendar year, Apple to-date has sold a whopping total of 896 billion iPhones. If sales don't unexpectedly plummet, it's widely believed that Apple will sell its 1 billionth iPhone sometime this summer. CNN Money reports: When Apple provides its quarterly finances on April 25, the company is expected to report that it sold 50 million iPhones during the first three months of 2016. That would get Apple to 946 million total iPhones sold. During the current quarter, analysts polled by FactSet said they expect Apple to sell another 44 million, pushing the total to 990 million. Despite some relatively lackluster enthusiasm about the iPhone lately, Apple has an outside shot at getting to 1 billion iPhones before July. To accomplish that, Apple would need to best forecasts by just 10 million iPhones. If the new iPhone SE helps boost sales during the spring, it's within the realm of possibility. Story continues If Apple manages to hit the 1 billion mark before WWDC this coming June, you can bet that the company will take a few minutes to highlight the achievement. On a related note, it's worth noting that Apple sold its billionth iOS device - a tally that includes the iPad and the iPad Touch - back in November of 2014. Related stories Apple Watch 2 with 20-40% thinner casing may be introduced in June New bill might force Apple to hack encrypted iPhones Why did Apple launch the iPhone SE with embarrassingly low supply? More from BGR: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger This article was originally published on BGR.com Earlier this week, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that sales for Apple's new iPhone SE were off to a "lackluster" start. While Ming-Chi Kuo is one of the top Apple analysts around, he might not be right about this particular piece of information. AppleInsider points out that the new iPhone is completely sold out in many stores and shipping times for orders of the device have been pushed back to at least a couple of weeks. FROM EARLIER: These are the tools you need to live with a 16GB iPhone "As of Wednesday, the fastest a new iPhone SE will arrive from Apple in the U.S. is next Tuesday, April 12, and that's just select models," AppleInsider writes. "Many models are unavailable until April 20, and that's with paying extra for expedited shipping. Virtually all models with all carriers out of stock at Apple's retail stores as well. AppleInsider conducted a check of a number of major markets in the U.S. and found in-store pickup was unavailable for virtually every model, though there was some sporadic availability of certain carrier, capacity and color combinations." This could be a case of Apple intentionally producing too few devices to make demand look bigger than it is, but that's doubtful. After all, this isn't a flagship device and Apple's future isn't exactly riding on its success. Overall, it seems that a cheaper, smaller iPhone is still an attractive option for a lot of people, even though it probably won't sell as many overall units as the flagship iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Related stories These are the tools you need to live with a 16GB iPhone Android vendors have another reason to fear the iPhone SE iPhone SE seen getting off to a 'lackluster' start More from BGR: We may already know who died in that terrible Walking Dead cliffhanger This article was originally published on BGR.com WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is getting a taste of the "New York values" he derided in Iowa as Republicans turn to the next big U.S. presidential contest in the home state of front-runner Donald Trump. The New York billionaire lost the Wisconsin Republican primary on Tuesday to Cruz and is seeking to rebound in New York on April 19. He won the backing on Thursday of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was irked by Cruz's values comments. "It's New York City. We're family. I can make fun of New York but you can't," Giuliani, who led the city through the trauma of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, told the New York Post. "I support Trump. I'm gonna vote for Trump," he said. Ohio Governor John Kasich, running third in the Republican race, chimed in with an ad called "Values," part of a seven-figure ad buy in New York and Pennsylvania, which votes on April 26. "New Yorkers aren't stupid and they certainly won't fall for Ted Cruz's lame soliloquies and flattery after he slammed their values," said Kasich spokeswoman Connie Wehrkamp. Trump canceled a Friday trip to California to focus on New York. He turned on Cruz Wednesday night during his first rally in the state since the double-digit loss in Wisconsin. "I've got this guy standing over there, looking at me, talking about New York values with scorn in his face, with hated, with hatred of New York, Trump said, drawing a chorus of boos. Cruz credited his Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses victory in part to his attacks on Trump's "New York values." He told ABC on Thursday the phrase referred to the state's liberal Democrats. Cruz took another hit in the Bronx, where a group of high school students protesting his stance on immigration threatened a walkout if their principal did not cancel his appearance. "Most of us are immigrants or come from immigrant backgrounds. Ted Cruz goes against everything our school stands for," Destiny Domeneck, 16, told the New York Daily News. School authorities complied, the newspaper reported on Thursday. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Megan Cassella; Editing by Bill Trott) The Ivy League universities are notoriously hard to get into, but that didn't stop one New Yorker from applying to all eight. Long shot, right? Apparently not. August Uwamanzu-Nna from Long Island, New York was accepted to the eight Ivy League schools Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale as well as her four backups: New York University, Johns Hopkins University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Yes, you read that right. MIT is one of her safety schools.) "I'm still quite unsure what school I'm going to attend, but I know attending any of them would be such a great honor," Uwamanzu-Nna told News 12 Long Island. The 17-year-old valedictorian has a weighted 101.6 GPA(because 4.0 scales are so passe) and credits her success to family and teachers. "The teachers make sure our potential is met and that we have done everything in our abilities to achieve success," she said. She currently attends Elmont Memorial High school in Long Island, which had another student, Harold Ekeh, also accepted to all the Ivy's last year and ultimately opted for Yale University. Uwamanzu-Nna plans to visit each of the schools this month to see which one she'll say "yes" to by the May 1 commitment deadline. (Can we join her on this road trip?) Ivy League schools don't offer merit scholarships but use factors like family income, assets and size to determine each student's need for financial assistance. There are other colleges who charge more in yearly tuition than Ivy League schools, but tuition is still pretty expensive. The priciest choice at the moment (in terms of total tuition and fees for a year) is Columbia University with a $51,008 price tag, and the cheapest (if you can call the equivalent of a sizable down payment on a house "cheap") is Princeton at $43,450. No matter which school students decide to attend, cost is certainly an important factor. More than 43 million Americans have student loan debt, many of whom carry debt loads that will take years to pay off. While student loans can do good things for your credit scores, they can also have a major negative impact on grads' credit if they miss payments or default. You can see how your student loans are impacting your credit scores for free on Credit.com. Story continues Uwamanzu-Nna is not the only high achiever of the year. Delaware high school senior Brittany Stinson got into five Ivies, evidently on the strength of one of her essays, in which she took readers on a self-actualizing journey through Costco. Here's a sample (get it?): "Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrialized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples." We know how you feel, Brittany. Journalists are drawn to free food like no one else. More from Credit.com By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Even though its illegal for teens to buy cigarettes in the U.S., nothing stops online stores from selling nicotine-infused liquids for kids to use with electronic cigarettes. Big tobacco companies, including Altria Group Inc, Lorillard Tobacco Co and Reynolds American Inc, are all developing e-cigarettes. The battery-powered devices feature a glowing tip and a heating element that turns liquid nicotine and other flavorings into a cloud of vapor that users inhale. When researchers tested a random selection of 120 popular e-cigarette websites, only four virtual stores prevented the sale of e-liquids to minors, the study found. At this time, the liquid nicotine and electronic cigarette market in the United States is largely unregulated, which we believe to be a large factor behind so few vendors implementing effective restrictions on youth access, said lead study author Dmitriy Nikitin, a researcher at the University of California, Irvine. About 2 million middle- and high-school students tried e-cigarettes in 2014, triple the number of teen users in 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year. Adolescents who try e-cigarettes may be more than twice as likely to move on to smoking conventional cigarettes as those who have never tried the devices, previous research has found. For the current study, Nikitin and colleagues asked shoppers who were 16 or 17 years old to use their own debit cards to attempt online e-liquid purchases in July 2015. The youth successfully completed purchases from vendors in 34 states, with an average order cost of $13.16. Three of the four vendors that rejected purchases used age-verification software during the transaction and found the teens too young to buy e-liquid. One vendor asked a minor to upload an image of her government-issued photo identification and rejected the order because the ID showed she was underage. Even though nearly all of the sites sold to minors, 88 percent of the products arrived in child-resistant packaging and slightly more than half of the containers had sealed tops that required users to squeeze the bottles to extract liquid nicotine. Overall, about 90 percent of the bottles noted that they contained nicotine, but only 54 percent made any mention of health risks associated with nicotine use. Many of the orders came with free samples of e-liquid, and 15 orders arrived with promotional materials including playing cards, Mike and Ike candy, Laffy Taffy candy, Sweet Tarts candy, bracelets, Bloonies Plastic Balloons and stickers. The study didnt examine purchases of pre-filled cartridges of liquid nicotine or e-cigarette devices, but previous research has found that teens find it just as easy to buy these items online, the authors note in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. One limitation of the analysis, the researchers note, is that it didnt examine e-liquid sellers who operate on social networks like Facebook, and Reddit, which may have led them to underestimate the ease of online purchasing. Many U.S. states already ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors, but vendors need clear guidelines to follow for preventing underage purchases to make these policies more effective, said Adam Leventhal, director of the University of Southern California Health, Emotion and Addiction Laboratory in Los Angeles. Because kids can drink e-liquid, these products pose unique dangers to children that dont exist with traditional cigarettes, Leventhal, who wasnt involved in the study, added by email. In addition to the health hazards of vaping nicotine, other forms of nicotine ingestion like swallowing can be deadly, Leventhal said. The high concentration of nicotine in some e-liquids if swallowed or absorbed into the body through other means is toxic, especially for infants and toddlers, who may be the siblings of older children who might be purchasing e-liquids and not aware of such hazards. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1YhdRhz Nicotine and Tobacco Research, online March 19, 2016. New York (AFP) - Orders for Tesla's Model 3, its first mass-market electric aimed at taking the upstart automaker into the mainstream, have reached 325,000, Tesla said Thursday. The mark was hit just one week after the car, which will not be available until late 2017, was unveiled by Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk in Los Angeles. "This interest has spread completely organically," Tesla said on its blog. "Unlike other major product launches, we haven't advertised or paid for any endorsements." Consumers interested in the car must pay a deposit of $1,000. Tesla has viewed the Model 3, which starts at a base price of $35,000, as key means to transitioning the auto market to zero-emissions. But it is also Tesla's key to transitioning from a niche luxury automaker to a real industry player selling a large volume of cars. "This has been a true grassroots effort driven by the passion of the Tesla team that's worked so hard to get to this point, and our current and future customers who believe so strongly in what we are trying to achieve," Tesla said. "We are all taking a huge step towards a better future by accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation." The huge number of orders will necessitate a big ramp-up in Tesla's manufacturing capacity. First started in 2003, Tesla built just 50,000 cars in 2015, but has set a target of 500,000 a year by 2020. Tesla is expected to expand its production base beyond its current plant in Fremont, California as it builds more of the Model 3, which is priced at about half the level of its first two models. (Reuters) - Electric car maker Tesla Inc said on Thursday it had received more than 325,000 orders for its new Model 3 sedan in the first week of bookings. The reservations, which can be made by paying a refundable deposit of $1,000, correspond to about $14 billion in implied future sales, the company said. (http://bit.ly/1oFkduW) There is, however, no certainty that Tesla would be able to convert all its orders into sales as many of those could be canceled. The orders for Model 3, Tesla's first mass-market car which will sell at an average price of $42,000, are "very positive" and reflect tremendous enthusiasm for the car, analysts said. However, Tesla shares were down 2.5 percent at $258.67 in afternoon trading on Thursday. Robert W Baird & Co analyst Ben Kallo told Reuters that the stock reaction was likely a result of profit-taking rather than disappointment with the numbers. As of Wednesday's close, Tesla's stock had risen about 16 percent since the company started taking orders for Model 3, which is expected to be launched in late 2017. With the production of the new model, Tesla is likely to boost its annual production tenfold to 500,000 by 2020, the company has said. Analysts have raised questions about how long it would take Tesla to deliver Model 3 cars, after the slower-than-expected launch of its Model X sport utility vehicle late last year. Tesla said on Monday it delivered 14,820 vehicles in the first quarter ended March 31, including 12,420 Model S sedans and 2,400 Model X utility vehicles. The company had previously forecast 16,000 deliveries in the quarter. Tesla said "severe shortages" of parts for Model X in January and February had cut into planned production. (Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Anupama Dwivedi) By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A south Texas man who bludgeoned and slashed to death a 12-year-old boy, mutilated the corpse and then drank the blood of his victim was executed on Wednesday at the state's death chamber in Huntsville, a prisons official said. Pablo Vasquez, 38, was put to death by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m., the official said. The execution was the sixth in Texas this year and the 537th since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the most of any state. About four hours before the planned execution, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to halt the proceedings. Lawyers for Vasquez has launched the last-minute appeal, saying their client had been denied a fair punishment because prospective, qualified jurors in his trial had been dismissed if they had sympathies against the death penalty. The lawyers had previously said Vasquez had mental health problems and suffered from learning disabilities. The victim, David Cardenas, was found under metal sheets in the Texas border town of Donna in 1998. The arms were missing from the corpse, which had no skin on the back and a hole in the back of the head, court papers filed by Texas said. The incident raised worries at the time about occult rituals, which were stoked when prosecutors produced a taped confession in which Vasquez, then 21, admitted to killing the boy and drinking his blood because voices from the devil told him to do so. Cardenas, trying to fit in with a group of teenagers and Vasquez, was hanging out with the group near a mobile home, when he was attacked. Police later received tips of a murder and found the decaying and mutilated body of the 12-year-old, the court papers showed. Prosecutors said Vasquez hit the victim on the head with a pipe and cut his throat. They also said he stole some jewelry from the victim. "The body was also mutilated after death by some means that caused bones to shatter," the court papers said. Story continues It took the jury about an hour to find Vasquez guilty. A co-defendant, then 15, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on a murder conviction. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Sandra Maler and Alistair Bell) By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A south Texas man who bludgeoned and slashed to death a 12-year-old boy, mutilated the corpse and then drank the blood of his victim was executed on Wednesday at the state's death chamber in Huntsville, a prisons official said. Pablo Vasquez, 38, was put to death by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m., the official said. The execution was the sixth in Texas this year and the 537th since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the most of any state. The victim, David Cardenas, was found under metal sheets in the Texas border town of Donna in 1998. The arms were missing from the corpse, which had no skin on the back and a hole in the back of the head, court papers filed by Texas said. "I am sorry to David's family. This is only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here. That's it. My trust in Jesus," Vasquez was quoted as saying in his final statement by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The incident raised worries at the time about occult rituals, which were stoked when prosecutors produced a taped confession in which Vasquez, then 21, admitted to killing the boy and drinking his blood because voices from the devil told him to do so. Cardenas, trying to fit in with a group of teenagers and Vasquez, was hanging out with the group near a mobile home, when he was attacked. Police later received tips of a murder and found the decaying and mutilated body of the 12-year-old, the court papers showed. Prosecutors said Vasquez hit the victim on the head with a pipe and cut his throat. They also said he stole some jewelry from the victim. "The body was also mutilated after death by some means that caused bones to shatter," the court papers said. It took the jury about an hour to find Vasquez guilty. A co-defendant, then 15, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on a murder conviction. About four hours before the planned execution, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to halt the proceedings. Lawyers for Vasquez had launched the last-minute appeal, saying their client had been denied a fair punishment because prospective, qualified jurors in his trial had been dismissed if they had sympathies against the death penalty. The lawyers had previously said Vasquez had mental health problems and suffered from learning disabilities. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Alistair Bell and Sandra Maler) (Reuters) - A school police officer in San Antonio, Texas, has been placed on leave after a video posted online showed him slamming a 12-year-old girl to the ground at a middle school, media reported on Wednesday. The San Antonio Independent School District launched an investigation into the officer's actions, which occurred on March 29 as the officer was breaking up a confrontation between the girl and another student, according to television station KSAT. The incident comes as police in the United States face greater scrutiny over use of force. Last year, a sheriff's deputy in South Carolina was fired after he was caught on video flipping a high school student out of her classroom chair. In a video posted online on Tuesday, the San Antonio school police officer is seen holding the student from behind and then spinning around and throwing her to the ground. Shocked student bystanders can be heard saying "she landed on her face" and "are you OK?" to the girl, while she lies motionless and the officer handcuffs her. "The video is very concerning," San Antonio Independent School District spokeswoman Leslie Price told KSAT. "We need to find out all the details as to what occurred, but I can also say that we will not tolerate excessive force in this district." Neither a representative from the San Antonio Independent School District nor the officer, Joshua Kehm, could be reached for comment late on Wednesday. The video does not reveal what occurred before the school police officer grabbed hold of the girl. KSAT reported that other students told the station the girl had kicked the officer. Kehm was placed on paid administrative leave after officials late on Tuesday learned of the video of the incident at Rhodes Middle School, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Gloria Valdez, the mother of the 12-year-old girl, told KSAT that seeing the video left her upset and angry. "You can actually hear it, her head hits the concrete, and that's what hurt me the most," Valdez told the station. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Robert Birsel) BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai police are investigating stickers lampooning Thailand's royal family which appeared briefly on the popular Japan-based Line instant messaging service, a police spokesman said on Thursday. Thailand's royal family is protected by some of the world's strictest lese-majeste rules. Under the military government which seized power in a May 2014 coup, prosecution of those deemed to have insulted the monarchy have risen rapidly and sentences become increasingly harsh. "We are investigating where the stickers came from and who did this," said Colonel Somporn Daengdee, deputy chief of the police's Technology Crime Suppression Division. He declined to say more due to the sensitivity of the issue. Line, which is one of Thailand's most popular social media platforms, apologized for the set of cartoon stickers and said it was no longer available to purchase. The stickers had spread quickly online on Wednesday. "LINE Corporation is aware of the culturally sensitive sticker set that may have caused discomfort among our users in Thailand," Line said in a statement posted online. "The sticker set in question has been pulled from the LINE Sticker Shop. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is a revered figure in Thailand. The king has been staying at a Bangkok hospital since May 2015 and worries over his health and the succession has formed the backdrop to more than a decade of political crisis in Thailand. News about the king's health is tightly controlled by the palace which issues statements detailing his ailments. Public debate about the monarchy is curtailed by the lese-majeste laws. Those found guilty of breaking the royal insult laws face up to 15 years in prison. Rights groups say the law is often abused, contributing significantly to the deterioration of Thailand's rights record. LINE allows users to compose their own stickers and sell them online. Many users include cartoon-like stickers in their messages. Users can create and upload stickers which are checked by head office in Japan and not in Thailand, said an employee at LINE in Thailand who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Writing by Simon Webb; Editing by Robert Birsel) Kate looked stunning in a sheer panelled, floor-skimming dress by Indian designer Saloni [Photo: Rex Features] They are just days away from setting off on their trip to India and Bhutan and last night, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked the occasion by attending a pre-tour reception at Kensington Palace. And true to sartorial form Kate chose to dress diplomatically for the event, opting to wear a floor-length midnight blue dress by Indian designer Saloni, which gave a nod to her upcoming host nation. With its sheer sleeves, polka-dot detailing and nipped in waist, the floor-skimming gown gives the illusion of a see-through chest panel, but the nude material underneath and high collar makes the dress drop down the right side of demure. Matchy matchy. Wills opted for a matching dark blue suit at the event [Photos: Rex Features] Kate accessorised the glamorous gown with diamond and sapphire statement earrings, simple pointed blue court shoes and wore her locks down in ultra-loose waves. Typically, as with many of Kates sartorial choices, the Mary Illusion Dot Dress, is completely sold out, but it was previously on sale for 498. Kate and Wills chatted to guests from India and Bhutan to mark their upcoming tour [Photos: Rex Features] This isnt the first time the Duchess has worn the London-Mumbai based label. Days after it was announced that the Duke and Duchess would be travelling to India, Kate wore a cobalt blue, crinkle-effect dress by Saloni for the Fostering Excellence Awards in London. Perhaps Kate was offering a hint that she might continue to wear the labels colour-pop and print designs for the upcoming tour. On previous royal tours Kate has made a point of wearing pieces by local designers. When she arrived in Montreal she wore a dress by Canadian born designer Erdem Moralioglu, in Australia she wore a dress by Australian label Zimmermann whilst on Manley Beach, and on her three-day trip to New York in 2014 she wore pieces by American designers, including a Tory Burch coat and J. Crew jeans. Story continues Kate has previously worn this cobalt blue dress by Indian designer Saloni [Photo: Rex Features] The Duke and Duchess tour of India and Bhutan kicks off this Sunday and stylistas are already speculating about the designs in Kates tour wardrobe. How many outfits will she showcase? Which designers will get the nod? Will she travel light? According to The Telegraph the Duchess will take 12-15 outfits for the six days of official visits. "She is in charge of it herself and takes an interest in paying tribute to the host country with nods to their culture and local style on at least a few of the engagements, a royal source revealed. "The important factor on this tour is the heat, so thats an issue that plays a big part in the choice of outfits." Whatever she decides to pack you can be sure Kate wont have the packed-too-much-now-got-to-sit-on-the-case problem the rest of us mere mortals have with holiday packing. Oh to be a Duchess *sighs* What do you think of Kates outfit? Let us know @YahooStyleUK What The Duchess Of Cambridge Will Pack On Her Upcoming Royal Tour Work-Shy Or Working Mum? Duchess Of Cambridge Shrugs Off Lazy Label Istanbul (AFP) - Three people were wounded on Thursday when two Katyusha-type rockets fired from an area in Syria controlled by Islamic State (IS) jihadists slammed into the centre of a Turkish town near the Syrian border, a report said. The rockets hit the centre of the town of Kilis at around 0545 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported. Ambulances were sent to the scene as police threw a security cordon around the area. Dogan said one of the rockets hit a building used by Syrian refugees and two of those wounded were Syrian citizens. Another person was wounded by the second rocket and police also evacuated a school nearby. Pictures broadcast by Turkish television showed the rockets had badly damaged masonry and windows on one building. In line with its rules of engagement, Turkish artillery fired back at the Syrian region where the shots originated, Turkish media said. Kilis, where according to Turkish officials Syrian refugees now outnumber the native Turkish population, has been hit several times by IS fire. In March, two people including a four-year-old child were killed by rocket fire there, while in January a janitor was killed and pupil wounded when IS fire hit a school. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders are set to visit the south-central town on April 16 to open a centre for Syrian refugees funded by the EU, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said this week. Turkey has on occasion been accused by its western allies of not doing enough to combat the threat of IS, which captured swathes of Iraq and Syria right up to its border. But Ankara is now playing a key role in the US-led anti-IS coalition and hosting foreign warplanes at its Incirlik airbase for strikes on the group. The latest attack comes after Turkish armed forces launched repeated artillery strikes in the last weeks on IS positions in Syria. A fragile ceasefire backed by Turkey has taken effect in Syria, but the deal does not apply to territory held by the IS group and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Turkey has also been hit by attacks blamed on IS jihadists, including two deadly suicide bombings in Istanbul that targeted foreign tourists. OSLO (Reuters) - Reports of a historic dip in China's carbon dioxide emissions in the past two years are premature because of uncertainty over data showing the pace of a decline in coal use by the world's biggest consumer, a study showed on Monday. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has been among those saying that energy-related carbon dioxide emissions by China, the biggest emitter, fell in 2015 and 2014 in what it hailed as a shift to cleaner energy after years of fast growth. "Headlines about falling emissions may be misinterpreting the numbers," the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research, Oslo, (CICERO) said in a statement of a report published in the journal Nature Climate Change. China has promised to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by around 2030 as part of a 195-nation plan agreed in Paris in December to combat climate change, blamed for stoking more downpours, heatwaves and rising sea levels. But CICERO pointed to uncertainties in China's coal data, and frequent revisions. It said Beijing has reported that coal consumption, measured by weight, fell 3.7 percent last year as economic growth slowed. But China is also using higher quality coal, which releases more energy and carbon dioxide per ton when burnt. By that yardstick, China's coal energy consumption fell by just 1.5 percent last year, it said. Overall, CICERO estimated China's carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, including oil and gas, dipped by just 0.1 percent in 2015 after a gain of 0.5 percent in 2014. "Given uncertainties in the statistics, it is not possible to conclude whether Chinese carbon dioxide emissions went up or down in 2015," said Glen Peters, an author at CICERO. China's climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said on March 7 that carbon emissions were still rising. By contrast, the IEA reported a decrease of 1.5 percent in China's energy-related carbon emissions for 2015 on March 16, underpinning its wider conclusion that a rise of global emissions stalled for a second year even as the economy grew. The IEA stuck by the conclusions. Even taking CICERO's advice on coal data, "the finding of a decoupling at global level between emissions and economic growth would not change to any significant extent", IEA spokesman Greg Frost said. Even so, the difference between CICERO's estimate of a 0.1 percent dip in Chinese emissions last year and the IEA's 1.5 percent fall amounts to 125 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, CICERO said, roughly the annual emissions of Belgium. "China's emissions growth has clearly slowed a lot, regardless of whether it has actually reversed," lead author Jan Ivar Korsbakken said. (Reporting by Alister Doyle; editing by Susan Thomas) The Hague (AFP) - A top executive on the advisory board of Dutch bank ABN Amro stepped down Thursday after being linked to the growing Panama Papers scandal, but without admitting any wrongdoing. Two Dutch newspapers said Bert Meerstadt's name had been mentioned in the vast trove of documents leaked Sunday relating to a Panama law firm allegedly helping the rich and famous to hide assets offshore to avoid tax. "Bert Meerstadt has decided to resign as a member of the supervisory board of ABN Amro Group with immediate effect," the third-largest bank in the Netherlands said in a statement. Meerstadt, 54, is a primary shareholder of the Virgin Islands-based Morclan Corporation, set up by Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca in 2001, said the Dutch dailies De Financieele Dagblad and Trouw. The two papers were part of an international consortium of journalists which led the investigations into the scandal. Meerstadt said in a separate statement that because his name had been mentioned he had accelerated plans to leave the bank, saying: "I hereby bring forward my resignation to today". "I want to avoid any negative consequences for the bank," said Meerstadt, adding he would not comment on the reports. Apart from serving at ABN Amro as a supervisory member, Meerstadt is a former Dutch Rail executive director and serves as vice chairman of the supervisory board of Dutch distiller Lucas Bols, according to his CV posted on ABN Amro's website. Dozens of ex-MPs from Thailand's toppled government met in public for the first time Thursday to hear a Skype address from the self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who sits at the crux of the country's political rupture. Applause erupted among the Puea Thai Party faithful as the 67-year-old cop-turned-telecoms magnate appeared on a sketchy Skype link from an undisclosed country. Thaksin and his affiliated parties have won every election since 2001, even though he has lived overseas for eight years to avoid jail on a graft conviction. He is accused of toxifying the country with corruption by the Bangkok-centric royalist elite who have skewered his governments with coups and legal cases, plunging the kingdom into a decade-long political crisis. The rare gathering of party grandees was ostensibly non-political -- in keeping with a junta ban on political expression. Instead, it was billed as a 'cultural event' to celebrate Songkran -- the water festival and Thai new year -- with Puea Thai Party members decked out in bright floral traditional shirts. "I miss you and I think about you all, especially the people that have fought for the party," Thaksin, who was also wearing a Songkran shirt, said in an address interrupted by a poor internet connection. "Politics will only be sustainable when politicians do their jobs for the people," he added, in a thinly veiled jab at a junta that has failed to pump life into the country's insipid economy. - 'Military must do better' - Puea Thai was booted out from office by the army in May 2014. Thaksin's sister Yingluck -- who was at Thursday's gathering -- was removed as prime minister by the courts a few days before the power grab. Thaksin was also shunted from office by a coup in 2006. He has not returned to Thailand since fleeing in 2008 to avoid a conviction he insists was politically motivated. But his increasingly frequent media forays have infuriated junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha while reminding supporters that he -- and the pro-democracy camp -- have not been neutered. Story continues "If the junta wants people to forget about Thaksin, they have to do a better job themselves," Jatuporn Prompan, the leader of the Shinawatra-alligned 'Red Shirt' protest movement, told AFP. A junta spokesman did not return requests for comment. The Shinawatra clan still draws the adoration of farmers from the north and northeast for recognising their changing social and economic aspirations -- as well as among a swathe of the urban middle class. The Thai junta says it will hold elections in the summer of 2017, around a year after a referendum on a new constitution. Critics of the proposed charter say it embeds military rule and aims to create a straitjacketed democracy, managed by an appointed senate. "The election will be meaningless if it is based on this constitution," Chaturon Chaisaeng, the education minister in Yingluck's cabinet, told AFP. "Our party still has lots of support.. but I cannot say if we will take part in any election based on this constitution." Yingluck, Thailand's first female leader, also faces jail for negligence linked to a rice subsidy scheme. But with her brother overseas, she carries the Shinawatra's star power in Thailand. As a result the junta is going to increasingly absurd lengths to muffle support for the clan. Last week police seized thousands of red bowls signed by Thaksin distributed in the Shinawatra heartlands for the Thai new year. A woman who posted a picture with a bowl is also facing sedition charges. By Alastair Sharp TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto officials on Thursday proposed new rules to allow ride-hailing service Uber to operate in the city and let traditional taxis compete on fares. Among the recommendations, taxi companies would be permitted to offer lower rates for trips not hailed off the street. The proposed changes would create a separate license for private transportation companies, which use a smartphone app to connect passengers with private drivers who use their own vehicles. Uber Technologies Inc's [UBER.UL] private-vehicle drivers are currently unregulated, and taxi supporters were pushing for them to be held to the same rules as taxis. Under the new proposal, Uber will not be regulated on the fares they charge. While all taxi fares are currently regulated, under the new rules, if a taxi ride is booked through an app or over the phone, the taxi company can offer a lower rate to compete with Uber. The city filed an injunction last year to stop Uber, and an Ontario court ruled Uber was not operating illegally, just outside regulations. The city has also charged some Uber drivers with carrying fee-paying passengers without a license, but 14 months later the cases have not been heard. About 45,000 trips per day are taken in Uber vehicles, according to the city. Uber is the only private app-based transport company currently operating in Toronto. The suggested rule changes would require a C$2 million minimum insurance coverage for all drivers, but keep distinct rules for each category. Uber and similar companies that want to enter the market will have to pay a C$20,000 application fee plus C$10 a year per driver and 20 Canadian cents per trip from Toronto. The proposals will go to a committee that includes many pro-taxi councillors for possible amendments next week before a full council debate next month. "We have new regulations that create a level playing field, provide safe, convenient options to our residents and allow drivers to earn a competitive living," Toronto Mayor John Tory said in a statement. Toronto taxi drivers have held protests and gone to court to try to halt Uber. Tory has been working to try to incorporate the service by overhauling regulations. Uber is fighting for legal status in cities around the world as authorities weigh the legality of its app-based service. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) You probably already heard about the death of country music legend Merle Haggard. (Update: David just posted a tribute.) When I saw the NYT news alert this afternoon, I immediately thought of my grandfather, a huge country-western fan in general and of Haggard in particular. So I emailed Pop to see what his favorite Haggard song is and he replied with two: All My Friends are Gonna Be Strangers and I Think Ill Just Sit Here and Drink. I went with the latter because its nearly happy hour, just in time for my grandfathers vodka gimlet. For more on Haggard, check out the essay Tony Scherman wrote for us back in August 1996 detailing how Merle Haggards sandblasted truth has been eclipsed by the twinkly perfection of todays country musicmore twinkly than ever today, two decades later. Heres Scherman: Before he stiff-armed the counterculture in 1969 with his hippie-baiting anthem Okie From Muskogee, Haggard was on his way to an unlikely apotheosis. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Catherine Ngai and Liz Hampton NEW YORK/HOUSTON (Reuters) - The sudden closure and subsequent delay in restarting the Keystone crude pipeline has caused traders to sell off heavy Canadian oil for immediate delivery, trading sources said on Wednesday, while temporarily lending support to U.S. futures markets. TransCanada Corp delayed the restart of its 590,000 barrel per day Keystone crude pipeline to next Tuesday at the earliest from Friday originally, four traders familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The line, which delivers crude from Hardisty, Alberta to Cushing, Oklahoma, and on to Illinois, was shut over the weekend after a potential leak. TransCanada had told shippers on Tuesday the pipeline would restart by next Tuesday at the earliest, trade sources said. A TransCanada spokesman confirmed in an email that the company had informed customers during a subsequent call on Wednesday afternoon that next Tuesday remained the best-case scenario for a restart. "Quick fix is not how we would characterize this, at all," TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper said, adding that the company has made "significant progress" in pinpointing the source of the problem in a safe manner. He said the company would like the pipeline to be operational as quickly as possible, but is focusing on doing so safely and with regulatory support. TransCanada also said it was going to ask the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to repressurize the line in order to find the leak, a source said, a move which could potentially expedite its restart. A spokesman for PHMSA said it was still monitoring the situation and that the oil spilled is Surmont heavy-blend crude. In a shipper notice, TransCanada also said it was curtailing shipments on its pipeline by 35 percent for the remainder of April. The outage, which stemmed the flow of Canadian crude further south, caused cash prices to dive to a two-month low below the West Texas Intermediate benchmark. [CRU/CA] Time spreads in U.S. crude futures contracts rallied late Tuesday following news of the delay, with May WTI trading as tightly as 98 cents a barrel below June WTI, up from a $1.46 a barrel discount earlier in the day. News of an extended delay also boosted futures prices, as traders pointed out that it would divert crude otherwise moving toward Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point of the contract. The outage has forced refiner Phillips 66 to cut run rates and shut units at its 306,000 bpd Wood River refinery. (Reporting by Catherine Ngai in New York and Liz Hampton in Houston; Editing by James Dalgleish and Matthew Lewis) (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp said on Thursday about 400 barrels could have spilled in South Dakota from its 590,000 barrel-per-day Keystone crude oil pipeline. The company said it provided the spill volume estimate to regulators on Thursday morning based on the excavation of soil to expose over 100 feet of pipe while it continues to investigate the source of the spill. The line, which delivers crude from Hardisty, Alberta to Cushing, Oklahoma, and on to Illinois, was shut over the weekend after a potential leak in South Dakota. (Reporting by Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru and Catherine Ngai in New York; Editing by Chris Reese) Brussels (AFP) - Extraditing Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam from Belgium to France is likely to take several weeks, as investigators question him about a shootout with police in Brussels last month, his lawyer said Thursday. "He will be handed over to France in several weeks. He must first be heard in another case," lawyer Sven Mary told reporters, referring to a March 15 shootout in which Abdeslam is implicated. Abdeslam is believed to be the sole survivor of the group which carried out coordinated suicide bomb and gun attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people and were claimed by the Islamic State group. Abdeslam, a 26-year-old French national who grew up in Brussels, is thought to have fled from an apartment in the Forest district of Brussels when it was raided by police on March 15. The raid triggered a shootout that killed terror suspect Mohamed Belkaid, an Algerian. The prosecutor's office later said police had found Abdeslam's fingerprints in the apartment. Abdeslam was eventually captured on March 18 in the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, around the corner from his family home, following a four-month manhunt. He is being held in a high-security prison in the northern Belgian city of Bruges and must still be questioned in "the case concerning Forest where shots were fired on police officers," Mary told reporters outside a Brussels courthouse. Mary said his client was not at this stage implicated in the March 22 suicide attacks on the airport and an underground train station in Brussels that killed 32 people. "No hearing has been scheduled" over the Brussels bombings, he said. Bethpage (United States) (AFP) - Donald Trump attacked his insurgent Republican rival Ted Cruz and ignored his crushing defeat in Wisconsin on Wednesday, electrifying thousands of passionate supporters at a home state rally in New York. "It's great to be home," the 67-year-old Manhattan tycoon told a fist-pumping, cheering crowd at Grumman Studios in the Long Island town of Bethpage, where Apollo Lunar Module spacecraft were once built. Trump ignored his drubbing by evangelical Cruz in the Wisconsin state primary and mocked the Texas senator for denigrating New York values and reportedly pulling in a far smaller crowd earlier Wednesday. Cruz berated the supposedly non-conservative values of America's largest city earlier in the campaign, which saw Trump defend the city for its bravery and resilience after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. "The bravery that was shown was incredible. We all lived through it. We all know people that died," he repeated to cheers. "I've got this guy standing over there looking at me, talking about New York values, with hatred," he said. "So, folks, I think you can forget about him. Forget about him. He is Lyin' Ted." "Lyin' Ted! Lyin' Ted! Lyin' Ted!" roared back the crowd in unison. The three-times married real estate tycoon could not resist another dig. "Most of the time, I win the evangelical vote," he said. "The Christians like Donald Trump. I am a straight shooter." Trump leads Republican polls for the New York state primary on April 19, but faces a steep ascent to the Republican nomination, increasing the likelihood of a contested convention in July that could throw the party's nod to someone more to the liking of the establishment. Outside the venue some distance away, protesters shouted "hey, hey, ho, ho Donald Trump has got to go," and waved posters proclaiming "Dump Trump" and "Lets Build You A Wall." Story continues "He is a misogynist pig, a war-monger and a very dangerous man. I don't want him to be president" said Bethpage resident Deborah Poppe, who said she would be voting for Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders. Security was razor tight. Police lined the route. Members of the audience were not permitted to bring bags. On-site parking was prohibited forcing people to walk or take shuttle buses. - 'I'll cringe' - Trump's Wisconsin defeat also saw his daughter Ivanka made a return to her father's side on the campaign trail, introducing him in Bethpage one week after giving birth to her third child. The crowd lapped up his stump speech, responding with deafening cheers to his promises to defeat the so-called Islamic State extremist group, bring back jobs and build a wall along the border with Mexico. "Build the wall, build the wall, build the wall," they shouted. "We want Trump, We Want Trump," and "USA, USA," yelled the room, a sea of trucker hats inscribed with his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again!" and cell phones taking selfies. Trump at one point claimed there were 17,000 people in the audience, but there was no independent confirmation of the precise number there. On the surface, it was typical of the rallies that the Republican frontrunner has commanded across the country, pulling in numbers that few of the other candidates in the 2016 presidential race can muster. Families, mothers clutching babies, retirees and young voters professed as much love for Trump as ever, but beneath the surface some expressed concern that he might be coming unglued. "Sometimes, I'm watching him and I'll cringe and I'm like 'oh Donald'," said Dorine Lambert, a proof reader for a community newspaper from Smithtown accompanied by her grown-up daughter. "He goes overboard, but I see it as because of his passion. He has stated over and over, he's not a polished politician and that's one thing that will come, but I have zero doubt in his ability." "I'm very concerned," said George Ruzzier, 81, a longtime independent and Democrat who said Trump had moved him to vote Republican for the first time. "I have to say, stupid Republicans are holding him back." "I think as long as he doesn't do anything stupid or silly I think I'm probably in his camp," said Pete Evans, 49, who runs a small home improvement business. Evans said he was surprised by Trump's defeat in Wisconsin and as a Republican, would vote in November for whoever gets the nomination, even Cruz. "I don't really care for him, but I'd vote for him." Donald Trump is still licking his wounds from the trouncing he took at the hands of Sen. Ted Cruz in Tuesdays GOP presidential primary in Wisconsin. Cruz wasted little time heading for New York to begin campaigning ahead of the April 19 primary there. But the senator from Texas could be in for a rude awakening there and might end up with few if any of the 95 delegates at stake -- if Trump manages to run the table in his home state. Related: Heres the Problem with Trumps Plan to Pay for the Border Wall A new survey by Monmouth University survey released on Wednesday shows Trump garnering 52 percent of the likely GOP vote in New York, followed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich with 25 percent and just 17 percent for Cruz. Trump will launch his New York campaign Wednesday evening with a rally on Long Island. RCP Cruz crushed Trump in Wisconsin by 48 percent to 35 percent and carried the day in three other previous races -- Utah, Colorado and North Dakota. He [Trump] gets very angry when the voters reject him, Cruz said today during an appearance in the Bronx, where he boasted of picking up momentum in his bid for the nomination. For his part, Trump calls Cruz Lying Ted and said after his loss last night that Cruz was a Trojan horse for the party establishment and party bosses to steal the nomination. While Wisconsins political terrain of establishment Republicans and grass-roots conservatives proved hostile to Trumps brash, hyperbolic and down-right nasty style, that apparently wont be a problem for him in many parts of New York State, according to the new poll. Fifty-seven percent of registered Republicans said that Trumps controversial remarks about abortion and nuclear proliferation among others -- would have no effect on how they vote in the primary. Nearly 30 percent said that Trumps controversial comments makes them less likely to vote for him, while seven percent say his comments make them more inclined to support the real estate mogul. Story continues Related: Thumped in Wisconsin, a Losing Trump Avoids the Press By contrast, Cruz will likely have a hard time breaking the 20 percent threshold of voters required for a candidate to qualify for any of the available delegates under GOP rules. RCP Poll Average for Trump vs. Clinton - 2016 General Election | InsideGov If Trump is able to preserve his support in New York City, Long Island and throughout upstate New York, he will be on target to claim the vast majority of the states 95 delegates. Only Kasich appears capable of cutting into Trumps GOP support, but he currently lags far behind Trump. If this result holds in every single congressional district, Trump will walk away with nearly all of New York States delegates, said Monmouth University pollster Patrick Murray in a statement. Kasich has won only one primary this year, and that was in his home state of Ohio. Yet he is convinced that neither Trump nor Cruz will be able to amass the minimum of 1,237 delegates that will be needed to capture the GOP presidential nomination this summer, and is counting on an open convention in Cleveland to make his play for the nomination. Related: Would Trump Put the Deep South in Play? A New Poll Suggests Yes Trump so far has collected 743 delegates to 517 for Cruz and just 143 for Kasich. While the Ohio governor bides his time before then, he has high hopes of performing well in New York, Pennsylvania and other northeastern states that are more receptive to his relatively moderate policies and rhetoric. Recent polling suggests that Kasich would do better in the general election than Trump, and todays Monmouth poll confirms that. If Kasich were the GOP nominee this fall, 80 percent of New York Republican primary voters said they would support him over Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton. Just 70 percent said they would support Trump over Clinton, and only 66 percent would back Cruz this fall. It is interesting that Kasich would be a stronger nominee in Trumps home state, but it is purely academic, said Murray. There is almost no probability that any Republican would be able to win New Yorks electoral votes. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: With the air of inevitability surrounding Donald Trumps potential nomination dissipating somewhat, there might be some hope among Republicans that what looked like an unmitigated down-ballot disaster in November might not be so awful after all. But a new analysis from the University of Virginias Center for Politics and some recent polling suggest that Republicans shouldnt get their hopes up just yet. The University of Virginias Center for Politics on Thursday released new ratings for six Senate elections, all of which either favored an incumbent Democrat or predicted a more difficult path for an incumbent Republican. Related: Trump Has Some Bad News for Cruz in New York Assuming the GOP nominee for the White House is either Trump or [Texas Sen.] Ted Cruz, we think the Democrats will fare reasonably well down-ballot (more so with Trump than Cruz, though Cruz will also have a difficult time carrying many swing states), write Larry J. Sabato, Kyle Kondik, and Geoffrey Skelley. Neither Trump nor Cruz is seen as particularly electable in a general election, and the so-called coattail effect produced by a Democratic presidential victory could wind up carrying new Dems into the Senate. In November, 34 Senate seats will be up for election, with Republicans defending 24 of them. A net gain of four seats would give Democrats control if there is a Democratic vice president. A five-seat swing would hand them control of the Senate outright. [I]n recent presidential cycles, about 80% of states with Senate elections have backed the same party for the presidency and the Senate, they wrote. If a Democrat takes the White House in November, straight-ticket voting could bode poorly for the GOP. The worst news in Thursdays analysis was for Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio. Both men saw their races downgraded from Leans Republican to Toss-up on the Center for Politics scale. Roy Blunt of Missouri and Richard Burr of North Carolina both saw their races downgraded from Likely Republican to Leans Republican. Story continues Related: Trumps Wisconsin Debacle a Major Warning to the GOP Even long-time Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley took a hit, dropping from Safe Republican to Likely Republican. (Grassley is likely suffering in part from reaction to his decision as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to deny a vote to Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.) The one Democratic senator whose rating changed was Michael Bennett of Colorado. His race moved from Leans Democratic to Likely Democratic. Recent polling data out of Wisconsin, the most recent state to hold a Republican primary election, also suggests that even if Trumps attempt to take the GOP mantle is thwarted, a Cruz candidacy might not exactly stir the hearts of GOP voters. To be sure, Trump is the most toxic candidate in the field, even among Republicans. After the Wisconsin primaries on Tuesday, Republican voters were asked whom they would vote for in a general election under a variety of scenarios. If Trump were the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton were the Democratic nominee, for example, only 61 percent of GOP voters said they would support him. Eight percent said they wouldnt vote at all, 18 percent said they would seek a third-party candidate, and 10 percent said they would vote for Clinton over Trump. Related: How Voter Anger Finally Erupted and Gave Us Trump and Sanders And while Cruzs numbers arent as bad as Trumps, theyre still pretty bad. If Cruz won the nomination and ran against Clinton, only 66 percent of Republicans said they would support him. Only in a race against a candidate like Trump can the threat of losing one-third of your partys support in a general election be considered a victory. Five percent of Wisconsin Republicans said they wouldnt vote in a general election if Cruz were the nominee, 18 percent said they would look for a third party candidate, and 6 percent would vote for Clinton. Looking ahead to November, if the Wisconsin exit polls are even close to correctly gauging the attitude of the broader electorate, thats terrible news not just for the Republicans dream of recapturing the White House, but for their defense of the Senate as well. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Ginger Gibson and Michelle Conlin WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump's Republican rivals were invigorated on Wednesday by the front-runner's loss in the Wisconsin primary and moved quickly to bolster efforts to block the New York billionaire from capturing the party's presidential nomination. Ted Cruz's emphatic victory in Wisconsin on Tuesday night dealt momentum to his once long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination. The U.S. senator from Texas made the case he is increasingly viewed as the main Trump alternative by Republicans who cannot bring themselves to support Trump as their nominee for the Nov. 8 election. Allies of Ohio Governor John Kasich, who is positioning himself as a mainstream candidate who could emerge from a contested convention, met in Washington to brainstorm about how they could use obscure procedural rules to their advantage when the party convenes in Cleveland. One group trying to defeat Trump, who has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his comments on immigration, Muslims and trade, was hopeful on Wednesday of a cash infusion to fund their efforts. "Our funders are committed to nominating a principled conservative that can win in November and can help Republicans up and down the ballot," said Katie Packer, who is leading the anti-Trump Our Principals PAC. "They understand that this is a long slog now and they are supportive of our mission and strategy. I expect that we will have the funds necessary to execute." U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, lobbyists and congressional staffers were among those who met with Kasich advisers on Wednesday to discuss what one Republican congressional staffer present admitted was the governor's "long-shot" bid. He has won only his home state in nominating contests so far. Kasich's campaign has "a plan going into the convention ... and if the convention goes to a brokered convention, they have a legitimate chance," the staffer said. SHIFT TO NEW YORK The next big test in stopping Trump will be New York, the state he calls home. A Monmouth University poll of New York Republicans released on Monday showed Trump with 52 percent of the state's support, a huge lead over Kasich at 25 percent, and Cruz at 17 percent ahead of the state's April 19 primary. Trump held a rally in Bethpage, New York, on Wednesday evening where he referred only obliquely to his Wisconsin loss, saying it "takes guts" to run for president and criticizing Cruz for drawing small crowds in the state. The Trump campaign also announced members of its New York-based team, including party leaders in each of the state's 27 congressional districts. "It's very important for Trump to bounce back strong. The sense of his inevitability is one of his strengths," said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Center at Southern Illinois University. Cruz met with black and Hispanic religious leaders earlier in the day in the New York City borough of the Bronx. "The men and women of Wisconsin resoundingly rejected (Trump's) campaign," Cruz told reporters afterward. "Donald has no solutions to the problems that were facing." A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Cruz statistically even with Trump among Republicans nationally. His recent gains marked the first time since November that a rival had threatened Trump's standing at the head of the Republican pack. Trump has 743 delegates, Cruz 517, and Kasich 143, according to an Associated Press count. Trump would need to win about 55 percent of the remaining delegates to reach the 1,237 threshold. "We fully expect this to go to Cleveland," Packer said of the anti-Trump effort. CLINTON GOES ON ATTACK On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born U.S. senator representing Vermont, is trying to stage a come-from-behind upset of Hillary Clinton, but will struggle to overcome a large deficit in delegates. Sanders' big win in Wisconsin, which brought his victory tally to six out of the last seven contests, added to Clinton's frustration over her inability to knock out a rival who has attacked her from the left. That frustration was on full display on Wednesday when the former secretary of state gave two live televised interviews in which she criticized Sanders. In contrast to a Republican primary season that has been rife with personal insults, the Democrats have largely avoided personal attacks and stuck to policy arguments. But Clinton attacked Sanders for his position on guns and said he lacked a depth of policy understanding. "You cant really help people if you dont know how to do what you say you want to do," Clinton said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." She criticized him for an interview to New York's Daily News in which he failed to offer specifics on how he would break up large banks - a key part of his campaign message - when he was asked how he would put to use the existing financial regulation Dodd-Frank law. "It's not clear that he knows how Dodd-Frank works," Clinton told CNN in an interview on Wednesday afternoon. The Democratic Party nominating race moves to Wyoming on Saturday before New York on April 19. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Wednesday in Bethpage, N.Y. (Photo: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters) BETHPAGE, N.Y. A day after losing Wisconsins Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump brought his insurgent campaign to New York Wednesday night, kicking off a bid to win his home state primary with a massive rally that harkened back to the early days of his unlikely presidential effort. Its great to be home, Trump declared in a massive movie studio soundstage in the heart of Long Island that was packed with at least 10,000 people one of his biggest rallies in more than a month. I love New York. I love this city, I love this country, and we are going to start winning again. Trump was referring to his campaign line make America great again, but the line also could have applied to his campaign, which seemed mired in turmoil Wednesday amid reports of staff infighting as the real estate mogul strives to win the 1,237 delegates needed to stave off a contested convention this July. Supporters cheer as Trump speaks during a campaign event at Grumman Studios in Bethpage. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Several news outlets, including Politico and CNN, reported that Paul Manafort, a Trump senior adviser recently hired to oversee the campaigns convention and delegate efforts, met with Trump Wednesday to insist on a more coherent campaign strategy. A Trump spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on the reports, which also suggested a diminishing role for Corey Lewandowski, Trumps embattled campaign manager. SLIDESHOW The battle for New York >>> Adding to the intrigue are questions over the candidates upcoming schedule. He had been expected to travel all week, including to Colorado, which holds its state GOP convention this weekend. But as of Wednesday night, the candidate had just one event on his schedule for the remainder of the week: a press conference set for Friday afternoon in Los Angeles. Story continues But there was good news for Trump. As he formally kicked off his New York campaign, a new Monmouth poll released Wednesday found 52 percent of likely GOP voters are backing Trump ahead of the states April 19 primary. Ohio Gov. John Kasich came in second, with 25 percent, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz trailed with 17 percent support. People protest against Trump as a crowd leaves the site of the candidates campaign appearance in Bethpage. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/AP) Trump, who almost always brings up poll numbers in his stump speech, was beside himself as he cited the poll Wednesday night. A poll came out that was through the roof, Trump bragged. You know what makes me happiest, when the people that know me best and boy, do you know me well when the people that know you the best give you poll numbers that nobody can believe. Though he made no mention of his loss in Wisconsin on Tuesday night, Trump renewed his attacks on Cruz, describing him as a phony beholden to special interests. And he beamed when the crowd at one point began chanting Lyin Ted, Trumps favorite nickname for his bitter rival. Make sure you spell it right, Trump said, with a huge grin on his face. Its L-Y-I-N apostrophe. Lyin Ted. Supporters reach out for signatures, photos and handshakes as Trump greets the crowd after speaking at Grumman Studios. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will grant temporary protection status to Syrian migrants sent back from Greek islands, the government said on Thursday, a step required under an agreement with the European Union to combat illegal migration. The status would be given to Syrians who had illegally crossed to the islands after March 20, 2016, and who requested protection after being re-admitted to Turkey, according to the website of the government's Official Gazette. The Turkish cabinet agreed to the new regulation during its meeting on Tuesday, and it came into effect on Thursday. Turkey needed to make the legal change before Greece could return migrants from its territory. The EU's top migration official pressed for the provision in Ankara this week. So far only people who would have been deported anyway, even without the Turkish accord, have been sent back. Under the agreement deal with the EU, Turkey will take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean to enter Greece illegally. The EU has agreed to take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward Ankara with money, visa-free travel and progress in talks on EU membership. The first 202 people were sent back to Turkey from Greece on Monday under the accord, which rights advocates say may violate the law. United Nations agencies and rights campaigners oppose the scheme and aim to instruct all those who reach Greece on how to apply for asylum. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Nick Tattersall and David Dolan, Larry King) Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union that Ankara would not implement a key deal on reducing the flow of migrants if Brussels fails to fulfil its side of the bargain. Erdogan's typically combative comments indicated that Ankara would not sit still if the EU falls short on a number of promises in the deal, including visa-free travel to Europe for Turks by this summer. Meanwhile, the Vatican confirmed that the pope would next week make a brief, unprecedented trip to the Greek island of Lesbos where thousands of migrants are facing potential deportation to Turkey under the deal. "There are precise conditions. If the European Union does not take the necessary steps, then Turkey will not implement the agreement," Erdogan said in a speech at his presidential palace in Ankara. The March 18 accord sets out measures for reducing Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, including stepped-up checks by Turkey and the shipping back to Turkish territory of migrants who land on the Greek islands. In return, Turkey is slated to receive benefits including visa-free travel for its citizens to Europe, promised "at the latest" by June 2016. Turkey is also to receive a total of six billion euros in financial aid up to the end of 2018 for the 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. - 'Need more than thanks'- Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, described the visa-free regime as one of the "biggest benefits for Turkey" in the migrant deal. He told AFP that Turkey still has to fulfil 72 conditions on its side to gain visa-free travel to Europe's passport-free Schengen zone and that the move would also have to be approved by EU interior ministers. Turkey's long-stalled accession process to join the EU is also supposed to be re-energised under the deal. But Pierini said there were many conditions still to be fulfilled here. "The worst reading of the EU-Turkey deal would be to imagine that Turkey is about to get a 'discount' on EU membership conditions just because of the refugees," he said. Story continues Erdogan argued Turkey deserved something in return for its commitment to Syrian refugees, on whom it has spent some $10 billion since the Syrian conflict began in 2011. "Some three million people are being fed on our budget," the president said. "There have been promises but nothing has come for the moment," he added. - Pope to visit Lesbos - The first transfer of more 200 migrants from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to Turkey took place on Monday. Officials said Greece was preparing to send around 50 more on Friday unless they applied for asylum at the last minute. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country took in 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, delivered a message of optimism Thursday regarding the migrant crisis. "I am very happy today, however I know that we have not yet completed all the tasks before us," she told a press conference during a meeting with French counterpart Francois Hollande in eastern France. Under the pact with the EU, Turkey has agreed to take back migrants who arrived in Greece in illegal crossings of the Aegean Sea after March 20. For every Syrian refugee among those sent back to Turkey, one Syrian is supposed to be resettled in Europe. The deal has caused huge controversy, with rights groups including Amnesty International claiming Turkey could not be considered a "safe country" for the return of refugees. A Spanish far-left party filed a court complaint Thursday against acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for "crimes against humanity" over his support of the accord. The Izquierda Unida (IU) party accused Rajoy and other European leaders of "having agreed with Turkish authorities to forcibly deport and transfer an unspecified number of people from EU territory." According to lawyers for IU, this represents a crime against humanity under the Spanish penal code. Pope Francis will visit Lesbos on April 16 to show his support for the migrants, the Vatican said. The Greek government Thursday started to move some migrants from the Moria camp on Lesbos, where 3,000 are crammed, to the open camp of Kara Tepe, also on the island, an official said, insisting it was not linked to the pope's visit. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will not go through with an agreement to take back Syrian migrants from Europe if the European Union does not fulfill its pledges, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday. Under the deal, Ankara will take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean Sea to enter Greece illegally. In return, Europe will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward it with money, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Berlin (AFP) - Two men suspected of links with the Islamic State group and of planning an attack were on Thursday held for questioning in Germany, the public prosecutor said, although no evidence of any "concrete threat" had been found The pair, an Iraqi, 46, and a Nigerian, 29, would be held until Friday when they will either go before a judge or be released, prosecutor's office spokesman Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said. The men were questioned in southern Bavaria on Thursday afternoon. "From what we know now there is no concrete threat," Bavarian police added in a statement. According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily's online edition, one of the suspects was arrested in Munich while the other was picked up in Furstenfeldbruck in Bavaria. "The two men... have been identified as possible suspects (likely to commit) an act of serious violence," police added. Although initial investigations failed to establish any imminent threat, police decided to question the men immediately. Searches were carried out but no suspicious items were found, a police spokesman said. Since the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, German authorities have repeatedly said they believe Germany faces the threat of jihadist attacks. By Therese Apel JACKSON, Miss. (Reuters) - Executives of several major U.S. corporations urged Mississippi on Wednesday to repeal a new state law that allows businesses to deny wedding services to same-sex couples on religious grounds. The measure, which also permits employers to cite principles of faith in setting workplace policies on dress code, grooming and bathroom access, was signed into law on Tuesday by Republican Governor Phil Bryant. Bryant hailed the statute, the latest in a series of state laws opposed by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists, as designed to "protect sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions ... from discriminatory action by state government." But top executives from General Electric Co, PepsiCo Inc, Dow Chemical Co and five other major U.S. corporations, in an open letter, condemned the law as discriminatory. The letter was addressed to Bryant and the speaker of the Republican-controlled Mississippi House of Representatives. "The business community, by and large, has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws are bad for our employees and bad for business," the executives said. Those measures, they said, make it more difficult to recruit and retain the best workers, and "diminish the state's draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses and economic cavity." The call for repeal, circulated by gay rights advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign, was also backed by Levis Strauss & Co, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Whole Foods Market, Hyatt Hotels Corp and Choice Hotels International Inc. A similar letter was sent on Wednesday to state leaders in Tennessee opposing legislation there to bar transgender people from choosing bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. North Carolina's own recently imposed bathroom gender restrictions have also prompted corporate objections. The governors of Georgia and Virginia also vetoed "religious liberty" bills last week. Story continues Even before its enactment, the Mississippi measure drew fire from several large employers in the state, including Nissan North America and MGM Resorts International. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo responded to its enactment by banning all non-essential state travel to Mississippi, and civil liberties advocates said they were considering a court challenge. Still, nearly two-thirds of Mississippi voters supported the law, according to a poll highlighted on Tuesday by the Christian-based Family Research Council. The wave of such measures, pushed by social conservatives, came after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. (Additional reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Richard Chang) By Nick Carey CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Thursday raised concerns with a federal rail regulator over the voting trust Canadian Pacific has proposed as part of its takeover bid for Norfolk Southern and said the deal could adversely affect the country's national defense. In a letter to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) dated April 7, the Department of Defense said CP's proposal to have its chief executive, Hunter Harrison, run Norfolk Southern as part of the voting trust "could prove to be untenable due to the appearance of common control" of the two railroads. CP, which is Canada's second-largest railroad, disclosed a $28 billion offer for Norfolk Southern in mid-November. The Calgary-based company has said a merger would result in savings of more than $1.8 billion annually. Norfolk Southern has rebuffed all advances from CP. The letter comes as a response to a March 2 petition from CP to the STB seeking a "declaratory order" on its voting trust proposal. The idea would be to place both railroads in a trust - if they agreed to merge - pending a review by the STB. Under the STB's merger rules, common control is not allowed. The Department of Defense said putting Harrison, a septuagenarian railroading legend, at the helm of Norfolk Southern while a review was underway would put him in a position in which he "must make business decisions with potentially competing interests." The Department said in the letter that "it is too early to determine" whether a merger would degrade national defense, but said "the potential certainly exists." Under the rules for a voting trust for a major railroad merger, there may be no collusion, joint decision-making or any other form of common control prior to regulatory approval. The two must continue to operate as separate entities until a merger gets the green light. A spokesman for CP said the railroad looks forward to "providing a fulsome response" at the proper time to the department's comments. The U.S. military relies on rail networks to move defense-related cargo across the country, both during peace and times of war. A number of major rail customers have recommended against any merger, citing concerns that CP's plans to cut costs at Norfolk Southern would gut the railroad and harm service. They include package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc , the single biggest customer of the major U.S. railroads. Some U.S. politicians have also spoken out against a merger. Earlier this week, the chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said he did not believe a merger was in the interests of the U.S. freight transportation system. (Reporting By Nick Carey; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) - A U.N. aviation task force is updating global standards to ensure commercial helicopter pilots get enough sleep, at a time of broader industry efforts to manage crew fatigue, a technical specialist for the group said Wednesday. The Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization is working to bring sleep standards for helicopter pilots in line with existing recommended practices for commercial airline crew, said Michelle Millar, ICAO's technical specialist, human performance. Unlike the existing standards for helicopter pilots, guidelines for commercial airline pilots take into account basic human physiology such as circadian rhythms and the importance of sleeping at night. Fatigue management has become a growing priority for the aviation industry amid concerns that commercial airline and helicopter pilots are being asked to work longer hours because of an anticipated shortage of pilots around the world. Concerns over pilot fatigue gained global attention recently following the March crash of a FlyDubai jet in Russia, which killed all 62 people aboard. [nL5N16W3Y4} FlyDubai said the safety and welfare of its crews were of primary importance following media reports that raised concerns of fatigue among its pilots. The crash is under investigation. ICAO does not specify the exact number of hours that commercial airline pilots should sleep. Instead, the agency has told its 191 member states to come up with their own regulations based on "scientific principles and operational knowledge," Millar said on the sidelines of an ICAO symposium on fatigue management. "It means giving them (pilots) an opportunity to get the amount of recovery sleep so they can function at an optimal level," Millar said. "It's not just getting the right number of hours off, it's when you get those hours off and how well you can take advantage of getting good sleep during those hours." The guidelines for international helicopter pilots would apply to the oil and mining industries, for example. They should be complete by 2018, she said. ICAO data shows the aviation sector is expected to need more than 350,000 pilots by 2026 to fly an additional 25,000 new aircraft, even as more crew become eligible for retirement. (Editing by Peter Cooney and Matthew Lewis) By Brett Wolf ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department intends to soon issue a long-delayed rule forcing banks to seek the identities of people behind shell-company account holders, after the "Panama Papers" leak provoked a global uproar over the hiding of wealth via offshore banking devices. A department spokesman said on Wednesday the rule would "soon" be turned over to the White House for review and issuance, but did not confirm any timetable for the initiative, which has taken years. Governments around the globe have launched probes into possible financial wrongdoing after 11.5 million documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, nicknamed the "Panama Papers," were leaked to the media and reports emerged Sunday. Mossak Fonseca has said it was the victim of a computer hack, and that it has consistently acted appropriately. The papers offer "validation for those who have been screaming for a decade" about the need for financial institutions in the United States and elsewhere to address risks of money laundering, terror finance and other crime by identifying people who clandestinely control legal entities, former Treasury official Chip Poncy told Reuters. The leaked documents may give banks a glimpse into the kind of information on true, or "beneficial" owners, that they regularly should be obtaining to better understand the cross-border money flows they facilitate, said Poncy, one of the architects of the Treasury rule, which has been in the works since 2012. But simply having a client who is linked to the offshore shell companies highlighted in the Panama papers "doesn't necessarily mean much," said a former FinCEN official who asked not to be named due to his role in the private sector. What would be significant is "inconsistent information or payment flows that now connect" in ways that suggest possible illicit activity, he said. In mid-2014, Treasury's anti-money laundering unit, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), issued a proposed rule on beneficial ownership. Differences of opinion between the various financial regulators vetting the rule and an obligatory analysis of costs to industry has slowed the process, as has pushback from the banking industry. The FinCEN rule is expected to require only that banks and brokerage firms request information from customers regarding beneficial owners, but not require them to verify that information through investigation. In fact, there is no way for banks to verify such information, said Rob Rowe, a lawyer with the American Bankers Association. The ABA is "watching to see what happens with the Panama papers," he said. "That's always been the problem. Banks can collect information but there is currently no mechanism to verify it or keep it updated, outside asking the company," he said. (Reporting by Brett Wolf of Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence; Editing by Randall Mikkelsen, Bernard Orr) By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday to bolster travel security in the wake of the Brussels attacks with measures that include doubling the number of transportation security teams with bomb-sniffing dogs at domestic airports and other transit hubs. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to add security measures to a separate bill that calls for renewing the programs of the Federal Aviation Administration through September 2017. The FAA bill is expected to come up for a final vote later this month. After Republicans and Democrats reached a deal on security measures earlier in the day, lawmakers voted to raise the number of Visible Intermodal Prevention Response, or VIPER, teams within the Transportation Security Administration from 31 to 60. VIPER teams, which are intended as a visible deterrent to attacks, can be deployed at airports and train or bus stations. Other measures would bolster the vetting of airport employees, add security to vulnerable check-in and baggage claim areas and authorize the TSA to donate security equipment to foreign airports with direct flights to the United States. The approved provisions would also order a new U.S. assessment of foreign cargo security programs and provide grant money to train state, local and foreign authorities in how to respond to mass-casualty and "active shooter" incidents. It is unclear what kind of reception the FAA bill, if passed by the Senate, might receive in the House of Representatives. House lawmakers have been considering their own FAA legislation. That bill also calls for the privatization of the U.S. air traffic control system, a measure that is not in the Senate's legislation. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Dan Grebler) ANKARA (Reuters) - U.S. officials are discussing with the Turkish military and government how the moderate Syrian opposition can push Islamic State farther east in Syria, Washington's ambassador to Ankara said on Thursday. "We have had some progress in recent weeks as these groups pushed further east along the border," Ambassador John Bass told a group of diplomacy correspondents. "We will continue to focus on that area," he said. Syrian rebel forces seized numerous villages from Islamic State near the Turkish border earlier this week. The offensive includes factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army that have been supplied with weapons via Turkey. A sustained rebel advance near the Turkish border would erode Islamic State's last foothold in an area identified by the United States as a priority in the fight against Islamic State. "There is conversation with the Turkish military and government to talk about opportunities to intensify support to those groups and to push Daesh east from the current line," Bass said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The United States is not providing the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, its close ally in the fight against Islamic State, with weapons or ammunition, Bass said. He said Washington is opposed to efforts by any Syrian group to change the demography of a region "under the guise" of fighting Islamic State. Turkey has accused the YPG of "cleansing" towns of ethnic Arabs and Turkmen. Bass repeated a call to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down its weapons and cease attacks on Turkey. The PKK has waged a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and violence flared anew in July. Ankara says the PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, is closely linked with the YPG. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Nick Tattersall) By Elaine Lies and Thomas Peter TOKYO (Reuters) - Forget cherry blossoms and delicate slices of raw fish. The Japan on which Kris Hernandez has pinned her dreams is the thud of body slams, sweat, and garish costumes - the world of professional women's wrestling. "I fell in love with it - the drama, the excitement," the 31-year-old from the United States said of her first encounter with this unusual side of Japan. "I was on the edge of my seat with every move, thinking 'Oh my God, how come they are not dead? Can I make a living doing this? Let me try'." So Hernandez, who lived in San Francisco before coming to Japan, became the first foreigner to train from scratch and work her way up into Japanese women's pro wrestling. She quit her teaching job and shared a house with women wrestlers, living off savings as she began a tough daily training regimen including gymnastic moves. "I was pretty poor then, but I wanted to become a wrestler so badly. I would walk four hours across Tokyo to get to practice, do three-hour training and then get the train back," she said. "If I saved the train fare one way, it would be all right." She made her debut in August 2014 under the name Kris Wolf, wearing a costume with a wolf's head and tail. Even in this world, which Hernandez says is harder-hitting than its U.S. counterpart, Japanese rules on hierarchy come into play. "It's kind of militant - don't talk to the senior unless you are spoken to, clean, stay after until all the seniors leave, then you can leave. Arrive 30 minutes before the seniors," she said. The money is not huge - she earns $250 for a weekly show - but that's not the point. "I was doing it because it was cool," said Hernandez, who is now on a break after suffering a concussion. The brutal reality of the ring is masked by a strong fantasy element that feeds its popularity with fans, most of them men. But the rough and tumble may also be an outlet for many of the wrestlers in a country where women are usually expected to be demure and cute, Hernandez said. "Sometimes it's a part of themselves that they cannot normally express," she said. "I have met so many that are so sweet and shy outside the ring, and then you get into the ring and they explode." (Reporting by Thomas Peter and Elaine Lies; Editing by Robert Birsel) London (AFP) - Britain's finance watchdog said Thursday that it has given banks until next week to reveal whether they have any links to the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers leak. A spokesman for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it had written to about 20 companies asking to explain their relationship with Panama-based Mossack Fonseca by April 15. The British deadline is for the completion of initial investigations into Mossack Fonseca or companies managed or formed by the firm, according to the Financial Times, which published extracts from the letter. "Beyond 15 April we will require updates on any significant issues or relationships identified and a full response, detailing your findings, when your investigation is concluded," the letter read. French banks have also been asked for "additional" information on their activities in tax havens, a spokesman for France's banking and insurance watchdog ACPR told AFP. French newspaper Le Monde reported earlier this week that the trio of British banking giant HSBC and Swiss institutions UBS and Credit Suisse set up more than 4,500 offshore companies through Mossack Fonseca. HSBC created 2,300 offshore companies, Credit Suisse has 1,105 and UBS has 1,100, while France's Societe Generale has 979, according to the latest revelations from the vast leak of documents dubbed the Panama Papers. Le Monde reported that 365 banks across the world had used the services of Mossack Fonseca, the firm at the centre of the allegations. Other major banks mentioned in the report include Germany's Deutsche Bank and Nordea, which does business in Nordic and Baltic countries. Offshore companies can be used for legitimate purposes, but they have in the past been used to launder money and evade taxes. The banks cited by Le Monde have denied any wrongdoing. LONDON (Reuters) - British house prices rose in March at the fastest pace in seven months, bringing price growth on an annual basis back into double digits for the first time since mid-2014, mortgage lender Halifax said on Thursday. House prices rose 2.6 percent in March alone following a 1.5 percent drop in February, easily topping a Reuters poll consensus for a 0.7 percent increase. On an annual basis, house prices rose 10.1 percent in the three months to March, the biggest increase since July 2014. Halifax pointed to an acute imbalance between supply and demand as one reason for the surge. Last week rival mortgage lender Nationwide reported that buyers of properties to rent and second homes were rushing to beat the introduction of a new tax. (Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Hugh Lawson) LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's second-largest supermarket group Sainsbury's said on Thursday it was abandoning a price matching scheme on branded goods introduced five years ago to focus on lower regular prices. Sales and profits at Britain's so-called Big Four grocers, which also include Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, have been hit by a price war as the success of German discounters Aldi [ALDIEI.UL] and Lidl [LIDUK.UL] has prompted them to slash prices and invest in improving service. Sainsbury's "Brand Match" had worked by comparing its prices with similar branded groceries at No. 3 player Asda. If Asda was cheaper on a basket of at least 10 items, Sainsbury's customers received a money-off coupon for the difference that could be redeemed against their next shop. When Sainsbury's launched Brand Match in 2011 it compared its prices against both Asda and market leader Tesco. However, it stopped comparisons with Tesco in October 2014, arguing that Asda was seen as the benchmark on price. Sainsbury's, which is currently the best performer of the big four, said the last Brand Match coupons would be issued on April 26. Customers have told us that they want lower regular prices, and that this is more important to them than Brand Match," said Marketing Director Sarah Warby. "Weve taken this on board and will now be investing all of the money from the scheme into lowering the regular prices on everyday products." In February, Sainsbury's said it would phase out multi-buy promotions across its grocery business by August. At 0915 GMT, Sainsbury's shares were up 2.6 percent at 287 pence. (Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Mark Potter) LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Financial Conduct Authority has asked 20 banks and other financial firms to check if they have any ties to Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, the regulator said on Thursday. A massive leak of documents from the firm released this week detailed how the world's rich skipped through loopholes to park cash in low-tax jurisdictions. "We have written to the firms earlier this week," an FCA spokeswoman said. Recipients of the letter have been given until April 15 to respond to the disclosure request.More than 500 banks, their subsidiaries and branches registered nearly 15,600 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). HSBC, Britain's biggest bank, and its affiliates created more than 2,300 in total, the ICIJ says. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it actively used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. The bank has said the documents from Panama pre-dated a thorough reform of its business model. Spokespeople for HSBC and Barclays declined to comment on the FCA correspondence. RBS and Standard Chartered both said they were reviewing their operations and co-operating fully with regulators on the issue. News of the FCA's letter follows calls from Conservative lawmaker and chairman of Britain's Treasury Select Committee, Andrew Tyrie, for a thorough investigation of the trove and prosecutions "wherever possible". "The government's, and HMRC's (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs), objectives - to collect the correct amount of tax and clamp down on illegality require a great deal of transparency. The government will need to press for more," Tyrie said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Huw Jones, Sinead Cruise, Lawrence White and Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Jason Neely and Susan Fenton) By Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday his country will continue moving towards the European Union despite a resounding rejection by Dutch voters of a treaty on closer ties between the European body and Ukraine. The broad political, trade and defence treaty is already provisionally in place but has to be ratified by all 28 EU member states for every part of it to have full legal force. The Netherlands was the only country that had not done so. Many Ukrainian politicians feel their country deserves the treaty and are keen to show they have made progress in aligning their country with EU standards since the 2014 uprising that toppled pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich. Dutch leaders campaigning for the treaty had said voting against it would also hand a symbolic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Under any circumstances we will continue to implement the association agreement with the European Union including a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement," Poroshenko told reporters in Tokyo. "We will continue our movement towards the European Union." Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum, which is non-binding, but said Ukraine should "take it into consideration" and added that they were awaiting a decision by the government and parliament of the Netherlands. The Dutch government said on Wednesday that it could not ignore the vote but that it may take weeks to decide how to respond. The referendum was seen as a test of sentiment towards Brussels ahead of Britain's June Brexit vote and could also be a boost for Russia. Poroshenko also repeated his denial that he put his assets in an offshore trust to minimise taxes, after the country's fiscal service said it was looking into documents relating to his offshore assets that were included in the "Panama Papers." (Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Nick Macfie) London (AFP) - British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted Thursday he had held a A30,000 stake in an offshore fund set up by his father, after days of pressure following publication of the so-called Panama Papers. Cameron sold the stake in the Bahamas-based trust in 2010, four months before he became prime minister, he said in an interview with television channel ITV. Downing Street have issued four statements on the affair this week following Sunday's publication of the leaked Panama Papers, which showed how Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca had helped firms and wealthy individuals set up offshore companies. "We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like A30,000 (37,000 euros, $42,000)," Cameron said. "I sold them all in 2010, because if I was going to become prime minister I didn't want anyone to say you have other agendas, vested interests." He insisted he had paid income tax on the dividends from the sale of the units, which he bought in 1997. Downing Street first dismissed the story as a private matter on Monday before saying Cameron had no offshore funds, then saying he and his wife and children did not benefit from any offshore funds. It later added that Cameron would not benefit from such funds in the future. The row is the latest headache for Cameron, who faces a tight race to ensure Britain stays in the European Union in a referendum due to be held on June 23. - 'Difficult few days' - The prime minister has been under intense pressure from the main opposition Labour party and media this week to come clean over his financial arrangements past and present. Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson told Sky News that, while it was too early to say whether Cameron should quit, "he may have to resign over this but we need to know a lot more about what his financial arrangements have been". Cameron indicated in the ITV interview that he would be prepared to publish his tax returns although a previous offer to do so in 2012 did not materialise. Story continues The story could be damaging partly because it taps into a perception of the Conservatives as the party of the rich, and its leadership as products of affluent backgrounds educated at some of Britain's most expensive schools. "The PM has always been aware that if voters knew the scale of his wealth, they would consider him incapable of relating to their daily struggles," wrote Isabel Oakeshott, author of a biography of Cameron, in the Daily Mail newspaper this week. Cameron's father Ian was a stockbroker who died in 2010, four months after his son became premier. The prime minister revealed he had been stung by criticism of his father -- who he has previously called his "hero" -- and stressed that the culture in the finance industry had changed in recent years. "It has been a difficult few days, reading criticisms of my father and his business practices -- my dad, a man I love and admire and miss every day," Cameron said. By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron urged young Britons on Thursday to make sure they vote in a June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union, warning that leaving the bloc would hit them the hardest. With public opinion evenly split, youth voters are expected to play an important role in the referendum outcome because polling shows they are generally more pro-European, but less inclined to vote. Cameron, who wants Britain to stay in the 28-country bloc, was speaking at the launch of a campaign targeted specifically at young voters. "Whatever you do, June 23rd make sure you vote. It is your voice, it's your future, it's vital for you, vital for our country," he said. The intervention is designed to increase voter turnout and thereby boost the prospects of a flagging "In" campaign which has ceded ground to eurosceptics in some recent opinion polls. But polling shows younger voters tend to back the center-left Labour party and Cameron has endured a difficult few weeks following a budget row, accusations of failing to protect British steel, and questions over his family's tax arrangements. Low turnout was seen as one of the factors behind a defeat for the Dutch government on Wednesday in a referendum that rejected an EU treaty on deepening integration with Ukraine. Asked about the outcome of that vote, Cameron said there were no direct comparisons with the British referendum. 'MOST TO GAIN, MOST TO LOSE' He argued that young people's job prospects would be disproportionately affected by the economic impact of an EU exit. "You have the most to gain by staying in a reformed European Union and you also have the most to lose if we leave," he said. Rival "Out" campaigners dismissed that claim, saying that money sent to Brussels under Britain's membership terms was adding to the national debt that would have to be paid off by young workers. Eurosceptics were also angered by the government's decision to spend 9.3 million pounds ($13 million) on a 16-page leaflet setting out "why it believes that remaining in the EU is the best decision for the UK." "This is not the facts, it is a misleading government propaganda campaign," said Vote Leave chairwoman Gisela Stuart. The leaflet will be sent to every household in the country and promoted online to meet voter demand for more information on how to cast their ballot, the government said. (editing by Stephen Addison) LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron will urge young Britons on Thursday to make sure they vote in a June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union, warning that leaving the bloc would hit youth voters hardest. With overall public opinion evenly split, youth voters are expected to play an important role in the referendum outcome because polling shows they are generally more pro-European, but less inclined to vote. Cameron, who wants Britain to stay in the 28-country bloc, will speak at the launch of a campaign targeted specifically at young voters. "Get out there. Register. Vote. Tell your parents, grandparents, friends and colleagues: this referendum will really help determine whether your generation is stronger, safer and better off," he will say according to extracts of his speech. Cameron will argue that young people's job prospects would be disproportionately affected by the economic impact of an EU exit. "Who gets hit hardest by those shocks? Young people," he will say. The rival "Out" campaign dismissed that claim, saying that money sent to Brussels under Britain's membership terms was adding to the national debt that would have to be paid off by young workers. "The best thing we could do for current and future generations is to take back control and spend our money on our priorities," said Tom Harwood, Chairman of Students for Britain. (Reporting by William James; editing by Stephen Addison) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Libya's new Tripoli-based government must get down to "practical work" to ensure a peaceful handover of power from the country's many factions, the UN envoy told the Security Council on Thursday. Martin Kobler told a closed-door session of the council that he was "cautiously optimistic" about prospects for the new unity government that will seek to restore order to Libya, diplomats said. The UN-backed government is led by Fayez al-Sarraj who arrived in the capital a week ago. Libya has had two rival administrations since mid-2014 when a militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognized parliament to flee to the country's east. Kobler said Sarraj must begin "practical work" with his ministerial team even though security is fragile, a diplomat said. The envoy, who briefed by video-conference for two hours, said on Twitter that council members wanted Libyan lawmakers based in the country's east to vote on endorsing the new government to give it "full legitimacy." Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters following the briefing that much work remained to be done to shore up the new government. "It's good that some progress has been made but the situation in the country of course continues to be nearly catastrophic," Churkin said. "We'll have to continue to work to make sure that there is maximum unity among the various political forces in the country and this is not the case yet," he said. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft sounded more upbeat, telling reporters ahead of the meeting that "finally there has been some good news" out of Libya with the government now in Tripoli. French Ambassador Francois Delattre stressed that shoring up the new government was key to confronting the threat from the Islamic State group, which has been gaining a foothold in Libya. "Let's be clear about it, Libya has now the opportunity -- to a certain extent, the historic opportunity -- to create the conditions for stability, for the benefit of all Libyan people, and roll back the chaos on which Daesh has thrived," said Delattre, using an alternative name for IS. Sarraj was picked by the United Nations in October to lead the new unity government, but faced much resistance from Libya's myriad political factions and armed groups. By Aidan Lewis TUNIS (Reuters) - The U.N. envoy to Libya has urged a rapid, complete handover of power to a unity government that arrived in Tripoli a week ago, warning that a fragile peace in the city may not hold if the new government is unable to deliver. Martin Kobler also called on Libya's internationally recognised eastern parliament on Wednesday to hold a long-sought vote on whether to approve the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), telling Reuters in an interview that the chamber risked being sidelined if it failed to do so. Shortly after he spoke the prime minister of Tripoli's self-declared National Salvation government issued a statement calling on his ministers to stay in place. That contradicted a statement backed by some ministers on Tuesday saying the National Salvation government was stepping down. [nL5N1785FM] The GNA emerged from a U.N.-mediated deal signed in December and aimed at resolving the political chaos that engulfed Libya after the 2011 overthrow of autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. From 2014 the country had two pairs of rival parliaments and governments in Tripoli and the east, both backed by loose coalitions of armed brigades. Western powers are backing the GNA as the best chance for uniting armed factions against Islamic State in Libya, stemming the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean, and rescuing the economy by reviving oil production. Kobler, who visited Tripoli on Tuesday, said a handover of power at the foreign ministry was yet to be replicated in other ministries. "We know of ministers who are willing to hand over," he said. "But the ministers have to change, they have to peacefully hand over their power and give the new administration to the Government of National Accord." A source close to National Salvation government head Khalifa Ghwell said his ministers were divided over whether to hand over power. He said Ghwell was still in Tripoli but no longer working out of his old office, which has been secured by an armed brigade loyal to the GNA. Kobler said the GNA needed to be able to quickly improve economic conditions and failing health services. "It can change tomorrow, but now it's quiet. If the government doesn't deliver, it will not stay quiet." The GNA's leadership, or Presidential Council, has been operating out of a naval base in Tripoli, where Kobler said it was being guarded by "regular forces". He said previously hostile militias had been persuaded to protect or tolerate the Council because both the militias and people in Tripoli wanted a "way out" from conflict and increasing economic hardship. ARMED GROUPS As part of efforts to win the acquiescence of Tripoli's armed groups, Kobler said he had also held meetings with figures of influence including Turkey-based former Islamist militant Abdel Hakim Belhadj and Qatar-based cleric Ali al-Sallabi, and that although he had not got concrete assurances, they were "pretty supportive". "The popular support of the overwhelming majority of the population, this is the biggest backing for the Presidential Council," Kobler said. "But of course they don't have weapons and you need also at least to be tolerated by those who have weapons." The U.N. envoy also said it was still "crucial" to secure a vote of approval for the GNA from the eastern parliament, or House of Representatives, as required by the December deal. In February, GNA supporters in the chamber said their rivals had used physical force and threats to prevent a vote. "Now there must be another (attempt), otherwise the House of Representatives loses importance," Kobler said, adding that he saw growing signs of support for a vote in the east. "There is a considerable movement within the municipalities, many House of Representatives members, but also within the tribes. They really want to have progress now." Kobler said the political process had to keep moving so a coordinated security structure could be built to tackle Islamic State, which took control of the coastal city of Sirte last year and has established a presence in other parts of Libya. But he said it was too early to say when this could be achieved. "The Presidential Council is in Tripoli since one week. They do not yet have their ministers in place. They do not even have the handover of the government, so this will take time." (Editing by Ruth Pitchford) Universal is building up its corporate communications team with the hiring of Jenny Tartikoff, who joins as senior vp global communications. She will be responsible for executive communications, managing filmmaker relationships and guiding day-to-day studio strategy. The studio has also hired Angela Emery as vp communications for the brand development group. Emery will work to continue to build and position the global organization. Also, Evan Langweiler, who has been working in corporate communications at the studio for the past six years (most recently as a senior director), has been promoted to vp global communications and will continue to manage box-office reporting and business and trade press relations, as well as liaise with Universal Pictures International. Tartikoff previously worked at the New York-based strategic communications company Rubenstein, where she collaborated with clients including Paramount Pictures, HBO, the New York Post and Sony Corporation of America. Prior to joining Rubenstein in 2010, she spent more than six years working for NBC News Communications, serving as a spokesperson for Meet the Press, Dateline, Tom Brokaw Reports, Peacock Productions and Prime Time news specials. Emery most recently worked at Mattel, where she was senior director of global brand communications, primarily handling the Hot Wheels and Toy Box brands. She previously led communications for Disney Interactive Studios and managed global communications efforts for the Fox Interactive unit of 20th Century Fox. By Steve Scherer ROME (Reuters) - A convicted mobster whose father was the bloodiest of all Sicilian mafia bosses has sparked outrage in Italy by giving an interview to RAI state television in which he described his childhood as "nice" and refused to denounce the mob. Giuseppe Salvatore Riina has written a book called "Riina Family Life" about growing up as the son of Italy's most wanted man, Salvatore "Toto" Riina, and appeared late on Wednesday on RAI's premier talkshow to promote his memoirs. Not once during the interview did Riina, one of four children, criticize his father, and he refused to acknowledge the existence of the mafia, saying cryptically when asked to define it: "It could be everything or it could be nothing". Italian politicians denounced RAI for allowing the interview to be aired and RAI's top managers have been summoned to appear before parliament's anti-mafia committee on Thursday. Riina's 85-year-old father, nicknamed "the Beast", was arrested in 1993 and is serving multiple life sentences for murder, including for ordering the 1992 assassinations of anti-mafia magistrates Giovanni Falconi and Paolo Borsellino. Investigators estimate that more than 1,000 people were killed in a mafia war in the early 1980s in which the elder Riina emerged as the supreme leader of Cosa Nostra. His son was also subsequently convicted of mafia membership and sentenced to nearly nine years in prison. He is currently on parole. During the half-hour pre-recorded interview, Riina said he had been home schooled and that he lied about his identity as a child to protect his father, who lived under an assumed name and told neighbors he worked as a surveyor. Wearing a gray jacket and a white shirt, Riina did not flinch when shown scenes of the aftermath of the bombs that killed Falcone and Borsellino. He said his childhood had been a happy one, and the unusual circumstances had united his family. "We shared a secret to keep the family together," he said. "We were unusual children and our lives were completely different from others, but it was also very nice." Pietro Grasso, president of the Senate and Italy's former chief anti-mafia prosecutor, denounced the interview. "I don't care if Riina's hands caressed his children. They are the same hands covered in the blood of innocents," he wrote on Facebook. Veteran talk-show host Bruno Vespa defended his decision to air the interview, saying "it's the first time we see how an important mafia family works". Ferdinando Dome was aged 10 in 1969 when his father Giovanni, an innocent bystander, was gunned down in Palermo in a mafia shootout in which five people were killed. Riina was convicted of ordering the hit, known as the "Lazio Street Massacre", and given a life sentence. "He said he had a great life with his father. My childhood was not so happy," Dome, the eldest of Giovanni's five sons, told Reuters. "It bothers me very much that by broadcasting this interview on state television they are helping him sell his book." (Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Catherine Evans) Washington (AFP) - US allies, especially in Europe, are ignoring tools that US officials have given them to track potential terrorists, the head of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center said Thursday. "It's concerning that our partners don't use all of our data," said Director Christopher Piehota, interviewed on CNN. "We provide them with tools. We provide them with support, and I would find it concerning that they don't use these tools to help screen for their own aviation security, maritime security, border screening, visas, things like that for travel," Piehota said. While the United States has a centralized database for suspected terrorists, in the European Union each country maintains its own watch list. Asked if those involved in the Paris and Brussels attacks were on a US watchlist, Piehota said: "We were aware of some of the people." Last month's bombings at Brussels airport have revived criticism of the alleged weakness of Belgian police and its intelligence services, charges that local officials have rejected. Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the two suicide bombers who struck the Brussels airport, was on a US counterterrorism watch list even before the November Paris attacks, CNN reported in March. His younger brother Khalid, who blew himself up at Brussels' Maalbeek metro station, was added to the list "soon after the Paris attacks," CNN said, without specifying which US counterterrorism list. El Bakraoui was deported by Turkey to the Netherlands in July, after being arrested in June by Turkish authorities near the Syria border. Piehota said that if the Brussels attackers "were on our list and they were properly identified they may have been caught at our borders." US officials "rely on our partners" to look for suspects "and conduct investigations and operations that help us identify them," Piehota said. Dubai (AFP) - Human Rights Watch said Thursday that bombs supplied by the United States were used in Saudi-led air strikes on a market in Yemen that killed at least 97 civilians including children. The two strikes in the northern village of Mustabaa on March 15 "caused indiscriminate or foreseeably disproportionate loss of civilian life, in violation of the laws of war," HRW said in a statement. At least 25 children were among those killed, it said, reiterating its call for an end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading an Arab coalition battling rebels in support of Yemen's government. HRW said that it conducted an on-site investigation and found remnants of "a GBU-31 satellite-guided bomb, which consists of a US-supplied MK-84 2,000-pound bomb mated with a JDAM satellite guidance kit, also US-supplied." The accusation came as US Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Gulf for talks with Washington's traditional allies, including Saudi Arabia, which has led a military campaign against the Huthi rebels since March 2015. "One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemen's year-long war involved US-supplied weapons, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia," said HRW researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. "The US and other coalition allies should send a clear message to Saudi Arabia that they want no part in unlawful killings of civilians," she added. HRW said the strikes on the market may have also killed 10 Huthi rebels. The UN children's agency UNICEF said at the time that the air strikes killed 119 people, including 22 children. Rights groups have repeatedly urged the United States and other nations to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, accusing it of causing heavy civilian casualties in Yemen. Around 6,300 people have been killed in the conflict since March 2015, more than half of them civilians, most of whom died in coalition air strikes, according to the United Nations. The Iran-backed Huthis seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee. Khartoum (AFP) - The US embassy in Khartoum Thursday voiced concerns over Sudan's early release of a man jailed for aiding the prison escape of four men convicted of killing a US diplomat. "The United States notes with concern the April 5 early release of Qusai al-Jaili, who was convicted as an accomplice in the prison escape of four men sentenced to death," the embassy in Khartoum said. Jaili helped in the escape of the four killers of John Granville, who worked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and was shot with his driver Abdelrahman Abbas in their car on as they returned from a New Year's Eve celebration in Khartoum in 2008, the statement said. The four Islamists were convicted of the killings in 2009 and sentenced to death but they escaped from the Kober jail in North Khartoum the following year. Jaili helped drive the four away but was captured later. One policeman was killed in the escape. Sudanese media reported that Jaili was granted a pardon on Tuesday and freed six years into a 12-year sentence, although no reason was given for his early release. But the Sudanese authorities gave no comment on Jaili's release and could not be reached to respond to the embassy statement. The embassy said in its statement that it would "continue to closely follow the details of all who were involved in this act of terror". "We urge the Government of Sudan, not only to fulfil its previous assurances to hold accountable those involved, but to take all necessary steps to ensure that the murderers, and those who assisted them, will not conduct further acts of violence and terrorism against innocent people. Two of Granville's killers remain at large. One was killed in Somalia in 2011 and the fourth was re-arrested and is back in Sudanese custody. The US State Department is offering a $5 million (4.4 million euro) reward for information leading to the capture of the two killers who are still free. Washington (AFP) - The United States expressed dismay Thursday at the conduct of presidential elections in the Republic of Congo, which returned longtime leader Denis Sassou Nguesso to power. Congo has been on edge since an October constitutional referendum ended a two-term limit on presidential mandates, allowing 72-year-old Sassou Nguesso to run again. Heavy fighting erupted on Monday in parts of Brazzaville as rival factions awaited a ruling by the constitutional court on last month's poll. But opposition leader Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas has now conceded defeat, saying he does not want to stir trouble despite a poll "marred by all sorts of irregularities." In a statement, the US State Department said Washington is "profoundly disappointed by the flawed presidential electoral process in the Republic of Congo. "Widespread irregularities and the arrests of opposition supporters following the elections marred an otherwise peaceful vote," it said. And it urged Congo "to correct these numerous deficiencies before scheduling legislative elections in order to bring credibility to future electoral processes." Sassou Nguesso, a former paratrooper, served as president from 1979 to 1992, returning to power in 1997 following a civil war. He won two successive terms in elections in 2002 and 2009, both of which were disputed by opposition parties. Washington (AFP) - The United States has carried out another raid against Al-Qaeda militants in Syria, on the heels of a strike that killed the spokesman of the group's Syrian branch, the Pentagon said Wednesday. "I can confirm that the US struck a vehicle killing several Al-Qaeda militants," said spokesman Matthew Allen. "The results of this strike are still being assessed." The latest strike was carried out in northwestern Syria, according to a Defense department official who asked not to be named. The Washington Post reported the latest raid was late Tuesday. On Monday, the Pentagon said the US military conducted an air raid on an Al-Nusra meeting in northwest Syria the previous day. Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate confirmed on Wednesday the death of its spokesman Abu Firas al-Suri in a US air strike. US strikes on the Al-Nusra Front in Syria have not been very frequent with their raids overwhelmingly targeting the Islamic State group. News of the strikes came as talks in Geneva aimed at ending the conflict loomed on April 11. Syrian peace talks which fail to address the question of President Bashar al-Assad's fate are "doomed to failure", a spokesman for the main opposition grouping involved in negotiations said. Riad Naasan Agha, of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, said that the talks which are set to resume must focus on the future of the Syrian leader. "If negotiations did not address the fate of Assad, it would be a waste of time and doomed to failure," he said late Tuesday at a forum hosted by Al-Jazeera in Qatar. The UN has said the upcoming round of talks will focus on plans for a political transition to lead Syria out of five years of brutal civil war. Washington (AFP) - Honda has confirmed another death involving a Takata airbag, bringing the global total to 11 fatalities in a scandal that has set off the biggest auto recall in US history. The latest death came last week when a 17-year-old Texas teenager died from injuries sustained after her 2002 Honda Civic collided with another car, activating the defective airbag. Honda's US unit on Wednesday confirmed the death, which is the 10th reported in the United States while another person was killed after an accident in Malaysia. The Japanese automaker said it had sent multiple letters advising that the car should be brought in for repairs, but it was never fixed. "During an inspection...American Honda confirmed that the Takata driver's airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Civic on March 31, 2016...resulting in the tragic death of the driver," Honda said in a statement. Tokyo-based auto parts giant Takata is struggling to deal with a defect that can cause the airbag to deploy with explosive force, sending metal and plastic shrapnel from the inflator canister hurtling toward drivers and passengers -- in some cases killing them or causing grisly injuries. The company's Tokyo-listed shares fell 2.84 percent to 342 yen at the break Thursday. Takata's embattled shares have been savaged since the scandal broke in 2014. The firm has been hit by lawsuits and regulatory probes over claims it covered up the defect for years. The stock plunged 20 percent in one session last month after Bloomberg News said its airbag-recall costs could reach an eye-watering 2.7 trillion yen ($24 billion). Takata and its automaker clients, including top client Honda, are still hashing out how the costs would be shared, Bloomberg said, citing an unnamed source. Some 50 million Takata airbags have been recalled globally, including about 28 million in the United States with tens of millions more recalls expected. Investigators increasingly suspect that the chemical used to inflate Takata airbags can be unstable, especially under constant heat and humidity conditions, and cause the inflator canister to rupture. -- Bloomberg News contributed to this report -- (Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc said on Thursday its lenders had agreed to give it an extra month to file its annual report, providing breathing room for the embattled drugmaker as it tries to win back investor confidence. The extension provides relief if Valeant is unable to file its annual report by April 29 - a deadline the company reiterated it intended to meet. The company missed an original March 15 deadline, blaming an in-house review of its accounting practices. Valeant last week said it risked defaulting on its $30 billion debt if it missed the April 29 deadline, raising further questions about the company after a string of controversies, including U.S. government scrutiny of its drug price hikes and former ties to a specialty pharmacy. Valeant said its lenders had agreed to a May 31 deadline to lodge the report. "The company is comfortable with its current liquidity position and cash flow generation for the rest of the year, and remains well positioned to meet its obligations," Valeant said, repeating a statement it made last week. The amendment to the company's credit agreement also allows it to extend the filing deadline for its first-quarter report to July 31 from June 14. The deal with its lenders requires Valeant to apply substantially all net asset sale proceeds to prepay its term loans. The agreement also waives the cross-default to indentures that arose when the annual report was not filed in March. Investors in Valeants loans agreed to the changes after the company on Tuesday boosted the interest rate on the debt, agreeing to pay an extra one percentage point, according to three sources familiar with the terms who are not authorized to discuss them publicly. The rate is locked in for a year. The rate will then be subject to the companys debt compared with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), or leverage. Valeant was not immediately available for comment on the terms. Story continues Valeant said on Tuesday that the committee, which was probing the company's ties to specialty drug distributor Philidor, had completed its review and had not found anything that would require additional restatements. Up to Wednesday's U.S. close, Valeant's stock had risen almost 30 percent in two days, helped by that news as well as a comment by key shareholder and board member William Ackman that a new chief executive could be appointed within weeks. Shares of Valeant were up 4.06 percent at $35.56 in late afternoon trading. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru and Kristen Haunss in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr and Andrew Hay) By Eyanir Chinea and Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro threatened on Thursday to seek a constitutional amendment to slash the opposition-led legislature's term and vowed to lead a "revolution" should his foes wrest him from the presidency. The socialist leader's strong words deepened the already bitter political standoff in the OPEC member nation since the opposition coalition won control of the National Assembly in a December vote and vowed to seek Maduro's exit this year. During a rally, pro-government constitutional lawyer Hermann Escarra proposed that Maduro seek a constitutional amendment to reduce the assembly's term from five years to 60 days. "I'll look at it very seriously," Maduro said, to cheers from several thousand red-clad supporters demonstrating against an assembly law intended to free jailed opposition activists. "And if I see the possibility of clearing away coup-mongering and the use of the National Assembly, I myself would activate it if the people support me." In an overt conflict of powers, the government-leaning Supreme Court has been shooting down assembly motions, while the national election board is dragging its feet over the opposition's desire to hold a recall referendum this year. Should Maduro propose a constitutional amendment to shorten legislators' term, that too would have to go to a national vote. Maduro, 53, who won election in 2013 to succeed his mentor Hugo Chavez, constantly accuses the opposition and the United States of seeking a coup. He also accuses his foes of an "economic war", though critics say failed socialist policies are at the root of Venezuela's deep recession and acute shortages. "I'm going to say something strong," Maduro added. "If they one day win power due to their non-conventional, economic war, due to violence, then the Bolivarian revolutionary movement and the Venezuelan people would take to the street in general insurrection ... Another revolution would start, I tell the oligarchy. And I would lead it!" Earlier in the day, government supporters and opposition activists exchanged punches and kicks, and stones were thrown, when coalition leaders gathered at the election board to seek paperwork for requesting the recall referendum. The opposition said a journalist and legislator were injured, and blamed an "ambush" by Maduro supporters trying to derail a recall referendum. "The government is not illiterate, it can read the polls, it knows it wouldn't win any election - not even a carnival queen contest!" coalition head Jesus Torrealba said. (Additional reporting by Diego Ore, Efrain Otero, Marco Bello and Daniel Kai; Editing by Alexandra Ulmer and James Dalgleish) Los Angeles (AFP) - Seven-time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams powered into the third round of the WTA clay court tournament at Charleston with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Alison Riske. Williams, seeded third and seeking a 50th career WTA title this week, on Wednesday fired 20 winners, displaying a sharp service game in a match lasting less than 90 minutes. Things didn't go so well on the green clay of Charleston for second-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic, beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Russian Elena Vesnina. Bencic, the world number 10, appeared to be struggling with the same back trouble that forced her out of her opening match in Miami. Vesnina took full advantage, advancing in just 56 minutes. She'll next face Lourdes Dominguez, who reached the third round when Canadian Eugenie Bouchard retired with an abdominal injury. Spain's Dominguez was leading 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 when Bouchard decided she couldn't continue. "It's the same one (from last year), which is why I'm concerned and why I did retire," said Bouchard, who played at last year's Wimbledon with an abdominal muscle tear and said she didn't want to repeat the mistake of making the injury worse. Williams' win was relatively straightforward, although the 35-year-old coming off opening match defeats at Indian Wells and Miami said it "wasn't easy." "I think experience definitely helped," said Williams, who won the Charleston title in 2004. "She has played good matches and won titles, so just the experience of playing those important points helped me a little more today." Williams next faces Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva for a place in the quarter-finals. Putintseva defeated 15th-seeded German Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. In other matches on Wednesday, seventh-seeded American Sloane Stephens defeated Danka Kovinic 6-4, 6-3, but former Charleston finalists Lucie Safarova and Madison Keys both bowed out. America Louisa Chirico sent fourth-seeded Safarova packing 6-3, 6-3, while Germany's Laura Siegemund rallied for a 6-7 (3/7), 6-4,6-4 win over eighth-seeded Keys. By Deborah M. Todd SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc is ready to make a bid for Yahoo's web business, and hopes to make a merger more successful by also making an offer for a stake in Yahoo's Japan subsidiary, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. The telecom giant is planning to make a first-round bid for Yahoo's web business next week, the news organization said. Alphabet Inc's Google unit is also mulling a bid for Yahoo's core business, Bloomberg reported, citing a source. However, Bloomberg said many companies that had been seen as likely investors in Yahoo were not planning a bid, including AT&T Inc , Comcast Corp and Microsoft Corp . Shares of Yahoo fell just over 1 percent to $36.17. Verizon, Yahoo and Google declined to comment for this story. AT&T, Comcast and Microsoft could not be reached immediately for comments. Verizon showed interest in Yahoo's core business as early as December, when Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said the company would "see if there is a strategic fit" for its holdings, which include mail, news, sports and advertising technology. Yahoo launched an auction of its core business in February after it shelved plans to spin off its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd . The offer to purchase Yahoo's 35.5 percent stake in Yahoo Japan could put Verizon one step ahead of any rival bidders. The offer will also likely leave Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer out of the mix, since Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said in a recent television appearance that merging Yahoo's assets with AOL assets under the leadership of AOL CEO Tim Armstrong "would be a good thing for investors." The New York Post reported last month that Mayer has been working to team up with private equity firms to create a "package deal" that sells the company and keeps her at the helm. Verizon shares were down 2.84 percent. (Additional reporting by Rishika Sadam in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio) BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A video clip broadcast on Saudi-owned television on Thursday suggested that a former right-hand man to late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein who Iraqi forces and Shi'ite militias said had been killed a year ago may still be alive. Ezzat al-Douri, ranked by Washington after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion as the sixth most-wanted Iraqi and later a leader of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, appeared in footage on al-Hadath TV wearing the green military uniform of Saddam's Baath Party. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video, but comments he made about the war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has been leading a military intervention since March 2015 against the Iranian-backed Houthis, provided a rough time-frame. "In Yemen, there are two ways to expel the Persians (Iranians) and liberate it: the first way ... is to force Iran and its agents to comply with the (U.N.) Security Council resolutions," Douri said in the video. "The second course is to escalate the pursuit of Iranian agents to end all their abilities and potential." Iraq said in April 2015 that Douri had been killed in a military operation and Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shi'ite militia, later said it had conducted DNA tests to prove Douri's death. Photographs of a man bearing some resemblance to him were circulated at the time, though Baghdad had previously announced Douri's death several times in error. Iraqi and U.S. officials accused Douri of helping to organize and lead the insurgency allying former Baathist officers and Islamists that swept Iraq in 2005-07 and a $10 million reward was offered for his capture. But he evaded capture during the long U.S. occupation as other Saddam aides were killed or put on trial and sectarian civil war engulfed the country. (Reporting By Stephen Kalin; Editing by Catherine Evans) Vietnam's parliament approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the communist country's new prime minister Thursday, handing him a five-year term and a range of tough challenges from domestic economic reforms to a simmering maritime dispute with China. Phuc, a former deputy prime minister, was the only candidate nominated for the position by party officials earlier this year and won 90.26 percent of the votes in the rubber stamp parliament, according to state-run VTV. "I will do my best to serve the country and people," said the 61-year-old, whose election marks the completion of a five-yearly reshuffle of the Communist Party's top brass. Phuc takes over from former prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung, a charismatic leader who championed a reformist pro-business agenda and talked tough to Beijing over a territorial dispute in the contested South China Sea. Dung lost out in internal party elections in January, which analysts called a move back towards more consensus-based rule by the party's conservative wing. - 'A team player' - "Dung was an individualist working within a conservative system of collective leadership. His demise is evidence that Vietnam is not yet ready for a modern, world savvy, prime minister," Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP. Authoritarian Vietnam is run by the Communist Party and officially led by a triumvirate of the party secretary general, president, and prime minister, with key decisions being made by the 19-member politburo. Top communist leader Nguyen Phu Trong was reelected in January as party secretary general in a victory for the party's old guard. On Saturday, the National Assembly approved a top police general, Tran Dai Quang, as president -- a key if largely ceremonial role. New Prime Minister Phuc is "a competent technocrat" and will stick to the party line, Thayer said. "Phuc does not have the charisma of Dung. He will be a team player," he added. Story continues Even senior party members greeted Phuc's election Thursday with a lukewarm reaction. Communist Party veteran Tran Tuan Hung, 76, expressed concern over the financial troubles the new premier has inherited. "How can he resolve public debt, budget deficits and corruption? I don't rely or expect much from him," he said. Army General Nguyen Trong Vinh also told AFP the new leader was "nothing special" and that he did not expect much change under his watch. In the past, the leadership handover was decided at the party congress in January but took up to six months to be confirmed by the National Assembly. Analysts say the process has moved more quickly this year, partly because several top leaders are retiring from politics, and also because of an upcoming visit by US President Barack Obama in May. "The new leadership is anxious to dismantle (former PM) Dungs network and gain prestige in the eyes of ordinary Vietnamese by meeting and greeting world leaders," Thayer told AFP, adding that rising tensions with China has added to the urgency. Well-known dissident Nguyen Thanh Giang, who spent time in jail for his criticism of the party in the 1990s, called Phuc's appointment a "step backwards" from Dung. "Phuc is not comparable in terms of competence, experience, international image. He has no international reputation and will need a lot of time to develop one," he told AFP. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam demanded China move a controversial oil rig on Thursday and abandon plans to start drilling in waters where jurisdiction is unclear, the latest sign of festering unease among the two communist neighbors. The $1 billion rig, which was at the center of a fierce diplomatic stand-off between the countries in 2014, had moved into an area of the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea about which Vietnam said the two countries were still "executing delineation discussions". China calls the rig Haiyang Shiyou 981. Vietnam refers to it as Hai Duong 981. "Vietnam resolutely opposes and demands China cancel its plan to drill and immediately remove the Hai Duong 981 oil rig out of this area," Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said in a statement on the government's news website. China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea amid rival claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. China, Binh said, should take "no further unilateral actions that further complicate the situation, and make practical contributions to peace and stability". Two years ago, China parked the rig for 10 weeks in waters Vietnam considers its exclusive economic zone, triggering their worst row in decades and an outcry among Vietnamese nationalists. Many experts call the move a miscalculation by Beijing that played into the hands of the United States. Since the row, Vietnam has become closer to Washington than ever before. Vietnam closely tracks the movement of the oil rig which has operated as far away as the Bay of Bengal and has been close to disputed waters several times since 2014. It was the second occasion this year that Vietnam has protested against the rig's activity, both times coinciding with leadership changes in Hanoi. Vietnam swore in a new prime minister on Thursday and a new president last week. Its previous complaint about the rig was in January, two-days before the start of its Communist Party's five-yearly congress. Binh also criticized China's decision to start operating a lighthouse on one of its artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago, which he said violated Vietnam's sovereignty and was "illegal and worthless". (Reporting by Martin Petty and Mai Nguyen) The first trailer for December 2016 release "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" has arrived, setting up characters and plot for this year's "Star Wars" franchise entry. What place is there within the Rebellion for a "reckless, aggressive and undisciplined" young woman? Just the right place it seems, according to Lucasfilm's new preview, which sees Felicity Jones star with support from the likes of Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, and Forest Whitaker. The spin-off takes place well before the events of not only 2015's series rejuvenator "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," but also the franchise's first film, 1977 classic "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." Jones' character is recruited to a group of rebel agents and tasked with stealing plans for the Empire's planet-sized weapon of mass destruction, the Death Star. Directed by Gareth Edwards, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is set for a December 16 release in US theaters, arriving the same week in numerous international territories; up to two days earlier in some, including France, the Netherlands and Russia. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story official teaser trailer - youtu.be/Wji-BZ0oCwg By Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay BERN/GENEVA (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA said on Thursday that banks must clamp down on money laundering, as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specializes in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," FINMA Chief Executive Mark Branson told Reuters following its annual news conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management center with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has written to 20 banks and other financial firms, giving them until April 15 to spell out any involvement they have with the "Panama Papers". HSBC, Britain's biggest bank and its affiliates created more than 2,300 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. Also on Thursday, France's ACPR financial regulator said it has told French banks to hand over extra information about their business ties with tax havens. German regulator BaFin is likewise probing the role of Germany's banks, a source told Reuters on Monday. Watchdogs in Sweden, Netherlands and Austria said earlier this week that they were looking into banks named in the papers. The chief executive of Austria's Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg became one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on the data leak on Thursday, though he denies his bank violated any laws or sanctions. SWISS BANKS The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. No U.S. banks are among the 10 banks named as the biggest creators of offshore companies for clients in the Panama Papers. But U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the Treasury Department to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with Mossack Fonseca. "As the primary agency charged with protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system and enforcing our laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, we strongly urge the Treasury Department to conduct its own inquiry into Mossack Fonsecas activities and its clients, the senators, both Democrats, wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. The Treasury Department would not comment specifically on the findings in the documents but a spokeswoman said that "the U.S. government intently focuses on investigating possible illicit activity, including violations of U.S. tax laws or sanctions, using all sources of information, both public and non-public." "If there has been any violation of U.S. tax law or sanctions evasion, we will take appropriate action consistent with the national security and foreign policy of the United States," she said. The senators, both members of the Senate Banking Committee and both proponents of stronger financial regulation, said they were concerned "this firm may have facilitated money laundering or terrorist financing with sanctioned persons or entities." Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said FINMA would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial center. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutors office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalization to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derived from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. FINMA has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Branson said: "There are concrete indications that the measures those banks had in place to combat money laundering were inadequate." (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Lisa Lambert in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alistair Bell) Your primary care doctor refers you to see a specialist. You get a name -- or, ideally, multiple names -- of doctors recommended to you. Understandably, you assume these are the best possible doctors to follow-up on medical questions your doctor couldn't answer, and perhaps to perform a procedure that could significantly affect your health. That may well be the case. However, experts say the reality is often convoluted by many underlying factors and fractured forces that dictate how 21st century American medicine is practiced. First, explains Alan Sager, a health economist and professor of health law, policy and management at Boston University, numerous factors influence the probability of receiving a referral. One is where you live, given that a shortage of primary care doctors is more pronounced in certain areas of the country. Doctors who must see more patients in less time have less time to manage individual cases, and may be more likely to send patients to a specialist. Similarly, doctors who are capitated -- making a fixed amount of revenue, rather than being paid based on the number of patients or services they render -- may be more likely to recommend patients see a specialist as well. "I think the overall shortage and geographic maldistribution of primaries is a bigger factor than the financial," Sager says. "We may have only half or two-thirds as many primaries per thousand people as the average rich democracy." [See: Which Practitioner Do I See, and When?] Once you do receive that referral, to whom or where you're referred is governed by many other potential factors apart from simply what's necessarily best for the patient. "What affects referral patterns? I'll just be blunt: In some ways -- convenience," says Dr. William Andereck, who is in private practice in internal medicine, and director of the Program in Medicine and Human Values at Sutter Health's California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. In the most ideal sense, doctors refer to other physicians they've gotten to know over the years, who they trust. But experts say referring out of convenience may also simply involve selecting from a list of names, such as doctors covered by a particular patient's insurance network, which hardly guarantees quality. Story continues "I ran an HMO for a while, which got me to see how nefarious it was," Andereck says. He says a patient with an HMO, or health care maintenance organization, plan may be referred to a surgeon because that doctor, who is under contract with that patient's plan, performs a procedure at a lower cost -- "no longer making the distinction based on skill, but based on price," he says. Of course, cost cutting isn't limited to HMOs, as patients and providers alike are incentivized to stay in preferred provider organization, or PPO, health plan networks to avoid paying higher out-of-pocket costs. And as hospitals and other health care organizations increasingly buy up physician practices, referrals are also increasingly dictated by who's "in-house." "The biggest phenomenon in our country is the proliferation of narrow networks, including networks that own doctors' practices. So we have more and more doctors giving up private practice, and selling out even to a large multispecialty group, a single specialty group or to a hospital that controls dozens, hundreds or even thousands of doctors," Sager says. "If you're part of a group that either pays your salary, or in which you have an ownership share, you may have compelling institutional, managerial or even financial reasons to refer inside the group." Anti-kickback laws keep doctors from paying other doctors directly for referrals. But in an effort to ensure hospitals, doctors' groups and other health providers better coordinate patient care, the Affordable Care Act makes allowances for keeping it in the medical family, so to speak. "Anti-kickback provisions have been watered down in some ways by the ACA, in advancing accountable care organizations," Sager says. "The general principal is the individual doctor might not receive money for a referral, but if the primary and the specialist are part of the same network -- say an insurer-covered network under ACA to cover people newly insured through the subsidized individual mandate -- the marketplaces -- it may well be that the patient wouldn't be covered, or would face enormous out of pockets, if the doctor referred out of network." In addition, doctors whose practices are owned by a hospital, per se, might prefer to keep referrals internal since care is typically paid for on a fee-for-service basis. "You keep the fees inside the system," Sager says. [See: When to Fire Your Doctor.] Another unseen force -- and a niche business built around influencing referrals -- are so-called referral development consultants. For a fee paid by the specialist, these consultants will essentially pitch the specialist to other doctors in the area, as an option to refer, whether it be for an orthopedic surgery or a heart procedure. However, in the grand scheme, it's unclear what kind of an impact such consultants may have, given the still small nature of the niche. "Doctors have other ways of boosting referrals, such as associating with a group or selling their practices, which bring other benefits in the form of often higher fees -- because you now have a larger group negotiating on your behalf, exerting more leverage over private insurance companies -- and also being in a network that would channel referrals to you," Sager says. By and large -- and whether in-house or not -- physicians refer to others in their local area who they know either personally or by reputation, says Dr. Eli Adashi, a professor of medical science and former dean of medicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He says it's a good idea for patients to seek multiple referrals, particularly for more pressing medical matters -- like a heart issue -- and get a second opinion as needed. However, primary physicians' familiarity with specialists' prowess may be decreasing, some experts say, as care is segregated and primary care doctors are less likely to round, or even have privileges, at hospitals, or work with specialists there. "Primary care doctors vary enormously in their knowledge of specialists' competence, and that knowledge has probably diminished over the years, as more and more primary care doctors cease to admit [patients to] hospitals," Sager says. "So there's reason to fear a kind of disintegration -- reduced integration -- of primaries with specialists, which impairs their ability to refer." He adds that factors complicating the referral process are particularly pronounced in the U.S.: "Artificial restrictions or incentives or pressures to refer -- financial or nonfinancial -- of the kind I've mentioned are far more numerous in the U.S. than they are in any other rich democracy I'm familiar with." Andereck says given all that goes into a referral, patients have a right to know the reasons why they're being referred to a particular provider -- and that they should inquire about that if it's not made clear, including insisting on transparency about any financial or cost-related reasons for a referral. He says this helps build doctor-patient trust. In referring, Andereck says he takes cues from what nurses and other doctors say about the skills of a particular surgeon, for example, as well as what he hears back from patients about specialists -- and he passes that information along to patients he refers. [See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.] To close the loop, he adds, patients should generally expect to follow-up with their primary doctor after returning from the specialist. "Blind consultations -- go see the surgeon and don't come back -- are worthless, unless it's to pop a cyst or something," to some extent, Andereck says, patients should have "the right to have some consultation with your primary doctor to talk about, 'OK, what did we get out of that?'" Michael Schroeder is a health editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at mschroeder@usnews.com. Congress, along with President Obama and his eventual successor, should reject a push by the U.S. Defense Department to create a separate fund to modernize the countrys nuclear triad, an effort that could end up costing around $1 trillion, according to a pair of budget analysts. This is bad budgeting and bad planning. It would further erode any remaining budgetary discipline at DOD (where does the precedent of setting aside special funding stop?). And instead of using budget constraints to encourage the Pentagon to set priorities and make choices, it sends an all-too-common message to the services to simply request more, Gordon Adams, a former senior Office of Management and Budget official, and Richard Sokolsky, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in a Defense One op-ed. Nothing could do a greater disservice to U.S. national security than to allow such a profligate spending message to be sent to the Defense Department, the pair added. Related: How Will the Air Force Pay for its Budget-Busting Next-Generation Bomber? The idea of setting up a separate account for refurbishing the three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad -- the land-sea-and air-based platforms and the atomic weapons -- has been around for a while now. The fiscal 2015 defense policy bill authorized the creation of the special deterrence account for the Navys next-generation nuclear submarine program, also known as the SSBN(X), which has an estimated lifetime cost of roughly $347 billion. Some lawmakers believed that because the sub effort is so expensive that it should be dubbed a national program and funded from accounts throughout the Pentagon rather than strictly from Navy coffers, thus avoiding painful budget cuts to other service efforts. Last month Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told House lawmakers that if the fund, which is currently empty, remains on the books then her services next-generation bomber, with an estimated $100 billion lifetime price tag, and the $62 billion replacement for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) should also be included. Story continues Related: The Navy Hunts for Its Next-Generation Nuclear Submarine Days later Defense Secretary Ash Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee that a nuclear deterrent fund may make sense. I am agreeing with you that I think that a broader nuclear deterrent fund may be appropriate, he said. Maintaining and modernizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal over the next three decades could cost $1 trillion, according to a 2014 think-tank study. Last year the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said the bill could be over $350 billion in the next 15 years. With those kind of numbers floating around, the Obama administration, and its replacement, should consider ways to shrink its nuclear stockpile, not maintain it, according to Adams and Sokolsky. Related: The Top 15 Military Spenders in the World For example, the U.S has the capability, using just submarines, to conduct a range of large-scale and limited nuclear attacks, they argue. The odds that any enemy could achieve a catastrophic breakthrough in anti-submarine warfare capabilities or that the United States would suffer a catastrophic failure in the warheads used on the Tridents missiles are close to zero. If Washington is too nervous to cut two lags of the triad, it can keep a small bomber force composed of existing aircraft, like the B-52 or the B1, and atomic bombs to provide added insurance. Creating a separate fund to protect service budgets from the costs of modernizing strategic nuclear weapons not only cheats the American taxpayer but also fuels an unnecessarily large arsenal stuffed with weapons America does not need to remain safe, the pair state. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Given that Americas schools are as racially segregated as ever, with few signs of true, widespread integration on the horizon, a new movement calling for white suburban and minority urban parents to join forces against standardized testing could be hailed as progress. Some national civil-rights groups, however, are blasting the mostly white opt-out movements high-profile attempt to recruit African American and Latino parents to their ranksa recruiting pitch that analysts say gained traction last year and has expanded significantly during the current spring testing season. RELATED: Boycotters Might Be Winning the Battle Over Standardized Testing Keeping minority students who attend struggling urban schools from taking standardized tests, critics say, eliminates an objective, baseline measure of how well kids are learning. It also makes it tougher to determine whether their teachers are effective and how resources are being allocated compared with white districts. If we dont have testing, we dont know where the achievement gap is. Were flying blind, Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, told TakePart. I dont have any argument with critics who say testing should be curbed, Morial said. But he believes opting out of the tests can be even more damaging to students in the short termand do long-term damage to communities whose schools need resource parity with affluent white districts. Its about holding school districts and teachers accountable to make sure districts are performing, Morial said. We have to make sure every kid learns. We need tools to hold people accountable. But leaders in the opt-out movement point to scores of parents in cities like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia who have thrown in with their suburban opt-out counterparts. They argue that the system of constant, fill-in-the-bubble assessments eats up time that could be spent teaching or counseling their kids, and that administrators typically use scores to close struggling schools rather than shift resources to help them improve. Story continues They definitely use those tests against the children and the neighborhood and the community, Shakeda Gaines, an African American mother and member of the Opt Out Philly group, told Politico. What happens to the community when the school closes? It destroys the whole neighborhood. This is more than we bargained for. The opt-out movement largely began in suburban and rural, mostly white districts when parents and some teachers complained that administrators were testing their kids far too often. Constant beat-the-clock testing, they argueas often as once a semester through high school and sometimes morecranks up the pressure on students. RELATED: Getting Low-Income Kids Ready for College Means Skipping the Test-Prep Status Quo A teach to the test culture squashes critical thinking and creativity and wipes out individualized assessments, according to critics. Besides mandatory state assessments, students in some districts are tested as often as once a year on math and reading proficiency; in previous decades, testing typically happened just once in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Jeff Strohl, an education policy analyst at Georgetown Universitys Center on Education and the Workforce, said both sides have a point: Testing can help identify deficiencies in struggling urban schools, while overtesting, or misinterpreting the results, can harm the very studentsand schools and communitiesthat need help. I look at it like a thermometer: I take your temperature, youve got a fever, Strohl said. It can give us those indicators of where we can help and who needs help. Still, the concept of minority communities and whites coming together in the opt-out movement isnt necessarily mutually beneficial, Strohl said. All students are facing the over-testing issue; wealthy white parents arent facing the under-resourcing of schools problem, he said. Bob Schaeffer, the public education director of FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, said critics of the white-minority, opt-out alliance are missing the point. The average kid in a hardscrabble urban school district takes 112 standardized tests from elementary school through high school, and it hasnt helped, Schaeffer said, adding that struggling districts are still struggling. Theres a better way to determine unequal resource distribution without jumping the shark of having year-round testing, he said. RELATED: 6 Reasons Your Kid Could Have Less Standardized Testing in 2016 We want to make clear that we need a new direction, he said. More and more testing, with more consequences attached to it, isnt the answer to these real problems. Over-testing is an important issue for parents of all backgrounds, Schaeffer said, adding that there has been a significant increase in parents of color joining the opt-out movement. African American and Latino parents have the same concerns about testing overkill as white parents. The bottom line, he said: More testing isnt the answer; better assessment is the answer. Take the Pledge: If We Dont Act Now, Who Will Teach Our Kids? Related stories on TakePart: Passing Up Harvard: Qualified Black and Latino Kids Aren't Applying to Top Colleges Whats Really Driving Americas Lackluster Standardized Test Scores? No Child Left Behind Is Dead, So What Happens to Standardized Testing? Original article from TakePart SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A body of a teenage girl or young woman was found stuffed in a suitcase across the street from an upscale hotel in San Diego, police said on Thursday, and investigators were trying to determine who she was and how she died. The remains of a "small-statured female" were discovered by a hotel worker in a large black travel suitcase sitting near trash bins put out for collection, said Lieutenant Manny Del Toro of the San Diego Police Department. "He was curious about what was in the suitcase and then when he discovered the body he backed out," Del Toro said. The victim had not been identified as of Thursday morning, but because of the size of the body investigators were working on the assumption that she was a teen or woman in her early 20s, he said. There were no obvious wounds and an autopsy was scheduled for later on Thursday to determine a cause of death. "It doesn't appear she was stabbed or shot," Del Toro said. "At this point we can't even conclude it was a murder. She could have overdosed and someone got scared and shoved her body in there." Still, he said, investigators who canvassed the area seeking witnesses were treating the case as a homicide and seeking to match the remains to reports of missing girls and women. "It's unusual in any location to find a dead girl in a suitcase but this is not a particularly violent area, relatively speaking," Del Toro said of the business district near downtown San Diego. (Reporting by Marty Graham and Dan Whitcomb; editing by Clarence Fernandez and Dan Grebler) ROME (Reuters) - World food prices edged up in March, as sharp rises in sugar and vegetable oil more than offset a plunge in dairy prices, the United Nations' food agency said on Thursday. Food prices are near a seven-year low after four consecutive annual declines, and are expected to be dragged even lower this year by slowing growth in the global economy. The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) food price index, which measures monthly changes for a basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat and sugar, averaged 151.0 points in March against a downwardly revised 149.5 points in February. March's reading is the highest so far this year, but food prices on international markets were still almost 12 percent lower than a year earlier, FAO said. Expectations of a larger sugar production deficit and reports of more raw sugar being used to make ethanol in Brazil drove sugar prices up 17.1 percent to their highest since November 2014. Vegetable oil prices jumped 6.3 percent, propelled by surging palm oil prices on prolonged dry weather in Malaysia and Indonesia, the world's main producers. The dairy price index fell to its lowest level since June 2009, led by plummeting butter and cheese prices. FAO gave its first forecast for world cereals output in 2016-17 at 2.521 billion tonnes, which would be 4 million tonnes lower than last year but still the third-highest on record. Large inventory levels and relatively sluggish global demand are likely to keep market conditions for staple food grains stable for at least another season, FAO said. The slight forecast decline in world cereals production is largely due to expectations that wheat output will be some 20 million tonnes lower than last year, at 712.7 million tonnes. The decline is mostly due to smaller plantings in Russia and Ukraine, which have both been hit by dry weather. Global cereal utilization is expected to rise only modestly but still exceed production, leaving world stocks 3.9 percent lower annually at 611 million tonnes. (Reporting by Isla Binnie, editing by Crispian Balmer and Jason Neely) Passenger air traffic grew by 6.8 per cent worldwide in 2015, the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 2015 Air Transport Yearly Monitor has revealed. The preliminary version of the study, released Thursday by the agency, also shows that planet's top three busiest airports by numbers of passengers are Atlanta (ATL), Beijing (PEK), and Dubai (DXB), in that order. The top three airlines by revenue-passenger kilometers are all based in the United States, with American Airlines topping the chart. Emirates, which has experienced a growth of 8.8 percent, has overtaken Air France to claim fourth place. The report can be seen at http://www.icao.int/sustainability/Pages/Air-Traffic-Monitor.aspx Geneva (AFP) - The World Trade Organization on Thursday revised its 2016 global trade forecast downward by more than one percentage point, warning that a slowdown in China and broad market volatility continued to threaten growth. In September, the WTO estimated that global trade would rise by 3.9 percent this year, but lowered that projection to 2.8 percent, in an updated forecast. "Trade is still registering positive growth, albeit at a disappointing rate," WTO director general Robert Azevedo said in a statement. Various factors were continuing to apply downward pressure on global commerce, the Geneva-based body said. The rout on commodities prices has shown few signs of reversing, while the full extent of the slowdown in China -- the world's top commodities consumer -- remains uncertain. The WTO listed "a sharper-than-expected slowing in China (and) worsening financial market volatility" as factors that could further suppress global trade this year. But, the 2.8 percent growth forecast could prove to be an underestimate if efforts by the European Central Bank to stimulate eurozone growth are successful, the WTO said. The organisation predicted that global trade would tick upwards by 3.6 percent in 2017, on the back of increased demand for imported goods in Asia. Azevedo issued a broad warning on "the threat of creeping protectionism, as many countries continue to apply trade restrictions." By Laura Zuckerman SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - The country's largest band of wild bison can roam public lands outside its home at Yellowstone National Park without facing certain slaughter, under an agreement reached by U.S., state and tribal leaders on Wednesday. The plan allows bison, also known as buffalo, to range on more than 330,000 acres (135,000 hectares) of public lands in Montana, said Stephanie Adams, Yellowstone program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association. The deal is a step toward ending part of a 16-year program during which thousands of bison were rounded up and ultimately slaughtered after wandering outside the boundaries of the park, which spans parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Depending on the size of the herd and how many wander outside of park bounds, some of the bison may still be killed, under the program to manage the animal's population. The plan, forged by eight government and tribal entities including the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Intertribal Buffalo Council, also regulates the number of bison allowed inside the park. Bison once numbered in the tens of millions west of the Mississippi, but extermination campaigns in the late 19th century cut their numbers to fewer than 50 that found refuge at Yellowstone. They have since rebounded and are a top draw for the millions of tourists who annually visit the park. In recent years the herd inside Yellowstone has exceeded the current population target of 3,000, triggering aggressive culling. The practice of capturing bison outside the park and limiting their numbers within Yellowstone stems largely from cattle industry concerns that stray bison could transmit brucellosis, a disease that can cause cows to miscarry, to herds grazing near the park. Yellowstone bison have been exposed to the disease but there is no known case in which it has been transmitted in the wild from a buffalo to a domestic cow, government wildlife managers said. Wednesday's agreement formalized a plan announced in December by Montana Governor Steve Bullock to allow migrating bison to roam public lands in his state. The move was hailed by conservationists but opposed by ranchers. On Monday, 88 bison from a national park in Canada were shipped to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana as part of a broader plan to restore the massive, hump-shouldered animals on American Indian lands across the Western United States. About 20 of those will be moved to the Oakland Zoo later this year and their offspring will be returned to the Blackfeet, said the California zoo's chief executive, Joel Parrott. (Reporting by Laura Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho; Editing by Sara Catania and Peter Cooney) New York (AFP) - Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who shot to international prominence for handling the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, on Thursday endorsed Republican frontrunner and Manhattan tycoon Donald Trump. "I support Trump. I'm gonna vote for Trump," he told The New York Post tabloid ahead of the April 19 New York primary, where the controversial billionaire leads the Republican polls by double digits. The former mayor said he expected Trump to collect most of the 95 delegates up for grabs in New York and have a "good shot" at securing the party nomination and avert the possibility of a contested convention in July. Giuliani took aim at Trump's nearest challenger, evangelical Texas Senator Ted Cruz, for insulting New York's supposedly non-conservative values earlier in the campaign. Prominent Republicans outside New York have coalesced behind Cruz -- emboldened by the senator's victory in Wisconsin this week -- in a bid to deny Trump the nomination. "It's New York City. We're family. I can make fun of New York. But you can't!" Giuliani was quoted as saying by the Post. Trump leads the Republican polls in New York at 53 percent, with Ohio Governor John Kasich on 22 percent and Cruz trailing on 18.6 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics poll average. New York (AFP) - A New York travel agent appeared in court Thursday charged with conning more than $350,000 out of Pakistani immigrants who paid to go on Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or fly home. Junaid Mirza, 50, who operated travel agencies in Brooklyn and one previously located in the Empire State Building was charged on 31 counts that include scheme to defraud, money laundering and grand larceny. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. "Many of the victims were hardworking Pakistani immigrants who trusted the defendant and were cheated out of a lifelong dream of taking a pilgrimage to Mecca," said Brooklyn district attorney Ken Thompson. Mirza allegedly owned travel agencies that specialized in selling travel packages to Saudi Arabia and airline tickets to Pakistani immigrants from July 2011 to September 2015. All Muslims are expected to perform hajj -- a pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca -- at least once in their lifetime. Mirza advertised discounted trips in local Urdu-language newspapers and in pamphlets distributed in mosques, New York prosecutors said. The victims, who included taxi drivers and home health aides, allegedly paid more than $6,000 per person for a hajj package, but prosecutors said Mirza pocketed the cash and failed to book the airline seats. Some victims only found out they had been conned when they arrived at the airport, including a bride who missed part of her wedding festivities in Pakistan as a result, prosecutors said. Other victims were a parent traveling with three young children who were stranded at an airport in Pakistan when they were told by the airline that the defendant had never purchased their return flight. Two pupils at an exclusive New Zealand school were hospitalised with neck wounds when a production of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" became all too real, officials said Thursday. The 16-year-old boys were taking part in the musical about a murderous barber who slits his victims' throats when they were hurt on Wednesday night, Saint Kentigern's College said. College head Steve Cole said the boys necks were cut when a prop malfunctioned. "(It was) a razor, but it's been filed down and bound with various things, it would be normal to use such a prop in a Sweeney Todd production," he told TVNZ. The pair were rushed to Auckland Hospital, with ambulance officers describing one boy's injuries as serious and the other boy's as moderate. Cole said the school was "distressed" and offering counselling to all students, including the play's cast and crew. "We have been talking with both injured students and their families and are pleased to report that the boys are in a stable condition and likely to be discharged today," he said in a statement. "An investigation is being conducted to determine exactly what happened and ensure this does not recur." In the meantime, he said Thursday night's staging of the production had been postponed. "Maybe next year, we'll do something that's a bit more general," Cole said. New Zealand's employment safety watchdog WorkSafe said it was looking into the incident. "The initial notification to WorkSafe advised that two boys had received neck injuries while enacting a scene in a musical production," it said in a statement. The Saint Kentigern website describes the Stephen Sondheim musical as "notoriously difficult to produce". Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on Thursday sought to shore up his hold on power by offering reassurances to war veterans who have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of his regime. The war veterans have often played a crucial, and violent, role in supporting Mugabe. But, as the 92-year-old president has become more frail, they have been infuriated by criticism aimed at them by Mugabe's wife, Grace, 50, who is one possible candidate to succeed him. "I am sorry you have not had this opportunity before," Mugabe said addressing his first open meeting with war veterans since fighting ended with Zimbabwe's independence in 1980. "The condition of the war veterans is a priority and I leave you with my promise," he said, vowing to allocate money to pay for hospital bills and children's school fees. In February, Zimbabwean police shocked many observers by using water cannons and teargas to prevent a meeting planned by the war veterans to air their grievances. Some of the veterans back former vice-president Joyce Mujuru, herself a former fighter, to take over from Mugabe. She was expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party in 2015 at the apparent instigation of Grace Mugabe, who accused her of plotting to topple the president. "Some are calculating the President is going to die," Mugabe, who has ruled since independence, told the crowd of about 10,000 at a sport centre in Harare. "That's why you see people now jostling each other (for power). To put you to shame, I am not dying." Starting in 2000, the war veterans led the seizures of white-owned commercial farms in what Mugabe said was a reversal of imbalances from the colonial era. The seizures have been blamed for a slump in food production that contributed to the country's economic collapse. Some veterans are also accused of the widespread intimidation and violence during recent elections that have kept Mugabe in power. "We played a role in the liberation of our country," Menias Chimbaira, 62, told AFP. "We need to remind the younger generations, especially the young politicians, to accord us our right place." Johannesburg (AFP) - With South African President Jacob Zuma facing growing calls to resign over a series of corruption scandals, attention is turning to one potential contender to succeed him -- his former wife. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 67, is a long-standing heavyweight in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, holding several ministerial positions since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. Confirmation last week that Dlamini-Zuma will not run for re-election as head of the African Union (AU) Commission fuelled rumours that she may position herself for a shot at the top job back home. Her high-profile term running the executive branch of the AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, comes to an end in July after four years in the international spotlight. "There is no doubt that some behind-doors lobbying on her behalf is already underway," Mcebisi Ndletyana, associate professor of political science at the University of Johannesburg, told AFP. After failing in their bid to impeach him this week, Zuma's opponents now hope to prosecute him on graft charges after he leaves office, and the advantages of having his ex-wife -- with whom he remains on good terms -- succeeding him are clear. "It may provide a bit of comfort, because I don't think that she would like to see the father of her children jailed," Ndletyana said. But Dlamini-Zuma's name recognition also presents a dilemma to the ANC, where some factions want a clean break from her ex-husband's tarnished reign. "Although she is an accomplished politician, those who are opposed to Zuma may not be too happy with another Zuma taking over," Ndletyana said. The ANC normally puts forward its party leader as the presidential candidate, so Dlamini-Zuma would first have to climb her way to the summit of the party in order to succeed. If she does make a bid for power, her big moment would be the ANC's elective conference next year where the new party president will be chosen and lobbying for positions is likely to be a bruising exercise. Story continues - 'A real possibility'? - Mavuso Msimang, a former senior official under Dlamini-Zuma when she was minister for home affairs, described her as "an extremely intelligent person". "It's a real possibility that she would become president," Msimang told AFP. He said she should be "considered on the merit of her experience in the ANC" over years of service. "I don't think she would continue the legacy of her former husband," said Msimang, who added that he was in favour of a female president. A medical doctor by training, Dlamini-Zuma, like her polygamist ex-husband, hails from the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The couple met in exile in Swaziland, during the depths of the apartheid era. In 1972, Dlamini-Zuma became Zuma's second wife and the couple went on to have four children. They divorced in 1998 but still enjoy good relations, often shaking hands and hugging in public at ANC events or government conferences. Dlamini-Zuma boasts anti-apartheid struggle credentials as an underground member of the ANC when it was still banned. She went on to become democratic South Africa's first health minister between 1994-1999, appointed by Nelson Mandela. Mandela successor, Thabo Mbeki, put her in charge of foreign affairs, where she worked to implement his much-derided "quiet diplomacy" with neighbouring Zimbabwe as it sank into a deep crisis under President Robert Mugabe. In Zuma's administration, she served as home minister, where she was credited with limited reforms to a department mired in bureaucracy and corruption before she took the African Union Commission posting in 2012. The soft-spoken Dlamini-Zuma is a loyal ANC member and is seen as relatively scandal-free after being out of domestic politics during the turmoil of recent years. But she appears to lacks the easy charm and common touch that her former husband has used so effectively to shore up support, and she still must overcome widespread prejudice over her gender. The ANC in its 104 years of existence has never had a female leader. In any leadership bid, her main rival will be Zuma's deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, a business tycoon and former trade unionist who is the second-in-command in the ANC. Zuma's term as ANC leader is set to end in 2017. Under the constitution he must stand down as state president after serving a maximum two terms that end in 2019. Ellen DeGeneres took an uncharacteristic serious moment at the top of her show on Thursday to address the anti-LGBT bill which was signed into law by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant on Tuesday. "I'm not a political person, I'm really not," DeGeneres told her audience. "But this is not politics, this is human rights." NEWS: Disney and Marvel Threaten Production Boycott if Georgia Anti-Gay Bill Is Signed The state's House Bill 1523 will take effect in July and allow business, individuals and religious organizations in Mississippi to deny service to LGBT individuals, single mothers and any others who offend their "sincerely held religious belief." "That is the definition of discrimination," the talk show host explained. "It is also something that the Supreme Court already ruled on when they made marriage a right for everyone." My thoughts on Mississippi. https://t.co/zpxX5Swwh2 Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 7, 2016 The law also targets transgender residents of the states, effectively making one's sex assigned at birth permanently unchangeable and the only gender recognized by the state. "If you're in Mississippi or North Carolina or anywhere, and you're saddened by the fact that people are judging you based on who you love, don't lose hope," DeGeneres said. "I was fired for being gay, I know what it feels like. I lost everything. But look at me now." NEWS: Miley Cyrus, Ashton Kutcher and More React to Indiana's Anti-Gay Bill The talk show host delivered the serious message with a hint of humor, adding her voice to the many celebs who have spoke out against similar discriminatory laws and proposals in states like North Carolina, Indiana, and Georgia. "There's already so much inequality in the world: women's rights, gender pay gap, racism," she continued. "I think we need to remember that we are more similar than we are different. We all want the same things: love, acceptance, kindness, and I want one of those new Teslas." Story continues "I advocate for less hate and more love," DeGeneres added. "Less tearing apart and more coming together. Less sitting and more dancing." WATCH: Ellen DeGeneres Fires Back at Critics Claiming She has a 'Gay Agenda' Related Articles If you typed the URL yourself, please make sure that the spelling is correct. If you clicked on a link to get here, there may be a problem with the link. Try using your browser's "Back" button to choose a different link on that page. The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: The North-South transport corridor is beneficial for Moscow as it will allow Russia to strengthen economic ties with a number of states in its south, says Alexander Savchenko, director of the Russia-based Centre for Situational Monitoring and Regional Studies. "For Russia, this project can be beneficial in terms of transit, as well as in terms of infrastructure development and strengthening economic ties," he told Trend Apr. 7. "The project will facilitate the transportation cooperation with Iran and beyond. Potentially, it becomes possible to facilitate cooperation with India," added Savchenko. Meanwhile, says the expert, as it is the case with any other major complex project, the implementation of the North-South project will require a lot of time to reconcile different interests, opinions and coordinate efforts. "The undertaking is potentially very effective," the expert said. "But it is necessary to work out the details, which usually takes a lot of time. It will take more than a year. There will be some progress, but not so fast." Savchenko also said the removal of international sanctions on Iran may accelerate the project's implementation, since the ban on the joint work with Iran is lifted and there is growing interest in cooperation with that country. The North-South transport corridor is intended to connect the northern Europe to the south-eastern Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia. The corridor is planned to transport 6 million tons of cargo a year in the first phase and 15 to 20 million tons of cargo in the future. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: The world rewards violence and uncivilized behavior, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Washington, Elin Suleymanov, said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. Suleymanov was commenting the situation with the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Suleymanov said that the world ignores those asserting their rights through appeals to international law and conscience. "It does appear that the world feels more comfortable ignoring the conflict," the ambassador said. "Our displaced population is not engaged in any violence," he said. "They did not emigrate anywhere. Our refugees and internally displaced people moved in the areas outside the occupied areas in Azerbaijan, and have built their lives there." Suleymanov described a situation whereby the Azerbaijan government has spent a great deal of money and made it a priority to integrate hundreds and thousands of their compatriots. "The down side is that if refugees are integrated and build a normal life, the world seems to say you have no rights, forgets your right to return to your homeland," Suleymanov said. "In a sense it is unfair," he said. "The world rewards violence, the world rewards uncivilized behavior." He said that Baku has found the balance between asserting its legal right over Nagorno-Karabakh and getting international bodies to recognize those rights, without sacrificing the daily life of the refugees. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The US administration is so absent and restrained in its response to the most serious military clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in twenty-two years has the impact of ceding the strategic field in the South Caucasus to Russia, says Matthew Bryza, former US assistant secretary for South Caucasus and former US ambassador to Azerbaijan. "This can have profound and dangerous consequences in Syria, Ukraine, and far beyond," Bryza wrote in his article published on the website of the US Atlantic Council. "The United States has been conspicuously absent during the latest crisis over Azerbaijan's region of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "The White House has not yet issued a statement on this unprecedented uptick in violence." "US Secretary of State John Kerry's statement released on April 2 is a vanilla condemnation of violence and call for a restoration of the ceasefire, which could apply to any of the numerous previous ceasefire violations," he said. He said that this approach leaves no sense of the intensity and danger posed by this latest flare-up of violence. "In contrast, Russia's top leadership has been active," he said. "Russia's goal in its lone mediation mission appears to be twofold: first, to repair its international reputation in relation to its debacle in Ukraine; and second, to strengthen the impression in Armenia and Azerbaijan that Russia calls the shots in the South Caucasus." On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 Trend: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are still on a visit to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, James Warlick, US co-chairman, tweeted on April 7. "The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are in Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "They will meet with de facto authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh." On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire again. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 Trend: Following of an escalation of violence and violation of ceasefire in the Armenia-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the country has launched a White House petition. The petition (https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/establish-justice-and-prevent-great-catastrophe) calls on the US Administration to establish justice and prevent a great catastrophe. In order to receive a response from the White House, the petition requires 100,000 signatures by May 6, 2016. The petition, submitted by the President of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan Elkhan Suleymanov, notes that Resolution 2085 passed in January by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) "stresses the fact of the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of Azerbaijan by the Armenian state" and "requests the immediate withdrawal of Armenia's armed forces from the occupied region." The petition further states that the OSCE Minsk Group, the mediators consisting of the United States, Russia and France, "has made no progress toward the liberation of our occupied territories," and urges "the Administration to support PACE Resolution 2085, to assist in the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia and the prevention of a humanitarian catastrophe in the region." On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. The petition warns that the "current state of the Sarsang reservoir, located in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, could result in a humanitarian disaster. " The unmaintained dam has created an artificial environmental crisis to the once-productive agricultural regions of Azerbaijan that lie downstream. In its January resolution, PACE accused Armenia of "environmental aggression" and "deliberately depriving" Azerbaijanis of water flowing from the Sarsang reservoir. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: The Israeli authorities must properly assess the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan and support the latter in the current aggravation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Israel Barouk wrote in his article published in The Jerusalem Post. "The current crisis is part of a longstanding conflict that began in the early 1990s, when Armenia brutally invaded and ethnically cleansed Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region and the surrounding seven districts, which together account for nearly 20 percent of sovereign Azerbaijani land," the author wrote. "The same occupation continues to this day." The article said that the most recent escalation of hostilities by Armenia can certainly be regarded as a well-orchestrated public relations stunt. "Embarrassed by the warm reception of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Washington, DC, as well as US Secretary of State John Kerry's reiteration of strong US support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, Armenia decided to resort to armed provocations," Barouk wrote. Barouk wrote that these hostilities are indicative of the lack of respect Armenia has for not only for the lives of its own citizens, but also those of the innocent citizens and community members caught up in the broad campaign by Armenia and its lobby to discredit and injure Azerbaijan - the longstanding secular majority-Muslim ally to the United States, the State of Israel, and a leader in the international fight against terrorism and extremism. "The crucial partner for the West in the region, Azerbaijan faces a multi-faceted enemy, one that engages in actual and inhumane warfare on the ground while simultaneously terrorizing the media and the public," Barouk wrote. The article said that Armenian propagandists are unique in using the rise of Islamophobia to prevent the public from understanding what is a very straightforward issue. "By constantly presenting the conflict as "a conflict between Christian Armenians and Muslim Azerbaijanis", Armenia is inserting a deceitful narrative in order to obtain Western public sympathy for something very wrong, namely unlawful occupation and brutal ethnic cleansing," the article said. The author wrote that this all targeting a country known for multi-faith harmony and a longstanding history of peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Jews and Christians. "While Armenia terrorizes Azerbaijan, its proponents use the mere fact that Azerbaijan is a majority- Muslim nation, however peaceful and democratic, to prevent a fearful and otherwise uninformed public from sympathizing with the actual victims," the article said. The author wrote that the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's lands is a classic case of a war motivated by radical ethno- nationalism and unlawful territorial claims; it has nothing to do with religion. "Armenia's goal of portraying it as an inter-religious conflict is to generate fear in order to manipulate public discourse," the author wrote. "There are occupiers and the occupied, just as we distinguish between soldier and terrorist," the author wrote. "We must demand our leadership take the only correct side in this conflict, and condemn terrorism and continue to support and applaud our allies." "We need such friends now more than ever before," the author wrote. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend: If Russia is interested in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a change can happen in this process, says Rasim Musabeyov, a member of the parliamentary committee on international and interparliamentary relations and political scientist. "A progress is impossible to happen at the OSCE Minsk Group level for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement," he told Trend Apr. 7. "They [the OSCE Minsk Group] are only making proposals to the conflict parties and studying opinions in order to achieve agreements." The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have recently visited Baku to discuss the resumption of negotiations for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: Russia will make every effort to promote its initiatives in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a briefing in Baku Apr. 7. The briefing was held after Lavrov's meeting with his Azerbaijani and Iranian counterparts - Elmar Mammadyarov and Mohammad Javad Zarif. "We are satisfied with today's meeting," he noted. "We shouldn't relax in finding a solution to the conflict," said Lavrov, adding Russia is satisfied with the ceasefire agreement. "There were contacts between Moscow and the parties [of the conflict] at all the levels, we tried to help our friends and we hope the ceasefire will be maintained," he said. "The situation demands working out confidence-building measures on the line of contact and looking back to the previous agreements reached during the talks." "All the components of an agreement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are on the table and the only task is to find the wording," noted Lavrov. "Undoubtedly, we are more than others interested in this conflict's settlement," said the Russian FM, adding that people and the entire region suffers from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Touching upon the meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers in Baku, Lavrov said the event focused on the coordination of security in the region and fighting drug trafficking. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is still far from being stable; Moscow doesn't plan to stop work on the conflict's settlement, RIA Novosti agency quoted the Russian president's spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying Apr.7. To stop on achieved is simply impossible and no one is going to do this, Peskov said. Moscow, since the beginning of the conflict's escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, has applied and continues to apply decent efforts to create conditions for its settlement, according to Peskov. He noted that the large work at various levels was carried out in order to stop the shelling. These efforts of Russia have been mentioned by the participants of the process, said Peskov adding that Moscow, of course, will continue its consistent policy. He also acknowledged that the escalation of the conflict has led to significant setbacks in terms of Nagorno-Karabakh problem's settlement. Peskov said that very good, positive steps have been achieved prior to the recent escalations, and now due to the setback, a lot will have to be achieved again. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Seba Aghayeva, Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved through negotiations on the basis of principles of international law, said Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. He made the remarks at a press conference in Baku Apr. 7 dedicated to the results of a trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian FMs. Zarif said he believes that discussions will be held further to make serious decisions. After the press conference, speaking to reporters about the recent tensions in Karabakh, Zarif voiced his happiness over establishment of truce in the region. He expressed hope that the ceasefire will last and its outcome will be serious talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "From the outset of tensions in Karabakh, President Rouhani, Iranian defense minister and I had talks with Azerbaijani and Armenian officials regarding the issue," added Zarif. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the authors on Twitter @Asebaa and @Farhad_Danesh Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid a visit to Germany. This visit coincided with the period of provocations carried out by the Armenian troops on the line of contact with Azerbaijani troops and the subsequent devastating response. Booed by a large crowd of Azerbaijan's supporters in Berlin, president Sargsyan did not miss the opportunity during the visit to complain that Azerbaijan successfully repelled the attack and recaptured some of its own territories from the occupation forces of Armenia. However, Sargsyan also tried to mislead the international community by making up a story about the so-called Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, although no fighting was observed in there. In fact, the Azerbaijani army repulsed attacks of the Armenian troops, shelling Azerbaijani villages near the troops' contact line. Meanwhile, there are no civilians living on the other side of the contact line - in the Armenia-occupied territories. Besides, Sargsyan shared his fears with German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding the military power of Azerbaijan, the country he was disparagingly speaking about until recently. After the failure of his occupation troops, Sargsyan noted with fear that today, Azerbaijan has more modern types of weapons, and bitterly complained that it was observed during the three days of fighting. However, contrary to the expectations of the Armenian leader, Merkel expressed support for something Armenia and President Sargsyan don't want. Merkel urged the OSCE Minsk Group to progress in the process of peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh, and Armenia, the country which did everything possible to make the negotiations stagnate, certainly didn't like it. It's obvious why it happened: it is disadvantageous for Yerevan to change the status quo of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which assumes continuation of the occupation policy before the whole world community. Nevertheless, during the press conference with Armenia's president, Merkel urged for immediate promotion of the negotiation process and increasing the effectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group's work. She pointed out that this international format is responsible for the work on resolving the conflict and promised to support the Minsk Group's work "in a particular way." The western part of the world made it clear for Sargsyan that the current situation doesn't benefit anyone and Europe is ready to make every effort to prevent another outbreak of violence in the strategically important South Caucasus region. The remarks made by all international players which urged for immediate promotion of the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, create hope that after everyone saw firsthand that it is not a frozen conflict, the international players will increase the pressure on Armenia to bring it back to the constructive talks. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Orkhan Guluzade - Trend: International community must more strongly condemn Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan, says Mazhar Bagli, former board member at Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Azerbaijan has full right to liberate its occupied territories, he told Trend Apr. 7. "As Azerbaijan is a brotherly country for Turkey, Ankara sees the Azerbaijani territories' occupation as an aggression against Turkey," added Bagli. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend: April 7 may be called a rueful date in Armenia's history since it is the day when it became obvious that Yerevan's allies in the region have drifted apart from it. Today, on April 7, Baku hosted a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran, and the parties discussed a wide range of cooperation issues. All the three ministers at a press conference in Baku were in high spirits and happy to answer questions about joint projects and prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran. Particular attention was paid to the project on the North-South corridor, which will run through the territories of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran linking Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said during the press conference that both Iran and Russia attach great importance to the transportation corridors passing through their territories, in particular the railway networks. His remarks were supported by the Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif, who pinned great hopes on the unique transportation capabilities of the region. The remarks voiced by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are of great importance. He emphasized the importance of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, exactly in the light of the new projects underway in the region. The threat of escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can undermine the image of the South Caucasus as a transportation and infrastructure region, according to the Russian FM. Simply put, Armenia's aggression policy, which hinders the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and bringing peace and stability to the region, can harm the interests of both Russia and Iran. Azerbaijan, as an equal partner of Russia and Iran - the region's two major counties, plays an important role in the implementation of the joint projects. Meanwhile, Armenia, which is called Russia's "strategic ally", only creates problems for Moscow, both politically and economically. Armenia, a country that doesn't have resources, but has lots of empty ambitions, can not be useful in the implementation of new ideas and projects in such a strategically important region as the South Caucasus. Of course, during their meeting in Baku, the FMs couldn't bypass the most important issue - contribution of Tehran and Moscow to resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Here too, both countries expressed their full support for Baku in the issue of inadmissibility of keeping the status quo, which, in fact, doesn't exist after the five-day hostilities between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops. The Russian foreign minister, Lavrov, was even so optimistic that he said, "All the components of an agreement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are on the table and the only task is to find the wording." Considering that Lavrov will visit Yerevan tomorrow, it can be hoped that Moscow will try to really implement its initiatives on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement, especially when the stability in the region is in Moscow's own interests. --- Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agency's Russian news service, follow her on Twitter: @EmmaTariver Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: Russia has leverages to persuade Armenia to withdraw its forces from Azerbaijan's occupied regions, says Maxim Shevchenko, a Russian TV presenter and former member of the country's Civic Chamber. "Armenians claim they keep under occupation the seven Azerbaijani districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh because those regions are a buffer zone of security," said the expert. Obviously, if Russia provides a guarantee for security, Armenia will withdraw its troops from those regions, he added. Shevchenko believes that currently Russia is the only country that can put forward a proposal for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Russia succeeded to bring Azerbaijani and Armenian chiefs of general staffs to the negotiations table," he said. Russia holds direct talks with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan, said Shevchenko, adding Russia's position in this situation is unique and irreplaceable. The expert believes that in the current situation, the primary task in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is to overcome the escalation and return to the political settlement process. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 8 Trend: Russian Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Eyraud discussed the recent escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on April 8, TASS reported. The Foreign Ministers agreed to join efforts as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in order to normalize the situation in the conflict area as soon as possible. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Samir Ali - Trend: Some 162 houses in Azerbaijan's Terter district were damaged in the result of shelling by Armenian armed units April 2-5, head of the executive power of the district Mustagim Mammadov told Trend. He said that 22 houses were completely destroyed, and 140 houses were partially damaged. The head of the executive power of Azerbaijan's Aghdam district Ragub Mammadov said that the villages of Sarijali, Evoglu, Mahrizli, Chiragli, Mirashamli, Chemenli, Garadaghli, Baharli and Uchoglan were fired at most of all. He went on to add that a mosque, a middle school, a substation and an office building were destroyed. Also, eight houses were completely destroyed in the district, and 28 houses were severely damaged. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Welcoming the high-ranking Russian official, President Aliyev said that on Apr.7, Baku hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan. "We are very pleased that this meeting, the first such meeting is taking place in our country," he said. "I think this is the beginning of a very serious process of regional cooperation between our countries." Azerbaijan is the only country in the world, which borders both with Russia and Iran, said the president, adding that such a geographical location, as well as the history of relations between the peoples of the three countries and the current cooperation Azerbaijan and Russia, of course, makes it necessary to intensify cooperation in a multilateral format. President Ilham Aliyev said that issues related to the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, political engagement, transportation issues, energy, and others are being discussed at the meeting in a spirit of mutual understanding and constructivism. The president further said that Lavrov's visit is a good opportunity to discuss bilateral issues. "We are very pleased to see how relations are built between our countries," Ilham Aliyev said, adding that they include high-level relations of strategic partnership, which cover almost all spheres. President Aliyev said that Russia and Azerbaijan are two friends, two neighbors. "We value these relations and try to strengthen and develop them," the president said. "This concerns political, humanitarian cooperation, economy, energy, and, of course, the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." President Aliyev said that as everyone knows, the situation has recently aggravated on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which has led to human losses. "Of course, this is a matter of concern in the world and in the region," the president said. The president added that the recent situation on the line of contact also causes public concern. "In this case, Russia once again took the initiative," the president said. "The ceasefire agreement was reached with the Russian side's mediation." "We believe that this is only way to prevent an escalation in the region," the president said. "The ceasefire regime was observed, and unfortunately, the Armenian side violated it again." "We are committed to the continuation of the negotiation process," Ilham Aliyev said. The president said that he received the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group. "I have also told the co-chairmen, ambassadors and I want to tell the press that Azerbaijan is committed to the negotiation process," the president said. "We want to settle this conflict peacefully, on the basis of norms and principles of the international law." "I think that all these years - more than 20 years that have passed since the ceasefire testify to the fact that we are committed to the political settlement," the president said. "Of course, we will also discuss all these questions with you," the president said. "I am sure that your visit will be another important step in strengthening our relations." Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: If the US wants to avoid a major war in the Caucasus, it needs to take the lead in a serious diplomatic initiative to engage both Armenia and Azerbaijan in talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Svante Cornell, director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program of the John Hopkins University, wrote in his article in The Wall Street Journal. That can only happen if Washington accepts that the Caucasus is part of the long arc of conflict ranging from Ukraine to Syria, and that the interests of the US are fundamentally opposed to those of Russia, according to Cornell. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Details added (first version posted on 12:55) Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Seba Aghayeva - Trend: Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia attach great importance to the transport corridors passing through these countries, and in particular the railway networks, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said. He made the remarks at a press conference following the trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers. A meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov, Sergey Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif is taking place in Baku Apr. 7. Mammadyarov noted that the groundbreaking ceremony of the railway bridge construction on the border between Azerbaijan and Iran will take place April 20. Mammadyarov said that the ministers also touched upon the issues of fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and smuggling. The three countries also agreed to develop humanitarian ties, and discussed the issue of defining the Caspian Sea status, the minister said. "On Apr. 6, Baku hosted a meeting at the level of deputy ministers of all the five Caspian littoral states," Mammadyarov said. "The issue of defining the status of the Caspian Sea is still relevant. We all expect a final decision regarding the sea's status." --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Asebaa Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: It is impossible to maintain the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for a long time, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a press conference following the trilateral meeting with his Iranian, Russian counterparts. He said that the issue regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was discussed with both Russia and Iran. "There are specific proposals, we shared ideas and thoughts," the minister said, adding that this issue was discussed Apr. 6 at the presidential level as well. "It is necessary to solve it fast, because people are dying." He said that it is necessary to get directly engaged in the settlement of the conflict. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend: A communique has been issued on the results of the trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers in Baku Apr.7. The parties agreed to continue the further development of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, partnership and the principle of noninterference in each other's internal affairs. The ministers confirmed their commitment to the principles and norms of international law, as reflected in the UN Charter. The commitment to conflict resolution in the region was also confirmed in this regard. The Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers also noted the importance of strengthening the fight against new challenges that threaten the regional stability and security and confirmed their readiness for a joint fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and others. The commitment to the development of cooperation in trilateral format on economic, energy, transport, culture and tourism issues was confirmed. Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran also confirmed the importance of continuing efforts in determining the status of the Caspian Sea, the signing of a final convention before long, as well as establishment of peace and security in the sea. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @EmmaTariver Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.7 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif. The president stressed the importance of holding the first meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia in Baku. President Aliyev said the trilateral meeting will open a new page in the history of regional cooperation and will contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. President Aliyev said the issues of cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, security, energy, transport, fight against terrorism and other fields will be reviewed during Zarif`s visit to the country. The president said the two countries` views coincide in these areas. President Aliyev noted the visit creates a good opportunity for exchanging views over the topics covering the bilateral ties. The president recalled his recent visit to Iran, saying he once again thanked President Hassan Rouhani for hospitality when they had a phone conversation yesterday. President Aliyev said the two countries reached agreement on a number of issues and signed several documents during the visit. The president emphasized that this paved the way for the development of cooperation between the two countries, and described his visit as historical. President Aliyev also hailed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran as excellent. He said Azerbaijan is interested in developing the relations and expressed his confidence that the two countries will reach their goals. President Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Iran always support each other within international organizations. Zarif conveyed greetings of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to President Aliyev. The FM recalled President Aliyev`s visit to Iran, saying this trip made a historical contribution to the development of the two countries` ties. Zarif underscored the importance of the trilateral format of cooperation, which was initiated by Azerbaijan and implemented with consent of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. Mohammad Javad Zarif said that together with his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts they already started to discuss various fields of cooperation. The Iranian FM said there are good opportunities for cooperation in transit, customs, fight against terrorism, as well as tourism, culture and other fields. Zarif said this trilateral format created historical conditions for developing the trilateral cooperation among the countries and expanding Iran's bilateral ties with Azerbaijan and Russia. President Aliyev thanked for the greetings of President Hassan Rouhani and asked the FM to extend his greetings to the Iranian president. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will leave for Russia for a visit on Apr. 7, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has told Trend. Mammadyarov will participate in a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers to be held Apr. 8. The meeting's agenda includes the discussions on cooperation of CIS members in various areas. During the meeting, the foreign ministers will summarize the results of implementation of a multi-level ministerial consultations plan for 2015 and outline a similar plan for 2016. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: An ehsan has been given on behalf of President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva to commemorate Azerbaijani martyrs, who died heroically while repulsing the Armenian provocation on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The event, which was organized at the Heydar Mosque, was attended by Azerbaijan`s first lady Mehriban Aliyeva, mothers of the servicemen, who were martyred and wounded in the struggle to liberate Motherland, and public figures. President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva met with family members and relatives of the servicemen, who were recently martyred and wounded in the battles for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as a result of the violation of the ceasefire by the enemy on the frontline. Mehriban Aliyeva offered her deep condolences to mothers and relatives of the martyrs, and wished those wounded the soonest possible recovery. The first lady addressed the event. The event then featured the recitation of verses from the Quran. Family members of the martyred and wounded servicemen thanked the Azerbaijani government and people for attention and support. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 Trend: BHOS and US based Turnitin company signed cooperation agreement on application of internet services related to detection and prevention of plagiarism at the higher school. The signing ceremony gathered BHOS rector Elmar Gasimov, professors and lecturers of the higher school and Turnitin's representative on Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia Katerina Levchenko. Opening the ceremony Gasimov informed the guest about necessary measures taken at BHOS in order to prevent plagiarism, advanced information technologies applied to ensure the transparency of education process at BHOS. Rector emphasized that resorting to plagiarism would not only be detrimental for students' scientific and educational activities but it would also negatively affect their future activities. Following Gasimov the application of services related to detection and prevention of plagiarism at BHOS would be significant for writing scientific works by students in independent and responsible way and it would be very crucial for general progress of education. Rector drew attention of the attendees to the fact that Turnitin's internet services were applied in 140 countries, at more than 15 000 educational institutions and application of these services at BHOS would give a stimulus for BHOS to be amongst the world lead universities. Levchenko informed BHOS staff about Turnitin's being one of the world largest internet-based plagiarism-prevention service in the field of education. Levchenko also talked about opportunities offered by company, benefits and the rules related to the use. After the meeting the representative of Turnitin made presentation on 'Revolution in teaching students how to write education and scientific works'. She also demonstrated how to check the originality of students' works and analyze them. In conclusion Levchenko answered questions on the related subject raised by professors and students. It should be pointed out that Turnitin's internet services related to detection and prevention of plagiarism is going to be used at BHOS. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 21 banks through the auction held by Azerbaijan's Central Bank (CBA), SOFAZ said April 7. SOFAZ said that the banks bought the entire foreign currency amount put up for sale. SOFAZ will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016. The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZ's transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016. SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million. As of January 1, 2016, SOFAZ assets reduced by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and were estimated at $33.57 billion. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 Trend: Official exchange rate of manat, the Azerbaijani national currency, against the US dollar was set at 1.5231 manats for Apr. 8, said Azerbaijan's Central Bank on Apr. 7. The official exchange rate of manat on Apr. 7 is 1.5193 AZN/USD. The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 21 banks through the auction held by Azerbaijan's Central Bank (CBA). SOFAZ said that the banks bought the entire foreign currency amount put up for sale. Details added (first version posted on 13:03) Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.7 By Seba Aghayeva, Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Azerbaijan will participate in the meeting of the oil producing countries in Doha, Qatar, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Apr. 7. He made the remarks during the press conference after the trilateral meeting with Russian and Iranian foreign ministers Sergey Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif in Baku. The meeting of OPEC member states and other countries on oil output freeze at the January level is expected to be held on Apr.17 in Doha. Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio del Pino said in March that around 20 countries, including Azerbaijan will participate in the meeting. Earlier, some oil producing countries expressed readiness to freeze the oil output at the January level. The total oil output of OPEC member states stood at 32.38 million barrels per day in February, or 175,000 barrels less than in January. President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev has also said that Azerbaijan is ready to freeze the oil output at 2015 level in 2016. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 7 By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend: The shareholders of the TAPI Pipeline Company Limited (TPCL) signed an Investment Agreement today in a ceremony witnessed by petroleum ministers and senior government officials of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and senior Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials. ccording to a press release of the ADB, the agreement will pave the way for long-term gas sales that will allow Turkmenistan to diversify its gas export markets and support growth. The Investment Agreement provides an initial budget of over $200 million to fund the next phase of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline. This includes funding for detailed engineering and route surveys, environmental and social safeguard studies, and procurement and financing activities, to enable a final investment decision, after which construction can begin. Construction is estimated to take up to 3 years. TPCL will build, own, and operate the TAPI pipeline, which once completed, will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan for the next 30 years. The pipeline stretches about 1,600 kilometers from the Afghan/Turkmen border to the Pakistan/Indian border. "TAPI exemplifies ADB's key role in promoting regional cooperation and integration over the past 20 years. It will unlock economic opportunities, transform infrastructure, diversify the energy market for Turkmenistan, and enhance energy security for the region," said Sean O'Sullivan, Director General of ADB's Central and West Asia Department. Acting as TAPI secretariat since 2003 and as transaction advisor since 2013, ADB has been instrumental in the progress of the TAPI pipeline to date. In the latter role, ADB helped establish TPCL, select Turkmengaz as consortium leader, and finalize the Shareholders and Investment Agreements. ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region. The US Special Commission on Energy Partnership (SCEP) held a meeting in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, co-chaired by Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev and US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, the US Department of Energy said in a statement, according to Sputnik. "The session was held as a follow-up to the 11th session of the Commission held in 2015, and included the ceremonial signing of a joint statement of the Kazakhstan-United States Energy Partnership Commission," the statement said on Wednesday. Bozumbayev and Moniz discussed the 2016 SCEP work plan, which encourages the use of alternative energy sources, reduces emissions, and enhances nuclear safety, according to the Energy Department. Last week, Washington and Astana announced the successful elimination of all fresh highly enriched uranium from the VVR-K research reactor at Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty. Kazakhstan has committed to return the spent highly enriched uranium to Russia, thereby eliminating it all from the Institute of Nuclear Physics facility. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 7 By Demir Azizov - Trend: Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will attend a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow Apr. 8, said the Uzbek Foreign Ministry in a message Apr. 7. Earlier, the CIS Executive Committee said the issues of mutual cooperation between the CIS countries in various areas were included to the meeting's agenda. During the meeting, the CIS foreign ministers will summarize the results of implementation of a multi-level ministerial consultations plan for 2015 and outline a similar plan for 2016. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: "Iran, Russia and Baku started negotiations with a good beginning. We discussed various areas such as counter terrorism and counter narcotics .The talks will serve security in the region and will help transit," Iran's Foriegn Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said during a press conference in Baku. A meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov, Sergey Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif took place in Baku Apr. 7. The agenda included exchange of views on issues of mutual interest in regional cooperation, in particular issues of bilateral and trilateral projects' implementation, as well as the transport corridor 'North-South', regional security issues, including the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Zarif said that three countries agreed on costumes cooperation and tariffs, strengthening relations between three states. "we are already engaged in borders security". He added that "we believe this cooperation is in the interest of people of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan". Iranian side will reportedly inaugurate a part of North-South railway corridor from Rasht to Qazvin on April 20. Zarif also said that during trilateral meeting, the sides discussed energy cooperation. According to Zarif, Iran is trying to regain its oil market share, as its energy sector got heavily impacted by international sanctions. Iran, which is trying to boost its oil exports to pres-sanctions level, saw its oil export decrease from 2.2 million barrels per day in 2011 to about one million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2015 due to sanctions. After the elimination of sanctions in mid-January 2016 due to the nuclear agreement, Iran boosted the exports to 1.5 mbpd. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 6 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Although Iran's unemployment rate over the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20) reached 11 percent, an Iranian prominent economist suggests that President Hassan Rouhani's administration has taken successful steps in dealing with economic hurdles. "The unemployment rate over the last [Iranian calendar] year slightly increased by 0.4 percent compared to the preceding year. It means that the government, in deed, has managed the unemployment in the most difficult year for the country in the terms of economy since the 1979 revolution," Saeed Leylaz, an advisor to the former Iranian reformist President Mohammad Khatami, told Trend. A recent report released by the Iranian Statistical Center April. 6, has revealed that the country's Economically Active Population (employed, unemployed) is over 24.701 million people while over 2.7 million out of the total number are unemployed. Saeed Leylaz, however, describes the government's economic performance over the last year as positive as the administration managed to invest a considerable amount in development projects amid economic difficulties in the country due to sharp decline in oil prices and international sanctions. "The fact that the administration alone invested about $10 billion in various projects over the last year shows that the government has performed successfully in resolving economic crisis," he said. "The government created about 9000 job opportunities per month over the past two years and half which testifies to the government's positive economic performance," Leylaz added. Predicting that the economic growth in the country will grow by five percent over the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20), he further estimated that at least 300,000 job opportunities will be created in the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7 By Emil Ilgar - Trend: Iran unveiled 12 new nuclear achievements on April 7. During a ceremony of National Nuclear Technology Day, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said that the nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1, commenced on January 2016, was the "most important event of the last 100 years". He said that currently the international community recognizes Iran's nuclear right, IRNA reported. Rouhani added that Iran has no plan to threat any other country. Iran unveiled 12 new achievements, including ultra and zonal centrifuges, test fuel for power plants and modernized Arak heavy water plant. Zonal centrifuges are used in gene therapy and producing virus vaccines, while ultra centrifuges are used in biological and biochemical spheres. Tehran, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Mehdi Sepahvand, Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: In the wake of recent escalation of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Iranian parliament member has described the trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Iran Azerbaijan and Russia held in Baku April 7 as "significant talks". A member of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Javad Jahangirzadeh told Trend that the involvement of Russia and Iran in talks for putting an end to the Karabakh conflict may lead to reducing the destructive role of some trans-regional countries. He further added that the regional countries contribution to reduce the tensions would be appreciated. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. A meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov, Sergey Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif took place earlier today. The sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest in regional cooperation, in particular issues of bilateral and trilateral projects' implementation, as well as the transport corridor 'North-South', regional security issues, including the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meetings in Baku, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he was happy that military confrontations in Karabakh have stopped. The lower house of the Spanish parliament - the Congress of Deputies - made a decision on Wednesday to appeal to the Constitutional Court over the provisional government's lack of reporting to the parliament, Sputnik reported. The initiative was supported by all the parties except for the right-wing Popular Party, which is led by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Rajoy's government has said that is not obliged to report to the legislators, as it was formed during the previous parliament. The list of officials who have refused to report to the parliament includes acting Defense Minister Pedro Morenes and acting Development Minister Ana Pastor. Acting Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz has also said that he will follow their example. The government will be able to avoid the court hearing in case the ministers cancel their decision and report to the parliament within a month. Spanish parties have failed to form a government after over three months of negotiations and two unsuccessful parliamentary votes, via which the Socialists, the second-largest parliamentary faction after the Popular Party, attempted to form a coalition. The Spanish parties have until May 2 to form a new government or elections will be held on June 26. Vietnam has elected a new prime minister, to replace Nguyen Tan Dung who has served the maximum two five-year terms, Sputnik reported citing Channel News Asia. Nguyen Xuan Phuc was sworn in on Thursday after his candidature was supported by 446 out of 490 members of the National Assembly. Phuc, 61, formerly served as Vietnam's deputy prime minister. "As the head of state's highest organ, the executive organ of the National Assembly, the Government members and I will strive to build a strong and united Government," Phuc said in his acceptance speech, as quoted by Channel News Asia on Thursday. On Saturday, the National Assembly will elect a new cabinet. In late March, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan became the first woman in the history of Vietnam to be appointed chairperson of the National Assembly. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 7 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Azerbaijan's victory is Turkey's victory and Azerbaijan's losses are Turkey's losses, TRT Haber news channel quoted Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, as saying Apr. 7. He said the two countries always support each other. "Azerbaijan is of special importance for us," said Celik, adding that Azerbaijan has repeatedly shown its brotherly attitude towards Turkey. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Australia will send its largest ever trade mission to promote and showcase Australian industries to China as part of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed in 2015. (Photo : Reuters) Following the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), Australia's "largest ever trade mission" composed of representatives from more than 1,000 Australian businesses will be arriving in China this month, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Advertisement The trade mission, which coincides with Australia Week in China (AWIC), will "underscore the powerful effect of the ChAFTA," signed in late 2015, according to Australian Trade Minister Steven Ciobo. The report said that the trade mission will be held from April 11-15, in which the delegation of Australian business leaders is expected to travel to Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Xiamen. For Australia, it would serve as an opportunity to showcase its best industries to China, Ciobo said. "Australia Week in China (AWIC) will explore new opportunities for business arising from improved access and the tariff reductions negotiated through the ChAFTA," Ciobo said on Monday, April 4. "Activity is scheduled across eight business streams: agribusiness, financial services, health and aged care, innovation, education, urban sustainability and water management, premium food and beverage and tourism," the minister said. "An exciting element of AWIC will be our first ever innovation-focused program, which will bring together Australia's and China's fast-developing innovation ecosystems for the first time." As Australia is set to launch a tourism campaign to promote its coastal areas and aquatic resources, the country would gain benefits from the event, the minister said. The minister added that the tour is expected to bring remarkable benefits to the Australian economy as business leaders will present Australia as a "premium" destination for investment, tourism and education. "The first trade mission (in 2014) translated into significant trade and investment outcomes for Australia--around $760 million in export sales were generated and more than $2.4 billion in investment followed the event," Ciobo said. "We anticipate that the breadth and scale of AWIC 2016 will generate similar outcomes and be the catalyst for significant export sales and investments into Australia, further driving jobs and growth," the minister added. The minister expressed optimism that the ChAFTA would bring more investment and trade opportunities between the two countries. Robots are on display during the World Robot Conference in Beijing, Nov. 23, 2015. (Photo : IC) Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd. is eyeing to build a new factory that will house its industrial robot production, reported China Daily. The company, China's biggest beverage manufacturer, is betting big on robotics research and development on the back of the country's move to boost domestic intelligent manufacturing. Advertisement "Besides sticking to our main business of beverages, we will largely develop intelligent manufacturing to promote our company's business transformation and upgrading," said Wahaha Chairman Zong Qinghou in an interview with the news website. The company is also negotiating with various groups from Israel to create a technology transfer center in the city of Hangzhou. In return, the alliance will assist Israel in finding an audience for its smart technologies in China. The entrance of robots into the manufacturing sector has taken a new face in the form of smarter and more mobile models. Gone are the days when the idea of a robot is limited within the ability to switch facial expressions or do tricks on command. Now, these machines are equipped to adapt to the environment, thanks to big innovations in artificial intelligence The Wall Street Journal reported that robots "promise to bring major changes to the factory floor, as well as potentially to the global competitive landscape." It noted that the latest line of robots to enter factories today can "work alongside humans without endangering them and help assemble all sorts of objects, as large as aircraft engines and as small and delicate as smartphones." WSJ even foresees a future where working robots would no longer need the supervision of humans. Wahaha's recent venture is part of its plan to build about 2,000 industrial robots over the next four years. Aside from this, the company also plans to have "50 digital workshops, 300 intelligent manufacturing demonstration projects, 100 industrial Internet of Things demonstration projects and 10 intelligent factories," according to a Hangzhou Weekly report. Gotcha! The Japanese calls the clay jugs they use to trap octopus as takotsubo. Octopuses like hanging out inside dark, hidden places. (Photo : Engadget) Perhaps with a heavy heart, scientists--and people might be saddened to hear this--said that being happy can cause a heart attack. Yes, the counterpart of sadness can be a possible culprit behind the weakening of the heart, reported The Huffington Post. Both the positive and negative events that a person experiences can trigger takotsubo syndrome (TTS), according to the European Heart Journal published in March. Advertisement As the European Society of Cardiology said, Happiness can break your heart, too. In a study conducted, happy events triggered the TTS of 20 of the 485 patients who have it. As for the remaining 465 patients, TTS hit them after facing a sad event, reported ESC. People with TTS, therefore, should be aware of the happy heart syndrome. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a temporary condition where your heart muscle becomes suddenly weakened or stunned, according to the British Heart Foundation. Takotsubo is a Japanese term for octopus pot or octopus trap. Cardiomyopathy (cardio = heart, myo = muscle, pathy = denoting feelings) refers to severe heart muscle weakness. Also called stress cardiomyopathy, this condition likewise goes by a more dramatic term: broken heart syndrome. Its two main symptoms, according to BHF, are breathlessness and chest pains. It commonly affects middle-aged women (about 45 to about 64 years old), reported AustralianDoctors.com. Yogis may like what one cardiologist from New York City has to say regarding the prevention of TTS. We need to enhance the mind-body relationship, said Dr. Harmony Reynolds, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, according to The Wall Street Journal. Dr. Reynolds considers yoga, meditation and guided relaxation, specifically breathing as ideal prevention strategies in dealing with TTS. The International Takotsubo Registry, an international, observational Web-based registry in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, has been operating since 2011 at the Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland, according to its website. Cardiologists Dr. Christian Templin and Dr. Jelena R. Ghadri established it together with other dedicated team of physicians. Sato and others from Japan were the first ones who described TTS in 1990, according to the website. Three of the many uses of gyreo (clockwise): pet tracker, smart home controller and measurer. Giving You Real Extensive Options--thats Gyreo. (Photo : Gyreo) Its too big for a button and shows no strings to be mistaken for a mini yoyo. Then what is this circular object that can do quite a number of remarkable things as seen on its promotional video? Its Gyreo, the ultimate customizable wireless motion gadget created by InnoTree Team from Hong Kong, according to Kickstarter. Advertisement Its website describes it as a designer tool and a platform for coders to create motion and action-triggered applications. This lightweight multi-functional device can be used for playing games on ones tablet, for presenting ones slideshows and for securing ones bag when one is not looking and busy doing something else (will send a kind of security alert to ones phone). For fitness enthusiasts, they can attach it on their belt, on their bike or on their shoes to know the distance they will cover when they go brisk walking, jogging, running or biking. At home, it can be used for turning on the volume of the TV and vice versa, for dimming the lamp or completely turning it off, for measuring all kinds of organic shapes and for tracking the whereabouts of the house pet, according to its website. For those who tend to get plenty of spam calls or simply dont have time for unwanted phone calls, this tiny gadget can filter phone calls, too. InnoTree Teams Jackson Chan said that Lego blocks gave them the idea to make Gyreo, according to Tech in Asia. With Lego blocks, one can create anything that ones imagination would permit. That seems like what entered the minds of the InnoTree Team. Chan told Tech in Asia that Lego provided them the feeling of freedom to create anything we like without boundaries. The team wants that same kind feeling with Gyreo. They said that bluetooth connection, data communication, data collection and sensor sensitivity adjustment make up Gyreos software development kit. Chan and his team need a pledge of 35,000 pounds for the whole project to be funded, according to Kickstarter. As of April 6, a total of 10,485 pounds were pledged. People can pledge until April 27. Bringing creative projects to life, New York-based Kickstarter is a global crowdfunding platform that helps people find the resources and support the need to make their ideas a reality, according to its website. "Attack on Titan" chapter 89 spoilers here (Photo : YouTube/AnimeGamesOnline) The director of "Attack on Titan" Tetsuro Araki released a statement in 2015 about the anime's sequel, and that "Attack on Titan" season 2 may face a delay because the manga, in which the anime series was based from, must be four story-arcs ahead before the production of the anticipated sequel resumes. Advertisement The production delay was agreed upon by Hajime Isayama, "Attack on Titan" manga creator, and Araki. However, recent reports with regards to the series favor the fans, because finally the director of the anticipated anime recently confirmed that the production of the long awaited "Attack on Titan" season 2 has resumed. According to the report of Crossmap, Araki has officially confirmed upon his interview with the Bessatsu Shonen, a popular magazine in Japan, that the sequel will resume. Perhaps, upon reading this article, "Attack on Titan" season 2 could now be under development. The confirmation sparked speculations of what the upcoming season of "Attack on Titan," also known as "Shingeki No Kyojin," will contain. According to rumors, "Attack on Titan" season 2 will show Commander Erwin Smith overthrowing the current King. It is because the commander was able to know that the Reiss family is the true royal blood and that the rightful heir should sit on the throne. However, things could be a little shaky as the next season will reveal the royal family's capability to turn into Titans, which would mean that the Reiss family might be viewed as an enemy than an ally. Another spoiler is the rumored revelation that some members of the squad have the capabilities of becoming a titan, which includes Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover and Ymir. It is said that Braun and Hoover were the Colossal Titan (titan responsible for breaking the wall) and the Armored Titan respectively. Ymir, on one hand, is the titan wondering outside the wall for 60 years. She was able to come back to her human form by way of eating Marcel. "Attack on Titan" season 2 will also be the time that Eren will be kidnapped by Braun, Hoover and Ymir, and Commander Smith would lose his arm in an attempt to rescue Yeager. Fans will also witness the unveiling of a beast-type Titan. "Attack on Titan" season 2 release date could possibly be later this year, The Christian Times reported. Watch "Attack on Titan" season 2 preview below: The UN Libya envoy travelled to Tripoli and met the new prime minister designate Tuesday, in the latest sign an internationally backed unity government is asserting its authority over the capital. Martin Kobler flew into Tripoli for his first visit since Fayez al-Sarraj arrived with members of his cabinet in the capital last week. The UN envoy had been prevented from travelling to the capital last month by authorities in charge of the city, who have so far refused to cede power. The new government's arrival has raised hopes it will be able to restore some stability in Libya, which has been plagued by chaos since Moamer Kadhafi's 2011 overthrow. Kobler said on Twitter he had a "great meeting" with Sarraj and members of the unity government and that he was "moved by their courage and determination" in trying to set up in Tripoli. He later told AFP that he also met municipal officials, adding: "We want to show that the UN and the international community support Prime Minister Sarraj and members of the presidency council." Kobler said the UN was ready to provide "all the support needed" towards an "immediate and peaceful handover of power", and urged Libya's internationally recognised parliament to endorse the unity government. The German diplomat, appointed last year to spearhead international efforts to resolve the Libya conflict, posted photographs of himself descending from a UN turboprop plane and then meeting with officials including Sarraj. He was later seen walking in the streets of Tripoli's Old City, chatting with patrons in cafes and stopping for people to take selfies with him, an AFP photographer said. Libya has had rival administrations since the Libya Dawn militia-backed alliance seized control of Tripoli in mid-2014, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee to the country's far east. The unity government has been formed under a power-sharing deal agreed by some lawmakers in December. Sarraj arrived by sea last Wednesday after the Tripoli authorities closed airspace to keep him out, and has since been operating out of a naval base. The new administration has been broadening its support, winning the backing of the Libyan Investment Authority, the National Oil Corporation and the Central Bank. Ten coastal cities that were under the control of the Tripoli authorities have also backed the new government. Mattia Toaldo, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Kobler's visit was a clear signal that the Government of National Accord (GNA) was putting down roots in the capital. "Kobler's visit to Tripoli, after the many times he was refused landing and access... shows the degree of control of Tripoli by the GNA," Toaldo said. An adviser to Kobler said the UN envoy discussed with Sarraj "ways to support the action" of the unity government. Western governments are deeply concerned that Libya's disarray has allowed the jihadist Islamic State group (IS) to gain an important foothold in the country, but have said a foreign intervention can only take place at the request of a unity government. Most foreign representations have long since left the capital but Tunisia on Monday said it was reopening diplomatic missions in Tripoli following the new government's arrival. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault praised Tunisia's decision on Tuesday and expressed hope for an eventual return of other embassies. "The question of the return of our embassies is obviously a relevant one," he told reporters in Paris after talks with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "We hope that this situation consolidates itself. If the Libyan government asks us to help it ensure its security, we are available." Kobler said the people he met on the streets of the Old City "specifically demanded the return of the embassies and the United Nations to Tripoli". Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt handed Italian authorities on Thursday a 2,000-page report with testimonies from 200 people regarding the probe over the torture and death in Egypt of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni, official Italian news agency ANSA reported. Regeni, who was in Cairo conducting research on independent trade unions, went missing on 25 January. His body was found bearing signs of torture on a roadside on the outskirts of Cairo on 3 February. The report presented to Italy includes "evidentiary material" that Italian authorities had requested several weeks ago, including video footage, phone records and medical reports. It is not yet clear whether Italian authorities will find the documents presented by Egypt to be satisfactory, as Italian investigators had previously said that they find inconsistencies in Egypts account of Regenis death. These doubts were expressed by Italian officials after the Egyptian interior ministry said that Regenis belongings, including his passport, were found in possession of an alleged gang of kidnappers whom the ministry says was targeting foreigners for robbery. The four alleged gang members were killed in a shootout with police before the documents were found in a Cairo apartment used by the gang, according to the ministry. ANSA reported that Italian investigators may request information on whether or not Regeni was under surveillance prior to his abduction, especially during his meetings with independent unions. The Egyptian and Italian officials are expected to discuss Regeni's case for two days starting Thursday. The meetings are being held at a police academy in Rome and attended by Italian top prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone and three other Italian officials. The Egyptian delegation is made up of five officials two judges and three police officers headed by Mustafa Soliman, the assistant to the Egyptian prosecutor-general. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Court of Cassation postponed on Thursday the third session in the final trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak on murder-related charges after he failed to show up to the High Court building in downtown Cairo. The court adjourned the retrial until 3 November and ordered that it be moved to a "more convenient location." Mubarak's lawyer, Farid El-Dieb, said during Thursday's session that the former president does not object to coming to the High Court, however, the Egyptian interior ministry was the one against his presence due to security reasons. The High Court building, located in a busy area in central Cairo, has been the target of several unsuccessful terrorist attacks in the past two years. Mubarak is being retried on charges of complicity in killing protesters during the 25 January 2011 revolution. Mubarak, 87, was initially sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for his complicity in the murder of protestors during the 18-day January 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year autocratic rule. In November 2014, the court dismissed the case against Mubarak, citing legal irregularities, but prosecutors appealed. The court upheld the acquittal of other defendants in the same case, including ex-interior minister Habib El-Adly and four of his aides. This decision is now final and cannot be appealed further. In June 2015, the Court of Cassation set the start of Mubaraks retrial for November, but proceedings were then postponed. In January 2016, the same court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons for corruption. He was convicted of diverting public funds amounting to EGP 125 million ($16 million) meant for the maintenance of presidential palaces to upgrade his family property. Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian team is headed by Moustafa Soliman, assistant to Egypt's top prosecutor The Egyptian judicial team investigating the torture and murder of Italian PhD student Guilio Regini is expected to brief Italian officials in Rome Thursday on the latest findings in the probe. The Egyptian team arrived in Rome Wednesday amid anger and warnings from Italy that "immediate and proportionate" measures would be taken against Egypt if Cairo does fully cooperate in uncovering the truth of the murder of the Italian student. The Egyptian team is headed by Moustafa Soliman, assistant to Egypt's top prosecutor, according to MENA news agency. Regini, who was in Cairo conducting research on independent trade unions, went missing on 25 January. His body was found, bearing signs of torture, by a roadside on the outskirts of Cairo on 3 February. Egypt has strongly denied claims that security forces were involved in Regeni's murder. Italy's own investigators are still waiting to receive Regeni's mobile phone records and CCTV images from the neighbourhood in which he was alledgely abducted, according to AFP. Rome also wants to know if and why Regeni was under surveillance prior to his abduction. Following Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni's statements to parliament on adopting immediate and proportionate measures against Egyptian authorities in the case that the truth is not revealed in the Regini case, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed on the same day that the murder of the Italian student would not affect Egypt's relations with Italy. Search Keywords: Short link: A Cairo meeting between the speaker of the US House of Representatives and his Egyptian counterpart was attended by a large number of Egyptian MPs Paul Ryan, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, held his first official meeting with the speaker of Egypt's parliament Ali Abdel-Al on Thursday in Cairo, where they discussed security issues and bilateral cooperation. The meeting was attended by a delegation from the US Congress and a large number of Egyptian MPs. The meeting involved discussions about stepping up cooperation between the Egyptian parliament and the US House of Representatives, a statement by the Egyptian parliament said. The meeting which was attended by representatives from most political forces in Egypt's parliament, as well as the US ambassador in Cairo also involved discussions on terrorism and the situation in Libya and Syria. Parliament speaker Abdel-Al also met with a delegation from the German parliament, the Bundestag. Earlier Thursday, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met Ryan and the US Congressional delegation. The meeting was attended by the Speaker of Egypt's House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal and U.S ambassador to Cairo Steven Beercroft. According to the official statement issued by the Egyptian presidency Thursday afternoon, El-Sisi discussed with Ryan and US congressional delegation the Egyptian-American bilateral relations and the latest regional development including the war on terrorism. Search Keywords: Short link: A Cairo meeting between the speaker of the US House of Representatives and Egyptian President Sisi was attended by a large number of Egyptian MPs, Gamal Essam El-Din reports Paul Ryan, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, held his first official meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al on Thursday in Cairo, where they discussed security issues and bilateral cooperation. The meeting was attended by a delegation from the US Congress and a large number of Egyptian MPs, as well as US ambassador to Cairo Steven Beercroft. Ryan's visit comes only few days after another visit to Cairo by a delegation from the US Senate led by high-profile Republican Senator Lindsay Graham. The meeting with Ryan involved discussions about stepping up cooperation between the Egyptian parliament and the US House of Representatives, a statement by the Egyptian parliament said. The meeting which was attended by representatives from most political forces in Egypt's parliament, as well as the US ambassador in Cairo also involved discussions on terrorism and the situation in Libya and Syria. Abdel-Al told Ryan that he has high hopes that an Egyptian-American parliamentary friendship assembly would be formed to reinforce relations between the two sides. Sources told Ahram Online that Abdel-Al criticised the US and British stance against arming the Libyan military, saying that the chaos in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq has led to Egypt hosting five million refugees despite its own hard economic conditions. Abdel-Al added that a militarily strong Egypt would help in preventing acts of terrorism by the Islamic State group in Europe and America. The parliament statement also said that Abdel-Al condemned America's hostile stand against Egypt since the 2013 uprising ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Ryan, on the other hand, said America does not support any specific political factions in Egypt. "We support democracy in Egypt, and this why I am here, to support Egypt's elected parliament and leadership," said Ryan. Ryan also noted that the stability of Egypt is very important for the Middle East, "this is why the US Congress chose Egypt to be the first [destination] on its current visit." Abdel-Al said Egypt's new parliament includes an unprecedented number of women (90), Christians (39) and young MPs. Abdel-Al also met with a delegation from the German parliament, the Bundestag, belonging to the ruling Democratic Christian Party. Search Keywords: Short link: Three people were wounded on Thursday when two Katyusha-type rockets fired from an area in Syria controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants groupslammed into the centre of a Turkish town close to the Syrian border, a report said. The rockets hit the centre of the town of Kilis at around 0545 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported. Ambulances were sent to the scene as police threw a security cordon around the area. Dogan said one of the rockets hit a building used by Syrian refugees and two of those wounded were Syrian citizens. Another person was wounded by the second rocket and police also evacuated a school nearby. Pictures broadcast by Turkish television showed the rockets had badly damaged masonry and windows on one building. Kilis, where according to Turkish officials Syrian refugees now outnumber the native Turkish population, has been hit several times by IS fire. In March, two people including a four-year-old child were killed by rocket fire there, while in January a janitor was killed and pupil wounded when IS fire hit a school. Turkey has on occasion been accused by its western allies of not doing enough to combat the threat of IS, which captured swathes of Iraq and Syria right up to its border. But Ankara is now playing a key role in the US-led anti-IS coalition and hosting foreign warplanes at its Incirlik airbase for strikes on the group. The latest attack comes after Turkish armed forces launched repeated artillery strikes in the last weeks on IS positions in Syria. A fragile ceasefire backed by Turkey has taken effect in Syria, but the deal does not apply to territory held by the IS group and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Turkey has also been hit by attacks blamed on IS jihadists, including two deadly suicide bombings in Istanbul that targeted foreign tourists. Search Keywords: Short link: US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Iran on Thursday to help end wars in Yemen and Syria, where Tehran and its Gulf Arab rivals are backing opposing sides. On the first visit by a US chief diplomat to Bahrain since 2010, Kerry told authorities in Manama accused of discriminating against the country's Shia majority that respect for human rights was "essential". Kerry was to meet his Gulf counterparts later Thursday, two weeks before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh when Washington's Middle East policy is likely to come under the microscope. Kerry called on Iran to "help us end the war in Yemen... help us end the war in Syria, not intensify, and help us to be able to change the dynamics of this region". He told a news conference in Manama that Tehran should "prove to the world that it wants to be a constructive member of the international community and contribute to peace and stability". Iran struck last year a landmark deal with world powers on its nuclear ambitions, which has led to the lifting of international sanctions on the Islamic republic. Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, whose government accuses Iran of stoking persistent protests among the kingdom's Shias demanding an end to Sunni minority rule, echoed Kerry's call. "Yes, we do want to see Iran change its foreign policy," he said, speaking alongside Kerry. All the Gulf Arab states, apart from Oman, are taking part in a Saudi-led coalition that has been battling Iran-backed Shia rebels in Yemen since March last year, in a war which the United Nations says has killed around 6,300 people. The Arab states of the Gulf have also been staunch backers of Syrian rebel groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's regime since 2011. Iran, with Russia, has been among the regime's principal supporters in the conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and pushed nearly five million into exile. In his meeting with Gulf ministers, Kerry was to discuss "some of the critical regional issues, primarily Yemen, Syria, the situation in Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the region," a US official said. The six-nation GCC also includes the Sunni-dominated monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have carried out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria as part of a US-led military coalition. "We're satisfied, I think, with the overall level of support that we're getting from the Gulf states in the coalition," the US official said. On Bahrain, Kerry urged authorities to adopt an "inclusive political system". "Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential," Kerry said. He said he and Sheikh Khalid "had the chance to discuss the ongoing effort to address and to reduce sectarian divisions here in Bahrain and elsewhere". "I appreciate the seriousness with which he considers this issue," he said. "We all welcome steps by sides to create conditions to provide for greater political involvement for the citizens of this great country," he added. In 2011, the tiny but strategic island state, which is dominated by a ruling family drawn from the Sunni minority, crushed a Shia-led uprising calling for a full constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister. Scores of Shias were rounded up and sentenced to lengthy jail terms, including opposition chiefs. Amnesty International urged Bahraini authorities earlier this month to "immediately and unconditionally" release jailed opposition figures. "The alarming erosion of human rights in Bahrain in recent years means that anyone who dares to criticise the authorities or call for reform risks severe punishment," said Amnesty's regional deputy director James Lynch. Search Keywords: Short link: Tunisian security forces have shot dead a suspected militants in the country's northwest near the border with Algeria, the interior ministry announced on Thursday. "National guard units overnight gunned down a terrorist element in Seddin forest, in Sakiet Sidi Yussef," it said in a statement. The ministry said the suspect was killed in an ambush laid for two militants riding a motorbike and that the other man was wounded but escaped. A Kalashnikov assault rifle and two bags filled with explosives were seized, it said. Tunisia has been hit by a wave of jihadist violence that has killed dozens of members of the security forces since the 2011 revolution that ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Last year, the Islamic State militants group (IS) claimed attacks on the Bardo museum in Tunis and a resort hotel, that killed 59 tourists in total, and a suicide bombing on a bus that killed 12 presidential guards. A raid in March on the Libyan frontier town of Ben Guerdane, blamed on IS group, left 20 people dead. Search Keywords: Short link: Syrian rebels seized control Thursday of the Islamic State (IS) group's main supply route to Turkey, a monitor said. "Rebel factions and Islamists took control of the northeast of Al-Rai," a town occupied by IS on the border between Syria and Turkey, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "This is the main and one of the last crossing points with Turkey." Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that rebels entered Al-Rai on Thursday following two days of clashes. According to Abdel Rahman, the jihadists still control a crossing point further east, in the town of Halwaniyeh, but "Al-Rai was where they mainly smuggled in jihadists, whereas Halwaniyeh is reserved for top commanders". IS has suffered a string of setbacks in recent months, including the loss of the ancient city of Palmyra, east of Damascus, to pro-regime forces in March. A ceasefire that came into effect on February 27 has drastically reduced violence across Syria, but areas controlled by IS, the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra front, and other jihadist groups were exempt from the truce. Abdel Rahman said that IS had lost control of at least 18 villages in the northern province of Aleppo in recent days. Since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011, thousands of people have gone missing -- many of them arbitrarily arrested by armed forces -- across the country. More than 270,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes. UN-backed peace talks to bring an end to the conflict are set to resume next week in Geneva. Search Keywords: Short link: The replacement of Khaled Bahah as both prime minister and vice president suggests a resolution to the Yemeni crisis is closer to hand and may entail the exit of Ali Abdullah Saleh. Two important developments regarding Yemen mark a qualitative shift toward the anticipated political solution to the Yemeni crisis that will hopefully emerge from talks in Kuwait. The first is the resignation of Khaled Bahah who had served in the dual capacity as Yemeni vice president and prime minister until 3 April. Yemeni President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi has appointed Ahmed Bin Dagher to replace Bahah as prime minister and General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar to replace him as vice president. The second development emerged in the course of Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmans interview with Bloomberg news agency. We have good contacts with the Houthis, with a delegation currently in Riyadh. We believe that we are closer than ever to a political solution in Yemen, he said. Al-Ahram Weekly has learned from a source close to the circles of President Hadi that the changes in the Yemeni executive were shaped by numerous factors. The foremost was the gap between Hadi and Bahah. Describing the latters dismissal as a white coup, the source went on to explain: Bahah does not seem to be the right man for the current and coming phases. He is not in full accord with the president. In fact, he bypassed the president in many decisions and failed to implement other decisions. For example, he did not perform the agreed upon role in the question of incorporating the Yemeni popular resistance forces into the army. Nor did he treat with question of the families of the martyrs and wounded in the war with the appropriate degree of attention. Also, there are details pertaining to his unilateral administration of Soqotra Island on behalf of the UAE that were subjects of disagreement. In addition, he was not inclined to cooperate with diverse parties, especially the Islamist ones like Al-Islah (The Yemeni Congregation for Reform). Because of such differences, the source added, President Hadi felt compelled to promptly dismiss Bahah, who was left with only an honorary post that carries no weight. The choices of Bahahs replacements were intended to convey certain messages to all political parties. According to the same source, the choice of Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar is appropriate to the current circumstances. He has been tried and tested in the war and, practically speaking, he is the deputy supreme commander. In fact, he had been appointed to this post less than two months ago. The vice president is not a constitutionally stipulated office; it was introduced recently. A strong presidency is contingent upon a certain balance of forces needed to lay the groundwork for the coming phase. [Al-Ahmar] is a northerner who belongs to one of the oldest Yemeni families: Al-Ahmar clan. He is widely connected with all political trends, including the Islamist ones such as Al-Islah and even the General Peoples Congress (GPC). In fact, he was a prominent figure in the GPC even if he did not believe in it, and he remains on good terms with its leaders. Therefore, for those who maintain that government in Sanaa requires a northerner, here is the northerner with the tribal and political contacts, not to mention the military connections, as he holds one of the highest ranks and enjoys the respect and admiration of most military leaders, including those aligned with [former president Ali Abdullah] Saleh, himself. However, there remains a point we must not overlook. Al-Ahmar, as a military man, is a card that serves as a guarantee for both peace and war. If a peace is concluded, he can guarantee it because he understands the importance of stability. If war is the ultimate alternative in the event that negotiations fail, then he is the man to fight it. On the selection of the replacement as prime minister, Ahmed Bin Dagher was the number two man in the GPC before the revolution and, theoretically, he is still affiliated with the party in spite of his support for the February 2011 revolution that overthrew the regime of Saleh. In fact, although he has been replaced in the party by Aref Al-Zoka, he is still a member of the partys central committee. In addition, he has experience in government, having served as deputy prime minister in the Saleh era as well. The abovementioned source adds: Bin Dagher is a southerner. But he is also a GPC-man and he had been Salehs right-hand man. He therefore is a nod to the southerners who insist that the prime ministers post is their right and, at the same time, he is a nod to the GPC because he is one of its senior leaders. This serves as a message that states that Hadi has no intention to eliminate the GPC and that he will retain a role for it in the forthcoming political scene. It thus appears that the stage is being set for Salehs final departure. He had previously stated that that he was not interested in a post and that his sole concern was to keep his party alive. Naturally all the foregoing relates to the second crucial development mentioned above the significant progress in negotiations between Riyadh and the Houthis that Prince Mohammed Bin Salman spoke of in his interview with Bloomberg. It appears that the second round of talks between the Houthi movement and Riyadh will yield a positive framework of understanding. Last month, the two sides initiated direct contact in the western Saudi town of Abha at the level of a small relatively low level Saudi security delegation and Houthi representatives. Now, the talks have moved to a higher level, in Riyadh itself, and with a higher tier of Saudi officials immediately connected with the issue. Already one of the fruits of the talks has been the release of 109 Houthi hostages held by Saudi Arabia in exchange for the release of nine Saudi hostages who had been held by the Houthis. Nevertheless, Bin Salman was careful to stress, in the Bloomberg interview, that Riyadh was pushing to have this opportunity [for a political solution] materialise on the ground, but if things relapse, we are ready. Still, this interview does not explain the curious situation of a fragile truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis along the Yemeni-border while Houthi forces continue to escalate around Taiz, on the one hand, and the Saudi-led coalition is continuing aerial assaults against Saada, the Houthi stronghold in northern Yemen. Earlier this week, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced that teams of international experts have gathered in three capitals, Riyadh, Kuwait and Sanaa, to begin preparations for anticipated talks in Yemen itself. However, the Houthi-Saudi talks that Bin Salman mentioned precede forthcoming negotiations in Kuwait and may well set the agenda for those negotiations. At another level, the fact that the Saudis are talking to the Houthis separately, which is to say without representatives from the Saleh contingent, is very significant. Firstly, it means that Riyadh believes it important to separate the two. Secondly, it means than in the future, Riyadh intends to arrange how the Houthi movement relates to Saudi Arabia rather than leaving that to Saleh, as was the case in the past. *This story was first published at Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The militant Islamic State (IS) group has faced major setbacks in Syria and Iraq over the past 15 months. The latest was its loss on Thursday of its main supply route to Turkey. Here are the key IS group losses since January 2015 : After a series of victories, IS suffers its first serious setback on January 26, 2015 in Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town near the border with Turkey known in Arabic as Ain al-Arab. Kurdish forces backed by intense US-led air strikes capture the town after four months of fighting. In June, Syrian Kurds also capture Tal Abyad, another town near the border that controls a supply route to Raqa, the IS de facto capital in northern Syria. Iraqi troops, police and Shiite-dominated paramilitary forces retake Tikrit, the hometown of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, on March 31, 2015. The operation, at that time the largest by Iraqi forces against IS, is aided by the fact that much of Tikrit's 200,000 residents had fled the city. On November 13, 2015, Iraqi Kurds backed by US-led coalition air strikes drive IS out of Sinjar, northwest of Baghdad, cutting one of the group's crucial supply lines between Iraq and Syria. IS had seized Sinjar in August 2014 and carried out a brutal campaign against its Yazidi minority that included massacres, enslavement and rapes. Iraqi troops retake a key district of the Sunni Arab city of Ramadi on December 8. Two weeks later, the troops backed by coalition air strikes reach the city's centre. Ramadi is the capital of Anbar province, Iraq's largest which stretches from the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to just west of Baghdad. IS had seized Ramadi the previous May following an assault by dozens of suicide bombers driving explosives-rigged vehicles. On March 24, 2016 Iraqi forces oust militants from villages south of Mosul, IS's main hub in the country. The army says the operation was the first phase of an offensive to recapture Nineveh province and its capital Mosul. In Syria, regime forces backed by Russian warplanes and allied militia enter the IS-held ancient city of Palmyra retaking it a day later. Known as the "Pearl of the Desert", Palmyra was overrun by IS in May 2015, since when the militants blew up UNESCO-listed temples and looted ancient relics. On April 7, 2016 Syrian rebels seize control of the IS's main supply route to Turkey, the northeast of Al-Rai, following two days of clashes. Search Keywords: Short link: A Sudanese court sentenced 22 South Sudanese to death and jailed three for life on terrorism charges for fighting with rebels in the western Darfur region, their lawyer said Thursday. "The Khartoum North court headed by judge Abidin Dahi sentenced 22 men to death, all of whom are citizens of South Sudan," the head of the defence team Mahjoub Abdullah told AFP. All 25 had been members of a faction of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakhit Abdelkarim Dabajo, who signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government in April 2013. His troops were disarmed and taken to camps to be demobilised and pardoned by the government, which is where the 25 were discovered by inspectors and arrested last February because of their nationality. The 22 sentenced to be hanged were convicted of a range of offences including waging war against the state, undermining the constitutional order and on terrorism charges. "We will appeal the judgement," their lawyer said, adding the anti-terror laws stipulated he had one week to lodge his appeal. The sentence comes amid poor ties between Khartoum and South Sudan over allegations Juba backed rebels in Sudan's border Kordofan region. Ethnic minority insurgents in the western Darfur region mounted a rebellion against President Omar al-Bashir in 2003, claiming his Arab-dominated government was marginalising their region. Search Keywords: Short link: The top US commander for Africa says the number of Islamic State (IS) group militants in Libya has doubled in the last year or so to about 6,000. Army Gen. David Rodriguez heads US Africa Command. Rodriquez says local militias in Libya have had some success in trying to stop the IS from growing in Benghazi and are battling the group in Sabratha. But he says decisions to provide more military assistance will wait for a national government. A UN-brokered unity government is trying to assert itself in the capitol, Tripoli, but another government based in the city of Tobruk opposes it. Rodriguez says it will be a challenge for the IS group to become as big a threat as it is in Iraq and Syria because of Libyan fighters. Search Keywords: Short link: US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Thursday for all efforts to be applied to maintain the cessation of hostilities in Syria and build momentum for peace talks. "We will need to apply all of our efforts in order to maintain not only the cessation of hostilities but to build some possible momentum in the negotiations themselves," Kerry said in a statement after talks with his foreign ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Manama. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said in a separate statement that Gulf Arab states rejected the intervention of Iran into the affairs of the GCC states and what he called its attempts to smuggle weapons into some GCC states. "If Iran continues its aggressive policies and continues to intervene into the affairs of the GCC states, it will be difficult to deal with Iran," he added. Search Keywords: Short link: Libya's new Tripoli-based government must get down to "practical work" to ensure a peaceful handover of power from the country's many factions, the UN envoy told the Security Council on Thursday. Martin Kobler told a closed-door session of the council that he was "cautiously optimistic" about prospects for the new unity government that will seek to restore order to Libya, diplomats said. The UN-backed government is led by Fayez al-Sarraj who arrived in the capital a week ago. Libya has had two rival administrations since mid-2014 when a militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognized parliament to flee to the country's east. Kobler said Sarraj must begin "practical work" with his ministerial team even though security is fragile, a diplomat said. The envoy, who briefed by video-conference for two hours, said on Twitter that council members wanted Libyan lawmakers based in the country's east to vote on endorsing the new government to give it "full legitimacy." Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters following the briefing that much work remained to be done to shore up the new government. "It's good that some progress has been made but the situation in the country of course continues to be nearly catastrophic," Churkin said. "We'll have to continue to work to make sure that there is maximum unity among the various political forces in the country and this is not the case yet," he said. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft sounded more upbeat, telling reporters ahead of the meeting that "finally there has been some good news" out of Libya with the government now in Tripoli. French Ambassador Francois Delattre stressed that shoring up the new government was key to confronting the threat from the Islamic State group, which has been gaining a foothold in Libya. "Let's be clear about it, Libya has now the opportunity -- to a certain extent, the historic opportunity -- to create the conditions for stability, for the benefit of all Libyan people, and roll back the chaos on which Daesh has thrived," said Delattre, using an alternative name for IS. Sarraj was picked by the United Nations in October to lead the new unity government, but faced much resistance from Libya's myriad political factions and armed groups. Search Keywords: Short link: NATO's secretary general, responding to Donald Trump's criticism of the alliance, recalled Wednesday how it stood behind America after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. The first and only time NATO invoked "collective defense goals" was after the suicide plane bombings against New York and Washington, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in a speech in Washington. "Europeans stepped up to help and support our ally, the United states," he added. NATO then quickly joined the United States in invading Afghanistan on the grounds it was harboring al-Qaeda, blamed for 9/11. And more than 1,000 European and Canadian soldiers lost their lives there, the secretary general said. Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner, recently derided NATO as obsolete and said the United States covers an oversized portion of its budget. President Barack Obama said Monday that NATO remains a cornerstone of US defense policy. Stoltenberg said European countries are aware they need to boost defense spending and rely less on the United States to defend them. Search Keywords: Short link: Nearly a third of the business of the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers scandal came from its offices in Hong Kong and China, reports said Thursday, with the Asian giant assailed by corruption and capital flight. More than 16,300 of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca's active shell companies were incorporated through its Hong Kong and China offices, 29 percent of the worldwide total, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which co-ordinated a year-long investigation into a trove of 11.5 million documents. The investigation found that relatives of at least eight current or former members of China's Politburo Standing Committee, the ruling party's most powerful body, have been implicated in the use of offshore companies. Such vehicles are not illegal in themselves and can be used for legitimate business needs. But they commonly feature in corruption cases, when they can be used to secretly move ill-gotten gains abroad. Graft is rife in China, which Transparency International rates in 83rd place out of 168 in its most recent Corruption Perceptions Index. At the same time growth in the world's second-largest economy is slowing, and its wealthy have increasingly sought to move funds abroad, but have to contend with Beijing's strict exchange-control regime. Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has launched a much-publicised anti-graft drive, but has not instituted systemic reforms such as public declarations of assets. Xi's brother-in-law and family members of two current members of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), Zhang Gaoli and Liu Yunshan, have offshore holdings, the ICIJ reported. Deng Jiagui, the husband of Xi's sister, was previously a shareholder in three companies: Supreme Victory Enterprises, Wealth Ming International and Best Effect Enterprises, reports said. The companies were closed before Xi took power in 2012. Relatives of past PSC members Jia Qinglin, once the fourth-ranked leader in China, Li Peng, who led the Tiananmen Square crackdown, Hu Yaobang, ex vice-president Zeng Qinghong, and Tian Jiyun were named by The Guardian, which took part in the investigation. The documents also named movie star Jackie Chan, billionaire heiress Kelly Zong Fuli, and shopping-mall magnate Shen Guojun. Media in the Communist-ruled country have avoided reporting on the leaks' Chinese revelations, and social media has been scrubbed of references to them, with foreign news broadcasters such as the BBC blacked out when they report on the Panama Papers. The foreign ministry has consistently refused to comment on the revelations, with a spokesman Thursday again rebuffing several questions on the subject. The Global Times, a newspaper with close links to the ruling party, sought to cast doubt on the documents' provenance. In Western countries, it said in a Thursday editorial, "the politics-business relationship has been largely legalised", and "politics and the media are both under the control of capital". "Whether the journalists investigating the Panama Papers include those serving the US intelligence agencies as fake reporters is a question," it said, pointing out that few US public figures had been implicated in the revelations. ICIJ is part of the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit investigative journalism group that has previously reported on the influence of lobbyists in US politics. The Global Times did not mention that Chinese politicians were implicated in the documents, focusing instead on revelations involving leaders in Iceland, Ukraine, and Britain, as well as allegations tied to Vladimir Putin. Mossack Fonseca has offices in eight Chinese cities including Hong Kong, its website showed, more than any other country. Its locations in China include the major financial centres of Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as the port cities of Qingdao and Dalian, and lesser-known provincial capitals such as Shandong's Jinan and Hangzhou in Zhejiang, along with Ningbo, also in the eastern province. In a 2007 magazine interview, Zhang Xiaodong, described as a partner in its Asia practice, said offshore companies were useful for firms seeking to "avoid" restrictions imposed by countries that "opposed China's new economic strength". In recent years Chinese firms have been on an increasingly active acquisition trail abroad as Beijing encourages firms to "go out" to seek new resources and markets. Money has also long flowed out of the country through methods such as over-invoicing and Macau "junket" services, with Chinese citizens strictly limited in the amount of cash they are allowed to take out of the country every year. Capital flight has accelerated this year amid fears about the economic outlook and further depreciation in the yuan, driving the government to spend huge sums to stem the outflow. China's foreign-exchange reserves dropped to $3.20 trillion at the end of February, data showed -- falling more than $300 billion in four months. In a statement, Mossack Fonseca denied any wrongdoing and said it has always complied with relevant laws and regulations. Search Keywords: Short link: Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16 to show his support for migrants affected by the European Union's struggle to deal with an influx of more than a million people fleeing war and poverty. "Accepting the invitation from his Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the president of the Greek Republic, his Holiness Francesco will travel to Lesbos on April 16, 2016" where he "will meet with refugees," the Vatican said in a statement released on Thursday. Search Keywords: Short link: The exhibition features work by Mohamed El-Maghraby and Mohamed Abdalla Zamaleks Soma Art gallery and art school will host an exhibition of the work of artists Mohamed El-Maghraby and Mohamed Abdallah, opening 14 April. Maghraby experiments with multiple mediums, including drawing, painting, printing and illustration. His work brings forth architectural aspects and elements, as well as a philosophical reference, dealing with the idea of built virtual worlds. He has participated in a number of group shows, including exhibitions at the Contemporary Image Collective, Darb 1718 and the Cairo Opera House. His work was at Medrars August exhibit The Good, the Bad and the Crimson Shoe, alongside artist Tawfig, and he also collaborated with artist Shady El-Noshokaty to create an animation for his exhibition Colony. Abdalla is an artist and sculptor. His work deals with memory, creating forms that evoke the subconscious and trigger childhood recollections. Using multiple mediums, he tries to develop the structure of his work to affect the senses of spectators. He recently exhibited in the group exhibition Sculptures in February, displaying his abstract iron sheets pieces. Abdallah has participated in many other group exhibitions, including Supermarket, Wise Monkeys and Have a Peaceful Day. Parallel Life is his most recent solo exhibition, held at Mashrabia Gallery. According to the description by Soma, the exhibition is a unique representation of their journey of building forms in their mathematical and experimental works of art. Soma Art is an active gallery space as well as an art school that offers a range of visual arts courses in both theory and practice, as well as art history and contemporary practices of Egyptian art. Programme: The exhibition opens Thursday, 14 April at 7pm and will run till 28 April Soma Art, 14 Maraashli Street, Zamalek, Cairo 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: Screenings will be held from 18 to 20 April In support of young Egyptian filmmakers, the French Institute in collaboration with the Jesuits El-Nahda Association for Scientific and Cultural Renaissance will screen animation and short films created by young talents in Alexandria. El-Nahda was founded by Jesuit fathers and brothers along with a group of cultural enthusiasts in 1998. It offers a platform for elders, youth and children to explore their creative interests and produce projects. Their Cinema School Workshop launched in 2006 and has continued to offer young artists training and development for independent projects, and in the production of alternative non-commercial short films. It has since produced over a hundred zero-budget short films across different genres, including documentary, experimental and fiction, many of which participated in regional and international festivals and won awards. A special section of the cinema school was extended last year with a focus on animation, upon the initiative of young artists. Across three days, Cinema Cycle will screen six animation films on Monday, 18 April, and 12 short films on 19 and 20 April. All films are subtitled in English. On closing night, the Alexandrian Arabic rock band Wasla will hold a concert after the film screenings. Programme: Monday, 18 April, 7pm Animation films: Memorial by Mariam Abdel Rahman Recycle by Magdy Mikhael The Little Red Riding Hood by Shaimaa El-Gazar The Departure by Rim Ali Mahmoud The Plastic Cloud by Marwa Abdel Moneim Tour with Ms Fish by Mostafa El-Daly Tuesday, 19 April, 7pm Short films: The Frog Soup (2013) by Shady Kdsi Farida (2013) by Roaa Bahaa In the Beginning (2013) by Ibrahim Abdo A Walk in the Grey Sun (2013) by Mona Lotfy Warning (2011) by Ahmed Abdel Rahim Her Beautiful Voice (2008) by Jennifer Peterson Wednesday, 20 April, 2pm Short films: The Dancing Toile (2008) by Sarah Ibrahim Our Window (2008) Manar Kamel One Fine Day (2008) by Habi Seoud Sun Boat Lake (2008) by Lina Osama Peaceful Life (2008) by Hany Moustafa The Helwan House (2006) Bassam Mourtada 7pm Concert by Wasla band French Institute in Alexandria, El-Nabi Daniel Street, off Fouad Street, Raml Station, 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: For Egyptian art followers, audiences and cultural players, the Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy) does not need introduction. Founded in 2004, the Culture Resource made an impact on much of society using arts and culture as it's fundamental denominator. To many, this remarkable NGO was recognised through the many musical activities taking place at the El-Genaina Theatre in Al Azhar Park, Cairo, as well as other locations. When not direct beneficiaries of them, cultural players are aware of the large variety of Al-Mawred programmes aimed at supporting Arab artists, creating a dynamic exchange of practice and thought, and providing cultural and artistic services to broad segments of society, etc. For a whole decade, Al Mawred's regional office, managed by Basma El-Husseiny, was located in Cairo. On 9 November 2014, however, Al Mawred announced suspending all activities in Egypt and moved to Beirut. Though it was not exactly out of the blue, Al Mawred refrained from any immediate clarification. Many understood however that the Law on Associations presented a few weeks earlier by the Ministry of Social Solidarity to Egyptian NGOs, when 10 November was set as a deadline for the associations and foundations to register under the new, more restrictive regulations or be subject to investigation and possible prosecution, was the trigger of the relocation. Many have since wondered about the future of the institution -- and what will be the consequences of its move out of Egypt. At that point, however, little was known about Rana Yazaji, a young cultural activist from Syria with a rich portfolio of achievements, who was appointed Al Mawred's managing director only a month before the Egypt activities were suspended. While confronting the challenges ahead of her, dealing with the consequences of the abrupt relocation, Yazaji also managed to use the months-long transition to navigate the institution to thriving shores. "Though it was a surprise, in a way we saw it coming. Being always sensible to the changes taking place around us, and watching the situation, we were already thinking what would be best for the organisation. We had to consider the fact that our aim was not only to keep Al Mawred going but also to ensure that it continued growing," Rana Yazaji explains. She adds that even before responding to Al Mawred's call for the director opening she was already in the process of leaving her war-torn home country. "Starting 2013, I was already going back and forth between Beirut and Damascus. With Al Mawred, the process of my involvement began in May 2014. Finally, I took over as managing director in October," she clarifies. A well-grounded culture player With such a heavy responsibility on her shoulders, Yazaji's composure is striking. She has a well-grounded mind and an intense capacity for discernment especially when she talks about the most challenging processes that involve the hardships experienced by the Arab culture players and the role that Al Mawred can play in the whole regional equation. Charmingly humble though, Yazaji begins to unveil her rich portfolio: "Though my family is not directly linked to the arts, we had a huge library at home. I grew up in an environment where books are cherished. In fact, reading and writing was my first connection to creativity," Yazaji goes on to recall her years at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus, followed by her work in the theatre as assistant director, a dramaturg and "once as an actress -- in a joined Syrian-French production where I replaced someone in a small role. I was terrible," she laughs. Yazajis involvement in theatre included working with the Syria Trust for Development, a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, in projects reaching out to rural communities. "This is when I saw the reality of my country, which was so different to life as I knew it in Damascus. Coming from large cities, cultural players often make assumptions about rural communities and think they might not respond to art. We tend to be worried that those communities might not participate or interact with us. What happened was exactly the opposite. We worked with children and adults, made plays with locals and toured the villages with the performances. People were very responsive, many followed us from village to village. She adds that for many years she kept receiving letters from children who lived in the villages visited. Yazaji emphasises how this experience demonstrated her that underneath a simple social fabrics are a lot of deep truths -- and how easy and natural, in fact, is the process of unveiling them. "Art is not an intruder on society, on the contrary. Art has always been part of the main square of the city. It is we who build theatres and who close them, but art is a natural part of human practice. It is the modern world that institutionalised art." Having developed a passion for wider cultural concepts, Yazaji moved to earn a masters in Conceptualization and Management of Cultural Projects from Paris III and an MA in Dramaturgy and Theatre Direction from Paris X. She returned to Syria in 2007 and worked with numerous cultural organisations as programme/project manager and as a trainer in cultural management, and cultural planning, becamming involved in UNESCOs 2008 Arab Capital of Culture initiative in Damascus. She also touched on the more entrepreneurial side of the arts by working in animation. In the meanwhile, she published several articles and research papers in the field of cultural policy, with many of them becoming part of a book titled An Introduction to Cultural Policies in the Arab Region. Her paper, National Planning and the Rising Role of Civil Society Institutions in Syria, was published by Bilgi University, Istanbul in the Annual Book of Cultural Policies. It was in 2011 that, together with a few other cultural players, Yazaji founded Ettijahat. Independent Culture, an organisation that works to create an authentic relationship between cultural and artistic acts and Syrian society, with great diversity and plurality, as its website reveals. The organisation was the natural outcome of the preoccupations of cultural activists faced with revolutionary movements in the country and the region. At the beginning, we were all shocked. We kept questioning ourselves and our roles: do we keep doing what were doing or do we take a more political action? We asked ourselves what is the function of arts and culture during war, revolution or simply turbulent times, Yazaji explains refusing to identify or give specific name to the current situation in Syria. To her, regardless the terminology, the country is going through a tragic crisis with thousands of innocent victims. I consider myself a cultural activist and, together with like-minded people in Syria, we had long conversations trying to figure out what we should or can do. We knew we had to become part of what was happening in the country and in the region. Throughout its short history, Ettijahat. Independent Culture has embarked on activities aimed at empowering Syrian artist, facilitating their mobility, supporting their freedom of expression. While doing so, the organisation began developing its regional networking and positioning. But as Ettijahat continued to grow, Yazaji began transitioning to Beirut and, in 2014, she responded to a call for Al Mawreds managing director position. She considers this step to be an important move in her development as cultural activist and manager. Effect multiplication and a passion for change Yazaji joined Al Mawred in a one decade into its activities, during which it has already proved to be one of the most dynamic NGOs working with civil society through arts and culture in the region. From the moment Yazaji approached Al Mawred, she believed in its strength built throughout the previous decade. However she also recognised that it was time for Al Mawred to move a step further and add a new dimension to its wealth of expertise. It was in the very first interview when I presented my vision of how I saw this organisation developing further. Among several points presented, I thought it was the time for effect multiplication. For ten years, Al Mawred was giving grants, and supporting artists in many ways. I believed it was about time for this NGO to expand and also to start acting as a helper to other similar smaller/younger institutions with a vision similar to ours. In other words, we began looking for established organisations which in their mission provide service and support to artists, cultural players -- our target groups. We want to share our expertise and support those who also play a supportive role, she explains. She adds that as Al Mawreds challenges linked to the transition of its regional office to Beirut have been overcome, it will now be easier to embark on that new dimension of activities. Along parallel lnes, however, Al Mawred continues to play its own supportive role in the region. The needs and assessments that were done a decade ago are not overdue today. With each of the Arab countries representing an important area of our activities and an important topic to work on, our core objectives have not changed. We continue developing cultural policies to help frame the work of the artists. We continue with the production awards, cultural management training, travel awards, etc. Yazaji goes on to point to the programmes and activities enumerated on Al Mawreds website, shedding particular light on the new initiative announced in mid-March. Called Tajwaal, the new programme is in the form of a fund supporting international travel for Arab artists and cultural players. According to the official information released by the Culture Resource, "the goal of the fund is to help support mobility outside of the Arab world, which is often a major challenge due to lack of financial resources, visa issues and lack of exposure to potential partner organisations." The initiative is Al Mawred's response to the emerging importance of opening new opportunities for Arab artists. It is also the first such initiative aiming at moving Al Mawred onto a wider, international network of support. Yazaji explains that what triggered creation of the fund is the fact that for many Arab nationals, mobility can be extremely difficult. With everything that is happening in the world and all those images in the news, we found it crucial to support artists and all cultural players that come from the Arab region. The chosen applicants, who can be individuals or projects, will be offered financial mobility support and will benefit from Al Mawred's strong regional network. This way we can become an active player in creating a support group in its larger sense. With Tajwaal, Yazaji is proud to see Al Mawred expand beyond the region and open up opportunities to create dynamic channels between Arab artists and rest of the world. She adds that, though it is not new for Al Mawred, she believes that now the NGO will focus on the risk that independent cultural individuals and institutions face due to the changing political circumstances. Hopefully, we can offer a framework of support for the artists, to have their safe space of creation" she adds clarifying that through "space" she means the whole creative dynamics of the artist or a group of artists who can benefit from the Al Mawreds ability to provide safe and nurturing creative dynamics. As Yazaji gives several examples of Al Mawreds core visions, all turn to be tailored around concepts built on profound assessments of the region as part of the larger international scene. Yazaji elaborates further, explaining that in many cases artists are particularly affected by social or political change and face a variety of threats to their creative dynamics. Artists somehow represent a consciousness of what is happening around them. They are capable of transporting their reflections onto an international level. As such, they are often at risk in many countries in the region. This is a natural phenomenon at times of political turbulence. Al Mawreds programmes do not focus on a specific country but we look at the whole regional scene and recognise areas where freedom of expression might be challenged. This of course applies to individuals as well as institutions. We can provide support through our different programmes and the wide network we developed over the past years, Yazaji underlines the importance of regional backup, and an ability to connect to people who are similar in their understanding of freedom of expression. Without this network we are lonely and incapable of achieving much. It is exactly through this wide network that Al Mawred has managed to support communities and individual artists. As it moves towards the effect multiplication, soon it will also address other supportive institutions. It is through this strategy that Al Mawred is able to create palpable positive change. Effect multiplication will carry the skills as well as the core philosophy of Al Mawred, both of which have brought about many rewarding results in past years. And while the philosophy behind the action and Al Mawreds main principles of dealing with each community remain the same, Yazaji underlines that each society is different. It is important to first understand the real culture of the community in question and how their uniqueness shapes the approach. The approach adopted is the key of the relationship. If you do not understand the heart and soul of a given community, you only pretend to be capable of offering solutions. This path of thought has been already successfully practiced by the Culture Resources on multiple levels. It is enough to look to one of the many examples such as Egypts Darb Al Ahmar Arts School, which was founded by and under Al Mawreds management until 2014 (when was moved to El-Genaina Company), to understand how this philosophy is put in action. As children and youths of Darb Al Ahmar Arts School learn circus arts and percussion and eventually showcase their skills, we can see how dozens of lives from economically underprivileged communities are transformed, how they embark on a journey of self-worth, and find a source of income. Al Mawreds website provides many other examples, on regional scale, proving how the NGOs philosophy deals with various communities and addresses their needs through culture. If you plan to help any community, first you need to understand what it is that they need. If you are not aware of those people and their stories, you lose contact with them, and you end up as a preacher. The importance of the arts in social change is deeply linked to understanding the community in question. If we come with the assumption of only helping with what we see is right, we kill them even more, Yazaji stresses importance of deep understanding and assessments as only then long- or even short-term support or culture-related training will make a palpable impact and lead to change. Change is probably one of the most powerful words that resurfaces in conversations about the Culture Resource and its meaning is equally validated when we talk about people who work inside Al Mawred. According to Yazaji, Al Mawred creates an equally strong impact on those who work inside it. Even if my career was similar prior to joining Al Mawred, I am definitely one of the people who have changed while working in it. Al Mawred makes us understand the local environments through better understanding of the regional environment. She stresses the passion that all team shares for the Culture Resource. Surprisingly, with such a strong regional impact, Al Mawred operates with hardly 30 people on board, all based in Beirut. Some members of the team keep travelling across the region, while the coordinator of Tunisias Balad Al Fann programme is the only person practically living in Tunis. Yazaji explains that, for the time being, Al Mawred does not plan to expand in terms of people, but rather looks into further developing its programmes. Of course on the way we sometimes get caught up in an overload, complications, challenges. So again, if you do not believe in what you are doing and do not see how beneficial it is, when under excessive pressure, you risk to give up, she points to the dedication and passion of the Al Mawreds team. This is not to forget that very often we need to remind ourselves that what we do makes a difference, we need to nurture this passion of course. It is not always easy to be a part of this sector. Culture as linked to the social changes requires that often we should sense what should be done so that change can be obtained. It is not something direct, we do not produce actual good that people use. It is something that needs understanding of the essence of culture and arts, understanding why it is important, why it is a necessity not a luxury. Yazaji concludes that even though Al Mawreds regional office has been relocated to Beirut, Egypt remains one of the rings in the NGOs large chain. She points to the variety of programmes of which the Egyptian artists and organizations can become the direct beneficiaries. Together with the Tajwaal initiative, Al Mawreds website reveals many interesting opportunities. This article was first published in Al Ahram Weekly 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: Some say deterioration in the Egyptian media is desired by the government, to deflect attention from its performance. While no proof is provided of this, suspicions damage the media environment as a whole I am not inclined to believe in conspiracies and interpret events from one angle that the countrys enemies are plotting against us in order to make us stumble and fail. This way of thinking led to justifying despotism and failure in all our lifes facets, disavowing any responsibility and putting blame on an external culprit that is the conspiracy. Unfortunately, this way of thinking is widespread and has its own writers and broad audience. The conspiracy way of thinking has emerged recently in interpreting the decline of Egyptian media, entering a stage of chaos, unprofessionalism and disregard towards the minds and hearts of the audience. Conspiracy theory proponents see that the government is the sole beneficiary from the continuance of media chaos. This is in the form of verbal battles, exchanging obscenities and indecencies between some media personnel and public figures on television screens. This is then attributed to two reasons. First, distracting people from following whats going on in the country, or thinking about politics and evaluating the governments performance. The media has transformed public space and political events into a big theatre in which everybody is wrestling with everybody over superficial issues and problems. Whats strange is that the players on the stage of this theatre are using all legitimate and illegitimate means, including swearing and threats. Hence, viewing and following rates among vast sections of audience increased, and they are always driven to be preoccupied with following episodes of these scandals and talking about them. Second, destroying media and media personnel's credibility, because the audience that follows the media chaos listening to and seeing the exchange of mutual threats among media and political figures will not trust or believe the media and media personnels discourse, especially if it criticises the governments performance. However, when you debate proponents of view of a government conspiracy against the Egyptian media, or present an opposing opinion, they will ridicule you. They will also assert that the government is the sole entity that can legislate new laws by which it can activate the articles of the constitution regarding forming a higher media council, a national agency for journalism, and a national agency for audio-visual media. The government does not move towards this and is uninterested because it is the beneficiary of the continuance of media chaos and the absence of societal accountability, conspiracy proponents say. Moreover, the government deliberately delayed issuing a licence for an independent syndicate for media personnel, which organises work in the field of radio and television and issues work permits for announcers or holds them accountable according to a media code of ethics. Conspiracy advocates accuse the government or security bodies of sustaining the media chaos and even using it to their benefit. They argue that the state does not want to reform Maspero (the State TV and Radio building) and the security bodies interfere in every major and minor issue inside the building, and that this interference is extended to the private media. Supporters of the conspiracy theory mention incidents of excluding announcers and cancelling programmes here or there to prove their point. They speak in absolute confidence that most prominent journalists and media figures are working with the security bodies. They add that this or that journalist, or this or that television presenter, are security agents and receive instructions before appearing on screen or writing their articles. And when they disagree on screen, their disagreement reflects a conflict between security bodies. When one asks conspiracy proponents how they know this and what proof or evidence is there they immediately reply with a flurry of typical answers: This is quite well known, Just follow his standpoints, Didnt you hear the leaks concerning so and so? or Can anybody attack the government and the president in this way, except if he is given a green light? My own persuasion is that the talk regarding a conspiracy against the media does not have any basis, and those incidents and events may have more than one interpretation. Thus, it is better that the government and the security bodies clarify matters, because ignoring it will only lead to crises and problems Egypt has no need of. The writer is dean of the Faculty of Communication and Mass Media at the British University in Egypt (BUE). Search Keywords: Short link: (Shanghai) The CEO and about 20 senior executives of a leading private fund management company in Shanghai have been detained over a probe into fraudulent investment schemes, Xinhua reported on April 6. Shanghai police started investigating the company, Zhongjin Capital Management, on April 6 because its employees have been duping investors by providing them with information that included falsified business transactions and connected deals, Xinhua reported. Citing police, Xinhua reported that the company's CEO, Xu Qin, was taken into police custody at an airport in Shanghai on April 6 as he was about to leave the country. The company has started over 50 subsidiaries and taken control of another 100 firms around the country since it was founded in December 2012, the official news agency said. It was unclear what led police to probe Zhongjin Capital Management and whether investors had suffered any losses. Shanghai's government published a statement on April 5 that said it would rein in illegal fundraising programs, whose growing number had come to worry regulators in recent months. In February, police detained 21 executives at a company running the peer-to-peer lender Ezubo for running a Ponzi scheme that involved hundreds of thousands of small investors and more than 50 billion yuan. That scam apparently ran from July 2014 to December last year. An employee of one of Zhongjin Capital Management's subsidiaries told Caixin that the company was ordered to close after a police raid on April 5 that saw officers seize computers and documents. Several dozen investors who wanted information about their money gathered at the subsidiary's offices that day. One investor told Caixin that police said investors should provide information about their dealings with Zhongjin Capital Management at police stations near their homes. Several investors and Zhongjin Capital Management employees told Caixin they were shocked by the police probe because the company has not missed any repayments. Zhongjin Capital Management boasts in promotional materials that it is handling over 25 billion yuan in fund management schemes and private equity investment portfolios. It says on its website that it raised 5.26 billion yuan for a new equity fund scheme that closed on April 1, 260 million yuan more than it had sought. (Rewritten Li Rongde) The second stage of the Seoul-Busan high-speed railway, which will connect Daegu and Busan, is scheduled to open in November, while another link passing through South Jeolla Province in the southwestern part of the country will become operational between 2014 and 2017. Another connecting Suseo in southern Seoul and Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province will be completed by 2014. A planned expansion of the bullet train network will soon make it possible to reach any part of the country within an hour and a half, according to a blueprint unveiled Wednesday. The plan is part of a broader strategy to boost the role of the railway and reduce dependence on roads. Thje high-speed KTX trains will also pick up and drop off passengers at Incheon International Airport. Conventional railways under construction now will be built in a straight line and upgraded to accommodate trains traveling at speeds of up to 230 km/h. Metropolitan express train services will be introduced connecting Seoul with its satellite cities. Once completed, it will take just 19 minutes by train from Samseong Station to Dongtan city -- a journey that takes more than an hour now. Ilsan will be reachable in just 16 minutes from Seoul compared to 42 minutes at present, while it will take just 12 minutes to get from Uijeongbu to Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul. 'One Big City' Once the networks are operational, the government says most locations in the country will be reachable in less than 90 minutes. Hong Soon-man, director of transport policy at the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, said, "A total of 84 percent of the Korean public will be able to use bullet trains enabling them to travel to 82 percent of all locations in the country in less than 90 minutes and 95 percent in less than 2 hours. The entire country will essentially become one big city." The government also plans to develop the railway industry into a new engine of growth and build a new generation of bullet trains capable of traveling up to 430 km/h by 2012 and export them overseas. The government projects it will cost W97 trillion (US$1=W1,186) by 2020 to realize the plan, with the private sector shouldering W38 trillion. The government will tap into its infrastructure financing reserves to fund the project. Senior White House officials say the Obama administration will redirect nearly $600 million in funds, the majority from existing Ebola resources, to fight the spread of the Zika virus. "These repurposed funds are not enough to support a comprehensive Zika response and can only temporarily address what is needed until the Congress acts on the administration's emergency supplemental request," Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan said Wednesday. The White House submitted that $1.9 billion request to Congress in February of this year. Funding Shortfall On Wednesday, White House officials warned that without the funding, the U.S. risks not having the ability to properly respond to the Zika virus, including delays in mosquito control and surveillance, diagnostic testing, and vaccine development. "These efforts need to continue, and they can't be stopped or short-changed. We face two real global health challenges, Ebola and Zika. And we don't have the option to set one aside in the name of another," Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell told reporters. Burwell says there are now 672 confirmed cases of Zika in the United States, including 64 pregnant women. One Zika-related case of microcephaly confirmed in the state of Hawaii. Officials say local transmission is currently centered in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. But they believe there will likely be local transmission in the continental United States in the coming months. Drug makers Pfizer and Allergan are abandoning their merger plan after the U.S. Treasury Department announced new rules seeking to curb corporate inversions used to lower a company's U.S. tax bill. The two firms agreed to the merger last November in what amounted to a $160 billion deal. On paper it would have moved Pfizer to Ireland, like Allergan, where the corporate tax rate is much lower, and brought the combined company significant savings. Under the terms of the merger contract, Pfizer will now pay Allergan $400 million to terminate the deal. U.S. President Barack Obama did not specifically comment on the Pfizer plan Tuesday, but said tax avoidance is a "big global problem." "A lot of it is legal and that's the problem," he said. "They're gaming the system. A lot of these loopholes come at the expense of middle class families. This is all net outflow of money that could be used here in the United States" to improve roads, schools and other government programs. Obama called on the Republican-controlled Congress to permanently ban corporate inversions. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew also said ultimately it is up to Congress to pass new legislation to prevent companies from using the practice. He said until then, creative accountants will find new ways to avoid paying U.S. taxes. The chance of a rare contested Republican presidential nominating convention is growing in the wake of U.S.Texas Senator Ted Cruz's resounding win over front-runner Donald Trump in the Wisconsin primary election. There are 16 state Republican nominating contests to go, extending into early June. Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul making his first run for elective office, would have to win more than 60 percent of the remaining delegates to July's national convention in order to claim the party's presidential nomination before the convention starts. Trump still has a sizable lead, but has so far won only about 47 percent of the delegates selected. Cruz would have to take nearly 90 percent of the remaining available delegates to claim the nomination ahead of the convention. U.S. Republicans have not had a contested convention since 1976. Delegates selected to attend the 2016 convention in the midwestern city of Cleveland, Ohio, are generally required to vote according to the outcomes of primary elections and caucuses in their individual states on the first ballot. They mostly can vote for candidates of their choice on subsequent ballots until a nominee is picked. Surveys of the convention delegates already picked show that while Trump, a brash one-time television reality show host, is likely to have a plurality of convention delegates on the first ballot, many delegates could switch to support Cruz on the second ballot or beyond. A majority of 1237 delegates is required to win the nomination. Some of these delegates have told U.S. media outlets that they think Cruz is more consistently conservative and in line with their political views than Trump is and would have a better chance to defeat the likely Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in November's national election. Recent U.S. political surveys show Clinton consistently defeating both Trump and Cruz in hypothetical match-ups, but in a much tighter race against the Texas senator, a conservative thorn in the side of both Republican and Democratic leaders in Washington. The European Union (EU) has urged Bangladesh to arrange for the repatriation of thousands of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in EU member countries. A six-member delegation from the EU met with senior officials in Dhaka Tuesday and conveyed concerns about the rising number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Bangladesh says the EU officials told them that among the nearly 250,000 Bangladeshi immigrants in different EU countries, about 80,000 are staying there illegally and more are still arriving. Migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh wait after being detained by Turkish authorities at a bus terminal in the resort town of Bodrum, Turkey on Sept. 4, 2015. /Reuters Making Lists Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the two sides discussed how to ensure the safe return of migrants. "We have sought the lists of the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants living in the EU countries. After we get the lists of those 80,000 people, we will verify if they all are Bangladeshis. We will then chalk out a plan to bring home the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants and the EU will cooperate with us in the process," Kamal said in a news conference. Another official, Jabed Ahmed, said the Europeans told them the EU is eager to assist in the reintegration of the illegal immigrants so that they do not become desperate enough to seek work abroad again. EU team leader Christian Leffler, deputy secretary-general for economic and global issues at the European External Action Service, said the two sides discussed all the dimensions of the issue, but provided few details. "On the issue of the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants we shall continue dialogue with the Bangladesh government at a higher level. We hope both sides will be able to settle the issue amicably," he said. Earlier this week, he tweeted about the need for a stronger framework for legal migration and tougher measures against irregular migration. Shrinking Options With a quarter of Bangladesh's 160 million people living below the poverty line and the country being regularly hit by natural disasters like floods and cyclones, large numbers of Bangladeshis have, for years, migrated abroad in search of work. Countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Singapore and Malaysia have long been the preferred destination for these migrant laborers. However, for various reasons, most of these countries began cutting down on imported labor from Bangladesh in recent years. According to a Bangladesh government figure, more than 870,000 Bangladeshis worked abroad in 2008, most of them in Persian Gulf countries. But by 2014, the figure had dropped to 425,000. With the traditional foreign job markets shrinking, larger numbers have turned to the EU countries. Transit Routes A Bangladeshi who last year reached Italy with the help of some human traffickers from Libya said Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Greece are the favorite destinations of the illegal Bangladeshi migrant workers. "I personally know some hundreds of Bangladeshis who, like me, are living in Italy and some other EU countries illegally," he told VOA via Skype. "We all are concerned about our fate here after EU announced plans to deport illegal immigrants," said the 32-year-old man, who only wanted to be identified as Suman. Osman Goni, a travel agent in Chittagong, told VOA that many of the illegal migrants first transit through North Africa. "A section of those Bangladeshis are they who entered the countries on tourist visas but planned to stay on, overstaying their visas. However, most of those illegal immigrants entered the countries by illegal sea and land routes after they had reached some African and other countries from Bangladesh legally," said Goni. "In the past one or two years several thousand Bangladeshis legally traveled to Libya, from where they planned to land in Europe through illegal routes." Human Rights Watch has said several Bangladeshis were among the three boatloads of migrants who were deported from Greece to Turkey this week. A Japanese court has rejected a challenge to a lower court ruling that allowed the restart of two nuclear reactors. The Miyazaki branch of the Fukuoka High Court ruled Wednesday that the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at the Sendai plant in southwestern Japan could remain operative. Local residents filed suit last year to keep the reactors shutdown, arguing that the plant's operator, Kyushu Electric Power, had underestimated the threat of volcanoes and earthquakes. All of Japan's nuclear reactors were shut down in the aftermath of the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, which occurred when an earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that struck the plant and knocked out its cooling systems, leading to core meltdowns in three of the six reactors. It was the world's worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Japan's Foreign Ministry has prepared a draft of its 2016 Diplomatic Blue Book that notes improving relations with Korea, the Asahi Shimbun reported Wednesday. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to unveil the latest annual foreign-policy report at a Cabinet meeting on April 15. The Diplomatic Blue Book has been published every year since 1957. The draft claims Japan's ties with Korea have improved since last year's bilateral deal to settle the issue of Korean women forced to into sexual slavery for the Imperial Army in World War II. Korea and Japan agreed in December to resolve the issue after Tokyo pledged 1 billion yen to set up a Korean foundation aimed at helping the former sex slaves. The draft says Seoul and Tokyo agreed to "finally and irreversibly" resolve the issue and adds that Korea-Japan ties are "indispensable" for peace and stability in Asia-Pacific. The report typically reflects subtle shifts in the description of fractious ties with Seoul, this year plumbing for shared "strategic interests." But the report reiterates Tokyo's flimsy colonial-era claim to Korea's easternmost Dokdo islets, so it remains to be seen how far ties can improve while rightwing revisionists under Prime Minister Shinzo Aber remain in power. The North Korean regime seems to have revised school textbooks after Kim Jong-un became leader to ramp up the personality cult surrounding the ruling Kim family even further. New North Korean elementary textbooks obtained by the Chosun Ilbo from an organization for defectors brim with largely fanciful anecdotes about Kim Jong-un, suggesting that brainwashing begins at an early age. The illustrations include with pictures of Pyongyang's streets and a long-range missile being launched and tout them as shining achievements of the North Korean leader. Around 70 percent of the content focuses on praising the Kim dynasty, including Kim Jong-il's mother, Kim Jong-suk. Germany's Allianz, the world's top insurance company, is pulling out of the Korean market after selling Allianz Life Insurance Korea to China's Anbang Insurance Group at a cut-rate US$3 million. The sales price came as a shock to industry watchers, who expected the business to fetch over W25 billion (US$1=W1,160). Allianz Life Insurance Korea has posted losses exceeding its equity capital and its sales network has completely disintegrated, so the price dwindled to almost nothing, according to financial authorities here. Last years net loss alone was W87.4 billion. Anbang needs to inject an estimated US$80 million into the business to resolve its cash flow problems. Allianz entered Korea's insurance market in 1999 by acquiring Jeil Life Insurance for W400 billion in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis. It injected more than W1.2 trillion into its Korean operations but was unable to stem the losses. Insurance industry watcher said Allianz's management was at fault for failing to restructure the organization comprehensively and coming up with an effective marketing strategy for Korea. They also blame the companys militant labor union, which is among the most combative in the industry, for blocking any efforts by the German parent company to normalize operations. The insurer tried to improve operations in 2007 but union resistance stifled each move. The union went on strike for a whopping 234 days in 2008 when management tried to introduce performance-related pay. There is a strong possibility of North Korea testing a miniaturized nuclear warhead in the near future, Defense Minister Han Min-koo told reporters Wednesday. The North has been scrambling to make a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a missile, and there are indications it has made some progress in that direction. "North Korea can conduct a nuclear test any time," Han said. His ministry believes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued an order "soon." None of the 27 North Korean ships that are on a UN Security Council blacklist have been able to dock at foreign ports, the Voice of America reported Wednesday. They are either stuck in North Korean ports or marooned on the high seas. A diplomatic source said, "The UNSC sanctions are now biting, and North Korean ships are port-bound or stuck at sea." As of March 3, when the UNSC adopted the fresh sanctions, 15 of the North Korean ships on the blacklist were moored at foreign ports or traveling the open seas, according to VOA's analysis of data from the private website Marine Traffic showing the real-time vessel positions. Four days later seven were still in foreign ports, and last month they had dwindled to two. The others returned to North Korea this month after they were denied entry to ports in China, Hong Kong, and Russia. Xi calls for effective self-discipline campaign, Marxist values 2016-04-07 10:24 BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called for Communist Party of China (CPC) organizations at all levels to work to ensure the effectiveness of a year-long campaign to instill rules and good values in Party members. Xi made the remarks in an instruction on the newly launched education campaign, which focuses on the study of the Party Constitution and rules, as well as the speeches made by Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. In the instruction read at a meeting held on Wednesday, Xi noted that the campaign is "a major ideological and political task" that is crucial for the "Four Comprehensives" strategy, especially in pushing strict Party management at the grassroots level. The "Four Comprehensives" strategy refers to comprehensively completing the building of a moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law and strictly governing the CPC. While affirming the results of past campaigns in regulating Party members and officials and correcting their shortcomings, Xi noted that ideological and political work requires long-term efforts. "Arranging the new study campaign is a step toward expanding intra-Party education from 'a key few' to the Party members more broadly, and a switch from centralized study to study conducted more frequently," Xi said. Xi stressed that the campaign aims to consolidate Party members' Marxist positions and ensure that the entire Party maintains a high degree of ideological and political consistency with the CPC Central Committee. The campaign will cover every branch in the Party's network and every member, he said. The CPC will achieve a solid foundation and sharp focus only with a strong grassroots network and competent members, he said. The campaign will address problems and loopholes in the management of Party organizations and misconduct of members so as to set the bottom line, he said. Grassroots Party organizations are asked to effectively organize, mobilize and educate Party members in the face of new problems. Those that fail to exercise their duties will be overhauled and pushed to correct their problems. It is the responsibility of chief officials at all ranks to effectively carry out the campaign, supervise its development and prevent perfunctoriness, Xi noted, highlighting those of the county level and above. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said at the meeting that through the campaign CPC members will enhance the "consciousnesses of the ideology, the whole, the core and the line". The campaign will be problem-oriented and made up of regular workshops, Liu said. Related: China's Xi calls for more studies on Party building BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called on scholars to research Party building and to contribute to the Marxist theory system with Chinese characteristics. The remarks by Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, were outlined in a written instruction presented to a National Society for Party Building Studies (NSPBS) conference. Full story Xi demands Party schools' allegiance to CPC BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Party schools to be allegiant to the Communist Party of China (CPC) and to train officials with strong faith, belief, discipline and sense of responsibility. "To realize the goal of building a moderately prosperous society and the Chinese dream of great national rejuvenation, the key is to mould a troop of officials that are as strong as iron in belief, faith, discipline and sense of responsibility," Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said at a meeting on Party schools. Full story 1 2 3 >> 1 2 3 >> Sun Zixi's work on display at National Art Museum From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-04-07 17:27 Works by Sun Zixi are on display at Beijing's National Art Museum of China. [Photo provided to China Daily] Prominent painter and educator Sun Zixi, 86, has donated 55 of his paintings to Beijing's National Art Museum of China. And they are now on show as part of a retrospective at the museum, titled Once and Forever, which celebrates his devotion to painting for more than six decades. The display includes 340 sketches, watercolors and oil paintings that show Sun's expressiveness in portraying landscapes and people. The works include several of his most important pieces that have been kept at state museums, including In Front of Tiananmen that shows people taking photos at the square. Born in Shandong province, Sun was part of campaigns against the Japanese invasion in his youth and later joined the army. Sun enrolled at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1955 to receive professional training, and taught at the school after his graduation. Meanwhile, he traveled extensively across the country to paint. The exhibition runs until April 12. Related: Babies rise from the soil: surprise and creation Growing calls in China to make space for art-house films Works by Sun Zixi are on display at Beijing's National Art Museum of China. [Photo provided to China Daily] Works by Sun Zixi are on display at Beijing's National Art Museum of China. [Photo provided to China Daily] The blueprint for the anti-Governor agitation was drawn up at the LDF meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. #COVID-19 New COVID-19 cases post sharp on-week rise amid resurgence woes South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 30,000 for the fifth consecutive day Sunday, but the daily count recorded a sharp hike from the previous week amid rising concerns ove... #illegal gambling China-based online gambling ring busted; 20 arrested Law-enforcement authorities here said Sunday they have busted an online gambling ring based in China for illicit operations in South Korea, worth a total of 5.7 trillion won (US$3.... Britain's Got Talent returns to our screens this Saturday with the usual lineup of judges of Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden. So Britain's Got More Talent host Stephen Mulhern decided to put them to the test to discover just how much this lot remembers from their time on the show, and quizzed them to name as many acts as they could from previous years in sixty seconds... and it did not go well for most of them. Fair play to Simon though, he absolutely nails this challenge. Watch below; Beijing seeks free trade agreement talks with European Union Updated: 2016-04-07 23:13 By Fu Jing in Brussels(chinadaily.com.cn) Chinese Ambassador to European Union Yang Yanyi(R) has said that China's 13th Five-year Program will help boost Beijing-Brussels relations when giving a speech on the program at the European Parliament on Thursday in Brussels. Yang is poseing with Jo Leinen, European Parliament's Chairman of Delegation for Relations with China. [Photo by Fu Jing/chinadaily.com.cn] Beijing wants Brussels to set the ambitious goal of launching free trade agreement talks in a bid to maximize the potential benefits for both sides while China implements its new five-year (2016-20) social and economic program. Chinese Ambassador to European Union, Yang Yanyi, delivered that message when she spoke about the Plan at the European Parliament on Thursday in Brussels. Yang said China's unrelenting efforts in achieving quality economic growth and substantially improving people's living standards will help the European Union to deliver a sustainable recovery as well. "Successfully implemented," said Yang, "the 13th Five-year Plan will put China on a qualitative and more sustainable growth trajectory and further galvanize global growth and facilitate the EU's effort to set its recovery on a sustainable path, unlock investment, foster productivity and accelerate the process of convergence." China rolls out its development plan every five years and in March, the new program was approved by the country's top legislators at the annual session of National People's Congress. European Parliament members are curious about how this plan should bring changes to China and affect the economic, trade and investment activities between China and European Union, which consists of a market of up to two billion consumers. Yang set out the vision, goals and potential benefits for bilateral relations of the program. Jo Leinen, European Parliament's Chairman of the Delegation for Relations with China said Yang's overview of China's five-year program is "breathtaking." "I say it is breathtaking because the targets and numbers are encouraging, precise and promising... and the visions in the program will certainly make the development of China greener and opener," said Leinen in response to Yang's address. Thanks to China's efforts in achieving greener and sustainable growth, Leinen said European high-tech and green enterprises will gain more market share in China by exporting their technology and expertise. "And if you manage to achieve the goals, European companies and investors will have more opportunities," said Leinen. Yang said China's durable and intensified shift towards consumption-led growth and upgrading of consumption and living standards of over 1.3 billion Chinese people will lead to rising demand by China for imports of consumer goods and services, and help boost the EU's exports to China. And opening up is one of the major visions of China in the coming five years and Beijing will encourage free trade policies with its leading partners, according to Yang. "The acceleration of the implementation of China's free trade strategy will boost negotiations on investment agreement between China and the EU as well as moving towards broader ambitions, including China-EU FTA so as to secure long-term access to each others' markets," she said. Beijing and Brussels have been busy with investment agreement talks and the negotiators may be able to deliver concrete texts this year. But In spite of Beijing's urging for the launch of free trade agreement talks, both sides so far have not prepared feasibility reports. It is reported that the think-tanks of both sides are going to organize a seminar on a free trade agreement in June in Brussels, before Beijing and Brussels hold their annual summit. But it is still not known whether FTA will be on the agenda, or when the exact date will be. The last summit was held in Brussels in June. Yang also said that progress in the new type of industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural modernization of China will generate opportunities for European companies to use their technological forte to gain foothold in the Chinese market. Yang said the new five-year plan represented a marked shift in emphasis from high growth to medium-high rate of growth and to the quality, balance and sustainability of that growth. She said in the coming five years, China will grow its economy at an average annual rate of at least 6.5 percent, and will move faster to improve or upgrade the structure of industry and launch initiatives that use advanced technologies and can drive industrial development. To contact the reporter: fujing@chinadaily.com.cn Description Marilyn Carminio will discuss three decades of high society on both sides of the Atlantic, from 1870s New York to the Edwardian Era in London. She will examine the intricate social codes of conduct as defined by the Mrs. Astor, societys undisputed leader, along with the changes prompted by the appearance of the new rich, led by Mrs. Vanderbilt. The talk will also explore Edwardian England and the American Dollar Princesses who exchanged money for titles. Co-sponsored with the Rogers Memorial Library. $5 includes talk & lunch. Reservations are required, please call 631-283-2492 Syria Syrian Army Troops Soldiers Bashar Assad As regime forces continue to beat back ISIS in Syria, the country's embattled president is using the gains to his advantage to convince the West that he's a viable partner in the fight against terrorism. Forces loyal to President Bashar Assad retook the ancient city of Palmyra last month, and they have since driven ISIS fighters out of the town of al-Quryatain. Assad's focus on ISIS, the terrorist group also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, or Daesh, which he claims to have been fighting all along, most likely comes as a result of the partial cease-fire between rebels and the regime. But despite the president's claims to be fighting terrorists in Syria, Assad's forces until now had focused mostly on eliminating the moderate opposition that challenges Assad's rule. Now, as a tenuous cease-fire continues, Assad is using regime gains against ISIS to push his message to the West of being the best partner in the war on terror. But experts say Assad has been a major driver of extremism in Syria as he massacres civilians and refuses to step down, the moderate opposition becomes more and more radical. The strategic security firm The Soufan Group said on Wednesday that Assad's "role as a fundamental catalyst for extremism in Syria is being increasingly overlooked" as he sees some success against ISIS. The firm wrote that Assad would "likely walk away as one of the biggest winners from the ceasefire." The regime's recent gains all play into Assad's master plan to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the West. "Given that the defeat of the Islamic State is the overarching goal of the US-led coalition, continued success against the group will only further serve to entrench Assad's position in the future of Syria," The Soufan Group says. By focusing on ISIS rather than on moderate rebels, the Assad regime has "sculpted a position for itself as an increasingly effective, yet uncomfortable, bedfellow with the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition," the firm wrote. Story continues "With each successful operation against Islamic State-held territory, the Assad regime compels the international community to afford it more legitimacy," it said. US leaders have repeatedly called for Assad to step down, and many experts agree that peace in Syria will be difficult to achieve with Assad as part of the equation. "The Assad regime staying in power is not the solution," Charles Lister, a fellow at the Middle East Institute who has written a book on the insurgency in Syria, said at an event in Washington, D.C., on Friday. "It's not the solution for Syria, and it's certainly not the solution for defeating terrorism on Syrian territory." Damascus Syria Bashar al-Assad The challenges are both military and political. On the battlefield, moderate rebels, who are often outgunned by the regime and jihadist forces, are likely to become increasingly weakened. As long as they must fight a battle on multiple fronts against both the regime and extremist groups like ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria they'll be spread too thin to succeed, and fighters may defect to extremist groups that have more power and resources. On the political side, rebels who took up arms to protest Assad's treatment of Syrians are unlikely to accept a solution that would allow him to remain in power. And Sunni extremist groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS will continue to push a narrative of Sunni oppression to gain recruits the Assad family belongs to a sect of Shia Islam and has been ruling over the majority-Sunni population of Syria for decades. Many jihadist fighters in Syria have cited Assad's atrocities as a major motivation for joining extremist groups that fight the regime. "The solidification of Assad's position threatens to undermine the possibility of any lasting peace," The Soufan Group said. It added: "While some members of the US-led coalition may be willing to acquiesce to the survival of the Assad regime if it leads to the defeat of the Islamic State, the disparate rebel groups ... will not accept an outcome to the conflict that maintains the status quo." Rebel commanders have made similar assessments. Ahmad al-Soud, the founder and commander of the US-backed Free Syrian Army group known as Division 13, told Business Insider that Assad must leave power before terrorism could be defeated in Syria. "As long as there's no decision yet by the US to remove the regime, that is the reason for all of this" fighting, al-Soud said last month through a translator. "As long as the Assad regime is still around," he added, "you're still going to have different extremist groups in Syria and they're not going to leave we're not going to be able to get them out." Bashar al-Assad Still, even if the US were to push for a political solution that saw Assad removed from power, ousting the authoritarian ruler wouldn't be easy. Russia and Iran are both allies of the regime, and they haven't seemed willing to pressure Assad to step down. And their position is even less likely to change now that Assad can point to his forces' victories against ISIS. The Soufan Group said: The regime's recent military victories against the Islamic State fundamentally alter Assad's position at the negotiating table, providing the Syrian government with far greater bargaining power. Assad will likely use the momentum against the Islamic State as leverage to attempt to persuade the US-led coalition to treat the Syrian government as a partner against the Islamic State which has already been evidenced in the Russian invitation for the US coalition to participate in mine-clearing efforts in Palmyra. And even if the US never sees Assad as a legitimate partner, the regime's success against ISIS coupled with the current terror climate in Europe "make the notion of tacit cooperation with Assad somewhat more plausible," the firm said. The note continued: "Given that the defeat of the Islamic State is the overarching goal of the US-led coalition, continued success against the group will only further serve to entrench Assad's position in the future of Syria regardless of whether the US-led coalition directly coordinates efforts to combat the Islamic State with Assad or not." NOW WATCH: The Pentagon plans to hunt enemy submarines using this drone warship More From Business Insider The logo of Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg is pictured next to one of its branches in Vienna, Austria, April 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger VIENNA (Reuters) - The chief executive of Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg, an Austrian lender mentioned in the massive "Panama Papers" data leak, has become one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on those files. Michael Grahammer, who has been chief executive since 2012, has told the bank he is stepping down, the lender said on Thursday, adding his decision was a surprise. Austrian broadcaster ORF, one of the more than 100 news organisations that investigated the trove of data leaked from a Panama-based law firm, said the bank was connected to offshore companies through trustees in Liechtenstein. Austrian financial markets regulator FMA is investigating whether Hypo Vorarlberg and another Austrian bank mentioned in the Panama Papers reports, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBIV.VI), took steps required to prevent money laundering. "I remain 100 percent convinced that the bank at no point violated laws or sanctions," Grahammer said in a statement issued by the bank, majority-owned by the province of Vorarlberg, which borders Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The decision was the result of various developments in the past year, he said, adding: "In the end, the media's prejudgement of Hypo Vorarlberg and of myself in recent days was decisive for me in taking this step." (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Mark Potter) Carlos Ghosn Nissan Leaf Nissan is rooting for Tesla. The Japanese car company best known for the legendary Z-car and the monstrous GT-R supercar also makes the Leaf, an electric five-door hatchback that gets about 100 miles per charge. In an interview with Automotive News this week, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn applauded the avalanche of Model 3 preorders that Tesla has tallied so far. The hundreds of thousands of potential buyers who put down a $1,000 deposit make for some "good competition," Ghosn said. Globally, Nissan blows away the competition in electric-vehicle (EV) sales. The company and its French partner, Renault, sold 302,000 electric vehicles worldwide in 2015 43,700 of those were Leafs. More than 17,200 Leafs were sold in the US last year. Ghosn said that the Model 3's potential success will help spur further EV development. "The fact that so many people are willing to pay a down payment to get this car is a good sign," Ghosn said. "Competition for EVs is picking up." For various reasons, automakers at large have waded cautiously into the EV market. Low gas prices in the US have been driving sales of trucks and SUVs which in turn yield impressive profit margins for carmakers. And consumer appetites for those vehicles routinely outpace America's old workhorse, the family sedan which, by the way, is dead. Additionally, demand for EVs hasn't quite caught up to the rest of the market. Despite a record 17.5 million new cars and trucks sold in the US last year, plug-in vehicles account for just under 103,000 of that total, according to Autodata. NOW WATCH: We test-drove the tiny electric car that Nissan thinks will be the future of city driving More From Business Insider Protesters rally against the presidential candidacy of Keiko Fujimori, daughter of imprisoned former president Alberto Fujimori, in Lima on April, 2016 (AFP Photo/Cris Bouroncle) (AFP) Lima (AFP) - Some 50,000 people marched in Lima to protest the presidential candidacy of frontrunner Keiko Fujimori, 24 years to the day after the coup d'etat staged by her father. Shouting "Fujimori never again!" a crowd of mainly young people gathered in the central Plaza San Martin carrying banners and a giant Peruvian flag before marching to the National Electoral Board days ahead of Sunday's election. "I want the world to know that Peruvians are outraged at the possibility that the daughter of a corrupt (leader) will be president," university professor Patricia Salazar, 57, said. Hundreds marched in a handful of provincial cities against the conservative Fujimori, 40. Her father Alberto Fujimori, who ruled between 1990 and 2000, was the first Peruvian president convicted of corruption and crimes against humanity -- for authorizing death squads -- in nearly a century. Sentenced in 2009, he is currently serving a 25-year prison term. Nearly half of the candidates for the vote on Sunday have abandoned the race or been ruled out under an electoral reform in force since January, plunging the South American country into political uncertainty. Further disruption could come if accusations of vote-buying lead to the elimination of banker and economist Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who is running second in the polls. Fujimori was spared Friday, when the National Electoral Board ruled that her candidacy could move forward despite similar vote-buying accusations. Yesterdays Consumer Pops and Drops: HOG, MAT, STZ, and OI (Continued from Prior Part) Price movement of Owens-Illinois Owens-Illinois (OI) has a market cap of $2.6 billion. OI rose by 5.6% to close at $16.33 per share on April 6, 2016. The stocks weekly, monthly, and YTD (year-to-date) price movements were 3.8%, 8.5%, and -6.3%, respectively, as of the same day. This means that OI is trading 5.9% above its 20-day moving average, 13.1% above its 50-day moving average, and 13.2% below its 200-day moving average. The iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) invests 0.02% of its holdings in Owens-Illinois. The ETF tracks a cap-weighted index that measures the investable US equities market, covering the entire market-cap spectrum, including micro-caps. The YTD price movement of IWV was 0.12% as of April 5, 2016. The market caps of Owens-Illinoiss competitors are as follows: Crown Holdings (CCK)$6.9 billion Molson Coors Brewing (TAP)$20 billion AptarGroup (ATR)$4.9 billion Citigroups upgrade of Owens-Illinois Citigroup has upgraded Owens-Illinoiss rating to buy from neutral. In a press release on April 6, 2016, the company stated that the annulment committee formed by the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputesruled that a subsidiary of Owens-Illinois is free to pursue the enforcement of a prior arbitration award against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Citigroup also stated that the award amounts to more than $485 million after including interest from the date of the expropriation by Venezuela and costs and remains subject to the committees consideration of Venezuelas application for annulment. Owens-Illinoiss performance in 4Q15 and 2015 Owens-Illinois reported fiscal 4Q15 net sales of $1.63 billion, a rise of 1.4% compared to net sales of $1.60 billion in fiscal 4Q14. Its net income and EPS (earnings per share) fell to -$202.0 million and -$1.26, respectively, in fiscal 4Q15, as compared to -$200.0 million and -$1.21, respectively, in fiscal 4Q14. Story continues In fiscal 2015, OI reported net sales of $6,156.0 million, a fall of 9.3% YoY (year-over-year). Its net income and EPS fell to -$74.0 million and -$0.47, respectively, in fiscal 2015, as compared to $75.0 million and $0.45, respectively, in fiscal 2014. Owens-Illinoiss cash and cash equivalents and inventories fell by 22.1% and 2.7%, respectively, in fiscal 2015. Its current ratio and long-term debt-to-equity ratio rose to 1.1x and 9.3x, respectively, in fiscal 2015, as compared to 1.0x and 2.3x, respectively, in fiscal 2014. Projection The company has made the following projection for fiscal 2016: adjusted EPS in the range of $2.10$2.25 free cash flow to be ~$280 million For ongoing analysis of this sector, please visit Market Realists Consumer Discretionary page. Browse this series on Market Realist: By Anita Dushyanth, PhD OTC:BLGTY The company filed for a $10 million IPO on February 10, 2016. The pricing terms remain un-disclosed to date. The stock traded at a price of $2.35/share prior to IPO filing time (December 2015). Financial Update On April 5, 2016 BioLight Israeli Life Sciences Ltd. (BLGTY) reported the financial results for the year 2015. Annual revenue came in at $360,000 mostly from the sales of IOPtiMate systems in selected markets. R&D expenditure amounted to $3.3 million. SG&A expenses, comprised of marketing and business development activities as well as training sessions in medical centers globally, came in at around $3.4 million. All numbers reported came in close to our estimates. Cash used in operating activities was roughly $6.7 million and the company exited the year with a cash balance of $13 million. The company reported a net loss of $7.1 million, which equates to an EPS of ($0.12). Our computation is based on a weighted average share count of 60 million. Operational Update In July 2015 the company announced the changes in American Depository Receipts (ADR) conversion ratio. A 1-for-10 reverse split of its ordinary shares, where one ADR represents ten shares. Product development pipeline IOPtiMate To-date, BioLight has installed the IOPtiMate system in healthcare centers in Thailand, Italy, Eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary, and Romania), Turkey, Hong Kong, and China as they leveraged favorable market dynamics and insurance reimbursement. In August 2015, one system was sold in Peru, following which the company entered into additional distribution agreements in Argentina and Portugal. As anticipated, this distribution agreement resulted in an immediate sale in Portugal in December 2015. BioLight generates revenues for IOPtiMate systems from two channels; from initial sales of the device as well as from the fees customers pay for each procedure they perform using the system. During the second quarter of 2015 BioLight announced their first commercial sales of the IOPtiMate system in Hungary as well as in Romania. It was the first sale in Romania using the pay-per-procedure model. Physician adoption is a major driver of revenue for new technologies, and thus far, sales have been nominal as the IOPtiMate systems are still largely in an evaluation stage. As physicians share their clinical experience, we expect adoption and utilization to increase gradually. Since the IOPtiMate system already has a CE Mark, the company is continuing its efforts to accelerate sales in the European Union. In March 2014, the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) approved the marketing and sale of the IOPtiMate system in that country. The devices that were installed in a few medical centers across the country the past year are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. BioLight intends to use the Chinese market as an anchor to enter additional developing Asian territories, such as India, which could be an additional long-term revenue catalyst. The system received regulatory approval in Canada in December 2015. BioLight is planning to initiate a regulatory submission process for the IOPtimate system with the FDA and is in search of a partner in the U.S. to market their device. We see these regions as having potential to meaningfully drive up sales of the IOPtiMate systems. BioLight, along with venture funds in Taiwan and China invested roughly $7.2 million in its subsidiary IOPtima in November 2015. BioLight holds approximately 71% of IOPtima's issued and outstanding shares. As per the agreement between BioLight and the venture funds the investors will have the right to trigger a "drag along mechanism" if IOPtima fails to reach the forecasted revenue ($13.7 million) and regulatory milestones (FDA approval) within three years of deal closing. Meanwhile, in September 2015 the IOPtiMate system was granted an Israeli patent that will expire on December 30, 2029. EyeD Clinical trials in the U.S. (Phase 1/2a) involving the EyeD technology are currently underway. While conducting the trials in humans with the prototype (Eye D) device, the R&D team gathered an initial base of clinical experience. Due to a slower than expected enrollment rate and optimizations of the inserts structure and its insertion procedures the results of the clinical trials are expected during the second half of 2016. TeaRx In 2015, the company completed two clinical trials in order to assess the effectiveness of the tests in tears of healthy subjects as well as patients with severe DES. The process of defining the reliable combination of parameters that are required for the DES diagnostic kit is underway after which BioLight will initiate work related to regulatory submissions in the U.S. and Europe sometime in 2016. In mid-June 2015, BioLight announced their collaboration with Ora Inc., a world-leading independent, full-service ophthalmic contract research organization (CRO) and product development firm, to aid in the commercial development of TeaRx. The two companies have agreed to fund the clinical study and other activities required to obtain U.S. 510K regulatory approval for TeaRx as well as to incorporate the test kit in other clinical trials sponsored by third parties and performed by Ora. The second clinical study, conducted by Ora Inc. enrolled 74 subjects with DES who were evaluated using TeaRx. The study results demonstrated sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 87% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 87% for the TeaRx multi-assay test. In general, two or more tests are required for an absolute diagnosis. The clinical study results also demonstrated that the TeaRx multi-assay test has the ability to provide a more robust diagnostic output as compared to other marketed DES tests. Management believes that the multi-assay test has the potential to improve diagnostic ability as well as facilitate specific treatment modalities. OphRx OphRx offers a unique drug delivery technology that is based on the principle of molecular transport across cell membranes using liquid crystals. The technology creates a basis to load different molecules and release them in a controlled mechanism to the target location. BioLight believes that this technology could be utilized for ophthalmic drug delivery for front and/or back of the eye diseases. The company is currently working on developing a novel formulation for the molecule. It is being designed to deliver the correct dose, follow a predictive route, and release the drug either in a controlled or sustained pattern. Once the formulation is completed, management anticipates commencing pre-clinical trials. In November 2015, XL Vision and Integra invested the aggregate amount of $0.4 million in OphRx. CellDetect A large unmet need exists in the U.S. and Europe for non-invasive screening of bladder/cervical cancer. Studies have shown the incidence/mortality rates as well as the costs associated with the disease detection to be high. Bladder Cancer - Management reported successful results from their blinded, multi-center clinical study using the CellDetect technology. The primary endpoint of effectively detecting the recurrence of bladder cancer in subjects with a history of the disease was achieved. BioLight is pursuing an Israeli AMAR approval, pending which the company hopes to launch in Israel sometime in 2016. The company is now focused on building awareness of the product to facilitate broader roll-out in Europe using distribution agreements in CE Mark territories. In November 2015, BioLight entered into a partnership with Axella Research LLC, to help manage clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for marketing the CellDetect diagnostic test kit in the U.S. Axella has agreed to contribute over $1 million for this purpose and in exchange will be paid royalties from future U.S.-based sales of CellDetect diagnostic test kits. Cervical Cancer - Proof of concept has been completed for cervical cancer detection and identification using the CellDetect kit. CE Marking was granted for marketing CellDetect in Europe and Israeli Ministry of Health approved the marketing of CellDetect in Israel. The product also received CFDA approval for marketing in China. BioLight is scouting for possible distribution channels in China and India to commercialize the CellDetect technology for the detection of cervical cancer. The company is also actively pursuing strategies to accelerate sales with their existing distributors in other geographical regions. In July 2015, the U.S. and European patent office issued a patent for the CellDetect technology, intended to identify cervical cancer cells, which will be in effect until 2030. In September 2015, the company obtained approval for conducting a clinical trial for diagnosing prostate cancer in urine samples using the CellDetect technology. The trial results are expected in H1 2016. BRONJ BRONJ is a severe side effect from the use of biophosphonate drugs, prescribed to metastatic cancer patients and osteoporosis patients, causing necrosis of the maxillary bone. This side effect has a prevalence rate of up to 18.6% among multiple myeloma patients, 1.2-12% among breast cancer patients, 6.5-7% among prostate cancer patients and up to 0.1% among osteoporosis patients treated orally. Over 15 million prescriptions for biophosphonates, administered orally or by way of infusion, are issued in the U.S. alone. At Tel Hashomer Medical Center, Israel, a study was conducted to identify the unique genetic profile that enables the assessment of risk among cancer patients to develop BRONJ and results were reported in May 2014. In order to validate the findings from this study, another trial was performed at the Florida University in the U.S., and at the Tel Hashomer Medical Center, Israel, using diverse patient populations from the U.S., Europe, and Israel. The trial involved 125 subjects who were treated with bisphosphonate drugs, of which 108 were multiple myeloma patients, 13 were breast cancer patients, and four were patients suffering from other cancers. Of the total number of subjects, 69 patients developed BRONJ and the remaining 56 did not. In August 2015, the company announced that they are developing a novel SNP assay (licensed technology from the University of Florida) to detect individuals with a unique genetic profile that are 10 times more susceptible to develop BRONJ. Eventually, the company anticipates developing a test kit that will allow categorizing the risk of developing BRONJ in patients who are treated for cancer. READ THE FULL RESEARCH REPORT HERE SUBSCRIBE TO ZACKS SMALL CAP RESEARCH to receive our articles and reports emailed directly to you each morning. Please visit our website for additional information on Zacks SCR and to view our disclaimer. (Adds comments by officials) By Marta Nogueira RIO DE JANEIRO, April 6 (Reuters) - Samarco Mineracao SA will not receive Brazilian government authorization to resume iron ore mining operations at the site of a dam burst that killed 19 people until leaks of tailings are stopped, environmental protection officials said on Wednesday. Samarco, which is jointly owned by mining companies Vale SA and BHP Billiton Plc, hopes to resume operations at the start of the first quarter to be able to pay for a 20 billion real (US$5.53 billion) damages settlement. The restart depends on authorization from the Minas Gerais state environmental agency Semad, which told Reuters that the miner needs to find a solution for the leaks from dikes built after the dam burst. Tailings are mineral waste and water sludge left over from mining operations and stored in ponds. Samarco has taken first steps towards reopening the mine, applying for permission to use old mining pits to store tailings. A permit, however, will only be issued once the leaks are stopped, Semad deputy director Geraldo Abreu said. Abreu said he expected Samarco to find a solution to the leaks in the six months that it will take to issue a permit. Federal environmental protection agency Ibama said the leaking was allowing water with above-permitted turbidity levels to flow down to the Rio Doce river. Ibama coordinator for emergencies, Fernanda Pirillo, said half of the 24 million cubic meters of tailings that remained in the dam after it burst have leaked into the provisional dikes, which are leaking the turbid water into the environment. Samarco representatives said provisional measures taken by the miner comply with environmental norms and a final solution was being sought. Samarco Chief Executive Roberto Carvalho said last month that iron ore pellet production for the initial two to three years would likely be at a reduced 19 million tonnes per year as the company develops a long-term plan to store the mining waste known as tailings. Before the dam disaster, Samarco was producing about 30 million tonnes per year. (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Toni Reinhold) (Adds details on Itau's interest, quote from executive, background on Brazilian banks) SAO PAULO, April 7 (Reuters) - Itau Unibanco Holding SA is interested in assets that Citigroup Inc has put up for sale in Latin America, as Brazil's largest bank by market value seeks opportunities to expand beyond its home turf, a senior executive said on Thursday. Any assets that Itau could analyze for potential purchase are outside Brazil, said Ricardo Villela Marino, senior vice president in charge of Latin American operations. Marino, who is a member of one of the families that control the Sao Paulo-based bank, said the bank has not entered into negotiations for any of those assets. "We'll take a look at every unit they put up for sale" excluding Brazil, Marino told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Sao Paulo. Itau is aiming for its operations outside Brazil to account for almost 20 percent of its total revenue by the end of the decade, up from less than 15 percent now, as part of a strategy to diversify from the recession-stricken nation. Citigroup announced in February a plan to sell retail banking operations in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. Citigroup, which has been present in Brazil for over a century, is trimming banking operations globally that have underperformed because of mounting competition or onerous costs. A sale of Citigroup's Brazilian unit would come after HSBC Holdings Plc fetched $5.2 billion last year from a sale of its local operations to Itau's arch-rival Banco Bradesco SA . However, Marino said Itau's main strategy in the region is to successfully complete the acquisition and integration of Chile's CorpBanca SA in Chile, Colombia and Peru. The deal received regulatory approval last week. Marino said that Itau plans to set aside loan-loss provisions at CorpBanca for some loan transactions, including one with Canadian oil and gas company Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. Related charges from that specific transaction will be reflected in Itau's second-quarter results. Itau's non-voting shares rose 0.5 percent to 29.65 reais on Thursday. (Reporting by Aluisio Alves; Writing by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Fiona Ortiz) SEOUL (Reuters) - A British banker with ties to North Korea set up an offshore company allegedly used by the isolated and heavily sanctioned state to fund its nuclear quest and sell weapons, the Guardian newspaper reported, citing leaked Panamanian documents. Nigel Cowie, who lived in the North for more than 20 years and had been the head of its first foreign bank, registered a company for the bank in the British Virgin Islands, the British newspaper said. Cowie did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The Guardian is among media organizations that studied the massive leak of law firm documents known as the Panama Papers, which have cast light on the financial arrangements of public figures around the world and the companies they use. Cowie denied any knowledge of transactions with blacklisted entities while he was associated with the institution, which was used for legitimate business, the paper quoted his lawyer as saying. Cowie was the head of Daedong Credit Bank, which later figured on U.N. and U.S. blacklists for engaging in millions of dollars in financial transactions for North Korean companies involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs. In 2006, he took a majority stake in Daedong Credit Bank and, with a senior North Korean banking official, Kim Chol Sam, registered DCB Finance Limited, an offshoot of the bank, with the aid of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, the paper said. Later that year, North Korea held its first nuclear test, under then-leader Kim Jong Il, prompting the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions banning the country's arms trade. In subsequent moves to blacklist Daedong Credit Bank and DCB Finance, the U.S. Treasury Department said DCB Finance was used at least since 2006 to deal with other banks that tried to avoid doing business with the North. The two companies were responsible for millions of dollars in transactions that supported illicit activities by North Korea, the U.S. Treasury said in 2013, when it imposed sanctions against the firms. Story continues Kim, the North Korean banking official, was named in the 2013 Treasury action targeting the bank and the finance company, over a period starting in 2006, the U.S. Treasury said in a statement at the time. Cowie was not named in the U.S. Treasury sanctions action. Cowie, who had previously worked for HSBC in Hong Kong, left the banking industry in 2011, according to the Guardian. Mossack Fonseca failed to notice DCB Finance was linked to North Korea until 2010, when it resigned as agent, the paper said, adding that Cowie sold his bank stake the following year. In January, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, prompting new U.N. sanctions that blacklisted Daedong Credit Bank for facilitating millions of dollars in transactions for North Korean companies involved in the country's arms program. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Tony Munroe and Clarence Fernandez) TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 6, 2016) - Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announced today that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries has entered into an agreement to purchase 40% of Glencore Agricultural Products (Glencore Agri) from Glencore plc for US$2.5 billion. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second half of calendar 2016. Glencore Agri is a globally integrated grain and oilseed business - primarily focused on grains, oilseeds products, rice, sugar, pulses and cotton - with activities including origination, processing, storage, logistics and marketing. "As an asset class, agriculture is an excellent fit for a long-term investor like CPPIB, and we are excited about the opportunity to acquire a significant stake in Glencore Agri, a leading agricultural business," said Mark Jenkins, Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Private Investments, CPPIB. "This is an important day in the evolution of Glencore Agri, and we look forward to working with CPPIB to continue to build the Glencore Agri business over the long term," said Chris Mahoney, CEO, Glencore Agri. "With the investment potential created by this partnership, and given the existing network of high-quality origination, logistics and port assets in key export regions, the business is now well-placed to take advantage of the significant opportunities that are expected to emerge across the sector in the coming years." Glencore Agri plays an important role in seaborne trade within the global agriculture value chain and is well-positioned to benefit from positive macro fundamentals, particularly population growth and the resulting increase in demand for food. The company's portfolio includes high-quality agriculture infrastructure assets in Canada and Australia, and operations in South America and Europe. In total, the business employs more than 12,000 people and operates across more than 30 countries. Story continues "Glencore Agri complements our existing portfolio of agriculture assets, bringing global exposure, scale and diversification. In addition, Glencore Agri's experienced management team has a proven track record of growth, and combined with a successful business model, we see this as a compelling opportunity that aligns with CPPIB's long-term investment horizon," added Jenkins. About Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 19 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City and Sao Paulo, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2015, the CPP Fund totalled C$282.6 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. (Adds Pennsylvania order) By Colleen Jenkins April 7 (Reuters) - South Carolina lawmakers have introduced a measure that would require transgender people to use public bathrooms matching their sex at birth, disregarding a growing outcry for a repeal of a similar provision enacted last month in North Carolina. Legislation such as the bill proposed in the Republican-controlled state Senate on Wednesday has fueled a national debate, with states entrenched on either side of the issue and major companies calling for a rollback on measures restricting transgender rights. The South Carolina measure would prohibit local governments from requiring private businesses to provide restroom access based on gender identity rather than birth gender. "Men should use the men's room, and women should use the women's room - that's just common sense," Republican Senator Lee Bright, a sponsor of the bill, told The State newspaper. "North Carolina is getting so much flak over what is common sense." The South Carolina measure is narrower than North Carolina's law, which precludes local governments from adopting anti-discrimination ordinances with protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. But opponents warned the new proposal could spark the economic backlash seen this week in North Carolina, where PayPal Holdings Inc cited the discriminatory nature of the law in canceling a new operations center that was to employ 400 workers in Charlotte. More than 130 business leaders, including the chief executives of Bank of America, Herbalife and American Airlines, have signed a letter with the Human Rights Campaign calling for a repeal. "Government simply has no place in our bathrooms," said Jeff Ayers, executive director of South Carolina Equality, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group. PUSHBACK Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed two executive orders on Thursday aimed at safeguarding the rights of transgender people. One of them bans the state from discriminating against any employee or job applicant based on a host of criteria including "gender expression or identity." Story continues "This is the right thing to do. ... This is also the smart thing to do," Wolf said, citing PayPal's decision in North Carolina. Last year, the Democratic governor named a transgender woman as the state's physician general, a Cabinet-level post. More than a dozen states have considered bathroom provisions this year that would restrict access for transgender people, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures come amid a wave of legislation pushed by social conservatives after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last year. Mississippi's Republican governor on Tuesday signed a law allowing people with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and permitting employers to cite religion in determining workplace policies on dress code, grooming and bathroom and locker access. In response, a number of governors and mayors have banned non-essential government travel to Mississippi or North Carolina. Last week, the governors of Georgia and Virginia vetoed "religious liberty" bills, which critics said discriminated against same-sex couples. (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and Peter Cooney) Of the elites whose offshore shell companies and dubious tax-dodging schemes are revealed by the leaked "Panama Papers," those residing in Beijing perhaps have more reasons to panic than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Embarrassment, fines, and perhaps resignation from public office (as in the case of the prime minister of Iceland) may be the price they have to pay. A small number may face criminal prosecution for tax evasion. But the stakes are much higher for the Chinese political and business elites who find their names or their family members connected with the 11.5 million documents detailing offshore shell companies and other schemes to dodge taxes or hide wealth. Unlike any other country, China under President Xi Jinping has been on a three-year crusade against corruption and has so far imprisoned tens of thousands of crooked officials, including the country's former security czar and 50 generals. The first indication of how serious the Chinese government is treating the leaked "Panama Papers" is its instant and blank media ban on any coverage of the story. According to press reports, messages mentioning the word "Panama" have been systematically deleted by the country's Internet censors. Obviously, Beijing would not have resorted to such draconian measures if the "Panama Papers" had not contained political dynamite that could cause huge political damage at the top of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership. Technically, owning offshore shell companies does not violate Chinese law, but it does breach the CCP's rules. The party expressly prohibits its members from "investing in companies outside Chinese borders." They are also banned from using their influence to help their spouses and children engage in such activities. So if interpreted and enforced strictly, this rule could potentially nab all those CCP leaders whose families have engaged the Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, to set up their offshore investment vehicles. Since President Xi's own brother-in-law, Deng Jiagui, has owned such offshore investments with the aid of Moccack Fonseca, Xi has some explaining to do. If Deng has divested his offshore investments completely, President Xi will not suffer any loss of authority. However, if Deng or other family members of Xi continues to own such vehicles, China's top leader will be seriously weakened. Besides implicating the president's family members, the "Panama Papers" also show that relatives of five current or former members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the regime's top decision-making body, own similar offshore investment vehicles. They include, for instance, the daughter and son-in-law of Li Peng (premier from 1988 to 1998) and the granddaughter of Jia Qinglin (member of the Politburo Standing Committee from 2002 to 2012). Such revelations can create a serious rift inside the regime. If Xi's family members have not sold off such controversial holdings, his colleagues may breathe a sigh of relief since the Chinese president will find it impossible to use this incident against them. However, if Xi's family members get rid of their offshore assets, the "Panama Papers" could provide fresh ammunitions for Xi's battle against his rivals. What is worth noting here is that, prior to the revelations provided by the "Panama Papers," China's most powerful rulers probably suspected each other of hiding assets abroad, but had no hard evidence. Now the "Panama Papers" have given the CCP documented materials with which they can wage internecine war on each other. Besides possibly widening the rift at the level of the Politburo Standing Committee, the materials contained in the "Panama Papers" will also make Chinese top leaders lose credibility with their junior colleagues, such as members of the Politburo and the Central Committee. Like most kleptocracies, families of more senior Chinese leaders are higher on the food chain and have had more time to amass wealth and hide it abroad. In contrast, those occupying less lofty positions may lack the time or resources to acquire sufficient wealth to stash offshore. If this is the case, the evidence of clear violation of the CCP's rules will devastate the standing of senior Chinese leaders in the eyes of their junior colleagues. In light of the potential impact of the "Panama Papers" on the cohesion of the CCP, it is easy to see why the party wants to keep the Chinese public and most of its members from learning the truth. But Chinese leaders' efforts to suppress this story, the most riveting since the Edward Snowden Affair, may be ultimately futile. The "Panama Papers" are a treasure trove of evidence of corruption and illicit acts at the highest level in many countries, including China. The consortium of investigative journalists, now the custodian of the "Panama Papers," has released only a tiny portion of the documents. The CCP leaders may survive the initial shock, but the eventual weight of accumulated evidence and new revelations could be too heavy for them to bear. Minxin Pei is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. His new book, China's Crony Capitalism, will be published by Harvard University Press later this year. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com WEST KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Apr 7, 2016) - COLORADO RESOURCES LTD. (TSX VENTURE:CXO) ("Colorado" or the "Company") announces at the request of IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada), this it is fully disclosed of all material facts regarding the Company. The Company's main exploration focus for 2016 is the KSP property which optioned from SnipGold to acquire up to an 80% interest (the "KSP Option") and has been described in the Company's earlier news releases. The Company continues to maintain its KSP Option and as described in its news release of February 29, 2016 plans to commence a 5,000m larger NQ sized diamond drill program this summer. The KSP property is located 15 km's along strike to the southeast of the past producing Snip Mine, located in northern central British Columbia. Colorado's other main assets include its North ROK property, Hit Property and Heart Peaks Property recently optioned by Centerra Gold Inc. wherein they can earn up to a 70% interest all of which are located within British Columbia. Please refer to the Company's website www.coloradoresources.com for further details on these projects. About Colorado Colorado Resources Ltd. is currently engaged in the business of mineral exploration for the purpose of acquiring and advancing mineral properties located in British Columbia and is also seeking opportunities in Southwest USA and Latin America. Colorado's current exploration focus is to continue to advance: the KSP property optioned from SnipGold, located 15 km's along strike to the southeast of the past producing Snip Mine; its 100% owned North ROK property, located 15 km's northwest of the Red Chris mine development, both located in northern central British Columbia. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF COLORADO RESOURCES LTD. Adam Travis, President and Chief Executive Officer NR 16-03 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release, constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including: that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, that the Company obtains required regulatory approvals, that the Company continues to maintain a good relationship with the local project communities. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, delays in regulatory approval, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis reports filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. * Tighter Cyprus rules follow Panama Papers leak * Island is home to thousands of offshore firms (Adds context, detail; also changes story label to PANAMA-TAX/CYPRUS from EUROZONE-CYPRUS/CENBANK ) By Michele Kambas ATHENS, April 7 (Reuters) - Cyprus is enhancing requirements on commercial banks and intermediaries to know the identity of their customers, days after a massive data leak detailing how the world's rich skipped through loopholes to park cash in low-tax jurisdictions. Tighter regulations forcing banks and intermediaries to know their clients, as well as suspending account transactions for non-compliance, came into effect on Thursday, the Central Bank of Cyprus said in a statement. The east Mediterranean island is home to thousands of offshore companies, many of them Russian. Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday a network of secret offshore deals and loans helped people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin get rich, identifying some firms based in Cyprus. One bank named, Cyprus-based RCB, denied any wrongdoing. The disclosures were part of a leak of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca on the financial arrangements of prominent figures worldwide, from Putin's circle of friends to relatives of British Prime Minister David Cameron. Cypriot legislation allows the creation of companies with a "nominee" structure whose beneficiaries are not listed in company filings, but authorities say they impose a "know your customer" regulation on banks and intermediaries. Tighter requirements were applicable immediately, the Central Bank said in a circular to commercial banks on Thursday. It included a raft of new provisions stipulating that banks have personal contact to verify identities of beneficiaries and their risk profile, in addition to the verification process from intermediaries. It also imposes a suspension of bank account transactions if that verification is not carried out within a three-month period. Story continues "Today's amendment is part of a continuous effort to further boost the regulatory framework, always with the aim of zero tolerance to deficiencies or weaknesses which could possibly lead to opportunities of money laundering, or terrorist financing," the Central Bank said in a statement. The OECD said in October 2015 that Cyprus was largely compliant with its exchange of information standards, along with Luxembourg and the Seychelles. (Editing by David Holmes) TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - dynaCERT Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DYA) (DYFSF) ("dynaCERT" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce we have entered into a formal strategic partnership with "Lyte Energy Inc." headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario to promote, market and distribute our HydraGen products globally. Jim Payne - President & CEO of dynaCERT Inc. "After several months of talks and meetings with Mr. Nauman Kureshy, partners and associates of Lyte Energy, we are very excited to have signed a formal agreement that allows non-exclusive rights for Lyte Energy to showcase, promote, distribute and sell our products. Their motivation, due diligence and commitment along with a wide reach of contacts in the trucking, mining, shipping and rail industry is a significant asset. The shared vision of our product and the possibilities it offers to these industries in both fuel savings and Carbon Emission Reduction Technology aligns perfectly with both companies' business models." Nauman Kureshy - Founder, President & CEO of Lyte Energy Inc. "We are very excited and pleased to announce our strategic partnership with dynaCERT Inc. dynaCERT is a Canadian based public company (TSX VENTURE: DYA) specializing in the development and manufacturing of Carbon Emissions Reduction Technologies. This partnership represents a key milestone in Lyte Energy and is perfectly aligned with our business model which focuses on delivering leading-edge hydrogen solutions for reducing green house gas emissions and improving energy efficiency. Our strategic partnership offers Lyte Energy global distribution rights to dynaCERT's ground breaking technology and products. Currently, this consists of their HydraGen fuel saving & emissions reduction system. HydraGen is an onboard hydrogen generation system for class 6-8 diesel engines. It supplies the air intake with precise amounts of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). The result is increased fuel economy, increased torque, extended engine oil life, a cleaner engine and a significant reduction in emissions. HydraGen is a product of over 20 million test miles and countless hours of research and development from some brilliant engineers and a former NASA scientist. Today there are over 750 million vehicles in use worldwide. That number is predicted to double over the next 20 years. By 2050, two billion cars and trucks could be on the world's roadways. Not only will this contribute to a major increase in demand for fossil fuels, but more importantly, it will drastically increase the levels of carbon monoxide and other air pollutants. Eliminating these risks has become a global imperative and one of Lyte Energy's primary missions. We strongly believe and envision that HydraGen will make a significant impact. HydraGen will be marketed under Lyte Energy's Lyte Emissions solutions brand." Story continues For more information, please visit www.lyte.energy/solutions/emissions-reduction. Corporate updates: dynaCERT reports that, concerning the 50 unit purchase order and ongoing validation initiated, after facing certain challenges with the sophisticated sensors and electronic controls on newer trucks and communications, we now feel confident that through a collaborative effort by our team of engineers, professional consultants and fleet owners, we have overcome these challenges via electronic programming of our new "Smart ECU" and are continuing to closely monitoring these trucks along with data collection to enable the company and third party to finish validation. Once completed and with a minimum 8% fuel savings validated, the sales of these units will be completed along with additional purchase orders for minimum pre arranged percentage of these fleets. dynaCERT is now in the process of filing patents for our wholly owned Intellectual Property within our "Smart ECU," which is designed with our "007" technology, if attempts to open or tampered with this sealed ECU it would self destruct to insure the protection of what we believe to be is our most valued IP. dynaCERT team is currently testing and monitoring the first new compact unit that was installed on a 2.0 liter turbo diesel import for emissions with companies recently updated and calibrated, computerized emission testing equipment. This will be an ongoing process which will be closely monitored by computer generated read outs of O2, CO2, CO, NO, NO2, NOx, CxHy, and SO2 About Lyte Energy Inc. Lyte Energy is a privately owned Canadian company which specializes in providing green energy solutions incorporating hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Our core solutions consist of hydrogen fuel saving and emissions reduction solutions, hydrogen refueling infrastructure solutions, hydrogen fuel cell solutions for materials handling equipment, hydrogen backup power solutions, energy storage solutions, microgrid solutions and fuel cell solutions. Lyte Energy is also focused on improving hydrogen in the areas of hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage and hydrogen fuel cell technology through advanced research and development. For more information, please visit www.lyte.energy About dynaCERT Inc. dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. Our patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these additives through the air intake to enhance combustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Our technology is currently in use with on-road applications. More information can be found at www.dynacert.com. READER ADVISORY Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to periodic updates of results, testing programs and results, negotiations with third parties concerning potential business transactions, and the timing of certain going forward projects. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the release. On Behalf of the Board Murray James Payne, CEO European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of a European Union leaders summit addressing the talks about the so-called Brexit and the migrants crisis in Brussels, Belgium, February 19, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Vidal By Axel Bugge LISBON (Reuters) - The head of the European Central Bank told leading Portuguese decision makers on Thursday not to unravel reforms carried out during the past few years, when the country was under painful austerity during an international bailout. Mario Draghi, speaking to members of the president's advisory council of state, said all euro members have worked to reform their economies in the past few years. "Portugal's reform efforts were in this regard both remarkable and necessary," Draghi said in the presentation, which was made available by the ECB. "We now see clear signs that these remarkable efforts are paying off here and elsewhere." "There is no case for unravelling past reforms," he said. His appearance at the council meeting, the first one to be held under Portugal's new president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who invited Draghi, was unprecedented and marked the first time a foreign official has appeared. Portugal's Socialist government, which rules together with the far left Communists and Left Bloc, has begun to roll back some cost-cutting measures launched under the country's bailout, reversing wage cuts for public workers. The government is also reversing previous public pension cuts, has reinstated four public holidays and raised the minimum wage. The original cuts had been lauded by creditors as helping to make Portugal's exports and the economy in general more competitive by reducing labour and other costs. Draghi said that "in addition to upholding past achievements, further reform efforts are needed across the euro area". He said that improvements in labour markets were key. "This area remains an important challenge in Portugal, as also mentioned in the 2015 country-specific recommendations." A steady decline in Portuguese unemployment, which started in 2013 as the economy began to recover, has ground to a halt lately and jobless numbers even crept higher in recent months. Portugal's government agreed with the European Commission in February to cut the budget deficit further than originally envisaged, partly by raising more revenues through higher indirect taxes. Story continues But Brussels has warned it may need more measures to ensure it meets the new deficit target. The government has said it will prepare measures but does not think they will be necessary. "We welcome the commitments of the Portuguese authorities to prepare additional measures which could be implemented when needed to ensure compliance," Draghi said. The council's members include Prime Minister Antonio Costa, the head of the central bank, and past and present political leaders. (Additional reporting by Maria Sheahan and Shrikesh Laxmidas; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Catherine Evans) Supporters of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during a campaign event at Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton - RTSDX7G At first, it seems like a small thing. Reuters reports this morning that the European Union is weighing whether to start requiring visas from Canadian and US visitors to the region. This would be an incredibly shortsighted thing to do, given the lucrative tourist trade based on North Americans traveling to the continent. And it likely wont happen. But its mere discussiona response to the US visa requirements for visitors from poorer parts of the EU such as Romania, Poland, and Bulgariaunderscores the very real backlash against pro-globalization economic ideology of the last 25 years. As the Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, the key forces of globalizationrising international trade and capital flowshave stalled out. In many senses, theyre foundering on a particularly tricky bit of globalization that is now a snag between the EU and the US: The flow of people. The movements of people in recent decades has pushed the political limits of globalization in the rich world. The evidence is everywhere. Its in Donald J. Trumps ugly comments about Mexican immigrants and his promises to build an impregnable wall between the US and its southern neighbor. Its manifest in the complaints about an influx of eastern Europeans in the the UK, now fueling the push for Brexit. The neofascist Golden Dawn party has held Nuremberg-style rallies in Greece, amid ongoing economic strain and the more recent migration crisis. In Germany, Frau Merkels determinate promisewell manage itto deal with an influx of immigrants collided headlong with real anxiety among the electorate. Her party suffered major losses in recent state elections, including to the anti-immigrant AfP party. Its legitimate and natural for people to be concerned about the free flow of people in light of a string of attacks (see San Bernardino, Paris, Brussels) tied to terrorists who either came from other countries or crossed borders in order to train or plan with terrorist groups. And studies have long found that when it comes to the formation of anti-immigrant sentiment, noneconomic concerns are more influential than pocketbook worries such as the effect of immigration on wages. Story continues There are still economic factors at work, though. And the failure of globalization to generate real gains for a majority of the population in rich nations comes alongside the anxiety thats now being expressed in opposition to both immigration and other elements of free-trade focused ideology. In his excellent recent book Global Inequality, former World Bank economist Branko Milanovic points out that while globalization has provided huge benefits, the vast majority of those benefits have accrued to people at the bottom of global income distributioneffectively those whove been lifted out of poverty in Asiaand the worlds super rich. Meanwhile, those who would count among the middle-classes in the worlds affluent nations have seen remarkably little improvement in their standards of living in decades. People often point to the data suggesting that the recent boom in immigration has receded. In the US, for example, illegal immigration from Mexico to the US has slowed since end of the housing boom that preceded the Great Recession. Overall, immigration to the affluent nations that make up the membership of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, while trending up, remains below its recent peak. Its only now, in the aftermath of all that globalization and its failure to produce the benefits sold to voters in relatively affluent nations, that were seeing the backlash. That doesnt mean a Trump presidency is a foregone conclusion. But unless globalization starts delivering real, recognizable benefits for voters in rich nations, the next generation will likely inherit a world with many more walls. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: Protesters wave Greek and EU flags during a pro-Euro rally in front of the parliament building, in Athens, Greece, June 30, 2015. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis By Francesco Guarascio LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - International lenders may finish their review of Greek reforms, needed to unblock further credit to Athens and start debt relief negotiations by the end of April or early May, the head of the euro zone bailout fund, Klaus Regling, said on Tuesday. "My hope is that we will be able to conclude this review in early May, before the Orthodox Easter," Regling told reporters in Luxembourg. He later clarified that he hoped the review could be concluded by the end of April. Euro zone and International Monetary Fund officials said last week they were aiming to have an agreement on the reforms with Greece by April 12, before many top officials leave for the IMF's spring meetings in Washington on April 15. Regling said that the IMF meeting "is a good opportunity, as always, to talk about things that are particularly acute at that point in time, and that includes Greece." He reiterated that talks on debt relief can start only after the successful conclusion of the Greek reforms review and said there were several options for the debt relief deal. Concluding the reform review has been delayed for months because it involves negotiations on some politically difficult steps for the leftist Greek government like a pension reform, the treatment of non-performing loans and an income tax reform. Regling expressed his disappointment with Greece's slow implementation of reforms, saying it was "probably the weakest in the EU". (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio, editing by Jan Strupczewski and Angus MacSwan) Laurent Stefanini was nominated to the UN's Paris-based educational, cultural and scientific body after the Vatican continuelly refused him as an ambassador to the Holy See (AFP Photo/Alain Jocard) (AFP/File) Paris (AFP) - France on Wednesday abandoned its attempts to name a gay man as ambassador to the Holy See in the face of opposition from the Vatican, making him its representative to UNESCO instead. The nomination of Laurent Stefanini, President Francois Hollande's head of protocol, to the job at the UN's Paris-based educational, cultural and scientific body ends a year of diplomatic wrangling. Hollande proposed Stefanini for the Vatican job in January 2015 but when no confirmation from the Holy See was forthcoming, French and Italian media reported he had been snubbed due to his homosexuality. French Catholic paper La Croix said last year the Vatican considered it a "provocation" that Stefanini had been put forward and some reports said it was the Vatican's revenge for Hollande's Socialist government legalising same-sex marriage in 2013. Government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said in April last year that Stefanini remained "France's choice". A statement released after the meeting of the French cabinet on Wednesday did not give the new name put forward by Paris for the Vatican position. Stefanini, 56, worked on Vatican affairs while working in a lower-ranking diplomatic role between 2001 and 2005. He became head of presidential protocol in 2010 under then president Nicolas Sarkozy and retained the role when Hollande came to power two years later. The GM logo is seen at the General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Lansing, Michigan October 26, 2015. Photo taken October 26. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook (Reuters) SEOUL (Reuters) - The trade union that represents most workers at General Motors Co's South Korea operations said on Tuesday it will contest the U.S. automaker's decision not to build Impala sedans in the country, amplifying tension in labor relations ahead of annual wage talks between management and union. The union said its leader, Ko Nam-seok, plans to meet GM Chief Executive Mary Barra later this month and protest against a decision that it said "threatens the existence of GM Korea". The union, a branch of the national metalworkers union, claims to represent 14,000 of the GM's South Korea workforce of 17,000. GM said earlier on Tuesday it won't build the vehicles in the country, but will continue to import the Impala from a Detroit plant, helped by a free trade deal with the United States that has boosted the price competitiveness of imports. South Korea had for years been a low-cost export hub for GM, producing close to a fifth of its global output. But labor costs in the country have risen by nearly half in just five years, hurting manufacturing competitiveness, GM executives have said. The union had urged GM to bring Impala production to South Korea to allay its long-held fear that the firm may scale back operations in the country. GM operates four factories in South Korea but has been grappling with low utilization rates at two of them for the past couple of years. The decision would damage labor relations in the run-up to annual wage talks, the union said. "We will have a prolonged and persistent fight," said one union official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding the union would not rule out calling workers out on strike. Capacity utilization rates at GM's factory in the city of Gunsan have suffered since it stopped selling its Chevrolet-branded vehicles in Europe, most of which were shipped from the plant. The company also stopped producing Buick LaCrosse sedans at its second factory in Bupyeong, located near Seoul. The union had urged the company to move Impala production to Bupyeong, and said on Tuesday it will continue to seek the production of another mid- or large-sized sedan there. The automaker has said it expects its revamped Captiva SUVs and Malibu sedans to help raise Bupyeong utilization rates. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) By Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Lawrence Delevingne SAO PAULO/NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - Two funds managed by Gavea Investimentos Ltda, the hedge fund run by former Brazilian central bank President Arminio Fraga, posted heavy losses in March as bets on declining prices for financial assets in Asia and Brazil soured. Money managers at the Rio de Janeiro-based firm said in an investor letter that a strong global market rally led investors to pour more of their money into riskier assets last month. A weaker U.S. dollar hampered some of Gavea's bets, including so-called short-positions in currencies and equities in Brazil and Asian counterparts. The current global dichotomy in which the U.S. economy is growing faster than most other economies in the face of a weaker dollar "does not sound right," the letter said. A recent increase in global risk-taking sounds contradictory at this point because a declining dollar would imply tighter financial conditions for other countries. Officials at Gavea could not be reached for comment after working hours. In contrast, Gavea doubled down on a bet that the Mexican peso and the euro would keep advancing, helping mitigate losses. This year, Gavea has stepped up wagers on Mexico's currency and against Brazil's, a sign that disparities between Latin America's two biggest economies will grow faster. In March, the firm's Gavea Fund lost an estimated 4.32 percent, the biggest since October 2008, according to the letter. The higher-risk Gavea Fund Plus shed 6.47 percent, the second-worst monthly performance since the fund's inception in August 2013. In Brazil, Gavea cut short positions in the currency and stocks, and remained bought on interest-rate contracts. The firm continued to bet against the currencies of other commodity exporters and emerging market nations, hedged by the Mexican peso's strategy. Daily value at risk, a widely followed gauge that measures the maximum amount an investor can lose in a trading session, ended last month at 1.02 percent of capital for Gavea Fund and 1.76 percent for Gavea Fund Plus. Story continues So far this year, the $502 million Gavea Fund has lost 4.28 percent, while Gavea Plus has fallen 6.47 percent. A former fund manager for billionaire George Soros, Fraga was central bank president from 1999 to 2003. He then founded Gavea, named for an upscale Rio neighborhood that is also home to a tropical rainforest park. (Editing by Leslie Adler) CHICAGO, April 5 (Reuters) - Illinois would rip up its nearly 20-year-old school funding formula and replace it with one that would send more money to districts with high levels of poor students, including the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools (CPS), under a proposal unveiled by a state lawmaker on Tuesday. Democratic State Senator Andy Manar said he will file legislation on Wednesday to establish a more equitable school funding system that will drive resources to high-need, high-poverty districts. "Our (existing) formula is almost punitive to children who live in poverty today," Manar told reporters at the state capitol in Springfield. He said his plan would replace the formula adopted in 1997, while ensuring the state funds all districts at fiscal 2016 levels for four years. CPS, the nation's third-largest public school system, has been fighting for higher state funding, particularly for its teachers pension fund. The state covers pension payments for all districts in a state-wide teachers retirement system that excludes CPS. Manar said his bill includes pension parity for CPS, while eliminating the district's block grant. Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, has said the new formula could result in an additional $300 million for CPS, according to his spokesman. It was not immediately clear how the measure would fare in the Democratic-controlled legislature. House Speaker Michael Madigan launched hearings by an education funding task force earlier this year. Any hint of a state bailout for CPS, which has had to borrow to fund operations, will spark opposition from Republicans. Per-student funding in Illinois can range from $6,000 to $30,000, largely depending on a district's local property tax base. Manar called for quick action on his bill. "Two years from now the system will be less equitable than it is now," he said. He also said that much of his proposal matches ideas that Governor Bruce Rauner has floated in public. Story continues The Republican governor told reporters at an unrelated event earlier on Tuesday that he supports changing the funding formula. "We've got to come up with a way to increase significantly state support for education and focus that money on the lower income districts and the more rural districts that don't have the resources they deserve to put into the schools," he said. In his fiscal 2016 budget, Rauner proposed boosting per-student state funding for K-12 public schools to $6,119, the highest level in seven years. (Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Matthew Lewis) By Hidayat Setiaji JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's finance minister on Wednesday said the tax office will examine tax reports of the Indonesian offices of four Internet-based companies to check whether they have been paying correctly what they owe. Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro named the four as Yahoo, Twitter, Google and Facebook. While those companies have paid income taxes, they are still liable to value added tax applicable to revenue generated from advertising in Indonesia, he said. Southeast Asia's largest economy is facing a sizable revenue shortfall this year as the resource-rich country can no longer rely on commodity-related income. A decision to raise the threshold at which individuals start owing income tax in June, announced on Wednesday to boost economic growth, may aggravate the shortfall. Out of the four companies, Yahoo and Google have formed Indonesian limited liability companies. Twitter and Facebook operate branches of their Asia-Pacific offices in Indonesia. "Revenue from ads should be part of those taxable by us, we're doing a review," Brodjonegoro said, adding that Indonesia is demanding the same thing that Britain demands from those companies. "The point is we will be serious in straightening up taxes on digital economy," he said. The communications ministry has given an estimate of the value of digital advertising in Indonesia of about $800 million last year. But the ministry said all was untaxed. Twitter is widely used in Indonesia, which is also home to the world's fourth-largest number of Facebook users. Roy Simangunsong, Twitter's country business head for Indonesia, said he could not comment directly on the minister's statement, but said Twitter "will fulfill all obligations as a representative office in Indonesia". An official at Google declined to comment before seeing the minister's statement and later could not be reached for comment. Queries emailed to Yahoo and Facebook media officials were not answered. (Corrects paragraph 6 to say Google has formed an Indonesian limited liability company) (Reporting by Hidayat Setiaji; Additional reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Eveline Danubrata; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Richard Borsuk, Robert Birsel) Asia Pacific Mutual Funds: A 9-Fund Comparison for 1Q16 (Continued from Prior Part) Invesco Pacific Growth Fund overview In this article, well assess the performance of the Invesco Pacific Growth Fund Class A (TGRAX), which is one of the classes available for retail investors. As of February 2016, the fund was managing assets worth ~$77 million and was invested in 53 securities including the stocks of companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM), Tencent Holdings (TCEHY), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MTU), CNOOC (CEO), and China Mobile Limited (CHL). Invesco Pacific Growth Funds returns From a purely net asset value return standpoint, TGRAX fell the least among its peer group during the one-year period ending March 31, 2016. When we refer to the peer group, we mean the group of nine funds chosen for this review. As a benchmark for all funds in this review, well look at the metrics of the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index. Although not all funds use this index as their benchmark, well use this index across this series for parity. For comparison, well use two combinations of ETFs that provide exposure to stocks from the region. The first group consists of the Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF (VPL) and the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO), and the second group consists of the iShares Core MSCI Pacific ETF (IPAC) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM). Quantitative metrics of the Invesco Pacific Growth Fund For the one-year period ending in March 2016, the standard deviation for TGRAX stood at 16.8%. This was lower than the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Indexs standard deviation of 17.8% and equaled the arithmetic average of the standard deviation of all funds in this review. The Sharpe ratio for TGRAX was negative both in the one-year period ending in March 2016 and in 1Q16. The information ratio shows the consistency of fund managers and measures their ability to generate excess returns over a benchmark. Considering the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index as the benchmark, TGRAXs information ratio was the third best among its peers for the one-year period ending March 31, 2016. Story continues Investor takeaway TGRAXs quantitative metrics were great for 2015 and the one-year period ending March 31, 2016. However, the same cannot be said about 1Q16. Its alpha and information ratios placed it sixth among its peers in 1Q16. It is important to note that investment decisions should not be made on short-term metrics. However, these metrics can give you a heads-up that you need to check the funds performance over longer periods and across business cycles to determine whether the poor short-term performance was just a one-off or the fund simply performs poorly in volatile markets. This information can be crucial for you to rebalance your mutual fund investments. The next fund in this review is the Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares (VPACX). Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday that Tehran was determined to regain its share of the oil market after sanctions imposed on the country were lifted under a deal reached with six major powers, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. "Iran wants to regain its place on the oil market ... in cooperation with other oil producing countries," Mohammad Javad Zarif said after a meeting in Baku with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said this week that Iran had confirmed its participation in a meeting in Doha on April 17 to discuss a deal to freeze oil output. Iran has repeatedly said it would freeze its output after it reaches 4 million barrels per day. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi. Editing by Jane Merriman) The Iranian honour guard carries the coffins of Iranian pilgrims killed in a stampede at the annual hajj, during a repatriation ceremony on October 3, 2015 at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport (AFP Photo/Atta Kenare) (AFP/File) Tehran (AFP) - An Iranian delegation will meet Saudi officials next week to discuss arrangements for this year's hajj pilgrimage, the first dialogue between the rival powers since a diplomatic crisis erupted in January. Riyadh severed diplomatic ties with Iran on January 3, a day after its missions in Tehran and Mashhad were stormed and set alight by mobs following the Sunni kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Iran and Saudi Arabia stand on opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen but the death of thousands of pilgrims, including 464 Iranians, in a stampede at last year's hajj in Saudi Arabia also caused a major spike in tensions. Responding to an invitation, "the Iranian delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia to negotiate with their minister of hajj and other officials" about this year's event, the head of Iran's hajj organisation Said Ohadi told the official IRNA news agency late Wednesday. This year's annual hajj -- a pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca that all Muslims are expected to perform at least once in their lifetime -- is due to take place in September. "If both sides come to an agreement for sending Iranian pilgrims... a memorandum of understanding would be signed like in previous years." The arrangements were two months late, Ohadi said, criticising Saudi officials for not issuing visas for the Iranian delegation. "Despite an official invitation from the minister of hajj of Saudi Arabia... if the visas are not ready on time, this trip will not happen," he warned. The talks will also address last September's stampede. Iran blamed Saudi mismanagement for the deadly crush. So far, the Riyadh government has taken no action to compensate the families of Iranian victims, Ohadi said. Hashim Thaci was elected as Kosovo's president in February in a vote marred by violent protests (AFP Photo/Armend Nimani) (AFP/File) Pristina (AFP) - Kosovo's powerful former premier Hashim Thaci was sworn in as president Thursday in a session boycotted by opposition parties which dispute his election to the top job. Thaci's inauguration followed his election to the post by MPs in February, in a tense vote marred by opposition tear gas protests in parliament and clashes on the streets of the capital Pristina. "I swear that I will dedicate all my powers to preserving the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci said as he took oath before MPs from the ruling coalition and diplomats. Later addressing parliament, he said his goals were Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU and continuing "the process of normalising relations with Serbia". Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 under Thaci's leadership, but Belgrade refuses to recognise its sovereignty. Opposition members refused to attend Thaci's swearing in because they insist his election was unlawful, claiming irregularities in the vote, but Kosovo's constitutional court dismissed their complaint. Thaci, 47, rose to prominence during the 1998-1999 war with Serbia as political leader of the pro-independence ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and he has since served two terms as prime minister. But his reputation has been sullied by a 2011 Council of Europe report which accused him of heading a mafia-style network involved in assassinations, unlawful detentions and even trafficking captives' organs during and after the war -- charges he strongly denies. Kosovo's opposition is also furious over a government deal with Serbia, backed by the EU, to create an association giving greater powers to Kosovo's Serb minority -- a move they fear will increase the influence of Belgrade. Thaci, who served as foreign minister before his election as president, has taken a lead role in the talks to improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which are a key requirement for both sides to become EU members. The father-of-one is also accused of corruption by protesters, some of whom took to the streets in February to try and stop him becoming president amid anger over Kosovo's slow development and lack of jobs. Thaci won support from 71 deputies in the 120-seat parliament in the third and final round of February's vote. Do Current Crude Production Levels Bode Well for Doha Meeting? (Continued from Prior Part) US crude oil production The EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) released its Monthly Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production report on March 31, 2016. The government agency reported that US monthly crude oil production fell by 0.6% to 9.2 MMbpd (million barrels per day) in January 2016 compared to 9.2 MMbpd in December 2015. The weekly US crude oil production fell slightly by 16,000 bpd (barrels per day) to 9 MMbpd (million barrels per day) between March 18, 2016, and March 25, 2016. Its the lowest level since November 14, 2014. US crude oil production peaks and lows Monthly US crude oil production peaked at 9.7 MMbpd in April 2015, which was the highest level since the 1970s. US production rose due to cheap credit facilities, technological advancement, and triple-digit crude oil prices between 2010 and 2014. The weekly US crude oil output fell by almost 7% from the peak levels of 9.7 MMbpd. US shale oil production fell due to higher break-even costs and production costs compared to oil producers in the Middle East. This led to a fall in US crude oil production. For more information on US energy companies financial woes, read US Oil and Gas Companies Debt Exceeds $200 Billion and Crude Oils Total Cost of Production Impacts Major Oil Producers. US crude oil production estimates Monthly US crude oil production fell in the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota by 1.1% and 2.8%, respectively, in January 2016 compared with the previous month. However, it rose by 0.7% to 3.4 MMbpd for the same period. The International Energy Agency reported that US crude oil production is expected to decline by 530,000 bpd in 2016. The EIA expects that the US crude oil production could fall by 0.7 MMbpd to 8.7 MMbpd in 2016 compared to 2015. The slowing US crude oil production benefits crude oil prices and oil producers like Swift Energy (SFY), Energy XXI (EXXI), Halcon Resources (HK), and Goodrich Petroleum (GDP). Crude production also affects ETFs and ETNs like the ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil ETF (SCO), the PowerShares DWA Energy Momentum (PXI), the United States Brent Oil (BNO), and the United States 12 Month Oil (USL). Story continues In the next part of the series, well look at how hedge funds are playing the crude oil market. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Just as the Iraqi government announced the beginning of the operations to liberate Mosul, the countrys second largest city, Iraqs internal political turmoil threatens to reverse what has been achieved against ISIS. The Iraqi army launched an offensive 12 days ago to capture a group of villages south of Mosul. The battle of Mosul is being led by the Iraqi armys 15th and 16th divisions; both are newly formed and contain a majority of Shiite soldiers. While Sunni tribes, Kurdish forces and U.S. airstrikes are supporting the effort, the outcome will be determined by the effectiveness of the Iraqi armed forces. Results so far have been mixed, with reports of stiff resistance from ISIS. Equally troubling is the growing political crisis in Baghdad. Related: Obama Could Decide on Greater Troop Presence in Iraq Soon Since last summer, thousands of Iraqis have been demonstrating against government corruption and the lack of public services. Despite the fact that Iraq made about $550 billion in oil sales between 2006 and 2014 under the leadership of the former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the country is virtually bankrupt thanks to corruption, mismanagement and the collapse of oil prices. Iraq has no reliable armed forces to protect its people from terror groups and lacks basic services like electricity, clean water and a functioning healthcare system. The government struggles to pay its seven million employees and pensioners. While the demonstrators who initially organized sit-ins in public squares across the country were mostly liberal or leftist seculars, their movement has been taken over in recent weeks by the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Sadrs militia fought for years against U.S. troops and government forces in Iraq and was involved in the sectarian violence that raged in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. Sadr fled to Iran in 2007, returned to Iraq in 2011 and is now fighting against ISIS. Sadrs ministers have been a major part of every Iraqi government since 2005 and are as corrupt as the others. Story continues Still, Sadr ordered a protest to force the government to implement much needed reformsincluding the formation of a new government. Theres no doubt that Sadr wants a seat at that table again. Related: Iraq Launches Offensive Against Islamic State South of Mosul Last Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi presented 16 names of supposed technocrats to the parliament to fill his new cabinet. But many Kurds, Sunnis and even al-Abadis own party controlled by former Prime Minister al-Maliki -- have expressed their doubts about the new government, indicating it is unlikely to be approved. This could lead to the renewal of Sadrs protest. The weak al-Abadi has fired thousands of government officials, from vice presidents to army generals, but the deeply rooted corruption hasnt been eradicated. Al-Abadis predecessors men are still in control of much of the country, and the other political parties are all involved in the corruption that is draining Iraqs resources. The power of both Sadr and al-Maliki is increasingly evident. Both have strong militias; both have enormous influence on the Iraqi army and police. Sadr has threatened to withdraw his support for al-Abadi if a new cabinet is not approved. If the al-Abadi government falls and Iraq is split between supporters of Sadr and al-Maliki, the country would face one of these three possible scenarios over the next few months: Related: IMF Says Iraq Could Secure 3-Year Standby Deal by June The Iranian revolution scenario: If the new technocrat government isnt approved by the parliament and Sadr orders his men to break into the Green Zone and seize the government -- and if the Iraqi army allows that to take place -- Iraq could go down a path similar to the one that swept Iran during the revolution of 1979: a complete meltdown of the government and absolute control of the country by a radical Shiite cleric. Several incidents indicate how influential Sadr is inside the ranks of the Iraqi army: The commander of the Iraqi army in Baghdad allowed the demonstrators to approach the Green Zone (and was fired for his decision). The commander of the Iraqi army units which guard the Green Zone was seen on camera kissing the hand of Sadr. (His troops were replaced by the units from the anti-terrorism forces that are Iraqs only reliable force opposing ISIS.) The ministry of interior issued a strong warning against its staff, threatening them with execution in case they disobey their orders. At the same time, the difference between the leader of the Iranian revolution, the late Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah al-Khomeini, and Sadr is immense. Al-Khomeini was in his late seventies when he ruled Iran, with long political experience and the highest degree of Shiite Islamic education. Sadr is far less experienced and knowledgeable. Moreover, al-Khomeini was popular enough to make anyone challenging him an act of political suicide. Sadr lacks that undivided support. This scenario would mean the end of every U.S. civilian and military presence and influence in Iraq for many years to come. It would be unacceptable to the U.S. after losing nearly 5,000 soldiers and non-military personnel in Iraq and spending nearly $6 trillion. The massive U.S. embassy the largest United States embassy in the world would be closed and the nearly 5,000 servicemen and women in the country would go home. Iraq would be led by a man who is similar to the leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah in his enmity to the U.S., yet with no more experience than the leader of North Korea. ISIS would no doubt take advantage of the turmoil and restore what it has lost over the last year. The civil war scenario: If Sadr forces his way into the Green Zone and al-Malikis men in the army and his militias try to stop Sadr by force, Iraq could experience a civil war similar to that of Yemen today. Related: Obama Intervened Over Crumbling Iraqi Dam as US Concern Grew In September 2014, the Houthis, an armed Shiite group backed by Iran, gained control of the Yemeni capital after a sit-in around the city. Collaborating with loyalists of the former dictator of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Salih, the Houthis seized control of the government in early 2015. Full-fledged civil war broke out in March 2015, with Saudi Arabia leading an Arab coalition conducting airstrikes against the Houthis. The conflict is widely seen as a proxy war between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran. The war has further destabilized the region, and opened to the door to al-Qaeda, which now controls a quarter of the country. ISIS is also gaining strength there. If Iraqs army and Shiite militias began fighting in Baghdad, the conflict could allow ISIS to not only restore what it has lost, but to march toward the capital once again. The unstable status quo scenario: A third scenario would be a continuation of the current impasse -- or even a brief easing of tensions with the formation of an acceptable technocrat government -- that wouldnt do much to change the state of affairs in Iraq in the long run. This scenario would mean that a large part of Iraqs security forces would be consumed in monitoring Sadrs men instead of ISIS, which would give ISIS a chance to breathe and plan its way out of its current defeats. For the coming few weeks, the most likely scenario is the unstable status quo one. However, this could change quickly and heightened internal conflict is a real possibility. A religious revolution along the lines of Iran could lead to a full scale Shiite civil war between Sadr and al-Maliki. Overall, none of this is good for anyone other than ISIS. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Bank of Singapores AUM will shoot up 33.3%. OCBCs private banking unit, Bank of Singapore, is proposing to acquire Barclays Wealth and Investment Management Business (WIM) in Singapore and Hong Kong to the tune of US$320m, or roughly $431.6m. According to a report by OCBC, the price is based on Barclays WIM Singapore and Hong Kongs assets under management (AUM) of US$18.3b (about $24.7b) as at 31 December 2015. With the acquisition, it will take Bank of Singapores AUM to a total of US$73.3b (about $98.9b), or an increase of 33.3%. The final purchase will be 1.75% of the AUM transferred upon completion of the transaction, which is seen to happen at the end of this year. This acquisition will complement OCBCs current wealth management business, especially in its key market in Hong Kong and Singapore. Based on Bloomberg, there are currently 16 Buys, 5 Holds and 3 Sells for the stock with a 12-month target price of S$9.33. The stock closed at S$8.72 yesterday, the report notes. More From Singapore Business Review Asia Pacific Mutual Funds: A 9-Fund Comparison for 1Q16 (Continued from Prior Part) Wells Fargo Asia Pacific Fund overview In this part of the series, well specifically outline the performance of the Wells Fargo Asia Pacific Fund Class A (WFAAX), which is one of the classes available for retail investors. As of February 2016, the fund was managing assets worth ~$140 million and was invested in 111 holdings. It includes stocks of companies such as Fujifilm Holdings (FUJIY), UBS Group (UBS), KB Financial Group (KB), China Petroleum & Chemical (SNP), and China Life Insurance Company (LFC). Wells Fargo Asia Pacific Fund returns From a purely NAV (net asset value) return standpoint, WFAAX had a poor one-year period until March 31, 2016, compared to the peer group. But its seeing better times in 2016. When we refer to the peer group, we mean the group of nine funds chosen for this review. As a benchmark for all funds in this review, well look at the metrics of the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index. Although all funds dont have this index as their benchmark, well use it in this series for parity. For comparison, weve used two combinations of ETFs that provide exposure to stocks from the region. The first combination is the Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF (VPL) and the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO). The second is the iShares Core MSCI Pacific (IPAC) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (EEM). Quantitative metrics of the Wells Fargo Asia Pacific Fund For the one-year period ended March 2016, the standard deviation for WFAAX stood at 16.7%. This was lower than both the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Indexs standard deviation of 17.8% and the arithmetic average of the standard deviation of all funds in this review, which was 16.8%. The Sharpe ratios for WFAAX for the one-year period ended March 2016 and for 1Q16 were negative. An information ratio shows the consistency of a fund manager along with measuring his or her ability to generate excess returns over a benchmark. Considering the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index as the benchmark, the information ratio of WFAAX ranked it sixth among its peers for the one-year period until March 31, 2016. Story continues Investor takeaway WFAAX had a forgettable 2015, as all its quantitative metrics placed it as the second-worst fund among its peers. The situation has improved a bit in the one-year period ended March 31, 2016, and 1Q16 has been generous to the fund as its alpha and information ratios are above average. Investors are waiting to recover their losses in 2015 and then evaluate whether to stay with the fund. In the last article of this series, well lay out facts and observations that emerge from this analysis in light of the macroeconomic picture of the region. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: PayPal President and CEO designee Dan Schulman speaks during an event at Terra Gallery in San Francisco, California in this May 21, 2015, file photo. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/Files CHICAGO (Reuters) - PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL.O) on Tuesday canceled plans to open a global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina and invest $3.6 million in the area after the state passed a controversial law targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens. The digital payment company's protest is the first by a major business after North Carolina became the first state last month to enact a measure requiring people to use bathrooms or locker rooms in schools and other public facilities that match the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. The law, which overturned a Charlotte city ordinance, was widely interpreted as an attack on LGBT rights. State lawmakers also voted to prohibit local governments from enacting anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. "The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal's mission and culture," Chief Executive Officer Dan Schulman said in a statement. In a letter on March 29, founders and chief executives of more than a hundred companies, including Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) urged North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to repeal the legislation. Earlier in March, the payment processor announced plans to open the operations center in Charlotte and employ 400 skilled workers there. It was set to invest more than $3.6 million in the Charlotte area by the end of 2017, according to a news release on the governor's website. After PayPal's decision, North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest, who like McCrory is a Republican, defended the law. "If our action in keeping men out of women's bathrooms and showers protected the life of just one child or one woman from being molested or assaulted, then it was worth it," he said in a statement. PayPal said it is now looking for another site for the center and has not yet made a decision on location. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Chicago and Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Editing by Bill Rigby and David Gregorio) By Gwladys Fouche and Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir OSLO/REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - A poet and former WikiLeaks supporter who says revolution is her favorite word, Birgitta Jonsdottir would probably become Iceland's next prime minister if elections were held tomorrow. She leads the Pirate Party, set up by a group of outsiders and activists in 2012 with the same name as protest parties in other countries, and it would get a record 43 percent of the vote, according to an opinion poll released on Wednesday. Consistently topping surveys in the past year, the Pirates' popularity surged after the release this week of the Panama Papers forced Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to quit over the disclosure his wife owned an offshore company with claims on Icelandic banks. This infuriated many Icelanders who said it was an undeclared conflict of interest. When he stepped aside on Tuesday, it provided another boost for the anti-establishment Pirate Party which campaigns for transparency. (Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/23hpXe5) Jonsdottir aims to turn those poll numbers into votes after the embattled government named Fisheries Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as new prime minister on Wednesday and announced it would call early elections for the autumn. "The nation has decided that enough is enough. They have shown in great number they want something different. For some reason, that different thing seems to be my political party," Jonsdottir, 48, told Reuters in a phone interview from Reykjavik hours before the government announcement. It is a stunning rise for the Pirates who won 5.1 percent of votes in the 2013 election giving them three seats in parliament including one for Jonsdottir. Its policies include granting citizenship to former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden and looser copyright enforcement rules. She said her party belonged to the same global movement for change that includes U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his leftwing Syriza party, and others in Europe where mainstream political parties are fending off populists. Story continues "We are living in a time where we are seeing real big transformative forces, where the general public are expressing in a very affirmative way that they want a different type of governance: they want more engagement," she said. "In particular, I have seen it very clearly with Podemos in Spain and the Five-Star Movement in Italy." The Pirate Party had been pushing for a vote of confidence in the government and a snap election. It was unclear if the autumn election would make them call off the confidence vote. ANOTHER KIND OF POLITICS For voters, the Pirates' appeal is as an alternative to the coalition which came to power in 2013. Fed up with the financial and political elite after a 2008 banking crisis wrecked the economy, thousands of protesters pelted parliament with yoghurt and eggs at protests this week. "They (the Pirate Party) practise another kind of politics so I am quite keen on that," said Oskar Arni Oskarsson, a 64-year-old librarian in Reykjavik, who said the latest events were "totally absurd". "I want the government to resign and that there will be (early) elections," he told Reuters. However, now that there is a chance of the Pirates being in power, their perceived lack of political experience is facing scrutiny. "People are saying now that they don't have enough experience and can't be trusted," said Eva Heida Onnudottir, a political scientist at the University of Iceland. Jonsdottir, who published her first book of poetry when she was 22, became a grassroots campaigner after Iceland's financial collapse. She soon became involved with WikiLeaks and helped get a classified U.S. military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff, released on the WikiLeaks site. Jonsdottir, who has had rough patches in her life with both her husband and father committing suicide, sees herself as a lawmaker who puts pressure on the politicians who are doing "unacceptable things". Although she is the party's longest-serving lawmaker, others may also be candidate for the top job. Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson, another of the three Pirate Party members of parliament, is also a possibility, and the Pirate Party rotates its leadership. Jonsdottir says she is not angling for the top job. "That is not something I fantasize. Actually I had a nightmare about that a long time ago that I wrote down into a poem," she said. (Additional reporting by Alister Doyle in Oslo; Editing by Anna Willard and Howard Goller) VANCOUVER, BC --(Marketwired - April 06, 2016) - Quaterra Resources Inc. ("Quaterra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: QTA) (QTRRF) and its subsidiary Singatse Peak Services LLC ("SPS") today announced results from Hole B-051, the fourth core hole of a drill program to explore and further define the Bear deposit, a large porphyry copper system on the Company's 52-square mile property in the historic Yerington Copper District of Nevada. The drill program is being funded with option payments to SPS by Freeport-McMoRan Nevada LLC ("Freeport Nevada"). Highlights Hole B-051, drilled vertically to a depth of 3,878 feet, intercepted 1,483.3 feet (452.1 meters) of 0.26% copper beginning at a depth of 2,191.2 feet. Included within this interval is 1,213.8 feet (370.0 meters) of 0.30% copper starting at 2,191.2 feet. Several narrower intervals shown in the table contain > 0.40% copper with anomalous gold and molybdenum. Hole B-051 is a significant step-out. The nearest holes are B-049, approximately 1,150 feet to the west and historic hole B-22, about 1,300 feet to the southwest. Table 1. Significant intercepts from Bear core hole B-051* HOLE B-051 From To Interval Interval % ppm ppm ppm feet feet feet meters Cu Mo Au Ag 2191.2 3674.5 1483.3 452.1 0.26 54 0.021 <0.5 includes 2191.2 3405.0 1213.8 370.0 0.30 61 0.025 <0.5 includes 2298.0 2602.4 304.4 92.8 0.42 55 0.032 <0.5 includes 2416.5 2558.0 141.5 43.1 0.46 39 0.041 <0.5 includes 3253.0 3278.0 25.0 7.6 0.43 182 0.120 <0.5 *Drill intercepts are based on actual core lengths and may not reflect the true width of mineralization. Note: 1 ppm = 1 gram per tonne Discussion Hole B-051, collared 1,150 feet east of Hole B-049, is the fourth hole of an exploration program designed to corroborate historic assay results, determine geologic controls for higher grade mineralization and attempt to extend higher grade mineralization to the north. The thickness of the mineralized intercept in B-051 is larger than those in the three previously announced holes of the current drilling program. Bornite also is more common than in previous SPS holes, occurring with chalcopyrite and molybdenite in quartz-sulfide veins, veinlet swarms and stockworks. The quartz-sulfide veins appear to correlate with higher gold and molybdenum values found in B-051 compared to the three previous drill holes. The interval 3,253 to 3278 feet averaged 0.43% copper, 182 ppm molybdenum and 0.12 ppm gold over 25 feet; the interval 2,218 to 2,241.9 feet averaged 445 ppm molybdenum over 23.9 feet. Story continues Each of the three step-out holes drilled during the current program (B-049, B-050 and B-051) have intersected significant copper mineralization, which remains open to the north, northeast and northwest. Hole B-051 was collared more than 1,000 feet from the nearest drill hole. The thick interval of copper mineralization, together with quartz-sulfide veins carrying increased amounts of bornite, molybdenum and gold, highlights the potential adjacent to hole B-051, particularly to the north. Hole B-052, located 700 feet north-northeast of Hole B-051, is in progress. Hole locations are shown on a map available on Quaterra's website at http://quaterra.com/projects/quaterras-yerington-copper-projects/bear-deposit/. A video of the current drill-program at the Bear deposit is available for viewing on the Company website at http://quaterra.com/quaterra-video-2015-bear-drilling/. Further results will be reported when available. For background on the Bear deposit, Quaterra's Yerington project and the option agreement with Freeport Nevada please see the news release dated November 17, 2015, or visit the Company website at www.quaterra.com. Quality assurance and control Core samples were either sawed or split by SPS personnel in Yerington, Nevada, and shipped to Bureau Veritas Minerals NA - Inspectorate America Corporation, an ISO certified assaying/geochemistry facility, in Reno, Nevada, for sample preparation. Gold analyses are assayed in Bureau Veritas' lab in Reno using their "FA430" procedure (fire assay with atomic absorption finish) with a 5 ppb Au detection limit. Prepared pulps are shipped to Bureau Veritas' lab in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, for analysis using their "MA 300" procedure for 35 element ICP-ES analysis. Commercially prepared standards and blanks are inserted by SPS at 50-foot intervals to insure precision of results as a quality control measure. SPS has a chain of custody program to ensure sample security during all stages of sample collection, cutting, shipping, and storage. Technical information in this news release has been approved by Thomas Patton, Ph.D., the President and CEO of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. About Quaterra Resources Inc. Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: QTA) (QTRRF) is a copper exploration and development company with the primary objective to advance its U.S. subsidiary's copper projects in the Yerington District, Nevada. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Thomas Patton, President & CEO Quaterra Resources Inc. Disclosure note: Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements under Canadian securities laws and within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified in this news release by words such as "believes", "anticipates", "intends", "has the potential", "expects", and similar language, or convey estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives, potential outcomes, expectations, or goals. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. In particular, forward looking statements in this news release include or assume that the Company will receive all option payments over the next six months, that exploration results on the Bear deposit will define further mineralization, that historic exploration results will be confirmed by new exploration, that further drilling will extend the boundaries of the known high-grade mineralized area, and that drill results from the current drill program point to a large copper system. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. A summary of risk factors that apply to the Company's operations are included in our management discussion and analysis filings with securities regulatory authorities, and are publicly available on our website. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. * CEO says bank has set up team to review Panama allegations * CEO says Panama data goes back 40 years * CEO says accuracy of Panama data still not verified (Recasts, adds comments on Panama data leak) By Matt Scuffham MONTREAL, April 6 (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Canada is reviewing its records after being named in leaked documents that appeared to show a Panamanian law firm's clients evaded taxes and laundered money, Chief Executive Officer Dave McKay said on Wednesday. RBC, Canada's biggest bank, is one of several financial institutions named in data that emerged following an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The bank and its subsidiaries were associated with 378 shell companies registered in the Mossack Fonseca law firm's data. At the bank's annual meeting, McKay faced several questions from shareholders who were unhappy about the impact they felt the allegations had had on the bank's reputation. One investor described the effect as "catastrophic". "I am equally unhappy RBC has been dragged into this," McKay told reporters after the meeting. McKay said RBC had not been accused of any illegality or wrongdoing and reiterated that it had controls in place to prevent illegal activity. He also said the bank had so far not been able yet to verify the data, which goes back decades. "We don't have access to this data, this data goes back 40 years, we don't have understanding of this information and we have teams now going through our businesses trying to determine where the relationships may exist," he told reporters. In a separate matter, McKay confirmed RBC was not the unnamed Canadian bank fined C$1.1 million by the country's financial intelligence agency on Wednesday for failing to report a suspicious transaction. McKay also said he expected oil price gains since the beginning of the year to hold, addressing concerns about the effects of a longtime slump on the bank. RBC is one of Canada's biggest lenders to oil and gas companies and has a sizeable consumer loan book in the oil-producing province of Alberta, which has been hit by thousands of job losses. Story continues However, McKay played down the bank's exposure. "Oil and gas represents about 1.6 percent of our total loan book, and our provision for credit loss remains in line with historic norms," McKay said. "We also believe the significant gains that oil markets have made since January will hold, given that the U.S. economy continues to grow." RBC said in February that impaired loans to companies in the oil and gas sector had almost doubled from the previous quarter. That warning, along with increased provisions by other lenders, raised concerns that the impact on Canadian banks could worsen this year. (Editing by Matthew Lewis and Lisa Von Ahn) A Deutche Post sign adorns the Bonn Post Tower, the headquarters of German postal and logistics group Deutsche Post DHL in Bonn March 11, 2015. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay TROISDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Germany's Deutsche Post is testing robots that could help postal workers cope with increasing numbers of parcels on their delivery rounds, a company manager said on Thursday. The volume of parcels being delivered by Deutsche Post in Germany is rising steadily as more and more Germans buy goods online from retailers such as Amazon.com and Zalando. That is making up for declining letter volumes, but posing problems due to the larger size of items involved. "Robots could be used in deliveries in three to five years' time," Clemens Beckmann, head of innovation at the group's parcel and letter division, said in an interview with Reuters. "The technology is there." The robots, which look like a table on wheels on which goods can be placed, would follow delivery workers, helping them to transport and carry heavy parcels. If the postie stops walking, the robot stops too, and it only starts again when they move on. Deutsche Post is already conducting trials of the robots at its depots. It is also considering the idea of using robots as mobile pick-up points that would go and collect parcels from customers. However, that is a long way off because that would require rules on autonomous driving. Still, Deutsche Post is already testing robotics elsewhere, such as moveable shelves in warehouses, and is considering drones to help monitor inventory levels in large depots in China and watch over valuable goods. Around 80 percent of the processes in logistics sites are still done manually, Deutsche Post said. "Delivery chains in which people and robots work together will soon be normal and will allow for faster and more efficient processing of goods," Beckmann said. (Reporting by Matthias Inverardi; Writing by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Students in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka protest after the murder of law student Nazimuddin Samad on April 7, 2016 (AFP Photo/Munir Uz Zaman) A Bangladeshi law student who posted against Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Nazimuddin Samad, a 26-year-old atheist who had taken part in protests against Islamist leaders, was attacked late on Wednesday near his university in Dhaka by unknown assailants carrying machetes. "They hacked his head with a machete. As he fell down, one of them shot him in the head with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot," deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Syed Nurul Islam told AFP. "It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility," Islam said, adding police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing. Police said the attackers followed Samad home from an evening class on Wednesday before they attacked him on a busy road near Dhaka's Jagannath University, where he was a law student, reportedly shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest). It was the sixth such killing in 15 months and sparked protests in Dhaka, where more than 1,000 students blocked a busy road to demand the attackers be brought to justice. "You just can't kill a man just because he is an atheist," one protester shouted. No one has yet been prosecuted for the murders of four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher hacked to death last year, although police have arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Rights group Amnesty International said Samad's killing was a "blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression", urging Bangladesh to take action to end the violence. Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladesh's largest online secular activist group, said Samad's name was on a list of 84 atheist campaigners that a hardline Islamist group had sent to the home ministry in 2013. Samad had joined nationwide protests that year against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the country's war of independence, and is the fifth person on the list to be killed. Story continues "He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism," said Sarker, head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association. - 'Climate of fear' - Samad had posted several comments on Facebook criticising radical Islam and mocking hardline Islamists. In one, he described religion as "the most barbaric invention", while another mocked a hardline Muslim cleric who was recently arrested for raping a young boy. Samad's childhood friend and fellow activist Gulam Rabbi Chowdhury said he had gone into hiding, although he did not know whether he had received any specific threats. "When I last met him in February, he told me that he deactivated his Facebook page for a few weeks and left Sylhet city to live in hiding in his village," Chowdhury said. Another friend, Kawsar Ahmed, said Samad had received anonymous calls on his phone and had been attacked last year, although he did not elaborate. A Facebook post last August hinted at fears of an attack. Responding to a friend's request that he continue to write -- even if it meant leaving the country for his safety -- Samad posted, "I'll first save my neck and then I'll invoke Allah's name". Secular groups have called for nationwide protests and rallies to demand more protection for publishers, bloggers and writers, some of whom have fled the country or gone into hiding. "The persistent failure of the Bangladeshi government and the international community to better protect threatened thinkers has created a climate of fear and direct threat to free thought in the country," PEN America said in a statement condemning the latest murder. Samad had only recently arrived in Dhaka from Sylhet to study law. Deputy police commissioner Islam said the attackers had likely been monitoring him prior to his arrival in Dhaka. Sylhet police chief Kamrul Ahsan told AFP Samad had not complained of any threats. Several foreigners have been murdered in recent months in Bangladesh, which has also suffered attacks on minority Sufi and Shiite Muslims. A long-running political crisis in the majority Sunni Muslim but officially secular country has radicalised opponents of the government and analysts say Islamist extremists pose a growing danger. US Spent $760 Million on Afghan Education But No One Knows If It Helped Add another chapter to the ever-expanding book about how the U.S. Defense Department squandered taxpayer money in its bid to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan. In the saga of misspent money, $6.7 million squandered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct and renovate buildings for the Afghan Air Force University is peanuts compared to some of the multimillion failures and boondoggles that have been exposed since the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) was established in 2008. Related: US Taxpayers Paid Millions for Shoddy, Unsafe Buildings in Afghanistan While the price tag may be smaller, the story detailed in the watchdogs latest report plays out much the same way as most of its previous examinations and audits of construction efforts in Afghanistan: an overly optimistic view of a seemingly simple goal that crashed and burned once the actual work began. The contract for the university originally required the construction of eight new buildings and renovation of 24 existing structures. But it was later modified to three new buildings and the renovation of 15 others. The work was largely completed according to the terms of the contract, however there were several instances of shoddy workmanship, from lack of required plumbing insulation to missing protective metal strips on stairways, according to SIGAR. Related: US Has Given Nearly $1 Billion in Property to Afghanistans Government There were also instances of substitute construction materials were used without approval, resulting in at least $80,000 in potentially inappropriate cost saving for the contractor. Meanwhile, most, but not all, of the Afghan Air Force University's buildings are being used and the Kabul government hasnt properly maintained the 10 structures it transferred to Afghan control. For instance, two of the building arent being used because local authorities discovered multiple problems, including plumbing leaks in the bathrooms, broken sinks and fixtures, and non-functioning ceiling fans, the assessment states. Story continues If maintenance does not improve, conditions will worsen and could affect not only the future use of the facility but also cadet morale, and could ultimately result in the waste of the funds spent on this project. Related: Pentagon Posh: U.S. Spent $150 Million on Luxury Villas in Afghanistan The Corps of Engineers conceded to SIGAR that it didnt perform two of the required inspections of the complex--checks that likely would have uncovered the problems in the barracks and bathrooms sooner. However, the Corps has developed a follow-on project to implement a host of fixes throughout the complex, including the 10 buildings given to the Afghans. In a bit of good news, SIGAR believes the project includes work that falls under the original contracts warranty and can be repaired at no additional cost to the U.S. government. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Each share is going for EUR35.65. Through an affiliate, GIC, Singapores sovereign wealth fund, today inked a deal to buy a 25% stake in CeGeREAL at EUR35.65 per share from Northwood Investors LLC (Northwood). According to the two parties joint announcement, Northwoods entities will hold in concert 57.48% of CeGeREAL. As a long-term value investor, GIC is keen to build scale in the French real estate market, commented Madeleine Cosgrave, Deputy Head of Real Estate, Europe at GIC. We believe this transaction represents a good opportunity to gain exposure to a high-quality portfolio and to support management in its vision to grow CeGeREAL into a larger office platform, Cosgrave added. The sale of the stake will be Northwoods final step to ensure preservation of CeGeREALs SIIC status, which is a French, REIT-style tax regime. More From Singapore Business Review By Saeed Azhar SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Barclays (BARC.L) has agreed to sell its wealth and investment management business in Hong Kong and Singapore to Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) (OCBC.SI), as the British lender continues its drive to reduce risk and simplify. OCBC, Singapore's second-biggest lender, said on Thursday it had agreed to pay $320 million (227.2 million) for the units - its second-largest private banking deal since 2009 and deepening its presence in Southeast Asia, Greater China and the Middle East. The sale is part of drastic restructuring measures by Barclays' new chief executive, Jes Staley, and comes as several European banks rethink their Asian strategy due to pressure at home to cut costs. "The sale of our wealth and investment management business in Singapore and Hong Kong marks further progress in our aggressive pursuit of non core cost and risk weighted asset reductions," Staley said in Barclays' announcement on Thursday. Barclays shares dipped by 0.6 percent by 1000 GMT in London. OCBC's purchase price was set at 1.75 percent of Barclays' $18.3 billion in assets in Singapore and Hong Kong, similar to what DBS Group Holding (DBSM.SI) paid for the Asian private bank of Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) in 2014. DBS, the only other bidder in the final round for the Barclays assets, had been seen as an early favourite to win, people close to the auction said. But it failed to bid aggressively amid talk several bankers at the Barclays units were negotiating to go elsewhere following the departure of Barclays Asian wealth chief Didier von Daeniken for Standard Chartered (STAN.L) in December, they added. The head of Barclay's wealth management business for South Asia also left in January. Poaching is always more of a risk for private banks than for other industries as clients will often stay loyal to their bankers and move assets with them. "There is no regret at DBS for losing this," said a person with knowledge of the bank's strategy. Story continues A DBS spokesman declined to comment directly on the Barclays deal, saying only that Singapore's biggest lender would be disciplined in how it expanded its wealth business. OCBC declined to comment on whether it would provide retention packages to keep bankers at Barclays. SINGAPORE PUSH Singapore's banks have been keen to pick up wealth management assets put up for auction by Western banks, many of which are in retreat as they focus on their own markets. Bahren Shaari, chief executive at OCBC's Bank of Singapore, told Reuters he expected the integration would be smooth as the two businesses were led by teams which share the same operating and management philosophy. The deal is set to boost OCBC's private banking assets by a third to $73.3 billion, putting it just below DBS which is ranked by Asian Private Banker as the sixth-biggest private bank in Asia. The number of private bankers at OCBC's Bank of Singapore will climb by 88 to 400. It is OCBC's second major acquisition since it pounced on the Asian wealth unit of Dutch lender ING (ING.AS) in 2009. Credit Suisse advised OCBC on the deal, while Lazard (LAZ.N) advised Barclays, sources said. (Reporting by Saeed Azhar; Additional reporting by Anshuman Daga in Singapore and Lawrence White in London; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Mark Potter) A woman uses a computer keyboard in this photo illustration taken in Sydney June 23, 2011. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne (Reuters) - Worldwide spending on information technology could become one of the casualties of global economic uncertainty this year, according to research firm Gartner Inc. Worldwide IT spending is expected to fall slightly this year to $3.49 trillion, as the strong U.S. dollar continues to take its toll, the firm said on Thursday. The global uncertainty is making organizations "tighten their belts". Investing in digital businesses and services at a time when revenue growth does not support IT spending is forcing organizations to cut costs, Gartner said. In constant currency, Gartner predicts a 1.6 percent growth rate in IT spending this year, compared with 2.4 percent a year earlier. The problem is U.S.-based multi-nationals can't make as much money, even there is a global increase in IT activity, John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner said in an interview. Networking giant Cisco Systems Inc said in February that it was weathering a global slowdown in information-technology spending. Analysts at the time said that Cisco's warning could be a bad sign for some technology companies. Spending on devices like PCs, mobile phones, tablets and printers is also expected to decline 3.7 percent to $626 billion, Gartner said, due to the global saturation in the smartphone and PC markets. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora and Anya George Thakaran in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark speaks during a press conference at Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations in New York on April 4, 2016 (AFP Photo/Kena Betancur) (AFP) Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has forged a formidable reputation in her homeland, with political allies noting her "steely determination" as she bids to become the first woman to lead the United Nations. Clark, who on Monday announced her candidacy for the UN secretary-general's role after months of speculation, led New Zealand's centre-left Labour government for three successive terms from 1999-2008. The 66-year-old then went on to head the UN's largest agency, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), making her the highest-ranking woman at the world body. "She is the best person for the job," New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who succeeded Clark, said in announcing her candidacy in Wellington. He said Clark was a proven leader, adding: "It isn't just the time Clark spent as PM, her entire life has been dedicated to foreign policy." Born into a conservative North Island farming family, she became involved in politics through the Vietnam War protests and her opposition to rugby tours to apartheid-era South Africa. Clark was first elected to parliament in 1981 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming deputy prime minister in 1989 as the Labour government was imploding over controversial economic reforms. It was ousted in 1990 and Clark took over as leader in 1993, struggling to unite an opposition party that was demoralised and riven by ideological disputes. With her opinion poll rating as preferred prime minister at a record low of two percent, Clark dug in and refused to stand down when party powerbrokers told her to go. Her refusal to buckle in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds was rewarded when she won office in 1999. Her administration was initially dismissed by critics as "Helengrad" due to her tight grip on the reins, but Clark's style eventually became more moderate and pragmatic. But she retained an independent streak, breaking ranks with Australia, Britain and the United States when she refused to send troops to the war in Iraq. Story continues With strong popular support, she has also maintained the country's nuclear-free status, which was introduced by Labour prime minister David Lange in 1984 and soured relations with Washington. She cites Nelson Mandela as her biggest political inspiration and questioned in 2013 about her achievements as prime minister replied: "I believe that as PM I contributed to making NZ a fairer, better place to live in." She also said the move from Wellington's parliament to UN headquarters in New York had not changed her management style: "Stay on top of the issues, and be proactive and inclusive," she said. Clark's successor as Labour leader, Andrew Little, said she was more than capable of handling the UN's top job. "Renowned for her steely determination and formidable capabilities, she would make an excellent secretary-general," Little said. "She is, and always has been, a trailblazer." By Krishna N. Das MUMBAI (Reuters) - The likely collapse of SunEdison Inc's solar project in India, the first of 32 planned "ultra mega" complexes, could delay Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal to increase renewable energy fivefold by several years and probably cost consumers more. As the U.S. solar giant fights to stave off bankruptcy, the 500 megawatt project in Andhra Pradesh state it won last November lies idle with ground yet to be broken. The other projects are still to be bid on. It's doubtful any rival will pick up the project at the aggressive power pricing promised by SunEdison, which beat out 29 other bidders with a record-low tariff of 4.63 rupees (7 U.S. cents) per kilowatt-hour. That will force Indian officials to tighten auction rules to ensure that only serious, bankable bidders show up, industry sources said. India plans to auction more of the "ultra mega" projects - those which generate at least 500 MW - in the current fiscal year through to March 2017. "There is always a tradeoff," Upendra Tripathy, secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, told Reuters of the renewable energy auctions. "There can be a relaxed condition so that more people can participate and there is another where you can make sure fly-by-night operators can't come in. It's an ongoing process and we are open to suggestions." Tightening auction rules could slow the pace at which projects are awarded and built, pushing back Modi's goal of expanding solar capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2020 to the middle of the decade, say officials and industry players. Tripathy, however, said India will for now stick to its goal, set by Modi soon after taking office in 2014, and that it has planned for SunEdison-like bumps in the road with a strong project pipeline. Modi is banking on India's 300 days a year of sunshine to help fight climate change rather than committing to emission cuts like China. But he has also pushed firms to provide cheap power, which risks leaving too little profit on the table. Heavily indebted SunEdison, which according to one of its publicly listed units could soon file for bankruptcy protection, drew criticism from analysts for its low winning bid for the Andhra project. The company is now exploring a sale of its Indian assets of around 1 GW or seeking partners for them, sources said, and has drawn preliminary interest from billionaire Gautam Adani's fast-expanding Adani Group. Apart from the Andhra project, SunEdison has several other small plants under construction across India. POSSIBLE RE-BID A person close to Adani said the low tariff agreed for the Andhra plant will make any deal with SunEdison difficult for Indian firms, which have a relatively high cost of capital. If no buyer is found, the project could be re-bid, the industry sources said. SunEdison did not respond to multiple requests for comment. "The tariffs are a tad aggressive and that may not be healthy for developers themselves and also for others in the ecosystem ... manufacturers and financiers," said Santosh Kamath, head of renewables at consultancy KPMG India. "That might be a warning signal for the industry." SunEdison's troubles notwithstanding, India has attracted deep-pocketed investors to its $100 billion solar energy programme - the biggest in the world. Japan's Softbank Corp <9984.T>, Taiwan's Foxconn <2354.TW> and India's Bharti Enterprises have separately pledged to invest a total of about $20 billion in India's renewable sector. Global solar giants like First Solar Inc , Trina Solar Ltd and Finland's state-controlled utility Fortum Oyj are also expanding their presence. India wants the share of non-fossil fuel in total installed power capacity to jump to 40 percent by 2030 from 30 percent currently. Challenges include the weak finances of state distribution companies forced to sell subsidised power, difficulties hooking up solar projects to grids, and access to affordable capital. Land acquisition is also an issue that Modi's government has been unable to fix - a 500 MW solar project needs on average 2,000 acres (800 hectares). "Given the energy deficit, need for energy security and sustained economic growth, the potential clearly exists for 100 GW of solar (energy) in India," said Sujoy Ghosh, country head of First Solar. "The question would be on the timelines in which the goal is achieved." The government is trying to persuade state banks to extend loans to solar projects, but most lenders are saddled with bad loans and unlikely to risk getting exposed to renewable projects with low rates of return. To avoid projects getting stuck for a lack of backing, India should make it mandatory for solar bidders to get funding assurances from banks at the beginning of an auction to ensure only serious players take part, analysts said. Tripathy, the government secretary, said he could consider the suggestion. "We'll have to take care that projects don't become unviable," KPMG's Kamath said. "If some projects become unviable then banks will stop lending to new projects and then they get stranded, like we have seen in the power and road sectors in the past." (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Raju Gopalakrishnan) * Head of FINMA says risk posed by money laundering on rise * Geneva prosecutor opens criminal inquiry linked to Panama Papers * Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca has bureaux in Zurich, Geneva (Adds U.S. Senators write to Treasury Dept.) By Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay BERN/GENEVA, April 7 (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA said on Thursday that banks must clamp down on money laundering, as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," FINMA Chief Executive Mark Branson told Reuters following its annual news conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management centre with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has written to 20 banks and other financial firms, giving them until April 15 to spell out any involvement they have with the "Panama Papers". HSBC, Britain's biggest bank and its affiliates created more than 2,300 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. Story continues Also on Thursday, France's ACPR financial regulator said it has told French banks to hand over extra information about their business ties with tax havens. German regulator BaFin is likewise probing the role of Germany's banks, a source told Reuters on Monday. Watchdogs in Sweden, Netherlands and Austria said earlier this week that they were looking into banks named in the papers. The chief executive of Austria's Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg became one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on the data leak on Thursday, though he denies his bank violated any laws or sanctions. SWISS BANKS The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. No U.S. banks are among the 10 banks named as the biggest creators of offshore companies for clients in the Panama Papers. But U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the Treasury Department to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with Mossack Fonseca. "As the primary agency charged with protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system and enforcing our laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, we strongly urge the Treasury Department to conduct its own inquiry into Mossack Fonseca's activities and its clients," the senators, both Democrats, wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. The Treasury Department would not comment specifically on the findings in the documents but a spokeswoman said that "the U.S. government intently focuses on investigating possible illicit activity, including violations of U.S. tax laws or sanctions, using all sources of information, both public and non-public." "If there has been any violation of U.S. tax law or sanctions evasion, we will take appropriate action consistent with the national security and foreign policy of the United States," she said. The senators, both members of the Senate Banking Committee and both proponents of stronger financial regulation, said they were concerned "this firm may have facilitated money laundering or terrorist financing with sanctioned persons or entities." Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said FINMA would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial centre. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutor's office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalisation to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derived from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. FINMA has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Branson said: "There are concrete indications that the measures those banks had in place to combat money laundering were inadequate." (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Lisa Lambert in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alistair Bell) Nonprofit Facility to Provide Financial Literacy To Southern Oklahoma Communities DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 7, 2016 / Transformance, Inc., the Dallas-based financial literacy nonprofit, has opened a branch location in Ardmore, Oklahoma. The new facility, which will host an open house on April 14, 2016, will serve the Ardmore population as well as other southern Oklahoma communities. On Thursday, April 14, a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local dignitaries will be held at 11 a.m. Lunch will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and guided tours will be available from 12 to 1 p.m. The newest Transformance branch will be located at 2007 N. Commerce St., Suite 201, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73401. The facility phone number is (580) 263-2227. Pam Webb, an existing certified credit counselor with Transformance, will lead the new nonprofit branch location in providing outreach to the community in the following areas of expertise: - Bankruptcy counseling and education - Budget and credit counseling - Debt counseling and debt management - Financial education classes and webinars - Housing counseling and education - Student loan counseling "As we continue to grow, we intend to increase our geographic coverage areas, and Ardmore will be an excellent location for our outreach programs," said Ken Goodgames, president and CEO of Transformance. "The scope of our mission to provide financial literacy will now be available to the Ardmore community and surrounding areas. When proven successful, we look forward to replicating the process elsewhere in the future." The nonprofit facility is now open for scheduling appointments to assist Ardmore and other local municipalities with multiple consumer credit assistance options. For more information, please visit www.transformanceusa.org or call (580) 263-2227. About Transformance, Inc. In 2015, the agency will have delivered more than 125,000 consumer interactions through financial counseling, outreach and education. In 2016, the agency expects to serve up to 1 million low and moderate income families with transformative financial learning solutions accessible online and through a new mobile app. Story continues Since its founding in 1974 as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, the agency has empowered clients to overcome adversity and attain their financial goals. Services include credit/budget counseling, financial education, housing counseling, individual debt management and bankruptcy counseling. Transformance will: - Provide a national nonprofit resource dedicated to confidential and professional counseling to assist financially distressed or economically vulnerable families - Develop and foster community educational programs on family money management, budgeting and the wise use of money and credit - Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with the credit community, employee assistance programs, professional counselors and community-based social service agencies - Provide opportunities for economic empowerment of low and moderate income families and with a particular focus on at-risk communities such as seniors, military families, veterans, communities of color and single, female-headed households - Enable good financial knowledge early in life through its focus on education of students (K -12) and their parents through agency strategic partnerships Transformance, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974, and is a United Way Service Provider as well as a HUD-approved multistate housing counseling and education organization. The agency is formally accredited every four years by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Families (COA) to ensure compliance with top industry standards and best practices. The agency has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, with satellite offices in Arlington; Austin; Amarillo; Ardmore, Oklahoma; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. To read more about Transformance, Inc., or for an annual report, visit http://www.transformanceusa.org. Transformance Media Contact: Jeffrey Cheatham Senior Account Manager TrizCom PR Office: 972-247-1369 Mobile: 972-961-6171 jeffc@trizcom.com SOURCE: Transformance, Inc. In a move that is sure to draw ire on the presidential campaign trail, Ford (NYSE:F) on Tuesday announced that it will be adding a new assembly plant in Mexico. The Detroit automaker said it will invest $1.6 billion into the facility and create 2,800 jobs by 2020, with construction expected to begin this summer. Ford's expansion in Mexico has been expected for months, causing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to repeatedly hammer the automaker. "This transaction is an absolute disgrace. Our dishonest politicians and the special interests that control them are laughing in the face of all American citizens," said Trump in a statement released after Ford's announcement on Tuesday. "When I am president, we will strongly enforce trade rules against unfair foreign subsidies, and impose countervailing duties to prevent egregious instances of outsourcing." Trump went on to call for renegotiating NAFTA "to create a fair deal for American workers." Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford of the Americas, told CNBC that the new plant does not mean Ford is moving jobs out of the U.S. "We're proud to be an American company," he told CNBC. "We've invested $10.2 billion here in the U.S. over the last five years and that commitment won't change even as we expand around the world." The Mexican plant, in San Luis Potosi state, will build small cars that will be exported for sale in the U.S. and other countries, though the automaker has not decided which vehicles will be built there. The company already has two final assembly plants and one engine plant in Mexico. It has a total of 8,800 employees there, compared with 85,000 in the U.S. In response to Tuesday's announcement, Dennis Williams, president of the United Auto Workers, said, "Today's announcement that Ford is investing in Mexico is a disappointment and very troubling. For every investment in Mexico it means jobs that could have and should have been available right here in the USA." Story continues The Ford announcement comes the same day as the primary in Wisconsin, a blue-collar state that has lost manufacturing jobs including many in the auto industry. Overall, 36 percent of Ford's production is in the United States and just 6 percent is in Mexico, according to IHS Automotive. Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com . CNBC's Krysia Lenzo contributed to this report. More From CNBC Tonight is a turning point, an exultant Ted Cruz declared in his victory speech on Tuesday night after a blowout win in the Wisconsin primary over Donald Trump. Tonight, Wisconsin has lit a candle guiding the way forward, Cruz continued. Tonight is about unity, and tonight is about hope. Cruz can be forgiven for his enthusiasm, but the race is far from over, and hope and unity for the GOP are still a long way off perhaps months off, and thats if Cruz gets lucky. The race in Wisconsin shifted delegates expected to land in Trumps column to Cruz, but only a relative pittance in the larger context of convention math. Trump still has a big lead, and while his path to an outright nomination just darkened somewhat, it still looks brighter than the path ahead for Cruz. Related: Trump VotersCut Trump Loose Se He Can Shake Up the Country In order to win the GOPs presidential nomination on the first ballot at the convention in Cleveland, a candidate has to win a majority of the delegates 1,237 if all vote on the first round. Most of the delegates will come to Cleveland bound to a particular candidate for the initial vote, although a significant number will be free agents. Trump will have to win roughly 62 percent of the remaining delegates in order to reach that number and keep the Republican convention from getting to a second ballot, or convince enough of the free agents to make up the difference. Thats a tall order, but Cruz would have to win around 90 percent of the delegates left in the upcoming primaries to win the nomination on the first ballot. With New York the next big primary event and Trump maintaining polling leads of around 30 points, any possibility of Cruz achieving unity before a contested convention is all but theoretical. Still, Cruz could be correct that the Wisconsin primary provided a turning point in the GOP primaries if unbound delegates and voters in subsequent GOP contests paid attention to the entire arc of the primary fight in the Badger State. It provides not just a look at shifting momentum in the race, but also a cautionary tale for those considering Trump as the Republican Party leader in the general election. The collapse of the Trump campaign in Wisconsin should give significant pause to that impulse. Story continues Related: Here's Who Wall Street Thinks Will Win in November Less than eight weeks ago, polling showed Wisconsin solidly as Trump territory. Polling in January from the Marquette Law School, generally considered the gold standard in Wisconsin, put Trump up by six points over Marco Rubio and eight points over Cruz, 24/18/16. Four weeks later, the same pollster put Trump up ten points over Rubio and eleven over Cruz, 30/20/19, as the first Super Tuesday approached at the beginning of March. Trump dominated both the March 1 and March 15th Super Tuesdays, laying claim to significant momentum before the two-week open schedule prior to Wisconsins primary. What happened to Trump in those two weeks? He repeatedly shot himself in the foot with intemperate remarks and strange arguments. He attacked Scott Walker for not cooperating with Democrats to raise taxes and spending in an attempt to win Republican votes. He then fumbled an abortion question in a manner not seen since Todd Akin, saying he would punish women who had an abortion, prompting pro-life groups around the country to denounce Trump. He ended up retreating from both, an unusual occurrence for Trump and one that at least implicitly acknowledged serious errors. Exit polling showed just how damaging those errors turned out to be. Cruz not only edged Trump among independents (40/39), but also defeated Trump by 22 points (54/32) among self-identified Republican voters in Wisconsins open primary. Cruz won both men and women by double digits, and won every education demographic. Trumps big advantage among white working-class voters evaporated, with Cruz winning every income demo. Among evangelical Christians, where Trump had been competitive until his abortion fumble, Cruz won 53 percent -- and Trump only got 34 percent. Related: Heres the Map That Shows Why the GOP Is Freaking Out About Trump It only took two weeks for Trump to demolish what looked like a lock in Wisconsin. His campaign spent weeks in Wisconsin, and yet did nothing to learn what voters there think or what they want in a nominee. Trumps fortnight was a disaster of his own making, and a glimpse of the high risk a Trump general election candidacy would provide the GOP. That risk might be tolerable if Trump gave an indication that he recognized the problem. In his statement after the loss, however, Trump instead railed about having to endure an onslaught of negative advertising and hostile media. Just what does Trump expect to find in the general election if he wins the nomination? If Trump folds only because of negative advertising and hostile media, that alone should have unbound delegates thinking twice about a Trump nomination, especially with Hillary Clinton and a mainstream media already hostile to Republicans waiting after the conventions. Trumps spectacular collapse from 10 points up to a 16-point loss in just three weeks is lesson enough for Republicans. Loose cannons might hit their marks on occasion, but their recoil damages everyone in their proximity. If Republicans want to win the White House and hold the House and Senate, they need a nominee with much better aim and discipline. If the Wisconsin loss reminds delegates and the voters still left to participate of this truth, then it will be a turning point indeed. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: A magnifying glass is held in front of a computer screen in this picture illustration taken in Berlin May 21, 2013. REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski By Can Sezer ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey is investigating how hackers have posted online the identity data of some 50 million Turks, including what they said were details about the president and prime minister, after what is believed to be the biggest data breach seen in the country. While no group has taken credit for uploading the data to a website called the Turkish Citizenship Database, the comments posted suggest Turkey may be a target of political hackers. The 1.5 gigabyte compressed file contains the national identity number, date of birth and full address for 49.6 million Turks, according to the website, or around two thirds of the population. The website said it included the ID information of President Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and former president Abdullah Gul and taunted the president. "Who would have imagined that backward ideologies, cronyism and rising religious extremism in Turkey would lead to a crumbling and vulnerable technical infrastructure?" the website says. "Do something about Erdogan! He is destroying your country beyond recognition." An official at Ankara's chief prosecutor's office said on Wednesday it was investigating the breach, but declined to give further details. The number of Turkish citizens affected was roughly the same size as the entire electorate, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters. "How and from where this was leaked needs to be looked into," he said. "I believe the necessary investigations - both administrative and judicial - have been launched and whatever is necessary will be done." OFFICIAL FILES Tuncay Besikci, a computer forensics expert at auditing and consultancy firm PwC, confirmed to Reuters the file contained ID numbers and personally identifiable information of at least 46 million citizens. Transport and Communication Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday the breach appeared to date back to at least 2010. It is not clear when the file was first uploaded, although reports of it surfaced in local media this week. Story continues He said the data was from electoral records that the state shares with political parties before elections. However, Besikci, the computer expert, said he believed the data was taken from the government's official Population Governance Central Database in or around 2009 and later illegally sold on to firms that dealt in asset foreclosures. In December, Turkish Internet servers suffered one of the most intense cyberattacks seen in the country, raising fears Ankara may have been a target of political hackers. The December hacking involved a flood of disruptive traffic, known as a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack, where computers target specific Internet sites, resulting in web speeds plummeting. Under Erdogan, Turkey has a taken a tough stance on social media sites. Turkey has blocked access to sites such as Twitter, often due to images or other content being shared. Last month an Ankara court ordered a ban on access to both Twitter and Facebook after images from a car bombing in the capital were shared. (Story refiled fixing typo in first paragraph) (Additional reporting and writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by David Dolan and Alison Williams) Trading information for Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc. is displayed on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) said on Thursday its lenders had agreed to give it an extra month to file its annual report, providing breathing room for the embattled drugmaker as it tries to win back investor confidence. The extension provides relief if Valeant is unable to file its annual report by April 29 - a deadline the company reiterated it intended to meet. The company missed an original March 15 deadline, blaming an in-house review of its accounting practices. Valeant last week said it risked defaulting on its $30 billion debt if it missed the April 29 deadline, raising further questions about the company after a string of controversies, including U.S. government scrutiny of its drug price hikes and former ties to a specialty pharmacy. Valeant said its lenders had agreed to a May 31 deadline to lodge the report. "The company is comfortable with its current liquidity position and cash flow generation for the rest of the year, and remains well positioned to meet its obligations," Valeant said, repeating a statement it made last week. The amendment to the company's credit agreement also allows it to extend the filing deadline for its first-quarter report to July 31 from June 14. The deal with its lenders requires Valeant to apply substantially all net asset sale proceeds to prepay its term loans. The agreement also waives the cross-default to indentures that arose when the annual report was not filed in March. Investors in Valeants loans agreed to the changes after the company on Tuesday boosted the interest rate on the debt, agreeing to pay an extra one percentage point, according to three sources familiar with the terms who are not authorized to discuss them publicly. The rate is locked in for a year. The rate will then be subject to the companys debt compared with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), or leverage. Valeant was not immediately available for comment on the terms. Story continues Valeant said on Tuesday that the committee, which was probing the company's ties to specialty drug distributor Philidor, had completed its review and had not found anything that would require additional restatements. Up to Wednesday's U.S. close, Valeant's stock had risen almost 30 percent in two days, helped by that news as well as a comment by key shareholder and board member William Ackman that a new chief executive could be appointed within weeks. Shares of Valeant were up 4.06 percent at $35.56 in late afternoon trading. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru and Kristen Haunss in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr and Andrew Hay) Top Movers in the Technology Sector in the Trailing 5-Day Period (Continued from Prior Part) Groupon will receive an investment E-commerce firm Groupon (GRPN) announced that it will receive an investment of $250 million from private investment company Atairos. Atairos is a company that focuses on growth-oriented businesses. The firms CEO, Michal Angelakis, will join Groupons board of directors as part of the arrangement. Atairos is backed by Comcast (CMCSA). It committed $4 billion to the private investment firm when the latter launched in early 2016. The potential in combining Groupons local expertise with Comcasts vast subscriber and advertiser network is something we look forward to closely exploring together, Comcasts president and CEO Neil Smit said. Comcast accounts for 6% of the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY). Investment represents 6% of Groupon Atairos will purchase convertible debt worth $250 million in Groupon. Groupon stated that the money will be used for general corporate purposes. This includes share buybacks. Groupon approved a $200 million increase in its share repurchase program. It has been extended to April 2018. Since its initial public offering in November 2011, Groupon had several setbacks. It laid off ~1,100 employees10% of the total workforcesince September 2015. It closed operations in seven countries. In November 2015, Eric LefkofskyGroupons co-founderstepped down as the CEO. He became the board chairman. He was replaced by Rich Williams. Shares of other tech firms like Stratasys (SSYS), Rackspace, and Twitter (TWTR) rose 8%, 7.8%, and 6.8%, respectively, in the trailing five-day period. Browse this series on Market Realist: How Is Petrobras Handling Hard Times? (Continued from Prior Part) Production from Petrobrass upstream segment Petrobras (PBR) produced 2.8 MMboepd (million barrels of oil equivalent per day) in 2015 from its worldwide operations. It is essential to consider that of the total production, 2.6 MMboepd, or 93%, is from Brazilian operations. Petrobrass production mix Liquids account for 2.2 MMboepd, or 80%, of Petrobrass total production. Petrobrass liquids production rose in 2015 by 5% over 2014. The rise in liquids production was led by ramp-ups in the Roncador field, Parque das Baleias, and existing FPSOs (floating production, storage, and offloading unit). Plus, new FPSOs like Cidade de Itaguai and P-61 started operations, which partially offset the natural decline in existing fields. Similarly, in 2015, natural gas production saw a sharper rise by 10% over 2014. Petrobras peers like Suncor Energy (SU), Total SA (TOT), and Statoil (STO) have a higher proportion of liquids compared to natural gas in their production mix. The iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC) has ~57% exposure to integrated energy sector stocks. Petrobrass upstream portfolio Petrobras (PBR) plans to increase its liquids production to 2.8 MMbpd by 2020. It has a series of new projects to add to the existing production to offset the natural declines in mature fields. In 2015, Petrobras began operations in its Papa-Terra field and its Iracema Norte field in the first and third quarter, respectively. Petrobras expects the Lula Alto and Lula Central fields to start operation in 1H16. Plus, Lapa and PLD Libra are expected to start production in 2H16. Going forward, in 2017, 2018, and 2019, Petrobras has ~16 new projects starting production. The new projects starting from 2015 to 2020 are expected to contribute 1.4 MMboepd, half of total projected liquid production in 2020. Plus, on adding the estimated natural gas production, Petrobras expects its total production to rise to 3.7 MMboepd by 2020. Story continues Thus, with a strong upstream portfolio in a scenario of rising oil prices, Petrobras will witness improvement in its upstream segment earnings. Rising oil prices should also ensure that Petrobras (PBR) wont have to take any more impairment losses in its vast upstream portfolio. In the next part, we will discuss Petrobrass refining segment. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: Asia Pacific Mutual Funds: A 9-Fund Comparison for 1Q16 (Continued from Prior Part) Parnassus Asia Fund overview In this article, well outline the performance of the Parnassus Asia Fund Investor Shares (PAFSX), which is the class available for retail investors. As of February 2016, the fund was managing assets worth ~$10 million, making it the smallest fund in this review by asset size. As of December 2015, the fund was invested in 34 holdings including stocks of companies like Air Lease Corporation (AL), Qualcomm (QCOM), Expeditors International of Washington (EXPD), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM). Parnassus Asia Funds returns From a purely net asset value return standpoint, PAFSX was firmly at the bottom of its peer group both for the one-year period ending March 31, 2016, and for 1Q16. When we refer to the peer group, we mean the group of nine funds chosen for this review. As a benchmark for all funds in this review, well look at the metrics of the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index. Although not all funds use this index as their benchmark, well use this index across this series for parity. For comparison, well use two combinations of ETFs that provide exposure to stocks from the region. The first group consists of the Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF (VPL) and the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO), and the second group consists of the iShares Core MSCI Pacific ETF (IPAC) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM). Quantitative metrics of the Parnassus Asia Fund For the one-year period ending in March 2016, the standard deviation for PAFSX stood at 15%. This was much lower than both the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Indexs standard deviation of 17.8% and the arithmetic average (16.8%) of the standard deviation of all funds in this review. Its returns were the least volatile among its peer group. The Sharpe ratio for PAFSX was negative both in the one-year period ending in March 2016 and in 1Q16. The information ratio shows the consistency of fund managers and measures their ability to generate excess returns over a benchmark. Considering the MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index as the benchmark, the information ratio of PAFSX was negative for the one-year period ending in March 2016, making it one of only two funds to have a negative ratio. Evaluating a negative information ratio may be erroneous, so we wont do so here. Story continues Investor takeaway All quantitative metrics of PAFSX across various periods are red flags. The fund failed to generate alpha during 2015 when every other fund did so, and it is one of three funds whose alpha was negative for 1Q16. The only thing in favor of the fund is its low volatility in terms of returns. Despite having the lowest volatility among its peers, the fund has failed to impress us. In the next part of this series, well look at the Invesco Pacific Growth Fund Class A (TGRAX). Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: El Chapo Guzman Documents from global law firm Mossack Fonseca leaked to journalists have linked the firm to two alleged money launderers and drug traffickers tied to notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The two people in question Marllory Chacon Rossell and Jorge Milton Cifuentes have been linked to illegal activities led by Guzman, who escaped from a Mexican prison but was recaptured in January. Business Insider has not seen the leaked documents at issue, which were part of a massive trove of financial records revealing the offshore holdings of public officials, businesspeople, and other celebrities. Chacon, according to Univision, was accused of being the most active money launderer in Guatemala and of leading a cell of Guzman's Sinaloa cartel. The documents have revealed the involvement of Chacon in an offshore company set up by the law firm. From late 2009 to 2010, Chacon was the president of a company called Broadway Commerce Inc., which was created by Mossack Fonseca. Over that same period, she laundered $4 million in drug proceeds in Central America, according to US authorities. While allegations of her criminal activities were not public knowledge at the time, Univision notes that "a simple investigation" would have led the law firm to the questionable histories of two of her business partners. One of those partners confessed to drug trafficking and another was investigated for alleged financial misdeeds, according to Univision. Chacon was later accused of illegal activities by US authorities. A grand jury in Florida filed an indictment accusing her of trafficking in August 2011, according to Univision. The following year the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) put her on its "black list" of suspected narcotraffickers. Story continues She was "one of the most prolific narcotics traffickers in Central America," according to a Treasury statement cited by the BBC. Marllory Chacon Rossell drug trafficking Chacon turned herself in to US authorities in September 2014 and pleaded guilty to drug-trafficking charges in December that year, according to InSight Crime. She was sentenced in May 2015, reportedly receiving leniency for cooperating with authorities, according to McClatchy. In addition to Chacon, Jorge Milton Cifuentes, a Colombian trafficker with extensive ties to Guzman's Sinaloa cartel, also had dealings with the law firm, according to Mexican news site Aristegui Noticias and Mexico City-based magazine Proceso, both of which saw the leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca. In 2007, Mossack Fonseca created a company that it later dissolved after OFAC connected it with Cifuentes, according to the Spanish news agency EFE. Cifuentes, who was charged in the US, was the head of a Colombian family with deep ties to drug trafficking in that country. According to a US indictment, between 2003 and 2008 Guzman and the Cifuentes family made agreements to produce, transport, and distribute cocaine. Cifuentes Villa clan org chart USDOJ Between 2008 and 2011, Cifuentes "most likely has obtained and imported over 31,000 kilograms [68,343 pounds] of cocaine to the United States, and is purportedly the primary source of ... cocaine for the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico," according to the US State Department. NOW WATCH: There's a terrifying reason why people are warned to stay inside at 5:45 p.m. in parts of Mexico More From Business Insider Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank, Roberto Azevedo, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Angel Gurria, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (L-2nd R) attend a news conference following a meeting of the heads of international economy and finance organizations at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, April 5, 2016. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - Growth in world trade will come to 2.8 percent this year, lower than a previous forecast of 3.9 percent, the World Trade Organization forecast on Thursday. It expects trade to rise to 3.6 percent in 2017, breaking through 3.0 percent for the first time in six years. Its forecasts are based on economic growth of 2.4 percent in 2016 and 2.7 percent in 2017. Over the past five years, the WTO has regularly revised preliminary estimates downwards because of overly optimistic predictions of economic recovery. Since the financial crisis, trade has grown roughly in line with global economic growth, rather than twice as fast in the years before the crisis. Risks to its latest forecasts were still mostly on the downside, including a sharper than expected slowing of China's economy, worsening financial market volatility and exposure of countries with large foreign debts to sharp exchange rate movements. "However, there is also some limited scope for upside potential, if monetary policy which is already in place succeeds in lifting the euro area," WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo told a news conference. Global goods trade grew by 2.8 percent in 2015, based on volume, but in value terms exports slumped by 13.5 percent as a rising dollar and collapsing commodity prices hammered the value of exports in every region. The value of services exports also fell, by 6.4 percent, although that too was exacerbated by the commodities slowdown, as dry bulk cargo shipping prices fell to record lows. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who has four children with President Zuma, is a leading candidate to take office as president at the 2019 general election (AFP Photo/Filippo Monteforte) Johannesburg (AFP) - With South African President Jacob Zuma facing growing calls to resign over a series of corruption scandals, attention is turning to one potential contender to succeed him -- his former wife. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 67, is a long-standing heavyweight in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, holding several ministerial positions since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. Confirmation last week that Dlamini-Zuma will not run for re-election as head of the African Union (AU) Commission fuelled rumours that she may position herself for a shot at the top job back home. Her high-profile term running the executive branch of the AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, comes to an end in July after four years in the international spotlight. "There is no doubt that some behind-doors lobbying on her behalf is already underway," Mcebisi Ndletyana, associate professor of political science at the University of Johannesburg, told AFP. After failing in their bid to impeach him this week, Zuma's opponents now hope to prosecute him on graft charges after he leaves office, and the advantages of having his ex-wife -- with whom he remains on good terms -- succeeding him are clear. "It may provide a bit of comfort, because I don't think that she would like to see the father of her children jailed," Ndletyana said. But Dlamini-Zuma's name recognition also presents a dilemma to the ANC, where some factions want a clean break from her ex-husband's tarnished reign. "Although she is an accomplished politician, those who are opposed to Zuma may not be too happy with another Zuma taking over," Ndletyana said. The ANC normally puts forward its party leader as the presidential candidate, so Dlamini-Zuma would first have to climb her way to the summit of the party in order to succeed. If she does make a bid for power, her big moment would be the ANC's elective conference next year where the new party president will be chosen and lobbying for positions is likely to be a bruising exercise. Story continues - 'A real possibility'? - Mavuso Msimang, a former senior official under Dlamini-Zuma when she was minister for home affairs, described her as "an extremely intelligent person". "It's a real possibility that she would become president," Msimang told AFP. He said she should be "considered on the merit of her experience in the ANC" over years of service. "I don't think she would continue the legacy of her former husband," said Msimang, who added that he was in favour of a female president. A medical doctor by training, Dlamini-Zuma, like her polygamist ex-husband, hails from the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The couple met in exile in Swaziland, during the depths of the apartheid era. In 1972, Dlamini-Zuma became Zuma's second wife and the couple went on to have four children. They divorced in 1998 but still enjoy good relations, often shaking hands and hugging in public at ANC events or government conferences. Dlamini-Zuma boasts anti-apartheid struggle credentials as an underground member of the ANC when it was still banned. She went on to become democratic South Africa's first health minister between 1994-1999, appointed by Nelson Mandela. Mandela successor, Thabo Mbeki, put her in charge of foreign affairs, where she worked to implement his much-derided "quiet diplomacy" with neighbouring Zimbabwe as it sank into a deep crisis under President Robert Mugabe. In Zuma's administration, she served as home minister, where she was credited with limited reforms to a department mired in bureaucracy and corruption before she took the African Union Commission posting in 2012. The soft-spoken Dlamini-Zuma is a loyal ANC member and is seen as relatively scandal-free after being out of domestic politics during the turmoil of recent years. But she appears to lacks the easy charm and common touch that her former husband has used so effectively to shore up support, and she still must overcome widespread prejudice over her gender. The ANC in its 104 years of existence has never had a female leader. In any leadership bid, her main rival will be Zuma's deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, a business tycoon and former trade unionist who is the second-in-command in the ANC. Zuma's term as ANC leader is set to end in 2017. Under the constitution he must stand down as state president after serving a maximum two terms that end in 2019. 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . 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. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, April 7 (CNA) Premier-designate Lin Chuan () said Thursday he announced the appointment of Lin Tsou-yen () as Taiwan's next minister of health and welfare ahead of other ministers in hopes that he can get invited to the World Health Assembly (WHA), which will meet May 23-28 in Geneva. I have waited a long time for good news such as this, a very long time as a matter of fact, i know all about agencies,boards,commissions which are created under certain governments,placed simply these creations are not always what one may think they are,and more so who and what they repersent is questionable,the publics confidence may be mislead by such design. for example but not exclusive,is the wh ore Commission,yes Commission or something like that being the grandaddy of sculpuring a design which serves the public with little interest. Public compaints commission against the RCMP,not sure what it is like now,but in the old days,this Commission was so very useless.It was a Commission of mixed up proportions,the lowest of lowest when repersenting the Canadian public and more so the Officers they serve.My information auditing journey was to explore how could something intended to be so good, could be so very bad,in conclusion the whole auditing experience was interesting and self explanatary. I was disgusted. thanks for the good news. More than 1,000 people arrested in large groups and held in "inhumane conditions" at a makeshift detention centre during the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto won the right to proceed with two class-action lawsuits against police authorities Wednesday.The Ontario Court of Appeal approved the two class actions over "kettling" confining scores of people at downtown Toronto intersections for several hours and alleged civil rights abuses that occurred nearly six years ago during the three-day global summit.The court's decision emphasizes that police cannot arrest a group of civilians "as a way of 'fishing' for particular individuals." It also highlights the role these class actions would play in forcing police behaviour to change."There have been non-binding recommendations before but now we have binding legal process, which can actually make changes happen," counsel Kent Elson told CBC News.The lawsuits allege people were mass-arrested indiscriminately and held in "inhumane conditions" at a detention centre located inside an unused film studio on Eastern Avenue."What happened to them was terrible. They were arrested without cause," Elson said. "That shouldn't happen in a democratic country like ours."These are the first class actions involving group arrests to be certified in the province.I'd like a kettle of Canadians, please, and a side of poutine. On a Monday night in June 2014, a roiling sky of murky, swirling clouds descended in the form of a double vortex onto the small town of Pilger, NE. Minutes later, the twin tornadoes transformed the town of approximately 350 people into a splintered mess of dozens of shattered homes, including a leveled fire station. One crucial piece of information that any first responder recognizes in the prior statement, comes from the sentences final three word: leveled fire station. The tornadoes swept away the towns emergency resources, hindering the very individuals trained to react in such a disaster, an act akin to wiping out a persons immune system. If downed power lines or shredded gas pipes ignited after the storms had passed, the residents of any town or city, small or large, experiencing the same situation, would be on their own until assistance arrived. Other examples, like Hurricane Katrina and the multi-vortex tornadoes that hit Joplin, MO in 2011, should remind us that outside assistance like the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot react instantaneously to natural or man-made disasters. Despite excellent training and capability, personnel of such agencies, cannot react instantaneously. It takes planning and mobilization; and depending on the size of the disaster, and the extent of damage to infrastructure like roads and airports, it may take careful navigation through devastated areas that are next to impossible to access. Even then, because manmade landmarks may be damaged beyond recognition, or vanished altogether, finding a specific location becomes extremely difficult. In the case of Joplin, the area that was leveled was so expansive and complete, that the city was unrecognizable and even the residents who lived in the area felt lost, Terry Miller, Emergency Manager of Saunders County explained. In those cases, the very citizens left among the rubble become the first responders. They need to realize that they may have to administer first aid, Saunders County Emergency Manager Terry Miller said. It is for that reason that Miller, in cooperation with the Cedar Bluffs Fire Department is hosting the first, of hopefully several, Saunders County open community forums on Citizens Roles and Responsibilities in a Disaster. The first forum will take place on April 13th at 7 pm in the Cedar Bluffs City Auditorium at 106 West Main Street. Miller described the event as an open community forum that will focus on four areas of emergency response: Awareness, preparation, mitigation and response/recovery. Also present at the event, specialists from other organizations like the Red Cross will speak to the responsibility and awareness of citizens, not just the emergency responders. Miller emphasized that people need to realize that a disaster can last quite a few days or weeks; and we (emergency responders) can be stretched thin. Benke pointed out that every disaster is different and the when assistance is required, responders such as the Cedar bluffs or Fremont Fire departments will look to county and state emergency agencies. And that starts to open up doors that are bigger than the doors we have, Benke said. But all that takes time. He further emphasized those lag times between the disaster event and the interventions of larger governmental responders like FEMA or the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency take time. Once we educate people of the time frames youre looking at, my hope is that they will all go home and start preparing plans and supplies they need, Benke said. Miller and Rob Benke, the Cedar Bluffs fire chief both emphasize that disaster does not only mean a tornado. The awareness preparedness is not just for weather-related situations, Benke said. In a constantly evolving world disasters can be natural, such as weather related events, diseases or earthquakes; or they can be man-made, such as chemical spills, infrastructure failures like large scale power outages in the middle of winter or terrorism. For any type of disaster, the emergency responders of any city have only so many resources, Benke explained. Those responders can be the best trained and most capable professionals around, but a large-scale disaster will stretch the resources of any agency and thus the responders to their limits. In the case of large-scale disasters, the kind that spread destructive consequences across an entire city or community all at once, its difficult for any emergency agency to possess enough personnel to cover an entire disaster area. That is especially true when emergency resources, like vehicles, might be damaged and left inoperable by the same disaster. People may have to take care of themselves for a time, Benke said. Even businesses like department stores need to have a contingency plan; because once a disaster strikes, the time to prepare has slipped away; and depending on the extent of the damage and size of the area effected, the arrival of assistance may take time. For Miller, one of the incentives driving him to provide an event like the one next week in Cedar Bluffs, comes from the many what if calls he has received. Miller said, Ive gotten numerous calls from mayors and public officials as to what if this (any type of disaster) happens here? Do we have the resources? He added that resources doesnt just include vehicles, equipment and trained personnel, but also includes a strong volunteer base. Relying on mutual aid from the neighboring towns, as well as from neighbors is extremely important, Miller said. Next Wednesdays event aims to offer the type of education that prepares community members to be ready. Air India started new services between Vienna and Delhi in cooperation with Austrian Airlines. The new route was officially inaugurated yesterday, April 6th 2016. We are extremely pleased to be able to expand our long-haul offering from Vienna with Air India. This step clearly shows once again that our Star Alliance partners will continue to rely on Vienna as a flight hub in the future states Julian Jager, Member of the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG. "Air India is excited about its new non-stop flight between Vienna and Delhi on a Dreamliner aircraft. It offers a lovely option to travel to India and onward to destinations such as Bangkok, Kathmandu, Colombo, Sydney, Melbourne and more. We wish that air travelers from Central and Eastern Europe, when flying to the above-mentioned places, will choose Air India for their travel with Vienna serving as their gateway. We look forward to welcoming them with a 'Namaskaar', traditional Indian greeting," says Pankaj Srivastava, Commercial Director and Member of the Board of Air India. Air India operates a Boeing Dreamliner 787-800 on flights taking off from Delhi on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and landing at 6:45 p.m. in Vienna. The return flight departs from Vienna at 10:45 p.m. and arrives in Delhi at 9:25 a.m. on the next day. Monarch, a leading UK independent airline group, appoints APG as the General Sales Agent in Israel and APG will be providing full sales and marketing services as well as call center facilities. Flying from 5 UK bases, London, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds-Bradford and Luton where it is headquartered; the airline offers 7 million sector seats to leisure destinations. The tour operating division offers package holidays across the airlines scheduled network focusing on beach, city and ski breaks. The group employs approximately 2,8000 people and has a fleet of 34 aircrafts. Monarch launched two new holiday destinations in Israel from Luton airport in December 2015; Tel Aviv with an all year round service and Eilat during the winter months. Monarch is introducing a new service from Manchester to Tel Aviv on 19 April. Newlink Group, an internationally recognized consulting firm, announced the continued growth of its Tourism practice with the most recent addition of Amadeus IT Group to its roster of impressive clients within the category. Amadeus, the leading technology provider for the global travel industry, appointed Newlink this month to handle public relations in key markets in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Newlinks role is to provide strategic communications services for Amadeus in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, among others. With the goal of amplifying the companys share of voice and reputation in the region, Newlink will support with efforts geared towards the media, industry sector and consumer. Newlinks vast experience in the travel industry, regional coordination capabilities and experience with travel tech clients made them the ideal partner for Amadeus, explained Andre Shirai, Marketing and Product Director for Amadeus in Latin America. We are pleased to have them as part of our global agency network to support these priority markets for the company, he added. With offices in several key markets, a wealth of knowledge of the Latin American region and vast experience in the travel and tourism industry, Newlink is delighted to work with Amadeus in strengthening its positioning as an innovative leading IT company in the industry, said Sergio Roitberg, CEO of Newlink. Our Tourism practice leader, Teresa Villarreal, is an industry veteran who has collaborated with numerous clients leading to various success stories. On March 7, 2016 in celebration of its 18 years, Newlink underwent a rebranding and launched its new website. The agency also recently welcomed Cynthia McFarlane as Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Partner. DES MOINES -- A bipartisan call Wednesday to address water-quality concerns with a constitutionally protected sales tax increase approved by Iowa voters in 2010 was met with skepticism from Gov. Terry Branstad, who said he doubted there was legislative support to approve that approach this session. Sen. David Johnson, R-Ocheyedan, took to the Iowa Senate floor seeking courage and leadership from legislators in an election-year session to enact a voter-authorized three-eighths of a penny boost in the state sales tax to generate revenue for environmental, conservation and recreational projects that would protect and improve Iowas natural resources. Johnson dismissed water-quality plans put forward by the governor and Iowa House members as shell games that offer a temporary fix but fall short of a permanent, constitutionally protected trust fund that cannot be altered by future Legislatures or governors. Speaking directly to the people of Iowa who might be watching the live stream of Wednesdays Senate proceedings, Johnson said: You are being stiffed. You are being robbed. Your votes are being stolen again by elected officials ignoring a funding mechanism ratified by 63 percent of 2010 voters, he said. Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said Johnson was right on all counts, noting that Iowans voted to finance the natural resources trust fund and have told legislators they dont support addressing water-quality concerns by siphoning money away from future school infrastructure needs as the governor has proposed. He said elected officials ought to respect the will of the people on both counts. Water quality is a critical issue that we have ignored for far too long in this state, Quirmbach said. The voters have told us how they want us to deal with this, how to come up with the money to help farmers and to help municipalities deal with this issue. However, Branstad who proposed a plan to shift a share of future school infrastructure sales tax revenue to water-quality needs said he offered the bold, comprehensive alternative to spur legislative action without raising taxes. Theres not support in the Legislature to deal with it, Branstad told reporters. If they wanted to, they could have done that last year or the year before or whatever. Theres not support to pass it. I think weve got an alternative thats going to provide funding between now and the year 2029. The Republican governor said he was hopeful the measure would pass the GOP-led Iowa House and get taken up by Democrats who control the Iowa Senate. I think we need to have a reliable source of funding beyond that and Im willing to work with the Legislature to deal with that. Lets at least do this this year and then come back and do additional things next year if need be, Branstad said. Were willing to consider the three-eighths cent going for natural resources as well as school infrastructure in the future. However, Johnson said the approaches put forward by the House and the governor just wont work and fail to provide the money needed to improve quality of life in Iowa that will keep young people in Iowa and attract outsiders looking for employment, education and recreational opportunities. Dont be fooled by the shell games going on elsewhere in this building, Johnson said during his floor speech. If we dont improve that quality of life, if we dont assure that quality of life, the 10-cent per gallon tax increase that we approved on our fuel taxes will do nothing but build a giant exit ramp out of this state. The need is immediate, he said. Lets lead, lets show some courage in the Iowa Senate and lets pass a dedicated tax to a dedicated, permanent constitutionally protected fund, Johnson added. IOWA FALLS The estate of an Iowa Falls man who was killed in a hail of gunfire during a 2014 standoff with authorities is taking the city, county and state police to court. Officers were called to Leighton Fitzs College Avenue home on the afternoon of April 17, 2014, because he was armed and suicidal. Fitz, 25, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, refused to obey officers commands, and he was shot when he reached for a weapon, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal investigation. Weeks after the shooting, the Iowa Attorney Generals Office said it found that the officers use of deadly force was justified and reasonable. But a lawsuit recently filed by Fitzs estate and his father, Charles Fitz, who is the estates administrator, alleges authorities could have used non-lethal methods to defuse the standoff. The shooters fired their weapons when they were in close proximity to Fitz, even though they and other officers had the opportunity to restrain Fitz by proper use of non-deadly police procedures and techniques, the suit states. The suit which alleges wrongful death, battery and violation of constitutional rights was filed on March 30 in Hardin County District Court, and on Tuesday the defense petitioned to move the matter to U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Defendants in the suit are the City of Iowa Falls, Hardin County, Iowa Department of Public Safety and Iowa Falls officers Bryce Knudsen, Joe Metz and Michael Liittschwager, State Troopers Jeremy Schaffer and Kyle Haack and Hardin County sheriffs Lt. Rod Stoner. Attorneys Gregory Racette, Chandler Maxon and Patrick Vint of Des Moines are representing the estate in the lawsuit. According to the suit, the officers confronted Fitz outside his home for about five minutes before the shooting started. In all, 68 rounds were fired. Fitz was struck 17 times and died at the scene.The suit claims that Fitz wasnt brandishing a weapon at the time, and two of the officers had been close enough to restrain Fitz. The lawsuit is seeking damages to include funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of support for five children and loss of consortium on behalf of his father. Fitz was a former Latimer resident and a CAL-Dows High School graduate. HELSINKI, Finland, April 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- M-Brain, the Finnish globally operating information services, technology and advisory company, expands its operations through the acquisition of Norwegian media monitoring and analysis company Opoint Holding. The acquisition includes Opoint's three subsidiaries in Norway, Sweden and Estonia. All of Opoint's shares are transferred into M-Brain's ownership. The transaction makes M-Brain the leading company in its field in the Nordics. - The acquisition supports our strategic goal to become market leader in our field in the Nordics and throughout the Baltics. Our aim is to further strengthen our position in the industry, comments M-Brain CEO Kim Nyberg. - The combined offering of M-Brain and Opoint will be unbeatable, comments Opoint CEO Terje Andersen. All of Opoint's roughly 150 employees will be transferred to M-Brain. Opoint's turnover in 2015 was approximately EUR 11 million. After the acquisition M-Brain will have operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Russia, France, Germany, UK, Canada, US, Brazil, China, Singapore and Malaysia. According to CEO Nyberg, the industry consists of several, different sized, but mostly smaller players. It must therefore be assumed that the industry's fast consolidation process continues. The digitalization is also continually advancing as a result of amongst others, changes in the traditional media field. At the same time, new intelligence companies specialised in social media continue to emerge as well as hybrid solutions, which combine eCommerce and Big Data. This development leads to the continuous creation of new information needs. The amount of information continues to grow, but the amount of relevant and analysed data doesn't In an ever evolving world, the need for relevant and analysed data for corporate decisions and management is all the more important. - Some 10 years ago, the challenge was simply to find information. Today, the challenge is the excessive amount of data, which continues to grow exponentially. What really is important is to find relevant information while saving time for the end user. The most effective way to manage this is by utilizing semantic Big Data technology combined with human intelligence. M-Brain has been one of the fore-runners when it comes to utilizing hybrid solutions in this industry, says Nyberg. - The problem companies are facing is that as much as 60 percent of information used for business purposes is historical data. Internal reports show what has worked in the past and what hasn't, but they don't tell what should be done right now and in the future, Nyberg says. Every year, the amount of stored data grows by about 28 percent, but the amount of analysed data grows only by six percent. Over half of organisations have difficulties in managing all the data they receive. "M-Brain's Big Data technology currently performs on average 21 billion automated relevance judgments of web material daily, out of which it filters roughly 150 000 pieces of information relevant to our client-base. This number is optimal for the size of our current client-base and increases with the number of clients", states CTO Kimmo Valtonen. "Out of this mass, the company's experts further refine about 10 000 pieces of relevant information daily to support out clients' decision-making." The role of M-Brain's Big Data technology is based on finding relevant information for our clients. This relevance is based upon automatic data analysis. M-Brain's analysts further refine this information according to the client's needs. At the same time, the system evolves through the involvement of human intelligence in the process, teaching the machine to continuously improve its source and content judgments. The media material handling technology developed by Opoint complements M-Brain's technology, making M-Brain also one of the leading technology providers in the industry. For further information, please contact: Kim Nyberg, CEO, M-Brain E-mail: kim.nyberg@m-brain.com Phone: +358 (0)400 430 538 Joakim Nyberg, CSO, M-Brain E-mail: joakim.nyberg@m-brain.com Phone: +358 (0)44 538 9227 M-Brain is a global information services company with offices in fourteen countries. Our services are based on a unique combination of our own proprietary big data technology and human intelligence. We offer media, business and market intelligence solutions, strategic analysis and advisory services, consultation services, as well as online intelligence tools and technology to bring true insight into our clients' business environment. Our solutions and services are tailored to serve varying business needs regardless of function, industry type or language barriers. For more information, please visit www.m-brain.com HUG#2001472 English Estonian Estonia, 2016-04-07 13:13 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the notice condition no 2 of the issuance of balance carried forward after profit distribution is 25,906,764 euros and condition no 4.1 reduce the share capital of AS Harju Elekter by EUR 1,241,791.60 Follows the corrected notice: Annual general meeting of Harju Elekter shareholders will be held on Thursday, 28 April 2016, beginning at 10 a.m., at venue of Keila Kultuurikeskus (address: Keskvaljak 12, Keila). The Supervisory Board of the Joint Stock Company Harju Elekter determined the following agenda of the general meeting: 1. Approval to AS Harju Elekter annual report of the year 2015. To approve the annual report of AS Harju Elekter of 2015, prepared by the management board and approved by the supervisory board, according to which the consolidated balance sheet total of AS Harju Elekter was 66,579 thousand euros as of 31.12.2015, while the sales revenue of the financial year was 60,656 thousand euros and net profit 3,186 thousand euros. 2. Approval to profit distribution. To approve the profit distribution proposal of AS Harju Elekter of 2015 as presented by the management board and as approved by the supervisory board as follows: retained profit from previous periods on 31.12.2015 23,626,972 euros total net profit of the financial year 3,190,578 euros total retained profit on 31.12.2015 26,817,550 euros Management boards proposal for the distribution of profit as follows: dividends (0,05 euros per share*) 886,994 euros increase of reserves 23,792 euros balance carried forward after profit distribution 25,906,764 euros The dividends will be paid to the shareholders on 17 May 2016 by a transfer to the bank account of the shareholder. * The shareholders registered in the shareholders registry on 12 May 2016 at 23.59 shall be entitled to dividend. 3. Introducing no par value shares and amendment of the articles of association 3.1 Introduce no par value shares. 3.1.1 In connection with introducing no par value shares, amend clauses 3.1, 3.2 and 11.3 of the articles of association of AS Harju Elekter and confirm their new wording as follows: 3.1 The minimum share capital of the company is EUR 5,000,000 (five million) and the maximum share capital is EUR 20,000,000 (twenty million). 3.2 The minimum number of no par value shares is 8,000,000 and the maximum number is 32,000,000. Each share grants one vote at the general meeting of shareholders. The company only has registered shares. The company only has one class of shares and these give the same rights to the shareholders. 11.3 The shareholders shall be paid a part of the profit (dividend) in accordance with the book value of their shares. 3.1.2 As a result of introducing a no par value share, AS Harju Elekter will have 17,739,880 no par value shares, whereas each share grants the shareholder one vote at the general meeting of shareholders. As a result of adopting the resolution specified in clause 3.1, the book value of an AS Harju Elekter share will be EUR 0.70. 3.2 Adjust the articles of association of AS Harju Elekter and approve its new wording as follows: 3.2.1 Exclude from the articles of association clauses 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.10, 2.1.11, 3.4, 3.5, 5.13 and 5.14. 3.2.2 Amend clauses 4.3, 5.2, 5.11 and 11.4 of the articles of association and approve these in a new wording as follows: 4.3 The shareholders shall be notified of the annual general meeting no later than three weeks in advance thereof. A notice of the general meeting shall be published in at least one national newspaper no later than three weeks prior to the general meeting. 5.2 The supervisory board consists of 3 (three) to 5 (five) members. The general meeting elects the members of the supervisory board for a term of 5 (five) years. The members of the supervisory board elect a chairman and, if necessary, a vice chairman from among themselves. 5.11 In the absence of the chairman of the supervisory board the chairman shall be replaced by the vice chairman or a supervisory board member authorised by the chairman. 11.4 Dividends may be paid on the basis of the approved annual report. The procedure for the payment of dividends shall be set out in a resolution of the general meeting. 3.2.3 Add the following clauses to the articles of association: 4.7 The shareholders may vote on the draft resolutions prepared in respect to the items on the agenda of a meeting of shareholders using electronic means prior to the meeting or during the meeting if it is specified in the notice convening the general meeting. The procedure for electronic voting shall be determined by the management board. The notice convening the general meeting shall specify whether electronic voting is possible and the manner for examining the procedure of electronic voting established by the management board. The shareholder who voted using electronic means shall be deemed to have taken part in the meeting and the votes represented by the shareholder's share shall be accounted as part of the quorum of the meeting unless otherwise provided by law. 5.4.9 Electing and removing the members of the bodies formed by the supervisory board and establishing the work procedure, unless otherwise provided by law. Introduce a no par value share and approve the new version of AS Harju Elekter articles of association together with the abovementioned changes. 4. Reduction of share capital Reduce the share capital of AS Harju Elekter after the entry into force of amendments to the Articles of Association on the following conditions: 4.1 Reduce the share capital of AS Harju Elekter by EUR 1,241,791.60, from EUR 12,417,916 to EUR 11,176,124.40; 4.2 The share capital will be reduced by decreasing the book value of the shares: as a result of reduction, the book value of AS Harju Elekter share will decrease to EUR 0.63, from EUR 0.70, the number of shares will remain the same (17,739,880) and the new amount of share capital will be EUR 11,176,124.40; 4.3 The share capital will be reduced by making monetary a payment to shareholders. Payments to the shareholders shall be made during the term prescribe by law; 4.4 The reason for reducing the share capital is the fact that AS Harju Elekter has no need at the moment or in the near future to own share capital within the registered amount; 4.5 The list of shareholders participating in the reduction of share capital shall be fixed as at 23.59 on 12 May 2016. The shareholders whose shares represent at least 1/20 of the share capital may request the inclusion of additional issues to the agenda of the general meeting, provided that the respective request has been submitted in writing no later than by 29 April 2015. The shareholders whose shares represent at least 1/20 of the share capital may submit a written draft of the resolution in respect to each item on the agenda no later than by 11 May 2015. More detailed information available on 287 of the Commercial Code (right of shareholder to information), 293 (2) (right to demand the inclusion of additional issues in the agenda) and 2931 (3) (obligation to submit simultaneously with the request on the modification of the agenda a draft of the resolution or substantiation) and 2931 (4) (right to submit a draft of the resolution in respect to each item on the agenda) about the rules and term of exercising these rights have been published on the homepage of AS Harju Elekter at www.harjuelekter.ee. The drafts of the resolutions and substantiations submitted by the shareholders will be published on the same homepage, if any are received. After the items on the agenda of the general meeting, including additional issues, have been discussed, the shareholders can ask for information from the management board about the activity of the public limited company. The annual report of 2015, agenda and proposals to the AGM of shareholders are available for preliminary examination in the Internet, companys home page or in Keila, 31 Paldiski Str. Questions about agenda items can be sent to the address yldkoosolek@he.ee. Questions, answers and the positions of the meeting will be published on the website. According to 297 (5) of the Commercial Code, the list of shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting will be fixed at 23.59 on 21.04.2016. Registration of the participants starts on 28 April 2016 at 9 a.m. Please submit the following documents to register the participants of the general meeting: a shareholder that is a natural person personal identification document; a representative of a shareholder that is a natural person personal identification document and a written letter of authorisation; a legal representative of a shareholder that is a legal person an extract of the relevant (commercial) register in which the legal person is registered, and the personal identification document of the representative; a transactional representative of a shareholder that is a legal person is also required to submit a written authorisation issued by the legal representative of the legal person in addition to the above listed documents. We ask the documents of a legal person registered in a foreign country to be legalised or having an apostil attached to the documents beforehand, unless specified otherwise in an international agreement. AS Harju Elekter may register a shareholder that is a legal person from a foreign country to the general meeting also in case all required information on the legal person and its representative are included in a notarised letter of authorisation issued in the foreign country and the respective letter of authorisation is accepted in Estonia. We ask you to present a passport or an ID-card as a personal identification document. A shareholder may inform of the appointment of a representative or withdrawal of an authorisation given to a representative before the general meeting by e-mail on yldkoosolek@he.ee or by submitting the mentioned document(s) on business days from 8.30 AM to 4 PM no later than by 27 April 2016 to the secretariat of AS Harju Elekter at Paldiski Str 31 (3rd floor) in Keila. Andres Allikmae Managing Director/CEO +372 6747 400 Prepared by: Moonika Vetevool Corporate communication and investor relations manager Tel: +372 671 2761 Lower East Siders and community leaders gathered outside 45 Rivington Street on Wednesday morning to protest its imminent conversion from a nursing home into 100 luxury condominium units, and demand that Mayor de Blasio compensate the neighborhood for what they perceive to be at best a massive governmental oversight, and at worst an example of real estate interests exploiting their connections to City Hall. Until the fall of 2015, 45 Rivington Street was under a deed restriction that required it remain a nonprofit residential healthcare facility "in perpetuity." The 118-year-old building on the corner of Forsyth Street served first as a public school, and then, for decades, as a nursing home for AIDS patients. That restriction was lifted in November 2015, so quietly that many local leaders say they knew nothing of it. Last December, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) confirmed to the Lo Down that the building's then-owners, a for-profit nursing home provider called Allure Group, had paid the city $16.15 million to lift the deed. In March, China Vanke Co., the largest real estate developer in China, closed a $116 million deal on the property with Slate Property Group and Adam America Real Estate. "The whole notion of a deed restriction is that a luxury housing developer doesn't swoop in and take the property away from the community," said Borough President Gale Brewer on Wednesday, noting a shortage of nursing home facilities in the LES. The Mayor could replace the 200 lost nursing home beds with a new community center, she argued, or new hospice, shelter, or supportive housing beds. Mayor de Blasio has denied that he was aware of any inter-agency agreements that facilitated lifting the deed restriction on 45 Rivington. According to Mayoral spokeswoman Karen Hinton, the lifting of such a restriction is only necessarily brought to the attention of the Mayor's Office of Contract Services general counsel, which signs off on such decisions in a "very pro forma way." According to Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, those with knowledge of the deal in the Mayor's office had been led to believe that the building would become a for-profit nursing home once it was out from under City-imposed restrictions. "The city was as disappointed as local residents to [learn] that the property would no longer provide needed health services," Austin Finan, a Mayoral spokseman, told the Wall Street Journal last month. De Blasio told reporters this week that, "If they [members of my administration] had informed me [of the agreement] I would've said 'don't do it.'" But Community Board 3 Chair Gigi Li said on Wednesday that she sent a letter to the Mayor on January 27th, after neighbors informed CB3 that they were being approached by developers on the street. 45 Rivington's previous owner, Village Care, had requested CB3's support in altering the deed restriction a year previous, so the locals were suspicious. "Our explicit request was that if a deed restriction had been lifted, every effort needed to be made to reverse it," Li said. "And that [45 Rivington] needs to remain a community facility." The letter got no response. Hinton told Politico this week that while the city's Community Affairs Unit heard complaints from CB3, "no one understood the implications fully until late February." The Department of Investigation, Comptroller Scott Stringer's office and, most recently, the Attorney General's office have all launched investigations into what happened. Councilmember Chin outside 45 Rivington on Wednesday (Emma Whitford/Gothamist). In the meantime, details of the negotiation keep getting knottier. The Daily News reported last week that lobbyist James Capalino, who represented Village Care (which sold 45 Rivington to Allure Group in 2014 for $28 million) before moving to Slate Group, has bundled $50,000 in donations to Campaign for One New York, which support's the Mayor's 2017 reelection efforts. The donations started coming in last October, about a month before the deed restriction was lifted. (A spokeswoman for Capalino has since denied that Capalino "represented Slate" in the Rivington deal; Hinton reiterated that the Mayor "has never discussed the sale with anyone, including Mr. Capalino.") Councilmember Margaret Chin today announced that she is introducing legislation that would mandate radical transparency in all deed negotiations that could change a city-imposed restriction on a building's use. The legislation would require public notice well before the city considers lifting a deed restriction, and mandate a new online database including property records for all NYC buildings that are subject to the City's deed restrictions. Until recently, announcements of deed restriction negotiations were only listed in the City Record. In the case of 45 Rivington, the NY Times reports, public notice of a hearing on the deed changes was listed in the Record for one dayMay 11, 2015. According to the Mayor's office, DCAS mandated on March 1 that going forward, notice will be made "not only in the City Record but to the affected Borough President, Council Member, and Community Board." "Really, it needs to be the law," Brewer challenged on Wednesday. "We need to do more. I can't tell you how many properties there are in this City with deed restrictions, or where those buildings are. Transparency is needed." Aurora Guzman, 48, has lived on the Lower East Side for 35 years. "We have homeless in the streets, and veterans who don't have a place to stay and have a very hard time getting medical attention," she said. "Politicians are not always very transparent in their deals. I think they... are really trying hard to make this city a city for a certain population." "The Mayor is considering all legal options against Allure to determine if some kind of restitution can be made on behalf of the community," said Hinton on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear what form that compensation might take. Allure Group came forward with its first statement since the condo sale on Monday. "We tried to make Rivington House viable as a for-profit skilled nursing facility," Marvin Rubin, a partner at Allure, told WSJ. "When it became clear that this was not possible, we followed all proper protocols and sold the building." CORRECTION: An earlier version of this piece said that the deed restriction was lifted in June 2015. It was in fact lifted in November 2015. (Photo by Lee Towndrow/Gothamist) The Campbell Apartment is undoubtedly a very special place in NYCan out-of-the-way haven in Grand Central with some history and a good Old Fashioned. And hopefully it's going to stay that way. It started out as an office space for John W. Campbell in 1923. It was never a residence, but Campbella railroad tycoon who served on New York Central's Board of Directorsdid entertain there, adding a piano and pipe organ, and often inviting around 50 guests to come hear famous musicians play private recitals. Under Campbell's lock and key, the room was transformed from a bare barracks to a galleried hall of a 13th century Florentine palace. But after his death the place lost its patina. It wasn't until the late 1990s that its old glamour was revived, thanks to Mark Grossich who spent $2.5 million on restoring the space. And now he is losing it. The NY Post reports that Grossich has sued the MTA and "temporarily staved off eviction in Manhattan Supreme Court Wednesday," but he will eventually have to vacate. Grossich is paying $16,000/month, and requested that the MTA perform an independent real estate appraisal of the space, which is required by law. They didn't. During what Grossich's lawyer calls an "illegal and unfair" bidding process, he lost the space to Scott Gerber, who runs The Gerber Group (which includes Irvington, a restaurant and bar in a Manhattan W Hotel). MTA spokesman Stephen Morello explained to the paper that Grossich had been operating on a month-to-month lease, and Gerber offered significantly more money for the space. He plans to open a revived version of the Campbell Apartment in August"We really want to bring the place back to what we feel it should be," he told the Post, "Its such an iconic bar, but we feel its been neglected." The space currently has a nice worn-in feel, which is kind of fitting for a bar being run out of a gorgeous old train station. We've reached out to Gerber for a better idea on the kind of vibe he hopes to bring in, and will update if we hear back. Grand Central doesn't need a nightclub, it needs a place to sit down and enjoy a drink before that train ride to suburbia. Though an enforced dress code for the cargo short-wearing, luggage-spreading tourists wouldn't hurt... Tonight I will board a plane for London, where I will arrive on very little sleep and attempt to get from Gatwick Airport (which I only recently learned existed) to my Airbnb using some combination of the British Rail and the "tube." I may be slightly overestimating my ability to spearhead my traveling party's transit adventure, despite how much time I spend riding, reading, and writing about New York's own complex subway system, and there is a very good chance we will get hopelessly lostbut hey, at least I won't have to deal with the fact that, yet again, uptown trains are bypassing my stop on weekend nights. Here's what to expect on 15 subway lines this weekend: 1 trains will not run in either direction between 14 St and South Ferry from 11:30 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Trains will also skip 18 St, 23 St, and 28 St in both directions during that time. Free shuttle buses will operate between Chambers St and South Ferry. Also, from 5:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, 242 St-bound trains will run express from 215 St to 242 St. 2 trains will run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station from 11:30 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. 3 trains will also run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station from 11:30 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Also during that time, 3 trains are not running in either direction between Utica Av and New Lots Av. Free shuttle buses will replace service between those two stations. Downtown 4 trains will skip Astor Pl and 103 St from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Also during that time, 4 trains are not running in either direction between New Lots Av and Utica Av. Free shuttle buses will run instead. 5 trains will not run from 4:30 a.m. on Saturday to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. Free shuttle buses will run between Dyre Av and E 180 St. Also, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, 5 trains won't run between E 180 St and Bowling Green. Downtown 6 trains will skip Astor Pl and 103 St from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. A trains will be rerouted via the F in both directions between W 4 St and Jay St-Metrotech from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Uptown trains will run express between 59 St-Columbus Circle and 125 St from 11:45 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 11:45 p.m. on Sunday to 5 a.m. on Monday. And, from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday, trains will run locally in both directions between W 4 St and 59 St-Columbus Circle. C trains will also be rerouted via the F in both directions between W 4 St and Jay St-Metrotech, from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Uptown trains will run express from 59 St-Columbus Circle to 125 St. D trains will not run in either direction between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Stillwell Av from 11:30 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Shuttle buses will provide alternate service. D trains will operate between 205 St and 59 St-Columbus Circle, and will run express via the A to and from Chambers St, which will be the last stop. E trains will be rerouted via the F in both directions between 21 St-Queensbridge and W 4 St from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Free shuttle buses will run between Court Sq-23 St and 21 St-Queensbridge. Also, from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. on Sunday and from 11:45 p.m. on Sunday to 5 a.m. on Monday, Manhattan-bound E trains will run express from Forest Hills-71 Av to 21 St-Queensbridge. Last but not least, Manhattan-bound E trains will also skip Briarwood and 75 Av from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Coney Island-bound F trains will skip Sutphin Blvd, Briarwood, and 75 Av from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. During that time, they'll also run express from Smith-9 Sts to Church Av. Manhattan-bound J trains will run express from Myrtle Av to Marcy Av from 3:45 a.m. on Saturday to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Manhattan-bound M trains will also run express from Myrtle Av to Marcy Av, from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. N trains will be rerouted via the D in both directions between Stillwell Av and 36 St from 11:30 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. And from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday, Astoria-bound N trains will run locally from 36 St to DeKalb Av. Manhattan-bound R trains will run express from 71 Av to Queens Plaza from 6:30 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. And from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, and again from 11:45 p.m. on Sunday to 5 a.m. on Monday, 36 St-bound R trains will stop at 53 St and 45 St. We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today The commanding officer of the Upper East Side's 19th Precinct and another top cop have been stripped of their guns and badges amid the widening fallout from a federal investigation into possible corruption in the upper ranks of the NYPD. The FBI is questioning some 20 high-ranking officers about gifts, possibly including international vacations and diamonds, from Upper West Side developer Jona Rechnitz and Borough Park power broker Jeremey Reichberg, both prominent backers of Mayor Bill de Blasio. The New York Post reports that the 19th Precinct's Deputy Inspector James Grant has been placed on modified duty because he may have accepted diamonds and cash from Reichberg, in multiple instances allegedly escorting Reichberg from the airport after he returned from trips abroad to buy diamonds, and accepting some diamonds as payment. The tabloid also says that the 2014 resignation of former Chief of Department Philip Banks was not, as he said at the time, because he was unhappy with the administrative nature of his proposed new assignment, but because of the looming federal investigation. The probe purportedly came out of an unrelated look into deals of the two businessmen, and focused on Banks when he turned out to have hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank. Banks's lawyer has said he did not "intentionally" break any laws. In a statement, police Commissioner Bill Bratton said that Deputy Housing Chief Michael Harrington, who formerly worked under Banks, has also been placed on modified duty. Brooklyn South Deputy Chief Eric Rodriguez and Deputy Chief David Colon have also been transferred, he said. Harrington and Ryan were both implicated in the alleged coverup of an incident where 10 rookie cops beat a taxi driver outside an Upper East Side bar, then arrested him. "This is not a particularly good day for the department," Bratton said at a press conference. The NYPD's legal head Larry Byrne said further, "We dont believe based on what we know so far that this is deep, systemic corruption throughout the department as opposed to perhaps bad judgment of a small group of people who are relatively senior, but were going to go wherever the investigation takes us." The FBI investigation dovetailed with an NYPD Internal Affairs investigation that opened in late 2013, according to Bratton, and the department is now overhauling its training on conflict of interest issues. The FBI investigation has also brought correction officer union boss Norman Seabrook under new federal scrutiny, in part because of a trip he and Banks took with Rechnitz and Reichberg to Israel, for which at least part of the expenses were paid. Seabrook told the Post that the trip was allowed because they bought Rechnitz a $5,000 backgammon set, thus "There is no quid pro quo." Other destinations Rechnitz purportedly flew cops to include London, Rome, and Las Vegas. In return, officers may have provided special security for business deliveries, family functions, and even Torah transportation (both businessmen are Orthodox Jews). NYPD officers are barred from accepting gifts over $50, and department bosses have a long history of crossing that line. Former NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik served more than three years in federal prison for accepting $255,000 in renovation work for his Riverdale apartment, then lying about it when he was being vetted to run the Department of Homeland Security. He also pleaded guilty to taking tens of thousands of dollars in gifts as the city's Department of Correction commissioner, for which he paid $221,000 in fines. Kerik's predecessor, Howard Safir, paid a $7,000 fine to the city for taking a flight to the Oscars from the makeup company Revlon in 1999. And Kerik's successor, Ray Kelly, had his $1,500 annual dues at the Harvard Club paid for by the Police Foundation, a nonprofit he used as a slush fund, for at least eight years. He was never sanctioned for the transgression. The Police Department also has a history of granting favors to ultra-Orthodox Jews in Borough Park, Brooklyn who constitute an influential voting bloc. The Post reports that Deputy Inspector Grant served as commanding officer of the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, and had doled out hundreds of police captains' union cards with his name on them and the message "Please extend all courtesy to the holder of this card." Speaking to the Forward, security consultant Joe Levin said that Borough Park's 66th Precinct "is owned by the Hasidic community." The precinct is known among cops as Fort Surrender, in memory of a 1978 riot by Hasidic Jews who overtook the station house and injured dozens of officers. In the mid-1990s, Brooklyn South commander George Brown was reassigned after he refused to release a teenager arrested for outstanding parking tickets in the face of another riot at the precinct, according to NYPD Confidential. The blog also reported that it is routine for connected Borough Park figures to have their tickets fixed. And in 2006, former 66th Precinct commanding officer Joseph Esposito was forced to apologize for allegedly yelling "get the fucking Jews out of here" amid a protest by hundreds of Hasidim upset over the arrest of a 75-year-old man for failing to pull over when police tried to stop him for talking on his cellphone. Protesters reportedly assaulted two cops, lit bonfires in the street, and smashed and burned police cars. Only three people were arrested. De Blasio has so far declined to return the more than $50,000 raised by Rechnitz for his campaign, saying the investigation needs to play out before he makes a decision. He has denied accepting non-campaign gifts from the two businessmen, and said they have not contributed to his reelection. A 13-year-old boy on a C train in Brooklyn was stabbed last night after an apparent argument with another passenger who police have identified as a teenage girl. According to the NYPD, the incident occurred around 6 p.m.: The victim was on a Manhattan-bound C train that was heading towards the Ralph Avenue station "when he became engaged in a verbal dispute with the individual being sought. As the train car doors opened at the Ralph Avenue subway station, the individual displayed a knife from her bag and stabbed the victim" once in the abdomen. The Post reports, "The boy staggered off the train and told an MTA employee manning the station booth, 'A girl stabbed me!'" The MTA worker called 911 and the victim was taken to an area hospital, where he is in stable condition. The police released images of the suspect, describing her as being 14-16 years old, about 5'5" and 130 pounds with brown eyes, last seen wearing a black leather jacket, and light blue jeans. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. A group of New Yorkers raised in ultra-Orthodox communities across the city protested on the steps of City Hall yesterday, accusing the Department of Education of falling behind on its commitment to conduct a good-faith investigation into 39 NYC yeshivasschools for Orthodox children, primarily boys, grounded in talmudic study. "I was told months ago that the investigation would be complete in Spring 2016, and now we're questioning if there is an investigation at all," said attorney Norman Siegel, who is representing the concerned parents and alumni. About 50 yeshiva parents, alumni and former teachers sent a letter to the DOE last July, expressing concern that students at dozens of yeshivas in Brooklyn and Queens receive only an hour and a half total of English and math instruction four days per week. In many cases secular education is cut off at age 13, meaning boys are consistently unprepared for college and careers in the secular world. "There's no talk of college in yeshiva," Naftuli Moster, the executive director of Young Adults For A Fair Education [Yaffed], told us in August. Moster grew up in Borough Park and when he applied for college, "I was asked about my high school diploma and I didnt know what that was." According to State law, education in private schools, including yeshivas, must be "at least substantially equivalent" to that provided in public schools. The DOE agreed to launch an investigation into potential violations this summer, but Moster says that the investigation has petered out completely. One of two DOE employees assigned to the investigation, former-General Counsel Courtenaye Jackson-Chase, left the department in February without notifying Yaffed, according to Moster. The only DOE point person left, to Yaffed's knowledge, is District 20 superintendent Karina Costantino. They haven't heard anything from her since January. Siegel and Moster outside City Hall on Wednesday (Isaac Carmignani). The DOE initially planned to generate a set of requests that superintendents would distribute to private schools in their districts. Responses to these questionnaires would help the DOE determine if yeshivas were in fact violating the law. School visits would only be made if the responses raised red flags. This approach concerned Yaffe from the get-go. "They're not just going to come forward and say, 'Yes we've been violating the law for all this time,'" Moster said on Thursday. "So it was ridiculous in the first." Then, last month, the DOE told Patch that it was still "in the process of finalizing" these forms, and that they would be sent out "soon." Yaffed's confidence plummeted further. Now Yaffed is demanding that the DOE appoint a new investigative teamone required to communicate regularly on its progress. Random schools visits and interviews with current yeshiva students should be part of the investigation. Siegel is skeptical of the City's motives. "I grew up in Borough Park," he said. "Growing up in New York you learn that in the politics of NYC, insular communities are a politically-powerful voting block." Chaim Levin, 26, attended Oholei Torah in Crown Heights from 1995 to 2005 (he's currently challenging the school's alleged cover up of physical abuse, in addition to its educational record) and says that he didn't receive any English instruction at all. "They are proud of the fact that they only teach holy study," he said on Thursday. "The old testament, the Talmud, Jewish history, the redemption and the Messiah.. and not a word of English." Levin's nephew is a current student. "Nothing's changed," he said. Oholei Torah did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "The assertion that DOE has not sent requests for information to schools is inaccurate," said Mayoral spokesman Austin Finan in a statement. "The mayor believes strongly that every child in our city deserves a first-rate education. The DOE's investigation of these schools is active and ongoing," he added. "We will not comment further on an ongoing investigation." "We didn't want to declare war on the yeshivas, and so we were trying to resolve this without going to court," Siegel said on Thursday. "But stalling or minimizing this issue is only going to increase the likelihood that we will have to go to court to get our remedy." News Far-right Meloni sworn in as Italys first woman PM The first woman to head an Italian government, Meloni took the oath before President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, once home to popes and kings of Italy. 404 Great Falls office open house postponed The open house for the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forests Great Falls office, which was originally scheduled for April 1, has been postponed due to some unexpected delays in the occupancy permitting process. Once a new date is selected for the open house, the date and time will be released. *** Spend your summer in the wilderness The Montana Discovery Foundation and the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest are encouraging incoming high school students who love the outdoors or are curious about the outdoor-based jobs to apply to the 2016 Youth Forest Monitoring Program student crew. Students will receive one week of training alongside Forest Service scientists, learning forest ecology concepts and becoming familiar with field protocol for monitoring streams, soils, vegetation, recreation areas, and black-backed woodpecker populations at the Montana Learning Center near Canyon Ferry Lake. Following this initial training, students are split into five teams and under the direction of field instructors, monitor between 45-50 sites on the National Forest. Students spend their summer collecting data and formulating a final report and oral presentation to give to Forest Service professionals and the public at the end of the internship. At the end of the summer, upon successful completion of the internship, students will receive a stipend from the Montana Discovery Foundation. This is given to the students after their final presentation. Applications are due by Friday, April 8, and should be sent to Liz Burke, Helena National Forest, 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT 59602. Along with a resume, students need to include a recommendation letter from a teacher/educator of their choice. Interviews will be scheduled with students after the application deadline. For more information call Liz at 406-495-3713. *** Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to meet April 14 The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting room at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Headquarters, 1420 Sixth Ave., Helena The commission has a full agenda in which they are slated to make a number of final decisions, including on the petition to restrict commercial outfitting on the lower Boulder River near Big Timber, on a harvest limit waiver for Handkerchief Lake north of Kalispell and on several lease renewals on wildlife management areas in FWP Regions 2, 3, 4 and 7. The commission will also hear proposed changes for mountain lion and mountain goat quotas. They will also consider endorsing land actions including conservation easements in FWP Regions 3 and 7, a land exchange near Mount Haggin and an addition to the Grant Marsh Wildlife Management Area. For the full agenda and additional information, visit FWP's website at fwp.mt.gov. Click "Quick Links-Commission." The commission meeting can be live-streamed through the FWP website. The public may view a live television feed of the meeting at any FWP regional headquarters. *** Blackfoot River Ducks Unlimited banquet April 16 The Blackfoot River Committee of Ducks Unlimited is hosting its 17th annual dinner banquet at the Lincoln Community Hall on Saturday, April 16. Doors open at 5 p.m. A dinner, prepared by Bushwackers will be served at 6 p.m. The evenings activities include live and silent auctions, raffles, games and giveaways. A wide array of items including local and original art, furniture, gift baskets, goods and services by area businesses, and 20 guns will be up for grabs. Ducks Unlimited was formed to provide critical habit for the life cycle needs of North Americas migratory waterfowl by protecting, restoring, enhancing, and managing important wetlands and associated uplands. This volunteer-based organization is the worlds largest private sector waterfowl, wetlands and wildlife conservation organization. Register by April 8 for a chance to win a Remington M597 .22 LR rifle. Contact Ernie or Renee at 406-362-4072 for tickets or more information. Attendees may also register online at www.ducks.org/montana/events. *** Food storage order in place along Smith River corridor To further promote public safety by minimizing human-black bear conflicts along the Smith River, the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest signed a mandatory food storage order for all Forest Service lands within the Smith River corridor. This order mirrors the food storage order that is in place on the adjacent Montana State Parks lands. Generally, the order requires that all food, garbage, and other attractants that are unattended during daytime hours, or not in immediate use during nighttime hours, must be secured using one or more of the following methods: Secured in a portable bear-resistant container, portable electric fence, or other storage devise or system approved for such use by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee; Secured in any homemade storage container or device that has passed an IGBC courtesy inspection or testing program and has been approved as bear-resistant; Suspended at least 10 feet vertically above the ground and 4 feet horizontally from the trunk of a tree or other upright support that a bear could climb. Cutting, limbing, nailing into or otherwise damaging trees and/or constructing a fixed device is prohibited; Secured inside a hard-sided vehicle, camping unit or towed unit (applicable at Camp Baker and Eden Bridge only). Visit www.fs.usda.gov/lcnf for additional information, as well as the Montana State Parks food storage order, can also be found online, at http://stateparks.mt.gov/smith-river/beBearAware.html. *** Glacier seeks concessionaire for trail rides, pack animal services The National Park Service has released a prospectus for the award of a new concession contract to operate Guided Interpretive Horseback Trail Rides and Pack Animal Services within Glacier National Park. The new 10-year concession contract is anticipated to take effect Jan. 1, 2017. Interested parties should visit the National Park Services Commercial Services website at www.concessions.nps.gov/prospectuses.htm. This site can be used to access the prospectus, which explains the business opportunity and the terms and conditions under which the NPS will award the contract. Those who retrieve a copy of the prospectus from the website, should also notify Jennifer Parker at Jennifer_Parker@nps.gov to receive notifications of any future modifications or other correspondence related to this prospectus. Hard copies of the prospectus are available for a fee and must be requested from the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Office per the information on the National Park Service Commercial Services website. All offers must be received by Jennifer Parker, Chief of Concessions, NPS, Intermountain Region, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80228-0287, no later than 4 p.m. MST on June 3, 2016. Related questions must be submitted by email to Jennifer_Parker@nps.gov no later than 4 p.m. MST on April 21, 2016 and will be responded to in writing. Montanas senators questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell Wednesday on challenges to forest management reform, wildfire funding and declining trail budgets. Tidwell testified before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which counts both Republican Steve Daines and Democrat Jon Tester among its members. The hearing focused on the Forest Services $4.8 billion budget request for the next fiscal year, including a small increase for Land and Water Conservation Fund and increased fuels reduction spending authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The budget represents some really tough choices and where we can prioritize our limited funding, Tidwell said, pointing to a nearly 40 percent cut in nonfire staffing and continually increasing firefighting costs. In 1995, fire budgets accounted for 16 percent of the budget. Last year it topped 50 percent. By 2025, analysts estimate wildfire taking 67 percent of the budget, Tidwell testified. The fire budget woes come on top of the continued needs for restoration and mitigation, suppression of invasive weeds and expanding current and new markets for federal timber, he said. Ive been pleased with what were getting done on the ground, but were kind of to the breaking point, Tidwell said of funding and staffing. Both Daines and Tester noted their frustration with the backlog of needed restoration and mitigation projects and the pace with which the agency is addressing identified areas of need. In Montana, Daines pointed to the 5 million acres prioritized under the Farm Bill for expedited forestry projects, but the only 6,200 acres of projects slated for this year. In an effort to expedite forestry projects, the Farm Bill allows the Forest Service to categorically exclude certain projects in identified areas of need from full environmental review. These are dead and dying trees, Daines said, adding his concern that the Forest Service was not following congressional urging to tackle more acreage. Daines said he was happy to hear from Tidwell that the Forest Service plans to spend nearly double the legislative directive on Farm Bill projects, saying in a post-hearing interview that increased spending was a step in the right direction. As employees get more comfortable using the authorities and the agency makes more good neighbor agreements with states, Tidwell expects the number of projects and acreage to increase. As we look at the overall acreage we still have a long ways to go, Daines said. Wildfire costs are on the rise due to longer fire seasons and an increasing number of homes in the wildland-urban interface requiring expensive protection measures, Tidwell said. When asked by Tester, Tidwell replied that about 50 million acres fall in the interface, while the Forest Service mitigates about 1.5 million acres annually and a total of 10 million acres addressed to date. Mitigated areas then need future maintenance, he said. Testers final point during the hearing addressed the announcement that Montana will receive a 30 percent cut to trail budgets over the next three years. The cuts come as the Forest Service moved to prioritize population and visitor days over wilderness trail miles in its funding allocation model. Tidwell maintained that every trail mile is important, but the funding allocations come from his staffs efforts to look for the highest priority areas in the face of lower budgets but increasing demands. The fact is if were going to continue to grow our outdoor economy those trails are pretty damn important, Tester said. We have a million people in Montana but far more people visit our state because of our access to our public lands. Tidwell indicated that staff was taking a second look at the new allocations, but until wildfire costs are addressed, I wont have a very positive answer for you, he told Tester. Daines also encouraged Tidwell to reconsider the cuts, saying he personally enjoys public land trails while calling the cuts disproportionate. In a post-hearing conference call with reporters, Daines renewed his call for forest management reforms, including discouraging litigation while incentivizing collaboration, tied to a new funding model for funding wildfires. Reforming the current practice of fire borrowing, or taking funds from other programs when fire costs exceed budgets, has been a focus of Montanas delegation and many other lawmakers. A popular idea would fund fires that exceed budgets as natural disasters, eliminating the need to borrow. Reforms to wildfire funding and forest management failed to pass last year, but Daines believes there is an appetite among lawmakers to push the legislation this year and his colleagues are growing tired of repeated inaction. When asked if he believes that tying the more controversial forest management reforms to popular wildfire funding reforms hurt the latter during last years negotiations, Daines says he sees increasing support for both. Comprehensive reform means addressing both the frontend need to increase the pace and scale of projects as well as the backend wildfire costs. Its like Groundhog Day in Washington, D.C. We cant continue to let our forest burn and breath the air when we have standing dead timber. Its continuing to grow to a critical mass of senators from both sides of the aisle, he said. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 89F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Several hundred residents of Artsakh evacuated from the war zone have taken refuge in various hotels in the village of Vank, near Gandzasar Monastery. Businessman Levon Hayrapetyan, a native of Vank now living in Russia, is said to have allocated money to provide food and clothing to the evacuees. Hayrapetyan is reported to have told reporters in Moscow that Artsakh is unbeatable. Armenia must recognize the independence of the NKR, Hayrapetyan allegedly told the press. By Katherine Berjikian While walking through the streets of Yerevan, you will hear a lot of news these days about the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Some accurate, some inaccurate, but it is a topic that almost everyone is talking or thinking about. For example, I recently ran into a friend while on my lunch break. The conversation went from casual banter to the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in a matter of a couple sentences. The day before, a bus full of Armenian soldiers was attacked by an Azerbaijani drone. Her friend was one of those soldiers. After a couple sentences, I found out that her friend had been a volunteer on his way to Nagorno-Karabakh, and that he had been lucky. While he was injured in the attack, he was still alive and currently in Yerevan. After that we quickly said our goodbyes and went on our separate ways. I recently learned that my friends story is merely one of thousands. In a country with a population of just under three million people, its easy to find people who are personally affected by the escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh. And if you are lucky enough to not know someone who has volunteered to fight, or someone who has a loved one doing the same thing, you are probably glued to the news, desperate for information when very little is available. Exaggerated stories about casualty counts and destruction is being played on a loop. And with a conflict that started so fast, it is hard to step back and see the bigger picture. And while this is a fact when you are in Armenia, a close neighbor and ally to Nagorno-Karabakh, living with the fear of a conflict that might become a war any minute, it is surprising how much more apparent this lack of information is when you look at foreign news sources. For the past couple days I have been devouring English language news about Nagorno-Karabakh, and I noticed a very startling trend in the reporting. While I wouldnt say most of the reporting have been inaccurate, what is shockingis the broad brush these news sources have used to describe the conflict. Generalizations and lack of information have caused foreign news to use racist and dangerous generalized statements when writing about this escalation of violence. And stories like the bus that was recently bombed hasnt been mentioned, while the Associated Press wrote a whole article about how the Formula Onegames in Baku are still going to happen as planned. This article is not about the escalation of violence, or the recent ceasefire, but on how western media is reporting it. This means that I will focus on European and American news about these recent events, and the trends that exist in their coverage of it. The news sources that I have looked at for this story are the following: Al Jazeera English, the Associated Press, the Guardian, and the BBC. A Century Long Conflict How do you describe Nagorno-Karabakhto an outside audience who probably dont know where Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the map? This seems like a question that a lot of reporters are asking themselves when writing about the recent escalation of violence. The answer is really easy. You just make the conflict about Islam vs. Christianity. The associated press is one of the best examples of this. Since the beginning of the escalation, the associated press has written six stories about Nagorno-Karabakh. In almost every article, the Associated Press has used a variation of the following quote to describe the current conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan, has been under the control of local ethnic Armenian forces and the Armenian military since a war ended in 1994 with no resolution of the area's status. The conflict is fueled by long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and mostly Muslim Azerbaijanis. This quote was taken from an article published by the associated press entitled Azerbaijan says separatist clashes no threat to Formula Oneby Aida Sultanova. Out of the six articles by the Associated Press I saw published about the current escalation of violence, one was a quick news brief summarizing the escalation and is barely three hundred words, and the other was the above stated article about how the Formula One games that was planned to be held in Baku are still going to happen. To start, I would like to state that the above quote is one: racist, and two: a-historical. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh is not a long-simmering tension between Christians Armenians and mostly Muslim Azeris. To boil down this conflict to those simple factors is doing a disservice to the parties who are actually involved in the current conflict, on both sides. It is also a-historic and doesnt take into account the many factors that are currently affecting the Caucuses and the greater Middle East. There are many factors that could have, and probably did, contribute to the current escalation of violence. For example, the BakuTbilisiCeyhan pipeline that runs several miles outside of Nagorno-Karabakh, the increase in military spending in Azerbaijanto roughly the size of Armenias entire national budget, the statement that President Erdogan made in the United States saying that Armenia was a large threat to the stability in the region because of Russias military bases in the country, and a recent economic crisis in Azerbaijan that has been caused by the global decrease in oil costs. The BBC and Al Jazeera are other great examples of this. In an article entitled Nagorno-Karabakh profile, the BBC wrote, The conflict has roots dating back well over a century into competition between Christian Armenian and Muslim Turkic and Persian influences. And in an Al Jazeera article called Inside Story- What triggered the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Marcus Papadopoulos, Editor of Politics First magazine,We need to understand the nature of the caucuses. The north caucuses, which is in Russia, the south caucuses which is of course comprised of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Extremely volatile regains. A mosaic of different peoples, different religions, and different cultures. Indeed, the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin once wrote a poem in which he said, I know how to fight, I know how to use a dagger, I was born in the caucuses. Both of these quotes imply that there is something inherit about violence in this region, and ignores a centurys long history of imperialism that has greatly affected it. Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh Seen as Separatists Whos fighting who? If you look at The Guardian, or most other western news sources, that answer is simple, Armenian separatists in an area of Azerbaijan are fighting the Azerbaijani military. For example, Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists agree ceasefire over disputed territory is the tittle of an article about the recent ceasefire between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. In the article, you can find lines like this one, Armenian-backed separatists seized control of the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region, a majority ethnic Armenian area in Azerbaijan, in an early 1990s war that claimed about 30,000 lives. Unlike the pervious comment about Muslims and Turks, there is a realm of logic in this statement. The UN officially recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. And Nagorno-Karabakh is an overwhelmingly majority Armenian area neighboring a country that is almost entirely Turkish. To a western audience, it does seem as if the area is an Armenian enclave that is trying to separate from Azerbaijan. However, if you dive deeper into this issue, you find that this is not entirely true. Before I start, I would like to acknowledge that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a controversial topic. Like most wars, this independence brought the deaths of thousands, and the displacement of even more people, some that are still considered refugees in Azerbaijan. And to this day, there is constant fighting at the border that results in the deaths of countless people on both sides. For those of you who do not know, the area of Nagorno-Karabakh is an area that boarders Armenia andAzerbaijan. It is an area that is almost completely Armenian. However, before a war that spanned between 1989 and 1994, Nagorno-Karabakh was officially part of Azerbaijan. When the Soviet Union started to collapse, Nagorno-Karabakh voted to succeed from Azerbaijan and become part of Armenia. This caused a war that ended with a ceasefire that was never really upheld. However, Nagorno-Karabakh has declared themselves as an official republic, even though it is only recognized by three non-UN states. While the UN officially still sees this area as part of Azerbaijan and calls for the return of the land to Azerbaijan, it has been independent from Azerbaijan for more than twenty years. It has its own military, government, and any civic help it does get, it gets from Armenia. Therefore, it is not an area inside of Azerbaijan that is trying to succeed, but an area that already succeeded a generation ago and is now trying to maintain that independence. While you may disagree with that succession, or might be adamantly pro it, it does not change the fact that UN recognition aside, Nagorno-Karabakh has been independent from Azerbaijan for a very long time. It Might be a Proxy War After the disaster that still is the Syrian civil war and the Iraq war, the western world is terrified of another war near this region that can further destabilize the area. This fear colors almost all of the reporting on Nagorno-Karabakh. The fear is that Russia and Turkey might use this conflict to start a proxy war. After the escalation of fighting began, the president of Turkey, Erdogan stated that Turkey would back Azerbaijan if the fighting continued. Russia, in its turn, has two military bases in Armenia, and Armenia is one of their most important strategic point in the region. Russia has also signed a security treaty with Armenia. In Al Jazeeras Inside Story- What triggered the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Marcus Papadopoulos, Editor of Politics First magazine, stated the following Well, I think it is also no coincidence that in the last week or so a number of lobby groups in Washington have taken on Turkey as a client. And of course Turkey is heavily lobbying American government arguing that Russia, through Armenia, poses a direct threat Turkey...In my mind, in my estimation, I believe it is very likely that the hand of Ankara has played a part in what we have seen over the last 48 hours in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, while Marcus Papadopoulos might not be wrong, it is too early to actually know if any fighting between the region of Nagorno-Karabakhand Azerbaijan could actually be called a proxy war. While Turkey has made statements of support for Azerbaijan, Russia has made no such statement stating their support of Armenia over Azerbaijan, and instead has called an end to the fighting all together. In fact, Russia sells weapons to both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Turkey on the other hand has had a history of supporting Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan placed a blockade on Armenia after the Nagorno-Karabakhwar of the late 80s and early 90s, Turkey placed a similar blockade in solidarity. Therefore, Erdogans statement of support isnt new, its holds with a twenty year history of Turkeys support of Azerbaijan. So while the escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh might be a convenient ploy for Russia and Turkey to go to war without really going to war, it is way too early to make statements like this with only speculation. (Katherine Berjikian is a Birthright Armenia volunteer from the U.S. now working at Hetq) Three of the individuals are males that said Hastert took advantage of them sexually when they were teens at Yorkville High School and Hastert was a coach and civics teacher. CHICAGO - The list accusing former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of sexual abuse now stands at four, an exclusive Chicago Tribune report revealed Thursday. The Tribune spoke with Individual A, whose story that eventually led to Hastert began coming to light in April 2014, when law enforcement found him parked in a van with a broken window on the side of the road. While Individual A and his wife had a history of financial problems, it did not match with what law officials found in the van. During a search of the van, the deputies said they found three white envelopes containing stacks of $100 bills. The cash totaled $24,400, a report on the incident said. Asked why he had so much cash, Individual A said he was planning to sell one boat and buy another. During the stop, police found marijuana and related paraphernalia, and he was placed on court supervision for the misdemeanors, the police report said. Individual A told authorities his only sources of income were disability payments and his wife's earnings. By the time FBI agents questioned Hastert in December 2014 in his Plano home, he had paid Individual A about $1.7 million, or about half the amount the two had agreed on. The Tribune also recorded an interview with the sister of another of Hastert's alleged sexual abuse victims, who died of AIDS in 1995. The video is posted online. They also spoke with Individual D: A few years younger than Individual A, Individual D was a popular student and good athlete. He grew up to marry, have children and become a successful businessman. Prosecutors have said his decision to recently come forward has been a difficult one, and they have offered him the option of keeping his identity under seal in court records or appearing in court to read a victim-impact statement. Hastert, now 74 and in failing health, faces sentencing April 29th pertaining to the financial transactions that took place with Individual A. The Chicago Tribune story says the sexual abuse allegations are beyond the statute of limitations, but the individuals testifying at the sentencing could influence Judge Thomas Durkin's decision on the length of sentencing Hastert could face. Not everyone in her organization - or her family - agreed with Schlafly's decision. Schlafly, who lives in the St. Louis area, endorsed businessman Donald Trump for the GOP nomination on March 11th, saying he promised he would back the current Republican National Party platform and that he would nominate Scalia-like Supreme Court candidates. ST. LOUIS - Presidential endorsements have created a messy division within the ranks of conservative national group Eagle Forum, founded by longtime conservative leader Phyllis Schlafly. One of Schlafly's six children - Anne Cori - was ousted from the Missouri Eagle Forum Board Thursday morning for "disloyalty" to her mother. "Today, the Missouri Eagle Forum Board met and voted to replace Anne Cori as member of that board. This was the final step in the process because of Ann's disloyalty to our founder of Eagle Forum, Phyllis Schlafly," an update sent out by the group's national director Ed Martin said Thursday. A few months ago, the statement said, "Anne refused a request by Phyllis to step aside as President of Missouri Eagle Forum." Mrs. Cori chose instead to endorse U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. In addition, Cathie Adams, who has travelled worldwide over the years representing Eagle Forum at United Nations meetings, was also publicly reprimanded by Schlafly. Adams is in the midst of a statewide campaign to leadership in Texas' GOP. "Phyllis has rescinded her personal endorsement of Cathie Adams in her race for Vice Chair of the Republican Party of Texas," the statement said. "Cathie has been disloyal and just this week has refused to return Phyllis' phone call." Adams also endorsed Cruz for president. However, a final decision is still pending and top executives of the auto companies have decided to meet again later this week to address the matter over environmental compensation cess (ECC) as directed by the Supreme Court. By India Today Web Desk: Top automakers Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes and Toyota on Wednesday came together to find a solution on the Supreme Court ban on registration of diesel cars and SUVs of engine capacity of 2000cc and above in the capital and NCR. However, a final decision is still pending and top executives of the auto companies have decided to meet again later this week to address the matter over environmental compensation cess (ECC) as directed by the Supreme Court. advertisement ALSO READ: Ban on registration of diesel cars above 2000cc to continue "The top officials of some passenger car companies had a closed door meeting to discuss how to tackle the ECC issue. They will be meeting later this week again to find a solution," a source told PTI. However, not all auto cos are happy with the ECC regulated by the SC. Some of the top executives pointed out the long term effect of such a move in case of other cities too demanding such cess by banning diesel vehicles. "The idea of today's meeting was not to take a final decision of what we are going to do, but to hear out everyone present and what they best think is the way forward. We will continue to deliberate so that we can find a solution and report to the Supreme Court as directed," another source told PTI. ALSO READ: Mercedes Benz to review operations if diesel car ban stays The Supreme Court on March 31, had directed the auto cos to come out with the "propositions" so that some solutions could be arrived at by holding a full-fledged hearing on Saturdays, a non-working day for the apex court, to save some "judicial time". "Today's meeting was as per the court directions," a source said. In December 2015, the Supreme Court banned registration of diesel-run SUVs and cars having engine capacity beyond 2,000 cc in Delhi and NCR till March 31, as it unveiled a slew of measures to curb the alarming rise in pollution levels in the city. On March 31 this year, the Supreme Court extended the ban till April 30. ALSO READ: Ban on diesel cars technologically not justified: JLR chief Mercedes Benz and Tata Motors-owned JLR are the worst hit due to the order as their entire diesel model range is powered by engines above 2,000 cc. --- ENDS --- The new Tata Tiago hatchback is not just cheap, but Rs 80,000 cheaper than all the above mentioned cars in its segment, making it the car that the masses will go for. With the Tiago hatchback, Tata Motors have made it clear that they are not far behind from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai in the small car segment. By India Today Web Desk: Some call it the deal of the year, with the Tata Motors smiling all the way to glory. The Indian car-maker launched its much-hyped and much-anticipated small hatchback, Tiago after two delays for a sweet base price of Rs 3.20 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the petrol variant and Rs 3.94 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the diesel variant. With their pricing of the Tiago, Tata Motors have set in motion a war of sorts in the small hatchback segment with its competitors Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R and Hyundai Grand i10. The new Tata Tiago hatchback is Rs 80,000 cheaper than all the above mentioned cars in its segment, making it the car that the masses will go for. ALSO READ: Tata Motors launches Tiago hatchback, priced at Rs 3.20 lakh advertisement With the Tiago hatchback, Tata Motors have made it clear that they are not far behind Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai in the small car segment. Industry analysts have dubbed the Tata Tiago's pricing "disruptive" and say that this may lure companies to come out with special edition models to beat the Tiago and its pricing. However, the most affected by the launch of the Tiago is Maruti Suzuki, as the company has for a long time now been the market leader in the small car segment. That was until Renault launched the Kwid (on September 24, 2015), and now Tata has come out with the Tiago. ALSO READ: Spec Comparison: Tata Tiago vs Celerio, Grand i10 and Brio But, the question remains: Will buyers go for the Tata Tiago? What does the Tiago hatchback have that makes it the most talked about car in a long time? Is it the new in-house engines, or the impressive features provided for an economical car? We tell you. 1) Engine: Tata Tiago is powered by two engines -- a 1.2-litre Revotron engine (petrol) and a 1.05-litre Revotorq engine (diesel) -- both designed and built by Tata Motors R&D in the UK, Italy and Pune. Moreover, both the engines offer first-in-class multi-drive mode (Eco and City) for best of both -- fuel economy and a great driving experience. 2) Design: According to industry experts, Tata Tiago is the best-looking Tata vehicle in nearly two decades. The Tiago hatchback looks completely different, stylish and sporty as opposed to its predecessor the Tata Indica. ALSO READ: Can Tata Tiago be a game changer for Tata Motors? 3) Features: The Tiago features several features like advanced generation ABS with EBD that senses wheel speed and prevents wheel lock-up during panic braking situations thereby maintaining steering control, corner stability control, speed sensing door auto lock, dual front airbags, energy absorbing body structure for superior safety. 4) Infotainment: The ConnectNext infotainment offered in the Tiago features first-in-class smart-phone based Turn-by-Turn navigation through an app and is available for Android-based smart phones. The directions to the intended location are displayed turn-by-turn on the ConnectNext screen along with useful information such as expected time to arrival and distance to destination. 5) Fuel Efficiency: The fuel economy of the Tiago Revotron engine is 23.84km/l and Tiago Revotorq 27.28km/l. 6) Colors: Tata Tiago hatchback is offered in six different color options -- Platinum Silver, Pearlescent White, Sunburst Orange, Berry Red, Espresso Brown and Striker Blue. ALSO READ: Five things to know about the new Tata Tiago To guarantee Tiago's success, Tata Motors will be selling the small car through 596 outlets and 1,000 dealerships across the country. A new dimension to the ongoing controversy surrounding 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' was added on Sunday, April 4, when a school in Gujarat declared that the students seeking admission in the school would have to write the slogan on their application form or lose admission. By India Today Web Desk: A new dimension to the ongoing controversy surrounding 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' was added on Sunday, April 4, when a school in Gujarat declared that the students seeking admission in the school would have to write the slogan on their application form or lose admission. According to sources, the school, which is an educational trust in Amreli, Shree Patel Vidhyarthi Ashram Trust, headed by Gujarat BJP leader Dilip Sanghani, took this decision in a trust meeting held on Sunday, to make students write 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' on applications, TOI reported . One primary school, two high schools and a college in Amreli are run under the ambit of the trust. Currently, around 4,500 students study in the four institutes. In an interview to Mirror, Sanghani justified the trust's decision saying that it the 104-year-old trust's attempt to inspire nationalism in its students. advertisement "In the time when anti-national sloganeering is gaining momentum on educational campuses, we want our students to respect their country. So, we have decided to give admission only to those students who write Bharat Mata ki Jai. Our trust was founded by Mohan Veerji Patel. We strongly feel that a trust with such legacy of nationalism has a responsibility to invoke in its students the feeling of nationalism. The new rule will be implemented from upcoming term. Students who don't write Bharat Mata ki Jai on the admission forms will not get admission," he said. Check: Saurashtra University files case against 51 students for mass copying Click here to get more education news. Get latest updates on exam notifications and scholarships across India and abroadhere. Two militants were killed in a gunbattle between security forces and militants in Shopian, South Kashmir. By India Today Web Desk: Two militants were killed in a gunbattle between security forces and militants in Shopian, South Kashmir. "Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in the wee hours today," a senior Army official said. "The operation is still underway," the official said. The two terrorists killed have been identified by security forces as Naseer Ahmad Pandit and Waseem Mala. Both the militants are the top most commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen and have also featured in the militant video circulated by Hizbul last year. Pandit had joined militant ranks after deserting police force last year. He was posted on security duty at the residence of PDP MLA and then works minister Altaf Bukhari at the time of quitting the force. The encounter started late last night after the security forces got information about presence of militants in the area. advertisement ALSO READ | Twin encounters between terrorists, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir It's a case that's taking mysterious turns every day. Here's a timeline of what all has occurred in the last week since her death. By India Today Web Desk: With fresh developments coming in every minute, the mystery surrounding Pratyusha Banerjee's sudden departure continues to deepen. The fact that her friends remember Pratyusha as a happy person and that the Balika Vadhu actress was planning to get married reportedly this month, has further sent shock waves through the industry. Here's a timeline of the events as they happened: April 1, Friday Balika Vadhu actress Pratyusha Banerjee, 24, was found hanging at her Goregaon residence at around 5 pm. She was rushed to Kokilaben Ambani hospital in Andheri by her live-in boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh, where the actress was declared brought dead. No suicide note was found. While Pratyusha's friends and TV actors including Sara Khan, Ajaz Khan, Debina Bonnerjee, Gurmeet Choudhary, Rakhi Sawant, Dolly Bindra etc were seen outside the Hospital, soon after the news of Pratyusha's death surfaced, Rahul was untraceable. TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee Picture courtesy: Instagram/Pratyusha Banerjee advertisement April 2, Saturday Pratyusha Banerjee's parents flew down to Mumbai from their hometown, Jamshedpur. The actress' body was shifted to Siddharth Hospital where the postmortem was conducted. Rahul was detained by the police for interrogation. In his defense, he said he didn't inform the police as he was scared. The statements of Pratyusha's parents were also recorded. Neighbours and friends who personally knew the actress expressed disbelief over Pratyusha's suicide saying she was too strong and happy a person to take such a drastic step. Pratyusha's postmortem report revealed 'suffocation' as the cause of death. Ligature marks were found on her neck. After the postmortem, Pratyusha's body was handed over to her parents and later in the evening, she was cremated at Oshiwara Crematorium, Mumbai in full bridal attire. Pratyusha's friends gave a joint statement saying that she was neither depressed nor facing any financial problems. Also read: Rahul Raj Singh's lawyer backs out April 3, Sunday Rahul was admitted to Mumbai's Sai Hospital after complaining of chest pain and breathing issues. "He is suffering from depression and chest pain. He was missing Pratyusha a lot," his lawyer Neeraj Gupta said. Later in the day, Pratyusha's industry friends including Kamya Punjabi, Shashank Vyas, Adaa Khan and Vikas Gupta held a press conference to reveal shocking details about the late actress' relationship with Rahul. "Rahul assaulted Pratyusha in public," said Vikas Gupta. "Pratyusha told me Rahul was cheating on her," said Kamya Punjabi. Rahul's father Harshwardhan Singh, on the other hand, said that Pratyusha had monetary troubles and had taken a loan of Rs 50 lakh for her parents. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Rahul Raj Singh April 4, Monday A police team investigating the case scrutinized at least three of her bank accounts, all of them joint with Rahul. Rahul was questioned for the second day by Mumbai Police. At least 10 friends, colleagues and co-stars of Pratyusha Banerjee offered to reveal details which could help police in the ongoing investigations. Pratyusha's family's lawyer Falguni Brahmabhatt said that these 10 people know a lot of inside details owing to their closeness to Pratyusha and are ready to share the information with the police. While Rahul was still in hospital, police said they would question him after he is discharged. Kamya Punjabi at the funeral of Pratyusha Banerjee Picture courtesy: Yogen Shah Kamya Punjabi at the funeral of Pratyusha Banerjee Picture courtesy: Yogen Shah Also read: 18 things Pratyusha Banerjee's parents revealed about her relationship with Rahul Raj Singh April 5, Tuesday Pratyusha's cousin Surbhi Chatterjee claimed that her sister had already tied the knot with beau Rahul two months ago at a temple. On the same day, Rahul was booked by the Mumbai Police for abetment of the TV actor's suicide on the basis of the FIR filed by Pratyusha's mother Soma. Actor-politician Hema Malini came under fire for her tweet criticising Pratyusha's suicide and terming it senseless. "The world admires a fighter not a loser," she tweeted. Friends and family held a prayer meeting for Pratyusha at a gurdwara in Mumbai which was attended by her mother, father and her close friends. The parents spoke to the media for the first time, and revealed several details. Rahul Raj Singh and Pratyusha Banerjee Also read: Rahul Raj Singh conned other women too April 6, Wednesday Rahul's previous lawyer Neeraj Gupta withdrew from the case, saying he was "kept in the dark" about certain crucial details pertaining to the case. Rahul also filed an anticipatory bail application at the Dindoshi sessions court in Mumbai. After Rahul's new lawyer Ashok Sarogi moved the application, the matter was adjourned for the day and was posted for hearing on April 7. advertisement April 7, Thursday A Mumbai court rejected the anticipatory bail plea. It was opposed by Falguni Brahmabhatt who argued that this could be a case of murder, so anticipatory bail should not be granted. Justice KF Ahmed rejected the bail plea. Rahul's lawyer Ashok Sarogi will now appeal in a higher court. As of now, Mumbai Police is said to be at the hospital where Rahul is admitted and it is conjectured that he could be arrested. Also read: Rahul Raj Singh's anticipatory bail plea rejected With Gucci's latest advertisement coming under fire for depicting unrealistically thin models, the ASA is once again in the limelight. Here are some of the ads banned by the body in the past. By Hemul Goel: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of UK can teach a lesson or two about responsible advertising to regulatory authorities across the world. With Gucci's latest advertisement from the brand's Cruise campaign coming under fire for depicting unrealistically thin models, the ASA is once again in the limelight. From addressing consumer complaints about provocative ads to taking action over campaigns that promote irresponsible behaviour--here are the seven times the ASA promptly responded to consumer complaints. advertisement Gucci Cruise 2016 campaign The ad was challenged as being irresponsible for featuring models who appeared unhealthily thin. Also read: Bloomingdale's latest campaign hints at date rape Judgement: "We noted that the model leaning against the wall was wearing a long dress so that only her lower legs, ankles, neck and head were visible. We considered that her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body. Further, her pose elongated her torso and accentuated her waist so that it appeared to be very small. We also considered that her sombre facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt. For those reasons, we considered that the model leaning against the wall appeared to be unhealthily thin in the image, and therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible." Marc Jacobs Oh Lola perfume, 2012 The advertisement caught the attention of four people who deemed the advertisement as offensive and irresponsible for its portrayal of a young Dakota Fanning in a sexualised manner. Judgement: "The ASA understood that the ad had appeared in publications with a target readership of those over 25 years of age and that the model was 17 years old but considered she looked under the age of 16. Also the length of her dress, the visibility of her thigh and position of the perfume bottle drew attention to her sexuality. Because of that, along with her appearance, we considered the ad could be seen to sexualise a child. We therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible and was likely to cause serious offence." Ryanair, 2012 The Irish airline came under fire from the ASA when people complained about the advertisements as being unsuitable and offensive for their sexist and objectified portrayal of the female cabin crew. Judgement: "The ASA noted the women, featured in ads (a) and (b), were wearing underwear and looking directly at the reader and consider ed that, although the images were not overtly sexual in content, the appearance, stance and gaze of the women, particular the one in ad (a), who was shown pulling her pants slightly down, were likely to be seen as sexually suggestive. We also considered that most readers would interpret these images, in conjunction with the text "RED HOT FARES & CREW!!!" and the names of the women, as linking female cabin crew with sexually suggestive behaviour. Although we acknowledged that the women in the ads had consented to appear in the calendar, we considered that the ads were likely to cause widespread offence, when displayed in a national newspaper, and therefore concluded that they breached the Code." advertisement Also read: ICYMI, Aishwarya Rai's latest pictures from her promotional campaigns redefine the word stunning Miu Miu (Prada), 2011 The Miu Miu advertisement featured an upset-looking Hailee Steinfeld sitting on railway tracks, which a complainant suggested was irresponsible, because it was suggestive of youth suicide. Judgement: "The ASA challenged whether the ad was irresponsible because it showed a child in an unsafe location. Because the ad was placed in a magazine with a mainly adult readership and it showed a stylised image of Hailee Steinfeld dressed in sophisticated 1940s style clothing we considered that readers of the magazine would understand that the image represented a staged fashion shoot. In that context, we thought that the ad was prepared with a due sense of responsibility and would not be suggestive of youth suicide to impressionable young people. Nevertheless, because the ad showed Hailee Steinfeld, who was 14 years of age when the photo was shot, in a potentially hazardous situation sitting on a railway track, we concluded the ad was irresponsible and in breach of the Code in showing a child in a hazardous or dangerous situation." advertisement Drop Dead Clothing, 2011 A complaint was filed against online retailer Drop Dead Clothing's advertisements as being irresponsible and offensive for featuring an underweight model who looked anorexic. Judgement: "We noted that Drop Dead Clothing's target market was young people. We considered that using a noticeably skinny model with visible hip, rib, collar and thigh bones, who wore heavy makeup and was posed in ways that made her body appear thinner, was likely to impress upon that audience that the images were representative of the people who might wear Drop Dead's clothing, and as being something to aspire to. Therefore, while we considered the bikini and denim short images might not cause widespread or serious offence, we concluded they were socially irresponsible." advertisement Lynx, 2011 The ASA received complaints on the basis of a Lynx advertisement being offensive for featuring a model wearing bikini bottoms while holding an undone bikini top against her breasts. Judgement: "We considered that, alongside the strap line 'the cleaner you are the dirtier you get', the call to action at the bottom of the poster 'visit facebook.com/lynxeffect and get dirty this summer', was clearly intended to imply that using the advertised product would lead to more uninhibited sexual behaviour. We therefore considered that the poster would be seen to make a link between purchasing the product and sex with women and in so doing would be seen to objectify women. We also considered that the combination of the image and the suggestive text, in a poster on public displ ay, was likely to be considered offensive by many members of the public, particularly those who were accompanied by children. We concluded that the poster was likely to cause serious or widespread offence." L'Oreal, 2011 The Teint Miracle foundation by Lancome featuring brand ambassador Julia Roberts' image was challenged as being misleading because of the complainant's belief that Julia's skin in the campaign was a result of digital manipulation, not the product. Judgement: "We acknowledged the pictures supplied from laboratory testing were evidence that the product was capable of improving skin's appearance, but on the basis of the evidence we had received we could not conclude that the ad image accurately illustrated what effect the product could achieve, and that the image had not been exaggerated by digital post-production techniques. We therefore concluded the ad was misleading." Diesel, 2010 The ASA received 33 complaints against the advertisement as offensive, being unsuitable for being seen by children and for its encouragement of anti-social behaviour. Judgement: "The image of the woman exposing herself on the ladder in poster ad (b) was likely to cause serious or widespread offence because, although her breasts were only partially visible, the image showed her exposing herself to a surveillance camera. We were further concerned that the images of young women photographing their genitalia and exposing their breasts to a camera in a public place were unsuitable to be displayed on posters, an untargeted medium that was likely to be seen by children, because of the overt sexualisation involved in the depicted acts." --- ENDS --- These places in Andhra Pradesh are really offbeat. And the state government is doing its best to promote tourism in these places. Read more to know about these enchanting yet unexplored destinations. By Samonway Duttagupta: Andhra Pradesh is one state that has plenty of tourist friendly destinations. In fact, there's so much that some of them even remain unexplored by travellers. The state tourism board, realising the potential of these places is looking to promote these places in order to attract more investments in the tourism sector. Importance is being given to such an extent that the state's tourism policy is offering attractive incentives to investors -- the target is to receive an investment of Rs 10,000 crore by 2020 and and Rs 20,000 crore by 2029 in the tourism sector. Commenting on the state's tourism potential, Neerabh Kumar Prasad, Principal Secretary to Government, Tourism & Culture said, "The state is working towards creating six tourist hubs - Visakhapatnam; Rajahmundry-Konaseema-Kakinada; Vijayawada-Amaravati; Tirupati; Ananthapuramu-Puttaparthi and Srisailam." advertisement India Today went into the depth of the situation and found the offbeat destinations that Andhra Pradesh tourism is actually looking to promote. Most of these places have hardly made to the tourist map, but each of them has plenty to offer to a traveller. Let's take a quick look at these places. Hope Island As a traveller, if you are looking to literally discover a place in the state of Andhra Pradesh then Hope Island needs to be at the top of your list. It is a 200-year-old naturally formed island off the coast of Kakinada, that is composed of the sand that has drifted from River Godavari over the years. The island is beautiful -- while there's ample amount of greenery, there are stunning views of the backwaters from one side. That's not all -- on the other side of the island are sandy beaches overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Undavalli Caves Located at a distance of 22 km from Guntur the Undavalli Caves are exemplary of the architectural skill of Indian rock caves built in the fourth and fifth centuries. Originally belonging to the Jains and eventually to the Buddhists, these caves were converted into the abode of Hindu deities over time. Housed in these caves is a huge recreated statue of Vishnu in his reclining pose, which is sculpted out of a single block of granite. Amaravati Being the new state capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amravati is being developed under a futuristic model that just can't be ignored. Apart from witnessing a modern city in the making, travellers can explore some of the country's finest Buddhist centres that this place is home to. Dhyana Buddha and Nagarjunakonda are among the most prominent ones. Papikondalu Not too far from the town of Rajahmundry is Papikondalu, which is a scenic river gorge. It's one place where travellers get the opportunity to avail the boating and cruising services offered by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Tourists can soak in the beauty of River Godavari and at the same time, enjoy stunning views of the surrounding hills that are teeming with a lush green vegetation and varied wildlife. advertisement Pulicat Lake Just a two-hour drive away from Tirupati is the Pulicat Lake, which is the second largest lagoon in India after Odisha's Chilika Lake. What makes this lake even more special is the presence of numerous migratory birds, with Greater Flamingo being one of the most prominent ones. Apart from the birds, travellers can witness the charm of some old buildings in the locality that showcase colonial-era architecture at its best. --- ENDS --- Stories of secret torture cells run by the Pakistan army, its kill-and-dump policy and mass graves where Balochis have allegedly been buried alive are now tumbling out. Balochistan activist Naela Qadri Baloch narrated stories of secret torture cells run by Pakistan army, its kill-and-dump policy and mass graves where Balochis have allegedly been buried alive. By Maha Siddiqui: Stories of secret torture cells run by the Pakistan army, its kill-and-dump policy and mass graves where Balochis have allegedly been buried alive are now tumbling out. These chilling revelations are being made by a Baloch activist. Fighting for what she terms 'nothing short of independence for Balochistan', 47-yearold Naela Qadri Baloch has gone through a harrowing time herself. She alleges that the Pakistani administration harassed and raided her house repeatedly. They picked up her husband, filmmaker Mustafa Raisani. He was kept in a secret torture cell for two long years, that's before what she terms the kill-and-dump policy came into being. She says her husband was never the same even after his release, having suffered both psychologically and physically. But she looked thankful that he came back alive, nonetheless. advertisement Naela, her husband and three sons were forced out of their home in 2010. They sought refuge in Afghanistan. But repeated attempts on their lives were made in Kandahar and then Kabul. Since 2014, she is in political asylum in Canada. But more startling is Naela's account of what is going on inside Balochistan in Pakistan. She says, over 25,000 Balochis are missing. They have allegedly been abducted by the Pakistani Army. Very recently she says, some 40 bodies were found at the Chashma Barrage, some with their limbs chopped off. These, Naela believes could be some of those kidnapped and missing. But no one really knows their exact identity. A former associate professor at the University of Balochistan, Naela does not mince words when she blames Beijing's 'interference' for the increased violence in Balochistan. She says ever since China started developing a naval base at Gwadar, killings of innocent Balochis and rapes of women have shot up. She suggests that unlike Pakistan and Iran, Afghanistan is more inclusive and treats Balochis well, but a few months ago about 10 Balochi activists were kidnapped by the Taliban and sold off to the Pakistani Army. She compares the suffering of Balochis to what the Jews went through at the hands of the Nazis or the pain of Bangladesh. She calls it a warlike situation, genocide to eliminate the entire tribe. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was asked about the allegations but they did not respond at the time of going to press. Also Read Naela Quadri denies RAW presence in Balochistan, seeks India's support against genocide Ex-Navy man arrested in Pakistan not a RAW agent, says India Sources at various banks said that they want a better offer from the company. By India Today Web Desk: A consortium of banks led by State Bank of India today rejected business tycoon Vijay Mallya's proposal to repay Rs 4,000 crore of the Rs 9,091 crore he owes the banks. The banks told the Supreme Court that Mallya should be physically present in the country for the negotiations and that he should disclose his own assets as well as those of his family for a fair deal. advertisement The matter is to be heard again in two weeks. In a statement issued last week, SBI had said, "The consortium of banks led by SBI confirms receipt of an offer for settlement of dues from Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. The bank along with other consortium members, will examine the same." The repayment offer in the Supreme Court was submitted by Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines, United Breweries Holdings and Kingfisher Finvest India. Sources at various banks said that they want a better offer from the company. Of the total amount, the banks have so far recovered only around Rs 1,240 crore by selling pledged shares and other collaterals. The lenders have another Rs 1,250 crore to gain but the amount is blocked due to various court stays. Last year, SBI declared Mallya as "wilful defaulter" for failing to repay the dues. Punjab National Bank also declared him, group holding company United Breweries Holdings and Kingfisher Airlines wilful defaulters last month. The banks have put on block the brand Kingfisher for sale on April 30 with a base price of Rs 356 crore. When pledged as collateral, the brand Kingfisher was valued by Grant Thornton at Rs 4,100 crore in 2011 and the recently others have pegged it a paltry Rs 100-200 crore. The banks' efforts at selling the Kingfisher House in the city on March 17 came a cropper as no bidder came forward to buy the property, which had a reserve price of Rs 150 crore. Also read: How Vijay Mallya flew to London via Delhi Conclave 16: Vijay Mallya case has hurt image of India's banking system, says Jaitley --- ENDS --- By PTI: sector emission New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) BASIC countries, including India, today expressed concern over the draft proposal of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on emission reduction in aviation sector, saying it will impose additional "burden" on developing countries. The Ministers, attending a two-day BASIC ministerial meeting on climate change which concluded here, also asked industrialised nations to develop climate change measures in a manner that is consistent with the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). advertisement "The BASIC countries expressed concern that the draft proposal on Global Market Based Measures (GMBM) under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) may impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries where the international aviation market is still maturing. "They urged the ICAO to develop climate change measures in a manner that is consistent with the principles of CBDR and RC, and to align the GMBM with the relevant provisions of the Paris Agreement," according to a joint statement by BASIC countries China, India, South Africa and Brazil, read out by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. According to aviation experts, the mechanism, when comes into force, will lead to an imposition of tax on flights which airlines might recover from passengers in the form of additional charges. "We are concerned about the draft on the table. The proposal does not reflect the principle of CBDR. The second concern reflect to Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV), proposed in the draft. It is not aligned to what we agreed to in Paris. We need to align this process with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). "We are not at the same level. Emissions are probably going to grow in our airline industry as we grow as developing countries. Therefore, we need to reflect some of the agreements that are reflected in UNFCCC and Paris agreement," said Maesela Kekana, Chief Director, International Climate Change Relations and Negotiations of South Africa. (MORE) PTI TDS IAS SMN PAL SMN --- ENDS --- BSP MP Narendra Kashyap along with his wife and son were arrested today in connection with the death of their daughter-in-law Himanshi Kashyap. Himanshi Kashyap was found dead in the bathroom of her house in Ghaziabad By India Today Web Desk: BSP MP Narendra Kashyap along with his wife and son were arrested today in connection with the death of their daughter-in-law Himanshi Kashyap. The development comes a day after Himanshi was found dead in the bathroom of her house in Ghaziabad. Police said she had a gunshot injury on her head. Earlier, an FIR was filed against Narendra Kashyap, his wife Devendri, his two sons Sagar and Siddharth and his two daughters under sections 304 B and 398 under anti-dowry law. advertisement The victim's father, a former BSP minister, has alleged that Himanshi, who was 8 months pregnant was tortured and gunned down over dowry by her in laws. During initial investigation, family members told the police that they heard a gunshot at about 10.30 am. They found Himanshi in the bathroom with blood oozing from her head. She was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared her dead. "The family did not inform the police about the incident. The police came to know about it from the hospital memo," Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil had said. "Since the case is under investigation, it cannot be said whether it was a suicide or murder. The body has been sent for autopsy," he added. The police is trying to ascertain under whose name the revolver was registered. Initial investigation has revealed that the MP was present in the house when the incident took place. The MP's family reportedly has two licensed weapons. A revolver and a pistol. One of the weapons was is registered in the name Kashyap and the other in the name of his son. A ballistic examination will confirm which of the two weapon was used. ALSO READ | BSP MP's daughter-in-law found dead under mysterious circumstances in Ghaziabad --- ENDS --- Basit stopped short of ruling out NIA team's visit and said," I leave it to your imagination. This probe is not about reciprocity." By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan's envoy to India Abdul Basit's statement that the peace process between India and Pakistan stands "suspended" has almost ruled out the possibility of National Investigation Agency (NIA) visit to the neighbouring country in connection with Pathankot attack probe. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, Basit stopped short of ruling out NIA team's visit and said," I leave it to your imagination. This probe is not about reciprocity." advertisement India had maintained that a 5-member Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was allowed to visit the Pathankot air base, the site of January 2 terror attack, only after Islamabad had agreed to receive a similar probe team from India. India has repeatedly said that it has provided ample evidence to Pakistan about involvement of terror groups operating from across the border in the attack in which seven military personnel were killed. Earlier this week, reports in Pakistani media claimed that the JIT, which visited Pathankot last month, said that Pathankot attack was "staged" by India . A prominent Pakistani newspaper quoted officials from the JIT as saying in their report on Pathankot that "the Indian authorities had prior information about the attackers". Basit's statement about suspension India-Pakistan talks is likely to provide more fodder to the Opposition to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign policy. Modi had come under intense criticism for his unscheduled pit stop in Lahore on his way back to Delhi from Kabul last December. On December 25, Modi stopped in Lahore for a few hours to wish his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. A week later, six Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked the Indian Air Force air base in Pathankot. --- ENDS --- A panel headed by former CBI Special Director ML Sharma filed its report before the Supreme Court after probing of former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, who had allegedly tried to scuttle the coal scam probe by shielding some of the accused and meeting people allegedly involved in investigations, as was seen from the visitors' entry register of his house. By Harish V Nair: A panel headed by former CBI Special Director ML Sharma on Wednesday filed before the Supreme Court its report after probing of former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha. Sinha had allegedly tried to scuttle the coal scam probe by shielding some of the accused and meeting people allegedly involved in investigations, as was seen from the visitors' entry register of his house. advertisement The register had been handed over to the special bench hearing the coal scam by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Common Cause, after it was given to him by a whistleblower. Handing over the probe to Sharma, the court had earlier termed the meetings as "wholly inappropriate". A bench headed by Justice M B Lokur declined to make the report public but handed over a copy to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for his perusal on condition of keeping it confidential. Justice Lokur said the bench wanted AG's assistance after the panel sought the apex court's direction for getting the documents related to preliminary enquiry. The panel is still continuing with its inquiry into the allegations that Sinha's meetings with accused and others had led to the botching up of investigation in the Coalgate cases. The bench said, "After the submissions are made on the report by Rohatgi, it will see whether the copy of the report of the panel can be given to other parties or not". "We have to first see the submissions. Then we will decide whether the report can be given to the parties or not", the bench said. The entry register had allegedly showed that Coal India official Mithilesh was meeting Sinha "thrice or four times a day" for the past 50 days. Also Read Coal scam: How India lost Rs 1.86 lakh crores Supreme Court scraps 214 coal blocks, gives companies 6 months to wind up --- ENDS --- A Delhi resident convicted in an attempt to murder case has sought euthanasia for himself and his family. He has claimed that he was mistakenly charged because his name is similar to that of the actual culprit. By Sneha Agrawal: A Delhi resident convicted in an attempt to murder case has sought euthanasia for himself and his family. He has claimed that he was mistakenly charged because his name is similar to that of the actual culprit. Karnail Singh Yadav, who is a government employee and a resident of Pitampura has written to a Delhi court, stating that he has three children, wife and widowed mother to look after, who are finding it difficult to make ends meet because he is the sole bread earner of the family. advertisement "It has become really difficult for my family to cover all their expenses with the mere amount of Rs 6000, which my mother gets as pension. I have three children - two sons and a daughter - and my wife is a homemaker," he said in the letter to the court. Yadav was convicted by a Delhi court for seven years in a case of attempt to murder by an acquaintance on August 19, last year. The incident had occurred in November 2012. The court observed that while the accused had stated that he had been falsely implicated in the case and he was not present on spot, he could not prove the same. In the conviction judgement, Karnail claimed that the case was against one named Bhardwaj, whose last name is also Yadav. Once PSO to the late Piyush Tirkey, then MP, Karnail had told court that he was present at home from 10 am to 9.30 pm. The incident had occurred before that. Tirkey's son, who was produced in the court as the witness confirmed the same. After receiving the letter from Yadav, he was summoned before Additional District Judge, Kamini Lau, who heard his plight and observed that the letter was written in the state of isolation and depression. The court directed the Superintendent of Jail to ensure that necessary psychiatric and medical assistance is provided to him and to help him cope with his emotional and psychological distress. Speaking to Mail Today, Nitish Kumar, Yadav's eldest son said that his family is going through a rough patch. "It is extremely difficult for my mother to manage expenses of the family, which includes our school fees. We also send a portion of that meagre sum to Central Jail for my father," he said. Also Read Faced with acute poverty, paralysed Bengal youth seeks euthanasia --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders, summoned as accused in a criminal defamation case filed against them by Union Minister Arun Jaitley, were granted bail by a city court today. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass granted relief to Kejriwal and AAP leaders Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai, after they appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued on March 9 and moved bail pleas before the court. advertisement The court granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 each with one surety of like amount. The Chief Minister, other accused AAP leaders and Jaitley came to the court just before 1430 hours amid heavy police presence to prevent any clash between supporters of the rival parties who had gathered in large numbers outside gate number 2 of the Patiala House court complex here. Before commencement of the hearing, BJP and AAP workers raised vociferous slogans against each other. Entry inside the court room was restricted and only the accused, those giving sureties, Jaitley and lawyers appearing in the matter along with six journalists were allowed entry. "All accused persons have been summoned for offence under section 500 (defamation), read with section 34 (common intention) IPC. Offence being bailable, all accused persons are admitted to bail on their furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs 25,000 each with one surety in the like amount. "Counsel for accused persons submits that the bail bonds furnished by them has been filed up for an amount of Rs 20,000 and prays for accepting the same. Heard. Considered. In the larger interest of justice, the bail bonds furnished by all accused persons are accepted," the court said. During the hearing which commenced at around 1435 hours, advocates R K Wadhwa and C L Gupta, who appeared for Kejriwal, told the court that they have not been supplied with copy of entire set of documents. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra and advocate Manoj Taneja, who appeared for Jaitley who was also present, said that copy of the complaint along with the annexures have been sent along with the summons to the accused persons and an endorsement to this effect has been made on the summons sent to the accused. (More) PTI UK ABA ARC --- ENDS --- The apex court today slammed the government for its "non-serious" approach towards the issue of drought. By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court today slammed the government for its "non-serious" approach towards the issue of drought. Several states in the country are reeling under severe drought condition. The top court was furious over the Centre's lawyer arriving late for a hearing on drought. The court was hearing the issue pertaining to relief and rehabilitation in drought affected areas in the country. advertisement "Do you think judges have no prior engagements. Do you think we are useless here?," the court said after the Centre asked for more time to file a response. Judges were particularly angry with the Additional Solicitor General as he arrived late for the hearing. Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav has filed a petition in the court demanding relief for farmers of drought-affected regions of the country.. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had scolded the government for not doing enough to provide relief in the drought-hit areas. ALSO READ | Drought in Maharashtra bigger issue than 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai': NCP's Sharad Pawar --- ENDS --- By Munish Chandra Pandey: The First Information report (FIR) filed against Rahul Raj Singh, who has been booked by the police for abetting the Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide, carries some serious allegations made by the late actor's mother, Soma Banerjee. Also read: Rahul Raj Singh's anticipatory bail plea rejected Here are the details of the FIR exclusively accessed by IndiaToday.in: advertisement # In January 2016, Pratyusha met her uncle Dipankar Virendranath Banerjee and stayed at his place for two days. She showed her aunt Barnali, injury marks on her body. According to Pratyusha, Rahul had assaulted her and told her, "If you tell this to anyone then I will finish you and your family". # On March 31, 2016, Pratyusha told her aunt Barnali that Rahul was torturing her a lot and she couldn't take it. "I am fed up with my life," Pratyusha told Barnali. Barnali asked Pratyusha to come to Ambarnath but she refused. # Rahul had asked Pratyusha to stop talking to her parents. Pratyusha had called her parents from her maid's number and told them that her fights with Rahul had increased and he used to repeatedly beat her. # Pratyusha's mother, Soma Banerjee, had come to stay with her in January 2016. She told the police that the couple used to fight every night and Pratyusha used to come out of her bedroom crying. Her maid, Renu Singh, was witness to these fights. # Fed up with the couple's fight, her parents left the Goregaon flat on January 12, 2016. # Pratyusha had three joint accounts with her mother in ICICI and HDFC banks. # Rahul had forced Pratyusha to drop her mother's registered mobile number from the bank. # Rahul was using Pratyusha's debit card. # Rahul used to ask awkward questions to Pratyusha about her ex-boyfriend Makrand. He had many fights with her on this issue. # In June 2015, Rahul had told Pratyusha he owned two production houses, financed movies, owned 4 flat, 3 vehicles and had 150 acres of land in Ranchi. Also read: Rahul Raj Singh conned other women too The anticipatory bail plea of Pratyusha Banerjee's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh was today rejected by a Mumbai local court. Rahul moved the court on Wednesday for anticipatory bail after he was booked on Tuesday, on the basis of a complaint by Soma. The police filed a case against him under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC. --- ENDS --- Amnesty International stated that the number of known executions rose by more than 50 percent in 2015 compared with 2014 Amnesty International stated that the number of known executions rose by more than 50 percent in 2015 compared with 2014 By Reuters: There were more executions worldwide in 2015 than in any year since 1990 and almost 90 percent occurred in three countries - Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, human rights watchdog Amnesty International said on Wednesday. At least 1,634 people were executed last year, the organisation said, adding that the actual number was probably significantly higher given that there are no definitive numbers for China. advertisement "The number of known executions rose by more than 50 percent compared with 2014 - this development is unsettling and alarming," said Oliver Hendrich, an expert on capital punishment at Amnesty International in Germany. At least 977 people were executed in Iran last year, mostly for drug crimes, Amnesty said, while more than 320 death sentences were carried out in Pakistan and at least 158 people were executed in Saudi Arabia. In the United States, 28 people were executed last year - the lowest number since 1991, Amnesty said. China is believed to remain the world's top executioner, with the number of people put to death annually in the thousands, though the exact figure is a state secret, the rights group said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked about the report, said Amnesty often released "unfair" statements about China that lacked objectivity. "So we have no interest in making comment on this," he told a daily news briefing in Beijing. Countries that impose the death penalty are in the minority for the first time now, Amnesty said. It added that 102 countries had got rid of the death penalty for all crimes by the end of 2015, compared with 60 countries in 1996. Also Read: Pakistan hangs two more death row convicts --- ENDS --- By PTI: Lucknow, Apr 7 (PTI) IPS officer Amitabh Thakur today termed the extension of his suspension by the UP government as "completely illegal", after the Centre told the Allahabad High Court that the continued suspension is against rules and Thakur should be reinstated. In a letter to Principal Secretary (Home), Thakur said the central government passed the order on March 31, 2016, under rule 19(2) of All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules which the state government was legally bound to comply with. advertisement He claimed instead of complying with the order passed by the Centre, after having given the state government an opportunity to present its facts, the UP government passed an "extremely bizarre order" in which it said his suspension will automatically continue till departmental inquiry on various court orders remains pending. Terming the order as "completely illegal", Thakur said he will soon challenge it in high court. The Centre has told the Allahabad High Court and the Uttar Pradesh government that the continued suspension of Thakur was against rules and he should be reinstated. The Union Home Ministry told the high court through an affidavit that the Uttar Pradesh government has not extended the suspension of the 1992-batch IPS officer even as its initial three-month period lapsed on October 11, 2015. Non-extension of suspension order within 90 days violates the All-India Services Rules and allows his or her reinstatement, a Home Ministry official said. The ministrys submission before the high court is followed by Thakurs petition against his continuous suspension. The Uttar Pradesh government has also been told about the relevant provision of the All India Services Rules and the necessity of reinstating Thakur. (MORE) PTI ABN SMI ASV SC ASV --- ENDS --- Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, is thankful to Jordan, and is now ready to build a better life in the US. U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Alice Wells (right) meets with Syrian refugee Ahmad al-Abboud (center) and his family at the International Airport of Amman, Jordan. Photo: AP By AP: The first Syrian family to be resettled in the US under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the US. advertisement "I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there," al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. "I am ready to integrate in the US and start a new life," he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City last night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the US from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said US Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. "The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number," Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. "We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes," she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. advertisement Also Read: Syria is blocking aid to besieged areas, some forced to eat grass: US --- ENDS --- At the centre of today's Doodle, by artist Kevin Laughlin, is a standing sitar, with two bridges, one for the "drone" strings and the other for the melody strings. By India Today Web Desk: Google is celebrating legendary musician and Bharat Ratna recipient Pandit Ravi Shankar's 96th birthday with a special Google doodle which has a standing sitar as the centrepiece. "Shankar, evangelised the use of Indian instruments in Western music, introducing the atmospheric hum of the sitar to audiences worldwide," the search engine giant said. At the centre of today's Doodle, by artist Kevin Laughlin, is a standing sitar, with two bridges, one for the "drone" strings and the other for the melody strings. advertisement Laughlin's design shows the style of sitar Shankar played, which includes a second gourd-shape resonator at the top of the instrument's neck. Shankar famously taught George Harrison of the Beatles to play the sitar, and widely influenced popular music in the 1960s and 70s and his music popularised the fundamentals of Indian music, including raga, a melodic form. Raga, as Shankar explained, has "its own peculiar ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven-note octave, or a series of six or five notes in a rising or falling structure." Born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhry in 1920 to a Bengali family in Varanasi, the musician and composer spent his younger days touring the country with his elder brother Uday Shankar's dance troupe. He gave up dancing to study sitar playing under court musician Allauddin Khan. He went on to become the music director of All India Radio and the musician also worked as a composer. He performed frequently with the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, and composed a concerto with sitar for the London Symphony Orchestra. The legendary musician who passed away in 2012 at the age of 92 has been conferred with a Bharat Ratna, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. The doodle on Shankar has been viewed mostly in the US, Sweden, Kazhakasthan, Lithuania, India, Indonesia and Japan, according to the search giant, which makes fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists. Also read: 6 things about Pt Ravi Shankar's glorious life you probably didn't know Pandit Ravi Shankar's influence on Beatles --- ENDS --- With legal notices being slapped on Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan and explosive details from the actors' relationship coming out in the open, there seems to be no respite for the actors from the fans and media glare. And in another new twist to the entire episode, the Tanu Weds Manu Returns actor, who has remained tight-lipped on the same all this while, has finally broken her silence. By India Today Web Desk: Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut's fight has turned out to be Bollywood's ugliest legal battle so far. With new twists and turns every day, the fight seems to be getting murkier. With legal notices being slapped on the two and explosive details from the actors' relationship coming out in the open, there seems to be no respite for the actors from the fans and media glare. And in another new twist to the entire episode, the Tanu Weds Manu Returns actor, who has remained tight-lipped on the same all this while, has finally broken her silence. advertisement ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut never got engaged in Paris? ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan finally breaks his silence on the legal battle with Kangana Ranaut According to a report in MissMalini.com, the 29-year-old actor has said that she won't comment on any of the gossips that are doing the rounds in media. However, Kangana has given her final word on the legal notice being slapped on her by junior Roshan. The Queen actor was quoted as telling the website, "In a legal matter only on record statements can be addressed not gossip. So here's my final word: If the other party who sued me for defamation and asked for a public apology can prove defamation, I promise to apologise publicly. I request the other party to respond to the legal matter which they have started and not turn this defamation suit into a media trial and judgement. If they are sincerely seeking an apology then they must help me understand their perspective because blackmailing or threatening won't work with me." Kangana further said that she isn't scared by the constant blackmailing and won't apologise just because she is being threatened. "Though my legal team is taking strict actions against blackmailing and threatening me, but as a girl it doesn't scare me. You won't get a sorry by threatening me or circulating my love poems, letters or images," she added. Known to speak her mind, Kangana added that she is not ashamed of her past and "slut-shaming" won't work. "I am not ashamed of anything, not my past, not my affairs, not my body and most definitely not my desire. So slut-shaming won't work either. If they want an apology then they have to come to the point, beating about the bush won't help, me and my team are eager to help as hurting sentiments isn't our intention," the Revolver Rani actor said. With things getting murkier with each passing day, it seems that this episode is not nearing its end any time soon. For the uninitiated, the Hrithik-Kangana affair got nasty when Kangana gave an interview to Pinkvilla earlier this year in which she hinted as Hrithik being her 'ex' who was doing 'silly things to get her attention'. Following that, Hrithik tweeted that there were more chances of him having had an affair with the Pope than any of the women he was being linked with. advertisement After that, allegations and accusations followed from both sides, and finally reached this stage of a legal battle. Hrithik and Kangana first worked together in the 2010 film Kites, the movie which is said to have been the beginning of the friendship between the two. After that, Roshan and Ranaut were seen together on the big screen in the 2013 film Krrish 3. --- ENDS --- 'Look at the shamelessness; it was such a massive tragedy but she (Mamata Banerjee) started a blame game,' Modi said, about the project which was conceived and the contract awarded during the previous Left Front regime. "At least give respect to the dead; but for Didi, it's the chair which is only visible and not the dying people," Modi said during a rally in Bengal. By Indo-Asian News Service: Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of indulging in politics over the dead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Kolkata flyover tragedy was "god's message" to people to save Bengal from the Trinamool Congress. "The flyover collapsed, such a big tragedy; if some chief goes what does he or she do; they try to save people, assist in rescue work. But what did Didi (Banerjee) do? The first thing she did was to declare that it was the Left Front that gave the contract (for the project). advertisement "Forget Left or right, think about those who are dying, Didi," said Modi referring to the March 31 Vivekananda flyover collapse in Kolkata which killed 26 people. "At least give respect to the dead; but for Didi, it's the chair which is only visible and not the dying people. "Look at the shamelessness; it was such a massive tragedy but she started a blame game," he said, about the project which was conceived and the contract awarded during the previous Left Front regime. "I want to ask Didi, if this flyover would have been completed and while inaugurating it, would you have said the contract was given by the Left? No, you would have taken the credit for it. Now that it has collapsed, you are blaming others. This is all part of your business of money and death," the prime minister said addressing a party rally here in Alipurduar district. Castigating Banerjee over the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam and the recent sting operation in which several Trinamool leaders were allegedly caught taking bribes, Modi said the Trinamool government was caught up in the "business of money and business of death". Calling the tragedy an "act of fraud", Modi said: "They are saying it is an act of god, but actually it is an act of fraud. "It is an act of god in the sense that it happened during election time so that people may know what kind of government she has been running. God has sent a message to the people - that today this bridge has collapsed, tomorrow she will finish off entire Bengal. God's message to you all is to save Bengal," said Modi appealing to the people to give one chance to the BJP in the state elections. He also charged Banerjee with undermining the welfare of the state by not attending meets convened by the central government. "I wonder what kind of chief minister is she. Whenever the central government calls a meeting on important subjects, where all the states can put forth their issues and demands, she has always skipped them because those meetings are called by Modi." advertisement Pointing to Banerjee's "closeness" to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi also ridiculed the Left Front-Congress tie up. "She doesn't come to Delhi to attend meetings called by Modi. But whenever she comes to Delhi, she never forgets to meet Sonia Gandhi," he alleged. "You have seen enough of the Left and the Trinamool both of which have done everything to destroy Bengal. Give one chance to BJP and we will show you what development means," added Modi, claiming that all the states in which his party was in power have witnessed all round development. Also Read: Trinamool in soup over Kolkata flyover collapse controversy Modi tears into Mamata's 'Ma, Mati, Manush' mantra in Bengal rally Bengal records 80 per cent, Assam 70 in 1st phase BJP demands CBI probe into the flyover collapse incident in Kolkata Rahul Gandhi at Kolkata flyover collapse site: Do not want to give a political statement --- ENDS --- The fight against an alleged land grab by land mafia and government officials has been taken up by a 72-year-old woman, Manjit Kaur, daughter-in-law of freedom fighter Karnail Singh, who she claims worked closely with Bhagat Singh and Bose. By Shashank Shekhar: A nondescript village of Noida, which was the hideout of freedom hero Bhagat Singh and home to members of Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army, is now the battleground of land sharks. The fight against an alleged land grab by land mafia and government officials has been taken up by a 72-year-old woman, Manjit Kaur, daughter-in-law of freedom fighter Karnail Singh, who she claims worked closely with Bhagat Singh and Bose. advertisement "My father-in-law Karnail Singh was a relative of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh made the bomb, which was aimed at the central legislative assembly (present-day Lok Sabha), during his stay in Nalgaraha. This place used to be a forest then. Karnail Singh leveled the land and started using it for agricultural purposes. We have been farming here ever since," Kaur said. Her complaint that land mafia, in collusion with government officials, is trying to grab the land to construct high-rise buildings has finally led to a government inquiry. Nalgaraha village in Sector 145 of Noida, is now under the scanner, with the District Magistrate ordering a probe into the suspected wrongful allotment of 3,700 bigha of land worth Rs 1,500 crore to the land mafia. This could be the biggest land scam of Noida, officials say. "The land is allotted to people who don't even live here but have landline connections and electricity metres under their name. They have bribed officials to get the land allotted to their names. We want the land to be given to farmers, who have been farming here for over 60 years. Else, the government can take its land but it should not be given for construction," Kaur said. Kaur has a picture of her father-in-law with Netaji. Her village has turned into hot property due to its close proximity to the expressway connecting Noida with Greater Noida, besides the promised metro connectivity. The village is surrounded by swanky residential towers and modern infrastructure. "An elderly woman has submitted the complaint to me. The matter is already in court. I have ordered for an inquiry to check if the land was wrongfully allotted. Strict action will be taken if any government official is found guilty," N P Sing, District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, told Mail Today. However, initial probe has revealed that the land belongs to the government, and several families have been living there for more than five decades. For the coming Republic Day, the Noida Authority has invited architects to design a proposed Shaheed Smarak in memory of Bhagat Singh, which will be put up in Nalgaraha village. According to officials, the proposed `25-crore project aims at turning Nalgaraha into a landmark with new recreational amenities. A sprawling 13-acre site has been earmarked for the project. --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will arrive in India on April 10 on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the two sides work towards ramping up bilateral cooperation. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Gayooms official delegation includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Mohamed Shainee and three members of the Maldivian Parliament. advertisement Gayoon will meet Modi and later take part in a working lunch with the PM on April 11. He will call on President Pranab Mukherjee the same evening. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs meeting with Gayoom would start the programme on the morning of April 11. Amid concerns over militant groups like ISIS attempting to radicalise the citizens of the archipelago nation, Maldives is in talks with India for setting up a bilateral counter-terrorism mechanism. India and Maldives commemorated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. President Gayooms first state visit after assumption of office was to India in January 1-4, 2014. He was among the SAARC leaders who had attended the swearing-in of Modi in May, 2014. Swaraj had visited Maldives in November 2014 and again in October 2015 for the India-Maldives Joint Commission which was held after 15 years. PTI SAP SMN PAL SMN --- ENDS --- VIP complaints sent by various departments and ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), government of Delhi, Lieutenant Governor's (L-G) office are all lying unattended, thus adding to the long pendency list By Ankur Sharma: No matter how important VIPs are, they clearly do not top the list when it comes to dealing with Delhi Police. A huge pendency of complaints made by VIPs and even police action recommended by the Home Ministry or the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is a testimony to this. VIP complaints sent by various departments and ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), government of Delhi, Lieutenant Governor's (L-G) office are all lying unattended, thus adding to the long pendency list. According to sources, recently, Special CP, Vigilance, lashed out at such pendency and asked units to clear it all to avoid embarrassment of the force. He told his force that these complaints should be top priority. advertisement According to the Delhi Police, till March 15, 2016, there are at least 3,000 VIP complaints pending. These include references from MHA, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor's office, Central Vigilance Commission, Delhi Government and even NHRC. Recently in a meeting, the top brass of Delhi Police showed concern regarding the pendency of VIP complaints. "There are hundreds of complaints pending with various departments of Delhi Police over the last one year. As many as 739 complaints of Delhi Government are pending with Delhi Police out of which 381 are pending since last one year. Similarly, complaints of 171 police actions, recommended by NHRC, are pending with various Delhi police units. Districts are not taking these complaints on priority basis. CP Delhi has asked to clear such pendency," a senior vigilance official told Mail Today . Also, Delhi police are not very keen to act on its own officials and staff leading to a rise in pending departmental enquiries (DE) with various units including the districts. Also, there is an upward trend of pendency of show cause notices showing that senior officials are not very serious about acting on their own staff. Interestingly, Delhi Police commissioner Alok Verma has already asked the force to treat VIP complaints on priority. According to the vigilance department, districts are not pro-active either when it comes to acting on their staff. "It has been noticed by top brass that there is a rise in pendency of show cause notices issued to various staff. Almost 600 show cause notices are pending since last six months without any reason. Districts are not even reacting on departmental enquires and it has also been that departments are not enquiring about allegations levelled against staff and officials since last two years. "While noting the upward trend in DEs pending with Disciplinary Authorities for decision, which has increased from 164 on 31.03.2015 to 176 on 29.02.2016, the Spl. CP/Vigilance expressed concern over 34 departmental enquires which have been pending with Disciplinary Authorities for decision beyond two years. All concerned were directed to look into the reasons for DEs remaining pending with Disciplinary Authorities for such long periods," Delhi Police Joint Commissioner, Vigilance, said in his letter which was reviewed by Mail Today. advertisement According to the vigilance department of Delhi Police, there is a large pendency of complaints that have reached Delhi police via the grievance portal. --- ENDS --- Addressing a rally in Madarihat of Alipurduar district, where polling will be held on April 17, Modi criticised Mamata for blaming the Left for the recent Kolkata flyover collapse. By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a rare frontal attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accusing her of misleading the people of the state. Addressing a rally in Madarihat of Alipurduar district, where polling will be held on April 17, Modi criticised Mamata for blaming the Left for the recent Kolkata flyover collapse. He also accused the Bengal CM of playing into the hands of construction mafia. advertisement "The first thing she did was to put the blame on the Left for giving the contract of the flyover to a blacklisted company. But if the flyover had been inaugurated by her, she would have taken the credit for its construction," Modi said. "She (Mamata) only carried forward the legacy of the Left and led the state to further ruin," the prime minister said while attacking the TMC rule. "She gave the call for 'paribartan' talked about ma (mother), mati (motherland), manush (people), but there is only maut (death) and money. The Narada sting operation has shown it," Modi said. PM Modi further went on to say that Mamata Banerjee had boycotted meetings called by the Centre to discuss the issue of development of states and had failed to bring in any transformation in the region. "What kind of chief minister is she? Whenever the Centre called a meeting to discuss development of states, Didi boycotted it. Even if it hurt her state," he said. Also Read: Bengal records 80 per cent, Assam 70 in 1st phase --- ENDS --- The decision comes a day after a three-member team of HRD ministry visited the campus to take stock of situation and held talks with the agitating students to defuse the tension. By Press Trust of India: The students at NIT Srinagar campus, which has been gripped by tension following clashes, will have an option to appear for exams later, Human Resource Development ministry officials said today. The decision comes a day after a three-member team of HRD ministry visited the campus to take stock of situation and held talks with the agitating students to defuse the tension. advertisement Expressing a sense of insecurity at the campus, the outstation students told the team that they wanted to go home for the time being and appear for exams later. The students also made a slew of demands, including shifting the institute out of Kashmir and action against policemen involved in lathicharge on Monday. "There are students who want to appear later but a majority of them want to do it as per schedule. So an option will be given to them. Those who want to appear later, re-exams will be scheduled," officials in the ministry said. The exams are scheduled to start next week. "The HRD team which has gone to the campus will stay there till the exams are concluded. The J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has also assured Union Minister Smriti Irani that safety of all students will be ensured," the officials said. Irani will also be visiting Srinagar on April 13 for a Consultative Committee meeting of Members of Parliament but there is no clarity on whether she will be going to NIT campus. The team which was rushed to Srinagar to look into students' grievances included Sanjeev Sharma, Director (Technical Education) in the HRD ministry, Deputy Director Finance Fazal Mehmood and Chairman of Board of Governors of NIT M J Zarabi. Tension started brewing inside the NIT campus, located at the banks of famous Dal lake, last week after India lost to West Indies in semi-final in the World T20 tournament prompting some local students to rejoice and burst crackers. This led to a protest by outstation students resulting in clashes between the two groups. Since March 31 night, the situation inside the campus has been volatile and the authorities had posted personnel from Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB). The local police was manning the main gate of the institute. The developments prompted the NIT authorities to close the campus on Saturday but it was reopened on Monday. The outstation students also tried to march out of the campus saying they wanted to return to their homes. Also Read Srinagar NIT campus simmers: Is there a ploy to whip passion over Kashmiri vs non-Kashmiri students? advertisement Shift NIT from Srinagar, demand non-Kashmiri students Non-Kashmiri girl students of Srinagar NIT narrate horror, say they are getting threats of rape CRPF deployed at NIT campus in Srinagar, protesting students lathicharged by police --- ENDS --- During a telephonic conversation, Obama underscored the US's commitment to support the people and government of Burma as they work to achieve a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future By Press Trust of India: US President Barack Obama has congratulated his Burmese counterpart Htin Kyaw and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi and assured Americas support to the new civilian government which he termed as a "historic step forward", the White House said. "The President welcomed the historic step forward of a democratic transfer of power to a civilian-led government that reflects the will of the people," the White House said yesterday. advertisement During a telephonic conversation, Obama underscored the commitment of the United States to support the people and government of Burma as they work to achieve a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future, a statement said. Obama also extended his best wishes to President Htin Kyaw and the people of Burma ahead of the upcoming Water Festival and New Year celebrations. Obama spoke to his fellow noble laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the new foreign minister of Burma and offered his congratulations on her country's historic democratic transfer of power to a civilian-led government, the White House said. "The President commended Aung San Suu Kyi's determined efforts, over the course of many years and at great personal cost, to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation," it said. Also read: Myanmar's NLD names Suu Kyi confidant, Htin Kyaw, as presidential candidate --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Apr 6 (PTI) After days of confusion over action against militants in Pakistans heartland of Punjab, the army today launched a coordinated security operation following the recent Lahore bombing which killed over 72 people. The army operation looked imminent soon after the Easter Sunday bombing in Lahore that killed mostly minority Christians, but was delayed as the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not comfortable with solely army-led action, according to sources. advertisement "Now all concerns of the government have been addressed in the successive meetings between the army and civilian leaders," sources said referring to high-profile security meetings chaired by Sharif, in which army chief General Raheel Sharif and other senior army official were also present. It was agreed in the meetings that instead of just army, the operation will be jointly carried out by civil and military law enforcement agencies, including Rangers, police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The army confirmed that the coordinated operation was launched in South Punjab which shares borders with rest of the three provinces, including Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa. "Coordinated operations are underway against terrorists and hardened criminals by law enforcement agencies including Rangers, Punjab police and CTD, assisted by Pakistan army. These terrorists fled from different parts of the country as a result of successful Operation Zarb-e-Azb and took refuge in remote areas of south Punjab," the army said in a statement. The deadlock over the operation in Punjab eased earlier this week when Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met Raheel. Punjab with its huge population comprises half of Pakistan and is the political stronghold of the ruling PML-N. But it also is the mainstay of the military which gets its maximum recruitment from the province. PTI SH KUN --- ENDS --- Basit said Pakistan wants a "normal and peaceful relationship with India" and hoped the forthcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad will help thaw the relations. By India Today Web Desk: As India confronts Pakistan on Pathankot and other instances of cross-border terrorism, Islamabad today raked up Kashmir and said the peace process with New Delhi remains suspended. "I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended," Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said in New Delhi today. "It is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust between India and Pakistan... Therefore, its fair and just resolution, as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, is imperative," the Pakistani diplomat said. advertisement Basit also raised the recent arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan's Balochistan region, once again accusing the former Indian Navy official of being a Research and Analysis Wing spy. "The recent arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along. We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize the country," he said. "It is high time to break the carapace of complacency and dispense with self-serving approaches. They're bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities," the Pakistan High Commissioner said. Basit said Pakistan wants a "normal and peaceful relationship with India" and hoped the forthcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad will help thaw the relations. "The 19th SAARC Summit will be held in Islamabad in November this year. We sincerely hope the summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and a win-win situation," he said. Basit was speaking in the background of the January 2 Pathankot terror attack by Pakistani terrorists belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed, which killed seven Indian security forces. The attack has stalled the resumption of dialogue between the two countries. --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: The anticipatory bail plea of Pratyusha Banerjee's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh has been rejected by a Mumbai court. The bail plea was opposed by the lawyer of Pratyusha's family, Falguni Brahmabhatt, who argued that this could be a case of murder, so anticipatory bail should not be granted. Justice KF Ahmed then rejected the bail plea. advertisement Rahul Raj Singh's lawyer will now appeal in a higher court, according to reports. The application for anticipatory bail was moved by Rahul's lawyer Ashok Sarogi, citing reasons that the FIR was registered four days after the incident and that the late TV actress was facing a financial crisis which could have led to her committing suicide. Pratyusha's lawyer, however, argued that Rahul was not even present in Sai hospital where he was said to be admitted for chest pain and depression. She added that he probably got admitted in a small hospital, as it could be managed easily. Also read: Rahul Raj Singh conned other women too "They said why was there delay in filing the FIR but the parents were waiting for their daughter's last rites to be performed. From the circumstances and whatever I've been hearing, it seems suspicious. I have been told that Rahul used Pratyusha's debit and credit card and never gave her money," she added. "Moreover, why didn't he call up the police after finding Pratyusha hanging? He may be seen trying to revive her in front of the CCTV camera, but first-aid is always given at the spot. Why would he wait to come outside and then try? Also, he came back after a gap with a key maker... He may have destroyed evidence. The way he used to physically and mentally torture her, it could be murder," she added. On Wednesday, a case was lodged against Rahul for abetment of suicide, on the complaint of the deceased actor's mother Soma Banerjee. On the same day, Rahul filed an anticipatory bail application at the Dindoshi sessions court in Mumbai. After Rahul's new lawyer Ashok Sarogi moved the application, the matter was adjourned for the day and was posted for hearing on April 7. Also read: 18 things Pratyusha Banerjee's parents revealed about her relationship with Rahul Raj Singh Earlier, Rahul's previous lawyer Neeraj Gupta withdrew from the case, saying he was "kept in the dark" about the details pertaining to the case. Here're the highlights of Rahul Raj Singh's anticipatory bail plea: Rahul had taken deceased to the hospital and tried to save her life. There is no evidence against him regarding instigation or abetting deceased suicide before the date of incident. Earlier night there was a small get-together in the house. After that they slept peacefully. Next day morning, he went to Lokhandwala market to fetch food. From market Rahul called on Pratyusha's mobile to ask if she wanted anything else but she did not answer. Rahul returned home, rang the bell and got no answer. That is when he asked the neighbours' male servant to check by going over from the balcony as the door was locked from inside. The servant went and saw her hanging from a dupatta.Rahul had intentions of marrying her and had introduced her to his parents as his fiance in Ranchi. Rahul has cooperated with the police and has even given his statement. Police have seized his mobile phone and have sealed his flat. At present Rahul is not keeping well due to lack of sleep and food. He was admitted to a hospital from April 3. He's currently in ICU. Due to the media and press, he has been falsely implicated. No suicide note or any statement is there to implicate him. Statement of one actress Jazz, has been recorded in favour of Rahul that he and Pratyusha were happy and had good relations and no problems were there between the couple. Pratyusha was having four bank loans and a car loan on EMI. Recovery agent came to take car. Rahul intervened and the car was not taken. He was also paying flat rent and had paid security deposit of Rs one lakh. There was a show called Power Couple in which they participated and the prize money was to be divided equally. But he gave 90 per cent prize money to Pratyusha out of love and affection as he was going to marry her. He gave her diamond ring, accessories and ornaments. There is no clear reason for committing suicide. She was heavily burdened with loans and had even paid penalty. According to Rahul she was not able to clear her loans and that might be a reason for her committing suicide. At the time of suicide, Rahul was not present in the house. In the absence of suicide note, he can't be held responsible. Actors are always in stress due to shooting schedules and several other reasons. Pratyusha's mother has lodged FIR but she was not in Mumbai when her daughter attempted suicide. FIR is false and fabricated. Based on the statements of mother and friends, Rahul cannot be held responsible. His statement is already recorded, so no interrogation is necessary. Detention also not needed. advertisement Also read: Rahul Raj Singh's lawyer backs out advertisement --- ENDS --- advertisement The couple is expected to have their pictures clicked at the 'Diana bench' which is situated at the central tank of the monument, about 23-year after William's mother Princess Diana visited the monument. By Siraj Qureshi: There was a time when the British East India Company planned to auction the Taj Mahal's stones and precious jewels and today Duke of Cambridge Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are expected to visit the marble wonder on April 16. The couple is expected to have their pictures taken at the 'Diana bench' which is situated at the central tank of the monument, about 23-year after William's mother Princess Diana visited the monument. She was photographed sitting alone at the same bench, which was previously unnamed and has been known henceforth as the Diana bench. advertisement According to the local folklore, it is considered bad omen for any couple to get photographed separately at this bench, as this bench is also known as the 'Love Bench.' Couples arriving at the Taj strive for a moment's opportunity to get photographed at this bench, which interestingly, was placed at the central tank in 1907 by the British government. The first member of British royalty to get photographed at this bench post-independence was Queen Elizabeth and her consort Prince Philip, who visited the Tajmahal in January 1961. Princess Diana was the next British royal to visit the monument in 1992. Prince William, who is the second-in-line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, will only be the second British royal couple to visit the monument since independence. The Archaeological Survey of India, which incidentally, was created by the British government in December 1861, headed by Lord Cunningham is much excited about the event. Talking to India Today, ASI Chief Archaeologist Dr Bhuvan Vikram said that the ASI is taking complete care that the Taj Mahal and its surroundings are completely clean and well-maintained during the visit of the royal couple. However, the local tourism industry is now demanding that the ASI remember its previous promise to let the Taj Mahal remain open for tourists during VVIP visits, by securing just one side of the pathway for the VVIP instead of closing the entire monument as it causes great difficulty to the tourists who arrive from all over the world to visit the monument, with very rigid itineraries. Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber secretary Vishal Sharma said that there have been numerous discussions with the ASI top officials on this issue and each time, the ASI has promised to look into the matter and ensure that the Taj remains open during VVIP visits, but this does not happen and because of this mismanagement, the Taj Mahal and the city as a whole, earn bad repute. Sharma said that former US President Bill Clinton's comment on Agra being a 'Ghost Town' has stuck on the face of this city and is often repeated by the global media, whenever a VVIP visits the Taj Mahal, causing a complete shutdown of the roads leading to the monument as well as the monument itself. He said that such inconsiderate moves by the government agencies cause grave damage to tourism in the city and should be avoided at all costs. --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: Kohima, Apr 7 (PTI) Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has expressed hope that the geographical isolation and remoteness of the North East will soon become a thing of the past through better development and use of space technology. "Physical distances, remoteness of geographical locations, and poor physical connectivities, etc can be overcome to a large extent through internet. advertisement Broadband internet connectivity is indeed going to become a new super-highway, that can overcome or at least compensate all these physical constraints being suffered by the people of the North East," he said. The Chief Minister was addressing a special session during state level meet on "Promoting Use of Space Technology and Application in Governance and Development" organised by the Nagaland GIS & Remote sensing Centre, together with ISRO and North East Space Application Centre (NESAC), Department of Space, Government of India, here yesterday. "Let us be thankful to our pioneer space scientists, who had the foresight and vision about the usefulness of space technology for our everydays life," he said. Internet is now one of the most essential services, which can greatly be improved and expanded through increasing use of space technology and satellite, he said. Meanwhile, the meeting, as an outcome, has identified a total of 102 key areas for use of space technology in governance and development of Nagaland. PTI NBS MM PRM --- ENDS --- By PTI: Patna, Apr 7 (PTI) To implement total prohibition, 14,108 litres of domestic liquor and 2,386 litres of foreign brands were seized from across Bihar today. Forty four persons were arrested in 655 raids under provisions of new Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016, Om Prakash Mandal, Assistant Commissioner Excise said. The operation against liquor yielded encouraging results here. advertisement A statement issued by Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Manu Maharaj said that 24 persons had been arrested in clampdown against alcohol in the district. Meanwhile, reports were pouring about habitual alcoholics brought to de-addiction centres in different districts in the wake of total prohibition. PTI SNS PR AJR --- ENDS --- By Gaurav C Sawant: With National Investigation Agency (NIA) team visiting the US to probe leads into the role of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Samjhauta blast, Lt Col Prasad Srikant Purohit has written a letter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar seeking restoration of his honour and dignity. Lt Col Purohit has been in jail for over seven years without bail, pending trial. He is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case but the NIA is yet to file a charge sheet despite probing the case for the past five years. advertisement In an April 2015 order, the Supreme Court had said there is no evidence to indicate Purohit's involvement under the stringent sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Lt Col Purohit has now sought the restoration of his rank and seniority in the Army, saying: "All my actions were in the line of duty.'' Mail Today has accessed his letter no: PSP/55224/official/16 dated April 4, 2016 written by Purohit from Taloja Central Prison to Parrikar where he says: "My report on SIMI and ISI had a clear mention of role of LeT in Samjhauta blast.'' The letter The NIA also wants to question Lt Col Purohit in connection with the Samjhauta blast where he stands suspected of having provided the RDX. Purohit has denied the charge. In fact, he has received summons to testify as a witness in the Samjhauta blast case. "My reports of 2005 June of ISINaxal weapon and equipment supply arrangement through Dawood Ibrahim have proved correct much later in 2012 when Karnataka police first accepted the nexus,'' he writes. "Likewise Konkan belt of Maharashtra being used as training ground both by Jihadi terror groups and the Naxals was reported by me in 2006. The same too has been accepted by the Maharashtra police recently. I had personally infiltrated in to my target organisation SIMI, IM, Naxals, etc,'' he adds. Lt Col Purohit, a Military Intelligence Officer then posted in Maharashtra, claims his superiors in the Directorate General of Military Intelligence (DGMI) were in the loop on all his operations. "The Court of Inquiry papers now with the Sessions Court also prove beyond any doubt that the meetings which are termed as 'conspiracy meetings' were duly reported by me before, during and after they were conducted. Sources were developed and later even officer intelligence units of MI benefitted in this regard. And for these 'conspiracy meetings', I have been booked in a bomb blast case which as such is a fabricated one,'' he writes. Purohit's lawyer Neela Gokhale said: "The source card registered with the Army and now filed in the Sessions Court clearly indicate that two of his sources have been made coaccused by the ATS and two others made witnesses against him. Systematically, the ATS actually destroyed the network of sources.'' advertisement No evidence The Supreme Court, in April 2015, delivered a verdict saying there was no evidence on record to book either Lt Col Purohit or Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur under MCOCA. Despite the Supreme Court order one year ago, neither have been granted bail till date. In his five-page-letter to Parrikar, Lt Col Purohit says: "Thankfully the charges under MCOCA against me which placed me at par with the underworld gangsters have proved to be nonapplicable as per the Supreme Court. The prosecutors (NIA) have ratified the same in the High court.'' However, the officer has neither got bail nor has the Army stepped forward to provide him legal assistance. Mail Today has also accessed details of the military court of inquiry findings where most of the 59 witnesses including his superiors told the military court that Lt Col Purohit had infiltrated both right-wing and left-wing organisations in the line of duty. In fact, in 2005, Purohit had been invited by the Anti-Terror Squad of the Maharashtra police for a lecture on "successfully infiltrating terror organisations". advertisement The same ATS arrested him four years later for the same. Though charge sheeted by the Maharashtra police for the Malegaon terror attacks of 2008, the case was transferred to NIA and the organisation has since sought more time to probe the case and file a charge sheet. Also Read EXCLUSIVE: Samjhauta, Malegaon blasts accused Col Purohit wants restoration of military honour --- ENDS --- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may have been receiving bouquets for enforcing total prohibition in the state but his decision has also earned him some brickbats. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's order on prohibition has made some very happy. Members of Rashtriya Mahila Brigade celebrate after the government banned country-made liquor. By Giridhar Jha: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may have been receiving bouquets for enforcing total prohibition in the state but his decision has also earned him some brickbats. Noted Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor was among those who gave his instant disapproval of Nitish's decision. The actor, who was last seen in the latest hit, Kapoor & Sons, took to Twitter to say that Nitish's decision would not only encourage bootlegging and illicit liquor but also make Bihar lose revenues worth of Rs3,000 every year. advertisement "Bihar you will encourage bootlegging and illicit liquor. Prohibition has failed worldwide. Wake up!You will also lose Rs3000 cr revenue," Rishi tweeted on Wednesday. He also took a dig at the new excise laws in the state, saying he would not like to visit Bihar now. "10 years imprisonment for alcohol - Five years for illegal possession of arms? Wah Nitish! Me no coming to Bihar! How myopic can you get in 2016?" he said. The veteran actor said that he had been practising drinking liquor since his Coolie days but he hastened to add that smoking and drinking were hazardous. "People, please abstain from it," he advised. Meanwhile, the overnight disappearance of all kinds of booze from the market, a day after the ban on its sale and distribution came into force, has made many alcoholics resort to desperate measures to curb their addiction. At Bettiah, a 45-year-old man Mohd Gaisuddin started behaving in a strange manner after he failed to get a pouch of his favourite country liquor. His family members said that he began to eat soap at home when he did not get his usual quota of alcohol. Gaisiddin, according to his family, has been addicted to liquor for more than 20 years. He had to be rushed to a local deaddiction centre on Tuesday. In East Champaran district, a police personnel Raghunandan Besra fainted on the streets and was rushed to a nearby hospital. The doctors said that he had lost his senses because he had suddenly given up booze. Many alcoholics, who were unaware of the prohibition order on Tuesday, were disappointed to find the liquor shops locked. Meanwhile, an ex-servicemen AN Singh on Wednesday filed a public interest litigation in Patna High Court challenging the prohibition order. The petitioner contended that the order of the state government was a violation of fundamental rights of a citizen on what to eat and what to drink. It also said that the amended excise policy, which was passed by the Bihar legislative assembly last week, was 'draconian, arbitrary and malafide' and which could be misused by the police. advertisement Elsewhere, Nitish's decision earned instant appreciation of the women across the state. Many of them celebrated Holi on the streets to celebrate promulgation of prohibition. Bihar is the fourth state to have enforced total prohibition in the country. Also Read Nitish Kumar's Bihar now a dry state What led to an early liquor ban in Bihar? Why did it fail earlier? --- ENDS --- 'The letter that has come out (in the media) is a fake one. Former minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar and his aides are behind this,' Saritha Nair's former counsel Feny Balakrishnan told reporters after he deposed before the ongoing solar scam judicial probe commission. Saritha Nair confirmed that she had written the 24-page letter while in police custody in 2013. By Indo-Asian News Service: A letter purportedly written by solar scam accused Saritha Nair which claims she was sexually exploited by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was fake, and ex-minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar was behind it, Nair's former counsel said on Thursday. "The letter that has come out (in the media) is a fake one. Former minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar and his aides are behind this," Nair's former counsel Feny Balakrishnan told reporters after he deposed before the ongoing solar scam judicial probe commission. advertisement "Last month, Ganesh Kumar's staff came to me and asked me to support their efforts to bring down the Chandy government. They offered me a brand new car," he said. On April 3, television channel Asianet News TV released the letter written by Nair, who was also present when the channel aired the news. Appearing on the news channel, Nair confirmed that she had written the 24-page letter while in police custody in 2013. She, however, said she will not discuss its contents. "I have read Nair's original letter and it had no mention of the sexual exploitation by the chief minister. The new letter that has surfaced has additions and deletions, compared to the original letter she wrote," Balakrishnan said. However, Balakrishnan's statement on the new letter was not accepted by the one-member probe commission, which said if it has to be included, the so-called original letter has to be produced. Ganesh Kumar was a member of the Chandy cabinet. His party Kerala Congress (Pillai) headed by his father R. Balakrishna Pillai was an ally of the Congress-led UDF. He, however, lost his ministership after his then wife, a medical professional, complained of domestic violence in 2013. Last year, the father-son duo moved over to the CPI-M -led LDF. Ganesh Kumar is contesting from the Pathanapuram assembly constituency for the fourth time. As soon the news surfaced in the media, former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan said there was no reason to suspect the revelation. Chandy, however, said the letter was nothing but part of a larger conspiracy, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls. He said he will seek legal recourse against such a defamatory claim. The solar scam case surfaced when Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan were arrested in 2013 on charges of cheating numerous investors who paid money for solar panels. Over 30 cases of cheating against Nair and Radhakrishnan are registered in various courts. Police estimate that they cheated investors to the tune of over Rs.6 crore. While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is in jail on charges of murdering his first wife. Also Read Kerala solar scam: Accused Saritha Nair moves court against judicial commission probe advertisement Kerala solar scam: Saritha Nair files plea in HC, wants CBI to probe Oommen Chandy's role Solar scam: Protests in Kerala as CM Chandy moves HC against FIR --- ENDS --- Pahlaj Nihalani, the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification has given a U/A rating to The Jungle Book, inviting ridicule from all quarters of social media and the film industry. By India Today Web Desk: Just as people thought things could not get any messier with the Indian Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chopping off major scenes and muting dialogues in popular films, it has now gone a step ahead and awarded this year's much-awaited film, The Jungle Book, a U/A certificate. The U/A rating is given to a movie which contains mild violence, language and sensuality and is unsuitable for children under 12. advertisement ALSO READ: Puhleez Nihalani - We're adults, don't be a nanny ALSO READ: The Jungle Book - Five things you need to know about Neel Sethi Watch: The Jungle Book - Ben Kingsley to Neel Sethi, celebrities arrive at the premiere of Disney's classic According to CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani, the film is "too scary" for children to watch alone. "The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience," he told DNA in an interview. The nerve-wracking 3D effects in the film require children to go with their parents to watch it, suggests Nihalani. Though the film has been given a PG rating worldwide, it seems this decision hasn't gone down all too well with the Indian audience. People have taken to social media to ridicule Nihalani's decision. The Jungle book got U/A certi.So acc to CBFC it's a movie for adults not for kids. What the panel thinks is really out of world.#sad #shame Prathamesh Pawar (@speakup21) April 7, 2016 What a time to be alive when The Jungle Book is given UA Certificate by CBFC. https://t.co/qqW41xRYVh VG (@VGLICIOUS_) April 7, 2016 So, #PahlajNihalani finds The Jungle Book "too scary". Looks like you missed the entire point, buddy. Shreya Khanna (@SherKhan93) April 7, 2016 Pahlaj Nihalani : The animals jump at you from the screen. Every other person : Its called 3D, you idiot! Sid Mathur (@BhaiBahutBadiya) April 7, 2016 What happened to Pahlaj Nihalani? U/A certificate to Jungle Book! Thank God it's not A. Non of the chimps, monkeys, hyenas wearing clothes. Pankaj Jangid (@Jangid) April 7, 2016 This step has definitely caused an uproar in the film fraternity. Actor-comedian Vir Das tweeted, "Sorry guys. Jungle book got a U/A certificate. And they cut the Kaa and Baloo kiss. Also the Sher Khan and Col Hathi sex scene (sic)." Sorry guys. Jungle book got a U/A certificate. And they cut the Kaa and Baloo kiss. Also the Sher Khan and Col Hathi sex scene. Vir Das (@thevirdas) April 6, 2016 advertisement Director-producer Mukesh Bhatt also slammed Nihalani's decision. In an interview to The Indian Express, Bhatt said, "I have seen the film. There is nothing in the film which asks for a 'U/A' certificate. It is such a beautiful film. There is nothing in the film which will scare the kids, but let's just accept the fact these are the times when The Jungle Book is given a U/A Certificate." Bhatt added, "This shows how crazy this country has become. If The Jungle Book can get a 'U/A', then I think the government needs to do some very serious thinking about the CBFC. The CBFC should be put in a garbage can. That is where it should be." He did not only criticise Nihalani, but also the people who have chosen him as the chairman of the CBFC. Mukesh Bhatt added, "I am not talking about Nihalani. He is just a stooge of the people who have put him there. If a Jungle Book can get a 'U/A', shame on India." Nihalani has been in controversy for quite some time now. Last year, he faced similar accusations when he shortened kissing scenes to half and removed several other scenes for their 'profanity' in the James Bond film Spectre. After that, the CBFC had to receive much flak for its decision to mutilate Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool too. --- ENDS --- advertisement The Republican presidential candidate's campaign said in a memo that if elected in November, Trump would use a U.S. anti-terrorism law to cut off such money transfers unless Mexico made a one-time payment of $5 billion to $10 billion for the wall. Trump's pledge to build the wall has been a much-touted highlight of his campaign. (Photo: Reuters) By Reuters: Donald Trump proposed on Tuesday forcing Mexico to pay for his planned border wall by threatening to block remittances from illegal immigrants, which he said amounts to "welfare" for poor families in Mexico that their government does not provide. The Republican presidential candidate's campaign said in a memo that if elected in November, Trump would use a US anti-terrorism law to cut off such money transfers unless Mexico made a one-time payment of $5 billion to $10 billion for the wall. advertisement Trump's pledge to build the wall has been a much-touted highlight of a platform targeting illegal immigration in the United States that has helped make him the front-runner to be the Republican nominee for the Nov. 8 election. It is unclear how much a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile (3,200-km) U.S.-Mexico border would cost, and Mexico has been adamant it would not pay. The memo elaborated on an idea Trump floated in August, when he suggested seizing all remittances tied to "illegal wages." It said that upon taking office a Trump administration would propose a rule mandating companies such as Western Union Co WU.N to require customers to prove they were legally in the United States. If Mexico agreed to fund the wall, Trump would drop the proposed rule, it said. "It's an easy decision for Mexico," his campaign said, adding the country receives about $24 billion a year in remittances from Mexicans in the United States, most of them in the country illegally. "It (remittances) serves as de facto welfare for poor families in Mexico. There is no significant social safety net provided by the state in Mexico," it said. According to the World Bank Remittances project, flows from the U.S. to Mexico in 2014, the last full year for which it has data, were nearly $24 billion although it is unclear what portion comes from Mexicans living in the country illegally. 'Good luck with that' Democratic President Barack Obama called the remittance-blocking idea impractical and possibly self-defeating. "The notion that we're going to track every Western Union bit of money that's being sent to Mexico, you know, good luck with that," he told reporters. If Mexico's economy collapses, it would just drive more immigrants to the United States, Obama added. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto appeared to dismiss the proposal as campaign rhetoric. "The (Mexican) Presidency has no comment on any opinion made in the heat of the electoral process to choose candidates for the U.S. presidency," the president's office said in a text message to Reuters. advertisement Any move to target payments sent home by people living in the United States could have a crushing financial effect in Mexico, the leading recipient of U.S. remittances. Trump's proposal could also affect banks and companies that handle wire transfers, which also include MoneyGram International Inc (MGI.O) and PayPal Holdings Inc's (PYPL.O) Xoom. The companies did not respond to requests for comment. In addition to his wall proposal, Trump has accused Mexico of sending rapists and drug runners to the United States. Democrats and many Republicans have repeatedly condemned his comments as inflammatory, but his remarks have been enthusiastically received by his supporters, especially by white working-class voters. In the memo, first reported by The Washington Post, Trump's campaign repeated its pledge to target visas. It also cited imposing trade tariffs or enforcing existing trade rules as a way of forcing Mexico to pay. Trump supporter Benjamin Proto, a Connecticut lawyer, acknowledged the remittance plan was unrealistic but praised the candidate for "looking at different ways to do things." The memo emerged as Republican candidate Ted Cruz appeared set to beat Trump in Wisconsin's primary contest on Tuesday, a win he would hope would mark him as the best alternative to the New York billionaire. advertisement Also Read: Reluctantly, Barack Obama embracing his role as the anti-Donald Trump --- ENDS --- Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Displaced people walking next to a razor wire fence at the United Nations base in the capital Juba, South Sudan. Photo: AP By AP: An escalation in fighting in Darfur has forced 138,000 people to flee their homes since mid-January and there is no end in sight to the 13-year conflict in Sudan's largest region, the UN peacekeeping chief has said. Herve Ladsous yesterday painted a grim picture to the UN Security Council of the upsurge in fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra area between Sudanese government forces and rebels loyal to the Sudan Liberation Army's founder Abdul Wahid Elnur. advertisement The government has blocked access to the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID and humanitarian organisations, so the number of casualties is unknown, he said. The Security Council briefing follows a report from UN experts monitoring sanctions against Sudan dated mid-December that has been circulated to council members but not released because of Russian objections to some recommendations. The report, obtained by The Associated Press, said armed groups in Darfur are capitalising on gold mined in the region to illicitly raise funds. Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Khartoum is accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes known as the the janjaweed and unleashing them on civilian populations- a charge the government denies. The United Nations says at least 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.6 million have fled their homes. Ladsous, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, said the security situation in other parts of Darfur remains "fragile" with persistent conflicts between local tribes over land, water and other resources. He said the political process remains "polarised" and urged the government and Abdul Wahid to immediately stop fighting in Jebel Marra and start peace negotiations without conditions. "The pursuit of political objectives through military means over the past decade has only contributed to the prolonged suffering of the civilian population," Ladsous said. Despite the "volatile security environment," Ladsous said a referendum is scheduled to take place from April 11-13 on whether Darfur should become a single region or retain the current division into five sub-regions. He cited a controversy over the criteria for voter eligibility and concerns about what some call "the unsuitable timing." --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Seema Hakhu Kachru Houston, Apr 7 (PTI) A US-based nursing school will fund a four-story medical facility in India with a grant of USD 652,800 it has received. Baylor Universitys Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas will be collaborating with the Bangalore Baptist Hospital. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) awarded Baylor Universitys Louise Herrington School of Nursing (BU LHSON) USD 652,800 to partner with Bangalore Baptist Hospital, the nursing school said in a statement. advertisement In January, a team of six staffers from Baylor school of nursing had taken part along with 400 people in a groundbreaking ceremony in India for the new centre. Most of the money from the grant will go towards building a new Simulation Education and Research Centre for Nursing Excellence in Bengaluru. "Itll have space for about 48 nurses to learn the same practices and information as those who received nursing education stateside," it said. "All of us at Bangalore Baptist Hospital would like to say thank you to the faculty and students of the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and to USAID for partnering with us," said Naveen Thomas, CEO of Bangalore Baptist Hospital. "The simulation center will go a long way in strengthening our ability to impart quality education and to train students and staff to care for patients," Thomas added. "Here in Baylor Scott & White Health, we in Faith in Action Initiatives are honoured and humbled to have the chance to assist our friends at the Bangalore Baptist Hospital," said Donald E. Sewell, Ph.D., Director, Faith in Action Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). "We also collaborate with the School of Nursing of Baylor University in order to make a small impact at Bangalore. These efforts help us to carry out the spirit and intent of BSWHs Christian ministry of healing," Sewell added. Both Baylor and the Bangalore hospital share similar Christ-centered Baptist missions. In addition to the new center and guidance with curriculum, BSWH and its Faith in Action Initiatives sent over medical equipment like carts, stretchers, tables, IV poles, office furniture, and other supplies. PTI SHK AMS ASK AMS DK --- ENDS --- Marking the completion of a reshuffle of the country's leadership, Vietnam has approved its new prime minister. What are the challenges PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is going to face and what are his new goals for the country, know here! By India Today Web Desk: 61-year-old Nguyen Xuan Phuc was elected as Vietnam's 8th Prime Minister today. Phuc, a former deputy prime minister, was approved by the Parliament's 446 of 490 legislators. He will be taking over from Nguyen Tan Dung who had attained the image of a tough-talking reformist abroad. Immediate challenges From being a deputy prime minister, Phuc has to now lead a government that is under pressure to reform its state sector, handle a budget deficit and maritime territorial challenges from China. advertisement The country is undergoing economic reforms ahead of joining the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Due to the El Nino effect, large parts of the southern Mekong Delta region are experiencing an unprecedented drought. A management expert Hailing from the central province of Quang Nam, Phuc has an expertise in management and economics. He joined the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1982 and was actively involved in local politics. He headed the Department of Planning and Investment of Quang Nam-Da Nang Province from 1993 to 1996. A new triumvirate Marking the completion of a reshuffle of the country's Communist Party leadership, Phuc joins the newly-elected President Tran Dai Quang and party chief Nguyen Phu Trong to fill the top positions. New goals Phuc has taken the challenge to of maintaining the momentum of the country's growing economy, tackle graft and improve the investment climate besides fighting to protect Vietnam's sovereignty. --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Akshay Kumar was detained at the Heathrow Airport in London for over an hour-and-a-half on April 6. The actor was on his way to London from Mumbai, and he was found to be travelling with a visa that was not valid, say reports. PHOTO: Too hot to handle, Akshay Kumar shares selfie of a lifetime with Salma Hayek advertisement Akshay, along with his personal trainer, arrived in London on Wednesday morning. It was then that the Heathrow authorities found the actor was travelling without a valid visa, a report in Mumbai Mirror stated. Akshay is in London for a 15-day shoot for his upcoming film Rustom. The Airlift star was then asked to wait at the general area for more than an hour while the airport officials sorted the issue. Officials at Heathrow apparently informed the tabloid that while as per their rules, it was not necessary for a Canadian national visiting the UK as a tourist to carry a valid visa, Akshay's case was different because he was there for shooting. In fact, it was the actor's response to the 'purpose of visit' that got him detained at the airport. While Akshay waited at the general waiting area, his fans at Heathrow had a gala time clicking photos of their star. Akshay is supposed to have asked the officials if he could be moved to a private waiting area, but was told that there wasn't any 'private' place at the airport as such. Kumar is said to have denied the entire incident, saying that he had a valid visa. --- ENDS --- By Reuters: Telecom network equipment maker Nokia is planning to cut thousands of jobs globally, including 1,400 in Germany and 1,300 in its native Finland, as part of a cost-cutting program following the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent earlier this year. In France, Nokia said on Wednesday it will cut only 400 jobs, but will also create 500 posts in research and development, in line with a promise to the French government last year when it was negotiating the Alcatel deal. advertisement "The pledges made by Nokia when it bought Alcatel-Lucent have been kept," said Frederic Aussedat, a representative of the CFE-CGC union in France. Also Read: Nokia profitable after selling mobile phone business to Microsoft Nokia declined to give a total figure for global job cuts. The company employs about 6,850 people in Finland, 4,800 in Germany, 4,200 in France and around 104,000 around the world. "This (1,300) is a terrible figure, we have rather difficult employment situation in the sector to begin with," Pertti Porokari, chairman of the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland, said. "Seems that Finnish workers have lost this match (against the French)." Nokia took control of Franco-American Alcatel-Lucent in January following its 15.6 billion euro ($17.7 billion) all-share offer, intended to help it compete with Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei in a market where limited growth and tough competition are pressuring prices. Nokia is seeking 900 million euros billion of operating cost synergies from the Alcatel deal by 2018. --- ENDS --- Britt Dekker for Playboy GS Media, C-160/15. Linking to unlicensed content? This is not in itself an infringement of Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29 (the InfoSoc Directive ), said this morning Advocate General (AG) Melchior Wathelet in his Opinion in, C-160/15. Svensson This is big news, in that the AG advised the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) do depart significantly from the jurisprudence inaugurated with the (in)famous 2014 decision in here for Kat-coverage] Background Playboy (Sanoma) and GS Media, over provision by the latter - through Playboy. As readers will remember, this reference for a preliminary ruling from the Dutch Supreme Court has arisen in the context of litigation between the publisher of(Sanoma) and GS Media, over provision by the latter - through GeenStijl.nl - of hyperlinks to other websites hosting leaked photographs of Dutch starlet Britt Dekker . These photographs were due for publication in a 2011 issue of More specifically, in 2011 [prior to the publication of the Playboy issue in question] GS Media published a report with the title [obscenity] leaked! Nude photos ... Dekker. The report also included part of one of the photographs in the top left-hand corner (the cutout). The report ended with the following words: And now the link with the pics youve been waiting for. Whoever [obscenity] first, [obscenity] first. HERE. .... By clicking on a hyperlink, indicated by HERE, readers were directed to an Australian data-storage website called Filefactory.com [where the photographs appeared to be freely accessible, although the AG noted that whether this was the case is not entirely clear: see para 71 of the Opinion] . By clicking on the following hyperlink, they could open a new window which contained the button DOWNLOAD NOW. By clicking on the button, the readers opened a file in zip format containing 11 files in pdf format, each of which contained one of the photographs. Despite Sanoma's demands, GS Media refused to remove the hyperlink in question (although the photographs were removed from the Filefactory.com website), and later on published two further reports with new hyperlinks to Dekker's photographs. AG Wathelet GS Media was successfully sued before the Amsterdam District Court and the Amsterdam Court of Appeal, although these courts considered different aspects. The former held that by posting those hyperlinks, GS Medias conduct had been unlawful because it encouraged visitors to GeenStijl to view the photographs illegally posted on Filefactory.com which, without those hyperlinks, would not have been easy to find. In contrast, the Court of Appeal held that, on the one hand, GS Media had infringed copyright by posting a cut-out of one of the photographs on the GeenStijl website but, on the other hand, had not made the photographs available to the public by posting the hyperlinks on its website. The decision of the Court of Appeal was appealed before the Supreme Court, which decided to stay the proceedings and seek guidance from the CJEU. The reference for a preliminary ruling As clarified by the AG, in a nutshell what the Dutch Supreme Court is seeking guidance on is whether: Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive must be interpreted as meaning that the provision on a website of a hyperlink to another website operated by a third party, which is accessible to the general internet public and on which works protected by copyright are made available to the public, without the authorisation of the copyright holder constitutes an act of communication to the public. The fact that the person who posts the hyperlink to a website is or ought to be aware of the lack of consent by the copyright holder for the initial communication of the works on that website is important for the purpose of Article 3(1) of this directive. The fact that a hyperlink has facilitated access to the works in question is relevant in accordance with Article 3(1) of this directive. The AG analysis Svensson and BestWater here] . The AG noted at the outset that this reference comes in the wake of the CJEU judgments inand No need to ask first No need for the rightholder's authorisation The AG began his analysis by noting that, whilst it is true that in Svensson the CJEU often referred to the rightholder's authorisation to the initial communication, "no reference is made in the operative part to the issue of whether or not the copyright holder authorised the initial making available of the protected work." [para 39; this, frankly, is a bold move on the side of the AG, who is clearly suggesting that the CJEU should depart from Svensson, without explicitly saying so - at least in this part of the Opinion (keep reading) - and by making actually the Opinion look like it was in line with Svensson and its progeny] Furthermore, continues the Opinion, in BestWater the relevant work [a YouTube video] the link in question referred to was not even published with the authorisation of the copyright holder. However, in accordance with its decision in Svensson the Court ruled that Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive "had not been infringed" [para 40; here the language is slightly imprecise, as it incorrectly suggests that the CJEU acted as a court on the merits, while in the case of references for a preliminary ruling the Court only provides the correct interpretation of relevant provisions of EU law, leaving it to the referring court to rule on the merits, ie infringement] "Consequently, the order in BestWater ... seems to indicate that the fact that the copyright holder did not authorise the initial communication to the public was not relevant for the purposes of Article 3(1)" [para 41] This said, in order to answer the questions referred by the Dutch court, the AG reviewed the two relevant cumulative criteria [ie: (1) an act of communication of a work; (2) to a (new) public] under Article 3(1)] in order to address the observations of Portugal and the Commission, which had held the view that to have an act of communication an actual transmission Svensson [pursuant to Recital 23 in the preamble to the InfoSoc Directive, and also the pre- Opinion of the European Copyright Society] of a work is necessary. An act of communication requires an intervention Svensson the CJEU held that "for there to be an act of communication, it is sufficient, in particular, that a work is made available to a public in such a way that the persons forming that public may access it, irrespective of whether they avail themselves of that opportunity". The AG recalled that inthe CJEU held that "for there to be an act of communication, it is sufficient, in particular, that a work is made available to a public in such a way that the persons forming that public may access it, irrespective of whether they avail themselves of that opportunity". According to the AG this approach is not correct in relation to hyperlinks: "Although it is true that hyperlinks posted on a website make it much easier to find other websites and protected works available on those websites and therefore afford users of the first site quicker, direct access to those works, I consider that hyperlinks which lead, even directly, to protected works do not make available those works to a public where the works are already freely accessible on another website, but merely facilitate the finding of those works. As the Portuguese Republic states in its observations, the act which constitutes the actual making available was the action by the person who effected the initial communication. [para 55] FAPL judgment The AG supported this view by referring to thejudgment here] , in which the CJEU held that without the intervention, for example, of a hotel to offer a television signal in its rooms via television sets, the work would not have been accessible to the hotels customers [para 56] It would follow that "in order to establish an act of communication, the intervention of the hyperlinker must be vital or indispensable in order to benefit from or enjoy works." [para 57] As a result, "hyperlinks posted on a website which direct to works protected by copyright that are freely accessible on another website cannot be classified as an act of communication within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29 since the intervention of the operator of the website which posts the hyperlink, in this case GS Media, is not indispensable to the making available of the photographs in question to users, including those who visit the GeenStijl website." [para 60] It follows that, lacking one of the two necessary conditions, ie an act of communication, there is no issue of Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive even coming into consideration. The linker's motives or awareness of unlawful nature of the content are irrelevant The AG did not stop here, and appeared to reject the very idea that psychology should be part of copyright. In fact, he held that "in the absence of an act of communication within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29, GS Medias motives and the fact that it was or ought to have been aware that the initial communication of those photographs on the other websites had not been authorised by Sanoma or that the photographs had also not been previously made available to the public with Sanomas consent are not relevant under that provision." [para 63] The 'new public' criterion is rubbish inapplicable in this case Although the first of the two cumulative conditions required for the applicability of Article 3(1), ie an act of communication, would not be met in this case, the AG nonetheless considered the second condition that communication of a work is to a public. The AG rejected the 'new public' criterion adopted in Svensson, and held that "the criterion of a new public is applicable only where the copyright holder has authorised the initial communication to the public. Since there is no such authorisation in the main proceedings, the criterion of a new public is not applicable." [para 67] Circumventing links are not OK The AG then noted that "if a hyperlink makes it possible for users of the site on which it appears to circumvent restrictions put in place on third-party websites to limit access to protected works, the hyperlink in question constitutes an indispensable intervention without which those users could not enjoy the works. Accordingly, that intervention makes the works in question available to visitors to the website in question, in this case visitors to the GeenStijl website, and therefore constitutes an act of communication to a public which must be authorised by the copyright holder pursuant to Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29." [para 73] No other circumstances should be taken into account The AG then considered whether there are other circumstances which should be taken into account when answering the question whether there is deemed to be a communication to the public if, by means of a hyperlink, access is provided to a work for which authorisation has never been given by the copyright holder for it to be made available to the public on a website. He answered in the negative, observing that a Member State cannot give wider protection to copyright holders by laying down that the concept of communication to the public includes a wider range of activities than those referred to in that provision. The Svensson decision as summarised by the AG Linking within the scope of copyright? Not a good idea in general At paras 77 and 78 the AG provided a more general observation: "[A]side from the fact that, in principle, the posting of the hyperlinks in the main proceedings does not ... constitute a communication to the public within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29, ... any other interpretation of that provision would significantly impair the functioning of the Internet and undermine one of the main objectives of Directive 2001/29, namely the development of the information society in Europe. Such an interpretation could also distort the fair balance of rights and interests between the different categories of rightholders, as well as between the different categories of rightholders and users of protected subject-matter. It is a matter of common knowledge that the posting of hyperlinks by users is both systematic and necessary for the current internet architecture ... [A]s a general rule, internet users are not aware and do not have the means to check whether the initial communication to the public of a protected work freely accessible on the internet was effected with or without the copyright holders consent. If users were at risk of proceedings for infringement of copyright under Article 3(1) of Directive 2001/29 whenever they post a hyperlink to works freely accessible on another website, they would be much more reticent to post them, which would be to the detriment of the proper functioning and the very architecture of the internet, and to the development of the information society." The AG also added [para 79] that "extending the concept of communication to the public to cover the posting of hyperlinks to protected works freely accessible on another website would require action to be taken by the European legislature." Remedies available to copyright holders: suing those who posted the works without consent or seeking an injunction Finally, the AG noted excluding hyperlinks from the scope of copyright does not mean depriving copyright holders of remedies to enforce their rights. The relevant rightholder could in fact: sue the person who effected the initial communication to the public without his authorisation. The AG however conceded that "as that person is unknown in this case, such proceedings hold no real interest for the copyright holder" [para 81] ; or seek an injunction pursuant to Article 8(3) of the InfoSoc Directive and the third sentence of Article 11 of the Enforcement Directive against operators of websites such as Filefactory.com and Imageshack.us which act as intermediaries within the meaning of those provisions, since their services are likely to be used by users of such websites to infringe intellectual property rights [paras 82 ff] . Conclusion Svensson, should the CJEU agree with it. The Opinion of AG Wathelet could signal a major departure from the approach taken in, should the CJEU agree with it. always considered outside the scope of copyright protection, especially in egregious cases (eg websites that provide links to unlicensed works and have this at the core of their business models). The broader practical considerations undertaken at paras 77 to 79 appear sensible, although it may be doubtful whether linking to unlicensed content freely accessible on a third-party website should beconsidered outside the scope of copyright protection, especially in egregious cases (eg websites that provide links to unlicensed works and have this at the core of their business models). However, the overall trajectory for those prices has reversed since reaching record lows in January. This trend was helped along in March by a smaller scale freeze deal negotiated among Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela, and Russia. With this deal fresh in the minds of oil-producing countries, there is some hope that a more broad-ranging agreement can be concluded at Doha. This sentiment was expressed, for instance, by Kuwait, whose OPEC governor Nawal al-Fuzaia was quoted as saying on Tuesday that there are positive indications an agreement will be reached. Still, this optimism has been tempered by the ongoing, vocal conflict between intra-OPEC rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. The former has declared that despite its intention to attend the Doha meeting, it will not participate in any output-limiting arrangement. At the same time, the Saudis have recently insisted that if Iran or any other attendee fails to participate, they will not go ahead with the plan either. Iran reasserted its position on Wednesday when Reuters reported that Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh had once again boasted of his countries projections for the reclamation of market share lost as a result of US-led economic sanctions. The nuclear-related sanctions were lifted in January with the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated between Iran and six world powers of the Iranian nuclear program. Since then, the Islamic Republic has reportedly been making every effort to export oil at the highest possible rate, with an eye toward raising the countrys total output from less than one million barrels per day at the height of sanctions to four million barrels per day. Zanganehs latest statements declare that this goal will be achieved by next March, the end of the current Iranian calendar year. The Iranians have been prone to overestimation of the volume and speed of their post-sanctions recovery, but an independent assessment by the International Energy Agency indicated in March that given favorable conditions, the Islamic Republic could raise its current output levels by half a million barrels per day in the coming year. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia may have something to say about the presence or absence of these favorable conditions, and Irans boastful projections may help to solidify the Arab kingdoms commitment to not participating in an output freeze if Iran does not temper its own ambitions. To be sure, the Saudis are concerned about the economic consequences of losing market share to their main regional adversary. But they are equally or more concerned about the geopolitical effects of the return of the Iranian oil economy at a time when Iranian-Saudi relations are historically fraught. In January, Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic following the storming of the Saudi embassy and consulate by Iranian mobs. The incident was spurred by sectarian conflict stemming from the Saudi execution of a dissident Shiite cleric a conflict that many global security analysts have viewed as closely connected to the civil wars in Yemen and Syria, where the Saudis and Iranians back opposing sides. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition of Gulf Arab nations that are participating directly in the Yemeni conflict, in the interest of confronting the growth of Iranian power there through the Islamic Republics Houthi militant proxies. As the conflict has continued to rage, the Saudis and their allies have repeatedly made public remarks rebuking Iran for its imperial policies in the region and portraying the rising tide of Iranian influence as a major regional threat. In fact, on Wednesday that Jerusalem Post reported that Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, the foreign minister of Bahrain, declared that Iran was the major regional threat and the biggest problem for the island nation, which is a prominent battleground for Iranian and Saudi influence and a frequent focus of Iranian terrorist activity. Providing further justification for such statements, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps referred to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and their peers in a meeting to discuss the IRGCs preparation for war. Breaking Israel News quoted Jafari as saying that these Arab states are symbols of modern political underdevelopment, and the IRGC has made preparations for response to their rudeness and stupid behavior, which stems from [their] reliance on the US power. The forthcoming meetings may indicate that Saudi efforts to put pressure on Iran have had some effect. But it remains to be seen whether that effect will be visited upon areas of disagreement other than air travel and the haj. If so, it is possible that this new opening between the countries the first of its kind since January will demonstrate its impact in the Doha meeting. Rajavi indicated that Iranian activists had held at least 6,500 protests over the past year, in defiance of their countrys repressive political environment. She added that these figures are indicative of a powerful social movement for a type of change that cannot be brought about by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whom some Western officials have described as a relative moderate. The NCRI has always rejected that characterization, and has expressed harsh criticism for the Rouhani administration in previous testimony before the National Assembly, as well as in the organizations annual gatherings. In her latest testimony, Rajavi noted that Rouhani had then boasted of a reformist agenda, but has since failed to deliver on any of his campaign promises other than the conclusion of nuclear negotiations, leading to relief from US-led economic sanctions. That relief, she added, has largely been spent on funding for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the continuation of Iranian military operations in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. The NCRI has organized and participated in a number of demonstrations that have coincided with Rouhanis visits to Europe. One such visit brought the Iranian president to both Paris and Rome in January. Another was scheduled for Vienna in late March but was cancelled at the last minute. Rajavi addressed this cancellation in her testimony as well, saying that it indicates the regimes fear of the Resistances popular support and the regimes extreme weakness and vulnerability. Remarks by Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani confirmed that the cancellation of Rouhanis trip was based on the refusal of Austrian authorities to cancel a demonstration that had been planned by the NCRI. Dominique Lefebvre, member of the National Assembly from the socialist party; Michel Terrot, member of the National Assembly from the republican party; Bruno LeRoux, president of the socialist group in the National Assembly; Senator Alain Neri; Christian Kert, vice-president of the republican group at the National Assembly; Frederic Reiss, republican member; and Jean Lassalle, independent, were among politicians who addressed the gathering. This is what he had to say: The United States must not aid and abet Iranian money laundering By Ed Royce April 6, 2016 The writer, a Republican from California, is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Iran has yet to see the economic growth it wants from President Obamas nuclear deal, and its demanding additional concessions above and beyond the agreement in return for nothing. Specifically, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wants the United States to end sanctions aimed at curbing Irans funding for terrorism and illicit weapons so Iran can gain access to the U.S. financial system, where the majority of international business is conducted. At a news conference Friday, Obama walked back reports that Iran would be allowed direct access to the U.S. dollar, saying, Thats not actually the approach that were taking. He did not, however, explicitly close the door to other steps that would give the regime access to U.S. dollars through offshore clearinghouses. In other words, Iran would be allowed to launder dollars while the administration looked the other way. This is an alarming departure from the Obama administrations position just months ago. Indeed, when selling the nuclear deal to the American people last year, the administration repeatedly stressed to Congress that key terrorism, missile and human rights sanctions against Iran would continue to be vigorously enforced. Take Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, for example. Last summer, in testimony to Congress, Lew vowed, Iranian banks will not be able to clear U.S. dollars through New York, hold correspondent account relationships with U.S. financial institutions, or enter into financing arrangements with U.S. banks. As the secretary made clear, Iran, in other words, will continue to be denied access to the worlds largest financial and commercial market. Yet when I questioned Lew just two weeks ago about whether he stood by this testimony, he refused to give a direct answer. And so this appears to be just the latest in a long pattern of concessions to protect the presidents legacy deal. In recent months, the administration gutted a new law to strengthen the visa waiver program to please the Iranians and has imposed only minimal sanctions on Irans missile program even as Iran launches missiles stamped with the words Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth. Iran claims it wants an end to these sanctions, and in turn greater access to the worlds financial systems, to spur economic growth. But countries that want to attract international investment shouldnt shovel cash to terrorists while accelerating production of the delivery vehicle for a nuclear weapon. Nor should they threaten neighbors with annihilation. Allowing a belligerent Iran access to the U.S. dollar poses real dangers to our country and economy. In February, the Financial Action Task Force an organization comprising nearly 40 nations warned that it is exceptionally concerned about Irans failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the worlds financial system. Thats why Im working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on legislation to put in place strict statutory prohibitions to keep Iran from receiving the benefits of accessing the U.S. financial system. Iran has seen what Obama will do to preserve his nuclear deal, and its taking full advantage. The United States cannot cave again. Congress should make clear that until the Iranian regime drops its illicit missile program and funding of terrorism, it wont receive another dime of sanctions relief. These remarks are the latest in a series of provocations that include the test-firing of three ballistic missiles last month, in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution that calls upon the Islamic Republic to avoid further work on missiles that are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Two previous tests of this kind took place in October and November, and the IRGC has on multiple occasions broadcast images on state television from inside Irans missile silos, accompanied by claims that the countrys stockpiles of such weapons have grown so large that the IRGC is running out of storage space. The persistence of these provocations has been cited by US congressmen and media commentators who are critical of the Obama administrations nuclear agreement and its more general policies toward Iran. In particular, those critics have recently taken issue with changing Treasury Department rules that some believe are indicative of an effort by the White House to expand upon existing sanctions relief measures associated with the nuclear deal. Republican congressmen have emphasized that Obama administration officials gave numerous assurances during and after nuclear negotiations that Iran would not gain access to the US financial system and would continue to be subject to sanctions on its missile program, human rights violations, and support for international terrorism. In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday, some of those congressmen reiterated that the emerging rules change appears to undermine those assurances by allowing Iran the indirect use of American financial institutions, via offshore intermediaries. In that same hearing, Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon attempted to assuage congressional concerns, to limited effect. On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that two Republican senators, Marco Rubio of Florida and Mark Kirk of Illinois, declared their intention to introduce legislation that would expressly forbid the type of activity that the Treasury Department is considering, known colloquially as U-turn transactions. In the opinion of these senators and their supporters, this type of prohibition would help to retain some of the economic leverage that the US still retains over Iran in the wake of the nuclear agreement and associated sanctions relief. It would also counteract a trend that Republicans and some Democrats perceive as the ongoing provision of concessions and the avoidance of enforcement measures by the Obama administration. This perception is arguably undermined by some other measures that the administration has taken in recent weeks, including the imposition of new sanctions on the Iranian ballistic missile program in the wake of last months tests. Much of the US Congress have been similarly critical of Obamas Iran policy and have urged much more assertive responses to Iranian provocations and perceived violations of either the letter or the spirit of the nuclear deal. Such responses may prevent Iran from obtaining the financial resources that it needs to continue pursuing military and ballistic missile development, as many Iranian officials including the supposedly moderate President Hassan Rouhani have repeatedly vowed to do. This is not to say that the Obama administration is explicitly permitting those activities to continue; but it does appear to be confronting them at a different point in the supply chain than the administrations critics would prefer. In Tuesdays Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Undersecretary of State Shannon guaranteed that the US would use its veto power in the UN Security Council to block authorization of any sales of fighter jets and similarly advanced weaponry from Russia to Iran. Such sales became a topic of discussion between the two countries soon after the implementation of sanctions relief in accordance with the nuclear agreement. [April 06, 2016] GenieATM Chosen by a Tier-1 Service Provider in Europe for DDoS Attack Mitigation TAIPEI, Taiwan, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Genie Networks, a technology leader in traffic visibility and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection, today announced a world-class telecommunications service provider in Europe has chosen Genie Networks' GenieATM solution to strengthen its network security. Several powerful DDoS cyberattacks were reported in Europe recently. The attacks caused not only websites and servers to become paralyzed but also noticeable effects on the regional Internet speed. Businesses and end users tend to hold their service providers responsible for it. So the striking rise in the frequency and size of DDoS attacks drove a top telecom in Europe to look for an effective solution to address the pressing DDoS challenge. After a careful and lengthy evaluation, the joint solution of Genie Networks and its technology partner was chosen for its robust features and abiliy in mitigating massive DDoS attacks. The GenieATM deployment at the tier-1 telecom continuously monitors the network and detects network anomalies. Upon detection, GenieATM automatically triggers on-demand traffic scrubbing by diverting the anomaly traffic to a DDoS scrubbing platform provided by a Genie's technology partner. The scrubbing platform then filters malicious traffic from the off-ramped traffic, and re-injects the cleaned traffic back to the original destinations. In this way, the attacks are mitigated with application layer precision with minimum impact to the legitimate user traffic, because only the suspicious traffic identified by GenieATM is rerouted. The detection and cleaning details are correlated and presented through GenieATM's Web GUI, allowing a range of actions including initiating/stopping a mitigation action manually or performing real-time troubleshooting and incident forensics. Upon deployment of the joint GenieATM and the US-based cleaning system technologies, the tier-1 operator was able to monitor, detect, mitigate and trace back attacks. Key benefits provided by this joint solution include superior cost-performance, multi-vector protection from volumetric to application DDoS attacks, elimination of in-line scrubbing risks, comprehensive traffic analysis and Managed Security Service (MSS) enabling. "We are honored that the European tier-1 telecom chose GenieATM to protect its network backbone from the DDoS attacks," said Denis, CEO of Genie Networks. "By implementing the joint solution of Genie and our DDoS cleaning partner for the large scale network infrastructure protection, our telecom customer can focus on growing its quality and reliable networking services alongside its customer base." [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Biomedical Institutes Select SwiftStack Object Storage to Accelerate the Translation of Discoveries into Cures SwiftStack, the leader in a new breed of object storage for enterprise, is fundamentally changing the way the life sciences industry manages its research data and consumes storage. Research organizations such as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation now rely on SwfitStack to enable innovations that help them achieve breakthroughs in research involving genome sequencing within their existing their IT budgets. "Scientists and researchers create an immense amount of information and, not surprisingly, they want to keep all of it for an eternity," said Chris Dagdigian, BioTeam co-founder and director of technology. "The enormous amount of data that is created or easily downloaded by one scientist or an entire lab can overwhelm traditional enterprise storage platforms. Life science storage requires nearly infinite capacity, multiple access paths to the actual data while avoiding unnecessary hardware and management costs." Life science organizations accelerate research using object storage in private clouds Experiencing limits with existing storage infrastructure, SwiftStack customers are meeting their business goals of aligning the cost of their infrastructure with their research mission to translate discoveries into cures by ensuring access to this research data from anywhere. SwiftStack's object storage software offering enables customers to manage and retain custody of billions of data objects, despite tightly controlled budgets and resource-constrained IT staff. Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is a non-profit biomedical research institute that found it could integrate SwiftStack software into its existing environment using commodity hardware while avoiding the expense of external arrays and tape and their associated maintenance costs. "What sold me on the SwiftStack solution is the cost savings, pay-as-you-grow, and that it meets our growing demands in a cost-effective way without adding staff," said Brent Keck, chief Information officer, OMRF. Dirk Petersen, scientific computing director at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, said that he was able to deploy an object-based workflow for archive data without sacrificing performance. "Our multi-petabyte storage-as-a-service now hosts hundreds of affiliated researchers and gives everyday users access to the data," sad Petersen. "Our initial deployment of 300TB using SwiftStack's software-defined storage saved us $700,000 from the start, and its automation allowed us to roll-out storage nodes in 10 minutes." "As the cost of the human genome is going down and its production is going up, we want to shift and be extremely agile with new technology to keep pace with our research goals to break the $1,000 genomic sequencing barrier," said Peyton McNully, technical director at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. "SwiftStack is an extremely cost-effective solution that can mimic public cloud like Amazon S3 but for roughly one-tenth the cost." Joe Arnold, chief product officer and co-founder of SwiftStack, summarized the need for these bioinformatics organizations to address the twin goals of innovating in research and overcoming limits of legacy infrastructure. "The rapid innovation in genomic sequencing is generating data at a rate that has outpaced the falling costs of traditional storage. With petabyte-scale the new norm, object storage is the only approach that both addresses cost and enables researchers to use tagging with metadata to improve their data management." Additional Resources About SwiftStack SwiftStack innovations power object storage for Enterprises, offering freedom of choice for genuine simplicity and TCO at scale. SwiftStack has perfected the delivery of private cloud object storage within and across data centers for content delivery, active archive, and data-centric workflows. The SwiftStack solution, built on OpenStack Swift (News - Alert) at its core, is managed by a unique out-of-band controller and includes scale-out nodes with rolling upgrades as well as a filesystem gateway interface for traditional applications. No object storage solution is as flexible, simple, or open as SwiftStack, which has driven adoption by HP, PayPal (News - Alert) and AutoDesk among many F500 companies. Connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn, or please visit www.swiftstack.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005938/en/ Este sitio utiliza cookies para mejorar la experiencia de usuario. Aceptar Ver mas "It's not the will to win that matters. ... It's the will to prepare to win that matters." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant HOUSTON -- People here at Ted Cruz's campaign headquarters are meticulously preparing to win a contested convention, if there is one. Because Donald Trump is a low-energy fellow, Cruz will be positioned to trounce him in Cleveland, where Trump's slide toward earned oblivion would accelerate during a second ballot. Wisconsin has propelled Trump, a virtuoso of contempt, toward joining those he most despises: "losers." In the 1992 general election, Ross Perot, a Trump precursor, won 21.5 percent of Wisconsin's vote, above his 18.9 national average. Wisconsin's populist tradition is persistent and indiscriminate enough to encompass Robert La Follette and Joseph McCarthy. And evangelical Christians are less important in Wisconsin than in contiguous Iowa. Nevertheless, temperate Wisconsin rejected Trump, partly for the reason that one of his weakest performances so far was in the reddest state, Utah, where conservative Mormons flinched from his luridness. His act -- ignorance slathered with a congealed gravy of arrogance -- has become stale. If, as seemed probable a month ago, Trump had won Wisconsin, he would have been well-positioned to win a first-ballot convention victory. Now he is up against things to which he is averse: facts. For months Cruz's national operation has been courting all convention delegates, including Trump's. Cruz aims to make a third ballot decisive, or unnecessary. On the eve of Wisconsin's primary, the analytics people here knew how many undecided voters were choosing between Cruz and Trump (32,000) and how many between Cruz and John Kasich (72,000), and where they lived. Walls here are covered with notes outlining every step of each state's multistage delegate selection process. (Cruz's campaign was active in Michigan when the process of selecting persons eligible to be delegates began in August 2014.) Cruz's campaign is nurturing relationships with delegates now committed to Trump and others. In Louisiana's primary, 58.6 percent of voters favored someone other than Trump; Cruz's campaign knows which issues are particularly important to which Trump delegates, and Cruz people with similar values are talking to them. Trump, whose scant regard for (other people's) property rights is writ large in his adoration of eminent domain abuses, mutters darkly about people "stealing" delegates that are his property. But most are only contingently his, until one or more ballots are completed. Usually, more than 40 percent of delegates to Republican conventions are seasoned activists who have attended prior conventions. A large majority of all delegates are officeholders -- county commissioners, city council members, sheriffs, etc. -- and state party officials. They tend to favor presidential aspirants who have been Republicans for longer than since last Friday. Trump is a world-class complainer (he is never being treated "fairly") but a bush league preparer. Trump, who recently took a week-long vacation from campaigning, has surfed a wave of free media to the mistaken conclusion that winning a nomination involves no more forethought than he gives to policy. He thinks he can fly in, stroke a crowd's ideological erogenous zones, then fly away. He knows nothing about the art of the political deal. The nomination process, says Jeff Roe, Cruz's campaign manager, "is a multilevel Rubik's Cube. Trump thought it was a golf ball -- you just had to whack it." Roe says the Cruz campaign's engagement with the granular details of delegate maintenance is producing a situation where "the guy who is trying to hijack the party runs into a guy with a machine gun." Trump, the perpetually whining "winner," last won something on March 22, in Arizona. Trump, says Roe, is now "bound by his brand rather than propelled by his brand." If Trump comes to Cleveland, say, 38 delegates short of 1,237, he will lose. Cruz probably will be proportionally closer to Trump than Lincoln (102 delegates) was to William Seward (173.5) who was 60 delegates short of victory on the first of three ballots at the 1860 convention. Cruz's detractors say he has been lucky in this campaign's unpredictable political caroms that thinned the competition. But as Branch Rickey -- like Coach Bryant, a sportsman-aphorist -- said: "Luck is the residue of design." FREMONT -- After a long, raucous meeting in Nickerson Monday night, a Fremont City Council study session, held to take public comment on the proposed Project Rawhide poultry plant operation, was, well, short and mostly silent. The meeting adjourned two minutes after being called to order; no public comment was received. Project Rawhide has decided to step back and re-evaluate all of their options, Mayor Scott Getzschman said. The Greater Fremont Development Council will continue to communicate with the client, but because of these developments there will be nothing for this council to consider this evening or to propose and we will have no public comment. The mayor told the dismayed, irritated audience that the still unnamed company that wants to build the plant just north of Fremont, near Nickerson, is listening and acknowledges it may have made mistakes regarding the concealment of its identity. Getzschman did not reveal that identity. What youre seeing is that people are very concerned about the type of businesses that were bringing into this city," City Council candidate Matt Bechtel said after the meeting. "They are concerned about the type of dynamics that a plant like this will bring. You would think that a company would want to address these issues right away. Thats what leadership is, and were just not seeing that quite yet. But I do appreciate them taking the time to try to listen to people, tonight. He said people are concerned about the appearance of secrecy about the proposal to process 344,000 chickens a day and recruit area farmers to raise chickens for the plant. Getzschman said the project would have an economic impact of $1.2 billion a year. Truly, I think if theyre going to come forward, period, they have to tell the citizens of Fremont and Dodge County who they are and how they plan to move forward with the project, he said. Area residents' concerns include health, the environment, strains on infrastructure and the school system and a possible influx of Muslim and Somalian workers and whether they'll be legal. Even if theres one, theres one too many, said John Wiegert, adding that he is afraid of what's going on in the world regarding terrorism and immigration. The Nickerson Village Board voted unanimously on Monday against rezoning land necessary for the project. 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. 45 temporary shacks cleared The Metropolitan Police Circle Bhaktapur has removed 45 temporary shelters of the earthquake victims from Bhalukhel ahead of this years Bisket Jatra celebrations. The festival starts on April 29. Bangladesh student hacked to death for expressing secular views A Bangladeshi law student who had expressed secular views online has been killed in the capital, Dhaka. Dhading VDC secys refuse to work in 15 villages The VDC secretaries in Dhading have refused to take responsibilities for other VDCs in the district that have no secretaries. Ghode Jatra celebrated in Kathmandu (photo feature) The annual festival of Ghode Jatra, known as the Horse Racing Day which falls on the Nepali month of Chaitra, was celebrated in the Kathmandu valley with much gusto on Thursday. Govt wakes up to UK paper claims after three days Three days after a British newspaper claimed that child survivors of last years Nepal earthquake among other vulnerable children were being sold to British families to work as domestic slaves, the government here said on Wednesday that it has called a meeting on Thursday to discuss the matter in what seems to be too lackadaisical and sluggish response to a matter of utmost concern. SLC candidates boycott exam in Jumla for being too strict School Leaving Certificate (SLC) candidates from Jumla district walked out of the examination hall midway saying that the centres were too strict. Maintain security, confidentiality:CVCP Conflict victims have asked the transitional justice bodies to be extra cautious regarding confidentiality, safety as well as emotional aspects of individuals who want to register their complaints. Nepali toddler killed in Sydney road accident A 16-month-old Nepali child died in a fatal accident in Sydney, Australia on Thursday. Netherlands 'rejects' EU-Ukraine partnership deal Voters in the Netherlands have rejected in a referendum an EU partnership deal removing trade barriers with Ukraine, preliminary results suggest. One held in connection with Tikapur incident Police have arrested a local from Beluwa settlement in Narayanpur VDC, Kailali, for his alleged involvement in the Tikapur incident in which nine persons, including a senior police official and an 18-month-old boy were killed. Prospective lenders will submit appraisal report to their boards More than half dozen prospective lenders for the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project are submitting the project appraisal report to the boards of their respective organisations after their meeting with the projects developer GMR India, sources have said. Protest blocks Butwal drinking water project The Butwal Drinking Water Upgrading Project has run aground following obstructions from locals. The Rs195.6-million scheme has targeted supplying 8 million liters of drinking water daily to parched Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City. Pvt med colleges breaching NMC admission rules Private medical colleges have been admitting students into graduate programmes on ad hoc basis even before they are allocated seats by the Nepal Medical Council (NMC). Student prevented from attending SLC for not paying tuition fee A principal of a private school in Kyamin, Tanahun has held captive a School Leaving Certificate examinee for failing to pay SLC tuition on Thursday. Suspended lawmaker Sah masterminded the murder: Police Dhanusha District Police on Wednesday said suspended lawmaker Sanjaya Kumar Sah masterminded the murder of media entrepreneur Arun Singhaniya. Teenager leaves home to escape forced marriage Nineteen-year-old Rinku Thakur of Chhapkaiya in Birgunj-2 left her house on Wednesday morning after her parents reportedly forced her to marry against her wish. Volte-face Free-visa-free-ticket issue should address the costs of all the aspects of recruitment Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits Yes, they will make the city more inviting Maybe ... does it really matter? No, the signs in place are fine No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars Vote View Results iStock Editorial/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission Wednesday issued a recall of Ivanka Trump scarves, saying the pieces do not meet the federal flammability standards for clothing textiles, posing a burn risk. Though the scarves, made in China, are branded with Donald Trumps daughters name, the company from which the scarves were recalled is GBG Accessories, the CPSC notes. About 20,000 scarves were recalled; no injuries have been reported."We're disappointed to learn of the need for Global Brands Group, our license partner, to recall two styles of Ivanka Trump scarves, but we are relieved that immediate action is being taken," a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump collection said. "We're committed to providing our audience of millennial working women with accessibly priced, quality products that suit their needs and look great. We're seeing to it that this issue is fixed immediately."GBG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By Jun Ji-hye U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has indicated that if elected, he would not care about a potential war between Japan, one of the key U.S. allies, and North Korea, raising international concern about his capability of resolving any possible conflicts in Northeast Asia. His remarks also contradict Washington's long-held commitment to safeguarding its key allies in the region South Korea and Japan in the event of military conflict. Speaking at campaign rallies in Wisconsin, Saturday, ahead of the state's primary this week, Trump said that if a conflict between Japan and a nuclear-armed North Korea were to break out: "That'd be a terrible thing. But if they do, they do," adding that, "Good luck. Enjoy yourself, folks." Trump pointed to snowballing U.S. debt as a key reason for it to reconsider its military commitments abroad. "We can't be the policeman to the world and have $19 trillion in debt, going up to $21 trillion," he said. Trump apparently reiterated his belief that Japan and South Korea should arm themselves to deter a threat from the communist state rather than have the U.S. military protect them. The remarks are also in line with the unfounded repeated position he has made that the U.S. has been providing protection for wealthy nations for almost nothing. He claimed that Washington should end such protection unless those countries agree to pay more. The real estate mogul also recently raised eyebrows in Seoul and Tokyo by arguing that U.S. troops stationed in the two nations may need to be pulled out, and the two countries may need to step out from under the U.S. security umbrella and develop their own nuclear arsenal. About 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, and about 54,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Japan. "Japan is better if it protects itself against this maniac of North Korea," Trump said on CNN early last week. "We are better off frankly if South Korea is going to start protecting itself they have to protect themselves or they have to pay us." The remarks also contradict Washington's stance on eliminating or at least reducing the world's stockpile of nuclear weapons and material, a position that Republicans and Democrats have held since World War II. Concerned about the statement made by the entrepreneur-turned-politician, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded: "Whoever will become the next president of the United States, the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy." President Barack Obama also said at a news conference, Friday, "The person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy or nuclear policy or the Korean Peninsula or the world generally." Critics here also said Trump's views reflect his lack of knowledge about the situation of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) stationed on the peninsula. In 2014, the allies renewed the Special Measure Agreement (SMA) on sharing the financial burden of keeping U.S. troops in Korea to guard against North Korean threats. Seoul paid 920 billion won ($790 million) for that year. The renewed SMA, which will apply until 2018, also stipulates that the amount paid must reflect the consumer price index (CPI), and increase Seoul's cost-sharing every year by up to 4 percent. Critics say Korea pays nearly 1 trillion won a year in accordance with the SMA for the cost of stationing the USFK, and is not getting a defense free-ride from Washington. Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results Rescuers work at the scene of a head-on crash on U.S. 6 east of Waterloo Wednesday night. Three people suffered serious injuries, including two in the Pontiac G6 at left and one in a Kia Soul at right. Southeast Minnesota Historic Bluff Country will be holding its annual meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, April 14, at Stumpys in Rushford. The group is committed to encouraging visitors and interest to the area and charged with maintaining the National Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway, covering 88 miles of scenic natural beauty and traditional American living from Dexter to La Crescent and points stretching both north and south. HBC is looking to rebuild following a tumultuous period in the organizations history, hoping to focus on uniting the counties and small towns in its area for the betterment of all. This is an all-hands-on-deck call, said Eric Leitzen, the representative of Hokah. We all need to work together in order to turn southeastern Minnesota into a tourism destination that will bring visitors, exposure and income to our many working families. Historic Bluff Country is looking to position itself as a complement, not a replacement, for various area Chambers of Commerce, hoping to build a network that is stronger together than working separately. Comparisons have been made by the HBC board to New England, Upstate New York, and Napa Valley for previous examples of geographic regions of smaller towns that have united as tourism destinations. Historic Bluff Country is a sweeping cross-section of classic American life, from broad farmland atop the area bluffs to warm, welcoming villages down in the valleys. The area is a favorite for artists, conservationists, historians and lovers of year-round outdoor recreation. HBC plans to use the April 14 meeting as a jumping off point for a new era in promotion and prosperity for all towns and townships, both on the bluffs and along the scenic Root River. The event will begin with the annual meeting, statement to local members, and presentation of new board members and officers at 9 a.m. Following the meeting, there will be an hour-long discussion of the Historic Scenic Bluff Country Scenic Byway Corridor Plan, which will be used as a template moving forward of how the organization will operate over the next 10 years. All are urged to attend, from Dexter to La Crescent, and give their feedback at the 10 a.m meeting and set HBC on a course forward to serve the entire area. For more information, email hbc@bluffcountry.com. The city of La Crescent, with the assistance of a $3,000 grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, launched its GreenStep City efforts with a Green Team meeting on March 30. The team included members of the comprehensive planning committee, planning commission, city staff, and a newly hired GreenStep intern. The team spent the day reviewing the 29 GreenStep best practices to determine which actions the city has already taken or plans to take and would like to reflect in their comprehensive plan. La Crescent became a GreenStep city with passage of a resolution in October 2015. City administrator Bill Waller expressed his excitement as the citys GreenStep process, Has gained legs after the first of the year with the grant and the city councils approval of the budget to hire Alison Bettin as an intern to help. Bettin, a junior at Winona State University, will be assisting La Crescent four hours a week through December. Bettin, a double major in public administration and ecology, with a minor in sustainability, is, Excited to learn about the city of La Crescent and be part of making the community better. Bettin said environmental stewardship and sustainability are important in both her work and home life, and she looks forward to contributing to something meaningful through the internship. Among the first tasks Bettin will undertake when she starts in May will be to collect data on the citys buildings, including size, function and historical energy use. These will be loaded into the Minnesota B3 Benchmarking tool, which normalizes building energy use data and will allow the city to see how their buildings performance compares to benchmarks and their peers. This best practice helps cities to target cost-effective operational changes or upgrades to reduce public building energy use. Waller suggested that the La Crescent Fire Station, which was renovated this past year, be one of the first buildings examined. Minnesota GreenStep cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance, and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. This free continuous improvement program is based upon 29 best practices that are tailored to Minnesota cities, focus on cost-savings and energy-use reduction, and encourage civic innovation. Go to www.MnGreenStep.org for more information. What a sad day it was when I read my email telling me that Eric Leum had passed away. Although we had never met face to face, I considered him one of my genealogy friends. Eric had a similar passion for digging through old records to find the answers to our questions on our pioneer ancestors past. He was always willing to help. Eric became my go to guy when I had questions about Westby. He always seemed to have the answer or know where to find it. When I first wrote to Eric to tell him that the big white brick house he had referred to as the home of C. T. Shannon was initially the John Michelet house, Eric wrote back to tell me that he was related to John Michelet. I had been researching the genealogy of John Michelet and no one in the family had the names Eric was giving me from his paternal line. I couldnt figure this outand although he didnt know how he was related, Eric was sure! Finally, he sent me his great great grandmothers name, Christine Olsdatter Gryteah ha! Jacob Post Michelet had married Gregine Olsdatter Gryte, Christines sister, and they were the parents of John Michelet. Eric was related, but through a maternal connection. Erics great great grandparents were some of the first to settle on Coon Prairie. Biri, Norway ministerial books record Evan Pedersen (Svennstuen) along with Christine and their four daughters, Martha, Ingeborg, Pauline, and Olava leaving for North America on March 29, 1848. However, the passenger manifest for the brig Tricolor records a departure date of April 27, 1847 from Christiania (today Oslo), Norway, with an arrival date into New York on July 30. Also immigrating from Biri are Hans Nilsen Neprud, his wife and their four children. They were part of the early exodus that eventually touched every farm in the small Biri community. Most of those leaving immigrated to America. Evan and Christine Pedersen initially purchased 40 acres of farm land in section 36 of Christiana Township in Vernon County where they built their home. They would eventually add an addition 80 acres. Two years later, young John Michelet arrived with a bag of gold and instructions to purchase land suitable for his parents and siblings. Although there is no record, it is likely that John stayed with his aunt and uncle and Uncle Evan helped him purchase the nearby land from Ole Syverson that became the Michelet farm. Today that farm is owned by the Buros family. A few years after Johns arrival, Christopher Nilsen Bratlie and family, including his son, Erick, arrived from Hurdal, Norway and purchased the land between the Michelets and the Pedersens. Erick Bratlie (who used the surname Christophersen for a time) married the Pedersens fourth daughter, Olava. This union brought nine children to the growing community. Hans Jorgenson Lium, his wife and three children emigrated from Hurdal, Norway in the early 1870s. Hans was a shoemaker by trade. His name became the byline for Erics weekly Historically Yours column. Hans son, Jorgen (George) married Mina Christine Bratlie in 1890. Their second son, Cyrus, married Rhoda Krogan, Erics parents. Eric enjoyed making those family connectionsto learn who was related to whom. He also kept track of what occupational positions people held and where their businesses were. He was a wealth of information and often had a photo to go with it. And while hes going to be missed, his passion for Westby and the neighboring communities, his pride in his history, and his weekly articles are memories he has left for us and future generations to enjoy. On 28 March Chiles foreign ministry announced that travel by Chileans to the US was up 25% in 2015 as a result of the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) implemented in 2014. According to a foreign ministry press release, since the introduction of the VWP, a total of 350,000 Chileans have visited the US. The programme, which also benefits 38 other countries, allows citizens to travel to the US for a maximum of 90 days without obtaining a visa prior to their arrival. Chileans travelling to the US for recreation, tourism, business, or for education purposes are only required to present a valid passport and authorisation from the Electronic System Travel Authorization (ESTA). The programme charges US$14 per application compared to the visa process which costs US$160. According to the ministerial press release, an estimated 220,000 US citizens travelled to Chile in 2015, up 15% on the previous year. Chile is the only Latin American country currently included in the VWP. End of preview - This article contains approximately 574 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Islamic State (IS) militants have been defeated in northern Syria by rebel fighters and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, according to sources close to the fighting. Military airplanes bombed IS targets to help ground forces in Syria defeat IS fighters. The United States led air support in the area near Aleppo. Reports say Russian warplanes killed 40 IS militants in eastern Syria. Forces loyal to Assad and supported by Russia recently took back the town of Palmyra from militants in late March. Palmyra and neighboring Tadmur are important because they are along IS supply lines that go from Iraqs Anbar province to Homs province in Syria. IS has not had a successful ground offensive in Syria since May 2015, when it captured Palmyra. Recently, troops fighting against Assad stopped a jihadist attack in the Aleppo countryside in Syria. IS also has lost ground near the Syrian-Turkish border. A rebel spokesman said more than 15 militants were killed in those clashes. IS fighters withdrew from eastern areas in Homs province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. IS forces still hold the city of Raqqa in Syria. But lawlessness including executions and robberies may show that IS is losing control, says an anti-IS network group. Activists say IS members are forcing local children into joining the group. IS militants executed eight young men west of Raqqa, according to VOA News and local ARA News. Reports also say former IS members are trying to flee. Others have been accused of stealing or corruption. Jamie Dettmer reported this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck and Mario Ritter were the editors. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story according - prep. as stated by source - n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed jihadist n. related to those fighting a religious war to defend or spread their beliefs A small group of Turkish activists welcomed the first deported migrants as they arrived at the Turkish port of Dikili. However, many Turks are questioning whether their country can or should absorb them. The deportees from Pakistan and other countries arrived in Turkey from Greece this week. They have been taken from the docks where, they disembarked, and were brought to a center 500 kilometers away. Turkey is expecting to receive another group of 200 migrants from Greece on Friday. The move is part of a deal reached in March between the EU and Turkey to ease Europes migrant crisis. The deal with the EU offers a list of incentives for Turkey. It includes billions of dollars in aid and the possibility of travel to Europe without a visa for Turkish citizens. Also, efforts for Turkey to join the EU are to restart. However, some Turks are condemning the deal. They say it does little to increase their long-sought access to Europe. The agreement is seen as a good opportunity for Turkeys President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is facing criticism for his governments offensive against Kurdish separatists in Turkeys southeast and its crackdown on the media. Questions about the deal continue Under the deal reached in March, Turkey will receive more than $3 billion in aid to take care of the migrants. For every migrant returned, Turkey sends one Syrian refugee to the EU. Greece and the EU were to deport all migrants who arrived on Greek soil after March 20. Greece reports that between 300 and 500 people continue to reach its shores each day. But that number is less than before the agreement went into effect. Officials say more than 400 people have died over the past year while trying to make the short, but dangerous, crossing between Turkey and some Greek islands. In Izmir, Turkeys third largest city, many migrants found acceptance. Today, parks and areas once filled with migrants are now empty. Some in the city miss their business. They do no harm to us, no harm at all. On the contrary, the business I did last year was double than this year, Aydogan Kirisci, a spice vendor told VOA. Not all Turks are as ready to accept the migrants. Concern about hosting them in large numbers has grown. That is especially the case after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the country recently. Even supporters of the deal for Turkey to take in migrants share the concern. In Izmirs city center, Turkish travelers form a long line in front of a private business that processes visas for Turks who want to visit EU countries. One of them, who identified himself only as Emre, said the possibility of having visa-free travel to the EU is, for him, not enough to justify the agreement. Some wonder how long the migrants will stay. This is the main thing, that we dont know what (is) going to happen because we dont know those people and where they will live and if they (are given) a place anywhere in Turkey if it is a secured place, he told VOA. Turkeys government is ensuring that the deported migrants remain out of sight. Experts say this is meant to limit tensions. The government says Syrians will be placed in refugee camps and others will be sent to their home countries. I'm Mario Ritter. Luiz Ramirez reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story absorb v. to take in, to bring in disembarked - v. to leave or get off of something, like a ship or airplane incentives n. something meant to encourage a person or group to take some action or agree to some plan crackdown n. a forceful attempt to stop people from doing something that is not permitted by authorities on the contrary phrase, shows that the following sentence describes something that is the opposite of the one that came before After months (possibly years?) of going back and forth and maintaining stoic silence on the matter, Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover have finally come out in the open and confirmed their wedding plans. They issued a joint statement to the public, which was posted on twitter by journalist Joginder Tuteja, reports DNA. Here is what the statement read: "We are happy to finally share the good news with everyone. 30th April 2016 is the big day and we cannot thank our family,friends, fans and well wishers enough for all their love and support. The wedding will be a private, intimate affair. Our deepest gratitude for respecting our privacy this far. We hope to have your continued blessings and warm wishes as we embark on this new journey together. There has been major speculation about the couple ever since they starred in their first movie together, the horror flick, Alone. Since Grover had been married twice before and was still processing his divorce from TV actress Jennifer Winget, the couple chose to remain silent about their relationship. There were also rumours that their respective parents were not supportive of this wedding until much recently. Reports have stated that the wedding will be held at St Regis Hotel in Lower Parel, Mumbai while the mehendi is slated to be held at a lounge bar in Juhu. However, it was Priyanka Chopra's tweet that pretty much sealed the deal: The bail plea of Rahul Raj Singh, who was booked on Tuesday by the police for abetting his girlfriend Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide, has been turned down by a Mumbai court. Rahul had filed for anticipatory bail on Wednesday, after a fresh statement by Pratyusha's mother, Soma Banerjee, led to the police booking him on charges of abetment, intention to cause hurt and intimidation, under sections 306, 323, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. He filed his plea at the Dindoshi Sessions Court through his new counsel Ashok Sarogi, after his original lawyer, Neeraj Gupta, backed away from the case citing "humanitarian grounds". Gupta had said that Rahul and his family had kept him in the dark about certain crucial facts of the case. Rahul has been in hospital since Sunday, 3 April. He had complained of chest pain and breathing problems after he was questioned by the police for two days after Pratyusha's death on 1 April. Doctors who were attending him told The Times of India that the TV actor-producer showed "suicidal tendencies". "I cannot leave him now because he can do anything. He is still on medication and becomes violent when the effect of the medicine wanes," Dr Santosh Goel said. Rahul will only be arrested once he is discharged from the hospital. Pratyusha's father Shankar Banerjee, however, has exhorted the police to take Rahul into custody soon. In an interview with IBN, Banerjee said that they suspected foul play in Pratyusha's death. Their legal counsel told mediapersons that the Banerjees felt their daughter's death was not a suicide but a murder. Vadodara: The Centre will provide 1.5 crore gas connections to women members of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families during the current fiscal, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said. "We will provide 1.5 crore gas connections to women members of BPL families in fiscal 2016-17 and our target is to provide gas connections to five crore women in the next three years," Pradhan told reporters in Vadodra on Wednesday night. "It is a new initiative of our government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide cooking gas to omen members of BPL families with state support," he said. "After Prime Minister requested people to give up gas subsidy, 96 lakh people have surrendered it and this amount is being used to give LPG connections to women in BPL families," he added. "The government has set aside a sum of Rs 2,000 crore in Union Budget 2016 to meet the initial cost of providing these LPG connections," Pradhan said. According to him, the scheme will free women in rural areas from the curse of smoke while cooking and will also reduce the time spent on it. The scheme, christened 'Ujjwala', provides financial support of Rs 1,600 for each LPG connection to BPL households. The identification of eligible BPL families, as proposed in the Budget for 2016-17, will be made in consultation with the state. Terming the Budget announcement as historic, Pradhan said the scheme will not only have immense health benefits for women and their children by providing a clean cooking fuel but will also provide significant ecological dividends. Quoting World Heath Organisation estimates, Pradhan said, "About 5 lakh women die in the country due to unclean cooking fuels. Most of these premature deaths are due to non- communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer." "While providing the new connections to BPL households, priorities would be given to the uncovered states and pockets, particularly in the eastern region of the country. This will benefit about 1.50 crore lakh households below the poverty line in 2016-17," Pradhan added. The Minister also said that "as part of India's drive towards self-sufficiency, the Centre is considering to incentivise gas production from deep-water, ultra deep-water and high pressure-high temperature areas, which are presently not exploited on account of higher cost and higher risks." "It is the desire of the PM to reduce import of crude oil by 10 percent by 2022 when country will be celebrating its 75th independence day on August 15 2022," he added. New Delhi - Consumer sentiment in India jumped to a four-month high in March but consumers remained concerned about the current state of their finances and the wider economy, a Deutsche Boerse report says. The MNI India Consumer Sentiment Indicator rose to 111.2 in March from 108.9 in February, led by optimistic expectations for future finances and business conditions while sentiment towards spending took a backseat. "Following the long decline over much of the past year, it is looking increasingly likely that consumer confidence troughed at the turn of the year. While still low, the rise in MNI India Consumer Sentiment Indicator in March, pushed it to the highest since November 2015," MNI Indicators ChiefEconomist Philip Uglow said. In the last 12 months, confidence has increased only four times and in spite of this month's rise, sentiment towards current finances and the business environment in general remains weak. The survey shows consumers are still concerned about the current state of their finances and the wider economy and the rise in confidence was largely driven by expectation of better things to come in future, Uglow added. As per the survey, the current business conditions indicator fell to a new record low level. However, consumer expectations for future business conditions picked up. Business conditions in one year rose for a second month and that for five years rose to the highest level since September 2015. While sentiment remained above the 100 level, meaning optimists outnumbered pessimists, it was 6.1 per cent down on the year and stands 5.4 per cent below the last year's average. PTI Estranged liquor baron Vijay Mallya's offer to repay Rs 4,000 crore ($600 million) as against the payable dues of Rs 9,000 crore owed by the defunct Kingfisher Airlines has been rejected by the group of lenders. The Supreme Court has allowed Vijay Mallya time till 21 April to reply to the bankers' decision. The Court has also asked Mallya to let it know by 22 April his plans to appear before the bench. The lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), have informed the Supreme Court of their decision on the offer at a hearing today. A bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman asked Mallya and his companies to file their response by 21 April indicating how much amount they can deposit in the Supreme Court to prove their bona fides. After a brief hearing of 20 minutes, the bench posted the matter for further hearing on 26 April. Kingfisher, which ceased operations in October 2012, owed the banks, mostly state-run, Rs 9,091 crore including interest and fees as of last November, the government has said. Last week, a lawyer for Mallya told the Supreme Court that the former billionaire planned to repay Rs 4,000 crore to the banks by September, and Rs 2,000 crore more if Kingfisher wins a lawsuit seeking damages from a plane engine-maker. Mallya, once known as the "King of Good Times", left India on March 2 as Kingfisher's creditor banks stepped up pressure on him. His whereabouts since then have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has directed Vijay Mallya to disclose all his assets, and sought clarity from his counsel on his appearance in the Indian court. Coming at a time when the banks in India are straddled with Rs 4 lakh crore NPAs, better sense has prevailed among the banks. An earlier article in Firstpost had argued that banks should reject the proposal submitted by the liquor baron as it will set a bad precedent for other wilful defaulters. According to Credit Information Beurau (India) Ltd, there are as many as 7,129 wilful defaulters in India and they owe about Rs 70,500 crore to various banks. With agency inputs Mumbai: He has emerged as the man to watch out for when Tata Steel initiates the formal process to sell its UK assets. Meet Sanjiv Kumar Gupta, founder of the UK-based Liberty House. Gupta is the key man British Business Secretary Sajid Javid met in London on Tuesday, just before flying to Mumbai for a meeting with Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry. Gupta, in fact, has already indicated his intention to stop widespread job losses in Tata Steel UK. I am pleased to report we had a positive meeting today. UK government appears highly supportive and is proactively engaged in finding a long-term solution," Gupta is quoted as saying after his meeting with Javid. The next step is for Tata (Group) to define the formal sales process and request indications of interest from potential buyers. We await further details on this and then will assess our own next step. For the record, Liberty Group has revenues approaching $5 billion, covering steel, raw materials and non-ferrous metals, while employing more than 2,000 people globally. It also produces about 5 million tonnes per annum of steel and steel products. Gupta is also not new to takeovers. Ten days ago, Tata Steel UK announced it has reached an accord to sell its Clydebridge and Dalzell steel facilities in Scotland. The deal involved the sale of the two plants to the Government of Scotland, which was to, in turn, sell them on to Liberty House. Prior to that, Gupta's group had acquired a 1.5 million tonnes per annum steel plant in Wales that was set up as an integrated producer of steel based on electric arc furnace route with downstream hot rolling mill. This complex was shut for over two years, before Liberty's takeover. Now the mill's operations have commenced and plans are on the anvil to eventually revamp the steel melting shop and grow the rated capacities of the mill, a testimony to Gupta's turnaround skills. Liberty's other investments include medium-sized mills and service centres in markets such as India and Ghana to strategic stakes in large producers, like a 2.5 million tonne per annum mill for steel and value added products. As per the group's website, it operates from four financial hubs in London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with a network of offices spread across 30 countries around the world. And "SKG", as Gupta is called by his peers, comes from a successful business family of Punjab. The 44-year-old left for Britain when he was 12 years old as a resident student at St. Edmunds College, Canterbury, in Kent. He graduated from the Cambridge in 1995 and was subsequently awarded his Master's from Trinity College. Since then, he has been trading in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. "From 2000 onward, SKGs focus has been on growing the trade in steel, metals and raw materials while developing the industrial asset base of the group," the Liberty website said. New Delhi - Vijay Mallya had made an offer of repaying a little over Rs 4,000 crore to lenders through a convoluted set of transactions, which were ultimately rejected by them. It seems as late as last night, his lawyers reiterated that the offer should be accepted but made no changes to the initial offer. The consortium of banks stuck to its resolve, however, and rejected it again at a hearing in the Supreme Court this morning. Many wise men have been doubting the sagacity of banks in refusing whatever pittance Mallya had agreed to pay - he owes over Rs 9,000 crore in all - but it now emerges that Mallya's offer was an empty one. In more ways than one. Not a single rupee was offered in cash, almost every amount was offered via settlement of an existing dispute or through pledged shares of a group company. According to sources, Mallya's offer was structured thus: 1) Lenders be given Rs 650 crore from the money deposited in the Karnataka High court for an earlier proceeding over sales of United Spirits' shares 2) Another Rs 300 crore worth of USL shares pledged by KFIL 3) Rs 1,100 crore worth of USL shares pledged by UBSL 4) Rs 688 crore which Airbus is expected to shell out as per a dispute between Kingfisher Airlines and the aircraft manufacturer in DRT Bangalore 5) Another Rs 1400 crore through pledged shares of UB held by UBHL. A spokesperson for Mallya declined to offer comments for this story. Anyway, it is no wonder that the lenders' consortium formally rejected this offer in the Supreme Court on Thursday. It sought a "substantial" amount from Mallya instead, in hard cash. But the lenders have not specified what this amount should be. The court has directed Mallya to deposit this substantial amount to prove his bonafide. It has also sought the presence of the liquor baron in the next hearing on April 26. Besides, the court has also sought details of all assets held by Mallya and his family in various business entities, in both India and overseas. The consortium of banks has not specified what amount it actually wants from Mallya now but it is clear that the banks want all of the principal amount - close to Rs 6,000 crore - and some of the interest amount upfront for any other repayment offer to be considered. It is obvious that any one-time settlement with a wilful defaulter like Mallya would mean the consortium has to write off the remaining amount - this makes it all the more important for lenders to push for as much recovery as possible and make this recovery in a tangible fashion. According to a Times of India report, Mallya and his firms told the apex court on 31 March that they were ready to pay Rs 2,000 crore upfront and over Rs 2,000 crore by September 30 and placed a proposal in a sealed envelop before a bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The banks were represented in the SC on Thursday by legal counsels Shyam Divan and S S Naganand and Robin David, partner at Dua & Associates. According to a report in The Economic Times, Mallya's lawyers C S Vaidyanathan and Parag Tripathi said he would make a full disclosure of his assets as directed by the apex court. The story went on to say that the two counsel opposed disclosing the assets of his wife and children but were directed to do so by 21 April. They also said that Mallya was willing to deposit money, provided the court so directs. "There's no liquid money. Everything is tied up in contingencies. We will need court orders to pay," Vaidyanathan said. He also agreed to say when Mallya would appear court at the next hearing. After Vijay Mallya made the Rs 4,000 crore offer to banks to settle the loans his company Kingfisher Airlines took from them, Firstpost's Dinesh Unnikrishnan had argued banks should not trust the industrialist, who still has a net worth of about Rs 7,000 crore. Had Mallya been ready to settle with banks, he would not have waited for so long, the article said. It also highlighted the proposal is a bad bargain for banks because Mallya's dues now stand at a whopping Rs 9,000 crore. Giving credence to Firstpost's arguments is a report that appeared in the Mint newspaper today. The report says a special court for economic offences in Bengaluru has denied permission to the income tax department to issue a non-bailable warrant against Mallya in a case related to non-remittance of tax deducted at source. The amount in question is Rs 325 crore and pertains to the period 2009-12. Tax deducted at source or TDS is the tax an employer deducts from the salary of the employees which it then remits with the income tax department. The department has alleged that Kingfisher Airlines deducted the tax from its staff but did not remit it. While this is not the first time that a court has taken a soft stance on a case pertaining to Mallya, what is more shocking is the way in which Mallya and his lawyers blatantly made a false submission in the court. According to the Mint report, the lawyers to the liquor baron told the court that there is no question of non-remittance of TDS since the company was anyway not paying salaries to the employees. However, the newspaper did a research of the annual reports of the company during the said period and found that Kingfisher had indeed paid salaries during the period. (Read the report here to see the company's wage expenses during 2009-12.) Not only that, a staff of the company has also confirmed to the newspaper that the employees were getting the salary during the period. Kingfisher Airlines stopped getting salaries around July 2012, he says. "However, the airline had deducted TDS judiciously since 2010 from the salaries though it did not bother to pay the tax department," the staff has been quoted as saying in the report. So clearly, the lawyers to the baron was lying through the nose. As noted earlier, this is not the first time a court is taking a soft stance on Mallya. In 2014, when United Bank of India declared him a wilful defaulter, Mallya had moved the Kolkata High Court against it. The bank was the first one to take the step. The court cancelled the tagging citing a purely technical reason that the bank's committee that took the decision had four members as against the mandatory three. The bank - first among the 17-member bloc to take a stern action against the billionaire - is yet to tag him a wilful defaulter though two others, State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank, have done it. The Mint report says the income tax department will now go back to the court with stronger evidence and arguments. The next hearing is on 20 April. One can hope that the tax department will get a favourable verdict on that day. Mallya and Kingfisher Airlines owe Rs 7,800 crore (excluding interest) to a consortium of 17 lenders led by State Bank of India, which had an exposure of over Rs 1,600 crore to the now defunct airline. Other banks that have exposure to the airline include Punjab National Bank and IDBI Bank (Rs 800 crore each), Bank of India (Rs 650 crore), Bank of Baroda (Rs 550 crore), Central Bank of India (Rs 410 crore). UCO Bank has to recover Rs 320 crore, Corporation Bank (Rs 310 crore), State Bank of Mysore, (Rs 150 crore), Indian Overseas Bank (Rs 140 crore), Federal Bank (Rs 90 crore), Punjab & Sind Bank (Rs 60 crore) and Axis Bank (Rs 50 crore). New Delhi: Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on Gujarat and Haryana governments for their non-seriousness in dealing with the issue of drought. A bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and N V Ramana took both the state governments to task for filing shoddy statistics on the drought hit areas in both the states, asking them whether all work would stop in case there are elections. "Why have you filed all this? You found these papers in your office and filed them here? Is this seriousness that you show on this issue? People are dying. This is not some picnic ou are having in Haryana," the bench observed. At the outset, the Centre sought adjournment in the case as no law officer was available to argue the matter. The bench expressed its anguish at this and said the Centre was not serious about the issue. The apex court expressed displeasure over the absence of Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand during the hearing. When the bench enquired about her presence, a junior lawyer told the court that ASG was busy with a prior engagement. "Two Supreme Court judges have no other job but to come, sit here and look at the clock," the bench shot back. When the message was passed, ASG Anand rushed to the court for the hearing. During the hearing, the Gujarat government told the bench that a total of 526 villages in three districts were declared is drought affected. It also said that National Food Security Act has been implemented and a notification was issued in this regard from 1 April. The court then asked Gujarat why it waited till 1 April to declare drought, when situation was clear in September last year itself. Gujarat government replied that local polls had delayed declaration of drought in the state. To this, the bench asked "will all work stop if there are elections?" Bihar government told the court that there was no drought like situation in the state and all kinds of help was being given in areas where deficient rainfall has been experienced. The apex court had earlier pulled up the Centre for not releasing adequate funds to states for MGNREGA and asked it to give details of expenditure on the scheme in drought-hit states, saying relief has to be provided now and not after one year. On 31 March, the apex court had asked Centre to say how many states had drought management cells and why no district- level disaster management authorities have been set up. It had suggested that the Centre, with the help of satellite data, should analyse the expected rainfall in the monsoon season and take effective steps to tackle drought-like situations on time. The bench is examining various aspects of relief given to drought-hit farmers during the hearing of a PIL filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan seeking urgent implementation of guidelines for areas hit by natural calamity. Earlier, the court had expressed its concern over low compensation paid to calamity-hit farmers and observed that it was leading some of them to commit suicide. The NGO, in its revised prayer, has sought a direction to Centre to abide by the provisions of MNREGA Act and use it for employment generation in drought-affected areas. The PIL filed by the NGO has alleged that parts of 12 states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh were hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief. 34-year-old Mohammed Ismail, who was detained on Tuesday in Pune by NIA investigators, suspecting him of being an Islamic State recruiter, has been released. Ismails detention could have been a case of mistaken identity, a said senior government official said in New Delhi. Ismails father, Rauf Ahmed, said that he received a call from his son around 11 pm on Wednesday that he had been released and was in Mumbai, reports The Hindu. Ismail was detained at the Pune airport on Tuesday, as he was leaving the country and flying to Dubai for onward journey to Syria. Officials had identified him as Raoof Ahmed, a resident of Bhatkal in north Karnataka. The person detained at the Pune airport also had Raoof in his name and since he is from Bhatkal,the intelligence agencies could have mistaken him for a terror suspect, The Hindu reports the official as saying. Security agencies have been keeping a strict vigil after his name cropped up during internet chats with members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is being monitored by sleuths to look for possible followers of the terror group, active in parts of Syria and Iraq. They said Ahmed was detained as the Union Home Ministry had issued a Look Out Circular against him sometime back. At least 14 youths have been arrested early this year by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as part of its probe on indoctrination of youths by the banned terror group. With inputs from PTI Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered a time-bound inquiry into the clashes at National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar following India's defeat to West Indies in the World T20 Cup last week. "We have instituted an inquiry to go into the incidents at the NIT," Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told reporters here. He said Additional District Magistrate of Srinagar will conduct the inquiry and submit his report within 15 days. "We will resolve this issue at the earliest," Singh said. Asked about his comment that students were subjected to 'mild lathicharge', Singh said his statement at that time was based on information he had received. He said the state government will ensure the personal as well as academic security of the students at the NIT. Rameswaram: Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen were on Thursday arrested by Sri Lankan Navy while allegedly fishing off Jaffna coast in the island republic, even before 96 others detained recently and set free by Lankan courts in the past two days could return home. The fishermen hailing from Jegathapattinam in Pudukottai District were arrested for fishing in Lankan waters in the sea off Analaitheevu near Jaffna in the wee hours today, a state fisheries official said. The Lankan naval personnel seized the fishermen's boat, Jegathapattinam Assitant Director of the Fisheries Shekar said, adding all the nine had been taken to Jaffna. The latest detention comes close on the heels of the arrest of four others earlier this week and release of 96 of the 99 fishermen arrested on different dates. While 32 fishermen were released on 5 April as many as 64 were set free yesterday by courts in Sri Lanka. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had only yesterday shot off yet another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to act decisively to find tangible mechanisms for permanently resolving this vexatious issue affecting the livelihood of lakhs of state fishermen. She had also reiterated the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay by annulling the Indo-Sri Lankan agreements of 1974 and 1976 ceding Katchatheevu islet to the neighbouring nation. Jammu: BJP on Thursday cautioned that the way outstation students are being dealt with at NIT Srinagar could have an impact on students from Jammu and Kashmir studying elsewhere in the country. "The elements involved in the misaction are anti-national and anti-people who want to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the state by indulging in such type of violence which tantamount to instigating similar reactions against students from the state studying outside the state and putting to risk and jeopardy their lives," said Sunil Sethi, chief spokesperson of BJP's state unit. Noting that Jammu and Kashmir is poised to get AIIMS and IIT, he said, "Bad treatment given to our fellow countrymen in the state will dissuade the students and teachers to come to these institutions which looks like concerted effort to isolate the state from national mainstream." He called upon the state govt administration to take effective and strong action against all persons involved, including police officials, to instill confidence among outstation students. He further said raising of national flag and chanting national slogans are a matter of pride and the state has to facilitate activities which propagate nationalism. Action should be taken against all such elements who are indulging in anti-national slogans and hoisting flags of Pakistan which amounts to supporting and propagating terrorism and separatism in the state and rest of country, Sethi said. He said there should be total ban on sale and possession of Pakistani Flags in the state with penal consequences to stop the politics of hatred in the state. Lucknow: Several people have been questioned in connection with the killing of NIA officer Tanzil Ahmed but no arrest or detention has been made so far, police said on Thursday. "We are quizzing a number of persons, but there is no detention or arrest so far. If there is something concrete, we will share it with media," Additional Director General of Police (Law and order) Daljeet Singh Chaudhary told PTI in Lucknow. Chaudhary was replying to some media reports claiming that a relative of the slain NIA officer had been detained. Tanzil Ahmed, probing terror cases related to Indian Mujahideen, was shot dead on April 3 by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants who also wounded his wife when they were returning home from a wedding near UP's Bijnor town. The ADG had yesterday said some "personal matter" may have been the reason behind the killing and hoped to crack the case at the earliest after zeroing in on certain links. "We are gradually zeroing in on certain links, especially some personal matters and are assessing forensic evidences. There are certain things which are indicating towards a personal matter," Chaudhary had said. The police is also looking into any terror angle and a senior level Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) team with the help of other agencies is working on the case, Chaudhary said. Meanwhile, data of the officer's mobile phone, which was damaged in firing, was being examined. New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday issued notice to the civil aviation ministry and the Airports Authority of India, following a series of incidents of falling glass at the Chennai airport that endangered the safety of travellers. The NHRC, which received a complaint on the issue, said the Chennai airport, despite having been modernised in 2012, has witnessed 61 incidents of falling glass in recent times. No substantive action has been taken by the authorities, the commission learnt through the complaint. The commission said that if the information in the complaint was true, then the matter needs to be investigated. Accordingly, notice has been issued to the ministry and the AAI demanding reports as soon as possible. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Thursday said bilateral talks between India and Pakistan were "suspended" and that there was no question of allowing an NIA team to visit Islamabad for the Pathankot probe. However, the Ministry of External Affairs cited the Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson saying that both sides were in contact with each other over foreign secretary level talks. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the visit of the National Investigation Agency team to Pakistan was on the basis of reciprocity, previously agreed upon. The Indian Express breaks down how the hugs and handshakes between Modi and Sharif have come full circle. Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club here about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Basit said: "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended. "India is not ready as yet," Basit said, but quickly added that "we can only resolve issues through dialogue". Basit also ruled out a reciprocal visit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Pakistan to probe the Pathankot attack. "The investigation (into the Pathankot attack) is not about reciprocity," he said. Swarup in his statement cited the Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Islamabad as saying that both sides were "in contact with each other" over the foreign secretary level talks. The Pakistani spokesperson said: "...It has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues." He added that Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar too had indicated in a recent statement that talks would take place. Basit also said that the arrest of an alleged Indian spy, Kulbushan Jadhav, proved Islamabad's allegations that New Delhi was causing unrest in Balochistan. The announcement comes nearly three and half months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore on December 25 on an unannounced trip to attend the wedding of the granddaughter of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Modi's trip had raised hopes about the resumption of peace talks between the rival neighbours. Basit's statement appears to be the first official word from Pakistan about the latest breakdown in the now-on-now-off peace process with India. The meeting between the India and Pakistan foreign secretaries was earlier scheduled for January 15. But it was stalled after a group of suspected Pakistani terrorists attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, killing at least seven security personnel. After a team of Pakistani investigators visited Pathankot to probe Indian charges that Pakistani terrorists were to blame for the January 2 attack, New Delhi had expected Islamabad to allow the NIA to visit that country to take the investigation forward. Earlier, reading out a prepared statement, Basit referred to the arrest of alleged Indian spy Jadhav in Balochistan last month and said that it "irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along". "We are aware of all those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilise the country. They are bound to fail." He said Pakistan had arrested scores of terror operatives with "foreign linkages" over the past month. "The presence of such elements is quite disturbing, to say the least." Jadhav was arrested on March 3 after he was allegedy deployed in Iran's Chabahar port before crossing into Balochistan to meet some separatist leaders in the restive Pakistani province. India says Jadhav was a retired naval officer, not a spy. But Pakistan released a so-called confession video by Jadhav claiming he worked for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) -- India's external spy agency -- and had financed Baloch insurgents. Basit also spoke on Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was "the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues". "And attempts to put it on backburner will be counter-productive," he added. "The resolution of (the) Jammu and Kashmir (dispute) should be fair and just." (With inputs from IANS) New Delhi: Countering the Pakistan high commissioner's assertion that the visit by Pakistani JIT was not on reciprocity, India on Thursday said before the team's visit here, both sides had agreed that it would be on the basis of reciprocity. "We have seen comments by the Pakistani high commissioner on the visit of the JIT Team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Base that have reference to reciprocity. "MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian high commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani foreign ministry that the Terms of Reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions'. "Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said. During a media interaction earlier, Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit said, "The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident." Reacting to Basit's remarks that the India-Pak peace process stands "suspended", Swarup referred to the press conference of Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria in which he said,"I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. "I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian foreign secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place." He was asked about the status of India-Pak foreign secretary-level talks. Srinagar: Thousands of protesters clashed with police in Kashmir Thursday after two militants were killed in a gun battle with government forces, the army and witnesses said. Protesters torched a police armoured vehicle as masked militants fired automatic rifles into the air in honour of the dead men, a police officer at the scene told AFP on condition of anonymity. The gun battle broke out early Thursday morning in Shopian, 45 kilometres south of the main city of Srinagar. "The militants fired on a patrol party. In retaliation both were eliminated," army spokesman, Colonel N.N. Joshi told AFP. The two militants were members of Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest local rebel group operating in Kashmir. After the shootout, thousands of angry villagers came out onto the streets, throwing stones at police and chanting slogans in support of the rebels. Police fired tear gas at the protesters but later withdrew to avoid an escalation. Authorities in Kashmir say there has been a rise in violent protests over the deaths of local militants in the restive Himalayan region, which is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both. Local police and the army have issued public warnings asking residents within a two-kilometre radius of a gun battle to stay indoors, but the request is usually ignored. Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several rebel groups fighting an estimated half a million Indian forces deployed in the restive region, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands have died in the fighting, mostly civilians, since the insurgency broke out in 1989. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947 and the two neighbours have fought two wars over its control. Another round of the odd-even experiment is ready to kick off in Delhi and curiously missing are the howls of protest against it this time. Experts have not come out with doomsday scenarios. There is no news of someone knocking the doors of the judiciary yet. People have not complained about their livelihoods getting affected and there is still no talk of second vehicles in families. There are some studies indicating that the reduction in pollution level was not dramatic during the first round in January but these dont tantamount to rejection of the experiment. The naysayers have gone silent. Full credit for it should go to the AAP government, perceived to be inherently anarchic and absolutely poor at governance by many. The task before it was massive its not easy to keep half the vehicles off the roads in a busy city. It managed to make the implementation of the experiment a joint exercise involving the public and the government. It avoided intimidation through the official machinery to make people fall in line. The odd-even formula for vehicles was after all meant for the good of the citizens and they saw little point in being defiant. Of course, the odd-even formula still remains a temporary solution to the air pollution problem in the capital state. The contribution of vehicular emission to the total pollution is much less compared to that of coal and fly ash, road dust and burning of bio-mass. And the real solution to curbing fouling of the air by vehicles is to get an efficient public transportation system in place to discourage use of private vehicles by Delhiites. But the fact that the government is confident that it can initiate a fresh round with the involvement of the citizens is a good sign. In this phase, vehicles with school children in uniform will be exempt. With nearly 50 percent of students being dropped off by their parents at schools this could be a setback to the final result in January most schools were closed making the task of the government easier. Women are exempt this time too and the list has not been pruned. This means there might not be a big dip in the air pollution level during this phase. It would raise questions on the purpose of the whole exercise. However, in perhaps an unintended result, more than air pollution the odd-even formula made Delhi aware of the issue of congestion on roads due to vehicles. Every Delhiite, by conservative estimate, spends at least 30 minutes in traffic during peak hours one way. At 60 minutes or one hour a day he/she spends approximately 15 complete days a year in traffic jams. According to traffic experts, during the implementation of the formula in January, the average speed of vehicles on the citys roads had gone up from 19 km per hour to above 25 km per hour. This is because roads remained more or less free with half the vehicles off it. With the vehicle population growing by around 1400 every day in the city, and no corresponding expansion of road space, traffic congestion is a serious problem that the city has to take note of. Gurgaon is getting feel of it already; it might get worse for the rest of the city sooner than later. During the implementation of the odd-even formula it gets a view of what saner traffic should be like. The solution to air pollution and traffic congestion lies in streamlining the public transport system. The AAP must aim at that next. For now, it can rest assured that it has earned the goodwill of the ordinary people by appearing sincere in its effort and resistance to its initiatives will be minimal. It has to capitalise on it to usher in more drastic changes. Clashes erupted at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar on Wednesday as local and non-local students clashed with each other. The outstation students then expressed a sense of insecurity and attempted to leave the campus. At that time, they had a confrontation with the local police, who resorted to lathicharge to stop the students from leaving. With the situation growing tense, the government deployed the CRPF to the campus. The newly-formed Jammu and Kashmir government assured full security to students who have come to study at the institute from other states. Many eminent personalities and senior politicians expressed great concern over the issue, some even taking to microblogging site Twitter to express their opinion. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh: Singh said that he has spoken to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti about the tensions at the campus. He added that Mehbooba has taken all the necessary measures to protect the students and gave him an assurance in this regard. I have instructed the DGP Jammu & Kashmir to send a team of officers to NIT Srinagar to assure the students of their safety and security. Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) April 3, 2016 Spoke to Governor J&K & DGP regarding the situation in NIT Srinagar. I assure the students that they should not worry about their security. Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) April 3, 2016 Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani Referring to J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, Irani said, "Mufti ji has also told me that an inquiry has also been constituted to ascertain what happened". She added that she has asked students to approach her ministry with their problems. "Till the exams start, an HRD team will remain on the campus," Irani said and assured that there will be "no injustice" to the students, as reported by CNN-IBN. I spoke to J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti ji & she has assured me about the safety of the students: Smriti Irani #NITSrinagar pic.twitter.com/AOcsIPFzNn ANI (@ANI_news) April 6, 2016 Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh "HRD ministry will look into NIT Srinagar matter; I spoke to CM Mehbooba Mufti as well, Jitendra Singh said, adding that force should not be used against students, reported Zee News. Students should maintain peace otherwise external elements will come in to gain political mileage, he said. Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh Meanwhile, Nirmal Singh, who is under fire for playing down the unrest at the NIT campus, told NDTV that he "was misinformed" about the incident. "Police officers who were involved in lathi charge will be punished. I was told it was a 'mild' lathi charge which is why I used that term earlier," he told NDTV. There was mild lathi charge when NIT students tried to move to the gate to meet media: Nirmal Singh, J&K Deputy CM pic.twitter.com/rsRvqgXmCr ANI (@ANI_news) April 5, 2016 National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Abdullah took to Twitter to express his grief over the events and take pot shots at the BJP and PDP government. Rushing in a team from HRD ministry coupled with the CRPF replacing J&K police speaks volumes about Delhi's confidence in Mehbooba Mufti. Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 6, 2016 Cool heads need to prevail, tactful handling is the order of the day. Let the state government handle #NIT issue without back seat drivers. Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 6, 2016 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Kejriwal condemned the event on microblogging site Twitter: Lathi charge on students in srinagar is highly condemnable. BJP-PDP must stop this immediately Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 6, 2016 Congress MP Ahmed Patel Patel tweeted how there is unrest at several campuses after the BJP came to power at the Centre: It started with FTII & now NIT.Ever since BJP took over,the brute force on students & unrest in campuses has become a major cause for worry Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) April 6, 2016 AAP MLA Kapil Mishra Mishra questioned the government's role in the lathi charge that took place at the NIT campus in Srinagar. Who ordered lathi charge on students in Srinagar NIT? Will BJP say anything? its BJP Govt. in J&K Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishraAAP) April 5, 2016 Actor Anupam Kher Kher, a vocal BJP supporter, saw the events at NIT as students expressing their patriotism: 'Courage is Infectious'. My salute to NIT students of Srinagar 4 raising d National Flag & Chanting Vande Mataram. Hope Govt. protects them. Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) April 2, 2016 Hurriyat Conference chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani Geelani vouched for safety and security of outstation students at the institute even as he asked the Centre to ensure protection to Kashmiri students in various institutes outside the state. "Our policy and our religion teaches us that we should not have any grudge or enmity against anybody on the basis of religion, race, caste or linguistics. If outside students are studying here, we should ensure that there is no harm done to them or any obstacle created in their pursuit for education... We will not tolerate such a situation which is against the teachings of our religion and culture." With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has moved the Supreme Court challenging the decision to treat Aadhaar bill as a money bill, which was passed during Budget session last month, overruling amendments moved in Rajya Sabha. "Yesterday I have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the decision to treat Aadhaar as a money bill," Ramesh, a former Union Minister during UPA, said in Delhi. With this, the controversy over treating Aadhaar as a money bill, which refuses to die down ever since its passage, has taken a new twist as it is generally believed that Speaker's discretion is final in the matter. Accusing the BJP-led NDA government of showing "utter contempt" of Rajya Sabha for taking the money bill route to pass the Aadhaar bill, the oppositon party had earlier indicated that the matter could be challenged in the court. Rejecting Rajya Sabha's five amendments and opposition's appeal not to make "haste", the Lok Sabha had on 16 March passed the Aadhaar bill, that aims at better targeting of subsidies through the Aadhar unique identity. Shortly before it was adjourned for more than a month-long recess for scrutiny of budget, the Lok Sabha had adopted the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other subsidies, benefits and services) Bill, 2016, by a voice vote after rejecting the recommendations for five amendments made by the Upper House. Armed with the Speaker's decision that it was a money bill, the government pushed it in the Rajya Sabha, which cannot amend it but only make recommendations for amendment to the Lok Sabha. Once the Lok Sabha passes a money bill with or without amendments recommended by the Rajya Sabha, it is deemed to have been passed by both the Houses. Showing urgency in getting the law through, the government, which enjoys a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, had brought the measure to the lower house within an hour of being returned by the Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who moved the bill and piloted them in both the Houses, had also turned down opposition argument that Parliament cannot legislate since the matter is before Supreme Court. Parliament cannot abdicate its duty under the Constitution which clearly separates powers among various institutions, he had said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh while proposing amendments in the bill in Rajya Sabha, had then expressed "anguish" that the Bill was brought as a money bill, an act he likened to "knocking a nail in the coffin of the Upper House". Ramesh had said that Jaitley, in his attempt to justify the decision to treat Aadhaar as money bill, had "misled" the House by claiming that in the past two Bills, one on Juvenile Justice and another on African Development Bank, too had been brought as money bills. Jaitley then told the House that his source was Lok Sabha website itself. Calling the passage of the bill in this manner "a very dangerous trend", Ramesh had later said that the government tried to "bypass" the Rajya Sabha by doing this. Insisting that a series of conditions are specified in Article 110 and that Article 110 uses the word "only" if those conditions are prevalent can a bill be declared a money bill, Ramesh had said that the Aadhaar Bill, which was passed as a money bill "ignored five recommendations made by the Rajya Sabha. "It had many other provisions and most constitutional experts have given the view that the Aadhaar Bill is not a money bill. While the prerogative of declaring a bill as a money bill or not is that of the Speaker and the Speaker's decision is final but the recommendation to the Speaker to consider making it a money bill is that of the Government. "It is the government that decides whether it is a money bill or not and the Speaker only certifies it as money bill," he had argued, drawing strong comments from the BJP. Moving amendments in the Upper House during the consideration of the bill, the former Union Minister had argued that every individual should have the freedom to opt out of Aadhaar and said the present Bill does not give that space. Stating that he himself does not have an Aadhaar card, Ramesh said a situation may arise when it may be needed even to book a flight or get a phone number. He also opposed another provision in the Bill which he termed as "broad" and "amorphous" and could become the ground for misuse of the law as it gives "sweeping powers" on the grounds of national security. He suggested that rather than national security, the terms "public emergency" or "public safety" could be used. He suggested that an independent member like the CVC should be included in the panel that decides which information regarding a person can be shared. Ramesh said any suo motu powers, "even to collect information" should not be given to the Aadhaar authority, for instance it could even direct collection of DNA. He said there were concerns of privacy and the amendments moved by him were in line with the recommendation suggested by a Commission headed by Justice (retd) A P Shah, which had been set by the Planning Commission to examine the matter. The Nuclear Security Summit process, which had been started in 2010 in Washington, ended in Washington with a meeting organised from 31 March to 1 April. Till the last moment, many hoped that one of the participating countries, especially from Europe, may come forward to host the next summit, and thus, save the termination of the NSS process. However, the communique released on the occasion dashed all the hopes, as the first line of the last paragraph inscribed: The 2016 Summit marks the end of the Nuclear Security Summit process in this format. Of course, during the summit, no country came forward to bear the torch. The 2016 summit had 52 participating countries along with four international organisations namely, the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Interpol and the European Union. Around two-thirds of the participant countries were represented by their heads of state or government. But the usual festive atmosphere was missing. It appeared that the participants came together merely to perform the last rites for the process. Russia, for the first time, did not participate in the summit. This sombre mood could be witnessed even in the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) summit which had been started a day before the official summit. The Nuclear Industry Summit had some of the unusual enthusiasm although it had a depressing global nuclear business environment to confront. It seems the joint endeavour with the NGOs coalition in a couple of sessions generated extra energy. The awards ceremony was an exceptionally colourful event. Though all the awards had been announced much in advance, there was an element of excitement among some participants. However, the end of the summit process should not mean the end of the challenge it sought to address. The spectre of nuclear terrorism very much exists as it did at the beginning of the summit process, and frankly speaking, even before that. President Barack Obamas mission to secure vulnerable nuclear material remains unfulfilled. It has not just missed the original target of securing these materials in four years, but also the extended deadline. Needless to say, the effort needs to be continued. The question arises: Will this effort require the reopening of the summit process? The summit process was an informal voluntary initiative; so, the announcement of the end of the process in the communique does not mean a formal legal termination of the process. If a group of countries feels that the process needs to be restarted and some countries take the responsibility of hosting a summit or a series of summits, it can be started at any time with or without the same enthusiasm. As no country came forward to host the summit beyond 2016, it may be inferred that for the time being, the international community may have to rely on mechanisms other than the summit in the fight against nuclear terrorism. During different meetings, other than official summit, the idea of alternative mechanisms was fully explored, and in the all likelihood, it will be fully explored in the coming days and months. For the last few years, when there was a sense that the summit process would end, many were proposing the idea of holding it every fourth year instead of the current format of every second year. However, the most popular format that is finding wider acceptance is ministerial-level meetings. The format has already been tried at the IAEA. Quite obviously, the direct involvement of the IAEA will have more countries participating in it than the current summit process. Closely related is the idea that a contact group may be built. The contact group could be at the ministerial level and it could have the participants of the summit process plus a few more significant countries left out by the process. For sure, the countries and the policy communities, including NGOs will be active in some formats in the future. The international community in general and India in particular needs to review all the initiatives and mechanisms to fight nuclear terrorism and to strengthen nuclear security. The international community should work to consolidate the gains the summit process has made. The global policy community is facing a dilemma: To universalise the two nuclear security conventions or work towards a new convention. As of now, the two conventions supporting nuclear security are the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its amendment and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Interestingly, several countries that have been leading the campaign for nuclear security, ratified the two key treaties very late. The amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, which had come after the 11 September, 2001 attacks, struggled to enter into force. Interestingly, in March 2016, six countries, including Pakistan and New Zealand ratified the amendment of the Convention and on 1 April, 2016, three countries submitted their instruments of ratification. Now, the amendment is just two ratifications away from becoming operational. The world will also have to be very cautious of broadening the scope of the summit process. When the process was started securing of nuclear materials, basically used in the civil nuclear programme, became the focus. Later, radiological materials found the place in the 2012 Seoul Summit. Many countries and members of the civil society were against the inclusion of radiological materials because of the impracticability of control as well as the fear that health centers might be adversely affected. Now it seems the global community has taken up the challenge to manage the difficult task of securing radiological materials which may be used for building dirty bombs. A section of the non-proliferation community is also trying to bring their agenda from the back-door. The summit process had nothing to do with non-proliferation. In fact, it was an attempt to bridge the existing gaps, including the gap created by the non-proliferation treaty. Unfortunately, some non-proliferationists and a couple of leading countries like the United States were trying to push military nuclear materials into the summit process and the nuclear security paradigm. This, at many times, threatened to scuttle the summit process. Indeed, the two tracks should not be merged. The concerned section of the international community is well aware of the fact that not all nuclear materials are bomb-grade materials. For bomb-grade materials, conclusion of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty to be negotiated under the Shannon mandate is the best solution. The Conference of Disarmament is the most appropriate body for it. In the post-summit scenario, the centrality of the IAEA is key to securing nuclear materials. True, other institutions are also performing the task of strengthening nuclear security. The centres of excellence like Indias Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership may fill the institutional gap and play a complementary role. However, the world will have to remain alert keeping in mind old concerns like Pakistan and the new concerns like the Islamic State. By remaining vigilant, the world may easily prevent nuclear terrorism. For this purpose, the international community will have to remain focused on the real threat, not politically-motivated imaginary threats pushed by the old non-proliferation paradigm. If a country like the United States overlooks the imminent nuclear danger, and continues to play politics, it may land up in creating a new nuclear monster. The United States must not forget its disaster with Taliban and Pakistan. Before advising India to cut down its nuclear arsenal, the United States needs to eliminate its own nuclear weapons stockpile. The US and Russia together own around 95 percent of the nuclear weapons of the world. Any digression will de-legitimise the fight against nuclear terrorism. The author is a senior research associate, the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. He is an Indian partner of Fissile Materials Working Group, a coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working for nuclear security. He was also in Washington as a participant of the NGOs summit that was part of the Nuclear Security Summit. Baghdad: Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces say they have entered the center of a strategically important western Islamic State-held town. Government forces reached the center of Hit on Wednesday. The operation to retake the small Euphrates river town initially launched last month was stalled by politics, heavy IS resistance and tens of thousands of trapped civilians. Iraqi troops first entered Hit on Monday under cover of heavy airstrikes. Since the operation was relaunched last week the US led coalition launched more than 18 strikes on the town. Hit sits along an IS supply line that links territory controlled by the extremist group in Iraq and in Syria. Through the line, IS ferries fighters and supplies from Syria into Iraq. Dublin: Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny held talks on Thursday with opposition leader Micheal Martin to end the impasse over a new government following inconclusive elections in February. After an initial meeting on Wednesday, Kenny's Fine Gael party said in a statement it had offered a "full and equal partnership" in a future administration to Martin's Fianna Fail its historic bitter rival. Fianna Fail lawmakers are due to meet later on Thursday to discuss the proposal. It was the first time Kenny and Martin had met since the February 26 election, when the outgoing governing Fine Gael won 50 seats and Fianna Fail 43 in the 158-seat Dail, or lower house of parliament. Ireland's acting minister for agriculture and member of the Fine Gael negotiating team Simon Coveney described the offer as "generous and serious". He dismissed suggestions that it was a political manoeuvre to give his party the moral high ground in the event that agreement cannot be reached, which would trigger another general election. Speaking on RTE, Ireland's state broadcaster, Coveney said it would be premature to discuss what exactly full partnership might entail but said it would also involve independent lawmakers. "We need to put historical differences aside, to agree to put policy and personality differences on the table and find a way of negotiating compromise so both parties can put a partnership government together," he said. "I think it is in the best interest of the country for the two largest parties to come together along with the independents, to bring balance and diversity and the voting strength to pass the legislation we need to pass," he said. However, there is significant opposition within Fianna Fail to entering a coalition with Fine Gael. One or other of the two behemoths of Irish politics have held power since the foundation of the state evolved from the bitter divisions that catapulted the country into civil war from 1922-1923. UNITED NATIONS Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq are netting between $150 million and $200 million a year from illicit trade in plundered antiquities, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said in a letter released on Wednesday. "Around 100,000 cultural objects of global importance, including 4,500 archaeological sites, nine of which are included in the World Heritage List of ... UNESCO, are under the control of the Islamic State ... in Syria and Iraq," Ambassador Vitaly Churkin wrote in a letter to the U.N. Security Council. "The profit derived by the Islamists from the illicit trade in antiquities and archaeological treasures is estimated at U.S. $150-200 million per year," he said. The smuggling of artefacts, Churkin wrote, is organised by Islamic State's antiquities division in the group's equivalent of a ministry for natural resources. Only those who have a permit with a stamp from this division are permitted to excavate, remove and transport antiquities. Some details of the group's war spoils department were previously revealed by Reuters, which reviewed some of the documents seized by U.S. Special Operations Forces in a May 2015 raid in Syria. But many details in Churkin's letter appeared to be new. The envoy from Russia, which has repeatedly accused Turkey of supporting Islamic State by purchasing oil from the group, said plundered antiquities were largely smuggled through Turkish territory. "The main centre for the smuggling of cultural heritage items is the Turkish city of Gaziantep, where the stolen goods are sold at illegal auctions and then through a network of antique shops and at the local market," Churkin wrote. Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment on the Russian allegations. Russian-Turkish relations have been strained ever since Turkey shot down a Russian plane near the Syrian border last November. Churkin said jewellery, coins and other looted items are brought to the Turkish cities of Izmir, Mersin and Antalya, where criminal groups produce fake documents on their origin. "The antiquities are then offered to collectors from various countries, generally through Internet auction sites such as eBay and specialized online stores," he said. Churkin named several other Internet auction sites that he said sold antiquities plundered by Islamic State. "Recently ISIL has been exploiting the potential of social media more and more frequently so as to cut out the middleman and sell artefacts directly to buyers," he said. EBay said it was not aware of the allegations that it was being used to sell plundered items. "eBay has absolutely zero interest in having illicit listings of cultural or historical goods appear on our platforms," it said. "We're currently looking into the claims of this letter." "To date, we are not aware of any direct evidence of listings for items on eBay that resulted from ISIL looting or similar activity," it added. (Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Andrew Hay) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Washington: The White House has said that President Barack Obama called Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, praising the move toward civilian-led government. Obama yesterday called the pair to offer his congratulations, as military hardliners try to limit Suu Kyi's formal role. Banned from becoming president by a junta-era constitution, Suu Kyi has cemented conftrol over the country's first civilian-led government in decades by taking on a string of senior roles in the new administration. She has vowed to rule "above" the president, picking school friend and close aide Htin Kyaw for the role. According to the White House, "The President commended Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's determined efforts, over the course of many years and at great personal cost, to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation." Paris: More than 120 countries have said they are ready to sign the UN's accord to fight global warming, French ecology minister Segolene Royal said Wednesday. Royal said the strength of support meant the climate deal clinched in Paris last year would likely be ratified in New York on 22 April. Almost 200 governments reached an agreement in December which set a target of limiting global warming to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. "I fixed an objective... of a hundred signatures and we are now at over 120 signatures," Royal, who took over as head of the COP21 this year, told a press conference in Paris. Garnering a "record number of signatures with such a brief delay... will allow us to begin the ratifications". COP21 is the acronym for the 21st conference of parties to the UN climate arena. The 32-page deal also calls on rich nations to muster at least 100 billion dollars (90 billion euros) a year in climate aid from 2020. Just how that will happen has yet to be worked out. The deal only comes into force, however, if at least 55 countries responsible for at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions ratify the accord. Top emitters the United States and China will be among the nations signing the Paris climate agreement in New York, the White House announced last week. The European Union also agreed to sign last month, and Royal said another key developing country, India, had also agreed. "We have also received commitments from practically all the African countries," she added. Royal, heads the UN's COP21 climate forum and thus plays a key role in brokering agreements, said that 60 countries would send their head of state to the signing ceremony in New York. Liberian officials ordered the border with neighboring Guinea closed Tuesday amid concerns of a new outbreak of the Ebola virus. Liberias information minister Lenn Eugene Nangbe told Reuters the closure is a precaution to prevent the spread of the disease, and said the border will remain closed until the situation in Guinea improves. We are not taking any chances at all, Nangbe said. Nangbe said Liberia has also sent medical personnel to crossing points along the entire Guinea border. The U.N. World Health Organization declared Guinea free of all Ebola transmission in December. New cases confirmed But on March 17 WHO confirmed two new cases of Ebola in the Guinean village of Koropara a mother and her five-year-old son. The country's Ebola coordination unit has since identified an estimated 816 people who recently may have come into contact with with the virus. The villagers are being quarantined in their homes for 21 days to make sure they are Ebola-free. On the same day the new infections were confirmed, the WHO announced an end to the latest flare-up of Ebola in Sierra Leone, which shares a border with Guinea. Guinea is believed to be the epicenter of the worst Ebola outbreak on record. Since it began in 2013, more than 28,600 people have been infected and 11,300 killed, with almost all the deaths occurring in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The epidemic now seems to have subsided, but all three countries have seen recent incidents involving the Ebola virus and, according to WHO, the disease can come back at any time. WHO continues to stress that Sierra Leone, as well as Liberia and Guinea, are still at risk of Ebola flare-ups, largely due to virus persistence in some survivors, and must remain on high alert and ready to respond, a WHO statement said. When the first boatload of deported migrants arrived Monday at the Turkish port of Dikili, a small group of Turkish human rights activists turned up to welcome them. Turkey is expecting to receive another group of 200 migrants deported from Greece on Friday, as part of the deal reached in March between the European Union and Ankara to alleviate Europe's migrant crisis. But there is also nervousness among some Turks who question whether their country can and should absorb the refugees who do not return to their nations of origin. The deportees from Pakistan and other countries who arrived in Turkey from Greece this week have been whisked away from the docks where they disembarked and taken to a reception and removal center in Kirklareli, 500 kilometers away. The deal brings a list of incentives for Turkey, including billions of dollars in aid and the possibility of visa-free travel to Europe, as well as eventual accession to the EU. But some Turks condemn the deal, saying it does little to widen their long-sought access to Europe. For Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the agreement is an opportunity to raise his standing at a time when he is under scrutiny for his government's offensive against Kurdish separatists in Turkey's southeast and its crackdown on the media. This week, Erdogan criticized the European Union's approach to the migration crisis. "Did we turn Syrians back? No, we didn't, but they [EU nations] did," he said in Ankara. "By way of placing razor wire, they did not let these people into their countries. We see who is dying on the Aegean Sea, but the number of those rescued by us on the Aegean is 100,000." Officials say more than 400 people have died over the past year while trying to make the short, but dangerous, crossing between Turkey and the Greek isles. Under the deal reached in mid-March, Turkey will receive more than $3 billion in aid to take care of the refugees. For every migrant returned, Turkey sends one Syrian refugee to the EU. Greece and the EU are to deport all migrants who arrived on Greek soil after March 20. While Greece reports that between 300 and 500 people continue to turn up on its shores daily, that number reflects a considerable drop from before the agreement. Acceptance, skepticism In Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city, many migrants found acceptance, especially in the city's Basmane neighborhood, where many of them congregated before setting out on the sea journey. Today, parks and a roundabout once filled with migrants now sit empty as the prospect of being returned to Turkey deters many from coming here to make the crossing. Their presence is missed by some in Basmane. "They do no harm to us, no harm at all. On the contrary, the business I did last year was double than this year," Aydogan Kirisci, a spice vendor in Izmir's Basmane neighborhood, told VOA. "When they were here, I was doing better business." Not all Turks are as ready to accept the newcomers, and skepticism about continuing to host them in large numbers has grown, especially after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the country recently. That skepticism is shared even by those who see the benefits Turkey stands to reap by taking back the migrants. In Izmir's city center, scores of Turkish travelers form a long line in the early morning hours in front of a private business that processes visas for Turks who want to visit EU countries. One of them, a marketing manager who identified himself only as Emre, said the prospect of having visa-free travel in the EU is, for him, not enough to justify the agreement. Some wonder how long the migrants will stay. "This is the main thing: that we don't know what [is] going to happen because we don't know those people and where they will live and if they [are given] a place anywhere in Turkey if it is a secured place," he told VOA. Turkey's government is ensuring that the deported migrants remain out of sight, a move analysts say is meant, in part, to minimize tensions. Ankara says Syrians will be placed in refugee camps, and others will be sent to their home countries. Cansu Akbas Demirel, an international relations and migration studies scholar at Ege University in Izmir, says the government's approach reflects the anxiety and fear of many Turks that the migrants may never leave. "Turkish people are now understanding they [the migrants] will not go to back to their country, especially in the [next] 10 years, maybe more. Maybe they will become citizens of Turkey," she told VOA. NATO is preparing to step up its response to Islamic State and a more assertive Russia responsible for aggressive actions in Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with VOA's Serbian Service about the alliance's future this week in Washington. That is the two main challenges we face and they are very different. But at the same time we have to be able to both face the challenges from the Southern Flank, from the Middle East/North Africa and at the same time face the challenges posed by Russia to the East. And what we are doing is we are implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, he said. NATO is neither seeking confrontation with Russia nor a cold war, Stoltenberg said, but rather a dialogue to avoid incidents like the downing of the Russian plane over Turkey. He added that in the event of something like that happening, NATO can help keep it from spinning out of control. Stoltenberg said NATO is implementing the biggest reinforcement to its collective defense since the end of the Cold War in response to the new security environment in the east of Europe and in the Middle East and North Africa. He stressed the importance of different kinds of transparency, risk-reduction mechanisms to avoid difficult situations becoming even more difficult. WATCH: Excerpt of VOA Serbian service interview with Stoltenberg Meeting with US leaders Stoltenberg is consulting with U.S. leaders before the Warsaw NATO Summit in July, where the refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe is expected to be high on the agenda. The NATO chief said the alliance has deployed ships to the Aegean Sea to assist with the crisis. He said the ships are not there to turn back boats with migrants and refugees, but are providing surveillance, reconnaissance, and monitoring. Stoltenberg added NATO is sharing the information with the Turkish Coast Guard, with the Greek Coast Guard and the EU Border Agency Frontex. WATCH: Full VOA interview with NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg The United States is emerging as a top tax haven alongside the likes of Switzerland, the Cayman Islands and Panama, those seeking reform of the international tax system say. And states such as Delaware, Nevada, South Dakota and Wyoming, in particular, are competing to provide foreigners with the secrecy they crave. Theres a big neon sign saying the U.S. is open to tax cheats, says John Christensen, executive director of the Tax Justice Network. Americas openness to foreign tax evaders is coming under new scrutiny after the leak this week of 11.5 million confidential documents from a Panamanian law firm. The Panama Papers show how some of the worlds richest people hide assets in shell companies to avoid paying taxes. Christensens group, which campaigns for a global crackdown on tax evaders, says the United States ranks third in the world in financial secrecy, behind Switzerland and Hong Kong but ahead of notorious tax havens such as the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg. Under a 2010 law, passed after it was learned that the Swiss bank UBS helped thousands of Americans evade U.S. taxes, the United States demands that banks and other financial institutions disclose information on Americans abroad to make sure they pay their U.S. taxes. But the U.S. doesnt automatically return the favor. More than 90 countries have signed on to a 2014 information-sharing agreement set up by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, but the U.S. is among the few that havent joined. American banks dont even collect the kind of information foreign countries would need to identify tax dodgers. The banking lobby has resisted changes in the law that would allow more sharing of data, says Peter Cotorceanu, a Zurich-based lawyer who specializes in private banking. In a report last year, the Tax Justice Network complained that Washingtons independent-minded approach risks tearing a giant hole in international efforts to crack down on tax evasion, money laundering and financial crime. It said foreign elites have used the United States as a bolt-hole for looted wealth. Pascal Saint-Amans, head of the OECDs Center for Tax Policy and Administration, says the U.S. often makes information available to other countries upon request. But that means countries can get details only on those they already suspect of tax evasion. Christensen says Swiss banks report that many of their tax- dodging clients are talking about moving to the U.S. You go to Switzerland, and thats all theyre talking about. Individual states, including Nevada, Wyoming and South Dakota, are making things worse, critics say. They compete to make it easier to set up corporations, with few questions asked about whos behind the business. We have states that set up corporations where theres no information about ownership, says Jack Blum, a Washington lawyer who specializes in financial crime. Nevada, for instance, makes it easy to incorporate secretly and charges a USD500 annual business license fee for corporations and $200 for other businesses. The money is earmarked for teacher salaries. Many of the businesses are mere shells, financial contrivances that dont employ people or make any investments. In 2014, a group of academics looked at tax havens for their book Global Shell Games. Posing as investors who wanted to set up businesses in different places, they kept track of whether the consultants helping them incorporate asked for basic information such as photo IDs or other documents that proved who they were. In the United States, only 25 percent did; in Delaware, only 6 percent. AP Chinese author Cao Wenxuan and German illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner have been awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Prize for childrens literature. The biennial awards were announced this week during the Bologna Childrens Book Fair. Cao is the first Chinese writer to be shortlisted for the prize, considered the most prestigious childrens book award, while Berner has been nominated many times for her body of work. Cao says he has got all his inspiration from Chinese society, which has provided me with so many lively and unique stories which are pretty novel to kids elsewhere. Berner is well-known for her series of picture books showing richly detailed, everyday scenes. First awarded in 1956, the Hans Christian Andersen Prize is often known as the Nobel Prize for childrens literature. Ida Mae Astute/ABC News(NEW YORK) Following his win in Wisconsin Tuesday, Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz moved his campaigning to Donald Trumps home state, New York, and seems ready to pounce on the real estate moguls business record in the Empire State. In an interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos, Cruz depicted his Wisconsin victory as a turning point that gives him momentum in states to come. New York is the next state up in the ongoing hunt to reach 1,237 delegates and secure the GOP nomination. The victory in Wisconsin was across the board, Cruz said. "It was a 13-point victory and you know, three weeks ago, we were behind by 10 points in Wisconsin. Stephanopoulos caught up with Cruz at Sabrosura 2, a restaurant in the Bronx, where Cruz was meeting with Hispanic and African-American pastors and faith leaders. As the race pivots to New York, Trumps home turf, Cruz is not backing down from controversial remarks he has made about New York values. In January, Cruz first used the term "New York values" as a way to lob an insult at Trump. Cruz attempted to clarify his definition of the term. "Let me be very clear. The people that I was talking about are the liberal New York Democrats who have hammered this state. It is people like Mayor Bill de Blasio. It is people like Governor Cuomo, Cruz told Stephanopoulos. Cruz argued that the Hispanic and African-American pastors with whom was meeting agreed with his statements about New York values. The Texas senator seems ready to take his attack on Trumps values to an attack on the real estate moguls business record. "Republicans, we want to win, Cruz said. We want to beat Hillary. The last thing we want is to nominate someone like Donald Trump, who, over and over again, has allegations of fraud against him, has litigation. Last thing we want is to nominate someone who's going to be on the witness stand in October and November as much as Hillary Clinton. Cruz referenced Trump University, a shuttered business venture for Trump that has been the source of a class-action lawsuit. The Trump University litigation that he defrauded thousands of people with a fake university, took their money, scammed them, that's scheduled to go to trial this summer, Cruz said. Trump has said hell win a lawsuit filed against Trump University and defended the venture last month. "It was a very nice thing, Trump said on March 8. We are putting it on hold. If I become president that means Ivanka, Don, Eric and my family will start up and we have a lot of great people who want to get back into Trump University. It's going to do well and continue to do very well. While Cruz seems prepared for a fight with Trump, he is also facing attacks from New Yorkers not eager to welcome him. His campaign stop in the Bronx was interrupted Wednesday by two protesters who called him a right-wing bigot who didnt belong in the Bronx. The protesters depicted the Bronx as an immigrant community and hit Cruz for his stance on illegal immigration. But Cruz stood his ground. Look, there was one loud-mouth protester, he said. I mean, in the city of New York, you can find one loud-mouth protester. Cruz didnt back down from his record on immigration, either, telling Stephanopoulos that we are a nation of laws. Cruz thinks that his economic message can overcome those questioning his immigration record in places like the Bronx where there are large Hispanic communities. "Number one, we're in a small business. We're in a restaurant, he said of Wednesdays venue. And my focus is very much on small businesses because economic opportunity, jobs, come from small businesses. Number two, this was a meeting of pastors, of Hispanic pastors, of African-American pastors, here in the Bronx; we are building a broad and diverse coalition. ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Chief Executive Chui Sai On met with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Shin Young-soo, on Tuesday to review the latest developments in the local healthcare system. While local authorities pledged to improve the local healthcare infrastructure, Shin stated that the citys existing facilities for disease prevention and control met with WHO standards. According to a statement, the government will follow WHO guidelines to minimize the risk of diseases spreading to and throughout Macau, which will enhance the citys capabilities to deal with future viruses. The WHO regional director said it was necessary to plan disease prevention and control facilities to cope with the spread of diseases, no matter how expensive, in order to deal with unexpected mutations or outbreaks of a disease. On Tuesday, the WHO experts also met medical professionals from the Health Bureau, Kiang Wu Hospital and University Hospital (Macau University of Science and Technology) to exchange views on the prevention of infectious diseases and related issues. A four-member WHO team had previously visited the city between March 23 and 25 to evaluate Macaus facilities for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. The WHO team studied the proposed infectious disease unit, a building near Conde S. Januario Hospital. They checked planned disinfection facilities for the filtering of emissions and waste, as well as the design of its isolation wards. The WHO has supported the development of Macaus healthcare for the past 16 years since the establishment of the SAR. The International Police Association (IPA) China-Macau Conference ends today. Diplomats in attendance at the forum include the Ambassador of Senegal in China, General Abdoulaye Fall, and the Consul-General of the Russian Federation in Hong Kong, Valentin Markov. Police forces from 66 countries are also attending. The forum discussed terrorism, VIP protection, and security work for key governmental departments, historical sites and tourist attractions, as well as anti-terrorism in local communities and relationships with hotel security. Several participants expressed similar views during their speeches that police forces from around the world should work together to take on crime. An exhibition of global security prevention equipment is also taking place at the same time as the conference. Ten security equipment companies from mainland China and Macau showcased products at the conference, including golden glass, video surveillance and run-flat based components, among others. Founded on 1950, the IPA is the worlds largest organization of police officers. The Macau branch was established in 2011 and includes members from across the SARs security forces. Staff reporter The government has revoked three land concessions that were highlighted in a Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) report in December. Two of the three idle land plots were granted to public bus operator Transmac in 1988 for the construction of bus terminals and maintenance facilities, but have remained undeveloped. Transmacs deputy general manager, Kwan Weng Kai, told TDM, We had applied for a street alignment plan from the government as soon as we had the development project. But then we received a response [] saying [the government] could only issue the plan to us after they had completed the urban planning. Thats why we still havent received the street alignment plan. It is not clear what will happen to the 300 or so buses that are regularly parked on the undeveloped land. Transmac has sought advice from the Transport Bureau but has received no reply. The third plot was granted to an investment company backed by the Zhuhai municipal government in 2001. Former Liaison Office department head falls to his death in Zhuhai A former department head of the Liaison Office in the MSAR died on Monday in Zhuhai after falling from the top of a building, sources told the Times. The victim was not named but, according to sources, was 65 years old and in the early stages of retirement, having left Macau for Beijing last year after serving in Macau for a decade. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Cuisine Association launches food show The Macau Cuisine Association (MCA) is expected to hold a live cooking show today at Broadway Macau for its official inauguration, Macao Daily News reported. One hundred local cooks will present 118 dishes from Chinese, Western and Japanese cuisines. The MCA has also invited a chef to demonstrate the making of hand-pulled noodles and durian ice cream. MCA president Ip Sio Man said the association aims to improve the overall quality of the local catering industry, as well as promote Macaus diverse food culture. Five hundred of the MCAs members are from the catering industry, half of whom are budding cooks. A seminar on investment opportunities in Vietnam was held in Hong Kong this week. The Vietnamese Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Hoang Chi Trung, said that Hanoi welcomes large companies in China, Hong Kong and Macau to explore Vietnams investment climate. The Vietnamese Ambassador to China, Dang Minh Kho, spoke about the Vietnamese economy and its policies to attract investment. Dang highlighted the countrys numerous advantages for Chinese investors, such as its geographical proximity and cultural similarities. Dang added that Vietnams engagement in regional free trade agreements (FTAs) and integration in the global economy had created vast investment opportunities for foreign businesses, especially those from Hong Kong. A VietnamPlus report said the country a member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement is developing its operating environment and relevant policies, as well as constructing a legal framework that aligns with international investment criteria. Nguyen Van Thanh, vice chairman of the Peoples Committee in Quang Ninh province on the northern border, discussed the construction and administrative procedures of the Van Don Special Economic Zone. Nguyen emphasized that the government is prioritizing sectors such as tourism, services, processing and financial services. Nguyen added that Hong Kong is the second-largest investor of the 18 countries and territories that have business interests in Quang Ninh. The SAR currently runs 13 investment projects in Vietnam, with a registered capital sum of USD989 million. The Vietnamese and mainland Chinese governments have established numerous cooperation mechanisms in hopes of creating business opportunities for both countries. The film Sea of Mirrors, which has the particularity of being shot entirely on an iPhone 6S, is expected to commence filming in Macau tomorrow. The film is written, produced and directed by Singaporean-Chinese director Thomas Lim. It will star a cast of Macau, Hong Kong, Japanese, Korean and Australian actors. The shooting will take place entirely in Macau and is expected to continue throughout most of April. It tells the story of a former Japanese actress, Riri Kondo, who travels to the MSAR with her young daughter to meet a rich investor who claims to be her fan, and is interested in investing in a movie with the former star as the lead. She turns down the offer however once she realizes the investors true motivation is to coerce her into sexual relations, and her daughter is kidnapped in response, resulting in a helpless and desperate attempt to find the child before her growing obsession with the casino lights in the city pushes Riri to the brink of madness. According to a statement from Island Man Pictures, the Singaporean- based movie company behind the psychological thriller, the film will be shot entirely on an iPhone 6S as the director and producers believe this would first and foremost suit the visual texture of the story. The film went without a title for many months during the writing process, until cinematographer Sam Voutas discovered that before the Portuguese settlement in the mid-16th century, Macau was known as Jinghai (Mirror Sea). The name resonated with director Thomas Lin as it reflected the theme of the story in how we perceive the people we interact with everyday, [which] is but a mirror image of what we think of ourselves. The film is expected to premiere in the second half of 2017 or in early 2018. DB benson: 1st time working with director lin At the launch of her new Macau lifestyle magazine, actress Victoria Sally Benson told the Times that she is looking forward to the filming of Sea of Mirrors, which begins tomorrow. The Australian-born actress will portray Isabel, a flamboyant American actress whom the protagonist encounters during her journey. I havent worked with Thomas Lin before, she told the Times, but we have been friends for about six or seven years. I took the opportunity [because] its a good script and I would be working with a good team. As anyone will tell you, nothing gets done in filmmaking without a good team, she added. Vietnams prime minister stepped down yesterday after 10 years in office, leaving behind a mixed legacy of promoting failed state enterprises but at the same time attracting foreign investment and daring to challenge China. In a formal vote, 430 of 462 members of the rubber-stamp National Assembly voted to remove Nguyen Tan Dung, three months before the end of his term, the government said on its website. Dungs departure was a mere formality after he lost a leadership battle during the ruling Communist Partys congress in January. Dung lost to Nguyen Phu Trong, who was re-elected party general secretary for a second five-year term. The National Assembly is scheduled to appoint Dungs deputy, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, as prime minister today. In Vietnam, the Communist Party general secretary, the prime minister and the president form the triumvirate of power. Dung was easily the most high-profile prime minister Vietnam ever had. He was charismatic, a good orator and mixed easily with foreign leaders, which raised the countrys profile. But within the party he was blamed for the failures of huge state-owned enterprises including the monumental collapse of the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group and Vietnam Shipping Lines. Many of the state owned enterprises ended up with mountains of public debt. Over the course of his tenure, Dung distinguished himself as a highly public and entrepreneurial leader, even as the substance of his policy initiatives drew criticisms from both conservative and reform elements within the party, Jonathan London, a Vietnam expert at the City University of Hong Kong, said in an email interview. Also, Dungs closeness with numerous newly and unusually wealthy Vietnamese raised suspicions among many. Be that as it may, during Dungs tenure, Vietnam continued to grow and draw large- scale foreign investment, defying regional and global trends, said London. Dungs position as an experienced leader will be hard to fill. Dungs successor, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who comes to the office with considerable less punching power, is a study in contrast with Dung, said London. In essence, none among Vietnams current leaders will fill Dungs shoes. Dung took office in 2006, during the global financial crises, followed by a global economic slowdown that severely impacted Vietnam, which at the time and even today largely depends on foreign investment and trade for economic growth. Dung also won accolades from common Vietnamese for standing up to China in their territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Yves Dam Van, Hanoi, AP Maryville Deans List St. Louis, MO Maryville University announced the Deans list for the 2015 fall semester. Kevin Bos, a 2013 Jerome High School graduate, son of Larry and Debbie Bos, has been commended for his high grade point in the School of Business reflecting both academic potential and hard work. Kevin is, also, on the Maryville baseball team. Crossroads Chili Con Carnival Burley Crossroads Bible Church will be holding their annual Chili Con Carnival from 4-7 p.m. on April 16. This free event is open to the all Mini-Cassia families. There will be games, prizes, candies, face painting and chili with cinnamon rolls will be served. Fun for kids and adults of all ages. If you have any questions, call 208-678-8757. NARFE Meeting Monday TWIN FALLS The local chapter 1959 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees will hold their monthly meeting at Noon, Monday, at the Loong Hing Restaurant on Kimberly Road. The speaker will be Carol Ash with the National Park Service. She will be speaking on the development of parks in Cassia County. This is your opportunity to meet with your peers and discuss your views and questions on the changes being made to Government employees and retirees . Please bring a friend also. If you have any questions please call 208-732-0360. Troop 67 Chili Feed TWIN FALLS Boy Scout Troop 67 will hold its annual chili feed fundraiser from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 360 Shoshone St. E. The menu will include all-you-can eat chili, corn bread, dessert, and beverages. The cost is $6.00, with children under five free. Drivers The American Cancer Society is looking for volunteer drivers for its Road to Recovery program in Twin Falls. Volunteers will drive patients to and from medical treatments. Commitment is flexible. Information: Renae Delucia at renae.delucia@cancer.org or 702-891-9023 Volunteers Volunteerism is an intricate part of the Twin Falls Senior Centers ability to serve the community. Volunteer opportunities include being a driver for Meals on Wheels, a center volunteer, or to help a senior do some yard work or home maintenance. Information: 208-734-5084. Drivers The Twin Falls Senior Center is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors in the Twin Falls area. The center delivers meals Monday through Friday, and routes take one hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability. Volunteers can commit as little as one hour a week to five days a week. Several positions are available. Volunteers must be age 18 or older with their own car and have proof of liability insurance. Drivers are reimbursed for fuel. Information: Sandee Earl, 208-734-5084. Volunteers The Twin Falls Senior Center group The Crazy Quilters are looking for individuals to put finishing touches on quilts as a group while socializing at the same time. The quilters meets from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All quilt project proceeds go to Twin Falls Senior Center. Information: 208-734-5084. Volunteers Interlink Volunteer Caregivers provides volunteers to help elderly, disabled and chronically ill people live safely and independently in their homes. Volunteers assist with transportation to health-related appointments and essential errands, light housekeeping chores, friendly visits, yard maintenance and simple home repairs. Carpenters and handymen are also needed. Volunteers are reimbursed for mileage and covered with excess auto liability insurance. Commitment is flexible with no minimum hours required. Information: Edie, 208-733-6333 or ivcofmv@gmail.com. Volunteers Idaho Home Health and Hospice needs volunteers who will bring compassion, support and dignity to those facing a serious, life-limiting illness and their families. Volunteers can choose between offering respite to family caregivers or provide support with administrative tasks. Information: Heidi Walker, 208-734-4064 or Heidi.Walker@LHCgroup.com. Volunteers St. Lukes Home Health and Hospice needs volunteers to share compassion and increase the quality of life for patients and their families. The program is designed to offer companionship and socialization to patients, plus respite and support for the caregivers. Information: Marie Sharp, 208-814-7603 or sharpm@slhs.org. Volunteers/drivers Habitat for Humanity of the Magic Valley and the ReStore are seeking adult volunteers. At the ReStore, volunteers are needed to provide general customer service, receiving, coordinate volunteers, fixing items to be sold in the store, and drivers to pick up donations. Information: 208-735-1233 or the Habitat office, 669 Eastland Drive S., Twin Falls. Late Tuesday, the Tripoli-based justice ministry posted a statement citing that the National Salvation Government (NSG) and its related institutions were stopping work in the interests of the nation and to avoid bloodshed, division and fragmentation. Special envoy Kobler said they know of (NSG) ministers who are willing to hand over. The statement was indirectly refuted by Prime Minster Khalifa Ghweil on his website on Wednesday. A statement posted on the website stressed that given the requirements of public interest .you (government officials and employees) are requested to continue your mission in accordance with the law. The two released contradictory statements hint that the NSG is divided over its role in the country in relation to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) that arrived in the country last week. Signs of division were eminent on Tuesday when members of the General National Congress (GNC,) the Tripoli-based parliament, held two different sessions on Tuesday; one at the Radisson Blu Hotel and the other at headquarters of the parliament. The Radisson Blu Hotel session was described by lawmakers in attendance as the final session of the GNC. It was led by GNCs second deputy speaker Saleh al-Makhzoum and chaired by Abdulrahman al-Shater. They unanimously voted to amend the constitutional declaration and the UN-backed Libya Political Agreement reached in December. Other members of the GNC who met at the bodys headquarters claimed that a session with a full quorum rejected the session which took place at the Radisson Blu Hotel and all the matters that it voted on. Amid the growing tension between authorities in Tripoli, the statement from Ghweil signaled that the choice of the new government is a purely internal national affair in which no one has the right to interfere. Saeed Ohadi, head of Irans Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, has announced that they will be meeting with Saudi officials to discuss the upcoming Hajj in Riyadh on April 14 after they received an invitation. He said the attendance of the Iranian delegation depends on the deliverance of visas by Saudi authorities. Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at loggerheads over the organization of last years annual pilgrimage in September after 460 Iranians were among the death at the stampede when authorities blocked a road in Mina during a ritual, forcing large crowds of pilgrims to collide. Ohadi said annual meetings regarding preparations of the Hajj are usually held with Saudi in mid-January as he noted that this years meeting has already been delayed for three months. Ahead of the meeting, he called on Saudi to end its paradoxical stance by accepting Iranian pilgrims in a timely manner. Official Saudi reports claim that less than 800 people were killed in the stampede and had launched an investigation but the findings are yet to be published. Iran argues that around 4700 people were killed in total. The meeting could decide if Iranians are officially going to take part in the religious ritual which is one of the five pillars of Islam. Ohadi hinted that matters such as security and safety of pilgrims during the pilgrimage and compensation of relatives of Iranian victims will be discussed. Preparations have also begun in Riyadh for the Hajj which is a few months away and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz who also serves as the Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee underlined that Saudi Arabia will fight anyone who even thinks of jeopardizing the security or disregards the sanctity of Mecca and other holy shrines. Saudi Arabia will allocate Morocco $230 million to finance various development projects and support Small and Medium Enterprises, under three agreements signed on Wednesday on the sidelines of the joint Assembly of Arab Financial Institutions. The agreements will cover three areas namely $80 million worth irrigation projects in Saiss plains, in the Fes-Meknes region, equipment of public hospitals to cost $50 million, while $100 million will be earmarked for supporting SMEs. The first two agreements estimated at $130 million represent the last installment of Saudi Arabias share of support to Morocco decided by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC.) Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Ben Abdelaziz Assaf who initialed the agreements along with his Moroccan counterpart Mohamed Boussaid underlined Saudi Arabias resolve to enhance its cooperation with Morocco and to launch other common development projects with the North African Country. More than $4 billion have been already invested in Morocco by Riyadh, mainly in the Noor solar energy project in Ouarzazate. The first plant of the project started operating early February. Vice-President of the Saudi Development Fund, Youssef Ben Ibrahim Bassam, attended the agreements signing ceremony. Being discreet in business does not necessarily means illegal practices, wrongdoings or a desire to seek tax heavens, says Hicham Naciri, defense attorney of the private secretariat of King Mohammed VI. In an exclusive interview with Media24 online digital newspaper following the leak of more than 11million documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, prompting upheaval around the world, Naciri said that some people rush to make deliberately a direct link between business privacy and deceit in a bid to create confusion in peoples mind to serve a particular agenda. The Panama Papers were leaked to the German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung, which shared them with the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and other worldwide media organizations. The leaked documents reveal secret offshore deals involving several world leaders, eminent personalities, business people, celebrities French Daily Le Monde cited in this regard the name of Mounir El Majidi, the Private Secretary of Moroccos King Mohammed VI. Commenting on the French daily report, attorney Naciri says it is unfair to put fraudsters and transparent people in the same basket, stressing that the royal family businesses are crystal-clear, transparent and well-organized. Many of these businesses are listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, regularly undergo tax review and go through the same process as other companies. They do not benefit from any special treatment. Naciri spoke of the two companies mentioned in the leaked papers, namely SMCD Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands, and real estate Orion, registered in Luxembourg and of the purchase of El Boughaz schooner and a Paris mansion through these companies. He stressed that there were no concealment or cover-up. All was legally registered, declared and made in a transparent way in accordance to fiscal laws. According to Naciri, top legal and tax firms supervised all Moroccan operations to ensure their full compliance with tax regulations and relevant laws. Patrice Talon winner of March 20 Presidential elections in Benin has taken oath at Porto Novo, the countrys political capital, on Wednesday. Known as one of top well-off businessmen of the country and so far almost unknown in the political life of the sub-Saharan African country, Patrice Talon won with a landslide victory the Presidential election beating ruling party candidate Lionel Zinsou; the countrys Prime Minister. He won, according to final figures published by the Supreme Court, 65.37 per cent of the votes while his opponent at the run-off only registered 34, 63 votes. He has ascended at the head of a country known as one of true democracies in Africa. At his inauguration, Talon praised Benins democratic foundations and promised to bring a cut and dry change to the management of the country while announcing that he would quickly implement political reforms that will restore the credibility of the country. My mandate will focus on moral requirement. I commit myself to use this mandate as an instrument of change and transition, for the promotion of independent justice, to reinvigorate the public administration, Talon said, adding competence will be measurement to power ascension. The 57 year-old new president reportedly held a brief meeting with outgoing President Boni Yayi at the state palace Marina in Cotonou, prior to his inauguration. The Tripoli-based government known as the National Salvation Government (NSG) declared that it was resigning from the duties and obligations that it was upholding without naming a body or institution to which it will hand over power. The announcement came in a statement posted on the justice ministrys website. The statement was welcomed by supporters of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) as a move paving the way for the country to be ruled by a single unity government despite the Tobruk-based House of Representatives stressing at the beginning of the week that it is the sole legitimate authority in Libya. The statement underlined that the NSG was putting the interests of the nation above anything else, and stresses that the bloodshed stop and the nation be saved from division and fragmentation. The statement didnt bear any signature but has a stamp believed to be that of the NSG. We inform you that we are stopping our work as an executive power, as the presidency, members of parliament and ministers of the government, it stated. The decision was made after discussions between the head of Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweils office, Hassan al-Sgear, and the cabinet. The resignation statement did not declare if NSG recognized the authority of the GNA that it has always termed illegal. UN special envoy Martin Kobler reacted to the statement on tweeter saying that the news of the Tripoli government to hand over power to the GNA is good news. But, he said deeds must follow words. It is still unclear how the GNA will be able to assert its authority in the country although Western countries believe that it is a reliable ally to help fight the Islamic State. A colony of induced pluripotent stem cells. Blue fluorescence indicates cell nuclei; red and green are markers of pluripotency. Credit: the Salk Institute for Biological Studies Therapeutic stem cells can be made without introducing genetic changes that could later lead to cancer, a study in PLOS Genetics has found. The discovery, made by researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, is a boost for scientists working on ways to make regenerative medicines from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells; a type of stem cell made by reprogramming healthy body cells. It is the first time scientists have tracked the genetic mutations gathered by iPS cells as they are grown in the laboratory. The idea behind the research was to follow the whole journey iPS cells will take when used in clinical therapy. The Sanger Institute team, led by Professor Allan Bradley and Dr Kosuke Yusa, started with blood cells donated by a 57-year-old man. As a person grows from embryo, to child, to adult, and as they age, the cells in their body generate a mosaic of tiny genetic changes. Most of these mutations have no effect but some can lead to cancer. The Sanger Institute team traced the history of genetic changes in both the donated blood cell and the iPS cells created from it. The results reveal that mutations arise 10 times less often in iPS cells than they do in lab-grown blood cells and that none of the iPS cell mutations are in genes known to cause cancer. Lead researcher Dr Foad Rouhani said: "None of the mutations we found in induced pluripotent stem cells were cancer-driver mutations or mutations in cancer-causing genes. We didn't find anything that would preclude the use of iPS cells in therapeutic medicine." In addition, the team used the iPS cells, reprogrammed from the donated blood cell, to trace the history of every mutation that one cell had developed from the time it was a fertilised egg all the way up to the moment it was taken out of the body. This is the first time that mutation rates of both types of cells, the donor cell and iPS cell, have been calculated and compared. Professor Allan Bradley said: "Until now the question of whether generating iPS cells and growing them in cell culture creates mutations has not been addressed in detail. If human cells are really to be reprogrammed on a large scale for use in regenerative medicine then understanding the mutations the donor cells carry will be a crucial step. We now have the tools to do this." The ability to track the genetic changes in cells over a lifetime could also improve scientists' understanding of how, when and why mutations can lead to cancer. Dr Kosuke Yusa said: "One of the exciting things is that we have found a way to use iPS cells as a tool to look at the genetic history of a single cell. It also underlines the fact that before you use these cells you really need to characterise them to a high degree to know where the mutations that have been introduced are." The team also found that the genetic changes that do take place in iPS cells in the lab might be caused by a mechanism known as oxidative stress. They hope this knowledge will help to find ways to improve the process of making iPS cells. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the European Bioinformatics Institute also contributed to the study. Explore further Team reports a new mouse model to study how the EWS-FLI1 gene causes bone cancer More information: Rouhani F, et al. Mutational history of a human cell lineage from somatic to induced pluripotent stem cells. PLoS Genetics 2016, published 7 April. Journal information: PLoS Genetics Rouhani F, et al. Mutational history of a human cell lineage from somatic to induced pluripotent stem cells.2016, published 7 April. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005932 Chronic shortages of essential medical supplies are worsening an already dire humanitarian situation in war-torn South Sudan, the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned Thursday. It said aid agencies and international donors had failed to address the shortages, putting additional lives at risk in a country where civil war has killed tens of thousands and left millions homeless and starving. "On top of this already dire humanitarian situation, an additional and preventable medical emergency is unfolding," MSF president Joanne Liu wrote in an open letter. Liu said there were "unacceptable and devastating outages of drugs throughout the country" after a donor-backed programme known as the Emergency Medicines Fund was handed over to the government and subsequently collapsed. "A new rainy seas is approaching fast, promising new outbreaks as well as complicated logistics," Liu said. One of the world's least developed nations, South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 but two years later a new civil war began, pitting President Salva Kiir against his former deputy Riek Machar. The conflict has been characterised by human rights abuses, attacks on civilians, ethnic massacres and widespread rape. At least 50,000 people have been killed, 2.4 million have been forced from their homes and 2.8 million need emergency food to survive. Fighting has continued despite an August peace agreement. 2016 AFP Scientists from Penn Medicine and other institutions unlock a mystery about 'long non-coding RNAs'. Credit: Joshua Stokes, St. Jude's Children Research Hospital A new genetic clue discovered by a team co-led by a researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is shedding light on the functions of the mysterious "long non-coding RNAs" (lncRNAs). These molecules are transcribed from genes and are often abundant in cells, yet they do not code for proteins. Their functions have been almost entirely unknownand in recent years have attracted much research and debate. Reporting in the journal Molecular Cell, the scientists determined that one prominent lncRNA may be a "red herring," with no evident biological role to playwhereas the DNA from which it originates does perform an important function, as an "enhancer" that stimulates the expression of an important protein-coding gene nearby. "An implication of this finding is that many lncRNA-producing regions of DNA may not function through their lncRNA products at all, but only through the DNA itself," Vikram R. Paralkar, MD an instructor in the division of Hematology/Oncology at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine, and first author of the study, said. The discovery underscores the importance of non-protein-coding DNA in biology, and the importance of exploring its functions. Although a popular view still has it that DNA is transcribed into RNA, and the RNA is usually translated into protein, scientists recently have learned that protein-coding DNA makes up less than two percent of the mammalian genomeand is vastly outnumbered by non-protein-coding DNA. Some non-protein-coding genes produce small RNA molecules, and many of these have known functions, often in regulating other genes or RNAs. But thousands of our genes produce lncRNAsdefined as being at least 200 nucleotides in lengthand their functions remain poorly understood. In a study published in 2014, Paralkar and colleagues identified over a thousand distinct lncRNAs in mouse and human blood cells. Most had never been described before. But many turned out to originate from areas of the genome containing known or suspected enhancerssmall regions of DNA where transcription factor molecules gather, to stimulate the transcription of nearby genes. In the new study, Paralkar and colleagues, including senior author Mitchell J. Weiss, MD, of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, examined the possible enhancer function associated with one of these mystery lncRNAs, a product of a mouse gene called Lockd. The Lockd RNA product is particularly abundant in mouse red blood cells and some other cell types. One possibility is that this lncRNA has some undiscovered function in cells. Another possibility is that the Lockd DNA itself has some function, while the RNA transcript is without functiona genomic "red herring." Lockd's transcription-starting "promoter" region contains binding sites for multiple transcription factors, and it lies immediately downstream, on the mouse genome, to Cdkn1b, a gene whose protein product plays a key role in regulating cell division. To investigate the functions of Lockd, Paralkar and colleagues used an advanced gene-editing technique to delete the Lockd DNA from a mouse blood cell line. "When we did this, the expression of Cdkn1b was reduced by 70 percent," Paralkar said. Next, the researchers used a different technique to block the transcription of Lockd RNA while leaving the Lockd DNA intact. The Cdkn1b expression was not affected. "In other words, getting rid of the RNA transcript doesn't make a difference, but getting rid of the DNA does make a difference," Paralkar said. The researchers found strong evidence that in the twisted, looping, double-helix structure of the genome, the promoter end of Lockd DNA comes into direct physical contact with the promoter end of its neighbor Cdkn1b, and in that way acts as an enhancer to stimulate Cdkn1b's transcription. Paralkar acknowledged that the Lockd RNA may one day be found to have some other function. "It's impossible to prove absolutely that it has no functionbut it seems at least that it has no obvious function in regulating its neighbor Cdkn1b," he said. He emphasized, however, that in determining the function of non-coding DNA and RNA, both DNA-deletion and RNA-blocking experimentsas in this studyare needed to distinguish the function of DNA from its RNA product. "One has to decouple the transcript from the DNA," Paralkar said. "Future studies of lncRNA function should adhere to that requirement." He added that the discovery of this enhancer function for one example of a lncRNA gene points to the possibility that this is a broadly used mechanism in the genome, found in non-coding and perhaps even some protein-coding genes. Indeed, enhancers are theorized to be one of the key genomic features that distinguishes species such as mice and humanswhich share nearly all their protein-coding genes, but relatively few of their enhancers and lncRNA-coding genes. "The fact that mice and humans are so different may be due largely to the fact that their genes are being regulated so differently by enhancers, some of which produce RNA molecules that we detect as lncRNAs," Paralkar said. While minimally invasive surgical techniques have made operations easier and recovery time faster, there is a downside: surgical residents today aren't acquiring certain operative skills, according to a new study appearing online on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication. Since laparoscopic cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder) was first introduced 30 years ago, the number of open cholecystectomies performed by general surgery residents has declined significantly. "The average general surgery resident completing training in 2000 had performed 15.5 open cholecystectomies, versus 90 in the pre-laparoscopic era. This figure decreased to 12.6 by 2004," said lead study author Kenneth R. Sirinek, MD, PhD, FACS, professor and vice chairman of surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. "I fear that the next decade is going to be even worse." Each year, an estimated 700,000 cholecystectomies are performed to treat complications of gallstones (cholecystitis, biliary pancreatitis). Today, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered the gold standard for treating gallbladder disease, but in some complicated cases the traditional "open" approach is still required. Those situations may include gallbladder cancer and patients with cirrhosis. The growing trend has led researchers to ask: Are general surgery residents today getting enough clinical experience with open biliary procedures to possess the technical skills necessary to perform a traditional open cholecystectomy, either initially or as a conversion from the laparoscopic approach? Most open cholecystectomies begin as an elective or urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and are converted to an open procedure during the operation. The worst case scenario is that there will be a shortage of surgeons competent in this procedure in years to come. For this study, researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center assessed the overall impact of laparoscopy on their residency training program. They looked at the average number of open cholecystectomies performed by each chief general surgery resident over five years of clinical surgery. Researchers analyzed data from all patients who underwent a cholecystectomy at the University of Texas Health Science Center over three decades: 1981 - 1990, which they called the pre-laparoscopic era; 1991 - 2001, the first decade of laparoscopic cholecystectomy; and 2004 - 2013, the most recent decade of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Researchers found that compared with the pre-laparoscopic decade, the number of patients undergoing an open cholecystectomy decreased 67 percent during the first decade of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and by 92 percent for the most recent decade. The average number of open cholecystectomies performed per graduating chief general surgery resident dramatically decreased for both laparoscopic decades compared with the pre-laparoscopic decade (70.4 vs 22.4 vs 3.6 procedures). "Our residents are getting a minimum amount of exposure to the open procedure, so we are concerned about whether they will have enough technical experience to do an open cholecystectomy. In particular, we are concerned about surgeons who have to convert from laparoscopy to the open procedure during an operation, because those are probably the most technically demanding procedures," Dr. Sirinek said. "This is problematic because they will not have enough know-how to take on a very complicated patient with severe inflammation secondary to acute/gangrenous cholecystitis." Dr. Sirinek added that while there is no rule on what number of open cholecystectomies is required to make a surgeon competent with the procedure, senior general surgeons with an extensive open cholecystectomy experience possess a major technical edge with the open procedure compared to those with little open experience trained during the laparoscopic era. "Surgeons trained in the open cholecystectomy era alone are a dying breed," Dr. Sirinek said. "All of the instruments used laparoscopically do not substitute for an open procedure, where we have tactile feedback from our hands, and a lot of the surgical dissection is done with our hands." To make up for the technical deficit as a result of the small number of open cholecystectomies currently being done, study authors offer several recommendations. First, junior surgeons could spend time participating in the American College of Surgeons' Transition to Practice Fellowship. Participation in this Fellowship with senior surgeon mentoring would allow them to practice and perfect the technical skills needed to perform complicated open and laparoscopic biliary cases. Similar mentoring can also occur in the private practice of General Surgery with young general surgeons identifying an experienced, more senior surgeon to help intraoperatively when they encounter an unanticipated, more complicated biliary tract disease process. In addition, each general surgery residency program should build a video library of complicated open biliary procedures, Dr. Sirinek suggested. This way, residents could discuss instructional presentations with the faculty surgeons for additional technical input. Finally, a number of simulation models could also be used to help train novice learners in critical surgical techniques, but only a few early models are presently available. "These and other programs will help supplement a surgical resident's training program," Dr. Sirinek said. "They're such an important part of general surgery residents' training today." Explore further Laparoscopic surgical removal of the gallbladder in pediatric patients is safe More information: "Who Will Be Able to Perform Open Biliary Surgery in 2025?" Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2016.. Journal information: Journal of the American College of Surgeons "Who Will Be Able to Perform Open Biliary Surgery in 2025?", 2016.. Courtney Baker holds her baby, Scarlett, who underwent frenum surgery. Credit: Kathleen Dooher It's a Thursday morning, and Martin Kaplan, D75A, a pediatric dentist in Stoughton, Massachusetts, is seeing his second infant of the day. He scans a form filled out by Courtney Baker, who holds her 3-month-old daughter, Scarlett. "Breast swelling, clogged ducts, bruising, bleeding, flattened nipples," he says, reading down the list of symptoms Baker has checked. "Not all at once," she notes. "Thrush?" he asks, referring to the painful infection that can affect both the baby's mouth and the mother's breasts. "Three rounds of it." Kaplan examines the sweet, dark-haired baby. He soon confirms what the mother and her lactation consultant suspected: Scarlett has a lip-tie and tongue-tie. In infants with tongue-tie, the frenumthe string of mucosal tissue that connects the tongue to the bottom of the mouthis too short, limiting a baby's ability to move the tongue. Studies indicate anywhere from 0.2 percent to 10 percent of newborns are born with this condition. Similarly, a lip-tie restricts the movement of the upper lip from the gums. Lactation experts say either condition can make breast-feeding difficult, because the baby cannot latch onto the breast properly, leading to sore nipples, long on-and-off feeding sessions, lots of gulped air and decreased milk production in the mother. The treatment is a frenectomy, the snipping of the frenum to free the tongue and/or upper lip. Physicians and midwives reportedly have performed frenectomies for hundreds of years. The simplest means is to snip the frenum with scissors, but it can also be excised and sutured, or treated with a laser. The practice fell out of favor in the 1950s and '60s, when bottle feeding became more common. (Tongue-ties don't cause as many problems in bottle-fed babies.) But now that public health advocates have widely recognized the benefits of breast milk in bolstering infants' immune systems, experts are looking closely at frenum removal as a way to help more mothers breast-feed successfully. Still, the quick-and-simple procedure remains controversial. Not everyone agrees on what constitutes a tongue-tie, whether a tongue-tie needs to be treated, or what treatment is best. Frenectomies have become a huge part of Kaplan's practice in recent years; he estimates he treats about 600 infants and toddlers annually. He uses a laser, which removes layers of tissue by vaporizing the water within the cells. The benefits, Kaplan says, are minimal bleeding (usually none), no sutures and a low risk of infection, because the laser essentially cauterizes the wound. Kaplan doesn't even use anesthetic. There is, however, lots of crying, which usually starts as soon as the dental assistants start to swaddle the baby. (After a few fainting incidents, Kaplan no longer lets the parents stay in the operatory.) But in less than a minute, it is over. In a much-practiced move, Kaplan scoops up Scarlett and rocks her with a soothing "shush, shush." She quiets almost immediately. With a bouncing gait, Kaplan carries her down the hall to her mother. Kaplan is scheduled to evaluate seven more infants for tongue-ties the next day. The demand is so great, he says, that he could devote his practice entirely to this one procedure. Beyond Feeding Problems A baby with a tongue- or lip-tie tends to suckle on the tip of the nipple, which is painful for the mother and less effective for the baby. Over time, the condition can reduce the amount of milk the mother produces, possibly leading her to stop breast-feeding sooner than the one year that is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. While 75 percent of new mothers start out breast-feeding, only 43 percent of them still breast-feed by the time their infants are 6 months old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "If the babies cannot get a deep latch, if they are swallowing air, they are going to have issues," says Fawn Rosenberg, D85, a family dentist in Lexington, Massachusetts, who started doing laser frenectomies about 15 years ago. "Plus the mothers are in so much pain. Breast-feeding should not be painful." Rosenberg says she breast-fed her three children, the youngest until she was 3. "I'm a big believer in the benefits of breast milk," she says. "I think that every mom should have the opportunity to feel close to their babies in this way." The problems don't end at breast-feeding, she says. Older children may have trouble chewing solid food or have a lisp or other speech problems. Kids with a lip-tie can develop a gap between their front teeth. Because the baby is unable to push the tongue against the roof of the mouth, it can lead to the development of a narrow upper palate, which, Rosenberg says, can cause breathing problems. Although she has corrected tongue- and lip-ties on patients of all ages, including adults, Rosenberg believes early treatment is best. "The younger they are, the faster they heal, and some of the real young ones will actually sleep through the procedure," she says. Postfrenectomy, Kaplan and Rosenberg stress that parents must do exercises with their infant to prevent the frenum from reattaching and to train the newly mobile tongue. This includes having the baby suck on a finger and lifting and stretching the tongue four or five times a day. Dentists who perform laser frenectomies need to have extensive training, says Kaplan, who is working on a book about the procedure with Alison Hazelbaker, a lactation therapist, and Robert Convissor, the director of laser dentistry at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens. The continuing education classes the three of them are teaching on the subject at Tufts School of Dental Medicine quickly sold out. Another Viewpoint Not everyone has embraced the dentist's role in infant frenum surgery. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that tongue-tie "usually resolves over time with tongue use" and "does not usually present a problem for speech or eating." Rosenberg has had parents cancel frenectomy appointments after meeting with their family doctor. Andrew Scott, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Tufts Medical Center and an assistant professor at Tufts School of Medicine, approves of frenectomies for tongue-tied babies who have trouble breast-feeding, but he is not sold on the value of using a laser. Using a scissors, he says, has the same benefits: little-to-no bleeding, low risk of infection, a quick procedure and no anesthesia needed other than sucrose solution. "We cut ties in the nursery on babies who are hours old this way," he says. Children older than 4 to 6 months he treats under general anesthesia. Scott also disputes the claim that tongue-ties can cause speech or airway problems, noting that the body of research does not support this, except in severe cases. Some medical providers even disagree about what constitutes a tongue-tie. Ear, nose and throat physicians, Rosenberg says, will often treat an anterior tongue-tie that is close to the tip of the tongue, but not a posterior tongue-tie, which is less obvious, or a lip-tie. As for lip-ties, "there is no evidence out there that these interfere with nursing," Scott says. "Most of the anecdotal stories of improvement in nursing after cutting a lip-tie are clouded by the fact that a tongue-tie was also released at the same time. I have never seen an isolated lip-tie cause nursing impairment. It does lead to gapping in the front teeth, however, and intervening for that is completely reasonable." He defers to dentists and orthodontists on when that is indicated for older children. Sara Ryans of Plainville, Massachusetts, noticed early on that her son Alexander did not breast-feed the same way her first child had. He needed to be nursed on a pillow in order to get a good latch. But Alexander continued to grow at a fast pace. It wasn't until the family went on vacation and she needed to breast-feed him on the go that things became more difficult. Suspecting a tongue-tie, she went to an ENT, who was reluctant to do anything because 5-month-old Alexander was gaining weight. He said he would have to use general anesthesia and do the procedure in an operating room. When Ryans read about laser frenectomy, she decided that was the better option, and made an appointment with Kaplan for August. Minutes after Kaplan completed the procedure, releasing both a lip-tie and a tongue-tie, Ryans says she was glad to be nursing Alexander rather than waiting for him to awaken from anesthesia. She says she noticed a difference right away. "The suction was definitely better, like he was in a better position," she says. Alexander, who was smiling broadly, seemed to agree. As for little Scarlett, she wasn't interested in nursing immediately after her procedure, and was uncharacteristically fussy that night. "But the next day, she was perfectly fine, back to her normal, happy self," says her mother, Courtney Baker. "I wish this was something I did from day one, had I known." Explore further Baby tongue tie culprit in case for breastfeeding Americans don't know a lot about the Zika virus that is linked to birth defects and creeping steadily closer to the U.S., according to a new poll that found about 4 in 10 say they've heard little to nothing about the mosquito-borne threat. Even among people who've been following the Zika saga at least a little, many aren't sure whether there's a vaccine or treatmentnot yetor if there's any way the virus can spread other than through mosquito bites. Still, with mosquito season fast approaching, more than half of the population supports a variety of efforts to control summer swarmsfrom spraying pesticides to releasing genetically modified mosquitoes, says the poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The government is considering a field trial in the Florida Keys of male mosquitoes, which don't bite, that are genetically altered so that when they mate with wild females, the offspring quickly die. The poll found 56 percent of people would support introducing such mosquitoes into areas affected by Zika. "I think it's kind of the wave of the future, to be honest," said Janis Maney, 63, of Pensacola, Florida, who sees mosquitoes nearly year-round in her warm climate. She's open to "anything that would control those little buggers." The Zika virus has exploded throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. While adults typically suffer mild, if any, symptoms, there's an increasingly strong link between infections in pregnant women and fetal death and devastating birth defectsbabies born with small heads that signal a damaged brain. U.S. health officials are warning pregnant women and those attempting to conceive to avoid traveling to Zika-affected areas. More than 300 cases of Zika have been diagnosed in the U.S., all so far associated with travel. But the mosquitoes capable of spreading Zika live in parts of the U.S. And while experts don't expect an epidemic here, they worry that small clusters of cases are likely, particularly in Florida or Texas, if the insects bite returning travelers and then someone else. "We have only weeks to prepare before the mosquitoes, and perhaps the virus, get ahead of us," said Dr. Edward McCabe of the March of Dimes. Leah Zeleski, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, said she won't travel too far south this summer. A nursing student, Zeleski calls this a "very scary" time for women of childbearing age and wonders what scientists will discover next about Zika's risks, unknown until the current outbreak began in Brazil last year. Zeleski said she'll wear insect repellent and cover up during mosquito season. The AP-NORC Center poll found that among people who've heard about Zika, 90 percent know mosquitoes can spread it but there are some other key gaps in knowledge: About 1 in 5 couldn't say whether Zika was linked to birth defects. Zika also sometimes spreads through sexual intercourse, but 14 percent wrongly thought it couldn't, and another 29 percent said they didn't know. That's worrisome, because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says men who've traveled to Zika-affected areas either should use condoms with their pregnant partners or avoid sex until the baby's born. More than half didn't know if there was a vaccine or treatment for Zikathere is notor a diagnostic test. There are tests but they're not perfect, and they're being used primarily with pregnant women. More public education is needed before there are any homegrown Zika infections, said Gillian SteelFisher of Harvard's school of public health, whose own polling has found even more misconceptions about Zika. "We have an opportunity, before there's a case, to get people to worry where they need to and not where they don't," SteelFisher said. "With good information, people can take the right steps to protect themselves." The poll found few people16 percentare very worried that the U.S. will experience much Zika. "I've kind of grown numb" about outbreak warnings in recent years, said Valerie White, 24, of Montgomery County, Maryland, who doesn't plan to travel during her pregnancy. "Once people realize it's a problem, there's usually a quick response, so I'm not worried." Only a quarter of people said U.S. athletes should withdraw from the Olympics in Brazil this summer. When it comes to those genetically modified mosquitoes, some activists in Florida have argued against thembut the new poll found only 16 percent of Americans overall are opposed to the strategy to control Zika, and 26 percent are neutral. In previous surveys, genetically modified food ingredients have generated more public concern. The AP-NORC poll of 1,004 adults was conducted March 17-21 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone. Explore further Report describes first known case of Zika in US resident returning from Costa Rica 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Azerbaijani banks buy over $28M from State Oil Fund The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $28.35 million to five local banks through the auction held by Azerbaijans Central Bank (CBA) March 30, SOFAZ said March 30.SOFAZ offered $100 million for sale through the auction, and will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016.The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZs transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016.SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million.As of January 1 2016, SOFAZ assets reduced by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and were estimated at $33.57 billion. State Security issues and MPs' responsibilities By Messenger Staff On March 30, Georgias lawmakers were unable to listen to the head of the State Security Service (SSS), Vakhtang Gomelauri.This was because there were not enough MPs in Parliament at the time, thus failing to fill the necessary quorum.At least 76 lawmakers should have been in the 150-seat legislative body to listen to the head of the state body responsible for Georgias security amid intensified terror threats worldwide.Before Gomelauris arrival, both majority and minority representatives said they had a wide range of questions to put to the state official.The report prepared by Gomelauris body read that nearly 50 Georgian men are fighting for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.The SSS also said it controlled the situation and all risky areas that could be targets of terror attacks.Majority and minority MPs stated they wanted to know more about the report and the SSS' activities, but when the official arrived he could not answer the questions as not enough MPs were in attedance.Each parliamentarian is responsible to the public, as it is the people who cover their salaries and a range of allowances.Nearly half of the elected MPs have no previous experience in law, and not taking much interest in state affairs is an ominous sign; many of them refrain from attending even important occasions.It is not in Georgia's interests to have lawmakers who ignore their obligations and take their salaries for nothing or for making irresponsible statements.There should be very effective measures that will punish politicians not fulfilling their obligations.In addition, each party must think about the people it has in its election lists, along with their professionalism and competence. The News in Brief Intelligence official denies the presence of agents at TSU The internal conflict at Tbilisi State University (TSU) seemed to be over a few weeks ago, but now Georgian intelligence has jumped into the fray, announcing that it hasnt had agents at TSU since the beginning of this year. The presence of agents at TSU was one of the contentious issues that led to a week-long sit-in and corridor clashes between two opposing blocs of students the student union and an ad hoc group of students fed up with the first groups wasteful spending and the alleged presence of spies. But Levan Izoria, the deputy head of the State Security Service, said at a meeting of the human rights, judiciary and defence committees in Parliament that there are no spies, or so-called ODRs, at educational facilities anymore. Izoria confirmed that there had been spies in such institutions, but that the practice was terminated by the end of 2015, out of respect for the universitys autonomy. The student union, known as Tvitmmartveloba, is not giving up its demand of the rectors resignation for not telling students about the spies sooner members now plan a hunger strike to promote their demand. The other group, called Auditorium 115, also warn of a possible new wave of protests if their demands are not met. It began in early March as a student got hold of a document which proved that the students union, which is financed by the university, spent money on a training course at the winter resort Bakuriani. As the protests escalated, new issues were raised and a sit-in organized at TSUs Building No 1. On Monday, the students union declared that in the evening, at least seven of their members will go on hunger strike to demand the rectors resignation. We will sacrifice ourselves to restoration of justice at the university, Bakhva Kvirikashvili said. He explained that when Vladimer Papava became rector, former officials from the times when Eduard Shevardnadze was president in the 1990s began working at the university. The students union has made a list of people they want to leave TSU. The rector imported those people to the university, which resulted in a three-year stagnation of TSU, Kvirikashvili said. He claims the rector didnt do anything to defuse the situation after protests broke out. In the beginning, rector Papava confirmed the allegations that the State Security Service had so-called ODRs agents at the university, working in various positions in the administration. Removing the agents was one of the demands by both sides of students, but the students union, known as Tvitmmartveloba, didnt like the fact that Papava kept secret the presence of spies for three years. The other group of protesting students, who transformed into a movement called Auditorium No 115, held a press conference on Monday. They demand a reform of the students union. We dont care about their position. We were promised by the Education Ministry that they would carry out radical reform of the students representations, they said on a press conference. They dont recognize todays student union as a lawful body. Another demand is to announce a transition period at the university, amend the law about higher education and apply election procedures for electing a rector and members of the academic council. We have to elect new institutions by new rules in two months. Students want the rector and members of the academic council to resign as soon as new reforms are carried out. At the parliament hearing, deputy chief of counterintelligence Izoria claimed that certain people at TSU have been incorrectly named as agents. Before August 2015, this person was part of our staff as ODR, but after 2015 he continued carrying out his duties as secretary of the university chancellor, he said, adding that it was prerogative of the university to keep this person on its staff. Izoria justified the use of agents at the university by saying that there are currently many students in Georgia who come from countries which have active terrorist organizations. What is their goal? Why did they come here? he asked. (DF watch) "Europe should be more open to states like Georgia" According to Georgias State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Davit Bakradze, the free movement of the Georgian citizens to the European countries does not create any threat. "In 2013, we adopted an action plan according to which if the government of Georgia carried out certain reforms, the European Union would open the door to the Georgian citizens. Afterwards, rather unfavourable developments namely the recent terrorist attacks - took place in Europe, which has caused many on the continent to develop a negative perception of outsiders. However, I think that Europe should be more open to such states like Georgia, because we have implemented the legislative changes in order to protect Europe's security, and the free movement of Georgian citizens to European countries does not create any threat. We are a responsible country and a reliable partner. In addition, if we can rely on the practices of other countries and the statements of European leaders, visa-free travel will be available in a few months, Bakradze told the Observer newspaper. (Pia.ge) Georgia-Qatar sign two deals solidifying agriculture partnership Georgia and Qatar are deepening ties in the agricultural sector by signing two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of veterinary health and livestock production, as well as economic, scientific and technical cooperation in agriculture.The two deals were signed by Georgias Agriculture Minister, Otar Danelia, and Qatars Minister of Municipality and Environment, Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi, today in Doha. The Georgian official is on a visit to Qatars capital to meet a number of top officials.The first Memorandum aimed at exchanging information on veterinary health and animal production activities and to exchange information through an early warning system on changing epidemiological situations.The second MoU supported the import and export of food and agricultural products between the two countries. It also supported cooperation between scientific research centres and cooperation in the fields of veterinary, plant protection and measures to combat diseases, pests and weed control.Danelia and Abdullah al-Rumaihi both believed the deals would strengthen the existing bilateral ties in agricultural investment and livestock production, and both nations would benefit from them.Georgia and Qatar already enjoy fruitful cooperation through importing live animals.Meanwhile, Danelia also visited the Qatari Chamber of Commerce and Industries, where he met local business representatives. Danelia invited Qatari businessmen to visit Georgia and explore the trade and investment opportunities available.While at the Qatari Chamber of Commerce, Danelia met board member Mohamed Ahmed al-Obaidly. The meeting dealt with ways to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries business societies.The Georgian Minister welcomed Qatari investments and made a presentation on the key investment sectors such as transport, tourism, food security and agriculture, which constituted 10 percent of Georgias total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).Ahmed al-Obaidly stressed Qatari businessmen were keen to explore opportunities in the Georgias agriculture and real estate sectors, and in other areas. Presentation of the Activity Report of Blauenstein Georgia Investment plans amounting to 18 million GEL were presented in a report given the Blauenstein Georgia company detailing the activities of several enterprises in Racha. The event was attended by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.The headquarters of Blauenstein Georgia is located in the village of Shardometi in the Racha region. In terms of cattle breeding, the company is one of the leading enterprises. Alongside its Swiss partners, it is engaged in the production of organic and high-quality products that comply with European standards.The Prime Minister thanked the founders of the company, Max Blauenstein and Irakli Kervalishvili, for their successful efforts and noted that the Government fully supports further development of this project."I consider the potential of the project to be 100 times larger. This is a pilot model that was implemented in Georgia. It is fully compliant with Georgian agricultural trends and reflects the aspirations of individuals who are engaged in it. When we first met in 2013 and you presented the project, we realized that it would maintain the ambition of small entrepreneurs to remain the owner of his/her business and would enable the implementation of the best European technologies in Georgia, the Prime Minister noted.The Prime Minister noted that this model may be utilized in all regions of Georgia and on behalf of the Government expressed full support to the founders of the company in their endeavours."Government's four-point reform plan is crucial; however, your activities are vitally important. Hence, I would like to express my sincere gratitude," the Prime Minister noted in his address to the founders of Blauenstein Georgia.Blauenstein Georgia plans to establish 20 additional farms, several shops and the development of dairy production over the next 2-3 years. Parliament Speaker: Elections are not a precondition for Georgias visa liberalisation By Messenger Staff Georgias Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili says representatives of European institutions are very satisfied with Georgias progress towards Europe and stresses granting visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) states for Georgia has never been dependent on the upcoming parliamentary race.Usupashvili made these statements after yesterdays meeting with the head of the European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee, Pavel Svoboda, and Committee member Heidi Hautala on March 30.The Parliament chairperson said people were interested as to how Georgia was fulfilling its Association Agreement (AA) and visa liberalisation obligations with the EU.They were extremely satisfied when they heard the answers to their questions and said the Committee will support Georgians' visa-free travel to Europe, Usupashvili said.They also said that some recent statements over the connection of granting visa-free travel to Georgia with this year's parliamentary elections were just the personal opinions of certain European politicians, having nothing common with the general attitudes of the European Parliament, the Parliament chair added.This referred to recent statements of the President of the European Peoples Party (EPP), Joseph Daul, who said if the upcoming elections in Georgia were not fair and transparent it would hinder the final stage of Georgia's visa liberalisation.Usupashvili stressed that no domestic or foreign political force would be able to influence the decision made by the European Parliament.Georgia had its responsibilities and obligations taken through the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP). All of these obligations have been completely fulfilled. No additional obligations regarding the elections or other issues are pending, Usupashvili said.Usupashvili said the exact date when Georgia would be granted the right of visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone was still unknown.Based on previous statements made by Georgian and foreign officials, Georgia could receive a positive decision provided by the European Council and the European Parliament this summer.The European Commission, which said Georgia had fulfilled all its VLAP obligations, has already appealed to the European Council and Parliament to discuss and make a final decision over Georgias visa liberalisation.Granting visa-free travel to Georgians has significant social and political connotations.When one praises the country for its commitment and effective reforms but at the same time refuses to somehow open its doors to that same country, this contradictory rhetoric will eventually affect relations and create a negative perception of the Union amongst the public.Georgia is close to receiving visa liberalisation, and any refusal at this late stage will be a big disappointment for Georgians, and decidedly unfair.Such a move will badly damage Georgias overall European expectations. The News in Brief Defence Minister: Number of UN Resolution supporters will be increased The Minister of Defence of Georgia, Tinatin Khidasheli, hosted nine permanent representatives accredited to the UN who are paying a visit to Georgia. At the meeting, the sides discussed the current situation in the occupied territories of Georgia and the country's IDPs. Before visiting the Defence Ministry, members of the delegation were in the village of Khurvaleti adjacent to the occupation line and in the IDPs' settlement in Tserovani. The Ambassadors to the UN expressed support for the territorial integrity of Georgia and expressed hope that the number of the UN resolution supporters will increase. They also underscored the importance of the close cooperation of Georgia with its international partners with regards to conflict resolution. At the end of the meeting, Tinatin Khidasheli focused on the importance of such visits and dialogue with Georgia's partner countries about their non-recognition policy of Georgia's breakaway territories. It is very important to have constant communication with the ambassadors of African, Latin American and Caribbean Sea countries. Georgia firmly maintains its stance of its non-recognition policy and does its best to garner more supporters for our resolution in the UN each year. This year, this resolution will be introduced once again to the General Assembly and it is obvious that the non-recognition policy should continue. Id like to thank our representative to the UN, Kakha Imnadze, who organized this visit. It is one thing when you tell other people about occupation and another one when they see this occupation with their own eyes. Such visits are more impressive and efficient. Id like to have more communication with the representatives of non-NATO and EU countries as their participation is critically important in order to maintain the non-recognition policy, the Defence Minister said. The First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Colonel Omar Begoidze, the Ministers Adviser on International Relations Issues Shota Gvinerai and the permanent representative of Georgia to the UN, Kakha Imnadze, attended the meeting. The delegation members are the Ambassadors of Costa Rica, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Malawi, Panama, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia, all accredited to the UN. (Ministry of Defence) Yesterday it was Transnistria and Georgia, today Ukraine and Syria: who will be next?"- Petro Poroshenko Yesterday it was Transnistria and Georgia, today it is Ukraine and Syria: who will be next?" the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has said on Twitter. Petro Poroshenko, who is on a visit to the US, said that more people have been killed in the east of Ukraine over the last two years than US citizens in Afghanistan over the last 15 years. According to him, 10,000 people were killed in the conflict, including more than 2700 troops. In addition, 8500 houses were destroyed as a result of military operations, 1 million 800,000 people were displaced, 7% of the country's territory is occupied and 20% of the economy is destroyed. A total of 120 people remain in captivity. They are not allowed to meet with the Red Cross International Committee. Of these, 11 Ukrainian citizens are detained in Russia; some of them are in a critical condition. (IPN) Lack of Quorum Thwarts Parliament Session, Security Chief Hearing Parliament failed to hold a session on Wednesday when lawmakers were scheduled to hear a report from the head of the State Security Service, Vakhtang Gomelauri. There was a lack of quorum of at least 76 MPs required for a session to be opened. Initially 68 MPs underwent registration with the number of lawmakers present in the chamber in Kutaisi declining to 67 and further to 54 during the second and third registrations. A lawmaker from the UNM opposition party, Irma Nadirashvili, accused the GD ruling coalition of thwarting the session deliberately by not showing up, and said that it was done in order to prevent the grilling of security chief Gomelauri by the MPs. Gomelauri, who was in the chamber, told journalists after the session that despite the hearing being canceled he was ready to respond to lawmakers questions. I arrived here to present my report before Parliament and to answer all questions, he said. It is not my fault that there was no quorum in the Parliament. Gomelauri also said that he wont be able to come to Kutaisi on Friday when the next parliamentary session is scheduled. It is not yet clear whether his deputy, Levan Izoria, will present the report on Friday, or if the hearing will be postponed to a later date. The Deputy Head of the State Security Service, Levan Izoria, presented the report to lawmakers at a committee hearing on March 28. During the committee hearing, opposition lawmakers from the UNM party criticized the report for not mentioning Russias intelligence operations in Georgia in a section describing the State Security Services counter-intelligence measures in general terms. Opposition lawmakers, as well as some MPs from the Republican Party (which is a member of the GD ruling coalition), also criticized the report for not addressing Russias soft power and propaganda aimed at fuelling anti-Western sentiment in Georgia. Izoria told lawmakers that he would not discuss the security agencys counter-intelligence operations at a public hearing. The State Security Service was separated from the Interior Ministry last year. Gomelauri served in the security detail of ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili before becoming the Deputy Interior Minister in spring 2013; he served as Interior Minister from January 2015 before being confirmed by Parliament as the head of the State Security Service in late July 2015. (civil.ge) The Florida Department of Health said Thursday it is backing off an attempt to single out a Tallahassee pediatrician who was one of the administration's harshest critics and will instead postpone a decision to require him to pay the overhead costs of treating sick children at a state-owned clinic that serves the needy. Dr. Louis St. Petery, who was a catalyst in an successful lawsuit against the state and its Children's Medical Services program and a vocal opponent of legislative confirmation of DOH secretary John Armstrong, was told in an email on March 31 that he must immediately start paying $1,397 a year in overhead to continue to see children at the Tallahassee clinic. We truly appreciate the work you do for children in our building, but we do have a need to document who has permission to use the space and also ensure that each licensee is paying their fair share of the costs to keep the building operational, wrote DOH's chief operating officer Jennifer Tschetter wrote in an email to St. Petery. She attached a draft contract. St. Petery responded to the demand with several questions, and noted it was Tschetter's last day at the agency. "Am I to understand that all providers of health care services in the local CMS clinic will likewise be required to sign license agreements and pay rent? Is this true for the entire state?,'' he wrote. He asked what role the nurses that care for the children at the clinics will have and noted that he appears to have until the end of the month to comply with the agreement but wondered "what did you anticipate would happen with the children already scheduled to return to my clinic after that time?" He provided copies of the email to the Miami Herald and several other news organizations on April 1. Politico was the first to write about it Thursday. Department of Heath spokesperson Mara Gambineri said Thursday that the agency has "actually taken a step back and we are now not moving forward." "To be fair, we want to make sure we have all the information before making all the decision,'' she said. She said the decision to start charging for overhead was the result of a "legislatively-mandated review of CMS use of space throughout the state" and the letter to St. Petery was "based on initial feedback that was given to leadership here." She confirmed that St. Petery was the only doctor working with CMS who was asked to sign a contract to pay for the overhead. St. Petery has been one of the most outspoken critics of the administration in recent years. In addition to opposing Armstrong, whose confirmation was rejected by the state Senate, he was executive vice president of the Florida Pediatric Society when he spearheaded the lawsuit against the state that was recently settled by DOH, along with the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Children and Families. According to the settlement, the state must create an incentive program for doctors and specialists that serve the poor and in exchange the state must increase the rates paid to the doctors providing the care. The settlement is in response to a ruling by a federal judge in Miami in December that the state had so underfunded programs serving needy children that it was operating in violation of federal law. U.S. Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan concluded the Florida Legislature and governor had for years set the states Medicaid budget at an artificially low level, causing pediatricians and other specialists for children to opt out of the insurance program and forcing parents in some areas of the state to travel long distances to see specialists. St. Petery was executive vice president of the Florida Pediatric Society when he spearheaded the lawsuit. Under the agreement, the healthcare agency will require managed care plans to plow anticipated program savings into higher payment rates for primary care doctors who meet the incentives for the next three budget years, through at least September 2019. For the next 20 years, Florida legislators will be required to dedicate at least $250 million to fund restoration of the states ailing Everglades ecosystem and polluted springs under a bill signed Thursday by Gov. Rick Scott. Named the Legacy Florida Act, the measure builds on Amendment 1 which voters approved by a 75 percent margin in 2014 to earmark money from a documentary stamp tax on real estate transactions to be spent on protecting and repairing the states most fragile ecosystems. The act requires the legislature to dedicate up to $200 million a year for Everglades restoration, $50 million a year for Florida springs and $5 million a year for Lake Apopka. The measure was proposed by incoming Senate president Joe Negron and Rep. Gayle Harrell, both Stuart Republicans, who represent the Indian River Lagoon region, an area of the state that is facing increasing ecological stresses and has seen a massive fish kill in the last two weeks because of brown tide. The act builds on Amendment 1, the constitutional amendment spearheaded by environmentalists after the governor and lawmakers repeatedly rejected their requests to fund land acquisition and water restoration projects needed to repair areas of the state damaged by agricultural runoff, environmental pollution and development. Under the amendment, lawmakers are now obligated to devote one-third of the revenue from the documentary stamp tax on real estate transactions to the Land Acquisition Trust fund to pay for land and water conservation programs. Last year the fund collected $743.5 million and this year lawmakers benefited from an improving real estate market and more robust tax collections to have $902 million to dedicate for environmental programs. With the Legacy Florida Act, a substantial portion of that money will also be guaranteed to be spent on the Everglades and springs, a move that has pleased environmental groups. Scott commended the Legacy Florida Act, (HB 989/SB 1168), "for fulfilling the promise I made to create a dedicated source of funding to restore the Florida Everglades." Negron said that the act "is an historic achievement in Florida and will bring much needed relief to communities effected by water releases in Lake Okeechobee and St. Lucie." Eric Eikenberg, CEO of The Everglades Foundation, said the funding will help bring clean-up projects that are already underway to completion. "The Everglades is an economic engine for this state and a sound investment. Restoration projects create jobs and protect the water supply for one in three Floridians,'' he said. And Eric Draper, Executive Director of Audubon Florida, noted that the dedicated funding is a "major step forward toward implementing plans to meet water quality goals and delivering freshwater flows. Photo credit: Jon Kral of the Miami Herald Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, working to free himself from obscurity in Florida's Republican U.S. Senate primary, presided over an event Wednesday that most South Florida politicians would have craved. The setting was at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County in Boca Raton for Gov. Rick Scott's ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 86, which prohibits the state from doing business with companies that favor a boycott of Israel. The federation's Zinman Hall was packed with community leaders and legislators including U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, state Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Ritch Workmanand Sens. Joe Abruzzo, Maria Sachs and Joe Negron, who sponsored the bill along with Workman in the 2016 legislative session. "Now, you may not have known this from my name, Lopez-Cantera, but I'm Jewish," the lieutenant governor said as the crowd of about 200 broke into applause. "My father came from Cuba but he married a nice Jewish girl in Miami, and I followed suit and married a nice Jewish girl in Miami as well ... We keep a Jewish household and are raising our daughters Jewish." He called the event "very special to me," describing it as a message to the country and to the world "that bigotry and anti-Semitism have no place in Florida." But in light of Lopez-Cantera's biographical story Wednesday, the question is, what took him so long? After Scott named him lieutenant governor in 2014, Lopez-Cantera was ambiguous about his religion, which earned him national media attention. "There is no evidence that (he) is a practicing Jew," Roll Call wrote last year. In one of the largest Jewish communities in the U.S., he may have found a way to separate himself from a pack that includes U.S. Reps. Ron DeSantis and David Jolly, wealthy businessman Carlos Beruff and entrepreneur Todd Wilcox. The Senate primary is Aug. 30, but voting for some will begin in late July. "When he says, 'I'm a Jew,' he really means it," Rabbi Schneur Oirechman of Chabad Lubavitch in Tallahassee said of Lopez-Cantera. The rabbi was even more effusive in his praise of Scott, who's considering a U.S. Senate candidacy in 2018. "You are very much like Moses," the rabbi said. "Your humility, your sincerity. I keep telling everyone, this governor really means it." - Steve Bousquet, Tampa Bay Times @MichaelAuslen Three lawyers could be disbarred in an ethics case the Florida Supreme Court heard Wednesday. But the case has raised new ethical questions of its own under claims that the Florida Bar broke its own rules in the process. The case itself is mired in insurance law. But the crux of it is this: The Florida Bar, as well as a judge, contend a group of lawyers deceived clients in hopes of getting rich. This is the worst case of greed and dereliction of duties of people admitted to the Florida Bar that I have seen, Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente said. The state Supreme Court is deciding the fates of three South Florida lawyers Charles Kane, Harley Kane and Darin Lentner who could face suspended licenses or even be disbarred, losing their ability to practice law in the state. Already, one of the lawyers involved, Laura Watson, was removed from the Broward Circuit Court bench. But the Kanes say the Florida Bar secretly consulted with Larry Stewart, the lawyer who brought the complaint against them to the Bar in the first place, in prosecuting the case. Stewart ghost-wrote an affidavit for the Bars lawyers, even though he was the person who originally brought the complaint, according to court filings by the Kanes lawyer, Scott Tozian of Tampa. Whats more, Tozian and the Kanes say, the affidavit isnt entirely true. Its our belief that the Bars misconduct in this case is egregious enough to warrant dismissal, Tozian said, adding later, The system has been completely adulterated. Thats their argument: That this case should be thrown out because the process has to be fair in order for the outcome to be fair. As for the Bar, special counsel David Rothman of Miami said he did everything he could to remedy concerns, even stopping Stewart his key witness from testifying. Whats more, he said, the Kanes have given false testimony, too. The court hasnt yet ruled on the case. But justices suggested that the allegations brought by the Bar are serious. by @JknipeBrown A new watchdog has been hired to oversee Floridas troubled Department of Corrections, which has been mired in lawsuits, federal probes and accusations of corruption and brutality against inmates for years. Lester Fernandez, the assistant inspector general for the federal Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud in Washington, D.C., will start his new post on June 6. As FDCs inspector general, he will oversee all probes into wrongdoing in the prisons. He will also work with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which investigates in-custody deaths, and the U.S. Department of Justice, which has been looking into whether the agency has a pattern or practice of civil rights violations. Regardless of how other people describe their music, members of Divers just call themselves a punk band, said singer/guitarist Harrison Rapp. "That's the spirit of where it comes from," he said in a phone interview. The band's 2015 album, "Hello Hello," brought enough stylistic influences to bear that, depending on who you ask, they're a punk-influenced Americana band or an Americana-influenced punk band. "I'm interested in what people do hear," Rapp said, noting that they always seem very confident in their descriptions. He recently saw a Cure comparison, which makes a little sense when Rapp drops into a desperate whispering tone. They also frequently get compared to Bruce Springsteen, which makes sense when the band kicks into a blue-collar, anthemic chorus. Regardless, the 5-year-old group's full-length debut drew positive reviews from local press and national media like Maximum Rock 'N' Roll. Rapp and Seth Rapp (guitar), James Deegan (bass), and Colby Hulsey (drums) are returning to Missoula for the third time in about a year, including an August appearance at Total Fest. The group, which is gearing up for tours of Japan and Europe later this year, recently recorded a 7-inch label split between Dirt Cult and Snuffy Smiles records. It will be officially released on Record Store Day, April 16. Rapp noted that the vinyl version has some "extra, interesting" elements that weren't included in the online tracks. The songs were recorded last fall at Destination Universe, a converted barn studio behind a friend's house in Portland. The A-side, "Achin' On," opens with a '50s rock 'n' roll verse before dipping back into more familiar Divers territory, where Americana and punk seemingly never parted ways. Rapp said he did grow up on '50s rock, like Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, and later discovered Washington, D.C., punk like Fugazi and Minor Threat. And naturally, there's the diverse pool of other sounds Rapp is fond of, let alone all the other band members: the Cure, the Replacements, Nina Simon, Bruce Springsteen and ELO. The B-side for the new release is "Can't Do That," a song by one of the standard-bearers in their home city's rock scene. "If you live in Portland and play music, I feel like Dead Moon is an influence," he said, guessing that he first saw them live 10 years ago. Divers have played with Pierced Arrows, another band by Dead Moon's Fred Cole (guitar, vocals) and Toody Cole (bass). They recorded the songs last fall so the vinyl release would be ready in time for their upcoming tours. The timing sadly corresponded with the death of one third of Dead Moon, drummer Andrew Loomis, in early March. "The songs came out online earlier the same day that he passed away, which was kind of a weird, freak thing," said Rapp, who said he's uncomfortable promoting the song. "I really loved their song," he said. "I think it's incredibly beautiful. I've always been moved by that one," he said. Divers' version replaces Fred's country guitar with a simple, spare arpeggio that accompanies Rapp's hushed interpretation of the ballad. They adapted the first part of Fred's solo as a bridge, and in another strange coincidence, omitted any drums until the big outro. The band is writing songs now, and will likely play a few unfinished new ones in Missoula. He said he typically writes songs on his own and then brings them to the band, which then begins a process of "tearing them apart and putting them back together." He said their philosophy is "why not try it once," since it will yield something, bad or good. A followup to "Hello Hello" is likely a ways off, though, although Rapp said the band is looking forward to recording again. "We like being in the studio and just kind of spending time there. That's always an exciting part. I like the history of studios, too, what albums are recorded there," he said. Divers will play the VFW Post 209, 245 W. Main St., on Thursday, April 14. Doors open at 9 p.m. The show is 18 and up. Advance tickets are available at Ear Candy for $7. The opening acts are Wojtek, Sunraiser and VTO. There are many authors who call Montana home. These men and women write in all genres, and are published by small presses, major houses and university presses. The variety of topics is as wide as the state. Here is a sampling of recent publications by Montana authors: *** "The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle" by Janet Fox Twelve-year-old Katherine Bateson believes in a logical explanation for everything. But even she cant make sense of the strange goings-on at Rookskill Castle, the drafty old Scottish castle-turned-school where she and her siblings have been sent to escape the London Blitz. Whats making those terrifying sounds at night? Why do the castles walls seem to have a mind of their own? And why do people keep mysteriously appearing and disappearing? Kat believes she knows the answer: Lady Eleanor, who rules Rookskill Castle, is harboring a Nazi spy. But when her classmates begin to vanish, one by one, Kat must face the truth about what the castle actually harbors and what Lady Eleanor is before its too late. This young adult novel by Bozeman author Janet Fox gives a great mix of history and supernatural suspense to keep young and old reading through the night. *** "My Friend, Little Claw" by Donna Maddox A historical novel aimed at young adults titled "My Friend, Little Claw" tells the story of famed Salish Chief Charlo when he was a boy growing into his position of leadership with the Salish Nation in what is now western Montana. Written by long-time Montana educator Donna Maddux, the book includes 24 chapters that take Charlo whose given name was Little Claw of the Grizzly Bear from his days as a boy though the many struggles of leadership he faced when the Salish were forced out of their homeland in the Bitterroot Valley and moved to the Jocko Reservation. *** "The River Why," by David James Duncan Since its publication in 1983, "The River Why" has become a classic. David James Duncan's sweeping novel is a coming-of-age comedy about love, nature, and the quest for self-discovery, written in a voice as distinct and powerful as any in American letters. Gus Orviston is a young fly fisherman who leaves behind his comically schizoid family to find his own path. Taking refuge in a remote cabin, he sets out in pursuit of the Pacific Northwest's elusive steelhead. But what begins as a physical quarry becomes a spiritual one as his quest for self-knowledge batters him with unforeseeable experiences. This new edition of the classic novel of fly fishing and spirituality has a new Afterword by the author. *** "Butte's Irish Heart: Who Says You Can't Go Home" by St. Marys Neighborhoods Reunion Committee The neighborhoods of St. Marys Parish in Butte, Montana, were some of the first settled by immigrants coming to work in Buttes copper mines in the early 1900s. Most families were Irish and Cornish, and they lived in neighborhoods called Dublin Gulch, Corktown, Sunnyside, Muckerville, and Anaconda Road. This book combines the oral history of these families with more than 900 of their family photos to record what it was like to live, work, and play in Buttes very Irish heart. This title was an instant hit in Butte last holiday season, a second printing of this Butte history is now available. *** "Fifty-Six Counties: A Montana Journey" by Russell Rowland Available April 15, 2016 Montana has a long and celebrated tradition of artful, reflective nonfiction. From Joseph Kinsey Howards "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome" to K. Ross Tooles "Montana: An Uncommon Land," weve been gifted with a series of sharp-eyed guides to help us see who we are. To this list we can now add Russell Rowlands "Fifty-Six Counties: A Montana Journey." Rowland spent the better part of a year studying and traveling around his beloved home state, from the mines of Butte to the pine forests of the Northwest, from the stark, wind-scrubbed badlands of the East to the tourist-driven economies of the West. Along the way, he considered our states essential character, where we came from, and, most of all, what we might be in the process of becoming. *** "Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico" by Marty Essen Whether traveling with Marty and his wife, Deb, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico, or going solo with Marty in the Everglades, readers will experience natures endangered Edens in a way few others haveall while laughing and learning along the way. In addition to Martys entertaining stories, "Endangered Edens" also features more than 180 color photographs merging the genres of wildlife photography, adventure travelogues, and environmental education into one book. *** "A Christian in the Land of the Gods: Journey of Faith in Japan" by Joanna Reed Shelton Joanna Shelton was the first woman to serve as the Japan economist at the U.S. Treasury Department. Before her first official trip to Japan in 1980, she was given a copy of her great-grandfathers diary covering his 25-year service as a Presbyterian missionary in Japan in the late 1800s. "A Christian in the Land of the Gods" offers an intimate view of hardships and challenges faced by 19th-century missionaries Tom and Emma Alexander, working to plant their faith in a country just emerging from two and a half centuries of self-imposed seclusion. This true story of personal sacrifice, devotion to duty, and unwavering faith sheds new light on Protestant missionaries work with Japans leading democracy activists and the missionaries role in helping transform Japan from a nation ruled by shoguns, hereditary lords, and samurai to a leading industrial powerhouse. *** "Blood on the Marias: The Baker Massacre" by Paul R. Wylie On the morning of Jan. 23, 1870, troops of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry attacked a Piegan Indian village on the Marias River in Montana Territory, killing many more than the armys count of 173, most of them women, children, and old men. The village was afflicted with smallpox. Worse, it was the wrong encampment. Intended as a retaliation against Mountain Chiefs renegade band, the massacre sparked public outrage when news sources revealed that the battalion had attacked Heavy Runners innocent village and that guides had told its inebriated commander, Maj. Eugene Baker, he was on the wrong trail, but he struck anyway. Remembered as one of the most heinous incidents of the Indian Wars, the Baker Massacre has often been overshadowed by the better-known Battle of the Little Bighorn and has never received full treatment until now. *** "American Indians and National Forests" by Theodore Catton "American Indians and National Forests" tells the story of how the U.S. Forest Service and tribal nations dealt with sweeping changes in forest use, ownership, and management over the last century and a half. Indians and U.S. foresters came together over a shared conservation ethic on many cooperative endeavors; yet, they often clashed over how the nations forests ought to be valued and cared for on matters ranging from huckleberry picking and vision quests to road building and recreation development. Author Theodore Catton expertly covers two centuries of interplay to offer the first-ever look at the changing relationships between these two important groups of forest stewards. Enjoy the variety of writing as you start to enjoy the longer hours of daylight and begin to plan ahead for backpack and lakeside reading. Zika virus is the latest illness in the news. Should you be worried? The short answer is probably not. Zika is mainly a concern if you travel to an affected country or if you are very close to someone who does, especially if you are pregnant or planning to be. While baby boomers arent likely to be pregnant, many are making travel plans and want to know how to proceed if they're planning to visit a Zika-affected area. For the long answer, read on. Last fall, news began to surface that thousands of babies were suddenly being born in Brazil with a birth defect called microcephaly, which means small head. Researchers soon linked this mysterious development to an outbreak of Zika, a virus spread by mosquitoes. Over the next several months the virus spread to people in dozens of countries. In late February, Missoula County had its first (and so far only) confirmed case. This person got the virus while traveling in a Zika-affected country. We in western Montana do not need to be too alarmed about the virus. Zika spreads through the bite of certain types of mosquitoes that dont live in Montana. The danger is to travelers who go to tropical areas of the world where they are common and where there are patients infected with Zika. Also, Zika disease is usually mild. Only about one in five people who are infected with Zika will get sick. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms start two to seven days after exposure. They are usually minor and last up to a week. Once you are infected, you will not get Zika again. However, there is no vaccine and no treatment. The main reason for the international concern about Zika is the suspected link to microcephaly. Microcephaly causes serious birth defects and miscarriage. It is possible that Zika disease may be linked to other conditions, too, particularly Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can be very dangerous. International health workers are also concerned about how quickly Zika has spread. Zika was first found in humans in 1952. Until the last few years it has spread very slowly. Now it has spread to 36 countries. (The U.S. is not a country with active transmission. Nearly 200 cases have been confirmed in the United States, but all have been contracted elsewhere.) The international community is responding. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, has recommended that pregnant women postpone travel to Zika-affected countries. The World Health Organization, or WHO, has identified Zika as a public health emergency of international concern. CDC and WHO have stepped up research into Zika. President Obama has also requested $1.8 billion in emergency funding to study and respond to the virus. If you plan to travel to a Zika-affected area, you should take steps to protect yourself: Check the CDC Travelers Health website (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/) for the latest information and recommendations. Talk to your health care provider to learn how to protect yourself and your family from infection. There is no vaccine and no treatment, so avoiding exposure to the disease altogether is your best bet. Protect yourself from mosquito bites. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out. Use EPA-registered insect repellents. Babies and children need protection, too. Babies under two months old should not use insect repellent. Instead, be sure to use mosquito netting on the crib, stroller and baby carrier. Women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant face serious risks from Zika. The CDC recommends that pregnant women put off travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. If you must travel, talk to your doctor and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites. If you have traveled to a Zika area and have symptoms, see your health care provider. They may order tests for Zika or similar viruses. Stay tuned! Researchers are working overtime to understand this virus. Over the next weeks, months and years, we will learn a great deal more about Zika. *** Heidi Kendall is the Emergency-Preparedness Coordinator at the Missoula City-County Health Department. The Fishing for Dollars season is well underway. Spring Mack Days on Flathead Lake began three weeks ago to kick off the 2016 open water fishing derbies and tournaments in Montana. Fishing contests around Montana help the local economy as anglers compete for cash and prizes. This is really the case when it comes to the Montana Governors Cup Walleye tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir. 29 years ago the Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce and Ag started the first Gov Cup and it has now become not only the major fund raiser for the chamber but a real shot in the arm for local businesses in Glasgow and the town of Fort Peck. The popularity of the Gov Cup probably has a lot to do with how the walleye fishing is on Fort Peck Reservoir. A few years back when the water elevation on the 134-mile reservoir was low and the fishing was probably fair at best the entries for the two-person teams competing was 80. Last year, as the word spread that the walleye fishing was very good, the tournament hit its maximum teams at 200. This year, with the tournament over 3 months away, there are already 120 teams registered and the tourney co-chair Todd Young thinks they might fill sometime in early May if not sooner. We are way ahead of last year at this time, it seems that the success we had last year with filling it up has really carried over to this year, he said. There were many years that the local anglers waited till the last week to enter the tournament, but last year some were dry docked when the tournament filled a couple of weeks before it started. There is definitely a little urgency now and that has helped get us to where we are right now. The entry fee for each two-person team is $300 and each team can buy into additional chances to win with $100-a-day money fee. They can also participate in pots that award more money if they catch the biggest walleye or northern pike. Last years winners, Sam Lawson and Clay Kittleson from Fort Peck, caught 34.52 pounds of walleye in two days to take home $15,000. Teams competing come from all over the U.S., filling up area campgrounds and motels. We sold close to 3,000 gallons of gas a day with most of fuel going into boats, said Gene Moore, the owner of Lakeridge Motel and Tackle Shop, which is located at the dam. With over 400 anglers buying bait, fuel, lodging, groceries and meals, the event has a tremendous impact on the local merchants. The Gov Cup, like all Walleyes Unlimited Circuit Tournaments across the state, is a catch-and-release tourney. This years Gov Cup is scheduled for July 7-9, with tournament fishing to be held on Friday and Saturday of that week. Call 406-228-2222 to get information and enter. The 29th Montana Gov Walleye might be the longest running of all the fishing contests in Montana, but it certainly isnt the only one. For a complete listing of 2016 open water fishing contests log onto the Tournament Tracker Page on montanaoutdoor.com. HAMILTON A former Butte Central band teacher charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and providing alcohol to other students while at a basketball tournament in Hamilton last year was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years at the Montana State Prison, with 15 suspended. Scott L. Yorke, 28, was taken into custody immediately after the two-hour-long hearing before Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton. Yorke entered an Alford plea to a felony count of sexual assault in February. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of negligent endangerment and unlawful transactions with children as part of an agreement that dropped additional charges. Charging documents said Yorke provided alcohol to girls under his supervision at the Hamilton motel room where they were staying during the tournament over a two-night period. One of the girls became violently sick and an affidavit said Yorke laughed as she was vomiting. He eventually was left alone in his room with one of the girls, and she was later found there naked. Yorke maintains that he doesnt have any memory of doing anything to her, but told a detective that he awoke with an image of breasts in his head the next morning. *** Wednesdays hearing included haunting testimony from the 16-year-old sexual assault victim who said the incident has turned her life upside down. Reading her handwritten statement from a green-plaid hardcover book, the victim said she has attempted suicide twice and has had to deal with being ostracized and insulted at school and in the community following the incident. The girl said her pain hasnt been just her own. She said her mother has been put through a great deal, including being forced to hold a wound in her daughters neck closed to keep her from bleeding out on the familys kitchen floor. As I lay on the floor, I begged them to just let me die, she said. I wanted so badly to be taken out of this horrible world. I prayed I would die before the ambulance got there. Im betting Im not the only girl that was stripped of her dignity by that (expletive) who wanted to die. The doctor told her later the wound, which required 24 stitches to close, was 2 centimeters away from her carotid artery. No mother should ever have to go through that, but, guess what, mine did, the girl said. The girl said that what she went through after the incident was absolutely horrid. I was called so many things. Whore, Mrs. Yorke, prostitute and many more repulsive things. I have a hard time forgetting all the nasty gestures people would do toward me, she said. Then to add to the struggle at school, I was placed into in-school suspension. After all the (expletive) I went through, I was punished for Scotts actions. Punishment for being a sexual assault victim should never be an option, the girl said. Butte Central says they want the school to be a safe place, but they dont take any action in order to make it a safe place. After entering a treatment center, the girl said she is learning the skills she needs to cope. My time in treatment has taught me that Im a survivor. I dont always have to be a victim. Im a fighter, she said through tears. After all the things I went through following this incident, Im continuing to live my life. I almost let Scott affect my existence. Nice try. You may have succeeded in violating me, but I will not allow you to permanently control my life. I will persevere. At the end of her statement, the girl told Yorke that she forgave him. No one will ever understand how hard it is for me to say this, but you are forgiven by me and God, she said. There is no sin you can commit that is unforgivable in Gods eyes. ... Always remember, when you are feeling alone, God is just waiting for you to reach out. *** Ravalli County Attorney Bill Fulbright said the sentence includes five years of hard time in prison, followed by 15 years of probation in which Yorke will be required to follow about 60 conditions that limit his ability to go to places where children congregate, his access to the internet and more. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Yorke is required to complete both phases of the prisons sexual treatment programs. If he doesnt, Fulbright said the plea agreement stipulates that is a violation that would justify revocation of his suspended sentence. The agreement also includes a parole restriction for five years and a requirement that Yorke register as a tier 1 sexual offender for the rest of his life. Yorkes attorney, Alfred Avignone, said his client is a remarkably talented young man who has earned a college degree, has good family support and is an extremely talented musician. Heres one of those of enigmas. ... Hes just an outstanding person and then this happens, Avignone said. Its an enigma, your honor. Its difficult to explain. He finds himself in this courtroom when he could be out there playing music, teaching, doing all these other things, Avignone said. These are the demons that youre going to give him the opportunity to deal with in a very intensive fashion. Yorke said he was sorry for what had happened. In the time between when this happened and now, I felt, every day, a lot of shame and also regret at the circumstance, Yorke said. I know the town, as well as the school where I was previously employed really welcomed me and gave me things. ... I took it for granted and let them down. The decisions I made caused a lot of harm and hurt good people, he said. Im truly sorry about that. ... I know its going to take a long time to treat myself. Hearing the words that were spoken today in the courtroom from one of the victims were very impactful and I will take them to heart as well. HELENA Montanas senators questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell Wednesday on challenges to forest management reform, wildfire funding and declining trail budgets. Tidwell testified before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which counts both Republican Steve Daines and Democrat Jon Tester among its members. The hearing focused on the Forest Services $4.8 billion budget request for the next fiscal year, including a small increase for Land and Water Conservation Fund and increased fuels reduction spending authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The budget represents some really tough choices and where we can prioritize our limited funding, Tidwell said, pointing to a nearly 40 percent cut in nonfire staffing and continually increasing firefighting costs. In 1995, fire budgets accounted for 16 percent of the budget. Last year it topped 50 percent. By 2025, analysts estimate wildfire taking 67 percent of the budget, Tidwell testified. The fire budget woes come on top of the continued needs for restoration and mitigation, suppression of invasive weeds and expanding current and new markets for federal timber, he said. Ive been pleased with what were getting done on the ground, but were kind of to the breaking point, Tidwell said of funding and staffing. Both Daines and Tester noted their frustration with the backlog of needed restoration and mitigation projects and the pace with which the agency is addressing identified areas of need. In Montana, Daines pointed to the 5 million acres prioritized under the Farm Bill for expedited forestry projects, but the only 6,200 acres of projects slated for this year. In an effort to expedite forestry projects, the Farm Bill allows the Forest Service to categorically exclude certain projects in identified areas of need from full environmental review. These are dead and dying trees, Daines said, adding his concern that the Forest Service was not following congressional urging to tackle more acreage. Daines said he was happy to hear from Tidwell that the Forest Service plans to spend nearly double the legislative directive on Farm Bill projects, saying in a post-hearing interview that increased spending was a step in the right direction. As employees get more comfortable using the authorities and the agency makes more good neighbor agreements with states, Tidwell expects the number of projects and acreage to increase. As we look at the overall acreage we still have a long ways to go, Daines said. Wildfire costs are on the rise due to longer fire seasons and an increasing number of homes in the wildland-urban interface requiring expensive protection measures, Tidwell said. When asked by Tester, Tidwell replied that about 50 million acres fall in the interface, while the Forest Service mitigates about 1.5 million acres annually and a total of 10 million acres addressed to date. Mitigated areas then need future maintenance, he said. Testers final point during the hearing addressed the announcement that Montana will receive a 30 percent cut to trail budgets over the next three years. The cuts come as the Forest Service moved to prioritize population and visitor days over wilderness trail miles in its funding allocation model. Tidwell maintained that every trail mile is important, but the funding allocations come from his staffs efforts to look for the highest priority areas in the face of lower budgets but increasing demands. The fact is if were going to continue to grow our outdoor economy those trails are pretty damn important, Tester said. We have a million people in Montana but far more people visit our state because of our access to our public lands. Tidwell indicated that staff was taking a second look at the new allocations, but until wildfire costs are addressed, I wont have a very positive answer for you, he told Tester. Daines also encouraged Tidwell to reconsider the cuts, saying he personally enjoys public land trails while calling the cuts disproportionate. In a post-hearing conference call with reporters, Daines renewed his call for forest management reforms, including discouraging litigation while incentivizing collaboration, tied to a new funding model for funding wildfires. Reforming the current practice of fire borrowing, or taking funds from other programs when fire costs exceed budgets, has been a focus of Montanas delegation and many other lawmakers. A popular idea would fund fires that exceed budgets as natural disasters, eliminating the need to borrow. Reforms to wildfire funding and forest management failed to pass last year, but Daines believes there is an appetite among lawmakers to push the legislation this year and his colleagues are growing tired of repeated inaction. When asked if he believes that tying the more controversial forest management reforms to popular wildfire funding reforms hurt the latter during last years negotiations, Daines says he sees increasing support for both. Comprehensive reform means addressing both the frontend need to increase the pace and scale of projects as well as the backend wildfire costs. Its like Groundhog Day in Washington, D.C. We cant continue to let our forest burn and breath the air when we have standing dead timber. Its continuing to grow to a critical mass of senators from both sides of the aisle, he said. KALISPELL (AP) The Montana Supreme Court has declined to rule in a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America by women who were raped by a scout leader as children. William Leininger Jr. was convicted in 1976 of raping six female Explorer Scouts. He died in 2002. The high court on Tuesday rejected the Boy Scouts' request that it dismiss the women's case because time had run out to file a lawsuit. The five women plaintiffs say they only discovered within the past five years the connection between the rapes and the physical, mental and emotional harm they later suffered. The justices say the issues surrounding the statute-of-limits argument must be sorted in district court. The Daily Inter Lake reports District Judge James Reynolds had previously ruled the case must go to a jury trial. Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. La pertinence de cet investissement de 24 milliards deuros dans deux EPR d'Hinkley Point, au Royaume Uni, divise au sein d'EDF. SUZANNE PLUNKETT / REUTERS La tension monte a lapproche de la decision finale dinvestissement dans les deux reacteurs EPR dHinkley Point (Royaume-Uni), que le conseil dadministration dEDF doit voter avant lassemblee generale des actionnaires du groupe prevue le 12 mai. Fort dans lentreprise, le doute sest insinue jusquau sein du gouvernement sur la pertinence dun projet a 24 milliards deuros (dont 16 milliards a la charge de lelectricien) qui engage lavenir de loperateur historique et, au-dela, de toute la filiere nucleaire francaise. Lire aussi Article reserve a nos abonnes Hinkley Point : EDF assumerait lessentiel du risque Alors que le ministre de leconomie, Emmanuel Macron, soutient sans reserve lidee dune decision rapide, sa collegue de lenergie a emis des reserves, mercredi 6 avril, au micro de RMC-BFMTV. Ce projet doit apporter des preuves supplementaires dune part de son bien-fonde, et dautre part doit donner des assurances sur le fait que les investissements dans ce projet ne vont pas detourner ou assecher les investissements qui doivent etre faits dans les energies renouvelables , a declare Segolene Royal. Ce projet doit-il etre reporte ? Cest encore en discussion , a-t-elle repondu, contredisant une fois de plus M. Macron. Pour ajouter aussitot que normalement, il y a un accord entre la France et le Royaume-Uni et que donc les choses doivent se faire . Il ne sagit pas de remettre en cause le projet comme ca, de facon peremptoire , a poursuivi la ministre, mais les syndicats ont raison de demander une mise a plat des enjeux , affirmant que [sa] priorite, cest linvestissement sur les energies renouvelables . Debut mars, lors du sommet franco-britannique dAmiens, Paris et Londres avaient reaffirme leur determination a voir ce projet aboutir. Le PDG dEDF est evidemment sur cette ligne. Auditionne par la commission des affaires economiques de lAssemblee nationale, mardi 5 avril, Jean-Bernard Levy a repondu par une fin de non-recevoir a ceux qui lui demandent de reporter le projet de trois a cinq ans en jugeant que EDF sera alors mieux arme pour affronter un tel defi financier et industriel. Il y a une demarche culpabilisatrice en direction de ceux qui ne sont pas favorables au projet en letat Meme sil a reconnu que bien evidemment, il y a des risques sur un projet dune telle ampleur et dune telle duree , ils sont bien identifies et surmontables , a condition quEDF suive les recommandations quil a demandees a Yannick dEscatha, ex-patron du Commissariat a lenergie atomique. Le projet est mur, il est rentable et tout est pret pour le lancer , a insiste M. Levy. Il a estime quun report pousserait Londres a se tourner vers des solutions alternatives , remettrait en cause le partenariat avec China General Nuclear (CGN), obligerait a renegocier les contrats avec les principaux fournisseurs et entrainerait la perte dune grande partie des sommes deja investies. Il vous reste 39.94% de cet article a lire. La suite est reservee aux abonnes. Im 50 and still wandering. Ive had several careers advertising copywriter, pastry chef, small business owner and each has been interesting and fulfilling in its own way. Im glad I didnt follow a professional straight line, although Im sure my parents held their tongues when I told them, in my 20s, that I was going to quit my good advertising job to go to cooking school. I ended up going back to advertising once I had children, and then on to something else once they were firmly ensconced in school. The world is an interesting place. As long as you can pay your own way, whos to say that climbing the ladder is the only way to be successful? WK After wandering/straggling myself for quite a long time, it turned out to be very difficult to get a job with a history degree (in the Netherlands, where the economic situation has been roughly comparable). I turned the situation around and righted the ship by making a radical and difficult career switch, after learning to write computer code. Starting March 1, I have had a job with a long-term contract and a company car (unheard-of luxuries among historians). The point is that no matter the situation, even if you mainly have yourself to blame, you retain an element of agency. ... In the Netherlands, student loans come from the government. You pay back the money in 30 years and the maximum monthly payment is capped by income capacity. After 30 years, any remainder is forgiven (so no personal bankruptcies resulting from student debt). Julian Smit in Rotterdam, the Netherlands I was also a drifter for 10 years until I found what I wanted to do. I traveled the world and did a lot of things that Im really proud of. But now that Im out of college, I have an amazing job doing what I love and make really good money at it too. I think it definitely pays to wait to go to college so that you arent massively in debt for no reason. I know so many people who have huge student loan debt because they rushed into school. Jason in Fredericksburg, Va. The Stragglers I can tell you why: Im 25, my one-bedroom apartment rent in an exurb of San Francisco (2.5 hour round-trip commute) is $2,400 going up to $2,500 in June, in a month. My student loan payments with my wife combined are $1,200. My health insurance is $500. So just in non-dischargeable expenses, I pay approximately $4,000 a month in post-tax payments. The straggling occurs because you (yes, the average-aged New York Times reader) made a world that made straggling a whole lot easier, feasible and less expensive than getting ahead. Ssss in the Bay Area I am a former high-school dropout/pot dealer who at the age of 25 had a moment of clarity of where my life was heading. I didnt like what I saw. I started working two jobs, enrolled in junior college and tried to catch up. It was tough but I went at it with everything I had. I transferred into an art school, got a B.F.A. in graphic design and moved to Europe when a job was offered to me via a contact. I worked 60 hours a week honing my skills, returning to the U.S. for a graduate degree. I graduated in 2008 right at the peak of the recession with $125k in student loans. The job market imploded and I was forced to work for myself. Super tough but amazing learning experience. Fast forward 5 years and I got hired by a tech company to become the art director. I am now paying down my loans and have never received any money from my folks. It can be done but it takes hard work or rich parents with connections. The concept that life should be easy (or even enjoyable) is a modern construct. Play your cards the best that you can. Sal Monella in Berkeley Pfizer never tried to hide the fact that its proposed $152 billion merger with Allergan, based in Ireland, would cut its tax bill in the United States. But even as it rushed to complete the biggest tax-avoidance deal in the history of corporate America, it continued to promote the strategic and economic benefits of the merger. Any pretense to a motivation other than dodging taxes has now been wiped away. On Wednesday, just two days after the Obama administration introduced new rules to narrow the loopholes that the drug companies were exploiting, Pfizer announced that the deal with Allergan was off. The new Treasury Department rules take aim at inversions, in which an American company merges with a foreign company in a low-tax nation to pass itself off as foreign and in that way cut its American taxes. Inverted companies are often described as having moved abroad or renounced their citizenship. But the only tie that an inverted company really cuts with the United States is the one that binds it to the Internal Revenue Service. Such companies almost invariably keep their headquarters, officers and much of their business in the United States. Some 40 American companies have become inverted over the past five years, while tax laws have failed to keep pace with tax-avoidance strategies made possible by a complex mix of corporate offshore accounts and global capital flows. The law of insider trading has become even more unsettled since the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of the securities fraud conviction in Salman v. United States. The court will consider what evidence the government must introduce to prove a benefit passed between a source of confidential information and the recipient who trades on it, called the tippee. The Salman case will not be argued until the courts next term, which starts in October, so a decision may not be issued until 2017. In the meantime, the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have to apply the law in its current state, which includes a conflict over what is needed to prove a tippee violated the law. In an audio version of White Collar Watch, I explore the challenges arising from recent developments in insider trading with Gregory Morvillo and Eugene Ingoglia, partners at Morvillo L.L.P., a boutique law firm in Manhattan. The framework of a settlement has been reached in the salacious legal battle over the mental competency of the ailing media mogul Sumner M. Redstone, two people with knowledge of the discussions said Thursday. The agreement, which requires approval from a judge, would put an end to the four-month public spectacle that began in November when Manuela Herzer, a former companion and romantic partner of Mr. Redstone, filed a lawsuit challenging Mr. Redstones mental capacity. If signed, the deal would make clear that Mr. Redstone, 92, is now making his own health care decisions, one person said. If that changes, Mr. Redstones daughter would take over the supervision of his health care in conjunction with a family friend who lives in Los Angeles, where Mr. Redstone also lives, this person said. Other terms include detailed plans for Mr. Redstones health care as well as for a payment to Ms. Herzer, which could reach into the tens of millions of dollars, people with knowledge of the deliberations said. We will follow the leads wherever they take us, he said. While roughly 20 police officials have been questioned in recent weeks as part of the federal inquiry, three people briefed on the matter have said it is focused more closely on the conduct of two businessmen with ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio and how they may have sought to wield their influence. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who are assigned to a squad that mostly investigates political corruption are continuing to gather evidence, and the federal authorities have not ruled out charges against any of the officers, according to the people briefed on the inquiry, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the matter. A federal grand jury has begun hearing evidence in the matter, and one person briefed on the case said several of the police officials, accompanied by their lawyers, had discussed the possibility of cooperating with prosecutors. The inquiry grew out of two separate investigations that were quickly merged, one of which the Police Departments Internal Affairs Bureau started in December 2013 and the other initiated by prosecutors from the United States attorneys office in Manhattan. Police officials said the two inquiries were combined in early 2014. The original federal inquiry was focused on Philip Banks III, the police forces chief of department at the time, and Norman Seabrook, the head of the union that represents New York City correction officers. Investigators were examining the mens financial dealings and whether Mr. Seabrook had enriched himself during his two decades running the union, people briefed on the matter said. CHICAGO For a dozen years at the University of Chicago Law School, President Obama taught students the finer points of constitutional jurisprudence, preaching what he would later try to put into practice in the Oval Office. On Thursday, he returned to the law school for the first time as president, using the backdrop of his onetime academic life to underscore his demand that Republicans reverse their opposition to holding hearings on his nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick B. Garland. Its not just that the Republican majority in the Senate intends to vote against a highly qualified judge, Mr. Obama told about 250 law students and faculty members. We now have a situation where theyre saying we simply will not consider the nomination itself. In the hour-and-a-half session, Mr. Obama gave long answers that may have seemed familiar to students who participate in philosophical legal discussions. He cautioned that the polarization of the political parties threatened to tarnish the judicial system and ultimately undermine Americans views of their democracy. Democratic lawmakers in Ohio called for an investigation into the hiring process at the state Department of Transportation after a politician said in a Facebook post that young Republicans would get preference for summer jobs at the agency, raising questions about cronyism in its hiring. A Republican member of the Marietta City Council, Cindy Oxender, wrote a Facebook post on March 29 that advertised six summer jobs for high school and college students with the Ohio department. Young Republicans who applied would have a leg up, she said. Its good money, good experience, and a very nice resume builder, she wrote, adding between parentheses, Preference is given to Republican youth on this! Ms. Oxender deleted the post after criticism from news media in Ohio and a request from the citys legal director, Paul Bertram. But it brought unwelcome attention to the city where Gov. John Kasich, the presidential candidate, delivered his State of the State address on Wednesday night. MINAWAO REFUGEE CAMP, Cameroon Hold the bomb under your armpit to keep it steady, the women and girls were taught. Sever your enemys head from behind, to minimize struggling. If you cut from the back of the neck, they die faster, said Rahila Amos, a Nigerian grandmother describing the meticulous instruction she received from Boko Haram to become a suicide bomber. Of all the many horrors of Boko Harams rampage across West Africa the attacks on mosques, churches and schools; the mass killings of civilians; the entire villages left in ashes after militants tear through one of the most baffling has been its ability to turn captured women and girls into killers. Boko Haram, one of the worlds deadliest extremist groups, has used at least 105 women and girls in suicide attacks since June 2014, when a woman set off a bomb at an army barracks in Nigeria, according to The Long War Journal, which tracks terrorist activity. Brussels itself is about 25 percent Muslim 70 percent are of Moroccan heritage and 20 percent Turkish, and the ethnic groups tend to stick to themselves, making them difficult for outsiders, like the police, to penetrate. Belgiums integration has been somewhere between the French model, which put new immigrants in suburban ghettos, and the British and American one, which created communities like Chinatown or Little Italy, Mr. Goldstein said. In Brussels, everyone lives in the city, and we chose a model of diversity through mixing of populations in the same neighborhoods. But we failed, he said. We failed in Molenbeek and Schaerbeek, too, to ensure the mixing of populations. We have neighborhoods where people only see the same people, go to school with the same people, he said. What connection do they have with the whole society, what connection do they have with real diversity? Its the establishment of the ghetto, he said, and its the thing in our urban development that we have to tackle. Jews have left Schaerbeek, and the last two synagogues are being sold. Instead, there is a kind of suffocating, insular, ethnic uniformity. These young people will never go to museums until 18 or 20 they never saw Chagall, they never saw Dali, they never saw Warhol, they dont know what it is to dream, Mr. Goldstein said. Of course there is poverty and unemployment, he said. But we dont give these young people the keys to think differently, to think outside the little box, the little neighborhood where they live this ideological box, this closed-eyes box. That reality has forced Mr. Kerry to make a complex argument here to the ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, before a visit by President Obama to Saudi Arabia this month. Mr. Kerry repeated Thursday that the United States would continue to lift the economic sanctions against Iran that it agreed to as part of the nuclear accord, even while imposing new ones to counter Tehrans missile launches, an effort now underway in the United Nations Security Council. Diplomats say it is doubtful the United States will win that argument in the Security Council. Russia has already noted that while the missile launches may violate the spirit of Resolution 2231, passed after the Iran deal, they are still allowed within the strict meaning of its words. Indeed, the older resolution, which Tehran also routinely ignored, stated that Iran shall not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles. But the new resolution the wording of which was negotiated in Vienna in July, just as the final nuclear accord was taking place is significantly weaker. It calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The Iranians argue that the language is nonbinding. And increasingly they are making the case that they are not seeing the benefits of sanctions relief: While their oil sales are up, they have not gained the access to global financial markets that had been held out as a reward for completing the deal. But lurking beneath the details of missile launches is a more fundamental set of frustrations between Washington and its Arab neighbors, edging into distrust. The Saudis appeared somewhat shocked to read, in Jeffrey Goldbergs series of interviews in The Atlantic, that Mr. Obama referred to them as free riders; while it was hardly a new sentiment, even Mr. Kerrys staff members winced to read it coming from the president. Mr. Obama went on to say that the Saudis, and by extension their smaller Sunni Arab neighbors, needed to find an effective way to share the neighborhood and institute some sort of cold peace. He rejected the idea that the United States would constantly side with the Arab states, noting that would mean that we have to start coming in and using our military power to settle scores and that would be in the interest neither of the United States nor of the Middle East. To the Editor: I was taken aback by the opening anecdote in Cindi Leives insightful review of Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape, by Peggy Orenstein (March 27), which quotes a college student whose ambition is: To be just slutty enough, where youre not a prude, but youre not a whore. . . . Finding that balance is every college girls dream. Since I doubt that this dream is shared by too many if any of the hundred-plus young women Ive taught over three years at a small private college, I was curious about the nature of Orensteins sample, before then reading that it was more than 70 young women, mostly upper-middle-class. Thats a pretty skewed sample for someone to generalize about American college women in a country with more than 4,000 two- and four-year colleges. Orensteins subjects are not the young college women I know, the vast majority of whom dream of contributing to society; earning a living to help out their families and eventually having families of their own. Dealing with gender-identification pressures in the evolving social-media landscape is hardly a priority for real-world young women hoping to get an education. PETER RICHMOND MILLERTON, N.Y. * On Broadway To the Editor: Ada Calhouns review of Olivia Laings The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone (March 20) brought back my teenage encounter with New York City. During the summers of the 50s my parents would head to Connecticut for the weekends, leaving me in charge of the cat and the apartment. Id practice the piano until I was weary or frustrated, then head for a local bookstore or movie theater, but mainly Id relish simply having the city to myself. Id walk down Broadway to the New Asia Restaurant at 112th Street, where for 85 cents I could have shrimp with lobster sauce. After dinner Id continue down Broadway enjoying the people I saw and the diverse neighborhoods through which I passed. A few years later at Swarthmore College, when I read the Satire where Horace describes his daily delight in walking the streets of Rome, savoring their myriad fascinations, it all felt very familiar: Quacumque libido est / incedo solus, he begins: Wherever I please, I go alone. Two Australian men who were in Butte last week for a college mining competition are recovering after being shot early Tuesday in an apparent drug deal gone wrong in the heart of New Orleans, according to The Times-Picayune and a newspaper in Perth, Australia. According to perthnow.com.au, the victims have been identified as Western Australia's Curtin University students Jake Rovacsek and Toben Clements. The students were shot after reportedly asking to buy drugs in a bar and then not having the money to pay for them, police said. However, a relative of one of the two men is disputing the police account that the pair tried to buy drugs, according to the New Orleans newspaper. The unnamed family member told Australian television news outlet Nine News that the students thought they had received an invitation to a party, a narrative he said is supported by others who were with them prior to the shooting. New Orleans police said the pair asked a stranger at a Bourbon Street club for drugs and that stranger, working with two others, set the young men up to be robbed. According to police and the Perth newspaper account: One of their attackers offered a frightening warning before bullets were fired. "You know what time it is?" one of the assailants told the students. The victims, aged 21 and 23 from the university's School of Mines, were at The Swamp bar in Bourbon Street at about 4 a.m. when they approached "an unknown black male," New Orleans police said. The students asked about purchasing drugs from him and then left the bar and followed the man to a four-door, dark-colored sedan where a driver was waiting inside. He drove them across the Mississippi River to Algiers, a residential suburb. "The driver took the two victims toward Algiers, and along the way, he told them that it would cost several hundred dollars to purchase drugs," police said in a statement. "The victims told the driver they did not have the money available. "When they arrived at LB Landry Avenue and Shepard Street, the pair said they exited the vehicle and were approached by another unknown male who demanded their money. "When they told him they didn't have it, the unknown male shot them both and then jumped in the vehicle with the unknown driver and fled the scene." One victim was shot in the stomach and the other in the chest. Both were in stable condition in the hospital. The students were shot in New Orleans just days after taking part in the International Mining Competition which was hosted by Montana Tech this year. Detectives have called on locals to help identify the three suspects involved in the incident. New Orleans police spokesman Dave Badie said that they were still searching for the shooter. Badie said he did not know what type of drugs the Australians were trying to buy. He said detectives were seeking surveillance footage to help with the investigation. "We are trying to get surveillance video, but we don't have anything like that," he said. Bourbon Street tourists voiced concerns knowing that criminals are preying on visitors, especially when thousands are expected to flood the city for this weekend's French Quarter Festival. "Every time someone tries to come talk to you, you've got to think are they really being friendly, or are they trying to be friendly to get something out of you?" said tourist Aikehl McTush to Fox 8 Live. "You just have to be smart about what you're doing." Curtin vice-chancellor Deborah Terry confirmed the shooting saying the WA School of Mines students were in stable condition in hospital. Professor Terry said the duo were in the U.S. as part of the WASM Wombats team which was competing in the 38th International Mining Competition in Butte. The Wombats won the event, making it their second straight men's world title. After the games finished, the duo flew to New Orleans for a private holiday, she added. "Both students' families have been contacted and are arranging to travel to the U.S.," Professor Terry said. "The University is providing support and assistance to the injured students and their families. Support is also being provided to the others in the group who were not in the vicinity of the shooting and are unharmed." Curtin WA School of Mines director Professor Sam Spearing is en route to New Orleans to provide support to the students and their families. "This is a very distressing situation, and our thoughts are with the injured students and their families. Curtin will continue to provide all the support it can to all those involved," Professor Terry said. Residents and commissioners raised questions and concerns Wednesday night about a proposed ordinance to register and regulate vacant buildings in Butte-Silver Bow County. County officials said the law would give them another tool to ensure vacant buildings are safe and secure, in part by requiring owners to register them so they can contacted if there are decay issues. This is not going to be heavy-handed government policy and procedures, Assistant Community Enrichment Director John Moodry told the council. It is just another tool to keep property values up for both the speculator and for the adjoining neighborhood buildings and community as a whole. But a few residents said they didnt buy that. I think its a little heavy, said Dan Reilly, who owns several rental properties in Butte. You already have laws on the books. We dont need any more of this stuff. The council took no action on the proposal Wednesday night, but officials under Chief Executive Matt Vincent and a committee of commissioners have been working on the proposed vacant-building ordinance for weeks. It would require owners to register houses or other buildings no later than 30 days after they become vacant and pay an annual fee of $25. It defines a vacant building as one that is unoccupied and also either unsecured, dangerous, posted, has city-county violations, or is posted and illegally occupied. It does not include buildings used by commercial enterprises for storage or buildings under construction, county officials say. Owners of vacant buildings would have to submit plans for ensuring the properties are safe, secure and will be kept up. Violations would carry a fine up to $500, but those could be applied for each day the law isnt followed. Butte resident Larry Juhl said the proposal was a step in the right direction but said many vacant owners would never come forward in the first place. And the $25 fee wouldnt come close to covering the costs for sending registered letters to owners and taking other enforcement steps, he said. He passed out photos to commissioners that he said showed about 30 vacant buildings in his neighborhood alone that were vacant and not being maintained. None of these people are going to come forward and provide you with the $25 fee, he said. And its not going to cover the work for them (county enrichment employees) to look them up and find out where they are and send them registered letters. Commissioner Dennis Henderson questioned whether all properties owned by the county were being maintained, and Commissioner Jim Fisher one of five people challenging Vincent for chief executive this year, said hes heard concerns about the proposal. A lot of people feel this is going to be heavy-handed on the locals and light on the out-of-state owners, Fisher said. Moodry said the county does everything it can to ensure its own properties, including those it inherits because of delinquent taxes, are at least safe and secure. And he told Fisher that the law would be applied equally to everyone whether they live in Butte or elsewhere. 7 | Thursday INTERNATIONAL DINNER Pintler Pets' International Dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, Cedar and Third, Anaconda. The cost is $15 per person for all you care to eat. The menu includes French onion soup, chicken tetrazzini, lasagna, Chinese dishes, homemade macaroni and cheese, sarma, Polish sausage and sauerkraut, country ribs with an Oriental glaze, Indonesian noodles, Thai curry, taco bar, chop suey, salad bar, and more. Price includes dessert, coffee, and punch. To-go orders available. There will also be a silent auction. All proceeds benefit the animals at Pintler Pets. AMMO AND WILDLIFE A presentation on the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges. Featured speaker is Chris Parish from The Peregrine Fund. The free, public talk is presented by the Ruby Habitat Foundation and The Peregrine Fund. The talk is titled Traditional Ammo & Wildlife. Details: rubyhabitat.org. TERRIFIC TREE TRIMMING Terrific Tree Trimming is back. Beginning April 7 through May 12, MSU Extension and Butte-Silver Bow Parks and Recreation will be hosting a free tree-trimming activity for the community each Thursday. Details: MSU Extension, Butte-Silver Bow County Agent, Kellee Anderson, 406-723-0217 or kellee.anderson@montana.edu. CLASSICAL CONCERT Aldersgate United Methodist Church will host the Piatigorsky Foundation Concert at 6:30 p.m. at 1621 Thornton Ave. The free, one-hour classical music event, featuring solo pianist, Richard Dowling, is sponsored by David Andersen and Mary Harsh. Details: Rev. Dave Andersen, 406-782-2425. LETS TALK SERIES St. James Cancer Center is hosting a new, eight-week free educational series, Lets Talk, for cancer patients and their families. The series begins from 4 to 5 p.m. at the St. James dining room. Thursdays topic is Financial support services and questions. To register: 406-723-2621. CLUBS AND MEETINGS BUTTE Butte-Silver Bow Genealogy Society meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St. The topic is Finding French Canadian Ancestry. Details: Julie Bushmaker, 406-494-4934 Genealogy group to meet Thursday The Butte-Silver Bow Genealogy Society meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St. The topic is Finding French Canadian Ancestry. Details: Julie Bushmaker, 406-494-4934. Butte Natural Resource Damage Council will vote on the 10 project proposals requesting a total of $488,000 from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Butte Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz Street. Belly-dance class runs Thursdays 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Library basement, 226 W. Broadway St. No experience necessary. A $5 donation per class is suggested. Details: 406-723-3164. Big Butte Mile High Cribbers play Grassroots American Cribbage Congress-sanctioned cribbage at 6:30 p.m. at the East Side Athletic Club, 3075 Dexter St. Details: Phil at 406-494-2618. Gamblers Anonymous meets at 7:30 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Details: 406-490-3312. Al-Anon meetings: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sharing and Caring, 1500 Cobban. ANACONDA Anaconda Retired Educators will have a luncheon meeting at the Copper Village Art Center at noon. The cost is $10 for a sandwich, salad, and dessert buffet. Guest speaker is Karen Richardson from MREA. We will sell 50/50 tickets, and pass a tip basket. Details: 406-563-5066. Anaconda Retired Mens Breakfast Club will meet at 9 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Invitation is extended to veterans spouses. For reservations, call 406-560-7405 or 406-560-7265. Mountain Village Quilt Guild will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Copper Village. 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 [] High flying Kenyan rapper King Kaka has hit out at the alarming tribalism being exhibited by some Kenyans. The Papa rapper was driven to the wall by a fan who attacked him for collaborating with music group Elani, prompting him to take to social media to rubbish such stupid nonsense. The twitter user tagged the rapper and Elani in two tweets, one of which read: Kikuyus are enemies of Luos, stop making music with these cockroaches. King Kaka worked with Elani to release the hit Papa, which has been well received. Responding to the tweets, King Kaka started by introducing himself as a Kenyan and narrating his first hand experience with tribalism back in 2007. My name is Kennedy Tarriq Ombima, I am Kenyan. nakuwanga na Tabia Flani, when I meet someone I never ask what your tribe is unless sikumoja uropokwe but I will never ask. I remember very well in 2007 just before the elections we were from a gig in Kisumu with Chiwawa thanks to Ade, boarded a new Akamba bus and on the way the bus was stopped several times and the people were bitter and thats when I saw tribalism kwa macho. Tribalism Ended up killing over 1000 people hivyo tu. He wrote. He went on to state that Kenya has over 40 tribes for a reason. We Co-Exist in this small growing country of ours, I mean Kuna corruption which we are still fighting, economy iko messed up, employment Ni shida na kadhalika. I mean like many other countries pia wako na shida zao. now some people may not agree with me but hiyo Ni shida yenu. We have over 40 tribes for a reason, in the over 40 we all have our differences, our differences makes us unique. When we fuel such Stupid Nonsense culture what do we gain at the end of it all? What? More deaths, deaths, killings, wounds that never heal, hatred, and again more deaths. He concluded by saying how he was disgusted to the stomach by the message and stated that he was going to do music with whoever he wants. Kwani Ni ngumu aje kukubali kwamba our neighbors are our families. woke up to that message and I was disgusted to the stomach. Ujinga tupu. I am Kenyan, My Kids are Kenyan, My family is Kenyan, my fans are Kenyan. Let this STUPID movement called Tribalism end. NOW!!!! And I will continue making music with everyone, for everyone. THE KINGS SPEECH, He wrote. Tuesday night started the annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, and who better to take the stage at one of the many participating venues than ACM Award winning female vocalist, Kelsea Ballerini? Ballerini joined fellow Black River Publishing writers Scott Stepakoff, Josh Kerr, and Forest Glen Whitehead at The Listening Room for a round that packed the house from wall to wall, leaving some latecomers out in the Nashville cold once the venue hit capacity. It should come as no surprise that the Ballerini and Friends show was one of the most anticipated of the night (and entire week), considering the incredible and deserved rise to stardom the Number 1 artist has experienced over the recent months. The men who shared the stage with Ballerini have each written with the front-running vocalist, but are behind-the-scenes stars in their own rights. Kerr and Whitehead each garnered their own first hit songs with Love Me Like You Mean It, while Kerr received his second Number 1 as a writer with Dibs and Whitehead felt chart-topping success as a producer on same. Stepakoff has had numerous cuts on country music albums, while also boasting a catalog of tunes that any artist would be remiss not to place on hold. With Ballerini being one of the most prominent females in the industry at this juncture, the crux of the audience was eager to hear what she would perform each round, knowing that hits were imminent, while newly written songs were possible. The crowd left the show fulfilled, as Ballerini and her constituents performed the well-known tracks, including new single Peter Pan and The First Time cut, Square Pegs, yet also found plenty of opportunities to show what the hard working Black River artist has been doing in her not-so-free time. Surprising Tin Pan South goers, Ballerini brought acclaimed songwriter Natalie Hemby to the stage to perform two songs the pair recently wrote, Catching Feelings and Rain On My Parade. The songs are startlingly different from one another, but are similar in brilliant lyric and abundant emotion two characteristics that are present in all Ballerini-penned and performed tunes. To that end, Ballerini also sang Fun and Games, another cleverly written song that is kissed by the golden girls touch and a contender to become a fan favorite if she continues to play it out. Perhaps the most special moment of the night, aside from a tearjerker from Stepakoff, Game Of Cards, was Ballerini accepting the request of a young fan to sing her unreleased song, High School. Ballerini introduced the song as the first one she ever wrote solo, and explained how touched she was when the little girl, Harper, told her it was her favorite. Harper was brought to the stage by Ballerini and the two performed it as a duet, bringing the humble and appreciative star to tears. There was truly no better show to experience as the first of a jam-packed week, as the Black River group of writers exhibited the kind of talent, poise, respect, and camaraderie that you can only find in the beautiful city of Nashville, Tennessee. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday (6 April) that the strength and unity of NATO is key to addressing current security challenges, including in the fight against extremism. In a speech at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, the Secretary General said to protect our territory, we must be willing to project stability beyond our borders. He highlighted the importance of using forces to train others to fight as an important lesson from past operations. In the fight against terrorism, building local capacity is one of the best weapons we have, he noted. He stressed that while NATO has to remain an expeditionary alliance, able to deploy forces outside our territory, NATO must also become a more effective training Alliance. In his speech, Mr. Stoltenberg proposed three ways that NATO could upgrade its training and capacity building efforts and advance cooperation with regional partners. First, he said, We need to make training a core capability for the Alliance. We need a more robust approach. A responsive, ready-to-go capability, so that we can plan, coordinate and deploy advisory support and training missions faster. Second, Mr. Stoltenberg proposed stepping up NATOs support for Iraq. The ability of an inclusive Iraqi government to restore security is critical to the stability of the whole region. And a stable Iraq is key in the battle against ISIL. Last week, NATO started training Iraqi officers in Jordan. We should further reinforce these efforts, he said. His third proposal was to take NATO cooperation with regional partners and international organisations to a new level, complementing bilateral efforts and strengthening the capacity of regional organisations. Referring to the importance of the transatlantic bond, Mr Stoltenberg said, I know that I can count on the continued leadership of the United States. I also know that the mutual interests of Europe and the United States are best served by a strong North Atlantic Alliance. Because the security of Europe and North America is indivisible. And only by standing together will we remain safe and secure. On Wednesday, Mr. Stoltenberg also met with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill. Earlier this week, the Secretary General also met with President Obama and other senior US officials, and paid a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, home of the US Army airborne forces and Special Forces. Thank you Fred, for that kind introduction. Its an honour to address you all today. It is great to see so many of you, including members of the diplomatic community. Thank you for being here. Let me also thank the Atlantic Council. Fred and Damon, Under your leadership, the Council has worked tirelessly to promote ever closer transatlantic cooperation. And in today's dangerous world, transatlantic cooperation is needed more than ever. NATO embodies that cooperation. An alliance of 28 democracies, representing half of the worlds GDP and half of the worlds military might. A unique alliance that brings to bear the strength and unity of North America and Europe. That strength and unity is what I want to discuss today. Why it matters. How it is shaping our response to the actions of a more assertive Russia. And how it must define the way we tackle ISIL and the other challenges we face in the Middle East and North Africa. The transatlantic Alliance has its roots in common culture and values. These are bonds which carried us through the Cold War. Today, NATO continues to serve the interests of each and every member. Security, prosperity, open society. None of these are guaranteed by NATO alone but all would be at greater risk without NATO. A safer and stronger Europe means a safer and stronger United States. That was the rationale behind the decision to create the Alliance and it is just as valid today. Because NATO is as much an American organisation as it is a European one. This was the spirit in which the Alliance responded when the United States was attacked on 9/11. The only time the Alliance has invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. Which makes clear that an attack against one Ally is an attack against all. That collective decision led to NATOs biggest ever operation in Afghanistan. Where hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Europe, Canada and NATO partner countries have served, alongside US forces. And where many have given their lives. Without NATO, transatlantic cooperation would be weaker, Europe and North America less safe, and the world a more dangerous place. Take Russia Last year, I spoke here in Washington about its destabilising behaviour. Its military build-up and its aggression against Ukraine. And I outlined how NATO is responding. We have made significant progress since then. NATO is becoming more agile and better prepared. We are reinforcing our collective defence. The largest reinforcement since the end of the Cold War. NATOs Response Force is now three times bigger. With a brigade-sized high-readiness force at its core. We have set up a chain of new headquarters in the eastern part of our Alliance. Boosting our ability to plan and exercise, and to reinforce if needed. The European Reassurance Initiative, launched by President Obama two years ago, has been key. I met with the President on Monday and thanked him for his strong leadership. I welcome his plan to quadruple funding for the Initiative. This increase would mean more US troops and equipment on European soil. More opportunities for Americans and Europeans to participate in joint exercises. More prepositioned equipment. And better infrastructure. Together, this bolsters our deterrence. And our ability to respond with strength and speed. But transatlantic security does not rest upon American shoulders alone. European Allies are stepping up. They are in charge of the new High Readiness Force. They play a major part in policing NATOs air space and seas. Europeans are providing the majority of our forces in the Balkans. And for over a decade, have contributed a third of our forces in Afghanistan. They are also reversing the trend in defence spending after a long decline. In fact, last year, defence cuts came to a halt. Sixteen European Allies spent more on defence than in the year before. And, they are adding real capabilities such as latest-generation fighter aircraft, helicopters and maritime patrol planes. These are important first steps towards fulfilling our pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence and to spend more on the capabilities we need. I am determined that all Allies make good on that pledge. Because the burden must rest on all our shoulders. Ladies and gentlemen, We face a new strategic reality. And we must be prepared for the long haul. At our Warsaw Summit in July, we will take decisions to further strengthen our collective defence and deterrence. We will enhance the forward presence of multi-national forces in the eastern part of the Alliance. To make clear that an attack against one Ally will be met by forces from across the Alliance. We will enhance our resilience against hybrid warfare and cyber threats. And make sure that the nuclear component of our deterrence posture remains credible and effective. We will advance our goal of a Europe whole, free and at peace, with Montenegro invited to join our Alliance. We will reconfirm our long-term commitment to Afghanistan. And we will agree further measures to respond to the challenges coming from the Middle East and North Africa. Because homeland defence is not just about what we do at home. It is as much about what happens beyond our borders. Where we see fragile and failing states struggling to keep control over large portions of their territory. Millions fleeing the region in a humanitarian crisis of a magnitude not seen since World War Two.Terrorist groups like ISIL taking hold of ungoverned spaces. And spreading violence across the region and beyond. Inciting attacks on our streets. From Brussels to Istanbul, Paris to San Bernardino. These are attacks on our open societies. On the values we share. So our response must be strong. And it must be united. The international community is rising to the challenge. I strongly welcome the efforts of the US-led Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. Because, to protect our territory, we must be willing to project stability beyond our borders. If our neighbours are more stable, we are more secure. To be clear, projecting stability has several elements. To defeat and destroy groups like ISIL we need to use force. Military action is essential if we are to deprive ISIL of its strongholds in Syria and Iraq. And stop the horrific violence it is inflicting. But projecting stability also means using our forces to train others to fight. In the long run, it is more sustainable to enable local forces to protect their countries than it is to deploy large numbers of our own troops.That is an important lesson we have drawn from past operations. Training matters. In the fight against terrorism, building local capacity is one of the best weapons we have. And the earlier we can do it, the better. Because a few months can mean the difference between a fragile state and a failed state. So, while NATO has to remain an expeditionary alliance, able to deploy forces outside our territory, NATO must also become a more effective training alliance. We need to upgrade our capacity building efforts and advance our cooperation with regional partners. And, today, I want to put forward three specific ways I believe can do that. First NATO needs to strengthen its ability to advise and assist local forces. And for that we need to make training a core capability for the Alliance. We have trained local forces across the world for more than 20 years. From sending advisory teams into ministries, to deploying military and police trainers on the ground, including in dangerous environments. We know how to generate a multinational force of trainers. Maximising every contribution from Allies and partners of all sizes. But today, we need a more robust approach. A responsive, ready-to-go capability. So that we can plan, coordinate and deploy advisory support and training missions faster. And bring together the necessary tools for capacity building and training. As we are currently doing in Afghanistan. Last month, I visited Kabul. And I met the men and women of the Afghan Air Force. Pilots and mechanics, trained by NATO. They were all proud of what they are doing. I met a remarkable group of young women who are working hard to become pilots. It is that resolve which makes me optimistic about what can be achieved. Until a few years ago, there was hardly any Afghan air force. Last year, the Afghan Air Force flew 20,000 missions. Providing transport, resupply, medical support, and engaging the enemy. They are part of the 350,000 strong Afghan security forces built up by NATO trainers over the years. And they are now responsible for their countrys security. We continue to support them, but we have ended our combat mission. This demonstrates what we can achieve by building local capacity. The Afghanistan model is important, yet it is not the only one. We have also recently launched training and capacity building initiatives in Georgia, Moldova and Jordan. And we will soon begin advising Tunisia on counter-terrorism and help improve the capacity of their armed forces. With respect to Libya, I welcome the arrival of the Prime Minister Designate and the Presidential Council in Tripoli. This is an important step in establishing the Government of National Accord.And setting the conditions for further international support. NATO also stands ready to assist Libya. They will need our help. So it is clear. The demand for capacity building is growing. And that is why NATO needs to make training a core capability for the Alliance. My second proposal is that NATO should step up our support for Iraq. The ability of an inclusive Iraqi government to restore security is critical to the stability of the whole region. And a stable Iraq is key in the battle against ISIL. Last week, NATO started training Iraqi officers in Jordan. Our program was developed in close coordination with the Counter ISIL Coalition. We should reinforce these efforts. And, when appropriate, expand them further. When I visited Iraq last month,Prime Minister Al-Abadi and I discussed the challenges his country is facing and why training is an essential part of the solution. He asked NATO for more help. We should provide it, and we can do that in many ways. One example is dealing with Improvised Explosive Devices. They were the biggest killer of Iraqi forces when they retook Ramadi from ISIL. They are a threat which NATO has extensive expertise in countering. So our current training program responds to this urgent need, and we should do more for Iraq. My third proposal is that we take our cooperation with regional partners and international organisations to a new level. To project stability in the region, we need to work with those who know the region best. A few weeks ago, the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council came to NATO Headquarters. We discussed the security challenges in the region and what more we could do together. The Gulf Cooperation Council is developing its ability to command large multi-national operations. And NATO has unique expertise in building and maintaining an integrated military structure. We can share that expertise. We are also exploring what more we can do in areas such as counter-terrorism, energy and maritime security, and cyber defence. My aim is to bring forward our cooperation with the GCC at the Warsaw Summit in July. The new NATO regional cooperation centre in Kuwait also provides us with a way to reinforce our partnerships. The Centre will be a focal point, where NATO and Gulf partners will work together. In areas such as military to military cooperation, strategic analysis and civil emergency planning. The King Abdullah Special Operations Training Centre in Jordan is another platform for joint efforts. It is certified according to NATO standards. And this is where the training of Iraqi officers is now taking place. We must do more of this, to complement bilateral efforts and to strengthen the capacity of regional organisations. Because it is the best way to leverage their expertise, their resources and their cultural awareness in support of our training initiatives. And to enable our partners in the Middle East and North Africa to play an even greater role in achieving regional security. Everywhere I go in the region, leaders tell me they want more cooperation with NATO. We must answer their call. Ladies and gentlemen, The challenges from the Middle East and North Africa pose a direct threat to transatlantic security. To our common values. And to our common interests. We must all work together to respond. We need to strengthen our own defences. And to make our partners stronger too. The threat from ISIL and other terrorist groups will be with us for a long time. So, we must bring all tools to bear. And NATO is a powerful tool in which all our nations have made great investments. For almost seventy years, NATO has brought Europe and North America together. Providing security for both sides of the Atlantic. I know that I can count on the continued leadership of the United States. I also know that the mutual interests of Europe and the United States are best served by a strong North Atlantic Alliance. Because the security of Europe and North America is indivisible. And only by standing together will we remain safe and secure. Thank you. MODERATOR: Thank you, thank you Mr. Secretary General. Youve given us a lot to think about. I think that NATOs Secretaries General are frequent visitors to Washington. I dont think Ive ever seen a visit where so much attention was paid. I was told that in your conversations with Congress today you had a better attendance than has ever happened for a visiting NATO Secretary General. Obviously it comes at an important time in this country as Americans are trying to figure out who will lead them into the next part of the 21st Century. And your remarks on the subject of NATOs future address key questions about relevance, the why it matters part that you raised that have obviously been front and center in the political debate here. So I want to talk about some of the specific initiatives that you outlined but first would like to ask you as a European who spends much of your time around European leaders about that debate going on here. President Obama who you met with this week has repeatedly cited growing concerns expressed to him by Americas allies about what he this week called some of the wackier suggestions being made by Presidential candidates. Secretary Kerry spoke about it last night on television again saying that European allies and other allies in the world but particularly the Europeans have expressed repeated concern to him. Many of the notions the President has referred to have specifically talked about the Trans-Atlantic Alliance both trade and defense and suggestions about the value of NATO. So I want to ask you if youve heard these same concerns and when you, Europeans are sitting around among yourselves when the Americans arent in the room and you really let your hair down is that what you talk about? How much concern is there in Europe? JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): So I have less and less hair so thats my problem. But if you would show old pictures of me youd understand what I mean because I was very different then. First of all I would like to say that I welcome thats it more attention to NATO and NATO related issues in the American political agenda and that may be because of the election campaign. I will not be part of the election campaign. For many, for actually decades election campaign was an important part of my life and its very hard to not how should I say (inaudible) election campaigns but thats my previous life. Now Im in some other kind of business which is not addressing election campaigns especially not in the United States. So, so its up to the people of America to decide whos going to be the next President and I will in no way be part of that discussion or that campaign. But what I can say is that when I travel in different capitals in Europe you asked me about that - I see a very strong support for Trans-Atlantic cooperation for the North Atlantic Alliance. I think that some of them actually understand that in the United States people from different parties are concerned about that too many Europeans are investing too little in defense and thats exactly why we made the pledge to increase defense spending. And thats exactly why I personally every time I meet the political leaders in different European allies - allied countries - urge them to do something with it. And thats also the reason why I welcome that at least last year they were able to stop the cuts. To not reduce is not a very big achievement but at least compared to continuing to cut defense spending it is the first step towards moving in the right direction and 2015 is the first year after we made the pledge in 2014 so it is the first step in the right direction after just one year. So Im not certain whether you asked me about defense spending but you asked me about whether Europeans are concerned and they are concerned in a way that they are - that many of them understand that they have to contribute more to our collective defense and that we dont have a fair burden sharing now, and thats also the reason why all 28 allies all the Europeans agreed on the pledge made in 2014 to step up their investments in defense. MODERATOR: Well said. Obviously there are concerns about - in this country as well in Europe - about how some of the conversations have been phrased about NATO but the overall question beyond the question of burden sharing about NATOs relevance is not really a new one. Sometimes its spoken of in monetary terms - Europeans are free riders and I think youve addressed that just now and certainly in your remarks and shown that that situation in fact is improving. But more broadly in years since the Cold War ended youve had a lot of foreign policy experts from George Kennan to Donald Rumsfeld questioning whether NATO should survive. And most of those concerns were based on the end of the Soviet Union. You spoke of the largest re-enforcement of collective defense since the end of the Cold War and certainly some of NATOs Eastern members have argued that the Cold War never really ended. General Breedlove spoke recently of a shift in NATO doctrine from assurance to deterrence where, which I think in some ways is arguably return to the past. But I wonder if you could talk a bit about Russia, what you think the actual threat is that Russia poses to the Alliance right now. What are Putins goals? Are his actions arguably a response as some argued years ago to NATOs expansion right to Russias borders? Is there a limit that you see to - Ill say Putin - but Russias desire to expand its own sphere of influence. Or do you think they see it as a defensive mechanism? JENS STOLTENBERG: I would say some words about Russia in a moment but I will start by commenting on how should I say the introduction to the question because that is also related to this concern whether part of the debate in the United States provides reasons for concern in Europe that the United States is not focused on Europe - that the United States is not going to continue to be part of our Trans-Atlantic Alliance and so on. So, first of all I would like to say that the first time I visited the United States was in 1980 and then I was 21 years old - no not 21 years old - and I visited the United States together with my father. He was then Defense Minister of Norway and we travelled for a week around the United States at different military bases and different political think tanks and so on. I guess some of the people are still, should I say, around. And then the main issue then was the concern about that the United States was not going to be supportive of Europe and that was in 1980. So we have been concerned for many years but we are still going strong. So, so it means that of course we should always be concerned but at the same time we have to see that we are able to deliver every day as a strong alliance, the strongest ever and the strongest in the world. And we are able to deliver the terms, able to deliver collective defense and we are able to stand together when its really needed. So, for instance, as I mentioned in my speech the first time and the only time ever we have invoked the Collective Defense Clause was after an attack on the United States, and then Europeans stepped up to help and support our ally the United States. And one third of the forces, as I said, in Afghanistan - they have come from Canada, Europe and European NATO partner countries and more than a thousand European and Canadian soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan, and many more have been wounded. So its just a strong example of how the European allies stand together with United States when needed. Then of course I would like us to do more. Yes so well address defense spending and other issues. But the Alliance is working; the Alliance is delivering and we are providing deterrence every day and we stand together in different operations and missions around the world. And weve done that every day since 1980 - since I was concerned the first time. So Im permanently a bit concerned but quite successful and thats a good - what should I say - mix for the Alliance. Then about Russia, we dont see any imminent threat against any NATO allied country, including the countries in the Eastern part of the Alliance. But what we see is a more assertive Russia responsible for aggressive actions in Ukraine and willing to use military force. Not only invest in Russian military capabilities but also the willingness to use those capabilities to intimidate neighbours, to change borders in Europe, annex Crimea, destabilizing Eastern Ukraine and having troops in Georgia and Moldova and so on. And this, of course, is of great concern and thats the reason why we are responding and when I say we I mean the United States and Europe together. Before we didnt have forces in the Eastern part of the Alliance and now we have forces there on a rotational basis. And we have substantially increased our readiness to redeploy forces if needed. So again I'm concerned but as long as we are able to adapt and because we are able to adapt we are in a way responding to those concerns and making sure that the Baltic countries, all NATO allied countries are safe because NATO is there. MODERATOR: But do you have a sense of what the ultimate goal is of Russias actions as you try to strategize to provide this deterrent capability and this kind of show of strength? What is your sense of what theyre hoping to achieve? JENS STOLTENBERG: Its always dangerous to speculate too much but what we see is that they are trying, Russia is trying to re-establish a sphere of influence around its borders and thats why they are behaving as they are in Georgia and Moldova and Ukraine. And thats not acceptable because they are violating international law, they are not respecting the sovereignty and the territorial integrity - the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of independent Nations, countries in Europe and thats also the reason why its important that we respond. At the same time - and we are responding by the biggest re-enforcement of collected defense since the end of the Cold War. But at the same time I always underline that NATO is not seeking a confrontation with Russia. We will avoid a Cold - new Cold War. Actually we are striving for more cooperative and constructive relationship with Russia but we believe that we have to be strong; we have to be firm; we have to be predictable to establish the basis for a political engagement and dialogue with Russia. And I think I mentioned many times before but my experience as a Norwegian politician is that there is no contradiction between strong defense and political dialogue. Actually as long as we are strong we can also engage in political dialogue and in the long run Russia has to understand that they will gain more from cooperating with us instead of confronting us. MODERATOR: You spoke about a new strategic reality that NATOs facing and the primary threat to security right now seems to be violent extremism and the spread of it in the world. You outlined what is not necessarily a new role for NATO but certainly a broader expansion of that role and making it into a core capability for NATO, and thats the training and partnership institutional aspects of it and you set out three ways of doing that. The first one was to build overseas capacities for countries on the frontline against violent extremism and obviously thats what NATO has been doing in Afghanistan, certainly since the end of the combat mission. But I wonder if youre concerned now about whats been happening in Afghanistan. General Nicholson - whos the new Commander there -is getting his own recommendations ready for the Administration about what the U.S. military presence should be after the beginning of 2017. And as you know current plans call for it to be almost cut in half - the U.S. presence. But General Nicholson has spoken recently about how the training program really has been set back because of the level of fighting during 2015 - which was one of the worst years that theyve had certainly in a long time. Not only ground forces but also forces in the air. Would you expect NATO forces - assuming that U.S. forces remain there at their current level - would you expect those NATO components that are still active in Afghanistan to do the same? What do you think is the likelihood that they would be as some U.S. forces have been dragged back into the fighting as it becomes more difficult there and certainly as the fighting season starts to ramp up again? JENS STOLTENBERG: The situation in Afghanistan is not easy and actually its very difficult and I visited, as I said, Afghanistan just a couple of weeks ago, and there is fighting. The Afghan National Army and Security Forces there have also lost many soldiers and the Taliban is trying to control different parts of the country and we have many other groups - Al-Qaeda, different terrorists groups, also have some ISIL in Afghanistan and its in no way an easy situation. But having said that I think we also have to remember that it hasnt been easy in Afghanistan for decades. So the starting point is not a peaceful stable country. The starting point is a country which was a safe haven for international terrorists with Taliban in Kabul controlling the country. And what we have achieved is that we have enabled - through the NATO presence there for many years - to build a strong National Afghan Army and Security Force which is capable, professional and strong enough to take responsibility for the security in the whole country. That is not a small thing, its a big thing. So we have been able to end our combat mission because we have enabled them to do the fighting. And I think very much that we should continue to enable them, continue to support them and, therefore, I think it was a right decision of President Obama to maintain the current force levels through 2016. At the same time the U.S. Administration and the President has announced they will go from 9800 to 5500 by the end of the year. What we havent yet decided in NATO is then what the other allies will do. That is something we will address and decide by the latest at our Summit in July. Regardless in a way of what we finally decide when it comes to the scale and the scope of the rest of the support mission, we have already decided that we will continue to support and (inaudible) into 2017 but we havent decided on the force levels and we havent decided exactly on the scope of our presence in 2017 and beyond that. So Im not able to answer you precisely, exactly how our presence will be in 2017 but what I can say that well continue to support them, continue to train them and advise them and that well continue to fund them because you have to remember that we are supporting the Afghan Army and Security Forces in two ways. We provide training, assistance with 12,000 NATO troops but we also fund the National Army with U.S. funds and European funds and Japan, South Korean and others, and NATO partners are also contributing. And we are concerned in Europe that we are spending less than 2 percent of GDP on defense. In Afghanistan they spent 25 percent of GDP on defense but of course thats only possible because that is mainly funding coming from United States, European allies and partners. So we will continue to support Afghanistan, exactly how we will do it, we will decide at our Summit in Wales [sic]. But we will continue to fund them and well continue to have a NATO presence because I very much believe that we have to enable forces in the region - in Afghanistan, in the Middle East, in North Africa - to stabilize their own countries and in the long run thats better than we deploying a large number of combat troops. MODERATOR: Just to continue on that theme of the training as a core capability, you spoke about Iraq and the role - expanded role - that NATO could play there. There has been some suggestion that the coalition itself is sort of - coalition of the willing - an ad-hoc structure really without any particular structure and that perhaps this a role that NATO could play. That NATO could take over some of the organizational aspects of training, as well as putting the various components in place to do it and that NATO could actually serve in a way - that it has in Afghanistan - as a kind of Secretariat for that war. That seems to be what you were suggesting that this could be NATO, that NATO could undertake a much larger role in addition to direct assistance to Iraq; in some ways organizing the activities - some of the activities at least of the coalition there. Can you talk a little bit more about that? JENS STOLTENBERG: The advantage of using the tool NATO - using NATO as a tool - is that, for instance, building capacity. Train as we have done in Afghanistan And let me just add before I continue that if there was anything wrong we did in Afghanistan, then it was that we didnt start the training earlier. We should have started to build capacity in Afghanistan earlier enabling them to take responsibility for their own security earlier. But the advantage of using NATO is that NATO has the structures. We have mechanisms for generating forces. We meet regularly - several times a year - to generate forces to our different missions in Kosovo, in Afghanistan, and other places, and of course, if asked also to generate forces to a training mission in Afghanistan in Iraq - then we can also do that. So its a stronger commitment when you are part of a NATO Alliance and partner countries to provide the necessary forces than the commitment being just a part of a coalition of the willing. Because a coalition of the willing is in a way by definition more a question of whether you are willing while NATO is a stronger commitment to be part of that. So we have the mechanisms to generate forces and thats a great advantage and I think also we can then provide more support for the United States. Second we have the command structures, we have different training centers, we have some in Europe. We work with Jordan and King Abdullah training centres in Amman. And we will soon have a center in Kuwait and we have a lot of experience in doing training, capacity-building - everything from building institutions, Defense Ministrys headquarters, institution building to training soldiers in a dangerous environment. And thirdly, we have the expertise - the experience. And I mention, for instance, these improvised explosive devices. The reason why NATO knows a lot about how to counter IEDs is that we have done that for many, many years in Afghanistan. So we can take that experience and apply it in, for instance, Iraq. But we will - of course NATO will only do things which our allies ask us to do. And we have to find the right balance between high end fighting, and I think the coalition should continue to do that, and - but I think that NATO could do more as, coordinated with, and add value and complement what the coalition is doing when it comes to training. And also, and one more thing that is for many small and medium sized countries - NATO allies and partner countries - it is often extremely expensive and difficult to do training on a bi-lateral basis in, for instance, in Iraq because when NATO does the training, we have one agreement; one legal framework, and then you can plug into that, and we have - you know - infrastructure, transportation and so on organized as NATO, and then small countries can just send in some special operational forces and do some training, And in my own country we, in Norway, it was for them a big task just to negotiate all the legal arrangements you need to deploy forces in Iraq. While when Norway deploys forces to Afghanistan those things are in place and Norway just plugs in to that framework. So I think it is also more cost effective, we spend less money, less meeting, less people on organizing many bi-lateral efforts instead of plugging into, as I say, a NATO framework. So yes you are right I believe NATO could do more but it has to be coordinated with the efforts of the coalition and it has to be complementary. It has to be, as I say, done in a way which serves the purpose of the mission. MODERATOR: Would you see that as taking over the existing bi-lateral training programs? Youve got the Americans who obviously have a huge effort there, the Canadians, the Italians. There are lots of different separate training programs that actually are doing different things with different groups of Iraqis to a large extent. JENS STOLTENBERG: I would rather speak about scaling up what we have started to do, we have started to train the Iraqi officers. I would like to scale up that and then I would like to consider whether we can start to do things inside Iraq but I think its very important that we do this in absolute coordination with the coalition and that we, how should I say, dont move faster than the coalition and the allies are, what I say, ready to do so. I think we should do it step wise and then evaluate the experience and then decide whether we should do more and what more. So the scale and the scope I think we have to decide step by step and then have a pragmatic approach. Because I think, of course, we also need the high end fighting. We need to continue to do air strikes, and I dont - and Im not arguing in favour that NATO should take over that high end fighting. I think that could be done by and actually there are not so many allies doing that. Its the United States, U.K., France and some others. But the thing is that of course we need high end air strikes to, for instance, help the Iraqi forces liberate Mosul. But the thing is that when Mosul is liberated then the question is how do you hold Mosul, how do you maintain the control of Mosul and then you need trained, skilled, professional local forces and if thats not NATO forces, U.S. forces, French or German forces then it has to be local forces and therefore we should start to train them now and not to wait because if we wait it just becomes more difficult and more expensive and then always not as good. And thats also the case when it comes to another kind of group of countries. Iraq, its a war going on. Jordan is a stable country; its an island of stability in a sea of instability in the Middle East, but Jordan is under pressure, Tunisia the same. Its a stable, democratic country in Northern Africa but they are under heavy pressure from terrorist organizations and we should help them now, we should not wait until they are really in deep trouble and then start to help them. Prevention is better than intervention, thats a golden rule. So we should help now, not in the wind later on. So capacity building is also about building capacity before a country slides into conflict or crisis. And then if the country is in crisis we should help them build capacity to get out of that crisis as we are doing in Iraq, or hopefully also in Libya. MODERATOR: What about Syria? Do you see any role at all for NATO? JENS STOLTENBERG: At the present, NATOs role in Syria is that NATO allies but not as an alliance are participating in the efforts of the NATO coalition of the U.S. led coalition - and it is a great advantage for the coalition that so many NATO allies and NATO partner countries have been able to provide forces because NATO has developed what we call interoperability, experience to work together in high end dangerous military operations and we have developed that through NATO exercises, NATO standardization and of course, operations like in Afghanistan. And this experience, this interoperability developed among NATO allies and partners is extremely useful for the coalition in Syria now. And then of course we are also, what I say, responding to the conflict in Syria by supporting Turkey bordering Syria and Iraq. We have assurance measures: NATO presence in Turkey and everything we do related also to stabilizing the region is also relevant to Syria but we dont have a direct role inside Syria. MODERATOR: I would like to open the floor to questions now. If you could I will call on you and if you could are there microphones, yes, and identify yourself and hopefully ask a quick question so that we can have a lot of response here, yes sir go ahead. Carl [inaudible] from CSIS: Pleasure to hear your comments Secretary General. I was wondering you talked about how NATO can work closer with regional allies to stabilize fragile States. And I was wondering if you see a role for some of NATOs partners and Im thinking of Sweden and Finland for example in particular who have unique stake building and security sector reform capabilities. Is there a role for them here and would that be a way to closely integrate them into NATO and even getting them - sort of persuade them for a membership in the long term rather than having sort of the classic Russia debate? Would this be a way of making them more closely integrated into the NATO network? Thanks. JENS STOLTENBERG: I absolutely see for Sweden and Finland joining our efforts to build capacity in North Africa, the wider Middle East region and Sweden and Finland is already contributing and I welcome that very much. And that is one of the advantages of NATO is that we have proven our ability to mobilize partner countries. For instance in Afghanistan, Sweden and Finland have participated and contributed a lot. So I welcome that very much and I would like to see more of that and again this is important for the missions where Sweden and Finland participates. But we also have to understand that the way we are really developing our ability to work together with Sweden and Finland the interoperability is two big military operations like Afghanistan and perhaps also other places. And yesterday I visited Fort Bragg and I met with the 82nd Airborne Division and they told me about how they have been able to develop interoperability - the ability to work together with different military units by being stationed in Afghanistan and working with NATO allies but also with Sweden and Finland. Whether this will, what should I say, have any impact on the membership debate in Sweden, I dont know but I have said before that I have lost two referendums in Norway trying to convince Norwegians to join the European Union so you should not ask me for advice on how to convince the Swedes to join NATO. And thats, thats on the level of taxi driving, so its(laughter). MODERATOR: Yes sir. Thank you Rahim Rashedi (sp?) with Kurdistan TV. What are Russia and Irans roles in Syria? Thank you. And your opinion of Kurdish forces, Peshmerga role in fight against ISIS? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: The Peshmerga Forces play an important role and many NATO allies and partner countries are providing training for Peshmerga Forces as a part of the efforts to degrade and destroy ISIL. So I think that thats an example of how we are building local capacity. We do that already but Im arguing in favour of is to do that more in a more organized framework, more cost efficient and with greater impact. Russias role in Syria is that they - and also Iran - is that they support the Assad regime and they have declared that very clearly. And they have done that by deploying military forces in Syria and even though there has been some reductions in the Russian presence, Russia still has substantial military forces in Syria, air forces, ground forces and naval forces in the Eastern Mediterranean. So the main role of Russia in Syria is to support Assad. MODERATOR: Wow, so many of you, yes maam. I told you NATO was a hot topic. JENS STOLTENBERG: Oh ya I know. Im from GCC. I am from UAE and I want to ask you about how do you evaluate your relation with GCC in terms of cooperation? I believe they look for more from NATO rather than just building their capabilities. Can NATO assure them stability and security in the region vis a vis the Iran? And the other question is how much can you give NATO and projecting stability in the region, how much from ten you give mark for NATO in the Arab region and projecting stabilization? JENS STOLTENBERG: Well I, as I said, I very much believe that we can expand and enhance our cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council. I visited the United Arab Emirates a couple of weeks ago and and I think that in a way by helping countries in the region to stabilize the region we are of course also making the countries more secure. The whole idea is that if our, NATOs neighbourhood is more stable they are more secure and we are more secure so its not in a way -security is not you get less of if you share it; you get more security if you create security together. So I strongly believe in us working together with the GCC. I also believe that the GCC countries can help us working jointly, for instance, with fighting ISIL, with building capacity in a country like Iraq so for me we have to do many things at the same time and we have agreed that we will start to step up and hopefully we will be able to make decisions related to this at our Summit in Warsaw. MODERATOR: Yes in the back, way in the back. Lady in the red. Im Lieutenant Colonel (inaudible) from the Polish Embassy. I just wanted to ask you quick questions. First regarding political dialogue with Russia, what conditions must be fulfilled for full resumption of NRC works? And do you think it should be somehow balanced with increased cooperation with the Ukraine and Georgia? The second question is as for the realignment of NATO efforts to increase the presence on the Eastern flank with the American (inaudible) initiative? And the last one is there an appetite in the NATO for more to look on the Arctic challenges? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: First NRC or the NATO Russia Council I think its important to underline the following and that is that after the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea in 2014 NATO decided to suspend all practical cooperation with Russia but we decided at the same time to maintain our political dialogue with Russia or maintain channels for political communication. So the NATO Russia Council has never been suspended. Actually we had two meetings in the Council after the annexation of Crimea. So the whole idea is that practical cooperation has been suspended, political dialogue has been in place. So the challenge now has been not to, what should I say, have a decision to have the NATO Russia Council because it has been there all the time. But the challenge has been to agree on the agenda for a new meeting and we are in the process of discussing that with the Russians and hopefully we will be able to agree on the agenda and then to convene a meeting. Let me underline that, for me dialogue is not an expression of weakness; it is an expression of strength because it is because we are strong, it is because we are confident that we are not afraid of talking to the Russians. And even during the Cold War we talked to them and I think its in our interest to talk to them on many different issues especially risk reduction, transparency related to military activity. I think for instance that the downing of the Russian plane over Turkey just underlined how important it is that we do our utmost to have military to military communications, to have transparency, predictability to avoid that kind of incident. We have to try to avoid them and if they happen we have to make sure that they dont spiral and come out of control and create real dangerous situations. So dialogue is not weakness, dialogue is strength. Now, sorry there were two more questions I forgot them. The Eastern part of the Alliance well we are in the process - we decided at our Defense Ministerial Meeting in February to increase our military presence in Eastern part of the Alliance - the Baltic countries, Poland and perhaps Romania, Bulgaria. Exactly the scale and the scope is not yet decided. Were working on that now but what we are aiming at is a multi-national force sending a very clear signal that an attack on one Baltic country or one of a NATO allied country will trigger a response from the whole Alliance. The Arctic, its cold there. (laughter) The other thing is that you know when people say Arctic, most - many people think about the North Pole but half of my own country is in the Arctic. So half of Norway is in the Arctic and I say Ive seen many nice people up there and some polar bears and thats all and because the reason why Im saying this is that NATO is present in the Arctic. And the main NATO forces in the Arctic is Danish Forces, Icelandic - not so many Icelandic - but at least Norwegian Forces and of course we have also then NATO exercises in the Northern part of Norway - forces from many NATO allied countries. We had a big exercise in the Northern part of Norway recently so we - NATO is present in the Arctic. And we have to follow the developments very closely because we have seen also a Russian military buildup in the Arctic. At the same time we have the Arctic Council where the United States is a member, Canada is a member, Russia, Norway, Denmark and many other countries and several other countries. We have also a degree of cooperation in the Arctic related to search and rescue, environmental issues with Russia. I think its extremely important that we continue to do that and we dont increase tensions in the Arctic but try to calm the tensions. MODERATOR: Im going to ask people just limit themselves to one question. The questions have been really good but maybe we can take two or there at a time if youll limit to yourself just to one. So yes sir. Then Im going to come around this way. Thank you, Ahmed ? (inaudible) from Al-Jazeera TV. Turkey - there are so many voices that are saying that NATO would be better off without Turkey. They are saying, they are claiming that Turkey has betrayed the Alliance, is helping to collaborating with ISIS in a way or another, is fighting the Kurds while fighting ISIS which is fighting the West. How do you comment on that? MODERATOR: Well take one more yes sir. Yes, go ahead. Bill Drozdiak, Brookings. General Breedlove said recently that he felt the Russians were weaponizing the refugee situation with the aim of destabilizing Europe, and I know NATO has sent some sea patrols in the Aegean recently. But my question is why did it take so long for NATO to respond to such a serious security threat to the European continent when Greece and Turkey, both frontline States, are members of NATO? MODERATOR: Those are two hefty questions. JENS STOLTENBERG: Two questions. First of all the problem is normally not too many questions but too long answers, so but its hard to very brief because the questions are important and demanding. First on Turkey, Turkey participate in the coalition fighting ISIL. Turkey provides military assets but in addition Turkey provides infrastructure, bases, the Incirlik Base and other facilities for the efforts of the coalition fighting ISIL. So without Turkey it would have been much more difficult to, for instance, to conduct many of the air strikes and so on fighting ISIL. Second Turkey is the NATO ally most affected by the influx of refugees. They host more than two million, close to three million perhaps refugees and so Turkey is heavily affected by the crisis in Iraq, Syria, ISIL. When it comes to NATOs role in addressing the migrant and refugee crisis, so NATOS main role has been to address the root causes, the instability in the region and trying to help stabilize the countries where the refugees are coming from. When it comes to the managing or handling the refugee crisis in Europe, NATO is normally not a first responder because this is about, you know, border control, coast guard, border controls, humanitarian aid and so on to the refugees. But when we were asked we responded. And we actually responded very quickly because Germany, Turkey and Greece asked NATO for help and after 48 hours we were able to make the decision to provide the ships and assistance they asked for. And 24 hours after we made a decision the first NATO ships were deployed into the Aegean Sea. So for me this is an example of how NATO can respond quickly, if needed. And what we have done since is that we have several ships there in the vicinity of Lesbos and also a bit further south, and they are providing, they are doing reconnaissance, surveillance monitoring and they are sharing in real time the data they are gathering with the Greek Coast Guard, with the Turkish Coast Guard and with the European Union Border Agency Frontex, and this information is useful, for instance, for the Turkish Coast Guard when they are then turning back and intersect or intersecting the traffic of the smugglers and the illegal networks. So I think NATO plays a useful role helping the local Coast Guard Authorities. NATO is not in the business of turning back the boats with the refugees and migrants. Our role is to help, assist, and facilitate. Add to that, perhaps the most important thing NATO is doing in the Aegean Sea, is to create the framework, a platform for cooperation between Turkey and Greece. Turkey not being member of the European Union but Turkey and Greece both being members of NATO so NATO is an ideal platform for providing the necessary cooperation between Turkey, Greece and the European Union. MODERATOR: There was something about Russia at the beginning of that question that you asked. JENS STOLTENBERG: Yeah, sorry that was about what Russia did especially when they were bombing Aleppo was of course to increase the number of people fleeing Syria and increasing the pressure on Turkey and on, should I say, Europe. And Im very glad, I welcome very much that some weeks ago United States, Russia and other actors in the region were able to reach agreement on cessation of hostilities. And even if we have seen violations, hostilities have gone substantially down and we have also seen that the parties have been able to meet again and start negotiations and try to find a negotiated political solution to the crisis in Syria. That will not be easy. It will not happen very fast. There will be setbacks and disappointments, but in the long run we need a negotiated political solution so I strongly support those efforts both to make sure that the cease fire is holding and to make sure that they continue negotiations and talks to find a political solution. MODERATOR: Yes sir, I know I cheated you before so you go ahead and then yep. Thank you. Meda Kolowski (sp?), United Macedonian Diaspora. You mentioned Russia violating international law. If you could comment perhaps on Greeces violating international law after blocking Macedonias NATO membership in 2008. Greece has a fairly new government in place. Macedonia may have a new government starting June. What role will your office play in facilitating improving relations and finally lifting this blockage on Macedonias NATO membership particularly on this point that you made before, youre a poll free and at peace. MODERATOR: Yes maam. Thank you Karen. Farah al-Tassi (sp?) I am a member of the Syrian opposition delegation to Geneva from here. You already spoke enough about Russias role in Syria and I was waiting to hear the NATOs counter-strategy to at least having some balance of power on the ground. But I will not ask you that question, my question is there have been recently efforts by the GCC led by Saudi Arabia to establish the Islamic Coalition against ISIS, will NATO partner if they asked with this new formed Islamic Coalition against ISIS for a direct military intervention in Syria, yes or no? Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: If the question was whether NATO is going to conduct a direct military intervention into Syria the answer is no. But if the question is whether we are going to work together with the Islamic Coalition to counter ISIL, then the answer is yes because I welcome that Islamic countries are going together to fight ISIL. And I think its extremely important that Islamic countries are in the forefront and as, for instance, King Abdullah of Jordan has underlined again and again, this is not a fight between the West and the Muslim world, this is a fight against terrorists, criminals, people who are responsible for violence and atrocities and most of the victims are Muslims. So there - and Muslims are at the front fighting ISIL. And again my main message is that we should support, we should help, we should enable, we should train, we should assist, we should help them in many different ways to win that fight against ISIL. So if you ask me whether we should help the Muslim world, Muslim forces, Muslim countries to fight ISIL, its a strong yes. That was the last question. The first one was about the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. And the reason why I say it like that is that you know and I know that the problem has been ever since the NATO Summit in Bucharest - I was there as Prime Minister of Norway -has been that we dont have an agreement on the name issue. As long as that issue is unsolved there is no way we can solve the question of membership. So, thats in a way the short answer. MODERATOR: I think we have time for maybe two moreand then at back of you over there. Robert (inaudible), Embassy of Romania. As a country on the Eastern border of NATO we are highly appreciative of your leadership and addressing the key issues of re-enforcing the Eastern flank. How do you see this re-enforcement process from a Black Sea perspective, a region that has multiple strategic challenges both from the East and from the South? Thank you. Hello Im Kevin Baron with Defense One. Last week Secretary Carter at CENTCOM said that the U.S. was talking to NATO about joining the counter ISIL coalition as NATO for the first time which would be a change so Im wondering what would - what would that involve beyond advise and assist. You just said that NATO would assist with counter ISIL campaign, would it involve on the ground troops, special operators, air, sea - what else besides the advise and assist mission? JENS STOLTENBERG: First Romania. The Black Sea is very important and we have seen that Russia is developing what experts call A2AD, or Anti Access Air and Denial capabilities and they are deploying those capabilities for, instance, in Crimea and we see a pattern all the way from the Baron Sea, the Baltic Sea down to the Black Sea, and of course one of the reasons why we are increasing our presence in the Eastern part of the Alliance, why we are increasing the readiness of our forces and why we are also developing our capabilities is that NATO has to be able to overcome those A2AD capabilities which we also see in the Black Sea. Our maritime presence is important and part of the high readiness force we have established we also have a maritime component there. We normally speak about this high readiness brigade but theres an air component, there is a maritime component and thats part of our response to what we also see in the Black Sea. So, yes we are very much aware of the challenges in the Black Sea being more - becoming more serious because of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the strong military buildup in Crimea. Then NATO is not formally part of the coalition but NATO supports the coalition and first of all, all NATO allies provide forces and then as I said NATO supports the coalition in different ways: assurance measures in Turkey, capacity building in Iraq. I will also add that what we do in Afghanistan - our biggest military operation ever - is relevant for the fight against terror including against ISIL and we stand ready to do more in Libya which is also key when it comes to preventing that Libya becomes the kind of buildup area for ISIL. One issue we have discussed and also discussed during my visit here to Washington this week and also with Secretary Ash Carter was the possibility of NATO providing AWACS support, our surveillance plane. And that is on the table now and its going to be addressed in NATO and then we will be able to provide you with a more precise answer but AWACS support in one way or another is now an issue which is discussed in the Alliance. MODERATOR: We promised the Secretary General that we would get him out of here on time and I apologize to everyone whose questions we didnt get to. Thank you so much. I think the fact that theres so many questions testifies both to relevance and level of interest and weve still managed to cover an enormous amount of ground. And thank you so much for your candor and for the completeness of your answers. Thank you. JENS STOLTENBERG: Thank you. Virtuoso clarinetistmelds jazz and Jewish music in his own inventive arrangements on a new CD, Music Coming Together, which will be formally introduced at a concert in Lee, Mass., on April 30. In celebration of International Jazz Day, Green and Two Worldshis band of extraordinary jazz musicianswill perform selections from the CD at the launch event, starting at 7:30pm, and to be followed by a reception.Green's third and newest CD, Music Coming Together features the clarinetist's talent as an arranger, and fuses elements of jazz, America's homegrown art form, within the klezmer tradition. The CD hit the jazz radio top-40 chart in the first week after its availability to the media, and has already garnered several positive early reviews.International Jazz Day is a yearly event on April 30, organized by UNESCO to celebrate the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people. The Day was proclaimed during the UNESCO General Conference in November 2011. The first annual International Jazz Day was kicked off in Paris by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. UNESCO partners with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.This album is my attempt to connect with my roots, to find my own musical soul," Green says. But jazz is in my soul, too. This recording is an expression of my desire to unite the two different worlds."Green's discography includes Return to the Concert Stage" (classical), Klezmer East: Traditional Favorites" (klezmer) and, now, Music Coming Together, a Jewish-jazz fusion. A renowned expert and lecturer on Jewish music, Green created a band, Klezmer East, in 2003. A newly honed mastery of jazz has brought him to Miami's Jazz in the Gables, the Jazz Summit in Fort Lauderdale, Castle Street Cafe and The Gateways Inn in the Berkshires and other venues. Winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Green's solo recitals have brought rave reviews in The New York Times.The sextet for the April 30 concert comprises Paul Green, leader and clarinet; Bruce Krasin, alto and tenor saxophones;, guitar; Joe Rose, piano; Richard Syracuse, bass; and Bill Chapman, drums.Green has collaborated with the Borromeo, Saint Lawrence, and Ying quartets, and with cellist Jacqueline De Pre, flutist Eugenia Zukerman, pianists Richard Goode, Christopher O'Riley, William Wolfram, Ursula Oppens and many others. Green founded the Gold Coast Chamber Music Festival in South Florida and The Summer Celebration of Jewish Music in the Berkshires. He has served on the faculties of several universities and now teaches at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut and the Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.Grounded and virtuosic in the classical tradition, Green has pursued his passion for jazz and followed his instinctual yearnings to explore the meaning of Jewish music while maintaining his classical concert career. With Music Coming Together," he has taken giant steps towards finding commonalities between the jazz and Jewish idioms.The concert is sponsored by Berkshire Gateway Preservation, Inc. Tickets for the concert are $20, and are available at here and several local establishments, including the Lee Chamber of Commerce Information Booth, Downtown Lee (413) 243-0852; the Lee Congregational Church (413) 243-1033; Wood Bros Music, 5 Cheshire Rd., Pittsfield (413) 447-7478; and the Berkshire Music School, 30 Wendell Avenue Pittsfield, MA (413) 442-1411. 150 residents of 3 Karabakh settlements handed over to Azerbaijan get compensation certificates Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson hold talks Biden slammed for 'scary' long pause during interview Elite US troops conducting exercises on Ukraine border Iran MP: Military exercises on Azerbaijan border are decisive response to Israel Xi Jinping elected Communist Party of China Central Committee general secretary Armenia envoy presents credentials to Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency chair Hungary to approve by years end Sweden, Finland petitions to join NATO US researchers debunk main theory for origin of life Iranian MP: Iran will conduct military exercises wherever it deems necessary Finnish delegation to visit Ankara to discuss NATO membership Social media giants are likely to oppose Turkey's new law Pastor steals $900,000 to buy stocks and car in U.S. Lithuanian President Nauseda is named most popular politician in country Charles III will embark on longest tour of world in history of royal family Deputy Director of Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS: Baku's goal is that Karabakh has no Armenian population Hurricane Roslyn in Pacific Ocean intensifies to third category Italy's new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, begins forming government U.S. Treasury Department records budget deficit of over $429 billion in September Why does Baku need aggravation on border with Armenia? Skakov assesses likelihood of new aggression Iranian Foreign Minister: I had important meeting with Pashinyan in Armenia Johnson spotted in economy class on flight from Dominican Republic to Britain Armenian PM and European Parliament Resident Rapporteur for Armenia discuss Karabakh situation Authorities in Kherson urge residents to immediately leave city Russian expert: Baku's attempts to open corridor by force will cause negative response not only from IRI or Russian Telegraph: Britain to send about 60 old tanks to NATO base in Germany for exercises Artak Beglaryan: You will see me in new position Netanyahu: Iran nuclear deal could bring Russia 'hundreds of billions' Russia and Turkey begin to develop gas hub project PM Pashinyan discusses agenda of bilateral relations with Iranian FM Anna Hakobyan meets Armenians in Paris Sargsyan: Recognition of Artsakh people's right for self-determination must be reflected in legal documents Italy's first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, sworn in Private jet goes missing off coast of Costa Rica Times of India: India tests nuclear-capable Agni Prime missile Spiegel: German Foreign Minister and Defense Minister ask to allocate 2.2 billion for military aid to Kiev Deputy PM of Armenia and Head of Sharjah Heritage Institute discuss strengthening of Armenian-Emirati relations Biden allows participation in U.S. presidential election in 2024 Secretary of Security Council of Armenia and representatives of AIISA discuss security issues Kakhovka reservoir increases water discharges in case of possible destruction of HPP Pashinian's spouse: Yesterday at Elysee Palace I was received by dear Brigitte Macron At least 15 people killed in bus-truck collision in India Explosion at Uzbek Defense Ministry depot injures 16 people Armenian NA Speaker receives Iranian FM: Tehran opposes obstacles on border with friendly Armenia President Harutyunyan receives group of members of Union of Artsakh Reserve Officers NGO Newspaper: Armenia restores diplomatic ties with Hungary? China hit by 5.5 magnitude earthquake Armenian Defense Ministry denies Azerbaijani report on shelling, calling it disinformation Blinken: Moscow is not interested in stopping aggression against Ukraine Japan and U.S. will hold joint military exercises France withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty CNN: White House is in talks with Elon Musk to create satellite Internet service Starlink in Iran Baku outraged by Iran's statements and frightened by IRGC military exercises Who are main beneficiaries of 'Zangezur' corridor?: Another anonymous article by 'Haykakan Zhamanak' newspaper Ankara decides to stand up for Riyadh amid deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and U.S. French Foreign Minister considers it vital to keep lines of communication with Russia open Pentagon refuses to give details of conversation between Austin and Shoigu Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin: Head of Caucasus Muslims Department again made slanderous and false statements Erdogan denies using chemical weapons against Kurds and threatens those who dare to talk about it Saudi Arabia and China will strengthen their ties in energy sector Governor of Gegharkunik province receives representatives of OSCE fact-finding mission Penny Mordaunt runs for Prime Minister of Great Britain Sweden expects ratification of NATO membership application by Hungary and Turkey to be completed soon European Union will allocate 1.5 billion euros per month to Kiev in 2023 An Israeli-built flight school opened in Greece Russian Railways is negotiating with Azerbaijan and Iran to launch the Rasht-Astara route Overchuk: Construction of road through Meghri, whose sovereignty is not in question, depends on Armenia's position Armenian Defense Minister's working visit to India is over Hungary will not agree to limit prices for imported gas Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran considers Armenia one of most important transit countries Naribekyan participates in meeting of secretaries general of PACE parliaments Delegation from United Arab Emirates visits Armenia at invitation of head of MONKS: Two agreements signed Dollar, euro drop in Armenia Iran consul general in Armenias Kapan: We do not accept any change of borders Baza: Mobile military registration and enlistment offices will be removed on Russian-Georgian border Iranian Consul: Countries of region do not need presence of foreign armed forces Armenia FM: Iran consulate general in Kapan will be important for regional security Iranian Consul General advises Kapan residents not to worry anymore: Iran is here for Armenian people FM reaffirms Armenia plan to open consulate general in Irans Tabriz Turkey to open consulate in occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh Turkish Ministry of Finance: Ankara can buy Russian oil without Western funding Armenia Security Council chief briefs European Parliament rapporteur on recent Azerbaijan military aggression British bookmakers name favorite for post of prime minister Erdogan: Armenia-Azerbaijan relations progress will contribute to Armenia-Turkey relations normalization Iranian Consulate General opens in Kapan Erdogan: Turkey is looking for alternative to American F-16 fighters Iran consul general: We are here for Armenian people Turkey FM slams OSCE decision to send needs assessment mission to Armenia Peskov reacts to Erdogan's words about Putin's softening on Ukraine negotiations European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia to legislature speaker: Attack was from Azerbaijan, naturally Armenia President to EEU PMs: We will manage to take another confident step by respecting mutual interests EUSR Toivo Klaars exclusive interview with NEWS.am on EU Monitoring mission,Nagorno Karabakh future and violence videos Explosions rock Ukraines Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia President meets with newly formed Artsakh Public Council members Armenia PM: We need understanding in price horizon, at least in medium term Lawyer: 20 of fallen solders parents detained from Yerevan military pantheon are recognized as injured party PM: Armenia trade with other EEU countries increased by 74% France region to provide 300,000 to Armenias Syunik Province affected by Azerbaijan military aggression Eurasian Intergovernmental Council extended meeting underway in Yerevan WASHINGTON, DC Against a backdrop of fresh Azerbaijani attacks that left three dead on Wednesday in the midst of a declared ceasefire, Congressional leaders stepped up condemnation of Aliyevs major assault on Nagorno Karabakh this week, with calls for U.S. leadership in securing the immediate implementation of the Royce-Engel peace proposals, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). We echo the principled Congressional calls for urgently needed U.S. leadership in condemning Azerbaijans aggression and holding to account its leader, Ilham Aliyev, for his reckless aggression against Artsakh, confirmed reports of war crimes committed by his forces, and his relentless domestic repression of his own citizens, said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. We thank each of the legislators who have spoken out and will continue to work with our elected officials on a bipartisan basis in both houses of Congress to support efforts to condemn Azerbaijani attacks and constrain Ilham Aliyevs aggression. Senate Appropriations Committee member Mark Kirk (R-IL) called Azerbaijans attacks unacceptable and reckless noting that Bakus warmongering has led to numerous Armenian deaths, both civilian and military, as well as significant Azerbaijani causalities. He went on to issue a call on President Obama and the State Department to hold President Aliyev fully accountable for this violence, and to support the implementation of the pro-peace steps laid out by Reps. Royce and Engel that include an agreement from all sides not to deploy snipers along the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact, the placement of OSCE-monitored, advanced gunfire-location systems and sound-ranging equipment to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact, and the deployment of additional OSCE observers along the line of contact to better monitor cease-fire violations. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) agreed, noting, The clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh risk escalating into a dangerous, wider war. The ceasefire must be scrupulously observed, while Azerbaijan needs to implement widely-supported peacekeeping measures along the line of contact, including a withdrawal of snipers and an expanded role for the OSCE. The ANCA has called on Chairman Nunes and Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA), who, separately, condemned the attacks early on, to join their counterparts leading the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to address concerns regarding potential intelligence failures associated with Azerbaijans April 2nd attacks. Congressman David Valadao (R-CA) shared his deep concern regarding the Azerbaijani military offensive and noted that The ceasefire previously agreed to by both parties should be honored to prevent this deadly conflict from escalating any further. Fellow Central Valley Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) questioned President Aliyevs commitment to peace, stating Despite attending meetings in DC with Secretary Kerry and Vice President Biden last week, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev does not appear committed to the peace process and I question his sincerity in trying to reach a resolution. Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) echoed those concerns, noting, The fact this military assault occurred immediately following the summit is deeply troubling and proves Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev is not committed to a peaceful resolution. The Azerbaijani government must be held accountable for these egregious acts, which are an affront to the people of Nagorno Karabakh exercising their right to self-determination. House Foreign Affairs Committee Member David Cicilline (D-RI) specifically called out Azerbaijans use of sniper fire, which is in direct violation of the cease-fire agreement and international law, and am appalled by reports that Azerbaijan forces attacked a Red Cross envoy. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) explained, This escalation of violence risks engulfing the entire region into a long and bloody conflict. I am calling on Azerbaijan to abide by the ceasefire and end hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) who has been outspoken in her condemnation of Azerbaijans earlier attacks against Armenians in Sumgait and Baku from 1988-1990, strongly condemned these latest attacks, stating, I have called on the President to work with both sides in deescalating this conflict, and to suspend aid to Azerbaijan if they continue in their aggression against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Violence in response to a peaceful independence movement is unacceptable. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Robert Dold (R-IL), House Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Senior Democrat Brad Sherman (D-CA) issued strong condemnations of Azerbaijans attack just hours after they began. The ANCA has activated Armenian Americans and other friends of Armenia in all 50 states, covering nearly every U.S. House district, in the days since Azerbaijans April 2nd attacks the largest and most fatal since the 1994 Nagorno Karabakh cease-fire. These ANCA activists have targeted well over 30,000 messages to the White House, Members of Congress and to OSCE representatives by visitinghttp://anca.org/stopaliyev. The ANCA has also strongly backed several Congressional letters supporting the Royce-Engel peace initiatives, which include the suspension of military aid to Baku, and the need for forceful U.S. condemnation of Azerbaijani aggression. These letters have been supported collectively by over 90 Members of Congress representing over 53 million Americans. STEPANAKERT. The NKR National Assembly factions have issued a joint statement in connection with the Azerbaijani aggression. Here is the text of the statement: "In the morning of April 2, Azerbaijan started a large-scale attack on the NKR-Azerbaijan borderline, violating the May 1994 Trilateral Agreement on Ceasefire. The inadequate attitude of the international organizations towards the actions of the official Baku on systematic ceasefire violations has resulted in an unprecedented expansion of the aggressive actions of the Azerbaijani side. As a result, numerous prohibited weapons were used, artillery and rocket bombardment of a number of border villages and towns, cases of massacres and inhuman acts of violence were reported. We, the deputies of all factions of the NKR National Assembly, as elected representatives of the people, condemning the new aggression against the peaceful population of Artsakh, provoked by Azerbaijan, - confirm, that as a result of terrorist actions of Azerbaijan in the last few days, under the threat, a top priority for the Republic of Artsakh, as a supporter of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, has been and remains the security of its people; - believe, that having initiated a new phase of military operations against the people of Artsakh, Azerbaijan and the sponsoring forces are trying to turn South Caucasus into a new hotbed of international terrorism, thus posing serious threat to the regional security; - highly appreciate the confident and determined action of the NKR Defense Army for the security of the country and the people; - urge the international organizations , and above all, the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group, which has the only recognized the mandate of the resolution of the Karabakh problem, give a clear legal and political assessment of the terrorist act against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the last few days, and to take concrete steps to curb the aggression of Azerbaijan. The shortest and only sensible way to resolve the current situation is to internationally recognize the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR). This will ensure the safety of its people and the stability of the region with full and internationally recognized guarantees. The statement was signed by the NKR National Assembly Motherland Democracy Dashnaktsutyun Movement-88 Renaissance factions. Numerous incidents of breach of agreement on ceasing fire were recorded at night, at the zone of contact between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army reported that aside from using rifle weaponry and mortars, the adversary also launched two reconnaissance-sabotage attempts. Vanguard units of the NKR Defense Army, however, detected, in timely fashion, this attempt at advance by the Azerbaijani special units, and they pushed them back to their original positions. The photographs below are of the corpses of the Azerbaijani military gang that had committed crimes against Armenian civilians. Karabakh army serviceman Armen Gasparyan (born in 1974) was killed on Wednesday in ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side. The contract serviceman was killed from a mine thrower in north-eastern direction, Karabakh Defense Army army said in a statement. As a result of the close battle, the adversary was pushed back leaving behind the corpse of Azerbaijani Armed Forces captain, Naftalan town resident Vaqif Bayramov, who was born in 1979. Before that a Karabakh army serviceman Armen Gasparyan (born in 1974) was killed on Wednesday in ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side. The serviceman was killed from a mine thrower in north-eastern direction, Karabakh Defense Army army said in a statement. On Wednesday between 10:35am and around 11pm, the Azerbaijani army divisions intensively fired shots toward the Armenian armed forces divisions and the settlements located nearby Vardenis town in Gegharkunik Province of Armenia. In particular, aside from a variety of rifle weaponry, the adversary fired several hundred bullets also from large-caliber machine guns, and from mortars. The Armenian armed forces, however, did everything not to breach the agreement on ceasing fire and advance of troops. News-NEWS.am reporter visited Talish village, in Martakert Region of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which was hit the hardest by the Azerbaijani bombardment. There are destroyed houses and dead animals everywhere in Talish. The villagers have left their homes for the time being, but they plan to return. Close to 30 percent of the houses in Talish village have sustained damages while the administrative buildingseven more. The normalization of the Nagorno-Karabakh situation requires adopting a document with specific steps, Russian FM Sergey Lavov said in an interview with TASS. Currently the most important task is not to allow another flare of violence. Here we again discussed this with the Azerbaijani president. I hope this will also be discussed with the Armenian side. Its very important to return to the ideas which were enshrined in the joint statements of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia as early as three or four years ago, when meetings with the president of our countries took place. According to Lavrov, apart from efforts on the political normalization track, and search for agreements on how to deal with the unblocking of this entire situation in principle, issues related to measures on confidence building on the Line of Contact were also discussed. Taking into consideration that there are casualties, and that the cases ending with losses on both sides have been taking place long ago, its necessary to exchange the bodies. There were people who were taken captive. Then there was an idea to use snipers on the Line of Contact. Its very risky when people look through a rifle scope and see each other each hour and minute: someone might have a nervous breakdown, Lavrov said. According to him, such measures have been planned long ago. By the way, pursuant to the agreement of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian presidents, the OSCE together with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Russia, France, U.S.) dealt with the preparation of specific steps. This is a not yet a finally prepared document, but it is available, the work on it has been underway for already several years. I think that the current situation will spur all of us, making to approve these measures as soon as possible and enact them, Lavorv added. In his words, this issue was also touched on at the meeting with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. He supported such an approach. Of course, understanding that we will not introduce these measures to perpetuate the status quo - nobody wants this but to create a more favorable climate for political process in the framework of which Russia, apart from the efforts of the three [Minsk Group] Co-chairs, will also come up with its own initiatives. President Putin, and before him President Medvedev, actively advanced different ideas which will allow to unblock the situation through liberating regions round Karabakh at the same time solving the issue on its status. I wont go into detail, but several versions remain at the bargaining table. Yesterday we also touched on this with the Azerbaijani president. We will continue our efforts. The Russian FM also attached importance to the fact that the agreement to cease military actions was reached with the active mediation of Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin talked by phone with his colleagues in Azerbaijan and Armenia. PM and Government chairman Dmitry Medevedev is today arriving in Yerevan and will visit Baku tomorrow. We also mediate on this issue on the level of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian heads of general staff. Agreement was reached on stopping military actions and ceasing fire, which was announced. It is generally observed now. We are following the situation. The most important thing is for both sides to confirm their commitment to this regime, Lavorv said. The FM also noted that he is going to continue his talks with the Azerbaijani and Armenian colleagues. Specifically, on Friday he plans to meet with the Armenian FM in Moscow on the sidelines of the meeting of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers. The cursing. The tangents. Laughing at his own jokes. Talking a long time about a water bottle that he somehow balanced on its cap, without meaning to, at his Emory Conference Center Hotel room. What kind of respectable, writerly talk was this? Welcome to the world of Sherman Alexie equal parts high and low theater. Alexie visited Emory for two events this week: He spoke at the Michael C. Carlos Reception Hall on Monday, April 4, on the topic The Business of Fancydancing: Poems, Stories, Punch Lines and Highly Biased Anecdotes, then gave a reading on Tuesday, April 5, also in the Carlos Reception Hall. The term "fancydancing" refers to a flashy, competitive style of Pow Wow dancing often seen at Wild West festivals. Alexie uses it as a metaphor for his writing, relishing the irony. Alexie is a Spokane/Coeur dAlene Indian who grew up in Wellpinit, Washington, on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He is also a writer of uncommon talent who has published 30 books, including "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven"; a book of poetry titled "What I've Stolen, What I've Earned"; and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," a semiautobiographical novel for children, which was named to TIME Magazines 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. His first novel, "Reservation Blues," received one of 15 American Book Awards in 1996. His 2009 collection of short stories and poems, "War Dances," won the 2010 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. As the irreverent Alexie shouted during his Emory talk, Im a f---ing millionaire poet. A brain that just won't behave What was on Alexies mind on Monday night owed more to the trailing items of his title: punch lines and highly biased anecdotes. The central theme was his health and the fact that his brain just cant seem to behave. Alexie was born with hydrocephalus, underwent a surgery at six months of age and was not expected to survive. Doctors predicted that he would have intellectual disabilities as a result; instead, he spent his childhood battling seizures. Quite the opposite of having compromised intelligence, Alexie learned to read at age three and went on to more grown-up stuff "The Grapes of Wrath" by age five. Recently, the problem was a meningioma that was removed in a nine-hour surgery. There may be no richer material for any writer than a brush with death, and Alexie told the story every which way funny, terrified, sad, resigned, confused. And cursing, always cursing. He spoke of the oddity of seeing the doctor pull up his brain on an iPad and show him the troublesome white region that represented the tumor. Perhaps most amusing in his recounting were the twists and turns associated with the timing of the surgery. First, the doctor was going to just watch the tumor. That left Alexie in a state of high anxiety that he fought by planning family trips. Impulsively, he spent some $12,000, only to have the surgery quickly moved up, which meant the hassle of seeking refunds while contemplating his mortality. After hearing the news about his condition, which began with hearing loss, Alexie had tried out various cliches, such as live for the moment. However, upon finding out that the surgery was imminent, he declared, Live for the moment. That is bullshit. Waiting is what is beautiful. The night before the surgery, consumed with worry, Alexie decided that he should write poems to his beloveds, of whom he has 17. (Count up yours, he recommended.) Wanting to go fast, he says that he wrote 17 death haikus. Other amazing moments followed on in this rambling talk, including the atheist Alexie praying with his surgeon, his being given a drug to relax him that made me feel like a white man, and being lucky enough to have a hip nurse who was also a fan. There are no straight lines, pun intended, in an Alexie narrative, and so the tale of the meningioma ranged everywhere, from the racist Atlanta Braves to a forest fire on his reservation that was approaching an old uranium mine ("There is no genocide emoji yet) to the poem his son wrote in the second grade (The Dark Cloud of Knowing). With that lineup, as one might imagine, came every range of emotion. Most memorable was his search, post-surgery, for his old self. He asked the hip nurse over and over again if he was the same, saying, I don't know if I am pretending. I don't know if I am better or worse. It is amazing. It is like a reset. The beauty of how he got through this harrowing ordeal and indeed how he gets through every day? As he says, If youre going to be a writer, you cant be afraid to say anything. Posted by Mark Williams | April 7, 2016 The biggest debut of the 2016 New York International Auto Show, regardless of what any car guy might say, was the introduction of Nissans all-new half-ton 2017 Titan. We thought you might want to see Nissans full press release about the debut as well as more detailed photos of the pickup truck. Well know more about the truck when we get a chance to drive it later this fall. And just in case you want to see the winners and losers from the New York show, click here. Heres Nissan's press release: NEW YORK (March 24, 2016) Today at the 2016 New York International Auto Show, Nissan officially unveiled the standard bearer of its family of TITAN pickups the 2017 TITAN Crew Cab, powered by Nissan's 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 gasoline engine. With the all-new flagship XD model of Nissan's reimagined TITAN family of pickups already in dealer lots, this volume model, half-ton TITAN will go on sale in the late summer of 2016. TITAN will initially launch as a Crew Cab model with Single and King Cab variants planned for later in the model year. "TITAN shares its aggressive style with the TITAN XD, but the two vehicles are completely different underneath the skin," said Fred Diaz, Division Vice President and General Manager, North America Trucks and Light Commercial Vehicles, Nissan North America, Inc. "TITAN will compete in the heart of the full-size pickup segment the half-ton while the TITAN XD provides a unique solution for customers by bridging the cost and capability gap between traditional half-ton and full heavy-duty pickups. Between TITAN and TITAN XD, we will cover about 85 percent of the full-size truck market. TITAN is built on a separate chassis from TITAN XD, and is approximately 228.1 inches long (14.7 inches less than XD) and 79.5 inches wide (same as XD), with the cab size shared between the two vehicles. "We've said before that even the lug nuts are different from TITAN to TITAN XD," added Diaz. What's important is that these two trucks are serving a completely different type of customer. As the head of Nissan's light commercial vehicle program in the U.S, Im thrilled to be getting this truck into the lineup as an option for fleets as well as for the personal use buyer." TITAN will be available in 4x2 or 4x4 drive configurations and three bed lengths 5.5, 6.5 and 8 feet. Similar to TITAN XD, TITAN will be available in five trim levels S, SV, PRO-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve. The TITAN will be powered by Nissan's 5.6-liter Endurance V8 gasoline engine, producing 390 horsepower. This engine, which will also be featured in the TITAN XD V8 Gas and the all-new 2017 Armada, will be mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. A V-6 gasoline engine will also be available (details to be announced at a later date). The Nissan TITAN will be assembled in Canton, Mississippi, with the 5.6-liter V8 gasoline assembled in Decherd, Tennessee. The truck goes on sale in summer 2016, and pricing will be available closer to its on-sale date. For more information on the 2016 Nissan TITAN XD and 2017 TITAN, including photography, please visit www.NissanNews.com. Cars.com photos by Angela Conners The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Regional History Fair set for April 16 by Andrea Hahn CARBONDALE, Ill. -- High school and junior high school students from all over the Southern Illinois region will visit Southern Illinois University Carbondale to consider Exploration, Encounter and Change in History. Thats the theme for the Southern Illinois Regional History Fair, set for April 16 at the Student Center. This year, participation is bigger than last years -- and last years was one of the biggest yet. The Southern Region includes the area of Illinois south of a line roughly from Madison and Bond counties across to Lawrence and Richland counties. Jonathan Wiesen, professor of history at SIU and Southern Region coordinator for the Illinois History Fair, said he expects nearly 400 students and more than 300 student-created displays, websites, papers and performances. Media Advisory Members of the media, including photographers, camera crews and reporters, are welcome to cover the Southern Illinois Regional History Fair on April 16. Contact Jonathan Wiesen for participating schools in your target area. He may be reached at jwiesen@siu.edu or at 618/453-7873. As usual we have a significant number of students hoping to compete at National History Day, Wiesen said, explaining that top projects at the Southern Regional are eligible for competition at Illinois History Day on May 5 in Springfield. Students also have opportunities to win scholarships and cash awards. Top entries at Springfield are eligible to compete nationally at the National History Day Contest, held June 12-16 in Washington, D.C. SIU history students contribute to judging the events, giving them a chance to see what topics motivate high school and junior high school students, and how these students approach and grasp the material they use. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Performances of historical scenes begin at 10 a.m. The exhibit hall is open to the public beginning at 1 p.m. The awards ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m. with special guests, Meera Komarraju, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and Peter Harbison from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Morris Library now home to Peter London papers by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A reception and symposium will introduce to the region the Peter London papers, a new collection within Morris Librarys Special Collections Research Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The events, which are free and open to the public, are set for April 14 and 15. They will highlight the personal and professional papers of artist and art educator Peter London, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He donated his papers, which will complement SIUs extensive philosophy holdings, to SIU in 2015. The April events, with London in attendance, will mark the opening of the collection to library visitors. The reception will be at 4 p.m. on April 14 in the third floor rotunda of Morris Library, and London will present the keynote address. Also speaking will be Josh Shearer, vice president of the Southern Illinois Art Education Association, and Pam Hackbart-Dean, director of the Special Collections Research Center. The art education symposium is from 9 a.m. to noon on April 15 in the same location. Speakers will include Barbara Bickel, associate professor of art education at SIU; Thomas Alexander, co-director of the Center for Dewey Studies: Jon Davey, SIU architecture professor; Aaron Darrisaw, a doctoral philosophy student who is working as a London Project graduate assistant with funding provided by London; and Patricia Rain McNichols, president of the Spiritual in Art Education Caucus of the National Art Education Association. London is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Art Education Association, the author of several books about art as a spiritual practice and holistic pedagogy, and an artist with works found in many public and private collections throughout the world. His collection now housed at SIU documents the philosophy of education and art and gives researchers insight into the use of art as a socially and personally transformative aesthetic process, according to Hackbart-Dean. She said through his collection, London also demonstrates the connection between the creation of art and the creation of an elevated life -- how one informs and enhances the other. The universitys SCRC is home to numerous art, philosophy and education resources, featuring the works of education philosopher John Dewey, architect and designer R. Buckminster Fuller, and a host of others. The collections are available for research use. The selection of Rent as the spring musical production of the student-run Ram's Head Theatrical Society is a testament to the continued relevance of the themes of complicated romantic relationships, nontraditional lifestyles, artistic drive and deadly illness. (Photo: L.A. Cicero) Ram's Head Theatrical Society at Stanford presents Rent still relevant, still rocking The student-run company utilizes new staging strategies in Memorial Auditorium. Students talk about the relevance of 'Rent' today. (Video: Kurt Hickman) When today's Stanford students were coming into the world, speaking their first words and taking their first steps, Rent was being born on Broadway. Rent, Jonathan Larson's 1996 rock musical about struggling artists in New York City, a contemporary haven for alternative lifestyles, captured the zeitgeist of the end of the 20th century in America. Rent also captured four Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama, making it a pop culture phenomenon and an instant classic just like its inspiration, Giacomo Puccini's popular opera La boheme about artists in 19th-century Paris that debuted 100 years earlier. Ram's Head Theatrical Society at Stanford presents five performances of Rent, April 8-9 and 14-16 at 8 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium. Seating is unreserved and advance ticket prices are $10 for Stanford students, $15 for faculty and staff, and $20 for the general public. Tickets are an additional $2 at the door the day of the performance. The selection of Rent as the spring production is a testament to the continued relevance of complicated romantic relationships, nontraditional lifestyles, artistic drive and deadly illness. These themes struck a chord in 1896 with La boheme, in 1996 with the original Rent and now 20 years later on the Stanford campus. Then and now Set in New York City's East Village, Rent follows a year in the life of a group of poor young artists and musicians who are struggling with relationships, identity and the specter of AIDS. The first performances were at the New York Theatre Workshop, where the main stage seats less than 200. Ram's Head Rent producer Emily Ashton wanted to recreate the immediacy of a small theater in grand Memorial Auditorium, which seats 1,700. One way to do that is to push scenes to the very edge of the stage with automated platforms equipped with motors that enable them to be driven across the stage in a linear motion and to rotate. L.A. Cicero The stage scaffolding moves and changes orientation to create new spaces that change the look and feel of the scenes. Ashton said, "As the platforms move throughout the show, the immense Memorial Auditorium stage shrinks before the audience's eyes to create a close relationship between the characters and the audience." In the more intimate scenes, scaffolding moves forward and changes orientation to create new spaces. James Sherwood, the production manager, said the movement drastically changes the look and feel of the scenes, establishing different intimate locations. He praises the flexibility of the platforms. "What they allow us to do is to really condense down the vast cavernous space that is Memorial Auditorium into as intimate a space as possible, allowing the actors to play as close to the audience as possible," Sherwood said. Ashton acknowledges that there is more than one way to define the characters in Rent, which when it opened in New York showcased a mix of human traits that were rarely portrayed on stage and came to define a generation of musical theater. "We are emphasizing a range of diversity, including diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, body type and the intersection of those identities," she said. Reflecting on Rent, then and now, she added, "While Rent focuses on some issues specifically relevant to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, many of the issues portrayed in the musical, such as racial and sexual discrimination, and love and relationships, are more relevant than ever to young people today, specifically with the current state of politics and political activism both on campus and in the country as a whole." Heights of bravery Another way Ram's Head brings the actors and audience close together is by eliminating the orchestra pit that is often in front of the stage. The five-piece band that provides the live score in Memorial Auditorium is perched on the sides of the stage in the set scaffolding for the duration of the production. Recruiting for this component of the company required the producer and music director to include "must not be afraid of heights" in the audition packet. L.A. Cicero Band members providing the live score are perched in the set scaffolding; the audition packet warned "must not be afraid of heights." Because the band members are physically separated from each other, each musician wears headphones with a dedicated sound mix crafted just for them, and has a small video feed of the music director. Though often utilized in professional musical theater, these technical components are new to Ram's Head. The five-member band includes Rent's music director, Makulumy Alexander-Hills, on keyboards. Alexander-Hills, a senior double-majoring in music and Earth systems, is a theater veteran, having been involved with numerous Stanford productions over the last four years. He also has worked with the local professional company TheatreWorks and interned with American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2014. Alexander-Hills said, "This production is certainly the most complex show that I have worked on at Stanford, which seems appropriate since it is my last Ram's Head musical." He explained he is using an elaborate keyboard setup that uses a single computer to program three keyboards live during the show. "Getting the band set up in the scaffolding towers with all the sound cables, headphone mixes and video feeds took us about six hours. By contrast, setting up the entire 21-piece orchestra for Les Miserables, the Ram's Head spring show in 2014, took just over two hours. It is exciting, though, because this is the way professional musical theater operates," Alexander-Hills said. "It has been a great experience for me before moving to New York City this summer to start my career." As a last hurrah, the Ram's Head cast of Rent will reprise their roles on April 24 at TedxStanford: The Human Race, where they will close the conference with the song "Seasons of Love" from the opening of the second act. UF alum headed to England after receiving Gates Cambridge Scholarship For University of Florida alum Yevgen Sautin, near-misses have proved the best teacher. Sautin, 25, was a finalist for the coveted Truman Scholarship his junior year at UF and a Rhodes Scholar nominee his senior year, but he walked away from both contests empty-handed. And then in 2012, he graduated from UF with a triple degree in history, economics and political science. He earned a masters degree in international relations from the University of Chicago followed by a stint at National Taiwan University as a Boren Fellow. Now, Sautin, who works for the U.S. Bank in Washington, D.C., as a strategic risk analyst, is the recipient of a prestigious 2016 Gates Cambridge Scholarship. The prize was bestowed this year to only 35 applicants from a pool of more than 800. Awarded for superior academic excellence, leadership potential and commitment to improving the lives of others, it will take Sautin to Cambridge, where he will spend three years working toward a Ph.D. in modern Chinese history. None of his success would be possible, Sautin reflected, without the foundation he received at UF, particularly in the UF Honors Program. The University of Florida gave me tremendous opportunities, without which I would not be where I am today, he said. I was in a perfect environment to thrive and figure out what sort of subsequent career and academic path I wanted to take. Looking ahead, Sautin said he hopes to work in foreign policy development, but hes open to whatever comes next. When facing choices, you should go with whats most interesting, he said. Not the most prestigious, but what you enjoy doing. Nokia said in a press release on Wednesday that it is set to start collective negotiations, Xinhua news agency reported. The company employs about 6,700 workers in Finland by the end of 2015. According to the company, the layoffs mainly focus on those areas where there are overlaps, such as research and development, regional sales organisations, as well as corporate functions. Nokia did not disclose how many jobs will be slashed globally. The mass redundancies are designed to meet the objective of 900 million euros of operating cost synergies to be achieved in 2018 related to the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, said the company. Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, said Nokia made a commitment to deliver 900 million euros ($1.03 billion) in synergies when it announced the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. In January 2016, Nokia finalised the acquisition of his French- American rival Alcatel-Lucent. --Indo-Asian News Service pgh/ ( 173 Words) 2016-04-07-05:57:31 (IANS) Automotive major Tata Motors Ltd is training the staff of its car dealers to properly handle owners of private cars as the segment's dynamics are different from commercial cars' owners/drivers, a senior company official said on Thursday. "We are training personnel of our dealers in attending to the needs of private car owners or prospective buyers. A sizeable investment has gone into upgrading the infrastructure at the dealers' premises and service centres to handle our new models," Girish Wagh, senior vice president of programme planning and project management, told IANS. He was here to launch the company's new hatchback model 'Tiago', targeted at the personal user segment. Wagh agreed that a good number of Tata cars sold were in the taxi segment and the manner of handling the customers' needs in the segment was different compared with the personal user segment. He said the launch of 'Zest' and 'Bolt' models brought the company into focus vis-a-vis the personal user segment. Prior to this, the sales of petrol cars by the company was nil. Speaking about 'Tiago', he said the car is designed afresh and more models will be launched on the same platform. He said the company would launch two new models every year. However, Wagh declined to share targeted sales numbers for 'Tiago' though the mid-sized hatchback segment contributes nearly 40 percent of the total segment sales. He said many first-time car buyers are now going for models priced around Rs.400,000. The 'Tiago' petrol variants are priced from Rs.3.31 lakh to Rs.4.83 lakh while the diesel variants are priced in the range of Rs.4.06 lakh to Rs.5.64 lakh. According to the company's design head Pratap Bose, 'Tiago' has been designed anew from scratch and barring the steering wheel and the rear view mirrors there is not much in common between the new car and the company's earlier models. "Even the wheels are different. The petrol and diesel engines are new," Bose said. --Indo-Asian News Service vj/tsb/bg ( 340 Words) 2016-04-07-15:49:53 (IANS) New Delhi, Apr 7 (ANI-NewsVoir): Nationwide, the urban water tables are diminishing due to the increasing population and expansion of piped drinking water. While in rural India, the reduction in recharge areas is resulting in dry lakes and ponds. Bangalore's water woes are typical of those of many Indian cities. Water pollution caused by industries has significantly impacted the environmental resources of the city. Karnataka, which is one of the top five industrialized states, generates about 6 lakh kilolitres of effluent and liquid wastes every day. Due to the high consumption of water in the city, Bangaloreans are being compelled to drill new bore wells or buy water from private suppliers. The increase in the number of bore wells and the decline of groundwater levels have resulted in bore wells sinking to the depths of 1,000 feet in several areas. The results of the Public Health Institute, and the Department of Mines and Geology of the Karnataka government reveal that 52 per cent of the bore well water, and 59 per cent of tap water in Bangalore, is not safe for drinking and contains 8.4 per cent and 19 per cent E.coli bacteria respectively. Almost all the lakes in the city are littered and worse than sewage tanks. The indiscriminate industrial discharge and sewage seeping into underground water pose severe health threats to people in the city. However, the slowly progressing Rain Water Harvesting scheme is gradually improving the situation. To help this, within the last eight months, Sayfix has helped more than a hundred customers in Bangalore install RWH systems in their homes. Sayfix among other hyper local services in Bangalore is constantly striving towards delivering services that make the need for sustainable solutions a reality in today's world. In comparison to other NGO's, startups and self-financed organizations today, Sayfix has made it evident that there is a lot one can do to protect the environment. As a part of its offerings Sayfix addresses water related woes in the city through their business model. The category not only focuses on settling the issues individually but also concentrates on making Bangalore an eco-city as a part of their water conservation initiative. Sayfix concentrates on implementable solutions like rainwater harvesting, water reuse and water portability. In a city where large stretches of lakes are contaminated by littering and sewage, Sayfix ensures the safety of drinking water with their certified tests and services. It is unimaginable to have contaminated and unclean water at our homes. The polluting of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) with sewage water can spread contagious diseases that could be fatal as well. For instance, pregnant women consuming contaminated water increases the chances of fetal death and complications in pregnancy. Commenting on this, Nabin Roy - Founder and CEO of Sayfix, said, "Our Sayfix water tank cleaning teams have helped customers in emergency situations several times. Last year during the monsoon season, residents of C.V. Raman Nagar and Vignan Nagar faced severe issues of contaminated water. To tackle this, we deployed 15 teams over three days to clean and disinfect water tanks in more than 100 homes in these areas." Sayfix, as an organization is looking to help solve this problem by actively extending to its consumers services that would help aide the situation. As a part of the organization's 'Go Green' initiative and the 'Do More' campaign, Sayfix urges its consumers to help fight the water crisis in the city by providing water related services to more than 12,000 of consumers. In today's world of a lack of time and energy calling in a professional from a hyper-local service like Sayfix can make our lives more efficient and convenient. Chennai had severe water crisis till 2001. Chennai city faced severe water scarcity during the year 2001 and that acted as a major stimulus for rainwater harvesting. A special campaign was launched as a people's movement during July 2001 to popularize rainwater harvesting by the institutions as well as individual households. Simultaneously steps were also taken to provide rainwater harvesting in public buildings. Govt of Tamilnadu made Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) mandatory for all the houses in the year 2003. This initiative brought visible change in the water bed level in Chennai. According to V Balasubramanian, the former Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka and Chairman, Centre for Policies and Practices, the Government of Karnataka will have to evacuate half of Bangalore in the next ten years, due to water scarcity, contamination of water and diseases. The first order of any organization or startup is to recognize the problems or the issue that need to be solved. There are just a handful of organizations/ startups that operate to tackle the key environmental issues. For a better and greener tomorrow some of these startups have taken an oath to contribute for the environment and well-being of the society. While these are on the government and NGOs priority list, they are limited by time and capabilities to address each of these needs and resolve them. Here is where organizations such as Sayfix are working towards redressal of resident grievances in tandem with government policies, ensuring the services address the needs of the community at an individual level. (ANI-NewsVoir) In the first visit by an Indian minister to Iran since sanctions against it were lifted earlier this year, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be in the country for two days, to be followed by a visit to the UAE on April 11-12, an official statement said on Thursday. "Pradhan will meet the Iranian minister of petroleum, the senior adviser to president of Iran on free trade zones and governor of Central Bank of Iran, in Tehran. He would also be addressing the Tehran Chamber of Commerce," said a petroleum ministry statement. "He will be visiting Chabahar free trade zone to interact with FTZ authorities. The last visit by an Indian minister of petroleum and natural gas to Iran was in April 2007," it said. "The trade relations have traditionally been buoyed by Indian import of Iranian crude oil," it added. The ministry also said Indis-Iran trade during fiscal 2014-15 was worth $13.13 billion. In that fiscal, India imported $8.95 billion worth of goods, mainly crude oil and exported commodities worth $4.17 billion. India is also seeking rights to develop the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf that was discovered by India's ONGC Videsh Ltd. Pradhan's visit to the United Arab Emirates is a follow up of the February India visit of Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Energy Minister Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei. Pradhan will meet Al Mazrouei, besides meeting with the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the statement said. "During his stay in Dubai, Pradhan will meet Emirati businessmen, inaugurate the India Pavilion at the Annual Investment Meet-2016 and visit the Jabel Ali Free Zone Authority," it added. UAE contributes in a major way to India's energy security, being the sixth largest supplier of crude oil. India is the second largest destination for UAE's oil exports. --Indo-Asian News Service bc/vd ( 330 Words) 2016-04-07-19:49:31 (IANS) The event took place on Wednesday. Middleton's dress featured a sheer panel down the front of her chest. She looked beautiful as she sported matching eyeshadow while letting her wavy hair loose. She completed her style with a pair of sapphire earrings, a silver ring and blue pointed heels, reports aceshowbiz.com. She was accompanied by her husband Prince William as the two greeted guests before their visits to India and Bhutan next week. The event was attended by India's High Commissioner to Britain Navtej Sarna as well as members of the business, charity and academic sectors. The couple also spoke to students enrolled on the FCO's Chevening Scholarship Programme and Burberry model Neelam Gill, whose family is originally from the Punjab. "It is a chance for Their Royal Highnesses to learn more about India and Bhutan's people, history, current affairs and culture ahead of their forthcoming tour to the two countries," a spokesman said. The couple's trip will also include a visit to Dubai, Kaziranga National Park and the Taj Mahal. --Indo-Asian News Service sas/rb/vm ( 223 Words) 2016-04-07-12:51:46 (IANS) Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are set for their maiden visit to India on April 10, and Indian designers are hoping that they add an Indian element to their classy dressing style. Whether it is about using any indigenous crafts of India, choosing traditional saris or even dresses in Indian weaves, designers would like to see the uber stylish Duchess of Cambridge in something close to the country's heritage. In fact, she seemed to have made quite a 'diplomatically' impressive decision when she chose to wear an India-born designer's creation when she had to welcome Indian and Bhutanese expats who live, work and study in Britain to Kensington Palace in London. Hopefully, she flaunts more Indian creations when she's in the country. As for Prince William, Indian designers feel he would carry off a tussar tuxedo or a Nehru jacket with panache. Ace designer Ritu Beri, who was among the first Indians to storm the catwalks of Paris over two decades ago, feels the good looking couple that they are, "she'd love to give them a modern flavour with an Indian touch" in clothes. "I would definitely dress up Kate in a bright colour but without embroidery. To Prince William, I would give a Nehru jacket, Beri told IANS. Rahul Mishra, another name in the Indian fashion Industry who is doing wonders globally and is a regular on the Paris runway, wants to pick some pieces from his recent showcasing in Paris for Kate Middleton. I would like to dress the Duchess of Cambridge in beautiful bandhini in the form of western deconstructed kurta kind of look from my recent Paris show," Mishra told IANS, adding that the idea behind choosing bandhini is because she is coming to India and it's a very Indian craft". Mishra considers Kate "a breath of fresh air as a style icon". Designer Samant Chauhan, who works extensively with Bhagalpuri silk in his creations, would like the royal couple to add some silk to their wardrobe in India. I would suggest Kate Middleton a Bhagalpuri silk sari with nice jacket style blouse as I feel she is very classy and her personality oozes elegance. For Prince William, a tuxedo in tussar silk fabric in dark brown shade with plain white shirt and nice pocket square will work really well, Chauhan told IANS. A long and slim skirt in an ivory or cream with tone on tone hand embroidery can also look great on Kate, says designer Payal Jain. "This could be highlighted with precious detailing like pearls and shells. It will be subtle and delicate. It can be teamed with a structured silk jacket, just covering the waist. The neck could be diving to allow for a simple pearl strand but, devoid of any embroidery," she told IANS. For Prince William, a taste of the local culture would be appropriate, Jain said, adding: "I would dress him in a black cashmere herringbone bandhgala suit. The fabric itself is exquisite and rich and does not need any embellishment. The lining could be vibrant, inspired by the age-old pashmina shawls of India." After flying to Mumbai on April 10, the royal couple will travel to New Delhi on April 11. They will be in Assam on April 12 and 13 to visit the Kaziranga National Park and pay tribute to the rural traditions of the communities who live around the park. The royal couple will travel on April 14 to the neighbouring Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and return on April 16 to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal, a Unesco World Heritage monument, at the conclusion of their two-nation tour. (Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ias.in) --Indo-Asian News Service nv/rb/bg ( 634 Words) 2016-04-07-18:07:31 (IANS) Born in the 1920 as Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, the musician was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. The doodle shows an upright sitar in the middle of green creeper forming the word 'Google.' When the viewer clicks on the doodle he is re-directed to the Wikipedia page of the musician. Pandit Shankar spent his youth touring India and Europe with the dance group of his brother Uday Shankar. He gave up dancing and started learning sitar playing under the guidance of court musician Allauddin Khan. His relation with Beatles guitarist George Harrison aided the spread of Indian music in abroad, leading to the raga rock trend. He died on December 11, 2012, in San Diego, California, after undergoing heart valve replacement surgery. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh police has claimed that NIA official Tanzeem Ahmad was shot dead last week over a "personal animosity arising out of a property dispute". A senior police official told IANS that while the matter is still being probed, they have zeroed in on the personal angle as the motive behind the high-profile murder. Of the two people police have detained, one is a former student of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) while the other is a sharp shooter and a contract killer. Sources said Tanzeel Ahmad was killed owing to a dispute over a shop in New Delhi. "A villager of Tanzeem's native place had given the contract to kill him," the sources added while pointing out that the former AMU student Muneer is from Bijnor. The Pulsar bike, allegedly used by the assasins during the killing has also been recovered from Bareilly. Senior official Deepak Ratan, who is in-charge IG of Law and Order however said that "there were some crucial leads based on which the line of action is being decided." He also added that for now all angles were being explored. The NIA official was shot 21 times when he was driving back home from a family wedding in Bijnor on Sunday. While he died on the spot, his two children survived the attack and his wife, who sustained four gun shot wounds, is admitted to a Noida hospital, where her condition continues to be critical. Initially, it was believed that the killing had a terror angle as Tanzeem Ahmad was involved in some sensitive cases, incuding the Pathankot terror attack probe. --Indo-Asian News Service md/ksk ( 281 Words) 2016-04-07-09:15:31 (IANS) Days after Reserve Bank ofIndia (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan had announcedthat it was not proper to make the names of alldefaulters public, All India Bank EmployeesAssociation (AIBEA) has appealed to him tothink about declaring it. Mr Rajan announced in Mumbai on April fivethat 'making public the names of all defaulterswould hurt the risk-taking ability of entrepreneurs'. 'We are unable to reconcile ourselves to the viewthat publication of the names of the defaulterswould defame them or result in loss of their business, Mr Venkatachalam said in a letterto Mr Rajan, a copy of which was mailed to UNI. He said in the case of education loan, jewelloan, tractor loan, no such considerations arebeing shown for the common man who takes such a loan. Even for credit car loan repaymentdefault, the people are being harassed. The top Union leader reminded in his letterthat recently, a borrower of tractor loan in Tamil Nadu was beaten by police and a new generation private bank was involved in this. ''But only when it comes to industrialists, allsoft options are being advocated, he criticisedand said in fact they only need to be namedand shamed.''MORE UNI CS JM0956 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-671630.Xml Two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were killed by security forces in a fierce encounter in south Kashmir district of Shopian, an official said today. A total four militants, including the above two, have been killed by security forces in three different encounters in the Kashmir valley during the past two days. Defence ministry spokesman Colonel N N Joshi told UNI that security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint operation in Shopian in south Kashmir late last night following a tip-off about the presence of militants. When the security forces sealed the particular area, militants opened fire with automatic weapons. Troops also retaliated and in the night long operation two HM militants were killed. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered, he said, adding that the operation has ended. However, search in the area was being conducted to make sure that there is no explosive left in the area. He said operation in Dardpora Lolab in the frontier district of Kupwara was going on while the operation at Gadoora in Pulwama had ended. One militant each was killed at Dardpora and Gadoora yesterday.UNI BAS RSA 0830 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671570.Xml A total of four militants, including a Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and three HM militants, were killed by security forces in three different encounters in the Kashmir valley during the past two days. Defence ministry spokesman Colonel N N Joshi told UNI that Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a swift joint operation at village Vihil in south Kashmir district of Shopian in the wee hours following a tip-off about the presence of militants. He said when the security forces were moving towards the particular house, militants, hiding inside, opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons. Security forces also retaliated and in the encounter two militants were killed. The operation is over, it was a brief encounter, Col Joshi said. The slain militants were identified as Waseem Malla, resident of Pehlipora Shopian, and Naseer Ahmad Pandit of Karimabad, Pulwama. Pandit of 11 Batallion of J&K Armed police was posted as guard at the residence of then minister Altaf Ahmad Bukhari in Srinagar when he decamped with two AK rifles and two magazines on March 29, 2015. He later joined HM commander Burhan group and was active in south Kashmir. Col Joshi said encounter at Dardpora, Pulwama has also ended while search operation at Dardpora, Lolab, in the frontier district of Kupwara was going on. He said one LeT militant was killed in Kupwara while a HM militant at Pulwama. Operations at both the places were launched on April 5 evening following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there.UNI BAS RSA 0932 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671598.Xml Life was affected today in Shopian and Pulwama districts in south Kashmir where three local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were killed in two different encounters with security forces during the past two days. However, situation in Anantnag and Kulgam in the south Kashmir was normal. Shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off roads in Shopian and Pulwama districts though there was no strike call from any separatist organisations. However, traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, also passing through parts of Pulwama district, was plying as additional security forces had been deployed alongwith Road Opening Party (ROP) at Pampore, Awantipora and other areas to prevent any stone pelting on vehicles. Work in government offices and banks was affected. The educational institutions wore a deserted look in both the district as students stayed away. Additional security forces and State police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas in both the district to prevent any demonstration. A local militant of HM was killed in an encounter at Gadoora in Pulwama on April 5 evening while two militants of the same outfit were killed in Shopian in the wee hours today. UNI BAS RSA 1037 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671645.Xml Dr Samoon said that a number of languages are being spoken in Kashmir, but Urdu is a common link among all of them. The Director, Education, Kashmir said the Department was working towards appointing subject based teachers that will increase the quality of Urdu teaching in schools. He also said the department will install all boards in dual languages. Similarly officials from various districts said signboards are being gradually replaced with Urdu and the official notepads will also contain the heading in Urdu in addition to English. The representative of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) said their webpage was already in Urdu and B Ed course is being taught in Urdu at the University. The Divisional Commissioner also ordered all Deputy Commissioners to submit an Action Taken Report including the steps taken for the promotion of Urdu languages in their respective districts.UNI BAS RSA -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671716.Xml Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar has saidthat the state is safe and there is no need to panic. Speaking to reporters last night, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said,''Goa, which is known all over the world, is always a safe place. Tourists keep coming here. So I do not think there is need to panic. For the security of tourists, we have GoaPolice, Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and home guards. They aredeployed every where -- whether temple or church. We have deployedenough police personnel for the security of tourists. Forces havebeen deployed at bus stands, railway stations and airport also.There is no need to be anxious. Goa is always safe and the Goagovernment takes care of tourists who visit the state.'' Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sunil Garg said,''There wasinformation about a car which might be located anywhere in thecountry, including in Maharashtra and Goa. For the last two to threedays, personnel of Goa State Police and Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS)are on the hectic job. However, no such kind of vehicle has been foundin the state. Therefore, there is no need to panic. Goa issafe and secure.'' An alert was sounded in Punjab following an input by Special Cellof Delhi police that terrorists from Pakistan with explosives mayenter the state to target Delhi, Mumbai and Goa.UNI AKM NV RSA 1153 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-671727.Xml Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President A Namasivayam today greeted the people, particularly the Telugu speaking people on the occasion of Ugadi tomorrow. In a statement here, Mr.Namasivayam said people speaking different languages are living in India which is an example for unity in diversity and used to celebrate their language related new year. As such the Telugu speaking people are celebrating Ugadi. On the occasion, Mr.Namasivayam wished them all happiness and prosperity in their lives.UNI PAB CS 1156 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-671760.Xml People, mostly youths, took to streets after defying restriction at Karimabad, Pulwama, raising ''pro freedom'' slogans. The demonstrators later hijacked a police vehicle and set it on fire at a deserted place. One of the two militants, Naseer Ahmad Pandit, killed was a resident of Karimabad. Pandit had decamped with two AK rifles in March last year when he was posted as Special Police Office (SPO) at the residence of then minister Altaf Bukhari in Srinagar. Official sources said situation was tense in the area though additional security forces have already been deployed to maintain law and order.UNI BAS RSA 1243 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671807.Xml Hundreds of volunteers of the Hindu JanjagrutiSamiti have undertaken a massive signature campaign throughout thedistrict seeking permission to perform pooja on the auspiciousoccasion of Ramnavami at Ram Janma Bhoomi. The Samiti has prepared a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking this special permission to perform pooja at the site. The memorandum which is being signed by thousands ofvolunteers who want the Prime Minister to undertake the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodya. The volunteers, mostly women, for past few weeks have been busy convincing citizens and have selected the afternoon time so that women folk are convinced and put their signatures on the memorandum copies. The women folk, unmindful of the scorching sun, move from building to building to convince the citizens and say that this was onemore effort to get their wishes fulfilled. They say that there wasa lot of politics behind the construction of the temple and as of nownow the idol of Shree Ram was wrapped up in white cloth and kept atthe site. ''We just want only permission to perform pooja,'' they urged intheir memorandum. The memorandum also points out that there were several metaldetectors installed around the place where the idol of Shree Ram ispresently kept. The samiti has sought permission to carry pooja materialand prasad near the place of idol. Presently, the memorandum points out, the the idol of Shri Ram iskept covered with a white cloth, which is a insult to the Lord. As aresult of which no pooja can be performed of the deity. To avoidthis, they have urged the construction of a temporary temple at thesite. In a related development, the Parshuram Sena which has been activefor several years, has once reiterated its demand that Lord Ram be freed of confinement and the government without any delay, allow pooja. National President of the Sena Om Prakash Sharma told reportersthat celebration of the Ram Navami should be carried out including the place where the Sri Ram temple is located. UNI XR NV RSA 1208 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-671736.Xml The Sainik School Imphal Alumni Association (SSIAA) has urged the government to stop harassing a senior army officer as a fallout of the tussle in the top brass. The association has stated that Brig LI Singh of 13th Battalion Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) is the first Army officer among the alumni of the Imphal Sainik School to reach the rank of Brigadier and based on his clean track record he was appointed as the DDG, DV Branch at the Army Headquarters, New Delhi after his tenure as the Commander of the Watershed Brigade in Sikkim. Now, he has become a sacrificial lamb of an enduring conflict between top army generals, as reported in the media.N Ibungochoubi, president of the association, speaking to the media here today expressed concern over the prolonged case of Brig LI Singh who is an alumni of the school. The former students of the Sainik School have stated that the prolonged case has deprived the officer his dues of picking of the next rank and services in the Indian Army.The SSIAA has stated that the highest authority of the country should immediately intervene to restore the honour and the dignity to Brig LI Singh. For excellent, commendable performance and exemplary leadership while commanding his battalion in Drass, Brig LI Singh was awarded Yudh Sewa Medal after Operation Parakram.It was added that the former students of this prestigious institution feel that the case of Brig LI Singh is a serious matter and must also be the concern of the entire population of Manipur. The Alumni of the School will be making representations to the President, who is the Supreme Commander of Defence and the Prime Minister to intervene. For thousands of Alumni and many serving officers in the uniformed services, Brig LI Singh is a source of inspiration to serve the great nation the President of SSIAA representing former students of Sainik School from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and many parts of the country stated.The Association president also stated that Brig LI Singh continues to motivate thousands of youths in the region to join the uniformed services. "His case being highlighted in the national media and being discussed, the Alumni Association categorically stated that the highest authorities concerned of this great nation should not remain silent and be a mute spectator. The great institutions must prove the veracity of their existence," he stated. UNI NS AD RSA SB1330 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-671809.Xml Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an inquiry into incidents that took place in National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar, where Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) remained deployed on the campus since April 5 evening after police allegedly beat up non-local students who were protesting and trying to hit the main road. Jammu and Kashmir police has released a video showing how the students damaged the NIT property and clashed with police personnel, deployed there on April 5. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who represents BJP in the coalition government with the PDP in the state, today visited the NIT and met students and faculty members. Dr Singh told reporters that an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the entire incident at the NIT. He said the inquiry will be completed within 15 days and anybody found guilty will be punished as per law of the land. More UNI BAS RSA 1342 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-671845.Xml The DMK today clinched the seatsharing deal with dalit outfit Puthiya Tamizhagam byallotting four seats for the May 16 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. A deal was reached between after a meeting between DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi and Puthiya Tamizhagam'sfounder-president Dr K Krishnasamy. DMK Treasurer M K Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi were also present on the occasion. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Krishnaswamy, said 'We will identify the four constituencies tomorrowafter meeting his party workers''. Mr Stalin said, 'Within a day or two, we will announce the seats identified to all the alliance parties. There are also chances of few others joining our combine'. DMK had earlier allotted 41 seats to its key ally Congress, five each for Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK)and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a traditional partner of the DMK and three seats to three smaller parties.UNI GV 1450 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672004.Xml Police said motorcycle-borne assailants pumped four bullets into the cement trader, Rajesh Purve, when he was on way to open his shop. He was immediately rushed to Sadar hospital where doctor referred him to Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH) in adjoining Muzaffarpur for better treatment. Police have launched a manhunt to nab the assailants.UNI XC DH AD AE CS1440 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-671935.Xml The Supreme Court today asked businessman Vijay Mallya to deposit a "substantial amount" of money against the outstanding bank loan and also disclose all assets held by him and family members. The directives came from a division bench, headed by Justice Kurian Joseph and also comprising Justice Rohinton F Nariman, during the hearing after the court was informed that the consortium of Indian banks -- led by the State Bank of India (SBI) --had rejected the liquor baron's offer of repaying Rs 4,000 crore against loans for his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. After hearing from senior lawyer Shyam Divan, representing the banks, the bench asked Mr Mallya to deposit a "substantial amount" of money with the banks to enable both the parties for going ahead with a reasonable negotiation. "The respondent (Mallya) has to show his bona-fide for a meaningful solution and for any meaningful negotiation, deposits are necessary," the division bench said in its order. Mr Divan also told the Apex Court that Mr Mallya had made the banks a revised offer yesterday but that was not still acceptable to them. He did not give all details of the revised offer made by Mr Mallya, but said the banks would need a "substantial amount" to be deposited for a dialogue to begin. The banks, led by SBI, have also demanded that Mr Mallya be personally present at the next hearing. The Supreme Court also asked Mr Mallya to reply to the banks' demand by April 21 as to whether he could appear in person in court or not and fixed April 26 as the next date of hearing in the case. It directed Mr Mallya to disclose all his assets -- tangible, intangible, movable, immovable, bonds, shareholders and others if any -- held by his wife and children and others and also indicate the date when he could appear in person. Eds: pick up suitably from earlier series.UNI XC RSA SS RP1513 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0089-672017.Xml Uttarakhand High Court today gave time till April 12 to the Centre to file its reply to the petition of ousted chief minister Harish Rawat, challenging President's rule and the budget ordinance promulgated by the Narendra Modi government in the hill state. A bench, comprising Chief Justice KM Josef and VK Bisht, gave the Centre time till April 12 after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi sought two weeks to file a reply. Mr Rawat's advocate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, strongly objected to Mr Rohatgi's request, expressing apprehension that the Centre could try to force a BJP government on the state, if more time is granted. The bench, after a four hour hearing, asked the Centre to maintain the status quo. After issuing these directions, the court continued hearing on other aspects of the case Observers have, meanwhile, expressed apprehension of ''horse trading'' of MLAs by both Congress and BJP to stake claim to form the government. Both the parties have sent their MLAs away from the state to ''safer places''. UNI XC-JN RJ RP1550 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-671975.Xml Rapid increase in pollution levels, long work hours and stressedwork-life balance have opened up a whole new market for health andfitness products. With chart topping demand numbers for air purifiers and fitnessbands, Delhi has been identified as India's most health consciouscity followed by Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Indians are proactively taking preventive measures in theireveryday lives to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Forexample: Fitness bands are most popular between the age group of20-35 years. Air purifiers are a big hit amongst 35-50 year olds,according to the study. In the last six months, there has been a huge spike in theaverage daily sales of health and fitness products. A studyconducted by Flipkart has pointed out some insights on what thehealth conscious cities in India are purchasing: Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai are the most health conscious citiesin India. Air purifiers, advanced water purifiers, air fryers,fitness bands, glucometer, BP monitor and weighing scales are themost popular products. Health and fitness category has witnessed a200 per cent growth in the last six months. High pollution levels have increased the risk of air and waterborne diseases in metro cities. Air and advanced water purifiers arethe top selling products in cities like Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbaiwith 1.7X growth. Kent, Eurekaforbes, Philips and Prestige are themost sought after brands for these products. Fitness bands have emerged as the must-have heath accessory forevery Indian. This is one of the fastest growing product segments onFlipkart with top selling products from brands like GoQii, Fitbit,Garmin, Moov, a Flipcart release said here today. Specialised health products like BP Monitors and Glucometers havewitnessed 1.5X growth. This range of products is extremely popularamongst 35-50 year olds. Omron, Accuchek, Dr. Morepen and Johnson &Johnson are the top selling brands. Weighing scales and juicers have also witnessed a significantrise in demand. Compact juicer sets are extremely popular amongstyoung Indians. Health Sense, Venus, Philips and Bajaj are the topbrands for these products.UNI RS KVV ADB1530 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672092.Xml The Congress Party on Thursday trained its guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre after the sensational leak of the Panama Papers, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government has ignored the investigations of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that alleges fraud holding of off-shore assets by Raman Singh's son. Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP-led Centre ignored the investigations of the ICIJ for last one year that alleges serious fraud holding of off-shore assets and money laundering in off-shore accounts through fictitious companies by Abhishek Singh, Member of Parliament from Rajanandgaon (Chhattisgarh), son of the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. "In response to the 'Panama Papers' investigated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the government has set up a Multi Group Agency to investigate the matter further. While, the structure, domain, reach and authority of this agency is unclear the announcement is disappointing and inadequate," the Congress leader said. "The Indian list of tax evaders who have invested their ill-gotten wealth in Panama are known friends, well-wishers and ambassadors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Global activity on the Panama Papers and public outcry has forced the NDA Government to act. But this is selective action as another investigation done by the ICIJ on Abhishek Singh," he added. "We demand that the role of Dr. Raman Singh and Abhishek Singh must be probed in a timely manner without any favour. The time to ignore these allegations and brazen them out is over. When this issue was raised by the Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh, the only answer from Abhishek Singh was that he has no foreign bank accounts. He was intentionally vague by not mentioning any investments in form of shareholdings in a company. These companies can then own assets or whatever," he further said. Senior advocate, Prashant Bhushan, had last year accused Abhishek Singh of having undisclosed foreign accounts. "If you don't have foreign accts @CGAbhishekSingh, who is Abhishak Singh whose accounts show your dad Raman Singh's add? Will PM investigate? As per ICIJ website, Abhishek Singh with add of Raman Medical Store at CM Raman Singh's residence has foreign accts!http://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/68510," Bhushan had tweeted. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be hosting a lunch for Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton on their maiden visit to India, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will begin their visit to India in Mumbai on April 10 and they will reach Delhi on April 11. We look forward to welcome Duke and Duchess on their first visit to India, next week. In Delhi, they are scheduled to lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch for them on April 12," MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media here. "Engagement with the British Royal Family has been an integral component of India-UK relations," he added. Divulging the details over their stay in Delhi, Swarup said that the Duke and Duchess are scheduled to visit the Kaziranga National Park before they proceed to Bhutan. "They will be back in India to visit the Taj Mahal and will depart from New Delhi to UK," he added. Swarup also said that the forthcoming visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is reflective of the continued high level engagement between India and U.K. "It demonstrates the accelerated momentum of the relationship after Prime Minister's very successful United Kingdom's visit in November last year," he added. (ANI) Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will be on a two-day official visit to India, starting from April 10. Mr Gayoom will be heading a high-level official delegation that includes Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Mohamed Shainee and three Members of the Maldivian Parliament.Mr Gayoom will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting a working lunch for him on April 11. The Maldivian President will call on President Pranab Mukherjee the same evening. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be meeting the visiting President on April 11, Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told in his weekly media briefing. India and Maldives commemorated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. Both countries have historically had a close relationship, both as neighbours and friends in the Indian Ocean region.Mr Gayoom's first state visit to India after assumption of office was on January 1-4, 2014. He was also among the SAARC leaders who attended the swearing in of the present government in May, 2014. The External Affairs Minister visited Maldives in November 2014 and again in October 2015 for the India-Maldives Joint Commission, which was held after 15 years.UNI MK SW AE 1718 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-672329.Xml As part of its expansion in India and support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, global software services provider Oracle today announced at the Oracle CloudWorld it will set up its first incubation centre in Bengaluru. Called the 'Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator,' the centre will open in Bangalore on April 8, 2016 and will be inaugurated by Oracle's President of Product Development Thomas Kurian, the company said in a statement."India is at an exciting phase of growth, innovation and development. Through the Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator and the growing popularity of cloud as an alternate computing model, we want to be the catalyst for new business ideas,'' Mr Kurian said. He further said, "We are committed to furthering the government of India's 'Startup India' initiative. It matches our agenda of fostering entrepreneurship and promoting innovation by creating the right ecosystem for growth and development."Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator is a first-of-its-kind global startup accelerator initiative, it said.It added that the Oracle India will lead the initiative and would help in speeding up a startup's development through a combination of technical and business mentoring."We chose Bengaluru for our first centre, given that Bengaluru is the second best funded startup hub in the world, outside of USA," added Kurian.The Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator will help the Start ups in structured mentoring, state-of-the-art technology, co-working space, access to Oracle customers and partners, investors and free credits on Oracle Cloud. UNI ASH RN 1742 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-672377.Xml Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will on Saturday leave for a four-day-long visit to Iran and UAE. On the first leg of his tour, he will go to Iran where he will meet his Iranian counterpart, Senior Adviser to President of Iran on Free Trade Zones and Governor of Central Bank of Iran in Tehran. He will also address the Tehran Chamber of Commerce.The Petroleum Minister will visit Chabahar FTZ to interact with FTZ authorities. The last visit by an Indian Petroleum Minister to Iran was in April 2007.The trade relations have traditionally been buoyed by Indian import of Iranian crude oil. The bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2014-15 was13.13 billion dollar. India imported 8.95 billion dollars worth of goods, mainly crude oil and exported commodities worth 4.17 billion dollars. Mr Pradhan's visit envisages engaging with the Iranian political leadership to work with them, particularly in the hydrocarbon, petrochemicals and fertilisers sectors for mutual benefits, including strengthening of India's energy security.During his visit to UAE from April 11-12, Mr Pradhan will meet Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy of UAE, in Abu Dhabi.He will also meet with CEO of ADNOC and Chairman of AIDA (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority). During his stay in Dubai, Mr Pradhan will meet Emirati businessmen, inaugurate India Pavilion at the Annual Investment Meet-2016 at the World Trade Centre, visit Jabel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) and interact with JAFZA authorities. He is also scheduled to meet Indian businessmen and professionals. The visit of Mr Pradhan to UAE is a follow-up of the February 2016 visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Minister of Energy Al Mazrouei.India-UAE bilateral trade is estimated at 60 billion dollars.UNI NM SW AE 1747 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0426-672373.Xml Prime Minister Narendra Modi today slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for "politicising" the flyover tragedy in Kolkata, saying instead of providing solace to the affected people she was involved in a "blame game." "The bridge collapse is an act of fraud and not an act of God," Mr Modi said referring to the Vivekananda flyover collapse in north Kolkata that killed 27 people and injured around 80 on March 31. Addressing a BJP election rally at Madarihat, the tea belt in north Bengal, the PM launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government. Mr Modi said deaths were everywhere in the state from north Bengal due to lack of food and hunger to the tea workers to murders, rapes and bridge collapse in Kolkata. He alleged that the Mamata government was shying away in taking responsibility of so many casualties. Mr Modi pointed out that "Didi" was not blaming the previous government for the bridge collapse. The PM also urged the people to vote for BJP candidates in West Bengal for prosperity and growth of the state. Mr Modi said BJP would dedicate the government for uplift of the poor people in West Bengal. "Earlier I used to hear it was Maa, Maati and Manush now it is money and money and money only." Mr Modi remarked, referring to Saradha chit fund scam to Naradha News sting operation where many AITC leaders and MPs and ministers were found taking money against providing favour. He also criticised Ms Banerjee for skipping several important meetings held by the Union government. The PM said let Mamata Didi declare her grievances against the Central government. "She is boycotting the meeting convened by Centre because of her bias against me, and this is taking a toll on the state's development," he pointed out. "Didi takes Sonia's blessing every time she visits Delhi but never bother to talk to the Union government even if it means harm to Bengal," Mr Modi mocked. "Just give us five years and we will show you what development is. The BJP ruled states have excelled in every aspect. Give us a chance and we will provide you a better government than you have in the last 40 years," Mr Modi claimed.UNI XC-PC AKM AE RP NS1725 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-672199.Xml Bihar Human Rights Commission(BHRC) today ordered payment of compensation of Rs 50,000 each to two people for being falsely implicated in power theft case by officials of North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited(NBPDCL). Mr Neelmani, BHRC member said the commission had ordered NBPDCL to pay compensation of Rs 50,000 each to Rakesh Kumar and Jai Krishan Sah, who were falsely implicated in electricity theft cases after they refused to pay illegal demand by the electricity officials. Mr Kumar and Mr Shah, both natives of Pupri police station area in Sitamarhi district, were charged with theft cases, but during the probe, charges against them were not substantiated with evidences gathered from the spot. "The then assistant engineer and junior engineer had charged that Mr Kumar was found engaged in electricity theft by hooking from an electric pole for his house, while Mr Shah was doing similar offence for his jewellery shop", Mr Neelmani said, adding that during investigation by the Deputy Police Superintendent in November 2014, it came to light that only seven metres long wire was recovered from the spot, which was allegedly used for hooking while the nearest pole was 15 metres away from the house of accused. The new jewellery shop of Mr Shah was yet to open, so the question of pilferage of power for the shop did not arise at all, Mr Neelmani said, quoting the investigation report. "The allegations of Mr Kumar and Mr Shah appear to be true that they were booked under false theft charge as they refused to pay illegal money as demanded by them", the BHRC member said. "The commission has directed the nodal officer of NBPDCL, Bihar nodal Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sitamarhi, the then assistant electric engineer Pupri, the then jr engineer Pupri to appear before it on May 12, this year." Both the then assistant engineer and junior engineer had allegedly demanded bribe from the complainants and they were booked under false power theft cases, following their refusal to pay the money. Both the complainants have also been asked to be present before the commission on May 12. UNI KKS AKM RJ RAI1731 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-672250.Xml Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton will be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they reach here on their maiden visit to India on April 11. The royal couple would arrive in Mumbai on April 10 and reach here the next day. The three-day high profile visit of Duke and Duchess also included a tour to Kaziranga National Park in Assam and a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. "We look forward to welcome Duke and Duchess on their first visit to India, next week," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in his regular media briefing today. During their stay in New Delhi, the visiting dignitaries would lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti. Mr Modi would be hosting a lunch for them on April 12. After visiting Kaziranga, the royal couple will proceed to Bhutan. "They will be back in India to visit Taj Mahal and will depart from New Delhi to UK," Mr Swarup said. The visit demonstrates an accelerated momentum in the relationship of the two countries after Mr Modi's successful visit to UK in November last year, he said. UNI MK SW SB 1842 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-672643.Xml The annual business operations of the National Bank For Rural Development (NABARD) in Uttar Pradesh during 2015-16 has crossed a landmark milestone of Rs 11785 crore. The financial support by NABARD during 2015-16 in UP included Rs 6050 crore released to Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks for crop loans to farmers and Rs 2659.70 crore released as refinance to banks for investment purposes leading to capital formation in agriculture, Rs 910.77 crore as direct lending to District Central Cooperative Banks for diversification of their business and Rs 1719.77 crore to UP government for development of Rural Infrastructure . For the first time, NABARD extended refinance support to RRBs in UP to the extent of Rs 18.20 crore for marketing activities under ST OSAO. Uttar Pradesh NABARD Regional Office Chief general Manager AK Panda said here today that the bank has been playing an important role in overall development of the State with special focus on agricultural credit through Commercial banks, RRBs and Cooperatives, infrastructure development through RIDF funding, strengthening of short term cooperative credit structure, women empowerment through Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups and several other new initiatives. Mr Panda said to encash upon the outreach of the NBFC-MFIs to the last corner of the state for extending micro finance facilities to the unbanked rural populace, NABARD for the first time extended refinance support to the extent of Rs 292.33 crore to the MFIs in UP. "Sanctions under RIDF touched all-time high of Rs 2211.80 crore in respect of 175 projects to the state government for critical infrastructure development including the important project sanctioned to PCDF for construction of new dairy plants and refurbishment of existing dairy plants, quality assessment labs and bulk milk coolers. The project is tipped to become a game changer in the for the dairy sector", he claimed. NABARD being the nodal agency for dispensing subsidy under several central programmes, has for UP released Rs 104.32 crore as subsidy under all Centrally Sponsored Schemes for supporting infrastructure investments by farmers in Solar Energy, Dairy, Poultry and Rural Godowns and interest subvention for crop loan disbursement and to weavers credit card holders. This includes Rs.3.31 crore was released towards margin money and interest subvention of 3938 weavers credit card holders. Mr Panda said an amount of Rs 297 crore has been released to the Cooperative Banks and RRBs in the state towards interest subvention for the crop loan disbursed to the farmers. Besides a sum of Rs 26.02 crore was disbursed under various promotional programmes of micro credit, rural non farm sector, Cooperative development fund, financial inclusion, farm sector promotion as well as towards supporting the Farmers Producers Organisations. The NABARD CGM said an amount of Rs 6.89 crore was released for livelihood development of Scheduled tribe Farmers through Orchard based livelihood in Jhansi, Sonebhadra & Lalitpur, while a sum of Rs 0.68 crore has been released for watershed development in the state. To give impetus to Skill Development , 20 Rural Self Employment Training Institutes have been sanctioned a grant of Rs 40.58 lakh . NABARD's support continued for rural artisans through events like Lucknow Mahotsav, Surajkund Mela etc. NABARD has sanctioned grant assistance to 31 DCCBs for the pilot on PACS to act as Deposit mobilization agencies to the tune of Rs 23.76 crore. Altogether 227 Financial literacy centres have been established by RRBs and cooperative banks in the State. For bringing more and more rural people under Financial Inclusion initiatives, a sum of Rs 7.81 crore under Financial Inclusion Fund for supporting an array of activities ranging from Financial Literacy drives to upscaling of KCC cards to ATM enabled cards etc.With a view to creating awareness among the school children on banking and other financial products and services, financial literacy quz programmes were conducted in 1500 schools across the state. Financial literacy awareness programmes were organized in 60 districts additionally on the eve of NABARD Foundation Day. ''Continuing our initiatives for rural women folk under SHGs and other micro credit operations, 40438 SHGs (including WSHGs) were bank linked,'' Mr Panda said. Besides 40173 JLGs were formed during the year for enhanching the ease of credit flow to Agriculture and allied sectors in group mode.To give unhindered and seamless support to micro finance movement NABARD along with various banks and SRLM conducted 4128 village level awareness programmes, he said.For the first time NABARD roped in MFIs to act as SHPI. DCCBs as well as Urban Cooperative banks have also been roped in to act as as Joint liability promoting institutions, the CGM said.A total of 130 Farmers Producers Organisations are in the process of incorporation in the state with grant assistance from NABARD. The Farmers Producers Organisations have been spread in 53 districts of the state. To give impetus to the knowledge dissemination amongst various stakeholders, the first state level workshop on Stand Up India Scheme was organized by NABARD. NABARD along with LDM and SIDBI will also facilitate loans and handholding to SC / ST borrowers and women borrowers for setting up of green field enterprises. Mr Panda said NABARD has projected a target of Rs 177917 crore for 2016-17 for financing by banks under agriculture, SMEs and other priority sector in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is 21 per cent higher than that of last year during 2015-16.UNI MB RJ 1848 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-672640.Xml Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement while felicitating eminent Kosli poet and Padmashree awardee Haldhar Nag at former's residence Naveen Niwas. Mr Patnaik said the research centre would be named after him for his rich contribution towards the enrichment of Kosli literature. The Chief Minister presented a shawl, a silver filigree art work to honour Mr Nag. Mr Nag, a school drop out, has written a number of poems in Kosli language. President Pranab Mukherjee had honoured him with the prestigious Padmashree award recently. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has also made a documentary film. The Sambalpur University is also coming up with a compiliation of his writings Hakladhar Granthabali-2 which will be part of University's syllabus. Known as Lok Kabi Ratna in Odisha, the Nag draws his themes from the rustic surroundings, writes mostly on nature,society,mythology and religion.UNI BD- DP KK DJK SB AN1855 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-672578.Xml A defence spokesperson said here today that based on specific information, Army and Kokrajhar police launched a joint operation in Kachugaon in Kokrajhar district in the wee hours. During the operation, one hardcore National Democratic Front of Bodoland(S) terrorist,identified as Raju Mushahary, was apprehended since yesterday . He is a 35th batch NDFB(S) terrorist, trained in Arunachal Pradesh. He was actively involved in extortion, arms peddling, recruitment of terrorists and providing logistic support to the banned terrorist organisation. One 7.65mm pistol with magazine, few live rounds of ammunition and one hand grenade was recovered from the individual. In another operation, the Army launched a joint search operation with Dhubri police last evening in Rupsi near Basbari in Dhubri district. The joint team established a mobile check post (MCP) on Rupsi-Basbari road and apprehended one Muslim Tiger Force of Assam terrorist, who was identified as Mohd Sahidul Islam Miah. One 7.65 mm Pistol, few live rounds, MTFA demand notes, a car and other war-like stores were recovered from the individual. The apprehended terrorist was carrying out extortions in the area on a regular basis. The Army is carrying out extensive area domination both by day and night to avert any mishap which may occur in the run up to elections and this apprehension ahead of the upcoming polls is a major boost in the effort towards the peaceful conduct of elections, the spokesperson added.UNI SG KK AE AS1906 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-672586.Xml Over 500 Bangladeshi infiltrators have settled illegally in recent past at the coastal pockets of Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district. Mahakalapada block BDO Kailash Chandra Behera claimed that the Bangladeshi infiltrators have settled illegally at Kajalapatia, Batighar, Jamboo, Kharanashi, Ramnagar villages. They have managed to get the voter identity cards and other documents to prove themselves as Indian citizens by changing their surnames with the help of their relatives, who managed to get all the documents to prove themselves as Indians. The BDO said without the support of the locals, it has become a difficult task to identify between a Bangladeshi infiltrator and an Indian. Mr Behera said on receiving the allegation that hundreds of Bangladeshi infiltrators have managed to enlist their names in the recently published voter lists of Mahakalapada block he had sought an inquiry on the alleged matter. The BDO said he has directed his staff to conduct a thorough inquiry by re-verifying documents of Bengali-speaking people in all the Bengali-dominated nine gram panchayats of the blocks. If those who failed to submit the proper and valid documents to prove themselves as Indians their names would be deleted from the voters list, the official said. Official sources said names of over 60 Bangladeshi infiltrators have been deleted from the voter lists recently. Due to shortage of staff, the BDO said he was unable to carry out a proper enumeration drive of the suspected Bangladeshi immigrants residing at the coastal pockets of Mahakalapada block. Already 1,551 Bangladeshi's have been served Quit India Notice, on January 15, 2005, Mr Behera said. What has worried the government officials that the numbers of Bengali speaking voters have increased unexpectedly as revealed from the recently published voter list. These Bangladeshi infiltrators, sources said managed to intrude in the coastal Kendrapara district via sea route to visit their relatives, who have already settled in the coastal pockets of Mahakalapada, and also to work in their prawn farms. Later they manage to settle in the coastal patches by denuding the mangroves forest. According to sources, the Bangladeshi immigrants have infiltrated into the coastal Kendrapara district in two phases. The influx of Bangladeshi nationals was started in the year 1947 during the partition of Bangladesh and it became more pronounced after the Bangladeshi Liberation war in 1971. In the year 1956, nearly 1,250 Bangla immigrants were rehabilitated as registered refugees and resettled in the coastal pockets of Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks. During the 1980s, the number of immigrants were only 20,000, but now their number has been almost doubled. Most of the Bangladeshi immigrants, officials said have come from the district of Jashore, Khulna, Barishal and Faridpur of Bangladesh. The local people have demanded before the district administration and state government to start a joint exercise by police and revenue department especially for identifying the illegal Bangladeshi settlers and to delete their names from the voter's list as they have been availing all the government benefits.UNI XC-DP AKM AE AS1815 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-672450.Xml The funeral ceremony at the electric crematorium on Nigam Bodh Ghat here was attended by Advani, their children Jayant and Pratibha, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, union ministers and many BJP and RSS leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not attend the last rites as he was in West Bengal for election campaign. Earlier, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president visited Advani's residence to pay his last respects to Kamla Advani, who died on Wednesday at the AIIMS after cardiac arrest. --Indo-Asian News Service bns/vd ( 116 Words) 2016-04-07-19:21:31 (IANS) The BASIC group -- Brazil, South Africa, India and China -- had played a proactive and constructive role in combating global climate change and was looking forward to signing the Paris agreement on April 22 during the high-level signature ceremony convened by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York.Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, addressing a joint press conference after the conclusion of the 22nd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change here today, said more than 100 countries would be signing the agreement.Mr Javadekar said it was an opportune time for the BASIC group to renew its efforts in the post-Paris period, invigorating the steps taken domestically, as well as internationally to address climate change. He said he was happy that the Paris agreement recognised the imperatives of sustainable patterns of consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead, and climate justice in strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.Appreciating the role played by the the BASIC group, Mr Javadekar said the BASIC group has played a proactive and constructive role in combating global climate change and in the international climate change negotiations, which led to the successful adoption of the Paris Agreement.The Group had been a strong advocate of the principle of 'Differentiation" and operationalisation of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) in the climate change regime, he added.He also highlighted that BASIC countries have started taking pre-2020 actions, more than what was expected and much beyond their capacity.The Minister hoped that developed world would make all-out efforts to mobilise 100 billion dollars, which was an essential feature of Paris agreement.The BASIC countries expressed concern that the draft proposal on Global Market Based Measures (GMBM) under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) might impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries, where the international aviation market was still maturing, he added.The Group had urged the ICAO to develop climate change measures in a manner that was consistent with the principles of CBDR & RC, and to align the GMBM with the relevant provisions of the Paris agreement, he said.Besides Mr Javadekar, the 22nd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Delhi, on April 6 and 7 and was attended by Special Representative for Climate Change of China, Xie Zhenhua, Under Secretary-General for the Environment, Energy, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Ambassador Antonio Marcondes, and Chief Director, International Climate Change Relations and Negotiations of South Africa, Maesela Kekana. The 23rd Basic Ministerial Meeting would be held in South Africa.UNI RBE SW SB 1919 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0379-672686.Xml Talking to newspersons here after visiting the residence of TN Sarasu, whose retirement from the Victoria College here was celebrated by pro-Marxist Students Federation of India(SFI) activists by digging a symbolic grave at the college ground, Mr Rudy said the issue would be brought to the national attention. There should be a serious discussion on such atrocities against Dalit and women in Kerala, Mr Rudy remarked. Five SFI activists were taken into custody in connection with a complaint failed by the former principal and case registered against other 25 persons The state unit of the BJP also strongly condemned the incident. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said it was a "disgrace to humanity". "We can imagine how SFI activists will behave towards others, if their behaviour was like this towards their teacher, who had imparted lessons to them for 23 years," he added.UNI XR CR KVV ADB 1927 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672819.Xml Defending the total prohibition in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said it was the begining of a new social era with massive support from all quarters, including political parties. Mr Kumar told mediapersons here that sceptics would be proved wrong as the decision to impose complete prohibition had the backing of the people as well as political parties. "All political parties have extended their full support to the decision of total prohibition in Bihar," the Chief Minister said, adding that there was nothing new in imposing complete ban on manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor as Mahatma Gandhi,veteran socialist leader Jai Prakash Narain, former prime minister Morarji Desai and former Bihar chief minister Karpuri Thakur had also strongly advocated for it. " We have a long tradition of prohibition and it finds mention even in history", Mr Kumar said, adding that the conducive atmosphere in Bihar in favour of prohibition helped him to implement the order of total prohibition. The Chief Minister, responding to a query, said people addicted to alcohol,would spend their money on health and education besides other important work for welfare of their families as prohibition would help them in saving their hard earned money, which was spent on liquor. The decision of total ban on liquor was taken after giving serious thought to demand for complete prohibition raised by almost all sections of the society particularly women and elderly persons, he noted.MORE UNI KKS-IS KK SB AS1918 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0212-672663.Xml A statement from Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee said the festival organisers requested the Chief Minister to grace the festival as chief guest, which "proves the acceptance of Mr Thanhawla as the father of Mizo integration by Mizos ethnic tribes across the state and international boundaries." The Chinese brethren in Chin state of Myanmar had intended to honour the Chief Minister earlier in 2014, but he could not travel there due to bad weather. He had been honoured by the Mizo ethnic tribes in Manipur and Myanmar. Mr Thanhawla was given a huge reception at Kalemyo airport by the Mizos in Tahan and neighbouring villages. According to an official statement, Mr Thanhawla, accompanied by wife Lal Riliani, today visited Wesley hospital and Kalay university in Tahan. He was received by a group of professors, led by Prof Than Win. Mr Thanhawla expressed his keenness in establishing collaboration with the university, where a majority of teachers and students are from Mizo ethnic tribes. This was appreciated by the University's professors. During his interaction with the doctors and staff of Wesley hospital, Mr Thanhawla said he would take initiatives to find ways to work together with the hospital in some areas. UNI ZS AKM RJ SB AN1907 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-672430.Xml Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, today visited Kakryal to review preparedness for the operationalisation of 230-bedded Superspeciality Hospital, which has been established by the Shrine Board, investing an investment of about Rs 300 crore. The Governor went around the Hospital, along with Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer. The Governor has requested the Prime Minister to inaugurate the Superspeciality Hospital on April 19.UNI VBH RJ 2035 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-672964.Xml . These high-definition surveillance cameras are already turning out to be powerful tools making a difference in policing in the city. A Responsible Corporate citizen, NTPC, a Maharatna power utility and a Government of India Public Sector Enterprise is the first PSU to join hands with Hyderababd City Police in the Community CCTV project . NTPC will enter into an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Office of Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad for installation of CCTV cameras in Old City areas of Hyderabad, tomorrow.UNI KNR KVV ADB 2010 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672687.Xml :Tata Motors today announced the commercial launch of its cool new hatchback, the TIAGO with cutting edge design, technology and driving dynamics to create new segment benchmarks in the industry. At a starting price of Rs 3,32 Lakhs ( ex-showroom, Hyderabad), for the Revotron 1.2L (petrol) variant and Rs 4,08 Lakhs,(ex-showroom, Hyderabad), for the Revotorq 1.05L (diesel) variant, the TIAGO will be available for sale, across the country in over 597 Tata Motors sales outlets, from today. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Guenter Butschek, Chief Executive Officer amd Managing Director, Tata Motors, said, "The TIAGO reflects our passion and commitment to bring exciting, technology driven cars into the market. Class leading features, advanced driving dynamics, outstanding fuel efficiency, offers a great value for a contemporary, young car." According to, Mr. Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, "The TIAGO is the first car to be launched under our Made Of Great campaign and the first to embody our new IMAPCT Design language. This globally benchmarked car, represents the next big leap in our transformation journey. We are confident that TIAGO's strong and distinct character will make it stand out in this highly popular but immensely competitive segment." The stylish design is complemented by enhanced performance and driving dynamics. The TIAGO will be available in petrol and diesel variants with two new engines - Revotron 1.2L (petrol engine) and Revotorq 1.05L (diesel engine), Pareek said. These have been indigenously developed by the company and globally benchmarked for a refined road performance. TIAGO comes with class leading fuel efficiency of 23.84 km/l on Revotron 1.2L petrol and 27.28 km/l on Revotorq 1.05L diesel (as per Automotive Research Association of India certification), under test conditions. Significantly, under high-stress conditions at the recent Geared For Great Challenge, TIAGO ran through the ultimate endurance test to do an unbelievable 50,000 kms something that would take years for an average car consumer in real life, he claimed. Available in 5 variants XB, XE, XM, XT & XZ with optional variants in XE, XM & XT, TIAGO will come in six exciting colour options - Striker Blue, Berry Red, Sunburst Orange, Espresso Brown, Pearlescent White and Platinum Silver, he said. The car will come with a warranty of 2 Years / 75,000 KM (whichever is earlier) with an extended warranty option of 2 years + 1 year (3rd year extended warranty up to 75,000km) or 2 years + 2 years (3rd and 4th year extended warranty up to 1,00,000 kms).UNI KNR KVV ADB 2050 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672782.Xml : Puducherry Principal District and Sessions Judge C V Karthikeyan today convicted and sentenced one person to life imprisonment in a murder case in 2008. According to prosecution, Perumal Raja, a rowdy with a number of criminal cases against him was awarded the life-term for killing Rajini alais Rajinikant (25), a resident near the Petit Canal Street. Rajinikant and his father Rajaram, who was working in France, owned a prime property of 1.25 acres in Kurumpapet area. Perumal Raja had threated Rajanikant, who was staying at Petit Canal Street house asked him to part with thew property. On refusing, Permal Raja, with the help of two others, including a juvenile, hacked Rajanikant to death and dumped the body in the water tank of a house in January 2008. Rajanikanth's father Rajaram, who was keeping contact with Perumal Raja, asked his son's wherabouts over phone and the latter managed to answer his queries. Perumal Raja, suspecting that his criminal activity will come to light, took out Rajani's decomposed body from the tank and dumped it in Uppanar canal. After a few months, Rajaram came down to Puducherry from France in April 2008 and enquired about his son with Perumal Raja. Perumal Raja murdered Rajaram also and police registered a case and Perumal Raja was arrested and questioned. During the course of inquiry, Raja confessed that he had killed Rajini also. Following this police registered a case in the Rajini murder also. The police found the clues in the water tank and recovered the body part from the Uppanar Canal. The Judge C V Karthikeyan convicted and sentenced Perumal Raj for life in the Rajanikanth murder case and also awarded three years rigorous imprisonment for attempting to destroy evidence. A fine of Rs 8000 was also imposed. One of the accused in the case is still absconding while the case against the juvenile is going on in the Juvenile court. The trial in the murder case of Rajaram is presently going on separately.UNI PAB KVV ADB 2047 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-672976.Xml Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom arrived at the Kerala Capital this afternoon on a private visit. He was received at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport by District Collector Biju Prabhakar and other officials. He is in the city for treatment, official sources said here. His official visit to India would begin on April ten when he will reach New Delhi on April ten. An official release said Mr Gayoom will be heading a high-level official delegation that includes Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Mohamed Shainee and three Members of the Maldivian Parliament. Mr Yameen's official visit will include a meeting and working lunch with Prime Minister on April eleven and a call on the President of India the same evening. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be meeting the visiting President on April eleven. India and Maldives commemorated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. Both countries have historically had a close relationship, both as neighbours and friends in the Indian Ocean region. Ancient ties of trade, culture, linguistic and religious interfaces have provided the foundation for relations in present times. President Yameen's first State visit after assumption of Office was to India in January one to four, 2014. He was amongst the SAARC leaders who attended the swearing in of the present Government in May 2014. External Affairs Minister visited Maldives in November 2014 and again in October 2015 for the India-Maldives Joint Commission, which was held after 15 years.UNI CR KVV ADB205 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-673060.Xml Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein today urged the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs to give special attention to Arunachal considering that it is a comparatively young state and has cent percent tribal population. Mr Mein, who also holds the portfolio of Social Justice and Empowerment,was speaking in the conference, organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in New Delhi to evolve strategies for overall development of tribal communities, official report informed here. Mr Mein agreed that the cultural diversity of the country requires special measures to be taken up for the tribal communities. He said the remote border areas in the state needs to be developed in particular, in sectors like health, education, agriculture among others to stop mass immigration to the capital complex, thereby ensuring the overall development of the state. In the field of skill development, he urged the ministry to look into the issue of salary and remuneration. He assured that the state government would summit various projects in the sectors for which the funds are released. The Deputy Chief Minister requested the central government to release the grants in time to mitigate the various needs of the tribal communities of the state, further urging the population criteria to be lifted. He also requested to establish a Tribal Research Institute in Arunachal Pradesh as well as to allot funds for Eklavya Model Residential School at the earliest. UNI PB BM SB AS2045 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-672858.Xml Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul today requested the power giant, NHPC not to confine their CSR activities to project-affected areas only but, to focus on health and sanitation facilities in school also. In a meeting held with the Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC Ltd in Delhi, the chief minister said, "welfare activities should benefit people whoever is in need of. Send clear message that you are here for welfare of the people and not merely concerned with your own project," he asserted Informing that state government had accorded priority to health and education, the CM requested the NHPC to focus on health and sanitation facilities in schools,the official report here said. He informed that in his meeting held with the Prime Minister on Friday, he had requested the Centre for enhancement of fund from the existing Rs12,000 to Rs 40,000 per unit of Individual House Hold Latrine (IHHL), to which the Prime Minister had agreed. Also informing on the state's plan to develop small hydropower projects, he enquired if NHPC could help in this sector. NHPC informed that the company has provision of Rs 50000 for construction of toilet facilities. On developing small hydro projects, NHPC said they could help develop it but have to execute starting from survey investigation to commissioning of the project. The meeting also discussed on pending NHPC projects in Tawang and Lower Dibang Valley to which the chief miniser assured full support and cooperation. UNI PB BM SB AS2153 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-673056.Xml Niloy Roy will be produced in the Bankshall Court tomorrow. The arrest of Niloy came after the workers informed police that they had informed him about the weak condition of the bridge and also told him about some missing bolts from the joints. The workers also alleged that despite being informed Niloy ordered them to go on with the construction work. A total of 10 IVRCL personnel have so far been arrested, police said. Earlier police arrested nine officials and engineers of IVRCL in the same case. They all are in police custody till April 11. Twenty-six people were killed and about 89 injured after a long stretch of the under-construction Vivekananday flyover suddenly collapsed on Mar 31. The bridge has been under construction since 2009. The company was given an 18-month deadline and a budget of nearly Rs 165 crore to complete the project but after seven years, only about 60 percent of the work has been done. A high level six member probe panel has been formed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to investigate the incident.UNI BM SB AS2149 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-673088.Xml India today sought to put at rest speculations over the fate of India Pakistan peace process, quoting a statement of Pakistan Foreign Ministry's spokesperson which said that modalities for Foreign Secretary's talks were being worked out. The speculations had been triggered by High Commissioner Abdul Basit's remark in which he used the word ''suspended'' for the peace process at a media interaction here this evening. "Revival of the Comprehensive Dialogue between India and Pakistan is key to restoring peace process between the two countries which has remained suspended for quite some time,"Mr Basit had said.India also disputed his statement on NIA visit to Pakistan in which he said that reciprocity was not part of the Pathankot probe agreement. While noting that the Pakistan High Commissioner today stated that he thought the peace process is suspended, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup quoted a statement of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry Spokesman this evening to assert that the contrary was true.The Pakistan Spokesman said, "Your question implies whether the Foreign Secretary level talks will take place or not. I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian Foreign Secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place.'' Yesterday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar's remarks at an event had also been interpreted in a section of the media in a way suggesting a pause in the peace process. The Foreign Secretary had said that relations between the two countries could not be normalised unless the there was an end to cross border terrorism. ''The change this government has brought in is the centrality of terrorism in the dialogue, and whether it was Ufa, or the NSA meeting in Bangkok or reconstituted the comprehensive dialogue when that happens. Mr Swarup in his statement also took objection to Mr Basit's statement on the visit of NIA to Pakistan. ''The Ministry would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry that the Terms of Reference "are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions." Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016,'' the MEA Spokesperson said.While replying to a question as to whether the NIA would visit Pakistan, he had said ,"It is not as much about reciprocity (of sending NIA team to Pakistan), what is more important is cooperation between India and Pakistan on this.''UNI NAZ SB 2228 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-673144.Xml Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a virulent attack against the Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal, saying that the ruling party has become the symbol of terror, death and corruption. "TMC means terror, maut (death) and corruption," he said while addressing an election rally here in Burdwan district. Referring to the Saradha chit fund scam, in which several important Trinamool leaders were implicated, the Prime Minister said the beneficiaries of the huge swindle that gobbled poor people's money should stay in jail. "The political leaders have looted the poor people's money in the Sarada ponzy scam and are enjoying it. They are worthless leaders and should be ousted from power immediately," he said. Mr Modi said the ruling party was indulging in 'scientific corruption' and the BJP would continue to fight this. "Had heard of scientific rigging when the Left was in power. Now under TMC there is scientific corruption," he said. The Prime Minister also assailed the state Government over the Narada sting operation in which hidden cameras showed front ranking TMC leaders purportedly accepting cash and the recent flyover collapse in Kolkata in which 26 people were killed. "Bribing for tenders has been caught on the camera, yet Didi keeps mum and she is even defending the accused," he said referring to the Narada sting operation. He criticised Ms.Banerjee for blaming the previous Left Front Government for the flyover disaster during whose regime the project started and said in no way the present Government could shirk its responsibility. He said the 'glory' of Bengal has been destroyed by the former Left Front government and the present TMC-led government in the state. Hitting out at the Left-Congress alliance, the PM said that once stark enemies of each other they have compromised ideology and joined hands for mere political gains. He said the alliance is fooling people for they are fighting in Kerala and shaking hands in West Bengal. Mr Modi also assured the gathering that if BJP comes to power in Bengal, it will create a new Asansol. " The people of Bengal did not received anything in 34-years of Left Front's rule and now the ruling Trinamool Congress-led government is following the similar policy," he added. " The BJP has come to power at the Centre for only two years but there was no corruption in this period. So BJP is the only party which can give a clean administration," he said. Elections will be held on 31 Assembly seats in West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan on April 11.UNI BM-XC/KDG SB AS2227 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-673123.Xml Additional District and Session Judge Mahendra Prasad sentenced all the three accused to rigorous life imprisonment after they were found guilty in the case. According to the prosecution, all the three convicts were involved in murder of one Ravindra Sharma. He was shot dead at Sabdal village under Pauthu police station area in Aurangabad district on August 2, 2013. An FIR in this connection was lodged at concerned police station by brother of the deceased Siyaram Sharma.UNI XC KKS BM SB A2301 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-673125.Xml An international team of scientists has found evidence of a series of massive supernova explosions near our solar system, which showered the Earth with radioactive debris. The scientists found radioactive iron-60 in sediment and crust samples taken from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The iron-60 was concentrated in a period between 3.2 and 1.7 million years ago, which is relatively recent in astronomical terms, said research leader Dr Anton Wallner from The Australian National University (ANU). "We were very surprised that there was debris clearly spread across 1.5 million years," said Dr Wallner. "It suggests there were a series of supernovae, one after another. It's an interesting coincidence that they correspond with when the Earth cooled and moved from the Pliocene into the Pleistocene period." The team from Australia, the University of Vienna in Austria, Hebrew University in Israel, Shimizu Corporation and University of Tokyo, Nihon University and University of Tsukuba in Japan, Senckenberg Collections of Natural History Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) in Germany, also found evidence of iron-60 from an older supernova around eight million years ago, coinciding with global faunal changes in the late Miocene. Some theories suggest cosmic rays from the supernovae could have increased cloud cover. A supernova is a massive explosion of a star as it runs out of fuel and collapses. The scientists believe the supernovae in this case were less than 300 light years away, close enough to be visible during the day and comparable to the brightness of the Moon. Although Earth would have been exposed to an increased cosmic ray bombardment, the radiation would have been too weak to cause direct biological damage or trigger mass extinctions. The supernova explosions create many heavy elements and radioactive isotopes which are strewn into the cosmic neighbourhood. One of these isotopes is iron-60 which decays with a half-life of 2.6 million years, unlike its stable cousin iron-56. Any iron-60 dating from the Earth's formation more than four billion years ago has long since disappeared. The iron-60 atoms reached Earth in minuscule quantities and so the team needed extremely sensitive techniques to identify the interstellar iron atoms. The study appears in Nature. (ANI) Top Western leaders, including the British leadership have started questioning China's motive in protecting Masood Azhar, the head of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The doubts in the minds of the Western Powers have arisen in the wake of Beijing blocking the Indian government's bid to have Azhar declared a global terrorist by the United Nations in the wake of the January 2, 2016 terror strike on an air force base in Pathankot, Punjab. China claimed that Azhar did not qualify as a terrorist who would have to face UN sanctions, and insisted that the ban on the former be placed on hold. Beijing's stand was projected by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Liu Jieyi. After assuming the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council, Ambassador Liu asserted that Azhar did not meet "the Council's requirements" to be considered a terrorist, and therefore, China had exercised its right to veto the ban move. It may be recalled that following the January 2, 2016 attack on the Pathankot Air Force Base, India had requested the U.N. sanctions committee in February to include Azhar in its list of global terrorists. The action by the panel, popularly known as the 1267 Committee after the Council's resolution number setting it up, would have required Pakistan and other countries to freeze Azhar's assets and ban his travel. At the committee meeting, of the 15 U.N. Security Council members, 14 supported placing Azhar on the banned list, but China put a hold on it. Beijing's decision to exercise its right to veto as one of the permanent members in the sanctions committee immediately raised the question as to why it blocked the United Nations from designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Senior leaders in the British government are now saying that of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), also known as the Permanent Five, Big Five, or P5, four of them -- France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have started questioning the fifth i.e. China on its decision not to ban Masood Azhar. They said they were left surprised, as China itself is and has been a victim of terrorism, and therefore, it is hard to understand as to why Beijing would defend one of the world's most dreaded terrorists. It is a well known fact that China has also had its problems with neutralising terrorism. It has had a history of launching counter-terrorism campaigns in Xinjiang Province, which is a hotbed for Pan-Turkism, Uyghur nationalism and Islamism all of which have attracted segments of the Uyghur population in the past several decades. Recent incidents include the 1992 Urumqi bombings, the 1997 rmqi bus bombings, the 2010 Aksu bombing, the 2011 Hotan attack, the 2011 Kashgar attacks and the 2014 rmqi attack. Historically, violence occurs as a form of political resistance to Chinese government policies that restrict the practice of religion and political expression, particularly in the country's Xinjiang region. China identifies terrorism as one of "Three Evils" which also include separatism and religious fundamentalism. Beijing sees these forces as inter-connected threats to social stability and national security. Terrorism in particular is viewed as a violent manifestation of ethnic separatism, while separatism is understood as an offshoot of religious zealotry. The Chinese government has embarked on strike-hard campaigns to suppress these tendencies, particularly in its Xinjiang and Tibetan regions. This is the second time that China has come to the aid of Pakistan terrorists in the sanctions committee. Last June, China had blocked India's demand for taking action under the Council's anti-terrorism resolutions against Pakistan for freeing Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the Lashkar-e-Taiba mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack in which 166 people were killed. What comes even more as a surprise is a report that Azhar was once a VIP guest of one of Britain's leading Islamic scholars. According to the BBC magazine on August 6, 1993, he landed in London and within a few hours of his arrival, was delivering a sermon at the Madina Mosque in East London's Clapton area. That sermon focused on the idea of jihad and moved many in the congregation to tears. Thereafter, according to a report appearing in the jihadist leader's own magazine, he was accorded a reception by a group of Islamic scholars where there was a long discussion on jihad, its need, training and other related issues. The investigation by the BBC uncovered the details of his 1993 tour, which provide an astounding insight into the way hardcore jihadist ideology was promoted in some mainstream UK mosques in the early 1990s - and involved some of Britain's most senior Islamic scholars. In 1993, Azhar also visited the Zakariya Mosque in Dewsbury, the Jamia Masjid in Blackburn and Jamia Masjid in Burnley. According to the BBC, his popularity in these northern British towns was such that he accumulated more scholars in his entourage. The most surprising engagement of the tour was a speech Azhar gave at a boarding school and seminary in Lancashire -- the Darul Uloom Bury. According to the report of the trip, Azhar told students and teachers that a substantial proportion of the Koran was devoted to the "killing for the sake of Allah" and that a substantial volume of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad were on the issue of jihad. (ANI) Donald Trump's Republican rivals, reinvigorated by his loss in Wisconsin's primary, doubled down on their efforts to block the billionaire front-runner from capturing the party's presidential nomination.Ted Cruz's emphatic victory in Wisconsin on Tuesday night dealt momentum to his once long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination.The U.S. senator from Texas made the case he is increasingly viewed as the main Trump alternative by Republicans who cannot bring themselves to support Trump as their nominee for the Nov. 8 election.Allies of Ohio Governor John Kasich, who is positioning himself as a mainstream candidate who could emerge from a contested convention, met in Washington to brainstorm about how they could use obscure procedural rules to their advantage when the party convenes in Cleveland.One group trying to defeat Trump, who has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his comments on immigration, Muslims and trade, were hopeful on Wednesday of a cash infusion to fund their efforts."Our funders are committed to nominating a principled conservative that can win in November and can help Republicans up and down the ballot," said Katie Packer, who is leading the anti-Trump Our Principals PAC."They understand that this is a long slog now and they are supportive of our mission and strategy. I expect that we will have the funds necessary to execute."U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, lobbyists and congressional staffers were among those who met with Kasich advisers on Wednesday to discuss what one Republican congressional staffer present admitted was the governor's "long-shot" bid. He has won only his home state in nominating contests so far.Kasich's campaign has "a plan going into the convention ... and if the convention goes to a brokered convention, they have a legitimate chance," the staffer said.SHIFT TO NEW YORKThe next big test in stopping Trump will be New York, the state he calls home. A Monmouth University poll of New York Republicans released on Monday showed Trump with 52 percent of the state's support, a huge lead over Kasich at 25 percent, and Cruz at 17 percent ahead of the state's April 19 primary."It's very important for Trump to bounce back strong. The sense of his inevitability is one of his strengths," said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Center at Southern Illinois University.Trump was uncharacteristically silent on Twitter the day after his Wisconsin loss, and his only statement on Tuesday night was written.Cruz met with black and Hispanic religious leaders on Wednesday in the New York City borough of the Bronx."The men and women of Wisconsin resoundingly rejected (Trump's) campaign," Cruz told reporters afterward. "Donald has no solutions to the problems that we're facing."Republican New York Chairman Ed Cox said he believed the state could decide the nomination. "Given the wide diversity in New York, I think it will be a definitive moment," he said.A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Cruz statistically even with Trump among Republicans nationally. His recent gains marked the first time since November that a rival had threatened Trump's standing at the head of the Republican pack.Trump has 743 delegates, Cruz 517, and Kasich 143, according to an Associated Press count. Trump would need to win about 55 percent of the remaining delegates to reach the 1,237 threshold."We fully expect this to go to Cleveland," Packer said of the anti-Trump effort.CLINTON GOES ON ATTACKOn the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born U.S. senator representing Vermont, is trying to stage a come-from-behind upset of Hillary Clinton, but will struggle to overcome a large deficit in delegates.Sanders' big win in Wisconsin, which brought his victory tally to six out of the last seven contests, added to Clinton's frustration over her inability to knock out a rival who has attacked her from the left. That frustration was on full display on Wednesday when the former secretary of state gave two live televised interviews in which she criticized Sanders.In contrast to a Republican primary season that has been rife with personal insults, the Democrats have largely avoided personal attacks and stuck to policy arguments. But Clinton attacked Sanders for his position on guns and said he lacked a depth of policy understanding."You can't really help people if you don't know how to do what you say you want to do," Clinton said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."She criticized him for an interview to New York's Daily News in which he failed to offer specifics on how he would break up large banks - a key part of his campaign message - when he was asked how he would put to use the existing financial regulation Dodd-Frank law."It's not clear that he knows how Dodd-Frank works," Clinton told CNN in an interview on Wednesday afternoon.The Democratic Party nominating race moves to Wyoming on April 9 before New York on April 19. REUTERS KU 0518 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0348-671545.Xml The 28 year-old was on the list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists drew up and sent to Bangladesh's Interior Ministry. "At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad's head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot," the Guardian quoted Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Syed Nurul Islam as saying to a foreign media. Islam said that it was a case of targeted killing and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that the police were investigating whether Samad was murdered for his writing. The Dhaka Tribune reports that assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) as they attacked Samad on a busy road near Dhaka's Jagannath University. Samad was critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi Constitution and had expressed his views on Facebook. "Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people," he posted. Meanwhile, Samad's school friend Wafi Chowdhury said that Samad had deactivated his Facebook account about a month ago at the request of his family "But I remember him telling me he would come back on Facebook soon with a grin," the Guardian quoted him as saying. At least four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher were killed by suspected Islamist militants in 2015 in the Muslim majority country. (ANI) The security forces retaliated after being attacked by the militants, forcing them to retreat, reports Dawn. During a subsequent search operation, the security forces also recovered the bodies of 12 attackers from the area. Kurram Tribal Agency is one of the most sensitive tribal areas located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and it borders three Afghan provinces. At one point, it was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It is adjacent to North Waziristan region where the operation Zarb-i-Azb is in progress against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups. (ANI) Macedonia's biggest opposition party has pledged to boycott an early parliamentary election, a move that would stall an EU-brokered deal to end months of political deadlock.Shortly before the Macedonian parliament was dissolved at midnight today to pave the way for an early election, opposition Social Democratic leader Zoran Zaev said that conditions for free and fair elections had not been met.He cited a lack of reform to reduce government influence in the media and a failure to conduct a thorough review of the electoral roll in the EU candidate country."In the name of democracy, the SDSM (Social Democratic Union) will not take part in these fake elections," he told reporters. "We call on all citizens, students, farmers and people of all ethnicities and religions to stand (together) in defence of democracy."The dissolution of parliament was expected after all sides agreed to early elections as part of EU mediation to resolve a crisis over allegations of illegal phone-tapping and widespread abuse of office made against Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's government.Initially, the election was planned for April 24, but after the European Union and United States voiced concerns over reports of pressure and intimidation of voters, the vote was delayed, most likely to June 5.The speaker of the parliament has until April 15 to officially set the election date.Hours before parliament was dissolved, opposition ministers in the caretaker government resigned but the parliament did not convene to vote on their resignations, which would be the usual procedure.After almost a decade in power, Gruevski's government was bombarded last year by allegations of illegal surveillance, meddling in the media and judiciary, rigging elections and appointing party faithful to public sector jobs.The accusations stemmed from a slew of phone-taps released by Zaev, who said the government had conducted the surveillance. Gruevski denied this and dismissed the accusations as a plot to bring him down.He submitted his resignation to parliament in February, in line with the deal, and a caretaker government formed by both the ruling VMRO DPMNE and opposition representatives took over to prepare the country for an election.Macedonia has been on the front line of Europe's migrant crisis, building a fence on its border to keep out thousands of migrants and refugees trying to reach the wealthy north of the European Union - they are now bottled up in Greece.A dispute with Greece over Macedonia's name, which is shared by a northern Greek province, has blocked Skopje's efforts to join NATO and the European UnionREUTERS CJ CS1537 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-672070.Xml According to Oli's Foreign Affairs Expert Gopal Khanal, Teplitz also wanted to know about the latest political developments, including the progress made on the issue of constituency delineation front from the Prime Minister, reports the Himalayan Times. Prime Minister Oli, who met Teplitz in his official residence in Baluwatar yesterday, clarified the claims that said Nepal was facing problems and its constitution was 'erroneous' were baseless and malicious. He also claimed that the country was not facing any problem and the constitution, far from being faulty was an inclusive one, duly incorporating voices of all sides. The recent EU-India joint statement, which mentioned Nepal to resolve the remaining constitutional issues in a time bound manner, has reportedly irked Oli. The Prime Minister added that Nepal was capable of resolving its internal affairs on its own. Meanwhile, Ambassador Teplitz informed Oli that the US Government had already initiated the process of providing duty-free access to 66 Nepali goods, including textiles. (ANI) A senior member of Ireland's second largest party said today he is "pretty confident" his colleagues will roundly reject an offer for an unprecedented coalition with the party of acting prime minister Enda Kenny.Kenny made the proposal on Wednesday evening during his first meeting with the leader of rival party Fianna Fail since inconclusive elections on Feb. 26. Fianna Fail lawmakers are meeting to discuss the offer.A rejection would leave the country facing an unstable minority government or a new election."From the soundings I have got in the very short time since this offer was made, I think it will be rejected," former defence minister Willie O'Dea told state broadcaster RTE when asked about the offer of a "full partnership government"."I don't want to pre-empt what the parliamentary party will decide, but I will be opposing it and I believe that will be the view of the majority of my colleagues," he said.He dismissed the idea of giving up principles for the sake of "Mercs and perks", referring to ministerial Mercedes-Benz cars.Another Fianna Fail frontbench member, Charlie McConalogue, also said he would not favour a full coalition, echoing the views some backbenchers have voiced since the offer was made.Fianna Fail and Kenny's Fine Gael are both centre-right parties with few policy differences but have been bitter rivals for decades."We're unsurprised to see several Fianna Fail politicians have already publicly come out against a deal - as in many other jurisdictions, electoral arithmetic trumps policy cohesion," stockbrokers Investec said in a note.Ireland's central bank has said the impasse has so far had little effect on Europe's fastest-growing economy but warned it could have an adverse impact. Data on Wednesday showed consumer sentiment posted its sharpest fall in 17 months in March.Acting health minister Leo Varadkar Fine Gael said he would have "great concerns" about the possibility of a minority government of Fine Gael and independent members of parliaments that would depend on Fianna Fail's consent to govern.He also said he could not rule out a new election as there was a limit to how long the country can continue without a full government. REUTERS CJ NS1621 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-672218.Xml "This government has not done anything new yet, besides giving trouble to people," the Himalayan Times quoted him as saying at a programme organised at the Reporters' Club here on Thursday. He warned of launching a massive protest from mid-April if the government did not address the demands of Nepal's ethnic Madhesi community. "We had given an ultimatum till mid-April to address the demands, but the government has not taken any initiative till now," Karna said. "The Oli government is indulging in corruption and black marketing, as people are not getting fuel and cooking gas easily even as there is no obstruction at border entry points," he added. Karna said the next phase of agitation would be capital-centric. (ANI) The Dutch security minister battled to keep his job on Thursday as he faced criticism from across the political spectrum over his handling of counter-terrorism intelligence ahead of last month's suicide bombings in Brussels.Ard van der Steur came under fire during a heated parliamentary debate over the March 22 bombings that killed 32 people in the Belgian capital.In the days following the attacks, the minister said U.S. police had alerted the Dutch a week before the bombings that the two brothers who blew themselves up were wanted, but there was no follow up."Why was there no pro-active response to this intelligence?" Emile Roemer, leader of the opposition Socialists, asked on Thursday. "I want to know if this minister is part of the solution or the problem."The minister last month published a letter from Turkey on the deportation in July 2015 of one of the brothers. He passed through customs in the Netherlands unchecked because he was not yet on an international blacklist and had requested not to be sent to Belgium, where he had violated parole.Geert Wilders, leader of the eurosceptic Freedom Party, told parliament: "I only have one question for the minister... don't you think it's time to resign?"Wilders' comment fuelled expectations that opposition parties would call a no-confidence vote in van der Steur, who retained the backing of his own party, Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).Van der Steur also admitted incorrectly citing in parliament the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, rather than the New York Police Department, as the source of information about bombers Brahim and Khalid El Bakraoui.Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Brussels bombings and for strikes that killed 130 people in Paris last November.The need for better intelligence-sharing across the European Union has become a mantra since those attacks. But despite an agreement to pool data through European police agency Europol only a few of the bloc's 28 member states are doing so, intelligence sources say.Van der Steur said the Dutch intelligence services did all they could with the knowledge they had at the time, but that was rejected by political opponents."When we are talking about terrorism, we want to hear from someone who knows what is going on," said Democrats 66 party leader Alexander Pechtold. "This minister answered more than 10 times: 'I don't knowREUTERS CJ RAI1702 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-672299.Xml A lack of regulations relating to the disposal of corpses that are unclaimed or caught up in legal disputes has left morgues clogged with bodies, some of which have been in cold storage for decades. According to a recent report by Xinhua News Agency, the unclaimed bodies are not only taking up significant space but costing public money to preserve. The report listed several cities as examples. Every year, there are between 1,300 and 1,400 unclaimed bodies in morgues and funeral parlors in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. In Jinan, Shandong province, more than 80 corpses have gone unclaimed. And in Kunming, Yunnan province, more than 70 are in long-term storage. The report cited an official in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, as saying the city has around 200 long-term bodies in morgues. One has been in storage for 21 years. "On average, there are around 10 unclaimed corpses at funeral parlors in every county or city in the region, which doesn't include those left in the morgues of hospitals," Wang Qingmin, an official from the region's Civil Affairs Bureau, was quoted as saying. The Regulations on the Management of Funeral Affairs, issued in 2012, does not regulate what must happen to bodies that no one claims or those that cannot be buried for other reasons. Because of the lack of laws or regulations, government departments usually choose to preserve the bodies, in case relatives turn up to claim them, Wang said. The rules stipulate that claimed bodies must usually be cremated, and that the cremations must be carried out after a death certificate is issued by police authorities or a medical facility. Some of the bodies in storage have been kept because they are connected to unresolved disputes, such as a car accident or medical grievance. Police departments and medical facilities have been cautious about issuing death certificates under such circumstances. "The cost of storing these corpses presents a huge burden for the funeral parlors and include the cost of refrigeration and facility maintenance," said Zhang Tao, an official at Lianhuashan funeral parlor in Jinan. One such corpse, which has been kept at the facility for 12 years, has likely cost around 200,000 yuan ($31,000) to store, Zhang said. "These bodies have also resulted in a lack of available space for the bodies of people who are recently deceased." Even when local governments have regulations in place about dealing with unclaimed corpses, police authorities have been reluctant to issue death certificates because of the lack of a national law, according to a worker at a hospital morgue in Hohhot, who didn't want to be identified. "Some police officers dealing with complicated cases in which there are fatalities are unwilling to issue death certificates to avoid being implicated in legal disputes between parties involved the deaths," the worker said. An Israeli cabinet minister described as "loony" today an account by US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of the number of Palestinian civilians killed in the 2014 Gaza war that went well beyond any official assessments.The minister, Zeev Elkin, commenting on an interview by the Vermont senator in the New York Daily News on Monday, took a forgiving tack, saying politicians "sometimes make mistakes" in the heat of a campaign."I don't remember the figures, but my recollection is over 10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza. Does that sound right?" Sanders told the newspaper. "I do believe and I don't think I'm alone in believing that Israel's force was more indiscriminate than it should have been."Sanders, who trails Hillary Clinton in the pledged delegates needed to win the nomination ahead of the Democratic party's July convention in Philadelphia, also criticised Gaza militants for launching rockets at Israel from civilian areas.The war killed around 2,100 Palestinians, according to Gaza officials, Israel and foreign observers. The Palestinians say most of the dead were civilians. Israel says more than half were fighters. Israel lost 67 soldiers and six civilians in the war.Asked about Sanders' toll, Elkin, using the Israeli military's term for the Gaza war, said in a radio interview: "Anyone who knows a little about what happened in Operation Protective Edge understands that this was a weird and loony statement."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept out of the often acrimonious U.S. election race - a practice that Elkin, one of his closest cabinet colleagues, endorsed."What is ultimately important is what they (candidates) do and not what they say in election campaigns," Elkin, who serves as minister for Jerusalem and immigration, told Israel Radio."Therefore I recommend to us all that we get a little less excited about this-or-that statement that is made."On Wednesday, the Anti-Defamation League called on Sanders to correct his figures."As Mr. Sanders publicly discusses his approach to key U.S. foreign policy priorities ... accuracy and accountability are essential for the voting public, but also for U.S. credibility in the international community," said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt.Sanders, who is Jewish, spent several months in Israel in the 1960s as a volunteer on a kibbutz, or communal farm."I lived in Israel. I have family in Israel. I believe 100 percent not only in Israel's right to exist, a right to exist in peace and security without having to face terrorist attacks," he told the New York Daily News.He added: "I think the United States has got to help work with the Palestinian people as well. I think that is the path toward peace." REUTERS CJ VN1756 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-672513.Xml US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the Republican party's senior foreign policy voices, said today he would likely support the sale of advanced military equipment including Boeing F-18 fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait, despite Israel's concerns.Israel's government worries that equipment sent to Gulf states could fall into the wrong hands and eventually be used against the Jewish state."The Israeli argument is that you've seen regimes in the neighborhood change pretty quickly. Be careful of introducing new weapons into the region," Graham told reporters following a trip to the region, citing the situation in Iraq.However, he said he thought it was important for such sales to go ahead despite those concerns, given instability in the region and threats including Islamic State militants."I say to my Israeli friends, 'We need partners. Partners without capability are paper partners.' ... So I'll probably be in the camp of pushing the increased capability of Gulf Arab states, understanding Israeli's concern," Graham said.He acknowledged that there was strong opposition in Congress toward arming some Gulf Arab states. "I don't know how the votes go right now," Graham said.Graham is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees foreign aid. REUTERS AY AN2340 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0352-673180.Xml Trade mission to Panama June 2016 The spotlight has been placed on Panama given that countrys strong growth and investment prospects for 2016. According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Panama has the second highest growth rate in the southern hemisphere for 2015. Furthermore, based on projected studies by ECLAC for 2016, Panama has the highest projected GDP growth rate in the region. These statistics show that Panama will be a very promising destination for trade and commerce in 2016. Over the past six years, Panama has emerged as the top recipient of Foreign Direct Investment in Central America. The FDI has been directed mainly to sectors related to logistics, energy, real estate, free zone and financial services. Approximately US$5.25 billion has been invested in the expansion of the Panama Canal, which is projected for completion in June 2016. The Panama Canal Expansion Project is of critical importance to Trinidad and Tobagos trade, given its potential to boost prospects for more exports to Asia of liquefied natural gas. The Governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Panama concluded negotiations for a Partial Scope Trade Agreement in 2011, and the TT Chamber has high hopes that the agreement will enter into force before the end of 2016. The agreement would provide preferential access on 230 important products manufactured in TT including chewing gum, peanut butter, doors and windows, building blocks, bitumen and aerated water. The agreement also has great potential for foreign exchange earnings in the nonenergy sector. The TT Chamber recognises the need for the countrys private sector to take the initiative in reaching out to new or underexplored markets. The mission is one of the avenues that the TT Chamber is utilising to ensure that businesses are properly equipped to pursue trade and business opportunities throughout Latin America. These efforts are being been greatly assisted by the National Export Promotion Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (export) and the Embassy of Panama in Trinidad and Tobago. As the country is called upon to innovate and diversify in the face of the uncertain economic conditions that prevail globally, the TT Chamber will continue to seek ways to foster strong and sustainable economic development. Interested businesspersons wishing to learn more about the June Mission or register may contact the T&T Chamber at 637- 6966 extension 1252. Blink | bmobile honours fallen Amalgamated security officer with endowment to FEEL To honour Josephs longstanding service and his commitment and dedication to his job, Blink | bmobile gave a financial endowment in Josephs name to the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL) a non-profit organisation (NGO) founded by former Fatima College School principal, Clive Pantin, 24 years ago. The donation will go specifically to the NGOs Medical Outreach Programme. The cheque hand-over took place at FEELs warehouse, Fernandes Industrial Centre, Laventille in the presence of some of Josephs colleagues, TSTT representatives, as well as Feels Chief Executive Officer, Elena Villafana-Sylvester. Anthonys death hit the company hard. He has been with us for so many years he really became family. He was a part of the first response team for Amalgamated and he touched everyone - from clients to employees - and its still difficult to come to terms with his death, Aboud said. Aboud, who was in high praise of Blink | bmobile for honouring Josephs legacy in such a human way, said the gesture shows that the telecommunications company really cares about the people they serve. This is testimony to the fact that Blink | bmobile is a company that goes above and beyond and for that we thank them, wholeheartedly. They didnt have to do this but they did and that says a lot. He added, We decided to give the money to FEEL because of its tireless work and commitment to helping the societys most vulnerable - and we think that Anthony would have wanted that too. Villafana-Sylvester shared similar sentiments. She said the donation will go a long way in helping the NGO provide assistance to those in need. FEEL gives support to close to 200 civil society organisations in TT, including childrens homes, homes for the elderly, as well as primary and secondary schools. What Blink | bmobile has done is very commendable. This money will assist us in buying wheelchairs, walkers and other medical supplies so that we can help even more people. Getting funding is always challenging and I think more corporations need to follow the lead of Blink | bmobile because its the only way that NGOs like us can survive. Thank you, Blink | bmobile for making real a difference in the lives of the people of TT. Darryl Duke, Senior Manager Government, Security and Directory Business TSTT, who was present at the handing-over event, said the telecommunications company sympathised with Josephs family and colleagues and wanted to do something that paid homage to Josephs long standing commitment to protecting the countrys citizens for close to 40 years. As the only national full service telecommunication provider we saw it as our duty to pay tribute to Joseph who passionately served company and country. Joseph and the team at Amalgamated Security Services Limited are important partners for Vigilance keeping customers safe. As such we had a responsibility to honour him for his bravery and dedication to his job which he performed with an insurmountable amount of pride and for which he made the ultimate sacrifice. His death came just a few days before Christmas and it was a huge loss to everyone around him and to us as well, because he was responding to a Blink/ One of two dead bandits identified Police reported that Williams, whose address is also listed as Temple Street, Arima, was wanted in connection with a series of shootings and armed robberies in the south and south western divisions. He had been detained several times in the past by officers in the southern division, investigators revealed yesterday. His accomplice however is yet to be identified but police believe they worked together as a team. Shortly before meeting their deaths, the two men were allegedly part of a gang of four who robbed Boodoosinghs Gas Station in Flanagin Town at gunpoint of $4,000 cash and escaped in a white Wingroad car. Following a chase by officers of the Central and Southern Divisions, the suspects were cornered at the playground in Williamsville. A report said they exited the vehicle and began shooting at the officers who returned fire wounding Williams and one other man. Two others managed to escape. The wounded men were rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital where they died. The search continues for the two other bandits who police said are armed and dangerous. Man shot by police remains warded The suspect was shot and wounded in the stomach and hand by the officer who, according to reports, became fearful for his life and drew his service revolver after his alleged attacker slapped him in the face. The man allegedly attempted to strike the officer again, this time with a beer bottle. Reports are that the wounded man was not the driver, but a passenger in the vehicle that wanted to cut into the line and fill up his tank ahead of the police officer. An argument ensued between the officer and the two men who, eyewitnesses recalled, had earlier purchased two beers at the establishment. Several persons were present at the gas station and witnessed the incident. According to a police report, around 10 pm, the officer a member of the Criminal Intelligence Gang Unit was at the Quik Shop, SS Erin Road, Debe when he had an altercation with a man who slapped him in the face. The wounded man was rushed to the SFGH. The officer also sought medical attention and was treated and discharged. The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has since launched an investigation into the matter and has called on persons who witnessed the incident to contact the Authority. Supt Pragg is investigating the matter. Police yet to interview suspects in alleged assault of girl, 7 However, officers of the Child Protection Unit are liaising with officers of the Witness and Victim Support Unit of the TT Police Service to provide counselling for the child and mother. Investigators said yesterday that they will be probing whether or not grievous sexual assault was committed against the girl and they are yet to interview the two suspects. The 10-year-old is reportedly out of the country on vacation while the 14-year-old has reportedly gone into hiding. On Saturday the girl told her mother that her two male relatives had each sexually assaulted her. She could not recall the date and time when the acts were committed, prompting her mother to make a report to Sgt Pacheco of the Moruga police. COPS CANT CATCH KILLERS The detection rate was 17.8 percent between August 2014 and March 2015, but for the same months in late 2015 up to last month, the figure was a low 8.6 percent, acting Supt Zamsheed Mohammed of the Homicide Bureau disclosed yesterday. The situation was identified that the detection rate was too low and with the continuous upsurge in homicides it poses challenges to the officers to the Homicide Bureau, Mohammed told reporters yesterday during the weekly media briefing at the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) headquarters on the corner of Edward and Sackville Streets, Port-of-Spain. There have been 130 murders in the past three months alone, compared to 101 for the same period last year. Investigators are however currently reviewing 25 files (cases) out of 95 from between last August to the present, which have solvable factors, Mohammed said, in an effort to find sufficient evidence to lead to arrests. Those files were sent back to respective investigators with particular tasking and to address issues, and once completed we would again review to ascertain if there is sufficient evidence, said the senior investigator. Furthermore, the Homicide Bureau is mounting an exercise to crack even older murder cases, committed at least three years ago and even as far back as ten years, by setting up a Cold Case Unit. (Cold case units are part of the policing structure in foreign jurisdictions such as the United States.) The objective is to bring closure, because we at the TTPS are very concerned about the number of homicides that are being committed and have been committed over the years. It is really heart-breaking to the relatives of these persons being killed, and after so many years there is no closure, said Mohammed. Officers who are assigned to the unit are to analyse cold cases and devise an action plan for their investigations. Newsday was unable to reach National Security Minister Edmund Dillon or President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Inspector, Anand Ramesar, for comment on Mohammeds disclosures. However, former chairman of the Police Service Commission, Professor Ramesh Deosaran, told Newsday he believes there are several reasons for the decline in the homicide detection rate, among them manpower shortage, an unwillingness by the public to provide evidence, and the lack of public trust in police officers who are perceived as law-breakers. Yet the demand remains for an improvement in the investigative capacities of the police to solve the crimes. The rate of murders increases significantly, (and) you also have increased pressures on the homicide unit in the Police Service and other investigators, and there is a need to tighten up and expand our investigative capacities, Professor Deosaran explained. He said there is a need to improve the forensic capabilities of the police, to establish a wider network of surveillance cameras across the country and to build public confidence in the police. In this way it will encourage citizens to be more willing to provide information for police evidence. Public confidence has deteriorated significantly because of the extent of police misdemeanours. For example the Acting Commissioner (Stephen Williams) said two weeks ago that there are now over 300 police officers on charges, the criminologist observed. Speaking from personal experience, Deosaran said there is a need for police officers to improve their conduct toward the public. I myself have gone to police stations and I find the response you get in terms of attention to your concerns is not adequate for the Police Service...they need to improve, he said. There are several areas where public confidence could be built. One is police responding to citizens complaints, and secondly, to make the police appear to be more disciplined and law-abiding agencies in themselves. This is the only way it can be improved. Mohammed, at the media briefing, acknowledged a need for continuous training of homicide officers and a greater use of technology to help solve murders. At homicide there is a need for more training and re-training, he said. We live in a technological era and the more we can utilise technology as opposed to eye-witnesses that leads to murders (of the witnesses), it would give us the opportunity to advance ourselves to be in a better position now, in this age, to be able to detect (solve) at a higher rate. Cepep in $300M debt The report, commissioned by the new CEPEP Board, is said to be in the hands of members of Government including Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert. Noting the guesstimate of half a billion dollars in irregularities, and debt in the region of $300 million, the review asks: How is it possible that a State-owned company with a $600 million annual budget could have acquired debts of such magnitude, and how is it that the board and management of the company allowed such debts to accrue. Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis indicated in Parliament last week, in response to questions from Opposition MPs on the future of the programme, that CEPEP was being reviewed. The programme is expected to be raised in Parliament again tomorrow as one of the issues that will be dealt with when Imbert makes his national review presentation in the Lower House. But the internal review document obtained by Newsday, in addition to pointing to the hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of irregularities and the debt that is now coming to light, says that only two of the 254 general contractors engaged by CEPEP under the previous government have made all their statutory payments. This follows a recent examination of contractors statutory payments records covering items such as national insurance, health surcharge, and other payments that companies must make under the law including Value Added Tax (VAT), the Green Fund Levy and the Business Levy. The document detailing the findings explains that the way CEPEP is set up, contractors are paid for managing their employees, while CEPEP pays the salaries of the employees. It points out that every contractor has two bank accounts: one for payments from CEPEP for management services, and the other for statutory payments on behalf of their employees (national insurance, health surcharge, and the other payments that their companies must make to the State: VAT, and the Green Fund and Business Levies). The money in the second account is also remitted by CEPEP. These payments are required by law and CEPEP pays the money into contractors accounts, and the contractors make their statutory payments. As the matter relates to outstanding statutory payments, the review has found that 20 percent of the 254 contractors have between 33 and 40 months outstanding; 20 percent between 25 and 29 months, 20 percent between 16 and 24 months; 20 percent between eight and 15 months, and 20 percent with seven months or less outstanding statutory payments. The review says that what this means is that CEPEP contractors have received money from the agency to make payments to the State in a timely manner but they have failed to do so. Additionally, there is concern that since the money was paid into the contractors accounts, it suggests that the money has long been spent. The review states: For their employees, this means that their National Insurance benefits are affected. Imagine a situation in which an affected employee has an accident requiring the Disability Benefit only to discover from the National Insurance Board that because the contractor did not make payments, the employee has no entitlement. Now imagine a similar situation with a pregnant employee who finds herself on maternity leave with no maternity benefit. The review outlines contractual clauses which call for the cessation of payments or termination by CEPEP if contractors fail to make their statutory payments. It notes, however, that in direct conflict with the contracts between CEPEP and the contractors, the CEPEP management and board ignored violations by contractors, and instead created a points system whereby the contractors were graded on compliance, classifying them as fully compliant, halfway compliant and zero compliant. It said that the CEPEP board and management also went on to ignore those contractors who did not meet their self-imposed standards and failed to terminate contracts on the basis of non-compliance. Monthly bill of $25,000 for each inmate Attorney General Faris Al Rawi disclosed this yesterday during the first public consultation forum on prison reform at City Hall, Port-of-Spain. He said the estimated cost of each prison in 2015 was $597 million and this includes, electricity, manpower, water, food, transportation, health and other additional costs. If you take the prisons figure alone, you divide by the total physical inmate population you will get $13,271 per head, per month, but when you factor what the additional costs, some intangibles, you can easily take that figure to $20 to $25,000 per head per month, he said. He added, That is a real figure to be grappled with because coming out of that comes the discussion of what are we going to do about it? And are we prepared to make some hard choices, some unpopular choices? Are we prepared to have a real discussion not based on anecdotal information, based instead on statistically driven thoughts and analysis. Al Rawi disclosed that of the more than 3,000 persons incarcerated, there were 2,235 people in Remand. Of that number, 42 percent are charged with murder, five percent are charged with simple possession, six percent charged with trafficking, seven percent charged with sexual offences and 13 percent charged with possession of firearms and ammunition. Then there is a category of other which comprises 27 percent of the Remand population. Under this category, Al Rawi said people are in Remand on charges of using obscene language, failure to pay maintenance, breach of traffic regulations, and malicious damage. Of the Remand population, 11 percent have been incarcerated for more than ten years. Nineteen percent have been incarcerated for more than five years and 70 percent have beens incarcerated for five years or less. Al Rawi said to maintain each prisoner for more than ten years cost more than $2 million. There are 246 that fit that category. It has costed us $649,440,000 to hold 246 inmates for 11 years. Four hundred and twenty five persons in remand for over five years, the annual figure for one person is $1.44 million, he said. To address the transporting costs and the delays in the criminal justice system, Al Rawi disclosed that a court was being constructed at the Remand prison. Al Rawi noted that there are eight prisons in the country, with many over capacity. At the Remand prison, there are 1,032 as of December last year but the capacity is 655. Port-of-Spain prison has a capacity of 250 people and houses 725 people, in other words, 290 percent occupancy. Carrera has a capacity of 185, housing 201 persons therefore having a capacity of 108 percent occupancy. The Tobago convict prison has capacity of 30 and there are 53 people there as of December last year, being 177 percent capacity, he said. Baptiste-Primus: Govt moving to protect workers With the appointment of the liquidator for ArcelorMittal yesterday (Tuesday), a legal process has kicked in that the Government cannot control, said Baptiste-Primus. She continued, That is what the law says. Its not fair and one can say its unconscionable that workers after 25, 30 years that they are going home with one months salary. However, the minister disclosed, I have been informed by the trustee of the pension plan that those workers who are 55 years and over can apply and get their pension immediately but of course a reduced pension. She further disclosed that on May 18, her ministry will pull in all stakeholders to review the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, Companies Act, Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, as well as the Industrial Relations Act . Baptiste-Primus said, We have encouraged all the workers of ArcelorMittal to register with our national employment services and employers register with us and we are going to do as much as our resources will allow us to match those skills against available jobs. She added the work of the National Employment Agency was pivotal in helping the steel workers and other unemployed people in the country. Yesterday the committee approved a $374 million increase in the Labour Ministrys appropriation, which dealt mainly with the On the Job Training (OJT) Programme which was moved from the Education Ministry to the Labour Ministry . Jaden an angel on earth The service was packed to capacity with villagers, friends and relatives, many of whom wept openly. In tears Harper said that Jaden loved to eat and, if given a chance, could spend the day eating especially one of his favorite meals which was cereal. Jaden would be the first to say prayers on mornings and evenings and was always willing to help others,she said. Harper said that Jaden was brilliant and willing to learn. He would talk all day long without stopping. He loved to sing and dance. He was always happy and we thank God for the five years he gave us Jaden. He was indeed a blessing. Jaden, a First Year pupil of the Tabaquite Presbyterian Primary School, was the second of three children to parents, nursing student Maurissa Herrera-Cudjoe, 30, and secondary school teacher, Ja?me Cudjoe, 37. Herrera-Cudjoe is a student of COSTAATT, San Fernando campus. Reports are the accident occurred at about 6.45 pm on Saturday, a stones throw away from the familys home. Jaden, his cousin, Makhail Joseph, 28, and (Jadens) baby sister Rea-Murrie Cudjoe, 18 months were on their way to a mini-mart to purchase sweets. While crossing, a 22 year-old motorcyclist, who lives in the area, started to rev the motorcycle. Joseph was holding Rea-Murrie. Jaden was standing behind the white line and waiting for the duo to join him when he was hit. Jaden was buried at the Tabaquite Cemetery. Emrith can handle his business Moonilal Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, Moonilal said, I imagine that he can take care of his own business and seek legal advice on the matter. Indicating he has not spoken to Emrith since the Panama Papers were made public, Moonilal observed, Interestingly, they are not pointing to any criminal conduct or illegal activity. As you know, tax avoidance issues is a global issue. President Obama has spoken about this as well. He said it was possible other TT citizens or Caribbean nationals may be caught in this international exposure, and added that it was no secret that Emrith worked with Brazilian company OAS Construtora for many years. He claimed that information has now come out very clearly that it was the Peoples National Movement (PNM) that secured, recruited and decided OAS would undertake the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project. We (PP) awarded the contract, Moonilal said. Alleging that former works minister Jack Warner admitted to this, Moonilal said it remains to be seen whether anything in the Panama Papers would lead beyond scandal into criminal conduct. He claimed that PNM officials could be implicated if these issues date back to the 1970s. Moonilal also said he has been doing business with First Citizens Bank for 25 years and has great confidence in the bank. Imbert, Kamla dispute figures Responding to Persad- Bissessars claim during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, Imbert said this figure included $374 million from the Onthe- Job Training Programme which was being transferred from the Education Ministry to the Labour Ministry. Indicating the figure also included approximately $30 million from the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), which was transferred from the Education Ministry to the Planning Ministry, Imbert told Persad-Bissessar she was operating on the false assumption that we are only dealing with recurrent expenditure. The minister indicated that $10 million was also being transferred from the IMAs development programme for a number of things such as construction of a marine field station and a new building for the IMA. As Persad-Bissessar insisted there was a discrepancy, Imbert explained, Items that were gazetted before the beginning of the fiscal year, the entire allocation has gone. That is why there is a difference when you do the maths in terms of increases and decreases. The House sits at 1.30 pm tomorrow for the mid-year review. Cabinet reviews CNMG options A brief statement issued yesterday by his ministry said Cuffie has noted the on-going concern in the media for the direction of both companies. The statement said, The minister would like to state that both organisations are now before the Cabinet and a decision on both organisations and their employees will be determined after the Cabinet has reviewed all available options. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Cruise missile subs best offense against Chinese area denial tactics: Report (NationalSecurity.news) The Chinese military is pursuing an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy to keep the U.S. Navy at bay during any future conflict in the South China Sea, but one way to defeat that strategy may be to increase flight distance of sub-launched cruise missiles, The National Interest reported. How to breach Chinas increasingly stout A2/AD umbrella has vexed U.S. military planners for the past few years and it continues to be a scenario the Pentagon routinely revisits, especially with the so-called American pivot to Asia. And while there are not yet any clear answers to the question, some options are nevertheless beginning to emerge. One of the most feasible is developing longer-range weapons, since the relative striking distance of the Navys large-deck aircraft carriers is increasingly short, given the fact that Chinese missiles and subs have closed the gap. At present, American carriers would have to operate well within Chinas A2/AD envelope, which of course then makes them vulnerable to attack. Because of that vulnerability, The National Interest notes, carriers are not likely to take part in first day(s) of war operations to be involved in opening salvos and attacks on the enemys A2/AD door, when defenses are their strongest. That said, however, the U.S. does possess some deep-strike capabilities that stand a better chance of breaching an anti-access barrier. One is the Air Forces stealth bombers, and another is the U.S. Navys Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, deployed on cruisers, destroyers and submarines. Regarding naval platforms, the Ohio-class nuclear powered submarine is definitely the most lethal in terms of the Tomahawk capacity, and it is also the most survivable due to its extremely low observability. It has both stealth and firepower, making it arguably the best A2/AD naval platform in the U.S. arsenal. More: The Ohio-class boats initially began as ballistic missile subs (SSBNs) before being converted to underwater Arsenal Ships during the mid-2000s. As they were being refitted, the 24 ballistic missile tubes were modified to each receive a special canister that allows for storage of seven Tomahawk missiles each. Two of the subs missile silos were adapted to support special operations for at least 66 Navy SEALs. The strategy has worked, and recently. For instance, the USS Florida fired 93 of the 199 Tomahawks used to disable and destroy Libyas air defense network during that campaign. At the time, then-Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge noted, This [using subs to fire Tomahawks] gets back [to the] principle (that if) we dont have superiority in the air to have our way at the onset of a crisis, were going to need somebody who can penetrate the defenses and soften up the adversary so then we can flow those other forces in to establish air dominance. . . . So in the onset of that campaign. . . the undersea forces. . . were called upon to attack land targets in Libya. But the Ohio-class is set to be replaced by the Virginia-class SSGN, which will hold considerably fewer Tomahawks. And surface ships payloads of Tomahawks will likely be halved, at least, replaced by air defense missiles. In the meantime, however, as longer-range missiles are being developed, the Ohio-class boats appear to be the best option the Pentagon has in order to defeat Chinas growing A2/AD capability. See also: The National Interest NationalSecurity.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Submit a correction >> India the second largest potato producer in the world after China Haryana, Thu, 07 Apr 2016 NI Wire Production of disease free quality planting material is a major constrain in potato cultivation and country needs large quantity of good quality potato seed- Shri Radha Mohan Singh At present level of farm management practices we are actually able to harvest only 60.8% of the achievable yield- Shri Singh Production of Potato is 48.0 million tonnes from an area of 20.8 million ha during 2014-15 Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh yesterday inaugurate Potato Technology Center, Shamgarh ,Karnal, Haryana. On the occasion the Minister said that production of disease free quality planting material is a major constrain in potato cultivation and country needs large quantity of good quality potato seed. Presently, new techniques have been standardized especially for production of micro tubers through tissue culture techniques to cater to the need of seed potato.The opening of Potato Technology Centre at Karnal will not only come in a big way to cater to the demand of large quantity of disease free planting material at a time but will also help in introduction of new varieties. It will certainly boost production and productivity of farmers and processing industries of Haryana as well as neighboring states. Shri Singh said that in our daily life we eat potatoes almost every day and have been used as food for more than 10000 years. Potato in India has still to transform from simply a vegetable supplement to serious food security option. Ability of potato to produce highest nutrition and dry matter on per unit area and time basis, among major food crops, it is the crop to address future global food security and poverty alleviation. Agriculture Minister said that as we know, potatoes are rich in protein and vitamin B group with high content which can help to enhance the physical conditions and improve the memory ability and clear thoughts. As a result, to eat potatoes regularly not only makes us healthy, but also make us maintain young and smart. Shri Singh informed that the current share of potato to agricultural GDP is 2.86% from 1.32% cultivable area. On the contrary, the two principal food crops, rice and wheat, contribute 18.25% and 8.22% of agricultural GDP, respectively from 31.19 and 20.56% cultivable area, respectively (FAOSTAT). It indicated that contribution of potato in agricultural GDP from unit area of cultivable land is about 3.7 times higher than rice and 5.4 times higher than wheat Shri Singh further said that rising number of working couples, rapid rate of urbanization, enhanced tendency of eating out of home, higher disposable income levels of people and important place of potato in fast food items, create an ideal situation for enormous expansion of potato consumption in the near and distant future. Estimated domestic demand of potatoes in India is 55 million t during 2025 and 122 million t during 2050. Demand for processing quality potatoes will increase from current level of 2.7 million t to 6 and 25 million t in the year 2025 and 2050, respectively. On similar lines, the food demand for fresh potatoes will increase from the current 24 million t to 38 and 78 million t during 2025 and 2050. Although, the demand for potato seed will grow nearly 2.1 time (2.96 to 6.1 million t) by the year 2050, yet, highly concerted efforts needs to be directed towards providing desirable quality seed potatoes to all farmers at remunerative prices. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister said that at present level of farm management practices we are actually able to harvest only 60.8% of the achievable yield. However, there is enhanced emphasis on efficient dissemination of farm technologies and consequent improvement in farm management practices in the country, it is estimated that we would be able to harvest 80% of achievable yield Shri Singh said that potato is always the front-runner when we take processing of agri-commodities into consideration. Analysis of past experience and pattern of Indian processing industry suggests that demand for processing quality potatoes over next 40 years will rise at the fastest pace for French fries (11.6%) followed by potato flakes/ powder (7.6%) and potato chips (4.5%). The actual demand for processing potatoes will rise from 2.8 million tonnes in 2010 to 25 million tonnes during the year 2050. At present, production of Potato is 48.0 million tonnes from an area of 20.8 million ha during 2014-15, thus making India the second largest potato producer in the world after China. On the occasion, Chief Minister of Haryana, Agriculture Minister of Haryana, Minister of State for Agriculture Haryana, M.P. and MLA were also present. Source: PIB WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? By Chuck Baldwin April 7, 2016 NewsWithViews.com [ NOTE: This article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of NewsWithViews.com, it's employees, representatives, or other contributing writers.] Several friends and supporters around the country have recently asked me the question, Where do we go from here? These are people who love and fear God, who love their country, who love freedom, who see the burgeoning abridgments of our liberties by an overbearing and ever-intrusive federal government, and who, frankly, see little reason to believe that either political party will do much of anything to change things--regardless of who is elected. And, frankly, I share their frustration. For the most part, the two major parties are controlled by the same big-government, Police State-loving, war-mongering, power-hungry, egotistical elitist clubmen whose only aim is to satisfy their insatiable appetite for personal gain. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who isnt willing to lick the boots and kiss the rings of the establishment elite will unleash the wrath of the fire-breathing dragons in both parties--not to mention their toadies in the propaganda media. Normally, there will be but one anti-establishment candidate capable of upsetting the establishment applecart in a given presidential race. During the last half-century or so, that means men such as Barry Goldwater, George Wallace, John Anderson, Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Ron Paul. These men are summarily run over by the combined force of the political and media establishments--or in the case of Wallace, shot--thus ensuring that no matter which major party candidate wins, the establishment wins. This is why no matter which party controls the White House and Congress, the beat goes on for the establishment elite: more and more government growth and spending; more and more intrusions into our personal lives; more and more jobs shipped overseas; more and more illegal immigration; more and more foreign wars; more and more federal usurpation of State sovereignty; more and more power to overbearing federal agencies such as the BLM and EPA; and more and more economic hardship on the middle class. The problem for the establishment this year is that there is not one, but two anti-establishment candidates in the hunt: one in each party. The combined candidacies of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are making life a veritable hell for the establishment elite. The fact that so many millions of people from both the left and the right are supporting these two men is definite cause for the establishment to be concerned. The anger and frustration of the American people with the establishment are VERY real. In addition, millions of people have completely given up on the ballot box. The testimonies of computer hackers claiming to have rigged voting machines or to being eyewitnesses to vote fraud, the overt manipulation of party delegates, rules and procedures, and the track record of nothing changing no matter who is elected (as referenced above) have caused millions of people to give up voting altogether. There are more people who believe that voting is a complete waste of time today than at any time in our nations history. This does not bode well for our future. Feelings of hopelessness and desperation are usually the things that revolutions are made of. So, where do we go from here? Lets begin here: it is absolutely certain that, while Washington, D.C., is a major part of our problem, it is NOT our solution. As the comic strip character Pogo said, We have found the enemy, and it is us. And the us in this equation is mostly those who profess to be Christians and those who profess to be Patriots. Christians Most Christians are familiar with the Scripture that says judgment must begin at the house of God. (I Peter 4:17) The problem with Old Testament Israel was NOT the Canaanites or the Moabites or the Girgashites or the Ammonites or the Midianites, ad infinitum. The problem with Old Testament Israel was Old Testament Israel. Gods people brought judgment upon themselves. So it is today. Christians love to curse the sins (mostly the sins of the flesh) of actors, entertainers, celebrities, and even one another. But the greater and more predominate sins of the church are totally and completely ignored. And in the pulpit, the most notable sin is the sin of silence. Christians are content to sit in front of pulpits that are totally silent on the salient issues facing our country. Oh, some may complain about their pastors not speaking out on the issues, but they continue to support these pastors with their attendance and offerings nonetheless. As long as Christians continue to give aid and comfort to these pandering pulpits, NOTHING will change in this country--no matter who is elected to public office. Beyond that, the church itself is filled with the things that God hates. When naming the particular sins that He hates, God included: Pride Lying Hands that shed innocent blood A heart that devises wicked imaginations Feet that are swift to run into mischief A false witness that speaks lies People that sow discord among brethren (See Proverbs 6:16-19) I submit that our churches are literally immersed in the sins listed above. Pride, arrogance, stubbornness, rebelliousness, deceit, backbiting, gossip, slander, character assassination, selfish ambition, insubordination, lying, false testimony, discord, discontent, malcontent, and troublemaking fill our churches. People such as these dont want Gods men in the pulpit to be prophets; they want them to be glorified babysitters: coddling and pampering spoiled spiritual babies. God said he HATES this kind of stuff. Until these kinds of sins (amounting to nothing more than spiritual idolatry or the idolization of self) are judged in the church, God will continue to give us over to our enemies as surely as He did to Old Testament Israel for their idolatry. Patriots A sizeable percentage of the professing patriot community today is doing more to cause their own enslavement than they are to prevent it. They create self-fulfilling prophecies and then refuse to take any responsibility for it. The Internet is awash in half-truths, rumors, hearsay, baseless accusations, and downright lies. In the name of God, so-called prophecy experts repeatedly predict divine pronouncements that never come true. And without retraction or apology, they continue to spew forth more and ever-exaggerated predictions. False reports are regurgitated ubiquitously. And even worse, there is an element within the patriot community that has NO desire to be objective and honest; there is no room in their minds for critical thinking. If the truth doesnt fit their preconceived agenda, they make up a lie that will. If we are going to make any progress toward the restoration and reclamation of constitutional government in this country, the patriot community must start being honest with itself. Hyperbole, sensationalism, self-aggrandizement, and pandering only serve to accommodate oppression. They do nothing to further the cause of liberty. Many patriot Internet bloggers and radio talk show hosts seem to pander as much to their audience as politicians in Washington, D.C., do to theirs. Rather than facing issues objectively and honestly, they slant or spin the story to fit what the audience wants to hear. Its the same thing the SPLC and the politically correct establishment do--only in reverse. The dark side of government and the media spin stories to fit their agendas. Many patriots do the exact same thing. Big Government toadies love to lump all patriots (those could include Ron Paul supporters, Donald Trump supporters, pro-life people, conservative Christians, military veterans, people who believe in the Constitution, creationists, Second Amendment advocates, ad infinitum) into one big anti-government group. And many self-serving patriots love to lump all policemen, federal agents, and public servants into one big tyrant group. And please remember, many of these so-called patriots who are continually promoting their own particular brand of hatred for government are in reality agent provocateurs who are attempting to incite people with strong emotions and weak minds into doing something criminal so as to further categorize all of us as anti-government extremists. And far, far too many of us are far, far too easily manipulated. The problem in the patriot community, as I see it, is the same as it is in the big-government community: a herd mentality. It seems that almost no one is willing to distance him or herself from the crowd. Whatever my peers expect me to be, I will be. Whatever they expect me to do, I will do. Whatever they expect me to say, I will say. This is a problem on both sides of the aisle. Too many good people in government are not willing to stand against the tide of popular opinion among their peers. Even when they recognize that the popular opinion of their peers is wrong, they sheepishly surrender to it. Many professing patriots do the exact same thing. They are unwilling to stand against the tide of popular opinion among their own peers. Even when they recognize that the popular opinion of their peers is wrong, they sheepishly surrender to it. So, who is worse? Until we who call ourselves patriots are willing to be honest and objective with ourselves and have the personal courage and integrity to truthfully follow that honesty and objectivity wherever it leads us, and until we stop sheepishly acquiescing to the tide of popular opinion of our peers for the purpose of self-aggrandizement and personal profit, we only contribute to the advancement of our own enslavement. We also need to become much smarter in the way we present ourselves to our uninformed neighbors and fellow citizens in our local communities. Hot-headed, knee-jerk, overly emotional outbursts and tantrums are NOT helping the cause. In the world of marketing and salesmanship, for example, bad breath and body order are NOT assets. A lot of what goes on in the name of the patriot community is tantamount to bad breath and body order. IT STINKS! Our Founding Fathers convinced the Body Politic of Colonial America (in great part because of the preaching of the Colonial pastors) as to the legitimacy and righteousness of independence from Great Britain. When those delegates voted for the Declaration of Independence, they acted as duly elected representatives of the Body Politic within the thirteen colonies. They were not a mob leading an insurrection; they were statesmen representing the will of We the People. That could not have happened without decades of intelligent and indefatigable reasoning that ultimately convinced enough of the citizenry to support the cause of independence. Of course, King George and the British Crown regarded our secession from England as treasonous, but that was irrelevant. Our founders were on the right side of the higher law of Nature and Heaven. And it was to the laws of Nature and Natures God to which they appealed their cause. So must we. I recently delivered a lengthy message outlining the principles of Natural Law. I quickly found that those principles are as distasteful to many so-called patriots today as the Gospel is to many unrepentant sinners. We will reject the principles that Heaven has enshrined in Natural Law to our own political destruction as surely as men who reject the Gospel message will do to the destruction of their own souls. The message is entitled The Right of Revolution As Justified In Natural And Revealed Law. Find it here. As with most of Americas founders, Thomas Jefferson thoroughly understood the principles of Natural Law. He and the other founders were disciples of men such as Baron Charles de Montesquieu, Sir William Blackstone, and John Locke. In fact, Jefferson borrowed heavily from John Lockes Second Treatise of Government when he penned the Declaration of Independence. I personally believe Lockes Second Treatise of Government to be the most succinct explanation of Natural Law ever written. Find it here. I further believe that God will always preserve to Himself a remnant that He will protect, bless, and prosper. That was true when the entire idolatrous nations of Israel and Judah went into captivity and bondage. Even then, God revived a remnant. And amazingly, this revived remnant owed their liberty to a good-hearted, pagan Persian king named Cyrus. The leaders of Israel were so corrupt, God used a Persian king to restore liberty and peace to His remnant. Throughout history, in the worst of times, God always preserved a remnant. Last Sunday, I delivered a message on this very subject taken from the Book of Ezra. Watch it here. So, where do we go from here? We need to recognize the importance of Americas patriot pulpit and start supporting it wherever and however we can. We need to recognize the importance of repenting of the sins that God hates within the church and for which He will judge His people. We need to recognize the importance of being honest and objective in the way we analyze and judge the actions of people and stop pandering our opinions to the herd--including OUR herd. We need to recognize the importance of Natural Law: learn these principles and do our best to teach them to as many people as we can--including our local and State representatives. We need to stop gullibly buying into the half-truths, wild accusations, innuendos, exaggerations, duplicity, and downright falsehoods that are regurgitated on the Internet, on many talk shows, and in many periodicals--remembering that many of these falsehoods and hysterical overreactions are actually the work of our enemies posing as our friends. We need to recognize the importance of convincing the Body Politic within our states and local communities of the principles of liberty and independence in a reasoned, rational, and righteous manner that well represents the honor and majesty of the principles themselves. We need to recognize that God always preserves a remnant to Himself, and we should seek to be part of that remnant. [If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.] Lockheed Martin-built Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK) interceptor was successfully launched from a Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) in an engineering demonstration on April 4 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The launch demonstrated the agility and aerodynamic capability of the MHTK missile, which is designed to defeat rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) targets at ranges greatly exceeding those of current and interim systems. Todays launch advances the program, increasing the level of MHTK integration maturity with the MML. Todays global security environment demands agile, close-range solutions that protect soldiers and citizens from enemy rockets, artillery and mortars, said Hal Stuart, Lockheed Martins MHTK Program Manager. This test is a critical milestone demonstrating the interceptors maturity, and we look forward to continuing to build on this success using key data gathered from todays launch. The MHTK interceptor was designed to be small in size while retaining the range, lethality and reliability of other Hit-to-Kill interceptors. MHTK is just over two feet (61 cm) in length and weighs five pounds (2.2 kg) at launch. The compact footprint of the MHTK allows multiple rounds to be packaged in a single MML tube. The MML is a key component of the Armys Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 Intercept program. The program is designed to provide Army forces protection from cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft systems and RAM threats. The MML is designed to carry and launch a variety of missiles from a single launcher. MHTKs effective range [for a single-shot kill] against RAM will be 3 km or more Miniature Hit-to-Kill Interceptor Delivers Unequalled Capability Operational effectiveness against all threats Lethality tests confirm robust capability Range and velocity support operationally significant defended area Defeat of saturation attacks Compact interceptor enables deep magazine High lethality minimizes rounds fired to achieve a kill Low ammunition cost Affordability considered in all design trades Design for Affordability/Design for Manufacture used early $16K or less per kill Minimal/low potential for collateral damage Single round fired per target Hit-to-Kill results in destruction of interceptor and threat Minimal force structure impact The MHTK uses Hit-to-Kill technology, which destroys threats through kinetic energy in body-to-body contact. Hit-to-Kill technology removes the risk of collateral damage seen in traditional blast-fragmentation interceptors. The MHTK interceptor complements other Lockheed Martin Hit-to-Kill missile interceptors by delivering close range lethality with proven success for a true layered defense. While there are no energetics in the missile as the name suggests it is a body-to-body contact kill system Lockheed Martin has integrated a lethality mechanism or penetrator package in the MHTK to help penetrate the skin of the target. Murphy noted that the precision and accuracy that go with hit to kill allow us, if required, to remove the penetrator package and integrate a small warhead, to achieve the effect desired without extensive collateral damage, and this is something that could be explored. Lockheed Martin has integrated unique amorphous alloy canards, sourced from Liquidmetal Technologies, for the MHTK. To achieve the miniaturised electronics package for the interceptor, Lockheed Martin has sourced a range of technologies for components and packaging from outside of its customary supply chain. Weve borrowed from the medical imaging industry, from the cell phone industry, and from large data farming industries; weve also leveraged some unique packaging industries to fit the electronics, the batteries, to fit the controllers, the motor and to fit the elements of the seeker into the missile. Murphy said that Lockheed Martin will offer three guidance options for MHTK: it initially integrated a semi-active RF seeker, which was the main focus of the EAPS programme; the US Armys Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) funded a feasibility investigation of an active seeker in the same form factor. The company is also evaluating integration of a semi-active laser (SAL) for use with a third-party designator source. We designed and built the missile so that we could interchange guidance options; if we wanted to integrate a miniaturised video camera in the front end, and it made sense to do so, we are also able to that. The interceptor itself is powered by a compact new rocket motor developed by Nammo in the United States. Nammo said the MHTKs narrow 40 mm diameter interceptor body precluded the requirement for any active cooling or heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning devices; its solution focuses on mechanical design innovations combined with the development of a new propellant, and materials able to withstand sustained heat. Nammo declined to disclose the exact compositions used, but said that the kinematic requirements needed a very fast burning propellant that is required to burn for seconds. To meet the proposed IFPC Inc 2-I Block 2 architecture, Lockheed Martin will package multiple MHTKs in an all-up round (comprising the missiles and the canister they are launched from). The all-up round fits a single launch tube of the MML and can be shipped in the same canister assembly, thus delivering the missile loadout required by the army, but also minimising the missiles logistics footprint. SOURCES IHS Janes, Lockheed Martin Foxconn is boosting its energy businessboth in supplying clean energy for its own operations and developing solar projects overseas. Last year SBJ Cleantech, the joint venture between Foxconn, Japans SoftBank, and Indian conglomerate Bharti Enterprises signed an agreement to build two gigawatts of solar power capacity in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The three companies also recently announced plans to invest $20 billion in Indias renewable energy market, primarily solar projects. Foxconns acquisition of Sharp boosts its capabilities to produce solar power and high end smartphone displays. Foxconn is also joining with its number-one customer, Apple, to develop renewable sources for the energy its factories use in China. By 2018, Foxconn plans to install 400 megawatts of solar power capacity in China, By itself, Foxconn has the capacity to make at least 400 megawatts a year of solar products in Funing, China. The company also has a module plant in Juarez, Mexico, according BNEFs Chase. Sharp, which began developing solar in 1959 and remains its oldest major manufacturer, has 500 megawatts of cell capacity and probably has some module capacity Not Found The requested URL was not found on this server. Apache Server Port 80 Shandling was taken to hospital by ambulance from his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles on Thursday morning for a "medical emergency" but was later pronounced dead. According to TMZ, there were signs that Shandling's health was failing the night before he passed away. Schandling appeared as a guest host on the "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and was in consideration to become Carson's replacement. He still uses Larry Sanders as a standard for his own talk show. Even the theme song began with the lyrics, "The theme to Garry's show...." How will San Francisco's parental leave ordinance work? While some parents have expressed relief, small business owners have complained the city mandate will hurt their bottom lines. NY joins California, Rhode Island, Washington, and New Jersey as the fifth state with a partially-paid parental leave law. Considered by leading critics and industry figures as his comic masterpiece, it starred Shandling as an egotistical late-night TV host and featured celebrities playing parodies of themselves. While O'Brien told a personal story about Shandling, Meyers focused on the comedy career, particularly the impact his show "The Larry Sanders Show" had on him. He recounted his experience watching The Larry Sanders Show as a kid and how deeply Shandling influenced him. David Duchovny, agreeing to come on the show, also came on to Larry romantically once he got the chance. "I am so sad", Jeffrey Tambor, who played sidekick Hank "Hey Now" Kingsley on the faux late-night show, said in a statement. "I knew we were headed into different territory. Sanders Gets Momentum But Gains Little From Wisconsin Win Still, losses Tuesday for leading contenders Trump and Clinton keep an aura of uncertainty hanging over both races. To win a prolonged convention fight, a candidate would need support from the individuals selected as delegates. There is no better tribute and no better reminder of what a attractive, gentle BRILLIANT sweet angel Garry Shandling was", Jessica captioned a photo of the two men from Garry's appearance on Comedians in Cars with Coffee, which was the last time the two were with their friend. He had a lot of kindness in him. "There's a reason comics say their best shows 'killed.' Making people laugh is, at its simplest, an act of domination". Garry Shandling had a profound impact on TV as well as live performers. Weather Alert ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND NORTHWEST IOWA... * Affected Area...In Iowa, Monona. In Nebraska, Knox, Cedar, Thurston, Antelope, Pierce, Wayne, Boone, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Butler, Saunders, Seward, Lancaster, Saline, Jefferson and Gage. * Winds...South 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 55 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 25 percent. * Impacts...Any fires that ignite may spread rapidly and exhibit extreme fire behavior. Use extreme caution if engaging in any activities that could start a fire. Outdoor burning is not advisable. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && 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. Khalifa Ghweil, chief of Tripolis so-called National Salvation Government dealt serious blow to the Libyan political process and the unity government Wednesday as he nullified a decision by his ministers to step down and hand over the Libyan capital to Prime Minister-designate Faiez Serraj. Khalifa Ghweil issued a statement demanding members of his cabinet to stay in place while he also threatened to prosecute anyone who deals with the unity government and the State Council constituted by some dissidents of Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) on Tuesday. Given the requirements of public interest you are requested to continue your mission in accordance with the law, Ghweil said. The announcement is a major setback to the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Presidency Council led by Prime Minister-designate Serraj. The announcement followed a Tuesday decision by some members of the self-imposed government to step down in the high interest of the country and to avoid bloodshed. Ghweil, previously believed to have left Tripoli for his hometown Misrata, is reportedly still in Tripoli but no longer rules from his officer, now in the hands of a brigade favorable to the GNA. Meanwhile, GNC President Nuri Abu Sahmain also issued a statement condemning GNC splitters who announced the dissolution of GNC which they transformed into State Council as part of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) signed in December under the UN auspice in Morocco. He explained that the move was illegal and promised to sue the initiators. Sahmain reportedly indicated that the GNC had held a valid, quorate session on Wednesday at its formal headquarters in Tripoli. Western diplomats have welcomed the creation of the State Council saying that it could fast-track the political process. US special envoy to Libya Jonathan Winer was quoted by Libya Herald as indicating that the State Council can build bridges, with a tone and substance of consensus and can play a consultative role with the House of Representatives. For the British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, the establishment of the State Council was a good move but warned that under the Libyan Political Agreement it is not a legislative organ. It is consultative said Millett in a social media message Legislative Authority is the House of Representatives, he said. Furthermore, UNSMIL Head Martin Kobler who was in Tripoli on Tuesday called on the House of Representatives to quickly conduct an approval vote on the GNA so that it establishes solid structures that will address Libyas declining economy, deteriorating security, humanitarian crisis and revive oil production necessary to Libyas economic recovery. Kobler added that HoR risked to be sidelined if it fails again to deliver. Relations between Algiers and Paris are seemingly turning sour few days after Frances top diplomat, Jean-Marc Ayrault was in Algiers to prepare the Algeria-France summit and two days before an official visit by French Premier Manuel Valls. On Wednesday, Algerias Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned French ambassador to Algiers to complain about French media hostile campaign against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as his picture appeared on French newspapers at the sides of leaders cited in the Panama Papers leak. Bernard Emie was summoned at the Algerian foreign ministry by Ramtane Lamamra who rejected what he termed malicious and misleading campaign against Algeria and its leader. [The campaign] cannot be justified by freedom of press under any circumstances and has reached its peak of deliberate slanders targeting the president, Lamamra said in a statement. He demanded that French authorities clearly mark their disapproval of this campaign which is incompatible with the quality and level of Algerian-French relations. Algiers vehemently reacted after French journal Le Monde published Tuesday a front-page photo of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika among leaders cited in the leaked papers of the Panama firm engulfed in global scandal this week. The paper back-tracked saying that the Algerian Presidents name does not appear in the Panama Papers as previously mentioned. Contrary to the picture on Le Mondes front page on April 5, which could implicate the name of the Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, his name does not appear in the Panama Papers. The head of states relatives are suspected of embezzling some of the countrys resources, the newspaper said in correction. Even though the Algerian government claims having no relation with the scandal, the countrys minister of industry and mines, Abdessalem Bouchouareb has been cited in the Papers for owning an offshore company that he created in 2015 while in tenure as minister. The two companies mentioned in the leaked Panama papers that were set up by Mounir Majidi, the private secretary of King Mohammed VI, are legally flawless and operated in total transparency. The statement was made by Moroccan attorney Hicham Naciri, known as the Royal Palace lawyer, following the publication by some media of the name of the two companies that were used to acquire a mansion in Paris and a schooner on behalf of the Moroccan King. In this connection, Hicham Naciri said that the schooner El Boughaz was registered in the records of the Moroccan administration in the week following its acquisition and is anchored every summer in the Moroccan Mediterranean city of Mdiq. The schooner is not concealable and has never been concealed. All the inhabitants and summer visitors of Mdiq know who the owner of the yacht is, Naciri said. He added that the only thing kept secret was the name of the former owner who did not want his identity revealed. He explained further that the buyer and seller have never met and that the former owner wanted to sell his boat through corporations not individuals. As for the mansion owned by Orion, it was registered in the Land Registry of Paris, which means that the name of the owner was clearly indicated in the records, Attorney Naciri said, adding that the company and its assets were sold some 5 or 6 years ago. Naciri insisted that the acquisition was made in total transparency and legality. Better yet, the French tax authorities were consulted on the taxation applicable to this transaction and the name of the ultimate beneficiary was given to these authorities, he said. All this information is accessible through the consultation of public records, he said. Reiterating that everything is transparent, Naciri underlined that in Morocco, the business of the royal family is open and transparent and many businesses are listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and subjected to strict rules and wide-ranging communication. The companies owned by the royal family are regularly inspected by tax auditors and are treated like any other Moroccan company. There are no privileges or queue jumping, said the lawyer. He went on to say that the interest to create a company offshore can be justified by the geographical location of a property, a tax optimization concern or even a desire for discretion. Those trying to create a confusion between discretion and concealment or fraud deliberately want to create an amalgam in the public opinions mind, he said. Cool the Bern. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Disqualify him, defeat him, unite the party later. On Wednesday, that was how CNN characterized the Clinton campaigns plan to contain an ascendant Bernie Sanders. Shortly after the insurgent senators 14-point win in Wisconsin, the Clinton camp sent out a fund-raising email that suggested Sanderss widely criticized interview with the New York Daily News showed that he isnt qualified for the presidency. For weeks, Hillary Clinton had largely ignored Sanders, reserving most of her fire for the GOP front-runner. But Clinton went on the offensive Wednesday, questioning the democratic socialists party loyalty and the depth of his policy knowledge, accusing him of putting gun manufacturers interests before those of the victims at Sandy Hook, and then refusing to say whether she believes hes qualified for the presidency when asked by MSNBCs Joe Scarborough. That little snub spurred the Washington Post headline Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president. And that headline got Bernie Sanderss blood boiling. She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am, quote unquote, not qualified to be president, Sanders said, inaccurately, at a rally in Philadelphia Wednesday night. Well, let me just say, in response to Secretary Clinton: I dont think you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC. Sanders proceeded through a litany of other disqualifying elements in Clintons record, including her Iraq War vote and support for a unilateral trade deal with Panama. For most of its duration, this years Democratic primary has been far tamer than the contest between Clinton and Obama in 2008. At one point in that earlier race, Clinton strongly implied that the ultimate Republican nominee, John McCain, was more qualified for the presidency than her Democratic rival. Hillary Clinton said she and John McCain were qualified to be president, but Obama wasn't. https://t.co/1Nd4jKhcav pic.twitter.com/2Wx82fZjR2 Michael Oman-Reagan (@OmanReagan) April 6, 2016 But by actually uttering the words I dont think youre qualified, Sanders stumbled across a political redline: In a partisan primary, youre supposed to leave yourself cover for an eventual endorsement; describing your opponent as unfit for the presidency severely undermines that cover, while tossing the other side a delicious sound bite. Whats more, while Clintons critique of Obama was grounded in skepticism about his experience, Sanderss charge is that Clintons ideological commitments disqualify her from holding office. That line of attack could prove dangerously potent, hampering Sanderss ability to persuade his most ideological backers to unite behind Clinton, should she clinch the nod. Sanderss remarks sparked an understandable backlash. But on Thursday, the Democratic front-runner appeared to have adopted a new strategy: Mollify him, unify the party, and defeat him later. I dont know why hes saying that, but I will take Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump or Ted Cruz anytime, Clinton told reporters outside Yankee Stadium. So, lets keep our eye on whats really at stake in this election We have Republicans whose values are so antithetical to whats right for New York or right for America. Clintons decision to deescalate may mean that her campaign feels their brief offensive has already paid off. Sanderss brand for much of this campaign has been built on his issue-oriented, attack-averse style. Perhaps the goal of Clintons sharp critiques was to inspire an outburst of negativity like the one Sanders unleashed on Wednesday night. Alternatively, Clinton may have recognized that the costs of a nastier primary fight far outweigh its benefits. At this point, Sanders will need a miraculous surge to overtake Clintons lead among pledged delegates. And even if he does, because so many of his wins were earned at low-turnout caucuses, Clinton will still likely be able to claim a majority in the races popular vote, which could very well be enough to keep the partys superdelegates in her corner. For Clinton, the risk of losing the nomination at this point is minuscule; the risk of losing Sanderss most committed supporters in November appears to be growing. On Thursday in Philadelphia, Sanders doubled-down on his remarks. Citing Wednesdays CNNs report and the Washington Posts headline, the Vermont senator argued that, although this is not the type of politics that I want to get in, his campaign will always fight back if attacked. If Secretary Clinton thinks that just because Im from a small state in Vermont and were gonna come here to New York and go to Pennsylvania and theyre gonna beat us up and theyre gonna go after us in some kind of really uncalled for way, that were not gonna fight back, well we got another you know, they can, guess again, because thats not the case, Sanders said, sounding a bit like the star of an action movie who has forgotten half the lines in his big monologue. Sanders then reiterated his many qualms with Clintons record on trade, war, and Wall Street, before saying that he nonetheless respects the former secretary of State and hopes they can return to the important issues facing the country. Judging by Clintons remarks in the Bronx, they can. Republican voters have made Trump and Cruz the dominant candidates. Can party elites second-guess them now? Photo: Photos: Scott Olson/Getty Images, Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Image One of the most quotable people in the 2016 Republican presidential nominating process is North Dakota RNC member Curly Haugland, who keeps insisting conventions, not all those noisy primaries and caucuses, nominate presidential candidates. Hes been all over the news media, but heres a sample of his screw-the-people rhetorical stylings: The media has created the perception that the voters choose the nomination. Thats the conflict here, Curly Haugland, an unbound GOP delegate from North Dakota, told CNBCs Squawk Box on Wednesday. He even questioned why primaries and caucuses are held The rules are still designed to have a political party choose its nominee at a convention. Thats just the way it is. I cant help it. Dont hate me because I love the rules. Haugland said he sent a letter to each campaign alerting them to a rule change hes proposing, which would allow any candidate who earns at least one delegate during the nominating process to submit his or her name to be nominated at this summers convention. A fellow North Dakota delegate deliberately unbound to any candidate named Gary Emineth went even further than Haugland by suggesting the nominee might not even need a single delegate from the primaries and caucuses: It could introduce Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, or it could be the other candidates that have already been in the race and are now out of the race [such as] Mike Huckabee [or] Rick Santorum. All those people could eventually become candidates on the floor, Emineth said. Haugland and Emineth arent getting a lot of attaboys for their contemptuous attitude toward the GOP rank-and-file. But they are offering the operative theory for every dark-horse candidacy under discussion and, for that matter, for John Kasich, who has been pretty thoroughly repudiated by primary and caucus voters in the many places not named Ohio. The basic idea is that voters and grassroots activists had their chance to pick a nominee, and theyve blown it. So now its time for the Party to Decide (to cite the title of the 2008 political-science tome that significantly minimizes the role of voters in the nominating process). You hear this sort of talk most often in the case Republicans are making that a candidate who arrives at the convention with a strong plurality short of a majority has no real moral claim to be treated differently from anyone else. Heres New York Times columnist Ross Douthat today: [T]he idea that winning a modest plurality of the primary vote in any way gives Donald Trump an ironclad claim to be the legitimate nominee is baffling to me. It runs counter to the actual rules of the process, to the history of contested nominations and conventions, to the entire tradition of party politics in the United States. And given Trumps extraordinary weaknesses as a general election candidate, it also runs counter to the most basic sort of political self-interest. Yes, the primary process has become much more democratic over the last two generations. But its still not like we have a national primary campaign, and anyone who pays attention knows that all those quirks and rules and bylaws have continued to play an obvious role in the outcomes every four or eight years. (I mean, Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina basically pick the nominee all by themselves most cycles!) He can make that argument, but its pretty well-established that the voters so disrespected are not very happy about it, particularly this year. And they clearly sense this isnt just about Donald Trump. In Wisconsin yesterday, exit polls showed a majority of Cruz and Kasich voters agreeing the delegate leader going into the convention should get the nod. And that confirms what Republican voters have been saying for a good while. As it happens, even if party elites choose to take the risk of massively alienating their own rank-and-file by pushing aside both Trump and Cruz and choosing someone else as the nominee, its not clear they have the power to do so. Most obviously, Trump could win 1,237 bound delegates by June 7 (or come close and round up some random unbound support), and theres not much the haterz can do about it unless they take the infinitely perilous route of trying to unbind delegates by a rules change (which even in theory would only work with delegates under no state law obligation to follow primary results). If Trump is short of 1,237, there could be an effort to recruit disloyal Trump and Cruz delegates into an effort to change Rule 40(b) into a wide-open procedure similar to what the North Dakotans quoted above would prefer (either open to any nominee with delegate support or open to those who won even minimal delegates in the primaries). But as FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver explains in the most detailed analysis yet of delegate selection procedures around the country, the idea that party elites are busily choosing their kind of delegates who may overwhelm both Trump and Cruz once the first-ballot formalities are over is probably wrong: Its not that hard to imagine a contested convention. In fact, with Donald Trumps path to 1,237 delegates looking tenuous, especially after his loss in Wisconsin on Tuesday night, its a real possibility. And its not hard to see how Republicans might think of Kasich or Ryan as good nominees. If Republicans were starting from scratch, both might be pretty good picks, especially from the perspective of the party establishment in Washington. But Republicans wont be starting from scratch, and the establishment wont pick the partys nominee. The 2,472 delegates in Cleveland will. And most of them will be chosen at state or local party conventions a long way from Washington. Few will be household names, having quietly attended party gatherings in Fargo, North Dakota, or Cheyenne, Wyoming, for years with little remuneration or recognition. Although the proverbial Acela-riding insiders might dream of Ryan or Kasich, there are indications that the rank-and-file delegates are into Ted Cruz and theyre the ones who will have votes in Cleveland. A lot of the activists who get themselves elected at local and state conventions almost certainly share the frustration that Cruz as much as Trump expresses toward a party Establishment that has in their view broken promises (most notably over Supreme Court nominations) to them for decades. The idea that they will go along with letting Karl Rove and Charles Koch choose a nominee based on donor enthusiasm and general election polling numbers strikes me as absurd. And if there are enough of them to top up the ranks of Trump and Cruz loyalists in Cleveland, theyll put elites in their place toot sweet, as they say in North Dakota. Sanders is fighting the oldest continuing policy tradition in the Democratic Party. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Library of Congress In the brouhaha over Bernie Sanderss remarks about various aspects of Hillary Clintons record that indicate she is not qualified to be president, an important landmark was reached that could well survive the eventual walk-back of his rhetorical brinkmanship. Its this: I dont think you are qualified if you have supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement which has cost us millions of decent paying jobs, he said to applause. I dont think you are qualified if youve supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed and, which as all of you know, has allowed corporations and wealthy all over the world people to avoid paying their taxes to their countries. Most obviously, this anathema would apply not only to Hillary Clinton but to the 42d and 44th presidents of the United States, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. But, as a matter of fact, Sanders is seeking to become the first Democratic president since Martin Van Buren (often credited as the founder of the Democratic Party) to flatly oppose trade liberalization. Free trade, which was famously popular in the agrarian South, was an important part of the glue that held together the Democratic Party before and after the Civil War. But it persisted as the default drive position of Democrats through the first half of the 20th century and arguably well beyond that. The most consistent policy view held by the great populist William Jennings Bryan throughout his long career was one in favor of free trade. Another icon of todays ideological left, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was such a free-trader that he insisted on unilateral tariff concessions to European countries after World War II to help rebuild their economies. John F. Kennedy launched a round of multilateral trade negotiations that eventually bore his name. Jimmy Carter pushed another round. Now, its true that the previously near-unanimous Democratic support for trade liberalization began to fray as the 20th century grew old. The labor movement split on the subject in the early 1960s and began moving rapidly in the other direction in the 1970s. The unsuccessful Burke-Hartke legislation promoted by labor during the Nixon administration showed the way the wind was blowing: It would have created a comprehensive system for regulating and taxing both imports and overseas investment, on the principle that American workers should never have to compete with lower-wage countries. By the 1990s, a majority of House Democrats opposed Bill Clinton on both NAFTA and the rules governing a new round of multilateral trade negotiations; congressional Democrats also denied Clinton fast-track trade negotiating authority. By the time Al Gore ran to become Clintons successor, the man who had defended NAFTA in a debate with Ross Perot was emphasizing he would only support future trade agreements if they included strong core labor and environmental standards. But, still, the tradition held: No one fundamentally rejecting trade liberalization and globalization as a good thing won a Democratic presidential nomination or the presidency. The only conspicuously anti-trade-deal pol who ran a viable presidential campaign was Dick Gephardt in 1988 and (briefly) 2004. During the 2008 primaries Barack Obama made some noises about renegotiating NAFTA, even as his chief economic adviser got caught reassuring Canadians he was just playing to the galleries. So Bernie Sanders is fighting an awful lot of history, ancient as it may be. And its notable hes not just bucking the oldest continuing policy tradition of the party he is seeking to take over; hes arguing that a contrary position is a disqualifying betrayal of the people Democrats should be representing. And his position brooks no compromise: Hes proudly opposed and says he will continue to oppose any and all trade liberalization agreements that might be offered. He clearly embraces the old Burke-Hartke argument that global competition and, with it, the entire theory of comparative advantage are responsible for much of this countrys economic problems. Its fascinating that millennials, who represent Sanderss most enthusiastic group of supporters, are, according to most public-opinion surveys, more positive about trade liberalization and globalization than previous generations. Bernie may need to do some missionary work in his own camp on the subject. But for now hes simply angering certain living former Democratic presidents, and stirring up more than a few ghosts as well. In the epilogue of her late husbands book, When Breath Becomes Air, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi gives the story its ending: She describes the circumstances of Dr. Paul Kalanithis death, something he had been courageous enough to face straight-on, both on the page and in the last years of his life. She writes that his decision not to avert his eyes from death epitomizes a fortitude we dont celebrate enough in our death-avoidant culture. And this was, and is, certainly true of Americans. Just last spring, Sheldon Solomon the psychologist credited with pioneering the study of terror-management theory (that is, fear of death) told The Atlantics Julie Beck, Americans are arguably the best in the world at burying existential anxieties under a mound of French fries and a trip to Walmart to save a nickel on a lemon and a flamethrower. But an interesting thing is happening, at least to the best-seller lists in 2016. Mortality death, life, and the meaning of both has become an unlikely hot topic, with When Breath Becomes Air currently at the top of the New York Times combined nonfiction and e-book list. Not far behind it sits Being Mortal, Atul Gawandes 2014 examination of end-of-life care, inspired by his fathers death. Also in 2014, there was Roz Chasts Cant We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, about the authors loss of her elderly parents; it was a critical and popular success. Last fall, there was Gratitude, a collection of Oliver Sackss musings on his impending death. And coming up later this year is Katie Roiphes Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End, about the deaths of writers such as John Updike and Maurice Sendak. Research in psychology has suggested for many years that ours is indeed a death-avoidant culture, as Dr. Lucy Kalanithi phrases it. In one creative study, Stanford researcher Jeanne Tsai found that Americans are so insistent on focusing on the bright side and avoiding the dark that this bias even shows up in the sympathy cards they choose. For her study, Tsai and her co-author, Birgit Koopmann-Holm, compared American and German sympathy cards, and found that the American ones tended to focus on positivity while pushing away the sadness. American cards were more likely to be literally brighter as in, more colorful and they tended to be filled with phrases like Love lives on or Memories will bring comfort; German cards, on the other hand, were more likely to be black-and-white, with messages like In deep sadness or Words will not lighten a heavy heart. To Tsai, this is a telling finding, suggesting that the emotions that people want or dont want to feel are just as important in everyday life, she said in a statement. And its exactly this the emotions people dont want that can cause some real consequences, other research has found. In one recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, a pair of researchers argued that this is at least part of the reason that too many Americans fail to save adequately for retirement. Americans can at least agree on this: Talking about this stuff, though undeniably uncomfortable, is crucial. A recent survey from the Conversation Project, a group that has been encouraging this type of thing since 2010, found that 90 percent of those surveyed agree that discussing end-of-life wishes is important and yet just 27 percent of this group had actually had the guts to do it. And yet that may likely be changing soon, for the simple, practical reason that its now going to get a lot easier to have those conversations, at least with your physician. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, starting this year, the federal government will now reimburse Medicare recipients for consultations with their doctors about end-of-life-care logistics. Thats one less hurdle to clear, anyway. Harriet Warshaw, director of the Conversation Project, recently told WSJ that she credits Gawandes book for giving everybody permission to look at this issue. She added later, We plan for everything else but we dont plan for this because its too hard a thing to even contemplate. Bringing these subjects out into the open is no easy task. But reading about them? Its a start. Arianna Huffington in her element. Photo: Melissa Hom Heres something I never thought Id write: I was looking at a piece of wall art in Arianna Huffingtons bedroom yesterday morning when she asked me how I sleep. When I turned back to face her, the media mogul, self-styled good-living guru, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post gave the chunky bronze necklace I was wearing a light tug. I love this! she said. There are stacks of books everywhere. A candle burns next to a Fiji bottle on a bedside table stacked with even more books. Everything smells like peonies, or what I think peonies smell like. Eventually, we adjourn to her living room to sit on a newly fluffed, rose-colored chesterfield-style sofa. Classical music plays as Arianna offers me a tea or coffee, which I decline, and rests her arm on one of the velvet pillows lining the sofa. Your sleep routine, she commands again, so I tell her my worst habit is scrolling Instagram on my phone in bed. I tell her, I use my laptop right before sleep. Sometimes I even fall asleep with my laptop in my bed. I say this knowing that engaging with screens right before lights out violates Huffingtons sleep doctrine. Honestly, this is the one ground rule. It will transform how you feel during the day, she tells me, a pep in her voice Ive always lacked a distinction I am now convinced is the result of our contrasting sleep patterns. I speak as someone who has done that for years. Its not like I dont know what youre talking about. Im a very recent convert. Arianna Huffington is giving me a one-on-one sleep consultation in her enormous Soho apartment. For a second I wonder if maybe I am still sleeping. On the settee at the foot of Huffingtons bed sits a pillow scrawled with Sleep Your Way to the Top, which suddenly seems like an ominous dream-time red herring. But no, I really am in Huffingtons room, which is surprisingly modest. Her canopy bed is backed by an enormous mint-green headboard, and an armchair in the corner seems like a decent-enough place to recline and relax. She has a bed with several upright pillows, a detail that reminds me of fancy hotels. The sheets are not satin, as I thought theyd be I forget to ask about their thread count, perhaps because of the commonplace nature of it all. The most advanced touches in Ariannas room are dimmable lighting and blackout curtains, plus a stunning city view. And while its strange to me that any wealthy person would ever let me in their bedroom, stranger still is that I wont be the last ruffian to get in: In a promotion for Huffingtons new book, and in conjunction with Airbnb, one lucky contest winner will get to sleep in this very room for a night. It seems like the kind of place where one would sleep very well. Sleep is Huffingtons latest cause, one she details at great length in The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time. We take better care of our smartphones than we do ourselves, Huffington tells me, and I look down guiltily at my battered iPhone. We are very aware of how much battery remains on our phones. Maybe it gets below 13 percent and we get a little anxious, we feel that we have to plug it in. We dont feel the sense of urgency or panic about ourselves. The same way we need to plug in our phones, we need to unplug ourselves. This is, of course, easier said from a canopy bed in a palatial apartment where duvet covers would never deign to be hauled to the neighborhood wash-and-fold, but its nonetheless intoxicating to imagine. I ask Huffington to detail her elaborate nighttime rituals, the ones that help her sleep royally, and it begins to sound like a lullaby. I turn off the phone, take them outside the room to charge the phone, the iPad, everything, no TV, everything that involves a screen. I lower the lights. No overhead lights, just the nightstand. Then comes an important step in Huffingtons nighttime routine: I have a very hot bath with epsom salts and some lavender oil and a flickering candle, just something very relaxing. I found that if I was particularly stressed or worried about something, I would prolong the bath because theres something incredible about the water, its almost like washing away the day. Your mind begins to slow down. Huffington came to see sleep as an essential contributor to her daily happiness after she collapsed in her L.A. home in 2007. She had an echocardiogram and an MRI to find out if she had a brain tumor or some other health issue she didnt know about. Her doctor, instead, determined her diagnosis was sleep deprivation and burnout. It was a very alarming wake-up call, she says now. Maybe I needed that. Thats when Huffington got to work on making slight changes to her sleep schedule. Im a big believer in microscopic manageable steps, instead of Im going from four hours to eight overnight. Around the time of her collapse, Huffington was getting between four and five hours of sleep a night, but would gradually introduce an extra 30 minutes when and where she could, and eventually she made it to eight. Adding an extra half hour every couple of months feels like an easy-enough transition, but nothing in life is ever that simple. Intention is a big buzzword in Huffingtons bedtime revolution, and if we plan to think about sleep differently as an essential factor to a happy and well-lived life we must at least attempt to adapt accordingly. The biggest difference is that I am fully present in what Im doing, she says. If Im here, Im present. Im enjoying it. And bringing that into what Im doing, which for me is so important. Its not just about getting stuff done. Another important change was dressing in clothes that are just for bed. When we go to sleep in our old ratty gym clothes, she says, the brain receives a conflicting message: Are we going to the gym? Or are we powering down? Now shes learned to love simple nightdresses from Journelle. I didnt used to, I used to sleep literally in the same stuff that Id wear to the gym. I would pick up a T-shirt and go to bed. Now, for the people who want to go to bed in T-shirts, just have different T-shirts. You may not care about lingerie, but just pick a different T-shirt. Once in bed, Huffington will pick up a book of poetry or philosophy (nothing too heavy or related to media or politics; Its really like having a demarcation line between your day life and the time to sleep and recharge) and will frequently fall asleep with the book in her hand. On the days when I dont have to get up early to do something, I choose to organize the day differently, she says about her wake-up routine, adding that more than occasionally she does not have to set an alarm because she wakes up naturally on time. This is where Im the most incredulous. Before I can even ask her if the same policy of organizing the day applies to her likely overworked and overtired employees at the Huffington Post, she reads my mind. (Is this a trick I will learn once I am also getting eight solid hours every night?) Its completely accepted and encouraged for people to write in and say, I was out late and doing whatever, or my child was sick, or whatever happened and Im going to get in late, she says. That is never frowned on. We want you to come in recharged and be your best and most creative self, rather than clock in at nine, exhausted and drugging yourself, sitting at your desk and updating your Facebook. Its not like I can do this because Im the editor-in-chief; its totally encouraged among everybody. I can show you emails from people on my own team who are like, Im coming in at 11, I had a bad night. She laughs. We encourage each other. Were taking away the stigma. And the nap rooms in the office help. In the middle of the afternoon, when people get that lull, instead of going to have a third cinnamon bun or a coffee, you can go have a nap. I dream of cinnamon buns momentarily as my time with Huffington begins to wind down. Im getting sleepy myself, thinking about silk pajamas and lavender baths and books. I pose what seems like an obvious question: How does this sleep revolution include the millions of Americans who are socioeconomically deprived of a good nights sleep? Those who work too many hours to make time for a lavender-infused ritual? As a comprehensive CDC study found this year, white, college-educated Americans sleep better and more. A lot of things need to be done in terms of providing better jobs, in terms of increasing the minimum wage, she says pointedly, but sticks to her argument that sleep is equally available to all. One thing that is in our own power to change and is free is how much sleep we get. Its not going to change if we dont recognize its importance. Photo: Melissa Hom Photo: Melissa Hom Photo: Melissa Hom Photo: Melissa Hom Photo: Melissa Hom Dudes in the STEM field: Mansplaining since the beginning of time. Photo: George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images The research is finally coming: The National Science Foundation is going to study the subtle little ways in which an environment with a ton of dudes might not be such a comfortable one for women. Yes, someone is looking into microaggressions, reports the Washington Free Beacon. This will be a three-year project by the University of Michigan; researchers will videotape male engineering students while they interact with women in labs. The grant for the study notes why engineering was the chosen profession brilliant female engineers are very much over the subtle but aggressive presence of the patriarchy within their field: Because engineering is cast as a masculine field, women engineering students can experience subtle yet pervasive stereotypic messages in their learning environments that can negatively influence their experiences Such microaggressions may cause the climate of the team to become less welcoming to women, the researchers warn. The proposed research unites two areas of strong research interest (social science research on gender stereotypes and engineering education on teamwork and climate) to advance understanding of womens underrepresentation in engineering as compared to men. Im excited to finally get a better understanding of why men talk over me in meetings. A video uploaded to YouTube shows a San Antonio Independent School District officer body-slamming a 12-year-old girl. The girl says the officer picked her up when he thought she might get into a fight with another girl, which she denies. He then lifted her up and proceeded to slam her body into the ground, face-first, knocking her unconscious. She told her mother she has no memory of the arrest. Even though the girl didnt technically violate any school rules, she was still suspended from school for two days. She hasnt left the house much, her mother said, because she is afraid. Leslie Price, a spokesperson for the school district, told the San Antonio Express-News, This video is very concerning, and we are working to get all of the details. We certainly want to understand what all occurred, and we are not going to tolerate excessive force in our district. The officer has been placed on paid leave. The Russian Urals oil brand could soon become a new benchmark at the global markets. Trading of the brands export futures will begin at the end of 2016, which will allow establishing an honest price for each barrel and replenish Russias budget. Urals will cost more than the widely recognized North Sea Brent. This was announced by Mikhail Temnichenko, executive vice-president of the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange, or SPIMEX, in a statement to Russian Gazette. Experts believe that increasing oil volumes, which will be traded in rubles, will significantly improve the Russian currencys standing in the global financial system. Currently, Urals is sold outside the exchange, mainly through direct long-term delivery contracts. This means that only the counterparts of these transactions know the price of the commodity. It also makes Urals dependent on Brents exchange price. The Russian brand is cheaper than its North Sea counterpart, as it is a heavy crude composition of oil produced in Ural, Western Siberia and Povolzhye, making it more costly to produce gasoline from it than from the lighter Brent. According to data provided by Platts, a barrel of Urals has been traded with no more than a $4 discount off Brents price over the period from 2010 to 2016. At times, Urals even cost more than Brent, when there was a deficit of heavy oil brands deliveries from Iraq and Iran, says Andrey Kochetkov, an analyst at Open Brokers. The lifting of sanctions from Iran this January has made a negative impact for the price of Urals: during the last three month it is within a $1.65-$1.90 discount range. Mikhail Temnichenko considers that the discount should be $3 to $5 per barrel. Related: Irans Masterplan To Ramp Up Energy Exports Exchange trades, as opposed to those outside the exchange, operate in a transparent environment and in accordance to strict rules: benchmark prices are known to the whole world and the competition between them is close to ideal. This allows us to say that prices formed at the exchange are objective. An establishing of a benchmark at the oil market is a serious shift in the global system of price formation with a span of several years. We expect the new benchmark to obtain international status and crude oil would be traded in Europe and Asia in accordance to it, stated Mr. Temnichenko. He believes that Urals and Brent could easily coexist. SPIMEX will be the exchange for Urals delivery futures trading. Settlement futures trades have been decided to be left aside for the time being. According to SPIMEX, this will help to reduce speculation. Urals futures will be traded with the following parameters: contracted volume will be 1,000 barrels, delivered lot 720 000 barrels, FOB Primorsk delivery basis. Related: $120 Oil As Soon As 2018? Trading of the ESPO oil brand that is delivered through the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline is planed next. The price for this brand is currently revolving around the UAE Dubai Crude brand. Delivery will be made from the Primorsky Krai (region) port of Kozmino. Trading will be done using the U.S. dollar at first. The quotation must be easy to use for the market participants: our delivery futures will be easy to integrate into their established processes, which will, in turn, help the trades to gain liquidity, said Mr. Temnichenko. Trading in rubles can be considered later, after the brand receives the reputation of a recognized benchmark. The Russian currency has suffered greatly over the past two years, taking consecutive blows from imposed sanctions and especially from the collapse of oil prices. The ruble continues to be closely tied to the developments in the oil market, as was indicated by Tim Clayton of Economic Calendar. This leads Andrey Kochetkov to believe that the transition to trading in rubles will also depend on the political and economic situation both in Russia and worldwide. The development of the local market for oil and refined products will also affect the process. Overall, the process is not a fast one, with risks being high and, therefore, estimating the time it would take to begin trading in rubles is impossible. Related: Did Italy And Malta Actually Agree To Swap Oil Rights For Refugees? According to calculations of various international agencies, Urals and ESPO deliveries are double of those for Brent, Oman and Dubai brands. Deliveries of Urals thorough the ports of Primorsk, Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga exceed 2 million barrels daily and the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline adds another million barrels, said Mikhail. The ESPO brand is exported at 600,000 barrels a day. At the same time, volumes of Brent are depleting and additions of new brands only erodes the benchmark. Due to drying out of the North Sea reserves, the Brent benchmark is no longer the dominant brand, making the premise of the new Urals benchmark formation all the more prominent. However, the ESPO brand possesses far more potential to substitute Brent as the new benchmark, as its deliveries are orientated towards Asia and it is closer to Brent in terms of quality. ESPO could become the benchmark of the Asian market, provided that its exported volumes will be increasing, concludes Andrey Kochetkov. By Donald Levit via Economicccalendar.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The actions and intentions of Saudi Arabia and Russiathe two largest oil-producing nations attending the Doha meeting on 17 Aprilhave dashed all hopes of any fruitful outcome. The most important meeting of the last three decades, which has promised to forge new friendships and a new cartel, is turning out to be the biggest farce, even before the curtain is raised. All of this undermines the efforts of the smaller nations, which were hopeful of a production freeze from the meeting. Instead, were looking at Russia, whose oil production is now at a 30-year high after the nation produced 10.91 million barrels per day (bpd) in March, according to Reuters. In fact, these output figures are second only to the record 11.47 million bpd Russia produced in 1987. Related: Oil Sanctions Risk Pushing An Unstable North Korea Over The Edge Saudi Arabia is also firmly back on its non-committal path, saying that it will go along with the production freeze if everyone else does, including Iranof which there is no chance. Saudi Arabias deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman on 1 April told Bloomberg: "If all countries agree to freeze production, were ready. If there is anyone that decides to raise their production, then we will not reject any opportunity that knocks on our door. According to a report by Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital markets, the five nations shown on the chart below are at the maximum risk of a major crisis due to lower oil prices. The chart shows the oil price levels required by respective nations to survive. Our fragile five stateswere already facing severe political and security challenges when oil prices were above $100/bbl and the situation has grown far more grim as these countries have struggled to fund their state apparatuses and provide essential services, the Financial Post quoted Croft as saying. (Click to enlarge) While oil ministers from Venezuela, Nigeria and other smaller producers have said that they are still hopeful that an agreement will be reached in Doha, Ecuador's Oil Minister has gone a step ahead; he plans to meet his counterparts in Mexico and Colombia to extract a commitment from them to support the production freeze. Related: Oil Speculators Run Out Of Reasons To Bet On Rising Prices Similarly, Kuwait's OPEC governor Nawal Al-Fuzaia not only expects an agreement, but she has also predicted that Brent crude is likely to rise to $45 to $60 per barrel (b), in the second half of the year and remain in that range until 2018. Compare the above statements from the smaller nations, which are pro-production freeze, to the larger producers who actually matter. The difference in the approach to the meeting is very visible. In a five-hour long Bloomberg interview, Saudi Prince Salman said, If all countries including Iran, Russia, Venezuela, OPEC countries and all main producers decide to freeze production, we will be among them," emphasizing that Iran had to be part of the agreement. He went on to say, "I dont believe that the decline in oil prices poses a threat to us, for us its a free market that is governed by supply and demand and this is how we deal with the market." Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh countered by rubbishing the idea of Iran agreeing to a production freeze. Iran, he said, will continue to increase production and exports until it achieves pre-sanction output levels, as reported by semi-official Mehr news agency. Related: Unfolding The Worlds Biggest Oil Bribery Scandal Considering that five OPEC nations are on the brink of a disaster and Iran and Saudi Arabia are at each others throats, it looks like we will not have an OPEC anymore by the time this oil crisis ends. While Saudi Arabia and Iran are still commenting against the production freeze, Russia has sprung into action and increased production to a 30-year high. Forget reaching an agreementif the meeting ends without a squabble, all the members should be happy. The recent announcements from Saudi Arabia outlining the plan to create a $2 trillion fund to reduce dependency on oil and reports of austerity plans indicate that the Kingdom is not taking the Doha meeting seriously. It also seems to be sending a message to the others that it will not buckle under any sort of pressure, and it is readying its Plan B. The Doha meeting will turn out to be a total disaster and the sentiment will be further damaged if the participating members dont release a common statement. Forget about the production freeze. Listen carefully, Bears can be heard sharpening their claws ahead of the meeting. By Rakesh Upadhyay for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Two hundred and forty-six years after the birth of William Wordsworth, and the oil prices today are wandering lower (as lonely as a cloud) after yesterdays inventory-draw sponsored rally. Hark, here are five things to consider relating to energy markets today: 1) Economic data has been light overnight; weve had positive house price data out of the UK, a deteriorating French trade deficit, and below-par Spanish industrial production. Weekly jobless claims are the main economic release of note in the U.S.; they have come in at 267.000, marking the longest streak below 300.000 since 1973 (think: Enter The Dragon, Live and Let Die). 2) Good things come in threes, and China affirms this as its foreign exchange reserves increased last month, following positive manufacturing and services data in recent days. Chinese FX reserves stopped the rot in March, increasing slightly after sliding for four consecutive months. Reserves fell $600 billion last year; they peaked at $4 trillion in mid-2014, and now currently reside at $3.212 trillion. Related: Why Oil Prices Will Rise And Many Pundits Will Be Caught By Surprise 3) Angola is the latest of the petro-states to show signs of its economy unraveling. Angola relies on oil for some 95 percent of its export earnings (reminiscent of Venezuela), and for more than half of its government revenue. Hence given the slump in oil prices, Angola is having to turn to the IMF for a bailout as it has run out of money to pay for basic services such as trash collection. Angola has relied heavily on Chinese investment in recent years, exchanging its oil for infrastructure projects. As Angolas debt increases, it is having to send more oil to China to service its debt payments. As illustrated by our ClipperData below, China is the number one destination for Angolas crude flows. Since the beginning of 2014, China has accounted for 43 percent of all Angolas crude exports a dominant trend which will likely continue: (Click to enlarge) 4) Venezuela is faring little better. Amid rolling blackouts due to a strained power grid, President Maduro has declared every Friday a holiday to save electricity. The recent El Nino weather system has caused an extreme drought, draining the Guri Dam, which supplies as much as 75 percent of the power consumed in Caracas. Venezuela is currently ranked as the worlds most miserable economy on the Misery Index. Related: How The Ocean Can Help Predict Electricity Prices 5) Finally, we get the natural gas storage report today, and as spring abounds (and Texas temperatures charge towards 90 degrees Fahrenheit), its fair to assume that the winter withdrawal season is behind us, with an 8 Bcf injection expected to storage today (which compares to last years +6 Bcf, the five-year average of -19 Bcf). This would put us above 2012s record of 2,472 Bcf at the end of March. Storage currently sits over 40 percent higher than last years level, 34 percent above the five-year average. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: This past weekend was the anniversary of an event you have probably never heard of. Well, I shouldn't assume that; I had never heard of it, anyway, and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in knowing things. May 31-June 1 was the 93rd anniversary of the Tulsa Race Riot, also known as the destruction of "Black Wall Street." Even though more than 800 people were injured, up to 300 people were killed, 35 blocks of a city were destroyed, and 10,000 people were left homeless -- making it the biggest race riot of the 20th century -- I had never encountered the story until last month when I read "The Case for Reparations," a massive and thorough argument by The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates. Generally, in fact, when I have heard about America's race riots, I have only heard about those in the latter half of the 20th century, in which the perpetrators of the riots were African Americans and the victims were white, like Milwaukee's 1967 riot, or the Watts riots in Los Angeles. In the Tulsa Race Riot, white residents of the city completely destroyed what was, at the time, the most prosperous black community in the United States, burning it to the ground, something I had never learned about in school or since. Part of this, I'm sure, is the recency effect; the more recent things are the things we remember best. But I'm also sure part of why I'd never heard of it is because this country likes to pretend that white America -- which is what most people think of as the default "America" -- bears no social, political or financial responsibility for the current state of black America. The Tulsa Race Riot is just one data point of many Coates uses to build his case that the segregation, poverty, educational failure, and crime suffered in African-American communities around the country are not accidental. Indeed, once you start looking, you find there are hundreds of other such riots all over the county, from reconstruction to the Civil Rights era, each one destroying masses of accumulated black wealth and driving the exclusion of blacks from white communities and centers of commerce. Coates writes about Chicago, in particular, and not just its white-on-black riots, but the way private enterprise and the government at all levels worked to keep black residents segregated and poor, through legal redlining and outright theft. While Chicago and the South rightly loom large in Coates' piece, Milwaukee has its own history of redlining, the practice of racial segregation in housing, so-called because it began, literally, with the Federal Housing Authority literally drawing red lines around black neighborhoods on maps. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 -- within the lifetimes of much or my readership, I'm sure -- ended legal redlining, but not the practice. It's been less than 20 years, in fact, since the end of a major lawsuit against Milwaukee's American Family Insurance for refusing to write homeowners insurance policies in predominantly African-American neighborhoods of the city. The settlement was a paltry $16.5 million, a ridiculously low price to pay for enabling the creation of America's most segregated metro region. Today, things are not much better. Recently we learned Milwaukee is the worst major city for homes underwater, in default, or in foreclosure. We know -- because the federal government is now prosecuting offending lenders, rather than providing them legal cover -- that major lenders like Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo targeted African American neighborhoods with subprime loans. Milwaukee's "zombie houses" are concentrated in poor, primarily black neighborhoods in the city. Again, this did not happen accidentally, the same way the Tulsa Race Riot was not accidentally left out of the history books. Coates scrupulously details America's abysmal racial history, connecting the dots to show that 435 years of slavery, Jim Crow, pre-Brown education, and housing discrimination, perpetrated by or allowed to happen by the white majority in this country, have directly led to the perilous conditions in which African-Americans currently live. His argument is persuasive. How reparations would happen in practice is its own thorny question. As we've discussed, I'm not an economist, so I can't say exactly how to or how much. I'll leave that to others. I haven't intended to keep writing here about race, and I'm a pretty unlikely candidate to be OnMilwaukee.com's "race guy." I mean, see my picture up at the top of the page? Camera guys use my face to set their white balance. But I do feel it's important to have this conversation. None of us on either side of the keyboard have ever owned slaves, and most of us, I imagine, don't engage in specific interpersonal moments of racial discrimination. But as Peggy McIntosh has eloquently written, "In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth." It is clear from Coates' essay, and from just a cursory reading of the history of this country -- this city, even -- that there has long been an invisible system at work. Reparations is one way to address the devastation that system has caused. The numbers are in, the losers are licking their wounds and we can now get on with our lives at least until just two presidential candidates are left in the race. Television will return to advertising drugs and weight-loss programs and health and beauty products, which means we will have ads that are probably closer to the truth than the ones we have been watching. There is no way to cover all that these elections mean, but there are some elections whose meanings go beyond numbers. Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele proved that being loved by nobody but liked and respected by almost everybody is both unusual and a path to victory. Abele has always been a Democrat, but he has pledged that he will always work with both sides of the political spectrum to get things done. He angered Republicans when he was so supportive of gay marriage that, when the bill passed, he paid with his own money to keep the courthouse open so that couples could be married the day the bill became law. Democrats loved him. Then he turned around and worked with Gov. Scott Walker to put together the financing package for the new Bucks arena. And he accepted his role as a school improvement force for Milwaukee Public Schools. Then Democrats hated him for that. Sure, Abele spent a small fortune to get elected about $4 million. It seems like a ridiculous sum, and his opponent, liberal Democrat Chris Larson, complained about it. Money obviously played a role in the election. But a bigger factor, most likely, was the sense that Abele has been a stabilizing force as the head of county government. Hes drastically improved the financial position, hes settled down the park system and he has led on some issues that normally arent front-burner issues, including mental health care and solving the problem of homelessness. In addition, he has succeeded in performing one of the most significant local government moves in recent history: reducing the meddling county board to a mere shadow of its former self. Traditionally this board, like most similar units of government, is 17 people who dig down into the minutia of issues. They meddle and frustrate progress and, while the whole thing about checks and balances is a nice idea, the way this board has worked in recent years is just to act as an obstruction to good ideas. Long on platitudes, short on governance. So the board has been reduced to part-time positions, terms have gone from four to two years and salaries have been cut in half. Most observers think these moves are going to be major factors in improved county government. Milwaukee Mayor One of the grumblings you hear all the time about Tom Barrett is that he is not an activist mayor that rallies troops to solve the problems in his city. And yet the guy got 70 percent of the vote against Ald. Bob Donovan, who had appealed to a small subset of Milwaukee voters. Barrett is not a flashy mayor, but he is a man with a concrete vision for Milwaukee who is influential enough to get things done. And while he is optimistic about the city, he is clear on the challenges that lay ahead. He says he knows major issues remain about public safety and racial inequalities in Milwaukee. He recognizes problems and works, often behind the scenes, to build coalitions to attack and solve issues. He also has vision and toughness, displayed by his support for the Downtown Streetcar. There was a huge outcry of opposition to the transportation system, but Barrett remained steadfast and its a victory he has achieved. Barrett, with his loyal and skilled chief of staff Pat Curley, has a good relationship with the Common Council. The almost continual battles that exist in the county are rare in city government. When he finishes this term, Barrett will become the second-longest-tenured mayor in the city since 1940, when the honorable Daniel Hoan left office. Big turnout? Finally, nearly 50 percent of all voting-aged Wisconsinites went to the polls (52 percent in Milwaukee, up from a more typical 38 percent). Half the people voted, and it was the highest total for a presidential primary since 1982. Election officials and academics are going around explaining how it was that so many people stormed to the polls. Whats missing, once again, are answers as to why the other half didnt bother to show up. There was a time, not long ago, when eating sushi was considered an exotic and -- let's be honest -- a somewhat strange act. Remember when Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald) pulled some out for lunch in "The Breakfast Club?" John Bender (Judd Nelson) almost had a seizure. When Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo came to Milwaukee to pitch for the Brewers in 1999, he didn't find a lot of options. (His favorite spot, Restaurant Hama, is now closed.) Today, people in and around Milwaukee eat sushi without stigma. And, they eat a lot of it. In preparing this guide, we came up with roughly two dozen outlets that feature sushi and we're not even sure we got them all. (Use the Talkback feature if your favorite isn't listed.) You can find sushi in some form at nearly every grocery store. Many grade school kids pick sushi over traditional dinner staples like macaroni and cheese and pizza. One of the more interesting things about sushi is its subjectivity and, for lack of a better word, snobbery. You might have a favorite place and your friend may not like its offerings at all. Some people will try to "convert" people to their favorite place. Other sushi diners may consider themselves adventurous, but stick to ordering the same thing at the same restaurant year after year. Here is a list of local sushi outlets. Grab some chopsticks and wasabi and dive in. Asiana 1198 George Towne Dr., Pewaukee, (262) 695-3888 asianadining.com There is something for everyone here. The menu offers sushi and sashimi, rolls, hibachi and even some Chinese and Thai selections in an ornate atmosphere. The prices aren't cheap, but most of the patrons look like they can afford it. Benihana 850 N. Plankinton Ave., (414) 270-0890 benihana.com The venerable chain draws a steady stream of tourists and Downtown residents and office workers. Though most come for teppanyaki, they do roll some sushi. Big Tuna Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar 3624 S. Mooreland Rd., New Berlin, (262) 785-8988 bigtunawi.com This is the place to go for inexpensive lunch specials, which range from $8-$10 and come with soup, salad and rice. All entrees are made with a careful eye for presentation and a strong consideration for flavor. Try the Black Dragon Roll or the Red Snapper Teriyaki. Fujiyama 17395 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield, (262) 796-1977 fujiyama100.com Striving to bring the authentic Japanese cuisine experience to Wisconsin, Fujiyama on 108th St. was the first sushi and hibachi restaurant to open in West Allis. Now with a Brookfield location (which sadly has no hibachi grill) there's even more opportunity to enjoy Fujiyama's sleek decor and solid service. Ginza Sushi Bar 2727A N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, (414) 771-3333 ginzawauwatosa.com For friendly and knowledgeable service and affordable prices, Ginza Sushi Bar in Tosa offers a variety of Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Don't feel like going out? They deliver. Hotaru Steak & Sushi House N50 W35016 Wisconsin Ave., Okauchee, (262) 569-1433 City dwellers will proclaim "it's a hike to get there," but locals swear by the fresh ingredients and fun atmosphere. Ichiban 2336 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 278-8056 ichibanmilwaukee.com One of Milwaukee's more affordable Japanese restaurants boasts "the largest sushi selection in Milwaukee" and doesn't skimp on quality. Ichiban offers some of the city's finest sushi, sake and bento dinners. Enjoy their food to-go if you're in a rush. Izumi's 2178 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 271-5278 izumis.com Want a sure-fire way to verify that this long-time spot has not lost its fastball over the years? Walk in on a Monday or Tuesday night and see how many local chefs are enjoying the fresh sushi and extensive sake list. They've been doing it right for over 20 years. Japanica 4918 S. 74th St., Greenfield, (414) 281-9868 japanicawi.com Established in 2003, this family-owned restaurant flies in fresh seafood three times a week and prides itself on presentation. Kiku Japanese Restaurant 202 W. Wisconsin Ave., (414) 270-1988 kikujapanesecuisine.food.officelive.com Ranked among the Top 100 Asian Restaurants in the United States in the MenuAsian competition, this bar/restaurant is the perfect spot to blow off some late-night steam and indulge in sushi, teriyaki cuisine, and tempura dishes - and take advantage of their great alcohol selection. America Works, a nationwide organization that connects job seekers and employers, recently held its first large-scale job fair in Milwaukees central city on March 30. The employment event, which focused on connecting people with jobs in the transportation industry, drew almost 100 companies. About 1,100 out-of-work and struggling Milwaukee residents attended the event, which was held at North Division High School, 1011 W Center St. The schools hallways and tables were crowded throughout the day as people spoke with employers and filled out job applications. Deshawn Nabors, who most recently worked at Habitat for Humanity for five years doing home demolition, has been out of work for six or seven months. Nabors said his short-term goal is just to land a job but, eventually, he wants to own his own business. "Im adamant [about] working; Im motivated to be a positive, productive citizen of society," he said. Similar to Nabors, many attendees had longer-term goals but were hoping to come away from the event with better prospects for immediate employment. Monica Willis, a single mother of four who lost her job at Sams Club a week earlier, wants to find a stable job that will provide for her family and give her the financial resources to open a retail store down the line. Dejaun Jones, a father of two, has been working for two different temp services, making between $8 and $9 per hour, and sometimes as low as $7.50. Jones said he spoke to a representative of WFA Staffing, a temp agency, at the event who said he wouldnt be set up with temporary work that paid less than $10 per hour. Jones arranged an interview for the next day. Though hes ultimately hoping to find full-time work, Jones said the interaction was encouraging. "Thats the whole point of you coming hoping to catch some opportunity," he said. "You know, something that makes you feel like, OK, this was worth coming, you didnt waste your time." State Rep. David Bowen, who helped organize the event, expressed pride in the turnout, saying it dispels the notion that people in Milwaukee dont want to work. "I know a lot of people who work hard," he said. "They usually work weekends, they work overtime, they work holidays, and they are putting in a lot of time away from their families that they otherwise could spend taking care of the folks that they love." "What they need access to are living-wage jobs," Bowen added. "Living-wage jobs give people the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty." He praised the employers in attendance because he said they understand the need for good-paying work. Vendors included the United States Postal Service, Home Depot, PepsiCo and Enterprise car rental. Many of the employers present, such as TaxAir, represented the commercial trucking industry. Neal Kedzie, a former Wisconsin state legislator and president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association, a nonprofit trade group, said there is a projected shortage of 240,000 truck-driving jobs nationwide. Wisconsin, where 90 percent of manufactured goods are shipped by truck, is developing 1,800 jobs every year. "We are an industry that is looking for you," Kedzie said. "The demand is high." The jobs available, which include intra- or inter-state driving, start between $26,000 and $37,000 per year and top out at $75,000 or more, according to Kedzie. Anthony Staton owns Professional CDL Training Institute, a company that trains people to obtain a Class A drivers license, which is required to drive a semi-truck. Staton said the average person takes between 32 and 44 hours to be certified. He said taking such a class is an investment, equating its impact to that of a college degree. "If I can jump from a job thats paying me $9 an hour, which is approximately $18,000 a year, to a job thats paying me $20 an hour thats approximately $40,000 a year I just picked up $22,000 in year one." "I was born and raised here in this community," said Staton, who grew up near North 24th Place and West Burleigh Street and attended Bradley Tech High School. "Im from this area, so Im just trying to show these folks that theres a way out here to get a job, but youve got to want to help yourself, too." Connecting During a town hall portion of the event, people expressed frustration over barriers to work, including past criminal history, not having a drivers license and issues involving child support. Tyrone Lowe, 45, was released from federal prison on Thanksgiving after serving 58 months of a 15-year sentence that was eventually thrown out. Lowe said hes submitted three applications a week since but hasnt found any work. "What Im looking for is a job that is consistent; a job that, if I dont know exactly how to do it, I can be trained to do it," said Lowe. "Im looking to learn new things Im looking for stability, a friendly work environment and someone that wont judge me." Robert Spencer, 33, whose 4-year-old son was with him, said he hasnt been able to find steady work since being released from the Milwaukee County House of Correction in January 2014. Spencer, who worked in the industrial maintenance industry for nine years, said hes had two or three temporary jobs that didnt last any more than a few months. "My rents due Im gonna get evicted," said Spencer, who added he doesnt smoke or do drugs. "I dont want to go out here and do nothing thats going to cause me to go back to the institution I just left from." Drivers license recovery and child support services were available at the event. State Sen. Lena Taylor and other attendees also suggested contacting organizations including Word of Hope Ministries, Project Return and Clean Slate Milwaukee, which help ex-offenders and others connect with resources. Taylor said Milwaukee needs "community connectors" to direct people to organizations and individuals that can help, offering her office as such a resource. "Its not so much that help isnt there; [people are] just not sure which place to go," she said. But Taylor also encouraged people to "take the bull by the horns and decide what you want to do, because opportunities exist." Justin Bryant, who represented UPS Freight, spoke with attendees about a part-time dockworker position, starting at $12 per hour, which he said could lead to advancement with the company. Bryant said he expected to find some good candidates from the event and would "absolutely" participate again. "We hope to make this a long-term solution, being able to come to Milwaukee and have individuals apply and come work for UPS and build a career," he said. Carlyle Outten, director of operations at America Works, said he expects positive outcomes to result from the fair and guaranteed the event would not be the last of its kind. "This one event is going to make a difference in the community," said Outten. "If we had 10 of these, it would make a huge difference in the community, especially if the same people are coming back, and doing more and doing better." Overhauling the American System and Starting Over Part Four: 25 Recommendations for the American People US Capitol - Dome-4824 (Image by NormanMaddeaux) Details DMCA 1.The United States will take the initiative to dismantle all nuclear weapons and nuclear energy power plants the world over as soon as possible. 2. The U.S. will bring home all military personnel and close down the government's 700 military bases around the world. Even with such a drawdown, our nation will retain more than enough capacity to defend its own borders. The money previously spent on the military will be used to pay off the national debt and create new jobs to rebuild our nation's infrastructure: "[A]nd they shall turn their swords into ploughshares." (Isaiah 2:4) Many of our existing military ships, submarines, and planes will be used for low-budget travel and tourism to promote goodwill among nations. 3. Private financial contributors and corporate lobbyists will no longer have the influence on members of Congress that they have had in the past. Instead, the Library of Congress will create a website that will become an online forum and clearinghouse for all public policy proposals. All positions and arguments will be publicized. Everyone will know who is lobbying for what and why. Also, the same amount of finances will be publicly provided to the political campaigns of the 7 largest national political parties, and all 7 parties will get equal public exposure. 4. The U.S. House of Representatives will be elected through a system of proportional representation, and the U.S. Senate will be abolished. Currently it is unfair that California and Wyoming have the same number of Senators when California's population is about 70 times greater. Representatives will serve 2-year terms. Since all money will have been taken out of politics, Representatives, like the President, may serve an unlimited number of terms. This measure will provide some continuity of government. The 7 largest national political parties will be empowered in a single-chambered, national legislature. Here is how Proportional Representation can be explained: the National Green Party, for example, may get 15 percent of the vote, or 65 members, in the 435-membered House of Representatives, and Indiana's population currently allows it to have 10 members in the House of Representatives. But it may be that of the 7 largest national political parties, the Indiana Republican Party will get to select and send 5 of Indiana's 10 Representatives to the House of Representatives (which alone will be the new Congress) because Indiana is largely a Republican state. 5. The Electoral College system for electing a President will no longer be legal. A President must now win with a majority of individual votes (not just a plurality of votes). Using the method of Instant Runoff Voting, each American voter will choose and rank 3 slated candidates (choosing 3 of the 7 largest national political parties) from most favorite to least favorite. With each round of voting, the candidate who got the least amount of votes is eliminated, until eventually one of the remaining candidates captures at least 51 percent of the vote. Presidents will serve office for 4-year terms, but they will be allowed to serve an unlimited number of terms. Presidents serving consecutive terms might be less likely with seven equally empowered parties, but it is possible. The President will not be allowed to veto the decisions of the unicameral national legislature, and he or she will not be allowed to sign any Executive Orders, as previous presidents have done. All previous presidential executive orders will be evaluated by the new unicameral Congress, and the existing executive orders can then be kept the same, modified, or eliminated by the new Congress. 6. The Supreme Court, under the Third Constitution, will no longer have judicial review or judicial interpretation of federal legislation. However, the Supreme Court will have judicial review and judicial interpretation regarding state legislation that conflicts with the national Constitution. Under the Third Constitution, the Supreme Court will consist of 7 Justices--no longer 9. The 7 largest national political parties will each appoint a Justice for the first Supreme Court. The first 7 Supreme Court Justices, appointed in March by the seven top political parties, will take office on October 1, at the same time the new President and 435 new national legislators take office. The elected Justices will begin a 4-year term of office. If a Supreme Court Justice dies or resigns, the political party he or she came from will provide a new Justice. 7. Implement a decentralized, non-hierarchical, or grassroots, approach to public schools: The neighbors who live within the boundaries of each public elementary school (middle or high schools possibly later) will be encouraged to democratically select their own school board, which will establish and implement a school philosophy and curriculum for the neighborhood school, using public funds. It is not necessary to have federal, state, county, and township school superintendent control of neighborhood schools. Neighborhood control of public elementary schools will promote local self determination and a long, lost sense of neighborhood togetherness. It can reduce crime, as neighbors ideally become tribal, in a new and modern way. Local neighborhood groups will probably search the Internet and study the most effective schools and various school curricula. Residents will be forced to think independently and philosophically. In the process, neighbors will get to know one another better, and they will build a close-knit community. Parents, other residents, and senior citizens will become better educated citizens, as they strive to become better teachers and tutors in the neighborhoods where they live. The current reliance on public school "experts" who dictate who can teach, what to teach, and how to teach has not worked well for our society. Using front yards and backyards--organic and composted, local food production can be incorporated into a school district's curriculum. 8. Abolish the Federal Reserve and allow the Treasury Department to oversee a publicly owned banking system like the existing Bank of North Dakota. Currently the Federal Reserve has pumped $16 trillion into the central banking system to bail out the banks and big corporations, as many people wonder, "Where is my bailout?" 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). Some how I lost the interest I used to have in American politics and elections. It is, to me, turning out to be a competition between individuals who are using their money (and someone else's) and presentation skills to buy the people's votes. Surprisingly some of the people are buying-in to that, as one from time to time hear the emotional cheers despite what is being said is immature and hasty. I happen to be in the US during the last few months of the Reagan / Carter elections and at that time I was 24. Now I that am 60, I am watching the 2016 Trump theater and keep wondering weather the American politics lost value or is it that the American people lost faith in it? Or is it me? As what impressed me at 24 may not impress me at 60? Could it be that the people are sick and tired of un-kept promises and lies? Or could it be that the American presidency has less and less impact on peoples daily lives. It takes a visit to America to notice the big and paradoxical gap and imbalance between the marvelous American success in education, infrastructure, the intellectual and Industrial production and creativity on one side and on the other side the American political game and how some times it is cheaply conducted. I remember bringing my tape-recorder near the TV to record the last Reagan/Carter debate and listening with great interest. I kept repeating the tape and it struck me now that some of the nasty words and personal attacks being used today among the competing parties were not common in the good old days. Has social media (which were not present then) played a negative or positive role into how American politics are playing out? People used to need to listen to a TV or a radio or read a newspaper to know what is happening. Now not only it is all in their pockets and at their fingertips, but they can give feed back on the spot. The other aspect is weaknesses within the system. Weaknesses which become more obvious all the time. God bless America. We don't like what it does but we love it. Another Paradox. Hamad S Alomar Riyadh See original here Barack Obama pushed the trade deal with Panama which allowed the tax evasion revealed by the "Panama Papers" to flourish. Huffington Post reported in 2011: "Obama is also urging Congress to approve a trade agreement that would cement a key tax avoidance tactic deployed by some of the richest Americans. *** "Obama urged Congress [to] approve three trade deals, including one with Panama that would permit Americans to easily stash assets in the Central American country, a notorious tax haven for the wealthy and American corporations. *** "Panama does have some of the most stringent bank secrecy laws in the world, making it extremely easy and inexpensive for U.S. citizens to set up offshore corporations and bank accounts. Establishing the corporation and bank account costs less than $2,000, and any money that Americans stash in these entities is not taxed. Bank secrecy laws and extremely lax corporate registration standards make it very difficult for the Internal Revenue Service to track transactions transferring funds to these Panamanian destinations from the United States. Small surprise, then, that Panama is home to nearly 400,000 offshore corporations, more than any other nation except Hong Kong. *** "The trade agreement with Panama would effectively bar the U.S. from cracking down on this activity. The U.S. would not be allowed to treat Panamanian financial services transactions differently from transactions in nations that are not tax havens. It would also be unable to pursue some standard anti-money laundering techniques in Panama. Combating tax haven abuse in Panama would be a violation of the trade agreement, exposing the U.S. to fines from international authorities. "'It directly undermines Obama's putative domestic agenda of job creation, cracking down on tax havens and collecting revenue from tax-dodging corporations,' said Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch. 'The [free trade agreement] would forbid future use of existing policy tools to combat financial crime." Hillary Clinton did as well ... International Business Times reports: "Soon after taking office in 2009, Obama and his secretary of state [Hillary Clinton] -- who is currently the Democratic presidential front-runner -- began pushing for the passage of stalled free trade agreements (FTAs) with Panama, Colombia and South Korea that opponents said would make it more difficult to crack down on Panama's very low income tax rate, banking secrecy laws and history of noncooperation with foreign partners. *** "Upon Congress ratifying the pact, Clinton issued a statement lauding the agreement, saying it ... 'will make it easier for American companies to sell their products.' She added: 'The Obama administration is constantly working to deepen our economic engagement throughout the world, and these agreements are an example of that commitment.'" But Bernie Sanders opposed the tax evasion deal with Panama, and prophetically warned in 2011: Santa Muerte's origins are as mysterious as her allegiances. Is she part of the Underworld -- hades, possibly even hell -- or is she a divine princess of heaven? Could a figure as scary and menacing as this skeleton saint truly be The Blessed Virgin and Mother's kick-ass sister or cousin? Whatever the case may be, Santa Muerte has been a craze in Mexico, Central America, and South America, for quite some time now and she's gaining popularity in the United States and other parts of the world. Santa Muerte, the mysterious and scary Saint of Death, has been a craze in Mexico for quite some time and is gaining pop status worldwide now. (Image by Bewitching New York (blog)) Details DMCA Most of all, her devotees claim that when they worship Santa Muerte, pray to her, carry her picture in their wallets, wear her medallion around their necks, or carry coins around in their pockets with her depiction engraved on on such tokens - perhaps even build shrines to The Saint of Death - they always get results of some type. Her devoted claim this is one saint that delivers! Why do folks pray to Santa Muerte? Well, her incredibly large group of fevered followers - estimated at between 10 and 12 million overall (in the United States, Mexico, and Central America alone) - pray and petition her for various reasons. Some say they worship her for prosperity for themselves, their family members, and their friends. There have even been accounts of people with compulsive gambling problems who pray to this entity for a big win, a super jackpot of some type. Others pray to Santa Muerte so she brings them good health; and also the well-being of their loved ones. Some pray and worship this pseudo-deity because they have had close scrapes with death at times during their lives and Saint Death spared them the ultimate sanction of "lights out for good". Others say they worship Santa Muerte for protection -- to keep enemies and harm away and to be an archangel, of sorts, to keep what they see as evildoers out of their lives. And as violent and volatile as most Latin American countries are these days, it's easy to see why "Saint Death" is held in such high regard. Most shocking, however, is that a large segment of Santa Muerte's faithful worship the skeleton saint for vindication and revenge. And there are reports indicating that this group of violent criminals - those involved with gangs, drug trafficking, and who make their livings resorting to heinous acts of unspeakable violence - were the core group of the supernatural entity's first flock during the course of the last century and into this new one - before the skeleton of shadows took the world by storm. Santa Muerte is always depicted as being a skeleton saint. And although there are numerous skeleton saints, she's the queen, by far. She is a she, too; which probably makes her popular among women, particularly women who have been abused, neglected, possibly even badly harmed by men. And Santa Muerte's help is available to all, her followers claim. She does not care how much money you have. She could care less if you are beautiful, handsome, or ugly. What are your sexual preference? "I don't care," those who claim to know her personality have reported. Neither does she care who your connections are - her followers say Santa Muerte wants to be the connection. She likes being petitioned and she listens to prayers - each and every one. She's egalitarian and fair. Righteous to the good and horrible to the wicked, yes she is - and she deplores those who intentionally harm others. For many, Santa Muerte is a saint of vendetta. Nice? Perhaps. But scarier than hell, too! One of the most prevalent ways in which Santa Muerte is depicted in illustrations and paintings is that of a gowned saint, with a hood covering her white skull, holding long pistols that are firing at the ground. This is one saint that does not play games. She comes at you with long barrels on those pistols drawn and firing. But Santa Muerte is in every aspect a true lady - she is often pictured carrying flowers. Beautiful flesh bouquets with every color represented in the mix. For the sake of simplicity and expedience, Santa Muerte looks a lot like the Grim Reaper or the Angel of Death, except she is feminine, a lady that is to be revered, respected, and reckoned with; and her personality -- both the good and the bad sides of it -- have characteristics that most women have. She is loyal yet vengeful. She demands respect and dignity yet she knows her place in the cosmos and the metaphysical puzzlement. Coy and humble, she doesn't flaunt her physical attributes, always adorned in a cloak covering her entire body. But she is very proud of her face, which is always depicted as a grinning human skull. Her vanity shows: Santa Muerte thinks she is a very pretty girl. Yet, in many illustrations, she is drawn with her head staring down, as if she is shy or introverted. And she likes to have friends. The more the better - she never turns her back to anyone and once she accepts you as hers, you're in for good. Many religious, including Roman Catholic priests, say that Santa Muerte is not a saint. She is part of the occult and should not be worshiped and adored. You might as well pray to the devil, El Diablo, than to petition Santa Muerte for gifts or some type of request. But there are some, even in the religious community, that say 'Saint Death' is one of the oldest and most high of all religious entities and to disregard her is a blasphemy to God himself. She's part of heaven and its structure. Sure, Santa Muerte's job it a tough one - a nasty one - but she is the first metaphysical being a soul encounters when passing through this worldly existence and into the afterlife. And unlike all other saints, Santa Muerte has been here forever and is not mortal. She was never an actual person, like Christ's apostles, the martyrs, the great saints or the lesser ones. According to a blog post in Bewitching New York titled "Santa Muerte, the Virgin Mother's Kick-Ass Sister and Beloved Goddess of Death" (writer unnamed): "Santa Muerte (also known as Santisima Muerte) is the beloved goddess of death. Her origins date back to the Pre-Hispanic period of Mexico, and was believed to be a protector of souls who resided in the dark underworld. There are a great many theories and beliefs about her origin, from being the revival of the Pre-Hispanic Mexican goddess of death, Mitchecacihuatl, a re-invention of the female Grim Reaper from Spain, La Parca, or that she was once a Mexican Catholic nun, coming from Italian roots going way back to the Fates of ancient Greece." "Either way, in short, she scares the hell out of the Vatican." "According to professor R. Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University, who has studied the rise of Santa Muerte, 'Santa Muerte is particularly appealing to people on the margins of Mexican and U.S. society because she's seen as the saint who embraces everyone regardless of race, sex, age or gender orientation'." 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). Last month - Women's History Month - I was asked to write a profile of a woman who'd made it to the top of her business-related profession. I declined. I hate to turn down assignments, but writing a story about yet another "smart girl" who's succeeded in a man's world doesn't interest me. Not when there are so many untold tales of amazing women, past and present, who can't command a column inch. We know, of course, about the relatively few outstanding women who do manage to make history (sometimes as token icons). Most of them have made a monumental difference in the lives of many others. We recognize names like Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America, Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, Jane Addams, who launched the Settlement House movement and Harriet Tubman, who led so many slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Further afield, we know about Malala and her brave contribution to girls' education. But what do we know about the multitude of women and girls who stand with Malala in bringing social justice to the world? Women like Pinki Kumari, who came from a small village in India and later, with support from the Ford Foundation's International Fellowship Program (IFP) earned a master's degree in International Public Health so that she could return home to do advocacy work, or Rosana Paulino, another IFP Scholar and Brazilian artist who earned a PhD in 2008 and now uses her education to explore and re-imagine black women's experience in Brazilian society? And that's just two examples. These innovative leaders stand on the shoulders of women like Ela Bhatt and Wangari Maathai among others, known to those of us who have worked in the international women's movement, but probably not to a good many others. Bhatt was a pioneer in India when she started a "gentle revolution" by founding the Self-Employed Women's Association in 1972. A trade union, SEWA represents women workers in India's informal sector who make up 94 percent of the female labor force but lack the same rights and security as those in formal employment. She also started the Cooperative Bank of SEWA to help women gain financial independence so that they could become self-reliant and gain the respect of their families and communities. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the first woman in East or Central Africa to earn a PhD, was a Kenyan political, environmental, and women's rights leader. She launched the Green Belt Movement to reforest Kenya which also helped her country's women gain new skills and access opportunities to enhance their economic security and social status. Arrested and imprisoned several times, she eventually earned a seat in the country's parliament in 2002. Another group of outstanding women that few folks know about is comprised of female pioneers in science. Some may have seen on Facebook that glamorous movie star Hedy Lamarr was instrumental in the development of computers, or they might know about Dr. Helen Taussig, the founder of pediatric cardiology, who was key to the first successful ''blue baby'' operation. But a simple Google search turns up many more women scientists, like Annie Cannon, one of America's foremost astronomers who helped to classify stars, and Bertha P. Cody, the first Native American archaeologist. One of my favorites was Mary Agnes Chase, an agricultural specialist who had to fund her own research trips to South America because it was considered inappropriate for women to do field work in her day. With a wish list like that, why would I want to write vapid profiles of women who do well in corporate America? I'll leave that kind of story to magazines interested in money and business models, or to publications that feature sexy ingenues or famous women over sixty with great figures thanks to their cooks, personal trainers and plastic surgeons. Like I said, there are "smart girls" and then there are powerful women. Both have a story to tell, but for me it's a no-brainer which one I'd rather write -- or read - about. Give Up. (Image by annainaustin) Details DMCA I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the latest issue of Rolling Stone: The front page article was an editorial by Rolling Stone founder and publisher Jann Wenner endorsing Hillary Clinton. Seriously. The magazine that inspired young Americans when they took to the streets for change in the 60s now calls for the election of a politician who epitomizes the Establishment. What does it say about our hopes of saving the US and the world from a hostile corporate takeover when the publisher who brought the world Hunter Thompson's gonzo journalism can't understand why the US needs a political revolution, or what Sanders means when he talks about it? God help us when the magazine that introduced most of us to Matt Taibbi is now calling for the election of Goldman Sachs' BFF. This is perhaps the strongest evidence yet of the deflated ambition that Clinton support by rank-and-file Democrats represents. Ignoring the obvious conflicts of interest inherent in Wall Street financing of her candidacy, Wenner relies on fully discredited arguments to support her campaign against someone whose whole purpose for running is to challenge the corruption of a political system that is breaking down. Does he seriously believe that she will "get things done" by working for incremental change within the same corrupt system that has led America and the world to the brink of existential crisis? His most forceful argument regards climate change, an issue his young readers take much more seriously than those of their elders who back Clinton because of her putative support for less politically divisive issues such as the rights of women and children (she presumably favors puppies as well). It should be noted that despite the serious decline in Rolling Stone's political reporting since the departure of Taibbi as a staff writer, it has managed to do a pretty good job covering the facts about global climate change. Where it has fallen woefully short is in its analysis of the politics of doing something about it. Rolling Stone articles have praised Obama's largely symbolic challenges to the fossil fuel industry in areas where it is weakest, but have failed to call him out on the fact that he consistently avoids talking about the reality of what it will take to deal with climate change. Is that what he means when he says that Clinton will carry on his legacy? Sanders has called it our most important national security issue, while Clinton has consistently supported the expansion of fracking and wars to control fossil fuel sources in the Mideast. Despite this, the editorial argues that Clinton can do more to address climate change with an incremental approach than Sanders can do by demanding a serious response to what Wenner acknowledges is a planet-threatening emergency. Has his advanced age rendered him too senile to see the obvious contradiction? Wenner's makes a couple of more or less original arguments in his editorial, both of which are equally fallacious: First, he accuses Sanders of substituting anger for a real plan, while making virtually no mention of Sanders' detailed plans for dealing with the economy, tackling global climate change, reducing income inequality, improving health care and education and regulating Wall Street. Is it any wonder that Sanders is angry about the Democratic establishment's unwillingness to tackle any of these problems effectively? The fact that Wenner cites Obamacare as a key "victory" shows that like many other Democrats, he has become so preoccupied with defending his party's timidity against Republican stupidity that he fails to see that both have contributed to the imperiled state of the American middle class. Every other nation has a system of universal health care, yet Clinton claims it cannot be done here. If she is right, it is because Democratic acceptance of the corrupt status quo makes it impossible. the myth that Nader cost Gore the 2000 election, but it ignores the obvious distinction between running in the general election when it might cause a more viable candidate to lose and running in a primary, where it is to everyone's benefit that voters choose who shall represent them. Having muddled that point, he cites the devastating McGovern loss in 1968, in asserting that no matter how dire the circumstances, "America chooses its presidents from the middle" This is obviously false. It depends on how badly change is needed and how ready the country is for change. Has he forgotten that Roosevelt was considered a radical at one time? Given that Hillary's supporters seem blithely unaware of the steady rightward drift of the party since Bill introduced the "third way," they might be inclined to agree. Wenner's endorsement dismisses all concerns about Clinton's veracity as if they are too silly to merit rebuttal. This is typical of her supporters, who refuse to honestly examine her record for evidence of how it reflects on her character. Given the distortions of the corporate media about various false accusations in the past, it is perhaps understandable that he admirers overlook the fact that she lied about having illegally established a private email server for government business, but shouldn't it raise questions when she is caught lying about things for no apparent reason than to glorify herself, in Trump fashion? I have yet to see a Clinton supporter try to justify her claim that she landed under fire in Bosnia in 2008, when video shows she was welcomed by a ceremony rather than snipers. She also claims to have spoken out against the Iraq War before Obama and to have been broke when she left the White House, among other demonstrably false statements. Speaking of lies, her claim to have opposed NAFTA has also been debunked (by CBS, no less!). Not only does Wenner ignore this, but he justifies his support for her in part by describing as disingenuous Sanders' argument that free trade policies were not responsible for the decline of the US auto industry. He fails to mention that while there may be other factors in that example, there is absolutely no doubt that free trade agreements that she has consistently supported have devastated American manufacturing. And to add to her list of "disingenuous" claims, she now claims to oppose TPP, an agreement she was instrumental in negotiating. There is no sense repeating rebuttals to the claims of Clinton's superior electability and her ability to work with a hostile Congress when those who don't know refuse to listen. Let's leave it at this: Wenner is channeling Ronald Reagan in arguing that while young people tend to have idealistic expectations, when they mature they become conservative. That is only a natural conclusion to those who have benefited from the system as it is and don't want to admit that they have compromised all the values they held when a better world seemed possible. Like other baby boomers that support Clinton, Wenner seems to have grown too old to appreciate the dismal future facing our grandchildren. He should be ashamed to risk leaving them to it when we have a chance to spark a real revolution by electing someone willing to lead the fight to save the US and the world from the forces that Clinton represents. RIP, Rolling Stone. We hardly knew ya"apparently. 5 3 2 Rate It | View Ratings Rick Staggenborg, MD Social Media Pages: I am a former Army and VA psychiatrist who ran for the US Senate in 2010 on a campaign based on a pledge to introduce a constitutional amendment to abolish corporate personhood and regulate campaign finance. A constitutional amendment banning (more...) The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help. If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership. PHILADELPHIA -- Responding to Hillary Clinton's attempt to portray him as unqualified for the White House, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders linked her to a trade pact exploited by wealthy individuals and profitable corporations to avoid paying taxes. An investigation by a team of journalists revealed that 214,000 entities throughout the world have used a law firm in Panama to shelter their incomes and profits to avoid paying taxes. The release this week of the documents on offshore financial dealings raised questions over the widespread use of tactics to avoid taxes. Sanders cited the former secretary of state's support of the trade deal as one reason she should not be the party's nominee for president. "I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed, which has made it easier for wealthy people and corporations all over the world to avoid paying taxes owed to their countries," Sanders told a rally at Temple University in an auditorium packed with nearly 13,000 supporters. Sanders five years ago led opposition to the Panama trade deal in a Senate floor speech. He predicted that the pact would make it easier for the wealthy and the powerful to stash their cash in Panama to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.Clinton had opposed the deal in 2008 when she was running against then Sen. Barack Obama. But in an about face, she helped push the agreement through Congress when she was secretary of state."The American people are sick and tired of establishment politicians who say one thing during a campaign and do the exact opposite the day after the election," Sanders said on Tuesday in a prepared statement. As president, Sanders said he would terminate the trade deal and investigate U.S. banks, corporations and wealthy individuals who have been stashing their cash in Panama to avoid taxes.Sanders came to Pennsylvania fresh off a win Tuesday in Wisconsin, his seventh victory in the past eight caucuses and primaries. A new national poll release Wednesday put him ahead of Clinton by two points and also showed him ahead of Republican front-runner Donald Trump.Clinton earlier on Wednesday questioned Sanders' qualifications to be president. "Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little nervous," he shot back. "She has been saying lately that I am not qualified to be president."Sanders then ticked off his own list of reasons why Clinton isn't qualified to be in the White House."I don't believe that she is qualified if she is through her super PAC taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds."I don't think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC."I don't think you are qualified if you voted for the disastrous war in Iraq."I don't think you're qualified if you supported almost every disastrous trade agreement."I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed, which has gave the green light to wealthy people and corporations all over the world to avoid paying taxes owed to their countries." Our government in Washington continues to pursue a foreign policy that just doesn't work. Those in the State Dept. and the Pentagon who are directly responsible for planning and carrying out this policy cannot be allowed to continue to operate in this manner for it has become totally counterproductive. This totally misguided policy that has been going on for many years, from the Vietnam War to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and now Syria, has been a colossal failure. It has caused nothing but misery, suffering and destruction in various countries together with the needless loss of U.S. troops. It goes on and on, it never stops, never gets better, and the foreign policy quagmire gets deeper and deeper. Let's review recent history to see how and why this policy has failed to work. Look at what happened in Ukraine and Crimea when the U.S. government tried to drive a wedge between those countries and Russia; three nations that have had strong mutual ties going way back in time. This incursion into the affairs of these countries could be likened to Russia establishing an unwelcome presence in North America and attempting to drive a wedge between Canada and the U.S. What transpired in Ukraine didn't have a chance of being successful and failed when Mr. Obama threatened to send military assets into that country. It failed because Putin quickly responded, stating very clearly that if Mr. Obama did that, then Russia would immediately send troops into Ukraine to take control of the situation. Well, that was the end of that foreign policy misadventure. Was it working in Syria during that massive internal conflict in which that country's government forces were fighting various rebel groups, including ISIS, Daesh and others who fully intended to overthrow the Assad government? Well the U.S. decided to take part in that purge of Assad and proceeded to conduct an intense bombing campaign that accomplished little if anything except contributing to the flight of Syrians into other countries. This is a clear case of not learning anything from past mistakes. This attempt to remove Assad from power is like a replay of what happened not long ago in Iraq, Syria's next door neighbor. I'm talking about how the U.S. government, in 2003, overthrew Saddam Hussein because he was in the way and opened the door to massive destruction in that country. In Syria Putin brought Russian air power into that country in September, 2015 and then initiating a bombing campaign in support of Syrian government and Iranian troops on the ground that stopped ISIS in its tracks. He then set up a cease fire process that is still in effect and seems to be working. He just recently took steps to withdraw most of the Russian military assets from that country. Right now those in charge of this failed policy seem to be obsessed with trying to intimidate and control Russia and China, which would appear to be the height of insanity. Let's put it this way; if this incompetent U.S. foreign policy team wanted to choose two countries that it should never, ever try to intimidate, that would be Russia and China. Russia and China are both world superpowers, they both possess nuclear arsenals and have large, powerful militaries. China has the largest population in the world and Russia is the largest country in terms of total area. Neither China nor Russia will allow itself to be intimidated in any way. So why in the world would you be so reckless and try to push either of them around? Can't these embedded war hawks and neocons that dictate America's foreign policy see that their actions are actually strengthening the already powerful alliance that exists between China and Russia? An alliance that will use its power to pursue a myriad of mutual ventures in Eurasia and other regions of the world, one that will also be invincible from the standpoint of military power. Don't these incompetents understand that what they are attempting to do is an exercise in futility? Talk about a misguided foreign policy relative to China; that country produces the vast portion of America's consumer products, it owns some $1.2 trillion of U.S. debt that it could cash in at any time which would be disastrous for the U.S; and it has shown no propensity for threatening or attacking America. You would think that a more appropriate U.S. foreign policy would be one that emphasized the strengthening of this relationship because China and Corporate America's objectives are the same; to make more money from their close relationship. But, no, those with their blinders on have, instead, decided that it's time to move into the South China Sea and try to take control of that area right in China's backyard. The plan is to try to neutralize China's power and influence by moving a substantial portion of U.S. naval forces into that region. To use this kind of gunboat diplomacy when there is no threat of any kind is incomprehensible. This latest strategy, the Asian Pivot, is the equivalent of China moving a large naval force into the Atlantic or Pacific oceans off the coast of America. This is what's called looking for big time trouble and could, conceivably, start a confrontation that could lead to war if one or the other of these powers does something really reckless. If that should ever happen, and it could, just imagine the disastrous effect it would have on the American society if China cut off shipments of consumer products. Instead of creating new confrontations with China we might be a lot better off developing a foreign policy modeled after that of China which is based upon interacting positively with the nations of the world. China is not following an agenda of intimidation and domination because it's far too busy working to strengthen its economy, improve its infrastructure and working with a great many other countries to develop these lucrative infrastructure projects. The China Development Bank has plans to invest $890 billion in over 900 projects in some 60 countries. How's that for a foreign policy that creates new friends instead of making enemies? China has also recently approved its 13th 5-year plan that involves both Chinese domestic and foreign investment projects. I don't recall the U.S. government creating any 5-year plan or any kind of plan to invest substantial funds in improving America's infrastructure or working with other countries to improve theirs. But I do remember reading about the many billions of taxpayer dollars spent in Iraq and Afghanistan on repairing and rebuilding infrastructure that was devastated by our misguided military actions. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). In the Lenin Barracks in Barcelona, the day before I joined the militia, I saw an Italian militiaman standing in front of the officers' table. ... Something in his face deeply moved me. It was the face of a man who would commit murder and throw away his life for a friend -- the kind of face you would expect in an Anarchist, though as likely as not he was a Communist. ... I hardly know why, but I have seldom seen anyone -- any man, I mean -- to whom I have taken such an immediate liking. - The opening of Homage To Catalonia by George Orwell John McCain is certainly an interesting American politician. To be politically correct, maybe I should call him an American "warrior/politician," since he's a key leader in the post-911 culture saturated with the warrior-ethos. Last month, this warrior/politician wrote an op-ed in The New York Times that I can't get out of my mind. In the piece titled "The Good Soldier," McCain saluted Delmer Berg whose obituary had run March 2nd in the Times. (Belatedly appreciating the irony, the Times changed the op-ed's title online to: "John McCain: Salute To a Communist.") Berg, who died at age 100, was presumably the last living American veteran of the famous Abraham Lincoln Brigade that fought on the Republican side in Spain against a 1936 fascist coup led by the caudillo general Francisco Franco, certainly a warrior/politician of his day. The Republic had been constitutionally set up and its leaders duly-elected after the monarchy collapsed in 1931. The Soviet Union supported the Republican side and Hitler and Mussolini supported the Fascists. The Republican side had a romantic, underdog quality that drew writers and adventures like George Orwell and Ernest Hemingway. Delmer Berg in 2014 and in Spain, second from right in beret (Image by unknown) Details DMCA In 1937, Berg was a 21-year-old dishwasher who saw a poster for the Lincoln Brigade and signed up. He soon shipping out to Spain on an ocean liner; he was eventually wounded and sent home. Of the 3000 American volunteers who fought in Spain, around 800 were killed. The Fascists prevailed in 1939. Berg joined the Communist Party in 1943. The Times called him "an unreconstructed communist." A newspaper in California asked Berg what were the proudest moments of his life; one he said was "when one of my grandsons was valedictorian at his Oregon high school graduation and said in a newspaper interview, 'My grandfather is my inspiration. He's a Communist!' " Like John McCain, I'm a Vietnam veteran. In June 1965, I was an ignorant 18-year-old Army volunteer just arrived at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I vividly recall being cursed at to get my worthless ass off the bus and badgered to run up a hill to a barbershop, where my hair was sheared off as if I was a sheep. I also recall being presented with a long list of organizations that I was to indicate whether I had ever been a member. I saw something called the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and wondered why something named after such a great American could be considered subversive. My military career went downhill from there. Unlike John McCain, I didn't suffer much in my job as a radio direction finder in the mountains and valleys west of Pleiku along the Cambodian border. My job was to locate Vietnamese communist radio operators -- ie. a Vietnamese man with a leg key batting out Morse code in five letter groups, along with a second man pumping a bicycle generator. These operators would walk to a different location every day some distance from their unit so invaders like me could not locate their dug-in headquarters. Over time, we'd figure out a pattern, at which point the intelligence brass would send jet jockeys like John McCain to bomb the area in the hope of obliterating all those diminutive communists trying to liberate their country. Then they'd send a long range recon patrol to see if they'd hit anything. For one operation, I got an Army Commendation Medal. We'd located a brigade headquarters. John McCain being retrieved from a Hanoi lake in 1967, and today (Image by unknown) Details DMCA At age 68, I see the Vietnam War as a cruel national disgrace. Because I'm a humanist (versus a militarist) I don't preclude within that shameful context individual instances of humanity, bravery and great suffering of the sort that McCain went through as a prisoner of war. Besides being an invader, McCain had the added difficulty of being the son of the four-star admiral who was his ultimate Navy boss in the theater, and the grandson of another four-star admiral in World War Two. It seems fair to say, while I was a dumb kid way over his head, John McCain was 11 years older and highly invested in the enterprise of killing communists. It's good to consider the semantics of the word communist. The trouble with referring to communists is that the word is, maybe, the most belligerent and misleading epithet in history. Sure, there's Marx and then Stalin and all the tyrannical horror associated with his name. But many people throughout history have, like Marx, written about social reform and economics from the bottom up. In the real world, there's many cases like the Spanish Republic, the Arbenz government in Guatemala overthrown by US coup in 1954, the 1953 coup in Iran, the overthrow of Allende in Chile in 1973 and a host of other duly-elected, left-leaning reformist governments violently destroyed in some cases directly by Americans or dispatched with our blessing. The 2009 coup in Honduras fits this criteria. In all these cases, the word communist was employed as a justification for rightwing violence. During the Reagan years in places like El Salvador, reformers were forced to take up arms to overcome the long-suffered, brutal oppression of the poor and the powerless by what was called "the fourteen families." The pathetic fact is much of this political history had little to do with the two-dimensional idea of communism -- unless, of course, you're a rightwing blockhead with a gun such as the infamous fascist officer in Spain who presumably said: "Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my revolver." Today, as a female Republican candidate for US Senate in Nevada put it in 2012, it's known as "the second amendment option." So I'm perplexed why John McCain wrote his op-ed honoring Berg. I don't question his sincerity; I just wonder what the man was thinking. Doesn't it open a rather messy can of worms? But, then, maybe that's the point. Maybe it's John McCain's way of redefining his legacy, even in some strange way a tactic to deal with his own no doubt quite complex post traumatic stress from aerial bombing over the urban center of Hanoi. He may also see it as a paean to the warrior ethos, honoring a man who fought "for a people who were strangers to him" but who "did not quit on them." In that sense, if I had any honor at all I would have picked up a gun and fought with the peasants in El Salvador, like the M16-wielding female doctor from Belgium I met in 1986 humping the hills with FMLN guerrillas in Chalatenango. War weariness on both sides led to the FMLN (the Faribundo Marti National Liberation Front) becoming a legal political party that has elected two presidents, including the current one, Salvador Sanchez Ceren, an FMLN guerrilla leader during the war. As McCain said of the Abraham Lincoln Brigadistas, the FMLN "did not quit." Ernest Hemingway, center, in Spain with communist writers (Image by unknown) Details DMCA The access point for McCain in honoring an American communist who fought with the Lincoln Brigade is, not surprising, the late great macho icon Ernest Hemingway and his famous novel of the war in Spain, For Whom The Bell Tolls. McCain read the book when he was 12. I think I was about 15 when I read it. It never stuck with me like it did with McCain. It was the novels of John Steinbeck that moved me as a kid. The rebellious son of a comfortable, white, professional family in the farming area below Miami, in the summers I worked with migrant laborers picking limes for 25 cents a field crate. It wasn't the honor of romantic armed conflict that moved me; it was the warmth and joking friendship of poor, working people, again borrowing McCain's words, "people who were strangers to [me]." As a kid I also read Graham Greene's The Quiet American and (no doubt Graham Greene is rolling in his grave) found the colonial exoticism of Vietnam in the fifties alluring. As he wraps up his homage to Berg, McCain uses Hemingway like an ejection seat from a burning A-4E Skyhawk. Hemingway's hero, Robert Jordan, "had begun to see the cause as futile. He was cynical about its leadership, and distrustful of the Soviet cadres who tried to suborn it." Orwell famously became critical of this as well. But what's important to McCain is that Jordan stuck with it. He quotes Jordan, who is killed in the end: "The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for." The implication is that, while Delmer Berg may have been a card-carrying communist who protested the Vietnam War and fought for civil and human rights, because he took up arms and fought in Spain like Hemingway's romanticized protagonist, he was a good man worthy of Senator McCain's respect. I'll give McCain the benefit of the doubt and accept his honoring of Berg as from the heart. But I'd be less than honest myself if I didn't recognize the doubt that simmers in my mind. In the year of Donald Trump as the trash-talking logical conclusion to nearly a decade of Republican obstructionism and white working class frustration, could it be possible Senator McCain has taken this opportunity to show how magnanimous he can be dealing "across the aisle" with the left. With Trump's loathsome "birther" behavior in mind, many will recall McCain's admirable handling on the stump in 2008 of a lunatic woman suggesting Barack Obama was a Muslim and a subversive threat. It underlines the fact that, in comparison to many of McCain's odious Republican comrades, it's not hard to look like a stand-up guy. By November 2016, McCain will be 80-years-old. Anywhere but in ayatollah Iran, that seems over-the-hill as far as vigorous national leadership goes. But, then, in a highly volatile, brokered convention desperately looking for a straight shooter with the gravitas to beat the Democrats -- who knows? Maybe John McCain would like to fashion himself a spiritual elder statesman above the fray ideally suited to guide a declining imperial America. Maybe presenting himself as a militarist who has suffered but is able to see honor in a tough, idealistic leftist is part of that. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). JUBA -- China has donated 1,700 tonnes of rice to South Sudan as part of efforts to help the world's youngest nation that is facing a humanitarian crisis. During the ceremony for the donation held in the capital Juba on Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang said that China was concerned with the deteriorating humanitarian situation in South Sudan. "Rice is the first phase of Chinese donation agreed upon by the two governments in July 2015," said Ma. Medical aid from China is also due in Juba soon, to be given to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, an agency of the South Sudanese government, according to the ambassador. South Sudan is suffering a food shortage due to poor crop production, with UN agencies putting the cereal deficit this year in the country at 381,000 tonnes, up 53 percent from a year earlier. Humanitarian efforts in South Sudan have been largely halted since civil conflict began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir fell out with his former deputy Riek Machar, who later formed a rebel force. Ma said China would continue to support South Sudan in solving some of the challenges it faces. South Sudan's Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Awut Deng Achuil, expressed gratitude for the Chinese aid. "Your support will surely save life and alleviate the suffering of our people and the government. China will not be forgotten by the people of South Sudan," Awut said. 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 NSA Participated In the Worst Abuses of the Iraq War NSA analysts were intimately involved in interrogations in Iraq; a December 2003 call for volunteers to deploy to Baghdad as counterterrorism analysts with the Iraq Survey Group, which was leading the search for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction, said that 'the selectee will, in all likelihood, be involved in the interrogation/questioning of potential leads.' Saturday, May 21, 2016NSA analysts were intimately involved in interrogations in Iraq; a December 2003 call for volunteers to deploy to Baghdad as counterterrorism analysts with the Iraq Survey Group, which was leading the search for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction, said that 'the selectee will, in all likelihood, be involved in the interrogation/questioning of potential leads.' (3 comments) SHARE Clinton Supported and Enabled Tax Evasion Revealed By the "Panama Papers" ... Sanders OPPOSED It Barack Obama pushed the trade deal with Panama which allowed the tax evasion revealed by the "Panama Papers" to flourish. Sanders opposes fake "free trade" deals, which help a handful of fat cats ... but have almost nothing to do with "free trade," and which hurt the American worker. Wednesday, April 6, 2016Barack Obama pushed the trade deal with Panama which allowed the tax evasion revealed by the "Panama Papers" to flourish. Sanders opposes fake "free trade" deals, which help a handful of fat cats ... but have almost nothing to do with "free trade," and which hurt the American worker. (21 comments) SHARE The REAL Reason Saudi Arabia Hates Iran The CIA admits that the U.S. overthrew the moderate, suit-and-tie-wearing, Democratically-elected prime minister of Iran in 1953. He was overthrown because he had nationalized Iran's oil, which had previously been controlled by BP and other Western oil companies. Saturday, October 10, 2015The CIA admits that the U.S. overthrew the moderate, suit-and-tie-wearing, Democratically-elected prime minister of Iran in 1953. He was overthrown because he had nationalized Iran's oil, which had previously been controlled by BP and other Western oil companies. (7 comments) SHARE CIA Executive Director: CIA Committed Torture Washington's Blog Former CIA Executive Director Buzzy Krongard told BBC on Monday that the CIA did engage in torture: Thursday, August 6, 2015Former CIA Executive Director Buzzy Krongard told BBC on Monday that the CIA did engage in torture: (5 comments) SHARE American Public Supports Torture ... Because They Don't Know THIS This is not the first time America tortured. Americans tortured Filipinos over 100 years ago as a way to terrorize the population into submission. CIA torture in Vietnam was so severe that most prisoners died during torture; and the torture was so horrific that those who didn't die during torture usually killed themselves soon after. Thursday, December 18, 2014This is not the first time America tortured. Americans tortured Filipinos over 100 years ago as a way to terrorize the population into submission. CIA torture in Vietnam was so severe that most prisoners died during torture; and the torture was so horrific that those who didn't die during torture usually killed themselves soon after. (3 comments) SHARE Admitted Liar Claims Russia Is Shooting Artillery Into Ukraine The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence released satellite images Sunday of Russia firing satellites into Ukraine taken by the private civilian company Digital Globe (and thus not government sourced). Why would the ODNI have to resort to private-sector satellite imagery as proof? Where is the NSA on this? Monday, July 28, 2014The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence released satellite images Sunday of Russia firing satellites into Ukraine taken by the private civilian company Digital Globe (and thus not government sourced). Why would the ODNI have to resort to private-sector satellite imagery as proof? Where is the NSA on this? (5 comments) SHARE Piketty Is Rickety On Government Complicity Government policy has accelerated the growing inequality. It has encouraged American companies to move their facilities, resources and paychecks abroad. The bottom line is that Piketty has done a great job of documenting the extent of inequality, and some of its causes. But he misses the degree to which bad government and central bank policy is responsible. Sunday, April 27, 2014Government policy has accelerated the growing inequality. It has encouraged American companies to move their facilities, resources and paychecks abroad. The bottom line is that Piketty has done a great job of documenting the extent of inequality, and some of its causes. But he misses the degree to which bad government and central bank policy is responsible. (10 comments) SHARE Roundup In 75% of Air and Water Sampled -- Causes Kidney Failure Government agencies like the FDA go to great lengths to cover up the potential health damage from genetically modified foods, and to keep the consumer in the dark about what they're really eating. The largest German newspaper -- Suddeutsche Zeitung -- alleges that the U.S. government helped Monsanto attack the computers of activists opposed to genetically modified food. Friday, February 28, 2014Government agencies like the FDA go to great lengths to cover up the potential health damage from genetically modified foods, and to keep the consumer in the dark about what they're really eating. The largest German newspaper -- Suddeutsche Zeitung -- alleges that the U.S. government helped Monsanto attack the computers of activists opposed to genetically modified food. (1 comments) SHARE JP Morgan Pays $2 Billion to Avoid Prosecution for Its Involvement In Madoff Ponzi Scheme The executives of the big banks invariably pretend that the hanky-panky was only committed by a couple of low-level rogue employees. But studies show that most of the fraud is committed by management. The failure to go after Wall Street executives for criminal fraud is the core cause of our sick economy. Monday, January 6, 2014The executives of the big banks invariably pretend that the hanky-panky was only committed by a couple of low-level rogue employees. But studies show that most of the fraud is committed by management. The failure to go after Wall Street executives for criminal fraud is the core cause of our sick economy. (1 comments) SHARE U.S. Points Out that Only Tyrants Treat Journalists As Terrorists " While Doing the Exact Same Thing As part of the effort to suppress information which would reveal the government's hypocrisy, the American government -- like the British government -- is treating journalists as terrorists. Investigative reporting is actually treated like terrorism. Journalism is not only being criminalized in America, but investigative reporting is actually treated like terrorism. Sunday, November 3, 2013As part of the effort to suppress information which would reveal the government's hypocrisy, the American government -- like the British government -- is treating journalists as terrorists. Investigative reporting is actually treated like terrorism. Journalism is not only being criminalized in America, but investigative reporting is actually treated like terrorism. (3 comments) SHARE Bill to Curb NSA Spying Introduced Today The USA Freedom Act creates an Office of the Special Advocate tasked with promoting privacy interests in the FISA Court's closed proceedings. The Office will be staffed by attorneys who are properly cleared to view the classified information considered by the FISA Court. Tuesday, October 29, 2013The USA Freedom Act creates an Office of the Special Advocate tasked with promoting privacy interests in the FISA Court's closed proceedings. The Office will be staffed by attorneys who are properly cleared to view the classified information considered by the FISA Court. (2 comments) SHARE The REAL Reason U.S. Targets Whistleblowers Whistleblowers interfere with the government's ability to get away with hypocrisy. As two political science professors from George Washington University (Henry Farrell and Martha Finnemore) show, the government is so hell-bent to punish Manning and Snowden because their leaks are putting an end to the ability of the US to use hypocrisy as a weapon. Sunday, October 27, 2013Whistleblowers interfere with the government's ability to get away with hypocrisy. As two political science professors from George Washington University (Henry Farrell and Martha Finnemore) show, the government is so hell-bent to punish Manning and Snowden because their leaks are putting an end to the ability of the US to use hypocrisy as a weapon. (2 comments) SHARE Spy Agencies Are Doing WHAT? You're much more likely to be killed by brain-eating amoeba, lightning or a toddler than by terrorism. Even President Obama admits that you're much less likely to be killed by terrorists than a car accident. So the government has resorted to lamer and lamer excuses to try to justify mass surveillance. Monday, September 23, 2013You're much more likely to be killed by brain-eating amoeba, lightning or a toddler than by terrorism. Even President Obama admits that you're much less likely to be killed by terrorists than a car accident. So the government has resorted to lamer and lamer excuses to try to justify mass surveillance. SHARE Chemical Weapons Expert: U.S. Deadline for Syrian Chemical Weapons Is Contrary to International Law The treaty will enter into force on the 14th of October; one month after Syria deposited its instrument of accession [when they agreed in writing to abide by the Chemical Weapons Convention]. And then Syria has one month to submit its initial declaration, after which the inspectors go in and they have two weeks to check everything out. Thursday, September 19, 2013The treaty will enter into force on the 14th of October; one month after Syria deposited its instrument of accession [when they agreed in writing to abide by the Chemical Weapons Convention]. And then Syria has one month to submit its initial declaration, after which the inspectors go in and they have two weeks to check everything out. (3 comments) SHARE Experts Doubt Syrian Chemical Weapons Claims Why would Syria's Assad invite United Nations chemical weapons inspectors to Syria, then launch a chemical weapons attack against women and children on the very day they arrive, just miles from where they are staying? Saturday, August 24, 2013Why would Syria's Assad invite United Nations chemical weapons inspectors to Syria, then launch a chemical weapons attack against women and children on the very day they arrive, just miles from where they are staying? (1 comments) SHARE You Won't BELIEVE What's Going On with Government Spying on Americans Revelations about the breathtaking scope of government spying are coming so fast that it's time for an updated roundup. The only way to fix things is to fire all of the corrupt government officials who let it happen. As the polls above show, the American public is starting to wake up to that fact. Saturday, August 17, 2013Revelations about the breathtaking scope of government spying are coming so fast that it's time for an updated roundup. The only way to fix things is to fire all of the corrupt government officials who let it happen. As the polls above show, the American public is starting to wake up to that fact. (1 comments) SHARE NSA Spokesman Accidentally Admits that the Government Is Spying On Virtually All Americans Given that there are now approximately 875,000 people in the government's database of suspected terrorists -- including many thousands of Americans -- every single American living on U.S. soil could easily be caught up in the dragnet. A mere 140 potential terrorists could lead to spying on all Americans. Sunday, July 21, 2013Given that there are now approximately 875,000 people in the government's database of suspected terrorists -- including many thousands of Americans -- every single American living on U.S. soil could easily be caught up in the dragnet. A mere 140 potential terrorists could lead to spying on all Americans. (7 comments) SHARE Top Economists Told Obama that Economic Recovery Required a Reduction In Private Debt The government chose the big banks over the little guy, dooming both. The administration -- under the false banner of "homeowner relief" -- simply threw money at the big banks to "foam the runway" so they wouldn't suffer a crash landing. Forcing big banks, bondholders and other creditors to write down some of their bad debts is the only way out of our economic malaise. Saturday, November 24, 2012The government chose the big banks over the little guy, dooming both. The administration -- under the false banner of "homeowner relief" -- simply threw money at the big banks to "foam the runway" so they wouldn't suffer a crash landing. Forcing big banks, bondholders and other creditors to write down some of their bad debts is the only way out of our economic malaise. SHARE Hamas Shouldn't Fire Rockets ... But Israel Has Violated HUNDREDS of UN Resolutions Chris Hedges: "The continued presence of Israeli occupation forces defies nearly a hundred U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for them to withdraw. The Israeli blockade of Gaza, established in June 2007, is a brutal form of collective punishment that violates Article 33 of the Fourth 1949 Geneva Convention, which set up rules for the 'Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.'" Tuesday, November 20, 2012Chris Hedges: "The continued presence of Israeli occupation forces defies nearly a hundred U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for them to withdraw. The Israeli blockade of Gaza, established in June 2007, is a brutal form of collective punishment that violates Article 33 of the Fourth 1949 Geneva Convention, which set up rules for the 'Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.'" (5 comments) SHARE War In Gaza: Why Now? This could be a prelude to an Israeli attack on Iran. By provoking Hamas into attacking, Israel might point to Hamas-backer Iran. Specifically, Israel may claim that pre-emptive strikes on Iran are "necessary" to undermine Hamas and make sure it doesn't obtain "weapons of mass destruction." Friday, November 16, 2012This could be a prelude to an Israeli attack on Iran. By provoking Hamas into attacking, Israel might point to Hamas-backer Iran. Specifically, Israel may claim that pre-emptive strikes on Iran are "necessary" to undermine Hamas and make sure it doesn't obtain "weapons of mass destruction." Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All Nearly 70% of signed bills had Fake Emergency Clauses By Taxpayer Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com The liberal politicians are brazenly censoring the Oregon public by stuffing most of their bills with Fake Emergency clauses. By the current count, nearly 70% of the bills signed into law by Governor Brown contained a Fake Emergency Clause which has the legal effect of blocking voters from immediately repealing the law through a citizen referendum drive. This is why you must sign the petition to stop the abuse of emergency clauses. Sign the No Fake Emergency petition here.Some bills appeared to be emergency related but others grossly off-mark. Ask yourself, do these signed bills sound like an Emergency? SB 1540 directs government to conduct a study on how to increase mathematics HB 4002 Directs government to study student absenteeism How about these bills Emergency clause bills (that almost passed) SB 1518 Establishes a pilot program to create artificial beaver dams HB 4004 Authorizes funds to replace Oregon statutes in US Capitol The more controversial the bill was the more likely it had an Emergency Clause. For instance, the Anti-coal bill (HB 4036) and the blacklisting gun owner database bill (SB 1551) all had emergency clauses on them. Please help us. The politicians will not stop abusing their power on their own. We must change the law to secure Oregonians right to repeal bad laws. Please sign the No Fake Emergency petition here. Climate Smart Villages,BISP campaign HARIPUR - Minister of State and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Member National Assembly (MNA) Marvi Memon launched a campaign on Wednesday for Climate Smart Villages in Haripur in the wake of climate change. The BISP chairperson undertook the initiative while addressing the beneficiaries of the BISP. The initiative is aimed at training women to prepare Bio Briquette (Blackgold). It is pertinent to mention here that the Bio Briquette (Blackgold) is an efficient, cheap and environment friendly fuel which is prepared by burying and burning dry leaves and organic wastes in the earth. The resultant ash called Charcoal, combined with soil, is put in a casting box and a solid block is prepared which burns much longer than wood, with much less smoke. This low cost fuel is used in many countries of the world. On the occasion, she said that in order to meet fuel needs in the mountainous areas, people cut trees indiscriminately that resulted in deforestation. Deforestation enhanced the severity of land sliding and floods, she said. She said that this alternative fuel would not only save mountains from deforestation but would also benefit the poor, adding that apart from its domestic use, it could be sold which would contribute to womens financial independence. She said that the practice would help contain the effects of the climate change. She said that the BISP would initiate the campaign in every village of the country in collaboration with the Creative Approach for Development (CAD) whose Chief Executive Officer Mudassir-ul-Mulk was the master trainer in Pakistan. Panama Leaks bone of contention between PML-N, PTI ISLAMABAD: The revelations contained in the Panama Papers remained the primary bone of contention between the PML-N and PTI on Wednesday as leaders from both sides accused each other of bending the truth and siphoning off funds into offshore companies. Following Imran Khans press conference in Peshawar earlier in the day, the governments team took the fight to the PTI chief when they accused him of losing an investment of nearly $18 million, allegedly made from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) funds. The five-member panel, which was led by Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, included CADD Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Privatisation Commission Chairman Mohammad Zubair and MNAs Daniyal Aziz and Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha When is Imran Khan selling his house to make up for the lost SKMT charity funds, as he promised, the information minister asked, pointedly. Brandishing documents regarding SKMT finances, he claimed that an investment of $28m was made from the trusts funds, but it was later discovered that the property was worth around $10m. This, he said, was no secret because it was mentioned in financial statements for the years 2010 and 2014. He said that the prospect of the $18 million being returned was based on the assumption that the value of the property would hopefully increase beyond the $10m cost price. Why didnt SKMT invest this money in Pakistan, as they ask others to do, he asked, rhetorically. Part of this money, he said, consisted of finances from the general fund, which included the donations of well-meaning citizens. He alleged that over Rs100m had been transferred from SKMTs general fund to an endowment fund several times from 2008 to 2010. Daniyal Aziz alleged Imtiaz Hydari, chairman of SKMTs investment committee, was also the CEO, executive vice chairman and board director of HBG Holdings Ltd the Dubai-based company through which the money was invested. Ruling out the possibility of the prime ministers resignation, the information minister said that the Panama Papers had only made certain private information public, but raised no questions about the Sharif family, unlike the case of the Icelandic prime minister, who had to step down. He also appeared confident about the PML-Ns future, come 2018. He taunted Imran Khan, saying that since the PTI was losing political space, it was trying to achieve political gains by lying to the people. The government, he said, was always ready to present itself for accountability, adding that this was the second judicial commission they had formed since coming to power. Not to be outdone, the PTI responded on Wednesday night by announcing a press conference at the Press Information Department, which is usually considered the governments stomping ground. In a tersely-worded statement, PTI spokesperson Naeemul Haq lashed out at the government for using state resources to defend the prime ministers family members. Following the press conference by government ministers, the party has decided to hold its next press conference there at 3pm on Thursday (today). If there is any resistance, we will not hesitate to approach the courts, the statement quoted him as saying. He also called on PTV to afford Mr Khan the opportunity to address the nation as well. Responding in kind to the governments ad hominem attacks, Mr Haq accused the government team of lying through their teeth. Even Mr Khans opponents acknowledge his honesty, he said. The statement also said that the chief executive of SKMT would soon brief the media to dispel the governments lies regarding the trusts financial matters. When asked about the PTIs plans to hold a press conference at PID, a senior information officer told reporers that once a written request was made, the issue would be taken up with the information minister. Government MNAs Talal Chaudhry and Daniyal Aziz had, in September last year, offered PTI the use of PIDs premises for their press conferences, saying that public sector institutions such as PID and PTV were open to all political parties and wouldnt be restricted to only our use. Raheel Sharif reassured China of CPEC security RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has reassured China that Pakistan Army will ensure a secure environment for the timely completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday. He said this during a meeting with Zhang Chunxian, a member of the Political Bureau of Communist Party of China, at General Headquarters. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional stability and measures to enhance bilateral defence and security collaboration were discussed. Zhang Chunxian acknowledged Pakistans efforts towards fighting terrorism and appreciated the successes achieved in the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb. While underlining the importance of CPEC, Zhang Chunxian said CPEC will have highly significant and long-term impact on the region and it is equally beneficial for the people of Pakistan and China. General Raheel Sharif reiterated Pakistans commitment to ensure secure environment for timely completion and subsequent management of CPEC in the best interest of prosperous region. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that CPEC is a fusion of multiple development projects. During the meeting with Zhang Chunxian in Islamabad, he said both the countries enjoy close cooperation and hold identical views on important issues at regional and international levels. The prime minister said our friendship is based on shared principles and interests, and forms the foundation of co-operation in diverse fields. Last year, China and Pakistan launched a plan for energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan worth $46 billion. The project is aimed at establishing the CPEC between Pakistans Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea and Chinas western Xinjiang region. The corridor, a network of roads, railways and pipelines, would transform Pakistan into a regional hub and give China a shorter and cheaper route for trade with much of Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Chunxian gave assurance of complete support to Pakistan in the completion of its development projects, particularly those relating to energy under the economic corridor arrangements. Acknowledging and appreciating Pakistans efforts against terrorism and its success in the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation, Zhang underlined the importance of CPEC and said that the multi-billion-dollar project would have significant long-term impact on the region. China, he added attached importance to its relations with Pakistan and wished to be equal partners in its socio-economic development. Security forces and Pak Army conducting operation in Punjab: ISPR RAWALPINDI/LAHORE: Security forces, with assistance from Pakistan Army, are conducting an operation against terrorists and hardcore criminals in areas of southern Punjab. "Coordinated operations are underway against terrorists, hardened criminals and ferraris by law enforcement agencies including Rangers, Punjab police, CTD , assisted by Pakistan army in southern Punjab", an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said on Wednesday. The statement added that the terrorists have fled from different parts of the country as a result of operation Zarb-i-Azb, and have taken refuge in the remote areas of Rohjan and district Rahim Yar Khan. The operation is being looked after by Corp Commander Lahore, Lt Gen Sadiq Ali, with army troops, Punjab Police, Counter-Terrorism Department and Rangers participating. However, Rahim Yar Khan Superintendant of Police (SP) Irfan Ali Samo told media men that the operation was started three days ago in the area of Rojhan and Rahim Yar Khan, specifically the islands of River Indus, against hardcore criminals. Chotu gang was involved in killing more than 30 policemen during different operations and was also involved in extortion and robberies, said Samo. The SP claimed that DG Khan police was commanding the operation. A Sub-Inspector (SI), Abid Sharif Gabol, posted at DG Khan and participating in the operation, said the criminals were residing on the islands in the river, which are situated from Ghazi Ghat to Sukkur. The criminals were using the islands as a base and had built bunkers, they would kidnap traders and landlords and took them there, said the SI. Gabol added that some members of the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army and proclaimed offenders were also being facilitated by Chotu gang. The ammunition being used by the gang to attack law enforcement personnel was of Indian origin, elaborated Gabol. No information has been provided yet regarding the number of arrests or casualties. The decision to conduct a security operation was taken after the horrific Gulshan-i-Iqbal park suicide attack in Lahore, which killed at least 72 people including women and children. Military sources had stated the army and Rangers will conduct a widespread operation across Punjab to target militants, their facilitators and their hideouts, following the carnage in Lahore. Sources had said the decision was taken during a high-level military huddle, chaired by Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while chairing a high-level security meeting in Lahore, had also called for more proactive coordination among law enforcement and intelligence agencies against terrorism. Go on a galactic journey with Jet! Explore the solar system, paint, and play, as you learn about planets, stars and constellations. Kids can explore the solar system and visit planets, stars and constellations with Jet and his friends. Ready, Jet, Go, Excelsior! Go on a galactic journey with Jet, Sydney, Sean, Mindy and Sunspot from their backyard in Boxwood Terrace through space! Explore, paint, and play, as you learn about planets, stars and constellations. Features: Dive deep into 300+ planet and constellation facts with Face 9000 by exploring or check out the Solar Encyclopedia Point your device to the sky and explore to see real world positions of constellations and planets Play Hide-n-Seek with Jet and Sunspot and earn all the Ready Jet Go! space badges Add color to the night sky! Paint and color stars and constellations. Your artistic masterpieces will stay visible as you continue exploring. Play with favorite Ready Jet Go! characters and listen for silly space facts with Jet and his friends! The Ready, Jet, Go! Space Explorer app allows players to immerse themselves in the world of Jet and his friends as they explore and play in space in endless ways! Incorporating expert curriculum backed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, kids are encouraged to not only learn about space, but visualize planets, stars and constellations in the context of the world around them. About Ready, Jet, Go! The Ready, Jet, Go! Space Explorer app is based on the PBS KIDS series Ready, Jet, Go! produced by Wind Dancer and designed to extend the series STEM curriculum. For more learning adventures with Ready, Jet, Go! visit: https://www.pbskids.org/readyjetgo. About PBS KIDS The Ready, Jet, Go! Space Explorer app is part of PBS KIDS ongoing commitment to helping kids build the skills they need to succeed in school and in life. PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital media, as well as community-based programs. For more PBS KIDS Apps, visit https://www.pbskids.org/apps. Privacy Across all media platforms, PBS KIDS is committed to creating a safe and secure environment for children and families and being transparent about what information is collected from users. To learn more about PBS KIDS privacy policy, visit pbskids.org/privacy. Somewhere up there is the road youre on. Credit: R. Scott Hinks/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA The next time you're driving down a country road in outback Australia, consider there's a good chance that very route was originally mapped out by Aboriginal people perhaps thousands of years before Europeans came to Australia. And like today, they turned to the skies to aid their navigation. Except instead of using a GPS network, they used the stars above to help guide their travels. Aboriginal people have rich astronomical traditions, but we know relatively little about their navigational abilities. We do know that there was a very well established and extensive network of trade routes in operation before 1788. These were used by Aboriginal people for trading in goods and stories, and the trade routes covered vast distances across the Australian continent. Star maps I was researching the astronomical knowledge of the Euahlayi and Kamilaroi Aboriginal peoples of northwest New South Wales in 2013 when I became aware of "star maps" as a means of teaching navigation outside of one's own local country. My teacher of this knowledge was Ghillar Michael Anderson, a Euahlayi Culture Man from Goodooga, near the Queensland border. This is where the western plains and the star-filled night sky meet in a seamless and profound display. One night, sitting under those stars in Goodooga, Michael pointed out a pattern of stars to the southeast, and said that they were used to teach Euahlayi travellers how to navigate outside their own country during the summer travel season. Ghillar Michael Anderson and a possible waypoint. As an astronomer, I immediately realised that those stars were not in the direction of travel that Michael was describing. And anyway, they wouldn't be visible in the summer, let alone during the day when people would have been travelling. Michael said that they weren't used as a map as such, but were used as a memory aid. And in the Aboriginal manner of teaching, he asked me to research this and come back to see if "I had gotten it". I did some research, and looked at a route from Goodooga to the Bunya Mountains northwest of Brisbane, where an Aboriginal Bunya nut festival was held every three years until disrupted by European invasion. It turned out the pattern of stars showed the "waypoints" on the route. These waypoints were usually waterholes or turning places on the landscape. These waypoints were used in a very similar way to navigating with a GPS, where waypoints are also used as stopping or turning points. Star map route to the Bunya Mountains. Credit: Starry Night Education Stars to songlines Further discussion revealed the reasons and methods of this technique. In the winter camp, when the summer travel was being planned in August or September, a person who had travelled the intended route was tasked with teaching others, who had not made this journey, how to navigate to the intended destination. The pattern of stars (the "star map") was used as a memory aid in teaching the route and the waypoints to the destination. After more research I asked Michael if the method of teaching and memorising was by song, as I was aware that songs are known to be an effective way of memorising a sequence in the oral transmission of knowledge. Michael said, "you got it!", and I then understood that the very process of creating, then teaching, such a route resulted in what is known as a songline. A songline is a story that travels over the landscape, which is then imprinted with the song (Aboriginal people will say that the landscape imprints the song). Star map route to the Carnarvon Gorge. Credit: Starry Night Education I then learned that there were many routes/songlines from Goodooga to destinations as far as 700km away, which might end up in a ceremonial place, or possibly a trade "fair". One such route to Quilpie, in Queensland, led to a ceremonial place where Arrernte people from north of Alice Springs met the Euahlayi for joint ceremonies. Their route of travel was more than 1,500km, crossing the Simpson Desert in summer, and I was told that they would have their own star map/songline for learning that route. The implication of this is that the use of star maps for teaching travel may have been common across Australia. Carnarvon Gorge and Bunya Mts star maps overlaid on road map. Credit: Google Earth Parallels Another surprising result of this knowledge came about when I was looking at the star map routes from Goodooga to the Bunya Mountains and Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland. When the star map routes were overlaid over the modern road map, there was a significant overlap with major roads in use today. After some reflection, the reason for this became clear. The first explorers in this region, such as Thomas Mitchell, who explored here in 1845-1846, used Aboriginal people as guides and interpreters, who were likely given directions by local Aborigines. These directions would no doubt reflect the easiest routes to traverse, and these were probably routes already established as songlines. Drovers and settlers coming into the region would have used the same routes, and eventually these became tracks and finally highways. In a sense, the Aboriginal people of Australia had a big part in the layout of the modern Australian road network. And in some cases, such as the Kamilaroi Highway running from the Hunter Valley to Bourke in NSW, this has been recognised in the name. Explore further Aboriginal language groups' use of star maps studied This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Usage examples for a character shown in the Learn section A research group at Osaka University has developed an application which is designed to allow anyone with a smartphone or tablet device to study ancient Japanese characters Kuzushi-ji. By using this application, those who are unfamiliar with pre-modern Japanese books or learning Japanese historical and classical literature outside Japan may obtain ability in reading hentaigana and cursive-style kanji, which will promote utilization of Japanese classical books and historical materials by a wider range of people. KuLA the Kuzushi-ji Learning Application has three sections: Learn, Read, and Connect. The Learn section allows users to study 278 different hentaigana and cursive-style kanji and features images taken from Japanese historical books. Study progress can be checked with the included kuzushi-ji test feature. The Read section lets users test their ability further by reading images of Japanese classical texts written in kuzushi-ji. The Connect section allows users studying kuzushi-ji to interact with one another. Users can take pictures of difficult characters and ask others for help, or share their study progress with other users. Databases holding images of pre-modern Japanese books and other historical materials are currently in rapid development. The National Institute of Japanese Literature plans to make 300,000 images of historical materials available online over a 10 year period starting from 2014 as part of its Project to Build an International Collaborative Research Network for Pre-modern Japanese Texts. However, whilst researchers in Japan outside of the field of literary studies and researchers of Japanese studies outside of Japan are able to access pre-modern materials more easily, there is still a lack of knowledge as to how to utilize these materials. This application was developed as a tool to aid researchers in fields outside literature and researchers outside of Japan to use these image databases more effectively. Explore further Study reports on optical materials based on gadolinium aluminate garnet More information: The application KuLA can be downloaded from the following sites: play.google.com/store/apps/det =yuta.hashimoto.kula itunes.apple.com/app/id1076911000 The application KuLA can be downloaded from the following sites: Last year the numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) was added onto the threatened species list. Credit: S J Bennett One of the challenges facing biodiversity conservation is the integration of scientific knowledge and government decision-making. Biodiversity scienceboth taxonomy and applied biology/ecologyoperates on a long timeframe, while government is often locked into a three or four year electoral cycle. This mismatch is critical in WA where we have more than 10,000 plant species with 8,000 of those in the south-west region. This high level of biodiversity and the threat it is facing from land clearing and climate change have led to it being recognised as one of only 35 international biodiversity hot spots. To ensure that biodiversity science receives the consideration that it warrants requires many dominoes to line up: institutions to undertake that science with adequate funding, well trained scientists, and the accumulation of good data. In addition, legislation is vital to ensure the integration needed. The Leeuwin Group was established to argue for a proper role for biodiversity and environmental science. The Leeuwin Group is an independent group of eminent scientists in their field who are committed to the conservation and protection of WA's biodiversity and natural environment. Given the critical importance of WA's biodiversity the group's first project has been to prepare advice on the Biodiversity Conservation Bill 2015. New biodiversity legislation is urgently needed in Western Australia and the government is to be commended for introducing the Bill into Parliament. The Bill contains many long awaited features; e.g., statutory recognition for threatened ecological communities and provisions for recovery plans. However, there are areas where best practice in the application of science to biodiversity conservation has not been achieved. The Leeuwin Group believes that protecting the state's unique biodiversity must be underpinned by good science. As they stand at present the objects of the Bill are inconsistent in mandating both conservation and use of biodiversity, without one prevailing over the other. Research confirms that effective legislation must avoid internal inconsistencies and conflicts. To increase the science underpinning the proposed law this inconsistency must be removed, and two additional objects added: To prepare, promote and regularly report on the effectiveness of a Biodiversity Conservation Strategy; and To ensure the progressive undertaking of comprehensive biodiversity surveys across the terrestrial and marine environments of the state. A means to include the latest independent scientific thinking in decision-making about threatened species and communities, and threatening processes is essential. The Bill must include an independent science-based advisory committee to advise the minister on threatened species, communities and threatening processes. Its adoption in WA would bring us into current best practice. The Leeuwin Group is particularly concerned that the new Bill allows the approval of "taking" a threatened species even if it becomes extinct or to allow a threatened ecological community to be destroyed. It is essential that these endangered elements of the state's biodiversity retain the highest level of protection. Explore further Conservation research is not happening in the right places This article first appeared on ScienceNetwork Western Australia a science news website based at Scitech. Murdoch research assistant James Keleher with a 43 cm black bream caught and released in the Vasse Wonnerup. Credit: Dr James Tweedley A popular recreational fish species in the Vasse-Wonnerup estuary is showing signs of recovering from a major fish kill event three years ago. Murdoch University researchers have been monitoring the black bream population in the estuary since early 2012 and have found substantial numbers of juveniles in the waterway for the first time since the fish kill. Dr James Tweedley, from the School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, said scientists had found little evidence of juvenile black bream in the 18 months covering two breeding seasons following the fish deaths in Easter 2013. He believes the results of the surveys in November 2015 and February 2016 were 'encouraging'. "Despite being tough fish, black bream populations are particularly vulnerable to fish kill events like the one seen in the Vasse-Wonnerup in 2013 because they spawn and live within the estuary throughout their life span," he said. "This characteristic means that, unlike other species like mullets, depleted black bream populations cannot be replenished from fish in the marine environment or from other estuaries. "It's not clear why we found very little evidence of successful breeding in the two years following the fish kill, so it's important that monitoring continues to help us understand the factors which influence black bream reproduction. This will help us to ensure a viable population of this iconic recreational fish in the Vasse-Wonnerup for many years to come." Dr Tweedley said the Vasse-Wonnerup was likely to continue to come under environmental pressure because the estuary and its catchment had been highly modified and suffered from years of excess nutrients. The recent formation of the Vasse Taskforce provided a chance to improve the system and preserve its important ecological and social values, he added. Dr Tweedley and co-researchers Dr Alan Cottingham and Dr Stephen Beatty, also recorded numbers of larger black bream in the deeper waters of the estuary, finding that catch rates remained at the levels recorded immediately after the fish kill. "This is unsurprising, given the lack of successful breeding in the estuary in recent years," said Dr Tweedley. "We hope the juveniles recorded in the shallow waters during our study survive for the next few years to breed successfully and help continue the recovery." Explore further Research reveals estuary threats Nitrogen-rich graphene festooned with finely tuned copper nanoparticles selectively converts carbon dioxide to ethylene, a key commodity chemical. Credit: Sun Lab / Brown University The world has more carbon dioxide than it needs, and a team of Brown University chemists has come up with a potential way to put some of it to good use. The researchers developed a new composite catalyst using nitrogen-rich graphene dotted with copper nanoparticles. A study, published in the journal Nano Energy, showed that the new catalyst can efficiently and selectively convert carbon dioxide to ethylene, one of the world's most important commodity chemicals. Ethylene is used to make plastics, construction materials and other products. Chemical companies produce it by the millions of tons each year using processes that usually involve fossil fuels. If excess carbon dioxide can be used to make ethylene, it could help make the chemical industry more sustainable and eco-friendly. "We hope that this new catalyst could be a step toward a greener way to produce ethylene," said Shouheng Sun, a professor of chemistry and engineering at Brown, whose research team developed the catalyst. "There is much more work to be done to bring such a process to an industrial scale, but this is a start." Selectivity is key Carbon dioxide is a stable form of carbon, and breaking it down into active carbon forms is no easy task. While some catalysts can do the job, they generally do not have good selectivity, meaning they create a variety of different reaction products. "Most other techniques produce ethylene, methane, carbon monoxideall kinds of things that you would then have to separate," Sun said. "We wanted something that could be more selective." Qing Li, a former postdoctoral fellow in Sun's lab and now a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, thought a catalyst that combines copper nanoparticles with graphene might be effective. Sun's lab had previously shown that metal nanoparticles, when tuned to the right size, could have increased reactivity. Graphene, one-atom-thick sheets of carbon, has also been shown to increase catalyst reactivity. Li, the new study's lead author, experimented with copper nanoparticles deposited on several different graphene surfacespure graphene, graphene oxide and graphene doped with nitrogen in various forms. Nitrogen doping is a process of introducing nitrogen atoms into the lattice of carbon atoms that make up graphene. The study showed that seven-nanometer copper particles deposited on graphene doped with pyridinic nitrogen (an arrangement that causes nitrogen atoms to be bonded to two carbon atoms) had the best performance. That arrangement had selectivity for ethylene of 79 percent, significantly higher than other approaches, according to the study. "Synergistic effect" It is not entirely clear what about the new catalyst is responsible for its performance, but Li and Sun propose a few ideas. "It's probably a synergistic effect," Li said. "The pyridinic nitrogen helps to anchor the copper nanoparticles and change the electronic environment around them, which changes the reaction pathway to selectively produce ethylene." Sun noted that carbon dioxide can serve as a weak Lewis acida compound that accepts electrons from donor compounds. Pyridinic nitrogen in the nitrogen-doped graphene forms a Lewis base center. "We think that the presence of this Lewis base center helps to draw more carbon dioxide close to the copper for the observed catalysis," Sun said. The researchers plan to continue work with the new catalyst, possibly using it in tandem with other catalysts to produce different reaction products. "The possibilities are exciting," Sun said. Explore further Mystery surrounding non-platinum catalysts for fuel cell technologies solved More information: Qing Li et al, Controlled assembly of cu nanoparticles on pyridinic-N rich graphene for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene, Nano Energy (2016). Journal information: Nano Energy Qing Li et al, Controlled assembly of cu nanoparticles on pyridinic-N rich graphene for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene,(2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2016.03.024 Development of a dynamic model for microbial populations in healthy lakes could help scientists understand what's wrong with sick lakes, prescribe cures and predict what may happen as environmental conditions change. Those are among the benefits expected from an ambitious project to model the interactions of some 18,000 species in a well-studied Wisconsin lake. The research produced what is believed to be largest dynamic model of microbial species interactions ever created. Analyzing long-term data from Lake Mendota near Madison, Wisconsin, a Georgia Tech research team identified and modeled interactions among 14 sub-communities, that is, collections of different species that become dominant at specific times of the year. Key environmental factors affecting these sub-communities included water temperature and the levels of two nutrient classes: ammonia/phosphorus and nitrates/nitrites. The effects of these factors on the individual species were, in general, more pronounced than those of species-species interactions. Beyond understanding what's happening in aquatic microbial environments, the model might also be used to study other microbial populations - perhaps even human microbiomes. The research was reported on March 24 in the journal Systems Biology and Applications, a Nature partner journal. The work was sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Dimensions of Biodiversity program. "Ultimately, we want to understand why some microbial populations are declining and why some are increasing at certain times of the year," said Eberhard Voit, the paper's corresponding author and The David D. Flanagan Chair Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. "We want to know why these populations are changing - whether it is because of environmental conditions alone, or interactions between the different species. Importantly, we also look at the temporal development: how interactions change over time." Because of the large number of different microorganisms involved, creating such a model was a monumental task. To make it more manageable, the researchers segmented the most abundant species into groups that had significant interactions at specific times of the year. Georgia Tech Research Scientist Phuongan Dam created 14 such categories or sub-communities - corresponding to roughly one per month - and mapped the relationships between them during different times of the year. Two of the 14 groups had two population peaks per year. "The exciting part about this work is that we are now able to model hundreds of species," said Kostas Konstantinidis, a co-author on the paper and the Carlton S. Wilder associate professor in Georgia Tech's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "The ability to dynamically model microbial communities containing hundreds or even thousands of species as those interactions change over time or after environmental perturbations will have numerous implications and applications for other research areas." In the past, researchers have created static models of interactions between large numbers of microorganisms, but those provided only snapshots in time and couldn't be used to model interactions as they change throughout the year. Scientists might want to know, for example, what would happen if a community lost one species, if a flood of nutrients hit the lake or if the temperature rose. As with many communities, the lake includes organisms from different species and families that are highly interconnected, playing a variety of interrelated roles, such as fixing nitrogen, carrying out photosynthesis, degrading pollutants and providing metabolic services used by other organisms. Information about the microbes came from a long-term data set compiled by other scientists who study the lake on a regular basis. Voit, a bio-mathematician, said the model, although itself nonlinear, uses algorithms based on linear regression, which can be analyzed using standard computer clusters. Using their 14 sub-communities, the researchers found 196 interactions that could describe the species interactions - a far easier task than analyzing the 300 million potential interactions between the full 18,642 species in the lake. Reducing the number of potential interactions was possible only due to the strategy of defining sub-communities and a clever modeling approach. The researchers initially tried to organize the microbes into genetically related organisms, but that strategy failed. "At any time of the year, the lake needs species that can do certain tasks," said Voit. "Closely-related species tend to play essentially the same roles, so that putting them all together into the same group results in having many organisms doing the same things - but not executing other tasks that are needed at a specific time. By looking at the 14 sub-communities, we were able to get a smorgasbord of every task that needed to be done using different combinations of the microorganisms at each time." By looking at sub-communities present at specific times of the year, the research team was able to study interactions that occurred naturally - and avoided having to study interactions that rarely took place. The model examines interactions at two levels: among the 14 sub-communities, and between the sub-communities and individual species. The research depended heavily on metagenomics, the use of genomic analysis to identify the microorganisms present. Only 1 percent of microbial species can be cultured in the laboratory, but metagenomics allows scientists to obtain the complete inventory of species present by identifying specific sections of their DNA. Because they are not fully characterized species, the components of genomic data are termed "operational taxonomic units" (OTUs), which the team used as a "proxy" for species. The next step in the research will be to complete a similar study of Lake Lanier, located north of Atlanta. In addition to the information studied for Lake Mendota, that study will gather data about the enzymatic and metabolic activities of the microorganism communities. Lake Lanier feeds the Chattahoochee River and a series of other lakes, and the researchers hope to study the entire river system to assess how different environments and human activities affect the microbial populations. The work could lead to a better understanding of what interactions are necessary for a healthy lake, which may help scientists determine what might be needed to address problems in sick lakes. The modeling technique might also help scientists with other complex microbial systems. "Our work right now is with the lake community, but the methods could be applicable to other microbial communities, including the human microbiome," said Konstantinidis. "As with sick lakes, understanding what is healthy might one day allow scientists to diagnose microbiome-related disease conditions and address them by adjusting the populations of different microorganism sub-communities." Explore further Scientists discover surprising differences in genomes of microbial communities More information: Phuongan Dam et al. Dynamic models of the complex microbial metapopulation of lake mendota, Systems Biology and Applications (2016). Phuongan Dam et al. Dynamic models of the complex microbial metapopulation of lake mendota,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/npjsba.2016.7 TORONTO, ON(Marketwired April 06, 2016) Dream Payments (Dream), a Toronto based fintech solution provider and payment cloud operator, today announced executive appointments that will strengthen its leadership team and support the company through its next stages of growth. Jordan Cohen, former President of Global Payments Canada, joins Dream as the companys Chief Commercial Officer; fintech executive Christian Ali formerly of SecureKey and EnStream has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer; and Priya Sirwani former head of Cyber Security Assurance at Emirates, has been appointed Chief Information Security Officer. Having launched its rapidly growing MPOS and mobile payments service in Canada in 2015, Dream is the worlds only mobile platform that enables Interac Debit and Chip & PIN credit card payment terminals to be sold off-the-shelf. Many businesses today that seek payments mobility from small merchants on-the-go to larger enterprises aiming to make their outbound workforce more agile rely on Dream to provide a secure, affordable, and complete mobile point of sale solution. Dream is experiencing rapid growth in the market, powered by its patented device management and rapid adjudication technology. Dreams ability to significantly reduce costs associated with supply chain management and onboard customers within minutes, enables financial institutions to serve their customers in a manner not previously possible due to legacy system constraints. As Dream continues through its next phases of rapid growth, Jordan, Christian and Priya bring the talent and expertise needed to expand the business globally, said Brent Ho-Young, Founder and CEO of Dream Payments. Dreams mission to bring best-of-breed devices, application partners, and distribution channels to merchants, acquirers and other trusted brands is being realized. Adding talented executives such as Jordan, Christian and Priya will support Dream as we expand into the US, Europe and Latin America. Globally acquirers typically compete using common platforms offered by traditional hardware solution providers, said Mr. Cohen. The industry has been looking for a truly open solution that moves away from a device-centric approach and enables acquirers to focus on differentiated, value added service. Dream adds tremendous benefits within the merchant ecosystem and I am delighted to introduce acquirers globally to Dreams unique MPOS platform. As Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Cohen will oversee growth strategies for the company within Canada and internationally, and will continue to strengthen relationships between Dream and its strategic partners. With the products that exist in the market today, merchants and acquirers read more http://www.marketwired.com/mw/release.do?id=2112700&sourceType=3 Other POS news: ACI Worldwides OfficialPayments.com, the Longest Tenured IRS Payment Site, Uses PayNearMe to Give U.S. Taxpayers a New Payment Option SUNNYVALE, CA and NAPLES, FL(Marketwired April 06, 2016) For the first time, U.S. taxpayers can make payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in their own neighborhood, without the need for a bank account or credit card. With the scan of a PayNearMe barcode on a smartphone at nearly 7,000 participating 7-Eleven stores, taxpayers who need to use cash for their tax payment can do so at the register, just as if they were purchasing a gallon of milk or a cup of coffee. Most stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it easy and convenient for taxpayers to pay in their own neighborhoods, on their own schedules. A list of participating 7-Eleven stores can be found at www.paynearme.com/MTLocations. Our bill payment solution is quick, easy, reliable and secure, which is why OfficialPayments.com is the longest tenured bill payment site for the IRS, having processed $14 billion in IRS tax payments since 1999, said Carolyn Homberger, group president, ACI Worldwide. Todays consumers want convenience, as evidenced by the more than 75 percent of IRS electronic payments that are made through OfficialPayments.com via online or a mobile browser. Adding a new cash payment option that is mobile-accessible brings convenience, and another flexible payment option, which is powered by PayNearMe. To obtain a PayNearMe barcode, taxpayers visit www.officialpayments.com/fed, choose their IRS form type, and select Pay with Cash as their payment option. They can elect to receive their barcode via email to print, or on their smartphone, which presents them with a list of the closest 7-Eleven stores where they can pay. Once the payment is made, taxpayers receive a receipt as proof of transaction. Payments are typically posted within two business days, although it is advised that taxpayers initiate payment at www.officialpayments.com/fed at least seven business days prior to their tax payment deadlines, due to the IRS identity verification requirements. Each taxpayers federal tax payment in cash must not exceed $1,000 per day and taxpayers can make up to two payments per tax period using this method. There is a small service fee of $3.99 for each payment. Government agencies and payment processors use PayNearMe to collect cash payments for everything from utilities to bike share membership, said Danny Shader, founder and CEO of PayNearMe. Customers appreciate when the organizations care enough to offer them payment options at convenient locations and the organizations are happy to automate traditionally time-consuming payment processes to enable payments 24 hours a day. Were excited to be the first convenience store where taxpayers can make cash payments to the IRS through PayNearMe and OfficialPayments.com, said Keith Jones, Vice President of Communications for 7-Eleven. Were always looking for ways to offer more value and save time for our customers, and this is a great way to do both taxpayers can grab their morning coffee and take care of their tax payment in one stop, without missing a beat of their busy day. To learn more about paying or partnering with PayNearMe, visit www.paynearme.com. To learn more about ACI Worldwides OfficialPayments.com, visit www.officialpayments.com. About PayNearMe PayNearMe has been enabling government agencies and businesses to accept cash payments remotely since 2009. Using PayNearMe, consumers can make payments on their own schedule, in their own neighborhood, at one of nearly 17,000 trusted locations in the U.S., which include 7-Eleven, Family Dollar and ACE Cash Express stores. The company processes payments for Greyhound bus, California Department of Child Support Services and the city of Philadelphias bike share program Indego, among others. Read more http://www.marketwired.com/mw/release.do?id=2112624&sourceType=3 MORE POS articles: 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 The waiting room is cozy. There is a smiling receptionist, a desk with stacks of papers and family photos. Homey plants are arranged around the surrounding offices. A small dog named Sampson nuzzles those passing by. A woman stands just to the right of the intersecting hallway, grazing her hand over the brick walls and voicing her displeasure about them. These walls are the only features in the building that hint at the secrets and memories that have been divulged among the inspirational posters and hand-drawn pictures. Within these white walls, residents are offered a shot at redemption: a second chance. Nancy Wilson-Hintzs holds the title of executive director, but her office is kept simple. Her passions do not lie in extravagance, but rather with NOVA, the non-profit treatment community she works for. Her window overlooks a stretch of white fence and a small patch of lush trees. Sitting amid the 110-acre Cooper Farm in Omaha, Nebraska, this place is a small patch of green, tucked away among endless rows of cookie-cutter houses. NOVA was founded in 1984, and Wilson-Hintz has been at the helm since 2012. Its the only Public Residential Treatment Facility in Nebraska that handles both mental health and substance abuse cases simultaneously, providing help to a population others simply cant. Its uncommon status has made it an oasis in a desert of dilapidated health care laws and depleted funding. As of 2014, according to a report by the Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research, 78 counties in Nebraska displayed an unusually high need for mental health services. Sixty-nine of these counties were either rural or frontier counties. Despite this growing necessity, only three of Nebraskas 93 counties werent state designated as shortage or partial-shortage areas for psychiatry and mental health. The counties that have escaped the deficiency are largely metropolitan ones, such as Douglas County and Lancaster County, encompassing Nebraskas two largest cities: Lincoln and Omaha. Those living in other parts of Nebraska, particularly out west, are mostly left ignored. With the majority of its adolescent patients coming from rural areas, NOVAs extensive set of services has proven to be the exception, within Nebraskas treatment of its rural inhabitants. Monday through Friday, children attend classes starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. The hope is to keep those in treatment caught up with the school theyre missing. The curriculum is flexible, and individual planning is used for each student. The end goal is to help them earn their high school diploma, should they choose to pursue it. About half of the adolescents also take part in a 4-H program, which is held on a farm adjacent to the facility, in collaboration with Omaha Home For Boys. April 5 marked the start of the programs fourth year. Each child is paired with a lamb or calf. He or she grooms it, washes it and eventually shows it in Dodge and Sarpy county. Its something they can be proud of and see from start to finish what their hard work can lead to, Wilson-Hintz said. I think it lends itself to the future so they can know when they really do put their mind to something, it can be accomplished. Wilson-Hintz said the program tries to use the surrounding nature as much as possible, and that its location lends itself to an experience that isnt so intimidating. But the facilitys location in one of Nebraskas easternmost cities makes it a lengthy drive for many, as is the case with most of Nebraskas better equipped communities. Proper treatment for those ages 13-18 often requires traveling well beyond ones own county, sometimes necessitating going across the entire state to find a facility that properly meets each individuals needs. We just got a kid today from Scotts Bluff, and they had to transfer him, Wilson-Hintz said. It took nine or 10 hours to get (him) here, and he was transported by security in handcuffs the whole way. The kids who come from rural areas, the services just arent in those communities. The choice for some rural residents has become a decision between sending their child off alone, up to seven hours away, for proper care, or choosing to fend for themselves in their own areas depleted healthcare bubble. And many dont even get to make that choice. Wilson-Hintz estimated that about nine out every 10 children they treat is coming while on parole, meaning a court order is deciding their fate rather than their family. Many children come bearing years of trauma, often leading to alcohol or drug abuse as a coping method. Sexual and physical abuse, as well as neglect, are not uncommon criteria for those who enter through NOVAs door. I think it takes a lot of courage for someone to get uprooted, come here, live here for six months and have their whole lifestyle get changed, Wilson-Hintz said. For a young person to come into treatment is huge. But were here to help them through that process. Treatment requires months of therapy and group work to get to the core of each individuals issues. There is no set formula, no handy 10 guaranteed steps to cracking your substance abuse guide. Wilson-Hintz said each person responds differently, and that NOVA adapts their procedures to match the individual. But the distance doesnt help make the process any easier. Theyre removed from their family, Wilson-Hintz said. So, (even) if their parents are involved, they probably arent going to come visit very much. We have to do therapy over the phone or Skype, and thats hard. Its much easier to do it face-to-face, in the moment. Its much more personal, you know? So those children that come from far away, we do what we can to make it work, but we have to get creative. For others, the luxury of phone calls and Skype sessions just isnt available. With a sizeable chasm placed within families already teetering on neglect, and patients receiving treatment hundreds of miles away, sometimes the calls home to mom dont last long. Its a lot, Wilson-Hintz said. A lot of kids get homesick. Sometimes you have kids come in and their families are not engaged. Its hurtful if a parent says, Yeah, Ill come visit you, and then they dont show. Here you have a kid whos trying to get through treatment, (and they) dont have that outside support. Its a painful, but recurring truth for those taking the leap into rehabilitation. But, Wilson-Hintz said its the staff who becomes a family to the patients. NOVA helps residents build their own support system, both within and outside the facility. Whether its case professionals or trying to help them find an AA sponsor, we try to give them a system for when they leave, Wilson-Hintz said. Otherwise they wont succeed. * * * The sheet is starkly white. There arent any frills or intricacies. Its inquiries are simple and straightforward. The third question asks, Have you remained free from the use of alcohol and other drugs? Each resident receives a copy of this survey 30 days after completing his or her stay at NOVA. For those who have moved on, its a chance to reflect on their time spent since discharge. This piece of paper is the only form of data NOVA is legally allowed to collect. With residents heading back to their homes, often hours away, there simply isnt enough of a return rate to learn much from. Wilson-Hintz said that the amount of forms they get back varies, but it hangs around the 30 percent mark. However, even the questionnaires that are returned arent of much use. (Of) course, most of the ones who send back say yes because theyre proud of it, Wilson-Hintz said. But not everyone sends back a questionnaire, so its hard to gauge from that. (They) really just dont give the whole picture. Wilson-Hintz said she believes a patients confidentiality should never be compromised, but wishes in-house research could be done. The regulations leave facilities in the dark about the effect of their work beyond immediate results. Its an additional risk factor in a system that is already underserving a large geographic area of the state. Everybodys always trying to figure out a way to stay engaged with folks after they leave so we can find out how long they stay sober and perhaps what their triggers are once they (leave), Wilson-Hintz said. Its really difficult. With the substance abuse laws and HIPAA, the restrictions have just escalated. It does protect that persons confidentiality. But it does make it hard to gauge how many out there really are sober. Because of NOVAs status as a dual treatment facility, the guidelines it falls under are much broader. Both state and national conduct must be followed. The facility is responsible for keeping up to date with new laws and rules; theres no government watchdog sending out updates to clinics. I definitely understand that if were going to get funding from the state (and) from the government, then we better prove to them that were doing what we say were doing, Wilson-Hintz said. I dont have any problems with that. It makes me proud to know that were doing what were supposed to be doing. But the guidelines constantly change for each program, so you have to keep abreast of that. People dont really tell you when they (change), you just have to monitor it on your own. Funding put a ceiling on the scope of what the center can achieve. With a finite number of beds and staff members, waitlisting is sometimes necessary. Fourty-eight Nebraska counties in 2014 were already devoid of a mental health practitioner, according to the NCRHRs report. But NOVAs ability to service rural adolescents is not a factor when it comes to the money they receive. Most of our funding is from the government, and I think the government is aware that there is an issue and a need for our programs, Wilson-Hintz said. But what Id like them to be aware of is that we always need more money. More money (means) that we can serve more children and more adults. There is money blocked out for this particular (service), but we just need more of it. Almost 9 percent of children in Nebraska have emotional behavioral health issues, and just over 7 percent have a dependence on alcohol or illicit drugs, per the 2015 Mental Health Associations Parity or Disparity report. Just less than 30 percent of children in need of mental health services didnt receive any treatment at all. Wilson-Hintz said the mountains of paperwork the facility has to go through every week is frustrating when considering the lack of funding. Nebraska was one of seven states in 2014 that actually reduced its funding to behavioral health services, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness report on state activity. The non-profit struggles in particular with employee retention, mirroring one of the overarching problems in the state in terms of salary. A lot of times people come to start and work for us, and they get some experience, and then they move on to find something that pays more, Wilson-Hintz said. But when you work for a nonprofit, thats kind of what you expect. Wed just like to be a little bit more competitive. According to the 2014 Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research report, more than 14 percent of licensed and independent mental health care professionals said they had an intention to relocate outside of Nebraska. Almost 30 percent of addiction counselors also said they plan to follow suit. But 2015 did show some optimistic signs of change for Nebraska. Funding to behavioral health services increased slightly after the steady skid following 2008s financial collapse. A bill was passed last May that requires a mental health evaluation for all children in primary care. Theres also an increasing wave of scholarships and grants to fund students who will go on to practice inside the state, hopefully alleviating the attrition rate. It still remains to be seen whether Nebraska will continue on this trend or simply slide back into old habits of budget cutting. The question left is whether or not any funding will be significant enough to affect the lives of Nebraskas rural inhabitants, and if theyll see a single penny of it. You never know, Wilson-Hintz said. You never know when it comes to money and government because sometimes they have to take money from one area to support another area. Her hands rest on the table, and there is a pause. She nods her head briefly, and a wave of optimism follows in her body language. She said with more funding smaller towns could start getting services that are at least comparable to NOVAs, meaning less traveling, easier transitions back into their own communities and more immediate service for those in need. But she said it takes somebody who has an idea and is willing to put in the work for a nonprofit. (What) were doing collectively as a group in Nebraska is (talking) to the legislature about our situation, Wilson-Hintz said. We can talk to the senators and get them to advocate on our behalf for more funding. I think if we collectively keep asking as a group, and we keep bringing it up in the government, thats the best way to get more funding and money that (we) need. For Wilson-Hintz, her work is ever-changing and constantly growing. The road ahead is tumultuous, and no funding seems guaranteed until its actually been used. Between hours of paperwork and meticulously triple-checking regulations, she stays grounded through those she serves. Its challenging, and its difficult, but what keeps me going is seeing the progress we make when these people walk through the door, Wilson-Hintz said. When they first come in, we take a picture. Its so interesting to compare their before and after pictures. You can actually see the physical transformation that they make. Its amazing. The journey through NOVAs program for each child ends after months of group sessions, therapy and classwork. Its exciting for them, but its also nerve wracking, Wilson-Hintz said. Most people who leave successfully are scared to leave. But the residents do leave. Once treatment is finished, they gather the few possessions they have in their rooms and make their way to the exit. Two lines form outside of the door. Discharged residents take their final walk in between those theyve struggled alongside and the staff who has been by their side throughout. Some will continue to carry addiction. Some will relapse. The beatings, the abuse and the neglect will never truly leave them. They only hope to learn to live and cope. But all who return back to their home or forge ahead to a new one have taken a step toward getting clean. Among all the demons they carry and stories they exchanged with others, they also carry out a single teddy bear, called a Nova Bear. Its fur is shiny and brown. They name it themselves. Positioned at the end of their symbolic walk is Wilson-Hintz, who will lean in and whisper her final goodbye. I always tell the children when they leave, Have a wonderful life, Wilson-Hintz said. Because thats what I want for them. Whatever that is for them, thats what I want. The cooperation will be in charge of running the Deposit Insurance Scheme proposed by the Bank of Ghana to forestall further losses of investments of depositors. The Bill currently before Parliament is likely to be passed into law within the next couple of months to pave the way for retail deposits to begin. The other source of seed capital will be a one off insurance premium to be paid by each participating financial institution equivalent to 0.1% of their minimum capital. Subsequently the scheme will be financed from regular premiums assessed and paid annually by deposit taking financial institutions to the GDPC. The Bill, which was initially introduced onto the floor of Parliament by Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson on behalf of Finance Minister Seth Terkper in May 2015, has undergone its second reading and the legislative house will now be expected to fast track its passage into law, guided by the report of the Parliamentary Finance Committee. Deposit insurance will cover all deposit taking institutions licensed by the BoG: universal banks, savings and loans companies, deposit taking non bank finance houses, rural banks and microfinance institutions inclusive. President John Dramani Mahama, announced the decision in his State of the Nation's address to the Ghanaian Parliament on February 25, 2016 that Ghana was ready to implement the policy. This was after the a resolution was adopted by the African Union Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa. The AU member- states analysed the security situation prevalent in the region in order to facilitate the smooth implementation of issuing visas on arrival for African citizens for 30-days. A statement signed by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Hannah Tetteh however explained that the policy which is expected to commence in July this year, will not affect citizens of ECOWAS member states. This is contrary to some media reports that citizens of some ECOWAS countries will be affected. Government last month granted a stability agreement to Goldfields after a series of meetings and negotations. Under the stability agreement which spans 10 years, government has granted tax concessions and incentives to Goldfields to the tune of $33 million in their two (Damang and Tarkwah) mines currently operational in the country. But Dr Graham said Goldfields is to pay lower royalty as compared to other mining companies from a flat five per cent of revenue to a sliding scale royalty based on the gold price from January 1, 2017. In a separate interview with Citi FM, he said government has "violated the law on the face of what has been published so they should provide information that will discredit what I am saying. He stressed that while it is necessary to help the distress company, he insisted that the law must be followed. This mission is scheduled for early April this year at Ho, in the Volta region. Cleft lips and Cleft palate, the 3rd commonest birth defect worldwide is increasingly spreading within some rural and urban areas in the country. This birth defect which occurs in approximately 1 per 1000 births can create speech abnormalities and breathing problems sometimes resulting in death. Given the limited awareness, children with clefts are stigmatized and sometimes tagged as progeny from the river gods. Some are even killed by relatives. With uniBanks support of USD 36,000.00, Operation Smile would be able to perform free surgical operations for 150 patients who would otherwise live a life of shame and isolation. Since its inception in Ghana in 2011, Operation Smile has provided free surgeries to over 600 Ghanaians. Worldwide, the organization has provided over 220,000 surgical operations. The commissioning of the hotel comes on the heels of Monday's incident where the 2016 running mate of the New Patriotic Party was denied access to the university to deliver a lecture on the invitation of the Student's Representative Council. But authorities of the university explained that the lecture was stopped to avert a possible chaos. President Mahama on Tuesday also launched the the conversion of Kakoradi Polyclinic into a technical university in the Western Region. Speaking at the ceremony, the president said the conversion has become imperative following the jobs market need for skilled technical and practical personnel. Even though Technical and vocational education has been very important to Ghanas socio-economic growth, the huge potential that it represents as a vehicle for enhancing economic productivity and social transformation has not been exploited to its fullest extent. The demands of the job market have changed. Business and industry is no longer looking for the book-long, grammar school education that some of us received. The job market today is looking for skilled technical and practical personnel. These skill and competences are in boundless supply in institutions such as the Takoradi Technical University," the president said. President Mahama added that the Technical Universities Bill which is at the cabinet level will be passed at the next sitting of Parliament and in the academic year starting 2016/2017. Well, still not happy with how Nigerians have been groaning, the actress has come out to slam some youths who rather than trek to protest the current sad situation in the country will chose to trek to celebrate the victory of one politician who does not even care about them. According to her, silly youths trekking their futures way. You dont trek to bring awareness to your suffering plights but trek to celebrate politicians, shaking my head. Our hearts bleeds seeing this great country like this! Endless queues for fuel, no electricity and power surges causing fire outbreaks, why? Omotola who has always kicked against supporting any political party stated that she has always had believe in the man called Buhari because she has chosen to support him due to his past record and trusted testimonies but observed that recently, he has been making some mistakes and his attention needs to be drawn to it. This is not a comparison or party bash fest please. If anything, I believe in the man Buhari hes the first president I chose to support because of his past record and trusted testimonies however, I believe hes started making a few mistakes that his attention must be brought to ( because I want to believe he means well) . I am not yet condemning the federal government. My immediate grouse with an insensitive state govt who knows the many issues and still wants to impoverish the people and a monotonous power generating body left unchecked by the government which is allowed to exploit and extort from the people. As for the fuel queues and power outages Research still on, she wrote. Sergeant Raymond Asaba, the Central Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service, said the Police had information that a dead body was lying on the Schools compound. He said the Police rushed to the scene and found the deceased tied with a rope around his neck with a dead goat, which he was alleged to have stolen beside him. He continue to confirm that the Police rushed to the scene and found the deceased tied with a rope around his neck with a dead goat, which he was alleged to have stolen beside him. The body had since been deposited at the Central Regional Teaching Hospital for autopsy, while the Police were conducting investigations into the matter. The patients have argued that access to healthcare in the region will be very expensive if laboratory services are outsourced, Accra-based Joy FM reported. The transaction is part of a Private Public Partnership (PPP) agreement where the private company who receive the contract will ensure the efforts of hospital management are complemented leading to quality of service to its clients. But patients have vehemently opposed the move, adding that they were not consulted by management before taking the decision. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The memo, initially thought to have come from Tigo Ghana, also sought to tell staff that, even during the requested maternity leave, original contract durations of 6 months shall be observed and be subject to renewal if they expire during the leave period. Roshi Motman, CEO of Tigo Ghana, expressed shock at the news on social earlier, saying it was the first time she had heard of it and was going to take definitive action. The company has issued a statement to the matter detailing the actions taken and reiterating Millicom's stand on diversity and inclusion. The areas are the Graphic Road along the flyover, Awudome cemetery road, Accra Mall roundabout, La beach on the Teshie Nungua road, George Walker Bush Highway popularly called the NI and the Pokuase-Amasaman road. "This caution is based on empirical analysis of street crime trends within the region, where some miscreants deprive commuters of handy items and personal valuables such as mobile phone, purses, tablets, handbags and laptops at the least distraction or inattentiveness," a statement signed by the Accra Regional Police Command Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Effia Tenge has said. According to the statement, motorists and passengers are advised to conveniently roll up their windows when in traffic to prevent criminals from having access to personal valables. The statement also asked the public to desist from displaying handy items and electronic devices in vehicles. "Be extra careful when approached by hawkers to sell items whilst in traffic; be wary of strangers especially ladies who approach you for a free ride; and ensure that vehicle doors are locked up in the course of journeys," the statement from the police added. The police further assured the public to be extra vigilant to avoid falling victims to the criminals, as it works towards getting rid of such miscreants from the society. This call was made by Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the Chairperson of the AU, at a meeting of African ministers of finance, economic planning and integration at its headquarters in Addis Ababa. Dr. Zuma, in her address to the ministers said the continent was beset with a skills gap and fell short in terms of innovation. There is general agreement on the skills crisis that we face on the continent: shortage of skilled personnel is amongst the concerns raised consistently by business leaders as undermining competitiveness and confidence. Africas contributions to innovation, science and technology and patents lag behind she said. According to the Chairperson, as the youngest continent in the world, the importance of STEM could not be understated. With our youth bulge, we must therefore ensure that more of them are educated and skilled, especially in the sciences, technology, and mathematics and engineering sectors, so that they can be the drivers of innovation and development. She cited a study by the African Capacity Building Foundation that found a huge skills gap in key areas such as engineering. The study found that an overwhelming percentage (90%) of African graduates (except in Ethiopia) come from the social sciences. READ ALSO : Ghana students talk STEM with General Electric Apart from calling on African governments to spend more and demonstrate a willingness to support education in fields of science and engineering, Dr. Zuma spoke about the need for industrialisation, mechanised agriculture, the opening of borders, diversification of economies and infrastructure development. Africa and India are comparable in terms of population numbers with 1 billion people each. However, India produces more engineers and scientists than the entire continent of Africa. According to some estimates, India produces between 600,000 and 1.5 million engineers each year; which is more than the United States and China combined. According to him, such agitations and protests only heighten political temperature in the country. The demonstration dubbed "Baamu Yaddaa", a hausa phrase which means we wont agree, was organised in collaboration with other opposition political parties and Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), Movement for Change (MFC) and Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG. But, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has said the posture taken by the NPP is surprising, considering the platform given by the EC for such issues to be addressed. I dont understand. It beats my imagination that the NPP and its allies are on the streets demonstrating while they have members on the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to voice their challenges during meetings, he told Accra-based Adom FM. We went for an IPAC meeting just last two weeks ago about the ECs arrangement and preparations for the limited voters registration but the NPP did not raise any concerns about the register but why are they now on the street with a different posture?, he asked. Pro-NPP pressure group, 'Let My Vote Count Alliance' held a huge similar protest last year to drum home the need for a new voters' register. A five-member panel was later set up by the Electoral Commission to conduct public hearings over the demands for a new voter register. According to the party, the "incessant and constant use of abusive insulting language" by the president and the NDC is a dent on the country's image. "This behaviour by Mr Mahama as the sitting president of our dear nation and as leader of the NDC, undermines our cultural value systems as nation. He and the NDC Leadership only provide fodder for irresponsible and disrespectful behaviour for our youth in particular, for which the NPP is very concerned," a statement signed by Communications Officer of the NPP Eastern Region, David Prah has said. Below is the full statement from the NPP in the Eastern Region: NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY EASTERN REGIONAL SECRETARIAT KOFORIDUA 7th April 2016 Mr John Mahama And The NDC Leadership: Stop The Insults! The New Patriotic Party- Eastern Region is appalled and disgusted by the constant attacks and insults of our Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders by the government, officers and leadership of the National Democratic Congress. We note with concern the continued and incessant and constant use of abusive insulting language by Mr Mahama and leading members of NDC on the people of this country. Specifically we are concerned about attacks on Traditional and Religious leaders and Authorities. This behaviour gives the politics of Ghana a bad name and image. This behaviour by Mr Mahama as the sitting president of our dear nation and as leader of the NDC, undermines our cultural value systems as nation. He and the NDC Leadership only provide fodder for irresponsible and disrespectful behaviour for our youth in particular, for which the NPP is very concerned. Our list, which is by nommeams exhausted here, includes: 1) The recent insults rained on our internationally reverred Okyenhene and President of the Eastern Region House of Chiefs, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, when the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, respectfully declined to entertain the abusive Eastern Region NDC's Chairman, Bismark Tawiah Boateng, and Youth Organizer, Haruna Apaw Wiredu in a pending visit to Ofori Panin Fie by the Eastern Regional Minister Madam Mavis Frimpong. 2) The Chairman and Youth Organizer had rained insults on the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and their President, the Okyenhene, when Osagyefuo led Nananom and Nenemei in 2015 to highlight the poor conditions of roads in the region. The roads have since then till date continued to cause environment, tourism, health education and economic problems for men, women, children and businesses. 3) The two NDC regional executives refused to apologize and show remorse when it was brought to their attention. Mr Mahama and the leadership of the NDC closed their eyes and ears to this sad circumstance. 4) The Regional Minister Madam Mavis Frimpong has failed to separate the party politics from the region's interests and has since chosen not to pay the official visit to the Okyenhene as planned. We ask; is this action by the Minister an endorsement of the disrespectful action of these officials? Is she in the region to serve the region's interests or party interests? We are not surprised at her handling of this issue in a divisive manner. 5) Mr Mahama, on a visit to Kyebi in 2013, disrespectfully described Kyebi as the "headquarters of galamsay" virtually insulting the Nananom and people of the Akyem Abuakwa. Till date he has failed to show remorse or recognize the depth of this disrespect. 6) Just a few days ago Koku Ayidoho, NDC Deputy General Secretary, Kwadwo Twum Boafo, Head of our state-owned Free Zones Board, Sam George, a beneficiary of our taxes as a purported state employee at the Presidency and Communications Minister Dr Omane Boamah were on air running down the Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and a reverred man of God. They continue to hold public offices for which they get paid by the taxes of the Ghanaians they insult and there has been no reprimand by Mr Mahama to set an example. 7) Again, just last week the NDC Member of Parliament for Atebubu Sanja Nanja insulted the Queen Mother of Atebubu traditional area Nana Akua Donyina during a live interview on Pink fm midday news in words that are unprintable. 8) It is important to mention the 2012 debacle during the electioneering campaign of Mr. Mahama. He, in his desperation to win power, created a damaging image for Nananom when he gave some section of Nananom vehicles. This was done in a manner targeted and timed to create the impression that they, the Mahama-led NDC government, were the benefactors when it was state funds used to procure them. This in turn made Nananom and our chieftaincy institution look very bad in the eyes of the public. 9) In a similar manner these NDC apparatchiks have attacked and insulted the personalities of Pastor Dr Mensah Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, Most Rev. Awotwi, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Obuasi, and Rev. Owusu Bempah. These are just a handful of the many respectable men of God in the country who over the two terms of the NDC have all been chastised and verbally assaulted and disrespected in the name of politics. This has been under the nose and in the full view of the leader of the NDC, Mr. Mahama while he has been president. He has watched with little regard for the damage he and his party leadership do to our culture of respect for our elders and the need to set the tone of responsibility for the young. In fact, NDC apparatchiks led by and appear to be endorsed by Mr John Mahama, have the penchant of insulting Traditional Leaders and men of God as well as other leaders who share their thoughts and opinions that critisize government for its poor leadership and the suffering it has imposed on Ghanaians. We of the NPP ER wish to passionately advice Mr Mahama and his NDC officers to note that their current position in office as government requires them to recognize that traditional leaders and men of God, regardless of which religious practise, form a major part of our culture and influence the peace and stability we require at all times, particularly in this election year. They must be given respect. The NDC Leadership must show remorse when they wrong Ghanaians. Their failure to do so shows their arrogance, obnoxiousness and offer evidence of a total disregard for the fabric of our culture and it's progress to be a paramount concern in governance. By this release we also call on ALL Ghanaians to condemn the politics of insults. We want the media in particular to set the standard as it has a wide reach and influence. It must not be that this style of the NDC leadership should be considered to be the right way to manage Ghana in government or do politics. Our traditional leaders and our religious guardians must be held in high esteem as standard bearers of order respect. Politicians come and go but it is our traditional and religious systems that have kept us together as a people and must therefore be respected. We in the NPP abhor the politics of insults and denigration. Mr Mahama and his NDC Officials must know that they must leave office in peace and tranquillity without destroying our culture, especially in this election year. Long Live Ghana! Long Live Eastern Region! Long Live NPP! Long Live Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo! Signed David Prah His decision was influenced by the partys quest to ensure that there is free and fair elections, and validation of the voters register before November elections. He made this statement during an interview on Ultimate FM's 'Breakfast show' hosted by Julius Caesar Anadem. "We will continue to mount pressure on the EC until we are satisfied, we are only demanding what has been given to us by the constitution," he indicated. When asked if he was prepared to go behind bars in a probable uproar during the partys demonstration in Kumasi yesterday, the former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) replied "I'm prepared to die." "Its not a plea but a demand for what is right to be doneits their responsibility to do what is right, otherwise they will continue to receive pressure," he said. Is so interesting sometimes for President Kufuor to come out and say such things without a basis. Im sure he might have been misquoted but if truly he said so then I do not know where they saw the matter of some monies been spent for what it's not meant for, the project as we speak we are all aware its ongoing. The Ministry of Works and Housing can provide details, he said. He bemoaned the situation, indicating that all activities in the area are halted when it rains. The Abuakwahene cautioned that they will not allow politicians to campaign on their lands until all the roads linking Dunkwa on- offin and Twifu praso are tarred. He revealed that they lack infrastructural development, blaming successive governments of neglecting people of Denkyira, Assin and Twifu. We are ensuring that the election this year is credible, transparent and peaceful... In doing that, weve started the process of implementing several reforms. Some of those are as a result of the recommendations made by the Supreme Court during the election petition. Other reforms are those that have been agreed by a wide range of stakeholders including political parties and civil society organizations. And all these reforms are towards strengthening the electoral process and ensuring that the institutions are stronger and independent and that the rules are acceptable to all the key players across the political divide, Chairperson of the EC, Charlotte Osei, has said. Some Ghanaians and opposition groups have raised eyebrows about the readiness of the EC towards this year's general elections, as others have held huge demonstrations against what they call a bloated voter register. But, Ms Charlotte Osei said that a five-year strategic plan to ensure credibility and transparency in their operations has been adopted. "We would be shortly launching a five-year strategic plan and the pillars of the plan make it clear that at the end of five years, we would have a stronger, better resourced and certainly a more independent commission. These are steps we are taking towards the 2016 election and beyond. Our electoral landscape is stronger and that the successes that we have gained in the last 23 years, we will build upon it and we will build a better commission, she added. The Deepening Democratic Governance programme is a 4-million pound UK-funded programme which will provide support to Ghanas state institutions such as the Electoral Commission, the Police Service, the Judiciary and Civil Society groups led by STAR Ghana. Seun Egbegbe has been on a revenge mission ever since the Yoruba movie actress dumped him. In his latest interview Seun Egbegbe reportedly makes distasteful claims about Toyin Aimakhu when he was dating her. A gossip site called Nigeria Cameraclaims to have heard the movie producer talk to his friends about Toyin Aimakhu. I use to eat that small girl before she ever dreamt of acting, I introduced her to my friend that was how she found fame he allegedly boasted. Read: Toyin Aimakhu might need help He reportedly further went on to say that he was the first man she knew sexually. To be honest with you, I deflowered her long before she met that toy boy, mark my words,she will never settle because there is nothing you give her that will satisfy her. Seun Egbegbe did not stop there according to Nigeria Camera. He also said I used yoyo bitter and every bitter herbs on the market but my performance never satisfy her. What else does she want from me. I have my life to live please let her go forever. If everything said was true then it is time for Seun Egbegbe to be gagged. How long will he continue to bash a woman who he was once dating? Prior to this story Seun Egbegbe has been on a Toyin Aimakhu smear campaign. In an interview with Encomiums website Seun Egbegbe warned Yoruba movie producers to stop working with Aimakhu. I am also using this medium to warn all movie producers to stay away from her. Anybody that deals with her, the person is on his or her own. And I will act appropriately threatened the movie producer. In another interview with Best of Nollywood he said I am shocked Toyin behaved this way, when we started dating, I had 2 cars a Range Rover and Honda Crosstour which was stolen. I gave Toyin the Range Rover while I took cabs around town spending an average of N10k daily and I gave her the best to make her happy and I dont know why she will repay my love, kindness and all with all this defamation of character and destruction of my name. Sigh...Seun Egbegbe is not even joking with his desire to hit back at Toyin Aimakhu. Yes the way in which she dumped him might have not been ideal but Seun Egbegbe can go about things in a more mature manner. He should be called to order. Isnt there an association of Yoruba movie producers? Whatever body that is out there should call him to order and possibly gag him from making any more public statements about Toyin Aimakhu. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The forum is hosted by the founders of Style House Files, founders of Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week and sponsorship by PAL Pensions and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the Fashion Business Series will serve as a forum for exchanging ideas, networking and exploring strategies to grow the industry. Cipriani is the head of the Ethical Fashion Initiative of the International Trade Centre (ITC). He oversees the promotion of trade and incubation of creative micro-enterprises within marginalised communities in Africa and Haiti. Operated through the wider Poor Communities and Trade Programme launched by the ITC, the Ethical Fashion Initiative, spearheaded by Cipriani, launched Ethical Fashion Africa Limited in Nairobi and through partnerships with designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Sass & Bide and Stella McCartney, has created a hub for creative manufacturing and production in countries such as Ghana and Uganda, using fair trade labour and ethical fashion practices. Cipriani will join an impressive line-up of speakers who will touch on critical sectors of the fashion industry such as manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, PR, communications and more. Industry stakeholders will discuss on varied topics including: Retail and Etail: Maximizing Opportunities and Reducing Risk,Communicating Fashion, Exporting Fashion to the World amongst others. Facilitated by PAL Pensions, FBS will also feature a VIP Signature Session, titled The Next Level. Open to fashion entrepreneurs operating for a minimum of five years, the session will host thought leaders in Fashion and the Private Sector as they discuss how to build a sustainable business. The Fashion Business Series is hosted by Style House Files, founders of Heineken Lagos Fashion & Design Week and sponsored by PAL Pensions and Nigerian Exported Promotion Council (NEPC). Fashion Business Series holds on the 15th of April, 2016 at The Metropolitan Club, Lagos. Attendance is FREE with no registration required For details on The Fashion Business Series, please visit For more information kindly contact The Pakistani identified as, Sahid Mahmood and a Camerounian, Nji Hagis Chi, were reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service in Cross River State. The reports reveal that Mahmood had allegedly been smuggled into Nigeria, illegally through a forest path in Etung Local Government of Cross River state. The suspect had reportedly been smuggled on a motorcycle through the forest path, into Etung from which he had then entered Ikom via Lagos but had been apprehended by Border Immigration Officials at Yahe village, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River which shares a boundary with the Republic of Cameroon. Mrs. Funke Adeuyi, the Cross River State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, during a briefing with the media, on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, revealed saying: We are collaborating with other security agencies to thoroughly screen the man to make sure he is not on the wanted list of any country before he is sent back to his country because we have to be vigilant during this critical time in the country why somebody from Pakistan should want to come into the country through bush path, she stated." Mrs Adeuyi added that Mahmood had been arrested alongside, Chi who is reported to be his accomplice, stating that the Cameroonian revealed that he had met Mahmmood at a bus station in Ikom, and had decided to play the role of a guide to Lagos. She said: He was not found with anything incriminating but had enough hard currency on him to do anything he wanted to do, so we are wary of his movement in Nigeria because he has no reason to be in this country." Mrs Adeuyi also revealed that the documents on Mahmood had indicated that he had originally been headed to Douala International Airport in Cameroon, adding that there was nothing on the Pakistani that served as a reason to visit Nigeria. The Pakistani and the Cameroonian are reportedly set to be screened thoroughly before their repatriation to their countries. Although she revealed that the force has found several means by which the country can be accessed illegally, Mrs Adeuyi warned individuals and motorists to be mindful of the security risks aiding and abetting foreigners into the country, would present. Jade Rees, 21-yr-old single mother of one, had reportedly killed herself after struggling with her decision to have an abortion weeks earlier. Rees had reportedly terminated her pregnancy after the father of her unborn child had ended their relationship of five months, moving on to date another woman. The reports reveal that her decision had left her ''upset and distressed'' and three weeks later, Rees had taken her life after reportedly listening to Ed Sheeran's song, 'Small Bump' which had been recorded in response to a friends miscarriage at five months of pregnancy. Rees was reported to have left a handwritten note addressed to her parents and her two-year-old son, explaining the struggles she had faced following the scarring the procedure. Further investigations revealed that Rees, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, had a long history of eating disorders and depression since she had been 14 years old. Rees had also reportedly been on antidepressants following her anorexia diagnosis, but had been taken off the drugs following her pregnancy with her son in 2013. The reports reveal that Rees had coped exceptionally well with her break up with her son's father only four months into her pregnancy, turning out to be a doting mother. Rees had met her last boyfriend in 2015, splitting from him after she had taken in and in devastation, had terminated the pregnancy in October 2015. Rees' mental state had reportedly gotten worse following the incidents, hitting a climax when she had visited a bar she frequented with her ex-boyfriend only to learn that he had asked her to be banned by the Landlord. The reports go on to reveal that Rees who had taken an overdose of drugs initially, without informing anyone, or seeking medical attention, had taken another overdose 48 hours later, before she had been rushed to the Royal Oldham Hospital's A&E department, where she had been discharged two days later. Dr Easodhavidhya Elango, a trainee psychiatric specialist, at the hospital revealed to the inquest how she had gotten to know Rees, following her first visit. Speaking with inquest, Dr Elango said: ''She told me about the abortion she had just three weeks earlier, and how the split from her ex-partner had been very distressing for her. She told me she believed he had a new girlfriend and was struggling to come to terms with it. "She denied having any past medical history or any form of psychotic illness. When I asked her about this, she said 'For God's sake, I have a son to look after. She told me she regretted taking the overdose, and promised to keep herself safe. Unfortunately, Rees had reportedly hung herself a couple of days later. Confirming the reports, the acting director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar said I can confirm that about 800 of the Boko Haram members have surrendered to the military. According to reports, the Federal Government has also established a camp for repentant terrorists to rehabilitate them. Also, the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, also disclosed that the Nigerian Army has rescued 11, 595 civilians from Boko Haram captivity in the past six weeks. Meanwhile, President Buhari revealed that Boko Haram is being funded by the International terror group, ISIS also known as Islamic state or ISIL. Boko Haram also released a new video in which it denies abandoning the insurgency. See Pulse Photo Gallery below. This was revealed by a Chinese foreign ministry representative, Lu Kang, who said China and Nigeria enjoy a traditional friendship. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Nigeria diplomatic tie. We believe President Buharis visit will give new impetus to the all-round development of the China-Nigeria strategic partnership of cooperation. The Cable News also reports that Buhari might finalise a loan deal that the finance minister, Kemi Adeosun negotiated for, during her visit to China in February. Reports also say Mr. Presidents media aide, Femi Adesina spoke to Reuters saying I cant tell you how much until the day the loan will be signed. Both countries will also be signing some bilateral agreements to strengthen their relationship,that is all I can say now. President Buhari has been criticised by Nigerians for his constant travels Nigeria, which has been hit hard by a slump in oil prices, has been in talks with China's state export import bank for a loan for months. A financial source said the loan would fund construction works of Chinese firms for infrastructure projects in Nigeria. In February, financial and government sources said the loan could be as high a $2 billion but officials have not provided an update since then. Nigeria has said it wants to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit which could be as high as 3 trillion naira ($15 billion). Buhari has not signed the 2016 budget bill yet as he still awaits details from parliament which passed it last month. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had earlier said in Beijing that Buhari would visit China from April 11-15 to sign "cooperation agreements" and attend a business forum. He gave no details. Buhari, who was elected in March 2015 on a promise to fix mismanagement and corruption, wants to turn around the economy by investing in power plants, transport and infrastructure. Chinese construction firms have been upgrading Abuja airport and building several railway projects in Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy. In November, Nigeria's agriculture minister said he hoped China would to set up 40 rice mills as Buhari wanted to expand the farming sector. Nigeria has said it wanted to raise $1 billion from Eurobond investors but no deal has publicly emerged. Saraki is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) after being accused of asset declaration fraud by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) The Senate President ran from pillar to post in a bid to stop his trial but all his attempts failed. Sarakis trial eventually started on Tuesday, April 5, 2016,and the evidence that has already been presented against him is nothing short of astonishing. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Senate President has used fake names to steal billions of naira. Sarakis personal assistant, Abdul Adama is also said to have paid various sums of money, ranging from N600,000 to N900,000, into Sarakis account 50 times in one day. Abdul Adama on a single day made 50 lodgements into the same account of monies between N600, 000 to N980,000. Ubi made additional 20 lodgements on the same day of cash ranging from N600, 000 to N900,000, EFCC detective, Michael Wetkas told the CCT on Tuesday. After a while, the pattern of inflow changed. Although the figures remained at N600,000 to N900,000, this time around lodgements were made by several individuals. Investigations revealed that those individuals were fictitious. The bank, when confronted, said they have done the needful by drawing a report to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU. They also provided evidence to that effect, he added. Saraki also allegedly continued to receive monthly salaries and pension from Kwara State until 2015 despite leaving office in May 2011. In May 2011, Saraki was paid N291,134.00 as salary. In June, he was paid N572,286.32. In August, he was paid N744,002.22k. In September, he received N743,942.22. In October the same year, he was paid N1,165,466.12. In December, he received the same amount as October but twice (December 27 and 28, 2011 respectively), Wetkas told the CCT on Wednesday, April 6. He continued to receive the same amount monthly as pension and salary respectively until August 31, 2015, when the payment stopped after the case had been filed against him by the EFCC, he added. Wetkas told the CCT on Wednesday that Saraki authorised the transfer of $3.4 million dollars into his bank account in the US. Saraki has also, through his wife, Toyin, been linked to hidden offshore assets by the recently leaked Panama Papers. Saraki is currently occupying the third most prestigious office in Nigeria and it would be dishonourable to allow that office be dragged through the mud along with his name and reputation. The Senate President is still innocent until proven guilty, but he needs to do the right thing to prevent the legislature from being stained with the infamy of this trial. The warning was given via a statement issued by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. The statement reads: It has become necessary to alert the general public to the activities of fraudsters who have been impersonating the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu and extorting money from members of the public under various guises. A few weeks after the commission raised the alarm over the activities of a syndicate which opened a Facebook account in the name of the EFCC boss and began soliciting for friendship from prominent individuals and all manner of favours using the platform; another group has cloned the telephone numbers of the acting chairman. Members of the public are hereby warned to disregard any call supposedly from the EFCC Chairman asking for payments to be made either to nominated proxies or accounts as such calls do not emanate from Ibrahim Magu. For the avoidance of doubts, the EFCC Chairman, indeed all officials of the agency, do not solicit for nor accept payments/gratification from persons or organisations under any guise. Member of the public are enjoined to report anyone claiming to be acting on behalf of the acting chairman or other officials of the EFCC at any of the commissions offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, Ibadan and Maiduguri or the nearest police station. The EFCC also said that Magus phone numbers had been cloned by the fraudsters. ------------------------------------------------------------ Uwujaren said It has become necessary to alert the general public to the activities of fraudsters who have been impersonating the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, and extorting money from members of the public under various guises. A few weeks after the commission raised the alarm over the activities of a syndicate which opened a Facebook account in the name of the EFCC boss and began soliciting for friendship from prominent individuals and all manner of favours using the platform; another group has cloned the telephone numbers of the acting chairman. The EFCC spokesperson also said the criminals have been using Magus phone number to call highly placed individuals to make financial demands. Uwujaren said Members of the public are hereby warned to disregard any call supposedly from the EFCC Chairman asking for payments to be made either to nominated proxies or accounts as such calls do not emanate from Ibrahim Magu. For the avoidance of doubts, the EFCC Chairman, indeed all officials of the agency, do not solicit for nor accept payments/gratification from persons or organisations under any guise. Member of the public are enjoined to report anyone claiming to be acting on behalf of the acting chairman or other officials of the EFCC at any of the commissions offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, Ibadan and Maiduguri or the nearest police station, he added. The minister, who charged the Estate valuers to find a viable solution to address the high cost of accommodation in Abuja, also challenged the body to reduce their professional fee. The minister said his administration may soon come up with a law that would force downward, cost of accommodation in the nations capital. He remarked that although the concept of Estate Development is a very laudable one, the industry is facing many challenges in the territory, questioning the rationale behind payment of rent on annual basis in the country. Muhammad emphasised that as a professional body that is primarily concerned with provision of houses, the NIESV has a responsibility to ensure that accommodation does not get out of the reach of the common man. A statement signed by Muhammad Sule Hazat, a Chief Press Secretary, the minister explained during the meeting that the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammed Buhari, is deeply concerned with the high cost of accommodation in the territory and is working on measures that would guarantee access to decent accommodation by the masses and less privileged. As a body, you must take deliberate steps to bring down the cost of accommodation through reduction of your charges and commissions. I know that you charge between 10-15% but I think that rate needs to come down or else at some point in the future, legislation will force you to bring it down," he said. The minister wondered why in developed countries such as United Kingdom and United states tenants pay rents on a monthly basis while here in Nigeria the reverse is the case. Why should we pay rent annually in Nigeria; why should we pay two, three years in advance. All the people you see here including the Minister get their rent allowance on a monthly basis, only very few organisations in Nigeria pay rent allowance annually in bulk. Why cant we start asking our tenants to pay rent monthly even if they are in Asokoro, Maitama or wherever, Bello said. He said as part of efforts to bring down housing rates in Abuja the FCT Administration has put the necessary machinery in motion to ensure that all plots of land not developed within a stipulated period would be revoked and re-allocated to willing developers, adding that the number of uncompleted buildings and empty estate houses in the city is very alarming and a committee would soon be set up to look into the issue. Bello who thanked the NIESV for his investiture as the Patron of the professional body, promises to look into all the issues raised by the President and Chairman of the FCT chapter on the need to enhance the existing working relationship between the FCT administration and NIESV. Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the FCT chapter of NIESV Mr. Emmanuel Alao urged the Minister to constitute the Land Use Allocation committee in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act in order to check abuses in the land allocation process. Filling stations were also asked to ensure their customers maintain one lane while dispensing fuel. Leadership reports that the new regulation was announced at a joint press conference by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde and the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Dayo Mobereola. The commissioner for transportation said The problem in the last few days has been one of traffic blockage caused by fuel dispensation and as a result of that, the state has been almost at a standstill. The ease of making traffic very easy should be the responsibility of everybody from the state to the filling stations and the users. Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Chris Olakpe said defaulters will be fined between N10,000 to N100,000. Mr Ayorinde, on his part said Indiscriminate queues that block traffic and easy flow of movement in the state are no longer allowed. Wherever this happens, we will have to deal decisively with erring filling stations according to the law. For today, April 7 2016: THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Saraki got salaries, pension as governor till 2015, says witnessThe witness produced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Michael Wetkas, in the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki made more revelations yesterday. READ MORE Fares rise by 200 per cent as fuel scarcity persistsAmid efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and independent marketers to ensure the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country, fares have increased by over 200 per cent in major cities in the country. READ MORE NASS submits 2016 budget details to presidency, says plan is implementableThe National Assembly yesterday finally submitted the details of the 2016 Appropriation Bill worth N6.06 trillion to the presidency. READ MORE_______________________________________ VANGUARD NEWSPAPER CCT trial: Well swim and sink with Saraki SenatorsABUJA The prospects of a prolonged crisis in the Senate was, yesterday, in the offing following the decision by loyalists of Senate President Bukola Saraki to sink or swim with him in his continued trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. READ MORE Saraki received salary as governor till August 2015WitnessABUJAThe Federal Government, yesterday, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, how the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, collected salaries as the governor of Kwara State for four years after his tenure had elapsed. READ MORE Troops rescue 11, 595 hostages from Boko Haram densTHE Nigerian Army said yesterday that no fewer than 11, 595 civilians held at various enclaves by Boko Haram had been rescued. This came as troops intensified efforts to clear and mop up all. READ MORE_______________________________________ THE NATION NEWSPAPER Witness: Saraki got salary for four years after tenureThe Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja heard yesterday that the Kwara State Government paid about N1.2million monthly as salary and pension to former Governor Bukola Saraki, four years after he ceased to occupy the office. Saraki was governor between 2003 and 2011. READ MORE The Nations Economy Forum holds todayThe Nations Forum on the Economy will begin today in Lagos. The two-day event will focus on National Economy: The way forward. READ MORE Ambode appeals to LagosiansLagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has appealed to Lagosians to bear with the government over the lingering shortage of fuel and power across the state. READ MORE_______________________________________ THIS DAY NEWSPAPER Nigeria losing billions of dollars to maritime sector mismanagement The Federal Government needs to review all the leases granted by the Nigerian Ports Authority and Oil and Gas Exports Free Zones concessions from 1999 to date, if it is desirous of bringing sanity to the nations maritime sector and totally break the perennial cases of underhand deals in the sector. This position forms part READ MORE Investment in infrastructure and central oversight key to Nigerias successImproving Nigerias infrastructure through prioritised investments will help to secure its long-term success as Africas largest economy, according to a new report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). READ MORE Nigerians who were named in the documents include former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, former Senate President, David Mark and wife of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Toyin. We are studying all the documents and definitely we will investigate the allegations against all the Nigerians implicated in the Panama Papers, an EFCC source told The Nation. These allegations may lead to further clues on whether or not public funds were used in acquiring some of these secret assets, the source added. According to an investigative report compiled by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Mossack Fonseca, the firm which was in possession of the leaked papers, was the registered agent of four offshore companies connected to Ibori, including Julex Foundation, of which Ibori and family members were beneficiaries. Mrs Toyin Saraki has been linked with three offshore companies, Girol Properties Ltd, Sandon Development Limited and Landfield International Developments Ltd. David Mark, on the other hand, has been linked to at least eight active offshore shell companies registered in the British Virgin Islands, making him one of Nigerias most extensive users of such establishments. The companies are Sikera Overseas S.A, Colsan Enterprises Limited, Goldwin Transworld Limited, Hartland Estates Limited, Marlin Holdings Limited, Medley Holdings Limited, Quetta Properties Limited and Centenary Holdings Limited. ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has joined the call for Sarakis resignation. Sahara Reporters reports that the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran said "Someone with a poor reputation such as his isnt fit to be called or be elected as a Senator not even to talk of becoming the Senate President. Adding that "With such a background and considering that he oscillates between sitting in the criminal suspects box in the Code of Conduct Tribunal as a criminal suspect and sitting as President of the Senate in the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly as the President of the Senate doubling as the Chairman of the National Assembly, the situation becomes an aberration and makes Saraki a misfit to occupy a seat in the Nigerian Senate in the first place and unfit to continue to occupy the exalted position of the Senate Presidency. Adeniran also said "Should he refuse to resign, the Senate must wield the big stick by commencing his impeachment process immediately. Represented by Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, Ambode spoke during 24th Convocation Ceremony of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu. He also added that the government has established the Employment Trust Fund for the purpose of empowering young entrepreneurs. The fund is to assist graduates and help them generate wealth for themselves, as well as create job opportunities for others. Your education in this institution has equipped you with the necessary foundation and skills for the challenges ahead. You owe this institution a duty to be its good ambassadors by promoting economic development and progress of our community, he said. Ambode urged the management and staff of the institution to ensure that the students under their care are exposed to new ideas in research. At the same time, the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) also staged their own protest against the indefinite deferrment of their congress by the university authorities. The protesters, complaining about the inconducive learning environment said, "There is no water in any hostel as at this (yesterday) morning. Students that managed to take their bath were those that fetched water yesterday (Tuesday) or that had reserved water days before and to crown it all, there is no light. The students marched in groups from the university gate to the Senate building, denying motorists access into the campus. The Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), represented by his Deputy, Dr Carol Ogbanika, while explaining the reason for the suspension of MSSN, said the school would prevent the association from being hijacked by staff and postgraduate students. He urged the students to set aside their personal interests for the progress and betterment of MSSN UNILAG. A staff adviser, Dr Ismail Musa, said the bye-law was flawed and as such it could not be used as the only reference for the new bye-law. But, the students refused to adopt the financial guideline which stated that the staff advisers should be the primary signatory to the associations account. The young man identified as Jordan Schaeffer was reportedly assaulted on March 14, 2016, after he had kissed his boyfriend in a Miami Beach Burger King. Speaking with NBC Miami, Schaeffer revealed that himself and his boyfriend had ordered their food at the fast food restaurant, sharing a little PDA while they awaited the arrival of their order. During the interview, Schaeffer said: It was just a simple kiss with my boyfriend. Then right after that kiss, I started walking over and thats when I was approached by this gentleman.Schaeffer revealed that the unidentified man had used an homophobic term in describing him leading to an exchange of words. Why dont you show if youre tough or not you little f-,' Schaeffer says. It all happened so fast once I got slammed to the ground. Its just kind of a blur. CCTV footage from the restaurant shows the man body slamming Jordan to the floor. The woman identified as, Margarita de Jesus Zapata, 48, who is reportedly from Colombia has been now been sentenced to 22 years in jail for the sale of her daughters virginity. Local media reports that a municipal court in Bogota reportedly handed down the sentence based on charges of several counts of pimping and sexual slavery. The local Prosecutors Office, in a press release, revealed that Zapata, who is a mother of 13, has reportedly asked for 300,000 pesos ($98) for the virginity of her 12-year-old daughter who had bravely reported the transaction to the police although the exact time the crime had been committed, was not revealed. Spains news agency, EFE, reveals that the man who had reportedly paid the above mentioned sum, Tito Cornelio Daza, was also handed down a sentencing of 12 years behind bars and a fine of 72 million pesos ($24,000) for the crime which had reportedly left the little girl pregnant. The investigation also revealed that, Zapata had also forced most of her children, who are also underage into sexual slavery. During the final debate, about 60 sex workers demonstrated outside the parliament in Paris. Placards read, Dont liberate me, Ill take care of myself. Though those in support of the law says it is to minimalize trafficking, the members of the Strass sex workers Union say it will affect the livelihood of prostitutes. The law also stated that foreign prostitutes will be given a temporary residence permit in France if they agree to find jobs outside of prostitution. Speaking to the Associated Press Agency, Maud Oliver, Socialist MP stated that because 85% of prostitutes in France were as a result of human trafficking the law is willing to help prostitutes who are willing to change. The most important aspect of this law is to accompany prostitutes, give them identity papers because we know that 85% of prostitutes here are victims of trafficking, Oliver said. Martin Kobler also called on Libya's internationally recognised eastern parliament on Wednesday to hold a long-sought vote on whether to approve the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), telling Reuters in an interview that the chamber risked being sidelined if it failed to do so. Shortly after he spoke the prime minister of Tripoli's self-declared National Salvation government issued a statement calling on his ministers to stay in place. That contradicted a statement backed by some ministers on Tuesday saying the National Salvation government was stepping down. From 2014 the country had two pairs of rival parliaments and governments in Tripoli and the east, both backed by loose coalitions of armed brigades. Western powers are backing the GNA as the best chance for uniting armed factions against Islamic State in Libya, stemming the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean, and rescuing the economy by reviving oil production. Kobler, who visited Tripoli on Tuesday, said a handover of power at the foreign ministry was yet to be replicated in other ministries. "We know of ministers who are willing to hand over," he said. "But the ministers have to change, they have to peacefully hand over their power and give the new administration to the Government of National Accord." A source close to National Salvation government head Khalifa Ghwell said his ministers were divided over whether to hand over power. He said Ghwell was still in Tripoli but no longer working out of his old office, which has been secured by an armed brigade loyal to the GNA. Kobler said the GNA needed to be able to quickly improve economic conditions and failing health services. "It can change tomorrow, but now it's quiet. If the government doesn't deliver, it will not stay quiet." The GNA's leadership, or Presidential Council, has been operating out of a naval base in Tripoli, where Kobler said it was being guarded by "regular forces". He said previously hostile militias had been persuaded to protect or tolerate the Council because both the militias and people in Tripoli wanted a "way out" from conflict and increasing economic hardship. ARMED GROUPS As part of efforts to win the acquiescence of Tripoli's armed groups, Kobler said he had also held meetings with figures of influence including Turkey-based former Islamist militant Abdel Hakim Belhadj and Qatar-based cleric Ali al-Sallabi, and that although he had not got concrete assurances, they were "pretty supportive". "The popular support of the overwhelming majority of the population, this is the biggest backing for the Presidential Council," Kobler said. "But of course they don't have weapons and you need also at least to be tolerated by those who have weapons." The U.N. envoy also said it was still "crucial" to secure a vote of approval for the GNA from the eastern parliament, or House of Representatives, as required by the December deal. In February, GNA supporters in the chamber said their rivals had used physical force and threats to prevent a vote. "Now there must be another (attempt), otherwise the House of Representatives loses importance," Kobler said, adding that he saw growing signs of support for a vote in the east. "There is a considerable movement within the municipalities, many House of Representatives members, but also within the tribes. They really want to have progress now." Kobler said the political process had to keep moving so a coordinated security structure could be built to tackle Islamic State, which took control of the coastal city of Sirte last year and has established a presence in other parts of Libya. But he said it was too early to say when this could be achieved. Dlamini-Zuma did not submit an application to remain as chairperson for a second term before the deadline for candidates closed last week, Jacob Enoh Eben said. "She is not seeking a second term as chair of the African Union Commission," he said. The decision was personal, he said, without giving details. She served as home affairs minister in Zuma's cabinet before becoming the first female head of the Addis Ababa-based bloc's executive arm in 2012. She had also previously served as minister of health and of foreign affairs. Zuma, who is expected to stay president until an election in 2019 and is likely to be influential behind the scenes in picking a new ANC leader at a conference in 2017, is expected to support Dlamini-Zuma. Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa is seen as another strong candidate to replace Zuma as party head and has the support of powerful business lobbies. A California-based company is slated to bring its rail energy storage system to areas of Southern Nevada. A California-based company is slated to bring its rail energy storage system to areas of Southern Nevada. Advanced Rail Energy Storage, LLC been granted a right-of-way lease by the Bureau of Land Management for their proposed commercial-scale gravity-based rail energy storage project called ARES Nevada. When up and running, the 50-megawatt project will cover 106 acres of public land near Pahrump, including portions of Clark and Nye counties within the Carpenter Canyon area. The addition of the project will help stabilize the electric grid in the area. ARES Nevada will connect to the power western grid through the facilities of Valley Electric Association. Creative solutions like ARES Nevada provide a more reliable and modern electric grid and help create an even cleaner energy future for our citizens, said Angie Dykema, director of the Nevada Governors Office of Energy. ARES Nevada will store energy via gravity and release it for dispatch when needed. Using a solitary railroad track placed on a gentle grade, multiple electric locomotive cars can move up the track as they receive excess power from solar and wind power plants during sunny and windy days. The train cars will be active and will be dispatched slowly downhill, using their motor-generators to return power to the electricity grid as needed. ARES Nevada will provide a vast range of additional services, allowing the grid to alter for brief changes in demand and help stabilize grid voltage and frequency. ARES Nevada will be a world-class facility and a point of pride for Nevada, said Jim Kelly, ARES CEO. The power production is clean and renewable; operation of the project requires no water or fossil fuel and creates no hazardous waste or emissions. After a robust Environmental Assessment and Biological Opinion concluded a Finding of No Significant Impact, BLM wrote a decision and granted the project, said Greg Helseth, BLM Southern Nevada Renewable Energy Coordination Office program manager. BLM looks forward to ARES next steps and a Notice to Proceed that will enable construction to begin. As soon as the permitting and environmental compliance processes are complete, the project is planned to get underway. The energy solutions are not the only thing the ARES Nevada project will provide, as around 100 to 125 full-time local jobs during an eight-month construction phase will be created, in addition to an anticipated 16 full-time positions once the project is operational. The projects life span is anticipated to be 40 years or more with only routine maintenance. For more information about ARES, visit www.aresnorthamerica.com. Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @mickakers Inmate rearrested after allegedly flipping bodily fluid An inmate in the Nye County Detention Center found himself in more trouble after he allegedly flicked a bodily fluid at a deputy and blocked his door flap with a feces-filled sock. Jerrid Hutchinson, who is in jail as a result of being charged with felony unlawful use of a controlled substance in May, was charged with unlawful act by prisoner related to human excrement or bodily fluid, after alleged flicking urine on a deputy while he was doing a daily routine inmate count, where officers have to physically go into each cell and count the inmates inside. After the alleged urine incident, other deputies responded and discovered a wet sock blocking Hutchinsons cuff flap on his cell door as they attempted to close it. After a deputy removed the sock from the flap it was discovered that human feces was inside the sock. The sock was also sitting in the liquid that Hutchinson was flicking at the deputy. Man arrested for alleged kidnapping, stolen car incident A Pahrump man was arrested earlier this week after allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, taking her car and other belongings, then leading authorities on a high speed chase, according to police. Johnny Lotches, 30, was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with preliminary counts of second-degree kidnapping, false imprisonment, grand larceny auto, auto burglary, petit larceny, failure to yield at stop sign, eluding/endangering persons or property, basic speed 11-15 mph over posted speed limit, turn signal required, proof of insurance required, drive without a license and reckless driving, police said. The Nye County Sheriffs Office said the situation started when Lotches approached his ex-girlfriend in the Nevada State Bank parking lot at 1301 S. Highway 160 on March 29, and told her to get into her vehicle and to drive away without making a scene. The victim complied, stating that she feared for her life, according to the sheriffs office. The victim explained that she did not know where the suspect wanted her to drive and fearing for her safety she pulled into a dirt lot off of Highway 372. Upon pulling over, the victim said Lotches began yelling at her and took her cell phone from her and took the keys out of the ignition, attempting to keep her from exiting the vehicle. The victim was able to exit the vehicle as the suspect attempted to grab her from behind, but was unable to get ahold of the victim as she fled. After making contact with the victim about the alleged incident, a sheriffs deputy made contact with Lotches on the victims cell phone which he had possession of and explained that he had left the vehicle at the Quick Save Storage and Mini Mart on Highway 372. The victim was able to retrieve her vehicle at the storage facility, but informed police that Lotches still had her cell phone and $70 to $80 that was in her vehicle at the time of the incident. A clerk inside the Quick Save Storage was able to identify Lotches, as he was inside the business within the hour of law enforcements arrival. The clerk also identified the vehicle of the victim with the suspect, as it was on the scene while no other customers were in the business. Lotches was not located on March 29 when the initial incident took place. Then on Tuesday, police received information about Lotches whereabouts. Deputies saw his vehicle as they approached the location where he was spotted. After a failed traffic stop, Lotches led sheriffs office deputies on a pursuit though the southwest end of town, eventually ending after the suspect lost control of his vehicle and rolled it into the desert. Lotches was taken to Desert View Hospital with minor injuries sustained in the crash and then booked into the Nye County Detention Center on the 13 preliminary charges. Pahrump woman arrested for harboring a felon A Pahrump woman was arrested this week after police alleged that she was aiding a wanted felon. Natalie Morales was taken into custody by the Nye County Sheriffs Office Tuesday on preliminary harboring/conceal/aid felon at a residence on the 3100 block of Ramona Lane after they allegedly discovered that she was involved in harboring Johnny Lotches. A sheriffs deputy saw Lotches vehicle parked outside of the residence on Ramona Lane and by past contacts, deputies knew that Morales lived at the home. When asked if she knew where Lotches was, Morales said, Yes, he was here, he left five minutes ago to get diapers from the store, according to the arrest report. The responding officer was informed that the officer working the Lotches incident had informed Morales of their efforts to find Lotches on felony charges. Morales was placed under arrest and taken to the Nye County Detention Center on the single charge. Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter. Scott County Sheriffs investigators served a search warrant Wednesday at the home of Davenport 3rd Ward Alderman Bill Boom and arrested one person in connection with an ongoing methamphetamine conspiracy investigation. Boom, who lives in the 400 block of West 7th Street, was not in Davenport at the time of the search. He is representing the city council at a broadband conference in Austin, Texas. Gage Allen Wenthe, 25, whose address on the arrest affidavit is listed as Boom's address on West 7th Street, is charged with a Class C controlled substance felony after officers seized a quantity of high-grade methamphetamine, known as crystal meth or ICE, at the home. "I have been acting as a parental surrogate for a mentally challenged young person," Boom said in a telephone interview with the Quad-City Times. "I have been working with him, with his family, with doctors at Vera French. "While I was out of town, it looks like he spun out of control." An arrest affidavit was filed late Wednesday afternoon by Scott County Sheriffs detectives. It states officers found a quantity of marijuana for which Wenthe was charged with a Class D felony possession charge. Wenthe also is charged with Class D felony conspiracy and a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. Officers also found an unknown white powder substance that has yet to be tested, and they seized a digital scale, packaging material and two rifles. We have an ongoing investigation, Sheriff Dennis Conard said, declining further comment. Boom said he knew nothing of the illegal narcotics found in his home, but said he was aware Wenthe took prescription medication, including a "methamphetamine-type of drug." Boom said the two rifles "probably" were his. "Those are my hunting weapons stored in the attic," he said. "I haven't hunted in a long time." Wenthe has lived with Boom for the past six years, and the 64-year-old alderman said he has been taking care of the young man's health care, including making sure he stays on a regimen of prescription drugs. He also helped Wenthe pass his GED exam and find health insurance. "This is not an easy thing to deal with," Boom said. "It's been a real struggle. I really empathize with parents who have children with these types of afflictions. I've learned it first hand." Boom was aware of Wenthe's drug conviction from earlier this year. Wenthe was given a deferred judgment after pleading guilty on Jan. 20 in Scott County District Court to possession of a controlled substance and criminal mischief. "He had some pot on him," Boom said. "I've known he has smoked it in the past. I was trying to work with him to get him off of that stuff because it counteracts with his meds." Boom said he and his partner chose on their own to take in Wenthe when he was a teenager. "You know, sometimes over the course of my life, my partner and I have taken in several individuals kicked to the curb for one reason or another," Boom said. "All those situations have been positive ones. This one has been a challenge. "Would I do it again? I'm not sure. It's been a great physical, financial cost to me. When I undertake a project, I see it through. That's been the case with this one." Wednesday's arrest affidavit states that Wenthes cellphone had several text message conversations conspiring with subjects in the sale, purchase and use of illegal controlled substances" in the Quad-City area. The affidavit also states that when Wenthe was read his Miranda rights, he told officers he acted as a middle man for the sale of methamphetamine and marijuana to several subjects in the Quad-Cities. Class C felonies carry prison sentences up to 10 years under Iowa law, while Class D felonies carry prison sentences of up to five years. Wenthe was being held Wednesday night in the Scott County Jail on $50,000 bond. Boom found out about the search of his home after a neighbor called him, he said. The alderman is supposed to return to Davenport on Thursday. "I'll just sort this all out when I get back," he said. Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch said, Anything between Bill Boom and the county attorney is part of ongoing investigation. We dont know anything more than that. It is important that the whole process takes its course, and we will act appropriately based on the findings of the investigation. One brief item on Rock Island City Councils agenda this week garnered more public praise than all other hearings combined. Hint: It had nothing to do with the historic Hauberg mansion or Bridges Catering, which also won support with plans to take over the Stern Center. Before aldermen addressed that issue, however, all eyes focused in on Svetlana Larson, who emigrated from Russia in 1997, as she nervously addressed the council in hopes of securing a special use permit for her at-home business. Following her short spiel, a diverse mix of pleased customers and neighbors approached the lectern inside the council chambers and backed the hole-in-the-wall clothing design and alterations store atop the 25th Street hill. Its weird, Larson, 48, said later with a laugh in response to the positive feedback from the community. Everywhere I go, people recognize me and say, Oh, youre the sewing lady. Although shes already been operating the shop out of her residence at 1512 25th St. without the city's permission for 10 years, aldermen unanimously approved her request on Monday. I really like to see the home as a means of production, Alderman Joshua Schipp, 6th Ward, said. I hope that you outgrow your residence quickly. Equipped with an electronic sewing machine, Larson, who also teaches stitching classes at her home, primarily designs and creates womens wear and jewelry. Mostly men, however, spoke up on behalf of her tailoring and hemming services at the meeting. Walter Thompson, who sings tenor in the gospel choir at Olivet Baptist Church, 1115 21st Ave., said Larson hems his groups performance wear. People need alterations done, and there aren't many people that do it, he said. She does great work, and shes the cheapest around shes the type of person you want to live in Rock Island. Ive been sewing since I was 10 years old, said Larson, who also sells her products at Abernathy's in Davenport and online on Etsy. Its kind of exciting to go from a sketch to an actual garment. Another customer, Bruce Meincke, a maintenance man at Genesis Medical Center, Silvis, discovered Larson's business several years ago through her advertisement in the yellow pages. He now has her telephone number memorized. "If you look in the paper for tailors, there aren't many in there," said Meincke, who lives in Princeton. "If I tear a pair of work pants, she'll fix them for me, and I'll get a few more miles out of them." If you can't find a spot to park on 25th Street, circle back to the alley behind her house, where the city requires her to maintain three off-street spots next to her detached garage. And although it's somewhat hidden, the recently approved multicolored sign in her front yard should flag your attention it's in the shape of a dress. One brief item on Rock Island City Councils agenda this week garnered more public praise than all other hearings combined. HINT: It had nothing to do with the historic Hauberg mansion or Bridges Catering, which also won support with plans to take over the Stern Center. Before aldermen addressed that issue, however, all eyes focused in on Svetlana Larson, a woman who emigrated from Russia in 1997, as she nervously addressed the council in hopes of securing a special use permit for her at-home business. Following her short spiel, a diverse mix of pleased customers and neighbors approached the lectern inside the council chambers and backed the hole-in-the-wall clothing design and alterations store atop the 25th Street hill. Its weird, Larson said later with a laugh in response to the positive feedback from the community. Everywhere I go, people recognize me and say, Oh, youre the sewing lady. Although shes already been operating the shop out of her residence at 1512 25th St. without the city's permission for 10 years, aldermen unanimously approved her request on Monday. I really like to see the home as a means of production, Alderman Joshua Schipp, 6th Ward, said. I hope that you outgrow your residence quickly. Equipped with an electronic sewing machine, Larson, who also teaches stitching classes at her home, primarily designs and creates womens wear and jewelry. Mostly men, however, spoke up on behalf of her tailoring and hemming services at the meeting. Walter Thompson, who sings tenor in the gospel choir at Olivet Baptist Church, 1115 21st Ave., said Larson hems his groups uniforms. People need alterations done, and there aren't many people that do it, he said. She does great work, and shes the cheapest around shes the type of person you want to live in Rock Island. On Thursday, the 48-year-old finished first in Recycle the Runway, a fashion show and competition that benefited Dress for Success Quad-Cities. Ive been sewing since I was 10-years-old, said Larson, who also sells her products at Abernathy's in Davenport and online on Etsy. Its kind of exciting to go from a sketch to an actual garment. Another customer, Bruce Meincke, a maintenance man at Genesis Medical Center, Silvis, discovered Larson's business several years ago through her advertisement in the yellow pages. He now has her telephone number memorized. "If you look in the paper for tailors, there aren't many in there," said Meincke, who lives in Princeton, Iowa. "If I tear a pair of work pants, she'll fix them for me, and I'll get a few more miles out of them." If you can't find a spot to park on 25th Street, circle back to the alley behind her house, where the city requires her to maintain three off-street spots next to her detached garage. And although it's somewhat hidden, the recently approved multicolored sign in her front yard should flag your attention it's in the shape of a dress. SPRINGFIELD Republican leaders in the Illinois General Assembly on Thursday announced a plan to fund social service providers that have seen state money cut off during the ongoing budget impasse. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, has introduced a "lifeline" bill that would authorize spending $1.3 billion on programs such as home care for elderly residents, services for rape victims and the homeless and lead poisoning screenings, among a host of others. Of that total, $860 million would come from special funds, and the remaining $434 million would come from general state revenue. To cover the spending, Radogno's bill is tied to a measure that would make changes to state pensions, including shifting costs associated with large end-of-career salary increases and salaries of more than $180,000 to local school districts and state universities. Those measures would save an estimated $750 million in general fund revenue next year, according to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration, which introduced them in its proposal for next year's budget. "We're tying spending to a way to pay for it," Radogno said. GOP lawmakers and Rauner have criticized the Democrats who control the General Assembly for passing budget bills without identifying revenue sources to pay for them. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, plans to file identical legislation in his chamber. "Republicans in our caucus as well value the social services agencies and our providers. We represent vulnerable populations who rely on these critical services," Durkin said. "But this difference is we're not going to make promises that the state can't keep." Radogno also is asking Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, to attach his proposal for wider reforms to the state's severely underfunded pension systems to the companion bill. Cullerton has proposed giving workers a choice between having future raises count toward their pensions or receiving yearly compounding cost-of-living raises in retirement. Savings from those changes, which have Rauner's support but would inevitably face a court challenge, aren't counted in the plan, Radogno said. Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said Senate Democrats welcome the new proposal and look forward to reviewing Radogno's bill. Patterson said, however, Democrats are cautious about counting savings from any pension changes before the courts have reviewed them. "The lesson of recent history would be you shouldn't count on the savings of any pension reform plan before the Illinois Supreme Court has weighed in on the constitutionality of the plan," Patterson said. The high court has thrown out laws changing both state and city of Chicago pension plans because they violated the pension protection clause of the Illinois Constitution. Republicans argue that the changes Rauner has proposed would withstand a court challenge because they don't reduce benefits. The new Republican plan doesn't include any money for the state's public universities or community colleges, which also have been left out in the cold during the impasse, now in its 10th month. Durkin said Democrats have refused to take up Republican-backed bills that would fund higher education at reduced levels from last year and pay for it through changes that include streamlining the way the state buys goods and services. Ex-engineer of BP receives suspended sentence in Deepwater Horizon accident case - report MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI) Former engineer of the British Petroleum (BP) oil company has received 10 months of suspended prison sentence for violating legislation on water pollution that resulted from 2010 oil spill in the Mexican Gulf, Associated Press reported on Wednesday. According to Associated Press, prosecutors maintained that rig supervisor on the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig, Donald Vidrine, showed criminal negligence by not making necessary preparations before explosion that resulted in over 5 million barrels of raw oil being spilled in the Mexican Gulf. Earlier Vidrine and his colleague Robert Kaluza were also charged with manslaughter, but these charges were dropped and replaced with violation of the US Clean Water Act. Kaluza was acquitted in February, while Vidrine pleaded guilty. These two sentences have completed a series of criminal cases related to the accident, Associated Press reported. This week the US Supreme Court approved the agreement between BP with US authorities on the payment of 18.7 billion dollars for the damage due to an accident. As stated by BP, the total financial costs spent to eliminate the consequences of the accident, excluding taxes, amounted to $53.8 billion. The explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in April 2010 caused the largest environmental disaster in US history. Oil leak was stopped only by 4 August 2010. 11 people died because of the accident. Student arrested on suspicion of killing prominent Russian journalist Context Criminal case launched after death of prominent Russian journalist MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI) A student from St. Petersburg has been arrested on suspicion of killing prominent Russian journalist, Dmitry Tsilikin, the St. Petersburg Main Investigations Directorate of Russia's Investigative Committee announced on Thursday. According to investigators, on March 27, the 21-year old Sergey Kosyrev visited the journalist with whom he had befriended online. The student killed Tsilikin during a quarrel, stole his laptop and mobile phone and fled the scene. Kosyrev has been already questioned as a suspect. He pleaded guilty, the statement reads. The body of the 54-year old journalist was found in his apartment on the night of March 31. According to preliminary findings, he died from multiple knife wounds. Dmitriy Tsilikin was an editor of Culture and society section in the Chas Pik (Peak Hour) newspaper. He was also an author and host of multiple TV- and radio-shows, his works were published in numerous newspapers and magazines. Russian regional minister gets 4.5 years in prison for abuse of office MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) A court in Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday sentenced regional Minister of Industry, Trade and Entrepreneurship, Alexander Makarov, to 4.5 years in prison for abuse of office, RAPSI learnt in the Investigative Committees press service. Makarov was also prohibited by court from holding posts in government bodies for 2 years. Defense will file an appeal against the ruling. According to investigation, in 2012, Makarov, then Minister for Public Property and Land Resources of the Nizhny Novgorod region, illegally transferred a land plot with an area of more than 17,000 square meters to a commercial organization for exploitation the companys building standing on it. The plot owned by the Nizhny Novgorod region was sold for 130,000 rubles ($1,900). Investigstors found that Makarov abused his authority and sold a public space reducing the plots market value by 60 million rubles ($876,000). National Guard: Major Overhaul of Russias Security Forces Alexander Panfilov, RAPSI President Putin signed a decree launching a major overhaul of Russias security agencies. Thus, the Federal Migration Service (FMS) and the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) are to be reincorporated in the structure of the Interior Ministry, whereas IM interior troops should be transformed into a National Guard directly subordinated to the President. The newly created National Guard, which takes over Special Rapid Deployment Units (SOBR), Special Police Units (OMON), and extra-departmental security forces, as well as the Special Operations Center of Rapid Response and Aviation Forces, becomes one of the most powerful national security structures. According to estimates, the National Guard will number some 350,000 to 400,000 men. However, the government has yet to propose the size of the forces actually needed. According to the Presidential press service, the rules and legal framework of the National Guard's operations will be laid out in detail in a draft law to be discussed and approved by the State Duma (lower house of the Russian Parliament). The Presidential decree points out that the transformation process should be completed by June 1, 2016. "The decision has been made, we are establishing a federal body of executive power on the basis of the Interior Ministry Troops," Putin said at a meeting with Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Federal Drug Control Service chief Viktor Ivanov, and Interior Ministry Troops commander Viktor Zolotov, who was appointed as the head of the new agency. "We are establishing the National Guard, which will be involved in fighting terrorism, organized crime, the President said. The Presidential decree specifies the main duties of the National Guard, which should include fight against terrorism and extremism, participation in the territorial defense of the Russian Federation, protection of important state facilities and special cargoes, support for border guards, and the monitoring of compliance with the law in the areas of arms circulation. The decree also specifically notes that special units within the National Guard should be under operational command of the Interior Ministry and its territorial agencies. The rules governing this subordination should be agreed between the heads of the Ministry and the National Guard. This way police may at any time use special forces now outside of its structure. It is expected that the reform should answer several most pressing challenges by improving overall law and order environment, optimizing respective budgetary spending, and making away with functional overlapping in the security sector. The reform has met a positive response within the Interior Ministry and the State Duma. Three University of Wyoming graduate students took top honors for posters and papers at the March meeting of the Western Society of Weed Science in Albuquerque.All are in the Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.Ph.D. student Carl Coburn of Cincinnati, Ohio, earned first in the poster category for Methods for Confirming Resistance to Different Herbicide Modes of Action: Does One Size Fit All?Second place was awarded to Ph.D. student Albert Adjesiwor of Asesewa, Ghana, for the poster, Physiological Mechanisms of Shade Avoidance Response in Beta Vulgaris.Coburn took second in basic biology and ecology papers for Experimental Methods for Confirming Resistance to Synthetic Auxin Herbicides.Second place for agronomic crops papers went to masters student Clint Beiermann of Big Piney for Effect of Winter Wheat Stubble Height on Dry Bean Growth and Development. On March 28, a true American hero passed quietly from our midst. I first met Richard Peschel in 2009. When I learned that he had been a prisoner of war under the Japanese during World War II, I asked if I might interview him concerning his experiences in captivity. He agreed and we got together at his Missoula home, where I wrote down his service memoir. Peschel was one of seven soldiers from Stevensville who were captured in May of 1942 on Corregidor Island or at Bataan in the Philippines. Peschel and two others survived the war. Two soldiers died in captivity in the Philippines, and two were killed when an American submarine torpedoed the Japanese hell ship that was transporting them with other American prisoners to slave labor camps in Japan. During his 41 months of captivity in the Philippines and in Japan, Peschel endured starvation, malaria, bubonic plague, beriberi, dengue fever, first-degree burns, beatings, and was under constant threat of execution at the whim of any Japanese guard. As he related his experiences to me, there were only two occasions when he exhibited emotion. I saw proud determination in Peschel's features as he related this incident which took place at a camp at Cabanatuan, the Phillipines: A Japanese sergeant began beating Dick Peschel with a green bamboo rod because he hadn't finished a detail on time. An American officer nearby told him to kneel before the guard to get him to stop the beating. Peschel said, I told the officer I'd fight the Japanese sergeant before I'd kneel to him. I didn't know the guard knew English. He grabbed a pick handle and had two guards put bayonets under my armpits so I couldn't fall. Then he struck me 15 times on the back. I had blood in my urine for a week after. The other time Peschel exhibited emotion was when he talked about what happened when he left the Japanese hell ship after it had docked in the Tokyo harbor. His voice broke as he told me how he stood in the darkness, awaiting the train that would take him inland to a slave labor camp. American bombers flew overhead and lit large sections of Toyko on fire with their incendiary bombs. Peschel felt the fire bombing wasn't right, and in spite of his months of inhumane treatment under the Japanese army, he still felt true compassion for the suffering Japanese civilians. What I found most remarkable about Dick Peschel was that he came home, married Florence Winchel, took off his uniform, went to work and raised a family. Peschel overcame the horror of his service to live his life with quiet dignity, and in such a way that I am sure his fellow comrades from Stevensville who wouldn't return with him would have fully approved. It is fitting that we honor his life and service. Peschel exemplified the best of America. Sagarmatha Network Pvt. Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003. Live Mint - 7 April 2016 A tedious argument Unthinking nationalism is immature because it is bereft of reflection and perilous because it can lead to erosion of liberties In a country of a billion people, there have to be at least a billion ways in which people express their sense of belonging. To impose a uniform idea of nationhood and patriotism is not only impractical; it is also bound to fail. But entranced by becoming the first party in three decades to get a parliamentary majority, many supporters, several party members and a few chief ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are busy foisting their idea of nationalism on anyone who disagrees. The madness had begun before the elections, when BJP supporters told the Jnanpith Award-winning Kannada author, the late U.R. Ananthamurthy, to go to Pakistan because he opposed Hindutva. It has only become worse. Proclaiming four words in Hindi, which hail victory for India as personified by a goddess, is the shortest and surest way to affirm patriotism. Refuse to say that slogan, and a state assembly will suspend you and the Maharashtra chief minister will think poorly of you. And but for the restraining influence of the Indian Constitution, the yoga instructor and businessman called Ramdev would behead the naysayer. Whatas chilling is not Ramdevas insouciance as he declared that, but the loud cheer with which his remarks were greeted. This isnat only about the shenanigans over the sloganamore dangerous is the corollary, that if you deviate from that norm, and if you challenge the consensus being imposed, you are anti-national. The government alone is not doing it; the broadcast media is merrily providing accompanying score. A few TV networks went out of the way to castigate student leaders of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), egging on the chorus that called them anti-national. After inviting JNU student Umar Khalid on his television programme, Times Now anchor Arnab Goswami chided him because Khalid attempted to respond to his earlier question, but by then Goswami had moved on to another topicapraising Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who was then fighting for his life after the Siachen tragedy. aAnti-nationala has become the handle to snuff out all criticism. Malini Subramaniam of the website Scroll.in was forced to leave Chhattisgarh because the police disliked her reporting from Bastar. Another journalist, Prabhat Singh, has been arrested for posting ainflammatorya messages on social media, and yet another reporter, Deepak Jaiswal, has been arrested over an old complaint. Other arrested journalists include Somaru Nag and Santosh Yadav. The Editors Guild of India sent an investigative team, which has noted the aura of surveillance and fear under which journalists function in the state. The more the reporters pack up and leave, the less the likelihood there is of anyone finding out that Soni Sori, an Adivasi school teacher and activist, was attacked recently, a doctor arrested, and lawyers offering legal aid to Adivasis compelled to leave. Now, the deep state within Chhattisgarh has turned its fury on academics-activists Jean DrAze and Bela Bhatia. DrAze is an Indian citizen and a renowned development economist, but the neo-nationalists insist on calling him Belgian because he was born there. DrAzeas work on poverty, health and rural distress is recognized internationally, but he is described in a pamphlet as a Naxalite and a foreign agent. The intemperate, inflammatory pamphlets targeting DrAze and Bhatia have a singular aimato remove external scrutiny, so that what happens in Chhattisgarh stays within Chhattisgarh, and the simplest way to achieve that is by calling them anti-national. This is not to minimize the reality of violence in Chhattisgarh. Indeed, there is conflict in Chhattisgarh, between Maoists who claim to represent the people, and the state, which claims to derive its legitimacy from the same people. The Maoists are nihilist and do not believe in democracy; the state is turning sadist and has little interest in being accountable to the people it governs. And when its conduct is scrutinized, challenged or condemned, its cheer-leaders call those critics anti-national. Nationalism is a tedious argument of insidious intent, to borrow from what T.S. Eliot wrote in another context. Indeed, unthinking nationalism is immature and perilous. It is immature because it is bereft of any reflection; it is perilous because it can lead to further erosion of liberties. And the easiest way tyranny can creep in is by scaring a population into believing that the nationas stability is at stake. Rabindranath Tagore had warned against athe fierce idolatry of nation-worshipa . What he wrote about Japan in Nationalism applies just as easily to India today, where a peopleas voluntary submission to athe trimming of their minds and clipping of their freedom by their governmenta leads them through a narrow path towards a uniform mass, where the people aaccept this all-pervading mental slavery with cheerfulness and pride because of their nervous desire to turn themselves into a machine of powera . G.K. Chesterton explained the absurdity more pithily in The Defendant: aaMy country, right or wrong,a is a thing no patriot would think of saying. It is like saying, aMy mother, drunk or sobera.a The Christian Science Monitor - March 31, 2016 Diagnosing bias: Curriculums that appear to sanction bigotry are now standard in K-12 government-approved schools. Leaders of the Sunday bombing in Lahore first attended such schools. by Nafees Takkar Washington a The Easter bombing of civilians in a park in Lahore follows a long rise of religious extremism in Pakistan and a poisoning of public opinion towards minority faiths. The jihadist group that claimed responsibility for Sundays suicide bombing said they had targeted Christians, though most of the 72 killed were Muslims. On the same day, thousands of radicals began a four-day sit-in in Islamabad over the execution of a bodyguard who killed a provincial governor who had been a voice for religious tolerance. Yet the toxic religious atmosphere in Pakistan canat be blamed entirely on jihadis on the periphery of society, or on the system of religious madrassas. Recommended: How much do you know about Pakistan? Take this quiz. In recent years in government-approved schools, students are using textbooks that teach hostility towards all forms of thought and expression a except orthodox Sunni Islam. Pakistani intellectuals and secular educators argue that the texts present a steady pitter patter of negative views on other faiths, on democracy and the West, that begin at the earliest grades and continue through high school graduation. Stereotyped images The books claim that Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh faiths, and even minority Muslim ethnic groups are inferior if not dangerous and should be opposed. They often present stereotyped images from history a the crusades in the Middle Ages, unjust colonial British civil servants, Jewish moneylenders, or of marauding Sikhs warriors a as if these are current affairs and represent popular views in the West and India today. The texts also adopt fundamentalist arguments that Muslim individuals are responsible for taking independent action against those who are not virtuous. Nearly 70 percent of Pakistani students attend public schools, according to the Center of Research and Security Studies. The Islamabad-based think tank points out that government committees decide on the content in curriculums. "The textbooks take the readers to an absolute point of view that stops students from thinking critically and takes them into isolated thinking," says Khadim Hussain, a Peshawar-based writer on militancy and the director of an educational foundation. In a seventh-grade social studies text, students read: aHistory has no parallel to the extremely kind treatment of the Christians by the Muslims. Still the Christian kingdoms of Europe were constantly trying to gain control of Jerusalem.a Relations with Jews are presented in a seventh grade text in this way: aSome Jewish tribes also lived in Arabia. They lent money to workers and peasants on high rates of interest and usurped their earnings.a Sixth graders are taught that, aChristians and Europeans were not happy to see Muslims flourishing.a Seventh graders read, learn, and are tested on material from texts that teach the Crusades almost as current affairs and offer a very narrow view of Christianity without describing the nearly universal approbation against them taken later. "These wars are called crusades because the Pope, a head of the Christians, called a council of war,a the text states. aIn this meeting he declared that Jesus Christ sanctioned war against Muslims.a Brainwashing? By 10th grade students learn not just that jihad is a form of internal struggle for the faithful, but that, aIn Islam Jihad is very important. The person who offers his life never dies. All prayers nurture oneas passion for Jihad.a Some government officials and public school teachers and officials privately say these readings encourage hate and bigotry and over time act as a form of brainwashing. They say that previous social studies courses presented a diverse smorgasbord of ideas and comparative concepts comparable to those in the West and cause students to turn inward. "These texts present a world view that has nothing to do with real studies and the real world. The texts showing up in public schools repeatedly describe Christians and Jews as enemies of Islam," Mr. Hussain says. The leaders of the Jamat-ul-Ahrar, the organization that claimed responsibility for the attack on Christians in Lahore, graduated from public schools. The spokesman of a jihadi group that claimed a recent attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, a town near Peshawar, got his first education from a regular school. The attack on Jan. 20, which killed 21 students and teachers, had symbolic importance since the college is named after a Pashtun leader known for his philosophy of non-violence against British rule. Since the Lahore attack, Pakistans prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has been criticized for offering no real plan to tackle militancy. On Tuesday, military and civilian leaders chose to blame India for alleged espionage in Pakistans volatile Balochistan province. The military has also vowed to extend a crackdown that began after the slaughter of more than 130 students in a military school in late 2014. Civil society activists point out that this approach hasnt ended militancy, even though the Army claims that it is killing thousands of radicals a year. Pakistan: The challenge posed by women by Harris Khalique (The News, April 06, 2016) There are books and then there are books. One such work that substantially contributes to the understanding of human experience, history and society, power and polity, is Georg Lukacsa collection of essays, aHistory and Class Consciousnessa. It is to be read and read again not just for its sheer brilliance but because for a lay reader like me, it takes mental muscle to be able to comprehend the arguments made. I chanced upon a paragraph in this book the other day where a letter from Ferdinand Lassalle to Karl Marx, written in 1851, is mentioned. Lassalle quotes Hegel and writes, aHegel used to say in his old age that directly before the emergence of something qualitatively new, the old state of affairs gathers itself up into its original, purely general, essence, into its simple totality, transcending and absorbing back into itself all those marked differences and peculiarities which it evinced when it was still viable.a This is something complex and unique to have come from Hegel. After reading this quote, what immediately came to my mind as far as Pakistan is concerned is the current politics of the religio-political parties who recently vowed to come together again, forming an alliance to agitate and launch a movement against the government in order to check the so-called liberalisation and secularisation of Pakistan. We need to investigate a few things here. What is aqualitatively newa that is emerging? What are/were the aold state of affairsa? What is asimple totalitya that transcends and absorbs back amarked differences and peculiaritiesa that were evinced at one point? Let me take each of the questions one by one. What is qualitatively new in Pakistan that is emerging? There is no point in day-dreaming or taking an overly optimistic position, simply for lack of basic indications that hint at a quick transformative change. There are no major civil, military or political reforms being envisaged, leave alone being carried out, small adjustments notwithstanding. The economy continues to run in full favour of the wealthy, landed, traders and bankers. There is no liberalisation, leave alone secularisation, taking place unlike what some anchors, columnists and semi-literate civil servant-turned-ideologues are bellowing about. These people need to take Politics 101 or History 101 in any undergraduate college to even begin to understand what these terms mean. Yes, there are internal and external pressures to curb extremism and violence, to promote tolerance and co-existence, to encourage financial investment in our ailing economic sectors and to create a somewhat liveable society. But that is the government or the state taking baby steps to normalise society. Mind you, anormalisea not aliberalisea. If the head of the government or a senior official goes and sweet talks Hindus or Christians at some ceremony, that is normal for a state to function in this day and age, not liberal. Likewise, if there are efforts to curb hate speech against different faiths or sects, it is a normal function that a state has to carry out if it does not want its citizens to fight and slaughter each other on a daily basis. As far as the external pressure is concerned, whether we like it or not, that cannot be avoided until women and men of Pakistani origin are continued to be found guilty of violent acts against ordinary citizens in different parts of the world. A recent incident saw a couple, of Pakistani origin, going on a killing spree in the US. Just a few years ago, a terrorist attempt by a Pakistani was foiled in New York. One couple was recently sentenced in the UK for attempting a terrorist strike to mark the tenth anniversary of 7/7 attacks in London while another pair of Pakistani-origin men was apprehended for planning a deadly attack. Some of the Pakistani diaspora is inherently radicalised and connected to Pakistan through proselytising groups and extremist clerics. That creates major problems for us and our government back home. Coming to secularism, that means the exclusion of religion from public affairs. In our case, this would mean personal belief being kept separate from the business of the state, if we follow what was said in Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnahas inaugural presidential speech to the constituent assembly of Pakistan. Does anyone see that happening anywhere in Pakistan? This is not Jinnahas Pakistan and will not be, certainly for some more years to come. Currently, there is no threat to Pakistanas political character as a religious state. The only problem is that it is a religious state run by non-clerics. The clerics want it to become a theocracy so that they can run it by invoking their self-proclaimed custodianship of the divine law. Therefore, the only thing that is qualitatively new and different from the old state of affairs is the increasing and steady emergence of Pakistani women and girls as contributors and leaders in all walks of social, cultural, political and economic life. That is happening silently but decidedly, as some of us have observed and mentioned in our writings before. The agency, ability, astounding success and growing confidence among the women and girls of Pakistan pose the biggest challenge to religio-political parties and conservative clerics. In all fairness, there are some within their ranks who do not endorse the anti-women view and one must acknowledge that. But the majority mainstream opinion of clerics and champions of faith-based politics is against the equality and empowerment of women. Why? Because clerics have no capacity to win any intellectual, moral, social or cultural battle against anyone and the last battle they would fight tooth and nail is over the bodies and minds of Muslim women whom they wish to control in the name of faith, drawing additional strength from other men who believe in conserving their unjust authority and privileged status. Let me come to the last question raised a what is asimple totalitya that transcends and absorbs back amarked differences and peculiaritiesa that were evinced at one point? That asimple totalitya is just the name of the faith that the majority practises. With the use of that name emotions can be whipped up, opinions can be remoulded, social movements can be launched and, as a consequence, economic and political power can be maximised. In order to do that, all marked differences and peculiarities like the differences in schools of thought, varying jurisprudences, divergent views of the world, etc can be put on the side-burner. From the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), whose theological foundations are considered roguish by both, orthodox Deobandi and Barelvi schools, to the Fazlur Rehman and Samiul Haq factions of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), considered reprobate by the Barelvis including the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) a these and many others have joined hands, shunning their differences and peculiarities. Many other parties and factions are also taken into the fold. There are two reasons cited for the alliance being made by its member parties. The first is for blocking the Punjab governmentas new law on curbing violence against women because, according to these parties, this law will destroy the family system and the fundamental values of our faith. And the second is to stop any changes to the blasphemy law, since it was last amended to be made harsher under Gen Ziaul Haq in 1985. The second question arose when the assassin of Salmaan Taseer, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged in Rawalpindi. Sirajul Haq, the head of the Jamaat-e-Islami, led his funeral prayers in absentia while many political groups other than JUP and Sunni Tehreek participated in his funeral rites. Interestingly, no amendment to the law is being considered at any level at the moment. On the other hand, it was a matter of not having or not having the law but taking law into oneas own hand. Hence, the current issue for clerics and religious political leaders remains controlling the bodies and minds of Muslim women. The writer is a poet and author based in Islamabad. o o o The Dirty Old Men of Pakistan by Mohammed Hanif (The New York Times / Sunday Review, April 1, 2016) Memoona, the victim of an acid attack in a family feud, in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2011. Credit Insiya Syed/Reuters Karachi, Pakistan a IN the world we live in, there is no dearth of pious men who believe that most of the worldas problems can be fixed by giving their women a little thrashing. And this business of a manas God-given right to give a woman a little thrashing has brought together all of Pakistanas pious men. A few weeks ago, Pakistanas largest province passed a new law called the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act. The law institutes radical measures that say a husband canat beat his wife, and if he does he will face criminal charges and possibly even eviction from his home. It proposes setting up a hotline women can call to report abuse. In some cases, offenders will be required to wear a bracelet with a GPS monitor and will not be allowed to buy guns. A coalition of more than 30 religious and political parties has declared the law un-Islamic, an attempt to secularize Pakistan and a clear and present threat to our most sacred institution: the family. They have threatened countrywide street protests if the government doesnat back down. Their logic goes like this: If you beat up a person on the street, itas a criminal assault. If you bash someone in your bedroom, youare protected by the sanctity of your home. If you kill a stranger, itas murder. If you shoot your own sister, youare defending your honor. Iam sure the nice folks campaigning against the bill donat want to beat up their wives or murder their sisters, but they are fighting for their fellow menas right to do just that. Itas not only opposition parties that are against the bill: The government-appointed Council of Islamic Ideology has also declared it repugnant to our religion and culture. The councilas main task is to ensure that all the laws in the country comply with Shariah. But basically itas a bunch of old men who go to sleep worrying that there are all these women out there trying to trick them into bed. Maybe thatas why there are no pious old women on the council, even though thereas no shortage of them in Pakistan. The councilas past proclamations have defended a manas right to marry a minor, dispensed him from asking for permission from his first wife before taking a second or a third, and made it impossible for women to prove rape. Itas probably the most privileged dirty old menas club in the country. Some of us routinely condemn these pious old men, but it seems they are not just a bunch of pampered religious nuts. In fact, they are giving voice to Pakistani menas collective misery over the fact that their women are out of control. Look at university exam results; women are hogging all the top positions. Go to a bank; there is a woman counting your money with her fancy nails. Turn on your TV; there is a female journalist questioning powerful men about politics and sports. One of these journalists recently was grilling a famous mufti opposed to the bill. Bewildered, the mufti said: Are you a woman, or are you a TV journalist? She was professional enough not to retort: Are you a mufti, or just another old fart? It wasnat supposed to be like this. Three decades ago, most Pakistani women who had paid jobs worked at menial tasks, and the others were confined to traditional professions like medicine or teaching or, occasionally, law. There was a small and brave womenas movement. Women were writing novels and making movies, but they were few in number. Now they are flying planes, heading companies, policing the streets, climbing mountains and winning Oscars and Nobel Prizes. There are millions of women across the country running little beauty parlors from their homes, employing other women and gaining a measure of independence. But for every bank teller, there are still millions of women who are farmhands or house help. For every TV journalist, there are many more women who live in half-slavery, scrubbing and cleaning, and shouldering the heavy burden of protecting and raising their kids. Letas not just blame the mullahs and muftis. Misogyny is way older than any religion. Even people who have never seen the inside of a mosque or the Sufis who want to become one with the universe wouldnat think twice before treating a woman as something between a pest and a pet goat. Some members of Parliament stayed away when this bill was being passed in the Punjab assembly. They probably represent a majority. Some of us even call ourselves feminist. aSee, I have never stopped my sister from going to school, never given my girlfriend a black eye. That makes me a feminist, right? But we must protect our families. You donat want a family-loving feminist man going around with a GPS tracker, do you?a What really scares the so-called feminist men is that a lot of women are actually quite bored with talking about being a woman. They talk about their work. A film director talks about bad actors. A development worker talks about idiotic funding patterns. A maid talks about her cellphone and the quality of detergents. Thereas a woman in my neighborhood who walks fast. She is always carrying two kids in her arms. Not infants but 3-, 4-year-old sturdy kids, heavy weights. She walks fast. Probably you have to walk fast when you are carrying two kids. She doesnat expect a lift from the many cars passing by. She canat afford a cab. She is walking toward her bus. Always with the two kids in her arms and a bag around her shoulder. She gives Quran lessons at peopleas homes. Mohammed Hanif is the author of the novels aA Case of Exploding Mangoesa and aOur Lady of Alice Bhatti,a the librettist for the opera aBhuttoa and a contributing opinion writer. Prothom Alo UN, EU condemn Nizam murder Online Desk | Update: 17:11, Apr 07, 2016 EU ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon and UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Robert D Watkins on Wednesday condemned the killing of Nizam Uddin Samad, a student of Jagannath University. Samad, a masteras degree student of Jagannath University who had expressed secular views online, was killed in the capital on Wednesday. The 28-year-old was reported to have been an organiser of the Ganajagran Manch, a secular campaigning group, reports UNB. Stating that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, ambassador Mayaudon emphasised the need for tolerance and respect for differing views. According to a press statement issued on Thursday, he supports all efforts to ensure that citizens of Bangladesh may express their views freely and without fear. Ambassador Mayaudon conveyed his condolences to the family of Nizamuddin Samad as well. He also expressed hopes that thorough investigation will bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. The murder of Nizam Uddin Samad, also a blogger, was widely covered in the international media. The United Nations has also renewed its call for the security authorities in Bangladesh to aadequately protecta online activists who might be at risk. In a statement on Thursday, UN resident coordinator Watkins said the UN in Bangladesh is appalled by the killing of Nizam Uddin Samad and condemned the brutal crime. The UN also urged the security authorities to bring about a speedy closure to this most recent atrocity as well as to the other investigations underway. Watkins laid emphasis on protecting the online activists adequately to ensure continued freedom of expression and opinion in the country as they are the foundations of a democratic society. The UN has been raising its concerns about these incidents since the first killing three years ago and continues to call for thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, Watkins said. aIn spite of the recent pause in the assassination of online activists, this attack demonstrates that this new killing is clearly part of a growing trend which undermines the freedom of expression and opinion in Bangladesh,a he said. The UN, Watkins said, recognises that the Courts have delivered a verdict in the Rajib Haider murder case in January this year, two years after the killing. o o o BBC News - 7 April 2016 Bangladesh students protest after blogger hacked to death Students in Bangladesh have held protests over alleged government inaction after another secular blogger was killed by suspected Islamists. Nazimuddin Samad was hacked with machetes on Wednesday in the capital Dhaka and then shot, police said. Students from the Jagannath University, where Mr Samad studied, blocked roads in and around the university. They told reporters that police inaction over previous killings had contributed to the death of Mr Samad. "Talented youths are killed one after another, but there are no visible measures against these heinous acts," Kabir Chowdhury Tanmoy, president of the Online Activist Forum, which advocates secularism, told Reuters news agency. Image copyright EPA Mr Samad, 28, was reported to have been an organiser of the Ganajagran Manch, a secular campaigning group. A string of prominent secular bloggers have been attacked or killed by religious extremists in Bangladesh in the last year. Bangladesh is officially secular but critics say the government has failed to properly address the attacks. Image copyright EPA Who is behind the Bangladesh killings? Attacks send shockwaves through Bangladesh The threat of small-scale terror attacks Police said three assailants on a motorcycle attacked Mr Samad and then shot him, The Dhaka Tribune reported. Police have not named any suspects in the case nor confirmed a religious motive. Image copyright AFP Image caption The student was killed at this site on a traffic intersection in Dhaka Mr Samad, a student of Jagannath University, regularly wrote against religious extremism on his Facebook page. He had written "I have no religion" on his profile under religious views. There have been several deadly attacks in Bangladesh in recent months, although it is not clear who is behind them. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. They all appeared on a list of 84 "atheist bloggers" drawn up by Islamic groups in 2013 and widely circulated. Image copyright Nazimuddin Samad Image caption Nazimuddin Samad was a student at Jagannath University There have also been attacks on members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians, and Hindus. Two foreigners, an Italian aid worker and a Japanese man, were also shot dead late last year, in seemingly random attacks. The so-called Islamic State group has said it carried out many of the attacks - but this has not been independently verified. Members of another militant Islamist group, the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were arrested over an assault on an Italian Catholic priest late last year. see also: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35987395 o o o The Guardian Secular activist who criticised Islamism killed in Dhaka Nazimuddin Samad, whose family live in London, was hacked to death by at least four assailants after posting on Facebook [by] Saad Hammadi in Dhaka, Aisha Gani in London and agencies Thursday 7 April 2016 16.56 BST Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Dhaka to demand the capture and punishment of those responsible for the murder of a law student who criticised Islamism on his Facebook page. About 350 activists from the secular campaigning network Ganajagaran Mancha took part in the demonstration on Thursday after the killing of Nazimuddin Samad in the Bangladeshi capital on Wednesday night. Samad, 28, had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists drew up and sent to the Bangladesh interior ministry. His murder was the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Syed Nurul Islam, the deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan police, told Agence France-Presse: aAt least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samadas head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot. aIt is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility.a He said police were looking into whether Samad was murdered for his writing. The Dhaka Tribune said the assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) as they attacked Samad on a busy road near Jagannath University, where he was a law student. On Thursday, the protesters urged the Bangladeshi authorities to take the killing seriously, accusing them of having fostered a culture of impunity in the past. Last year, suspected militants hacked to death at least four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher in one of a series of targeted killings in the Muslim-majority country. Police arrested members of a banned group called Ansarullah Bangla Team over those murders, but none has yet been prosecuted. Samad was attacked on a busy road near Jagannath University, where he studied law. Police said he had spent two months in Dhaka. Photograph: Facebook Maruf Rosul, one of the Ganajagaran Mancha activists, told the Guardian: aThe government is creating impunity to all the offences by not bringing the perpetrators to book. aInstead of pointing blame at different outfits, the government should identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.a Samad was known to have been critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution. In the first two lines detailing his religious views on Facebook, he said: aEvolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are [an] invention of the savage and uncivil people.a Wafi Chowdhury, a schoolfriend of Samad, said: aNazim had lived in hostels since grade six and later moved to a shared room after he joined university.a Samad had deactivated his Facebook account about a month ago at the request of his family, but Chowdhury added: aI remember him telling me he would come back on Facebook soon with a grin.a Shamir Chandra Sutradhar, an investigations officer at Sutrapur police in Dhaka, told the Guardian: aHis stay in Dhaka has been only two months. He lived in Sylhet and most of his family members are in London.a Tapan Chandra Saha, a police officer in charge of the Sutrapur area, said: aWe have not been able to identify any suspect. Nazim was both hacked and shot. We have recovered bullet shells from the spot. He has been hacked on the right side of his head.a Samad was described by friends as aa loud voice against any social injusticea. Photograph: Facebook Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladeshas largest online secular activist group and is the head of the Bangladeshi bloggers association, said Samad had joined nationwide protests in 2013 against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the countryas war of independence. Advertisement aHe was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism,a Sarker said. Amnesty International said the killing was a reminder that authorities in Bangladesh are failing to protect people exercising their right to freedom of expression. aThere can be no justification for the brutal killing of Nazimuddin Samad, who has apparently paid with his life for nothing but being brave enough to speak his mind,a said Champa Patel, Amnestyas South Asia director. aThis is not just a senseless murder, it is a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression. The Bangladeshi authorities must categorically condemn these killings and take serious steps to end this horrific cycle of violence. Those responsible for the killings of secular activists must be held to account.a Mustakur Rahman, 26, became friends with Samad after meeting him at college in Sylhet in 2007. Speaking on the phone from Birmingham, where he now lives, Rahman described his shock and disbelief at Samadas death. aEverybody was very close [at college]. Suddenly we have lost a very close classmate and it is shocking. I canat believe it just happened. Itas a loss for us. We lost our friend. His mum lost her child,a he said. Bloodstained glass is visible near the spot where Samad was hacked to death. Photograph: AP aI will remember him forever. He was my friend. I grew up with him. I had so many memories with him. He used to laugh very nicely. He was a very smiley guy. Iave been remembering his smile.a Rahman spoke of how Samad inspired him and his classmates to join the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps. Samad had been an active member, rising to the position of lance corporal. Rahman said he had warned Samad about his social media posts, which were critical of Islamism and religion. aWhatever he posted, I would see as fun. But people are taking it seriously and taking revenge,a he said. aAs a friend, I warned him about the posts, I donat want anyone to die early. But he said he canat change his opinion against any religion. aHe didnat kill anyone. To me, heas a good person. He didnat do anything wrong. He wrote something about a particular religion. Iam a believer, but he wasnat a believer and maybe he was trying to express what he thinks about religion. It is a free world, why should he be killed? aSo Iam very, very shocked. But in Bangladesh it is a common issue nowadays. So many atheists are being killed a For every single occasion, there is protest. But after there is nothing. There will be protest, we protest, we write on Facebook. But thatas it. No justice is coming out.a Agence France-Presse contributed to this report related content: http://enblog.mukto-mona.com/2016/04/07/another-victim-of-state-religion-free-thinker-hacked-to-death-by-machete/ other material available at sacw.net: http://www.sacw.net/article12219.html http://www.sacw.net/index.php?page=imprimir_articulo&id_article=11184 Here's where to get a pumpkin in central Kansas for fall Local farms are preparing for the upcoming pumpkin harvest. Here's where to go pumpkin picking in the greater Salina area. "Normative Retroactivity" | Main | Public concerns about crime and violence increases, justifiably, along with increasing crime rates April 7, 2016 Disconcerting report on the (declining?) state of federal statutory sentencing reform efforts in Congress This new New York Times report on the status and fate of federal statutory sentencing reform has me getting ever closer to asserting that the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act will not get to President Obama's desk before election day. The piece is headlined "Garland Fight Overshadows Effort to Overhaul Sentencing Laws On Washington," and here are excerpts: A bipartisan overhaul of criminal justice laws was supposed to be a defining issue of this Congress, a rare unifying moment for Republicans, Democrats and President Obama. Instead, the members of the Judiciary Committee who wrote the criminal justice package are at war over whether to consider Mr. Obamas nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick B. Garland. This feud over the nomination has overshadowed the effort to reduce mandatory minimum sentences and ease the transition from prison. Now supporters of an overhaul are worried about its fate, especially with the Senate about to turn to a series of timeconsuming spending bills and the electionyear calendar approaching a point where little gets done that is not absolutely necessary. If this is going to happen along with 12 appropriations bills, we are going to have to elbow our way into the queue, said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, one of the chief Democratic authors of the bill. The ball is now on the Republican side of the net. Before the death of Antonin Scalia in February created a Supreme Court vacancy, the criminal justice measure had already run into trouble from skeptical Senate Republicans, notably Tom Cotton of Arkansas. He contended that the proposed sentencing changes would result in the premature release of violent felons. And there were whispers about Willie Horton, the furloughed inmate who committed a rape while on release from a state prison in Massachusetts, a case that Republicans used in 1988 to portray Michael S. Dukakis, then the states governor and the Democratic nominee for president, as soft on crime. The internal turbulence led Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, to urge Republican authors of the measure to consider changes to win over some doubters and ease party divisions. They have retooled the legislation, decreasing the chances of felons who carried guns in their crimes qualifying for lighter sentences, among other expected revisions. The changes have won the backing of at least one Republican senator, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, whose aides say will support the reworked bill. One of its top Republican supporters says they are making progress. We continue to do work on criminal justice reform, to try to meet some of the concerns that have been previously stated and to shore up support and show additional support both inside and outside the Capitol for those important reforms, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said Tuesday. One problem backers of the bill have run into is that senators are questioning the political risk of supporting it when the measure might not go anywhere before the November elections. At the same time, some on the left contend that the measure has been too watered down. Hoping to restore momentum, leaders of the U.S. Justice Action Network, a coalition of conservative and liberal groups behind the legislative effort, plan to bring leading advocates from around the country to Washington next week. They will meet with undecided senators and House members to make the case for the measure. The group has also scheduled a briefing for Senate staff members on Friday with former senior law enforcement officials to try to build support and ease doubts among Senate Republicans....Other backers of the measure, including some in the Senate, are expected to step up their push for the legislation next week as well, and new endorsements could be coming. In the House, Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin recently reaffirmed his support for a criminal justice overhaul, calling himself a late convert to the cause and promising to move forward with legislation. Were going to bring criminal justice reform bills, which are now out of the Judiciary Committee, to the House floor and advance this, he said in a recent question-and-answer session.... Some see a potential upside in the Supreme Court fight. Mr. McConnell could be more motivated to bring the criminal justice measure to the Senate floor to show that Republicans, who are under withering criticism from Democrats on a daily basis over the Garland nomination, can work in a bipartisan way and produce some accomplishments. Senator McConnell has one of the bigger incentives to work on this particular bill because it is one of the few, if not the only, things that the left and right agree on, said Inimai M. Chettiar, director of the justice program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan policy institute affiliated with the New York University School of Law. What happens in the next few weeks will determine if the criminal justice effort has a chance this year. Failure to find consensus would represent a major defeat not just for President Obama and congressional backers of the legislation, but also for the unusual coalition of disparate political forces that united behind it as an overdue course correction from the tough-on-crime approach of the 1990s. I am starting now to worry that more than a few folks on the left may be disinclined to encourage Democratic Senators like Dick Durban to elbow the SRCA into the queue based on the hope that a big Democratic victory in November would enable a push for a more robust and far-reaching reform bill. Moreover, as every day passes, it seem to me increasingly easy given various 2016 election timelines for any and every fence-sitting Senator to urge leadership to postpone a vote on federal sentencing reform at least until the 2016 lame duck sesssion or in the next Congress. A few 2016 related posts: UPDATE: I just came across this recent Roll Call piece striking similar themes and headlines "White House Eager to Rekindle Criminal Justice Effort: Cornyn 'optimistic' but GOP fissures, floor time posing problems." April 7, 2016 at 10:29 AM | Permalink Comments Sentencing reform is running into the same problem that every complex bill runs into -- the short calendar of U.S. legislative bodies, the permanent nearness of the next election, and the nature of the U.S. electoral system. For all of the complaints about the Affordable Care Act (and some of them are justified), the one that is not justified is that it was rushed. Simply put, nothing complex or controversial is going to pass after April of an election year. If you want to pass a major bill, it needs to be done by the end of the first year of a Congress or soon after Congress returns for the second year. If the two houses do not get their original bills passed out of the originating house (i.e. the House passes a House version of a reform bill and the Senate passes a Senate version) before the 4th of July recess, the various factions involved in this bill will soon start thinking about whether they can get a better bill passed in 2017, and the odds of getting a bill out of conference and through both houses will dwindle. Posted by: tmm | Apr 7, 2016 10:47:33 AM Frankly, the current versions are so worthless, I would rather they go back to the drawing board next term than pass this garbage and pat themselves on the back. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Apr 7, 2016 11:16:46 AM I agree with the above post. My concern is that there is so much pressure to do something that the result will be so watered down that in the end the effort will not be worth the reward and Congress, having spent all that effort, will not be willing to take up any reform for years if not a decade. Posted by: Daniel | Apr 7, 2016 1:08:12 PM I'm with Fat Bastard. (That would make a great t-shirt). Posted by: thinkaboutit | Apr 7, 2016 2:27:26 PM https://image.spreadshirtmedia.com/image-server/v1/products/111719779/views/1,width=378,height=378,appearanceId=39,version=1457074264/Fat-Bastard-T-Shirts.png Posted by: Joe | Apr 7, 2016 3:22:09 PM While members of Congress may think drawing board will be next term, it probably will not. New president is likely to have five or six priorities that will come first. E.g., health care reform in 2009 pushing immigration reform back to 2010 at which point there was not even enough support for minimal reform. I have my doubts that criminal justice issues will be the top priority for a President Trump, a President Cruz, or a President Clinton. Posted by: tmm | Apr 8, 2016 1:01:38 PM For all of the complaints about the Affordable Care Act (and some of them are justified), Well, yeah, even Chelsea Clinton can see the main problem--unaffordable to use the coverage Posted by: federalist | Apr 8, 2016 4:08:50 PM Post a comment Public concerns about crime and violence increases, justifiably, along with increasing crime rates | Main | In praise of my Ohio State students and their research on marijuana law, policy and reform April 7, 2016 New Jersey Supreme Court reverses murder sentence after trial judge says he always gives that sentence A unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court today issued an interesting sentencing opinion today in NJ v. McFarlane, No. 075938 (April 7, 2016) (available here), which gets started this way: Defendant chased an unarmed man, whom he was attempting to rob, and shot him in the back with a revolver. The victim was alive and gasping for air after he fell to the ground, but defendant robbed him and left him to die. Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder, among other things, and sentenced to sixty years in prison. We are called upon to determine whether defendants sentence should be vacated and the matter remanded for resentencing before a different judge, because the trial judge remarked during a subsequent, unrelated status conference that he always gives sixty-year sentences to a defendant convicted by a jury of first-degree murder. While we acknowledge the judges subsequent explanation for his remarks, preservation of the publics confidence and trust in our system of criminal sentencing requires that the matter be remanded for resentencing by another judge of the same vicinage. April 7, 2016 at 03:39 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Despite being nearly 50 years old, Janet Jackson apparently wants to have a baby immediately, and this means she will be canceling a scheduled return stop to the Bay Area at Concord Pavilion on May 19. It's billed as a postponement or "delay," as Ms. Jackson says in a video she tweeted out to fans this morning. Grinning as she says it, she says, "I thought it was important that you would be the first to know my husband and I are planning our family, so Im going to have to delay the tour." And, alluding to her age, she says, "Please, if you can try to understand that its important that I do this now. I have to rest up, doctors orders. But I have not forgotten about you. I will continue to tour as soon as I possibly can." A message from Janet...https://t.co/KrzYZ4eyvD Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) April 6, 2016 She doesn't go so far as to admit that she is pregnant and the "doctor's orders" thing could just be some kind of ruse because she as a surrogate ready to give birth in a few months? But women are apparently giving birth at 50 these days with the help of fertility treatments and/or implanted eggs, and to be certain Jackson's billionaire Qatari husband Wissam Al Mana, 41, has the finest fertility doctors at his disposal. Jackson and Al Mana have been married since 2012, and as People explains, he runs "55 companies a Middle Eastern empire that spans fashion, media, engineering and real estate." Jackson, who turns 50 in May, was last in California on this tour in the fall, at which point there was a dustup between her legal team and Instagramming fans, in which people were having their accounts suspended or outright deleted all because they were taking photos of her at concerts. Update: Also, it looks like there won't be any refunds offered for the indefinitely delayed concert dates. Nice. Previously: Janet Jackson's Legal Team Goes After Concert-Going Instagrammers Yesterday evening the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency adopted a new budget that, if approved by the Board of Supervisors, will penalize commuters who purchase tickets the old fashioned way with good ol' American Washingtons and Roosevelts. The budget, which the Chronicle reports is over $2 billion for the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, stipulates that people who pay their Muni fares in cash (as opposed to with a Clipper card, or, shudder, the Muni phone app) would be hit with a 25-cent penalty. At the same time, the budget also proposes reducing towing fees for all the car owners among us. And while yes, at some of the highest in the country, the fees associated with getting a car towed in SF should be lowered, that they are being done so in the same budget that makes riding the bus more expensive essentially stands as a "fuck you" to anyone putting their faith in San Francisco's transit-first policy. It's also worth considering just who exactly pays with cash, as opposed to the aforementioned Muni phone app. We have people who dont have Clipper cards for a number of reasons, Jessica Lehman, executive director of Senior and Disability Action, told the Chron. They dont trust it; theyre afraid of losing it. People in those situations shouldnt have to pay for it. But under the newly proposed budget people in those situations would very much be paying for it to the tune of $2.50 per bus ticket. In addition to Lehman's seniors, what about people who have limited internet access and are really broke? Unless you sign up online and enroll in autoload at the same time, adult Clipper cards cost $3. And if you depend on Muni to get to and from work every day, that extra 50 cents a day adds up fast especially if you're cash-strapped in the first place. "Public transit, including taxis and vanpools, is an economically and environmentally sound alternative to transportation by individual automobiles," reads San Francisco's transit-first policy. "Within San Francisco, travel by public transit, by bicycle and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile." As the Board of Supervisors considers whether or not to pass the SFMTA proposed budget as is, it would serve us all if they took a moment to remind themselves of what forms of transit they're supposed to be promoting. However, as that is unlikely to happen, you should probably just download the Muni app the loads of 1-star reviews probably means that it works just fine. Previously: Day Around The Bay: Your Muni Ticket Could Be Getting More Expensive Public Defender Jeff Adachi has sent out a release Tuesday calling on California Attorney General Kamala Harris to investigate the racist texting scandal in SFPD essentially saying that the department, in this case, should not be allowed to police itself. As KRON 4 and the Examiner report, both Adachi and the ACLU are suggesting that either the state or the federal government get involved, because there is a systemic problem of bigotry at work, and perhaps these officers do not belong on active duty any longer. And so far, the SFPD and its chief Greg Suhr have not been as forthcoming as they should have been in revealing evidence of this bigotry to the district attorney. In his statement, Adachi writes, "These incidents reveal a pattern a practice within the Police Department that has allowed racism and disparate treatment of black and Latino people to fester and grow." And in a separate letter to the US Department of Justice, the ACLU's Alan Schlosser writes, "The texts show that these views are still alive in the department... [and] The SFPD is in denial about its problems, and therefore unable to truly collaborate. The choice to keep the information secret speaks volumes about the SFPD commitment to the reform process and the low priority it places on public trust." KQED talks to a retired Superior Court judge, LaDoris Cordell, who points out that all the officers involved could be subject to having any of the evidence they've collected in any case to be questioned in court. "Every time an officer is deemed to engage in behavior that involves moral turpitude an officer is a thief, an officers a liar, or if an officer engages in racist or sexist behavior that officer has to be put on a list," Cordell says. And referring to the 1963 Supreme Court decision in Brady v. Maryland which stipulates that prosecutors are required to notify defendants when evidence was collected by an arresting officer who could have acted out of bias Judge Cordell adds, "Basically, Brady officers really become useless." This all follows on the revelation that a handful of officers exchanged a series of texts in 2015 with hateful slurs regarding people of color and the LGBT community, all in reference to the earlier scandal involving the same type of texts in 2012 in which 14 officers were implicated. The earlier case had to be abandoned because of the statute of limitations, but in the new case, District Attorney George Gascon says that his office has "only scratched the surface" in sorting through tens of thousands of pages of evidence, and the texts are clearly "intended to be racist in nature or homophobic." The new batch of texts were revealed during the investigation of rape accusations against one officer. As Schlosser tells KQED, "He [Suhr] certainly was free back in August to say that they have uncovered more examples of this kind of conduct, and hopefully use that to reiterate his strong stand and say what theyre going to do about it. But in fact its been kept secret from the public, and was only revealed last week by the district attorney. That to us was a very telling sign that the leadership of the Police Department is not committed to transparency and to significant reform." Meanwhile, adding fuel to the fire as they always do, the San Francisco Police Officers Association just released the results of a survey of 1,000 SFPD officers in which a vast majority, 87 percent, said that they are unhappy with new "de-escalation techniques" and reforms around the use of force in the line of duty. More on this as it develops. Previously: More Racist SFPD Texts Were Uncovered During Sexual Assault Investigation Of Officer A man who was shot multiple times outside a home later raided by police and federal officials has died, turning an already murky situation even murkier. It was 2 a.m. on Friday, April 1 when a man since identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner's office as 27-year-old Christopher Perez-Melo was shot while standing on the first block of Teddy Avenue in Visitacion Valley. According to witnesses at the scene, Perez-Melo was shot multiple times in the torso, then was picked up by three men, put into a silver BMW, and driven to an area hospital. That's where he died Tuesday night, ABC 7 reports. Less than 12 hours after last Friday's shooting, agents with the FBI and officers with the San Francisco Police Department raided the home in front of which Perez-Melo was shot. As it turns out, it's a known haunt of Stanislav Petrov, the man best known as the subject of a November video, in which Petrov was beaten by Alameda County Sheriff's deputies in a Mission alley. During the raid on the residence, Petrov was arrested, and remains in custody on unknown charges in a sealed federal indictment, the Ex reports. Petrov appeared in a closed U.S. District courtroom both Monday and Wednesday, as controversy continues to swirl around the November incident, including recent allegations that a third deputy used items stolen from Petrov's vehicle to bribe witnesses to the beating. But what connection does Petrov's mysterious post-raid arrest (which wasn't even the first time he got busted at that location, ABC 7 reports) have with Perez-Melo's shooting? That's still unclear. The Ex reports first that the SFPD still doesn't know "if the homicide was connected to the arrest of Stanislav Petrov," then says that "the FBI has said [Petrov's] arrest was not related to the shooting." ABC 7, however,, reports that "FBI sources said it's unclear what if any connection Stanislav Petrov and a woman named Milagro Moraga ... have to with what has now become a homicide investigation." These mixed messages are similar to those the day of the raid, when the Chron reported that "the FBI action was related to a 2 a.m. shooting in front of the house" even as ABC 7 then reported that "the latest raid is independent of the overnight shooting." When contacted by SFist in an effort to clarify these conflicting reports, an FBI spokesperson said that as Petrov's case is an ongoing federal investigation, they could not comment on this homicide. So in many ways, we don't know much more than we did before. As reported by the Ex, at present its unknown what Petrov has been charged with. The one fact we do have is that what was once "just" a shooting has become a homicide: San Francisco's 11th for 2016, following a fatal shooting Monday evening near San Bruno and Silver Avenues. Previously: Stanislav Petrov, Victim In Videotaped Beating By Deputies, Arrested In Connection With Visitacion Valley Shooting Mission District Beating Deputy Allegedly Used Stolen Items To Bribe Witnesses Californians are being told to be on the lookout for two potentially dangerous men who escaped custody at a Washington State mental hospital where both were being treated. As KRON 4 reports via CNN, 28-year-old Anthony Garver and 58-year-old Mark Alexander Adams were last seen in the dining hall of Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Washington, south of Tacoma at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and escaped sometime thereafter, possibly through a loose window in their room. As Lakewood police spokesman Chris Lawler told reporters, "They got a considerable head start," because they were not noticed to be missing for an hour and a half. Fox affiliate Q13 reports that a bus driver in the area has told authorities that he may have separately picked up both men Wednesday evening, a couple of hours apart. Adams, he said, was interested in getting to SeaTac airport, and authorities say he may be headed to California. Both men were committed to the facility just over a year ago, in February 2015, after both being found incompetent to stand trial in separate cases. Garver, who's described as 5' 8", 250 pounds, with curly hair and a beard, was arrested in connection to the brutal murder of Phillipa Evans-Lopez, 20, in July 2013. She was found tied to a bed and stabbed two dozen times in a home in Lake Stevens, Washington on June 17, 2013. Adams, who's described as having long blond hair and being 6', 210 pounds, was arrested in a second-degree assault/domestic violence case in 2014. It's unclear how either man has any cash to travel with, but anyone who may see them is urged to call 911 and not approach or interact with them, as they are both considered dangerous. Nationally known catfishing expert Brad Durick has just released his second book on catfishing. The Red River guide who fishes out of Grand Forks, North Dakota, has entitled his book Advanced Catfishing Made Easy. The book covers everything you need to know to get started in catfishing. He covers tackle, bait, moving water, high water, eliminating patterns, time of day, barometer and catfish seasons by regions and much move. However, most interesting to me was his detailing of seasonal patterns for catfishing. Whether it is the spring cold water period, late summer or fall or even through the ice, Durick reveals some enlightening information that is sure to guarantee your catfishing success will grow. At the end of this 111-page paperback book, Durick diagrams proper boat positioning in various river structures. The book is available for $10.99 through Amazon and Kindle. Or order it direct from Duricks website at redrivercatfish.com. More and more anglers are discovering the pleasures of catfishing. Duricks books Cracking the Channel Catfish Code and Advanced Catfishing Made Easy will demonstrate just exactly how Durick approaches his own catfishing on, perhaps, the best catfish river in the land. Larry Myhre 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 Narrowing Wilton Drive has been a topic of discussion here for many years. But the ideas ultimate fate may rest on what residents, visitors and business owners say at a special workshop held on April 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the commission chambers. The Florida Department of Transportation [FDOT] is still reviewing a request by Fort Lauderdale to narrow Northeast 4 Avenue. That gives Wilton Manors the opportunity to also have Wilton Drive narrowed and paid for by FDOT. One previous estimate of narrowing Wilton Drive puts the cost at about $500,000 and about $85,000 a year to maintain it. Thats a price the city has been unwilling to pay. Fort Lauderdale wants FDOT to narrow Northeast 4 Avenue from four lanes to two. In November, Wilton Manors sent a request to FDOT to include Wilton Drive. Now, the city will consider another request after the workshop. Commissioners will vote on the issue at their regularly scheduled April 12 meeting. Proponents of narrowing Wilton Drive say it will make the street safer for pedestrians, add more parking and make the road more attractive. The project, known as the Two Lane Initiative, would change the street to make it more similar to Las Olas Boulevard. Opponents have said altering the street would cause traffic problems and could divert visitors away from the city once they decide to find an alternative route because of the predicted traffic problems. The time is right. Were not going to get another bite of this apple, said Commissioner Justin Flippen. After years of rejection by FDOT to narrow the road, Mayor Gary Resnick said the stars seem to be aligned. We need to do something to explain this to residents. But some residents and at least one commissioner questioned if more public input was needed on whether or not to proceed. Havent we talked about this for years? asked Commissioner Tom Green. He also expressed support for the narrowing, adding that he doesnt want to see a two-lane Northeast 4 Avenue open up into a four lane Wilton Drive. Vice Mayor Scott Newton said he wants to make sure people are still in support of the project. Things change. He added that narrowing Wilton Drive is not an issue that comes up when he talks to people. RuPauls Drag Race has kicked off its eighth season and the first eliminated queen, Naysha Lopez, is arguably one of the most stunningly gorgeous queens to ever stomp the runway on this LOGO smash hit. Sadly, outfit construction seems to have deconstructed Ms. Lopezs shot at grabbing the crown. She sat down with us to chat about what she really thinks sent her home, who she would like to see snatch the crown, and who of her fellow competitors she thinks has the best chance to snatch the crown this season! Naysha, its never easy to see the first girl go home! What do you think happened that lead to your elimination? You know, I really dont know. Laila McQueen and I should not have been in the bottom. Laila constructed a beautiful garment, that jacket! Its one thing to create a dress or put something together; but this bitch built you an entire jacket! Then you have other people, like the person who did the assignments on this particular challenge, Robbie (Turner); she just did not look-I dont want to be shady-it just was not cute. Then you have someone like Naomi (Smalls) whos wearing a dress that cost her $5.00 on the sale rack at Forever 21. Im like are you kidding me?! Going into the lip synch, I already felt kind of defeated. During the lip synch, I really, honestly, didnt give it my all because I felt defeated already. I didnt even think i should have been in the bottom two, and I just felt like it was done and I was going home, and it just happened that way. Now that the experience of RuPauls Drag Race is over, what do you think you are going to miss the most about the entire experience? You know, I think its the girls; Im going to miss the girls the most, out of the entire experience. I just got off of a five city tour with everyone and it was so great to see them again and get to spend time with them. If there is one thing that I can appreciate and treasure about the whole experience, besides meeting RuPaul, its that I met eleven people that I can call friends and call sisters. You mention meeting RuPaul for the first time. What was it like meeting the true high priestess of drag? It was truly surreal. I was just star struck and was like this is RuPaul! Its crazy, you see it on television and you dont think too much about it, but then you see her in person and shes ridiculously stunning. I mean, I thought I was pretty? You yourself come across stunningly beautiful on television. Was it weird seeing yourself both as a boy and as a girl on television? It was the most horrible thing! I asked my friends thats what I sound like? But I realized all of my friends think that when they hear themselves also. It was crazy and a little overwhelming to see myself on television, especially when you have little cousins texting me saying that they just saw me on television too! Now that the RuPauls Drag Race experience is in the rearview mirror, did it truly meet all of your expectations and check every box that you wanted it to, so to speak? Besides the box at the bottom that says take home 100,000 I think Ive checked them all LOL! It really was an incredible experience and I am a very positive person. I am not one that looks at the glass half full. For me, I learned from it. I may not have won, or made it as far as I wanted to, but I learned from it. I think thats when you really win, when you have learned something from an experience and you can take something from it. Thats when you really win. So in that respect, I did win. Who was your Snatch Game character going to be? I was either going to be (Drag Race Season One Finalist) Nina Flowers or Kathy Griffin. I hadnt decided, although I brought both of the characters with me. You and Nina Flowers definitely are cut from the same cloth, so to speak. Yes! The crazy thing is, Ninas makeup artistry is so ridiculous. I like to think of myself as a great makeup artist, and when I sat and practiced the makeup (to portray Nina) it was such a challenge. She is a great makeup artist, and just so eclectic. She is so wrong, it is right and absolutely love Nina Flowers. She is a walking piece of art. Who do you want to see snatch the crown and go all the way this season? I love all of them, I really do. Cynthia (Lee Fontaine) is my Puerto Rican sister so i definitely have to root for her. There are a few different types of queens on this show this season. There are a few girls that need the show to survive, because watching them is like watching paint dry-Kim Chee-and there is someone like Thorgy Thor or Bob The Drag Queen who are natural born entertainers and I could watch them all day long. I love me some Bob the Drag Queen! Laila McQueen of course, has a place in my heart also. Everyone is so different on this season, theyre just so very different. Where do you want to go next on your post Drag Race journey? I just want to work. I love to work, I love what I do. I say work because what else am I going to call it? Whenever youre having a good time and getting paid for it its really not work right? I want to pursue this as much as I can and milk it for what its worth and look at the whole experience as a stepping stone. I told my friends you guys fucked up putting me on television because now you're not going to be able to get me off! I am definitely going to pursue this hardcore because this is something I really love to do. RuPauls Drag Race airs Monday at 9 p.m. EST on LOGO https://twitter.com/nayshalopez Computer Simulation of NGC 1600 Black Hole STSCI Astronomers have uncovered a near-record-breaking supermassive black hole, weighing 17 billion suns, in an unlikely place: in the center of a galaxy in a sparsely populated area of the universe. The observations, made by NASAs Hubble Space Telescope and the Gemini telescope in Hawaii, could indicate that these monster objects may be more common than once thought. Until now, the biggest supermassive black holes those roughly 10 billion times the mass of our sun have been found at the cores of very large galaxies in regions of the universe packed with other large galaxies. In fact, the current record holder tips the scale at 21 billion suns and resides in the crowded Coma galaxy cluster, which consists of over 1,000 galaxies. The newly discovered supersized black hole resides in the center of a massive elliptical galaxy, NGC 1600, located in a cosmic backwater, a small grouping of 20 or so galaxies, said lead discoverer Chung-Pei Ma, a University of California-Berkeley astronomer and head of the MASSIVE Survey, a study of the most massive galaxies and supermassive black holes in the local universe. While finding a gigantic black hole in a massive galaxy in a crowded area of the universe is to be expected like running across a skyscraper in Manhattan it seemed less likely they could be found in the universes small towns. There are quite a few galaxies the size of NGC 1600 that reside in average-size galaxy groups, Ma said. We estimate that these smaller groups are about 50 times more abundant than spectacular galaxy clusters like the Coma cluster. So the question now is, Is this the tip of an iceberg? Maybe there are more monster black holes out there that dont live in a skyscraper in Manhattan, but in a tall building somewhere in the Midwestern plains. The researchers also were surprised to discover that the black hole is 10 times more massive than they had predicted for a galaxy of this mass. Based on previous Hubble surveys of black holes, astronomers had developed a correlation between a black holes mass and the mass of its host galaxys central bulge of stars the larger the galaxy bulge, the proportionally more massive the black hole. But for galaxy NGC 1600, the giant black holes mass far overshadows the mass of its relatively sparse bulge. It appears that that relation does not work very well with extremely massive black holes; they are a larger fraction of the host galaxys mass, Ma said. Ma and her colleagues are reporting the discovery of the black hole, which is located about 200 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Eridanus, in the April 6 issue of the journal Nature. Jens Thomas of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, Germany, is the papers lead author. One idea to explain the black holes monster size is that it merged with another black hole long ago when galaxy interactions were more frequent. When two galaxies merge, their central black holes settle into the core of the new galaxy and orbit each other. Stars falling near the binary black hole, depending on their speed and trajectory, can actually rob momentum from the whirling pair and pick up enough velocity to escape from the galaxys core. This gravitational interaction causes the black holes to slowly move closer together, eventually merging to form an even larger black hole. The supermassive black hole then continues to grow by gobbling up gas funneled to the core by galaxy collisions. To become this massive, the black hole would have had a very voracious phase during which it devoured lots of gas, Ma said. The frequent meals consumed by NGC 1600 may also be the reason why the galaxy resides in a small town, with few galactic neighbors. NGC 1600 is the most dominant galaxy in its galactic group, at least three times brighter than its neighbors. Other groups like this rarely have such a large luminosity gap between the brightest and the second brightest galaxies, Ma said. Most of the galaxys gas was consumed long ago when the black hole blazed as a brilliant quasar from material streaming into it that was heated into a glowing plasma. Now, the black hole is a sleeping giant, Ma said. The only way we found it was by measuring the velocities of stars near it, which are strongly influenced by the gravity of the black hole. The velocity measurements give us an estimate of the black holes mass. The velocity measurements were made by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North 8-meter telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. GMOS spectroscopically dissected the light from the galaxys center, revealing stars within 3,000 light-years of the core. Some of these stars are circling around the black hole and avoiding close encounters. However, stars moving on a straighter path away from the core suggest that they had ventured closer to the center and had been slung away, most likely by the twin black holes. Archival Hubble images, taken by the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), support the idea of twin black holes pushing stars away. The NICMOS images revealed that the galaxys core was unusually faint, indicating a lack of stars close to the galactic center. A star-depleted core distinguishes massive galaxies from standard elliptical galaxies, which are much brighter in their centers. Ma and her colleagues estimated that the amount of stars tossed out of the central region equals 40 billion suns, comparable to ejecting the entire disk of our Milky Way galaxy. Larger image Opposition MPs Daniel Lipsic and Igor Matovic will propose a constitutional amendment at parliaments next session designed to create parliamentary investigative bodies. Font size: A - | A + The duo (both Ordinary People and Independent Personalities-OLaNO-NOVA) cites inaction of law enforcement in cases of political corruption as the reason behind the initiative. There are a myriad of cases and theyre easy to document, yet the bodies fail to take action, Lipsic said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Such investigative committees exist also in other countries and are empowered to summon witnesses who must come and testify under oath. The findings of the committees can be used in an official investigation. The committees cannot press charges or issue verdicts, but they can open the case and engage in real investigations. Lipsic added that a minimum of 50 MPs would be required to initiate a specific committee hearing with coalition and opposition equally represented. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Lipsic announced the intention to submit the amendment in the wake of a letter from a former employee of the Financial Administration sent to a number of media outlets on April 6. The letter details the inaction of law enforcement bodies in the case of allegedly unwarranted VAT refund paid to entrepreneur Ladislav Basternak who rents Prime Minister Robert Fico his flat. NAKA was investigating the report of the Financial Administration (FS), which claimed that a tax evasion worth 2 million took place, Lipsic, the former justice and interior minister, said. NAKA rejected this. A standard approach is for the state, represented by FS, to file a complaint against such a decision. However, FS has never done so. The letter also allegedly talks about two female employees pressured by FS management to sweep the case under the carpet, and when they complied, they were rewarded with job promotions. These circumstances only work to corroborate the suspicion that the entire case has been consistently covered up and this is condoned and organised by FS, NAKA executives, as well as the Special Prosecutors Office, according to Lipsic. OLaNO-NOVA leader Igor Matovic called upon Fico to terminate instantly his rental of the flat belonging to Basternak. If he fails to do so, he will corroborate the behind-the-scenes information that the flat is in reality his own and he received it for covering up these frauds, Matovic said. Theres no democratic country on the planet where the prime minister or any senior politician would voluntarily live in a flat of a person who built it from money stolen from taxpayers. Police officials are asking lawmakers Lipsic and Matovic to stop slandering the work of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) investigators in an aim to grab some media attention, TASR learnt on the same day. Every case is being properly investigated by the police and action is being taken, the police press release states. In recent years, NAKA has charged dozens of people with corruption, the failure to perform duties regarding the administration of entrusted property, public tender manipulation and damaging the financial interests of Europe...among the accused are three former ministers, eight judges, nine prosecutors, 23 mayors, ten municipal councillors, 33 doctors and 10 university educators. As part of the Cobra anti-tax fraud operation, NAKA officers saved the state almost 54 million in identifying unwarranted VAT refunds and dealt with cases that could cause damage worth 289 million, according to the Police Corps Presidium. The Financial Administration (FS) is not covering up any tax frauds, FS President Frantisek Imrecze reacted on April 6. I believe that the driving force behind this campaign against FS is the fact that its highly inconvenient for someone to see us investigate the dealings of VAT-ers. We have waged a very active and intense fight against tax fraud for four years, he said for TASR. The anonymous letter, allegedly written by our former employee, contains a lot of false information. For instance, the statement that (FS Tax and Customs Department general director) Daniel Cech influenced the course of a tax audit is absurd and a lie because he joined the FS on June 15, 2012. However, the tax audit protocol, as presented to the media, was signed three days prior to that. His tenure at FS started on May 9, 2012, Imrecze pointed out. The published audit in question began two years after my joining FS, which was in turmoil back then, he said. Ive never met the FS auditors who carried out the audit and have never discussed the case with them. Also, Ive never given any written nor oral instruction or guidance to anyone as to how to proceed during the realisation of the audit. And this holds true for any audit carried out by FS under my tenure. Imrecze added he will make sure that all suspicions are thoroughly investigated; and he fully stands behind his people. The Hospodarske Noviny (HN) daily was ordered by a court to apologise to the Penta Investment group for an opinion piece of its former employee Dag Danis, the kauzagorila.sk website owned by Penta wrote. Font size: A - | A + Last week, the Bratislava Regional Court turned down the appeal of HN publisher, Mafra Slovakia, and thus confirmed the ruling of the lower-instance court which deemed the statements of Dag Danis, based on the internet Gorilla file, untrue. In his opinion piece titled Ako sa kupuju poslanci (How MPs are bought) published on June 21, 2013, he accused Penta of intervening in the parliamentary crisis of 2005 and secured two more opposition MPs for the existing coalition. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Danis mentioned these and also some other claims in his opinion piece as facts, without pointing readers to the fact that these are suspicions or assumptions unconfirmed in any credible way. Hospodarske noviny will have to publish a press correction and cover the legal charges, Penta notes on its website, adding that even more important is the fact that courts through its verdict deemed the Gorilla file, a purported transcript of wiretapped conversation among top politicians and businesspeople, an unconfirmed and unreliable source of information. The court in its decision directly calls the contents of the Gorilla file disputable, it is an internet file and the veracity of the information stated in it has not been proven. Thus, an author cannot simply take information from such a source without verifying its veracity in a credible way, according to the court. This verdict is dangerous as the court explicitly stated that we [i.e. Hospodarske Noviny] had a sophisticated argumentation but it came to the conclusion that a court is not absolutely bound by literal wording of a law, but can deviate from it, head of marketing of HN, Denis Schvarcz, opined in a statement for the Omediach.com website. The Press Act expressly stipulates what formalities must be included in a request for press correction and also determines that if it does not include them, no obligation to publish a correction appears. In this case, the court accepted an incomplete request for press correction despite the law clearly stipulating for such a case that there is no obligation to publish a correction. Due to this, we will consider chances of extraordinary appellative measures (which will have no impact on the duty to publish the correction, though), Schvarczs statement reads, as quoted by Omediach.com. Disclaimer: Penta financial group has a 45-percent share in Petit Press, the co-owner of The Slovak Spectator. Police say they have new evidence, likely testimony from prominent underworld figures who might have been involved in the murder, writes Sme daily. Font size: A - | A + The murder of Robert Remias is one of the cases indicative of the controversial 1990s in Slovakia under the government of Vladimir Meciar. At the end of April, 20 years will have passed since Remias was killed when his car exploded as he was driving in Bratislavas neighbourhood of Karlova Ves. The case had been suspended for eight years until it was recently reopened in light of new evidence that emerged. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Remias was a police officer and the best friend of Oskar Fegyveres, a former Slovak Information Service (SIS) officer who was the principal witness in the 1995 kidnapping of Michal Kovac Jr., son of the sitting president. Remias acted as Fegyveres contact in 1995, when the latter was hiding abroad. Read also: Read also: Remias killers identified Read more Some prominent underworld figures, most recently Mikulas Cernak, suggested that the SIS has ordered Remias murder from one of the underworld gangs, but the allegations havent been proven. The Sme daily voiced speculations that the new evidence in the murder case has to do with the underworld, likely the former gang boss Robert Lalis who recently received a life sentence. Case reopened The investigation of the murder has been shelved in March 2008 with the investigator arguing that there is no evidence that would allow charging any concrete person with the crime. The police however reopened the case a few weeks ago after new evidence surfaced, the Sme daily reported. The police as well as the prosecution however remain tightlipped about the nature of the new evidence and the steps they are taking. Sme hints at the 2015 arrests of former boss of the Sykorovci group Robert Kybel Lalis and another member of the gang, Martin Bihari, as motivating the change of course. Sykorovci gang has been repeatedly alleged to be the one that executed the murder. Two of its members had also been charged for it in the past. Read also: Read also: Life sentences to Bucket gangster and his accomplices Read more Lalis was recently sentenced to life by the Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica; as well as two other members of the gang, among them Jozef Rohac who was also charged with Remias murder in 1999, along with the now late Imrich Olah, but their charges were dropped in 2006. The former head of the SIS, Ivan Lexa, was also charged in 2002 with ordering the murder of Remias, but the charges were also dropped in 2006. Read also: Remias timeline Fegyveres is surprised The account of the events that surrounded the kidnapping of the presidents son and the murder of Remias recently appeared independently in three books. At the end of 2015, Sme daily investigative reporter Matus Burciks book was published. It is based on his long-term contact with Fegyveres and it tells, among other things, the story of Remias from his best friends viewpoint. Oskar does not care so much about the kidnapping case anymore, Burcik told The Slovak Spectator shortly before his book was published. But he regrets that the murder of Remias has not been clarified even though there is no fundamental reason why it shouldnt be. In the story on the reopening of the case that Sme daily ran on April 2, Fegyveres was quoted as saying that he was surprised by the news. It would be a great satisfaction for people who were close to Robert and for those who were persecuted for their efforts to find out about the truth or independently investigate, Fegyveres said. There is still time Just before Burciks book, Mikulas Cernak published his own account of that time of Slovakias history. He suggests in his book that the entire underworld knew that the SIS has ordered the murder from one of their bosses. Earlier still, in late 2013, Peter Toth published his story from the time as well. In reaction to the news that the police has reopened the case Toth suggested that the limitation period of the crime of murder, which is 20 years under the Slovak law, expires soon. But that is not the case, the Sme daily wrote. If someone is charged in the case, the statue of limitations is counted from that moment: in this case it is since the charges were dropped in September 2006. The time during which the case was shelved does not count (in this case since March 2008 until February 2016). Read also: Last month, as part of the Cafe Imports Legendary Coffee Producers tour, Sprudge co-founder Jordan Michelman had the opportunity to conduct sit-down interviews with three of the worlds best coffee producers: Jacques Carneiro of Carmo Coffees in Carmo de Minas, Brazil; Juan Jose Miguel Sr. and Jr. of Finca Nueva Linda in Chiapas, Mexico; and Francisca Chacon of Las Lajas in Central Valley, Costa Rica. In this interview were talking with Jacques Carneiro of Carmo Coffees in Carmo de Minas, Brazil, an operation working against the tide of public opinion that seems to dismiss Brazilian coffee as boring, regular, and undistinguished. The Carneiro family have spent generations in the coffee business, but as a young man Jacques set out to question many of the local practices in the Carmo de Minas region, with the goal of improving cup quality for his familys farms and the now-thousands of other farms they help export to coffee buyers around the world. In this interview we learn the genesis of this sea change in coffee quality in Carmo de Minas, find out more about the rapid growth of high quality coffee in Brazil, discover a new pruning method pioneered by Carmo Coffees, and ask Jacques a simple question: what do you wish more coffee drinkers knew about your coffees? Passionate, insightful, and always looking ahead, this is Jacques Carneiro of Carmo Coffees. Talk to us a bit about your background with coffee, and the Carmo Coffees project. I grew up with coffee. Me, my father, and grandfatherthats all we have, coffee production. My education and lifestyle are based on coffee farms. When I was 15, I left our little town to go study in a big city. My background is business administration; I went PUC in Belo Horizonte, and then did my masters at USP in Sao Paulo. I learned about other fields, but always thought about how I could take on a project back home. My father is tough and he wanted me to work with something outside of coffee first, but coffee was always in my DNA. I dont know why, but I just knew I wanted to work with the farm and with family. We have always produced coffee in Carmo, for 100 years, but we never knew why. I hated to see, at that time, my father just selling coffee internally in Brazil, all blended and mixed. I went to Seattle in 2000 and learned English, and that was the beginning of a major change in my life in terms of trying to figure out my market and what coffee means outside of Brazil. I lived in Seattle for one yearit was very important for me. Starbucks for me was big at the time. Then I went home and started investing my time in cupping. I cupped for maybe three years straight after that. Yes, theres a great quote you had in your speech earlier today: I dont consider myself a producer, I consider myself a cupper. Thats what I enjoy. If I had the option to stop managing the business, the numbers, I would just cup daily. By cupping and learning about coffee, I found that we in Carmo de Minas could create a different story to compliment my generation, and to pay tribute to the work done by older generations. Coffee could be different and have more value to my family and the community. That was when I decided with my family and with a younger cousin to open up Carmo Coffees to export our communitys coffees. So you work with thousands of families now at Carmo? Yes. We connect, we do contracts, we do long-term projects, and we offer all kinds of assistance. The office started with two people, just me and my cousin, and now we have 50 people working for us, including cuppers and agronomists. It was around 2004 that we opened up our doorsour little doorsand in 2005, our family, we won first, second, and third place at the Brazil Cup of Excellence. From there, we wanted to take that opportunity to visit each buyer of our lots, and so we went to Japan, Vancouver BC, and across the United Statesall in 30 days. I was not married yet, so this kind of trip was possible! That really opened the doors for us, and helped us made connections with the market in Japan and North America. From there, it has been many years of investing our time to find out how to make coffee better at the farms in Carmo de Minas, as well as more travel to get to know more people and roasters. How has coffee in Brazil changed since 2005? And how has the perception of Brazilian coffee changed along with it? I remember, in 2005, it was impossible to find a single-origin Brazilian coffee in really any of the coffee shops I visited. And that was, I think, an opportunity for usit was something for us to say, why? We see our region as differentits different than the big picture people have of Brazilian coffee as being some kind of unified thing. The goal is still, how to transform that picture into the reality that we have as a small region working with small farms. Every year, more and more coffee producers come to us and start a new relationship, as we have done with our farms and many other farms. I think we offer a shortcut now, because we already suffered and had that time that was necessary to change minds. And I think we have proven ourselves a little bit now, to change things and change the tales. We have the quality, we have the terroir, and now we just need to have the effort from our individual producers. Thats our project now. Your coffees are purchased and roasted by notable coffee roasters around the world. But do you have a favorite? I would say, perhaps not a favorite, but there are two really big inspirations for me. The first one is Kentaro Maruyama from Japan, who is a good friend and was my first customer. He trusted us so much and told me Man, you have a great coffee. Coming from that guy, back in 2005, it was just such a huge inspiration for us. Every year he would leave me a message for the next year that inspired me. Another important place for me is Intelligentsia. 10 years ago, Doug Zell offered us our first long-term contract, and I met with him in Chicago. Nowadays, were one of the biggest suppliers of Intelligentsia. I once had the experience of visiting the Intelligentsia shop in Venice, Los Angeles, where I was hanging out with my wife. We didnt say anything, you know, but I just waited in line and ordered up my coffee there like anyone else, and that was so inspiring for my company and family. But these are just two examples. I feel so proud to see our coffees in the best roasters and restaurants around the world and makes me get inspired again, makes me want to innovate. We have an intense road and a beautiful road ahead of us, and lots of homework left to do. But we have achieved *something* so far, and these guys trust us. Its about relationships and how companies like Cafe Imports are connected to great roasters. Its great to be connected and trusted. You do some roasting yourself down there in Carmo, and also own a cafe? Yesthe coffee world is so intense and I just want to understand everything! 7 years ago when we were very deep in the road, I always listened to feedback from the customers and visitors, who would ask me, Why dont you roast something? It felt like every visitor wanted to teach me how to roast. So I bought a very old machine from a Brazilian brand, and now we roast around 3 containers a year, only high-quality speciality, on a Probat 25. My brother takes care of this projectits a very small part of what we do, but we have a lot of fun. And then my wife, wella few years ago she said, I want to open a businessI want to open a specialty coffee shop. Its super happy, because now we have this small coffee shop in Sao Lorenzo, and we train people and train tourists. You know, Im very connected to roasters, and we have the farms, so now we have the operation too so we get to learn a bit about coffee shops. I want to ask you about the Safra Zero pruning technique youve helped to develop. Yes, Safra Zero means zero crop or zero harvest. It is a way to prune to have one year of production, and one year with no production. One year off, one year on. Where does that idea come from? 15 years ago, we heard of some guy in Brazil who was trying this method, and everyone called him crazy. I think he was just doing that in the wrong time. People werent used to seeing that, and were shocked to see it. But then years ago, I saw a customer, a farm that is connected with us and sells coffee through us, and I went there because they were a great family with healthy business, and I found out that they were using this model of production. It made me pay attention and say, I want to learn. I felt very proud to see how much quality and money theyre achieving. So when I brought my father there, my father was unsure, but we had to go check it out together. So we talked with the family all day, and I saw that this Safra Zero technique was really working. It makes all the pieces fitproduction, mircrolots, sustainabilty, economicsand so we just started sharing the technique with other people and with our farms. Forgive me if this is a basic question, but how do you manage that across a farm? Do you stagger which plants are bare and which are regrowing? You choose plots, not the whole farm. Depending on the varieties the producer has, they decide to cut, and once they cut they need to treat that tree well with nitrogen, and follow the rules of agronomy. You have to stick with it, not, you know, just making the decision to try and then changing it all up next yearyoull be fucked. And it is a transition. First 10% of the farm can be pruned this way, then 20% and so onin 5 years, youll have 50% of the farm in some plots cut down, and resting, and the other ones producing double or three times their typical yield, and with good quality. Are you familiar with this style of pruning happening with any other kind of crops? Well, different styles of pruning are used in many kinds of crops. Back in 2000, when I was living in Seattle, I visited Napa Valley, and there are also places where they grow grapes in Brazil. We have studied grapes to see what techniques are common in that field, and I did see that some people use this style a little bit. But actually, this kind of technique is really old from the wine worldit is kind of biblical, if you know what I mean, and so beautiful. I really believe 100% that this technique can be part of the future of healthy production in terms of management, and it is definitely part of our ancient past as humans who cultivate plants and grow things for harvest. What do you wish more coffee drinkers knew about your coffees? I want people to know more about the process, honestly. How much effort each person puts into their coffee, and why. I want people to know that the profile matters. Sometimes you produce a coffee pretty well, and you want to show it off, but I am not always good at that, because its not necessarily my business to roast and serve. Thats why we have started small projects like the roastery and cafe, because there we can just make the decisions, and we dont necessarily let consumers always decide. Its the best I can do, knowing what I know about coffee. Even if you like darker coffee, I dont serve that. And you know what? They get used to it, and after that, its a kind of drug, and they never want the dark roasted coffees again. But it takes time. What I really want people to know is that our coffee is delicate in terms of roasting, and you can lose that if youre not careful. Our coffees profilethe jasmine, the citrus, the delicacyit is a volatile thing. I feel proud when I see the coffees we produced being served in the right way. I want people to drink the very best expression of these coffees that I can possibly produce. "OSSMINT consists of little more than capturing and aggregating claims made by anyone [that Higgins] chooses on social media; and over any sub-sample of a time period that he chooses to focus on. It's an echo chamber for whatever he chooses to echo," she noted. Higgins methodology in the report mixed reliable and verifiable information with unverifiable anecdotal claims of the most dubious accuracy, Cobban said. "It's worth underlining that by relying on both open source information and on what [Higgins] calls social media intelligence, which is completely unverifiable, his method is completely unscientific," she pointed out. Serious reconnaissance photographic data about the pattern of Russia and US airstrikes over Syria was potentially available, yet the Atlantic Council report cited none whatsoever, Cobban observed. "Every government intelligence service with constant satellite surveillance over Syria [including the United States, Russia and Israel] would be able to provide solid numbers and figures about the location and authorship of the major military actions taken in Syria over the past 30 months. This report uses no such data," she said. "In Iran, I have often been mistaken for a local, which, in general, was the reason for the many awkward situations I've come across, most of which are connected to the beautiful word ' taarof '. It is under this concept that one understands the rules of social courtesy in Iran, with which locals need to comply." "Oddly enough, it often turned out that this courtesy was also extended to me, since I was frequently mistaken for an Iranian woman. At first I had no idea of the rules of Persian [cultural] practice, and in this connection I ended up finding myself in awkward situations many times." "Take for example, the taxi. When you arrive at your destination and go to pay the driver, he will often say 'No need to pay! You can pay me next year!' With tourists, they usually don't do this, because they worry that a foreigner may indeed leave without paying. But Iranians in this familiar situation know that they will have to persuade the driver to take the money." "The first time I came across the taarof principle was in Lahijan, Gilan province [in northwestern Iran], when I wanted to purchase an Iranian cloak. Having tried several options in different colors, I finally made a choice. The clerk knew I was a foreigner, and when I gave her the money, she said 'Dastetoon dard nakone', which in Persian literally means 'May your hand not hurt'. I didn't know it at the time, but this is a common phrase constantly used in such situations." Cameron is under fire about allegations that he may have gained personally from tax avoidance schemes that his father set up while head of an investment firm. Cameron senior ran a firm called Blairmore which was a major intermediary of the Panama-based legal outfit, setting up shell companies for other British businesses. Typically, the shell companies would be registered in British-controlled overseas territories where they paid zero tax. Those territories include British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. In this way, Britain's rich elite, banks and other corporations could save billions of pounds from paying taxes to the British government. Amazingly, perhaps, these rich men's financial tricks are not considered illegal by the authorities. Although, most people would at least discern them to be unethical practice. Premier David Cameron this week denied having any shares or trusts in overseas tax havens, and he claimed that his sole assets included his salary, savings and a family home. However, Cameron has been coy about answering directly the issue of whether he may have benefited from his father's wheeling and dealing. When Cameron's father, Ian, died in 2010, his personal estate was reportedly valued to be the equivalent of $5 million, of which his son inherited $500,000. It was the same year that David Cameron was elected prime minister as leader of the Conservative Party. Thus, it would seem self-evident that the British prime minister has indeed gained from the proceeds of tax avoidance through his late father's legacy. While strictly not illegal, nevertheless such a connection has politically foul whiff about it. This scandal is not only confined to the occupant of 10 Downing Street. Several other senior members of his own party, including former ministers, have been named in the Panama Papers as patrons of tax-dodging shell companies. The timing of the release of the leak/hack certainly has to do with Palmyra. The recent liberation of Palmyra for 3,000 years the door to Southwest Asia for those who come from the West and the door towards the Mediterranean for those who come from the East was a brilliantly executed geo-strategic plan that left many a Pentagon mouth agape. Daesh had turned Palmyra into a key base for an all-out attack on Damascus controlling the only road leading to the capital. So only a meticulously coordinated counter-offensive up to 20,000 men, from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to local militias, Hezbollah special forces, Iranian pasdaran (including many Iranian-trained Afghans) and Russian Spetsnaz would be able to pull it off. Syrian generals have been adamant to stress that Europe, "invaded" by the refugees "liberated" by Turkey's Sultan Erdogan, preferred all along to support those inexistent "moderate rebels"- a Beltway fiction weaponized by Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Now Europeans have to face blowback in European soil. The SAA, meanwhile, defended Damascus, a unified and secular Syria and SAA generals proudly stress Europe itself. Their work won't stop in Palmyra. The next objectives, for the next few months, are Deir ez-Zour, then the final assault on the fake "Caliphate" capital, Raqqa. So which role Exceptionalistan the land of the "war on terra" played in this epic endeavor? None. It's not an accident that terrorism features last in the Pentagon's list of "strategic threats". It's more like fiction unveiling reality, as in the last scene of the current season of House of Cards: "We make the terror". In the case of Daesh, Washington did "make the terror", as in made the terror happen; the flourishing of the fake "Caliphate" was a willful US government decision. And now Russia has blown up or good for all the world to see the US government's fictional narcissistic self-portrait of undisputed champion of the "war on terra". Ouch. That hurts. Cue to that by now famous visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry to Moscow, two weeks ago, to talk to President Putin. It may have been part of a "grand bargain" in Syria (no, there were no leaks over what they really discussed). And it may have been a tactical retreat, as Kerry acknowledged Russia "won" in Syria, but NATO as in the Pentagon will keep up the pressure in Russia's western borderlands. Hybrid War resumed shortly afterwards, via the Panama Papers. We Rule One World A fake "Caliphate" will never be a strategic threat to Exceptionalistan; but Eurasian integration definitely is. No wonder the Beltway is alarmed. Syria has already yielded two key developments. 1) the high-level coordination between Moscow, Damascus, Tehran and Baghdad via the Baghdad joint information center was the antechamber of how the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), in the future, may intervene in a hot spot as the absolute opposite of NATO: eradicating chaos instead of fomenting it via humanitarian imperialism. 2) This was also an antechamber, in terms of interstate cooperation, of how the New Silk Roads may proceed across Eurasia, further integrating China and Russia with Central Asia and Southwest Asia. As for the Beltway, the priorities remain the same. First of all, prevent Russia and the EU from establishing a bilateral, strategic, trade/commerce partnership that adds to Eurasia integration. Hardcore Hybrid War in Ukraine remains the key spanner in the works, as well as NATO beefing up its "patrols" based in Eastern Europe vassal states. The key overall objective is to prevent Eurasian integration by all means available. As for Wall Street, what matters is to build a One World flow of American capital to the benefit of a turbocharged casino capitalist system controlled by the US and not Eurasia. Compared to the Big Picture, Panama may eventually yield the odd road kill. Not enough. Be prepared for the long haul. For the gas-guzzling Hybrid War Monster Truck, the road goes on forever. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do notnecessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik. The elderly are usually regarded as a vulnerable group in the job market, but demand for pensioners has actually been astonishingly high in Sweden, Swedish Radio reports, with reference to dozens of trade unions and major employers. Kiki Bergman experienced no problems whatsoever when finding a new job. She is currently working part-time. According to Swedish Radio, there is a shortage of trained personnel in a number of professions such as human services which find themselves under immense pressure at the moment. Peter Larsson, who heads the social policy department at the engineers' trade union (Sveriges Ingernjorer) speaks of a certain sobering-up when it comes to the evaluation of older people's skills. "Experience is important; if you have overcome many obstacles in your work, yet kept the cynicism at bay, you are very productive," Peter Larsson said. Sweden, like Europe in general, has an ageing population. The proportion of elderly people has doubled over the past century and is forecast to reach a quarter of the population by 2050. While Swedes continue to have small families, life expectancy is climbing. According to present-day estimates by Sweden's Public Health Authority (Folkhalsomyndigheten), it is expected to reach 87 for women and 85 for men. MOSCOW (Sputnik)Immediately after the plan was introduced Wednesday, Vote Leave spokesman Robert Oxley said it was "disgraceful" that Prime Minister David Camerons administration spent taxpayer money on "EU propaganda" instead of public healthcare. "Given that I think it's very likely that it will be very biased and hysterical warning unnecessarily about the risks of leaving the EU, I think it's a complete waste of money," Johnson said in an interview with the BBC broadcaster late Wednesday. Anticipating backlash from Leave campaigners for using budget funds to sway public opinion in favor of retaining EU membership, Environment Secretary Liz Truss said in Wednesdays statement that publications of this sort were "entirely lawful." Additionally, the Government is contemplating a number of impressive transport infrastructure projects such as light rail lines in Helsinki and Tampere and a high-speed railway between Helsinki and Turku. A total of 700 million euros of infrastructure investments have been earmarked. However, the present-day economic situation in Finland remains dire, with unemployment being the main problem. Recently, Finland's heavyweight telecom equipment firm Nokia announced plans to shed some 1,300 jobs (out of the company's total staff of 6,700 workers) in a bid to save nearly 1 billion euros by 2018. Half of the company's jobs in Espoo will be gone, compared to only' a quarter in Oulu and Tampere. This decision was publicly deplored by Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila of the Center Party. "One can only hope that this announcement is the last of its kind," said Sipila. Nokia's redundancy announcement was preceded by Finland's stainless steel manufacturer Outokumpu's decision to cut up to 600 jobs, following a horrific year with a net loss of 132 million euros. Moreover, Kesko Corporation said 131 will have to leave as a result of a logistics center termination. Trade union Pros' chairman Jorma Malinen said in a press release that the lay-offs once again show how weak Finland's dismissal protection is compared to the rest of Europe. "Nothing is going to change as long as politicians are spineless and nonplussed," says Malinen according to Finland's national broadcaster Yle. MOSCOW (Sputnik)On Wednesday, 61.1 percent of Dutch voters rejected the EU-Ukraine association deals ratification in an advisory referendum. A turnout of 32.2 percent passed the 30-percent threshold to give the public vote legal weight. "The whole treaty is now off the table. That is the will of the Dutch people The treaty should now belong to the dustbin of history. The Netherlands cannot ratify it, so the treaty should be dead. That is what our government has to tell the EU," Geert Wilders said, commenting on the outcome that he called "positive". The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was signed in 2014. The Dutch government decided to hold a non-binding referendum after over 400,000 people signed a petition to put the matter to a nationwide vote. "I'm in a left-wing government, unashamedly, but I also want to work with people from the right, who commit to the same values. This ambition, it's radical, it's a bit crazy, but there is such an energy in the country," he said in a launch video. He got a strong warning from Socialist party chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, who told Les Echos newspaper Thursday: "He can choose his camp. If he wants to change the left's center of gravity, he's going the wrong way." The move comes at a time of great political change in France, with the traditional two-party system the Socialists and Republicans being threatened by a rise in support for the right-wing Front National Party, led by Marine le Pen, who is bidding for the presidency next year. Hollande Under Fire Hollande is already under fire for failing to get to grips with the French economy which has seen slow growth and high unemployment particularly among the young, which stands at 24 percent. In an attempt to boost productivity, Hollande and his Prime Minister Manuel Valls had been hoping for fundamental reforms to the highly codified French labor rules. Lawmakers in Ireland have failed to create a government since the election in February when Fine Gael emerged as the largest party with 50 seats, with Fianna Fail on 44. However, the two parties have been bitter rivals since the 1922-23 Irish civil war and Fianna Fail has always said it would never enter government with Fine Gael. "We need to put historical differences aside, to agree to put policy and personality differences on the table and find a way of negotiating compromise so both parties can put a partnership government together. We're looking forward not looking back," said Coveney. If no agreement is reached, Enda Kenny could opt to attempt to form a minority government, but this will lead to unstable government. The Irish Times said Thursday: "In that scenario, deals have to be struck and parliamentary committees have to spend weeks inching their way through contentious policy proposals before they even see the Dail chamber." The only other option is to go for another election, which could lead to yet another inconclusive result. An online poll in thejournal.ie, 48 percent said Fianna Fail should accept Fine Gael's offer to form a government, 29 percent said no and 20 percent voted for a new election. Other more scientifically-sounding fears included the creation of micro-black holes that could swallow the planet, or the massacre of tiny people living inside the particles. The Internet commotion eventually prompted researchers at CERN to have a good laugh while addressing some of these concerns. A newly-inaugurated FAQ section on the Institute's website answers some of the "queries from social media." On Shiva, for instance the website explains that: "The Shiva statue was a gift from India to celebrate its association with CERN, which started in the 1960's and remains strong today. In the Hindu religion, Lord Shiva practiced Nataraj dance which symbolises Shakti, or life force." A curt defense of the logo (representing the accelerator's shape, not the Prince of Darkness) was also published. The only theory which required the researchers to talk actual science concerned the micro-black holes. Answering the question "Will CERN generate a black hole?" the institute said: "The LHC will not generate black holes in the cosmological sense. However, some theories suggest that the formation of tiny 'quantum' black holes may be possible. The observation of such an event would be thrilling in terms of our understanding of the Universe; and would be perfectly safe." In fact, while some (scientific) theories predict that the accelerator could create small, dense black holes, all such theories also predict that the black holes would also disappear immediately after being created. Will this finally put all the rumors to rest? Unlikely. As Albert Einstein once said: "It is harder to crack prejudice than an atom." However, on Europe, the two founding members are divided on several issues. Merkel caused anger by hijacking the agenda of an EU summit to broker a deal with Turkey to allows for the relocation of "irregular" migrants in Greece back to Turkey in return on a one-for-one basis for Syrian refugees in Turkey being relocated to EU member states. Many NGOs as well as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have refused to take part in the scheme, saying the 'hotspots' in Greece where migrants are processed are 'detention centers' that violate the human rights of migrants. They also say that Turkey is not a 'safe haven' because of its human rights record. Merkel's other plan the relocation of refugees within the EU on a mandatory quota system has also attracted criticism. "We are not in favor of a permanent relocation mechanism. The time now is to implement what has been discussed, negotiated hot spots (registration centers for migrants arriving in the EU) external border controls etc.," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said. Stephan Martens, who writes for Le Monde Diplomatique said: "Germany has lost confidence in France and Angela Merkel no longer believes in Hollande. "First, the French economic reforms as expected are not set in motion. The farce of the Labor Law is, in the eyes of the Germans, the latest illustration of a blocked country. Also, personally, Angela Merkel feels deep disappointment of the French government for its lack of solidarity in the migration crisis." Although the decision is solely up to the politicians in Copenhagen, Boeing is leaving no stone unturned in its massive campaign, which is addressed to the entire Danish population. According to Tom Bell, Head of Boeing' global sales and marketing department, the decision is so important that all of the Danish population ought to be involved. "It is our impression that an expense of such proportions concerns both the politicians and the population, and we hope the campaign will lead to an open and honest debate about the huge cost to the Danish taxpayers," he said, explaining that Boeing has never launched campaigns of such a scale before. Jens Ringsmose, associate professor at the Center for War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, agrees that the campaign is unique. However, he also called Boeing an "underdog" and its advertisement campaign "desperate." "I believe they are simply trying as many channels as possible. One might argue that such is the historical tendency for the outsider clinging to sources other than the classic top-down one," he said, as quoted by Jyllands-Posten. Denmark further postpones fighter jet replacement till 2016, complicated by problems with @thef35, via @defense_news https://t.co/W6sBAYt2Ro Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) December 7, 2015 With the deadline for when politicians must make up their minds approaching, attempts to influence the decision have also intensified, he argued. Depending on the number of aircraft purchased, the overall financing requirement cost for the FRP could run between 2.8 billion dollars and 4.5 billion dollars. WASHINGTON (Sputnik)The plan to forward deploy rotational units of US and NATO forces in eastern Europe is preferable to having them permanently stationed, US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told the Senate Armed Services on Thursday. "I personally think the advantages of rotation outweigh the disadvantages," Milley stated. He noted that that under the US-NATO plan, "the effect of a permanent armored brigade will be achieved, and the disadvantages of [being] forward stationed, the cost, etc. are not going to be incurred." GENEVA (Sputnik)Heightened security measures at EU borders could negatively affect the cross-border flow of goods although now there is no indication to that effect, World Trade Organization economist Coleman Nee said Thursday. "If the situation is worsened, more boarder control are imposed or additional security, it could slow the movement of goods across borders. But today we don't see direct evidence of that," Nee told reporters at the WTOs global trade forecast briefing in Geneva. Last month, Macedonia refused entry to incoming migrants through its border with Greece after other countries along the Balkan migrant route, including Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria, introduced similar measures. MOSCOW (Sputnik)International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Thursday she was "not encouraged" by the Dutch referendum opposing the European Unions association agreement with Ukraine. "I was not encouraged by the vote that took place this morning in the Netherlands," Lagarde said at an annual Women in the World summit in New York City. On Wednesday, 61.1 percent of Dutch voters rejected the EU-Ukraine association deals ratification in the advisory referendum, according to preliminary results ahead of their April 12 publication. Mustafa Oda, a professor of archeology and soldier in the city of Aleppo, told Sputnik that when a person enters the battlefield, the instinct of self-defense and combat, or as he puts it, the 'military psyche', turns on automatically. "From the first moment when you arrive on the front, you forget about your life, and about everything connected with it. You forget what you had taught; the only concern becomes the defense and protection of your family," Mustafa said. At the same time, the young man noted that the country faces problems regarding the distribution of scientific personnel, which, he says, could better serve research, even in the military sphere, than as soldiers at the front. "People with great intellectual potential, whose minds are tied to scientific matters at the physiological level, can bring a greater contribution to the country in the field of military science, or in the science of electronic warfare. Recently, we lost two comrades at the front; one of them was a doctor of historical sciences in the field of archeology, the other a doctor of agricultural sciences," Mustafa lamented. 'Hitting the Books? Only When we Win the War' Khaled was a student at the faculty of tourism before deciding to leave school and join the ranks of the Syrian army in the Damascus suburb of East Ghouta. While there is a war going on, he says, further studies are pointless. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition against the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as Daesh, conducted 27 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, destroying the terrorists infrastructure and targets, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release. "In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL [Islamic State] targets," the release stated on Thursday. "Additionally in Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets." The eight coalition airstrikes near four Syrian cities, including Raqqa and Manbij, destroyed multiple Daesh fighting positions and tactical units, along with a rocket system, according to CENTCOM. MOSCOW (Sputnik)"Now the town of Silopi [in the southeastern Sirnak province] is under a blockade and a curfew. Yesterday evening a building with civilians was shelled, and eight people died, including a 50-year-old woman and a child," Tasdemir said. She added that 16 civilians had been killed in the Sirnak province. Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 as fighting between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Kurdish pro-independence organization considered to be terrorist by Ankara, and the Turkish army resumed. Ankara has imposed several round-the-clock curfews in Kurdish-populated towns, preventing civilians from fleeing the regions where the military operations are taking place. Nonetheless, Russias continued presence in the fight against extremist militants will continue to keep rebel groups on their heels as allied forces march towards Aleppo. "Russian air force planes carried out a number of operations last week," said Bangash. "Further, per the ceasefire agreement between Russia and the US, the terrorist groups were specifically excluded from the ceasefire, so Russia has no obligation whatsoever to avoid attacking these groups." Has the US presence in Syria benefitted the extremist organizations? Yes, said Bangash who explained that, since 2005, the Americans along with Saudi Arabia and Turkey have had their eyes on ousting Assad from controlling Syria. "If the Syrian people dont want Assad, that is for the Syrian people to decide, it isnt for the United States or any other country to decide." He said that he "thinks it is very clear that the US wants to bring down the government of Bashar al-Assad, and that is why the Americans are talking about increasing their special forces in Syria." Bangash said that the US presence has never been welcomed by the Syrian government. "They have not been given permission by the Syrian government and that is in violation of international law and the UN Charter." The US has been putting indirect pressure on India by stressing that though the DTII (Defence Trade and Technology Initiative) has progressed in the absence of the foundational agreements "but at some point the foundational agreements are going to be an issue, whether it's LSA or CISMOA." Amit Cowshish, former Financial Advisor to the Ministry of Defence notes that the US has signed the foundational agreements with many friendly countries but continues to deny those countries complete access to its technologies: "India has not out-rightly rejected such agreements. Some negotiations are likely to happen on the LSA. But, it is highly unlikely that it will be signed. The US has strategic motives behind those agreements, mainly using India against China." India is likely to be extra-cautious while dealing with Carter also because Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar is scheduled to visit China. There is growing perception in India in favour of sustained efforts to repair relations with China. Rupnarayan Das, Director, Research and Information Division, Lok Sabha Secretariat, says: "In recent years there has been growing strategic partnership between India and the US; particularly in the sector of defence cooperation. This is often interpreted by strategic analysts that it is aimed at China. One can agree with that because obviously China continues to be a threat and India needs to be prepared to face any kind of situation. But, I suggest that while we go for deepening defence strategic cooperation with USA, we should equally engage with China, that is quite essential." Carter will arrive in India on 10th of this month. Delegation level meeting between India & US is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 12th during which Carter will meet Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Parrikar will leave for his first visit to China on 18th of April. "Romania's fleet is a bit more respectable including about a half-dozen frigates, missile boats and minesweepers. However, most of the ships are out of date. Speaking about the Romanian armed forces in general, one can paraphrase one German general, who put it like this: 'if they are against us, we would need ten divisions to break them; if they were our allies, we would need the same ten divisions to defend their army.'" In any case, Tetekin noted, what's important to understand is "that Romania has a great wealth of experience extorting money from its strategic partners. While it was an ally of the Soviet Union, the country's leaders strenuously pushed for assistance from their 'big brother' to build socialism. Now, with even more pressure, they are asking their new overseas patrons to give them more money for 'defense' against their former patrons. And in order to avoid the impression that they are asking only for themselves, they decided to drag Ukraine and Georgia into it." "I do not doubt that both Tbilisi and Kiev will accept this idea with great enthusiasm, because the leadership of those countries too likes any and all ideas that would give them a chance to draw even a little money from Uncle Sam's pockets. Perhaps they hope that under this 'allied fleet' idea, they might receive a few warships, or help in the construction of military infrastructure." "However," the lawmaker emphasized, "the Americans are practical people; they understand very well that the transfer of warships to their vassals will not raise the fighting capacity of these countries to any significant extent, because Ukraine and Georgia would be unable to maintain them in an acceptable state for very long." Meanwhile, the information war against Russia is gaining momentum and NATO's vast political bureaucracy is taking an active part in it, according to the US academic. Washington and its NATO allies were quick to forget that it was Russian Aerospace Forces who severed Daesh's supply routes in Syria and dealt a lethal blow to the terrorist organization in Palmyra. Now US influential think tanks, most notably, the Brookings Institution, claim that Russia's support of the Syrian Arab Army, which is fighting against Daesh, may disrupt the ceasefire. Professor Cohen referred to presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was the one who really criticized the US bipartisan foreign policy. According to the US academic, Trump has asked five fundamental questions: "Should the US always be the world's leader and policeman? What is NATO's proper mission today, twenty-five years after the end of the Soviet Union and when international terrorism is the main threat to the West? Why does Washington repeatedly pursue a policy of regime change, in Iraq, Libya, possibly in Ukraine, and now in Damascus, even though it always ends in 'disaster'? Why is the US treating Putin's Russia as an enemy and not as a security partner? And should US nuclear weapons doctrine include a no-first use pledge, which it does not include?" Professor Cohen stressed that none of these questions has been brought to light by the Western press. Although the issues are burning, the US establishment and its subservient media sources prefer to keep them swept under the rug. US officials, most prominently, openly call Russia the ' number one existential threat ' to the US, with European leaders "not far behind; the Baltic states and Poland traditionally accuse Moscow of every sin imaginable, and recently, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that Russia posed a threat to the entire international order." In contrast to some other countries, the paper noted, "Austria has been oriented, by default, toward a more constructive position. Austrian authorities have repeatedly spoken out against sanctions, and have called for dialogue. Moreover, Austria is not a member of NATO, and therefore has more space for diplomatic maneuvers" (as amply demonstrated by Chief of General Staff Commenda's statements). At the same time, however, "Vienna has never formally stepped out to oppose the extension of anti-Russian sanctions, even though its voice could block this EC decision," theoretically at least. Speaking to the newspaper, Vadim Trukhachev, a professor at the Department of Foreign Regions at the Russian State University for Humanities, explained some of the nuances of the Austrian position, noting that they were well illustrated by the Austrian president's recent visit. "To begin with, it must be noted that President Fischer is not eligible to run for a third term. His mandate will soon expire, and so he can now afford to take certain liberties." But that does not take away from the visit's importance. "Austria, in contrast to neighboring Germany, opposed the sanctions, or at least called for their moderation, even in 2014," when the deterioration in relations between Russia and Western countries was only beginning. Moreover, Austria "has numerous projects in Russia, including Raiffeisenbank, the Strabag construction company, and Moscow's Aeroexpress; additionally, Austria is one of the largest European consumers of Russian gas. They do not have nuclear power plants, and as a result are very much dependent on our energy resources, which help to ensure the country's energy balance. The [EU's] imposition of sanctions against Russia was extremely disadvantageous to Vienna, and the country's leadership is doing everything it can to weaken them." MOSCOW (Sputnik)Traffic to the Sputnik news agencys Latvian website surged after the country banned it from the domestic.lv domain, Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency Director General Dmitry Kiselev said Thursday. Sputnik placed its content within the.com zone after Latvian domain name registrars, acting on its Foreign Ministry orders, suspended its dissemination domestically in purported violation of EU regulation. The ministry claimed later the ban was linked to an EU blacklist of Russian officials that include Kiselev. "I am grateful to our Latvian colleagues for an excellent advertising campaign of our website. Our traffic has soared," Kiselev said at a Moscow-Minsk video link on opening day of a multimedia press center in the Belarusian capital. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Wednesday, just days after the Panama Papers scandal erupted, the Tax Justice Network said in a press release that the United States placed third in a global ranking of preferred tax havens, which are legal structures that help corporations hide money by withholding complete ownership information. "This [tax haven] issue has been on the table with [the] Treasury since at least 2008 I testified before the Senate Finance Committee and laid out the problem," Blum told Sputnik on Wednesday. "Legislation had been introduced to force the states to gather that [ownership] information and, lo and behold, Treasury opposed it." Many jurisdictions within the United States provide the same kind of corporate secrecy services as offshore centers, Blum noted, because they do not collect complete information related to "beneficial ownership," meaning those who "benefit" from company proceeds, but are not direct owners. While Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and Republicans Ted Cruz and John Kasich have largely called for increased support to be given to defense forces and alliances like NATO, others have differed in their views. Self-titled "democratic socialist" Bernie Sanders has long been critical of American overseas military intervention and is opposed to increases in defense spending, preferring to redirect funds towards domestic programs like health. Meanwhile, outspoken Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has arguably generated the greatest controversy for his views. 'NATO is ripping off the United States. And you know what we do? Nothing' Trump https://t.co/Ee4v6Fdt1A pic.twitter.com/KitT7P2zAO RT America (@RT_America) 3 April 2016 Despite saying that he would increase spending and support for defense forces, Trump has been hugely critical of US intervention in the Middle East, adding that he believed the NATO military alliance to be "obsolete" and in need of serious reform. Russia US congressmen "love war," why then they don't like to have to vote for it, former US Republican congressman Ron Paul and political analyst Daniel McAdams ask in their latest Ron Paul Liberty Report. "Congress perpetuates a willful misunderstanding of the role of the President in times of war. How many times you hear them saying 'the President is the Commander in Chief'. But they fail to point out to the American people that Congress is the authorizing body and the President is not the Commander in Chief until there is a declaration of war. So, I think they purposely conflate that because they don't want to take responsibilities for these wars," Daniel McAdams, the Executive Director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, underscored. "When you vote for a war you are on record having supported it," McAdams stressed. "In his op-ed, the president says that he reduced the role of nuclear weapons in US national security strategy. The NPR did that, but it did not reduce those roles nearly as far as many have suggested to the single purpose of deterring the use of nuclear weapons against the United States and its allies." Moreover, "US nuclear policy still permits first use of nuclear weapons in certain circumstances." "Nor did the implementation study call for changes in so-called 'requirements' for prompt response, a key factor determining how many weapons must be kept on alert and therefore how many must be kept in the arsenal. Nor did it reduce the number of warheads kept in reserve. These reductions are all sensible unilateral measures that would have no effect on our ability to deter an enemy attack, but would have reduced the size and cost of the now blossoming modernization program." Another opportunity was lost in 2010, Blechman noted, namely, "when many members of NATO were calling for the removal of the 180 US nuclear bombs still kept in Europe." "Some of these weapons are stored at the Kleine Brogel air field in Belgium, a facility that was repeatedly broken into by protesters in 2008, as was its Dutch counterpart. Other US tactical nukes are located at the Incirlik air base in Turkey, less than seventy miles from the Syrian bordera base which the dependents of US airmen and women have just been ordered to evacuate." Unfortunately, the analyst noted, "instead of supporting calls for nuclear withdrawals, the US delegation sided with NATO nuclear hawks." Thune cited expert opinion that the terrorist attack that took down the Russian airline over Egypt last November was facilitated by an airport employee. The amendment would also allow the United States to donate unneeded security equipment to foreign airports with direct flights to the United States. In addition, the Senate overwhelmingly approved an amendment to strengthen the "soft," unsecured areas around airports, introduced by Senator Martin Heinrich. "Airports, train stations, and bus depots are the places we rely on to go about our daily lives. That is why it is so critical to ensure that we make every possible effort to secure them in the face of international terrorism," Heinrich stated. The amendment would allocate new funds to train law enforcement in active shooter situations. It would increase the number of visible deterrents outside of security checkpoints, such as more Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, and bomb-sniffing dogs. The measure addresses renewed concerns following the March terrorist attacks which targeted unsecured locations at a Brussels train station and the perimeter of the Zaventem airport. The amendments are part of the FAA Reauthorization Act, a wide-ranging transportation bill dealing with security, new drone regulations and integrating new technologies into the agency. The complete bill is scheduled for a final vote later on Thursday. The march began in Montreal North as a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday evening, but finally resulted in vandalizing cars, throwing of projectiles, arson and broken windows, according to CBC News Canada. Jean-Pierre Bony, 46, died after being shot by police with a plastic bullet in Montreal North on March 31. Human traffickers and drug lords preferred to set up their fake companies within the United States "in large part because of the legitimacy that comes with having a US address," he said. The current structure of US laws and the policies of successive administrations had created an international system in which vast accumulations of capital could be moved with impunity to offshore havens such as Panama, LeCompte added. "Trade is important. It's important that trade deals lift up people living in poverty and not worsen economic inequality. The US should craft trade deals that prevent this type of financial crime," he said. Enormous offshore concentrations of wealth for US-based legal corporations as well as for fronts for criminal enterprises could easily be used to direct major funding to preferred political candidates ensuring their election in supposedly democratic process, LeCompte also suggested. "Anonymous shell companies facilitate crime and secrecy of all kinds. There is certainly a campaign finance angle just as there are many other angles," he observed. Earlier on Thursday, a US Treasury Department official told Sputnik that the United States will take appropriate action if there have been any violations of US tax laws, although they could not comment specifically on the Panama Papers. The US government, the Treasury Department official added, uses all sources of information, both public and non-public, when investigating financial crimes. Eric LeCompte also serves as executive director of Jubilee USA, a religious anti-poverty coalition of 75 US member organizations and 550 faith communities. Trot Insider has learned that longtime Truro Raceway patron Garnet Russell Gilby, of Elmsdale, N.S., passed away peacefully at his home on April 3 at the age of 104. Born in Elmsdale, he was a son of the late Kenneth and Lilla (Miller) Gilby. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He is survived by his sons, James, Peter (Valerie); grandchildren, Matthew (Catherine), Andrew (Julia); great grandchildren, Lucas, Emma, Grace, Gage; special friend, James Fraser; many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Vera (Thompson); siblings, Lillian, Gladys, Helen, Alan and Warren. Garnet was a kind and generous man who never had a harsh word for anyone. He was a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather, had a passion for horse racing and enjoyed Tim Hortons. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, having earned his 50-year pin several years ago. He was a Past Patron of Eastern Star Lodge, as well as a member of Elmsdale Legion. Garnet, who was featured in the July 2013 issue of Trot Magazine, was Truro Raceway's oldest living fan. He had attended Truro's final live harness racing card of 2015. The track honoured him last August 7 on his 104th birthday, serving a cake for him and his many friends in the grandstand. Visitation will be held 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 in Ettinger Funeral Home, 2812 Highway 2, Shubenacadie, from where a funeral service will be held 2 p.m. on Friday, April 8. A reception will follow in the funeral home hospitality area. Interment in Elmsdale Cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Condolences, words of comfort and memories of Garnet may be shared with the family at www.ettingerfuneralhome.com. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Garnet Gilby. The race office at Mohawk Racetrack would like to inform horsepeople that this mornings qualifiers have been cancelled and moved to Friday morning. Due to inclement weather over the last several days and overnight in the Campbellville area, the qualifiers have been postponed to allow the track crew to prepare the racing surface for tonights card of racing. The qualifiers will now take place tomorrow (April 8) morning at 10:00 a.m. (with files from WEG) Trot Insider has learned that former Standardbred owner and breeder Wendy Clare Leavitt, 73, passed away on March 10 in the Victoria General Site, QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, N.S. after losing a very short battle with cancer. Wendy was born in Halifax on January 10, 1943. She was a daughter of the late Roy Patrick and Estelle (Bunny Fougere) Horne. She is survived by brothers, Bernard (Merry) Horne, Maine; Kenneth (Nova Lee) Horne, Dartmouth; Danny, Halifax; sisters, Joan Horne, Halifax; Shirley (Wayne Webber), Dartmouth; many nieces and nephews; aunts, uncles and cousins. After attending St. Pat's High School, she worked briefly at Dalhousie Child Guidance Clinic. At 19, she boarded a ship for New York City and accepted a position at Hoffman-La Roche in New Jersey. She quickly became interested in horse racing, which led to her marriage to Alan Leavitt. She enjoyed many years at Lana Lobell Farms in Bedminster, New Jersey in the breeding and racing industry of Standardbred horses. She generously reached out and gave summer jobs to her nieces and nephews from Nova Scotia. Wendy was generous to a fault and she marched to the beat of her own drum right to the very end. Wendy returned to Nova Scotia in 1999, where she worked at Capital Health until her health failed her. The family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses and staff of 8A, VG Site, for their care and kindness to Wendy. Cremation had taken place and there is no service, at Wendy's request. A private family celebration of her life will be held in early spring. For those that wish, donations may be made to Multiple Myeloma Society of Canada. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Wendy Leavitt. (With files from Halifax Chronicle-Herald) Theologians, Journalists from Largest Catholic Publisher can Clarify Pope Francis' Meditation on Two Family Synods Contact: Christine V. Owsik, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing , 215-230-8095, COwsik@osv.com MEDIA ADVISORY, April 7, 2016 / Standard Newswire / --Pope Francis' much-anticipated Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia ("The Joy of Love") will be released in Rome at a Vatican press briefing on Friday. The document is expected to address "Love in the Family" and the recently debated issues of the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family, including but not limited to: the question of Holy Communion for the civilly divorced and remarried; appropriate pastoral care for Catholics with same-sex attraction; and couples in irregular situations, especially cohabitation. Our Sunday Visitor offers top Catholic experts as commentators to discuss and explain the document.Friday, April 8, 201611:30am Rome Time (5:30am Eastern)Dr. Matthew Bunson -- Senior Correspondent, Our Sunday Visitor PublishingDr. Bunson is a leading theologian, author, editor, speaker, historian and media commentator in all areas of Catholicism, particularly the papacy, Church history and Catholic culture. He has written over 50 books, including the bestselling and award-winning first biography on the pope, Pope Francis (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013); The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, Papal Wisdom and others. He is editor of The Catholic Answer Magazine and The Catholic Almanac.Gretchen Crowe -- Editor-In-Chief, OSV NewsweeklyAn award-winning Catholic journalist and photographer, and editor of the only national Catholic weekly newspaper in the U.S., Gretchen also oversees content for OSVNews.com and Our Sunday Visitor's social media. She provided in-depth coverage of both the 2015 pastoral visit of Pope Francis to the U.S., as well as that of Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. Follow her on Twitter @GretchenOSV.For an interview or additional information, please contact: Christine V Owsik, 215-230-8095, COwsik@osv.com ABOUT OUR SUNDAY VISITORThe world's largest English-language Catholic publisher, Our Sunday Visitor serves millions of Catholics globally through its publishing, offertory, and communication services. Established in 1912, Our Sunday Visitor publishes a wide range of books including Bibles, biographies of the saints, books by Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, children's books, devotionals, bible studies, inspirational works, and curriculum. Our Sunday Visitor is a not-for-profit organization, returning a portion of net earnings back to the Catholic community through the Our Sunday Visitor Institute. For more information, visit www.osv.com One incumbent is running in the five-candidate race for two open seats. State psychologists have determined that Sergey Fedoruk was sane when he allegedly killed his brother-in-law during a fight outside their Kelso-area home in 2011. The report by Western State Hospital, filed Tuesday, could undercut Fedoruks lawyers attempt to mount a not guilty by reason of insanity defense. However, it was unclear Wednesday whether the defense would seek an independent evaluation. Fedoruk, 42, is being retried on a second-degree murder charge in the death of Serhiy Ishchenko, 48, of Kelso. Ischenko died of multiple blunt-force traumatic injuries after an alleged fight between him and Fedoruk. The Western State report acknowledges that Fedoruk has a history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. But Fedoruks own descriptions of his actions at the time of Ischenkos death demonstrate that he understood the nature and consequences of his actions and knew right from wrong, the report says. He therefore cant be considered insane under state law, the report concludes. Fedoruk told Western State staff during interviews, for example, that he tried to resuscitate Ischenko with CPR, thus exhibiting an understanding of the right thing to do, the report states. Fedoruk also told state psychologists that he tried to hide Ischenkos body under a pile of leaves and branches by a nearby creek because his sister Elena would have a heart attack. If this were his motive for concealment of the body, it appeared to demonstrate his ability to recognize pain and suffering another might have at that time, a level of understanding of right versus wrongful behavior, the report reads. One could also interpret the acts of hiding the body as means of avoiding detection. Fedoruk appealed his 2012 conviction, and the state Court of Appeals overturned it in 2014 for ineffective assistance by his defense attorneys and for prosecutorial misconduct. Fedoruks defense team at the time didnt explore a defense of not guilty by reason of insanity until just before jury selection. The trial court denied a request for more time. Last month, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning ruled that Fedoruk is competent to stand trial, a legal definition that means he is able to assist in his defense and understands the charges against him. Pacific County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Don Richter is handling the case because Cowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen worked on Fedoruks defense. Richter and Fedoruks public defense attorney, Thad Scudder, will review Western States report April 12, when a trial date will likely be set. Richter and Director of Cowlitz Countys Office of Public Defense Terry Mulligan declined to comment on how the report could affect Fedoruks trial. tech2 News Staff Retail giant Future Group has confirmed acquisition of online furniture store FabFurnish. This is the first online acquisition that the Kishore Biyani-led group has made. Future Group already has its finger in the home and furnishing business with the HomeTown brand of stores and seems to be taking a step towards an offline-online model. We will leverage FabFurnishs online platform and delivery model to grow our presence in markets where we do not have offline stores or have minimal reach, said Kishore Biyani, chief executive officer of Future Group, reports Mint. It adds that Future Group may pay between Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore in cash to buy the Rocket Internet-backed startup. Neither Future Group nor FabFurnish have commented on the financial details though. The report also adds that the FabFurnish brand will be retained and the online platform will be used to take Home Town online. FabFurnish's management team and its 100 odd employees are most likely to join the Future Group. The report also said that FabFurnish, which earlier sold private labels besides promoting merchants on its platform, became a full-fledged marketplace late last year. During the same time, the company also fired almost one-fourth of its workforce. Despite an early start in the online furnishing business, FabFurnish succumbed to competition from Pepperfry and Urban Ladder that recently saw funding rounds led by Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital respectively. German group Rocket Internet had started this year on shaky ground when reports were doing rounds about its possibility of exiting India businesses. It had already begun to look for potential deals for FabFurnish then. Rumour has it that fashion retail brand Jabong and online food ordering business Foodpanda may be next on the sale list. Apparently, the group is disappointed with its portfolio in India and has decided not to focus on the Indian market. For Future Group, the move also means it is upping the ante before Swedish furniture retailing giant IKEA. IKEA's first store in Hyderabad will be a massive 4 lakh square feet in size and will include all features of a global IKEA store, including restaurant and play and development area. The company plans to target Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru next. "We are creating the largest home furnishings company in the country. IKEA is coming in, and it will take them at least two to three years to become an Rs 1,000 crore company, and we are already there," Biyani said in this report. tech2 News Staff Six manufacturers of trucks from five countries in Europe just participated in the European Truck Platooning Challenge. Truck platooning involves hooking up a fleet of trucks over Wi-Fi and having autonomous vehicle technology driving the vehicles less than a second apart. Platooning increases fuel efficiency, reduces occupation of road space, and reduces emissions. The platooning also reduces the risk of accidents. The fleets were driverless in regular traffic conditions. Each manufacturer platooned only with their own trucks, as the Wi-Fi co-ordination systems set up on the trucks vary by manufacturer. All the trucks departed from their location of production or home base of the company, and traveled across Europe to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Volvo started from Gothenburg in Sweden. Daimler started from Stuttgart, and MAN from Munich, both in Germany. IVECO left from Brussels, the capital of Belgium. DAF departed from Westerlo in Belgium. Scania had the longest route to take, driving 2000 kilometers from Sodertalje in Sweden. The trucks traveled across Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Germany and finally stopped at Netherlands. The platooning challenge was organised by Netherlands, with co-operation of the officials in all five countries. The next step is to start using truck platoons for real life operations. The first of these is going to be a fleet of trucks delivering Unilver products across Europe from the port of Rotterdam, according to a report by Quartz. tech2 News Staff At a launch event in Mumbai, Vivo unveiled the Vivo V3 at a price of Rs 17, 980 while the Vivo V3 Max is priced at Rs 23,980. The smartphone are said to launch "soon" in India. No details regarding availability were shared. Vivo also announced actor Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador. In terms of specifications, the Vivo V3 features a 5-inch display along with an Snapdragon 616 processor, paired with 3GB RAM. It includes an internal storage of 32GB and can be further expanded up to 128GB via microSD card. The smartphone comes equipped with a 13MP rear camera with dual LED flash and PDAF along with an 8MP front facing camera. https://twitter.com/tech2eets/status/717285498910334976?lang=en https://twitter.com/tech2eets/status/717284519649390593?lang=en Running Android 5.1 Lollipop based FunTouch OS 2.5, the device includes connectivity features such as 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. A 2,550mAh battery completes the package. On the other hand, the V3 Max features a 5.5-inch full HD display. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor paired with 4GB RAM. The smartphone includes an internal storage of 32GB which can be further expanded up to 128GB via microSD card. The smartphone comes equipped with a 13MP rear camera with dual LED flash and PDAF along with an 8MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with FunTouch OS 2.5 on top and connectivity features include 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. A 3,000mAh battery completes the package. Both devices also feature a fingerprint sensor. https://twitter.com/tech2eets/status/717279282402357248?lang=en https://twitter.com/tech2eets/status/717288282602749953?lang=en Commenting on the launch, Alex Feng, CEO of Vivo India said, "It gives me immense pleasure to announce the launch of our innovation, the V3 and V3 Max for the Indian market. The V series designed with creativity and equipped with state of art technology will be a landmark for Vivo India. India remains our prime focus and the launch of these models is a testimony of our commitment to cater to the ever growing demand of meticulous customers in India and worldwide. The V3 and V3 Max offer an unbeatable proposition of cutting edge technology, impressive looks and Hi-Fi music quality in the industry." tech2 News Staff Xiaomi has now collaborated with Hasbro's Transformers to crowdfund a robot model called Soundwave in China. Soundwave basically looks like a Mi Pad 2, that turns into a Transformer-like robot that can be detached from the tablet's assembly. It is priced at CNY 169 (approximately Rs 1,700), and will begin shipping in China starting May 13. As of now, no details have been shared regarding availability in other international markets. https://twitter.com/xiaomi/status/717284472425746432 The Transformers Special Edition Mi Pad 2 is a toy made by the company in partnership with Hasbro to mark its sixth birthday on April 6. It is a crowd sourced project and is meant for Xiaomi fans. However, it is not a working device. Hugo Barra shared details on Facebook and said, "R&D worked really hard to ensure that the color, details and feel are exactly the same as Mi Pad 2. They were challenged at turning such a slim 7mm tablet into a 3D robot, but they managed to do so with a 30-step folding assembly." The Mi Pad 2 retains the same 7.9-inch display with 2048 x 1536 resolution that take the pixel density all the way up to 324ppi. Xiaomi has powered the device with quad-core Intel Atom X5-Z8500 processor. The processor is coupled with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM to handle all those apps. It also includes Intel HD graphics for the GPU. In terms of camera, Xiaomi has opted for an 8-megapixel rear snapper and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, just like its predecessor. When it comes to connectivity, the Mi Pad 2 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and also the ac draft. There is no 4G LTE or GPS. It does support Bluetooth v4.1. It also deploys the latest Type-C 1.0 reversible connector. The device will be available in 16GB and 64GB variants, with expandable memory slots up to 128GB. The device is fuelled by a 6190mAh battery that promises a battery life with 649 hours of standby time, up to 12.5 hours of multimedia and up to 100 hours of music. Hillary not qualified to be president: Sanders Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders (left) Hillary Clinton. AP, Philadelphia :Bernie Sanders is questioning whether Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is "qualified" to be president after she spent much of the day after the Wisconsin primary criticizing his record and his preparedness for the job."She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote unquote not qualified to be president," Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday. "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds."Sanders also said Clinton is not qualified because of her vote for the war in Iraq and her support for trade agreements that he says are harmful to American workers.It's the latest salvo in a war of words that has gotten increasingly heated as underdog Sanders has gained ground on front-runner Clinton, capped by the Vermont senator's victory in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon responded quickly to Sanders' comment, writing on Twitter: "Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified.' But he has now - absurdly - said it about her. This is a new low."In a fund-raising appeal early Thursday, Hillary for America's deputy communications director, Christina Reynolds, said of Sanders: "This is a ridiculous and irresponsible attack for someone to make - not just against the person who is almost certainly going to be the nominee of their party this November, but against someone who is one of the most qualified people to run for the presidency in the history of the United States." Indeed, Clinton did not say Sanders was "unqualified" or "not qualified" during a much-quoted interview Wednesday morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."In a discussion of an interview with Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if "Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States."She responded, "Well, I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions."Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Wednesday evening that Sanders was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined, "Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president."Whether or not Clinton called Sanders unqualified, she clearly ratcheted up her attacks Wednesday. In an interview with Politico, she said she tries to explain things in a more "open and truthful way than my opponent."Later, at a Philadelphia job training center, Clinton said people should know what she would do if she's elected president, "not just lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric."Turkish Columnist Put On Trial For Insulting President Tayyip Erdoganstanbul: The trial of a Turkish journalist accused of insulting President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has opened and been immediately adjourned in Istanbul. Rahul Raj Singh should be hanged: Pratyusha`s father TV actress Pratyusha Banerjees father Shankar Banerjee said that actor Rahul Raj Singh, with whom his daughter was in a relationship, should be hanged or imprisoned for the rest of his life. Rahul should be either hanged or kept in prison for the rest of his life. He has ruined my daughters life, she should get justice, Shankar Banerjee, who finally spoke to the media on Thursday, said. Pratyusha Banerjees prayer meet was held on Tuesday at a gurudwara in Mumbai which was attended by her mother, father and her close friends. Handling the structural problems Paul Lindquist. : "There is a document floating around Brussels called the "Five Presidents' Report", in which the leaders of the various EU institutions map out ways to save the euro. It all involves more integration: a social union, a political union, a budgetary union. At a time when Brussels should be devolving power, it is hauling more and more towards the centre, and there is no way that Britain can be unaffected." These were the words of Boris Johnson in his article in The Telegraph where he declared that he will vote in favour of Brexit. It is an ironic fact that the report will be discussed and the proposals analysed at almost the same time the United Kingdom holds its referendum about the country's further membership in the European Union. However, the Five Presidents' Report is not primarily about the EU as a whole but about the economic and monetary union, which the UK is exempt from. At the same time, the Five Presidents' Report is actually a document of great importance for the EU and the future for the Union which provides significant steps towards making the economic and monetary union more resilient to economic shocks and introducing reforms to enhance the democratic legitimacy of EMU governance. The banking union is a central piece in the report and perhaps the only truly efficient measure in the short term. Creating a banking union is about getting these incentives right for banks and for governments in order to prevent crises in the financial system, break the vicious circle between national banks and member states, and minimise the negative effects of economic shocks. However, the report does not make any proposals for reform of the European Stability Mechanism and does not address the issue of sovereign default within EMU. There should be a greater focus on addressing the core problems of the monetary union, namely current account imbalances caused by differences in productivity growth, which also lead to imbalances in capital flows between countries and regions. Mechanisms must also be introduced to provide feedback to countries and regions where politicians or economic operators are deviating from what is considered to be sound policy and sound risk-taking. The present economic situation, with fragile growth and high unemployment, justifies an integrated approach in order to consolidate public finances in the member states, so as to implement structural reforms and stimulate investment, with a view to generating sustainable growth and making the EU even more competitive. When I was appointed rapporteur by the European Committee of the Regions to formulate our views about the report, some people questioned the choice of someone from a country outside the euro. But the stability of the euro is also vital for countries like Sweden and Great Britain. My focus has been to ask myself whether the proposals in the Five Presidents' Report actually makes the euro more robust and if the proposals would make it more likely that a country like Sweden one day joins. Formally we are obliged to, but in practice no-one will force us. Currently, there is no great enthusiasm about the euro in Sweden, but that doesn't mean that Sweden won't join one day and - considering this prospect - how can we improve the EMU to make it more attractive to new members? Looking at GDP per capita in the EU it is obvious that we are one of the most successful regions in the world. But it is also a region with a rather bleak demographic scenario ahead. There is a striking irony that we are having a fierce discussion about immigration in the European Union while we desperately need more people. Of course there are challenges that come with the large number of migrants currently fleeing to Europe, especially surrounding access to housing, social services and labour market. But migration and labour mobility also offers a potential to boost growth in the Union - if we are able to tackle these issues. The discussion about the economic and monetary union and its problems cannot be disentangled from the demographic issues at hand. The only way to increase growth and provide social services for a rapidly ageing population will be to open our borders to labour migration. Handling our structural problems will be a prerequisite for openness. With a well-functioning euro we can all prosper. And this is what the Five Presidents' Report is all about - creating a sound economy that makes it viable to welcome new citizens and new countries to the EU. (Paul Lindquist (EPP) is a member of the European Committee of the Regions and Commissioner of Stockholm County, Sweden). Where are the Americans? The huge leak of documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca has revealed how tax havens are used to hide wealth. It is the biggest leak in history, but many have questioned why only a few Americans have been implicated so far. US news outlet Fusion, which was part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that revealed the files, said journalists were able to identify 211 people with addresses in the US who owned companies in the data. But it was not clear if all of them were US citizens. Experts said more names could become clear as other files of the 11.5m leaked documents were examined. Americans seeking to avoid tax, they said, might prefer other well-known tax havens or US states with relaxed regulations. Another reason could be that stricter US laws had made tax evasion more difficult for American citizens. Laws in the US states of Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have made it easy for corporations to create shell companies there to avoid higher taxes in their own states, experts say. Foreign companies are also said to have taken advantage of these regulations. Critics say these arrangements were responsible for transforming Delaware into an onshore version of the Cayman Islands, a well-known tax haven, according to a report by the New York Times. Officials in Delaware said this comparison was "inaccurate". But watchdog group Transparency International said the state was "synonymous" with "anonymous companies and ghost corporations", being "one of the most symbolic cases of corruption". It is not only about Delaware. Prof Jason Sharman, at Griffith University in Nathan, Australia, told Reuters news agency in 2011: "Somalia has slightly higher standards than Wyoming and Nevada." These two US states were among the many places Mossack Fonseca said it offered services. Last year's Financial Secrecy Index, published by the Tax Justice Network, said a "failure to enact legislation that would require transparency and the exploitation of these gaps by private operators" made US states including Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming "leaders" in offshore secret incorporations. William Sharp, from US-based Sharp Partners PA, said: "Forming a Nevada or Delaware limited liability company can be done overnight and typically with very little, if any, substantive operations. To the extent that Americans are looking for corporate confidentiality, Nevada and Delaware certainly provide that." Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming have promised to crack down on secret business but so far no relevant measures have been taken, according to the Tax Justice Network. This is how the Tax Justice Network says the operation works. A businessman sets up a shell company in Delaware, for example, using a local company formation agent. This local agent provides nominee officers and directors, typically lawyers, whose information, such as passport details, will become public. But as the nominees are bound by attorney-client privilege not to reveal details, it is hard to get to the names of the real owners of that company, and they may well be another shell company. "The company can run millions through its bank account but nobody - whether domestic or foreign law enforcement - can crack through that form of secrecy," the Tax Justice Network says. A report by US website Politico suggested that Americans who wanted to avoid taxes preferred other places, like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands or Singapore, and not Panama. These countries speak English, operate under a derivative of English common law and have political systems seen as more stable, it said. "If there was a leak from Singapore, as opposed to Panama, which is what we have so far, we might find more [evasion]," Reuven Avi-Yonah, a law professor at the University of Michigan, told Politico. He said estimates of the annual costs of illegal tax evasion for the US ranged from $20bn (14bn) to $70bn. However, Mr Sharp said US laws like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and other cross-border initiatives had meant that the "tax evasion game [was] principally over for American taxpayers". "The list of known countries used by Americans to evade taxes is growing shorter as the day grows longer," he said. EU Ambassador protests killing of JnU student European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon has strongly condemned the killing of Nazim Uddin Samad, a student of Jagannath University. Samad, a master's degree student of Jagannath University and said to be an organiser of Ganajagran Mancha, a secular campaigning group, was killed in the city on Wednesday. In a statement, Ambassador Mayaudon from the EU Delegation to Bangladesh on Thursday reminded that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and emphasises the need for tolerance and respect for differing views. He said the EU supports all efforts to ensure that citizens of Bangladesh may express their views freely and without fear. Ambassador Mayaudon conveyed his condolences to the family of Samad and hoped that thorough investigation will bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. Protect online activists, UN urges BD The United Nations has renewed its call for the security authorities in Bangladesh to 'adequately protect' online activists who might be at risk.In a statement on Thursday, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert D Watkins said the UN in Bangladesh is appalled by the killing of Nazim Uddin Samad and condemned the brutal crime.The UN also urged the security authorities to bring about a speedy closure to this most recent atrocity as well as to the other investigations underway. Watkins laid emphasis on protecting the online activists adequately to ensure continued freedom of expression and opinion in the country as they are the foundations of a democratic society. Samad, a master's degree student of Jagannath University who had expressed secular views online, has been killed in the capital on Wednesday. The 28-year-old was reported to have been an organiser of the Ganajagran Manch, a secular campaigning group.The UN has been raising its concerns about these incidents since the first killing three years ago and continues to call for thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, Watkins said."In spite of the recent pause in the assassination of online activists, this attack demonstrates that this new killing is clearly part of a growing trend which undermines the freedom of expression and opinion in Bangladesh," he said. The UN, Watkins said, recognises that the Courts have delivered a verdict in the Rajib Haider murder case in January this year, two years after the killing. Student Groups plan half-day hartal on April 25 Staff Reporter : The Progressive Students' Alliance and Anti-Imperialist Students' Union on Thursday threatened to call a half-day countrywide hartal on April 25 if the government fails to arrest the killers of Comilla Victoria College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu by April 24. They came up with the threat at a rally in front of Shikkha Bhaban in the city after police obstructed their procession heading towards Home Ministry to lay a siege to it. The agitating students called upon the leaders and workers of all political parties to extend their support in favour of April 25 hartal and make it a success. They also urged transport workers and leaders to make their hartal programme a success. Earlier as per their scheduled programme, leaders and activists of the two left-leaning student bodies and general students took out a procession from Madhu's Canteen at Dhaka University around 12noon in a bid to besiege the Home Ministry to press home their demand for arresting the Tonu's killers. When the students in a procession reached near Doyel Chattar at Curzon Hall, police intercepted them. On April 3, the two left-leaning student bodies announced to lay a siege to the Home Ministry on Thursday. Being police intercepted the activists of Progressive Students' Alliance and Anti-Imperialist Students' Union held a protest rally in front of Shikkha Bhaban. "Some 17 students were injured when police chased the students," Progressive Students' Alliance and Anti-Imperialist Students' Union coordinator Ashraful Alam Sohel told the journalists. The injured students received first aid from Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). The latest outcry, in social media platforms, has been a denounce of the first forensic report that said doctors did not find any evidence of rape in Tonu's body. "We're giving the government until April 24 to arrest those involved in Tonu murder and bring them to justice. If the government fails to do so, a half-day hartal from 6:00am to 12:00 noon will be enforced on May 25," Ashraf told the rally. Sohagi Jahan Tonu, 19, a second year history student of Comilla Victoria College and a member of Victoria College Theatre, went missing on March 20, hours after she had gone out of her house at Comilla Mainamati Cantonment for private tuition. Later, Tonu's father Yaar Hossain found his daughter lying senseless with severe injuries in her body in a bush adjacent to their house. The incident sparked off widespread protests across the country. For marrying fourth time? Mother, daughter among four hurt in acid attack: Wives point finger to husband Staff Reporter : Four members of a family, including mother and daughter, received severe burn injuries when masked assailants threw acid on them in their house at road no-13 of Rupnagar in the city's Mirpur area on Thursday morning. The acid- burned victims were identified as Mahfuza Akhter Subarna, 28, Suruj Alam Khan, 35, their daughter Sanzida Sultana Rima, 9, and Subarna's sister Nilufar, 32. Police arrested Suruj Alam Khan on suspicion of involvement in the acid attack after getting formal complaints from his wife Subarna. Police also suspected that the reason behind the attack might be a sequel of long-standing family feud. Suruj Alam Khan has been living in a tin-shed house along with his three wives for the last five years. Injured Subarna is the second wife of Suruj Alam Khan. She reportedly tried to resist her husband from marrying another woman for the fourth time. When contacted, Officer-in-Charge of Rupnagar Police Station Shahid Alam said, "The attackers fled away throwing acid on the victims. They managed to commit the crime as Subarna opened door of the house." "We have arrested Suruj Alam Khan on charge of acid attack. We've also started investigation to know the actual reason behind the attack," the OC said. Meanwhile, the injured were admitted to burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Of the injured, the condition of Subarna was stated to be critical by the on-duty doctors. She received severe injuries in different parts of the body, including face, chest, back and hands. Besides, the hands to Rima and Sultana severely burnt as they tried to save their faces from acid attack, police said. Subarna, who works in a garments factory, said that two masked men came to their house in the morning. They were carrying a packet of sweetmeat. They introduced themselves as distant relatives of Patuakhali village home and asked to open the door. Entering the house, the criminals opened the sweetmeat box and brought out two bottles. Without wasting anytime they threw acid on Subarna. Other family members were injured when they came there to save her. Police could not arrest the attackers till the time of filing this report at 7:30pm yesterday. Repression against women, children on alarming rise Joynal Abedin Khan :The repression against women and children is increasing across the country day after day.The countrymen, including rights activists, have expressed a deep concerned over rising incidents alarmingly. The Women and Children Affairs Ministry launched a toll free help line to inform the ministry crime incidents and to take necessary help. The service is open for all round 24 hours after launching on June 19 in 2012. ministry sources said. According to Police Headquarters, at least 1707 incidents of repression against the women and children were reported in March while the number was 1482 in February and 1315 in January of the current year. A report of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) said, 169 rape incidents were reported in the last three months this year and the figure was 521 in 2015, 199 in 2014, 170 in 2013 and 86 in 2012. Besides, violence against women rose by 74 per cent in 2015 compared with the previous year, says a report of BRAC.The number might be higher, as 68 percent of incidents of violence against women go unreported, the report mentioned.The report was prepared on the basis of field reports done by BRAC staff working in 55 districts across the country.Report of Bangladesh Police website, a total of 17,752 cases were filed in 2010 for violence against women and children. The number of such cases was 21,220 in 2015. A report of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) said, a total of 55,656 women were killed for various reasons in the last 11 years and two months (from January 2005 to February 2016).A national survey of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2014 said that 87 per cent of Bangladeshi married women were abused by their husbands. BRAC's field report published in June last year shows that the total number of incidents of violence against women in 2014 was 2,873, which rose to the alarming figure of 5,008 in 2015.The report also shows poor women are subjected to violence relatively more than 54 pc because of social discrimination.Overall, men were responsible for the majority of violence committed against women. It reveals that 88pc of perpetrators are men, who are family members of the victim women or their neighbours.According to the BRAC survey, incidents of violence occur more in Comilla, Bogra, Rajshahi, Bagerhat and Satkhira.The victim or victims' family, neighbours, and Polli Somaj members send reports to BRAC head office within 24 hours of identification, and maintain a database.BRAC's community empowerment director Anna Minj said that the family of victim women shows interest to take legal action after the incidents of violence. But, the poor families lose their enthusiasm when influential people force them to withdraw cases.Eventually, one fourth of the cases reach the final stage. But victim families withdraw cases negotiating with the accused in exchange of money due to legislative complication, she added.Abul Hossain, Project Director of Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violence against Women under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, violence against women is much visible nowadays as people are vocal on the issue.Prof Mahfuza Khanam, member of the National Human Rights Commission, said that the state of women and children is also an indicator of development for a country.Bangladesh is developing day by day, but violence against women is also increasing due to the impact of satellite channels, digital culture, and lack of implementation of laws, she said.Prof Mahfuza Khanam also said, an integrated step has to be taken to thwart these incidents of violence against women. Govt indecision holds back expansion of Eastern Refinery Staff Reporter : The installation of the second unit of Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL-2) is hanging in balance over the past several years because of the indecision of the government on the project, despite the lining up of a credit for $ 2 billion from the Chinese government in this respect. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC); which owns the Eastern Refinery got the approval for construction of the ERL-2 in December 2013 with an annual capacity of 3.5 million tones of crude. It was also negotiating for funding of the project with a Chinese funding agency from 2012. The ERL-2 was scheduled to go into production by 2016, so that it can refine all the domestic requirement of 5m tones of fuel oil from crude imports. The existing unit of Eastern Refinery can refine 1.5 million tonnes. Eliminating the need for import of refined oil was the main purpose as it could save cost of oil refined domestically by at least Tk 6 to 7 per litre During the official visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to China in 2014 the matter of government to government funding for the project came up for discussion. In the joint-statement at the end of the visit, ERL-2 project was listed as one of the five projects for Chinese funding. The concerned Chinese state owned company was then recommended about the project by Chinese Economic Counselor in Dhaka clearing the way for installation of ERL-2. The letter was also delivered to State Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Additional Secretary of the Economic Resources Division (ERD) of Bangladesh government. Subsequently, the Chinese Embassy and concerned Chinese ministry took up the mater and Eximbank, which is the funding arm of the government, and the relevant Chinese company submitted letter of interest to Bangladesh side. The Chinese government also obtained pre-allocations for financing the project. But the company is not receiving any official reply from relevant Bangladesh government agencies, the local sources said while around USD 2 billion Chinese fund for the project is lying unutilized. 'Regulatory Commission' to control pvt edn institutions planned M M Jasim : The government is going to form a 'Regulatory Commission' in order to control the reckless practice of the country's private educational institutions in charging extra fees from the students. The commission will be formed after the Cabinet passes the draft on the 'Education Law". The draft is now on the Education Ministry's website. Some officials of the Education Ministry wishing anonymity told The New Nation that it was very difficult to check charging extra tuition fees as many educational institutions were being run by the influential persons. That is why the ministry is looking for alternative way to control the institutions. The ministry sources said that the ministry emphasised the formation of the 'Regulatory Commission", especially after widespread protest by the guardians and the students against extra fees. According to the draft education law, the 'Regulatory Commission' will oversee the academic activities of the private universities, colleges and schools. It could cancel the approval of the institutions and give financial punishment to the school or college or varsity if found involved with irregularities like charging extra fees. Law Officer (Joint Secretary) of the Education Ministry Dr Md Faroque Hossain told The New Nation on Thursday, "The Education Ministry has been working to ensure standard education for all and to run the education sector smoothly. As per the initiative, the ministry drafted an education law and posted it on the ministry's website for the 3rd and last time. The draft law suggests the ministry to form a strong 'Regulatory Commission' to check the extra fees. "The 'Regulatory Commission' will decide the tuition fees of the private educational institutions, including the English medium schools. The commission will have special power to take stern action against the faulty institutions," Faroque Hossain said. It may be mentioned that a number of educational institutions in Dhaka and Chittagong increased fees by 70 to 100 per cent in the first phase of this year. Among them are BIAM Model School and College, Ideal School and College, Udayan Higher Secondary School and College, Mohammadpur Preparatory Higher Secondary Girls' School and College, Shaheed Police Smrity School and College, Shaheed Bir Uttam Lt Anwar Girls' School and College, and Bangladesh Bank High School and College. The hike is from 20 to 50 per cent in many other institutions, including Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College, Dhaka Residential Model College, St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, National Ideal School and College, Siddheswari Girls' High School, and Junior Laboratory School. Following the widespread protest, the government served show-cause notices on 1,209 educational institutions that allegedly realized additional money from their students during the registration process for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations. Sagar-Runi murder Submission of probe report now May 19 Court Correspondent ; The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka on Thursday, once again re-fixed the date for submitting probe report in the Sagor-Runi murder case. Magistrate Mohammad Yunus Khan fixed May 19 for submitting the investigation report as Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) did not submit the report yesterday (Thursday). Earlier, different courts on several dates expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation and their failure to unearth the real clue of the murder and to arrest the miscreants. . Sagar Sarowar, News Editor of private TV Channel Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, Senior Reporter of TV channel ATN Bangla, had been killed at their rented flat in West Rajabazar of the city on February 11 in 2012. 200 bird species still habitat in Dhaka UNB, Dhaka : Though the figure may sound surprising in the first instance, ornithologists say some 200 bird species still choose Dhaka city as their abode. How on earth, amid the bustling city life, the diverse avian population has been surviving? Birdwatchers feel lucky enough to have in their vicinity the little greenery Dhaka provides, though it is far below the standard level for a healthy city. This is the point the students and faculties of Zoology Department of Jagannath University (JnU) in association with Nature Study and Conservation Club are aiming to bring forth through a two-day bird scouting initiative, titled 'Dhaka Bird Race 2016'. The Dhaka Bird Race 2016, the first of its kind in the country, is all set to be held on April 15-16. With a simple online registration costing only Tk 300, two-three people can form a group to join the Race. The groups will be assigned to observe on April 15-16 the avian life in a city area of their choice and gather some simple information about common birds as well as rare birds. After submission of the information by the groups, the organisers will sort out the winners and present souvenirs to the participants at the concluding ceremony on the JnU campus. Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sayeed Khokon is likely to attend the closing ceremony. Talking to UNB, Delip K Das Bisharga, a lecturer at the Zoology Department of JnU, said the aim of their initiative is to instate among people some positive insights about the city and its bird diversity. "About 700 bird species are sighted in Bangladesh, of which 200 can be sighted in Dhaka city alone. This is an astounding number as you know many countries in Europe are not fortunate enough to have 200 bird species," he said. "Besides the most common and urban birds, rare birds are also being sighted once in a while to the bird watcher's delight. For example, Hume's Short-toed Lark and Blue-capped Rock Thrush (Niltupi Shiladama) were sighted in the suburbs of Dhaka which was the first record for the country in the last two years," he added. District Attorney Keith Stutes Photo by Robin May The Daily Advertiser reported Thursday that 15th Judicial District Attorney Keith Stutes confirmed receipt of a criminal complaint against Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope. Stutes would not comment on the complaint to the Advertiser, but told the paper the matter will be investigated fully. The matter is the months-long public records dispute between The Independent and the marshal. The IND sued the marshal for access to the records it sought hoping to prove Pope conspired late last year with Scott Police Chief Chad Leger to attack Legers then-challenger and eventual winner for Lafayette Parish sheriff, Mark Garber. On March 24 Pope was held in contempt of court by District Judge Jules Edwards for defying a court order to turn over public records to this news organization. Read more about the bizarre press conference Pope and Leger collaborated on here. Edwards ordered Pope to pay The INDs legal fees, court costs and penalties, all of which now amount to more than $100,000. In what appears to be unprecedented in the state in a public records case, the judge also sentenced the marshal to 30 days in jail, suspending all but seven of them. On Monday Pope was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center and quickly released after posting a $500 bond. He is appealing the contempt ruling. _ October 2015_ Pope abuses his office to play politics on behalf of his friend, sheriff candidate Chad Leger The IND seeks records in connection with that episode, which Pope refuses to turn over November 2015 The IND files suit to obtain the withheld records. December 2016 District Court Judge Jules Edwards orders Pope to turn over the requested records. The marshal produces an incomplete response He lies under oath about it. January 2016 Judge Edwards rules Pope's responses woefully inadequate and a contempt hearing is scheduled. March 2016 Testimony proves that Pope knowingly withheld records from The INDs request and that he lied about the Leger campaigns involvement. Pope sentenced to jail time, public presentations and thousands in fines. Advocate editorial urges criminal investigation of the marshal. April 2016 Pope's own legal fees approach $50K, and he pays for them from marshal's account. Daily Advertiser editorial suggests Pope be investigated for malfeasance and perjury. In his video deposition and a hearing before Judge Edwards, Pope lied about his authorship of press conference materials and use of an email service called Campaigner, public records show, and also admitted that he used the resources of the marshal's office for his own fund raising. Where it all started: Marshal Pope at his Oct. 7 press conference Photo by Robin May Depending on where investigators take the case, the city marshal could face criminal charges of abuse of office, malfeasance in office and perjury, according to Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statute, as well as an inquiry from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. Stutes was not immediately available for comment. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. Home >Police Enforcement > Checkpoints and Stops > Florida Court Gives Police Right To Detain Innocent Passengers SPRINGFIELD Republican leaders in the Illinois General Assembly on Thursday announced a plan to fund social service providers that have seen state money cut off during the ongoing budget impasse. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, has introduced a lifeline bill that would authorize spending $1.3 billion on programs such as home care for elderly residents, services for rape victims and the homeless, and lead poisoning screenings, among a host of others. Of that total, nearly $860 million would come from special funds, while the remaining $434 million would come from general state revenue. Senate committee OKs fairgrounds foundation bill SPRINGFIELD An Illinois Senate committee gave the green light Wednesday to a bill that wou To cover the spending, Radognos bill is tied to a measure that would make changes to state pensions, including shifting costs associated with large end-of-career salary increases and salaries of more than $180,000 to local school districts and state universities. Those measures would save an estimated $750 million in general revenue next year, according to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners administration, which introduced them in its proposal for next years budget. Were tying spending to a way to pay for it, Radogno said. GOP lawmakers and Rauner have criticized the Democrats who control the General Assembly for passing budget bills without identifying revenue sources to pay for them. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, plans to file identical legislation in his chamber. Republicans in our caucus as well value the social services agencies and our providers. We represent vulnerable populations who rely on these critical services, Durkin said. But this difference is were not going to make promises that the state cant keep. Radogno is also asking Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, to attach his proposal for wider reforms to the states severely underfunded pension systems to the companion bill. Cullerton has proposed giving workers a choice between having future raises count toward their pensions or receiving yearly compounding cost-of-living raises in retirement. Savings from those changes, which have Rauners support but would inevitably face a court challenge, arent counted in the plan, Radogno said. House panel begins to look at state economic development corporation SPRINGFIELD Jim Schultz spent part of his first day as CEO of the Illinois Business and Ec Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said Senate Democrats welcome the new proposal and look forward to reviewing Radognos bill. However, Patterson said Democrats are cautious about counting savings from any pension changes before the courts have reviewed them. The lesson of recent history would be you shouldnt count on the savings of any pension reform plan before the Illinois Supreme Court has weighed in on the constitutionality of the plan, Patterson said. The high court has thrown out laws changing both state and city of Chicago pension plans because they violated the pension protection clause of the Illinois Constitution. Republicans argue that the changes Rauner has proposed would withstand a court challenge because they dont reduce benefits. The new Republican plan doesnt include any money for the states public universities or community colleges, which have also been left out in the cold during the impasse, now in its 10th month. Durkin said Democrats have refused to take up Republicans-backed bills that would fund higher education at reduced levels from last year and pay for it through changes such as streamlining the way the state buys goods and services. VIENNA For 26 years, until her retirement this past year, Sandra McGill worked at Vienna Correctional Center, teaching adult education to inmates. Every month, her health insurance premium was deducted from her check. Lawmakers return to Capitol as budget impasse drags on SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Capitol has been quiet for the past couple weeks during the Gener McGill said she loved her work, and she did it well, holding up her end of the bargain with the state. And when she fell ill, she expected the state would hold up its end of the deal, too. I paid in every year. I paid in my part of the insurance, she said. And when you need it, its not there. As if facing a serious health scare isnt enough, the political division in Springfield is making it that much harder for McGill to move on with her life after cancer. The state estimates it is $2.9 billion behind on paying claims and premiums, with payment delays to providers averaging about 17 months, according to Meredith Krantz, spokeswoman for Central Management Services, under which the states Group Insurance Division is housed. As the bills pile up, some providers have had enough, asking insured employees and retirees to pay upfront for services, and sending their unpaid bills to collections leaving people to deal with calls from creditors, while worrying about potential long-term consequences to their credit ratings if they cant afford the payments their insurance was supposed to cover. Or, as in McGills case, providers are declining or delaying treatment services for conditions that are not considered life threatening. McGill was told she would have to wait and who knows how long it will take for her third and final breast reconstruction surgery following a double-mastectomy. The states group insurance covers roughly 363,000 state employees, retirees, university workers and others who belong to either fully insured HMO and Medicare Advantage plans, or self-insured plans. Its those with the self-insured plans administered on behalf of the state by Cigna, HealthLink OAP, Coventry OAP and Delta Dental that are running into the most serious issues, because the state is responsible for paying claims in the self-insured plan. To provide perspective on the depth of the problem, Rex Budde, president and CEO of Southern Illinois Healthcare, said the state owes the hospital $45.6 million for services provided to people covered by the states self-insured plans. The hospital is continuing to provide services awaiting payment, he said, but were getting very, very frustrated the state isnt fulfilling its responsibilities. *** McGill said she has been relatively healthy over the years, rarely tapping her insurance for medical care of any extensive nature. But in March 2015, at age 51, a routine mammogram turned up two suspicious lumps. She underwent surgery to remove the tumors, which further testing proved cancerous. She then faced the difficult decision about whether to undergo a double-mastectomy as a precautionary measure recommended by her doctor, given the high rate of breast cancer reoccurring or spreading in women. McGill said she looked to God for strength, and found within herself the resolve to keep a positive attitude for her husband, David, and two boys, Jacob and Joshua, now ages 22 and 14, respectively. She opted for the double-mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, and began the process of both on an operating table at Baptist Health in Paducah on June 9, 2015. She followed that with chemotherapy treatment. Even though she loved her job and had planned to work longer, at least until she was eligible for her maximum pension benefit, McGill said she decided to retire from her job with the state at the end of that month because the recovery process was so taxing, and running low on vacation and sick days, it was more advantageous for her to retire than take family medical leave. Manar introducing new plan to overhaul education funding SPRINGFIELD In what has become a perennial occurrence at the Capitol in recent years, Sen. After the initial eight-hour operation, the reconstruction process called for two more operations, with healing time required between. She completed the second phase on Dec. 4, 2015, McGill said. On March 21, she returned to her plastic surgeon, a doctor in private practice in Paducah, and she was cleared for the third and final phase of the reconstruction. She set up an appointment for June 16. But McGill said an employee from the doctors office called after shed returned home that day to inform her the doctor could not go forth with the third phase. She was told that was because the state had not made any payments to the doctor for her previous two surgeries. McGill said she doesnt blame him, as she too feels he should be paid for his services, and she declined to name him, saying she didnt want him to draw unfair criticism when it is the states fault. Upon the denial from her doctors office, McGill said she called HealthLink OAP, the administrator of her plan, and was told that there was nothing they could do because the state was so far behind in making claims payments. After that roadblock, McGill said she wasnt sure what options she had except to wait. I worked all these years, and every month theyve gotten my money out of my check, but now theyre saying, well, you know, too bad, really, she said. The only good thing, so far, is I have not seen a bill. They (her medical providers) havent sent me anything that says you need to pay this amount, but Im sure its coming. Theyre trying to be patient. *** Informed of McGills difficulties, Krantz, the spokeswoman for CMS, said: In cases like that, members should contact the Group Insurance Division and we can assist in helping make sure those problems are addressed. In an email, she provided the number 1-800-442-1300 and said employees and retirees should call in cases where they are having insurance-related problems, or are asked to pay upfront for services, due to the budget impasse. The Southern Illinoisan relayed this number to McGill, who reported back that she ran into trouble connecting with someone. So, the newspaper also attempted to reach the division. After following the prompts and waiting on hold about seven minutes, a representative answered the phone. The reporter, who did not identify herself as a member of the media, asked for verification that this is where insured employees and retirees should call to access assistance in resolving issues related to nonpayment by the state. But the person who answered the phone had little to offer in the way of help. Unfortunately, we are unable to do anything due to the fact that the state hasnt appropriated a budget, the employee said. The person provided a first name, but the newspaper is declining to disclose it at this time. Pressed further, the state employee said McGills best course of action would be to contact HealthLink. When informed McGill had already gone that route, she reiterated that, though it was an unfortunate situation, there was nothing that could be done. Asked why the agency is telling people to call the number provided if the Group Insurance Division could not help, the employee said she did not know why that had happened. The employee said the decision to provide the public that number came from Central Management Services Director Michael Hoffman, but that the five employees charged with answering the calls were not given any extra guidance about how they may assist when non-payment from the state is the primary issue. Senate committee OKs fairgrounds foundation bill SPRINGFIELD An Illinois Senate committee gave the green light Wednesday to a bill that wou Asked repeatedly if the division would at least attempt to help McGill, or others in a similar situation, sort through her issue, given that McGill wasnt sure where else to turn, the employee said, I guess we can try, but I cant give any guarantees on anything right now. *** Phil Atherton, of Ullin, said another thing lost in this conversation is how stressful it is for families to fight for insurance coverage wasting endless hours on frustrating phone calls when they have a right to expect coverage. After all, employees are still paying their premiums, he noted. Krantz said that while the state contributions are not allowed in absence of a state budget, the employee contributions are being held in a reserve fund until funding equal to one month's payment can be made to each of the plans. Without the states contribution, that takes about seven months. In March 2016, sufficient payroll deductions had accumulated in the fund to cover a one-month payment to all plans, and CMS authorized that amount. It is our intention to release similar payments in the future, she said. Krantz said the current budget debacle is only part of the problem. The state insurance program has been underfunded for years due to fiscal mismanagement dating back at least a decade, she said. For the Athertons, that March state claims payment came just in time and theres no guarantee for what the future holds. On Feb. 16, the family received a notice from Advantage Nursing Services that it was canceling nursing services for Brooke, their 22 year-old-daughter, who lives with severe brain injury, a heart defect, immune disorder and other serious health concerns. Brooke cannot speak, and therefore cannot relay what might be bothering her, necessitating the in-home skilled care. The agency said it was pulling out because, at the end of this period, the balance on their account would exceed $300,000. The letter directed the Athertons to call their insurance company, by whatever means necessary, to have them release payments as soon as possible. The Athertons have fought hard over the years to ensure Brooke's nursing care is covered. In 2005, after it was deemed not medically necessary and scheduled for cancellation, the Aterthons filed for injunctive relief to keep payments continuing, and sued the state. They won a lawsuit declaring that only a persons treating physician, not a doctor employed by a health insurance company reviewing paperwork, can determine medical necessity. But here they are again, facing uncertainty regarding Brookes care. This is a very, very serious issue and they are playing with peoples lives and its all just political, Atherton said. Something is going to have to be done. People are going to die from this. WASHINGTON -- American politics is standing on its head this year. The Democratic front-runner swept the South in this winter's primaries and caucuses -- piling up massive numbers of convention delegates in the power base of her Republican rivals. The top Republican candidate won liberal Massachusetts and industrial Illinois and Michigan -- prevailing in states the Democrats have won in every election since 1992 and the party's power base in the 21st century. The party that claimed younger voters and planned to use their loyalty to remain in the White House for a generation is about to nominate a presidential candidate who is 68 and has consistently lost the support of young voters to a 74-year-old challenger. The party that seemed demographically doomed because of its failure to win support from Hispanics had two Cuban-Americans as leading candidates this year, with one of them emerging as the likeliest challenger to Manhattan businessman Donald J. Trump. The likely presidential nominee of the progressive party is conservative in style and outlook. The front-runner of the conservative party is radical in campaign style and political outlook. The party that is the natural combatant to the banks and to Wall Street is about to nominate a candidate who has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from those very interests. The party that is the natural party of business could nominate a real-estate tycoon whose emphasis is on middle-class jobs, who is contemptuous of the financial elite and who flaunts his use of eminent domain, a potent symbol of big-government power that business interests and conservatives revile. Suddenly it is becoming clear that this year's election is an upside-down cake being served to a reluctant electorate. And as slices of that cake are carved, it is apparent that geopolitical assumptions that have governed American politics since the Nixon years are being rendered obsolete, replaced by new assumptions that have a new logic and that promise a new political calculus. This year some of the most reliably Republican states in the Union -- Utah and Idaho, both of which have consistently voted Republican since 1952 with the exception of the Barry Goldwater debacle in 1964 -- are suddenly plausible pick-ups for the Democrats. These are the two states with the highest percentages of Mormon voters, at once the most reliably Republican voting group and the group most antagonistic to Trump. The billionaire businessman's life and campaign style are incongruous in Mormon circles, and he antagonized many Mormons when he ridiculed former GOP Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the first Mormon presidential nominee. Now consider two important Southern states. Since 1964, Georgia has voted Democratic only when a native son (Jimmy Carter) and a Southerner (Bill Clinton in 1992, but not when he ran for re-election in 1996) were on the top of the ticket. Since 1968, North Carolina has voted Democratic only twice, when Carter was on the ballot in 1976 (but not when he ran for re-election in 1980) and in 2008 (when Barack Obama took the state by three-tenths of a point, a feat he did not repeat in 2012). And yet neither is safe for the Republicans if Trump is nominated. Nor is the bellwether state of Florida, which Trump claims as one of his homes and which, with the exception of 1960 and 1992, has sided with the winner every time since 1928. In fact, neither party can completely count on its traditional constituencies. Mainline Protestants, for generations the mainstays of the GOP, showed little interest in voting for Trump in the primary in Massachusetts, where they traditionally have supplied and supported Republican candidates. Yet some states, like Michigan, which has voted Democratic in the last six presidential elections, now may be ripe for the Republicans if Trump is the nominee. Michigan has the classic Rust Belt profile; Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show the state shed 231,752 manufacturing jobs, or about a quarter of its manufacturing work force, since the 1994 implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, a principal Trump target. Though the devaluation of the peso in Mexico's 1994 currency crisis may have been as much a factor in the job losses, the trade agreement remains under fire in Michigan. Trump was the decisive victor in last month's Michigan Republican primary among voters whose incomes fall below $50,000 -- voters who otherwise would be considered natural constituents of the Democrats. Because Democrats with the same income levels did not exactly flock to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who in the Michigan Democratic primary narrowly lost that group to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, they, too, can be considered vulnerable to Trump's entreaties. And though polls show Clinton with a comfortable lead in Pennsylvania, which has voted Democratic in the last six elections and where Clinton defeated Obama by 10 points eight years ago, both Clinton and Trump have high unfavorable ratings, according to the Franklin and Marshall College Poll. Many analysts believe the state is up for grabs. Meanwhile, Republicans increasingly believe that Maine, which has gone Democratic in the past six elections, is within their reach, particularly since the state awards one electoral vote to the candidate who wins each of the two congressional districts. Paul LePage, the controversial Republican governor of Maine, has endorsed Trump. Then there is the question of New York, which Clinton represented in the Senate and which has voted Republican only three times in the 14 elections since 1960. That is Trump's true home state, and GOP strategists believe that, despite a large Clinton lead, they may be able to prevail there in the fall. Another crucial battlefield will be Wisconsin, which holds its highly contentious primary Tuesday. The state has been safely Democratic the past seven elections and early indications suggest Clinton has an edge there. But that could change if Trump prevails in the state this week; he is running behind Cruz, according to a Marquette Law School statewide poll late last week. Taken together, all these moving parts are creating a complex new math and a vital new truth: In an era when so many Americans believe American politics needs to be fixed, there are no fixed points in American politics. ----- David M. Shribman is executive editor of the Post-Gazette (dshribman@post-gazette.com, 412 263-1890). Follow him on Twitter at ShribmanPG. 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. /By Azernews/ By Fatma Babayeva Azerbaijans state energy company SOCAR is interested in purchasing assets of the gas station network belonging to the Austrian energy company OMV in Turkey as a part of the companys investment strategy. SOCARs interest in acquisition of gas station in Turkey is associated with the launch of the Star Refinery in Izmir, head of SOCAR Turkey Enerji Inc. Kanan Yavuz told Turkish media on April 5. The sale of petroleum products produced in the plant will be realized in the framework of the plan on integrating the company into the market. Some 55 percent of the refinery project has been completed and the construction work still continues. The commissioning of the refinery is expected in 2018. SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev gave instructions to companys Turkish branch to analyze the Turkish market for the sale of gasoline, particularly at the OMVs gas station network, said Yavuz. The issue will be addressed in terms of priorities, strategies and objectives of SOCAR. The SOCAR president confirmed SOCARs interest in purchasing assets of the OMVs gas station network in Turkey last week. Earlier, OMV announced about the sale of its Turkish subsidiary OMV Petrol Office as the company intended to focus on extracting facilities and integrated oil refining activities. OMV Petrol Office, which owns one of the largest gas station chains in Turkey, has 1,785 gasoline stations in Turkey. The volume of fuel sold amounted to about 10 million tons, in 2015. In 2013, Unipetrol held talks with OMV to acquire gas station network in the Czech Republic. And in 2012, the Serbian NIS-Gazprom Neft signed an agreement to buy a network of 28 gas stations that were owned by the OMV subsidiary in Bosnia and Herzegovina. SOCAR is the largest investor in Turkeys economy. Its total investments in Turkey exceed $20 billion for the period 2008-2018. It will be Azerbaijans largest investment abroad by 2020. Previously, Kanan Yavuz told journalists that SOCAR Turkey Enerji will become the second largest industrial company in Turkey by 2018. The consolidated turnover of SOCAR Turkey Enerji is expected to reach to $15 billion in 2018. In addition, SOCAR holds 56.32 percent stake in Turkeys petrochemical giant Petkim. Turkey and Azerbaijan has always had close and amicable relations due to common roots, history and culture. Thus, Turkey is a stable market for Azerbaijan to invest. The increasing number of projects initiated by both countries will serve to enhance the cooperation between them more in future. /By Azernews/ By Aynur Karimova Escalation along the line of contact flared up on April 2, as Armenian troops once again resorted to provocation against the Azerbaijani side. A powerful strike from the Azerbaijani troops confused the Armenian militaries forcing them to retreat and run leaving their weapons on the ground. The Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. The sides agreed on truce on April 5, however Azerbaijan's leadership has voiced its firm position that if Armenia again violates ceasefire, it will be given a fitting rebuff. The Azerbaijani army has again shown the enemy where it belongs, President Ilham Aliyev said while talking to the families of the martyred and wounded Azerbaijani servicemen on April 5. "We have given it a fitting rebuff. We have full advantage today, too. Despite this, we have stated that we are ready to unilaterally restore the ceasefire on the condition that the other party will also observe the ceasefire. We do not want war. We want a peaceful solution to the issue, President Aliyev stated. Azerbaijan has taken appropriate measures to counter Armenias use of force against its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to ensure the safety of civilian population and property within its internationally recognized borders. During the counter attack from April 2 through April 5, more than 370 Armenian soldiers, 12 tanks, 12 armored vehicles and 15 artillery pieces have been destroyed. President Aliyev further emphasized that Azerbaijan is ready for peace talks with Armenia. "Although the negotiations remain fruitless, we are still ready for talks," he said. "The Armenian side has resorted to this provocation because the pressure on it from the international community and the mediators dealing with this issue is mounting." However, Azerbaijan's territorial integrity has never been and never will be the subject of negotiations, the president emphasized. "If the Armenian leadership realizes its mistakes and acts honestly at the negotiating table, I am sure there are possibilities for a peaceful solution of the problem. In any case, we want it," President Aliyev stated. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5, as a meeting between the Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijan Armed Forces Colonel General Najmaddin Sadikhov and the Chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces Colonel General Yuri Khachaturyan took place by the mediation of Russian. Azerbaijan declared that it ceases all military operations, but on the condition that the other party does not take advantage of that. "We are on our own land. We do not claim the land of another country. We did not occupy the land of another country, but we will not allow anyone to rule on our land," President Aliyev noted. President Aliyev once again stressed Azerbaijan's position on the achieved ceasefire during his phone talk with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on April 5. President Aliyev reminded that the ceasefire was restored today, on April 5 afternoon, and the responsibility for its violation lies on the Armenian side. Azerbaijan has repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community that the primary reason of the tension in the region is the unlawful presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the territories of Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions despite the four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Welcoming the high-ranking Russian official, President Aliyev said that on Apr.7, Baku hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan. "We are very pleased that this meeting, the first such meeting is taking place in our country," he said. "I think this is the beginning of a very serious process of regional cooperation between our countries." Azerbaijan is the only country in the world, which borders both with Russia and Iran, said the president, adding that such a geographical location, as well as the history of relations between the peoples of the three countries and the current cooperation Azerbaijan and Russia, of course, makes it necessary to intensify cooperation in a multilateral format. President Ilham Aliyev said that issues related to the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, political engagement, transportation issues, energy, and others are being discussed at the meeting in a spirit of mutual understanding and constructivism. The president further said that Lavrov's visit is a good opportunity to discuss bilateral issues. "We are very pleased to see how relations are built between our countries," Ilham Aliyev said, adding that they include high-level relations of strategic partnership, which cover almost all spheres. President Aliyev said that Russia and Azerbaijan are two friends, two neighbors. "We value these relations and try to strengthen and develop them," the president said. "This concerns political, humanitarian cooperation, economy, energy, and, of course, the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." President Aliyev said that as everyone knows, the situation has recently aggravated on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which has led to human losses. "Of course, this is a matter of concern in the world and in the region," the president said. The president added that the recent situation on the line of contact also causes public concern. "In this case, Russia once again took the initiative," the president said. "The ceasefire agreement was reached with the Russian side's mediation." "We believe that this is only way to prevent an escalation in the region," the president said. "The ceasefire regime was observed, and unfortunately, the Armenian side violated it again." "We are committed to the continuation of the negotiation process," Ilham Aliyev said. The president said that he received the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group. "I have also told the co-chairmen, ambassadors and I want to tell the press that Azerbaijan is committed to the negotiation process," the president said. "We want to settle this conflict peacefully, on the basis of norms and principles of the international law." "I think that all these years - more than 20 years that have passed since the ceasefire testify to the fact that we are committed to the political settlement," the president said. "Of course, we will also discuss all these questions with you," the president said. "I am sure that your visit will be another important step in strengthening our relations." President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani phoned President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on April 6. President Hassan Rouhani expressed his concern over the recent events on the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, and welcomed the two sides` reaching ceasefire agreement. President Ilham Aliyev informed President Hassan Rouhani on the recent situation on the line of contact, and said Azerbaijan always supported peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. President Ilham Aliyev said Armenia always had a non-constructive position and violated ceasefire agreement. The head of state described the recent events on the line of contact as another provocation of Armenia. During the conversation the presidents exchanged views on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Iranian bilateral ties in a variety of areas. President Ilham Aliyev recalled his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying the agreements reached during the trip were being successfully implemented. The head of state said the trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Iranian and Russian foreign ministers to be held in Baku on April 7 would contribute to the strengthening of security and development of cooperation in the region. The presidents said they would try their best to expand the bilateral relations. Starting from 12:00 April 5, immediately after the parties reached an agreement on ceasing the military operations, Armenia has started firing Azerbaijani Armed Forces' positions along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in Ordubad, Shahbuz and Babek regions of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, press-service of Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan said April 6. "From 12:10 April 5 till 12:56 April 6, our positions in these regions have been supressed with large calibre weapons and grenade launchers from Armenian Armed Forces' position in Megri, Sysyan and Jermuk regions of Armenia", the ministry said. The ministry also said that units of Independent Combined Arms army supressed the enemy positions in this direction with its accurate response fires. "As a result of taken response measures by Azerbaijan's units in Ordubad direction, enemy's firing position and engineering installation have been destroyed. Operational environment is under the full control of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan", the ministry added. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. /By Trend/ Azerbaijan made a first move in the right direction. It demonstrates the commitment for peace by Azerbaijan and needs an appropriate response from the other side. We therefore call for the immediate withdrawal of the military forces of Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions, Ilir Rexhep Meta, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament told European Azerbaijan Societys (TEAS) with regard to the military provocation and violation of the ceasefire by the Armenian forces on the contact line separating the Azerbaijani and Armenian forces. Albania is very much concerned about the escalation of violence, demolition of civilian facilities and casualties in human lives occurring during the recent crisis over the frozen conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh region. We support efforts of international community and the call for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation of the situation and protection of civilian population. International law and rights must prevail and parties must negotiate for a comprehensive, final and long-standing settlement in respect of all UNSC Resolutions. This crystal clear acknowledgement, also shared by the EU and the OSCE, has to be the base of every stable solution of this conflict, Ilir Rexhep Meta said. He further added: Based on these acts and principles, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh constitutes an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Minsk Group is the right platform to involve all actors to negotiate and facilitate this solution. Albania believes that the principle of territorial integrity is a pivotal discipline in interaction of modern states, and that includes the condemnation of occupation and displacement. Albania fully backs the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. It is highly relevant for the international community to make all and sincere efforts for a safe return of the refugees to their homes as soon as conditions allow. Every aggression has to be stopped and prevented otherwise its consequences can be devastating. Especially the life of innocent civilians needs to be protected, Speaker of Albanian Parliament noted. He said: The on-going refugee crisis in the Middle East, Balkans and Europe is a bad example of conflicts not being contained. This has to be the main objective of all international cooperation. Peace and stability in Azerbaijan and the wider region are very important for Albania, Balkans and Europe. The strategic projects on energy diversification, energy security and the future of Southern Gas Corridor are vital and must not be jeopardized from another conflict, he added. President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliyev has said Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict must be solved peacefully, on the base of principles of international law, in particular on the principles of territorial integrity and borders` inviolability. President Rosen Plevneliyev expressed his deepest concern over the military conflict that resulted the killing of civilians and stressed the importance of restoring the ceasefire. Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly John Hambrick has voiced support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as he met with Interior Minister Ramil Usubov. He said the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity. Hambrick also expressed the State of Nevada`s interest in maintaining trade and economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Usubov said Azerbaijan attached great importance to developing relations with the United States in all areas. President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, his meetings and talks with senior US officials will contribute to the deepening of our bilateral cooperation. The minister highlighted Azerbaijan`s role in fighting against international terrorism as part of a US-led international coalition. Usubov said Azerbaijan suffered from terrorism and transnational organized crime. He said more than 2,000 Azerbaijanis were killed in terrorist attacks organized by the Armenian special services in the late 1980s and early 1990s. /By Azernews/ By Nazrin Gadimova Despite the achieved agreement on ceasefire, the units of the Armenian Armed Forces continue to violate truce on the contact line of troops. From April 5 through April 6, the enemy fired Azerbaijans positions along Azerbaijan-Armenia state border in Ordubad, Shahbuz and Babek regions of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on April 6. As a result of taken response measures by the Azerbaijani units in Ordubad direction, the enemy's firing position and engineering installation have been destroyed. The situation on the contact line between Azerbaijan and Armenia has remained tense as the Armenian Armed Forces shattered ceasefire a total of 119 times throughout the day. Armenian armed forces, located in Armenia's Berkaber, Paravakar villages of Ijevan region, Mosesgekh, Chinari villages of Berd region and nameless hills Krasnoselsk region subjected to fire the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces located in nameless hills and Gizilhajili village of Gazakh region, Kohnagishlag village of Agstafa region, Agdam, Alibayli villages in Tovuz region and nameless hills of Gadabay region. The ceasefire was violated in Gulustan village in Goranboy region, Goyarkh, Yarimja, Chilaburt villages in Tartar region, Shikhlar, Sarijali, Kangarli, Namirli villages in Aghdam region, Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region, Garakhanbayli, Horadiz, Gorgan, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages in Fuzuli region, Mehdili village of Jabrayil region, as well as nameless hills in Goygol, Goranboy, Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. In view of the operational situation, Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted 125 strikes on enemy positions. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry has once again warned the Armenian side, saying if Armenians continue their provocative attempts and do not leave the occupied Azerbaijani territories, many surprises await them. The fighting spirit and winning will of our people, as well as our Armed Forces are at a high level and we will gain victory by responding to any provocation of the enemy, destroying them and liberating our lands, Dargahli told Trend on April 7. The fact that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, as well as high-ranking military officers and various experts have acknowledged Azerbaijans military superiority once again proved that the enemy is in a panic, according to Dargahli. Thanks to care and attention of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, the countrys Armed Forces are equipped with the most modern weapons, ammunition, military equipment and other military means that allow destroying the enemy from a distance without direct contact, Dargahli said. Dargahli emphasized that the military equipment, weapons and ammunition enable the Azerbaijani Army to provide the liberation of the occupied lands, to force the enemy to peace through the use of more precise and destructive power means against them. The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijans positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3. The Azerbaijani Army destroyed about 370 enemy soldiers since the start of the hostilities, according to the defense ministry. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5, as a meeting between the Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijan Armed Forces Colonel General Najmaddin Sadikov and the Chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces Colonel General Yuri Khachaturyan took place by the mediation of the Russian side. /By Azernews/ By Aynur Karimova Baku hosted the first trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran on April 7, where the three countries discussed both political and economic issues, as well as recent developments in the region. The agenda of the meeting included an exchange of views on realization of bilateral and trilateral projects, as well as the North-South transport corridor, regional security issues, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Baku meeting was constructive and successful in all aspects of discussions - both in economic and political fields. The meeting is believed to open a new page in the history of regional cooperation and would contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, addressing a press conference, said that the three countries attach a great importance to the transport corridors passing through these countries, and in particular the railway networks. The minister revealed the date of the groundbreaking ceremony of the railway bridge construction on the border between Azerbaijan and Iran, noting that it will take place on April 20. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, stressed that an agreement on the joint work of transportation ministries, customs and consular services was reached to advance the transportation projects. The sides also agreed that the relevant ministries of these countries will comprehensively review the implementation of the North-South transport corridor project. The North-South corridor, from India to Helsinki, with a length of 5,000 kilometers is designed to carry more than 20 million tons per year. It is a multimodal route for transportation of passengers and cargo from Russia's St. Petersburg to the Mumbai port. It is designed to carry transit cargo from India, Iran and other Persian Gulf countries to the territory of Russia (the Caspian Sea) and further - to Northern and Western Europe. Lavrov, commenting on a question about the possibility of Russia's investment in the Qazvin- Rasht-Astara railway construction project, said that the parties will elaborate on the substantive implementation of the project. "The issues relating to the financial areas of cooperation were considered. Our relevant departments will begin substantive elaboration of the practical aspects of implementation of the North-South project on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. This involves works with the participation of the transport ministries, who should consider the technical and financial parameters of the project. This also involves interaction between the customs and consular services, on which we have agreed today," the Russian FM added. The Qazvin-Rasht-Astara railway is a part of the North-South transport corridor. Construction investments are estimated at $400 million. Initial plans call for transporting six million tons of cargo through the corridor a year, which is expected to reach 15-20 million tons per year in the future. Baku has already expressed willingness to invest in the Qazvin-Rasht-Astara railway construction project on the territory of Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in turn, noted that during trilateral meeting, the sides discussed energy cooperation. "Iran is trying to regain its oil market share, as its energy sector got heavily impacted by international sanctions," he said. Iran, which is trying to boost its oil exports to pres-sanctions level, saw its oil export decrease from 2.2 million barrels per day in 2011 to about one million barrels per day in 2015 due to sanctions. After the elimination of sanctions in mid-January 2016 due to the nuclear agreement, Iran boosted the exports to 1.5 million barrels per day. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on agenda Recent tensions on the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces, settlement of the conflict, as well as regional security issues also occupied the agenda of the Baku meeting of the three foreign ministers. Speaking about the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mammadyarov said that it is impossible to maintain the status quo in the conflict for a long time. "There are specific proposals, we shared ideas and thoughts," the minister said, adding that this issue was discussed on April 6 at the presidential level as well. He said that it is necessary to get directly engaged in the settlement of the conflict and solve it fast, because people are dying. Lavrov, for his part, assured that Russia will make every effort to promote its initiatives in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "We shouldn't relax in finding a solution to the conflict," Lavrov said, adding that Russia is satisfied with the ceasefire agreement. "There were contacts between Moscow and the parties [of the conflict] at all levels, we tried to help our friends and we hope the ceasefire will be maintained," he said. "The situation demands working out confidence-building measures on the line of contact and looking back to the previous agreement reached during the talks." In his remarks, Zarif stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved through negotiations on the basis of principles of international law. Zarif believes that discussions will be held further to make serious decisions. He expressed hope that the ceasefire will last and its outcome will be serious talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Other issues of mutual interest mulled Iran, Russia and Baku also discussed counter-terrorism and fighting drug trafficking and smuggling. "The three countries also agreed to develop humanitarian ties, and discussed the issue of defining the Caspian Sea status," Mammadyarov informed. "On April 6, Baku hosted a meeting at the level of deputy ministers of all the five Caspian littoral states. The issue of defining the status of the Caspian Sea is still relevant. We all expect a final decision regarding the sea's status." Azerbaijan and Iran also mulled simplification of visa regime. "This issue was discussed in Baku during the bilateral talks with the Iranian side and currently, we are close to reaching the result," Mammadyarov said. "We will introduce a simplified visa regime between Azerbaijan and Iran soon." He also stressed that Azerbaijan will participate in the meeting of the oil producing countries in Doha, Qatar. Zarif, in turn, said that preparations are underway for a trilateral meeting of the Iranian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Baku. Zarif and Lavrov have also discussed the Syrian crisis during their meeting in Baku. They talked the necessity of continuing the coordination between Iran and Russia over the Syrian crisis. Communique issued The milestone of the Baku meeting of Mammadyarov, Lavrov and Zarif was issuance of a communique, under which the parties agreed to continue the further development of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, partnership and the principle of noninterference in each other's internal affairs. The ministers confirmed their commitment to the principles and norms of international law, as reflected in the UN Charter. The commitment to conflict resolution in the region was also confirmed in this regard. The Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers also noted the importance of strengthening the fight against new challenges that threaten the regional stability and security and confirmed their readiness for a joint fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and others. The commitment to the development of cooperation in trilateral format on economic, energy, transport, culture and tourism issues was confirmed. Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran confirmed the importance of continuing efforts in determining the status of the Caspian Sea, the signing of a final convention before long, as well as establishment of peace and security in the sea. The US administration is so absent and restrained in its response to the most serious military clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in twenty-two years has the impact of ceding the strategic field in the South Caucasus to Russia, says Matthew Bryza, former US assistant secretary for South Caucasus and former US ambassador to Azerbaijan. "This can have profound and dangerous consequences in Syria, Ukraine, and far beyond," Bryza wrote in his article published on the website of the US Atlantic Council. "The United States has been conspicuously absent during the latest crisis over Azerbaijan's region of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "The White House has not yet issued a statement on this unprecedented uptick in violence." "US Secretary of State John Kerry's statement released on April 2 is a vanilla condemnation of violence and call for a restoration of the ceasefire, which could apply to any of the numerous previous ceasefire violations," he said. He said that this approach leaves no sense of the intensity and danger posed by this latest flare-up of violence. "In contrast, Russia's top leadership has been active," he said. "Russia's goal in its lone mediation mission appears to be twofold: first, to repair its international reputation in relation to its debacle in Ukraine; and second, to strengthen the impression in Armenia and Azerbaijan that Russia calls the shots in the South Caucasus." On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. /By Azernews/ By Nazrin Gadimova Armenia, a country whose history is built on a comprehensive lie, has once again appealed to the international community with a request to recognize their claims of "Armenian Genocide. This time, the s issue of recognizing the so-called Armenian genocide was discussed as part of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans visit to Berlin on April 6. During the joint press conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the German Parliament will discuss a draft law in connection with the 1915 events. Merkel added that she wants relations between Turkey and Armenia to be restored. The relationships that began many years ago have become active again, the chancellor believes. In 2015, Germany's decision to present a parliamentary resolution that described Turkish actions against Armenians in 1915 as genocidal caused tensions with Turkey. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkeys predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, committed the so-called genocide against Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. While strengthening the propaganda of genocide throughout the world, Armenians achieved its recognition in the parliaments of some countries. Turkey, on the other hand, invites historians to come to the table to debate the issue rather passing groundless resolutions and decision. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there was no systematic attempt to destroy the Armenian people and vowed never to recognize the killings as genocide. Ankara earlier criticized the European Parliament for passing a resolution that called on Ankara to recognize the Armenian genocide, and Pope Francis for describing the Armenians as the victims of "the first genocide of the 20th century". The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is still far from being stable; Moscow doesn't plan to stop work on the conflict's settlement, RIA Novosti agency quoted the Russian president's spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying Apr.7. To stop on achieved is simply impossible and no one is going to do this, Peskov said. Moscow, since the beginning of the conflict's escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, has applied and continues to apply decent efforts to create conditions for its settlement, according to Peskov. He noted that the large work at various levels was carried out in order to stop the shelling. These efforts of Russia have been mentioned by the participants of the process, said Peskov adding that Moscow, of course, will continue its consistent policy. He also acknowledged that the escalation of the conflict has led to significant setbacks in terms of Nagorno-Karabakh problem's settlement. Peskov said that very good, positive steps have been achieved prior to the recent escalations, and now due to the setback, a lot will have to be achieved again. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. /By Azernews/ By Nazrin Gadimova Armenia continues its provocative policy, spreading false information about the situation in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported that information spread by the Armenian side about the ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan's Armed Forces does not correspond to the real facts. The Armenian media claims that allegedly the Azerbaijani side does not comply with the agreement on ceasing the military operations along Azerbaijan-Armenian line of contact. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry declares that the Azerbaijani side strictly follows the ceasefire regime from the first day of its announcement and is committed to the reached agreement, the statement read. The ceasefire regime has again been violated by Armenian servicemen. The information disseminated by the Armenian media is untrue, the ministry concluded. Earlier, the defense ministry has dismissed the information spread by foreign media outlets, including the Armenian media that allegedly the strategic positions taken by Azerbaijan during the latest military operations have been returned to Armenia. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on April 2 when Yerevan, which has pursued an aggressive and occupation policy against Baku, tried to tarnish Azerbaijans image by provoking war and repeatedly violating the ceasefire and firing on civilians. During the counter attack, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on April 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif. The head of state stressed the importance of holding the first meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia in Baku. President Ilham Aliyev said the trilateral meeting would open a new page in the history of regional cooperation and would contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. President Ilham Aliyev said the issues of cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, security, energy, transport, fight against terrorism and other fields would be reviewed during FM Mohammad Javad Zarif`s visit to the country. The head of state said the two countries` views coincided in these areas. President Ilham Aliyev noted the visit created a good opportunity for exchanging views over the topics covering the bilateral ties. The head of state recalled his recent visit to Iran, saying he once again thanked President Hassan Rouhani for hospitality when they had a phone conversation yesterday. President Ilham Aliyev said the two countries reached agreement on a number of issues and signed several documents during the visit. The head of state emphasized that this paved the way for the development of cooperation between the two countries, and described his visit as historical. President Ilham Aliyev hailed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran as excellent. The head of state said Azerbaijan was interested in developing the relations and expressed his confidence that the two countries would reach their goals. President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Iran always supported each other within international organizations. Mohammad Javad Zarif conveyed greetings of President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani to President Ilham Aliyev. The FM recalled President Ilham Aliyev`s visit to Iran, saying this trip made a historical contribution to the development of the two countries` ties. Mohammad Javad Zarif underscored the importance of the trilateral format of cooperation, which was initiated by Azerbaijan and implemented with consent of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. Mohammad Javad Zarif said that together with his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts they already started to discuss various fields of cooperation. The Iranian FM said there were good opportunities for cooperation in transit, customs, fight against terrorism, as well as tourism, culture and other fields. Mohammad Javad Zarif said this trilateral format created historical conditions for developing the trilateral cooperation among the countries and expanding Iran`s bilateral ties with Azerbaijan and Russia. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the greetings of President Hassan Rouhani and asked the FM to extend his greetings to the Iranian head of state. As part of an official opening of the 4th international Caspian Energy Forum 2016, to be held in Baku on November 30, 2016, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) Ilham Aliyev will be presented with the Caspian Energy Award international prize in the Reformer of the Year nomination, First Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) Telman Aliyev said. The Caspian Energy Award international prize is presented according to the results of the internet poll, which is held in 50 countries around the globe. The prize is awarded to the readers of Caspian Energy journal - political figures, government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, government-owned and private companies for their contribution to the economic development of the countries across the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions. The Caspian Energy Award international prize is held under support of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) and Caspian Energy International Media Group. According to Telman Aliyev, the international forum hosted by Caspian Energy International Media Group will welcome the delegates of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club). The event will be attended by heads of government agencies, ministries, committees and departments of Azerbaijan and the countries of the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions, representatives of the diplomatic and international missions accredited in the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as executives of major international companies. The first part of the event will host the Caspian Energy Forum, which is to focus on aspects of energy integration of the countries across the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions into the international energy markets. The key role of Azerbaijan in energy, transport and infrastructure projects, the growing sector of gas upstream, the Southern Corridor projects and the resource potential of the Caspian will be the focus of attention of speakers, delegates and forum attendees. The second part of the forum will host the Caspian Business Forum dedicated to the development of the non-oil sector. The issues to be discussed during the Caspian Business Forum will include a deployment of innovations in financial, banking, insurance, leasing, telecommunications, tourism, transport, construction and other sectors of the non-oil industry, doing business and establishing a business-government dialogue. /By Azernews/ By Fatma Babayeva Energy-rich Turkmenistan, which sits on huge natural gas reserves (265 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration, January 2015), continues large-scale works on the accelerated commercial development of large deposits at the Galkynysh field. The country's Oil and Gas and Natural Resources Ministry reported on April 6 that specialists of the Turkmengaz State Concern started drilling of next production well No 301 with a design depth of 4,800 meters. It is planned to start drilling works at seven more wells this year. Commissioning of the new wells at the Galkynysh field is expected to ensure a further increase in production of blue fuel in accordance with the planned task. All production wells of this unique field are distinguished with high productivity: the average daily production per well ranges from 1.7 million to 2 million cubic meters of gas. Accelerated commercial development of the Galkynysh field has been implemented gradually since 2009. The second stage of its development started in May 2014 while foundation for the development of the third stage was laid in December 2015. The three stages of development of the Galkynysh field envisage the extraction of 93 billion cubic meters of gas a year. Galkynysh is the second largest gas field in the world and is one of the major oil and gas projects implemented in Turkmenistan. The Galkynysh field, with its 27.4 trillion cubic meters of estimated reserves, provides great prospects for increasing the volumes of production, processing and transportation of fossil fuels. The Galkynysh field stands apart from the more than 180 deposits of hydrocarbon resources discovered in Turkmenistan. International experts say the huge gas resources at the Galkynysh field are sufficient to ensure a long-term supply of fuel both through all the existing export routes and via the pipelines that are planned to be laid under the state strategy on diversification of routes for Turkmen gas supply to global markets. Galkynysh will serve as a main source of natural gas for future export gas pipelines. Turkmenistan currently exports natural gas to Iran and China. Trans-Caspian and TAPI pipelines are among proposed future pipeline projects for Turkmenistan. Saudi Arabia and Morocco have signed an aid agreement worth $230 million, the Moroccan finance ministry said on Wednesday, part of a five-year package of financial assistance extended by wealthy Gulf states. Four Gulf states - Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - agreed in 2012 to provide aid worth a total of $5 billion to Morocco in the period 2012-2017 to help it weather "Arab Spring" protests. Each of the four countries has committed $1.25 billion to Morocco for the whole five-year period, in an effort to build up its infrastructure, strengthen its economy and foster tourism. The agreement signed today is Saudi Arabia's 2016 part, Morocco's finance minister said. The $230 million agreement was signed in Bahrain by the Moroccan minister, Mohammed Boussaid, and Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz al-Assaf. It includes $100 million of support to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), $80 million of aid to agriculture and $50 million for the health ministry. Morocco has budgeted to receive a total $1 billion in aid from the Gulf states for 2016. It hopes to cut its budget deficit to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product this year from an estimated 4.3 percent in 2015. Moroccan officials have said Morocco had received only 4 billion dirhams of the 13 billion ($1 billion) expected in last year. It was unclear which Gulf countries have not provided their 2015 aid. Rabat is anxious to avoid a drop in living standards and prevent a return of the street protests for political and economic reforms that King Mohammed managed to stifle in 2011 with constitutional reforms, social spending and harsh policing. The Gulf states have agreed a similar package of aid, also worth a total $5 billion over a five-year period, for Jordan. Reuters Dubai, UAE has emerged as the fifth most important hub in the world for wealthy individuals, according to a survey of UHNWIs (ultra-high net worth individuals) by global property consultancy Knight Frank. Dubais ranking rose from eighth place in the previous survey (2015), outperforming other popular destinations such as Shanghai, Paris and Sydney, explained the 2016 edition of the Knight Frank Wealth Report, which examines and analyses the performance of prime property markets, global wealth distribution and the attitudes of wealthy individuals towards property. Dubais geographical location means that the emirate is accessible to 1,500 UHNWIs within a two-hour flight. Findings reveal that more than 10,000 individuals with net assets of more that $10 million stay in permanent or secondary homes in Dubai. This number is higher than those choosing to stay in Paris (9,500), The Hamptons (9,300), Miami (5,400) and Cannes (2,220). Over the last decade, Dubais economy has evolved significantly on the back of modern infrastructure and business-friendly regulations, said Dana Salbak, head of Mena Research at Knight Frank. The city has emerged as a global hub for financial services, logistics, hospitality and trade, making it a popular destination for people to live, invest, educate their children, network and spend their leisure time, according to the report. The continued commitment to diversify Dubais economy and develop its infrastructure and logistics sector, (through investments in Emirates Airlines, Dubai Airports and Ports), in addition to enhancing the citys tourism offerings (with the delivery of various theme parks) has increased Dubais global appeal, said Salbak. Investments in education and healthcare are also solidifying the citys position as a leader in alternative sectors, she added. London and New York took the top two positions on the list of most important cities to UHNWIs. No other city comes close in terms of their breadth and depth of appeal, the report added, as they are expected to remain unrivalled over the next couple of years. TradeArabia News Service The UAE central bank has told banks to freeze the assets of two former senior officials in Abu Dhabi's state-owned International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) group, banking sources told Reuters. In a circular, the central bank directed some major banks operating in the UAE to freeze the accounts of Khadem Al-Qubaisi and Mohamed Al-Husseiny and provide information about their deposits and transactions, the sources said. The circular did not say why the central bank was taking this action, and the central bank did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comment on Thursday. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of commercial sensitivities. Al-Qubaisi was one of the most prominent executives in the UAE until he was abruptly replaced as IPIC's managing director in April last year. In subsequent months he stepped down as chairman of IPIC's unit Aabar Investments and from senior posts at several other firms in the region. Al-Husseiny was replaced as chief executive of Aabar last year after holding that post since 2010. The two men did not publicly discuss why they were replaced, and did not respond to phone calls from Reuters on Thursday seeking comment on the central bank's circular. Spokesmen for IPIC and Aabar declined to comment on the circular. An Abu Dhabi Police spokesman was not immediately available for comment. IPIC has close business links to Malaysia's scandal-hit state fund 1MDB, which is at the centre of corruption and money-laundering investigations in the US, Switzerland, Singapore and Luxembourg. Last year IPIC came to the aid of debt-laden 1MDB, agreeing to provide it with $1 billion in cash and to assume $3.5 billion of 1MDB debt in exchange for some of the fund's assets. - Reuters Thailand-based Minor Hotel Group (MHG) has awarded contracts for the development of two new hotel projects - Anantara Jebel Dhanna and Avani Jebel Dhanna - in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Aecom, a global provider of professional technical and management support services, and Dhabi Contracting have been appointed as the lead architecture and interior design consultant for the project. The work on Anantara Jebel Dhanna and Avani Jebel Dhanna will begin soon and is scheduled for opening in 2018. Jebel Dhanna is located along the coastal area of the Al Gharbia region in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, close to the ferry departure point for Sir Bani Yas Island, 240 km from Abu Dhabi city and 360 km from Doha (Qatar) and 125 km from the border of Saudi Arabia. The Jebel Dhanna peninsula is relatively under-developed, with a royal palace bordering the new hotel developments and an industrial area close by. To the south east is Ruwais Industrial Zone and a neighbouring residential area, which will provide substantial demand for the two new properties, it said. Anantara Jebel Dhanna Villas will have a total of 60 keys across three villa types: 20 one-bedroom villas, 38 two-bedroom villas and two impressive three-bedroom villas. The new Anantara will offer two restaurants and a pool bar, a gym, a swimming pool and an Anantara Spa. The neighbouring Avani Jebel Dhanna Hotel will have 230 keys across two different room types: 170 deluxe rooms and 60 superior rooms including a kitchenette. Other facilities will include multiple dining options, a gym and a swimming pool. Shared facilities will include flexible meeting and banqueting space, a kids club and outdoor recreation areas. Anantara, a luxury hospitality brand, currently has 35 hotels and resorts in 11 countries. Anantara celebrated its 15th birthday in March this year. Launched in 2011, Avani is a vibrant upscale brand offering relaxed comfort and contemporary style in city and resort destinations. Minor Hotel Group CEO Dillip Rajakarier said: "We are already well established in Abu Dhabi through our existing Anantara portfolio in the city, desert and on Sir Bani Yas Island and we are excited to today announce the first Avani in Abu Dhabi, to be developed alongside what will be our sixth Anantara." "We are looking forward to partnering with Dhabi Contracting in this exciting new project," he added.- TradeArabia News Service ANS Global, a leading specialist in the design and installation of 'living walls', said it has launched its service in Dubai, UAE, to meet increasing demand from the Middle East region. A growing trend in Dubai, living walls of plants provide the opportunity to transform any vertical surface, inside or out, offering the ability to improve energy efficiency and act as a powerful noise and pollution filter, said a statement from ANS Global. The company is working alongside Dubai-based interior landscaping company Plantscapes which facilitates the supply and installation of the green walls at a local level. Commenting on the Dubai foray, Steve McIntyre, the business development manager, said: "Sustainable economic development is driving UAE government plans. And so finding ways to ensure that urban landscaping development is delivered using the newest technology in global landscaping, is becoming an area of major focus for the regions developers, architects and planners." "We are working closely with Plantscapes, an established supplier to palaces, government organisations, offices, universities, restaurants, banks and hotels, to ensure our living walls meet and exceed our clients expectations its certainly an exciting opportunity for ANS Global," he added.-TradeArabia News Service US-based American Science and Engineering (AS&E), a leading supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions, has won an order to supply its Z Portal cargo screening system and Gemini parcel inspection systems to Iraq's Najaf International Airport. AS&E X-ray detection systems are used for aviation screening operations by customers in Asia, Latin America, the European Union, and Africa. Both the systems together will provide Najaf Airport with a comprehensive detection solution for scanning incoming vehicles as well as baggage for weapons, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED), drugs, and other threats and contraband, said a statement from the company. Additionally, to further demonstrate its commitment to world-class security, Najaf Airport also entered into a five-year contract for continuing support by AS&E's industry-leading service team, it added. Chuck Dougherty, AS&Es president and CEO, said: We are proud to have been selected by Najaf Airport, one of Iraqs busiest airports, to provide the advanced technology and expert technical support it needs to protect the safety of passengers, personnel, and infrastructure. Sheikh Faed Al-Shimary, director general of the Najaf Airport Authority, said: Passengers and freight forwarders are increasingly turning to Najaf Airport for their international air travel and shipping requirements. We chose AS&Es comprehensive detection solutions because they provide rapid inspection of vehicles and carry-on luggage in a high-security and high-traffic environment while ensuring the flow of passengers and commerce and because it is well-known in our region for delivering exceptional, responsive customer service, he added. To secure this order, AS&E worked closely with its distributor, ASJ, in Najaf, Iraq, it stated. TradeArabia News Service The Dubai WoodShow organising committee along with the International Technical Tropical Timber Association (ATIBT) have announced that they will host the first Middle East ATIBT Conference in Dubai, UAE, next year. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in this respect on the third and final day of the Dubai WoodShow 2016, a leading trade fair for wood products in the Middle East, said a statement from the company. The next ATIBT event will be held in conjunction with the next Dubai WoodShow in April 2017, it added. Additionally, as per the MoU, ATIBT will set up a major base in Dubai, UAE, it said. Under this agreement, ATIBT will establish its offices in Dubai to assess the preparations for the event until 2017 and discuss ways of cooperation with the relevant authorities and institutions. Walid Farghal, director general, strategic marketing and exhibitions, organisers of Dubai WoodShow, said: We were delighted with the exceptional footfall to the event this year. The show also witnessed the display of series of new products and innovative technologies in the timber industry. We are glad to join hands with the ATIBT to organise the next conference in Dubai, which will be a milestone for the wood industry in the region, he said. We anticipate that this inaugural edition of the conference in the Middle East will witness participation of the most prominent countries and decision makers in the wood industry from around the world, Farghal added. Tentatively, it has been decided that the conference in Dubai will discuss the potential of forests, use of natural forests as barriers in the face of climate change, share new technologies and renewable products, display of sustainability solutions in the timber industry, and call on governments, civil society, and the private sector to promote investment in forests as an step in the sustainable development, he concluded. ATIBT was founded in 1951 at the request of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with the objective to contribute to improving tropical forestry and the rationalisation of tropical timber trade. Today, ATIBT has become a partner of choice for various tropical timber stakeholders, European governmental institutions as well as African governments, playing a leading role in the implementation of international programmes related to the sustainable management of tropical forests and the responsible development of the timber industry. Farghal said: We have a wide network of relationships with international organisations and institutions in the wood industry, and get their support annually. The exhibitions edition in 2017 will see visits of global delegations, decision-makers, and manufacturers from across the world, he added. TradeArabia News Service A delegation from Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) highlighted its investment possibilities during its recent visit to three southern Indian cities through seminars and road shows. The week-long road shows which were conducted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode (Calicut), in Kerala, said the statement from HFZA. The events were held in association with the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Malabar Chamber of Commerce, it added. The seminars titled An easy way to start a business in Sharjah received positive response, it said. Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, director of HFZA and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), said: We expect a good number of entrepreneurs and investors to turn to HFZA in the near future. About 40 per cent of our investors in HFZA are from India, which is a very important market for us. Led by Ali Saeed Al Jarwan, deputy commercial director of HFZA, the team interacted with the participants and elaborated on the various facilities of the free zone. Al Jarwan said: Sharjah is the industrial hub of the UAE and our trade relations with Kerala go back to a long time. In Trivandrum, the seminar was inaugurated by Dr V S Senthil IAS, additional chief secretary, general education department. He appreciated the idea of doing business in Hamriyah Free Zone and encouraged the investors to start their business in Sharjah, said the statement. In Kochi, while addressing the seminar, Al Jarwan said that Hamriyah Free Zone has the fastest and most efficient single window clearance set up. The time for clearance is less than two hours to set up a business in the free zone. Many top officials from Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government sector attended the event, it added. TradeArabia News Service More than 500 government and industry attendees and representatives of the oil and gas sector from over 10 countries participated at the Manufacturing Conference & Exhibition for Oil & Gas (MAF 2016), in Dubai, UAE. The event which kicked off on April 5, concluded today (April 7). The event was held under the patronage of Prince Dr Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al Saud, and was hosted by Neft Management in collaboration with a committee of regional and international oil company representatives including Saudi Aramco, Saudi Aramco and Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd University, ASM Saudi Chapter, said a statement. The exclusive conference and exhibition received participation from countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, US, UK, France, Germany, Poland and Switzerland, it added. The high-profile event was chaired by Dr Hamad Al Mostaneer, chairman, ASM Saudi Chapter, it said. The conference received support from key players of the industry including Saudi Aramco, Al Fanar Technical Services, Sherbiny Holdings, Tamimi and many others. Delivering a highly effective mix of data, insight and forecasts about repair facilities, machining, manufacturing, cutting tools and fabrication, said the statement. The event addressed key topics such as Enhancing Communication between Fabricators, Machine Manufacturers and End Users and Challenges that engineers face to enhance the life of machines using the latest applicable technologies. The specialised topics facilitated learning and knowledge sharing whilst also building a stronger network within the oil and gas community, it said. Attendees at the conference were provided with the opportunity to forge new business relationships, meet with existing partners, source new suppliers, engage with the industrys leading organisations and be introduced to new innovations and solutions of the oil and gas industry. The exclusive conference witnessed more than 30 exhibitors including Advanced Precision Services, Quartzelec, Dresser Al Rushaid, Maritime Industrial Services Arabia, Trinity Holdings, Alba Power, Ethos Energy and many more. Rafeeq Kunhi, director, Neft Management, said: The event continues to maintain its growth in spite of the challenging market conditions. Committed to serving the needs of the oil and gas sector, we strongly believe that every challenge presents an opportunity. The event is an effort to help world leaders share best practice and innovative solutions for building a solid future for our industry, he said The overwhelming response we received at the conference is a testament to the industrys thirst for knowledge and information and we look forward to once again hosting a landmark event that helps enable the progress of the oil and gas sector, he added. TradeArabia News Service Swiss banks must clamp down on money laundering, the country's financial watchdog said on Thursday as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe after a massive document leak showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," Finma chief executive Mark Branson told Reuters following its annual news conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management centre with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of ongoing efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said Finma would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. GENEVA PROBE Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial centre. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutor's office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalisation to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derive from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. Finma has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Branson said: "There are concrete indications that the measures those banks had in place to combat money laundering were inadequate." - Reuters Aston Martin showcased its $2.7 million Vulcan supercar to key players of the investment world at the recent Alternative Investment Management (AIM) Summit held in Abu Dhabi. Star violinist Quike Navarro came directly from Marbellas Nikki Beach in Spain to perform a special show during the unveiling of the car. Aston Martin was delighted to take part in this exclusive event and exhibit the 800-plus-horsepower Vulcan, commented Neil Slade, regional director for Aston Martin. Over 150 guests attended the invitation-only gathering at the Abu Dhabi Global Market, the UAE emirate's new financial centre. We are always thrilled to welcome industry leaders and key decision makers from all corners of the globe. The presence of the Aston Martin Vulcan is an exciting addition to the exclusivity of the event, Luka Stimac, managing director of AIM Summit, said. The conference featured a series of panel discussions and workshops on the implications of a changing global economic landscape and welcomed an international audience of industry leaders, senior executives and key decision makers. - TradeArabia News Service Gerald Lawless, former group chief executive officer of Jumeirah Group, has been elected as the chairman of The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), it was announced yesterday at the councils annual general meeting in Dallas, Texas. Lawless, who is now head of Tourism and Hospitality at Dubai Holding, is a leading figure in the world of tourism and hospitality. In his 18 years as CEO of Jumeirah Group, he spearheaded the growth of the hotel chain to one of the best-known luxury hospitality brands in the world, expanding the companys portfolio to 22 hotels in 11 destinations and establishing Burj Al Arab Jumeirah as the most luxurious hotel in the world. Lawless has been a member of the World Travel and Tourism Council since 2005, sitting on the Executive Committee since 2008, and as vice chairman since 2012. Lawless will take over from Michael Frenzel, chairman Emeritus TUI AG. The WTTC chairman is elected for a term of two years. Frenzel said: I am delighted to welcome Gerald as WTTC chairman. He has been an active Member of WTTC, responsible for bringing the Global Summit to Dubai in 2008 and serving on the Executive Committee and as a vice chairman. His commitment to WTTCs mission will be invaluable, as the organisation continues to drive recognition of Travel and Tourisms social and economic impact amongst governments around the world. Lawless said: Over the past 11 years, I have been privileged to be a member of the World Travel and Tourism Council. I believe strongly in the mission of the organisation, which advocates the benefits of travel and tourism, not only to the global economy but also to society in general. Travel and tourism is and will remain a force for good. It deserves a lot more recognition from governments worldwide. - TradeArabia News Service Rockwell Collins, a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative aviation solutions, has been awarded a major contract by Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan, to provide onboard broadband connectivity. Air Astana said it will install the associated Inmarsat Global Xpress (GX) high speed connectivity system on its fleet of Boeing 767 airliners starting from September. This will make Air Astana one of the worlds first airlines in the world to go operational with the GX system, said a statement from the Kazakh carrier. With this move, Air Astana passengers will soon become among the first in the world to get internet access on board using personal computers, tablets and smartphones. As a customer oriented airline, Air Astana is always looking to improve the passenger experience on the ground and in the air. Were very excited about the new in-flight connectivity opportunities that GX reliably provides to Air Astana passengers, remarked Andrey Gulev, the commercial engineer manager at Air Astana. After carefully reviewing a number of competing offers, Air Astanas decision came down to Rockwell Collins ability to provide a cost-effective solution that was tailored to meet all our needs, stated Gulev. Jeff Standerski, senior vice president, Information Management Services (IMS) for Rockwell Collins, pointed out that this GX Aviation service opens up new possibilities for Air Astana and its customers "Air Astanas passengers will soon experience what only a handful of others around the world will - the fastest and most reliable inflight connectivity available. For Air Astana, this service offers the opportunity to develop new offerings that go far beyond whats possible today," he added. The new service will be available to Business and Economy class passengers on all three of Air Astanas Boeing 767s. Using their own devices passengers will be able to surf the internet, use various instant messenger applications and check e-mails. First aircraft installation will commence in September 2016 and will be followed by system installation on the other two aircraft in March and September 2017.-TradeArabia News Service Families planning ahead for the summer holidays can enjoy great savings through British Airways special sale, which runs until April 10. The airline is offering discounted fares across all cabins from Bahrain to London, Europe and North America with travel valid until November 30. Return fares start from as little as BD256 ($674.4) from Bahrain to the UK and Europe and BD318 ($837.7) to the US and Canada across the World Traveller cabins. While holiday travel is intended to be leisurely and restful, travelling with kids can sometimes be a challenge as being in a confined with a noisy youngster can be awkward for parents and disturbing to fellow flyer. Most children are naturally quite excited about flying. The trick is to harness that interest, without them getting over-excited, while ensuring they dont become fretful in an unfamiliar environment, said Paolo De Renzis, head of Middle East, Africa and Central Asia Sales for British Airways. To ensure a smooth and trouble-free travel, Renzis shares a few simple steps that parents can take to make sure their child is as relaxed, occupied and comfortable as possible. A happy flight starts online before leaving for the airport. Sites like www.britishairways.com have comprehensive details of paperwork required for traveling with minors, so travellers can plan ahead. They can also order childrens meals online. They can also reserve equipment such as bassinets for infants. Theres plenty of information about family travel at http://www.britishairways.com/en-ae/information/family-travel Take advantage of all the concessions offered to families, such as being allowed to take strollers to the door of the aircraft when boarding. Families also get priority when boarding and you can wait until other passengers have disembarked before doing so with your family. Understand air-pressure: the pressurisation in passenger aircraft is likely to be your childs main source of discomfort. During ascent and descent, giving the child food or drink will trigger their swallowing reflex, which will help their ears equalise. Most parents have a good idea of which foods make their kids overactive and tetchy, but in general, avoid sweet treats of ones that have artificial colourants when travelling. Chewy snacks like dried fruit will help with pressurising their ears while limiting the spikes in blood-sugar that can result in tantrums. While its good to keep the child hydrated, dont overdo it as this can result in nappy-changes and trips to the toilet Pack favourite, familiar snacks for the kids, to supplement to meals served on board. Keeping the child occupied is obviously crucial if he or she is awake. One tried-and-tested trick is to gift-wrap treasured toys and present them when the child gets bored. It may also be good time to buy some new toys and ration them out during the flight. This is probably one time to avoid toys like Lego blocks as they can fall in hard-to-reach places. Mobile devices can be a benefit for parents and although many families ration childrens use of tablets, a long-haul flight might justify a little leeway. Headphones are useful tools for movies, music, apps and games, but crayons and paper are always favourites. Generally, its better to not seat kids on the aisle, as they may bump passing trolleys, which have hard edges and hot water. Dont over-pack. You have to carry it all. Youll need the basics wipes, nappies, sanitisers and so on but if you child is small youll need to carry him or her as well. He further added that the aircrew are allies and its in their interests to ensure that travellers and their families have an enjoyable flight. - TradeArabia News Service Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray confirmed Wednesday that his office discovered entities that are mentioned in the so-called Panama Papers 11.5 million leaked documents from a Central American law firm accused of helping wealthy people create shell companies to avoid paying taxes. Twenty-four of the 214,488 entities mentioned in the Panama Papers were found to be registered in Wyoming as limited liability companies, according to a statement from Murrays office. The Panama Papers contain 2.6 terabytes of emails and client records of the Mossack Fonseca & Co. law firm. A German newspaper obtained the files and shared them with journalists around the globe. Wyoming, Nevada, the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus and other places have been identified as offering anonymity to people who are allegedly hiding assets and avoiding taxes. The release of the papers have renewed calls for more transparency in naming the people behind the entities in Wyoming and elsewhere. But Murray, a Republican who was elected in 2014, disagrees. He believes such a move would increase red tape while limiting business formation and innovation. I oppose a one-size-fits-all federal law mandating the dissolving of privacy protections and assure the citizens of Wyoming that we will continue to fight fraud and, if there is a clear need to do so, address necessary changes to Wyoming statutes, Murray said in the statement. We are not naive as to the importance of the release of these Panama Papers, but we will not compromise the privacy of our customers. I will continue to work with the Legislature to balance the pursuit of implementing progressive pro-business laws, while also taking the fight against fraud very seriously. Murrays office learned of the release of the Panama Papers on Monday. Wyoming Secretary of State auditors looked into M.F. Corporate Services Wyoming LLC, which is the registered agent for Mossack Fonseca in the state. The audit determined M.F. Corporate Services failed to provide all the information required under the state law governing registered agents. The secretarys office demanded M.F. Corporate Services provide the information. For the purpose of maintaining a high standard of due diligence and in order to report any possible illicit activity, Secretary Murray also briefed law enforcement on developments later that same day, the statement said. The investigation of this matter is ongoing. Not all shell companies are nefarious, Murray said. The companies often serve an an important use for potential startups and are a well established means of doing of business in Wyoming and in any other state, he said. The Star-Tribune requested an interview with Murray after the statement was released. He was not available Wednesday because he was at a Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board meeting. Murray said business entities are attracted to Wyoming for several legitimate reasons, including the overall low tax burden, the lack of a corporate or individual income tax, quick turnaround on business filings required by state law, and relatively low business filing fees, he said. For years, the office has worked to combat fraud. Subsequent legislative changes have radically altered the way that businesses are registered in Wyoming, he said. My office continues to do everything it can under current statutes to combat illicit activities while maintaining Wyomings competitive business environment. As one of the countrys reddest states, Wyoming rarely plays a major role in the presidential election. But this is no ordinary year, with competitive Republican and Democratic presidential races. And Wyoming, the nations least populated state, has become an important campaign stop. Former President Bill Clinton campaigned Monday in Cheyenne for his wife, former secretary of state and Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. Her chief Democratic rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, spoke Tuesday night at a rally in Laramie. Sanders wife, Jane, hosted town hall meetings to talk about her husband on Monday and Tuesday. The states Republicans will have an opportunity to see Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who is stumping for New York businessman Donald Trump, on April 16 at the Wyoming Republican State Convention. It will be Cruzs second visit to the Cowboy State. The way that the race is playing out is every delegate matters and every delegate is important, said Matt Micheli, chairman of the Wyoming GOP. We have worked really hard with the campaigns to give them that message: Wyoming delegates are available, and we want to be able to hear from the candidates. And I think thats paid off. About 700 people will hear Cruz and Palin speak at the state convention delegates, alternates, guests and the press. No public Wyoming events have been announced by Cruz, Trump or Ohio Gov. John Kasich who is sending Idaho Gov. Butch Otter in his stead. The Wyoming Democratic Party will send 18 delegates to its national convention in July four of whom are superdelegates who have committed to Clinton. On Saturday, the party is having county caucuses. The proportion of delegates each candidate wins at the county level will be the same proportion to travel to the national convention. The Wyoming GOP will send 29 delegates to the national convention in Cleveland. Twelve were selected last month, with Cruz receiving nine of them. Fourteen more will be selected at the state convention. And three delegates, comprised of party leadership including Micheli are automatic. The GOP delegates are excited to see Cruz and Palin, Micheli said. And its good because its an important time, he said. Ive said this before: I believe Wyoming will be impacted by this election more than any other state in the country, and I believe Wyoming people deserve to meet these candidates and cast a meaningful vote in this primary. On Thursday, Cruz and Sanders both won their parties primaries in Wisconsin gaining momentum in their presidential bids and further extending the question of which candidate will be each partys nominee. Micheli said the Republican National Convention may be contested. I think after last night in Wisconsin, its more likely now than its ever been, he said Wednesday. A federal judge sentenced a Tucson tax preparer to 21 months in prison for trying to defraud the IRS of $651,500. Jose Jesus Gonzalez, 48, pleaded guilty to willfully filing a false individual income tax return. Gonzalez did business as Gonzalez Insurance and Tax Services in Tucson from 2004 to 2009 and in Phoenix from 2009 to 2010, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge James A. Soto ordered Gonzalez to pay $255,000 in restitution and a $17,488 fine. If it hadnt been for Scott Carters brush with death, Arizona Theatre Companys next play might never have been written. The former Tucsonans comedy with philosophical overtones, The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, opens in previews Saturday. It comes to Tucson with the same director and two of the three cast members from the acclaimed 2014 production at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. And it all started back in 1986, when an asthma attack put Carter in a hospital for a week. He left with a determination to investigate a spiritual base. I was checking out things I had either been indifferent or hostile to, said Carter, one of the founding members of Tucsons Invisible Theatre and the executive producer of Real Time With Bill Maher." That meant opening his doors to Jehovahs Witnesses, listening to whomever wanted to talk about Jesus, the Bible, Buddha. Carter allowed himself to be a sponge, soaking in and studying what others believed. A few years later, still with that open heart and mind, he came across Bill Moyers PBS show, A World of Ideas. He was interviewing the Rev. Forrester Church, who talked about Thomas Jeffersons bible. Jefferson had gone through the gospels and cut out everything but the passages he liked. He called it The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth. Jefferson believed in the teachings of Christ, but felt the Bible was full of a lot of hooey, too. Then Carter came across Charles Dickens The Life of Our Lord the authors version of the gospels, written for his children. Dickens and Jefferson were the complete opposite, said Carter. He thought he might have a play there. Then he discovered Tolstoy also has a version of the gospels. It was one of those moments where you go eureka, but you are also cursed, he recalled. I could get to the finish line with Jefferson and Dickens, but if I add Tolstoy, its going to move me back three years. Still, he added the character. Then he had a reading of the piece where actress Shirley MacLaine was present. She lobbied me to do a new draft and include Isaac Newton, he said. Newton had his take on the gospels, as well. But Carter wasnt about to start again. I said, you know what, Ive been doing this now for two decades. Ive gotta stop at some point. Ive got three. Threes a good number its the trinity, its the rhythm of jokes. If I keep enlarging the premise, the work itself will never get finished. It took 23 years, but it got finished. In Discord, Jefferson, Tolstoy and Dickens are in a room in the afterlife, waiting to see whats next. And they are stuck with each other. All the men are used to being in control, not being questioned. Naturally, a fine debate breaks out, full of drama, anger, lots of humor, and the different versions of the gospels. Carter said he sometimes explains that its the opposite of Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot. In Waiting for Godot, you are better off than the bums on stage. They dont know where they are going to sleep that night, where their next meal is coming from, and they are waiting for Mr. Godot. But two hours later, everyone gets to say, we are these bums; we are really like them. Discord, he said, has three lofty, historical characters. At the beginning of the play there is a sense they are higher than us, he said. My goal is, by the end, we feel a bond of humanity with all three of them. In 2014, it premiered at Los Angeles NoHo Arts Center and it was a hit. I had always thought I would feel jubilant if there were ever a first night with people in costumes and who had learned their lines, said Carter. More, I had the feeling of relief. There were periods of time where I thought Id spent a tremendous amount of time on something that was never going to work out, its never going to be stage worthy, no ones going to embrace it, audiences will be bored by it. And to get it into a place where it works I just felt this relief that I had not misspent months and years of my life. Indeed he hadnt. Later that year, it opened at the Geffen. Reviews were glowing. It was extended a number of times. ATC and a few other theaters put it on their 2015-16 season. Other companies are signing on for next season. Now I have a sense of encouragement, said Carter, who is working on a couple of plays, including a companion piece to Discord, called Harmony. Now I can take more risks because my past risks have paid off. When Sheila Pitt broke her neck and became a quadriplegic after a fall from her horse in 2008, she had doubts she would return to either making art, or teaching it. Shes done both. Pitt, whose work is in an exhibit in Phoenix, spent two hard years in surgeries and rehab before she returned to the University of Arizona. As a professor of art, she passes her passion and her lessons on to students there. Before the accident, Pitt did woodcut printmaking, an arduous process that requires strong and steady hands. Now her drawings are sketched out with the help of a computer and an assistant prints them. While she once created images of horses, now her work concentrates on her life as a quadriplegic. The University of Arizona College Of Medicine Phoenixs exhibit of Pitts work, Quadriplegia, is in the lobby of the Health Sciences Education Building at 435 N. Fifth St. in Phoenix. Her 2010 intaglio print, The Collar, is one of the pieces in the show. It was inspired by a 16th century dog collar. I had to wear a neck collar for weeks, and it felt like this image, she says. The show, which contains haunting, beautiful images by Pitt, continues through July 7. I had the opportunity to spend this past weekend across the border in the Bella Vista neighborhood of Nogales, a dusty labyrinth of meaty fragrances, gas station block parties and staircases made from car tires leading up to homes on the hill. Like many, I've been going to Nogales since I was a UA freshman, when my dorm friends and I would walk over to buy trinkets and go to the bars. It seemed very commonplace back then, but somewhere along the way people stopped going, and now just give me worried looks when I tell them about it. You see, I still like to go about once a month, to eat tacos, walk around downtown and buy cheese and local veggies from the street sellers who come up from their farms in Imuris. It's a fun city! Nogales is definitely industrialized and not nearly as touristy as it used to be, but never once have I felt unsafe. And I have gone a lot. But this? This experience was a new adventure ... My host sister Karyme at home with her Barbies. She helps her mom sew dresses for them. I traveled down to Nogales for a weekend Spanish immersion program run by HEPAC, or Hogar de Esperanza y Paz. HEPAC is a community center in Bella Vista that provides free meals and educational activities for disadvantaged people in the neighborhood. (Some departments at the University of Arizona use this program to help satisfy foreign language requirements, but it's open to anyone. For more info and to sign up for future trips, go to friendsofhepac.org) I paid $150 for the trip, which included three days of Spanish classes and outings led by program volunteers. A volunteer family hosted me at their home, and fed me extremely well if I do say so myself. (Gracias Elena! No picante!) Around lunchtime we would go to the HEPAC's sunny kitchen for Spanish cooking classes, where the head cook Juanita Ponce showed us how to make Baja fish tacos and pork tamales with salsa verde. On the last day, the Guadalajara-native hosted a fish barbecue at her house down the hill. She bought half a dozen whole corvina fish and filleted them, smothering them with a glaze of pureed red chiles, mayo and Dijon mustard, scattering raw onion slices on top. (The heads went into a clear soup, which we sipped from mugs on the patio.) The recipe is called Pescado Zarandeado, and it's from the coastal state of Sinaloa. Juanita in her kitchen, with and my host mother Elena (right) and another host Lola (left). Juanita making barbecued Pescado Zarandeado, a Sinaloa recipe Every day after our cooking classes, we would hop into the car and drive into town, where we ate more incredible food. Well I did at least ... While downtown, I snacked on cinnamon churros fresh from the bubbling oil, grilled elote corn and crunchy chicharrones tacos that dissolved in your mouth like salty cotton candy. Over by the Purisima Concepcion church I found a man selling big chunks of crystallized sweet potatoes and yellow cactus candies. He told me the latter are called Viznaga, which is a type of barrel cactus that needs to be 30 years old when it's harvested. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture!) In the future I want to learn more about this unique treat, with the texture of a Sour Patch Kid and a vegetal sweet taste. On Sunday the last day, we visited a Oaxacan festival in a supermarket parking lot outside of downtown. Vendors had come up to sell their wares, which included chocolate mescal dessert drinks, sweet gorditas filled with cream and Oaxacan grasshoppers sold by the pound. A vendor sold chapulines, or grasshoppers by the pound. These are typical Oaxacan snacks. Sweets booth at a Oaxacan festival, with edible skulls made from amaranth seed. A vendor holds up his large Oaxacan corn tortillas called tlayudas. A Oaxacan "quesadilla" stuffed with stringy Oaxacan cheese and chocolate mole. It's actually a little hard to say any of my meals were truly Nogales-style cuisine. Like any border city, people settle here from all regions of Mexico, bringing their recipes along with them. The carnitas tacos might be from Michoacan, the fish from Sinaloa, grasshoppers from Oaxaca, etc. But there was one thing I did eat that my hosts assured me was 100 percent Nogalense: tacos de perro. It sounds bad, but a taco de perro is actually just a folded and fried tortilla stuffed with mashed potatoes. I ate four of them at HEPAC one night while people were singing songs around the campfire, staring down at the city lights below. Believed to be the largest student-operated carnival in the U.S., Spring Fling has more than 35 rides and games and more than 20 food booths this year. The 42-year-old carnival raises money for UA student clubs and collects food for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Spring Fling runs Friday, April 8, 4-11 p.m.; Saturday, April 9, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday, April 10, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, free for kids under 7. Tickets for rides are extra. passed away surrounded by family on April 5, 2016, one month shy of his 80th birthday. Rob is survived by his wife of 55 years Arlene; daughter, Carrie (Joe) Croci; son, Mike (Jeannie) Roberts; grandchildren, Chris, Eric, Joe, Crosby, Gwen, and great-grandson, Kyler. He was preceded in death by his parents Lilbert and Mae Belle; brothers, Ricardo and Bennie and sisters, Roberta and Joyce. Rob, as he was known to all, was born in East Prairie, MO. He was raised in Ajo, AZ and joined the Air Force after graduating from Ajo High School in 1955. Rob and Arlene met while he was serving at Schilling Air Force base in Salina, KS. They were married and later stationed in Japan for three years. Upon returning to the States, he went to work for Inspiration Copper Company. He continued his employment in the copper industry with Magma Copper in San Manuel as a mechanical foreman, retiring in 1998 after 32 years of service. Rob was active in the local community as a member of the Elks Lodge, Masons and was the founding father of the Desert Fox Youth Archery Club. As a high school drummer, his love for music was sparked. After retirement, he formed a band in his garage called "The Noisemakers", who played at community events and senior citizens clubs for several years. His storytelling has enthralled all who knew him. He will be greatly missed by all. A Memorial Service will be held this Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church in San Manuel. Donations can be made to the San Manuel, AZ 85631. Arrangements by VISTOSO FUNERAL HOME. Coco doesnt discriminate she visits kids of all ages, college students, folks in nursing homes. The therapy dog loves them all. Its a nice lesson in tolerance, especially since Coco is a pit bull. When owner Vickie Healey decided to go through therapy-dog training with Coco, she braced herself. We knew with a pit bull, there might be weird looks, says Healey, a longtime Tucsonan. But dogs, regardless of the breed, are just like people. Youve got your good people, youve got your bad people, she says. Its the same with dogs youve got good dogs and bad dogs. Healey and husband, Mike, have had several different dog breeds over their 23-year marriage. Their previous dog was a pit bull mix that theyd found abandoned in the desert while they were out four-wheeling. She was great, and when she died unexpectedly two years ago, Healey knew she needed another one. I just like the breed, says Healey, a retired University of Arizona graduate coordinator. They always look like theyre smiling. Coco, whos white and tan with pale-brown eyes to match, wins over any doubters with that ever-present grin and mellow manner. Healey remembers one nursing-home patient who wasnt thrilled when Coco first stopped by her room. She told Healey shed been attacked by dogs. Healey explained that Coco was a therapy dog, but the woman was angry. By the next visit, though, she didnt mind Coco at all. Healey and Coco, who turns 2 in June, had only just completed basic puppy-training class when trainer Jeremy Joseph Brown suggested theyd make a good therapy team. Healey who was eager to find a way to give back to the community loved the idea. Coco, who loves to fetch and chomp ice cubes, is onboard with anything that gives her an opportunity for pets and belly rubs. Since gaining their therapy training certification in June, the duo has been volunteering with Gabriels Angels and Pet Partners. They keep a packed schedule. Every weekday, Healey and Coco have a volunteering gig that may take them to a Vail middle school, assisted living facilities, the University of Arizona or Casa de los Ninos, which is especially near and dear to Healeys heart. Healey was in foster care until she was 4 years old and then was adopted into an abusive home. I just feel for the kids who are going through troubled times and dont have self-esteem, she says. I know what theyre going through. Healey hopes to earn a higher level of certification that will allow her and Coco to work one-on-one with troubled youths. And while the goal is to help others, Healey is finding the volunteer work pretty therapeutic herself. I think my personalitys changed, she says. Im happier. You see your dog and you see this person looking at your dog and smiling, how can you not smile back and be in a good mood? PHOENIX Claiming it's a matter of security, the state House on Thursday banned reporters from the floor who would not consent to extensive background checks. Several media organizations who routinely cover the Legislature, including the Associated Press, the Arizona Republic, the Capitol Times and Capitol Media Services were given until Thursday morning to agree to let House staffers check not just criminal and civil histories but also prior addresses and even driving records. House officials said similar consents would be required of any journalist who is even at the Capitol for a day to cover specific local issues. But the real sticking point came when the House leadership revealed a list of specific prior offenses which would disqualify a reporter from having the floor privileges that have been available for at least 34 years, if not longer. These include any felony within the past decade and any misdemeanor within the last five years, excluding drunk driving and other traffic laws. It does allow exceptions but not for crimes ranging from violence, assault, rape, extortion, bribery and eavesdropping to trespass. Part of what makes that last crime of note is that Hank Stephenson, a Capitol Times reporter, has a conviction of second degree trespass, the result of what was described as a bar fight. And it was Stephenson who wrote an extensive story about Speaker of the House David Gowan's travel's at state expense, much of it in the congressional district where he wants to get elected. Gowan eventually had to refund the House more than $12,000. Ginger Lamb, the paper's publisher, called the timing of the speaker's action "peculiar.'' "This new protocol would have an adverse effect on a member of our reporting team that has written several stories that are critical of the speaker's leadership,'' she said in a prepared statement. "I would hope this is coincidence, but past experience leads me to believe otherwise.'' The speaker denied the policy has anything to do with any specific reporter and any specific story. Instead, he said it stems from a disturbance last week in the House gallery by protesters. The gallery is a public area which does not require badge access. The protests followed a meeting of the House Elections Committee over problems with the March 22 presidential primary, a meeting at which many were denied a chance to speak. And Gowan said it also has nothing to do with the media at all, saying the policy covers covered all "non-employees'' who have access through key cards to the House floor "so that we know who people are, come in, so that our members are protected.'' "I don't understand the crisis here,'' he said. But House Counsel Robert Ellman, in a March 31 memo to Gowan obtained by Capitol Media Services, said "non-employee badge holders are generally if not exclusively law enforcement officers and reporters.'' Gowan conceded under questioning that in the last 34 years there has never been an incident involving a reporter granted floor access. But the speaker said that's irrelevant. "There had never been an attack on 9/11 either, like that occurred either, before on our shore,'' he said. "But it did.'' And he repeated his concerns about the protests, all of which occurred in non-secure areas. "You got people locking themselves to doors,'' Gowan said. "You got somebody up here (in the gallery) who held onto a seat, wouldn't even let the troopers pull him out.'' And he said other protesters were "collapsing'' on the troopers. "That's pretty scary,'' Gowan said. The lockout of media from the floor occurred after two days of negotiations between Ellman and attorneys for media organizations. The original request made Monday by Stephanie Grisham, publicist for the House majority was for not only criminal and civil background checks but also that reporters give permission for House staffers to ask any individual or corporation, including but not limited to current and former employers, for any and all records and documents related to that person. Border Patrol agents have shot their guns four times so far this fiscal year, including two of them in the Tucson sector, newly released data show. Customs and Border Protection released sector-specific use of force statistics today, six months after reporting national numbers. The largest law enforcement agency in the country will also update the number of incidents on a monthly basis, broken down by sector and by branch. CBP also announced Thursday that it is seeking industry input on body and vehicle-mounted cameras. The fiscal year 2017 budget calls for $5 million to be spent, including getting the camera system and developing the agencys policy. This solicitation for information on available technology is an important step in CBPs efforts to determine how expanded camera usage can benefit our agency, Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske said in a news release. CBP wants to look into using the cameras for areas at and between the ports of entry, including checkpoints, outbound operations and other high-risk areas, the release said. CBP has come under increasing scrutiny for its use of force. Over the last five years, agents and officers have killed at least 40 people. Since fiscal year 2011, use of force incidents dropped about 36 percent nationwide from more than 1,000 to 756 last fiscal year. So far this year, CBP reported 281 use of force incidents. The vast majority 185 incidents involved a less-lethal device. In Tucson, Border Patrol agents have used less-lethal weapons in 30 occasions. And so far this year 26 of them were labeled as other, which can include a physical strike or the use of their vehicle. In January, a Border Patrol agent shot and wounded a suspected drug smuggler near the Arizona-New Mexico border, the latest shooting here. But nearly three months later, neither CBP nor the Department of Justice has released any additional information, including the name or nationality of the person who was shot, the number of times he was shot or his medical condition. Donald Trump cruised to an easy GOP victory in the states Presidential Preference Election, but the fight over who will win support from Arizonas delegates is far from settled. The political machinations came to light in an east-side librarys tiny meeting room this week. Word of a political consultants email seeking to stack the states delegates with Ted Cruz supporters revved up a Republican committeemen meeting. I am dismayed beyond belief that you do not accept that the Republican voters of Arizona overwhelmingly want Mr. Trump to be the nominee, said Claudia White, a precinct committeewoman in Legislative District 10. She pushed down her glasses to show a burst blood vessel in one of her eyes that she says was induced by the stress of learning about the local effort to undermine Trumps nomination. White was one of more than 100 people who crammed into the Murphy-Wilmot Library Monday night to elect delegates to the state Republican convention to be held in Phoenix at the end of April. Many spurred to action were Trump backers infuriated by an email Sam Stone, a political consultant, sent to delegates. The Cruz campaign is organizing a delegate slate at our state party convention to elect people who would be willing to support Sen. Cruz on a second ballot, Stone wrote, referring to the possibility of a contested national GOP convention this summer. If you would like to help elect a true Constitutional conservative, this is your chance. Stone said he sees an opportunity for Cruz supporters to prevail at the Republican National Convention. It looks increasingly unlikely that Trump will earn the 1,237 delegates needed to win on the first ballot, and after the first ballot most delegates including those from Arizona will be free to vote for the candidate of their choice, Stone said. WHY IT MATTERS Staffers for Cruz are scrutinizing how each state might factor into a contested national convention, said Fred Solop, a political science professor at Northern Arizona University. They are going state by state, they are looking at what is taking place at the local Republican party and trying to get delegates to go to the convention delegates that are not necessarily supportive of Trump, he said. The possibility that Trump might not have enough votes to secure the partys nomination has the potential to make the national convention exciting, he said. The conventions have become window dressing, Solop said. It is a fascinating turn of events we havent seen this play out for quite some time. Even if local politicos were able to get Cruz supporters onto the slate of delegates going to the Arizona convention, stacking the deck in favor of Cruz would be tough. Thats because theres a lot of delegates. Pima County will have 167 delegates out of 1,251 delegates at the state convention. At the state gathering, the 1,251 delegates will vote on the 57 national delegates who will attend the convention in Cleveland in July. Up to a dozen of the delegates sent to the Republican National Convention could be from Tucson, Bill Beard, Pima Countys Republican party chairman, estimates. Arizona EFFORT N OT EXCLUSIVE Stones tactics to recruit Cruz supporters are a dirty trick designed to pick a candidate away from the publics view, said Christine Bauserman, a local field organizer for Trump. The Cruz campaign is doing the same thing in other legislative districts in Arizona as well as in other states, Bauserman said. They are trying to steal an election, she said. Cruz has a number of delegate strategies tailored to each state. In Colorado, Cruz is taking advantage of an unusual change to the states nominating process and trying to win delegates at a series of rolling caucuses in each of its seven congressional districts. Already, a slate loyal to Cruz swept the first two congressional district assemblies on Saturday. In North Dakota, delegates to the national convention are free to support the candidate of their choice. In interviews, 10 said they are committed to vote for Cruz at the convention, and a few more said they are leaning toward Cruz. None has endorsed Trump so far. Bauserman suggests the Cruz campaign is being laughed at by the Republican establishment, which wants to divide the party to bring in a third candidate at the convention. They are being used by the establishment to get a third candidate on the ballot, she said. Bauserman estimated that fewer than a dozen of the 41 delegates elected on Monday night in legislative district 10 are Cruz supporters. OPINION: "While it is important to take on cutting edge programs for an institution, Best Practices would dictate a thorough analysis of the costs of a new program versus the proven effectiveness of that new program. After all, these are taxpayer funds we are dealing with," writes Nick Pierson, candidate for the Pima Community College Governing Board. OPINION: "To be sure, we have much more to accomplish at our borders, most notably by fixing our dysfunctional immigration system. But the pending progress on border infrastructure through port modernization is a monumental achievement and a big part of the picture that needs to be taken ful PHOENIX Courting yet another lawsuit, the state Senate voted Tuesday to throw a new hurdle into the path of Planned Parenthood participating in the state Medicaid program. HB 2599 allows the director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System to unilaterally exclude certain providers from participating in the program. Some of these are technical, like submitting fraudulent claims. Others are more specific, like having been found liable for the neglect of a patient that results in death or injury. But the key provision allows the AHCCCS chief, who is appointed by and answers to the governor, to eliminate any health care provider which does not segregate the money it spends on abortions, including any overhead expenses, from what it gets for providing covered Medicaid services. The bill does not specifically mention Planned Parenthood. But its proponents have made it clear this is yet another attempt to defund the organization. HB 2599, which already has been approved by the House, needs a final roll-call vote before going to Gov. Doug Ducey. The move comes two years after the U.S. Supreme Court rebuffed efforts by abortion foes to allow the state to enforce an earlier ban on state funding for Planned Parenthood. Arizona taxpayers shelled out about $200,000 in the organizations legal fees. Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, predicted this measure will meet the same fate, with taxpayers once again picking up the legal tab. At the heart of the legal battle is the question of whether taxpayers are at least indirectly subsidizing abortions. Planned Parenthood is currently a qualified provider of family planning services under Medicaid. That covers everything from gynecological exams to contraceptive counseling. The federal government picks up about 90 percent of the tab, with the balance paid by the state. Both state and federal law ban the use of tax dollars for elective abortions. But supporters of the bill contend that any money paid to Planned Parenthood covers things like the agencys fixed costs for everything from staff and rent to utilities. In 2012 the Legislature approved a measure saying that any organization that also provides abortions is unqualified to also participate in the Medicaid program. Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, sponsor of both that measure and this new one, argued that any money the government gives Planned Parenthood to pay for other expenses frees up funds for abortions. That argument did not wash with federal courts. Judge Marsha Berzon, writing for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, pointed out that the law says those enrolled in Medicaid are entitled to get the services they need from any qualified provider. And Berzon said there is no evidence that Planned Parenthood medical staffers are not qualified. Hobbs said this new version will meet the same fate. She called HB 2599 another attempt to try to defund Planned Parenthood because some people dont like what they do. PHOENIX State lawmakers voted Wednesday to permanently block cities and counties from preventing pet stores from selling commercially bred dogs and cats in favor of shelter and rescue dogs. The 36-23 vote came on a measure billed by supporters as tightening up state laws designed to ensure that pet shops that want to sell purebred animals buy only from breeders who meet federal standards. SB 1248 says a shop found to have obtained animals from puppy mills that dont meet those standards can be fined and, on a third violation, be blocked from selling commercially bred animals. Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Glendale, said that is small comfort due to the fact that the more commercially bred dogs and cats that are sold means more animals that have to be destroyed. And he said there is no justification from removing the power of cities and counties to enact their own rules. The measure, which now requires a final Senate vote, would immediately overturn existing ordinances in Tempe and Phoenix that allow pet shops to sell only rescue and shelter animals. And it would stall efforts to adopt a similar ordinance in Tucson.` Efforts to block it, though, lost steam when the Humane Society of the United States, which had initially blasted the measure, agreed not to oppose it. SB 1248 is being driven largely by complaints by Frank Minoe who filed suit after Phoenix adopted its ordinance which affected his Puppies N Love store. He charged in federal court that the local law interfered with interstate commerce, noting that most of the commercial breeders are located in Missouri. U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell rejected that contention. Rather than filing an appeal, Minoe took his complaint to the Legislature. The deal with animal rights groups prohibits pet stores from obtaining animals from breeders not licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They also could not buy from breeders who had been found to violate certain USDA standards. PHOENIX A top House Democrat on Wednesday blasted Republican leaders for refusing to update laws that effectively give preference to heterosexual couples in adopting children or even agree to debate the issue. The complaint by Minority Whip Rebecca Rios of Phoenix comes more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court voided laws in Arizona and elsewhere that limit marriage to one man and one woman. And even Gov. Doug Ducey has directed the Department of Child Safety to place children available for adoption in any loving homes with loving families, regardless of the sexual orientation of the parents. Yet Arizona law still allows only a husband and wife to jointly adopt children. That technically means a gay couple, even one now legally married, cannot jointly adopt. That leaves only the option of one of the partners acting as a single adult. But the law also says that if the choice is between a single person and a married couple, placement preference shall be with a married man and woman. Several House Democrats had introduced HB 2392 to eliminate both provisions. But House Speaker David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, would not even assign it to a committee for a hearing. So Rios planned to try to amend that to a bill on adoption that had cleared a committee and was ready to go to the floor. She isnt getting that opportunity, with Gowan refusing to schedule debate. In a floor speech, Rios blasted the move to bury the issue. If there are folks here who dont agree with same-sex marriage couples adopting children, then say it, she chided the Republican leadership. Have the courage to have the debate on the House floor, Rios continued. Dont refuse to have the debate because youre afraid to make those arguments. Gowan sidestepped questions about why he has not brought that bill Rios wants to amend to the floor. Asked whether he would be OK having a debate on the issue, he responded, I didnt tell you anything. The issue has been percolating since late 2014 when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said laws against same-sex marriage in the states that it covers are unconstitutional. Gay weddings soon followed. Ducey, who took office in early 2015, revoked what had been the policy of the Department of Child Safety of not allowing gay married couples to adopt or foster children. That provoked a response from Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also newly elected, who insisted that even if the U.S. Supreme Court voided laws against same sex marriage something it actually did months later it did not affect the right of legislators to decide to give preference in adoption to opposite-sex couples. PHOENIX A federal appeals court on Wednesday gave the Navajo Nation a chance to argue that remains found by the U.S. Parks Service at Canyon de Chelly should be immediately returned to the tribe. In a split decision, the judges said the tribe should not have to wait until the federal agency conducts an inventory of the remains. Judge Morgan Christen, writing for the majority, said there is evidence that long-existing treaties and federal laws allow the tribe to seek immediate return. Buit Wednesdays ruling is not an absolute victory for the Navajo Nation. All it does is give tribal lawyers a chance to make their case to a trial judge in Phoenix. The lawsuit involves Canyon de Chelly in northeast Arizona, a part of the reservation that the tribe agreed to allow the Park Service to manage as a national monument. Between 1931 and 1990, the agency removed 303 sets of human remains and associated objects, virtually all of them without consent of the tribe. According to court records, those items are in a collection at the Western Archeology Conservation Center in Tucson. A 1990 law, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, requires federal agency that have remains to inventory them. If that process establishes a known lineal descendant or cultural affiliation with an existing tribe, then the agency must expeditiously return the item upon request. Six years later the tribe asserted it owned all remains found within the national monument, objected to the inventory process and demanded their return. The Park Service refused and started the inventory process. In 2011 the tribe sued for return of the items. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Rosenblatt judge tossed the lawsuit, saying there was no right to sue until the inventory process was completed. But Christen said that conclusion was legally erroneous. He said the Park Service, in deciding to follow the procedures in the 1990 law and not immediately return the items, essentially made a final decision. And that, wrote Christen, was a final decision that was subject to resolution in federal courts. Help India! New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the worlds most popular leader, BJP president Amit Shah said here on Wednesday, adding that nationalism is the partys identity. No doubt, Narendra bhai is the worlds most popular leader. For the first time, there is a government at the Centre which is making policies and taking decisions by keeping the poor and deprived (in mind), Shah told a gathering of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists at a function here to mark the party foundation day. Support TwoCircles He said under the leadership of Modi, the BJP wants to ensure development of villages, benefit the poor and farmers of the country. We are committed to it. Our workers today are very fortunate that they are working for a party which is in power. Now, they should work harder to take it to new heights. Ensure such a strong BJP that it emerges victorious from panchayats to parliament. We have got a very strong base, so erect such a party structure before which all other structures in the world should look small, Shah stressed. Shah urged party workers to take the central governments policies and programmes to the people. Invoking the issue of nationalism, Shah said that nationalism was the partys identity for which hundreads of its workers sacrificed their life. The party started by 11 people has become a family of 11 crore members. This has happened due to the sacrifices made by thousands of party workers. Nationalism is the identity of our party and our three generations have maintained it by their sacrifices. Now it is our responsibility to protect, preserve and carry on this identity, he asserted. Shah started and ended his speech with the slogan Bharat Mata ki Jai. Our members have played vital role in several nationalist movements including Goa, Kutch and Assam agitations, Ram Janam Bhoomi Andolan and hoisting the national flag at Srinagars Lal Chowk amidst terrorist threats, he said. The party chief said the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJPs predecessor, and the BJP were founded to provide an optional political ideology to the country. After (Jawaharlal) Nehru became prime minister, his Western-oriented policies and decisions compelled nationalistic forces to pave the way for founding the Jana Sangh. If we had followed Nehrus policies, we would have gone on the wrong path, he said. Shah also cautioned the party workers against complacency. When the party is in power, our workers get lazy. Instead, we should work harder so that government schemes could reach to the poorest and their needs are conveyed to the government, he said. Help India! New Delhi : The CBI on Wednesday arrested a former inspector of Maharashtra Police Crime Branch in its ongoing probe into the murder of Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty. A team from the special crimes unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested B.R. Andhalkar from Pune for conspiring with some people in manipulating evidence to shield the real killers. Support TwoCircles Andhalkar was called for questioning in the Pune-based CBI office where he was arrested after brief questioning. During investigation, it emerged that he conspired with others, fabricated and manipulated evidence to shield the real conspirators and killers, said a CBI official. The CBI took over the investigation on the request of the Maharashtra government after police failed to crack the murder case registered in Pune on January 13, 2010. Andhalkar will be produced before a designated court at Pune on Thursday. In February last year, the CBI had relaunched the probe into the murder, months after it had filed a closure report after stating that it found no prosecutable evidence. Shetty, while on a morning walk, was stabbed to death on January 13, 2010, not far from his Panchvati Colony home. Shetty was the Pune district coordinator of the Bhrastachar Virodhi Dakshata Samiti, an organisation fighting corruption. Shetty had exposed an alleged land scam along the Pune-Mumbai highway, one of several cases of corruption he had exposed through RTI applications. Based on Shettys findings and complaint, a criminal offence in the land scam was lodged with police against the chairman and managing director of IRB Infrastructure Co, Virendra Mhaiskar, and 12 others, including some government officials on October 15, 2009. Help India! Maariyah Siddique for TwoCircles.net, The ban on the sale of beef by the BJP-ruled states and the demand of several right-wing groups for the extension of the ban across India has sounded an alarm for cattle-owners, traders and lakhs of consumers, with attacks on individuals, labelled as beef eaters, adding to the hysteria. Support TwoCircles Dealers and consumers from across the country have serious concerns over the ban on the slaughter of certain categories of cattle that were earlier permitted the aged and infirm, calves, and male cattle. Banning slaughter of beef directly affects our livelihood. How do they (the supporters of beef ban) expect us to pay for the upkeep of such a large cattle when we cannot sell meat? , said Rakib Hussain, a meat seller in South Delhi. Beef exports from India, which is generally confused with cow-meat is actually carabeef, the Indian breed of water buffalo. With beef, Basmati rice, wheat and several varieties of rice share the lead of items exported from India annually. The impact of the call for the ban can be gauged by the ongoing turbulence in international markets, where the cost competitiveness of Indian beef in relation to Brazil and other top exporters has abraded. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2014, India precedes Brazil and Australia in the export of beef. The fact is, India is set to lose its status of the largest exporter the position it dislodged Brazil from, only last year. Exports of Indias animal products in the year 2014-15 was Rs.33,128.30 crores, out of which Rs.29,282.60 crore was beef. Talking to DNA a senior official of Agricultural and Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said, Beef exports generate revenue of over Rs 29,000 crores and banning it would be a big setback for the economy which no government no matter what their political affiliation could afford. The nation presently records a large cattle population, which has increased from 111.09 million in 2007 to 118.59 million in 2012, i.e., an increase of 6.75 per cent, as per 2012 Livestock Census. In such a scenario, cattle owners are left with three options either abandon their cattle, sell them illegally or send them to cow protection centres (the gaushalas). India has roughly 80 million old and unproductive cattle, and there has been a record increase in the number of cattle deaths recently. Most farmers, who would earlier sell the old cattle to slaughterhouses, are now forced to abandon them. Out of the many hundreds of cows we have, more than 400 of them were abandoned and have been brought from streets in the past six months only, said the owner of a gaushala in outer Delhis Bawana. The owner wished not to be named fearing it might bring him unwanted trouble. Many cow-shelters in and around Delhi are taking care of aged and diseased cows, but a larger portion of abandoned cattle still remain unprotected. Even the shelter owners refuse to take in cows that are seriously ill and prefer that the owner looks after it, a fact confirmed by the owner of Shri Krishna Gaushala, which claims to serve about 7,000 cows, largest in the NCR. The abandoned cattle may create a crisis of its sort, considering millions of hectares would be required to feed them. In villages, with standing crops these cattle end up straying into the fields, creating trouble for farmers. While hundreds of cattle die on streets for the want of proper care, a large section of the society which fed on them due to unaffordable prices of vegetables and pulses, now have been deprived of their biggest source of protein. For them, the meat from cow-shelters sold clandestinely in shops is the only option for survival. The cheapest source of protein we can afford is meat of dead-cattle that we get secretly from specific sellers somehow connected to cow-shelters, said Shivam, resident of South Delhis Okhla area. The vicious cycle further continues as those in the lower hierarchy of the chain sell off leather to undercover business mafias or illegal traders who in turn reap huge benefits from foreign buyers. The New Delhi Municipal Corporation has taken charge of disposal and burial of dead cattle coming from these shelters. The shelter owners though are unaware of the cremation process with most of them suspecting if the cremation even takes place or not. No gaushalas and other animal care centres are allowed to dispose bodies of dead cattle, they are supposed to contact the NDMC for the purpose, said an NDMC official. (Author is a student of M.A in Convergent Journalism at A.J Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia) Help India! By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter, Mumbai: Not losing any opportunity to target opposition the BJP government in Maharashtra has indicated that criminal proceedings could be initiated against those responsible for alleged irregularities related to Waqf lands. Support TwoCircles The ATA Shaikh inquiry committee, appointed in 2007, had found large-scale violations in transactions related to Waqf land. The report which were submitted in April last year stated that of the total 1 lakh acres belonging to the board, 70,000 acres were either sold, transferred or encroached upon. The report mentioned names of many politicians and the then board members including including Tariq Anwar (NCP), Rajendra Shingane, (late) Bhaskarrao Patil-Khatgaonkar, (late) MA Aziz (Congress), and former Waqf board members MY Patel and AU Pathan, among others. In the legislative assembly on Thursday, Minister of State (Minorities Development) Dilip Kamble said, The government was committed to probing all cases of illegalities and encroachments that the commission had found. If required, the government would even approach the CBI to probe the matter Names of former minister Rajendra Shingne and NCP leader Tariq Anwar are there in the report and if needed, their police inquiry will be conducted, he said. Anwar was held guilty in the report for renewal of lease for a property in Aurangabad, Shingane for deletion of land from a certain category. The late MA Aziz, who was the chief of the Wakf board and ex-Congress MLA, too, was held responsible for illegal transfer of lands. Patel and Pathan were members of the board. We have already taken a decision to prohibit any more transfer of Waqf properties to any person or institution. The properties have been registered in the governments name, which bans their sale or transfer. 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The Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement after a work conference on March 31 that it will further increase oversight of GM crops in the research and experiment, varietal registration and seed production phases. It came after a report by environmental nonprofit organization Greenpeace in January that claimed that farmers were illegally growing genetically modified corn in China's northeast. The organization claimed that 93 percent of samples taken last year from corn fields in five counties in Liaoning province tested positive for GM contamination. The agricultural ministry said it will try to ensure all science and research activities involving GM technology are in line with laws and regulations, and ensure that the production of seeds are traceable. China's agricultural authorities have to approve the marketing of GM grains, with only domestic GM papaya and cotton being approved for commercial cultivation. Han Jun, deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, Chinas top rural affairs decision-making agency, said in a news conference in January that the country has investigated and treated cases of farmers illegally growing GM rice, and the cases indicated that there should be stronger efforts to prevent such illegal activities. Xi calls for effective self-discipline campaign, Marxist values Updated: 2016-04-06 19:57 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping has called for Communist Party of China (CPC) organizations at all levels to work to ensure the effectiveness of a year-long campaign to instill rules and good values in Party members. Xi made the remarks in an instruction on the newly launched education campaign, which focuses on the study of the Party Constitution and rules, as well as the remarks made by Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Xi noted that the campaign is "a major ideological and political task" that is crucial for the "Four Comprehensives" strategy, especially in pushing strict Party management at the grassroots level. The "Four Comprehensives" strategy refers to comprehensively completing the building of a moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law and strictly governing the CPC. While affirming the results of past campaigns in regulating Party members and officials and correcting their shortcomings, Xi noted that ideological and political work require long-term efforts. "Arranging the new study campaign is a step toward expanding intra-Party education from 'a key few' to the Party members more broadly, and a switch from centralized study to study conducted more frequently," Xi said. Xi stressed that the campaign aims to consolidate Party members' Marxist positions and ensure that the entire Party maintains a high degree of ideological and political consistency with the CPC Central Committee. Woman's claim of assault at hotel triggers outrage Updated: 2016-04-07 02:44 By CAO YIN(China Daily) An online post in which a woman claimed she was assaulted at a four-star Beijing hotel while staff turned a blind eye has triggered public anger and calls for more protection of women. Beijing police said on Wednesday that they are conducting a "thorough investigation" into the case. The hotel has apologized and promised to tighten management and improve service. The woman, known only by her Sina Weibo account name "wanwan_2016", related her description online on Tuesday night. She said that she was followed and attacked by a stranger in Yitel Hotel in Beijing's Chaoyang district at about 11 pm on Sunday, and that several passers-by and a hotel employee did nothing. The woman also posted video clips recorded by the hotel surveillance camera. The woman had recorded the video clips from a computer monitor while watching the surveillance video with police. Beijing newspaper The Mirror quoted police as saying that the videos the woman posted were real. The clips show a man taking the same elevator as the woman and exiting on the same floor. While she pauses to look for her door key in the hallway, the man suddenly drags her and appears to choke her and cover her mouth to keep her from screaming. Several people, including a hotel staff member, are then seen passing by in the clips without offering help. The hotel staff member asks the man and woman not to fight in the corridor. Finally, some guests realize that it is an attack and come to the woman's aid. While they are calling the police, the man runs away. The entire incident, which the woman said was a rape attempt, lasted about six minutes. The woman said police also paid little attention when she reported the attack, so she went online to complain about the hotel and the police. China Daily called the woman's mobile phone several times on Wednesday, but the calls were not answered, and the woman did not reply to text messages. Although some facts were awaiting clarification, the issue became one of the hottest topics on Sina Weibo on Wednesday, and the woman's micro-blog postings were forwarded millions of times. The majority of netizens expressed sympathy for the woman and anger at the hotel and called for more protection of women. The hotel issued an apology on Wednesday afternoon. At a news conference at the hotel, manager Liu Hongni said: "We had mistakes or flaws in security measures and services. We will make corrections to avoid similar incidents." Liu said the hotel would cooperate with the police investigation. She did not take any questions. The hotel's parent company, Homeinns Hotel Group, a popular budget hotel chain in China, also apologized in a statement and said it will improve security checks and patrols in all of its hotels. caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn Cooperation sought to ensure safe G20 Updated: 2016-04-07 02:54 By Zhang Yan in Beijing and Shi Xiaofeng in Hangzhou(China Daily) China is seeking assistance from the international community to ensure a safe G20 meeting in September, as the country faces what one official called the "grim task" of fighting terrorism. Such assistance would include evaluations of the risk of attacks against world leaders who will come to China to attend the summit, and lists of possible terrorists and terrorist organizations that might be involved, according to the Ministry of Public Security. "We're facing a grim task in fighting terrorism, and we hope participating countries will work together with Chinese police to ensure the safety of such large-scale meetings," Hou Le, a senior official from the ministry's Counterterrorism Bureau, said on Wednesday. Hou made the remark on the sidelines of a two-day meeting of foreign law enforcement liaison officers in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Hangzhou will be the host city for this year's G20 summit. Leaders and delegations from more than 20 countries and international organizations, such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France and Japan, will take part. China hopes that police liaison officers from participating countries will offer a list of the names of international terrorist organizations and terrorists who might pose security threats to the G20 meeting or target their leaders or delegates. Risk assessments for possible attacks are also welcomed. At the same time, China is willing to enhance intelligence exchanges and investigation of individual cases with the international community, according to the ministry. "Grasping international intelligence, making national assessments and close personal protection of important leaders are considered the priority for the prevention of terror attacks for large-scale international conferences such as the G20 summit," said Thorsten Boelts, a liaison officer from Germany who is based in Beijing and attended the Hangzhou meeting. Hou from the Counterterrorism Bureau said that although China has made progress in combating terrorism in recent years, the country is faced with real terrorist threats. Hundreds of members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, an organization labeled as a terrorist group by the United Nations in 2002, are receiving military training in Syria and Afghanistan. They might come or return to China to launch attacks, according to the ministry. The Islamic State group is another threat to China, and Southeast Asia has become a key area in which IS publicizes information, recruits members and launders money, posing serious risks to regional safety and stability, according to the ministry. Police intelligence shows that some Syrian and Iraqi passports have been stolen, and terrorists might use them to illegally cross China's borders, it added. Contact the writers at zhangyan1@chinadaily.com.cn A tale of three Disney cities in Asia Updated: 2016-04-06 11:05 By Dan Steinbock(chinadaily.com.cn) Asia is beginning to pull head of North America in the global theme park business. In East Asia, the focus is on Disney parks in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 2014, the worldwide attendance growth in the top 10 theme park groups exceeded 5 percent. These conglomerates including Disney, Merlin, and Universal received more than 392 million visitors. In the postwar era, the theme park industry was mainly American. Since the 1980s, it has expanded in the advanced economies. Last year, Disneys revenue grew by $4.4 billion, topping $50 billion for the first time. In Hong Kong Disneyland, visitors from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong each still account for about 40 percent of the total visitors. While Hong Kong Disneyland is only a decade old, its daily capacity is barely 34,000 visitors; the lowest among the Disney parks. With the dwindling number of visitors from the mainland, Hong Kong Disneyland suffered a loss of $20 million in 2015, after barely three years in the black. Fewer people from the mainland are visiting, revenue is decreasing, profits are off and hotel rooms are emptier. The next two years will be challenging, possibly critical. As Hong Kong Disneyland is likely to continue to lose visitors from the mainland, it is looking harder at Southeast Asian markets, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Surveys suggest that two-thirds of middle-class families on the mainland want to visit Shanghai Disney Resort and 17 percent plan to go this year. With a majority stake in the park, Hong Kongs government is boosting its expansion. It is in a double bind. If it does not invest in expansion, Disneyland could suffer even more. Conversely, if the expansion fails, it risks losing more money over time. Launched near Tokyo in 1983, Disney Park was the first to be built outside the United States. Last year, the number of visitors dropped by more than 1.1 million to 30.2 million. Though the drop was attributed to the extreme heat last summer and recent anniversary celebrations, the stream of visitors is expected to continue. Ticket prices have been raised for the third consecutive year to secure money for investing in the park and Tokyo DisneySea. With debt taking and low rates, Abenomics has been good to Tokyo Disneyland. Visitors have been sustained by efforts to prop up consumption domestically and the yens depreciation internationally. But as currency wars are reducing depreciation benefits, Prime Minister Abe is pushing for a consumption tax hike next year. At the Shanghai Disney Resort, all eyes are on mainland visitors. In the early 2010s, two Chinese theme park chains, OCT Group and Haichang Group, entered the top 10 list of operators. Thats when Disney and Shanghai Shendi, a State-owned company with a 57 percent stake in the resort, began to build the Disney Resort in Pudong. To Disney, Shanghai will be its first major park in a large emerging economy. Today, theme parks and resorts are its most critical segment, accounting for some 30 percent of its valuation, of which international parks and resorts account for only about 5 percent. With the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort in June, Disneys international theme park revenues could double from $2 billion in 2016 to some $4 billion by the early 2020s. However, in Shanghai, Disneylands value will be determined by jobs, capital and spillover effects. The success can be measured in fiscal 2017, when the first full-year results will become available. Yet initial responses are encouraging. Initially, some 10 to 20 million people are expected to visit the Shanghai Disney Resort annually. In sheer size, twice as big as its counterpart in Tokyo and three times bigger than Hong Kong Disneyland, respectively; it will require new infrastructure and logistics. It will be vital for local travel agencies that thrive on short tours. It may boost the number of foreign visitors in Shanghai. In the property markets, it is generating a lot of interest among other developers and investors. Today, the Shanghai Disney Resort is the most important influence in Asian theme park development, even globally. It is expected to have a major impact on raising the bar for quality, guest experience and setting a price premium in the market. The author is research director of international business at the India China and America Institute (US) and a visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). DPRK changing course will lead to peace talks Updated: 2016-04-07 07:46 (China Daily) Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 24, 2016 shows the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un guiding a ground test for heavy-lift, solid-fuel rocket engine and its separation. [Photo/Xinhua] Beijing has two goals on the Korean Peninsula: peace and denuclearization. So while Wu Dawei, China's special representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs, is in Tokyo seeking coordination on restarting the Six-Party Talks, the Commerce Ministry announced a list of commodities to be embargoed to and from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Since China's full-hearted participation is crucial for the new United Nations' sanctions to have effect, the embargo should be a welcome indication that Beijing is serious about its vow to "conscientiously" implement the sanctions. And with Beijing on board, the sanctions have begun to bite. The DPRK just called on its people to prepare for another "arduous march", during which they "will have to chew the roots of plants once again". In a break from its all-threatening rhetoric, the DPRK made a plea on Sunday for talks with the United States, saying "maintaining stability" is "more important than unilateral sanctions", and a "better solution can be found through negotiations". The DPRK's softer approach may offer a window of opportunity for defusing the tit-for-tat actions that have raised tensions on the peninsula. Wu's latest push for resuming the Six-Party Talks makes sense in that respect. But just as he experienced on similar missions to Washington and Seoul, besides words on closer collaboration to execute the sanctions, he has received no pledge on restarting the talks. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier the precondition is Pyongyang shows credible moves oriented at denuclearization. Citing Pyongyang's credibility problem, the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Korea has said now is not the time to talk with Pyongyang, and Seoul will instead focus on sanctions. So no matter how hard Beijing works to revive talks, they simply will not happen until Pyongyang convinces the others of its sincerity about denuclearization. Something that appears unlikely at present. Not just because Pyongyang has a credibility crisis. But, more importantly, it seems determined to pursue its nuclear capabilities. Following its recent nuclear test and rocket launch, satellite imagery has reportedly detected "suspicious", "unusual" activity at a nuclear complex in the DPRK. If it is trying to simply buy time for a fifth nuclear test with its request for talks, Pyongyang does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. Beijing should avoid playing into Pyongyang's hands by single-mindedly advocating for peace. Peace-brokering should never be at the price of appeasing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Political motives behind US operations Updated: 2016-04-07 08:00 By Hu Bo(China Daily) This satellite image shows the Yongshu Jiao of China's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua] The United States began flexing its military muscles in the South China Sea last year as part of its political and diplomatic maneuvers in the region. The US knows better than any other country that it cannot directly prevent China's sovereign activities in the South China Sea. So it has attempted to do the next best thing, that is, make it more costly for China to safeguard its sovereignty through military, political, diplomatic and media tools. It is thus clear that the US' aim is to put China in an embarrassing diplomatic position. Despite the China-US friction in the South China Sea, however, a direct conflict between the two countries is not imminent. The US military's moves in the South China Sea may apparently be aimed at deterring China from expanding its influence, but they are primarily meant to serve as tools for accomplishing Washington's political and diplomatic goals. On "freedom of navigation operations" in the South China Sea, the US has always said they are no different from such practices in other parts of the world. Some Chinese media outlets and experts seemed to have bought the US argument and said the US' aim is to challenge China's "excessive maritime claims". But the recent US military operations in the South China Sea have been extraordinary. True, the US conducts dozens of such operations each year across the world, but they are usually carried out in a quiet and low-key manner, and their details are always kept secret. By deploying advanced weaponry, coupled with extensive media coverage, however, the US military seems to prove a Hollywood blockbuster-like point. The US military's operations have drawn the attention of the public and politicians both in the US and China, especially because they have evolved into a political issue across the Pacific. Besides, the White House has tried to create a crisis atmosphere by trumpeting the "China threat" and portraying the US military as a strong defender of national interests. As for Beijing, Washington could, by swaying Chinese people's opinion, exert influence on China's domestic political process. Washington intends to involve a growing number of Chinese to debate Beijing's policy on the South China Sea issue, and prevent Chinese elites from reaching a consensus on the issue. The US military's "freedom of navigation operations", viewed by many in China as an insult, were also meant to undermine the authority of the Chinese government and create more difficulties for it. For the US, such operations are useful diplomatic tools, used to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, they could exert pressure on China. On the other, they could help appease US allies and partners such as the Philippines and Vietnam in the region. By politicizing its operations in the South China Sea, the US also intends to test China's policies. Washington often blames Beijing for conducting activities that it claims threaten peace, and for expanding the gray areas between peace and war. But such statements can be used to describe the US military's South China Sea policy. US Navy vessels first entered the waters off China's Nansha Islands and then sailed close to Xisha Islands. After that the US Navy conducted "freedom of navigation operations" in undisputed territorial waters off some islands in the South China Sea. In carrying out such operations, the US clearly followed a cautious approach of taking one step first to test the response from China before making the next move. In other words, its strategy has been clear: testing China's response and policy bottom line. In the face of US military operations in the South China Sea, China has no choice but to be prepared militarily. Due to the complexity and politicization of US military operations, China should look beyond the "freedom of navigation operations", and realize the political motives and impact of the US military's operations. More importantly, China should use all options to counter and expose the traps set by the US. The author is a research fellow at the Institute of Ocean Research of Peking University. Courtesy: chinausfocus.com Schools to 'engineer' high-tech MBAs Updated: 2016-04-07 11:26 By Hezi Jiang in New York(China Daily USA) Front row from left: Mary C. Boyce, Dean of Engineering at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University; John H. Coatsworth, Provost of Columbia University; and Xiang Bing, Founding Dean of CKGSB; pose for photo after signing the Memorandum of Understanding to establish a partnership. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY The growing role of technology and innovation in economic growth is bringing engineering and business ever closer together. A renowned business school in Beijing and an Ivy League engineering school in New York have joined hands with the goal of educating a new type of talent that knows the latest technologies and business operations and can penetrate the world's two largest economies. The deans of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science announced the launch of the Cheung Kong Innovation Institute on Wednesday at Columbia University in New York. Both institutions said the partnership will contribute to their diversity. "We want to look at how do we forge a more global perspective, and how do we bring technology and innovation together with management and catapult new businesses," said Mary Boyce, dean of engineering at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. "From day one, we wanted to be a true innovator. Today, there are so many technology disruptions, and I think as a business school, we need to be more holistic," said Dr. Xiang Bing, founding dean and a professor of China business and globalization at CKGSB. The deans said they were talking about creating a dual-degree program in which a student will split study between the US and China, between business and engineering, and graduate with two degrees from the two schools. David Yao, professor of industrial engineering and operations research at Columbia, first came up with the idea because many entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, who are potential employers of the school's future graduates, told him that they were looking for a new kind of talent. "A talent not to found new startup companies, but rather to help them run new startups and make their startups successful," Yao said. "The new talent needs skill sets different from traditional MBAs. I see a need to have a combination between an engineering school and business school. It also allows business schools to think in a very disruptive way to examine their traditional curriculum," he said. The new institute will also create a platform for research collaboration between the two countries. Xiang pointed out that China has grown from "imitation" to "innovation", and some of the newest technologies are now in China. "We think this program will attract both American students and Chinese students," Boyce said. "And global ones," added Xiang. hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com Turkish PM denies allegation of returning refugees to Syria Updated: 2016-04-07 09:09 (Xinhua) Migrants are seen in a bus as they are moved to a Turkish coastguard station after a failed attempt at crossing to the Greek island of Lesbos, in the Turkish coastal town of Dikili, Turkey, April 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] HELSINKI - Visiting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday denied the allegation that the Turkish authorities had returned Syrian refugees to their home country. Last Friday, human rights organization Amnesty International said that the Turkish authorities had forced many Syrian refugees to return to their war-ravaged home country. The organization blamed Turkey for blatantly violating both their own laws and international agreements, saying that the illegal returns "expose the fatal flaws in a refugee deal signed between Turkey and the European Union" earlier in March. In response to the allegation, Davutoglu told Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat that no one has been sent back to Syria. He also demanded evidence for the allegation. Ahmet Davutoglu met his Finnish counterpart Juha Sipila here on Wednesday. During their meeting, the two prime ministers focused their discussion on the bilateral relations between the two countries, the migration situation and the relations between the EU and Turkey. Concerning the progress of the measures agreed between the EU and Turkey to stop irregular migrants flows from Turkey to EU states, Sipila said the implementation of the measures is extremely important. He added that the EU funds for the Syrian refugees in Turkey must be made available in an appropriate and swift manner. Obama welcomes Myanmar's transition to civilian-led government Updated: 2016-04-07 09:17 (Xinhua) WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama welcomed the "historic step forward" of a democratic transfer of power to a civilian-led government in Myanmar, the White House said Wednesday. Obama spoke by phone on Wednesday with U Htin Kyaw to offer congratulations on his inauguration as Myanmar's President, the White House said in a statement. U Htin Kyaw of the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in in late March as Myanmar's new president. Obama underscored the commitment of the United States to support the people and government of Myanmar as they work to achieve a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future, according to the statement. On Wednesday, Obama also spoke by phone with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and commended her "determined efforts, over the course of many years and at great personal cost, to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation." Aung San Suu Kyi concurrently heads three other ministries, namely the Ministry of President Office, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to visit Nagorno-Karabakh to strengthen ceasefire Updated: 2016-04-07 10:35 (Xinhua) YEREVAN - The upcoming visit by Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group from Russia and France to Nagorno-Karabakh is aimed at preventing violations of the ceasefire and further escalation of long-term conflict, Armenian Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said Wednesday. Igor Popov from Russia and Pierre Andrieu from France will visit the Karabakh conflict zone to familiarize with the situation after the warring parties reached a cease-fire agreement. "They did not come to make any statements, their only task is to strengthen the cease-fire," said Kocharyan. OSCE Permanent Council held Tuesday an emergency meeting in Vienna, discussed the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and called on parties to comply with the ceasefire. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group decided to visit Karabakh conflict region. They are planning meet with Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert officials. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Conflict first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes. China, Nigeria agriculture institutes to cultivate food security Updated: 2016-04-07 17:30 By Hou Liqiang(chinadaily.com.cn) China's Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences joined hands with Nigeria's International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to improve food security in Africa and create job opportunities for the continent thats booming in population, reports Nigerian newspaper Punch. The two institutes agreed to work together on crop improvement, especially cassava, banana/plantain, spices, vegetables and cocoa, according to Katherine Lopez, IITA's head of communication. There will also be an Africa-China student and researcher exchange program. 'Germplasm' exchange and upstream research such as the development of molecular markers, genomics, mechanization, and breeding of cassava resistant to cassava mosaic disease and cold -tolerant cassava varieties are also included in the two parties' cooperation framework. As a non-profit organization, the IITA is one of the world's leading research partners in finding solutions to hunger, malnutrition and poverty, the report said. It also said IITA and CATAS will be working with GAWAL, a private Chinese agricultural firm, in Nigeria on several agricultural issues. Agriculture is one of the 10 plans President Xi Jinping announced at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Johannesburg Summit, saying that China will boost cooperation with Africa in the coming three years. The summit was held on December 4 -5 last year in South Africa. To help Africa accelerate agricultural modernization, China will carry out agricultural development projects in 100 African villages to raise rural living standards, send 30 teams of agricultural experts to Africa and establish a "10+10" cooperation mechanism between Chinese and African agricultural research institutes, the president said. China helps South Sudan with rice donation Updated: 2016-04-07 17:33 By Hou Liqiang(chinadaily.com.cn) China donated 1,700 metric tons of rice to South Sudan on Wednesday to relieve the country's humanitarian crisis, reports Xinhua News Agency. China was concerned with the deteriorating humanitarian situation in South Sudan," said Ma Qiang, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan, during a donation ceremony held in the countrys capital Juba. The ambassador also said rice is the first phase of Chinese donations agreed by governments of the two countries in July 2015. Medical aid from China will also arrive soon. "The medical aid will be given to Relief and Rehabilitation Commission of South Sudan government," Ma said. According to UN agencies, the cereal deficit this year in South Sudan has increased by 53 percent to 381,000 tons. Ma said, "China would continue to support South Sudan in solving some of the challenges it faces." South Sudan's Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Awut Deng Achuil, was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying, "Your support will surely save life and alleviate the suffering of our people and the government. China will not be forgotten by the people of South Sudan." US-Manila drill 'imperils China' Updated: 2016-04-08 02:27 By Li Xiaokun(China Daily) Military exercise may escalate tension in region, expert says A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] The ongoing US-Philippines military drill, which apparently targets China, and the predicted passage of US Navy vessels near China's Nansha Islands are designed to serve US interests at the cost of China's, observers said. Manila is eager to expand its territory to China's Meiji Reef in the South China Sea, said Yang Xiyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, and the US "might use its joint drill with the Philippines to show support for the expansion." "It's highly possible that US forces will choose Meiji Reef for their passage," he added. Reuters cited an unnamed source on April 2 as saying that the US Navy plans to send ships through a passage near Meiji Reef this month, the third in a series of such challenges that have drawn sharp criticism from China. The US has conducted so-called freedom of navigation exercises in recent months, sailing near Zhubi Reef, part of the Nansha Islands, and Zhongjian Island, part of the Xisha Islands. The scale and number of vessels sailing near the reef are not likely to be lower than the previous two challenges undertaken by US destroyers, Yang said. Yin Zhuo, director of the People's Liberation Army Navy's Expert Consultation Committee, said Washington is using the South China Sea issue to endanger Beijing's ties with its neighbors and to draw Japan, the Philippines and Australia into a collective containment of China. The move will lead to escalated tensions in the region, he said. A small contingent of Australian troops will join the exercises, while Vietnam and Japan have sent officers in an observer capacity. "Eager to undercut China's mounting regional influence, some specific nations take delight in sowing seeds of discord between China and rival claimants, and boosting their military presence and patrols to thwart China in the name of safeguarding freedom of navigation," Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary. About 8,000 US and Filipino troops have been engaged in the annual, 11-day military exercise since April 4. 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. HCM CITY The HCM City Peoples Committee signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve the domestic business environment and increase education on trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) yesterday in HCM City. The MoU was also signed by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam, representing the Viet Nam Trade Facilitation Alliance (VTFA). Under the MoU, the VCCI will support the city in organising research, surveying the business environment, consulting on administrative reform, helping with business start-ups, and enhancing corporate governance capacity and the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises. The VCCI will offer training courses, conferences, seminars, workshops and trade networking. The VTFA and VCCI will also work with authorities to organise training courses on market research; support enterprises in e-commerce development; and promote technological application, innovation, brand building and trade promotion. We would like to collect all support policies and programmes from local authorities that create trade benefits for the local business community. From such policies, one action plan should be established to effectively support enterprises, Vo Tan Thanh, director of the VCCI HCM City branch, said. Herb Cochran, executive director of AmCham Viet Nam, said "The event aims to help Vietnamese businesses and Government to understand more about the new FTAs in general and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the TPP in particular. In 2015, the Viet Nam Trade Facilitation Alliance was set up by AmCham in co-operation with VCCI to provide technical assistance to Viet Nams customs authorities and state management agencies, and information to the National Assembly and business associations. The purpose of the VTFA is to support Viet Nams international integration through fulfillment of Viet Nams international trade and investment commitments, with a special emphasis on implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in Viet Nam - as well as FTAs with similar provisions. In addition, VTFA provides support to Vietnamese businesses to help them join global supply chains and inform them about the requirements needed in order to do so. Nestor Scherbey, a VTFA senior advisor, pointed out that free trade is not really free. It will take a significant investment of time, effort, specialist expertise and dedicated resources for state agencies, companies and traders to successfully implement the benefits of the TPP, the EVFTA and other free trade agreements with respect to their goods, he said. Tariff engineering of goods for preferential tariff eligibility under these trade agreements requires details on products, processing and materials analysis to determine their status under each agreements specific rules. Companies and traders will have to assess the impacts of these agreements on their global supply chains, step up their visibility for multiple tiers of suppliers who, through lack of management and oversight of supplier relationships, might create difficulties. Scherbey suggested that at the provincial level, local authorities should establish a trade information database of FDI companies and domestic suppliers, for the purpose of identifying specific opportunities for Vietnamese companies that aim to become suppliers to FDI companies. With help from technical experts, they will conduct surveys of FDI companies to identify the materials and intermediate goods Vietnamese producers can supply to FDI companies in order to produce export products to qualify for TPP and EVFTA preferential treatment. A Trade Information Centre will notify Vietnamese producers of the opportunities that have been identified, as well as provide TPP, EVFTA and other FTA trade information resources, he added. He said local authorities should sponsor and organise training courses and seminars for Vietnamese companies on global supply chains. In addition, the New Trade Information Centre should conduct export marketing research on foreign technical standards and requirements for companies - especially SMEs. With the TPP, Vietnamese exports could reach US$307 billion by 2025, as opposed to $239 billion without the TPP, Cochran of AmCham said. Viet Nam is expected to reap large gains, as there would be more exports of manufacturers (34 per cent more), more imports of consumer and production goods (27 per cent), more inward FDI due to investor optimism, stronger links to international supply chains, productivity gains from competition, and momentum for reforms that boost growth and opportunity. To support Vietnamese enterprises, the VTFA, VCCI, AmCham, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Viet Nam signed an MoU on customs-business partnerships and other customs procedures and standards, including mutual assistance agreements and the creation of a national committee on trade facilitation. VNS It has been months since the companies suffered losses, and investors are aware that any improvement will depend on not only the companies' actions but also macro-economic conditions," the analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said." Illustrative Image/ Photo motthegioi.vn HA NOI Viet Nam News HCM City and Ha Noi stock exchanges this week put shares of many companies on the warning list or under supervision, due to their losses. On the HCM Stock Exchange (HoSE), SMC Trading Investment was put on the warning list today, as the firm posted an after-tax loss of nearly VN185 billion (US$8.2 million) last year. The HoSE will also place steel maker ai Thien Loc Corporation on the warning list tomorrow, as the companys financial reports showed it suffered a loss of more than VN63 billion in 2015. Tomorrow, the southern bourse will do the same for the Viet Nam Export Import Bank, or Eximbank, which witnessed accumulated losses over two consecutive years. The banks undistributed profit of 2014 has been adjusted from VN114 billion to minus VN835 billion, and the undistributed profit of 2015 was about minus VN817 billion, according to its audited financial statements. Vung Tau Construction and Real Estate will also be on the warning list of the HoSE tomorrow with an after-tax loss of more than VN5 billion reported in 2015. Pomina Steel has also been placed on this list after posting a loss of roughly VN212 billion as of December 31, 2015. Earlier this week, the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) put shares of several companies on the warning list after audited financial reports revealed negative figures in their after-tax records. The companies included tobacco leaves producer Ngan Son, Viet Nam National General Export-Import JSC No 1 and Asia-Pacific Investment, besides travel firm Fiditour, Song a Infrastructure Construction and Song a JSC No 7. Today, the HoSE put shares of some businesses under supervision because of their continuous losses over the last two years. Among them was Viet Nam Ocean Shipping, which posted after-tax losses at minus VN144 billion in 2014 and some minus VN298 billion in 2015. The other firm was Chang Yih Ceramic & Porcelain Tiles, which witnessed after-tax losses of more than VN13 billion in 2014 and approximately VN37 billion in 2015. Shares of marine transport firm Vinaship are also being supervised by the HoSE, after financial reports showed that companys after-tax losses amounted to nearly VN69 billion in 2014 and some VN40 billion in 2015. Ninh Van Bay Travel Real Estate is now being supervised by the southern exchange, with financial reports revealing negative figures in after-tax profit records. The figures were more than VN84 billion for 2014 and nearly VN128 billion for 2015. Asked if the situation of these companies may affect investors psychology and local stock indices, an analyst at brokerage VietinBank Securities said, No problem. This is a normal situation and investors understand it. It has been months since the companies suffered losses, and investors are aware that any improvement will depend on not only the companies actions but also macro-economic conditions, the analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said. Personally I think the authorities revealing the names of the warned and supervised firms so soon at this time of the year is a good move. It shows that standards of the domestic stock market are enhanced, and it helps investors make better choices in their investments, he said. The HoSE and HNX stipulate that shares of a company will be put on the warning list if audited financial reports show that the firm suffers after-tax losses in the latest fiscal year. The shares will be placed under supervision if the company witnesses after-tax losses in the latest two consecutive years. After-tax losses are just a basis for exchanges to decide on which companies to warn or supervise, besides some other bases related to reduction in charter capital, a halt in production and business activities, violation in information announcement and shortcomings in shares transactions. A company will be taken off the warning or supervision lists if it manages to resolve the causes that lead to its unsatisfactory situation, according to the exchange regulations. This week, the HoSE removed the warning for shares of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Construction and Urban Development, and Song a Urban & Industrial Zone Investment and Development. HNX has also taken shares of Bac Kan Minerals off the warning list. VNS by Bach Lien Viet Nam News -Over the last three years, many local people living on To Ngoc Van Street (Tay Ho District) have come to know a smiling chef with blond hair, who loves talking to them about Vietnamese gastronomy. The chef is Shahar Lubin, owner and chef of Daluwa restaurant and bar, the first and only Middle Eastern gastropub in Ha Noi. In addition to serving typical Middle-East fare, this Israeli chefs restaurant also offers an interesting mix of dishes from Israel and the US, combining them with interesting indigenous flavours and ingredients. Many people here enjoy the original mixed dishes he spends a lot of time and passion creating. Lubin says the vast majority of Daluvas ingredients are sourced locally. His tagines use Vietnamese salted limes, instead of lemons, for example; his taramosalata has nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce), instead of salted fish roe. His shuk shuka (tomato cooked with egg), the most popular food in Israel, is also cooked with the special flavour of nuoc mam from Viet Nam. As he explains with a smile, it is difficult not to add the special flavour of nuoc mam to dishes while living in Viet Nam. It was a blast to create such a special menu. It was my love letter to all my homes. The one I was born in, the one I grew up in, and the one I moved to. Bringing the best flavors of all those counties to the fore, all while using the best local ingredients Viet Nam has to offer, he said on the website tripadvisor.com, responding to a compliment of a client who appreciated the dishes he tasted during his visits to Viet Nam. Shahar Lubin was born in Israel but grew up in the US. Then he decided to settle in Viet Nam. In January, his restaurant cooperated with the Israeli embassy to organise Vietnam-Israel Gastronomy Friendship Week. He presented to the public original dishes on the Israeli-Vietnamese fusion menu. Many were happily surprised to taste typical dishes of Viet Nam, including nem cuon (fresh spring rolls), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), fried au phu (tofu), cooked with different ingredients and flavours of Israel and Viet Nam. One of the highlights of the menu was Lubins quirky reinterpretation of bun cha, a Ha Noi street-food medley of grilled pork, vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs. Lubin nixed the pork and replaced it with falafel (a traditional Middle Eastern food). He is a very creative chef, said Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israels ambassador to Viet Nam. Love of Vietnamese gastronomy Lubin said that his love for Vietnamese gastronomy motivated him to come to Ha Noi and determine to stay in this city. After coming here, he was attracted by many other things in Ha Noi, too. Before coming to Viet Nam, I worked for several years in the US and spent some years travelling all around the world. I got to know about Vietnamese culture in the US. I love Vietnamese gastronomy. When I first came in Ha Noi in 2009, I loved this city at first sight. I decided I would have to try to move and live in this city, he confided. When living in the US, Shahar Lubin worked as a consultant at several restaurants. Finally, he decided to settle in Ha Noi and open his own restaurant. As a chef, I want to contribute my efforts to life here by training other cooks. I have trained several cooks in my restaurant. And I have learned many things from them, he said. Ha Noi has always seduced him with its simplicity, its dynamism and the openness of the local inhabitants. This city won my heart. I love the dynamism of the city and the kindness of the people. Its wonderful to be part of it. Even though Lubin has lived in Ha Noi for more than six years, each day living in this city is a new day for him. For him, simple happiness is beginning the morning with a bowl of hot pho (rice noodles) or a bowl of hot bun suon (rib pork vermicelli soup), sipping a cup of green tea, talking with local inhabitants, then walking around West Lake while watching the fast moving stream of people. Several years have passed. But I never felt bored. The city is continuously changing, moving, and surprising me. The food here in Ha Noi never stops moving. Like its inhabitants, he said. VNS WASHINGTON (AFP) The US military is considering pulling troops from a base in the northeastern part of Egypts Sinai Peninsula, partly because of the increasing threat from Islamic State group jihadists, CNN reported yesterday. The Obama administration may order the movement of some US and international troops into the southern Sinai, and is discussing such a move with Egypt and Israel, CNN said. The two Middle East countries signed a peace deal in 1979, agreeing that a Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) mission would monitor compliance. Some 700 US troops are part of that mission, CNN said. Most of the peacekeepers are stationed at El-Gorah camp, near the Gaza Strip. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis declined to confirm or deny the CNN report. "We remain fully committed to the objective of the MFO mission and the maintenance of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt," he said. "We are in continuous contact with the MFO and adjust force protection capabilities as conditions warrant." Officials worry the threat of an IS group attack targeting US forces in the region is increasing. AFP UNITED NATIONS, United States At least 100,000 people have been driven from their homes in an upsurge of fighting since January in Sudans Darfur region, the UNs peacekeeping chief said on Wednesday. "Clashes and aerial bombings are currently continuing" in the rebel stronghold of Jebel Marra, Herve Ladsous, the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations, told the Security Council. About 103,000 people have sought refuge at four camps set up by the joint UN-African Union UNAMID mission in Darfur, he said. Ladsous quoted humanitarian agencies as saying that at least 138,000 people had been on the run since mid-January. Restrictions imposed by the Sudanese government to aid agencies and to the UNAMID mission made it difficult to be precise in assessing the number of displaced in the recent fighting, he said. Jebel Marra sits at the heart of the Darfur region and is a stronghold of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army commanded by Abdulwahid Nur (SLA-AW). Sudans Ambassador Omar Dahab Fadl disputed the reports of large-scale movements of civilians, saying "large numbers" of displaced people had managed to return to their villages in Darfur and were growing their crops. "Preparations are underway for the return of 100.000 IDPs (internally displaced persons) to their villages in the east and west of Darfur," the ambassador told the council. Khartoums envoy insisted that the Sudanese army was responding to attacks from the SLA-AW and had managed to restore security to the region, with roads now open to civilians. "For the first time in 13 years, primary school students sat for general examinations. Levies ceased to be paid to hooligans," he said. The UN peacekeeping chief called on the government and the rebels to immediately halt fighting in Jebel Marra and begin peace talks to end the conflict. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft expressed concern over the continued violence in Jebel Marra and said humanitarian access to central Darfur had become "even harder" as a result. "We ask all parties to provide the cooperation that UNAMID needs to do its job," he said. Darfur descended into conflict in 2003 when ethnic minority insurgents rebelled, complaining the region was being economically and politically marginalized by the government in Khartoum. More than 300,000 people have been killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003 and there are some 2.6 million displaced, according to the United Nations. AFP RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will meet Frances Francois Hollande in Paris later this month to discuss a new French push for peace, a spokesman said on Wednesday. Abbas "will have an important meeting with President Francois Hollande to discuss convening an international peace conference in accordance with the French initiative," Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said. The Palestinian leader will travel to France on April 15, before heading to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss "the evolution of the political situation in Palestine and the region", he said. Abu Rudeina said Abbas would also travel to Berlin for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before flying to New York to attend meetings at the United Nations, but he did not provide exact dates. France launched an effort earlier this year to host an international conference to revive peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. It initially vowed to recognise a Palestinian state if talks failed, but French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault later said the recognition would not be automatic. "France plays an important role in efforts to establish a fair, comprehensive and durable peace in accordance with international resolutions," Abu Rudeina said. The French initiative comes amid a wave of violence since October that has killed 200 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to the Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip. AFP Photo taken yesterday Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) participate in the meeting. Photo vnexpress.net HA NOI Viet Nam News - Nearly 82 per cent of lawmakers 418 in total - agreed to release Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung from his post during the 13th National Assemblys 11th session in Ha Noi. Later, the NA considered a draft resolution on the discharge delivered by Secretary General Nguyen Hanh Phuc. With 430 approval votes, or 87 per cent of the legislature, the resolution was adopted. President Tran ai Quang then delivered a report on the nomination for the Prime Minister position, Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also NA deputy for the 13th tenure. During the Governments March meeting, PM Dung said that after nine years and 10 months in office, he will be allowed to retire. He conveyed his sincere thanks to the Cabinet members, heads of Government bodies, Government staff and experts of the consulting group for their dedication, which helped him fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party, State and people during his two tenures. He wished that the Cabinet members would continue to accomplish their assigned tasks, and that those who are planning to retire would make further contributions to national development. Dung, 67, is native to the southernmost province of Ca Mau. He was a member of the Party Central Committee from the 6th to the 11th tenure, a Politburo member from the 8th to 11th tenure, and NA deputy from the 10th to 13th tenure. The election of the new PM will be held this morning. Lawmakers hopeful about new PM, Government Lawmakers have expressed hope that the new Prime Minister and his Cabinet will continue to be steadfast in their strategic goals to achieve higher economic growth and improve peoples lives. On the sidelines of the 13th National Assemblys 11th session in Ha Noi yesterday, Deputy Tran Hoang Ngan from HCM City said the new Government should emphasise social welfare, food safety and hygiene, social order, transportation and health insurance, which are all of public concern. It should also pay attention to refining the market economy and social management mechanisms, he said. Deputy Tran Du Lich, representing HCM Citys constituents, called for continued reforms of fiscal and monetary policies and administration, saying that the new Government should be more drastic in this regard. In his opinion, Deputy Tran Ngoc Vinh from the northern port city of Hai Phong suggested thoroughly examining and fixing issues involving public debt, the State budget and social welfare by adjusting several policies. According to him, the Government needs to crack down on corruption, especially in public administration, in part by recruiting qualified and moral officials. The Government must offer a better public administration service, he stressed. Lawmaker Bui Thi An from Ha Noi expressed hopes that the new Prime Minister will make a breakthrough in streamlining personnel and fighting corruption, which she said will earn the trust of people nationwide. Speaking highly of the PMs role in operating the countrys executive branch and driving socio-economic development, o Van Duong from HCM City said the Government leader should be dynamic, creative and highly responsible. In the current context, Duong expressed his hopes that the new Prime Minister will stay determined to safeguard territorial sovereignty by practical means, both legally and politically. National Assembly passes draft laws A number of draft laws sailed through yesterdays meeting, with the majority of votes being in favour. They include the Law on Access to Information, the amended Pharmacy Law, amendments and supplements to the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Special Consumption Tax, the Law on Tax Management and the revised Law on Export-Import Tariffs. The Law on Access to Information, which passed with 88.46 per cent of the vote, comprises five chapters and 37 articles. It will come into effect on July 1, 2018. The law stipulates citizens right to access of information and principles and procedures of information access, as well as responsibilities and obligations of State agencies in ensuring citizens right to information access. Restrictions are only imposed in line with the law regarding national defence and security, social order and safety, and public health. The actualisation of citizens rights to information should not violate national interests or the legitimate rights and interests of other people, the law stated. Earlier, the NA Standing Committee delivered a report on NA deputies opinions of the draft law, which states that foreigners right to information access is different from that of Vietnamese citizens. They explained that foreigner access to information should be based on their purposes and the capacity of local State agencies. Vietnamese people abroad should have the same right to information access as local citizens, they said. Comprising 14 chapters and 116 articles, the amended Pharmacy Law was approved by the NA with an 88 per cent approval margin. The law prescribes the States policy on pharmacy and the development of the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical business, medicine management at healthcare centres and the management of medicine quality, among others. Domestic agencies, organisations and individuals at home and abroad related to pharmaceutical activities in Viet Nam are subject to the law. Before voting on the draft law, the NA Standing Committee presented its report on the acquisition of NA deputies opinions on the document. The report said many suggested supplementing the States policies on human resources development, the establishment of drugstore chains, and scientific research and transfers in this field. Nearly 63 per cent of NA deputies agreed that practice certificates must be issued to each pharmacist. Others proposed supplementing regulations prohibiting the trade of medicines that are not in line with regulations, and the import of extracted pharmaceutical products. The law will take effect on January 1, 2017. In addition, nearly 87 per cent of NA deputies adapted amendments and supplements to some articles of the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Special Consumption Tax and the Law on Tax Management, which will go into effect on July 1, 2016, excluding Clauses 2 and 4 of Article 3, which will come into force on September 1, 2016. With five chapters and 22 articles, the revised Law on Export-Import Tariffs was approved with 91.3 per cent of the vote. The law will take effect on September 1, 2016, replacing the Law on Export-Import Tariffs. VNS Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (right) congratulates Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Ng Tech Hean . VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan HA NOI Viet Nam News The Foreign Ministry awarded the Friendship Order of the Vietnamese President to Singaporean Ambassador to Viet Nam Ng Tech Hean during a ceremony in Ha Noi yesterday. Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son congratulated the ambassador on the honour, saying that it was a recognition of his dedication to fostering the Viet NamSingapore strategic partnership. During his tenure, Ng Tech Hean has made significant contributions to promoting bilateral ties on all the Party, government, State, National Assembly and people-to-people exchange channels, as well as accelerating the construction of the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park. The ambassador expressed his delight at the development of bilateral ties. Economic and trade ties have continued to expand, with Singapore becoming the third largest foreign investor in Viet Nam. It has a total registered capital of US$36 billion invested in more than 1,500 projects. He hoped that upon returning home, he could make further contributions to SingaporeViet Nam ties. VNS HA NOI Five Vietnamese military officers will serve as staff and liaison officers in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations in South Sudan and the Central African Republic for one year. This follows a decision made by the president recently. Speaking at a ceremony held to announce the decision yesterday in Ha Noi, Deputy Defence Minister Sen Lieut Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh, who is also head of the Defence Ministrys Steering Committee for Participation in UN Peacekeeping Missions, highlighted the officers important tasks and said they should hold firm to their political beliefs and actively train themselves, especially in learning foreign languages. Lieutenant Nguyen Van Hang, one of the five officers who will join the peacekeeping force, said he had joined training courses in Viet Nam and other countries to prepare well for the coming missions. On behalf of the officers, Major Luong Truong Vinh said they were committed to accomplishing their assigned tasks, ensuring solidarity and the love for peace and contributing to State security. Since its inception in May 2014, the Viet Nam Peacekeeping Centre has dispatched seven officers to UN missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.Viet Nam is also preparing to deploy a second-level field hospital and a company of engineers to engage in peacekeeping missions when required. VNS HA NOI A teacher in Bat Xat District of northern Lao Cai Province has been dismissed following accusations of beating a student twice, inflicting serious injuries, the district disciplinary council announced on Tuesday. The dismissal is the highest level of administrative punishment, besides a reprimand and warning, Hoang ang Khoa, chairman of the district Peoples Committee, said. On March 25, teacher Tran Thi Thu Tra used a bamboo stick, a ruler, a mobile phone and her own hand to smack the head of a grade-one student named Phan Chung Thuy at Phin Ngan Communes primary school. The teachers reason for the abuse was reportedly that Thuy was writing down the dictated text too slowly, which could have affected the overall class performance. Fearing the consequences of her actions, Tra applied bear gall to the childs injuries to relieve the pain, but it made the bruises on her face more conspicuous. Following this, Tra visited the students home to apologise but repeated her misconduct in the classroom some days later. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, head of the districts internal affairs department, told the local news website dantri.com.vn that although the teacher had expressed regret, beating a minor twice was too aggressive an action to be ignored. The student is now in stable condition and has returned to class after being treated at the hospital. In another report, police of Buon Ho Town in the Central Highlands province of ak Lak are investigating the case of a 25-month-old child who sustained a serious injury at a private kindergarten in An Binh Ward. The baby choked on food and fainted on Monday while in the care of an unlicensed kindergarten owned by Bui Thi Phuong Tam, 29, Vietnam News Agency reported. According to ak Lak Provinces General Hospital, the child was in critical condition. Half of his brain had suffered damage in the incident. VNS HA NOI (VNS) The Ministry of Health has released instructions on treating and preventing infection by the Zika virus for pregnant women in Viet Nam. The instructions are for doctors and medical staff at obstetrics hospitals, and include instructions on Zika prevention and the care of pregnant women living in Zika affected areas. It said that a pregnant woman should be tested for the Zika virus if she had some of the following factors: she was within the first three months of her gestation period; has lived in or travelled through a Zika affected area; has a husband or sexual partner who has tested positive to Zika; or had symptoms of fever and hives, and at least one symptom like conjunctivitis or pains in their bones and joints. For pregnant women who tested positive to the Zika virus, obstetric care should be based on ultrasound results for proper interventions. Pregnant women should be sent to hospitals capable of prenatal diagnosis and be admitted for re-checkup and examination if the ultrasound results show signs of brain damage or microcephaly (abnormal smallness of the head). The move has been put forward following the ministrys confirmation yesterday of two women, including a pregnant woman, who have contracted the Zika virus in the central Khanh Hoa Province and in HCM City. The Khanh Hoa Preventive Medicine Centre yesterday sprayed mosquito repellent in Phuoc Hoa Ward of Nha Trang City where a 64-year-old woman tested positive to the virus. The activity was one of the provinces drastic measures to kill mosquito and larvae and prevent the Zika virus from spreading in the community. Zika prevention The ministry also released a recommendation to take the initiative in preventing the Zika virus with a focus on practicing measures to avoid mosquitoes bites and killing mosquito larvae in the community. People should wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, sleep under a mosquito bed net and use insect repellents to kill mosquitoes and prevent bites. Households can kill larvae by introducing ornamental fish into open standing water and keeping water tanks and containers tightly covered. During the first three months of their gestation period, a pregnant woman who has lived or returned from an area infected by the virus and has fever, hives or any one symptom such as bone and joint pains or conjunctivitis, should undergo tests. The ministry also warned people to minimise travelling between regions and localities. People returning from a Zika-affected area should monitor his or her health for 12 days. Those with symptoms should visit a medical station for early examination and treatment. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam is still struggling to tackle drug trafficking and needs international community support to win the battle, says Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am. Viet Nam is adjacent to the notorious opium-producing Golden Triangle region which overlaps the borders of three Southeast Asian countries: Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. One consequence of this is that Viet Nam unintentionally became a key transaction place for drug smuggling and has seen a high number of drug addicts over the years. "It is not surprising that drug prevention is a priority in the Vietnamese governments agenda. We are finally seeing positive results in the fight," said the Deputy PM in a meeting with the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board Vice President Jagjit Pavadia on Tuesday. 2015 marked the first year in over two decades that the number of drug addicts in Viet Nam declined. Compared to 2014, the number of drug addicts declined by more than 4,000 in 2015. About 200,000 drug addicts had been identified and counted, as of January this year. The 2015 decrease followed the elimination of both mandatory rehab at state centres - and of the Centre for Treatment, Education and Social Workforce known as Centre 06 - which were proven to be ineffective in treating drug addiction. The relapse rate of patients treated at those centres was more than 90 per cent, according to government reports. The extension of the national programme providing free methadone treatment as a substitute for drugs - and the fast increase in centres offering voluntary rehab programmes - resulted in good outcomes in curbing drugs addiction, said the Deputy PM. Drug trafficking on the rise Viet Nams efforts to tackle drug smuggling scored impressive results, according to the statistics reported. In 2015, the police seized about 10 tonnes of drugs of all kinds, from heroin and opium to marijuana and crystal meth. Nearly 30,000 people involved in drug trafficking rings were arrested, according to Public Security Deputy Minister Senior Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong. Yet despite harsh penalties for drug smugglers in Viet Nam including a death sentence for anyone carrying 100 grams of heroin or cocaine the drug trafficking situation continues to grow worse. Police reports show that the amount of heroine and synthetic drugs seized in 2015 increased by 72.5 and 173 per cent respectively, compared to the previous year. These statistics indicate increasing illegal activity by transnational smuggling rings in the region. The Laotian border to the west, and the Chinese border to the north, stand out as hot spots for drug smuggling, involving Vietnamese, Laotian and Chinese citizens in massive trafficking rings. So from 2016 on, Viet Nam will focus on intercepting narcotic supplies, as well on eliminating domestic drug hot spots, said Deputy PM am. Viet Nam also hopes that the United Nations and the international community will continue their support for Viet Nam in the fight against drugs, he said. For her part, Pavadia affirmed that her board and the UN will mobilise various resources to help Viet Nam with communications campaigns, policy consultancy, and improving the legal system. VNS HA NOI The Ha Noi Department of Information and Communications (HDIC) has asked local telecom providers to disconnect nearly 750 illegal phone numbers that annoy people by sending them advertisements. Of these numbers, 414 belong to Viettel, 198 are from Vinaphone, five are owned by Vietnamobile and one belongs to VNPT Ha Noi. The authorities have asked the telecom providers to report the results before April 15. This is the 54th such order to be issued since 2010, and 9,415 out of more than 13,000 illegal phone numbers, reported for sending out spam advertisements, have been banned, according to a report released last week by the HDIC. These phone numbers are used to advertise various services, including electricity and water pipeline repair, recruitment and Internet and cable TV installation, and they are posted on public walls and electricity poles, negatively impacting the aesthetic beauty of the city. The city authorities proposed the Ministry of Information and Communications amend and supplement the regulations dealing with violations of this nature. VNS Pigging out: New Zealands ambassador and other representatives of the NZ embassy and Childfund visit a household rearing pigs. VNS Photo Bach Lien by Vuong Bach Lien Viet Nam News -Life has been difficult for Hoang Van Dungs family as they live in a small village, reachable only on foot, surrounded by karst mountains and far from the commune centre. In their small wooden house in Lung Nhung Village, the Mong man and his wife have tried hard to do farming to raise their three children. The village, located in Luu Ngoc Commune, is one of the poorest regions of Tra Linh District in the mountainous far-north Cao Bang Province. For many families in the commune, its not always easy to do farming as there is not much arable soil and they can hardly make enough for their families. However, their life has been improving for the past few months after they began raising goats, a new income generation activity that suits the local conditions. Borrowing VN10 million ($US450) from ChildFund charity organisations village credit scheme, together with the money they got from selling a pig, Dungs family bought six goats to raise in June last year. Not kidding around: Goat-rearing is proving to be a sustainable activity that guarantees an income for Hoang Van Dungs family. VNS Photo Bach Lien They also got training to take good care of the goats. The goats gave birth after nine months. Its great that my family can invest in larger herds, and has income to cover the costs of our childrens food, education and healthcare, Dung said. Goat rearing is proving to be a sustainable activity that guarantees an income for his family and other households of the region, affirmed local authorities. The credit scheme and the training is part of a New Zealand project to support remote communities in Cao Bang Province. The five-year initiative, entitled Building Strong and Resilient Communities in Rural Cao Bang, Viet Nam, commenced in 2014 and is jointly funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme and ChildFund New Zealand. From 2014 to 2019, NZD2.28 million (US$1.52 million) will be invested in order to build strong and resilient communities in rural Cao Bang. The project involves 1,700 local families, most of them ethnic minorities, in Tra Linh District to boost agricultural production and incomes, improve access to vocational training and credit, and better plan for natural disasters. Tra Linh District is characterised by high poverty rates, geographical isolation, lack of access to economic opportunities and limited arable land. The region is also susceptible to natural disasters. Being situated in the far north of Viet Nam, it is home to many ethnic minorities. Forty per cent of the households in the district are classified as poor. Their main income comes from the plantation of sugarcane, maize and rice and raising of pigs, which has low economic value. Under the project, local people have been trained to improve their skills to cultivate rice and raise pigs and goats. The households get access to a microcredit and savings system to access small loans to diversify their incomes. Out-of-school youth are further supported through improved access to vocational training for the first time. They can learn car repair and aluminium glass work at workshops. Six communes of the district will each get practical natural disaster preparedness plans. Moreover, the people get access to new livestock through the cow bank scheme. The scheme helps poor families by covering the upfront cost of livestock, allowing the families to start a small herd for meat or milk production, and to eventually repay the investment with cattle offspring. The cow bank scheme has improved household income and food security for the local people. Long Van Lang was happy when his family was presented a female cow by New Zealand Ambassador Haike Manning last week, along with three other families of Cao Chuong Commune. The cows cost VN19.8 million ($908) each and he paid only 10 per cent of the value (VN2 million). When his cow gives birth to a calf, Lang will return the mother cow to the cow bank, which will then be lent out to another family in the commune. I am very glad because it is the first cow of the family. The cow will help us in our farming activities, he said. Like several families in the commune, his family is trying to survive on little more than a dollar a day. His two young daughters still attend nursery school. The cow is very important to my family. It will provide manure, fertiliser to increase crop yields, an income through agriculture work, and provide meat. This means that my family will have nourishing food all year round, and will not go hungry, he said. Building capacity New Zealands Ambassador to Viet Nam Haike Manning travelled to Cao Bang Province last week to visit communities involved in the New Zealand-funded project. New Zealand and ChildFund have made some direct impact on the local people. Our support is very practical and my discussion with local authorities has highlighted this approach, he said. The visible impact on the local people is an increase in real income and improvement in agricultural practices. Our investment in Cao Bang is an example of New Zealands commitment to support vulnerable communities across Viet Nam to strengthen their ability to decide their own future, and to live to their full potential, he said. The ambassador said the idea behind the project was to build capacity and the ability of the locals to forge a sustainable path on their own for themselves and their future as well. Previously, from 2011 to 2014, a livelihoods project and water and sanitation project in Tra Linh district and Quang Uyen District of Cao Bang Province, was also carried out by ChildFund Viet Nam and ChildFund New Zealand with funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The project had many positive results, affirmed local authorities. Schools in: Children at the Hanh Phuc school of Quang Uyen district. It was built two years ago thanks to funding from New Zealand. VNS Photo Bach Lien Up to now, more than 600 households improved their production skills and applied the new knowledge successfully, helping to increase the maize and rice productivity. Nearly 600 households were supported with new income generation activities through village credit, cow bank, goat and pig rearing models. Nearly 1,300 adolescents participated in reproduction healthcare communications to learn about good practice and protect themselves from risks. More than 3,300 children were provided with access to hygienic latrines and clean water, both at home and at school. Moreover, several new irrigation canals, water supply systems and primary and secondary schools were built, which has contributed largely to improving the local inhabitants life. Nguyen Sang, ChildFund Viet Nams provincial manager in Cao Bang Province, said at the beginning, he and his team faced some difficulties in convincing the local inhabitants to take part in the project as many preferred to get a fish immediately rather than a fishing rod. Then the team succeeded in convincing the people to believe in long-term advantages, when they can forge a sustainable path on their own. Previously, some other organisations helped them by offering free cows, but did not pay attention to understanding what the local households will do with the cow and how they will take care of it. But here, we do things differently. We let them take responsibility, and take action towards their investment goals, for their own benefit, he said. We believe in the saying give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime, he said. Many inhabitants are now thankful to the project as they are better equipped to improve their life. I will take good care of my cow as it brings hope to my family. When it has calves, we will have more assets. If we sell a calf, we can generate our family income, Long Van Lang said. We are working hard and trying our best to make enough, so that we can send our children to school and help them get better education than I did. With education and knowledge, they can definitely have a better life, he said. VNS Euro NCAP, a Belgium-based automobile crash test agency, has given a single-star safety rating to the Bajaj Qute, a four-seater quadricycle exported by Pune-based Bajaj Auto to Europe. The Qute scored poorly in the tests due to absence of driver or passenger airbags. Further, the structure was judged unstable in the frontal test, as even a side impact detached the door from the A-pillar. Many spot welds had got released and deformation of the structure indicated it could not have withstood a higher degree of loading, stated the test result. Euro NCAP secretary-general Michiel van Ratingen said: It is disappointing to see that quadricycles are still lacking basic safety features that are common in small cars. By not challenging the manufacturers to do more, legislators continue to give a false impression to consumers that these vehicles are fit. Said a Bajaj spokesperson: In our maiden effort, we have created in the Qute a quadricycle that is in the same league as European benchmarks. Also one that fares better than many international cars, in their category. We believe thats why Qute has had a good reception in about 20 markets. Last year, when Bajaj announced its intention of launching the Qute in various countries, including in Europe, it had said the vehicle would meet the stringent European quadricycle norms and that it had also acquired a European WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval) certification awarded by RDW Netherlands. Quadricycles are not allowed to be sold in India, despite a go-ahead from the government. Public interest litigation has prevented Bajaj from launching here. Bajaj had said the Qute was to be run as a commercial passenger carrier for intra-city transport. Quadricycles are still not subject to the same legislation as passenger cars. Nevertheless, these vehicles look like small city cars and are likely to compete for sales. However, their performance in Euro NCAPs tests is far below a similarly-sized passenger car which can be bought second-hand more cheaply,: added the Euro NCAP report. The Qute was one among four quadricycles (Aixam Crossover GTR, Chatenet CH30 and Microcar M.GO Family) tested by the agency. Only the Chatenet CH30 secured a two-star rating. The other three got only one star, even as the Microcar is fitted with a driver airbag. "The standard of protection offered to the driver is still generally very low, leading to serious risks in collisions with other vehicles or obstacles," the agency observed after the tests. David Ward, the director general of Global NCAP, said: "Euro NCAP and Global NCAP are working in partnership to help draw policymaker and consumer attention to this category of badly performing and poorly regulated vehicles. Quadricycles have significant potential for sales in markets across the world and it is essential that minimum safety standards are put in place and that consumers are made aware of their safety shortcomings, especially when compared with similarly sized passenger cars." Taking a Fritz Scholder group portrait of IAIA faculty and the legacy of the institution's first artistic director, Lloyd Kiva New, as starting points, Finding a Contemporary Voice: The Legacy of Lloyd Kiva New and IAIA includes work from the New Mexico Museum of Art's collection by IAIA faculty and alumni from the 1960s to the present such as Scholder, Neil Parsons, T.C. Cannon, Melanie Yazzie, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie and Will Wilson. The exhibition opens Saturday, May 21, 2016 and runs through Oct. 10, 2016. The Museum of Art's free to the public exhibition opening is on Friday, May 20 from 5.30 to 7.30pm. Finding a Contemporary Voice complements concurrent exhibitions at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (A New Century: The Life and Legacy of Cherokee Artist and Educator Lloyd "Kiva" New) and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Art Lloyd Kiva New: Art, Design, and Influence. All three exhibitions and associated symposia, lectures and other events celebrate the centennial of Native American artist Lloyd Kiva New's birth by focusing on key aspects of his significant contributions to contemporary Native culture. New (Cherokee, 1916-2002) encouraged looking at innovative techniques and forms as a path to creating contemporary indigenous art. IAIA's founding in 1962 intersects with a significant moment in the history of western art when ethnicity and culture, political ideology, feminism, and the inclusion of personal narratives became legitimate forms of expression in mainstream contemporary art. IAIA's early years were also an era of consciousness raising and civil rights movements in the United States. Native American self-determination was a major issue for many indigenous artists. Enough time has passed that the early days of IAIA, looking back half a century now, can be historicized and examined in greater context. The institution was founded during a period of great change and spurred shifts in how indigenous artists viewed themselves and their art, paving the way for Native American artists to take their place in the global contemporary art field. Looking at the issues of identity still being raised in contemporary Native American art, it is clear that the artwork of the 1960s and 70s began a conversation that continues to this day. That the tax department is set to challenge the Bombay High Court judgement on Vodafones Rs 3,200-crore transfer pricing case is the latest setback for the British telecom majors long-running dispute with the taxman. This dispute is different from the Rs 20,000-crore retrospective tax dispute the company has with the Indian government. Last month, Vodafone moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, seeking the appointment of a third arbitrator for the bigger dispute. To dispel the impression of a regressive tax regime and push ease of doing business, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said on a number of occasions that the government will not actively pursue pending retrospective taxation cases. A similar commitment has not been given for transfer pricing cases, though government officials have said decisions by courts will not be challenged. That is why the departments decision to challenge the HC judgment is surprising. This transfer pricing tax case comprises two separate transactions sale of Vodafone's call centre business to Hutchison Whampoa Properties and assignment of call options to Vodafone International Holdings BV, in 2007-08. The tax department had made a Rs 8,500-crore transfer pricing adjustment in the case, upheld by the Income Tax Apellate Tribunal. Vodafone had contended there was no assignment of call options and, hence, no international transaction. The HC had negatived the transfer pricing adjustment, stating the tribunals attempt to overcome Vodafones 2012 Supreme Court ruling was unsustainable. On call options, the court had held that surrender of option rights was not a transfer under the Income Tax Act. The tax department, however, states: A substantial question of law has arisen on the issue of taxability of capital gains arising on the surrender of call option rights. The ruling will have adverse effect in many other domestic cases. As such, it has been decided to challenge the ruling. "The HC judgment was reasoned and based on correct interpretation of the principles of transfer pricing and realm of income chargeable to tax. However, the controversial aspect of the judgment revolved around classification of call options as an asset or otherwise, having regard to the amended definition of transfer under the Act. Given the magnitude of the issue and the stakes involved, the filing of appeal before the Supreme Court was expected, said Rakesh Nangia, managing partner with Nangia & Co. In Union Budget 2016-17, the finance minister had offered to settle past cases arising out of a retrospective amendment of I-T laws, without naming a company. The retrospective law, deferred for three years, takes effect from April 2017. I propose a one-time scheme of dispute resolution for them ( embroiled in retrospective cases), in which, subject to their agreeing to withdraw any pending case in any court or tribunal or any proceeding for arbitration, mediation, etc, under a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement, they can settle the case by paying only the tax arrears, in which case liability of the interest and penalty shall be waived,\" Jaitley had said. It was clear that Vodafone rejected this offer when they moved to the ICJ. In comments that left New Delhi red-faced, Pakistans High Commissioner to India on Thursday said the bilateral peace process between the two neighbours stood suspended. He also indicated that an Indian probe team was unlikely to be allowed to visit Pakistan to investigate the Pathankot terrorist strike of January 2. However, there was damage control by Thursday late evening both in New Delhi and Islamabad. Indias external affairs ministry reminded Islamabad that the Pakistani joint investigation team was allowed in India on the basis of reciprocity. External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup also pointed to the statement by the Pakistani foreign ministry in Islamabad. The Pakistani foreign ministry had said that modalities for the talks between foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan were being worked out. However, it was Basits interaction with media persons in New Delhi that started the confusion. I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended," Basit said. He said the visit of the Indian probe team wasnt about reciprocity. A Pakistan ioint investigation team (JIT) was in India recently. New Delhi had Islamabad to receive a team of the Investigation Agency (NIA) of India. "It is very difficult for me to say. But at this stage...the whole investigation is not about question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident," Basit said. When asked for its reaction, South Block reacted cautiously. Swarup said the external affairs ministry would like to clarify that on March 26, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad had formally conveyed to the Pakistan foreign ministry that the terms of reference "broadly agreed to the provision that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions. Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, he said. Swarup acknowledged the Pakistan High Commissioners comment that he thought the peace process was suspended. The external affairs ministry notes that in response to a question at his press conference on Thursday evening, the spokesman of the Pakistan foreign ministry said, Your question implies whether the foreign-secretary-level talks will take place or not. I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been re-iterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian foreign secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place. The JIT from Pakistan had visited India last month and went around the strategic air-force airbase in Pathankot that was attacked by Pakistani terrorists on the intervening night of January 1 and 2, leaving seven securitymen dead. Four Pakistani terrorists were also killed in the gunbattle. The issue is likely to be an embarrassment for the government with both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party criticising its Pakistan policy. The peace talks were revived in October when Security Advisor Ajit Doval met his Pakistan counterpart, along with the respective foreign secretatries of the two countries, in Bangkok in October. A few days later, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj travelled to Islamabad for talks with her Pakistan counterpart Sartaj Aziz. The two neighbours had then decided to revive the 'comprehensive bilateral dialogue', agreeing to discuss all issues, including Kashmir and terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore to meet Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif in end-December. A week later, the Pathankot airbase faced a terror attack. Not just the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been extremely critical of the government allowing the Pakistan JIT to visit Pathankot. Despite an adverse climatic condition in parts of Africa and the European Union, world cereal production is estimated to have been at almost the previous year's level in 2016, due to a recovery in output in China and India. A study by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations estimates world production at 2,521 million tonnes, a marginal 0.2 per cent or four mt less from a year before, and third highest ever. Large inventory levels and relatively sluggish demand mean market conditions for staple foodgrain appear stable for at least another season. This would put pressure on grain prices across the world, especially from large exporting countries, including India. Most of the decline stems from expectation of lower world wheat production, revised downward by almost 10 mt since last month to 712.7 mt. At this level, it would be 2.8 per cent or 20 mt less than in 2015. The year-on-year decrease is mainly the result of expected declines in the Russian Federation and Ukraine, where plantings were trimmed because of dry weather. Production is also forecast lower in drought-stricken Morocco and in the European Union, where yields are set to decline to near-average levels from last years highs. Offsetting part of these declines, China is anticipated to harvest a slightly larger crop in 2016, sustained by higher yields, while India might see output recover from last years drought-reduced level, despite recent negative revisions from earlier expectations, said the report. Low import demand put downward pressure on prices in the Americas, with export quotations decreasing in the US but also in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Consequently, the FAO Food Price Index rose one per cent in March from February, as soaring sugar prices and continued increase in palm oil quotations more than offset plunging dairy product prices. The Index averaged 151 in March, highest level in 2016 but still 12 per cent below its level of a year before. The small decline in 2016-17 world cereal production portended by FAO would largely result from lower worldwide wheat output, as explained earlier. Global output of coarse grain is projected at 1,313 mt, up about 11 mt from 2015, with expected increases in maize production more than offsetting declines for barley and sorghum. Maize output is seen growing by 1.1 per cent to 1,014 mt, driven by recovering yields in the EU and expanding plantings in the US. It is expected to fall in Southern Africa and Brazil, due to drought and adverse growing conditions associated with the El Nino weather condition. World rice production at 495 mt is predicted to recover, with a return to normal weather conditions in northern hemispheric Asia, where erratic rain affected planting for the past two seasons. International trade in cereals in 2016-17, however, is poised to decline for a consecutive season, by 1.4 per cent to 365 mt, due to ample stockpiles and modest demand growth in many importing countries, FAO said. Global cereal utilisation in 2016-17 is foreseen to grow only modestly, rising one per cent to 2,547 mt, according to very preliminary estimates. As utilisation is anticipated to exceed production, cereal reserves would need to be drawn down. FAO's first forecast for world cereal stocks at the close of season in 2017 points to a likely 3.9 per cent annual decline to 611 mt. Chinas former leader mysteriously removed A rare public spectacle has drawn attention at the closing ceremony of China's Communist Party's National Congress, as President Xi Jinping prepares to be handed a third term in office. Zelenskys diplomacy masterclass outpacing dour, grey Putin in battle for hearts and minds When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year, there was no room for jokes or play acting, and Zelensky needed to step up. He did. Megyn Kelly fires up at Meghan Markle over her deceptive nature Sky News Australia contributor Megyn Kelly has slammed Meghan Markle over her "abject dishonesty" after the Duchess of Sussex took a swipe at Deal or No Deal in her latest podcast episode which featured Paris Hilton. Wedding thief gets 7 years in prison SAN DIEGO (AP) A thief who posed as a guest at California weddings and stole wallets, credit cards and cash from brides, guests and wedding workers will be honeymooning in prison. Denise Gunderson was sentenced Wednesday to seven years behind bars. She has previous felony convictions. Prosecutors said last year Gunderson showed up at several San Diego County weddings, went into rooms and offices and stole valuables during the ceremonies. She used the credit cards to make thousands of dollars in purchases at Costco, Walmart and other stores sometimes only minutes after the wedding vows were taken. Poop on lawn leads to stabbing STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) Stockton police said two men stabbed each other in a fight that began after one of them defecated on the others lawn. Officers arrested 18-year-old Lonale Shaw for assault with a deadly weapon. Police said the fight Sunday evening began after the unidentified victim defecated on Shaws lawn and he began chasing him with a large kitchen knife. The man fell and Shaw jumped on top of him and began stabbing him in the head. Shaw dropped the knife during the struggle and the victim was able to grab it and stab him in the neck. Octopus found stuck in boys throat WICHITA, Kan. (TNS) A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse after Wichita doctors found a small octopus stuck in the throat of his girlfriends young son Tuesday. A 21-year-old woman returned home from work to find her boyfriend performing CPR on her 2-year-old son at their home, Wichita police said. The couple took the boy to the hospital, where doctors found and extricated the octopus from his throat. Doctors also noticed injuries on the boys face. The boy was not breathing when he arrived at the hospital, but he has been upgraded to serious condition. The dead octopus, which had a head about 2 inches in diameter, was likely going to be cut up as sushi. Texas executes man for killing boy, 12 HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) A South Texas man was executed Wednesday for the 1998 slaying of a 12-year-old boy whose blood the convicted killer said he drank after beating the seventh-grader with a pipe and slitting his throat. Pablo Lucio Vasquez told police he was drunk and high when voices convinced him to kill David Cardenas in Donna, a Texas border town about 225 miles south of San Antonio. Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Vasquez, 38, turned to look through a window where four of his victims relatives watched and told them he was sorry. Newtown teacher brings gun to school NEWTOWN, Conn. (TNS) A middle school teacher was charged Wednesday after he was found carrying a gun at school, police said. Officers were called to the school after officials called about 9 a.m. to say science teacher Jason M. Adams had come to the school with a concealed firearm, police said. Security personnel had detained him at that time. Adams, who has a valid pistol permit, was charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds. In December of 2012, a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, killing 20 first-grade students and six adults. WATERLOO The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Waterloo man accused of killing a teen during a gang fight in a park in April 2009. Wyatt Chandler Johnson had been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 18-year-old Kevin Garcia, but during trial in 2012, he opted to enter an Alford plea not admitting guilty but contending he could be convicted if the trial continued to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. After the plea, Johnson sought a new trial, arguing that his attorney had given him bad advice about his risk of being convicted through the felony murder rule. The state had argued that Johnson killed Garcia with premeditation or under the felony murder rule, which claimed he killed Garcia while Johnson was participating in another crime, that of stabbing two others who were wounded in the fight. In the appeal, Johnsons new attorney argued that, if Johnson had stabbed Garcia, it would have been before he stabbed the other two. And if that was the case, the felony murder rule wouldnt apply because the other stabbings were subsequent to the Garcias injury. In a ruling issued Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that there was evidence that Garcia wasnt stabbed first, so his attorney at trial didnt fail in his duties when he advised Johnson about his risk involving the felony murder rule. Johnson, now 28, is currently serving his sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. The idea of American exceptionalism has been embedded in our collective DNA for generations. It is the faith-based belief that, as Ronald Reagan put it, America is a shining city on a hill. Do modern liberals believe that? I almost never try to get into the other sides head or ascribe ill motives to those on the left. They are, Ive always believed, misguided, not malign. But Im having second thoughts after listening to Barack Obamas defense of communism/socialism when he was in Argentina. He advised young people to get behind what works economically as if there is some deep mystery here. Obama didnt misspeak. The modern left in America really has come to believe that communism, socialism, Marxism and totalitarianism or other terms for the monopolization of power into the hands of a ruling elite are superior to free-market capitalism. The president of the United States is supposed to be the global spokesman for free enterprise. But, instead of traveling to Cuba to point out to the world the decades of stagnation, deprivation and dehumanization at the hands of the Castros, and instead of using this moment in history to showcase the triumph of capitalism 90 miles away, Obama praises Cubas health care and education systems. He might as well have been praising Mussolini for making the trains run on time. Even more unbelievable: The media applauded. How far the Democratic Party has fallen. Can anyone imagine Obama, Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders having the gumption or wisdom to tell Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down this wall? It wasnt so long ago that leading Democrats JFK, Harry Truman and even the AFL CIO were staunch enemies of communism. Today, there is no place for such beliefs within the progressive Democratic Party. If it involves ceding power to the state, the left is all for it as evidenced by the rise of Bernie Sanders. But for every action, there is a reaction, and the lefts lunacy has given momentum to the tumultuous uprising on the right this year. Millions of voters who support Donald Trump want our government to put America first and focus on our own mounting problems at home, then worry about Europe, Israel, the melting ice caps, AIDS in Africa and so on. If your house is burning down, you put out that fire and save your own children trapped on the second floor before you go down the street and put the fire out at your neighbors house. Heres just one observational data point that, admittedly, is anecdotal but speaks volumes about the left-right divide in America. At a typical Donald Trump or Ted Cruz rally, you will see American flags waving everywhere. These are patriotic gatherings. At Sanders events, you will see some flags, but not many because if you are a leftist, its not cool to love America. What is much cooler is wearing a Che Guevera T-shirt. At a Republican rally, you typically meet many veterans who served our country with honor and valor. Some who protest at Trump rallies detest those who are wearing military uniforms and call them fascists and give the Nazi salute. Ive seen it happen. I want to grab these brats and shout at them like Jack Nicholson did in A Few Good Men: I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Trump voters see America losing both the economic and cultural wars vital to national survival. We have a $19 trillion national debt that has doubled in the past decade. We have wages flat or falling for most Americans. We have a political class that is actively trying to destroy whole industries coal production, oil and gas, community banks and so many others. We have a president (along with the intellectual class) pushing a radical climate change agenda that will cost the middle class millions of jobs but wont change the global temperature by a hundredth of a degree. Trade deals seem to be drafted to benefit foreign workers and businesses over our own. America pays far more than its share for programs like the United Nations and NATO. Our public schools put teachers first, not kids, and they often dont adequately educate. We have courts overturning the will of the people in state after state on issues such as gay marriage. We have speech police. We have illegal immigrants who work here and live here and then wave the Mexican flag at rallies, as if to be intentionally offensive. (And Im in favor of immigration.) Then they wonder why Americans want a wall. We have the TSA searching the underwear of infants but letting certain adults pass through without inspection because we wouldnt want to be accused of profiling. We have a Justice Department thinking about prosecuting people for questioning the climate change consensus. This is the same crowd that seems to prefer the economic systems in Sweden and Greece and Cuba over Americas. They preach human rights, but they dont seem to understand that economic freedom is a core human right. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 05, 2016 | 02:52 PM | MURRAY, KY Kentucky Farm Bureau is hosting a Measure the Candidates Forum for Kentuckys 1st U.S. Congressional District on Friday. The forum will be held from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Murray State University's Curris Center. Candidates seeking to replace Rep. Ed Whitfield, who is retiring, will be participating. Candidates who will be there are Republicans Jason Batts, Miles Caughey, Jr., and Mike Pape, and Democrat Samuel Gaskins. Tom Osborne has not confirmed whether he will attend. Each candidate will be offered three minutes to make opening comments before being presented with a series of topics related to Kentucky Farm Bureau priority issues. Questions will accompany each topic so candidates can display how their campaigns align to the interests of KFB, Kentucky agriculture and life in rural communities. The primary election is set for May 17, and one candidate from each party will be on November's general ballot for the office. By The Associated Press Apr. 01, 2016 | 03:32 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Kentucky's attorney general is calling Gov. Matt Bevin's mid-year budget cuts to higher education illegal and has demanded the governor rescind the order. Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear announced at a news conference on Friday afternoon that he will give the Republican governor seven days to reverse the order before filing litigation. Bevin ordered cuts of 4.5 percent for all public colleges and universities on Thursday. His move came as House and Senate leaders failed to reach an agreement on a two-year spending plan. Beshear said state law allows mid-year budget cuts to universities only if there is a declared revenue shortfall, which there is not. 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08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) Hello, I was thinking and was not, having my cup of coffee (Grumble). I was at the doctors getting blood tests run. I was thinking about what health care costs me in Russia. For 10,000 Rubles or 400 dollars, I get one years worth of health care. This includes, my Cardiologist, my regular Doctor, my Dentist, my Neurologist, and any lab work or any tests. (My Cardiologist in America Charged 500 dollars just to say hi too me.) The health care that I am receiving is second to none in the USA. A little known fact to America is that in Russia, the Women are the Doctors not the Men. Another little known fact is that the Medical standards are very high in Russia. I had to make a decision a year ago, as to which health care that I would purchase in Russia. I had a choice, I could sign up for an American Health Care unit in Moscow for 10,000 dollars (250,000 Rubles). Or I could pick a Russian health care service. I picked, (after my Wife explained all services that all of them offered to me), one that cost 10,000 Rubles (400 dollars). I have never been sorry! I am their, American patient. That means, most likely the only American patient they have ever had and probably ever will have. They even like me. My Wife asked me, Are we going to sign up again for the same insurance? I thought for a couple of seconds, I thought about how nice the staff has treated me. I thought about the Doctors that have always cared. I thought about how much better I feel under their care. I thought about the 400 dollars that I pay. I thought about the fact that these ladies are not Doctors, because they want to get rich! They are Doctors, because they want to help people get well! My answer: Yes, I said. Kyle comments always welcome. 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. 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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. New players get a 200% match bonus up to 500, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. Paddy Power Casino: Paddy Power is another Irish-owned casino that operates throughout Europe. Not only does Paddy Power Casino offer traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette and slots, but it also provides a full range of sports betting, including football, tennis, boxing and horse racing. New players can receive a massive 100% match bonus up to 200, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. William Hill Casino: William Hill Casino is one of the biggest names in the industry, operating in Europe, Asia and North America. 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Normal bahisegore de son derece yuksek oranda olmas avantajl yonlerini ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim dogru secenek ksa surede kazancl ckmanza etki edecektir. Strateji ve dogru analizle 90 dakika gibi bir surede anaparanzkatlayabilirsiniz. Tabi bunu basarabilmek icin mutlaka musabakaya dair ayrntlar iyi degerlendirmek gerekir. Soz konusu musabakann detaylarn inceleyip, cezal, sakat oyuncu veya performans dusen takm oyunu gibi detaylar bilmek canl bahiste kazanc belirleyen onemli unsurdur. Guvenilir Canl bahis hem heyecanl zaman gecirmeyi hem de musabakalar takip ederken para kazanmay saglamaktadr. Canl Bahis Nasl Oynanr? Bahislerinizi guvenilir sitelerden gerceklestirdiginiz zaman herhangi bir sekilde para cekme de sorun yasamazsnz. Guvenilir bahis siteleri tespit edip sonrasnda da uyelik islemlerini tamamlamanz gerekmektedir. Belirlenen uyelik sartlarn yerine getirip hesabnza da paray aktardktan sonra bahis islemlerini sorunsuz yapabilirsiniz. Peki, canl bahis nasl oynanr? Oncelikle bahis konusunda mutlaka dogru site arastrmas yapmalsnz. Yapacagnz arastrma neticesinde buldugunuz site uzerinden canl bahisislemlerini gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Bunun icin uye olup, hesaba para atp, canl bahis bolumune girmelisiniz. Sonrasnda dahil olmak istediginiz musabakann saatini ogrenip, gerekli analizleri yapmalsnz. Tahminlerinizi belirledikten sonra karsnza ckacak olan bahis sayfasndan istediginiz hamleyi yapmalsnz. Bahis tutarn belirledikten sonra musabaka baslayacaktr. Canl bahis diger normal bahis esaslarna gore farkllklar icermektedir. Bunlardan en onemlisi musabakann gidisatna gore islem yapabilir olmaktr.Ayrca musabakann 2. Yarsna gore hamle yapp ayr bir bahisin soz konusu olmas da ciddi avantajdr. Dogru hamle ile sizde istediginiz bahisi yapp kazanc elde edebilirsiniz. Nitekim canl olarak yapacagnz bahis icin mac oncesi raporlara gore hareket etmek onemlidir. Cunku takmlarn durumlarn analiz etmek tahmin gucunu arttracaktr. 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Analizlerle alakal puan durumlarna da goz atmak cok onemlidir. Puan degerlendirmesinde oncelikle takmlarn ihtiyaclar ile dogru orantl hareket etmek gerekir. Cunku olusturulan performans takmn da durumunu ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim istenilen sonucu elde edebilmek icin tum ayrntlar bilmek gerekir. Takm ici duzenden tutunda da takmn son durumuna kadar her ayrnt onemlidir. Iki takmn birbirleri arasnda ki sonuclar da incelemek gerekir. Burada dikkat edilecek detaylarn basnda maclarda kac gol oldugu ve gollerin hangi dakikalarda atldgdr. Cekismeli gecen musabakalarda bazen goller ilk yarda daha fazla olurken baz maclarda da ikinci yarda daha cok gol olmustur. Iki takm arasnda ki maclarda gollerin cogunlugu ilk yarda geliyorsa buna gore bahis yapabilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Bonuslar ve Kampanyalar Bahis yapanlar veya yapmay dusununler sitelerin sunmus olduklar frsatlar merak etmektedirler. 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Oldukca basit ve uygulama esas dogru etki olusturan bu yapda sizde islemi rahatca tamamlayabilirsiniz. Para yatrma konusunda su yolu izleyebilirsiniz. Guvendiginiz ve herhangi bir sekilde aklnzda soru isareti kalmayan bahis sitesine uye olmanz gerekmektedir. Uyelik islemini sorunsuz sekilde tamamladktan sonra para yatrma islemine gecebilirsiniz. Kullanacagnz siteye uye olduktan sonra karsnza kullanc ad ve sifresini gireceginiz yer gelecektir. Buraya giris yaptktan sonra site icerisine islemlere devam edebilirsiniz. Sitede yer alan para yatrma sekmesine tklayp sonrasnda karsnza gelen sayfay inceleyebilirsiniz. Para yatrma bolumunde yer alan ksma ne kadar para yatracagnz yazp devam tusuna basmalsnz. Yatrmak istediginiz tutar girip sonrasnda da devam tusuna bastktan sonra karsnza kart bilgilerinizi gireceginiz sayfa gelecektir. Kredi kart kullanarak para gondermek isteyenlerin tercih ettigi bu sayfa tum bilgiler girilip islem onaylanmaldr. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemini gerceklestirmek icin hesaba havale secenegini de kullanabilirsiniz. Site icerisinde musteri hizmetleri ile iletisime gecerek banka hesap numaralarn ogrenebilirsiniz. Belirtilen IBAN numarasna istediginiz tutar havale edebilirsiniz. Havale ederken acklama ksmna yazlacak bilgilere dikkat etmelisiniz. Kredi kart veya banka havalesi ile gerceklesen para yatrma islemi sonucunda site hesabnzdan bakiyenize bakabilirsiniz. Bakiyenize gore dilediginiz sekilde bahislerinizi gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Cekme Canl bahiste dogru hamleler ve dogru tahminler sonucunda kazandgnz bedeli geri almak isteyebilirsiniz. Kazanclarnz istediginiz banka hesabnza cekebilmek icin uymanz gereken kurallar soz konusudur. Oncelikle bahis sitelerinden para cekebilmeniz icin uye olurken dogru bilgi paylasmnda bulunmanz gerektigidir. Cunku canl bahis sitelerinden para cekme islemi icin kullanc hesab ile talep edilen banka hesap bilgilerinin ortusmesi gerekir. Yani uye olurken verilen bilgi ile banka hesab kime ait ise o bilgiler ayn olmaldr. Bu uygulama sitenin hem kullancsn hem de kendisini guvene alma politikasdr. Ayrca frsatclarn onune gecerek yeni bir uye olusumunun da onune gecmek amac gutmektedir. Uye olan kisi farkl para cekilme talebi verilen hesap farkl oldugunda para cekme islemi gerceklesmeyecektir. Bahisleriniz sonucunda kazanc elde edebilir ve bu kazancnz da hakknz olarak almak isteyebilirsiniz. Burada son derece basit uygulama soz konusu olurken siteler aras farkl gorunumler soz konusu olabilir. Fakat yine de tum sitelerde uyenin site icerisinde para cekme bolumune girmesi yeterlidir. Burada cekilecek olan tutarn belirlenmesi ve hesap numarasnn girilmesi ile birlikte islem onay gerekecektir. Para cekme taleplerinde sizden gerekli bilgiler istenmekte ve havale islemi istenilen bilgiler esliginde yurutulmektedir. Dogru bilgi paylasmak sorunsuz para cekebilmeniz en onemli kuraldr. Istenilen bilgiler girildikten sonra site sorumlular gerekli kontrolleri yapp herhangi bir sorun yoksa ksa surede hesabnza gerekli paray aktaracaklardr. Canl Bahis Sitelerinden Para Cekmek Icin Istenen Belgeler Bahis sitelerine uye olduktan sonra baz kullanclar para cekme taleplerinin karslanmadg konusunda sikayetlerde bulunmuslardr. Bu sikayetlersektorde uzun zamandr bulunan guvenilir bahis siteleri de yer almaktadr. Fakat sikayetlerin dayanaklarna bakldgnda ise islerin tamamen farkl oldugu gorulmektedir. Yasanan bu durum kullanclarn hatal bilgi girmesi ve uyelik bilgileri ile banka bilgilerinin uyusmamas ile dogru orantldr. Birde canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler eksik ya da hatal olarak sunulmus olabilir. Ortaya ckan karsklar neticesinde para cekme talebinde bulunan kisi istedigini alamadg icin sikayetci olmaktadr. Oysa ki istenilen bilgiler dogru ve istenilen evraklar eksiksiz sunulsa para cekme islemi sorunsuz olacak. Sitelerin para cekme konusunda dikkatli hareket etmesi hilelerin ve illegal faaliyetlerin onune gecmek adnadr. Cunku baz kullanclar farkl bilgiler vererek ikinci hesap acabilmektedirler. Bazen de bilincsizce hatal bilgi girilebilmektedir. Hatal islemlerin cozumu konusunda islem yaptgnz sitenin musteri temsilcileri ile gorusebilirsiniz. Talepleriniz dogrultusunda para cekme islemlerinde ki sorunlar giderilecektir. Canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler listesi su sekildedir; Kullanc bilgileri ile banka bilgilerini karslastrmak icin kimlik fotokopisi Banka hesap bilgileri Ikametgah ve kisiye ait herhangi bir fatura. Kacak Iddaa Turkiyede dogrudan bahis yapmak icin resmi kanallar kullanlabilmektedir. Fakat tercih edilen ve oran olarak cok daha fazla frsatlar sunan kacar iddaasiteleri bulunmaktadr. Bu siteler kanunlara aykr sekilde yaplmakta olup, yasal bir dayanag yoktur. Elbette bu sitelerin kurulus merkezi Turkiye olmayp, ds ulkelerdedir ve faaliyetler belirlenen siteler uzerinden yaplmaktadr. Kacak Iddaa oldukca riskli olup, cok dikkatli olunmas gerekir. Kacak Bahis Kanunlar cercevesinde istediginiz gibi bahis yapamayabilirsiniz. Bahis yapabilmek icin ya kanuni olarak sorun olmayan ulke dsnda ki kumarhanelere gitmeniz veya kacak bahis sitelerinden islem yapabilirsiniz. Zira bu durum tehlikeli olsa da cok sayda site guvenli sekilde bu alanda hizmet vermektedir. Kacak bahiste oldukca fazla secenek bulunurken yuksek oranda kazanc sunuyor olmas da ragbeti arttryor. Illegal Bahis Bahisin bircok alanda yasak oldugu Turkiyede bu alanda cok sayda yabanc merkezli siteler hizmet vermektedir. Illegal bahis sektorunde faaliyet gosteren siteler guvenli hizmet anlays ile kullanclarna frsatlar sunmaktadr. Yurt ds merkezli bu siteler sorunsuz sekilde hizmetlerini surdururken bulunduklar ulkelerde kanunlara uygun sekildedir. Elbette faaliyet noktasnda bulunduklar ulkelerde sorun teskil etmese de Turkiyede faaliyet gostermeleri kanunin yasaklanmstr. Yasads Bahis Gerek olusturulan etkenler gerekse de ortaya konulan riskler yasads bahis de oldukca tehlikelidir. Kanunlarn mudahil olduklar bu alanlar da hem kullanclar hem de populer bahis yaptranlar tum riskleri goze almaktadrlar. Fakat yasaklardan uzak sekilde guvenli hizmet sunan siteler de bulunmaktadr. Takipler neticesinde kapatlan sitelerin muhakkak alternatifleri kurularak yollarna devam etmektedirler. Canl Iddaa Siteleri Nelerdir? Dunya genelinde kabul gormus cok sayda guvenli hizmet veren populer bahis siteleri bulunmaktadr. Elbette bu siteler dunyann bircok ulkesinde faaliyet gosterse de Turkiyede yasaktr. Sektorde yer alan cok sayda legal iddaa siteleri bulunmaktadr. Herhangi bir kanunsuzlugun olmadg bu sitelerden hzl ve guvenli islem yaplabilmektedir. Tabi bu sitelerde uygulanan oranlar yasal olmayan sitelere gore daha dusuktur. Illegal sitelerin tercih edilme sebeplerinin en onemli etkeni de olusturulan oranlardr. Peki, Iddaa siteleri nelerdir? Faaliyetleri ve uygulama esaslar nelerdir? Turkiyede faaliyet gosteren yasal iddaa siteleri listesi su sekildedir; Iddaa Bilyoner Tuttur Birebin Oley Nesine Misli Iddaa 2004 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslayan Iddaa Spor toto tarafndan kurulmus olup, ilk etapta bayilik seklinde calsmaya baslamstr. Elbette zamanla gelisen teknolojiye ayak uydurarak internet uzerinde de populer bahis severlerin hizmetine sunulmustur. Kuruldugu donemde devletin resmi kurumu olarak faaliyet gosterirken gelinen yeni donemde ozellestirilmistir. Bilyoner Turkiyede faaliyetine 2006 ylnda baslayan Bilyoner ilk ozel yasal bahis sitesi olma ozelligine sahiptir. Guvenilir bahis siteleri Turkiyede bunlardr. Ksa surede populer olan site halen faaliyetlerini sorunsuz sekilde surdurmektedir. Tuttur Ksa surede adndan bahsettirmeyi basaran Tuttur 2009 ylnda faaliyetlere baslamstr. Guvenilir bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almstr. Gunumuze dek bircok alanda populer bahis yapanlara frsatlar sunarken avantajlar ile de begeni toplamstr. Birebin Kullanc odakl calsmalar surdurse de 2011 ylnda sektore giren Birebindiger sitelere gore daha az ragbet gormektedir. Bahis oynamak ise bu sitede oldukca kolaydr. Elbette farkl yaklasmlara sahip olmasndan dolay ilerleyen sureclerde adndan sklkla bahsettirecek gibi gorunuyor. Oley 2009 ylnda Dogus yayn gruplarnn istiraki olarak kurulmus olup yasal olarak herhangi bir sorunu olmayan sitelerdendir. Bahis siteleri arasnda hzl cks yapms bir sitedir. Oley yapms oldugu yenilikler ile kullanclarn da dikkatini ksa surede cekmeyi basarmstr. Nesine Birbirini takip eden surecte Nesine de yine 2006 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslamstr. Yasal bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almay basaran firma ksa surede sevilen ve ragbet goren bir site olmustur. Misli 2009 ylnda sektore cok hzl giris yapan Misli cok sayda reklam filmi ile on plana ckmay basarmstr. Internet uzerinden hem yasal hem de sorunsuz hizmet veren bahis sitelerinden bir tanesi olmustur. Canl Bahis Siteleri Kayt ve Uyelik Islemleri Her zaman populerligini koruyan ve surekli gelisim gosteren canl bahis gun gectikce daha da gucleniyor. Bahis oynamak icin ise sitelere uye olunmas gerekir. Yuksek getirisi ve begeni toplayan faaliyetleri ile cok sayda site bu alanda faaliyet gostermektedir. Elbette sorunsuz sekilde uye olmanz ve faaliyetler gostermeniz de oldukca kolaydr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri dakikalar icerisinde gerceklestirilecek yapya sahiptir. Uye olacagnz siteyi belirledikten sonra siteye girmeniz gerekmektedir. Girdiginiz sitenin ana sayfasnda uye ol ya da kayt ol bolumu bulunacaktr. Siteler arasnda degiskenlik gosteren bu alanda temel unsurlar bulunmaktadr. Elbette farkllklar olsa da temelinde benzer bilgiler uye olmak isteyen kisilerden talep edilmektedir. Uye ol bolumune tkladktan sonra karsnza uyelik bilgi formu ckacaktr. Bu formda sizin kim oldugunuzu ogrenmek ve sitenin guvenligini saglamak adna islemler yaplmaktadr. Uyelik formunda yer alan ad soyad bolumunu eksiksiz ve dogru sekilde doldurmalsnz. Sizden bu formda istenen bilgilerin tamamn girmeniz istenecektir. Istenen bilgiler mutlaka dogru ve eksiksiz sekilde olmaldr. Eksik veya hatal bilgi uyelik islemlerinde sorun teskil edebilir. Yine de yanls bilgi girisine ragmen uyelik islemleri tamamlanabilir. Fakat boyle bir yol izleyenler sonrasnda buyuk skntlarla karslasabilirler. Bu skntlarn basnda da para cekme islemlerinde yasanan sorunlardr. Uyelik islemleri dikkatli ve ozenle doldurulmas gereken yapdadr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri gerceklestirilirken verilen bilgiler site yonetimi tarafndan muhafaza edilmektedir. Herhangi bir sekilde 3. Sahslarla paylaslmas gibi bir durum soz konusu degildir. Bu faaliyetleri surduren sitelerin guven unsurlar arasnda bu nokta onceliklidir. Bahis sitelerine uye olurken hatal bilgi paylasmnda bulunmak size faydadan cok zarar verecektir. Diyelim ki bilgileri hatal girdiniz ve uyelik onayland. Uyelik tamamlandktan sonra siteye para yatrdnz ve kazanc elde ettiniz. Kazancnz sonrasnda hesabnza almak istediginizde karsnza banka bilgileri bolumu gelecektir. Para cekme talebi gerceklestikten sonra site uyelik bilgileri ile banka hesap bilgileri ortusmez ise paranz alamazsnz. Boyle bir durumla karslasmamak adna bu hususa ayrca dikkat etmelisiniz. MIAMI, FL, April 07, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Rising star at the firm, Rafael Gonzales fought off tough competition as it was extremely close and came down to the wire, with six people still in the running going into the final week. But contest winner, Rafael Gonzales can now look forward to accompanying Eric Martin on his trip to Dallas, Texas when he flies out to attend a business conference in the city next month. About Florida Business Consulting: http://floridabusinessconsulting.net/about.html At Florida Business Consulting they believe that competition is necessary for business success, and it is for this reason that they regularly run competitions such as the March Madness one, for their contractors. Competition provides an incentive and gives people something to work towards and focus on. It can be easy for people to rest on their laurels and become stagnant, and competition can bring a fresh challenge to inspire and motivate. Florida Business Consulting promotes its ability to motivate and inspire budding entrepreneurs, and advises and guides them to become successful businessmen and women. The firm argues that the key to keeping people motivated is providing recognition. The competition winners aren't simply drawn from a ballot; it is based on their hard work, efforts and results. Therefore those who are putting in the biggest effort have the best chance of winning. Eric Martin decided on the trip to Dallas, Texas as it will be a chance for Rafael Gonzales to attend a regional meeting, and the opportunity to interact and network with sales and marketing professionals from all over the U.S. Eric Martin believes that travel is a key element in assisting budding entrepreneurs on their entrepreneurial journey as it allows them to experience new environments and build their professional network. "We are a company that operates in an incredibly competitive market. Competition is healthy, it is what keeps people on their toes and keeps them innovating and performing at a consistently high level. A competitive spirit and winning mentality is vital for success in all aspects of life. Every time we run these types of competitions, productivity increases," said Florida Business Consulting's CEO, Eric Martin. Based in Miami, Florida Business Consulting specializes in bringing brands and consumers closer together through face-to-face marketing. After identifying key consumer groups the firm deliver its clients' campaigns direct to consumers, opening up the opportunity for one-on-one communication. This personalized customer experience helps drive brand loyalty, increases sales and helps consumers to make more confident and informed purchase decisions. Florida Business Consulting believes that competition can be the catalyst for success and the results they achieve from competitions such as the March Madness contest is confirmation of the impact competition can have. Florida Business Consulting aims to deliver a high ROI to their clients through personalized marketing campaigns. For more information Follow @FloridaBizC on Twitter and Like them on Facebook. # # # Apr 7, 2016 | By Benedict GEs $200 million, Multi-Modal advanced manufacturing facility in Pune, India, could revolutionize 3D printing and cause a ripple effect in the countrys manufacturing industry. The giant facility, located in Pune, near Mumbai, covers 67 acres. This week, General Electric is celebrating the opening of its much-anticipated Center for Additive Technology Advancement (CATA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That $39 million facility will help to centralize GEs additive manufacturing development, while opening up specialist positions in an area of thriving technological activity. But while the CATA will vastly improve GEs 3D printing operations in the U.S., it is another, larger GE facility that could see the company making a more significant impact on global manufacturing and economic development in the long term. In 2015, GE unveiled its $200 million, Multi-Modal advanced manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, part of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Dubbed a brilliant factory by its creators, the facility was established to produce jet engine parts, locomotive components, wind turbines, and a host of other additively and traditionally manufactured components for a number of GE companies. The facility now employs around 1,500 workers, responsible for operating 3D printers and other machinery. "The idea is to service a multitude of businessesfrom oil and gas, to aviation, transportation, and distributed powerall under the same roof," said GE's Amit Kumar, overseer of the Multi-Modal facility, via TechRepublic. The Multi-Modal facility provides GE with several advantages. By bringing a number of interconnected operations under one roof, the company will allegedly save up to ten times as much money than if it had established individual facilities for separate business lines. The facility is also helping to bring plastic and metal additive manufacturing technology to its India operations, an advancement which offers the company huge flexibility and cost-saving potential. It is not often that a company as large as GE becomes known for one particular product in a given field, but the creation of its 3D printed jet engine fuel nozzle has come close to achieving that effect over the last couple of years. Symbolizing the companys newfound intentions to pursue additive manufacturing for critical end-use parts, the 3D printed fuel nozzle revolutionized the way in which GE approached manufacturing complex mechanical parts. "Before GE targeted it for a reconfiguration, the nozzle was made up of 20 disparate parts procured from independent suppliers that were then painstakingly brazed and welded together, explained Greg Morris, GE Aviation's general manager for additive technologies. 3D printing completely transformed that process. Eventually, the Pune facility will produce critical end-use components such as the jet engine fuel nozzle, but it will first service a more urgent need: 3D printing replacement parts for broken machineryparts that would otherwise have to be made in bulk and stored, or sourced from an external supplier. Replacement parts, especially for older appliances, can be incredibly difficult to source when those appliances are discontinued or simply made in small quantities. 3D printing these replacement parts is much faster than producing them using traditional manufacturing techniques, with previous timescales of three to five months reduced to around one week when additive manufacturing is implemented. Fortunately, using additive manufacturing for this purpose is something GE is already well familiar with: "3D printing isn't anything new at GE," said Prabhjot Singh, Manager of GE's Additive Manufacturing Lab in Schenectady, New York. "It's been around for decades and has been typically used to repair worn-out or broken down, high-value industrial parts such as compressor blades or gears using laser cladding technology. The Multi-Modal facility in Pune is not GEs first foothold in India. The company already had a large development and research center in Bangalore, GEs first ever non-U.S. facility, which employs around 4,500 staff. The two facilities will frequently interact, with the larger Bangalore facility feeding the Chakan location with new products to manufacture. "We work with GE colleagues all over the world," said Vinod Kumar, who leads materials and inspection for GE Global Research in Bangalore. "We are part of any global team's technology project, located in various parts of the world, from day one. Given the companys reputation as a pillar of American innovation and labor, some will decry GEs continued explorations on foreign soil, but the Pune additive manufacturing facility will undoubtedly heighten the companys potential to produce high-quality 3D printed products all across the globe. The facility will also help to create jobs and spark technological developments in India, both within GE and for suppliers and connected businesses. This fact was recognized as such by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, who attended the facilitys opening in February 2015. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: JimmiNu wrote at 9/11/2017 10:35:31 PM:7LJsvU http://www.FyLitCl7Pf7ojQdDUOLQOuaxTXbj5iNG.com Apr 7, 2016 | By Kira Comedian, actor and TV host Stephen Fry has been named as the top celebrity that UK residents dream of sharing a coffee with. To make that dream come true, CEL, makers of the Robox 3D printer, have created a cheeky 3D printed coffee stencil of the actors face so that anyone can have their coffee with a side of Fry. If you could have a coffee with any celebrity at all, who would it be? Its a classic conversation starter, and in honour of UK Coffee Week, 2,000 Brits were polled to see what their answer would be. Golden Globe nominee Stephen Fry, known for his roles in Blackadder, Kingdom, and as long-time host of BBC quiz show Q1, came out on top, with 24% of the vote. And while the busy actor and activist probably wont have time to squeeze in 2,000+ coffee dates with his loyal admirers, thanks to 3D printing, we can all at least pretend to have the honour. British 3D printer manufacturer CEL, known for creating the Robox plug-and-print desktop 3D printer, teamed up with UK Coffee Week to create a limited edition 3D printed coffee stencil featuring the beloved actors face. Simply place the stencil over your cuppa joe and sprinkle on your topping of choice. Wildlife and nature presenter David Attenborough and Professor Brian Cox came in second and third in the coffee date poll, with 23% and 17% respectively, while Dame Judi Dench, J.K. Rowling and David Beckham also rounded up a fair share of votes. The poll further revealed that the UKs top coffee choice is a latte (25%), and that, despite the quintessentially British stereotype of tea being the nations favourite hot beverage, nearly two-thirds of the population actually opt for coffee. Of course, UK Coffee Week, taking place from April 11-17, is about more than gathering a few trivia-worthy facts. It is a nationwide campaign to bring awareness to the pressing need for fresh water and basic sanitation in developing countries worldwideincluding those where our coffee is more than likely to come from. You cant make coffee without fresh water - but more importantly we cant live healthy lives without fresh water either, " said Stephen Fry, now the literal face of the fundraising campaign. It is our most precious resource, so I am very proud to be a part of any initiative which extols the virtues of coffee with friends while helping provide fresh water for those who most need it. All funds raised during the week will go directly to Project Waterfall, an initiative established to bring clean water and sanitation to coffee growing communities around the world. The 3D printed stencil of Stephen Frys was designed in TinkerCAD, and is available as a free download to be 3D printed at home. UK Coffee Week will also be giving away 50 limited edition coffee stencils via their Twitter feed. If youve ever dreamed of having a coffee with Fry, now is definitely your chance. But why stop there? A Beckham Latte or Rowling Ristretto seem like the perfect way to jumpstart the day. And for even more 3D printed coffee options, check out Ripple Maker, the latte art 3D printer or this DIY 3D printed cold coffee brewer. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Apr 7, 2016 | By Alec All market experts agree that 3D printing is at the brink of commercial, mainstream success, with 3D printed and customizable wearables and accessories just around the corner. While speculation always quickly drifts towards sensors and things like that, one Dutch startup has found success by combining a customizable 3D scanning and 3D printing process with a very fashion-sensitive niche: eyewear. Called Roger Bacon Eyewear, this startup is already selling custom-made 3D printed glasses at 14 opticians throughout the Netherlands, and are now coming to the US as well. Most importantly, the glasses are stylish, fashionable and fit perfectly. Founded in 2014 by Pieter Jonckheer and Jan-Berend Zweerts, the startup wasnt named after a certain tasty meat, but after one of the most important scholars of medieval Europe: Roger Bacon (1214-1292). [The English scholar] was a pioneer in the field of optics and thus one of the earliest developers of glasses. This pioneering attitude can also be found in the brand Roger Bacon, the companys founders say. Their 3D printing approach was actually born out of frustrations familiar to any wearer of glasses. Our kids wear glasses, and we experienced exactly how frustrating badly-fitting glasses are. We became convinced that the frames could be improved through digital production techniques, to ensure a beautiful design that is also shaped to match your individual biometric characteristics, they say. Every face is unique, why not every pair of glasses? And that, in a nutshell, is what Roger Bacon Eyewear provides. A client can simply walk into an opticians shop and have his or her face scanned. That scan is immediately transferred to an interactive holographic display in the store, through which they can virtually try on every single possible frame in 3D. The 3D scan simultaneously captures the exact facial geometries, enabling the makers to adjust every frame to ensure a perfect fit. Using the in-house sales tablet, they can then even choose what material, color and design they want. As a result, every single pair is unique and fits perfectly. Frames are then 3D printed by Roger Bacon and delivered to the independent retailer, who installs the actual lenses just like they do for every other pair. Its a clever solution that seems to provide both the customer and the optician with numerous advantages. Unsure about what frame to choose? Through the Roger Bacon app, you can even ask friends and family for their opinion. Opticians, meanwhile, wont have to buy frames in bulk anymore, as fitting takes place completely digital. Costly inventory will be a thing of the past; every frame wont be manufactured until after the purchase, they say. Right now, more than 20 different frame designs are available, with 10 color options for each of them. More designs are expected in the near future. While the company has already found modest success in the Netherlands, they have just revealed that they are about to enter the US market as well. To do so, they have signed a deal with Eyenavision, a tech-based eyewear company whose products include the patented Chemistrie Lens Layering System. Eyenavision will act as a reseller and service provider for Roger Bacon Eyewear glasses, and will perform the final inspection and assembly for 3D printed glasses sold in the US. They will also provide training to opticians who adopt this unique service. Eyenavision CEO Joseph Zewe believes this will add a revolutionary impulse to the eyewear industry. Retailers will be truly amazed at the Roger Bacon Eyewear system. Not only is the in store experience unique, but the fit and quality of the frames is exceptional, he said. Roger Bacon represents a whole new category of eyewear and an opportunity for early adopters to differentiate their practice from the competition. Roger Bacons CEO Jonckheer was also very happy with this partnership. We are pleased to partner with Eyenavision to rollout Roger Bacon Eyewear in the United States. We look forward to additional products and features that will reinforce our belief that our customers should feel one with their eyewear, he said. Roger Bacon Eyewear will first come to the US next week, for the Vision Expo East in NYC. There, founders Jonckheer and Zweerts will be demonstrating their technology Eyenavisions booth (#4474). At the event, pre-orders can be made already, though the system wont be officially available until July 1, 2016 when store display units will be shipped and frame orders can be placed. Could this be the future of eyewear? Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Steve Keeferson wrote at 7/20/2017 10:01:03 PM:KinkyValerie. wrote at 4/7/2016 9:02:31 PM:Wow!!! William Boyd at The Times Literary Supplement: One night in 1917, August 11, to be precise, during the Third Battle of Ypres, or Passchendaele, as its better known, my grandfather, William Boyd (18901952), was out in no-mans land near Luneville Farm repairing damaged stretches of barbed wire. He was a corporal in the Royal Engineers. A shell went off nearby and he was hit in the back by a piece of shrapnel and badly wounded. The family still has the razor-edged metal fragment, brown steel, about the size of a beer mat. After six weeks, sufficiently recovered from his injury in a base hospital at Etaples, my grandfather was allowed to convalesce back at home in Scotland, in Cupar, Fife. He was married and had a young daughter and, once fully fit again, he reported for his medical. Not surprisingly, after his injury and having miraculously managed to survive almost two years on the Western Front, he was reluctant to return. He had a particular trick: if he held his nose tightly and built up the pressure in his head, he could make his ears bleed slightly. He duly did so and the examining doctor swiftly declared him unfit for combat. He never went back to the trenches. He never wrote a poem about his experiences, either. I cite the anecdote as a form of thought experiment, trying to imagine what kind of poem might have emerged had my grandfather been so inclined or inspired (or had the ability). Something dark and satirical in the Sassoon vein, perhaps: The Lead-swinger; or maybe a Kiplingesque ballad: He peered into my bleedin ear. My question about any such putative poem good, bad or indifferent written by a Scottish soldier in the First World War is this: would it seem particularly Scottish in any way? The answer has to be qualified: yes, possibly, if it were written in Lallans or Gaelic; but surely not if it were written in standard English. more here. #1 South Dakota State keeps rolling with defeat of UND The top-ranked Jackrabbits fell behind by 14 points on the road for the second straight week, but took back the momentum and dominated. Drilling intersects substantial widths of key basal sands Perth, April 7, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Goldphyre Resources Limited ( ASX:GPH ) is pleased to advise that it has made a strong start to the Resource drilling program at its Lake Wells Potash Project in WA, with wide intersections of the key basal sands in each of four holes completed to depth. KEY POINTS - Four of the planned five-hole program successfully completed to +163m at Lake Wells - All holes have intersected substantial widths (20m - 50m) of the key basal sands which typically yield the highest volumes of the potash-rich brines, far exceeding expectations - Drilling program continuing over coming weeks, assays expected in May and maiden Resource set for mid-2016 The basal sand intersections are considered highly significant because it is from this layer of the palaeochannel sediments that Goldphyre is proposing to abstract the largest volumes of the high-grade potash brines confirmed in previous drilling. The mud-rotary and diamond drilling program comprised five holes, with assays expected in May. Further drilling utilising a mud-rotary/air-core drill rig is scheduled out to the end of April. This will ensure Goldphyre is on track to publish a maiden Resource at Lake Wells by the middle of this year. The interpreted widths of basal sands intersected typically range from 20m to 50m, with down-hole geophysics surveys planned to confirm precise widths. In addition to the basal sands, coarse sand units with widths of between 20m and 40m have been intersected in the upper stratigraphic units. The known drilled depth of the palaeochannel has increased, with four of the five holes ending in basement at 170m, 174m, 163m and 168m. The fifth hole was not completed due to adverse ground conditions, ending at 59m. All holes have been cased. Goldphyre announced last month that the estimate of total in-situ brine, which is based on extensive seismic and sampling programs, and over 5000m of historic drill data, was 79 - 123 million tonnes of sulphate of potash. However, Goldphyre considers that the Exploration Target based on specific yield of 6 - 37 million tonnes is more relevant. This figure represents the recoverable amount of potash, which in turn is the key figure for use in calculating potential production rates and economic returns. The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has not yet been sufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target is consistent with Goldphyre's strategy to be a 75,000 - 100,000 tonne-a-year, sub-$100m CAPEX sulphate of potash producer. Goldphyre Executive Chairman Matt Shackleton said the widths of the basal sands recorded in the initial holes were comfortably in line with those used to calculate the Exploration Target. "We have made a strong start to the drilling program and the widths of the basal sands exceed our expectations and the calculations underpinning our Exploration Target," Mr Shackleton said. "We now await the brine assays to see if they are in line with those returned from previous drilling at Lake Wells." The current drilling program is being funded in part by a $108,000 grant provided to Goldphyre under the Department of Mines and Petroleum's Exploration Incentive Scheme. The drill program was designed to test the presence and width of the basal sand layer at the bottom of the palaeochannel sediments because it is from this highly permeable material that the most brine can be recovered. The brine hosts the potash, which is then recovered through an evaporation process. Figure 1 in link below identifies the various sediments typically found in palaeochannels, and the method Goldphyre is proposing to abstract the brine. Abstraction of brines from palaeochannels is a proven practice in the Australian resources industry, and is relied upon to produce process water for many of the largest iron ore, gold, nickel and copper operations in the eastern goldfields, the Pilbara and other regions of the state. Goldphyre therefore considers this to be a low risk method of abstracting brines. The palaeochannel clays typically have a permeability of 2%-3%, meaning that only a small fraction of the brines held within them can be extracted. However, the basal sands can have permeabilities of 40%-50% meaning that most of the brines held in the sand layers can be extracted. The more high-permeability material present in the palaeochannel, the more brine can be recovered. The Lake Wells Potash Project A drilling program conducted at Lake Wells in July 2015iii identified high-grade potash mineralisation both beneath the lake and the low dune areas surrounding the lake. That drilling program generated wide intercepts of high-grade potash to depths of 135m (down-hole), which was the depth capacity of the drill rig used. Two passive seismic survey programs have been conducted at the Project. This data permits the clear targeting of drill holes into the deepest parts of the palaeovalley. This coarse, unconsolidated material often has a high permeability, which facilitates drainage of the overlying hydrogeological units. Goldphyre has commenced a mud-rotary, air-core and diamond drilling program aimed at understanding the basal sand layer and to confirm deep brine chemistry. The Company plans to release a Maiden JORC Resource Estimate in H1 2016. To view figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/61KAF07V About Australian Potash Ltd Australian Potash Limited (ASX:APC) is an ASX-listed Sulphate of Potash (SOP) developer. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Lake Wells Potash Project located approximately 500kms northeast of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. Following the release of a Scoping Study in 2017, APC has been conducting a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) into the development of the Lake Wells Potash Project. The Company is aiming to release the findings of the DFS in H2 2019. The Lake Wells Potash Project is a palaeochannel brine hosted sulphate of potash project. Palaeochannel bore fields supply large volumes of brine to many existing mining operations throughout Western Australia, and this technique is a well understood and proven method for extracting brine. APC will use this technically low-risk and commonly used brine extraction model to further develop a bore-field into the palaeochannel hosting the Lake Wells SOP resource. A Scoping Study on the Lake Wells Potash Project was completed and released on 23 March 2017. The Scoping Study exceeded expectations and confirmed that the Project's economic and technical aspects are all exceptionally strong, and highlights APC's potential to become a significant long-life, low capital and high margin sulphate of potash (SOP) producer. James Terry will be at Page One Books at 4pm on Saturday, April 9, to talk about and sign his book of Deming-based tales, Kingdom of the Sun: Stories. The book is described as such: Set in southwestern New Mexico, the stories in James Terry's debut explore the joys, insecurities and failures of memorable characters as they attempt to connect withor disconnect fromothers around them. The elderly landlady of the Darling Courts apartments hires a reclusive handyman who suffers from a fear of water, and the pair forms an unlikely bond. A worker's unscrupulous plan to build a road in the middle of the desert is threatened by a lonely pregnant woman living in a trailer parked directly in his path. Overcome by nostalgia, a married trucker making the California run from Waco to Los Angeles takes a truck-stop waitress to the Deming drive-in theater with disappointing results. Together, these surprising stories uncover how our environment manifests itself in our everyday lives. Terry's fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the O. Henry Prize, and his stories have appeared in the Iowa Review, the Georgia Review, Fiction and elsewhere. Raised in Deming, N.M., Terry now resides in Liverpool, England. Expedia, one of the world's largest online travel company, announced the appointment of Simon Fiquet as General Manager for South East Asia and India. As a part of APAC management team, Fiquet will be responsible for expanding the brands footprint, P&L and strategic business direction for Expedia brand across 7 point of sales. Based out of Singapore, he will manage operational execution, introduction of innovative products and the overall business results for Expedia. He will report to Jonathon Neal, CEO, AirAsiaExpedia. Commenting on his new assignment, Simon said, I am very excited to be a part of Expedia, which is extremely well positioned to accelerate its development in this part of Asia. With their unique set of dynamic demographic shifts, technology disruption and passion for travel, South East Asia and India currently offer tremendous business opportunities for the brand. I look forward to the new challenges and success in this endeavour, especially in the Indian market that is witnessing over 30% growth in the online travel segment. Technology, especially smartphones and the rapid expansion of internet access, is profoundly changing the way Indians view the world, plan, and shop and experience their travels. We are working towards simplifying the travel research and booking experience for Indian travellers, and creating the perfect Travel companion, through Expedias cutting edge technology, data analytics & innovative travel products. Fiquet brings with him a rich and versatile experience from travel industry, having headed the APAC team for Google Travel. His key responsibilities at Google included P&L, sales, team building and driving partnerships with largest travel companies across online travel agents, hotel chains, airlines, tourism boards & meta-search engines. He has been an active speaker at various leading travel conferences including Asia Leaders EyeForTravel (2015), HICAP update (2015), Travel Distribution Summit (2014), Web In Travel (2014), WTTC Asia (2013) and UNWTO Asia (2013). Prior to this, he worked in various Sales positions in Europe for Google and as a strategy consultant for Mars&Co. Simon Fiquet holds an Electrical Engineering degree (Electrical & Aerospace Engineering) from the University de Montreal - Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and a Masters of Applied Science from the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, the most prestigious educational institution in France. ORRA, Indias premier diamond jewellery brand has recently been featured as a case study by search engine giant Google, in India. The video feature showcases how ORRA as a brand has been able to successfully capitalize on the digital medium to increase sales as well as spread their essence of luxury to the online world. Other brands that have been featured by Google as part of their case studies in the past include Dabur, Pepsi, Kelloggs and MTS. Having successfully built its on ground presence with 34 retail stores across 25 cities, ORRA today has been able to truly establish its omni channel presence allowing for dedicated attention towards the changing preferences of the digital audience in India. Commenting on the launch of the study, Mr. Vijay Jain (CEO and Director ORRA) says, We are elated at being selected as a part of Googles prestigious list of case studies in India. It has definitely been a big boost to us to have our work in the digital medium recognized by the worlds largest search engine, showing us that our efforts are going in the right direction. Through effective search engine optimization we at ORRA have been able to effectively deepen penetration within the existing markets as well as reach out to a large consumer base in the tier two and tier three cities, thereby redefining the concept of luxury while staying true to the core message of the brand. With digital technology transforming not only the perceptions and expectations of the consumer but also the supply dynamics, going forward, ORRA aims to further capitalize on effective integration in the online space through omni-channel marketing. MEC India today announced the launch of their specialist content offering Wavemaker. MEC Wavemaker will bring together for the first time, content strategy, social, partnerships and experiences, SEO and creative services expertise in one place at scale. The objective of MEC Wavemaker is to improve a brands performance by embedding content into the consumer purchase journey, driving maximum exposure through optimum distribution and finally measuring effectiveness of content through the lens of clients business goal. They will create excitement, generate momentum and build clients confidence, by providing the worlds best data, technology and trading in the content space. MEC Wavemaker is being launched simultaneously in 10 countries (including India) with over 750 people. In India, MEC Wavemaker will be led by Kumar Deb Sinha, who will report to T Gangadhar, Managing Director, MEC South Asia. Kumar has an experience of more than 13 years in content marketing and branded content solutions for brands. Gangadhar commented, Our creative restlessness is embodied in our philosophy: Dont Just Live, Thrive. For us, an idea is brilliant if and only if the right audience responds to it and behaves in ways that lead to the right outcomes for our clients. Wavemaker is not an agency, but a specialist content solution provider. We at MEC take pride in our efforts to build winning brands to drive their business growth. At the launch of MEC Wavemaker, Kumar Deb Sinha, Head - MEC Wavemaker, said, In my experience, clients today realise that effective content can make a big difference to their business, but they struggle to know exactly what type of content is right for them and the right partner to guide them. Our objective is to help them see the role content can play in their customers lives which will have a direct impact on brand performance. It will give them the confidence to invest in content knowing clearly how it is taking their brand forward. We will bring together all the resources that clients need to create content designed specifically to achieve measurable business goals. MEC Wavemaker will, thus, allow brands to look at content in a different way as it gives a powerful and commercial role in transforming brand performance, Sinha added. Amit Thete, GM - Marketing Communications, Mercedes Benz India, one of MECs clients, said, We have been working with MEC for six years and I am really impressed with their content offer. Strategically rooted in media, data and technology and with clear business outcomes, this is going beyond content. Its allowing us to create content towards a specific goal which is measurable. We welcome the launch of MEC Wavemaker in India. Commenting on the launch of MEC Wavemaker, Shreyas Rao, Senior Vice President, #fame, said, Team MEC has always been a creative and collaborative bunch of folks. Their ability to contextualise a brands communication objectives with innovative content ideas is truly best in class. #fame is excited about this wonderful initiative and look forward to working on many more branded content solutions with MEC Wavemaker across regions. According to the results of the Gender Forward Pioneer (GFP) Index released today by leading global communications and engagement firm Weber Shandwick, companies that are recognised with most admired reputation status by their industry peers have a higher proportion of female leaders, albeit well below gender parity. Yet the index also shows that only 10.9 percent of the senior executives of the worlds 500 largest companies, by revenue, are women. Of those companies, not one has an equal representation of men and women on their senior management teams, and nearly four in 10 companies (37.6 percent) have an all-male senior leadership team. We clearly see a reputational benefit going to organisations with more women in senior executive positions. But despite a strong business case for improving gender balance, our GFP Index illustrates the current, stark reality where women are under-represented in the most senior corporate ranks, said Vanessa Ho, Managing Director, Weber Shandwick Singapore. Its time for companies to proactively and positively encourage female leaders within their organisations, and experience the benefits a more balanced senior team brings. The GFP Index measures the percentage of women in senior management positions at Fortune Global 500 companies. Weber Shandwick audited these companies, identifying their top executives and their genders. In total, this amounted to an evaluation of more than 8,600 executives representing 36 countries. The Index is a supplement to Gender Equality in the Executive Ranks: A Paradox The Journey to 2030, a global study sponsored by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research and conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in 2015. That survey of senior executives across 55 countries in North America, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa), APAC (Asia Pacific) and Latin America identified weak corporate commitment to achieving gender equality at the top while senior women are simultaneously experiencing gender pipeline fatigue. The Worlds Most Gender Forward Companies Although no companies worldwide are at gender parity in their leadership ranks, some industries perform better than others, as do companies in particular markets. The top industry for women in senior management is General Merchandisers, with an index of 33 percent (vs. the cross-industry average of 10.9 percent). Five industries have no women on their senior management teams: Diversified Wholesalers, Food and Grocery Wholesalers, Shipping, Temporary Help and Textiles. North America has the highest proportion of women in senior management. Nearly two in 10 (19 percent) of senior executives in North America are women. Sweden is the individual market with the highest proportion of women in senior management, followed closely by Turkey (27 percent and 26 percent, respectively). In total, only 13 of the Global Fortune 500 companies have a female CEO. Gender Inclusion Drives Company Reputation and the Bottom Line Analysis of the reputational standing among the worlds leading revenue-producing companies worldwide shows a correlation between reputation and the proportion of women in senior level positions. Using the Fortune Worlds Most Admired rankings as a guide, Weber Shandwick determined that Most Admired Companies (those with the best reputations in their respective industries) have twice the percentage of women in senior management as Contender Companies, or those with weaker reputations in their industries (17 percent vs. 8 percent, respectively). Additionally, according to executives in Gender Equality in the Executive Ranks: A Paradox The Journey to 2030 who actively support gender parity initiatives at their companies, there are two factors that directly point to womens contributions to the bottom-line success of organisations: Diverse perspectives lead to better financial performance, cited by 38 percent, and women make good leaders, identified by 35 percent. Weber Shandwick strongly believes that gender equality is rapidly becoming a new driver of company reputation, said Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist at Weber Shandwick. Lets get real. The media continues to be highly influential and journalists pay rapt attention to this hot-button gender topic, so corporate leaders are well advised to respect the reputational return on investment and competitive advantage that comes with gender balance at the top. In fact, four in 10 C-Level executives (39 percent) report that their companies actively share such information to enhance their internal culture and public perception. Firm Formalises Women Leaders Engagement Offering After nearly a decade of research on the gender implications of leadership and client assignments with female leaders of global companies, Weber Shandwick has amassed unique insights and expertise in helping companies raise visibility for their top female executives. Today, as part of our growing Global Corporate practice offering, Weber Shandwick formalised its Women Leaders Engagement offering to focus specifically on advising accomplished C-suite executives and aspiring female leaders on enhancing their profiles both externally and internally in order to bolster company reputation and advance the pipeline of top female talent within their organisations, said Micho Spring, Chair, Global Corporate Practice. Gender parity is now a pillar of our global dialogue theres not a major business conference or C-level agenda that doesnt touch on the issue in some way. Women leaders have never had more opportunities for their ideas to be heard on the issues important to their industries, companies and brands, said Carol Ballock, executive vice president and head of Weber Shandwicks Executive Equity & Engagement specialty practice. By building their public profiles, women leaders help build their company reputations and inspire the next generation of young women to want to lead and rise to the top. Our Corporate practices commitment to helping women leaders have greater parity and influence on the global dialogue in a visible way has been ongoing. Were committed to getting more women on these top agendas and out in the world with their points of view. The Women Leaders Engagement offering will be led by Spring and Ballock and will draw from experts across the Weber network, incorporating elements of Weber Shandwicks Executive Equity & Engagement, Employee Engagement & Change Management and Reputation Management specialty capabilities. Click here to find out more about Weber Shandwicks GFP 2016 Index. For information about specific companies in the Index, please contact ThoughtLeadership@WeberShandwick.com. About the Weber Shandwick GFP Index To determine how many senior executives are women in the Fortune Global 500, Weber Shandwick used two sources of information: 1) The company leadership page of the corporate website, and 2) Senior executive management listed in the companys latest annual report. If an executive was listed in one or both of these sources, they were included in the list. Weber Shandwick then identified the gender of the executive. To the best of our ability, we listed only current senior management. Our research was conducted November - December 2015. About the Fortune Global 500 The Fortune Global 500, also known as Global 500, is an annual ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine. The list includes both publicly and privately-held companies. AF talks diversity of opportunities at annual engineers conference What do measuring earthquakes, creating lightning and applying space-like pressure to marshmallows all have in common? They each were demonstrations of science and technology used to intrigue the next generation of engineers on the Air Forces capabilities and opportunities during the National Society of Black Engineers annual convention March 26 in Boston. During the convention, keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Stayce D. Harris, the 22nd Air Force commander, explained the Air Forces pursuit of individual talent within the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. Harris joined Air Force director of diversity and inclusion, Chevalier P. Cleaves, and representatives from top defense contractors, technology leaders, car manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies, in providing professional and leadership development, technical training, and networking and job opportunities to the more than 11,000 in attendance at the convention. If youre looking for opportunities, look to the Air Force, Harris said. The challenges we face (in the Air Force) are great, but the rewards are even greater. Theres so much you can do coming from an engineering or technology background. By recruiting cutting-edge talent like yourselves and providing a range of options for you to serve, we seek to enable our Air Force to adapt ever more quickly to dynamic threats to our nations security. Cleaves used this platform to explain how the 21st century world requires leaders with broader and deeper skill sets. By ensuring we have the most talented, culturally competent, and operationally relevant force possible, we will be much more agile, and will be able to meet nascent requirements quickly and decisively, Cleaves said. By having a diverse Air Force presence at events such as the annual NSBE convention, we are helping to communicate the vast opportunities available to an audience that doesnt necessarily know what we are all about, but have the talent we need to be competing for to ensure the Air Force stays at the cutting edge of STEM disciplines. Harris speech tied the Air Force engagement with the convention attendees throughout the convention through career mentoring and integrated recruiting efforts involving active duty, civilian, Air National Guard, Reserve, Air Force Research Laboratory and scholarship opportunities available through the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Defense Departments Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) program. (Editors note: The 22nd Air Force Public Affairs and Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information contributed to this article.) Surprisingly, 29 years old Kangana Ranaut and 42 years old Hrithik Roshan are in news and things went very ugly between them. They exchanged legal notices after the actress appeared to refer to Hrithik as a silly ex in one of her interview. Kangana has also been named in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by Hrithik against an imposter who allegedly corresponded with Kangana pretending to be him. With legal notices being slapped on Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan, an explosive detail from the actors relationship is coming out in the open. There seems to be no respite for the actors from the fans and media glare. A new twist to the entire episode is that both of them are adapting the No hiding policy against each other. Kangana was summoned by the cybercrime cell of the Mumbai police and asked to submit her laptop to be investigated something that she has reportedly failed to do so. Soon after that Kanganas lawyer said that the actress was willing to drop the matter if Hrithik Roshan apologized. Kangana and Hrithik allegedly dated for sometime after co-starring in the movies Kites and Krrish 3. Recently, Hrithik Roshan has tweeted that the chances of him dating a pope are much higher than the women and the media has linked the tweet with her. Though, the tweet did not directly mention anybody, but it came after Kangana called him an ex in an interview with PinkVilla, thats why media see it on her context. This tweet resulted in a legal notice to him from a Christian body. The two reportedly ended on a bad note since Hrithik, who is very careful about his image, rubbished the relationship rumours, and this naturally did not go down too well with Kangana, who is open and wordy. The report quoted a source saying that Kangana was upset because Hrithik has been making her lookalike a desperate stalker when that was definitely not the case. After the alleged link up and resultant legal battle between him and Kangana Ranaut, the fight has gone a step ahead. Now, Kangana Ranaut wants to see her Kites co-star behind the bars. After verbal war, Kangana lodged a complaint against Hrithik alleging that he has been circulating her private photographs to third parties. Kanganas lawyer has written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner demanding strict action against Hrithik for circulating photos of her client to non-concerned third parties that are wilfully outraging clients modesty and imputing unchastity to her. Hrithik Roshan married Sussanne Khan, daughter of actor Sanjay Khan, on 20th December 2000. Hrithik had known Sussanne since the age of twelve. They moved among the same circle of friends while they were growing up in Juhu but Hrithik was shy to confess his feelings. Sussanne became his girlfriend for 4 years before their marriage. The couple has two sons, Hrehaan and Hridhaan. On 13th December 2013, Hrithik announced that he and his wife Sussanne has decided to separate and end their 17-year-long relationship. Their divorce was finalized by Bandra family court on 1st November 2014. There were speculations that Sussanne walked out of Hrithiks life because she was in love with Arjun Rampal, who is common friend of Hrithik and Sussanne. Some even reported that the reason for their divorce is Hrithiks extra marital affairs with other actresses. As their divorced is settled, now Kangana episode brings back Hrithik in news for all the wrong reasons. After investigating the case, Mumbai police are questioning Kanganas credibility due to her reluctance to co-operate. She has refused to hand over her laptop to the cops saying her computer had a virus and everything got deleted. Hrithik, however, has obligingly co-operated as much as he could. With new twists and turns every day, the fight seems to be getting gloomier. Soon after legal notices and statements, she came up with the new set of dialogues. She said, If the other party who sued me for defamation and asked for a public apology can prove defamation, I promise to apologise publicly. I request the other party to respond to the legal matter which they have started and not turn this defamation suit into a media trial and judgement. If they are sincerely seeking an apology then they must help me understand their perspective because blackmailing or threatening wont work with me. Kangana further said that she isnt scared by the constant blackmailing and wont apologise just because she is being threatened. Known to speak her mind, Kangana added that she is not ashamed of her past and slut-shaming wont work. Hrithik and Kangana first worked together in the 2010 film Kites, the movie which is said to have been the beginning of the friendship between the two. After that, Roshan and Ranaut were seen together on the big screen in the 2013 film Krrish 3. Looking at this controversy, somewhere I have a gut-feeling that there is some movie in which both of them are working together, and entire defamation saga is a publicity stunt. If not then both the actors should understand that their fans like them the way they are. Looking at their own credibility, they should stop making mockery of the entire issue. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Countering the Pakistan high commissioners assertion that the visit by Pakistani JIT was not on reciprocity, India on Thursday said before the teams visit here, both sides had agreed that it would be on the basis of reciprocity. We have seen comments by the Pakistani high commissioner on the visit of the JIT Team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Base that have reference to reciprocity. MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian high commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani foreign ministry that the Terms of Reference are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions. Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016, external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said. During a media interaction earlier, Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit said, The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident. Reacting to Basits remarks that the India-Pak peace process stands suspended, Swarup referred to the press conference of Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria in which he said, I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian foreign secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place. He was asked about the status of India-Pak foreign secretary-level talks. Mumbaikars are coping with depression by seeking medical assistance and undergoing counselling. As per an RTI query filed by Pune based activist Vihar Durve it has been revealed that there has been a sharp decline in the number of suicides reported in Mumbai since last three years. In 2013, total 1,322 people committed suicide in Mumbai, while the number went down to 1,196 in 2014, and further slipped to 1,122 in 2015. The tragic suicide of Pratyusha Banerjee might have shocked telly world but falling suicide rates show that Mumbaikars are showing resilence when it comes to overcoming depression. People can become depressed due to job loss, failed relationship, divorce, unemployment, poor health etc. However, today people are coping with depression by speaking about it and undergoing counselling. Attributing this trend to the fighting spirit of the people in the city, Mumbai police spokesperson, DCP (Detection) Dhananjay Kulkarni said, Its nice to see that Mumbaikars are showing their character as fighter, than being a quitter. He said, I would say that people are becoming self-motivated and reliant, apart from the fact that they have become much more aware about the ups and downs of the life by availing timely counselling (at counselling centres), thanks to the efforts taken by various groups. Dr Y A Matcheswalla, a psychiatrist in Mumbai, said the main reason for committing suicide is depression, and now people have started acknowledging that it can be cured. Timely diagnosis and treatment is now playing a crucial role in stopping suicidal tendencies among people, he said. Sushil Seth a Kandivali resident said, Falling suicide rates show that today Mumbaikars are more aware about depression and many of them are coming forward to seek medical help. Sathish Rohankar a Borivali resident said, Earlier depression was considered as taboo and people used to feel uneasy while speaking about it. However, today even celebrities are coming forward to speak about how they had overcome depression. Ravi Kumar a Malad resident, The modern life has become very stressful and demanding. Today people are competing with each other for getting better marks, jobs as they fail to enjoy their lives. Every individual is judged on the salary package drawn by him which needs to be stopped. People should opt out of the rat race and enjoy small things life has to offer. The reply furnished by Mumbai police also said that more males committed suicide than the females between 2013 and 2015. In the last three calender years, total 2,304 males committed suicide, while 1,336 females ended their lives in the city during the same time. The reply also mentions that during these three years, total 334 students committed suicide, including 185 males and 149 females, in the mega-city. WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption for all its services this week. Technically what this means is that user calls, texts, video, images and other files sent can only be viewed by the intended recipient, and no one, not even WhatsApp itself, can access this data. This guarantee of user privacy creates new concerns for the government. WhatsApp will now find it impossible to comply with government requests for data, since WhatsApp itself will not have the decryption key. In effect, WhatsApp is doing exactly what Apple did in the Apple vs FBI battle; its preventing government access to data, but on a much larger scale. While Apple restricted access to users of iPhones only, now practically every user of WhatsApp on any device is protected. According to rules issued by the Department of Telecommunications in 2007, License Agreement for Provision of Internet Service (including Internet Telephony) mandates that private parties in India cannot use encryption that is higher than 40-bits without explicit permission from the government. Whatsapp now uses 256-bit encryption. Also, the permission is granted only if the entity that intends to use encryption submits decryption keys to the government, which in the case of WhatsApp is going to be impossible because it has implemented the encryption in a way where even WhatsApp doesnt have the keys. WhatsApp has puts out a one-line advisory to its users: Messages you send to this chat and calls are now secured with end-to-end encryption. The move is a potential security threat, said a security official. WhatsApps action came close on the heels of a legal battle between Apple and FBI over the US agencys demand that the iPhone maker help unlock its mobile phones. The popular messenger was being used excessively in Jammu and Kashmir by separatists and anti-national elements for spreading rumours which have often led to violent clashes. The security agencies will be taking up the matter with the Telecom ministry to ensure that proper safeguards are in place before the services could be allowed in the country, the sources said. In the past, the government had red-flagged BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS), BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and BlackBerry Enterprise Servers (BES) of smartphone maker Research-In-Motion (RIM) until the company installed a server within India for real-time information to the security agencies. The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see that message. Not cyber-criminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp privatesort of like a face-to-face conversation., The Facebook-owned company said in a blog post. According to IndiaToday, India is, however, in the process of formulating some sort of coherent encryption policy. Last year, the government floated a draft proposal for the use of encryption in India. It was a bad bad draft, which government pulled back because of criticism. One of the suggestions in the draft was that people using encrypted services will be asked to keep the decrypted data for at least 90 days. If something like that makes its way to whatever new policy the government comes up with, it will definitely make the WhatsApp illegal, especially after its decision to turn on strong encryption by default for all users across the world. It would be interesting to watch how DOT reacts to Whatsapps move. The app, having more than 70 million users around in India. Jaxen continued, reminding the public that the cancelation of Vaxxed "once again showed a dangerously controlled and regulated media with an agenda. Dr. Wakefield was included in Jaxen's video saying that the massive media call to remove "Vaxxed" from Tribeca was unprecedented, making it a First Amendment issue. Jaxen said, A dangerously polarized mainstream media in the United States was spotlighted and exposed for all to see. The public endured what can only be called a coordinated attack of widely accusatory and inaccurate news stories attacking De Niro, the Tribeca Film Festival, and the documentary film producers Dr. Andrew Wakefield and Del Bigtree. What was alarming is that not one journalist or media outlet churning out the prejudice content had ever viewed the unreleased film." about the media uproar that began over the announcement by Robert De Niro that the Tribeca Film Festival would include that movie "Vaxxed" about William Thompson, the whistleblower at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jaxen's video focuses on the role of the media in covering up the real message of the film. Instead of reporting on a story about official fraud involving a major study on vaccine safety, the press labeled "Vaxxed" "anti-vaccine" and vilified its director, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, as a discredited doctor who had lost his medical license for linking vaccines and autism. I was very impressed by Jaxen's nine minute video. He was exactly right. We could all see that he print and broadcast media had their marching orders, and they all said the same thing. The government's only answer when faced with the question, "Do vaccines cause autism?" has long been, "Studies show no link." CDC research is massive and continuous, all results showing vaccines are safe. What if that's not the truth? What if CDC study results have been falsified and those findings have been used for years, even in vaccine injury suits, to prove safety that isn't there? That's too scary for many people to even consider. I put together a number of the stories by the major newspapers and networks. Without exception, each was an attack on Andrew Wakefield. Instead of interviewing any of the principle people involved with "Vaxxed," including Wakefield, experts were cited who denounced the film. People Magazine, ABC News, and the New York Times included Dr. William Schaffner who vouched for the safety of vaccines and warned how dangerous it would be to show "Vaxxed." He was described only as connected to Vanderbilt University and nothing was said about the work he does as a consultant for GlaxoSmithKline, MedImmune, Merck & Co., Novartis, Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. I've included the names of the reporters and who they work for here because I know this story will be saved in the Age of Autism archives. I want all these people to be remembered. I want this article on their sloppy, bias coverage to be available whenever anyone searches their work. And when we're forced to finally admit the truth about what an unchecked, unsafe vaccine schedule has done to a generation of children, I want everyone to see the lengths news outlets went to in order to bury the truth. Finally, let me say that I sent this list of stories to Dr. Wakefield and I asked him if a single one of these reporters had contacted him for an interview about "Vaxxed." His answer was a resounding "No." We should all be very frightened about news sources that don't care about talking to the people involved in such a critical controversy or about reporting the real story about William Thompson and the CDC's 2004 MMR study. It's clear members of the media have their own priorities and they don't include honestly reporting on vaccine safety. Ashley Welsh, CBS News: Tribeca Film Festival under fire for anti-vaccine documentary What the film's description doesn't say is that its director, Andrew Wakefield, is widely regarded as a fraud in the scientific community. Wakefield -- a former doctor who's been stripped of his medical license -- first made headlines with a 1998 study published in The Lancet that claimed the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was linked to autism. His research was found to be based on fraudulent data and the journal later retracted the study. Phil Helsel and Andrew Rudansky, NBC News: De Niro's Tribeca Festival Yanks Anti-Vaccination Film The film's director is Andrew Wakefield, who suggested a possible link between vaccines and autism and had his medical license stripped in 2010. He published a study alleging the link in the medical journal Lancet in 1998, but the research was widely discredited and the Lancet later retracted it. (Included here was a video of Thomas Frieden, CDC head, from Feb in which he urged everyone to get vaccinated.) Adam Howard, MSNBC: De Niro decision to pull film cant cure Hollywoods vaccine obsession The director of the film, Andrew Wakefield, who is a British former surgeon and medical researcher, has been criticized for alleging that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine can cause autism. His widely shared 1998 report on the links between vaccines and autism has been retracted and Wakefield has been barred from practicing medicine in the U.K. because he allegedly falsified his research. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control has conducted or funded nine different studies that found no correlation between vaccines and autism. Gillian Mohney, ABC News: Rejected Tribeca Documentary Recalls Debunked Study that Helped Spark Anti-Vaccine Movement "The documentary, called "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe," was directed and written by Andrew Wakefield. "Wakefield, a doctor from the United Kingdom, is at the center of the controversy after publishing a small study, which has since been rescinded, that claimed to find an association between vaccines and autism. "Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, was in contact with the film festival staff to express concerns over the documentary. Schaffner pointed out there have been 'at least 15' studies that have studied vaccines and found no indication there is an association with autism." Gary A Emmett, M.D., F.A.A.P., Philly.com: Vaxxed: The controversy surrounding a discredited doctor's film "Andrew Wakefield is a true believer in the maxim that the ends justify the means. He believes, in opposition to multiple well conducted scientific studies including one from Kaiser Health with more than 300,000 participating children, that measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) is a causal factor in autism. Wakefield is wrong, but being wrong has not changed what he is saying. He is also no longer Dr. Wakefield he lost his license to practice medicine in England because of lying about his results in a study." "Benard Dreyer, MD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics said, 'This was a totally dishonest film spreading lies about measles vaccine and autism that have caused a lot of damage to public health and children around the world.'" Jessica Fecteau, People Magazine: Controversy Still Swirls Around Anti-Vaccine Documentary After Robert De Niro Pulls It from Tribeca Film Festival "Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical School, told PEOPLE that including the film in the festival worried him and his colleagues. ... "The film claims MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines are linked to cases of autism, which was a theory presented by gastroenterologist and medical researcher Andrew Wakefield. The notion has since been widely discredited and retracted from the journal it was published in. "...Schaffner suggests that supporters of the movie are drawn by Wakefield's charisma. "'[Dr. Wakefield] is very engaging, very good-looking and an excellent speaker so he attracts followers,' he says. 'People buy into a concept so the psychologists have told us and then when they are presented information that's quite contrary to the notion that they hold so dear, the normal human reaction is to double down and become even more stubbornly committed to the concept.'" Joe Leydon, Variety: Film Review: Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe 'Vaxxed' is the handiwork of first-time (and, probably, last-time) director Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist who collaborated on a study linking the MMR vaccine and a reported spike in autism diagnoses that was published in the Lancet, the prestigious English medical journal, in 1998." Ian Lipkin, Wall Street Journal: Anti-Vaccination Lunacy Wont Stop "The filmmakers claim they have not stated that autism is caused by the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, known as MMR. However, that is the inescapable message of 'Vaxxed.' And it is certainly the stance of Andrew Wakefield, the discredited British researcher who is the movies director and co-writer. "Ive known Mr. Wakefield since the late 1990s, when his (later retracted) paper suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism appeared in the Lancet medical journal. He studied British children with developmental disorders and reported that they began to show signs of autism within weeks after receiving the vaccine." Jessica Glenza, UK Guardian: Controversial Vaxxed film premieres in New York despite scientists' outcry "The film is directed by British former doctor Andrew Wakefield, whose retracted and debunked study of a dozen children asserted that there is a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism." Melena Ryzik, New York Times: Anti-Vaccine Film, Pulled From Tribeca Film Festival, Draws Crowd at Showing "The film was directed and co-written by Andrew Wakefield, an author of a 1998 study that suggested the link. The study, published by the British medical journal The Lancet, was retracted in 2010. Though the film mentions the retraction, it does not note that the British General Medical Council revoked Mr. Wakefields medical license, citing ethics violations and financial conflicts of interest. Mr. Wakefield appears in 'Vaxxed' as an expert on the topic." Melena Ryzik, New York Times: Pulled From Festival, Anti-Vaccination Film Will Run in Theater "The director and co-writer of 'Vaxxed' is Andrew Wakefield, an author of a small 1998 study about autism and vaccination that was published in the British medical journal The Lancet and then retracted in 2010. The study has been widely and frequently debunked. "Mr. Wakefield has also had his medical license revoked over ethics violations and his failure to disclose financial conflicts of interest." Pam Belluck and Melena Ryzik, New York Times: Robert De Niro Defends Screening of Anti-Vaccine Film at Tribeca Festival The film, 'Vaxxed' From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, is directed and co-written by Andrew Wakefield, an anti-vaccination activist and an author of a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet, in 1998 that was retracted in 2010. In addition to the retraction of the study, which involved 12 children, Britains General Medical Council, citing ethical violations and a failure to disclose financial conflicts of interest, revoked Mr. Wakefields medical license. David Wenner, PennLive.com: Robert De Niro, whose child has autism, changes mind about anti-vaccine film&>The film, Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, was co-written and directed by Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield is the discredited physician who authored 1998 medical journal articles claiming to link autism to vaccination, and giving a huge shot of energy to an anti-vaccination movement. The journal later withdrew the articles after concluding data was misrepresented." Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News: Petition for Robert De Niro to screen controversial "Vaxxed" documentary at Tribeca Film Festival drawing thousands of signature The documentary, which was directed by discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield, examines the alleged connection between certain vaccinations and the "skyrocketing increase in autism" and details an alleged cover-up by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaxxed centers on a scientist named Willam Thompson who claims to be a whistleblower for the CDC's cover-up, according to the documentary's website. Los Angeles Times: Tribeca to screen movie by controversial anti-vaccine activist Andrew Wakefield Tribeca did not reveal the director. He is, it turns out, the highly controversial anti-vaccine activist Andrew Wakefield Wakefield helped launch the anti-vaccine movement with a 1998 paper in the Lancet that drew a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and higher rates of autism. Many scientists have since refuted the claim, and the British General Medical Council would go on to find Wakefield guilty of three dozen charges Web Toolbar by Wibiya Donald Trumps hateful rhetoric has dominated the current US presidential campaign. Americans worried about the likelihood of this demagogue capturing the White House in November are welcome to come to Canada and settle on Cape Breton Island. On Monday radio announcer Rob Calabrese created Cape Breton if Donald Trump Wins, a website that encourages Americans to seriously consider seeking refuge on the beautiful Nova Scotia island. Hi Americans! Donald Trump may become the President of your country! If that happens, and you decide to get the hell out of there, might I suggest moving to Cape Breton Island, the site says. In Cape Breton, we value diversity! Here, you can hear a number of other languages, like French and Mikmaq, even Gaelic! But everybody also speaks English, just like you! Since its launch, the site has received serious inquiries from Americans considering making the dash. Hits galore. Watch Calabrese explain the interest in this interview with the CBC News: Trump is probably the worst racist to ever hit the campaign trail in a western democracy. Hes proposed a blanket ban on Muslims entering the US. Hes vowed to bring back the widely-condemned practice of waterboarding of terror suspects. Hes accused Mexican immigrants of bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and their rapists to the US. John ODonnell, a former Trump employee, quoted his former boss saying this of his black employees: Ive got black accountants at Trump Castle and at Trump Plaza. Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The latest annual census (pdf) from the prominent civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), links Trump to the recent rise of hate and other extremist groups in the US. Labelling 2015 a year awash in deadly extremist violence and hateful rhetoric from mainstream political figures, the report found that the number of hate groups increased from 784 in 2014 to 892 in 2015. While the number of extremist groups grew in 2015 after several years of declines, the real story was the deadly violence committed by extremists in city after city, said Mark Potok, senior fellow at the SPLC and editor of the Intelligence Report, the groups investigative journal. Whether it was Charleston, San Bernardino or Colorado Springs, 2015 was clearly a year of deadly action for extremists. Potoks installment in the SPCL report, The Year in Hate and Extremism, found a co-relation between the rise of white supremacist groups and hateful rhetoric by mainstream political figures. Trump is not welcome in Canada. During a year-end town hall hosted by Macleans in December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took an unusual swipe at the real estate billionaire. I dont think it comes as a surprise to anyone that I stand firmly against the politics of division, the politics of fear, the politics of intolerance or hateful rhetoric, said Trudeau. If we allow politicians to succeed by scaring people, we dont actually end up any safer. Fear doesnt make us safer. It makes us weaker. SPECIAL APPEAL: Please empower The Canadian Progressive and help us publish more stories like this by supporting this GoFundMe Fund-raising Initiative. Thank you! Obert Madondo is an Ottawa-based progressive blogger, and the founder and editor of The Canadian Progressive. Follow him on Twitter: @Obiemad Web Toolbar by Wibiya Montreal mayor Denis Coderre and mayors from other prominent Quebec municipalities are against TransCanadas proposed Energy East pipeline. On behalf of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, which represents 82 municipalities and 3.9 million people, Coderre vowed Thursday to fight the controversial pipeline project. The mayors of Laval and Longueuil, which are part if the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC), are in Coderres corner. The mayorss argument is that Energy Easts widely documented potential risks, which include catastrophic oil spills, far outweigh the pipelines possible economic benefits for their communities. We are against it because it still represents significant environmental threats and too few economic benefits for greater Montreal, said Coderre, who is also the President of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, according to the CBC News. The MMC held public consultations on the proposed pipeline last fall and received a total of 143 written submissions, 66 oral submissions, and 3846 responses to an online survey. The East Energy project failed to get a passing grade on the economic, social, environmental and public safety fronts. Energy East is a key plank in the planned expansion of the Alberta tar sands. If built, the 4,400 pipeline would become North Americas largest oil pipeline, transporting 1.1 million barrels of crude per day from Alberta to Canadas East Coast. The pipeline would impact more than 75 communities in Alberta, Sakatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. According to environmental experts, Energy East would increase the risk of oil spills and run away climate change. As Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges has pointed out, Energy East would allow oil profiteers to continue to dig up the Alberta tar sands in an orgy of environmental degradation. Opponents of Energy east have also argued that the pipeline is incompatible with Canadas support for a 1.5 degree limit on global warming, affirmed by the Trudeau government during the recent Paris climate summit. The Council of Canadians welcomes the Quebec mayors opposition, which represents a critical juncture along the path of the controversial project. This export pipeline offers few benefits to communities along route, yet threatens over 1000 waterways with a large scale diluted bitumen spill, said Maude Barlow, the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians. We are seeing opposition to this massive pipeline grow, from Quebec municipalities to Indigenous communities and landowners at the end of the line in Red Head, Saint John. It is time to see leadership from Prime Minister Trudeau and Premiers that will lead us away from new large scale fossil fuel infrastructure to investing in climate solutions such as public transit and renewables, energy conservation and efficiency. RELATED: New student coalition vows to block tar sands pipelines at Quebec border In later 2014, a new student coalition promised to block Energy East and Enbridges line 9B tar sands pipeline projects right at Quebec border. The Etudiant-e-s Contre les Oleoducs (ECO) said its mandate was to promote science-based policy alternatives, as well as respect for the ecological limits of our planet and for Indigenous rights and Aboriginal title. The Montreal Metropolitan Community plans to take its anti-Energy East position to the National Energy Boards forthcoming hearings on the pipeline. SPECIAL APPEAL: Please empower The Canadian Progressive and help us publish more stories like this by supporting this GoFundMe Fund-raising Initiative. Thank you! Obert Madondo is an Ottawa-based progressive blogger, and the founder and editor of The Canadian Progressive. Follow me on Twitter: @Obiemad Web Toolbar by Wibiya In a new poll on the popularity of Canadas most recent prime ministers, released Sunday, Justin Trudeau thoroughly trounces his predecessor. The online poll by Ottawa-based Abacus Data asked people how they felt about the countrys last 7 elected prime minsters. The pollsters surveyed 1,500 Canadians aged 18 and over from January 8 to 12. Trudeau is the most popular of all 7, followed by his late father, Pierre Trudeau. Stephen Harper is the least popular of all seven. The results of the poll are excruciatingly polarizing. The prime minister scores high among Liberal voters (95% positive) and NDP voters (49% positive), but not so much with Conservative voters (69% negative). After losing to Trudeau during the October 2015 federal election, Harper penned an Im-a-nice-guy letter to the same federal public servants he terrorized, dictatorship-style, during his nine years in power. He even claimed to have worked very closely with the Public Service of Canada to improve the prosperity, security and well-being of Canadians and improve Canadas position in the world. Canadians arent buying it. According to the Abacus poll, Harpers numbers are almost the mirror opposite of Trudeaus. He scores high among Conservatives (80% positive). Hes disliked by 75% Liberals and 75% of NDP voters. Nationally, 54% of Canadians like Trudeau and 52% dislike Harper. As we know very well, popularity of politicians fluctuates over time, and how people view Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau today maybe quite different from their views a year from now, said Bruce Anderson, the chairperson of Abacus Data. With that caveat noted, it is compelling that these two men find their reputations almost the mirror image of each other. SPECIAL APPEAL: Please empower The Canadian Progressive and help us publish more stories like this by supporting this GoFundMe Fund-raising Initiative. Thank you! Obert Madondo is an Ottawa-based progressive blogger, and the founder and editor of The Canadian Progressive. Follow me on Twitte r: @Obiemad WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 - The Food and Drug Administration is extending the comment period on its proposal to allow an experimental release of gene-edited mosquitoes in Florida to combat the Zika virus. The new comment deadline is May 13. FDA had received requests to extend the deadline from Friends of the Earth, the Center for Food Safety, Food & Water Watch, and GMO Free USA. The male mosquitoes that would be released by Oxitec Ltd. in the Florida Keys have two new genes a color marker and a self-limiting pest control gene that causes offspring to die. The species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is known to transmit potentially debilitating human viral diseases, including Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya and has been found in some U.S. states, but is most prevalent in the South, FDA said. Open field trials of the OX513A genetically engineered mosquito have been conducted in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and Malaysia. Do you find the information on Agri-Pulse helpful? See even more ag and rural policy news when you sign up for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. Former Agriculture Secretary John Block and molecular geneticist Nina Fedoroff endorsed the approach in New York Times Wednesday. The released male mosquitoes have no effect on people because males dont bite, they wrote. While we might wait years for a Zika vaccine, the genetically modified mosquito is tested, scalable and ready to go. #30 For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com Why A Kurdish Enclave in Syria Is a Very Bad Idea A few simple reasons why PYD/YPG claims to federal autonomy and attempts to annex Syrian land are illegitimate, undemocratic, and could lead to genocide. 1. Kurds are not a majority in the Area PYD/YPG are attempting to annex The region of Al Hasakah, which the Kurdish Nationalist Party (PYD) and its military wing YPG have declared a federal Kurdish state, does not have a Kurdish majority. Al Hasakah Governorate is a mosaic of Assyrian Christians, Armenians, Turkmen, Kurds and Bedouin Arabs. Of the 1.5 million population of Al Hasakah, only 40% are ethnically Kurdish. Moreover, parts of Al Hasakah Governorate, such as Al Hasakah district, is less than 15% Kurdish (!). In the other large minorities in the area the Arabs and Assyrian Christians form a majority. Declaring a small area with a wide array of ethnic groups as belonging to a specific ethnic minority is a recipe for oppression. The Kurdish population of Al Hasakah has also been heavily inflitrated by illegal Kurdish immigration from Turkey. Kurdish immigration to Syria began in the 1920's and occurred in several waves after multiple failed Kurdish uprisings against Turkey. It continued throughout the century. In 2011 the Kurdish population in Syria reached between 1.6 to 2.3 million, but 420,000 of these left Syria for Iraq and Turkey as a result of the current conflict. Some Syrian Kurds have lived in Homs and Damascus for hundreds of years and are heavily assimilated into the Syrian society. However, Kurdish illegal immigrants who mostly reside in north Syria, and who could not prove their residence in Syria before 1945 , complain of oppression when they were not granted the rights of Syrian citizens. Syrian law dictates that only a blood born Syrian whose paternal lineage is Syrian has a right to Syrian citizenship. No refugee whether Somali, Iraqi or Palestinian has been granted Syrian citizenship no matter how long their stay. In spite of this, in 2011 the Syrian President granted Syrian citizenship to 150,000 Kurds. This has not stopped the YPG from using illegal Kurdish immigrants who were not granted citizenship as a rationale for annexing Syrian land. Those who promote Federalism are imposing the will of a small minority - that is not of Syrian origin - on the whole of Al Hasakah's population and the whole of Syria. 2. It is Undemocratic to Impose Federalism on the Majority of Syrians PYD did not bother to consult with other factions of Syrian society before its unilateral declaration of Federalism. The other ethnicities that reside in Al Hasake governate, which PYD claims is now an autonomous Kurdish state, have clearly rejected federalism. An assembly of Syrian clans and Arab tribes in Al Hasaka and the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) rejected PYD's federalism declaration. In Geneva, both the Syrian government and the opposition rejected PYD's federalism declaration. Furthermore, PYD does not represent all of Syria's Kurdish population. The Kurdish faction of Syrian national coalition condemned PYD's federalism declaration. Most of Syria's Kurds do not live in Al Hasakah and many that do work outside it. Thousands of Kurds have joined ISIS and are fighting for an Islamic State not a Kurdish one. Unilateral declaration of federalism carries no legitimacy since federalism can only exist with a constitutional change and a Referendum. Federalism is unlikely to garner much support from the bulk of Syria's population, 90-93% of whom is not Kurdish. Knowing this, PYD have banned residents of Al Hasakah from voting in the upcoming Parliamentary elections to be held across the nation. This shows the will of the people in Al Hasakah is already being crushed by PYD. It is undemocratic to continue to discuss federalism as a possibility when it has been rejected by so many segments of Syrian society. Ironically we are told the purpose of the US' Regime change adventure in Syria is to bring democracy to the middle east. 3. Federalism May Risk Ethnic cleansing of Assyrian Christian and other minorities Since the Kurdish population are not a majority in the areas PYD are trying to annex, the past few years have revealed that PYD/YPG are not beyond carrying out ethnic cleansing of non-Kurdish minorities in an attempt to achieve a demographic shift. The main threat to Kurdish ethnocentric territorial claims over the area are the other large minorities, the Arabs and the Assyrian Christians. Salih Muslim, the leader of PYD, openly declared his intention to conduct an ethnic cleansing campaign against Syrian Arabs who live in what he now calls Rojava. "One day those Arabs who have been brought to the Kurdish areas will have to be expelled," said Muslim in an interview with Serek TV. Over two years since that interview he has fulfilled his word, as YPG begun burning Arab villages around Al Hasakah Province hoping to create a demographic shift. It is estimated that ten thousands Arab villagers have been ethnically cleansed from Al Hasake province so far. The villages around Tal Abayad have suffered the most as Kurdish expansionists seek to connect the discontiguous population centres of Al Hasakah and Al Raqqa. The YPG burnt our village and looted our houses, said Mohammed Salih al-Katee, who left Tel Thiab Sharki, near the city of Ras al-Ayn, in December. YPG have also begun a campaign of intimidation, murder and property confiscation against the Assyrian Christian minority. The YPG and PYD made it a formal policy to loot and confiscate the property of those who had escaped their villages after an ISIS attack, in the hope of repopulating Assyrian villages with Kurds. The Assyrians residents of the Khabur area in Al Hasaka province formed a militia called the Khabour Guard in the hope of defending their villages against ISIS attacks. The Khabur Guard council leaders protested the practice of looting by Kurdish YPG militia members who looted Assyrian villages that were evacuated after ISIS attacked them. Subsequently, the YPG assassinated the leader of the Khabur Guard David Jindo and attempted to Assassinate Elyas Nasser. At first the YPG blamed the assassination on ISIS but Elyas Nasser, who survived, was able to expose the YPG's involvement from his hospital bed. Since the assassination YPG has forced the Khabour Guard to disarm and to accept YPG 'protection.' Subsequently most Assyrian residents of the Khabour who had fled to Syrian Army controlled areas of Qamishli City could not return to their villages. The Assyrian Christian community in Qamishli has also been harassed by YPG Kurdish militia. YPG attacked an Assyrian checkpoint killing one fighter of the Assyrian militia Sootoro and wounding three others. The checkpoint was set up after three Assyrian restaurants were bombed on December 20, 2016 in an attack that killed 14 Assyrian civilians. Assyrians suspected that YPG was behind these bombings in an attempt to assassinate Assyrian leaders and prevent any future claims of control over Qamishli. It would be foolish to ignore the signs that more widely spread ethnic cleansing campaigns may occur if Kurdish expansionists are supported, especially since other ethnic groups are not on board with their federalism plans. It has only been 90 years since the Assyrian genocide which was conducted by Turks and Kurds. This history should not be allowed to be repeated. Assyrians have enjoyed safety and stability in the Syrian state since this time. Forcing the Assyrians to accept federalism is not going to ensure their safety. Establishment of a federal Kurdish state in Iraq has not protected Assyrian villages from attacks by Kurdish armed groups either. The campaign of ethnic cleansing against both Assyrians and Arabs in Al Hasakah has already begun and may now only escalate. 4. The Resources in Al Hasake are shared between all Syrians While Kurds make up only 7-10% of Syria's total population, PYD demands 20% of Syria's land. What's more, the region of Al hasakah that YPG want to annex has a population of only 1.5 million people. Much of Syria's agriculture and oil wealth is located in Al Hasakah and is shared by Syria's 23 million people. Al Hasakah province produces 34% of Syria's wheat and much of Syria's oil. The oil pumping stations are now being used by ISIS and YPG's Kurds to fund their war efforts while depriving the Syrian people. While headlines abound about Syria's starving population, there is little talk of how federalising Syria could entrench this starvation into law for generations to come. Instead, promoters of Federalism talk about how giving the resources shared by 23 million people to 1.5 million people will lead to peace. 5. A Kurdish Region in Syria will be a Threat to Global Security Since the majority of Syria's population and Syria's government oppose Kurdish annexation claims, PYD will not be able to achieve federalism through legal means. The only way the PYD and YPG can achieve federalism is through brute force. This brute force may backed by the US air force and an invasion by special forces which contradicts international law. Head of PYD Saleh Islam has already threatened to attack Syrian troops if they attempt to retake Raqqa from ISIS. A Kurdish state in Syria as the Iraqi Kurdistan ensures US hegemony in the region. Like the KRG [Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq] the YPG are already attempting to build a US base on Syrian soil. Russia, which has been an ally of Syria for a long time, will be further isolated as a result. This will once again tip the balance of power in the world. All of Syria's neighbouring countries are also opposed to an ethnocentric Kurdish state in Syria. The YPG is linked to the PKK, which is active in Turkey and which the United Nations has designated a terrorist organisation. Turkey will see YPG's federalism claims as strengthening the PKK. Turkey may invade Syria as a result, guaranteeing at least a regional war. This regional war could involve Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Israel. Israel wants to establish a Kurdistan, as a Sunni-Iranian rival to Shi'ite Iran. They hope such a Sunni state will block Iran's access to Syria and will also prevent Lebanese resistance against Israeli invasion. This was all outlined in Israel's Yinon Plan published in 1982. Israel is an extension of US influence and hegemony in the region, the Israeli lobby holds much sway over US politics. Strengthening Israel in the region will strengthen US influence over the region, once again shrinking Russian influence and pushing the nuclear power into a corner. Journalists who show a sense of confusion about the reason the West is supportive of Kurdish expansionism should consider this point. Finally, a designated 'Kurdish area' in Syria is deeply rooted in ethnocentric chauvinism. A US state strictly designated for Hispanic, White or Black ethnicity would be outrageous to suggest and would be considered racist. But the use of ethnicity as a means to divide and conquer is the oldest and most cynical form of imperialism. Syria must remain for all Syrians, not just for one minority. Voices who oppose this should be discouraged. The Syrian Constitution should continue to resist all ethnocentric religious-based parties. If there is a change to the Syrian constitution, it should be the removal of the word Arab from Syrian Arab Republic. In spite of the fact that the vast majority Syrians speak the Arabic language, the majority of Syrian are historically not ethnically Arab. All sections of Syrian society should be treated equally under the Syrian flag. April 7, 2016 Journalist Khaled El Balshy a keen defender of freedom of expression and a democracy advocate, deputy head of the Egyptian Press Syndicate and head of the syndicates Freedom Committee has been vigorously campaigning for the release of jailed journalists in Egypt. This week Balshy himself faced prosecution and risked being imprisoned on charges of inciting protests, insulting the police and inciting to overthrow the regime. His ordeal was short-lived, however, lasting only a few days. On April 6 the Interior Ministry, which had filed the legal complaint against him, was forced to withdraw the lawsuit following an outcry from fellow journalists, free speech advocates and rights organizations, triggered by the miscalculated move. The legal complaint against Balshy was filed earlier in the week by the assistant interior minister for legal affairs, who provided video footage and screen shots of Balshys posts on Facebook and Twitter as evidence against the journalist. The lawsuit resulted in an arrest warrant against Balshy by the general prosecution. Balshy was unruffled throughout the crisis. Minutes after hearing of the warrant for his arrest, he boldly declared in a Facebook post: If they want to arrest me, Im in my office. Im not better than those who are imprisoned. Balshy told Al-Monitor over the telephone that he hoped that his prosecution would throw the spotlight on the cases of others unjustly detained in Egypt, especially the jailed journalists." Since the military takeover of the country in July 2013, tens of thousands of political opposition figures have been arrested and detained as part of a sweeping security crackdown on dissent that has targeted Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters as well as secular activists, researchers, journalists and intellectuals. Refusing to be silenced by the legal measure leveled against him, Balshy on April 4 published a list of some 40 journalists in Egypt who were either imprisoned or under threat of being detained, citing the circumstances of their arrests and the media organizations they worked for. The list includes freelance photographer Mahmoud Abou Zeid (known to his fans as Shawkan), who was arrested Aug. 14, 2013, while taking pictures for the UK-based citizen journalism site Demotix during the forced dispersal of a Cairo sit-in by supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi. He has languished in pretrial detention for nearly 1,000 days and is reportedly suffering from hepatitis C. After two previous postponements, his trial was adjourned again on April 4, until April 23. Among other journalists on Balshys published list are Mohamed El Batawy and Hani Salahudin. Batawy had worked for the state-sponsored Akhbar El Youm newspaper before he was arrested at his home in June 2015. He has since been in pretrial detention and has not been formally charged to date. Meanwhile, Salahudin, who worked for the privately owned Youm 7 newspaper, has been handed a life sentence for spreading false news while reporting on the Rabia al-Adawiya pro-Morsi sit-in. Secular writer Fatma Naaot and novelist Ahmed Nagy are also on the list. Last month, a Cairo misdemeanor court upheld a three-year jail sentence handed down to Naaot for contempt of religion after she criticized the cruel slaughtering of sheep during the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha in one of her articles. Ironically, Naaot was in Toronto, reportedly attending a conference on freedom of expression, when the verdict was pronounced. Nagy was sentenced to two years in prison in February on the charge of violating public morality after sexually explicit excerpts from his novel The Use of Life were published in the state-owned literary magazine Akhbar El Adab. While there has hardly been any noise over the jailing of journalists with alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, the verdicts against Naaot and Nagy and the arrest warrant against Balshy provoked outrage in Egypt. After an outcry in Egyptian media over the conviction of Naaot, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi last week urged parliament to review the countrys blasphemy laws, which critics have denounced as outdated and harmful. Meanwhile, in an outpouring of anger on social media over Nagys conviction, activists have campaigned for the novelists release using the Arabic hashtag that translates into #CreativityOnTrial. Hot on the heels of the convictions of the two writers, the arrest warrant against Balshy was the last straw, fueling anger and raising fears of the further stifling of freedom of expression in the country. Twenty-two rights organizations, six political parties and nearly 100 individuals signed a strongly worded petition condemning the warrant for Balshys arrest as an attack on the media. The petition, published April 6 on the Al Bedaya news site, stated that the authorities must accept criticism or else step down. It gave the prosecutor general 48 hours to drop the charges, threatening an escalation if this did not happen. Under such intense pressure, the Interior Ministry was left with no option but to backtrack. On April 6, it withdrew the lawsuit against Balshy and asked the Attorney Generals office to drop the charges. Egyptian officials have repeatedly rebutted claims that journalists are being targeted as part of the crackdown on dissent, insisting that there are no journalists behind bars for their work. In September 2015, Sisi told CNN in a televised interview that Egypt enjoys unprecedented freedom of speech and that "no one has been prosecuted for expressing his/her views." Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has on several occasions slammed international rights organizations for their criticism of the governments suppression of free speech, insisting that this was unacceptable interference in our internal affairs. Until recently, much of the Egyptian media and the majority of Egyptians had also rejected international criticism of the restrictions on the media in Egypt, perceiving the criticism as part of the foreign conspiracy to destroy Egypt. Lately however, there has been an almost abrupt turnabout with more journalists including regime loyalists and those who had previously practiced self-censorship becoming increasingly vocal in their criticism of the muzzling of journalists through intimidation tactics and the unfair detention of writers and researchers. The string of prosecution of writers, researchers and activists, the travel bans imposed on several human rights defenders and the escalating crackdown on civil society organizations have all combined to cause the major shift in public opinion and the change in the tone of the media. Add to the above the restrictive anti-protest and anti-terrorism laws stifling freedom of assembly and expression and the repeated media blackouts on issues of public concern. Hence, it is not surprising that there was an angry eruption at the prospect of yet another journalist being convicted. The regime clearly has not learned the lesson from Mubaraks unplugging of the Internet during the 2011 uprising a move that fueled the anger against the former dictator, leading to his ultimate overthrow. The government must acknowledge that the right to information and freedom of expression are basic human rights. If those rights are denied, the very structure on which a democratic society is built would quickly crumble. April 5, 2016 CAIRO The Egyptian army's military campaigns continue to target the hideouts of terrorist groups in Sinai Peninsula that from time to time claim responsibility for the attacks carried out against the army and police. The latest such attack took place March 19, targeting a security checkpoint in the city of el-Arish, killing 18 members of the security forces. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Nabil Naeem, the founder of the Islamic Jihad organization in Egypt, said that terrorist groups cant be confronted unless their funders and supporters are exposed. "The terrorists," he said, "used an 82 mm mortar shell in their attack on the security checkpoint in el-Arish city. This weapon is not [typically] in the possession of jihadi groups because it cannot [easily] be bought proving that there are countries supporting these groups." Responding to a call for reconciliation with these groups to end the bloodshed, as happened in the 1990s, Naeem declared that "these groups cannot be trusted. You either annihilate them or they annihilate you. There is no third choice." Naeem called on the army to impose more control and fend off these groups." Below is the full transcript of the interview: Al-Monitor: How do you assess the current political scene amid the repeated terrorist attacks targeting state institutions? Naeem: Unfortunately, tyrannical terrorism aimed at destabilization continues to target state institutions, including police and civilian agencies. This was clearly shown through the terrorist attacks carried out every now and then in Sinai, Cairo and other provinces. Despite the intense attempts by the army to eliminate the extremist groups often claiming responsibility for the attacks, success was not on their side. Al-Monitor: On March 19 an extremist group attacked a security checkpoint in el-Arish, killing 18 members of the security forces. Who do you think is responsible for these ongoing attacks in Sinai? Naeem: There are scores of extremist groups in Sinai, bearing the flag of Islam, monopolizing its representation, and misinterpreting Quranic verses for their advantage. Islam is disassociated with them. Among these groups are Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, whose targets are the army, police, military and police facilities in Sinai; and the Islamic State's Sinai branch, which through the use of armed jihad attempts to declare an Islamic state in Sinai outside the auspices of the [Egyptian] state. Other groups are Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, and At-Takfir wal-Hijra, which espouse the takfiri school of thought different than jihadi Salafism declaring the army and police to be apostates since they impede the implementation of Sharia. Many groups follow this school of thought, including Ansar al-Jihad, Mujahedeen Shura Council and Aknaf Bayt al-Maqdis. Unfortunately, the continuous army campaigns have not proven satisfactory so far because these extremists recruited a number of Sinai residents, who work for them and helped them with the terrorist tasks, and for whom they dug underground tunnels. Al-Monitor: What is the difference between the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a group you founded, and Salafi jihadism in Sinai? Naeem: Salafi jihadism is guided by the [Quranic verse]: "Those who do not rule according to what Allah revealed are the unbelievers." Therefore, they declare the governors, army, police and all those who assist them as apostates. The Islamic Jihad organization I founded in the 1980s aimed to dissolve the government and presidency by infiltrating the Egyptian army and recruiting elements to carry out the plan through armed jihad. This [jihad] indeed happened. We assassinated [President] Anwar Sadat using four Egyptian army officers, but we failed to dissolve the presidency and government and implement Islamic rule. Al-Monitor: Since Abdel Fattah al-Sisi became president, Sinai has become a safe haven for extremist groups declaring war against the state. How can the state confront these groups? Naeem: These groups do not work alone. They have outside supporting parties aiming to target Egypt, just like they did with Syria, Iraq and Libya. Some countries fund, arm and train these groups using state-of-the-art weaponry, equipment and missiles. When I was in Afghanistan from 1980 until 1984, a period during which I believed in armed jihad, we recruited thousands of young people, funded them on a monthly basis and provided training on weapons and explosives. Eliminating these groups can only happen with the state imposing control over Sinai, securing the borders, and implementing comprehensive and genuine development. Al-Monitor: Why do you believe the army and police are unable to eliminate terrorism and extremist groups in Sinai? Naeem: As I said, the army in Sinai is not fighting extremist groups and organizations, but rather countries funding, supporting and participating in terrorism. Egypt is in a state of war with an unknown enemy, and this is the hardest type of war. This is shown through the fact that terrorists used an 82 mm mortar shell in their attack on the security checkpoint in el-Arish, a weapon that is not up for sale and cannot [easily] be acquired by jihadi organizations, which proves that there is an international plan to deliver a blow to Egypt. Al-Monitor: Where does the Islamic Jihad organization stand now in Egypt? How many members does it have? Does it have other branches? Naeem: We founded the Egyptian Islamic Jihad organization in 1979, at the beginning of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. We left for Afghanistan in 1980 with thousands of members and mujahedeen. We came back in March of 1981 to participate in the assassination of Sadat with the help of Egyptian army officers whom we recruited, such as jihadis Tarek al-Zumar and Abboud al-Zumar, who was a military intelligence officer, and Khaled al-Islambouli, who was an army officer. The assassination was undertaken following the events of Sept. 3 during which Sadat arrested thousands of Islamic movement members. After that, I was imprisoned only to be released in 1986 and assist Ayman al-Zawahri in founding al-Qaeda to be a jihad platform in the Arab world. I was then arrested in Egypt in 1991 under what was labeled the arrests of "returnees from Afghanistan," and remained in jail for 20 years. I was released following the [2011] eruption of the January 25 Revolution after thorough contemplation and readings. I learned about the real Islam and I successfully talked 3,000 young men out of the [Islamic Jihad] organization. The organization was then dissolved and the members joined other jihadi groups that represent their goals and thoughts. Al-Monitor: Do you expect violence to come to an end soon in Egypt or will it continue? Naeem: Violence will endure for years as long as there are supporters. As I already said, these groups have no funding resources to spend on jihad. Al-Monitor: Do you support reconciliation between self-labeled "Islamist" groups and the state to end the bloodshed, as happened in the 1990s? Naeem: It is not easy. Reconciliation has rules and conditions, and what happened in the 1990s is totally different than now. During that time, the leadership of the groups was arrested and imprisoned, the state was more powerful and influential, and then-Minister of Interior Habibi el-Adly was more robust and resolute. Today, the groups are many, and thoughts and considerations are different, with foreign parties providing support. Therefore, the idea of reconciliation should be carefully studied, especially since these groups cannot be trusted. You either annihilate them or they annihilate you. There is no third choice. Al-Monitor: Concerning Egyptian domestic affairs, how do you see the Islamic movements presence on the street? Has it lost its popularity in the last two years? Naeem: Unfortunately, the practices of the Muslim Brotherhood as rulers have led the Islamic movement to lose popularity, especially after the former opted for violence following the June 30 Revolution that led to its ousting. The proof is in the Islamist Nour Party winning only 11 parliamentary seats, while it won 112 seats or 22% in 2012. This shows that people have lost trust in the so-called Islamic movement. Al-Monitor: Do you support the dissolution of religious parties in Egypt? Naeem: I demand the immediate dissolution of these parties and I reject that any party based on religion survives, because we could later on have calls for the establishment of a Christian party. Such thinking has the ability to destroy and divide society. Also, the Nour Party, the only Islamic party in parliament, often declares that its religious authority is Islamic as though the people are apostates. We are Muslims and our religious authority is also Islamic. Islam cannot be monopolized. Al-Monitor: Some believe that involving Islamic groups in political work will limit their violence and the illegal means they use to express themselves. What are your thoughts on this? Naeem: Political work is not to be monopolized. The state should provide the means that guarantee that all parties are democratically involved. However, whoever adopts the takfiri school of thought and seeks to destroy the state or practice violence against its institutions will be thwarted and eliminated so that we can protect the cohesion of society. Al-Monitor: We heard that some Egyptian young men have joined IS [Islamic State]. What is the reason behind this? Do we have to reassert the religious rhetoric of Al-Azhar for the young people to understand moderate Islam? Naeem: The real reason as to why a number of young people joined IS relates to the naive religious rhetoric that the Ministry of Awqaf has been spoon-feeding the preachers since the 1970s, which has not adapted to catch up with the challenges and changes facing Muslims around the world. In the Western world, we see people misinterpreting Islam and considering terrorists to be the core representatives of Islam, which is the complete opposite of the truth. Until now, Al-Azhar has failed to address the Western world and explain moderate Islam. Moreover, IS relies on the most advanced technological means to attract and recruit. Through one online video, millions of young people around the world can be reached, while Al-Azhar is content with organizing convoys that tour provinces, only to be attended by scores of people, and has not stepped up its performance to match the changes. April 7, 2016 The Jerusalem district of the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), which supplies power to all the Palestinian communities in the West Bank, started imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority at the beginning of April to force it to repay a huge debt. The company cut power to cities in the West Bank for several hours a day, starting with Bethlehem and Jericho two of the most quiet Palestinian towns. The Palestinians expect the electric company to add other communities to the list in the coming days most likely Nablus, Jenin and perhaps Hebron to increase pressure on the PA. One thing is clear: Any punitive measure against the PA, even cutting off the power supply 24/7, will not make the Palestinians pay their debt. According to the IECs announcement, the PA owes 1.74 billion Israeli shekels (about $430 million) practically equal to all the funding the PA gets annually from the European Union states. A Palestinian Finance Ministry source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Just this week, the PA received $15 million from the EU to pay the salaries of its employees and the pensions of veteran West Bank workers who have retired. We pray every month for the money to arrive on time and give us breathing space, without which people would starve. When asked about the debt to the Israeli utility company, the Palestinian official said, We dont even dream of being able to pay back such a sum, but Israel has to understand that this is the result of its decision to freeze the transfer of funds to the PA in the past a measure that put the PA into a tailspin. Up until recently, as a diplomatic or security-related pressure tactic, Israel did not transfer the tax money it collects for the PA on a regular basis. But following international criticism and concern about the collapse of the Palestinian administration in the West Bank, the Israeli civil administration is now meticulous about transferring the funds. However, according to the source at the Palestinian treasury, Israel keeps arbitrarily deducting money from the sums it is supposed to hand over to the PA each time with a different excuse. The official Palestinian argument, according to which the PAs debts to the power company are the result of this Israeli conduct, only partially explains the huge debt it has racked up. Actually, the Palestinian electric company, which supplies the power it gets from Israel to Palestinian consumers, cannot collect bills from extensive areas of the West Bank due to the economic distress of most households. The economic situation in the West Bank has reached record lows over the past year. Adnan Abu Amer reported for Al-Monitor in February on the sharp drop in the PAs budget in the wake of significant funding cuts by European donor states. The decline in funding and record unemployment in the PA, which according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is at 41.5% among youths, are the main reasons for the sharp downturn. Withholding payment of its power bill is the result of these dire economic straits. We are talking about young unemployed people who are a burden on their parents, the Palestinian source said. Most of them went to university hoping and believing as did their parents that they would find a profession and make a living. But all the hopes and dreams blew up in their face. That explains the rage that led them to desperate measures [stabbing attacks against Israelis]. This is also why the Palestinian electric company cannot collect the money it is owed by many families, who are barely subsisting these days. I can also tell you about employees of the PA who are working but still cant pay their bills. Al-Monitor has been reporting on the fears of Israels security agencies about a potential PA collapse given the decline in its revenues and foreign funding. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a Jan. 3 Cabinet meeting that he does not wish for the PAs collapse, but added that he had instructed the relevant officials to prepare for such a scenario. The PA announced on April 6 that it would immediately transfer 20 million shekels ($5.1 million) to the IEC, but the announcement does not change the dire situation. In any case, chances are slim to none that the PA will be able to extricate itself any time soon from the financial predicament that threatens its future existence. Israeli security experts understand this, leading Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot to adopt initiatives that might prevent such an outcome. Thus, for example, defying the logic of reactions to a terror wave, Israel issued thousands of work permits to Palestinian laborers. This policy, for now, has proven itself. In the past two months, there has been a significant drop in the number of terror attacks. Hence, the power companys decision to cut off supply to PA towns surprised many Israeli officials. The measure was not coordinated with the civil administration. Al-Monitor has learned that representatives of the civil administration were given a laconic announcement about the electric companys plans to cut off power in order to signal to the PA that it has no intention of writing off the massive debt. The civil administration did what it could to remove Ramallah from the list of targeted cities, given that most of the PAs financial institutions are located there. The administration prefers that Hebron one of the hotspots of the recent cycle of violence be exempted from the planned blackouts, too. Dont you understand that the pressure is not on us, but on you? the Palestinian source asked. He explained that in his view, the IEC wishes to pressure the civil administration into footing some of the utility bill by handing over tax revenues it collects for the PA. But this will not happen because of heavy international pressure on Netanyahu, and he will not dare play along with this, the source said. So if the power company doesnt get the money from the PA or from the civil administration, where is the logic in sanctions? Theres no logic. But since when do you operate logically? the Palestinian source replied. April 6, 2016 TEHRAN, Iran Irans development of its rail sector has been slow for more than three decades. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, only 3,418 miles of railway have been built to extend the existing 2,796 miles of track. A report released in January by the parliaments Research Center said that the annual budget proposed by President Hassan Rouhani's government would increase allocations for the development of the rail sector by 12.8%, to about 21.26 trillion rials ($702.2 million at the official exchange rate) for the fiscal year ending March 20, 2017. The expansion of the rail budget, however, still appears to be far from sufficient. Addressing aging rail cars and other infrastructure deficiencies will requires billions of dollars in investment. The Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructure Company, under the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, already lags behind regional and industrialized countries in terms of the length of the rail network and in cargo and passenger services. The company is still struggling to finish the 46 projects that were supposed to become operational by March 19 of this year. Thus, according to the Research Center report, the proposed budget for fiscal year 2016-17 is set to allocate 8.78 trillion rials ($290 million) for all the unfinished projects, and the remaining rail funds about 12.48 trillion rials ($412.2 million) will go toward a new electrified line project to connect Esfahan to Ahwaz. Upon completion of the pending projects, Iran will have expanded its rail network to 7,456 miles. Meanwhile, it is also planning to double the network over the next decade and replace rolling stock that trundles along at 55 miles per hour with high-speed trains on electrified lines, an undertaking that Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi has said will require $28 billion to complete over five years. A more developed rail network would provide a range of benefits to Iran, where the road accident rate is about 20 times the global average, according to UNICEF. A modern and well-developed rail transport system would also help cut fuel consumption and reduce air pollution, two major challenges the Iranian government has been confronting in urban areas for years. According to Majid Babai, a rail industry expert writing for Donya-e Eqtesad, the leading economic newspaper, Iran transports nearly 35 million tons of freight and about 27 million passengers per year by rail. That is, Akhoundi has said, about 8% of cargo and 6% of passengers. Babai has criticized rail's small transport share, noting that the government has failed in the past decade to establish a dedicated regulatory body for the rail sector despite calls by top authorities to accelerate the privatization of industries. For now, the government hopes to more than double the rail networks capacity for passenger transport by March 2021. At present, the average age of rail cars in Iran hovers around 29 years. This figure needs to be reduced to 15 years to meet global standards, said Massoud Ahmadi, technical deputy head of Iran Railways, in an interview last September with the Azad News Agency. Worryingly, wagons as old as 55 years are still being used in the network. Mohsen Pour Seyed Aqaei, the managing director of Iran Railways, said in September that some 64 million passengers would be able to use trains for transportation if the private sector added 1,500 passenger wagons to the national fleet by the end of the sixth five-year development plan, in 2021. He also said he expects private investors to import 618 cargo locomotives and 28,500 cargo wagons. The governments contribution to the sector will include 230 maneuver locomotives, 186 passenger locomotives, 944 express trains, 650 suburban trains, 15 heavy relief units and 20 light relief units, according to Pour Seyed Aqaei. While the Rouhani administration is urging investors to take part in upgrading the rail fleet, it seems that in the coming years, it first and foremost wants to focus on establishing an integrated domestic rail network. In this regard, a key strategic goal is to make Iran a regional transportation hub, a well-connected businessman familiar with the administrations economic policies told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The source said that both Rouhani and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, share this objective, and he also asserted that foreign investment is seen as key to fulfilling this objective. The businessman added that top officials have been planning to turn Iran into a hub that could link European countries to central and other parts of Asia. The roads and urban development minister had mentioned this vision in January, highlighting the need for Iran to be connected with regional markets by sea, air and land, including by rail. We have to revise our transportation programs in a way that would enable us to be connected to rail networks in Asian countries, Akhoundi said, noting that an integrated rail network is a strategic part of infrastructure in cities and across the country. Akhoundi also called for the real privatization of the rail sector, encouraging socialist officials to dare to embrace the social consequences of economic reform, referring to a possible rise in transportation costs. He admitted, however, that few investors have the massive amount of capital the industry requires. For instance, Akhoundi said, the renovation of the rail fleet alone will require 100 trillion rial ($3.3 billion) in investment. In Akhoundis view, it is of great importance to connect the national rail network to the northern and southern port cities, Iran's main gateways. To achieve this objective, however, the administration must identify and announce investment possibilities and ease cumbersome regulations. More important, the power centers that can ensure a safe business environment should prepare to pay a reasonable price for the inflow of needed capital, namely, helping reduce anti-foreign investment sentiment, because the transportation system is the heart of the national economy and can move Iran toward a robust economic recovery. April 6, 2016 BAGHDAD After weeks of protests in the streets of Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on March 31 handed the parliament his plan for major ministerial changes to fight corruption. The pressure recently brought to bear on Abadi grew from an unusual, arm's-length alliance between religious and secular groups. In July, religious groups in Iraq such as the Sadrist movement allied with nonreligious civil movements to take to the streets and call for governmental reform, accountability of corrupt officials and improved services. These protests were termed secular because they criticized the clergys interference in politics and called for separation of church and state. However, recently such protests took a new turn. On Feb. 26, hundreds of sympathizers of the radical Sadrist movement led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr swarmed into Tahrir Square. Sadr has been pushing for reforms, a change in government ministers and the formation of a government of technocrats. Sadrists drowned out the voices of secular protesters, taking control of the demonstrations and escalating them with a sit-in staged March 18 in front of the Green Zone in central Baghdad, which houses the Iraqi government institutions, parliament and embassies amid tight security measures. The protests called for holding corrupt officials accountable and turning them in. Although the secular movement and the Sadrist movement have some sort of plan for shared political work, one might doubt the viability of their cooperation in these protests, especially since they are completely different. While the secular movement calls for a modern, nonreligious state, the Sadrist movement calls for an Islamic state based on "velayat-e faqih" (guardianship of the Islamic jurist), which authorizes governance by Islamic clerics and fundamentalist legal views. One might also wonder if the secular movement is trying to seek protection from a religious party to cover up its failure to achieve demonstrable results in the protests, which have been going on for several months, according to an Iraqi newspaper report March 6. The shared political events between radical secular and religious movements pushed author Sadek al-Tay to wonder, in a March 8 article in Al-Quds al-Araby, how the desire to establish a secular state, which is the civil movements demand, coincides with the goals of the Sadrist movement, which was founded on the [prospect] of a religious state. The Sadrist movement is part of the government and is allied with another religious movement, the Supreme Islamic Council, which is hostile toward secular movements. Jalal al-Din al-Zaghir, one of the council leaders, said in a Sept. 13 video that secularists are the cause of the destruction of Iraq. This alliance between the secular movement and the Sadrist movement seems to be contradictory on many levels. What can possibly bring together a secular movement advocating freedoms and women's emancipation with a religious faction that restricts basic personal freedoms? The protests called for by Sadr seem to have stifled the secular movement protests. Parliament member Shorouq al-Abeji, representing the secular movement, decided to wear a veil while visiting Green Zone sit-ins March 18 so as not to offend hard-line members of the Sadrist movement, who formed the majority of protesters. The fact that she wore a chaste outfit, unlike her usual attire, did not go unnoticed, and she was criticized by the secular movement, which described her behavior as submissive. Jassim al-Hilfi, a member of the central committee of the Iraqi Communist Party, regularly participates in anti-government protests. He told Al-Ghad Press on March 15 that the alliance between the Sadrists and the secular activists reflects a cooperation, not an ideological alliance or an intellectual convergence. "Each party has its own peculiarities; we cooperate to raise national demands, he said. Author Ali Hussein, a columnist for the left-leaning al-Mada daily, seems to share that attitude. He told Al-Monitor that the secular movement benefits from participating in protests staged by the Sadrists. The participation of secular forces in the sit-ins [rebuts] the accusations leveled against them of standing idle as events unfold," he said. He noted, Religious parties are skeptical about the Communist Party because of ideological differences." Civic activist Hassan al-Shanoun, who participates in the protests staged every Friday, told Al-Monitor that the secular movement's association with the Sadrists sit-ins shows the rise of religious forces and their influence over the marginalized secular campaigns. The political landscape in Iraq shows that the influence of political Islam has been on the rise since 2003 when the United States toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime in parallel with the decline of the influence of Iraqi leftist forces to the extent that communists, who are part of the leftist current in Iraq, were accused of political isolationism. Political blogger and social media activist Shabib al-Medhati and Hamza al-Sultani, a supporter of the Sadrist movement, both told Al-Monitor they believe the Sadrist participation turned the protests into religious demonstrations. However, writer Ali Hassan Fawaz told Al-Monitor, These are popular protests. Even if some religious groups have joined the protesting masses, the [ongoing protests] revealed the need for a secular state, following the failure by numerous symbols of political Islam to achieve such a state. The failure of Arab political regimes such as those in Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt mostly those established after World War II ended in 1945 led the Arab people to support Islamic parties and oppositions, brandishing the slogan Islam is the solution." The influence of these religious parties seems to have escalated, while the influence of secular and leftist forces has diminished. This is especially true in Iraq, particularly after the US invasion in 2003, when strife broke out and the role of religious parties in the Iraqi political arena increased. The cooperation between secular and religious leaders in the protests reflects a deep-rooted crisis in Iraq. From a political standpoint, this cooperation may indicate a tactic used by both sides to regain people's confidence and reach efficient solutions for Iraqs political and economic problems. April 7, 2016 Israels constant attempts to turn the city of Jerusalem into an exclusively Jewish city have taken an unusual turn with an attempt to politicize tourism. A map of the Old City of Jerusalem issued by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism in March attempts to reinforce this twisted narrative by trying to deny the physical reality of Jerusalem. The map underreports Christian and Muslim sites while overexaggerating Jewish locations. Of the 57 sites on the map, only one Muslim site and five Christian sites are identified. The Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz referred to the absurdity of the right-wing Israeli tourisms effort in an article on April 4: Where the map key gets truly absurd, however, is in its list of all the buildings occupied by Jews in the Muslim Quarter. Of the 57 sites marked by number on the map, no less than 25 of the Jewish sites named such buildings along with synagogues and yeshivas that have never been heard of, even by experienced tour guides. Raed Saadeh, the head of the Jerusalem Tourism Cluster, a consortium that attempts to defend Palestinian tourism, told Al-Monitor that the Israelis are trying to limit representations of Jerusalem in a way that only reflects Jewish identity. He said, We consider Jerusalem a global city. No other city has so many stakeholders from the major religions around the world than Jerusalem. Saadeh added that the Palestinians continuously attempt to reflect the true diversity of the city. In all our publications, maps and packages, we try and stress the thousands of years of diversity of the city, and for us the main basis of all our effort is the human element. Saadeh conceded that the Israelis have the upper hand. They are desperately trying to claim some kind of Israeli diversity rather than the reality of a multicultural city that everyone should be proud to showcase, he said. Jordans Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Nayef al-Fayez told Al-Monitor that the attempt to monopolize Jerusalem will not work. The attempts to divert Jerusalem to one group or one faith is not helpful. Jerusalem is holy for the three monotheistic religions and is rich with many sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews. For us, Jerusalem is important to all. Israel has conceded a special role for Jordan regarding the future status of Jerusalem in the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty. The Palestinian leadership has also appropriated a special place for Jordan and the Hashemites for issues relating to the holy places in Jerusalem. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed in March 2013 a historic agreement giving Jordan the legal and political right to safeguard Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. Jamal Ghosheh, the former director of the Palestinian National Theater and current president of Al-Ahli club, told Al-Monitor that the map of the Israelis follows similar Jewish attempts to Judaize Jerusalem and delegitimize its Islamic and Christian holy places. Ghosheh said the Israelis have been able to do what they are doing because the field is empty for them. All the efforts of the Islamic Waqf authorities are now focused on this daily provocation, and as a result we have little or no one paying attention to promoting the wealth of Islamic sites in the Old City, he said. Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem Munib Younan told Al-Monitor that the Israeli Tourism Ministrys action is a reflection of lack of respect. He said that while the Lutheran Church of the Redeemers tower appears in the skyline of the city and on the tourism map, the Israeli Tourism Ministry didnt identify the church on the map. I personally feel it is lack of respect of holy places to all. It gives bad signals, and we in Jerusalem look at all religious locations. We want everyone to respect the historic status quo," he said. "All governments since the beginning of the 20th century have respected this religious status quo. The publisher of Palestine This Week, Sani Meo, who proudly talked about being a lifetime Jerusalemite, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli map should be withdrawn. It is highly unlikely that the omission of Muslim and Christian sites is an oversight. One can only deduce that this is intentional, which in turn goes with the official policy, he said. Rami Fellemon, a tour guide and teacher of biblical archaeology, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli action is a step in the wrong direction. I think they are making tourism a political issue, and this is not fair to Christian tourists especially as they are the majority of tourists coming to the Old City of Jerusalem. Fellemon said the Israeli Tourism Ministry hands these maps for free to tourists. They are focusing especially on the Jaffa Gate area that leads to the Christian Quarter, with the aim of trying to promote Jerusalem as an exclusively Jewish city, he said. Israeli newspapers claim the Israeli Tourism Ministry will not withdraw these maps, and that the maps were drawn in conjunction with individuals they said were tourism experts. The struggle for Jerusalem has taken different forms. In addition to land expropriation and the massive settlement activities, the Israelis have attempted to drive Palestinians out of the city and make it more Jewish. The latest right-wing Israeli tourism efforts are seen by Palestinians as yet another form of this attempt to appropriate the holy city to a particular faith and monopolize it for Israels political ambitions. It is not clear whether such efforts will gain traction or fail, as a more aware and educated international public is not that easily fooled. April 6, 2016 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud gave Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a very warm welcome last weekend in a public tilt of Saudi policy toward New Delhi and away from its traditional ally Pakistan. Economic interests are part of the tilt, but so too is Saudi pique at Pakistan's refusal to back its military adventure in Yemen. Modi and the Saudis signed five new bilateral agreements to improve relations, covering intelligence sharing on terrorism financing, increasing private investment and enhancing defense cooperation. Salman bestowed the King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit medal on the prime minister; it is the kingdom's highest honor and has never been given to a purely civilian Pakistani leader (although it was given in 2007 to President Pervez Musharraf, a general who ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a 1999 coup). Modi in turn gave the king a gold replica of the Cheraman Juma Masjid mosque in Kerala, the first mosque in India, dating from the seventh century, and a symbol of trade between Arabia and the Indian subcontinent. Just days before the visit, the United States and Saudi Arabia jointly announced sanctions against four individuals and two organizations in Pakistan involved in financing terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The joint announcement was unprecedented. Four years ago, the kingdom deported a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba official to India who had been involved in the 2008 Lashkar-e-Taiba attack on Mumbai, which was backed by Pakistani intelligence. Modi met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who is also minister of interior and the kingdom's top counterterrorism official. Economics play a big role in the Saudi-India relationship. About 3 million Indians work in Saudi Arabia, almost half the 7.3 million Indian worker population in the Gulf states. Bilateral trade in 2015 was almost $40 billion and India imports a fifth of its oil from the kingdom. The Pakistani emigre population is about 1.5 million and trade was about $6 billion last year. Modi met with senior Aramco officials to discuss more energy and investment opportunities. This was only the fourth visit ever by an Indian prime minister to the kingdom. By contrast, Pakistani prime ministers often visit that many times in a single year. Sharif, who is again prime minister, was in Saudi Arabia in early March to watch the Northern Thunder military parade in which troops from 21 Muslim countries participated, although the place of honor next to the king was given to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. A year ago, Sharif wisely rebuffed Salman's request to provide Pakistani troops to join the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen fighting the Houthi rebellion. The Pakistanis thought the Saudi war plan was impetuous and not thought out. They were not eager to get in the middle of another Saudi-Iran conflict. They expected a costly stalemate would ensue. The Pakistani move removed a key component of the Saudi plan for a quick, decisive victory in Yemen. Sharif's decision was very popular at home, however, and was endorsed by a unanimous vote in the parliament. Lashkar-e-Taiba was among the few voices critical of Sharif's decision. His top aides privately anticipated some blowback from the Saudis would result. Pakistan is very wary of the Saudi campaign against Iran. Last month, Islamabad hosted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in his first foreign trip since the beginning of the Iranian new year. Sharif and Rouhani signed several agreements and discussed the long-standing plan to build a gas pipeline linking the two neighbors. Pakistan conditioned its participation in the Northern Thunder military exercise on the premise that the exercise and the new Saudi-sponsored Islamic military alliance is not directed against any country, meaning Iran. Of course, the main point of the exercise and the alliance, from Riyadh's perspective, is precisely to challenge Iran. Sharif has allegedly rebuffed Saudi suggestions that Pakistan's chief of army staff be made the titular commander of the alliance. The Saudis now seem eager for the Yemen war to end. They have proclaimed a victory in preventing the emergence of an Iranian foothold in the Arabian Peninsula. Whether that was ever a serious danger is uncertain, but it gives Riyadh some face-saving cover for ending the war with the Houthis still in Sanaa. A cease-fire is scheduled for April 10, and talks are planned for April 18 in Kuwait to end the conflict. The war has created a humanitarian disaster for Arabia's poorest country and generated widespread criticism of the kingdom around the world. The European Parliament voted to cut off all arms sales to Saudi Arabia, for example. While not a binding vote, it is a symbolic defeat for Saudi diplomacy. Pakistan will remain a key ally for Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has invested billions in supporting Pakistan for decades. The military relationship between the two remains robust despite the differences over Yemen. The bonds of religion and history unite the two Islamic countries. Sharif knows Riyadh will want to avoid any damage to its ties to Islamabad. But Salman is also warning Pakistan that the kingdom has other suitors. fairhope.JPG Fairhope ranked fifth on Coastal Living's list of the top 10 happiest seaside towns in America for 2016. (Michelle Matthews/mmatthews@al.com) The charming city of Fairhope made Coastal Living magazine's 2016 list of happiest seaside towns, determined by an online vote. Fairhope ranked fifth in the list of the top 10 places. The fifth annual America's Happiest Seaside Towns ranked list is featured online and will be included in the May issue of Coastal Living, on newsstands April 15. The magazine sums up Fairhope's beauty: "The historic downtown blooms -- not just with independent cafes, bars and shopping, but also literally: Colorful blossoms line the sidewalks, decorate street crossings, hang in baskets suspended from light posts, overflow from planters in front of shops and even adorn the tops of trash receptacles." Here's the full list, in ranked order: #1 Stuart, Florida #2 Rehoboth Beach, Delaware #3 Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin #4 Hilo, Hawaii #5 Fairhope, Alabama #6 Sullivan's Island, South Carolina #7 Capitola, California #8 Seaside, Oregon #9 Portland, Maine #10 Hermosa Beach, California "America's Happiest Seaside Town of 2016 is on Florida's Treasure Coast, and that location could not be more appropriate," said Coastal Living Editor Steele Marcoux. "Stuart is an Old Florida-style treasure that stood out as the top among a special list of dreamy towns by the sea. All 10 of these locales truly embody blissful beach life." To choose the 2016 finalists, Coastal Living editors began by reviewing more than 300 destinations that have been lauded in the past as Coastal Living Dream Towns or were nominated via social media. Coastal Living then collected each town's rank on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, percentage of sunny days, air quality, healthiness of beaches, commute times, crime ratings, walkability, standard of living and financial well-being of the locals, geographic diversity, and Coastal Living editors' assessment of each town's "coastal vibe." A proprietary formula yielded the list of finalists. The ranking was then determined by online voting. Follow the conversation and spread the word on social media with #CLHappyTown. 2016-17 crewmates selection photo.jpg The 2016-17 USS Alabama Crewmates are, from left, Lauren Brunson, Heather MacDonald, Melannie Stewart, Taylor Moss, Abbi Stringfellow and Maegan Lynch. (Courtesy USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park) USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park announced the 2016-17 USS Alabama Crewmates, who were selected to serve as ambassadors for Battleship Memorial Park and the state of Alabama for the coming year. Selected by a panel of judges, the new Crewmates are: Lauren Brunson of Satsuma, a freshman at Faulkner State Community College majoring in pharmacy. She is the daughter of Sandra Bond and Fred Brunson. Heather MacDonald of Pensacola, a sophomore at Bishop State Community College majoring in respiratory therapy. She is the daughter of Karen and Ken MacDonald. Melannie Stewart of Grand Bay, a sophomore at Spring Hill College majoring in secondary education and English. She is the daughter of Kimberly and Robert Stewart. Taylor Moss of Grand Bay, a junior at Spring Hill College majoring in elementary education. She is the daughter of Sherry Horton and Charles H. Moss III. Abbi Stringfellow of Grand Bay, a sophomore at the University of South Alabama majoring in radiology. She is the daughter of Mollee and Mike Stringfellow. Meagan Lynch of Citronelle, a sophomore at Spring Hill College majoring in public relations and advertising. She is the daughter of Robin and Kevin Lynch. This is the 49th year of the USS Alabama Crewmate program, according to a news release. During the coming year, the Crewmates will make personal appearances throughout the state to promote Battleship Memorial Park. They will help welcome visitors, work with state representatives during Distinguished Young Women finals week, participate in local parades and represent the USS Alabama and USS Drum during Veterans Day celebrations. "The USS Alabama Crewmate program has been active for nearly as long as the USS Alabama and USS Drum have been a part of Mobile's horizon," said Janet Cobb, executive director. "These outstanding young women are superb ambassadors for the state of Alabama and Battleship Memorial Park. We welcome them to the USS Alabama family." Each Crewmate will receive a $2,000 scholarship to the college of her choice. Near the completion of the Crewmate year, the young women named Miss USS Alabama and Miss USS Drum will earn additional scholarship awards of $1,000 and $500, respectively. For more information on the USS Alabama Crewmate program, go to www.ussalabama.com. Just six weeks ago, 12-year-old Sarai Gwinn was a healthy, happy 7th-grader honors student in Atlanta. She loves music and art, and she makes videos with inspirational messages for other teenagers, which she always ends by saying, "Don't forget to Power Up!" After a sudden illness changed her life over the course of a weekend, Sarai (pronounced Sa-rye-ya) is now confined to a wheelchair. She and her family are staying at Mobile's Ronald McDonald House, more than 300 miles from home. She's missing out on fun with her friends, her school work and the remainder of her 7th grade year. All she wants, said her mother, Linda Gwinn, is to be normal again. At the start of her school's winter break, Sarai was congested and coughing a lot. "She's never been sick a day in her life, so I knew she was very sick," said Linda, who gave her daughter some over-the-counter cold medicine. The Gwinns were leaving the next morning to drive to Mobile. Both Linda and her husband, Ernest Gwinn, are from the Mobile area. They moved to Atlanta about 31/2 years ago, but they maintain close ties to Mobile, where they still have family and where the Gwinns are ministers at The Church of Glory in Eight Mile. Before they left to head back to Atlanta, the Gwinns decided to take Sarai to an urgent care clinic. Their car was already loaded up for the trip home, but they wouldn't make it there. Sarai was diagnosed with strep throat, the flu and microplasmic pneumonia, along with even worse news: Her hemoglobin level was below 5, meaning she needed an emergency blood transfusion. She was rushed to the emergency room at Providence Hospital, but doctors there worried that she might have an adverse reaction to the transfusion because of the severity of her illness. Her pediatrician sent her to USA Children's & Women's Hospital. Meanwhile, her parents and siblings, Ethan, 8, and Zoe, 2, checked into a hotel. Once Sarai was settled in at Children's & Women's, where she was cared for by a team of nine doctors, a social worker on staff mentioned Ronald McDonald House, which offers families of children being treated at area hospitals a place to stay for a suggested donation of only $12 per night. The family of five has been staying there ever since. Sarai had developed other symptoms, including an enlarged spleen, a swollen ovary, inflamed intestines and a fatty liver. She was also weak and started experiencing muscle deterioration to the point that she could no longer walk. Under the care of a hematologist and a gastroenterologist, she started undergoing intensive iron treatments, along with vitamin C, three times a day to boost her blood counts. Eventually, many of Sarai's symptoms improved, and she was discharged from the hospital. But since she still makes almost daily trips to Children's & Women's for treatment, she and her family continue to stay in one of the suites at nearby Ronald McDonald House. Her abdomen, legs and feet are still swollen, and she's often in pain. Her family is still waiting to find out exactly what's wrong with her. "There are so many fragmented pieces of this puzzle we're trying to put together," Linda said. "We're trying to understand what's going on." Every day, Ethan and Sarai go to Class Act, the classroom set up inside the hospital, in order to keep up with their school work. The principal of Sarai's middle school calls three times a week to check on her, said Linda, and she receives phone calls and emails from her classmates and teachers. She misses her best friend. Before Sarai underwent a colonoscopy and intestinal scope this past Monday, her grandmother took her to the park, along with some of her cousins who were visiting from Ohio. But instead of cheering her up, the experience just made her more depressed. She told her mother, "I couldn't do anything!" "Her daily cry is, 'I just want to be normal again!'" Linda said. "She's the most obedient child we have, just a sweet, pleasant, kind spirit." The staff at Ronald McDonald House is doing their best to make things as normal as possible for the Gwinns, as well as the other families who call it home while their children are undergoing medical treatment. The 30,000-square-foot home offers space to accommodate up to 38 families. It includes a large, comfortable living room, a dining room with enough tables and chairs to seat 50 people, an oversized kitchen where local groups come in every night to prepare a home-cooked meal for the residents, laundry facilities and other comforts of home, including a porch with rocking chairs and a playground for children. "Ronald McDonald House is a huge support base for us," Linda said. "The staff is constantly checking up on us. It's unbelievable. We're grateful for all the support we've been receiving." More than likely, the family will soon be leaving Mobile, but they won't be going home yet. Next, they expect to go to Birmingham, where Sarai will undergo more intensive care with a rheumatologist at UAB Hospital. They're waiting on the results of a biopsy, a CAT scan and an MRI first. 'This is the hardest thing we've faced as a family," said Linda. She and her husband "lost two babies," she said, "so all three kids are miracle babies" to them. Sarai, Ethan and Zoe are very close to each other. Ethan has been "very emotional" over seeing his big sister in a wheelchair. And Zoe does her best to make Sarai feel better, retrieving her Doc McStuffins doctor kit and pretending to be one of Sarai's doctors. Right now, Linda said, she's in "survival mode," doing her best to hold the family together in the face of so much uncertainty about Sarai's health. The Gwinns are relying on their faith in God to see them through. "We believe in the power of prayer and miracles," said Linda. To learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile, go to www.rmhcmobile.org and www.facebook.com/rhmcmobile. The organization's 7th annual Little Black Dress cocktail party and runway fashion show takes place Thursday, April 14, at Fort Whiting Auditorium. To purchase tickets and learn more about the event, visit www.rmhcmobile.org/little-black-dress, or call (251) 694-6873. It took Debbie Burlingame 24 hours to buy a lot in the Waters community in Pike Road, Alabama. The Mississippi native and her Air Force husband have lived all over, but when they were looking to a place to retire to, the Montgomery area caught their attention -- it was not only near Maxwell Air Force Base, but it was near her family in the Magnolia State. And when they saw the Waters community in nearby Pike Road in 2006, they immediately fell in love. "We just thought it looked like a miniature Seaside (Florida)," she said. So they bought land there, then built a house. There was only one problem: there weren't many rental vacation homes in the community for people who wanted to stay there a night or two. But she solved that problem when her neighbor put his 900-square foot cottage on the market. It was located next door to her home, so she bought it, and then the Pink House was born. And the cool thing? You can spend a few nights (or weeks) at the Pink House, which is available via Airbnb. (See the listing here.) Here are five reasons Burlingame says you should stay there: It's like a 'fantasy dollhouse' Since she bought the cottage, Burlingame has had a blast redecorating it and fixing it up. "I just wanted to create a place that would make me happy," she says. And what makes her happy? Well, pink, obviously. "For some reason I had a vision in my mind," she says. "I wanted to call it the pink house, so we painted it pink." And it's not just the outside of the home. There are plenty of pink details inside the cottage, as well -- and lots of flamingo details. "It's just really fantasy dollhouse, kind of prissy," she continues. "Kind of like a playhouse." The community is 'like Mayberry' Burlingame loves loving in the Waters community and says that it's a friendly place. "What's interesting about my neighborhood is that it's populated by people who want to live in an old-fashioned way," she says. "I'd say I know 85 percent of everyone in my neighborhood by name and I know their dog's name and their cat." And she says the neighborhood is so tight that she knows that someone would be there if there were an emergency -- and she can back that up with evidence. "While I was out of town about nine months ago, a person staying in my pink house, who was actually a neighbor ... posted a brief desperate cry about a plumbing emergency," Burlingame says. "(It said), 'Help! The Pink House! Plumbing emergency!' And what had happened was a little boy had pulled the handle off the sink in the bathroom and water was shooting up. She had five grown men with toolboxes arrive at the house within five minutes." She pauses, then laughs and says, "It really is Mayberry. I'm Aunt Bea, by the way." It has all the amenities you need No matter what you're in the cottage for, Burlingame can pretty much guarantee that you'll find what you're looking for -- and if not, she'll find it. "(The Pink House had some) guests from Australia," she says. "I put some things in there to give them a feel of home. I put some Vegemite in there. (laughs) I think it's horrible but they enjoyed it very much." You may see some adorable animals When the weather's nice outside, many of the Pink House guests walk next door to see Burlingame's pets -- she's an animal advocate and self-proclaimed cat lady. She has four cats and a rabbit. It's the perfect place for a wedding party Well, obviously. The Pink House does look like a dollhouse come to life, so naturally it's the perfect place for bridesmaid to stay -- or for wedding photos. Burlingame says wedding pictures were taken there just two weeks ago. Alabama Airbnb Getaways is an occasional series that looks at unique Airbnb listings across the state. Got a suggestion? Email hlaurence@al.com. Lori McCombs Photos.jpg Lori Michelle McCombs ( ) Charges were dismissed today against a Hoover High School physical education teacher arrested in March after allegations surfaced that she manhandled a student. Lori Michelle McCombs, 46, was arrested March 3 and charged with harassment after a month-long criminal investigation. Hoover police on Jan. 29 were notified of an altercation that happened inside a girls' locker room at Hoover High School. The incident, said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector, happened two days earlier between McCombs and a 14-year-old female student. Both the victim and the witness told police McCombs was upset that the student wasn't getting "dressed out" for PE class fast enough. McCombs grabbed the student by the wrist and pulled her from the locker room into a hallway. The incident was captured on video. The altercation left noticeable red marks on the girl's arm, Rector said. The student told a parent that afternoon and school officials were notified the following day. Rector said the police department's Family Services detectives thoroughly investigated the case. Alabama law defines harassment as: A person commits the crime of harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, he or she strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches a person or subjects him or her to physical contact. Rector said McCombs surrendered to the Hoover City Jail. She was released a short time later after posting $500 bond. McComb's attorney, Jim Ransom, said at the time of her arrest that she acted within the scope and sequence of her duties as a teacher in the Hoover school system. "Further, there was another teacher present that witnessed no inappropriate or physical altercation. Hoover City Schools were made aware of the complaint, investigated, and took no adverse employment action against Ms. McCombs. Ms. McCombs is a highly qualified teacher with outstanding credentials, and a stellar history as a teacher. She denies any wrongdoing in this matter," Ransom said. Hoover school officials have not commented on McComb's arrest. AL.com made a formal, written request to school officials to view any and all videotapes and documents associated with the case, or any previous cases, but were denied those records. Carl Johnson, a Hoover City Schools attorney, did provide a copy of a disciplinary notice for McCombs on a previous, unrelated incident. She was suspended for 15 work days without pay, from Nov. 10, 2015 through Dec. 8, 2015 related to "the physical altercation that occurred with (redacted) on school property." That incident involved a different student. Ransom also has declined to comment on that case, but no criminal charges were ever filed. In the recent case, Ransom filed a motion to dismiss, which was heard today in Hoover Municipal Court. Charlie Waldrep, Hoover city attorney, argued against dismissing the charges. "There were other clear alternatives to an inappropriate physical contact," Waldrep wrote in a motion opposing dismissal. Without taking any testimony, Judge T.B. Bishop ruled: "The facts in this case as depicted on the surveillance video and in the signed statements of witness do not rise to the commission of a crime. The allegations in the complaint are not supported by Alabama Statutes or case law." "I am so happy for my client," Ransom said. "Judge Bishop was the right judge in this matter. He did the right thing and came to the proper legal conclusion." "He cited his own years of experience in the law and in education. He properly considered the statutes and cases cited in our motion, and did the right thing,'' Ransom said. "Hoover City Schools had already considered this matter and took no disciplinary action against McCombs. Criminal charges in this matter were ludicrous." An inmate serving life without parole in the murder of his father and stepmother was found dead this morning in his cell at Holman Correctional Facility. The body William Randall Triplett, 45, was discovered hanging from a bedsheet in his one-person cell at 11:10 a.m., said Alabama Department of Corrections spokesman Bob Horton. Two corrections officers made the discovery, and a corrections physicians pronounced Triplett dead at 11:35 a.m. Triplett was convicted of capital murder in 2003 in the slayings of his father, Billy Triplett, and stepmother, Debbie Triplett, during a 2001 robbery at the couple's Clay County home. The couple ran B&D Grocery in rural Barfield. Testimony at trial showed they were beaten, stabbed and their throats slit at their home in June 2001. A former employee of a Bessemer assisted living facility is among 13 people arrested in the theft and cashing of checks belonging to residents of the facility, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange announced Wednesday. Deangela Teyonta Marshall, 28, of Birmingham was arrested on March 18, 2016, according to Strange's statement. Other defendants were arrested Monday and another on March 22, according to the statement. The Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to a Jefferson County grand jury resulting in an indictment dated March 11 charging Marshall with 22 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, according to the Attorney General's statement. The indictment alleges Marshall, a resident care assistant for Oaks on Parkwood Assisted Living Facility in Bessemer, stole checks from numerous residents and then distributed the checks to co-defendants to cash throughout the Birmingham area, according to the Attorney General's statement. The account information of one victim was used to create fake checks appearing to come from area churches, according to the statement. Eight residents of the Oaks on Parkwood facility were victims of the thefts and the amount stolen exceeds $20,000, according to the statement. The case was initiated when Noland Health Services, which owns the Oaks on Parkwood facility, contacted MFCU agents and advised that a resident was missing checks, two of which had been cashed. The Corporate Security Department of Regions Bank assisted with the investigation. Members of Noland Healthcare and Regions Corporate Security were instrumental in identifying both the victims and defendants and worked exhaustively with MFCU agents to develop the case. Among the others charges are: Clarence George, 54, of Birmingham was arrested on April 5 and charged with 21 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. Kimberly Yvonne Hurst, 54, of Hoover was arrested on April 5 and charged with three counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and theft of property in the second degree. Shaneka Nicole Scott, 35, of Birmingham was arrested on March 22 and charged with one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and one count of theft of property in the second degree. The other individuals allegedly involved have been charged, however, no other information may be released at this time, according to the Attorney General's statement. Strange in his statement commended his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and thanked Noland Health Services and Regions Bank Corporate Security. Ahmad Johnson Charleston Wells Ahmad Johnson, 17, (left) and Charleston Wells, 16, were charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a man in Fultondale on Jan. 4. The teens were in court on Thursday, April 7, for a preliminary hearing before Jefferson County District Judge Sheldon Watkins. The judge found no probable cause and dismissed the case. (File photos) Two teens accused in the January slaying of Mike Gilotti were in court Thursday on a charge stemming from a separate shooting. Charleston Wells, 16, and Ahmad Johnson, 17, are charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a man in Fultondale on Jan. 4. The teens were in court Thursday afternoon for a preliminary hearing before Jefferson County District Judge Sheldon Watkins. The judge found no probable cause and dismissed the case. Johnson's mother, Chaka Johnson, said after the hearing that she is encouraged by the judge's decision. "I'm happy about the decision today," she said. "I'm not worried about it. I always feel that God has the last say." The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office could still present the charges against Johnson and Wells to a grand jury. According to investigators, a 39-year-old man was leaving a Chapel Hills home in the predawn hours when he encountered two young men in his driveway. Moments later, he was dodging gunfire, but the shots missed. The man told police that he saw two black males dressed in black in his driveway when he was leaving for work around 4 a.m. He spoke to them, then they fired at him and took off running before getting into a silver car, Fultondale Detective David Rogers testified Thursday. Police have said that the victim hasn't been cooperative, but Fultondale police Chief D.P. Smith said in February that forensics connected the crime in Fultondale to the Hoover shooting. Rogers testified Thursday that shell casings were collected at the scene. Investigators in both Hoover and Pelham have said there was little doubt those gunmen are the same that killed 33-year-old Mike Gilotti one day later and about 16 miles away. Hoover police Sgt. Keith Czeskleba testified Thursday that, as they reviewed evidence in Gilotti's slaying, investigators reached out to surrounding agencies. "The circumstances in the Fultondale case were eerily similar to circumstances in our case," he said, prompting the two agencies to collaborate and compare evidence. He said a shell casing recovered at the Fultondale scene matched a gun recovered from Johnson. He also said that cell phone records show that Wells' cell phone was in the Fultondale area at 2:57 a.m. and 3:58 a.m. on Jan. 4. Hiram Dodd, who is representing Johnson, argued that the case should be dismissed because it relied wholly on circumstantial evidence. "I don't know why they made this particular case with all the other cases they have on these young men," he said during the hearing, before asking Watkins to dismiss the case. Charles Salvagio, who is representing Wells, commended the judge after the hearing, saying "the right thing was done." Bond for each on the attempted murder charge was set at $500,000. "You can't hold someone on half a million dollar bond just because their cell phone was in Fultondale," Salvagio said. "I didn't see probable cause in this case from the beginning." Meanwhile, the murder case has also seen recent developments. On Wednesday, a Bessemer Cutoff circuit judge denied requests submitted by the teens' attorneys to dismiss murder charges against them. Wells and Johnson were the first two suspects arrested in the shooting death of Gilotti, a husband, father and Iraq war veteran, in the early hours of Jan. 5 outside his Hoover home. In March, authorities, also charged Darrian Bryant, 16, of Bessemer, and De'Ron Lucas, 19, of McCalla. Bryant has identified Wells as the shooter in the Gilotti case. On Thursday, Salvagio said that claim is just "one person, out of fear, pointing at the wrong person." Investigators have said all of the suspects are members of a Bessemer-area gang called M-tre, which stands for Money Making Mafia. Though they claim to be aspiring rappers, police say they are street criminals who break into cars and commit other crimes to get money. They often post pictures of themselves on Facebook and other social media sites holding guns and money. Wells and Johnson also face charges in a string of car break-ins in Hoover and Pelham, where they face charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree theft of property. A 43-year-old Birmingham man is under arrest after authorities say he snatched cash from the cash register at a Hoover restaurant. Zungi Taro Moffett is charged with third-degree robbery. He was taken into custody by Birmingham police on Wednesday, said Hoover police Lt. Chuck McDonald. The robbery happened March 21, about 9 p.m., at Chow Town Grill and Buffet. McDonald said Moffett forced open the register and took $150. Employees then confronted the suspect and tried to hold him until police arrived. Moffett pushed one of the employees to the ground and, after a brief struggle, fled the scene. He is charged with robbery because of the physical force he used during the theft. His bond is set at $5,000. Court records show Moffett has previous convictions for crimes including second-degree robbery, theft, drug distribution, unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, possession of marijuana and possession of a forged instrument. "Mr. Moffett has an extensive criminal history and we are pleased to have him charged and arrested with this offense,'' McDonald said. It's National Beer Day! Now, this is not only a day to celebrate the drink. Today marks the end of Prohibition of beer in the United States. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act on March 23, 1933, which ended the 13-year ban on low-alcohol beer, but that the law didn't go into effect until April 7. The law allowed brewing and the sale of beer under 4 percent ABV, the National Beer Day website reported. Prohibition as a whole didn't end until December 5 that year, but beer was legal starting in April. According to The Huffington Post, Americans spend $1,270 every year on beer. Here is a list of some of the best happy hour specials around town to help you celebrate. (Gathered from The Huffington Post and Birmingham Happy Hour) Birmingham's newest greenspace was celebrated Wednesday by about 200 people, who braved the threat of bad weather for the Rotary Trail's dedication. "We are here to celebrate a moment in the history of the new Birmingham," Rotary Club President Rob Couch said in a press conference before the ribbon-cutting. "We're going to open a signature amenity in the downtown city center." Birmingham Mayor William Bell thanked all involved in the project for their dedication to civic pride and to honoring the city's history. Bill Jones and Cheryl Morgan, the chairs of the project for Rotary Club, described the years of work that have transformed four previously undeveloped blocks in the city center. The project was spearheaded by the Birmingham Rotary Club to honor its centennial. It has transformed The Cut - a "decades-old eyesore, a dangerous, abandoned railroad bed," into beautiful greenspace that everyone can enjoy, Jones said. "It's good for our health and well-being, and it's good for building our shared sense of community," Morgan said. After the press conference, Rotarians, city officials and everyone involved in the project took part in a champagne toast and ribbon-cutting underneath the new Magic City sign. The original Magic City sign was torn down more than 60 years ago but a new sign will serve as the trail's western gateway. Over the past few months, the city has watched as a replica of the iconic sign has been constructed. The dedication ceremony was set to begin at 6:30 p.m., but happened earlier and was abbreviated because of impending bad weather. The trail, which is nearing completion, aims to build on the success of Railroad Park as a natural extension of greenspace through downtown, from 20th Street to 24th Street along First Avenue South. It's just one part of a project that will ultimately connect the CrossPlex in Five Points West to Sloss Furnaces near the city center called the Red Rock Ridge & Valley Trail System. It is an ambitious effort to improve connectivity throughout Jefferson County. A historic west Alabama school founded more than 100 years ago suffered thousands of dollars in damages at the hands of vandals who claimed to be hunting ghosts. The four young suspects, whose names have not yet been released, broke into the Snow Hill Institute in east Wilcox County on Sunday, splintering doors, smashing windows and overturning furniture. The African American school was founded in 1893 and initially opened as the Colored Literary and Industrial School. "To see such devastation really hurts,'' said Clara Gulley, who graduated from there in 1966, seven years before it permanently closed its school doors. The break-in happened Sunday afternoon at the school, which is located off of Highway 21. A man who lives nearby heard a commotion at the school, and went to see what was going on, Gulley said. "He went up to the building and saw the truck parked there,'' she said. "He got the tag number and went to another neighbor's house to call police." Gulley said that's when she was notified. She is a member of a civic group - the Snow Hill Community Organization - which has worked to preserve buildings and grounds. She said the former school is used for reunions, alumni functions and, at one point, a place for tutoring. The school is on the National Register of Historic Places. She said she and others couldn't believe what they saw. "It was heartbreaking to see something so sentimental to us destroyed,'' she said. "We value it so much. It's where we got our education." Gulley said they haven't yet gotten repair estimates, but said they are likely to be high. "Those windows were 100 years old,'' she said. "Can you imagine what replacing them will cost?" The suspects, she said, told police they were inside the building looking for ghosts. Gulley doesn't buy that explanation. "I've never known it to be haunted,'' she said, "And if they wanted to go inside and look for ghosts, they could have just asked us to unlock the door for them. I think they were just pranksters." The group is accepting donations to help with repairs. Donations can be sent to Clara Gulley, Snow Hill Community Organization P.O. Box 10, Furman, AL 36741. A criminal defamation charge against an East Limestone High School student who faked a news report about a teacher is being dropped because Alabama's defamation statute was previously ruled to be unconstitutional. Tyler Marquis Harris, 18, of Athens is accused of last month faking a news story about a teacher having a sexual relationship with a student. Harris admitted to investigators that he put the teacher's picture on a real news story about a different faculty member having sex with a student, then shared it in a group message with most of the senior class. The teacher notified the school's SRO and principal when he learned of the false claims against him. Harris was arrested and charged on Monday. The only problem was, Alabama's defamation statute was ruled to be unconstitutional in 2001 by the state Supreme Court. Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones told AL.com Thursday afternoon that his office is in the process of dismissing the charge against Harris, a senior at East Limestone. Jones said Harris was arrested after a magistrate found probable cause that he violated the statute, which had been found unconstitutional in the context of false statements made about public officials. The Alabama Supreme Court held that the 125-year-old statute was unconstitutional because it lacked a requirement of "actual malice," a standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1964. The law has never been repealed by the Legislature, however, and the Code of Alabama, issued by the state and used by law enforcement officers and magistrates when filing charges, still contains the law. Stephen Young, a spokesman for the Limestone County Sheriff's Office, confirmed that the criminal code book used by that agency still shows defamation as being a valid criminal charge. It also remains intact on the Alabama Legislature's website that details the Code of Alabama, known as ALISON. "It's not redacted in the current books, and those are generally kept up to date," Young said. Ultimately, Jones said, the decision whether to prosecute Harris rests with his office. After reviewing the statute and the Supreme Court's findings in 2001, he said, he feels that the law does not provide a "workable framework" to prosecute an individual for defamation without potentially infringing on that person's freedom of speech. "Although the private speech here was deeply offensive and potentially harmful, until the Legislature amends Alabama's defamation statute, there does not appear to be a criminal remedy for such conduct," Jones said. "Therefore, the action brought against Mr. Harris will be dismissed and there will be no further action on the current allegation." It was not immediately known what punishment the teen faces from the school district. Young said that Harris told investigators he'd altered the news story as a joke. He said the teacher, whose name is being withheld by AL.com, was never the subject of a criminal investigation. That was not the case with two teacher's aides at the school, Trey Alton Stinson and Devin Rumal Robinson, who were arrested last month amid accusations they had sex with female students. They were placed on administrative leave with pay, but Stinson subsequently resigned his post. Robinson was fired Tuesday night at a school board meeting. Both men still face criminal charges. It was a news story about one of those defendants that Harris used in his prank against the other teacher. Pope John Paul II Catholic High School Graduation 2014 Bishop Robert Baker led the graduates from Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in a graduation mass and commencement exercises during the school's graduation program Friday, May, 23, 2014 in the North Hall of the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com) (Eric Schultz) Bishop Robert Baker led the graduates from Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in a graduation mass and commencement exercises during the school's graduation program Friday, May, 23, 2014 in the North Hall of the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com) Plenty of people were quick to point out yesterday's list of best Christian high schools in Alabama left out a very important group: Catholic schools. "For shame!" one emailer said. Have no fear. Niche, the same website that ranked the best Christian schools and best private schools, has provided a separate ranking for the best Catholic high schools. Like the other lists, the rankings were based on several factors, including SAT/ACT scores, the quality of colleges that students consider student-teacher ratio, student and parent reviews, and more. Remember, however, this is just one ranking - opinions on schools are as varied as the schools themselves. The list only ranked seven schools. Top 7 Catholic high schools in Alabama: St. Bernard Preparatory - Cullman Holy Spirit Catholic Regional School - Tuscaloosa Pope John Paul II Catholic High School - Huntsville John Carroll Catholic High School - Homewood McGill-Toolen Catholic High School - Mobile Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School - Montgomery Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School - Birmingham The first place finisher, St. Bernard, had an average SAT scores of 1940 and ACT score of 29. It also earned an A minus for the colleges that students attend and has an impressive student/teacher ratio of 10:1. Have thoughts on another school? Share them below. Welcome to Thursday's Wake Up Call. Here's what's happening: No more siesta? Say it isn't so... Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he's introducing a plan that would eliminate workers' daily siesta in return for shortening the Spanish work day by two hours. A typical Spanish work day is currently from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. The period in between was originally intended as a break from the oppressive mid-day heat but has since been expanded into a longer rest that shutters stores, businesses and banks. The change won't be easy, however. Many Spaniards said the mid-day break is now a part of their routine. Rhino dies week after discovery A rare Sumatran rhinoceros, only discovered last month in Borneo, has died. The animal, thought to be extinct, died of a leg infection from wounds it sustained from poaching traps. An autopsy on the animal is planned. Only about 100 Sumatran rhinos, the only haired rhinos in the world, remain. Nine are in captivity. Kerry most traveled Secretary of State John Kerry has a new title: most traveled secretary of state in U.S. history. Kerry has traveled 1.06 million miles as America's top diplomat, edging out Condoleezza Rice by about 1,000 miles. Rice, who was Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, held the previous mark at 1.059 million miles. Since becoming Secretary of State in February 2013, Kerry has spent more than 2,300 hours - or 96 days - in the air. Sexual orientation as part of Census? A bipartisan group of lawmakers want to see sexual orientation added to the list of questions on the U.S. Census. The group of about 80 lawmakers sent a letter to a House Appropriations subcommittee asking the U.S. Census Bureau to include questions related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Supporters said the questions would help provide greater assistance to members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. Currently, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey only includes questions about same-sex couples' marital status. Until tomorrow. Triumph Church A gravel drives leads to a camp inhabited by convicted sex offenders behind Triumph Church near Clanton, Ala., on Monday, June 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves) (Jay Reeves) A Chilton County pastor has won a round in his federal lawsuit challenging a state law that ended his residential ministry for sex offenders. U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins on Wednesday denied the state's requests to dismiss the claims by Ricky Martin, who sued in 2014. Martin, pastor of the Triumph Church, provided housing for sex offenders who were released from prison in campers on property he owned behind the church. Martin and his wife live next door to the church, which is on the outskirts of Clanton. About a dozen men normally lived there at one time, a total of about 60 during the whole time Martin operated the settlement, according to Watkins' order. State law restricts where sex offenders can live. For example, they cannot live within 2,000 feet of a school or child care facility. Two years ago, the Legislature passed a bill, pertaining only to Chilton County, that prohibited two or more registered sex offenders from living on the same property unless the homes were at least 300 feet apart. That forced Martin to evict the men living on his property. In his lawsuit, Martin claimed the law infringed upon his right to freely practice his religion under the First Amendment, among other claims. Chilton County District Attorney Randall Houston, named as defendant in the case, asked the court to dismiss it. But Watkins ruled on Wednesday that Martin had sufficiently made a claim that the law "creates a burden on his sincerely held religious beliefs," allowing the case to proceed. Watkins also allowed Martin to proceed on claims that the law is a "bill of attainder" because it singled him out and that the law violates his due process rights. The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama is representing Martin in the case. "We're really quite encouraged by the judge's opinion," ALCU of Alabama Legal Director Randall Marshall said Wednesday. The attorney general's office, which represents Houston, declined comment. C.J. Robinson, a prosecutor with the Chilton County district attorney's office, told the Associated Press two years ago that he did not doubt the sincerity of Martin's ministry, but said it was not safe having that many sex offenders in one place. Former state Rep. Kurt Wallace of Maplesville said at the time he sponsored the bill that families who lived near the church were worried about the safety. Arthur Orr March 19.jpg Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, introduced a bill that requires the disclosure of donors to "dark money" groups. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com) Alabamians may be deciding whether the sources of so-called "dark money" will have to be revealed after state Sen. Arthur Orr introduced a bill last month to put that question before voters in a constitutional amendment. The bill (SB356) by Orr, a Republican from Decatur, would affect special interest groups whose main activity is getting involved in political campaigns. If it passes the legislature, voters would decide whether Montgomery can then make laws regulating the disclosure of dark money donors. "We've seen them pop up here in the last several years and the public has the right to know whose money is this. These groups that are now engaging in electioneering," Orr told AL.com "If they're going to engage in electioneering activities in Alabama, I believe the public has a right to know who the donors are." Orr said the legislation was inspired by the 2014 and 2010 election cycles, where dark money groups, including the Alabama Foundation for Limited Government, paid for ads in support or in opposition of candidates. He said the scandal ensnaring Gov. Robert Bentley, whose former senior political adviser and alleged mistress was being paid by a dark money group called the Alabama Council for Excellent Government, didn't impact his decision to introduce the bill. According to ACEGov's articles of formation, the group is not involved in electioneering or campaign activities. The Alabama Foundation for Limited Government is run by former Sen. John Rice. "They sent out mailers attacking candidates, gave to candidates' campaigns, engaged in all the usual activities of a PAC but they were not registered as a PAC," Orr said. "Right now it's just a black hole. We don't know where the money for that organization came from." Orr's bill was criticized by FreedomWorks, a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization that doesn't have to disclose its donors, as "having a chilling effect on political speech." FreedomWorks spokesman Jason Pye said the legislation aligns with the views of Democratic presidential candidate and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose campaign platform includes making super PACs illegal. "Basically, we believe that this amendment is designed to discourage nonprofit organizations from spreading the word on what's going on in the Alabama Legislature," Pye said in an email. "It's very similar to the constitutional amendment that Senate Democrats in Washington, including Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with them, tried to pass a couple of years ago. Sanders has also railed about this on the campaign trail. We believe the effect of the amendment would be keep constituents in the dark on what exactly legislators are up to in Montgomery." Orr said he never heard of FreedomWorks and added that the group didn't voice its displeasure about the bill. "They never called me. They never bothered to contact me. I would submit they don't know our Alabama situation, but I think the public has a right to know who's giving this money to the dark money groups," he said. "It's a pretty simple proposition." Holman Prison Riot A CERT guard walks down a cell block at Holman Correctional Institute in Atmore, Ala., on March 14, 2016. There is still controlled movement inside the prison following the March riots. (Submitted to AL.com) The Alabama Department of Corrections reports there have been attacks at two prions since this weekend as well as a recent case of tuberculosis in a third facility. There was a double stabbing at Draper Correctional Facility in Elmore Monday morning. ADOC spokesman Bob Horton said three inmates got into a fight in one of the dorms at approximately 8 a.m. One of them used a makeshift knife to stab the other two. One of the injured inmates was taken to the Staton Correctional Facility infirmary in Elmore County. The other was transported to an offsite medical facility. Both inmates were released from the medical facilities after being treated. The inmate suspected in the stabbings was transported to another correctional facility. Horton said there were two incidents at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville on Saturday. He said an inmate reported that he had been assaulted. This inmate appeared to have puncture wounds to his arms and legs. He was taken to an off-site medical facility for treatment. The incident is under investigation. In a separate incident at St. Clair that day, a corrections officer found an inmate who appeared injured standing by a cell block cubicle. Horton said the inmate was bleeding and told the officer he had fallen down the cell block stairs. The inmate was transported off-site and treated for a possible broken arm. ADOC is also investigating a tuberculosis case at Ventress Correctional Facility in Clayton. An inmate there tested positive for the disease last week. This inmate was quarantined and is being treated by medical staff. Horton said the Alabama Department of Public Health is testing all inmates and facility staff. No other tuberculosis cases have been reported. ADOC also reports that the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore is no longer on lockdown following the recent stabbings and riots. Horton said there is still controlled movement inside the prison. A corrections officer and the warden were among those stabbed during the March riots. Dr. Santiago Anria discusses the movement-based parties that represent the interests of the politically and socially marginalized. The Bolivian MAS (Movement Toward Socialism) is one of the most successful of these parties, and one that stands out for its novelty and exception in both Bolivian and Latin American politics. It is novel due to its origins in the mobilization of indigenous social movements in Bolivias rural areas; and it is an exception due to its peculiar organizational attributes, which combine a dominant leadership with the bottom-up power from strong social movements. In this presentation, Anria discusses the empirical findings and arguments of his research in Bolivia, where he conducted extensive fieldwork that involved more than 150 interviews with political elites, as well as with leaders of social movements allied with the MAS. The story that emerges from the analysis is that the MAS does not operate under a purely bottom-up logic, but rather as a hybrid model that combines top-down leadership and significant opportunities for bottom-up influence and impact. Anria discusses how this has affected Bolivian politics, as well as its possible legacies in comparative perspective. Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan The Pakistani social enterprise DoctHERs is extending affordable and quality healthcare to marginalised women in impoverished areas where it is otherwise unaffordable. In a country where the majority of medical students are female but only a minority of registered doctors are women, DoctHERs is empowering women to fulfil their Hippocratic oath in the face of cultural and social constraints that leave many of them otherwise unable to practise medicine after marriage. Despite the fact that 63 percent of medical students are female, according to 2014-2015 figures from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, only 23 percent of registered doctors are women, their data suggests. With clinics operating in conservative areas where female patients often feel more comfortable dealing with female doctors than male ones, DoctHERs also provides a medical service with which women feel more at ease. These doctors provide consultations from their homes over internet connections to patients in teleclinics staffed with a nurse who coordinates with the doctor to treat patients in person. The doctor also has access to the clinics diagnostic tools and can monitor her patients vital signs remotely. The two founders of DoctHERs, Dr Sara Khurram and Dr Iffat Zafar, were motivated to launch the business by their personal experiences as female doctors. My motivation was that I was terminated from my residency as I conceived the baby. And this is just one of the issues that female doctors face in Pakistan. My co-founder was in a corporate office, she was a doctor also, but she was working in a pharma [pharmaceutical company], Khurram said. She had to leave her job because she got pregnant and she couldnt work longer hours and they didnt give her a part-time option, Khurram said. DoctHERs runs consultations over medical consultancy software called MD Consults and, if the software is not accessible, they use Skype. The doctor appears on a laptop screen in the clinic and talks directly to the patient. In coordination with the clinic nurse, symptoms are checked and treatments are disbursed. Sana Rehman works as a doctor for the company, providing consultations over the internet. She quit mainstream medicine in 2010 after she wed her husband so she could take care of her children. She said DoctHERs enables her to continue helping the sick while raising her children. They give the platform to work from home. I have to be home with my children, Rehman said. But the arrangement allows her to consult the patients through Skype and MD Consults from home. Marriage or career? Choosing between a career and family is a dilemma many women in Pakistan still face. In a society where traditional gender roles still define the roles of women and men in a family environment, often women feel they have no choice despite their education. Competition for medical school placement is tough in Pakistan. Rubina Tahir, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Karachi Medical and Dental College, says 10 percent of her undergraduate medical students are men and 90 percent are women. She thinks this is because medical schools in Pakistan recruit on grades alone, so the majority of medical students end up being women as they make better grades. However, because many quit working after getting married, Pakistan is facing a shortage of doctors that is likely to get worse. Most of the girls, who got married, these are the ones who stopped working. Those who dont tend to continue working, Tahir said. Aside from quitting because of marriage, some also seek jobs in other fields such as in pharmaceuticals or hospital administration, because those jobs pay better, Tahir explained. Saba Hussain, a 23-year-old undergraduate medical student at Dow University of Health Sciences, says she will quit medicine for her future husband. If he lets me work, then Id be happy to work, but other than that, I dont think so. Because its a very tough profession, its a never-ending race, said Hussain. You always have to study more and more and get more qualifications. There is always a new job. And I personally think I cant manage my marriage and my profession. But Sarah Jaffrey, a 24-year-old medical student at Karachi Medical and Dental College, says she wouldnt quit her career after marriage. Im the only one in my whole family who is going to become a doctor. And everybody forbade me to become a doctor, like its such a tough field, you know? It was my passion that I chose to be a doctor. I would never give up being a doctor, said Jaffrey. Not all married female doctors give up on having a career. Dr Amna Ali, who graduated from medical school in 2010, was married in 2012 and then had a child. But instead of leaving medicine afterwards, she carried on. It all depends on your family and your motivation to work. My family was supportive and my father was there to keep my child. I was able to go and able to do my education as well. I have wanted to keep my education because I studied hard for 20 years, said Ali. Connecting through technology DocHERs runs three clinics across Pakistan in both rural and urban areas. With internet and power connectivity sparse and unreliable in many of Pakistans rural areas, running teleclinics in those areas comes with unique challenges. The first problem we face is electricity. There is heavy electricity shortfall in the second tier of the country, the second tier meaning there is load shedding of 16-20 hours. So we have to put a UPS, an additional device to maintain electricity, explained Khurram, saying that this increases the costs of operation. She explained that internet connectivity was a problem initially, as well. But, Khurram said they resolved this situation. We have multiple connectivity providers which help us, which amend the signals. Five months ago, DoctHERs launched a teleclinic in Mansehra town in the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Patients, mostly female, from the surrounding rural areas visit the clinic. With prices ranging from $1 to $12, the clinic provides an affordable alternative to other local medical services. One of the clinics initial challenges was persuading the patients to trust the digital technology used for consultations. In Mansehra, where many of the poor live without internet connections, patients are not familiar with this technology. Many distrust it at first. The patients didnt believe that the doctor appearing on a screen was a real doctor. Convincing them was very difficult but afterwards those who eventually came and discussed their problems, many of their reservations have been addressed. Now gradually people are understanding this system, said Abida Haroon, the clinic nurse. Pakistans public health system is underfunded and overwhelmed. In 2013, Pakistan spent just 1 percent of its total GDP on public health according to World Bank data. There have been repeated calls since the early 1990s to spend more tax revenue on healthcare and find alternative ways to fund it, but without success. The lack of comprehensive public health care has given rise to a mostly unregulated private sector, with varying service quality and prices. Poor patients often fall into debt paying for private health services. READ MORE: Vidhya Das fighting for poor women in India Patients say the DoctHERs clinic provides a better service than the local government hospitals in Mansehra. One woman who visited the DoctHers clinic thought it was a better alternative to the government-provided care. I have found their [DocHERs] system to be better. They have checked me. [At the government hospital] the male doctor was assigned to see me, said the 30-year-old Parveer Bibi. In fact they dont even check the patients in the big government hospitals. There is no care. People will arrive and then leave. They dont take care of visiting patients despite charging a fee, she said. Berlin, Germany An asylum seeker from Pakistan took the stage and appealed for solidarity in the face of growing anti-refugee sentiment at a protest in the Marzhan-Hellersdorf borough in the eastern part of the German capital. We have seen the worst that humanity can offer: the air strikes, the drone strikes, the wars, he told the crowd, as an activist translated his words to German every few minutes. A large banner fluttered against the windows of an old, communist-era apartment building across the street: Together against Nazis and racists here and everywhere. Hundreds rallied here in a local square on March 19, protesting against violence against refugee centres across the country, as well as voicing their discontent with the landmark gains recently made by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party that made campaigning against refugees and migrants a central part of their platform in regional elections. In 2015, an estimated 159 attacks or incidents of vandalism targeted refugee centres across Germany, according to the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, an organisation that tracks racially motivated violence. So far in 2016, the group has recorded at least 63 attacks on refugees or refugee centres, 53 of which were arson attacks. Nazis accosting people In a nearby refugee shelter operated by the Peoples Solidarity organisation, 22-year-old Loay Alhamedi explained that he fled his hometown of Raqqa owing to violence at the hands of the Syrian government and death threats from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Alhamedi, who also works with refugees at the shelter, made his way through the halls, greeting Syrian and Afghan families in Arabic and English respectively. He explained that he never imagined escaping the bloodletting in his country to encounter threats and violence in Germany. Alhamedi added that German camp employees have also been threatened by hardline anti-refugee activists in the area. I see that its not possible for me to go on living in this area, he told Al Jazeera. I have seen a lot of situations here with my own eyes, like the Nazis accosting people [refugees]. While waiting for the train one day, Alhamedi was confronted by a young man and woman who verbally assaulted him. That morning I heard my uncle was killed by the YPG, so I was already crying, he said, referring to the Peoples Protection Units, a Kurdish armed group in Syria. They came to me threatening me, yelling in my face, he recalled. They told me I came here to steal their money. I started yelling, I was crying. I told him, I didnt come here for money I spent 6,000 euros ($6,830) to get here.' Alhamedi has noticed that right-wing demonstrations in the neighbourhood have increased in recent months. As far as Im concerned, I dont care. They are free to express their opinions. But it has happened more than once that incidents like 12 or so young men gather usually late at night they hit [foreigners] with lead pipes. Alhamedi wishes he could speak to these attackers who target refugees. I dont know if its possible but I wish I could make them understand why Syrians are coming. He said that Syrians are not fleeing their homeland by choice, but that they have to flee in order to survive. Whats the difference between a Syrian and a German anyway? In the end, we are both humans. Progressives Back at the protest, a swath of flags from different progressive parties and movements beat against the cloudy afternoon sky. The Association of Anti-Fascists and Victims of the Nazi Regime, the Left Party, the Greens, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, the Pirate Party. Demonstrators held up placards in the crowd: Berlin against Nazis, one read; Nazis out! another proclaimed. After addressing the crowd, Petra Pau, Vice President of the German Federal Parliament and senior member of the Left Party, came down from the stage. The success of the AfD is not just about right now it is the effect of a long process in German society, she told Al Jazeera, arguing that Germans need to unite 365 days a year to fight racism. Pau warned that the failure to prosecute those who attack refugee shelters will create an environment of impunity and lead to more violence. Raiko Hannemann, one of the demonstration organisers, echoed Pau. It is also very important that [the protest] is happening here in this district because it has a very bad reputation, he told Al Jazeera. Because in [recent] years there were a few incidents, attacks For us, its very important to show that not only Nazis are living here. Impossible integration Although the AfD has publicly condemned attacks on centres for asylum seekers, critics argue that its rhetoric has fostered the anti-refugee sentiment that has gradually but steadily risen throughout the last year. The AfD gained 24.2 percent of the votes in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, placing it closely behind Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union party by a mere 6 percent. The party also landed in third place in both the Baden-Wurttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate states, securing 15.1 percent and 12.6 percent respectively. Originally founded in 2013 as a Eurosceptic party, the AfD took the lead as the most aggressive anti-refugee voice in the country while more than a million asylum seekers arrived in Germany last year. Georg Pazderski, the AfDs Berlin chairman, folded his arms on a large wooden table in a conference room at the partys local office. His hair slicked back, from time to time he adjusted his watch under the cuff of his jacket sleeve. The party official framed his opposition to refugees in religious and cultural terms, evoking stereotypes of them as illiterate and uneducated. Imagine at what level we have to start with these people, he said, arguing that it is almost impossible for asylum seekers to integrate into German society. I dont think that there is much possibility to integrate them in a way that they could stay in Germany. There is certainly a certain percentage that will manage it, but I think 90 percent will not manage it, he said with a gentle nod of confidence. Theyre coming from a different culture, mainly with an Islamic background, mainly from different countries, Pazderski continued. And theyre coming to a Christian culture and this is totally different. Fantasies of violence Pazderski blamed German Chancellor Angela Merkels open-door asylum policy for the violence. There are some people who might [use] this anti-migrant or anti-refugee rhetoric, he said. But on the other hand, who is responsible that something like this can happen? Pazderski denounced those who attack refugees as misguided, but said a portion of the responsibility lies with the government. We dont have to demonstrate in front of a refugee camp or something like that, he said. We have to demonstrate in front of the office of the chancellor and of the parties. Despite his claims that the party opposes violence, however, party members have called for a crackdown on Muslims and senior AfD members have evoked violent rhetoric. In late March, a local branch of the AfD in lower Bavaria called for all mosques to be shut down by the government in a 45-page draft of party principles, according to local media. Islam does not belong to Germany, the group writes, suggesting a ban on the construction and operation of mosques. Some analysts argue that AfD members have waded into the area of incitement to violence, such as when the partys leader, Frauke Petry, proclaimed that officers should use fire arms if necessary in order to prevent illegal border crossings. READ MORE: Syrian refugees mark five years of uprising in Germany No policeman wants to fire on a refugee and I dont want that either, she told the regional newspaper Mannheimer Morgen back in January, arguing that police must stop refugees entering German soil nonetheless. Stefan Reinecke, editor of the Die Tageszeitung newspaper, accused the AfD of having two faces, a polished one that they show to the broader public and another reserved for their base. They are playing both parts There is this fantasy about violence, and on the other hand, [they say] No, it was a misunderstanding, Reinecke said in his Berlin office. When there are right-wing people who think its OK to burn houses, then this is the other side of what AfD is telling [us]: no refugees, they are our enemies, we have to defend against them, he added. Yet, Reinecke argued that Merkels failure to communicate the refugee policies to the broader German public created the conditions for the AfDs rise. He said many Germans have the feeling that there is money for the refugees and not for them. A lot of people, especially in the lower class, have this feeling, and this is the main reason for the success of the AfD. Wake-up call As violence grows, public sentiment has also taken a turn for the worse. A recent survey by YouGov, an opinion research firm, found that 29 percent of Germans believe using weapons to prevent refugees from entering the country is justified. Back at the refugee solidarity protest in Marzhan-Hellersdorf, organiser Raiko Hannemann said he hopes the AfDs success in the recent elections will serve as a wake-up call for Germans. When I see this, I am already quite optimistic, he said, gesturing towards the crowd. A band on stage started up, a solidarity song echoing throughout the square. But you dont see them in the news. What you see in the news is [some] Nazi attacks refugees, or a Nazi attacks a political opponent. Ramadan, a 47-year-old Syrian actor whose wife and children are still stuck in his native Homs, sat in his small de facto room two bunk beds cordoned off by cardboard walls in Berlins Prenzlauer Berg neighbourhood. He recalled being tortured during interrogation after being arrested in Syria. They accused him of having ties to anti-government protesters. I found out that I was wanted for interrogation again, he told Al Jazeera. So, I decided to leave. I knew that they would kill me. Referring to the political climate in Germany, he said: I cant go back to Syria, but I also feel that many people dont want us here. You dont know what it feels like to be treated like this, to be unwelcome. READ MORE: Germanys refugee crisis Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ The journey photojournalist Jack Picone took across a Rwanda in the grips of genocide still haunts him to this day. Some of the images below are graphic and show victims of massacres. I was in London when I first heard that Rwandans were cutting each other to pieces with machetes. Even though I was an experienced conflict photographer, that report on BBC World Service radio sent chills down my spine. En route to Entebbe on a Ugandan Airlines flight, it was still hard to believe mass murder with machetes? Rwanda had closed its airport and all other official entry points into the country, so I would have to make my way in illegally from neighbouring Uganda. As I crossed the border, I experienced that mixture of emotions so familiar to photojournalists entering a country from which others are fleeing en masse: disbelief, curiosity and an undeniable dose of trepidation. What was I doing running towards and not from a country where people were frenetically murdering one another by lopping off heads and limbs? On a minor unpoliced road, I crossed into Rwanda. On the other side of the border, I was immediately questioned by Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) officers. They were the liberating forces taking the country back from their genocidal opponents. For a while, I thought they would turn me back and make me leave the country in the same way that I had entered it. But negotiations ensued and, eventually, they agreed not only to let me stay but to travel with them, traversing the country to its capital, Kigali. From there began my dark journey into a country rapidly descending into a vision of hell. As we walked on, a constant mass of people streamed past us, heading in the opposite direction. Others peppered the roads, their bodies in various states of decomposition, rotting in the heat, unclaimed and anonymous. They appeared like still photographs frozen in time. In the near distance, we could hear the sound of machine gun fire. The huge black clouds of heavy artillery rose eerily in the sky. The landscape appeared gouged, broken, scarred. Naively, I had no idea that worse was to come. Before the genocide, Rukara was a small, bustling rural town. Once full of life, it was now full of the dead. Hundreds of bodies filled the streets, expressions of terror etched on to their decaying faces. Wherever I looked, death stared straight back at me. But it was the parish church that conveyed the full incomprehensible horror. Amid overturned pews, a discarded crucifix and an alter caked in blood, were the bodies some limbless, others headless piled on top of one another. The stench of death was unbearable. I vomited. There were so many bodies that it was almost impossible to walk between them as I documented the aftermath of the carnage. I inadvertently stepped on one and felt the decomposing flesh fall away beneath my feet. It is something I regret and which continues to haunt and disturb me to this day. Another image that I have never been able to erase from my memory is that of a young couple amid the mass of bodies in one corner of the vestibule. The man is sitting on a wooden chair, the woman is on her knees, her head placed serenely on his lap and her arms clasped tightly around his waist. He was handsome. She was beautiful. She, no doubt, hoped he would be able to protect her. Perhaps they both believed their God would do so. They were, after all, in what many Rwandans thought would be a haven. It wasnt. In the nearby woods, mounds of bodies rose from the soil. Nobody was spared in Rukara not the pregnant, not the young, not the old. The killing was wholesale, indiscriminate and monumental in scale. The methods were horrifying. Machetes, spears and guns were the tools of this murder. I had spent a decade covering different wars all over the world, documenting diverse horrific scenes, but what made Rwanda unique and particularly disturbing to me was the sheer scale of it. As I headed on towards Kigali with the RPF soldiers, I witnessed and documented the same scenes of horror over and over again. I eventually left Rwanda, returning to London to file my photographs. But the nightmare of Rwanda has never left me. It haunts me to this day: one of so many dragons I cannot slay. The RPF I had travelled with went on to take Kigali and, subsequently, control of the country. That was 20 years ago. But fast-forward to today and, depressingly, the region remains deeply unstable, divided by political, ethnic and cultural differences. What have we learned? I wonder how many more visions of hell will there be for photojournalists like me to capture. PHOTOGALLERY This article first appeared in the Al Jazeera Magazine. Christians are not only soft targets for the militancy, but also victims of socioeconomic and political exclusion. It was midnight in Youhanabad a largely Christian neighbourhood in Lahore. Men and women, both young and old, were keeping watch. Some sat on charpoys and wooden benches, while others walked about patrolling the streets. The songs of prayers intermingled with the thump of the dholak or drum through the haunting darkness of downtrodden streets. The residents of Youhanabad were protecting their men from the police three weeks after a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, had executed twin blasts, the very state institutions that were supposed to protect them were the ones that they feared. We trust you. Believe me, we do. But please, do not photograph us, the woman singing hymns said to me when I approached her with my camera. Despite seeing me with the neighbourhoods senior priest who had vouched for me they were too afraid to let anyone know about their night watch, or let anyone see their faces in photographs. This was in 2015. The fear of abandonment Today, fear and a sense of abandonment by the state resides in the collective consciousness of the Pakistani Christians. While Christians poured on to the streets following the last twin bombings against their community, this time they remained indoors. The community and several rights activists think that the silence of Christians after last weeks bombings in Lahores Gulshan-e-Iqbal park is not only out of fear of militants. Unlike the recent suicide blast by the Pakistani Taliban, which intended to target Easter celebrations at a park in Lahore, the blasts in Youhanabad last year prompted local Christians to come out of their homes in droves to call for justice. In the heat of the moment, two Muslims were killed. READ MORE: Islamabads Christian slums face demolition By the time I visited the neighbourhood in April 2015, more than 150 men and boys had been arbitrarily detained by the police for murder and vandalism. Families and rights groups did not know about the locations of their loved ones for at least a month and a half after the detentions. The states picking up of Christian men from their streets and beds in the middle of the night continued till October 2015. Today, 43 Christians remain in jail on murder charges of two Muslims, according to the lawyers, rights activists and members of the community I spoke with. Flawed system On the face of it, arresting and charging a group of men for murder looks legal and reasonable. But, Christians in Pakistan are among some of the poorest and most marginalised populations in the country. This marginalisation manifests itself most violently through the ill-application of a justice system, and legal redress is tenuous at best. Tough crackdowns on disempowered Christian people after the protests in the wake of attacks on their community have pushed Pakistani Christians up against the wall. by The widespread detentions during the protests in Youhanabad were not the first experience that Christians had with especially heavy-handed law enforcement. In 2013, after twin bombings at the All Saints Church in Peshawar which killed at least 80 people, a large number of young Christians agitated in Lahore and Karachi. Multiple arrests by the Punjab police followed, resulting in a heightened sense of insecurity and vulnerability among Pakistani Christians. Some even applied for asylum abroad, citing state persecution alongside militant violence. Anger expressed by the community in demonstrations represents its pleas for justice and security. Protests by the Christian community that were never so destructive as to harm the lives of Muslims, turned aggressive and then subsequently violent in the past few years only. In addition to becoming victims of militancy, these protests were also consequences of years of abuse faced by the community through blasphemy cases and arson attacks by Muslim protesters on Christian settlements and villages. Like African and Hispanic Americans in the United States, Christians in Pakistan are victims of an unjust system and structural violence. Christians are not only soft targets for the militancy, but also victims of socioeconomic and political exclusion. Historically, many Christians are said to be former members of Hindu communities who converted to escape systematic caste oppression in colonial India. They have since inherited the socioeconomic marginalisation of their former caste, and continue to work as janitorial and domestic workers. Politically, many remain vulnerable to Pakistans notorious blasphemy laws. They are also not fully integrated in the political process in Pakistan. From the biases in school textbooks to everyday poverty, Christians eke out a living on the edge of our world, the world of a Sunni Islam majority. Deepening disempowerment This marginalisation of the Christians means protesting against brutal attacks by militants or the insecurity becomes nearly impossible. In fact, the violence against this community indicates that the operation launched by the state against militants in the Punjab province will not make much of a dent in the lives of ordinary Christians. Tough crackdowns on disempowered Christian people after the protests in the wake of attacks on their community have pushed Pakistani Christians up against the wall. This year, they barely brought out demonstrations after the suicide attacks. OPINION: Pakistan and state failure waiting for justice Back in Youhanabad I had met 60-year-old Javed Hidayat, a Christian mechanic. In the aftermath of the protests, the police had raided his home in the middle of the night and taken his son away without an arrest warrant. When I spoke with him, he told me that the police charged his son not just with murder, but terrorism. In his desperate attempt to reclaim his son, he lost hours and days of work to solely focus on his sons bail. Bilqees, his wife, is so sick with grief and depression that she cannot visit their son in prison for the bi-weekly meetings that are permitted. Their other 15-year-old son left school to earn enough money to feed his family at least twice a day. After the Easter blasts in Lahores Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park last week, I thought of Javed. When I dialled his number, his words to me were, On Easter after the blasts, Bilqees cried for hours. I feel like we are marked by the cruelties and violence inflicted upon us forever, and we will never be able to take off this mark. Rabia Mehmood is an independent journalist and researcher based out of Pakistan, with interest in religious persecution, gender and human rights. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. I come from a country [France] where, a year ago, 11 million people demonstrated in defence of the freedom of expression. Ironically, now it is almost impossible for me to be allowed a place in Paris where I can hold a debate with Tariq Ramadan! said French journalist Alain Gresh during a lecture in Brussels last month. Greshs bitter yet honest remarks testify to the grim realities of the state of freedom of expression in France following the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Over the past year, security has taken precedence over liberty, which has resulted in the sidelining of crucial issues such as unemployment, economic crisis or social justice. This climate of fear has resulted in silencing any voice that would dare to question state policies or narrative. Tariq Ramadan is one such voice. France is the only country in the world where I cannot set foot in a university [to give a talk], said Ramadan during a lecture held in a privately rented conference hall in the city of Nice two weeks ago. The question of Islam On a number of occasions, Ramadan has been denied the right to hold debates in public spaces in Paris and Orleans, and mayor Alain Juppe struggled to prevent him from holding a conference in Bordeaux. And at a time when the question of Islam and Muslims in France and Europe is at the centre of heated debates, Ramadan, a specialist scholar of Islam and Muslim affairs, is not even granted airtime to express his views. READ MORE: Dont let ISIL divide France While the smearing media campaign against Ramadan is nothing new, it intensified in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks when several media platforms and newspapers harshly scolded him for refusing to adopt the Je Suis Charlie slogan, although Ramadan firmly condemned the terrorist attacks. Nonetheless, he criticised the magazines double standards and lack of professionalism for sacking Sine, a prominent French cartoonist when, a few years ago, the latter mocked the possible conversion of Sarkozys son to Judaism, while, at the same time, the magazine claims the right to an absolute free expression when it comes to mocking Islam and the prophet Muhammad. The ban on Ramadan comes amid a soaring level of Islamophobic discourse that has permeated mainstream media. Diatribes stigmatising Frances Muslims and Islam have become almost a daily occurrence in the media and among state officials. Last week, a French minister likened women wearing veils to negros accepting slavery. Some French intellectuals have been advocating deporting Muslims outside of France, or urging Muslims to step out of Islam because Islam is not compatible with the Republic or with Frances way of life. Ramadans detractors, such as Caroline Fourest or Bernard Henri Levy, both described in a book written by Pascal Boniface as intellectual counterfeiters, constantly invoke the same terminology in feeding the smear campaign against Ramadan today. They accuse him of ambiguity, double discourse, and working to Islamise Europe, without providing evidence to support their claims except rhetorically citing his lineage being the grandson of Hassan el-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood as the smoking gun to prove their allegations. Ramadans discourse A quick scan of Ramadans discourse, writings and lectures suggests that he is a voice that France and Europe needs to listen to today. Ramadans writings and discourse confront, dissect and dismantle the pro-governmental and/or elites discourse. He strives for a European Islam free from any foreign influence and that promotes social integration. He also calls on governments to pursue policies of social equality and adopt anti-discrimination laws since such policies and laws have the power to prevent extremism from taking root among marginalised people. Ramadan calls upon French and European Muslims to act as full citizens, to think, speak and interact out of the communitarian spirit, to question their governments on socioeconomic policies, to refuse injustice and discrimination, to demand social equality; and to react to emotional attacks with a rational response. He encourages politicians, intellectuals and media pundits to grant the same dignity and respect to all victims of terror regardless of religion, race or country. READ MORE: Je suis Muslim One of the key characteristics of Ramadans doctrine is based on an approach that defines social coexistence as a mutual knowledge based not only on the recognition of our similarities, but also a respectful awareness of our differences. A coexistence that, for him, implies a joint action and recognition of societys segments historic legacies. In his book Islamic Ethics: A Very Short Introduction, Ramadan highlights the need to initiate interfaith and intercultural dialogues with regard to common moral values in order to question the lack of meaning and the role of religion, the state and powers of the economy in our societies, particularly in dealing with huge challenges, notably terrorism. Still, these writings and views are totally ignored by the media and intellectual corpus except some of Frances fine minds such as the prominent French sociologist Edgar Morin, who jointly wrote a book with Ramadan in 2014 (in which they discuss education, science, art, secularism, womens rights and minority rights, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, democracy, fundamentalism and globalisation), as well as the former editor-in-chief of Le Monde newspaper, Edwy Plenel, or Alain Gresh, former editor-in-chief of Le Monde Diplomatique, who hold regular debates with Ramadan. Discrimination against Ramadan Those intellectuals condemn the discrimination against Ramadan and stress the need to debate with him, despite any possible divergence in views, because only then can one genuinely embrace and respect freedom of expression as a universal value. Both Gresh and Morin co-signed an article three days ago in Le Monde calling not to ban Tariq Ramadan. Given these facts, and at a time when Islam and Muslims are at the heart of heated debates in France and Europe what could justify such a hostile attitude towards a scholar of Ramadans calibre, specialist of Islam and Islamist affairs, and why is he being vilified? Is it because Ramadans profile challenges the racist stereotypes of Arabs or Muslims? Since to the French ruling oligarchy, a Muslim or an Arab has to stick to a preconceived image, a predefined archetype, that of an ignorant, uneducated person who barely speaks French and is constantly framed as a source of conflict to his/her surroundings, and on the rare occasions when he/she is given a platform, it is mostly to corroborate these pre-existing cliches, not to promote the governments policies and narratives. Consider Hassen Chalghoumi, a figure promoted by the media but fiercely controversial among the Muslim community in France. Or is it because Ramadan publicly exposes the flawed arguments of the governments intellectual junta? Is it because debating with Ramadan would lay bare their own contradictions and shake the lies they promote to serve their own interests? Framing Ramadan as the Muslim enemy creates a false nationalistic cause that allows the government to divert public attention from real socioeconomic challenges. It appears that the French republic finds it difficult to admit to the social mutation it has undergone in the past decades, thus it hardly recognises its pluralistic character. As such, giving Tariq Ramadan space for free expression amounts to an official recognition of this plurality and the state responsibilities it entails in terms of equality and social justice. Ironically, these are two of the key issues discussed and highlighted by Ramadan in almost all of his works. Ali Saad is a French sociologist and media critic, focusing on the influence of mass media on society. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. UN urges Iraqi forces to open routes for humanitarian aid while calling on ISIL to allow civilians to leave. As many as 50,000 Iraqis in Fallujah face starvation and death as they are unable to leave the besieged city controlled by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Lise Grande, a senior UN official, told Al Jazeera on Thursday that humanitarian conditions have deteriorated in the last three months and the city 70km west of Baghdad could be facing a catastrophe. We are deeply worried about the situation. There have been few medical supplies and no re-supply of food in the last two or three months, Grande said, citing sources in Iraq. READ MORE: Civilians flee ISIL-held territory in Iraq Aid has not reached Fallujah since the government recaptured nearby Ramadi from ISIL in December, with supply routes cut off by Iraqi forces and the armed group preventing civilians from leaving. Grandes comments followed a plea by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) urging the warring parties to make sure that aid reaches the civilian population. The rights group said residents have reported that as many as 140 people, many elderly and children, have died over the past few months because of a lack of food and medicine. Several people, including one entire family, were also reportedly executed by ISIL fighters for trying to leave Fallujah. The armed group has jailed more than 100 men for protesting against the execution of family members, HRW said. Soup made from grass It is impossible to verify the information independently with limited access to Fallujah, and as ISIL prohibits the use of mobile phones and the internet. In one recent video that Baghdad-based activists provided to HRW, an unidentifiable woman said she is from Fallujah and that her children are dying because there is no rice, no flour not even local dates and the hospital has run out of baby food. Reports have surfaced of people being forced to eat bread made from ground date seeds while drinking soup made from grass, HRW said. A sack of flour was being sold for $500 in Fallujah compared with $15 in the capital, Baghdad. On March 24, the World Food Programme said it remained concerned about the food security situation in besieged Fallujah, [where] many food items were unavailable in markets. Human Rights Watchs Joe Stork said ISIL has shown utter disregard for protecting civilians in conflict. He called on the armed group to allow civilians to leave, while also urging government forces to open routes for humanitarian aid. The murder is the latest incident of aggression against secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim-majority country. A law student who posted pro-atheism comments on social media has been murdered, Bangladeshi police said, in the latest incident in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin said at least three men riding on a single motorbike carried out the killing on Wednesday night. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Al Jazeeras Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Dhaka, said 28-year-old Nazimuddin Samad was the seventh secular activist who has been killed. The men on the motorbike first hit him with machetes. Then they shot him to make sure he was dead, Chowdhury said. Police suspected that Samad had been targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim-majority country, and for supporting a 2013 movement to demand capital punishment for war crimes involving the countrys independence war against Pakistan in 1971. The national Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported that the assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest) as they attacked Samad on a busy road near Dhakas Jagannath University, where he was a law student. Samad had only recently arrived in Dhaka from the northeastern city of Sylhet to study law. Killing spree Last year, assailants hacked to death at least four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher in a long-running series of targeted killings of secular activists. Police arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team over those murders, although none have yet been prosecuted. Q&A: Why are bloggers being killed in Bangladesh? Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladeshs largest online secular activist group, said Samad had joined nationwide protests in 2013 against leaders accused of committing war crimes during the countrys war of independence. He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism, said Sarker, head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association. Voters in the Netherlands resoundingly said no to EU-Ukraine pact, dealing an embarrassing blow to the government. Dutch voters have rejected a key European pact with Ukraine in a referendum seen as a barometer of anti-EU feeling, dealing an embarrassing blow to the government. In a result swiftly hailed by eurosceptic groups, the Dutch news agency ANP said the no camp had won the day with 61.1 percent. Only 38 percent voted in favour of the two-year-old treaty with Kiev. After initial doubts, ANP said that 32.2 percent of the electorate had turned out, meaning the ballot is valid and must be considered by the coalition government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Dutch Ukraine referendum tests strength of anti-EU mood It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with Ukraine. The beginning of the end of the EU, far-right politician Geert Wilders said late on Wednesday. Voters were asked if they supported the European Unions association agreement with Ukraine, which aims to foster better trade relations with the war-torn country and former Soviet satellite. Ukraine to continue moving towards EU Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday that his country would continue moving towards the EU despite the resounding rejection. Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum but said Ukraine should take it into consideration. Many Ukrainian politicians feel their country deserves the treaty and are keen to show they have made progress in aligning their country with EU standards since the 2014 uprising that toppled pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich. Bas Paternotte, a columnist for right-wing weblog GeenStijl, said Ukraine is not a suitable partner for the EU. That country is not ready, Paternotte told Al Jazeera. Its sad for all those young people who fought for their freedom during the revolution but the country is a mess. Government-sponsored mobs are walking around with swastika flags; (President) Poroshenko has been named in the Panama Papers. Ukraine is unfinished, he added. But organisers admitted the non-binding ballot was essentially about pushing a broader anti-EU agenda humiliating at the very time that the Netherlands holds the rotating EU presidency. Vote could boost far-right The Dutch no poses a major headache for the European Union as it also gears up for the ramifications of a possible British exit from the bloc. The Netherlands is now the only member in the 28-nation EU not to have ratified the Ukraine accord which has already been given the thumbs-up by both the upper and lower houses of the Dutch parliament. Rutte agreed the no camp won convincingly. And he was forced to concede that if the turnout is above the [30 percent] margin then this accord cannot be ratified as is. He had earlier urged voters to vote in favour of the pact with Kiev saying we have to help Ukraine build up a judicial state and its democracy. Europe needs more stability at its edges. It remains unclear what will happen next, with Rutte vowing a step-by-step approach in full consultation with the government and Brussels. Official full results are only due on April 12. The vote is non-binding. But it could mean that the coalition government already under fire due to the refugee crisis will seek to opt out of certain provisions of the EU-Ukraine deal to satisfy the voters. It could also boost Wilders Freedom Party, which is already riding high in the polls due to his stand against migrants. Sun setting on EU The leaders of the Netherlands six largest parties all agreed on Wednesday that the country could not just ratify the agreement with Ukraine. The accord cannot just be ratified. We have to take into account this no vote, said Diederik Samsom, the leader of the Labour Party, which is Ruttes junior ruling coalition partner. The no camp had highlighted concerns about corruption in Ukraine and continuing separatist unrest in the east among reasons to refuse closer ties with Kiev. Mustafa, who forced diversion of plane from Alexandria to Larnaca, has been described as psychologically unstable. Cypriot authorities have approved a request from Cairo to extradite the man accused of hijacking an EgyptAir plane and diverting it to the Mediterranean island, according to Egyptian state news agency MENA. Egyptian Seif el-Din Mustafa, 59, is accused of using a fake suicide belt to seize the Alexandria-Cairo flight on March 29 and force it to land in Cyprus. The suspect surrendered at Larnaca airport after commandeering the domestic flight MS181 with 82 people on board. Cypriot government officials said that a legal process would now begin to send Mustafa home. Instructions were given for the relevant procedures to begin, a government official told AFP news agency. Officials are expected to try to fast-track the extradition process, which could take several weeks. The suspect is expected to remain in police custody until his extradition papers are ready. The Egyptian state prosecutors office had asked for him to be handed over under a 1996 bilateral extradition treaty. Mustafa, described by authorities as psychologically unstable, said he acted out of desperation to see his Cypriot ex-wife and children. When someone hasnt seen his family for 24 years and wants to see his wife and children, and the Egyptian government doesnt allow it, what should one do? the hijacker had told Cypriot police in a statement. Cypriot prosecutors said last week he faced possible charges of hijacking, kidnapping, reckless and threatening behaviour, and breaches of the anti-terror law. READ MORE: Egyptians wish they were on hijacked EgyptAir flight According to police, Mustafa has given a voluntary statement admitting to the hijacking. His ex-wife has been quoted by Cypriot media as describing their five years of marriage as a black period of her life. Most of the passengers were quickly released after the plane landed, but some escaped only minutes before the six-hour standoff finished. Passenger Farrah el-Dibany had told Al Jazeera that it took a while for those aboard to realise that they were taken hostage. It was the moment that we saw we were flying over sea I was horrified, she said. Thats when we realised something was wrong but nobody imagined that it could be that kind of thing. Then, one of the cabin crew passed by all of the passengers and collected all the passports without giving any reason. He just said that there was a problem and that they could not say anything more. About 45 minutes later, one of the cabin crew members told us that we were hijacked. They didnt say by whom, or what the demands were, or where we were heading. It was a horrifying moment, el-Dibany said. While Russia announced a major withdrawal of its military might last month, the opposite appears to have taken place. Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised the world by abruptly declaring on March 15 that Russia was withdrawing its forces from Syria in the wake of a partial ceasefire deal between regime forces and certain moderate opposition groups. For the next few days the global media was treated to impressive footage of Su-25 attack jets, Su-24 bombers and powerful Su-34 fighter bombers steaming out of their Syrian base of operations at Latakia and returning to Russia to a rapturous reception from families of the crews and the public. Lumbering Antonov transport aircraft flew repeated sorties back and forth between Russia and Latakia at the same time, extracting material and personnel associated with the fighter bomber squadrons. However, as has become abundantly clear, far from being a true withdrawal or drawdown, more equipment and personnel were brought back to Syria from Russia on the return leg of these transport flights than were taken out. What has changed is the force mix and capabilities Russia is now deploying to support President Bashar al-Assads war effort. The combat-proven Mi-35 Hind helicopter gunship detachment has seen its numbers increased, while the more modern Mi-28 Havoc and state-of-the-art Ka-52 Alligator have joined the fight for the first time. While the air-superiority-focused Su-30 and Su-35S fighters remain along with some of the Su-24 bomber aircraft the fixed-wing contingent of Russias air campaign has seen its firepower substantially reduced since mid-March. With the ceasefire between Assad and moderate rebel forces around Aleppo mostly holding for now, fighting has shifted towards the actual stated aim of Russias original intervention Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). The recent recapture of Palmyra from ISIL is an impressive achievement for the Syrian army and Russian air and technical support. In the more mobile warfare around Palmyra, low-flying helicopter gunships are more effective and militarily relevant than they were during operations against besieged moderate opposition-held cities. By contrast, the indiscriminate Russian carpet bombing with unguided missiles and cluster munitions conducted against rebel-held cities in support of Assads offensives around Aleppo and elsewhere have less psychological and tactical value against mobile ISIL forces fighting in open territory. It therefore makes sense for Russia to increase its forces with helicopter gunships as opposed to fighter jets. There is increased risk, however, that more Russian aircrew might be lost since even modern low-flying helicopters are at risk from the plentiful shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS) used by various rebel groups in Syria. READ MORE: Syrias war a showroom for Russian arms sales The Mi-28 Havoc is roughly analogous to the US-made AH-64 Apache helicopter, which has been a mainstay of Western operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is well suited for close air support for Assads ground forces in relatively open terrain, being able to remain on station for longer than a fighter jet and repeat attacks more frequently with missiles, rockets, and cannon fire. The Ka-52 Alligator, meanwhile, is a more unconventional aircraft with double sets of main rotor blades mounted on top of each other and no tail rotor. This gives it advantages over conventional helicopters in terms of speed, power-to-weight ratio, and damage resistance. Its appearance in Syria the first combat use of its type is noteworthy for two reasons. First, as with the use of air superiority fighters, stealth cruise missiles, and the latest T-90M tank model, it is another example of Russias tendency to use Syria as an opportunity to showcase as many of its advanced systems for the export market as possible, even where not militarily necessary. Secondly, it suggests that Russias special forces presence on the ground in Syria is increasingly kinetic. This is because while the Mi-28 is intended to be the Russian regular armys standard attack helicopter, the Ka-52 is specifically assigned to the Russian special forces as their organic air support. Despite Russias stated intention to withdraw the majority of its forces from Syria, the drawdown of the fixed-wing jet presence has masked an overall build-up that has seen the latter replaced with helicopter gunships. What remains strange is that Putin is not making greater political use of the achievements of his combat forces in Syria, now that they are genuinely taking a lead in fighting ISIL with notable success rather than bombing Western-backed moderate rebel forces in besieged cities. Justin Bronk is a Research Fellow in Military Sciences at the Royal United Services Institute The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy UN figures show the destruction of homes in the occupied territories has tripled since January. The Israeli military has tripled its demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures in the occupied territories over the past three months, a United Nations report says. Figures collated by the UNs office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA) which operates in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem show from an average of 50 demolitions a month in 2012-2015, the number rose to 165 since January, with 235 demolitions in February alone. On Thursday, Israeli authorities demolished Palestinian buildings in al-Khan al-Ahmar village near the West Bank city of Jericho, and in Khirbet Tana village near Nablus. Inside Story Punishing the Palestinians One of the owners of the demolished structures in al-Khan al-Ahmar, Hussein Kaabneh, said the demolition team came in the morning without warning. I was surprised by the police and army so I was very mad. I asked them, Why do you want to demolish it? I did not get a warning or anything. And he told me, You are [your structure is] not legal, Kaabneh told Reuters news agency. The Israeli military, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, says it carries out the demolitions because the structures are illegal: either built without a permit, in a closed military area or firing zone, or violating other planning and zoning restrictions. The UN and rights groups point out that permits are almost impossible for Palestinians to acquire, that firing zones are often declared but seldom used, and many planning restrictions date from the British Mandate in the 1930s. The UN report on demolitions has alarmed diplomats and human rights groups over what they regard as a sustained violation of international law. It is a very marked and worrying increase, said Catherine Cook, an OCHA official based in Jerusalem who closely monitors the demolitions, describing the situation as the worst since the UN body started collecting figures in 2009. The hardest hit are Bedouin and Palestinian farming communities who are at risk of forcible transfer, which is a clear violation of international law, she said. READ MORE: Israel demolishes Palestinian-owned homes in West Bank The demolished structures include houses, Bedouin tents, livestock pens, outhouses and schools. In an increasing number of cases, it also includes humanitarian buildings erected by the European Union to help those affected by earlier demolitions. Appearing before a sub-committee in the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, Major-General Yoav Mordechai coordinator of the Israeli governments activities in the West Bank defended the demolition policy and told politicians he was doing all he could to carry out 11,000 outstanding destruction orders. Israel begins demolishing homes over attacks The politicians summoned Mordechai to the hearing because of concerns he is not doing enough to dismantle Palestinian structures, and focusing instead on removing unauthorised Israeli construction in the West Bank. I want to state unequivocally that enforcement is more severe towards the Palestinians, Mordechai told them. Moreover, much of the enforcement with regard to the Palestinians takes place on private Palestinian land. According to BTselem, an Israeli human rights group, Mordechais admission appears to confirm that Israels policy discriminates against Palestinians. There is undoubtedly a wave of demolitions and displacements that is severely threatening the ability of thousands of Palestinians to live in these areas, said Sarit Michaeli, the spokeswoman for BTselem. To demolish the homes of Palestinians who are protected under the Geneva Conventions and to build [Israeli] settlements is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, she said. READ MORE: Israel tears down seven Palestinian homes in 24 hours Last month, the European Union hit out at Israeli authorities after a school funded by the French government was demolished. In the West Bank, an estimated 18 percent of the area has been declared by Israeli authorities as firing zones, and 38 Palestinian communities are located within these areas. Because the Israeli civil administration prohibits building in these areas, wide-scale demolitions frequently take place. Throughout occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, some 90,000 Palestinians are facing potential displacement, according to OCHA. Libyas new unity government has been thrown into chaos, as the head of its rival Tripoli-based authority apparently refused to cede power. Contradicting an earlier announcement that his National Salvation Government was ready to step aside, Tripolis unrecognised Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweil urged his ministers not to stand down in a statement on Wednesday. Given the requirements of public interest you are requested to continue your mission in accordance with the law, he said, threatening to prosecute anyone working with the new government. Libyas UN-backed government sails into Tripoli The reason for the U-turn was not immediately clear, but suggests a split within the Tripoli authority that seized the city two years ago, forcing out the internationally recognised government. The move derails a United Nations push to end the instability that has ripped Libya apart for five years, one day before its envoy Martin Kobler reports to the Security Council on his progress. Moments before Ghweils statement, Kobler had urged a rapid and complete handover of power to the unity government, warning that a fragile peace in Tripoli may not hold if the new government were unable to deliver. The UN envoy had also called on Libyas internationally recognised eastern parliament to hold a long-sought vote on whether to approve the UN-backed Government of National Accord, and said that the chamber risked being sidelined if it failed to do so, according to Reuters news agency. Ghweils administration seized Tripoli in mid-2014 with the support of powerful regional militias, forcing the government backed by the international community to flee to the countrys far east. Sarrajs Government of National Accord was created under a power-sharing deal agreed by rival politicians in December. He arrived in Tripoli under escort by sea last week, established his headquarters at a naval base and had been moving to bolster his authority. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is accused of setting up the court in Punjabs main city, but describes it as an arbitration service. Pakistani authorities opened a probe into reports that a charity run by an armed group had established an Islamic court separate from the regular judiciary in the eastern city of Lahore. Zaeem Qadri, a spokesman for Punjabs provincial government, was quoted as saying in the Dawn newspaper on Thursday that an investigation was under way as authorities had not been aware that Lashkar-e-Taibas charitable wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, had created such a court in the city. Yahya Mujahid, a spokesman for Jamaat, denied the court was a parallel judicial system, saying it worked as an arbitration service with the consent of two rival parties to settle disputes. He said Islamic scholars make the decisions. A real estate agent in Lahore, Khalid Saeed, said he received a summons from the court that threatened it would take action against him in case of noncompliance under Islamic law. I started receiving calls from someone that the case has been decided against me, Saeed told The Associated Press. The caller told me to deposit nearly 10 million rupees [$100,000] with the court. The document introduced the council as the Shariah Supreme Court and carried a stamp from a judge assigned by the group. Jamaat denied it issued the summons. Legal analysts say such a system is illegal and unconstitutional. However, in Pakistans northwestern tribal regions along the Afghan border the Taliban has operated such courts. Lashkar, which has been accused of carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was set up with the aid of Pakistani intelligence to fight in the disputed region of Kashmir. The government has officially banned the group but has done little to crack down on it. New PM appointed amid calls for early elections later in the year, after Panama Papers led previous leader to step down. Icelands government has named a new prime minister and called for early elections later in the year, a day after Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson quit, becoming the first politician brought down by the Panama Papers leaks. The two coalition partners, the Progressive Party and the Independence Party, agreed after talks on late Wednesday to hand the prime ministerial post to the agriculture minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, 53, of the former. READ MORE: Panama Papers huge leak alleges elites hiding money It is a big burden in this situation. It is not the most happy situation when I am taking the prime ministers seat but I will try to do my best and I am hoping that the people of Iceland will see that the new government will increase the stability both in politics and in governance, Johannsson told reporters. The government said the decision to hold elections in autumn would give it time to follow through on one of the biggest economic policy changes in decades the ending of capital controls introduced to rescue the economy from the 2008 financial crisis. The opposition has been trying to force a new election with a vote of no confidence in the government, which could lead to a radical political shift. Undisclosed firm Gunnlaugsson quit as prime minister on Tuesday after leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm showed his wife owned an offshore company that held millions of dollars in debt from failed Icelandic banks. The Panama documents revealed that Gunnlaugssons wife owned a previously undisclosed firm with what the government says is $4.1m in claims on the islands collapsed banks. His opponents have said that represents a conflict of interest, because the government is negotiating the value of such claims. I feel that it is proper on this night to let the new prime minister have the stage, that the next prime minister is a solid and a good man so there is a good reason to congratulate Icelanders, he said before Johannsson spoke to the press. Iceland has struggled to recover from the 2008 collapse of its highly indebted banks, which led to popular protests, the fall of a government and the jailing of many bankers. Many Icelanders still harbour a strong distrust of their leaders. A few thousand demonstrators gathered for another evening of protests in front of the parliament building on Wednesday, some pelting parliament with yoghurt and eggs. President Varela commissions new panel to evaluate practices and propose measures in consultation with other countries. Panamas government is creating an international committee of experts to recommend ways to boost transparency in the Central American countrys offshore financial industry, after the leak of information from a local law firm that has embarrassed a clutch of world leaders. The Panamanian government, via our foreign ministry, will create an independent commission of domestic and international experts to evaluate our current practices and propose the adoption of measures that we will share with other countries of the world to strengthen the transparency of the financial and legal systems, President Juan Carlos Varela said in a televised address on Wednesday. Governments across the world have begun investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful after the leak of more than 11.5 million documents, dubbed the Panama Papers, from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. In his brief statement, Varela reiterated that Panama would work with other countries in an effort to boost transparency after the leak, which was published in an investigation by the US-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and various news organisations. The papers have revealed financial arrangements of prominent figures, including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain and Pakistan and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as Ukraines president. Panama is still considering who will be in the commission, and Gian Castillero, a senior government adviser, said that he expected it to report within six months, Reuters news agency reported. Panama reputation suffers As he takes steps to strengthen controls, Varela defended Panama against what he called a media attack by wealthy nations that he says are ignoring their own deficiencies and unfairly stigmatising Panama. Castillero conceded that the leak had hurt the reputation of Panama, which has an economy that was 83 percent services-based, he said. Frances government responded to the revelations on Tuesday by saying it would put Panama back on its list of uncooperative countries, though Castillero was dismissive of the move. The declarations from France are emotional and political declarations which shouldnt be repeated, he said in response to a question about whether other countries could follow Frances lead. Castillero stressed that no proof had been found to show Mossack Fonseca had acted improperly. And he was adamant that the fact that founding partner Ramon Fonseca was a friend of Varelas would not affect the governments judgement of the firm. I dont think its really that difficult, he said. Chinese state media says Pyongyang becoming a regional security threat with repeated missile tests and provocations. North Korea tried to test-launch a ballistic missile from a submarine, a website that monitors the reclusive state reported, as Chinese state media said defiant actions by Pyongyang have become a threat to regional security. In a report published on Thursday, NK News said the attempted launch involved a Sinpo-class submarine, a new type of naval vessel built by the Korean Peoples Army. The website said the submarine sailed towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, prompting South Korean intelligence to track the vessels movement. But it turned back without firing the missile. It seems that the submarine dealt with a malfunction during the process of their fourth SLBM [submarine ballistic missile] test launch and decided to return, an unidentified former South Korean admiral told the site. READ MORE: North Korea to pursue more nuclear deterrence The incident on Wednesday was first reported by the South Korean cable television Maeil Broadcasting Network. South Koreas defence ministry did not comment on the report. News of Pyongyangs latest military manouevre comes as its closest ally, Beijing, has become more pointed in its criticism of North Korea. On Thursday, the state publication China Daily cautioned in an opinion piece about playing into Pyongyangs hands by single-mindedly advocating for peace. Peace-brokering should never be at the price of appeasing Pyongyangs nuclear ambition, the English-language site said, adding that North Korea has a credibility problem when it comes to denuclearisation. If it is trying to simply buy time for a fifth nuclear test with its request for talks, Pyongyang does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. On Wednesday, China banned most imports of North Korean coal and iron ore in response to ongoing missile tests. Beijing is North Koreas only major ally and aid donor but says its influence over Kim Jong Uns government is limited. But Chinese leaders are also reluctant to lean too hard on North Korea for fear the collapse of Kims government could set off a flood of refugees and further heighten military tensions on the divided peninsula. In a letter, Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir calls on the Taliban leadership to negotiate with the US and Western governments. A senior Taliban commander has released a letter proposing a new strategy for the movement that includes negotiating with the United States and other Western governments. In a statement to top Taliban members, Mullah Qayyum Zakir said the leadership of the movement must embrace new internal and external policies. Zakirs 12-point proposal includes negotiating with the Kabul administration and foreign governments on the implementation of Islamic law, and improving military strategy and coordination within the group. However, Zabihullah Mujahid the Taliban spokesman and a close aide of its leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor said Zakirs proposal had not been received. Left Behind: US Afghan translators We dont know anything about the new strategy, but I will keep saying that we are not going to negotiate with foreign governments and will only focus on bringing back Sharia [Islamic] law, Mujahid told Al Jazeera. Al Jazeeras Jennifer Glasse, reporting from Kabul, said if the proposal was accepted it would represent a significant shift for the Taliban, which has long demanded the full withdrawal of all Western forces from Afghanistan before any negotiations with the government take place. Mullah Zakir was long seen as a rival to the new Taliban leader Mansoor. After his appointment Zakir refused to pledge allegiance to him. However, last month Zakir was reported to have finally pledged fealty. Rifts within the Taliban Mullah Mansoors appointment was disputed amid reports of rifts within the leadership emerging. Violent clashes were reported between two rival Taliban groups in southern Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen fighters from both sides. A first round of direct peace talks was held last summer in Pakistan, but the process quickly derailed after the announcement of the death of Taliban founder Mullah Omar. The Taliban, toppled from power in a US-led invasion in 2001, has waged an armed campaign to overthrow the Afghan government and re-establish its rule. The nearly 15-year conflict has killed thousands of people and strained the countrys economy. Last October, US President Barack Obama announced that thousands of US troops would remain in Afghanistan past 2016, keeping the current American force of 9,800 troops in place amid a surge in Taliban attacks. Staff at cement plant near town of Dumayr abducted by ISIL fighters and moved to unknown location, reports say. More than 300 staff at a cement factory east of Damascus have been kidnapped after an attack earlier this week by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), Syrian state TV said. Hundreds of employees at the Al Badia Cement company were taken by ISIL fighters from a factory in the town of Dumayr, 50km east of the Syrian capital, the report quoted the industry ministry as saying on Thursday. It added the workers employer had lost all contact with them. Syrian army recaptures city of Palmyra from ISIL However, there were conflicting reports on Thursday about the number of people missing, with local sources telling Al Jazeera that the number was far less than 300. Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon, said rebels belonging to a rival group managed to secure the release of most of those kidnapped. Sources said ISIL initially killed or beheaded 10 of those who were taken, accusing them of espionage, and that fewer than 100 of them remained in captivity. The conflicting reports show the lack of clarity on the ground, Elshayyal said. Residents in the nearby area of Giraud, however, said they saw ISIL vehicles carrying nearly 125 workers and heading to the town of Tel Dkoh, which is controlled by the group, local official Nadeem Krizan told Syrias official news agency SANA. He did not account for the other workers reportedly seized. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of staff had disappeared, while a plant administrator put the figure at 250. The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria for information, added the ISIL attack on Dumayr killed at least 20 Syrian soldiers and allied paramilitary fighters. A resident of Dumeir, 50km east of the Syrian capital, told the AFP news agency that contact with family members had been lost since noon on Monday. There is information that the workers might have been kidnapped by Islamic State (ISIL) and taken to an unknown destination, Rami Abdel Rahman, the Observatorys head, told the DPA news agency. READ MORE: Syrian army launches Aleppo counter-offensive The cement factory lies outside Dumayr, which has seen fierce battles between government forces and ISIL fighters inside the town. A Syrian security source told AFP that ISIL also tried to seize a nearby airbase and power plant from the government, without succeeding. ISILs latest attacks near Damascus are seen as retaliation for military setbacks suffered by the group elsewhere in Syria. Last month, Syrian regime forces backed by Russian warplanes drove ISIL from the strategic and ancient city of Palmyra, which the fighters had controlled for 10 months. About 2,000 people evacuated from their homes after El Nino-enhanced downpours hit South America. Torrential rain has triggered flooding in northern Argentina and Uruguay. About 2,000 people have already been evacuated in Argentinas province of Entre Rios, according to Uruguayan newspaper El Pais. Rainfall totals of more than 250mm have been reported in regions across both Uruguay and Argentina, causing the river levels to rise. A number of families in Uruguay were preparing to be evacuated from their homes on Wednesday, after the Joint Technical Commission of Salto Grande announced that the Uruguay River was expected to rise to 12 metres at Puerto Salto. Northern Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil often endure flooding during El Nino, when the waters of the Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual. The current El Nino event has been one of the strongest on record, and the excessive amounts of rain has already triggered flooding in the region. The torrential rain is expected to continue until Saturday, when the rain should slowly move away to the north. Italy threatens with sanctions, as Italian and Egyptian prosecutors meet in Rome to discuss Giulio Regenis murder. The search for the truth about the brutal killing of Giulio Regeni, the 28-year old Italian researcher found dead in a ditch in the outskirts of Cairo two months ago, is turning into one of the most delicate diplomatic cases Italy has dealt with recently. It is also putting to a hard test the credibility of the Italian government. Italian and Egyptian prosecutors are expected to meet in Rome on Thursday in what the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, described as a crucial meeting to reach a solution to the case. Gentiloni warned the Egyptians that Italys patience was running out. Unless there is a change of pace [by Egypt], Italy is ready to react by adopting immediate and proportional measures, Gentiloni said on Tuesday, in what sounded like a direct threat to Cairo. The stormy exchange of statements between Rome and Cairo, the unproductive string of visits and documents between the investigative teams as well as the Egyptian authorities ever changing versions on how Regeni was murdered came to a climax on Tuesday when Gentiloni issued his strongest statement since the start of the case. We will not let Italys dignity be trampled on, he said, addressing the Italian Senate. We are at a turning point. We are not sure how much closer to the truth well get, but the decision to send the prosecutor and police officials to Rome on Thursday marks a change of direction by the Egyptian side, said Stefano Stefanini, columnist at the daily La Stampa and a former diplomat. OPINION: An Italian students death in Cairo and now we care? Regenis death, according to analysts, has turned into an issue of national pride that the Italian government can no longer afford to neglect. Italy can take a series of significant diplomatic measures, like recalling its Ambassador, discouraging researchers and students from going to Egypt, or issuing a travel ban. by Paolo Valentino, an editorial of Il Corriere The indignation of the Italian public opinion has been growing proportionally to the inability or unwillingness of the Egyptian authorities to provide answers to the Italian prosecutors investigating the case. The shocking details about the torture, and the week-long ordeal suffered by the Italian student, sparked public outrage and disgust, prompting spontaneous protest campaigns throughout Italy that are not yet abating. Regeni, a Cambridge student, went missing on the evening of January 25, on the fifth anniversary of the 2011 popular uprising, as security forces were raiding Cairos landmarks in an attempt to abort possible protests. Regenis body, half-naked and mutilated, was found a week later on the desert road between Cairo and Alexandria. Human rights organisations said the burns and wounds on the Italian were consistent with the methods of torture used by Egyptian security services to repress the opposition. However, the Egyptian authorities have always denied the involvement of its security officers and never questioned them. For weeks the public prosecutor and investigators shared as little information as possible with their Italian counterparts, while the interior ministry started offering different versions of the story. The first was that the researcher had been killed by drug dealers; another version stated that the killing had occurred within Regenis research field, the Egyptian unions; a week ago, Egyptian police claimed they had killed Regenis kidnappers, apparently common burglars, in a shootout and found his bag with all his documents. All versions presented blatant inconsistencies that were promptly rejected by the Italian authorities as attempts to provide a convenient truth. The truth might be uncomfortable, but we cannot ignore it, Stefanini said. Italy, not only Regenis family, deserves the truth, while Egypt cannot lose its face. The dialogue starting in Rome is based on this delicate balance. The justice that Italy asks for wont happen through the humiliation of Egypt. READ MORE: Egypts system of injustice Italy, according to its foreign minister, was still expecting to receive key information that the Egyptians have refused to share so far, including data on Regenis phone traffic and video of the underground metro stations in the area from where the student allegedly disappeared. If the Egyptian delegation failed in the expected meeting on Thursday to present these two important chapters of the dossier, dialogue between the two sides will be most likely seriously compromised and it will be difficult for the Italian investigators to ever reach the truth. So far Rome had put up with the lack of cooperation and shunned a more aggressive tone in an attempt to prevent a breaking point. But the constant diplomatic pressure, while helping the dismissal of improbable versions on the death of Regeni, hasnt brought the prosecutors closer to the truth. We expect a strong reaction by the Italian government, said Regenis parents, who had earlier set the deadline of April 5 to demand a final word on the case. But how far Italy is willing to go in a case that has already strained relations between the two countries, remains to be seen. Italy can take a series of significant diplomatic measures, like recalling its Ambassador, discouraging researchers and students from going to Egypt, or issuing a travel ban, Paolo Valentino, an editor of Il Corriere explained. Other measures might include a downgrading of diplomatic ties, a cancellation of the intergovernmental meetings that were agreed upon by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2014. However nobody would like to invoke economic measures. It is difficult to think of a possible embargo that would compromise Italys role as second commercial partner of Egypt after Germany, Valentino added. Italy has strong economic interests in the Arab country, where last year the state-owned Italian oil company ENI discovered a giant offshore gas field that might be the largest in the Mediterranean. Economic ties are not the only ones at stake. Egypt is deeply involved in Libya, where Italy is supporting a strong diplomatic push for the creation of a national unity government supported by all factions. Egypt is a negotiating partner in stabilising a region that poses huge security challenges to Italy and Europe alike. Once a communist dictatorship, Poland is generally considered a successful democracy. But are those freedoms now at risk? With its new nationalist government caught in a deepening constitutional crisis and xenophobia and racial intolerance on the rise, some fear that the countrys widening divisions could prove fatal to its future stability. Even some of its European Union neighbours are now deeply concerned. We went to find out why. FILMMAKERS VIEW By Glenn Ellis and Katerina Barushka Poland has the fastest-growing economy in the EU. Its citizens enjoy living standards far higher than their counterparts in, say, Hungary, Bulgaria or Romania. Yet Poland, Eastern Europes best example of a communist dictatorship transformed into a Western-style democracy, is now caught up in a worsening political and constitutional crisis. Shortly after coming to power in October 2015, its new ultra-conservative government, formed by the PiS (the Law and Justice Party), began to introduce legislation that liberal critics protested could curtail human rights and free speech and damage the independence of the judiciary. Within weeks those opponents were out on the streets in large numbers and the political atmosphere, already made poisonous by a rising tide of xenophobia amid Europes refugee emergency, suddenly became much worse. Polands European Union partners began to sit up and take notice. In the summer the opposition party, PiS, put on its banners 'We will not allow the country to be inundated by foreigners,' a kind of Donald Trump argument, and it worked beautifully. Suddenly it became perfectly OK to lie about refugees, to slander them by Konstanty Gebert, Polish journalist We wanted to find out more, especially about the racial tension which wed heard was permeating Polish society to an unprecedented degree. We arrived in Warsaw on a freezing February morning to meet Professor Rafal Pankowski, director of the Never Again Association, an independent public body that documents racial hate crime. He told us that recently the organisation had become much busier. We used to register five to 10 cases a week but in the last year weve had about five or 10 cases a day, so theres a very sharp rise. Some attacks are against people of different skin colour or different ethnic or religious background. This is ironic because the number of people who belong to ethnic minorities in Poland is very small. There are also symbolic attacks against synagogues, mosques and cemeteries. Just yesterday we were told of a desecration of a cemetery which was covered with swastikas. So what lies behind growing intolerance? Snow was falling as we left for our next appointment to meet Konstanty Gebert, a respected writer and commentator on Polish affairs. Gebert believes that the EUs proposed quota system for taking in refugees deepened hostility towards foreigners, though the roots of this intolerance date back to the horrors of World War II. Poland emerged from the war defeated, half its territory amputated, six million citizens dead, but one of the spinoffs of all that horror was ethnic cleansing, done by others. Poland, which all through its history was a multi-ethnic country, found itself in 1945 almost 100 percent Polish, so there is a silver lining . And this feeling repeats itself throughout the region: Its a good thing to be amongst your own, its a bad thing to have foreigners, and suddenly Europe wants us not only to tolerate but actually to bring foreigners in. Gebert pinpointed for us the moment when in his view the situation turned critical. It was during the 2015 election campaign. In the summer the opposition party, PiS, put on its banners We will not allow the country to be inundated by foreigners, a kind of Donald Trump argument, and it worked beautifully. Suddenly it became perfectly OK to lie about refugees, to slander them. The leader of the opposition (Jaroslav Kaczynski) explained why he didnt want the refugees: Those people bring in diseases, parasites, bacteria that dont affect them but affect us. Intolerance on the rise But instead of being punished by the electorate, Kaczynskis party, the PiS, won 37 percent of the vote, giving it a narrow majority in both the upper and lower houses. And since then the countrys divisions seemed to have widened dramatically. Despite being neither Prime Minister nor President, as party leader Kaczynski wields almost complete authority over the government and his opponents accuse him of wielding it ruthlessly. In the past four months, they say he has effectively paralysed the constitutional court, put national TV and radio in the hands of party loyalists and introduced a bill giving the intelligence services greater surveillance powers which many fear will be used to monitor troublesome journalists and government critics. Concern about the governments actions is not merely domestic. Both the US and the EU have publicly expressed their anxiety, especially about reforms of Polands Constitutional Court that would see the PiS party pack the court with its own supporters and circumscribe its power to veto legislation. Indeed, when we were in Poland, Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europes Commissioner for Human Rights, was there on a fact-finding mission amid growing concern in Brussels that Polish democracy is at risk. They by Pierre, they left me.] I heard a lot of frustration about the pace of change, that laws were adopted in an untransparent way, he told us, and one of my primary messages to the authorities was slow down, consult with your professional associations, consult with your international partners and make sure you dont make some serious mistakes that will cause you a lot of trouble. We wanted to talk to the PiS and its leader to get a response to opposition claims and concerns and to find out what drives its combative political philosophy and its apparent sense of being surrounded by enemies seeking to bring the country down. Unfortunately, our numerous requests for an interview went unanswered. But were told that clues to its mindset lie in the national catastrophe of 2010 when a plane carrying the then president Lech Kaczynski, Jaroslavs twin brother, crashed. The Smolensk disaster is Polands 9/11 moment, etched into the collective psyche; many political and cultural figures were on their way to commemorate the Katyn massacre a wartime atrocity in which thousands of Polish army officers were shot by Soviet forces when their plane crashed in thick fog. EU Council President Donald Tusk was Polish prime minister at the time. Some in the PiS openly accuse Russias Vladimir Putin of being behind the plane crash and charge Tusk with a cover-up an allegation which Tusk dismisses as ludicrous. But critics say conspiracy theories are not uncommon in the PiS. For example, Kaczynski also claims that another former president, Lech Walesa, one of Polands most famous and revered citizens (as leader of the Solidarity trade union in the 1980s he helped sow the seeds that brought communism to an end) was actually an agent for the Soviet powers. Walesa vehemently denied the charge when we managed to catch up with him for a quick interview. They use a Russian, a Soviet ploy. Russia, the Soviet Union does not exist without an enemy. The capitalists, the Americans, Chechnya, all this was and is necessary to rule the country. So the people from the ruling party here are using the same methods, they are looking for an enemy in order to remain in power by using threats, allegations. The governments response to criticisms from home and abroad is that they should be dismissed as an attempt to destabilise the country. A weak Poland is comfortable for different powers in Europe and outside Europe, Kaczynski told supporters last month as he picked up an award for Man of the Year from a pro-government magazine. But for many the consequences of Polands lurch to the right are much more unpleasant. The more chauvinistic the public discourse becomes, the more latitude the countrys increasingly vocal hard right-wing extremists seem to feel for their actions. And this is becoming apparent in the rise of racist assaults. Take Pierre, an African living somewhere outside the capital, Warsaw, who insisted on anonymity while describing an attack by eight men in a public toilet which left him hospitalised. They came up behind me and started beating me, and even some people who were in the toilet were just laughing, and when they saw that I was not able to move maybe they think that I am dead so that they left me. On another icy morning, instead of tourists in Warsaws beautiful historic Old Town we found a nationalist demonstration of thousands of hard-right Poles some carrying anti-Islamic banners and others even giving Hitler salutes. It was a chilling spectacle, particularly in a country which suffered so much at the hands of the Nazis in World War II. The protest had been organised by Robert Winnicki, one of a new batch of ultra right-wing MPs now in parliament, even further to the right than PiS. Nevertheless Winnicki says he has a close working relationship with the government, though hed like them to go further. The demonstration is organised against Islamisation, he told us. We believe that what is happening in Europe is a deadly threat to our civilisation. This invasion of immigrants poses a threat to Europe, because just like when Rome collapsed in the 5th century as a result of barbarian invasions, in the same way todays Europe can also perish. It would be completely wrong to suggest that Winnicki speaks for most Poles, or even indeed that Jaroslav Kaczynski does. Quite the opposite is true. According to recent opinion polls, a majority of the countrys citizens believe their democracy is in danger and there have been countless demonstrations against the direction Kaczynski is taking Poland. But whats happening in Warsaw isnt a uniquely Polish phenomenon; its a reflection of something thats happening across much of east and central Europe. While EU leaders dither over the refugee crisis, increasingly authoritarian and populist politicians are filling the power vacuum, making full use of the kind of harsh rhetoric that would never be tolerated in Western Europe. Editors note: Last month Polands Constitutional Court ruled against legislation seeking to amend the way it operates, which, it said, would limit the tribunals ability to function independently. The government rejected that ruling but says it is now holding talks with opposition parties to resolve the impasse. In a similar manner to the simultaneous Fataka release by Evan Parker and Seymour Wright , Muddy Ditch successfully pairs a long-established member of the London improv scene with a player who emerged from Eddie Prevost's weekly workshop drummer Steve Noble and pianist Sebastian Lexer, respectively. But in Noble and Lexer's cases, the descriptions "drummer" and "pianist" are barely adequate, only scratching the surface of what each of them does.While Noble's awesome power always ensures he is a first rate drummer, as he demonstrates here he is also a stunning improviser on percussion, able to generate a vast array of sounds and effects at a moment's notice in response to his playing partner. While never losing sight of the pulseinjecting an occasional cymbal or snare shot to keep it on trackhis playing concentrates primarily on the qualities of the sounds themselves. Consequently, he is just as much in the spotlight as his partner. Lexer himself is credited with "piano+," a fitting designation for the breadth of sounds that he conjures from the instrument with the use of electronics plus laptop, notably to sustain notes longer than a piano alone would permit. Although the listener is never allowed to forget that Lexer is playing piano, his music contains enough variety to mesh with the range pouring forth from Noble.The two tracks on Muddy Ditch were recorded live at Cafe Oto, almost three years apart, "Pool" in October 2011, at one of this duo's first gigs together, and "Loess" in June 2014. Their durations are twenty-eight and thirty-seven minutes, respectively, lengths which allow plenty of time for the pair to explore one another's playing without seeming unduly rushed or over-elaborating; everything proceeds at a pace which feels just right. Their music covers a wide variety of dynamic levels, from the quietest exchanges of barely audible tappings through to swelling climaxes, the moves through the gears always feeling natural and unforced.Despite the years between the two pieces, there are no obvious changes or developments in the pair's interactions between 2011 and 2014; right from the off, the two seem to have been compatible and attuned to each other, without any of the tentative or over-cautious exchanges that can characterise new improv pairings. As with that Parker / Wright disc, we must hope that Muddy Ditch is followed-up with another release from this duo as soon as possible. About 300 people shouted in English and Spanish as they marched through campus Wednesday. Several UF student organizations hosted Take Back the Night, a march and rally about sexual assault, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Survivors of sexual violence and supporters walked about a mile around campus. Students started on the Plaza of the Americas and walked to Tigert Hall, up 13th Street and along University Avenue chanting slogans like Unite tonight, take back the night and Yes means yes, no means no. The march ended back on the Plaza of the Americas. Its a walk of empowerment to recognize the survivors of sexual violence, said Rebecca Kravitz, a UF applied physiology and kinesiology and womens studies sophomore and an organizer of the event. This could be a safer community. We can make it a safer community. Before leaving for the march at 7 p.m., participants created signs reading Not your fault and Blame rapists, not boobs. Kravitz said students should feel comfortable walking at night. Its taking back the night back for us and the survivors, the 20-year-old. Diamond Delaney, a UF public relations senior, gave the opening remarks. She told the audience shes a sexual assault survivor. She said later, when she first came to college, she didnt understand what consent was. I was taught silence, not how to share my story, she said. I felt like I could not be anything but a victim until I heard other people tell their stories. Rita Lawrence, the interpersonal violence prevention coordinator and advisor for Sexual Trauma/Interpersonal Violence Education, said the event had been held on campus for about 30 years. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Its a time for survivors and all of us to claim our time, she said. Melissa Gomez About 300 supporters march through UF campus Wednesday evening as part of the annual Take Back the Night event to raise awareness about sexual assault. Lawrence said STRIVE has been planning the march since November. She said it costs less than $1,000 to put on the event. Other organizations sponsored it. Kristen Croft, a UF environmental engineering senior, made a sign to hold during the march. It was kind of awkward at first but then it was empowering, the 22-year-old said. Towards the end, as the chanting got louder, it was emotional. Croft said she holds her keys in her hand when she walks alone at night. I never feel safe at night, she said. I think no woman does. After the march, survivors of sexual assault spoke onstage about their experiences. I think it was a really great to hear survivors tell their story and feel stronger by doing so, Kravitz said. @MerylKornfield mkornfield@alligator.org During Take Back the Night, survivors of sexual assault spoke about their stories. For each of those who spoke, a candle was lit. When I became Student Body president, I wanted to make sure that diversity was more than just a checkmark. Because I want to chip away at the racism, classism and discrimination that exists in Student Government issues that will continue to plague SG going forward. On Tuesday, the Student Senate chose to reject my nominees for the Supreme Court for purely political purposes. But thats not the uniquely disheartening part. The majority party in the Senate has routinely blocked my nominations throughout this year because I refused to participate in the status quo of dividing our students along lines of affiliation. The uniquely disheartening part of the Senates behavior is that they used the guise of diversity as their justification. As someone who cares about the true spirit of diversity and inclusion, I was and continue to be inflamed, and, frankly, disgusted. My two nominees were law students who went through an interview process after the entire law school was emailed 8 times about the vacancy. I made my appointments in February. It took the Senate two months to even hear my appointments. Not once did senators raise a question about process or diversity. Adam Trumbly and Kenneth Cunningham are my two nominees. Theyre qualified and unbiased. Adam created a law student organization, does pro bono work and will be interning with the U.S. Department of Justice this summer. Kenneth is a 15-year army veteran and has owned two businesses. They respect the rule of law and the importance of the court. But I was told my nominees were not diverse enough. Did I mention Kenneth would be the first openly gay veteran to serve on the court, or that Adam would be the first Native American? Theyre more than just a diversity check mark on somebodys list. Theyre human beings. Theyre Gators. But the Senate still shot them down because they didnt have the right identity they wanted a woman, according to several opposing senators. I could have appointed the first LGBTQ+ woman of color to the court, and it still wouldnt have mattered. The Senate would have rejected my nominee regardless. Their actions are driven by partisan games and their hatred of me. The senators who voted down these students showed that their identities as a gay man and a Native American werent worth anything more to them than a political ploy devoid of substance. They revealed a real problem in our SG, our university and our wider community. On Tuesday, senators prevented two qualified law students from serving and used diversity as a political talking point. If diversity was truly important to the senators who spoke against these nominees, why was my effort to mandate diversity training for executive branch members blocked by the Senate Judiciary Committee this past Sunday? Diversity wasnt important April 3, but two days later on April 5, diversity is paramount? Ive been disappointed by the divisive and manipulative tactics of some student leaders this year but never more than this week. I thank the members of the majority party who voted with their conscience. I hope they will work with me as I spend the remaining days of my administration to fight for two nominees whom I know represent the best of this university. Please urge your Student Senate to rise to the occasion and confirm these two nominees. Find your senator on sg.ufl.edu and reach out to them about two candidates who embody the importance of diversity, qualifications and what the Gator Good is all about. Joselin Padron-Rasines is the UF Student Body president. Her column appears monthly. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now We live in a world full of myths. Never mind the tales of Japanese-animated Italian-American plumbers loading up on mushrooms and picking fights with fire-breathing dinosaurs, nor the tales of an undocumented bunny who cant keep track of his eggs. (And why do we insist on sending our children to pick up after his mess?) No, what we wish to discuss is the collection of falsehoods so many of us commonly accept as probably true. Ann Coulter returned to the political scene April 5 to grace us all with her infinite wisdom. Now, immediately, we at the Alligator are caught in a dilemma with Coulter: On the one hand, we dont want to waste our time or yours addressing her likely improvised talking points. But she made a comment to Chris Matthews on MSNBC that cant go unchallenged. Responding to Matthews on abortion and pro-life, Coulter professed, Women are going to get a lot more abortions if we dont close our border with Mexico and bring in all of Latin American rape culture. For reasons we cant fathom, Matthews didnt even question Coulters response; he just went on to the next commentator and then ended the segment with, Youre amazing, Ann Coulter. Thanks for coming on. Really, MSNBC? Well, well pick up where Matthews should have left off. Clearly Coulter is trying to score political points, perhaps to regain some momentum for her 2014 book Adios, America! The Lefts Plan to Turn Our Country Into a Third World Hellhole. Maybe shes trying to give us a sneak peek of her sequel? If Latin American culture was really so as complacent with rape, then Latin America should top the charts of countries with high rape incidents per 100,000 citizens, right? Well, any list we could find actually only had two Latin American countries, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, among the top 10. In fact, the U.S. ranks higher than all of the other Latin American countries. To these figures, some might react with, Oh, well, its probably those illegals doing the raping here, isnt it? No, once again, not factually correct. According to a 2015 report from the Immigration Policy Center, immigrants are actually less likely to engage in criminal behavior than native-born citizens. This only makes sense: If youre an undocumented individual, the last thing you would want to do is engage in behavior that would get you tied up with law enforcement. And as far as this craze with the Mexican border, studies from the Pew Research Center reflect that net immigration from Mexico is actually below zero, meaning we have more immigrants moving back to Mexico than new immigrants entering the states. So, whats a wall or stricter border fence going to do, keep immigrants in? This isnt to say illegal immigration isnt an issue, or that rapes dont occur in Latin America: It is, and they do. But to speak so generally and inaccurately about these issues only hurts us in the long run. We need to start approaching these issues with more maturity, or at least stop inviting people like Ann Coulter on national television. Were looking at you, 24-hour news media. High ratings arent worth misinforming the public. The Hippodrome State Theatre Art Gallery and the Oak Hammock Art Gallery are hosting a Dada art exhibit to celebrate the 100-year-old art movement. The free exhibit opened to the public on Tuesday at the Hippodrome, located at 25 SE Second Place. Retirement community Oak Hammock started hosting its exhibit Tuesday. One of the things you say about Dada art is its playful, said Midge Smith, a retired UF professor and current Oak Hammock board member. Its imaginary, and its making a statement. The Hippodrome will house the exhibit until May 29, and the Oak Hammock exhibit will run until July 9 at Oak Hammock at UF, located at 5100 SW 25th Blvd. Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art curators Dulce Roman and Kerry Oliver-Smith will judge the exhibit, according to the Hippodrome website. The judges will decide how to evaluate the art pieces, and money will be awarded to the top winners. Smith said the exhibit celebrates the 100-year-old anniversary of Dadas first appearance in New York City. The art form started in Zurich, Switzerland, as a political protest in 1916 during World War I. The artists said this isnt art, but were going to say its art, she said. And because they were putting something off on to the public, its the same way political leaders were putting something off on the public. Dada became its own art form and created other forms of art, such as surrealism. Jane Polkowski Levy, a retired physician and current art gallery chair at Oak Hammock, said the exhibit is separated by types of work. The Hippodrome showcases mostly 3-D works, which includes sculptures, she said. When the Dada movement began, it was made up of many forms of art. Oak Hammock will exhibit only wall art, such as paintings. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now It was more than just visual arts, she said. It also included theatre as well as written. Marion Siegel, the founder of the Oak Hammock Art League and an artist, said the retirement community is home to an active art community. The community offers art classes and an art gallery. Our members are very active, Siegel said. Not only at Oak Hammock, but I think it should be pointed out that theyre very active in the community. Oak Hammock resident and exhibit artist Karl Schwartz has pieces also shown in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Levy said. The exhibit includes pieces by Gainesville Fine Arts Association artists along with Oak Hammock artists, she said. Its a combined effort, Siegel said. Smith hopes the exhibit helps Oak Hammock get more involved in the local art community. Her simple request: Come learn something about us and about what we do. To some, Valerie Phillips is better known as Ms. Queen. The owner of Gainesvilles first Jamaican restaurant, Phillips remembers being called Ms. Queen when she first opened Caribbean Queen in 2000. As one of Gainesvilles pioneers in integrating culturally diverse cuisine, Phillips has witnessed the citys restaurant scene flourish. When I moved to Gainesville, the restaurants were limited, Phillips said, remembering the city 22 years ago. You talk to some people and theyll tell you that Jamaican food is not gonna do well in Gainesville because the people dont know about it. After seeing other restaurants doing well, Phillips took the leap with only one question in mind: Why not Jamaican? The restaurant is now in its 16th year of serving authentic Jamaican cuisine, such as curry goat, jerk chicken and oxtail. Phillips first obligation is to authenticity even if that means working 12-hour days. Apart from being the owners, she and her husband, Errol Phillips, cook all of the restaurants dishes. Unlike other restaurants that hire cooks, Caribbean Queen sends a welcoming vibe to the community. Their presence ensures customers the food is 100 percent Jamaican-made. Its one thing to open a restaurant and say its Jamaican, she said, but you have to be able to give the people the real authentic cuisine that theyre looking for. Born in Kingston and raised in Clarendon, she returns to Jamaica every Christmas for two things: to visit family and to bring back some spices. All the herbs and spices that we use are from Jamaica, Phillips said. The spices is what makes it what it is. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Phillips has been cooking since elementary school in Jamaica, but before she was crowned Ms. Queen, Phillips worked in the medical field. She remembers cooking and bringing her lunch to work everybody wanted some. So I said to myself, Well you know, I could sell this, she said. Now, Phillips happy customers come in asking for recipes, which she is pleased to share. For some, the cozy shack on Northwest Fifth Avenue is a lot like Grandmas kitchen. The most rewarding part to me is when a customer will get the meal, and they taste it and they say, This is just like the grandma, she said. Phillips places an emphasis on keeping her culture alive. Having left Jamaica at 18, she still retains the traditions she grew up with. Once you grow up in a culture, and you grow up until youre about 17, its something that it dont matter where you go and how old you get, you never lose that, she said. While shes introduced Gainesville to her culture, she has also picked up some Gainesville traits along the way. I like reggae like Bob Marley and Damian Marley but what I really like is country music, she said. I love country music. Gainesville company Self Narrate will host Story Slam: Everything Changes in Keene-Flint Hall, Room 50, today from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The free event is open to the public and features six speakers from the Gainesville community who will share life lessons they have learned. According to the organizations website, Self Narrates mission is to encourage people to tell stories and to use storytelling to create connections and solve problems. Our goal as a company is to create spaces that help people learn what their own stories are and how to share those stories with others, said Brandon Telg, a co-founder of Self Narrate and the facilitator and director of client services. The stories from Story Slam will range in topic from transformation, tragedy, love, college, empowerment and more. I dont use the phrase life-changing lightly, Telg said. But that is exactly what this night is going to be for the people who attend. Among the speakers at Story Slam, three of them are former TEDxUF speakers. Jennifer Aponte, a former attorney from Puerto Rico, is one of those speakers. Im thankful for my experience with TEDxUF, Aponte said. It taught me how important it is to share my story with others. Aponte has been living with disability all her life, beginning with her childhood diagnosis of spina bifida, which left her wheelchair-bound. Her time at Story Slam will be spent sharing the losses and successes she has dealt with as a result of her disabilities. Everyone is going to encounter bad situations in life, Aponte said. But there are always ways to make them better. Societys attachment to technology is another reason Aponte said she hopes people will attend Story Slam, so they can hear impactful stories for themselves. Storytelling brings us closer together as human beings, Aponte said. Story Slam is a great place to foster the kind of connections that can help people overcome their own problems while also gaining empathy for the problems of others. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Jaron Jones, the other co-founder of Self Narrate and the opening speaker at Story Slam, will also touch upon the importance of using stories to unify people. We all have similar wants and needs, and I think people will be surprised to find that we all have similar difficulties as well, Jones said. Jones said his story is lighter than some of the others because it is meant to draw the audience into the event. I dont want to give too much away, Jones said. But Im going to focus on how a singular moment can cause a big change. Self Narrates goal is to continue to host at least one Story Slam event each academic year. The last event was held during Fall 2014, Telg said. These are stories that a lot of people really need to hear, Jones said. Our hope is that by bringing strangers together to hear these stories, they realize they are not alone and that they will not be strangers by the end of the night. Some of you may recall that time I said my biggest '90s regret was colored contacts. At the time, I thought my blue-rimmed contacts were fun and differentthey were a phase. A phase I really thought I'd left behind in the '90s, until I started seeing this: Yep, some of my favorite beauty bloggers started wearing them. And celebrities, like Selena Gomez and multiple Jenners (both Kendall and Kylie), started to look curiously different because of their gray- and blue-hued irises. For me, it all felt like a huge case of FOMO. My reasons for wanting to try out colored contacts as an adult were different from my reasons as a teenager. I think that a lot of brown girls have experienced the feeling that there's a certain singularity to beauty: Blonde hair and blue eyes are desirable, while everything else is common (shout-out to my mom for never letting me touch peroxide during that time). But then there was a moment during my first week of college when I put on clear contacts for the first time after years of wearing only colored ones. I realized that I didn't even recognize myselfmy real self. And that freaked me out a bit. I pretty much swore off colored lenses from then on, finding ways to play up my brown eyes rather than hiding them. For the first time, I began to appreciate the features I'd inherited from my parents rather than trying to borrow someone else's. But this time around, colored contacts had a totally different connotation. I mean, we change our makeup shades all the timeso why not eye color? It was no longer coming from a place of insecurity but rather one of creativity and experimentation. And being such a beauty blogger groupie, I knew exactly which brand kept getting tagged over and over again: Solotica (the same brand Jenner is rumored to have worn). They're touted as appearing to be more realistic and natural, and looking at the lenses, I noticed that they have a dotted pattern, like little pixels, instead of the lines of color in other contacts I've seen. Beauty blogger Christen Dominique (@christendominique, shown on the right above) wears Solotica lenses because of the soft, bright-eyed effect they create. "I wear them purely as a cosmetic to change up my makeup looks," she says. "I love exploring with different shades." 2005 .. AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63 The Deadly Assault and Bush Administration Cover-Up by S. Eben Kirkesby and Andreas Harsono 5427 14th St. West, Bradenton, FL 34207 $6.99 Fish Fridays! Manatee Co.'s Only 24-Hr. FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008 HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies: WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008 AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008 CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE] YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs will pay a vist to Yerevan on April 9. Armenpress reports the Foreign Ministry press secretary Tigran Balayan informs about this. They will be received by the President of the Republic of Armenia. A meeting with the Foreign Minister of Armenia is also scheduled, Balayan mentions. OSCE Permanent Council meeting is to be convened in Vienna on April 5. The issue of Nagorno Karabakh conflict is on the agenda. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenpress presents on the air of Lratvakan radio all that you will hear, read and see in todays news. Today, on April 7, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will arrive in Yerevan on an official visit. Medvedev is scheduled to visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex and will meet with Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan, after which they will deliver a joint statement. Ceasefire, day 2: The Ministry of Defense of Nagorno Karabakh and Ministry of Defense of Armenia will continue informing about the situation in the line of contact. The Nagorno Karabakh issue is the main discussion topic. Doctor of political sciences, professor Garik Keryan, head of the Globalization and regional cooperation analytical center Stepan Grigoryan will discuss the Azerbaijani attacks in the line of contact, as well as the international response. President of the Union of Women freedom fighters, Colonel Aida Serobyan, RPA faction MP Ruzanna Muradyan, Commander of Anahit detachment Anahit Martirosyan will make observations regarding the role of women during war. President of Arakyalner NGO, diplomat and expert of Arabic studies Khajak Tomoyan and Doctor of Historical Sciences of NAS Oriental Institute Kristine Melkonyan will speak about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the framework of global regional developments. A memorial evening will take place in the Ara Sargsyan and Hakob Kojoyan house-museum, dedicated to sculptor Ara Sargsyans 114 anniversary. The presentation of Gevorg Tamamyans book Paradise in the middle of the ocean will take place today. You can read about these and other topics at armenpress.am and listen to the news on the air of Lratvakan radio. STEPANAKAERT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani side violates the agreement of ceasefire: a soldier was killed by the mortar fire of the adversary. The Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh Republic released about this. The adversary continues to violate the agreement of ceasefire. On April 6 at 18:30 in the military base located in the northeastern parts of Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact line a soldier of the Defense Army Armen K. Gasparyan, born in 1974, was mortally wounded by the mortar fire of the adversary. An investigation is underway to find out the details. NKR Defense Army shares the grief of the loss and expresses its support to A. Gasparyans family and relatives, Armenpress reports, the release of the Press Service of NKR Defense Ministry says. STEPANAKERT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno Karabakh Repoblic announces about numerous ceasefire violations and failed sabotage attempts by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the contact line on April 6 throughout the morning of April 7. Numerous cases of violation of ceasefire agreements were recorded in the contact zone of Karabakh-Azerbaijnai forces tonight. In addition to the use of various caliber weapons and mortar fires, the adversary also tried to apply two sabotage attempts. The Defense Army detected the attempts by Azerbaijani special forces and threw them back to their positions, Armenpress reports, the statement of Press Service of the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh says. The photos depict the bodies of Azerbaijani soldiers who committed crimes against the Armenian peaceful population. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I will visit the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic in the coming days. Armenpress was informed about this by the announcement made in a short press statement published by the official website of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia. The Catholicoi will visit the NKR to give their support to the Armenian Armed Forces and to the people of Artsakh. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. An Ambulance vehicle was shelled and destroyed by the Azerbaijani side on April 6 in Nagorno Karabakh. Press Secretary of the President of Nagorno Karabakh Davit Babayan informed Armenpress. "This once again testifies to the fact that in the face of Azerbaijan, we are dealing with a terrorist state. According to the Geneva Convention an Ambulance cannot be targeted. This is impossible, this is contrary to every international humanitarian norm. This shows that Azerbaijan does not respect any humanitarian norm, David Babayan said. According to him, the Ambulance crew survived, during the shelling they were away from the vehicle. David Babayan said that the Ambulance was targeted intentionally: apparently it was targeted based on an Azerbaijani UAVs information about its whereabouts. Davit Babayan informed that during the night the adversary made some ceasefire violations. Currently I can say that it is relatively calm, Babayan said. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. This was announced by the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement, Armenpress reports Artsrun Hovhannisyan saying. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. On Friday, April 8, the Armenian community of Los Angeles will gather in front of the Azerbaijani Consulate to protest recent attacks by the Azerbaijani government on the peaceful population of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Armenpress was informed about this by the Armenian Youth Federation of the United States. We condemn Azerbaijans continued vicious attacks and war crimes against the peaceful civilian population of Nagorno Karabakh and fully support the independent Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and its right to self-determination. Although a bilateral ceasefire was declared on April 5, Azerbaijan still continues its attacks. The root causes of this endless cycle of violence remain, and must be protested, said Joseph Kaskanian of the Armenian Youth Federation. He stated that the Azerbaijani government is committing war crimes and severely breaching international human rights laws by shelling civilian populations, which is totally unacceptable. The participants of the protest will express their solidarity with the people of Nagorno Karabakh at 1 p.m local time. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan even fired towards the Vardenis city in Armenia on April 6. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Baku to discuss issues related to the trilateral "political, security, transport, fight against terrorism cooperation with his counterparts from Iran and Azerbaijan. As "Armenpress" reports, citing the APA, during the meeting with the Azerbaijani President the Russian Foreign Minister also discussed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement issue. We, on the levels of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministries, and Defense Ministries have done all necessary things to help the sides reach a ceasefire agreement. We are ready to assist the maintenance of the ceasefire. It is necessary, by easing the situation of that concrete issue, to actively work towards political settlement. We have proposals, which we are trying to apply with the Co-Chairs, in the interest of reaching an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I hope that we will be able to pay attention to this issue mid-term and long-term, and will talk about it today and tomorrow. We fully support the principles which are currently undertaken by the Co-Chairs. They visited Baku, tomorrow they will be in the line of contact, the next day in Yerevan. With the help of OSCE and the International Red Cross Committee it is very important to adopt any trust measures and create prerequisites for resuming the political process, APA informed Lavrov saying. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are departing for Nagorno Karabakh. As Armenpress reports, this was tweeted by OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chair James Warlick. I am departing for Nagorno Karabakh with other OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, to meet with local authorities and get first hand information about the violence, James Warlick wrote. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. YEREVAN, APRIL 7. ARMENPRESS. The head of the Armenian delegation to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, the Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov had a telephone conversation with the President of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Sergey Naryshkin on April 7. The parties discussed the situation in Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact zone and considered the attempts of solving Nakorno Karabakh conflict with military means unacceptable. As Armenpress was informed by the Public Relations and Media Department of the National Assembly of Armenia, the Vice President of the National Assembly mentioned that Azerbaijani actions are clear aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh people. Eduard Sharmazanov condemned the statements by Turkey supporting the terrorist policy of Azerbaijan. The head of the Armenian delegation to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly stressed that in this situation it is much more important that the international community make targeted, condemning statements. Eduard Sharmazanov stated that, although the agreement was reached, on April 6 and throughout the morning of April 7 the adversary conducted a sabotage reconnaissance operation towards the northeastern parts of the contact line of Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces. The Chairman of the Russian State Duma in his turn mentioned that the Russian Federation, as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minks Group, supports the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the Minsk Group. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: Whatever way the cease-fire goes, we are always ready to counterattack and give response. As "Armenpress" reports, this was said by NA RPA faction head Vahram Baghdasaryan during a press conference, referring to the fact that Azerbaijan violates the ceasefire agreement in various directions. "We never trust our enemy, because the enemy is unpredictable, and our army is always vigilant," the MP said. Answering a question as to what does the Republic of Armenia do to make Nagorno Karabakh become a party to the negotiations, Vahram Baghdasaryan noted: "We, of course, have invested efforts in the international community that if negotiations should continue, if discussions on the ceasefire and other issues will continue, they should be with the participation of Nagorno Karabakh. The International organizations, which plan to visit the area during these days, will witness the consequences of terrorism and aggression, and we will insist that negotiations are conducted only with Nagorno Karabakh. Referring to the statement that the Armed Forces are fighting with weapons of the 1980s, Vahram Baghdasaryan stressed that if they are able to rebuff the Azerbaijani arsenal, then the Armenian spirit is higher and stronger than the enemy's arsenal. "Have you noticed us cede any territory or have problems due to lack of weapons? We are able to solve all our problems! ", he said. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Ara Harutyunyan departed for Martakert region on a working visit on April 6 to review the effects of the recent hostilities by Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister observed the consequences of the enemys bombardments in Martaket city, Mataghis and Talish villages and met with local residents. Ara Harutyunyan expressed gratitude to the residents for their courage and determination to stand in their native communities until the end. "Armenpress" was informed by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Nagorno Karabakh Government. The Government will do everything necessary to restore homes and infrastructure of the residents, which were damaged by enemy bombardments. Experts of the Ministry of Urban Planning will arrive to the scene shortly to assess the damages in order to start restoration works as soon as possible, the Prime Minister said, adding that relevant agencies are already actively involved in the process of restoration works. During the visit, the Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister of Economy Andranik Khachatryan, head of the Martakert regional council Vladik Khachatryan and other officials. GAVAR, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The situation in bordering communities of Gegharkunik Province is relatively calm. As Armenpress was informed by the representatives of Vardenis bordering communities, the situation is calm, people are doing their everyday work, and there is no panic. The situation in our bordering communities is calm, head of the Pokr Masrik village Vardan Margaryan said. Residents of Vardenis are not only doing their everyday work, but are also supporting Nagorno Karabakh materally and morally, Deputy Mayor of Vardenis city Ashot Davtyan said. Our borders are carefully guarded, people are alert, though the adversary is not firing currently, however we are always alert. It has already been a few days since farmers started spring sowing works, village head of Sotk Kolik Shahsuvaryan said. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. This was announced by the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement, Armenpress reports Artsrun Hovhannisyan saying. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Armenia will strictly put the question that without the involvement of Nagorno Karabakh the negotiation process of the conflict will not be effective in the future. Armenpress reports, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyans briefing with journalists in the National Assembly on April 7 says. He mentioned that speaking about the negotiation process, it is necessary to clarify the ceasefire regime. The previous attempt showed that the measures, that are being used, are not enough. So we should work with it, said the Minister. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister reminded that the Co-Chairs of Russia, the United States and France made statements in 2011 where they literally said that the use of force created the current situation, as a result, the new use of force will lead to new sufferings, destructions which will be condemned by the international community. What happened now is a new use of force. So now we, the Armenian sides should work to ensure that a relevant response is reached, said the Minsiter. To the questions that various meetings are taking place in Baku, for instance with Lavrov, the Minsiter answered: The meetings are not only taking place in Baku, but also they will be held in Yerevan, Co-Chairs will visit Stepanakert and we will inform you about the results of all meetings. Regarding the response of international community, according to Shavarsh Kocharyan, it would be more desirable that those statements be more targeted and precise. "Of course, there are press releases where is is clearly seen that Azerbaijan is being condemned, however, unfortunately, there is no certainty by the officials. It is worrying, and we should work with it since there hasnt been any targeted statements, that is the reason that Azerbaijan considered it as carte blache when conducting the recent actions, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia concluded. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan even fired towards the Vardenis city in Armenia on April 6. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Political analyst Hovsep Khurshudyan presented the number of monetary losses of the sides during the escalations in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. He presented the number during a press conference on April 7. Nagorno Karabakh suffered around 14 million USD, whereas the Azerbaijani side suffered 170 million USD. On one hand, this fact can be encouraging, on the other hands, it is obvious that our soldiers are equipped worse, Armenpress reports the political analyst saying. According to Hovsep Khurshudyan, military success was achieved thanks to the spirit of our soldiers. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The international media has fixed the terrorist nature of Azerbaijans actions. Mehrnews news agency has published an article on Transfer of DAESH terrorists to Karabakh on April 5. The agency, citing German radio, noted that taking into consideration the current clashes in Karabakh, Azerbaijani citizen from DAESH (Islamic State) terrorist organization are arriving to the region. The media do not exclude that about 50-70 Azerbaijani citizen, who are members of the Islamic State terrorist organization in Raqqa, will arrive in Karabakh. This people can also arrive in Karabakh via Turkey. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Upon finishing the official visit to Germany on April 7, Serzh Sargsyan met with the executive director of the Eastern Committee of German Economy Michael Harns and leading entrepreneurs of Germany. As Armenpress was informed by the Department of Mass Media and Public Relations of the Presidential Administration, the President of Armenia presented the development and prospects of the Armenian economy, priority directions, Armenian advantages compared to other countries of the region, investment and business environment, the continuous reforms, the legislative sphere, activities of German companies in Armenia and opportunities of Armenia-Germany business development. The representatives of Germanys business sphere asked the President about cooperation and developments in the areas of mining, IT, financial and banking services, road construction, alternative energy, tourism, hotel business and others. Serzh Sargsyan answered all questions raised during the meeting. Serzh Sargsyan also gave an interview in Berlin to the Deutsche Welle TV channel. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. One death was registered among the hospitalized that were wounded during the conflict in the line of contact of Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan. Head of the medical department of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, Colonel Kamavor Khachatryan says this is unprecedented. 121 were wounded during the operations. 5 are in critical condition. 10 are in moderate-severe condition. Others received light shrapnel wounds, they will soon recover. One more wounded was transported here a bit earlier from the Defense Army, Armenpress reports Kamavor Khachatryan saying at a press conference. According to him, 32 wounded are currently being treated in the Central Military Hospital. All of them are asking to return to service, they say they are obliged to do so. It is their duty, he said. According to Colonel Khachatryan, the medical personnel worked very effective from the very beginning. The bravery of the doctors is priceless. We had 1 death among the wounded in the hospital. This is very sad, but only 1 death is the result of an excellent work. The death happened in the Martakert hospital, he added, stressing that earlier, when doctors were treating the wounded, the adversary shelled an Ambulance vehicle. The international convention prohibits firing at Ambulance vehicles, at vehicle with Red Cross signs. There were no casualties, several doctors were wounded, Kamavor Khachatryan said. He also added that during this time they actively cooperated with the Ministry of Healthcare. Being confident in our resources and strengths, we did not use our reserves, he said. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Balayan responded to the announcement made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Baku, which referred to existing agreements on the table. The document of Kazan introduced to the sides in 2011 is on the negotiation table. Azerbaijan denies accepting it irrespective of the fact that it had been agreed with Baku in advance. We have talked about it many times. During the Kazan meeting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had submitted ten new proposals and in fact, wrecked the principles of the settlement, Armenian MFA spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Armenpress. All agreements over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement are still on the table. TASS reports Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced about this on April 7 in Baku in a meeting with his Iranian and Azerbaijani counterparts Javad Zarif and Elmar Mammadyarov. Lavrov also mentioned that little is left for conquering those agreements, and called on taking measures not to allow further violence in Nagorno Karabakh. He also informed that the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan expressed satisfaction over the armistice in Nagorno Karabakh. We tried to help our close friends to reach an agreement, which, we hope will be implemented and abided, considering also that there are well-known agreements reached back in 1990s that refer to the commitments of preserving the ceasefire regime for indefinite period of time, Lavrov said. He reminded that the Russian President Vladimir Putin had phone conversations with Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents. He said that the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev is in Armenia today, who will visit Baku on April 8. There have been interactions between the General Staffs of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. We believe that the current situation makes us more intensively look back at the agreements reached before and elaborate trust building initiatives on the contact line. These initiatives have been discussed with the Minsk Group Co-chairs and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Now, considering the swash of violence that took place but was possible to calm down, we can again return to that topic. But I want to mention at once that trust reinforcement in the conflict zone does not at all mean that we can enfeeble in necessity to find a multilateral political solution to Karabakh conflict, he stated. And Russia, as a Co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and as a country with its own national values which has close and friendly relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, will do its best to advance its initiatives in the way it was done in the recent times, Lavrov assured. The Russian Foreign Minister also proposed to return to the discussion of reinforcement of trust mechanisms over Nagorno Karabakh. Agreements reached earlier raised the issue of reinforcement of trust mechanisms over Nagorno Karabakh. Now we can return to that issue, he said. ARTASHAT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. During the recent days the residents, entrepreneurs, students of all schools of the Ararat Province collected all necessary things for helping soldiers in Artsakh. In addition to sweets, hygiene items, warm clothes, socks, cigarettes, juices a considerable amount of money was sent to soldiers. We all know that war veterans and soldiers do not need that support. Residents, school children with such means want to help the army, soldiers and war veterans. The names written in the boxes prove this where it is written: We will not retreat, We are with you, soldiers, Victory to Armenian soldiers, Move forward soldiers and etc. As Armenpress reports, the employees of the Governarate and the Municipality of Artashat also supported the Armenian soldiers. The Armenian Apostolic Church has never been separated from the Armenian history, and this day is not an exception, too. Father David Sahakyan from Saint Hakob Church of Ararat village, Father Eprem Harutyunyan from Saint Mariam Astvatsatsin Church of Dalar, and other pastors of Marz churches brought that assistance to Artsakh. They will pray for the protection, victory and the peace of the Armenian soldiers. The residents and school children continue to bring their support to the Ararat Governorate. Lilit Machkalyan YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. April 7 is the Motherhood and Beauty Day, but the only concern of Armenian women today is to speak about the heroes and the protection of the state borders which is not in the use of weapons, but is caused by the spirit. RPA Faction member Ruzanna Muradyan spoke about this in an interview with journalists. She stated that once more we should bow to all mothers who gave birth to their heroes who stepped into mortality. The next generations should be educated following the example of todays youth, Armenpress reports, the MP says. She thinks that during the recent years it seems that there is a necessity to find new methods of educating the youth since Armenian values have been lost. These values are stored in our genes: today brave young people are the evidence of that, the adversary also convinced with that fact, Muradyan highlighted in her speech. She convinced that all Armenians regardless of the interior problems and controversies in the country gathered together for a single goal. We should bring the attention of the world on Azerbaijani sabotage operations since if we fail to assess the situation on time, any other state can face the same problem. After making Ramil Safarov a hero, neither Azerbaijani signature, nor its policy has not changed, Muradyan emphasized. Commander, lieutenant colonel of Anahit squad Anahit Martirosyan added that the ceasefire has been repeatedly violated after 1994 since it is typical for Azerbaijan. She, based on her personal example, mentioned that it is difficult to be a commander regardless of gender since you are the only one who is responsible for all. Turks showed again their style thinking that they can make a surprise with such large scale attacks, however, their attempts were failed. Everyone knows who is the aggressor, Martirosyan added. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan even fired towards the Vardenis city in Armenia on April 6. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross actively supports the Nagorno Karabakh conflicting parties to investigate the faith of the missing in action. In an interview with Armenpress head of the ICRC Yerevan Delegation Zara Amatuni said about this. We are in the process of dialogue and working with the two parties. The International Committee of the Red Cross, within its mandate, discusses all the humanitarian issues related to the situation. We keep contact with all sides in search of the bodies of killed soldiers and their transmission. Families of that soldiers are also at the center of our attention, said Amatuni. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan even fired towards the Vardenis city in Armenia on April 6. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. French senator, President of the France-Armenia Friendship Group Philippe Kaltenbach stressed in a special announcement that the ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan are unacceptable, and expressed his support and peace to Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and overall Armenians. The active mobilization of the Minsk Group is necessary for achieving the settlement of the conflict. I urge a lawsuit to be filed to the United Nations, in order to create an international convention on ceasefire violations, Armenpress reports the French senator saying, adding that he supports the upcoming protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris on April 9. Vice President of the France-Armenia Friendship Group, Mayor of Alfortville, France, Senator Luc Carvounas made an official statement, saying that the Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire once again and assumed the whole responsibility for the escalation. I urge France to apply to the UN Security Council without waiting for the Minsk Group, in order to stop further escalations and protect the civilian population, Carvounas said, who also expressed support for the April 9 protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris. A large poster urging to participate in the protest was installed on Alfortvilles municipality building. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Armed Forces have tried to abide to the armistice agreement, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan told the reporters on April 7. There are no problems on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line at the moment. There were some problems yesterday, at evening hours. Shooting could be heard yesterday, till late at night, in Tavush Province, particularly in the direction of Vardenis. They were mainly untargeted shootings resulting in no damages. Maybe some rural residents have suffered some damage. We will clarify it a bit later, Armenpress reports Artsrun Hovhannisyan mentioning. To the question of a journalist if the Armenian side plans to apply to international institutions with evidences of crimes committed by Azerbaijan, the Defense Ministry Spokesperson answered that the evidences will be submitted to relevant bodies. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing in action, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan even fired towards the Vardenis city in Armenia on April 6. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Press conference of NKR President Bako Sahakyan is taking place. Bako Sahakyans meeting with OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs is expected. NKR high ranking officials deliver a press conference every day detailing on fresh information of the situation on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line, that escalated after the military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Search operations are underway for finding the missing soldiers in Nagorno Karabakh. This was informed during a press conference on April 7 by Press Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan. He added that clarifications are being made. Many units are currently not in their permanent deployment areas, the main part of the Defense Army detachments are in combat situation, and in this situation clarifications are impossible. It is possible to find the missing ones even today, Armenpress reports Artsrun Hovhannisyan saying. In regard to the issue of POWs in Azerbaijan, he said: Because, sadly, there is no civilized communication with Azerbaijan, it is difficult to speak about POWs. According to him, if there were indeed POWs in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijanis would use them, but in this case it is not possible to confirm or deny anything. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Ministers of Russia and Armenia discussed the recent escalation in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact during their meeting. The importance of the ceasefire was stressed, the 1994 truce maintenance and strengthening, and the exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Armenpress reports the Armenian Prime Minister saying at a briefing. Dmitry Medvedev also stressed that the conflict must be settled exclusively by peaceful negotiations. It is important that the ceasefire is maintained and the conflict is settled by political process, through diplomats not armed forces, so that people dont lose their lives. Russia is ready to use its influence for the political settlement of the conflict, within the OSCE Minsk Group, so that the escalation of the conflict is excluded, because it is full of dangerous risks, he said. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. STEPANAKERT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Upon receiving information about the Azerbaijani unleashed large-scale military attacks in Nagorno Karabakh, President of NKR Bako Sahakyan immediately rushed to the Defense Army Command Center. As Armenpress reports, during a press conference in Stepanakert, Bako Sahakyan said that by reviewing the situation in the Command Center he gave relevant instructions and orders. "I gave the order to the commander of the Defense Army, lieutenant-general Levon Mnatsakanyan instead of organizing resistance, to take measures to stop the enemy's actions, aiming to pursue the enemy and destroy its manpower and equipment. The order was carried out by the heroic soldiers of the Artsakh army, officers, and volunteers from Armenia and Armenians from around the world. The task was completed with glory, headed by Commander of the Defense Army, Lieutenant General Levon Mnatsakanyan, Bako Sahakyan said. Bako Sahakyan also described the discussions which took place in this office in the night of April 2. Everyone who knows about our everyday work, know that we do not limit ourselves with classical service duty. We start very early and finish very late. That day, when we were in my office, received an information at 01:15 that the adversary is making some moves, Sahakyan said. Sahakyan discussed this information with the Commander of the Defense Army, lieutenant General Mnatsakanyan , Police Chief General Aghajanyan and National Security Service Director. We received the information as another provocation from the adversary, as a tension in the given area. With this preliminary perceptions, we departed. The Commander of the Defense Army went to his office to make further clarifications, Sahakyan said, adding that the adversary began large scale attacks during the night at 03:00. After this the President rushed to the Command Center to give necessary orders. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. STEPANAKERT, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno Karabakh issue is originally presented in a distorted way by Azerbaijan. This was stated by President of Nagorno Karabakh Bako Sahakyan in Stepanakert during a press conference, adding that Azerbaijan is always presenting the issue guided by hysteria, pointing out territorial issues. This issue was born a century ago. We struggle not for territories, but for our native country. I had the chance to present that we do not only carry out a mission for that physical security of the people of Artsakh, we struggle for our dignity, and we are the forerunners in this struggle, we have a unique mission. We will continue carrying out this mission with the same sense, putting the Motherland above anything else, Bako Sahakyan said. According to him, the essence of the Nagorno Karabakh issue is the national liberation movement, where the Armenian people are united in one front. We do not differentiate our brothers and sisters of Mother Armenia and the Diaspora from the Artsakh people. We are one whole, and we will continue building out life with this sense and perception and will have achievements, President of Artsakh said. Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements. According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village. The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4. Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5. Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. 1 conscript of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army was wounded on April 7 in the northern direction of the line of contact. As Armenpress reports, this was announced during a press conference in Stepanakert by Head of the Operative Department of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army Colonel Viktor Arstamyan. On April 7, the Defense Army downed 1 adversary UAV in the Aghdam-Stepanakert direction. Colonel Arstamyan also released information about Armenian losses: 36 killed, 122 wounded, 21 missing. 26 missing were announced earlier, 1 of whom was found alive. Bodies of 4 were found. Search operations are underway to find the missing soldiers, and if they are located at the adversarys side, the issue of retrieval will be negotiated. Names of the missing will be disclosed after finishing the search operations, Arstamyan said. The Colonel informed that information about the adversarys losses are still being clarified, the bodies of Azerbaijani soldiers are being retrieved by relevant agencies, and the further steps will be clarified by the International Red Cross Organization. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan mentioned at the meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev that the proposal of the presiding country in bodies of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakhstan, to shift the meeting of the heads of the Governments planned on April 8 in Yerevan has no serious grounds. We want to mention that such behavior is inadmissible, Armenpress reports, citing the official website of the Russian Government, Hovik Abrahamyan said. For his part, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev mentioned in a joint press conference with his Armenian college that a short-term meeting of Heads of Governments of Eurasian Economic Union member states will be held in Armenia, as planned in advance. Considering the decision to shift the meeting of Heads of the Governments of EAEU member states to Moscow, I want to inform that we reached an agreement to hold a short-term meeting also in Armenia, as planned in advance. The new composition of the Eurasian Economic Board started its works from February 1 of the current year, the chairmanship of which has been assumed by the Armenian representative, Tigran Sargsyan, ex-Prime Minister of Armenia for a 4-year term, Dmitry Medvedev said after the meeting. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan proposed Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to instruct "Rosoboronexport" to speed up the signing of the agreement of supplying weapons to Armenia. We are grateful to the Russian Federation for giving a state export loan for financing the supply of military products of the Armenias needs. However, there is a slowdown in the process of provisions implementation of the agreement, so due to it I ask you to give instructions to Rosoboronexport in terms of signing the agreement, Armenpress reports, citing the official website of the Russian government, said the Armenian Prime Minister. YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The main discussion topic between the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Russia were issues related to trade and economy. Despite unfavorable global trends, we have recorded quite good cooperation dynamics. Russia remains Armenias main foreign trade partner. Trade turnover exceeds 1,25 billion USD. The decline is conditioned by the fluctuation of the prices of the goods, but not the volume, which is more important, Armenpress reports Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev mentioned about this at the joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart. In his words, the volume of the Russian capital in Armenia remains unchanged, nearly 4 billion USD. 1300 enterprises operate in Armenia by Russian capital. Dmitry Medvedev expressed an opinion that it is a positive indicator, but not enough. We just signed a number of documents for the development of the cooperation, about which my college already mentioned. They refer to such sphere as exploration and use of space, housing and communal, environment, health sanitation inspection and interregional cooperation. We reached an agreement also in energy issues, including gas supplies, which is of key importance for Armenia in terms of ensuring the stability of energy consumption, as well as the development of the Republic of Armenia as a whole, Medvedev said. At the same time he reminded that the implementation of the program of prolonging the exploitation term of Armenias nuclear power plant has kicked off. According to him, usually the implementation of such programs lasts quite long, but the Russian side plans to implement that program within 5 years. Overall, we are satisfied with the results of the talks; I am convinced that the agreements reached today will foster our cooperation, making it more beneficial and successful. Russia was and remains Armenias reliable partner and friend, the Russian PM concluded. Currently, the Mali is one of the major tourist attractions in Enga and has gained popularity at the annual Enga Cultural Show with its Sili Muli, an all women Mali dance group. Previously, the Mali was hosted for reasons that cannot match todays purposes. Furthermore, the importance of the Mali from both modern and traditional perspective is not understood by majority of the Engans due to the current trend towards modernity and the weakening of culture, tradition and custom. THE Engan dance, the Mali, is one of the traditional rituals that is gradually dying away due to non-recognition of its significance in the modern and traditional contexts. However, there are shifting cultural factors that have influenced Engans to overlook the significances of the Mali and interest and eagerness to participate and learn has been minimal among youth with the Mali losing its purpose and authenticity. As a unique tradition, the Mali needs to be maintained and preserved through promotion and creating awareness and interest to rejuvenate and protect it from losing its values. Enga Province has minimal economic activity and the support of the provincial government is required in funding awareness, cultural promotion and preservation through tourism activities. There are possibilities to encourage the younger generation to learn how to preserve and sustain the Mali and to understand and value the cultural and traditional aspects of Engan life. Thus we may help maintain and sustain the Mali from dying away silently as a result of modern influences. It is interesting to see, through the influence of the one language spoken throughout the province, that the customs practiced in traditional societies are same throughout Enga. However, religion, education, employment and rural to urban migration have much influenced the Mali. Although there are some Mali dance performances with contemporary costumes, the authenticity of and pride in the Mali dance seems to have lost its value. The same detrimental factors can be seen in the other cultures and traditions of PNG amid the 800 plus language groups - they are dying away in a similar manner. Akii Tumus book, View of The Enga Culture, states that, in the past, most Mali singsings took place to gather people to discuss upcoming feasts or exchanges, but today they are held primarily to raise money for public facilities, to celebrate holidays or other important events. This commercialisation with contemporary costumes imitates the authentic Mali dance but is of no substance in terms of its cultural values. Today, most PNG societies seem to have an oral tradition as an historical source but the reality of traditional ways of life are dying away as we shift our focus to modernity and development. The concept of imparting skills and knowledge, learning and imitating traditions and customs from great tribal or clan ancestors seems not to exist these days. The children live far away from their villages, parents and families and are unable to participate in village cultural activities they do not learn and understand them. The loss of the vernacular language is also an important barrier as most people now communicate in English, Pidgin and Motu. The opportunities to teach traditional customs to the younger generation are narrow, leaving a gap which needs to be helped if it is to be revived and sustained. In Enga, the way of doing things which were passed down the generations are at risk in these days when everyones focus is on modernity. Thus the Enga traditional dance, which followed the same pattern of sharing, teaching and imparting knowledge to preserve the values, genealogies and narratives which were the basis of its existence, is losing its influence and, without great care, may be lost forever. The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) identifies cultural tourism as a significant source for national tourism growth due to the authentic cultural experiences that are PNGs biggest selling tourism product. The UN World Tourism Organisation has stated that cultural tourism accounts for 37% of global tourism and forecasts a growth rate of 15% per year. This is particularly true for PNG where travel statistics show increased arrivals in the months of July to September as a result of cultural festivals staged in various parts of the country, especially the Mask Festival, the Mt Hagen Show, the Hiri Moale and the Goroka Show. Cultural festivals, village tours and stays that are worked into travel itineraries always prove attractive for tourists and are a common feature in many successful tour operators packages. PNGTPAs major challenge in cultural tourism has been in aligning the modern or Western concept of tourism as a business with the Melanesian cultural practices of shared resources and land ownership. Hence, PNGTPA works closely with tour operators and tourism associations to help reinforce, support and preserve the local communities and their culture. Partnerships in tourism are vital for PNG especially in the preservation of culture and natural resources. PNGTPAs most successful partnership projects have been the Surf Management Plan headed by the Surfers Association of PNG. This project aims to ensure that the village communities where surfing tourism takes place receive shared benefits through fees and that rules are implemented to limit the number of surfers so protecti.ng the environment. As a passionate observer of cultures and traditions of our country, I am always interested to learn and discover more about the various cultures and traditions of PNG. I am eager to learn in detail about our cultures in their full contexts and whether they are still practised. Sadly, the traditions have changed and contemporary culture has dominated what used to be our authentic way of life. I have come to known that many young people cannot speak any native languages from either of their parents tribes and clans. Language is part of culture and tradition and to lose language is to lose culture and tradition. Nathan Lati is Tourism Product Development Officer with the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority. He has worked with various organisations in business, humanitarian aid, project finance and logistics and in the United Nations migration division. But the PNG government has granted him citizenship and seems to be protecting him, Mr Juffa commented. He said the Indonesian government had charged Chandra for banking fraud and lists him as a criminal fugitive who needs to return to Indonesia and face justice for the crimes allegedly committed there. "Papua New Guinea is sending a wrong signal to the rest of the world that we are a safe haven for international criminals," Mr Juffa said. ORO Governor Gary Juffa has said that Papua New Guinea should bot be not a safe haven for international criminals after the PNG government granted citizenship to the Indonesian fugitive Djoko Chandra (pictured). "PNG must be careful of harboring such international criminals wanted by Interpol and his own country for money laundering and other fraudulent crimes as it gives a bad picture of us to the world," he said. Mr Juffa observed that the decision to grant citizenship to Chandra was a unilateral decision made by then acting foreign affairs minister then Ano Pala, as the Citizenship Committee had not sat to discuss the matter. "There are questions that need answers regarding this matter, he said. PNG welcomes investors and is willing to grant citizenship to persons who qualify but Chandra does not qualify at all. Other members of the PNG parliament also questioned why Tjandra was granted citizenship. East Sepik Governor, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, asked Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato why Tjandra was housed in Papua New Guinea when he has allegations to answer in Indonesia. K450 million was missing in their country and this persons name was mentioned, Sir Michael said. I want the Foreign Minister to be able to go back to five months to six months ago; there was a big write up in Indonesia about the same person. And I want to know, what is going on. Minister keeps giving answers which are irrelevant. Lets come up to points of facts and that facts are these. The guy is a fugitive person. He left the country to come here and we gave him the citizenship. Mr Pato didnt deliver a satisfying answer to Somares question but talked about the bilateral relations of PNG and Indonesia. He said PNG is a law-abiding nation. For the second time, Republican presidential candidate John Kasich has moved Friday's central New York town hall meeting to accommodate a larger crowd. Kasich's campaign initially announced that the event would be held at Le Moyne College's Grewen Hall, which can hold approximately 280 people. Due to a high number of RSVPs, the forum was moved to the Campus Center's Curtin Special Events Room. Now, Kasich will hold the town hall meeting at 6 p.m. at Henninger Athletic Center, 500 Springfield Road in DeWitt. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, visit kasich-syracuse.eventbrite.com. Kasich's swing through the Syracuse area will be one of several New York stops he'll make in the coming days. On Thursday, he held a veterans town hall meeting at VFW Post 9485 in Brooklyn. On Saturday, Kasich will hold a Rochester-area town hall meeting at 11 a.m. at the Greece Community and Senior Center, 3 Vince Tofany Blvd. in Greece. Later in the day, he'll hold a town hall meeting at 4 p.m. at Iona College's Hynes Center, 715 North Ave. in New Rochelle, and he'll attend the Rockland County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Victory Ball. Kasich is looking to make up ground in New York, where he trails Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump a Manhattan businessman by more than 30 points. Trump, who has a rally Wednesday night on Long Island, is planning to hold more events in New York before the state's April 19 primary. His campaign is reportedly eyeing upstate sites, including Buffalo and Syracuse, for upcoming visits. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who won the Wisconsin Republican primary Tuesday night, also plans to have a presence in New York. He held a rally Thursday in the Albany area. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited central New York last week for a manufacturing roundtable and a rally. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, headlined rallies Tuesday in Buffalo and Rochester. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is hoping for a big showing against Clinton in New York, held a rally last week in the Bronx. So far, his campaign hasn't announced any events in upstate. JORDAN The Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to approve and adopt a proposed 2016-17 budget of $29,198,000. The budget will be voted on by district residents on May 17. The 2016-17 budget total represents a $70,750 decrease from the 2015-16 budget and a zero percent change in the tax levy, which will remain at $12,239,336. "This budget puts us in a really good financial position," Superintendent James Froio said. "Not only for this year, but the following year as well." Due to the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), the budget decreases spending and does not raise taxes. "The district has initiated multiple cost saving measures over the last four years," Froio said. "Those measures are starting to pay off in the form of increased savings and revenues for the district." In other news: Director of Technology Steve Mendrek presented the preliminary Smart Schools investment plan of $1.3 million in system upgrades. The main objective of the upgrades is to increase connectivity, improve computer technologies, and install new security systems. Increased connectivity will support classroom instruction by improving the fiber backbone, which allows for more efficient online activity. The plans for new security systems include the installation of 16-megapixel cameras at each entrance, additional interior cameras, and new servers to provide storage for recorded footage. The 16-megapixel cameras enable administrators to zoom in on moving cars to determine license plate numbers. The plan will be posted on the district's website for 30 days before a public hearing scheduled for May 15. The plan requires extensive review by the board, Smart Schools, and the state Education Department before any of the proposed changes are implemented. Bomani Jones is never shy in sharing an opinion or making a statement. So when he went on Mike & Mikes television show thats also a radio show this morning subbing for Mike Golic, he did just that. Jones wore a Caucasians shirt parodying the Cleveland Indians, complete with a white Chief Wahoo logo. It even has a money sign instead of a feather. Bomani Jones rockin the Caucasians t-shirt on Mike & Mike. pic.twitter.com/a7KasCbTPd Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) April 7, 2016 Jones also wasnt shy in combating critics on Twitter who took issue with the parody shirt: The Indians officially demoted the Chief Wahoo logo this season to being a secondary one for the team and its presence has slowly been decreasing over the last few years. However, the team has said that its not going away permanently at least not yet. Its hard to imagine the logo being around for the long-term, especially when statements like this are made. The conventional wisdom holds that the Islamic State is mean and successful, and that the Islamic State is so successful precisely because it is so mean. Thats because most people unwittingly subscribe to what I call the Strategic Model of Terrorism. As the name suggests, the Strategic Model assumes that angry young men turn to terrorism because its strategic behavior. Terrorism may be immoral, but it offers them the best chance to redress their grievances by coercing governments into accommodating their political demands. According to this view, Hamas members are smart to attack Jews; the Kurdistan Workers Party is shrewd to kill Turks; and the Islamic State exhibits cunning when it decapitates journalists. The violence may not be pretty, but its a dependable way to secure a Palestinian state or a Kurdish state or to force the international community to accept a caliphate. Although governments say they dont negotiate with terrorists, the causal logic of the Strategic Model may seem sound: As the pain to their civilians mounts, governments are tempted to grant the terrorists demands in order to appease them. Proponents of the Strategic Model highlight how governments soften their political stances when their civilians are attacked in order to help protect them. Theres just one problem with this common narrative it lacks empirical support. Over a decade ago, I began publishing the first systematic studies on the political effects of terrorism. What Ive found is that terrorism is actually a surprisingly ineffective political instrument. Conventionally, terrorism means violence committed by nonstate actors against civilians for a presumed political goal. If we define terrorism in this standard way, it turns out that the tactic is highly correlated with political failure. There are some anomalous cases in which attacks on civilians worked out politically, such as when Spain decided to withdraw from Iraq after the 2004 Madrid train attacks. But throughout history, there are surprisingly few exceptions to this rule. Statistically, my research establishes that attacks on civilians actually lower the likelihood of government concessions. This is true even after we account for all sorts of other factors that could possibly explain the association between terrorism and political failure, like the capability of the perpetrators and the nature of their demands. Rather than appeasing the perpetrators, governments almost always go on the offensive when their civilians are struck. Indeed, its the politicians least sympathetic to terrorists who tend to benefit most from their violence. Predictably, the most hawkish Republican presidential candidates in the field, from Donald Trump to Ted Cruz to Marco Rubio, soared in the polls after the San Bernardino attacks, while relative doves like Rand Paul disappeared from the race entirely. Right-wing candidates in Israel like Benjamin Netanyahu also tend to get a boost in the polls after Palestinian terrorist attacks, as the public sours on a peace process. This is the political norm all over the world just ask French nationalist Marine Le Pen. For all the talk of Islamic States success, its terrorism is already backfiring. Islamic State said it beheaded the American journalist James Foley to pressure the United States into leaving Iraq. In response, President Barack Obama decided to not only ramp up operations in Iraq, but to extend them into Syria. The Paris attacks had a similar effect on France by dramatically increasing its participation in the military coalition, reflected best in the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf. Indeed, every single country hit by Islamic State terrorism has stiffened its resolve, from Australia to Canada to Russia to Turkey to even military-less Japan. Because Islamic State has amassed so many enemies, the group is now losing battles, territory and revenue. It has trouble paying fighters, and its propaganda output is declining. Within Syria, other Islamist groups such as Ahrar al-Sham and Nusra Front are gaining recruits at a faster clip than Islamic State precisely because theyre not as notorious for harming civilians. More and more, Islamic State members are defecting or going elsewhere to fight, like Europe. But the cherished dream of a caliphate was probably fun while it lasted. A possible counterargument is that Islamic State wants to provoke governments in order to make them look bad. But thats not what leaders of groups like Islamic State generally say. Based on my content analysis of all known Osama bin Laden statements translated into English, the al-Qaida founder primarily expressed interest in gaining concessions from governments. According to Bin Laden, the purpose of the 9/11 attacks was fourfold: to sever U.S. relations with pro-Western Muslim governments such as in Egypt; to erode U.S. relations with Israel; to stop crusader wars in which Western countries have killed Muslims around the world; and to eject the U.S. from the Persian Gulf. In response to the attacks, however, the Bush administration bolstered relations with so-called apostate regimes as well as with Israel and killed countless Muslims in counterterrorism operations all over the world, while increasing the troop presence in the Gulf by a factor of 15. Rarely do terrorist leaders say their aim is to provoke governments, and usually only after the latter have already started to go on the offensive. Islamic State has an even lower IQ than its parent group and most other terrorist organizations in history. This really shouldnt surprise anyone since Islamic State has zero admissions criteria. If you want to become an Islamic State terrorist, just attack somebody who isnt looking and yell Allahu akbar. Its time the media stopped overhyping Islamic State operatives and other terrorists by lionizing the sophistication of their attacks. It doesnt take a mastermind to blow up grandma, stir up a lot of fear and get the media to cover it. Of course, if thats how you define success, then the tactic of terrorism, by its very definition, has a 100 percent success rate. Max Abrahms is a professor of political science and public policy at Northeastern University and a member at the Council on Foreign Relations. He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. Statistically, my research establishes that attacks on civilians actually lower the likelihood of government concessions. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Contrary to the belief by some that the U.S. Department of Justice's Operation Choke Point has reached an end, a recent indictment brought as part of the initiative to root out financial fraud should serve as a stark reminder that OCP investigations and enforcement actions continue. Last month the prosecutors in DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch, who led the investigations into OCP's previous targets, filed a 39-count criminal indictment in Nevada of Gareth Long, owner and operator of the third-party payment processor V Internet Corp, LLC. About a year ago the Consumer Protection Branch had announced a settlement with CommerceWest Bank for allegedly permitting V Internet to engage in fraudulent transactions with numerous merchants. In announcing the Long indictment, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, the leader of DOJ's Civil Division, said: "As this case makes clear, we will investigate and pursue charges against individuals who abuse the financial information of American consumers." Banks, payment processors and others in the financial services industry should remain vigilant. Unfortunately, as the investigations continue, so too have one of the unintended but collateral consequences of such vigilance: mass de-risking. Members of the industry have raised their hands in frustration and simply avoided lines of business typically associated with higher risk. This reaction to DOJ's enforcement initiative, and similar matters brought by the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is certainly understandable. But is it necessary? For its part, the DOJ has done much to help avoid widespread panic. Its allegations in the filed actions are fairly specific, and provide a good roadmap of the type of conduct to avoid. Moreover, DOJ's public comments in speeches, including one I gave before leaving the administration, press releases, and other statements have been unambiguous: Fraudsters should watch out; everyone else, remain mindful of your BSA/AML responsibilities and otherwise go about your business. The admonition to a bank that it must pay close attention to its anti-money laundering obligations, of course, is not new or surprising, and guidance from the federal regulators on proper management of third-party relationships has been around for years. So why have so many in the industry been quick to de-risk? When the government decides to shine its floodlights on bad conduct that, for one reason or another, originates from a particular industry or general type of business, it makes everyone else associated with that industry or business model understandably skittish, including all of the good actors. Thus, the question for those in the payments chain quickly changes from "Are we properly managing our risk?" to "How much leeway will the government give us if a bad actor or two slips through undetected?" Variations of this include: "How many bad actors will it take?" and "How bad does that bad actor have to be?" and, finally, "Is it really worth it?" The de-risking reaction, of course, is not limited to Operation Choke Point. We also see it today with marijuana and correspondent banks, and whenever else there is increased governmental regulation and enforcement actions focused on particular conduct. All of the public statements in the world by DOJ or the regulators that they are only targeting the truly bad fraudsters, and that they are not going after minor violations, won't change the natural reaction to de-risk because there's simply no telling exactly where the government will decide to draw its phantom line. So what is there to do? A recent speech by Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry about the increase in de-risking of foreign correspondent banks that pose a threat of terrorist financing is a start. Comptroller Curry began by noting that stopping the financing of terrorists is important. But, he observed, "It cannot be our only goal. A banking system that's truly safe and sound is also one that meets the legitimate needs of its customers and communities. Ensuring fair access to financial services while also combating threats to the system's integrity is surely one of the great challenges that regulators and financial institutions face today." This observation is a good one, and the simple fact that he acknowledged the difficult tasks facing the industry is comforting. Comptroller Curry, of course, also suggested that his agency might issue new guidance to address de-risking. If this guidance takes the form of a best practices document, rather than more prescriptive measures, and is implemented only after significant input from the institutions it regulates, then this could be a significant step in the right direction. Put simply, the government will get better results if it works with industry rather than against it, and acknowledges the terrible tension industry faces between serving a community and subjecting itself to increased scrutiny. Only when the government truly understands the consequences of its actions (especially the unintended consequences), acknowledges those concerns to those directly affected, and works closely with them to address the challenges they face, can we expect that the multitude of good actors who desperately want to avoid the last resort of de-risking will be able to do so with relative comfort. Michael J. Bresnick is chair of the financial services investigations and enforcement practice at Venable LLP. He previously served as executive director of President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, under which Operation Choke Point was created. In his annual letter to shareholders last year, JPMorgan Chase Chairman and Chief Executive Jamie Dimon famously warned that "Silicon Valley is coming" to steal banks' business. This year, Dimon took a decidedly different tone, saying the bank's recent investments have put it on equal footing with the technologists on the West Coast. "We have built our own extraordinary in-house big data capabilities we think as good as any in Silicon Valley," Dimon wrote. He said the nation's largest bank is using data analytics to understand its customers better, including why they leave. The bank is also devoting more resources to protecting customers' data and is restructuring the way it works with third parties that have access to that data. Still, fintechs remain a disruptive force and Dimon said that, as such, JPMorgan will continue to look to these upstarts for inspiration and partnerships. Here are five of the key technology takeaways from the letter. Mining for Insights The unit that Dimon said can compete with any Silicon Valley firm is called Intelligent Solutions and it is made up of 200 analysts and data scientists. On the commercial side, the group is doing what Dimon called "responsible prospecting." Traditionally, it's been difficult for banks to get lists of prospective clients that have accurate telephone numbers, email addresses and business descriptions. Through data analytics, the company has discovered "twice as many high-quality prospects," Dimon wrote. On the consumer side, the company is using big data to deliver more targeted marketing and understanding why customers leave the bank. That perhaps seems like an obvious use of such capabilities, but it is a significant undertaking given that its Chase Bank unit one of the nation's largest mortgage, credit card and automobile lenders has a relationship with nearly half the households in the U.S. The Value of Data Dimon stressed that protecting customer data is a top priority particularly when it comes to giving third parties access to that data. "Our customers have done this with payment companies, aggregators, financial planners and others," Dimon wrote. "We want to be helpful, but we have a responsibility to each of our customers, and we are extremely concerned." Currently, customers of such third parties hand over their bank login information and these firms, such as Mint or Acorns, access data through a technique called screen scraping. Last year JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Bank of America, were accused of blocking these third parties' access to their customers' account information. "In the future," Dimon wrote, "instead of giving a third party unlimited access to information in any bank account, we hope to build systems that allow us to 'push' information and only that information agreed to by the customer to that third party." That push could materialize through open application program interfaces, essentially a tool that allows companies to share limited and specific information. Connecting to a site via Facebook is the classic API example. Digital Small Business Services Banks' commercial customers have long been waiting for the same kind of innovative digital products that retail customers have access to. This is especially true for small businesses. To that end, Dimon highlighted two new digital initiatives to be rolled out this year for Chase small- business customers. The first is an initiative called Chase for Business, which will include a digital application process allowing business customers to sign up for what Dimon termed the "triple play" a deposit account, business credit card and Chase merchant processing with one signature and in one day. Historically, that process has taken longer and has involved a lot of repetitive paperwork. He also touted a partnership with the online lender OnDeck Capital, under which Chase will use OnDeck's technology to quickly process loan requests. On its own, Chase might take a month or more to approve and fund a loan request, but Dimon said the partnership with OnDeck would allow it to approve loans in as little as a day. The loans will be Chase branded, retained on the bank's balance sheet, and subject to its pricing and risk parameters. The Fintechs Are Coming For all of the bank's efforts to outinnovate the fintech firms, Dimon retains a certain admiration for these upstarts. He credits them, for example, with making financial services more accessible to larger swath of the population. "Services will be rolled out faster, and more of them will be executed on a mobile device," he wrote. "Fintech has been great at making it easier and often less expensive for customers and will likely lead to many more people, including more lower-income people, joining the banking system in the United States and abroad." "It is unquestionable," he added, "that fintech will force financial institutions to move more quickly, and banks, regulators and government policy will need to keep pace." Dimon told investors that JPMorgan Chase will "vigorously" monitor the fintech landscape for ideas and perhaps even more partnerships. "We want to stay up to date and be extremely informed, and we are always looking for ways to improve what we do," he wrote. "We are perfectly willing to compete by building capabilities (we have large capabilities in-house) or to collaborate by partnering. We need to be very technologically competent because we know that some of our competitors will be very good. All businesses have clear weak spots, and those weaknesses will be and should be exploited by competitors. This is how competitive markets work." What He Didn't Mention Dimon made no mention of blockchain technology in the letter, which was a bit of a surprise given that the company reportedly has been testing a blockchain use case that would move money for about 2,200 clients. He avoided discussion of other innovations as well, either because they are too nascent or just didn't fit into the 50-page document. But that doesn't mean he's not paying attention to them. "There are many new technologies that I will not discuss here (think cloud, containerization and virtualization) but which will make every single part of this ecosystem increasingly more efficient over time," he wrote. WASHINGTON For bankers, this year's presidential election may come down to the devil they know versus the one they don't. Despite continued turmoil in the primaries, the contest is still likely to pit former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton against the New York real estate magnate Donald Trump. For many community bankers, both are unattractive options. They fear Clinton represents a continuation of the regulatory policies of the Obama administration, which they argue have brought them to the brink of extinction. But Trump's banking plan is vague at best, and it's unclear who would advise him on financial matters or what his agenda might be. "I don't like either of our choices. There is too much baggage with both of them," said a community banker who spoke on condition of anonymity. In interviews with bankers across the country, many made it clear that neither Clinton nor Trump was their first, second or even third choice. In a recent unofficial poll of roughly 1,000 bankers at a Consumer Bankers Association conference earlier this month, 85% said they would prefer an alternative to either Clinton or Trump. Fifty-two percent said that, if forced to choose they would pick Clinton, while 48% preferred Trump. But in another informal poll, conducted by the Independent Community Bankers of America the next day, 83% of bankers participating said they preferred Trump, with only 17% backing Clinton. Many Republican bankers flocked first to the campaign of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who dropped out after a disappointing showing on Super Tuesday last month, and then to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who dropped out this month. Some are still holding out hope for a victory by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who won the primary in his home state but is far behind in the race for Republican delegates. Kasich is "by far the most qualified for the position that is still in the race," said Scott McComb, president and chief executive of the $730 million-asset Heartland Bank in Gahanna, Ohio. "He understands finance, he understands the difference between big banks and small banks, and he understands also that we need to have big banks and we have to have small banks, but they should be regulated independently of one another and on a level playing field commensurate to size." To be sure, Kasich, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, or possibly another Republican candidate could win the nomination if it becomes a brokered convention. Former House Speaker John Boehner has publicly suggested allowing Speaker Paul Ryan who isn't even in the running as the GOP nominee if Trump does not secure enough delegates. If forced to choose between Clinton and Trump, however, McComb ultimately said he would back Trump, citing fears that Clinton is moving to the left on financial issues. "She is the most dangerous of all of them because she is going to be heavily influenced by" Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., "and I think that is a big danger for the banking industry," McComb said. Indeed, there are persistent fears in the industry that Clinton will select Warren, the founder of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as her vice presidential candidate. Such a move would boost Clinton's support among the progressive wing of her party, which is currently supporting rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., but would undoubtedly alienate many bankers. In the same CBA poll earlier this month, support for Clinton dropped to 37% if she picked Warren as her running mate; a Trump ticket with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie won with 63%. McComb argues that since Trump is a businessman, he would relate to bankers' point of view. "He has done enough business that he also understands the value that banks provide the system," he said. "I think he would be sensitive to community banks because he would think we are insignificant so he would cut us a break." But not all bankers agree. Keith Mestrich, president and CEO of the New York City-based Amalgamated Bank, which banks a number of labor groups as well as political organization such as the Ready for Hillary political action committee, said he would support the eventual Democratic nominee because "the values of the party line up with the values of this bank." "Our position in the bank is that we don't take a position when there's a primary, but we will absolutely back the Democratic candidate for president," Mestrich said. It is difficult, however, to find many bankers willing to take a public position on the election when it is still so many months away. "When it is open season as we are engaged in now, you don't see many bankers in the first row or out on the sidelines as cheerleaders," said Charles Doyle, chairman of the $950 million-asset Texas First Bank in Texas City. Doyle, a former mayor of Texas City, said bankers are more vocal on specific legislative issues than the candidates themselves. "I think bankers are really frustrated with the legislative process. We just don't understand why government on all levels has continued to do for the last several years and that is really to reduce the number of entrants," Doyle said. Doyle noted that he ended up folding a de novo charter he founded into Texas First Bank because 40-50% of the revenues were being spent on outside experts to help with compliance. He said he hopes that the next president will surround himself or herself with people who understand community banking, but said he hadn't decided on who he would support yet. "Like most Americans, I have been observing a lot of behavior I would support and a lot of behavior I would not support," he said. "I have not formed an opinion yet." Michael Olson, vice president of the $830 million-asset Lincoln Savings Bank in Grinell, Iowa, who supported Jeb Bush during the caucuses there, said he was recently swayed after hearing a speech by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling. The Texas Republican told a recent American Bankers Association conference that he planned to introduce a bill soon to loosen regulations on community banks. "I will be voting for the Republican nominee, whoever that may be, so that there is someone in the White House that will actually sign this type of legislation," Olson said. Albert "Kell" Kelly, CEO of the $650 million-asset SpiritBank in Tulsa, Okla., also said he would support the Republican nominee no matter who ends up being the candidate. "None of the Democrat side will pull away from the already hugely burdensome regime of regulations so I believe the only chance we have as bankers is to support the Republican side, whoever that is, because otherwise we are doomed," Kelly said. He acknowledged that Trump is a contentious pick. Violence has broken out at several of the billionaire's rallies, which many blame on Trump's rhetoric. "Even though Trump carries tremendous controversy and everything else, the unknown is better than the known on the Democratic side," Kelly said. "I want a president that is going to do anything" that would reduce regulation "and I'll take a chance on Genghis Khan right now if he comes out on the Republican side." In this way, many community bankers may split from those who work for larger banks. The biggest institutions have given heavily to Clinton's campaign, and many are comfortable with her as a potential president, particularly given her experience as a former senator from New York. Clinton's Wall Street reform plan, meanwhile, has targeted shadow banks over big banks, and lacks any of the more ambitious tenets of Sanders' plan. Trump, meanwhile, has said little about Wall Street reform, beyond a vague pledge to repeal the Dodd-Frank Act. But he has also openly courted the idea of starting a trade fight with China and other foreign nations. "Trump would be bad for the big banks if he is going to start these trade wars he is talking about," McComb said. Western civilization is immolating itself on the sword of political correctness. Our leaders fail to recognize the existential threat that we now face and are unwilling to take the decisive actions necessary to combat the threat of radical jihadist Islamists. Leadership on both sides of the political spectrum refuse to identify how we might counter this threat. This is not necessarily a new type of threat that we have not experienced before. However, what is new is our refusal to properly utilize the tools at our disposal to combat this threat. We often hear our leadership say that it is against our values as Americans to use some of these ruthless but effective tools. Gen. George S. Patton once said, War is cruel, ruthless and brutal and it takes a cruel, ruthless and brutal man to fight it! It was the implementation of this approach that ultimately secured victory in 1945. Unfortunately, our nation does not presently possess Pattons cruel, ruthless and brutal man in any senior leadership position in our government or military. Politicians and generals alike often state that it is against our long-held American values to target civilians or torture prisoners. However, our countrys history is replete with examples of our leadership doing what is necessary to win. We can only logically extrapolate that those who would refuse to fight hard war would be willing to sacrifice our lives and freedom on the altar of the absurd fallacies of American values crowd. During the Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington hanged spies and executed deserters. During the Mexican-American War, Gen. Winfield Scott ordered the execution of fifty members of the St. Patricks Battalion in 1847. Many members of this unit were determined to be deserters from the U.S. Army who joined forces with the Mexican army under Santa Ana. Both Union and Confederate generals during the Civil War executed prisoners in retaliation for executions by their counterparts. Gen. William Sherman during his famous march from Atlanta to the sea issued General Order V which stated, Army Corps commanders alone are entrusted with the power to destroy mills, houses, cotton gins, etc., and for them this general principle is laid down: in districts in neighborhoods where the Army is unmolested no destruction of such property should be permitted; but should guerillas or bushwhackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless according to the measure of such hostility. It was also Gen. Sherman who once famously exclaimed, War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want! During the wars against the Plains Indians in the late 1800s, the U.S. Army targeted villages after Indians had attacked and killed white settlers and raped women. In response, the Army sent in one of the greatest cavalry leaders in the old West: Col. Ranald McKenzie. His job was to kill Comanche Indians, and this he did with great efficiency. He relentlessly attacked Indian villages and destroyed their pony herds which were vitally important to the survival of these Indian communities. These starving and broken Comanche Indians retired to the reservation and were no longer a threat to the local citizens. World War II has an abundance of examples of bombings of German and Japanese cities. The firebombing of Tokyo in March 1945 is estimated to be the single most destructive bombing raid in history. Approximately 100,000 Japanese citizens were killed during this attack. Unfortunately, after World War II, the U.S. abandoned the concepts of total and hard war and adopted a more politically correct view of war. Subsequently we have never again won a war. Now we are faced with brutal Islamic extremists who are willing to kill innocent civilians without remorse. President Obama naively refuses to even recognize the threat. Sun Tzu in his timeless essay The Art of War stated, Know the enemy and know yourself; and in 100 battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant of both your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril. Such people are called mad bandits. What can they expect if not defeat? While I was a young Marine in attendance at Infantry Training School there was an oracular sign hanging on the wall of the classroom that simply stated, When civilized man can no longer stand the horrors of war and declares that he will no longer fight. Then he will surely be killed or enslaved by the uncivilized. Have we reached that point? Are we no longer willing to do what needs to be done to secure victory? The Shanghai Chinese Tower, in the center of the financial district in Lujiazui, stands 2000 feet above a city of 24 million people and counting. Fittingly, an American firm designed that tower, now the tallest building in China, and itself a symbol of the countrys rise to greatness. As the drive to position Shanghai as one of the worlds leading financial center continues, one wonders why both the U.S. government and American businesses are actively working towards helping China become a global powerhouse that could eclipse the U.S. and undermine Washingtons own global influence. Just look at Chinas fast and furious acquisition of American companies, an alarming development that has been met with deafening silence from the White House. While Chinese companies face little obstacles in snapping up prized American assets, our own companies are hampered (by overburdening regulations, among other obstacles) from securing a more active presence on Chinas turf. The latest bidding war, involving Anbang and Marriott for the Starwood properties, has led to questions about why a Chinese insurance company with an incredibly opaque ownership structure wants to pay $14 billion for the hotel chain, considerably more than Starwood is worth. Anbang made three unsuccessful offers to buy Starwood last year, but never offered satisfactory answers about its financing or created much confidence in its corporate backstory. Even the Wall Street Journal keeps running into dead ends while trying to determine whos really behind the deal. Whats really important about why Anbang is willing to pay so much for Starwood is that the offer is consistent with Chinas aggressive stance on acquisitions, with $100 billion on the table so far this year. Those deals include the $44 billion ChemChina offer to purchase Syngenta, which has been met with real opposition from both Democrats and Republicans because of issues it raises for food security and national security. The Swiss-owned Syngenta has facilities in the U.S. that are dangerously close to key military bases, an element that has prompted the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a regulatory body, to scuttle deals in the past. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has repeatedly cautioned against the merger, asking CFIUS to assess the proposed acquisitions impact on domestic food security. CFIUS has already shot down three Chinese investment deals this year for being egregiously dangerous to our national interest. Fairchild Semiconductor abandoned a merger with a Chinese company after the regulatory body expressed concern. However, barring a change in federal laws, CFIUS cant face off the Chinese dragon singlehandedly. Which is why passing a U.S. moratorium on Chinese acquisitions, at least until Beijing levels the playing field, is long overdue. By the State Departments own admission, American companies face an overtly hostile and discriminatory environment in China. Investors need government approval for projects, foreigners are barred from staffing key managerial positions, and many sectors are prohibited by Beijing from benefitting from foreign investment. At the same time, the Central Committee effectively distorts competition by doling out better tax incentives and financing opportunities to Chinese companies. Succeeding on the Chinese market is therefore tremendously difficult for U.S. companies. On the flipside, Chinese investors face almost no barriers on doing business on American soil, a fact that is currently helping Beijing prop up its ailing economy and advance its global influence. What should be obvious, even to the Obama administration and certainly to its successor, is that these plays are just another expression of Chinas unquenchable thirst for expansion. These strategies may seem new to targets in the West, but not to a Chinese government accustomed to deploying the same trade and financial weapons across the African continent and Asia. Western analysts recognize Chinas compelling need for agricultural resources to feed its ever-growing population and natural resources to supply its voracious industries. What they miss, with a naivete that leads to peril, is that Chinas longstanding commitment to expansion through trade, as the true endgame of a foreign policy that pays lip service to its peaceful rise, really means Chinese hegemony and thats a threat the U.S. must put to rest. While the United States continues its mild-mannered overtures directed at appeasing conflicts in the South China Sea, or its iffy prospects for containing Chinas economic power through the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its ASEAN alignments, China doesnt pull any punches. American leaders operate within a diplomatic framework anchored in the polite fiction of a peaceful China moving toward responsible leadership in the global community. Thats precisely the message the Chinese spent years creating, and a pretense they no longer bother to make themselves. Meanwhile, America keeps building Chinas world-class future at its own expense. The pleas to put an end to unchallenged Chinese economic practices that disadvantage Americans the outright theft of American innovation, the unfair currency manipulation, the alignment with unsavory world leaders abroad and the indifference to the daily $1 billion trade deficit at home need to be acted on, and fast. I am more and more convinced that our campaign is going to earn the 1,237 delegates needed to win, said Cruz after winning by a landslide in Wisconsin. But what he didnt say is that to do that before the nominating convention, he has to amass nearly 82% of all remaining delegates -- a virtual impossibility. Cruz knows only a miracle can get him to the coveted 1237 delegates needed prior to Cleveland. Im encouraged by seeing Republicans coming together and uniting behind our campaign, Cruz recently said, arguing that old rivals rallying to him is proof miracles can happen. The parting of the Red Sea is a better proof that miracles happen. But apart from divine intervention, its mathematically clear that the waves of Republican delegates will not be blown over to Teds side for a win before the GOP gathering this summer. What can be counted on, however, is that the hard-hearted establishment cronies and elites will continue to unleash their full arsenal of sorceries, like Pharaoh against Moses, to thwart the people from actually choosing their leader prior to the convention -- even if it means political plague, pestilence and destruction ultimately descend upon their Republican kingdom. Hell bent on #NeverTrump, the elites have formulated a trifecta of spells to keep both Trump and Cruz from securing the nomination. The first divination channeled through one of their old high priests, the failed Pharaoh-in-Chief Mitt Romney, was to split the vote by backing whoever might win a particular states primary delegates. Their endgame: conjure up a contested convention and thereby stop the exodus. Magical Mitt demonstrated the effectiveness of this craft in the Ohio primary by campaigning aggressively for Kasich, only to stab him in the back a week later by sending out robocalls throughout Utah and Arizona in support of Cruz and calling a vote for Kasich a vote for Trump. In addition to splitting the vote, the pharaoh class simultaneously began to woo and recruit delegates (or appoint those that can be co-opted by the party bosses) that would abandon Trump if he didnt receive the necessary 1237 votes at the convention on the first ballot. The New York Times described this hexing as a deliberate plan of attack to derail Donald Trump, noting the pharaoh class will step up their campaign for the next 100 days with a delegate-by-delegate lobbying effort that would cast Mr. Trump as a calamitous choice for the general election. Which leads to their third hocus-pocus: change the rules that the candidates have counted on and adhered to throughout this primary cycle. Pharaohs are notorious for agreeing to something, and then at the last minute going back on their word. "It's still important to them that the perception is that the process is fair," says Peter Feaman, a Republican National Committeeman from Florida. Never mind the reality. The major stumbling block for the establishment Egyptians is Rule 40(b) which states that if a candidate doesnt get a majority of delegates in at least eight states, he cant be nominated on any ballot -- whether the first or twenty-first. North Dakota National Committeeman Curly Haugland, a member of the RNC Rules Committee, told the Daily Caller that to get around this little inconvenience, he would propose an amendment to the GOP convention rules this summer that will allow any Republican candidate with at least one delegate to be deemed nominated on the first ballot. By doing that, abracadabra! Its no longer a race between Trump and Cruz, but the top eight finishers including Kasich and a resurrected Bush. Primaries and caucuses be damned. To power-protecting fat cat pharaohs, the only rule that matters is their rule. Along with Trump, Ted Cruz was initially the object of their disdain and derision. Now hes their last hope to force a contested convention. No surprise they are rushing to his corner. Mitts magical robocalls, Grahams voodoo fundraiser and Bushs enticing endorsement are only the beginnings of their duplicitous efforts. Shockingly, Ted seems to be falling for their manipulations. It wont be Washington deal makers sending in some white knight who wasnt on the ballot, says Cruz. It will be a fight between me and Donald and I think if we get to that, we win that fight, well earn the support of the delegates that were elected by the people. Sure. Because pharaohs can be trusted. (I)t strikes me that (Cruz) should not be out there suggesting that the only two people who will be able to receive votes at the Republican National Convention are he and Trump by virtue of the fact that they have the majority of delegates from eight states or more. This is disingenuous, corrects Lord Rove who is looking for a fresh face to nominate. A more likely scenario is the pharaohs will continue to charm Trusting Ted, only to rain down their wrath on him and Trump once the convention convenes. Trump calls this the taskmasters Trojan horse maneuver. Its the last remaining scheme that can halt the peoples exodus out of their decayed and dying Republocrat system of cronyism, corruption, kickbacks, and contempt for the Constitution. Americans want to live in constitutional America, not some globalist empire that funds itself and expands its power through the enslaving of everyday brick makers, the cooked books of bailout dependent mega-corps, money printing central bank wizards, tax and spend overlords, open border bureaucrats, and institutionalized thieves that steal from one group in the name of compassion, but then use guilt and manipulation to shame those that have been stolen from. This is the Washington cartel Ted has railed against, the same pharaoh class that is now gushing over him. Dont forget how quickly Mitt stabbed Kasich in the back. Only Trump can reach the 1237 before the convention. And therefore, it is only Trump that can lead the exodus out of their enslavement. But without Cruz, the exodus will fail. Only Cruz can now ensure that the cabals conspiracies are negated and the partys freedom from the pharaoh class is secured for generations to come. How? First, Cruz must publicly acknowledge -- in spite of the Wisconsin win -- that he cannot and will not reach the needed 1237 delegates before the convention. Secondly, he has to come to grips with the overlords depraved lust for power and act accordingly. Cruz is not suddenly the elites darling now that the slate of their candidates has been devoured. On the contrary, the pharaohs will unhesitatingly offer him up as a final oblation in order to nominate one of their own. If they fail here, any means is justified in their minds to ensure that their reign continues -- including destroying the convention and thereby electing Hillary. The only way to stop their contested convention madness is for Ted to suspend his campaign and unite with Trump -- like Aaron alongside Moses -- and spend the next seven months working with him, not necessarily as his VP (which is probably not be the best ticket to defeat Hillary) but for the sake of the country, regardless of any deal or position promises. By unifying and jointly building a freed and reformed Republican Party, the two can ensure the drowning of the pharaohs and their armies and lead the party into a promise land of limited constitutional government, low taxes, unmanipulated free trade, sound money, Judeo-Christian values, secured borders and a strong national defense. True glory is found in sacrifice, and greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life - or in this case, his campaign -- for his friends. Follow Mark Hanna on Twitter @markhannanews. In his 1936 song "I've Got You under My Skin," in a complicated melody with repeated notes, Cole Porter advised, "Use your mentality; wake up to reality." In view of a number of recent international events, that advice and a repeated wake-up call for President Barack Obama are long overdue. New alarm bells for a coherent U.S. foreign policy have come from a number of these event, from the ungracious omission by the White House of words of French President Francois Hollande to the apparent underplaying of the threat of home-grown Islamist terrorists to the increasing belligerence of Iran. On March 31, 2016, at a meeting in Washington, D.C. with Obama, President Hollande called for cooperation between the U.S. and France on the crucial issue of what Obama has called "violent extremism." Hollande uses more correct terminology. He remarked, "But we are also well aware that the roots of terrorism, Islamist terrorism [sic] are in Syria and Iraq. We therefore have to act both in Syria and in Iraq, and this is what we are doing within the framework of the coalition." In most undiplomatic behavior, the initial White House transcript including the English translation of Hollande's remarks erased his words "Islamist terrorism." To save face, the bad behavior was later labeled a "technical error," and the correct language was made public, but the unwillingness of the U.S. president to acknowledge the reality expressed by the French president of the real nature of the terrorism was evident once again. The evidence of Islamist terrorism has long been clear and frightening for Europeans. More than 30,000 Islamists from 104 countries have gone to fight for ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The reality of the problem has been made more precise by a study commissioned by the Netherlands national coordinator for security and counterterrorism (NCTV) and issued on April 1, 2016 by the International Center for Counterterrorism (ICCT). It deals with the threat and the policy responses in Europe both at the EU level and within the individual EU member states. The study analyzed nine European countries in depth concerning the number of foreign fighters who came from the EU countries to join ISIS and the danger they constituted. It estimated the total number as between 3,922 and 4,294 jihadists from the EU countries, about 30% of whom have returned home. Of the total, 2,338 came from four countries: Belgium, France, Germany, and U.K., with Belgium having the highest per capita contingent. The returnees have acquired basic military training and battlefield experience. They pose a real danger, especially to Belgium and France. Among other details in the study are the facts that almost all of the fighters came from metropolitan areas or suburbs; that about 17 percent are women; and that a minority, ranging between 6 and 23 percent, were converts to Islam. Increasingly serious to the world is the recent provocative behavior of Iran in two ways: its flamboyant arms deals and its missile launches. On March 28, 2016, a U.S. ship in the Arabian Sea stopped a large Iranian arms shipment, containing thousands of weapons, AK-47 rifles, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers headed to Yemen, where Iran has been supporting the Houthi rebels in the fight against a Saudi-led coalition. Even more provocative are the military actions. Iran test-fired two Qadr-H ballistic missiles from northern Iran on March 23, 2016 with the words "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on their sides. A major figure in Iran's Revolutionary Guard said that the 1,200-mile range of the missiles is "to confront the Zionist regime," and indeed, they could hit Tel Aviv. In addition to the display of Iran's combative role, the firing of the missiles showed the Iranian contempt for the U.S. in an even more stark fashion than usual, because the launching occurred while Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel on an official visit. Moreover, in what appears to be deliberate mocking of Obama's non-action over his red line in Syria, the deputy chief of the Iran Revolutionary Guard issued the warning that Iran's defense capacities and missile power are among the Iranian nation's red lines, and "we won't allow anyone to violate" them. The launching of the missiles is of course a violation of U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which forbids Iran from developing missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. Iran persists that its missiles are solely conventional, but clearly this is untrue. Though the U.S. administration acknowledges this, it still insists that the launching is not a violation of the nuclear deal with Iran. Mr. Biden has said that the U.S. will act if it finds evidence that Iran broke the terms of the nuclear agreement. Obama, puzzlingly, has commented that Iran was obeying the "letter" of the deal but not the "spirit." Neither Obama nor Biden had heeded the declaration of the ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, on March 30, 2016 that missiles, rather than diplomacy, will be part of Tehran's relations with the outside world. He made clear that the whole concept of negotiating with the U.S. is flawed. The launch is a provocative act of aggression, not a sign, as Obama had hoped, that Iran would become more moderate. No one can now doubt that part of the $150 billion Iran will obtain as a result of the nuclear deal will be used for a serious military buildup and that Iran will continue to pursue its program to obtain nuclear weapons. In addition, one can now expect an arms race in the Middle East. It was noticeable that Saudi Arabia hosted a military exercise, Operation Desert Thunder, in which 20 Muslim countries took part as a coalition to defend themselves against terrorism and against Iran. It was clear from the beginning that the U.S. and its associates had made an ill-advised nuclear deal with Iran. It is equally clear that Iran is committed to maintain its aggressive stance toward the West, especially as one views the role and power of the Revolutionary Guards and their leader, Qassem Suleimani. The problem of Iran has become even more serious as it is working with Russia to upgrade its anti-aircraft defense systems, making an attack on Iran increasingly less likely and more dangerous. For the U.S., the warning of Iran comes not in the night, as Cole Porter might have suggested, but in clear daylight, and it has been repeated, repeated in the ear of the U.S. administration. http://nypost.com/2016/04/06/this-teenagers-comic-essay-about-costco-got-her-into-five-ivy-league-schools/ This teens comic essay about Costco got her into five Ivy League schools No need to be an all-American athlete, lead in the high school musical whos able to recite Chaucer in perfect Middle English to get into an Ivy League school just head to Cotsco! A Delaware teen got into five Ivies Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth and Cornell after penning an essay about her admiration for Americas largest member-only wholesale club. Brittany Stinsons 655-word ode to Costco was a response to a Common Application admissions essay question that asked applicants to share something that was so important that their lives would feel incomplete without it. I had always gone to Costco growing up it was a constant part of my childhood, the 17-year-old told NBC News. I looked forward to trips on the weekends and I had always treated it as Disneyland of sorts. I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life, she added. ADVERTISING Stinson opened the essay, which she released in full to Business Insider, with her earliest memories of going grocery shopping with her mother. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrialized freezes, to explore every crevice, she wrote. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. If there exists a thirty-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? - Brittany Stinson As she got older, she began thinking more metaphysically about the weekly trips. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? she asked. Stinson said she often found herself lost in thought about the bulk sizes Costco offered its customers crediting the nationwide chain with kickstarting her unfettered curiosity in life. Perusing the aisles came me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? The variety of options on the shelves also enhanced her exploratory skills. Just as I sampled buffalo chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious, she wrote. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world, she continued. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. The straight-A student from Wilmington found out last week that she got into the Ivies along with a sixth top tier school, Stanford that have acceptance rates ranging from Stanfords 4.69 percent to Cornells 13.96 percent. Surely one of the oddest comments by a candidate in this oddest of presidential election seasons has been Donald Trump's comment that he is not being treated "fairly." His off-and-on promise to support the ultimate Republican nominee or to run as an independent candidate or to lead his supporters out of the Republican convention always seems to depend upon whether or not the Republican National Committee treats him "fairly." Bernie Sanders campaigns on the theme of fairness. Whether one accepts his silly socialist themes or not, at least Sanders sounds sincere, and this theme fits into what you expect to hear from the only Socialist Party member in Congress. But Donald Trump, who is the consummate wheeler-dealer, the favored son of a New York multimillionaire and the flashing owner of hotels and casinos how many of his casino visitors feel they are treated fairly? is also the presidential candidate who prides himself on winning. Trump is the man who uses eminent domain to dispossess old women out of their homes, which hardly seems fair, whether one thinks that use of legal process is in the greater good or not. Life, of course, is not fair. Trump himself started life far ahead of most Americans. He was born with great wealth. Trump tells the world that nature has blessed his body with other advantages. There are very few things Donald Trump says that are not pure bragging, some of which is doubtless true, but all of which hardly fits at all with his recurrent complaints about being treated unfairly. What makes this even more peculiar is that Trump has profited enormously as the candidate of a minority of Republican voters so that out of the 31 Republican primaries and caucuses so far, Donald Trump has yet to persuade a majority of voters to support him. The best Trump has done so far is Mississippi, where he won 47.3% of the vote in the March primary. Nationally, Trump is the frontrunner, but he has that status while earning less than 40% of the popular vote. Does that seem fair? Trump has also, more or less, commanded media to cover his campaign and has used his media connections and celebrity friends to promote his campaign in ways other candidates cannot match, and without apparent regard to being fair to his Republican competitors. He routinely threatens to sue anyone who gets in his way and quite consciously portrays himself as the most macho presidential nominee since Teddy Roosevelt. There is nothing wrong with his hyper-assertiveness...except when Trump then returns to the theme of being treated unfairly by the "establishment." Donald Trump, of course, is part of that establishment, which runs from the Potomac River to the penthouses of Manhattan. Indeed, Trump has never been anything less that the establishment which doesn't mean he can't honestly run against the people messing up America but does mean that his demands for fairness sound not so much hollow as absurd. Trump is, after all, promising not to "Make America Fair Again," but to "Make America Great Again." He tells us how he is able to make great deals. He produced reality shows in which he fired employees before American television audiences. Trump has boasted in the past of sexual conquests, including winning women for a tryst he had no moral right to take. This is a sort of swagger that appeals to Americans sick and tired of being lectured by stern-faced schoolmarm politicians about everyone being equal. But the very last thing these angry conservative Americans want to hear from politicians anymore is a call for greater "fairness," which is, after all, always in the eye of the beholder. Jihads for "fairness" are the cause of most of our problems these days. Fairness has always been the mantra of the left, the slogan of redistributionists, the noble goal at least the pronounced noble goal of every big-government type in politics. When the supposed champion of these Americans, a man blessed in life in almost every way, complains himself of being treated "unfairly," that ought to be a clue that there is something very wrong with their champion Mr. Trump. Democratic senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts said during a Foreign Relations Committee hearing that our $19-trillion national debt is "not actually right now" a threat to the country. After chairman Senator Bob Corker retrieved his jaw from the floor, he told Markey that was a "crackpot" idea. Washington Examiner: "A realistic discussion about it, and accepting expert opinion that this debt that we have is not actually right now a threat to our country, is I think a more realistic and honorable way of talking to the American people about it," Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday. That surprised committee chairman Bob Corker, who concluded the hearing by describing such views as "crackpot," and repeatedly said he expected the panel to demonstrate consensus about the need to limit the debt. Markey also insisted that Republicans drop their interest in changing entitlement programs as they try to mitigate the projected federal debt. Budget hawks long have warned about a brewing debt crisis, a concern that gained currency in military circles in recent years. "I've said many times that I believe the single, biggest threat to our national security is our debt, so I also believe we have every responsibility to help eliminate that threat," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in 2011. Markey suggested that nuclear weapons represent one of the top targets for such debt reduction. "There's a proposal to [spend] $1 trillion of new nuclear weapon systems in our country over the next 20 years," he said. "That's a crazy number from my perspective." Former Ambassador Richard Hass countered that such spending cuts would have a minor impact on federal debt. "To use your number: If we're talking about spending $1 trillion over 20 years on nuclear systems, we're talking in 10 years about spending over $1 trillion a year on Medicare. The spending that's driving the debt will not be defense. It's going to be entitlements. Let's not kid ourselves." But kidding themselves is what Democrats do best. I guess Markey's comments prove the notion that you can get used to anything if you live with it long enough. This also explains why there isn't much concern in Washington over the nearly $8-trillion in debt we will add over the next decade. The debt doesn't register very high on the list of voters' concerns, so politicians feel perfectly safe in ignoring it. How long can that continue? When the economy melts down, the government will be able to pay off most of that debt in devalued greenbacks. We may wake up one day to the announcement that the $10 bill in your pocket is only worth $5. Why not? It's happened in other countries. It's called a "haircut," although some of us may prefer slitting our throats if that happens. Unless the next president can work with Congress to start bringing down the debt, the burden will eventually crush the economy and bring us to ruin. Hillary Clinton yesterday made it very difficult for Attorney General Loretta Lynch to decline to prosecute a possible criminal referral from the FBI. Using her trademark sandpaper tone of voice when she is being emphatic, speaking to a rally in Pennsylvania, Hillary flat-out declared: Everyone who violates the law anywhere should be held accountable. She was, of course, thinking about other people specifically those people exposed in the Panama Papers hack. But this sort of blanket statement could be used against Lynch if she were to decline to prosecute following a criminal referral. And (under my dream scenario) if she were to continue to run for president following a referral that was not prosecuted, this snippet could be played over and over again in campaign ads and emails. I seriously wonder if Hillarys unconscious mind is trying to sabotage her campaign. Consider that at that very same podium, she allowed a hot mic to pick up a devastating admission about the state of her campaign. Maybe she just wants to go play with her grandchildren. That would be totally understandable. Maintaining enthusiasm for her powerlust quest has got to be difficult in the face of Bernie Sanders drawing crowds roughly ten times as large and ten times as enthusiastic as her own. Republicans have finally achieved that elusive dream of party unity. Under the #NeverTrump banner, they have managed to align themselves with anti-Trump organizations like MoveOn.org to the point where Big Tent politics has taken on a whole new meaning. Who would have thought back in 2008 or even 2012 that a future Republican Party would resemble the left in Alinsky tactics against its own? "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it" has begun to take its toll on Donald Trump and his millions of supporters on the right. This is not to say Trump has succumbed to the assault; he has remained standing despite unprecedented ambushes from both the left and the right. But it has to leave a sour taste in the mouths of conservatives who have joined the chorus to dump Trump that they find themselves in agreement with Democrats and leftist groups. How myopic and self-defeating is it that Republican leader Reince Priebus says, "If you don't like the party, then sit down. I mean, the party is choosing a nominee"? How can he go along with the media, special interest groups, and political donors on the right and not see that coming together with conservatives of all types would be the only way to defeat the Democrat nominee in November? Say what you want about the Democrats, but they know how to unify in order to win. They don't trash each other, and they don't retreat; they double down and dig in deeper against their ideological opponents. Here's an excerpt from a recent call to action newsletter from MoveOn: Dear MoveOn member, Breaking news: MoveOn members just voted 71% to 29% to launch a major campaign to show that our country rejects Donald Trump's hate-baiting, racism, misogyny, and violence. [snip] Your donation will allow us to take our campaign to the next level, including: Reaching and mobilizing new voters with state-of-the-art voter outreach and get-out-the-vote strategies; Supporting Muslim Americans, immigrants, women, and others who have been targeted by Trump-inspired violence, including teaming up with local leaders for nonviolent and creative demonstrations carrying the message that "Love trumps hate"; Working with artists and public figures to loudly rebuke Trump's hateful stances through shareable digital content, creative ads, and other public expression; Holding accountable corporations, politicians, media figures, and anyone who legitimizes Trump's hate-mongering, violence, racism, and misogyny. You have to wonder: with enemies like MoveOn doing all the heavy lifting, why are Republicans wasting their hard-earned fund-raised money on strategies to take out Trump? Media outlets such as National Review ("Conservatives Against Trump," 2/15/16) and conservative super-PACs have put bloggers and money behind the #NeverTrump campaign to what avail? Smearing the frontrunner and all his supporters 24/7 for the past ten months has not only cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but has divided the Republican Party. Now the RNC declares that the people who make up the party don't matter. Only those in leadership and on board with the plan to make sure Trump never sees the nomination have a right to speak. Michael Medved said, "Trump is the living, breathing, bellowing personification of all the nasty characteristics Democrats routinely ascribe to Republicans," including "selfish, greedy, materialistic, bullying, misogynistic, angry, and intolerant." Erick Erickson, former editor of RedState, wrote, "A lot of Trump voters have failed at life and blame others for their own poor decisions. They're using Trump as a vehicle for revenge." And who anointed talk radio personalities the moral conscience of the people? In Wisconsin, where Ted Cruz won the primary, Trump was trounced by several hosts who called him all kinds of names for months leading up to voting day. Using the airwaves to tear down a person running for office looks suspiciously biased. There's Mark Belling of WISN, who said, "I think it's just that we're not as stupid as some of the people that are falling for Trump's crap." And Jerry Bader at WTAQ said, "I believe I have a moral responsibility to do whatever small part I can in stopping Donald Trump. It's beyond politics for me. I think he's dangerous." Much to the dismay of the Republican ruling class, the once longed for notion of having a diverse population of Republicans under a big tent has actually become a reality under Trump. Never before have so many different categories of Americans united to support a candidate. He has moved the hearts and minds of Middle America to show up to vote in typically low-turnout primaries. But powerful conservative voices that cannot abide a man like Trump have set up their own tent and are vowing never to enter the working-class billionaire's arena. A house divided cannot stand. Ann Kane is former state editor for Watchdog Wire NC. She also blogs at ExZoom.net. A far-left politician in Norway who was violently sodomized by a Somali refugee is explaining away the crime and begging that his assailant not be deported. Self-hatred is at the root of much political correctness, but rarely has self-abasement reached this level. Jonah Bennett reports for the Daily Caller News Foundation: Leftist Norway politican Karsten Nordal Hauken was brutally sodomized by a Somali and felt so incredibly guilty in the aftermath he subsequently begged authorities not to deport the man. Hauken has finally come out to tell the public his story of his rape and forgiveness, Norways public broadcasting channel NRK reports. The criminal was actually convicted and served four and a half years in prison for his crime, during which time Hakuen... ... fell into a deep depression. He started drinking heavily and lost years doing little else but smoking marijuana to dodge feelings of self-loathing. Quite possibly the pot affected his brain. During his TV Interview: Hauken says he learned is that rapists are from a world so different from ours. In his culture, sexual abuse is about power, not lust, Hauken said. And its not considered a gay action to be the one who engages in power and violence. I dont feel anger against my rapist, because I look at him as a product of an unjust world. A product of an upbringing full of war, Hauken said. What this all means, according to Hauken, is that refugees need our help more than ever. As Rick Moran reminded me, straight out of Animal House, this amounts to Thank you, sir, may I have another? What could possibly top this? Sadly, I suspect we will see something. Quite possibly in Norway, or maybe Berkeley. The de facto immigration policy of the United States is to rapidly increase the number of Muslims in this country. I doubt very much that this has been articulated, but it is what is happening, beneath the radar. Donald Trumps proposed ban on Muslim entry has riled the elites but received majority support in every poll that I have seen. The plain fact is that Islam is a political ideology that requires its adherents to support the imposition of sharia law, which is deeply antithetical to our Constitution. Now comes a report from the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest that the Daily Caller News Foundation has gained access to: From 2009 to 2013, the U.S. issued 680,000 green cards to migrants from Muslim countries, more than twice the approximately 270,000 green cards issued to migrants from European countries. Green cards entitle migrants to legal permanent residency in the country and work authorization, federal benefits, and the chance to apply for citizenship. The numbers are illustrated in a chart below by the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. If laws are not changed, the U.S. is expected to issue another 680,000 green cards in the following five-year period. I give Donald Trump credit for raising this issue. Perhaps it is time for him to modify his blanket ban and start raising the question of what our national interest is in vastly increasing the number of Muslims entering the United States, pointing out the political nature of Islamic doctrine. The public understands this, even if the political, academic, and media elites do not. Were excited to announce that amm.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Jacob's Well in Texas Hill Country is a perennial karstic spring located on the bed of Cypress Creek in Wimberley. The mouth of the well is four meters in diameter through which thousands of gallons of water surges up per minute feeding Cypress Creek that flows through Wimberley, sustaining Blue Hole and the Blanco River, recharging the Edwards Aquifer, and finally replenishing estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico. The well was first discovered in the 1850s when a couple of early settlers followed Cypress Creek to its source. They described the crevice in the creek bed which was overflowing with an abundance of clear, cool water as "like unto a well in Bible times." Since then, the location has been a beloved swimming hole for generations, a gathering place for Native Americans and early settlers, and a rich habitat for aquatic species. It is also a popular diving spot for thrill seekers despite the fact that at least nine divers have lost their lives here over the years. Photo credit: Carl Griffin Jacob's Well is one of the longest underwater caves in Texas. From the opening in the creek bed, the cave descends vertically for about ten meters, then continues downward at an angle through a series of silted chambers separated by narrow restrictions, finally reaching a depth of forty meters. Through the years, many have successfully explored the first and second chambers of the well. The first chamber is a straight drop to about 30 feet; then it angles down to 55 feet. Nourished by the rays of sunlight that penetrate the crystal water, this cavern area is bright and is home to algae and wildlife. The second chamber is a long funnel to 80 feet, where there is a restricted opening to the third chamber. Inside the second chamber is a false chimney, which appears to be a way out of the well but has trapped at least one diver. The third chamber is a small room with a floor of unstable gravel. Divers must inflate water wings to navigate this chamber successfully, trying not to stir up silt or dislodge the gravel. The passage into the fourth chamber is very tight. The few who have seen the fourth chamber say it is "virgin cave" with fantastic limestone formations and no gravel. Covering the bottom is fine silt that can totally obscure vision when kicked up by one misstep. Ironically, there was a time when it was impossible to descend into Jacob's Well. "There's a picture of me at 3 years old at Jacob's Well in the family album," recalls 79-year-old historian Dorothy Wimberley Kerbow. "My dad would throw me into the well. You couldn't sink down because the spring would just bubble you up with such force." Kerbow recalls that she and her friends would often visit Jacob's Well in the 1950s, and it was impossible to go more than two feet below the surface due to the force of the spring. In 1924, Jacobs Well was measured to have a flow of one hundred and seventy gallons per second (six hundred and forty liters per second) discharging water six feet into the air. Over the years, the wells flow had diminished allowing divers to reach the deepest chambers. The spring ceased flowing for the first time in recorded history in 2000, and again in 2008. The first time the spring stopped flowing, the event was considered by many as symbolic of the region's increasing water shortage and quality problems. It was a wake-up call for everyone, recalls landowner David Baker. We don't want it to turn into Jacob's Cave." David Baker has given up his home to form the Jacobs Well Natural Area to restore and protect this sensitive area for future generations. Image credit: Danny Self Sources: Visit Wimberley, Jacobswellspring.org, Wikipedia. Photos by Patrick Lewis For the last 36 years, the city of Laguna Niguel, California, has been host to a bizarre tradition called the Mooning of the Amtrak. Every year on the second Saturday of July, hundreds to thousands of people gather along the fence outside of Mugs Away Saloon Camino Capistrano, and drop their pants to expose their behind as the Amtrak trains roll by. Even the trains slow down so that passengers can enjoy the show. Like all harebrained ideas, Mooning of the Amtrak began with the promise of free alcohol. Legend has it that in 1979 a patron at the Mugs Away Saloon, which stands directly across the road from the railway, offered to buy a drink to anyone who would run outside to the rail road tracks and bare their bottoms, or moon at the next train. Some accepted the challenge and a ritual was born. Photo credit: Chuck Coker/Flickr Every year since then, more and more people began to show up to drop their pants or lift their skirts. Starting with the first Amtrak train which passes by around 7:30 am in the morning, the mooning goes on all throughout the day and past sunset until the last train before midnight. Over the past couple of years, it has turned into much more than mooning. In 2008, the crowd swelled to 10,000 and things got a little out of hand. Some ladies began taking of their t-shirts and flashing at the trains and cops had to called in to disperse the crowd. The following year, new ordinances and more law enforcement officers were put in place and attendance dropped to about 1,000. Since then, crowds have been declining. Photo credit: Chuck Coker/Flickr Photo credit: Chuck Coker/Flickr Photo credit: Chuck Coker/Flickr Photo credit: Chuck Coker/Flickr Photo credit: michsamp/Flickr Sources: LA Weekly / Telegraph / www.ocregister.com On September 30, 2014, the technology world saw the rise of Windows 10, Microsofts redemption over the much-hated Windows 8 and an indication of the future of the software as a whole. One important aspect expressed by Microsoft executives on stage was the concept of a unified ecosystem comprising desktops and laptops, tablets, Xbox, and smartphones. Despite the fact that Windows Phone never really took off after the advent of Android and iOS, with Windows 10 Mobile the company hoped it could make a difference and become relevant again, especially for those users that were productivity-focused. However, things didnt exactly go as expected and taken by the latest Build Conference, Microsofts yearly developers conference, it seems that the company realized that Windows 10 Mobile is not their main game for now. The conference talked about hot topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual/Augmented Reality, bots, and Windows 10, but the word phone was mentioned only after one hour had passed on the keynote, and it was just a shallow consideration about 4-inch devices. Recently, Windows chief Terry Myerson made it clear that Windows on Phones is not the companys focus for this year, admitting that due to the low amount of users, the platform is not interesting for those who want to reach a lot of people which is the goal for most app developers. Instead, the executive highlighted the importance of Augmented Reality device HoloLens and the Xbox gaming platform. Advertisement Microsoft has been very realistic about the failure of its mobile platform, especially after it lost more than half its market share in just one year, decreasing from 2.8 in 2014 to just 1.1 percent of global smartphones in 2015. That said, if you are smart and your platform is not doing well, why not dominate third-party platforms? And this is exactly what Microsoft has been doing. The company released (and bought) a plethora of apps for both Android and iOS, and a number of them are in top positions on their respective categories. Other than the already famous Office, OneNote and OneDrive lineups, Microsoft has the Outlook e-mail app, Sunrise calendar, Wunderlist, SwiftKey keyboard, Arrow Launcher, Skype, Next Lock Screen, Translator, and a lot more. Digging even further in other platforms, during its Build conference the company announced a deeper integration of its virtual assistant with Android, revealing that Cortana will show Android notifications on Windows 10 PCs, which will be another incentive for people to use Windows 10 combined with an Android phone and not with a Windows 10 Mobile handset. This is a very smart move and even if Windows 10 Mobile fades away for good, Microsoft will still have a very strong presence in the mobile scenario thanks to all of its apps for Android and iOS. Android Auto has had a pretty big week this week. Between seeing it launch in about 18 new countries, and an update to make Google Play Music a bit better in the car, we now have a big announcement from Kia. There are a slew of new cars from Kia that are coming with Android Auto which include the 2016 Optima, 2017 Sportage, 2017 Forte, 2017 Soul, 2017 Soul EV, 2017 Optima Hybrid, 2017 Plug-In Optima, 2017 Sorento, 2017 Sedona, 2017 Cadenza, 2017 Niro Hybrid, 2018 Rio and the 2018 K900. Now when looking at these model years, its important to remember that the majority of cars being released now are 2017 models. And we may see 2018 models make their debut at the LA Auto Show in the fall and be available around this time next year. The auto industry is a bit weird like that. We have 2016 and 2017 models hitting the road at the same time, right now. Taking a quote from Steve Jobs One More Thing. Kia is also going to be pushing out Android Auto over the air to a few models including the 2015 Optima, 2014-16 Soul, 2015-16 Soul EV, 2016 Sorento, 2015-16 Sedona and the 2015-16 Optima Hybrid. So if you own one of these models and have the correct head unit, you should be getting Android Auto in the near future. Its important to note that some of these will be able to be updated by using your PC and a flash drive, but others will need to take a trip into the car dealership. If Kia does the updates like their sister-company, Hyundai, then the trip to the dealership for the update should be free. Advertisement With this announcement, it now puts Kia at the top with Chevrolet for having the most models with Android Auto. As Chevy decided to put Android Auto on their entire 2016 lineup, and a few of their later 2015 models. The world of Android Auto is getting better each and every day. While there are still not a ton of apps out there for Android Auto, its great seeing more cars getting support. Because thatll mean more users, and hopefully more apps and support pretty soon. Especially if more developers get their hands on it. Meizu has introduced a new smartphone yesterday, the Meizu M3 Note. The company has been teasing this handset for quite some time now, and the mid-ranger not only sports a really solid set of specs, but its also made out of metal, which is a first for Meizus M Note line. That being said, the M3 Note is not the only smartphone Meizu has been teasing lately, the company has been sharing PRO 6 teasers for quite some time now, read on. The company has already confirmed that the PRO 6 flagship will sport a fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, metal body, pressure sensitive display, and that it will be fueled by the Helio X25 processor by MediaTek. Meizu will have exclusive rights to this chip for a period of time, as it was announced by Meizus execs during MediaTeks event. That being said, the companys VP has showcased PRO 6s innovative antenna design a while back, and now we have a new confirmation to share with you coming directly from the companys CEO. If you take a look at the provided image, youll get to see the upcoming Meizu PRO 6 from the back, this image was shared by Huang Zhang, also known as Jack Wong. Meizus CEO has basically confirmed the design of the Meizu PRO 6 with this image, well, at least the design of its back. This image, however, fits with a recent leak weve seen, so its possible we know the design of the front side of this phone as well. The rear-facing camera is clearly visible here, and below it, youll notice the round flash sensor which surrounds the laser autofocus which is located in the middle. The power / lock and volume rocker physical keys are placed on the right side of this phone, which probably means the SIM tray will be located on its left side. Advertisement The Meizu PRO 6 is expected to sport a fullHD AMOLED display, though we still dont know its size. Its possible that Meizu will opt for the same size used by the PRO 5, 5.7-inches, but well see. The device will be fueled by the Helio X25 64-bit deca-core SoC, as already mentioned, and it will sport a physical home button up front, also known as the mBack button. The fingerprint scanner will be built into the home button, and the device will ship with Android 5.1 Lollipop or 6.0 Marshmallow with Meizus Flyme UI on top of it. This device is going to be announced on April 12th, when the company plans to host another event in China. HBO Now is the standalone streaming service which HBO launched for mobile devices and anyone who wants to stream the service through laptops or desktops so long as they have an internet connection. While it finally received Chromecast support last year, it was initially limited to Apple TV devices and was only available on iOS during its launch period. Now that HBO Now is available on both platforms, those who wish to forego paying for the service through their cable company are free to do so for $14.99 a month, and the charges come straight out of the payment method thats tied to your Google Play account. If you love HBO programming, the service is likely a godsend, but it is a bit expensive Luckily, if youre an existing Verizon customer or thinking about switching over to the carrier, theyre giving customers the opportunity to snatch up three months of HBO Now for free. If this sounds like a deal youre interested in, youll be able to snag it one of a few different ways. If youre already an existing Verizon Wireless customer, you can either upgrade your device or activate a new line of service, and this will enable the promotion to pick up HBO Now for free for three months. Advertisement If youre not an existing Verizon Wireless customer, you can also pick up the promotion by switching from your current carrier over to Verizon. While the three free months of HBO Now may not be enough by itself to get people to switch, as its only a savings of $45, when coupled with potential savings for switching (as Verizon might personally offer you more deals or savings) it could become a little more enticing. In regards to the requirements, upgrades and new lines activated will have to pick up a new smartphone or tablet and pay for it through Verizons device payment plan, although tablets can also be activated on a 2-year as well. If youre currently locked into a plan at your existing carrier, trading in your old phone to Verizon during the switch may grant you up to $650 in switch fees paid by Verizon. If youve been thinking about grabbing HBO Now, this is something to consider. To sweeten the deal, Verizon is also throwing 2GB of monthly data bonus data for each line that activates or upgrades. In general, Qualcomm has had the best and worst of things over the last couple of years. While their current mobile flagship processor, the Snapdragon 820 is the talk of the town, its predecessor, the Snapdragon 810, although also the talk of the town, was for very different reasons. Throw into the mix the antitrust issues with Qualcomm and China and then more recently, antitrust issues with the EU and it has been quite a turbulent time for Qualcomm. Speaking of which, details are now emerging from a UK lawsuit against Qualcomm which notes that NVIDIA are asking Qualcomm to hand over compensation for what is claimed to be the reason behind the closure of its mobile broadband chip business. Back in 2011, NVIDIA acquired the British semiconductor company, Icera, with a view to incorporating cellular modems in their chips. However, by May of 2015, it was reported that NVIDIA had given up on their mobile chip ambitions and were selling the Icera business they had only purchased four years earlier. According to the latest details, Qualcomms unlawful abuse of dominance resulted in what NVIDIA claims caused them to close down their mobile chip ambitions. As the court papers reveal, resulting from this dominant abuse factors arose included delays to customer orders, lesser demand and previously agreed contracts not being fulfilled. In short, a monopoly of the industry and exertion of power by Qualcomm which made it increasingly hard for NVIDIA to function as a competitor. Advertisement The details come as part of a wider investigation by the EU authorities into the general sales tactics of Qualcomm with a specific focus on how those tactics were allegedly detrimental to other mobile chip-focused companies and businesses, like NVIDIA at the time. While the details are limited and while neither company has commented on the matter publicly, it is being reported that NVIDIA are looking to the judge to deem Qualcomms actions on the matter as an abuse of dominance and one which Qualcomm gained from, financially. Hence the asking for the compensation to account for the monies made by Qualcomm, the losses incurred by NVIDIA including the acquisition of Icera. Land not purchased; power lines may take years to complete No money, no land Changing political climate Duke Energy No one in charge RALEIGH - The 1,400-acre Greensboro-Randolph Megasite appears to be several years away from being a suitable location for the automotive plant or other large manufacturing facility it was designed to attract, based on conversations with government, business, and community officials and a review of public documents and financial statements.Moreover, Carolina Journal has learned that Duke Energy has not begun a study determining how to provide power to the site, the North Carolina Railroad Company does not have enough money to buy land needed for the location, no single private or government entity appears to be in charge of the project, and two newly elected members of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners are skeptical of the endeavor, which could jeopardize the county's backing for the speculative industrial site.The property, located along U.S. 421 west of Liberty in Randolph County, now is under the control of three entities: Randolph County, NCRR, and the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite Foundation Inc.The three entities have approved a document titledlaying out the responsibilities and duties of the organizations. The agreement states that all decisions need to be unanimous - making the political changes on the Randolph County commission a problem for the megasite's viability.Since it has promised to provide water and sewer services to the site, the city of Greensboro is in effect a fourth partner, even though the city is not a signatory to the agreement. According to the agreement, the goal is to recruit a "high-yield project" that would employ a minimum of 1,750 workers.The agreement states that Randolph County has purchased 425 of the 1,400 acres for the location. The Megasite Foundation has purchased 43 acres and plans to purchase another 70 acres. The NCRR announced Jan. 5 it would acquire the remaining 862 acres by purchasing 19 separate parcels.Even with a signed agreement, the project has significant hurdles to overcome before it can be presented to any large employer.NCRR is a unique operation because it is a private company with all the stock owned by the state of North Carolina. The governor and legislative leaders appoint the 13 members of the board of directors.NCRR owns and manages a 317-mile rail corridor connecting Morehead City to Charlotte. Its primary income comes from leasing its tracks to Norfolk Southern Railway.As CJ reported in March, NCRR's involvement in the megasite appeared to be outside its core mission and another railroad company, Norfolk Southern, owns the rail line adjacent to the site. NCRR President Scott Saylor told CJ that the board approved participation in the megasite project as part of the company's broader economic development mission.On Jan. 5, Saylor wrote Randolph County commission chairman Darrell Frye, Megasite Foundation Chairman Jim Melvin, and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughn, stating that NCRR "has reached agreements to purchase approximately 875 acres of land located within the 1,450-acre Greensboro-Randolph Megasite." While the total price was not revealed in the letter, NCRR officials confirmed to CJ and other news sources that NCRR would spend $13 million, even though its annual report said that in 2014 the railroad made about $4 million in net income, and at the end of that year it had less than $5 million cash on hand.Nearly three months later, NCRR has not closed on any of the 19 parcels it is expected to buy. When asked about the status of land purchases and the source of funds, in a March 21 email NCRR Chairman Franklin Rouse wrote, "We have worked diligently with key partners to move the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite forward and assemble the land needed to attract a large-scale manufacturer to the state, and we remain committed to this effort.Rouse added.The March 15 Republican primary for two seats on the five-member Randolph County Board of Commissioners made clear that two megasite-friendly incumbents had lost their re-election bids. Randolph County is heavily Republican, and since no Democrats had filed for either seat, in December the two primary winners will join the commission.Five days after the election, the Greensboro News & Record noted the significance in a story headlined,The two new commissioners will join David Allen, "who has spent his first year on the board as its lone voice of caution" regarding the megasite, according to the N&R.Kenny Kidd, an Asheboro financial adviser and former chairman of the Randolph County Republican Party, beat commissioner Phil Kemp, winning 60 percent of the vote. Accountant Maxton McDowell won a three-way race, with incumbent commissioner Arnold Lanier placing third.Kidd and McDowell were outspoken critics of of the process that led the county to invest heavily in the megasite. Kemp and Lanier were strong supporters of the megasite project.Kidd said.he said.Kidd said.A 500 kilovolt Duke Energy transmission line crosses through the center of the megasite, but that line - an essential part of an electrical grid - is not available for the use of the megasite or any other retail customer. The Megasite Foundation's website has a map showing the location of three future Duke Energy 115 kV power lines entering the property on the south side. Area residents, however, have told CJ that Duke representatives have informed them the power lines would run four miles and come from the north.Duke Energy spokesman Tim Pettit would not confirm the location of the power lines, saying only,Pettit said Duke will proceed with a transmission line siting plan after some entity associated with the megasite pays for the study. He said it could cost several hundred thousand dollars and said those costs could not be passed along to ratepayers.The process is lengthy and is similar to the siting of new highways. A transmission line corridor is typically at least 100 feet wide. Duke can use eminent domain to acquire transmission line easements from landowners unwilling to provide them.Randolph County Economic Development Commission President Bonnie Renfro told CJ, "My understanding is that the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite Foundation will pay for the study using private funds."The actual leadership of the megasite project remains unclear. The Piedmont Triad Partnership, a regional economic development organization based in Greensboro, initially spearheaded the project. PTP began working in 2010 to identify a megasite location. Randolph County and the city of Greensboro later joined the effort. The Department of Commerce made a $1.7 million grant to Randolph County in 2012 to support the development and acquisition of a megasite. Randolph County turned the money over to PTP. The groups eventually settled on the current location.David Powell, chief executive officer of PTP, resigned in January 2015. The megasite was a high priority for PTP.In February 2015, immediately after Powell's resignation, former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin formed the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite Foundation with the stated purpose of acquiring land for the site - bringing an additional player to the potential management and oversight of the project.In April 2015, PTP learned that Powell had been involved inand asked the Greensboro Police Department to investigate the matter. In January 2016, the Guilford County district attorney's office charged Powell with two felony counts each of embezzlement and obtaining property by false pretense. He was scheduled to appear in court March 28, but a judge allowed the case to be continued, and a new date has not been set.Neither Melvin nor anyone representing the Megasite Foundation has returned or responded to repeated emails and phone messages requesting information about the management structure of the megasite project.The Megasite Foundation's website directs inquiries to Renfro or Greensboro Partnership President Brent Christensen. The partnership - a private organization handling economic development efforts for Greensboro and Guilford County - has not responded to questions regarding Duke Energy service to the site or the project in general.Attorney Alan Ferguson, a founder of the Northeast Randolph Property Owners, a group established to oppose the megasite, told CJ he has concluded that no one is in charge.he said.A competing site named the Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site, located in Chatham County, 10 miles from the Greensboro-Randolph site, has been developed with no public funds. It contains approximately 1,800 acres, and the state of North Carolina certified it in June 2014 through its NC Certified Sites program. The Chatham County site has no known opposition from local residents. Googles suite of education tools, called Google For Education, centers around Google Classroom, a hub of sorts that teachers can run live during class in an interactive manner to engage students and change up the lesson plan in real time as needed. Along with the suite of interactive tools, teachers would normally have to incorporate traditional classroom elements such as oral questions and pop quizzes to check understanding, gauge interest and help with planning, which could make some students nervous or alienate remote students. Starting with an update on Thursday, however, teachers will be able to issue customized polls to all students or to individual students, allowing for easier individualized teaching and more adaptive curriculum. On the blog post showing off the new update, Google shows teachers four examples of possible uses for the flexible new surveying system. In a rather simple poll, a teacher asks a question about the curriculum to ensure the class is getting it and figure out who may need some more help. Another teacher offers a multiple choice poll, complete with live stats, to show whos on track for a class project. A third example, shown above, shows the live teachers console with student results, showing that a due date can be set and the teacher can choose whether the students get to see the results in real time. A fourth example is shown, in which a teacher gauges interest and figures out the best material to use by asking students about their favorite part of a unit theyve just covered in the curriculum. Advertisement Along with this update, Google updated the Android and iOS apps with the functionality, allowing educators to proctor polls and view results from their smartphone, as well as receive notifications about activities on the Google Classroom suite. Posts of any sort can also be set up, monitored, changed and even taken down. On the Android version, teachers are able to handle multiple classes through the app, making life easier for teachers with multiple periods or who teach multiple subjects. Since posts from one class can be reused in another class or again in the same class, teachers can copy posts across classrooms or issue an end of class quiz with the same content as the pretest. Head through the source link to check out the full changelog on the Google For Education blog. Yahoo has had a for sale sign up in their front yard since their Q4 2015 earnings when they formally announced that they were up for sale. Since then, weve numerous rumors and reports that the company might get bought by Verizon, as it would go nicely with their recent AOL transaction in 2015. Yahoo, who peaked in the 2000s, have been trying to make a comeback with their web services and apps, but it appears to not be enough. And are putting themselves up for sale. According to a report out of Bloomberg this afternoon, Verizon Communications may be looking to make a first-round bid for the companys web business next week. The report also mentioned that Verizon could acquire Yahoo Japan Corporations stake to help make the deal look a bit better for Yahoo and their shareholders. Verizon isnt the only one looking to pick up Yahoo in this round. Google, is also looking at making a bid. As its said that they might be bidding for Yahoos core business. Microsoft isnt bidding on Yahoo again, after failing in 2008 to buy Yahoo. AT&T and Comcast have also decided not to bid for the company. Advertisement It appears that Verizon may be the main suitor here for buying Yahoo. This same report has stated that the company is working with three banks to prepare an offer for Yahoos web business. Typically when a company hires that many banks for an acquisition offer, it signals that they are serious about acquiring the company. Verizon has stated that they value Yahoos assets at less than $8 billion. Yahoo has stated that they would rather sell their 35.5% stake in Yahoo Japan, which is around $8.5 billion right now. While there are other companies that are said to be interested in buying Yahoos assets, it would make the most sense for Verizon. Especially following their AOL acquisition last year. You see, Verizon is using AOL for their advertising as well as their video. With AOL owning a few different publications and being one of the bigger video sites, they were able to add in a good amount of exclusive video to their Go90 over the top or OTT service before it launched last year. And using AOLs advertising expertise, they can offset the cost with ads. Yahoo also has an advertising arm in their company, but not as much video as AOL does. And where Verizon is planning to offer Go90 for free, and its whitelisted so it doesnt use customers data, ads are going to be hugely important here. With all of this said, its important to remember that none of this is official other than Yahoo being up for sale. Verizon nor Google (or Alphabet for that matter), have said a word about putting in a bid for AOL. Recently, Samsung posted some encouraging guidance for their Q1 2016 figures, which are set to show that the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge have helped Samsung recover a little bit from their previous position of continuous decline. Of course, whenever someone says that Samsung needs to recover were talking about going from still making a lot of money, to making the same amount of money they were making back in 2013 or 2014. After a disappointing Galaxy S5 release, the days of Samsung not looking like the giant they are might be behind them. One area in which Samsung seems set on capturing is emerging markets such as India and other parts of Asia. After facing stiff competition from the likes of Xiaomi, who moved into India experiencing overnight success, Samsung has taken this to heart, and is ready to get serious about emerging markets. This newfound focus comes in the form of better budget-minded devices, like the Galaxy J2 and Galaxy A line of devices that offer just that little bit more than they would have done a year or so ago. Another move that Samsung is making is to cut their prices compared to competitors. As a Wall Street Journal report states, Samsung devices still cost roughly 25% more than other comparable offerings from other brands, but this is down from a steep 40% hike a year or so ago. Advertisement While India and Indonesia among other territories remain strong areas of growth for Samsung, the South Korean firm is as good as non-existent in Japan, with the firm having to remove the Samsung branding just to sell any devices at all. China, meanwhile, remains the reserve of Xiaomi, Huawei, ZTE and other upstarts. With a fall in prices comes a fall in profits, and while Samsung still makes money on everything that sell in these markets, it might not be enough to sustain. Some analysts have said that if the South Korean firm continue to discount the Samsung brand, they will need to keep selling at a discount to Apple and that hurts them greatly in the future. India remains a strong market for Samsung, often holding on to more market share than anyone else around 25% or so but for the South Korean firm to make money everywhere, it appears that their brand isnt good enough. Lower prices will certainly help, but shipping devices with more feature that offer better value is where Samsung will be able to compete with Xiaomi and co. Barely a month after the most popular games streaming service on the planet Twitch integrated the subscription option into its Android app, the Amazon-owned company now works with BlueStacks, the makers of one of the most widespread Android emulators on the planet in order to enable the streaming of Android games to Twitch without an actual Android device. More specifically, the BlueStacks team has recently integrated Twitchs first and latest applications programming interfaces (APIs) into its platform, which means that its users can now not only watch Twitch streams on the BlueStacks App Player, but also stream mobile games running in the said App Player to Twitch with just a click of a button. The player currently officially supports Windows and OS X, so basically you just need a Mac or a PC in order to stream a mobile game to Twitch; no smartphone required. This is not only good news for gamers, but also for developers who previously didnt have enough bandwidth to enable streaming of their mobile games. BlueStacks and Paris Glory4Gamers are also hosting a Hearthstone tournament today to commemorate this occasion. The eSports event will feature some of the top Hearthstone players in the world wholl compete on the mobile version of Blizzards collectible card game which will be streamed to Twitch using the aforementioned method. Its worth noting that BlueStacks is actually not an emulator per se, but a piece of virtualization software which only simulates software and not the hardware itself. While that may not seem like a huge difference to end users, do keep in mind that running some games and other apps on officially unsupported devices is a breach of their terms of service. Kabam is a pretty well-known example of a company who has banned users in the past for such transgressions. As you may have guessed, the app has no problem deducing that its being run on an officially unsupported platform when you use software such as BlueStacks because such creations dont even attempt to imitate the hardware for which the app was originally designed. Naturally, its still unlikely youll get banned if you play something like Star Wars Uprising using BlueStacks, but do be aware of the possibility. Not that there was any doubt before today, but Uber is really super serious about getting its figurative hands on automated vehicles. The companys ride-hailing service is already making billions all around the globe and all of the most common complaints users have on it are in some way related to its drivers. So, the next logical thing for Uber is to get rid of the people operating its vehicles, right? Maybe, maybe not, but regardless of that, thats exactly what the company has been trying to do for quite some time now. Reports from about a year ago suggested that Uber is pretty close to manufacturing driverless cars and although nothings come out of that yet, another big statement of intent regarding self-driving vehicles was made by the American company today. Specifically, Uber poached Fords director of global electronics and engineering Sherif Marakby who will now work as the vice president of its global vehicle programs. Marakby is also moving to Pittsburgh, i.e. Ubers Advanced Technologies Center where hell oversee manufacturer strategy and integration efforts, as revealed by the companys spokesperson. Sure, that doesnt specifically say hell be involved in manufacturing and integration of autonomous cars into Ubers services, but then again, Uber hasnt even clearly stated its intentions with the self-driving technology despite a lot of things suggesting that it has invested quite heavily in it, and that has been the case for years. For example, reports from last month suggested that the company was just shopping for cars which dont require human drivers. The department which Marakby is joining is headed by one Brian McClendon, former VP at Google who used to lead its mapping division. The department which Marakby is joining is headed by one Brian McClendon, former VP at Google who used to lead its mapping division. In a short statement, McClendon said that hes extremely excited to have a world expert on self-driving tech on the team while Marakby expressed a similar degree of enthusiasm in his very own statement. As one of the numerous reasons for deciding to jump ship from the traditional auto industry to a company like Uber, Marakby stated that the latter and the industry which its a part of is one driven by safety. After pointing out that car accidents are the most common cause of death among young Americans, he explained that self-driving technology can help prevent these tragedies as well as improve the quality of life in cities. XIaomi is still one of the fastest-growing smartphone manufacturers in the world. This China-based company sold around 70 million smartphones last year, and is the number one smartphone manufacturer in the Chinese market. This would be completely normal if you dont consider one thing, Xiaomi was founded back in 2010, which means this is a very young company, and they managed to become the number 1 ranked smartphone manufacturing company in China in less than 5 years of existence. That being said, Xiaomi was founded on April 6th 2010, which means yesterday was the companys anniversary. As its the case every year when April 6th comes around, Xiaomi has kicked off the MI Fan Festival (also known as Singles Day), which is essentially a time of huge sales for the Chinese consumers. This is an online only event, and the results are in. The company has managed to bring a total revenue of 1.87 billion Yuan ($289 million) yesterday, a,d totally crushed last years results. In 2015, Xiaomi earned 1.25 billion Yuan ($) in revenue, which means they managed to score 0.62 billion Yuan ($) more this time around. Now, China wasnt the only market Xiaomi kicked off the Mi Fan Festival, India participated as well, as it was announced the other day. Xiaomis official site in India had 1.2 million unique visitors yesterday, and the company managed to sell over 100,000 smartphones and accessories. During the Mi Fan Festival in China, Xiaomi offered six new products, the Mi 5 Pro, Redmi 3 Pro, Mi TV 3s, Mi Wi-Fi 3, Mi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker, and the Mi Water Purifier. Advertisement Xiaomi usually discounts a number of products on the companys anniversary, so these numbers arent all that surprising. The company was expected to beat last years record, though I doubt they expected such high sales numbers. Either way, the smartphone market in China is slowing down, and Xiaomi is putting huge emphasis on the Mi Ecosystem which was introduced recently. We can expect to see many more devices released by the company before the end of the year, so stay tuned for that. 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 self-anointed pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now. Belize City, Wednesday, 6 April 2016 (CRFM)Fisheries experts from across the Caribbean region are traveling to Guyana this week for the 14th Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum the primary technical deliberative body of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). The Forum will be meeting in Georgetown on Thursday, 7 April and Friday, 8 April to undertake its annual stocktaking and planning for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The event will bring together more than 50 participants, including directors of fisheries, chief fisheries officers, and other development partners, such as NGOs and international organizations like the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which work with the CRFM in promoting the development, management and conservation of the Caribbeans fisheries resources. Justin Rennie, Chief Fisheries Officer of Grenada, will demit chairmanship of the Forum to Denzil Roberts, Chief Fisheries Officer of Guyana , for the 12-month period spanning the new program year which commenced on 1 April. A new vice chairman will also be selected. CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, highlighted the most pressing issues on the agenda: Were discussing a lot of emerging issues in the region. We are looking at how to improve conservation and management of key species, apply and use the value chain approach in order to increase benefits, such as increased income and export potential. We are discussing sanitary and phytosanitary capacity as a part of our overall strategy to strengthen our trade capacity, so that we can indeed export more to key international markets and also to provide greater quality and safety in terms of the fish and seafood that we provide for our people as well as our guests and tourists coming into the region. Haughton added that the 17 CRFM Member States are also looking at ways to strengthen the linkage between fisheries and tourism, because the tourism sector is a huge sector and we believe we have a golden opportunity to enhance the linkages between fisheries and tourism to derive more benefitsmore income, more employment opportunitiesfor our fishers and their communities. The Forum will also review the regions progress in implementing the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP), as well as initiatives to strengthen research, and institutional and human capacity through the CRFMs collaboration with a number of development partners such as the University of the West Indies (UWI), the University of Florida in the USA, the International Ocean Institute, Dalhousie University, Canada; the University of Wollongong in Australia, and the United Nations University in Iceland. This collaboration is vital in ensuring that CRFM Member States are equipped with the human and institutional capacity needed to tackle the increasing challenges of sustainable development that confront themchallenges which are being exacerbated by climate change. One such challenge is the emergence of the Sargassum seaweed on the regions beaches and in the coastal waters. Last year and 2011 we had massive influx of Sargassum seaweed on our beaches that affected our fisheries. So we are putting in place measures to deal with the Sargassum seaweed should it return in the futurewe hope it wont, but just in case it doesand from all indications, we are expecting to have more of this seaweed coming on our shores and in our coastal waters, Haughton said. Haughton said that associated with the Sargassum seaweed are large numbers of juvenile dolphinfish (locally known as mahimahi)which is a very important target species in the Eastern Caribbean. Mahimahi or dolphinfish Our fishermen, of course, once they see these in large quantities, even though they are juveniles, they will catch them. So we are promoting the implementation of emergency, precautionary management measures; that is, minimum size limits for the dolphinfish fishery, Haughton said. Aquaculture is also big on the agenda, and the Forum will discuss a new 5-year aquaculture action plan, which they will be asked to endorse. Since land mass is limited in our region, non-conventional aquaculture schemes are being promoted and explored. Aquaponics is something that has been growing in the regionthis is growing fish and vegetables together in a limited area using re-circulating water systems. This is more suitable for the smaller islands, like Antigua and Barbuda, and Barbados, Haughton explained. On the second day of the meeting, the Forum members will discuss a proposal from the United States to support fishers through a risk insurance facility, Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), which will be handling the technical details for the development of the policy. Under this regime, CRFM Member States will make contributions to the scheme in addition to the initial contribution of the USA. The Caribbean Fisheries Forum will conclude its meeting with recommendations to be submitted at the next meeting of the CRFMs Ministerial Councilthe chief policy making body on fisheries in the Caribbean Region. (ANSA) - Rome, April 7 - Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini said Thursday voting is a "great opportunity" that should not be squandered ahead of an April 17 anti-offshore drilling referendum. "I think the day on which there is a referendum or an election is always a good day," Boldrini said. "It is a pity to deprive Italians of this right and duty". Members of the ruling Democratic Party (PD) including Premier Matteo Renzi appeared to encourage Italians to abstain from the vote. "Many countries don't have this opportunity. We must increase participation and not discourage it". "But voting is a great opportunity that mustn't be lost," Boldrini said. The referendum has been called by regional councils concerned about the effects of further offshore drilling on the environment. Italians are being asked to repeal a clause in the 2016 budget allowing existing drilling authorizations in territorial waters to be renewed until all hydrocarbon resources in the subsoil have been used up. In the event of victory, oil platforms currently operating in coastal waters would be required to stop production when their permits expire. The PD has described the vote as a "pointless" waste of 300 milion euros of taxpayer money and on Tuesday, Renzi said he hoped the vote will "fail" because it would destroy 11,000 jobs and force Italy to buy fuel from "the Arabs and the Russians". Also on Thursday Boldrini, a former spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, slammed the EU for its recent migrant deal with Turkey. "Europe has shown great weakness and this is a stain on its reputation," Boldrini said. "The short-sightedness and selfishness of a few countries prevailed and the EU surrendered, allowing the phenomenon to be handled by others". Under the deal signed last month the EU will accept one Syrian refugee for every undocumented migrant returned to Turkey after a failed bid for asylum. The first groups of failed asylum seekers were deported from Greece to Turkey on Monday. (ANSA) - Rome, April 7 - Egyptian and Italian investigators met Thursday to go over the case of 28-year-old Italian student Giulio Regeni, who was abducted, tortured and murdered in Cairo in the week between January 25 and February 3. Italy is represented by Rome Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone and others while Egypt sent Cairo Adjunct Chief Prosecutor Mostafa Soliman, International Cooperation Prosecutor Mohamed Hamdi el-Sayed, National Security General Adel Gaffar and two high-ranking police officials named as Alal Abdel Megid and Mostafa Meabed. The delegation of two Egyptian magistrates and four security officials reportedly came bearing a 2,000-page case report, including interviews with 200 witnesses with alleged connections to the victim. Premier Matteo Renzi said yesterday that Italy owes Regeni's family the truth. "We think reaching the real truth is a duty for our country and that this is also in the interests of the Egyptian government," Renzi said. Regeni's mother said in March that when her son's body was finally returned, she only recognized him by the tip of his nose. "At the mortuary I only recognized Giulio by the tip of his nose," Paola Deffendi said at a March 29 press conference at the Senate in Rome. "What they did to him is unspeakable". His severely burned, beaten, stabbed and mutilated body turned up in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo on February 3. Egyptian authorities have offered up a number of versions as to what happened to the Italian student, none of which the Italian government has found convincing. Regeni was a Cambridge University doctoral student and a visiting scholar at the American University in Cairo (AUC). (ANSA) - Istanbul, April 7 - European Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said Thursday the EU was working to make the agreement with Turkey on the asylum-seeker crisis function after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned it risked breaking down. Erdogan threatened Turkey may not stick to the agreement if the EU goes back on its promises, referring in particular to the European visa regime for Turkish citizens, which Ankara hopes will be abolished from June. "If the EU does not maintain its promises, Turkey may not carry out the agreement," Erdogan said, referring to the deal that led to the deportation of 202 migrants from Greece to Turkey on Monday. Some national governments and groups in the European Parliament have expressed reservations about easing visa requirements for Turks. "The European Commission is working in good faith and honestly to fully apply all aspects of the EU-Turkey agreement on immigration," Schinas said. "The agreement is a contract of mutual trust, signed by the 28 countries of the EU and Turkey. "It was unanimously agreed on at the level of heads of state and government. "Are there problems? Nothing is easy in life but this is something that has been agreed on by both sides in this relationship". The agreement, which sees economic migrants sent back to Turkey in exchange for the acceptance of Syrian refugees currently in Turkey, has been criticised by the UNHCR and many human-rights groups. Unicef said that more than 22,000 refugee and migrant children are stranded in Greece, facing an uncertain future and, in some cases, forms of detention since the agreement went into effect last month. "Any decision about any child, whether a toddler or a teenager, whether with family or not, should be guided by the best interests of that child," said Marie-Pierre Poirier, Unicef's Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe. "Children need to be heard. A rushed decision to return can lead to a rash result and going back to a place of fear and violence. Children, no matter where they (ANSA) - Caracas, April 7 - Pope Francis is ready to visit Venezuela but he needs to be invited first, the apostolic nuncio in Caracas monsignor Aldo Giordano said Thursday. "The pope is very familiar with the current situation in Venezuela and he is ready to visit the country, but he must be invited first," Monsignor Giordano said. The South American country is suffering from major economic hardship and a permanent standoff between the government led by Nicolas Maduro and the national assembly controlled by the opposition. Giordano told the local press he had spoken to Pope Francis recently. "I told him of the Venezuelan people's desire that his visit become a reality," he is reported to have said. "We must all pray that this might happen as soon as possible," Giordano added. On March 30 the Venezuelan parliament approved unanimously a declaration in support of the appeal made by the pope in his Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi message for peace and dialogue in the country. A group of human rights activists chained themselves outside the nunciature in Caracas recently, giving Giordano a letter for Pope Francis asking him to mediate with the government. (ANSA) - Berlin, April 7 - Vienna estimates the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Italy may double this year from 150,000 in 2015 to 300,000, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner told the APA news agency Thursday ahead of a Friday meeting with Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano. "Syrians are not arriving in Europe along this route, but above all people from North Africa, who do not have asylum rights," she said. Austria may close the Brenner Pass if migrant flows become uncontrollable, Mikl-Leitner told APA. "Italy cannot count on the fact that the Brenner will remain open if uncontrollable migrant flows arrive," he said. "As was done with the countries on the Balkan route, Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia, we want to inform Italy too of the measures we will take if there is an uncontrolled flow of migrants from Italy to Austria." (ANSA) - Bergamo, April 7 - A high school philosophy professor returned to work Thursday after being fired in February after 14 years on the job because he forgot to report he was fined 200 euros for urinating into a bush 11 years ago. Stefano Rho' was hugged by a couple of his students before going into his first class, on Nietzsche. "I'm finally returning to normality and doing what I like, working with the kids," he said. "It turned out OK for me but I can't forget the situation of many of my colleagues who are still at home without work because of the self-certification norm. We have to do something for them". Crowds of friends and well-wishers, including many students of the school where he is one of the most popular teachers, cheered last month's reinstatement verdict. Rho', 43, a father of three born in Uganda of humanitarian doctor parents, in the summer of 2005 attended a village feast in Averara, pop. 182, located in the Brembana Valley. The village shut down early and there was no bathroom available, so Rho' and his friend relieved themselves in a bush. Police caught them in the act, cited them, and a justice of the peace eventually fined them 200 euros. In 2013, Rho' signed an education ministry form stating he had no criminal record. But the Bergamo school system discovered the discrepancy, and censured him. However the Audit Court later ruled that lying about one's record is grounds for firing, and he was. (ANSA) - London, April 7 - The Times of London newspaper said in an editorial out Thursday the torture and murder in Cairo of Italian student Giulio Regeni points to "something rotten" in the Egyptian State. In the op-ed titled Tyranny in Cairo, the paper points the finger at Egyptian authorities, saying the Regeni atrocity is not an isolated case but rather the result of repression that has been going on for years. This will only isolate Egypt in the international community, the paper said. ROME - Egyptian and Italian investigators met Thursday to go over the case of 28-year-old Italian student Giulio Regeni, who was abducted, tortured and murdered in Cairo in the week between January 25 and February 3. Italy is represented by Rome Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone and others while Egypt sent Cairo Adjunct Chief Prosecutor Mostafa Soliman, International Cooperation Prosecutor Mohamed Hamdi el-Sayed, National Security General Adel Gaffar and two high-ranking police officials named as Alal Abdel Megid and Mostafa Meabed. The delegation of two Egyptian magistrates and four security officials reportedly came bearing a 2,000-page case report, including interviews with 200 witnesses with alleged connections to the victim. Premier Matteo Renzi said yesterday that Italy owes Regeni's family the truth. "We think reaching the real truth is a duty for our country and that this is also in the interests of the Egyptian government," Renzi said. Regeni's mother said in March that when her son's body was finally returned, she only recognized him by the tip of his nose. "At the mortuary I only recognized Giulio by the tip of his nose," Paola Deffendi said at a March 29 press conference at the Senate in Rome. "What they did to him is unspeakable". His severely burned, beaten, stabbed and mutilated body turned up in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo on February 3. Egyptian authorities have offered up a number of versions as to what happened to the Italian student, none of which the Italian government has found convincing. Regeni was a Cambridge University doctoral student and a visiting scholar at the American University in Cairo (AUC). (by Stefania Fumo). ROME - Vienna estimates the number of asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean to Italy may double this year from 150,000 in 2015 to 300,000, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner told Austrian news agency APA on Thursday. Mikl-Leitner spoke ahead of a Friday meeting with her Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano. She said Austria may shut down its side of the Alpine Brenner Pass at the border with Italy if migrant flows become "uncontrollable", Mikl-Leitner told APA. "Italy cannot count on the fact that the Brenner will remain open if uncontrollable migrant flows arrive," she said. She also said she will ask Alfano about the status of Italy's hotspots for refugee identification and processing, and offer help if needed. "Countries lying on migration routes must be supported," she reportedly said. Austria in February set up controls on its side of the Brenner Pass, and capped at 37,500 the number of asylum seekers it is willing to take in this year - a quota it expects to reach by May, according to Austrian Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner. Mikl-Leitner at the time fixed daily entry quotas at 80 for people seeking asylum in Austria and at 3,200 for people passing through on their way to another country. Such moves "would be clearly incompatible with (Austria's) obligations under EU and international law," European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said in a letter to Mikl-Leitner. Austria's anti-refugee measures prompted Premier Matteo Renzi to say EU member nations who fail to pull their weight in the asylum seeker crisis might lose their EU funding. "Either you show solidarity in taking and giving or we bet contributor countries will stop showing solidarity too," Renzi said at the time in comments praised by fellow EU founding members France and Germany. Also on Thursday, UNICEF warned that 22,000 children remain stranded in Greece - where they face an uncertain future and even forms of detention - since a deal on asylum seekers between the European Union and Turkey came into force. While deportations of migrants and refugees from the Greek islands to Turkey continue based on the recent agreement, UNICEF reminded states of their duty to take care of and protect all children and to offer them full possibilities to be listened to at the moment that decisions are being made about their future. Museums: Louvre still on top, but terror fears weigh Worldwide- 8mln fewer visitors in 2015. Italy up, also in 2016 (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 7 - With 660,000 fewer visitors in 2015, the Louvre has become the slightly more sorrowful king of the world's museums. All of Paris is paying a penalty for recent terror attacks, with tourist numbers in the Centre Pompidou tumbling and the Ville Lumiere museums losing 5% of visitors. A few months after the attacks that shook France and Europe, terrorism and fear have also left their mark on the annual rankings prepared by Giornale dell'Arte and The Art Newspaper. As worries threaten tourism, the 100 most popular museums in the world (8 of which are Italian) lost 8 million visitors overall in 2015. The rankings paint a sombre picture that shows Italy bucking the trend however, with Florence leading the pack and the first figures of 2016 pointing to an even bigger improvement. This is thanks to growth at the state museums, which saw double digit increases in visitor numbers in the first quarter of this year, according to data seen by ANSA. The Vatican Museums crossed the 6 million figure for visitors and are in fourth place for 2015, overtaking London's National Gallery, which saw numbers decline. While things look bleak in France, the outlook in Britain is less sombre, where the British Museum, a long-standing second in the rankings, saw numbers rise by 1.9%. New York's Met also saw growth, and came in third last year. In Spain, the Queen Sofia Museum saw visitor numbers jump by 20% compared to 2014. There are also signs of hope for Greece, where the Acropolis Museum in Athens rose to 36th place from 40th. In particular, Il Giornale dell'Arte notes, museums that invested in expansion and new architecture have seen the strongest growth (14% overall). This is the case for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) that owes its rediscovered success to expansion planned in 2008 by Renzo Piano which is now being attempted by Peter Zumthor. The Perez Museum in Miami has also greatly increased its appeal thanks to its new sea-front site, designed by Herzog& deMeuron (their numbers have risen from 55,000 in 2007 to 315,000 in 2014). Sometimes the appeal diminishes as the novelty wears off, but not in the case of Paris's Palais de Tokyo, that has seen visitor numbers continue to rise since its 2012 reopening. And Italy? In 2015 it experienced a boom, with more than 40 million visitors to its state museums and a 14% increase in takings. The trend is supported by free Sunday entries, and also by the new fee system introduced by recent reforms. It also shows no sign of abating, rather it looks like growth is continuing in the current year, in terms of visitor numbers and takings. (ANSAmed). ROME - Tunisia's real estate market is active in coastal cities and in the capital Tunis, while it lacks structure in the country's interior, Whalid Zahag, head of the Tunisian development arm of Gruppo Tecnocasa said in a statement. Since the revolution, the level of buying and selling has been on a continuous upward trend, but signs of a slowdown started to emerge in the second half of 2015, Zahag said. It is a market made by and for Tunisians and foreigners represent a marginal part of trade, consisting mainly of well-off Libyan families and Italians with business activities in Tunisia. In tourist areas, prices range from the 1,000 euros per square metre in Hammamet, a tourist hub in high demand from Tunisians and foreigners, to 900 euros per square metre in Mahdia and 700 euros per square metre on Djerba island. Austria sees 300,000 refugees reaching Italy in 2016 Threatens to shut down Brenner Pass if flows 'uncontrollable' (by Stefania Fumo). (ANSA) - Rome, April 7 - Vienna estimates the number of asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean to Italy may double this year from 150,000 in 2015 to 300,000, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner told Austrian news agency APA on Thursday. Mikl-Leitner spoke ahead of a Friday meeting with her Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano. She said Austria may shut down its side of the Alpine Brenner Pass at the border with Italy if migrant flows become "uncontrollable", Mikl-Leitner told APA. "Italy cannot count on the fact that the Brenner will remain open if uncontrollable migrant flows arrive," she said. She also said she will ask Alfano about the status of Italy's hotspots for refugee identification and processing, and offer help if needed. "Countries lying on migration routes must be supported," she reportedly said. Austria in February set up controls on its side of the Brenner Pass, and capped at 37,500 the number of asylum seekers it is willing to take in this year - a quota it expects to reach by May, according to Austrian Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner. Mikl-Leitner at the time fixed daily entry quotas at 80 for people seeking asylum in Austria and at 3,200 for people passing through on their way to another country. Such moves "would be clearly incompatible with (Austria's) obligations under EU and international law," European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said in a letter to Mikl-Leitner. Austria's anti-refugee measures prompted Premier Matteo Renzi to say EU member nations who fail to pull their weight in the asylum seeker crisis might lose their EU funding. "Either you show solidarity in taking and giving or we bet contributor countries will stop showing solidarity too," Renzi said at the time in comments praised by fellow EU founding members France and Germany. Also on Thursday, UNICEF warned that 22,000 children remain stranded in Greece - where they face an uncertain future and even forms of detention - since a deal on asylum seekers between the European Union and Turkey came into force. While deportations of migrants and refugees from the Greek islands to Turkey continue based on the recent agreement, UNICEF reminded states of their duty to take care of and protect all children and to offer them full possibilities to be listened to at the moment that decisions are being made about their future. Migrants: Unicef- over 22,000 children stranded in Greece Following the launch of the EU-Turkey deal (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL 7 - Since the agreement between the European Union and Turkey came into force, 22,000 migrant and refugee children are stranded in Greece and face an uncertain future and even forms of detention, UNICEF warned on Thursday. Unaccompanied minors are at greatest risk, and make up about 10% of all migrant and refugee children in Greece: they are estimated to be about 2,000 but not all of them have been registered by authorities. Between January and mid-March of this year, 1,156 unaccompanied minors were registered in Greece, an increase of 300% compared to the same period in 2015. While deportations of migrants and refugees from the Greek islands to Turkey continue, based on the recent agreement, UNICEF reminded states of their duty to take care of and protect all children and to offer them full possibilities to be listened to at the moment that decisions are being made about their future. UNICEF welcomed a new Greek law introduced on April 4, exempting certain vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied and separated children, children with disabilities, victims of distress and trauma, pregnant women and women who recently gave birth, from "exceptional border procedures" or returns. However, the agency said much more needed to be done, and asked for procedures to be put in place to determine what is in the best interests for each minor and to ensure their basic needs are met in line with international law and European norms, including: adequate housing, medical assistance and protection from exploitation. Children have specific reasons for rights to international protection, including those who escape military enlistment and child marriages, UNICEF said, reminding states that the European Commission had make a commitment to ensure that deportations to Turkey are carried out according to international law. "Any decision about any child, whether a toddler or a teenager, whether with family or not, should be guided by the best interests of that child," said Marie-Pierre Poirier, Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe. "Children need to be heard. A rushed decision to return can lead to a rash result and going back to a place of fear and violence," she added. UNICEF said capacity to welcome and protect unaccompanied children in Greece was overstretched. Lack of housing is a problem, leading to many children being held in "temporary protective custody", which is often detention in closed first reception or police facilities, for increasingly extended periods. (ANSAmed). Kosovo: Hashim Thaci sworn in as new president Official ceremony to be held on Friday (ANSAmed) - PRISTINA, APRIL 7 - Hashim Thaci was sworn in as the new president of Kosovo in front of its parliament on Thursday. Thaci, a former prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, and in the past a leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) - the ethnic-Albanian independence-seeking group that fought against Serbian forces at the end of the 1990s- is the fourth president of independent Kosovo (independence was declared on February 17, 2008). He takes over from Atifete Jahjaga. On Thursday Thaci gave his first speech to parliament as president. An official inauguration ceremony will take place on Friday in a central square of the capital Pristina, attended by several foreign heads of state. There will be no representative in attendance from Serbia, which refuses to recognise the independence of Kosovo. (ANSAmed). PODGORICA - The environment is not the only difficult and delicate negotiation chapter in Montenegro's EU integration process (for which Podgorica estimates it will have to invest 1.5 billions euros). Corruption is also a key theme, one of the scourges of the country, which came in 61st place in Transparency International's latest corruption rankings. "The government is aware of the problem," said Justice Minister Zoran Pazin during a meeting with a group of European journalists in Podgorica. "But there is a will to change things. We are working towards this on two fronts: on one side, we have created an anti-corruption agency that has the aim to prevent conflict of interests in the public administration and to supervise financing of parties, on the other side, we are working on suppression of the phenomenon". The minister then also pointed to the creation of the "Special prosecutor's office" that has already carried out some significant arrests. Nevertheless, several observers are sceptical of the real desire to change things. "The anti-corruption agency is a farce," said Vanja Calovic, executive director of the MANS NGO that investigates corruption, conflicts of interest and parliament's activities. "It was created just to show a response following pressure from the EU and U.S., but up to now the investigations have only concerned small fish," she told a group of journalists. Then she turned on the EU: "It would consider anything good, no one wants to create problems considering the accession process underway," she said. Calovic's activism for MANS has often made her the target of threats and intimidation. More than a year ago, some pro-government media launched a defamatory campaign against her, publishing videos that turned out to be false, aiming to discredit her. But this has not stopped her, and her efforts have borne fruit. Last year two ex-mayors and several of their associates were arrested for embezzlement, and more than 50 million euros were returned to state coffers. "The aim is transparency," Calovic said. The NGO does not only deal with reporting corruption, but it carries out its own investigations. As a result, it is often threatened and intimated, but Calovic said "it is part of the job".(ANSAmed). Two years ago I attended a student debate at North Carolina Central University, one of the state's five public historically black colleges and universities. It was fascinating, especially given the self-examination raised by its topic, "HBCUs: Can They Survive?"The moderator asked several incisive questions: Would the closure of HBCUs materially impair black students' access to higher education? Would closing some HBCUs make the remaining ones stronger? Would the civil rights leaders of the 1950s and 1960s support an enduring HBCU presence today?As I reported at the time, the students eloquently argued both "pro" and "con" positions and deeply engaged with the relevant facts and issues. If only more of today's political and higher education leaders did the same.Many of America's 106 HBCUs-which are concentrated mostly in the South-are in crisis. Years of falling enrollment, declining academic standards and graduation rates, shrinking endowments, and poor management have called into question such institutions' staying power.Various reforms have been attempted, but those have often been Band-Aids for problems that demand long-term solutions and fresh thinking. The downward trajectory has continued as HBCU supporters and policymakers have treated the sector as a protected class in higher education-one in which outside criticism is labeled reactionary or, worse, a vestige of racism.Objectively, however, HBCUs in many respects fail the students they purport to uplift: low-income students, first-generation college students, and students with substandard academic preparation.Nationally, only about one-third of HBCU students graduate in six years, versus about two-thirds of non-HBCU students. Moreover, nearly 80 percent of HBCU students finance their education with loans. According to the Education Department, from 2000-2014 half of HBCU graduates owed more than $25,000, versus one-third of non-HBCU graduates.The institutions themselves face a dramatically different environment than they did in their heyday a half-century ago. Today, only about 10 percent of black college students attend historically black schools. Desegregation, along with a flourishing higher education market, have removed the barriers that at one time left many black students without access to advanced learning.While that trend has been good for black students overall, it has significantly affected HBCUs-whether private or public, elite, or lesser-known. For example, last year Moody's Investors Service cut the credit rating of Howard University, one of the country's premier HBCUs, for the third time since 2013 and labeled its debt a "substantial credit risk."In addition to debt and slipping enrollment , the HBCU landscape has been marred by cases involving mismanaged federal and state aid, poor strategic planning, and even corruption. In that regard, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU)-another of North Carolina's five public HBCUs-may qualify as the poster child for failed campus leadership.The story began with dwindling enrollment: Since 2010, ECSU's student count dropped by 52 percent. The reasons for the dramatic dip included tightened federal student loan credit requirements (which were loosened after HBCU groups lobbied political officials and the Education Department ) and a UNC system-wide increase in SAT and GPA minimums.In response to that enrollment plunge, state lawmakers in early 2014 introduced a budget provision that called for the study of ECSU's closure. The state's Legislative Black Caucus, however, nixed that plan. Then in September, Stacey Franklin Jones was appointed as ECSU's chancellor, after not being properly vetted by system leaders Her selection proved disastrous. Last summer an ECSU whistleblower revealed to the university's Office of Internal Audit and the Office of the State Auditor that, among other things, students were admitted despite falling short of minimum standards (800 combined SAT, 2.5 high school GPA). Also, ineligible students received financial aid.Following its investigation, the system's General Administration (GA) reported that almost 100 students admitted to ECSU in fall 2015 hadn't met admissions standards, and that 25 percent of enrolled students had not verified completion of required high school coursework. Almost $500,000 was granted to ineligible students.Although the GA said it couldn't verify the whistleblower's claim that Jones urged employees to "get the numbers" no matter what (meaning admit ineligible students to boost enrollment), the indictment of her tenure was damning nonetheless. Jones resigned in late December, before the report was released.Worse, internal audits recently obtained by Raleigh's News & Observer indicated that Jones inappropriately received free meals, used a university employee as her personal driver, and disregarded hiring procedures when filling high-level campus positions. Suffice it to say Jones didn't provide the leadership some hoped for following ECSU's 2013 scandal, which revealed that more than 120 campus crimes were not properly investigated.ECSU's case offers big learning lessons. It is a rebuke of the drive to expand college access at all costs. It is a warning about incentives that encourage officials to game the system rather than foster academic excellence. Finally, it is a reminder that leaders must be willing to ask hard, fundamental questions, even if the establishment may not like the answers.Before and during the time ECSU made such blunders, the UNC system itself chased enrollment increases and broadened access to underprepared students. For instance, in October 2014, a month after Jones was appointed, the Board of Governors approved a pilot program that allowed ECSU and two other historically minority schools to admit students whose SAT scores fell below the 800 minimum.In addition to that pilot program, there was the Academic Summer Bridge, which ECSU and four other public historically minority institutions for several years used to admit academically borderline students, under the condition that they undergo an academic "boot camp" to be ready for the rigors of college. Fortunately, the legislature scrapped that program last September after years of abysmal results Now it appears that the legislature, in concert with UNC system officials, may be preparing for an even bolder enrollment growth strategy. A recent proposal titled "Access to Affordable Education Act" calls for growing enrollment at the state's historically black institutions by drastically cutting tuition (to $500 per year for in-state students) and allowing schools to admit more out-of-state students (who would be charged just $2,500 per year).While it's unclear whether expanding the HBCUs' demographics with such a rebranding initiative would be a panacea, it is clear that it would require a major increase in taxpayer subsidy. Also, history suggests that in the conflict between enrollment and student quality, student quality will be sacrificed, which leads to the low graduation rates and poor academic performance for which many HBCUs are notorious.Besides, several of the state's HBCUs are in dire financial straits, as evidenced by recent credit downgrades from Moody's. It's difficult to see how the structural financial issues and inept management seen at the HBCUs will be ameliorated by the above proposals.Perhaps now is a good time for policymakers, rather than commit public funds and university resources to what could be a money pit, to consider answers to the types of bold questions raised at the student debate I attended two years ago. Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results MadridCristobal Montoro, the Spanish Finance Minister, has been slapped on the wrist by the Spanish body that oversees compliance with the deficit. After the PP minister last week blamed Spains autonomous communities for falling short of their deficit target, on Wednesday Jose Luis Escriva the President of Airef said that you should not "demonize the regions", and asked that "their spending and income structure" be reviewed before condemning them. The agency also criticized the central governments urge to assess compliance with stability targets and point fingers at the least compliant regions. "Compliance with targets does not imply greater diligence or efficiency. It appears to me to be an over-simplification. Theres no need to make heroes out of those who comply and demons out of those who dont", said Cristina Herrero, Director of Budgetary Analysis for Airef. Airef is asking for a review of financing models using the criteria of "sufficiency", and "to clarify the fiscal regime applicable to the regions. The agency anticipates that next year Spain will fail to meet its deficit target of 2.8% again by an even greater margin than last year, with a deviation of around 4%. The central government would meet its goal, but at the expense of a greater Social Security deficit, which will receive less funds from the Spanish government once again. The autonomous communities, whose deficit last year was 1.7% and were set a target of 0.3% for 2016, will also fail to meet their objectives, even though the resources from the financing system will rise by 0.7%. Altogether, the overall deviation will be around a half point. Lastly, local councils will again stay within their deficit cap, after having a surplus in 2015. The collaboration, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East, will enable Etihad Airways to enhance the medical and broader wellbeing services it provides, whilst also marking a significant step in the airlines vision to be the global leader in Aviation Medicine. The partnership will form a key part of the airlines commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for its crew and passengers, in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 to develop a robust, world-class healthcare system in the Emirate. Etihad Airways Medical Centre, the Faculty and RCPI are committed to raising the understanding and role of Occupational Medicine within the airline industry, and across society as a whole. As part of the innovative agreement, the Faculty will hold specialised training courses and educational programmes to optimise and develop the skills of Etihad Airways staff and the medical services offered by the airline. A visiting expert programme will be introduced to allow both parties to exchange and transfer field experts to enhance knowledge-sharing. Research findings and medical scientific inventions, where applicable, will also be exchanged under the new agreement. The Faculty will develop a programme to prepare Etihad Airways Medical Centre to become an accredited training centre of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and RCPI. A training programme will also be created with the aim of qualifying the first occupational health nurses in the UAE. Dr Nadia Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services at Etihad Airways, said: Today is indeed a remarkable day for Etihad Airways Medical Centre and the field of aviation medicine. It is with great pride that we announce our partnership with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Etihad Airways is leading the drive to raise standards in aviation medicine globally. It is therefore a natural step for us to join with the RCPI, a world-renowned training body, to ensure that we continue to innovate across our business and the industry as a whole. Dr Declan Whelan, Dean of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland said: We are honoured and delighted to collaborate with Etihad Airways on their occupational health strategy. Our agreement with them represents international recognition by a world-renowned airline of the high quality of Occupational Medicine in Ireland. We must commend Etihad on recognising the value of engaging with a professional body such as ours to ensure that its employees have access to the best possible occupational health services. We look forward to working with them on their mission to safeguard employee health and well-being. Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi based employees already have access to world-class medical care at the Etihad Airways Medical Centre. The facility provides full laboratory services, physiotherapy, radiology, dental care, nutrition counselling, ear, nose and throat services, primary care, and aviation health services. Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet... Best Business Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Business category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. The Kennedy Center was filled Monday night with VIPs, devotees and artists across disciplines for the 34th annual celebration of Jazz Masters by the National Endowment of the Arts. Heres my coverage for DownBeat magazine on the tribute to the 2016 honorees: Fierce and soulful saxophonists Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders, cool yet lyrically expressive vibist Gary Burton, and Wendy Oxenhorn, the genuinely devoted-to-music-and-people exec director of the Jazz Foundation of America, if not exactly jazzs cross between Mother Theresa and Victoria Woodhull. There are now 140 worthies officially on this honor roll. Glimpsed among attendees were US attorney general Loretta Lynch; key industry and executives such as Patrick Cook from BMI, the music rights organization; Jazz Foundation president R. Jarrett Lillien; Curator of American Music. National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution Dr. John Edward Hasse; Ellington expert Patricia Willard; trombonist Craig Harris; percussionist Kahil ElZabar; vocalist Ruth Cameron Haden; ethnomusicologist Verna Gillis; longtime jazz radio show host Rusty Hassan; writers Mike West (Washington Post, Washington City Paper), Evan Haga (JazzTimes) and playwright Ntozake Shange, among many other cool folk. . . Heres a slide show from the event by Jim Eigo of Jazz Promo Services the first shot is of me with old friend Baltimore arts consultant Don Palmer, who Id just run into. To check my journalism against the event, watch the archived version of the live webcast, which was streamed live on NPR.org, by Sirius-FM, and on NEA.gov itself. Highlights include: at 12:05 Archie Shepps Hambone and Blues for Brother George Jackson, played by an explosive octet tenor saxophonist David Murray showing his deep debt to Shepp, shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder with supersonic altoist Rudresh Mahanthappa , crackling trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and trombonist Roswell Rudd, who emphasized how gutbucket fundamentals that were key elements way back and still in free jazz, while Jason Moran was all over the piano, Linda Oh held the bottom with percussion by Pedrito Martinez and drummer Karriem Riggins ; showing his deep debt to Shepp, shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder with supersonic altoist , crackling trumpeter and trombonist who emphasized how gutbucket fundamentals that were key elements way back and still in free jazz, while was all over the piano, held the bottom with percussion by and drummer ; at 26:10 Shepp himself speaking truth to power, dryly nailing the ills that jazz springs from as a expression of hope and demanding the arts be available to everyone in America, not only those comfortable in the middle class; at 38:55 Pianist Chick Corea honors Gary Burton by playing their signature duet, Crystal Silence, but with generation-younger vibist Stefon Harris , who doesnt pretend to have mastered Burtons astounding four-mallet technique; honors Gary Burton by playing their signature duet, Crystal Silence, but with generation-younger vibist , who doesnt pretend to have mastered Burtons astounding four-mallet technique; at 1:02:38 In honor of Pharoah Sanders, regal pianist Randy Weston (90 today, April 6!) going deep on his composition The Healers with noble tenor saxophonist Billy Harper ; (90 today, April 6!) going deep on his composition The Healers with noble tenor saxophonist ; at 1:15:10 Sanders saying a simple thanks. Have you ever heard Pharoah speak? A treat. at 1:23: 55 a video clip of Wendy Oxenhorn smokin on blues harmonica, followed by tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath , 90 very soon, in great form tone, swing, execution and ideas-wise, boppin while young alto saxist Lakecia Benjamin blows funkily on his Gingerbread Boy. Wendys speech is a heartwarming hoot, too. , 90 very soon, in great form tone, swing, execution and ideas-wise, boppin while young alto saxist blows funkily on his Gingerbread Boy. Wendys speech is a heartwarming hoot, too. Throughout, host Jason Moran, the KenCens artistic director for jazz, presenting the show with friendly, funny, open warmth, dapper in tight tux and brim. I have a post-event article on the Jazz Masters due at DownBeat Friday, to include a few words from NEA director of Music and Opera Ann Meier Baker on how these events represent the agencys jazz program. How do they follow up an blast like this? howardmandel.com Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter *This is the third essay in a series of four We the Audience posts designed to introduce my readers to the citizen artists working in some of South Africas most challenged areas. Todays essay focuses on Charlie Jansen and the Butterfly Art Project. Charlie is one of the participating artists in ArtUps Sites of Passage: South Africa project. My time in South Africa was filled with the unexpected: each day and each outing led me to new artists and new community-based arts projects. A great example is the day trip I took to Frygrond; I went there to meet Charlie Jansen, one of the artists involved in ArtUps Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs project, and ended up discovering a whole treasure trove of equally inspiring artist-activists. Charlie is a young man of extraordinary energy whose story Ill tell in a bit. But first it seems important to introduce the Butterfly Art Project, an NGO operating in Vrygrond Township. Vrygrond is often referred to as apartheids dumping ground, an awful expression but unfortunately an accurate descriptor. As one of the oldest informal settlements in the Cape Flat area (southeast of central Cape Town), Vrygrond has a long history of unemployment and all of its attendant problems, from domestic violence and substance abuse to street crime and HIV. Here are some sobering statistics: There are 1600 purpose-build houses in Vrygrond but at least 44,000 people (you do the mathif you can stand to). Only 50 percent of the areas children attend the primary school. The official unemployment rate is about 50 percent, but most believe it is actually between 70 and 90 percent. About 60 percent of the population has been the victim of crime. Thats the bad news. The good news is that despite these extremely difficult living conditions, Vrygrond is a vibrant community determined to find social and economic justice for its people. I was invited to Vrygrond by Angela Katschke, the founder-director of the Butterfly Art Project, one of several NGOs in the settlement working to address the needs of the community. Angela came to South Africa from her native Germany in 2009 in order to use her skills as an art therapist. While working with school-aged children at the Capricorn Primary School in Vrygrond, she began developing her vision for a creative space based on the healing nature of art. With the help of a volunteer board (headed by Bernard Dudley) and a thirteen member staff, Katschke raised the money to build a two-story structure to house the project in 2013. Today the Butterfly Art Project provides art classes to 700 area primary school children a week and offers a variety of other services, including (among others): art therapy for traumatized children; after-school art sessions for children and adults; and workshops designed to train Vrygrond residents to become their own community art facilitators. In all of these initiatives the goal is to provide a safe environment for peaceful reflection and expression. Our community is full of challenges, Angela notes, both social and environmental: gangsterism, violence, HIV, single parents, unemployment, lack of service delivery, school drop-outs, racism, and more. Our project seeks to combat these issues with positive mentoring relationships, artistic development, and therapeutic support. We seek to grow the future generation by developing artists for all of South Africa! On the morning that I visited the Butterfly Art Project building, Angela and her team were in the middle of the daily security briefing led by Barbara Chisvo, the Arts for Pre-schoolers Manager. Security briefings are a normal part of life among NGO workers in the townshipsthere are times when gang activity makes the work very dangerous and appropriate planning is critical. But that sobering start quickly transformed into joy as I accompanied Charlie Jansen and Firdous Hendricks, the Art for Capricorn Primary School Manager, into one of the classroom studios to meet a group of fifth graders. Firdous and Charlie are inspiring teacherswith quick wits and lots of energy. Still, student attention in this room is hard to lasso, harder still to hang on to (they are ten year olds, after all). Since its their first session of the school year, the kids are asked to create a group drawing of a butterfly. The group I sit withfour boys and one girldecide instead to do their own thing, drawing five different versions of a butterfly. I sit with them, trying not to interfere, thinking about kids and attention and crayons and butcher paper and how many ways there are to draw a butterflys antenna. I also think about how far this room is from the privileged middle class environment of my own youth, and the relative comfort and opportunity of my two sons childhoods. Which makes for a good segue to Charlie Jansens story. Charlie grew up in Vrygrond, spent time in jail, and found his way out of the cycle of poverty through his interest in drawing. He joined BAPs Community Art Facilitator training program to improve his artistic skills and to learn how to facilitate community-based arts projects. As Angela observes, Charlies talent for drawing was quickly apparent, as was his open, curious kind of enthusiasm. He was invited to join the BAP professional team in March 2014. His colleagues call him a powerful role model and say that when Charlie challenges his young students to stay away from gangs, violence, drugs and crime, he knows what hes talking about. Charlie puts it this way: since he has personally traveled down the same road as his students, he understands the impact of Art (hopes/dreams) and Leadership (heroes/mentors). There is talk of Charlie eventually taking over the leadership of Butterfly Arts when Angela steps down. This would be a closing of the circle fully in keeping with the principles of arts for social action work: returning the community to the community. The central topic of the 23rd meeting of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee was how we view the Other. The meeting focused as well on how the Jewish and Catholic communities now find themselves in the position of being other. In fact, anti-Semitism in words and deeds has resurfaced in Europe and elsewhere, whilst anti-Christian persecution, most notably in the Middle East and Africa, has reached levels not seen in a long time. Vatican City (AsiaNews) The 23rd meeting of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee (ILC) took place in Warsaw, 4-7 April 2016. Its central theme was the Other in Jewish and Catholic traditions. In the ILCs Joint Declaration, released by the Vatican today, the Other in our world is first and foremost a refugee. However, the Other is also the Jews victimised by renewed anti-Semitism in Europe and elsewhere, as well as Christians, whose persecution has reached levels not seen in a long time in parts of the Middle East and Africa. This meeting was convened at an important time in history, the Joint Declaration said. The ILC emerged directly out of the Second Vatican Council and its profound transformative document, Nostra Aetate, the 50th anniversary of which has been celebrated and commemorated throughout the world. At the same time, there are challenges to interreligious and intercultural relations being felt by many millions in the world, not excepting Roman Catholics and Jews in many lands. Poland was an appropriate setting for this meeting. It has been a venue for some of the most important and productive developments in both Catholic and Jewish culture and self-understanding, and also, in the 20th century, the scene of some of the most abhorrent events in world history. The ILC participants and the institutions they represent are fully cognizant of the dynamic tension that these two extremes represent and the noble challenge involved in developing contemporary understandings built on the lessons of the past. The participants are no less aware of how contemporary political dynamics have a direct impact on the human and social weal of both Catholics and Jews in Poland and elsewhere in the world. The agenda of the biennial dialogue had as its theme The Other in Jewish and Catholic Tradition: Refugees in Todays World. To provide a religious and academic basis for subsequent discussions, the sessions began with in-depth analyses of how both the Jewish and Roman Catholic traditions and sources view the other. In keeping with the scholarly nature of these presentations, each speaker acknowledged the internal dialectic tension of the particular vs. the universal in each tradition, and emphasized the importance and moral integrity of accepting .the other. as an essential component of each traditions self-understanding. The presentations and the discussion that followed pointed out that our respective Scriptures provide us with a framework for addressing pressing social issues such as the refugee crisis of today. Responding to religious imperatives of Christians and Jews, the conference assessed the current refugee crisis overwhelming much of Europe, recognize the tensions between the obligations of love of strangers and the dignity of their creation in Gods image, with concerns for security and fear of change. During the meeting, participants focused on how our two communities now find themselves in the position of being other. Anti-Semitism in both speech and action has resurfaced in Europe and elsewhere, and persecution of Christians, most notably in much of the Middle East and parts of Africa, has reached levels not seen in a long time. Participants emphasized that antisemitism is real and takes many forms. It is a danger not only to Jews but also to democratic ideals. Improved and revitalized educational programs are necessary to combat it. The participants noted that the persecution of Christians has increased every year between 2012 and 2015. They recognized the obligation to raise the consciousness across the world regarding this problem and acknowledged the moral responsibility to be a voice for the voiceless. In recognition of the indisputable historic significance of the Shoah, the participants visited the Treblinka death camp. In a commemorative memorial, the leaders affirmed their commitment never to allow the tragedy to be forgotten, nor to allow the world ever again to permit such negation of the humanity or dignity of any human being, no matter his or her race, religion, or ethnicity. Their visits to a Catholic social service agency and to the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews underscored the critical role of Jewish and Catholic communities in contemporary Polish life. The meeting celebrated the Polish experience of transition from Communism, with its repressions, to the freedom of study and expression of religious faith in a new society. In keeping with the significance of the ILC since its inception 45 years ago, the representatives reiterated their continuing commitment to open and constructive dialogue as a model for interreligious and intercultural understanding in the world, most especially with religious leaders of the Muslim community. They also reiterated the commitment to collaborate in addressing the emerging needs of their communities wherever they may be, and to convey their transcendent messages to a world so much in need of authentic and caring affirmation represented by their two religious traditions. by Christopher Sharma Birgunj Chief District Officer inaugurates the new, Turkish funded facility, a move seen as an act of defiance against Indian authorities who fear the spread of Islamic values and practices within India. Kathmandu (AsiaNews) The opening of an Islamic cultural centre in the Nepali town of Birgunj, on the border with India, is seen as a gesture of defiance against the Indian government, which fears the spread of Islamic values and practices within its borders. In Birgunj, Chief District Officer Keshav Raj Ghimire inaugurated the centre, which was built thanks to donations from Turkish Muslims, six of whom were present at the ceremony. Nazrul Hussein, a Nepali Muslim leader and general secretary of the Interreligious Council, led the ceremony. Mr Hussein denied that the centres opening was a gesture of defiance. Still, he also lashed out at Islamic extremism. "Islam, he said, is a religion of peace, but many militants and terrorist groups are defaming our faith in its name. We must discourage any violence in the name of Islam." Despite such reassurances, Indian authorities did not take kindly to the opening of the cultural centre, and expressed concern over the possible infiltration by Pakistani Taliban and Muslim extremists and the potential threat they pose to Hindu culture. Delhis fears are also fuelled by political factors. Many political analysts are convinced that the defeat suffered by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, an Indian state that borders Nepal, is attributable to the election campaign by the local Muslim population. In the weeks leading up to the vote, acts of violence by Hindu fundamentalists against secularists and Muslims writers, guilty of eating cow meat, marred the public debate. "The killing of some Muslims by Hindu youths in Gujarat had major consequences, said political analyst Krishna Kahanal, coming especially ahead of the elections in Bihar. The Islamic community was not happy. This is one of the reasons why the BJP lost the election. " Some experts also believe that the opening of the Islamic centre is a reaction to Indias five-month export embargo against Nepal that brought the Himalayan nation to the brink of bankruptcy. by Melani Manel Perera As Sri Lankas prime minister goes to China to ink the final deal, activists take to the streets to protest, delivering two petitions to the secretaries of the prime minister and the president. Fishermen are willing to bear the cost of the cancellation of the US$ 1.5 billion Chinese project in order to save the local environment and their means of subsistence. Colombo (AsiaNews) Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe is in China on an official visit and is set to sign a series of trade agreements, including the final go-ahead for the Colombo Port City Project. At home though, hundreds of fishermen, activists and Christian leaders are in the streets of the capital calling on the government to "stop immediately" the project and comply with the electoral promises it made at the time of the election. The protesters said that the fishermen could meet the losses for five years if the US$ 1.5 billion Chinese project does not go ahead. Activists delivered petitions against the construction of the port city to the secretaries of the prime minister and the president. The Colombo Port City Project was launched in September 2014 under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The leading company in the consortium building the port city is a major Chinese contractor, China Communications Construction Co. From the beginning, the plan sparked local opposition, and was initially suspended. However, environmentalists and fishermen have always feared that the Sri Lankan government would eventually accept the plan and allow it to proceed. In January, the People's Movement against Port City, a leading protest group, presented a document with 128 negative opinions against the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The study stressed the projects indescribable damage to the local ecosystem, since it entails reclaiming 269 hectares along the capitals shoreline. "The project will have a severe impact on marine resources and fishermen's livelihoods, Fr Sarath Iddamalgoda told AsiaNews. In addition, It will negatively affect 80 per cent of ordinary citizens," noted the Catholic priest who is a member of the Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM), one of the groups organising the protest together with the People's Movement against Port City. Later this year the publication of the Joint Theological Commission document "A Call to Holiness". "It is true that we do not as yet think alike in all things, and that on issues regarding ordained ministries and ethics, much work remains to be done. However, none of these differences constitute such an obstacle as to prevent us from loving in the same way and offering a common witness to the world. ". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - None of the differences that still exist between Catholics and Methodists "constitute such an obstacle as to prevent us from loving in the same way and offering a common witness to the world", to become "a sign of God, victorious in the Resurrection of Jesus". The elaboration and the forthcoming publication by the Joint Theological Commission document "The call to holiness" was recalled by the Pope during the meeting this morning with a delegation of the World Methodist Council, the European Methodist Council and the British Methodist Church. Francis pointed out that the common baptismal faith "makes us really brothers and sisters" and expressed "pleasure" for the Ecumenical Methodist Office opening in Rome. "Is this he said among other things - a sign of our growing closeness, and particularly of our shared desire to overcome all that stands in the way of our full communion. May the Lord bless the work of the office and make it a place where Catholics and Methodists can encounter one another and grow in appreciation of one anothers faith, whether they be groups of pilgrims, those training for ministry, or those who guide their communities. May it also be a place where the progress achieved through our theological dialogue is made known, celebrated, and advanced". "Almost fifty years have passed since our joint commission began its work. Although differences remain, ours is a dialogue based on respect and fraternity, one which enriches both our communities. The document currently being prepared, which should be published later this year, clearly witnesses to this. Building on the Methodist acceptance of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, it has as its theme The Call to Holiness. Catholics and Methodists have much to learn from one another in how we understand holiness and how it can be lived out. We both must do what we can to ensure that members of our respective congregations meet regularly, come to know one another, and encourage one another to seek the Lord and his grace. It is true he continued - that we do not as yet think alike in all things, and that on issues regarding ordained ministries and ethics, much work remains to be done. However, none of these differences constitute such an obstacle as to prevent us from loving in the same way and offering a common witness to the world. Our lives of holiness must always include a loving service to the world; Catholics and Methodists together are bound to work in different ways in order to give concrete witness to the love of Christ. When we serve those in need, our communion grows. In todays world, afflicted by so much evil, it is more than ever vital that as Christians we offer a joint witness inspired by the light of Easter, becoming a sign of the love of God, which in the resurrection of Jesus is victorious. May this love, also through our humble and courageous service, reach the hearts and lives of our many brothers and sisters who are looking for such love even without knowing it. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15: 57)". "What does the Church need today? It needs witnesses, martyrs: These are the witnesses, that is, the saints, the saints of everyday, of ordinary life, but life [lived with] consistency; and also the witness to the end, even to death". Those who " who attest that Jesus is Risen, that Jesus is alive, and they bear witness through the consistency of their life, with the Holy Spirit they have received as a gift". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - They are those who "attest to the integrity of life" the Resurrection to carry forward the Church, to be "the living blood of the Church, said Pope Francis during Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta House. The Pope was commenting on the first Reading taken from the Acts of Acts of the Apostles, which speaks of the courage of Peter, who, after the healing of the crippled man, preached the Gospel before the leaders of the Sanhedrin. Enraged at his boldness, they wanted to put Peter to death. They had already forbidden the Apostles to preach in the Name of Jesus, but Peter continued to proclaim the Gospel because, as he said, We must obey God rather than men. This courageous Peter, the Pope said, has nothing in common with Peter the coward who denied Christ three times on the night of Holy Thursday. Now Peter is strong in his testimony. Christian witness, Pope Francis continued, follows the path of Jesus, even to the point of giving ones life. In one way or another, he said, the Christian puts his life on the line by giving true witness: Consistency between our life and what we have seen and heard is indeed the beginning of witness. But theres something else to Christian witness; its not just giving it. Christian witness always has two parts: We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no Christian witness because Christian witness, the Christian life, is a grace, it is a grace that the Lord gives us with the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis continued, we cannot be witnesses. The true witness is the person who is consistent in what he says, what he does, and what he has received, namely the Holy Spirit. This is Christian courage, this is the witness: It is the witness of our martyrs of today so many! chased out of their homeland, driven away, having their throats cut, persecuted: they have the courage to confess Jesus even to the point of death. It is the witness of those Christians who live their life seriously, and who say: I cant do this; I cannot do evil to another; I cannot cheat; I cannot lead life halfway, I have to give my witness. And the witness consists in saying what has been seen and heard in faith, namely, the Risen Jesus, with the Holy Spirit that has been received as a gift. In difficult moments in history, Pope Francis said, we hear it said that our country needs heroes and this is true, this is right. But, he asked, what does the Church need today? It needs witnesses, martyrs: These are the witnesses, that is, the saints, the saints of everyday, of ordinary life, but life [lived with] consistency; and also the witness to the end, even to death. These are the life blood of the Church; these are the ones that carry the Church forward, the witnesses, who attest that Jesus is Risen, that Jesus is alive, and they bear witness through the consistency of their life, with the Holy Spirit they have received as a gift. An Iranian delegation is set to meet with the Saudi Hajj minister to discuss the resumption of travel by Iranians to Makkah after they were interrupted following last years stampede that led to the death of more than 2,000 people, including 136 Iranians. Teheran (AsiaNews) Iran is sending a delegation to meet Saudi officials next week to discuss arrangements for this year's hajj. As one of the five pillars of Islam, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah must be carried out by all adult Muslims in good health at least once in their lifetime. Saudi Arabia has often used the event for political purposes. For example, Syrians have not been allowed to travel to the Muslim holy cities for many years. The visit by an Iranian delegation is the first since a tragic stampede during last years pilgrimage (pictured) caused the death of thousands of people. The head of Irans haj organisation, Saeed Ohadi, told state news agency IRNA that the Iranian delegation was still waiting for their visas and were expecting to meet the Saudi haj minister. "The fate of this years haj will be decided in this meeting," Ohadi said, quoted by the Tasnim news agency. AsiaNews has not been able so far to get any confirmation or denial from the Saudis. In September 2015, up to 2,070 people when a crowd stampeded, Reuters reported, making it one of the deadliest haj disasters in recent history. However, the Saudi official death toll is 769 pilgrims killed. Iranian pilgrims suffered the highest number of casualties with 136 dead, 102 injured, and 344 missing. The latter include some prominent people, like Irans former ambassador to Lebanon. Reacting to the incident, Tehran accused Riyadh of mismanagement and incompetence, suggesting even that the incident was premeditated. In fact, by closing a street, Saudi officials caused people to crush into each other. As a result of this, relations between the two rivals have further deteriorated. For decades, the two have vied for regional hegemony on several fronts, namely Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen. Europe Mulling Travel Visa Requirements For US Visitors Trending News: Will You Really Need A Visa To Travel To Europe Soon? Why Is This Important? Because Parisians won't know what to complain about if American tourists aren't taking selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower. Long Story Short The European Union says it may require visas for US and Canadian travelers, which could have a serious impact on the lucrative tourism industry. The move comes ahead of free trade negotiations between Washington and Brussels. Long Story According to Reuters, the European Union has to decide by April 12 whether or not to impose a new visa requirement on visiting Americans and Canadians. If they do decide on visas, relations between the US and the EU could be suffer as could the European tourism industry. As things stand now, Canadians and Americans dont need visas to visit the 28-country EU. But the US does require visas for visitors from Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. All other EU members can enter the US visa-free. Canada only requires visas from Bulgaria and Romania. Both Washington and Ottawa have refused to waive those requirements. via GIPHY The visa discussion comes just as the two huge economic powers begin new talks on the TTIP transatlantic trade agreement, and a European visit by Barack Obama. Its believed both sides want a deal in place before Obama leaves in January and a new President takes office. While a new EU visa requirement is no sure thing, an EU source told Reuters that, A political debate and decision is obviously needed on such an important issue. But there is a real risk that the EU would move towards visas for the two. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question: Would visa requirements hurt Europe more than it would hurt the US? Disrupt Your Feed: Lets not kid ourselves: a lot of Europeans wouldnt mind fewer clueless, sweaty tourists wandering around their streets lost. Drop This Fact: Almost 12 million Americans visited Europe in 2014. Advising a consortium of EMR Capital, Farallon Capital and partners, the 95% stake was acquired from Hong Kong-listed company G-Resources Group.Leading the Clayton Utz deal team was senior corporate adviser Rod Lyle and partner John Brewster, who led the complex cross-border negotiations.As lead counsel, the main task for the Clayton Utz team was to co-ordinate and project manage a diverse group of committed professionals in different geographies and various disciplines, Lyle told Australasian Lawyer.Banking, capital markets, stock exchange regulation, due diligence, Indonesian mining rules and buyer partnership arrangements needed to be co-ordinated.[There was a] need to be alive to various local and indigenous cultural issues and sensitivities in different parts of those jurisdictions. It was challenging, but certainly at the same time very much professionally satisfying to have successfully managed all of those important aspects to a successful conclusion.EMR Capital is a significant resources private equity fund in the region. Brewster said that as commodity prices stay low, EMR Capital is seeing more opportunities as larger companies look to sell mining assets.We expect to see increased activity in resources deals with a number of quality assets available at historically low valuations and confidence from some buyers at least that commodity prices have stopped falling and there is continued growth in the sector long term, he said.This transaction demonstrates that private equity buyers with strong sector experience can successfully complete large acquisitions of mining assets, and perhaps we will see more examples of this in the year ahead. King & Wood Mallesons is to pay the equivalent of AU$221,000 relating to a case that dates back to legacy SJ Berwin.A judge in the High Court in the UK awarded the damages to commodity research firm CRU Group after ruling that the law firm was negligent by not identifying and asking for missing documents relating to the termination of CRUs former CEO in 2007/8.According to the Law Society Gazette a further claim against the firm was dismissed by Mr Justice Dingemans.A spokesperson for KWM told the Gazette: The court reached a sensible conclusion of what a lawyer might reasonably be expected to do when faced with a request for urgent advice and found that we met the standard required of expert practitioners in their field. The plaintiff recovered only 5 per cent of the sum they sought from us. We are considering an appeal in relation to that aspect.The Singapore law minister says that the legal sector still has opportunities despite economic headwinds. The Straits Times reports that K.Shanmugam said that the government will support the profession but that law firms must do what they can to remain competitive. The minister highlighted economic challenges but said that as Asias importance in the global economy gains, law firms can find new opportunities to thrive.The number of law firm mergers in the US in the first quarter of 2016 has kept pace with the same period in 2015. Altman Weil MergerLine reveals that 20 firms combined in the first three months of this year compared to 22 in Q1, 2015. We know that many law firms are actively looking for attractive small firms to acquire, says Altman Weil principal Ward Bower, But those prize firms are getting harder and harder to find. The cream has been skimmed in many key markets. A new report has shown that NewLaw businesses are failing to access the in-house market, with the number of in-house teams using NewLaw businesses having dropped compared with the previous year. The 2016 ACC Australia Trends Survey found that the number of in-house counsels who have recently used a NewLaw businesses has dropped from 18% last year to just 14% this year. A whopping 70% of respondents said they were not familiar with the NewLaw business model. ACC president Gillian Wong told Australasian Lawyer that engaging with NewLaw could benefit many in-house legal teams. As with any service offering there is always a market to engage with, she said. Many of the services NewLaw businesses provide are tailored to delivering a more efficient and cost-effective way of managing legal work, which is something many in-house counsel are seeking. It is important to remember that no in-house legal department is the same as another, each has its own unique challenges and will have different requirements when seeking external providers. Wong said that the report shows a major barrier for NewLaw firms infiltrating the in-house market but that NewLaw could work harder at spruiking their offerings. She said that quickly evolving NewLaw businesses are difficult for busy GCs to keep abreast of. To ensure their message is heard NewLaw firms need to be continually educating in-house counsel, not only on their offerings but on the benefits of using their services, she said. I think we have to appreciate that NewLaw is still a relatively new concept in the Australian market compared to what might be happening at a global level. Introduced in 2014 for the 2015 model year, the W205 C-Class isnt showing its age. From the looks of it, it hasnt aged a day since production started more than two years ago. Be that as it may, Mercedes-Benz is already preparing a mid-cycle refresh.Slated to be launched by the end of 2017, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class facelift wont differ too much from the one waiting to be test driven in the parking lot of your nearest dealership. Word has it the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show in September will be the place where the veils will be taken off, which means that the American specification should arrive for the 2018 model year or even the 2019 model year.The spy photos provided by our talented team of carparazzi are revealing redesigned headlights. The biggest change is that the C-Class prototype pictured above features two LED-accented vertical stripes in each of its headlights. This graphic appears to have been inspired by that of the fifth-generation E-Class (W213), a mid-size luxury sedan that will set foot in the United States late this summer.Other than the lighting system, the front fascia boasts a bumper design with updated intakes and more swooping around the grille. If my eyes arent playing tricks on me, the rear end of this test mule is 100 percent similar to that of the outgoing C-Class. The uncertainties in exterior styling continue with what hides under the hood. Theres been a lot of talk recently about the German manufacturer bringing the inline-6 back from the dead and, if my hunch is correct, the engine could be offered in the facelifted C-Class. AMG Well, that possibility would increase dramatically if your name were Sidney Hoffmann and you were a German TV presenter, entrepreneur, and petrolhead by excellence. The last of these three attributes of his (well, the first two might have played some role in acquiring the funds) is probably what made him buy a new Mercedes-C63, which came with Patrick's name attached to the wonderful 4.0-liter V8 engine.Apparently, AMG would want us to believe that Sidney Hoffmann (affectionately called "Sid") wanted to meet the man who built his engine, and so he tracked Patrick Vogel down to the AMG plant and asked him to talk a little about the assembly process. But since we're not eight-year-olds, we know this is just a thinly-disguised PR move initiated by Mercedes-AMG's communication department.But bad acting aside, this thing that AMG has is truly remarkable. The Affalterbach company isn't the only one that hand-builds its engines, and it might not even be singular in assigning one man to each power unit, but it sure knows how to make something special out of it. And it all starts with that plate you get on your V8 or V12 engine. Most blocks get an embossed serial number, but AMGs are treated like important monuments: they get a plaque with the author's name on it.Is that really necessary? Most certainly not. Few people go the trouble of meeting the man (or woman) who put together their engine, and the serial number is more than enough for identification purposes in case something goes wrong. So that's just Mercedes-AMG's way of making something special out of the ordinary.These people are shrouded in romance as if their work were more than just your regular assembly line activity; we're led to believe they almost develop a certain bond with every engine they produce, as if each of them had its own personality. They're anthropomorphizing a piece of metal, and the really weird part is it's working. I mean, it's cool to have an engine with somebody's name on it, right?Back to Patrick Vogel, here he is explaining to Sid how his engine came to be. It looks like Patrick isn't very confident in Sid's technical knowledge as he keeps things very simple. Or, as the video's description suggests, Patrick's probably done the filming during his lunch break, so there wasn't that much time to go into detail. Friendly advice to you, Patrick: keep assembling engines and don't think about becoming an actor. You're definitely a lot better at what you're doing right now. HP In this case, we are talking about a 1997 Subaru Impreza WRC driven by the legendary Colin McRae. The exhibit in question is now up for sale at Mohr Klassik GmbH in Boblingen, Germany.The '97 Impreza WRC has chassis number 3 and made its first public appearance in January 1997, at that years Monte Carlo Rally, where it was raced by the famous McRae/Grist duo.The 1997 year is important for WRC history, as it was the first season in which the FIA replaced the Group A class with a new formula, called World Rally Car. This Subaru Impreza WRC97 was a completely redesigned car, and delivered 300at 5,500 rpm, in accordance with the FIA restrictions at the time.The vehicle is ready to race and was used in many other rally events once the 555 Subaru World Rally Team replaced it with the revised Impreza WRC98. The latter was the last rally Impreza not to use steering-wheel-mounted paddles to shift gears.Unfortunately, Colin McRae retired from the 1997 WRC event in Monte Carlo with this vehicle, so this unit will not carry the premium of a car which won the Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of a racing legend. However, the number four Impreza WRC won the 65th edition of the famous event, known for sudden weather and grip changes. Back then, Italian driver Piero Liatti won the race, followed by Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Finnish legend Tommi Makinen.McRae would win the first WRC event of the 1997 season two months later, at the 45th Safari Rally Kenya. The Scottish driver was followed by Richard Burns, but managed to get a seven-minute lead on the other WRC star, whom the world lost too early. The 1997 season marked a second place finish for Colin McRae, at just a one-point difference from Tommi Makinen and his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV. IIHS NHTSA The rating was granted to the versions of the recently refreshed MY 2016 Infiniti QX60 that are equipped with the optional Forward Emergency Braking system. Thanks to this system, the QX60 earned a Superior rating for front crash prevention.The optional technology described above is part of a package called the Predictive Forward Collision Warning system. The package incorporates forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, backup collision intervention, and the Around View Monitor.The latter is an innovation brought to market by Nissan, Infinitis parent company, which consists of a set of high-resolution video cameras placed cleverly in several key locations on the body to ensure a virtual 360-degree view of the vehicle on the multimedia screen.The system uses four wide-angle lenses and aids the driver in maneuvering through tight spaces at low speeds.As with other vehicles which have a forward collision prevention system, the one on the QX60 continuously measures the distance between the vehicle in front and is prepared to respond with full braking power if that is required to prevent or mitigate the effects of an imminent collision.Naturally, the QX60 scored Good in all five crashworthiness tests performed by the, as required for every new car to be eligible for the Top Safety Pick+ distinction. The Superior rating in the front crash prevention test was achieved at speeds of 12 MPH (19 km/h) and 25 MPH (40 km/h), respectively. While the first test was completed with a full stop, the second ended with an impact speed reduction of 10 MPH (16 km/h).As Infiniti notes, the QX60s forward collision warning system was also praised by the, but the latter does not have an award like the IIHSs TSP+. The Japanese premium brands representatives declare themselves pleased with the result, and take pride in the achievements of the 2016 QX60 crossover. kW A popular commie car before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Lada Riva is getting more collectible with each and every passing year. I know its hard to comprehend what motivates them, but there are people like that in the world, people who would love to get their hands on a Lada Riva as immaculate as an example with only 20 miles (32 km) on the odo.According to the listing on mobile.de , the pictured car is located in Germany and is a 92 model with Nova JR badging on the front fenders. The seller is adamant that this Riva has been driven a little, then secluded the better part of 24 years. When the car was brought out of its slumbering confinement, the owner decided to overhaul it. This includes the clutch, brakes, ignition, and fuel system, as well as new filters and fluids.Under the hood, youll find a 1,189 cc engine with 60 horsepower (44) connected to a manual transmission. The mill can run on regular (91 octane) and unleaded E10 (gasoline plus ethanol, octane rating of 95). Because Euro 1 was introduced in July 1992, this Lada complies with the European emission standard for passenger cars. What more could a Lada enthusiast want from his or her dream machine? Velour seats? This Riva boasts them and they look as if they're brand new.And yes, even the tires are original and made in Russia. So there you have it. For those who want to acquire a virtually new Lada Riva because theyre not interested in classic cars of better provenance, 7,300 will buy you a pristine example of the breed. Converted at current rates, thatll be $8,320. Thats cheaper than a Nissan Versa Sedan ($11,990), the least expensive new car you can buy in the United States of America. HP The record was set in the United Arab Emirates, at the Fujairah International Airport, with a modified Nissan GT-R Nismo.Thanks to the 1,380engine which delivered power only to the rear wheels, Japanese drift champion Masato Kawabata managed to drift at 304.96 km/h (189 MPH) at a 30-degree angle.This is the fifth time Nissan breaks an international Guinness World Record, and the feat has been achieved with extensive development performed by Nismo specialists and GReddy Trust.Before attempting to break the record, the development team tested the car at Japans Fuji Speedway. Naturally, Masato Kawabata was at the wheel, to ensure that he gets more experience with this modified GT-R.Nissan chose the Fujairah International Airport because of its three-kilometer (1.86-mile) long strip, which allowed enough room for this challenge. From the beginning of this project, Nissan wanted to perform a drift at a speed of over 300 km/h, so their expectations were met and even exceeded.The team only had five days in the United Arab Emirates to prepare for their attempt, and even assembled a workshop on site, in one of the hangars.Nissan partnered up with the Prodrift Academy UAE to ensure logistics support for their team in Dubai. Technicians from GReddy and Nismo were also on-site to ensure that the modified V6 twin-turbo engine performed flawlessly in the blistering heat of Dubai, and it seems that their work paid off.This stunt also required special tires from Toyo, as well as special alloy wheels from RAYS. The Japanese drift champion only had three attempts to do his record run, as Guinness World Records rules dictate.The previous holder of this record is Polish driver Jakub PrzygoDski, who set the Guinness World Record for the fastest drift in the world in 2013. Back then, the Polish driver performed a drift at 217.973 km/h (135.44 MPH) in a modified Toyota GT86, which developed 1,000 HP. Photo of Vermont State House by Justin A. Wilcox via Wikimedia Commons. To combat the growing problem of distracted driving, the Vermont House on March 15 voted to create a two-point penalty for drivers caught using a handheld phone or other electronic device while driving, the Burlington Free Press reported. The point penalty would rise to seven points when the infraction occurs in a work zone or school zone. A drivers license in Vermont is suspended once a driver has accumulated 10 points. Texting while driving would continue to carry a five-point penalty. The proposed tougher penalties for distracted driving are now part of a broader bill (H571) focused primarily on drivers license suspensions and reinstatement fees. A third reading of the bill has been ordered. In other state news, Vermont may become the first state in the U.S. to legalize recreational use of marijuana through legislation rather than voter initiative. This month members of the House will begin considering the merits of legislation that state senators passed in February. Under the bill, adults over 21 would be permitted to purchase and smoke marijuana beginning in 2018. However, growing plants at home and selling edible products containing marijuana extracts would remain illegal. The drug would carry a 25% sales tax. The current legislative session adjourns in late May, providing a tight deadline. But there appears to be substantial public support for the proposed change. A 2015 RAND Corp. study found that one in eight Vermont residents already use the drug illegally. Four states Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska have already legalized marijuana through ballot measures. This trend has raised questions for corporate fleet policy makers. In June 2015, the Colorado Supreme Court made a ruling of particular interest to fleet managers employed by companies with zero-tolerance drug policies. In a 6-0 decision, the justices upheld lower court rulings that affirmed the right of businesses to fire employees for the use of medical marijuana, even if the use occurs during off-hours at home. The decision was based on the fact that marijuana use is still in violation of federal criminal law. The case involved a Dish Network employee, Brandon Coats, who was fired for failing a drug test back in 2010. Coats had become a quadriplegic in a car accident as a teenager. His state-licensed use of medical marijuana was intended to treat muscle spasms associated with his medical condition. He consumed the medical marijuana at home while he wasnt working. After the drug test led to his firing, Coats filed a wrongful termination suit against Dish. At Sun n Fun 2016, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association(LAMA), in coordination with sponsor Aviators Hot Line, hosted four of the industrys favorite journalists as part of the shows Great Debates series. The journalistsGeneral Aviation News publisher Ben Sclair, Flying magazine senior editor Pia Bergqvist, Plane and Pilot editor Robert Goyer and AVweb editorial director Paul Bertorelliall took the stage at the Sun n Fun Paradise City area for a lively hour-long discussion on a wide variety of topics, including the future of light GA. Moderated by Robert Helms (from engine distributor UL Power), the journalists addressed questions on topics ranging from the future of the LSA market, electric flight, the sharing of the airspace with UAVs, to aeromedical reform. The journalists also weighed in on two of the most popular current events at this years showICON Aircrafts controversial sales contract for its A5 LSA amphib, and the announcement from EAA and Dynon Avionics that its partnership has achieved FAA STC approval for the installation of Dynons D-10A experimental EFIS display in certified aircraft. LAMA produced the first ina series of Great Debatesa timely spin off the ongoing presidential debatesat the U.S. Sport Aviation in Sebring, Florida, this past January. Other debates in the series include topics on engine technology, avionics and aviation tablet apps. 7 April 2016 10:02 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova When the situation in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region has exploded unexpectedly following Armenias provocation, the most expected was the response of the OSCE Minsk Group, the only mediator in resolution of the conflict. Over the entire period of its existence, the OSCE MG has not managed to determine ways to resolve the long-lasting Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict fairly. Moreover, over the four days, the OSCE MG co-chairs have failed to take any decisive action that could play a role in reducing the tensions. The MG co-chairs come together only on April 5 at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. Ambassador James Warlick, representing the three Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group, and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, informed the OSCE participating states about recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Warlick and Kasprzyk stressed that it is important to return to the political process on the basis of a sustainable ceasefire, while the OSCE participating states agreed that the latest escalation is deeply worrying and that it is necessary for the OSCE to continue playing a central role in facilitating a peaceful settlement. The Co-Chairs together with Ambassador Kasprzyk travelled to the regions shortly after the Vienna meeting. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev and Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov received the co-chairs on April 6 to discuss the recent escalation. Following the talks, the co-chairs noted that the negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh problem should become intensive and decisive step should be taken towards a peace settlement. The OSCE Minsk Group has brought a message to Baku and will bring to Yerevan about the need for immediate ceasefire in order to create an environment where progress can be made on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement, the Minsk Group's US Co-chair James Warlick told reporters in Baku. Warlick said comprehensive settlement means withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories and the return of those territories to Azerbaijan, and also it means that the parties must deal with the issue of status for Nagorno-Karabakh. Although the statements made by the co-chairs seem to be more decisive than ever, experts believe that a new mechanism for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is needed. The MG co-chairs have preoccupied themselves on talks only, forgetting about actions. Justin Amler, an Australian writer and observer, believes that the Minsk Group, chaired by France, Russia and the United States has proven itself to be a failure. A new mechanism needs to be found to deal with the conflict that allows Azerbaijani sovereignty to be restored as well as consideration for those Armenians living there, he wrote in his article issued on Washington Times. Experts believe that to achieve a progress in the peace talks on the conflict it is necessary to change the format of OSCE MG. They suppose that the co-chairs should confess their failure and resign. Other mediators or the conflicting sides themselves should deal with the problem, they say. The Minsk Group, to somehow justify its importance and significance, takes random acts, trying to create illusion of importance and to impose its will on other international institutions. "It is time to change its format, to attract new mediators, perhaps, such as Turkey and Kazakhstan, Kazakh expert Aydos Sarym told Trend. But, Russia, which is represented in the MG, is opposed to changing the format of the "troika" and believes that attempts to undermine Russias role are counterproductive. "The format of the troika, whose role is enshrined in OSCE decisions and UN Security Council, is efficient and does not require adjustments, stressed Aleksandr Lukashevich, Russias Permanent Representative to the OSCE. The OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, proceeding talks based on the renewed Madrid principles. The statements promising a sincere contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict have become frequent, but declarative in essence. The very attitude broke confidence in success of the mediators representing the U.S., Russia and France. In 1994, the OSCE Budapest Summit established the so-called Minsk Group, which is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States. The groups permanent members are Belarus, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and Turkey, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 11:29 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Despite the achieved agreement on ceasefire, the units of the Armenian Armed Forces continue to violate truce on the contact line of troops. From April 5 through April 6, the enemy fired Azerbaijans positions along Azerbaijan-Armenia state border in Ordubad, Shahbuz and Babek regions of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on April 6. As a result of taken response measures by the Azerbaijani units in Ordubad direction, the enemy's firing position and engineering installation have been destroyed. The situation on the contact line between Azerbaijan and Armenia has remained tense as the Armenian Armed Forces shattered ceasefire a total of 119 times throughout the day. Armenian armed forces, located in Armenia's Berkaber, Paravakar villages of Ijevan region, Mosesgekh, Chinari villages of Berd region and nameless hills Krasnoselsk region subjected to fire the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces located in nameless hills and Gizilhajili village of Gazakh region, Kohnagishlag village of Agstafa region, Agdam, Alibayli villages in Tovuz region and nameless hills of Gadabay region. The ceasefire was violated in Gulustan village in Goranboy region, Goyarkh, Yarimja, Chilaburt villages in Tartar region, Shikhlar, Sarijali, Kangarli, Namirli villages in Aghdam region, Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region, Garakhanbayli, Horadiz, Gorgan, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages in Fuzuli region, Mehdili village of Jabrayil region, as well as nameless hills in Goygol, Goranboy, Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. In view of the operational situation, Azerbaijani armed forces inflicted 125 strikes on enemy positions. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry has once again warned the Armenian side, saying if Armenians continue their provocative attempts and do not leave the occupied Azerbaijani territories, many surprises await them. The fighting spirit and winning will of our people, as well as our Armed Forces are at a high level and we will gain victory by responding to any provocation of the enemy, destroying them and liberating our lands, Dargahli told Trend on April 7. The fact that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, as well as high-ranking military officers and various experts have acknowledged Azerbaijans military superiority once again proved that the enemy is in a panic, according to Dargahli. Thanks to care and attention of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, the countrys Armed Forces are equipped with the most modern weapons, ammunition, military equipment and other military means that allow destroying the enemy from a distance without direct contact, Dargahli said. Dargahli emphasized that the military equipment, weapons and ammunition enable the Azerbaijani Army to provide the liberation of the occupied lands, to force the enemy to peace through the use of more precise and destructive power means against them. The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijans positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3. The Azerbaijani Army destroyed about 370 enemy soldiers since the start of the hostilities, according to the defense ministry. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5, as a meeting between the Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijan Armed Forces Colonel General Najmaddin Sadikov and the Chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces Colonel General Yuri Khachaturyan took place by the mediation of the Russian side. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 11:49 (UTC+04:00) Some 162 houses in Azerbaijan's Terter district were damaged in the result of shelling by Armenian armed units April 2-5, head of the executive power of the district Mustagim Mammadov told Trend. He said that 22 houses were completely destroyed, and 140 houses were partially damaged. The head of the executive power of Azerbaijan's Aghdam district Ragub Mammadov said that the villages of Sarijali, Evoglu, Mahrizli, Chiragli, Mirashamli, Chemenli, Garadaghli, Baharli and Uchoglan were fired at most of all. He went on to add that a mosque, a middle school, a substation and an office building were destroyed. Also, eight houses were completely destroyed in the district, and 28 houses were severely damaged. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 13:23 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Armenia, a country whose history is built on a comprehensive lie, has once again appealed to the international community with a request to recognize their claims of "Armenian Genocide. This time, the s issue of recognizing the so-called Armenian genocide was discussed as part of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans visit to Berlin on April 6. During the joint press conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the German Parliament will discuss a draft law in connection with the 1915 events. Merkel added that she wants relations between Turkey and Armenia to be restored. The relationships that began many years ago have become active again, the chancellor believes. In 2015, Germany's decision to present a parliamentary resolution that described Turkish actions against Armenians in 1915 as genocidal caused tensions with Turkey. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkeys predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, committed the so-called genocide against Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. While strengthening the propaganda of genocide throughout the world, Armenians achieved its recognition in the parliaments of some countries. Turkey, on the other hand, invites historians to come to the table to debate the issue rather passing groundless resolutions and decision. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there was no systematic attempt to destroy the Armenian people and vowed never to recognize the killings as genocide. Ankara earlier criticized the European Parliament for passing a resolution that called on Ankara to recognize the Armenian genocide, and Pope Francis for describing the Armenians as the victims of "the first genocide of the 20th century". -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 13:06 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Armenian military units have shelled an ambulance, which was evacuating Azerbaijani civilians injured as a result of another ceasefire violation in the Agdere-Goranboy direction. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported that the ambulance has suffered from serious damages, but fortunately, no one has been hurt during the firing. Such incident committed by Armenians is a blatant violation of international law norms and principles, the ministry added. Earlier, the countrys Foreign Ministry reported that as a result of systematic, deliberate and targeted attacks launched by Armenians on civilian population, 32 settlements, 6 civilians, among them 2 children below 16 years, were killed and 26 civilians were seriously wounded. Substantial damages were inflicted upon private and public property, including civilian critical infrastructure, the ministry said. 232 private houses, 99 electricity poles, 3 electrical substations, kilometers of water and gas pipelines were destroyed. Guided missile attacks were directed on social facilities, including schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Instruction had to be suspended in 28 of the damaged schools. One mosque was hit during prayer with high-caliber artillery shells. As a result of those deliberate attacks, a large number of civilians have been deprived of their basic rights to life, health, property, education, communication, and practicing their religion, according to the Ministry. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 14:35 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Armenia continues its provocative policy, spreading false information about the situation in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported that information spread by the Armenian side about the ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan's Armed Forces does not correspond to the real facts. The Armenian media claims that allegedly the Azerbaijani side does not comply with the agreement on ceasing the military operations along Azerbaijan-Armenian line of contact. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry declares that the Azerbaijani side strictly follows the ceasefire regime from the first day of its announcement and is committed to the reached agreement, the statement read. The ceasefire regime has again been violated by Armenian servicemen. The information disseminated by the Armenian media is untrue, the ministry concluded. Earlier, the defense ministry has dismissed the information spread by foreign media outlets, including the Armenian media that allegedly the strategic positions taken by Azerbaijan during the latest military operations have been returned to Armenia. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on April 2 when Yerevan, which has pursued an aggressive and occupation policy against Baku, tried to tarnish Azerbaijans image by provoking war and repeatedly violating the ceasefire and firing on civilians. During the counter attack, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on April 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 17:41 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Azerbaijans State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People has launched an investigation after several citizens reported about the servicemen who have gone missing in the recent military operations on the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The investigation is being carried out together with appropriate government agencies and international organizations and its results will be made public. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on April 2 when Yerevan, which has pursued an aggressive and occupation policy against Baku, tried to tarnish Azerbaijans image by provoking war and repeatedly violating the ceasefire and firing on civilians. During the counter attack, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on April 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry reported. As of today, the commission has registered 4,013 Azerbaijani citizens as missing in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions of Azerbaijan. Armenia avoids giving information about these persons, mass graves and the people who can give testimony in connection with captives and hostages taken during the conflict. With such actions, Yerevan also ruins the life of the people who are still waiting for information about their relatives, family members and beloved ones. For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 23:00 (UTC+04:00) The Azerbaijani armed forces have shot down an Armenian unmanned aerial vehicle, the defense ministry said. The Armenian armed forces' X-55 drone was brought down by the Azerbaijani units by a special method when it was performing intelligence gathering operations over our positions on the frontline, the ministry said. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started violating the ceasefire. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 15:08 (UTC+04:00) By Marcel Fratzscher In Germanys recent regional elections, voters delivered a resounding rebuke to Chancellor Angela Merkels party, the Christian Democratic Union. With an increasing number of Germans losing confidence in a European solution to the ongoing refugee crisis, calls for German isolation and unilateralism are growing louder and far-right political forces are gaining traction. This is highly troubling, but it should not be shocking. The European Union has consistently failed to find joint solutions to shared problems, even as it has been wracked by a series of crises. In the current refugee crisis, EU countries have shown a distinct lack of solidarity with Germany, with many refusing to take on even a small share of the burden. Despite the recent deal with Turkey aimed at reducing the flow of Syrian refugees, most Germans do not expect their EU partners to change course. This is all the more infuriating for Germans, given that their country bore the heaviest financial burden for the rescue programs carried out in Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain in recent years. Add to that sense of betrayal the looming possibility of a British exit from the EU, and it is not difficult to see why Germans feel that distancing themselves from Europe may well be their best bet. Of course, for some Germans, the lack of solidarity regarding refugees is simply a compelling excuse for blocking reforms that they never supported in the first place, such as the completion of a European banking union. But they are now attracting the support of a growing number of Germans who previously might have disagreed with their anti-EU stance. The notion that EU countries merely want Germanys money the French, for example, have openly advocated the creation of a transfer union is on its way toward becoming a majority view. Against this background, if financial crises were again to intensify, Germanys EU partners probably could not expect the country to agree to any financial rescue programs. In other words, Europes real financial backstop no longer exists. Thus, the failure to define a European response to the refugee crisis, underpinned by genuine burden sharing, is destabilizing Europe both politically and economically. Instability may not be surprising in Greece, which has received some 240 billion ($255 billion) in official loans since 2010 and is the main frontline country in the refugee crisis. But in Germany, which has been remarkably stable for more than a decade and has been a pillar of EU-wide stability during tumultuous times, it represents a highly consequential reversal. Merkel is paying a huge political price for her remarkable resolve in promoting an open Europe. Worse, the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland party is the main beneficiary. Founded just three years ago on an anti-European platform, the AfD has now made opposition to refugees a cornerstone of its appeal. In the latest elections, the AfD entered each regional parliament with a significant share of the vote: 15.1% in Baden-Wurttemberg, 12.5% in Rhineland-Palatinate, and 24% in Saxony-Anhalt. Domestic social conflict is also on the rise. Politicians and economists have been stoking fears among German citizens about the massive costs of the influx of refugees, which has intensified the struggle over high and rising levels of inequality in wealth and wages. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble has proposed raising taxes in Europe on gasoline to finance the additional expenditures for refugees, although public budget surpluses in Germany amounted to close to 20 billion, or 0.7% of GDP, in 2015. The refugee crisis is fundamentally changing German economic-policy priorities. The German government has been all but reneging on its commitments to strengthen significantly public investment in infrastructure and education. Other urgently needed reforms, such as to taxation and family policies, are also being postponed. With every refugee coming to Germany, it becomes more unlikely that Schauble will be able to deliver on his promise of a Schwarze Null a federal budget surplus in the important election year of 2017. The likely outcome is a further cut in public investment, combined with additional social spending and an increase in the minimum wage, which would benefit some Germans, but also make it more difficult for refugees to find jobs. Urgent reforms will be postponed further, and Germanys economic prospects will be weakened. The refusal of European leaders to take responsibility and agree on a shared solution to the refugee crisis is not just hurting the refugees; it is also damaging the EUs future, as it weakens Germanys willingness to reform and engage with the rest of Europe. Make no mistake: If matters continue on their current course, the narrow-minded nationalism that is on the rise in Germany today will come back to haunt each and every EU member. Copyright: Project Syndicate: http://The Rise of German Isolationism --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 21:00 (UTC+04:00) By Elmira Tariverdiyeva Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid a visit to Germany. This visit coincided with the period of provocations carried out by the Armenian troops on the line of contact with Azerbaijani troops and the subsequent devastating response. Booed by a large crowd of Azerbaijan's supporters in Berlin, president Sargsyan did not miss the opportunity during the visit to complain that Azerbaijan successfully repelled the attack and recaptured some of its own territories from the occupation forces of Armenia. However, Sargsyan also tried to mislead the international community by making up a story about the so-called Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, although no fighting was observed in there. In fact, the Azerbaijani army repulsed attacks of the Armenian troops, shelling Azerbaijani villages near the troops' contact line. Meanwhile, there are no civilians living on the other side of the contact line - in the Armenia-occupied territories. Besides, Sargsyan shared his fears with German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding the military power of Azerbaijan, the country he was disparagingly speaking about until recently. After the failure of his occupation troops, Sargsyan noted with fear that today, Azerbaijan has more modern types of weapons, and bitterly complained that it was observed during the three days of fighting. However, contrary to the expectations of the Armenian leader, Merkel expressed support for something Armenia and President Sargsyan don't want. Merkel urged the OSCE Minsk Group to progress in the process of peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh, and Armenia, the country which did everything possible to make the negotiations stagnate, certainly didn't like it. It's obvious why it happened: it is disadvantageous for Yerevan to change the status quo of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which assumes continuation of the occupation policy before the whole world community. Nevertheless, during the press conference with Armenia's president, Merkel urged for immediate promotion of the negotiation process and increasing the effectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group's work. She pointed out that this international format is responsible for the work on resolving the conflict and promised to support the Minsk Group's work "in a particular way." The western part of the world made it clear for Sargsyan that the current situation doesn't benefit anyone and Europe is ready to make every effort to prevent another outbreak of violence in the strategically important South Caucasus region. The remarks made by all international players which urged for immediate promotion of the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, create hope that after everyone saw firsthand that it is not a frozen conflict, the international players will increase the pressure on Armenia to bring it back to the constructive talks. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 09:26 (UTC+04:00) British MP, Lord David Evans has called on the international community to take more active efforts to ensure peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. May I express condolences and sympathies with the people of Azerbaijan on the loss of life as a result of the recent flare up in the conflict. Azerbaijan`s actions unfortunately are understandable in the light of the absence of strong movements in mediators` efforts, Lord David Evans told Azertac, as he commented on escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. I understand that Azerbaijan has been and remains committed to the peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict. The fact that Azerbaijan has been at the negotiating table and been part of the peace talks under the auspices of OSCE Minsk Group manifests the country`s goodwill to resolve the conflict peacefully, he said. Lord David Evans hailed the fact that Azerbaijan declared a unilateral halt to military operations two days ago as a gesture of goodwill and heeding the calls from the international community It is obviously the shame that the international community, in particular the co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group have failed to deliver a peaceful solution. If we want to avoid further escalation and casualties, the conflict can only be resolved through implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions as well as other resolutions and decisions of other international organizations. These resolutions have all reaffirmed sovereignty of Azerbaijan over the occupied territories, including Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the withdrawal of Armenian armed from those territories, he added. The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijans positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook several strategic positions. The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3. The Azerbaijani Army destroyed about 370 enemy soldiers since the start of the hostilities, according to the defense ministry. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 10:30 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan made a first move in the right direction, and demonstrates the commitment for peace and needs an appropriate response from the other side, said Ilir Rexhep Meta, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament. We therefore call for the immediate withdrawal of the military forces of Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions, Meta told European Azerbaijan Societys (TEAS), while commenting on the military provocation and violation of the ceasefire by the Armenian forces on the contact line separating the Azerbaijani and Armenian forces. Albania is very much concerned about the escalation of violence, demolition of civilian facilities and casualties in human lives occurring during the recent crisis over the frozen conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh region. We support efforts of international community and the call for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation of the situation and protection of civilian population. International law and rights must prevail and parties must negotiate for a comprehensive, final and long-standing settlement in respect of all UNSC Resolutions. This crystal clear acknowledgement, also shared by the EU and the OSCE, has to be the base of every stable solution of this conflict, he said. He reminded that based on these acts and principles, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh constitutes an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Minsk Group is the right platform to involve all actors to negotiate and facilitate this solution. Albania believes that the principle of territorial integrity is a pivotal discipline in interaction of modern states, and that includes the condemnation of occupation and displacement. Albania fully backs the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. It is highly relevant for the international community to make all and sincere efforts for a safe return of the refugees to their homes as soon as conditions allow, he said. Every aggression has to be stopped and prevented otherwise its consequences can be devastating. Especially the life of innocent civilians needs to be protected, Speaker of Albanian Parliament noted. The on-going refugee crisis in the Middle East, Balkans and Europe is a bad example of conflicts not being contained. This has to be the main objective of all international cooperation. Peace and stability in Azerbaijan and the wider region are very important for Albania, Balkans and Europe. The strategic projects on energy diversification, energy security and the future of Southern Gas Corridor are vital and must not be jeopardized from another conflict, he added. For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Over the entire period of its existence, the OSCE Minsk Group, which acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, failed to move forward in resolving the long lasting conflict. The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijans positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook hills around the village of Talish, as well as Seysulan settlement, and also took over Lele Tepe hill located in the direction of Fizuli region. The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3. The Azerbaijani Army destroyed about 370 enemy soldiers since the start of the hostilities, according to the defense ministry. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5. 7 April 2016 09:28 (UTC+04:00) President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani phoned President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on April 6. President Hassan Rouhani expressed his concern over the recent events on the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, and welcomed the two sides` reaching ceasefire agreement. President Ilham Aliyev informed President Hassan Rouhani on the recent situation on the line of contact, and said Azerbaijan always supported peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. President Ilham Aliyev said Armenia always had a non-constructive position and violated ceasefire agreement. The head of state described the recent events on the line of contact as another provocation of Armenia. During the conversation the presidents exchanged views on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Iranian bilateral ties in a variety of areas. President Ilham Aliyev recalled his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying the agreements reached during the trip were being successfully implemented. The head of state said the trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Iranian and Russian foreign ministers to be held in Baku on April 7 would contribute to the strengthening of security and development of cooperation in the region. The presidents said they would try their best to expand the bilateral relations. For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Over the entire period of its existence, the OSCE Minsk Group, which acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, failed to move forward in resolving the long lasting conflict. 7 April 2016 09:38 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Welcoming the high-ranking Russian official, President Aliyev said that on Apr.7, Baku hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan. "We are very pleased that this meeting, the first such meeting is taking place in our country," he said. "I think this is the beginning of a very serious process of regional cooperation between our countries." Azerbaijan is the only country in the world, which borders both with Russia and Iran, said the president, adding that such a geographical location, as well as the history of relations between the peoples of the three countries and the current cooperation Azerbaijan and Russia, of course, makes it necessary to intensify cooperation in a multilateral format. President Ilham Aliyev said that issues related to the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, political engagement, transportation issues, energy, and others are being discussed at the meeting in a spirit of mutual understanding and constructivism. The president further said that Lavrov's visit is a good opportunity to discuss bilateral issues. "We are very pleased to see how relations are built between our countries," Ilham Aliyev said, adding that they include high-level relations of strategic partnership, which cover almost all spheres. President Aliyev said that Russia and Azerbaijan are two friends, two neighbors. "We value these relations and try to strengthen and develop them," the president said. "This concerns political, humanitarian cooperation, economy, energy, and, of course, the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." President Aliyev said that as everyone knows, the situation has recently aggravated on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which has led to human losses. "Of course, this is a matter of concern in the world and in the region," the president said. The president added that the recent situation on the line of contact also causes public concern. "In this case, Russia once again took the initiative," the president said. "The ceasefire agreement was reached with the Russian side's mediation." "We believe that this is only way to prevent an escalation in the region," the president said. "The ceasefire regime was observed, and unfortunately, the Armenian side violated it again." "We are committed to the continuation of the negotiation process," Ilham Aliyev said. The president said that he received the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group. "I have also told the co-chairmen, ambassadors and I want to tell the press that Azerbaijan is committed to the negotiation process," the president said. "We want to settle this conflict peacefully, on the basis of norms and principles of the international law." "I think that all these years - more than 20 years that have passed since the ceasefire testify to the fact that we are committed to the political settlement," the president said. "Of course, we will also discuss all these questions with you," the president said. "I am sure that your visit will be another important step in strengthening our relations." 7 April 2016 11:15 (UTC+04:00) The world rewards violence and uncivilized behavior, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Washington, Elin Suleymanov, said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. Suleymanov was commenting the situation with the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Suleymanov said that the world ignores those asserting their rights through appeals to international law and conscience. "It does appear that the world feels more comfortable ignoring the conflict," the ambassador said. "Our displaced population is not engaged in any violence," he said. "They did not emigrate anywhere. Our refugees and internally displaced people moved in the areas outside the occupied areas in Azerbaijan, and have built their lives there." Suleymanov described a situation whereby the Azerbaijan government has spent a great deal of money and made it a priority to integrate hundreds and thousands of their compatriots. "The down side is that if refugees are integrated and build a normal life, the world seems to say you have no rights, forgets your right to return to your homeland," Suleymanov said. "In a sense it is unfair," he said. "The world rewards violence, the world rewards uncivilized behavior." He said that Baku has found the balance between asserting its legal right over Nagorno-Karabakh and getting international bodies to recognize those rights, without sacrificing the daily life of the refugees. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 12:15 (UTC+04:00) The US administration is so absent and restrained in its response to the most serious military clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in twenty-two years has the impact of ceding the strategic field in the South Caucasus to Russia, says Matthew Bryza, former US assistant secretary for South Caucasus and former US ambassador to Azerbaijan. "This can have profound and dangerous consequences in Syria, Ukraine, and far beyond," Bryza wrote in his article published on the website of the US Atlantic Council. "The United States has been conspicuously absent during the latest crisis over Azerbaijan's region of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "The White House has not yet issued a statement on this unprecedented uptick in violence." "US Secretary of State John Kerry's statement released on April 2 is a vanilla condemnation of violence and call for a restoration of the ceasefire, which could apply to any of the numerous previous ceasefire violations," he said. He said that this approach leaves no sense of the intensity and danger posed by this latest flare-up of violence. "In contrast, Russia's top leadership has been active," he said. "Russia's goal in its lone mediation mission appears to be twofold: first, to repair its international reputation in relation to its debacle in Ukraine; and second, to strengthen the impression in Armenia and Azerbaijan that Russia calls the shots in the South Caucasus." On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours) with the consent of the sides. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 12:57 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly John Hambrick, who was on a visit to Azerbaijans capital Baku, has voiced support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. During his meeting with Interior Minister Ramil Usubov, he said the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity. Hambrick also expressed the interest of Nevada in maintaining trade and economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Usubov, in turn, emphasized that Azerbaijan attached great importance to developing relations with the U.S. in all areas. President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, and his meetings and talks with senior U.S. officials will contribute to the deepening of our bilateral cooperation, he said. The minister highlighted Azerbaijans role in fighting against international terrorism as part of a U.S.-led international coalition. Usubov said Azerbaijan suffered from terrorism and transnational organized crime, adding that more than 2,000 Azerbaijanis were killed in terrorist attacks organized by the Armenian special services in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During the visit the American delegation also met Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who discussed issues on mutual interests. The minister said that the U.S. and Azerbaijan have successful relations in security, fight against terrorism, as well as energy, logistics and other areas. Informing the delegation about more than 200 American companies operating in Azerbaijan, Mustafayev stressed the U.S. has invested $10 billion in Azerbaijan economy. He said the U.S. support energy projects realized by participation of Azerbaijan, including the Southern Gas Corridor. Hambrick, for his part, noted the opportunities for economic cooperating between the two states, thus offering the visit of Nevada State Economic Development Departments businessmen to Azerbaijan. At the meeting between Rovnag Abdullayev, President of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR and Hambrick, the sides talked about the cooperation with oil-gas companies of the two countries. Abdullayev noted SOCAR and major U.S. oil-gas companies have long-term and effective cooperation, adding that the successful relations between the two countries also cover non-oil sector. Emphasizing about the successful strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the U.S., SOCARs president said that such friendship ties also exist with Nevada state. Abdullayev informed the guests about important projects realized by SOCAR and their successes. He said Azerbaijan has favorable investment climate, stressing that the country provides good conditions for foreign companies within the framework of the country's national interests. During the Baku visit, Nevadas Speaker met with President Ilham Aliyev, as well as Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Parliament Ogtay Asadov, and Kamal Abdullayev, the State Counselor for multiculturalism, international and religious affairs. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 13:25 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Azerbaijan, being a member of the working group of the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, has expressed its readiness to jointly work towards identifying the future prospects of joint activity. This was stated by Chairman of Azerbaijan's Accounts Chamber Vugar Gulmammadov at the 2nd meeting of the working group of EUROSAI in Baku on April 7. The working group is engaged in the audit of funds allocated to prevention and elimination of consequences of disasters in the world. Gulmammadov said that this working group which involves audit organizations of more than 20 European countries is of great importance for all countries. He also noted that in recent years the number of anthropogenic disasters and accidents has been increasing. These disasters, together with social and demographic factors, significantly damage the world economy. "In this regard, new challenges emerge for Supreme Audit Institutions. We, as the members of the working group, are implementing our duties," Gulmammadov said. "We will share our knowledge and experience in today's meeting." The Baku meeting, which kicked off on April 6, is being attended by 30 delegates from 13 countries. Speaking at the meeting, Raffaele Squitieri, President of Italy's Court of Audit said that cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of reducing the consequences of disasters, in particular hydrological risks, is very important for Italy. "Over the past 20 years, Italy has spent 52 billion euros on the prevention of natural disasters, and in the last five years more than one billion euros were allocated to elimination of the consequences of emergency situations in the country," he added. The Chairman of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, Roman Maguta told journalists that cooperation between the accounting chambers of Azerbaijan and Ukraine is at a very high level. Maguta, who is attending the Baku meeting of audit organizations, said that namely Ukraine has proposed to hold the 2nd meeting of the working group in Baku. EUROSAI is one of the regional organizations of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, which unites supreme audit institutions of 192 countries as full members, and five countries as observers. It enjoys the rank of an institution cooperating with the United Nations. Azerbaijan became a member of INTOSAI in 2002. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 17:00 (UTC+04:00) The German MP and chairwoman of the German-Caucasian Parliamentary Friendship Group in German Bundestag, Karin Strenz and the MP, Co-Chairman of the Group, Johannes Kahrs, have issued a statement about the current violent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, which reached a new level of escalation in the past few days. The statement declares that the current developments need to be put to an end. Every shootout, every injury, every human life, caused by this conflict should be ended, Azertac state news agency reports. This year Germany presides the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The MPs demand a swift reaction within the scope of the OSCE and the related Minsk-Group to end the futile dying. This year Germany has a big opportunity to contribute an expedient part in the de-escalation of the dramatic situation in the conflict region. The latest devastating battles show its absolute necessity. The UN Security Council passed four resolutions to terminate the current illegal status, which defies international law. The current situation does not comply with international law and should therefore be condemned. The Parliamentary Friendship Group supports the resolution, to put an end to the violence in the South Caucasus region. A serious ceasefire is the necessary requirement to return to the table," Strenz demanded. "Ceasing combat operations by Azerbaijan unilaterally is positively received and we hope this contributes to easing of the current situation. The ceasefire needs to be absolutely complied with from both sides, she noted. Kahrs believes that the aim should be that this frozen conflict after a ceasefire finds a sustainable solution and "that the Foreign Ministry and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to take the necessary initiative here." The German-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group in the German Bundestag supports to remain in talks with both representatives of the conflicting parties as well as with international mediators for sustainable peace talks. "In addition to maintaining partnerships with the respective parliaments, the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh remains a special core theme in the Parliamentary Friendship Group. We are endeavored to impel the process of creating peaceful conditions. Undoubtedly this forms an extraordinary difficulty. However, especially regarding from our point of view is that during our OSCE chairmanship owe have more duty to find ways of ending this unsuitable status! Strenz and Kahrs concluded. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 18:48 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova As the situation over the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region remains tense, Moscow has activated its shuttle diplomacy to find a fair method of resolving the long lasting Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Long-simmering tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on April 2 when Yerevan tried to provoke a war and repeatedly violated the ceasefire through firing on civilians. Azerbaijan has replied with a strong counter attack and later unilaterally called on truce, but the Armenian side again resorted to the provocation. The parties to the conflict have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact through the mediation of Russia, which is the co-chair country in the OSCE Minsk Group. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov was expected to visit Baku long before recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, the main agenda of his visit has changed after escalation of the conflict. Immediately after arrival in Baku, Lavrov was received by countrys President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the situation. President Aliyev has once again emphasized that Azerbaijan is committed to continuing the negotiating process, adding that a ceasefire is the only way to prevent an escalation in the region. The ceasefire was observed, but unfortunately, the Armenian side violated it, Ilham Aliyev stressed. We want to settle this conflict peacefully, on the basis of norms and principles of international law, and I think that all these years, more than 20 years that have passed since the ceasefire, suggest that we seek a political settlement. Baku has already announced that the ceasefire does not mean that Azerbaijans occupied lands will remain under occupation. Azerbaijan has agreed to ceasefire but warned that it will not turn blind eye if Armenian side commits provocation. Baku is ready for peace and sits at the table of negations, but it will not tolerate the endless occupation of its historical lands. Lavrov, in turn, stressed that a resumption of hostilities have probably been the worst in the last many years. He added that Russia has undertaken everything necessary to help the parties to the conflict to reach an agreement on a ceasefire. We are ready to help to ensure that this arrangement will not be breached, the Russian foreign minister noted. Lavrov believes that it is important to calm down the situation in this particular issue. We have proposals that we, together with the co-chairs, are trying to engage more actively in order to achieve an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, he said, adding that Moscow fully supports the initiatives undertaken by the OSCE MG. It is important to take some confidence-building measures as soon as possible and create the necessary prerequisites for a resumption of the political process, the Russian FM stated. Lavrov, in his interview with the Russian media, stated that the release of the regions around Karabakh and simultaneous addressing of the issue of its status will allow unlocking the situation in the conflict zone. Yerevans response to these statements will be known in the upcoming days, when Lavrov will meet with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian. Moscows work to enhance the conciliation of Armenia and Azerbaijan will be continued this weeks, as Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is also expected to visit Azerbaijan to discuss the aggravation of the situation in Azerbaijans occupied territories. Russia, which enjoys much influence on Armenia, has always been considered a key party in brokering a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. The OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1994 and co-chaired by Moscow, Washington and Paris, could not arrange for a meaningful pathway forward to end the conflict and start moving toward the end of the occupation. The current situation is absolutely unacceptable for Azerbaijan, which repeatedly stated its dissatisfaction with the Minsk Group activities. The co-chairs of the Group continue to make monotonous statements on the settlement of the conflict. Unfortunately, these statements do not reflect the actual situation. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 16:44 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 7, Azertac state news agency reports. The head of state stressed the importance of holding the first meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia in Baku. President Aliyev said the trilateral meeting would open a new page in the history of regional cooperation and would contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region. The President said the issues of cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, security, energy, transport, fight against terrorism and other fields would be reviewed during Zarif`s visit to the country. The head of state said the two countries` views coincided in these areas. He noted the visit created a good opportunity for exchanging views over the topics covering the bilateral ties. The head of state further recalled his recent visit to Iran, saying he once again thanked President Hassan Rouhani for hospitality when they had a phone conversation yesterday. President Aliyev said the two countries reached agreement on a number of issues and signed several documents during the visit. The head of state emphasized that this paved the way for the development of cooperation between the two countries, and described his visit as historical. The President hailed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran as excellent. The head of state said Azerbaijan was interested in developing the relations and expressed his confidence that the two countries would reach their goals. President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Iran always supported each other within international organizations. Zarif conveyed greetings of President Rouhani to President Aliyev. The FM recalled President Aliyev`s visit to Iran, saying this trip made a historical contribution to the development of the two countries` ties. Mohammad Zarif underscored the importance of the trilateral format of cooperation, which was initiated by Azerbaijan and implemented with consent of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. The minister said that together with his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts they already started to discuss various fields of cooperation. The Iranian FM said there were good opportunities for cooperation in transit, customs, fight against terrorism, as well as tourism, culture and other fields. He said this trilateral format created historical conditions for developing the trilateral cooperation among the countries and expanding Iran`s bilateral ties with Azerbaijan and Russia. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the greetings of President Rouhani and asked the FM to extend his greetings to the Iranian head of state. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 16:50 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President and Chairman of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club), Ilham Aliyev will be presented with the Caspian Energy Award international prize in the Reformer of the Year nomination. First Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) Telman Aliyev said that the awarding ceremony will be held as part of an official opening of the 4th international Caspian Energy Forum 2016 in Baku on November 30, 2016. The Caspian Energy Award international prize is presented according to the results of the internet poll, which is held in 50 countries around the globe. The prize is awarded to the readers of Caspian Energy journal - political figures, government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, government-owned and private companies for their contribution to the economic development of the countries across the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions. The Caspian Energy Award international prize is held under support of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) and Caspian Energy International Media Group. Telman Aliyev said the international forum hosted by Caspian Energy International Media Group will welcome the delegates of the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club). The event will be attended by heads of government agencies, ministries, committees and departments of Azerbaijan and the countries of the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions, representatives of the diplomatic and international missions accredited in Azerbaijan, as well as executives of major international companies. The first part of the event will host the Caspian Energy Forum, which is to focus on aspects of energy integration of the countries across the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions into the international energy markets. The key role of Azerbaijan in energy, transport and infrastructure projects, the growing sector of gas upstream, the Southern Corridor projects and the resource potential of the Caspian will be the focus of attention of speakers, delegates and forum attendees. The second part of the forum will host the Caspian Business Forum dedicated to the development of the non-oil sector. The issues to be discussed during the Caspian Business Forum will include a deployment of innovations in financial, banking, insurance, leasing, telecommunications, tourism, transport, construction and other sectors of the non-oil industry, doing business and establishing a business-government dialogue. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 19:00 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will leave Baku for Russia on April 7, the Foreign Ministry told Trend. The minister will take part in the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers to be held on April 8. The meeting's agenda includes the discussions on cooperation of CIS members in various spheres. During the meeting, the foreign ministers will summarize the results of the implementation of the plan for multi-level ministerial consultations within CIS for 2015 and outline a similar plan for 2016. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 23:11 (UTC+04:00) An ehsan has been given on behalf of Azerbaijans First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva to commemorate Azerbaijani martyrs, who died heroically while repulsing the Armenian provocation on the line of contact of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The event, which was organized at the Heydar Mosque, was attended by Mrs. Aliyeva, mothers of the servicemen, who were martyred and wounded in the struggle to liberate Motherland, and public figures. Mrs. Aliyeva met with family members and relatives of the servicemen, who were recently martyred and wounded in the battles for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as a result of the violation of the ceasefire by the enemy on the frontline. The First Lady offered her deep condolences to mothers and relatives of the martyrs, and wished those wounded the soonest possible recovery. May God grant all mothers, parents and relatives patience. May God grant the wounded and injured soldiers quick recovery. Today, our brave fighters are fulfilling their sacred duties before the Homeland with dignity. These days, all our people experience both the joy and feeling of victory and, at the same time, sorrow, Mrs. Aliyeva said addressing the event. Dear mothers, I, as a mother, bow my head before you. You have brought up such brave sons that today the whole nation is proud of them. Of course, no mother would want a war and their sons passing away at a young age, she said. Mrs. Aliyeva reminded that the state of Azerbaijan has been exerting every effort for more than 20 years to reach a peaceful solution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We want to liberate our lands. We want our fellow citizens return to their homes. We are not occupiers. We are a nation fighting against occupiers. We have no interest in any other nations land. We simply want to liberate our lands from the occupation. The whole world knows this reality and has to accept it. To stand against an unjust and occupation policy, we have a strong army and courageous sons. Every soldier is valuable and dear to the people of Azerbaijan. Every our son who has sacrificed his life - the greatest wealth of the world - for the Homeland will live in the history of Azerbaijan as a hero. Nowadays, all our people is supporting our army, she stressed. Dear mothers, the pain and sorrow in your hearts lives, Im sure, in every Azerbaijani womans heart. Thank you once more. Thank you for bringing up such sons. Thank you for accepting such gravest moments of your life with dignity. I am confident justice will be rehabilitated. Azerbaijani lands will be liberated from occupation and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan restored. All our refugees and IDPs will return to their homelands. To make this happen, we have to be strong and act jointly. I am sure we will stand this test together and with dignity. God bless Azerbaijan ! The event then featured the recitation of verses from the Quran. Family members of the martyred and wounded servicemen thanked the Azerbaijani government and people for attention and support. They noted that they took pride in the heavy response the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan gave to the Armenian occupiers. They said the Azerbaijani Army made our people experience the joy of the victory they took in the battles against Armenian armed groups. Family members of the martyrs and wounded soldiers said they were looking forward to hearing news about the Azerbaijani Armys new victories. They expressed confidence Azerbaijan will soon return its lands kept under occupation. The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijans positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook several strategic positions. The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5. 7 April 2016 11:36 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran, the two neighboring countries bound by historical ties and close cooperation relations, boosted by 30 percent in the first quarter of 2016. This achievement was revealed by Azerbaijan's Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev at a meeting with Irans Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour in Baku on April 6. He said that Azerbaijan and Iran have created a strong legal base for further development of economic relations. "Successful economic cooperation has been established between the countries, and trade turnover increased by 30 percent in the first quarter of the year. Currently, work is underway to expand ties in the field of agriculture, tourism, banking and transport. Development of transport corridors, including the North-South corridor, will also contribute to the expansion of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran," he added. Rahimpour, in turn, noted that Iran is very interested in expanding ties with Azerbaijan in various fields. Azerbaijan and Iran have had diplomatic relations since 1918. Iran recognized Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 and diplomatic relations between the two countries were reestablished in 1992. Currently, the two countries are focused on expanding economic ties in various fields, including industry, agriculture, energy, alternative energy, and transportation. In 2015, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $ 123.786 million. President Ilham Aliyev's Tehran visit on February 23 has opened new opportunities and prospects for cooperation of the two countries in various sectors. After the western sanctions were lifted from Iran, it has repeatedly expressed intention to improve trade with neighboring Azerbaijan in a bid to make up for the recent decline in trade turnover between the two countries. The Islamic Republic has unilaterally waived visa requirements for Azerbaijanis since 2009 in a move to demonstrate that Tehran is looking forward to fostering closer relations with Baku. The Iranian government is also making attempts to operate customhouses round the clock at the border with Azerbaijan, so as to facilitate the smooth movement of passengers and goods between the two countries. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 18:29 (UTC+04:00) AZAL, the biggest Azerbaijani airline and national flag carrier, within the AITF-2016 Tourism Fair, which is underway in Baku, reached an agreement on long-term cooperation with Tour A Vent, which is official representative of the Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Ministry in Russia. Under the agreement, a block of seats on Kazan-Baku-Kazan regular flight, operated by AZAL, will be allocated to the tour operator. In addition, the Airline and tour operator agreed on charter flights from Ulyanovsk Airport to Baku. The flights will be operated by Embraer or Airbus airplanes. "I am very pleased that our negotiations in the Russian regions have started to give specific results. AZAL is ready to provide good conditions for foreign tour operators in order to attract tourists to Azerbaijan," Vice-President of CJSC AZAL, Eldar Hajiyev said. "The main goal of our company is to promote and encourage the Azerbaijani tourism. Azerbaijan Airlines operate regular flights to many different regions of Russia and I am sure that our close cooperation will be long-term," Director General of Volga branch of Tour A Vent, Yulia Uba said. Azerbaijan Airlines is a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries. AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 25 airplanes, does not have a single old plane. The total route network of AZAL, one of the aviation community leaders in the CIS area, includes 40 destinations in 19 countries. Being an important member of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council, for its services AZAL received a prestigious "4 Stars" from the leader in air transport research, the world-famous British consulting company Skytrax last June. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 19:48 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova The World Bank predicts growth of Azerbaijan's agricultural sector at 4 percent in 2016-2018. This figure is the highest in the South Caucasus region and one of the highest among the Eastern and Central European countries. The Bank's experts believe that the only viable and sustainable response to the decline in oil revenues is shift of employment in tradable sectors of the economy. "Such a shift may take some time, but there are already the first signs of changes in this regard. Agriculture has made great contribution to the economic growth in 2015 in many countries in the eastern part of the region, with the exception of Moldova, which has experienced drought," states the World Bank's report. The Bank's experts believe that the growth of the agrarian sector has allowed compensating the decline in industry in such countries as Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. "The growth of the agricultural sector by 4.4 percent in 2015 helped protect the income of 38 percent of Azerbaijani citizens, concentrated in this sector," the World Bank noted. The agrarian sector is of significant importance for Azerbaijan, which is keen to reduce its dependence on petrodollars. Azerbaijan, being engaged in boosting the population's food security and increasing export potential, considers the agricultural sector as a tool to diversify the national economy. Azerbaijan, with its advantageous geographic location, has all possibilities to increase export of high quality agro products, which are in great demand in neighboring countries. Experts believe that with the further development of production of high quality agricultural goods, Azerbaijan will be able not only increase the supply to neighboring countries, but also enter markets in Eastern Europe. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 18:20 (UTC+04:00) Official exchange rate of manat, the Azerbaijani national currency, against the US dollar was set at 1.5231 manats for Apr. 8, said Azerbaijan's Central Bank on Apr. 7. The official exchange rate of manat on Apr. 7 is 1.5193 AZN/USD. The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 21 banks through the auction held by Azerbaijan's Central Bank (CBA). SOFAZ said that the banks bought the entire foreign currency amount put up for sale. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 17:53 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova He was only 22-years-old and he died from the Armenian bullet in Nagorno-Karabakh when he was still young, strong, handsome man, complete of internal energy, cheerfulness and creativity. Recent months have seen a rise in attacks by Armenian militaries on the Azerbaijani civilians living along the frontline of the Armenian-Azerbaijani troops. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan flared up again on April 2, when the Armenian side began to shell civilians and Azerbaijan answered with a strong response. During the counter attack, the Azerbaijani side lost 12 heroes, including Samir Gachayev. Samir, a talented artist was dreaming to become a famous sculptor. "We were all horrified by what has happened, President of Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts Omar Eldarov said during the farewell ceremony. Many of us cannot hold their feelings and cry ... There are a lot of students in the Academy, however Samir was perfect. He was a very talented sculptor, well-mannered and gifted man. He died as a martyr for the sake of the freedom. God rest his soul, he said. Later, Samirs friends and other students of the Arts Academy shared their memories about the brave son of Azerbaijan. Samir was an extremely talented and promising young artist. Samir frequently created complex simplicity by minimizing human forms and placing them into unique simple complex compositions. He tried to evoke emotion and to project monumentality of form in each work. Participants honored the memory of victims of the Karabakh war and expressed a strong protest against Armenian's occupied regime which led to the death of very young people, who had the whole lives ahead of them. Samir became a martyr on the night of April 2 during fighting in the Tartar district of Azerbaijan. He was buried in his native village Melhem in Shamakhi district. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 15:51 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Famous Azerbaijani artist Nigar Narimanbayova, who lives and works in Paris, is among those closely watching the situation on the contact line between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Narimanbayova, whose ancestor are from the occupied Karabakh, namely Shusha, heartily waits for the liberation of these territories. "I am proud of my country, my President, my heroic people and brave sons, who gave a worthy response to this atrocity and aggression. Our nation has always been the most courageous, the most spiritually rich, the patriotic and selfless lovers of their native lands. Of course, our enemy is completely defeated. Important strategic positions had been already taken. I'm confident that we soon will see the holy day when our army will liberate our native land Shusha", she told Trend. The Azerbaijani artist further expressed deep condolences to the families of heroically fallen soldiers and mothers of Azerbaijani sons who sacrificed their lives for the country. They are real heroes. They gave their lives for freedom of our native lands, so that our children could return to their ancestral homelands. I know that their blood will be avenged, because God is always with those who bear the truth and justice. Our motherland is beautiful, rich and prosperous. Baku is the pearl of the Orient, the most unique city that combines East and West. Our people are beautiful in body and soul, rich in spirit and faith. Such kind of people can't be defeated," she added. Holding numerous exhibitions and being already a very famous artist in France, Narimanbayova always emphasizes that she is an Azerbaijani. Azerbaijani Diaspora is often a permanent guest at her international exhibitions. Azerbaijani flag decorates the salons, where the national artist presents her creative work. Their deep feeling of patriotism has spread on us and our descendants. I have been living and working in Paris for a long time, but I have never interrupted the ties with Azerbaijan, she said. Grandmother of the artist is a Frenchwoman Irma la Douce, who also loved Azerbaijan and called it her second birthplace after France. The artist says that in the 1930s, her grandmother visited Baku with her grandfather Azerbaijani Yaqub Farman Narimanbayov, who was the son of the Governor-General of Baku, where they lived till the end of their lives. I have two great powers such as Azerbaijan and France in my blood, and I consider that its my mission to integrate these two great cultures.," the artist emphasized. Her father, People's artist of Azerbaijan Vidadi Narimanbayov highly appreciated the feat of Azerbaijani soldiers. "My father created many paintings devoted to the courage of our soldiers, such as "On the nameless height", "Under the banner of the Motherland", which are an ode to the memory of Azerbaijanis killed in Karabakh. He always believed that the victory will be ours, and the enemy will be defeated and we'll come to his native town to admire the expanses of our country from the bird's flight of the Karabakh mountains," she said. Shusha, one of the unique cultural centers of Azerbaijan, is a city, characterized for its natural beauty, and is a valuable monument of national architecture and medieval urban art. Constantly keeping the Azerbaijani national-spiritual values and traditions of music, Shusha before forming as a city of great economic, political and cultural significance, has passed a rich way as a center of Karabakh khanate, played its role in the lives of the people of Azerbaijan. This city, which went down in history thanks to Gasim bey Zakir, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Mir Mohsun Navvab, Najaf bek Vezirov, Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev, Yusif Vazir Chemenzeminli, Firidun bey Kocharli, Ahmed bey Agaoglu and other eminent personalities, is known worldwide as the cradle of the Azerbaijani mugham. In the battle for the defense of Shusha, 195 Azerbaijanis were killed, 165 people were injured, 58 people captured and taken hostage. During the occupation the Armenian vandals looted the museums, in which there were thousands of pieces, destroyed hundreds of historical and cultural monuments, defaced shrines and mosques, destroyed a large number of specimens of rare manuscripts, ruined the education and health care institutions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 15:46 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova National composers and musicians are very encouraged by victory of the Azerbaijani army on the frontline in the Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijans Armed Forces gave a worthy answer to the Armenian invaders, showing the strength and patriotism of our people. Even in hard times, national composers never stopped their creativity, demonstrating deep feeling of patriotism and courage of Azerbaijani people,the Azerbaijan Union of Composers told Trend Life. A number of songs in different genres , including operas, symphonies, oratorios to cantatas and military marches are devoted to Nagorno-Karabakh . they are operas such as "Natavan" by Vasif Adigozelov and "Intizar" by Frangiz Alizadeh; cantatas and oratorios by Ramiz Mustafayev, Oktay Racabov, Azer Dadashov; the symphonies and symphonic poems by Azer Rzayev,Tofig Bakikhanov, Jalal Abbasov, Sardar Faracov ; songs and military marches of Tahir Akbar, Yashar Imanov, Azer Dadashov, Eldar Mansurov etc. The Union said that Azerbaijani composers and musicologists consider it their duty to stand by their people and are ready to meet any challenges through creating patriotic songs. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions despite the four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 19:14 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova The house-museum of Leopold and Mstislav Rostropovich hosted an event titled "To live means to love. Future without drugs!", dedicated to one of the main problems of the modern world - drug addiction, Trend Life reports. The event, organized in the framework of the Fight Against Illegal Drug Trafficking State Program is a joint project of the House Museum of Rostropovich, Abdulla Shaig house-museum and Technical-Humanitarian Lyceum No-2 named after H. Makhmudbayov. Sheila Heydarova, addressing the opening ceremony, said that the project aims to warn the young people about disastrous consequences of drug abuse. The speakers also remembered how the outstanding musician, Mstislav Rostropovich supported young musicians, his master classes, philanthropy and scholarships allocated by Rostropovich Fund of Cultural and Humanitarian Programs. Director of Abdulla Shaig house-museum Ulker Talibzadeh, for her part, stressed that children are our future. So, we must encourage them to live healthy lifestyle. Not only parents, but also the whole society is responsible for that. Also, doctor of State Drug Dispensary Yashar Badalli told about the drug abuse and answered a number of questions from participants. Later, " To live means - to love" poem written by prominent Azerbaijani writer Abdulla Shaig was read out. Then, visitors were shown educational video titled" Drug addiction is a social problem". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 14:15 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Azerbaijans state energy company SOCAR is interested in purchasing assets of the gas station network belonging to the Austrian energy company OMV in Turkey as a part of the companys investment strategy. SOCARs interest in acquisition of gas station in Turkey is associated with the launch of the Star Refinery in Izmir, head of SOCAR Turkey Enerji Inc. Kanan Yavuz told Turkish media on April 5. The sale of petroleum products produced in the plant will be realized in the framework of the plan on integrating the company into the market. Some 55 percent of the refinery project has been completed and the construction work still continues. The commissioning of the refinery is expected in 2018. SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev gave instructions to companys Turkish branch to analyze the Turkish market for the sale of gasoline, particularly at the OMVs gas station network, said Yavuz. The issue will be addressed in terms of priorities, strategies and objectives of SOCAR. The SOCAR president confirmed SOCARs interest in purchasing assets of the OMVs gas station network in Turkey last week. Earlier, OMV announced about the sale of its Turkish subsidiary OMV Petrol Office as the company intended to focus on extracting facilities and integrated oil refining activities. OMV Petrol Office, which owns one of the largest gas station chains in Turkey, has 1,785 gasoline stations in Turkey. The volume of fuel sold amounted to about 10 million tons, in 2015. In 2013, Unipetrol held talks with OMV to acquire gas station network in the Czech Republic. And in 2012, the Serbian NIS-Gazprom Neft signed an agreement to buy a network of 28 gas stations that were owned by the OMV subsidiary in Bosnia and Herzegovina. SOCAR is the largest investor in Turkeys economy. Its total investments in Turkey exceed $20 billion for the period 2008-2018. It will be Azerbaijans largest investment abroad by 2020. Previously, Kanan Yavuz told journalists that SOCAR Turkey Enerji will become the second largest industrial company in Turkey by 2018. The consolidated turnover of SOCAR Turkey Enerji is expected to reach to $15 billion in 2018. In addition, SOCAR holds 56.32 percent stake in Turkeys petrochemical giant Petkim. Turkey and Azerbaijan has always had close and amicable relations due to common roots, history and culture. Thus, Turkey is a stable market for Azerbaijan to invest. The increasing number of projects initiated by both countries will serve to enhance the cooperation between them more in future. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 11:45 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Enesol Group of the United Arab Emirates has completed construction of the largest mobile solar power plant in the former Soviet Union, in Uzbekistan, the Arab company reported in a statement on April 4. Thissolar plant is the next step taken in tapping the countrys renewable resources. The plant has a capacity of 1.2 megawatt and will power a natural gas field and construction site (Kandym group) located near Bukhara city and owned by Lukoil, Russian Energy Company. Electricity production at the plant reaches five million kilowatt-hours during daylight 1,000 kilowatt-hours during night time. This volume is enough to provide electricity to the town with a population of 1,500 residents. The cost of the project was not revealed. However, the solar project was initially planned to be financed by the Asian Development Bank, the Reconstruction and Development Fund and UzbekEnergo company at early 2010s. The energy mix of Uzbekistan is dominated by fossil fuel thermal power stations (natural gas, heavy oil and gas).The necessity for expanding the renewables arose after findings about depletion of the traditional energy supplies in next few decades in Uzbekistan. President Islam Karimov signed a decree On measures on further development of alternative sources of energy on March 1, 2013. Solar and biogas are prioritizes among alternative energy sources, according to the decree. Uzbekistan established International Solar Energy Institute in October 2013. The institute aims to assist research and development works in solar energy sector. The number of sunny day is more 300 days and the potential of solar energy in the country is about 51 million tons of oil equivalent annually. Uzbekistan is also very ambitious about increasing wind power. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 16:40 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Energy-rich Turkmenistan, which sits on huge natural gas reserves (265 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration, January 2015), continues large-scale works on the accelerated commercial development of large deposits at the Galkynysh field. The country's Oil and Gas and Natural Resources Ministry reported on April 6 that specialists of the Turkmengaz State Concern started drilling of next production well No 301 with a design depth of 4,800 meters. It is planned to start drilling works at seven more wells this year. Commissioning of the new wells at the Galkynysh field is expected to ensure a further increase in production of blue fuel in accordance with the planned task. All production wells of this unique field are distinguished with high productivity: the average daily production per well ranges from 1.7 million to 2 million cubic meters of gas. Accelerated commercial development of the Galkynysh field has been implemented gradually since 2009. The second stage of its development started in May 2014 while foundation for the development of the third stage was laid in December 2015. The three stages of development of the Galkynysh field envisage the extraction of 93 billion cubic meters of gas a year. Galkynysh is the second largest gas field in the world and is one of the major oil and gas projects implemented in Turkmenistan. The Galkynysh field, with its 27.4 trillion cubic meters of estimated reserves, provides great prospects for increasing the volumes of production, processing and transportation of fossil fuels. The Galkynysh field stands apart from the more than 180 deposits of hydrocarbon resources discovered in Turkmenistan. International experts say the huge gas resources at the Galkynysh field are sufficient to ensure a long-term supply of fuel both through all the existing export routes and via the pipelines that are planned to be laid under the state strategy on diversification of routes for Turkmen gas supply to global markets. Galkynysh will serve as a main source of natural gas for future export gas pipelines. Turkmenistan currently exports natural gas to Iran and China. Trans-Caspian and TAPI pipelines are among proposed future pipeline projects for Turkmenistan. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 7 April 2016 13:59 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Over the past few years, Azerbaijans tourism sector has experienced continues growth and growing investments, and turned into one of the fastest growing sectors in the national economy. Many international agencies have already recognized the impacts the tourism sector brought into Azerbaijans economic, socio-cultural, and infrastructure sector. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in its 2016 report analyzing data from previous years and providing a forecast for the future, stated that Azerbaijan has made significant progress in the tourism sector. WTTC experts noted that Azerbaijan was able to earn 2,678 billion manats (about $1.8 billion) thanks to tourists. For comparison, Azerbaijans revenues from this sector were 654 million manats ($430 million) in 2010, and a year later the country earned 988 million manats ($650 million). The experts predict 6.4 percent of growth in Azerbaijans tourism sector in 2016, expecting that the country will generate 2, 848 billion manats ($1,875 billion) due to foreign tourists. As for foreign visitors, their number can reach 2, 67 million this year. Giving a forecast for 2026, the WTTC expects that Azerbaijan, also known as the Land of Fire, will derive more than 5 billion manats (about $ 3 billion) on foreign tourists, whose number will reach 3,37million in that year. Meanwhile, the WTTC experts predict decline in the domestic tourism, reporting that residents of the country will spend 1, 460 billion (about $961) on travel and tourism during this year. Chairman of Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTA) Nahid Bagirov , in turn, said that the number of tourists is growing by 20-30 percent every year and over the next five years the flow of tourists will increase by 100 percent. Income from this sector will exceed 4 billion manats ($2.6) under our calculations. By predicating this data, we mean only tourists, who come to rest in the country, we do not take into account those who come on a business trip he told local media. He said Azerbaijan has many attractions, which are very popular among foreign tourists including Shirvanshakh Palace, Atashgah, Gobustan, Heydar Aliyev Center and Flame Towers. But for the attraction of more tourists, Bagirov regards its necessary to develop the restaurant culture, taking into consideration the variety of the national cuisine. Azerbaijani dishes are very popular among tourists, but apart from the food, people are looking for a show. Therefore, the capital city and regions should open appropriate restaurants that will not only provide delicious food, but also show, which will display our traditions, folk dances and music. This is practiced in many countries, in particular Turkey and Georgia, the AzTA chairman said. The expert also talked about the ongoing projects in tourism sphere, which will soon be presented to public: But we do not want to disclose all the secrets. One of the most attractive tourist objects will appear in Gobustan. And the best PR for the country is carrying out major international events such as inaugural European Games, Eurovision and Formula 1, which will be held in the capital this year. Moreover, tourists coming to these events, then tell about the country to their friends, and thus the interest is growing with each passing day, Bagirov emphasized. Many experts claim that the devaluation of the national currency manat, has created favorable conditions for the development of tourism. They say hotels and restaurants have become much more affordable in comparison to previous years, noting that the country should carefully approach to this positive phenomenon. Chairman of the Centre for Sustainable Development Studies Nariman Agayev said that the number of hotels for people with an average income are increasing. If 3-4 years ago, we had nothing to offer to foreign tourists besides expensive luxury hotels, then the situation has changed today, he said. In neighboring Georgia hotels of this price series appeared long ago, but in Azerbaijan the process its little bit slowly, according to the expert. But today we can observe that small 10-15-room hotels have also began to appear in Baku, a room that can be rented for an average of $35-60 per day, Agayev said. The Culture and Tourism Ministry says that Azerbaijan is able to accommodate from 35,000 to 40,000 tourists per day. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3.0 ( - - ): editor [at] bahrainmirror.com Law school almost names itself after Antonin Scalia but one joke causes school to withdraw new name Ballot Access News -- September 1, 2000 Volume 16, Number 6 This issue was originally printed on pink paper. Table of Contents ONE DEADLINE WIN, ONE DEFEAT, THREE PENDING NADER WINS ILLINOIS, BUT LOSES NORTH CAROLINA On August 9, a U.S. District Court in North Carolina refused to grant an injunction against North Carolina's May 17 petition deadline for new parties. The case had been brought by Ralph Nader and the Green Party, and is being appealed. Nader 2000 Primary Committee v Bartlett , 5:00-cv-348-BR. In the 4th circuit, it is number 00-2040. But on August 25, a U.S. District Court in Illinois granted an injunction putting Nader on the ballot (if he has enough valid signatures) even though over 40% of his signatures were turned in after the June 26 deadline for new parties. Nader 2000 Primary Committee v Illinois State Board of Elections , 00-cv-4401. Nader had turned in 39,000 signatures to meet the requirement of 25,000, but 16,000 of the signatures were late. Although the court order implies that the Illinois deadline is too early, it is based on the fact that the state had required petitioners to be registered voters, even though two U.S. District Courts in Illinois had already struck down that requirement. Also on August 28, there were hearings in two other Nader petition deadline cases, one filed against Oklahoma's July 15 independent deadline, and one against South Dakota's June 20 deadline. As this newsletter went to the printer, there were no decisions from either one, although they are expected momentarily. See http://www.ballot-access.org/2000/news.html for an update. The Oklahoma case ( Nader v Ward , cv-00-1340-R) includes several issues in addition to the deadline. The Nader campaign put on several witnesses, during the 2.5 hour hearing, to show that their petitioners had been illegally chased off public property by law enforcement officials. One policemen even told the petitioners that they ought to be supporting the Democratic Party. Still another pending deadline case is Harry Browne's challenge to the Arizona independent deadline ( Browne v Bayless , cv00-15468, Maricopa). Browne had to file as an independent in Arizona because he fears the ballot-qualified Arizona Libertarian Party will not nominate him. A hearing is set for Sept. 6. The chief reason Nader's lawsuit failed in U.S. District Court in North Carolina was that the Green Party didn't obtain 51,324 signatures. Generally, it is a bad idea for any party to challenge a petition deadline, unless it has completed the petition and submitted it past the legal deadline. Otherwise, however, the Nader case against North Carolina was strong. In the past, the Board of Elections itself was so sure that the May deadline was unconstitutional, that in 1988 it accepted party petitions until mid-July, despite the language of the law. New parties in North Carolina nominate by convention, not in the May primary, so there is no election administration-related reason for the deadline to be so early. It had been in July from 1949 til 1979, and in August before 1949. Evidence in the case was that it cost the Reform Party $250,000 to qualify this year. The 4th Circuit, which is reviewing the lower court decision, is expected to decide by September 10. PUERTO RICO WINS VOTE On July 21, U.S. District Court Judge Jaime Pieras ruled in Igartua v United States , 00-142, that the Constitution requires that Puerto Rico be given electoral votes in presidential elections. Although the decision is almost sure to be overturned on appeal (a similar Puerto Rico case lost in 1996 in the First Circuit), the decision has stimulated the Puerto Rico legislature to pass legislation providing for a popular presidential vote this year. See related story below. FEC STARTS REFORM PARTY PROCESS On August 20, Lawrence Noble, General Counsel to the Federal Election Commission, outlined procedures for establishing whether Pat Buchanan or John Hagelin should receive the $12,613,452 in federal funds which is due the Reform Party presidential nominee. To start, each must prove that he will be on the ballot in at least 10 states with the "Reform" label, or with the label of any state party which is affiliated with the national Reform Party. Pat Buchanan complied on August 25, proving that he will be listed with "Reform" next to his name in Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia; and also that in a few more days he will prove this for Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina and North Dakota. John Hagelin has still not supplied such proof. He is disadvantaged because he didn't decide to start submitting ballot access petitions with "Reform" as his chosen label, until fairly late in the petitioning season. Some of the states he is counting on for the purpose of meeting the 10-state requirement have September deadlines, and either he hasn't finished petitioning in those states, or those states haven't checked the petitions yet. Also, there are only five states (Colorado, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington) in which the undisputed state officers of a ballot-qualified party named "Reform" have certified Hagelin; and in one of those, North Carolina, the state disregarded the wishes of the state party officers. The FEC must respond to the evidence within 10 days. In the case of Buchanan, this will be September 4. If both qualify, the FEC will be forced to do a further investigation. ILLINOIS VICTORY On July 20, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Gettleman, a Clinton appointee, ruled that it is unconstitutional for Illinois to require that petitioners for candidates be registered voters. Tobin for Governor v State Bd. of Elections , 99-c-2713. This was the second U.S. District Court decision to invalidate that Illinois law. The first decision, last year, was appealed and is awaiting a decision from the 7th circuit. These two decisions formed part of the basis for the Nader Illinois victory. REPUBLICANS KILL PRIMARY REFORM On July 28, the national Republican Party killed its own proposal for reform of presidential primary timing. A committee of the national party had developed a plan to revise dates so that the very smallest states would vote in February, the medium-small states in March, the medium states in April, etc. It was believed Governor George W. Bush didn't want the plan debated at the national convention because it might cause discord. BUCHANAN WINS NORTH CAROLINA RULING On August 24, the State Board of Elections voted 3-1 that the Long Beach, California national Reform Party convention chose Pat Buchanan for president. The state Reform Party had certified John Hagelin as its presidential candidate, but the state party bylaws also say that the party's presidential candidate should be the person who was nominated at the national convention. There are 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans on the State Board of Elections. The Democratic members felt that the Board should make its own independent decision as to the events in Long Beach. After five hours of testimony about those events, the Democratic members made their decision in favor of Buchanan. One of the Republican members was absent; the other felt that the Board should defer to the state party officers, and certify Hagelin. Although the Hagelin campaign says it plans to sue the Board, it has not yet done so. ANOTHER DAKOTA WIN On August 8, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Battey ruled that a Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. House needs 44 signatures of party members, not 250, in order to appear on the party's primary ballot. Libertarian Party of South Dakota v Hazeltine , 00-3021. The candidate, Brian Lerohl, missed the June primary, but he will be on the November ballot. The law says a candidate seeking a place on a statewide primary ballot needs signatures of party members equal to 1% of that party's last gubernatorial vote. The Libertarian Party only polled 4,398 votes for Governor in 1998. 1% of 4,398 equals 44. The law also says that a new party "with no voting history" needs 250 signatures. The Secretary of State had argued that, since the party went off the ballot as a result of its low vote total in 1998 (it re-qualified in time for 2000), the newly-qualified Libertarian Party was not the same organization as the party on the ballot from 1992 through 1998. The judge rejected that notion. BUCHANAN TAKES QUICK LEGAL ACTION Pat Buchanan is moving aggressively to use the courts to establish that he is the true Reform presidential candidate. On August 24, he sued the Montana Secretary of State, who had that very day used a drawing to award the Reform nomination in his state to John Hagelin. Reform Party of Montana v Cooney , District Court, Lewis & Clark County, bdv 2000-519. The judge immediately entered an order forbidding the state from printing ballots until a hearing on the merits, held August 31. The dispute is caused by the fact that two different people claim to be the state chair of the party, and each certified a different presidential candidate. Also, on August 22, Buchanan's wing of the party brought a lawsuit in federal court in Lynchburg, Virginia, which seeks a judicial declaration that Buchanan is the candidate. Reform Party of the US v Hagelin , civ 6:00-cv-0078. The hearing started on August 30. PUERTO RICO LIKELY TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT A bill is being rushed through the Puerto Rico legislature, to provide for a November vote for president. The bill provides that the nominees of parties which participated in the island's presidential primary will be on that November ballot automatically. Others must submit 8,000 signatures (except that for 2000, due to the short time permitted for gathering the signatures, only 4,000 are needed). The signatures must be notarized. Identical bills in each house are SB 2656 and HB 3539. It is likely that one of them will be signed into law on or about September 9. Petitioners then have 15 days from the date of signing, to collect the signatures. Guam has been holding a similar presidential vote since 1980. Since neither Guam nor Puerto Rico have any electoral votes, their popular votes have no legal effect on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, unless the Igartua decision is affirmed, which is unlikely (see story above). OREGON NATURAL LAW BECOMES REFORM Last month the ballot-qualified Natural Law Party of Oregon officially changed its name to the Reform Party. The old Reform Party hadn't been a qualified party in the state since 1998, and Oregon permits parties to change their names. Some officers of the old Reform Party are on the board of the new state party. MORE LAWSUIT NEWS 1. Arizona : the State Supreme Court will hold a hearing on August 30 to decide which faction of the Libertarian Party has the right to choose a presidential candidate. Schmerl v Bayless , cv-00-280. Arizona (2) : on August 23, a lower court state judge dismissed the case filed by the Libertarian Party, Inc., to force the state to print the office of "precinct committeeman" on the party's primary ballot in all counties, not just Pima County. The judge ruled the case had been filed too late. Konikov v Santa Cruz Co. Board of Supervisors . 2. California : on September 8, there will be a hearing in federal court in Sacramento to determine who is the Republican nominee for Assembly, 67th district. Tom Harman got the most votes in the primary, but if only the votes of registered Republicans should have been counted, then Jim Righeimer won the primary. Lorinzce v Jones , 00-cv-1520-DFL. California (2) : the state will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review Schaefer v Townsend , the 9th circuit decision which said that congressional candidates need not be registered voters. The 9th circuit had rejected the state's request for a rehearing on August 1. 3. Florida : on August 15, a federal judge declared unconstitutional a law which required minor parties to post a bond, as a condition of being recognized. Socialist Workers Party v Leahy , 92-cv-1451. The state had not been enforcing the law. Florida (2) : on August 23, a federal case was settled out of court, over arrests of petitioners on public sidewalks last year. The Duval County Sheriff promises not to repeat the behavior. Aplin v Glover , 99-434-cv-J-20A, Jacksonville. 4. Idaho : Ralph Nader will probably sue over the number of signatures needed for independent presidential candidates. The state only requires 1,000 signatures for non-presidential statewide independents, yet inexplicably requires 4,918 for presidential independents. 5. Indiana : on August 3, the Democratic Party lost a federal lawsuit over the deadline for it to nominate candidates by committee meeting, in cases in which the primary had left the party with no nominee. The law, which was upheld, requires the nominations to be made by June 6 (35 days after the May primary). The party had pointed out that qualified minor parties, who make all their nominations by convention, don't need to name their candidates until August 4. Marion Co. Democratic Party v Marion Co. Election Board , IP 00-1169-C. 6. Michigan : on August 23, a state court upheld a law which requires candidates to swear under penalty of perjury that every statement and form for compliance with the campaign finance laws has been filed. The candidate will appeal. Michigan Libertarian Party v Secretary of State , 00-92155-AW, Ingham Co. 7. Missouri : the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Cook v Gralike , 99-929, on November 6. This is the case over whether states may enact laws placing a label such as "Disregarded Voters' Instructions on Term Limits" on the ballot, next to the names of candidates who refuse to support a constitutional amendment for congressional term limits. 8. New York : on August 22, the 2nd circuit remanded Gelb v Board of Elections in City of New York , 99-9369, to the highest state court, the State Court of Appeals. The state court will now decide whether state law requires write-in space automatically on primary ballots for races in which there are at least two candidates already on the primary ballot (when there is only one candidate in a primary, there is no write-in space unless a write-in candidate submits a petition). The vote was 2-1; the dissenter wanted to dismiss the case. New York (2) : on August 24, the Working Families Party defeated an attempt by various Republican candidates to invalidate the WFP candidates. Koppell v Garcia , app. div., Albany, 87792. The Republicans argued that since the party didn't choose a State Committee at any 1999 primary, it cannot nominate. However, the court agreed with the Working Families Party that the law permits it to do so in this year's primary, on September 12. Most WFP nominees are also Democrats. 9. Texas : on August 15, U.S. District Court Sam Sparks again upheld the law which makes it illegal for a party to get on the ballot in only a single legislative or congressional district, if it hasn't qualified statewide. The 5th circuit had asked him to re-consider. The case now returns to the 5th circuit. Holmes v Gonzales , A-98-ca-600. 10. Utah : on July 25, the Libertarian Party sued in state court to place its candidate for Governor, Douglas Jones, on the November ballot. Libertarian Party of Utah v Walker , 905838, 3rd district. The only candidate who filed for Governor in the Libertarian primary, Dub Richards, failed to qualify under the party's bylaws (he refused to become a dues-paying member of the party as he had promised), so the party chose Jones at its convention (in Utah, parties use a hybrid convention-primary system to nominate candidates). 11. Vermont : on August 10, a federal court struck down the state's campaign expenditure ceiling for candidates who choose not to participate in public funding. Landall v Sorrell , 2:99-cv146. The decision is 90 pages long. Shortly afterwards, the Democratic candidate for Governor announced that he would forego public funding. The Republican candidate had earlier opted out of public funding. 12. West Virginia : Ralph Nader is expected to sue the state for requiring him to collect 12,730 valid signatures, given that John Hagelin, Natural Law presidential candidate, was permitted to qualify for this year's election with only 6,365 valid signatures. The different standard was because Hagelin submitted his signatures before a 1999 law, doubling the requirement, took effect. West Virginia (2) : Howard Phillips plans to sue the state over its $4,000 filing fee, just to file as a declared write-in candidate. West Virginia is in the 4th circuit, and a 4th circuit decision from Maryland in 1989 found that filing fees for write-in candidates are unconstitutional, since the purpose of a filing fee is to keep the ballot from being too crowded, and that rationale doesn't apply to write-in candidates. 10. federal law : a hearing was held in Ralph Nader's debates lawsuit on August 23 in federal court in Boston. Nader seeks an order barring the Commission on Presidential Debates from accepting corporate contributions. Becker v FEC , 00-cv-11192. The hearing went well, and an order is expected very soon. AUGUST PRIMARIES Alaska : minor party vote for U.S. House (combining both August 22 primaries): Green, Anna Young, 10.1%; Alaskan Independence, Dore, 8.2%; Libertarian, Karpinski, 2.6%. Missouri : In the August 8 Libertarian gubernatorial primary, John Swenson defeated Dick Illyes, 1,032 to 678. In the Reform U.S. Senate primary, Hugh Foley won with 294, versus 269 for James Hall and 186 for Martin Lindstedt. There were no contests in the Constitution primary, in which 303 voters participated. Oklahoma : the August 22 primary for the only statewide office, Corporation Commissioner, had a 3-way Libertarian contest: Boutin 859; Bloxham 652; Prawdzienski 538. Only registered Libertarians and independents could vote in that primary. 2000 REFORM PARTY PRESIDENTIAL MAIL BALLOT (table) The column on the left shows the number of people who received a ballot in the mail. The "percent" column next to it, reflects this number as a percentage of the number of votes cast for president in the November 1996 election. On the far right of the chart under "Buchanan Data", are two columns: the left column shows the number of names submitted by the Buchanan campaign by state. Under the national party rules, a candidate seeking the party's nomination is to submit the names and addresses of people who had signed ballot access petitions circulated by that candidate. These people would then be sent a ballot, without having to request one. Other voters in the Reform Party primary who were to receive a ballot were registered members of the party, people on the party's mailing list, and anyone who requested a ballot in writing. Requests for a ballot could come to the state Reform Party in that voter's state, or through the Buchanan or Hagelin campaigns. The Hagelin campaign submitted 25,000 names, and OK'ed making their names and addresses available to the Buchanan campaign, so that the Buchanan campaign could send campaign literature to them. By contrast, the Buchanan campaign submitted 500,000 names, but asked Mic Farris, chair of the national presidential nominations committee, to agree that the names would not be shown to anyone except e-Ballot, the company handling the primary. Farris agreed, because he felt that the motive was to protect the people named in the list from unwanted commercial mailings. It became apparent soon after that the names Buchanan submitted were not the names of people who had signed petitions; nor were they people who had requested a ballot in writing. The far-right column, headed "petitions", shows the number of signatures a presidential candidate Buchanan had to submit in each state, for the ballot access method he used (party or independent) in the period before July 1, the cut-off date. Notice that there is little correlation between the number of signatures he had to collect in each state, and the number of signatures he submitted from each state. The "Names" column is incomplete for some states. The data was calculated by starting with the total number of names in each state, and subtracting the other known methods by which names for that state could be submitted. In some cases, that data was also unavailable, so no entry for such states could be calculated. In the opinion of Ballot Access News , it doesn't follow logically that, just because the Buchanan campaign seems to have broken the Reform Party's rules on the presidential selection process, therefore he could be disqualified from being considered for the nomination. The party's national executive committee voted on July 29 to disqualify him, yet there is no party rule to justify such disqualification. Furthermore, the party's rules on presidential selection specified that no changes in those rules could be made after December 31, 1999. Dozens of members of Congress have been fined by the FEC for violating campaign finance laws, yet no one ever suggested that, because of such violations, the members should be barred from running again for Congress. The elections of Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and John F. Kennedy are believed by many historians to have been brought about by a dishonest vote count, yet no one ever suggested that, therefore, either should have been barred from running for re-election. STATE RECIPIENTS OF BALLOTS VOTE FOR BUCHANAN AND HAGELIN BUCHANAN DATA NUMBER PERCENT Buchanan Buchanan % Hagelin Hagelin % Names Petitions Alabama 6,807 .44 222 79.3 58 20.7 ?? 5,000 Alaska 5,704 2.36 549 79.8 139 20.2 2,990 0 Arizona 13,295 .95 1,042 72.8 390 27.2 8,661 13,565 Arkansas 4,584 .52 347 80.7 83 19.3 ?? 1,000 California 160,657 1.60 8,166 51.9 7,554 48.1 70,040 0 Colorado 11,103 .73 571 43.7 736 56.3 7,222 0 Connecticut 7,943 .57 557 63.4 321 36.6 5,127 0 Delaware 1,617 .60 125 73.1 46 26.9 287 0 D.Columbia 900 .48 78 59.1 54 40.9 698 0 Florida 43,296 .82 2,806 63.9 1,583 36.1 29,578 0 Georgia 10,704 .47 807 73.0 298 27.0 7,909 39,094 Hawaii 1,348 .37 67 35.1 124 64.9 865 602 Idaho 3,706 .75 289 73.4 105 26.6 2,697 0 Illinois 21,252 .49 1,896 79.3 496 20.7 ?? 25,000 Indiana 11,682 .55 931 77.4 272 22.6 8,466 30,717 Iowa 34,592 2.80 1,192 50.9 1,150 49.1 37,270 1,500 Kansas 9,502 .88 663 69.2 295 30.8 6,400 0 Kentucky 9,490 .68 571 66.2 291 33.8 1,998 0 Louisiana 6,760 .38 472 81.7 106 18.3 ?? 0 Maine 8,459 1.40 284 58.3 203 41.7 ?? 0 Maryland 9,283 .52 710 65.8 369 34.2 ?? 10,000 Massachusetts 10,808 .42 1,010 69.9 434 30.1 7,883 10,000 Michigan 23,507 .61 1,812 69.5 796 30.5 13,957 0 Minnesota 11,836 .54 1,213 73.2 444 26.8 5,633 0 Mississippi 3,301 .37 256 82.1 56 17.9 1,856 0 Missouri 14,975 .69 1,128 72.7 423 27.3 9,493 0 Montana 3,361 .83 245 75.4 80 24.6 2,639 0 Nebraska 3,735 .55 267 75.9 85 24.1 ?? 2,500 Nevada 4,116 .89 341 65.3 181 34.7 ?? 4,099 New Hampshire 20,688 4.14 801 76.9 241 23.1 20,035 3,000 New Jersey 15,137 .49 1,406 77.9 398 22.1 5,315 800 New Mexico 3,499 .63 273 59.6 185 40.4 ?? 0 New York 180,379 2.86 4,160 52.5 3,762 47.5 45,679 0 North Carolina 13,257 .53 896 49.3 922 50.7 9,128 51,324 North Dakota 2,736 1.03 192 89.7 22 10.3 2,758 0 Ohio 37,647 .83 2,181 72.5 826 27.5 28,080 5,000 Oklahoma 6,853 .57 474 74.6 161 25.4 ?? 43,680 Oregon 8,747 .63 681 65.0 366 35.0 ?? 13,755 Pennsylvania 29,084 .65 2,809 78.8 756 21.2 19,507 21,739 Rhode Island 1,575 .40 164 68.3 76 31.7 ?? 0 South Carolina 6,139 .53 567 77.9 161 22.1 3,333 0 South Dakota 1,934 .60 158 77.1 47 22.9 ?? 6,505 Tennessee 8,408 .44 641 74.8 216 25.2 ?? 275 Texas 40,433 .72 1,690 63.3 979 36.7 ?? 56,117 Utah 3,115 .47 266 66.2 136 33.8 ?? 2,000 Vermont 1,088 .42 94 57.3 70 42.7 846 1,000 Virginia 15,724 .65 1,035 67.0 509 33.0 ?? 10,000 Washington 16,248 .72 1,054 51.7 985 48.3 11,433 200 West Virginia 3,140 .49 326 84.9 58 15.1 1,601 12,730 Wisconsin 12,426 .57 946 67.4 458 32.6 ?? 0 Wyoming 1,348 .64 98 74.8 33 25.2 ?? 3,485 887,928 .92 49,529 63.4 28,539 36.6 379,381+ 374,687 "Recipients of Ballots" are the number of people who received a ballot in the mail during July, to choose the Reform Party's presidential candidate. To understand why this data is meaningful, see comments above the chart, which also explain the columns. REFORM CONVENTIONS: VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT (table) The chart below shows certain Reform convention votes. The far-left column shows how many delegates each state was entitled to. The column headed "Combined vote" shows how many votes were actually cast by each state, if one combines votes taken in each of the two meetings. The votes used for the "Combined vote" were taken from the presidential vote, or the vice-presidential vote, whichever produced a bigger total. There is no presidential tally for the Hagelin meeting, since Hagelin was nominated by acclamation. The data suggests that the number of delegates voting in the Buchanan meeting was more than twice the number voting in the Hagelin meeting. Therefore, if the delegates had not split into two different meetings, it is likely that Buchanan would have controlled more than two-thirds of the vote, enough to have set aside the mail-in primary vote (the rules permitted a two-thirds vote of the delegates to override the primary). Consequently, in the opinion of Ballot Access News , Buchanan should be considered the actual Reform nominee (his meeting, in fact, did vote to overturn the primary results). This opinion is not a legal opinion, merely a personal statement about fairness. A legal opinion turns on complex questions about credentials, something not being attempted here. STATE DELEGATE DATA PRES. VOTE VICE-PRES. VOTE V-P VOTE, other convention Allotment Comb vote Buchanan Other Foster Collins Other Goldhaber Fulani Other Alabama 10 9 7 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 Alaska 4 4 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 Arizona 9 16 9 0 9 0 0 6 1 0 Arkansas 7 9 4 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 California 55 57 44 0 34 0 0 7 3 3 Colorado 9 18 9 0 6 0 0 3 1 5 Connecticut 9 10 3 0 3 0 0 7 0 0 Delaware 4 3 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 D.Columbia 4 5 3 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 Florida 26 23 13 0 11 3 0 9 0 0 Georgia 14 25 14 0 10 3 0 9 3 0 Hawaii 5 5 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 Idaho 5 5 4 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 Illinois 23 26 18 0 18 0 0 0 8 0 Indiana 13 11 6 3 5 1 2 0 1 1 Iowa 8 9 7 0 4 4 0 1 0 0 Kansas 7 9 7 0 7 0 0 0 0 2 Kentucky 9 8 6 0 5 0 0 1 1 0 Louisiana 10 12 10 0 10 0 0 1 1 0 Maine 5 5 4 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 Maryland 11 11 11 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 Massachusetts 13 11 8 0 8 0 0 2 1 0 Michigan 19 20 15 0 13 0 1 5 0 0 Minnesota 11 11 11 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 Mississippi 8 16 8 0 7 1 0 3 0 5 Missouri 12 13 9 1 9 1 0 0 0 3 Montana 4 4 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 Nebraska 6 6 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 Nevada 5 9 5 0 5 0 0 2 0 2 New Hampshire 5 9 5 0 5 0 0 4 0 0 New Jersey 16 26 15 0 12 0 0 7 2 2 New Mexico 6 6 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 New York 34 37 15 0 14 0 0 0 22 0 North Carolina 15 15 9 0 9 0 0 5 1 0 North Dakota 4 6 4 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 Ohio 22 28 20 0 12 1 0 7 1 0 Oklahoma 9 9 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 Oregon 8 5 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 Pennsylvania 24 21 16 2 12 4 1 0 3 0 Rhode Island 5 6 5 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 South Carolina 9 9 5 0 4 0 1 4 0 0 South Dakota 4 4 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 Tennessee 12 12 12 0 11 1 0 0 0 0 Texas 33 25 17 0 11 0 2 4 4 0 Utah 6 6 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 Vermont 4 4 4 0 1 2 0 4 0 0 Virginia 14 26 13 0 13 0 0 12 1 0 Washington 12 12 3 0 3 0 0 2 7 0 West Virginia 6 8 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 2 Wisconsin 12 20 12 0 12 0 0 6 1 1 Wyoming 4 4 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 national officers 11 14 4 0 6 0 0 7 0 1 TOTAL 600 682 453 6 397 23 7 129 66 28 See above the table, for why this information is meaningful and for an explanation of each column. 2000 PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT (table) The presidential petitioning chart has been changed to show columns for candidates, rather than columns for parties. This is because the "Reform" column no longer means much without reference to which candidate is meant. The chart attempts to show party labels for each entry, but they are often tentative. STATE REQUIREMENTS SIGNATURES COLLECTED DEADLINE FULL PARTY CAND. BROWNE BUCHANAN HAGELIN PHILLIPS NADER Alabama 39,536 5,000 LIBT on INDP on INDP fin INDP on *INDP fin Aug 31 Alaska (reg) 6,606 #2,410 LIBT on REF on NL on *CON on GR on Aug 8 Arizona 13,565 *#9,598 in court REF on NL on too late GR on June 14 Arkansas 21,181 #1,000 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on GR on Aug 1 California (reg) 86,212 149,692 LIBT on undecided NL on AIP on GR on Aug 10 Colorado (reg) 1,000 #pay $500 LIBT on FREE on REF on AC on GR on July 10 Connecticut no procedure #7,500 *LIBT on *FREE fin *REF fin *CC fin GR on Aug 9 Delaware (reg) 241 4,819 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on GR on Aug 19 D.C. no procedure #3,320 *LIBT on *too late *disputed *too late SGR on Aug 15 Florida be organized 82,203 LIBT on undecided NL on CON on GR on Sep 1 Georgia 39,094 #39,094 LIBT on *INDP on too late too late too late Jul 11 Hawaii 602 #3,703 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on GR on Sep 7 Idaho 9,835 4,918 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on *too late Aug 31 Illinois no procedure #25,000 LIBT on INDP on REF on too late *GR fin June 26 Indiana no procedure #30,717 LIBT on *INDP on *too late too late *too late Jul 17 Iowa no procedure #1,500 *LIBT on *REF on *INDP on *CON on *GR on Aug 17 Kansas 14,854 5,000 LIBT on REF on INDP fin CON on *INDP on July 31 Kentucky no procedure #5,000 LIBT on *undecided *NL fin *CON fin *GR on Aug 30 Louisiana est. (reg) 135,000 #pay $500 *LIBT on FREE fin *NL fin *CON fin *GR fin Sep 5 Maine 21,051 #4,000 *LIBT on REF on *too late *CON on GR on Aug 8 Maryland 10,000 25,607 LIBT on REF on *too late CON on *GR on Aug 7 Massachusetts est. (reg) 37,500 #10,000 LIBT on *REF on INDP fin *disputed GR fin July 31 Michigan 30,272 30,272 LIBT on *undecided NL on UST on *GR on July 19 Minnesota 104,550 #2,000 *LIBT fin *REF fin *REF fin CON on GR fin Sep 12 Mississippi be organized #1,000 LIBT on INDP fin NL on CON on IND 1,300 Sep 7 Missouri 10,000 10,000 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on *GR on July 31 Montana 5,000 #5,000 LIBT on in court NL on CON on *GR on Aug 1 Nebraska 5,453 2,500 LIBT on *INDP on NL on *INDP on *GR on Aug 28 Nevada 4,099 4,099 LIBT on CIT on NL on IAP on GR on July 7 New Hampshire 9,827 #3,000 *LIBT fin INDP fin *REF fin CON fin *GR fin Aug 9 New Jersey no procedure #800 *LIBT on *REF on *INDP on *CON on GR on July 31 New Mexico 2,494 14,964 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on GR on Sep 11 New York no procedure #15,000 *LIBT fin *R-T-L on *undetermined *CON fin GR on Aug 22 North Carolina 51,324 98,062 LIBT on REF on too late too late in court June 30 North Dakota 7,000 4,000 *IND 3,500 REF on *IND 2,500 CON on *IND 2,000 Sep 7 Ohio 33,543 #5,000 LIBT on INDP fin NL on INDP fin INDP fin Aug 23 Oklahoma 43,680 36,202 LIBT on REF on *too late too late *in court July 15 Oregon 16,663 13,755 LIBT on *INDP fin REF on CON on GRP on Aug 28 Pennsylvania no procedure 21,739 *LIBT on *REF on too late *CON on *GR on Aug 1 Rhode Island 15,323 #1,000 LIBT fin REF on *NL 1,200 *CON 500 *GR fin Sep 7 South Carolina 10,000 10,000 LIBT on REF on NL on CON on *UC on July 17 South Dakota 6,505 #2,602 LIBT on REF on in court INDP on in court June 20 Tennessee 24,406 25 *LIBT on INDP on *INDP on *INDP on GR on Aug 17 Texas 37,381 56,117 LIBT on INDP on *disputed too late *GR on May 30 Utah 2,000 #1,000 LIBT on REF on NL on IAP on *GR on Aug 31 Vermont be organized #1,000 LIBT on *REF 750 NL on CON on PROG on Sep 20 Virginia no procedure #10,000 *LIBT fin *REF fin *NL fin *CON fin *GR fin Aug 25 Washington no procedure #200 LIBT on FREE on REF on CON on GR on Jul 1 West Virginia no procedure #12,730 LIBT on *REF on NL on too late *too late Aug 1 Wisconsin 10,000 #2,000 LIBT on *REF fin *REF fin CON on GR on Sep 5 Wyoming 3,485 3,485 LIBT on REF on NL on *INDP on *INDP fin Aug 28 TOTAL STATES ON SO FAR *44 *35 *28 *33 *32 #procedure allows partisan label. * -- entry changed from corresponding column entry in last month's table. "On" refers to whether the candidate is on the ballot. For Buchanan and Hagelin, it doesn't necessarily mean the label next to his name is final. Due to the uncertainty in many states on how to handle competing claims between Buchanan and Hagelin, many of the entries above (where the Reform Party is qualified) are probabilities, not certainties. RIGHT TO LIFE PARTY PICKS BUCHANAN On August 19, the New York Right to Life Party, in convention, chose Pat Buchanan for president. 90% of the districts voted for him; 10% voted for Howard Phillips, who had received the Right to Life nomination in 1996. Right to Life Party leaders said they had invited George W. Bush to apply for the nomination, but he seemed uninterested. UNITED CITIZENS PARTY PICKS NADER On August 12, the United Citizens Party of South Carolina chose Ralph Nader as its presidential candidate. The party also changed its name from Patriot Party to United Citizens, which was its original name when it was formed in 1970. NEW YORK CONVENTIONS UPCOMING These ballot-qualified New York parties will pick a presidential candidate on September 23: Independence, Liberal, and Working Families. The Conservative Party of New York will choose on September 25. MATCHING FUNDS Minor party presidential candidates received these cumulative totals in primary season matching as of July 31: Pat Buchanan $4,022,171; John Hagelin $389,495; Ralph Nader $278,628. CANDIDATES NOT ON CHART Harris (Socialist Workers): on in Colorado, D.C., Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington; finished in New York, Mississippi and Rhode Island. McReynolds (Socialist): on in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Jersey, Vermont, and Washington; finished in New York and Rhode Island; 1,500 in Wisconsin; 500 in Mississippi. Moorehead (Workers World): on in Washington; finished in Florida, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Lane (Grassroots): on in Colorado, Minnesota, and Vermont. Dodge (Prohibition): on in Colorado. REFORM VICE-PRESIDENT CANDIDATES Both factions of the Reform Party chose Californians for vice-president. Both of them are new to the Reform Party. Buchanan's faction chose Ezola Foster, a former schoolteacher who lives in Los Angeles. She changed her voter registration from Republican to Reform on March 25, 2000. Hagelin's faction chose Amos Nathaniel Goldhaber, vice-president and director of MyPoints.com, who lives in Oakland. He changed his registration from Natural Law to Reform on August 8, 2000. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SUMMARY This year, there are only 13 presidential candidates on the ballot in any state. These 13 are the Democratic and Republican candidates, the five candidates listed in the petitioning chart, the five candidates named in the story above, and one independent, Randall Venson, who qualified only in his home state, Tennessee. If the New York Independence Party picks someone who isn't on any other state's ballot, there would be fourteen. The state with the most presidential candidates on its ballot is Colorado, with eleven. In 1996, there were 21 candidates on in at least one state. Parties on the ballot for president in 1996, but not in 2000, are Peace & Freedom of California, American, and Socialist Equality. Also there were two Grassroots Party candidates in 1996, but only one this year; and there were 5 independent presidential candidates on some ballot in 1996, but only one this year. INCLUSIVE POLLS Rasmussen Poll results released August 27: Bush 43.1%; Gore 40.7%; Nader 2.8%; Buchanan .9%; Browne .8%; Phillips .1%; some other 1.9%; not sure 9.7%. http://www.portraitofamerica.com/html/poll-804.htmlThis poll is updated daily. Hagelin will be added to the poll. Special web note: If that page does not display, try http://www.rasmussenresearch.com/html/poll-804.htmlinstead. Zogby Poll results of August 20: Bush 44.1%; Gore 40.9%; Nader 5.3%; Buchanan 1.7%; Browne 1.0%; Hagelin .1%; undecided or other, 6.9%. For later results, see http://www.zogby.com/features/featuredtables.dbm?ID=8 Ballot Access News ban.AT.igc.org Compilation copyright (c) 2000 Bob Bickford Mexico Names New Ambassador to the United States Mexico City - The Mexican president has nominated a new ambassador to the United States, one who has experience "defending the interests of Mexico abroad." Tuesday's announcement appears to be the latest move in a growing effort by Mexico to stand up for itself in the U.S. and on the global scene in the face of persistent attacks by the Republican presidential front-runner. Trump has promised to build a giant wall to keep out undocumented immigrants from Mexico, a group he's described as drug dealers and "rapists." He also insists he'll force Mexico to pay for the wall, even threatening to ban Mexicans in the U.S. from sending money back home unless the Mexican government coughs up billions for the structure. Mexican leaders have balked at the notion that they'll pay for any wall, while also quietly reaching out for months to allies in the U.S. to shore up their image in the face of Trump's attacks. The diplomatic changes suggest that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto wants his country's diplomats to take a more active, public approach. The newly nominated ambassador is Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, a man with an extensive diplomatic resume, especially in the United States, who currently serves as consul general of Mexico in Los Angeles. Sada "has broad experience with consular work and protecting the rights of Mexicans in North America, as well as defending the interests of Mexico abroad," Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in its announcement. In particular, the ministry noted that Sada had previously worked as minister for congressional affairs in Mexico's embassy in Washington, "something which allowed him to develop close relations with, and gain an understanding of, the legislative bodies of the United States." Sada replaces Miguel Basanez Ebergeny, who took the helm as ambassador around seven months ago. Basanez, who has an academic background, comes across as a genial man who has tried to downplay the Trump effect, at least in public, while stressing the longstanding ties between the U.S. and its third-largest trading partner. Several months ago, the outgoing ambassador said that Trump would have to apologize for his comments about Mexico, something the real estate mogul appears unlikely to do anytime soon. The Foreign Ministry also announced that Jose Paulo Carreno King has been nominated as Mexico's undersecretary for North America. Paulo Carreno has an extensive public relations background, not just in the government sector but also in the financial world, where his employers have included Citigroup among others, according to the announcement. "The designations of Paulo Carreno King and Carlos Sada Solana are part of an integral strategy that the Government of Mexico will employ to strengthen relations, the promotion of Mexican interests, and the image of our country in Canada and the U.S.," the Foreign Ministry said. 'Make it, Bake it, Grow it' Treasures at PV's OTFM-TC Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Discover something new and exciting this Saturday at the Old Town Farmers Market-Tianguis Cultural. We have live music, warm weather, a cool downtown vibe, and 90+ vendor stands filled with "make it, bake it, grow it" products & services. Be sure to experience them all while you can as the market's season is coming to a close on Saturday, April 30th. Farm-Fresh Fun Do your body good with a rainbow of herbs, greens, and gourmet baby vegetables from Hortalizas Palomera. You'll love the locally-grown strawberries and blackberries from Fresas de Michoacan. Plantas Regionales Puerto Vallarta's regional plants and flowers add vitality to living spaces, and Flores-e-Vallarta's tropical arrangements will wow loved ones and guests. Fashionable Finds Complete your wardrobe with fashions from Laura Lopez Labra Boutique. Children love apparel from The Art of Embroidery & Looms. Girls happily twirl in original dresses from El Rincon de Zoe. Custom sandals are all the rage from Begona Sandalias, and jewelry is abundant from Joyeria Margarita (wrap bracelets), Karen Mical Designs (polymer clay wearable art), Frida Kahlo Necklaces, Chantel Vintage Spoon Jewelry, and more! Traditional Works Deer, cacti, serpents, jaguars, peyote, and the distinctive "eye of Gods" make up Huichol Art's indigenous line. Woven bags, shirts, table runners, and small carpets are a must from Isabel Ramirez. She is a member of the Oaxaca-based Triqui Ribe tribe, and continues to honor her family's 500-year tradition of weaving. Music lovers go gaga over prehispanic musical instruments from Instrumentos Musicales Prehispanicos. And nothing says "eco-friendly" like 100% handcrafted brooms and brushes from Escobas Artesanales de Mexico. Home Goods Get your very own museum-quality dry clay piece from Tomas Esparza Leon of Barro Brunido. His works have been shown in distinguished museums and galleries around the world. Beautiful home accents can be found from sculptor Patricia Gawle and glass blower Carlos Rosas. Like trash-to-treasure decor? You'll love the sun catchers and stained glass ornaments from Adriana Coss Vitrofusion Reciclado. Tlamatini offers beautiful palm baskets, and Milagro del Arte features elegant wooden crosses. Body-licious Pamper yourself with 100% natural soaps, oils, lotions, and scrubs from Banderas Soap Blends. Then work out the kinks with a treatment from U.S. Board-Certified Chiropractor Dr. Erik Fulfer at Bahia Chiropractic. Let Pure Chia (chia seeds) top off your next smoothie, and Shining Spouts (lentil sprouts and dressings) amp up your next salad. Improve digestion with Small World Probiotics' fermented foods & natural vinegars. Gift Ideas Stock up on unique gift ideas from Glass Design (stretched glass figurines), Greeting Cards by Helen, and The Bag Ladies (wine bottle gift bags). Children will adore wool animals from Artesanias de Chiapas. Bring the ocean home with sea shell products from Tesoros de Mar y Tierra. Melly Milagro's photo-on-wood pieces & Wiki's whimsical wooden boxes offer perfect gifts for all ages. Food, Glorious Food Freshly baked goods are in abundance from Hecho en Mexico Pasteleria, Vallarta Bagel World, and Artisan Bakery (sourdough bread and pastries). You'll find dried pasta, sauces, and liquors at La Dolceria Produzione Italiana. Then top your favorite dishes with jams, jellies, and chutneys from Jan's Specialty Condiments; dips, salsa, and infused oils from Los Sabores de Cristy; and pestos, mole, and condiments from Miriam's Mexican Kitchen. Be sure to stop by the International Food Court for tasty Thai, Indian, traditional Mexican favorites, and vegan entrees (hamburgers, al pastor, falafels, and sticky buns). Fresh beverages provided too. Dessert includes hand crafted chocolates and chocolate-covered bananas from Xocodiva Artisan Chocolates and candied nuts from Mr. Pistaches. But these are just a few of the goodies we have waiting for you at the OTFM-TC. For a complete list, visit OldTownFM.com. Meet the Market The OTFM-TC is a North American style market that celebrates the tradition and culture of Mexico's outdoor Tianguis markets. It is also a registered non-profit/association civil organization that focuses on nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of Puerto Vallartans. All OTFM-TC products are either locally grown or handmade within 75 kilometers of the city. You're Invited! The OTFM-TC will be open 9:30-2 every Saturday, from November 7, 2015, to April 30, 2016. You'll find us in Lazaro Cardenas Park, located in Vallarta's Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. For only 12 pesos an hour, you can park in the garage directly beneath park. Public buses and taxis also come this way with a Pino Suarez Street drop off. Get Involved Interested in becoming a new OTFM-TC vendor or volunteer? Stop by the information booth to pick up an application. At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for how we make money . Our banking reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most the best banks, latest rates, different types of accounts, money-saving tips and more so you can feel confident as youre managing your money. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that were putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts , who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy. Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. Weve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Bankrates editorial team writes on behalf of YOU the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether youre reading an article or a review, you can trust that youre getting credible and dependable information. We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information youre reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that were putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. Here is a list of our banking partners . Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Were transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout lifes financial journey. If you havent written one in a while (or ever), here is a handy guide on how to write a check. Photo by Adobe Stock/Illustration by Bankrate Steps to fill out a check Many consumers send money electronically these days, but occasionally it may still be necessary to pay by check. Checks can be ordered from banks or third-party printers. Here are the steps to fill one out. 1. Fill in the date Write the current date on the line at the top right-hand corner. This information notifies the financial institution and the recipient of when you wrote it. The date can be written in long form or all numbers. Either 6/14/2022 or June 14, 2022, could work, for example. 2. Write the name of the payee On the line that says Pay to the order of, write the name of the individual or company youd like to pay, known as the payee. Use the payees full name instead of a nickname. If you dont know the exact name, you can write cash. Be aware that if a check is made out to cash, anyone can cash or deposit it. 3. Write the check amount in numeric form There are two spots on a check for stating the amount youre paying. The first is a small box to the right of the line for the recipients name. Write the numerical dollar amount in this box. For example, you may write $100.30 if you wish to write a check for one hundred dollars and thirty cents. Make sure you write this clearly so that the bank can subtract the correct amount from your account. 4. Write the check amount in words Next, write out the dollar amount in words on the line below Pay to the order of, making sure it matches the numerical amount. Add the cent amount over 100. For example, if you wrote $100.30 in the box, youll write One hundred and 30/100. If the check is for $100 or another round number, still include 00/100 for clarity. 5. Write a memo The memo section of the check is optional, but its good idea to fill it out because it can serve as a reminder of what the check was for. If youre writing the check to pay for your for a haircut, for example, you can write haircut. If the checks for a bill payment, write your account number in the memo area. A company may ask you to write your account number or invoice number in this section, which helps ensure the payment is applied to the correct account. 6. Sign the check Sign your name on the line at the checks bottom right hand corner. Sign legibly and make sure to use the same signature on file at your bank. A signature confirms to the bank that you agree to pay the stated amount to the payee. Thats it, your check should be all set to make a payment! (You may also want to check out Bankrates list of the best checking accounts.) Freelance writer Anna Baluch contributed to a previous version of this article. A welder doing work on a disco ball on the ceiling of the Amphitheatre nightclub in Ybor City sparked a fire that caused extensive damage. According to Tampa Fire Rescue, the three-alarm fire broke out at the club, located at 1609 East 7th Avenue, just before 8 p.m. when welding sparks ignited material covering the ceiling. The smoke and flames quickly spread in the two-story brick building. The automatic sprinkler system did operate but was not enough to completely extinguish the fire. When firefighters arrived, smoke was pouring from the building and flames were seen coming from the roof. Three workers escaped the building and neighboring businesses were evacuated. Twenty units and 50 firefighters responded to the fire. Firefighters fought the flames for several hours before the building's roof gave way and collapsed, officials said. Two firefighters were injured and were taken to a local hospital for observation. They are expected to be okay. The fire was brought under control by 1:30 a.m. "There are multiple decks and ceilings within this old structure," said Tampa Fire Chief Tom Forward. "(That) made it very difficult for all of our firefighters, first of all, to be able to identify the exact location of the fire." Although damage was extensive, officials said the Amphitheatre remains structually sound. Officials said 7th Ave will remain closed in the immediate area due to cleanup. The Fire Marshal's Office is investigating. A Polk County teenager is being hailed as a hero after police say he helped people in an accident. David Ruiz, 17, even held the hands of an elderly couple as they waited on EMS. The Polk County sheriff posted a picture to their Facebook page Wednesday, praising the high school senior for helping people involved in an accident. Ruiz says he did what anyone wouldve done. "If I was in that same situation I would want someone to help me out too so I was like I have to look out for the community and stuff," Ruiz said. "And I just thought it was the right thing to do." The right thing included helping an elderly couple, whose vehicle collided with another car at the intersection near the Race Track gas station on U.S. 27 in Lake Wales. They were just complaining of how they were really hurt, how their side or back hurt because they were older people, so I understand," he said. "And the other people were saying they were fine. And this other lady said she had chest pain but I still checked up on them. It was just the other people were really injured." The 17-year-old says he was on his way from school and never expected to see anything like this. His mother, Diana Serna said she is very proud of her son. "Its a kind gesture," she said. "Im happy they were able to get out with his helpalive." Ruiz says hes CPR certified and plans to join the military when he gradates this year. The people in that crash who Ruiz helped were too shaken up to go on camera but they say theyre grateful. One of the officers who worked the crash said is the best thing hes seen since he started working at the Lake Wales Police Department. The U.S. Marshals are looking for a man accused of sexually assaulting two women in New York. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of Michael Hawkins, 29. Hawkins is accused of raping a woman who is mentally challenged and uses a wheelchair in Schenectady, New York, in June 2012. Investigators say the woman reported the crime the following day and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was formally charged with aggravated sex abuse in the first degree. Investigators say Hawkins remained undetected until November 2013, when he allegedly sexually assaulted the wife of a friend, who had invited Hawkins to his house in Rotterdam, New York, for a family gathering. In that case, Hawkins was charged with first-degree rape. Hawkins fled the area after the rapes, investigators say. He has personal ties in Florida, as well as New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Oregon and California. However they say his current whereabouts are unknown. The suspect's friends nicknamed him "Zombie Mike" due to his poor hygiene, investigators say, and they described him as someone who can hide anywhere, including wooded areas, and can survive off scraps. They say he has worked in the past with traveling carnival companies based in New Jersey and North Carolina, and he could be working and traveling with similar companies in Ohio, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and other places along the east coast. Hawkins is described as 5-feet-9 and weighing 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a 1 1/2 inch scar on his face, a burn mark scar on his right arm and a chest tattoo of the Grim Reaper. Friends say Hawkins is known to have a temper and abuse alcohol. Anyone with information about Hawkins is asked to call the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or email: usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. A team of University of South Florida students will present their rocket to NASA scientists at a big contest in Huntsville, Alabama next week. The contest called the NASA University Student Launch Initiative, and the team is named SOAR. The rocket is named Bullistic, of course, with a tip of the hat to USFs mascot. Each student has spent about eight months preparing and building the rocket. And it all comes down to a four second launch next week. The students have to make their rocket go exactly a mile into the air, no higher or lower. This is bigger to us than the Superbowl, said student Logan Sveum. Sveum says the students are ecstatic about getting to show off their hard work to NASA. Thats who I want to work for, Sveum said. I want to build these awesome rockets, become a mechanical engineer, and help NASA get to Mars. With that excitement also comes nerves. Theres tons of things that could go catastrophically wrong, said student Matthew Oldfield. If the team is just a measurement off, the rocket could be destroyed, or not take off at all. Its a process each student knows all too well. The team members are from Florida. Many recall seeing shuttle launches when they were younger, and more recently, rocket launches from the Space Coast. In the end though, this one might be their favorite one of all. When its your own creation, your own work going up into that beautiful sky, its magnificent, said student Andrew Huff. The team has had help from mentor Rick Waters, who has flown rockets for decades. They hope all their hard work pays off in Alabama next week. For now, theyre ready for liftoff. The team has not fully funded their trip to Alabama. If youd like to help, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/USFSOARNSL2016. This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety. Following problems in last month's Florida presidential primary including complaints from voters who said they were prevented from casting a ballot because they no longer had a party affiliation a new measure is being taken to prevent confusion. After the March 15 primary, News 13 received numerous calls from voters who said they were turned away because they no longer were registered to a major political party. All had one thing in common: They'd recently updated their drivers license information. When Floridians visit a tax collectors office to obtain a drivers license or update their information, they're asked whether they are up to date on their voter registration. This is when hundreds of Floridians, the majority in Palm Beach County, claimed their voter affiliation had changed. Many claimed they were registered as Republicans or Democrats but instead were listed in the system as "NPA," or no party affiliation. That meant they weren't able to vote in Floridas closed primary. Orange County officials denied there was a problem with the "motor voter" system. Tax Collector Scott Randolph said that after examining the state system, the voters' claims that their party affiliation had changed isn't possible. Its a pretty solid system, Randolph said. It takes at least three clicks of a button to change a party affiliation when youre updating your voter reg. Randolph said the misunderstanding in last month's election may be a case of voter confusion. But just to be sure that no one leaves the tax collectors office confused, everyone will now receive a printed receipt verifying their voter registration information. My guess would be a lot of these people had always been registered NPA, and they'd never voted in a regular primary, Randolph said. But on Randolphs own voter printout, under "Party Affiliation," it said, No Party Change. So how do you know its correct? Thats why youre going to get your voter card in the mail in the next few days, Randolph said. Whether it was voter confusion or not, if there was no party change, then you were what you were when you came in the door. This will now be the ultimate test of the paper trail system as Florida prepares for another primary in August and the presidential election in November where again the nations eyes will be on Florida. If you would like to check the status of your party affiliation or make changes to your information, officials said to contact your countys Supervisor of Elections office. Central Oregon Coast Fish Taco Fest a Culinary Face-Off Published 04/07/2016 at 6:11 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Lincoln City, Oregon) - A fiesta awaits those heading to the central Oregon coast this month, as April 30 brings the 8th Annual Fish Taco Cook-Off. From 11 am to 2 pm, to the Culinary Center in Lincoln City, professional chefs from around the region will compete for the title of best fish tacos on the Oregon Coast. Back after a 4 year break, Mist Restaurant, located at the oceanfront Surftides Resort, will be competing at the Cook-Off. Executive Chef Jason Jobe is looking forward to participating this year. "I am very excited about competing on behalf of Mist," said Jobe. "We recently unveiled a new menu, and will be expanding it as the restaurant grows. The Cook-Off is a great way to get exposure for the restaurant and showcase our new menu." Jobe said they will be using the recipe on their menu at this fine, feast o' fish. "I will be making a grilled cod taco with a cabbage cilantro slaw, chipotle aioli, topped off with fresh pico de gallo," Jobe said. "We also put a lot of love into preparing each fish taco, which is what sets ours apart from other restaurants." Fresh-made fish tacos from Mist Restaurant will be available at the event, and from other Oregon coast restaurants. Taste tacos from each participant, then vote for your favorite for the Peoples Choice Award. Admission to the Cook-Off is free with fish tacos available for $1.50 each. Beer and wine will be available for purchase from the Culinary Center, and an assortment of desserts from Captain Dan's Pirate Pastry Shop and My Petite Sweet. Barnacle Bills Seafood Market will also have smoked seafood products for sale. The Culinary Center in Lincoln City is located at 801 SW Highway 101 on the fourth floor of City Hall. The Culinary Center hosts these annual cook-offs: Jambalaya Cook-Off, Fish Taco Cook-Off, and Wild Mushroom Cook-Off. Each features some of the best restuarants on the Oregon Coast competing for top honors. For more information, contact the Lincoln City Visitor & Convention Bureau at 800-452-2151 or visit www.oregoncoast.org. Also coming to Lincoln City: Womens Business Conference on Friday, May l3 from 8:30 am to 6 pm. at the Chinook Winds Resort and Hotel, at 1501 NW 40th Place, Lincoln City. Luncheon keynote speaker will be Jeanne Atkins, Oregon Secretary of State. Also featured will be a panel of successful business women who will share their success stories and answer questions from the audience. The afternoon will feature two sets of workshops on the following topics: credit card and other fraud, womens health, social media, and HR and employee handbooks. Registration fee is $65 per attendee and is payable to the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce. Registration forms and the program agenda can be found at the Chamber website at www.lcchamber.com. 54l-994-3070. Lincoln City Hotels/Lodgings for these events - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour More About Lincoln City Lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Almost four weeks after the Toledo Bend Reservoir reached a record high and caused flood releases that washed out parts of Newton and Orange counties, the spillway gates are closed. Sabine River Authority officials announced Wednesday that the lake elevation was near normal at 172.14 feet above sea level. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Some of the original threads are coming back together in the disaster-torn tapestry of Deweyville, a flooded town whose defining feature this week is mounds of garbage on nearly every curb. The Conoco store near the state line reopened Sunday to sell sodas, snacks, tobacco, lottery tickets and other small conveniences. School is set to resume Monday. A rural health clinic is also considering a Monday reopening. Elsewhere, a new normal has befallen the town. Working residents go home each evening to the costliest home-improvement projects of their lives. Non-working adults live with the disaster throughout the day. The stench of garbage and masses of gnats consume the town's air. Residents have been plugging away at their homes, preparing to rebuild, and some have done all they can until time allows them to move further forward. Patsy Hudson sat in a lawn chair in the shade this week, using a purple pen to inventory losses on notebook paper between harried phone calls for government assistance. Hudson was contemplating spending some of the little money she still has on a tent to set up in her front yard, so she could stop using gas to travel daily from the friends who have put her up for the past three weeks. "I can't afford to do anything," Hudson said. "I've been crying for two weeks." Even the hardest-working residents in the small Newton County town are caught in the holding pattern as rebuilding progress is stunted by still-damp wall studs and the wait for financial assistance, whether from the federal government or private insurers. Jamie Holden, who lived on his roof during the flood so he could work on his home after the water receded and before the evacuation order was lifted, was found napping during a midday break. It's easy to determine who has gutted their homes, because nearly every one has a three- to four-foot pile of garbage bags, furniture, appliances, sheetrock and insulation at the street, waiting for pick-up. "You're driving down the road and seeing everybody's life there," said Margaret West, 67. Three school-aged children popped out of a pick-up truck at the Conoco on Monday to help the store's keeper, Rick Jasani, tidy the place. Two of the children are on extended hiatus from Deweyville High School. Wearing flip-flops or no shoes, they made several more stops the rest of the day to help neighbors. "I'm hoping this summer will be a good one, because I'm going to need it," 17-year-old Kieran Dunn said. "I honestly have not had any down time." Their list of stops included Mark Meyers, who has been sleeping in one tent and living in another next to his gutted home. The kids aren't the only do-gooders. Kendall Smith, a 69-year-old retired Vidor resident, has made regular trips to Deweyville so he could disassemble flooded tractor engines and make them usable again. Deweyville, flooded for days by the Sabine River last month after a record release from the Toledo Bend dam amid heavy rainfall, has attracted an array of post-disaster crowds. Volunteers serve residents hot meals and help them gut homes. Home contractors angle for jobs and stake signs in the yards of residents who say yes. Two Vidor men with a pick-up truck and a utility trailer drove from trash pile to trash pile looking for metal to scrap. The residents, however, are trying to visualize the big picture while they rethread the smallest elements of their lives - like finding a Bible in the family for three generations or laying out dozens of printed photographs with hopes they dry out and go back in frames or scrapbooks. Many have - or will - sign on to a class-action lawsuit against the Sabine River Authority, which manages the Toledo Bend dam, residents said. The SRA has said the water releases were made according to their federally permitted guidelines and that the structure was not built for flood control. That's little solace for residents like Valerie Sears, a Deweyville business owner whose life was reset by the flood. "For someone's hands to be raw and feet to be blistered just trying to save what they've saved their whole life is just wrong," Sears said, a bug net bunched atop her head while she spoke. In the rush to gut her home in order to save it, Sears' family tossed all of her belongings in the front yard. They continued sorting through it earlier this week, trying to find and pluck salvageable property from the mess. Sears and her 71-year-old husband own a cross-country trucking company. Two of their semi-trailer trucks flooded, and some of their trailers took on water. An employee is running the business from her home while Sears and her husband try to get things back in order. They were uninsured and plan to make full use of the federal aid they can get. But with a home, a business and their belongings to replace, it won't be enough. The couple, who were drawing closer to retirement, will have to drain their savings, Sears said. "We'll be broke and starting over," Sears said. "We'll be old and broke." EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/EricBesson_news This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Authorities arrested two San Marcos residents Wednesday for allegedly defacing a Texas landmark with their own nicknames in March, according to a news release issued by the City of San Marcos. Charles Agawereh, 24, and Meredith Baird, 21, of San Marcos, were arrested on a state jail felony charge for graffiti and were booked into Hays County Jail. They face up to two years in prison for the charge, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. RELATED: Enchanted Rock taggers caught on camera The two allegedly used a substance appearing to be spray paint on March 20 on the south face of the summit at the Enchanted Rock State Park near Fredericksburg. They were caught on camera after the incident took place, according to the news release. The graffiti read, Ca$h and Truck, as seen in the photos above. Those photos were shared on social media, which ultimately led to the two people's arrest, according to the release. But it was the words that apparently game them away, according to a release from the city of San Marcos. A San Marcos detective identified Agawereh and Baird because he knew that "Ca$h" and "Truck" were the couple's nicknames due to a previous arrest, the release said. The police had searched Agawereh's apartment in January and saw papers with both nicknames "Ca$h" and "Truck." Once that information was passed along to Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement, authorities searched Agawereh's and Baird's home again Wednesday, April 6. The couple also faces charges of possession of marijuana, amphetamine pills and ecstasy found in the apartment, according to a release from San Marcos. RELATED: With Boris Diaw as photographer, Tony Parker takes clothing line to Enchanted Rock The pink granite and its massive structure have been appealing to travelers who come through the area for thousands of years. twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Austin Police Department has taken the lead in a homicide investigation into a body found on the University of Texas campus as Travis County officials conduct an autopsy, officials said Wednesday. RELATED: UT president wants change after white student allegedly hurled bottles, racial slurs at black peer The dead woman was discovered before 11 a.m. Tuesday near Waller Creek, which is behind the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, which is across San Jacinto Boulevard from Darrell K Royal Stadium. A release from the city of Austin made it clear that a killer is on the loose. "The main focus at this time is to identify, locate and arrest the individual that committed this crime," the release said. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office is currently conducting an autopsy and has not been able to identify the body, said Sarah Scott, the office's chief administrative officer. RELATED: Police: Central Texas driver dragged cyclist for 2,000 feet even though she was screaming Investigators with the Austin Police Department are working closely with the University of Texas Police Department, University of Texas System police, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers, the department said in a news release Wednesday. However, the department said it is not yet releasing new information regarding the case. "Please continue to be patient," the department said. "This is still an open and on-going investigation." RELATED: 7 West Texas teenagers arrested, charged with murder of 2 juveniles Students speculated on social media that the woman is a female theater and dance student reported missing since the weekend. Emails sent to some students at about 2 p.m. Tuesday telling them the College of Fine Arts had canceled theater and dance classes for the remainder of the day and make counselors available further fueled that speculation. Calls to numbers associated with the student's parents were not returned Wednesday. jfechter@mySA.com Twitter: @JFreports This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A ginormous cattle-snatching alligator has been shot and killed in Florida. The alligator weighed some 800 pounds and was almost 15 feet long. The two hunters that took down the reptile told Fox 13 in Okeechobee that its the largest alligator theyve ever caught. The alligator was so big the pair needed a tractor to pull the creature from the swampy farmland. READ THIS: Texas man mocks alligator, gets eaten And no, the photos of the huge gator arent photoshopped, they insisted to skeptical media. Lee Lightsey, the owner of hunting company Outwest Farms and guide Blake Godwin, shot the alligator April 2 during a guided hunt, after spotting it in a pond on their farm. "Although this animal is huge I was not that surprised it existed," Lightsey told the BBC. "We have come across lots over the last 20 years that have been only a little smaller. But what really drew our attention to this animal was the fact that it seems to have been feasting on the cattle on my farm, because mutilated body parts were found in the water. It was a monster which needed to be removed." RAMBO THE GATOR: Florida woman fights to keep pet alligator The company plans to donate the huge quantity of alligator meat -- steaks, filets, other choice cuts -- to charity. After harvesting the meat, theyll get the remaining carcass stuffed to show off at hunting expos. Lightsey said hes been commercially hunting alligators since 1988. He and his partners also hunt turkey and invasive wild boar on the land. Alligators have lived in Florida for centuries and can be found in all 67 counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. See more close encounters with alligators in the gallery above. Flamingo Pecos Surgery Center in Las Vegas closed recently, and BidMed and PPL Group are organizing an online auction sale for its assets. Here are four notes: 1. Flamingo Pecos Surgery Center featured three operating rooms, and it offered surgical services in a number of specialties, including orthopedics, gastroenterology, ENT, ophthalmology and gynecology. 2. The four-day auction will offer the ASC's medical equipment, which includes imaging devices like General Electric C-arms and surgical operating tables. 3. BidMed focuses on the buying and selling of pre-owned medical equipment. 4. PPL Group focuses on complete plant liquidations and auctions. "Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2016" found most physicians spend between 13 minutes and 16 minutes with each patient. Here are 10 more statistics: Of male physicians, 11 percent spent 25 minutes or more with each patient, compared to 15 percent of female physicians. Eleven percent of female physicians spent between 21 minutes and 24 minutes with each patient, slightly more than male physicians (9 percent). Of female physicians, 24 percent spent between 17 minutes and 20 minutes with each patient, compared to 21 percent of male physicians. Eighteen percent of male physicians spent between 10 minutes and 12 minutes with each patient, compared to 21 percent of female physicians. Only 4 percent of female physicians and 6 percent of male physicians spent less than nine minutes with each patient. More healthcare news: 7 things for ASC leaders to know for Thursday April 7, 2016 10 highest-& lowest-earning states for physicians Pfizer considers nixing $160B Allergan merger amidst new tax regulations 3 insights Here are seven updates: Tenet CEO and CFO compensation slashed in 2015 In 2015, Tenet Healthcare President and CEO Trevor Fetter and the Dallas-based system's CFO Daniel Cancelmi experienced compensation cuts of 14.5 percent and 47.2 percent. Last year, Mr. Fetter had compensation of $15.4 million and Mr. Cancelmi received compensation of $4.6 million. AmSurg's Sheridan acquires North Florida Anesthesia Consultants Sheridan, the physician services division of AmSurg, acquired Jacksonville-based North Florida Anesthesia Consultants. North Florida Anesthesia Consultants services 18 Florida facilities including Hospital Corporation of America's Jacksonville surgery centers. CMS' pay raise for Medicare Care Advantage plans falls short CMS announced Medicare Advantage plans will receive a 0.85 percent hike in reimbursement in 2017. In February, CMS proposed a 1.35 percent increase in reimbursement for MA plans. Back Pain Centers of America appoints new director of physician partnerships Atlanta-based Back Pain Center's of America named Quintin Thomas the new director of physician partnerships. As director, Mr. Thomas will oversee the physician network expansion to meet the demands of more than 150,000 patients each year. 5 highest-earning states for physicians The North Central region of the United States offers, on average, the highest pay for physicians per year, according to the "Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2016." The five top-earning states include: North Dakota $348,000 New Hampshire $322,000 Nebraska $317,000 Alaska $314,000 Montana $304,000 Pfizer considers nixing $160B Allergan merger amidst new tax regulations New York City-based Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company, is questioning whether it should move forward with its Dublin, Ireland-based Allergan merger after the Obama administration implemented new rules on tax inversion. The merger between the two drug companies is valued at $160 billion and is the largest of its kind to date. Christ Hospital to build outpatient facility pending CON approval To build the center, Christ Hospital bought 15 acres of land from Brandicorp for $8.7 million. The state still needs to approve the outpatient center, as Kentucky is one of 36 states requiring a certificate-of-need. More healthcare news: 10 highest-& lowest-earning states for physicians Pfizer considers nixing $160B Allergan merger amidst new tax regulations 3 insights Physician shortage steeper than previous estimates 7 key findings on the AAMC 2016 report Florida health administrators agreed to settle a decade-long class-action lawsuit Tuesday that alleged state agencies broke federal law by failing to provide adequate funding for critical health services to children with Medicaid coverage, reports Miami Herald. Below are five things to know about the lawsuit. 1. Organizations representing state pediatricians and dentists, as well as individual plaintiffs, filed suit against three state health agencies in 2005 for failing to provide enough funding to support annual medical checkups and dental care to children covered by Medicaid. 2. The settlement released Tuesday comes nearly 15 months after U.S. Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The court agreed that Florida's history of low reimbursement payments to pediatricians and dentists acted as a barrier to healthcare access for low-income children. Florida's Medicaid reimbursement rates are among the lowest in the country and the state has a shortage of Medicaid specialists, according to Tampa Bay Times. 3. In 2011, Florida transitioned to a Medicaid managed care system. Under a now privatized Medicaid system, the settlement calls for steps aimed at increasing payments to physicians by requiring insurance companies to pay Medicare-equivalent rates to physicians that meet certain quality benchmarks. 4. The settlement requires the state to improve access to dental care to meet national standards and, if necessary, increase reimbursement rates to dentists. The state must also beef up its Medicaid enrollment efforts and meet certain medical benchmarks for its members during the next 2 and a half years, starting Oct. 1. 5. Finally, the settlement requires the state pay $12 million in legal fees and expenses to the plaintiffs who filed suit. Louisiana House Speaker Taylor Barras (R-New Iberia) filed legislation Tuesday that would allow the state to charge hospitals a fee to help pay for Medicaid expansion in Louisiana, according to The Times-Picayune. Under the bill, House Concurrent Resolution 51, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals will examine two key figures: the state share of the cost of expanding Medicaid and revenues generated from all inpatient and outpatient services provided by Louisiana hospitals. Under the legislation, hospitals will be required to pay either 5 percent of the state share of expanding Medicaid or 1 percent of patient service revenue, whichever dollar figure is less. The fee will be reassessed annually. The Louisiana Hospital Association expressed support for the legislation. "Louisiana hospitals are committed to supporting solutions, like HCR 51, that improve the stability of healthcare funding, protect patient services and ensure that high-quality care continues for everyone," Louisiana Hospital Association CEO Paul Salles told The Times-Picayune. More articles on healthcare finance: Banner Health operating income plummets 51.2% 139-year-old California hospital to close this month CBO releases analysis of Obama's 2017 budget: 5 healthcare takeaways Prescription pads are becoming a thing of the past. Health systems, hospitals, physicians and pharmacies are increasingly getting onboard with electronic prescribing. Here are 25 things to know about e-prescribing. The basics 1. E-prescribing is the process of using an electronic device to write, modify, review, send and communicate drug prescriptions, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. E-prescribing can occur at various levels of complexity, the final level being integration with an EHR. 2. Nine out of 10 pharmacies in the United States can accept electronic prescriptions. Additionally, 70 percent of physicians are e-prescribing using an EHR, according to the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT. 3. The market for e-prescribing is expected to reach a value of $887.8 million by 2019, according to a Transparency Market Research report. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 23.5 percent. Market drivers include cost savings, improved efficiency and accuracy. State mandates and adoption 4. By April 2014, more than 40 percent of physicians in all states were e-prescribing with an EHR, according to the ONC. 5. As of April 2014, here is the percentage of physicians e-prescribing, according to the ONC. 81 percent to 100 percent Indiana Kentucky Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire North Carolina North Dakota Oregon South Dakota Vermont Wisconsin 61 percent to 80 percent Alabama Arizona Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Maryland Michigan Mississippi Montana Nebraska New Mexico Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming 41 percent to 60 percent Alaska California Colorado Hawaii Nevada New Jersey New York 6. Minnesota enacted legislation in 2008 mandating providers and pharmacies begin e-prescribing by Jan. 1, 2011. Though the legislation is designed to increase e-prescribing adoption, there are no fines or penalties associated with noncompliance. 7. As of December 2013, 97 percent of chain pharmacies were e-prescribing in Minnesota, and 90 percent of the state's non-chain pharmacies were doing the same. 8. On March 27, New York legislation went into effect requiring all prescriptions to be submitted electronically. Unlike Minnesota's legislation, New York's e-prescribing mandate includes repercussions for noncompliance, which could be civil penalties, criminal penalties or fines. The legislation is the second part of the state's Internet System for Tracking Over Prescribing law, which first went into effect in 2013. 9. E-prescribing adoption varies depending on practice size. The majority of office-based physicians e-prescribing (50.1 percent) practice in groups of one to five physicians, according to the January 2015 Data Brief from Suresripts. Here are three quick state highlights from the report. More than half of e-prescribers (54.9 percent) are in practices with five or less physicians. In Wisconsin, 63.9 percent of e-prescribers are in larger practices. Utah had the highest overall increase in adoption at 10.5 percent. CMS and e-prescribing 10. E-prescribing was included in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. CMS first published standards for e-prescribing in November 2005. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/E-Health/Eprescribing/index.html?redirect=/Eprescribing/ 11. CMS launched an eRx Incentive Program in 2009. The program was designed to encourage eligible providers to adopt e-prescribing. The last year to earn an incentive payment through CMS' eRx Incentive Program was 2013, and 2014 was the last year to incur a payment adjustment through the program. Meaningful use and e-prescribing 12. Though the CMS eRx Incentive Program ended, electronic prescribing is included as measure in the meaningful use program. Step five to achieving MU Stage 2 requires that "more than 50 percent of all permissible prescriptions written by the EP are compared to at least one drug formulary and transmitted electronically using Certified EHR Technology." In Stage 1 of MU, the measure called for just 40 percent of prescriptions to done electronically. 13. In stage 3 of MU, the threshold for e-prescriptions was bumped up to 80 percent, according to HIMSS. E-prescribing and controlled substances 14. E-prescribing is seen as a way to decrease drug abuse and fraud. Through this type of system providers can track electronic prescriptions of controlled substances through prescription drug monitoring programs, according to the ONC. 15. New York leads states in the e-prescription of controlled substances, according to Surescripts. In New York, 27 percent of providers can electronically prescribe controlled substances. 16. The second phase of New York's I-STOP law banned paper prescriptions, but the first phase developed an online database detailing all controlled substances prescribed to a patient. Providers must check the database before prescribing a controlled medication to see if there are any concerning trends relating to the prescription of controlled substances. Since the implementation of the legislation, e-prescription adoption in the state jumped. Since March 1, the number of physicians in New York with the capability to electronically prescribe controlled substances jumped 28 percent. 17. In 2015, Vermont became the last state to allow electronic prescribing of all controlled substances. 18. The Drug Enforcement Agency legalized the e-prescribing of Schedule II to Schedule V controlled substances in 2010. Here are the number of pharmacies that accept e-prescriptions of controlled substances in each state, according to DrFirst's interactive E-prescribing of Controlled Substances Status Map. Alabama: 915 Alaska: 79 Arizona: 970 Arkansas: 500 California: 4,500 Colorado: 707 Connecticut: 587 Delaware: 184 District of Columbia: 108 Florida: 3,676 Georgia: 1,624 Hawaii: 135 Idaho: 228 Illinois: 1,890 Indiana: 1,075 Iowa: 554 Kansas: 473 Kentucky: 726 Louisiana: 925 Maine: 252 Maryland: 946 Massachusetts: 1,036 Michigan: 2,059 Minnesota: 709 Mississippi: 522 Missouri: 1,375 Montana: 124 Nebraska: 350 Nevada: 377 New Hampshire: 236 New Jersey: 1,627 New Mexico: 240 New York: 4,293 North Carolina: 1,708 North Dakota: 54 Ohio: 1,866 Oklahoma: 820 Oregon: 543 Pennsylvania: 2,219 Rhode Island: 182 South Carolina: 882 South Dakota: 105 Tennessee: 1,180 Texas: 4,212 Utah: 321 Vermont: 116 Virginia: 1,306 Washington: 874 West Virginia: 402 Wisconsin: 823 Wyoming: 103 Benefits and barriers 19. A study published in the Online Research Journal: Perspectives in Health Information Management examined the efficiency and accuracy of prescribing in the ambulatory setting. The study found e-prescribing benefits to include: Patient safety. E-prescribing can help eliminate adverse drug events related to medication prescriptions and filling. The study found error rates decreased from 42.5 per 100 prescriptions to 6.6 per 200 prescriptions. Efficiency. E-prescribing takes 20 seconds longer per patient than writing out a prescription, but overall time is saved, according to the study. The process becomes more efficient because prescribers spend less time clarifying issues, such as prior authorization and refill requests, with the patient and pharmacies. Cost savings. The study authors cite a Surescripts analysis that projects $140 billion to $240 billion in cost savings over 10 years. The cost savings would largely be due to increased medication adherence. Medication adherence. The study authors turned again to data from Surescripts, which found a 10 percent increase in patients picking up e-prescriptions compared to written prescriptions. 20. The study found e-prescribing barriers include: Cost. Implementing any new technology requires investment in the system itself and training. The majority of primary care physicians (80 percent) reported lack of financial support as a barrier to adopting e-prescribing, according to the study. System errors. Technology and its users are not infallible. Users can ignore alerts from the e-prescribing system. The system itself can experience hardware or software problems. Legal issues. E-prescribing involves the electronic transmission of data, which presents privacy concerns. Users must ensure patient information is not breached. Key players and vendors 21. Surescripts is a health information network partnered with more than 700 EHR applications used by approximately 900,000 healthcare providers and 1,000 hospitals covering 270 million lives. The network conducts more than 6 billion data transactions each year, including more than 1 billion e-prescriptions. 22. Surescripts has partnered with a number of major health IT vendors, such as Epic, GE Healthcare, MEDITECH and NextGen. 23. Last year, Surescripts partnered with Cerner and CVS to push for wider adoption of e-prescribing software. 24. Software solutions company DrFirst was one of the first companies to offer a certified solution to electronically prescribe for controlled substances. The company's EPCS Gold meets all DEA requirements and adheres to Surescript's certification requirements. 25. Software Advice published reviews of various e-prescribing software types. Here are 10 companies with the most reviews. HealthFusion MediTouch EHR Software 300 reviews 83 percent recommend the software NueMD 273 reviews 90 percent recommend the software PrognoCIS by Bizmatics 228 reviews 81 percent recommend the software Kareo 224 reviews 84 percent recommend the software Office Practicum 223 reviews 86 percent recommend the software Benchmark Sytems 154 reviews 93 percent recommend the software 2015 WRS Health 123 reviews 83 percent recommend the software ChiroTouch 120 reviews 81 percent recommend the software CareCloud 95 reviews 78 percent recommend the software AdvancedMD EHR and Practice Management Software 95 reviews 74 percent recommend the software http://perspectives.ahima.org/electronic-prescribing-improving-the-efficiency-and-accuracy-of-prescribing-in-the-ambulatory-care-setting-2/#.VwQWckfyqUk Here are 12 recent news updates on key health IT companies. 1. Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, Minn., is in its first week of implementing an Epic EHR. 2. The Department of Defense and the Defense Health Agency awarded RelayHealth, part of McKesson Technology Solutions, a $139 million contract to provide patient engagement and interoperable secure messaging solutions to the Military Health System. 3. Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital launched its Epic EHR over the weekend. 4. After a study of personal voice assistants from Apple, Samsung and Microsoft found the assistants did not appropriately or adequately respond to inquiries about violence, mental health and physical health, Apple has updated Siri's replies to such questions or comments. 5. A federal trial started Monday in Madison, Wis., over a 2014 lawsuit filed by Epic Systems alleging an Indian consultancy agency stole trade secrets from the EHR vendor. 6. Cerner, based in Kansas City, Mo., employs nearly 17,000 people. The health IT vendor could be facing a class action lawsuit over lack of overtime pay. 7. McKesson finalized the previously announced acquisition of Vantage Oncology and Biologics. 8. Kivney, an enterprise mobile backend-as-a-service platform provider, is collaborating with Google to bring a HIPAA-compliant mBaaS to the Google Cloud Platform. 9. Sentara RMH Medical Center in Rockingham County, Va., is finalizing preparations to launch its new Epic EHR. 10. The April 2 Epic EHR go-live at New York City Health + Hospitals took place as planned at two of the health system's hospitals. 11. The Cerner, Leidos and Accenture team won the Department of Defense IT overhaul contract in 2015, but there remain some concerns over the project. 12. Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom plans to implement Allscripts' population health management platform CareInMotion's dbMotion. More articles on health IT: 32 things to know about telemedicine King's Daughters' Health shut down computer systems after ransomware Locky encrypts files Judy Faulkner donates $900k to alma mater; Google's Verily brain drain; Allscripts, University Hospital expand contract through 2024 9 key health IT notes Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health has named Peter D. Banko president and COO, effective May 1. Here are five things to know about Mr. Banko. 1. Most recently, he was senior vice president, group executive officer and chief integration officer of Catholic Health Initiatives, based in Englewood. 2. During his tenure at CHI, Mr. Banko oversaw operations for the Arkansas, eastern Ohio and Tennessee markets, and provided transitional leadership for the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and east Texas markets. 3. Within the last two years, he supported the integration of St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, N.D., Sylvania (Ohio) Franciscan Health and CHI St. Luke's Memorial in Lufkin, Texas. 4. Prior to joining CHI, Mr. Banko was COO and vice president of CHRISTUS Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, Texas. 5. Mr. Banko earned a master's degree in health administration from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. More articles on executive moves: SSM Health names Kevin L. Lewis president of physicians' organization and ambulatory services in Oklahoma NYC Health + Hospitals appoints 4 executives: 14 things to know Gundersen names Dara Bartels new CFO: 5 things to know An investigative article published by ProPublica takes aim at The New England Journal of Medicine, compiling and amplifying many criticisms into one report that challenges the direction of what it dubs "arguably the best-known and most venerated medical journal in the world." NEJM has recently faced a considerable amount of criticism for some of its editorials, controversial articles, delayed responses to errors and its "paternalistic arrogance" toward dissenters, according to the report, suggesting the journal's quality may be deteriorating. However, its seasoned leader, Jeffrey Drazen, MD, whose 16-year tenure as editor-in-chief is one of the longest of any editor at a major medical journal says these controversies are not particularly unusual. Here are five things to know about the recent challenges NEJM faces, based on ProPublica'sfindings. 1. NEJM is under fire for an editorial that many readers felt opposed data sharing in clinical research. The editorial was authored by Dr. Drazen and a deputy editor, Dan Longo, MD. Perhaps the most controversial statement in the editorial was this: "There is concern among some front-line researchers that the system will be taken over by what some researchers have characterized as 'research parasites.'" These were people who used data from another study, though they were not involved in it, for their own ends, according to Drs. Drazen and Longo. The editorial triggered fierce criticism, "probably more than for anything else the Journal has done in many years, according to ProPublica. It even spawned an opposing editorial, "#IAmAResearchParasite" in Science and led Nobel Prize winner Barry Marshall, DSc, to voice opposition. Many saw Drs. Drazen and Longo's statements as detrimental to data sharing and the scientific process. 2. It has recently voiced unpopular opinions on conflicts of interest. In particular, the Journal ran a series of articles that said conflicts of interest in medicine and research are overblown, according to the report. Former NEJM editors took issue with this, writing in The BMJ, "Judges are expected to recuse themselves from hearing a case in which there are concerns that they could benefit financially from the outcome. Journalists are expected not to write stories on topics in which they have a financial conflict of interest," they wrote, according to the report. "Yet Rosenbaum and Drazen seem to think it is insulting to physicians and medical researchers to suggest that their judgment can be affected in the same way." Interestingly, as ProPublica notes, Dr. Drazen has his own conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical industry, which caused him to recuse himself from editing or selecting articles related to those conflicts for two years. He has also loosened NEJM's policy on conflicts of interest, allowing authors to write editorials or review medical literature relating to products if they had received no more than $10,000 from a single company, according to the report. 3. The organization is also accused of being too opaque. In particular, criticisms have compared the journal to The BMJ, which changed its policies and now requires underlying data be published with clinical trials. The BMJ also allows comments on all articles, rather than allowing editors to regulate discussion. Critics of NEJM say it has been rigid on transparency improvements. Additionally, it has been criticized for its dismissive responses for challenges to certain studies and its corrections process. 4. Lastly, the publication is criticized for its imperial attitude toward change and challenges. "They basically have a view that they don't need to change or adapt. It's their way or the highway," Eric Topol, MD, director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and chief academic officer at Scripps Health in La Jolla, Calif., told ProPublica. He also said, "Most people are afraid to say anything about the New England Journal because they're afraid they won't get something published there," adding, "That's part of this oppression." 5. Dr. Drazen defended NEJM in an interview with ProPublica. He said the publication aims to be accurate first and foremost, and some editorials are meant to be controversial to spark conversation, according to the report. He said NEJM publishes protocols and statistical analyses for all clinical trials, and also said the publication contacts authors whenever errors are found in studies and their responses are analyzed by statistical reviewers. Lastly, he did not feel the concerns that have been raised recently are out of the norm from any issues that have been raised in the past, according to the report. More articles on leadership and management: Expert panel named to consult National Cancer Moonshot How emotionally intelligent is the healthcare industry? Rise of the permanent interim executive Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services and health insurer UCare have signed a letter of intent to combine their operations. Under the agreement, UCare will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Fairview. UCare and PreferredOne will make up Fairview's health plan division. "This proposed combination mirrors a growing trend of payer/provider partnerships and has the potential to transform how healthcare is delivered and financed in Minnesota," said David Murphy, Fairview interim CEO. UCare President and CEO Jim Eppel also expressed excitement about the transaction. "Combining forces with Fairview and its extensive, high-quality provider network will enable us to pave the way for a truly value-based and integrated system which better serves Minnesotans now and into the future," he said. The organizations expect to finalize the transaction and receive regulatory approvals by mid-summer 2016. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: CHS acquires majority stake in Arkansas hospital HCA completes purchase of bankrupt Texas hospital Alpena Regional joins MidMichigan Health Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield, Mass., is facing lawsuits from 25 colonoscopy patients who say they were potentially exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in 2012 and 2013 through improperly disinfected equipment, according to the Boston Herald. According to attorney Robert DiTusa, nearly 300 patients at the hospital could have been exposed to the diseases. The Massachusetts Public Health Department found new endoscopes used in the patients' colonoscopies were being sanitized under protocol designed for older equipment, the Boston Herald reported. The hospital was independent in 2012 and 2013, but has since become part of Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health network. The patients were not informed about the possible exposure until January. As of April 6, Baystate said there is no evidence the endoscopes transmitted any illness, but 50 of the 300 patients have yet to be tested, according to the report. A woman recorded the conversations that took place while she was sedated for a medical procedure at a Texas hospital and was shocked at what she heard when she pressed play afterward. Ethel Easter of Houston decided to record her hernia surgery after her physician was rude to her when she scheduled the procedure. Ms. Easter told Fox26 she cried when her physician told her it would be two months before she could have the surgery. She became concerned when her physician snapped back at her, allegedly saying, "Who do you think you are? You have to wait like everybody else." When Ms. Easter went in for surgery she hid an audio recorder in her hair. Ms. Easter's surgery was performed at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital in Houston, which is operated by Houston-based Harris Health System. Operating room staff are heard on the recording making rude comments about Ms. Easter while she is sedated. A surgeon calls Ms. Easter "a handful" and is heard laughing about how upset Ms. Easter was when she was told how long she would have to wait to schedule her surgery. The surgeon also comments that he feels sorry for Ms. Easter's husband. OR staff also made derogatory comments about Ms. Easter's body. Laughter is recorded in the OR after a female voice, which Ms. Easter claims is that of an OR nurse, is heard saying, "Did you see her belly button?" On the audio recording a male OR staff member says to the anesthesiologist, "Precious meet Precious," which Ms. Easter claims is a reference to the overweight main character in the movie Precious. A spokesman for Harris Health System declined to comment to Fox26, citing patient confidentiality. However, in a letter to Ms. Easter, the system said it used the incident to remind physicians and OR staff to always be mindful of their comments. More articles on healthcare industry news: Ex-UnitedHealth CEO launches new insurance startup Is NEJM's reputation slipping? 5 things to know Healthgrades names 2016 patient safety, experience award recipients: 8 things to know Editor's Note: This story was updated April 7 to include the name of the hospital the surgery was performed at. Prior to discharge, a male patient at Newark, Del.-based Christiana Hospital walked out the main entrance and right into a silver Nissan Maxima Tuesday morning, stealing the car and fleeing the premises, according to a Delaware State Police report. State police found the man, 56-year-old Jeffrey Blauvelt, on Wednesday at a traffic stop near Lewes, Del., and he was taken into custody. Mr. Blauvelt was wanted by the state police for carjacking and theft of a motor vehicle, and by New Castle (Del.) County Police for reckless driving and offensive touching. When Mr. Blauvelt was found Wednesday, the state trooper reported he appeared to be under the influence of drugs, and so he was also charged for driving under the influence, according to the police report. Mr. Blauvelt was admitted to a medical facility and will be formally arrested for his charges once he is released. According to the original police report, Mr. Blauvelt left Christiana Hospital at 6:54 a.m. Tuesday morning and got into the driver's seat of the Nissan right after the driver, a 26-year-old female, exited the car. Another passenger, a 25-year-old male, attempted to stop Mr. Blauvelt, but was pushed away as Mr. Blauvelt fled, according to the report. No one was injured in the carjacking, and the victim's vehicle has been recovered and returned, according to the report. More news: Ex-UnitedHealth CEO launches new insurance startup Texas hospital OR staff recorded mocking sedated patient Florida settles 10-year-long Medicaid suit: 5 things to know What if your job paid you to sleep? Health insurer Aetna is doing just that, according to CNBC. CEO Mark Bertolini, who considers sleep incredibly important, created a program in 2015 that seeks to persuade employees to get more sleep. Through the program, Aetna employees track their sleep using various devices, including Fitbits. When they sleep seven or more hours each night for 20 nights in a row, Aetna will give them $25 per night. The maximum employees can earn is $500 a year. "Being present in the workplace and making better decisions has a lot to do with our business fundamentals," Mr. Bertolini said, according to the report. "You can't be prepared if you're half-asleep." Does getting more sleep make employees better workers? Aetna tested out its theory by asking Durham, N.C.-based Duke University to evaluate its wellness program, which also includes yoga and meditation initiatives. The study found there were "69 minutes more a month of [worker] productivity on the part of [Aetna] just investing in wellness and mindfulness," Mr. Bertolini said, according to the report. The insurer's CEO added that Aetna's wellness program and investment in employees could also ultimately boost revenue. As Aetna seeks to acquire Humana, some are left wondering what Humana is doing for the wellbeing of its employees. The Louisville, Ky.-based insurer's wellness rewards program, Humana Vitality, was launched in 2011, according to Louisville Business First. The program gives employees gift cards, fitness equipment and other prizes for making healthy decisions. When Humana tested the program on 8,000 employees, it found participants had fewer sick hours at work, lower health insurance claims costs and less emergency room visits. Robert Sheehy, former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, has co-founded a health insurance startup called Bright Health. The company will offer tech-enabled health insurance plans, with the first customers to be signed up for the 2017 plan year. "We are realigning the broken payer-provider relationship, focusing on the consumer and reimagining how technology can simplify the healthcare experience from beginning-to-end," said Mr. Sheehy, who serves as CEO of Bright Health. "Making that happen and starting a new health plan is no small feat, but we're confident we have the right team and model to create real and necessary change." The company's CMO Tom Valdivia, MD, previously served as chief health consumer officer of Definity Health, a UnitedHealth Group company. Bright Health President Kyle Rolfing is the co-founder and former CEO of Definity Health and RedBrick Health, a health technology and services company. The company has secured $80 million in series A funding, which it will use to support its nationwide rollout to the individual health insurance marketplace. More articles on payer issues: Land of Lincoln, UChicago Medicine mend ties Florida OIR approves Anthem's acquisition of Cigna's affiliates Anthem, Dignity partner for new tiered health plan Independence Health Group, the parent of Independence Blue Cross, reported a net loss of $54.4 million in 2015, down from net income of $69.2 million the year prior, according to The Inquirer. Independence saw revenue increase 4.7 percent year over year to $13.8 billion in 2015. However, its financial gains were offset by costs associated with the Affordable Care Act and increased costs for specialty drugs. Independence CFO Alan Krigstein told The Inquirer that the company's ACA-related taxes and fees increased to $263 million in 2015, up from $204 million the year prior. To stem future losses, Independence is focusing on new models of care, early intervention and negotiating more favorable rates with hospitals, according to the report. More articles on payer issues: Land of Lincoln, UChicago Medicine mend ties Florida OIR approves Anthem's acquisition of Cigna's affiliates Anthem, Dignity partner for new tiered health plan The number of people with diabetes around the world has increased fourfold over the last quarter-century, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday, according to The New York Times. Diabetes affected 422 million people in 2014. That figure represents 8.5 percent of the global population, up from 4.7 percent or 108 million in 1980. The WHO is calling for stronger measures to reduce risk factors for diabetes and improve treatment and care of the disease, which has increased in step with the rise of obesity rates. The United Nations health agency blamed growing consumption of high-sugar food and drinks for the increase, according to The New York Times. While diabetes has increased around the world, it affects lower- and middle-income people more often than wealthier populations, according to the report. Africa, the Middle East and Asia saw the highest increase, with rates doubling to 13.7 percent of the population, according to the report. The WHO's "Global Report on Diabetes" released Wednesday said diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths in 2012, and another 2.2 million deaths were caused by higher-than-optimal blood glucose levels. The report does not distinguish between Type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by deficient insulin production, and Type 2, in which the body uses insulin ineffectively and is often associated with obesity, according to the report. A coalition of more than 100 medical groups representing more than one million health professionals sent a letter to Congress Wednesday requesting funds for the CDC to research gun violence, according to The Guardian. The dearth of gun violence research at the CDC is the result of a rider on a 1996 bill which bars the organization from using funds to advocate or promote gun control. The rider is referred to as the "Dickey amendment" after former congressman Jay Dickey. Mr. Dickey has since called for the reversal of the law and the ban on gun violence research funding. In addition to calling for an end to the current interpretation of the "Dickey amendment," the letter presents three critical questions with accompanying sub-questions that CDC research could potentially help to answer. The three critical questions are: 1. What is the best way to protect toddlers from accidentally firing a firearm? 2. What are the most effective ways to prevent gun-related suicides? 3. What is the impact of the variety of state policies being enacted? The most recent letter is a continuation of pressure from the medical and public health communities directed at congressional legislators to end the prohibition on gun research. More articles on infection control: For those with chronic Lyme disease, long-term antibiotic treatment is not the answer Obama administration to allocate leftover Ebola funds to fight Zika outbreak Hepatitis C outbreak in Utah linked to former nurse To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below The London skyline, as the City of London Corporation backed developers of the Square Mile's tallest skyscraper The City of London has backed developers of the Square Mile's tallest skyscraper in a battle over the "right to light" with neighbouring buildings. The Corporation was approached by owners of the site at 22 Bishopsgate for help overcoming opposition from nearby building owners concerned their right to light would be blocked, that threatened to delay the development. The Planning and Transportation Committee voted through a proposal for the corporation to temporarily acquire the site on Tuesday, under a section of law allowing it to overrule "right to light" claims if those making them receive compensation. A local authority can make use of these powers - under Section 237 of the Town and Country Planning Act - to " assist delivery of developments which achieve public benefit". A report considered by the committee found the scheme would provide "a significant increase in flexible office accommodation and supporting the strategic objective of the Corporation to promote the City as the leading international financial and business centre". It said: "It is the view of officers that, given that negotiations which have been undertaken with affected owners, and, given that there are a large number of interests where agreement has not been reached, the conclusion to be reached is that absent engagement of Section 237, the development is unlikely to proceed, and certainly will not proceed within the timescale contemplated." The tower is set to be built on the site of the former Pinnacle development, which was granted planning permission in April 2006. Construction began but stopped four years ago when funds dried up , and in November 2015 t he city resolved to grant planning permission for the site's redevelopment The 62-storey, 912ft (278m) building will aim to provide 1.4 million sq ft of net usable space. A free public viewing gallery will crown the tower, and shops and services including restaurants, doctors and dry cleaners will be at the bottom. Developers hope to provide space for around 12,000 people and up to 100 companies, and it is estimated to open for business in 2019. A City of London spokesman stressed that section 237 powers were used "sparingly" and only "with careful consideration and after receiving the appropriate legal advice which we have done in this instance". They were used previously to allow the go-ahead of the Walkie Talkie building (20 Fenchurch Street), also in the City. He added: "In this instance, the view of the committee was that their decision was justified and this is a major development which will result in significant improvements to the local area, increased floor space and help create jobs." The plans must be given the final go-ahead by London Mayor Boris Johnson. Law firm Eversheds, which represents the affected owners, declined to comment. The Prime Minister's late father was reported to be among names - including those of six peers, three ex-Tory MPs and political party donors - named in relation to investments set up by Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca David Cameron has insisted he does not have "anything to hide" about his financial affairs after revealing he and his wife sold shares worth more than 30,000 in an offshore tax haven fund set up by his late father. The Prime Minister has faced intense pressure to detail his interests since the Panama Papers leaks included details of Blairmore Holdings - which used "bearer shares" to protect investors' privacy. In an interview with ITV News, he insisted it was a "fundamental misconception" that it was set up to avoid tax, saying his father Ian was being "unfairly written about". And he said that while his and Samantha's profit from the scheme was "subject to all the UK taxes in the normal ways" - it came to just below the threshold at which capital gains tax would have applied. Number 10 said Mr and Mrs Cameron bought their holding in April 1997 for 12,497 and sold it in January 2010 for 31,500. The annual personal allowance for an individual in 2009-10 was 10,100 - meaning jointly the profit was just outside the threshold. Mr Cameron, who has been a prominent campaigner for increased tax transparency, also repeated his willingness to publish his own tax returns. Downing Street later confirmed this will take place "as soon as possible". When questions first emerged this week about the PM's tax affairs, Downing Street initially said it was a private matter before first clarifying Mr Cameron had no offshore funds and trusts and then making clear the family would not benefit in the future either. Opposition MPs used the latest admission from Mr Cameron to criticise his reputation and handling of the issue, with Labour's John Mann suggesting the PM "has no choice but to resign". Tax evasion is not just illegal it's immoral.People evading tax should be treated same as common thieves.This agreement helps us tackle them George Osborne (@George_Osborne) October 29, 2014 Labour deputy Tom Watson suggested Mr Cameron should consider "voluntarily paying the money that, in his own words, should morally belong to the exchequer". He also said the PM may have to resign although added it is "too early to tell". Speaking to ITV, Mr Cameron said: "I paid income tax on the dividends, but there was a profit on it but it was less than the capital gains tax allowance, so I didn't pay capital gains tax, but it was subject to all the UK taxes in all the normal ways. "So I want to be as clear as I can about the past, about the present, about the future, because frankly, I don't have anything to hide. "I'm proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established and all the rest of it. "I can't bear to see his name being dragged through the mud, as you can see, and for my own, I chose to take a different path from my father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who were all stockbrokers, and I've got nothing to hide in my arrangements and I'm very happy to answer questions about it." Mr Cameron said it had been "a difficult few days" since the mass leak of records from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca as he launched a staunch defence of his father. He also said he was not able to "point to every source of every bit of the money" that his father left him when he died - which he said amounted to around 300,000. Pressed on whether he benefited from any part of the estate that was based in Jersey, he said: " Dad's not around for me to ask the questions now. But he was a very hardworking man. He built up a business. He left his house to my brother. He left me some money, and left things to my brothers and sisters, too. "And I think, you know, there's pretty good transparency about all of that. And as I've said, in the future I'm not benefiting from any Cameron family trust. At the moment I own no shares, no investments. I have savings." For Labour, Mr Watson told Sky News: " He may have to resign over this but I think we need to know a lot more about what his financial arrangements have been, why it's taken three days for him to answer legitimate questions from journalists, why he didn't come clean when he heralded in the new age of transparency, and what other shareholdings does David Cameron have or has had since he was a Member of Parliament." SNP economy spokesman Stewart Hosie said Mr Cameron has "played the public" over the issue, adding he must "come clean" on other tax-related issues. He said: "The public will understandably now find it hard to trust the Prime Minister." A leading rail union is advising its members to vote to leave the European Union to halt "attacks" on jobs and conditions. A leading rail union is advising its members to vote to leave the European Union to halt "attacks" on jobs and conditions. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union - which has a small membership in Northern Ireland - set out a series of arguments for Brexit, saying new EU rail policies were set to entrench rail privatisation, making it impossible to bring the industry back into public ownership. The union added that the EU has promoted undercutting and social dumping, leading to the "decimation" of UK seafarers, and was developing a new policy framework to attack trade union rights, collective bargaining, job protections and wages. Leaving the EU would put an end to austerity and halt the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade agreement, said the RMT. General secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT is proud to stand up for the tradition of progressive and socialist opposition to the European Union, an organisation wedded to privatisation, austerity and attacking democracy. "It would be frankly ludicrous for a union like ours to support staying in a bosses' club that seeks to ban the public ownership of our railways, attacks the shipping and offshore sectors and embraces the privatisation of the NHS and other essential services that our members depend on." The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (NIC-ICTU) has said it will be campaigning in favour of staying in the EU after consulting members. ICTU, which represents 34 unions, holds a delegate conference next Tuesday and Wednesday in Londonderry's City Hotel. Luxury Belfast five-star hotel The Merchant has posted a surge in profits to 1.27m, after suffering a loss a year earlier Luxury Belfast five-star hotel The Merchant has posted a surge in profits to 1.27m, after suffering a loss a year earlier. Turnover also increased to 11.7m in the period to June 30, 2015, rising slightly from 11.3m a year earlier, according to the latest accounts for Merchant Hotel Ltd. But it was its profits where the business experienced its biggest growth. It turned around a loss of more than 3m - due to write-downs - in the period to June 2014, instead posting pre-tax profits of 1.27m for the year to June 2015. The top-end luxury hotel is the jewel in the crown of the Beannchor group, run by businessman Bill Wolsey, which also owns a range of other bars and hotels. They include spots such as The National and The Dirty Onion, both located in Belfast city centre. James Sinton, group finance director, said the company was "very satisfied with the robust financial performance" of The Merchant. "Since then we have restructured and refinanced all banking facilities to place the company on an even more stable footing going forward." Loans relating to some of Beannchor's assets, including The Merchant, were sold by Ulster Bank to Goldman Sachs, two years ago. "We expect the year ahead to be challenging, with increased competition in Belfast, however, our focus will remain on providing the highest standard of product and service level and we feel this will continue to place us as the market leader here," Mr Sinton said. "Our wider group continues to have the confidence to expand in Belfast and this is reflected in Bullitt, our newest hotel concept, which will open its doors in Belfast city centre later this year." Job numbers at The Merchant are also on the up. Staff numbers during the year to June 2015 were 336, up from 328 a year earlier. Meanwhile, the latest accounts for one of Beannchor's subsidiaries, which runs a range of pubs, has shrunk its losses. Beannchor Properties LLP saw its losses reduce to 455,000 for the year to June 30, 2015. That was down from 870,000 a year earlier. It said the results were impacted by "impairment charges to the profit and loss account" of 1.25m. The overall Beannchor group is also expanding elsewhere in the city. And work has begun on its latest Belfast hotel, after it was given the green light last year. The new 4m 58-bedroom Bullitt hotel will create 100 new jobs when it opens its doors. The hotel will be on the corner of Victoria Street and Ann Street, at the old Lagan House building. Sajid Javid is returning to the UK after meeting Tata officials in India Steelworkers have been "encouraged" about efforts to save their jobs after hearing from the Business Secretary that Indian conglomerate Tata is planning to act responsibly over the sale of its UK assets. Sajid Javid visited the giant Port Talbot steelworks just hours after flying back to the UK from meeting Tata officials to press for time over the sale of its steel plants. He arrived at the site in a black chauffeur-driven Jaguar just before midday before he was locked in talks with workers and union officials for three-and-a-half hours. The minister was driven away without making any comment. Community union president Alan Coombs said he was encouraged by what the minister told managers and union representatives. "At the end of the meeting, the million-dollar question was 'what guarantees have we had from Mumbai?' I was very encouraged by what he said - that Tata are not going to forget about their values and they are going to be responsible sellers. They are going to give the appropriate time to get a buyer in. "There's no line in the sand when it has to be sold by. To me, that's a big plus. I don't want to work to a deadline to get someone in, although I know it can't be open-ended either. "I appreciate what Tata have done for us in Port Talbot over the years, but everybody understands that Tata is not a bottomless pit and they are not continuing with it. "It has been a very frustrating process, but there is some hope. A week or so ago it was the worst-case scenario. That seems like a million miles away now. There does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel - even though there is nothing concrete at the moment. "However, there is no doubt that the UK Government and Welsh Government are going to have to be part of any deal." Mr Javid visited Port Talbot last Friday after cutting short a business trip to Australia because of the crisis gripping the steel industry. He said before leaving Mumbai that Tata's sale process will start by Monday, although there was no set timeframe for it to be completed. Sanjeev Gupta, the head of Liberty House, the only company to publicly express an interest in Tata's plants, told the Press Association the process would take months. Mr Javid said Tata will allow a "reasonable amount of time" for the process to be completed. The minister stressed that the Government wanted to work with any prospective buyer, saying "a number" of people had already started coming forward. "I would like to see many more come forward when the formal process begins," he said. Mr Gupta said buying Tata's UK steel business was a "daunting" prospect, especially as the sale announcement was so unexpected. He told the Press Association he expected other companies to show an interest now that the sale process was about to formally start. "We have had very good interaction with the Government and unions but we now need a proper analysis, and work out many details." Mr Gupta said any buyer would have to "turn around" Tata's loss-making business and would not want to take on the huge pension liabilities. Tata would probably want to make progress on any sale within weeks, but Mr Gupta said he believed the process would take months. "We are interested and we now need to work out a business plan." Mr Gupta said Tata workers would have to be retrained and he still believed jobs could be saved, although he added it was time to "take a breather" to consider details of the sale. A Welsh Government spokesman said: "The First Minister of Wales met with Sanjeev Gupta of Liberty House Group this afternoon to discuss ways in which government could support any future purchaser of Tata's steelmaking operations in Wales. "It was a useful meeting and the First Minister reiterated his commitment to work closely with Mr Gupta and his team. They will keep in regular contact as discussions progress." :: A ceremony will be held at the Dalzell steelworks in Motherwell on Friday to mark the handover of the plant and its sister works at Clydebridge, Cambuslang, to Liberty House following its purchase from Tata. Staff at Tayto have been told that there could be up to 80 job losses at the Tandragee factory. Staff at Tayto have been told that there could be up to 80 job losses at the Tandragee factory. According to union Unite they have been informed of the likely job losses by management acting on behalf of the company's owners Manderley Food Group and they are now threatening strike action. The news comes as Tayto are celebrating 60 years of producing crisps and snacks in Northern Irealnd. Sean McKeever, Unite officer for production and packaging workers at Tayto in Tandragee said: Manderley Food Group appears intent on maximising their profits at Tayto regardless of the cost to the workforce. They have now informed Unite that they will be seeking eighty redundancies in the next few months. This is only the latest in a series of blows to workers. It comes only days after they attempted to justify not paying the new National Living Wage by counting a monthly bonus payment made entirely separate to the basic wage. This is disgraceful behaviour from a group who announced pre-tax profits for 2015 of more than seven million pounds. The four directors of this company, including the wealthy Hutchinson family members, were paid more than 1.7 million last year in director fees alone and their wealth was estimated in the 2016 Rich List at 67 million. This group appear intent on marking the sixtieth anniversary of Tayto in Tandragee with large-scale job losses and a squeeze on workers pay. This latest announcement leaves Unite with no option but to ballot our members for strike action. It is likely that any strike action will cause significant disruption to the production of Tayto crisps but also own-brand products for the multiples, Mr McKeever concluded. A spokesperson for Tayto said: While we are not currently in formal consultation with staff regarding redundancies at our Tandragee site, there is a strong possibility that we will have to consider this. "Two years ago Tayto Group had an outstanding year, which was reflected in the figures recently published, but this financial year has been more difficult and while things are picking up, business is down. We always experience a seasonal drop in the first few months of the year, but recovery has definitely been slower this year. "It is only five years ago that the company lost nearly 18million in one year and while in the last three years we have made a pre-tax profit totalling 17million, we have actually invested more than 18mlllion in capital expenditure. Production costs in Tandragee are considerably higher than at any of our other sites, which are all in England. Only 25million of our 180million turnover comes from Tandragee. In addition, much of our raw material cannot be sourced locally and has to be brought in from GB and beyond, it is processed at the County Armagh factory and then 60% of what we produce is shipped back for sale in GB. The Hutchinson family and Tayto Group management are based here. We are extremely proud to be part of a successful local company and of the Northern Ireland heritage of the Tayto brand and we have no intention of ceasing production at the Tandragee site. "However, it could be that in the future we will be forced to restrict production here to what is sold in Northern Ireland in order to ensure the continued success of the company and to make best use of our resources, in particular, the capacity we currently have in the more-economical GB plants. Newry and Armagh DUP Assembly candidate William Irwin said he is concerned at the prospect of jobs losses. Mr Irwin said: "This is a very worrying and deeply concerning development for Tandragee and the surrounding area. Tayto is an important local employer and many people in the town and surrounding rely on this large company for their livelihoods. "The Union has stated that up to 80 jobs could be lost and this would be a severe blow for the town and for those who would be directly affected. It is of absolute importance that Tayto revisit this matter and seek to find alternative measures to maintain the current staff compliment and avoid redundancies." Soldiers outside the Maze Prison after 38 republican inmates escaped in 1983 Unionists have blasted a planned film based on the Maze Prison escape, claiming that IRA inmates will be portrayed as "heroes". Thirty-eight inmates fled the maximum security facility in 1983 in the biggest jail breakout ever in the UK or Ireland. Nineteen were recaptured in a few days, but the rest got away. Warder James Ferris died of a heart attack after being stabbed. Two other warders were shot but survived. The escapees included Old Bailey bomber Gerry Kelly, now a Sinn Fein MLA, who went on to write a book about the escape. The DUP's Paul Givan accused film-makers of attempting to "romanticise the violence" of the mass breakout. It has emerged that an old prison in the Republic is being used as a site to shoot the movie. Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A soldier vaults his way into a garden near the M1 as a large-scale search operation gets under way for the Maze escapees The food lorry at the centre of the breakout Gerry Kelly in 1983 The Maze Prison where Gerry Kelly escaped from in 1983 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A soldier vaults his way into a garden near the M1 as a large-scale search operation gets under way for the Maze escapees The Irish-Swedish co-production is being funded by the Irish Film Board (IFB), Film Vast and RTE, with Cork County Council and Cork County Council Arts Offices providing regional support. It is being shot over a four-week period this month in the recently decommissioned Cork Prison and around Cork city and stars Irish actors Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Barry Ward. The movie has been described as "an exciting prison break story" by James Hickey of the IFB. Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Gerry Kelly in 1983 A soldier vaults his way into a garden near the M1 as a large-scale search operation gets under way for the Maze escapees The food lorry at the centre of the breakout The Maze Prison where Gerry Kelly escaped from in 1983 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gerry Kelly in 1983 However, Mr Givan hit out, saying that it will rub "salt into wounds" of the victims. "When Gerry Kelly authored the book on which this film is based it was clear there was no regard to either victims or to reconciliation. The advert for the launch of the book encouraged people to come along and listen to the lighter side of the 1983 H-Block breakout," he said. "There is no lighter side to the breakout for the family of James Ferris, who died following the escape, or those prison officers who were shot, stabbed or beaten. The producer of the film has talked about the 'big draw' of prison escape films like The Shawshank Redemption and Cool Hand Luke. "With comments like that, it is abundantly clear that not only will the violence of the escape be romanticised, but the terrorists who perpetrated it will clearly be portrayed as the heroes of the piece. Witnessing a Gerry Kelly vanity project on the big screen can only rub salt into wounds which are still fresh." The mass escape was described at the time by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as "the greatest incident in British prison history". The son of an IRA victim has also criticised the Irish Government for allowing the jail to be used as the filming site. Austin Stack, son of murdered Chief Prison Officer Brian Stack, said he was "sickened to the core" that the Irish Prison Service would be involved in such a project. Kenny Donaldson of campaign group Innocent Victims United backed Mr Stack's call for the Minister of Justice to intervene. He said: "We have today written to the RoI's Minister of Justice to plead with her to do the right thing and step in to halt State acquiescence with a project which will have the impact of glamorising terrorism. "Those involved in the Maze Prison break were convicted terrorists and many of them once they escaped went on to commit further acts of terror against their neighbours. "The Justice Minister must do right by the Stack family and all other Prison Service officers who have endured physical and psychological injury as a consequence of terrorism." Sinn Fein was asked for a comment, but said it wouldn't comment on a film it hadn't seen. When avid race- goers and style queens Emma Hanratty from Co Armagh and Yvonne McAvoy from Co Tyrone lifted the top prizes for their attire at two of the most prestigious events in the horse racing calendar, we wanted to find out a little more about their winning fashion. Emma Hanratty (25), from Crossmaglen, is a seasoned competitor when it comes to enjoying a day at the races. Together with her friends, the Co Armagh mum-of-one goes all out to claim a prize or a place in the best dressed competitions at the race events. Of course, it helps tremendously when her future mother-in-law, Rosie Farrell, owns one of the province's leading boutiques, Rosie's Closet in Newry - where Emma has her pick of over 1,500 dresses. Having won the Dundalk races best dressed title in July, Emma was a sure bet to get noticed at Fairyhouse Racecourse over Easter when a record number of would-be fashionistas signed up to compete for the best dressed crown. "The theme was Centenary Glamour, reflecting 100 years of fashion in Ireland, so I instantly knew I wanted something emerald green," explains Emma, who wowed the judges in a stunning green and gold dress and matching cape and head piece from Millinery by Mairead's in Silverbridge. "I saw the dress in the shop and then I had a cape made to match it - with 5 gold lace which I bought from eBay. My shoes were from Penneys so it was very much mix and match," she reveals. She thinks her lucky charm this time round was her four-year-old son Oliver who was attending the races along with his mum, and dad, Shane Farrell (25), for the first time. "This was the first time we brought Oliver along - and I won - which was fantastic," adds Emma, who collected a 6,500 voucher for Carton House as her prize. As well as helping out in the shop in Newry, Emma also works as a hairdresser and admits she is obsessed with fashion. "I think working in an industry where you help people to look good, you want to look good yourself. I love style and shop in boutiques as well as the high street. I love River Island and Topshop and, of course, am a big fan of Penneys." Emma is already searching the racks in Rosie's Closet to find her outfit for an outing at Aintree next week, which she will attend with Shane's sister Kirsty. "If I hadn't won I'd have worn the green again. Now, though, everyone has seen it so I have to look for something different," she reveals. "I think Northern Ireland has definitely upped the stakes in fashion. We can hold our own in other areas now and stand out. There are so many fabulous independent shops here and so much choice. "At the races you tend to see the same faces competing all the time. It is great craic and a fabulous day out - and the style is unbelievable," adds Emma, who has been placed in the top three best dressed at Fairyhouse last year and also in the top 10 at Cheltenham. "It is also a great opportunity for us girls to showcase the style available at Rosie's Closet." When she is not competing at the races, Emma has a busy life as a working mum. She admits she wouldn't be able to do it without the support of her mum Maria, who she still lives at home with. "My mum is fantastic and working in the shop, Oliver gets to come back and forward with me. I only work four days so I have a good balance as I am at home with him for three days a week. Shane and I have been together for six years and we had Oliver four years ago, but he still hasn't got round to proposing. We are trying to get a house this year so maybe something will happen then," she jokes. What is certain is you can bet she will be one stylish bride. Almost 250,000 is being spent on removing asbestos from Crumlin Road Gaol, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. It is understood that the tourist attraction will remain open while the work, which is in a section of the building closed to the public, is carried out. The Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), which is responsible for the building, said the work would not affect an area occupied by the Belfast Distillery Company. The firm, owned by lottery millionaire Peter Lavery, is building a distillery in the former prison. Before the asbestos work started, a tender was issued for the job, which was valued at 235,000. A spokesman for OFMDM said the work was due to be completed soon. "Since taking over the Crumlin Road Gaol, OFMDFM has undertaken extensive testing and remediation work," he added. The spokesman said the area where the asbestos clear-up is being carried out is not accessible to the general public and there is no risk to visitors. "The need for unforeseen remediation during construction projects is fairly common in buildings like the gaol that are over 170 years old. "OFMDFM did tender in October 2015 for services to remove trace amounts of asbestos found in an area of the gaol not accessible by the public, as safety is our priority. This was not in the area occupied by Belfast Distillery Company." The spokesman also warned that while work was due to finish soon, "the need for further remediation is anticipated as restoration of the gaol moves forward". Since it was reopened to the public for tours in 2009, following a sell-out success a year earlier, Crumlin Road Gaol has become one of Belfast's top tourist sites. The Grade A Listed building, which dates back to 1845, closed its doors as a working prison during 1996. During its 150 years as an active prison, it played host to a number of famous inmates. Among them were politicians from across the sectarian divide, including Eamon De Valera, Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson. The layout of the prison, designed by Charles Lanyon, was based on London's Pentonville. Aside from regular tours and paranormal night visits to the jail, it also plays host to live gigs, including those with a prison theme, such as a tribute to Johnny Cash's famous Folsom Prison concert. During the lifetime of the prison, a total of 17 men were executed by hanging. Their bodies were subsequently buried within the building's walls. Among those hanged was Robert McGladdery, who became the last man executed in Northern Ireland in 1961. Irish league side Bangor FC is facing a High Court battle for survival over alleged outstanding debts. A winding-up petition has been issued against the Championship One club in connection with the installation of a 3G pitch. In court on Thursday a judge agreed to a two-week adjournment, but suggested proceedings could be approaching "the end of the line". Proceedings against the Seasiders centre on work carried out at their re-branded Bangor Fuels Arena. The club opened a new all-weather training surface at the Clandeboye Park ground in 2013. It was hoped the pitch would generate additional revenue for a club that was founded in 1918 and who enjoyed Irish Cup success back in 1993. Contractor TAL Civil Engineering is reportedly behind the petition due to outstanding debts for its work on the project. Ahead of Thursday's hearing Bangor issued a statement expressing confidence that a resolution securing the its future would be reached. A lawyer representing the club acknowledged in court there was "some concern" over the debt. She said she had been instructed to seek an adjournment for time to advise her client. Master Kelly questioned the lack of steps taken to prevent the petition being issued. "To approach it in terms of any question or dispute is going to be very difficult for the company," she said. Pointing out that proceedings were advertised, she added: "It's really the end of the line." However, the Master agreed to put the case back for further instructions. The winding-up petition will be heard again in two weeks time. The abortion drug Mifepristone 'blocks the hormone that makes the lining of the womb suitable for the fertilised egg' according to the NHS website Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon. The protest was hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon. The protest was hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 7/4/2016 Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon , The protest was Hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network , Due to Women appearing in court, relating to abortion laws in Northern Ireland. On Monday A woman was given a suspended prison sentence after buying drugs to terminate her pregnancy. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon. The protest was hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon. The protest was hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Protesters outside the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday afternoon. The protest was hosted by Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker A protest against the prosecution of a Northern Ireland woman who bought abortion drugs online has been held outside the Public Prosecution Service in Belfast. The 21-year-old woman, who cannot be named due to a court order, bought drugs on the internet to induce a miscarriage after failing to raise enough money to travel to England for a termination. On Monday she was handed a suspended prison sentence after her former housemates reported her to the PSNI. A barrister for the woman told Belfast Crown Court that had his client lived in any other region of the UK, she would "not have found herself before the courts." The ' Not a Criminal' protest began at around 5.30pm on Thursday evening in Chichester Street and was organised by the Alliance for Choice and Belfast Feminist Network. The protest follows a similar rally held by the Berlin-Irish Pro Choice Solidarity outside the British Embassy in Berlin on Tuesday. The group said on Facebook: "How many people were disgusted by Trump's comments about how women seeking abortions should be punished? Well, this is actually happening right now in Northern Ireland! "That women, people, are still being punished for attempted self-induced abortions in states where abortion is banned is an appalling state of affairs in 2016. " Read More Read more Read More Drugs bought online The woman bought two types of drugs online, took them then miscarried on July 12, 2014. She appeared in court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to two charges - namely procuring her own abortion by using a poison, and of supplying a poison with intent to procure a miscarriage. Handing the woman a three-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, Judge David McFarland spoke of the difference in legislation surrounding abortion in Northern Ireland, compared to England, Scotland and Wales. The Belfast Recorder also spoke of the potential dangers of taking these drugs, which are readily available on the internet but which should only ever be taken under medical supervision. Prior to sentencing, Crown prosecutor Kate McKay said that on July 20, 2014 police were contacted by the woman's housemates and were made aware that she had bought drugs online which had induced a miscarriage on July 12. Mrs McKay said that when the woman moved into the house in May 2014, she told her two housemates that she was pregnant but that she was trying to raise the money to travel to England for a termination. However, after she was unable to raise enough money, she contacted an abortion clinic in England for advice. She claims that she was told by the clinic about two drugs - mifepristone and misoprostol - that were available on the internet and which would induce a miscarriage. Defence barrister Paul Bacon said his client's prosecution highlighted the difference in legislation between here and the rest of the UK. He told the court "had she lived in any other jurisdiction, she would not have found herself before the court", adding she felt "victimised by the system." Regarding the incident, Mr Bacon that at that time the woman was living in Belfast with people she barely knew and when she fell pregnant she felt "isolated and trapped ... with no-one to turn to." Mr Bacon said the drugs she took were normally administered under medical supervision only, meaning that she put her own health at risk. He branded her actions as "a 19-year old who felt trapped" and who turned to "such desperate measures." The barrister concluded by revealing the woman is now 21, has a new baby with her partner and is "trying to put her life back together again." Northern Ireland legislation 150 years old Before passing sentence, Judge McFarland said there were no guidelines or similar cases to compare this to, adding in his experience there have been no other prosecutions under this specific piece of legislation - namely Section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Judge McFarland said the legislation was 150 years old and had been substantially amended in England, Scotland and Wales but not in Northern Ireland. Acknowledging that as a UK citizen the woman could legally have travelled to England for a termination, Judge McFarland said that the advice given by the clinic "without knowledge of her background and details was perhaps inappropriate". He also said that while there are agencies in Northern Ireland that give advice on such issues "unfortunately they are part of a polarised debate that can be part of a more toxic debate." Prosecution 'in public interest' Prosecutors in Northern Ireland have insisted it was in the public interest to bring a case against a woman found guilty of buying drugs online to abort her unborn child. The maximum penalty for the crime of administering a drug to induce miscarriage under the relevant law in Northern Ireland, namely the Offences Against The Person Act 1861, is life imprisonment. Across the border in the Irish Republic, the offence of procuring an abortion carries a potential 14-year jail term. The case has sparked a fresh row about abortion laws in Northern Ireland. Both sides of the ever divisive debate have criticised the outcome, though for very different reasons. While pro-choice campaigners have denounced the prosecution, pro-life advocates have insisted the sentence was too lenient. The Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service said the case met the evidential threshold and its pursuance was in the public interest. "The test for prosecution has two elements," said a PPS spokesman. "It involves an assessment as to whether the available evidence provides a reasonable prospect of conviction - and also whether prosecution is in the public interest. "In this particular case it was decided, having carefully considered all of the relevant evidence and information, that both elements of the test for prosecution were met. A range of factors were relevant to the balancing of the public interest, including the important fact that the law in Northern Ireland makes the conduct in question a serious criminal offence in respect of which a conviction carries the potential of a significant custodial sentence." Amnesty International 'appalled by conviction' Amnesty's Northern Ireland director, Patrick Corrigan, said: "A woman who needs an abortion is not a criminal. The law should not treat her as such. "This tragic case reveals, yet again, that making abortion illegal does not stop women in Northern Ireland needing or seeking terminations. "Those who can afford it travel to England for the treatment they need - over 1,000 women make that journey from Northern Ireland every year. Those that can't afford it, as appears to be the situation in this case, may take medication in an attempt to terminate their pregnancy - without medical supervision or support." Anti-abortion group calls for appeal Pro-life campaign group Precious Life has called for an appeal against the sentence, alleging it was unduly lenient. Precious Life director Bernadette Smyth claimed the judge had seriously undermined the legislation. "The woman in this case accepts that she committed a crime by procuring her own abortion by purchasing abortion pills online," she said. "Precious Life is very shocked that this judge's sentencing was so manifestly lenient in respect of such a serious crime, and is very concerned that this court judgment could set a very dangerous precedent for similar cases." Ms Smyth said her group would be writing to Northern Ireland Attorney General John Larkin and Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory in an effort to have the case referred to the Court of Appeal. A Belfast man who was arrested for rioting after tagging himself as being at the trouble on social media was handed a two-year sentence after appearing in court. Robert Darragh, from Hopewell Crescent in the Shankill area of the city, was arrested by police after tagging himself twice as being present during serious street disorder which broke out in the Woodvale/Twaddell area last July. He will spend half his sentence in prison, with the remainder of the sentence served on licence when he is released from custody. Trouble flared in the area following a Parade Commission's determination not to allow a loyalist flute band to pass by the nationalist Ardoyne shop fronts area on July 13. A total of 29 police officers were injured during last year's rioting after police lines were pelted with masonry, bricks, bottles and other items, with one officer almost losing an ear. Crown prosecutor Simon Jenkins told Belfast Crown Court that 21-year old Darragh was captured on CCTV in the area for around an hour and a half that evening. The prosecutor said Darragh was observed "on numerous occasions" throwing various items at police lines. He was also seen on CCTV footage throwing around 11 items from an overturned wheelie bin at officers. The court heard that during the riot, Darragh covered his face and had his hood up in a bid to disguise his appearance. However, he was pictured sitting on a wall with his face uncovered prior to involving himself in the riot. Mr Jenkins said that following the riot, police trawled through social media and discovered that Darragh had tagged himself as the man sitting on the wall, and had again tagged himself as one of the males rioting on the Woodvale Road. When he was arrested and interviewed, Darragh said he had been drinking heavily and whilst he admitted he was in the area, he said he couldn't remember throwing anything at police. At that stage, Darragh also admitted being the man sitting on the wall and "didn't admit" being the man rioting - despite the two images showing a man wearing identical clothes. He subsequently admitted a single charge of rioting. Defence barrister Michael Boyd said that most of the large crowd that gathered in the area that evening were "completely passive" but accepted that his client was "one of a handful of individuals in front of that crowd involved in throwing missiles at police lines from a short distance." Mr Boyd added there was "nothing to suggest any police officer was injured as a result of anything" Darragh did. The barrister said that when questioned by police about his involvement, Darragh made the case that he couldn't remember as he had been on a three-day binge. He also expressed shame for his actions during police interview, with Mr Boyd revealing that Darragh's family were "appalled and disgusted by his actions." Mr Boyd concluded by saying Darragh "does not have a sectarian bone in his body" but rather last July he "allowed himself to get caught up with a group of people he knew" which resulted in him acting in an "outrageous way." Passing sentence, Judge Gordon Kerr QC said Northern Ireland has been "plagued" by riots which result in both police officers sustaining injuries and those responsible being sent to jail. A freeze on recruitment and promotion in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) has been lifted more than a year after it was imposed. It came as a union representing civil servants said the loss of nearly 3,000 personnel with "thousands of years of expertise" under public service reform had placed the organisation under considerable pressure. Alison Millar, general secretary of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa), is now seeking a meeting with the head of the NICS, Dr Malcolm McKibbin, to discuss what the move means for its members. Dr McKibbin, who announced the end of the freeze on Monday, explained it had been lifted because of "the impact of the voluntary exit scheme (VES) and departmental restructuring". He said it was "vital that we are in a position to fill future vacancies as they arise". Dr McKibbin reminded staff the recruitment and promotion ban had been intended to help departments live within their budgets during restructuring plans in line with public service reform announced at the time of Stormont House Agreement. The VES scheme has resulted in the shedding of just under 3,000 jobs. But civil servants hoping for a quick promotion after waiting patiently since November 2014 might not see their dreams come true quite as quickly as they might have hoped. In his communique to staff, Dr McKibbin said: "I would, however, stress that this decision, whilst very welcome, is unlikely to result in significant numbers of staff being posted quickly from existing lists. Nor is there likely to be an immediate high volume of new recruitment/promotion competitions." Ms Millar commended the news as a "welcome development", but said that much remained to be clarified. "Nipsa is acutely aware of the impact VES has had on members, and with almost 3,000 posts out of the system this is having a significant impact on the delivery of service," the general secretary added. "Members are reminded that this is a health, safety and wellbeing issue and members should not take on additional work because of the impact of VES." Further elaborating on the union's concerns, Ms Millar said: "There was just short of 3,000 staff who left under the VES since last September, with the rest leaving by June. "Our argument is that it's unrealistic if there are more than 10% of staff who have exited the service, taking with them thousands of years of experience and expertise." 3,000 Approximate number of civil servants to have left under the VES scheme Chelsea McGarry,17, who has been missing since Tuesday March 29 along with Daire McIlroy, 21 (PSNI/PA) Police are becoming increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of two young people from Co Armagh. Seventeen-year-old Chelsea McGarry and Daire McIlroy, 21, have been missing since Tuesday, March 29. They are believed to be in each other's company and were seen at Dublin Airport last weekend. Chelsea is described as about 5ft 2in, of slim build with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. When last seen she was wearing a gold, quilted jacket. Daire is around 5ft 4in, of medium build with dark brown hair, green eyes and tattoos on his neck and arm. When last seen he was wearing a navy Adidas tracksuit. Police have appealed for the pair or anyone with information to contact officers at Craigavon on 101. Anyone calling from the Republic of Ireland is asked to phone 44 28 9065 0222. A shamed former care worker defrauded a vulnerable elderly couple out of 1,000 after telling them she needed a new car, a court was told yesterday. Louise McAllister took advantage of the good relationship she had built up with the pair she cared for by asking for the money, then driving them to a building society to withdraw it. A judge said there was "something deeply chilling" about the 42-year-old accepting the sum from a man aged 100, who has since died, and his elderly wife who has dementia. The mother-of-three, from Cedric Street, Larne, appeared at Antrim Crown Court after previously admitting fraud by abuse of position. The charge stated that on August 11, 2014, while occupying a position in which she was expected to safeguard or not to act against the financial interests of the man and woman, namely as a domiciliary care worker employed by Admiral Care Services, she dishonestly abused that position in "accepting 1,000 cash from them" which was never repaid, with the intention to make a gain for herself. Prosecution counsel Michael Chambers said another care assistant heard what had happened, and that the company directors, who later repaid the elderly couple, contacted the police. He also told how an employment handbook strictly prohibited staff from entering into financial transactions with any of their clients. The elderly couple said McAllister constantly mentioned to them that she needed a new car but did not have enough money to buy one. It was also revealed that the pair agreed to hand over the money after she visited them on her day off. McAllister, who had a previously clear criminal record, admitted to police that she accepted the money. And while she claimed she had never actually asked for it, she agreed it amounted to an abuse of position. The court was told that while victim impact statements could not be obtained from the elderly couple, a neighbour of the pair said the incident badly affected the husband, who felt "let down". Defence barrister Neil Moore told the court his client said the money was only a loan, and that 420 had been paid back, with the other 580 with a solicitor. He said the money was for repairs to McAllister's car rather than a new one, and added there was no evidence his client had "browbeaten" the couple. Mr Moore also insisted the defendant intended to repay the money and defended McAllister as someone who had cared for the couple for six months and who had built up a genuine bond with them. The barrister detailed the effects of the crime on his client, claiming she was "almost unemployable" and had been "ostracised" by her local community. He told how McAllister had withdrawn family members from an Irish dancing competition because she could not face the public because of her crime, adding she was not eating well and had lost weight since the incident. Concluding, he claimed his client had expressed genuine regret. However, Judge Desmond Marrinan said McAllister had a duty of care to the couple but had taken advantage of them. He added: "There is something deeply chilling about someone who takes advantage of two very elderly people, one of whom has dementia". Describing how he found it "hard to contemplate" that McAllister had taken the pair to the building society to get the cash, he added: "The victims in this case were old people, completely defenceless, and relied on her for support. If we cannot treat people who have lived their lives and deserve to be treated fairly, what is to become of us?" Warning there was a risk of jail over the "very troubling" case, Judge Marrinan adjourned sentencing until next week so he could reflect on the matter. McAllister was released on bail and left the court without commenting. A call has been made to allow all taxis to use the bus lanes. Northern Ireland's biggest taxi firm has called for all taxis to be allowed to use the bus lanes, given a current review of the regulations around their use. The Department of Environment has introduced new reforms on how taxis are licensed which comes into force on May 31. As part of the reform taxis will all have meters and receipt printers - which many drivers and firms have criticised with some saying it will drive up costs for customers and put some out of business. However, in a bid to combat the lack of available taxis over the weekends, previously private hire cabs will be allowed to pick up passengers who hail them from the street during those peak times. The new public hire element of the legislation change means the Department of Regional Development is having to review the laws on which vehicles can use Belfast's contentious bus lanes. Currently black taxis can use the bus lanes as they are public hire vehicles. Fona Cab owner William McCausland - who also speaks on behalf of Value Cabs on the matter - said if any taxi is allowed to use the bus lanes it should be "all or none at all". And if a review is underway then that change needs to be made, he said. Mr McCausland told the Belfast Telegraph: "Our position is, and it has been for a long time, you can't have one public hire vehicle allowed to use the bus lanes and not another. "It could mean the difference between a one minute journey compared to a seven or eight minute journey to get to a customer for us. "We use GPS and the customers can see the car that may be closer to them, but with Belfast the way it is, it may not be the one that we can get to them the quickest. "If we could use the bus lanes it would mean improved journey times and be cheaper for the customers and allow drivers to get around the town much quicker." Recently Fona Cab bought over East Belfast Taxis to take its fleet to over 670, making it Northern Ireland's biggest firm. William, whose family have been in the taxi business since the 1930s, added: "We are in the ludicrous situation that if a customer stands outside a hotel that runs by a bus lane and flags us down, the drivers can't stop in the bus lane to pick them up. "If they are to look again at who can use the bus lanes, our view is that taxis are public hire vehicles and as such should be allowed to use the lanes." Mr McCausland said it would have been "common sense" to bring in both the taxi reforms and the bus lane changes at the same time. One taxi driver - who asked not to be named - said the bus lanes meant he and other drivers were in the "ludicrous" situation of having to sail past tourists outside hotels and being unable to stop for them. He said: "What a welcome it is for people visiting Belfast, you can't pick up someone outside a hotel because of the bus lane. "They restrict my ability to work. "And the whole point is that the new reforms will make it easier to get a taxi on a Saturday night. "It won't - the problem is that every pub and club in the city chucks everyone out at the same time. It's a change to drinking laws that we needed." A spokeswoman for the DRD said a study was ordered last month into how the taxi reforms will affect access to the bus lanes for taxis. That study is intended to help quantify the effect on bus journey times should all taxis be allowed into bus lanes. No decision on whether future access arrangements will change has been taken, the study will purely help inform future decision making. She said that given the sign-off of the taxi reforms by the Assembly in February there was little time to have in place a decision ahead of the dissolution of the Assembly at the end of March. However, it's hoped that a decision on what changes, if any, will be made prior to the introduction of the reforms on May 31. DRD officials are determining the extent of work needed which will dictate the timescale. The DRD spokeswoman added: "Currently two types of taxi are permitted to use bus lanes during their hours of operation where this is indicated on the adjacent bus lane signs. "These are Belfast Public Hire Taxis, which operate under a yellow plate, and Taxi-Bus services which operate under a white-and-blue plate. "Both are permitted access as they operate in a similar fashion to public transport being able to be hailed and pick up passengers on street. The DOE legislation - The Taxi Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, will come into operation on 31 May 2016 and this will see the taxi licensing definitions change with taxis being classified as class A, B, C or D. This will require DRD to amend its bus lane orders and as part of this process, the department will consider which classes of taxi will in future be permitted to use bus lanes. The minister has therefore asked that a study be carried out to determine the impact from taxis using bus lanes would have on bus journey times. The department is presently organising a study to gauge the potential impact of the new taxi classes on the operation of bus lanes. For a period of time after the changeover at 31 May 2016, the two types of taxi currently permitted to use bus lanes will continue to meet the definitions contained in DRD bus lane orders, until such times as they are relicensed. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's newest taxi operator, the global giant Uber, said its vehicles will be classed under the new Class C licence which means cars can only be pre-booked. The company, which only launched in Belfast in December, said it would have to review its Northern Ireland operations in response to the reforms. Its Class C Licence means Uber drivers will not will not need roof signs or meters and printers and passengers can continue to use its app to book taxis and receive an emailed receipt. Kieran Harte, general manager for Uber Belfast, said: "Uber has been incredibly popular since we launched in Belfast just a few months ago. Thousands of people across the city have used our app to get an affordable ride at the push of a button. Following discussions with the Department of Environment were delighted that we can continue using our technology to innovate and help get people from A to B. Booking a trip through our app is not only convenient but safe too as every journey is recorded and passengers get the name, photo and registration number of their licensed driver in advance too. We believe this new licence type will encourage new drivers to enter the industry which will help create new economic opportunities and grow our service across Northern Ireland. Uber launched in Belfast in December 2015. It operates in over 15 towns and cities throughout the UK and 400 worldwide. Anne and John Darwin, the husband and wife who faked Johns death in a canoeing accident to claim life insurance An eight-year mystery over the disappearance of a Northern Ireland man in New Zealand has taken a fresh twist. Police have reopened their investigation into the case of Matthew Alexander Hamill. Mr Hamill, originally from Northern Ireland, went missing in October 2008. He was last seen near Queenstown, a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. At the time it was thought he had killed himself, after his car was discovered with a suicide note inside. But the case took a bizarre twist a year later when police said they were not convinced that Mr Hamill was dead. Now it can be revealed that Queenstown Police have reopened their investigation. Officers have appealed for anyone who has seen Mr Hamill since October 2008 to contact them. Mr Hamill was 59 when he went missing, and was married with a family. It is understood he left Northern Ireland at a young age and was well-travelled. He was a manager at one of the country's most exclusive resorts. When he disappeared on October 29, 2008, he left a suicide note in his unlocked car. Extensive land and river searches took place, but his body was never found. On the morning of his disappearance, Mr Hamill had gone to work at the exclusive Millbrook resort, where he was food and beverage controller. The last confirmed sighting of him was that afternoon, purchasing weed killer from a local store. His silver Mitsubishi Diamante was found unlocked at the Roaring Meg power station lookout. "Inside was a note indicating he was going to take his own life and some personal items were found by the bank of the river," Detective Matt Jones of Queenstown police said at the time. It is believed the weed killer was also found at the river bank. Staff at Millbrook said there was no hint of what was going to happen in the days leading up to his disappearance. In December 2009, police reopened investigations into his death amid suspicions that he could still be alive. There had been no sightings of Mr Hamill and no activity in his bank accounts since his disappearance. However, this week Detective Jones, of Queenstown police CIB, released a statement appealing for help in tracing him. "Indications from the area where he went missing are that Mr Hamill took his own life, however his body has not been recovered," the release said. "Enquiries revealed Mr Hamill appeared to travel on a regular basis to Oamaru. He also has ties in Auckland and in Vietnam. "Queenstown Police are interested to hear from anyone with information on Mr Hamill's disappearance and anyone who believes they may have sighted him after October 30, 2008." The case has echoes of the 'canoeist' case in England. Former teacher and prison officer John Darwin turned up alive in December 2007, five years after he was believed to have died in a canoeing accident. He faked his death to claim life insurance money and planned to move with his wife to Panama. A missing teenage girl and a man from Craigavon who were last seen in Dublin airport have been found safe and well, police have said. Chelsea McGarry (17) and Daire McIlroy (21) had been missing since Tuesday, March 29. Chelsea and Daire were believed to be in each others company and were seen in Dublin Airport at the weekend. On Tuesday, police said they had been found safe and well. Rat traps have been placed around the City Hall after an infestation of the rodents Rat traps have been placed around the City Hall after an infestation of the rodents Rat traps have been placed around the City Hall after an infestation of the rodents Rat traps have been placed around the City Hall after an infestation of the rodents Belfast City Hall is being plagued by large rats, it can be revealed. As the rodent problem deepens across the city centre, it has also emerged that firearms have been used in a desperate attempt to rid some local businesses of vermin. It is now feared that rat infestations are reaching epidemic proportions in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland. The City Hall rodents were first spotted by shocked guests leaving an evening function last month, and then by civic leaders themselves after Monday night's council meeting. The council has admitted that it has a problem with rats at one of Northern Ireland's best known buildings, which is open to the public and runs conducted tours on a daily basis. It follows an incident last week at the Shaftesbury Square KFC, where a large rat scurried around the floor, prompting shocked diners to flee. Last year a Caffe Nero near the City Hall was forced to close for several weeks after video footage emerged of rats running amok on the premises late at night. A vermin specialist said it recently took 10 days of intensive work by a pest exterminator to rid one city centre business of a rat infestation. Yesterday, an office worker reported rodents were being shot in a car park behind offices in Wellington Place and Fountain Street in the city centre. The landmark City Hall is the most high-profile building to have had problems with the disease-carrying vermin. The Belfast Telegraph has taken pictures of large traps, bigger than shoe boxes, which have appeared at various locations around the premises, although councillors have yet to be formally notified of the plague. One City Hall source said: "The rat infestation is out of control. We have seen them ourselves. They're huge. City Hall has never seen anything like it. Boxes, 18 inches wide by 12 inches by five deep filled with poison, have recently been placed all over the courtyard." A council spokesman said it operates preventative and reactive pest control programmes for a number of city centre buildings, including City Hall. "A number of rats were sighted in the courtyard area recently and our pest control company laid additional bait boxes to ensure, as far as possible, access points for rats were blocked. This work is ongoing," he said. Rat exterminator Steve McCart, who owns Newtownabbey-based Pestforce NI, said rats in Belfast have been a bigger problem than usual this year. "The rats we're seeing now are around 10 inches long and I have also seen some a foot long," he said. "The problem is spread out across Northern Ireland. Rats, this year, seem to be more prevalent. In Belfast it is now more of a problem than ever before." Mr McCart said the infestations were exacerbated by bad weather, underspending on pest control - and the public. "A lot of it is down to the damp weather we've been getting," he said. "But the second biggest problem is what the public do with what they've purchased from fast food outlets. If you go round Belfast city centre at 2am you'll see people just dump their food. That's the second biggest cause of rats on our streets. Pestforce NI, which has private and commercial clients, dealt with a major rat job in Belfast city centre this week. "We're a specialist control company. We get called in when other companies have failed or where people are having a very difficult problem where it doesn't matter what they do, they're still being overcome by the pest," he said. "It can take months to get rid of rats, depending on the circumstances. They breed very fast - potentially every eight weeks. Theoretically, a pair of rats in perfect breeding conditions would multiply to 2,000 in a year." Neither Pestforce NI nor Termapest Ltd - the pest control service that has been called in by the Belfast City Council - shoot rats, but the office worker we spoke to witnessed this form of eradication. "Several office staff were frightened out of their wits after rats ran over their feet in the dark when they went to their cars," she said. "Then one morning after the 'Rat Man' went night hunting, I looked out the window and saw what I thought was a dead cat - but it was actually a dead rat and I was even more shocked when I was told it was a baby rat. "The man from pest control told us he shot 15 rats on one evening alone." The council spokesman confirmed that the shooting of pests is permitted, but must be carried out in accordance with current legislation, ie: the Wildlife (Northern Ireland Order) 1985. He added: "The designated person must be trained in the safe use of firearms. "They must also report to the PSNI when and where the shooting will take place. It must not be done in certain built-up areas, or where members of the public could be at danger." Tony McCoy with wife Chanelle and daughter Eve after receiving his OBE in 2011 Racing legend AP McCoy kept the Queen waiting for almost a year when he was awarded an MBE. The monarch bestowed the honour on McCoy in 2002, but the champion could not make the official ceremony because of his hectic racing schedule. In an interview with Great British Racing, the Co Antrim man said he was first chosen to receive the title after breaking English jockey Gordon Richards' record of 269 winners in a racing season. But all the dates McCoy received for an award ceremony at Buckingham Palace always clashed with racing days. "It went on for 10 months or a year, and in the end they got fed up and said, 'We're out of dates'," McCoy said. "I never actually went." The same problem popped up again when he was chosen for an OBE in 2010. "The first six or seven months, there was racing on all the dates," the former jockey said. "I was thinking, 'God, this is going to happen again... they're not going to be happy'. "Eventually, after about 10 months, there was a date when there was no racing." The 20-time Champion Jockey recalled: "All the Queen said to me was, 'Oh, hello. It's nice of you to show up'. When the champion jockey apologised for the delay, the Queen - a keen horse racing fan herself - said: "I know. I keep an eye." McCoy also insisted that he would definitely attend the official ceremony for his recent knighthood in the near future. In an informal interview, carried out in McCoy's car as he drove around London, the sporting hero also belted out one of his favourite anthems - Mr Brightside by The Killers. From left: Rev Nigel Reid, John Henry, Archie Reaney, Orange Grand Master Edward Stevenson, Deputy Grand Master Harold Henning, William Reaney, Berry Reaney and Stephen Kennedy at last night's memorial service to mark the 40th anniversary of the Tullyvallen massacre Joy Bingham on her wedding day with her father William, who died alongside her mum and sister in IRA attack A memorial in honour of a Dromore family murdered by the IRA will "perpetuate" their memory for future generations, a close relative has said. Carol Mackey paid tribute to her parents and sister during a special memorial service on Thursday evening to mark the 40th anniversary of a fire bomb attack, which stunned the Co Down town. William Herron (64), his wife Elizabeth (58) and daughter Noeline (27) died in the blaze after an incendiary device was planted in their Market Square drapery store in April 1976. The fire destroyed much of the shop and the family home above it, where the three victims died from suffocation. Speaking at the dedication of a granite memorial stone at Dromore Orange Hall, Mrs Mackey paid a poignant tribute to her deceased relatives. She said: "Everything changed for our family on the morning of Wednesday 7 April the saddest day of our lives. "The immoral and senseless actions of a number of individuals, who one could only describe as terrorists, resulted in the murder of our much loved parents and sister. "Dromore came to standstill for their funeral. Many friends and neighbours were struggling to accept the shocking truth, that terrorists had callously taken a family from their midst, without any warning." She said the obscene crime deprived her parents and sister from fulfilling their lives, including spending cherished time with their family and future grandchildren. "Family was so important to our parents, who were the perfect role models for us as we grew up. Our memories of them are precious. Expand Close Tullyvallen Orange Hall / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tullyvallen Orange Hall "We hope this tablet will show how much the family appreciate the respect, kindness and support shown to them over the years. Its dedication reminds us of the strength of their faith, and will perpetuate the memory of the Herron family for future generations. Mr Herron was closely associated with the Loyal Orders as a member of Closkelt LOL 415 and Closkelt RBP 449. The latters banner pays tribute to the late draper. The leaders of both the Loyal Orange and Royal Black Institutions participated in the memorial service. Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, said: "The sheer awfulness of the Herron family atrocity caused shockwaves not only in Dromore but right across Northern Ireland and further afield." The Labour leader said the wealthy 'must pay their way' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for an investigation in the tax affairs of the Cameron family and urged him to impose direct rule over British overseas territories and Crown Dependencies that act as tax havens Mr Corbyn said that revelations about Mr Camerons fathers tax arrangements should be part of a wider UK investigation into the Panama Papers. He said he had no problem with publishing his tax return and indicated that Mr Cameron should do the same. I think we need to know where somebodys income comes from, he said. The public need to have confidence that their representatives and ministers are getting their income from honest and open sources as members of Parliament. The Labour leader also said that the governments of overseas territories needed to understand the anger in Britain about the hidden wealth exposed by the leak of millions of documents from the Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca. He also pledged to publish his tax return and urged ministers to do the same. The call comes as Downing Street declined to confirm whether David Camerons family still had money invested in an offshore fund, following revelations that his late father ran an investment fund in the Bahamas which never paid UK tax. His comments will increase pressure on the Government to take firmer action to clean up the tax affairs of the UK-administered territories which are at the heart of the shadowy tax avoidance networks revealed by the Panama Papers. More than half the 300,000 companies assisted by Mossack Fonseca were incorporated in UK-administered tax havens, with the British Virgin Islands the most popular jurisdiction. British law firms, middlemen and banks were also implicated in the leaked documents. Read more Read More The point is, they are not independent territories, Mr Corbyn told the BBC. They are self-governing, yes, but they are British crown dependent territories, therefore surely there has to be an observance of UK tax law in those places. If they become a place for systematic evasion and short changing of the public in this country then something has to be done about it. Either those governments comply or a next step has to be taken. He said direct rule could be implemented very quickly if thats what the government decides to do. Downing Street has said the Government is already taking action to ensure greater transparency around the tax affairs of companies incorporated in overseas territories and dependencies. Mr Cameron has written to leaders of overseas territories calling for public registers of companies beneficiaries, but only two have so far taken action. Dominic Grieve, the former Conservative Attorney General, said that legislating to impose tax rules on overseas territories and dependencies would be a nuclear option for the Government which would fundamentally change the Westminster governments relationship with the territories. However, former Business Secretary Vince Cable said direct rule was an option. Read more Read More "We can't send gunboats these days but we can take the small territories under direct rule, he said. Meanwhile the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the Prime Minister should take action over reports that Conservative Party donors were among the individuals revealed to have links to tax haven networks. "We need to know the truth behind reports that the Conservative Party has received substantial donations from those linked to this scandal. The Tories should come clean and set out exactly what the situation is is the Prime Minister happy to receive money from big donors who are accused of tax avoidance? he said. Independent Vladimir Putin said allegations are part of a US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia to weaken its government Vladimir Putin has rejected allegations of links to offshore accounts uncovered in the Panama Papers and called the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. Speaking in St Petersburg, the Russian president said even though his name did not figure in any of the documents leaked, Western media has attempted to link him with offshore businesses. He went on to describe the allegations as part of a US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia to weaken its government. Mr Putin was not named in the Panama Papers, but the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said some of the Russian President's closest allies are involved in offshore financial schemes. The consortium is funded by the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Endowment think tank, the Rockefellers and George Soros among others. It has been processing the legal records from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that were first leaked to the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. Earlier this week, the Kremlin blamed "Putinophobia" for claims some of Mr Putin's associates moved millions of dollars through offshore companies in a series of covert deals. In his first statement on the Panama Papers, Mr Putin said one of his closest friends, cellist Sergei Roldugin, had done nothing wrong. Mr Roldugin was revealed as the owner 1.42 billion in offshore assets. Read more Read More Over 11.5 million files were leaked from Mossack Fonseca. The documents contain information on 215,000 offshore entities, connected to individuals in more than 200 countries and territories. Shell companies are not necessarily illegal. People or companies might use them to reduce their tax bill legally, by benefiting from low tax rates in countries like Panama, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. But the practice is frowned upon, particularly when used by politicians, who then face criticism for not contributing to their own countries' economies. Claims that #PanamaPapers themselves are a 'plot' against Russia are nonsense. However hoarding, DC organization & USAID money tilt coverage WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 6, 2016 #PanamaPapers Putin attack was produced by OCCRP which targets Russia & former USSR and was funded by USAID & Soros. pic.twitter.com/tgeKfLuROn WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 5, 2016 #PanamaPapers: If you censor more than 99% of the documents you are engaged in 1% journalism by definition. WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 6, 2016 Because offshore accounts and companies also hide the names of the ultimate owners of investments, they are often used to illegally evade taxes or launder money. The leaks caused the Prime Minister of Iceland to step aside for "an unspecified amount of time" after it was revealed he and his wife had bought an offshore firm in the British Virgin Islands. Calls for Panama Papers to be published in full The US OCCRP can do good work, but for the US govt to directly fund the #PanamaPapers attack on Putin seriously undermines its integrity. WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 5, 2016 Read More Mr Hrafnsson, who worked on the Cablegate leak of diplomatic documents in 2010, suggested the withholding of documents is understandable to maximise the impact, but said that in the end the papers should be published in full for the public to access. He told RT's Afshin Rattansi on Going Underground: "When they are saying this is responsible journalism, I totally disagree with the overall tone of that. "I do have a sympathy to stalled releases, we certainly did that in WikiLeaks in 2010 and 2011 with the Diplomatic Cables but in the end the entire cache was put online in a searchable database. "That is what Id want to see with these Panama Papers, they should be available to the general public in such a manner so everybody, not just the group of journalists working on the data, can search it." Asked if he is surprised that there has been "no big American names released - so far" Mr Hrafnsson said: "It seems to be skewed away from American interests. American companies are only a third of British companies there. "You have to keep in mind this one law firm in Panama servicing, providing tax haven companies mostly out of the British Virgin Islands - so it doesn't give the entire picture." On Wednesday, WikiLeaks said on Twitter that the Panama Papers data leak was produced by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), "which targets Russia and [the] former USSR." It said the the "Putin attack" was funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and US hedge fund billionaire George Soros. WikiLeaks said that US government funding of such an attack "seriously undermines its integrity". Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Full release 'not in public interest' However the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which received the documents from an unidentified source more than a year ago and shared at least parts of them with dozens of other media outlets around the world, has said it will not be publishing all of the documents. The newspaper said the complete set of 11.5 million documents "won't be made available to the public or to law enforcement agencies. That's because the SZ isn't the extended arm of prosecutors or the tax investigators." Authorities have legal powers to obtain such documents from those suspected of wrongdoing, and in many cases there is no public interest in revealing companies' or individuals' offshore business dealings, the Munich-based paper said. Sueddeutsche Zeitung said it did not know how the anonymous source obtained the data, but that he or she had expressed "a very strong moral impulse" and wanted to make "these crimes public". Panama's government on Wednesday accused wealthy nations of unfairly attacking the Central American country while ignoring their own failings. President Juan Carlos Varela said an international committee of experts would be created to recommend ways to boost transparency in the Central American country's offshore financial industry. Experts say that while offshore companies can be used for tax evasion and money laundering, there are also legitimate and legal grounds for creating them. German lawmakers said on Thursday they plan to hold an urgent debate on the offshore leaks next week. "The revelations in the Panama Papers have triggered a broad discussion among politicians and the public about necessary consequences," said Christine Lambrecht, of the Social Democratic Party that is part of chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition. Responding to readers' queries about the absence of prominent German or American politicians in the reports, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said such names have not yet been found in the documents. It said the documents include copies of the passports of 200 Americans, and about 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies listed addresses in the United States. "One possible reason why comparatively few Americans appear in the documents could be that US citizens have no reason to contact a law firm in Panama," the paper said. "That's because offshore companies can easily be created in US states such as Wyoming, Delaware or Nevada." David Cameron successfully argued in 2013 for trusts to be treated differently from companies in anti-money laundering rules David Cameron was today accused of "completely undermining" the Government's claims to be tough on tax dodgers after the Prime Minister personally intervened to try to prevent EU transparency rules affecting offshore tax trusts. The Prime Minister was forced to respond to the scandal after it emerged that he sent a letter to the European Council president Herman van Rompuy in 2013 arguing for trusts to be treated differently from companies in anti-money laundering rules. Mr Cameron claimed that it was "clearly important we recognise the important differences between companies and trusts". "This means that the solution for addressing the potential misuse of companies, such as central public registries, may well not be appropriate generally," the letter said. Labour said Mr Camerons position "completely undermined" Tory claims to be determined to act on tax avoidance. Another day and another story emerges which exposes what the Conservative Party really thinks in its heart of hearts about tackling tax avoidance, said Labours shadow Treasury minister Richard Burgon. "The Prime Minister can't raise a finger to save our steel industry but at the drop of a hat he can personally intervene to undermine EU efforts to clamp down on tax avoidance. Tax evasion is not just illegal it's immoral.People evading tax should be treated same as common thieves.This agreement helps us tackle them George Osborne (@George_Osborne) October 29, 2014 "When things like this come out from the very top of the Conservative Party it completely undermines anything they have said previously on this major issue. Forced to respond to the allegations, following a speech on Europe in Exeter, Mr Cameron told students he had put tax avoidance at the top of the agenda during his chairmanship of the G8 group of leading nations. Britain has been an absolute leader on this and we will continue to do it, he added. But Judith Sargentini, the Dutch MEP who led the European Parliament's work on the draft rules, told the Financial Times that she saw the UKs call for different treatment for trusts as a danger and a possible loophole". The revelation adds to the pressure on Mr Cameron after the Panama Papers leak revealed his late father, Ian, had been the director of an offshore fund that allegedly paid no UK tax in 30 years. Asked about questions over the Prime Ministers finances on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said he did not think anything more that can be added to Downing Streets previous statements. These questions were honestly answered from the beginninghe made it very clear he is not benefitting from any offshore trust of this kind." Challenged by Today programme host John Humphrys on whether Mr Cameron had benefitted in the past, he added: Hes already answered these questions. He may not have answered them to your satisfaction but these questions have been answered and Ive nothing more to add to them. A government spokesman said Mr Camerons stance was taken because of concerns that seeking to apply registers of "beneficial" owners to trusts "would distract from action against those areas of most concern, such as shell companies". "In practice, these further changes weren't achievable. In the subsequent negotiations, we were able to secure a sensible way forward which ensures that trusts which generate tax consequences have to report their ownership to HMRC." The spokesman defended the Government's record on tackling tax evasion and avoidance, pointing to legislation forcing British companies to disclose who owns and benefits from their activities which comes into force in June. In the latest of a series of clarifications of Mr Camerons tax arrangements, Number 10 insisted that neither the PM, his wife Samantha or their children would benefit in the future from offshore funds or trusts. Labour, however, is still demanding to know however whether they have benefited previously from the arrangement although there is no suggestion that having done so would have been illegal. Conservative ministers have, however, insisted that the Government has led the way in fighting tax avoidance, claiming that Mr Cameron has championed a transparency agenda, since at least 2013 when, ahead of a G8 summit, he promised: Im going to push for international agreements to fight the scourge of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. That means automatic exchange of information between our tax authorities so those who to evade tax have nowhere to hide. Mr Cameron, though, has faced criticism for failing to secure reforms in all but two of the UKs overseas territories and Crown Dependencies, which see would see major beneficiaries of offshore companies named in public registers. Independent Sheikh Hussein Halawa, the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh, said he was "deeply hurt" by the Brussels bombings Ireland's leading Islamic cleric said all Muslims have a duty to inform gardai if they suspect any potential terrorist threat. His comments come as armed gardai continue to patrol Dublin Airport amid fears of a terror attack from jihadi militants and heightened tensions in Europe following last month's attacks in Brussels. Sheikh Hussein Halawa, the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh, said he was "deeply hurt" by the Brussels bombings and there could never be "any justification" for a terror attack. He said that in Ireland or elsewhere "there was no way of recognising someone by their appearance" as an Isis supporter. "We don't know if there are any affiliates or supporters or members of IS in this country, but we hope there are none," said Dr Halawa (61). "There is no way of knowing who is who, but as far as we know there are none. There are none that attend our mosque." However, he added that it was incumbent on members of society and the Muslim community in Ireland to report any suspicious activity. "I take this opportunity to call upon the police and the security forces and the relevant authorities to stay vigilant," he said. "I also call on society and the Muslim community to cooperate with the authorities if they notice any terrorist or suspicious activities. "Thankfully, Muslims in Ireland consider themselves an integral part of society. "They do not face systematic discrimination and are loyal to Ireland." As the Imam of Ireland's biggest mosque, he expressed his utter rejection of violence and terrorism. "We unequivocally condemn all acts of terror and killing of innocent people, regardless of their religion, their colour or their language wherever they are and we always condemn such acts as crimes against humanity," he said. Sacred Victims of terrorism "are all human beings and our religion teaches all human life is sacred". "What happened in Belgium was a crime against humanity," he said. He added that, even before the murders of staff at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris last year, he had condemned previous attacks on staff of the magazine by individuals angry about their depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. He said acts of violence by members of any religion should always be reported to the authorities. "Terrorism does not have a religion and it should be condemned and tackled wherever it happens," he said. He added that he hoped the world will find a radical solution to the problems of terrorism. A first step would be to help justice to prevail and to stop the rule of tyrants. Dictatorships can pressure people into radical reactions, he said. Sheikh Halawa said he had a very happy childhood growing up in Cairo. He and his wife Amina moved to Ireland with their six children when he was appointed Imam 21 years ago. Their youngest son is Dublin-born Ibrahim Halawa, who was 17 when he was arrested in Egypt. He was taking refuge in a mosque in Cairo along with his sisters after violence erupted following street protests almost four years ago. "I cannot sleep at night when I think of him in prison and I don't know what will happen to him," said Sheikh Halawa. Ibrahim was born and raised in Dublin and was very popular with his classmates. It was normal for the family to visit relatives in Egypt on a regular basis. The Imam told the Herald of his anguish about Ibrahim's continued detention. Ibrahim was on holiday in Egypt in 2013 when street protests erupted after democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, was deposed in a military takeover. Ibrahim and three of his sisters were at a protest when violence broke out. They took refuge in a mosque and were later arrested. Mercy His sisters were released after several months, but Ibrahim is among almost 500 people who remain in prison jointly charged with violence. Amnesty International considers Ibrahim a prisoner of conscience who was peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and assembly. "How can I sleep at night when I think of my youngest son in prison in the hands of people who show no mercy. He has been denied food and medicine requirements," he said. "Ibrahim was always a very clever, helpful and sociable young boy who was loved by his teachers and classmates. "He was our youngest child, and growing up he was ador-able and cute. He told me once that when all his brothers and sisters move away that he would always stay with me." Irish Independent The Financial Conduct Authority has told banks they have until April 15 to investigate whether they have ties to Mossack Fonseca The UK's financial regulator has handed banks and financial firms a deadline of next week to check if they have links to a law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers leak. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has told 20 banks and businesses that they have until April 15 to investigate whether they have ties to Mossack Fonseca or firms which are managed by the company. It comes after a leak of more than 11 million documents from the law firm in Panama sparked allegations of money laundering and tax evasion by high-profile figures across the globe. The FCA has called on banks to reveal what action they are taking after the Panama Papers leak revealed more than 500 banks, including their subsidiaries and branches, registered nearly 15,600 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca. HSBC, Credit Suisse and the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned Coutts Trustees denied claims earlier this week that they were helping clients avoid tax by using complex offshore structures. In a statement, the FCA said: "The FCA has written to a number of firms about this issue, including those on our Systematic Anti-Money Laundering Programme, and we are working closely with a number of other agencies who are also looking at this. "As part of our responsibility to ensure the integrity of the UK financial markets we require all authorised firms to have systems and controls in place to mitigate the risk that they might be used to commit financial crime." The FCA pinpointed financial crime and anti-money laundering as a key focus for the organisation when it announced its annual business plan earlier this week. The plan states: "It is imperative that the UK financial system has appropriate safeguards to prevent financial crime. "At the same time, it is important we ensure that financial crime regimes are proportionate and operate efficiently and that any unintended consequences of regulation are minimised." Ice Cube said he is hopeful NWA will perform together on stage Rapper Ice Cube said he is hopeful he can reunite the original members of NWA for a performance at one of the world's biggest music festivals. The Straight Outta Compton star has previously spoken of his desire to bring together DJ Yella, MC Ren and Dr Dre on stage during his solo set at Coachella in California this month. The gangsta rap pioneers disbanded in 1991 and have not performed together with Dr Dre for more than 25 years. Speaking at the premiere of his new film Barbershop: The Next Cut in Los Angeles, Ice Cube remained tight-lipped about the planned reunion, but told the Press Association: "I hope I can pull it together." The rapper-turned-actor said the movie, which features a predominantly black cast, showed progress in the debate about a lack of diversity in Hollywood. He told reporters: "You've got three major studios, MGM, New Line, Warner Bros, putting time, effort, money to open it up at the Chinese theatre. It gets no bigger than this. "That's what we want. We just want to have the big stage like everybody else, that's all." Ice Cube also denied he had banned his son O'Shea Jackson Jr, who portrayed his father in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton, from dating reality stars the Kardashian sisters. "I didn't say no Kardashians," Ice Cube said. "It ain't my choice, but I don't think they can handle him." Barbershop: The Next Cut is set for release in the UK on April 19. A retired Northern Ireland-born diplomat who was the governor of a British overseas territory where 113,000 offshore firms are registered, has said more transparency is needed in the tax affairs of the businesses in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal. Boyd McCleary, a former senior civil servant in the Department of Agriculture, spoke as controversy grew over revelations from 11.5 million financial documents leaked from the database of the world's fourth biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca, based in Panama. Twelve national leaders were among 143 politicians named as having used a series of tax havens. Associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin have also been linked to secret offshore companies. Closer to home, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said yesterday that Prime Minister David Cameron had not answered key questions about an offshore fund that was run by his late father and which avoided paying tax in Britain by getting Bahamas residents to sign vital paperwork. Mr Corbyn also called on Mr Cameron to impose direct rule on British overseas territories including the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean (BVI), where one in every two of the companies that appear in the Panama Papers are registered. Three years ago, Mr Cameron made greater transparency from offshore tax havens like the BVI, and the Cayman Islands a priority. He wrote to the overseas territories and told them to get their houses in order. Mr McCleary (67) was the Governor of the BVI at the time, serving between 2010 and 2014. In an interview on Radio 5 Live, the former Belfast Inst pupil agreed with commentators who said direct rule was a "nuclear operation". Asked why the BVI was the most popular location for registering offshore companies, the Queen's University graduate said: "Individuals looking to find a way of registering a company in another jurisdiction will look to see which one provides a solution for them. "One reason is tax efficiency, and it's clear a number of overseas territories are very competitive in tax terms. Another reason is that the overseas territories provide a good legal system." In response to a question about firms "squirrelling away money" while citizens pay tax, Mr McCleary said: "That is a moral argument, and I fully understand that argument, but what is happening is not illegal as such. "Every jurisdiction has its own system of taxation. The Government has been trying to reduce taxes to attract corporations. The BVI have done the same, but they have gone a bit further than the UK." Mr McCleary accepted what was happening was more about tax evasion and avoidance rather than paying lower taxes, adding: "That is correct and I understand why people find that difficult to accept, but the point is the territories are trying to make a living." Mr McCleary said the British Government had been liaising with overseas territories in a bid to improve the amount of information available to the tax authorities. "There's more to be done but progress is being made," he added, pointing out moves were under way to create a registry of company owners. The former diplomat said there was an issue about whether the registry should be public but added: "The territories are working closely with the authorities to improve the exchange of information." The retired Governor told how it had not been his role in the BVI to attempt to persuade companies registered there to be more transparent. But he added: "Certainly, I encouraged the BVI to work with the Government and they were responsive to that. They recognised the need to move towards transparency and to respond positively to requests from authorities and police to ensure money laundering doesn't happen. "It is getting better and does need to get better still, but I think things are moving in the right direction at least." Students at Saint Kentigern College in Auckland were performing the opening night of Sweeney Todd A high school musical in New Zealand got a little too real when two boys ended up in hospital after a prop razor used in a throat-slitting scene cut their necks. Students at Saint Kentigern College in Auckland were performing the opening night of Sweeney Todd for parents and other audience members when things went badly wrong. Set in Victorian London, the musical depicts a barber who slits his customer's throats with a razor and uses the bodies to make meat pies. College head Steve Cole told radio station Newstalk ZB the razor used in the show was real but had been bound in duct tape. He said he had no idea what went wrong during a scene midway through the second act. "It had been bound in Cellophane, bound in all sorts of things," he said. "It was very non-sharp, blunted, and had been through all sorts of health and safety checks. It was a very unfortunate mishap." He said the boys had been released from hospital and were doing well. "We've been keeping contact through the family and making sure the kids are okay," he said. Mr Cole said a performance of the play scheduled for Thursday was cancelled but he hoped the show could resume on Friday - "obviously without those particular props". Police and health and safety officials are investigating. Lebanese authorities have detained four Australians, including journalists, on suspicion they were involved in the alleged abductions of two children in Beirut the previous day, police officials and Australian media said. A British citizen has been detained as well on suspicion that he planned to smuggle the children out of Lebanon on his boat, the officials also said. The five are being questioned over the alleged kidnapping of the son and daughter of a Lebanese man and an Australian woman. The children have been living in Beirut since their father brought them from Australia last year, the officials said. The alleged kidnapping, in which the children were taken on Wednesday after an attack on their Lebanese grandmother as she was taking them to school near their home in Beirut, was part of a family dispute, the police said. On Thursday, police first said the mother and the children were at the Australian Embassy but later, the Lebanese intelligence department declared the mother was detained and was being held by police with her children, state-run National News Agency reported. It did not say where they were found but added that the children were safe. The officials did not give the names of the Australians and the Briton. The Australian detainees include journalists working for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, who were filming an episode on the issue in Lebanon. 60 Minutes reporter Michael Usher told Nine News in an interview broadcast on Thursday that Australian consular officials in Beirut were in contact with the 60 Minutes crew. "Our obvious concern is that we have not been able to speak to the crew for going on 15 hours now and that's obviously been very concerning for all of us here," Mr Usher said. Mr Usher added that the journalists detained in Beirut are very experienced and prepared for the difficulties of covering what he called, "a risky operation, a risky story - this desperate Australian mum trying to get her two Australian children home". A Beirut police official said the five detainees were being held at a police station near the place where the boat was parked in the Lebanese capital. During questioning, the journalists said they came on a humanitarian mission and that their aim was not to kidnap the children, he added. Channel Nine issued a statement saying that: "We can confirm a crew from 60 Minutes has been detained in Beirut. We won't be giving out any more details, other than to say we are working with authorities to get them released and back home ASAP." A Channel Nine employee said that the 60 Minutes crew was not physically present when the alleged kidnapping took place. Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop said her ministry has been in contact with Channel Nine. A statement from Bishop said Australian authorities are "urgently seeking to confirm the crew's whereabouts and welfare, and have offered all appropriate consular assistance." It is the 11th execution to be carried out in the US so far this year A South Texas man has been executed for the 1998 murder of a 12-year-old boy. Pablo Lucio Vasquez told police he drank the youngster's blood after beating him with a pipe and slitting his throat. Vasquez claimed he was drunk and high when voices convinced him to kill David Cardenas in Donna, a Texas border town about 225 miles south of San Antonio. Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Vasquez, 38, told relatives watching through a window that he loved them and thanked them for being there, before addressing an adjacent window where four of his victim's relatives stood. "I'm sorry to David's family," he said. "This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here." As the lethal dose of pentobarbital began taking effect, Vasquez said he felt a little dizzy. "See you on the other side," he said, raising his head off the pillow and looking toward two of his sisters, a brother-in-law and a cousin. He was pronounced dead 24 minutes later. David Cardenas' relatives declined to speak with reporters following the execution, the 11th this year in the US - six of them in Texas alone. The punishment was carried out about four hours after the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Vasquez's lawyer, James Keegan. He had sought a reprieve so the justices could review whether several potential jurors were improperly excused from Vasquez's capital murder trial because they were either opposed to the death penalty or not comfortable with making such a judgment. State lawyers opposed any delay, arguing the potential jurors' exclusion was legally proper and that the latest appeal amounted to "nothing more than a meritless attempt to postpone his execution", assistant Texas attorney general Jeremy Greenwell said. Earlier, unsuccessful appeals, including one rejected last month by a federal judge, focused on whether Vasquez was mentally ill and should be ineligible for the death penalty. Court records showed Vasquez, his 15-year-old cousin, Andres Rafael Chapa, and David Cardenas, Chapa's friend, had all attended a party in Donna, a Texas border town where Vasquez and Chapa lived. David was from nearby Alamo, also in the Rio Grande Valley, and was spending the weekend with Chapa. The killing occurred April 18 1998, after the three left the party. Vasquez told authorities that as they reached a wooden shed he started hearing voices telling him to kill David. "Something just told me to drink," Vasquez said in the statement to police. "You drink what?" a detective asked. "His blood," Vasquez replied. Police received an anonymous tip about the slaying that led them to Chapa and eventually to Vasquez, who was arrested in Conroe, a Houston suburb more than 325 miles north of Donna. Authorities found the mutilated body five days later under some scraps of aluminium in a vacant field. "It was really horrendous," Joseph Orendain, the lead trial prosecutor, recalled last week. Vasquez declined an interview request as his execution date neared. His statement to police about the devil and drinking blood fuelled speculation about Satanism, but the subject never came up at Vasquez's trial or in appeals. Chapa pleaded guilty to a murder charge and is serving a 35-year prison term. Three other relatives of Chapa and Vasquez received probation and a small fine for helping cover up the slaying. One of them was deported to Guatemala. Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison Michaella McCollum during her exclusive first interview with the Irish broadcaster RTE (RTE/PA) Drugs mule Michaella McCollum posted a pro-IRA message on social media which included a masked member of the Provisionals armed with an assault rifle. The revelation comes after McCollum's claim that she was forced to leave Northern Ireland because of sectarian threats. She posted the message two years before she was caught with 1.5m worth of cocaine in Lima airport. The Dungannon drugs trafficker has attempted to reinvent herself since she was freed from a Peruvian prison last week after serving just over two years of her sentence. In an RTE interview shortly after her release, Michaella suggested that following sectarian intimidation in 2013, she decided to flee overnight to Ibiza. The Belfast Telegraph can reveal that in February 2011, Michaella posted a message on Facebook paying tribute to dead IRA members. The post commemorated the IRA men who were killed by the SAS at Loughgall in 1987. Expand Close Michaella McCollums Facebook post from 2011 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollums Facebook post from 2011 It included a photograph of an IRA man in paramilitary clothing with a walkie-talkie radio and an assault rifle. The text said: "In memory of eight gallant Irishmen who died fighting for Ireland's freedom at Loughgall, Co Armagh, on May 8th 1987." Unionist politicians said Michaella's pro-IRA post exposed another uncomfortable truth about her. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer PARTY SCENE: Michaella in Ibiza Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of her club hostess outfits Michaella McCollum after her arrest AP Photo/Martin Mejia CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Michaella and Melissa caught on CCTV loading bags into a car in Peru Michaella McCollum's mother Norah McCollum and sister Samantha McCollum vist the Peru prison Melissa Reid Michaella McCollum and ex-boyfriend Dwayne Mullan Dungannon drugs mule Michaella McCollum Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing in Lima, Peru, clutching the book 'Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten principles for spiritual and emotional fulfillment' (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly arrives to court for her sentencing in Callao, Peru (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) AP Police escort Michaella McCollum Connolly (right) and Melissa Reid (front) in handcuffs as they are moved from the National Police anti-drug headquarters to a court to be formally charged for drug trafficking in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013 AP Michaella McCollum Connolly with reality TV star Mark Wright at a promotional night hosted by Belfast's M Club Michaella McCollum Connolly with Brad Houston from England Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum Connolly with rugby star Tommy Bowe while doing promotional work at an official Ulster Rugby event / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp TUV leader Jim Allister added: "The 'butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' veneer of the RTE interview is wearing rather thin. So much for the pious talk about eschewing sectarianism when in 2011 she was a willing promoter of hardcore IRA propaganda. "Would the real Michaella McCollum please stand up? Drugs courier, IRA sympathiser, wannabe celebrity, or all three?" DUP Assembly member Edwin Poots, added: "Most people won't be shocked that not only was Michaella McCollum prepared to bring large amounts of hard drugs into Europe, but that she was also sympathetic to the activities of terrorists. "Had the eight IRA men in Loughgall that she honoured been successful, they would have taken many lives. Operating as one of the most deadly IRA units in East Tyrone, it is believed that they had already killed many people. "That Ms McCollum sympathised with them is yet another demonstration of her antipathy to law and order." The former DUP Health Minister also said he was shocked that Michaella had been freed from jail so early. "I had hoped that she would serve substantially more of her prison sentence in Peru or, if not there, in a Northern Ireland jail," he added. Further Reading Read More "The scale of her crime was significant and her attempt now to spin the 'innocent abroad' line does not wash with the public." Ulster Unionist East Belfast assembly candidate Chris McGimpsey said: "Michaella McCollum was prepared to smuggle drugs which bring death and destruction, and now we learn that she was supporting the IRA who brought murder and mayhem to our streets. "Discovering her real nature must be deeply disappointing to those who were so concerned about her plight in Peru." Tyrone republicans who spoke to the Belfast Telegraph said they had "no time" for Michaella and were "disgusted" with her involvement in the drugs trade. "We know only too well what drugs can do to communities," one of them added. "Nobody here was campaigning for her release." In her RTE interview, Michaella claimed that she had made a decision to go to Ibiza "overnight" because of sectarian threats. However, in a previous interview with the same documentary makers, her mother Norah said that her daughter had been planning to go to Ibiza since the beginning of 2013 against the wishes of her family. Michaella repeatedly lied after she was caught with 1.5m worth of cocaine in Lima airport. She claimed she had been kidnapped and held at gunpoint by drugs lords who had threatened her family. She later admitted this was untrue. Bernie Sanders has questioned whether his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is "qualified" to be US president, after she spent much of the day criticising his record and his own preparedness for the job. Mr Sanders added that Mrs Clinton is not qualified because of her vote on the war in Iraq and her support for trade agreements which he says are harmful to American workers. Mr Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Philadelphia: "She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am, quote unquote, not qualified to be president. "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC (political action committee), taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds." This is the latest salvo in an increasingly heated war of words as underdog Mr Sanders gained ground on Democratic front-runner Mrs Clinton, capped by the Vermont senator's victory in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Brian Fallon, a spokesman for Mrs Clinton, responded quickly to Mr Sanders' comment, writing on Twitter: "Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified.' But he has now - absurdly - said it about her. This is a new low." Indeed, Mrs Clinton did not say Sanders was "unqualified" or "not qualified" during a much-quoted TV interview on Wednesday morning. In a discussion of an interview with Mr Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Mrs Clinton was asked if "Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States". She responded: "Well, I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions." Mr Sanders' spokesman Michael Briggs said he was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined: "Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president." Whether or not Mrs Clinton said he was qualified or not, she has clearly ratcheted up her attacks on him. In an interview with Politico, she said she tries to explain things in a more "open and truthful way than my opponent". Later, at a Philadelphia job training centre, Mrs Clinton said people should know what she would do if she's elected president, "not just lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric". On the Republican side, Donald Trump invoked the heroism of New York City police and firefighters during the 9/11 terror attacks as part of a swipe at his party rival Ted Cruz. Mr Trump, in a rally on Long Island, addressed Mr Cruz's line from a debate earlier this year in which he criticised "New York values". Mr Trump said Cruz had made the remark "with scorn on his face" and "with hatred". The Republican front-runner and New York native said he could not believe that anyone would question the heroism of the city's uniformed officers and construction workers during the aftermath of the 2001 attacks that toppled the World Trade Centre. The US government said a Halliburton-Baker Hughes merger would hurt consumers The US justice department is suing to stop Halliburton from buying oilfield-services rival Baker Hughes - the latest effort by the Obama administration to block mergers that it believes enrich corporations but hurt consumers. The US government argues that the 35 billion dollar (24.6 billion) deal would lead to higher prices and less innovation in the business of helping energy companies drill for oil and gas. The justice department filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court in Delaware, charging that the deal would eliminate head-to-head competition in 23 markets for products and services including drill bits, fluids and expertise in drilling horizontal wells. Those and other innovations have helped spur a renaissance in US energy production. Halliburton is the world's second-biggest services company in the oil business; Baker Hughes is third. Combining them would create a duopoly with market leader Schlumberger, the justice department said. Halliburton and Baker Hughes said they would contest the lawsuit. They said that the justice department was wrong in how it viewed the deal, especially given the downturn in the oil industry. The Houston companies said in a joint statement that their deal would improve competition by creating a more flexible, innovative services company. They said: "The transaction will provide customers with access to high quality and more efficient products and services, and an opportunity to reduce their cost per barrel." The companies announced their plan to combine in November 2014, shortly after oil prices began to fall due to a global oversupply of crude. The glut has slowed demand for drilling services. Both companies have laid off thousands of workers, and their shares have fallen sharply since the highs of mid-2014. Assistant US attorney general Bill Baer, head of the justice department's antitrust division, said oilfield services is a cyclical business and its companies grow and shrink with market conditions. He said: "It's not a justification for an anti-competitive merger to say, 'We're not doing as much business as we used to.'" Halliburton has proposed spinning off billions of dollars in assets to get the deal approved - it could owe Baker Hughes a 3.5 billion dollar (2.4 billion) break-up fee if the deal falls through. However, Mr Baer dismissed the divestiture offer, calling it a "grab bag" of the companies' less-valuable holdings. Last year saw a record of more than five trillion dollars (3.5 trillion) in corporate mergers and takeovers, topping 2007 as the biggest year ever for deals, according to Dealogic. Speaking to antitrust lawyers in Washington, attorney general Loretta Lynch said the deals are also bigger and more complex. She said: "This represents a remarkable shift toward consolidation and it presents unique challenges to federal enforcers in our work to maintain markets that serve not just top executives and majority shareholders, but every American." Consolidation, especially in industries that already have few competitors, raises serious concern about higher prices, lower quality and less innovation, she said. Ms Lynch cited deals that were stopped or abandoned in the face of regulatory objections including a Comcast-Time Warner Cable tie-up, AT&T's attempt to buy T-Mobile, and a combination of Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee. "To even begin the merger process in these instances was little more than a waste of corporate and taxpayer dollars," she said. The high-profile victories cited by Ms Lynch may be encouraging regulators to challenge new deals. Analysts said that even without the deal, Halliburton, a leader in the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, would still be poised to profit from a recovery in the North American energy business. Baker Hughes' prospects as a stand-alone company would be less certain. Investors had long braced for the possibility that the deal could fail to win regulatory approval, and shares of both companies rose on Wednesday. Halliburton gained 2.04 dollars (1.43), or 5.9%, to 36.44 (25.63); Baker Hughes climbed 3.47 dollars (2.44), or 8.8%, to close at 42.83 dollars (30). Northern Ireland's 11 new supercouncils have been given additional powers including planning and economic development. This was meant to signify that the councils - traditionally associated with burying the dead and emptying the bins - would become responsible local authorities able and willing to work on behalf of all the ratepayers and provide a street-level face to governance. Their 26 predecessors, especially during the period of direct rule, were often political bearpits where every party's grievances and, in some cases, loathing of each other were aired with depressing regularity. Derry City and Strabane District Council is going about creating an inclusive atmosphere in a very strange way, with nationalist members supporting a motion calling on the Secretary of State Theresa Villiers to release a republican prisoner. The man in question, Tony Taylor, has a track record in terrorism, having been sentenced in 1994 to 18 years in jail for planting a bomb in Londonderry. He was released early under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement but was jailed again in 2011 for three years for possessing a rifle. He was arrested at his home and returned to prison on the orders of the Secretary of State last month. While some councillors, particularly at this pre-election time, may be concerned about the Secretary of State exercising her power to return someone to jail, this is a matter which should be dealt with at NI Assembly-level, with representations made to the Justice Department and the Secretary of State from there. Dividing the council on this issue makes no sense and marks a return to the majority membership forcing through unpopular and divisive issues, just as happened in Newry when a children's play park was officially named after a dead hunger striker. Councillors of all parties should be wary of creating tensions within their local authorities. As the politicians most in touch with ratepayers, their actions can set a tone which will be mimicked on the streets. It should also be remembered that the minority parties in councils can soon feel embittered and ignored - hardly the atmosphere that members should be seeking to create. We need political leadership at all levels of governance, not petty politicking. In recent days, a number of the bigwigs in the Brexit camp, notably Owen Paterson and Kate Hoey, have been here to campaign for their cause. While both of them have experience of this place and how it works, they show very little understanding on the role that the EU has played in advancing the peace process, in sponsoring projects across the province, in nullifying the border and subsidising farmers - to name but a few. Both would lead us to believe that, in the event of Brexit, there would not be a return to queues and red tape at border checkpoints. If they were to look at other EU exit points, they would say differently. Additionally, the DUP, Ukip and TUV have also been spreading rumours that the EU is responsible for the loss of industry from Ballymena and other places. Anyone who knows the true facts will realise this is absolutely untrue and is down to the obsession with market forces. Perhaps it could be said that the EU could have stepped in to rescue them, but in reality that was our own Government's job. Then there is the issue of freedom of movement, which the Brexit camp try to claim is a one-way street, when in reality it works both ways. It was actually British people who set the trend on this with their "colonising" of the Spanish Costas and it has only been since 2005 that the trend started to reverse. BILL ANDERSON By email In my view, RTE glamorised drug mule Michaella McCollum in its exclusive televised interview, broadcast last Sunday night. It appeared to be a highly choreographed interview, which omitted critical questions in relation to her early release and special treatment, while other female drug mules remain in prison. The self-confessed drug smuggler tried to give a whitewashed view of her character, while still trying to exonerate herself by saying that she and her accomplice did not know what they were getting into and were afraid of the people they were dealing with. No questions were asked, either, about incriminating evidence on her mobile phone used by the authorities in Peru - despite claims by her family that they lost all contact with her. A very large amount of cocaine was seized from Ms McCollum and Melissa Reid, yet they face early release after every diplomatic string has been pulled for them. MAURICE FITZGERALD By email The Save Our Day Centres campaign demands that all Assembly parties must state openly if they will halt this consultation if it comes to the Assembly after the election Since November 2015 there has been a highly successful campaign to keep open three day centres at Whiterock, Everton and Ravenhill in Belfast which provide vital support for people with mental health and learning difficulties. These centres have been threatened with closure by the Belfast Trust as a means to cut costs and outsource services currently provided by health service staff to the community and voluntary sector. The Belfast Trust had hoped to rubber-stamp the decision at its board meeting in January. But the board was forced to defer its decision by the tireless work of service users, carers, trade unions and supporters, who gathered thousands of signatures on petitions, handed out thousands of leaflets and organised numerous public protests. There is rising confidence by service users and carers in the Save Our Day Centres campaign, as recent meetings with senior management have indicated it is likely the decision will not be made until after the Assembly elections - if at all. The trust board is rattled by the public campaign that exposes how it is willing to put at risk the mental health and physical well-being of more than 200 service users, carers and families. Service users understand it is critical to turn up the heat on the Belfast Trust board and the Executive. The trust's board has made it very clear the decision lies with the Health Minister and the Assembly. The Save Our Day Centres campaign understands it is likely that the Health Minister may change after the elections, so it is essential this becomes an election issue. The Save Our Day Centres campaign demands that all Assembly parties must state openly if they will halt this consultation if it comes to the Assembly after the election. If they do not, it is the intention of the campaign to let the voters know that they are willing to see the closure of these vital day centre services. The Save Our Day Centre campaign is committed to continue to campaign through public stalls, leafleting and protests and build a mass campaign in the run-up to the elections - and beyond. Pat Lawlor is an activist in the Save Our Day Centres campaign Even though the opinion poll, anecdotal, doorstep and "received wisdom" evidence would suggest that the DUP should be very confident about the outcome of the Assembly election, it is clear that the party is taking nothing for granted. In a statement last week Arlene Foster said that it would be a "close" election, while Nigel Dodds noted: "Let us not forget that in two of the last three province-wide elections since 2011, Sinn Fein edged ahead of the DUP in terms of first-preference votes. Only in last year's Westminster election did the DUP regain the top spot, but by fewer than 10,000 votes across the country. So there is no guarantee of a DUP victory." But are they just over-egging the pudding and trying to scare people into voting for it? Well, the DUP's concern goes back to the issue of vote-shredding among the unionist/pro-Union parties and a handful of independent unionist candidates. LucidTalk's latest poll, published yesterday, predicts that the DUP could return with 33 seats, five down on their 38 tally in the last Assembly. Okay, that still leaves it ahead of Sinn Fein (predicted 27) and well ahead of the UUP (predicted 18), meaning it would keep the First Minister's job and have the crucial 30-plus seats required for a petition of concern. Yet, a messy transfer battle for final seats could still result in the loss of another three or four seats. Unlikely, but not impossible. A lot will depend on how well the UUP, TUV and Ukip do, and, to a lesser but still significant degree, how well the PUP and unionist independents do. About three years ago the DUP didn't give much thought to those parties because it reckoned their potential for electoral damage was so limited. Yet in those seats where unionists will be battling each other (in South Belfast, for example, seven varieties of unionism will be fighting for the second unionist seat), almost anything is possible. We can make an educated case about where transfers may go, but there's still no certainty. Will Ruth Patterson's transfers favour the DUP's Christopher Stalford or to Emma Pengelly? Or will her presence actually cost the DUP the seat? Indeed, could the intra-unionist dogfight allow Alliance to pick up a second seat in South Belfast, but at the expense of the UUP? The UUP is very confident. It would need to be, because this is the election that really matters to Mike Nesbitt. He starts with 13 MLAs (down from the 16 the party won in 2011) and he wants to show the DUP and the media that the UUP's momentum is building. Since he was elected leader in 2012 he has said that it would take two election cycles for the UUP to again become "the party of choice for every pro-Union voter in Northern Ireland". This election marks the end of the first cycle and, because the next cycle doesn't begin until 2019, it really is critical that it ends on a very high note for the party. LucidTalk's prediction of 18 seats - on a 15.6% share of the vote - fits in with the 15% that the UUP averaged during the last election cycle. A couple of UUP sources have said to me that they think 22 seats is within reach, but that would require it to be pushing towards 18% and recapturing seats it hasn't held since 2003. Yet perception is everything in politics, and there seems to be a perception that the UUP is on the up. Nesbitt's primary task is to convince potential voters that a vote for the UUP doesn't put Martin McGuinness into the First Minister's office. And his second task is to convince those same potential voters that the UUP can make a difference for the better - if it increases its Assembly numbers. He also needs to persuade potential TUV, Ukip, PUP, Conservative and independent unionist voters that the UUP is the only party that can successfully challenge and win seats from the DUP. While Jim Allister clearly enjoys his role as the main opposition to the DUP and Sinn Fein, he probably knows that the novelty will wear off in the next Assembly, particularly if he is still on his own and the new structures of the official Opposition are occupied by another party. In other words, coming back as the TUV's sole representative would seriously compromise the party's relevance. So, he needs to find a way of attracting some of the 75,806 voters (12.1%) who backed him in the 2014 European election. The TUV's constituency posters have the candidate posing with their leader, the unspoken message being that a vote for that candidate is, first and foremost, a vote for Jim himself. It is also campaigning under the slogan 'Enough Is Enough: 5th May - Your Day Of Opportunity". What isn't so clear, however, is what the "day of opportunity" actually means. Ironically, I sense that while many unionists respect Allister's ability as a politician, most of them regard him as a one-off and want him as a one-off. And that's actually a huge electoral disadvantage for his candidates. Ukip was banking on an anti-EU mood among unionists (polls suggest that a majority of unionists will vote to leave on June 23) to boost its profile and appeal during the Assembly election. But David McNarry and Henry Reilly, who were their two biggest hitters, aren't standing as Ukip candidates (Reilly defected to TUV), the DUP has placed itself in the Leave camp, and the party's 13 candidates are barely known. In an interview with me about two years ago, McNarry was confident that Ukip could win five Assembly seats and even talked of some sort of pact with the TUV to increase their joint haul. That all seems like pie-in-the sky now. The PUP, too, has a lot to prove. It won two seats in the 1998 Assembly, yet all it has today are four councillors - out of a total of 462. One of its best hopes is Dr John Kyle in East Belfast, but apart from that its real influence may be in determining whether final seats go to the UUP or DUP. Again, though, another poor result will damage its claim to relevance, so it needs an MLA. Meanwhile, the NI Conservatives - who have been here since 1989 - are not winning any seats, although their transfers may prove useful to the UUP and Alliance. There will be somewhere in the region of 125 unionist/pro-Union candidates and six parties contesting the Assembly election. Each of those parties has something to prove. And that's why it could, in the last three weeks, become pretty brutal. The main battle, though, will be between the DUP and UUP - in what is the most important showdown between them since the 2003 Assembly election. Glamour magazine is under some hot water after naming Amy Schumer on the cover of their all-plus-size issue without her consent. Schumer was named next to Adele and Ashley Graham as one of the women that inspire us. The actress shared a photo of the magazine with her fans that stated: I think theres nothing wrong with being plus size. Beautiful healthy women. Plus size is considered size 16 in America. I go between a size 6 and an 8. @GlamourMag put me in their plus size issue without asking or letting me know and it doesnt feel right to me. Young girls seeing my body type thinking this is plus size? What are your thoughts? Mine are not cool glamour not glamourous. She went on to say in another message to her followers that labels are unnecessary and reserved for women along with a photo of herself in a bikini. Soon after, Glamours editor-in-chief Cindi Lieve responded to the controversy on Twitter, saying they never intended to say that Schumer was plus-sized and found Schumer to be a great inspiration to their readers. Fans took to social media as well, with the majority backing Amy Schumer for being wrongfully labeled. Users explained how the beauty standards put out by magazines such as Glamour were completely unrealistic and that plus-size shouldnt be used in fashion. It is potentially harming towards young girls who are just learning how to accept their bodies. However, some also took sides with Glamour magazine, stating they were proud to see a company celebrate women of all shapes and sizes. Amy Schumer is not the first to want to ban the word plus-size from the industry. Hollywood stars such as Melissa McCarthy and Meghan Trainor have also spoken out against the label. Model Tyra Banks also chooses not to use the word, instead saying I dont like the label plus-size I call it fiercely real. Do you think the term plus-size can have a negative effect on women? Leave a comment and let us know! The body of a Bangladeshi law student who was hacked to death the night before, is moved in a Dhaka morgue, April 7, 2016. The United Nations and other international actors Thursday joined outraged local students in condemning the hacking to death of a law student in Bangladesh who had criticized religious extremism and identified himself as an atheist in online writings. Nazimuddin Samad is the sixth secular intellectual killed in a similar manner since February 2015. A postgraduate student at Dhakas Jagannath University (JnU), Samad was intercepted and cut down with machetes by five to six attackers as he walked in a street of the citys Sutrapur area at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, an eyewitness told BenarNews. Suddenly they started hacking him mercilessly and left the scene. They left the scene before people could understand what was actually happening, said Matin, a local businessman. Friends of Samad later posted messages on his Facebook page saying his killers had shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Great) before fleeing the scene. Several messages that glorified his murder were also posted on his Facebook page. This is the atheist Nazimuddin Samad! Alhamdulillah [Praise be to God] for his murder!! one message read, adding It is the pleasure of all religions when atheists are finished. Students at JnU took to the streets Thursday to vent their anger for what they called the polices failure to protect Samad. For hours, they burned tires and blocked roads in front of the university. The religious extremists killed him. This is not possible for ordinary criminals to kill in such a manner. He had been under the constant watch of the militants. We want justice, Shahriar Ahmed, one of the protesters, told BenarNews. Robert Watkins, the U.N.s resident coordinator in the country, called on the authorities to investigate the murders of bloggers and intellectuals thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice. This attack demonstrates that this new killing is clearly part of a growing trend which undermines the freedom of expression and opinion in Bangladesh, Watkins said in a statement. Terrible pattern of murders Police officials said the nature of Wednesdays killing was similar to other murders of secular writers and publishers which Bangladeshi authorities have pinned on a banned militant group, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). He may have been killed for personal enmity. Also, his Facebook posts and comments give us the sense that some groups angered by the comments could have killed him. We are investigating the murder from all angles, Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of police for the Wari zone in Dhaka, told reporters Thursday. As of late Thursday, no arrests were reported in connection with Samads murder. Among those condemning the murder was Pierre Mayaudon, the European Unions ambassador to Bangladesh. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and [the E.U.] emphasizes the need for tolerance and respect for differing views, Mayaudon said Thursday in a statement. He called for all efforts to ensure that citizens of Bangladesh may express their views freely and without fear. The PEN American Center, a New York-based NGO that champions the freedom of writers worldwide, joined the condemnation. For more than a year, Bangladesh has been ravaged by a spate of bloody attacks on bloggers and other writers who espouse secular viewpoints, Karin Deutsch Karlekar, its director of Free Expression Programs, said in a statement, calling on the Bangladeshi authorities to halt this terrible pattern of murders. She was referring to the murders last year of five secular intellectuals, including Avijit Roy, a U.S.-Bangladeshi blogger. A seventh secular intellectual, Ahmed Rajib Haider, was hacked to death by suspected Islamic militants in February 2013. In December, a court sentenced two Islamic radicals to death and six other defendants to prison terms for Haiders murder. To date, no one has been tried or convicted in the other murders. We also reiterate our demand for the United States and other countries that are able to provide refuge to shelter those writers who are still at grave risk before more lives are lost. This killing is a cruel illustration of the costs of inaction, Karlekar said. For Immediate Release, April 7, 2016 Contacts: Almuth Ernsting, Biofuelwatch, +44 131 6232 600, biofuelwatch@ymail.com Kevin Bundy, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7100 x 313, kbundy@biologicaldiversity.org United Nations Urged to Withdraw Misleading Biofuels Report Error-filled Document Touts Shuttered Plants, Bankrupt Company OAKLAND, Calif. The Center for Biological Diversity and seven other groups today urged the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to withdraw a misleading and inaccurate report on second-generation biofuels fuels made from wood, grasses or crop residues. In a letter to the U.N. organization, the groups wrote that the report contains so many factual inaccuracies and misleading claims that its conclusion must be withdrawn. The report, which was released in early 2016, concludes these biofuels are a commercial reality and a good investment for developing nations. But as todays letter pointed out, the UNCTAD report includes many serious errors, including a list of second-generation biofuel plants that is actually composed of facilities that have never produced such fuels, have yet to operate successfully, or have stopped operations. One company touted by the report has declared bankruptcy. We are deeply concerned that developing countries governments could be misled by UNCTADs flawed report that claims that second-generation biofuels are commercially viable when current evidence shows that they clearly are not, said Almuth Ernsting, co-director of the United Kingdom-based organization Biofuelwatch. In the worst case, under-resourced countries could end up wasting scarce public funding on technologies which have no track record of working. The U.N.s error-filled biofuels report threatens our climate by pushing a dirty, unproven technology that could undermine truly promising clean-energy sources, said Kevin Bundy, a Center senior attorney. We expect better from the United Nations. The report must be withdrawn. The groups' letter highlights the reports factual inaccuracies. The report claims, for example, that over 100 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol were produced in the United States in 2014. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data, however, just over 2 million gallons were produced. The report also lists 10 second-generation biofuel production plants with "the highest capacity. Of those 10, however, seven never produced any second-generation fuels; one began production but then shut down three months prior to publication of the report; one continues to be plagued by problems and has yet to operate successfully; and the last never operated successfully and appears to have been shut down. The report also highlights the GreenSky London project announced by British Airways in 2010, which aimed to refine municipal solid waste into aviation fuel using Solenas technology. Solena filed for bankruptcy in the Maryland Bankruptcy Court in October 2015. Following Solenas bankruptcy petition, British Airways officially abandoned the GreenSky London project. Independent research conducted by Biofuelwatch also found at least five commercial-scale second-generation biofuel refineries in the United States which have failed to produce fuels due largely due to problems with the technologies involved. The organizations signing the letter include Biofuelwatch, Center for Biological Conservation, the Center for Biological Diversity, ETC Group, Friends of the Earth U.S., the Global Justice Ecology Project, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and the International Center for Technology Assessment. Documents and additional resources: The groups open letter is available at: http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/unctad-2g-biofuels-report-critique-final/. The UNCTAD Report Second Generation Biofuel Markets: State of Play, Trade and Developing Country Perspectives can be viewed at http://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditcted2015d8_en.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data on total US cellulosic ethanol production (totaling 2.18 milion gallons in 2014) can be viewed at: https://www.epa.gov/fuels-registration-reporting-and-compliance-help/2015-renewable-fuel-standard-data. Further background and independent research from Biofuelwatch can be found in the article Biofuel or Biofraud? The Vast Taxpayer Cost of Failed Cellulosic and Algal Biofuels, Almuth Ernsting, Independent Science News, March 2016, http://www.independentsciencenews.org/environment/biofuel-or-biofraud-the-vast-taxpayer-cost-of-failed-cellulosic-and-algal-biofuels/. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Cystic cardiac speroids of up to 1 mm size rhythmically contracting while floating in suspension culture. The speroids were generated from human pluripotent stem cells differentiated in stirred-tank bioreactors. Green fluorescence indicates cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Within the EU Research and Innovation program Horizon 2020 the European Union is now funding the TECHNOBEAT research project with almost 6 million Euro. The pioneering project Tools and TECHNOlogies for Breaktrough in hEArt Therapies is coordinated by the Hannover Medical School. It will be processed by a pan-European and interdisciplinary consortium of eight partners from industry and science, one of them being Eppendorf. The scientists, medical experts, and engineers will cooperatively develop effective tools and innovative methods aiming for the production of cardiac microtissue for regenerative medicine. Primary cell material will be human induced pluripotent stem cells, so called hiPSCs. In the context of this EU project, DASGIP GmbH, an Eppendorf company, and the Eppendorf AG Bioprocess Center, will develop bioreactor solutions designed especially for the cultivation of hiPSCs in large scales. We are pleased to have the Eppendorf Bioprocess Center in the TECHNOBEAT project team. In a long-standing cooperation we already have successfully developed bioreactors for the cultivation of 100 mL hiPSCs, states Dr. Robert Zweigerdt, Principal Investigator at Hannover Medical School, Germany and TECHNOBEAT coordinator. Now, the exciting challenge is to adapt the existing product design to the needs of stem cell cultivation in a larger volume of 1 L, annotates Katharina Kinast, responsible Product Manager Bioprocess at Eppendorf. Development engineers and product managers at Eppendorf will create novel impeller and vessel designs to optimize hiPSCs culture mixing and shear characteristics. System-integrated filtering technology will be engineered. Holographic microscopy (industry partner Ovizio Imaging Systems NV/SA, Belgium) will be integrated as well. According to Katharina Kinast this will altogether enable tight control and real-time monitoring of cell aggregate formation. With its experience in polymer production and bioreactor design, Eppendorf will further contribute to establishing a GMP-conform hiPSC production process using single-use bioreactor technology. TECHNOBEAT can provide groundbreaking findings and methods that may revolutionize cell-based heart therapies. In the future, the microtissues may be grown outside the body in bioreactors and then injected into the patients damaged heart as a cell implant for curative treatment, outlines Robert Zweigerdt. Hundreds of patients with cardiac diseases waiting for an organ transplant may benefit from this technology. The pan-European TECHNOBEAT project builds an integrated and application-oriented research approach. For the first time, the consortium combines technologies enabling the mass production of stem cells under defined quality criteria, a strategy for growth of implantable microtissue, methods for evaluation of implant success in mammals as well as designated clinical expertise in cardiology, cardiac surgery, and multimodal imaging. The project is funded for a period of four years. Apart from the Hannover Medical School and Eppendorf the following Institutions and companies are partnering the project: the Medical Centers at the universities of Leiden and Utrecht, the Netherlands, the University of Sheffield, UK, the Paracelsus Medical University, Austria and the industrial partners Ovizio Imaging Systems NV/SA, Belgium and Kadimastem Ltd., Israel. Gau Narayanan, BBDO Africa regional director, says that given the fragmentation of audiences in 2016, integration is more important now than it has ever been before. The increased complexity of the modern audience demands integration for an effective marketing communications campaign. Speaking on a panel at the first African Holmes Report In2Summit held in Johannesburg last week, Narayanan said that ultimately, integration happens when a group of people gather around a problem to solve. Its important that titles, disciplines, agencies and egos are checked at the door. The panel, titled Collision cracking the integration challenge saw agency heads Kevin Welman (FleishmanHillard), CherylAnn Smith (WeCollaborate) and Microsofts Nir Tenzer come together to debate the topic. Smith, founder and MD at WeCollaborate, said that while barriers do currently exist, integration has to start internally. We are still facing barriers and we will face them for some time. The understanding of integration hasnt really landed where it needs to and that starts internally. A lot of what I find, coming from an agency and corporate background, is that integration happens a little bit in small areas and not consistently. From an internal perspective, the teams are incentivised internally across their silos. It doesnt force integration it keeps people separate. PR partner role MD of FleishmanHillard, Kevin Welman said that integration calls for PR agencies to take a more central role, and partner effectively with other agencies. The communications process should be led by the smartest people in the room that completely understand the business and look to communicate a business message, to affect change for the business. If youre a really good communicator, you should be occupying a seat at this main table. How PR should be - integrated into the overall communications mix Rido 123RF.com Welman said that for integration to work, agencies need to ring-fence what it is theyre good at. Its important as an agency to understand what you do. And to understand what you do, you have to understand what you dont do and not be embarrassed about that, said Welman. He referenced Harvard Business School lecturer Francis X. Frei: In the service of great, know what youre bad at. Identifying what you dont do will allow you time to do the things you do well, better, said Welman. In terms of barriers, Smith commented that its human nature to not like change, We dont know what the outcome will be. Integration takes the right leader and it starts with basic fundamentals: internal culture, fewer emails, changing the way people communicate, detailing whos responsible for what. Narayanan commented that there are three points to consider when trying to achieve true integration. The first is strategic and needs to be led by the client. You need to ask yourself is your clients organisation, business and brand totally committed to integration? If the answer is no, then that is a problem. The second consideration is cultural. Are you promoting a culture where egos and silos are left out of the room? Its not about agencies; its about people and giving credit to ideas. Brand experience He said that the third and final consideration is about operational structure which includes team structure, ways of working and remuneration. The client needs to invite people to come and work to solve a business problem, but ensure everyone is being paid fairly. That way agencies wont need to fight to protect their P&L and get their piece of the pie, but rather foster a harmonious culture where people come together to solve a problem We easily forget that we are dealing with people and the social customer is the person that doesnt look at a billboard or tweet in isolation; they are having a brand experience and so fundamentally when starting a strategy you need to address what kind of brand experience you want to create, said Smith. SAN FRANCISCO: Popular online bulletin board Pinterest on Wednesday began pushing "pins" sponsored by advertisers into countries outside the United States, starting with Britain. San Francisco-based Pinterest introduced "Sponsored Pins" about 18 months ago, making money by letting brands or companies pay to display advertising in the form of posts "pinned" to virtual bulletin boards at the service. "We are now pushing into international markets aggressively," Pinterest monetization and advertising president Tim Kendall told AFP. Kendall said the international expansion would begin in Britain because that is a "priority market" with a large number of Pinterest users, including businesses. Through the year, Pinterest planned to spread sponsored pins to more English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, and Ireland. Markets in which English is not the main language will be then be added, with the timing yet to be determined, according to Kendall. Pinterest sees itself as being positioned at crossroads of social networking and online search, with people tending to use it as they seek products or services and make plans. Instead of coming to Pinterest to see photos of friends, people come with "commercial intent" that puts the online bulletin board in an ideal position to display native advertising for trips, clothing or other offerings users may want, according to Kendall. Many companies or marketers are already on Pinterest, with some three-quaters of the content posted there coming from company websites or corporate blogs. Paying for Sponsored Pins can get them displayed more often, and aimed at targeted audiences. For example, a pin paid for by a shoe company could display some of its selection to a Pinterest user who has searched for footwear. Pinterest ranks of advertisers in the US is already reported to be in the "tens of thousands," including many small and medium enterprises. Founded in 2010, Pinterest boasts more than 100 million users, some 45 percent of them outside the United States. A Silicon Valley star, the start-up was valued about $11bn in a round of private financing in March of last year. Source: AFP The Public Investment Corporation (PIC), the largest investor on the JSE, is questioning the independence of Pick n Pay Stores director Hugh Herman. Photograper: Len KumaloImage source: Hugh Herman.Photograper: Len KumaloImage source: BDlive Herman has been on the Pick n Pay Stores board for 39 years and the PIC believes this raises questions about his independence and ability to serve on the audit committee. The Companies Act and the JSE require audit committee members to be independent. The PIC, which holds 7.56% of Pick n Pay Stores, also says Herman should not be the lead independent director because of his prolonged tenure. At Pick n Pay Holdings, Rene de Wet has been on the board for 34 years and is still considered independent and appropriate to chair the audit committee. Other long-serving directors claiming to be independent and singled out by the PIC in its recently released proxy voting report include Len Konar, who continues to be regarded as an independent director after 20 years at Illovo Sugar and is on the audit committee. AA Raath, who has been on the Mediclinic board for 19 years, was re-appointed to the companys audit and risk committee last year. At The Foschini Group, SE Abrahams was appointed to the audit committee although he has been on the board for 17 years. At the annual general meetings of each of these companies, the PIC voted against the appointment to the audit committees of the named directors. There is no hard-and-fast link between board tenure and independence. However, anything after nine to 10 years is generally regarded as giving rise to concerns about independence. The King 3 code of corporate governance talks about nine years, while the draft King 4 is nonprescriptive, but urges companies to review the situation annually. In the European Union, the cut-off is about 10 years. Remuneration policies that provide inadequate disclosure and are too generous also raised the ire of the PIC. The fees paid to Illovo Sugars departing chairman were described as "excessive" by the PIC, which hopes the incoming chairmans fees will be lower, in line with the proposal. Two resolutions at Accelerate Property Fund were opposed by the PIC. The remuneration policy was deemed inconsistent with best practice as there were no key performance indicators, targets or weightings. And the fees paid to chairman Tito Mboweni were considered too excessive to warrant approval. The 100% increase in bonuses paid to the CEO and executives at Pick n Pay was considered unacceptable in light of the companys performance. The remuneration policies of Advtech, Investec, Lewis, Vukile Property Fund, Telkom and Foschini all warranted a negative vote from the PIC. At Steinhoffs shareholder meeting called to approve the transfer of its primary listing to Frankfurt, the PIC, which holds 11.38%, voted against the move offshore. The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) voted against the reappointment of PwC as furniture retailer Lewis's external auditors at last year's annual general meeting and questioned the firm's expertise. The PIC, which is one of Lewiss largest shareholders with a 9.4% stake, said in a recently released report that it queried PwCs "ability to respond to the allegations against Lewis Groups accounting policies". The PIC also questioned the skills of Lewiss audit committee members "in light of the recent allegations against Lewis Groups accounting policies". Clark Gardner of Summit Financial Partners, who raised concerns at the annual general meeting about Lewiss accounting policies, welcomed the PICs comments. "Its important auditors are put under pressure to ensure appropriate standards are maintained," he said. Sanchia Temkin, head of media relations at PwC, said PwC was unable to comment "as we are bound by the rules of confidentiality governing the auditing and accounting profession". Lewis CEO Johan Enslin said management could not comment on the PICs voting decision. The PICs damning comment is the latest in what has been a torrid year for Lewis and its external auditors. The share price has slumped from almost R100 to R47.50 as tough economic conditions and a tightening of regulations governing unsecured credit sales hammered turnover and profit. More damaging has been the attack on Lewiss selling practices and accounting policies launched by Summit Financial Partners and taken up by the National Credit Regulator. At the annual meeting last August, David Woollam of Summit Financial Partners had a heated argument with chairman David Nurek about the groups accounting policies and the way in which Lewis accounted for insurance income that provided a substantial boost to earnings. Nurek defended the groups policies, saying Lewiss accounting policies were in line with appropriate accounting standards. A PwC representative at the meeting confirmed Lewiss accounting policies were in line with international standards. The PIC was not the only shareholder with concerns about reappointing PwC; 23% of the 64% of shareholders at the annual meeting voted against PwC. Shoprite faces a crisis in its Gauteng operations after workers at its Centurion distribution centre downed tools on Monday over issues of outsourcing and pay. The facility is the largest distribution centre under one roof on the continent. It serves as the distribution point for about 90% of products delivered to stores in the Gauteng area and beyond. The General Industries Workers Union is behind the action, which forms part of the #OutsourcingMustFall movement. A union official, Clarence Debeila, said about 90% of the 1,000 workers at the facility were employed by labour brokers who pay "poverty wages". "The strike is definitely still on. Almost all the staff have joined us," said Debeila. "We have sent memorandums to management, asking for better wages, but those have fallen on deaf ears. The workers here wont stop until they are heard," he said. Debeila said outsourced Shoprite workers were being paid R23 per hour in a 44-hour week. Workers were now requesting a minimum wage of R10,000. "We have been camped outside their gate. They have been unable to bring any other labour into the facility because we are here, " said Mr Debeila. Shoprite declined to comment. Equity analyst at Avior Capital Markets Kyle Rollinson said the strike could affect the share price if it lasted into the weekend. "The Centurion distribution centre is probably the biggest in the country. If the strike goes on longer than two or three days, it will definitely have an impact. They will be unable to service their stores, which would mean fewer sales. Its a time issue in the end," said Rollinson. Shoprites share price fell 2.82% on Wednesday to R168.12 in line with declines in other retailers shares. This is not the first time Africas largest retailer has come under fire. In 2013, Cosatu urged management to scrap labour brokers. According to Cosatu, 35% of Shoprites staff are considered full-time with a further 5% being termed 40-hour fulltimers or flexi-timers. The remaining 60% are casuals. The union said the minimum wage was R4,000 for fulltime workers and R1,800 for variable-time workers who are mostly under labour brokers. Pick n Pay spokeswoman Tamra Veley said outsourced workers constituted a tiny percentage of the companys workforce. After its launch of the VMA African Communications Survey in February 2015, VMA Group Africa has again surveyed 386 senior communication practitioners from 251 different companies for its February 2016 survey. This survey was conducted in partnership with the Public Relations Society of Southern Africa (PRISA) and the Africa Region of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Approximately 8% of respondents were from Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya and Nairobi. The new study suggests that downward pressure on budgets and a shortage of skills in the industry are having a major impact on the communications industry in South Africa. Added to this, fewer growth opportunities and a reduction in training budgets are making it harder to source and retain top talent. Growth sentiment reduces by 500% In the groups 2015 survey, 61% of communicators felt positive about company growth and expansion but by February 2016, that figure had declined to only 13% - a reduction of nearly 500% in that growth sentiment. More than a quarter of communicators in South Africa also say the skills shortage in the sector coupled with downward pressure on budgets make up two of the top challenges they will face in the next two years. Daniel Munslow, principal consultant South Africa states, Overall, there has been a drastic decline in optimism across the industry. This is reflected by a perceived lack of growth opportunities, however, the groups research has shown that there is a shift to improve skills among communicators, especially on strategic thinking and business acumen. This is likely the result of mounting pressure on communication professionals by senior leadership demanding better measurement and sound returns on reputation management activities. From a talent management perspective, human resources departments should take cognisance that the number one reason for employees leaving both agency and corporate environments is career development. What is intriguing is our research has shown that 51% of respondents have had their training budgets cut, despite this being the number one factor that could influence employee retention, concludes Munslow. The latest Economic Report on Africa states that the economic and environmental benefits stemming from greening Africa's industrialisation make the environmental approach the only viable option for the continent's continued development. Fatima Denton, director of the ECA's Special Initiatives Division at the launch of the ERA on Greening Africa's Industrialisation. The report, titled Greening Africa's Industrialisation, was launched on 3 April during African Development Week. Global commitments to addressing climate change, such as the agreement reached at the Conference of the Parties (COP21) during the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December, set the stage for partnerships to transform Africa's growth prospects. Africa's move to greener industrialisation is not just a step towards meeting global carbon emission targets - it is a precondition for sustainable and inclusive growth. Late-runner status Dr Fatima Denton, director of the ECA's Special Initiatives Division, said that green initiatives offer the continent the opportunity to move from the periphery of the global economy to the centre. "Now we have an incredible opportunity to configure our own industrialisation. Africa has an opportunity to take advantage of its 'late-runner' status and it has huge potential to become a front-runner in this new pathway, to basically reshape its own economies and reshape it in a way that it can own." Although African countries' carbon emissions are low compared to other countries, going green can boost growth, Denton continued. "This is no longer an issue of choice. We have to take this pathway because it makes good economic sense," she said. The report says Africa can leapfrog traditional carbon-intensive growth methods and champion low-carbon development. It notes that Africa's growth has largely been unequal, has been based on the extraction of raw materials, and has damaged biodiversity and natural resources. How, it asks, can these patterns be transformed while ensuring steady supplies of water, food and energy? "Africa's move to greener industrialisation is not just a step towards meeting global carbon emission targets - it is a precondition for sustainable and inclusive growth," it says, noting green initiatives, particularly in energy, can benefit manufacturing and other sectors. Focus on climate change Russell Bishop, a senior economist from the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate Change, said Africa's future must include a focus on climate change issues. "Africa has the opportunity that has never been achieved in any other economy in the world, which is to grow in a clean way." Dr Celestin Monga, managing director of the UN Industrial Development Organisation, however, said the goals are noble but questioned whether they're realistic. "I think we all agree that going green is a wonderful goal but we also need to be realistic and honest about the trade-offs that it involves. What are we going to do with the fossil fuels that we currently have? Some of these excellent goals need to be presented in a very realistic way so that we can see the trade-offs." The report also includes studies on 12 African countries where green industrialisation is gaining momentum. It calls for government leaders to support the transformation, develop green visions and strategies, translate them into policies, and engage stakeholders. Central to green industrialisation is decoupling energy, investing in infrastructure, and greening cities. While funding such measures will be difficult, it is important to start now, the report says. Despite appealing returns in the industrial real estate market, many listed property companies may struggle to translate these into higher rentals when leases come up for negotiation. Data for last year from the Investment Property Databank showed South African industrial property achieved a total return of 14.2%. Of this, 4.2% was capital growth, and the remaining 9.6% income growth. Much of the strong returns were achieved by a handful of listed property players. "This return is certainly exceptional. However, from the perspective of listed property players that have industrial exposure, the industrial picture is mixed," said Stanlib's head of listed property funds, Keillen Ndlovu. "Most listed property players have experienced minimal rental growth and, in general, negative rental reversions when leases come to an end or for renewal." Ndlovu said in terms of lease agreements, annual rental escalations were averaging 8% in the listed property sector. This percentage was about the same for the direct or fixed property market. However, there were concerns the overall market could slow down, with tenants locked into higher rents. "If the market slows down, when you reach year five, the tenant could be paying higherthan-average market rents. So, when the lease expires, the rent may have to revert to market levels, that is the tenant's rent has been going up by 8% per year, yet for example, market rents are growing at, say, 4% per year on average. This, of course happens when rental growth is slowing, like in the current environment," he said. "Only a handful of players with prime industrial assets, such as SA Corporate Real Estate and Equites (Property Fund), have managed to retain positive rental reversions so far, but even these players expect some downside risks going forward as the economic outlook becomes more challenging," Ndlovu said. Head of Ma'alot Investments Maurice Shapiro said he did not believe the industrial sector was about to enter a recovery phase. "We don't manufacture much, so industrial property focused on manufacturing will continue to suffer. We do, however, have a strong logistics industrial space, but this will struggle if retail struggles," Shapiro said. "I can't foresee a strong demand for more warehouse space. We will most likely see the musical chairs that we see in the office space when developers will build a new logistics centre in a new prime location, such as on the N3 Modderfontein, and tenants will vacate the south of Johannesburg or Wynberg to fill that space. Location and newness of build is going to play a huge role," he said. Logistics assets could improve when e-commerce gained traction and more companies needed warehousing facilities. We don't manufacture much, so industrial property focused on manufacturing will continue to suffer Source: Business Day Tourist arrivals for the month of January 2016 reached a new record with over a million tourist arriving in the country for the first time ever, indicating an encouraging recovery for the industry. There were 1,012,641 tourist arrivals recorded for the first month of 2016, representing a 15% growth compared to January last year according to data from Statistics SA. Ulrich Mueller via 123RF The one million mark Januarys record-breaking month of arrivals comes off the back of a 7% overall decline in tourism arrivals for the full year of 2015. Despite a stronger finish for South African tourism statistics in the final quarter of last year, overall SA tourist arrivals were dismal for 2015, compared to those arrivals recorded during 2014. We welcome this notable level of growth for the first month of the 2016 year, albeit off a low base which was recorded in 2015, says Lee-Anne Bac, director: Advisory Services at Grant Thornton. A bumper month in January clearly indicates that the industry is on the rebound which bears testimony to the tourism sectors resilience and its ability to bounce back. Bac added that breaking through the one million mark is momentous for the country. The closest South Africa has ever been to this milestone was in January 2014 when there were 949 000 tourists, she said. In fact, for the entire 2015 year tourist arrivals to South Africa never even broke through the 900 000 number in any month. Signifact growth The arrivals data reveals that growth was driven by buoyant demand from both overseas and African tourists, with the majority of tourists arriving from African countries (79%) while 21% were from overseas. Of the overseas visitors arriving in South Africa during January, arrivals from China grew by a remarkable 93%. Germany improved by 22%, UK by 16% and the USA by 11%. The significant growth in arrivals from China is a welcome relief and it truly is an indication that the amendments to visa regulations for the Chinese market are already starting to bear fruit, continued Bac. Changes implemented recently to visa regulations specifically for the Chinese market include new visa processing centres, accredited travel company programmes and specific visa exemptions. Numbers still low But Bac warned that this growth is off a low base recorded during 2015. The actual number of Chinese tourists arriving in January 2016 (9406) is still lower than the number of Chinese tourists recorded in January 2012 and in 2014, so there is still quite a bit of work to be done in order for us to successfully return to previous levels, she said. The Grant Thornton Advisory Services teams calculations reveal that if South Africa had not experienced the negative issue of the visa regulations on the Chinese market in particular, South Africa should have had approximately 2500 more Chinese tourists in January 2016 than what was actually recorded. The stats for January 2016 are outstanding and most certainly encouraging. We mustnt become complacent though as there is still a lot of work to be done in order for us to regain our lost market share, Bac concluded. Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) announced that they will host 500 African travel trade delegates to experience Dubai. 150 of the delegates will be from Southern Africa. xemag via pixabay Taking place from 2 June through 7 June 2016, Dubai Tourism will host Africas top travel trade for a four-day, five-night stay so that they can effectively communicate the one-of-a-kind holiday experience Dubai offers to their customers. The professionals will receive first-hand experience of Dubais extensive retail, gastronomic and family offering while also visiting the country during its summer months of June, July and August, when Southern Africans will likely be looking for an escape from the winter cold and can take advantage of the numerous deals on offer. Were pleased to announce this initiative on the first day of WTM Africa, which is designed to further our commitment to the African travel trade, said Stella Obinwa, regional director for Dubai Tourism. This trip is a great chance for African travel trade professionals to see all Dubai has to offer, and use this knowledge to further their own businesses. South Africa's visionaries, mavericks and disruptors headline this year's National Arts Festival, which runs from 30 June to 10 July, 2016, in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The programme taps into the national mood with fierce, feisty and funny productions that both celebrate South Africa's vibrant contemporary culture as well as tackle the wounds of the country's traumatic and violent past. Visitors to Grahamstown can look forward to world-class performances from local and international theatre companies, including some reinvented and reinvigorated classics, as well as to contemporary dance from the Cape Dance Company, performances by Aka, the African prince of hip hop, family fare from the Chinese Guangzhou Song and Dance Ensemble, and some heart-and brain-busting work from returning Standard Bank Ovation Award winners on the Arena programme. Ismail Mahomed, the artistic director of the National Arts Festival, said he had relied on history to provide the context for building this year's programme, which creates space not for nostalgia, but for critical reflection, analysis and reinvention. A challenging time for SA While this is a challenging time for South Africa, and the arts sector in particular, we are proud to present a programme that is artistically strong, textured in its expression, and effectively representative of the diversity of the South African arts sector, Mahomed said. Now in its 42nd year, the National Arts Festival is the largest and longest-running celebration of the arts on the African continent. For 11 days, an eclectic mix of drama, dance, music, performance and visual art, street performances and family fare is presented in the transformed Eastern Cape town. This year, almost 80% of the Main programme is either written, directed, curated or headlined by women, with playwright, director and producer Lara Foot leading the charge as 2016's featured artist. Foot, the chief executive and artistic director of the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, will premiere The Inconvenience of Wings. Set in a landscape of memory and dreams, it features theatre bluebloods Andrew Buckland, Mncedisi Shabangu and Jennifer Steyn. Foot will also re-stage two of her previous works: the award-winning Karoo Moose, starring the original cast; and Tshepang, the extraordinarily poetic and redemptive telling of one of South Africa's most brutal stories. Solo theatre festival This years solo theatre festival comprises eight inspired one-handers about women, performed by women. The stories celebrate the compassion, tenacity and integrity with which women engage in their political landscapes, Mahomed said. The productions include: Ruth First: 117 Days (performed by Jackie Rens); Amsterdam (Chanje Kunda); Immortal (Jenna Dunster); Unveiled (Gushan Mia); Penny (Zethu Dlomo); In Bocca Al Lupo (Jemma Kahn); Blonde Poison (Fiona Ramsay); and Watching (Ester Natzijl, a production that comes to the festival from the 2015 Amsterdam Fringe). Related productions: * OoMaSisulu: based on the life of Albertina Sisulu and performed by Thembi Mtshali, will premiere in Grahamstown; * Noka Ya Bokamoso: is artist Lerato Shadi's exploration of the representation of the black female body; and * Looking/Seeing/Being/Disappearing: choreographed and performed by Nadine Joseph, explores the representation of the 'disappearing woman' in contemporary South Africa. Booking for the 2016 National Arts Festival opens on 9 May. www.nationalartsfestival.co.za Toyota's recent concept car, the Setsuna, is to debut at Milan Design Week happening from 12-17 April. The Toyota Setsuna is a drivable open-top two-seater roadster predominantly made from wood. The Setsuna is meant to symbolise how cars undergo a gradual transformation over the years, as if absorbing the aspirations, memories and emotions of multiple generations of a family. Toyota says that the reason to use wood as the primary material for Setsunas construction was to express the notion that love grows as time passes, and changes in colour and feel in direct response to the love and care shown to it. With the Setsuna concept, Toyota is expressing the notion that, as a family accrues time and experiences together with their car, lovingly caring for it and passing it on to the next generation, that car will acquire a new type of value that only the members of that family can appreciate. The car's name Setsuna, meaning 'moment' in Japanese was chosen to reflect that people experience precious, fleeting moments together with their cars. Toyota believes that, over time, these collective moments make their cars irreplaceable to their owners. Handmade panels However, the Setsuna is not a piece of furniture it is a fully functioning car, although not road-legal. For this reason, different types of wood were chosen for specific parts of the vehicle including Japanese cedar, with its vivid grain and flexibility for the exterior panels; strong and rigid Japanese birch for the frame; hard-wearing Japanese zelkova for the seats; and smooth-textured castor aralia for the seats. The panels feature different grain patterns in the cedar, achieved with straight and cross-cutting of the raw timber, creating attractive contrasts. The concept of an 'accumulation of moments' is expressed through the vehicles radial, circular emblem. While giving the impression of a blooming flower, the design also evokes the appearance of a clock that shows each individual moment. It is a symbol of hope that both family and car will grow together, just as trees grow larger and stronger ring by ring. Also worth noting that there were no screws or nails used to assemble the Setsuna, its body comprises 86 handmade panels. Considerable thought was given to the design and creation of the panels, each of which offers unique changes as the car ages. If repairs become necessary, individual panels can be replaced rather than large sections of body. It should then be possible for owners to identify areas of the car where remedial work has been done by hand, adding to the memories being passed down. To create contrasting elements within the overall design, aluminium has been adopted in parts such as the wheel caps, steering wheel and seat frames. Like wood and leather, metal is also known to change appearance over time, making it a material that will also develop its own unique look and character. On design, Kenji Tsuji, the Toyota engineer overseeing development of the Setsuna, says: The completed body line of the Setsuna expresses a beautiful curve reminiscent of a boat. We would also like the viewer to imagine how the Setsuna will gradually develop a complex and unique character over the years. The car includes a 100-year metre that will keep time over generations, and seats that combine functional beauty with the gentle hue of the wood." Plans to attract private investment into state-owned companies are gaining momentum, with proposals for Transnet and the airline sector under development, Public Enterprises Minister Lynn Brown told MPs at a meeting at Parliament on Wednesday. SAR Connecta via Wikimedia Commons Private investment in state-owned assets has been a thorny issue for the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies for more than a decade after the government canned its privatisation programme in the early 2000s following internal political opposition. In February, President Jacob Zuma indicated a policy change that would promote private "participation" in state-owned companies. Briefing Parliament's portfolio committee on public enterprises on Wednesday, Brown said Transnet was looking at attracting private investment in new ports planned for Buchu Bay and Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape, as well the construction of new inland terminals that could be run by the private sector. In the airline sector, a proposal to place South African Airways, SA Express, SA Airlink and Mango Airlines under the structure of a holding company was under consideration. Each company would continue to play its role as it was recently defined but the creation of a holding company structure "would provide greater leverage in attracting a strategic equity partner," she said. Legislation limits foreign ownership of SAA to 25%. State-owned companies were also looking for opportunities to expand markets in Africa, with Transnet setting its sights on opportunities in Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi; Eskom on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Uganda; and SA Express in Ghana. An interministerial committee including the Department of Public Enterprises, the Treasury and the Presidency had drawn up a framework for private participation in state-owned companies, a framework for board appointments and a draft performance appraisal scorecard. While Brown had previously said that the tabling of a Shareholder Management Bill was imminent, "this cannot be brought now" as critical questions such as whether the Department of Public Enterprises would continue to exist and under which departments state-owned companies should be located were still under discussion by the three departments, she said. A new option under consideration is the Chinese model, in which a separate entity outside of the government oversees state-owned companies to ensure that they are commercially viable. The reorganisation of state-owned companies was highly "contested terrain", she said. Reporting briefly on Eskom, Brown said that due to new capacity from the Ingula pumped storage project coming online, no load shedding was expected this winter. Additional new capacity was expected by the end of the year from Ingula, Medupi and Kusile, she said. Source: Business Day Brace yourself for massive roadworks throughout the Eastern Cape after the government announced yesterday it would spend billions of rands to build or revamp the province's road network for the next five years. While some major roads in the western part of the province are set to be revamped, the majority of the work will be done on the eastern side, where most of the infrastructure backlogs are. Delivering her policy speech in Bhisho yesterday, Roads and Public Works MEC Thandiswa Marawu said the investment would make roads in that part of the province the best in the country. Over the next two financial years, plans are afoot to upgrade the section of the R72 between Port Alfred and Peddie as well as the R335, also known as the Addo Road. The R334, which is the "shortcut" road linking the N2 near Colchester to Uitenhage that has been closed off for years, will also undergo construction, but only in the 2017-18 financial year. Road infrastructure The tender for the reconstruction of the Sandriver Bridge at Cape St Francis has been awarded to start this year, but the contract is still under a legal challenge. Marawu said there had been an unprecedented roll-out of road infrastructure projects in the last financial year and this year would be the same. "Anyone travelling through the length and breadth of our province can attest to this fact," she said. "The SA National Roads Agency Limited [Sanral] has been working closely with us to achieve the phenomenal results that we see on our roads. "Roads infrastructure is always receiving special attention from all the department's stakeholders, owing to the critical role of roads in enabling economic activity and mobility to access social infrastructure and amenities," Marawu said. She said Sanral had spent R2.3-billion on Eastern Cape roads and planned to spend an additional R5-billion in the 2016-17 financial year. "It can be said without any equivocation that in the next five years the national road network in the eastern part of our province will be second to none," Marawu said. "It must also be pointed out that a significant amount of the Sanral budget is dedicated to the participation of local SMMEs in their various programmes." Paying attention to Eastern Cape roads Asked if the focus on the eastern part of the province was a deliberate strategy by the government, Marawu said the former homelands had previously been neglected and needed a lot of attention. "But there will be a balance. We are also using Sanral on the western side of the Eastern Cape to fix roads," she said. Marawu said they were focused on upgrading roads in line with President Jacob Zuma's call for the government to invest in infrastructure. "Roads are the heartbeat of the economy. That's why you see the stop-and-goes. We want to attract investors to our province," she said. Foremost in the heart of business Border Kei Chamber of Business executive director Les Holbrook said the increased investment on roads was welcomed, as it was foremost in the hearts of business. However, as organised business in the eastern part of the province, they would like to have more of a say on which roads the government should fix. "Largely, government is going to be maintaining the roads and tarring some gravel roads. We would like them to pursue roads that have an impact on the economy," Holbrook said. "We believe that where bad roads are utilised by business, that is where the spending ought to go." Participation of SMMEs Marawu said 30% of all construction would be allocated to SMMEs. The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry's provincial secretary, Mercy Mini, said while there were skills in the province to handle the work, the government often gave contracts to companies that did not have the capacity. She said the government had to help develop emerging SMMEs to be able to handle "real work". Cutting down on costs In her speech, Marawu spoke about her department's plans to heed the national call to cut down on unnecessary and wasteful expenditure. "The department is currently implementing the cost-containment measures," she said. "For the next financial year, the department will continue to implement and monitor all the revised cost-containment measures." She said the measures included that they would ensure that outsourcing was properly managed; officials would travel on economy-class flights and use airport shuttles and hiring of vehicles would be limited to category B-class cars. Source: Herald The market recession of 2007 created serious challenges by insufficiently providing jobs for people entering and leaving the formal job market due to retrenchments and slow market growth. While Africas rate of growth has outperformed the global rate over the last decade, growth remains insufficient to provide jobs. The African Economic Outlook (2015) estimates 200 million people between the ages of 15 and 24 in Africa. This is the youngest population in the world and population growth remains rapid. The number of young people in Africa will double by 2045 and in 2050, 70% of the worlds population will come from Africa. Between 2000 and 2008, Africas working age population (15-64 years) grew from 443 million to 550 million, an increase of 25%. Left unattended, this will have serious economic and political repercussions, potentially resulting in large scale civil unrest and potential wars. A McKinsey and Company Report (2011) provides insights into the growing demand for entrepreneurship to drive the global economy. With 12% of working age population engaged in early stage development of entrepreneurship and SMEs accounting for 52% of the Global Domestic Product (GDP), the outlook for entrepreneurship looks positive, but statistics reveal that 90% of start-up entrepreneurs fail within the first two - three years of business mainly due to a poor mind-set, lack of effective business and funding models. So how can government support the growth and development of start-up entrepreneurs? McKinseys highlights that the root cause lies in the early stage development of SMMEs, how they are enabled, created and sustained through their business lifecycle. Their report indicates the various factors impacting the entrepreneur and their success. While the definition of entrepreneurship has changed significantly since it being defined in the 16th century, the purpose for entrepreneurship remains consistent, presenting the economic motivation and value creation drivers for entrepreneurs. Respected global strategy academic authors agree that start-up entrepreneurship is critical to national economies as it contributes to job creation, productivity and economic growth. Interestingly, Chakravorti (2015) states while the mature world and business struggles through recession and recovery, 75% of the growth of global output will come from the emerging markets, pointing to nibble, fast paced and agile start-up entrepreneurs who can develop bottom up strategies and emerge as winners overnight. Six centuries later, entrepreneurship has become a global phenomenon, spanning micro-entrepreneurs to visionary individuals creating global companies in less than ten years. The Global Entrepreneurial Monitor, GEM (2006) which tracks the Total Early Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) reveals the average rate (per 100) adults engaged in business start-ups is 9.43%. Interestingly, the average increases when developing countries are grouped together and includes the countries of Peru (40.15%), the Philippines (44%), Thailand (15.20%), Brazil (11.65%), India (10.42%) and Chile (9.14%). Locally, by comparison, South Africa rated a mere average of 5.29%. Eight years later in 2014, the Total Early Stage Entrepreneurial activity statistics have shown positive increases in both developed and developing countries. Refer Figure 2.2. Source: South African Business Incubator Establishment Handbook (2014: p.49) Factors for entrepreneurial start-up success Forbes Online, January 2015, points to successful factors for start-up entrepreneurs and statistics reveal that globally only a mere 10% of start-up entrepreneurs succeed and those that do include the following factors: 1. The supply of market relevant products and services 2. Good leadership 3. Market pull 4. Team tenacity Similarly, The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation (2014) commented on the 5th Global Economic Symposium (GES), in Morocco, themed Harnessing the Power of Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship that for entrepreneurship to succeed start-up entrepreneurs must - 1. Prove their business concept as soon as possible 2. Build reputation and credibility fast 3. Work on securing customers as soon as possible Interestingly, this is contrary to the Global Economic Monitor (2014) which focusses more on business and finance models and leadership, revealing the levels of complexity, varied perspectives and opinions on what exactly constitutes the factors for start-up success. On closer inspection, van Schalkwyk reveals that they are in fact saying the same things but in different form. Its about semantics she says and building bridges of understanding and communication in the simplest form in order to share the wisdom and valuable insights with start-up entrepreneurs, as complexity can be seen as simple to some, simplicity can be seen as complex to others. Building a culture of good, able and responsible leaders, with good ethics and compassion to influence and achieve a common vision, goal and understanding between stakeholders is becoming more and more critical to motivating, stimulating and mobilising the change and actions needed to muster positive economic growth. In the 21st Century entrepreneurs must therefore become positive key drivers for the value creation of a better world, which directly impacts and determines the society and environment in which we live and will operate in, with power to inform a new paradigm of existence. According to McKinsey (2011), the 21st century belongs to the entrepreneur and underpinned by three pillars of success i.e. their ecosystem (or market environment), financing and culture. Countries that outperform their peers in these three areas collectively will succeed in entrepreneurship. This explains why entrepreneurs in developed countries experience higher success. Similarly, The Global Entrepreneurial Monitor (2014) cites a countrys national economic framework as a factor for entrepreneurial success. It highlights that the success of entrepreneurship is directly linked to its local economic framework. It states three major motivating factors for entrepreneurship within countries and this is linked to the value drivers of the countrys economy such as factor driven economies, efficiency driven economies and innovation driven economies The GEM 2014 report advocates The Entrepreneurial Framework Conditions (EFC), playing a significant role in solving the challenges for entrepreneurs, but still requires the entrepreneur to do the right actions to achieve the right results, profits and outcomes, confirming that actions are key to growth, development and success. Refer Figure 2.3. The report shows how developed countries are set up for success while developing economies struggle with challenges and obstacles that hinder their growth and development. As an example of this is the fact that the South African government launched their first handbook for entrepreneurial incubators, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), twenty years later when compared to developed economies. Refer Figure 2.4 For South Africa, the incubator support programme aims to assists SMME entrepreneurs in the start-up phase with support and services that will enable their growth and development, offering incentives for investment and support initiatives, but business models and methods are changing rapidly, fuelled by e-commerce and disruptive technology innovations. Source: South African Business Establishment Incubator Handbook (2014: P.15) According to respected academics, third world countries have caught up with first world countries on securing future trade agreements and protecting their markets. Initiatives such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) for developing countries are examples of such trade and market protection initiatives and real global alliances which influence purchasing and sales agreements between business and state. These powerful trade agreements will have a direct impact on entrepreneurship opportunities that will direct and leverage business trade partner agreements and growth into the future. For more information on how develop an effective entrepreneurial culture or how to reduce the failure rate of start-up entrepreneurship ventures in the 21st Century, kindly email moc.liamg@kywklahcsnavydnew. When Motorola became the first company to produce a handheld mobile phone in April 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher placed the first call to Dr. Joel Engel of Bell Labs. Neither man knew that in the future used smartphones would be as ubiqutous as warts on a frog. From that inauspicous beginning, cell phones have become common place; used smartphones even more so. The first to tap into the banquet of used phones were drug dealers and gangs. The phones could be used once and thrown away much like today's burner phones. Soon, non-profit groups started asking for used cellphones as a fundraiser. Red Cross, Wounded Warriors and even The Boy Scouts, along with other groups, have raised millions by turning used cell phones into cash. Today, used cell phones is considered by some observers to be the largest market for mobile devices. Overall, consumers will sell, or trade, over 115 million used smartphones globally in 2016. The second-hand market drives sales to the tune of more than $16bn dollars. Despite the numerous services available to give users the chance to trade or reuse their used phones, most consumers still toss unused devices into the junk drawer at home. A smartphone's second life is becoming increasingly important. "There is a customer wish to update to have the most useful devices," said Ed Marsden, telecom lead for Deloitte, a professional services firm. "Savvy teens beg their parents to update their phone in the hopes they will, in turn, gain from an improved hand-me-down." Besides the potential upgrade, smartphones hold enormous quantities of recyclable elements and plastics. Rare earth elements, principally quarried in China can be recycled and converted. Toxic metals, such as lead, can be disposed of correctly. Deloitte highlights the second-hand demand as just one of several learnings it thinks will impact the telecom industry. Among its predictions: Continued growth in gigabit connections Evolving usage patterns Increased photo-sharing, and Debuting voice over Wi-Fi, or voice over LTE (VoLTE) services in 2016 Latin America The number of cell phone users in Latin America is growing but at a slower pace. eMarketer estimates the number of people, in Latin America, of any age, who owned, at least, one cell phone slid up only a little over 4 percent in 2014 to hit just over 395 million. Approximately a third of the users lived in Brazil. Mexico and Colombia were second and third respectively while Argentina's 30 million users came in fourth. eMarketer expects that overall mobile phone growth rates will grow at a pace barely above population growth in the region. Mobile internet is the real growth story in South America. This means that the current levels of mobile device adoptions are almost full, and future growth will come from the substitution of feature-filled phones with those having more advanced Internet-enabled devices. While Argentina is expected to add just over 7.9 million phone internet users by 201, the group of countries outside Brazil, Mexico Argentina is estimated to reach over 108 million by 2013 up from 65 million in 2015. Trendy The use of second-hand phones is an increasing trend in Vietnam including rural areas where the largest percentage of the population are farmers. Many individuals, including the youth, are accepting second-hand phones with inexpensive sim cards. Nguyen Viet Hung says he can purchase a discounted sim for just VND 50,000. The same card would cost up to 170,000 with Vinaphone. "It's easy for me to switch my cell phone whenever I like, and my buddies and I find it interesting," he says. Hung's mate Minh Thai says that instead of using new, costly phones many friends find a second-hand mobile for their different shape and functions. "I gather used second-hand phones. They don't cost over VND300,000 (approximately $13.00USD) each," said Thai. When looking to buy a phone Hung and his friends don't have to look far. Thai says one can find a seller online instead of digging through old phones at a pawn shop. Thai does admit that collecting old phones costs a good amount of time. For example, "I lately had to drive from Ha Noi to Hai Duong to buy a very used phone for VND 150,000 from a friend." Telecommunication charges in Viet Nam are cheap as in other countries in the region. Ninety percent of almost 157 subscribers are mobile phone users, and the normal density is 181 phones per 100 people and there are 25 million Internet users. "Internet and telecommunications have reached stable growth rates, but it is not developed equally among locales," says Dan Huu former head of the National Steering Committee. "More incentive policies for companies to invest in the Internet and promote eGovernment, and other public online services, are necessary," he adds. USA Based on a study of over 5,500 consumers in America, the technology research company Gartner discovered that almost two-thirds of phones are given a another life. While some are marketed as used, others are returned in as a trade-in for the next smartphone. Almost 25 percent of smartphones in America are presented to family members as hand-me-downs, and only 7 percent of smartphones are recycled. Gartner reports that the replacement period is down to 19 months on average, and over 50 percent of the "geek" market replace their phone in under a year. Gartner found that over 55 million renovated phones were marketed to a consumer in 2014 a business worth over 7 billion dollars. The second-hand business is larger when the developing world market is included. Smart phone price The market for used cell phones is volatile which makes the smart phone price all over the map. Prices can range, on any given phone, from the ridiculously cheap to the almost-like-new price. Variables include age of the phone, features, condition and the city where the phone is sold. Many services have developed to provide a "guesstimate" on the value of a given phone. Consult these online services and compare those prices with ones locally before buying or selling a used cell phone. The Australian communications agency Buchan, a WE+ partner since 2008, has sold a majority stake in its business to WE Communications. It will be renamed WE Buchan and continue to be an integral and significant part of the group's, bolstering offerings in the APAC region and around the globe. Its roster of clients includes the Australian Taxation Office; global human capital experts Manpower; Australia's largest not-for-profit private health insurer, HCF; eHarmony; Bentleys Chartered Accountants and Advisors; and dorsaVi. The current WE Buchan leadership team of CEO Rebecca Wilson, GM and head of consumer & technology Gemma Hudson, and founder/executive chairman Tom Buchan will continue to drive the business forward. Czech public service Radio presents the refugee crisis as a "problem threatening Czech citizens" 7. 4. 2016 cas cteni < 1 minuta The Czech Radio journalists are "explicitly xenophobic" and create negative connotations which they link to the concept of "immigrant". Czech public service Radio actively constructs a narrative of external danger posed by immigrants to the inhabitants the Czech Republic, says a detailed new analysis, commissioned by Czech Radio itself from media specialists of Olomouc University. The 165-page analysis shows that Czech Radio gives broadcasting space primarily to its own journalists and commentators; politicians are the second most quoted individuals. Czech Radio regularly and systematically uses the expression "illegal immigrants", which is incorrect from the legal point of view because the refugees who are protected by the Geneva Convention cannot be regarded as illegal. A summary of the analysis in Czech is HERE, the complete text of the analysis in Czech is HERE In a separate development the Czech Council for Radio and TV broadcasting, the official Czech regulatory body for broadcasting, has decreed that the broadcasting of the Czech media about refugees is absolutely balanced, fair and legal. Source in Czech HERE 0 Lawyer Ko Tun Hla informed Narinjara News that all the Arakanese youths confessed about their relationship with the Arakan Army and the court accordingly sent them to three to five years of imprisonment. They confessed about their involvement with the Arakan Army. They had been detained since April 2015 and finally they confessed. Now they may expect amnesty from the new Burma President, said Ko Tun Hla. The convicted Ko Maung Shwe Thee [son of U Pann Aung Phyu from Buthee Taung township], Ko Nyi Nyi Hlaing [son of U Thar Doe from Kyauk Taw township] and Ko Zin Myo Aung [son of U Nga Lone Chay from Kyauk Phru township] were sentenced to five years of imprisonment under the article 17 (2). On the other hand, Ko San Aye Maung [son of U Maung Aye Thein from Kyauk Taw township], Ko Maung Shwe Lone [son of U Shwe Saw Maung from Min Bya township] and Ko San Maung Thar [son of U Aung San Baw from Kyauk Taw township] were sentenced to three years of imprisonment under the article 17 (1), added the lawyer. Earlier the Kyauk Taw township court sentenced 25 Arakan Army members with three to five years of imprisonment, who confessed about their unlawful activities under the insurgent outfit [Arakan Army]. Mr Dion will visit from April 6-8. Minister Stephane Dion is excited to be here at a milestone in Burmas history. Before serving as Foreign Minister, he was the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and coordinated many federal -provincial negotiations in promoting Canadian unity. Stephane Dion was also our Minister of the Environment chairing the UN Conference on Climate Change held in Canada, before he was the leader of Canadas Liberal Party, the embassy wrote on their Facebook page. According to Canadian Ambassador Mark McDowell: Our Minister will be meeting with President Htin Kyaw and with Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw. He will also meet there with the International Relations Committees of the Upper and Lower house. In Yangon, he will meet with some of the partners the Embassy has worked with mostly in human rights, as well as the UN. Canada recently had a change of government, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking office in November 2015. The nation sees its giant neighbour -- and largest trading partner -- as its biggest foreign policy preoccupation, with border wars and controversial China-backed mega-projects topping the agenda. The new civilian administration, sworn in on March 30, faces a host of economic challenges as it inherits the government of the impoverished nation from the military. It also faces tensions with the military which ruled for almost half a century. Suu Kyi, for decades the standard-bearer of the democracy movement and now foreign minister, invited China's Wang Yi for talks in the capital Naypyidaw. At a press conference afterwards she described relations as "very important politically as well as socially and economically". Wang said his government was eager to "build more confidence" between the nations and vowed that China would support Myanmar's process of national reconciliation. "China is a good neighbour to Myanmar. We want to improve the relationship between the two countries," he said through an interpreter. Beijing was once instrumental in shielding Myanmar's former junta from the full force of international opprobrium while Suu Kyi languished for years under house arrest. Chinese firms enjoyed a host of juicy business deals with Myanmar's generals and their cronies that were often seen as exploiting the nation's rich natural resources. But the comfortable relationship was thrown into upheaval under the last quasi-civilian government of Thein Sein. In 2011 he shocked the international community by suspending the multi-billion dollar China-backed Myitsone hydropower project in war-torn Kachin state. Fighting in the border region of Kokang last year between the Myanmar army and local rebels with links to China also strained relations. Analysts say both nations want to rebalance the relationship after Myanmar's historic November elections that saw millions of voters take to the polls to end the military's domination. "The new government recognises China's importance but will also be keen to recalibrate aspects of the two countries' relations," said Nyantha Maw Lin, of advisory firm Vriens and Partners. - Huge investor -With a cumulative total of $15.4 billion of approved investments in Myanmar, China is by far its largest foreign investor, despite reforms in recent years that have seen Western firms surge back. Its interests range from a huge oil and gas pipeline and special economic zone, to dams and mining. Chinese firms have continued to win major contracts in recent months. The two countries share a long border, along parts of which ethnic minority rebel groups are fighting Myanmar's government. The frontier also sees huge flows of illicit timber, drugs and jade flood north from Myanmar. Yun Sun from the Stimson Center's East Asia Program said discussions were likely to focus on China's role in Myanmar's peace process as well as in its economic development. Suu Kyi, who met President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing last June, has shown a pragmatic streak in dealing with Chinese interests. But in a rare sign of pushback, a top party economic adviser in March said the incoming government could rethink the Myitsone project despite China's eagerness to see it restarted. The meeting between Suu Kyi and her Chinese counterpart comes amid growing tension between her party and the military. Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency by the junta-era constitution. But her National League for Democracy party wants to push a bill through parliament that would give her the vaguely defined new role of state special adviser. Army MPs, who make up a quarter of the legislature, slammed the bill at a dramatic lower house hearing Tuesday that saw the uniformed soldiers refuse to vote. They stood in protest when their attempts at amendments were swatted away by the NLD, which holds a majority. "It is difficult for the military representatives to continue participating if (the bill) is voted through without review," military MP Brigadier General Maung Maung told the chamber. The bill needs only one more vote in the combined parliament to pass. It looks like you have reached this page in error ... The content you are looking for has either moved, or if you typed in the address there might have been a mistake. If you believe there has been a technical error please let us know. Most Popular Destinations Gudi Padwa 2021: Significance Of This Festival Festivals lekhaka-Staff In India, there is no lack of festivals. People celebrate each festival with joy and vigour in India. Gudi Padwa is one of those religious festivals in India that is celebrated at every corner of the country in different names. This year it will be celebrated on 13 April in 2021. If Maharashtra celebrates Gudi Padwa on the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the same festival is celebrated in the name of Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In West Bengal, it is known as Nobo-Borsho while in Assam it is called Bihu. It is the festivity of the New Year that is celebrated throughout the country. Gudi Padwa symbolises the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Till now, you have celebrated the festival with magnificence, but do you know the importance of the Gudi Padwa festival? Each festival or occasion has its own significance. The rituals, you maintain in these festivals all denote to something special. Gudi Padwa is no exception to that. There is an underlying significance of the Gudi Padwa festival that you need to know. While celebrating Gudi Padwa, the Maharashtrians welcome the New Year with all prosperity and happiness. They pray to the Lord for a successful New Year. If this is the most vital importance of the Gudi Padwa festival, then there are some more that are as listed. So, this year, while celebrating, you should know the significance of the Gudi Padwa festival. It will certainly add more fun to your celebration. 1. Day Of Creation: According to the Hindu belief, this was the day when Lord Brahma created the universe. Therefore, to the Hindus, this is an auspicious day. This day begins with having a ritual bath and decorating the front door of the house with garlands and flowers. The importance of Gudi Padwa festival lies in its name itself. Here, Gudi means the flag or 'Dharmadhwaj; 'Padwa is combination of 2 words, where 'Pad means achieving maturity and 'Vaa stands for increasing growth. 3. Relation Of This Name To Creation: While talking about the significance of the Gudi Padwa festival, you should know how this name got connected with the creation of the universe. After finishing the creation, Lord Brahma made some alteration to make the universe perfect and then to celebrate its beauty he hoisted the 'Dharmadhwaj(Gudi). It means, it is the festival to celebrate growth, beauty and perfection. 4.: Gudi is the symbol of 'Dharmadhwaj. Every Marathi household keeps a bamboo stick and a pot at the head of the bamboo. The stick is the spine of human while the pot is the head. The 'Dharmadhwaj is worshipped to bring prosperity in the family. 5. Celebration Of Justice: Another importance of Gudi Padwa festival is that it is believed that Lord Ram returned to his kingdom on this day with his wife Sita, by defeating the demon king Raavana. So, this day is celebrated for a new beginning and justice. 6. Agricultural Significance: It is believed that the festival also symbolises the arrival of the agricultural season. For sowing and reaping crops, this is the best time. Gudi Padwa signifies the end of one harvest season and the beginning of a new one. A group of investors sued the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico Monday to protect their interests after the governor said the bank can't make its $423 million debt payment due May 1. Brigade Capital Management, LP, Claren Road Capital Management, LLC, Fore Research & Management, LP, and Solus Alternative Asset Management LP filed suit in U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico seeking a court order preventing the development bank from releasing money for deposits or debt payments, with some exceptions. The suit came after Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla and key advisors met with Puerto Rico legislative leaders Monday morning about sending a bill for a debt payment moratorium to the legislature. According to the El Vocero news web site the moratorium would stop payments from the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Finance Corp. (COFINA) but not general obligation or guaranteed debt payments. A spokeswoman for Puerto Rico House of Representatives President Jaime Perell- Borras said the bill hadn't been drafted as of Monday afternoon. The asset managers are in continuous discussions with the GDB concerning the May 1 debt payment, and chose to sue to prevent the bank from collapsing. "One doesn't want a run on the bank" and a freeze on withdrawals and payments would prevent this, a source close to the GDB suit litigants said Monday. The creditors pointed to a March 28 filing in a separate case, in which U.S. District Judge Jose Antonio Fuste cited a report from the Puerto Rico Commissioner of Financial Institutions that stated the GDB was "insolvent." Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Vicente & Cuebas are the law firms representing the litigants. The suit would allow withdrawals "needed to maintain services essential to the public safety of the citizens of Puerto Rico or to pay the ordinary course operating expenses of GDB such as utilities, rent and employee wages," according to a press release from the litigants. On Friday GDB President Melba Acosta Febo, in a statement posted to the GDB site, denied rumors that the GDB was about to be shut down or privatized. She acknowledged that the GDB financial status was delicate and that the GDB was evaluating several options. It has been reported that it would be up to the Puerto Rico Treasury Department to put the GDB into receivership, if it was necessary. On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Juan Zaragoza G-mez resigned his seat on GDB board of directors. "The GDB notified me that it's not in a good economic position, which is of public knowledge and responds to unscrupulous loans without repayment sources and short-term notes that were issued by past administrations," he said in an email statement released by a spokeswoman. "Also, the GDB notified me that measures were being taken such as negotiating with its creditors to try to favorably resolve this situation, especially that related to notes due in May. In response to this formal notice I resigned from the GDB's board of directors to avoid any conflict of interest." The GDB owes a $423 million payment on notes May 1, according to Moody's Investors Service. "The commonwealth's fiscal, economic and humanitarian crisis is causing widespread chaos for the government, our creditors and the island's residents on a daily basis," Acosta Febo said in a statement. "The lawsuit filed today by a number of the commonwealth's creditors against the Government Development Bank, which seeks an injunction to bar GDB from fulfilling its official duties as depositor of the central government and other governmental entities, is further evidence of the toll the inaction from Congress continues to take on all involved." No bills have yet emerged from the U.S. Congress as Democrats and Republicans debate proposals to address Puerto Rico's debt and economic crisis. Garcia Padilla was scheduled to meet with all legislative members of his party, the Popular Democratic Party, at 3 p.m. on Monday to discuss a debt payment moratorium bill, according to a source in the Puerto Rico Senate. On Monday El Vocero reported that Puerto Rico's government had just set up accounts in private banks, diverting money that had been going to GDB accounts. The accounts are to handle things like payroll and essential services. El Vocero also reported that the GDB on March 7 had changed the trustee handling its note payments to Wilmington Trust National Association from Banco Popular. As of late August 2015 the GDB owed $4.61 billion in debt. According to a document from the GDB, the bank had $618 million in liquidity as of Feb. 29. As of March 1, it had $669 million in legal reserve, of which $386 million was excess reserve. A GDB spokesman in 2015 said that the GDB going below its reserve requirement wouldn't necessarily trigger action to put the bank into receivership. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. doesn't regulate GDB. FREED PHOTOGRAPHY WASHINGTON The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is proposing two clarifying exceptions to its rule preventing dealers from buying or selling bonds below their stated minimum denominations. The MSRB has asked for comments to be submitted by May 25 on the proposed changes to MSRB Rule G-15 on customer transactions. The rule was amended in 2002 to place the minimum denomination trading restrictions on most dealer transactions. The minimum denomination for a bond is the lowest amount of the bond that can be bought or sold, as determined by the issuer in its official bond documents. Issuers sometimes set minimum denominations on bonds that are risky to discourage retail investors from buying them. In addition to a minimum denomination, issuers can also set a trading "increment" for their bonds. An increment of $10,000 for example would mean a dealer could sell a customer $110,000 of bonds but not $105,000. Although dealers are required to adhere to any minimum denominations set in transactions, some investors can be left with amounts below the stated minimums if they have received a share of someone else's holdings, such as from a settlement after a divorce or an inheritance after a death. The MSRB exceptions allow those customers to avoid simply being stuck with these holdings. Under the current rule, dealers can buy from a customer below the minimum denomination if the dealer determines, based on customer account information or a written statement from the customer, that the customer is selling its entire position in the issue. The dealer can also sell to a customer at an amount below the minimum denomination if it is a result of another customer liquidating his or her entire position in an issue. This exception requires the selling dealer to provide the customer written disclosure explaining that the quantity sold is below the minimum denomination and could adversely affect the customer's liquidity position. The new proposals would clarify the types of customers a dealer could sell to at amounts less than the stated minimum. The goal of the rulemaking is to make sure that no additional customers with holdings below the denomination are created as a result of the exceptions. "The MSRB understands that both firms and enforcement agencies could benefit from greater clarity about circumstances in which sales below the minimum denomination could be permissible," said MSRB executive director Lynnette Kelly. "The proposed additional exceptions to the rule would facilitate regulatory efficiency and enhance liquidity for investors that currently hold positions below the minimum denomination while preserving the spirit of the rule." The first new exception would pick up on the current language and allow a dealer that has bought a customer's liquidated position less than the minimum denomination to sell these bonds, in amounts below the minimum, to one customer with no prior holdings in the bonds and to any customers who already have positions in the bonds. For example, if a dealer buys a customer's $75,000 liquidated position in a bond that has a minimum denomination of $100,000 and an increment of $5,000, the dealer could sell $25,000 to a customer with no prior position in the bond, $35,000 to a customer that owns an existing $10,000 position and $15,000 to a customer with an existing $85,000 position. The transactions would ideally get the customers with prior holdings closer to the minimum denomination, if they have not already reached them. The second proposed exception applies to dealers that have holdings below, at, or above the minimum denomination. It would allow a dealer to sell bonds to any customer with a prior position as long as the sale brings the customer to or past the minimum denomination. The dealer could then sell the remaining below-minimum position to any number of customers that already hold the bonds, so long as the sale is consistent with the issuer's stated increment. However, the exception would not allow a dealer to sell below the minimum denomination to a customer that does not currently have a position in the issue. All dealers using the exceptions would still have to provide the written statements at or before the completion of the transaction informing the customers of the below-minimum amount and the associated liquidity risks. The MSRB is also reminding dealers that although the proposal would allow for more exceptions to the rule, dealers would still be bound by MSRB Rules G-18 on best execution, G-19 on suitability of recommendations, and G-47 on time of trade disclosure. Already have an account? Log in here NDP Leader Greg Selinger and Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari face off tonight in a debate hosted by The Brandon Sun and Westman Communications Group. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Editor Matt Goerzen and reporter Ian Hitchen were both named Canadian Association of Journalists awards finalists Thursday in the community media category. The Runaways explored the dangerous cycle of troubled teenage girls repeatedly running from home and humanized how Manitobas child welfare system exposed young girls to risk of substance abuse and sexual exploitation. Im delighted to be nominated and thankful to coworkers who worked with me on the project. But Im grateful to the brave young women who shared their stories, Hitchen said. Breaking Faith delved into the story of Henry Lawrence, who struggled with asbestosis, and his family who took up their fathers crusade against the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba after Lawrence widow was denied death benefits. In October last year, the piece won the prestigious, international EPPY Award for best investigative/enterprise feature on a website with under 1 million unique monthly visitors. Bruce Bumstead/Brandon Sun A teenage runaway who recounted her story for Ian Hitchens investigative feature poses for a photo in downtown Brandon. Roughly five months later, the team that helped put it together was featured in the cover story in Editor & Publishers April edition about how newspapers are creating engaging longform journalism in the digital age, alongside the New York Times series on nail salons and The Post and Couriers Pulitzer prize-winning series on domestic abuse. The other three finalists in the community media category include for Heres what got buried under the rock by Gagandeep Ghuman of The Squamish Reporter, the Up in Smoke series by Joseph Couture of the London Yodeler and Chasing a crisis: The challenge of caring for Vancouvers severely mentally ill and addicted residents Travis Lupick of Georgia Straight. The string of nominations marks a big year-and-a-half for small paper as it continues pursue more longform and digital projects, which often take months to produce. The Sun is set to release a short documentary series later this summer about veterans in western Manitoba who received Frances highest honour for their sacrifices in Normandy during the Second World War. The winners for the CAJ awards in most categories will receive a $500 cash prize. They will be announced at the gala and conference banquet hosted at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel on May 28. Last month, Ian Hitchens piece was also nominated for a National Newspaper Award for The Runaways. Photographer Tim Smith was also nominated for a National Newspaper Award in the feature photo category for his stunning shot of a skater on the smooth-as-glass ice at Clear Lake a rare opportunity due to the lack of snow. The Brandon Sun The Brandon Sun's feature "Breaking Faith" received an EPPY award this year for best investigative/enterprise feature on a website with under one million unique monthly visitors from the U.S.-based journal Editor and Publisher. Smiths photos series on the Hutterites of Manitoba, which caught the attention of the New York Times last year and was featured on their Lens blog is also to be displayed at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in October. The two will be travelling to Edmonton where the National Newspaper Awards will be announced a day earlier on May 27. The winners will receive a $1000 cheque. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The desire to own a cottage where you can look forward to making memories on the same lake every summer is an obvious one for many Canadians. However, Ted Rechtshaffen, president and chief executive of TriDelta Financial, says the financial argument for owning a cottage instead of renting one is harder to make. From a financial perspective, I think its quite often not a good idea to buy a second property that youre not going to be renting out or living in, Rechtshaffen says. It is an incredibly expensive thing and youve got to hope that real estate in the cottage country wherever youre buying is going up a lot or at least a pretty steady amount to make up for the huge expenses. The costs of owning a cottage are a lot like owning a house in the city. You have property taxes, maintenance costs and utility bills as well as a mortgage if you have to borrow to buy it. There will also be the cost of insurance and any upgrades you will want to make. Decks dont last forever, things like septic systems and docks need to be maintained and all the little chores to keep your house in order can also add up at the cottage. Buying a cottage also commits you to the same location. Are there a thousand other places in the world that youd like to explore? Rechtshaffen asked. Weigh that against the cost to rent a cottage for a couple of weeks each summer and the financial case may look bleak. However, if you own a cottage, you could rent it out to help offset some of the costs to maintain it. Not only will you be able to earn income from the rental and part of the costs to maintain the property may be claimed against that rental income when you file your taxes. Real estate broker Andy Mosher of Century 21 Granite Realty Group in Haliburton, Ont., says owning a cottage isnt for everybody. He says renting is a good way to decide if cottage life is right for you and figuring out where you want to be. A lot of people rent first and maybe if they come back to an area a couple of times they start to think about making that long-term investment, Mosher said. But, he says renting isnt any kind of investment. If you want to make the commitment to buying a property and improving the property and doing all that comes with it, thats certainly a long-term investment, Mosher said. For some people, Rechtshaffen acknowledges that owning a cottage is about more than the cost. It seems to be part of the Canadian dream and my only thing is make sure you understand how expensive that is and whether thats worth it to you, he said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Wealth management company Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. says Jeremy Freedman, its president and CEO since 2010, has decided to retired at the end of June. Freedman, who is also stepping down as a company director, will be replaced as CEO by Thomas MacMillan, who will retain his role as chairman of the board of directors. Freedman, who joined Gluskin Sheff in 2000, had previously served as chief operating officer and then deputy CEO before being named to the top job. During his time at the company its assets under management grew from $1 billion to more than $8 billion and the organization itself grew to more than 150 employees from 35. MacMillan, a veteran of the financial services business in both Canada and the United States, served as president and CEO CIBC Mellon from 1998 to 2009 and as chairman of Blair Franklin Asset Management at the time of its acquisition by Gluskin Sheff. Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. is a wealth management company is engaged in providing investment management services for high net worth private clients in Canada and abroad. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA When times were good, Canadians moved from across the country to the oilpatch in Alberta looking for work. But crude prices collapsed last year, throwing thousands of them out of work. That could mean big bills come tax time for those who returned to their home provinces before the end of last year. David Steinberg, tax partner at EY, said if someone spent 10 months of the year in Alberta and then moved to New Brunswick, all of their 2015 income will be taxed at New Brunswicks generally higher rate. The rule is youre taxed in the province you resided on Dec. 31 of the year, Steinberg said. The problem some may face is that employers generally withhold taxes on someones paycheque based on where they are working. But if they move to a higher-tax jurisdiction, they may not have deducted enough to cover the taxes that need to be paid in their home province. That means a high-earning worker in Alberta who spent most of 2015 working in that province but lost their job and moved to Atlantic Canada before Dec. 31 could face a hefty bill. Luann Jones-Foster, a tax partner at KPMG in Moncton, N.B., said just how costly that is depends on income and the difference between Alberta and the province people move to. For someone who earned $125,000 last year in Alberta and then moved to New Brunswick, the bill could be around $5,650 for a single person with no other deductions, she said. Alberta versus Ontario, say for instance, is a little over $3,000 and Alberta versus B.C., interestingly enough, is only about $140, Jones-Foster said. She noted that determining residency can be complicated, so if the difference in tax bills is big, people may want to seek professional advice if they moved late in the year. Sometimes it will be clear cut, but sometimes it wont be, she said. Steinberg said people who moved may be able to claim moving expenses that would help offset part of the higher tax rate, but he noted there are rules governing what can be claimed. People who dont have the money to pay their taxes when they file their return face interest charges, but the Canada Revenue Agency may be willing to work out a payment plan, he said. It is more than likely they will give you a payment plan if you are prepared to pay something, he said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Whatever (commitments) we made in this budget are tied to the (campaign) commitments that we have overall made over the next 10 years, which is to invest $120 billion in infrastructure. Out of that, $60 billion is new money. So, for this budget, theres more than $10 billion for the first two years and we promised $10 billion for the first two years. Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, April 6. Did the Liberals maiden budget deliver on Justin Trudeaus core election campaign promise to create jobs and long-term economic growth by investing heavily in infrastructure? Sohi insists it did, but the budget itself suggests otherwise. Economists say its hard to tell because the budget is written in such a way that it cant be directly compared to the platform. Sohis calculation includes spending on infrastructure improvements in indigenous communities, which the platform suggested would be additional costs over and above the grand infrastructure plan, as well as some other new spending commitments that werent even contemplated in the platform. The Canadian Press Baloney Meter is a dispassionate examination of political statements culminating in a ranking of accuracy on a scale of no baloney to full of baloney (complete methodology below). This one earns a rating of some baloney Sohis statement is partly accurate but important details are missing. The Facts During last falls election campaign, Trudeau vowed to invest an additional $60 billion over 10 years in infrastructure, to be evenly divvied up among three categories: public transit, green infrastructure and social infrastructure. The platform was precise about how much would be invested in each year of a Liberal governments first mandate: $5.025 billion in 2016-17 (that is, $1.675 billion for each of the three categories), the same again in 2017-18, then $3.4 billion in each of the following two years. That would translate into a total of $10 billion over the first two years, $16.8 billion over four years. Those numbers did not materialize in the Liberal governments first budget last month. Rather, the budget specified that the first phase of the governments infrastructure plan proposes to provide $11.9 billion over five years, starting right away. That price tag includes $1.2 billion in social infrastructure investments in indigenous communities and another $2.2 billion for water, wastewater and waste management infrastructure on First Nations reserves. Yet in the platform, the infrastructure investment plan and spending to improve the quality of life in aboriginal communities were presented in separate chapters, with separate costing. Some of the promises to Aboriginal Peoples were pegged at $275 million in the first year and $575 million in the second year. Other promises, such as ending all boil water advisories on reserves, were not costed in the platform but now seem to have popped up in the budget as social or green infrastructure. But even if one accepts expanding the infrastructure plan to include campaign promises for Aboriginal Peoples, the budget still doesnt add up to the platforms promise to pump $5 billion into infrastructure in each of the first two years. For 2016-17, the budget allocates $852 million for public transit, $650 million for green infrastructure and $1.2 billion for social infrastructure for a total of $2.7 billion. The following year, the budget allocates a total of $3.9 billion. So how does Sohi come up with more than $10 billion over two years? The ministers office points to a chart posted on his departments website which, after evidently poring through the budget with a fine-tooth comb, finds infrastructure spending that the budget itself didnt include in its calculations. The chart comes up with a total of $3.5 billion for infrastructure in 2016-17 and just over $5 billion the following year. And on top of that, it adds additional infrastructure investments from the budget that werent mentioned in the platform: $1.75 billion over two years for strategic infrastructure investments in post-secondary institutions, $2.78 billion for rehabilitating federal buildings and $87 million for rural broadband. All of which adds up to a grand total of $13.1 billion. The Experts Ivey School of Business economist Mike Moffatt, who was a member of Trudeaus economic advisory council before the election and helped cost the Liberal platform, says the budget is frustrating for analysts trying to determine if the Liberals have delivered on their campaign infrastructure promises. Its very confusingly laid out, he says. They have sort of redefined things. For instance, Moffatt notes, in the platform, they had the infrastructure and the First Nations as separate line items and now they are sort of lumped together, which kind of makes it again hard to do those apples-to-apples comparisons. Presenting the infrastructure investments one way in the platform and a completely different way in the budget does make it hard to see whether or not theyre living up to their promises, Moffatt added. Was that deliberate? Could be. Former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page is more blunt, calling the disconnect between platform and budget presentations confusing and borderline dishonest. Theyre making the number (in the budget)) look bigger for sure by adding in other stuff, he says, adding that Sohis assertion that theyve honoured the campaign commitment of allocating $10 billion over two years for infrastructure contains some baloney, for sure. That said, both Page and Moffatt say its legitimate to count improvements to aboriginal communities or to university research facilities as infrastructure investments, even if they werent counted that way in the platform. Those are worthwhile projects that can be done immediately, unlike most major infrastructure projects. Page, who now heads up a centre of excellence at the University of Ottawa devoted to public finance and democratic governance, says he and his team met before the budget with political staff from the Prime Ministers Office, Infrastructure Canada, the Finance Department and Treasury Board. He said it was clear the Liberals were struggling with how to deliver on their infrastructure promises without just throwing money out the door at projects of dubious value. They were pretty open with us; they said, you know, when we put in those initial numbers back in the platform the amounts of money, the allocations, everything, they said: Thats just back of the envelope.' The Verdict Sohis assertion the budget delivers more than $10 billion in infrastructure investments is true, but only by adding in a number of items that were categorized differently or not even mentioned in the Liberal platform. For this reason, theres some baloney in his claim that the budget honours the platform commitment to spend $10 billion over two years on infrastructure. Methodology The Baloney Meter is a project of The Canadian Press that examines the level of accuracy in statements made by politicians. Each claim is researched and assigned a rating based on the following scale: No baloney the statement is completely accurate A little baloney the statement is mostly accurate but more information is required Some baloney the statement is partly accurate but important details are missing A lot of baloney the statement is mostly inaccurate but contains elements of truth Full of baloney the statement is completely inaccurate ___ Sources http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/plan/ch2-en.html#_Toc446106676 http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/prog/budget2016-infrastructure-e Already have an account? Log in here OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal from a self-styled Chinese Warren Buffett who was convicted in a multimillion-dollar fraud. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL Amnesty International blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday for suggesting his government needs to tread warily in its bid to help secure the release of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. Badawi, who is not Canadian but whose wife lives in Quebec with their three children, was arrested in 2012 for his criticism of Saudi clerics and was convicted in 2014. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail as well as 1,000 lashes. He received the first 50 in January 2015 but has not been whipped since. Obviously we want to be able to help, Trudeau said in an interview with Montreal radio station 98.5 FM. Sometimes, pushing too hard, too quickly has harmful consequences for the people you want to try to help. Trudeaus assertion that Global Affairs Canada is working hard on the file did little to placate Amnesty spokeswoman Anne Sainte-Marie, who accused him of lacking tact. Too quickly?, she said. What is the Trudeau governments cruising speed? Does it mean waiting for him (Badawi) to have spent 10 years in prison? His too hard, too quickly seems a bit indelicateIts a bit indecent on Mr. Trudeaus part. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, who raised the matter with his Saudi counterpart when they met in Ottawa on Dec. 17, weighed in on the matter Thursday. I cant give the details that could harm our objective mine and Mr. Trudeaus which is Mr. Badawis release, he said on a conference call from Myanmar, where he was visiting the formerly military-controlled state. When the Liberals were in Opposition before last years election, Dion asked then-prime minister Stephen Harper to intervene personally in the matter. On Thursday, he warned against acting just for show. This isnt the time for theatrics for appearances sake in this kind of situation, he said. We must try to be as efficient as possible to get a result. Trudeau said late last year he had no immediate plans to call Saudi Arabian authorities to ask that Badawi be freed. Amnesty, meanwhile, is setting a new target date for Badawis release: June 17, the day he was arrested in 2012. That date falls two days before Fathers Day this year. We would like to see that as it would (also) be a great Fathers Day gift for his children, Sainte-Marie said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VANCOUVER As online communities come under the attack of cyberbullies, racist speech and spam, a British Columbia tech firm has developed technology to keep the trolls under the bridge. Community Sift, based in Kelowna, has built digital armour for social media and gaming companies trying to protect their virtual worlds. The chat filter and moderation tool examines real-time website commentary, chat room conversations and banter between game players. Were not just talking about four-letter words, said CEO Chris Priebe, a senior programmer and security specialist. We want to get rid of bullying across the entire Internet. CEO Chris Priebe and COO Karen Olsson of the Kelowna, B.C. tech firm Community Sift are shown in this handout image. As online communities come under the attack of cyberbullies, racist hate speech and spam, a British Columbia tech firm is crusading to keep the trolls under the bridge. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Community Sift The firms technology advances a global campaign against digital abuse in part spurred by the 2012 suicide of Amanda Todd, a teenager from Port Coquitlam, B.C., who was victimized by online sexual exploitation. The Amanda Todds of the world, we want to prevent that, said Karen Olsson, the firms chief operating officer. We want to be part of the solution. Based on the firms analysis of four billion messages sorted daily, less than one per cent of social users behave badly yet theyre causing the bulk of harm. Offensive material is classified into categories such as bullying, sexting, racism and bomb threats. The firm has catalogued more than one million phrases used frequently by trolls, for example, u r so ugly, Priebe said. The technology takes context into account when identifying toxic behaviour. It combines machine learning and human verification by employing artificial intelligence and 30 language specialists. Priebe said online users are shielded from cyberbullies like anti-virus software protects computers. Were looking for social viruses that are causing social destruction of social products and social lives. About 30 global clients are already using Community Sift. The flexible technology is tailored to client specifications, such as modifying content filters to be age appropriate. An internal database query by the firm estimated it has protected at least 34 million users over a recent two-week period in its U.S. data centre alone. Online cruelty inflicted on a Kelowna teenager was also part of the impetus for Community Sift, Priebe said. The teenager was goaded into uploading a selfie that trolls turned against her, generating pages of comments urging her to kill herself. The technology sifts the posts to emphasize positive comments from the 40 per cent of online users who are normally well-behaved to derail the attacks. Theyre going to say, Youre beautiful, youre wonderful, youre helpful,' Priebe said. Now shell have two voices inside her head and she can build the ability to handle all this bullying. The firm builds reputations for users participating online, and detects when someone crosses into a high-risk threshold. Consequences may include limiting identified trolls to certain queues where a moderator can decide if the content is inflammatory, silencing them automatically or banning them outright. We always joke you can put them in the basement with all the other trolls and let them harass themselves, Olsson said. Others have also taken up the cause. A 13-year-old Illinois girl designed software that detects hurtful language as a Google Global Science Fair project. Trisha Prabhus program ReThink prompts posters to think twice before hitting send. She found more than 93 per cent of teens alter their posts. Programmers with the National Youth Mental Health Foundation in Australia have also developed a Google extension called reword that flags potential insults by crossing them out with a red line. Community Sift identifies the tone of online communities rather than policing the Internet, Priebe said. It gives users options to choose settings for avoiding unwanted content, in the same way moviegoers can select films based on ratings. An emerging social world, called Medium.com, has deployed Community Sift to protect its users as they interact and post personal stories. We want to provide the best place for people to freely and openly express themselves, said Greg Gueldner, who implements the startups trust and safety protocol. Priebe has boosted online security before by co-developing safety and moderation tools for Club Penguin, a virtual world where its safe for children to play games and interact. The company partnered with Disney in 2007 and has a user base of 300 million. The B.C. programmer, who has his own painful story about being bullied into his teens, said people currently believe theyre powerless against trolls. When people realize that its a solvable problem, he said, they wont put up with it anymore. Follow @TamsynBurgmann on Twitter Note to readers: This is a corrected version of a story originally published April 3. The earlier story erroneously reported that Chris Priebe co-founded Club Penguin. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Ontarios Liberals deflected calls for a public inquiry into their fundraising practices Thursday by accusing the Opposition of raising issues in the legislature on behalf of donors to the Progressive Conservative party. Deputy premier Deb Matthews called it pretty strange that the first bill introduced by PC Leader Patrick Brown after he was elected as an MPP was to lower estate taxes. The only people who would be advocating for that are the tax planners, and hes got substantial donations from those tax planners, she said. Brown also asked questions in the legislature about doctors pay after the Ontario Medical Association sponsored a PC convention, added Matthews. The OMA sponsors the party convention and the next thing you know, theyre standing up, demanding that doctors be paid more, she said. What Im saying is theyre asking what I consider questions that dont serve the public interest, but do serve the interests of their big donors. Brown called the Liberals desperate, and said theyre trying to dodge, deflect and deny instead of allowing a public look into fundraising quotas of up to $500,000 that were imposed on each Liberal cabinet minister. Theyre stunned by media reports that show they turned government business into a money-making machine for the Liberal party, he said. The reason that they dont want to answer the question on a public inquiry is because they are petrified of it. The Liberals made it clear they dont want an inquiry similar to Quebecs Charbonneau commission, which found corruption in the awarding of government contracts in that province. Matthews called the idea of an a big diversion. The Liberals have already cancelled all private fundraisers for Premier Kathleen Wynne and her cabinet ministers, and promised legislation this spring to ban corporate and union donations to political parties and lower contribution levels for individuals. Weve already made changes on our side in our fundraising practices, said Matthews. The Opposition has not. The Liberals fundraising changes dont mean there wasnt something wrong with cabinet ministers soliciting money from firms that were hoping to do business with their departments, said Brown. Just because this government brought in new rules for Ornge Air, it didnt stop the OPP from investigating a shady business deal, he said. Just because the government brought in new rules for saving emails, that didnt stop the OPP from charging senior Liberal staffers David Livingston and Laura Miller for wiping away evidence of a scandal. The New Democrats also raised the police investigations into Ornge, the charges laid against a Liberal organizer in connection with a 2015 byelection in Sudbury, and the charges laid in the deletion of emails on the Liberals 2011 decision to cancel two gas plants at a cost of up to $1.1 billion. After facing a criminal investigation for the Ornge scandal, a criminal investigation for the gas-plant scandal and a criminal investigation for the Sudbury bribery scandal, the same premier has now created a fundraising scandal thats shaking peoples faith in our democracy, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath told the legislature. People see a system here in Ontario where wealthy donors with deep pockets get one level of access to the decision makers, and everyone else gets shut out. Follow @CPnewsboy on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO As an urban activist, Jane Jacobs earned legions of fans. She helped stop construction of Torontos proposed Spadina Expressway in 1971, and another expressway before that in New York City. Her books especially The Death and Life of Great American Cities, published in 1961 have been widely admired. Jane Jacobs reads The New Yorker in her New York City backyard in a Sept., 1966 handout photo.The photo is being used for the poster that advertises the upcoming exhibit "Jane at Home" at Toronto's Urbanspace Gallery. A Toronto gallery exhibit is to show how urban activist Jane Jacobs lived at home, her son says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-James Jacobs City explorations inspired by Jacobs, who died in 2006, have popped up around the world. Theyre known as Janes Walks. Now, a new exhibit at Torontos Urbanspace Gallery promises to reveal a more personal side of her life. Curated by her son Jim Jacobs and architect Margie Zeidler, Jane at Home will display items ranging from her childhood toys to candid family snapshots to the stapler, ashtray and typewriter that were on her office desk. Furniture from her homes in Scranton, Penn., New York City and Toronto will be arranged as it was during Jacobs life right down to the wastebasket, bookshelves and filing cabinet in her office. Her family never threw any of this stuff out. Were pack rats we dont throw anything away, said Jim Jacobs, 68. All of that will give a picture of how she worked. The exhibit is among efforts this year marking the celebrated urbanists 100th birthday (she was born in Scranton on May 4, 1916). An extensive biography is due out from Knopf in the fall, and Random House is planning a collection of her previously unpublished writings. She often said, Ive lived a very ordinary life, according to her son. While her home in Torontos central Annex neighbourhood may have appeared ordinary on the surface, life there was anything but. The living room, among the settings evoked in the show, is where a zillion interesting conversations occurred with people from around the world, Jim Jacobs said. The visitors included the queen of Holland, Canadian intellectual Marshall McLuhan, Paul Martin when he was federal finance minister and local politicians who came to discuss plans for subsidized housing. Her New York City dining room, also represented, was the scene of many heated neighbourhood discussions. Then theres what she jokingly called the family museum. Jim Jacobs said he has selected items from this collection of curiosities that figured in her writing. Its an exhibit with a hundred stories, said Jacobs, stories that he will gladly tell any gallerygoer whos interested. He or another family member will be on site throughout, a commitment that has meant limiting the exhibit to just 10 days. Jacobs said he hopes Jane at Home will spark renewed interest in his mothers books, especially those that are lesser known. Some 90 editions of her works in multiple languages will be on display. So much of the odds and ends of things that came into her life ended up in her writing. She wrote from her observations and her experiences, and her life at home was a major part of them. Jane at Home runs at Urbanspace Gallery from April 29 to May 8. Online: www.urbanspacegallery.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A noon-time debate at Brandon University turned into a political slugfest between Brandons two incumbent candidates on Wednesday. Of the six candidates vying to represent the Wheat City in the legislature, only Progressive Conservative Reg Helwer from Brandon West and Brandon Easts Drew Caldwell (NDP) showed up at the debate, hosted by the Brandon University Students Union and Canadian Federation of Students. Liberal Vanessa Hamilton and Progressive Conservative Len Isleifson, who are running in Brandon East, and Brandon West NDP candidate Linda Ross said they couldnt attend. Brandon West Liberal candidate Billy Moore confirmed hed come but didnt show up. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Drew Caldwell, running for the NDP in Brandon East, and Reg Helwer, running for the Progressive Conservatives in Brandon West, take part in a debate at Brandon University's Harvest Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Caldwell and Helwer were the only local candidates to show up for the debate, which was put on by the Brandon University Students Union and the Canadian Federation of Students. That left Helwer and Caldwell alone before a crowd of about 50 at the Harvest Hall dining room. Helwer told the room that the NDP had reneged on a promise to increase post-secondary grants by six per cent a year each year for five years, but only increased grants by three per cent. At another point in the debate, Helwer said, The Selinger government has frozen funding to students. Its been a very damaging time for universities in Manitoba. The Selinger government lied to you time and time again prior to the last election what will they lie about to you this time? However, asked in an interview following the debate when the NDP made the six per cent increase over five years promise, Helwer was uncertain, saying it might have been about three years ago. When it was suggested that the NDP had once promised five per cent a year for three years, and reneged in the third year, providing only 2.5 per cent that year and in subsequent years, Helwer said that sounded right, and speculated he had mistakenly used figures for some form of health-care funding whose details he could not immediately remember. Helwer and Caldwell took care to note their past both were BU political science students and served as BUSU president. They also promised to champion the cause of BU and Assiniboine Community College. I got involved in politics because the Conservatives gave it to me in the neck when I was a student, said Caldwell, playing to a much more favourable crowd. Caldwell the NDPs first education minister after taking power in 1999 told students that he had cut tuition by 10 per cent and frozen it at 1999 levels. The NDP has characterized that now-abandoned tuition control as keeping tuition at 1999 levels and then giving students a 10 per cent rebate, but Caldwell insisted Wednesday that it was always a cut and freeze. By law, Manitoba allows universities and colleges to increase tuition by only the level of provincial growth, and operating grants have been around 2.5 per cent for universities and two per cent for colleges. Helwer refused to say what a Tory government would do. Those are the responsibilities of our leader, he said in an interview, declining to say if he expects Tory Leader Brian Pallister to say anything about post-secondary finances before the April 19 election. The ongoing discussion on campus about sexual assault also got air time. Bill 3, which would make it mandatory for all post-secondary institutions to have sexual assault policies, but didnt make it past first reading in the legislature last year. This bill will be reintroduced by our government and passed,Caldwell said. Caldwell accused the Tories of trying to delay the legislation. The opposition cant stop legislation, despite what the MLA across may say, Helwer rebutted. It doesnt really cover a lot, said Helwer, who asked the students to re-read the legislation in light of recent occurrences at BU. If it was built from the grassroots, why is it identical for every institution? Helwer raised the 45-day BU faculty strike in 2011, the longest in Manitoba history. The first question I get from people is, Will there be another strike? he said. We are still building the campus back. Helwer denied yells from the student audience that he is anti-union: It has nothing to do with unions, he said. BU political science associate professor Kelly Saunders, who moderated, said there had been no word from Moore about his absence. tbateman@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press Twitter: @tombatemann Already have an account? Log in here At least two provincial party leaders will face off tonight in a debate hosted by The Brandon Sun and Westman Communications Group. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The safety of a city nightclub is being called into question as a woman reports that her fiancee was beaten by two men and bouncers didnt step in to stop the assault. Desiree Fisher says her fiancee, Nicole Fayant, had her jaw broken in two places and currently awaits surgery. It was not fair in seconds, she just got attacked by two guys its just not fair, Fisher said on Wednesday as Fayant recovered at her parents rural home. Submitted In this photo, Nicole Fayant displays the injuries she suffered after being beaten by two men inside Houstons Country Roadhouse last weekend. Fisher said Fayant was attacked inside Houstons Country Roadhouse early Sunday morning. The nightclub is run by the Royal Oak Inn and Suites, and the hotels general manager says he will look into the matter. Safety for the patrons of our bar is No. 1 and we want to get it taken care of, Aaron Tycoles said. Fisher said Saturday evening began pleasantly, as 24-year-old Fisher was leaving a job and 22-year-old Fayant threw her same-sex partner a surprise goodbye party. The party began at a home, and then Fisher, Fayant and another woman friend headed to Houstons around 12:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fisher said that, once inside, the three of them headed for the dance floor, where a group of men made unwanted advances toward Fisher and the friend. They were trying to grab on me and my friend and it was really inappropriate, Fisher said. Like saying, Come with me, and just kind of being rude and very blunt. As a result, Fayant got mad, told the men not to touch the women and pulled them away. As they left the dance floor, one of the men punched Fayant in the head, but the friends didnt think much of it and the men went away. About five minutes later they returned, pushed Fisher and her friend out of the way, and charged at Fayant, who wound up on the floor. There were two guys on top of her, kicking her in the face, stomping her, punching her and then they broke her jaw in two places, Fisher said. Paramedics and police officers soon arrived, Fisher said, but the attackers had already fled the club. Nobody stopped them, there was no bouncers around and the club was really full There was not enough bouncers, probably, to handle a situation like that, Fisher said. Nor did patrons step in to stop the attack, she added. Prior to the assault, there had been a couple of bouncers checking ID at the door, Fisher said, but she saw none during the assault. They only arrived after it was over, she said. Fisher said she, Fayant and their friend didnt know any of the men involved. Fisher estimates that Fayant is about five-foot-six to five-foot-seven, and about 160 pounds. The men were bigger, Fisher said. Both were Caucasian one was about six-foot-two with glasses and short brown hair; the other about five-foot-nine, bulky, and with short spiky hair and wore a blue plaid shirt. Its not known whether the fact that Fisher and Fayant are a same-sex couple was a factor in the assault. Fisher said her fiancee was dressed in clothing that could traditionally be considered male a T-shirt, hoodie and jeans. She could have been mistaken for a man, but Fisher finds that tough to believe as Fayants feminine figure could still be seen through her clothes. Fisher said she and her friend provided police with statements at the hospital. The Brandon Police Service says it was called to Houstons for a report of an assault against a woman around 1 a.m. The suspects had fled and the area was searched, but they couldnt be found. An update on the investigation wasnt available on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Fisher said, Fayant was left with a jaw broken in two places and bruises around her eyes, behind her ear and on her arm. Her jaw has been wired temporarily as she awaits surgery in Winnipeg later this week. Fisher says Fayants recovery is expected to take four to six weeks, if not longer. In the meantime, shes taking medication for the pain. As far as the investigation, Tycoles said that as of Wednesday, he was awaiting a call from city police for more details. In such cases, he said, assault complainants speak to police, who then contact Houstons with a location and time of the assault. That makes it easier for Tycoles to sift through video footage recorded by numerous cameras. He then reviews the footage with police. There are cameras pointed at the dance floor, Tycoles said, the only problem being the possibility that the crowd blocked the view. Saturday night was especially tough on security at Houstons, Tycoles said, and that may have had an impact on their response. Three of our guys actually got assaulted on Saturday night, Tycoles said. There would have been seven bouncers officially known as doormen at Houstons on duty at the time. Usually, two watch the dance floor. Two other bouncers at the door can also see the floor, provided the crowd doesnt block their view. One of the staff who was assaulted in another incident that night was one of those stationed by the dance floor, so that may or may not have been a factor, Tycoles said. Most of the security staff at Houstons are experienced, he said. New staff job shadow more experienced staff, but Tycoles acknowledged training is limited. We do have some specific training that they go through company-wide but for the most part theyre hired, theyre put in a location, theyre given a radio and theyre saying this is your job, he said. All staff are required to take the Serving it Safe alcohol service and safety program run by the Manitoba Tourism Education Council. Other than that, Tycoles said, no specific training is required. Houstons head of security provides instruction on whats happening and what to watch for on any particular night. Provided its witnessed, bouncers document each incident in the bar. Tycoles says he will try to contact Fisher and Fayant, in particular to find out if she has contacted BPS. He added the bar manager was out of town as of Wednesday, but will also address the issue when he returns. Tycoles said that any identified suspects can be banned from the nightclub. Liz Stephenson, Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba chief administrative officer, said all bar staff including bouncers are required to take the Serving it Safe program. That program includes lessons in dealing with criminal activity, aggressive people, use of force under the Criminal Code and difficult patrons. Stephenson noted that a judge previously recommended that any private-sector company providing security for a liquor licensee should have 40 hours of training available through Manitoba Justice. However, because each businesss security needs are different, its up to the licensee to decide whether they want to hire third-party security or hire its own staff. Staff can call 911 for police if they have a problem, Stephenson said, but perhaps the best way of preventing problems is to obey the law. Thats a really important part of avoiding the risk altogether in the first place, Stephenson said. Under the Liquor and Gaming Act, you are not allowed to serve people who are intoxicated. ihitchen@brandonsun.com Twitter: @IanHitchen Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA British Columbias conflict of interest commissioner says he will review two complaints that exclusive, high-priced fundraising events promising access to political leaders are breaches of a provincial law. Paul Fraser said in a letter that he plans to issue one opinion after reviewing the complaints about the practice of B.C. politicians participating in fundraising events. New Democrat MLA David Eby and Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher filed separate complaints following media reports that Premier Christy Clark participates in fundraising events where people pay thousands of dollars for exclusive access to her. If you are behind closed doors with a small group and its a high price, youre selling access to yourself and youre getting a benefit from the money raised because its going to be used for your re-election campaign, and thats a violation clearly of the prohibition on accepting gifts and other benefits, Conacher said Thursday in an interview from Ottawa. Were not saying all fundraising events are illegal, just the ones that are exclusive, behind closed doors, where the list of invitees is not disclosed, he said. If you are holding a big public event, with a low price, where anyone can buy a ticket and you give a speech and then you leave maybe shake a few hands, thats it you are not selling access to yourself. Fraser responded to Conachers request this week with a letter stating he will issue one opinion on the matter. Mr. Ebys request is also related to the practice of members participating in exclusive fundraising events and whether such activities are compatible with members obligations under the act, stated Frasers letter. Given that both requests relate to the same subject matter, I expect that the concerns you raise may be addressed in the opinion issued in response to Mr. Ebys request. Ebys April 1 letter to Fraser stated the commissioner must draw a line when it comes to fundraisers and the premier selling access. Under B.C.s conflict of interest legislation, you have the power to apply a conflict of interest sniff test, described as the opinion of a reasonable person reasonably informed of the facts about whether there is a conflict or the reasonable perception of a conflict, Ebys letter stated. Conachers letter to the commissioner alleges the private events are breaches of conflict guidelines because they result in politicians receiving an illegal gift. Democracy Watch is not claiming that all fundraising events are illegal, just high-priced, exclusive events where politicians sell access to themselves in return for a donation, the letter stated. Frasers office would only confirm that it received a request from Eby to investigate a breach and said it would have no further comment. Clark said Wednesday she attends fundraising events organized by the Liberal party, but doesnt ask how much people pay to be there. She said B.C.s laws governing party donations and election spending limits are sufficient, though Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced plans to reform election finance legislation and end private fundraisers. Opposition NDP Leader John Horgan said the optics surrounding exclusive fundraising events are terrible, but, like Clark, he participates in them because they have not been ruled illegal and he doesnt want to give the Liberals a fundraising advantage. Elections BC financial statements released this week showed Clarks Liberal party received almost $10 million in political contributions last year, while the New Democrats pulled in $3 million. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY Canadas oil and gas industry is on track to see its biggest two-year capital spending decline in its seven-decade history, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Companies are expected to invest $31 billion in 2016, a 62 per cent drop from the 2014 record of $81 billion. Its the biggest drop since CAPP and its predecessor organizations began keeping track in 1947 the year of Albertas first major oil discovery. The U.S. benchmark oil price was above US$100 a barrel in mid-2014. Now, its at about US$37 below what most producers need to be profitable. CAPP estimates 110,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost in the downturn, which began in late 2014 and continued to deepen through to last February when crude fell below US$30 a barrel for a time. It is a really tough time, CAPP president and CEO Tim McMillan said Wednesday. Almost no one is left untouched within their family circle and within their social circle. Compounding the pain is the inability for Canadian oil and gas producers to reach markets outside of the United States, a major global petroleum player itself. Efforts to build oil export pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals have faced stiff environmental opposition and regulatory delays. In a release, CAPP said building that infrastructure should be a national priority but did not specify what concrete actions it wants provincial and federal governments to take. I think theres a role for government and a role for Canadians to say: This is important to us. Were proud of the way we produce our oil and gas,' McMillan said in an interview. He added that the pullback in oil and gas capital investment has been faster and deeper in Canada than anywhere else. And thats because were not just battling global prices, were battling global prices with a further discount. Moving forward with pipelines and LNG, he said is the first and most obvious place to put us on that level playing field. Much of the debate around pipelines and LNG has focused on the broader climate impacts from fossil fuels. Greenpeace campaigner Keith Stewart said CAPP is being wilfully blind to how the global push to combat climate change is transforming energy markets. Canada needs to take action so that we win in the new world of low-carbon, renewable energy, not prop up the fossil fuel industry, he said. Oil companies have a choice: transform themselves into clean energy providers, or go the way of the dinosaur. On Thursday evening, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is to give a 15-minute TV address on how her government plans to respond to the oil downturn. The talk comes one week before the NDP government introduces its budget, which is expected to have a deficit of more than $10-billion, largely due to plummeting resource royalties. There is no doubt the oil price collapse is causing serious economic pain and its a scary time for many families, Notley said Wednesday in a release. I want to talk directly to Albertans about what were up against and walk them through our plan to get Alberta through this. Follow @LaurenKrugel on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON A man has been charged after staff say someone phoned the legislature office of Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips and threatened to shoot everyone over the carbon tax. Michael Enright, an oil products salesman from Camrose, says he didnt make any threats and was simply calling to voice his frustration over the hurt currently being experienced in his industry. This was nothing. This was me having a bad day, Enright said when contacted by The Canadian Press on Thursday. Im a very calm person. Everybody knows me as a guy who never gets upset. Cheryl Sheppard of the Edmonton Police Service said Enright faces one Criminal Code charge of uttering threats. The call happened a week ago, on March 31, in the middle of the afternoon. He was calling to express his anger over the carbon tax, a staffer in Phillipss office told police in a statement. The staffer told police the caller, who refused to identify himself, referred to the minister as a man. When he was reminded Phillips was female, he told me the NDP only hire people with boobs, not qualified people. He then said he was going to get his ammunition and gun and come here and shoot us all, the statement reads. Sheppard said Enright was charged later that day with assistance from police in Camrose. Enright said Thursday he has not been in court yet. He denied making any threats. No, I didnt say that. I dont have a gun. I dont have ammunition. I didnt say that at all. Enright said he was driving and listening to talk radio host Danielle Smith, former Opposition Wildrose leader in the legislature, when he called Phillipss office. Im listening to Danielle Smith talking just one thing after another about whatchamacallit the economy and the coal. Ive got friends who are losing their jobs, and I phoned in, he said. I didnt mean to get upset and I did not threaten anybody at all. All I said was that if they (the NDP government) keep pushing people, people are going to get guns and they are going to revolt. I was talking globally, not specifically. I would never, never, ever threaten anybody. Ive never hurt anybody. I dont even have a speeding ticket. Enright said the whole thing has been blown out of proportion. I feel terrible that the person on the other end actually felt threatened by me. He said if he thought it would make amends, he would write the office an apology letter and do even more for the female staff member with whom he spoke on the phone. When this is all done, Im going to send her flowers. At the legislature, Phillips told reporters, In my view these things are unlawful and need to be treated as such. If youre uttering threats, youre breaking the law. Ive actually distanced myself a lot from social media because of some of the level of rhetoric coming from all kinds of people, mostly men, she said. The maximum penalty for uttering threats is five years in prison. None of the accusations has been proven in court. Premier Rachel Notley and other members of her cabinet have been the target of threats in recent months, but there have been no reports of any charges. The threats spiked last December when Notleys government passed legislation mandating safety rules on farms. Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd tearfully recounted in the legislature that she had been harassed and threatened over the farm bill. The carbon tax, set to begin on Jan. 1, will increase the cost of everything from gas at the pumps to home heating and electricity. The province is also moving to shut down all coal-fired electricity plants by 2030. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Seven stories in the news today from The Canadian Press: PM TO VISIT SUDBURY, SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads to northern Ontario today as he continues to talk up his governments infrastructure spending plans. Trudeau is expected to make an announcement in Liberal-friendly Sudbury, where city officials have been hoping for federal funding to match a $26.7 million Ontario government commitment to an $80-million road construction project. A LOOK AT LIBERALS SURPRISE $2B CAMPUS FUND The Liberal government has launched one of the most expensive items in last months federal budget a $2-billion post-secondary infrastructure fund that wasnt even mentioned in the partys election platform. In a budget that left out a number of marquee Liberal election promises, how did a big-ticket upgrade to university campuses elbow its way into the fiscal plan in only a few months? MPs TO REVIEW SECURITY ON MILITARY BASES The House of Commons defence committee will hold closed-door hearings on the state of security at Canadian military bases, The Canadian Press has learned. Conservative MP James Bezan, the partys defence critic, proposed the idea, which was recently accepted by the all-party committee, although a date for the investigation has yet to be scheduled. VANCOUVER POT ACTIVIST IN CUSTODY IN CALGARY Vancouver marijuana activist Dana Larsen was taken away by Calgary police after a rally and pot seed give-away at a city hotel Wednesday night. Larsen is in the city as part of his campaign to hand out pot seeds to be planted in public places. After the rally, officers escorted Larsen to a police car and he told the crowd he and another man were being placed in custody. Police said a man had been arrested and charges were pending but did not say if that man was Larsen. STUCKLESS SENTENCING HEARING CONTINUES Gordon Stucklesss lawyer is expected to tell a Toronto court today what sentence he believes his client deserves for sexually abusing 18 boys over three decades. Ari Goldkind has previously said Stuckless who has pleaded guilty to 100 charges and been convicted of two more should not be sentenced simply on fear. CALLS FOR TRANSPARENT FOOD LABELS IN CANADA Two Canadian business leaders want the countrys food industry to use more transparent labels so Canadians know just how much sugar theyre consuming. Indigos CEO and the former CEO of Lululemon are making sugar one of their main targets as they fight to change industry standards. B.C. TOWN TOSSES STRAWS TO QUENCH THIRST FOR PLASTICS Some businesses in an ocean-side town on Vancouver Island are eliminating plastic drinking straws, taking a first slug against plastic waste. Businesses in the tourist destination of Tofino have been asked to stop routinely handing out straws and to provide biodegradable options on request, said Michelle Hall, co-chair of a non-profit group thats spearheading the campaign. ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY: Manitobas three major party leaders will take part in a debate hosted by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley will address the province in a pre-recorded television address. Statistics Canada will update the building permits figures for February. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. will release its latest report on foreign ownership in Canadas housing market. Finance Minister Bill Morneau will tour a company in Kitchener, Ont., and visit the University of Waterloo. Already have an account? Log in here OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal from a member of the so-called Toronto 18 terrorist group. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Already have an account? Log in here OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear appeals from three men convicted in a 2006 motorcycle gang massacre in southern Ontario. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In 1928, a Petri dish in Alexander Flemings lab was accidentally contaminated by a mould spore, leading to the discovery of penicillin and, in time, a revolution in medicine. Almost a century later, that revolution faces a menacing challenge. With the discovery of penicillin, deadly infectious diseases like pneumonia, meningitis and tuberculosis could be reliably treated. Everything from childbirth to transplant surgery to chemotherapy was made safer through the use of antimicrobials to prevent infection. However, bacteria and other pathogens are constantly evolving into superbugs, capable of resisting our cache of antimicrobials, which include antibiotics like penicillin as well as antifungals, antiparasitics and antivirals. The World Health Organization warns that a post-antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries can kill is a very real possibility for the 21st century. Studies predict that by 2050 antimicrobial resistance will claim more lives annually than cancer, dragging down the global economy by as much as 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. Even now, as many 18,000 patients are infected with superbugs every year in Canada, adding $1 billion to health-care costs. In the arms race between germs and medicine, the global community has two complementary strategies: develop new antimicrobials and slow the emergence of resistant strains through judicious use of current antimicrobials. Neither strategy is being executed effectively. Very few antimicrobials have been brought to market over the past 30 years they are unprofitable for drug companies. As well, we continue to squander the available cache through overuse and misuse in health care and animal agriculture. The bulk of antimicrobial prescribing is done by general practitioners for outpatient treatment of things like coughs and sore throats. Although there is an element of guesswork in treating these symptoms, there appears to be a great deal of overprescribing. GPs admit to prescribing antibiotics to placate pushy patients two-thirds of whom wrongly believe that antibiotics are effective in treating colds and flu. That physicians bow to patients in this way is understandable because there is little regulatory pressure pushing them to be careful stewards. Other countries have more rigorous national strategies that require accountability. Last year, U.S. President Barack Obama announced a system of monitoring and incentives to reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics in outpatient settings by 50 per cent by 2020. In England, the National Health Service has set targets for reduced outpatient prescribing of antimicrobials, backed by financial incentives. Senior officials with the countrys National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have mused that doctors who overprescribe antibiotics may face disciplinary action. Where is Canada on this issue? There is consensus that the federal government must play a leadership role on antimicrobial stewardship, co-ordinating efforts by provinces and health professionals. Yet according to a 2015 report by the auditor general of Canada, nearly two decades of study and consultation have yielded little by way of actual targets and deadlines. Instead, we see heavy emphasis on information gathering and awareness-raising. For example, the Public Health Agency of Canadas Framework for Action on antimicrobial resistance, released in 2014, acknowledges the problem of overprescribing, but the only concrete proposal mentioned is an annual Antibiotic Awareness Week. A bewildering array of initiatives by the provinces and non-governmental agencies is also engaged in surveying and raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance. There appear to be no firm Canadian targets for reduced antimicrobial prescribing, let alone clear lines of accountability for their achievement. A key challenge is that responsibility for health is shared between the federal government and the provinces, with the further wrinkle that physicians are self-regulated by the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. Unsurprisingly, a search of the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons database turned up zero cases of doctors investigated for poor antimicrobial stewardship. The federal government needs to ensure that the provinces and in turn physicians make tangible progress. The most straightforward path through this jurisdictional morass would be for Ottawa to offer the provinces financial incentives for targeted reductions in antibiotic use. Troy Media Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. I am an alumna of Brandon University, and served as the Brandon University Students Union president in the 2012-13 school year. I am currently a graduate student at Brock University, where we have been organizing and protesting surrounding Brock Universitys handling of a case of sexual violence. Similarly to the case at Brandon University, the survivor felt silenced by institutional policies. Following the case at Brock, a similar case was publicized from the University of Victoria. Brandon University completes the trio of cases that have garnered national media attention surrounding sexual violence on university campuses within the last month. Sexual violence on university campuses is appallingly common. There are various reasons for this, but one contributing factor is the culture of silence that has been created on our campuses. When asked how I first responded when the case of a professor sexually assaulting a student became public at Brock, I replied that I was not shocked. It was that feeling of disconnect that eventually prompted me to action. Because of instances of sexual violence I had experienced while on campus at Brandon University, as well as experiences of people close with me, I had normalized this kind of conduct. It was through the strong voices of others that I was able to gain the strength to speak out about sexual violence and rape culture on our campus, and on all campuses. Sexual violence is NOT something that should be a normal part of our educational experience. It is heartening to see that Brandon University has admitted that the way they have dealt with sexual violence is wrong. I have read through the recommendations by the Brandon University Task Force on Sexual Violence. As an aside, I think it is problematic that recommendations were developed without broad stakeholder input, which would include students. The recommendations themselves are mostly good. In addition to the recommendations, I strongly believe that in order to accomplish the work they have set out in a way that is effective, an individual should be hired by Brandon University, who does not report to senior administration, to co-ordinate sexual violence response and human rights and equity issues. A response team sounds good in theory, but is problematic in practice, especially when this team is comprised of people who the campus community may not want knowing about their very personal experiences. Staff with sexual violence-specific training, who are adequately compensated, have the skills and resources necessary to support survivors. Asking student advocates to take on this work may prove burdensome for them, and without adequate training, student advocates could ultimately be problematic to survivors. A strong sexual violence policy must recognize that reporting to police is not the only option to deal with sexual violence. Various intersections of privilege and marginalization may prevent or discourage police involvement for survivors. Not reporting and instead seeking counselling or other supports is completely OK. The policy itself must hold the institution accountable to act on reports, or there is no incentive for a survivor to go through an institutional reporting process. The policys scope must include all on campus, and make provisions for cases where there are power imbalances. It must be accessible to people unfamiliar with policy or unable to understand legalese. It must be survivor-centred, developed with strong input from students, staff and faculty including, but not limited to, union representatives. It must not silence survivors, and must include mechanisms to track and publicly report instances of sexual violence on campus. The policy has to be supported from the top down; I never reported my own experiences, after being discouraged from doing so by a member of senior administration. This is a terrible situation, and I send my support to all who have experienced sexual violence on or off campus. But this situation presents an opportunity for Brandon University to work toward change in a way that makes campus safer and more supportive. Silence hurts everyone. It is only through conversation and education that we can build communities that fight together against sexual violence and rape culture, and create safe places to work and pursue a post-secondary education. Carissa Taylor St. Catharines, Ont. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 07/04/2016 (2390 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Julia Parishs child would not be the first person to have a youthful anecdote about attending a political rally in San Francisco where the details are a little fuzzy. The stories, however, rarely go like this. This rally was about parental leave. Parish was there to celebrate as San Francisco lunged forward on an issue where some deem the U.S. a backwater. Women hold up signs at a rally supporting paid family leave at City Hall in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Jeff Chiu It has become the first U.S. city to adopt full paid benefits for new parents, a cause on which Parish worked for years. A lawyer, she even helped draft part of the landmark city ordinance. It came to fruition this week just as she was about to give birth for the first time. Especially now I appreciate how vital it is for families, said the legal-aid attorney, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant. I feel really proud and lucky, now that other moms-to-be can have the benefits No one (about to have a baby) should be worrying about paying their rent. They should be worrying about their new baby. Parental leave could become a big issue in this years presidential election. Both Democratic candidates are proposing 12 weeks of paid family leave for a country with a patchwork of lesser provisions. The U.S. has by far the fewest protections for new parents among developed countries lacking not only income assistance, but in many cases even the basic guarantee they wont be fired for missing work. Exceptions exist. A 1993 bill provided 12 weeks of job security for employees at companies with more than 50 workers. Last year, federal workers were guaranteed 12 weeks of paid leave by President Barack Obama. A few cities and states have followed suit. San Francisco has now gone the furthest. Workers who pay into a state insurance program will get 100 per cent of their salary for six weeks with 55 per cent already supplied by the state, and employers now being forced to pay the other 45 per cent. Some local businesses are fuming, saying they are already being forced to pay $15 minimum wages and higher-than-average taxes. Mark Dwight of the local small-business commission told the local CBS affiliate: Its this constant piling on. Its the death of a thousand cuts. In one way, the San Francisco policy is more generous than its counterpart in Canada, which is actually in the middle of the pack among OECD countries when it comes to two key metrics time off for new parents and income support. The federal government guarantees up to a year off far more than San Francisco. But Canadian parents cant get more than 52 per cent of their salary, at a maximum of $537 a week. The salary cap is higher in Quebec. Its far more generous in European countries. Some offer up to three years paid leave, or up to 100 per cent of salary. The U.S. is the biggest outlier on OECD charts, a string of zeros shows up next to its name. An economist who has studied the issue says the European model has its drawbacks. One involves companies being on the hook for these payments, not governments. That can be an economic drag. When youre looking to hire somebody in Europe, not only is it impossible to ever fire that person but youre also on the hook for a lot of benefits, UBCs Kevin Milligan said in an interview. So employers consider carefully before they hire. His research found significant effects as a result of Canada extending its benefits in 2000 from six months to one year. He found little difference when it came to childrens development. But mothers who took leave spent up to 58 per cent more time not working in the first year of their childrens lives. Breastfeeding increased too. Many Americans would love having those options. Even in San Francisco, the new policy wont apply to everyone. Parish describes one woman forced to quit her job at a bakery. And the dad who couldnt be there for his week-old babys blood tests, while his wife struggled in recovery. His towing company refused the time off. Hed already been given a week: They thought they were being generous, said Parish, who hears such cases through her job at the Legal Aid Society. Everywhere else is so much better (at this) including Canada, she said. A uniform national policy that applies to everyone (in the U.S. is our goal). But the reality of politics leads to working on a more local level. The US justice department is suing to stop Halliburton from buying oilfield-services rival Baker Hughes - the latest effort by the Obama administration to block mergers that it believes enrich corporations but hurt consumers. The US government argues that the $35bn deal would lead to higher prices and less innovation in the business of helping energy companies drill for oil and gas. The justice department filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court in Delaware, charging that the deal would eliminate head-to-head competition in 23 markets for products and services including drill bits, fluids and expertise in drilling horizontal wells. Those and other innovations have helped spur a renaissance in US energy production. Halliburton is the world's second-biggest services company in the oil business; Baker Hughes is third. Combining them would create a duopoly with market leader Schlumberger, the justice department said. Halliburton and Baker Hughes said they would contest the lawsuit. They said that the justice department was wrong in how it viewed the deal, especially given the downturn in the oil industry. The Houston companies said in a joint statement that their deal would improve competition by creating a more flexible, innovative services company. They said: "The transaction will provide customers with access to high quality and more efficient products and services, and an opportunity to reduce their cost per barrel." The companies announced their plan to combine in November 2014, shortly after oil prices began to fall due to a global oversupply of crude. The glut has slowed demand for drilling services. Both companies have laid off thousands of workers, and their shares have fallen sharply since the highs of mid-2014. Assistant US attorney general Bill Baer, head of the justice department's antitrust division, said oilfield services is a cyclical business and its companies grow and shrink with market conditions. He said: "It's not a justification for an anti-competitive merger to say, 'We're not doing as much business as we used to.'" Halliburton has proposed spinning off billions of dollars in assets to get the deal approved - it could owe Baker Hughes a $3.5bn break-up fee if the deal falls through. However, Mr Baer dismissed the divestiture offer, calling it a "grab bag" of the companies' less-valuable holdings. Last year saw a record of more than five trillion dollars in corporate mergers and takeovers, topping 2007 as the biggest year ever for deals, according to Dealogic. Speaking to antitrust lawyers in Washington, attorney general Loretta Lynch said the deals are also bigger and more complex. She said: "This represents a remarkable shift toward consolidation and it presents unique challenges to federal enforcers in our work to maintain markets that serve not just top executives and majority shareholders, but every American." Consolidation, especially in industries that already have few competitors, raises serious concern about higher prices, lower quality and less innovation, she said. Ms Lynch cited deals that were stopped or abandoned in the face of regulatory objections including a Comcast-Time Warner Cable tie-up, AT&T's attempt to buy T-Mobile, and a combination of Chicken of the Sea and Bumble Bee. "To even begin the merger process in these instances was little more than a waste of corporate and taxpayer dollars," she said. The high-profile victories cited by Ms Lynch may be encouraging regulators to challenge new deals. Analysts said that even without the deal, Halliburton, a leader in the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, would still be poised to profit from a recovery in the North American energy business. Baker Hughes' prospects as a stand-alone company would be less certain. Investors had long braced for the possibility that the deal could fail to win regulatory approval, and shares of both companies rose on Wednesday. Halliburton gained $2.04 , or 5.9%, to $36.44; Baker Hughes climbed $3.47, or 8.8%, to close at $42.83. If you are trying to rent a property in Ireland at the moment this video might just speak to you. With the country presently lacking a Read More: Comedy trio Foil Arms and Hog are usually on the pulse of the nation with their videos and their latest upload to their YouTube channel nails the housing issue perfectly. Entitled The Apartment Games the video depicts a prospective renter cast into a Hunger Games type scenario, The poor guy has to literally battle to secure a lease. Only the strong will survive in this war Foil Arms and Hog are currently touring the UK, but you can see them at the Jest Fest in Wexford on April 30 and May 1. The trio will also play Dublins Victor Street on May 13 and 27, as well as the Town Hall Theatre in Westport on May 20. You can find a full list of their gigs on their website here. By Elaine Loughlin, Political Reporter with Irish Examiner Alan Kelly has said dealing with water charges was very, very difficult and he still fears for his personal safety. Labours deputy leader has also said that he still has ambitions to lead the political party. Speaking this morning the Tipperary TD described water charges and Irish Water as probably the most difficult political issue in 30 years adding that it had impacted on his family. It was very emotional dealing the issues of threats to your family, threats to your staff. I felt my personal safety was threatened for a long period of time. I still feel to a certain extent that its threatened, he said. So many people dont know what Irish Water does, many politicians sitting in Dail Eireann dont know what they do, I challenge Fianna Fail in particular to go and visit them, he told RTEs Sean ORourke show. The acting Environment Minister was speaking ahead of appearing on the catwalk in a charity event organised by the girlfriend of FAI boss John Delaney. Mr Kelly courted controversy during the election campaign when it emerged that Mr Delaney, Tipperary native, attended a number of events in the Environment Ministers constituency where he encouraged people to vote for Labour. Later on tonight Im partaking in a fashion show, your public will be delighted to hear, he told the radio show. Its being run by Emma English who is a partner of John Delaneys, being coordinated with the FAI. Its for the Johnny Giles trust, and also for Brother Kevin who runs some great homeless services here in Dublin, he said. Mr Kelly said it would be up to party leader Joan Burton to decide when to step down, but did not rule out contesting the leadership when that happens. Joan will make her own decision and when that decision is made Ill answer that question, he said of running for party leader. Mr Kelly added: I believe people will put themselves forward. If they feel I should do it I will. Ive always said it would be an ambition to lead the Labour Party and that hasnt changed. A Cork artist has had a painting that includes a risque image of former Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey, withdrawn from an exhibition opening tonight at the CIT Cork School of Music (CSM), according to Colette Sheridan of the Evening Echo. The Evening Echo reports that Joe McNicholas, a graduate of the Limerick College of Art and Design, is one of three artists taking part in the exhibition entitled Spring Notes. McNicholas posted on his Facebook page: "I'm sad to say that my satirical painting 'An Irish Political Allegory' has been deemed unfit to be shown in the group exhibition 'Spring Notes', which opens at the Cork School of Music this evening. Keep an eye out for today's Evening Echo." McNicholas says he was absolutely shocked when he received an email from the director of CSM, Dr Geoffrey Spratt, who said that having received a very significant number of complaints about two of the paintings, he decided to remove one of them. The painting in question, An Irish Political Allegory, measuring eight feet by five feet, includes a small image of a bare-chested Haughey and a topless woman. Joe said: The woman is my symbol of Ireland, like Kathleen Ni Houlihan. I felt it was appropriate that Haughey should be represented. He was having his way with Ireland. The foreground of the satirical painting shows former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen in the pose of Rodins sculpture, The Thinker. There are also depictions of de Valera, Sean Lemass, and Jack Lynch. The painting 'An Irish Political Allegory' by Joe McNicholas. If you can's see it above click here to view it. The paintings went on view on Tuesday and according to Dr Spratt, some parents and members of staff objected to the image in question as unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen. Dr Spratt acknowledged the basic concept of freedom of expression. However, Dr Spratt said: I can only reiterate that the CSM has a duty-of-care to more than 3,000 students under the age of 18, and if both parents and members of staff tell me they do not wish the school to display such imagery, I cannot ignore them. Dr Spratt didnt respond to a query as to how many people expressed their objection to the image. Update 7.30pm: Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin says he simply couldn't break a promise he made to the electorate. "The best interests of the Irish people are not served by a government made up by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. "We made this promise consistently in advance of the election, we made it very clear to the Irish people and those who voted for us that we are not going into government with Fine Gael and we are remaining consistent and true to that commitment." Update 6.15pm: Acting Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, has said Fianna Fail's rejection of Fine Gael's offer to form a government "is a serious mistake and one which was driven by narrow party interests". Mr Kenny said: "I regret that Fianna Fail has refused to serve in a partnership government including Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Independents. "Yesterday evening, I offered Micheal Martin a full partnership government. It is an offer that reflects the way in which people voted in the general election and the respective mandates of both parties and independents. "Today, Deputy Martin rejected that offer. I believe that this decision is a serious mistake and one which was driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest. Enda Kenny: "FF's decision is a serious mistake, driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest. #iestaff Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) April 7, 2016 "Ireland needs a stable and lasting government to meet the many national and international challenges facing the country. Fine Gael's preferred option of a full partnership is the best option for providing the necessary stability and it is very regrettable that Fianna Fail has rejected this historic opportunity." Update 5.20pm: The Fianna Fail leader has told the acting Taoiseach he cannot go into Government with Fine Gael. Micheal Martin has told Enda Kenny he may be in a position to support a Fine Gael led minority Government. Mr Martin has also questioned Mr Kenny's motives in the coalition offer, saying: "I was told last evening at the end of the meeting that minority government was being taken off the table. "You listen to Simon Coveney this morning and he's adamant that it's not taken off the table, so I would have my own concerns in terms of what was afoot yesterday, to be frank. "I don't believe it was sincerely put and I think there was an element of choreography about it, but that's par for the course in terms of how the Taoiseach does his business." Update 4pm:Talks between Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin have finished. Mr Kenny met with Micheal Martin this afternoon for less than 15 minutes, during which the Fianna Fail leader said his party would not be accepting an offer of partnership government. Meeting between Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin lasted less than 15 minutes #iestaff Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) April 7, 2016 A spokesman for Enda Kenny has said Fianna Fail's rejection of a partnership government deal is a serious missed opportunity and a mistake. At a meeting between both leaders last night Mr Kenny put the possibility of a government made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Independents to Mr Martin. However, Fianna Fail members rejected this idea at a meeting of the parliamentary party meeting today. A spokesman for the Taoiseach described the rejection as extremely disappointing, unfortunate, a mistake. Spokesman for the Taoiseach describes as a "mistake" Fianna Fail's decision not to accept partnership government #iestaff Elaine Loughlin (@Elaine_Loughlin) April 7, 2016 He added that the historic genuine offer of equal government had been ruled out with serious haste. The Taoiseach believes this is a serious missed opportunity to act in the national interest. That it is a mistake." He said a Fianna Fail minority government or any other minority government was not discussed. At no point in the meeting did Deputy Martin put it to the Taoiseach that he should withdraw his lack of support for Fianna Fail for a minority government." He added that no further meetings between the two leaders have been arranged at this point. The Taoiseach said that he is respecting the Fianna Fail mandate by making that offer that the electoral outcome is not what people were expecting but that in order to reflect the reality of the electoral outcome that it remains the case and that the offer still stands that a Fine Gael, Independent, Fianna Fail government can provide the sort of stability that the country needs to address a number of issues which are increasing in urgency, the spokesman said. Update 2.55pm: Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are at complete odds about Enda Kenny's offer of a "partnership" government after separate behind-closed-doors meetings with their TDs and senators today. While Fine Gael unanimously backed a motion supporting the plan at a private parliamentary party meeting, Fianna Fail voted against the offer after a four-hour discussion which ended just before 3pm. Fianna Fail "reject outright" Fine Gael's partnership offer at parliamentary party meeting. They'll continue talking to Inds #ge16 #iestaff Fiachra O Cionnaith (@Ocionnaith) April 7, 2016 In a statement on behalf of her parliamentary party, Fine Gael's acting parliamentary party chair Catherine Byrne said TDs and senators "overwhelmingly supported a partnership government". She said it is "the best way to provide a stable and lasting government to deal with the issues concerning people and the challenges facing the country". Secretary of the parliamentary party, backbencher Helen McEntee added the "historic offer" which will represent "seismic change in the political landscape". Fianna Fail separately decided in today's four-hour behind-closed-doors meeting to reject the offer on Wednesday night by Mr Kenny for a "partnership" government. While a small number of TDs - including John McGuinness - said earlier today they may be in favour of a deal under certain requirements, a senior TD said the decision was unanimous. The TD, who is also part of Fianna Fail's negotiating team, said the party will continue speaking with Independents. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin is expected to speak to the media this evening after meeting with Mr Kenny to formally reject his proposal later today. Update 1.50pm: Former Fianna Fail justice minister Dermot Ahern has said a 50:50 ministerial breakdown and rotating taoiseach role "would have to be" part of any deal with long-term rival Fine Gael, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith of the Irish Examiner. The senior figure of Micheal Martin's party said while he is "not in favour" of any deal, the offers must be included in any attempt to form a mooted partnership government. Speaking on RTE Radio's News at One programme this afternoon, Mr Ahern said he "personally wouldn't be in favour of a grand coalition because it would only replace the outgoing government". He said any grand coalition "would be bad for democracy" as a small majority agreement "keeps the government on its toes". However, if acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny's Wednesday night deal is accepted by Fianna Fail - a position that seems at this stage highly unlikely - Mr Ahern said it must include a 50:50 ministerial breakdown and a rotating taoiseach role. Noting Mr Kenny has already confirmed he will step down over the course of the next government, should he be part of it, Mr Ahern said the rotating taoiseach scenario could be included in this situation as "he's [Mr Kenny] like a second term US president, a bit of a spent docket, is he an obstacle in formation of the next government". The former Fianna Fail justice minister said he understood why Fine Gael is "rapturously" backing a partnership government as "they lost the election". While saying "all options" must be considered because of the way "the cards have fallen", he suggested Fianna Fail may still seek to back a Fine Gael-led minority government from the opposition benches. However, he said it "wouldn't be an easy position as we saw with the Tallaght Strategy. Fine Gael took years to recover from that arrangement". Meanwhile, speaking on the same programme, acting Fine Gael Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald repeatedly said the "partnership" offer was "historic" and what the country needs. However, she was unable to explain what exactly is involved in terms of ministerial positions, the number of Independents who will be asked to take part and whether a rotating taoiseach scenario is included in the potential deal. "How could I reply about the structure of this government... we're not into the level of that detail, how could I possibly predict it at that point," she said after stressing: "This would be an historic change, we should just register that." Update 1.35pm: Fine Gael TD Simon Harris, acting Minister of State at the Department of Finance and the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin need to be given more time to continue talking. Mr Harris said: "I think it would be extraordinarily helpful and constructive if at the end of their meeting today and the end of our Parliamentary Party meeting today, that the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail could be given space and the opportunity to continue talking. "I think it would be extremely regrettable if the conversation was to be suddenly ended or brought to a sudden halt. There is much to discuss." Update 11am: Limerick Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea (pictured below) has said that in his view the proposed partnership government between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael "won't wash". "I personally would be opposed to itFrom the soundings I've taken, which may be wrong, I would anticipate the majority of my colleagues will oppose it also." Party colleague Jackie Cahill said: "We're equal partners, so I would say everything has to be on the table and obviously if there's a rotating Taoiseach, it would be more attractive the Fianna Fail membership." Meanwhile, Cork North Central Fianna Fail TD Billy Kelleher said: "This is a long way off, in view of the fact there are alternatives available." Former Fianna Fail TD Dermot Ahern said he believed the grand coaltion would be rejected by Fianna Fail grassroots. "There would be divided opinion. I get the strong feeling there is very much an anti feeling towards going into coalition with Fine Gael," he said. Update 10.45am: Anti Austerity Alliance Deputy Paul Murphy has warned against a partnership government between Fianna fail and Fine Gael. "I don't want to see a Fianna Fail-Fine Gael government elected," he said. "I think it would be very right wing, a very conservative governmentFor the first time they're reduced to less than 50% of the popular vote." Earlier: Acting Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has said Enda Kenny's offer of a partnership government to Micheal Martin is sincere, and not a political manoeuvre. He also said he wanted to send a message to Fine Gael members that "this is something we're serious about and want to be generous towards", and to Independents that "we (Fine Gael) havent forgotten about you". "This is not a political manoeuvre," he said this morning. Simon Coveney could not tell us earlier who would be named Taoiseach, nor whether it would rotate between the two party leaders. "There isnt an answer to that right now," he said. "What we have asked Fianna Fail to consider is the principle of working with us to put a partnership government together. "If they agree to move ahead with that, both sides will put negotiating teams in place to decide how that would work, and the practicalities of it." The two leaders met for 45 minutes yesterday evening. Mr Kenny made the proposal offer to Mr Martin of forming a Government made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Independents. Mr Kenny stressed the need for stable Government in the meeting which was described as "businesslike". Mr Kenny made the offer with the unanimous approval of his ministers. Mr Martin did not commit to agree, but said he would have to refer the offer to his parliamentary party which is to meet this morning. Even if a deal were thrashed out, it would have to go to a special Fianna Fail Ard Fheis and many members say it would not receive the required backing. Read More: The Irish Government has agreed that advanced passenger data for people travelling from Ireland will be given to the UK. The move comes in a bid to tighten up security after recent terrorist attacks, according to reports in today's media. The mother of an Irish actor who earned more than 1m in the Harry Potter movies has told the High Court he spent his money on drink, cars and girls. Devon Murray is being sued for 286,000 by his former agent, who claims the 27-year-old unlawfully tried to get out of his contract. Neil Brooks signed Devon Murray when he was 11 or 12. Soon afterwards, he secured a role in the first two Harry Potter movies. Seamus Finnigan, an Irish half-blood wizard, was a character he ended up playing for the entire series. Mr Brooks claims he secured a pay increase for his client ahead of the third movie, and said they agreed to an increase in his cut from 12.5% to 20%. Devon told the court he fired him after a picture of him smoking on set emerged in the papers. He said he thought agents would be magically able to make things disappear. He also said he could never get a hold of him and his father would have to take him to the airport when his driver did not show up. He, along with his parents Michael and Fidelma Murray from Celbridge, Co. Kildare, are being sued for 286,000. In her closing speech, Fidelma said her son spent his money on drink, cars and girls. She said he is her only child so she was not going to give out to him. A decision is due tomorrow afternoon. An American man accused of endangering the safety of a transatlantic flight chased a flight attendant up the aisle after she refused to serve him cheese and crackers, a court has heard. The head flight attendant on the United Airlines Boeing 777 claimed Jeremiah Mathis Thede was "agitated" and demanded to know the name of the colleague who had not given him the snacks. Sheila Wire, the purser in charge of the flight crew, said later in the flight Thede also allegedly threatened a fellow passenger who had told her he had placed a potential "trip hazard" - a discarded food tray - in the path of attendants walking backwards down the aisle. The airliner, carrying 264 passengers, was en route from Rome to Chicago on June 20 last year when the captain made the decision to touch down at Belfast International Airport after concerns were raised about Thede's behaviour by cabin crew and other passengers. Californian Thede, 42, denies a charge of endangering an aircraft or persons in the aircraft. Ms Wire, who has 43 years' service with United, was the first witness called as the trial began at Antrim Crown Court. She told the court how she had to brief four other male passengers to prepare themselves in case Thede had to be physically subdued. In the event, police officers removed him from the flight when it touched down in Northern Ireland. Ms Wire described how she was first alerted to a problem in the economy section between 30 and 45 minutes into the flight. She said she arrived to see attendant Lisa Hall rushing toward her, with Thede following her. "I just saw this look on her face, she was stunned," said Ms Wire. Ms Wire said Thede, from Berkeley, had a pad and pen in his hands and was repeatedly saying "I want her name". After directing Ms Hall to go to the cockpit, Ms Wire said she tried to establish what had happened from Thede. "He responded that he went to the back, he wanted cheese and crackers, and 'that lady wouldn't give them to me'," she told the judge. "I stood there waiting for more information but it was just that, that was really the basis of what was happening at that minute. "I remember standing there taking a very deep breath and I remember in my mind thinking 'this is over cheese and crackers?'." Thede, dressed in a light grey suit and white shirt, sat in the dock listening as the purser gave evidence to the jury. He has been on bail in Northern Ireland awaiting trial since last June. Ms Wire claimed that at other points in the flight Thede was getting up and down from his seat and opening and shutting the overhead bins when the seatbelt signs were on, and refused to sit down when warned. She said his behaviour prompted numerous complaints from other passengers. "One said 'what is United Airlines doing to ensure my family and I are safe?'," she said. "I remember that as a direct quote." Ms Wire said she warned Thede that the flight might have to be diverted if his behaviour continued. "He looked at me and said 'are you done yet?'," she told the court. It has been claimed the plane had to dump thousands of litres of fuel before making the unscheduled stop. As the crew would have exceeded their legal flying hours if the aircraft had resumed the journey straight away, the passengers were forced to wait almost 24 hours before the plane could take off again, with many having to sleep on the terminal floor. The trial continues. Defending champion Jordan Spieth assumed his customary position on a crowded leaderboard in the early stages of the 80th Masters today. Spieth, who was second on his debut in 2014 and claimed a first green jacket with a record-breaking performance 12 months ago, is looking to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods in making a successful title defence at Augusta National. And the world number two, who led from start to finish after an opening 64 last year, was quickly into his stride with birdies on the third and sixth taking the 22-year-old into a share of the lead with playing partner Paul Casey and Open champion Zach Johnson. Nine players were just a shot behind on one under, including US Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau and Ryder Cup trio Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson. Conditions were good for the early starters after heavy overnight rain, but the wind had started to pick up and was forecast to strengthen during the day with gusts between 30 and 35mph predicted. That was bad news for world number three Rory McIlroy in his bid to win a first green jacket to complete the career grand slam, the 26-year-old being the last man out shortly after 2pm local time. The first man out, American Jim Herman, had made a dream start to his debut after securing the last place in the 89-man field by virtue of winning the Shell Houston Open. However, the former assistant professional at one of the courses owned by US presidential candidate Donald Trump, then carded a hat-trick of bogeys from the fourth and had dropped back to two over par with four holes to play. World number five Rickie Fowler ran up a double-bogey on the first after hitting a tree with his second shot, but bounced back with birdies on the second, third and fifth before dropping back to level par with a bogey on the seventh. Islamic State militants have kidnapped 300 cement workers and contractors in an area north-east of Damascus, Syrian state TV said. The report said the workers from the al-Badia Cement Company were abducted on Thursday from Dumeir, an area where militants launched a surprise attack against government forces earlier this week. An Argentine prosecutor has asked for an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's role in offshore companies, adding to the global fallout from a massive leak of documents from a Panama law firm. Federal prosecutor Federico Delgado made the request to Judge Sebastian Casanello, according to a court document obtained by The Associated Press. Under Argentine law, such a request is the precursor to charges, which must be decided on by a judge. Mr Delgado argued that an investigation is necessary to see whether Mr Macri "maliciously" omitted his role in two offshore companies in his annual tax declarations. Mr Macri, a conservative who ran for office last year on promises to crack down on corruption, has repeatedly said they were family businesses and he was a figurehead who received no compensation. The former mayor of Buenos Aires is son of Italian-born tycoon Francisco Macri, who is one of the country's richest people. In the document, Mr Delgado notes that Mr Macri has denied any wrongdoing. However, he says Mr Macri needs to give authorities a full report of his role and the tax dynamics of the offshore companies. Opposition party leaders have also demanded Mr Macri give a fuller accounting of what the companies did and why Mr Macri was listed if he had no role. For example, Mr Macri shows up in documents of Fleg Trading, a now-defunct company that was incorporated in the Bahamas. Mr Macri has said it was set up in the late 1990s to make investments in Brazil, but that investments never materialised and by 2009 the company was dissolved. However, he has not provided details about the company or elaborated on why he was named as a partner if he had no role and received no income. A Christian NHS worker suspended for giving a religious book to a Muslim colleague has lost her appeal against a ruling that the decision to discipline her was lawful. Victoria Wasteney, 39, was found guilty by her NHS employer in 2014 of "harassing and bullying" a work friend for giving her a book about a Muslim woman's encounter with Christianity, praying with her and asking her to church. She was suspended for nine months and given a written warning, even though the woman had been happy to discuss faith with her and never gave evidence about her allegations to the NHS. Ms Wasteney, a senior occupational therapist, challenged the decision by East London NHS Foundation Trust at an employment tribunal last year, but it ruled that her employer had not discriminated against her. A judge gave her the chance to appeal against that decision, saying it should consider whether the original ruling had correctly applied the European Convention on Human Rights' strong protection of freedom of religion and expression. But at a hearing in central London today, Her Honour Judge Eady QC dismissed the appeal. Following the decision, Miss Wasteney, from Epping, Essex, said: "What the court clearly failed to do was to say how, in today's politically correct world, any Christian can even enter into a conversation with a fellow employee on the subject of religion and not, potentially, later end up in an employment tribunal. "If someone sends you friendly text messages, how is one to know that they are offended? I had no idea that I was upsetting her." Ms Wasteney worked at the John Howard Centre in east London, a mental health unit, joining in 2007 as head of forensic therapy. She became friends with a new junior colleague in 2012, a Muslim, the pair sharing an interest in their faiths and campaigning against human trafficking. In April 2013 Ms Wasteney offered her a book, I Dared To Call Him Father, which promotes conversion to Christianity. The woman accepted it, though later threw it away. The following month, after the woman went to Ms Wasteney for help after becoming upset at work, she briefly prayed for her, putting her hand on her knee while doing so after seeking her permission. Ms Wasteney also invited her to church on several occasions, texting her in a friendly manner. But in June the woman complained, and Ms Wasteney was suspended for nine months. A formal disciplinary investigation made eight allegations of misconduct and she was later found guilty of three charges, and was eventually given a written warning for "harassing and bullying" her colleague. The woman, who quit her job shortly after making the complaints, never gave any evidence about her allegations to the NHS or later to the employment tribunal. Four people suspected of having "enlisted" in the Islamic State group with the intention to commit terror have been arrested, Danish police said. All four suspects, arrested on Thursday in Copenhagen and its suburbs, are suspected of violating Danish laws by joining a terrorist organisation. Police spokesman Poul Kjeldsen said arms and munitions had been found in one location but it was not immediately clear whether that could be connected to the arrests. Mr Kjeldsen said he could not exclude the possibility of more arrests as the investigation continues. Police declined to disclose further details, saying the prosecution would ask for closed doors at a pre-trial detention hearing on Friday, which would bar the publication of details. Mr Kjeldsen said the four suspects had been identified through "close cooperation" between Denmark's intelligence agency and the police in the Danish capital. Justice Minister Soren Pind said "it was too early to say" what the suspects' plans were. "We are now harvesting the fruits of our thorough efforts... to stop foreign fighters," Mr Pind said in a television interview. About 60 Danish nationals have returned from Syria where they have fought alongside Islamic State members. It was unclear whether the four suspects had been in Syria. The case was not immediately believed to be linked to the arrest of a 20-year-old man in Sweden who has been was charged with preparing to a make a suicide bomb. Iceland's fisheries minister says the president has approved a proposal that makes him Iceland's new prime minister. Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson has emerged from the presidential residence to tell reporters the news - a development that comes several days after his predecessor resigned after being linked to an offshore account. A man was forced to miss an easyJet flight from Pisa to London after another passenger reported him to a member of staff for "suspicious behaviour" - the third such incident with the airline in recent weeks. The man had been checked and cleared by security personnel at the Italian airport but his flight took off without him yesterday. An easyJet spokeswoman said he was given free hotel accommodation, a meal and a transfer on the next available flight once it was clear that he had done nothing wrong. She added: "easyJet can confirm that the flight EZY5234 from Pisa to London Gatwick on 6 April was delayed due to additional security checks before departure. "A passenger underwent specific checks with the authorities due to another passenger reporting what they believed was suspicious behaviour. "The safety and well-being of easyJet passengers is easyJet's highest priority." On March 29, black Londoner Meghary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was escorted off an easyJet flight flying from Rome Fiumicino to London Gatwick because a female passenger said she felt uncomfortable about him. Following the incident, Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis claimed he had been the victim of racial profiling, adding that he was now seeking legal advice after Italian authorities spent 15 hours questioning him. He was later cleared to fly by airport security, and was placed on the next flight back to London by easyJet. He told ITV News: "With the communications I have had with easyJet since, I have let them know in no uncertain terms that I feel very strongly about this issue. I did not accept it and I asked where it fitted into civil aviation laws or if it is an easyJet policy." "If (the other passenger) was uncomfortable, she should be the one that gets off the plane." On February 25, a British Christian from an ethnic minority background was removed from an easyJet flight at Luton Airport. He was judged to be a security threat because he had a message on his phone involving prayer. An easyJet spokeswoman confirmed that the flight from Pisa to Gatwick was delayed by more than an hour as security officials escorted the unnamed man off the plane. The airline refused to confirm the nationality or ethnicity of the passenger involved, but added that it had not been possible to place him back on the flight before departure. Belgian prosecutors have launched a public appeal seeking any information on the "man in hat" suspect in the Brussels Airport suicide bombings that killed 16 people. Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially interested in any people who might have filmed or photographed the man. He was seen at the airport with two suicide bombers before they died in the March 22 attacks. A subsequent explosion at Brussels' Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same morning. Photos released by prosecutors showed the "man in hat" leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were reportedly lost. The suspect also wore a white jacket but discarded it at some point, prosecutors said. The appeal for public assistance more than two weeks after the suicide bombings indicated that investigators have hit a standstill. Three bombers, two at the airport and one in the subway, also died in the attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State. According to a video reconstitution of the suspect's itinerary presented to reporters, the man left the Brussels Airport terminal at 7.58am before two other men he was with in the building exploded suitcases laden with explosives. He passed by a Sheraton hotel, walked through the town of Zaventem, discarded his jacket, and was seen on video footage at Meiser square in north-eastern Brussels at 9.42am. Eight minutes later, his trail vanishes. Belgian authorities are hoping that they or someone finds the discarded light-coloured jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. Federal prosecutor Thierry Werts also said there had been many people around the hotel when the suspect walked by who may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked "people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information" to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. A student activist has died after being hacked and shot as he was walking with a friend in the capital of Bangladesh. Police in Dhaka said at least three men riding on a single motorbike carried out the killing on Vladimir Putin has denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of a US-led plot to weaken Russia. Mr Putin also defended a cellist friend named as the alleged owner of an offshore company, describing him as a philanthropist who spent his own funds to buy rare musical instruments for Russian state collections. Speaking at a media forum in St Petersburg, Mr Putin said Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses even though his name did not feature in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm. Mr Putin described the allegations as part of the US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. "They are trying to destabilise us from within in order to make us more compliant," he said. "I would reject the premise or the assertion that we're in any way involved in the actual leak of these documents," US State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters in Washington. The Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) said the documents it obtained indicated that Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin acted as a front man for a network of Putin loyalists, and, perhaps, the president himself. The ICIJ said the documents show how complex offshore financial deals channelled as much as 2 billion dollars to a network of people linked to the Russian president. Mr Putin said Mr Roldugin, a long-time friend, did nothing wrong. He said he was proud of Mr Roldugin, adding that the musician spent his personal money to advance cultural projects. Mr Roldugin used the money he earned as a minority shareholder of a Russian company to buy rare musical instruments abroad and hand them over to the Russian state, Mr Putin said. "Without publicising himself, he also has worked to organise concerts, promote Russian culture abroad and effectively paid his own money for that," Mr Putin added. "The more people like him we have, the better. And I'm proud to have friends like him." Mr Putin contended that Washington has fanned allegations of Russian official corruption in order to weaken Moscow as the US has become concerned about Russia's growing economic and military might. "The events in Syria have demonstrated Russia's capability to solve problems far away from its borders," he said, adding that Moscow has achieved its goal "to strengthen the Syrian statehood, its legitimate government bodies." Mr Putin said it is essential to prevent the collapse of the Syrian state to stem the flow of refugees to Europe. He praised cooperation between Moscow and Washington in efforts to broker a ceasefire, which went into effect on February 27. The truce excludes the Islamic State group and the al Qaida branch known as the Nusra Front. But while lauding contacts on Syria, he signalled tensions on another issue, accusing the US of breaching its obligations under an agreement to reprocess weapons-grade plutonium. He said that while Russia has abided by the deal and built reprocessing facilities, the US has opted for a different technology which, he alleged, allowed it to maintain the so-called "return potential" of keeping weapons-grade materials if it wishes to do so. Mr Putin said a rift over the issue was one of the reasons behind his decision to snub a nuclear summit hosted by US President Barack Obama in Washington. KARACHI: Gold prices on Friday lost some value on the local market, traders said. They dropped by Rs500 to Rs147400... SINGAPORE: US oil may test a support at $83.78 per barrel, a break below which could open the way towards... TOKYO: Japan intervened in the foreign exchange market on Friday to buy yen for the second time in a month after the... LAGOS: More than 600 people are now known to have perished in the worst floods in a decade in Nigeria, according to... BRUSSELS: EU leaders on Friday reached agreement on a roadmap aimed at putting in place measures within weeks to... RIYADH: The International Monetary Fund said on Monday that up to 20 countries, many in Africa, could need emergency... MUMBAI: Heavy rainfall in India has damaged key summer-sown crops such as rice, soybean, cotton, pulses and... Outraged academics from the University of Sydney have written to Australian National University vice-chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt calling on him to reverse planned cuts to the university's language school. The letter was sent by Professor Adrian Vickers, director of the University of Sydney's Asian Studies Program, and signed by another 32 academics many of whom are graduates of the ANU as well as 13 PhD and honours students. Australian National University vice-chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt is under pressure to reverse his proposed changes to the School of Culture, History and Language. Credit:Graham Tidy "We, the staff and students of Asian Studies and affiliated departments at the University of Sydney are writing to express our serious concerns over the proposed changes to the School of Culture, History and Language in the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University," the letter said. "We are particularly worried about the impact these changes will have on staff and students at ANU, on Asian Studies throughout Australia, and on Australia's engagement with the region. At a time when Australia is looking to orient itself further to the Asia Pacific region, cuts to this school could have disastrous effects." Keith Urban is bringing his Ripcord World Tour to Canberra. The Australian country music star will perform at GIO Stadium on December 10 to promote his newest album, Ripcord, which is expected to drop next month. Keith Urban will drop by Canberra on his Ripcord World Tour. Credit:Terry Wyatt The American Idol judge promised to bring the tour to cities he'd never played in when it was announced in January. Urban will be supported by American Idol alumnus Carrie Underwood. A plastic mesh fence around Nick Weber's corn patch was never going to keep out rabbits, but the free range egg farmer had an ace up his sleeve. He trucked in tonnes of compost from his brother-in-law's piggery near the Murray River at Finlay. "The corn grew too fast for the rabbits," Mr Weber says with a satisfied chuckle. "I thought the cockatoos would have a go at it, they haven't got it on their schedule." Fred McGrath Weber, Nick Weber and Briar Sydney inspect fresh Majura Valley corn. Credit:Rohan Thomson Ripening into swollen, creamy yellow kernels, the corn is on restaurateur Briar Sydney's schedule, and high on the menu at a degustation brunch on April 10 to promote paddock-to-plate producers in Majura Valley and Pialligo. "I want food to represent the whole valley, and to show people where their food is coming from," Mr Sydney said. Former Target managing director Stuart Machin has defended his legacy at the discount department store chain as Wesfarmers moves closer to completing an investigation into whether the retailer inflated earnings by colluding with suppliers. It is understood that Mr Machin has denied involvement in a scheme aimed at boosting Target's first-half profits by seeking extra rebates from suppliers in return for promises of price rises in the second half. Former Target managing director Stuart Machin has defended his legacy. Credit:Wayne Taylor However, sources close to Mr Machin say he has acknowledged that if collusion occurred, it happened during his watch and that he must take responsibility for it. Mr Machin was originally expected to take a senior role in the Wesfarmers group following the restructure of the conglomerate's department store operations. He is now expected to seek a new role outside Wesfarmers. Nearly one in three women has an abortion at some time in their life. It's hard to believe but terminating a pregnancy remains a criminal offence in Queensland. Consider some other way this glaring contradiction could be reconciled other than a smack down for 21st century women. Let's face it: if men bore children ending unwanted pregnancies would've been legal long ago, even if the sunny land of Sir Joh, don't you worry about that. Abortion is legal in Victoria, ACT and Tasmania, but not Queensland. Thankfully someone is doing something about it. The ex-ALP Independent Member for Cairns, Rob Pyne, has pledged to draft a private member's Bill to legalise abortion. Women's rights have come a long way in a century. In a week when the international architecture community was still reeling after the death of legendary Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, perhaps Australia's most internationally-renowned architect and only Pritzker laureate, Glenn Murcutt, has been appointed jury chair for next year's Pritzker Prize. The Murcutt appointment was made public at an event at UN Headquarters in New York to honour 2016 laureate and Venice Architecture Biennale director Alejandro Aravena earlier this week, during which attendees held a minute's silence for Hadid. Glenn Murcutt creates buildings with a rare lightness of touch. Credit:Louise Kennerley Murcutt, who won the prize, often referred to as the Nobel Prize for architecture, in 2002 and was appointed to the jury in 2010, is known for his humbly-scaled practice and projects, creating buildings that have a rare lightness of touch and sensitivity to their environment. pritzkerprize.com One of the biggest pop acts of the 1980s, Culture Club, has announced plans to tour Australia for the first time in 15 years in June. The tour will take in just four cities Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane but the schedule appears to leave space for extra shows to be added. Culture Club in their heyday, performing on the UK's Top of the Pops. The white-soul pop four-piece won the music world's attention in 1982 with global hit Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, with the charismatic and talented Boy George out front. That won Culture Club the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1983. The London group, so named because it comprised a gay Irishman (George) on vocals, a Jewish drummer (Jon Moss), a black Briton (Mikey Craig) on bass, and a white Anglo-Saxon (Roy Hay) on keyboards and guitars, went on to release a succession of hit albums and singles over a phenomenally successful four-year period. In that time it sold around 50 million records. The biggest of those were Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Karma Chameleon, Time (Clock of the Heart) and Church of the Poison Mind. Jennifer Cunich appointed chief of Australian Institute for Architecture The Australian Institute for Architecture has announced the appointment of its new chief executive officer, Jennifer Cunich. Jennifer Cunich, outside her Exhibition Street office, has been appointed CEO of the Australian Institute for Architecture. Credit:Wayne Taylor Having held various key roles at the Property Council of Australia, Cunich is known for her work across planning and infrastructure, advocacy and government regulation. While the appointment of someone from outside the architectural community has surprised many, others have pointed to Cunich's record in bringing architecture and design into the wider cultural and policy discourse. In a statement this week, she framed the role as "an opportunity to place the inspirational designs of our architects at the centre of a national conversation about innovation, creativity and problem-solving". Just in time for the global commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, a stately home on a small Scottish island is announcing a surprise party gift: the unveiling of a previously unknown First Folio. The book, owned by the seventh Marquess of Bute, Johnny Dumfries, had been shelved in the library at Mount Stuart House, an enormous Gothic revival pile and tourist attraction on the Isle of Bute, in the Firth of Clyde, about 60 miles west of Glasgow. William Shakespeare, known as the Soest Portrait, c1667, by Gerard or Gilbert Soest (c1605-81). Credit:Bloomberg "Finding it right now is almost crazy," said Emma Smith, a Shakespeare expert at the University of Oxford who authenticated the Folio during a visit to the house in September. Discovering a new First Folio, she added, is "like spotting a panda." The First Folio, published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death, in an edition of roughly 750, contains 36 of his plays, including 18 that had not been printed in his lifetime. The announcement of the Scottish copy, which goes on public display at Mount Stuart on Thursday, brings the number of known surviving First Folios to 234. An Australian mother at the centre of a botched child recovery in Lebanon that led to the detention of a 60 Minutes reporter and crew, has been arrested and her children handed over to her husband. Lebanese media are reporting that Beirut police detained Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner and returned her children Lahela, 6, and Noah, 4, to their biological father, Beirut surf shop owner Ali Elamine, early on Friday, Australian time. Mr Elamine had taken the children to Lebanon for a holiday. Despite promising the holiday would last for only a short period of time Mr Elamine is alleged to have refused to return the children to Australia. Ms Faulkner had contact with the Australian embassy shortly before her detention, but it not been revealed whether she surrendered to police voluntarily. It has been 18 months since Sayed* passed the Australian citizenship test, successfully answering questions such as why we celebrate Anzac Day and the colours of the Aboriginal flag. But the Afghanistan-born man is not yet an Australian citizen. He has not been invited to make his citizenship pledge, and his application to bring his wife and three children to Australia is languishing, unprocessed, somewhere inside the Department of Immigration. The Refugee Council of Australia says delays in inviting refugees to make a citizenship pledge denies them a sense of belonging. Sayed is one of hundreds of refugees in Australia who say their citizenship applications have been ignored by the federal government, in what one migration agent described as a "deliberate ploy" to punish people who arrived without a valid visa. The department denies this, saying there has been a flood of applications to process. The Refugee Council of Australia says the delays deny refugees a sense of belonging, and effectively stop them from sponsoring family members to Australia. When Arthur Sinodinos sits down to breakfast with property developers and other Liberal backers on Friday morning in Melbourne, it will be with a great sense of relief. For back in the senator's home state of NSW, where he is embroiled in a fundraising row, such an event - part of an all day, $8000 a head, fundraising marathon - would be controversial at the least and, probably, illegal. The gathering with business observers (and Liberal donors) is a scene setter for this weekend's Liberals state council, to be attended by the party's biggest names, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy. Senator Sinodinos tops a star-studded bill of conservative celebrities at the breakfast, to be followed by a lunch with Treasurer Scott Morrison. 1. 60 Minutes crew detained in Lebanon over dramatic child-snatch operation Tara Brown and her television crew are in Lebanon to document Australian mother Sally Faulkner's operation to retrieve her two children from Beirut, where their father took them for a holiday last year. Lebanese media is reporting the two children were snatched at a bus stop by armed gunmen who assaulted the children's paternal grandmother in a dramatic operation that appears to have been caught on camera. Police tracked down the media crew, but not Ms Faulkner and her children. University students will pay an average of $50,000 for a three-year degree by the middle of the next decade should the federal government succeed in deregulating fees, analysis by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office shows. The fee estimate is included in a PBO report revealing a huge blowout in the cost of the government's Higher Education Loan Program (previously known as HECS). In the 2014 budget, the Coalition announced that it would cut funding to university courses by 20 per cent but allow tertiary institutions to set their own course fees. The changes were torpedoed in the Senate and last October the newly appointed Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, delayed university reforms until 2017. The Lindt cafe siege gunman Man Haron Monis was "undoubtedly a terrorist" but he was "atypical" in his motivations and behaviour compared with most people who are radicalised to the point of violent extremism, an inquest has heard. Forensic psychologist and radicalisation expert Kate Barrelle said the taking of hostages and declaring it to be an attack on Australia by Islamic State "was an act of radicalisation by a disturbed man". Lindt Cafe gunman Man Monis's adoption of the aims of Islamic State was a cover story. The inquest into the deaths of Monis and hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson has previously heard that Monis had come to be regarded as a "serial pest" to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation after he provided numerous, useless tip-offs to the spy agency. Queensland University of Technology has been named among the best young universities in the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education. The list, which recognises universities less than 50 years old, ranked the top 150 universities in the world. Queensland University of Technology has been named among the best young universities in the world. Credit:Glenn Hunt QUT came in 28th place, making it the second-highest ranked university in Australia, narrowly beaten by the University of Technology in Sydney, which was ranked 21. Times Higher Education editor Phil Baty said QUT's strong relationships with industry were a big part of its success in the rankings. The Bruce Highway has come to a standstill for the third time in a week after a car burst into flames north of Brisbane. Firefighters were called to the vehicle, on the side of the northbound lanes about 500 metres south of the Johnston Road turn-off at Glasshouse Mountains, about 9.30am. They arrived to find flames engulfing the car and smoke billowing above the road but had the fire out by 10.05am. Australian Traffic Network traffic reporter Penny Dahl said long delays stretched back past Steve Irwin Way, about seven kilometres away. The latest incarnation of Cross River Rail has a route and a promise to keep the politics out of it. What it doesn't have is funding, a business case, or even a plan on how the estimated $5.2 billion project would be delivered. But if the power balance shifts at the next election, the next government will have to dismantle a (yet to be established) Statutory Authority charged with delivering the project before it scraps it for a third time. Acting Premier Jackie Trad said the project was the most important in south-east Queensland and was crucial to head off a choke point on the rail network and prevent traffic gridlock and did not rule out - or rule in - adding to the state's debt pool to ensure the project happened. A 51-year-old man is facing drug charges after being filmed running beside a car and punching its window on the Bruce Highway in an apparent road rage attack. Police allege the Bundaberg man was high on Wednesday afternoon when he crashed into the back of a woman's car at Burpengary, north of Brisbane, causing minor damage. They said the man refused to give the woman his details and she responded by stealing his keys. The footage, recorded by the passenger of the car travelling behind about 12.30pm, shows the woman driving away as the man runs beside her car, eventually swinging punches at the driver-side window. A fresh arrest has been made as police investigate a card-skimming and money-laundering scheme run by an Australia-wide syndicate, which allegedly netted at least $1 million sent overseas. Queensland police allege the Gold Coast man sent more than $35,000 to various people in Bulgaria from 2011 to 2015 and his activity was uncovered as part to Operation North Overcast. Queensland police investigate card skimming and money laundering syndicate. Credit:Tanya Lake The 49-year-old Coolangatta resident has been charged with dealing with proceeds of crime and is due to face Southport Magistrates Court on April 18. Operation North Overcast was launched last year in the wake of investigations into an alleged ex-Rebels bikie club member and his associates. Aussie starlet Melissa George is Queensland-bound for a new film. The now LA-based star, who shot to fame on Home and Away before starring in series like Friends, Greys Anatomy and the new US drama Heartbeat along with films like Mulholland Drive and Amityville Horror will star in Bloom by local writer and director Priscilla Cameron. She will star opposite fellow Australian star Sophie Lowe, best known for her role in 2009's Beautiful Kate. Screen Queensland has been involved in the development of the script and will now back it into production to see the piece shot entirely in Queensland. Fears of a decline in platypuses in Queensland have sparked the state's first survey of the elusive creature in more than a decade. The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland will launch PlatyCount 2016, the first statewide platypus distribution census since 2001, in winter to determine whether populations have increased or decreased in the past 15 years. Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland is asking for those interested in conservation to keep their eyes peeled this winter. Credit:Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland WPSQ senior projects officer Matthew Cecil said the overall snapshot from NatureSearch's Platysearch of 2001, when 600 volunteers recorded 430 sightings in 102 creek ways across Queensland, was dated and needed to be revised. "We are concerned, we have this one-off snapshot back then and we have had intermittent sightings since then but in terms of an overall contraction or expansion of their distribution, we just don't know," he said. Anti-violence campaigners have staged a silent rally in Brisbane in the name of two Queensland mothers killed in alleged domestic violence incidents in the past week. Dressed in black and clutching red roses, the campaigners also pointed out the mums were among five women allegedly slain by partners or members of their families in Queensland over three weeks. Dozens of them stood near Queensland's parliament holding placards saying, "Lives destroyed by domestic violence" and "Most female homicides are due to domestic violence." They rallied in honour of Michelle Reynolds, 46, and Sandra Peniamina, 29, who were found allegedly stabbed to death at their southeast Queensland homes within four days. Specialist sonar crews will scour the underwater wreck of a prawn trawler that could contain the bodies of two missing Queensland fishermen. Bundaberg pair David Chivers, 36, and Matt Roberts, 60, have been missing since the early hours of Monday morning when their boat capsized off the east coast of Fraser Island before sunrise. An extensive search failed to find any trace of the men. A Queensland Police spokesman said it was likely they were trapped on board. A young woman has died after being washed into rocks while snorkelling near Gladstone. Paramedics were called to Workmans Beach to reports of a girl face-down in the water. A girl has drowned snorkelling near Gladstone. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful. A spokeswoman from Queensland Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and that police would prepare a report for the coroner. The suspension of the Belgrave/Lilydale lines seems to have led to a lot of knock-on delays and disruptions throughout the train network this morning. An overhead power fault threw the line into chaos, and trains were not running between Camberwell and Ringwood for three hours. Metro organised a fleet of 30 replacement buses to take passengers into the city, but it seems there were not enough to meet demand. Look at how far the queues were stretching around the block at Ringwood station at just after 8.30am. Even now, people are tweeting about issues with their trains and delays that they are not getting notified about. Metro says train services are back to normal and that there are good services across the board, except on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. In prison after being arrested over the shooting death of a family friend, Alex Semaan told his fiancee he had ordered his sister to "do something about that c---sucker" who told police Mr Semaan was the shooter, a court has heard. Crown prosecutor Michele Williams, QC, told a Supreme Court jury that intercepted phone calls between Mr Semaan and his fiancee, Megan Beljulji, and sister Hannah Semaan when he was in custody revealed them discussing a concocted story that an unknown robber or intruder was the shooter. Megan Beljulji and boyfriend Alex Semaan. Ms Williams said that after Mr Semaan's arrest, the only witness to the shooting, his cousin Tony Kannan, had been bashed by a man he believed was a friend of Mr Semaan's. Mr Kannan, a chef, said that soon after he had been assaulted, Ms Beljulji and Ms Semaan walked in and he agreed to change his statement to police claiming Mr Semaan had been the shooter. Mr Kannan said he never intended to retract his police statement but just wanted the women to leave. Brussels: The European Union executive is considering whether to make US and Canadian citizens apply for visas before travelling to the bloc, a move that could raise tensions as Brussels negotiates a trade pact with Washington. Only Britain and Ireland have opt-outs from the 28-nation EU's common visa policy and the European Commission must decide by April 12 whether to demand visas from countries who have similar requirements in place for one or more EU states. American and Canadian tourists may soon need visas to visit France and other EU states. Credit:Francois Mori/AP Washington and Ottawa both demand entry visas from Romanians and Bulgarians, whose states joined the EU in 2007. The United States also excludes Croatians, Cypriots and Poles from a visa waiver scheme offered to other EU citizens. "A political debate and decision is obviously needed on such an important issue. But there is a real risk that the EU would move towards visas for the two (Americans and Canadians)," an EU source said. Zurich: A school's decision to allow two Muslim pupils not to shake their teachers' hands has added fresh fuel to an ongoing debate in Switzerland about integration of immigrants. When the 14- and 15-year-old brothers refused to shake female teachers' hands last November, citing their religious beliefs, the school in Therwil near Basel replaced the customary greeting with a verbal one from the boys to both male and female teachers. The compromise solved the issue at the school, but when the public broadcaster SRF reported on it last week, it tapped into a groundswell of concern about immigration that is being felt all over Europe. The Egerkinger Committee, a lobby group that succeeded through a referendum in 2009 in banning minarets, and wants to do the same for Muslim face veils, has called for immigrants shunning Swiss customs to be shown the door. More opportunities for investors, first home buyers Media Advisory: Refugees, migrants the focus of events in memory of Alison Des Forges Experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International will be among presenters at symposium The event honors the memory and achievements of historian, human rights activist and Buffalo native Alison L. Des Forges, who was one of the worlds leading experts on the genocide in Rwanda. BUFFALO, N.Y. The massive flow of refugees and other migrants into Europe has caught the worlds attention in recent months, with over 1 million people streaming across the continents borders just last year. To enhance our understanding of the historical roots and global dimensions of this crisis, experts from leading human rights organizations will convene on April 14 at the University at Buffalo for an international symposium on refugees, migrants, human trafficking and slavery. Presenters will range from Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Middle East and North Africa division, to Evelyn Chumbow, a survivor of and activist against human trafficking. The event, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 14, will take place in 120 Clemens Hall on UBs North Campus. It is free and open to the public. Speakers will seek to uncover the sources of the contemporary explosion of human trafficking and forced migration from Africa and the Middle East to Europe, and to explore solutions. Furthermore, the event will discuss the conditions that permit the persistence of slavery in our times, and focus on how people can act to alleviate those conditions. The event honors the memory and achievements of the internationally known historian, human rights activist and Buffalo native, Alison L. Des Forges, PhD, who was one of the worlds leading experts on the genocide in Rwanda prior to her death in a plane crash in 2009. The symposium will be followed by a scholarship dinner and discussion from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 14 at the Jacobs Executive Development Center at 672 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Proceeds support an endowment that funds Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Scholarships for Buffalo Public Schools graduates demonstrating a strong interest in pursuing studies at UB related to human rights and social justice. Reservations are required for the dinner, which costs $100 per seat. Interested persons should please contact Kathleen Curtis at 716-645-2077 or curtiskl@buffalo.edu. The symposium will include the following presentations: Drivers of Displacement: How War, Repression, Terror and Neglect led to Europe's Refugee Catastrophe Joe Stork, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa, Human Rights Watch Understanding Migration from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe: Might Efforts to Stem the Flow Work? Karen Jacobsen, Acting Director, Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, and Associate Research Professor, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University Refugees Welcome? How Europe's Incoherent Policy, Scapegoating, and Exploitation of Terrorism Have Failed Refugees Julia Hall, Amnesty Internationals expert on criminal justice, counter-terrorism and human rights in Europe and Central Asia Fighting Slavery from the Grassroots Up Karen Stauss, Director of Programs, Free the Slaves From Cameroon to the U.S. and From Slavery to Freedom Evelyn Chumbow, Survivor of and Activist against Human Trafficking For a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/stories/2016/04/des-forges-symposium.html. Sponsors include the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee, UB Asian Studies Program, UB Community for Global Health Equity, UB Departments of Comparative Literature, History and Political Science, UB Humanities Institute, UB Department of Philosophy Samuel P. Capen Chair, UB Office of the Vice Provost for International Education and UB School of Social Work. About Alison Des Forges: Alison Des Forges worked as a volunteer to improve public education in Buffalo and was Senior Advisor to the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch at the time of her death in 2009 in the crash of Continental flight 3407. She was one of the worlds leading experts on Rwanda and served as expert witness in 11 trials at the United Nations International Criminal Court for Rwanda. Her award-winning book, Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda, is a landmark account of the 1994 genocide that has been translated into German, French, and Kinyarwanda. Her tireless efforts to awaken the international community to the horrors of that event earned her a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999. Campus News Refugees, migrants the focus of Des Forges symposium By UB REPORTER STAFF The massive flow of refugees and other migrants into Europe has caught the worlds attention in recent months, with more than 1 million people streaming across the continents borders just last year. To enhance our understanding of the historical roots and global dimensions of this crisis, experts from leading human rights organizations will gather at UB on April 14 for a daylong symposium on refugees, migrants, human trafficking and slavery. Presenters will range from Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Middle East and North Africa division, to Evelyn Chumbow, a survivor of and activist against human trafficking. The free, public event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 14 in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus. It will be followed by a scholarship fund dinner in Buffalo that benefits students interested in human rights. Both the symposium and dinner honor the memory of Alison L. Des Forges, a member of the UB community who fought to call the worlds attention to an earlier great humanitarian crisis: the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Des Forges, who received her doctorate in African History from Yale University, was an internationally known historian and senior adviser to the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch based in New York City. She taught at several universities, including UB; the University of California, Berkeley; and Beijing University. She received an honorary doctorate from SUNY during UBs 155th general commencement ceremony in 2001. She was one of the worlds leading experts on Rwanda, serving as an expert witness in 11 trials at the United Nations International Criminal Court for Rwanda. Her award-winning book Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda was a landmark account of the 1994 genocide. Her tireless efforts to awaken the international community to the horrors that occurred earned her a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999. The symposium will open with registration and welcoming remarks at 9 a.m., followed by a morning and an afternoon panel, and a final wrap-up session. The morning panel, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon, is titled From the Middle East and Africa to Europe. It includes the following presentations: Drivers of Displacement: How War, Repression, Terror and Neglect led to Europes Refugee Catastrophe Joe Stork, deputy director, Middle East and North Africa, Human Rights Watch. This presentation will sketch the origins of the 2015-16 refugee crisis in Europe in the wars, military interventions and state repression that tore apart Iraq, Syria and Libya over the past dozen years. Joe Stork, deputy director, Middle East and North Africa, Human Rights Watch. This presentation will sketch the origins of the 2015-16 refugee crisis in Europe in the wars, military interventions and state repression that tore apart Iraq, Syria and Libya over the past dozen years. Understanding Migration from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe: Might Efforts to Stem the Flow Work? Karen Jacobsen, acting director, Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, and associate research professor, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. Jacobsen will outline the routes, motivations and experiences of Sub-Saharan African refugees and migrants traveling through the Sahel, en route to and returning from Europe. She will explore the consequences for migrants of recent policy responses on the part of Europe and the U.S., including increased efforts to provide security as jihadist groups such as Boko Haram emerge in the Sahel and increased border controls. Karen Jacobsen, acting director, Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, and associate research professor, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. Jacobsen will outline the routes, motivations and experiences of Sub-Saharan African refugees and migrants traveling through the Sahel, en route to and returning from Europe. She will explore the consequences for migrants of recent policy responses on the part of Europe and the U.S., including increased efforts to provide security as jihadist groups such as Boko Haram emerge in the Sahel and increased border controls. Refugees Welcome? How Europes Incoherent Policy, Scapegoating and Exploitation of Terrorism Have Failed Refugees Julia Hall, Amnesty Internationals expert on criminal justice, counter-terrorism and human rights in Europe and Central Asia. Hall will explore how various European governments have justified their refusal to provide refugees and migrants with safety and longer-term international protection by invoking not only the costs, but also the alleged threat of terrorism, and the cultural and social imbalance that might occur if large numbers of foreigners are resettled in their countries. The afternoon panel, which runs from 1-3 p.m., is titled Within Africa and from Africa to North America. It includes the following presentations: Fighting Slavery from the Grassroots Up Karen Stauss, director of programs, Free the Slaves. Stauss will discuss the role of Free the Slaves in working to combat modern forms of slavery in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Uganda, among other places in the global south. Karen Stauss, director of programs, Free the Slaves. Stauss will discuss the role of Free the Slaves in working to combat modern forms of slavery in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Uganda, among other places in the global south. From Cameroon to the U.S. and From Slavery to Freedom Evelyn Chumbow, survivor of and activist against human trafficking. Chumbow will describe her work as an advocate to raise awareness about slavery in the United States and other countries, and to end human trafficking in West Africa, in her hometown and the rest of the world. The event will conclude from 3:30-4 p.m. with a brief presentation on local perspectives by Amy Fleischauer, director of survivor support services for the International Institute of Buffalo. That will be followed by a general wrap-up discussion. Sponsors include the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee, UB Asian Studies Program, UB Community for Global Health Equity, UB departments of Comparative Literature, History and Political Science, UB Humanities Institute, UB Department of Philosophy Samuel P. Capen Chair, UB Office of the Vice Provost for International Education, and UB School of Social Work. Scholarship dinner A dinner and discussion will follow the symposium. Proceeds will support an endowment that funds Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Scholarships for graduates of the Buffalo Public Schools demonstrating a strong interest in pursuing studies at UB related to human rights and social justice. The dinner, which costs $100 per seat, will take place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 14 at the Jacobs Executive Development Center, 672 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Reservations are required. Interested persons should contact Kathleen Curtis at 716-645-2077 or curtiskl@buffalo.edu. The Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell MP, visited Dumfries Timber Company Group on 6 April to discuss the role of builders merchants in the construction supply chain and the wider economy. Mr Mundell heard how builders, plumbers and timber merchants supply everyday trade essentials and value-added products to both trade and retail customers. Dumfries Timber Company Group hosted the visit on behalf of the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF). As an independently owned group of businesses, Dumfries Timber Company Group will be opening a new home improvement centre in the town, which includes a 3,000 sq ft kitchen and fitted bedroom showroom. During the visit, Mr Mundell met with staff and discussed careers in construction and merchanting. He heard about recent initiatives to take on more apprenticeships and attract young people into the industry. The Secretary of State, the Rt. Hon David Mundell MP, said: "I was delighted to pay a visit to Dumfries Timber Group to show my support for the work they do. Donald and his team are running a fantastic operation and they are making significant investment in the local area as well as taking on apprentices. The building and construction trades continue to play a key role across this region and Dumfries Timber Group are at the heart of this." Donald Young, managing director of Dumfries Timber Company Group, added: "Nine years ago, Dumfries Timber Group was a fledgling business with just six employees. Over time, we have expanded our operation in Dumfries and Irvine. We were pleased to welcome the Minister to our timber and building materials' business in our home town, and showed him that merchanting offers rewarding, long-term career opportunities. We shall continue to invest in our people, premises and products to serve customers throughout South Western Scotland." Brett Amphlett, policy and public affairs manager at the BMF, concluded: Builders' merchants represent 10% of the total construction output in the UK, and local merchants such as Dumfries Timber Company Group play a huge part in local economy by providing employment and offering credit to local builders. The BMF is delighted that the Minister has recognised the importance of our sector in his visit today. Housing minister Brandon Lewis has warned that a 'Brexit' in June would be catastrophic to the UK's housing market and construction industry. The pro-EU minister and MP for Great Yarmouth in East Anglia said: Brexit would be catastrophic for the housing market. To me the European debate is pragmatic. Our relationship with Europe is important to East Anglia, it's not an ideological issue. We could spent ten years extricating ourselves from the EU. People are cautiously optimistic we'll stay in. If come out that'll create huge uncertainty as a lot of our supply lines are in Europe. Speaking at the Mipim property show in Cannes at the launch of the Northern Gateway Development Zone, which includes Staffordshire and Stoke, Mr Lewis said that the UK needed foreign labour because of the shortage of skills in the construction industry. He joked that 'several generations back' in his own family he had Polish ancestors and added: The skills shortage issue is still a big problem in building. We need labour across the sector, not just brickies and carpenters but even in admin. We need more people coming into construction. The minister also urged local authorities to maximise income from their property assets and even move into the private rented sector. He said: Councils should be looking at their assets which give them an opportunity for an income stream. Equally they should use their assets to provide homes and these could be for private rented housing. Image courtesy of Shutterstock/ JMiks 5 changes to you, your seafood and the Shore from warming Atlantic Hopes that shoppers in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge could soon be given 30 minutes of free parking to encourage local trade have been given a boost this week. In the wake of the Morrisons closure in Burnham and reduced footfall, the Town Council and Burnham Chamber of Trade have both urged Sedgemoor District Council to consider half an hours free parking for shoppers. At this weeks meeting of the Town Council, it emerged that Sedgemoor is considering the implications of free parking at the car parks in Lynton Road and Bank Street. Cllr Louise Parkin welcomed the news, but said: I would like to see the free parking in place before the autumn when the town shops will desperately need it. We need to keep on at Sedgemoor about this we need a timescale. Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton told Mondays meeting: I am encouraged that they are at least considering it. In the past its been dismissed. Denise Emery, the Town Council Clerk, said: Since the closure of Morrisons there is concern that residents are choosing out-of-town shopping at Tesco and Asda because parking is free. The first half an hour free in Lynton Road and Bank Street car parks would allow residents to pop in and pick up shopping items in town. She wrote to the district council in March calling on Sedgemoor to consider the proposed changes, especially following the recent 10% hike across the district. The District Council has responded by saying it is currently considering the implications of free parking in Sedgemoor District Council car parks. The calls for free parking were first raised by local businesses during an open meeting organised by Burnham Chamber of Trade in January and it too has discussions underway with the district council. PREMIERUL NICOLAE CIUCA: "Nu accept sa intrerupem procesul de invatamant pentru ca nu exista termie in vreuna dintre scoli" Honda Cars India, which launched its digital teaser campaign, #WhereNextWithBRV, will showcase the soon-to-be-launched Honda BR-V in varied terrains and locales. The core idea behind the '#WhereNextWithBRV' campaign is to showcase how BR-V offers the opportunity to explore whatever, wherever, whenever, said Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president, marketing and sales, Honda Cars. We wanted to create a memorable journey of the Honda BR-V traveling to picturesque locales and inspiring scenes. Be it a city drive or a weekend getaway to the hills, Honda BR-V is the perfect car to take anywhere. The campaign will be leveraged on various digital media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages of Honda Cars India. The campaign kick-starts with "where do you want to go next with BR-V", which will see the BR-V explore many different locations as suggested by audience for the next 20 days to create a connect with the consumers. The BR-V will travel for the next 20 days, meandering its way through different terrains, right from countryside dirt tracks, to curvy mountainous bends. This journey will be recorded and shared every day on Honda's social channels. The audiences can follow this BR-V journey on HCIL's social channels as well as the BR-V website. Honda BR-V is a new generation Crossover Utility Vehicle which features the combination of bold, sporty appearance and handling of an SUV together with great utility and spacious cabin. Source : BS Motoring This article has been modified. Please see the clarification at the end. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries (RIL) is set to tie up with the Switzerland-based ABB group for partnerships across their businesses. Ulrich Spiesshofer, chief executive officer (CEO) of the latter group, met Ambani on Wednesday in Mumbai as part of a four-day visit to India. Spiesshofer confirmed talks on a technology tie-up with RIL. The focus of collaboration is likely to be digitisation. "We are long-term business partners," he told this newspaper. ABB is a leader in digitalisation technology. Asked if this could turn into an equity partnership between India's biggest private sector energy company and a global technology provider in infrastructure and energy, he said it would be "speculative" to comment. The group, which Spiesshofer says is in a transformative stage, is also undertaking mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in a big way. In the past five years, deals worth around $12 billion have been closed. "When the time is right, we will make another move (on M&A)," he said. Asked if ABB would make acquisitions in this country, he replied, "No geography is ruled out. India is a country where you have attractive ." ABB is currently implementing contracts for electrification and automation contracts at RIL's ongoing petrochemical project at Jamnagar in Gujarat. And, one for a combined cycle power plant in Hazira for the company. RIL is the latest entrant into the telecom business in India, with prime focus on data services through its Reliance Jio and voice in partnership with Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications. One of three focus area for ABB's new global strategy is business-led collaborations. "We are driving a new way of collaborations," said the CEO. The other two being profitable growth and relentless execution. In the past 18 months, it tied up with Microsoft, Samsung, Philips, Cisco and Bosch. Spiesshofer ended his visit after meetings with finance minister Arun Jaitley and commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday. On Tuesday, he had an hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he made a case for keeping the reform momentum going for the power sector in India. He was accompanied by Sanjeev Sharma, managing director, ABB India. Renewable energy, rural electrification and energy efficiency initiatives of the government came up for discussion. And, rail-based transportation systems. Spiesshofer also visited Chennai, on Tuesday, where the group signed memoranda of understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology for building micro-grids for rural electrification and energy storage. CLARIFICATION An earlier version of this article was published with the title "ABB, Reliance in talks for telecom partnership". It was mentioned in the earlier version that ABB and Reliance Industries were planning a tie-up in telecommunications, but the correct position is that they will partner across their businesses. The error is regretted. Air conditioning and commercial refrigeration major feels more than 30 per cent of all air conditioners in the country would be sold through the online channel in the next three to four years. As of now, five per cent of all room air conditioners (ACs) are sold on the e-commerce format. Our share is slightly higher than the industry average at six per cent. But in the next three to four years, the share of the e-commerce channel to total room AC sales can cross 30 per cent, said B Thiagarajan, joint managing director, Ltd. The firm is also upbeat on the inverter AC segment. By 2018, half of the room ACs sold in the country would be inverter ACs and by 2020, we hope that every AC sold in the country would be an inverter AC, Thiagarajan said. aims to expand its room AC sales by 25 per cent in this fiscal and grab 12 per cent of the market share. Presently, the company owns 10.5 per cent share in the room AC market and trails leading brands like Voltas, LG, Samsung and Hitachi. The company has lined up an investment of Rs 30 crore on new product development as well as its research and design initiatives in this fiscal. Also, it will spend Rs 40 crore on brand promotion through a series of television commercials, advertisements in mainstream dailies and hoardings. Blue Star would enhance its digital presence on the social media as well since most of its buyers are from the highest socio economic category and actively surf the internet. With commercial air-conditioning segment decelerating, Blue Star would focus on the room AC segment and expand its capacity. In the commercial air conditioning segment, we are still the market leader with 28 per cent share. But this segment is witnessing a terrible de-growth. Office space consumption is not growing and malls across the country are not doing well. There is also lack of growth in metro rail and airports. The only bright spots are educational and healthcare institutions. Blue Star is setting up two new facilities at Jammu and Sri City (Andhra Pradesh) at a cost of Rs 215 crore. The two new manufacturing units are expected to be ready in 18 months. In room ACs, Blue Star has a capacity of 0.4 million units. With the commissioning of two new facilities, the capacity can go up to 1.1 million units per year. Air Indias chairman and managing director (CMD), Ashwani Lohani, has ordered an enquiry against a pilot who refused to fly without his preferred co-pilot. Sources say Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), one of the staff unions in the state-owned carrier, had complained earlier to the management in this regard. For several months, the pilot has been operating the maximum number of flights with one particular first officer. We would like to know the reason behind this sort of arrangement being extended to one particular pilot, the letter said. This newspaper has seen a copy of the letter. ICPA is the union of the erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots, with a little more than 600 members. Around 110 passengers were kept waiting for two and a half hours inside the aircraft, which was flying from Chennai to Male. The airline has suffered enough because of such stray and repeated cases of indiscipline. The company will neither condone nor tolerate such acts. I have directed all such cases be brought to my notice immediately and strict action to be taken, Lohani said. The CMD had previously faced an ICPA strike threat against a decision to bar pilots from forming unions. Lohani has been stern in earlier disciplinary cases. On March 31, a pilot disappeared from Delhi aiport half an hour before he was to fly. The aircraft was to operate on the Mumbai-Bhopal route and was delayed as AI had to manage an alternative crew. Lohani quickly suspended the senior commander. No act of indiscipline will be tolerated and action will be fast and swift against such acts, he told Business Standard. We have no complaints against action taken for disciplinary action if there is no victimisation in these steps, said a senior member of ICPA. According to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the airline has the highest number of passenger complaints among national carriers. Last month, Defence Systems, a division of Hinduja group's flagship, Ashok Leyland, roped in US-based defence contractor Lockheed Martin to develop combat vehicles for the Indian Army. The technology sourcing agreement with Lockheed is the latest in a string of partnership deals from to step up its defence play and to reach a turnover of Rs 5,000 core over the next five years. This, by any stretch of imagination, is an ambitious target, given that its current revenue is a little over Rs 600 core. However, it may not be entirely unachievable. Since its inception in 1998, Ashok Leyland's defence arm has relied heavily on strategic alliances to win big contracts. Over the past decade, it has signed three deals with overseas players to boost its technological know-how. It is now looking to do the same with Lockheed. Nitin Seth, president (light commercial vehicle & defence), Ashok Leyland, says the right technological support is critical to the success of a company trying to make a mark in defence manufacturing, given the huge initial costs involved in developing products. "It is not that we cannot develop our own technology, but considering the time it takes and the money that is required (Rs 400-Rs 500 crore), it is better to source (platforms) which are in service," says Seth. The latest deal, for instance, will allow to use Lockheed's platforms for its light-specialist vehicles (LSV) and light-armoured multipurpose (LAM) vehicles. In addition to giving it a foothold in the $1-billion armoured vehicle market in India, the tie-up will significantly boost its overall capabilities in providing mobility solutions for the army. Defence mobility is one area Ashok Leyland is betting on heavily. Already, it is the largest supplier of medium- and-heavy vehicles to the army. Its warhorse, the Stallion, was used to carry troops to the battlefield during the Kargil war, and from 400 Stallions in 1998, the army today has over 70,000 Stallions, accounting for almost 80 per cent of its fleet of big vehicles. Backed by Lockheed's technological support, Ashok Leyland is looking to bid for LSV and LAM vehicle programmes of the Indian Army. It believes the tie up will significantly shrink the time taken to develop the vehicle and also help it keep the costs low, as it won't have to start manufacturing from scratch. If Ashok Leyland becomes a supplier of LSV and LAM vehicles, its revenue could straightaway get a boost of Rs 5,000 crore. Then, there is also the scope for recurring demand as the army doesn't change its models frequently. This means the business from these programmes could be four or five times bigger than what is believed today. Ashok Leyland, however, is not banking on armoured vehicles alone to reach the Rs 5,000 crore target. It has also joined hands with Sweden's defence and security company Saab and is looking for an alliance with Bharat Forge to produce vehicles to carry guns and missiles. The idea, the company says, is to have a wide range of products under one roof to meet all requirements of the army. So far this strategy has proved fruitful. Out of the 14 tenders to supply medium and heavy trucks floated over the past year, Ashok Leyland claims to be in the final stages (L1 stage) of at least 12 of these. However, it has not disclosed the deal value yet. This means Ashok Leyland is proving to be cost-competitive in India. One way, it has achieved this is by localising production as much as possible. "In order to have a viable business in defence, one should have at least over 80 per cent localisation but for certain products we have achieved almost 100 per cent localisation," says Seth. Its strengths are clearly reflected in its order book. It recently bagged a Rs 800-crore tender to supply 450 artillery tractors and Stallions and 825 ambulances to the army. Yet, its future is not without challenges. Other major players, including Tata Advanced Systems, Mahindra Defence Systems and Bharat Forge, are also keen on the LSV and LAM programmes, increasing competition in the space. This is the first time the Indian army has called for bids for these vehicles (1,300 LSV and 700 LAMs). Equipped with sophisticated technology, including thermal imaging and mounted machine guns, these vehicles are highly effective in combing and patrolling operations, be it within the city or along the border. While the vehicle is popular worldwide, especially with the armies in the US, the UK and Iraq, it cannot be imported because the specifications for speed, power and weight differ based on local conditions. Seth says while Ashok Leyland has a head-start with the platform provided by Lockheed, it will still have to make heavy investments in redesigning the product to acclimatise it to Indian conditions. Currently, the prototype of the vehicle, along with that of two other companies, is in the testing stage with the army. If Ashok Leyland wins the commercial bid, it will be in a position to start manufacturing by 2019. However, because it takes a long time for defence contracts to materialise and the outcome even after the gestation period is unpredictable, the company is also looking at exports to safeguard its interests. Bajaj Auto said it was hoping to export 10,000 units of the Qute, its indigenously developed quadricycle, in the current financial year. In 2015-16, exports of the light four-wheeler closed at 334 units to 19 markets, ranging from Turkey and Russia to Indonesia and Peru. Bajaj is raising output at its Waluj (Aurangabad) factory to meet the export demand, expected at 500-plus units in April. Read more from our special coverage on "BAJAJ QUTE" Low European safety rating for Bajaj Qute Total export for FY17 are estimated at 10,000 units as the higher safety, lower emissions, and unparalleled fuel economy of the Qute finds favour among two-wheeler and three-wheeler consumers who desire these benefits but cannot afford a car, said S Ravikumar, president, business development. On Wednesday, Euro NCAP, a Belgium-based crash test agency, had slammed the four quadricycles it tested, including the Qute. However, their single-star rating was still higher than the zero star one that some hatchbacks such as the Ford Figo, Hyundai i10, Maruti Alto and Tata Nano were accorded by Global NCAP two years earlier. British oil explorer Plc has told its shareholders it faces a penalty up to Rs 10,200 crore over and above the Rs 29,000 crore in tax and interest demand slapped by the Indian income tax authorities, involving a case of retrospective legislation. The company, in a circular to shareholders dated Wednesday, said it had on February 4 got "a final assessment order from the department", of Rs 10,200 crore plus interest backdated to 2007 totalling Rs 18,800 crore. "The aggregate amount excludes any applicable penalties which may also be applied to the final assessment (potentially up to 100 per cent of the final assessment order, excluding interest)," it said. It added that Cairn strongly contests the final assessment proceedings in India and is pursuing its rights under Indian law to appeal, both in respect of the basis of taxation and the amount assessed. And, to protect from enforcement against the assets of CUHL (Cairn UK Holdings). An e-mail to Cairn seeking clarification on the circular remained unanswered. The I-T department had in January 2014 issued a draft assessment order of Rs 10,247 crore on alleged capital gains Cairn made in a 2006 reorganisation of its India business. The final assessment order was issued on February 4, 2016. The notice was, however, issued before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget for 2016-17 made a one-time offer to waive interest and penalty if paid the principal amount to settle the retrospective tax disputes. The company said it had on March 11 this year filed a Notice of Dispute under the UK-India Investment Treaty, to protect its legal position and shareholder interests. will have to complete its customs and immigration facilities for the international travellers by April 25.Sources at the airport informed that Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave directions to the customs and immigration department to complete all arrangements required for the international travel from Chandigarh airport.A PIL has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to look into the delay in international flights from Chandigarh airport that was inaugurated in September last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court today gave directions during the hearing. The Chandigarh airport has got confirmation from domestic carriers Indigo and Air India to start direct international flights to Dubai. Air India has proposed for a combo flight. The passengers of a combo flight would get customs and immigration done at Chandigarh, flown to New Delhi in a domestic flight and transferred to international flight at New Delhi airport. AirAsia, flydubai, Thai Air and Qatar Airways are among the international carriers having discussions to commence direct flights on international routes from Chandigarh airport. After the bi-lateral agreements between two countries, the international carriers can kick start their operations from Chandigarh, told the official. He did not provide details of how much time will it take for international carriers to set foot in Chandigarh. The airport currently caters to 4.5 million passengers per annum and is utilizing 33% of its capacity. The annual maintenance cost of the newly built airport is over Rs 70 crore. According to estimates, about 40% of the international passenger traffic at Delhi airport can be handled at Chandigarh airport. Punjabi diaspora spread across the world, the business community in Punjab and the tourists travelling to Dubai constitute majority of foreign travellers from Chandigarh. Masons Group's flagship brand, Indulekha. Total consideration is around Rs 330 crore. Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) informed BSE on Thursday its completion of formalities required, for the agreement dated December 17, 2015, to acquire will now sell hair oil, shampoo, skin care oil, face pack, cream, jasmin, sandal soap products under the brand Indulekha and Vayodha. As per the agreement, the factory of Moson's Group in Talassery will manufacture it for one year, on contract basis. The acquisition was of brand and also Intellectual Property and technical knowhow and HUL, with this, can manufacture these products in its own facility. Once starts production, from 2017-18, 10 per cent of the sales revenue would be given to Mosons Group for five years. The acquisition value is a record for any brand sold out from Kerala. The last big acquisition was Godrej acquiring Goodnight brand from Trans Electra Domestic Products in 1994. Ltd wishes to sell its five-star property in this city. The company has appointed JM Financial Institutional Securities as financial advisor to facilitate the sale. According to sources, the quoted price is around Rs 800 crore, not in line with the market. This is part of our restructuring plan and asset-light approach. Hence, like the disinvestment in The Leela Goa, where The Leela continues to manage the resort under its brand name, the Chennai proposal is for a similar purpose, said a company spokesperson. The company did not comment on valuation. The 326-room property is built on 4.8 acres owned by the company. A majority of the rooms and suites overlook the sea. Sectoral observers say the hospitality sector here, especially five- star ones, face the heat for various reasons. There is a boom in a new model of online booking for home stays. And, serviced apartments, thanks to new age start-ups, are also affecting the conventional hospitality segment in the city, they add. ITC, the cigarettes to hospitality major, said on Thursday it had renewed a 40-year partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts for 11 luxury hotels and another under the Sheraton brand, while agreements had been signed to extend the collaboration for three other upcoming luxury hotels. The latter three ITC Kohinoor in Hyderabad, ITC Narmada in Ahmedabad and ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata are to be completed in the next four years and take the inventory count to 15. Starwood is experiencing strong growth momentum in India with signings of new hotels in the past 12 months, representing nearly 30 per cent of our current operating footprint in the country, said Thomas Mangas, chief executive officer at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The ITC-Starwood partnership came into being in 1979, with the launch of the Sheraton brand. In 2007, the two signed an agreement through which Starwood introduced The Luxury Collection brand in India, presently accounting for 11 hotels. Originated in 1906 under CIGA Hotels under the brand as a collection of Europes most iconic properties, Luxury Collection represents a portal of the destinations indigenous charms and treasures. The brand is set to exceed 100 of what it describes as the worlds finest hotels and resorts in over 30 countries by early 2016. At 44, Liberty House owner is making headlines for going against the trend of bringing the curtains down on the British steel industry. Last week, Tata Steel finally gave up on the UK units that came with the Corus acquisition in 2007, and said all options, including a potential divestment, were being weighed. The move has put 15,000 jobs at risk. The Indian steel major, however, is no oddball here; British steel industry is just a shade of what it used to be in its heydays in the 1970s when it was a steel-making superpower. In October, Thailand's SSI-owned Redcar steelworks decided to close down its UK units; the move affected some 2,000 jobs. Later that month, Caparo Industries filed for administration, threatening 1,700 jobs. But has stepped onto the scene as Britain's white knight. In November, hundreds of Caparo's jobs were saved as Gupta bought Caparo Tubular Solutions, the core business of Caparo Industries. And that's just one of the many deals he has struck in recent months to save British steel . Liberty House reopened a steel mill in Newport, in south Wales, last year after working on it for two years. Gupta has also bought two mills in Scotland that belonged to Tata Steel. But the big rescue is still in the making. Gupta has expressed an intent to buy Port Talbot, Britain's biggest steelworks. Though Liberty House is said to be approaching a turnover of $5 billion, according to its website, the Port Talbot deal, if it materialises, would certainly be an ambitious one. The curious thing is that Gupta believes it's possible to turn around the plant without any job losses. The strategy is to overhaul the steel-making process from an expensive blast furnace technology to the electric arc furnace route using scrap as raw material. This is baffling as electric arc furnace happens to be energy intensive. Experts are raising questions about the feasibility of such a technology switch as also the financial muscle to pull through the acquisition, but Gupta, it appears, is willing to put in money and time to make it happen. Those who know Gupta credit him for walking the talk. After all, when it comes to business, Gupta is no greenhorn. He comes from a successful business family that once owned Victor Cycles in Punjab. In 1995, Gupta graduated from the University of Cambridge and it was during these years that he started his business from a student apartment. After trading various commodities in markets across Asia, Europe and Africa, his focus turned to growing the trade in steel, metals and raw materials from 2000 onwards. Today, Liberty House operates from four financial hubs - London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong- and has interests in a wide range of strategic assets in Asia, Africa and the UK. It employs 2,000 people globally and the steel-making capacity in the group is in excess of three million tonnes. The achievements sit lightly on his shoulders, says an Indian steel producer. But the bid to acquire Port Talbot would probably go down as the biggest contrarian bet in recent times. Sudden buoyancy has set into the two-wheeler industry, triggered by forecasts of an above normal monsoon. The past two years had seen a deficit monsoon that affected purchasing power in the rural market, where about 40 per cent of two-wheelers are sold. A private forecaster, Weather Risk Management Services, estimated last week that monsoon rainfall this year would be above normal in most parts. India Meteorological Department, the government forecaster, will release its first estimates on April 20. Stocks of two-wheeler companies have started reacting positively. Hero MotoCorp, the nations largest two-wheeler maker, hit a 52-week high of Rs 3,009 on Tuesday. The stock has rallied 20 per cent since the start of the calendar year. Last week, TVS Motor touched a 52-week high of Rs 329 (see chart). Two-wheeler sales grew only 0.86 per cent in 2015. However, a recovery in is already visible. In February, Heros domestic sales went up by 13 per cent. Overall, the industry grew by nearly 13 per cent in February. For Hero, March was even better as sales grew by 14 per cent. The firm sits on a strong 39 per cent share in the domestic market. Domestic sales of TVS increased by 19 per cent in March. Timely measures by the government and a good monsoon will be essential to sustaining this positive trend, said Pawan Munjal, chairman, managing director and chief executive officer of Hero MotoCorp, last week. Unlike previous months, when growth in the industry was being driven by scooters, motorcycles have also started contributing now. In February, motorcycle sales went up by 11 per cent. In 2015, sales of motorcycle, which form 65 per cent of two-wheeler volumes, had declined over three per cent. The rural market is critical for motorcycles. Sales of scooters, which are largely sold in urban areas, grew by 13 per cent in 2015. The government had announced a slew of measures in the Budget to drive the rural economy. The increased focus is positive along with the increase in wages of government employees from the Seventh Pay Commission. But the monsoon will be the most critical factor, said Abdul Majeed, partner at PriceWaterhouse. A bitter succession battle seems to have broken out in the Oswal family, following the death of entrepreneur Abhey Oswal, between his widow and eldest son. Oswal's elder son Pankaj is staking his claim to run his business empire, which includes two listed firms Oswal Greentech and Oswal Agro Mills and is estimated to be worth Rs 1,000 crore. In a statement issued through his public relations firm, Pankaj Oswal said, "My father's untimely death came as a huge shock to me. He was a great businessman and I now want to take his legacy forward and protect the interests and livelihoods of thousands of Oswal employees. As his legal heir I will now start the process to take charge at the Oswal Agro Mill and Oswal Green Tech soon. I want to do my dad proud and take the businesses to new heights." Other family members are minor shareholders in the company and died without a will, the statement claimed. Pankaj Oswal claimed him being made to wear the traditional pagdi (turban) of the family as a sign that the Oswal family recognised him as the main heir to head the business empire. died in Moscow on March 29 after suffering a heart attack. Filings by the showed that his widow Aruna Oswal took charge as the director of the firms on April 2. Aruna held 1.86 per cent shares in Oswal Agro, while remaining 39.88 per cent was held by the deceased patriarch. Oswal Agro in turn holds 35.58 per cent in Oswal Greentech. Abhey held 11.11 per cent, while Aruna owned 8.96 per cent in Greentech. Pankaj owned 5,000 shares in Oswal Greentech and did not have any shares in Oswal Agro. In addition to these, Oswal Greentech owns 14.2 per cent in listed broadcaster NDTV. Speaking over telephone from her Aruna trust office in Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Aruna Oswal said, "I am his wife and he has nominated me. I am (now) the chairperson of the ." She directed further queries about the ownership issues to Anil Bhalla, the managing director of Oswal Greentech. Bhalla said Aruna was an educated woman and a renowned social worker. "As the largest (surviving) shareholder of the company, she attended the board meeting held on 2 April. She has given her consent to be on board. Since she gave her consent to be on board, the directors decided to nominate her as the chairperson." However, the exchange filings did not mention anything about her appointment as chairperson. On the pagdi rasam, a ceremony that follows the death of senior family members and Pankaj's reference to this, Bhalla said, "It is a public limited company. It is not a family business to go by these practices." Bhalla said Pankaj had fallen out with the family after his businesses in Australia ran into bad weather. "Oswal had thrown him out five or six years ago," Bhalla said citing legal tangles faced by Burrup Fertilsers in Australia. Pankaj was not available to comment as he was on a long haul flight between Dubai and Australia, his public relations agent said. Pankaj's Singapore-based younger brother Shail Oswal and Shallu Jindal, wife of industrialist Navin Jindal could not be reached for comment. According to an October 2015 story by The Guardian, Pankaj and his wife Radhika Oswal had to abandon their dream home in Perth and allow it to be demolished after serious financial troubles. Pankaj set up a company called Burrup Fertilisers and built a liquid ammonia plant on the Burrup Peninsula. The plant opened with much fanfare in 2006. Pankaj had secured a 25-year-long deal for cheap gas and a 20-year deal with Norwegian fertiliser company Yara International to buy and ship the product. "In December 2010, when Burrup Fertilisers was put into administration amid allegations that Pankaj was siphoning millions of dollars out of the company into other privately-held . Pankaj has denied any wrongdoing. "Pankaj and Radhika sold their majority stake in the company in 2011 to pay their approximately $900 million debt to ANZ Bank, but are still being chased by a number of creditors, including the shire of Peppermint Grove, which claims it is owed $100,000 in unpaid rates for the oversized block, and the Australian Tax Office, which is chasing a $186m debt allegedly owed by Radhika for a transfer of business interests from Pankaj," the Guardian report of October 2015 said. Telecom operators have urged the government to impose a uniform spectrum usage charge (SUC) of three per cent and bring this down to one per cent in a phased manner. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) in a letter to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and the department of telecommunications (DoT) it. There are different SUC rates applicable for spectrum assigned at different points of time. The multiplicity of these rates leads to ambiguity while entering into transactions such as mergers and acquisitions (M&As), spectrum trading and sharing and a uniform rate will simplify calculations and remove arbitrage, the letter said. The Telecom Commission, in a recent meeting, approved Trais proposal to charge SUC at three per cent of adjusted gross revenue on spectrum that will be purchased in the next round of auction. This will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval. Trai has recommended a uniform SUC of three per cent across the sector. Earlier, SUC was in the range of three-eight per cent and was brought down to a level of five per cent for future auctions in January 2014 by the United Progressive Alliance government. Existing telecom operators were asked to pay the weighted average of their existing SUC (on old rate of three-eight per cent), and five per cent if they acquire new spectrum. The government had then asked all broadband wireless access (BWA) holders, including Aircel and Airtel, to continue paying one per cent on BWA, but they were asked to pay five per cent of adjusted gross revenue on all spectrum they will purchase in the future. Trais recommendation though faced stiff opposition from Reliance Jio which holds pan-India broadband wireless access spectrum, on which one per cent SUC is imposed. COAI letter said Reliance Jio has divergent views on the matter. A spectrum usage charge in addition to the spectrum auction price as a percentage of the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) has to be paid by telecom players according to the rates notified by the government. Maharashtra is all set to follow in the footsteps of Karnataka to bring taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola within its ambit for fare fixation and curb surge pricing. The states transport department has submitted its proposal to the government. The move will benefit consumers but hurt aggregators. Read more from our special coverage on "UBER,OLA" Uber turns to Bengalurus tech talent to beat Ola On Wednesday, Karnataka became the first state to introduce a formal set of rules governing taxi aggregators. On Wednesday, Karnataka became the first state to introduce a formal set of rules governing taxi aggregators. The fare will be decided on the cost of the vehicle and the engine capacity. The transport department will enjoy powers to cancel licences for non-compliance, a Maharashtra minister who did not want to be named told Business Standard. He added the proposal had been sent to the government. Maharashtras proposed rules for taxi aggregators will go beyond Karnatakas by introducing an induction schedule for taxis, where only 25 per cent of the fleet can be acquired at the time of being granted the licence, 50 per cent in three months, 75 per cent in six months and 100 per cent in a year. The move could put driver partners of Uber and Ola out of work for months. It is good for the government to come out with some norms and have a pricing range to make it more transparent, said TV Mohandas Pai, co-founder of Aarin Capital and a prominent Bengaluru citizen. I think more states should look at this and pick it up, he added. The Centre had released a progressive set of consultation guidelines for taxi aggregators. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the use of e-rickshaws on Olas platform. NEW RULES The move will introduce transparency in fares and end surge pricing practices Fares for cabs will be fixed based on the cost of the vehicle and engine capacity Maharashtra plans to regulate the number of cabs on each platform with an induction schedule Fixed fares will not allow Uber and Ola to undercut costs of rides, hurting their growth plans Mumbai and Pune are among the largest markets for both Uber and Ola in the country Delhi, which is struggling with pollution, has turned to firms such as Uber and Ola to help get vehicles off the roads. In January, they introduced ride-sharing services, they faced no resistance from the Delhi government, whereas several other states, including Karnataka, had raised red flags. If more states go in for regulation of prices, Uber and Ola could be in trouble. The firms have pledged to invest $2.25 billion (Rs 15,000 crore) over the next few years in India. Functioning on asset light models, most of the money is being spent on undercutting and acquiring customers. RedSeer Management Consulting, a research and advisory firm that tracks online businesses in India, estimates that the taxi hailing market in India was $1-1.2 billion (Rs 6,600-7,900 crore) in annual gross booking value in February 2016. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in Uttar Pradesh attracted investment worth nearly Rs 13,000 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12). The sector, which contributes 60% to the state's annual industrial output, employs 9.2 million people and generates economic activity worth Rs 1,20,000 crore annually. Currently, UP is home to about 4.4 million MSMEs, including 4.2 million unregistered entities. The state government thrust upon industrial development has resulted in establishing about 1,66,000 at an investment of over Rs 13,000 crore and generating 8,50,000 lakh employment opportunities during the 11th Plan, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has said in a study titled 'MSME sector in Uttar Pradesh' jointly conducted with Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI). "UP has made significant progress in promoting the growth of through a conducive environment and policy support to enable the sector achieve higher levels of production, exports and employment," Assocham secretary general D S Rawat said while releasing the study with TARI Director Kaushik Dutta here today. The implementation of Infrastructure and Industrial Investment Policy 2012 by the incumbent Akhilesh Yadav government (2012-Present) has led to establishment of more than 45,000 with an investment of over Rs 3,000 crore and fresh employment to half million people during 2013-14. However, there had been fall in MSME investments since 2012-13 due to macro-economic slowdown and a shift from manufacturing to services sector, which requires lower investment. Repairing and servicing industries accounted for 1/4th share in key MSME industries in UP followed by miscellaneous manufacturing (15%), food products (15%), hosiery and garments (11%). Western UP accounted for 50% share in region-wise composition of MSMEs, followed by eastern UP (28%), central UP (16%) and Bundelkhand (6%). Meanwhile, Assocham has urged UP to revive 84,000 sick MSME units in the state as the sector formed the backbone of economic progress and development. Shortage of working capital, lack of technological support, internal structural issues, heavy interest burden, obsolete plant and machinery, resource crunch, dearth of manpower and key challenges before the MSMEs in UP. The government should involve industry players, academic institutes and field experts to assist sick MSMEs in reviving their businesses, which would also lead to utilisation of assets and capacity already created, suggested the study. Taking a leaf out of Delhi governments initiative, Vedanta-controlled Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (Balco) had introduced the odd-even formula for the vehicles entering inside the plant premises. The formula came into effect from April 4 when four-wheelers with even registration numbers were allowed entry in the plant. The next day, vehicles with odd registration numbers were allowed inside the premises located in Chhattisgarhs Korba district. The same will be repeated on April 13-14 and April 22-23. The company has initiated the formula on experiment basis and will be continued after examining the result, B K Sriwastwa, Balcos head of corporate affairs, told Business Standard. Initially, only four-wheelers will be covered and in the later phase, the rule will be made application for the employees riding two-wheelers too, he added. There are 1,200 employees in reporting for duty on four-wheelers. The number of two-wheelers entering the plant premises in different shifts is around 4,000. Sriwastwa said the initiative had two objectives; to protect the environment and the employees. The reduction of number of vehicles would ultimately help in road safety too, he said, adding that the limited vehicles inside the plant would also facilitate smooth drive for the heavy vehicles and equipment rolling around in the premises. Exemption has been given to certain vehicles like two wheelers, ambulance, fire safety vehicles, women employees, technical vehicles, Govt. vehicles, visitor vehicles and vehicles hired for employees. The rule will be valid from 8 am to 8 pm on the days of implementation. The formula would apply only on the vehicles entering the plant as the management does not hold rights to implement it in the township. Management has appealed to officers, employee and contract worker to cooperate with the plan, Sriwastwa said. This will help in saving fuel, will save the environment from the emission of harmful gases from vehicles and also strengthen road safety, he added. is reportedly the first corporate to introduce the formula in the country. The London-listed Vedanta Resources Inc holds 51% stake in the company that was incorporated in 1965 as Public Sector Undertaking. Days after cigarette manufacturers halted production in the country, makers have followed suit. The move comes after the Union government ordered for mandatory pictorial warnings covering 85 per cent of cigarette and packs, effective from April 1. It is not possible to print the warnings, as stipulated," All India Bidi Industry Federation (AIBIF) said on Thursday. According to AIBIF, it is difficult to print such warnings on reasonably large area of packs which have curved areas and wrapping paper edges. Describing the governments proposal too harsh, a Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation earlier suggested that pictorial warnings cover 50 per cent on one side of beedi packs. The practical impossibility implies that the beedi industry cannot implement the rule in its present form. Therefore, it is not possible to produce beedis without violating the law, R P Patel, president, AIBIF, said. The Rs 7,500-crore industry supports 20 million people, directly or indirectly, including two million Adivasis, who pluck tendu leaves in forest areas, according to AIBIF. Mandatory pictorial warnings on beedi packs were first introduced in 2008 and currently warnings cover 40 per cent of one side of packs. According to AIBIF, halt in production could impact eight million beedi rollers, mostly women, apart from 500,000 packers. Beedi is prepared by rolling tobacco inside tendu leaves, unlike cigarettes, which are rolled inside thin paper strips. The industry usually maintains an inventory of 60 days. On April 1, cigarette manufacturers stopped production due to ambiguity over the size of warnings. The industry makes an appeal to the government to save the jobs of workers who have limited alternative employment opportunities. The government should amend the notification as applicable to the beedi industry to restore production," Patel said. It is hard to link an arrest made by the police here on May 13, 2014, with the termination of a Rs 23,000-crore mining contract announced the same day by NTPC in respect of the development of a captive coal block in the North Karanpura block of Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand. The arrested person in Hyderabad was Raman Srikanth, chief executive of Thiess Minecs India, a subsidiary of Australia's Leighton Holdings, which had won this prized contract from NTPC three years prior to the termination. The arrest was based on a complaint by Hyderabad-based Roshni Developers, whose promoters alleged Thiess had cheated them by not abiding with a contractual obligation under which they were entitled to get the sub-contract of this huge mining project. Roshni spent Rs 185 crore on this project under the impression that they would get the sub-contract, a local police inspector said to a newspaper when the arrest was made. The criminal complaints and arrests had resulted in an out-of-court settlement between the two. Giving a new twist to this story, Australian media had on Wednesday, citing some documents, reported that the Indian agent of this Australian company had in fact bribed Indian officials to secure the contract for Thiess. Giving bribes is illegal under the laws of several countries, including Australia. The name of this Indian agent was mentioned as Hyderabad-based property developer . When asked on Thursday, Indukuri Syam Prasad Reddy, founder of a Hyderabad-based construction and property development company, Indu Projects, denied any links with either Thiess or the scrapped mining project. While Australian media termed Reddy as Thiess Minec's India agent, the immediate evidence to establish any link between the two comes from an ICRA report of 2011. According to the report, Indu Projects held 40 per cent shares in Roshni, beside being the latter's sole client. Like many Hyderabad-based infrastructure entities, Syam Prasad Reddy's Indu Projects, which also had a coal mining division, grew at a phenomenal speed during that period, securing large irrigation, construction and mining contracts within and outside the state. However, the allegations in the Australian media against Reddy were nothing compared to what he was already facing here. In 2012 and in 2013, the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) had filed three chargesheets on Reddy and his companies, as part of an alleged quid pro quo case filed against Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, state chief minister during 2004-09. Syam Prasad, said CBI, was one of the many businessmen who had made investments into Jagan's companies, in return for favours received from the government headed by his father. CBI had sought to establish a quid pro quo between Reddy's Rs 70 crore investment in Jagati Publication, a media entity floated by Jagan Mohan Reddy, to three largescale land transactions effected by the state government in his favour. The government had allotted 10,000 acres for Reddy's Lepakshi Knowledge Park in Anantapur district, closer to Bengaluru city, to develop a business cluster, procuring private land from poor farmers in 2008 and 2009. Though there was no investment made on ground for development of this project, the promoter took Rs 900 crore in loans from various banks by mortgaging the same land, according to CBI. In the second instance, the state government had given 250 acres to Indu Tech Zone, promoted by Reddy, near the Hyderabad International Airport for development of an information technology Special Economic Zone. In the third instance, his company was given government housing board lands worth Rs 1,000 crore in this city, for joint development of housing projects. Reddy started Indu Projects in 2001. According to the company website, the entity started growing at 100 per cent year on year to touch Rs 2,000 crore annual revenue in the next six to seven years. The sudden demise of Rajasekhara Reddy brought bad times for Indu and a host of other companies which all had grown at a phenomenal scale, on the back of public investments, particularly on irrigation projects by the Rajasekhara Reddy government during 2004-2009. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for alleged default of loans worth Rs 9,000 crore from various banks, was on Thursday directed by the Supreme Court to disclose by April 21 the total assets owned by him and his family in India and abroad. The apex court also sought an indication on when he will appear before it. The court asked Mallya to deposit a "substantial amount" with it to "prove his bona fide" that he was "serious" about meaningful negotiations and settlement. The directions by the Bench, comprising judges Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman, came after a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India "unanimously rejected" the proposal by Mallya and his companies to pay Rs 4,000 crore by September towards settlement of the loans. After a brief hearing, the matter was posted for further hearing on April 26. "Vijay Mallya has to prove his bona fides by presenting himself for suitable negotiation and presenting a contingency plan that he is getting money from X and Y and then he will pay to the banks," senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the consortium of banks, said. "For suitable negotiations, he should be present and should declare all his movable, immovable, tangible and intangible assets in both in India and abroad," he said. Divan said the proposal given by Mallya in the present form had been rejected and conveyed to him, after which he made a second offer with a "slight modification" on Wednesday evening, which is under consideration. For suitable negotiation, Mallya needs to be in the country and before the court, so that it is known what he plans to do and how, he said. "These are large figures involved. We think it is reasonable to ask him to make a full, fair and final disclosure of his assets. He can throw contingencies at us for making these payments. He should make a substantial advance deposit and his presence is required so that negotiations can be done person to person. Senior bank officials will also be present in the court to have an effective solution," Divan submitted. Senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan, appearing for Mallya, said they had got the response from the consortium of banks, after which they replied to it on Wednesday evening. Vaidyanathan said he needed some time to seek further instructions on the decision taken by the consortium of banks. He also said that disclosures of assets were made successively to the banks from 2010 to 2012. However, the bench asked, "So, now why don't you update the assets?" The banks also wanted disclosure of assets of Mallya's other close relatives and former relatives, including his ex- wife, which was objected by his counsel. However, the bench said Mallya has to disclose the assets of his wife and children, besides himself. Taking on record the submissions, the bench said "Respondents (Mallya and his companies) should disclose all the properties - movable, immovable, tangible, intangible - and shareholding, both in India and abroad, to show his bona fides for the substantial negotiation," the bench said. "Respondents (Mallya and companies) should indicate in their response on how much money they are willing to deposit in the court to show their bona fides," it said. The court also allowed Oriental Bank of Commerce to be impleaded as party in the matter. In a separate development, North Goa administration has resumed hearing on an application filed by a consortium of banks seeking to seize Kingfisher villa situated at Candolim village. "I started hearing the application (last week) and an interim order has been issued," district collector Neela Mohanan said on Thursday without elaborating. The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court had extended the time till May 2016 for the district administration to decide on the application after the bankers approached it against the delay in hearing. The administration had earlier informed the HC that it could "not complete the process in December 2015 due to several adjournments sought by the defence counsels". Kingfisher Villa is part of the collateral pledged by United Breweries (Holdings) to banks. BANKS' ADVOCATE TOLD THE COURT Mallya's proposal to pay Rs 4,000 crore by September rejected On Wednesday evening, Mallya made a second offer with "slight modification" Mallya should declare all assets in India and abroad He should make a substantial advance deposit MALLYA'S ADVOCATE TOLD THE COURT Banks were presented with a new offer on Wednesday evening Need time to seek further instructions on the decision by banks Disclosure of assets were made successively to the banks from 2010 to 2012 COURT TO MALLYA It is hard to link an arrest made by the police here on May 13, 2014, with the termination of a Rs 23,000-crore mining contract announced the same day by NTPC in respect of the development of a captive coal block in the North Karanpura block of Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand. The arrested person in Hyderabad was Raman Srikanth, chief executive of Thiess Minecs India, a subsidiary of Australia's Leighton Holdings, which had won this prized contract from NTPC three years prior to the termination. The arrest was based on a complaint by Hyderabad-based Roshni Developers, whose promoters alleged Thiess had cheated them by not abiding with a contractual obligation under which they were entitled to get the sub-contract of this huge mining project. Roshni spent Rs 185 crore on this project under the impression that they would get the sub-contract, a local police inspector said to a newspaper when the arrest was made. The criminal complaints and arrests had resulted in an out-of-court settlement between the two. Giving a new twist to this story, Australian media had on Wednesday, citing some documents, reported that the Indian agent of this Australian company had, in fact, bribed Indian officials to secure the contract for Thiess. Giving bribes is illegal under the laws of several countries, including Australia. The name of this Indian agent was mentioned as Hyderabad-based property developer Syam Prasad Reddy. When asked on Thursday, Indukuri Syam Prasad Reddy, founder of a Hyderabad-based construction and property development company, Indu Projects, denied any links with either Thiess or the scrapped mining project. While Australian media termed Reddy as Thiess Minecs India agent, the immediate evidence to establish any link between the two comes from an Icra report of 2011. According to the report, Indu Projects held 40 per cent shares in Roshni, besides being the latter's sole client. Like many Hyderabad-based infrastructure entities, Syam Prasad Reddy's Indu Projects, which also had a coal mining division, grew at a phenomenal speed during that period, securing large irrigation, construction and mining contracts within and outside the state. However, the allegations in the Australian media against Reddy were nothing compared to what he was already facing here. In 2012 and in 2013, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed three chargesheets on Reddy and his companies, as part of an alleged quid pro quo case filed against Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, state chief minister during 2004-09. Syam Prasad, said CBI, was one of the many businessmen who had made investments into Jagan's companies, in return for favours received from the government headed by his father. The government of says it has grand plans for bamboo, hitherto the poor man's timber. Through a Global Bamboo Summit planned from 8-10 April, in Indore, the state authorities would try to gather ideas on how bamboo can replace teak or be knocked on to floors or roofs or used as a high-price fetching commodity. And, wants to attract private investment in the sector. After the northeast states, MP is the second largest bamboo producer, with 12 per cent of the growing stock. "We have 10 per cent of the total bamboo forest of India. However, management of these is a tough task. More, bamboo is a wild species, not grown privately. This is why the MP government has been active in the Bamboo Mission since 2013 and through the global summit, we want to encourage private players to invest in the sector," Gaurishankar Shejwar, the state's forest minister, told this newspaper. According to the Forest Survey of India's report of 2011, the state has 13,059 sq km under bamboo but 42 per cent of this is degraded land. "There is a demand-supply gap in bamboo, at 90 per cent," said Deepak Khandekar, principal secretary of the state forest department, "Harvesting of bamboo from natural forests creates 2-2.25 million mandays employment or Rs 112.5 million wage earnings. In other words, a bamboo plantation can produce 200 mandays of employment. It would be 900 mandays in cottage industry like incense stick manufacturing or handicraft making that receive raw material from this plantation. The requirement is huge and, hence, there is a need to attract private investment in the sector." Traditionally, bamboo has had only two consumers in this state - for 'nistar' (specified forest produce for domestic use) users and for Bansods, an artisan community that make household items and handicrafts from bamboo. "The total requirement from these communities is nearly 200 million units. The commodity fetches nearly Rs 3,000 a tonne against and international prices of Rs 10,000-12,000 a tonne, as these two domestic users are poor and cannot afford high prices," said Khandekar. According to state forest department data, if each Bansod family is provided 908 units of bamboo and 1,500 bamboos goes to each farmer family under Nistar policy, 52 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively, of these two categories can go above the poverty line. Forest department data also says the area under degraded forest has increased considerably, to 267,000 hectares. Of the state's 10 revenue divisions, there is no bamboo grown any more in five. ITC, the private conglomerate, had initiated talks with the state government through its Bhadrachalam-based paperboard and speciality papers division. After year-long discussion in 2005, it dropped the idea. The state has since amended its forest policy to attract more private investment. The company had wanted to set up a pulp and paper mill on the social forestry model. "We have hopes that experts from various parts of the globe would share new ideas in the Global Summit, to pave the way for sustainable development or a workable economic model for private players which can invest in bamboo cultivation, processing, trade and exports," the forest minister said. Close on the heels of mega star Amitabh Bachchan's name surfacing in the Panama Papers leaks , the opposition Congress in Maharashtra on Thursday vociferously demanded his ouster as state's ambassador for the Save Tiger project. Besides, leader of opposition in the state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil also made a strong case for removal of the star from advisory panel on the development of part of Bandra Kurla Complex as International Finance and Services Centre. Vikhe-Patil argued that it would be improper if Bachchan continues to occupy the two posts especially when his name has allegedly figured in the Panama Papers which are a leaked set of 11.5 million confidential documents that provide detailed information about more than 214,000 offshore companies listed by corporate services provider Mossack Fonseca. Further, Vikhe-Patil said the government should step in and drop Bachchan from two posts till the inquiry launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard is complete. The Indian Express report, based on the documents purportedly received via a leak from a law firm in Panama, said that in the 1990s Bachchan had been a director of four shipping companies registered in tax havens British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. Bachchan has already clarified that he has "never been a director of any of the above stated companies. It is possible that my name has been misused.'' Vikhe-Patils plea was countered by the BJP member Yogesh Sagar citing that it does not augur well to speak about Bachchan who is not only a leading star but quite popular on tweets with higher likes. The assembly speaker Haribhau Bagde however, ruled that he had already rejected Vikhe-Patil's motion in this regard. Maharashtra's Latur district will be supplied water through trains for the next 15 days, while prohibitory orders were clamped near water spots in Parbhani as the situation in the country worsened, forcing the Supreme Court to question the Centre's seriousness. The Court, which resumed hearing on a petition filed by non-governmental organisation Swaraj Abhiyan. "Is something like not important? Where is the ASG (Additional Solicitor General)? Are we useless? What are we supposed to do? Sit idle and look at the clock," the apex court is believed to have said during the hearing. It also castigated the Haryana and Gujarat governments for presenting half-baked figures on in their states and fixed the next date for hearing on April 12. Meanwhile, news agency Press Trust of India reported that the situation has turned so grim in areas like Latur and Beed that authorities are even mulling to shift inmates in district prisons. The Opposition on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of failing to tackle the severe crisis. "We have made arrangements for supplying water through train to Latur. The first such train will reach Latur in next fortnight," Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse told the Maharashtra Assembly during a discussion on the acute water scarcity in Latur. In Parbhani town, prohibitory orders have been enforced near supply spots and water tanks under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code till May 3 with deployment of Home Guards to check people milling around taps and tanks that could result in law and order problems. With the crucial GST Bill stuck in Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Thursday questioned the extent to which the Upper House can be used to block economic decision-making and said the "weight" of directly elected house must always be maintained. Jaitley, who in May last year stated that Indian democracy faced a serious challenge with an 'indirectly elected' Upper House questioning the wisdom of 'directly elected' Lok Sabha, today said he will again be speaking to the Congress on the GST bill. "To what extent our Upper House is going to be used to block economic decision making... In Australia the debate is on, the UK has gone through this debate a while ago and Italy is having the same debate. Because ultimately the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained," he said at a seminar here. Opinion on a bicameral system of legislature world over has been sharply divided with some being of the opinion that a second chamber is essentially undemocratic as it can override the opinion of a directly elected House. Others however maintain that the Upper House provides for detailed scrutiny of bills which may have been rushed through in haste due to political compulsions by elected members. The Goods and Services Tax bill, which seeks to replace a slew of central and state levies with a uniform GST rate, was passed by Lok Sabha in May and is pending ratification by Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority. Congress is opposing the bill in the current form, demanding a cap on GST rate be included in the Constitution Amendment Bill. "It is now coming down really to one issue. The only opponent to GST is the Congress party. Curiously, the party which had sponsored the law in first instance, has some belated wisdom that you must have a Constitutional cap. Now that seems a little difficult," Jaitley said. Finance Minister said he would be discussing the issue with the Congress in hope of getting the bill passed in the second half of Budget session, which begins on April 25. "I am all for the idea of having a reasonable rate as far as GST is concerned which the GST Council will decide. But I hope with some consensus on that reasonable rate between two national parties, we are able to arrive at a more consensual approach," he said. Government is expanding its network of fuel stations selling compressed natural gas (CNG) to encourage motorists in the national capital to switch to the cleaner, cheaper fuel and curb emissions. Delhi is banning use of private cars from its roads on alternate days on the basis of registration number from mid-April to combat rising pollution. The vehicles that run on are exempt from the Delhi government's rationing drive. "We are taking efforts to expand fuel stations selling natural gas for motorists," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, inaugurating 36 stations, taking the overall number to over 1,050 in the national capital region. Pradhan said by mid-May another 60 retail stations would be up and running in Delhi and nearby towns, easing long queues seen outside gas stations. The US embassy's pollution gauge on Thursday recorded an air quality index of 186 in New Delhi, a level it describes as unhealthy. Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL), Delhi's only gas supplier, is daily selling about 3.1 million cubic meters of gas to about 850,000 vehicles, V . Nagarajan, a director at IGL, told Reuters. He said his company's sales were estimated to grow by 6% a year in the next two years from the current 3% due to the government's push for cleaner fuels and lower gas prices. In March, India's top court ordered all private taxi operators such as Uber and Ola Cabs, owned by ANI Technologies, to convert their existing diesel-powered taxis to by the end of April. In Delhi, CNG is 55% cheaper than petrol and 25% cheaper than diesel, as India raised taxes on the two liquid fuels to protect its revenue instead of passing on the benefits of low oil prices to consumers. Global prices of LNG - from which CNG can be derived - have declined following crude oil prices. "Because LNG (liquefied natural gas) prices are low so CNG prices are in favour of consumers," said R.K. Garg, head of finance at the country's biggest gas importer Petronet LNG. India's rising consumption of LNG, however, lags demand due to inadequate regasification and pipeline infrastructure. India's imports of LNG will rise from next year as Petronet expands annual capacity of its Dahej terminal in western India by 50 %to 15 million tonnes, Garg said. Buoyed by rising sales of CNG, almost all carmakers are trying to attract customers with CNG-compatible models. In April-February, India's consumption of imported LNG rose by 13%, government data show. Pradhan said Indian companies would also extend the CNG retail network in the adjoining Uttar Pradesh state and in Chandigarh in the northern Punjab state to help commuters travelling from Delhi to have uninterrupted gas supplies. and bullion traders across the country went on with their protest for the 37th straight day Thursday demanding withdrawal of the proposed 1% excise duty on non-silver jewellery items. They are also opposed to mandatory quoting of PAN by customers for transactions of Rs 2 lakh and above. In support of the ongoing strike by jewellers, traders in Chandigarh also observed "bandh" today and closed their shops. Various market associations including the apex body of the traders - Chandigarh Beopar Mandal- had urged traders to shut shops in the Union Territory. Bullion traders and jewellery establishments in several parts of the country, including small towns, have been observing strike since March 2 after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget proposal on February 29 levied 1% excise duty on non-silver jewellery. However, most of the jewellery showrooms in Tamil Nadu remained open today. The government has constituted a panel under former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahri to look into the demands of . The panel, which has been asked to submit its report in 60 days, will look into issues related to compliance procedure for the excise duty, including records to be maintained, forms to be filled, operating procedures and other relevant issues. The four-member Banks Board Bureau (BBB), with former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai at the helm, will hold its first meeting at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) headquarters here on Friday. Theyll discuss a range of issues, including board-level appointments in public sector banks (PSBs) and consolidation among these lenders. The bureau is a temporary arrangement, to be transitioned into a Bank Investment Company (BIC), that would act as a holding company for all government-owned banks. The BIC, which could have a varied shareholding, will also be responsible for capital infusion in PSBs. Rai, present at the Singapore Symposium 2016 here on Thursday, declined to discuss BBB with reporters. Its formation was announced in the Union Budget of 2015-16. The concept of a bank-holding company was first mooted at the Gyan Sangam banking conclave in January last year. The government later clarified that BBB would be the first phase. Besides Rai, the others selected are H N Sinor, a former joint managing director (MD) of ICICI Bank; Anil Khandelwal, former chairman and MD of Bank of Baroda, and Roopa Kudwa, former chief of rating agency CRISIL. Ex-officio members include the central governments financial services secretary, the secretary, public enterprises, and a deputy governor of RBI. All appointments are part-time. According to sources, BBB is likely to operate from Mumbai. The idea is that it would not be so affected by central government influence. However, the full-fledged BIC could be based out of Delhi. PSBs have a lot of bad debts, lowering their profitability and eroding their capital base. RBIs asset quality review exposed further bad debt and banks reported ugly numbers in their December quarter results. Punjab National Bank, for instance, showed a 93 per cent decline in profit after provisioning for these, and non-performing assets rising to 8.5 per cent of all loans. State Bank of India saw 62 per cent decline in net profit and fresh slippage of Rs 20,700 crore. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Budget 2016-17 said the government was moving towards privatising IDBI Bank. Capital infusion of Rs 25,000 crore in 2015-16 was also not enough for the 22 PSBs. The bureau is expected to discuss a way forward. IMPROVING GOVERNANCE AT PSBs Make board-level appointments Engage with bank directors to craft specific strategies Help in firming up capital-raising plans Advice on consolidation, including mergers in PSB space A seven-member body, including Chairman Vinod Rai Announcement made in Union Budget 2015-16 BBB is an intermediate step towards forming holding company for banks FRIDAYS AGENDA Chennai-based micro finance lender initial public offering (IPO) got fully subscribed on the third and final day of the bidding. The Rs 2,170-crore offering saw 17 times more demand than shares on offer, despite no participation by foreign institutional investors (FIIs). P N Vasudevan, managing director, told T E Narasimhan that subscription numbers was good and he is confident on commencing small finance bank before the April 2017 deadline. He speaks on opportunities and challenges. Are you happy with the response (for IPO)? Subscription was 17 times the offer, a pretty good number. IPO was one of the conditions for the SFB (small finance bank) licence. Now, we have to work on the other conditions to get ready for the final application for licence. Was it regulation pressure which made you go for an IPO or did you really want to? We had foreign holding of 93 per cent, which has to be 49 per cent according to the regulation. For that, we needed an IPO. What will be the next step for Equitas towards an SFB licence? Now, we have to merge the three subsidiaries Equitas Micro Finance, Equitas Finance and Equitas Housing. Once we get the courts nod, we will work on I-T-related issues. We have till April 2017 to commence operations. We should be in time. What is your target for the SFB? In the next two to three years, where do you see the SFB? What are the challenges do you foresee? I dont want to give any numbers and forward-looking statements. On the assets side, we are well diversified and that will continue, with a few additional products. Otherwise we have complete credit products in the offering. The challenge would be setting up the liability team, since we need to mobilise deposits. Analysts say the challenge would be the current product offerings and expansion. What is your view? We are fairly well diversified. Among our products, around 53 per cent are for micro finance, 25 per cent for commercial vehicles, and 17 per cent for MSME and five per cent for affordable housing. We operate in 11 states and are comfortable with that. What will be the new SFBs focus? An SFB gives us an opportunity to offer liability services to retail clients. As we set out to do that, there are lot of segments in the population which are not finding it easy, convenient or comfortable to do banking for low-value transactions. While we will do many other things, one of the things we will focus on is how to give a comfortable and convenient banking process for such transactions. Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday supported Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan's view calling for coordination among various central banks while formulating their monetary policies. I share Raghu (Raghuram Rajan)s thinking about the problem, and I also agree with him that part of the solution to what is currently a highly un-coordinated international monetary and financial system is to involve the IMF (International Monetary Fund) as a custodian of sorts. I agree with Dr Rajan with that basic framework of thinking, he said here. There is still some time for all the central banks to reach a consensus on the issue, Shanmugaratnam said. But a process of open thinking has begun, and Rajan more than anyone else has been pushing that. Rajan, a former IMF chief economist, has been making a case for global coordination from different central banks in their monetary policy formulation. Talking on the issue, Rajan said, There has been a tremendous attempt at stimulating economies back to growth, and the increasing debate is whether the stimulus is creating not just the absence of growth in the long term, but in fact retarding growth. The question we have to ask ourselves is are we moving in the right direction, is there a better way, could we at least try and make sure that we dont impose costs on each other as we try and come out of our own difficulties? Rajan said. . India has said that the BASIC group has played a proactive and constructive role in combating global climate change and in the international climate change negotiations, which led to the successful adoption of the Paris Agreement. Addressing a joint press conference with Ministers of BASIC group here today, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar said that it is an opportune time for the BASIC group to renew its efforts in the post-Paris period, invigorating the steps taken domestically, as well as internationally to address climate change. I feel glad that the Paris Agreement recognizes the imperatives of sustainable patterns of consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead, and climate justice in strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty", Shri Javadekar said. . . Shri Javadekar also emphasized that the BASIC group has been a strong advocate of the principle of Differentiation" and operationalization of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) in the climate change regime. The Minister also highlighted that BASIC countries have started taking pre-2020 actions, more than what is expected and much beyond their capacity. Shri Javadekar expressed the hope that the developed world will make an all-out effort to mobilize $ 100 billion, which was an essential feature of Paris agreement. A Joint Statement was made at the end of the meeting. The following is the text of the Joint Statement at the conclusion of the 22nd BASIC Ministerial meeting on Climate Change: . . 1. The 22nd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in New Delhi, India on and April 6-7, 2016. The meeting was attended by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Prakash Javadekar, Special Representative for Climate Change of China, Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Under Secretary-General for the Environment, Energy, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Ambassador Antonio Marcondes, and Chief Director, International Climate Change Relations and Negotiations of South Africa, Mr. Maesela Kekana,. . . 2. Ministers welcomed the adoption of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and acknowledged that the 21st Conference of Parties (COP-21) held in Paris in December 2015 marked a milestone in global climate cooperation. They underlined that the Paris Agreement is meant to enhance the implementation of the Convention and is comprehensive, balanced and ambitious. It also reiterates the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR & RC). . . 3. Ministers appreciated the role of the French Presidency in carrying all Parties together and ensuring the successful adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP-21. The Ministers also commended the role of BASIC and G-77 & China groups in negotiating the Paris outcomes and securing interests of the developing countries. They reaffirmed the commitment of BASIC countries to G-77 & China and expressed their appreciation of South Africas chairing of the group. . . 4. Ministers underlined that the Paris Agreement recognizes the imperatives of sustainable patterns of consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead, and the importance of climate justice, in strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change. . . 5. Ministers commended the efforts by BASIC countries and other developing countries in tackling climate change, both pre- and post-2020, and emphasised that these represent far more ambitious efforts compared to their respective responsibilities and capabilities. . . 6. The BASIC countries look forward to signing the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 during the High-Level Signature Ceremony convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. They expressed their will to initiate necessary domestic processes for ratification, acceptance or approval as soon as possible with a view to facilitate the timely entry into force of the Agreement, and urged other countries to do so as well. . . 7. Ministers reiterated the importance of pre-2020 actions in building trust amongst the Parties and noted with concern the pending ratification by many Annex I Parties of the Doha Amendment, which establishes the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. They urged Annex I Parties to both ratify and revisit pledges of Quantified Emission Limitation and Reduction Objectives (QELROs) to close the emission gap. They also emphasized that raising pre-2020 ambition on other pillars of the Convention (viz. adaptation, finance and technology and capacity building support) will pave the way for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. . . 8. The Ministers reiterated that Parties contributions, termed as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are to be country driven and comprehensive. The Ministers reflected on the importance of adaptation and means of implementation as key elements of Parties efforts under the Agreement. . . 9. The Ministers stressed the differentiated obligations in mitigation actions of developed and developing countries, as well as for the provision of support, and emphasized that developed countries should continue to take the lead. They also recalled that the Paris Agreement specifically mentions that the time frame for peaking will be longer for developing countries. Ministers felt that proper anchoring of differentiation in contributions of developed and developing countries is a sound basis for ambitious actions. . . 10. Ministers also underscored the need for financial support to developing countries for effective implementation of their mitigation and adaptation actions through accelerating the work on the new Technology Framework and the Technology Mechanism including its assessment for a meaningful and tangible dissemination, transfer and deployment of technology from developed to developing countries. They also emphasized on the role of innovation and international cooperation in enhancing global actions. . . 11. Ministers welcomed the setting up of the Paris Committee, a new institutional mechanism for enhancing capacity building activities in developing countries, and urged developed countries to provide financial support for capacity building in developing countries. . . 12. Ministers emphasized the importance of building on the existing transparency framework under the Convention, for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and reiterated the importance of providing support and flexibility to developing countries, including through the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency, in fulfilling their obligations under the proposed enhanced transparency framework. Ministers further underlined that transparency of support is a fundamental aspect of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and that the consideration of this issue should not be outsourced to other entities. They also reflected on the need to focus on the qualitative aspects of climate finance on transparency of support. . . 13. Ministers identified means of implementation in the context of provision of finance, technology transfer and capacity building support as the most important enablers of action for developing countries. Ministers expressed their concern over the lack of adequate support in this respect and urged developed countries to honour their obligations under the Convention. . . 14. Ministers also urged developed countries to scale up their level of financial support with a complete road map to achieve the goal of jointly providing USD 100 billion per year by 2020. Reiterating the role of public finance, Ministers called upon developed countries to fulfill their pledges to the Green Climate Fund. . . 15. Ministers noted that the next session of the SBI, SBSTA and Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement will be deliberating on a number of issues related to the Paris Agreement. In this regard, Ministers hoped that issues under these bodies will receive balanced treatment and pledged their support to the incoming COP Presidency of Morocco to ensure a successful COP-22. . . 16. The BASIC countries expressed concern that the draft proposal on Global Market Based Measures (GMBM) under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) may impose inappropriate economic burden on developing countries, where the international aviation market is still maturing. They urged the ICAO to develop climate change measures in a manner that is consistent with the principles of CBDR & RC, and to align the GMBM with the relevant provisions of the Paris Agreement. . . 17. Ministers agreed to further strengthen the cooperation and solidarity among the BASIC countries. . . 18. Ministers welcomed the offer of South Africa to host the 23rd BASIC Ministerial meeting. . . Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will be visiting Iran and UAE on 9-12 April 2016. . . During his visit to Iran from 9-10 April, Sh. Pradhan will meet Iranian Minister of Petroleum, Senior Adviser to President of Iran on Free Trade Zones and Governor of Central Bank of Iran in Tehran. He would also be addressing the Tehran Chamber of Commerce. He will be visiting Chabahar FTZ to interact with FTZ authorities. The last visit by an Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas to Iran was in April 2007. . . India and Iran share historic bilateral relations with substantial economic engagements, covering many sectors. The trade relations have traditionally been buoyed by Indian import of Iranian crude oil. The bilateral trade during the fiscal year 2014-15 was US $ 13.13 billion. India imported US $ 8.95 billion worth of goods, mainly crude oil and exported commodities worth US $ 4.17 billion. The visit of Sh Pradhan envisages engaging with the Iranian political leadership to work with them, particularly in the hydrocarbon, petrochemicals and fertilisers sectors for mutual benefits, including strengthening of Indias energy security. . . During the visit to UAE from 11-12 April, Sh Pradhan will meet HE Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy of UAE in Abu Dhabi. He will also meet with CEO of ADNOC and Chairman of AIDA (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority). During his stay in Dubai, Sh Pradhan will meet Emirati Businessmen, inaugurate India Pavilion at the Annual Investment Meet-2016 at the World Trade Centre, visit Jabel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) and interact with JAFZA authorities. He is also scheduled to meet Indian businessmen and professionals. The visit of Sh Pradhan to UAE is a follow up of the February 2016 visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Minister of Energy H E Mr Al Mazrouei. . . In the recent years, the traditionally close and friendly India - UAE bilateral relationship has evolved into a significant partnership in the economic and commercial sphere. India-UAE trade, which was valued at US $ 180 million per annum in the 1970s, is today around US $ 60 billion making UAE, Indias third largest trading partner for the year 2014-15. For UAE, India is the largest trading partner for the year 2014, with an amount of over US$ 28 billion (non-oil trade). On the energy front, UAE contributes significantly to Indias energy security, being the 6th largest supplier. India is the 2nd largest destination for UAE's oil exports. India imported 16.11 MMT of crude oil from UAE during 2014-15 and 11.52 MMT during April-December 2015. . . Mr Pradhan will be accompanied by senior officials from his Ministry and also from Departments of Petrochemicals, Fertilizers and Economic Affairs, apart from CMDs/MDs and officials from Central Public Sector Oil and Gas, Fertilizers, Shipping and Metal companies. Representatives of private Indian companies involved in petroleum, petrochemicals and fertilizers sectors will also be travelling along with Sh Pradhan as part of a FICCI delegation. . . The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will attend the valedictory function of India Water Week-2016 tomorrow (April 8, 2016) at New Delhi. . . The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India has been organizing India Water Week since 2012 as an international event to focus on water related issues. Three editions of India Water Week have been organized so far in 2012, 2013 and 2015. The theme for this years India Water week is Water for all: Striving together". . . The report of the Committee on funding of IITs and the recommendations of SCIC for revision of annual fee in IITs to Rs.3 lakhs per year from the current Rs.90000 has been examined. The rationale for the SCIC recommendation arises from the fact that the cost of maintenance of the IITs is to be met largely from the student fee. On an average, the Government is spending about Rs 6 lakh per year on each student in the IITs. . . Keeping in view the interests of the students, proposed hike is denied. Instead, it has been proposed that the increase is capped at Rs.2 lakh per annum. This increase in fee is subject to the following safeguards for protecting the interests of the socially and economically backward students: . . A) The SC/ST/Differently abled students shall get complete fee waiver. . . B) The most economically backward students (whose family income is less than Rs.1 lakh per annum) shall get full remission of the fee. . . C) The other economically backward students (whose family income is between Rs.1 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum) shall get remission of 2/3rd of the fee. . . D) All students shall have access to interest free loan under the Vidya Lakshmi Scheme for the total portion of the tuition fee payable. . . Further, all IITs are asked to use the increased student fee for infrastructure development with the assistance of funds from the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) so that the increased fee directly translates into better infrastructure for the students. As per orders issued, the matter will be placed in next meeting of the IIT Council for ratification. . . GG/RT/IIT-Fee The Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), an autonomous research organization of Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and an international organisation Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) are jointly organizing the International Convention on World Homoeopathy Day, with the support of Ministry of AYUSH on 9-10 April, 2016 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event is being organized to commemorate the 261st birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy, Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, who was a great scholar, linguist and acclaimed scientist. Honble President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the convention. Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge), will be guest of honour. . . World Homoeopathy Day, celebrated the world over to commemorate the birth anniversary of this legendary scientist, is an ideal day to stress upon the new possibilities in the global health scenario if Homoeopathy is integrated in mainstream public health. With World Health Organisation emphasising on the need of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Homoeopathy has a lot to offer to the world since it is economical, safe and effective. . . The theme of the Convention is Integrating Homoeopathy in healthcare, as the Convention would aim at highlighting the health and cost benefits of integrating Homoeopathy in healthcare among the health professionals and policymakers, by way of scientific evidence and rich clinical experiences. Homoeopathy has its own distinct advantages of being safe, effective and economical, and, therefore, could contribute significantly to the health scenario of a country. . . The potential of Homoeopathy remains largely unexplored and, therefore, underutilized in public health. This, despite the fact that Homoeopathy is practised in more than 80 countries of the world and is known to be effective in various communicable and non-communicable diseases chronic diseases and diseases of children and mothers. . . India, today, is the world leader in Homoeopathy, in terms of infrastructure and trained resources. We have the highest number of homoeopathy colleges, dispensaries, hospitals and practitioners. This is due to the support that Homoeopathy has received from the Government of India for its advancement and spread. A number of National Health Programmes are either exclusively based on Homeopathy/ AYUSH or integrated with conventional medicine (National Campaign for Mother & Child Care, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, Swasthya Rakshan, National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) etc.). People of India have ready access to Homoeopathy in most regions and effectively use the system for many day to day and chronic ailments. . . This convention will deliberate upon various significant issues in Homoeopathy. The convention include special sessions on Homeopathy on cancer, Homeopathy on Mental Health, Homoeopathy on Epidemics, Homoeopathy on Public Health, Clinical Research Studies, drug validation and drug development among others. Session on basic research will try to address the usually favourite points of skeptics, like non-existence of original particles in ultrahigh dilutions, lack of understanding of mechanism of action of homoeopathic medicines, etc. Sessions on applied research will be inclusive of studies on evidence-based studies on various clinical conditions, and throw light on where we stand today in terms of level of evidence. . . The exclusive public health session will discuss the ways of promoting Homoeopathy globally and chalk out the channels to enhance international cooperation among countries and to establish dialogue for promotion of Homoeopathy at political level. There will be sessions which will discuss the global scenario of Homoeopathy and challenges related to education and spread of Homoeopathy in various countries. Quality and validation related concerns for homoeopathic medicines will also be discussed at length. Strengths of Homoeopathy in veterinary diseases will also be taken up separately, as will be the subject of philosophy of Homoeopathy and its practical application. . . Internationally acclaimed scientists known for their remarkable work in various fields will be attending this convention. Among these, 16 international speakers will also present their work and views on Homoeopathy. In all, over 100 papers will be presented through oral or poster presentations. . . Several countries are participating in the convention including Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Italy, Netherlands, U.K., Austria, Armenia, Canada, Israel, Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, France, UAE, Cuba, Nepal, Turkey, Argentina, Slovenia, Pakistan, Ghana and Kenya. Health Ministers of Bangladesh and Nepal and state Health Ministers of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka are also participating. BRICS and SEAR countries will hold special meetings during the convention to strategize their consolidated efforts for promotion of Homoeopathy in their respective countries, with supporting each other with information exchange and technical knowhow. CCRH is expected to sign two Memoranda of understanding (MoUs), one each with Yerevan State Medical University, Armenia and College of Homeopaths of Ontario, Canada on cooperation in the field of Research and Education in Homoeopathic Medicine during the convention. Representatives from WHO will also be participating. . . Samsung Electronics posted a better-than expected first-quarter profit after the early release of Galaxy S7 smartphones gave it a head-start on Apple Inc and Chinese rivals and helped counter an industry downturn. Operating income rose to 6.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion) in the three months ended March, the world's largest maker of phones and memory chips said in preliminary results released Thursday. That compares with the 5.53 trillion-won average of analysts' estimates. EARLY BOOST Samsung debuted its high-end smartphone line, ... Two years ago, tried - and failed - to take over the British rival AstraZeneca in a bid to become the world's largest drug company and lower its tax bill in the process. On Wednesday, said another big overseas merger had failed, this time a $152-billion merger with Allergan, after the Obama administration introduced rules that would make the deal much less attractive. Now, finds itself at yet another crossroads. The company's stock has been growing steadily, but investors are certain to start agitating again to complete a bold move to push growth higher. The company has basically two choices: get bigger, or break apart. A big part of Allergan's appeal was that the company's tax domicile is in Ireland. But with the changes to the rules, those tax benefits went away - as they most likely would in similar deal between Pfizer and a company in a low-tax country. Still, shares of several foreign pharmaceutical were trading higher on Wednesday, including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Shire, perhaps on speculation that Pfizer would still pursue an overseas acquisition. "Pfizer approached this transaction from a position of strength and viewed the potential combination as an accelerator of existing strategies," Ian C Read, the Pfizer chairman and chief executive, said in a news release. "We remain focused on continuing to enhance the value of our innovative and established businesses." Pfizer's brief news release said little about its future plans. But some analysts saw significance in a statement by Read that indicated the company planned to decide whether to break itself up by the end of this year. Some analysts lobbied for such a move because they argued that two smaller and more focused would be worth more than one bigger one. "The fact that the company is talking about the original split-up decision timeline of late 2016 almost seems to suggest they have given up on inversion," said Tim Anderson, a senior analyst for Sanford C Bernstein & Company, in a note to investors. Anderson said Pfizer could have seen the Allergan deal as an opportunity, but once it did not happen, "perhaps it is back to usual business once again." Anderson, who had previously supported a breakup, noted that the company's statement did not mean Pfizer had settled on splitting. But by raising the issue, he wrote, "this essentially puts the carrot back in front of the stock again." Pfizer's plans to make itself smaller dates to 2011, when Read, who had recently taken over as chief executive, announced plans to become a more focused company following a series of multibillion-dollar acquisitions. Under Read's direction, the company slashed its research and development budget and, in 2012, sold its infant nutrition business to Nestle. In 2013, it spun off its animal health business into what is now Zoetis. In 2014, the company divided its business into two segments - one devoted to new brand-name medicines and the other to older medications that had lost patent protection. That was seen as a preliminary step toward breaking the company in two. Those plans receded, however, when Pfizer decided to follow in the footsteps of many of its competitors by performing an inversion, in which an American company acquires an overseas rival and reincorporates overseas. In 2014, Pfizer tried to acquire AstraZeneca, but it ultimately abandoned the pursuit after AstraZeneca repeatedly snubbed Pfizer's approaches. The proposed takeover also faced stiff political opposition over potential job losses in Britain. Inversions have gained popularity in recent years, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, as United States look to lower their corporate tax rates and more easily use income that has been held in foreign subsidiaries. About 40 companies have struck inversions over the last five years, according to data from Dealogic. 2016 The New York Times News Service will next week make a brief trip to Lesbos, the Greek island on the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis, the Vatican confirmed Thursday. "Accepting the invitation from his Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the president of the Greek Republic, his Holiness Francis will travel to Lesbos on April 16, 2016" where he "will meet with refugees," the Vatican said in a statement. Francis, who has made the defence of the world's downtrodden a cornerstone of his papacy, will visit the Aegean Sea island for a few hours to draw the community's attention to the suffering of asylum seekers, many of them on the run from a devastating war in Syria. Greece's islands are the point of first arrival in Europe for hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who make the perilous boat journey from Turkey. The pope, who will set off from Rome mid morning and return at the end of the afternoon, will visit a refugee centre before making a stop at the port of Lesbos, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the press. in 2013 visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, where large numbers of migrants were arriving from conflict-hit Libya. In March, the EU signed an accord with Turkey setting out measures for reducing the continent's worst migration crisis since World War II, including the shipping back to Turkish territory of migrants who arrive in Greece. But today Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the EU that Ankara would not implement the key deal if Brussels failed to fulfil its side of the bargain -- which included six billion euros in aid for Turkey for the over 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. The first transfer of over 200 migrants from Greece took place on Monday but the process has been stalled by a last-minute flurry of asylum applications by migrants desperate to avoid expulsion. A top executive on the advisory board of Dutch bank ABN Amro stepped down Thursday after being linked to the growing Papers scandal, but without admitting any wrongdoing. Two Dutch newspapers said Bert Meerstadt's name had been mentioned in the vast trove of documents leaked Sunday relating to a law firm allegedly helping the rich and famous to hide assets offshore to avoid tax. "Bert Meerstadt has decided to resign as a member of the supervisory board of ABN Amro Group with immediate effect," the third-largest bank in the Netherlands said in a statement. Meerstadt, 54, is a primary shareholder of the Virgin Islands-based Morclan Corporation, set up by Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca in 2001, said the Dutch dailies De Financieele Dagblad and Trouw. The two papers were part of an consortium of journalists which led the investigations into the scandal. Meerstadt said in a separate statement that because his name had been mentioned he had accelerated plans to leave the bank, saying: "I hereby bring forward my resignation to today". "I want to avoid any negative consequences for the bank," said Meerstadt, adding he would not comment on the reports. Apart from serving at ABN Amro as a supervisory member, Meerstadt is a former Dutch Rail executive director and serves as vice chairman of the supervisory board of Dutch distiller Lucas Bols, according to his CV posted on ABN Amro's website. In what could further depress Indian exports, the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday cut its earlier forecast for global trade growth in 2016 to 2.8 per cent, from the previous one of 3.9 per cent. World trade would then grow below three per cent for a fifth year. However, forecast a 3.6 per cent rise for 2017. A slowing Chinese economy, worsening financial market volatility and rising exposure of countries with large foreign debts is primarily blamed for the sluggish growth, as last year. "While the volume of global trade is growing, its value has fallen because of shifting exchange rates and a fall in commodity prices. This could undermine fragile economic growth in vulnerable developing countries," said director-general Roberto Azevedo. Exports from developed countries are expected to grow at 2.9 per cent, and in developing countries at 2.8 per cent. This growth in volume runs the risk of further pushing down global prices if the crash in commodity prices continues, coupled with the large scale dumping of cheaper Chinese inventory in the market. India, for instance, has had 15 months of falling merchandise exports; the government revised its cumulative export target for 2015-16 from the earlier $300 billion to $260 billion. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday that while merchandise exports had not fallen in volume, lower returns were the culprit. Asia is expected to record the fastest export growth of any region at 3.4 per cent, followed by North America and Europe, each at 3.1 per cent. Meanwhile, growth in imports of developed economies are expected to outpace those of developing countries in 2016, with a 3.3 per cent rise in the former compared to a 1.8 per cent increase in the latter. As a result, while developing nations might find it easier to rein in their fiscal deficits, the more complicated challenge of boosting domestic demand can be a headache. Region wise, said North America should see its imports increase by 4.1 per cent in 2016, while Asian and European imports should both register growth of 3.2 per cent. More accommodative monetary policy from the European Central Bank could spur growth in the euro area and boost demand for goods and services, WTO suggested. "There remains as well the threat of creeping protectionism as many governments continue to apply trade restrictions and the stock of these barriers continues to grow." In 2015, the imports of developed economies surged, growing 4.5 per cent by volume. While those of developing countries stagnated far behind, with only 0.2 per cent growth. However, WTO noted developed economies witnessed 2.6 per cent volume growth in export as compared to 3.3 per cent growth in developing ones. Alternative indicators of economic and trade activity in the opening months of 2016 are mixed, with some pointing to a firming of trade and output growth while others suggest some slowing. The trade body said data suggests container throughput at major ports had recovered much of the trade lost to the slowdown last year, while automobile sales have continued to grow at a healthy pace in developed countries. Aspiring engineers will now have to shell out more, a lot more, to study at the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). From this academic year, starting June, students will have to pay Rs 2 lakh per annum for their four-year undergraduate programmes. The fee hike is the steepest for the IITs so far - 120 per cent from the previous Rs 90,000 per annum. The premier tech institutes, however, said the hike was still short of what they spend per student. According to the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry, the government spends Rs 6 lakh per student every year. If the institutes have to generate the funds from the students, they would have to charge Rs 4 lakh more. In a statement, the ministry said, "Keeping in view the interests of the students, the fee hike is capped at Rs 2 lakh per annum." The report of the Standing Committee of Council (SCIC) on funding of the IITs, submitted recently had recommended a revision of annual fee in IITs to Rs 3 lakh per year. "The rationale for the SCIC recommendation arises from the fact that the cost of maintenance of the IITs is to be met largely from student fees." The Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and differently abled students will get a complete fee waiver and most economically backward students (whose family income is less than Rs 1 lakh per annum) will get full remission of the fee. Other economically backward students (whose family income is between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per annum) will get a remission of two-thirds of the fee. "All students shall have access to interest-free loan under the Vidya Lakshmi Scheme for the total portion of the tuition fee payable," the HRD ministry said. "All IITs are asked to use the increased student fee for infrastructure development with the assistance of funds from the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) so that the increased fee directly translates into better infrastructure for the students." In the past, the IITs have revised their fee only thrice - in 1998, 2008 and 2013. In 2008, the IITs had doubled the fee for undergraduate courses from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 a year. In 2013, the fee was increased 80 per cent, up to Rs 90,000 per annum. "If you look at what private colleges charge, the fees at the IITs are still less. But, we cannot go in for a very big increase as inclusivity is central to the IITs. The ministry had said though the fee could be increased, no deserving student should suffer on account of an increased fee," said an director who did not wish to be named. "We have a responsibility as public institutions. We cannot expect student fees to take care of the entire expense," Devang Khakhar, director, IIT-Bombay, had earlier told Business Standard. Resources available with IIT-Bombay, about $14,000 (about Rs 9 lakh) per student, are much lower than those available to US universities and even Asian counterparts. Sponsored projects at IIT-Bombay provide 24 per cent of its total revenue. For most global peers, this is in the range of 60-80 per cent. "Higher education in Indian public institutions is highly subsidised resulting in an additional burden for the income tax payer. With collateral-free education loans easily available, students of such premium institutions can effortlessly fund their studies. The extraordinary salaries offered immediately after graduation to most of the students can be used to repay such loans," said Rohin Kapoor, director, Deloitte in India. Deloitte is one of the major recruiters at the IITs. So far, IITs have waived 90 per cent of the tuition fee for about 22 per cent of students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The remaining 10 per cent includes examination fees and other miscellaneous charges. Also, 90 per cent of the fee is waived for another 25 per cent of the students whose parents' annual income is less than Rs 4.5 lakh. The remaining 53 per cent students pay their full tuition fees. The IITs meet 80 per cent of their expenses through financial grants from the Union human resource development ministry. In contrast, the per-student fee at private engineering institutes like SRM University, VIT University Vellore and Manipal Institute of Technology is far higher. At the SRM University, the fee for the four-year BTech programme is between Rs 7.4 lakh and Rs 13.4 lakh, depending on the course. VIT Vellore charges Rs 6.52 lakh for its BTech courses, while Manipal Institute of Technology charges between Rs 10.50 lakh and Rs 11.61 lakh, depending on the course. On the other hand, at Stanford University, regular quarterly tuition for the 2015-16 academic year, payable for the autumn, winter, and spring quarters, is Rs 10 lakh. At the Massachuttes Institute of Technology, undergraduate programme fee is Rs 10 lakh for summer term and Rs 16 lakh for the Fall and spring terms. According to the IITs, with salaries and staff cost being fixed, they have to budget for other expenditures as well. The small amount left is then used for development activities on the campuses. IITs' annual expenditure ranges between Rs 150 crore and Rs 350 crore. Around 80 per cent of the operational expenses are funded by the government. While 10-15 per cent is taken care of by earnings from tuition fees for various programmes, the rest is managed with returns on endowments and investments. Donations from alumni stand at about three to five per cent of the operating revenues for older IITs, compared with 10-50 per cent for top American universities. A 2011 report by the Anil Kakodkar committee, appointed by the Union human resource development ministry, then under Kapil Sibal, to recommend autonomy measures to facilitate IITs' scaling greater heights, had proposed: "The fees charged by the IITs should cover the full operational cost of education, which works out to roughly 30 per cent of the total current cost of education." No weightage to Class XII marks in JEE from 2017 Class XII marks will not be a factor for determining rankings in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admissions to engineering undergraduate courses from next year. "After examining the Ashok Mishra Committee's report and public feedback, MHRD has decided on a few changes in the JEE pattern for 2017. The present system of allotting 40 per cent weightage to Class XII marks for determining ranks in JEE shall be dispensed with," an HRD ministry official said. However, Class XII scores will be a crucial parameter only for determining the eligibility criteria for the exam. To qualify for appearing in exam, students need to have at least 75 per cent marks or be in top 20 percentile in Class XII examination. SC, ST students should have 65 per cent marks. A spate of new home-grown brands are carving a neat niche in the Rs 65,000-crore market in India, setting off the alarm bells among many of the large cola makers in the country. Backed by institutional investors, most of these start-ups like Paper Boat Beverages, RAW Pressery and Milk Mantra have come out with innovative products, interestingly packaged and inventively marketed to woo the urban health-conscious consumer. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The juice market in India is now close Rs 10,000 crore, nearly the same as the carbonated drinks segment Home-grown makers are using innovative ways to stimulate demand, launching limited edition drinks around Indian festivals Many are tapping into traditional recipes for their products, using medicinal herbs to flavour their beverages Anuj Rakyan, founder and managing director, Rakyan Beverages which owns the cold-pressed juice brand RAW Pressery believes Indians are drinking less soda. "The carbonated soft drink (CSD) industry has shown a 5 per cent decline in growth globally. Giants like Pepsi and Coke are fast losing shelf-space to healthier, functional options as discerning consumers are opting for not-from-concentrate products with no added sugar." Raw Pressery products come at a huge premium however; a 250 ml bottle of its juice retails for around Rs 150 while a 300 ml can of Coca Cola costs around Rs 30. "The 100 per cent natural category has grown by over 40 per cent in the past three years and online and offline retailers are seeing a surge in footfall by stocking clean-label innovations," Rakyan claims. In fact, the carbonated beverages category was among the top five categories to show a significant production decline in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in April and May 2015. And last summer, according to a report published in this paper, the category saw a 3.16 per cent drop in IIP during May. Also according to research firm, Euromonitor, the soft drinks category grew 19 per cent last calendar year helped by the juice segment that crossed Rs 10,000 crore in sales and is now almost the same size as carbonated beverages. Neeraj Kakkar, chief executive officer and co-founder of Hector Beverages which owns the Paper Boat brand agrees that there has been a shift in consumer preferences towards healthier drinks (without too much added sugar, preservatives or carbonates). Kakkar's Paper Boat, which was founded in 2009-10 and has so far raised around Rs 250 crore in several rounds of funding from Sequoia Capital, Sofina and Hillhouse Capital and Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy's Catamaran Ventures, is planning to do something unique starting this summer. Kakkar says, "We are launching Panakam (jaggery-based drink) for the Southern market that will coincide with the Ram Navami festival. This would be on the shelves for just about a fortnight." After that he plans to launch limited edition Kacchi Lassi (around Baisakhi) and Rose Sherbet (around Ramzan). The idea is to have 10-12 traditional Indian drinks for the major festivals around the year. While he does not get into whether it is a supply chain nightmare, Kakkar is confident about pulling it off. Hector Beverages had doubled capacity during 2015, and has again doubled it this year, taking the current capacity to 460 bottles per minute. Just like Kakkar who spotted an opportunity in traditional Indian beverages that cater to the Indian palate, former Tata executive Srikumar Misra, saw an opportunity in India's fascination with milk. Misra, the founder, managing director, of Odisha-based Milk Mantra whose products include milk, buttermilk, curd and milkshakes under the Milky Moo brand, is backed by Fidelity Growth Partners. Misra feels that the flavoured milk or milkshake market is still nascent in India, about Rs 1,500-1,600 crore at the moment. It is still a very small portion of the overall dairy industry in the country which is estimated to be around $50 billion (out of which only $10 billion is organised), says Misra. However, it has the potential to grow into a one billion category over the next five to seven years, at the current growth rate of 25-30 per cent. In fact, cola major Coca Cola has recently launched its flavoured milk brand Vio in India. Milk Mantra milkshakes (MooShake) use the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, which is anti-inflammatory, an immunity booster and also believed to be a natural preventive for cancer. The company has two plants with a combined capacity of processing three lakh litres a day of fresh milk which is for its Milky Moo fresh dairy product portfolio. For MooShake the initial capacity is five lakh litres per month, which will be increased as the company enters newer markets. The company says that it will double the Rs 120 crore turnover in FY16 to Rs 230 crore in FY17. There is room for growth outside dairy as well. Rakyan says that the non-carbonated, non-dairy and non-alcoholic segment has been clocking a 50-55 per cent compounded growth over the last three years. Rakyan Beverages plans to be in top 12 Indian cities by FY17, and has hired the national sales head for modern trade of a cola giant to ramp up its operations. From a turnover of Rs 7.5 crore in FY16, it is targeting Rs 30-35 crore in FY17. These projections are sure to attract many more brands and investors, but many will wait to see if the long summer ahead delivers the numbers that the companies are expecting it to. One of the key units of WPP's GroupM, Mindshare, walked away with the most number of Media Abbies on the first day of . The agency bagged a total of 17 metals ( parlance for trophies) including, two gold, six silver and nine bronze. Its sister agency Maxus was a distant second with a total of seven metals including one gold, two silver and four bronze. Arch rivals Lodestar UM and Madison Media were tied for the third spot at six metals, including four silver and two bronze metals each. Agencies Initiative Media, ibs and The Social Street had four metals each. But the Social Street had a better count with two gold and two silver, as opposed to ibs's three silver and one bronze and Initiative's two silver and two bronze. In all, 76 media agencies participated in this year's Media Abbies, considered a key award. The high participation was despite the Club of Bombay organising a separate set of media awards called the Emvies during the middle of the year. Among the gold winners of the evening was Lakme for its Lip Pouts in the print category; Britannia for Slide of Smiles for its Good Day brand in outdoor; Kinder Joy for its Story Station in the category of branded content; Nicotex, also in branded content, and Samsung's Galaxy S6 for its search campaign in digital. On a warm, sunny day in Delhi recently, canines and their owners were seen parading together at a local mall. Bystanders and shoppers were pleasantly surprised. No one seemed to know what was going on except for one - . The country's second-largest telecom operator by subscribers chose to take its affable 'pug' mascot on to the streets - getting owners from across the city to participate in a 'pug parade'. The pug, one of the most popular brand mascots in recent times was recently brought back by to promote its newly launched 4G services. Its return however has seen mixed reactions with many comparing it unfavourably with the in-your-face advertising by rival 4G operator Airtel. Many have also commented on the brand's inability to leverage the mascot's huge popularity, effectively enough. While the jury is out on the impact the pug is having on the brand, few dispute the huge goodwill it enjoys. At the recently held parade, "the response was good," said Kiran Antony, group creative director, Ogilvy and Mather, who oversees creative work on the account at the agency. "We wanted to do an on-ground activation as part of the overall campaign promoting 4G services. We started with one city. We may take it to other locations in the future," he says. Vodafone is not the only advertiser dipping into the past to get consumers to rally around its latest offering. Of late, there have been quite a few tapping into visual and sonic properties that were the hallmark of their advertising earlier. Take Nerolac. Despite Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan coming on board as endorser, it opted for its popular jingle - Jab Ghar Ki Raunak Badhani Ho, Deewaron Kho Jab Sajana Ho - from earlier commercials to go with the current campaign. The fit, say company sources, has been perfect, with the recall factor for the current Shahrukh-Nerolac campaign being high. This is the fourth time, incidentally, that Kansai Nerolac, the promoter of the Nerolac brand of decorative paints, has re-introduced the jingle after first playing it as part of a campaign 26 years ago. It was then brought back in 1998 with the famous 'painters' commercial that showed two kids watching painters at work as they sung the jingle. A third iteration surfaced some six years ago to promote a new range of paints. A more recent example is Maggi. Having faced a stormy few months, the brand chose to ride on nostalgia as a comeback pitch. It incorporated elements from its iconic 'Maggi-Maggi' campaign of the 1980s and 1990s into the current campaign featuring veteran actress Deepti Naval (as the mother). Her grown-up kids are seen rushing home from their hostels, insisting that they are hungry. Naval, who is surprised to see her children back home suddenly, obliges them by saying "Two minutes" - the line famously used by the mother in the older campaign; the jingle is also from the same campaign. Suresh Narayanan, chairman and MD, Nestle India, in a conversation with Business Standard earlier had said that it was important to bridge the trust deficit that existed in the minds of consumers and stakeholders post the ban. Experts see the current campaign as an attempt to re-inforce the notion that the Maggi of today is no different from the Maggi of yesterday - safe for consumption and fulfilling that crucial need of snacking among consumers. However, ad experts say the use of nostalgia can be fraught with challenges. Take the case of the famous Liril girl ad, for instance. It was re-introduced last year by consumer goods company Hindustan Unilever, but the strategy didn't quite work. The company, according to experts, was hoping to revive the magic of Liril by reviving the visuals that had enthralled people over 40 years ago when Mumbai-based model and air-hostess Karen Lunel had first frolicked under a waterfall in a green swimsuit. The 2015 version took the same elements - girl, bikini and waterfall - but after a few runs on television, the commercial quietly went off-air. Clearly the ad failed to work up the passions that it had once managed to do. "Resurrecting a past mascot can have its own set of challenges. The milieu then is different from what exists now. You have to remember that the Liril girl genuinely came across as a breath of freshness when she was first introduced in the 1970s. In the intervening time, the concept of freshness itself in the minds of consumers has changed, implying that what worked then may not now despite the best of intentions," says KV Sridhar, chief creative officer, SapientNitro. So while a tried and tested visual or sonic property may seem safe, say experts, it is important to gauge whether consumers are indeed ready for its re-introduction back into their lives. In the case of Vodafone, while the pug brings back the warm associations that subscribers have with the brand, the ads and the pug may have to work harder before they get the same adulation as before. Domestic (MFs) have seen investors taking money out from their equity schemes for the first time in nearly two years. After months of robust inflow, saw net redemption in March of Rs 1,370 crore, showed data from the Association of in India. The outflow came even as March saw a sharp 10 per cent rebound in benchmark indices, after correction of nearly 12 per cent in the first two months. Gross redemptions were a massive Rs 14,700 crore in March and fund managers liquidated holdings to honour investors' redemption requests. In March, fund managers sold shares worth Rs 10,200 crore. The net outflow figure was relatively subdued due to gross inflow of around Rs 13,000 crore. The high sales were from a new set of investors and sticky flows from systematic investment plans and from investments in equity linked savings schemes (ELSS), a tax saving instrument. Milind Barve, managing director, HDFC MF, says: "It is too early to call it a trend, as a very short period is taken into consideration. The past two years have seen significant improvement in asset allocation, with a tilt towards equity investment. Investors will continue to come to equity as other asset classes like real estate, gold and bank deposits do not look promising." According to him, the redemptions could be on the back of finalising of tax planning by investors and, therefore, too much need not be read into the numbers. It is, in fact, visible when one looks at the positive flows in ELSS, of Rs 1,836 crore. Overall, the MF sector saw outflow of Rs 73,113 crore. A majority of it came from the liquid and money market segment, of Rs 58,605 crore. This is a typical quarter-end phenomenon, when large institutions and companies tend to take out, only to put money back in funds by the start of the next quarter. Gold funds continued to see outflows, at Rs 105 crore. Gilt funds, which invest in government securities, witnessed outflow of Rs 1,073 crore. As of end-March, assets under management of the fund sector were Rs 12.32 lakh crore. Of this, the equity category (including ELSS) manages Rs 3.86 lakh crore. Shares of were up 1.5% at Rs 165 on the Bombay Stock Exchange after the company signed an agreement with Tata Steel. The company in a release said that it has entered into an agreement for renewal of Conversion arrangement of Chrome Ore into Ferro Chrome, with Tata Steel Limited for a period of 4 years commencing from April, 2016, to produce up to 70,000 MT of High Carbon Ferro Chrome per annum at its Odisha Ferro Alloy Plant. The stock opened at Rs 165 and touched a high of Rs 171. At 12:10pm, over 149,000 shares were traded on both the stock exchanges. At least 261 Indian and 15 Iranian were sentenced by a judicial magistrate for a period they have already spent in detention for fishing inside the Pakistani territorial waters in Arabian Sea. Judicial Magistrate (West), Salman Amjad Siddiqui, directed the authorities concerned to make arrangements for their repatriation. The court convicted the fishermen after they entered a guilty plea while co-accused Ismail Elahi Bux, who was arrested along with the Iranian fishermen in February, pleaded not guilty and claimed that he was a Pakistani. In addition, the Judicial Magistrate (West) also imposed a fine of Rs. 1,000 on each convict and ordered that they would have to undergo an additional 15-day imprisonment in case of default. The fishermen were detained and their boats seized by the Maritime Security Agency after being found fishing inside the Pakistani territorial waters in Arabian Sea in separate actions that took place between November 2015 and March 2016. Cases under Sections 3/4 of the Foreigners Act and 3/9 of the Fisheries Act were registered against them at the Docks Police Station. Training his guns on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and radical Sikh leader Simranjit Singh Mann, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar on Thursday said those who cannot chant slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' should be sent back to Pakistan with their families. "Those who cannot raise pro- slogans and cannot love the nation and raise Pakistani flag should be sent to Pakistan because they love Pakistan and hate India. They want to live with Pakistanis and not with the Indians," Kumar told ANI. "Those who do not love and respect India and feel good about raising Pakistani flag and chanting 'Pakistan Jindabaad' slogans should be sent to Pakistan with their family and belongings so that they can live as loyal Pakistanis and not cultivate extremism and violence in India," he added. Further slamming Owaisi and Mann, the RSS leader said the two are ready to say 'Madre Vatan Hindusthan', which is the Urdu and Parsi translation of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', but they do not like saying it in Hindi. "It shows they have hatred towards languages. Language is nothing but expression. Loving a language and hating another shows they believe in differentiation and extremism," he said. Against the backdrop of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's suggestion that the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India Owaisi earlier said that he won't chant slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', even if a knife is put to his throat. "I won't utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife on my throat. Nowhere has it been mentioned in the Constitution that one should say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'," he said. Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar President Simranjit Singh Mann said "Sikhs do not worship women in any form. Hence, they can't chant this slogan." Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu yesterday said the controversy on 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' has been created to divert the government from its agenda of development and good governance. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier accused the Congress-led Opposition of indulging in politics of appeasement and declared he will proudly chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' even if it costs him his post. A consortium of 17 Public Service Units (PSU) banks including the State Bank of India (SBI), which had approached the Supreme Court against liquor baron Vijay Mallya, on Thursday rejected his repayment proposal. Rejecting Mallya's proposal to pay Rs 4,000 crores by September, the consortium of banks told the apex court that they have rejected it after 'full consideration'. The banks also told the Supreme Court that they received a modified proposal last evening from Mallya which they rejected. The Kingfisher Airlines has now sought two weeks time from the apex court for a new proposal. The apex court has asked the liquor baron to disclose his assets and the assets belonging to his wife and children. He has been asked to file his response by April 21. The court has also asked Mallya to deposit a substantial amount with the court to prove his bona fides. It has also asked Mallya's lawyers to inform as to when he is coming back to India. The matter will be next heard on April 26. The Enforcement Directorate had on April 2 issued fresh summons to Mallya, asking him to appear before April 9. Mallya, who is wanted by the law enforcing agencies for a default of over Rs. 9, 000 crores, today did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate after he sought an extension up to May. The Enforcement Directorate had earlier issued summons to Mallya for "personal appearance" on March 18 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Following Mallya's request seeking extension, the Enforcement Directorate last week issued a fresh summons to the liquor baron, asking him to appear before it on April 2 in the money laundering case. Mallya, who is currently in the United Kingdom and is being sought out in India over charges of money laundering, claimed that the banks gave him loans after evaluating all aspects and asserted that he is not trying to evade the law enforcement agencies but is on a personal visit. Launching a blistering attack on Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani over the ongoing unrest at Srinagar's Institute of Technology (NIT), the Congress Party on Thursday alleged that the ruling dispensation is interfering in higher educational institutions to make them the mouthpieces of the BJP and RSS. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said it's a controversy created out of mess that Irani has shaped in the HRD Ministry. "And the HRD Ministry and the BJP Government are completely failing policies. They have started interfering in higher educational institutions to make them nothing but mouthpieces of the BJP and the RSS which is not possible," Dikshit told ANI here. "So, it is a complete mess that they have created. There is a saying that 'when you dig holes for others you yourself fall into it' that has happened precisely with Smriti Irani ji," he added. Asserting that the safety of the students at the NIT in Srinagar was her prime concern, Irani yesterday said that her ministry officials are in the varsity campus to ensure that all issues are looked into. "Law and order is a state subject. I have spoken to Mehbooba Mufti ji, she has assured me that students are safe there and that a division level inquiry has been initiated. Some students are worried about their mark sheets. The HRD officials are in the campus and they have spoke to over 500 students," Irani told the media. "Our officials are there to extend all possible help to the students, they will stay there till the exams are over," she added. A fact-finding team of the HRD Ministry visited the institute's campus yesterday for an on the spot assessment of the situation. The two-member team comprising a Director level and a Deputy Secretary level officer also spoke to the students to get their version of the events. Tension simmered in the NIT campus last week after India lost the World T20 semi-final to the West Indies. Some engineering students from outside the state claimed Kashmiri students had chanted anti-India slogans and burst firecrackers after India's defeat. As many as 66 people have lost their lives due to sunstroke in Telangana so far. As per the figure released by the Telangana Government, the maximum number of deaths has taken place in Mahabubnagar where 28 people lost their lives. At least two people have been killed in Nalgonda, five in Khammam, 28 in Mahabubnagar, five in Karimnagar, 11 in Medak, four in Adilabad, seven in Nizamabad and four in Warangal respectively. However, no deaths have been recorded in Hyderabad and Rangareddy. The figure is just an indication of the days ahead as the Meteorological Department has issued a warning about the temperature set to increase in the coming days. Around 2,500 people had lost their lives in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana last year due to heat wave. Pakistan Foreign Office has said that the investigators, who visited India to probe the Pathankot attack, received limited cooperation from the Indian authorities. The Foreign Office in its statement, which comes almost a week after the members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) reached home following the probe, said that no conclusions had been reached in the ongoing investigations. In a detail report about the activities undertaken during the March 27-April 1 visit, the Foreign Office said the JIT received a presentation from the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA), which was leading the probe. The Foreign Office also said that the JIT briefed the NIA on investigations made in Pakistan, in addition to visiting the crime scene and interviewing some of the witnesses. "The JIT visited the crime scene and also recorded the statements of some witnesses. However, witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not produced before it," the Dawn quoted the Foreign Office statement as saying. The Foreign Office further said that the visit of the JIT took place in the context of the cooperative approach being pursued by the government of Pakistan as part of its commitment to effectively fight terrorism in all its forms. Kesha just lost her legal battle as a New York state judge has rejected the songstress' claim that she has become a Sony slave and Dr. Luke is her master. It was reported that the 29-year-old songstress tried to get an emergency order giving her the right to get out of her Sony deal. She filed the petition on the grounds that the music producer raped he and Sony is tormenting her, reports TMZ.com. The judge has taken Sony's side and has all the claims filed by the 'Tik Tok' hit-maler. He also rejected Kesha's slavery agreement as Sony didn't force her to work with Dr. Luke and even made other producers available. Smelling controversy behind the killing of Investigation Agency (NIA) Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tanzil Ahmed, Minister of State for Food Processing Niranjan Jyoti on Thursday demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. "The investigating officer of Pathankot terror attack has been killed. In most of the cases, terrorists from Azamgarh and Bijnor are arrested. There is some controversy in that. This is a matter of investigation," Jyoti told the media here. The Uttar Pradesh Police earlier today detained two prime suspects for their alleged role in the murder of Tanzil, who was shot dead in front of his wife and children last week. According to police sources, the bike used in the murder has also been recovered. It is also suspected that property dispute could be one of the reasons behind Tanzil's murder. Tanzil was on his way back from the marriage ceremony of his niece, along with his wife and two children, when two armed bike-borne assailants shot at him and his wife in a village under Syohra Police Station area late in the night of April 2. The NIA officer died on the spot while his wife was rushed to the Fortis Hospital in Noida. The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday granted the Centre time till April 12 to file rejoinder to the Congress challenge of appropriation ordinance and validity of imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution. The High Court judges also cautioned the Centre on the Uttarakhand crisis, saying that 'no hanky panky must be done by April 18 (probable next date of hearing) or we can pass an order to protect the litigant -like revoke 356'. The High Court had yesterday declined the Centre's plea seeking more time to argue former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat's plea against the President's rule in the state. However, the court assured the Centre that no orders would be passed without hearing the Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi. The Centre also sought an adjournment in this affidavit so that they can study it and formulate their response. The Congress Party had on Friday filed a petition before the High Court challenging the Centre's appropriation ordinance for the state. A two-judge of the High Court had on Wednesday stayed the floor test for the former Congress Government in the Uttarakhand Assembly, which was scheduled for March 31 and decided to take up the matter on April 6. The crisis in the hill state erupted on March 18 when nine Congress MLAs rebelled against the Rawat government, resulting in a flip-flop in the passage of the Appropriation Bill. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met Governor K.K. Paul on the same day and staked claim to form the government. However, the Centre imposed President's Rule on March 27, a day before Rawat was supposed to take the floor test in the assembly. Bihar urged to ensure timely lifting of PDS food grains and upload data of all beneficiaries on web portal A high level Central Team deputed by Union Minister for Consumer, Food & Public Distribution Sh. Ram Vilas Paswan visited Patna to review the PDS System as announced by the Minister after the death of Jago Manjhi reportedly due to starvation. After the daylong discussions with the senior officials of the State Government, the team lead by Joint Secretary Sh. Deepak Kumar in the Department of Food, Govt. of India found that there was delay in lifting of food grains by the states in some districts which was main reason for not getting ration allocations by the beneficiaries on time. It was also observed by the team that the State has not uploaded the data of NFSA beneficiaries on the portal till now, which is one of the mandatory requirement for the allocation of highly subsidized food grains. It is depriving a number of beneficiaries from the allocation of wheat @ Rs. 2 and rice @ Rs. 3. In view of the findings of the team the Center has urged the Bihar Government to ensure timely lifting of foodgrains from FCI godowns so that it can reach at Fair Price Shops in the beginning of the month. The States has also been asked to upload the data of all beneficiaries of National food Security Act on State PDS portal. During the visit the Central Team was informed that problem of lifting of foodgrains is being faced only in districts of Patna, Araria, Bhojpur, Bhagalpur and Saharsa. On receiving complaints of irregularities in these districts, raids were conducted in godowns and licenses were suspended of some private transporters. Now State Government has been arranging transport of food grains through State Civil Supplies Corporation. Because of non availability of FCI godowns in some districts, foodgrains are being lifted from neighboring districts which was creating delay in delivery. The Center asked the FCI and state government agencies to find out the ways to avoid this delay. During the discussion computerization of TPDS was also reviewed. The State has digitized the data of NFSA beneficiaries but it has not been uploaded on States PDS portal which keeping deprived of some beneficiaries of subsidized foodgrains' allocations. The State was asked to display the beneficiaries' list on the portal prominently. It was informed that under a campaign in each village and town, Aadhar number and other details of beneficiaries are being collected which will be completed in three months. The State was pointed out that its online allocation format is not according to the one suggested by NIC, it was requested to modify it accordingly. The State was also requested to provide link of online allocation to State Food Department's portal which at the moment is available only on State Civil supplies' portal. During the daylong review it was impressed that to check leakage in PDS , states should install ' Point of Sale Device' at FPS for biometric identification of beneficiaries at the earliest. State Food Secretary informed that such devises are being installed at 56 FPS of Noor block of Nalanda district under system integrator model. He also informed that DBT will also be introduced as pilot project next month in one of the block of Purnia district. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Shares of two aviation firms fell 1.27% to 1.81% at 10:40 IST on BSE as global crude oil prices rose. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 206.95 points or 0.83% at 24,693.68. Jet Airways (India) (down 1.81%) and SpiceJet (down 1.27%) declined. InterGlobe Aviation rose 1.29%. In the global commodities markets, Brent for June settlement was currently up 27 cents at $40.11 a barrel. The contract had risen $1.97 a barrel or 5.2% to settle at $39.84 a barrel during the previous trading session. Higher crude oil prices adversely affect aviation firms as jet fuel prices, which typically constitute about 50% of airlines' operating costs, are directly linked to international crude oil prices. Meanwhile as per recent report, civil aviation ministry is likely to abolish the 5/20 rule. An existing 5/20 rule restricts airline companies from flying abroad unless they have flown in India for five years and have a fleet size of 20 aircraft. According to reports, the ministry is considering as many as 15 options to replace the controversial rule. To ensure that the older airlines do not complain a level playing field will be provided and some form of restrictions will be there, report added. The incumbent airlines complain that any relaxation in the 5/20 rule will benefit unlisted newer airlines Vistara and AirAsia India. The policy is in its final stage and the draft Union Cabinet note has already been prepared. The ministry is likely to send the draft note for the Cabinet's nod this week. This will allow the Cabinet to clear it by this month, report added. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Losses in IT and telecom sector stocks and index heavyweights HDFC and ITC led losses for the two key benchmark indices. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, lost 233.24 points or 0.94% at 24,667.39, as per the provisional closing data. The Nifty 50 index fell 67.90 points or 0.89% at 7,546.45, as per the provisional closing data. The Sensex failed to retain the psychologically important 25,000 level which it had crossed at the onset of the trading session. After languishing in negative zone almost throughout the trading session, the two key indices extended losses in late trade as European stocks reversed gains. The Sensex hit three-week low when it lost 253.15 points or 1.01% at the day's low of 24,647.48 in late trade. The barometer index rose 112.50 points or 0.45% at the day's high of 25,013.13 at the onset of the trading session, its highest level since 5 April 2016. The Nifty hit its lowest level in almost three weeks when it lost 78.50 points or 1.03% at the day's low of 7,535.85 in late trade. The index rose 16.40 points or 0.21% at the day's high of 7,630.75 at the onset of the trading session. In overseas stock markets, European stocks reversed initial gains. Earlier during the global day, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks edged higher yesterday, 6 April 2016, after the minutes of the Federal Reserve's March meeting showed that officials favoured more gradual rate hikes amid concerns over global economic growth. Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was negative. On BSE, 1,455 shares fell and 1,108 shares rose. A total of 124 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index provisionally lost 0.45%. The BSE Small-Cap index provisionally fell 0.42%. The losses for both these indices were lower than the Sensex's slide in percentage terms. The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 2956 crore, higher than turnover of Rs 2208.10 crore registered during the previous trading session. Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC fell 1.96% at Rs 319.70. The stock hit a high of Rs 328.40 and a low of Rs 319 in intraday trade. Early this month, ITC announced temporary closure of manufacturing operations at all its cigarette factories in India with effect from 1 April 2016 as it awaits clarity on the quantum of mandatory pictorial health warning on cigarette packages. IT stocks edged lower. Tech Mahindra (down 2.1%), Wipro (down 1.58%), HCL Technologies (down 1.33%) and Persistent Systems (down 2.1%) dropped. Oracle Financial Services Software (up 0.11%) edged higher. Index heavyweight and IT major Infosys fell 1.67% at Rs 1,181 after a block deal of 55.20 lakh shares was executed on the counter at Rs 1,176.80 per share at 9:46 IST on BSE. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 15 April 2016. TCS fell 0.44% at Rs 2,468.05. The stock hit a high of Rs 2,483.40 and a low of Rs 2,458.90 in intraday trade. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 18 April 2016. Shares of state-run power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) rose 3.99% at Rs 118.55 after the company said that on provisional basis its order inflow jumped 41.9% at Rs 43727 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016) over the year ended 31 March 2015 (FY 2015). Based on tentative financial performance, Bhel reported net loss of Rs 877 crore in FY 2016 as against net profit of Rs 1419 crore in FY 2015. Turnover declined 13.71% to Rs 26702 crore in FY 2016 over FY 2015. The company announced the flash results for FY 2016 during market hours today, 7 April 2016. Bhel said that it has achieved the highest-ever commissioning of projects in its history and the highest order booking in the last five years in FY 2016. Enhanced focus on project execution has resulted in Bhel creating history by way of commissioning/synchronizing an all-time high 15,059 megawatts (MW) of power generating equipment during the year, the company said in a statement. Bhel said it has achieved 94% of the capacity addition target for the twelfth plan in first four years itself. The company's order book stood at over Rs 1.10 lakh crore as on 31 March 2016. The company's continued focus on cash realization during the year has resulted in a cash surplus situation, it said. The rising trend of debtors has also been arrested, the company said. Bhel said it considers 'Make in India' as an inflexion point to significantly scale up and diversify its business mix. New opportunities are emerging in defence, railways, solar and also in the conventional power sector, with a focus on enhancing technology depth. The company is building new capabilities and exploring new business models to take advantage of emerging big-ticket opportunities and is confident of regaining the growth momentum in the near future. Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC was down 2.73% at Rs 1,071 after the company after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, announced that it proposes to make an additional one-time special provision of Rs 450 crore in Q4 March 2016 on standard assets. The special provision is being done voluntarily and not on account of any regulatory requirement, HDFC said. HDFC said that the company holds adequate security in respect of all its loans. Regulatory provision on standard assets and provision for non-performing loans will continue to be made as per current practice in the quarterly accounts, HDFC said. HDFC said that the profit on sale of investments for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 1520 crore (net of tax Rs 1220 crore) compared to Rs 225 crore in Q4 March 2015. The current quarter's profit includes the profit on sale of shares in HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company to Standard Life (Mauritius Holdings) 2006 Limited. The capital gains tax on the sale of shares is Rs 300 crore. Income from dividend for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 192 crore compared to Rs 179 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, under the loan assignment route, HDFC sold loans amounting to Rs 4799 crore in Q4 March 2016 to HDFC Bank compared to Rs 5000 crore during corresponding quarter of the previous year. Loans sold in the preceding twelve months amounted to Rs 12773 crore. HDFC will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 2 May 2016. Powered by Capital Market - Live News After extending slide in the morning trade, key benchmark indices trimmed losses in mid-morning trade. At 11:15 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 167.81 points or 0.67% at 24,732.82. The losses for the Nifty 50 index were lower in percentage terms than those for the Sensex. The Nifty was currently down 39.55 points or 0.52% at 7,574.80. The Sensex failed to retain the psychologically important 25,000 level which it had crossed at the onset of the trading session. The Sensex hit three-week low when it lost 252.42 points or 1.01% at the day's low of 24,648.21 in morning trade. The barometer index rose 112.50 points or 0.45% at the day's high of 25,013.13 at the onset of the trading session, its highest level since 5 April 2016. The Nifty hit its lowest level in almost three weeks when it lost 72.20 points or 0.94% at the day's low of 7,542.15 in morning trade. The index rose 16.40 points or 0.21% at the day's high of 7,630.75 at the onset of the trading session. In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks edged higher yesterday, 6 April 2016, after minutes of the Federal Reserve's March meeting showed that officials favoured more gradual rate hikes. Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market once again turned positive from negative in mid-morning trade. On BSE, 1,065 shares rose and 932 shares fell. A total of 88 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.04%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.12%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. Aviation stocks edged lower as crude oil prices surged. SpiceJet (down 0.85%) and Jet Airways (India) (down 1.2%) declined. InterGlobe Aviation (up 1.15%) rose. Higher crude oil prices hurt aviation firms as jet fuel prices, which typically constitute about 50% of airlines' operating costs, are directly linked to international crude oil prices. In the global commodities markets, crude oil futures surged after the US government reported a surprise drop in weekly crude stockpiles. Brent for June settlement was currently up 37 cents at $40.21 a barrel. The contract had jumped $1.97 a barrel 5.2% to settle at $39.84 a barrel during the previous trading session. The world's major crude oil producers led by Russia and Saudi Arabia have convened a meeting on 17 April 2016 in Doha, Qatar to discuss measures to stabilise prices, including a proposal to freeze output. Saudi Arabia on 1 April 2016 said that it would freeze oil production only if Iran follows suit. Iran has ruled out freezing output until its production recovers to pre-sanction levels. Telecom stocks witnessed a mixed trend. Idea Cellular (down 0.94%) and Bharti Airtel (down 0.84%) edged lower. Reliance Communications (up 1.47%) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (up 0.57%) edged higher. Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) was unchanged at Rs 6.70. The Union Cabinet yesterday, 6 April 2016, approved the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum where market determined prices are not available. This will facilitate optimal utilisation of spectrum by introducing new technologies and sharing and trading of spectrum. The most recent recommended reserve price will be taken as the provisional price for liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum where auction determined price is not available. Subsequent to the completion of the ensuing auction and with the availability of auction-determined price, the provisional price already charged will be adjusted with the auction-determined price with effect from the date of liberalisation on pro-rata basis. The announcement of the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC was down 2.58% at Rs 1,072.65 after the company after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, announced that it proposes to make an additional one-time special provision of Rs 450 crore in Q4 March 2016 on standard assets. The special provision is being done voluntarily and not on account of any regulatory requirement, HDFC said. HDFC said that the company holds adequate security in respect of all its loans. Regulatory provision on standard assets and provision for non-performing loans will continue to be made as per current practice in the quarterly accounts, HDFC said. HDFC said that the profit on sale of investments for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 1520 crore (net of tax Rs 1220 crore) compared to Rs 225 crore in Q4 March 2015. The current quarter's profit includes the profit on sale of shares in HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company to Standard Life (Mauritius Holdings) 2006 Limited. The capital gains tax on the sale of shares is Rs 300 crore. Income from dividend for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 192 crore compared to Rs 179 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, under the loan assignment route, HDFC sold loans amounting to Rs 4799 crore in Q4 March 2016 to HDFC Bank compared to Rs 5000 crore during corresponding quarter of the previous year. Loans sold in the preceding twelve months amounted to Rs 12773 crore. HDFC will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 2 May 2016. Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) dropped 3.07% at Rs 3,462.05 on media reports that a foreign brokerage has cut target price on the stock while retaining its hold rating stating that valuations are still undemanding for the stock. The foreign brokerage reportedly said that yen benefit has started to reverse and is a significant headwind in the near term for Maruti. According to the calculation of the brokerage, every 1% appreciation in yen adversely affects Maruti's operating margin by 15-20 basis points (bps). The yen hit 17-month high against dollar today, 7 April 2016. Maruti announced after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, that it has introduced the automatic transmission option for the Zeta petrol variant of its premium hatchback Baleno. The Baleno Zeta (automatic CVT) petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.47 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. With this automatic transmission options are available on Delta and Zeta trim of Baleno. Maruti said it has sold over 44,000 Baleno cars through its premium retail channel NEXA across India. The model has pending orders for 55,000 units. Baleno is also the first model by Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan. Going forward Maruti Suzuki plans to export the model to more than 100 countries from India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Global air freight traffic declined 5.6% in February 2016 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets showing air cargo volumes (measured in freight tonne kilometers or FTKs) suffered a 5.6% fall in February compared to February 2015. This is heavily skewed due to the impact of the US port strikes in early 2015 (which caused a spike in air freight) and Lunar New Year falling in February this year. Comparing January and February 2016 performance to January and February 2014 reveals 6.3% volume in growth - equal to a 3.1% annualized growth trend. "The air freight business remains a difficult one. February's performance continues a weak trend. And there are few factors on the horizon that would see this change substantially. In the absence of an imminent resurgence of demand, the importance of improving the value proposition with modernized processes - the e-freight vision - remains a top priority," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO. Regional Analysis in Detail African airlines FTKs declined by 1.7% in February compared to February 2015. The largest economies in the region, Nigeria and South Africa, have suffered from the commodity slump over the past 18 months. Asia-Pacific carriers, which carry almost 39% of all air freight, saw FTKs contract by 12.4% year-over-year in February. While this was the largest drop of any region, it also reflects the region's carriers having benefited the most from the 2015 US port strike. And the region's weak trading backdrop was exaggerated by the closure of many factories in Asia for the Lunar New Year Celebration. In February Chinese export values fell 25%. European airlines demand fell by 2.4% in February. Business surveys of the region, particularly in Germany, do not give an upbeat assessment of prospects in the region. This is in line with the trend since the Global Financial Crisis: European freight volumes are barely any higher than in 2008. Latin American carriers expanded by 2.7% in February. Markets in the region remain under pressure and Brazil is in its worst recession in 25 years. Volumes on the North-South American routes, however, are holding up. Middle Eastern carriers were able to continue their consistent growth trend despite the statistical noise, expanding 3.7% in February. Over the past six months the major carriers in the region have cut their rate of route expansion, which may account for the relative slowdown in freight volume growth. North American airlines saw FTKs fall 4.0% in February compared to February 2015. Looking ahead, the prospects for cargo growth will depend on the balance between a stronger domestic economy supporting import growth and a strong US dollar dampening exports. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Infosys fell 1.57% to Rs 1,182.25 at 10:31 IST on BSE after a block deal of 55.20 lakh shares was executed on the counter at Rs 1,176.80 per share at 9:46 IST on BSE today, 7 April 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 201.41 points, or 0.81%, to 24,699.22 Block deal boosted volume on the scrip. On BSE, so far 56.92 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 2.17 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,214.85 and a low of Rs 1,164 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 1,249.90 on 4 April 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 932.55 on 10 July 2015. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 6 April 2016, rising 2.61% compared with 1.03% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 12.31% as against Sensex's 1.99% decline. The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 1148.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. Infosys will announce its Q4 March 2016 result on 15 April 2016. The company's consolidated net profit as per International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) rose 2% to Rs 3465 crore on 1.7% increase in revenue to Rs 15902 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q2 September 2015. Infosys is a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing solutions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News A divergent trend was witnessed among various index constituents, with key benchmark indices languishing in negative zone. At 12:16 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 90.22 points or 0.36% at 24,810.41. The Nifty 50 index was currently down 24.85 points or 0.33% at 7,589.50. The Sensex failed to retain the psychologically important 25,000 level which it had crossed at the onset of the trading session. In overseas stock markets, most Asian stocks edged higher after overnight gains in US stocks. US stocks edged higher yesterday, 6 April 2016, after the minutes of the Federal Reserve's March meeting showed that officials favoured more gradual rate hikes. Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,157 shares rose and 1,037 shares fell. A total of 101 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.16%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.15%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. Stocks of public sector banks witnessed a mixed trend. IDBI Bank (up 1.48%), Bank of Baroda (up 1.26%), Punjab National Bank (up 0.92%), State Bank of India (up 0.05%) and Corporation Bank (up 0.65%) edged higher. Indian Bank (down 1.38%), Oriental Bank of Commerce (down 0.85%), Central Bank of India (down 0.74%), Bank of India (down 0.54%) and Union Bank of India (down 0.39%) edged lower. Stocks of private sector banks dropped. Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 0.38%), IndusInd Bank (down 0.21%), ICICI Bank (down 0.09%) and HDFC Bank (down 0.05%) edged lower. Axis Bank (up 1.06%) and Yes Bank (up 0.81%) edged higher. IT stocks were mixed. Wipro (down 0.77%), Persistent Systems (down 0.88%) and HCL Technologies (down 0.38%) edged lower. Tech Mahindra (up 0.72%) and Oracle Financial Services Software (up 0.27%) edged higher. Index heavyweight and IT major Infosys fell 1.63% at Rs 1,181.55 after a block deal of 55.20 lakh shares was executed on the counter at Rs 1,176.80 per share at 9:46 IST on BSE. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 15 April 2016. TCS was off 0.24% at Rs 2,473. The stock hit a high of Rs 2,483.40 and a low of Rs 2,458.90 so far during the day. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 18 April 2016. Shares of state-run power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) edged higher ahead of the announcement of its tentative financial performance or flash results for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016). The stock was currently up 1.36% at Rs 115.55. The stock hit a high of Rs 117 and a low of Rs 114.70 so far during the day. The company is scheduled to announce its flash results for FY 2016 today, 7 April 2016. Nava Bharat Ventures rose 1.42% at Rs 164.60 after the company said it has entered into an agreement for renewal of conversion arrangement of chrome ore into ferro chrome with Tata Steel. The agreement with Tata Steel is for a period of 4 years commencing from April 2016 to produce up to 70,000 metric tonne (MT) of high carbon ferro chrome per annum at its Odisha ferro alloy plant. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Powered by Capital Market - Live News IT, telecom stocks and index heavyweights HDFC and ITC led losses for the two key benchmark indices. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 215.21 points or 0.86% to settle at 24,685.42. The Nifty fell 67.90 points or 0.89% to settle at 7,546.45. The Sensex failed to retain the psychologically important 25,000 level which it had crossed at the onset of the trading session. After languishing in negative zone almost throughout the trading session, the two key indices extended losses in late trade as European stocks reversed gains. The Sensex and the Nifty, both, hit 3-week closing low. Shares of Tata Power and Adani Power edged lower in choppy trade after television reports that a tribunal has rejected a CECR order that allows these two power companies to charge higher prices from procurers than agreed upon for electricity produced from their plants at Mundra in Gujarat. Shares of state-run power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) surged after the company after the company reported a strong growth in order inflow for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016). Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC edged lower after the company's announcement that it proposes to make an additional one-time special provision of Rs 450 crore in Q4 March 2016 on standard assets. Maruti Suzuki India edged lower on media reports that a foreign brokerage has cut the target price on the stock while retaining its hold rating on the stock. In overseas stock markets, European stocks reversed initial gains ahead of the release of the minutes from the European Central Bank's March meeting. Earlier during the global day, Asian stocks witnessed a mixed trend. US stocks edged higher yesterday, 6 April 2016, after the minutes of the Federal Reserve's March meeting showed that officials favoured more gradual rate hikes amid concerns over global economic growth. The Sensex fell 215.21 points or 0.86% to settle at 24,685.42, its lowest closing level since 17 March 2016. The index lost 253.15 points or 1.01% at the day's low of 24,647.48. The index rose 112.50 points or 0.45% at the day's high of 25,013.13. The Nifty 50 index fell 67.90 points or 0.89% to settle at 7,546.45, its lowest closing level since 17 March 2016. The index lost 78.50 points or 1.03% at the day's low of 7,535.85. The index rose 16.40 points or 0.21% at the day's high of 7,630.75. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was negative. On BSE, 1,454 shares fell and 1,116 shares rose. A total of 117 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index lost 0.45%. The BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.42%. The losses for both these indices were lower than the Sensex's slide in percentage terms. The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 2956 crore, higher than turnover of Rs 2208.10 crore registered during the previous trading session. Among sectoral indices on BSE, the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index (down 2.03%), the S&P BSE Capital Goods index (down 1.18%), the S&P BSE IT index (down 1.18%), the S&P BSE Auto index (down 1.17%), the S&P BSE FMCG index (down 1.17%), the S&P BSE Teck index (down 1.13%), the S&P BSE Consumer Discretionary Goods & Services index (down 0.99%), the S&P BSE Finance index (down 0.9%) and the S&P BSE Industrials index (down 0.86%), underperformed the Sensex. The S&P BSE Basic Materials index (down 0.82%), the S&P BSE Telecom index (down 0.79%), the S&P BSE Bankex (down 0.69%), the S&P BSE Realty index (down 0.67%), the S&P BSE Utilities index (down 0.62%), the S&P BSE Metal index (down 0.28%), the S&P BSE Power index (down 0.16%), the S&P BSE Oil & Gas index (up 0.13%), the S&P BSE Energy index (up 0.57%) and the S&P BSE Healthcare index (up 0.57%), outperformed the Sensex. Bank stocks edged lower. Among public sector banks, Indian Bank (down 2.56%), Andhra Bank (down 2.02%), Syndicate Bank (down 2.01%), Bank of India (down 1.88%), Union Bank of India (down 1.81%), Canara Bank (down 1.44%), Allahabad Bank (down 1.39%), United Bank of India (down 1.25%), Dena Bank (down 1.02%), State Bank of India (down 1.01%), Punjab and Sind Bank (down 0.72%), UCO Bank (down 0.66%), Punjab National Bank (down 0.49%), Vijaya Bank (down 0.32%) and Bank of Baroda (down 0.03%), edged lower. Corporation Bank (up 0.13%), IDBI Bank (up 0.44%), Central Bank of India (up 0.47%) and Bank of Maharashtra (up 0.85%), edged higher. Among private sector banks, Federal Bank (down 2.28%), IndusInd Bank (down 1.65%), City Union Bank (down 1.5%), ICICI Bank (down 1.19%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 0.57%) and HDFC Bank (down 0.52%), edged lower. Yes Bank (up 0.03%) and Axis Bank (up 0.38%) edged higher. Telecom stocks edged lower. Idea Cellular (down 1.66%), Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (down 1.49%), Reliance Communications (down 1.47%), MTNL (down 1.43%) and Bharti Airtel (down 0.88%), edged lower. The Union Cabinet yesterday, 6 April 2016, approved modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum where market determined prices are not available. This will facilitate optimal utilisation of spectrum by introducing new technologies and sharing and trading of spectrum. The most recent recommended reserve price will be taken as the provisional price for liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum where auction determined price is not available. Subsequent to the completion of the ensuing auction and with the availability of auction-determined price, the provisional price already charged will be adjusted with the auction-determined price with effect from the date of liberalisation on pro-rata basis. The announcement of the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Most pharmaceutical shares edged higher. IPCA Laboratories (up 2.59%), Piramal Enterprises (up 2.10%), Divi's Laboratories (up 1.77%), Alkem Laboratories (up 1.48%), Cadila Healthcare (up 1.41%), Lupin (up 1.41%), Wockhardt (up 1.14%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (up 1.05%), Aurobindo Pharma (up 0.95%) and Cipla (up 0.32%) edged higher. Strides Shasun (down 0.31%), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (down 1.16%), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (down 1.64%) and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 0.35%) edged lower. Shares of Tata Power and Adani Power edged lower in choppy trade after television reports that a tribunal has rejected a CECR order that allows these two power companies to charge higher prices from procurers than agreed upon for electricity produced from their plants at Mundra in Gujarat. Tata Power fell 3.83% to Rs 64.10. Adani Power fell 2.92% to Rs 33.20. Tata Power and Adani Power might go to the Supreme Court against the order, reports suggested. Maruti Suzuki India (Maruti) edged lower on media reports that a foreign brokerage has cut target price on the stock while retaining its hold rating on the stock. The scrip dropped 2.81% at Rs 3,471.35. The foreign brokerage reportedly said that yen benefit has started to reverse and is a significant headwind in the near term for Maruti. According to the calculation of the brokerage, every 1% appreciation in yen adversely affects Maruti's operating margin by 15-20 basis points (bps). The yen hit 17-month high against dollar today, 7 April 2016. The foreign brokerage reportedly said in its latest report that the valuations of the stock remain attractive. Maruti announced after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, that it has introduced the automatic transmission option for the Zeta petrol variant of its premium hatchback Baleno. The Baleno Zeta (automatic CVT) petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.47 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. With this automatic transmission options are available on Delta and Zeta trim of Baleno. Maruti said it has sold over 44,000 Baleno cars through its premium retail channel NEXA across India. The model has pending orders for 55,000 units. Baleno is also the first model by Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan. Going forward Maruti Suzuki plans to export the model to more than 100 countries from India. Tata Motors fell 0.56% to Rs 375.10. The company's British car unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today, 7 April 2016, announced that its retail sales jumped 29% to 75,303 units in March 2016 over March 2015. Sales of the Land Rover brand rose 22% to 60,128 units in March 2016 over March 2015. Sales of the Jaguar brand jumped 62% to 15,175 units in March 2016 over March 2015. JLR said that customer deliveries of Jaguar F-PACE would begin next month. Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC fell 1.99% at Rs 319.60. The stock hit a high of Rs 328.40 and a low of Rs 319 in intraday trade. Early this month, ITC announced temporary closure of manufacturing operations at all its cigarette factories in India with effect from 1 April 2016 as it awaits clarity on the quantum of mandatory pictorial health warning on cigarette packages. IT stocks edged lower. Hexaware Technologies (down 2.05%), Tech Mahindra (down 2.05%), Persistent Systems (down 1.64%), Wipro (down 1.59%), HCL Technologies (down 1.37%) and Oracle Financial Services Software (down 0.17%), edged lower. MindTree (up 0.63%) and MphasiS (up 0.94%), edged higher. Index heavyweight and IT major Infosys fell 1.62% at Rs 1,181.65 after a block deal of 55.20 lakh shares was executed on the counter at Rs 1,176.80 per share at 9:46 IST on BSE. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 15 April 2016. TCS fell 0.32% at Rs 2,470.95. The stock hit a high of Rs 2,483.40 and a low of Rs 2,458.90 in intraday trade. The company will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 18 April 2016. Shares of state-run power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) rose 4.65% at Rs 119.30 after the company said that on provisional basis its order inflow jumped 41.9% at Rs 43727 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016) over the year ended 31 March 2015 (FY 2015). Based on tentative financial performance, Bhel reported net loss of Rs 877 crore in FY 2016 as against net profit of Rs 1419 crore in FY 2015. Turnover declined 13.71% to Rs 26702 crore in FY 2016 over FY 2015. The company announced the flash results for FY 2016 during market hours today, 7 April 2016. Bhel said that it has achieved the highest-ever commissioning of projects in its history and the highest order booking in the last five years in FY 2016. Enhanced focus on project execution has resulted in Bhel creating history by way of commissioning/synchronizing an all-time high 15,059 megawatts (MW) of power generating equipment during the year, the company said in a statement. Bhel said it has achieved 94% of the capacity addition target for the twelfth plan in first four years itself. The company's order book stood at over Rs 1.10 lakh crore as on 31 March 2016. The company's continued focus on cash realization during the year has resulted in a cash surplus situation, it said. The rising trend of debtors has also been arrested, the company said. Bhel said it considers 'Make in India' as an inflexion point to significantly scale up and diversify its business mix. New opportunities are emerging in defence, railways, solar and also in the conventional power sector, with a focus on enhancing technology depth. The company is building new capabilities and exploring new business models to take advantage of emerging big-ticket opportunities and is confident of regaining the growth momentum in the near future. Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC fell 2.58% at Rs 1,072.65 after the company after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, announced that it proposes to make an additional one-time special provision of Rs 450 crore in Q4 March 2016 on standard assets. The special provision is being done voluntarily and not on account of any regulatory requirement, HDFC said. HDFC said that the company holds adequate security in respect of all its loans. Regulatory provision on standard assets and provision for non-performing loans will continue to be made as per current practice in the quarterly accounts, HDFC said. HDFC said that the profit on sale of investments for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 1520 crore (net of tax Rs 1220 crore) compared to Rs 225 crore in Q4 March 2015. The current quarter's profit includes the profit on sale of shares in HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company to Standard Life (Mauritius Holdings) 2006 Limited. The capital gains tax on the sale of shares is Rs 300 crore. Income from dividend for Q4 March 2016 was Rs 192 crore compared to Rs 179 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, under the loan assignment route, HDFC sold loans amounting to Rs 4799 crore in Q4 March 2016 to HDFC Bank compared to Rs 5000 crore during corresponding quarter of the previous year. Loans sold in the preceding twelve months amounted to Rs 12773 crore. HDFC will announce its Q4 March 2016 results on 2 May 2016. The Sensex has fallen 656.44 points or 2.59% in this month so far (till 7 April 2016). The Sensex has fallen 1,428.12 points or 5.47% in calendar year 2016 so far (till 7 April 2016). From a 52-week low of 22,494.61 hit on 29 February 2016, the Sensex has risen 2,192.81 points or 9.75%. The Sensex is off 4,408.19 points or 15.15% from a 52-week high of 29,094.61 hit on 15 April 2015. The Sensex is off 5,339.32 points or 17.78% from a record high of 30,024.74 hit on 4 March 2015. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Market is seen opening slightly lower. Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 11 points at the opening bell. In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks were mixed. US stocks snapped a two-day losing streak yesterday, 6 April 2016, led by gains in health-care shares. Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 493.56 crore yesterday, 6 April 2016, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 258.68 crore yesterday, 6 April 2016, as per provisional data. Among corporate news, shares of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), BPCL and HPCL may edge higher after the Union Cabinet decided to give oil PSUs the freedom to evolve their own policies on import of crude oil. This measure will increase the operational and commercial flexibility of oil PSUs and enable them to adopt the most effective procurement practices for import of crude oil, according to a government statement. The announcement hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Telecom stocks will be watched. The Union Cabinet yesterday, 6 April 2016, approved the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum where market determined prices are not available. This will facilitate optimal utilisation of spectrum by introducing new technologies and sharing and trading of spectrum. The most recent recommended reserve price will be taken as the provisional price for liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum where auction determined price is not available. Subsequent to the completion of the ensuing auction and with the availability of auction-determined price, the provisional price already charged will be adjusted with the auction-determined price with effect from the date of liberalisation on pro-rata basis. The announcement of the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) will be in spotlight after the ratings agency CARE has withdrawn the ratings assigned to the non-convertible debenture (NCD) issue and bank facilities of the company with immediate effect at the request of the company. Sun Pharma has fully repaid the amount under the NCD issue and there is no amount outstanding under the issue as on date, CARE said. The ratings agency said it has also received no objection certificates from the banks for withdrawal of ratings based on which the ratings assigned to the bank facilities have been withdrawn. Sun Pharma made the announcement after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, announced that it has introduced the automatic transmission option for the Zeta petrol variant of its premium hatchback Baleno. The Baleno Zeta (automatic CVT) petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.47 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. With this automatic transmission options are available on Delta and Zeta trim of Baleno. Maruti said it has sold over 44,000 Baleno cars through its premium retail channel NEXA across India. The model has pending orders for 55,000 units. Baleno is also the first model by Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan. Going forward Maruti Suzuki plans to export the model to more than 100 countries from India. Gains for metal, auto and telecom stocks offset losses for stocks of public sector banks and index heavyweight Infosys, with the two key benchmark indices registering small gains yesterday, 6 April 2016. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 17.04 points or 0.07% to settle at 24,900.63. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Maruti Suzuki India lost 2.94% to Rs 3,466.80 at 11:25 IST on BSE on reports that a foreign brokerage has cut target price on the stock while retaining its hold rating stating that valuations are still undemanding for the stock. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 118.44 points or 0.48% at 24,782.19 On BSE, so far 52,912 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 89,606 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit high of Rs 3,578 and low of Rs 3,450 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 4,789 on 23 November 2015. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 3,202.10 on 29 February 2016. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 151.04 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. The foreign brokerage has reportedly said that yen benefit has started to reverse and is a significant headwind in the near term for Maruti Suzuki India. According to reports, every 1% appreciation in yen affects 15-20 basis points (bps) margin for the company. Yen hit 17-month high against dollar today, 7 April 2016. Maruti Suzuki India after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016 announced that it has introduced the automatic transmission option for the Zeta petrol variant of its premium hatchback Baleno. The Baleno Zeta (automatic CVT) petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.47 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. With this automatic transmission options are available on Delta and Zeta trim of Baleno. Maruti said it has sold over 44,000 Baleno cars through its premium retail channel NEXA across India. The model has pending orders for 55,000 units. Baleno is also the first model by Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan. Going forward Maruti Suzuki plans to export the model to more than 100 countries from India. Maruti Suzuki India on 1 April 2016 said that its total sales rose 15.9% to 1.29 lakh units in March 2016 over March 2015. Maruti Suzuki India's net profit rose 27.1% to Rs 1019.30 crore on 20.4% growth in net sales to Rs 14767.70 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Japanese parent Suzuki Motor Corporation held 56.21% stake in Maruti Suzuki India (as per the shareholding pattern as on 31 December 2015). Powered by Capital Market - Live News Moody's Investors Service says that its Asian Liquidity Stress Index (Asian LSI) rose to 32.2% in March 2016, reaching its highest level since March 2009. The number of Moody's-rated high-yield companies with the weakest speculative-grade liquidity score of SGL-4 increased to 39 in March 2016 from 38 in February 2016, while the total number of Moody's-rated high-yield companies fell to 121 from 123 over the same period. The index measures the percentage of high-yield companies with SGL-4 scores and increases when speculative-grade liquidity appears to deteriorate. "The Asian LSI is at elevated levels because of the weakening trends in corporate liquidity across Asia," says Brian Grieser, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Analyst. "Companies in the oil & gas, metals & mining and related sectors account for in excess of 40.0% of the SGL-4 scores in our Asian liquidity index." "The 32.2% reading is approaching the record high of 37.0% reached in December 2008 amid the global financial crisis, and is higher than the trailing 12-month average of 27.6%," adds Grieser. The liquidity stress sub-index for North Asian high-yield issuers was at 33.3% in March 2016 compared to 31.6% in February 2016. Within this portfolio, the Chinese sub-index rose to 33.8% from 31.8%, as the number of Chinese companies with SGL-4 scores increased by one to 22, while the total number of high-yield Chinese companies decreased to 65 from 66. The Chinese high-yield property sub-index remained at 23.7% in March 2016 on a month-on-month basis. As for the Chinese high-yield industrial sub-index, the reading rose to 48.1% from 42.9%, as the number of industrial companies fell by one to 27, while companies with SGL-4 scores increased by one to 13. Moody's notes that this sub-index reached its highest level for the second consecutive month. The liquidity stress sub-index for South and Southeast Asian high-yield issuers rose to 30.4% in March 2016 from 29.8% in February 2016. The 30.4% reading was at the highest level since Moody's created the sub-index at the end of 2010 and was the result of a lower number of high-yield companies (46) in March 2016 compared with the 47 seen in February 2016. The Indonesian sub-index was flat at 23.8% in March 2016 on a month-on-month basis, because the number of Indonesian companies with SGL-4 scores remained at five and the total number of high-yield Indonesian companies remained at 21. Overall, Moody's says the number of rating downgrades outnumbered the number of upgrades. In particular, three high-yield companies were downgraded in March 2016, closing out Q1 2016 with 13 downgrades and no upgrades. Moody's notes that Q1 2016 represents the first quarter since Q2 2008 that has registered a lack of upgrade rating actions. Across Moody's portfolio of 121-rated high-yield issuers (excluding Japan), the percentage of negative leaning outlooksmeaning ratings with either a negative outlook or on review for downgradefell slightly to 38% in March 2016 from 39% in February 2016; but remains the second-highest tally since December 2012. While Moody's has assigned SGL scores to all 121 Moody's-rated speculative-grade companies, only 92 of these companies demonstrated rated debt outstanding at 31 March 2016. Such debt totaled $62.5 billion as of the same date. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Nava Bharat Ventures rose 1.66% at Rs 165 at 10:10 IST on BSE after the company said that it has entered into an agreement for renewal of conversion arrangement of chrome ore into ferro chrome with Tata Steel. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 194.42 points, or 0.8%, to 24,700.33. More than normal volumes were witnessed on the counter. On BSE, so far 22,760 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 4,098 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 170 and a low of Rs 163.20 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 203.40 on 13 April 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 128 on 12 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 6 April 2016, rising 2.53% compared with 1.03% gains in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 2.46% as against Sensex's 1.99% decline. The mid-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 17.86 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2. Nava Bharat Ventures said that an agreement with Tata Steel is for a period of 4 years commencing from April 2016 to produce up to 70,000 metric tonne (MT) of high carbon ferro chrome per annum at its Odisha ferro alloy plant. Net profit of Nava Bharat Ventures declined 28% to Rs 21.26 crore on 12.1% decline in net sales to Rs 244.46 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Nava Bharat Ventures operates in the business verticals of power generation, mining, ferro alloys and agri-business with multi-national operations spread over India, South East Asia and Africa. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Shares of PSU OMCs Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), BPCL and HPCL may edge higher after the Union Cabinet decided to give oil PSUs the freedom to evolve their own policies on import of crude oil. This measure will increase the operational and commercial flexibility of oil PSUs and enable them to adopt the most effective procurement practices for import of crude oil, according to a government statement. The announcement hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Telecom stocks will be in focus after the Union Cabinet yesterday, 6 April 2016, approved the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum where market determined prices are not available. This will facilitate optimal utilisation of spectrum by introducing new technologies and sharing and trading of spectrum. The most recent recommended reserve price will be taken as the provisional price for liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum where auction determined price is not available. Subsequent to the completion of the ensuing auction and with the availability of auction-determined price, the provisional price already charged will be adjusted with the auction-determined price with effect from the date of liberalisation on pro-rata basis. The announcement of the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum hit the market after trading hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Maruti Suzuki India after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016, announced that it has introduced the automatic transmission option for the Zeta petrol variant of its premium hatchback Baleno. The Baleno Zeta (automatic CVT) petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.47 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. With this automatic transmission options are available on Delta and Zeta trim of Baleno. Maruti said it has sold over 44,000 Baleno cars through its premium retail channel NEXA across India. The model has pending orders for 55,000 units. Baleno is also the first model by Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan. Going forward Maruti Suzuki plans to export the model to more than 100 countries from India. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) will be in spotlight after the ratings agency CARE has withdrawn the ratings assigned to the non-convertible debenture (NCD) issue and bank facilities of the company with immediate effect at the request of the company. Sun Pharma has fully repaid the amount under the NCD issue and there is no amount outstanding under the issue as on date, CARE said. The ratings agency said it has also received no objection certificates from the banks for withdrawal of ratings based on which the ratings assigned to the bank facilities have been withdrawn. Sun Pharma made the announcement after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. ABB India will be watched. ABB India and Welspun Energy have together installed about 700 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic projects across several states in India like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. This includes a key project of 52 MW for Maharashtra State Generation Company at Baramati, which was the first ever PPP (public-private partnership) project in the industry, in the country. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Religare Enterprises said that it has raised Rs 425 crore through issue of zero coupon unsecured unlisted non-convertible debentures (NCDs) with 12% yield on private placement basis. The allotment was made on 6 April 2016. The NCDs have maturity of 3 years from the date of allotment. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Nava Bharat Ventures said it entered into an agreement for renewal of conversion arrangement of chrome ore into ferro chrome, with Tata Steel for a period of 4 years commencing from April 2016. The company will produce up to 70,000 MT of high carbon ferro chrome per annum at its Odisha ferro alloy plant. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Brigade Enterprises announced its 'Mysuru Mane Habba' event from 8th to 10th April 2016 at the Grand Mercure Mysuru Hotel in Mysuru. The three-day event will showcase the company's 30+ offerings across South India. The event will showcase the company's residential properties under various stages of development. It will give prospective buyers an opportunity to take a pick from a wide array of properties at different price points and avail mega deals on these three days. Price offers range from 1 lakh to 25 lakhs off on the Brigade properties for these three days only. Buyers booking properties during the three-day event would also enjoy assured gold vouchers on every booking. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Diamond Power Infrastructure will be watched. Kotak Mahindra Bank said that its subsidiary, Kotak Mahindra (International) (KMIL), a foreign portfolio investor (FPI), has acquired 38.68 lakh equity shares, or 6.8% equity, of Diamond Power Infrastructure at Rs 23.65 each, aggregating to Rs 9.16 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 6 April 2016. Powered by Capital Market - Live News The Reserve Bank of India is taking a number of steps to ensure timely credit availability as also improving cash flow to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which stand as the "beacon of hope" in an otherwise difficult economic environment, RBI Deputy Governor Mr S S Mundra said at an ASSOCHAM meeting. Addressing the Bankers'- Borrowers interaction and the panel discussion with top bankers and MSME Secretary Mr K K Jalan, the RBI Deputy Governor said the central bank is in active discussion with the government, IDBI , SIDBI and other key stakeholders for launching an electronic platform for online application of loans, tracking of the status of the application with the help of seamless availability of key information on credit worthiness and guarantee. To be known as 'Universal Udyami' portal, it will have crucial links with several other related portals, eventually making life easier for the entrepreneurs and fixing responsibility of the banks, Mr Mundra said at the ASSOCHAM meeting. Besides, the RBI has issued licences to three entities for discounting of trade receivables of the MSMEs from the large corporates including the public sector enterprises. The government has also been approached to provide a legislative back up to the process, he said. Participating in the panel discussion, MSME Secretary said banks need to do more for sanctioning of loans well in time to the entrepreneurs. The feedback given to the government suggests that branch managers take as much as 8-9 months to process the application of the micro and small enterprises. He said , top bank managements must fix responsibilities at the branch level for such delays. Mr Jalan suggested setting up of MSME committees at the board levels of the banks for overseeing the timely disbursal of credit to the sector, which is so vital to the Indian economy. He regretted no responsibility is fixed for delays in sanctioning of loans to the small entrepreneurs. "How many managers have been charge-sheeted "for delaying the sanctions? He said initiatives like online platform would help, adding the government is also actively reviewing the payment cycle of the PSUs to the MSMEs. In his presentation, Chairman and Managing Director of the SIDBI, Mr Kshatrapati Shivaji said the e-portal 'Standupmitra.in launched by Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi yesterday would be a game-changer for the MSMEs in terms of credit availability, other statutory sanctions to the sector, wherein the applications would be tracked not only by the loan seekers but the higher-ups in different departments and the banks, including the RBI. Moderating the panel discussion, ASSOCHAM President Mr Sunil Kanoria said while fear of CAG, CBI and CVC is coming in the way of sanctions of bank loans, the government payments also remain a big challenge for the sector. He said while an account becomes non-performing asset in 90 days, the government payments as also those from the public sector units do not materialise in three months. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Tata Power and Adani Power dropped 2.7% and 2.34% respectively at 14:30 IST on BSE after reports of a tribunal rejecting a power regulator order allowing them to charge higher electricity prices from procurers than agreed upon from plants in Mundra. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 125.33 points, or 0.53%, to 24,769.77. Shares of Tata Power Company dropped 2.7% to Rs 64.85. The stock hit high of Rs 70 and low of Rs 60.60 so far during the day. On BSE, so far 59.46 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 4.41 lakh shares in the past one quarter. Shares of Adani Power declined 2.34% to Rs 33.40. The stock hit high of Rs 35.65 and low of Rs 30.20 so far during the day. On BSE, so far 57.40 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 9.88 lakh shares in the past one quarter. According to reports, Appellate Tribunal For Electricity (APTEL) has rejected a power regulator's order that allows these two power companies to charge higher prices from procurers than agreed upon for electricity produced from their plants at Mundra in Gujarat. Tata Power and Adani Power might go to the Supreme Court against the order, reports suggested. Adani Power, which had already factored-in the revenues of the compensatory tariff in their account books, will be reportedly hurt more by the APTEL's order. APTEL while pronouncing the order, also remarked that Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has no power to grant compensatory tariffs, report added. Tata Power Company's consolidated net profit fell 87.6% to Rs 24.46 crore on 8.9% rise in net sales to Rs 9230.47 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Adani Power reported consolidated net profit of Rs 101.75 crore in Q3 December 2015 compared with consolidated net loss of Rs 428.68 crore in Q3 December 2014. Net sales rose 12.5% to Rs 6184.08 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Powered by Capital Market - Live News A week after it blocked efforts to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, China on Thursday supported India against the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that opposes India's domestic manufacturing under its National Solar Mission. The WTO on February 24 ruled against India's 'Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission' on the plea that New Delhi's efforts towards the indigenous production of solar cells violated WTO rules. The ruling came on a 2013 complaint filed by the US. "We support India in their appeal against the WTO ruling. We support the domestic industry to manufacture products for the solar industry," said Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change of China. The Chinese support came at the 22nd BASIC Ministerial meeting on climate change held in New Delhi, where Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar was representing India. Representatives from the other countries Brazil, South Africa and China were also present. Last week, India's move to get Pathankot terror attacks mastermind, JeM chief Masood Azhar, banned by the UN was rebuffed by China - for the second such time, causing huge disappointment in India. China, a close friend of Pakistan, had said that Azhar did not meet the UN criteria to be banned as a terrorist. China's burgeoning solar industry too faces political opposition in the US. A joint statement issued by the four countries here welcomed the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change - 21st Conference of Parties (COP-21) in December last year. The United States had in 2013 filed a complaint with the WTO against India providing support to domestic solar cell manufacturers under its National Solar Mission, which Washington said was against the international trade agreement. USA claimed that India violated domestic content requirements (DCR) rules. A three-member dispute settlement panel of the WTO was set up in 2013. The panel ruled against India on February 24, 2016. India in its appeal against the WTO ruling, argued that the DCR measure were justified on the ground that they secure its compliance with laws required to promote sustainable development. India also argued that its solar programme was helping it to meet its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). India's solar energy programme is considered one of the world's largest and fastest renewable energy programmes. At present India generates around 5,000 megawatts of solar energy from virtually nil some five years back. India had also scaled up its target to produce solar energy by pushing ahead the 20,000 megawatts of solar electricity generation to 1,00,000 megawatts by 2022. In the meeting, India along with China, Brazil and South Africa issued a joint statement to ratify the Paris 'COP 21 Global Climate Agreement' in New York on April 22. Andhra Pradesh is all set to introduce rotavirus vaccine to combat diarrhoeal deaths among children, an official said on Thursday. The state has received 460,000 doses of rotavac, the country's first indigenous rotavirus vaccine. Addressing a media orientation workshop organized by the state government and UNICEF ahead of the launch, Vanisri Saride, joint director, child health and immunisation, said the vaccine will soon become a part of the state government's Universal Immunisation Programme and health staff in districts had been imparted training for implementation of the programme. The participants were briefed about the importance of new vaccines in reducing under-five child mortality and improving child survival. Andhra Pradesh will thus become the second state after Odisha to introduce vaccine. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are the other two states which will be covered under the first phase. Later, it will be expanded across the country. The vaccine will be made available at all government hospitals, sub-centres and immunisation session sites. Officials of the state government, UNICEF, World Health Organisation and Indian Institute of Public Health explained the importance of the vaccine. Andhra Pradesh has shown 17 per cent decline in the under-5 mortality between 2009 and 2012. Yet each year diarrhoea affects 8 percent children under five years, which is a high number. "Rotavirus alone is responsible for 40 percent of the severe diarrhea cases, and kills one child every 4 minutes in India. We are confident that the introduction of this vaccine will bring down the Infant Mortality Rate in the state," said UNICEF health specialist Sanjeev Upadhaya. The vaccine would be administered, along with other available vaccines, in three doses at 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks during the regular immunisation sessions across 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh. Each dose comprises 5 drops per child. Globally, children are provided with rotavirus vaccine through national immunisation programme, in 80 countries, to reduce child deaths and disabilities from diarrhoea. Akash Malik of John Snow Incorporation said India became the first country in Asia to come out with the vaccine. He said while the vaccine was available in private hospitals for nearly a decade, it did not reach majority of the children as each dose used to cost Rs.1,000. K. N. Arun Kumar of WHO India, said rotavirus diarrohea was killing 1.22 lakh to 1.53 lakh children in India every year and was the third leading cause of deaths among children under the age of five. Vivek Singh of Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, called for reaching the unreached to protect the children belonging to socially and geographically distanced sections of the society. The first business summit of the Asean with India's northeastern region opened here on Thursday with its focus on road connectivity, trade and tourism. The three-day summit has been organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. About 140 representatives, including from the Asean, are taking part. Bangladesh Commerce Minister T. Ahmed, the only minister at the meet from abroad, said: "The summit is very important for Bangladesh because of the close proximity (with India's northeast). "Besides, exports to India touched $570 million in 2014-15 as against $500 million the previous financial year." Ahmed said Bangladesh could also export fish to Manipur. He said the number of special economic zones in his country where foreigners can easily invest will go up from 30 to 100. Manipur's Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam said the northeast was located at the "trijunction of South, East and Southeast Asia. "We expect to sign trade agreements with Bangladesh since three (other) northeastern states have already signed such agreements," he said. Navin Verma, Secretary in the Department of North Eastern Region (DONER), said that Rs.30,000 crore was earmarked to develop the sprawling region that borders Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China. He said that the per capita income was more than the all-India figure in some northeastern states like Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. He said road connectivity was being improved and with more flights to and from Imphal, besides better bus and train services in the region, tourism could develop in the northeast. Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh was to be the chief guest at the event but could not turn up. Australia should follow Britain's lead and impose a "sugar tax" in order to curb the skyrocketing number of diabetes cases, a leading health expert said on Thursday. Stephen Colagiuri, a diabetes expert and the only Australian to contribute to the World Health Organization's (WHO) inaugural global report on the disease, said the number of people worldwide who live with diabetes had quadrupled since 1980. According to the report - released on World Health Day - 422 million people worldwide were currently living with the condition, reports Xinhua news agency. Colagiuri said Australia was one of the worst nations for feasting on sugary snacks, something evidenced by the high number of diabetes cases. "We are also regrettably average in the increasing rates of diabetes that we see in Australia," Colagiuri told the Australia Broadcasting Corp (ABC). "And we're fairly high up on the list of countries with regard to overweight and obesity, which is a major driver of diabetes." Colagiuri said government intervention was crucial to getting the message through to Australians that too much sugar can have negative effects on the human body. He said a "sugar tax" - similar to the one enacted by the British government last month - was one way the government could tackle the problem and discourage Australians from seeking out sugary foods. "A sugar tax will clearly not be the only solution to the problem, but there has never been a successful public health intervention which has not involved some form of legislation and regulation, and leaving the changes to be made on a voluntary basis simply doesn't work," he said. World Health Day is a global health awareness day held every April 7. British authorities said Thursday that nearly a million potholes across England will be filled in with government funding of 50 million pounds ($70 million) over the next 12 months. More than 100 councils in England will receive funding to remove around 943,000 potholes from local roads during this financial year, Xinhua news agency quoted a government statement as saying. The funding has been made available as part of the 250 million British pounds' Pathole Action fund included in last month's Budget which will fix over four million potholes by 2020-21. A court on Thursday sentenced BSP MP Narendra Kashyap, his wife Devendri Devi and their son Sagar to 14 days judicial custody over the alleged dowry death of Sagar's wife Himani. After Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Kamruzzama Khan passed his order in the evening, all three were taken to the Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad. Earlier, police arrested Rajya Sabha member Narendra Kashyap, his wife and son on charges of causing the death of Himani, 29, over dowry. Three other accused -- younger son Siddharth and sister-in-laws Sarita and Shobha -- were said to be absconding. Himani was found dead with a gunshot injury in her head in a bathroom of their house on Wednesday. Police said she married Sagar Kashyap about three years ago and was the mother of a year-old son. The arrests were made after a criminal case was registered against Narendra Kashyap and his family members for killing Himani for dowry. The complaint was filed by Om Prakash, Himani's uncle. The MP and his wife got admitted in the intensive care unit of Yashoda Hospital complaining of chest pain. But police arrested them there after a discussion with the doctors. Sagar was arrested from the residence. The complaint alleged that Himani was shot dead because the Kashyap family was unhappy with the dowry she had brought. The MP's family was accused of demanding a Fortuner SUV vehicle after the wedding. Himani's father Hira Lal Kashyap is a former Uttar Pradesh minister. "We have registered a criminal case on charges of causing dowry death and cruelty under the Indian Penal Code and under the Dowry Prohibition Act," a police officer said. Police said on Wednesday that the Kashyap family did not alert them about the death, and they came to know about it from the hospital where she was taken. The Union Food Ministry on Thursday reviewed the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Bihar and asked the state government to ensure timely lifting of foodgrain from Food Corporation of India warehouses. The Bihar government was directed to upload the data of all beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) on the state's PDS portal, they said. The central directive came after a high-level central team visited Patna to review the PDS system in Bihar and suggest remedial measures. The late lifting of foodgrain in Bihar was reported from Patna, Araria, Bhojpur, Bhagalpur and Saharsa districts, official sources said here. "It is depriving a number of beneficiaries of wheat at Rs.2 per kg and rice at Rs.3 per kg," the sources said. After complaints of irregularities in these districts, raids were conducted at warehouses and licences of some private transporters suspended, they added. After daylong discussions with senior Bihar officials, the central team led by Joint Secretary in the Food Ministry Deepak Kumar found that there was delay in lifting of foodgrain in some districts, due to which ration was not distributed to intended beneficiaries on time. The team found that the state had not uploaded the data pertaining to the NFSA beneficiaries on its PDS portal till date, which is a mandatory requirement for the allocation of highly subsidised foodgrain. The team's visit followed Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's orders in this regard after the death of Jago Manjhi "due to starvation", the sources said. The death of Manjhi, 60, a Mahadalit of Sherpar village in Sheikhpura district, last month was taken up in the state assembly as well. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and other opposition parties created a pandemonium in the assembly on March 29, demanding a high-level probe into the death. The Nitish Kumar government, however, said Manjhi died of ill-health and that there was nobody to take care of him. The ruling alliance partner Shiv Sena on Thursday expressed alarm over the drought situation in Maharashtra and said mere chanting of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" will not resolve the water crisis in the state. Drawing the government's attention to the critical situation in the thirsty and parched regions of the state, the Shiv Sena said the drought could create a potential law and order situation and must be tackled on top priority. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared that he would not stop saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' even if he had to sacrifice his chair," the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "It would have been better had he said he would kick the chair if he failed to solve the state's water problems." Dark predictions have been made that the third world war would be fought over water -- and the present condition in Maharashtra is a pointer to the plausibility of that prophecy, said the 'Saamana' editorial. "Some youth have taken to Maoism to combat injustice... What if the youth now take to arms and terror just for a sip of water? Then the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' would be meaningless," it said. There is no point now blaming the previous regime for failing to tackle the water crises, it said. "Now, it is your government. You cannot keep the people thirsty and still expect them to get ignited by 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and other patriotic slogans," the Sena bluntly told the senior alliance partner, Bharatiya Janata Party. Outlining the critical situation, the Sena said in many parts of Marathwada and north Maharashtra strict orders under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) banning assembly of five or more persons have been imposed, public water tanks are being guarded by the police 24x7, people keep their domestic water storage under lock ans key, and the water mafia is raising its ugly head. In some areas like Aurangabad, water is supplied once in 40 days, there is no water for drinking, cooking, sanitation. Cattle are dying and farms look like 'smashaan' (crematorium ground), it said. Worse, the situation is turning serious even in major cities like Thane, Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai. "Industries are shutting down and unemployment is rife. Merely chanting slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and playing in the name of patriotism will not quench peoples' thirst," the Sena warned. The Sena urged Fadnavis to "remain seated in the chair, and ensure water for the people of Maharashtra." The Congress on Thursday accused the government of ignoring International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' (ICIJ) leaks of offshore investments in the past and demanded Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's resignation over his son's alleged ownership of assets in the British Virgin Islands. The opposition party also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team probe against all those whose names have cropped up in the 'Panama Papers' case till date. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that an ICIJ leak about two years back revealed Raman Singh's son Abhishek Singh name. The list spelled his name as 'Abhishak Singh', with an 'a'. A company -- Quest Heights Ltd. -- was said to be registered in the name of 'Abhishak Singh'. Abhishek Singh is a Lok Sabha member from Rajanandgaon in Chhattisgarh. The Congress also shared a link which showed that 'Abhishak Singh' was one of the shareholders of Quest Heights Ltd. The connection between Abhishek Singh and 'Abhishak Singh' was brought out by the address provided: c/o Raman Medical Store New Bus Stand Vindhyavasini Ward, Ward no. 20, Kawardha. Kawardha. It is similar to the address that shows up on the website of the Chhattisgarh assembly, as one of the two addresses of Raman Singh: 'Raman Medical Stores, Main Road Kawardha, Dist-Kawardha'. "This proves the connection. The government has ignored ICIJ investigations for a year, which alleges serious fraud, holding of offshore assets and money laundering in offshore accounts through fictitious companies by Abhishek Singh, a BJP MP and son of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh," said Ramesh. Ramesh demanded that Raman Singh should resign and a probe initiated against his son. "We demand that the role of Raman Singh and Abhishek Singh be probed in a timely manner without any favour." Citing the example of Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who stepped down in the wake of the leaked Panama Papers, Ramesh said that Raman Singh should also resign on similar grounds. "When this issue was raised by the Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh the only answer Abhishek Singh had was that he has no foreign bank accounts. He chose to be vague by not mentioning any investments in form of shareholdings in a company," said Ramesh. "We demand a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe against all those whose names have cropped up in 'Panama Papers' leaks -- now and in the past. The government has set up a multi-group agency to investigate the matter further," he added. "While the structure, domain, reach and authority of this agency is unclear, the announcement is disappointing and inadequate. For an independent probe, a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe is necessary," Ramesh said. "The Indian list of tax evaders who have invested their ill-gotten wealth in Panama are known friends, well-wishers and ambassadors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said. Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Thursday said he could not visit some of the 10 tribal regions due to security concerns due to the presence of Maoists. "I honestly admit that I could not visit all the 10 blocks because of leftwing extremism," Oram said, inaugurating a conference of state tribal welfare ministers, principal secretaries and secretaries here. He said he was advised not to go to these region, he said, adding that the ministry was giving special attention to development in these areas. The Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana was launched on pilot basis in one block each of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The central government gives Rs.10 crore to each block for tribal development. Oram said the government will rope in MPs and MLAs for development of tribal areas. "We often see that only some ministers and officials are involved with important projects in tribal areas. We are looking forward to include MPs and MLAs in such projects," he said. He said there should be competition among states for promoting tribal welfare and that 20-25 percent more funds will be allocated to states that do well in the area. Oram said he wasn't satisfied with the performance of his ministry, and that it should have done much better work. "What we should have achieved for tribals is not satisfactory." Expressing shock that a "piao" (drinking water kiosk) near Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk which was demolished on Wednesday following the court's order, was reconstructed overnight, the Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered its immediate removal and round the clock police presence in the area. "How can you allow it to be reconstructed? Why wasn't somebody posted? This is an upfront challenge to the court. This is not tolerable. We will issue contempt of court notices to those responsible," said a division bench of Justice S. Murlidhar and Justice Vibhu Bakhru said while issuing contempt of court notices to two leaders of the Sikh groups who were leading the mob after Wednesday's demolition drive. The court directed the North Municipal Corporation of Delhi to remove the water kiosk and cordon of the area until further orders. An encroachment drive, undertaken by the civic body after the March 28 court orders for the removal of illegal encroachments, including illegal religious structures, in Chandni Chowk within two weeks, had triggered protests and violence in the area on Wednesday. Soon after the municipal officials accompanied by police demolished the water kiosk, a mob of devotees gathered on the spot and launched a protest. The protesters rebuilt the water kiosk after the municipal officials left. Terming the incident as "an open challenge" to the court order, the bench said: "If anyone tries to obstruct the court's order, the civic officials will be answerable to the court for wilful violation of court's order." During the hearing, Delhi Police said that besides the two leaders, others who were present in the mob were being identified through CCTV footage of the incident. Hearing the submissions of police, the court called for the CCTV footage of the entire incident along with the one showing reconstruction of the kiosk. It also directed the civic body to submit a report on what exactly happened during the demolition drive, while also asking police to explain why the matter got "out of hand" during the demolition drive. "DCP (deputy commissioner of police) concerned has to explain what kind of security was provided at the spot and how police permitted reconstruction of the piao," it said. Posting the matter for Friday, the court also directed police to ensure maintenance of law and order in the area. On Wednesday the court ordered police to take all necessary steps to prevent further law and order disturbance in the Chandni Chowk area in the wake of a drive to remove illegal encroachments. The Supreme Court on Thursday told liquor baron Vijay Mallya to disclose all his assets - movable and immovable and tangible and intangible - and other shareholding and beneficial interests in India and abroad by April 21. An apex court bench comprising Justice Kurien Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman asked Mallya to disclose all the assets held by his wife and children and indicate the date when he can appear before it in person. "Senior counsel (C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for Mallya) would take specific instructions on probable date of appearance (of Mallya) in person before the court," the court said. The court said Mallya would also indicate in his affidavit "what is the amount he is prepared to deposit in the court for a meaningful negotiated settlement" and to prove his bonafides. The court asked him to furnish all the details of the assets, in India and outside, held by him, his wife and children in a sworn affidavit. As the court sought details of the assets, counsel Vaidyanathan said the same were provided to the banks in March 2010 when he gave a personal guarantee to return the loans. At this juncture, Justice Nariman asked him to update the information. The order came after a consortium of 13 banks led by the State Bank Of India (SBI) told the apex court that it had rejected Mallya's offer to pay Rs.4,000 crore by September to settle his outstanding dues amounting to more than Rs.9,000 crore. The banks had given loans to his now grounded Kingfisher Airlines. The court asked Mallya to indicate when he could appear before it, noting the submission by senior counsel Shyam Divan to court that "for any meaningful negotiation (with senior officials of the banks), the presence of Vijay Mallya is absolutely necessary". The court was told that the banks have rejected the modified proposal received from Mallya on April 6 evening. Mallya on March 30 offered the SBI to pay Rs. 4000 crore in cash by September and another Rs.2,000 crore that he expects to get if he succeeds in his suit against multinational General Electric. The court also allowed the impleadment application by the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and asked it file its response by April 25. The OBC said it was not a part of the larger consortium led by SBI but one of other two consortiums that advanced loans to Mallys. Senior counsel S.S. Naganand, also appearing for the consortium of banks, said: "Any settlement that is reached will take care of all the interests." He said in response to a query if the settlement will also include the claims by OBC. The consortium led by SBI on Thursday told the court that they were for a "negotiated settlement" and for that to happen there should be a "full and fair disclosure of assets" held by Mallya. There could be "no contingency" proposal (like expectation of getting Rs.2,000 crore from GE), substantial deposits had to be made to prove his bonafides and Mallya had to be present for a negotiated settlement. Pointing out that "negotiated settlement is always good", Divan told the court that "contest (for recovering money) is not acceptable to us (consortium of banks)". Besides SBI, the other banks who gave loans to Kingfisher include State Bank of Baroda, State Bank of Mysore, Axis Bank, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, IDBI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. The next hearing of the matter would take place on April 26. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said every bit of "Panama Papers" which point toward offshore companies set up by more than 500 Indians, will be probed and that people with illegal money stashed abroad "won't get to sleep" at night now. "In last three days we have formed a group. We are analysing each and every account to find out what is legal and what is illegal," Jaitley said in an interview to ETV News Network, referring to the probe ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Those who are having legal accounts, they need not worry and those having illegal accounts won't get sleep at night," the finance minister said, adding: "Those people who have kept it illegally, we will try to detect it fully. And I think that soon every thing will be made clear." For four days now the media around the world has been carrying stories on people with offshore firms, as part of the expose by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and over 100 global media organisations, dubbed the "Panama Papers". It is based on millions of leaked documents of a Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helped in setting up these companies. But Indian authorities have also said not every off-shore company opened by an Indian need be illegitimate. In the interview, the finance minister also sought to clarify what Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan said on the legality of offshore companies opened by Indians. He said such firms can be opened with the central bank's permission. "So, I think he (Rajan) must have said it in that reference -- that people who have kept the money by taking permission from the RBI is legitimate and who have kept the money by not taking permission of RBI is not legitimate." Adding a political twist to the black money issue, Jaitley said while some people were angry with him because the government was strict, some previous regimes kept silent on the issue of illegal money parked abroad. "Liechtenstein accounts came to light and Congress government didn't do anything. Complete investigation, assessments and criminal proceedings have now been undertaken against one and all of the accused. Taxes are being collected and criminal proceedings going on," he said. He said similar steps were being taken with respect to the information of about the 628 HSBC accounts of Indians. Some 500-525 people have been traced, assessment orders passed and criminal cases filed against 150 persons. As regards the third round of expose -- again by the ICIJ -- Jaitley said assessments were being done on that and 52 prosecutions have been filed till date. Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of indulging in politics over the dead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Kolkata flyover tragedy was "god's message" to people to save Bengal from the Trinamool Congress. "The flyover collapsed, such a big tragedy; if some chief goes what does he or she do; they try to save people, assist in rescue work. But what did Didi (Banerjee) do? The first thing she did was to declare that it was the Left Front that gave the contract (for the project). "Forget Left or right, think about those who are dying, Didi," said Modi referring to the May 31 Vivekananda flyover collapse in Kolkata which killed 26 people. "At least give respect to the dead; but for Didi, it's the chair which is only visible and not the dying people. "Look at the shamelessness; it was such a massive tragedy but she started a blame game," he said, about the project which was conceived and the contract awarded during the previous Left Front regime. "I want to ask Didi, if this flyover would have been completed and while inaugurating it, would you have said the contract was given by the Left? No, you would have taken the credit for it. Now that it has collapsed, you are blaming others. This is all part of your business of money and death," the prime minister said addressing a party rally here in Alipurduar district. Castigating Banerjee over the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam and the recent sting operation in which several Trinamool leaders were allegedly caught taking bribes, Modi said the Trinamool government was caught up in the "business of money and business of death". Calling the tragedy an "act of fraud", Modi said: "They are saying it is an act of god, but actually it is an act of fraud. "It is an act of god in the sense that it happened during election time so that people may know what kind of government she has been running. God has sent a message to the people - that today this bridge has collapsed, tomorrow she will finish off entire Bengal. God's message to you all is to save Bengal," said Modi appealing to the people to give one chance to the BJP in the state elections. He also charged Banerjee with undermining the welfare of the state by not attending meets convened by the central government. "I wonder what kind of chief minister is she. Whenever the central government calls a meeting on important subjects, where all the states can put forth their issues and demands, she has always skipped them because those meetings are called by Modi." Pointing to Banerjee's "closeness" to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi also ridiculed the Left Front-Congress tie up. "She doesn't come to Delhi to attend meetings called by Modi. But whenever she comes to Delhi, she never forgets to meet Sonia Gandhi," he alleged. "You have seen enough of the Left and the Trinamool both of which have done everything to destroy Bengal. Give one chance to BJP and we will show you what development means," added Modi, claiming that all the states in which his party was in power have witnessed all round development. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Thursday expressed surprise over the manner in which intelligence inputs about armed terrorists from Pakistan entering India was leaked to the media. "My question is, how can information passed on by intelligence agencies leak, when it is sent to the police? Once it is in the media, everyone becomes alert," Parsekar told reporters on the sidelines of a media event at the state secretariat. Media reports quoting intelligence sources on Wednesday said three armed terrorists from Pakistan had slipped into India via the Punjab border and were heading towards Mumbai, Delhi or Goa. Parsekar refused to qualify the severity of the threat, but said "all precautionary measures are being taken". On Wednesday, Goa's Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg said police were on the lookout for a car in which the suspected terrorists could be driving, but that the vehicle has not been traced in the state. "We got a message about a car, which was circulated all over India including Maharashtra and Goa. We searched for the car all over Goa, but we did not find it. Our ATS, Special Branch and police are all on the job over the last 2-3 days, but we did not find the car," Garg said. Search engine Google is paying tribute to late musician Pandit Ravi Shankar on his 96th birth anniversary on Thursday by a doodle with a sitar as the centrepiece. Ravi Shankar was one of the best-known 20th century exponents of the sitar. Designed by artist Kevin Laughlin, the doodle has the letters GOOGLE in the form of a creeping plant with a sitar standing upright towards the right. Ravi Shankar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 1999. He died on December 11, 2012. The government will attempt to break the deadlock on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the Rajya Sabha by engaging the opposition Congress party in discussions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday. "The only opponent on the GST is the Congress party. In its belated wisdom, the Congress has demanded a constitutional cap on the GST rate. I am going to discuss with them," he said, addressing the Growth Net conference here. Jaitley said the GST Council would decide the tax rate, but he favoured a "reasonable" rate. "I hope there will be some consensus on that reasonable rate between two national parties," the minister said. The bill for a pan-India GST for a thorough reform of the country's indirect tax regime has been passed by the Lok Sabha, but is stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks a majority. The government hopes to have the bill passed in the second half of the Budget session of Parliament\ beginning on April 25. Jaitley juxtaposed the use of the upper house to "block" the decision making with the need to allow the view of the "directly elected house" -- the Lok Sabha -- to prevail. "To what extent our upper house is going to be used to block economic decision making. In Australia the debate is on; the UK has gone through this debate a while ago, and Italy is having the same debate. Because ultimately the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained," he said. The finance minister said the Congress party, which had sponsored the law in the first place, has now "curiously" changed its stand. "I am faced with a reversal of position when I accept some of the moves which the Congress party itself started," he said. "GST was first mooted by Chidambaram and then introduced by the present President when he was finance minister, and there is no point in taking a reversal as far as those issues are concerned," he said, referring to two of his predecessors. Referring to the ongoing opposition to levying of excise duty on jewellery, Jaitley said it is not justified to keep "luxury items" untaxed. "I want to make it clear that when tax imposes on items of common people and the society runs through tax, then it's not justified to keep luxury items aside from tax," he said. On Monday, he said exempting luxury items from indirect tax would not help keeping the proposed GST rate in the 16-18 percent range. "If luxury items are kept out, then it will be very difficult to keep the GST (Goods and Services Tax) rate between 16 percent and 18 percent," Jaitley had said. Jewellers are continuing their protest strike against the one percent excise duty on non-silver jewellery introduced by the finance minister in the union budget for the current financial year. Jaitley had earlier said an 18 percent cap on the GST rate as suggested by the Congress party would result in a flawed system as it could lower duties on a host of "sin" products and luxury items that should attract higher taxes. At least 111 people have died due to sunstroke in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during last few days as the two states are experiencing intense heat wave conditions, officials said. As many as 66 people died in Telangana while 45 succumbed in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Most of the deaths were reported during last one week. According to Telangana's disaster management department, Mahabubnagar district accounted for highest number of deaths at 28, while 11 people died in Medak district. Heat wave conditions claimed seven lives in Nizamabad, five each in in Khammam and Karimnagar, four each in Adilabad and Warangal and two in Nalgonda. No deaths have been reported from Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy district. According to the met department, there ws appreciable rise in maximum temperatures at one or two places in Telangana on Thursday. The highest maximum temperature of 41 degree Celsius was recorded in Nalgonda, Hanamakonda, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Ramagundam. In Andhra Pradesh, 45 people died of sunstroke during last one week. Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa told reporters in Vijayawada that 16 of the deaths were reported from YSR Kadapa district while Prakasam accounted for 11 deaths. Four died in Anantapur, three each in Vijayanagaram, Chittoor and Kurnool, two each in Srikakulam and Krishna districts and one in West Godavari district. He said the government would extend all possible help the families of the heat wave victims. He said hospitals across the state had been alerted to be prepared to tackle the situation. "People have been advised to avoid venturing out of their houses during day times, especially between 12 noon and 3 p.m.," he said. According to the met department, the temperature was above normal at many places over Rayalaseema and appreciably above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The highest maximum temperature of 42 degree Celsius was recorded at Anantapur and Nandyal. Disaster Management Commissioner Dhanunjaya Reddy on Thursday briefed Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of the situation and the steps taken to brace the heat wave. He said the district administration along with the medical and health department has undertaken a massive awareness campaign and makeshift medical camps. Oral rehydration salts and intravenous fluids have been made available at public places. Construction workers and labourers have been instructed not to work between 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Officials said all precautionary measures were taking in view of the forecast that the summer will be warmer. The heat wave had claimed nearly 2,000 lives in the two states last year. US presidential candidate and self-styled Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders said his opponent and front-runner Hillary Clinton was not "qualified" to be president. "Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous," he told a crowd in Philadelphiaon Wednesday. "And she has been saying lately that she thinks that I am 'not qualified' to be president. Well, let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton: I don't believe that she is qualified." Sanders beat Clinton with 54 percent to 46 percent on Tuesday during the Wisconsin presidential primary on Tuesday. The win in Wisconsin will also allows Sanders to make the case to "super-delegates", who can make up their minds about whom to support. After Wisconsin, the next state to vote in the primaries to elect the Republican and Democratic candidates for the November presidential election is New York, where voters will go the polls on April 19. Sanders, during his speech went on to turn that critique back on the former secretary of state. "I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I don't think you are qualified if you have supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement which has cost us millions of decent paying jobs," he said. The two candidates will face off in a debate in New York on April 14, hosted by TV channels CNN and NY1. Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of creating an atmosphere of terror, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed people were so afraid that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand nephew Chandra Kumar Bose, contesting against her on a BJP ticket in Kolkata's Bhowanipore assembly constituency, was unable to get an office on rent. "What have you (Banerjee) turned West Bengal to? Subhas babu's grand nephew Chandra Kumar Bose is fighting for BJP. Didi (elder sister, as Banerjee is affectionately called) is so nervous that she has created an atmosphere of terror. "People are so terrorised that no one is ready to rent out any house to Chandra Bose to set up his office," Modi said at an election meeting in this industrial town - about 200 kms from Kolkata - of Burdwan district "They say 'if we give you a house, they'll ruin us. We will vote for you, but as long as didi is there, we can't give you any house on rent. Because then we won't be alive'. Is this democracy?" he asked. Polling in Bhowanipore will be held on in the fifth phase on April 30. Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton are set for their maiden visit to India on April 10, and Indian designers are hoping that they add an Indian element to their classy dressing style. Whether it is about using any indigenous crafts of India, choosing traditional saris or even dresses in Indian weaves, designers would like to see the uber stylish Duchess of Cambridge in something close to the country's heritage. In fact, she seemed to have made quite a 'diplomatically' impressive decision when she chose to wear an India-born designer's creation when she had to welcome Indian and Bhutanese expats who live, work and study in Britain to Kensington Palace in London. Hopefully, she flaunts more Indian creations when she's in the country. As for Prince William, Indian designers feel he would carry off a tussar tuxedo or a Nehru jacket with panache. Ace designer Ritu Beri, who was among the first Indians to storm the catwalks of Paris over two decades ago, feels the good looking couple that they are, "she'd love to give them a modern flavour with an Indian touch" in clothes. "I would definitely dress up Kate in a bright colour but without embroidery. To Prince William, I would give a Nehru jacket," Beri told IANS. Rahul Mishra, another name in the Indian fashion Industry who is doing wonders globally and is a regular on the Paris runway, wants to pick some pieces from his recent showcasing in Paris for Kate Middleton. "I would like to dress the Duchess of Cambridge in beautiful bandhini in the form of western deconstructed kurta kind of look from my recent Paris show," Mishra told IANS, adding that the idea behind choosing bandhini is because she is coming to India and it's a very Indian craft". Mishra considers Kate "a breath of fresh air as a style icon". Designer Samant Chauhan, who works extensively with Bhagalpuri silk in his creations, would like the royal couple to add some silk to their wardrobe in India. "I would suggest Kate Middleton a Bhagalpuri silk sari with nice jacket style blouse as I feel she is very classy and her personality oozes elegance. For Prince William, a tuxedo in tussar silk fabric in dark brown shade with plain white shirt and nice pocket square will work really well," Chauhan told IANS. A long and slim skirt in an ivory or cream with tone on tone hand embroidery can also look great on Kate, says designer Payal Jain. "This could be highlighted with precious detailing like pearls and shells. It will be subtle and delicate. It can be teamed with a structured silk jacket, just covering the waist. The neck could be diving to allow for a simple pearl strand but, devoid of any embroidery," she told IANS. For Prince William, a taste of the local culture would be appropriate, Jain said, adding: "I would dress him in a black cashmere herringbone bandhgala suit. The fabric itself is exquisite and rich and does not need any embellishment. The lining could be vibrant, inspired by the age-old pashmina shawls of India." After flying to Mumbai on April 10, the royal couple will travel to New Delhi on April 11. They will be in Assam on April 12 and 13 to visit the Kaziranga National Park and pay tribute to the rural traditions of the communities who live around the park. The royal couple will travel on April 14 to the neighbouring Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and return on April 16 to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal, a Unesco World Heritage monument, at the conclusion of their two-nation tour. (Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ias.in) Japanese stocks extended losses on Thursday morning as the yen appreciated versus the US dollar as the US Federal Reserve reiterated its dovish stance on the pace of future tax hikes. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 39.40 points, or 0.25 percent, from Wednesday to 15,675.96, Xinhua news agency reported. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 2.36 points, or 0.19 percent, to 1,265.39. Notable issues that lost ground by the morning break comprised retail, transportation equipment and food-linked stocks. Actor and musician Jared Leto is on board to star in action thriller "The Outsider". The 30 Seconds to Mars frontman, who won an Oscar for his appearance in "Dallas Buyers Club", will play an American soldier in the upcoming film set in post-World War II Japan, reports aceshowbiz.com. First imprisoned, the soldier later gets released with the help of his Yakuza cellmate. Now free, he sets out to earn their respect and repay his debt while navigating the dangerous criminal underworld. "The Outsider" is scheduled to begin production this fall. Martin Zandvliet, the filmmaker behind "Land of Mine", which was lauded at last year's Toronto International Film Festival, is directing based on a script penned by "Bastille Day" writer Andrew Baldwin. No release date has been announced yet. Leto will next be seen on screen as Joker in "Suicide Squad" which is set for an August 5 release in US. Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Thursday lodged a legal complaint against Hrithik Roshan for "misusing" the confidential emails and photographs used at the time when they were together. Kangana's lawyer has written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner demanding strict action against Hrithik for circulating photos of her client to "non-concerned third parties that are wilfully outraging client's modesty and imputing unchastity to her". The letter sent to the police authority -- a copy of which is with IANS -- reads: "My client Ms. Kangana Ranaut has been given to understand that her absolutely private and confidential emails as well as photographs etc. which were collected by Mr. Hrithik Roshan during his association with her are being malafidely and mischievously misused by Mr. Hrithik Roshan with criminal intentions of damaging my client's reputation and to wilfully impute unchastity to her. "Please do note that Mr. Hrithik Roshan had even criminally threatened my client of these actions in his notice to my client. However, as his notice received a befitting reply from me and he was not in a position to reply to the same, he is now indulging in these criminal acts to put fear in my client's mind." The lawyer has said that while his client is "reserving her rights to file a proper complaint in the form of a FIR, you are in the meantime requested to immediately look into the said matter and prevent cognisance of any such offence if the same has yet not been blatantly committed". The row between the actors started earlier in 2016 when Kangana hinted at a "silly ex" when she was asked to react to reports that she was dropped from "Aashiqui 3" at Hrithik's behest. Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton opted to wear a high-collared Mary Illusion Dot Dress by India-born designer Saloni Lodha when she welcomed to Kensington Palace here Indian and Bhutanese expats who live, work and study in Britain. The event took place on Wednesday. Middleton's dress featured a sheer panel down the front of her chest. She looked beautiful as she sported matching eyeshadow while letting her wavy hair loose. She completed her style with a pair of sapphire earrings, a silver ring and blue pointed heels, reports aceshowbiz.com. She was accompanied by her husband Prince William as the two greeted guests before their visits to India and Bhutan next week. The event was attended by India's High Commissioner to Britain Navtej Sarna as well as members of the business, charity and academic sectors. The couple also spoke to students enrolled on the FCO's Chevening Scholarship Programme and Burberry model Neelam Gill, whose family is originally from the Punjab. "It is a chance for Their Royal Highnesses to learn more about India and Bhutan's people, history, current affairs and culture ahead of their forthcoming tour to the two countries," a spokesman said. The couple's trip will also include a visit to Dubai, Kaziranga National Park and the Taj Mahal. A U/A certificate to Disney's "The Jungle Book" has raised several eyebrows in India, but the movie's director Jon Favreau says that while the story is woven with a splash of dark tones, he has ensured that it is child-friendly. The film, which stars Indian-American actor Neel Sethi, will release in India on Friday, a week before it releases in the US. The movie has also been given a PG (under parental guidance) certification in the US, and India's Central Board of Film Certification chief Pahlaj Nihalani gave the film a U/A certificate saying that it is scary. When an IANS correspondent, who had met Favreau on a special visit earlier this year, had asked the filmmaker about infusing shades of darkness in the storyline, he commented that "the bad guy has to bad". "Yes, there are dark tones to the film. A lot of clues came from looking at how Walt Disney would do it, especially with his early animation. It was not made for kids. We are trying to show it something like that. "I am a dad of three kids and I want to make sure that it is something that my kids would be comfortable in seeing," said Favreau. The director added "but that doesn't mean you can't scare them sometimes a little bit. You know what I mean ...the bad guy has to bad". Built on the structure of Rudyard Kipling's timeless classic and the power of the 1967 animation film, Favreau has re-imagined the world of an enchanting Indian jungle for "The Jungle Book". It showcases Mowgli's journey of self-discovery when he is forced to abandon his home in the forest, and all the creatures he meets during his journey. The "Iron Man" fame director also shared: "Death is a real thing in Disney movies, but to have everything dark doesn't mean that you cannot have humour and emotions. "What I remember most from 'Jungle Book' is music, humour but most importantly the emotional connection between characters and that was the part I wanted to make sure that we include." The film is supported by a stellar cast including Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken. And its Hindi dubbed version for the Indian audience, is voiced by a string of popular Bollywood stars, including names like Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan. As China continues to increase its engagement with Maldives, the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago nation, Abdulla Yameen, is to arrive in India on April 10 on a two-day bilateral visit. Yameen will be accompanied by Maldivian Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon, Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Mohamed Shainee and three members of the Maldivian parliament. In Delhi, President Yameen will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a working lunch on April 11. A number of significant MoUs are expected to be signed during the meeting between the two sides. Yameen, who had come to India on a bilateral visit in January 2014, would also call on President Pranab Mukherjee on April 11, according to external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj would call on the Maldives president on the morning of April 11. She had met her Maldivian counterpart in Nepal on the sidelines of a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation meet last month. Though India and Maldives completed 50 years of diplomatic ties last year and the two countries historically enjoyed a close relationship, Yameen's visit assumes significance because of New Delhi's discomfiture over China's increasing investments and influence in the Indian Ocean region. Former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who was in New Delhi last month to deliver a lecture, said that his country found business and investment proposals from China more attractive. "We have said so many times, businessmen from India are welcome, as business from other countries like Russia, China," he said. President Yameen's first State visit after assumption of office was to India in January, 2014. He was among the South Asian leaders who attended the swearing in of the present government in May 2014. Sushma Swaraj visited Maldives in November 2014 and again in October 2015 for the India-Maldives joint commission meeting, which was held after 15 years. This year, ministerial delegations to India, led by the country's foreign minister, defence minister, tourism minister, and foreign secretary "have further strengthened bilateral ties between India and Maldives", it added. India has sought to deepen its relations with the Yameen dispensation following unease in ties that had crept in after New Delhi was seen backing former president Mohamed Nasheed. India had voiced concern over his prolonged incarceration, and Prime Minister Modi had also cancelled a visit to Male earlier. Terming the Kolkata flyover collapse tragedy an "act of fraud", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made corruption the centre-piece of his no-holds-barred attack against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Addressing three well-attended election meetings in northern and southern parts of the state, he also ridiculed the Congress-Left alliance, citing Banerjee's "closeness" to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the two parties' long history of political rivalry and bitterness. In each of the rallies at Madarihat in Alipurduar district, Asansol of Burdwan district, and Darjeeling district's Siliguri, Modi spoke at length on the March 31 flyover collapse in north Kolkata, coined a new term "scientific corruption", raised the Saradha scam and Narada sting operation and alleged a "reign of terror" was prevailing in the state. Focussing on local issues relevant to the venues of his rallies, on his second round of campaign during the ongoing assembly polls, he appealed to the people to give one opportunity to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Accusing Banerjee of doing over dead bodies after the flyover came down taking 26 lives, Modi said: "The first thing she did was to declare that it was the Left Front that gave the contract (for the project). "Forget left or right, at least give respect to the dead; but for Didi, it's the chair which is only visible and not the dying people. This is all part of your business of money and death." Calling the tragedy an "act of fraud", Modi said: "It is God's message to you all is to save Bengal." Modi said when he was young, he was told the Leftists used to win the elections in Bengal by resorting to "scientific rigging". "Now in didi's regime, I see scientific corruption," he claimed, adding the awarding of tenders for government jobs were decided even before they were floated. In his characteristic style, Modi expanded TMC (abbreviation of Trinamool Congress) as "Terror, Maut (death) and Corruption", and said Banerjee has now "adjusted to corruption". "Shouldn't you teach a lesson to didi? Today, despite the Narada sting footage that showed wads of cash being given... Did didi take any steps? This shows Mamata has adjusted to corruption." Taking a dig at Trinamool's slogan of 'Maa Maati Manush' (mother, land, people),Modi said during the five years of Banerjee's rule, 'maut' was the only thing heard of. He also charged Banerjee with undermining the welfare of the state by not attending meets convened by the central government. Pointing to Banerjee's "closeness" to Sonia Gandhi, Modi pooh-poohed the LF-Congress tie up. "She doesn't come to Delhi to attend meetings called by Modi. But whenever she comes to Delhi, she never forgets to meet Sonia Gandhi," he alleged. The prime minister urged people to listen to video footages of the abuses that the Congress leaders hurled at the Left in West Bengal five years back. Modi said that the Congress government at the centre had invoked the constitution's article 356 in 1959 to dismiss the Communist-led government under E.M.S. Namboodiripad - the first non-Congress chief minister in independent India. Describing the tie-up as a "betrayal" of the people, he said: "If you have ideological differences, then the differences should be there both in Kerala and Bengal. "But see the magic. I don't understand this kushti (wrestling) in Kerala, and the dosti (friendship) in Bengal. Can you depend on such people? Are they not hoodwinking you?" he asked. At the tea belt of Madarihat, Modi derided the state government for neglecting the welfare of tea estate workers, and alleged a nexus between the Trinamool and the estate owners. In the coal belt of Asansol, he blamed the erstwhile Left Front government for starting the syndicates - that supply materials for buildings or other projects and are regarded as a menace for intimidating individuals and companies carrying out some constructions - and alleged these were linked to the coal mafiosi. At Siliguri, the prime minister, referring to neighbouring Sikkim, said: "Your neighbouring state Sikkim has become an organic state, but despite natural resources, this region has not developed. The Bengal government here at least can learn from Sikkim." After he was hosted to a lunch banquet by Queen Elizabeth II during his visit to Britain in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, to a lunch when they visit India this month. "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will begin their visit to India in Mumbai on April 10 and will reach Delhi on April 11," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during his weekly media briefing here on Thursday. This is their first visit to India. "Prime minister will be hosting a lunch for the Duke and Duchess on April 12," Swarup said. "As you would recall, during our prime minister's visit to UK in November last year, the Queen had hosted a lunch in his honour at Buckingham Palace," he said. During their stay in New Delhi, Prine William and Kate will lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti. After this, they will visit the Kaziranga National Park in Assam before they go on a visit to Bhutan. They will return to India and visit the Taj Mahal before they leave for Britain. Stating that engagement with the British royal family was an integral component of India-Britain relations, Swarup said the visit of the Duke and Duchess was "reflective of the high-level engagement between India and UK and demonstrates the accelerated momentum of the relationship after the prime minister's very successful visit to the United Kingdom in November 2015". When Karun Misra died - shot at close range while riding a motorcycle on his way home - it was a shock to his family. He left behind a wife, Payal, and two young children, including a 15-day old newborn. But Karun, a journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district, was aware his life was in danger, a friend, Manish Tiwari, told IndiaSpend. From all accounts a driven, idealistic man, Karun, 32, had written stories about a particularly dangerous business - illegal mining. Mafia hit-men first came for Karun after he refused bribes and ignored threats, said the friend. On February 5, "he got information that something was going to happen to him on either the 11th or 12th of February", said the friend. A day later, Karun was dead, the fifth journalist murdered in India's most populous state since March 2015, accounting for half the 10 killed nationwide, according to data independently compiled by The Hoot, a media watchdog, and IndiaSpend. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India "Asia's deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan". Committee For The Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) affirms this statement with their compilation of data showing that for the year of 2015, there were only two deaths of journalists in Pakistan and no deaths in Afghanistan. Karun's case is unique because the mastermind behind his murder and the main shooter were arrested. This is rare. As many as 24 journalists were murdered for work-related reasons in India since 1992, Committee for the Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) data reveals. But 96 percent of the cases are unsolved, ranking India 14th globally for impunity in murder cases against journalists, according to the CPJ impunity index. "That's because the concerned governments are not willing to really protect journalists performing their duties," Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, told IndiaSpend. "Indian journalists daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015," Reporters Without Borders states. Illegal mining for a variety of sand and minerals - particularly sand for the construction industry - is a crime that is in growing evidence across India. Two murders monitored by RSF (in 2015) were linked to illegal mining, "a sensitive environmental subject in India", an RSF report released in 2015 said. RSF data is estimates of murders confirmed as work-related; there are four more awaiting confirmation. "Soldier-like" Karun went up against powerful, illegal industry "He didn't like to do stories and leave them just like that," said another friend of Karun, Rashtriya Sahara. "He wanted a result from it? He was soldier-like, he would not call police and say 'something is happening' and they should go there." When Sahara met him four days before he was killed, Karun, a reporter with Jansandesh, a Hindi daily, confessed: "There is some danger, some difficulties? but I have to fight." His fight was against a powerful, illegal industry that is steadily expanding despite a new law, promulgated in January 2015 that allows for five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500,000 per hectare of land mined illegally. But illegal mining has steadily increased over the last six years (except for a dip in 2013-14), as a government statement in the Rajya Sabha revealed. In UP, where his investigation of illegal mining cost Karun his life, cases registered almost doubled over a decade. With illegal mining embedded in UP's economy and politics, Karun's friends and family pointed out that despite arrests, illegal mining in their area has not stopped. "The reason for which Karun was killed is still going on," said one of the two friends we spoke to. "Police are not doing what they can to stop the illegal mining business? it's still going on." For Karun's brother, Varun Misra, the shock endures. He has not forgotten how Karun did not answer his phone when he called on February 13. At 11 pm, he received a call from an uncle. "(My uncle) told me Karun was dead. I was so shocked. I could not believe it." Forty-six percent of Indian journalists killed on duty were covering politics Since 1992, only three percent of journalists in India have died covering wars, according to CPJ data, and as many as 46 percent of journalists who were killed while working were covering politics; 35 percent corruption. India is not alone in this trend, reported RSF: "Two thirds of the journalists killed worldwide in 2014 were killed in war zones. In 2015, it was the exact opposite. Two thirds were killed in countries at peace." Death is not the only cause for concern for the Indian journalist. "Human rights defenders, journalists and protesters continued to face arbitrary arrests and detentions. Over 3,200 people were being held in January 2015 under administrative detention on executive orders without charge or trial," the latest Amnesty International report states. Journalists face hostile environments across the world: 71 were killed with confirmed motives, with another 25 unconfirmed, according to CPJ's statistics. RSF records that 43 journalists have been killed for unclear reasons. Karun's brother, Varun, said crimes were getting "bigger and criminals bolder" and this is why punishment was important. "This can happen with anyone anywhere," he said. "My only appeal to the authorities is a speedy trial and severe punishment. Death is inevitable but nobody deserves to die like this." (In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Zita Campbell, a graduate in Film and Media from Otago University, New Zealand, is an intern. The views expressed are those of India Spend. The author can be contacted at respond@indiaspend.org) Bangladesh's pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman is approaching his first year in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with an "open mind". The young seamer is not setting himself a specific target but is not worried about his participation in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament, starting April 9, reports bdnews24.com. He just wants to perform well and pick up a wider range of skills. Mustafizur will be playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad who face the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match on April 12. "What is there to think about? I really don't think much about anything. Just go, play and bowl - that's it," Mustafizur said on Wednesday. Bangladesh crashed to four successive defeats in the Super 10s of the World Twenty20 last month. Mustafizur, who joined the team in the second match of the round after recovering from an injury, shone bright with nine wickets in three matches. Hyderabad franchise mentor V.V.S. Laxman saw the youngster in action when he burst onto the scene in the One-Day series against India in June last year. The former India batsman had his eyes on Mustafizur since then as the Sunrisers managed to sign him up in the auction by outbidding the Bangalore franchise earlier this year. Laxman, also a professional commentator, has always praised Mustafizur from the commentary box. He and Mustafizur, however, did not cross paths during the showcase event in India. "I am not really good in either English or Hindi, maybe that's why we did not meet up," Mustafizur said. He bamboozled the New Zealand batsmen in their last match, returning 5/22 against New Zealand. That was the best bowling figures in a match in the just concluded World T20. The Sunrisers' fast bowling unit also includes Kiwi speedster Trent Boult, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhimanyu Kumar and Australia's Ben Cutting. So Mustafizur has to really bowl well for a place in the playing eleven. But despite the obvious challenge, the southpaw also sees an opportunity to learn from these world class bowlers, "Definitely looking to learn with so many left-arm pacers in the pack." Actor Pawan Kalyan, who has donned the hat of a writer for the second time in his career with Friday's Telugu release "Sardaar Gabbar Singh", says he finds the process of writing exciting and he misses it more than acting. "I have always been fascinated by writers; and find their ability to create emotions on a white paper an amazing feat. I never had that ability and though I've tried, I fell short once. I find the whole process of visualising, writing and telling a story really exciting," Kalyan, who had earlier written and directed 2003 Telugu actioner "Johnny", told IANS in an exclusive interview. He never aspired to be an actor, hence he didn't miss acting. "I wanted to be a technician; a director to be precise. But my brother (Chiranjeevi) insisted that I act because it runs in the family. I know he only meant to guide me in the right direction and never forced me to be an actor, but I took his advice sincerely," said the 44-year old, who has hits such as "Kushi", "Jalsa", "Gabbar Singh" and "Attarintiki Daaredhi" to his credit. Kalyan, unabashedly, declares that he considers acting very taxing. "I don't enjoy getting ready for shoot, applying make-up and dancing to some tunes in exotic locations. Sometimes the expectations and pressure is so much, I find it so demanding, because I know my limitations as an actor," he said, adding that he finds solace in writing. Is that why he was more active, calling the shots, on the sets of "Sardaar Gabbar Singh"? "I was more involved on a creative level. When I wrote the story, I visualised the town Rattanpur as an integral part of the film; almost like a character. So in order to make everybody work in tandem with my vision, I had to be more active, make suggestions wherever required, and trust me it took a toll on me," he said. In the film, Kalyan returns as the maverick, witty police officer Gabbar Singh, and he says it's a character very close to his heart. It was both easy and challenging to portray the character, recalled Kalyan. "Since I had written the character this time and I know my limitations as an actor, I knew where I could stretch myself in terms of performance, and so it all looked easy. However, it wasn't easy when it came to execution, and that's where the challenging part kicked in," he said. Directed by K.S. Ravindra aka Bobby, the film also stars Sharad Kelkar, Kabir Duhan Singh and Kajal Aggarwal. Kalyan didn't have any qualms working with Bobby, whose second film is "Sardaar Gabbar Singh". "I respect and look up to people who are committed and have the tenacity to pursue. And in whoever I find these qualities, I end up working with them. In the case of Bobby, I hadn't watched his first film but I had heard about him and I wanted to meet him," he said. It took Kalyan just two minutes to hand over the reins of the project to Bobby. "Sometimes when I look at a person, it just takes a minute to decide that I won't work with him. When I met Bobby, I knew he was the guy. It was sheer instinct, I guess, but it had worked most of the time in my career," he added. He believes he has no right to judge anyone. "When someone like me with no prior acting training can succeed, how can I judge someone by his previous work? When a film fails, it's not just the director who should be blamed, because sometimes the circumstances which were supposed to aid him may not have fallen in place," he signed off. (Haricharan Pudipeddi can be contacted at haricharan.c@ians.in) Three cadres of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) have been arrested from Assam for their involvement in the killing of civilians in Kokrajhar town in December 2014, the NIA said on Thursday. The three militants, Armish Basumatary, 22, Gangaraj Wary, 33, and Lothen Basumatary, 42, were arrested by investigators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Guwahati branch. "The arrested cadres have been remanded to police custody of NIA for three days. With the three arrests, the number of NDFB(S) cadres arrested by NIA till date stands at 61; of those 45 have been charge-sheeted so far," an NIA official said. He said the arrested terrorists were wanted for their involvement in the criminal conspiracy and execution of the killings at Shantipur village under Kokrajhar police station in Bodoland Territorial Administrative Division (BTAD), Assam on December 23, 2014. In the incident, 12 innocent villagers were killed and three seriously injured due to indiscriminate firing with sophisticated weapons by a group of NDFB(S) militants. Finnish communication giant Nokia said that it plans to slash about 1,300 jobs in Finland by 2018. Nokia said in a press release on Wednesday that it is set to start collective negotiations, Xinhua news agency reported. The company employs about 6,700 workers in Finland by the end of 2015. According to the company, the layoffs mainly focus on those areas where there are overlaps, such as research and development, regional sales organisations, as well as corporate functions. Nokia did not disclose how many jobs will be slashed globally. The mass redundancies are designed to meet the objective of 900 million euros of operating cost synergies to be achieved in 2018 related to the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, said the company. Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, said Nokia made a commitment to deliver 900 million euros ($1.03 billion) in synergies when it announced the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. In January 2016, Nokia finalised the acquisition of his French- American rival Alcatel-Lucent. A court here on Thursday issued non-bailable warrants against central minister Y.S. Chowdary in a case filed by a Mauritius-based bank for alleged default of repayment of loan. The 12th additional chief metropolitan magistrate issued the warrant as the minister failed to personally appear for the third time in response to the summons issued earlier by the court. Counsel for Mauritius Commercial Bank submitted to the court that the minister evading the process of the court and sought NBW against him. The magistrate then adjourned the hearing till April 26. Minister of State for Science and Technology Chowdary, who is an industrialist, and others have been accused of defaulting in repayment of loan in excess of Rs.106 crore. The loan was taken for Mauritius-based Hestia Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Chowdary's Sujana Universal Industries Ltd. "We submitted before the court that the minister was making excuses and flouting the orders of the court on a regular basis. We also argued that this was a fit case for issuance of non bailable warrants as the accused was evading the process of the court," said Sanjeev Kumar who is representing the Mauritian bank. The bank's counsel had pleaded for NBW during the previous hearing on April 1 as the minister had failed to appear on March 23 despite summons being issued to him. However, the court allowed an application filed by Chowdary's counsel, seeking his exemption from personally appearing before the court. He had sought the exemption on the ground that he, being an MP, was busy with urgent work in Delhi, and hence could not personally appear before the court. Chowdary, a non-executive director of Sujana Industries, is a leader of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and a member of Rajya Sabha. Considered close to TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Yelamanchili Satyanarayana Chowdary is popularly known as Sujana Chowdary. Meanwhile, reacting to court issuing NBW, he said he had full respect for the judiciary and denied that he deliberately avoided appearing in the court. Chowdary said he could not appear due to pressing engagements and urgent work. Oil prices surged on Wednesday as US crude stockpiles contracted surprisingly. The West Texas Intermediate for May delivery moved up $1.86 to settle at $37.75 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for June delivery increased $1.97 to close at $39.84 a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange, Xinhua news agency reported. US crude supplies of last week dropped 4.9 million barrels to 529.9 million barrels, 47.5 million barrels more than one year before, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its weekly report released Wednesday. Crude production of the country lost 14,000 to 9.008 million barrels a day last week, according to EIA. Countries from OPEC and non-OPEC will meet on April 17 in Doha to discuss the output freeze. Nawal al-Fezaia, OPEC governor of Kuwait, said on Tuesday that major oil producers can reach an agreement over a production freeze even if Iran does not join the action. Supermodel-actress Padma Lakshmi is the latest Hollywood star to weigh in on the 2016 presidential race. She says she will "try very hard" to stop Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump from being elected as she considers him a "racist buffoon". "Even if he wasn't the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn't vote for him," Lakshmi told variety.com. "But as an immigrant, I obviously don't see his worldview as mine," she added. Lakshmi, who moved from India to New York as a child, said she is particularly bothered by Trump's controversial views on immigration. "We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," Lakshmi said. "He himself is an immigrant of immigrant decent. Unless you are from the Cherokee nation, your ancestors are immigrants, so you may be an umpteenth generation immigrant but there you are, squatting on someone else's land," she added. India on Thursday said that for the first time it received cooperation from Pakistan on a terror attack following the visit of the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the attack on the Pathankot airbase. "For the first time, the government of India received cooperation from Pakistan in the form of a JIT visit in investigating a terrorist attack in India," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during his weekly media briefing here. To a question on Pakistan's foreign ministry stating that witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not presented before the JIT, Swarup said the Pakistani probe team's visit from March 28 to April 1 "took place in the context of a cooperative approach". The cross-border terrorist attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2 claimed the lives of seven Indian security personnel. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack, which has led to peace talks between the two countries being stalled. India said it has sent "actionable evidence" to Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of the attack to book. Pakistan filed an FIR in Gujranwala in February against unknown terrorists in connection with the airbase attack. The visit of the JIT is the latest step from the Pakistani side on the incident. "The JIT visited the crime scene and recorded statements of some witnesses," Swarup said. He also said that the visit of the JIT was according to the terms of reference agreed to by the two sides. "I would say that the work of the JIT was as per the terms of reference which had been agreed between the two governments through their respective foreign offices," the spokesman said. "They are on a reciprocal basis and in accordance with existing legal provisions," he said. The spokesperson refused to comment on a Pakistan Today report that quoted sources in the JIT as saying that the Pathankot attack was "stage-managed" by India. "The government does not react to speculative media reports. We go by what the Pakistan foreign ministry tells us," he added. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Thursday said bilateral talks between India and Pakistan were "suspended" and that there was no question of allowing an NIA team to visit Islamabad for the Pathankot probe. However, the Ministry of External Affairs cited the Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson saying that both sides were in contact with each other over foreign secretary level talks. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the visit of the National Investigation Agency team to Pakistan was on the basis of reciprocity, previously agreed upon. Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club here about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Basit said: "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended. "India is not ready as yet," Basit said, but quickly added that "we can only resolve issues through dialogue". Basit also ruled out a reciprocal visit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Pakistan to probe the Pathankot attack. "The investigation (into the Pathankot attack) is not about reciprocity," he said. Swarup in his statement cited the Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Islamabad as saying that both sides were "in contact with each other" over the foreign secretary level talks. The Pakistani spokesperson said: "...It has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues." He added that Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar too had indicated in a recent statement that talks would take place. Basit also said that the arrest of an alleged Indian spy, Kulbushan Jadhav, proved Islamabad's allegations that New Delhi was causing unrest in Balochistan. The announcement comes nearly three and half months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore on December 25 on an unannounced trip to attend the wedding of the granddaughter of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Modi's trip had raised hopes about the resumption of peace talks between the rival neighbours. Basit's statement appears to be the first official word from Pakistan about the latest breakdown in the now-on-now-off peace process with India. The meeting between the India and Pakistan foreign secretaries was earlier scheduled for January 15. But it was stalled after a group of suspected Pakistani terrorists attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, killing at least seven security personnel. After a team of Pakistani investigators visited Pathankot to probe Indian charges that Pakistani terrorists were to blame for the January 2 attack, New Delhi had expected Islamabad to allow the NIA to visit that country to take the investigation forward. Earlier, reading out a prepared statement, Basit referred to the arrest of alleged Indian spy Jadhav in Balochistan last month and said that it "irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along". "We are aware of all those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilise the country. They are bound to fail." He said Pakistan had arrested scores of terror operatives with "foreign linkages" over the past month. "The presence of such elements is quite disturbing, to say the least." Jadhav was arrested on March 3 after he was allegedy deployed in Iran's Chabahar port before crossing into Balochistan to meet some separatist leaders in the restive Pakistani province. India says Jadhav was a retired naval officer, not a spy. But Pakistan released a so-called confession video by Jadhav claiming he worked for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) -- India's external spy agency -- and had financed Baloch insurgents. Basit also spoke on Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was "the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues". "And attempts to put it on backburner will be counter-productive," he added. "The resolution of (the) Jammu and Kashmir (dispute) should be fair and just." Pakistan on Thursday said the dialogue process with India had been suspended and there was no question of allowing an NIA team to visit Islamabad to probe the Pathankot terror attack. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit also said that the arrest of an alleged Indian spy, Kulbushan Jadhav, proved Islamabad's allegations that New Delhi was causing unrest in Balochistan. Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Basit said: "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended. "India is not ready as yet," Basit said, but quickly added that "we can only resolve issues through dialogue". This is the first official word from Pakistan about the latest breakdown in the now-on-now-off peace process with India. After a team of Pakistani officials visited Pathankot to probe Indian charges that Pakistani terrorists were to blame for the January 2 attack, New Delhi had expected Islamabad to allow a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to visit that country to take the investigation forward. Basit ruled out the possibility. "The investigation (into the Pathankot attack) is not about reciprocity," he said. Earlier, reading out a prepared statement, Basit referred to the arrest of alleged Indian spy Jadhav in Balochistan last month and said that it "irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along". "We are aware of all those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilise the country. They are bound to fail." He said Pakistan had arrested scores of terror operatives with "foreign linkages" over the past month. "The presence of such elements is quite disturbing, to say the least." He also spoke on Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was "the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues". "And attempts to put it on backburner will be counter-productive," he added. "The resolution of (the) Jammu and Kashmir (dispute) should be fair and just." India on Thursday said the visit of the Pakistani joint investigation team (JIT) probing the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase was on a reciprocity basis after Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit claimed to the contrary. "We have seen comments by the Pakistani high commissioner on the visit of the JIT team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase that have reference to reciprocity," the external affairs ministry said in a statement. "The ministry would like to clarify that on March 26, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian high commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani foreign ministry that the terms of reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions'," it said. "Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016." After a team of Pakistani officials visited Pathankot to probe Indian charges that Pakistani terrorists were to blame for the terror attack, New Delhi had expected Islamabad to allow a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to visit that country to take the investigation forward. But, addressing a press conference here, Basit ruled out the possibility. "The investigation is not about reciprocity," he said. Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Basit said: "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended." In this connection, the external affairs ministry, in its statement, referred to the response of the Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman to a question in his press conference on Thursday in which he said: "Your question implies whether the foreign secretary level talks will take place or not. I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. "I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian foreign secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place." Foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries scheduled for the middle of January this year, were derailed following the January 2 cross-border attack on the Pathankot Indian Air Force base in which seven Indian security personnel were killed. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack in which the six attackers were also reportedly killed. In the first visit by an Indian minister to Iran since sanctions against it were lifted earlier this year, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be in the country for two days, to be followed by a visit to the UAE on April 11-12, an official statement said on Thursday. "Pradhan will meet the Iranian minister of petroleum, the senior adviser to president of Iran on free trade zones and governor of Central Bank of Iran, in Tehran. He would also be addressing the Tehran Chamber of Commerce," said a petroleum ministry statement. "He will be visiting Chabahar free trade zone to interact with FTZ authorities. The last visit by an Indian minister of petroleum and natural gas to Iran was in April 2007," it said. "The trade relations have traditionally been buoyed by Indian import of Iranian crude oil," it added. The ministry also said Indis-Iran trade during fiscal 2014-15 was worth $13.13 billion. In that fiscal, India imported $8.95 billion worth of goods, mainly crude oil and exported commodities worth $4.17 billion. India is also seeking rights to develop the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf that was discovered by India's ONGC Videsh Ltd. Pradhan's visit to the United Arab Emirates is a follow up of the February India visit of Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Energy Minister Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei. Pradhan will meet Al Mazrouei, besides meeting with the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the statement said. "During his stay in Dubai, Pradhan will meet Emirati businessmen, inaugurate the India Pavilion at the Annual Investment Meet-2016 and visit the Jabel Ali Free Zone Authority," it added. UAE contributes in a major way to India's energy security, being the sixth largest supplier of crude oil. India is the second largest destination for UAE's oil exports. Terming as "unprovoked action" the baton-charge by police on students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, the BJP on Thursday said police should change its behaviour towards young students. "Police should change the way it deals with young students. You cannot use brutal force against students, especially when there is no provocation from the other side," party spokesman Shrikant Sharma told IANS. Asked if he feels the same about Hyderabad University, Sharma said he felt the same for students of every university across the country, but that "the two cases are different". "In Hyderabad University, there was some provocation by students, but in NIT, police resorted to lathi-charge without provocation. Action should be taken against officials responsible for police action at NIT," he said. Responding to the opposition allegation that university students were being targeted ever since the BJP came to power, Sharma said "the frustrated opposition is doing politics in the name of students". Tension gripped the NIT Srinagar after some students clashed with police on Tuesday. According to police, a group of non-local students marched to the gates of the institute shouting slogans. A senior police officer advised them not to go out of the campus as that could result in a law and order problem, but the students did not listen. Police resorted to a baton-charge to disperse the students, in which seven of them sustained minor injuries. The Press Council of India (PCI) on Thursday announced setting up of sub-committees comprising members and senior journalists for poll-bound states to monitor the coverage in newspapers from the angle of paid news. According to an announcement here, Ravindra Kumar and Bipin Newar will travel to Assam while Sondeep Shankar and Rajeev Ranjan Nag will be the two-member panel to monitor functioning during electioneering in West Bengal. Suman Gupta and Prajananda Chaudhuri will visit Puducherry, Kosuri Amarnath and C.K. Nayak will go to Kerala and K.R. Vyas and S.N. Sinha to Tamil Nadu. The PCI, in a communication to the chief electoral officers, have sought co-operation in facilitating the work of the sub-committees including their movement and access to places of election and reporting during the election process, a council source told IANS here. Sichuan, one of the largest provinces in China, on Thursday launched a bid to promote the region -- home to the famed giant pandas -- as a tourist destination in India. A delegation of the Sichuan Tourism Administration, at a conference here, highlighted the province to be home to not only the giant pandas but also to diverse art and culture which makes it the tourism cynosure of China The conference was held subsequent to the announcement of the beginning of China Tourism Year in India in January 2016. "With its picturesque scenery, rich wildlife, unique religious beliefs, rustic folk customs and magnificent history, Sichuan is a magical land for travellers," said Ming Song, deputy director general, Sichuan Tourism Administration. "This conference is an important launching pad for us to boost tourism and it reflects our commitment to promote Sichuan," he added. "The aim of promoting tourism is to get revenue to the province and to strengthen the ties with India. We plan to organise a promotional event in New Delhi in September 2016 to spread awareness about Sichuan among the people, Song told IANS. Wang Ning, executive governor of Sichuan said, "I firmly believe that in future the cooperation between Sichuan and Indian tourists will deepen and become more close." "We have very good momentum of exchange of tourists between India and China." "We welcome Indian tourists to visit Sichuan. I also invite the Indian tourism industry representatives to visit Sichuan to survey, exchange and to enhance cooperation in order to seek development," he added. The aim of the conference with its tagline "Sichuan - more than pandas" is to spread awareness about the province among Indian travellers, he said. A letter purportedly written by solar scam accused Saritha Nair which claims she was sexually exploited by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was fake, and ex-minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar was behind it, Nair's former counsel said on Thursday. "The letter that has come out (in the media) is a fake one. Former minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar and his aides are behind this," Nair's former counsel Feny Balakrishnan told reporters here after he deposed before the ongoing solar scam judicial probe commission. "Last month, Ganesh Kumar's staff came to me and asked me to support their efforts to bring down the Chandy government. They offered me a brand new car," he said. On April 3, television channel Asianet News TV released the letter written by Nair, who was also present when the channel aired the news. Appearing on the news channel, Nair confirmed that she had written the 24-page letter while in police custody in 2013. She, however, said she will not discuss its contents. "I have read Nair's original letter and it had no mention of the sexual exploitation by the chief minister. The new letter that has surfaced has additions and deletions, compared to the original letter she wrote," Balakrishnan said. However, Balakrishnan's statement on the new letter was not accepted by the one-member probe commission, which said if it has to be included, the so-called original letter has to be produced. Ganesh Kumar was a member of the Chandy cabinet. His party Kerala Congress (Pillai) headed by his father R. Balakrishna Pillai was an ally of the Congress-led UDF. He, however, lost his ministership after his then wife, a medical professional, complained of domestic violence in 2013. Last year, the father-son duo moved over to the CPI-M -led LDF. Ganesh Kumar is contesting from the Pathanapuram assembly constituency for the fourth time. As soon the news surfaced in the media, former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan said there was no reason to suspect the revelation. Chandy, however, said the letter was nothing but part of a larger conspiracy, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls. He said he will seek legal recourse against such a defamatory claim. The solar scam case surfaced when Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan were arrested in 2013 on charges of cheating numerous investors who paid money for solar panels. Over 30 cases of cheating against Nair and Radhakrishnan are registered in various courts. Police estimate that they cheated investors to the tune of over Rs.6 crore. While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is in jail on charges of murdering his first wife. The Sri Lankan navy on Thursday arrested nine Indian fishermen for poaching illegally in the island's northern seas. One Indian fishing trawler was also seized and the arrested fishermen along with the trawler were handed over to the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Jaffna, Xinhua news agency reported. The arrests came a day after Colombo decided to free 99 Indian fishermen who were in Sri Lankan custody for illegally poaching in its territorial waters. The fishermen are expected to be handed over to the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka this week and repatriated in the coming days. Fishermen from India and Sri Lanka face arrest when they stray illegally into the waters of each other's waters. The Sri Lankan government on Thursday announced an amnesty period to surrender illegal firearms after a rise in the country's crime rate. The defence ministry said a general amnesty period starting from April 25 to May 5 had been declared and those who possess firearms illegally were requested to hand them over to police, Xinhua news agency reported. Sri Lanka has in recent months been battling a high crime rate including gang related shootings and robberies which has led to strengthened security in the capital and the south. The rise in such shootings has also led to snap road blocks being erected in many parts of the capital and special operational units being set up in many police stations in the country. Despite the surge in crime, security officials have assured that there is no security threat in the island nation and most of the incidents have occurred due to personal conflicts. The Sri Lankan government on Thursday announced that it will restructure its national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, which faces a debt of nearly $1 billion. Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that although the government would not privatize the national carrier, it would be restructured to halt the staggering losses. "The debt is nearly $1 billion. It cannot continue like this," he said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said in parliament said that the airline was unable to pay the debt and the government would soon decide whether to take over its liabilities. State Enterprises Development Minister Kabir Hashim earlier this year said that the carrier was making losses on its long-haul routes. Wickremesinghe, soon after being sworn to power last year, ordered a criminal investigation into alleged corruption in the airline, saying that it involved "billions of dollars". Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said that every state has right to conduct experiments, like Delhi's odd-even scheme, to find out solutions to support environment. "States can do experiments like odd-even to support the environment but an IIT reports yesterday (Wednesday) said that it was not much impactful," Javadekar told media on the sidelines of 22nd BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) Ministerial Meeting on climate change here. The fortnight-long second phase of Delhi government's odd-even traffic scheme will start on April 15. CNG operated vehicles, central government ministers and VVIPs, women motorists and cars ferrying school students in uniform will be exempt during it. The first phase of the odd-even scheme in January this year had turned out to be hugely popular. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be meeting her counterparts from Russia and China during the RIC (Russia, India, China) trilateral meeting in Moscow on April 18. "External Affairs Minister will be attending the 14th meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China which is being hosted by Russia in Moscow on April 18," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during his weekly press briefing here on Thursday. "India attaches importance to RIC ministerial meeting that allows the three countries exchange views and coordinate their positions on international and regional issues of mutual importance," he said. During the visit, Sushma Swaraj will meet Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is co-chair of the India-Russia inter-governmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, to take stock of the developments in strengthening this important aspect of the bilateral relationship. "She will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to take stock of the overall bilateral relationship," Swarup said. Sushma Swaraj will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss bilateral developments between India and China. Though Russia, India and China cooperate within the BRICS grouping too, the RIC strategic triangle helps three of the world's most powerful countries to function as an economic and strategic powerhouse. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to take up with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi China's veto against India's move in the UN to ban Jaish-e-Mohamed chief Masood Azhar. Sushma Swaraj and Wang are to meet in Moscow later this month on the sidelines of the RIC (Russia, India, China) foreign ministerial meeting on April 18. The talks between the two would help add urgency to the ongoing discussions between India and China on the issue, which has caused disappointment in India. External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup, answering questions at a media briefing here on Thursday, said that India has taken up China's veto "at a high diplomatic level". "Our conversations with the Chinese on this issue are ongoing and further action will depend on the outcome of those conversations," he said. On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said the issue has been taken up with the Chinese at a "fairly high level" and that it has to be pursued in the UN context. India's move to get the January 2 Pathankot airbase terror attacks mastermind, Masood Azhar, banned by the UN was last week rebuffed for the second time by China, a close friend of Pakistan. India approached the UN in February to include Azhar in the UN Security Council's 1267 sanctions list, in the aftermath of the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists, in which seven Indian security persons were killed. However, China asked the UN sanctions committee to keep on hold the move, saying that Azhar did not meet the UN criteria to be banned as a terrorist. India has voiced disappointment at the "technical hold" put on its application to include Azhar in the UN sanctions list. Geneva, April 7 (IANS/AKI) Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition will resume here on April 13, UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura announced on Thursday, said media reports. The announcement was reported by satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya on its Twitter account. The talks, which were paused on March 24 had been due to re-start on April 11, according to the UN. But Syrian government negotiators will only arrive in Geneva after parliamentary elections are held in the country on April 13, the UN said earlier this week. The world body does not recognise Syria's upcoming polls. It is trying to reach a peace deal that will see fresh elections held with 18 months, in which opposition candidates are included. To date, De Mistura has been leading indirect negotiations between the two sides in the peace talks. These have remained deadlocked over the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with the opposition demanding Assad leave power before any transitional government is agreed. The Syrian government has so far refused to negotiate on Assad's future. --IANS/AKI vd Actress Taapsee Pannu, who has featured in films like "Baby", "Chashme Baddoor" and Telugu films like "Aadukalam" and "Vastadu Naa Raju", now owns a four-bedroom flat here after working for three years in Bollywood. Talking about the new house that she has bought in Andheri here, the 28-year-old actress shared that she first wanted to wait for Bollywood's response in terms of her work and only then take the huge investment risk. "I always thought I will buy a house in Mumbai only if I receive good response in Hindi film industry. It's a huge investment so I didn't want to take a risk if things don't turn out good for me here," Taapsee said in a statement. "Fortunately, everything turned out to be better than what you expected, and I am really happy with the response and specially with the kind of films I am getting here. That's the space I always wanted to be in. So, this calls for having my own space in this expensive city. Hope my new residence turns out to be lucky for me," she added. On the work front, Taapsee is currently filming for "Pink" which is a Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury directorial, produced by Shoojit Sircar and "Ghazi" which will also feature actors Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon and Atul Kulkarni. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress of indulging in "scientific corruption", and ridiculed the Congress and the Left for stitching up an alliance in the state "despite their ideological differences" and animosity towards each other in Kerala. "When I was young, the Leftists used to win elections in Bengal continuously. When we asked people how they keep on winning, the wiser ones would tell us that the Left wins through scientific rigging. "Now in didi's (elder sister, as Mamata Banerjee is affectionately called) regime, I see scientific corruption," the prime minister said addressing an election rally in this industrial town - about 200 kilometers from Kolkata - in Burdwan district. Elaborating, Modi said awarding of tenders for government jobs were decided even before they were floated. Refering to the Vivekananda flyover that collapsed in north Kolkata on March 31, he said: "That busted the corruption racket." On the profusion of syndicates that supply materials for buildings or other projects and are regarded as a menace for intimidating individuals and companies carrying out some constructions, Modi alleged the syndicates were also linked to the coal mafiosi. "Why do the syndicates have links to the coal mafiosi? What are the links between syndicates and those looting coal?" he asked. The prime minister blamed the erstwhile Left Front government for starting the syndicates, and said the Trinamool has helped their growth. Modi said before the last Lok Sabha election he had promised not to spare those who have messed around with the country's coal resources. Refering to the four year prison terms given to two directors of Jharkhand Ispat Pvt. Ltd convicted of criminal conspiracy and cheating in bagging a coal block, Modi said more people would face punishment in the coming days. He expanded TMC (abbreviation of Trinamool Congress) as Terror, Maut (death) and Corruption, and said Banerjee has now "adjusted to corruption". "Shouldn't you teach a lesson to didi? There was time when if any of her partymen indulged in corruption, she used to leave the seat of power in disgust. Earlier whew as even prepared to take blows of batons during her anti-graft protests. "But today, despite the Narada sting footage scandal that showed wads of cash being given did didi take any steps? This shows Mamata has adjusted to corruption. Now didi finds no fault with corruption," he said. Modi said the coming state assembly polls have given a good opportunity to "throw out these corrupt people from politics". He also complained about the "atmosphere of terror" prevailing in the state, and said "attempts were made to finish off all opponents". "This does not reflect faith in democracy." On the Congress-LF alliance, the prime minister urged people to listen to video footages of the abuses that the Congress leaders hurled at the Left in West Bengal five years back. The prime minister refered to the long history of bitterness and political rivalry between the two forces, and expressed surprise over the Congress "clinging to the coattails of the Left" in Bengal. Modi said that the Congress government at the centre had invoked the constitution's article 356 in 1959 to dismiss the Communist-led government under E. M. S. Namboodiripad - the first non-Congress chief minister in independent India. Describing the Congress-Left tie-up as a "betrayal" of the people, he said: "If you have ideological differences, then the differences should be there both in Kerala and Bengal. "But see the magic. In Kerala the Congress are abusing the Communists, fighting them, and in Bengal they are with the Left. I don't understand this kushti (wrestling) in Kerala, and the dosti (friendship) in Bengal. Can you depend on such people? Are they not hoodwinking you?" he asked. Two Hizbul Mujahideen guerrillas were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday, police said. "Two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Nazneenpora village adjacent to Shopian town," a senior police officer told IANS here. The officer said security forces had surrounded an apple orchard on specific information about the presence of militants there. "After they were challenged to surrender, militants resorted to indiscriminate firing at the security forces triggering the gunfight," the officer said, adding the militants also managed to make their way into a nearby house while continuing to exchange fire. However, security forces in a "surgical strike" managed to kill two militants while avoiding any damage to the house, he said. Searches are still going on in the area. According to the police official, these two militants, both locals, had also appeared in a video posted on the social media which showed them with Hizbul commander, Burhan who is still at large. India's censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani's decision to certify Jon Favreau's "The Jungle Book" as a "scary" movie fit for children to watch only under parental supervision, has led the audience to question whether it's because the "animals are naked", while celebrities are left wondering about the criteria of the certification. "Iron Man" fame director Jon Favreau took a basic structure of Rudyard Kipling's timeless classic and charged it up with the power of the 1967 animation film to bring forth an advanced version of the story backed with technology. It features Indian-American child artist Neel Sethi, and will make its way onto the screens in India on Friday - a week before its release in the US, where too the movie has been given a PG (Parental Guidance) rating. "Sorry guys. 'Jungle Book' got a U/A certificate. And they cut the Kaa and Baloo kiss. Also, the Sher Khan and Col Hathi sex scene," actor-comedian Vir Das tweeted. In the same vein, "Wazir" actress Aditi Rao Hydari said: "There are lot more frightening things in other movies than just special effects. I am not very sure about what the criteria of the certification is. I think there are so many films that should not be watched by lot of people. We really need a better certification system." A Twitter user was amused by the decision as she shared: "What happened to Pahlaj Nihalani? U/A certificate to 'Jungle Book'! Thank god it's not A. Non of the chimps, monkeys, hyenas wearing clothes"; while another shared that "Pahlaj Nihalani has given 'Jungle Book' a U/A certificate. So many naked animals in the jungle must have really upset him." There were others too. "So kids, target audience for the movie, cannot watch #JungleBook because #PahlajNihalani thinks it's 'too scary'," posted one, while another shared: "Pahlaj Nihalani never fails to amuse me, he is better than any stand up comedian across the globe. Now Jungle Book us U/A because its scary". In a justification of his decision, Nihalani, who has faced the ire of many for his strict censor regulations, told a popular daily: "Please don't go by the reputation of the book. See the film and then decide on the suitability of the content for kids. The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience." Favreau had earlier told IANS that while the story is woven with a splash of dark tones, he has ensured that it is child-friendly. He said: "I am a dad of three kids and I want to make sure that it is something that my kids would be comfortable in seeing. But that doesn't mean you can't scare them sometimes a little bit. You know what I mean ...the bad guy has to bad". A source from the industry shared that while the certification did not come as a shock, the CBFC chief's reasoning was startling. "Anyway kids can't go and watch the film alone. They will be accompanied by their parents, so the certification is fine. In fact, US has also given it a PG rating," the source said. Many came to Nihalani's defence. Stand-up comedian Atul Khatri shared: "Are you sending your 12-year-old alone to watch movies in theatres in India? No na. Then STFU #JungleBook". A Twitter user made the point clear with a string of tweets saying: "You guys have the strangest double standards I've ever seen. 'The Jungle Book' also has a PG rating in the US, just so you know. Suggesting parental guidance for a film that may scare younger viewers is quite fair, IMO (if we *must* have a ratings/censorship body i.e.) "U/A doesn't mean kids aren't allowed in theatres; it just means they need to come with parents. Which they do. Not that rules are enforced. I realise it's fashionable to bash Pahlaj Nihalani, and, yes, it is justified 99.9% of the time, but let's not stop being judicious." Another social media user tweeted: "All those mocking #PahlajNihalani's statement about @TheJungleBook see what US and Canadian ratings system say". The film is supported by a stellar cast including Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken. And its Hindi dubbed version for the Indian audience, is voiced by a string of popular Bollywood stars, including names like Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan. (Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in) The Vodafone Foundation, part of Vodafone's social investment programme, on Thursday launched the 'Vodafone Social Apps Hub', a platform that curates all mobile apps designed and developed for community welfare on a single platform. Launching the platform, the foundation's director, regulatory, external affairs and corporate social responsibility (CSR), P. Balaji said: "The potential of mobile technology to address several of our country's socio-economic challenges is unparalleled. The Vodafone Foundation, guided by its philosophy of 'Connected for Good' has curated the Vodafone Social Apps Hub to solve this problem." Developed in partnership with the Nasscom Foundation, the hub identifies reviews and features social apps developed for various developmental sectors and beneficiaries and brings together various stakeholders including app developers and NGOs. Nasscom Foundation CEO Shrikant Sinha said: "While the under-served communities across India are opening their minds to the power of mobile phones, it was a necessity to make sure that the best of the social apps that benefit them are all carefully handpicked and made easily accessible at one single web address." Uttar Pradesh police has claimed that NIA official Tanzeem Ahmad was shot dead last week over a "personal animosity arising out of a property dispute". A senior police official told IANS that while the matter is still being probed, they have zeroed in on the personal angle as the motive behind the high-profile murder. Of the two people police have detained, one is a former student of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) while the other is a sharp shooter and a contract killer. Sources said Tanzeel Ahmad was killed owing to a dispute over a shop in New Delhi. "A villager of Tanzeem's native place had given the contract to kill him," the sources added while pointing out that the former AMU student Muneer is from Bijnor. The Pulsar bike, allegedly used by the assasins during the killing has also been recovered from Bareilly. Senior official Deepak Ratan, who is in-charge IG of Law and Order however said that "there were some crucial leads based on which the line of action is being decided." He also added that for now all angles were being explored. The NIA official was shot 21 times when he was driving back home from a family wedding in Bijnor on Sunday. While he died on the spot, his two children survived the attack and his wife, who sustained four gun shot wounds, is admitted to a Noida hospital, where her condition continues to be critical. Initially, it was believed that the killing had a terror angle as Tanzeem Ahmad was involved in some sensitive cases, incuding the Pathankot terror attack probe. The big news is that Tata Steel will on Monday start the sale of its troubled UK business, which is a large chunk of the capacity that came its way when it acquired Corus for $13 billion in 2007. Once the sale happens, curtains will come down on another high-profile overseas acquisition by an Indian company. Last month, Gautam Thapar's Crompton Greaves got rid of its ailing international power business. Havells exited Sylvania in December. And Dr Reddy's Laboratories wrote down its investment in Betapharm over two years which caused it to report a loss in 2008-09, its silver-jubilee year. These Indian companies had hoped overseas buyouts would implant them on the world stage - that has clearly not happened. Referendums are sometimes touted as the highest form of democracy. But a Dutch one that just rejected closer politics and economic ties between the European Union (EU) and Ukraine shows plebiscites have drawbacks. First, they can fall victim to voter apathy. Only 32 per cent bothered to vote in the Netherlands on April 6, barely above the 30 per cent turnout minimum required for the vote to be valid. When turnout is low, referendum results lie in the hands of those who have trenchant views, and who tend to find it easier to mobilise die-hard supporters. This can lead to distorted results that misrepresent actual political preferences. The second problem is such plebiscites are far too often hostage to discontent about unrelated issues. The rejection of the EU-Ukraine deal by a margin of nearly two-to-one probably had little to do with qualms about the details of the deal, which runs to more than 2000 pages in print. Instead, the question posed was probably conflated with other issues, as has been the case in referendums on EU issues before. This can be exasperation with the ruling political elite, which usually backs the EU position in referendums, a hazy feeling that faceless European Commission bureaucrats are to blame for domestic ills, misery about economic prospects, or a mix of all three. It certainly was when French and Dutch voters rejected the EU's draft constitution in 2005. Granted, the economic fallout of this latest vote will be tiny. Ukraine is the EU's 29th largest trading partner, with a mere 0.8 per cent of the bloc's exports sold there. But the lessons of the Dutch referendum also hold true for Britain's June 23 vote on EU membership, where far more is at stake. Younger voters have a stronger preference for staying than their elders, but are less likely to vote. And the temptation to give the political establishment a bloody nose is hardly the preserve of continental Europe. It's a shame. Referen-dums are a chance for the general public to have more of a say in how their country is run. But some questions may just be too complex for a simple yes or no answer. Even worse, voters can end up answering a completely different question to the one posed. China has insisted the United Nations designating anyone a terrorist is a serious issue. China made the statement while defending its move to block India's bid to get the UN to declare Pathankot attacks mastermind Masood Azhar a terrorist. Would it have taken the same stand had terrorists struck in China? China has been playing into the hands of Pakistan and acting as per the latter's dictum on issues concerning India. Being one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has taken advantage of its veto power. Times have changed. The system of having five countries only as permanent members of the UNSC must change too. K V Seetharamaiah Hassan can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mail: letters@bsmail.in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused her chief rivals in the state, the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), of double standards. Alluding to the fact that the two parties were opponents in Kerala's Assembly elections but had formed an alliance against her party, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, which went to the polls on Monday, Banerjee said: "Siraj ud-Daulah and Mir Jafar have joined forces." The statement, however, has left many people confused. Siraj ud-Daulah was the last independent Nawab of Bengal, who was defeated in the Battle of Plassey (1757) by the forces of the East India Company led by Robert Clive. One of the architects of his defeat was Mir Jafar, who betrayed the Nawab during the battle, and whose name is synonymous with treachery in the state. The alliance of the CPI-M and the Congress in West Bengal was criticised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. During an election campaign last month he said the two parties were indulging in kushti (wrestling) in Kerala and dosti (friendship) in West Bengal. Venkaiah Naidu, Union minister of urban development, housing and urban poverty alleviation and parliamentary affairs, was talking to his guests at a function in Delhi and held forth on the raging debates in the country - from "Bharat Mata ki Jai" to farmers' distress. On the problems of farmers and the issue of migration from rural to urban areas, Naidu said he saw no problem in such movement. "I have also migrated from the rural development to the urban development ministry," he argued. Naidu served as Union minister for rural development in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The is keen to draw investments into the state, especially into its hospitality sector. The state government was one of the sponsors of a hospitality industry event held in Delhi this week. While Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu could not attend the event, a message from him was displayed prominently at the venue: "Our ROI (resoluteness of intent) will ensure your ROI (return on investment)." Big Oil may have to start paying a premium to tack its name on to UK culture. The British Museum is coming under fire from famous climate change activists like film star Emma Thompson for taking corporate sponsorship from BP. For the London institution, the cost of accepting the oil group's patronage has risen. More to the point, BP isn't being that generous. BP doesn't break out exactly how much it gives to the British Museum, other than to say it donates $2.8 million to it and three other big UK cultural institutions. Assume the famed Bloomsbury-based relic-trove gets around $700,000 annually. With public sector funds tight, that sounds generous, especially given the oil group is hampered by low commodity prices and lingering effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. But it doesn't take Indiana Jones to see that the bounty is less valuable than it appears. The amount is less than one per cent of the $85 million BP poured into community projects worldwide in 2014. And that doesn't look overly generous compared to peers. FTSE 100 companies allocated an average of 1.9 per cent of their pre-tax profit for corporate giving in 2014, or 0.25 per cent of their revenue, according to the Charities Aid Foundation. Hitting the pre-tax average implies BP could add another $9 million to match them. On a revenue basis, it would need to splash out $8.8 billion in total. BP is ending a long-standing relationship with the Tate, a major UK gallery, to which it gave 3.8 million over 17 years. But it gets tangible benefits from its other arty associations, whether that be from private views, drinks gatherings, or just the fact that culture can help smooth hard capitalist edges. The same goes for the likes of Deutsche Bank, the main sponsor of Frieze Art Fair, and Credit Suisse, which supports the National Gallery. Oil companies are being battered by falling oil prices. But if the British Museum's new director Hartwig Fischer is inclined to haggle, he might get more resources for his main job - putting on great exhibitions. On March 29, when Uttarakhand was on the boil, with the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party entangled in a legal battle over the trust vote in the Assembly, Congress secretaries at the party headquarters in New Delhi were taken aback to see a circular land on their tables. Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee chief Gaikhangam Gangmei had been replaced with immediate effect. After Arunachal Pradesh slipped out of its control and Uttarakhand was placed under President's rule, Congress President Sonia Gandhi took matters into her own hands. She acted swiftly to avoid a crisis like that in Arunachal Pradesh by appointing T N Haokip as the state unit chief in Manipur and quelling a potential rebellion. The whole of this past week, she has been busy meeting state unit chiefs and listening to complaints from senior leaders. Sonia Gandhi, who had ceded organisational matters to her son and party vice-president Rahul, is firefighting crises in Congress-ruled states. Many within the party believe that while Rahul Gandhi might have managed to take on the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre, he has been woefully inadequate in addressing organisational matters. On Saturday, Soni met with Virbhadra Singh's baiters Kaul Singh Thakur, Asha Kumari, Viplove Thakur and G S Bali, among others. On the one hand, they were assured that their complaints against the chief minister on issues like implementation of the one-man one-post principle in appointing heads of state-owned corporation would be addressed, the party also extracted from them a commitment that a scenario like that in Uttarakhand would not repeated in Himachal Pradesh. Said an insider who was privy to the deliberations, "The dissidents' loyalty to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are unstinting even as they have issues with the chief minister. But they will not rock the boat and allow the BJP to destabilise the state government." The BJP has been luring legislators from Congress, not just in Uttarakhand but in Himachal Pradesh as well. That things have undergone a subtle shift is evident from meetings being held at 10 Janpath, with the Congress president presiding and Rahul Gandhi sitting in. This is unlike earlier when party leaders who came to meet Sonia Gandhi were directed to meet Rahul at his residence for a final decision. This, according to an old-timer, is a far cry from the Congress' erstwhile management tactics of letting organisational problems fester. DIMINISHING FOOTPRINT Rahul Gandhi appointed Congress vice-president. Congress president gradually takes a back seat with Rahul projected as the face of the party. Congress in power in 16 states - Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir (in alliance)Worst electoral performance in the Lok Sabha (LS) election, down to 44 seats from 206. Rahul accepts responsibility for defeat. Congress does not qualify to be even principal Opposition party - that requires at least 54 seats in the LSCongress in power in 9 states - Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Kerala, Uttarakhand with alliesCongress suffers its worst defeat in Delhi, with zero seats in the February polls. By year-end, Congress' face saver being a junior partner in the winning Grand Alliance in BiharCongress loses its govt in Arunachal in January to a split in its ranks, "engineered" by the BJP; then Uttarakhand comes under Prez rule. Of the 7 states, Congress faces anti-incumbency in Kerala & Assam Some 250 Syrians were missing and feared kidnapped today after the Islamic State group attacked a cement factory in an advance against government positions east of Damascus. The jihadists launched the offensive after suffering a series of setbacks at the hands of regime troops in recent weeks including the loss of the ancient city of Palmyra, which officials said residents would start returning to on Saturday. The fresh fighting came ahead of a new round of peace talks due next week in Geneva following a ceasefire between the regime and non-jihadist rebels that has allowed Syrian forces to focus on fighting IS. After being pushed out of Palmyra on March 27, IS launched the fresh assault this week near the town of Dmeir, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Damascus. Residents said IS attacked the cement factory outside the town on Monday and that about 250 employees had gone missing. "We haven't been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh on the factory," said one resident of Dmeir, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "We have no information about where they are." An administrator at the plant confirmed that 250 employees had been unreachable since Monday. Dmeir is divided between IS control in the east and rebel control in the west, but several key positions around it, including a military airport and a power plant, are still in government hands. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the fighting was heavy but the jihadists had not managed to gain significant ground. "The most violent clashes are near the airport and the power plant, but IS has not entered either yet," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. IS had seized five regime positions in the area, including two checkpoints, since Monday, he said, adding that 20 members of regime forces and 35 IS fighters had been killed in the clashes. A Dmeir resident told AFP today that she could hear heavy shelling around the city and that residents were not daring to leave their homes. "We're in the eastern neighbourhood. The situation is very tense here," she said, asking not to be named out of fear for her safety. "We have no electricity, we have no water. There are people fleeing from the eastern districts to the west," she said. Last month's fierce street battles in Palmyra left much of the city's residential neighbourhoods severely damaged. Most of Palmyra's pre-war population of 70,000 people fled west towards the city of Homs when the extremist group advanced on the city in May 2015. Around 250 Syrian civilians are feared kidnapped after an attack by the Islamic State jihadist group on a cement factory east of Damascus, residents said today. "We haven't been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh on the factory," said a resident of the town of Dmeir, 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Damascus, using the Arabic acronym for IS. "We have no information about where they are," the resident added. An administrator at the plant said 250 employees had been unreachable since Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "dozens" of staff were believed to have been seized by IS from the cement factory and taken to an unknown location. The Badiyah cement factory lies outside Dmeir, which has seen fierce fighting in recent days as government forces have shelled IS positions inside the town. The Observatory said 18 civilians were killed in government shelling of the town. A Syrian security source told AFP that IS fighters had also tried to seize the nearby Dmeir airbase and power plant from the government but had failed. An 80-year-old NRI based in the UK today concluded his 3,000-km walk from Kanyakumari to Delhi to spread awareness about blindness and raise funds. Balwant Singh Grewal was received at the India Gate here by Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu who felicitated him for his accomplishment. Grewal said his walk has generated substantial awareness about blindness. At a gurudwara in Nagpur, about 200 women came forward to donate their eyes, he claimed. Naidu termed his initiative as "inspiring and commendable" and said it would inspire many to come forward to donate eye. The minister said the government has been taking several measures for the benefit of the differently-abled to make them realise their inherent potential. Grewal, who heads the UK-based charity India Association, started the walk on October 26 last year. The fund he collected during the course of his walk will be donated to 'Saksham', an organisation working for the cause of the blind, and the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. Indian tourist traffic to Germany rose by 84 per cent from 2007 to 2015 and over 6.92 lakh travellers visited the European country last year, Germany today said. According to Romit Theophilus, India Director for German National Tourist Office, there has been a steady growth of Indian visitors to Germany. "In 2007, 3,77,025 overnight Indian travellers visited Germany. The figure rose to 6,50,103 in 2014 and 6,92,612 in 2015. The rise from 2007 to 2015 is over 84 per cent," Theophilus said. He said after Europe, a majority of the tourists to Germany come from the Americas and Asia-Pacific. "In Asia, India ranks fourth in terms of travellers visiting Germany," Theophilus said. India is expected to have 50 million outbound travellers by 2020 and Germany wants to attract a major chunk of it, he said. German Ambassador Martin Ney said Indian students in Germany have doubled to 12,000 in the last four years and there were over 1,600 'desi' restaurants in the country. On the impact of Syrian refugees on tourism, he said they are being integrated in a systematic and peaceful way and it will not affect the sector in anyway. He said there has not been a single terrorist attack on Germany by ISIS due to the "excellent" work done by the security agencies. "This is a political issue. It is dealt in a way which does not affect tourism. We have had over a million Syrian refugees in German cities and they are being integrated in a very systematic and peaceful way. "Because it is being done in a safe and consensual way, it does not affect tourism," Ney said. Germany was in the forefront as compared to other European countries in accommodating Syrian refugees. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar was made to wait at Heathrow Airport as UK immigration officials checked the details of his Canadian passport. The 48-year-old flew into London from Mumbai for the shoot of his film 'Rustom' but had to wait an additional hour- and-a-half as the authorities checked the entry requirements to the UK for Canadian nationals yesterday. "It is being claimed that Akshay was 'detained', which is absolutely incorrect. It was just a delay for which immigration apologised and he went on with his day," a source close to the star told PTI. Kumar, who is a Canadian national, does not require a visa to travel to the UK for tourism and business purposes for up to 90 days. It is believed the UK authorities took longer to clarify this "fine-print", during which he was made to wait in the general waiting area at the airport. Kumar's team also denied media reports which claim the Punjab-born actor tried to assert his stardom to get any kind of special treatment or favours. They insist he willingly complied with the request of the authorities and was soon out of the airport and is now busy with his shoot in London. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed no problems were found with Kumar's documents. He said, "Border Force officers routinely carry out further checks on passengers to ensure they are satisfied that person has the documentation needed to enter the UK". A source who was present with the actor during the incident said the media had sensationalised a non-issue. She said, "We all know that no one can enter or even work in the UK without the right permit and there was no exception in the case of Akshay Kumar who travelled to the UK with all the correct documents. "However the immigration team at Heathrow Airport asked him to wait to double check a few details. Yes, the process took slightly longer than expected but you have to be patient with these things. The team were very sincere and profusely apologised to Akshay Kumar for the delay and inconvenience caused so not sure why the media are sensationalising this,' she said. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar was made to wait at Heathrow Airport as UK immigration officials checked the details of his Canadian passport. The 48-year-old flew into London from Mumbai for the shoot of his film 'Rustom' but had to wait an additional hour and a half as the authorities checked the entry requirements to the UK for Canadian nationals yesterday. "It is being claimed that Akshay was 'detained', which is absolutely incorrect. It was just a delay for which immigration apologised and he went on with his day," a source close to the star told PTI. Kumar, who is a Canadian national, does not require a visa to travel to the UK for tourism and business purposes for up to 90 days. It is believed the UK authorities took longer to clarify this "fine-print", during which he was made to wait in the general waiting area at the airport. His team also denies some media reports which claim the Punjab-born actor tried to assert his stardom to get any kind of special treatment or favours. They insist he willingly complied with the request of the authorities and was soon out of the airport and is now busy with his shoot in London. A PTI request to the UK Home Office for a statement on the incident remains pending. (REOPENS FGN7) "Akshay Kumar was not detained at Heathrow airport. He is already shooting for 'Rustom' in London. He was at immigration for barely two minutes. And he left the airport," a statement issued here by the actor's PR team said. An anti-corruption watchdog has asked the UK government to identify over 3,000 millionaires from around the world, including 60 from India, who used a visa scheme to migrate to Britain, in an effort to crack down on any corrupt tax practices. In a report titled 'Paradise Lost: Ending the UK's role as a safe haven for corrupt individuals, their allies and assets' released this week, Transparency International's UK chapter called for a review of the country's Tier 1 Investor visa which offers settlement rights in the UK to the super- rich from around the world. According to UK Home Office figures, this visa has been granted to 60 Indian millionaires between 2008 and 2015, with the list topped by Chinese and Russians. Pakistan also features prominently with 62 millionaires opting for this visa route. Under this so-called 'Golden Visa' scheme, the UK issues residency visas in exchange for commitments to invest in the economy. High net worth individuals (HNWIs) can use the UK's Tier 1 Investor visa system by investing a minimum of 2 million pounds in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK-registered companies. After five years, investors can apply for permanent residency in the UK. "Corrupt individuals can use the UK's Tier 1 (Investor) visa system - otherwise known as Golden Visas - to secure residency in the UK, thereby receiving an implicit endorsement of their money's legitimacy from the UK state. "Migrants who invest 2 million pounds into the UK economy under the scheme can apply for permanent residency after five years. By investing 5 million pounds, the waiting time can be reduced to three years, and those investing 10 million pounds can be awarded permanent residency after two years," Transparency International points out. "There are a number of problems with this system which leave it vulnerable to abuse from corrupt individuals. Despite the clear risk of money laundering through the Tier 1 (Investor) visa process, there is no dedicated system of money laundering or 'fit and proper' person checks for applicants," it added. Until the rules changed on April 6, 2015, there was no necessity for individuals to obtain a UK bank account before applying and being awarded a Tier 1 (Investor) visa, referred to as the "blind faith" period. The only information available on individuals granted such visas is their nationality and Transparency International is now calling for much wider disclosures. "The Home Office should bring full transparency to the Tier 1 (Investor) visa system, with public disclosures of who is investing, how much they are investing, what they are investing in and their financial interests and assets," the report said. "Upfront declarations should be required for Politically Exposed Persons and public officials who should expect to meet a high level of transparency, even after they have left office. "Retrospective checks should be undertaken on historical Tier 1 (Investor) visas that were granted in the 'blind faith' period and consideration given to publishing their details," it added. Appellate Tribunal for Electricity has set aside electricity regulator CERC's order for granting compensation for increase in fuel costs to projects won through competitive bidding. Reacting to the decision, shares of Tata Power dropped 3.83 per cent while Adani Power lost 2.92 per cent on the BSE. "The Central Commission has no regulatory powers under Section 79(1)(b) of the said Act (Electricity Act, 2003) to vary or modify the tariff or otherwise grant compensatory tariff to the generating companies in case of a tariff determined under a tariff-based competitive bid process...," APTEL said in an order today. "In view of this...The impugned Order dated February 21, 2014 is hereby set aside," it said. The Central Electricity Regulatory Authority (CERC) in its order on February 21, 2014, had granted nearly Rs 830 crore compensation for Adani Power's 4,620 MW Mundra plant in Gujarat for making up for losses incurred by the project due to higher cost of imported Indonesian coal. Similarly, the CERC had allowed higher tariff as well as compensation of Rs 329.45 crore for Tata Power's 4,000 MW Mundra project to compensate for increase in the price of imported coal. Meanwhile, Tata Power in a statement said, "Order dated April 15, 2013 and February 21, 2014 passed by CERC were set aside and the matter was remanded back to the CERC to consider the relief to be granted to CGPL for force majeure event. CERC has also been directed to conclude the said exercise expeditiously within a period of three months from today." The company also observed from APTEL order that "promulgation of Indonesian Regulation qualified as force majeure but relief can be granted as per Power Purchase Agreement." In case of Adani Power, the CERC has said that Gujarat has to pay Rs 420.24 crore, while Haryana has to shell out Rs 409.51 crore as compensation from the commissioning date till March 31, 2013. For the Mundra plant, Adani Power has inked two power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Gujarat - each for 1,000 MW - and PPAs with two Haryana utilities for total capacity of 1,424 MW. Rest of the electricity generated from the plant is sold on merchant basis. The CERC had allowed higher tariff as well as compensation of Rs 329.45 crore for Tata Power's 4,000 MW Mundra project to compensate for increase in the price of imported coal. CERC had directed 5 states that procure electricity from the Mundra plant to pay a compensation of Rs Rs 329.45 crore for the period from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. Electricity from Mundra Ultra Mega Power Project is supplied to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. It has been facing challenges following rise in the price of Indonesian coal, which is used to fire the plant. Electricity from Mundra Ultra Mega Power Project is supplied to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. It has been facing challenges following rise in the price of Indonesian coal, which is used to fire the plant. (REOPENS DCM 88) Commenting on the order, rating agency ICRA said, "The order by APTEL acknowledging tariff compensation issue is a positive development for concerned Gencos as it gives a direction to CERC to settle the same in a time-bound manner." However, it said, "The quantum of benefits flowing to these generators cannot be ascertained at the moment given that CERC would have to determine the mechanism for ascertaining the tariff compensation to be paid. Further, delays in payment of the same, given the possibility of further appeal by impacted off-takers, cannot be ruled out." "ICRA estimates that around 20 GW of capacity in the Indian power sector is impacted by issue of under recoveries in tariff/fuel charges," said Sr VP, Co-head corporate Sector rating, ICRA Ltd Sabyasachi Majumdar. It further said that while there have been directives by CERC/SERCs for resolution of such issues, the overall progress in resolution of tariff compensation even under change in law has remained slow. ICRA said that in this order, the APTEL has acknowledged that regulations in Indonesia had affected the economics of the PPAs entered into by APL and CGPL. This and the non-availability/short supply of coal from domestic sources are being considered as a force majeure event for APL (Adani Power Ltd). The APTEL directed CERC to assess the extent of impact of force majeure event on the projects of APL and CGPL and provide them relief. Argentine President Mauricio Macri became the latest world leader caught in the storm of the so-called Panama Papers today as prosecutors opened an investigation into his offshore financial dealings. Macri, the leading symbol of a budding right-wing resurgence in Latin America, joins Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping in the tempest unleashed by the leak of millions of offshore financial documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. But unlike Putin and Xi, who are only connected to the revelations via their inner circles, Macri is listed on the board of directors of two offshore firms -- one registered in the Bahamas and the other in Panama. Argentine federal prosecutor Federico Delgado said he had asked a judge to request information from the national tax authority and anti-corruption office to determine whether Macri "omitted, with malicious intent, to complete his sworn declaration" of assets, a requirement for Argentine public officials. Macri did not list either company in his financial declarations when he became Buenos Aires mayor in 2007 or president last December. The conservative leader, who vowed to fight corruption during his presidential campaign, denies wrongdoing and says the firms were legitimate operations set up by his father, a wealthy business magnate. Putin for his part ridiculed the international media probe behind the revelations, deriding it as US-orchestrated and boasting that a year-long investigation had failed to find any mention of his name. "They combed through these offshore accounts. Your humble servant is not there. What is there to talk about?" Putin said, referring to himself, at a televised forum held in Saint Petersburg. He denied any "element of corruption" and warmly defended his friend, cellist Sergei Roldugin, whom the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) found had "secretly shuffled as much as USD 2 billion through banks and shadow companies." The ICIJ coordinated the investigation with more than 100 media groups around the world after the 11.5 million documents were obtained from an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Putin lambasted the probe as a Washington conspiracy, pointing to a Twitter post by whistleblowing group WikiLeaks that said "US govt funded #PanamaPapers attack story on Putin via USAID. An Argentine opposition lawmaker has pressed charges against President Mauricio Macri, seeking to have him investigated for financial crimes after his name appeared in the so-called leaks. Lawmaker Norman Martinez yesterday asked a federal judge to order an investigation into whether the conservative president "knew of, collaborated in, ordered or approved maneuvers to launder money or evade taxes." Martinez, an ally of Macri's predecessor and opponent, Cristina Kirchner, filed the complaint after the lower house voted down a bill that sought to force the president to testify before Congress on his interests in two firms registered in the Bahamas and Panama. Macri still faces a separate move to launch a congressional commission to probe any irregularities in his finances. Information about Macri's offshore financial dealings emerged Sunday in the leak of millions of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which has put a host of world leaders and celebrities in the hot seat over their secret financial dealings. Macri, who vowed to fight corruption during his presidential campaign last year, denies wrongdoing and says he has nothing to hide. Martinez also requested an investigation into Nestor Grindetti, a close ally of the president who served as finance secretary for Buenos Aires when Macri was mayor. Grindetti, who is now mayor of the Buenos Aires suburb of Lanus, was listed in the leaks as managing a Panamanian-registered company and holding a Swiss bank account during his time as finance secretary for the capital. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul today called on Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed with him various issues, including law-and-order situation in the state. During the 15-minute meeting, Pul apprised Singh of the security situation in the state, particularly in Tirap and Changlang districts, affected by insurgency. He also briefed Singh on various development schemes initiated by his government, official sources said. This was for the first meeting between the two after Pul took charge as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on February 19. During his visit to the North Block, Pul also met Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh. Pul, a former Congress leader, formed a government with the help of BJP after revolting against the then Chief Minister Nabam Tuki. (REOP CES10) Referring to rail connectivity, Pul urged for immediate development of railway network in foothill towns like Deomali, Namsai, Tezu, Roing, Pasighat, Likabali, Seijosa and Kimin. He also sought Centre's attention on further development of rail network in interior pockets as long term plan. Stressing on the importance of an immediate rail network in foothills areas, the chief minister said it would help farmers and local traders to have direct trade link with all major cities in India. He said Arunachal has tremendous agriculture and horticulture potential but lacks market linkages. The initiatives are important to fight opium cultivation in the state to provide alternate source of livelihood, the communique added. Uttar Pradesh government should provide a financial package for revival of sick MSME units in the state, industry body Assocham said today. According to a study by Assocham and Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI), the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector performed well during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012). "The Uttar Pradesh government's thrust on development of MSMEs across the state has resulted in establishing over 1.66 lakh MSMEs with an investment of over Rs 13,000 crore and generating over 8.5 lakh employment opportunities during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012)," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said while releasing the findings of the study along with TARI Director Kaushik Dutta. However, there has been a fall in investments in MSME sector since 2012-13, which may be attributed to macroeconomic slowdown and a shift in focus from manufacturing to services sector, which requires lower investment, the study said. Assocham urged the state government to revive over 84,000 sick MSME units across UP as the sector forms the backbone of economic progress and development of the state, which has the highest number of MSME units at 44 lakh, of which over 42 lakh units remain unregistered. Shortage of working capital, lack of technological support, internal structural issues, heavy interest burden, obsolete plant and machinery, resource crunch and dearth of manpower are some of the major issues facing MSMEs in UP. The state government should involve industry players, academic institutes, field experts and others to assist sick MSMEs, the Assocham-TARI study said. Repairing and servicing industries account for over one-fourth share in the MSME sector in UP, followed by miscellaneous manufacturing (15 per cent), food products (15 per cent), and hosiery and garments (11 per cent), the study said. Western UP accounts for over 50 per cent share in terms of region-wise composition of MSME units, followed by Eastern UP (28 per cent) and central region (16 per cent). MSME sector accounts for almost 60 per cent of UP's total industrial output. It is the second largest employment generator (after agriculture), employing over 92 lakh people across the state. However, 90 per cent of these people were employed in unregistered MSMEs, it said. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today approved the launch of 'Dr B R Ambedkar Scholarship Scheme' for meritorious students of Class X and XII of government schools. The decision was taken by Badal while presiding over a meeting of 125th Dr B R Ambedkar Janam Shatabdi Utsav Committee to finalise the year-long celebrations. As many as 125 toppers each from class X and XII from government schools would be awarded the scholarship of Rs one lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh respectively. It was also decided to organise a series of seminars on the life, philosophy and works of Ambedkar in universities of the state. The Chief Minister constituted a committee comprising Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash, 125th Dr B R Ambedkar Janam Shatabdi Utsav Committee Chairman Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal and vice chancellors of state universities. Secretary Higher Education will be the Nodal Officer of the committee which would prepare a schedule for organising the seminars. Punjabi University, Patiala, would organise the seminar in July which would be attended by eminent scholars, political thinkers and academicians of national and international repute to throw light on the varied aspects of Ambedkar's personality and his vision. Badal also approved establishment of Department of Babasaheb Ambedkar Studies in Punjabi University on the pattern of such a Centre in Nagpur University. He also asked the Departments of Higher Education and Schools Education to hold declamation contests, quiz and paper reading competitions on Ambedkar to motivate the students. The Chief Minister also gave nod to dedicate first two days of next Assembly session "exclusively" to highlight the philosophy and vision of Ambedkar, on the pattern of recently held two-day session in the Parliament. Badal also gave approval to a state level function on the birth anniversary of Ambedkar at Phagwara on April 14. Bajaj Auto today said it expects to export 10,000 units of its quadricycle Qute in the ongoing fiscal even as the mini four-wheeler awaits clearance for sale in India. The company had introduced Qute in October and exported a total of 334 units to 19 markets including Turkey, Russia, Indonesia and Peru in 2015-16, Bajaj Auto President Business Development and Assurance S Ravikumar said in a statement. "With a strong positive reception in all markets without exception, production at Waluj (plant) is being ramped up to export over 500 Qute in April 2016 alone. Currently total exports for FY17 are estimated at 10,000 units," he added. Ravikumar said owing to its higher safety, lower emissions, and unparalleled fuel Qute is finding favor amongst two and three-wheeler consumers who cannot afford a car. "Even as Qute goes from strength to strength in its global markets, Bajaj continues to await clearance for the sales of Qute in India," he said, adding the vehicle has also been accorded one star safety rating by Euro NCAP. A Bangladeshi man, who languished in Pakistani prisons for 15 years as a suspected "Indian spy", died today four years after his return to the country. Moslemuddin Sarkar, 50, died after suffering from diabetes and kidney failure. "He returned home with a broken health four years ago... he eventually died today at his village home as he was suffering from multiple complications including diabetics and renal problems which he developed during his imprisonment in Pakistan," Sarkar's nephew Abdullah Al Mamun told PTI. Sarkar left home at the age in 1989 and went to India and then to Pakistan without a passport. He was detained by Pakistani authorities from near the Indian border six years later when he was returning home, Mamun said. "They (Pakistanis) suspected him as an Indian spy and in the subsequent 15 years he languished in prisons there until the Red Cross intervened," Mamun said. For 23 years, Mamun said, Sarkar's family in a village in northern Mymensingh district knew nothing about his whereabouts. They thought he was dead. But one day they received a letter from Sarkar in which he informed them that he was in a Pakistani jail. "We then sought Red Cross assistance and with their intervention he was freed and returned home... But it took over a month for him regain his Bengali accent as he was almost forgot his mother tongue while in captivity, but he could not regain his health," Mamun said. After his return from Pakistan in 2012, Sarkar had said he spent 15 years in prison in various jails of Pakistan. He had said he first crossed into India, touring New Delhi, Assam and Meghalaya and then preferred to visit Pakistan in search of work. BJP today hit out at CPI-M and its student outfit SFI for allegedly insulting a dalit woman college ex-Principal here on the day of her retirement by preparing a 'symbolic grave' for her. The act allegedly by SFI students "is unexpected behaviour in a civil society," BJP leader and Union Minister, Rajiv Prasad Rudy, who is in Kerala as part of the saffron party's poll campaign, told reporters here. The principal of the Government Victoria College, Dr T N Sarasu, had retired on March 31 and SFI students had allegedly prepared a 'symbolic grave' on the day of her retirement as a parting gift. "People in Kerala and other parts of the country will condemn this behaviour and attitude towards a dalit woman teacher," Rudy, who visited Sarasu here, said. Referring to the agitation by the left led by CPI-M over the suicide of research scholar Rohit Vemula in Hyderabad University, Rudy said it was quite contradictory that the marxist party's student's wing had insulted a woman teacher belonging to a dalit community. "This is a contradiction... Their attitude, thought process gets reflected in this incident," he said. Rudy also took a dig at CPI-M MP from Palakkad, M B Rajesh, who, he said, was silent on the issue. Meanwhile, police arrested four CPI-M sympathisers in connection with the incident. They were later let off, police said. Following a complaint from Sarasu, police had registered a case under various IPC sections against some SFI students. Sarasu alleged that the students had acted on the behest of "some members" of All Kerala Government College Teachers Union, owing allegiance to the Left. In her complaint to police, Sarasu has named at least eight SFI students who had prepared the 'symbolic grave' inside the college campus and had strewn it with flowers and placed a wreath at about 7 am on March 31. Some other students, who witnessed the act, informed the principal. She said she had not given in to their "unjust" demands which could have angered them. (REOPENS MDS8) The Minister said "it is sad and surprising to note the double standards that CPI(M) MPs are following across regions within the nation." "On the one hand they are fasting and demanding resignation of the Hyderabad Central University Vice Chancellor in the Rohith Vemula case and on the other, they are allowing humiliation to be suffered by the outgoing principal of Palakkad Government Victoria College, Dr T N Sarasu, at the hands of SFI students in Kerala - all in the name of casteism," he said in a statement. This act reflects the "true face" of Communist politics, he said. He also held the UDF government "responsible for failing" to protect the interest of Dalits in the state. Government bond (G-Secs) prices ended mixed in thin trade owing to alternate bouts of buying and selling amid profit taking by market participants ahead of the long weekend. The inter-bank call money rates retreated modestly due to lack of demand from borrowing banks on the back of adequate liquidity in the banking system. The 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2026 climbed to 100.9550 from 100.8650 yesterday, while its yield softened to 7.45 per cent from 7.46 per cent. The 7.88 per cent government security maturing in 2030 firmed up to Rs 101.01 from Rs 100.7725, while its yield fell to 7.76 per cent from 7.79 per cent. The 7.72 per cent government security maturing in 2025 rose to Rs 100.5325 against Rs 100.39 previously, while yield moved down to 7.64 per cent from 7.66 per cent. The 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2029 edged up to Rs 99.49 from Rs 99.36, while its yield inched lower to 7.65 per cent compared to 7.67 per cent earlier. However, the 7.68 per cent government security maturing in 2023, the 8.27 per cent government security maturing in 2020 and the 7.35 per cent government security maturing in 2024 were also quoted substantially lower at Rs 100.60, Rs 103.28 and Rs 98.29, respectively. The overnight call money rates ended marginally lower at 6.10 per cent from Wednesday's closing level of 6.30 per cent. It opened firmly higher at 6.50 per cent and traded in a narrow range of 6.55 per cent and 6.00 per cent in early trade. Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), purchased securities worth Rs 53.85 billion in 10-bids at the 4-day overnight repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.50 per cent this morning. It sold securities worth Rs 111.62 billion from 51-bids at the overnight reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.00 per cent late evening yesterday. Under the aegis of the BRICS Business Council, a series of capacity building programmes will be conducted across India to promote trade and investments with BRICS countries, FICCI said here today. As part of the initiative, BRICS Business Council along with FICCI and EXIM Bank is organising 'Capacity Building Programme on Promoting Trade and Investments with BRICS Countries' here on April 12, it said. The objective of the programme is to acquaint members of the Exim business community with various trade instruments, financing framework and policies available with DGFT, EXIM Bank, ECGC and State Bank of India for promoting trade and investment with BRICS countries, it added. The agenda of the forum is to create an opportunity to help trade and business community of Kerala identify prospective businesses that can be explored for expanding the trade base of BRICS. P M Francis IAS, Director, Industries and Commerce, Government of Kerala will inaugurate the BRICS Seminar here. K Raghavan IRS, Commissioner of Customs, Kochi will render the keynote address and R Muthuraj ITS, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade will deliver the special address, FICCI said. About Sergey Gorkov Sergey Gorkov (48) became the head of state corporation "Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank) in February 2016. Prior to that, he worked as deputy chairman of the board of Sberbank, where he supervised the work of the international operations unit. Mr Gorkov has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Merit for Services to the Fatherland, 2nd class and the Certificate of Honour of the Government of the Russian Federation. About BRICS The acronym "BRICs" was initially formulated in 2001 by economist Jim O'Neill, of Goldman Sachs, in a report on growth prospects for the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China - which together represented a significant share of the world's production and population. Russia was the side that initiated the creation of BRICS. In 2006, the four countries started a regular informal diplomatic coordination, with annual meetings of Foreign Ministers at the margins of the General Debate of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). This successful interaction led to the decision that the dialogue was to be carried out at the level of Heads of State and Government in annual Summits. As of the First Summit, held in Yekaterinburg in 2009, the depth and scope of the dialogue among the Members of BRICs - which became BRICS in 2011 with the inclusion of South Africa - was further enhanced. More than an acronym that identified countries emerging in the international economic order,BRICS became a new and promising political-diplomatic entity, far beyond the original concept tailored for the financial markets. SOURCE: Vnesheconombank. BSP MP along with his wife and son was arrested here today under anti-dowry laws in connection with the death of his daughter-in-law. Kashyap, who is a member of Rajya Sabha, and his wife Devendri were arrested by Kavi Nagar police from Yashoda Hospital's ICCU ward where they were admitted on April 6 after they complained of chest pain. Their son Sagar, who is the husband of victim Himanshi, was also arrested as the police have found "prima facie" complicity of the trio in the dowry death case, police officials said. SHO Kavinagar Ashok Shishodia said that a team of government doctors was constituted to examine the MP and his wife to determine if they actually require medical attention. Chief Medical Superintendent of Yashoda Hospital Sangeeta Garg said that after examination by the team, police arrested Kashyap and his wife. Himanshi, the 29 year-old daughter-in-law of Kashyap, was found dead inside bathroom of their sector-23 Sanjay Nagar residencewith gunshot injury on her head at around 11 a.m on Wednesday. An FIR under sections 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 304B (death of a woman caused by burns or bodily injuries) of IPC and section 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act was lodged against the three as well as the MP's daughters Shobha and Sarita and Sagar's younger brother Siddharth yesterday. Officials said that the other three will be arrested soon. District Magistrate Vimal Sharma said that "a detailed report is being sent to Rajya Sabha Chairman informing him about the incident and the arrest of parliamentarian". "The victim's husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law have been arrested as prima facie it has emerged that they were involved in dowry harassment. We had detained them this morning and only after a proper medical check-up they were arrested. The post-mortem report will be examined by a DSP rank officer. But prima facie it has emerged that the victim was being harassed for dowry," SSP Gaziabad Dharmendra Singh said. Himanshi, the daughter of former BSP minister Hiralal Kashyap, was married to Sagar three years ago and the couple have a one-year-old son. Hariom Kashyap, Himanshi's uncle, in his complaint alleged that Narendra Kashyap's family members used to torture the girl for not bringing enough dowry. They always insisted that she bring a 'Fortuner' SUV from her parents, he claimed. CBI is all set to file its charge sheet against Pearls Group companies and its Chief Nirmal Singh Bhangoo and others in connection with cheating five crore investors of Rs 45,000 crore by luring them with attractive land deals. The sources said the agency will be keeping its investigations open into the alleged business interests of Bhangoo in Australia and Dubai where his monies were diverted from the investments made here. They said the agency will also apprise court about its move to soon send judicial request to Australia and Dubai in connection with details of the case. During the probe in the last two years, CBI has found 1,300 bank accounts of the suspect company, its directors, and associated firms, they said, adding the agency has frozen assets (mostly Fixed Deposit receipts) to the tune of Rs 280 crore and an additional Rs 108 crore has been deposited with the Delhi High Court. They said the agency has managed to seize 20,000 documents related to properties whose purchase value was estimated at Rs 5,000 crore. Bhangoo, CMD of Pearls Golden Forest Ltd (PGF) and ex-Chairman of Pearls Australasia Pty Limited, along with Sukhdev Singh, MD and Promoter-Director of Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL), Gurmeet Singh, Executive Director (Finance) and Subrata Bhattacharya, ED in the PGF/PACL were arrested by CBI in connection with the scam. CBI will challenge the order of a special court here which has chided the agency for "flouting" procedures with impunity and being "conspicuously ambiguous" in the probe into corruption allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's principal secretary Rajendra Kumar and others. Special CBI judge Ajay Kumar made these observations while ordering defreezing of two bank accounts of Endeavour Systems Pvt Ltd, which was alleged to have received contracts from Kumar, who, according to the agency's charges, had favoured it by abusing his official position. "We will contest the said order in an appropriate forum by following the due legal procedures," CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh told PTI. The Judge said the investigating agency was expected to follow the mandate of law. "However, in present case, CBI flouted this requirement with impunity." "It is not appropriate that the accounts of the company remain freezed till the conclusion of investigation, particularly when more than three months have already elapsed and there is nothing on record by CBI that by what time they will conclude the investigation," the court said, adding that it could hamper the business of the firm with consequent loss to the livelihood of its employees. The court noted that CBI, neither in its reply nor during the arguments, could point to any entry in the accounts which suggested that huge bribe amounts were received in it prior to December 18, 2015. Delay on the part of Bihar government in lifting foodgrains was the main reason for beneficiaries not getting ration allocations on time in the state, a high-level central team has said in its report. The team, which visited Bihar, was constituted by Union Minister for Consumer, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan to review the PDS System in the wake of death of one Jago Manjhi reportedly due to starvation, the Consumer, Food & Public Distribution Ministry said in a release said today. The team, led by Joint Secretary Deepak Kumar in the Department of Food in the Ministry, found that "there was delay in lifting of foodgrains by the states in some districts which was main reason for not getting ration allocations by the beneficiaries on time." In view of the findings of the team, the Centre has asked the Bihar government to ensure timely lifting of foodgrains from FCI godowns so that it can reach at Fair Price Shops in the beginning of the month, the release said. Paswan, during his Bihar visit on March 28, had said that the death of 60 year-old dalit Jago Manjhi exposed the hole in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's agenda of good governance and implementation of the Public Distribution System (PDS). Nitish Kumar categorically denied any starvation death in the state saying it was due to some illness. Paswan had announced that a central committee would visit Bihar to ascertain whether or not the state government was abiding by the control order. The Centre's Department of Food has issued a control order for end-to-end computerisation and constitution of monitoring committee at panchayat level to usher in transparency in distribution of food quota to the beneficiaries. The central team has also asked the state government to upload the data of all beneficiaries of National food Security Act (NFSA) on state PDS portal. It was also observed that the state has digitized the data of NFSA beneficiaries, but has not uploaded the data of such NFSA beneficiaries on the portal till now, which is one of the mandatory requirement for the allocation of highly subsidized foodgrains, the report said. It was depriving a number of beneficiaries from the allocation of wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg, the release said. The state was asked to display the beneficiaries' list on the portal prominently. It was informed that under a campaign in each village and town, Aadhaar number and other details of beneficiaries are being collected for the purpose and the process will be completed in three months. During the visit, it was informed that problem of lifting of foodgrains is being faced only in districts of Patna, Araria, Bhojpur, Bhagalpur and Saharsa. On receiving complaints of irregularities in these districts, raids were conducted in godowns and licenses were suspended of some private transporters. The Center asked the FCI and state government agencies to find out the ways to avoid the delay in lifting foodgrains from neighbouring districts in the absence of FCI godowns in some districts. The team insisted that to check leakage in PDS, states should install 'Point of Sale Device' at Fair Price Shop (FPS) for biometric identification of beneficiaries at the earliest. A state govenrment official informed that such devises were being installed at 56 FPS of Noor block of Nalanda district. He also informed that DBT would also be introduced as pilot project next month in one of the blocks of Purnea district, the release said. Nearly a third of the business of the law firm at the centre of the scandal came from its offices in Hong Kong and China, reports said today, with the Asian giant assailed by corruption and capital flight. More than 16,300 of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca's active shell companies were incorporated through its Hong Kong and China offices, 29% of the worldwide total, according to the Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which co-ordinated a year-long investigation into a trove of 11.5 million documents. The investigation found that relatives of at least eight current or former members of China's Politburo Standing Committee, the ruling party's most powerful body, have been implicated in the use of offshore companies. Such vehicles are not illegal in themselves and can be used for legitimate business needs. But they commonly feature in corruption cases, when they can be used to secretly move ill-gotten gains abroad. Graft is rife in China, which Transparency rates in 83rd place out of 168 in its most recent Corruption Perceptions Index. At the same time growth in the world's second-largest economy is slowing, and its wealthy have increasingly sought to move funds abroad, but have to contend with Beijing's strict exchange-control regime. Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has launched a much- publicised anti-graft drive, but has not instituted systemic reforms such as public declarations of assets. Xi's brother-in-law and family members of two current members of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), Zhang Gaoli and Liu Yunshan, have offshore holdings, the ICIJ reported. Deng Jiagui, the husband of Xi's sister, was previously a shareholder in three companies: Supreme Victory Enterprises, Wealth Ming and Best Effect Enterprises, reports said. The companies were closed before Xi took power in 2012. Relatives of past PSC members Jia Qinglin, once the fourth-ranked leader in China, Li Peng, who led the Tiananmen Square crackdown, Hu Yaobang, ex vice-president Zeng Qinghong, and Tian Jiyun were named by The Guardian, which took part in the investigation. The documents also named movie star Jackie Chan, billionaire heiress Kelly Zong Fuli, and shopping-mall magnate Shen Guojun. Media in the Communist-ruled country have avoided reporting on the leaks' Chinese revelations, and social media has been scrubbed of references to them, with foreign news broadcasters such as the BBC blacked out when they report on the . China and Southeast Asian countries today decided to improve their cooperation in security and counter-terrorism to protect people in the region and help maintain regional security and stability. The two sides will take action to improve multilateral and bilateral cooperation against terrorism, said Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. He made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the China-Southeast Asian security services counter- terrorism dialogue, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Meng said China and Southeast Asian nations share close geographical and cultural links as well as common interests and future. The two sides have witnessed increasing mutual trust and cooperation in security. He thanked Southeast Asian nations for their support to China in the fight against terrorism. Meng said China is ready to work with Southeast Asian countries to put into action the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security strategy for Asia, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping at the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in May 2014. He called on all the countries to improve multilateral and bilateral cooperation, increase information exchange, expand cooperation areas, and strengthen counter-terrorism collaborative capacity, so as to establish a multilateral anti-terrorism cooperation platform with regional characteristics to protect people in the region and help maintain regional security and stability, the report said. Officials from Southeast Asian nations pledged to further strengthen information exchange and take pragmatic actions in counter-terrorism with China, the report said. China's State Councilor and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng, who attended the dialogue today. Guo said China is willing to work with Cambodia to strengthen law enforcement cooperation in such areas as telecommunications fraud, human trafficking and cyber crimes, so as to serve the development of bilateral relations. The Church in Kerala today wanted CPI-M, heading the LDF, to make it clear if it will reopen closed bars if voted to power in the May 16 assembly polls and also wondered why it was "secretive" about its liquor policy. Church representatives maintained that the Left Front policy of abstinence was impractical as it would be difficult to implement since it was an individual's decision. Besides, the government cannot make any law on that. The Church also said it seems the Left Front was playing into the hands of the liquor mafia as they are not coming out clear on the policy. Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference, an association of three rites of Catholic church-- Latin, Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara-- said the Left Front should spell out its policy on liquor as early as possible. "They are stating that they are not for prohibition, but abstinence.But abstinence is not a government policy. It is to be made by each individual. The prerogative of the government is to make laws and implement them and control the evil," KCBC Spokesperson Father Varghese Vallikkatt told PTI. The Catholic church wants an 'effective control' over liquor and not abstinence, he said. Contending out that abstinence is a personal decision, he said it can be encouraged, but there was no legality to it. "LDF should make it clear whether they will liberalise the present liquor policy and whether they will open closed bars.The people need to know if they will effectively regulate availablity of liquor or they will liberalise it...Why is the Left Front keeping their policy very secretive?," he said. "Is it because they want to favour the liquor mafia that they don't want to clarify the liquor policy?," he asked. Meanwhile, the Syro Malabar Catholic Church said it was in favour of total prohibition. Father Jimmy Poochakkatt, Syro Malabar catholic church's official spokesperson, said that they "always favour a total ban. "That should be so. The steps taken by UDF government in this regard are welcome. A day after losing Wisconsin, White House hopeful has unleashed a blistering critique of China while campaigning in blue-collar Pennsylvania, warning the Asian giant must "toe the line" if she becomes president. The eastern US state, where organized labor is an influential force, hosts its presidential primaries on April 26. "China illegally dumps cheap products in our markets, steals our trade secrets, plays games with their currency, gives unfair advantages to state-owned-enterprises and discriminates against American companies," she said yesterday. "We will throw the book at China for their illegal actions." Clinton's remarks, delivered to a state AFL-CIO union convention in Philadelphia, were among her most forceful campaign trail comments about Beijing. Her rival for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders, addresses the gathering today. Clinton, seeking to regain her footing in the nomination race after losing six of the last seven state contests, pointed to her experience as secretary of state as a measure of her ability to influence Beijing. "I've gone toe to toe with China's top leaders on some of the toughest issues we face, from cyber attacks to human rights to climate change to trade and more," she said. "I know how they operate, and they know if I'm president, they're going to have to toe the line, because we're going to once and for all get fair treatment, or they're not going to get access to our markets." At one point she refered to China as "the biggest abuser of global trade." Clinton defeated Barack Obama in Pennsylvania in their 2008 primary battle, thanks to support from union Democrats, and she aims to repeat her victory in three weeks' time. But she will need to reassure workers who have criticized her late opposition to the trans-Pacific trade deal recently signed by President Barack Obama. Sanders has steadfastly opposed the agreement from Day One. "My message to every worker in Pennsylvania, every worker across America is this: I will stand with you, I will have your back and I will stop dead in its tracks any trade deal that hurts America," Clinton said. She also criticized Sanders, insisting that "in a number of important areas, he doesn't have a plan at all." Clinton leads Sanders by 52.7% to 35% in a RealClearPolitics poll average, although the latest poll, released by Quinnipiac University on Tuesday, puts Clinton just six points ahead. The Coast Guard evacuated an injured employee from an SCI ship MV Goa off Mumbai coast early today. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai received a telephonic message at 7.27 PM yesterday from the master of the Shipping Corporation of India vessel seeking immediate medical evacuation of Binood Kumar (24). Kumar, fourth engineer of the merchant vessel, was profusely bleeding from ear and hand with first degree burn on right wrist and blisters as he got struck in pantry bulkhead, an official release said. The vessel was about 22 NM (approximately 40 kms) north-west of Mumbai, it added. Considering the patient's condition, the mission was undertaken in shortest possible time by diverting the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship, Agrim, which was on patrol off Mumbai, to provide assistance to the wounded person, the release said. ICGS Agrim, a Coast Guard (CG) patrol vessel reached MV Goa and after examining the patient, evacuated him from MV to the ICG Ship. The patient was brought to Mumbai harbour and was handed over to the civil boat Arbas at about 02.40 AM today for hospitalisation. MRCC Mumbai coordinated the mission, giving update to the ship as well as arrangements ashore through the ship's agents, the statement added. The patient was later transferred to the Shah clinic in Marine Lines here for further medical care and his condition is now stable, it said. An Egyptian request to extradite a man who authorities say admitted to hijacking an EgyptAir flight with a fake suicide belt has been approved and legal procedures are underway, Cyprus' attorney general said today. Petros Clerides told The Associated Press that 59-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa is objecting to extradition and has hired a lawyer. Clerides said a Cypriot court will weigh Mustafa's arguments against his extradition during a hearing scheduled for April 22. Mustafa, described by Cypriot authorities as "psychologically unstable," is accused of forcing a flight from Alexandria to Cairo to land in Cyprus last week after claiming to be strapped with explosives. The hijacking ended peacefully after six hours with Mustafa's arrest when he stepped off the aircraft and tried to flee, police said. Most of the 72 passengers and crew aboard the Airbus A320 had been released shortly after the plane landed at Cyprus' main Larnaca airport, although a few were kept until just before the hijacking was over. A Cyprus court last week ordered the eight-day detention of Mustafa, who faced preliminary charges including hijacking, kidnapping and threats to commit violence. Mustafa did not ask to be represented by an attorney at that hearing, police said. Clerides said Mustafa won't be tried in Cyprus and was freed Thursday, but he was re-arrested on the strength of a warrant issued as part of extradition proceedings. Amid a furore over leaked 'Panama Papers' showing Indians with alleged offshore tax haven holdings, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan today warned against a "dangerous" trend of questions being raised about legitimacy of even the 'entrepreneurial wealth of self-made people'. Stating that the debate on illegitimacy of wealth has varied from crony capitalism and the illegal acts of bankers to that about passive and inherited wealth, Rajan said, "Now increasingly there is a talk about whether entrepreneurial wealth is illegitimate, whether self-made people should have what they have and whether that's something a fair game. "I think this is dangerous. And the fact that there are occasions when people are found to be hiding their wealth as in the Panama allegations, essentially contributes to this process of de-legitimisation," he added. The so-called 'Panama Papers', presumably leaked documents of a Panamanian law firm detailing offshore tax-haven entities set up by people from across the world including Indians, have triggered a worldwide debate and probes have been announced in several countries, including in India. RBI itself is part of the multi-agency group announced by the Indian government to monitor such holdings and take appropriate action. Speaking here at an industry event, Rajan said there is need for providing ample opportunities to people to sustain legitimacy of wealth. "Improving the opportunities across the board is extremely important to sustain the legitimacy of wealth. If a whole horde of people, whole sections of society don't feel they have the opportunities, then the focus is going to be on those who have it and who have made it and say that is illegitimate," Rajan said. "I think that is something very important and it is something that we have seen elements of in our own society but certainly it is full fledged in industrial countries. It is certainly we need to worry about at the global level," he added. The RBI chief said one of the most important sources of concern, "which you have seen with some of these Panama reports and so on, it's in-built into this notion of illegitimacy of wealth". "Let us not minimise the forces that are travelling around the world... Earlier, the crisis built up the idea that the bankers were illegitimate, that crony capitalism was illegitimate... All of which makes sense. But that's moved on to passive wealth holding are illegitimate. "That if you're a coupon clipper who is clipping what your parents gave you as inheritance, perhaps you shouldn't have so much and it should be re-distributed," he added. Speaking further, Rajan said the "answer has to be increase the opportunity across the board... The focus on job creation is extremely important. "When you think about finance it has to be with a purpose. It has to be as handmaiden to entrepreneurship. Finance can't create entrepreneurship but financial can help the entrepreneur finance enterprise, can help the house holders manage risks and so on. "So with that in the mind helping the enterprise, helping the house holder and also the government raise money, we have to figure out the appropriate markets, the appropriate institutions," he added. He was speaking at an interactive session with Singapore deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a CII organised event. Copenhagen police said today they had detained four people on suspicion of joining the Islamic State group in Syria and seized weapons and ammunition in a search linked to the arrests. All four were suspected of breaking Denmark's terrorism law while in Syria, and were arrested in the Copenhagen area, police said in a statement without giving any further information on their identities. "The suspects have been identified through investigations carried out in close cooperation between the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and Copenhagen police," the statement said. Under Danish terrorism law, "letting oneself be recruited to commit acts of (terrorism)" is punishable with up to six years in jail. "At one of the addresses we (searched) today we found some weapons and ammunition," police inspector Poul Kjeldsen told reporters. A person living at the address had links to one of Copenhagen's criminal gangs, police later said on Twitter. "The arrests took place as part of the effort against people letting themselves be recruited to terror groups in the war-torn areas in Syria and northern Iraq," police said. A preliminary hearing was scheduled to be held on Friday. Europe is on edge after the Paris attacks in November and last month's bombings in Brussels, both blamed on homegrown militants radicalised and trained by IS. Around 4,000 Europeans have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups as foreign fighters, according to a study from the Hague-based International Centre for Counter-Terrorism released last week. Data from Denmark showed that 125 people had left the country to fight in Syria or Iraq, and that 62 of those were believed to have returned to the Scandinavian country. The Danish city of Aarhus has drawn international attention for its "soft-hands" approach to battling the radicalisation of young Muslims with social techniques used in gang exit strategies. A Danish-Palestinian gunman -- seemingly inspired by the deadly assault on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo -- killed a filmmaker and a Jewish security guard in twin attacks last year. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has appealed to the Centre for de-notification of reserved forest areas that cover major towns and large human habitations, especially those in the foothill areas, on a case-by-case basis. He said this in a meeting with Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar at New Delhi yesterday. The chief minister said the state government intends to undo the past injustice, where many existing villages and community lands were notified as reserved forest, especially during 1970s to 1990s, an official report said here today. "The boundaries of reserved areas were drawn without actually mapping the area on the ground flouting all the rules and procedures," Pul pointed out. He mentioned that several portions in all major district headquarters in the state are under reserved areas. Even important institutions and establishments in Itanagar, such as Raj Bhawan, CM's office, and many important government building are well within the notified areas. "Several banks and financial institutions such as NeDFI and NABARD are not ready to invest or provide loan for setting up businesses due to such constraints. Also projects for essential services like roads, drinking water schemes and hydel projects are being stalled," the chief minister added. He said, several areas in the foothills are under reserved areas, due to which the scope for establishment of business and offices are constrained. (Reopens CES9) The chief minister pointed out that many reserved areas are without forest cover, poor vegetation and without signs of any wildlife, which could be de-notified to make room for development. Referring to the delay of several power projects in the state due to forest clearance being linked up with the completion of basin study, the chief minister requested the Union minister for delinking basin studies from forest clearance. He informed that several projects, which were under implementation has been held up due to mandatory requirement of basin studies to get the final nod from the environment ministry. "This has severely affected the confidence of the investors as the fate of several projects remains uncertain," Pul said. He requested the Union minister for a single window clearance system to expedite execution of power projects stating that power requirement is critical not only for state's development but for nation as well. The chief minister also suggested that for smaller hydro projects below 25MW, which does not come under the purview of EIA notification 2006, could be exempted from basin study. The union minister assured that Centre would lend a helping hand to expedite execution of development projects in Arunachal and to lessen the hurdles in forest clearance. On development of border infrastructures, the minister informed that ministry has granted general approval for all security infrastructures projects 100 km inside the international border. He further informed that the ministry had exempted from the purview of forest clearance, all linear projects - such as highways in Border States, the communique added. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders, who were summoned as accused in a criminal defamaiton case filed against them by Union Minister Arun Jaitley, were today granted bail by a Delhi court. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass granted the relief to Kejriwal and AAP leaders Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai, on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 each with one surety of like amount. Kejriwal and other accused had appeared in court in pursuance to the summons issued against them on March 9. The court has now fixed the matter for May 19 for further arguments in the case. The Delhi government cannot say they have no obligation towards the three municipal corporations in the city with regard to payment of salaries to employees of three civic bodies, Delhi High Court said today. "It (the municipal bodies) is part of Delhi only. What does the Centre have to do with it? The Centre has nothing to do with it," a bench of Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath observed. Maintaining that here it was small issue relating to payment of salaries to municipal employees, it asked why cannot the Delhi government pay. "It is a local authority of Delhi," the bench orally said on Delhi government's contention that they paid the salaries, what was expected from them. Delhi government said the Centre too cannot shy from its obligations, even as the civic bodies claimed that funds were not being released by the Delhi government. After hearing the counsel for all the parties, the court said that it would pass an appropriate order on April 18. The court was hearing a PIL by one Birender Sangwan, who has sought lifting of garbage littered on streets due to safai karamchaaris' strike in January and that the stir be called off as it was causing hardship to public. The employees had called off the strike after their salaries till the month of January this year were paid. Another petition by D P Chandel, President of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, had sought directions to Delhi government and EDMC to release arrears as per the 6th Pay Commission to employees of the civic body. The plea, also by Rakesh Vaid, its General Secretary, had sought release of salaries in the first week of each month. In January end, another petitioner Rahul Birla had moved the court when safai karamchaaris had gone on strike, claiming that the authorities were not paying salaries and arrears since 2003 to the MCD workers. He said that workers of North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations had gone on strike in 2015 too leading to "accumulation of garbage for number of days at different places which made the lives of people pathetic and miserable". A Delhi court was today informed that a case relating to six suspected terror operatives, alleged to have links with dreaded outfit ISIS, has been transferred from Delhi Police's Special Cell to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The police told Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh that the matter has been transferred to NIA for further investigation, as it was already probing another case in which several suspected operatives of ISIS have been arrested. Five of the six arrested accused -- Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed, Akhlaq ur-Rehman, Mohd Osama, Mohd Azim Shah and Mehroz -- were produced before the court after expiry of their judicial custody. After the court was told that the case has been transferred to the NIA, the judge said these accused be produced before the concerned court. Thereafter, the accused were produced before the special NIA court which extended their judicial custody till April 12. Another accused, Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, was not produced before the court today from judicial custody and the judge has issued a production warrant for the next date of hearing. The police's Special Cell had earlier arrested four persons with suspected ISIS links from Manglour in Uttarakhand and claimed to have unearthed a terror plot to target the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, especially the trains headed there, along with some strategic locations in the national capital. According to the police, Sayyed, who is believed to be self-radicalised, was acting as a financier and had given Rs 50,000 to Akhlaq, Osama, Shah and Mehroz. The accused were found to have links with a former Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist who later went to fight for ISIS, the police had claimed. "The arrested persons were allegedly in contact with a former IM operative, who later went for training in Syria and is presently believed to be a key member of Ansar-ut Tawhid fi Bilad al-Hind (AuT) which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)," the police had said. Puducherry government today urged residents of the Union Territory to be cautious against those approaching them with promises of French government pension as no such scheme has been evolved by that nation. Chief Secretary Manoj Parida said the government's attention has been drawn to some persons affiliated to 'Franco Indian Poorviga Mudhiyor Sangam' (Association for senior citizens of Puducherry origin) approaching residents of Puducherry, a former French colony, who were born before 1962, that they would procure them pension of the French government. These persons were also collecting documents like birth certificates and other papers, besides some cash payment. Parida said, in a release, that the office of Consul General of France here has clarified that such claims were "totally false" as no such scheme has been contemplated by the French government. The Consul General's office also informed that no new law has been passed to award pension to residents of the former French establishments in India. Parida urged the residents to ignore such organisations, approaching them with promises of payment of French pension. "If any person approaches withpromises, residents can file complaints with the nearest police station for follow up action," the release said. Coming out in defence of the Gujarat government's renaming of the UPA government's Food Security Act as 'Maa Annapurna Yojna', the state BJP today said Congress should see the essence of the scheme instead of criticising the government over the move. In a statement issued by the state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, the ruling party also asked the Opposition to stop playing politics over the scheme, meant for providing food to poor people in the state. BJP's reaction came a day after the Gujarat Congress slammed the BJP government for renaming the National Food Security Act, passed during the UPA regime, as Maa Annapurna Yojna, launched by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel yesterday. "It is obvious Congress will oppose this name, as they are in the habit of seeing names of their leaders attached to each and every scheme launched in the past. The Gandhi-Nehru dynasty alone ruled India for years. Thus, all the schemes in the past had the names of their leaders," said Pandya. According to a survey, more than four lakh institutes, trusts, government buildings were named after Congress leaders, as they ruled for maximum period after the Independence, Pandya was quoted as saying in the release. Earlier yesterday, Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil said it is an "old habit" of BJP to change names of schemes launched by Congress-led government at the Centre. He slammed Chief Minister for indicating the food scheme was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Only a BJP leader can utter such a blatant lie while sitting on such a high post. It is an indisputable fact Food Security Act was brought by the Congress-led UPA government, not by BJP. Changing name of Central schemes and taking undue credit is an old practice of the Gujarat government," Gohil alleged. Pandya said Maa Annapurna Yojna is much better and wider in scope than what UPA brought through the Act. "In Indian culture, Maa Annapurna is a deity, who provides food. Therefore, instead of playing politics over the issue, Congress should understand the essence if it. Congress must refrain from doing politics over a scheme meant to feed over 3.82 crore poor people of Gujarat," Pandya said. A college student today died and two of his friends were injured when their motorcycle was hit by a lorry near Kadayam in this district, police said. The injured have been admitted to the government hospital here. Police said the three students were studying in a private engineering college. Delhi government has identified over 300 schools as "defaulters" for not sharing the status of EWS admissions and announced it would conduct "random" inspections in all private schools. The Directorate of Education (DoE) has formed 24 teams to visit the schools and verify the record of admissions under Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Disadvantaged Group (DG) categories in entry level classes for the academic session 2016-17. The teams, comprising three members each, will submit their reports wihin two days of inspecting a school. The government has also warned the defaulter schools of action for not submitting data of admissions despite repetitive reminders, due to which the second draw of lots is pending and the entire admission process has been delayed. "DoE is empowered to conduct special inspection of private unaided schools on any special aspects of the working of an institution and all records of the school are open to scrutiny by any officer authorised by the Director or appropriate authority at any time," the department said in communication to school heads. "All private schools are under obligation to admit 25 per cent students belonging to EWS and DG categories. In order to ensure transparency in the process, government had invited online applications, conducted computerized draw of lots and the list of selected candidates was forwarded to schools for completion of admission formalities in a time-bound manner. "It has been decided that private schools are required to be inspected randomly by various teams consisting of directorate officials," it added. In a separate circular, the government has identified 306 schools as defaulters for not updating the admission status under the first computerised draw. The schools have been asked to upload the details on the department's website by April 8, failing which they could face action under the provisions of Delhi School Education Act and Rules. Former army chief General (retired) J J Singh will be conferred with the highest French civilian distinction, Officer of the Legion of Honour, next week. Singh was chosen for the award in recognition of his "stellar role" in modernising Indian Army and initiating robust exchanges between Indian and French armies for achieving "unprecedented" levels of cooperation and inter-operability, creating enduring ties and promoting mutual understanding between the two countries, the French Embassy said here. 'Officier de l'Ordre national de la Legion d'Honneur' is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and holder of a master's degree in Defence Science, General (retired) Singh was commissioned in the 9th Maratha Light Infantry on August 2 1964. In January, 2003, he was appointed as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) and took over as Army Commander - Western Command in January, 2004. On January 31, 2005, Singh assumed the office of Chief of Army Staff. In 2007, he also held the appointment of Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the three forces. "Working tirelessly towards the enhancement of military cooperation between the Indian and French armies, he led an inter-services delegation to France that year. It was during this tenure that he mooted the idea of holding joint army exercises at the level already existing between the two countries' air forces (Garuda) and navies (Varuna). "It was thus that the 'Shakti' inter-army exercise later came into being in 2011," the statement said. In 2009, he was invited as the Guest of Honour for the French National Day military parade in Paris in which an Indian Army contingent took part for the first time. After his retirement in September 2007, General (retd.) Singh served as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh from 2008 to 2013. IPS officer Amitabh Thakur today termed the extension of his suspension by the UP government as "completely illegal", after the Centre told the Allahabad High Court that the continued suspension is against rules and Thakur should be reinstated. In a letter to Principal Secretary (Home), Thakur said the central government passed the order on March 31, 2016, under rule 19(2) of All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules which the state government was legally bound to comply with. He claimed instead of complying with the order passed by the Centre, after having given the state government an opportunity to present its facts, the UP government passed an "extremely bizarre order" in which it said his suspension will automatically continue till departmental inquiry on various court orders remains pending. Terming the order as "completely illegal", Thakur said he will soon challenge it in high court. The Centre has told the Allahabad High Court and the Uttar Pradesh government that the continued suspension of Thakur was against rules and he should be reinstated. The Union Home Ministry told the high court through an affidavit that the Uttar Pradesh government has not extended the suspension of the 1992-batch IPS officer even as its initial three-month period lapsed on October 11, 2015. Non-extension of suspension order within 90 days violates the All-India Services Rules and allows his or her reinstatement, a Home Ministry official said. The ministry's submission before the high court is followed by Thakur's petition against his continuous suspension. The Uttar Pradesh government has also been told about the relevant provision of the All India Services Rules and the necessity of reinstating Thakur. The IPS officer was suspended in July 2015 for alleged indiscipline and corruption. The order had come after Thakur had lodged a complaint against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him over phone. A vigilance probe was also ordered against Thakur and the department later lodged an FIR against him for holding assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. In November last year, Thakur had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming he was suspended not for dereliction of duty or impropriety in official work but for working more. The Home Ministry affidavit was submitted in a contempt petition filed by Thakur against Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi at the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. Presenting the affidavit to the UP home department, Thakur has sought issuance of a formal order of reinstatement. "I have presented this order to the state Home Department seeking reinstatement," he said. The former boss of Italian aerospace and defence group Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, was sentenced today by the Milan appeals court to 4.5 years in jail for false accounting and corruption over the sale of 12 luxury helicopters to India, Italian media reported. Also handed a four-year jail term on the same charges was Bruno Spagnolini, former head of AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica. The case against the two resulted from an investigation launched in 2012 into the sale of 12 luxury helicopters to India's government. Orsi was arrested in 2014 and resigned as chief executive of the aerospace group a short while later. India cancelled the deal with AgustaWestland in January 2014 amid allegations that the company paid bribes to win the 556-million-euro (USD 753 million) contract. The aborted deal was a severe setback for Finmeccanica, having already been hammered by the global financial crisis. In their first trial in October 2014, the two former executives were sentenced to two years in prison just on the false accounting charge. But the appeals court also ruled on corruption. "This sentence is inexplicable," said Ennio Amodio, Orsi's lawyer today, announcing that he will file another appeal to suspend the latest court's decision. The Milan appeals court also decided to confiscate belongings of the two men worth 7.5 million euros (USD 8.5 million), RadioCor agency reports. Maharashtra Government will focus on those forthcoming power generation projects which use minimal water, considering the present water scarcity, the state Legislative Assembly was told today. "The ensuing projects will be those using minimal water and also techniques like air-cooling," Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, replying to a query by Rana Jagjitsinh Patil. Patil drew the minister's attention to 2.25 lakh tonne coal 'lying idle' at the Parli thermal power station in drought-hit Marathwada region. Henceforth, sewerage water will be used in thermal power stations, the minister said. Considering the acute water shortage in parts of Maharashtra, forthcoming power projects in the state will be those using minimal water, he said. Reform-minded French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron has launched his own political movement, declaring he wanted to promote "new ideas" that were neither "of the right nor the left" a year ahead of the next presidential election. Macron, a 38-year-old former banker who was brought into the Socialist government in 2014 to try to turn around the ailing French economy, yesterday said the movement called "En Marche" (On the move) would spur debate on how to tackle "blockages" in French society. "It will not be a movement to produce yet another presidential candidate, that is not my priority today," he assured. His aim, he said, was to win over a majority of French people to "new ideas for the country" that could be implemented in the future. "That's the only ambition one should have. It's radical, it seems a bit crazy talking about it tonight, but there is such energy in the country!" the fresh-faced minister said. Over the past year-and-a-half, Macron has become the face of the centrist shift of President Francois Hollande's government. Lionised by liberals for challenging the key planks of French Socialism, like the 35-hour work week, he has been lampooned by die-hard leftists as too cosy with business. The minister, who is not a card-carrying member of the Socialist Party, said his movement would be open to members of all "republican" parties -- a label often used to exclude the far-right National Front. His formation of a political movement will fuel speculation about his political ambitions in the run-up to next year's election. Hollande, who has been plagued by abysmal approval ratings, has said he will not seek re-election if it does not succeed in cutting stubbornly high unemployment. Switzerland-based Global Fund, which financially supports various disease eradication programmes, will not source malaria drug from Ipca Laboratories as the company has received a warning letter from the US health regulator for lapses in manufacturing norms at three of its facilities. In a regulatory filing, Ipca Laboratories said the Geneva-based organisation that provides financial aid against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, has informed the company about its decision on Wednesday via a letter. "In the light of the warning letter issued to the company by the USFDA on January 29, 2016, they (The Global Fund) have re-assessed the situation and following a risk consideration exercise, will not allocate any volume of Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACTs) to the company," Ipca Laboratories said. The Global Fund will only source ACTs from other pre-qualified suppliers that have no outstanding issues with the regulators, it added. WHO recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Founded in 2002, the Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases. It raises and invests nearly USD 4 billion a year to support programmes run by local experts in countries and communities most in need. The USFDA in its observation has found major anomalies -- including systemic data manipulation and manufacturing norm violations -- at the three plants of Ipca Laboratories. According to the warning letter sent by the USFDA over the three plants, its inspectors observed systemic data manipulation and other current good manufacturing practices (CGMP) violations and deviations at the company's three facilities. The three plants are located at Ratlam, Pithampur (Madhya Pradesh) and Piparia (Silvassa). Ipca shares today ended at Rs 558.55 apiece on the BSE, up 2.59 per cent from previous close. Germany is looking at a 10 per cent increase in the number of Indian visitors to the country to around 3.30 lakh as it undertakes a number of initiatives to promote itself as a preferred destination. Germany had close to 3 lakh Indian visitors in 2015 translating into 6.92 lakh over night stays during the year. "We are looking at around three lakh and thirty thousand visitors from India in 2016 which is a growth of 10 per cent," German National Tourist Office India Director Romit Theophilus told PTI. Germany is a leading destination for Indians in Europe, he added. "India is also important for us as it is one of the fastest growing economies and has a growing middle class. The average spend per person per visit from India is around 2,700 euro," Theophilus said. When asked about the initiatives being taken to promote Germany as preferred destination, he said: "We are highlighting the fact that Germany provides great value for money." Another thing that the tourist office is emphasizing on is about the natural beauty of Germany. With more than one third of the landscape covered in woodlands, 48,000 animal species living in the wild and over 350 islands amongst the other varied natural treasures, destination Germany has a variety of natural attractions on offer, he added. German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is also focusing on the theme based campaign, 'Holidays in the Heart of Nature in Destination Germany 2016, Theophilus said. "Germany stands not only for quality vehicles and world-class industry but has a lot more to offer: vibrant cities, natural beauty and inspiring cultural monuments...," German Ambassador Martin Ney said. The nearly two-fold increase of Indian travellers in less than a decade shows that Germany is a trending destination on the global tourism map, he added. When asked about which is the largest segment for the Indian visitors, Theophilus said: "It is an equal mix of business and leisure. We want people to see Germany as a leisure destination and not only as a business destination." German National Tourist Office, India is is the official representative office of the German National Tourist Board, which internationally promotes as a tourist destination on behalf of the German Federal Government. The government today said it does not want to hide from the people anything on development of genetically modified crops, a day after the Central Information Commission directed the Environment Ministry to put bio-safety data of GM mustard in public domain. "We have put all the things clearly. GM mustard commercialisation permission has not been given. After eight years of trials, results have come in with regards to food safety and experiment is going on. There is nothing to hide in that. Our government does not want to hide anything from the people," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said. Taking the example of Kelloggs, the minister said there are times when people eat GM corn while edible oil which is being imported is made by genetically modifying it. "But if we have to give any permission to any GM crop in the country, then there should be no playing with the health of the people," he said. The Central Information Commission had yesterday directed the Environment Ministry to share a copy of the bio-safety document related to genetically-modified mustard and the raw data of studies with the caveat that provisions of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety as well as confidentiality should be kept in mind. The transparency panel also directed that the entire bio- safety data pertaining to all other genetically modified crops in the pipeline be put in the public domain as that is part of voluntary disclosures under Section IV of the RTI Act. The ministry had objected to the disclosure of the data, saying the information is exempted under the RTI clause related to commercial confidence of the third party -- the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants. Google has honoured with a doodle Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar virtuoso who is credited with the spread of Indian classical music in the West in the 1960s. Brought out in honour of Shankar's 96th birthday, the centrepiece of the doodle is a sitar. "Shankar, evangelised the use of Indian instruments in Western music, introducing the atmospheric hum of the sitar to audiences worldwide," the search engine giant said. Born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhry in 1920 to a Bengali family in Varanasi, the musician and composer spent his younger days touring the country with his elder brother Uday Shankar's dance troupe. He gave up dancing to study sitar playing under court musician Allauddin Khan. He went on to become the music director of All India Radio and the musician also worked as a composer, creating the music for the 'Apu Trilogy' by Satyajit Ray. He performed frequently with the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, and composed a concerto with sitar for the London Symphony Orchestra. Shankar also taught George Harrison of the Beatles to play the sitar, and widely influenced popular music in the 1960s and 70s. Shankar's music popularised the fundamentals of Indian music, including raga, a melodic form. Raga, as Shankar explained, has "its own peculiar ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven-note octave, or a series of six or five notes in a rising or falling structure." "The distinctive character of Shankar's compositions attracted the attention of composer Philip Glass, with whom Shankar wrote the 1990 album Passages," Google said in a statement. The legendary musician who passed away in 2012 at the age of 92 has been conferred with a Bharat Ratna, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. At the centre of today's Doodle, by artist Kevin Laughlin, is a standing sitar, with two bridges, one for the "drone" strings and the other for the melody strings. Laughlin's design shows the style of sitar Shankar played, which includes a second gourd-shape resonator at the top of the instrument's neck. The doodle on Shankar has been viewed mostly in the US, Sweden, Kazhakasthan, Lithuania, India, Indonesia and Japan, according to the search giant, which makes fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists. Search engine giant Google today paid tribute to sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar with a special Doodle commemorative logo on his 96th birth anniversary. The Doodle features a sitar in between the Google logo. One of the greatest names in Indian music, Shankar is also credited for taking Indian sitar to the global stage. He is the only Indian musician to have five Grammy awards including a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. He also shared a close bond with late Beatle George Harrison. Shankar died on December 11, 2012 at the age of 92. His daughters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones are famous musicians in their own right. Government school teachers will have to undergo a training programme at National Institute of Education in Singapore as per a new plan chalked out by the Education Department, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said today. "For the next two years, our team at the Education Department have chalked out a well-thought out plan which is based on two questions: how to teach and what to teach," the minister, who also holds the education portfolio, wrote in a letter to teachers. "We should get inspired from several experiments and techniques that were carried out across the world but beware, we shouldn't get affected by them. Because if we get affected, then we will try to copy it with eyes closed. "To learn more from these techniques, you will have to undergo a training programme at Singapore's famous National Institute of Education. I will also try that you get a taste of some of the international schools based in Germany and Finland," he added. As part of its teachers training initiative, the Delhi government has also decided to send 90 principals of the government-run schools to the Cambridge University in the United Kingdom for a leadership training exercise. Delhi government has allocated Rs 102 crore for international training of principals and teachers in the budget for the current financial year. Authorities in Greece say thousands of migrants and refugees camped out at the country's largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps voluntarily or be expelled by force. The warning issued today came as nearly a third of the 52,000 migrants stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. More than 4,000 migrants remain at Piraeus, an important site for Greece's vital tourism industry. "Every effort will be exhausted to persuade refugees and immigrants that it is in their own interest for them to move," a statement from the Greek coast guard said. Athens has toughened its position toward migrants since a March 20 agreement between the European Union and Turkey went into effect. Some 4,000 migrants and refugees who reached the Greek islands from Turkey after that date are in detention, with most due to be sent back to Turkish ports. The deportations started Monday and are expected to resume tomorrow. More than a million refugees and migrants reached the EU last year, most traveling through Greece and across the Balkans to central Europe. At Piraeus today, Interior Ministry officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade migrants to move to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. "We are trying to explain that the new camps have good facilities and that people there will be able to fill out their asylum applications there," volunteer translator Ilias Iakovou told the AP. "But people are afraid to go because they fear they will be cut off and will run out of money. They feel safe if they are near Athens." Iranian migrant Ahmad Devidjan said he wasn't sure whether he should move. "I've been in Greece for 19 days. I went two times to the border with Macedonia, but it was closed. Now I'm back here," Devidjan said. "I have a brother in Germany. He's a teacher. I want to go there. Gujarat Governor O P Kohli today gave his assent to six out of the eleven Bills of the BJP-led state government passed in the recently-concluded budget session of the Legislative Assembly. These six Bills are: Gujarat Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, Gujarat Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, Gujarat Stamp (Amendment) Bill, Gujarat Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, Gujarat Tax on Entry of Specified Goods into Local Areas (Amendment) Bill and the Registration (Gujarat Amendment) Bill of 2016. "These six bills were introduced in the first week of the Assembly session. Today, we were informed that the Governor has signed these bills. They will become Acts after respective departments issue notifications in this regard," C J Gothi, secretary to state Legislative Affairs Department said. According to him, the remaining five Bills, which were passed in the last two days of the session, are still lying in the office of the Assembly Speaker and not sent to the Governor yet. These Bills include the Gujarat Special Investment Region (Amendment) Bill, The Right to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement(Gujarat Amendment) Bill, The Ganpat University (Amendment) Bill, Gujarat Private Universities (Amendment) Bill and Gujarat State Higher Education Council Bill. All these five Bills were passed in the absence of Congress MLAs on March 30 and 31, as all of them were suspended for two days by the Speaker for staging protests inside the House. The Bill proposing to amend the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 stirred a controversy, as it proposes to do away with requirement of Social Impact Assessment clause and consent of 80 per cent land owners for acquiring land for certain social sector projects as well as for industrial corridor. Gujarat Congress MLAs recently met the Governor and requested him not to give his assent to this Bill, claiming that it is against the interest of farmers and land owners. Congress also said that they would meet the President, as his assent is also required for the Bill to become an Act in Gujarat. The budget session of Gujarat Assembly started on February 22 and ended on March 31. Gujarat and Uttarakhand are among 18 states and Union territories which have ended the practice of holding interviews for recruitment to junior-level government jobs on the Centre's suggestion. According to a status report released by Personnel Ministry today, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Manipur, Punjab and Puducherry have taken steps to end the practice of holding interviews for Class III and IV government jobs. BJP-ruled Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are also taking necessary steps to implement the Centre's initiative launched with effect from January 1, this year. However, there is no mention of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh besides Delhi in a list detailing efforts being made or already made to implement the Modi government's initiative. "Government of Gujarat has informed that the state government had implemented the policy of cancellation of interview in the direct recruitment on lower-level posts," the Ministry said in the status report. The state government of Uttarakhand (which is now under the Central rule) has abolished interviews for the group C and B (non gazetted) posts. There has been no interview in Class 3 and 4 levels of posts, it said. In Uttar Pradesh, there is no more interview for teachers, the Personnel Ministry said. Haryana, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur and Sikkim have also taken steps towards discontinuing interviews for recruitments to lower level government jobs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Independence Day last year, had stressed on the need for bringing an end to the practice of holding interviews for group III and IV jobs where personality assessment is not an absolutely necessary requirement. He had said it will help curb corruption in recruitment and make the exercise more objective and transparent, while emphasising on a merit-based online recruitment process. The decision to discontinue interview for the junior- level posts across the country will be major step towards achieving the objectives of citizen-centric transparent governance, the Personnel Ministry has said. Delhi High Court today expressed concern over exponential growth in fuel loss due to idling traffic at intersections and jams from the 2005 figure of over Rs 990 crore and directed the Centre and city government to come out with a joint action plan to address the problem. A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said that while the Delhi Traffic Police has been trying to deal with the "overwhelming traffic situation" in the national capital, a lot more needs to be done. After going through a presentation given by the traffic police regarding the traffic management mechanisms employed by it in the city, the court observed that while the agency was doing its bit, a major roadblock was "lack of quality and trained manpower" and said this problem could be dealt with by "investing in infrastructure and utilisation of modern capabilities of developed nations". It also expressed concern over the long working hours of police officers, saying it could cause psychological problems, stress apart from attention deficiency. It noted that the "police with its limited resources was having to do things at a micro level", but a macro level approach was needed for which both the Centre and Delhi government would have to come together as "management of traffic is need of the hour for safety of the citizens and also from air pollution angle". It directed the Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs, by himself or through a nominee, to "initiate a meeting of all the agencies concerned" and submit a proposal to the court with regard to "allocation of specific funds for specific purposes, preparing a timeline for implementation of an intelligent traffic management system, use of helicopters for traffic management and specific timeline for acquisition of equipment in-sync with modern technology for traffic management". The bench listed the matter for further hearing on April 27 when it said it would consider the issues with regard to forests and green belt in the national capital. Coming down on an ex-councillor's wife for impersonating another woman and securing a job as a Class IV employee in Pollachi Municipality, the Madras High Court today directed the authorities concerned to immediately provide suitable employment to the victim. A division bench, comprising Justice R Sudhakar and Justice S Vaidyanathan, said this while dismissing an appeal by the impersonator, P Parvathy of Pollachi district, against a single judge's order, directing the authorities to take action against her and to provide a suitable job to the victim. Aggrieved by the order, she filed the present appeal. The victim, R Parvathi, had moved court in2006 seeking a direction to the Commissioner, Pollachi Municipality, not to allow the appellant, wife of en ex-councillor, from impersonating her in the post of a Class IV woman employee. She had also sought a direction to the authorities to take action against the former councillor's wife for impersonating her and a subsequent direction to permit her discharge duties as Class IV woman employee with Pollachi Municipality. The single judge found there was impersonation and directed the authorities to take suitable action. R Parvathi submitted she had registered at the Employment Exchange at Thudiyalur Coimbatore District on June 14, 2003. The Employment Exchange had periodically registered her employment. She was called for an interview on October 26, 1990, which she attended. She submitted P Parvathy was not called for interview. As she was not served with an appointment order, she was under the impression she was not selected. When she went to the Employment Exchange in the last week of June, 1993 to renew her employment card, she was told it could not be done as she had already been appointed in office of the Commissioner, Pollachi Municipality. She said she approached the Municipality Commissioner and enquired about the selection, but was allegedly not given a reply. On enquiry, she came to know they had appointed P Parvathy and allowed her to do duty in Class IV service. She submitted she also came to know that P Parvathy through her husband, a Councillor in the relevant period, had fraudulently secured the appointment order. The Bench said a perusal of the impersonator's Service Register showed her birth date was erased and altered as July 1 1961, based on the Medical Certificate. But the October 1, 1990 nomination letter by the Exchange showed she born in 1960. Also, candidatures of some others were rejected for non production of age proof. Though she did not do so, the Municipality has scored off the 'Certificate not produced' entry and got a Medical Certificate later to show she was within the prescribed age limit. The bench said impersonation is a crime and whoever the offenders are, they must not be left unpunished. "The Department/Municipality is entitled to recover the amount from the impersonator. An impersonator cannot claim wages on such alleged act," it said and dismissed the appeal. Hindu dharma has been accepted worldwide as a way of life and not as a religion, Union Minister Rajeev Pratap Rudy has said. "Hindu dharma followed by crores of people in India is not a religion. It is accepted as a way of living worldwide," he said at a meet of Hindu spiritual organisations held at the beach here last night. Delivering the key-note address at the 'Mahabharatham Dharmarakshana Sangamam,' he saidHindu dharma meant showing compassion to all irrespective of caste, religion or status. Earlier, inaugurating the sangamam, Yoga guru Ramdev said dividing the society in the name of caste and religion should be stopped. "The need of the hour is unity of the people and the nation. The madness of dividing people and the nation on the basis of caste and religion should be stopped," he said. He urged people to avoid products by multi-national companies saying that people of the country should be equipped with products and techniques made in India. He assured to start a higher education centre named after the Adi Sankara in Kerala, which is the sage's birth place. Thousands of people from Kozhikode and nearby districts participated in the meet organised by various Hindu spiritual outfits like the Chinmaya Mission, Sri Ramakrishna Mission, Matha Amritanandamayi Math, Kolathur Advaitha Ashram. More than a hundred sadhus and spiritual leaders from across the stateparticipated in the meet. Head of the Sivagiri math, Swami Prakashananda conducted a puja of holy waters brought from the rivers of Kerala. Three people in a family were injured when a building housing three families was blown to pieces by a strong pre-monsoon squall at Serkhan village in Mizoram-Assam border Kolasib district early this morning, village leaders said. Lalnunhlima, his wife Lallawmi and their daughter Ramdinsangi were admitted at the Primary Health Centre in nearby Lungdai village where doctors described their conditions as stable. At least 12 houses were also damaged at Tualbung village in Aizawl district by the squall which uprooted several trees and electric posts. Meanwhile, state disaster management and rehabilitation department officials said that around 500 houses have been destroyed by the pre-monsoon storm accompanied by strong squall and hailstorms since April four across the state. Human Rights Watch said today that bombs supplied by the United States were used in Saudi-led air strikes on a market in Yemen that killed at least 97 civilians including children. The two strikes in the northern village of Mastaba on March 15 "caused indiscriminate or foreseeably disproportionate loss of civilian life, in violation of the laws of war," HRW said in a statement. At least 25 children were among those killed, it said, reiterating its call for an end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading an Arab coalition battling rebels in support of Yemen's government. HRW said that it conducted an on-site investigation and found remnants of "a GBU-31 satellite-guided bomb, which consists of a US-supplied MK-84 2,000-pound bomb mated with a JDAM satellite guidance kit, also US-supplied." The accusation came as US Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Gulf for talks with Washington's traditional allies, including Saudi Arabia, which has led a military campaign against the Huthi rebels since March 2015. "One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemen's year-long war involved US-supplied weapons, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia," said HRW researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. "The US and other coalition allies should send a clear message to Saudi Arabia that they want no part in unlawful killings of civilians," she added. HRW said the strikes on the market may have also killed 10 Huthi rebels. The UN children's agency UNICEF said at the time that the air strikes killed 119 people, including 22 children. Rights groups have repeatedly urged the United States and other nations to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, accusing it of causing heavy civilian casualties in Yemen. Around 6,300 people have been killed in the conflict since March 2015, more than half of them civilians, most of whom died in coalition air strikes, according to the United Nations. The Iran-backed Huthis seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee. Iceland's right-wing government has named a new Prime Minister and said it would hold early elections in the autumn, after the previous leader was forced to step down over his implication in the scandal. The two coalition partners, the Progressive Party and the Independence Party, agreed after talks late yesterday to hand the prime ministerial post to the agriculture minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, 53, of the Progressives. He replaces Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, 41, who stepped down Tuesday amid massive public protests over a hidden offshore account revealed in the so-called leak of 11.5 million financial documents. "We expect to have elections this autumn," Johannsson said, insisting that the coalition, in power since 2013, would continue to run the country's affairs despite thousands of protesters calling for the whole government's resignation. "We will continue our work together. We are of course hoping this will help bring stability in the political system," he said. President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who at 72 is due to retire in June after five terms and 20 years in office, is expected to approve Johannsson's appointment. Iceland's next legislative elections were originally scheduled for April 2017. Gunnlaugsson, who remains the head of the Progressive Party for the time being, was the first major political casualty to emerge from the leak of millions of documents detailing offshore accounts held by world leaders and celebrities. Two other Iceland cabinet ministers have been singled out in the leak -- Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson and Interior Minister Olof Nordal -- and the coalition is keen to stall for time to avoid what would surely be a resounding protest vote if a snap election were held soon. The coalition parties "have lost all their legitimacy, but I am sceptical they will leave of their own initiative. Time is on their side and it's crucial for them to stay in power," lamented Gyda Margret Petursdottir, a 42-year-old teacher who was one of hundreds who protested against the government outside parliament yesterday. The Panama Papers, revealed by the Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), showed that Gunnlaugsson and his wife owned an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands and had placed millions of dollars of her inheritance there. Implementation of initiatives like UDAY scheme and amendments in the national tariff policy (NTP) is critical for the power sector, ratings agency Icra said. "Given the concurrent status of the electricity sector in India, for these policy measures to have the intended impact of achieving 24x7 electricity supply along with increased sourcing from renewable energy (RE) sources, it is critical that timely and proactive efforts are taken by all the states and SERCs to implement the NTP," Icra said in a statement issued here. Following the announcement of Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in November last year for the financial turnaround of discoms, governments in 17 states have agreed in principle to participate in the scheme. Within these, 10 states, accounting for about 45 per cent of overall debt on the books of distribution utilities as on September 2015, have signed MoUs with the Ministry of Power for implementation of the scheme. Moreover, sustained coal production growth at 8.6 per cent in 2015-16 following a 6.9 per cent growth in FY15 achieved by Coal India is a positive for power sector, as it has led to a decline in dependence on the costlier imported coal. "The power sector, however, continues to face challenges arising out of weak demand from state utilities leading to absence of fresh signing of the long term PPAs, slow progress in resolution of tariff compensation issues for the affected thermal IPPs and uncertainty on improvement in domestic gas availability," Icra said. The agency further said with a fall in spot LNG price level, third auction round in March for subsidy scheme to use Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) in case of stranded gas based projects has witnessed negative bidding. A negative price bid of Rs 0.03 per unit in turn implies net realisation at Rs 4.67 a unit, which is not sustainable. "At a delivered LNG cost of USD 6.2 per MMBTU, exchange rate at Rs 66 and assuming a moratorium period on debt repayment, the average under-recovery in cash cost of generation is estimated to be Rs 0.15 per unit for such projects, which further remains exposed to variation in spot LNG prices as well as exchange rate," the agency noted. India and the US are set to bargain hard on three controversial defence foundational agreements and "pre-bid guarantee" on transfer of technology, in case an American firm bids for 'Make in India' fighter jet programme, during the visit of Defence Secretary Ashton Carter here next week. The US has been pushing India to sign three agreements - Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) - the previous UPA government had resisted. However, under the new dispensation, things have changed and India is open to a tweaked LSA which facilitates the provision of logistical support, supplies, and services between the US military and the armed forces of partner countries on a reimbursable basis, and provides a framework that governs the exchange of logistics support, supplies, and services. Defence sources said that "progress" has been made with regard to LSA but added that it does not mean that it is a done deal. Even as India holds its cards close to chest, New Delhi has asked the US to make it clear if the American government will stand guarantee for transfer of technology (TOT) if US-based companies were to bid under 'Make in India' fighter jet programme. "The Americans will have to give pre-bid guarantee if their firm wants to take part in Make in India programme for fighter aircraft. Companies promise moon but at the end we should not be left with sand in our hands," defence sources said. The issues came up for discussion between the defence policy group of the two countries this week ahead of Carter's visit in India starting April 10. Boeing and Lockheed Martin have expressed interest in setting up a manufacturing plant for fighter jets. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has made it clear that India would be going in for a fighter aircraft under Make in India initiative in the next one year. New Delhi is looking for additional fighter jets once it signs the Rafale deal with Dassualt Aviation of France. Swedish firm Saab, makers the Gripen, and French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation have committed to TOT. US has linked TOT to the three agreements, which they term as "foundational". The American government controls sale and transfer of technology of military equipment to other others countries by US firms. "It is necessary for the US government to make its stand clear when it comes to TOT," sources said. CISMOA permits secure communications interoperability between partners during bilateral and multinational training exercises and operations when using common platforms. BECA allows for no-cost exchange of unclassified and controlled unclassified geospatial products, data, and services between India and the US National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency (NGA). The US today asked both India and Pakistan to engage in "direct dialogue" aimed at reducing tensions, on a day when Islamabad announced suspension of the bilateral peace process with New Delhi. "Our longstanding position is that we believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations and practical cooperation. We encourage India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions," a State Department spokesman said. The spokesman was responding to a question on the remarks of Pakistan's Ambassador to India Abdul Basit in New Delhi earlier today wherein he had said that the talks between the two countries stand "suspended". "The United States strongly supports all efforts between India and Pakistan that can contribute to a more stable, democratic, and prosperous region, but this is an issue that must be determined by the two sides," the spokesman said. Indian electronics and hardware industry is expected to grow at a compounded rate of 13-16 per cent to reach USD 112-130 billion by 2018 but imports will continue to dominate the market, says a study. "The Indian electronics and hardware industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13 per cent -16 per cent during 2013-18 to reach USD 112- 130 billion by 2018. However, given the local manufacturing state, the dependence on imports is likely to remain similar," the study by Assocham and consultancy firm EY released today said. "The Indian electronics and hardware market is currently being driven by mobile phones and consumer electronics, which together contributed nearly 45 per cent of the overall electronics products revenues in 2015," it said. Around 50-60 per cent of the demand for electronic products and the demand for nearly 70-80 per cent of the electronic components market is fulfilled through imports. "Growing reliance on imports for electronic components and rapidly increasing demand for electronic products is making it indispensable to grow and strengthen India's electronics manufacturing capabilities," the study said. It acknowledged government effort to boost local manufacturing of electronic hardware due to which multiple foreign manufacturers are setting shops in the country. As per the study, the electronics exports are also expected to grow with global companies looking to invest in India for manufacturing set-ups. As per the study, limited intellectual property right creation, absence of semiconductor plant, low cost imports from China are some of the challenges that need to be resolved. "Components sourcing and fabrication is an important activity that determines the strength of the country's native capabilities in manufacturing because components are the building blocks of electronic devices. India has a limited component supplier base with a majority of high value and critical components being imported," the study said. Components that are pre-dominantly imported include integrated circuits, printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other active components. These are imported from markets such as China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan, it said. Pakistan today said it was still considering India's request for consular access to an alleged Indian 'spy' detained in the country and the issue would be considered under bilateral agreement on such matters. "The Indian request for consular access is under consideration," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. "It may be pertinent to mention that in the case of Pakistan and India, there is an agreement on consular matters. The request would be considered in view of the relevant clauses of the agreement," he said at the weekly briefing. Kulbhushan Yadhav, who was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after he entered from Iran, has been accused by Pakistan of planning "subversive activities" in the country. Zakaria's remarks came after local media reports said that the conditional access may be granted if India accepts that Yadav was on spy mission when arrested. He said Pakistan was "concerned at the subversive activities of RAW" against it and its interests from various locations in the region. "We believe in living in a friendly and peaceful environment with all our neighbours, which can lead to the betterment of our peoples," he said. He said the probe in the spy case was in process and law enforcement agencies were making every effort to apprehend all individuals involved in subversive activities in Pakistan. Pakistan Army had also released a "confessional video" of Yadav, who said he was the serving Indian Navy officer. India has acknowledged Yadav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government. Zakaria said Pakistan had briefed the P5 members, EU and others on the issue and requested these countries to raise the issue of RAW's alleged involvement in Pakistan with India. To a question, Zakaria said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visited India in context of the Pathankot terror attack probe. "Investigations are underway and the JIT is evaluating the information shared by the Indian side. Further queries on this issue may be directed to the Ministry of Interior," he said. To another question about Samjhuta train blast case, he said that Pakistan had taken up the issue with the Indian side repeatedly since the incident because 48 innocent Pakistanis lost their lives in that terrorist attack. "The Indian side at the highest political level had agreed to share the outcome of the investigations with us. However, we are still waiting. We will keep on raising the issue with them," he said. He said that negotiations were the best means to resolve the issues and Pakistan had said many times that both countries were in contact with each other for foreign secretary level talks and "it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. Later, a Foreign Office spokesperson issued a statement, saying the remarks attributed to Aziz was "absolutely incorrect." "The Adviser had said that the investigations regarding the network of Kulbhushan Jadhav are ongoing and the dossier shall be completed upon conclusion of the investigation," the statement said. "There is irrefutable proof against Kulbhushan Jadhav, who had also made a public confession in March," it said. Aziz also "condemned the continued Indian interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and urged the international community to take immediate notice of the violation of international law by India," it added. Introducing a fresh chill in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan today said the bilateral peace process stands "suspended", indicated that it would not allow Indian investigators to travel there and accused India of creating unrest in its territory. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit did some plain- speaking at a media interaction here when he said presently the peace process was "suspended", something India has been reluctant to admit. He poured cold water on India's expectations that a team of NIA investigators would be allowed to visit Pakistan in connection with the Pathankot terror strike probe on the basis of reciprocity, a Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) having just concluded a visit to India. "The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident," Basit said. This flies in the face of India's expectations that after the JIT's visit, a team of NIA investigators would be travelling to Pakistan. NIA had conveyed to the JIT that it would like to send a team to Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry confirmed today. Basit opened his interaction at the Foreign Correspondents' Club with a written statement in which he made a pointed reference to a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Yadav, currently in detention in Pakistan on charges of spying. Yadav's arrest "irrefutably collaborates what Pakistan has been saying all along", he said alluding to Pakistani charges that India was fomenting trouble in the restive province of Balochistan. "We are all aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and de-stabilise the country," the envoy said. A Pakistani commentator said on TV later that Basit was speaking for Pakistan, a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of National Security Council attended by the chiefs of armed forces. Asked about the possibility of meeting between foreign secretaries of the two countries which was suspended following the Pathankot attack in January, Basit said no such meeting has been scheduled. At the same time, he asserted that Pakistan would like to have a "comprehensive and meaningful" dialogue with India in order to resolve "all our problems". "But if India is not yet ready, we can always wait. Because as far as Pakistan is concerned, we consider dialogue process important to resolve our problems," he said, adding, "It is not a favour by one country to another. So we will wait and see how India evolves its position on the dialogue process itself." Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir "dispute" was the root cause of "mutual distrust", he said its "fair and just" resolution as per the aspirations of the people was imperative. "Attempts to put it on the back burner will be counterproductive. It is high time to break the carapace of complacency and dispense with self-serving approaches," he said. The Pakistan envoy said there shouldn't be any doubt that his country wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India on the basis of "sovereign equality and mutual interest", noting there is a national consensus on this in Pakistan. "However, there is no short cut to achieving a lasting peace. Nor does cherry-picking work. What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively and meaningfully," he said. Asked about India seeking consular accesss for Yadav, he said the request is under consideration. "I cannot exactly tell you exactly as to when the Indian authoritires would be given consular access to him. The Indian request is under consideration," Basit said. On reports that Yadav was sold to Pakistan by Taliban, he trashed them. Referring to action against terrorism by Pakistan, he said authorities in the country have arrested scores of terror operatives with foreign linkages in the last one month and presence of such elements was quite disturbing to "say the least". Asked about details of those arrested he refused to share details but said Pakistan's operation against terrorism and militancy is yielding "good results". The envoy said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly believed in enhancing regional cooperation and connectivity. But at the same time added that a strong regional cooperative structure cannot be built on unpredictable bilateral relations. "The 19th SAARC Summit will be held in Islamabad in November this year. We sincerely hope the Summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and win-win situations," he said. Querried about China blocking India's bid to have JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN, Basit said "I subscribe to Chinese viewpoint" on the issue. Infiltration has been a major poll plank in all Assam polls for the past four decades and the Assembly election this year is no exception. While BJP is pledging to resolve the issue, ruling Congress claims it has already taken initiative in this regard by updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Leading BJP's campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government would not allow infiltration and resolve it as a top priority. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, however, asserted there was no Bangladeshi in the state and "my government took the initiative to get the NRC updated and the process is on". "NRC updating will bring to end issues of infiltration from Bangladesh. There are people who believe infiltration is still going on despite erection of a barbed wire fencing and intensified BSF patrolling along the border," Gogoi said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during his election campaign in the state, appealed to the people to give the government some time to completely seal the Indo-Bangla border so that no infiltrators could enter. Along with illegal infiltration, Rajnath said, there has been huge movement of fake currency from the neighbouring country affecting the economy. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said relations with Bangladesh were never as good as they were now and the BJP would take this opportunity to resolve the issue as it was a matter of national security. BJP's alliance partner AGP has demanded that all clauses of the Assam Accord be implemented and infiltration issue be resolved. AGP had spearheaded a six-year-long agitation for detection and deportation of Bangladeshi migrants which led to the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. However, Congress and opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), with a traditional support of the minorities, asserted that no harassment of genuine Indians will be tolerated in the name of identifying foreigners. "Besides updation of the NRC, the Congress has taken steps to develop villages along Indo-Bangla border, installing flood-lights and border fencing during the UPA rule," Gogoi said, adding BJP and AGP raise the infiltration issue only before elections. The problem of infiltration has persisted for decades with a long-drawn agitation in which many lives were lost but there has been no solution as the Congress is not interested in resolving it, AGP President Atul Bora alleged. Gogoi countered asking why AGP which was in power for two terms in the state and its alliance partner BJP at the Centre for more than six years did not resolve the issue. "Congress is committed to people of all communities living in Assam and will never compromise with their interests at any cost. We are the true believers and practitioners of regionalism in the state," he added. NRC was expected to identify those who illegally entered Assam after 1971. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said today that radical talk from critics of the country's nuclear deal with world powers was dangerous and he urged more, not less, diplomacy and dialogue. His comments came just days after a speech by the commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, who said the accord, which lifted international sanctions on Iran, amounted to a humiliation. Rouhani, a moderate cleric under Iran's theocratic system, was boosted in February elections when his allies made gains in parliament and their conservative rivals lost dozens of seats. However, the polls have been followed by gestures from hardliners within the regime that appear aimed at preventing the nuclear agreement leading to any wider rapprochement. A flurry of ballistic missile tests conducted by the Guards since October last year triggered fresh US sanctions after a UN panel said they breached previous resolutions. The tests, however, do not amount to an infringement of the July nuclear accord as it did not cover ballistic missiles. Rouhani, in a speech broadcast live from Tehran, said the nuclear deal, finally implemented in January after more than two years of talks, showed "logic and argument can triumph over hard power and threats." "Under radical thinking, there should never be cooperation with the IAEA or the United Nations," Rouhani said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency responsible for monitoring the deal. "Radical thinking tells us not to trust anyone, not to trust neighbours or friends, but moderate thinking tells us... we should talk to the world and seek self-reliance at the same time. "Being radical is disadvantageous to us everywhere. It creates the biggest danger for any society." The Guards report not to Rouhani but to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's ultimate authority. The force's commander, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said on Tuesday that the nuclear deal should not be seen as a model for rapprochement. If it is "portrayed as a model, that is a sign of narrow mindedness and self-humiliation," Jafari told fellow commanders. He said that those in Iran who espoused the deal as a model for domestic reconciliation were "involuntarily taking the road to counter-revolution and want to humiliate our great people". Rouhani has praised the accord, which defused a 13-year showdown with the West, as an example to be followed for forging "understanding and reconciliation" at home. Israel began construction on a controversial part of its separation barrier in the occupied West Bank today, near a Palestinian Christian town, an AFP journalist reported. Cranes began lifting eight-metre(yard)-high blocks into place near Beit Jala, south of Jerusalem and close to Bethlehem, a photographer witnessed. This part of the wall could cut Palestinians from their olive groves. Nicola Khamis, mayor of Beit Jala, condemned what she saw as a land grab. "This land is for our families, our children," she said by phone from the bridge next to the construction site. The Israeli army referred questions to the defence ministry, which did not immediately respond. Residents of Beit Jala fear the construction of the wall may lead to the expansion of the nearby Israeli settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo. Khamis said they hoped to battle the wall's construction, with emergency strategy meetings planned, but she conceded they had no further appeals within the Israeli legal system. After a nine-year legal battle, Israel's high court ruled in July 2015 the wall was legitimate, making only small adjustments. "Without this land all the Christians will leave this country," Khamis said. "It is impossible to build in Beit Jala. We want to widen Beit Jala." Israel began building the barrier of walls and fences inside the occupied West Bank in 2002 at the height of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising), saying it was crucial for security. The Palestinians see it as a land grab aimed at stealing part of their future state and call it the "apartheid wall". "It is consistent with the Israeli government's policy of consolidating apartheid in the West Bank," Xavier Abu Eid, a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said of today's construction. "It destroys the prospects for Bethlehem to grow". In a non-binding decision, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2004 that construction of the barrier was illegal and, like the UN General Assembly, demanded it be dismantled. The Jammu and Kashmir government today ordered a time-bound inquiry into the clashes at National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar following India's defeat to West Indies in the World T20 Cup last week. "We have instituted an inquiry to go into the incidents at the NIT," Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told reporters here. He said Additional District Magistrate of Srinagar will conduct the inquiry and submit his report within 15 days. "We will resolve this issue at the earliest," Singh said. Asked about his comment that students were subjected to 'mild lathicharge', Singh said his statement at that time was based on information he had received. He said the state government will ensure the personal as well as academic security of the students at the NIT. Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu today urged the graduating management students of Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) here to realise the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' and 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan' campaigns a success. In her convocation speech at the 55th Annual Convocation of XISS here, Murmu said "I trust that this renowned institution has groomed you into such professionals who are excellent in every way - in academics and in caring for human beings in the work places." "Now that you will be serving the nation in various capacities, I urge you to realise the dream of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his 'Make In India' campaign," a release quoting the Governor, said. "We have to harness the educational and technological potential of millions of our youths in the country through the manufacturing and services sectors making the nation self reliant," she said. "Similarly, we have to make our country clean and green under the 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan' launched by the Prime Minister. We have to keep our houses and streets as well as public places clean and teach others to do the same and also have to promote ecological and wildlife conservation," she added. Pop star Janet Jackson has announced she is planning to become a mother, and postponed all upcoming tour dates. The announcement comes a month after she scrapped concerts in the UK and Europe, and affects 55 further concerts in the US and Canada this summer. Speaking in a Twitter video, the 49-year-old told her fans, "My husband and I are planning our family - so I'm going to have to delay the tour. Please, if you can, try and understand that it's important that I do this now. "I have to rest up (on) doctor's orders. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can." She went on to thank her "supportive and loving" dancers and musicians, and to her fans for their "undying love" and "loyalty". Jackson, who returned to the top of the Billboard charts last year with her eleventh album, Unbreakable, is married to fashion tycoon Wissam Al Mana. Actor Jared Leto is set to star in action thriller "The Outsider". The 44-year-old "30 Seconds to Mars" frontman is playing an American soldier in the upcoming movie set in post-WWII Japan, reported Aceshowbiz. The production on the film is scheduled to begin this fall. Martin Zandvliet, the filmmaker behind "Land of Mine," is directing based on a script penned by "Bastille Day" writer Andrew Baldwin. No release date has been announced. Leto will next be seen as Joker in "Suicide Squad" that's set for release in the US on August 5. Several organisations including JKNPP, JPPF and Sri Ram Sena called for Jammu bandh today in protest against the alleged police action on outstation students at NIT in Srinagar. "We unanimously decided to observe complete Bandh in Jammu on April 7," Jammu Province People's Forum (JPPF) Working President M S Katoch said yesterday. Katoch appealed to all Jammuites to make the call a success in support of outstation students studying in . JPPF, an amalgam of over 50 various social, commercial and other organisations, has strongly criticised the state government for provoking anti- activities in by hurting sentiments of nationalist forces. He alleged the government was hell bent to destroy the peace and communal harmony in the State. Strongly condemning lathicharge on the outstation students by Jammu and Kashmir police, Katoch demanded security and their protection in the campus. Demanding a judicial probe into the incident and strict action, he said the police entered the campus and brutally beaten and thrashed outstation students, the action will adversely affect the thousands of Kashmiri students studying outside the state as it will create a sense of insecurity among them. Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Panthers party (JKNPP) also announced a Jammu bandh today. Terming as "inhumane" the lathicharge on students, JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh appealed to all Jammuites to unite and come forward to support call for "Jammu Bandh" today. Singh condemned the ugly episode of clash inside the NIT campus when certain anti- elements celebrated India's defeat by the Caribbean team in the World T20 Cup match. Those involved in alleged India bashing, raising pro- Azadi slogans and pelting stones should be booked under sedition charges and other provisions of the Ranbir Penal code, he said. He also criticised J&K police for lathi charge on students and slammed the state government for its failure to provide security to the traumatised students "who have been unlawfully detained and confined within the four walls of the institute campus". He also expressed solidarity with the parents of the students and sought dismissal of police personnel who were involved in lathi charge. Meanwhile Sri Ram Sena in the state has also announced a one-day Bandh in Jammu today. "We have called a Bandh on Thursday over the NIT incident which is a shameful act of some anti national elements," its leader Rajiv said. On the lines of the Taliban, Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawah has set up a ' Court' in Lahore to hand out "easy and swift justice", the first such parallel judicial system in Pakistan's Punjab Province. The JuD has set up the ' Court' with its headquarters at Jamia Qadsia, Chauburji, under a Qazi (judge) who is assisted by Khadmins (court associates) to decide complaints. Darul Qaza -- a parallel private judicial system -- has been set up by the group in Lahore to provide "easy and swift justice" to the people and deals mostly in civil cases relating to property and monetary disputes. The complaints are addressed to Saeed who later refers them to the Qazi for further proceedings. According to a copy of one of the 'JuD summons', it has been dispensing private justice through the court for the last couple of months. The 'summon', bearing monograms of Darul Qaza Sharia, Jamat-ud-Dawah, Pakistan, and 'Saalsi Sharai Adalat-i-Aalia' (Arbitration Court of Sharia), orders a man named Khalid to appear before the 'court' at the Jamia Qadsia Chauburji to 'record his statement' in a complaint against him. He is warned of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response from his side. The organisation's 'Arbitration Court of Sharia' has been taking up complaints of citizens approaching it for justice and summoning the 'defendants' in person or through a legal counsel with warnings of strict action under the Sharia laws in case of no response. JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid defended the establishment of the 'Sharia Court'. "Sharia Court is not a parallel system to the constitutional courts of the country. It is an arbitration court, which decides disputes with the consent of the parties," he told Dawn News. Mujahid said disputes have been resolved in accordance with Islamic laws and that offering arbitration to confronting parties is not illegal. However, he could not justify issuance of summons carrying a "warning of strict action" in case of non-compliance. This is the first Sharia court ever established in Punjab province. Earlier, the Sharia courts were established in Kyber Pakhtaunkhawa province by pro-Taliban groups. "The Punjab government of Shahbaz Sharif is aware of this but it has deliberately turned a blind eye to it because it is not willing to lay hand on the JuD," a source in the Punjab government said. (Reopens FGN 4) The Punjab government in past used to give funds to the JuD for its educational institutions in the province. He said a number of applicants visiting the JuD's Sharia Court is rising as it is ensuring "swift" justice unlike the conventional courts where a civil case takes years to be decided. Pakistan Bar Council member Azam Nazir Tarar said, "Setting up a Sharia court is in sheer violation of the Constitution of Pakistan. The Constitution does not allow any private organisation to use the word 'court'. The word can be used for Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court, High Courts and all other courts established by a High Court only. This is a parallel judicial system and against the law of the land." He said conventional courts of the country are working under Quran, Sunnah and Sharia laws. The Constitution of Pakistan bars any law against Quran and Sharia. Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Lahore Police Haider Ashraf said, "We will take action if we receive any complaint in this regard." The law does not allow any parallel judicial system, he said. Britain's Kate Middleton has flaunted a sheer navy blue dress from India-born British designer Saloni Lodha's creations at a reception here for expatriates from India and Bhutan, days ahead of her visit to the two countries. The Duchess of Cambridge joined husband Prince William to host a pre-tour reception for representatives of the Indian and Bhutanese expatriates at their home in Kensington Palace yesterday. The royal couple will be setting off on their six-day India and Bhutan tour from Sunday. The high-collar, floor-length dress is called theMary Illusion Dot Dress from Lodha's Pre-Fall 2016 collection. It featured polka dots all over, a high ruffled neck and long sleeves. It was also cinched in at the waist with a band-like belt. The dress gave an illusion of a plunging neckline and had a v-shaped cut-out detailing at the back. The dress gave a very Victorian vibe to the Duchess's style. The 34-year-old completed her outfit with diamond and sapphire earrings and navy high-heels. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are all set to embark on the Indian tour and as a taster met representatives from the Prince Charles' charity, British Asian Trust. Lodha is among the favourites as the Duchess plans to showcase Indo-British designers during her South Asia visit, which will also include a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Lodha founded her luxury label in London in 2007 and is known for her exotic designs. Just a few days after it was announced the Duke and Duchess would be travelling to India, Kate wore a dress by Lodha for a function in London, hinting perhaps that she will also rely on the designer's print and colour filled collection for the upcoming tour. Water purifier maker KENT RO Systems today announced partnership with IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants as its principal sponsor. As part of this association, the KENT RO brand will be seen as the principal sponsor of the Rising Pune Supergiants team jersey, along with the visibility at key spots on match days, the company said in a statement. "Our association with Rising Pune Supergiants - a team led by MS Dhoni will help our brand reach every nook and corner of the country with the IPL," KENT RO Systems Chairman Mahesh Gupta said. * * * * * * DataWind launches tablet PC 'i3G7' using Intel chipset * Low-cost device maker DataWind launched a tablet PC 'i3G7' today, on Intel chipset for Rs 5,999 bundled with one year free Internet connection offer on Reliance Communication sim card. "Our low cost Internet-enabled products enable more people to join the digital age. Our focus on introducing technologically advanced devices at the most affordable prices is our way of contributing to the Digital India Vision," DataWind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli said in a statement. In addition to regular voice calling functionality, the tablet comes with 1.2 GHz Intel Quad Core X3 64 bit Processor. * * * * * * Panasonic launches 4G smartphone Eulega Arc with curved screen * Panasonic India today debuted its first 2.5D curved 4.7-inch display smartphone, the ELUGA Arc, for Rs 12,490. It comes with 4G VoLTE (voice calling on 4G network) connectivity and Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has an inbuilt IR sensor which allows a user to give commands to IR based smart home appliances such as TVs, DVD players and ACs. The phone has 8 MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5 MP front camera. It comes with 1.2 GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB Internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB. The dual SIM smartphone holds a battery capacity of 1800 mAh. * * * * * * Lumia 650 now on sale in India * Microsoft today announced the launch of 4G smartphone Lumia 650 Dual SIM in India built on Windows 10 platform for Rs 15,299. Measuring at only 6.9 mm thick, the Lumia 650 is thinnest phone ever from Microsoft stable. It has 5 inch HD display. It comes with 1GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory and external memory expandable up to 200 GB. The phone has 8-megapixel rear camera and 5MP front facing with LED flash. WPPL gets location clearance for township proj near Imagica * Walkwater Properties Private (WPPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adlabs Entertainment, has received location clearance from the Maharashtra government for developing a special township near its entertainment park Imagica in the outskirts of the megapolis. The company has received locational clearance for developing a special township on 88 acre of land out of the total surplus land of 138 acre held by WPPL adjacent to Imagica, a statement stated. WPPL is in the process of obtaining approval for the balance surplus land as well. ********** Supreme Holdings and Hospitality launches proj in Pune * Belmac, the real estate arm of Supreme Holdings and Hospitality (India), today announced the launch of its first premium residential project, Belmac Residences in Pune. Located at Wadgaon Sheri, the project is spread across 6 acres and 1 acre per building and the apartments are priced at Rs 1.22 crore and Rs 1.9 crore for 2 and 3 BHK, respectively. Belmac Executive Director Prateek Jatia said, "We at Belmac are excited to launch our first project in Pune. We believe that Pune market has a great potential. We look forward to building our presence here. The launch of Belmac Residences is in line with our strategy of establishing a strong footprint in large developing markets across the country." ********** MIBL introduces 'Pay-As-You-Can' initiative * Mahindra Insurance Brokers (MIBL) has introduced a digitally-enabled model 'Pay-As-You-Can' aimed at driving insurance penetration in India. This initiative will provide customers access to insurance products, with the flexibility of paying premium based on their affordability. For this, MIBL has entered into a strategic partnership with Citrus Pay, a leading payment solutions company, to provide a short-term personal accident cover as a value-add to their customers. This customised 'group personal accident' cover has been underwritten by Religare Health Insurance Company. Cycle Rhythm ropes in Sourav Ganguly as WB's brand ambassador * Cycle Pure Agarbathies' brand Cycle Rhythm has roped in former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as their brand ambassador for West Bengal. "Through this association, Cycle Rhythm is planning to reinforce its market leadership and make inroads into the hearts and minds of newer customers..Cycle Rhythm, plans to launch a series of television commercials with Ganguly, to start a 2-year association. The commercials also feature danseuse-actress Mamata Shankar, singer Rupankar and actress Monami," the company said in a statement. The television commercial will be supported by Print, Radio, Outdoor advertising and events, making a complete 360 degrees, campaign, it added. Cycle Pure Agarbathies is the flagship brand of the Mysore-based NR Group. * * * * * * SBI, Tata Housing tie-up to finance housing units * Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) and Tata Housing have joined hands to finance housing needs of the Indian home buyers. "In a joint endeavor aimed to be the largest collaboration in the housing space to address housing needs of the Indian population, State Bank of India & Tata Housing have entered into a partnership that offers a unique platform that would enable easier financing and purchase of homes," SBI said in a release. The two highly trusted brands of India are collaborating to facilitate the large Indian middle class to be able to realize the most important goal of owning a house, it said. Government employees and defense personnel having a SBI salary account will get "a never before offer" on Tata Housing Homes if they avail a SBI home loan to buy a house, it added. This exclusive, time bound offer is designed to help customers save significantly, the release said. * * * * * * Germany's Metro Cash & Carry opens outlet in Lucknow * German wholesale major Metro Cash & Carry India today opened its first wholesale outlet in Uttar Pradesh' capital Lucknow, taking its total count to 23 stores. Located at Faizabad Road, the 55,000 square-foot outlet, Metro has invested around Rs 60 crore on it, the company said in a statement. The store would provide close to 300 direct and indirect jobs, it added further. Commenting on the development Metro Cash & Carry India Managing Director Arvind Mediratta said:" We are here in Lucknow because we believe we offer business customers here the largest assortment of food and non-food products and excellent professional services, at most competitive prices. US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Iran today to help end wars in Yemen and Syria, where Tehran and its Gulf Arab rivals are backing opposing sides. On the first visit by a US chief diplomat to Bahrain since 2010, Kerry told authorities in Manama accused of discriminating against the country's Shiite majority that respect for human rights was "essential". Kerry was to meet his Gulf counterparts later today, two weeks before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh when Washington's Middle East policy is likely to come under the microscope. Kerry called on Iran to "help us end the war in Yemen... help us end the war in Syria, not intensify, and help us to be able to change the dynamics of this region". He told a conference in Manama that Tehran should "prove to the world that it wants to be a constructive member of the international community and contribute to peace and stability". Iran struck last year a landmark deal with world powers on its nuclear ambitions, which has led to the lifting of international sanctions on the Islamic republic. Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, whose government accuses Iran of stoking persistent protests among the kingdom's Shiites demanding an end to Sunni minority rule, echoed Kerry's call. "Yes, we do want to see Iran change its foreign policy," he said, speaking alongside Kerry. All the Gulf Arab states, apart from Oman, are taking part in a Saudi-led coalition that has been battling Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen since March last year, in a war which the United Nations says has killed around 6,300 people. The Arab states of the Gulf have also been staunch backers of Syrian rebel groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's regime since 2011. Iran, with Russia, has been among the regime's principal supporters in the conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and pushed nearly five million into exile. In his meeting with Gulf ministers, Kerry was to discuss "some of the critical regional issues, primarily Yemen, Syria, the situation in Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the region," a US official said. The six-nation GCC also includes the Sunni-dominated monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have carried out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria as part of a US-led military coalition. "We're satisfied, I think, with the overall level of support that we're getting from the Gulf states in the coalition," the US official said. On Bahrain, Kerry urged authorities to adopt an "inclusive political system". Saudi King Salman today started a five-day visit to Cairo in a show of support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with the leaders due to sign a raft of investment deals. Saudi Arabia has been the key backer of Sisi since then- army chief in 2013 overthrew his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood movement was viewed with suspicion by Riyadh. It has pumped billions of dollars in aid and investment into Egypt's battered economy, and the two heads of state are expected to ink more investment agreements tomorrow amounting to about USD 1.7 billion. Live footage on state television showed Sisi greet the 80-year-old Salman at Cairo airport, before heading off in a convoy to the presidential palace. The two will hold meetings later in the day and tomorrow, when they will sign 14 agreements that include a USD 1.5 billion deal to invest in the Sinai Peninsula, an Egyptian government official said. Salman is expected to address the Egyptian parliament on Sunday, state media reported. Egyptian media gave full coverage of the visit, with state television welcoming Salman to his "second country" and playing celebratory music as his plane touched down in Cairo. "This is the first official visit by King Salman, whose valuable and honourable positions in support of Egypt and its people will never be forgotten," the presidency said in a statement. "Egypt accords great importance to this visit," it said, adding the leaders would discuss regional issues and economic cooperation. The visit follows months of reports in both Saudi and Egyptian newspapers of strained ties over Cairo's unwillingness to participate fully in Saudi-led military operations in Yemen. Egypt had announced it would join the operations against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen with ground troops if needed, but appears to have balked at the prospect of becoming mired in the conflict. However, Saudi Arabia has played a key role in propping up Egypt's economy, whose vital tourism industry has been devastated by years of political turmoil and jihadist attacks. For Saudi Arabia, which is in competition with regional rival Iran, keeping Egypt under its aegis is crucial. Kosovo's powerful former premier Hashim Thaci was sworn in as president today in a session boycotted by opposition parties which dispute his election to the top job. Thaci's inauguration followed his election to the post by MPs in February, in a tense vote marred by opposition tear gas protests in parliament and clashes on the streets of the capital Pristina. "I swear that I will dedicate all my powers to preserving the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci said as he took oath before MPs from the ruling coalition and diplomats. Later addressing parliament, he said his goals were Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU and continuing "the process of normalising relations with Serbia". Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 under Thaci's leadership, but Belgrade refuses to recognise its sovereignty. Opposition members refused to attend Thaci's swearing in because they insist his election was unlawful, claiming irregularities in the vote, but Kosovo's constitutional court dismissed their complaint. Thaci, 47, rose to prominence during the 1998-1999 war with Serbia as political leader of the pro-independence ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and he has since served two terms as prime minister. But his reputation has been sullied by a 2011 Council of Europe report which accused him of heading a mafia-style network involved in assassinations, unlawful detentions and even trafficking captives' organs during and after the war -- charges he strongly denies. Kosovo's opposition is also furious over a government deal with Serbia, backed by the EU, to create an association giving greater powers to Kosovo's Serb minority -- a move they fear will increase the influence of Belgrade. Thaci, who served as foreign minister before his election as president, has taken a lead role in the talks to improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which are a key requirement for both sides to become EU members. The father-of-one is also accused of corruption by protesters, some of whom took to the streets in February to try and stop him becoming president amid anger over Kosovo's slow development and lack of jobs. Thaci won support from 71 deputies in the 120-seat parliament in the third and final round of February's vote. Cash-strapped Sri Lanka is seeking to convert the massive USD 8 billion debt it owed to China into equity for infrastructure investment, a minister said today as the Prime Ministers of two countries met in Beijing. "There are many possibilities we are looking to swap debt toequity," Deputy Minister of State Enterprise Eran Wickramaratna said here. His comments came as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is visiting Beijing to renew the business relationship that had been somewhat strained by the government's decision to delay the controversial Colombo Port city project inaugurated by the Chinese president Xi Jinpeng in 2014. China had backed the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's bid to build the post conflict infrastructure in the country. Chinese loans were obtained by Rajapaksa tofinance his airport and sea port projects in addition to the Colombo Port City. Wickramaratna had said that the decision to stop the Port City project was based on the environmental concerns. During talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing, Wickremesinghe today assured China to "speed up" the USD 1.5 billion Chinese-funded Colombo Port City project besides endorsing the ambitious Maritime Silk Road over which India has strategic concerns. Wickremesinghe while in China is expected to negotiate to win a reprieve over the Chinese claim for compensation over the delay in the port city project, state minister of finance, Lakshman Yapa Abeyawrdena said. The Maldives government has kicked off a controversial USD 800-million expansion of the country's main airport by a Chinese company, a move likely to irritate giant neighbour India. President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated construction work in a ceremony on Wednesday night in the capital Male of the politically troubled country. "The president stated that with the expansion, the airport would become the economic backbone of the Maldives and that this would be the main gateway of modern day development," a government statement said on Thursday. Chinese company Beijing Urban Construction Group was awarded the contract during President Xi Jinping's visit to the strategically located Indian Ocean islands in September 2014. Two years earlier, the Maldives kicked out Indian infrastructure firm GMR which was given the airport under a privatisation deal and cancelled its lucrative contract to run the airport. The move sparked fury from New Delhi which threatened to cut off aid to the country, amid concerns the upmarket holiday destination was tilting towards India's rival China. The expansion comes as Yameen is set to arrive in India on Sunday for an official visit, and will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Maldives government, which says the airport will not be privatised again, has said the expansion is needed to accommodate increasing tourist numbers to the upmarket honeymoon destination. The expansion means the Airbus A380 will be able to land at the airport which will also be able to handle 7.5 million passengers a year. It comes despite ongoing political turmoil in the Maldives which has dented its reputation as a peaceful tourist paradise. Yameen has faced international criticism over the jailing of dissidents and political opponents including former president and now opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed. The police today arrested a man who allegedly financed an attack in 2009 on one of the witnesses who gave statements against Asaram in a case of death of two children near the self-styled godman's ashram. K D Patel, follower of Asaram who lived in his ashram at Motera here, surrendered before the metropolitan magistrate after the court rejected his anticipatory bail application on March 30. Patel, a doctor by profession, is accused of financing attack in 2009 on Raju Chandak, who has deposed against Asaram before the Justice D K Trivedi Commission which probed the deaths of two children near the ashram some years ago. Patel's name was revealed by alleged sharp-shooter Kartik Haldar who was arrested in Raipur on March 13 by Ahmedabad police in connection with murder of three witnesses in an alleged sexual assault case against Asaram. Haldar, who also attempted to kill four other witnesses in alleged rape cases lodged against Asaram in Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, told police some 'sadhaks' (of Asaram) had asked him to bump off the witnesses to weaken the cases. Asaram is lodged in Jodhpur jail since 2014 in alleged rape case. A court in Gandhinagar this week framed charges against him in another rape case, filed by a Surat-based woman. Attempt to sodomise is against the order of nature, a Delhi court has observed while holding a man guilty of sodomising a three-year-old boy in 2006. Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Kumar Malik convicted the West Delhi resident of the offence of attempt to sodomise under section 377 read with section 511 of the IPC, while relying on the testimony of the victim, saying the child had very specifically narrated the incident. "Such attempt to sodomise is against the order of nature and hence, accused is convicted for the offence under section 377 and 511 of IPC," the Magistrate, who is yet to pronounce the quantum of sentence, said. "The prosecution has successfully proved that the accused has made an attempt to commit the carnal intercourse with the victim which is specifically supported by the testimony of witnesses," the judge said. According to the prosecution, on August 27, 2006, the boy told his mother about the unnatural act done to him by the man. He was later handed over to the police by the public. The court observed that victim, who is now a juvenile, had narrated the incident to his mother and identified the accused in the court and deposed before it. The court found that the accused failed to give "even a single dent" to the testimony of the prosecution witnesses. During the trial, the accused had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. Nelson Mandela's former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela today lost a court bid to claim ownership of his rural home, in a ruling welcomed by his family after a bitter legal dispute. The Eastern Cape High Court dismissed the case in which Madikizela-Mandela said she was the rightful owner of the property in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape province. Nelson Mandela spent much of his childhood in Qunu after being born nearby, and he returned there regularly after his retirement. He was buried in Qunu in 2013. In his will, the anti-apartheid icon left the house to his family trust, but Madikizela-Mandela claimed it belonged to her under customary law because it was bought in 1989 while they were still married. The couple were wed in 1956 and divorced in 1996. "The family is grateful that this saga has now come to a close and trusts that Winnie will makes peace with the judgement," the Mandela family said in a statement. "It is deeply regrettable that this challenge to his final wishes should have come from someone of her stature and proximity to the family." Mandela was arrested in 1962 and spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in the post-apartheid elections of 1994. On his death, he left his assets to family members, personal staff, schools and the ruling African National Congress party. Mandela's will, which did not mention Madikizela-Mandela, said that he wanted the Qunu homestead to "be used by my family in perpetuity in order to preserve the unity of the Mandela family". Mandela married his third wife Graca Machel, the widow of Mozambique president Samora Machel, in 1998. Mayoral elections in the three municipal corporations of Delhi will be held by this month end, a senior civic official today said. The elections for the posts of mayors, deputy mayors, and vacancies in standing committees of NDMC and EDMC will be held on April 28. For SDMC, they will be held on April 27, the official said. April 18 will be the last date of filing nomination papers by the candidates. The notifications for elections of mayors and deputy mayors of the three civic bodies in Delhi have been issued, the official said. The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act provides for election of mayor and deputy mayor from among the councilors of the corporations in the first meeting of the House every year. The mayors and deputy mayors get a year-long term in the cities of Union Territories. The erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi was trifurcated into -- North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations in 2012. The Mayor's five-year tenure sees five single- year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second open category, third for reserved category, and the remaining two also being in open category. Last year the polls were held in the open category. Maharashtra Legislative Council today witnessed a verbal clash between the members of ruling and the opposition parties over certain objectionable statements made by the Minister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble. The row led to the House being adjourned six times and evoked a sharp response from the Chairman of legislative council Ramraje Nimbalkar. When the NCP MLC Amarsingh Pandit raised a supplementary query during the question hour, it evoked responses from other opposition members. This angered Kamble and he made certain objectionable comments. Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde (NCP) condemned his comments strongly. "The question raised by the member was not in any way related personally to the minister. This is the first time in the history of the state that a minister has threatened a member over a question. Tomorrow any minister will threaten us over asking a question. The minister needs to apologise," Munde said, calling it "black day in Maharashtra's history". Nimbalkar said that during his long career in the state legislature he had never come across a Minister making such a statement. "What has happened is shameful. Kamble should apologise," he said. Former Chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh said raising a supplementary query is a member's right. "If a minister makes such comments, it is not his responsibility alone but that of the entire cabinet. So the Leader of the House should apologise," he said. Nimbalkar then directed Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, who is the Leader of the House, to make a statement. Khadse conceded that Kamble's statements were not improper. "What happened today should not have happened. Both sides should remain patient as this is the House of seniors. Comments made by Kamble weren't right and I express my regrets over his statements. I will ensure that such comments are not made by any member of the ruling parties in future," Khadse said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today tore into the Congress-Left alliance in West Bengal, and accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "being hand in glove" with the two parties and destroying the state's glory. Addressing a poll rally ahead of the second phase of polling on April 11 in the state, Modi accused both Mamata and Left of not being interested in Bengal's welfare or future as he appealed to people to vote Trinamool Congress out of power and give BJP a chance and see development in the state. Recalling the glorious history of West Bengal, Modi said, "After independence, Congress, Left, and now 'Didi' (Mamata), have all shown faces of destruction of Bengal. Be it Left or 'Didi', they both cannot secure your future. They cannot safeguard your fate. "They don't talk about development. Left and 'Didi' trade charges on rape, corruption, violence. Will this blame game carry on. Who will save Bengal from them? Bengal has seen both their 'monstrous' faces and actions...Send such people home from government in Bengal," he said. Congress and the Left have formed an alliance to fight the Assembly polls in West Bengal to take on the ruling Trinamool. Modi also hit out at Mamata for not attending meetings called by him as Prime Minister, but meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi whenever she was in Delhi. "She is such a CM who feels that she will not go to the Prime Minister's meeting. But whenever Mamata didi comes to Delhi, she never forgets to meet Sonia Gandhi. We don't understand this relation. "Here Left and Congress are aligned together (for the polls), but when Didi goes to Delhi, she surely takes Sonia Gandhi's blessings and both pose smiling for photo-ops," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of "adjusting" with graft and claiming her party TMC stood for "terror, maut (death) and corruption". He also attacked the Congress for having "fallen at the Left's feet" in the state for political expediency. "The Narada sting operation against Trinamool Congress leaders was shown on TV. It was such a big scandal, but did Didi take any step against them, or expel them from the party? Didi has adjusted with corruption," Modi told an election rally in Asansol. Launching a frontal attack on Mamata Banerjee and her party, Modi said, "TMC stands for terror, maut (death) and Corruption." He said the West Bengal Chief Minister boycotted meetings called by the Centre to discuss the issue of states' development and failed to bring about any transformation despite her call for 'paribortan' (change). "What kind of a Chief Minister is she? Whenever the Centre has called a meeting to discuss development of states, Didi has boycotted it, even if it hurt her state," Modi said. "She (Banerjee) did not attend those meetings only because Modi convened it. But whenever she visited Delhi, she met (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi and took her blessings," the Prime Minister told an election rally at Birpara in north Bengal. Modi said, "She gave the call for Paribortan and misled the people. She talked about Ma-Mati-Manush, but there is only Maut (death) and money." At the Asansol rally, Modi tore into the Congress-Left alliance in Bengal, saying Congress was fighting the communists in Kerala but was "falling at their feet" in Bengal. "If there is ideological difference between them, it should be there both in Kerala and Bengal," he said, wondering whether they could be trusted. "Please go through the videos of Congress leaders five years back when they had criticized the Left. The first-ever Left government in Kerala was dismissed by the Congress government. Now see the magic, Congress is moving behind communists by holding their hands," he said. He said the Left and the Congress were trying to "fool" the people by fighting against each other in Kerala while at the same time forging an alliance in Bengal. "The people will give them a befitting reply. There was a time when the Congress had over 400 members in the Lok Sabha. But now see the people's anger, the Congress' strength has come down to 40 seats," he said. Madhya Pradesh will invest as much as Rs 2.25 lakh crore towards rural and urban development in the next 4-5 years, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said today. "We will invest Rs 1.5 lakh crore on rural development in the next four years and will provide housing for all under the mission. Also, the state will invest Rs 75,000 crore towards enhancing the urban infrastructure like sanitation, solid water management and water availability," Chouhan said addressing industrialists here. Addressing business delegates during a seminar on 'Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh', Singh said the state has very well taken care of the "ease of doing business" factor and invited them to establish themselves there. The seminar was in preparation towards state's next Global Investors Summit to be held on October 22-23 this year in Indore. "Madhya Pradesh provides a convenient and single window clearance business-enabling environment. The state is a high destination for making investments," he said. In the previous Global Investors Summit held in 2014, the total investment commitment of Rs 6 lakh crore came in and the state has already put to use Rs 2 lakh crore, Chouhan said. The state which was once a 'BIMARU' state, has now become one of the fastest growing states of the country and has been clocking a double digit growth for the past seven years continuously. Besides, being an agriculture-based economy, state's agricultural growth is more than 20 per cent for the past four years consecutively, he added. "We have abundant land with land-bank capacity of as much as 26,000 acres. Those who want to set up their businesses in the state can approach us. We can allot you land," he said. However, the per capita income of Madhya Pradesh is still very low at about Rs 1,500 (per month), and there is a need to increase it to lower the levels of poverty in the state, the chief minister said. Among others, Madhya Pradesh has huge availability of water for industries, skilled and cheap man power, he said. "I work as the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the state, not as CM. I want to eliminate poverty from the state. I want to promote tourism in the state because it has huge potential to generate jobs," he added. Chouhan said the development work will be incomplete without taking care of the small businesses and rural sector. "We have 23,000 gram panchayats in the state. We will set up small scale industry in every gram panchayat, in whichever area it has excellence, so that the rural segment is not left neglected." Besides, the state government will also set up a separate ministry for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and create a 'Ministry of Happiness'. To promote young entrepreneurs, the state also plans to provide them subsidised capital ranging from Rs 10 lakh to up to Rs 1 crore at concessional rates using the banking channel. A local court today issued a non-bailable warrant against Union Minister Y S Chowdary as he "failed" to appear before it in connection with a criminal complaint filed by Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd. The XII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Nampally, Hyderabad) issued the warrant against Chowdary, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology. Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd had filed the complaint in the court accusing Chowdary and others of "defaulting in repayment of loan of Rs 106 crore". The bank had submitted that it had lent Rs 100 crore to Heistia Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Sujana Universal Industries Ltd, and had secured a decree from a London court. Chowdary is now a Non-Executive Director of Sujana Universal Industries Ltd. According to the counsel of the Bank, the company stood as guarantor for the loan availed for Heistia Holdings Ltd, which is its subsidiary and the company has to repay Rs 106 crore to it. Subsequently, the Bank had filed several litigations against Sujana Universal Industries Ltd. In the past, Chowdary had been asked to remain present in the court after issuing summons based on the criminal complaint. However, Chowdary "failed" to remain present before the court on three successive occasions. "We submitted before the court today that the minister was taking excuses and flouting the orders of the court on a regular basis. We also argued that this was a fit case for issuance of NBW as the accused was evading the process of the court and the court was pleased to issue non-bailable warrant against the minister," Sanjeev Kumar, Partner Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, a Delhi-based law firm that is representing the Mauritian Bank, said in a statement. On the other hand, a statement issued by Y S Chowdary said "I have been just informed that a NBW has been issued against me by the Court of the XII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Nampally, Hyderabad). Owing to pressing public duties in public interest, I was unable to appear on the previous dates. I have the highest regard for the judiciary and never had any intention to evade or avoid appearing in the court. The orders of the court will be complied with." The matter has been posted for hearing on April 26. Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen were today arrested by Sri Lankan Navy while allegedly fishing off Jaffna coast in the island republic, even before 96 others detained recently and set free by Lankan courts in the past two days could return home. The fishermen hailing from Jegathapattinam in Pudukottai District were arrested for fishing in Lankan waters in the sea off Analaitheevu near Jaffna in the wee hours today, a state fisheries official said. The Lankan naval personnel seized the fishermen's boat, Jegathapattinam Assitant Director of the Fisheries Shekar said, adding all the nine had been taken to Jaffna. The latest detention comes close on the heels of the arrest of four others earlier this week and release of 96 of the 99 fishermen arrested on different dates. While 32 fishermen were released on April 5 as many as 64 were set free yesterday by courts in . Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had only yesterday shot off yet another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to act decisively to find tangible mechanisms for permanently resolving this vexatious issue affecting the livelihood of lakhs of state fishermen. She had also reiterated the need to restore the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay by annulling the Indo-Sri Lankan agreements of 1974 and 1976 ceding Katchatheevu islet to the neighbouring nation. BJP today cautioned that the way outstation students are being dealt with at NIT Srinagar could have an impact on students from Jammu and Kashmir studying elsewhere in the country. "The elements involved in the misaction are anti-national and anti-people who want to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the state by indulging in such type of violence which tantamount to instigating similar reactions against students from the state studying outside the state and putting to risk and jeopardy their lives," said Sunil Sethi, chief spokesperson of BJP's state unit. Noting that Jammu and Kashmir is poised to get AIIMS and IIT, he said, "Bad treatment given to our fellow countrymen in the state will dissuade the students and teachers to come to these institutions which looks like concerted effort to isolate the state from national mainstream." He called upon the state govt administration to take effective and strong action against all persons involved, including police officials, to instill confidence among outstation students. He further said raising of national flag and chanting national slogans are a matter of pride and the state has to facilitate activities which propagate nationalism. Action should be taken against all such elements who are indulging in anti-national slogans and hoisting flags of Pakistan which amounts to supporting and propagating terrorism and separatism in the state and rest of country, Sethi said. He said there should be total ban on sale and possession of Pakistani Flags in the state with penal consequences to stop the politics of hatred in the state. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said all political parties were together on imposition of a total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar, put into action after in-depth study of prohibition in various states. Kumar, who had announced a total ban on liquor, country and spiced as well Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, in the state after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said all political parties were together on prohibition. Kumar said efforts on imposition of liquor ban have been made from time to time. "Mahatama Gandhi, Jayprakash Narayan, Karpoori Thakur and Morarji Desai were in favour of prohibition and made attempts for it," he said. "We have implemented total ban on liquor only after studying different aspects and experiences of varied states," he said. He laughed away media reports that said Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor was against liquor ban, and because of which, Kapoor said, he would not come to Bihar. "It seems as if he used to come every now and then to Bihar before prohibition," Kumar told reporters, dismissing criticism from the actor without taking his name. The Bihar CM did not give much importance to criticism that prohibition would entail loss to state exchequer. "But, this is not a moral trade. Alcohol is not good for health," he said. "The money saved due to ban on liquor would be spent on other sectors like health, education and nutrition which would improve market economy of Bihar," he said. Heralding the decision to declare Bihar a dry-state, Kumar said an environment was being created for social change. "The success of ban on booze would spread as 'Jan Andolan' (mass movement) across the country. Encouring messages have been received from different areas on prohibition in Bihar," he said. In reply to a question on drought, Kumar said there was an "alarming" situation in the country. Water table was going down in Bihar too due to inadequate rainfall, he added. Strongly condemning police lathicharge on outstation students in NIT Srinagar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today slammed the Central government over the incident saying it reflected its "double standard." "The Central government on the one hand is raising slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and on the other hand in Jammu and Kashmir gets people raising the same nationalistic slogan beaten," Kumar told reporters while reacting on NIT Srinagar incident. "The incident reflects double standard of the Union government. The Central government should make its stand on the episode clear," Kumar said coming down heavily on the BJP-led NDA government at the centre over the incident. He said BJP could answer on Srinagar better as it has its government at the Centre as well Jammu and Kashmir. There are many students from Bihar also at NIT Srinagar and the state government was talking to J&K government for providing proper security to them, he said emerging from a review meeting of Energy department. "Students from different states study in an institution like NIT and hence no such incident should happen there," he said and strongly condemned "mistreatment" of outstation students in NIT Srinagar. The Bihar CM demanded expeditious action from the Union government in the NIT Srinagar issue. US President Barack Obama will visit the prestigious Chicago Law School, where he once taught, today to meet the students and faculty to discuss and push his case for the Senate to take up the selection of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, the White House officials have said. Obama will return to the varsity where he served as a professor and senior lecturer on constitutional law prior to being elected to the US Senate in 2004. He will discuss the importance of the Supreme Court, its integrity and the country's judicial system, the official said yesterday. During his visit, Obama will continue making the case for why Chief Judge Merrick Garland -- and the American people -- deserve for the Senate to fulfil its constitutional responsibility and give this eminently qualified nominee a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote, an Official said. Obama will be joined on stage by his former colleague Professor David Strauss, the school's Gerald Ratner Distinguished Service Professor of Law, and he will engage directly with the audience which will be comprised of students and faculty as well as judges from the 7th Circuit Court and other local ones, the official said. Both Obama and Garland have Chicago roots and often call it their hometown. "The President looks forward to visiting the institution that helped shape his dedication to the rule of law, the role of the Presidency and his fidelity to the constitution - to discuss with law students and faculty how he fulfilled his constitutional responsibility and presented the American people with an exceptional nominee for our Nation's highest court," said the White House official. Barack Obama had nominated Garland as the Supreme Court judge over Indian- American Sri Srinivasan, amid a possible showdown with Senate Republicans who have warned the US President against taking a decision in an election year. Nomination of the 63-year-old, the chief judge for the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, fills the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the sudden death of conservative icon justice Antonin Scalia in February. However, it would be tough for Obama to get through his choice of the judge and sets the stage for an intense showdown by Senate Republicans who have maintained that Obama should not choose Scalia's successor, with less than a year left for his presidency. Children born to mothers who consume salmon during pregnancy may have a lower risk of developing asthma compared to kids whose mothers do not eat it, a new study has claimed. Researchers led by Philip Calder from University of Southampton in the UK conducted the Salmon in Pregnancy Study, a randomised controlled trial in which a group of women ate salmon twice a week from week 19 of pregnancy. Allergy tests were then performed on the children at six months and then at two to three years of age. Results were compared to a control group whose mothers did not eat salmon during pregnancy. The findings showed that at six months there was no difference in allergy rate between the two groups of children. However, at age two and half years, children whose mothers ate salmon while pregnant were less likely to have asthma. Calder's previous research has shown that certain fatty acids - or a lack of them - are involved in a broad spectrum of common diseases ranging from diverse allergies through to atherosclerosis and inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease. The study was presented at the annual Experimental Biology Congress in San Diego, US. A Omani national was today apprehended for allegedly trying to marry a 16-year-old girl in Chandrayangutta area here, police said. "One Al Alawi Salah Faiz Juma, an Omani national, has been apprehended along with a qazi Habeeb Ali, in connection with the attempt to marry a minor girl," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) V Satyanarayana said. The duo is being questioned and the process to register a case is being carried out. Further investigation into the case is on. Six endangered newborn Pakistani Urials stolen from their mother have been recovered, officials said today, in a case that has left a pair of local policemen accused of kidnapping them feeling rather sheepish. The three male and three female lambs were illegally picked up from the Jhelum district of central Punjab province, where around 2,500 are thought to roam in the wild. The Punjab Urial, known for their curved horns which keep growing throughout their lives, are listed as "endangered" according to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature in Pakistan, and are mainly threatened by degradation of their habitats as well as poaching. Pakistanis are forbidden from hunting them, though sixteen permits are issued each year to foreigners, who must pay USD 16,500 for the privilege. Rana Shahbaz, a senior local wildlife official, told AFP the lambs had been taken from the Salt Range by two local policemen who are believed to have been hired by a well-to-do client -- described as a judge by local daily Dawn. "The lambs are very sensitive, and when they are taken from their mothers they often die," he said. "But when we recovered them we kept them at our check post, they were fed properly and later they were produced before a court, which ordered them to be sent to the Lahore Zoo." They were later pictured frolicking at the zoo. Mujahid Akbar Khan, the local police chief, confirmed the case adding that the two policemen had been suspended. "An investigation is underway," he added. Pakistan is home to stunning range of wildlife including snow leopards, shaheen falcons and Indus dolphins. But an exploding population currently around 200 million, and a lack of awareness around conservation has led to the destruction of habitats and forests and endangerment of numerous species. Cash-rich public sector firms ONGC, NTPC and Coal India were today asked to adopt one shut urea plant each for revival which would cost about Rs 18,000 crore over the next four years. Looking to cut import dependence by boosting domestic production, the government pushed cash-rich PSUs to take up Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Prime Minister's Office (PMO) called a high-level meeting of Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Power & Coal Minister Piyush Goyal to chalk out the revival plan which would hinge on availability of natural gas. State gas utility GAIL India Ltd has been asked to expedite the pipeline from Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in West Bengal to provide connectivity to the shut urea plants at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Barauni in Bihar and Sindhri in Jharkhand. According to sources, ONGC will form joint venture with Hindustan Fertiliser Corporation Ltd (HFCL) for revival of urea plant at Barouni. Fertiliser Corporation of India Ltd (FCIL) will form two separate joint ventures with CIL and NTPC for revival of Sindri and Gorakhpur respectively. The secretaries of fertiliser, power, coal, petroleum and finance alongwith officials of various PSUs were also present at the meeting. Last year, the Cabinet had approved the revival of Barouni, Gorakhpur and Sindri through bidding process. But the response to the bidding was poor, as Adani was the only bidder for Sindri and Matix for Gorakhpur. Besides these three, the revival of other two closed urea plants at Talcher in Odisha and Ramagundam in Telangana has already started. India's urea production touched record 24.5 million tonnes in 2015-16 fiscal. While the country's total demand is about 30 million tonnes, the rest is met through imports. Urea is a controlled fertiliser and its selling price is fixed at Rs 5,360 per tonne. The government pays the difference between cost of production and selling price as subsidy to the manufacturers. In Haryana, 1,16,447 tonnes of wheat has so far arrived in the grain markets of the State until yesterday during the current procurement season. Out of the total arrival, 1,16,256 tonnes have been purchased by the government procurement agencies at Minimum Support Price, a spokesman of the State's Food and Supplies Department said here today. He said that the procurement process was running smoothly in the 'mandis' of the State. Giving details of the wheat procured by government agencies, he said that 38,090 tonnes of wheat has been procured by Food and Supplies Department, whereas HAFED has purchased 10,945 tonnes of wheat. He said that Food Corporation of India has purchased 25,271 tonnes of wheat, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation has purchased 1,162 tonnes and 40,779 tonnes of wheat has been procured by Haryana Warehousing Corporation. He said that apart from this, 191 tonnes of wheat have been procured by traders. The spokesman said that district Palwal was leading in wheat arrival where 31,209 tonnes of the crop had arrived in the mandis followed by district Faridabad, which recorded 25,755 tonnes of wheat arrival. More than 120 countries have said they are ready to sign the UN's accord to fight global warming, French ecology minister Segolene Royal has said. Royal yesterday said the strength of support meant the climate deal clinched in Paris last year would likely be ratified in New York on April 22. Almost 200 governments reached an agreement in December which set a target of limiting to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. "I fixed an objective... Of a hundred signatures and we are now at over 120 signatures," Royal, who took over as head of the COP21 this year, said in Paris. Garnering a "record number of signatures with such a brief delay... Will allow us to begin the ratifications". COP21 is the acronym for the 21st conference of parties to the UN climate arena. The 32-page deal also calls on rich nations to muster at least 100 billion dollars (90 billion euros) a year in climate aid from 2020. Just how that will happen has yet to be worked out. The deal only comes into force, however, if at least 55 countries responsible for at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions ratify the accord. Top emitters the United States and China will be among the nations signing the Paris climate agreement in New York, the White House announced last week. The European Union also agreed to sign last month, and Royal said another key developing country, India, had also agreed. "We have also received commitments from practically all the African countries," she added. Royal, heads the UN's COP21 climate forum and thus plays a key role in brokering agreements, said that 60 countries would send their head of state to the signing ceremony in New York. Pakistan had agreed ahead of its Joint Investigation Team's visit to India that it would not get access to any of the defence personnel involved in the counteroffensive against the perpetrators of the Pathankot Air Force Station attack. "It was agreed much in advance of Pakistan's JIT's visit that they would not get access to any defence personnel involved in Pathankot operation," a Home Ministry official said. According to the Terms of Reference for the recent visit of JIT, it was to interview key witnesses and victims of Pathankot terror attack but there was no mention of access to military or any other security personnel. Pakistan had yesterday said India did not produce witnesses belonging to the security forces before the JIT. "The JIT visited the crime scene and also recorded the statements of some witnesses. However, the witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not produced before it," said the Pakistan Foreign Office, in its first statement on theteam's return from India. The Terms of Reference for the visit say the JIT would collect, review and document physical evidence regarding the Pathankot incident, collect pieces of forensic evidence for possible matching with specimens of relevant individuals in Pakistan. The team would collect, collate, analyse and document electronic/ digital evidence, visit crime scene and other relevant places related to Pathankot investigation, it says. "The JIT would share with Indian counterparts details of investigation conducted by it upto the time of the visit, get briefing from National Investigation Agency of India about the investigation conducted by them besides performing any other task associated with the investigation," it said. According to the methodology and timeframe of JIT, it would interview key witnesses and victims related to the investigation. "It will visit crime scene and other relevant places associated with the investigation and collect necessary physical, forensic, digital and other evidence available or in possession of the Indian authorities. "The JIT will process evidence in the most professional manner and establish a chain of custody to ensure admissibility of evidence in the relevant court of law. The JIT intends to stay in India for about a week from the date of its arrival," it said. As per the Terms of Reference, the Government of India was to make arrangements to ensure a smooth and successful JIT visit. Under it, India was to take all necessary steps to ensure security of JIT members and material in their possession and provide access to key witnesses relevant to the investigation and their timely availability. The India side was also to make available all evidence in its possession to enable building of a strong prosecution case in Pakistan. India was to also facilitate the JIT's visit to the scene of crime and other relevant places and provide appropriate working environment to enable it to carry out its work. The Pakistan government constituted the JIT on February 25, 2016 under Section 19(I) of its Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 to conduct investigation into the January 2 attack on the Pathankot airbase. This came after an FIR was registered (No. 06/16) on February 18, 2016 at the police station counter terrorism department, Gujranwala under Section 302, 324, 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and section 7, 21-1 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The FIR contains information provided by India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to his Pakistani counterpart Lt Gen (retd) Nasir Khan Janjua. Aitzaz-ud-Din, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan, is the complainant of the case. The head of a Austrian regional bank became today the latest casualty of the Panama Papers scandal, announcing his resignation but denying any wrongdoing. "At the end of the day what made the difference in taking this step was the prejudgement through the media of Hypo Vorarlberg and of myself in recent days," Michael Grahammer, 51, said. "I remain 100-percent convinced the bank at no time contravened laws or sanctions," he said in a statement, ading that he said he will remain in office until a successor is named. Hypo Vorarlberg was named in a vast trove of documents leaked Sunday related to a Panama law firm allegedly helping the rich, famous and infamous hide assets offshore to avoid tax, circumvent sanctions or launder money. Austria's financial market authority (FMA) yesterday began looking over the bank's accounts, and those of fellow Austrian lender Raiffeisen Bank International (FBI), following the allegations. Hypo Vorarlberg, majority owned by the state of Vorarlberg, was already the subject of an FMA probe in 2012 related to a firm registered in the Virgin Islands to Gennady Timchenko, a Russian oligarch subject to US sanctions. The FMA alerted authorities to possible money-laundering but Austrian prosecutors dropped an enquiry in 2013 because of a lack of evidence. Grahammer said on Wednesday that the bank no longer had business dealings with Timchenko. Pearls group Nirmal Singh Bhangoo and accomplices cheated investors to the tune of Rs 45,000 crore through 23 lakh agents who received Rs 9500 crore as commission to lure over five crore investors, CBI has alleged in its charge sheet filed today. CBI sources said these agents, which included 1700 senior executives, worked in a multi-level marketing mode, received a commission of a whopping over Rs 9500 crore between 1996 and 2012 for allegedly luring the gullible investors to deposit in their schemes. The charge sheet was filed here before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Charu Aggarwal who took cognisance of it and fixed the matter for scrutiny of documents on April 21. The sources said agents worked in 11 level pyramid with those at top levels earning in lakhs as commission. According to the sources, the companies-- PACL and PGF-- claimed investors would be given agricultural land in return of their deposits with the company. Once deposits were made, the company promised to provide investors with an allotment letter within 90 to 270 days. The company allegedly provided these allotment letters to the investors with the condition that it reserved the right to change the location of the land allotted to them any time. The investors were allotted land in Medak in Andhra Pradesh and Ajmer and Bikaner in Rajasthan. The sources, quoting from the charge sheet, said the companies allegedly kept allotting land which did not belong to them through the allotment letters issued to the investors. Large number of investors did not get their promised investment back. The sources said Bhangoo through his executives, and relatives allegedly created front companies which entered in benami deals of properties. This was allegedly done to evade the sealing of land which can be held by a company or an individuals, they said. They claimed the company also used the modus operandi to evade stamp duty. CBI also informed the court that it is keeping the investigation open. The agency is looking into alleged dealings of Bhangoo in Australia in which his daughter and son-in-law are also under its scanner. Dealings of Pearls group in property business in Australia which included a hotel in Gold Coast area and transactions in Dubai are being probed, the sources said. CBI has not given details of property the documents of which were recovered by it during the searches as these are still under investigation. The sources said the agency has managed to seize 20,000 documents related to properties whose purchase value was estimated at Rs 5,000 crore. Bhangoo, CMD of Pearls Golden Forest Ltd (PGF) and ex-Chairman of Pearls Australasia Pty Limited, along with Sukhdev Singh, MD and Promoter-Director of Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL), Gurmeet Singh, Executive Director (Finance) and Subrata Bhattacharya, ED in the PGF/PACL were arrested by CBI in connection with the scam. Taking a swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' remarks over 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' even as a grim spectre of drought looms over the state, ruling ally Shiv Sena today said people should be able to live first to chant the pro-India slogan. "It would have been better if he (Fadnavis) would have given a war cry that he would give drinking water in homes, in each village of Maharashtra or will leave the CM's post," said an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "One will have to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', but to say that people need to be alive first," it quipped. "At present, the politics over 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is in full force. Let my Chief Minister's chair go, but I will chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', is a good call by the CM. But the children of 'Bharat Mata' are roaming all over for water, are harried, incidents have gone to the extent of seeking each other's blood," it said. Reminding that youth take to Naxalism and pick up arms against 'injustice', the Sena asked, "Will the youth of Marathwada for the sake of a sip of water take up arms and become terrorists?" "If that happens, 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' will have no meaning. If the people are happy then Bharat Mata will be happy," it said. The Shiv Sena said that the "Jai" (victory) of Bharat Mata is "Jai" of the people, but they do not have a sip of water, cattle are withering to death and fields are turning into burial grounds. "Then if anyone stands in such fields and raises nationalist slogans, Bharat Mata will not be thrilled and rise up," it said. "This is not the Maharashtra of the dreams of Bharat Mata. Chief Minister, sit on your chair and give water to Maharashtra," it exhorted. However, the Sena remained silent over a case before the Bombay High Court which had yesterday said that in view of the severe water crunch in Maharashtra due to drought it would be better to shift the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches outside the state. The party also termed as "shocking" the deployment of police squads to protect water tanks and tankers at some places in the state. In many regions of the state and Marathwada, people are becoming enemies of each other over water, it said. "Many have foretold that the third world war will be fought over water. That seems coming to be true. The picture of riots breaking over water is disturbing," the Sena said. Arguing that water policies of the previous rule may have gone wrong, the Sena said you cannot keep the people thirsty by blaming it on the past government. It also said there were "dacoities" taking place on water stocks. For want of water, industries might shut down and danger of unemployment may rise, the editorial cautioned. A convenor of the proscribed ultra left wing outfit PFLI was arrested along with his accomplice from the new bypass area under Agamkuan police station of Bihar's Patna district today. Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said the police arrested PFLI convenor Vicky Kumar and his associate Sonu Kumar with a pistol and a cartridge. Vicky was wanted by the police in several cases, which included a bomb blast in Bahadurpur Housing Colony in the state capital, kidnapping, bank dacoity and loot incidents. During interrogation, Vicky admitted his involvement in the Bahadurpur Housing Colony bomb blast. He had carried out the blast to realise levy for his outfit. He had approached Sonu Kumar who used to supply illegal arms. Vicky, a resident of Jehanabad district, also admitted he had supplied a huge cache of illegal arms to Jharkhand after receiving the same from Sonu Kumar and used to get funds from his outfit through bank for purchasing the arms, the police said. carrier Thursday ordered an inquiry into an incident in which a commander allegedly refused to operate a flight from Chennai without a particular woman co-pilot. The company will neither "condone" nor "tolerate" such acts, Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said in a statement here. As many as 110 passengers onboard the airline's flight from Chennai for Male via Thiruvananthapuram were made to wait for over two hours at the Chennai airport yesterday morning after the commander allegedly insisted for the particular woman pilot to operate the aircraft with him. "On the issue of the recent incident on ( flight) AI 263 from Chennai to Male via Thiruvananthapuram where the pilot refused to fly without a particular co-pilot, the airline has taken a strong view on the matter and has ordered an immediate inquiry into it," Lohani said. "The airline has suffered enough because of such stray and repeated cases of indiscipline," he said, adding Air India will neither condone nor tolerate such acts. "I have directed all such cases be brought to my notice immediately and strict action to be taken," he added. PNC Infratech today said it has won a Rs 120 crore project in Uttar Pradesh, which is funded by ADB. "PNC Infratech was declared the L1 (lowest) bidder for the project of upgradation of Nanau-Dodon section from 0 km to km 30 in the district of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. The bid amount for this ADB funded, UP Public Works Department (PWD) project is Rs 119.9 crore," the company said in a statement. During the financial year 2015-16, PNC secured seven new projects, for a total contract value of Rs 3,972 crore, comprising of six highway projects and one airport runway project, it said. "The company has received letters of award (LoAs) for all the seven projects by March 31, 2016," the statement said. PNC Infratech is an infrastructure construction, development and management company, with expertise in execution of major infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges, flyovers, airport runways, power transmission lines, among others. The company is executing projects across various states in India including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. PNC has executed 50 major infrastructure projects and working on 22 projects on EPC basis. PNC Infratech, through its various subsidiaries and associate companies, has a portfolio of 7 operational projects including Bareilly - Almora (Uttarakhand border) section of UP State Highway 37, Kanpur - Kabrai section of NH 86, Gwalior - Bhind section of NH 92, 100% owned BOT toll project; 4. Kanpur - Lucknow - Ayodhya section of NH 25, NH 56-A&B and NH 28 and Ghaziabad - Aligarh section of NH 91. Arguing for his release on bail, the Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel's lawyer today argued in the Gujarat High Court that the violence after the August 25 rally had happened because of the police's use of force. Hardik is facing sedition cases in Ahmedabad and Surat for inciting violence during the agitation last year. Arguing before Justice A J Desai, his lawyer Zubin Bharda said Hardik was fighting for his community and not against the government. During the mammoth rally of Patel community at GMDC ground here last August, Hardik had appealed for maintaining peace many times but the use of force by the police led to the violence, he said. "Police resorted to lathi-charge. Charge-sheet states that public property was damaged at the GMDC ground which is not possible as the ground itself is empty," he said. Narendra Gadhvi, who submitted CD of speeches to the police implicating Hardik, was himself not present to hear them and had downloaded them from YouTube, Bharda said. "If speeches were seditious...Then why did the police not initiate action to remove them (from YouTube)?" he said. Hardik's speech, in which he invoked Bhagat Singh, was misinterpreted by the police, he contended. "When we think of Bhagat Singh, we recall that he bombed the British but what Hardik meant was not bombing literally but symbolically bombing the government out of power through the ballot." According to the call intercepts cited by police in the charge sheet, Hardik likened himself to Bhagat Singh and said he had the guts to plant bombs in the Assembly. Advocate Bharda, however, said these conversations didn't merit the sedition charge. He also said that government representatives, during the negotiations with agitators, had used a threatening tone, saying that paperwork for Hardik's detention was ready if he did not agree to the government's terms. Bharda also downplayed the conversation between Hardik and a fellow activist in Surat in which Hardik advised the latter to kill the policemen rather than committing suicide (which led to filing of a sedition case against him in Surat). Hardik was only trying to dissuade his friend from taking the extreme step, the lawyer said. Earlier, courts in Surat and Ahmedabad rejected the bail pleas filed by Hardik, following which he moved the HC. He is at present lodged in Lajpore jail in Surat district. The next hearing is likely on April 13 when his lawyer would continue the arguments. A policeman was killed today when an improvised explosive device planted near a security check point exploded here in this north-western restive Pakistani city. The incident occurred at Budhu Samar Bagh area in Peshawar district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The policeman is said to have killed on the spot while a pedestrian was also injured in the powerful IED blast planted near a security check post, police officials said. Two PREPAK activists have been arrested from Lamphel Sanakeithel in Imphal West district in connection with the hand grenade attack at the residence of a retired government officer on April 4 night. The 43-year-old accused Irom Boy Singh was arrested from his residence and based on the disclosure of the nabbed PREPAK activist, another cadre L Somokanta Singh @ Shyamo (46) was also apprehended yesterday, a senior police officer said. Investigation further revealed that Irom Boy had been recruiting new cadre for the banned group, the police officer said. In another development, the proscribed outfit claimed responsibility for the hand grenade attack. The claim was made in a statement to the media. Costa Ricans named in the "Panama Papers" leak that disclosed the offshore financial dealings of the world's wealthy will be scrutinized for any criminal or tax-dodging activity, officials have announced. State prosecutors and the finance ministry are teaming up to tackle the matter, the Public Ministry yesterday said in a statement. At the same time, a special commission including the public and finance ministries and the police will meet next week to define their lines of action. The Costa Rican government has seized upon the scandal to urge lawmakers to pass a series of laws on tax reform. It particularly wants to see one adopted that demands partners and ultimate owners of anonymous companies be registered -- something that has met with resistance from some corporate and political figures. Delhi-based startup Promto is looking to scale up its electric bike-taxi service across the country from 20 at present to 10,000 over the next three years with an investment of USD 15 million. "We estimate to invest in the range of USD 10-15 million over a period of next three years to scale number of bike taxis from 20 at present to 10,000," Promto co-founder Karan Chaddha told PTI. The company has raised some funds from angel investors and is in discussion with banks leasing agreement, he said. Promto has launched its first fleet of 20 battery operated bike taxis in Delhi's Connaught Place and will scale it to four more localities in the next six months. "We are targeting commuters during odd-even scheme days starting this month. At present, these taxis can be booked over phone or hailing the pilots (driver) by commuters at metro stations. We will be ready with mobile application by end of this month or early next month after which everything will be automatic," Chaddha said. He said the company has reserved 20 per cent of fleet targeting female travellers. "Our 20 per cent fleet will be reserved for female travellers. These taxis will be driven by women pilots. In Connaught Place we will start it from Monday," Chaddha said. The two-wheeler is available for the people of Delhi at Rs 5 per kilometre. The bike taxi will only serve as last mile connectivity from around metro station, bus stops and will ply for distance of 5 kilometres only. "We are running battery operated bikes. It's a green vehicle and contributes in fight against pollution. All bikes have in-built GPS systems for tracking and verifying drivers. Passengers will be insured on our bike taxis during ride with insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh," Chaddha said. Promto has plans to expand in tier 2 cities after six months and will aim cities like Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur. "We are looking at having 500 bike taxis in six months' time. After that, we have plans to add at least 40 bike taxis every month in our fleet in a city," Chaddha said. Belgian prosecutors launched a public appeal today seeking any information on the "man in hat" suspect in the Brussels Airport suicide bombings that killed 16 people. Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially interested in any people who might have filmed or photographed the man. He was seen at the airport with two suicide bombers before they died in the March 22 attacks. A subsequent explosion at Brussels' Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same morning. Photos released by prosecutors showed the "man in hat" leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were reportedly lost. The suspect also wore a white jacket but discarded it at some point, prosecutors said. The appeal for public assistance more than two weeks after the suicide bombings indicated that investigators have hit a standstill. Three bombers, two at the airport and one in the subway, also died in the attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State. According to a video reconstitution of the suspect's itinerary presented to reporters, the man left the Brussels Airport terminal at 7:58 a.M. Before two other men he was with in the building exploded suitcases laden with explosives. He passed by a Sheraton hotel, walked through the town of Zaventem, discarded his jacket, and was seen on video footage at Meiser square in northeastern Brussels at 9:42 a.M. Eight minutes later, his trail vanishes. Belgian authorities are hoping that they or someone finds the discarded light-colored jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. Federal Prosecutor Thierry Werts also said there had been many people around the hotel when the suspect walked by who may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked "people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information" to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. Earlier today, the lawyer for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam said it will take some weeks before his client can be extradited from Belgium to France. Sven Mary spoke after a legal hearing on the Belgian-born French citizen's continuing detention in Belgium. He said the existing "Belgian arrest warrant must be lifted for (Abdeslam's) transfer" to France, in accordance with the extradition request. Mary said before Belgian authorities allow Abdeslam to leave they want to question the 26-year-old about another case - a deadly police raid in the Forest neighborhood of Brussels days before his arrest. For the third day, protests by outstation students continued at the NIT here today even as the Jammu and Kashmir government ordered a time-bound probe into the clashes that took place at the campus on last Friday and Tuesday, regarding which two FIRs were also filed. Some outstation students staged a protest march within the campus demanding shifting of the institute from Kashmir besides action against policemen involved in lathicharge on them on Tuesday. The protesters, who included girl students, were chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", officials said. As tension prevailed, state police chief K Rajendra Kumar visited the campus to take stock of the situation. This was the third day of protests by outstation students who have also accused some faculty members of harassment and demand their resignation so that "they do not play with any student's career". Faculty members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked at the allegations levelled against them. "The allegations are shocking. Just check the records and you will see outstation students have been doing better at examinations. If anything, we have been generous with them," a faculty member said. He, however, said the faculty will not compromise on the standards of this prestigious institute. "We cannot pass even those who are mediocre in studies. The minimum standards have to be upheld," he said. The Union HRD Ministry, which rushed three-member team of officials here yesterday, said students will have an option to appear for the exams later. The exams are beginning on April 11 and will be held as scheduled, the ministr officials said. Meanwhile, the state gvernment today ordered a time-bound inquiry into the clashes that have taken place at the campus. "We have instituted an inquiry to go into the incidents at the NIT," Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told reporters here. He said Additional District Magistrate of Srinagar will conduct the inquiry and submit his report within 15 days. "We will resolve this issue at the earliest," Singh said. Asked about his controversial comment that students were subjected to 'mild lathicharge', Singh said his statement at that time was based on information he had received. He said the state government will ensure the personal as well as academic security of the students at the NIT. Police also has registered two separate FIRs regarding the incidents of the violence that took place on NIT Srinagar campus on last Friday and Tuesday. The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup. The police has invoked sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (mischief), 336 (endangering life of others) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for the clashes between local and outstation students that took place on Friday, a police official said. In the second FIR registered on April 5, the police, besides slapping the charges of the previous FIR, has added sections 353 (assault on public servant) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). While no one has been named in the two FIRs yet, the official said police is investigating the video evidence of the violence that took place on the days of incidents. Police also released video clippings showing non-local students attacking the cops with stones and damaging property at the campus. The video, shot on Tuesday when trouble restarted in the campus, shows a large number of non-local students protesting against the NIT administration and trying to march towards the main gate of the campus. The students, some of them masked, are seen carrying iron rods and stones. Some of the students threw stones at Jammu and Kashmir Police and many buildings of the campus resulting in damage to many window panes. They are also seen vandalizing the property at the campus, including damaging a private car of an administrative official, after which the security forces resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students. Meanwhile, a group of non-local girl students today said their fight was against the administration and the issue should not be given a political or religious colour. "Our issue was not to incite the tempers. We all want justice. We are just fighting against our administration and we are not fighting on religious issues. So please don't make it a religious issue," said a girl student at the NIT in a video message. "We neither want a temple to be built here nor do we want to demolish a mosque. We only want justice on what happened to our friends and don't make it a political or religious issue," said another girl said in the video. They said the non-local students were not against the local students but wanted justice for their friends who, they alleged, were beaten by the police on Tuesday. "They (the administration) is saying (that) the situation is normal. Only 10 per cent of the students are going to the classes and 90 per cent are boycotting. Is this situation called normal? We are not against the locals, we are really not against them. "All we want is the justice for our friends who were brutally beaten by the police," the girl said. As the crisis continued, Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing it of using "brute" force against NIT students in Srinagar. "Strongly condemn lathicharge on #NITSrinagar students. When will BJP &allies learn that brute force against students can never be a solution," the Congress Vice President tweeted. With the issue adopting a political dimension, a bandh was organised in Jammu region to protest alleged police high-handedness on outstation students at NIT in Srinagar. The shutdown was called by various groups, including Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP). Publishing houses and authors will now be able to apply for ISBN, a 13 character code to identify publications, online and get it within a week. A website was launched today by HRD Minister Smriti Irani which will simplify the process and shorten the time period for procuring ISBN, which normally takes a few months. "I got this idea when a journalist told me that his mother, an author, could not get her book published as she had been waiting for ISBN for six months. "Only a handful of applications received (by the department) are timely processed because the entire process is tedious," Irani said at the launch event. "Using this portal, publishers and self-publishing authors will be able to get ISBN in a week's time. The hard copy of documents will also be not needed unless they are required for establishing the applicant's identity," she added. ISBN is an unique number used to identify text-based monographic publications. The 13-digit number, alloted by the UK-based International ISBN Agency, is displayed in bar code format. At present, there are separate forms for authors, publishers and educational institutions which have to be filled and sent with required documents and the codes are allotted free of cost. "The ISBN portal seeks to completely automate the process of seeking application, their examination and allotment of ISBNs. The developed software has several modules-users registration, online application submission, examination, allotment of ISBN number," a statement said. "The automation process will seek to maintain inventory as well as process the data that will be provided by the users," it added. Bestselling author Amish Tripathi was also present at the launch who shared how his first book was rejected by 20 publishers and when he decided to self-publish it, he had to wait for over two months for the ISBN number. Police claimed to have busted a racket supplying country-made weapons to criminals in the area here and arrested one person in this connection. Acting on a tip-off yesterday, police arrested Shahid, a member of the gang, and recovered 25 pistols from him at Tewda village in the district, SHO Pankaj Tyagi said today. During preliminary investigation, Shahid confessed that he used to bring illicit arms from Moradabad, Tyagi said. Further probe in the case is on, he added. Rahul Gandhi today mounted attack on the BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing it of using "brute" force against NIT students in Srinagar. "Strongly condemn lathicharge on #NITSrinagar students. When will BJP &allies learn that brute force against students can never be a solution?", the Congress Vice President said on micro-blogging site Twitter. The state Congress has demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry into the lathi charge and the alleged lapses in handling of the situation. It has expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation and the sense of insecurity among the students and parents which has "further aggravated due to the uncalled for and unjustified use of force:. Tension prevailed at the NIT with outstation students making a slew of demands, including shifting the institute out of Kashmir and action against the policemen involved in lathicharge yesterday. An HRD team was rushed there from Delhi to resolve the crisis being witnessed since last six days. Party spokesman Manish Tewari too took a dig at the BJP over the issue. "#NationalismBJPSTYLE thrash students in Srinagar who stand for India and divide rest of the country on Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Matram etc!", he tweeted. India has offered its commitments on opening goods and services sectors in the RCEP negotiations while other members are still struggling to meet their obligations, a top official today said. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega trade agreement which is being negotiated among 16 countries including 10 ASEAN members, India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Offering commitments in goods and services in this mega regional trade agreement reflects how open the Indian economy is, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said here at a seminar. She said there are lot of "myths" about openness of India and whether its economy is really welcoming to the world. "Within the mega regional (trade pact) which we are negotiating - the RCEP, we meet all the commitments on the merchandise goods while other partners are struggling to meet their obligations. "We have indicated our commitments in services, still other partners are struggling to meet theirs. We have been open, we are open and quite certainly people need to reassess exactly where India is in terms of welcoming investments and competition," she said. Citing a study, Teaotia said that India's trade to GDP ratio is higher than that of the US and China. "It is the very balance and mature fiscal policies that the country has adopted, our fairly robust intellectual property regime, our strong judicial framework, our independent regulators and our very large market which have actually given investors confidence in the country," she said. Teaotia said the huge inflow of foreign direct investments in India too reflects the investors keenness for India. "We are presently engaging with Australia in a trade agreement and any investments irrespective of sectors in Australia beyond a billion dollar requires government oversight, its not so in India," she said. In the last 12 months, India has relaxed FDI policy in several sectors including defence, construction and ecommerce. Talking about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact and its impact, the secretary said norms in areas like IPR and labour in this agreement may pose challenges to countries including India. "India's dependence on the TPP countries for its won exports have declined from about 33.2 per cent in 2000 to 24.8 per cent in 2014. Nevertheless, 24.8 per cent is significant and we will certainly see trade diversion," she said. TPP is also a mega trade agreement between 12 countries including Australia, the US and Vietnam. She added that the stringent protections norms for IPRs particularly related with generic medicines are expected to impact the world and "there are prices that we have to assess whether we are willing to pay or not". In terms of labour, any country that chooses to exports to TPP are likely to see a rise in labour cost. Telecom operator Reliance Communications will upgrade all its CDMA customers to 4G network in a phased manner, starting May 4. "RCoM has informed DoT that it will be upgrading its network from CDMA to LTE (4G) technology using the liberalised 800 Mhz spectrum. It will roll out LTE services progressively in these service areas from May 4," an official source told PTI. Anil Ambani-led RCom is believed to be leveraging spectrum sharing pact it had signed with his elder brother Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm for 4G services. The company will deploy its own 4G network and pre-dominantly use Reliance Jio infrastructure to deliver 4G services. When contacted, RCom spokesperson declined to comment. The DoT in February had approved sharing of active infrastructure like antenna used for transmitting mobile signals in February. RCom will trade CDMA grade spectrum in 800 MHz band in nine service areas where Jio doesn't have radiowaves. In 17 circles, the two companies has signed spectrum sharing agreement. RCom has already paid Rs 5,383.84 crore to liberalise its spectrum in 16 circles which include Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, UP East and West, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kolkata and Bihar. A liberalised spectrum allows telecom operators to use any technology to deliver mobile services like 3G and 4G. Besides, they will be able to introduce new technologies and share and trade it with other operators for its efficient use. The Cabinet has earlier cleared liberalisation of spectrum -- allocated without auction to telecom companies - at Trai recommended price with the balance being collected after deriving market rate through bidding. The decision will enable Reliance Communications (RCom) to liberalise its spectrum in four telecom circles, where auction determined price is not available, for Rs 1,300 crore. This circles are Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Pakistan today said it is ready to discuss arms control and restraint measures with India to avoid unnecessary arms race in the region, days after US President Barack Obama asked both nations to reduce their nuclear arsenal. "We have taken note of President Obama's call on both Pakistan and India to work together with a view to ensuring that military doctrines do not move in the wrong direction," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said. The spokesman said Pakistan is ready to discuss arms control and restraint measures with India and "our proposal of strategic restraint regime" can provide basis for mutually agreed restraint measures and avoidance of unnecessary arms race in the region. Pakistan is opposed to nuclear and conventional arms race and strongly believes in peace and stability in the region, he said. "We are committed to minimum deterrence," Zakaria said, adding that Pakistan's nuclear capability was solely for self-defence. On Friday, Obama had identified South Asia, in particular India and Pakistan, as one area where there is a need to make progress in nuclear security and reduction of nuclear arsenal. Zakaria claimed that there is increased understanding at the international level of Pakistan's genuine concerns regarding rapidly growing Indian conventional and nuclear capabilities and their offensive military designs such as cold start doctrine. The spokesman said Pakistan has strong credentials to become a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as a non-NPT state. The NSG is still deliberating upon the issue of membership for non-NPT states, he said. "Pakistan has strong credentials for full integration in the multilateral export control arrangements, including the NSG and we are confident that we will be able to qualify any principle-based, objective and non-discriminatory criteria developed for this purpose," he said. "We have been running a safe, secure and safeguarded civil nuclear programme for more than 42 years. We have the expertise, manpower and infrastructure to produce civil nuclear energy," he said. Zakaria said that 4th Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington, which concluded last weekend, was a significant event from Pakistan's perspective. He said the statements and the outcomes of the Summit were gratifying for Pakistan in many ways. "Our constructive engagement in the process has helped in highlighting Pakistan's strong national nuclear security regime, command and control system, rigorous regulatory regime and comprehensive export controls which have been appreciated at the international level," he said. The opposition Congress today asked the Maharashtra government to regularise all pre-2015 slums in Mumbai. "Slums which have come up before December 31, 2015 should be regularised," Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president Sanjay Nirupam said. "If buildings built by greedy builders illegally can be regularised, then why not slums?" he asked. The state government should issue a government resolution with regards to the regularisation of pre-2015 slums, he demanded. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today said that the issue of medium of instruction (MoI) in schools should be resolved through talks and not law. "I have said it time and again. Even on the floor of the House...I have repeated that bringing the Bill on MoI would not solve the issue. The only difference it would make is that it will make it a law," Parsekar told reporters. "Making a law will not change the situation. We have to find out amicable solution by discussions with all the stakeholders. I feel that the current status on MoI should not be changed," he added. The Chief Minister was responding to a number of questions over the recent verbal tiff between RSS and BJP leaders over the issue. Goa's RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar who is also spearheading Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), a forum propagating regional languages as MOI, had castigated BJP led government. BJP MP Narendra Sawaikar, while reacting to Velingkar had accused him of playing to the gallery. Goa government has announced regional languages as MoI, but has also given grants to the schools teaching in English medium which has irked the BBSM. It had warned to begin campaign against the state government if it did not withdraw the grant given to English medium schools. "Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds is in talks to star in "The Rosie Project", a romantic dramedy being developed by Sony's TriStar Pictures. Jennifer Lawrence was attached to star in the project, to be directed by "Boyhood" helmer Richard Linklater, but left last fall when her schedule became overstuffed, said The Hollywood Reporter. The producers - Matt Tolmach and Michael Costigan - and studio vowed to rebuild, and now they are closing on 39-year-old Reynolds, who post-"Deadpool" is in demand as he enjoys a career resurgence. "Rosie Project" tells the story of a socially inept genetics professor who comes up with a scientifically sound survey to find the perfect mate. His plans go awry when he meets Rosie Jarman, who in her whirlwind manner possesses all the opposite qualities he should be looking for. The film is an adaptation of the book by Graeme Simsion and has a script by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber. Noted author Salman Rushdie is reportedly dating former fashion model Laura Gomez Eastwood. The 68-year-old Booker Prize winner, has been quietly seeing Laura for about a month, reported Fox . She was once married to Clint Eastwood's musician son Kyle, with whom she has a daughter. The brunette beauty was spotted on Friday night enjoying a romantic dinner with the author of "The Satanic Verses". Rushdie, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007, has been married four times, most recently divorcing from "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi in 2007. Saudi King Salman today started a five-day visit to Cairo in a show of support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with the leaders due to sign a raft of investment deals. Saudi Arabia has been the key backer of Sisi since the then-army chief in 2013 overthrew his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood movement was viewed with suspicion by Riyadh. It has pumped billions of dollars in aid and investment into Egypt's battered economy, and the two heads of state are expected to ink more investment agreements tomorrow amounting to about USD 1.7 billion. Live footage on state television showed Sisi greeting the 80-year-old Salman at Cairo airport, before heading off in a convoy to the presidential palace. The two met after Salman's arrival and were due to meet again tomorrow, when they will sign 14 agreements that include a USD 1.5 billion deal to invest in the Sinai Peninsula, the presidency and an Egyptian government official said. Salman is expected to address the Egyptian parliament on Sunday, state media reported. Egyptian media gave full coverage of the visit, with state television welcoming Salman to his "second country" and playing celebratory music as his plane touched down in Cairo. "This is the first official visit by King Salman, whose valuable and honourable positions in support of Egypt and its people will never be forgotten," the presidency said in a statement before Salman's arrival. After he met Sisi, the presidency said the leaders sought "a qualitative transformation in the brotherly and historical bonds that tie the two nations". The visit follows months of reports in both Saudi and Egyptian newspapers of strained ties over Cairo's unwillingness to participate fully in the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen. Egypt had announced it would back Saudi Arabia with ground troops if needed, but appears to have balked at the prospect of becoming mired in the conflict. Sisi's close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who militarily backs Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Saudi-supported rebels, has reportedly also caused friction with Riyadh. However, Saudi Arabia has played a key role in propping up Egypt's economy, whose vital tourism industry has been devastated by years of political turmoil and jihadist attacks. For Saudi Arabia, which is in competition with regional rival Iran, keeping Egypt under its aegis is crucial. Countries with higher male smoking rates such as India and Bangladesh may develop higher asthma and wheezing rates as a result of more exposure to second-hand smoke, scientists say. Underweight and obese women who also drink alcohol and smoke tobacco have a two-fold higher risk of being diagnosed with asthma than women with a healthy body mass index who do not drink or smoke, a new study has found. Women with low and high body mass indexes, or BMIs, who smoked and drank were also two to three times more likely to experience wheezing, the study found. Asthma is a respiratory condition where spasms in the air pathways of the lungs cause difficulty breathing; usually triggered by an allergy or sensitivity in the environment. Asthma is a global health priority due to the extent and duration of disability, affecting 334 million people worldwide, researchers said. The study, published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research, is the first to assess the combined effects of BMI, smoking, drinking alcohol and solid fuel use on asthma risk. The study included data gathered between 2002 and 2004 from about 175,000 people aged 18 to 44, across 51 countries. "Although individual physical and behavioural factors associated with asthma have been examined before, people are often exposed to multiple risk factors so it's important we understand the combined impact," said Dr Jayadeep Patra, lead author of the study and an epidemiologist at the Centre for Global Health Research of St Michael's Hospital in Canada. "Our research found overall increased risk for wheezing and asthma in both men and women, but the magnitude of the combined effects from low or high BMI, smoking and drinking was consistently higher among women than men," said Patra. Men showed higher prevalence of smoking and use of alcohol than women, but more women had unhealthy BMIs (underweight or obese) than men, highlighting the greater impact of female BMI as a risk factor. Patra also noted there are significant variations in diagnosed asthma between countries, with increasing rates found in low-income and middle-income countries, potentially because of higher exposure to multiple risk factors, including the use of solid fuel. In low and middle-income countries, solid fuels such as dung, charcoal or wood are used for cooking and are common in many households. These fuels are known to contribute to higher risk of developing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, compared to individuals who cook with gas or electric devices. Patra said the combined effects of identified risk factors have not been sufficiently studied as of yet, with many questions still unanswered. For example, exposure to air pollution or second-hand smoke in lower income countries could contribute to higher rates of asthma and respiratory issues. "Countries with higher male smoking rates such as India or Bangladesh could effect on higher asthma and wheezing rates as a result of more exposure to second-hand smoke," Patra said. Backwardness of Muslims in India in education and employment is a dangerous part of "secular political conspiracy", according to Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who accused Congress of exploiting the minority community by keeping them poor and illiterate. Addressing election meetings at Bilasipara, Mankachar and Golakganj in Assam, the BJP leader said the increase in percentage of Muslims living below poverty line during last few decades in states like Assam and West Bengal proves that "votebank politics of secularism" has severely affected poor Muslims. The Minister of State for Minority Affairs asked people of Assam to vote for BJP this time and see the change in fortunes of the state and its poor people. "Votes given to BJP will prove to be a blow to the political termite of corruption," he said. Naqvi, the Muslim face of BJP, said the backwardness of Indian Muslims in education and employment is a dangerous part of the "secular political conspiracy". He said some political parties, including Congress, think they can politically exploit Muslims by keeping them illiterate and poor and by creating a feeling of insecurity among them. He said the "walls of secularism and communalism and fabricated political issues" were raised to prevent the light of development from reaching the poor among Muslim community. Had the amount "spent on the papers" in the name of socio-economic-educational empowerment of minorities, been spent honestly at the ground, there should not have been a single person of these sections living below poverty line, the Union Minister said. "But the money meant for development of poor, reached to the vaults of power-brokers, middlemen and corrupt," he said. Naqvi said the Modi government took steps to ensure the "blockade of power-brokers and locked out the 'loot-lobby' from the corridors of power in Delhi". "Our Government has established a system to monitor that every penny meant for development of poor is spent honestly," he said. He said those who allowed the loot of the rights of poor during the last 15 years in Assam will not be spared. "Those who hold the development of the poor as 'hostage', will be punished strictly," he said. Naqvi assured people of Assam that BJP is the guarantee of security, safety and prosperity of all sections of society including Minorities. A Bangladeshi law student, who posted comments against radical Islamists on Facebook, was hacked by machete-wielding militants before being shot dead from close range here, the latest in a series of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. He had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists prepared and sent to Bangladesh's interior ministry. Samad was attacked by three assailants on a busy road while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. "They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death," he added. Samad, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. His friends said Samad used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the country's law and order in a Facebook post. Samad was known to have been critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Samad's activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Samad got admitted to the university two months ago. "We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him," he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, in the past the Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks on secular bloggers in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka in February last year. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhaka. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. A 28-year-old law student from Bangladesh, who criticised radical Islamists, has been hacked to death here by machete-wielding militants. This is the latest in a series of attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, a Masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. He was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. "They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death," the official said. Nazim, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. His friends said Nazim used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the country's law and order in a Facebook post. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Nazim's activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Nazim got admitted to the university two months ago. "We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him," he said. There have been systematic assaults in over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhaka's Tejgaon area. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. The Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks in the Sunni-majority . Taking forward the China-India Tourism Year 2016, Sichuan Tourism Administration is aiming at a 20 per cent growth in number of Indian visitors to the province. "We are expecting a 20 per cent growth in the number of Indian visitors to Sichuan in 2016. In 2015, 20,000 Indians visited our province," Sichuan Tourism Administration Deputy Director General Song Ming told PTI. He was speaking on the sidelines of a conference today to boost tourism from India to Sichuan. This conference is an "important launchpad for us to boost tourism from India to Sichuan and is a precursor of an action plan that includes a number of incentives and trial measures for travelers as well as tour operators from India", he added. Highlighting the province as a 'fascinating' tourism destination like India, Sichuan Executive Vice-Governor Wang Ning said: "I firmly believe that in future the cooperation between Sichuan and India will deepen and become more close." Just like India, Sichuan has rich ancient heritage, cultural diversity and centuries of old civilisation which we take immense pride in, he added. Located in South West China, Sichuan has over 4,000 tourist attractions, which include scenic spots, five world heritage sites, four world biosphere reserves, two world geo parks and 21 of China's top tourist cities. The province is home to 80 per cent of the world's giant pandas. It has established economic and trade relations with over 200 countries, with more than half of fortune 500 companies operating in Sichuan. Six Taliban militants allegedly planning a major terror strike on government offices have been killed in an encounter with security forces on the outskirts of this eastern Pakistani city. Intelligence agencies yesterday received information about the presence of around 10 suspected terrorists belonging to the banned Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) splinter groupUstad Aslamin Tallat Park near Katchi Abadi, Sherakot residential area here. The suspected militants were planning to attack law enforcement agencies' offices and prominent personalities in the city, according to the statement issued by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police. It said aCTD police team reached there and challenged the suspects, who opened fire on it. "The security personnel retaliated and when the firing stopped six suspects were found dead. Three to four suspects managed to escape," it said, adding police seized weapons and explosives, including 5 kg of explosives, four detonators, two Kalashnikov rifles, three motorcycles, four pistols, and dozens of bullets. "Raids are being conducted to arrest the absconding terrorists," the statement said. The CTD said the terrorists belonged to the TTP's Ustad Aslam group and it was involved in various terror activities in the Punjab province. Country's soyameal exports fell by 89 per cent last fiscal to 70,822 tonnes due to high price in the domestic market, according to industry data. "India exported 70,822 tonnes soyabean meal in last fiscal, registering a decline of 89 per cent over 2014-15 fiscal when soybean meal exports were 6,46,488 tonnes," Soyabean Processors' Association of India (SOPA) said in a statement. Soyabean meal exports in March, 2016, was 430 tonnes compared with 46,670 tonnes in the same month last year. "The fall in exports is due to uncompetitive Indian soyabean meal prices, owing to bumper soyabean production in the US, Brazil and Argentina, enabling them to offer soyabean meal at a much lower price than India," SOPA Chairman Davish Jain said. A Spanish far-left party filed a court complaint today against acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for "crimes against humanity" over his support of a controversial EU accord to send refugees back to Turkey. Activists, rights groups and opposition parties in Spain have been hugely critical of the deal struck last month to try and rein in Europe's biggest migration crisis since World War II, joining a rising chorus of outrage on the continent. "Mr. Rajoy is making us accomplices of this atrocity," Alberto Garzon, head of Izquierda Unida (IU), told reporters. He said that refugees were fleeing from "terrorism" and "wars often directly provoked by Western countries... And by the Western military industry." "At the doors of Europe, they come across a lack of solidarity and asylum, and detention camps that clearly violate human rights, international law, and the principles and values on which the European Union should have been built," he added. Garzon's party today filed its complaint to the Supreme Court, accusing Rajoy and other European leaders of "having agreed with Turkish authorities to forcibly deport and transfer an unspecified number of people from EU territory." According to lawyers for IU, this represents a crime against humanity under the Spanish penal code. Hundreds of thousands of people -- many of them from conflict-ridden countries like Syria and Iraq -- have landed on Greece's shores over the past year after crossing over from Turkey in flimsy boats. Brussels sought to tackle the problem by signing an agreement with Ankara last month to send new arrivals back to Turkey, in exchange for resettling some of the millions of Syrians living in refugee camps on its soil. The deal has already contributed to a slowing of new arrivals, but it has been slammed by rights groups, the UN and even the pope, who used his Easter address to criticise the "rejection" of refugees. Yesterday, Rajoy was heavily criticised when he addressed parliament on the issue -- Spain having welcomed just 18 refugees since the start of the crisis out of the 16,000 it promised to shelter under an EU relocation plan. Rajoy, who is Spain's acting leader while bickering parties try to agree on a new government following inconclusive December elections, recognised the process was "very slow. Railways will run special trains between Delhi and Jaipur from April 10 to June 29 to meet the additional requirements during the summer vacation season. The Sarai Rohilla-Jaipur-Sarai Rohilla superfast train will run on six days a week barring Thursday during that period, Northern Railways. The summer special train will depart from Jaipur at 7.55 AM to reach Sarai Rohilla in Delhi at 1.20 PM the same day while in the return direction, the train will depart from Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 2.30 PM to reach Jaipur at 7.55 PM the same day. The special train with AC and non-AC chair cars and two general class accommodations, will make 70 trips in both directions during this period. The summer special train will stop at Gandhinagar Jaipur, Dausa, Bandikui, Alwar, Rewari, Gurgaon and Delhi Cantt. Stations enroute in both directions. Delhi High Court Thursday asked the Bombay Stock Exchange and Securities and Exchange Board of India on what decision they have taken with regard to the application of and Kalanithi Maran for issuance of stock warrants in the airline to him. Justice Manmohan Singh issued notice to BSE and Sebi asking them to inform him on April 26 "outcome of decision, if taken, in view of order passed on March 14" by the court. The order was passed after the lawyers for and Maran told the court that so far no decision has been taken by BSE and Sebi and the time of two weeks given by the judge has already expired. The court on March 14 had asked BSE to decide the application for issuance of stock warrants within two weeks of filing of the requisite paperwork by the airline. The March 14 interim order was issued on a plea of Sun group head Kalanithi Maran claiming that he and his KAL Airways were to be issued stock warrants in by the airline under a 2015 sale purchase agreement (SPA) which led to change in ownership of the budget carrier. Maran had sought that the warrants be issued in terms of an application made to BSE on September 18, 2014 and which had been approved by company's board on September 24, 2014. The judge in his order had said, "I am of the view that at present, there is no impediment if BSE may consider application of September 18, 2014, in light of change of circumstances, because of the reason that earlier respondent 1 (Spicejet) did not provide clarification and now since clarification is available coupled with subsequent events, application dated September 18, 2014 can be considered by BSE." Under the 2015 SPA, Maran and KAL had transferred their entire 350,428,758 equity shares (58.46 per cent stake) in the airline, to Ajay Singh. According to the SPA, Maran and KAL were to receive the redeemable warrants in return for around Rs 679 crore that they were to give to the airline towards operating costs and debt payment, the petition has claimed. Maran and his airline have alleged in their plea that despite giving around Rs 579 crore to Spicejet, the carrier failed to issue them the warrants or allot them tranche 1 and 2 of CRPS shares and the amount was not utilised for paying statutory dues due to which they were also facing prosecution. Spicejet, refuting these allegations, had claimed that the warrants can be issued only after approval was received from BSE. It had also said there was no fear of transferring shares to a third party or to Maran as the shares have not yet been issued by the company. It had further said the change of ownership was effected as a rehabilitative measure to address the liability of Rs 2,000 crore incurred by the airline when it was under the management of Maran. Spicejet had also claimed that every penny has been utilised towards operations and discharge of liabilities. Helmet manufacturer Steelbird has launched a range of bike riding gear and accessories under the 'Ignyt' brand to cater to the rising demand for such items from fast growing superbike segment. The company, which has a strong retailing network of over 2,000 distributors in the country, also plans to leverage the popular online route to sell the articles that include riding jackets, gloves, shoecovers among others. "We are now looking at the upper end of the market. With Ignyt brand, we want to cater to the users of high end bike users. The segment is growing and it is a good opportunity for us to grow our business," Steelbird Group Head-Sales & Marketing Shailendra Jain told PTI. Elaborating on the marketing plan for the new brand, Jain said the articles would be manufactured at its newly constructed manufacturing plant in Noida and retailed by over 2,000 direct distributors, franchise stores. "Besides, we are also tying up with various online companies to sell the items. We have already tied up with a couple of these firms already. We expect 20-30 per cent of the sales to come from the online medium," Jain said. The company also plans to export the products to various Asian markets. "We already sell around 2,000 articles in over 50 countries. So, we also plan to sell IGNYT products across these markets," Jain said. The products under the brand are priced between Rs 899 and Rs 8,000. The motorbike riding gears help in providing necessary protection and comfort to bikers while riding. "Very soon, we will come out with one-piece biking suits and footwear under its Ignite brand," Jain said. A series of massive supernova explosions near our solar system showered the Earth with radioactive debris between 3.2 and 1.7 million years ago, a new study has found. Scientists found radioactive iron-60 in sediment and crust samples taken from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The iron-60 was concentrated in a period between 3.2 and 1.7 million years ago, which is relatively recent in astronomical terms, said Anton Wallner from The Australian National University (ANU). "We were very surprised that there was debris clearly spread across 1.5 million years. It suggests there were a series of supernovae, one after another," said Wallner. "It's an interesting coincidence that they correspond with when the Earth cooled and moved from the Pliocene into the Pleistocene period," he said. Researchers also found evidence of iron-60 from an older supernova around eight million years ago, coinciding with global faunal changes in the late Miocene. A supernova is a massive explosion of a star as it runs out of fuel and collapses. The scientists believe the supernovae in this case were less than 300 light years away, close enough to be visible during the day and comparable to the brightness of the Moon. Although Earth would have been exposed to an increased cosmic ray bombardment, the radiation would have been too weak to cause direct biological damage or trigger mass extinctions. The supernova explosions create many heavy elements and radioactive isotopes which are strewn into the cosmic neighbourhood. One of these isotopes is iron-60 which decays with a half-life of 2.6 million years, unlike its stable cousin iron-56. Any iron-60 dating from Earth's formation more than four billion years ago has long since disappeared. The iron-60 atoms reached Earth in minuscule quantities and so the team needed extremely sensitive techniques to identify the interstellar iron atoms. Scientists searched for interstellar dust from 120 ocean-floor samples spanning the past 11 million years. The first step was to extract all the iron from the ocean cores. The team then separated the tiny traces of interstellar iron-60 from the other terrestrial isotopes and found it occurred all over the globe. The age of the cores was determined from the decay of other radioactive isotopes, beryllium-10 and aluminium-26, using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The dating showed the fallout had only occurred in two time periods, 3.2 to 1.7 million years ago and eight million years ago. A possible source of the supernovae is an ageing star cluster, which has since moved away from Earth, researchers said. The cluster has no large stars left, suggesting they have already exploded as supernovae, throwing out waves of debris. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise the issue of China blocking India's bid to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar by the UN with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, whom she will be meeting on the sidelines of a trilateral in Moscow on April 18. A day after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the Chinese action at the UN was raised at "fairly high level", MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup today said, India was in constant touch with China on the matter and further action will depend on the outcome of "conversations" between the two countries. Announcing Swaraj's visit to Moscow to attend Russia- India-China (RIC) trilateral, Swarup said during her stay, the minister will hold bilateral meetings with senior Russian ministers and Yi to take stock of the issues of mutual interest. Asked if Swaraj will raise the issue of Masood with Yi, the Spokesperson said,"all issues of mutual concerns and interests will be discussed." Asked about India's future course of action viz-a-viz China, which has once again blocked India's attempt at the UN to get Pathankot terror attack mastermind Azhar banned, Swarup said,"Our Position on this issue has been stated very clearly that there cannot be different standards to judge terrorism. "This point is known to China, especially in the context of China's oft-repeated concern on spread of terrorism and their desire to cooperate with us on counter-terrorism. This issue will be dealt with in the UN context. We are in constant touch with China on the matter." He also said India has raised the issue at "high diplomatic level and our conversations with Chinese on this issue are ongoing and further action will depend on the outcome of these conversations." Last week, China stopped UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case "did not meet the requirements" of the Security Council. This is not the first time China has blocked India's bid to get Pakistan-based militant groups and leaders proscribed by the UN. The UN had banned the JeM in 2001 but India's efforts for slapping sanctions on Azhar after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack also did not fructify as China, that has veto powers, did not allow it apparently at the behest of Pakistan again. Last July, China had similarly halted India's move in the UN to take action against Pakistan for its release of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, saying its stand was "based on facts and in the spirit of objectiveness and fairness" with Beijing again claiming at the time that it was in touch with New Delhi. Swaraj will be embarking on a two-nation visit from April 16 when she will travel to Iran for a Joint Commission meeting and from there she will fly to Russia for the trilateral. A 20-year-old Swedish national has been charged with preparing to a make a suicide bomb, a prosecutor said today. Prosecutor Ewamari Haggkvist says the suspect, who denies the charges, "could have seriously hurt Sweden." "He told relatives he had sympathies for (the Islamic State group) and would blow himself up for them in Sweden," Haggkvist told The Associated Press. Haggkvist didn't say where, when or how the explosives would have been used. The man "has acquired, stored and compiled liquids and objects with the intent to make a suicide bomb," she said. "That is acetone, steel bullets, a pressure-cooker and a cell phone, among others." Haggkvist said today the man was twice stopped in Turkey in June 2015, likely as he tried to continue to Syria to join the Islamic State group, and sent back to Sweden. She said the man was arrested February 11 after "purchasing objects with the intent to create a bomb" in January. A Swiss high school's decision to accept two Muslim boys' refusal for religious reasons to shake hands with their female teachers has triggered a debate in the small Alpine country, where handshake greetings have long been a gender-neutral tradition. The public school in the northern town of Therwil, near Basel, recently accepted the teens' belief that they should only willingly touch the women they eventually marry. Regional spokeswoman Deborah Murith said yesterday that the school's decision centered on the balance between constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion and gender equality. She said the school had ruled that if the boys won't shake hands with female teachers they should also be banned from shaking hands with male teachers. However, she added the decision is temporary, pending legal advice that the school has sought from the Basel-Landschaft regional government on the matter. The issue is but another episode showing how European officials have been grappling with ways to balance civil and religious rights on a continent that was long dominated by Christianity but has faced an influx of Muslims in recent decades. Switzerland drew headlines in 2009 with a controversial ban on the construction of minarets. Some political and religious leaders criticized the school's decision. "Shaking hands when greeting one another is part of the culture in Switzerland and practiced as such at Therwil schools," Therwil's local council said in a statement. "The decision of the school therefore doesn't reflect the position of the community council in this matter." The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland noted that politeness is a key aspect of Islamic tradition, and the practice of women and men shaking hands across gender lines varies from one predominantly Muslim country to another. The federation said refraining from handshakes is "inappropriate" in Switzerland. "I would urge students and parents to consider the following: Can refusing a handshake be more important than the Islamic commandment of mutual respect?" federation president Montassar BenMrad said. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga, a former Swiss president, said on Swiss TV: "There are always new issues when it comes to coexisting, but in this case it seems absolutely clear to me that it's totally wrong for a child to refuse to shake their teacher's hand. That doesn't fall under the headline freedom of religion. On the contrary, I think it's part our culture to shake hands. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said today the next round of Syria peace talks will begin on April 13 after he completes a diplomatic tour, including stops in Damascus and Tehran. "I will be very much insisting and pushing for... A serious discussion on political transition" at the upcoming round, de Mistura told reporters. The United Nations had previously said the negotiations aimed at ending the five-year conflict would resume on April 11. At the last round, which ended on March 24, the Damascus regime insisted it was premature to have a concrete dialogue on creating a transitional government, while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) put forward its plan towards forming a new government. De Mistura told journalists that in order to make progress on political transition next week, he needed to meet in person with key regional players and Syria's government. "I need to verify the international and regional stakeholders' position" in order to have "concrete results in the next round of talks", de Mistura said, adding that he expected to be back in Geneva on April 12 or 13. The main obstacle in the negotiations is the future of President Bashar al-Assad. The HNC has said Assad must go before a transitional government is agreed, while the regime insists his fate be excluded from the talks. De Mistura met with key regime ally Russia in Moscow this week, and will head to Tehran in the coming days for talks with another crucial Damascus supporter. He also plans to meet Turkish officials in Europe by the middle of next week. Ankara has emerged as one of Assad's main foes. The UN envoy said he has not requested a face-to-face meeting with Assad in Damascus, but expects to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. De Mistura added that two of his staffers are currently in Riyadh to meet with the HNC. The negotiations set for next week will be the third round this year, including a round that was aborted in February as violence raged on the ground. The UN said a more positive atmosphere at the March round was helped by a ceasefire in Syria, which was declared on February 27 and remains broadly in place, despite multiple reported violations. More than 270,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have fled their homes since the conflict erupted in March 2011. Syrian rebels seized control today of the Islamic State group's main supply route to Turkey, a monitor said. "Rebel factions and Islamists took control of the northeast of Al-Rai," a town occupied by IS on the border between Syria and Turkey, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "This is the main and one of the last crossing points with Turkey." Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that rebels entered Al-Rai today following two days of clashes. According to Abdel Rahman, the jihadists still control a crossing point further east, in the town of Halwaniyeh, but "Al-Rai was where they mainly smuggled in jihadists, whereas Halwaniyeh is reserved for top commanders". IS has suffered a string of setbacks in recent months, including the loss of the ancient city of Palmyra, east of Damascus, to pro-regime forces in March. A ceasefire that came into effect on February 27 has drastically reduced violence across Syria, but areas controlled by IS, the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra front, and other jihadist groups were exempt from the truce. Abdel Rahman said that IS had lost control of at least 18 villages in the northern province of Aleppo in recent days. Since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011, thousands of people have gone missing -- many of them arbitrarily arrested by armed forces -- across the country. More than 270,000 people have been killed and millions have fled their homes. UN-backed peace talks to bring an end to the conflict are set to resume next week in Geneva. Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha today chaired a meeting of a high-profile panel formed to set up an International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in the city's BKC business district. The panel, which has Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, ICICI Bank head Chanda Kochhar and megastar Amitabh Bachchan, among others, met at the state secretariat this evening, Fadnavis said in a tweet. Officials in Chief Minister's Office said while Kochhar and Sinha presented points on the financial sector and options on what can be done, Bachchan chipped in with thoughts on the culture and arts perspective. This was the second meet for the IFSC Task Force, which also has BJP member of Parliament from North West Mumbai Poonam Mahajan, Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya, Metropolitan Commissioner U P S Madan, Officer on Special Duty Kaustubh Dhavse and architect Rahul Mehrotra as members. According to media reports, creative agencies were to present their proposals on branding at the task force meeting but details on the same were not immediately available. The country's first IFSC opened at GIFT City near Ahmedabad last year. There has been a move for long to open such a centre in the financial capital of the country. If the current bid is successful, India will be among few countries in the world to have two IFSCs in such a close proximity. An English teacher from Maine who won the USD one million Global Teacher Prize last year has been accused of shoplifting a blouse worth USD 14.99. Nancie Atwell is founder of The Centre for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb. She was selected from 1,300 applicants from 127 countries at a ceremony in Dubai with former President Bill Clinton in attendance. She said the money will go toward school improvements. The Portland Press Herald reports security personnel saw Atwell browsing through a Damariscotta store March 28. The security officers say she removed the blouse from a hanger, rolled it up and placed it in a bag she was carrying. Atwell says it was a misunderstanding. She says she had returned another item and took the blouse in exchange. She's scheduled in court next month on a misdemeanour theft charge. An exploding Takata air bag has claimed another life, this time a 17-year-old girl whose car crashed near Houston. The girl is the latest victim of malfunctioning air bag inflators that have killed 10 people in the US and another in Malaysia, touching off the largest automotive recall in US history. More than 100 people have been hurt by the inflators, which can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and sending shards into drivers and passengers. The girl, from Richmond, Texas, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic in Fort Bend County, Texas, when the car rear-ended another vehicle and the air bags went off, said Sheriff's Deputy Danny Beckworth, who investigated the crash. Shrapnel hit the girl's neck, killing her, said Beckworth, who has not yet determined how fast her car was going. The crash, Beckworth said, was "moderate" and wouldn't have caused any serious injuries if not for the air bag. "Everybody would have walked away," he said. So far 14 automakers have recalled 24 million US vehicles to replace the inflators, which are powered by the chemical ammonium nitrate. Scientists hired by a consortium of automakers have determined that prolonged exposure to airborne moisture and high temperatures can cause the chemical to deteriorate. The inflator canisters also can allow moisture to enter in areas with extreme humidity. Completion of the recall repairs have been slowed by a lack of replacement parts. Takata and Honda have recruited other manufacturers to make replacement inflators, but still, only 7.5 million, or about 27 per cent of the 28.8 million recalled inflators have been replaced. The girl's family bought the Civic as a used car, but the date of the sale is not clear, Beckworth said. He said the family was not aware of the recall before the crash. The Civic was first recalled in 2011, but despite six recall notices, repairs were never completed, the agency said. Honda said in a statement that it mailed multiple notices to several registered owners. But Bryan Thomas, a spokesman for the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said automakers need to do more to reach car owners than relying on mailed notices. "Automakers need to get creative and more aggressive about how they're reaching these vehicle owners," he said, adding that the agency plans to "get louder" in its calls for a higher recall completion rate. Chief commando trainer Grandmaster Shifuji Shaurya Bharadwaj, who has trained actor Tiger Shroff for action in "Baaghi", has heaped praise on the actor saying, he is the youngest star who inspires everyone. Bharadwaj makes his acting debut in Tiger Shroff starrer "Baaghi", slated to release on April 29. "Tiger is like my family now. What inspires me about him the most is his honesty and the dignity. Among the young generation, he is biggest thing that has happened to our country," Bharadwaj told PTI. "He is the youngest star to inspire people. Tiger has maintained the purity and humility of 'Kalaripayattu' (a martial art form) in the film," he said. It was easy for Bharadwaj to train Tiger. "We (Tiger and I) share same values on and off screen. It is not about being easy or tough, it is about being what you are," he added. Bharadwaj believes action in films and in general has changed. "In terms of action (in films and in general in real life) we have evolved (and) we have reached international standards. Just flying in the air with the help of action doesn't mean it's action. It doesn't impress me as a common man," Bharadwaj said. He is keen to promote 'Kalaripayattu' through "Baaghi". "I am associated with 'Baaghi' because we need to promote our own art forms. The forte of Hollywood is commando and army forces, Chinese films shows martial arts form, Korean films is about Taekwondo. India being the pioneer...The mother of all the action in the world we need to show our art forms. "We have highest form of choreography like 'Shivtandav', 'Rudratandav' and others. When it comes to art forms like 'Kalaripayattu' we have not explored it. It was our responsibility to show it," he added. Bharadwaj is hopeful that the audience will relate to action in "Baaghi". "We have not used any weapons in the film. He (Tiger) is the weapon. He (Tiger) uses his body and hands, legs. We have spoken about the authenticity of art (Kalaripayattu)," he adds. Bharadwaj has trained and mentored for some top action films and movie stars and top stunt men as well. "Camera is nothing it is just a machine. There is nothing like easy or tough, I am a labourer and I will do what you ask me to do. I use my emotions (and) I don't use my mind. "For me breaking bones is easy as that is my job. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sabbir Khan had faith in me and breaking faith of anyone is something I am scared of. I gave my best," he said. Extraditing Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam from Belgium to France is likely to take several weeks, as investigators question him about a shootout with police in Brussels last month, his lawyer said today. "He will be handed over to France in several weeks. He must first be heard in another case," lawyer Sven Mary told reporters, referring to a March 15 shootout in which Abdeslam is implicated. Abdeslam is believed to be the sole survivor of the group which carried out coordinated suicide bomb and gun attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people and were claimed by the Islamic State group. Abdeslam, a 26-year-old French national who grew up in Brussels, is thought to have fled from an apartment in the Forest district of Brussels when it was raided by police on March 15. The raid triggered a shootout that killed terror suspect Mohamed Belkaid, an Algerian. The prosecutor's office later said police had found Abdeslam's fingerprints in the apartment. Abdeslam was eventually captured on March 18 in the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, around the corner from his family home, following a four-month manhunt. He is being held in a high-security prison in the northern Belgian city of Bruges and must still be questioned in "the case concerning Forest where shots were fired on police officers," Mary told reporters outside a Brussels courthouse. Mary said his client was not at this stage implicated in the March 22 suicide attacks on the airport and an underground train station in Brussels that killed 32 people. "No hearing has been scheduled" over the Brussels bombings, he said. Leader of Opposition in the Tripura Assembly Sudip Roy Barman today resigned as the leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP), protesting party's decision to "tie up" with the Left for West Bengal assembly polls. In a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Barman said, "I am extremely shocked and depressed to find that there has been a dramatic and drastic change in our party's policy." He tendered his resignation to Tripura Assembly Speaker Ramendra Debnath. In his missive to Gandhi, Barman said, "I completely fail to understand the reason for the tie up with the left parties in West Bengal assembly elections. In spite of your understanding of CPI(M)'s unpredictable character, its treacherous role in the past, anti-national thinking and activities and immense barbaric atrocities upon Congressmen in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura you have given a nod to this so called alliance/seat adjustment/tactical understanding." Barman said, "This undoubtedly is going to have a far-reaching political impact not only in three states but also at the national level. We have probably failed to identify the true political friends in West Bengal." In the present situation, "I consider it to be unethical and immoral to carry on with the responsibilities as CLP leader and therefore, I am tendering my resignation which may kindly be accepted," he added. When asked to comment about speculation of his joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC), he said he has not made up his mind, but everything would depend on the political situation. "Who knows what would happen tomorrow. Everything depends on the political situation," he said. In the 60-member House, Opposition Congress has 10 seats and the rest belonged to Left front. Police has registered two separate FIRs regarding the incidents of the violence that took place on NIT Srinagar campus on last Friday and Tuesday. The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup. The police has invoked sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (mischief), 336 (endangering life of others) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for the clashes between local and outstation students that took place on Friday, a police official said. In the second FIR registered on April 5, the police, besides slapping the charges of the previous FIR, has added sections 353 (assault on public servant) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant). While no one has been named in the two FIRs yet, the official said police is investigating the video evidence of the violence that took place on the days of incidents. Police also released video clippings showing non-local students attacking the cops with stones and damaging property at the campus. The video, shot on Tuesday when trouble restarted in the campus, shows a large number of non-local students protesting against the NIT administration and trying to march towards the main gate of the campus. The students, some of them masked, are seen carrying iron rods and stones. Some of the students threw stones at Jammu and Kashmir Police and many buildings of the campus resulting in damage to many window panes. They are also seen vandalizing the property at the campus, including damaging a private car of an administrative official. The security forces then resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students. Meanwhile, a group of non-local girl students today said their fight was against the administration and the issue should not be given a political or religious colour. "Our issue was not to incite the tempers. We all want justice. We are just fighting against our administration and we are not fighting on religious issues. So please don't make it a religious issue," said a girl student at the NIT in a video message. "We neither want a temple to be built here nor do we want to demolish a mosque. We only want justice on what happened to our friends and don't make it a political or religious issue," said another girl said in the video. They said the non-local students were not against the local students but wanted justice for their friends who, they alleged, were beaten by the police on Tuesday. "They (the administration) is saying (that) the situation is normal. Only 10 per cent of the students are going to the classes and 90 per cent are boycotting. Is this situation called normal? We are not against the locals, we are really not against them. "All we want is the justice for our friends who were brutally beaten by the police," the girl said. Two Haj houses will be constructed in Andhra Pradesh to facilitate smooth travel of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from the state, Minister for Minority Welfare Palle Reghunadha Reddy said today. The Haj houses will come up at Kadapa and Vijayawada, he told reporters here. He outlined the measures taken by the TDP-led government for the welfare of minority communities in the state. "Every minority student wishing to study in a foreign country would be provided Rs 10 lakh scholarship. Those who intend to opt for higher education or prepare for competitive examinations also would be given financial aid," the Minister said. The state government has allocated Rs 710 crore in the current financial year for the welfare of minorities, Reddy added. Two wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a former policeman, were killed today in a gun battle with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir. An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in vehil village of Shopian, 55km from here, after the troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in the area, an army official said. He said two militants were killed in the encounter. Two weapons were recovered from the militants. The official said the dead militants were identified as Naseer Ahmad Pandit and Inamul Haq alias Waseem Malla, both wanted militants of Hizbul Mujahideen. Pandit had joined militant ranks after deserting police force last year. He was posted on security duty at the residence of PDP MLA and then works minister Altaf Bukhari at the time of quitting the force. Thailand today ordered surveillance of Uighur and Chechen tourists, suspecting that they might have entered the country on fake passports and planning to launch terrorist attacks. Issuing the order, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said that surveillance had begun earlier after the two visitor groups were found involved in passport forgery. Immigration police and other security agencies were monitoring the aliens, the minister was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post. "We have two theories. They may have snuck into Thailand to have their fake passports done so that they can travel to another country. Or they may have arrived for terror attacks," Gen Prawit said. A few months back, a military court in Thailand charged two ethnic Uighur Chinese men with carrying out a bombing at the hugely popular Erawan Brahma temple here in August last year that left 20 people dead and more than 120 injured. The two suspects, however, denied the charges. The blast at the temple was one of the most deadly acts of violence in Bangkok in decades. The Military Court has set April 20-22 for the inspection of the evidence, the report said. Chechens are a Caucasian ethnic group in the North Caucasus region of Western Asia. The southern Russian republic of Chechnya has long been a boiling point for conflict with Moscow in the restive North Caucasus. A British man was removed from a London-bound easyJet plane by police after a fellow passenger complained that she "did not feel safe" with him. Meghary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis, was escorted off the plane, which was travelling from Fiumicino, Rome to Gatwick, London by armed police in a move that left him feeling "violated" and an act of "racial profiling". "I was subjected to further questioning and intimidation by the Italian authorities before being left to sit in the airport for a further 15 or so hours," he was quoted as saying by ITV . Tesfagiorgis said that the plane was waiting on the tarmac when a member of the cabin crew made an announcement. "After a 20 minute delay the captain explained a technical fault with luggage and informed us that the flight will commence shortly," he said of the incident that took place last week. The cabin crew emerged and asked "Is there a passenger with the last name of Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on board?" "I was then asked to come to the front of the cabin where I was greeted by armed police and was asked to leave the plane by the captain which he was explained that a fellow passenger has stated that she does not feel safe with me on board," he said. "Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was questioned by the authorities as a result of another passenger reporting concerns about his behaviour. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority and airlines have to take any security-related concerns seriously," easyJet said. "easyJet rebooked Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on the next flight from Rome to Gatwick after the authorities confirmed they were satisfied he could travel," they added. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) plans to bring in general practitioners (GPs) from India to tackle a shortage of the health professionals in the UK. Health Education England (HEE) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Apollo Hospitals in India last year which is to lead to the transfer of around 400 GPs to England, it emerged today. "England and India have signed a memorandum of understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas. The details of the MoU are still in discussion once we have further confirmed information we will share with you," an HEE statement said. However, according to GP magazine 'Pulse', the move is directed at meeting the government pledge to recruit 5,000 extra GPs by 2020. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association's General Practitioners Committee chair, said: "Doctors from overseas have always provided a valuable contribution to this country's health system, especially as they undergo a rigorous assessment process to ensure they have the right skills for the NHS. "However, it is clearly an admission of failure that the government seems to have launched a new recruitment scheme overseas to plug what is clearly a widening gap in the number of home-grown GPs in our workforce." In a statement, Apollo Hospitals said the MoU would involve an exchange of clinical staff. It said: "We have signed this Memorandum of Understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas and clinical staff in improving the education and training of healthcare staff and therefore the quality of care provided to patients. "These are initial discussions but we look forward to announcing the outcomes of this work over the coming months and years as it progresses. British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted today he had held a 30,000-pound stake in an offshore fund set up by his father, after days of pressure following publication of the . Cameron said he sold the stake in the Bahamas-based trust in 2010, four months before he became prime minister, in an interview with television channel ITV. Downing Street have issued four statements on the affair this week following Sunday's publication of the leaked Panama Papers, which showed how Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca had helped firms and wealthy individuals set up offshore companies. "We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000 pounds (37,000 euros, $42,000)," Cameron said. "I sold them all in 2010, because if I was going to become prime minister I didn't want anyone to say you have other agendas, vested interests. An escalation in fighting in Darfur has forced 138,000 people to flee their homes since mid-January and there is no end in sight to the 13-year conflict in Sudan's largest region, the UN peacekeeping chief has said. Herve Ladsous yesterday painted a grim picture to the UN Security Council of the upsurge in fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra area between Sudanese government forces and rebels loyal to the Sudan Liberation Army's founder Abdul Wahid Elnur. The government has blocked access to the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID and humanitarian organisations, so the number of casualties is unknown, he said. The Security Council briefing follows a report from UN experts monitoring sanctions against Sudan dated mid-December that has been circulated to council members but not released because of Russian objections to some recommendations. The report, obtained by The Associated Press, said armed groups in Darfur are capitalising on gold mined in the region to illicitly raise funds. Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Khartoum is accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes known as the the janjaweed and unleashing them on civilian populations- a charge the government denies. The United Nations says at least 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.6 million have fled their homes. Ladsous, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, said the security situation in other parts of Darfur remains "fragile" with persistent conflicts between local tribes over land, water and other resources. He said the political process remains "polarised" and urged the government and Abdul Wahid to immediately stop fighting in Jebel Marra and start peace negotiations without conditions. "The pursuit of political objectives through military means over the past decade has only contributed to the prolonged suffering of the civilian population," Ladsous said. Despite the "volatile security environment," Ladsous said a referendum is scheduled to take place from April 11-13 on whether Darfur should become a single region or retain the current division into five sub-regions. He cited a controversy over the criteria for voter eligibility and concerns about what some call "the unsuitable timing. Government envoys, civil society advocates, social media gurus and UN officials have opened a two-day conference billed as the first of its kind to tackle violent extremism, part of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's efforts to address the root causes of terrorism. Jehangir Khan, director of a UN counterterrorism task force, said violent extremism is threatening all major UN missions and noted that Ban has made the issue a priority in his last year in office. "There is no quick fix, there is no magic wand," he said at the start of the conference. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Khan said a key aim of the meeting was to get governments and communities on the same page, such as focusing on disillusioned, unemployed or disadvantaged youths that radical groups like Islamic State and al-Qaida like to recruit. Khan said the meeting was the first time that the international community had come together since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States to look at the "prevention agenda" not just the response to terrorism. Ban is expected to speak to reporters as the conference, co-sponsored by Switzerland and attended by roughly 30 government ministry representatives, ends on Friday. US allies, especially in Europe, are ignoring tools that US officials have given them to track potential terrorists, the head of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Centre said today. "It's concerning that our partners don't use all of our data," said Director Christopher Piehota, interviewed on CNN. "We provide them with tools. We provide them with support, and I would find it concerning that they don't use these tools to help screen for their own aviation security, maritime security, border screening, visas, things like that for travel," Piehota said. While the United States has a centralised database for suspected terrorists, in the European Union each country maintains its own watch list. Asked if those involved in the Paris and Brussels attacks were on a US watchlist, Piehota said: "We were aware of some of the people." Last month's bombings at Brussels airport have revived criticism of the alleged weakness of Belgian police and its intelligence services, charges that local officials have rejected. Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the two suicide bombers who struck the Brussels airport, was on a US counterterrorism watch list even before the November Paris attacks, CNN reported in March. His younger brother Khalid, who blew himself up at Brussels' Maalbeek metro station, was added to the list "soon after the Paris attacks," CNN said, without specifying which US counterterrorism list. El Bakraoui was deported by Turkey to the Netherlands in July, after being arrested in June by Turkish authorities near the Syria border. Piehota said that if the Brussels attackers "were on our list and they were properly identified they may have been caught at our borders." US officials "rely on our partners" to look for suspects "and conduct investigations and operations that help us identify them," Piehota said. The US today condemned the "barbaric murder" of a law student who was killed for speaking out against violent Islamist extremism in Bangladesh. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department who posted comments against radical Islamists on Facebook, was killed by suspected militants in Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. "We offer our condolences to Mr Nazimuddin Samad's family and our unwavering support to the Bangladeshi people in their struggle against violent extremism," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said. "Nazimuddin knew and Bangladesh's history has shown that violence will not defeat the country's proud tradition of free and independent discourse. So we stand with the Bangladeshi people in rejecting this vicious act, and uniting to preserve a tolerant and inclusive society that protects freedom of expression," Toner said. "The United States will continue to support the government of Bangladesh in its efforts to combat terrorism, counter violent extremism, and bring to justice those who commit such heinous acts," Toner said. Criticising the "disturbing and hateful" poll rhetoric, First Lady Michelle Obama has asserted that America is a "nation of immigrants" and diversity will always be its greatest strength. "We think America is strongest when we recognize our many traditions, when we celebrate our diversity, and when we lift each other up," Michelle said during Nowruz celebrations at the White House yesterday. "In times like these, when we think all-- that's more important than ever before, right now and today with what's going on. "Right now, when we're hearing so much disturbing and hateful rhetoric, it is so important to remember that our diversity has been -- and will always be -- our greatest source of strength and pride here in the United States," she said. "We are a nation of immigrants. And we should cherish the talent and energy and the beautiful traditions and cultures that come with that heritage, not just today but every day," she said. In her remarks, she underscored the number of festivals of various cultures now White House has been celebrating. "I'm proud that here at the White House, we host special events to mark the holidays but we celebrate St Patrick's Day, Diwali, Cinco de Mayo. And with your help, today, we're celebrating Nowruz, which is one of our newest White House traditions," Michelle said. Nowruz, she said, is a time to visit loved ones. It's a time to reflect on the past year, and to renew hopes for the New Year to come. Nowruz is a traditional Iranian festival of spring and considered as the beginning of the New Year among Iranians. In the wake of the 'Panama Papers' leak, the US is mulling introduction of a new rule that would require banks to identify owners of shell companies as part of efforts to plug a major loophole in its banking system, according to a media report. "The rule is meant to close a major loophole in the American banking system that enables the sorts of secretive financial manoeuvres that were thrust into the spotlight this week with the leak of millions of documents from a law firm in Panama," The New York Times reported yesterday. Under existing federal regulations, banks with American branches in the US are required to "know their customers" who open accounts in the country. "But those rules have been significantly weakened because banks have not been required to know the identities of customers who set up accounts in names of shell companies," the daily said. The proposed Customer Due Diligence rule is an attempt to close that loophole, a senior Treasury official said. The new rule will require banks to find out the identities of any individual who owns 25 per cent or more of corporate entities that open bank accounts, as well as any individuals exercising control over those entities, the report said. The White House, meanwhile, differed with Democratic presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders who had warned that it would be a stamp of approval for Panama as a tax shelter while opposing the US-Panama Free Trade Agreement. "The US-Panama Free Trade Agreement did not apply to tax measures and one reason for that is that in 2011, under President (Barack) Obama's leadership, the US and Panama did conclude a Tax Information Exchange Agreement," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. These are the kinds of agreements that the US maintains with other countries to promote tax transparency in creating a major disincentive for US citizens to use a country like Panama, in this case, to circumvent tax laws, he said. "This is not dissimilar from the kinds of information- sharing agreements that we have signed with about 112 other countries around the world as a result of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This is the FATCA legislation that President Obama signed into law in 2010," he said. "All of this has promoted greater transparency in the context of international financial transactions. That is important because it will allow the international community and the US to do things like fight corruption, to crack down on individuals who are trying to use shell corporations to avoid paying their fair share in taxes. It also is a way for us to detect individuals or entities that are trying to circumvent US financial sanctions," Earnest added. A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents has reportedly exposed the secret offshore dealings of around 140 political figures globally. The vast stash of records, covering around 40 years, was obtained from an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with media worldwide by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. A US-based nursing school will fund a four-story medical facility in India with a grant of USD 652,800 it has received. Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas will be collaborating with the Bangalore Baptist Hospital. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) awarded Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing (BU LHSON) USD 652,800 to partner with Bangalore Baptist Hospital, the nursing school said in a statement. In January, a team of six staffers from Baylor school of nursing had taken part along with 400 people in a groundbreaking ceremony in India for the new centre. Most of the money from the grant will go towards building a new Simulation Education and Research Centre for Nursing Excellence in Bengaluru. "It'll have space for about 48 nurses to learn the same practices and information as those who received nursing education stateside," it said. "All of us at Bangalore Baptist Hospital would like to say 'thank you' to the faculty and students of the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and to USAID for partnering with us," said Naveen Thomas, CEO of Bangalore Baptist Hospital. "The simulation center will go a long way in strengthening our ability to impart quality education and to train students and staff to care for patients," Thomas added. "Here in Baylor Scott & White Health, we in Faith in Action Initiatives are honoured and humbled to have the chance to assist our friends at the Bangalore Baptist Hospital," said Donald E. Sewell, Ph.D., Director, Faith in Action Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). "We also collaborate with the School of Nursing of Baylor University in order to make a small impact at Bangalore. These efforts help us to carry out the spirit and intent of BSWH's Christian ministry of healing," Sewell added. Both Baylor and the Bangalore hospital share similar Christ-centered Baptist missions. In addition to the new center and guidance with curriculum, BSWH and its Faith in Action Initiatives sent over medical equipment like carts, stretchers, tables, IV poles, office furniture, and other supplies. The US has announced that it is transferring nearly USD 600 million which was leftover from the largely successful fight against Ebola to combat the growing menace of Zika virus. Yesterday's move came after the Republican-controlled Congress has not moved on the request of US President Barack Obama to provide it with USD 1.9 billion for activities that scientists and experts say are critically important to combating Zika. This includes funding for mosquito control, which is particularly important now that the weather is beginning to warm up. The funding also included investments in disease detection and testing, vaccine development, and support for maternal women's health, the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily conference. Obama had sent the request to Congress for Zika funding in January. "Over this time, Congress has done nothing. Now, we know that we cannot continue to fund a robust response to this disease without adequate resources, particularly for our partners in state and local government who bear much of the burden of fighting Zika," he said. So the Obama Administration has decided that it would reprogram about USD 600 million to bolster the ongoing Zika response. "We've consistently said that an available option for the government was to re-purpose some existing Ebola funds that would not undermine our fight against that deadly disease," he said. "But we also told Congress that just using some of the Ebola funds would be insufficient. And that should be an indication to you that today's actions to reprogram USD600 million is a temporary fix and not at all a long-term solution," he added. Earnest said the Administration's concerns about Zika have only increased because of some new things that have been learned about the disease. "We have learned that sexual transmission of the virus is actually more common than was initially believed. We also learned that the impact of the virus on fetal brain development is likely starker and more serious than first understood," he said. "Third, in the US, the geographical range of the mosquito that carries this virus is significantly broader than our initial estimate.And as we learn more about all of these things, we continue to be concerned about the potential impact of this virus on the public health situation inside the country," he said. Vietnam's rubber-stamp parliament today elected Nguyen Xuan Phuc as prime minister, and he takes office at a time of soaring public debt, a worrying budget deficit and China's growing assertiveness in nearby seas. In a formal vote, 446 of the 490 members in the National Assembly voted to install Phuc, 61, as the head of government. The appointment of Phuc, who rose from governor of the central province of Quang Nam to deputy prime minister five years ago, was a mere formality after he was picked at the Communist Party's congress in January as the sole candidate to replace Nguyen Tan Dung, who was removed from office yesterday. Phuc took the oath of office and vowed "absolute loyalty to the country, people and the Constitution." In a televised inaugural speech, Phuc vowed to continue with reforms and fight corruption. He raised his voice when pledged to "firmly defend the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity." Phuc takes office at a time when the country is crippled with soaring public debt, a serious budget deficit, China's territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea, as well as an unprecedented drought and salt intrusion in the country's main rice-growing region of the southern Mekong Delta. "Mr Phuc will begin his tenure when the economy has been in big trouble," Le Hong Hiep, a visiting fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said in an email. "He will have to overcome major challenges to reform the state-owned sector and banking system, improve the country's fiscal position, and strengthen the private sector to make the economy less dependent on foreign investments," Hiep said. Phuc's appointment completes the triumvirate of power, which includes General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong who was re-elected at the party congress in January and President Tran Dai Quang who was elected by the assembly last week. Nguyen Quang A, an economist and political analyst, said the trend of reforms and international integration in Vietnam will not be stopped regardless of who is in power. "No one can delay or derail the international integration, that is the only way for the country's survival." International rights groups and US government have often criticized Vietnam for jailing people who peacefully express their views, by using vaguely worded security laws. Hanoi says that only law breakers are punished. The sentencing of seven bloggers and activists in March for "abusing democratic freedoms" and "spreading anti-state propaganda" drew strong opposition from the U.S. Government and international rights groups. "I don't think that Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the new prime minister will have a big role in improving Vietnam's human rights record," Quang A said, noting the country is ruled by collective leadership. Vigilance sleuths today arrested two government servants and a middleman on graft charges from Aurangabad and Begusarai districts of Bihar. Vigilance personnel caught red-handed one Dev Kumar Prasad, posted as Branch Manager of Madhya Bihar Grameen Bank under Obra block of Aurangabad district, while they were allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 23,000 for sanctioning a loan, an official release said. One Vijay Kumar Singh, a resident of Narho Dihri under Khudwan police station of the district, had lodged a complaint with the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) that the branch manager was demanding a bribe of Rs 28,000 for sanctioning a loan of Rs 2.80 lakh. After verifying the complaint, a flying squad was constituted under Vigilance Deputy SP Vinay Kumar Singh who was caught red-handed while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 23,000 from the branch of the rural bank in the district. The accused would be produced before a Special Vigilance Court (I) at Patna after interrogation, the release said. In another trap case, Matuki Rajak, a resident of Muradpur village under Veerpur police station of Begusarai district, had lodged a complaint with the Vigilance that the accused Prabhakar Singh, a revenue employee with Veerpur circle of the district, has been demanding bribe of Rs 36,000 for carrying out mutation of land. After verifying the complaint, Vigilance constituted a flying squad headed by DySP Munna Prasad who arrested Prabhakar Singh and a middleman Krishna Mohan Das alias Karari while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 36,000 from the compplainant from a private office located at Veerpur Surha chowk in the district. The accused persons would be produced before a Special Vigilance Court (II) at Patna after interrogation, it said. Vigilance has, so far, arrested 39 persons on graft charges in 35 trap cases laid by the department in 2016, the release said. Prince William and wife Kate Middleton are expected to raise during their upcoming maiden India tour the plight of thousands of British steelworkers hit by the Tata Steel's decision of selling their loss-making plants in the UK, a media report said today. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to meet Indian politicians and some Indian business leaders during their stay in Delhi and Mumbai beginning Sunday, and the subject of jobs uncertainty after Tata Steel announced its plans to exit the UK last month is likely to feature among the discussions, 'Daily Express' newspaper reported. "The future king and queen, who are in India at the request of the British Government, are aware of the need to represent the interests of British workers during their taxpayer-funded visit. "Under (Prime Minister) David Cameron, royal tours have reflected an emphasis on commercial diplomacy and the need to win jobs and orders for British firms," the newspaper said. It quoted royal sources as saying that the royal couple and their advisors are monitoring the situation unfolding in relation to the crisis in the British steel industry and could raise the issue with Indian officials and business leaders. William and Kate land in Mumbai on Sunday and the sale of Tata Steel owned steelworks across the UK is set to begin on Monday with around 15,000 jobs on the line. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A group of Indian banks has rejected an offer by embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya to repay part of the $1.4 billion loans his defunct Kingfisher airline owes them, a lawyer for the lenders told the Supreme Court on Thursday. Last week, Mallya, who had guaranteed the Kingfisher loans, proposed to pay 40 billion rupees ($602 million) to the lenders by September, and 20 billion rupees more if Kingfisher wins a lawsuit seeking damages from plane engine-maker International Aero Engines. Shyam Divan, a lawyer representing the banks, told the Supreme Court that Mallya had made the lenders a revised offer on Wednesday but that this was still not acceptable to them. He did not give details of the revised offer, but said the banks would need a "substantial amount" to be deposited for a dialogue to begin. A spokesman for UB Group, a company owned by Mallya, declined to comment immediately. Mallya, once called the "King of Good Times" for his extravagant lifestyle, left India on March 2 as the creditor banks stepped up pressure on him. His whereabouts since then has not been disclosed, although he has been active on his Twitter social media account, which has more than 5 million followers. The banks, led by State Bank of India, have also demanded that Mallya be personally present at the next hearing of the case at the Supreme Court. The court has sought a response from Mallya by April 21 to the banks' demands, setting the next hearing date for April 26. ($1 = 66.4650 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Suchitra Mohanty; Writing by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Joseph Radford) By Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay BERN/GENEVA (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA said on Thursday that banks must clamp down on money laundering, as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," FINMA Chief Executive Mark Branson told following its annual conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management centre with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has written to 20 banks and other financial firms, giving them until April 15 to spell out any involvement they have with the "Panama Papers". HSBC, Britain's biggest bank and its affiliates created more than 2,300 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. Also on Thursday, France's ACPR financial regulator said it has told French banks to hand over extra information about their business ties with tax havens. German regulator BaFin is likewise probing the role of Germany's banks, a source told on Monday. Watchdogs in Sweden, Netherlands and Austria said earlier this week that they were looking into banks named in the papers. The chief executive of Austria's Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg became one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on the data leak on Thursday, though he denies his bank violated any laws or sanctions. SWISS BANKS The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. No U.S. banks are among the 10 banks named as the biggest creators of offshore companies for clients in the Panama Papers. But U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the Treasury Department to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with Mossack Fonseca. "As the primary agency charged with protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system and enforcing our laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, we strongly urge the Treasury Department to conduct its own inquiry into Mossack Fonseca's activities and its clients," the senators, both Democrats, wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. The Treasury Department would not comment specifically on the findings in the documents but a spokeswoman said that "the U.S. government intently focuses on investigating possible illicit activity, including violations of U.S. tax laws or sanctions, using all sources of information, both public and non-public." "If there has been any violation of U.S. tax law or sanctions evasion, we will take appropriate action consistent with the national security and foreign policy of the United States," she said. The senators, both members of the Senate Banking Committee and both proponents of stronger financial regulation, said they were concerned "this firm may have facilitated money laundering or terrorist financing with sanctioned persons or entities." Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said FINMA would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial centre. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutor's office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalisation to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derived from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. FINMA has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Branson said: "There are concrete indications that the measures those banks had in place to combat money laundering were inadequate." (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Lisa Lambert in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alistair Bell) NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's top cigarette maker ITC Ltd , part-owned by British American Tobacco , said it was not ready to print bigger health warnings on its packs as mandated by the government and will keep its factories shut until clarity emerges on the new rules. ITC's comments highlight the latest tussle between India's $10 billion cigarette industry and the government after new rules kicked in on Friday mandating health warnings should cover 85 percent of a pack's surface, up from 20 percent now. A parliamentary panel last year forced the government to delay the new rules, saying it was assessing how the industry would be impacted. But the health ministry later said the warnings must be adopted on April 1. The panel of lawmakers last month called for reducing the size of warnings to 50 percent to protect the interests of the industry and tobacco farmers. ITC said the health ministry's push to go ahead with its rule was "contrary to its earlier decision to await the (parliamentary) committee's findings". "The industry was led to believe that the government would renotify new health warnings after considering the committee's recommendations," ITC said in its statement. Health ministry officials could not be reached for a comment on Saturday. A senior official had told on Friday the government was committed to implementing new rules. A leading industry body had said on Friday that cigarette makers, including ITC and its rival Godfrey Phillips India Ltd , which is a partner of U.S.-based Philip Morris International , suspended production as the new policy created confusion. Smoking kills about 1 million people in India each year, BMJ Global Health estimates. The World Health Organization has called the debate on reducing the warnings size in India "worrisome". (Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Rafael Nam and Louise Heavens) NEW DELHI (Reuters) - IPCA Laboratories Ltd said on Thursday that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, would no longer buy the company's anti-malarial treatments after a U.S. regulatory warning about quality lapses at its factories. IPCA said in February that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had issued it with a warning letter outlining manufacturing quality lapses observed at three of its Indian factories. Those plants had already been banned from supplying to the United States after earlier inspections. The Global Fund will no longer source Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs), an anti-malarial treatment, from IPCA following a "risk consideration exercise", the drugmaker said. The Global Fund "will not allocate any volume of ACTs to the company and ... will only source ACTs from other pre-qualified suppliers that have no outstanding issues with the regulators," IPCA in a statement to the Indian stock exchange. IPCA has 16 manufacturing plants in India from where it supplies to more than 120 countries. The three sites with U.S. bans also supply to India, UK and Canada. Several drug factories in India have been cited by the FDA over the last two years for violating manufacturing quality standards, as the regulator has increased its oversight of the industry, which is a key supplier to the United States. Geneva-based, the Global Fund is a public-private partnership set up in 2002 that has made considerable progress in tackling epidemics of deadly infectious diseases. No one at the organisation was immediately available for comment. ($1 = 66.6675 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Greg Mahlich) ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday that Tehran was determined to regain its share of the oil market after sanctions imposed on the country were lifted under a deal reached with six major powers, the semi-official Tasnim agency reported. "Iran wants to regain its place on the oil market ... in cooperation with other oil producing countries," Mohammad Javad Zarif said after a meeting in Baku with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said this week that Iran had confirmed its participation in a meeting in Doha on April 17 to discuss a deal to freeze oil output. Iran has repeatedly said it would freeze its output after it reaches 4 million barrels per day. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi. Editing by Jane Merriman) By Promit Mukherjee and Krishna N. Das MUMBAI (Reuters) - Sanjeev Gupta, the boss of metals trader Liberty House Group who wants to buy Tata Steel Ltd's loss-making British operations, says he has the financial resources to match his ambitions. Hitting back at critics who have questioned his capacity to take on a business dragged down by heavy debt and weak sales, the 44-year-old Cambridge graduate said he was serious about making an offer and had the backing of a group with $7 billion of revenues. "If you look at our financials, we are probably the least leveraged company in our sector," Gupta told in a phone interview on Thursday. "We like to punch above our weight, we like to take on challenges, but we know how to stay in business so we never over-stretch ourselves." Asked how profitable Liberty House's businesses were, a spokesman for the company said it could not provide details at short notice. Tata, the biggest steel producer in Britain, has been forced to try to sell its British businesses due to high costs, weak demand and a flood of cheap supplies from top producer China. The formal sale process for the assets, which the Indian company bought in 2007, is expected to start by Monday. Liberty's financial advisers will start due diligence on the assets within a week from that date, said Indian-born Gupta, who founded Liberty House in 1992 and is known among friends and former colleagues as a risk-taker with a strong network among British and U.S. financiers. TURNAROUND Tata, which entered the European steel market with a $12 billion acquisition of Anglo-Dutch Corus in 2007, will only produce steel in Europe in the Netherlands once it sells its UK business with production capacity of 7 million tonnes per year. The British business employs about 15,000 people, and Gupta plans to retain them if a deal goes through. But he wants the government to ensure "competitive power prices" so that he can change the raw material for the steel plants to locally available scrap from imported iron ore. The British government, under fire for the way it has responded to the crisis, opened talks with potential buyers for Tata Steel's UK operations, including Gupta's Liberty House, earlier this week. "It's a loss-making business and a loss-making business is not worth a lot in itself to buy," said Gupta. "It's more of a question of what are the resources required in turning it around." He declined to estimate the money needed for a revival of the Tata plants. Born in a family of businessmen in the western city of Ludhiana, he has grown his Liberty group into a multi-national player with operations run out of London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with assets in Asia, Africa and Britain. Gupta's Tata bid is part of a plan to turn his company into to a manufacturing conglomerate with interests in steel, power generation, renewables energy and financial services. The company last year also acquired a UK-based bank as a push towards financial services. "We've a company which is doing $7 billion of topline, assets worth a billion dollars, no long term debt, only short term working capital, so we too have resources," Gupta said. "I don't know if anybody will question the seriousness - I am obviously putting myself all out to do this." (Additional reporting by Freya Berry and Clara Denina in LONDON; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Keith Weir) By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Crude futures were lifted by a raft of supportive indicators in early trading on Thursday, although some traders warned that physical supply and demand fundamentals did not warrant a strong price recovery at this stage. International Brent futures traded above $40 per barrel in early trading and stood at $40.07 at 0038 GMT, up 23 cents from the last close and almost 8 percent above lows reached earlier this week. Front month U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were trading at $38.09 per barrel, up 34 cents from their last close and 8 percent above their April lows. U.S. crude prices were supported by an unexpected fall in crude inventories, albeit from all-time record highs, last week as refineries continued to hike output and imports fell. "Oil prices spiked after the EIA data release," ANZ bank said in a morning note on Thursday. U.S. crude inventories fell 4.9 million barrels in the week to April 1, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.2 million barrels, according to data from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. In Europe, North Sea oil field maintenance expected next month lent support to Brent futures, which are priced off North Sea supplies. And on the demand side, manufacturing seems to be recovering from recent weakness, analysts said. "Global manufacturing PMIs (Purchasing Managers' Index) saw their strongest MoM (month-on-month) recovery in two and half years in March, according to our calculations," Macquarie bank said. Yet some traders warned that the rise in futures prices might be premature and not supported by physical market fundamentals. A planned meeting of major oil producers on April 17 to freeze output around current levels, which in most cases remains at or near record highs, would do little to reduce an overhang in production with at least a million barrels of crude pumped every day in excess of demand. "Absent a tightening in global oil fundamentals we reiterate our recommendation to go long put spread," BNP Paribas said. A put is a financial instrument that gives a trader the option right to sell an asset like crude futures. (Editing by Ed Davies) MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday that the health of the country's lenders needed to be improved, adding the central bank was taking steps in that direction. Indian banks, which have about $120 billion in bad and troubled loans, are set to reveal more sour debt in the coming weeks after a clean-up ordered by the central bank. (Reporting by Suvashree Choudhury; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath) SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A unit of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp , Singapore's second-biggest lender, said it has agreed to buy part of the Asian wealth unit of Barclays for $320 million, its second major private banking acquisition since 2009. OCBC beat DBS Group Holdings , the other bidder left in the race, sources with knowledge of the matter said, after a competitive bidding process that saw several Asian and European bidders taking interest in the initial round. With the addition of the Barclays wealth and investment management unit in Singapore and Hong Kong, OCBC's Bank of Singapore unit will see its assets under management rise by about 33 percent to $73.3 billion. (Reporting by Saeed Azhar; Editing by Eric Meijer) As the U.S. solar giant fights to stave off bankruptcy, the 500 megawatt project in Andhra Pradesh state it won last November lies idle with ground yet to be broken. The other projects are still to be bid on. It's doubtful any rival will pick up the project at the aggressive power pricing promised by SunEdison, which beat out 29 other bidders with a record-low tariff of 4.63 rupees (7 U.S. cents) per kilowatt-hour. That will force Indian officials to tighten auction rules to ensure that only serious, bankable bidders show up, industry sources said. India plans to auction more of the "ultra mega" projects - those which generate at least 500 MW - in the current fiscal year through to March 2017. "There is always a tradeoff," Upendra Tripathy, secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, told of the renewable energy auctions. "There can be a relaxed condition so that more people can participate and there is another where you can make sure fly-by-night operators can't come in. It's an ongoing process and we are open to suggestions." Tightening auction rules could slow the pace at which projects are awarded and built, pushing back Modi's goal of expanding solar capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2020 to the middle of the decade, say officials and industry players. Tripathy, however, said India will for now stick to its goal, set by Modi soon after taking office in 2014, and that it has planned for SunEdison-like bumps in the road with a strong project pipeline. Modi is banking on India's 300 days a year of sunshine to help fight climate change rather than committing to emission cuts like China. But he has also pushed firms to provide cheap power, which risks leaving too little profit on the table. Heavily indebted SunEdison, which according to one of its publicly listed units could soon file for bankruptcy protection, drew criticism from analysts for its low winning bid for the Andhra project. The company is now exploring a sale of its Indian assets of around 1 GW or seeking partners for them, sources said, and has drawn preliminary interest from billionaire Gautam Adani's fast-expanding Adani Group. Apart from the Andhra project, SunEdison has several other small plants under construction across India. POSSIBLE RE-BID A person close to Adani said the low tariff agreed for the Andhra plant will make any deal with SunEdison difficult for Indian firms, which have a relatively high cost of capital. If no buyer is found, the project could be re-bid, the industry sources said. SunEdison did not respond to multiple requests for comment. "The tariffs are a tad aggressive and that may not be healthy for developers themselves and also for others in the ecosystem ... manufacturers and financiers," said Santosh Kamath, head of renewables at consultancy KPMG India. "That might be a warning signal for the industry." SunEdison's troubles notwithstanding, India has attracted deep-pocketed investors to its $100 billion solar energy programme - the biggest in the world. Japan's Softbank Corp <9984.T>, Taiwan's Foxconn <2354.TW> and India's Bharti Enterprises have separately pledged to invest a total of about $20 billion in India's renewable sector. Global solar giants like First Solar Inc , Trina Solar Ltd and Finland's state-controlled utility Fortum Oyj are also expanding their presence. India wants the share of non-fossil fuel in total installed power capacity to jump to 40 percent by 2030 from 30 percent currently. Challenges include the weak finances of state distribution companies forced to sell subsidised power, difficulties hooking up solar projects to grids, and access to affordable capital. Land acquisition is also an issue that Modi's government has been unable to fix - a 500 MW solar project needs on average 2,000 acres (800 hectares). "Given the energy deficit, need for energy security and sustained economic growth, the potential clearly exists for 100 GW of solar (energy) in India," said Sujoy Ghosh, country head of First Solar. "The question would be on the timelines in which the goal is achieved." The government is trying to persuade state banks to extend loans to solar projects, but most lenders are saddled with bad loans and unlikely to risk getting exposed to renewable projects with low rates of return. To avoid projects getting stuck for a lack of backing, India should make it mandatory for solar bidders to get funding assurances from banks at the beginning of an auction to ensure only serious players take part, analysts said. Tripathy, the government secretary, said he could consider the suggestion. "We'll have to take care that projects don't become unviable," KPMG's Kamath said. "If some projects become unviable then banks will stop lending to new projects and then they get stranded, like we have seen in the power and road sectors in the past." (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Liberty House Group will start due diligence within a week from Monday on the loss-making UK assets that has put up for sale, its boss Sanjeev Gupta said, adding he was confident of turning the business around with government help. Tata, Britain's biggest steel producer, has been forced to walk away from its UK business due to high costs, weak demand and a flood of supplies from top producer China. The formal sale process for the assets, which the company bought in 2007, is expected to start by Monday. "It's a loss-making business and a loss-making business is not worth a lot in itself to buy," Gupta told Reuters in a phone interview on Thursday. "It's more of a question of what are the resources required in turning it around." Changing the raw material for the steel plants to locally available scrap, from imported iron ore, would be the best solution as long as power costs are manageable, he said. Indian-born Gupta, a 44-year-old Cambridge graduate who founded Liberty House in 1992, has already told the British government that competitive power prices would be critical in order to revive the business and fight competitors. The British government opened talks with potential buyers for Tata Steel's UK operations, including Gupta's company Liberty House, earlier this week. Liberty House has a turnover of around $6.5 billion and so working capital needs to buy out Tata's UK plants should not be a big issue, Gupta said. More clarity is expected to emerge once Gupta appoints a financial adviser, likely on Friday. "In terms of money, what we will require is the working capital to run the businesses ... and working capital we are quite good at, as that is what we have been doing in our trading business for the last 25 years," Gupta said. World trade growth will come to 2.8% this year, lower than a previous forecast of 3.9%, the World Trade Organization forecast on Thursday. It expects trade to rise to 3.6% in 2017, breaking through 3.0% for the first time in six years. But the has repeatedly revised preliminary estimates over the past five years as predictions of economic recovery prove overly optimistic. The P word has been bandied about like theres no tomorrow this past month. First we had a slugfest involving the FBI and Apple. Next, our King of Good Times was allegedly interviewed over encrypted email, which resulted in a Twitter fight. And just as we thought weve had enough, everybodys favourite chat app decided to go coy. If youve lost me, my apologies. But the P word essentially stands for privacy and what were talking about are private ways of communicating, with no one watching over your shoulder. And no sir, it aint BBM. WhatsApp has launched end-to-end encryption for all voice messages and calls; this basically means that only the sender and the intended recipient can read the messages and it cant be accessed by even the chat service. However, this isnt the only free encrypted chat or email program around. A look at a few such chat and email programs: Signal The app, which supports secure calls, instant messaging and sharing of attachments, has a storied history. Even Edward Snowden has reportedly endorsed this app. This app is available for both Android and iOS. Installation is fairly simple after the phone number is verified. But you need a stable internet connection or else your device might not get registered. After registration, the app offers to become the default messaging app as well. One can also set up a password for the app and this writer was unable to take any screen shots while the app was on; seems it blocks any attempt. One can also decide on what kind of data passes through the Wi-Fi or mobile network, depending on which network is more secure. The only issue is it tends to slow down stuff. Pros: Encrypts both chats and calls; available for both Android and iOS Cons: Both users need to have the app installed to use end-to-end encryption; app tends to slow down services This is a secure email program which was recently in the news when The Sunday Guardian claimed beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya had responded to its queries from one such account; Mally denied ever giving such an interview. Signing up for a free account is fairly easy but sometimes one needs to request an invite; this writer was lucky enough to sign up without one. First, one needs to set up a password for the account and then one more password which would decrypt the mailbox. Next, one can download the app for Android or iOS. The interface is fairly simple and looks like the Gmail inbox of yore. Also, a free account gets you a 500MB inbox, one email address and a limit of sending 150 messages per day. The services servers are based in Switzerland and since your mailbox is encrypted, no one can access your data. Pros: Simple, clean interface; for iOS and Android; encrypted mailbox Cons: Free account has limitations Available for iOS and the PC, the chat client on the PC looks like a stripped-down version of Yahoo! Messenger. After setting up an account, this writer was instructed to add his device to the trusted list and then add buddys. Basically, while adding a buddy, the digital fingerprint of each device is verified and once that is done, secure chats and transfer of files can take place within the closed group. Another claimed feature is that if a system is hacked into later, previous messages cant be read, a claim this writer couldnt independently verify. Pros: Extremely secure apps; hackers cant get access to previous data Cons: Cumbersome process to add buddies; can only communicate within Cryptocat group Available for Android and iOS, the best thing about this app is that the user doesnt need to create a separate account with your email or phone number; just create a username and password and then share the link with your friends to connect. Of course your friends, too, would need to download the app. But make sure you never lose the password; if you do, youre locked out of your account and data with no workarounds. The other advantage is you can set up multiple aliases on the same device. And you can back up on your Google Drive; but without the password, you cant restore the chats. Voice messaging is also available. Pros: No need to share phone number or email; multiple IDs on same device Cons: No way to recover password; communications only between Surespot users This is another secured email programme, which allows even non-Tutanota users to respond to encrypted emails. What happens is, a Tutanota user can send an encrypted email to a non-Tutanota one, who then gets to decrypt the message using a password both have agreed on in advance. Signup is fairly simple with available for both Android and iOS. A free account gets one 1GB of space but no aliases. One can also save the password on a trusted device or not encrypt mails if one chooses not to; but why would you? The programs servers are based in Germany. The interface is clean with lots of options available. Pros: Easy to sign up; clean interface with several options Cons: Ability to turn off encryption and save passwords on trusted devices Besides the above programs, other honourable mentions would be GData SecureChat, Wickr, Telegram and ChatSecure, which have various other specialised functions such as self-destructing messages (SecureChat and Telegram) and chatting with up to 200 users (Telegram). Among paid software, options from Silent Circle are the ones this writer liked, after using them extensively on Vertu phones. It was announced today that Vodafone Ireland have completed their national network upgrade with the conclusion of its programme in Cavan, Longford and the North West region. This now brings 4G coverage to over 90% of the population in every county in Ireland as well as improved voice and data experiences. It also allows an improvement of over 40% in making calls and over 80% in to retaining a call connection. Consumer Director at Vodafone Ireland, Lutfullah Kitapci says, "Our network upgrade programme has been a significant undertaking from Vodafone Ireland; investing over 550 million over three years, this is one of the most ambitious mobile network infrastructure projects that we have undertaken." She continued, "This project included a complete modernisation of the entire network portfolio - brand new 3G and 4G networks and refreshing the existing 2G network across the country. This completion of this project in the wider North West region means that we can now provide 4G services to customers in every county in Ireland." National Sheep Chairman at the Irish Farmers Association and Mayo farmer John Lynskey has also welcomed the news, "A simple thing like a robust smartphone with good battery life and 4G can make a real and tangible difference to everyday farm management from changing the way we do our business to critical health and safety matters." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Based in Silicon Valley and with an office in Dublin, Intercom is a leading tech start-up, offering a suite of integrated communication products in the business-to-customer arena across multiple platforms. In a move typical for the tech arena, Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe announced the $50m funding via a video blog on the companys website. Since being founded in 2011, Intercom has raised over $66 million in venture capital with todays announcement of an additional $50m the company is expected to increase staff from 250 to 500. The company was founded by Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee and David Barrett in 2011 with COE Eoghan McCabe heading out to San Francisco to help the company gain traction in Silicon Valley. Intercom has doubled its client list from 5,000 in April 2015 to reach in the region of 10,000. Source: www.businessworld.ie The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) have today announced that they plan to progress with a new runway at Dublin Airport. The airport celebrated their busiest ever year in 2015 as a record 25 million passengers travelled through the airport. Passenger numbers increased by 15% last year with an additional 3.3 million people using Dublin Airport during 2015. The expansion was fuelled by 22 new routes and extra capacity on almost 40 existing services. The 3,110 metre runway will be built 1.6km north of the existing main runway and is expected to be delivered in 2020. Dublin Airport is investing in the region of 320 million in this multi-faceted project which will comprise multiple contracts and packages of works. Dublin Airports North Runway development has the potential to open up connectivity to a range of long-haul destinations, particularly in fast growing economies in Asia, Africa and South America. The delivery of a new runway could support a further 31,000 new jobs over the next two decades, contributing 2.2 billion to GDP according to the DAA. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe today commented, "This project is of major strategic importance to Ireland as an island economy, in terms of improved connectivity. It has the potential to create thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, over the coming years." DAA Chief Executive, Kevin Toland added, "We are progressing our plans to deliver the new runway in accordance with the development and pathway for growth outlined in the Governments National Aviation Policy (NAP). Dublin Airports North Runway will significantly improve Irelands connectivity supporting trade, foreign direct investment and tourism." Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland and Ibec also welcomed the news today. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016 this week, Cork based HYDE Irish Whiskey was named Best Irish Single Malt in the World. The San Francisco World spirits Competition is considered one of the most prestigious and influential spirits competition in the world. It is judged by a very highly respected panel of 39 judges drawn from all parts of the worldwide spirit industry. Hyde Single Malt Irish Whiskey is already available in fifteen markets around the world with plans to launch in more countries over the coming year. Conor Hyde of Hibernia Distillers says, "Hyde No. 1 is a very special, 10-year-old, pure single malt Irish whiskey, finished in a carefully selected Spanish Oloroso Sherry cask that gives it a subtle yet complex flavour with a very distinctive personality. Our whiskey is matured in County Cork on Irelands Southern Atlantic Coast. The Cork region is famous for its very temperate climate, creating the ideal temperature conditions for maturing whiskey casks in." He added, "We are a family run business built upon our familys long heritage in the drinks industry. For at least ten generations we have been vintners selling whiskey in West Cork. Both Alan and I have been involved in the Irish artisan food sector for most of our careers." In recent years there has been a rapid resurgence of Irish whiskey on the global market with the US market seeing huge growth, particularly in the specialist category with super premium Irish Whiskey seeing a +54.5% growth in sales in 2015. Americans purchased the equivalent of 3.2 million 9-litre cases of Irish Whiskey during 2015, valued at $664 million. Source: www.businessworld.ie Construction began yesterday on Facebook's newest data centre in Clonee, County Meath. Ireland has been home to Facebooks international headquarters since 2009 and they currently have 1,300 employees based here. The company recently announced the creation of a further 200 jobs in Dublin in 2016. Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English yesterday took part in a ceremony at the site alongside VP of Infrastructure at Facebook, Tom Furlong. CEO Meath County Council, Jackie Maguire and CEO of the IDA, Martin Shanahan also attended the event. Development of a second building at the same site was also confirmed yesterday, bringing the total size of the facility to 621,000sq ft the equivalent of 14 Aviva stadiums. The facility, Facebooks first in Ireland and second in Europe, will become part of the infrastructure that enables billions of people to connect with the people and things they care about on Facebook and across its family of apps and services. VP of Infrastructure at Facebook, Tom Furlong commented, "Were thrilled to have found a home in Clonee and begin building our new data centre as we continue to expand our infrastructure in Ireland." CEO Meath County Council, Jackie Maguire added, "The hard work of all the stakeholders, including IDA Ireland, to attract this world class enterprise to Meath has paid off. This project will bring additional jobs to the county and a welcome stimulus to the local economy." Source: www.businessworld.ie Worldwide spending on information technology could become one of the casualties of global economic uncertainty this year, according to research firm Gartner Inc . Worldwide IT spending is expected to fall slightly this year to $3.49 trillion, as the strong U.S. dollar continues to take its toll, the firm said on Thursday. The global uncertainty is making organizations "tighten their belts." Investing in digital businesses and services at a time when revenue growth does not support IT spending is forcing organizations to cut costs, Gartner said. In constant currency, Gartner predicts a 1.6% growth rate in IT spending this year, compared with 2.4% a year earlier. The problem is U.S.-based multi-nationals can't make as much money, even there is a global increase in IT activity, John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner said in an interview. Networking giant Cisco Systems Inc said in February that it was weathering a global slowdown in information-technology spending. Analysts at the time said that Cisco's warning could be a bad sign for some technology companies. Spending on devices like PCs, mobile phones, tablets and printers is also expected to decline 3.7% to $626 billion, Gartner said, due to the global saturation in the smartphone and PC markets.(Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie No one is ever all the way ready for a disaster but public safety officials tell us that a lot can be done to lessen the impact of an earthquake or other natural disaster on our homes and families. On KVNUs For the People program Tuesday, the guest was Wade Matthews of the Utah Emergency Management office. He talked about last years water crisis in the city of Nibley here in Cache County and said the city was recognized by the state for the commendable way it was handled. Matthews also talked about the importance of communication, especially between parents and schools. We encourage parents to go to their individual schools and find out what their emergency preparedness plans are, said Matthews, how they will be communicating with their parents as far as what the status of the school is and their children and how soon they can be unified with their children again. That will vary from school district to school district. Many districts have reverse phone systems where they can call out directly to parents phones and give them that type of information. Matthews said it is very important to always have ready outreach between families and schools. Follow the money: Panama Papers just tip of the iceberg Published on April 7, 2016 Story by Daniel Neale en es de it fr pl Sunday was a good day. I never thought Id see the day where so many stories about financial secrecy take over the news worldwide. The offshore system is finally getting the attention it deserves lets just hope that the newfound interest surrounding this issue doesn't get swept under the carpet over time. Opinion piece. The leaked documents exposed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) confirmed what has been largely suspected for some time: there is a hidden financial universe available only to the super rich and super powerful. But unlike before, now there is enough leverage to really do something about the uses and abuses of financial secrecy not just weak premises to continue hiding away from. Thanks to the release of 2.6 terabytes of information containing 11.5 million internal documents dated between 1977 and December 2015, a can of worms has truly been opened over 214,000 implicated corporate entities facilitated by more than 14,000 intermediaries. Heads of state, politicians, Forbes-listed billionaires, drug lords, celebrities, scammers, and FIFA officials all of them are in it together. If you find it suspicious that so far no major Western actors have been revealed, think again. There are over 200 countries connected to the data. Digesting all of this information takes time, and we will no doubt see further developments unfolding in the coming weeks. This is investigative journalism at its best; and somehow the beans were not spilled in the process. 8% of the World's financial wealth stored in the offshore system Yet this is clearly not an isolated event, but merely the tip of an iceberg exposing the fortified refuge of big finance. To really understand the magnitude of the problem, we must look at the bigger picture, step back and take a deep breath. Recent estimates by Gabriel Zucman suggest that 7.6 trillion dollars around 8% of the worlds net financial wealth is stored in the offshore system. Mossack Fonseca is the fourth largest firm providing offshore services worldwide, yet it is only one firm, in one jurisdiction. That really makes you wonder: who are the top three? Cases such as those outlined in the Panama Papers have been well documented in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and more. However, the most prominent secretive jurisdictions are not in Banana Republics, but much closer than we think in some of the largest financial centres. The United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom all provide escape routes from laws and conventions existing elsewhere that are not necessarily related to taxes, but to many other regulations as well such as those relating to beneficial ownership. Take the US for instance. It is the second easiest place in the world (behind Kenya) to set up a shell company, according to a recent study. Switzerland is a specialist at providing banking secrecy. The UK created the very concept of the offshore system through its large network of Crown Dependencies. The lack of binding legislation Alarmingly, most of Mossack Fonseca's operations are legal because there is simply no robust legislation governing beneficial ownership and the creation of shell companies on a global scale. While these practices are in many cases legally justified though without any sort of regulation or due diligence requesting information on the identity of participants such pervasive anonymity invites tax abuses, government corruption, and criminal activity to continue. Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based NGO, estimates that opacity in the global financial system thanks to tax haven secrecy, anonymous companies, trade-based money laundering, and lax financial crime enforcement drains at least 1.1 trillion US dollars per year from developing and emerging economies. That's more than what they receive in foreign direct investment and foreign aid combined. To put it another way, imagine that every time you donated a euro to a charity, ten more were siphoned away. The International Community must address this challenge Take a moment and think about the role that the offshore system plays in exacerbating poverty and inequality. It is central to the stories behind many of the world's headlines: The financial crash of 2008, the financial crash of 1929, arms smuggling, terrorist financing, civil wars, human trafficking during the refugee crisis, the narcotics industry, the political power perpetuated by corrupt dictatorships the list goes on. The Panama Paper leaks are very good news. But the great news would be if we were still paying attention to these issues in a few months time. The current momentum that the ICIJ findings have unleashed must be used to build traction and pressure the international community to really start addressing this shadow financial system. If these events cannot accomplish that, then I don't know what will. --- This article was published by our local team at cafebabel Brussels. Story by Daniel Neale Torn between two worlds. Published on April 7, 2016 Story by Lara Busing en de es pl it fr Review of the movie "Brooklyn": A young emigrant has to decide between her Irish roots and her new home in New York City. A story of love, family and - most importantly - the concept of home. The story of a young Irish woman emigrating to the United States in the 1950s in search of a job and a better life. When she finally finds both, she is sucked back into her old surroundings. She thought it was strange that the mere sensation of savouring the prospect of something could make her think for a while that is must be the prospect of home. - Colm Toibin, "Brooklyn" The author of the novel that the movie is based upon Colm Toibin was born in Enniscorthy (just like the main character Eilis) in 1955 and often writes about Irish society, emigration, living abroad and searching for a home. He published Brooklyn in 2009. As the quote highlights, the story is all about a young girl looking for a place to call home. Her suffering in the beginning is a silent pain that she tries to hide. When she fails to hide her home sickness she pulls herself together and tries to approach her new situation in another way. And then she meets Tony. A young Italian plumber with a big family. Here Eilis gradually starts to find her place. But disaster strikes, her sister back in Ireland dies, leaving their elderly mother to care for herself. Eilis is torn between her desire to continue her just established life in Brooklyn and the duty towards her mother and feelings of guilt toward her dead sister. So she goes back. When Eilis Lacey reaches her home town, much has changed. And still she falls back into old habits and picks up her old life style right where she dropped it when she left for a new world. She even kind of falls for a local, beautifully played by the luminous Domnhall Gleeson. She gets lost in her search for home, is torn between two worlds and two men. And this is what make Toibin's stories so full of an inexplicable, unidentifiable longing. A longing for a home that does not exist anymore. What should she do? Pretend to never have left and fall back into Irish society or should she accept the fact that she has become someone else during her time overseas and cannot rejoin the dynamics of that little Wexfordian village? Before I get too philosophical, I have to talk about the impressive talent that has gathered as the cast for this movie. Obviously, Saoirse Ronan has delivered one of her best performances so far, especially in the context of Ronan's personal attachment to the movie. Eilis story in a way resembles her own. Ronan was born in the Bronx, another part of New York City, and moved to Ireland with her Irish parents when she was young. Her parents actually got married in the Brooklyn town-hall in a quiet ceremony, very similar to the wedding of Eilis and Tony in the movie. Ronan therefore is quite protective of this work and was anxious that it would be well received foremost by its Irish audience. Fun fact: As a sentimental token she asked to keep the green swimsuit in the movie. Emory Cohen he plays Eilis eventual husband Tony impressed me hugely, especially because he was such a fresh face while nailing this part. He is rightly compared to the likes of Marlon Brando, not only physically but also in ability of taking on a playful yet deep character. He plays Tony with such honesty and vulnerability that only one look from him will make you swoon. A true cinematic hero from the 1950s. Only that Cohen was born in 1990. Looking him up, I discovered that I had actually seen him before. He plays Bradley Cooper's disturbed son in The Place Beyond the Pines. I remember how impressed I was by his and Dane DeHaan's (Ryan Goslings movie son) performances. Both so young, yet such depth in their acting. He is one to be followed. I believe he will accomplish great things. Another shining star of this piece of art is the brilliant Julie Walters. Making this movie was also for her a heartfelt and close-to-home experience. Her own mother was an Irish woman and so it became a journey to her personal past. Knowing this, it really makes sense how on point Walters is in her character depiction, as well as her accent. The beauty of the film is how it captures the quietness of Toibins novel. At this point, Nick Hornby has to be acknowledged as a superb screenplay writer. He adapted the book and created the foundations for this very moving film. The fact that Hornby is the husband of one of the producers, namely Amanda Posey, only attests to the fact what a small but ambitious piece of work this is. Winning the BAFTA as Best British Movie was certainly well deserved. One question remains. Does Eilis return to Tony? You have to watch the movie to find out how she decides, but know this: In the end we all have it in ourselves to create a home that accomodates our desires, disappointments and dramas of the everyday life that we are living. That is what I took from this. Story by Lara Busing Caller-Times file Actress Farrah Fawcett signs autographs during an appearance at the Bay Area Medical Center atrium on Dec. 30, 1993. Fawcett was in town for a fundraiser benefiting the Women's Shelter of South Texas which included a telethon of her 1984 TV movie about domestic violence "The Burning Bed." SHARE By Allison Ehrlich of the Caller-Times Farrah Fawcett may have been Charlie's angel in the '70s, but to others she was a crusader who lent her celebrity status to furthering awareness of domestic violence. The Ray High School graduate's experiences starring in the 1984 TV movie "The Burning Bed" sparked her desire to help victims of domestic violence. The film tells the true story of Francine Hughes who killed her abusive husband of 13 years in 1977. Hughes was found not guilty and her story was chronicled in a book and later adapted into the movie starring Fawcett. In this photo taken Dec. 30, 1993 Fawcett signs autographs during an appearance in the atrium of Bay Area Medical Center. Fawcett was in town for a private New Year's Eve fundraiser on behalf of the Women's Shelter of South Texas which included a three-hour telethon on KIII-TV of "The Burning Bed." The actress, who was born and raised here until leaving to attend the University of Texas, traveled to the city with her parents Jim and Pauline Fawcett from Houston. The three had spent Christmas with Fawcett's longtime partner Ryan O'Neal and their young son. Fawcett commented that she knew exactly the last time she had visited the city, "because I was just six weeks' pregnant with my son, Redmond, who's now 8." "I would go anywhere and do anything for a shelter," Fawcett told the Caller-Times' Elaine Liner in an interview. The telethon alone raised $324,000 toward the goal of $1.8 million to build a new shelter. Less than a year later in August 1994 the Women's Shelter opened their new building that doubled its client capacity. Fawcett's dedication to domestic violence victims carried on until her death from anal cancer in 2009 at 62. Follow the Caller-Times examination of the citys struggle with domestic violence and learn more at www.caller.com/behindbrokendoors. Allison Ehrlich is the archive coordinator for the Caller-Times. Contact her at allison.ehrlich@caller.com and follow her on Twitter @CallerArchives. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A "College Signing Day" at the Freer ISD auditorium was hosted Wednesday for 41 seniors to take the stage and, surrounded by family, sign letters of intent for their school or military branch of interest. SHARE By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times Freer ISD is on a "Journey to Mars." Superintendent Steve VanMatre said the district's strategic plan, named after its ambitious nature, is playing out similar to landing the first man on the moon. When John F. Kennedy gave the "we choose to go to the moon" speech in 1962, "they didn't know at the time how they were going to do it," he said. "I don't know how we are going to (reach Mars), I just know we have goals and we are going to reach them." VanMatre announced this week the district reached one of the plan's goals 100 percent of the senior graduating class were accepted into a college, university, trade school or the military. A "College Signing Day" at the district auditorium was hosted Wednesday for 41 students to take the stage and, surrounded by family, sign letters of intent for their school or military branch of interest. The event, which VanMatre credits to an early college-oriented partnership with Texas A&M International University in Laredo, is in celebration of a cultural shift in Freer ISD. The partnership consists of busing about 100 Freer high school students to the university twice a week to attend dual credit classes. "We wanted to change the culture," he said of a memorandum with the university signed in April and the district's overall plan. "To have students who are ready for college there had to be a transformational shift." High school principal Conrad Cantu said last year about half the senior class was accepted into a college or university by graduation. "It's working," he said of district efforts to motivate students to continue their education after high school. Students in other grades were invited to attend the ceremonial event to "see what it's like," he said. "They need to know anything is possible," Cantu said. Freer High School senior Danielle Adami, a 17-year-old Freer native, said she's set on becoming a wildlife officer, but hasn't decided if she will attend Blinn College, Schreiner University, A&M-IU or A&M-Kingsville. "It's an honor," she said of Wednesday's event. "I'm excited all our hard work is paying off. Twitter: @CallerBetty SHARE Associated Press file U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times The road to an Austrian-run iron plant in Gregory just got a lot less confusing. Officials for the Port of Corpus Christi announced Wednesday they renamed La Quinta Terminal Road to honor Kay Bailey Hutchison. Hutchison was in town for the annual State of the Port luncheon. The former U.S. senator and one-time gubernatorial candidate is often credited with securing funding to extend the La Quinta Channel and with helping protect South Texas military bases from closure after the decision was made to close Naval Station Ingleside. "I'm completely speechless," said Hutchison, who works as general counsel in Dallas for the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani. Kay Bailey Hutchison Road is crucial to clearing up road trips for many truckers and delivery drivers confused by two roads with similar-sounding names. Voestalpine Texas is in the final stages of construction of its $740 million iron-manufacturing plant on La Quinta Terminal Road. La Quinta Terminal Road is often confused with La Quinta Road, an older, parallel-running route that connects State Highway 361 to the waterfront and southernmost point of Sherwin Alumina. The port-owned La Quinta Terminal Road was built less than two years ago and doesn't show up on some electronic mapping systems. La Quinta Road belongs to Sherwin Alumina. Many turned-around drivers, particularly those carrying energy and building materials from outside the region, are directed to La Quinta Road, a two-lane road established before 1981. Choosing the wrong La Quinta road could add as much as 10 miles to a trip. Voestalpine and Cheniere Energy, which is building an $11 billion liquefied natural gas plant nearby, put up signs featuring their company logos, trying to make it easier for drivers to find them. Matthias Pastl, a Voestalpine Texas spokesman, said Kay Bailey Hutchison Road will need to be registered with the county and emergency medical services. Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam Caller-Times file photo A photograph of Lisa Marie Rose, 19, one of several photographs of victims of violent crimes, is placed among more than 500 stuffed animals during a 2007 toy drive by the Homicide Survivors Support for the Nueces County Children's Advocacy Center. SHARE By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times Donna Watkins repositioned children's photos on a memorial wreath. The tribute to homicide victims was full and she had a new stack to pin on to the branches. It was time to start a second wreath. This one would be devoted to the children. Both wreaths will be on display at a church service Sunday to remember those killed in violent crimes. It's the Homicide Survivors Support Group's annual Day of Remembrance to kick off National Crime Victims Rights Week April 10-16. "We have to become their voice. We have to keep their memory going," Watkins said. Plaques bear the names of more than 160 people killed in the Coastal Bend since Watkins founded the group 26 years ago. She could relate to what the victims' families were experiencing. More than 40 years ago, as Watkins and her husband prepared to adopt a 6-week-old girl, the girl's mother beat her to death. The loss sent Watkins into an emotional abyss but her brother helped pull her out. Then, 18 months later, Watkins' brother was murdered in Tennessee. "People read about this in the newspaper. They see it on TV. They really have no idea what happens to these victims' families after everything is over," Watkins said. Those in the group know. They rally around each other whether it be at the monthly meetings, during bake sales and toy drives, around the holidays or as the criminal justice process wanes. They are a family, Watkins said, and they help each other heal. But they want the community to join them in remembering their loved ones with a 10:30 a.m. church service at First Christian Church, 3401 Santa Fe St. Nationally, crime Victims' Rights Week is to empower and pay homage to victims. Law enforcement and victims' rights agencies will host a memorial and wreath display at the main entrance of the Nueces County Courthouse at 10 a.m. Monday. Twitter: @CallerKMT IF YOU GO What: Day of Remembrance When: 10:30 a.m. Sunday Where: First Christian Church, 3401 Santa Fe St. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES FILE Family members of a father and daughter that went missing after a boat capsized react after a body was found near an oil rig. SHARE By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times An investigation by Texas Parks and Wildlife into a capsized boat that led to the death of three people could result in criminal charges. On March 6, an 18-foot leisure boat with eight people capsized about a mile off shore from Swantner Park. A family on board was visiting from Saltillo, Mexico. Marina Patrol, police, Flour Bluff firefighters and the Coast Guard rescued four people, including 4-year-old Patrick Watson, from the water. Patrick was taken to Driscoll Children's Hospital, where he died, police said. The bodies of Mario Alberto Leon Rangel, 36, and his 13-year-old daughter, Odry Lilieth Leon, were found five days later near an oil rig in Corpus Christi Bay. They were found hours apart by Texas Equusearch, a search and recovery team out of Dickinson, volunteer searchers and family members. A preliminary investigation shows a number of contributing factors to the boat capsizing, including the number of people on the boat and weather, said Capt. Marvin Tamez, game warden for the Corpus Christi region. "We're not sure how much the vessel manufacturer recommends for that boat, but eight people on an 18-foot boat could be overloading it," Tamez said. "Also, there was a wind advisory that day for small crafts. The boat riding low in the water, venturing into rough waters, may have forced it to take on water and capsize." The boat operator, a local man who is in a relationship with the vessel's owner, could face a charge of a child not wearing a personal flotation device, or life jacket, or a child not wearing a life jacket prescribed for their age and weight, he said. It would be a Class C misdemeanor under the Texas Water Safety Act. "The investigation points to children at one point in the voyage did not have life jackets, or were not wearing child-specific jackets," he said. Some life jackets were recovered after the incident and some of those rescued were wearing them, he said. The agency will continue the investigation before turning the case over to prosecutors. Twitter: @Caller_Jules Krista M. Torralva/Caller-Times Mayor Nelda Martinez proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. SHARE By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times Consider this a warning from Corpus Christi Mayor Nelda Martinez. "We have to make a statement that has teeth in it that we are not going to tolerate sexual assault," Martinez said to advocates from various agencies that make up the Coastal Bend Coordinated Community Response Coalition. Martinez proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month during the group's monthly meeting. Nationally, April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. "Texas must continue the dialogue like the ones started by the Women's Shelter of South Texas in their places of work, schools and homes," Martinez said. About a quarter of the Women's Shelter's nearly 3,000 clients in 2014 and 2015 and were sexual assault victims, according to shelter statistics. Sexual assault survivors are more likely to suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts, according to the National Coalition Institute for Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Tuesday, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi is hosting the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event during which men walk in high heels to create conversation about sexual assault and gender violence. On April 27, the Women's Shelter of South Texas is participating in the international education and awareness campaign Denim Day. Participants should wear jeans and post pictures to social media with #DenimDay, #SAAPM, #TurnTexasTeal and #WSSTX. The idea is to eliminate excuses about what a women wears, said Stacey Barrera, community educator with the Women's Shelter. "I urge all of our citizens to increase their awareness and work to prevent sexual assault in communities across the state," Martinez said. Twitter: @CallerKMT SHARE Joe McComb GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES FILE A man kayaks in the Blanco River as searchers look for members of the Carey, Charba and the McComb families on May 27, 2015. By Matt Woolbright of the Caller-Times Joe McComb knows the pain of losing loved ones to a disaster. The former Nueces County commissioner's daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were among those killed in the historic flood in Wimberley last year. Thousands helped in the search efforts for those lost to the raging waters of the Blanco River. Now he wants to help ease the heartache for others. McComb was elected to the board for Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR). The organization also has formed a Coastal Bend team, which will have its first meeting next week in Corpus Christi. McComb, president and owner of McComb Relocation Services, said it is an honor to serve an organization that aided in the search for his family following the 2015 flooding. "I had heard the (organization's) name mentioned in previous years, but they became a reality to us last May and we got to see them in action," McComb said. "Everything we had heard was understated in terms of the quality and depth of service they provide. Their reputation was good before, but they even exceeded that." In all, eight people from the McComb, Charba and Carey families died in the flood. The Corpus Christi families were vacationing at a home along the Blanco River when it crested at more than 40 feet sweeping the home off its pilings and sending it downstream. Jonathan McComb was the only one from the home found alive. TEXSAR's search is ongoing for Leighton McComb, 4, and 6-year-old Will Charba. "From a recipient's standpoint of the service they provide, I want to be there to support their efforts in the future," McComb said. "Heaven forbid anyone need their services, but if they do, I want to do what I can to help ensure they can get there quickly." The nonprofit has more than 200 members across Texas and includes professionally trained and volunteer first responders. There are teams in Central Texas, the Gulf Coast, North Texas, West Texas, and now in the Coastal Bend. The organization doesn't charge for services requested from agencies and individuals, according to a TEXSAR news release. Jonathan McComb, who returned to Wimberley in October for a ceremony to honor those who died in the flood, also has been vocal about the gratitude he felt from the widespread support and volunteers who aided with the search. "Totally opposite of the tragedy was the love from Corpus," he previously told the Caller-Times. "When (my brother Justin McComb) told me how many people and resources and what they were doing, it blew me away, and I broke down many times just for that." As for the Coastal Bend team, Joe McComb said the annual threat of a hurricane and proximity of major refineries necessitate a presence to assist local first responders. "We have a lot of great first responders, but we always could benefit from additional help," he said. "You never know what emergency is going to happen or when ... we definitely want to have a group in the Coastal Bend area so we can provide some help for those things, and to help families get some relief and closure faster." For more information or to donate to TEXSAR visit www.TEXSAR.org. Twitter: @reportermatt SHARE By Matt Woolbright of the Caller-Times An ordinance with mandatory fingerprint-based background checks would spell the end of Uber in Corpus Christi, but it may not be the end of ride-hailing services. Tride, a company from Tulsa, Oklahoma, that got into the ride-hailing business about six months ago, is testing the market to determine if installing its Uber-like business model in the Coastal Bend makes sense. And the company's founders say they're fine with regulations similar to the taxi companies in town including requiring fingerprints and having a presence in the city. "If there's enough interest, we'll be building an office in Corpus Christi, and we'll have employees in Corpus Christi," co-founder Mack Parks, 25, said. "That's because we believe in being a local business and the face-to-face, human interaction." Parks started the company with friend Blake Litton as a party bus rental company in Tulsa, but decided to move into ride-hailing because the industry was shifting in that direction, he said. Parks first met Litton when he hailed an Uber ride. Litton was the driver. That's why their operation's interface is similar to the global company's, but some things are different. For example, the fares are a little higher, but there is no surge pricing, and the number of drivers in a market is regulated by how many riders download the app a policy that doesn't affect the company's profits, but does increase what drivers make, Parks said. The duo's experience with Uber and now running their own company also is why Parks acknowledges the benefits of fingerprint-based background checks. "We use the same background check system as Uber, and there are limits," he said. "If you lived in another state last year under a different name, we don't know anything about that person. We just know the person you are now." Uber and Lyft drivers locally have said they're not opposed to submitting to fingerprint-based background checks, but the companies have emphatically rejected the notion and said it's a deal-breaker for them in all future markets. Still, Parks' and Litton's willingness to accept rules Uber won't doesn't change everyone's opinion on how the city should craft its law. "When people get off a plane at the airport, they're not going to open their Tride app or another app they're going to open their Uber or Lyft apps," City Councilwoman Colleen McIntyre said. "So those are the companies we need here, but we're happy to have the others as well." William Thompson, a vocal supporter for the ride-hailing industry here, echoed that sentiment, but added the company doesn't replace Uber or Lyft. "The more (ride-hailing) companies operate, the more choices we have, the better off our city will be," he said. "We still need Uber and Lyft, because business travelers and tourists from all over the world use them and expect them to have service in any modern city they visit." Twitter: @reportermatt When is hurricane season? Here's what you need to know in South Texas SHARE Bruce Nelson Stratton Library of Congress too PC Just when I thought I could read my morning Caller-Times without a snort and snicker after a ludicrous item of the day you burst my bubble by printing the Los Angeles Times story titled "Illegal aliens term scrapped" on April 4. The Library of Congress has announced the phrase had become offensive and it will no longer be used. The trend continues not to hurt the feelings of anybody that is breaking the law and we must now refer to them as "noncitizens" and their act as "Unauthorized immigration." Let me join the absurdity by suggesting we now refer to thieves as "Unauthorized Borrowers," murderers as "Early Termination Specialists" or perhaps child molesters as "Alternative Youth Counselors. In all sincerity I'm hoping we can find a solution to our immigration problems and I'm open to suggestions, but I must tell you I have a bit of a problem snuggling up to folks whose first unofficial act in this country is to break the law. My sincere regrets to anybody who hires Melissa Padilla, the student at a New Hampshire University who contacted the Library of Congress and their lack of any real government work to do for the taxpayers for participation in this farce. The second embezzlement case against the former Public Health Minister began yesterday in Yaounde before the Special Criminal Court. ADS The hearing of a new embezzlement case pitting the State of Cameroon represented by the Ministry of Public Health against the former Minister of Public Health, Urbain Olanguena Awono began yesterday, December 26, 2012 at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde. At 9:00 am yesterday, the atmosphere at the court premises was calm. The arrival of Olanguena Awono in a navy blue suit was preceded by the arrival of some close relations anxious to know what other accusations had been made against him. The slight delay of the college of judges and the prosecution was an opportunity for Urbain Olanguena Awono to concert with his lawyers. Then came the college of judges led by the Vice President of the court, Moukouri Francis and accompanied by Siewe Yvette and Mamar Paba Sale. Advocate Generals David Wesiheba and Jean-Claude Taghim sat for the legal department while the Ministry of Health, constituted as civil party, was represented by Soete Jean Claude Aime and Julien Mpah Wanga. The two said the Ministry of Public Health has solicited the services of two more lawyers but who were absent yesterday. According to the charge read by the court registrar, Urbain Olanguena Awono is accused of fraudulently obtaining the sum of FCFA 322 million between 2002 and 2006 within the framework of the management of programmes for the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS, respectively. At the same time, he attempted to fraudulently obtain the sum of FCFA 60 million from the State which is contrary to Articles 74, 94 and 184 of the Penal Code. The accused pleaded not guilty. No further questioning or claims were made. The case was adjourned to the 10th of January 2013, pending the presence of the lawyers of the Ministry of Public Health and the presentation of the list of witnesses by the defense lawyers. The court session began at 9:25 am and ended at 9:50 am. ADS Bid4Ad is an online marketplace for traditional media inventory which seeks to help SMEs find, compare and book targeted ad spaces in a few clicks. It currently claims a network of more than 300 advertising SMEs (such as schools, spas and restaurants) and more than 5,000 ad spaces from publishers such as MediaCorp and SPH, across seven countries in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Our mission is to simplify the life of traditional media, CEO and co-founder Gregory Marchand told Campaign Asia-Pacific. We will only be happy once traditional media is as easy and snazzy to buy as digital advertising. A self-funded enterprise since its launch in January 2015, the company will use its new injection of capital to develop its next-generation platform, to automate traditional media buying. After developing Bid4Ad Marketplace, our aim is to take it further and develop a programmatic solution offering a seamless and scalable process between media and advertisers, he said. The team is now working on a major product launch for agencies, putting together an inventory management system intended to enable seamless buying of traditional and digital media. The new platform is intended to simplify advertisers work and connect them directly to programmatic exchanges. The company expects to deliver the offering within the year. According to Marchand, it will be cloud-based and will allow traditional media to log in from anywhere and manage their inventory profiles. A snazzy tool to connect with your clients and exchanges from wherever you are, he added. He noted that agencies are craving a programmatic solution to render digital and traditional media seamless, but to date, there appear to be very few competitors in Bid4Ads space. There are a lot of marketplaces and exchanges for the digital advertising, but we have found few competitors servicing traditional media, he added. Gregory Marchand Marchand said that Bid4Ad currently generates revenue via a commission-based model from its SME customers, and that upcoming products will be membership-based. The idea of a central marketplace where traditional and digital media are bought seamlessly in a few clicks came from Marchands father, Jean-Claude Marchand. The older Marchand observed major flaws in traditional media advertising during his time as global CEO of Reuters Information and Edipresse. His son was inspired to turn vision to reality when it became pretty clear that todays technology could help do so, after leaving the banking industry and undergoing an entrepreneurship programmeDraper Universityfounded by venture capitalist Tim Draper. Marketplaces are the answer, and they are not only reserved for digital advertising, said Marchand. The venture quickly became a family affair, as Marchands siblings joined the team as co-founders: Celine de Rosiere, who worked at the London Stock Exchange, and Christelle Ogier, who previously worked at Procter & Gamble in Switzerland. The company also recently welcomed Christopher Yeo, ex-CTO of SPH, as its senior advisor. Yeo said that in the last few years, digital media ad technology has advanced relentlessly, bringing higher efficiencies as well as cost savings to brands, ad agencies and media publishers. But despite the growth of digital media, print media has not gone away, especially in Asia, where many niche print media titles, outdoor and transport media owners are still seeing demand for their products. Bid4Ad is now poised to deliver that same level of innovation, efficiencies and cost savings to the print media world through state-of-the-art, cloud-based big data and analytics software, he added. Marchand admits that marketplaces are never easy to launch, because buyers and sellers need to trust that they will grow to be successful. However once momentum is there, then the growth becomes exponential, he added. Confidence is the holy grail of personal skills. We all want to crack itto instil it in our kids and project it whether were talking in front of clients or meeting new people. Confident people are magnetic and fun to be around. Theyre not desperate to be liked, and that makes them all the more likable. But it's a psychological tightrope. Too much confidence, and you veer into arrogance. Too little confidence, and youre in danger of being ignored and looking like you lack competence. When we think about confidence in the workplace, there is often a gendered discourse. Flamingo recently conducted research across Omnicom agencies that identified career vertigo, a lack of desire or confidence to reach the top experienced by some women as they progress through their careers. There is some evidence that women struggle with confidence more than men: Self-doubt (Institute of Leadership and Management, 2012): British managers were surveyed about how confident they feel in their professions. Half the female respondents reported self-doubt about their job performance and careers, compared with less than a third of male respondents. Self-value (Linda Babcock, Women Don't Ask): While men often overvalue their skills and strengths, women too frequently undervalue theirs. Men initiate pay negotiations four times as often as women do, and when women do negotiate, they ask for 30 percent less money than men do. Confidence may start high, but drops off (BAIN & Co): Women may enter the workplace aspiring for top management roles, but after two years in the job womens aspiration levels drop by more than 60 percent...with only 16 percent of women still thinking they can reach executive roles. In Asia, the picture is similarly gendered. Anne-Marie Slaughter talks of the carer path as opposed to the career path, and its women who get put onto this carer path, whether for children, family or for elders. Preeti Varma, Flamingo cultural intelligence consultant, explains: Women in Asia dont want to let go of this rolethey want to be the carer, but also the modern working woman. So they put immense pressure on themselves to do both perfectly. You dont see women allowing themselves to fail and this can be a huge confidence shaker. The cultural element behind all of this cannot be ignored. In Asia, just as in other markets, society gives women fewer reasons to feel self-assured. Its wrong to view a lack of confidence as my own problem when it is in fact the result of a culture in which equality is still rare. The bigger question, as Jessica Valenti writes in The Guardian, is creating a culture that values self-assured women. Regardless of our gender, in the meantime, were all going to have to manage confidence at some point in our careers. At the 2016 Omniwomen Leadership Summit, Vanella Jackson, global CEO of Hall & Partners, Tammy Einav, managing director of Adam&Eve DDB, and I held a breakout session on 'cracking' confidence. Here are some of the tips we discussed: Speak early and ask questions Don't allow a whole meeting to pass without having said something. Say something early and dont be paralysed by thinking that the thing you say has to be of groundbreaking profundity. Vanella believes asking an astute question can often have an 'emperors new clothes' effect, cutting through the marketing speak to the core of the issue. Find your tribe These might be mentors, role models, friends or the people you like going to lunch with at work. But the people that believe in you are a good place to start when youre experiencing self-doubt. Theyre the ones that will reflect back at you all the good stuff and help build self-belief. Likewise if there are any people who leave you feeling deflated about yourself, consider minimising your contact. Be amongst radiators, not amongst drains. Do stuff that you love This might be in work or outside work (anything from running in the park to writing short stories to doing some colouring with your kids). When youre doing things that make you happy, you feel proud of yourself, and that boosts confidence both inside and outside the workplace. This article is part of the Cultural Radar series Your best asset is you Its natural to look around at inspiring leaders and want to emulate their style. But truly, the very best asset you have is your individuality. Einav talked about being true to who you are, not manning up or adopting someone else's style. Not only is it inauthentic, its exhausting, especially if you work long hours. Be yourself and have confidence in yourself. its the one thing that is irreplaceable about you. Care a bit less Cindy Gallop says that the single most paralysing fear we have is the fear of what people will think. It stops us from speaking up, from sharing our opinions, from contributing, from challenging. Its good to care what people think in an empathetic way, but not when it paralyses you. Try and care a little bit less and speak up a little bit more. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realised how seldom they do. Stop saying Just Women use worlds like just and sorry in their emails more than men. Notice how many times you do this and stop using those words. Its amazing how much more confident your tone is. Theres even an app for it! Conviction trumps perfectionism You don't need to know everything, you just need to believe in what you do know and say it with conviction, even if its different from what everyone else is sayingin fact exactly because its different from what everyone else is saying. Heed Bertrand Russell: Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric. Annie Auerbach is senior director, cultural intelligence, Flamingo London Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor Group has launched a new campaign across Asia, titled #MoreThan. The campaign recounts and documents the millions of lives touched and transformed and societies empowered through the companys business initiatives. These include Project Sampark, an initative in India empowering young women with equal opportunities to connectivity, and Easypaisa, a mobile phone-based platform offering quick and easy payment services to families across Pakistan. The campaign launched on 14 March and is currently in multiple markets including Malaysia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. An ode to the companys stated mission to affect positive change in the world through the power of digital communications and built in partnership with The Secret Little Agency (TSLA), #MoreThan spotlights the issues that Telenor has been addressing for over a decade. The campaigns production spanned cities such as Aligarh in India, Mawa in Bangladesh, Sukkur in Pakistan and the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar to bring to life personal storiesfrom the perspectives of a cybersecurity ambassador, a budding tech entrepreneur, a medical student-to-be and young advocates of digital technology. The integrated campaign will be executed across print, TV, digital, and social channels. This marks the first major campaign by the agency for the telco since it was awarded the account in January 2015. Marcus Adaktusson, head of communications for Asia at Telenor said that the #MoreThan campaign is another important step in the telling of the companys story. Its a story of how mobile is about much more than connectivity. Its about inclusion, inspiration and empowerment, he added. It is both our business and our responsibility to open up the potential of the worlds digital transformation to everyone. We strive to be more than a telecommunications company. Eunice Tan, head of strategy at TSLA said the telcos work has resulted in impacts made in tangible areas of healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, youth and agriculture. All weve done is to tell this story to the world, in all its raw, unadulterated beauty, she added. Ad Nut is a sucker for stories well told, and theres nothing more powerful than hearing the truth of things straight from the proverbial horse's mouth. Ad Nut also enjoyed the slick production values in all the videos released so far, and thinks that overall it is a strong campaign for the telco brand, with the right dose of feels. It doesnt venture too far from the message of empowerment through connectivity that the telco has pushed over the years, notably in markets like Thailand, but Ad Nut thinks this is the most expansive one to date and, despite its scope across Asia, the simplest or clearest in execution of messagenicely done. Ad Nut is also now a bit ashamed that all Ad Nut only uses the connectivity in the woodland office here to shop for deals on premium nuts, from online stores that offer free shipping. | BY Lynchy | Says Del Campo: It has been an enormous privilege for me to have developed so many ideas bigger than ads in a space as inspiring as Saatchi &Saatchi, hand in hand with the most prestigious industry leaders and creative teams. Today, the network holds the highest standards in terms of talent in order to continue the hothouse for world-changing ideas. The decision to leave this 20-year-old adventure has not been easy but the outcome surpassed by far my expectations. I hope Ive honored the brand, he added. Elon Musk to lay off three out of four workers at Twitter, report says 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. [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 Three college students who first met while attending a Catholic high school in Florida have launched a scholarship fund to help others experience faithful Catholic education at a Newman Guide college. As we went off to different colleges, we kept in touch and found time to catch up whenever we returned [] 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. New Delhi: The new academic session has already begun in schools but the supply of NCERT text books for Mathematics and History for secondary classes is short in the market in the national capital, leaving parents in limbo. While book shop owners say they have either not received any supply from distributors or have got only limited stocks, parents are hopping from one place to another to find the books but with little success. NCERT officials, however, maintained there is no shortage of printing or supply of books at their end. Parents Reaction: The session has already started and I could not find mathematics book for my daughter who is in Class VI. The school bookstore also did not have it neither the 4-5 stores that we went to in different areas of Delhi. "Maths is one of the mainstream subjects, the students will suffer if the books aren't available on time as classes have already begun," said a parent residing in South-West Delhi. Another parent said, "I had to get the book photocopied for my child from one of his friends who had managed to buy it. It is not possible to manually check out each and every store in Delhi to find out if a particular book is available or not". Books available after April 15 The book-store owners in some of the prominent schools said they have been informed that enough books haven't been printed and they will be available after April 15. Some book stores in Connaught place and Patel Nagar area said they are short of mathematics books from Class 6 to 8 and History book of class 9. "There is no shortage at NCERT's end and adequate copies have been printed. This type of logistical problem arises sometimes but is beyond NCERT's control. At times the retailers develop a nexus with private publishers to hold supply of these books to encourage sale of their books," an NCERT official said. Books available to download on NCERT website "The supply at our end is upto the mark and those who are facing problems can also contact our distribution centres. Also all the books are available for download on NCERT website," the official added. PTI Matthew Sant can teach most of us a lesson or two about proper etiquette during an accident. The Australian motorcyclist was on the receiving end of a three (or is that four?) car pileup in Canberra that tossed him off his bike and onto the hood of a Toyota Corolla. Sant immediately gets up and gives a thumbs up to the car behind him before walking towards the disoriented driver to ask if hes okay and shake his hand! Strangely, no one came rushing to the biker to see if he was okay Sant described the accident on YouTube thusly: Travelling along Canberra avenue toward the city in an 80km/h zone. Traffic had backed up ahead and come to a stop. As I came to a stop I checked my mirror and moved to the right of the road in case the car behind wasnt paying attention. I saw him come to a stop and relaxed, looking away. The next thing I knew I was looking at the sky was the guy three cars back that didnt stop. Video Photo: Gerard Moonen In last weeks report, I raised concerns that Government budgets, such as the recent Liberal Federal budget, often focus too much on short term thinking while ignoring the long term issues that will impact future generations of Canadians. This week, the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer issued a report that criticized the recent Liberal budget, noting that the time horizon for consideration of cost impacts has been significantly shortened by the Liberals. The PBO reported that overall, changes made by the Liberals in this budget have made it more difficult for parliamentarians to scrutinize public finances. For partisan readers of my report, please note these are the words of the PBO, and not my own. Last week, I provided specific examples of the ways Canadians currently spend 10% of our entire federal budget just on debt repayment. This will further increase now that the Liberals have ignored their electoral commitment to return to balanced budgets in 2019. In this weeks report I would like to discuss another long term challenge that, in my view, has been ignored in the federal Liberal budget: Our aging demographics. In 2012, the former Prime Minister announced that, starting in 2023, the age of eligibility for OAS benefits would be increased from 65 to 67, to be fully implemented by the year 2030. In Budget 2016, these proposed OAS changes were cancelled. I will leave out the politics, and will simply provide information that relates to this subject. When OAS was first created in 1952, the age of eligibility was 70. At that time, the average life expectancy was 66 for men and 71 for women. In 1965, the OAS qualifying age was lowered from 70 to 65. Today, the average life expectancy is 79 for men and 83 for women, meaning citizens are collecting OAS benefits for much longer. Here is another consideration: Currently, seniors are the fastest growing demographic in our society. Over the next two decades, the number of Canadian citizens over the age of 65 will double from roughly 4.7 million today to over 9.3 million by 2030. Why does this matter? Today, OAS spending costs $36 billion a year, and, based on the aging demographics of our society, is expected to rise to $108 billion by the year 2030. On the surface, this may not seem like a challenge, until you consider that currently, for every one retired citizen receiving OAS benefits, there is a ratio of four working Canadians, not receiving OAS benefits, who are helping to fund them. By 2030 this ratio will be again be cut in half, with just two working Canadians not receiving OAS benefits but paying for twice as many citizens who are eligible. In other words, there will be significantly more citizens who receive OAS benefits, and significantly fewer citizens not receiving OAS benefits but paying for the cost of it. For added context, in 1975 there was a ratio of 7 working taxpayers for every citizen over 65. Why does the ratio of fewer working taxpayers to those over 65 matter? The simple answer is, income tax. Nearly 50% of all federal revenue comes from income tax, compared to GST which generates roughly 10% revenue. Fewer working Canadians will result in significantly decreased income tax revenue, while aging population demographics will result in significantly higher costs for programs such as OAS. Keep in mind, these are not partisan concerns, these are the realities of our demographics. While many people did not agree with raising the age of OAS eligibility, it was one proposed solution to this pending fiscal challenge. Budget 2016 eliminated this proposed solution, and offers no long term solution to deal with the problem. Make no mistake, todays youth will be the ones facing this challenge, which is part of the reason they have become known as Generation Squeezed. I welcome your comments, questions, and concerns on this or any subject before the House of Commons. I can be reached at [email protected] or toll-free at 1.800.665.8711. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Slow down the speed of aggressive traffic in Kelowna! It's not age, gender or race specific. Everyone has the responsibility to drive within the speed limit for safety reasons. Defensive driving helps keep insurance costs down, reduce costs of policing and emergency response costs. But most importantly, we have an obligation and opportunity to reduce human misery from the result of an accident caused by an aggressive or careless driver. Wayne Dueck If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... Sepsis is a complex clinical syndrome, representing a response to infection that can arise from many different underlying causes. A reliable sepsis surveillance definition based on objective clinical data is needed to more accurately track national sepsis trends and enable ongoing assessment of the impact of efforts to increase sepsis awareness and prevention. To highlight the challenges and variability associated with estimating sepsis mortality, CDC compared national estimates of sepsis-related mortality based on death certificates with previously published sepsis mortality estimates generated using administrative claims data. Using death certificate data for the period 19992014, CDC found that a total of 2,470,666 decedents (6% of all deaths) had sepsis listed among the causes of death (sepsis-related deaths); for 22% of these decedents, sepsis was listed as the underlying cause of death. For the period 20042009, in a previously published report, investigators analyzed administrative claims data using four approaches for identifying adult patients (aged 18 years) with sepsis. In data rounded to thousands, the annual range of published sepsis-related mortality estimates based on administrative claims data was 15% to 140% higher (range = 168,000381,000) than annual estimates generated using death certificate data (multiple causes) (range = 146,000159,000). Sepsis is a clinical syndrome caused by response to infection. Because there is no confirmatory diagnostic test, the diagnosis of sepsis is based on clinical judgement of suspected infection. Data from both death certificate and administrative claims data have been used to assess sepsis incidence and mortality, but estimates vary depending on the surveillance definition and data source. Sepsis is a clinical syndrome caused by a dysregulated host response to infection (1). Because there is no confirmatory diagnostic test, the diagnosis of sepsis is based on evidence of infection and clinical judgement. Both death certificates and health services utilization data (administrative claims) have been used to assess sepsis incidence and mortality, but estimates vary depending on the surveillance definition and data source. To highlight the challenges and variability associated with estimating sepsis mortality, CDC compared national estimates of sepsis-related mortality based on death certificates using the CDC WONDER database with published sepsis mortality estimates generated using administrative claims data from hospital discharges reported in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2). During 20042009, using data rounded to thousands, the annual range of published sepsis-related mortality estimates based on administrative claims data was 15% to 140% higher (range = 168,000381,000) than annual estimates generated using death certificate data (multiple causes) (range = 146,000159,000). Differences in sepsis-related mortality reported using death certificates and administrative claims data might be explained by limitations inherent in each data source. These findings underscore the need for a reliable sepsis surveillance definition based on objective clinical data to more accurately track national sepsis trends and enable objective assessment of the impact of efforts to increase sepsis awareness and prevention. Death certificate data were obtained from multiple cause-of-death records of the National Vital Statistics System, using CDCs WONDER database (http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd.html). Multiple cause-of-death records include the immediate cause of death (i.e., the final disease or condition resulting in death), up to 20 contributing causes, a single underlying cause of death (i.e., the disease or injury that initiated the events resulting in death), and significant conditions that were present at the time of death but were not a direct link in the chain of events leading to death. All information on death certificates is documented by the certifier (e.g., a physician, medical examiner, or coroner) and subsequently coded by the National Center for Health Statistics in accordance with guidelines specified by the World Health Organization (3). National trends in sepsis-related mortality have been previously estimated from administrative claims data obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer, publicly-available inpatient database in the United States, using various combinations of the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) administrative codes for primary or secondary infection and organ dysfunction to identify severe sepsis. In a published report (2), investigators generated a range of sepsis mortality estimates using four previously established approaches to identifying adult patients (aged 18 years) with sepsis using administrative claims data. Two of these approaches (4,5) defined sepsis using explicit, sepsis-specific ICD-9-CM codes in addition to various codes for infection and organ dysfunction, whereas the other two approaches (6,7) defined sepsis on the basis of combinations of infection criteria and organ dysfunction as implicit markers for severe sepsis. Multiple cause-of-death mortality files maintained in the CDC WONDER database were reviewed to analyze deaths (for all ages) from sepsis reported on death certificates during 19992014, defined as deaths with diagnoses corresponding to International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes A40 (streptococcal septicemia) and A41 (other septicemia) listed on the death certificate. The annual sepsis mortality estimates based on death certificates from the WONDER database were then compared with the previously published annual estimates generated based on the ICD-9-CM administrative codes data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Based on multiple cause-of-death data during 19992014, a total of 2,470,666 decedents (6% of all deaths) had sepsis listed among the causes of death (sepsis-related deaths); for 22% of these decedents, sepsis was listed as the underlying cause of death. During this period, the annual number of all reported sepsis-related deaths increased 31%, from 139,086 in 1999 to 182,242 in 2014 (Figure 1). Approximately 15% of all sepsis-related deaths during this period occurred in nonacute care settings (e.g., at home, long-term care facilities, hospice, and unknown setting). Among the 2,472,911 A40 and A41 codes listed for the 2,470,666 decedents, the most common were unspecified septicemia (A41.9, 94%), septicemia caused by other gram-negative organisms (A41.5, 2%), and septicemia caused by Staphylococcus aureus (A41.0, 2%). Among decedents, approximately 49% were aged 6584 years, 26% were aged 85 years, and 25% were aged 2564 years (4% aged 2544 years and 21% aged 4564 years). Approximately 1% of decedents were aged <25 years. (Figure 2). During 20042009, using data rounded to thousands, the annual range of published sepsis-related mortality estimates based on administrative codes (range = 168,000381,000) was 15% to 140% higher than annual estimates generated using death certificates (multiple causes) for those years (range = 146,000159,000) (Figure 1). Global Polio Laboratory Network The GPLN comprises 146 WHOaccredited poliovirus laboratories in all WHO regions. GPLN member laboratories follow standardized protocols to 1) isolate and identify poliovirus, 2) conduct intratypic differentiation to identify WPV or screen for Sabin-like poliovirus (isolates that display 1% nucleotide sequence difference from the parental vaccine strain [0.6% for type 2]) and VDPV (7), and 3) conduct genomic sequencing. Sequencing results are used to monitor pathways of poliovirus transmission by comparing the nucleotide sequence of the coding region for one of the viral capsid proteins (VP1) of poliovirus isolates. Genomic sequencing of an isolate with 1.5% nucleotide divergence in the VP1-coding region from previously identified poliovirus isolates (i.e., an orphan virus), indicates prolonged undetected circulation and gaps in AFP surveillance. To meet standard laboratory timeliness indicators for stool specimen processing, laboratories should report 80% of poliovirus isolation results within 14 days of specimen receipt, 80% of intratypic differentiation results within 7 days of isolate receipt, and 80% of sequencing results within 7 days of identifying isolate intratype. The standard programmatic indicator combining field and laboratory performance is to report intratypic differentiation results for 80% of isolates within 60 days of paralysis onset for AFP cases. This indicator takes into account the interval from paralysis onset to specimen testing (the Eastern Mediterranean Region uses a 45-day time frame). The accuracy and quality of testing at GPLN laboratories is monitored through an annual accreditation program of onsite reviews and proficiency testing. GPLN laboratories met timeliness indicators for poliovirus isolation in all regions for both years except the Western Pacific Region in 2014 and the European Region in 2015 (Table 2). The overall timeliness indicator for onset to intratypic differentiation results was met in all regions in both years except the European Region in 2015. As of March 5, 2016, the GPLN had tested 203,698 stool specimens in 2014 and 192,250 in 2015. WPV1 was isolated from 412 AFP case samples in 2014 and from 74 in 2015. In addition, cVDPV was detected from 80 AFP case samples in 2014 and 32 in 2015. For the first time since 2005, the majority of cVDPV cases detected globally in 2015 were caused by Type 1. Among the 31 cVDPV cases identified, 19 (61%) occurred as part of type 1 outbreaks in Laos (7), Madagascar (10) and Ukraine (2); the remaining cVDPV cases were type 2 (Guinea [7], Myanmar [2], Nigeria [1], and Pakistan [2]). Genetic diversity declined among WPV1 isolates in 2015. In 2014, West Africa B1 (WEAF-B1) and South Asia (SOAS) were the only WPV1 genotypes circulating globally. Although WEAF-B1 genotype was detected in five countries in 2014, the only genotype detected in 2015 was SOAS from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sequence analysis continues to indicate that, as in 2014, WPV1 and cVDPV cases were likely missed by AFP surveillance in 2015. Orphan WPV1 isolates were associated with six of 54 WPV1 cases reported from Pakistan and two of 20 WPV1 cases reported in Afghanistan. Orphan cVDPV viruses were also isolated from stool specimens of AFP cases in Guinea, Laos, Madagascar, and Ukraine. Bharathi Cement wins Asia's 2015-16 most promising brand award 07 April 2016 Bharathi Cement Corporation Pvt Ltd, a Hyderabad-based cement producer and member of the Vicat-France Group, has been adjudged as the Asias most promising brand Award for 2015-16 by World Consulting and Research Corporation, reports Business Wire India. Bharathi Cement was chosen from the survey conducted by ibrands 360. For the award, nearly 100 top brands were selected out of a shortlist of 400 from different areas of business across Asia. Ashish Padhi, counsellor (science, education and consular) at the Embassy of India in Bangkok, Thailand, presented the award to M Ravinder Reddy, director, Bharathi Cement Corporation Ltd, at a function specially organised for the purpose. Responding to the award, M Ravinder Reddy said, accomplishing excellence in any field requires an immense planning and expertise. Bharathi Cement has always benefitted from its association with a global leader in cement. In addition, Bharathi is driven by a team of senior professionals with experience and expertise in power, cement and infrastructure. When forces of this nature join hands, the results are always exceptional. Empowered by these inherent strengths, we have taken with great leaps since our inception in 2009, he added. Today, Bharathi Cement produces four types of superior quality cement OPC 43, OPC 53, PPC and PSC. The company operates 5Mta cement production capacity in the Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh and a 2.75Mta cement plant in the Kalburgi District of Karnataka. With these two manufacturing facilities, brand Bharathi is operating with a total capacity of 7.75Mta. Published under Kansas State University physicists collaboratively have developed a method for taking X-ray images that show the explosion of superheated nanoparticles at the femtosecond level. Think of it as a microscopic movie: A sequence of X-ray images shows the explosion of superheated nanoparticles. The picture series reveals how the atoms in these particles move, how they form plasma and how the particles change shape. The method of taking these pictures is a collaborative creation that involved Kansas State University researchers Artem Rudenko and Daniel Rolles, both assistant professors of physics. The movies help scientists understand interactions of intense laser light with matter. But even more importantly, these experiments lead the way to filming various processes that involve ultrafast dynamics of microscopic samples, such as the formation of aerosols -- which play a major role in climate models -- or laser-driven fusion. "We can create a real movie of the microworld," Rudenko said. "The key development is that now we can take sequences of pictures on the nanoscale." Rudenko and Rolles -- both affiliated with the university's James R. Macdonald Laboratory -- collaborated with researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, Argonne National Laboratory and the Max Planck Institutes in Germany. Their publication, "Femtosecond and nanometre visualization of structural dynamics in superheated nanoparticles," appears in Nature Photonics. In this work, the collaboration used intense lasers to heat xenon nanoscale clusters and then took a series of X-ray pictures to show what happened to the particles. The picture series became a movie of how these objects move at the level of femtoseconds, which are one-millionth of a billionth of a second. "What makes nano so interesting is that the behavior for many things changes when you get to the nanoscale," Rolles said. "Nano-objects bridge the gap between bulk matter and individual atoms or molecules. This research helps us as we try to understand the behavior of nano-objects and how they change shape and properties within extremely short times." The pictures of the nanoparticles cannot be taken with normal optical light, but must be taken with X-rays because X-ray light has nanometer wavelengths that enable researchers to view nanoscale objects, Rolles said. The light wavelength must match the size of the object. To take the pictures, the researchers needed two ingredients: very short X-ray pulses and very powerful X-ray pulses. The Linac Coherent Light Source at SLAC provided those two ingredients, and Rudenko and Rolles traveled to California to use this machine to take the perfect pictures. The photo-taking method and the pictures it produces have numerous applications in physics and chemistry, Rolles said. The method is also valuable for visualizing laser interactions with nanoparticles and for the rapidly developing field of nanoplasmonics, in which the properties of nanoparticles are manipulated with intense light fields. This may help to build next-generation electronics. "Light-driven electronics can be much faster than conventional electronics because the key processes will be driven by light, which can be extremely fast," Rudenko said. "This research has big potential for optoelectronics, but in order to improve technology, we need to know how a laser drives those nanoparticles. The movie-making technology is an important step in this direction." Rudenko and Rolles are continuing to improve the moviemaking process. In collaboration with the university's soft matter physics group, they have extended the range of samples, which can be put into the X-ray machine and now can produce movies of gold and silica nanoparticles. "The work we are doing is far-reaching and over time will have a transformative impact," said Chief Executive Stefano Pessina, the Italian billionaire who engineered the merger and is the largest shareholder of Walgreens Boots Alliance. "Quarter to quarter, it is not always easy to find new things to say." The beer selection at U.S. Cellular Field will be heavy on Miller products, as always, but the home of the White Sox also will feature eight local craft beers, as well as more from out-of-town brewers. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) The Cubs will likely have the better team in 2016, but the White Sox continue to have Chicago's all-star craft-beer lineup. According to menus provided by both teams, U.S. Cellular Field will serve beer from eight local craft brewers in 2016: Half Acre, Lagunitas, Metropolitan, Pollyanna, Revolution, Hop Butcher For the World (formerly South Loop Brewing), Three Floyds and Two Brothers. Wrigley Field's most interesting beers will come from Goose Island most of them made at Anheuser-Busch breweries. Advertisement The major brands for both ballparks remain unchanged: The Cell will be awash in Miller products, while Budweiser and Bud Light will rule Wrigley. For those looking for variety, The Cell will be the place to be. Advertisement In addition to the abundance of local brands, craft stalwarts will be served such beers as Bell's (Oberon), Great Lakes (Elliot Ness) and Surly (Furious IPA in cans and Hell lager on draft), plus national brands such as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Goose Island Green Line pale ale in bottles (which is made at an out-of-state Anheuser-Busch plant). Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > The Cubs will have a much stronger beer lineup than years past remember when Old Style counted as variety? but variation will largely be limited to six Goose Island beers: 312 Urban Wheat, IPA, Four Star Pils (which will be an outstanding game day beer), Green Line, Matilda and Sofie. Wrigley will be dominated by Anheuser-Busch products, such as Michelob Ultra, Shock Top Belgian White, Shock Top Lemon Shandy, Lime-A-Rita, Straw-Ber-Rita, Stella Artois and Corona (which AB owns outside of the United States). The Cubs and Anheuser-Busch agreed to a 10-year exclusive marketing agreement in 2013. Wrigley Field vendors will carry Bud and Bud Light through the aisles, along with Goose's 312 Urban Wheat and IPA. Vendors at The Cell will carry Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, Coors Light and Leinenkugel Summer Shandy. Locally made beers at The Cell will include: Three Floyds (Yum Yum pale ale), Half Acre (Daisy Cutter and Pony Pils*), Hop Butcher for the World (Good Ryes Wear Black), Lagunitas (IPA and Lil Sumpin'*), Metropolitan (Flywheel* and Krankshaft*), Pollyanna Brewing (Full Lemonty blonde ale and Mazzie pale ale), Revolution (Anti-Hero IPA) and Two Brothers (Domaine DuPage, Ebel's Weiss and Prairie Path*). (Those available only in premium seating areas are indicated with an asterisk.) Prices for Wrigley beer will range between $8.75 and $9.50. Prices for beers at The Cell were not available. jbnoel@tribpub.com Twitter @joshbnoel A steak dinner doesn't need to be saved for a special occasion. This spicy flank steak goes from fridge to table in about 30 minutes making it totally doable any night the mood strikes. Pair it with a red wine that will stand up to the rich red meat; any of the three below will do the job well. Sounds like a nice break from chicken and veggies, right? MAKE THIS Advertisement Chili-rubbed flank steak and Spanish rice Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Dice a small green pepper and small onion; add to pan, and cook 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice; cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth, 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Mexican-style diced tomatoes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and cook over low heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the broiler to high. Rub 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons chili powder into flank steak on both sides. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place steak on a broiler pan or baking sheet with a rack. Broil 3-4 inches from heat source, about 5 minutes. Turn steaks; broil, 4 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Let the flank steak cool about 3 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain. Serve slices over rice. Makes: 4 servings Advertisement Recipe by Raeanne S. Sarazen DRINK THIS Pairings by sommelier Aaron McManus of Oriole, as told to Michael Austin: 2014 Zucardi Concreto Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina: This wine has a fruit-forward aroma with juicy berries, plum, fresh herbs, purple flower, black pepper and spice. It is medium-bodied with a slight grip of tannins, and that is important when you are pairing a wine with flank steak. It's a fairly lean cut of beef, so your wine cannot be too tannic. This wine's black pepper and spice qualities will complement the chili rub too. 2009 Bodegas Hermanos Pecina Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain: A blend of tempranillo, garnacha and graciano, this wine has aromas of raspberry and cherry complemented by a hint of sweet vanilla, dried herbs, leather, tomato leaf, tobacco, clove, anise and smoke. The texture is velvety, and the smoky qualities will match the flavors that result from broiling. Plus, the subtle hint of tomato and dried herbs will be a great match for the Spanish rice. 2013 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California: Very intense fruit flavors of black berries, currants and fig that are jammy or preserved give way to chocolate, violets, licorice and coffee in this big wine. Those bold flavors are matched by a powerful texture, which will help the wine stand up to the flavorful flank steak. In addition, the wine's fruity qualities will provide a sweet counterpoint to the dish's spice element. Twitter @pour_man He had a friend in Chicago at the time who was enrolled at the Second City Training Center and performing at iO Theater. "I went to watch him perform at iO, and it was really special because that night on stage it was Mike Myers and Chris Farley. They asked for a volunteer and I went on stage and talked about my day I had a really interesting day because I had just come cross-country on my motorcycle and then Farley played me, and it was the funniest thing I had ever seen. When you see improv for the first time you think it's routines worked out ahead of time, but I knew I wasn't (an audience) plant! I knew it was completely made up on the spot and it blew my mind. This was all improvised based on what I told them. The 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. If a contested convention emerges this year in Cleveland, technology will play a crucial role in the fight for delegates. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Few things scream throwback like a contested political convention, an event that calls to mind conniving party bosses, clouds of stale cigar smoke and throngs of activists in Uncle Sam hats passionately waving homemade signs. But while some of those retro touches will surely present themselves if Republicans arrive in Cleveland for their national convention in July with no clear nominee, the X factor in the fight could be an entirely new frontier of politics: the new technology of hunting for delegates. Advertisement A cottage industry of political techies already has emerged to pitch their wares to campaigns. They're promising that in the weeks leading up to the convention they can enable candidates to find and persuade the right delegates and then arm deputies on the convention floor with thousands of data points about delegates' ideological leanings, social media proclivities and even TV viewing habits. TRAIL GUIDE: All the latest news on the 2016 presidential campaign >> Advertisement A contested convention would test the extent to which technology can be leveraged to push the outcome of a political event and the speed at which such technology could be built and deployed. "Every possible service you can think of, some vendor is going to try to sell to every campaign involved," said Benjamin Ginsberg, former general counsel to the Republican National Committee and national counsel to the campaigns of Mitt Romney and George W. Bush. "There will be lots of efforts to sell new products that may or may not work to accomplish a task with which nobody is really familiar. This is so unknown." The last time Republicans had a contested convention was in 1976, when Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford squared off in an arena in Kansas City, Mo. Rotary telephones were still in vogue, and Apple's Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had just formed their partnership in a garage in Los Altos. There were no iPads. There were no iPhones. There were carbon paper and typewriters. This time, if a contested convention happens, it will unfold in an age of data analytics and micro-targeting and social media scraping, where it is not unusual for campaigns to target voters through magazine subscriptions and grocery purchases. Candidates will walk into the convention hall with tools unimagined four decades ago that they can use in a race to, among other things, find out everything they can about every delegate and develop a lightning-fast platform on which to share that knowledge with floor whips at crunch time. "There will be tons of [companies] crowding this space," said Brittany Kaiser, director of program development for Cambridge Analytica, a firm that has accumulated thousands of data points from Starbucks preferences to vacation histories on each of about 240 million Americans. "It is going to be incredibly important to understand everything possible about every single delegate." See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement Kaiser's firm -- although not Kaiser herself -- already has been working with the campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is likely to head into the convention with the second-largest bloc of delegates committed to him. Cruz campaign insiders say tech already has been key to the edge Cruz has been gaining in delegates even in states where he lost the election to Donald Trump. Many of the delegates who will be officially representing Trump from Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona and North Dakota -- all states won by the New York businessman -- are actually Cruz sympathizers. Under convention rules, those delegates would be bound to Trump for the first round of delegate voting in Cleveland. But if no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, many delegates will become free agents. Depending on state laws, others will be become free to vote for any candidate they choose after a second ballot or a third. More than 2,400 delegates could ultimately end up coming up for grabs on the convention floor if no candidate clinches the nomination after the initial balloting. Some may already have revealed on their Facebook pages that they were fans of Terminator movies. So a call from Arnold Schwarzenegger could be the nudge that wins them over. Or perhaps they are gun enthusiasts, in which case they might be awed by a convention floor chat with Wayne LaPierre, president of the National Rifle Assn. Cambridge Analytica claims to have developed a "psychographic" profile of every one of the delegates chosen so far. Such profiles, which are rooted in reams of consumer and personal background data acquired by the company, put people into such categories as "stoic traditionalist" or "extroverted leader" and are already being used to target voters. But Kaiser says such profiles also have helped clients devise sophisticated lobbying strategies to move stubborn legislators, an application not dissimilar to what candidates would face as they set out to persuade delegates in Cleveland. Advertisement "It helps you understand where each delegate stands, how persuadable they are to change their mind," said Kaiser. There are also more nuts-and-bolts considerations for campaigns -- knowing where any particular delegate stands at any particular moment, for example. "Speed is going to kill when votes are taken, and the campaign that can best use data quickly will have a huge advantage," said Mark Stephenson, who was Scott Walker's chief data officer during the Wisconsin governor's short-lived presidential campaign. "You have to be able to persuade people fast, with that data at your fingertips. Technology enables you to be relevant when you are talking to your targets," he said. Digital strategists expect the campaigns to leave nothing to chance. They will come armed with backup wireless capability in the event the network at the Quicken Loans Arena gets balky. The technology will work online or off. The Trump campaign, according to a report in Politico, is even building its own hardware. Yet Trump is likely to have significant catch-up work ahead of him. The Cruz campaign already has proved adept at using technology to narrowly target its operations, whether in building psychological profiles of voters or apps that caucus precinct captains can fire up on election night to herd every possible vote. Advertisement The Cruz campaign's obsession with tracking and monitoring which potential delegates might be sympathetic to their candidate began months ago, and it is already paying dividends. "This is stuff the Cruz campaign has been doing since last year," said Josh Putnam, a lecturer at the University of Georgia who studies the delegate selection process. "Other campaigns are playing catch-up." Still, much of the technology that would be used on the convention floor does not yet even exist in beta form. As the GOP race tightens, and the likelihood of a contested convention increases, some political technologists foresee a weeks-long hackathon taking shape, as firms rush to get a piece of the business. Patrick Ruffini, one of the few Republican digital strategists who has actually developed software successfully used by a candidate in a convention albeit at the state level, in Virginia said he anticipates a stampede. The challenge for the campaigns, he said, will be sorting out the useful pitches from the deluge of marketing malarkey that tech firms tend to muster around such occasions. "I expect to see a lot of people arguing they have just the thing to solve your brokered convention problem," Ruffini said. Advertisement For more on Campaign 2016, follow @evanhalper ALSO Clinton goes on offense in battle with Sanders for New York Sanders, Cruz claim Wisconsin victories, ignore daunting math The chance of a Cruz-Sanders contest just got less remote A chemical used to make plastic IV tubes and catheters has been linked to attention deficit disorder in children who received treatment for a serious illness, according to a new study. The tubing and catheters contain plastic-softening chemicals, called phthalates, which have been banned from children's toys and products such as teething rings and soft books because of their potential toxic effects. The chemicals are known to disrupt hormones and have been implicated in everything from asthma to autism. Advertisement "We found a clear match between previously hospitalized children's long-term neurocognitive test results and their individual exposure to the phthalate DEHP during intensive care," lead researcher Soren Verstraete, from Leuven, Belgium, told the Endocrine Society. Verstraete and his colleagues tested 449 children, newborns to age 16, who were treated in pediatric intensive care units and whose care involved between one and 12 medical tubes. They found high levels of phthalates, even among those admitted with only catheters in place. Until the young patients' discharge from the ICU, those levels remained 18 times higher than in a control group of healthy children. Advertisement Four years later, the once-critically ill children underwent neurocognitive tests. Adjusting for other risk factors, the scientists found a strong association between high exposure to phthalates and development of attention deficit disorder. The research was repeated with an additional group of more than 200 pediatric ICU patients, and the findings were similar. The study concluded that the medical tubing and catheters were "potentially harmful" to children's brain development and function. "The phthalate exposure explained half of the attention deficit in former [pediatric ICU] patients," Verstraete said at the endocrinologists' conference last week. "Development of alternative plastic softeners for use in in-dwelling medical devices may be urgently indicated." Congress banned phthalates from children's products in 2008. For those younger than 12, the Consumer Product Safety Commission imposed a permanent ban on three particularly dangerous phthalates, including DEHP, the chemical still used in medical tubing. The Food and Drug Administration recommended reducing exposure to phthalates in medical devices as long ago as 2002. The Washington Post Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, who gained national prominence with her leadership style and denunciations of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, won another three-year term without having to run. The CTU's governing body voted to cancel an election for officers because of a lack of opposition to a slate led by Lewis and Vice President Jesse Sharkey, the union said Thursday. Advertisement Lewis' appointment to a third term allows the union to avoid a potentially distracting election during the final stages of contract negotiations with the Chicago Board of Education. The lack of opposition to Lewis' candidacy also indicates she has consolidated power as the union mounts a populist challenge to Gov. Bruce Rauner's union-weakening agenda. Advertisement If Lewis, 62, completes the term she will approach the decadelong tenure of former CTU President Jacqueline Vaughn, a groundbreaking leader in the 1980s and early 1990s. The union said the one CTU member who attempted a run against union leadership failed to secure the required number of signatures on nominating petitions. That led delegates to vote Wednesday to cancel an election that would have cost $300,000, according to the union. Along with Lewis, Sharkey and recording secretary Michael Brunson will retain their positions for three-year terms beginning in July. Kristine Mayle, the leadership team's fourth member and union financial secretary, decided not to run for re-election and will be replaced by speech language pathologist Maria Moreno. Lewis' Caucus of Rank and File Educators "has really got hegemony," said Rodney Estvan, an education policy expert with the Access Living organization. "They've got a lot of support amongst older and younger teachers," he said. "She's a charismatic figure, and they're not going to turn on her. That's not going to happen." Lewis took office in 2010 and two years later led a seven-day strike after 25 years of relative labor peace between CTU and the city. Last week, she led the CTU on a one-day walkout to draw attention to contract talks and the union's demand for a new education-funding formula for the state. In late 2014, her bid to challenge Emanuel for mayor was derailed when she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Her health remains a delicate subject. She was hospitalized in March after experiencing a seizure. Advertisement "I overworked myself," she said a week later. Wednesday's vote by the CTU's House of Delegates came as union officials deliberated how to respond to a fact-finder's report due later this month. If the union and the school board accept the fact-finder's conclusions, they would be incorporated into a new contract. If either side rejects those findings, the fact-finder's report would be released publicly and teachers can move to strike after a monthlong waiting period. That process would wind up close to the end of the school year. If agreement on a contract to replace one that expired June 30 still can't be reached, a strike could occur anytime including this fall after the new school year begins. The union's one-day strike last week prompted a CPS legal challenge to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. The district argued union members are barred from striking outside the authority of a state law that governs contract talks between the school district and union. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > In December, the union said that 88 percent of its members agreed to authorize union leaders to call a strike if a contract agreement cannot be reached. That's well above the 75 percent necessary under state law for a strike to occur. Advertisement Chicago Public Schools asked a state board controlled by Rauner, a union opponent, to invalidate the strike authorization vote. The union's three-day voting process was "inherently flawed," school system attorneys argued to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board in December. CPS also asserted the union could not vote on a strike until contract talks concluded. That charge is still under investigation by the labor board, and no hearing date has been set. jjperez@tribpub.com Twitter @PerezJr Federal appeals court Judge Merrick Garland, right, shakes hands with President Barack Obama as he is introduced as Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court on March 16, 2016. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) President Barack Obama is in Chicago Thursday to talk with law students at the University of Chicago, where he'll press his case for a confirmation vote on his Supreme Court nominee, Illinois native Merrick Garland. The visit is a homecoming for the president, who served as a professor and senior lecturer on constitutional law at the U. of C. Law School before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. It also offers a venue for Obama to apply pressure on the Senate to take up his nomination of Garland, which the Republican-controlled chamber has so far refused to do. Advertisement Garland is chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He was born in Chicago and grew up in suburban Lincolnwood. The visit comes after Republican Sen. Mark Kirk last month became the first from his caucus to meet with Garland. Kirk, who is up for re-election this year against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, said he thinks the Senate "should be doing our job" and should consider Garland's nomination. Advertisement But Senate Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, have refused to budge on their election-year pledge to ignore Obama's nominees to the high court, under the theory that an outgoing president should leave the selection to his successor. The death of Justice Antonin Scalia has left the court with a 4-4 ideological split, putting pressure on Republicans to hold off on confirmation of the Democratic president's pick in case a Republican wins the White House and can offer his own nominee. Obama will use the Chicago visit to highlight the logjam, which polls show to be politically unpopular. He'll then travel to the Los Angeles area to attend an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. kgeiger@tribpub.com Glendale Police Officer Joshua Hilling encountered the man walking down busy Interstate 75 in Ohio. The man said he didn't have identification - just a book bag with dirty clothes in it. "I'm going to pat you down for officer safety," Hilling told Javier Pablo Aleman before putting the man against the back of the police car, authorities said. Advertisement Body camera footage shows what happened next: Aleman pulled out a knife and lunged toward Hilling, shouting, "I'm going to kill you!" The officer shot Aleman once in the abdomen. Advertisement Aleman got back up and shouted "kill me!" more than 40 times at the officer, who exhorted Aleman to drop the knife and get down. Officials in Ohio showed the 13-minute video of the incident during a news conference, where they announced that Hilling won't be charged in the March 29 shooting, the Associated Press reported. Instead, Aleman will be charged with attempted murder. "Joshua Hilling deserves a medal for what he did," Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said at the Tuesday news conference, WCPO reported. Hilling "is one brave individual," Deters said. "He showed remarkable restraint involving the confrontation of an individual who was clearly armed." Hilling didn't know it at the time, but Aleman, 46, was a fugitive wanted by police in Baltimore County, Md., for a homicide, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. On March 17, Victor Adolfo Serrano was found dead after suffering multiple stab wounds, Baltimore County police spokesman John Wachter told the AP. Police have charged Aleman with murder in the death of Serrano, his former landlord. The incident in Ohio comes at a time of increased attention on the use of force by police. A year-long Washington Post analysis showed that nearly a quarter of those shot and killed by police in 2015 were mentally ill or experiencing an emotional crisis. Advertisement Of the at least 247 people with mental health problems killed by police in 2015, 77 were explicitly suicidal. The tense confrontation between Hilling and Aleman didn't end with a death. Other officers arrived at the scene and one fired a stun gun at Aleman, who dropped to the ground. Before that, Hilling kept shouting at Aleman to "stay down." "Drop the knife," Hilling shouted. "Get down." Aleman didn't. He walked around and, repeatedly shouted "kill me," as Hilling backed away. At one point, the distraught man said: "Please, I'm begging you." Advertisement "After you see the video, you can only pray and wish that every police officer, every deputy sheriff in Hamilton County, was of [that] top quality," Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil said Tuesday. Hamilton County was the location of another high-profile police shooting that attracted national attention. Last July, a University of Cincinnati police officer shot and killed an unarmed motorist. The officer was charged with murder. Deters, the prosecutor, said his office had reviewed 100 police shootings; the fatal 2015 University of Cincinnati shooting was, he said, "the first time that we've thought, 'This is without question a murder.'" On Tuesday, Deters said "there's a high probability" that the knife Aleman had during the tense run-in with Hilling was the same weapon used to kill Serrano in Dundalk, Md. "We're awaiting further DNA tests from the evidence we've gotten," Deters said. Prosecutors will present the attempted murder charge against Aleman before a grand jury in Ohio next week, Deters said. Dan Popp appears in a Milwaukee County Court on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. A judge has ruled that Popp is incompetent to stand trial in the shooting deaths last month of three of his neighbors. (Mike De Sisti / AP) MILWAUKEE A judge ruled Wednesday that a Milwaukee man is incompetent to stand trial in the shooting deaths last month of three of his neighbors. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge J.D. Watts made the ruling after a court-ordered mental health report found Dan Popp, 39, did not have the ability to understand the charges and help in his defense, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Advertisement Popp is charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the March 6 deaths of 40-year-old Jesus Manso-Perez, 36-year-old Phia Vue and his 32-year-old wife, Mai Vue. He's also charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for allegedly shooting at Manso-Perez's 18-year-old son. Two of the victims were members of the Hmong community. Police say the third victim identified himself as Puerto Rican before he was killed. Popp has not been charged with a hate crime. Advertisement "We will fight for justice that the victims deserve," Mai Vue's brother, Tou Xiong, told reporters Wednesday. "Lives were taken because of Dan J. Popp's hatred for those who are different from him." The judge ordered Popp committed to a state mental health facility for up to one year. Popp will be periodically reviewed to determine whether treatment has made him competent for trial. His first review hearing is scheduled for July 14. Defense attorney Christopher Hartley had requested the competency exam. Hartley did not immediately reply to phone and email requests from The Associated Press for comment Wednesday. According to the criminal complaint, Popp attacked Manso-Perez and his son, Jesus Manso-Carrasquillo, as they were coming upstairs after putting a load of clothes into the washing machine. Before they went to the basement, the document states, Popp had asked where they were from, to which they replied "Puerto Rico." Popp, who is white, then said, "Oh, that's why you don't speak English," the complaint says. When they came back up, Popp was waiting with a long gun, police say. He told the father and son, "You guys got to go," and shot Manso-Perez, according to the complaint. Manso-Carrasquillo ran down the stairs and outside, where he alerted people who called 911, police say. Shortly afterward, according to the criminal complaint, Popp burst into the Vues' apartment. The family had fled into bedrooms when they heard the shooting, but Popp forced his way inside, led Phia Vue out and killed him, police say. Popp then started to drag Mai Vue and her two young daughters out of the apartment, the document states. Authorities found Mai Vue dead in Popp's apartment. Advertisement After the hearing, representatives of the victims' families renewed their calls for the case to be investigated as a hate crime. "From the beginning of this case people were rushing to say, 'Oh, this was a mental illness issue,'" said Darryl Morin of the League of United Latin American Citizens, speaking on behalf of the Manso-Perez family. "Every expert we've spoken to on the issue of hate crimes has said there's always been some degree of mental illness involved." Associated Press Roger Grabinski and his wife Karrie with a photo of their son Jonathan, who was killed in a March 5 car accident. The couple is behind Jon's Way, an organization formed in memory of their son aimed at helping local teenagers. (David Lipowski, Daily Southtown) A Chicago Ridge couple is looking to honor the memory of their son by starting an organization that would help area teenagers. Called Jon's Way, the organization would continue the legacy of Jonathan Grabinski, the 17-year-old Richards High School student who was killed in a car crash March 5. The accident, which occurred on Archer Avenue in unincorporated Willow Springs, also took the life of 18-year-old Salvatore Melant. Advertisement Roger and Karrie Grabinski, Jonathan's parents, said that they wanted to start Jon's Way to carry on their son's passion for helping others. Following his son's crash, Roger said his family received overwhelming support from his son's friends and the community, with hundreds of people attending the wake. That response was an indication on the massive impact Jonathan had on everyone around him, his father said. Advertisement "(Jonathan) would take so much time out of his day for his friends," Roger said, recalling instances when Jonathan would leave the house in a hurry or go so far as cutting class to help a friend in need. Jonathan was also a cadet with the Palos Hills Emergency Management Agency. Recently, friends, family, and members of the community attended the first meeting for Jon's Way at the Elks Lodge at 10720 Central Avenue in Chicago Ridge. Approximately 25 people gathered for the March 30 meeting, including Kevin Russell, superintendent for School District 127.5; Steven Danalewich, a sergeant with the Palos Hills Emergency Management Agency, and representatives from the local chapters of the Lions Club and Elks Club. Organizers discussed a number of ideas during the meeting, including hosting a concert or a car show, starting a program where teenagers could volunteer in the community and running fundraisers though attendees agreed that getting input from Jonathan's friends and other teenagers in the community would be essential before proceeding. Roger Grabinski said he has visions of the organization growing in the coming years and offering a resource for teenagers who need help possibly even establishing a building in town. "I think this was a good starting off point," he said after the meeting. Andrew Guerin, 19, was in attendance. He said that his younger brother had been close friends with Jonathan Grabinski, and that the accident had affected both of them deeply. Advertisement "I just had to see the casket of a 17-year-old child," Guerin said. "That could have been my brother." During the meeting, Guerin volunteered to assist Jon's Way by reaching out to Jonathan's friends through social media and coordinating communications for the organization. "The goal is to start a better generation," Guerin said. Organizers were looking to set up the next meeting for Jon's Way, tentatively setting a date of April 23. Roger Grabinski also expressed his intentions to look into the accident itself and the section of Archer Avenue where it occurred. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > He stated that he was in contact with an attorney and was in the early stages of researching the possibility of legal action, adding that crashes in that particular area of the road were too common. Advertisement "You do see five or six crosses in that area," he said. One of those crosses marked the site of a car crash that took the life of another man, Dylan Toomey, five months ago. Michael Toomey, Dylan's father, had been in contact with the Grabinski family and was present for a portion of the March 30 meeting. "It's a great idea of what he's doing," Michael Toomey said, expressing support for Jon's Way. A press secretary at the Cook County Sheriff's Office was unable to provide any updates on the crash investigation. David Lipowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. The Central Manufacturing District, at Ashland Avenue and Pershing Road in Chicago, was founded in 1892 but has been in decline along with the loss of manufacturing in Chicago. Most of the massive buildings are considered antiquated and inefficient, according to Landmarks Illinois. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune) When Marty Flaska moved his forklift-manufacturing business to Illinois 18 years ago, he didn't think to look at the cost of operating in other states. In 2014, out of curiosity, his son ran the numbers. "I didn't believe him," said the elder Flaska. His son told him that a short drive east would save the business $2 million a year. Advertisement Thus began the journey of Hoist Liftruck to greener pastures in Indiana; a move that resulted from policy mistakes that have made the Land of Lincoln a laggard state when it comes to forging well-paying manufacturing jobs. On March 31, Flaska cut the ribbon on a massive facility in East Chicago, Ind., the new home of Hoist. The Indiana factory will house nearly 300 manufacturing jobs transplanted from Bedford Park, as well as 200 new jobs Flaska plans to create. The average salary for one of those positions is $55,000. Advertisement While tax credits from Indiana made Flaska's decision even easier, he says Hoist never would have considered moving if not for the punishingly high workers' compensation costs and soaring property-tax bills he faced in Illinois. Illinois is home to the steepest workers' compensation costs in the Midwest, according to a nationwide study conducted by the state of Oregon. Illinois is also home to some of the highest property taxes in the nation, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. These factors make Illinois an unfriendly state for businesses such as Hoist, which need lots of manual labor and a substantial amount of space to succeed. Flaska's exit mirrors a troubling trend in Illinois, one that has hit the state's middle class squarely in the jaw: Good manufacturing jobs that disappeared during the Great Recession aren't returning. It took until February for Illinois to finally recover the total number of jobs it lost during the recession, according to state employment data. That stands as one of the slowest comebacks in the nation. Many of those returning jobs are at corner stores, restaurants and hotels, not in steady middle-class occupations where workers bend, forge and assemble. Compared with pre-recession levels in January 2008, Illinois has 90,000 fewer manufacturing jobs and 54,000 more jobs in leisure and hospitality. Illinoisans who are lucky enough to find production work take home the lowest average pay in the Midwest, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since the state's recession bottom, Illinois has regained less than 5 percent of its manufacturing jobs the worst rate of recovery among all neighboring states. Meanwhile, Michigan has roared back to pass Illinois for total manufacturing jobs. Indiana is outpacing Illinois in creating manufacturing jobs, even with a workforce half the size of Illinois'. In Arlington Heights, manufacturer Al Panico is proud to say his products at The Line Group Inc. are American-made. His shop specializes in metal stamping, and also makes the "Awl for All," a sewing tool used by people across the globe from Scandinavian farmers to Martha Stewart. When the recession hit, Panico's revenues tanked. So he made sacrifices. Advertisement "I went without a few paychecks because that's what an entrepreneur does," Panico said. He cut hours for his employees, but not wages, and he didn't lose a single worker. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Panico's business survived. But he was one of the lucky ones. He's appalled by what the state has done to his industry. "I always say that the only thing keeping our business here are these 200-ton presses," Panico said. "If we could afford to move them, we'd be out of Illinois." Across the state, too many manufacturers feel the same way. Growth has become a rarity. Most are treading water or performing triage. The common chorus for policy reform among Illinois manufacturers has been to address major cost drivers such as workers' compensation and property taxes. In response, Gov. Bruce Rauner is pushing a property-tax freeze and workers' compensation reform to bring costs in line with those in peer states. But Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has repeatedly dismissed these calls for reform as "non-budgetary," and thus not worthy of discussion. Madigan need only look in his backyard for the result of such indifference. Advertisement Just a 10-minute drive from Madigan's district office sits the Hoist warehouse where hundreds of workers once made world-class forklifts. They now go to Indiana to do that work. Austin Berg is a Chicago-based writer for the Illinois Policy Institute. He wrote this column for the Illinois News Network, a project of IPI. Austin can be reached at aberg@illinoispolicy.org. The announced resignation of Suzyn Price will leave a vacancy on the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 board, but the members can't fill her seat until she officially resigns. Price this week said she was stepping down from her position effective June 1, with May 16 being her last board meeting. Advertisement Although she publicly announced her intent, as of Thursday no written resignation letter had been filed with the board secretary as required by state law. Michelle Fregoso, district director of communications, said when the official resignation is filed, the Board of Education will begin the required process to fill the vacancy. Advertisement Price was first elected to the board in 2003 and ran unopposed with Terry Fielden and Mike Jaensch in April 2015. She has served as the board's vice president since May 2015. In explaining her decision, Price said "the rancor that arose last August, and continues to this day among some members of the board, has demonstrated to me that new energy and new ideas are even more critically needed right now." The overall makeup of the board has been unchanged since 2013, when Kristin Fitzgerald and Donna Wandke were elected. The behind-the-scenes disputes Price referred to came to a head in August 2015 when board member Susan Crotty asked Fielden to consider stepping down as board president because he was causing a rift within the board. Board members Jackie Romberg and Jaensch also questioned Fielden's leadership. After a series of meetings in the fall with a representative from the Illinois Association of School Boards, the board agreed to continue to work together with Fielden as board president. Once Price officially resigns, state law gives the school board 45 days to fill the position. If a board cannot agree on a person within the time frame, the regional superintendent has 30 days to make the appointment. Any new member would serve until the next regular school election, in this case April 4, 2017. The successor then serves out the remainder of the unexpired term. Even though the resignation isn't official, the board can informally seek out possible candidates, according to a state school board official. Advertisement James Russell, associate executive director of communications for the state board, said good school boards are identifying potential replacements on an ongoing basis. It's not an attempt to prechoose people, he said, but to give prospective members the time to consider whether they have the energy and time to commit and to discuss the idea with family. Candidates don't necessarily have to be active participants in the school community. He said less active people can bring a fresh perspective. A board also might reflect on the makeup of the board, Russell said. "(They might ask), 'Who do we need to represent on the board that isn't being represented?' " he said. Price's departure will leave only one north side Naperville voice on the board. Fitzgerald lives in the Mill Street Elementary School area. Price resides in the Beebe Elementary School attendance area, also in north Naperville. Four of the board members hail from the city's far south side, with Crotty, Fielden and Wandke living in the Scott Elementary attendance area and Jaensch in the River Woods Elementary area. Advertisement Romberg lives in the middle of the school district in the Prairie Elementary attendance area. Although committee assignments likely will change this summer, Price serves as the Chamber of Commerce liaison, member of the discipline/co-curricular committee and liaison to the Naperville Education Foundation. Her assigned schools are Maplebrook Elementary, Meadow Glens Elementary, Mill Street Elementary and Kennedy Junior High. subaker@tribpub.com Twitter @SBakerSun1 Porter County is getting its own meeting on a proposed freight train line, after all. The Surface Transportation Board will hold the meeting from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Aberdeen Manor ballroom, 216 Ballantrae, Valparaiso. Advertisement Porter County Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, found out Wednesday afternoon about the meeting being added to a schedule that already included stops in Lowell and LaPorte County. "I think a morning meeting puts Porter County at a disadvantage compared to the other counties but I do appreciate them coming around and giving us a meeting," she said, adding the board said it didn't have any evening time slots available. Advertisement State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, and U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, assisted in securing the meeting, she said. During a meeting Tuesday during which they passed a resolution against the rail line, which may cut through the southern part of the county, the Board of Commissioners also lamented that a meeting had not been scheduled for Porter County. The largest portion of the route in Indiana runs through Porter County. The 278-mile rail line would start in southern Wisconsin and end in LaPorte County, cutting through both Lake and Porter counties on the way to its destination in a move to alleviate rail congestion in Chicago, at a cost of $8 billion. The rail line could see up to 110 trains a day. Blaney reached out to the board last week to say she was "extremely disappointed" no meetings would be held in her county, given the impact the rail line could have on the community. "It is grossly unfair that our residents have to travel out of county to make their voices heard," she wrote March 28. But Dave Navecky, with the board's Office of Environmental Analysis, responded that the board wasn't able to locate scoping meetings in each of the communities or 11 counties in three states through which the proposed rail line could be located. The meetings, he said, were scheduled for locations to ensure that the majority of individuals along the route would not have to travel more than 30 minutes to a meeting. Other scoping meetings for the Environmental Impact Statement, held by the Surface Transportation Board, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, 17401 Morse St., Lowell; 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the American Legion post, 203 S. Washington St., Wanatah; and 5:30 p.m. April 14 in the Civic Auditorium, 1001 Ridge St., LaPorte. Advertisement Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. China has vowed to improve standards and quality in equipment manufacturing. The promise is the latest move in the ambitious "Made in China 2025" program, which aims to develop the country into a powerhouse of high-end manufacturing. China will aim to bring over 90 percent of domestic standards in key manufacturing areas up to international levels by 2020, up from the current 70 percent, said a statement issued Wednesday after a State Council conference chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. Research and development of major industry norms in robotics, rolling stock, agricultural machinery and sophisticated medical devices should be accelerated, said the statement. "We will formulate high standards to spur the upgrade of 'made in China' goods," Li said at the meeting. For years, China has served as the "world factory," churning out merchandise ranging from smartphones to diapers for consumers around the globe. But the country's manufacturers still have not mastered core high-end production technology and face a huge gap with industry leaders from Germany and the United States. As a consequence, shoppers fly abroad to purchase consumer goods such as heated toilet seats, and cross-border e-commerce has become wildly popular. The manufacturing of automobiles, numerical control machines and other major industrial products still depends on foreign technology. A national plan, "Made in China 2025," was unveiled in May 2015 to address the problem and build the country into a manufacturing power within ten years. "We should work to improve consumer confidence in domestic production, enhance manufacturing quality and efficiency and increase the global competitiveness of Chinese companies," Li said. Ning Jiajun, member of the Experts Committee of the State Information Center, described formulating high-level manufacturing standards as a precondition for China to realize the goal. "The failure of industry and technological norms to develop with the times is common in quite a few sectors in China. This has become a major bottleneck for industrial upgrades." The process of lifting the standards, which can be tough and costly, is indispensable for the country's shift from rough manufacturing to more value-added production, Ning said. Analysts expect the new resolution to propel the standardization of core technologies in multiple fields and help lay the foundation for supply-side reform. The government should toughen supervision to create a fair environment and advocate "the spirit of the craftsman" among manufacturers, Li said. This satellite image shows the Yongshu Jiao of China's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua] The United States began flexing its military muscles in the South China Sea last year as part of its political and diplomatic maneuvers in the region. The US knows better than any other country that it cannot directly prevent China's sovereign activities in the South China Sea. So it has attempted to do the next best thing, that is, make it more costly for China to safeguard its sovereignty through military, political, diplomatic and media tools. It is thus clear that the US' aim is to put China in an embarrassing diplomatic position. Despite the China-US friction in the South China Sea, however, a direct conflict between the two countries is not imminent. The US military's moves in the South China Sea may apparently be aimed at deterring China from expanding its influence, but they are primarily meant to serve as tools for accomplishing Washington's political and diplomatic goals. On "freedom of navigation operations" in the South China Sea, the US has always said they are no different from such practices in other parts of the world. Some Chinese media outlets and experts seemed to have bought the US argument and said the US' aim is to challenge China's "excessive maritime claims". But the recent US military operations in the South China Sea have been extraordinary. True, the US conducts dozens of such operations each year across the world, but they are usually carried out in a quiet and low-key manner, and their details are always kept secret. By deploying advanced weaponry, coupled with extensive media coverage, however, the US military seems to prove a Hollywood blockbuster-like point. The US military's operations have drawn the attention of the public and politicians both in the US and China, especially because they have evolved into a political issue across the Pacific. Besides, the White House has tried to create a crisis atmosphere by trumpeting the "China threat" and portraying the US military as a strong defender of national interests. As for Beijing, Washington could, by swaying Chinese people's opinion, exert influence on China's domestic political process. Washington intends to involve a growing number of Chinese to debate Beijing's policy on the South China Sea issue, and prevent Chinese elites from reaching a consensus on the issue. The US military's "freedom of navigation operations", viewed by many in China as an insult, were also meant to undermine the authority of the Chinese government and create more difficulties for it. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Flash A senior Islamic Hamas movement leader said Wednesday that his group is seeking to end tensions with Egypt and prepares for launching a new stage of relationship with the Egyptian leadership. Ismail Haneya, Hamas chief's deputy, told leaders of various Gaza-based factions and political bodies that "Hamas is keen to keep the ties with Egypt warm," adding "this is based on Hamas strategic vision." A statement issued by Haneya's office in Gaza sent to reporters said that Haneya briefed the factions leaders on the latest rounds of dialogue held in Cairo between senior Hamas officials and high-ranking Egyptian security intelligence officials. Leaders of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party didn't attend the meeting held in Gaza between Haneya and leaders of other factions. The statement also said that Haneya briefed his guests on the newest in the internal dialogue held in Doha between Fatah Party leaders and his movement's leaders to end the internal Palestinian split and achieve full reconciliation. Meanwhile, Haneya denied that his movement is intervening into the internal affairs of Egypt, adding that "Hamas respects Egypt' national security and would never let anyone from Gaza to harm Egypt." On Tuesday, Israeli media reports said that Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Sisi agreed with President Abbas to expand the Gaza Strip area by providing large areas of lands from the Egyptian Peninsula of Sinai. Haneya said that Hamas rejects any solution to the Palestinian cause on the expense of the Egyptian territories, adding "Hamas has no security or military role in Egypt at all." On Tuesday, Nabil Abu Rdineh, an aide to President Abbas said in an official statement that the Israeli media reports are denied and totally untrue. "These reports are certainly fabricated and totally untrue," he said, adding "President Abbas and President Sisi are exerting all their efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967. Flash Beijing rebuffed suspicion on Wednesday over the operation of a lighthouse on an island in the South China Sea, saying it is a public service that China is providing to the region. The lighthouse on Zhubi Reef in the South China Sea is now in use. [Photo/Xinhua] "China has been committed to providing more public products and services to navigation in the South China Sea. It is beneficial to the trade of coastal countries in the region and even some countries outside the region," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing. The Ministry of Transport held a completion ceremony on Tuesday for construction of the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef, marking the start of the lighthouse's operation. Construction of the 55-meter-high lighthouse, which has a lantern of 4.5 meters in diameter on top and rotating lights inside, began in October. The lighthouse is monitored via a remote control terminal. The lighthouse emits white light in the nighttime, with a range of 22 nautical miles and a glow cycle of five seconds. Zheng Heping, deputy head of the Maritime Safety Administration, said the automatic identification system and other equipment inside the lighthouse can provide efficient navigation services to ships, such as positioning reference, route guidance and navigation safety information. To improve maritime emergency responses in the area, the Ministry of Transport started construction of large, multifunctional lighthouses on Huayang Reef, Chigua Reef and Zhubi Reef last year. The two other lighthouses are already in use. "The Zhubi lighthouse will further enhance the capability to ensure maritime security in the South China Sea," Zheng said. "The lighthouse is a very advanced one with multiple functions," said Zhang Xuegang, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. He said the lighthouse will provide information about hydrology and weather, including typhoon warnings, to passing vessels. "It can also provide waterway information, such as which channels are busy," he added. He suggested having rescue personnel live on the island. Li Jinming, a professor of maritime policy and law at Xiamen University, said the lighthouses that China has built in the South China Sea are a testimony to its efforts to safeguard navigation freedom and security. "The US, Japan and the Philippines have challenged China on that. And the glowing lighthouse is a silent answer." Lighthouses are part of China's efforts to perform its responsibilities in maritime search and rescue, response to natural disasters and marine environmental protection, the Transport Ministry has said. Flash Somali security forces backed by African Union troops on Wednesday arrested 17 Al-Shabaab militants in an operation conducted in Yakhshid district in the north of the capital Mogadishu. Spokesman of the Ministry of Internal Security Abdikamil Moallim Shukri said that 17 Al-Shabaab suspects were among 550 people who were nabbed during the operation. Shukri however said the suspects will be interrogated by the security officers for their role in the spate of terror attacks in the restive capital. "Big operation has been carried out in Yakshid district last night and ended on Wednesday morning by forces of National Intelligence and Security Agency together with Amisom, 550 people were arrested, after initial investigation there, 17 Al-Shabaab suspects were detained for further investigation while the rest were released," Shukri said. He vowed to extend security operation across every district in the Horn of Africa nation which has been facing near daily attacks from the Islamist militants. The latest arrest comes after Al-Shabaab militants who have upped their frequent attacks against government officials killed two policemen and wounded a lawmaker on Tuesday. Flash Nigerian army says it has rescued 11,595 people held hostage by Islamist group Boko Haram in one month or so. Army spokesman Sani Usman said on Wednesday that the hostages were rescued during operations in the northeastern region between Feb. 26 and March 31. Most of them were freed in towns and villages where the "remnants" of Boko Haram were hiding, while others were received from Cameroonian authorities, according to the spokesman. Usman said more military operations were underway to "fully secure" the restive northeast. Boko Haram has killed thousands of people mostly in northeastern Nigeria since it launched its campaign of violence in 2009, trying to establish an Islamic state. Nigerian troops have retaken large areas previously controlled by Boko Haram in the past year, but the group is still able to carry out deadly attacks in the country. Flash Somalia's army, supported by the Africa Union troops, on Wednesday recaptured the central town of Aden-Yabal in Middle Shabele region from Al-Shabaab militants. Mohamed Mumin Elmi, an army commander, said the joint forces took the town without resistance from the militants. "AU contingent from Ethiopia and Somali National Army is in full control of Aden-Yabal at the moment. Al-Shabaab fighters did not pose any resistance," Mumin said. He said the forces were planning to liberate more areas under the control of Al-Shabaab in the region. Local resident Mahad Ali told Xinhua by phone that people in the area had feared further displacement due to fighting between the two sides, but that did not happen. The joint forces have recaptured many areas previously controlled by Al-Shabaab in central and southern Somalia, however the Islamist group is still able to stage attacks in the capital Mogadishu and elsewhere. Flash U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the "historic step forward" of a democratic transfer of power to a civilian-led government in Myanmar, the White House said Wednesday. Obama spoke by phone on Wednesday with U Htin Kyaw to offer congratulations on his inauguration as Myanmar's President, the White House said in a statement. U Htin Kyaw of the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in in late March as Myanmar's new president. Obama underscored the commitment of the United States to support the people and government of Myanmar as they work to achieve a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future, according to the statement. On Wednesday, Obama also spoke by phone with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and commended her "determined efforts, over the course of many years and at great personal cost, to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation." Aung San Suu Kyi concurrently heads three other ministries, namely the Ministry of President Office, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. Flash The Dail Eireann, lower house of Irish parliament, on Wednesday failed to elect a Taoiseach (prime minister) for the second time since the Feb. 26 general election. In the Dail Eireann vote for Taoiseach, Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) leader Enda Kenny, Fianna Fail (Republican Party) leader Micheal Martin and Ruth Coppinger from the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit (AAA-PBP) were all nominated by their respective parties for the position of Taoiseach. Kenny's nomination was defeated by 80 votes to 51, Martin by 95 to 43 and Coppinger had 108 votes against with 10 in favor. Coppinger is the first Irish woman ever to be nominated for Taoiseach. Following the votes, Kenny, also caretaker Taoiseach, held talks with Martin about forming a government. But so far no results have been seen. Earlier, Kenny pledged to be flexible and generous in talks, saying that he hoped the talks will "lead us to a conclusion". Kenny also said he and his government will continue to carry out their duties in the meantime. On March 10, the Dail Eireann failed to elect a Taoiseach during its first meeting after the general election. Kenny received 57 votes in favor and 94 against that day. Fine Gael, which has 50 seats in the Dail Eireann, is still the largest party in Ireland in terms of members of parliament. Fianna Fail, having 44 seats, is the second largest party in parliament. AAA-PBP has 6 seats in parliament. Flash Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk on Wednesday has instructed his government to consider imposing a ban on oil products imported from Russia. "We have imposed a number of sanctions against Russia, but one of the key elements -- imports of oil products, was not included in the sanction list. That's why, now, I am asking the Economy Ministry to prepare a mechanism for prohibiting purchases of oil products," Yatsenyuk told a cabinet meeting. The proposal will be considered during the next government session slated for Friday, Yatsenyuk said. Local experts suggested that the possible ban on purchases from Russia, on which Ukraine depends for about one-fourth of its overall oil products imports, would hike petrol and diesel fuel prices in Ukraine, affecting car owners and cargo transportation. Last year, Ukraine imported 3.86 billion U.S. dollars' worth of oil products, of which 22 percent came from Russia. In recent months, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged a series of restrictive measures against each other. In particular, Moscow has suspended a Russia-Ukraine free trade agreement in response to Kiev's move to join a free trade zone with the European Union and imposed a total ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine starting from Jan. 1. For its part, Ukraine has canceled preferential import duties on a range of Russian goods and imposed an embargo on some other products made in Russia. You are here: Home Flash German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Wednesday for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Speaking at a press conference after meeting visiting Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Berlin, Merkel said the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region of Azerbaijan with a predominantly Armenian population, gave cause for concerns. Efforts towards an "acceptable and permanent ceasefire" in the region, the chancellor stressed, are "of the utmost urgency". Merkel said that Germany advocated resolving the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan peacefully and wanted to "help constructively". Recent hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh flared up overnight Saturday with the two countries blaming each other for triggering the escalation. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its forces have killed 70 Armenian soldiers and destroyed 20 armored vehicles on Monday and Tuesday, while at least 16 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed during heavy fighting in the region. After three days of fighting, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on Tuesday to a cease-fire, which took effect at noon. Flash Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may visit Russia in May, Kremlin said Wednesday. "Yes, this may happen. Such a possibility is being examined," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Earlier in the day, it was announced that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would visit Japan on April 15 for talks with his counterpart Fumio Kishida. "We believe that one of the goals of the upcoming ministerial meeting will be the preparation of Russian-Japanese contacts at the highest level, as it has been agreed between the leaders of the two countries," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Russia's Izvestia daily also reported, citing diplomatic sources, that Abe planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 6 in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi. In February, Abe's top spokesperson Yoshihide Suga said the Japanese prime minister would make an unofficial visit to Russia to discuss a long-standing territorial dispute between Tokyo and Moscow, while Putin would pay a return visit to Japan later this year. Tokyo has been keen to resolve its territorial dispute with Moscow over four Pacific islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, which has prevented both sides from inking a peace treaty after World War II. DUBAI - Sanjeev Dutta, Director of Dubai's Tea Center in the emirates' industrial free zone, Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC), said Wednesday that the center's total tea trade volumes in 2015 reached 41 million kilograms, a 208 percent increase over 2013. Speaking at the sixth edition of the 2016 two-day biennial Global Tea Forum running till Thursday, Dutta said Dubai became the largest tea reexport market in the world. The DMCC Tea Center Director added that the center developed further in 2015 when Tenfu, China's largest tea trading firm which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, entered into a partnership with the Dubai-based Rise General Trading, forming the "Tea Trading International" joint venture. Dutta told Xinhua that "China's participation in tea trading is gradual yet growing, thanks to Tenfu. We would like to attract more Chinese tea trading firms, the world's largest tea producer." The DMCC Tea Center's major advantage is that "Dubai is geographically located in the center of the Middle East, between Central Asia and Africa, three regions with a high tea consumption rate." This led Manuja Peiris, Chief Executive and Statistics Expert of London's International Tea Committee to state that China's future role in exporting green tea to Middle East is promising. "As, according to our observations, a growing number of consumers in the region consume green tea for health reasons, whereas Arabs traditionally prefer black tea." According to the Dubai-based private equity firm, Al Masah Capital, the food and beverage sector will get an additional boost from the 2020 World Expo which the emirate will host for the first time. The six-month global exhibit will provide innovation and palates from all over the world to Dubai. The DMCC Tea Center Director also added that he banks on innovation to continue to lure all types of tea to Dubai. "Global trade is vital to the DMCC Tea Center's growth and development which is why cultivating best practices and introducing digital innovation to increase efficiency is high on this year's agenda as we prepare for growth and delivering our expansion plans." With over 12,000 registered firms, the DMCC is the biggest free zone in Dubai, guaranteeing a 50 year tax holiday and 100 percent capital and profit repatriation. In addition to China, Dubai's Tea Center also imports tea from 12 other countries including Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malawai, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Vietnam, Japan and Uganda. The DMCC Tea Center recently launched a two-year expansion plan including new facilities, spanning an area of 24,000 square meters. A medical worker shows a patient how to use WeChat to access hospital services in Foshan, Guangdong province. [Photo provided to China Daily] BEIJING - China will further deepen reform in healthcare this year with key factors for the reform discussed at a meeting of the central government on Wednesday. The State Council, the country's cabinet, convened a regular executive meeting Wednesday and determined that healthcare reform should benefit more people. Key sectors for healthcare reform this year were decided at the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang. Plans discussed included expanding the number of cities piloting urban public hospital reform from 100 to 200, implementing a tiered medical care pilot project in 70 percent of the country's prefectural-level areas, and improving the compensation system in a bid to abolish the drug price addition policy of public hospitals in new pilot cities. Other focuses included implementing a centralized procurement of drugs used by public hospitals, improving the performance-based remuneration system in grassroots health institutions, and building a national network for basic health insurance settlement so that people can reimburse their medical expenses in different places. Critical disease insurance will cover all people within the year, according to the healthcare reform plan, which noted that subsidies per capita for basic health insurance and basic public health services will be raised. The number of resident physicians receiving standardized training will be increased by 70,000, including 5,000 pediatricians, according to the meeting. Robots work at an automatic welding production line in Liaocheng, East China's Shandong province, July 5, 2014.[Photo/VCG] BEIJING - China's State Council passed a plan to better the standards and quality in equipment manufacturing on Wednesday. The new plan is part of government efforts to deliver the "Made in China 2025" blueprint announced last year, shifting the country away from low-end manufacturing to more value-added production, according to a statement issued after a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. The plan calls for accelerating research and development of key technology including robotics, rail equipment, agricultural machinery and high-end medical devices. By 2020, over 90 percent of the manufacturing standards in key areas should be made in line with global criteria, up from the current 70 percent, according to the plan. The plan follows China's "Made in China 2025" blueprint in May 2015 to improve manufacturing. Tasks identified as priorities in the blueprint are innovation, fostering Chinese brands, green manufacturing, integrating technology and industry, internationalizing manufacturing, promoting breakthroughs in key sectors, restructuring of manufacturing, service-oriented manufacturing, and strengthening the industrial base. Wednesday's meeting also mapped out plans to use the Internet to lower logistics and circulation costs to foster new engines for growth. Pledged efforts include fostering a "smart logistics system," increasing investments in rural broadband network, building a cloud platform for commercial services and integrating online-offline development. China's economy expanded 6.9 percent year on year in 2015, the weakest reading in around quarter of a century, and the government is intensifying efforts to replace old growth drivers with new ones to sustain growth. A customer dines at a Haidilao restaurant in Beijing. MAI TIAN / FOR CHINA DAILY China's largest hotpot chain Sichuan Haidilao Catering Co is planning to list its seasoning spinoff business on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Even though Yihai International Holding Ltdthe spinoffhas not yet announced any details, its prospectus notes that the financing will be used to build its production base in Bazhou in Hebei province, make strategic acquisitions and promote its brand. At present, Yihai is the exclusive supplier of Haidilao. Information released by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd shows that Yihai's turnover rose from 316 million yuan ($48.75 million) to 847 million yuan between 2013 and 2015. Its net profit jumped from 22.1 million yuan to 125 million yuan during the same period. In 2015 alone, about 54 percent of Haidilao's income came from Yihai. By the end of last year, Yihai made 56 products. Its distribution network has covered most parts of China, reaching more than 6,000 stores. With the support of leading e-commerce platforms such as Tmall.com and JD.com, its products are now available in 11 countries and regions in North America, Europe and Asia. Statistics provided by global market consultancy Frost & Sullivan show that Yihai is the largest mid- to high-end hotpot seasoning provider in China based on sales revenue last year. Yihai was registered in the Cayman Islands in 2013. Zhang Yong and his wife, the controlling shareholders of Haidilao, also hold the majority 47.76 percent of shares in Yihai. Interestingly, e-commerce billionaire Jack Ma's name is hidden in the prospectus. Yunfeng Capital, which he jointly founded in 2010, holds 6 percent in Yihai. Hong Kong, however, is not a sizzling market for mainland hotpot chains. Prior to Haidilao, another leading hotpot chain, Xiabuxiabu, went public in Hong Kong in 2014. With an issuing price of HK$4.7 ($0.6) per share two years ago, Xiabuxiabu closed at HK$4.79 per share on Wednesday. A better known case is Little Sheep Hot Pot, which went private four years after its listing in 2008. Apart from Hong Kong, a number of restaurant and catering companies also went public on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations, or better known as the New Third Board, in the past few months, such as the century-old Tianjin Goubuli Food Co Ltd. Jiang Junxian, director of China Cuisine Association expects more capital raisings by Chinese restaurant and catering companies in 2016. The New Third Board, for example, will be a good choice for these companies to meet their financing demands which is usually not very high, he said. According to the Chinese catering market report 2015 released by China Cuisine Association in late February, the total sales revenue of the Chinese restaurant and catering industry surged 11.7 percent year-on-year to top 3.23 trillion yuan. A worker monitors a construction site at Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong province. TANG KE / FOR CHINA DAILY Officials say landmark project in Zhejiang is firmly on track The world's first unit using Westinghouse Electric Company LLC's AP1000 nuclear reactor design is expected to be online this year in China, with a second unit operational by June next year, nuclear officials said on Wednesday. Wang Jun, chief engineer of State Power Investment Corp, said if everything goes smoothly, the Sanmen one unit in Zhejiang province will be operating in 2016, while cold testing at Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong province will start in June, which will be connected to the grid in February next year. A total of six nuclear reactor units are planned for the Sanmen project, which is being built in three stages. Wang was speaking at the 14th China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition, and 20th Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference, being held in Beijing. The State-owned company was created last year with a merger between China Power Investment Corp and State Nuclear Power Technology Corp, Westinghouse's long-standing partner in China. Building started in 2009 on the first AP1000 unit in China, a type of third-generation nuclear technology developed by Westinghouse. But the project was delayed for more than three years, because of the problems of some key components as well as the impact of the Japan's Fukushima disaster, which put a pause on the global nuclear industry in general. Gavin Liu, president in Asia for Westinghouse, said despite the delay, the project is now firmly on track. "It is a very exciting time for us," he said. "The coolant pumps arrived for the two reactor units last year and the plant at Sanmen is to load its fuel soon," he said. China is embarking on a massive program of nuclear power plant construction with approvals already given for up to eight new reactors annually. The country is also developing its own nuclear technology, the Hualong One rector, a rival third-generation design developed by China National Nuclear Corp and China General Nuclear Power Group, two major nuclear players. Commenting on the competition with Hualong One, Jim Brennan, senior vice-president of engineering center of excellence at Westinghouse, said it recognizes other nuclear designs exist in the world, but that its long track record allows it to compete with its rivals. "Competition is not something new to us. The AP1000, with its passive safety system, stands out in terms of the economics involved," he said. Liu added Turkey, Bulgaria, some countries in South America and Asia, are all considered target markets for the AP1000 design. In 2014, Westinghouse signed an agreement for exclusive negotiations with SNPTC and the Turkish government to develop and construct a four-unit AP1000 nuclear power station in Turkey. A man walks past a branch of Huatai Securites Co in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Jan 26, 2014. [Photo/VCG] H uatai Securities Co Ltd is seeking to acquire US asset management software maker AssetMark Inc for as much as $800 million, according to people familiar with the matter, in the latest example of a Chinese company taking an interest in US businesses. A deal for AssetMark could be the biggest Chinese investment in the US financial services sector since Anbang Insurance Group Co's $1.6 billion agreement in November to acquire Fidelity & Guaranty Life. Huatai is facing competition from private equity firms for AssetMark, including a Chinese buyout firm, the people said this week. A winner in the bidding process is expected as early as this month, they added. The sources asked not to be identified because the sale process is confidential. AssetMark declined to comment, while Huatai did not respond to a request for comment. AssetMark, based in Concord, California, provides asset management software to investment managers, broker dealers and investors, which collectively manage more than $28.5 billion on its platforms. In 2013, private equity firms Genstar Capital LLC and Aquiline Capital Partners acquired Genworth Financial Inc's wealth management business, which later became AssetMark. That deal, which had a price tag of $412.5 million, also included another separate investment management business named Altegris. Genstar and Aquiline partnered again in 2015 when the two purchased Ascensus Inc, a technology provider to retirement and college savings plans, from JC Flowers & Co for an undisclosed amount. JC Flowers was part of the consortium that attempted to buy Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc alongside Anbang last month for as much as $14 billion. Anbang's deal for insurance company Fidelity & Guaranty has won approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. People enter a taxpayer service hall in Beijing, Dec 13, 2010. [Photo/IC] A media report that local governments' share of value-added tax revenues will be raised from 25 percent to 50 percent will not make up for the disappearance of the business tax in China, according to an analyst. Beijing may need to use other sources of revenue to compensate local authorities, the analyst said. Zhang Lianqi, a financial expert close to the Ministry of Finance, said the increase is very likely to be introduced, while the ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The central and local governments' proportion of VATChina's largest taxwill be adjusted to 50-50 from 75-25, Economic Information Daily reported on Wednesday, citing a document drawn up by the ministry, for which opinions have been sought internally. The newspaper is affiliated with Xinhua News Agency. The change is being made to win local governments' support for the ambitious VAT reform, which by May 1 will be expanded to the property, construction, finance, and consumer services sectors. Launched in 2012 as a pilot program, the reform is aimed at eliminating repeated taxation and easing corporate burdens. The newspaper said the draft may be opened for public opinion. When the reform is implemented fully, business tax, once the largest tax source for local governments, will vanish, incurring huge losses for them. Local officials have argued for months that their share of the new VAT should be increased to make up for the shortfall. VAT revenue last year totaled 3.11 trillion yuan ($480 billion). Hu Yijian, a tax professor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said a study he made showed that if the proportion is adjusted to 50-50, this in effect would be a reversion to the central-local ratio before the VAT reform. Hu said that some regions rely more on business tax than others, so the 50-50 approach is a little unfair on regions that are rich in business tax, because they bear greater losses. Beijing could use increased tax refunds to compensate them. However, Zhang Bin, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the central government's share of VAT should be raised because a greater stake in VAT may encourage local governments to compete for investment more aggressively. SINGAPORE - China will be able to avoid a hard landing in the years to come, said a report of Fitch Ratings released here Wednesday. China has the financial and administrative resources to avoid a hard landing in the near term despite the economy's structural vulnerabilities, said the credit rating agency. While the rising leverage can cause systemic vulnerability, the characteristics of China's financial system and broader economy militate against a disruptive outcome, it said. "China's financial system is dominated by banks and funded overwhelmingly by retail deposits. Both the banks and borrowers are either State-owned or heavily State-influenced. These factors combine to suggest that the kind of collapse of confidence among creditors that might precipitate a financial crisis is unlikely in China," it said. "We expect the economy to grow between 6 percent and 6.5 percent in 2016 and 2017. We also think China has the will and the means not to devalue the yuan substantially against its new basket -- we expect the yuan to weaken by only around 5 percent against the US dollar over 2016," said the agency. Fitch said it broadly agrees with the Chinese government's assessment that the macroeconomic fundamentals do not necessarily point to a substantial depreciation of the yuan. "China runs a large and rising current account surplus, which we expect to exceed $300 billion in 2016. The country as a whole is a substantial net external creditor, and the foreign reserves buffer remains strong at $3.2 trillion," the agency explained. BERN - Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann told Xinhua in an interview Tuesday that he had every confidence China's market will continue to play a "huge and important" role for the global market despite the slowdown observed in recent years. The GDP growth of about over 10 percent 10 years ago was in real figures a GDP growth of about $200 billion. A GDP growth of 6.9 percent last year is in real terms about $700 billion, he explained ahead of his trip to China. "In other words, the Chinese economy has gone within 10 years through a huge development, tripled its volume, and I think we are doing well if we accept the lower growth rate," he added. Switzerland, a small but prosperous nation, has enjoyed fruitful relations with China since the confederation recognized the People's Republic of China in 1950. Swiss company Schindler was in fact one of the first western companies to set up a joint industrial venture with China in early 1980s. As well as supporting China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, Switzerland was also among the first countries to acknowledge China as a market economy in 2007. In light of these ties and in view of strengthening relations, a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which came into effect on July 1, 2014 was signed between both countries to facilitate and increase trade relations while benefiting Swiss businesses which now have an improved access to China's substantial and growing goods and services sectors. The FTA is also seen as a way to secure jobs in Switzerland as well as a means to open up new opportunities for the country's export industry which has had to contend with considerable financial pressures due to the strong Swiss Franc. In addition, the confederation was one of the first participants in the region to join China-proposed new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2015. "Switzerland wants to stay in contact with the best performing countries all around the globe. That's why we are very much interested in establishing closer relations with China," the Swiss president highlighted while lauding China's leading role in tackling complex issues such as climate change, international political issues and peacekeeping initiatives across the globe. "We are happy to know that we are partners with the Chinese government, and we are happy to realize that the Chinese government is so engaged in such global aspects of importance," he added. The Swiss president's state visit to China will take place between April 7 and 9. CEO of Consumer Business Group of Chinese tech company Huawei, Richard Yu, addresses the audience to launch the Huawei P9 smartphone during a press conference at Battersea Evolution in London on April 6, 2016. [Photo/VCG] Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is preparing to challenge Apple Inc in a premium-end smartphone market as the Chinese telecom equipment maker unveiled a new flagship handset in the United Kingdom and a top executive spoke of plans to enter the United States. The Shenzhen, Guangdong-based company debuted its latest device, the P9, a pamphlet with a dual-lens camera, in London on Wednesday. Huawei, the third-largest handset maker in the world, is betting on the new device to further expand its presence outside of China. Huawei has been introducing its flagship devices in Europe since 2014, a strong indication the Chinese company is shifting its focus from China to developed markets. After steadily growing market share in countries including the UK and Spain, the company may finally step into the US, a highly profitable yet extremely competitive market for global vendors. A Leica Camera AG logo sits on a P9 smartphone, manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co, at its launch event in London, April 6, 2016. [Photo/VCG] Richard Yu, head of Huawei's consumer electronics unit, told The Wall Street Journal the company plans to launch a flagship device in the US later this year. "We want to become the No 1 as a premium brand," Yu was quoted as saying by the newspaper on Wednesday. Huawei, which started off as a budget phone manufacturer more than a decade ago, is now focusing on developing devices priced above 3,000 yuan ($460), a widely accepted threshold for high-end market. The most expensive Huawei devicethe Mate Sis selling at 4,899 yuan, close to the price of an iPhone 6S. Calling Huawei's smartphone ambition "aggressive", Nicole Peng, research director at Shanghai-based consultancy Canalys, said the top priority for Huawei this year will be increasing its presence in overseas markets while fighting Xiaomi Corp on its home ground. Huawei was one of the fastest-growing smartphone vendors by the end of 2015 with a whopping 37 percent year-on-year jump, according to the research firm International Data Corp. Shipments of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd saw a drop in the same period while the iPhone shipments went flat. Huawei's consumer electronics unit, which sells smartphones, wearables and accessories, generated a revenue of 129 billion yuan in 2015, a surge of 73 percent year-on-year, the company said earlier this month. It shipped about 108 million smartphones last year and 75 million in 2014, according to Huawei. This spring presents an opportunity for Huawei to close gaps with Apple after the US giant's latest rollout failed to catch buyers' attention. Attendees look at a P9 plus smartphone, manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co, at its launch event in London, April 6, 2016. [Photo/VCG] The iPhone SE had the lowest adoption in its first weekend of availability since 2012, according to Localytics, a mobile app analytics company. The iPhone SE took 0.1 percent of the overall iPhone market by the first weekend since its availability, it said. In comparison, the iPhone 6S grabbed 1 percent in market share by the first weekend of release and iPhone 6 took 2 percent. But Huawei may still find it difficult to face off Apple this year. Anthony Scarsella, an IDC analyst, said to combat Apple at the high-end, Huawei will need to bring more value to consumers. "Many vendors have placed a renewed focus on pushing premium-looking mid-tier devices as a new value proposition to consumers in both developed and emerging markets," said Scarsella. An advertisement for e-commerce retailer JD.com Inc in Shanghai. [Photo/China Daily] SHANGHAI - Chinese online retailer JD.com will work with Japanese logistics firm Yamato to speed up cross-border delivery of goods bought on JD's overseas online marketplace, the company announced Wednesday. The cooperation with Yamato will allow goods shipped from Japan to clear through customs faster. Japanese products bought on JD's overseas online marketplace will be delivered to consumers in China four days after payment is made, JD said in a statement. The company launched JD Worldwide a year ago amid competition with rivals including Alibaba to cater to Chinese consumer's craving for quality products ranging from luxury clothes and accessories to baby formula milk powder and snacks, sold in other countries. A number of foreign retailers have also signed up with JD and Alibaba to sell their products to Chinese consumers through such cross-border markets. Some products are shipped from foreign countries while others were delivered from bonded warehouses in China. Japanese retailer Rakuten also set up an outlet on JD Worldwide. Alibaba's Tmall global marketplace houses Costco and Amazon. While dwarfed by Alibaba's tremendous gross merchandise volume, JD has managed to maintain its edge in a proprietary logistics network that delivers customers' order faster. The cooperation with Yamato seeks to extend that strength to cross-border deliveries. Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp sent out a warning over possible criminal and civil liabilities after a United States government led trade-sanction violation investigation. ZTE said it is also unable to assess the investigation's potential impact and legal liabilities on the results and financial positions. The announcement, released on Wednesday night, sent ZTE stocks in Hong Kong down despite the strong 2015 results the company released on the same day. Investors gave a split reaction to ZTE's stocks traded in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. Company stocks in Hong Kong slumped by more than 15 percent Thursday morning closing at HK$12.7 ($1.64), a 10.31 percent drop. The Shenzhen-traded shares closed at 15.22 yuan ($2.35), an increase of 1.06 percent. ZTE saw a rapid growth of revenue and net profit in 2015, according to the company. Its revenues slightly exceeded the 100 billion yuan mark in last year, a 23 percent increase year-on-year. ZTE is the second largest telecom equipment maker in China, after Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. It is also seeking growth in the smartphone sector, launching both premium-end and budget handsets around the world. In March, the US Commerce Department said ZTE re-sold prohibited products to Iran, a violation of US laws. The Chinese company said it is cooperating with the investigation. Shi Lirong, its long-time chairman and president stepped down earlier this week. The industry speculated the investigation triggered Li's departure, but ZTE said the matters were not related. Visa applications to the Republic of Korea made through 52 travel agencies in China's three northeastern provinces have been suspended by the ROK consulate general in Shenyang, Liaoning province. The suspension was announced in a notice issued by the consulate general. Travel agencies said the decision is aimed at stopping Chinese agencies from doing business with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. However, the consulate general denied this, blaming the temporary suspension on travel agencies' business qualifications. The suspension will take effect on April 18, but the consulate general did not say how long the ban will last. A travel agency in Shenyang said it had been told a week ago by the consulate general to stop business with the DPRK if it still wanted to submit visa applications for visits to the ROK. A project manager at the agency, who wanted only to be identified as Wang, said, "We have been providing travel services to the two countries. However, we stopped our travel business to the DPRK on April 1. "We had already been banned from submitting tourism visa applications to the ROK consulate general in Shenyang for three to six months." The ban does not mean that the 52 agencies can no longer organize travel groups to the ROK. Wang said visas can still be obtained from other agencies. According to the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper in the ROK, the ROK government said it would suspend visa application services for any Chinese travel agency engaged in travel to the DPRK, in an attempt to control tourism - the north's main source of foreign income. The report said the policy has been or will shortly be introduced in all ROK consulates in China. Song Fengling, a tour guide working for an international travel agency in Jilin province, said that few Chinese tourists choose to visit the DPRK. "Chinese tourists like shopping in the ROK, as it is cheap to travel there. Travel agencies in Jilin province all profit from organizing trips to the country," she said. "On the other hand, tourism attractions in the DPRK are not that attractive and the profit margin is relatively low." Zhou Huiying in Harbin contributed to this story. Contact the writer at liuce@chinadaily.com.cn A Long March 2-D rocket carrying China's first microgravity satellite, the SJ-10, blasts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province on April 6, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] With the launch of China's first microgravity satellite, SJ-10, early on Wednesday, scientists look forward to the results of experiments that could shed new light on a range of questions, from biology to the physical properties of substances, in a weightless environment. The recoverable satellite blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province at 1:38 am, carried by a Long March 2-D rocket. It will stay in orbit for several days before its return capsule heads back to Earth. The orbital module will continue to conduct experiments for a few more days. "Microgravity - the environment created during weightlessness - is an extreme condition that changes every physical phenomenon we are familiar with, which is why microgravity research has been a science hot spot internationally," said Hu Wenrui, the chief scientist on the SJ-10 project, who is a prominent physicist and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. For example, liquids cannot be contained without the use of containers on Earth. But in a microgravity environment, liquids can float without a container, which makes it possible to determine the material's characteristics, to understand its chemical reactions and to develop new materials with new functions. Microgravity experiments are normally carried out in various space facilities, such as space stations, shuttles, research rockets or orbiting satellites. The SJ-10 is designed to return to Earth. "The recoverable satellite is a useful and efficient tool for microgravity experiments, compared with space stations and research rockets," Hu said. A research rocket, the cheapest option for such experiments, can create, at most, a 10-minute period of weightlessness for microgravity experiments. A typical satellite can stay a couple weeks in gravity-free space. Space shuttles and orbiting space stations are much more costly, yet less flexible than satellites. "For example, we are going to send some stem cells and early mouse embryos into space to study their development under microgravity conditions," said Kang Qi, a researcher at the Institute of Mechanics under the science academy and the chief designer of the experiment systems aboard SJ-10. "To minimize the influence of gravity on them, we will assemble the samples only eight hours ahead of the launch, which would not be possible if we were using a manned spacecraft." Designed in the shape of a bullet, SJ-10 will carry out 28 scientific inquiries. Eleven of the experiments will be recovered on Earth, while the others will remain in orbit. The experiments include fundamental research in fluid physics, research to enhance fire safety for manned spaceflight, some biological experiments to improve human health and experiments related to coal combustion and materials processing. "We are not repeating any experiments that have been carried out by other countries. Every single experiment is new," Hu, the chief scientist, said. China's space science authority, known as the Commission on Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense before its functions were merged into the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other ministries, has solicited experimental projects for the SJ-10 since 2005. The 28 experiments selected were chosen from 218 candidates collected from research institutes and universities, both in and out of China. The project was temporarily laid aside as a result of institutional adjustments in China's space science bodies. The science academy restarted it in 2011 as part of the larger Strategic Priority Program on Space Science, which plans to launch four satellites by the end of 2016. The first in the program - focused on dark matter in the universe - was launched in December and has begun to collect data. Tianjin University [File Photo] BEIJING - Students at Tianjin University can now enroll in courses in what is possibly the most difficult subject of all - love. Around 200 students crowded into a lecture hall at the prestigious university on March 30 as the first class of a new course on romance, "Basic Theory and Experience of Love," got underway. "Hopefully the lecture will give students a higher sense of responsibility toward dating," said Liu Xiaochun, an associate professor of law at Tianjin University and course lecturer. During the 90-minute talk Liu explained legal issues related to dating, including such topics as mistresses, domestic violence, divorce and abortion. "It is the first time I have talked about dating in public," he said. For many, often away from home for the first time, college is their first chance to explore romance after dedicating much of their high school years to study. One male student who asked not to be named, said he hoped the course would help him get along with his girlfriend better. Organized by a student dating club, the course covers a wide range of topics from dating tips and etiquette to counseling. The classes are taught by teachers from the university and external experts. The course was inundated with more than 800 applications, far beyond initial expectations, Wang Rui, head of the student dating club, said. "Students can gain two credits by attending no less than five lectures and submitting a 2,000-character report at the end of the semester," Wang said. College relationships have been openly discussed across Chinese campuses, resulting in several programs to help students make their way through what could be a minefield. Such august institutions as China Youth University of Political Studies, Wuhan University and Renmin University of China all have similar courses. "The purpose of these courses is not to encourage students to fall in love, but to help them develop a proper attitude toward love and cope with problems they might meet when dating," Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of 21st Century Education Research Institute, said. Yang Li from the mental health education center at Tianjin University said many students lack the capacity to deal with failures involved in love, which can be traumatic and result in rash or even violent behavior. The courses will give students the skills they need to maintain better romantic relationships, Yang said. The Tianjin course was applauded by social media users, who acknowledged the value of such lessons for often clueless students. "It is rare for college lovers to end up married," user "Yindaxiaxia" posted on microblog Sina Weibo. "It is crucial they understand love and relationships to avoid conflict and pain." President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Zhang Jie at the launch ceremony of the campus rowing canal on Wednesday. [Photo from Sina Weibo] Chinese universities will soon have their own rowing competitions just like the 162-year-old event between Oxford and Cambridge universities in the United Kingdom. Shanghai Jiao Tong University held ceremony to mark the opening of a canal on its campus on April 6, becoming the first campus in the country to dip its toes in the water, reported guancha.cn on Wednesday. The waterway will be used by the varsity and campus rowing society for training and organizing competitions. To attract professional rowers and train more students, the university will work together with the Chinese Rowing Association. The university said it will invite other prominent universities to take part in the competition. The canal in Shanghai Jiao Tong University campus is about 800 meters long on natural fresh water river. The institute will start constructing second stage at an appropriate time. Rowers in action on the canal. [Photo from SinaWeibo] Shanghai Jiao Tong University is one of the few institutes that have maintained the tradition of rowing as a sport. It has won many awards during domestic and international awards. In 2015, 28 universities from across the world took part in competitions in Huangpu River in Shanghai. Many prestigious universities around the globe have their own teams as rowing is a traditional Olympic game that requires teamwork and persistence. University of Oxford competed against University of Cambridge in 1829 for the first time and both teams have raced against each other every year since 1856, except during the Second World War. In China, the sport has a short history of just a decade when Peking University began competing against Tsinghua University in 1998. BEIJING - Twenty-seven government institutions and other organizations of China have partnered to form a stronger safety net for children left at home by migrant-worker parents. They identified key targets for this year including carrying out a nationwide census on rural "left-behind" children, establishing a database on foster families living in poverty as well as improving and implementing policies allowing children of migrant workers to sit exams in cities. The new network, formally established on Tuesday, comprises the ministries of civil affairs, education, public security, justice, finance, human resources and social security, and agriculture, the Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, and organizations related to women, youngsters and disabled people, among others. At the network's first meeting on Wednesday, delegates also called for measures concerning poverty alleviation, education and judicial protection for left-behind children. Roles and duties of the members of the network were assigned at the conference. Civil Affairs Minister Li Liguo stressed the importance of coordination and sharing information among the institutions involved. China is planning to increase its soybean acreage over the next five years, and will encourage more farmers to switch from corn to the more lucrative crop, an agricultural official said Thursday. Corn acreage will be cut by nearly 666,700 hectares this year as part of an effort to reduce huge stocks of the grain, according to a Ministry of Agriculture guideline issued in November. Pan Weibo, deputy director with the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture, told a news conference that authorities will roll out a plan to encourage farmers to switch to soybean cultivation in the former corn areas. The new guideline, expected to be issued by the end of the month, will include measures to help improve per unit area yields, quality and efficiency in soybean production. The State Administration of Grain announced last week that the country will scrap its corn stockpiling strategy and allow the market to set the price for the grain in an effort to narrow the gap between domestic and international prices. The government also said it will subsidize corn farmers in the main production areas, including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Outside the main production areas which include 13 provincial areas in North, central and southwestern China the country will promote the cultivation of silage corn, soybeans, other coarse grains and forage grass as a replacement for corn, the agricultural ministry noted in its guideline. Pan said the areas where soybean cultivation will be encouraged already are traditional soybean growth areas. "The domestic production of soybeans in China is mainly for edible purposes, and those used for pressing will come from imports," he said. The move is not aimed to increase the self-efficiency in soybeans, or to enable a competition between domestic and imported grains, he added. Premier Li Keqiang welcomes visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before holding talks at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday. Feng Yongbin / China Daily China will work together with Sri Lanka to push forward resumption of the delayed construction of the Port City project in Colombo, Premier Li Keqiang said while meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Beijing on Thursday. It is Wickremesinghe's first visit to China since he took office last year. A welcoming ceremony was held by Li at the Great Hall of the People. Also on Thursday, Li met with Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann, vowing to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Switzerland. Li said during his meeting with Wickremesinghe that China is willing to enhance high-level exchanges and trust and deepen coordination in regional and international affairs with Sri Lanka. China will also push forward the negotiation of a free trade agreement with Sri Lanka, aiming for an outcome this year. He also said he hopes that China and Sri Lanka will speed up negotiation on the second phase of the Hambantota Port project. The port projects will help Sri Lanka become an important transfer hub for international logistics. China is also willing to work with Sri Lanka on infrastructure construction as well as production capacity. The $1.4 billion project, for which an agreement was signed by the Sri Lanka government and China Communication Construction Co in 2013, will cover 233 hectares adjoining the Port of Colombo. The project was suspended by Sri Lanka early last year after the country's new government required a review of bilateral projects. Premier Li also said China will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in construction of the port project. Wickremesinghe told Li that Sri Lanka hopes to learn from China's development experience, as Sri Lanka is facing many new challenges in social and economic development after decades of civil war. He said Sri Lanka is willing to link its development strategies with the Belt and Road Initiative to push forward his country's industrialization process. The country will also strive to reach a free trade agreement with China this year while looking forward to deepening cooperation with China on seaports, airports and industrial parks. The two leaders witnessed the signing of seven documents on cooperation between the two countries on the economy, technology, transportation, finance and medical care. Chinese courts will pass stricter sentences for a range of drug-related offenses "as the drug problem spreads more rapidly and drug offenses occur more frequently", Ma Yan, a senior Supreme People's Court judge, said on Thursday. According to the court, 137,198 people were punished for drug-related crimes last year, up 25 percent year-on-year. A judicial review from the top court called for the tougher sentences and added 12 new types of drugs, including methcathinone and tramadol, to the list of controlled substances. The review makes smuggling, transporting, buying, producing or illegally holding any of 28 drugs a criminal offense. Meanwhile, the criminal threshold for possession of ketamine, known as "K powder" and the most widely abused drug in the country, has been lowered, the document said. "The review defines 500 grams of ketamine as a 'large amount' and people who smuggle, transport, purchase, make or illegally possess that much of it will be sentenced to at least 15 years in prison," said Fang Wenjun, a judge in the top court's No 5 Criminal Tribunal, which specializes in drug cases. Previously, offenders received a 15-year sentence for cases involving a kilo of ketamine, Fang said. "The fight against ketamine in our country is becoming more serious," he said, adding that the drug poses significantly public safety dangers. "We found many cases in which defendants injured others or crashed while driving under the influence of ketamine, because it often makes users delusional," he said. Li Wenjun, an associate professor who specializes in narcotics control at the People's Public Security University of China, applauded the tougher penalties in the new judicial review, but said it will be difficult to halt drug abuse, in part because the chemical ingredients are available. Ketamine, often used as an anesthetic in surgery, relieves pain, "but it has indeed occurred in the past that medical professionals stole chemical ingredients from hospitals and refined them into the drug," she said. Although China has taken steps to limit the accessibility of the chemicals needed to make ketamine, people can still buy raw materials to refine into ketamine, she said, which is why K powder is often seen in drug cases. caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn A photo showing the head of a baby is indeed an art work. [Photo/Wuhan Evening News] Art works that look like babies growing from a flower bed have scared some students but won a teacher's appreciation, Wuhan Evening News reported. Timid female students at the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts have been warned to avoid a teaching building for babies breaking above the soil there. Pictures showed nine babies, the first only revealing a head while the following images show successive emerging postures at the school located in Wuhan city, capital of Central China's Hubei province. Most students interviewed tolerate the dolls placed at the top institution of higher learning in fine arts. Some however think the works horrifying, especially at nights. The dolls are the Public Art course assignment of a senior student surnamed Zhang, who majored in sculpture at the institute. She said she wants to inspire first-year students, who are mainly studying in the building, to be as hopeful as babies in pursuing their artistic dreams. A teacher has commended the student's doll work for attracting a lot of attentions and realizing the expected aim of public art. Works by Sun Zixi are on display at Beijing's National Art Museum of China. [Photo provided to China Daily] Prominent painter and educator Sun Zixi, 86, has donated 55 of his paintings to Beijing's National Art Museum of China. And they are now on show as part of a retrospective at the museum, titled Once and Forever, which celebrates his devotion to painting for more than six decades. The display includes 340 sketches, watercolors and oil paintings that show Sun's expressiveness in portraying landscapes and people. The works include several of his most important pieces that have been kept at state museums, including In Front of Tiananmen that shows people taking photos at the square. Born in Shandong province, Sun was part of campaigns against the Japanese invasion in his youth and later joined the army. Sun enrolled at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1955 to receive professional training, and taught at the school after his graduation. Meanwhile, he traveled extensively across the country to paint. The exhibition runs until April 12. Related: Babies rise from the soil: surprise and creation The Jinghong Hydropower Station will increase water discharges to ease effects of a regional drought. [Photo by Yang Zheng/China Daily] China will provide an emergency water supply to countries along the Mekong River to help deal with drought, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. A hydropower station in South China's Yunnan province will make the emergency supply available to the lower reaches of the river through April 10, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang announced at a news conference in Beijing. China and countries along the river on the Indochinese Peninsula are "friendly neighbors", and they should help each other to cope with difficulties, said Lu, referring to the drought that countries along the river have faced since the end of last year. Reports quoted the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam as saying the country, which is in the lower reaches of the Mekong River, has requested that China increase water discharges by the Jinghong Hydropower Station to help ease the drought. The Mekong River, whose upper part is known in China as the Lancang River, is an important water source for the five countries on the Indochinese PeninsulaLaos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Lu said China has decided to "overcome its own difficulties" and to provide the emergency water supply to benefit the five countries. China is willing to strengthen communication and practical cooperation with its neighbors on the management of water resources and disaster response under the Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation Mechanism, he added. China and the five countries set up the cooperation mechanism when their foreign ministers met in Yunnan in November. In a joint statement, all the foreign ministers promised to promote cooperation on water resources. Li Zhifei, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the move to provide an emergency water supply "is a good indication" that China has always taken on the responsibility of a large country by considering and protecting the interests of the countries on the lower reaches of the Mekong River. Xu Wei contributed to this story. Migrants are seen in a bus as they are moved to a Turkish coastguard station after a failed attempt at crossing to the Greek island of Lesbos, in the Turkish coastal town of Dikili, Turkey, April 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] HELSINKI - Visiting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday denied the allegation that the Turkish authorities had returned Syrian refugees to their home country. Last Friday, human rights organization Amnesty International said that the Turkish authorities had forced many Syrian refugees to return to their war-ravaged home country. The organization blamed Turkey for blatantly violating both their own laws and international agreements, saying that the illegal returns "expose the fatal flaws in a refugee deal signed between Turkey and the European Union" earlier in March. In response to the allegation, Davutoglu told Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat that no one has been sent back to Syria. He also demanded evidence for the allegation. Ahmet Davutoglu met his Finnish counterpart Juha Sipila here on Wednesday. During their meeting, the two prime ministers focused their discussion on the bilateral relations between the two countries, the migration situation and the relations between the EU and Turkey. Concerning the progress of the measures agreed between the EU and Turkey to stop irregular migrants flows from Turkey to EU states, Sipila said the implementation of the measures is extremely important. He added that the EU funds for the Syrian refugees in Turkey must be made available in an appropriate and swift manner. YEREVAN - The upcoming visit by Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group from Russia and France to Nagorno-Karabakh is aimed at preventing violations of the ceasefire and further escalation of long-term conflict, Armenian Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said Wednesday. Igor Popov from Russia and Pierre Andrieu from France will visit the Karabakh conflict zone to familiarize with the situation after the warring parties reached a cease-fire agreement. "They did not come to make any statements, their only task is to strengthen the cease-fire," said Kocharyan. OSCE Permanent Council held Tuesday an emergency meeting in Vienna, discussed the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and called on parties to comply with the ceasefire. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group decided to visit Karabakh conflict region. They are planning meet with Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert officials. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Conflict first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes. While China is currently the most competitive manufacturing nation on the globe, a new study released on Wednesday predicts that the United States will surpass it by the end of the decade, as a global shift to more advanced methods of assembly favors advanced economies. "As the manufacturing industry increasingly applies more advanced and sophisticated product and process technologies and materials, traditional manufacturing powerhouses of the 20th century (US, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom) are back toward the very top of the 10 most competitive nations in 2016," said a summary for the 2016 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index, compiled by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd and the Council on Competitiveness in the US. The 2016 study, released on Wednesday, was based on a survey of CEOs who were asked to rank countries in terms of current and future manufacturing competitiveness. The study also closely examined six focus nations: China, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea and the US, as those countries account for 60 percent of the world's manufacturing gross domestic product. The study said the top five most competitive nations in manufacturing now are China, US, Germany, Japan and South Korea. By 2020, the study said the order will be the US, China, Germany and Japan, with India replacing South Korea. "Consistent with the previous 2010 and 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index studies, China is again ranked as the most competitive manufacturing nation in 2016, but is expected to slip to second position as global executives provide their perspective on how the next five years will play out," the report said. Hal Sirkin, senior partner and managing director of the Boston Consulting Group and a professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, said the US and China should be at the top of the rankings now and probably in the future. "The US and China are the world's biggest economies, and I don't see anything that would change that order," he said in an interview. "It will be that way for awhile just based on population." "Chinese executives probably see competitiveness slipping due to rising wages and their growing skepticism about the effectiveness of government support. Land costs are also an issue in some areas. However, a projection of second globally to what appears to be a strong American economy is certainly not a major deterioration or failure on China's part," noted Derek Scissors, a resident scholar on China at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. Jian Yang, a professor at the University of Colorado-Denver said the traditional Chinese advantage in manufacturing - cost competitiveness - has been compromised due to rising wages and soaring land prices. "This obviously contributes to the decline in manufacturing competitiveness. There is also room for China to further improve its productivity, particularly for some State-owned enterprises," he said. The Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, which awards annual grants to individuals in academics and the arts, announced its new fellows for 2016 on Wednesday, several of whom are of Chinese descent. Grants were given to 178 scholars, artists, and scientists based on prior achievement and "exceptional promise", chosen from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants. Of those, Wu Tsang, Jing Tsu, Ge Wang and Mei-Po Kwan were awarded in the film-video, East Asian studies, music research, and geography and environmental studies categories, respectively. "It's exciting to name 178 new Guggenheim Fellows. These artists and writers, scholars and scientists represent the best of the best," Edward Hirsch, president of the foundation, said in a statement. "Each year since 1925, the Guggenheim Foundation has bet everything on the individual, and we're thrilled to continue to do so with this wonderfully talented and diverse group. It's an honor to be able to support these individuals to do the work they were meant to do," he said. Kwan, a professor of geography at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was granted a fellowship for her work on environmental health, sustainable cities, and urban/social issues in cities. She told China Daily that she will be using the Guggenheim Fellowship to conduct research on the uncertain geographic context problem, a term first articulated by Kwan in 2012 that refers to the effects of area-based attributes in a city on individual behaviors or outcomes, such as physical activity. "I am truly delighted and proud to be a foreign-born Chinese receiving this great honor," she said. Tsu is a professor of East Asian languages and literature at Yale University and will be using her grant to finish writing a book on how Chinese script has been influencing the alphabetical world. Her area of study focuses on "how China has negotiated its place in the world since the 16th century, especially in the last 150 years," she said. "It's wonderful to receive this honor and important nod from the Guggenheim Foundation. It confirms the importance of teaching and learning about China and Asia in new ways in the changing world we live in," she said. Wang is an assistant professor of music at Stanford University, where he researches programming languages and software design for creating music. Tsang is a Los Angeles-based performer and filmmaker, whose projects have been featured at the Tate Modern in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The Guggenheim Fellowship is open to all US and Canadian permanent residents and only professionals who are mid-career. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte presents his passport before he casts his vote for the consultative referendum on the association between Ukraine and the European Union, in the Hague, the Netherlands, April 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] THE HAGUE - The Dutch government has to respect the resounding "No" in a non-binding advisory referendum on the Ukraine-European Union (EU) Association Agreement and will discuss the issue with related departments in the country and the EU, the government said. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in response that "The Netherlands will now not ratify the deal just like that." "We take it step by step. We need to discuss this first in the government, in parliament and with our partners in Brussels," which will take days or weeks. "If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, then my sense is that ratification can't simply go ahead," he said. After 98.7 percent of the votes counted, around 61 percent voted against the agreement, while almost 38.2 percent voted in favor of the deal and 0.8 percent voted invalid. The turnout of 32.2 percent is above the 30 percent needed to make the referendum valid. The electoral committee will officially announce the referendum result on April 12. The referendum was the first since a 2015 law made it possible to force through plebiscites by gathering 300,000 signatures on the Internet, which was criticized by some as an instrument for anti-establishment forces. A campaign in The Netherlands last year gathered 420,000 signatures in a short time. The question now is how the Dutch government will deal with the "No," how the other 27 member states and Ukraine will respond to the outcome and what the Dutch rejection means for the agreement. "It will be politically problematic if the government decided to ignore the outcome," Antoaneta Dimitrova, associate professor at the Institute of Public Administration at Leiden University, told Xinhua. "We can not draw safe conclusions on how the Dutch people see the association agreement with Ukraine," said Dimitrova. "There has been little debate concerning the treaty itself. The Dutch government will find it difficult to negotiate amendments to the treaty with Brussels as it will be little known what the Dutch people objected to in relation to the treaty itself," she explained. The Ukraine-EU Association Agreement is a treaty between the EU and Ukraine on political, economic and a broad range of legislation and regulation topics. The EU has similar agreements with Turkey, Chile and Morocco, and a number of other countries. DHAKA -- The Chinese government will provide Bangladesh grant assistance of 300 million RMB (about $50 million) for construction of the 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge. In this connection an agreement was signed between Bangladesh and China on Thursday in capital Dhaka. Bangladesh's Economic Relations Department (ERD) Secretary Mezbah Uddin and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. According to an ERD statement, the 8th friendship bridge will be constructed on Kocha River in southern Bangladesh. The length of the bridge will be 1400 meters and Bangladesh Roads and Highway department will carry out the project, it said. The bridge will play an important role in accelerating movement of people and goods of Barisal and Khulna divisions, said the ERD. Presently, it said, a ferry is operated on the river which requires more than 1 hour to cross it. The construction of the first Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, with a span of more than 917 meters in length, began in October 1986, and was completed in February 1989. LAGOS -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's visit to China next week, will focus on power, infrastructure, transport, road and agriculture, an official said Thursday. The trip would also be used to promote Nigeria-China relation and the West African country's exports to China, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama told reporters in Abuja, the nation's capital city. He said Buhari was the first Nigerian president to be invited by China, an outcome of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit held late last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. The minister said the president would be going with a delegation comprising ministers of transportation, power and housing, trade, industry and investment. "The visit is very important to the President because one of the main priorities of the government is to address the challenges in power, infrastructure, transport, road and agriculture," he added. "He will want to take that up with the Chinese to look at the possibility of more investment opportunities between both countries," he said. As the world's second largest economy, China has become the biggest trading partner with Africa since 2009. The minister said Nigeria would utilize the visit to open up markets for Nigerian products in China. "China is where you have 1.3 billion people and we are looking at how to promote our export," he added. He said the visit would be a win-win for both countries, adding that Nigeria would seek new opportunities and identify new areas of possible cooperation with China. UNITED NATIONS -- A record number of countries are expected to sign a historic climate agreement at a signing ceremony on April 22, the deputy UN spokesman said Thursday. More than 130 countries have confirmed that they will sign the Paris Agreement on that day, the first day that the accord adopted in December in Paris is open for signature, Farhan Haq said at a daily news briefing here. "This is expected to surpass the previous record of 119 signatures for an opening day signing for an international agreement, set by the Law of the Sea in Montego Bay (in Jamaica) in 1994," he said. More than 60 heads of state and government will be attending the signing ceremony to be hosted at UN Headquarters in New York by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, demonstrating the continued high level of engagement by world leaders to accept and implement the Paris Agreement, he said. "The Signing Ceremony will mark the first step toward ensuring that the Paris Agreement enters into force as early as possible," he said. "The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the secretary-general." Adopted by the 196 Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement sets a target of holding the global average rise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and preferably below 1.5 degrees. (Photo : Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) A 'Transformer' toy made by Hasbro is offered for sale at a Toys R Us store Oct. 22, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. Hasbro today reported a 62 percent rise in quarterly profit. Advertisement A recent Xiaomi and Hasbro collaboration is changing an iconic "Transformer's" transformation into something more hip - and techie. Through a partnership between the Chinese smartphone maker and US toy company, Soundwave will no longer be known as an 80s-era microcassette recorder but a gleaming 7.9 inch, champagne colored tablet computer, according to the China Daily. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement In line with its marketing efforts, Xiaomi on Tuesday launched a crowdfunding campaign for the revamped Soundwave action figure. The company targets to sell at least 1,000 units in the next 13 days. Since the campaign kicked off, hundreds of order for the action figure-cum-tablet have already been placed. Over the years, Hasbro's designers have altered Soundwave's transformations. Under the Xiaomi and Hasbro collaboration, the popular Decepticon's latest iteration is dubbed as the second-generation tablet dubbed the Mi Pad 2. The device, which was launched late last year, is compatible with both Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows 10 operating systems. Xioami announced during the crowdfunding campaign that it is planning to launch more Transformer-inspired gadgets in the future. Aside from producing smartphones and tablets, Beijing-based Xiaomi has been rolling out a variety of home appliances which range from air and water purifiers to television and weight scales. All these devices are wired through Wi-Fi to enable remote control on a smartphone. In March, Xiaomi unveiled out a top-of-the-line rice cooker, as part of the company's slew of smart home appliances, which have been largely inspired by the Chinese consumers' obsession with high-quality products produced by countries such as Japan. The Xiaomi and Hasbro collaboration, therefore, hopes to capitalize on the Chinese company's innovative thrust, which aims to capture a larger segment of the global electronics market and make China a leading producer of cutting edge products. Advertisement TagsXiaomi, hasbro, Xiaomi Hasbro Collaboration (Photo : Getty Images) SAIC Motor Corp is planning to venture into India with affordable SUVs. Advertisement China's top car manufacturer SAIC Motor Corp is planning to enter into the lucrative Indian market, as the company struggles to cope with sluggish demand back home. SAIC Motor Corp would be the first Chinese car company to enter into the Indian market, which at present is one of the fastest growing auto car markets in the world. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to sources, the company is already in talks with State Government of Maharashtra to set up a manufacturing plant in Pune city. The company is reportedly planning to set-up the plant within next three years. In January, Indian media reported that SAIC Motor Corp is also mulling over the possible acquisition of a plant operated by General Motors in the Indian state of Gujarat. However, no one from the company has so far commented on how far talks with GM have reached over the acquisition. Sources claim that company is planning to enter into the Russian, European Union and American markets, after setting foot in India later this year. It Will be Tough for SAIC to Crack Indian Market Analysts argue that since SAIC is entering India very late, it would be very difficult for the company to make a dent in the price conscious market. Even global car manufacturers like Volkswagen AG, Ford Motor and General Motors are struggling to drive up their revenue despite being present in India for more than a decade. Some auto experts also believe that SAIC will have to work hard to overcome strong "negative perception" among Indian consumers about quality of Chinese products. "If the Chinese carmakers are able to overcome the quality perception, they have a huge cost advantage," said Amit Kaushik, country head at consultant JATO Dynamics. SAIC is reportedly planning to overcome all these challenges by offering no frill cars and affordable yet quality SUVs to Indian customers. Advertisement TagsSAIC Motor Corp, china, Chinese Car Manufacterer, India, India Car Market (Photo : Reuters/KCNA) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (above) greets a women's sub-unit of the North Korean military during a rocket launching drill. China has enforced more trade sanctions against North Korea. Advertisement China's state-run People's Daily has, in an opinion piece in the Xiakedao column, compared the instability in the Korean peninsula with the political turmoil in Syria, noting that North Korea has become an increasing threat to China. The article said it is time for North Korea to rethink its nuclear weapon strategy as it might eventually jeopardise Pyongyang's political regime. Beijing on Tuesday imposed restrictions on imports of North Korean coal and iron into the country in line with the latest United Nations' sanctions, China's commerce ministry said. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Trade with China is crucial for the isolated and impoverished North, which suffered regular food shortages and an outright famine in the mid-1990s. In 2014, China accounted for more than 90 percent of North Korea's $7.61 billion in total trade, according to the latest available figures from South Korea's state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. The coal trade between the neighbours was worth $1 billion last year, China's Customs figures show. The Chinese government issued an official document on Apr. 5 listing specific embargo targets following the United Nation Security Council's Mar. 2 passage Resolution 2270 sanctioning North Korea for its recent nuclear test and rocket launch. The document titled 'Announcement of the List of Minerals and Metals Banned for Transport into North Korea' was released on Monday by China's Ministry of Commerce and China Customs with guidelines regarding the ban on imports of North Korean minerals and exports of aircraft fuel. "In order to enforce the related UNSC resolution, transport of the following products to and/or from North Korea is banned in accordance with the People's Republic of China Foreign Trade Law," the document reads. The embargoed items listed in the announcement fall into three major categories: bans on the import of North Korean coal, iron, and iron ore; bans on the import of North Korean gold, vanadium ore, titanium ore, and rare-earth elements; and ban on the export of aircraft fuel to North Korea. Advertisement Tagschina, Syria, North Korea, North Korea Sanctions, united nations sanctions north korea, China trade north korea (Photo : Getty Images) Advertisement Top Chinese leaders and their family members have been implicated in the Panama Papers as owners of various anonymous and inactive offshore companies, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) announced. Part of the 11.5 million documents leaked from a law firm in Panama allegedly shows that the brother-in-law of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Deng Jiagui, controls several offshore companies. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to ICIJ, the papers also shows that Li Xiaolin, the daughter China's former premier Li Peng, owns several offshore companies which were set up by the Panama-based law firm, Mossack Fonseca. Family members The Panama Papers reportedly also listed family members of two high-ranking officials of the communist party and relatives of four more high-level Chinese government leaders who maintain secretive offshore holdings. The ICIJ has released two new names that appear in the documents; the son-in-law of Chinese Vice premier Zhang Gaoli and the daughter-in-law of Liu Yunshan, China's information chief. More names allegedly appear in the Panama Papers implicating relatives of former and current government officials who have allegedly stashed their wealth in offshore companies. Chinese personalities According to the papers, Jasmine Li Zidan, granddaughter of Jia Qinglin, the former member of China's Standing Committee, has standing offshore holdings in a company named Harvest Sun Trading, the ICIJ revealed. The Panama Papers also named other Chinese personalities who have offshore holdings, including the brother of Zeng Qinghong, China's ex-vice president; grandson-in-law of Mao Zedong, China's leader for almost three decades; and son of Hu Yaobang, former leader of the communist party. Groundless Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei branded the revelations as 'groundless' and refused to give any more comments. Although the leaked documents did not categorically disclose any illegal activity by the Chinese leaders and their relatives, China is sensitive about graft in the wake of President Xi Jinping's relentless anti-corruption campaign that has led to the arrest and prosecution of several corrupt officials. The Panama Papers refers to a cache of 11.5 million documents which are said to contain potentially illegal activities of high-profile leaders and global personalities. It was leaked by the Panama-based law firm, Mossack Fonseca, the same firm that allegedly helped the clients set up their inactive offshore companies. Advertisement TagsPanama Papers, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Chinese President Xi jinping, Mossack Fonseca, communist party leaders, top level government officials, offshore companies, shell companies (Photo : Getty Images) As a preventive measure, China has asked all countries taking part in this year's G20 summit to submit lists of suspected terrorist organizations. Advertisement China has requested all nations taking part in this year's G20 summit to submit lists of suspected terrorist organizations as a measure to prevent possible terrorist attacks on the gathering. The G20 summit is scheduled to take place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in early September this year. Several world leaders will attend the summit including U.S. President Barack Obama. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We're facing a grim task in fighting terrorism, and we hope participating countries will work together with Chinese policy to ensure the safety of such large-scale meetings," Hou Le, a senior Chinese counter-terrorism official, told China Daily. According to the state-run newspaper, the Chinese government has asked local police stations to hand over a list of indigenous terrorist organizations that might pose a security threat to the summit. Chinese authorities are especially concerned about the activities of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). ETIM's name cropped up on Chinese media following the recent unrest in the Muslim Uighur community. China's public security ministry has since expressed concerns that some ETIM members have undergone training in Syria and Afghanistan and could return to China to launch terrorist attacks. Last year, China introduced several counter-terrorism laws to deal with suspected terrorist organizations like ETIM. These laws have come under scathing criticisms from human right activists and some western countries, who claim that it gives sweeping powers to the Chinese government. Advertisement Tagschina, G20 summit, G20 Summit 2016 (Photo : Nichole Sobecki/AFP/Getty Images) China has donated 1,700 tonnes of rice to South Sudan, which is facing a humanitarian crisis. Advertisement As part of efforts to provide a helping hand to world's youngest nation which is facing a humanitarian crisis, China has donated 1,700 tonnes of rice to South Sudan. South Sudan is suffering a food shortage due to poor crop production, with United Nations (UN) agencies putting the cereal deficit this year in the country at 381,000 tonnes, up 53 percent from a year earlier. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Humanitarian efforts in South Sudan have been largely halted since civil conflict began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir fell out with his former deputy Riek Machar, who later formed a rebel force. A recent report issued by UN agencies warns that food insecurity has spread to areas previously considered "relatively stable" in South Sudan with food prices soaring. Cereal prices in South Sudan have shot up nearly five-fold since early last year, making it increasingly difficult for people to get enough to eat, according to a new study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The two UN agencies said that the increasing prices are caused by conflict and unfavourable rains. The statement also highlighted that the soaring cereal prices are driven by a combination of the sharp devaluation of the local currency and higher transport costs. The lack of traders' access to dollars also makes it difficult for them to import food. "The number of wholesale traders present in main markets and the level of their food stock have steadily declined throughout the year as a consequence of insecurity, low purchasing power of consumers and difficult access to foreign exchange to buy imports," the report said. In terms of transportation, links between cereal-producing areas - mostly in the Equatoria and Bahr el-Ghazal states - and main markets have become "extremely difficult" due to heightened insecurity, a proliferation of roadblocks and exorbitant ad hoc taxes levied on commercial transporters along major trade routes, according to the research. Advertisement TagsSouth Sudan, china, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), food security Cheaper cocktail drives down cost of physician-assisted suicide 07 April, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | SEATTLE (Christian Examiner) A group of doctors in the American Northwest has created a new drug cocktail to lower the price of physician-assisted suicide, or euthanasia, after a Canadian company doubled the price of its life-ending drug. According to a report in the Seattle Times April 2, the new price of the euthanasia drug provided by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International of Quebec climbed to more than $3,000 per dose (and, in some cases, up to $5,000). Now death can be had for the bargain-basement price of $500 after doctors with End of Life Washington (ELW) concocted the potion. Physicians who conduct assisted suicide note that the new drug is as effective as Seconal, or secorbarbital sodium, the sedative used in most cases of euthanasia. "We thought we should concoct an alternative that would work as well. ... It does work as well," said Robert Wood, an HIV/AIDS researcher with the University of Washington. He now serves as a volunteer with ELW. Doctors in Oregon have opted for the cheaper alternative, and it will also likely be used when California's physician-assisted suicide law goes into effect later this year. Physician-assisted suicide became a popular point of discussion when Brittany Maynard chose to end her own life with the help of her doctor in Oregon. She was suffering from what doctors had said was incurable cancer. COMMENTARY: N.C. restroom law not about transgenders, but state power (and public safety) 07 April, 2016 by Dr. Gregory Tomlin , | RALEIGH (Christian Examiner) LGBT activists are upset with the Tar Heel State over a new Public Facilities and Security Act which requires public schools, colleges, universities and other government offices to limit the use of restrooms to those whose biological sex at birth matches the gender assigned for the facilities. Imagine that. No one born male may use a multiple-occupancy female restroom, and no one born female may use a multi-occupancy male restroom. It certainly seems thoroughly logical to guarantee the privacy of those taking care of life's necessities. Just ask the handful of college students at the University of Toronto affected by the open use policy there. They found out last year how important restroom privacy is. Allowing people to choose the restroom they wanted to use a practice meant to assuage the consciences of transgenders suffering from what psychologists call "gender dysphoria" created an opening for others to abuse the arrangement. Several Toms were caught peeping and even videotaping the girls in liberal Toronto. That was too much for the women at the university, and the open use policy for restrooms at the university died faster than Martin O'Malley's presidential bid. North Carolina's law was not the first such law to be proposed. South Dakota toyed with the provision in 2015, as have a dozen other states. In the Mount Rushmore State, the bill limiting multi-occupancy restrooms to males or females passed, but Gov. Dennis Daugaard vetoed it. Daugaard claimed the bill didn't address any "pressing issue concerning the school districts of South Dakota" and might create liabilities for school districts where no liability exists now. He also claimed the bill would have imposed statewide mandates when local governments were capable of making such decisions. The stated reason for the veto was ignored by LGBT activists, who could find a way to claim canned soup is offensive to them. They touted Daugaard's decision as a veto of state-sanctioned discrimination, calling the bill "dangerous" and a violation of federal law. One activist, Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, said the governor sent a message that "discrimination is not a South Dakotan value." In reality, those who pushed the South Dakota bill argued that it would have protected privacy, actually prevented bullying of transgender students in a bathroom or locker room, and enhanced student safety. I also suspect the uncomfortable statistic dogging the state it has the second highest rate of rape and sexual assault in the country (next to Alaska) was lurking in the background. I anticipate the usual objection here that being transgender or homosexuals does not make one a rapist. Granted, but also beside the point. Open access to multiple-occupancy female restroom facilities creates opportunity for crime, most especially on children and women (as seen in Toronto). If the creation of the opportunity for a crime is not a concern, why do we have laws prohibiting the sale of firearms to convicted felons? Why do we have laws ensuring that children are placed in suitable foster care environments? Why were different restrooms set aside for different biological sexes in the first place? The answer to the final question is privacy and security, just as the citizens of Houston recognized when they vetoed a bathroom measure allowing open access to restrooms last year. That a state has a right to enforce the observance of privacy, standards of decency, and to safeguard the interests of women and children and even men in public, multi-occupancy restrooms is without question. But there is more in play here. The North Carolina bill likely never would have surfaced if the activist city council in Charlotte had not passed its own anti-discrimination ordinances (creating a "third gender") that did not comport with state law. In February the council passed city ordinances that opened up all public restrooms, including multiple-occupancy restrooms, to transgenders as part of its efforts to put an end to supposed cases of discrimination in the city (there were none on record). That signaled the state that its power to make law, already in jeopardy by successive federal power grabs, was being chipped away at the local level, as well. While the issues of privacy and safety were certainly a concern in North Carolina, legislators avoided the emotionally charged argument about transgenderism, homosexuality and public safety. The words "privacy" and "safety" are not mentioned on a single occasion in the state's bill. State legislators instead wrote in the bill that discrimination is "properly an issue of general, statewide concern." The state's statutes "supersede and preempt any ordinance, regulation, resolution, or policy adopted or imposed by a unit of local government or other political subdivision of the State." Perhaps that state's constitutional constructs and its desire to protect its own sovereignty had a great deal to do with state's new law after all. Still, the way the bill was written only pushed the issue of public safety into the background. It was a concern, as evidenced by Gov. Pat McCrory's statement: "This action of allowing a person with male anatomy, for example, to use a female restroom or locker room will most likely cause, immediate State legislative intervention which I would support as governor." McCrory, himself a former mayor of Charlotte, said the bill doesn't open any class to discrimination and relates to state institutions. He also said he is doing his dead-level best to educate his constituency that the bill is not what is being presented in the media. "I'm doing my job and communicating not only with the employees of the state, but also with employers of the state who are getting a lot of information sadly even through your newspaper that aren't clarifying the facts in a correct way," McCrory told a News & Observer reporter. "I've got to do it, especially with your editorial pages that are definitely misleading the public on many items." McCrory also rejected any comparison between the public facilities and security legislation in North Carolina and a bill vetoed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal that would have offered protections to people who object to supporting same-sex marriage with their businesses on religious grounds. "I think the media is connecting the two when there's absolutely no connection whatsoever," McCrory said. "They're two different issues." That isn't likely to stop the LGBT lobby from encouraging companies to pull out of the state and filing multiple lawsuits against the state's government for discrimination. Nor will the truth prevent another full court press to enshrine the movement's cultural rotgut as law or to overturn the laws the people have enacted at the state level to secure their safety and privacy. Dr. Gregory Tomlin covers the intersection of politics, culture and religion for Christian Examiner. He is also Assistant Professor of Church History and a faculty instructional mentor for Liberty University Divinity School. Tomlin earned his Ph.D. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and also studied at Baylor University and Boston University's summer Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs. He wrote his dissertation on Southern Baptists and their influence on military-foreign policy in Vietnam from 1965-1973. Police raid anti-abortion activist's home 07 April, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | SACRAMENTO (Christian Examiner) Police have served a search warrant at the apartment of anti-abortion activist and filmmaker David Daleiden, Lifesite News reported April 6. Daleiden, founder of the Center for Medical Progress and head of an undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood's trafficking of aborted fetal body parts, wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday morning that his home had been raided by police who confiscated all of his video footage. He called the raid a violation of his First Amendment rights. "Today, the California Attorney General's office of Kamala Harris, who was elected with tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayer-funded Planned Parenthood, seized all video footage showing Planned Parenthood's criminal trade in aborted baby parts, in addition to my personal information," Daleiden wrote. "Ironically, while seizing my First Amendment work product, they ignored documents showing the illicit scheme between StemExpress and Planned Parenthood. This is no surprise Planned Parenthood's bought-and-paid-for AG has steadfastly refused to enforce the law against the baby body parts traffickers in our state, or even investigate them while at the same time doing their bidding to harass and intimidate citizen journalists. We will pursue all remedies to vindicate our First Amendment rights." Daleiden, whose effort to obtain proof of Planned Parenthood's sale of body parts was conducted under the guise of a tissue procurement company called BioMax, accomplished his work with the use of false identification. That earned him multiple charges in Houston, Texas, where he was indicted for tampering with a government record and, ironically, offering to buy aborted fetal body parts. An Egyptian Coptic Christian has finally been acquitted from blasphemy charges, after spending three years in jail on false accusations, the World Watch Monitor reported. Bishoy Kameel Garas was sentenced to six years of imprisonment in September 2012 on unproven charges of authoring a Facebook page with blaspheming messages against Islam, former President Mohamed Morsi, and a Muslim clergyman's sister. It was a fake page created by one of his acquaintances named Michael -- who is now in Italy -- who wrote the defamatory lines in Bishoy's name. Bishoy alerted the cyber police about the phony account, and also posted warnings about it on his Facebook page. Nevertheless, he was imprisoned without investigation, despite a recorded confession of Michael. Confronted with the evidence, the rulings to acquit him were delayed from November 14th, 2015 to February 13th, 2016, because the issue was deemed 'sensitive,' by the judge, according to his lawyer Magdy Farouk Saeed. Subsequently, he was declared innocent on March 13th, 2016. The court did not verify the evidence properly and refused to take note that the hacker was a different person than the defendant, Bishoy, human rights activists say. "The judge would not hear the difference between one's own genuine Facebook page and a page created by another assuming a false identity," Safwat Samaan, director of Nation Without Borders, a human rights advocacy group, told World Watch Monitor, quoting sources who had attended the hearings. Blasphemy cases against Christians and non-Muslims often trigger mob violence in the country, which puts the court under pressure, and hinders it from conducting a fair trial. "Back in 2012, the defense team was mobbed by scores of angry people around and inside the courthouse shouting, 'Are you Muslims or what?' The lawyers were themselves accused of apostasy and had to be spirited from the court's security office," said Ishak Ibrahim from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). The World Watch Monitor asked Garas about his experience in the jail. And he said, "...thank God in all things. We are subject to the will of Him who works all things together for good." "The time I spent in prison made me draw really closer to God. It was more or less a retreat time for me with Him." "Despite the dangerous charges leveled against me, I could see God's hand throughout. Even fellow inmates in both the Wadi-el-Gedid and Menya prisons were kind to me. They could see that I was being unjustly treated," he added. Tennessee may become the first state with the Holy Bible as its official book. The bill sponsored by Senator Steve Southerland to make Bible the official state book passed the state Senate with a 19-8 vote, and now heads to Governor Bill Halsam for approval. "The Holy Bible is of great historical and cultural significance in the State of Tennessee as record of the history of Tennessee families that predates the modern vital [statistical] records," said Senator Southerland in his floor speech. "It records things like births, marriages, and deaths, and printing the Bible is a multi-million dollar industry in this state, with many top Bible publishers' headquarters in Nashville." The bill SB1108 received both bipartisan support and opposition. Supporters of the bill invoked Bible's historical significance in the state, while the opponents said that it will place the holy book on same level as trivial things such as tulip poplar, mockingbird, and the channel catfish. Attorney General Herbert Slatery and Governor Haslam have cited constitutional concerns in opposing the bill. Slatery had said last year that the bill would infringe upon the statute of separation of government and religion. "The Bible is the most important book in my life, and I think in the world," Haslam told reporters last week. "But that's very different than being the state's official book." If 10 working days pass without his signature, the bill will become a law. Haslam's spokesman David Smith said that the "governor has constitutional questions and personal reservations about this legislation," but he will evaluate the legislation before deciding if he wants to veto it or not. In Alabama, the KJV Bible is the state's official Bible, but it is not the official book. Similar measures to name Bible as the official state book have failed in other states. In Louisiana, the bill was withdrawn by the sponsor in 2014, and in Mississippi the bill to make the Bible its official book died in February this year. Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU in Tennessee, stated that the bill was a "thinly veiled effort to promote one religion over other religions clearly violates both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions," and urged Haslam to veto the bill. "The rich and growing demographic diversity and the backlash against the equal marriage decision may be driving some legislators to put a big red stop sign up by filing bills that not only violate constitutional guarantees, but attempt to slow down progress and discriminate against individuals," she said. Senator Kerry Robert (R-Springfield) stated that his reason to support the bill was that constitution did not intend to keep religion out of government, but to keep government out of religion. "The attitude of these people was not to keep religion out of government. It was to keep government out of religion," he told the Tennessean, noting that George Washington used Bible in his swearing-in ceremony, and that the country's first Congress had several scholars who wrote the constitution of separation of state and religion, but used religion in several facets of public life. A United Methodist Church pastor in Kansas may be put on trial by the church after she disclosed her relationship with another woman during a sermon on January 3 this year. After disclosing the information in the sermon, Rev. Cynthia Meyer of Edgerton United Methodist Church, Kansas, sent a copy of her sermon to her district superintendent, Rev. David Watson, who is the counsel of the church as well. As part of the proceedings in conformity with written code of the church, Rev. David Watson filed a complaint against her with the UMC. Under the church's Book of Discipline, homosexuality is not acceptable in the Christian doctrine. No date has been set for her trial. "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church," says UMC's Book of Discipline. However, Meyer's case comes just weeks before the UMC was to reconsider its stance of prohibiting gay pastors and unions from church's service, and to amend the Book of Discipline. At a General Conference meeting in Portland scheduled around May 15, UMC is expected to alter its policy of not allowing gay pastors and marriages in the church. It remains the only mainline Protestant denominations which has not yet formally permitted openly gay clergy. According to Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), a gay advocacy group within UMC, church bodies may be delaying hearing on Meyer's case till they meet in Portland this May, so the that the ruling goes in her favor. "It should be noted that Rev. Meyer is serving in a Conference that has - by a 60-40 vote - requested that the General Conference allow LGBTQ individuals to serve openly as pastors," RMN said in a statement in a UMC press release. Over 860 delegates from different countries will decide if the Book of Discipline needs to be amended. Though Bishop Jones prompted a supervisory response to her disclosure, he wrote an email to Meyer on Easter Sunday, asking her to wait until the General Conference rules on gay clergy. In the letter, he said that if the conference keeps the old rules, she would need to withdraw from the ministry. Or as an alternative, he said, the congregation could withdraw from the denomination and form a new independent church. Meyer rejected both the proposals, and will continue to serve at the Edgerton church until a decision is reached by UMC. On her Facebook page, Meyer said that many church leaders were wary of Jones' proposal. "They joined me in my dismay at his suggestion that I leave, and that the entire congregation leave the denomination," she said. A UMC press release states that Jones has requested prayers for both Meyer and his Great Plains Conference as they pass through these times. An American Christian asked the gathered children if any had experienced difficulty in forgiving someone. One small boy raised his hand and said it was difficult forgiving the armed men who blew up a car, killing his uncle. This very public and understandable confession occurred at a Baptist camp in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Texas Baptists are supporting ministries to Syrian refugees there through the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering and through the refugee efforts in Lebanon. Despite the boys struggle with forgiveness, he also spoke of his trust in Jesus and how much joy he has in his life, according to a California Christian who witnessed the encounter. It was obvious to us that despite the devastating things these kids have seen and experienced the message of Jesus love is getting through to them and making an impact in their lives. Residents of North America may find it easy to turn away from the human suffering caused by war in the Middle East, but followers of Jesus cannot afford such apathy. The Savior told us to care for those who suffer, that it is the same as serving Christ personally. In other words, Jesus is a refugee, and He needs us. Scripture says God can bring good from any situation, and God is doing so in Lebanon. Another of the American Christians told of entering a familys tiny little home. The family had very little, but they were bubbling over with joy. They couldnt wait to share how they came to know Jesus and how they have been forever changed. We see images of desperate people scrambling ashore in Greece or crowding onto roads in Hungary, and those of us in the West can feel as if we are being invaded. The challenge for Christians is to take off our national or cultural lenses which we see such things and put on the lenses provided by Scripture. When the Bible addresses issues related to people who are living in a land not their own, the wording is usually translated into English as stranger, alien, sojourner or foreigner. There is probably no clearer statement regarding Gods view of immigrants than Psalm 146:9. The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. (NRSV) God looks upon refugees and immigrants as he does all vulnerable people. That God watches over the strangers implies not just seeing them but caring for and protecting them. It is listed here as the opposite of what God does to the wicked. God brings ruin to the wicked; God looks after the refugee and immigrant. The Old Testament links Gods concern for immigrants to the experience of the Israelites in Egypt, when they were refugees who crossed a national border seeking better economic and life-sustaining conditions. When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Lev. 19:33-34, NRSV) In the New Testament, Jesus references immigrants in the famous least of these verses about the judgment of nations. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (Matt. 25:34-36, NRSV) Welcoming the stranger is one indication that people are living in accordance with Gods will. They are more focused on Gods kingdom than on the boundaries of this world. Jesus also famously said to love God with all of your being and to love your neighbor as yourself. A lawyer then asked, And who is my neighbor? Jesus responded by telling a story about a good Samaritan, which revealed that being a persons neighbor knows no boundaries racial, ethnic or national. Jesus, of course, had once been a refugee. After his birth, his parents fled Palestine for the safe confines of Egypt. Now when they [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him (Matt. 2:13, NKJV). The family escaped the threat of death and lived as foreigners until it was safe for them to return to their homeland. Before God, there is no difference between the people of various tribes or groups. There is a oneness to the human race which transcends all categories that might separate us. We will see as God sees when we no longer see refugees foreigners, when they no longer seem so different. We will see them as Gods children, as our neighbors. Ferrell Foster is the director of ethics and justice for Texas Baptists. Several faith leaders were asked to write brief comments about the future of Roe. I was glad to see that I was not the only person asked who sees life as beginning at conception and who is ready to see Roe overturned. In 2004, Americans adopted 22,884 children from foreign countriesan all-time high. Twelve years later, that number has dropped to 5,648 childrenthe lowest level in 35 years, according to recently released statistics from the US State Department on fiscal year 2015 (Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015). The sharp decline isnt limited to the United States; global adoptions to the top 24 receiving countries dropped by 75 percent during the same 12 years. Foreign adoptions have been in short supply while demand has surged among American evangelicals, prompted by Russell Moore and other leaders. Last year, Americans adopted the most children from China, Ethiopia, South Korea, Ukraine, and Uganda. Most of these adoptive US parents lived in Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Georgia. While reasons for the steady decline are multiple and complex, 80 percent of the drop in American adoptions can be traced back to three countries: China, Russia, and Guatemala, according to the ... 1 Please view update to this release here Contact: Leslie Palma, 347-286-7277 ATLANTA, April 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Dr. Alveda King: Yesterday in The Daily Beast, Washington Times, Life News, and other "news" outlets, Mr. Donald Trump was falsely accused of "blowing off" the pro life movement by cancelling or reneging on an invitation to speak to pro life leaders. This is not true. I was at the meeting, and Mr. Trump did not reject any invitation. There was no meeting with Mr. Trump scheduled in the first place. I personally have met Mr. Trump and have spoken with his staff and supporters on a regular basis, and find them very open to pro life discussions. I remain saddened by the "winner take all by any means necessary" affront that is being promulgated in this election season. As a Christian Evangelist, I no longer endorse political candidates. I am called to pray for everyone, including all leaders. "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live." - 1 Timothy 2:1-3 MSG While I sometimes privately offer support and advice to various candidates, In this election I urge Americans to pray and repent; and vote responsibly; and to not indulge in emotional mudslinging and lies. Day Gardner, who has endorsed Mr. Trump was at the meeting in question, and has this to say regarding the scandalous lies about Mr. Trump blowing off pro life leaders yesterday: "Today's article put out by Daily Beast about Trump blowing off a meeting with pro-lifers is unreal. It didn't happen. How do I know? I was in that meeting. Donald Trump was not on the agenda and had no commitment to participate in any way in that meeting." -- Day Gardner, President, National Black Pro-Life Union According to Fr. Frank Pavone, who was at the meeting in question, he said this is what happened: "Our organization reaches out to candidates regularly. Many of these conversations are off the record. But in fairness, let me make clear that Mr. Trump did not break any commitments to speak to me or any gathering I organize. On the contrary, I have had very friendly and fruitful interactions with him and members of his team and look forward to continuing that dynamic." Gardner went on to say: Christian Book Award Finalist Awarded to 'How We Got the Bible' LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2016 / Where did the Bible come from? Can you trust its reliability? Through seven dynamic chapters in How We Got the Bible, expert Dr. Timothy Paul Jones guides readers through all the important questions about the history of the Bible and why it can be trusted. Featuring dramatic stories, time lines, highly visual charts, and illustrations, this 184-page Bible apologetics handbook shows key information at a glance as it dives into the history of the Bible and how it came to be. Covering Wycliffe, Tyndale, Gutenberg, and many others, Rose's easy-to-understand How We Got the Bible handbook takes its readers from the earliest clay tablets and papyrus copies to the first bound Bible and the various Bible translations that we use today! Perfect for individuals, Bible study groups, and church reference use, the How We Got the Bible handbook is just one of many of Dr. Timothy Paul Jones' resources on biblical reliability. Last summer Rose Publishing also released an entire 6-session How We Got the Bible DVD kit on how the Bible came to be. Finalists in the "Best Bible Reference" category were selected for being scholarly and well researched as well as fresh and compelling. Design and impact were additional criteria. The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's panel of expert judges analyzed books in five categories and determined the honor. Five finalists were selected within the Bible Reference category, and winners will be announced on May 3rd at the ECPA Leadership Summit/Industry Awards Night in Nashville, TN. One title will be selected from the finalists to receive ECPA's top honor: Christian Book of the Year. Author Dr. Timothy Paul Jones currently serves as professor and associate vice president at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also is an editor of The Journal of Discipleship and Family Ministry and has authored more than a dozen books on Bible apologetics, family ministry, and Christian history. Dr. Jones has previously received recognition for his book Christian History Made Easy, collecting the 2010 awards for Book of the Year in Christian Education from both Christian Retailing Magazine and ECPA. For interviews, contact Don Otis at (719) 275-7775 or email: The How We Got the Bible handbook is priced at $14.99. Product Code: 4067X - ISBN: 9781628622164 Share Tweet Contact: Don Otis, 719-275-7775, interviews@veritasincorporated.com LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- How We Got the Bible has been honored as a finalist in the Bible Reference category of the Christian Book Awards for 2016.Where did the Bible come from? Can you trust its reliability? Through seven dynamic chapters in How We Got the Bible, expert Dr. Timothy Paul Jones guides readers through all the important questions about the history of the Bible and why it can be trusted.Featuring dramatic stories, time lines, highly visual charts, and illustrations, this 184-page Bible apologetics handbook shows key information at a glance as it dives into the history of the Bible and how it came to be. Covering Wycliffe, Tyndale, Gutenberg, and many others, Rose's easy-to-understand How We Got the Bible handbook takes its readers from the earliest clay tablets and papyrus copies to the first bound Bible and the various Bible translations that we use today!Perfect for individuals, Bible study groups, and church reference use, the How We Got the Bible handbook is just one of many of Dr. Timothy Paul Jones' resources on biblical reliability. Last summer Rose Publishing also released an entire 6-session How We Got the Bible DVD kit on how the Bible came to be.Finalists in the "Best Bible Reference" category were selected for being scholarly and well researched as well as fresh and compelling. Design and impact were additional criteria.The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's panel of expert judges analyzed books in five categories and determined the honor. Five finalists were selected within the Bible Reference category, and winners will be announced on May 3rd at the ECPA Leadership Summit/Industry Awards Night in Nashville, TN. One title will be selected from the finalists to receive ECPA's top honor: Christian Book of the Year.Author Dr. Timothy Paul Jones currently serves as professor and associate vice president at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also is an editor of The Journal of Discipleship and Family Ministry and has authored more than a dozen books on Bible apologetics, family ministry, and Christian history.Dr. Jones has previously received recognition for his book Christian History Made Easy, collecting the 2010 awards for Book of the Year in Christian Education from both Christian Retailing Magazine and ECPA.For interviews, contact Don Otis at (719) 275-7775 or email: interviews@veritasincorporated.com The How We Got the Bible handbook is priced at $14.99.Product Code: 4067X - ISBN: 9781628622164 Theologians, Journalists from Largest Catholic Publisher can Clarify Pope Francis' Meditation on Two Family Synods Contact: Christine V. Owsik, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 215-230-8095, COwsik@osv.com MEDIA ADVISORY, April 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- WHAT: Pope Francis' much-anticipated Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia ("The Joy of Love") will be released in Rome at a Vatican press briefing on Friday. The document is expected to address "Love in the Family" and the recently debated issues of the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family, including but not limited to: the question of Holy Communion for the civilly divorced and remarried; appropriate pastoral care for Catholics with same-sex attraction; and couples in irregular situations, especially cohabitation. Our Sunday Visitor offers top Catholic experts as commentators to discuss and explain the document. WHEN: Friday, April 8, 2016 11:30am Rome Time (5:30am Eastern) WHO: Dr. Matthew Bunson -- Senior Correspondent, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Dr. Bunson is a leading theologian, author, editor, speaker, historian and media commentator in all areas of Catholicism, particularly the papacy, Church history and Catholic culture. He has written over 50 books, including the bestselling and award-winning first biography on the pope, Pope Francis (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013); The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, Papal Wisdom and others. He is editor of The Catholic Answer Magazine and The Catholic Almanac. Gretchen Crowe -- Editor-In-Chief, OSV Newsweekly An award-winning Catholic journalist and photographer, and editor of the only national Catholic weekly newspaper in the U.S., Gretchen also oversees content for OSVNews.com and Our Sunday Visitor's social media. She provided in-depth coverage of both the 2015 pastoral visit of Pope Francis to the U.S., as well as that of Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. Follow her on Twitter @GretchenOSV. For an interview or additional information, please contact: Christine V Owsik, 215-230-8095, COwsik@osv.com ABOUT OUR SUNDAY VISITOR The world's largest English-language Catholic publisher, Our Sunday Visitor serves millions of Catholics globally through its publishing, offertory, and communication services. Established in 1912, Our Sunday Visitor publishes a wide range of books including Bibles, biographies of the saints, books by Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, children's books, devotionals, bible studies, inspirational works, and curriculum. Our Sunday Visitor is a not-for-profit organization, returning a portion of net earnings back to the Catholic community through the Our Sunday Visitor Institute. For more information, visit www.osv.com. Share Tweet California Attorney General: Political Ally of Planned Parenthood Thomas More Society Attorneys Defend Citizen Journalist Daleiden in Abusive Raid and Seizure Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., April 6, 2016 / "Harris' campaign site makes it clear that the state's top law enforcer is a political ally of Planned Parenthood," explained Matt Heffron, an Omaha-based former federal prosecutor and Thomas More Society special counsel on Daleiden's defense team. "To storm into a private citizen's home with a search warrant is outrageously out of proportion for the type of crime alleged," said Heffron. "It's a discredit to law enforcement and an oppressive abuse of government power. Not only does the raid and seizure upon Daleiden appear to be politically motivated, it is apparently seeking grounds for bringing new California criminal charges," he added. Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society, said, "These latest draconian acts on the part of law enforcement are apparently directed by Harris who is running to replace abortion rights advocate Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate. They were likely provoked by a recent OpEd piece in the L.A. Times criticizing Harris for failing to keep pace with the Houston prosecutor who worked with Planned Parenthood's lawyer to get a grand jury to return criminal indictments against Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merritt." "After five months of silence from the California Attorney General's office, this search warrant makes a criminal investigation look like nothing more than an extravagantly political move," declared Heffron. "To initiate criminal proceedings in the midst of civil suits is an irregular use of taxpayer money." Brejcha met with Daleiden Monday afternoon, on the eve of the raid, about earlier criminal charges brought against him and Merritt. He declared, "We continue to stand by these pro-life heroes who speak truth to power and whose investigatory efforts have uncovered dark, bloody truths about this grisly trade in human body parts that is not only lucrative and obscene but also blatantly illegal. The challenges and burdens of having to defend on so many fronts are great, but we will not rest until the truth prevails and these defendants are fully vindicated." Thomas More Society attorneys Brejcha, Heffron and others with the national not-for-profit law firm based in Chicago, are aiding in Daleiden's defense against three pending civil lawsuits. These suits have been brought against the pro-life advocate by abortion providers, promoters and business partners, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America and their numerous local affiliates, National Abortion Federation and tissue procurement company Stem Express. Two San Francisco cases involve federal civil racketeering charges, referred to as RICO, that are intended to fight organized crime. This scenario closely echoes a three-decade court battle in which the pro-abortion National Organization for Women brought RICO charges against pro-life activists. Those charges were defeated twice in the U.S. Supreme Court by Thomas More Society attorneys. Copies of the search warrant and other documents are available for examination upon request. About the Thomas More Society The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago, the society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. Visit Share Tweet Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., April 6, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- In the aftermath of a raid yesterday afternoon on the Orange County home of David Daleiden, Thomas More Society attorneys are defending the citizen journalist whose videos exposed Planned Parenthood's sale of baby parts. California Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement agents entered the pro-life advocate's residence and seized Daleiden's computer, hard drives, cell phone and other personal property in what appears to be a political favor by California Attorney General Kamala Harris. The campaign page for Harris, who is running for the U.S. Senate, openly invites visitors to support Planned Parenthood, who is suing Daleiden: www.kamalaharris.org/landing/engagement-160108-planned-parenthood "Harris' campaign site makes it clear that the state's top law enforcer is a political ally of Planned Parenthood," explained Matt Heffron, an Omaha-based former federal prosecutor and Thomas More Society special counsel on Daleiden's defense team. "To storm into a private citizen's home with a search warrant is outrageously out of proportion for the type of crime alleged," said Heffron. "It's a discredit to law enforcement and an oppressive abuse of government power. Not only does the raid and seizure upon Daleiden appear to be politically motivated, it is apparently seeking grounds for bringing new California criminal charges," he added.Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society, said, "These latest draconian acts on the part of law enforcement are apparently directed by Harris who is running to replace abortion rights advocate Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate. They were likely provoked by a recent OpEd piece in the L.A. Times criticizing Harris for failing to keep pace with the Houston prosecutor who worked with Planned Parenthood's lawyer to get a grand jury to return criminal indictments against Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merritt.""After five months of silence from the California Attorney General's office, this search warrant makes a criminal investigation look like nothing more than an extravagantly political move," declared Heffron. "To initiate criminal proceedings in the midst of civil suits is an irregular use of taxpayer money."Brejcha met with Daleiden Monday afternoon, on the eve of the raid, about earlier criminal charges brought against him and Merritt. He declared, "We continue to stand by these pro-life heroes who speak truth to power and whose investigatory efforts have uncovered dark, bloody truths about this grisly trade in human body parts that is not only lucrative and obscene but also blatantly illegal. The challenges and burdens of having to defend on so many fronts are great, but we will not rest until the truth prevails and these defendants are fully vindicated."Thomas More Society attorneys Brejcha, Heffron and others with the national not-for-profit law firm based in Chicago, are aiding in Daleiden's defense against three pending civil lawsuits. These suits have been brought against the pro-life advocate by abortion providers, promoters and business partners, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America and their numerous local affiliates, National Abortion Federation and tissue procurement company Stem Express. Two San Francisco cases involve federal civil racketeering charges, referred to as RICO, that are intended to fight organized crime. This scenario closely echoes a three-decade court battle in which the pro-abortion National Organization for Women brought RICO charges against pro-life activists. Those charges were defeated twice in the U.S. Supreme Court by Thomas More Society attorneys. www.thomasmoresociety.org/about/scheidler Copies of the search warrant and other documents are available for examination upon request.About the Thomas More SocietyThe Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago, the society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. Visit thomasmoresociety.org Coptic Solidarity Supports Bills Asking Kerry to Designate Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Organization Contact: Lindsay Vessey, Coptic Solidarity, 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity today launched an advocacy campaign in support of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2015. The bill, S. 2230 was introduced in the Senate by Senator and Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz (R-TX) on November 3, 2015 and has since been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Committee with two cosponsors. The House version, H.R.3892, was introduced on the same day by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The House version has greater support with 38 cosponsors. Coptic Solidarity has asked supporters to send messages to their federal legislators asking them to cosponsor and ensure these bills are scheduled for a vote and passed. The bills require the State Department to report to Congress within 60 days whether the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria for foreign terrorist designation and, if not, which criteria have not been met. Coptic Solidarity President, Mr. Alex Shalaby, states "It is unconscionable that the US still has not taken this action when countries such as Egypt, Syria, Russian, UAE, and Saudi Arabia have all declared the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization." No one understands the danger and threat the Muslim Brotherhood poses better than the Copts. The Muslim Brotherhood is the head of several subsidiary terrorist organizations in the Middle East, Europe and North America. Copts have borne the brunt of their violence. In recognition of this reality, the bills state "the August 14, 2013, clearing of Muslim Brotherhood protests in Cairo resulted in attacks by Muslim Brotherhood supporters targeting the Coptic Christian community. Attacks included 70 churches and more than 1,000 homes and businesses of Coptic Christian families torched in the ensuing violence. During the Muslim Brotherhood protests, there were repeated reports of direct incitement towards the Copts from leading Muslim Brotherhood figures, and since the protest dispersal this targeting of the Christian community continues in official statements on Muslim Brotherhood social media outlets and from its leadership." The Muslim Brotherhood poses a threat not only to the Copts but to the entire Egyptian society and seeks to undermine the work of the last two revolutions. The bills also note that The Muslim Brotherhood stated that it is entering a "new phase" and calls on its followers to prepare for a "long, uncompromising jihad" against the Egyptian government. Mr. Shalaby states, "Coptic Solidarity calls on all who support civil rights, democracy, and religious freedom to take action on this campaign. A terrorist designation against the Muslim Brotherhood is not just a Coptic issue, but one that affects the welfare of all Egyptians." Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. Our international organization has headquarters in the Washington, D.C., area in the U.S., with key branches currently in Canada, France, and Egypt. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org. Share Tweet home US Anti-jihad bikers plan 'Ride for National Security' to Muslim hamlet in New York A group of patriotic bikers is scheduled to hold a motorcycle ride to Delaware County in New York next month, and this has reportedly aroused concern among local law enforcement officials. The American Bikers United Against Jihad is planning to ride to the Islamberg community in Hancock on May 15 in an event called "Ride for National Security." It is asking the government to designate Jammeat al-Fuqura a terrorist organization. Islamberg is said to be one of the training compounds used by jihadists in the U.S. The biker group claim that there are between 22 and 35 "known" training camps in the country and the video they released says that the terrorists are "targeting hardened US convicts and our vulnerable youth for recruitment." A report by The Daily Star says that officials gave assurances that there is no evidence of any training going on in the hamlet. Tahirah Clark, an attorney for Muslims of America, also said that the biker group's claim of the place being a training site is untrue. Last year, former congressional candidate Robert Doggart threatened to shoot and firebomb the Muslim community, and was sued by the Muslims of America. ABUAJ's co-founder Rami Libranicki, however, told The Daily Star via email that "there is absolutely no comparable parallel between our peaceful objective for the ride and his criminal conduct." "We have been extremely clear in our promotion of the ride that our sole purpose is educational only, and we do not condone infringing upon anyone's rights whatsoever," he said. Capt. William McEvoy of the State Police Bureau of Investigation said that they are aware of the plans and that they look into whatever justifies a concern, "whether it's Islamberg or any other community." According to ABUAJ description in Facebook, the biker group believes that "the threat of Islamic Jihad and America's Islamization persists, posing even a greater threat to us now than it did only last year. It is a rapidly growing enigma that threatens American freedoms and rights and ultimately our survival. It must be addressed, resisted, and stamped out on an ongoing daily basis." home World Gospel ministry growing in world's coldest major city A ministry in what is considered as the coldest major city in the world is progressing. According to Mission Network News, the Slavic Gospel Association is now preparing to launch a 6-year Bible training program for church leaders in Yakutsk, the capital city of the Sakha Republic in Russia. The course will cover preaching, systematic theology, Biblical couseling, to name a few, and will be composed of at least 16 courses. "The purpose of going up there into that region was to begin training that will occur twice a year, to equip the churches there to do the work of ministry," said SGA's Eric Mock, who was recently in the area. "It's really important that we understand that God's purpose is in setting apart the Church, the local body of believers, to be His witnesses, to not only proclaim the Word of God, but to make disciples, that we may Glorify God." The first church in Yakutsk, a city located 280 miles south of the Arctic Circle with roughly 270,000 to 300,000 people, is reported to have been established in 1994. But while the number of churchgoers is growing, the church leaders have had no Bible training. Thus, the SGA launched the Antioch Initiative, a Biblical training program. "They appealed to us to begin Bible training up there," Mock explained. "And a few weeks ago, by God's grace, we were able to begin this training. The really exciting part is that it was actually being taught in two languages. It was taught in the Russian language and then in the native language." As of last month, there were 15 students in hermeneutics, a class that teaches Bible interpretation. Training is also being conducted on homiletics or the art of writing sermons and preaching. There other villages around the city that missionaries intend to reach. Pokrovsk, one village a few miles from Yakutsk, already has a church planted since the fall of the Soviet Union. They are also getting training through the Antioch Initiative. The average winter temperature in Yakutsk is -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius), and according to MNN, during harsh seasons, one has to go through frozen rivers and snow-covered roads in below-freezing temperatures to reach it. Spring and summer offer muddy roads to travelers. home World LGBT supporters to protest against annual conference of Australian Christian Lobby Advocates of LGBT rights in the Land Down Under are planning to lodge protests against the annual conference of the organization Australian Christian Lobby. "The Australian Christian Lobby successfully tore shreds off the Safe Schools program through a campaign of bigotry and fear mongering," Cat Rose, a co-convener of Community Action Against Homophobia, is quoted by Gay News Network as saying. "They may like to pose as moderate Christians but this conference shows exactly who's in bed with who. We want to give the ACL and Scott Morrison the protest they deserve." Morrison, an evangelical Christian and the incumbent treasurer of Australia, will be a speaker during the event, along with: New York Times best-selling author Eric Metaxas; Dr. Megan Best, a Bioethicist and Palliative Care Specialist; Dr Stephen Chavura of the Macquarie University; among others. Dr. Jeffrey J. Ventrella of the American Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom will also be there. "Speaking alongside Scott Morrison are some of the chief leaders of the American homophobic far right including a representative of the Alliance Defending Freedom whose organisation has promoted and defended anti-sodomy laws that criminalise gay sex internationally and who have hatched a large scale campaign to roll back the rights of trans people in America," said Patrick Wright, also a co-convener of CAAH. ACL is staunchly opposed to the Safe Schools program, an anti-bullying initiative run by the Safe Schools Coalition that aims to get rid of homophobia and transphobia among the schools in Australia. The government-funded program creates supportive school environements for LGBT students. Called Cultivating Courage, this year's ACL conference intends to tackle the increasing difficulty of being a Christian in Australia. The description emphasizes on courage and hope amid mockery and attempts to silence Christians. Participants "will hear from Christians in theology, history, law, politics, journalism, medicine and more, about how we can together be a voice for values and shape our nation's future." The conference will take place on April 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Wesley Conference Centre. home Life New business reviews website focuses on Christian-owned establishments A new business reviews website has been launched, and it aims to cater to consumers who wish to do business with Christian-owned establishments. "Everyone is looking for businesses they can trust," Darrel Geis, president of Christian Blue Network, said in a press release. "At Trust Blue Review, we believe that the best way to gain trust is when you know from the beginning that the business owner has made a commitment to honor God by doing the job right, with honesty and integrity." Just like Better Business Bureau and Angie's List, Trust Blue Review gathers feedback from consumers that others can read. The website allows users to gain information on a particular company's value system, including the character of the business owner. This will help consumers in eight areas in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio to study their choices before purchasing a product or availing a service, guided by what others have experienced. "We believe our unique filter of business competence and Christian character is different than any other way consumers find businesses they can trust," Geis explained. "With the new reviews component, our consumers are able to voice how our advertisers are performing. Our advertisers have been operating with excellence in their businesses all along, and now with consumer reviews, we'll have the means to affirm it." The website says that their advertisers commit to the following: one, that they proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior; two, that they are actively involved in a local church; and three, that they strive to operate their business based on Biblical principles, primarily Romans 10:9, Hebrews 10:25, and James 1:25. Trust Blue Review is the newest endeavor by Christian Blue Network. The company owns Christian Blue Pages, an annual print directory of businesses owned and run by Christians. It also releases each year a Christ-centered songbook titled "Christmas Blue Pages." It has 25 years of experience in print, mobile and Web promotions. Atheist ministers: Why religion without God is pointless A minister doesn't believe in God and she's still a minister? Surely some mistake. But Rev Gretta Vosper of the United Church of Canada (UCC) has been a self-declared atheist for years and it's only now that her Church is taking action. It's instituted a review of whether she's being true to her ordination vows, which include affirming a belief in "God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit". Vosper, who leads the West Hill United Church in Toronto, has attempted to appeal against the review, but her case was rejected by the Church's judicial committee. There's no doubt that she doesn't believe in God; her blog is subtitled 'Minister, author, atheist'. However, it's not quite as simple as that. She explains that she said in 2001 she didn't believe in a "supernatural, interventionist, divine being" and was a 'non-theist'. Then: "In 2013, I embraced the term 'atheist' which means, literally, no belief in a theistic, supernatural being." She also refers to being in solidarity with atheists in Bangladesh, murdered for their lack of faith. She's no great fan of the Bible, either: there are horrible judgmental churches (amen to that), but: "As for the nice churches and synagogues and mosques, well, their messages lovely though they may be reinforce a divine hand in the documents that underpin hateful, fundamentalist beliefs." So, it seems, belief in a supernatural being is daft, and worse than that it validates texts and attitudes that lead to untold harm being done. For most Christians it looks like an open and shut case, with the only cause for wonder being the delay in the UCC's action against her. Full disclosure: I'm with the majority. I think when someone's personal understanding of God becomes so detached from the Church's consensus, they cease to be 'Christian' in the plain sense of the word. When that person is a minister whose ordination vows commit them to belief in the historic understanding of God, Church and gospel held by Christians for the last couple of thousand years, they are more particularly required to hold them without mental reservations or intellectual gymnastics. If they can't, they should leave. In Vosper's case, she might be able to take her congregation with her; they have been rather supportive, apparently. On the other hand: she makes the perfectly valid point that the whole question of God's 'existence' is philosophically and theologically more complicated than it looks at first glance. God does not 'exist' in the same way the chair I'm sitting on or the laptop I'm writing this on exists. It's a human category into which he does not fall. She is probably not a fan of Karl Barth, but Barth put it like this: "We must be clear that whatever we say of God in such human concepts can never be more than an indication of Him; no such concept can really conceive the nature of God. God is inconceivable." Vosper thinks there are lots of clergy who are technically atheists because they don't really believe in a God who interacts with his creation, who is a 'being' that can be known and who revealed himself in Scripture and in Jesus. In a post yesterday she says: "I don't think that there are many clergy trained in the UCC who, if they actually engaged during their studies, came out as classic theists with the understanding of the Bible as God's Word or Jesus as the Son of God who died for our sins. Could be wrong, but if we took a poll and left out the word 'atheist', I think the results would show that most clergy are not theists." But there's a world of difference between being aware of the subtleties of theological discourse and believing as Barth did that God still chooses to reveal himself to human beings in loving and redemptive acts, and choosing to identify yourself with a tradition that rejects the whole idea of God and focuses purely on humanity. It's that path that Vosper has taken. Perhaps she should be applauded for her honesty, but it's a pity she is seeking to stretch the boundaries of acceptable theological difference beyond what any Church could accept. So is she right in believing that traditional religion has just had its day? She told CTV's Canada AM on Monday that people "are not in search of doctrinal beliefs that are dictated by religious organisations, however progressive those beliefs may be articulated". Canada, certainly, is not a particularly religious country. At the same time she still believes the Church as it's re-invented at West Hill has something to offer. The trouble is that taking leave of God while retaining the trappings of religion is a fundamentally pointless exercise. Religion only means something if its heart still beats; and the heart of religion is belief. Religion without belief is a pastime, on a level with a visit to a museum or a concert; it might interest, it might even move, but it doesn't change or empower. The first line of the Apostle's Creed is: "I believe in God." As Barth also pointed out (in Credo, his book of lectures on the Creed) you have to understand exactly what you mean when you say that, but it's the foundation of everything else. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Bangladeshi blogger who criticised Islamism hacked to death A Bangladeshi law student who criticised Islamism on his Facebook account has been attacked with machetes and killed, police said, the latest in a series of murders of secular activists and bloggers by suspected Islamist militants. Secular blogger Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was attacked as he was returning from a law class at his university in the capital, Dhaka, late on Wednesday, police said. Last year, suspected militants killed five secular writers and a publisher, including a Bangladeshi-American activist. A banned Islamist militant group, Ansarullah Bangla Team, claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. "At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad's head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot," Syed Nurul Islam, deputy comissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police, told AFP. "It was a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility," Islam said. Witnesses heard the attackers shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) as they fled, police officer in charge of the Sutrapur area of Dhaka, Tapan Chandra Shaha, told Reuters. "Nazim was both hacked and shot. We have recovered bullet shells from the spot. He has been hacked on the right side of head," Shaha told the Guardian. Imran H Sarker, convener of the BOAN online activist group, said Samad was an outspoken critic of injustice and militancy. "We found him always a loud voice against all injustice and also a great supporter of secularism," said Sarker. On his Facebook page, Samad described his views on religion, stating: "Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people." Bangladesh has seen a wave of militant violence over the past year or so, including a series of bomb attacks on mosques and Hindu temples. Some recent attacks have been claimed by Islamic State, including the killing of Hindu priest, a Japanese citizen, an Italian aid worker and a policeman. The government denies that Islamic State has a presence in the Muslim-majority country of 160 million people. Hundreds of students from the Jagannath University where Samad studied protested against his murder and demanded the prompt arrest of the killers. They blocked roads in and around the university and told reporters that if those behind the earlier murders of bloggers had been punished then Samad would not have been attacked. Additional reporting by Reuters Burma: Europeans unite to call for end to Rohingya persecution A coalition of European groups have called on the new Burmese government to address the Rohingya crisis that has left 150,000 people displaced. Rohingya Muslims have born the brunt of Buddhist nationalism in Burma. They have been denied citizenship it is claimed they migrated from Bengal, though the Rohingya maintain they are indigenous. Of the 150,000 displaced, many are living in camps described by senior UN officials as having some of the worst conditions in the world. Over 10 per cent of the population, 100,000 people, have fled the country. The European Burma Network (EBN), which is a coalition of European organisations working in Burma including Christian Solidarity Worldwide, wrote an open letter challenging the new NLD led government. They urged the government to address the legacy left by the military government, which "pursued a twin track policy of repression and impoverishment in an attempt to drive the Rohingya ethnic group out of the country." Acknowledging that the new government will face "enormous challenges", the letter said: "given the seriousness of the humanitarian and human rights crisis, bold and decisive action is needed immediately to start to address this issue." The EBN has called for a repeal of the 1982 citizenship law which denies full citizenship to the Rohingyas, identifying this as lying "at the root of most of the discrimination faced by the Rohingya". The letter was signed by Actions Birmanie (Belgium), Association Suisse-Birmanie, Burma Action Ireland, Burma Campaign UK, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Info Birmanie (France), Society for Threatened Peoples and Swedish Burma Committee. The NLD has been criticised for previously saying little about how it will address the Rohingya's situation. Christians threaten to protest after Nepal 'cancels Christmas' Nepal has decided to remove Christmas from its calender in an effort to control the rising number of public holidays. Christians in Nepal are protesting the decision, however, calling for its immediate reinstatement. The Nepali government has emphasised that its decision is due to the high number of public holidays in the country, and it is not an act against Christianity. Christmas, first recognised as a national holiday eight years ago when Nepal became a secular state, has until now been the only Christian national holiday recognised by the country. "We are forced to take such a decision not to hurt Christians, but to control the rising number of public holidays," minister for home affairs, Shakti Basnet, told Asia News. Christians working for the government will be provided leave for the holiday, said Basnet. However, Nepali Christians say this amendment is not enough. "Christians do not just work for the government," said Rev CB Gahatraj, secretary general of the National Federation of Christians. "If Christmas is not a national holiday, the workers of the private sector will not be able to celebrate it. The government recognises 83 festivities for Hindus and other communities, but none for Christians." Gahatraj expressed concern that Nepali authorities have been "influenced by anti-Christian tendencies". The Inter-religious Council for Nepal and other interfaith groups have supported the Christian community in challenging the government's decision. "We are ready to sacrifice ourselves for our faith and the protection of freedom of worship. We strongly demand the restoration of the festivity and that the recent decision be dropped within a week. If the government fails to meet our request, we will protest across the country," said Gahatraj. Fallujah: Besieged city is starving to death under ISIS control Residents of the ISIS-controlled city of Fallujah, Iraq, have been forced to eat soup made from grass, as the besieged city starves without aid. "The people of Fallujah are besieged by the government, trapped by ISIS, and are starving," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). "The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population." Fallujah, known as the City of Mosques, is just over 40 miles from Baghdad and has been under ISIS control for over two years. When nearby Ramadi was liberated last December, Fallujah was left isolated in ISIS control and as a result is suffering serious shortages. Many residents are hungry, malnourished and unwell. Tens of thousands of civilians from an original population of over 300,000 remain in the city. ISIS prohibits use of mobile phones and the Internet, so it is difficult to access residents of the city. HRW was able to speak with one person living there and to seven others from the area in contact with residents. Researchers head that families are being forced to eat flat bread made with flour from groud date seeds and soup made from grass. The food that is available is being sold at extortionate prices. A bag of sugar costs US $500 and a sack of flour $750, according to one resident. A list of 140 people who had died from starvation over the last few months, including many elderly people and young children, was given to HRW by an Iraqi official. The names of the dead were not shared for fear of punishment by ISIS, who prohibit contact outside the city walls. A Facebook account "Fallujah is my city" posted a video on March 23 showing several lifeless bodies in a body of water. Included among them was a mother who drowned herself and her two starving children, as she could not feed them. Residents of the city are unable to escape. An Iraqi lawyer who was in contact with people in Fallujah told HRW that ISIS executed a man for trying to leave on March 21. "He walked straight up to the ISIS checkpoint and told them he wanted to leave because he couldn't take the situation any longer. ISIS brought him into town and executed him," said the lawyer. "Islamic State has shown utter disregard for protecting civilians in conflict," said Stork. "It should not add mass starvation to its miserable record and should immediately allow civilians to leave Fallujah." France has outlawed paying for sex. But will it work? French MPs have passed a law making it illegal to pay for sex. Anti-prostitution campaigners have welcomed France's adoption of the 'Nordic model' of dealing with the sex trade, which targets men who buy sex rather than women who sell it. They will face stiff fines of up to 3,000 and will have to undertake classes to learn about the conditions faced by prostitutes. Christian campaigners are among those thinking that this is a good thing. Christian charity CARE's chief executive Nola Leach said: "Evidence shows that for the vast majority of people prostitution is a harmful and exploitative experience. We believe the best way to protect people is to reduce the demand which underpins prostitution and trafficking." The move reflects an increasing European consensus that the Nordic model is the way forward. Ireland narrowly failed to pass similar laws before its recent election and the country's Turn Off the Red Light campaign is optimistic it has momentum on its side. The European Parliament voted in favour of the model in 2014 after Labour London MEP Mary Honeyball proposed the motion. She said after the vote: "The idea that prostitution is the 'oldest profession' leads some to think we should accept it as a fact of life that all we can do is regulate it a little better. This course of action leads to an increase in prostitution levels, normalising the purchase of sex and ingraining the inequalities which sustain the sex industry." When she says that for most prostitutes the experience is a harmful and exploitative one, Leach certainly has the evidence on her side. CARE cites a 2012 study showing 61 per cent of the women surveyed had experienced violence from buyers of sexual services. It also cites a 2001 survey with 240 women in prostitution in Glasgow and Leeds that found "Half of prostitutes working outdoors and over a quarter of those working indoors reported some form of violence by clients in the past six months." Does the Nordic model of criminalising the purchase of sex reduce the harm to prostitutes and the incidence of prostitution? According to CARE, it does. CARE told Christian Today that evidence from Sweden and Norway shows street prostitution has decreased, overall prostitution levels are significantly lower than they would be otherwise expected to be and there has been a transformative effect on public attitudes towards paying for sexual services. Furthermore, criticism that this approach would push prostitution underground or make it more dangerous is considered to be unfounded, according to official assessments. It's fair to say, though, that this view is not universally shared. May-Len Skilbrei and Charlotta Holmstrom in their article The 'Nordic model' of prostitution law is a myth say there's no such thing as one 'Nordic model' as different Scandinavian countries have different rules and migrant women are still targeted by police. The much-touted drop in the number of women working the streets is just because they use mobiles to contact their clients. Furthermore, they say: "Even though surveys among the general public indicate great support for the law, the same material also shows a rather strong support for a criminalisation of sex sellers. This contradicts the idea that the law promotes an ideal of gender equality: instead, the criminalisation of sex buyers seems to influence people to consider the possibility of criminalising sex sellers as well. This rather confounds the idea that the 'Nordic model' successfully shifts the stigma of prostitution from sex sellers to clients." Their view, of course, is also contested. And alongside enthusiasm for the criminalisation of buyers of sexual services, there's a counter-argument that prostitution ought to be entirely decriminalised. Amnesty International caused an outcry last year when its International Council passed a resolution calling for it to be recognised as a human right. It was widely criticised for its move, with Sweden's foreign minister Margot Wallstrom saying: "It is a myth about the happy prostitute who does this as a free choice. Unfortunately, I can now hear people saying 'hurrah' all those johns and pimps who run the brothels. It's a multibillion-euro industry." Advocates of decriminalising prostitution argue that it makes women safer as they can work in safe brothels, get national insurance and healthcare and pay their taxes. It's an attractive argument. But critics point to the experience of women in Germany, where prostitution is legal; there has been a huge increase in trafficking and a fall in the price women could charge for their services. The truth seems to be that there's no magic bullet that eliminates either the need to sell sex or the desire to buy it. Prostitution is a complex and multi-layered phenomenon. It ranges from women trafficked against their will or forced to sell their bodies to feed a drugs habit, through the hard-up student who occasionally goes home with a rich older man, to 'high-end' courtesans who are happy with what they do because of the lifestyle it buys them. But most prostitutes operate at the dark and violent end of the scale. Many of those who advocate prostitution as a 'human right', or who see it as an extension of a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body, are really only representing the 'acceptable' face of the trade. Most Christians have a profound moral objection to prostitution, and we need to be honest about this. It's seen as a profanation of something God made holy. We are deeply uncomfortable with the idea of normalising it. However, we can't legislate for morality. The question for lawmakers isn't whether prostitution is right, but how women who make up the majority of the profession can be kept safe if they practise it. If decriminalising prostitution could be shown to make women safer and less exploited, it should be decriminalised, but so far the evidence is all the other way. Does criminalising those who purchase sex work, in terms of reducing harm? Evidently, at least up to a point. But the factors that drive people into prostitution poverty, insecurity, drugs and abusive relationships haven't gone away. Until society learns better ways of caring for its vulnerable members, this issue won't either. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Gay French ambassador who failed to win Vatican approval is switched to new role France has abandoned its attempt to appoint a devout gay Catholic as its ambassador to the Holy See in Rome. The French cabinet has instead this week appointed Laurent Stefanini as ambassador to Unesco. Stefanini entered the French Foreign Ministry in 1985 and in 1989 was appointed the first secretary of the French mission to the UN. In 2001 he was appointed a counsellor at the French embassy to the Holy See. In 2005 he also became adviser for religious affairs ministers Michel Barnier and Philippe Douste-Blazy, before becoming ambassador delegate for the environment, in charge of international negotiations. The French cabinet approved his appointment to the Holy See at the start of 2015. The Vatican never ratified the appointment, however. The silence from Rome, equivalent to a refusal, was put down to opposition as a result of Stefanini's sexuality. This episode threatened a diplomatic crisis between France and the Holy See, with Paris for over a year refusing to withdraw its candidate, according to French newspaper La Croix. There was no indication this week on whether France has decided to present a new candidate for ambassador to the Holy See. France legalised same-sex marriage in 2013 while Catholic Church teaching remains strongly opposed to practising homosexuality. Hillary Clinton insists unborn baby doesn't have rights even if the child is just hours away from delivery Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton has backed up her earlier statement that "the unborn person does not have constitutional rights," saying that even if the child is just hours away from delivery that child is still deprived of rights because "that is the way we structure it." Speaking on ABC's "The View" on Tuesday, Clinton reaffirmed her support for the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion, calling it "an important statement about the importance of a woman making this most difficult decision with consultation by whom she chooses, her doctor, her faith, her family," LifeSite News reports. "The View" co-host Paula Faris asked Clinton to clarify her position on the issue. "At what point does someone have constitutional rights, and are you saying that a child, on its due date, just hours before delivery still has no constitutional rights?" she asked. "Under the law that is the case, Paula," Clinton answered. Medical experts say weeks prior to birth, a preborn baby is already a completely formed human being with perfectly functioning brain, eyes, heart, and lungs. The baby is able to hear sounds from the outside world and recognises its mother's voice. The baby is also capable of surviving outside its mother's womb. Critics immediately pounced on Clinton's remarks. "Clinton revealed that she believes no unborn child is subject to constitutional rights," the Republican National Committee said in a statement on Sunday when Clinton first made her position clear. "Voters now know Clinton's extreme stance against the value of protecting life, and can no longer be misled by her deceptive pandering," the panel stated. Meanwhile, a new poll released on Wednesday shows that Bernie Sanders is two points ahead of Clinton nationally (49-47) in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The McClatchy/Marist poll was taken on March 31, even before Sanders' massive win in the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday, Newsmax reports. Sanders has won the last six contests with victories in Idaho, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington State, and Wisconsin. Because the Democratic delegates are allocated proportionately, Sanders won only 147 delegates to Clinton's 107 despite the Vermont senator's six straight wins. Nevertheless, analysts say Sanders has a very good chance of passing Clinton among pledged elected delegates with 1,977 delegates remaining to be chosen. Indiana signs law to protect down syndrome babies from abortion Starting July, it will be illegal for babies to be aborted on the basis of having Down Syndrome after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into law a bill protecting unborn children with the genetic condition. Physician Gyn Christina Francis said down syndrome or permanent disability compels around 75 percent of parents to consider abortion, reports World News Service. "Every part of this bill really plays to supporting the dignity of human life," she said, adding that the law also seeks to hold medical practitioners to a higher standard. Under the new law, physicians or abortionists can be held liable for wrongful death if it is proven that they facilitated the abortion based on the baby's disability, gender, race or physical characteristics, and gives unborn babies civil rights that protect them from discrimination. The new law will also compel doctors to provide clearer information to women about their pregnancies and increase their responsibilities to their patients. While doctors could be charged for terminating pregnancies on grounds of disability, the women will not be held responsible for the baby's death. The state currently considers abortions legal but only until a 20 week gestation period. Down Syndrome tests could be performed on the babies as early as 10 weeks. "When it comes to genetics, it's easy for us to say 'if it isn't perfect let's abort.' I have had the opportunity to meet many families with Down syndrome children. Yes, they have an extra chromosome, but there is something truly special about them. I think these kids have an extra love gene," said Len Reynolds, the president of Indiana Right to Life's Lake County affiliate. ISIS militants 'abduct 300 factory workers in Syria' Three hundred cement workers have been kidnapped by suspected ISIS militants in an area northeast of Damascus, Syrian state television said today. The workers and contractors from Al Badia cement company were taken from their dormitories near the town of Dumeir, about 25 miles east of the capital. Their employer has been unable to contact the workers since the abduction on Monday, state television quoted an industry minister as saying. Islamic State fighters had launched an assault against government forces this week in the area. "We haven't been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh [ISIS] on the factory," a local resident told AFP. "We have no information about where they are." Indirect contact has reportedly been made in order to secure the workers' release, according to the BBC. Al Badia is yet to receive any demands for ransom. A local official told state television that people in a nearby town saw more than 100 people they believed to be the workers being transported in a vehicle. The number of employees reportedly kidnapped has varied depending on the source. UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "dozens" of staff are thought to have been taken by IS. Islamic State has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Additional reporting by Reuters. Pope speaks to Methodists, calls for unity The Pope has said Catholics and Methodists have much to learn from each other while acknowledging there is much on which they do not agree. Francis was speaking at the Vatican after welcoming members of the World Methodist Council, the Methodist Council of Europe and the Methodist Church in Britain. They were in town to attend a ceremony celebrating the opening of the new Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome. Reflecting on discussions over unity which have taken place recently the Pope said: "Almost 50 years have passed since our joint commission began its work. Although differences remain, ours is a dialogue based on respect and fraternity." He went on to quote the founder of Methodism. "John Wesley, in his Letter to a Roman Catholic, wrote that Catholics and Methodists are called to "help each other on in whatever...leads to the Kingdom...if we cannot as yet think alike in all things, at least we may love alike". Dialogue between Methodists and the Catholics isn't the only ecumenical discussion happening at the moment. The Pope has held discussions with Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican and Pentecostal leaders. However, there is no immediate prospect of formal unity between them as theologians grapple with the doctrinal differences between the Churches. The Pope said: "It is true that we do not as yet think alike in all things and that on issues regarding ordained ministries and ethics, much work remains to be done. However, none of these differences constitute such an obstacle as to prevent us from loving in the same way and offering a common witness to the world. Our lives of holiness must always include a loving service to the world; Catholics and Methodists together are bound to work in different ways in order to give concrete witness to the love of Christ. When we serve those in need, our communion grows." Southern Baptist leaders urge Christians to respond to refugees with love, not fear Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have urged Christians to love refugees, admonishing the American Church for responding to the refugee crisis from a place of fear, rather than faith. The American Church's approach to the refugee crisis is "far more American than it is biblical", according to leaders speaking at the Great Commission Summit, a three-day event held at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from March 29-31. This approach is "far more concerned with the preservation of our country than it is with the accomplishment of the Great Commission", it was said. The Church must look beyond its own politics and concern itself with the 60 million refugees leaving war-torn and impoverished countries such as Syria and Iraq, said David Platt, president of the SBC's International Mission Board. "I fear that most people in our churches and maybe even in this room are paying very little attention to this or if we are paying attention to it, we are looking at it through political punditry and partisan debates regarding whether or not we should allow relatively few refugees into our land," Platt said during a sermon on March 31. "It is a sure sign of American self-centredness that we would take the suffering of millions of people and turn it into an issue that is all about us." Platt illustrated his point with the image of Boaz welcoming Ruth, a Moabite woman, to his land. His action was not just an example of Godly kindness, but a crucial moment in redemptive history, as part of the lineage that would "lead to the quintessential kinsman redeemer, Jesus Christ", said Platt. "Our God seeks, shelters, serves and showers the refugee with his grace," he said. "Whatever response is seen [in our churches] often seems to come from a foundation of fear, not of faith, flowing from a view of the world that is far more American than it is biblical, and far more concerned with the preservation of our country than it is with the accomplishment of the Great Commission." "Our God has not left the outcast and oppressed alone in a world of sin and suffering, he's come to us and he's conquered for us," he added. "Brothers and sisters, as followers of Christ, self is no longer our God, therefore safety is no longer our concern. We go and we preach the gospel, knowing that others' lives are dependent on it." Speaking to students during the summit, John Klaassen, associate professor of global studies at Boyce College, said churches must demonstrate this love by partnering with refugee organisations and adopting families when they arrive in America. Klaassen, who recently wrote a book titles Engaging with Muslims, said churches can demonstrate love by partnering with refugee organisations and adopting families when they come to the US. "Most importantly, we teach them the gospel," Klaassen said. "We teach them the gospel by the things that we say and the things that we do." Underground churches thriving in Iran despite persecution Iran may have taken the 9th spot in the 2016 Watch List of most severe persecutors of Christians but this has not deterred thousands to become Christians and join underground house churches, despite being illegal in the country. According to Open Doors spokeswoman Emily Fuentes, the number of people who have joined these house churches has reached close to one million people, but based on its trajectory, it would be safe to say that Iran has the fastest growing evangelical population in the world, reported Catholic Online. "The house churches are causing such rapid growth in conversions it is unmatched by any other country in the Middle East," she said. The Islamic Republic of Iran is based on a Shi'a Muslim theocracy, meaning that Iran's Christian house churches are considered illegal while those who join them are faced with the threat of imprisonment. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Iran's government uses these religious laws as a means to prevent people from exercising their internationally protected rights to freedom of expression of religion or belief. However, these strict religious laws may also be the reason behind the drastic increase in the number of converts who have chosen to embrace Christianity at the risk of being arrested for their faith. Fuentes said that the severity of persecution and dissatisfaction with the Islamic regime have prompted people to seek Christianity. "I have talked to an Iranian Christian who called Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, the greatest Christian missionary in the history of Iran because he established the Islamic Republic which is now pushing people to Christ," said Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs. As part of the underground church, Iran Alive Ministries has used broadcasts to spread the gospel to tens of thousands of Iranians, reported Christian Headlines. "[I]nto that void in the hearts of Iranians, the gospel message of a Savior who loves them enough to die for them is like sweet music. And it is coming on radio waves, over satellite television, online, and even in supernatural means like dreams and visions," he said. Why Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre is falling down Anglicans seeking a faculty from their diocese to replace the pews or move the font sometimes groan at the levels of bureaucracy they have to battle through to get anything done. Multiply this a thousand-fold to get some idea of how Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre functions and what an extraordinary agreement has just been reached. Work is to start on repairing the shrine at the heart of the complex, called the Aedicule, in which is supposedly located the tomb of Jesus. The renovation will cost $3.4 million and will see the monument, which in its present form dates back to 1810, completely rebuilt. The marble slabs will be taken off, the 12th century Crusader shrine beneath will be repaired and the cracks in the rock-hewn tomb under that, where many Christians believe Christ was actually buried, will be filled. The Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches will each pay a third of the cost. But while the renovation is technically challenging, a far greater challenge was getting agreement over the need for the work. Responsibility for the Holy Sepulchre is divided between six Churches the other three are the Coptic, Ethiopian and Syriac Orthodox each of which jealously guards the privileges and territory granted to it by the Ottoman rulers in 1853. Any infringement of these is bitterly resented and the 'Status Quo' established then is rigidly enforced. In 1995 the six denominations finally came to an agreement on painting a section of the central dome. It had taken them 17 years of debate and illustrates just why the building is in such a state. Just how far the monks and priests are prepared to go is illustrated by a ladder. It is an ordinary ladder made of cedar wood and propped up against one of the exterior windows of the church. It has been there since at least 1757, because the various Churches all need to agree whose responsibility it is to move it and they haven't been able to do so. (In 1964 Pope Paul VI said it would have to stay there until the Catholic and Orthodox Churches reconciled.) A ladder is one thing, but there are arguments and fist fights too. The Ethiopians and Copts poorer and less influential than they were have space on the roof of the church. One section is disputed; during Easter prayers in 1970, Coptic monks briefly left their rooftop monastery, which allowed the Ethiopian monks to change the locks and take it for their own. Since then a Coptic monk has sat on a chair there all the time to stake his church's claim. On a hot summer day in 2002 he moved his chair a few centimetres into the shade; this was interpreted as an act of aggression and the fight that followed saw 11 monks hospitalised. On another occasion, in 2004, a door to the Franciscan chapel was left open during the Orthodox celebrations of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This was taken as a sign of disrespect by the Orthodox and a fistfight broke out. On Palm Sunday in 2008 a brawl broke out when a Greek monk was ejected from the building by a rival faction. In November of the same year 2008, a clash erupted between Armenian and Greek monks during celebrations for the supposed 4th-century discovery of the cross on which Christ was crucified. The Armenians found their path blocked by a Greek Orthodox monk posted in the tomb. The whole thing was filmed and put on YouTube. It's perhaps just as well that the keys to the church are held by two Muslim families, who have held their ancestral positions since 1192. There is, at least, no chance of a lockout. Why Tennessee making the Bible its official book is a waste of time I've been fortunate enough to visit a couple of synagogues, both here in the UK and in Israel/Palestine. Although it's hard to follow the bits of the Shabbat service which are in Hebrew, there is one obvious highlight of the liturgy which doesn't need an explanation. When the Torah scrolls are removed from the Ark, it's a moment of great reverence. The love and devotion that the rabbi and people have for the Scriptures is shown some will touch it with the edge of their prayer shawl and kiss it. Similarly, Muslims have a great deal of respect for the Koran. There are formal ablutions to be carried out before reading it and the book is not to be kept on the floor. While some Christian traditions have maintained a similar level of respect for the Bible (in some churches it will be processed through the church before the Gospel reading and kissed by the priest after it is read) many denominations have no specific way to handle it. This speaks of a key difference between Christianity and the other two monotheistic faiths. While many Jews and Muslims reverence their Scriptures as the highest revelation of God available to them, Christians ascribe that position to Jesus. So, even Christians with a very high doctrine of Scripture would say that Jesus should be the primary object of our reverence. I thought of my Jewish and Muslim friends this week when a vote took place in Tennessee over whether to make the Bible the 'official state book'. To someone looking in from the outside, this is a curious debate. Tennessee, the buckle of the Bible Belt, is not a place where the Bible is in short supply. Unlike North Korea, Pakistan, Eritrea and many other parts of the world, possessing a Bible in Tennessee won't get you into any trouble. Indeed, there are thousands of churches across Tennessee where you could go and discuss the Bible with Christian sisters and brothers. What, then, was the logic behind this bid to give the Bible special status? Republican Senator Kerry Roberts, one of the bill's supporters, told the Tennesseean: "This book has done more to bring us to where we are today than any other book in the history of mankind." He's right of course. The history of the world would look very different without the Bible. It's been the basis of the moral code of Europe and North America for hundreds (indeed thousands) of years. Here's the thing, though. The Bible had that influence without being the official state book of Tennessee, or anywhere else. The Bible was wrestled with by apostles, theologians, church fathers and the rest for generation upon generation well over 1,500 years before Tennessee was admitted to the Union in 1796. The Canon the books that make up the Bible were debated among the early Church. The Bible was at the heart of the disagreements which led to the Reformation, with Roman Catholics and Protestants arguing over which books comprised the Bible, and more importantly, who had the authority to interpret and teach it. The Bible has been at the forefront of shaping cultural and literary life in the English-speaking world and beyond. More than that, it has had "immense influence on... politics: from its role in the formation of national identity and in setting limits on kingship in Anglo-Saxon times, through its impact on ideas of tolerance, democracy and equality" and much more besides. Under communism, Bibles were smuggled through the Iron Curtain a practice which continues today in places where Christians are persecuted. It remains the worlds biggest-selling book. In other words, the Bible is doing just fine. It doesn't need to become the official book of Tennessee to preserve its status. The Bible doesn't need us to stick up for it. As CH Spurgeon once said: "Defend the Bible? I'd sooner defend a lion!" There may of course be other motives to the bill in Tennessee. Maybe it's a bid to try and prove the superiority of Christianity over Islam? Maybe it's yet another depressing salvo in the interminable culture wars? Maybe legislators in Tennessee simply don't have enough to do and needed a distraction... Whatever the reason, let's not worry. The Bible can look after itself without being the official book of Tennessee or anywhere else. It will carry on being read, sung, wrestled with, preached, discussed, debated and absorbed well into the future. The Bible has lasted for generations and will last for generations to come inspiring, challenging equipping, provoking and helping disciples of Jesus, in Tennessee and around the world. Meteorites: A brief history The meteorites in our 20 April sale include specimens that are 'a third as old as time itself'. In the video above and the text below, specialist James Hyslop tells the incredible stories behind them 1. The sky is falling The Wold Cottage meteorite played a crucial role in the scientific community accepting that rocks could indeed fall out of the sky. As Travel, Science and Natural History specialist James Hyslop explains, it was a notion previously met with disbelief or considered heretical. On December 13, 1795, Wold Cottage crashed to Earth just yards away from farmworker John Shipley. Edward Topham, the owner of the Wold Cottage estate and a well-known bon vivant, was away in London at the time, but he hurried home after reading accounts in the press. Wold Cottage Meteorite of 1795. Chondrite L6. Wold Cottage, England (548 N, 024 W) 33 x 31 x 5mm (1.33 x 1.25 x 0.1 inches) and 17.79 grams. Estimate: 3,000-5,000. This lot is offered in the Meteorites sale on 20 April at Christies South Kensington Certain that the stone was of great importance, Topham placed Wold Cottage on display in London, helping to sway public opinion to embrace Shipleys extraordinary claim. The scientific community took note, especially after Wold Cottage proved similar to a rock reported to have fallen out of the sky 18 months earlier in Siena, Italy. The fact that two stones from different localities had common characteristics convinced many scientists of their possible extraterrestrial origin. 2. The only documented fatal meteorite impact On the evening of 15 October 1972, farmhands in Trujillo, Venezuela were startled by an inexplicable sonic boom. The next day an exotic rock was found alongside a dead cow whose neck had been pulverized. It was obvious to the farms owner, physician Dr. Argimiro Gonzalez, what had occurred, but he didnt give it a second thought. Valera Meteorite. L5 . Trujillo, Venezuela (919 N, 7037 W). 75 x 44 x 32mm (3 x 1.75 x 1.25 inches) and 160.5 grams (0.33 pounds). Estimate: 4,000-6,000. This lot is offered in the Meteorites sale on 20 April at Christies South Kensington An unplanned steak dinner was enjoyed that night and the celestial boulder was used as a doorstop. More than a decade later scientists confirmed what Dr. Gonzalez had long presumed. However, what Dr. Gonzalez didnt know was that this was the first and still the only documented fatal meteorite impact. When Dr. Ignacio Ferrin, an astronomer at the University of the Andes, learned of the act of bovicide at Valera, he visited the Gonzalez estate and left with an affidavit affirming the aforementioned events as well as the meteorite itself. An echo in miniature of the devastating asteroid believed to have killed off the dinosaurs, one face of the Valera meteorite is cut and polished. The multi-hued variegated matrix is embedded with sparkling metallic grains, while blurred chondrule boundaries are evidence of heating on its parent asteroid long before its brush with Earth and a cow. 3. God intended it to hit me The only documented instance of a meteorite injuring a person occurred at 2.46pm on 30 November, 1954 in Sylacauga, Alabama. The fireball from which the Sylacauga meteorite originated was seen in broad daylight across three states and was accompanied by sonic booms. Some eyewitnesses thought a plane had crashed; at the height of the Cold War, others felt this extraordinary event was the nefarious doings of the Soviets. Sylacauga Meteorite. H4. Talladega County, Alabama (3314 N, 8617 W). 39 x 32 x 2 mm ( x x 1/8 in.) Estimate: 6,000-9,000. This lot is offered in the Meteorites sale on 20 April at Christies South Kensington Two meteorites were recovered. One crashed through the roof of Ann and Eugene Hodges home, where it bounced off a radio and struck Ann Hodges while she napped. While Hodges and her landlord fought over the meteorites ownership, the U.S. Air Force took custody. While the law favoured the landlord, public sentiment was solidly behind Hodges, who exclaimed, God intended it to hit me. After all, it hit me! The Hodges finally owned the meteorite that punctured their roof (and almost Ann herself) after a year of legal wrangling and a payout to their landlord. However, interest had waned during the course of the year and when the Hodges couldnt find a buyer, they donated the rock to the Alabama Museum of Natural History. Never having recovered from the emotional distress associated with these events, Ann Hodges suffered a nervous breakdown and died at the age of 52. The second meteorite was found by a local farmer, Julius McKinney, who quickly sold his specimen to the Smithsonian. The proceeds from this sale enabled McKinney to purchase a new car and home. 4. Among the most scientifically important meteorites known At 10.58am on 28 September 1969, a meteorite shower occurred over the town of Murchison, Australia, causing a frenzy in the scientific community. In addition to containing organic compounds including alcohols and aromatic hydrocarbons, Murchison meteorites contain amino acids the building blocks of proteins. Murchison Oriented Individual. CM2. Victoria, Australia (3637 S, 14512 E). 58 x 40 x 25 mm (2 x 1 x 1 in.) 81.7g. Estimate: 8,000-12,000. This lot is offered in the Meteorites sale on 20 April at Christies South Kensington Coveted by both scientists and collectors, Murchison meteorites have become among the most researched meteorites, with citations in scores of scientific papers. The event provides support for the Panspermia Theory of Life, namely that life on Earth was seeded by extraterrestrial impact. In 2010, an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences announced that 14,000 unique molecular compounds had been identified in a small section of a Murchison research specimen. The study, by a team of nine German scientists, further determined that many of the organic compounds were present in the solar system prior to when life commenced on Earth which not only begs the question of whether meteorites may have played a key role in lifes origins, but whether similar material seeded other solar systems as well. 5. The largest existing piece of one of the most important meteorites in history On 3 October 3 1962, a farmer in Zagami, Nigeria was nearly struck by an 18kg meteorite as it plummeted to Earth. As was reported in NASAs 2012 Martian Meteorite Compendium, Robert Haag, world-famous meteorite collector, travelled to Nigeria in 1988 and met the farmer. The main mass of the legendary Martian meteorite Zagami. SNC Mars Rock. Zagami, Nigeria (1144 N, 75 E). 151 x 73 x 106mm (6 x 2.75 x 4 inches) and 1382.3 grams (3 lbs). Estimate: 250,000-450,000. This lot is offered in the Meteorites sale on 20 April at Christies South Kensington Haag related what the farmer told him of his experience: He was trying to chase cows out of his cornfield when he heard a tremendous explosion and was buffeted by a pressure wave. Seconds later, there was a puff of smoke and a thud, as something buried itself in the dirt only ten feet away. Terrified that it was an artillery shell, the man waited for a few minutes before going to investigate. What he saw was a black rock at the bottom of a two-foot hole. The local commissioner was summoned and the specimen was recovered and sent to the provincial capital, where it was placed in the museum. Seven years later it was discovered that minute amounts of gas within the Zagami meteorite and a similar Antarctic meteorite matched the chemical and isotopic composition of the Martian atmosphere, measured on the surface of Mars in 1976 by NASAs Viking landers. Zagami crystallized from basaltic magma 175 million years ago and was ejected off the surface of Mars 3 million years ago after the impact of a large asteroid. In 1997, when NASAs Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft entered into an orbit around Mars, it was carrying a sample of the Zagami meteorite. The Global Surveyors mission ended in 2007. One day its orbit will decay and it will slam into Mars, returning a portion of Zagami to its birthplace. Houston Police Department Police are searching for a man suspected of robbing a convenience store at gunpoint last month in northwest Houston. The robbery occurred about 7 p.m. March 12 at a 7-Eleven store at 18555 Tomball Parkway, according to the Houston Police Department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gordon Bethune, the former CEO of Continental Airlines, covered a variety of topics during a recent interview with the Chronicle: On Jeff Smisek, the former CEO of United Airlines "Jeff saved our butts so many times," Bethune said, helping Continental with securities law, hostile takeovers, refinancing after Sept. 11, 2001, and other serious issues facing the airline. Bethune, who hired him in 1995, said Smisek spent years learning the airline business and was a knowledgeable industry executive. But he couldn't overcome adversity created by the merger. "I think he was dealt a pretty bad hand on the merger agreement, something that I wouldn't have signed and I told him that," Bethune said. DAMAGE CONTROL: United takes step to patch things up with customers Among headwinds facing Smisek was labor distrust at United, Bethune said. Labor and management hasn't had a long history of getting along in Chicago, he said, and the integration of the two airlines didn't get off to a happy start. Smisek left United last year in the wake of an internal investigation related to a federal probe of the airline's dealings with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Media reports said the latter investigation concerned flights that United reinstated and that a former Port Authority chairman used to travel to and from his weekend home in South Carolina. Yet Bethune described Smisek as "one of the most honest people I know." On Oscar Munoz, the current CEO of United Airlines Munoz replaced Smisek in September. He called Bethune, who recruited him onto the Continental board, for advice, and they met in Chicago. "I told him what I thought he should do, and he took notes and he did it. And he's good at it," Bethune said. He recommended that Munoz visit workers and say hello. "Show some respect to the workers because they haven't had it for a while, and that will get you off on the right foot," Bethune said. He also said United should stop outsourcing jobs. Bethune emphasized that his proxy fight isn't about Munoz. "They're not even talking about Oscar because no one is going to replace Oscar," he said. On new international flights at Hobby Airport Last October, Southwest Airlines began flying international from Hobby Airport. This is the first time Hobby has had scheduled international service since 1969. "Transportation isn't about having 20 airlines," Bethune said. "It's having one airline be your partner, just like Delta is Atlanta's partner and American is Dallas' partner. Houston needs a really good transportation system to attract companies to move to Houston." UPGRADED: Watch the construction of Hobby Airport's international terminal via time-lapse video He said it's not smart to split international service between two airports. Let's say a traveler wants to fly from France to Cancun, Mexico. He or she could fly to Bush Intercontinental Airport and then connect to Mexico. But with more flights departing Hobby Airport, Bush may cut back on its frequency of flights, which increases layover times. The traveler may then opt to fly through another airport, like Dallas or Atlanta, offering a shorter layover, Bethune said. "Every year, Houston's going to slip a little," he said. Last weekend's Wrestlemania 32, hosted in Dallas, shattered records for everything from attendance to social media and quickly became the highest-grossing live event in WWE history at $17.3 million. With numbers like that, it's no wonder the stars of the industry get paid big bucks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Get ready for a new girl crush. Kate Middleton is the end-all, be-all for Anglophiles, but her husband's cousin is garnering some attention of her own. Lady Kitty Spencer, the oldest daughter of the late Princess Diana's brother Charles, is an up-and-coming name you need to know. At 25, she can be spotted on the red carpet, hanging out at parties with "Downton Abbey" cast members, or rocking a bikini on her Instagram account -- a risque move whether you're royal or not. So who is this party-going royal? The first cousin to Princes William and Harry was born in England and later moved to South Africa with her family in 1995. After her parents' divorce, she stayed down south when her father moved back to England. Though she appears to be a fun-loving 20-something in photos, she doesn't just rest on her laurels. Kitty -- yes, that's her real name, not a nickname -- is the ambassador for Give Us Time, a charity that matches British military families with vacation packages donated by hotels and travel agencies. SEE ALSO: Young, rich and royal: Monarchs from around the world It's a good thing she doesn't assume she can get by on royal privilege, because thanks to the, frankly outdated, succession system (called primogeniture), Kitty will not inherit her family estate because she is not a man. The estate will go instead to her younger brother, Louis. Kitty is playing it off in the least sour-grapes way possible. She claims primogeniture is the "correct way," explaining to Tatler magazine last October that "I like that the house stays within the same family name with the same surname. I wouldn't want it any other way for the Spencers. And I just know my brother is going to do an impeccable job." If you say so. Archaic inheritance systems notwithstanding, this young royal has a pretty nice life. Take a look at the gallery above for a glimpse into the fabulous life of Lady Kitty Spencer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Even Houston, a thriving metro with a concentration of skilled architects and real estate innovators, hasn't figured out how to provide low-income housing that people actually want to live in. It's a complicated, nuanced obstacle that can also be costly. That's why Auburn University School of Architecture students in Alabama have spent the better part of a decade launching a program to help low-income families achieve home ownership. They want to make it so these families can afford houses that they are excited to come home to. SEE ALSO: Texas organization builds low-income housing using trash While the tiny-homes movement seems like a trend, it's still something of a housing market novelty. The Auburn students, however, have built freestanding, one-bedroom structures that might be appealing even to home buyers with sizable budgets. After a western Alabama pilot enclave of stylish, efficient structures made headlines as a concept that could expand throughout the United States, Serenbe art community, just outside Atlanta in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, welcomed its first "20K House," a part of the proposed "20K House Product line." (Story continues below.) Artist Tom Swanston, who's a part of Serenbe's artist residency program, followed the work of Auburn University's architecture program. He connected the Art Farm at Serenbe and Auburn University's Rural Studio when he realized that they would need more artist housing. The two organizations partnered to build two houses in that community that have proven to be as aesthetically appealing as they are smart and practical. Valued at about $20,000, the two Serenbe homes cost just $14,000 to build. GO CLEAN: Green builder aims to transform Houston housing with kit homes "We have admired and followed Rural Studio over the years and are honored to partner with them on this important project," Steve Nygren, Founder of Serenbe, said in a statement. "Providing Rural Studio with valuable research and learning while also supporting artists, demonstrate our passion for community and vision as placemakers." Together, the team hopes to start an affordable housing initiative that would yield houses where poverty-stricken families can live with dignity and joy. "We are thrilled to celebrate this innovative partnership to continue our affordable housing research," says Rusty Smith, Associate Director of Rural Studio at Auburn University. "This is the first collaboration of its kind for Rural Studio, and we are eager to learn from skilled developers that can document permitting, costing and help flush out issues to clarify plans for the general public to build. Rural Studio and Serenbe have a shared design philosophy where connections between people, nature and the arts are nourished." A man stabbed a woman with a screw driver Thursday morning at a home in west Harris County. The incident happened about 9:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of Windy Brook Lane near Keith Harrow Blvd., according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Officials with Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department said their units responded to the home and rushed the woman to a nearby hospital. Details of her injuries were not released but officials said she was expected to survive. RELATED: When are crimes reported in Houston? No information was available about what led to the stabbing. Sometimes keeping things simple is a better, and more effective, approach to fundraising. American Festival for the Arts' "Beyond Music Gala" at the Junior League of Houston on Wednesday night raised a respectable $90,000 towards the organization's scholarship enrichment fund which provides financial aid and tuition assistance to deserving students. To drive home the importance of donations and auction item bids, the nonprofit placed a cardboard cutout of its colorful new bus near the cocktail reception's entrance; the vehicle purchase was a direct result of last year's successful fundraising campaign and will be used to transport 400 students to 40 concerts over a five-week period this summer. Jennifer Farrell The Fort Bend Museum Association, and its hardworking Lone Star Stomp committee, are taking a different approach to the stomp than ever before. The theme for the 27th annual stomp, set for Saturday, April 16, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the George Ranch Arena, is "Texas' Most Wanted." This refers to wanting the community to join the fun at the stomp, as well as to some of the lesser known facts that the infamous Bonnie and Clyde ate a meal at the Eagle Cafe in Rosenberg shortly before they were killed. PETA is facing off with the Christian youth organization Young Life over a Snapchat video of members allegedly mishandling chickens at a Katy meeting. The video allegedly shows students in the Katy chapter throwing live chickens around a room and against a wall. One of the videos is captioned "testing if chickens can fly." Young Life's national organization confirmed that the game was part of the group's meeting, and that one of the chickens died after it was sent back to a local farm. TeachKind, PETA's division devoted to humane education, sent a letter to Young Life on Wednesday urging the organization to prohibit the use of live animals in its meetings in the future. The letter appealed to Young Life's Christian values as a reason to prevent inhumane treatment of animals. "The group's actions seem to be in opposition to Young Life's values of '[l]iving according to and communicating the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ' and '[o]bserving the highest standards of stewardship of all the resources placed in our trust,'" PETA wrote in its letter. PETA approached Young Life after hearing from Katy residents who were concerned about the video, spokeswoman Nina Kahn said. Young Life did not immediately respond to PETA's letter. Young Life's Katy chapter declined to comment Wednesday but referred to a statement given to KPRC last week by the chapter's area director, Derek Bonesteel. "Young Life of Katy understands how the video recorded during our club on Monday evening could raise concerns," the statement said. "We want to clarify that there was no intent to harm animals during this activity and in fact the two chickens involved are fine and safe on a local farm. We apologize to anyone who was offended by the video and the events of club." Young Life's national organization released a statement on the incident, after one of the chickens died on that local farm: "We can confirm that a Young Life gathering in Katy, TX, included a game involving live chickens. We acknowledge that involving live animals in this way was inhumane and inappropriate. While there was no intent to harm these animals, and while we did not believe any harm was done to them, we did learn that one of the chickens died after we had sent them to a local farm. We were surprised and saddened over this and accept full responsibility. In Young Life we go to great lengths to create a fun atmosphere for kids, and that includes lots of different activities. Our leaders are constantly trying to come up with new activities, and we clearly crossed the line of good judgment on this night. This situation has given us a chance to reflect on our responsibility to teach and model for kids in our programs the importance of treating animals with dignity. We have learned a valuable lesson and will not repeat this mistake." PETA offered to connect Young Life of Katy with team-building volunteer opportunities where students can help animals. The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce has raised more than $350,000 in its campaign to better brand the community and expand economic development. As part of the capital campaign, new signs to identify Cypress Creek neighborhoods will be installed before the end of the year. The chamber will start with two signs bookending the Cypress Creek Cultural District. The signs are expected to be installed by the end of the year. Other signs will be installed as additional funds are raised. The signs will say "Cypress Creek Community" and will then include an identifier such as Gleannloch Farms, Champions or Klein. It is part of the chamber's Grow Northwest capital campaign launched a year ago with the goal of raising $3.2 million to address community issues such as community branding, safety and security and economic development. "We're moving as fast as we can with the funding levels we have," said Barbara Thomason, president of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce. "As we see funds come in, we'll be able to deliver more and more of these projects." To help with funding, the chamber is working to add a fundraising component to utility bills in the region, asking area businesses and residents to contribute $2 for the branding campaign through their utility bills. "We just got our first check from Ponderosa Utility District and it is over $3,000 for two months," Thomson said. "That's just one district. We have seven districts committed. We were able to succeed in getting more sustainable funding without a tax." The sign campaign will help give the community identity, said Clara Lewis, vice president and director of the Cypress Creek Cultural District. In addition, the signs will help bring the community together, she said. The signs will start with the cultural district because it is the center of the community, Lewis said. The district includes the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Art, the Centrum, Barbara Bush Library, Cypress Creek Community Center and the Harris County Precinct 4 Courthouse. The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce received a grant a year ago from the Houston-Galveston Area Council to conduct a study on revitalizing the region, said. One of the ideas out of the study was to install the unifying signs. The Cypress Creek Livable Centers study focused on the area of Cypress Creek Parkway, also known as FM 1960 West, and the intersections of Kuykendahl Road and Ella Boulevard. It encompasses a 1,600-acre area and includes areas of single-family homes for around 6,100 residents. The plan calls for creating an effective use of space that includes transforming abandoned shopping centers, and underused parking lots into green space, and thriving and aesthetically pleasing economic centers; adding trees and sidewalks along the corridor for walkability and helping to create future building and design standards for the corridor. The stakeholders group, which consists of the chamber, the Ponderosa Forest Utility District and the Cypress Creek Parkway Property and Business Owner's Association, was awarded a $125,000 grant from the H-GAC to conduct the study. For more information about Grow Northwest Houston, visit http://growhoustonnw.com/ Conroe attorney Patty Maginnis was named Wednesday by Gov. Greg Abbott to fill the vacancy in Montgomery County's 435th District Court. The appointment comes nearly two months after former Judge Michael Seiler resigned his post as part of a deal with prosecutors investigating allegations that he used confidential juror information for campaign purposes. Seiler also was reprimanded last year for perceived bias by the state judicial commission. Texas lawmakers then stripped him of his role as sole overseer of the troubled civil commitment program. Before resigning and ending his re-election bid, Seiler was to face Maginnis and Conroe attorney Tom Brewer in the Republican primary last month. Seiler, whose name was still on the ballot, received the most votes, narrowly ahead of Maginnis. The appointment is set to expire with the general election in November, but Maginnis will keep the seat. Seiler will not appear on the ballot for next month's run-off, and there are no Democrats running for the seat. Maginnis, a former Montgomery County prosecutor, is a partner at Maginnis, Pullan & Young. She graduated from Brenau Women's College and earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law. Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal applauded the timing of appointment, noting a growing backlog of cases since Seiler's resignation. "I appreciate that Gov. Greg Abbott recognized that need, and moved swiftly to make the appointment," Doyal said in a statement. "Patty Maginnis is a highly competent attorney and great member of this community who will make an excellent judge." The head of the Texas Education Agency said Wednesday the state could re-analyze the contract with its testing vendor if the company does not fix a problem that erased the answers of more than 14,000 students taking the STAAR test last week. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told the State Board of Education Wednesday that many of the online tests were taken by special education students. A group of pastors who were an integral part of the movement against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance sent letters this week congratulating the Mississippi and North Carolina governors on their states' recent bills supporting "religious liberty" and banning local anti-discrimination policies, respectively. The group of "Houston Five" pastors -- David Welch, Steve Riggle, Khan Huynh, Magda Hermida, and Hernan Castano -- became central figures in the fight against HERO after former Mayor Annise Parker subpoenaed sermons they had given discussing the ordinance. HERO, which would have created nondiscrimination protections for gay and transgender residents, failed a voter referendum by a wide margin in November amid allegations that the ordinance would allow men dressed as women to enter women's restrooms. HISDs Madison High School went on lockdown shortly after 11 a.m. due to suspicious activity in the area. The lockdown was lifted around noon at the southwest Houston campus. Multiple media reports stated that a drive-by shooting occurred in a nearby neighborhood on Brookemeade at White Heather, and the shooter fled the scene. For the past several decades, the national political conventions held by each party have largely been procedural matters, unremarkable in terms of actual political debate, and essentially week-long PR pitches to the news media and voters. It has been more than 60 years since there was an actual contested convention (both parties in 1952; Adlai Stevenson eventually won the Democratic presidential nomination, while Dwight Eisenhower was the Republicans' choice), and more than 30 years since there was any question about who a major party's presidential nominee would be (Walter Mondale arrived at the 1984 Democratic convention still 40 delegates short of outright victory, but received enough support from superdelegates to push him over the top). But things are different this year. Establishment Republicans are quite open about the fact that they want a contested convention; they simply can't stomach Donald Trump. And on the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders's staff acknowledged this week that the senator from Vermont hopes he can win the nomination at a contested convention. It's impossible to say whether either party will actually get to that point in 2016. Trump could wrap up the GOP nomination by winning about 63 percent of the remaining pledged delegates. Sanders faces an uphill battle to stop Hillary Clinton from winning the nomination with pledged delegates alone; her overwhelming support from superdelegates is likely to put her over the top on the first ballot either way. But the possibility that at least one party goes to a contested convention is real. So what might that look like? Historically, contested conventions have gone a lot of different ways. Here are just a few of the most fiery conventions in U.S. history. Democratic National Convention, 1860 The 1860 Democratic convention, just before the Civil War, was divided over slavery. Sen. Stephen A. Douglas, considered a moderate on the slavery issue because he preferred to let individual states choose whether to outlaw or allow the practice, was the front-runner. But delegates from seven southern states organized an effort against him, and he couldn't get the requisite number of votes. After holding a convention in Charleston, South Carolina, where delegates were unable to come to any kind of consensus after 57 ballots, Democrats took six weeks off before trying again in Baltimore, where Douglas was nominated. But the splinter group of southern Democrats didn't attend; they held their own convention, and nominated Vice President John Breckenridge. Thus, two Democrats were nominated, and Republican Abraham Lincoln beat them handily that November. It seems pretty unlikely that a group of state delegations would break off from their national party apparatus to hold their own convention in 2016, but seeing two of the current GOP candidates on November's ballots isn't completely out of the question if one of them decides to run as an independent. Democratic National Convention, 1924 The 1924 Democratic National Convention, held in New York, was the longest-running political convention in U.S. history. The party was divided, again largely on geographic lines, at a time when the Ku Klux Klan was rapidly gaining political power. Pro-Klan delegates from the South and other areas couldn't see nominating New York Gov. Al Smith, a Catholic. But anti-Klan delegates were against nominating William Gibbs McAdoo, who had Klan support despite not being a member. There weren't enough delegates in either faction to nominate a candidate, so the voting went on and on. Eventually, after 102 ballots, McAdoo and Smith both withdrew from consideration, knowing they'd never get the requisite votes. A compromise candidate, John Davis, got the nomination, but lost in the general election by almost 250 electoral votes. Some Republicans hope they can find a compromise candidate this summer - the name Paul Ryan keeps coming up, despite him saying he doesn't want to run - but as the 1924 convention shows, a compromise candidate isn't guaranteed the enthusiastic support of the entire party. In fact, it's possible that few voters would be excited about a compromise candidate. Republican National Convention, 1964 Like in the Democratic convention of 1924, Republicans were split among geographic and ideological lines at their 1964 convention. The moderate wing of the GOP was in favor of Nelson Rockefeller, the Republican governor of New York, who would later go on to serve as vice president under Gerald R. Ford. Conservative Republicans, on the other hand, preferred Barry Goldwater, a hawk from Arizona who wanted to undo everything he could about Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs. Conservative Republicans openly booed Rockefeller at the convention because they thought he was part of the northeastern political elite - the GOP establishment. Sound familiar? Goldwater, on the other hand, took hard-line positions on limited government and opposing the relatively new communist government in Vietnam. Moderate Republicans openly disliked him, and some viewed him as such an extremist that his hard-line stances were thought to damage his chances in the general election. Goldwater lost to Lyndon B. Johnson. Democratic National Convention, 1968 Perhaps the most violent, vitriolic and widely-known turbulent convention in American history was the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This time, it wasn't about an electorate divided between two candidates - it was about tension that had been building for months exploding into violent riots. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated that spring. Robert F. Kennedy, one of the leading candidates, was killed even closer to the convention, on June 5. And the Vietnam war was at its peak. So when an estimated 10,000 antiwar demonstrators descended on the city, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley simply decided not to issue permits. He thought, naively, that without a place to gather, the protests would remain small. But still, he was able to deploy about 23,000 police and National Guard members, and he wasn't afraid to use them. Things went fairly smoothly in the convention hall, and Hubert Humphrey won the nomination handily. But outside the hall, Daley's aggressive response to the protesters turned an already volatile situation into a violent one. On Aug. 28, 1968, the day of the so-called "police riots," officers moved into the throng of protesters to arrest a man seen lowering an American flag. The officers beat the protester, while other protesters started throwing rocks and chunks of concrete at the police. The protest quickly turned into a riot and spread throughout the city. One particularly tense exchange took place outside a Hilton hotel, where network television cameras broadcast 17 minutes of the riots live, as protesters chanted, "The whole world is watching!" Television coverage alternated between the relatively straightforward convention and the chaos in the streets, making it appear as though the Democratic Party was anything but unified and connected with its constituents. Humphrey would go on to lose to Richard M. Nixon in the general election. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As the Republican presidential primary turns to New York and its huge cache of delegates, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is re-framing his controversial comments that were widely understood as disparaging to voters there. Cruz's condemnation of what he called "New York values" came to national attention during a televised presidential debate in January, and his rival Donald Trump, a New Yorker, sought to turn the comments against Cruz. Now campaigning in New York, Cruz stuck by his comments but narrowed his scope. "The people that I was talking about are the liberal New York Democrats," Cruz told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview that aired Thursday morning. On April 19, New York will host one of the most crucial primaries of the cycle, and Cruz will be anxious to block Trump from a resounding delegate grab. With little hope of clinching the nomination through the primary vote, Cruz's only hope lies in preventing Trump from doing so himself. RELATED: Despite win streak, Cruz still headed for convention clash with Trump New York, with its 95 delegates and favorable inclination towards the Manhattan mogul, could give Trump a critical boost to his delegate count. Candidates can sweep the state's congressional districts, or the entire state, by winning more than 50 percent of the vote, and polls suggest Trump could be poised to do just that. Trump, on the trail in his home state, has made Cruz's "New York values" comment a common talking point. "Do you remember during the debate when he started lecturing me on New York values like we're no good?" Trump asked an audience at a Long Island campaign event Wednesday. "I've got this guy standing over there looking at me talking about New York values with scorn in his face, with hatred, with hatred of New York. So folks, I think you can forget about him." Trump then paused proudly while the audience chanted "lyin' Ted" as they are often encouraged to do at Trump rallies. Cruz's comment was initially intended to court the Midwestern conservative voters of Iowa by drawing a distinction between his conservative roots in Texas and Trump's blue state background. 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. A group of prominent scientists have united for an odd quest: to reduce funding for science education. Theyve joined with environmental groups and progressive activists to demand that hundreds of museums of science and natural history cut all ties with the fossil fuel industry and funders of climate science obfuscation, which means rejecting donations or investment dividends from anyone who doesnt meet their standard of purity. They began last year by demanding that the American Museum of Natural History in New York have nothing to do with the industrialist David Koch, a major benefactor and member of the museums board of trustees for more than two decades. There was no evidence that Koch had influenced the content of any exhibit at the museumdonors are prohibited from involvementbut the activists got their wish this year when Koch resigned from the board. Though he and the museum said his departure was voluntary, the activists are hailing it as a victory and pointing to other museums, including the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, that have divested themselves of fossil-fuel investments and banned donations from these companies. Nearly 150 academics have signed on to the cause, including George Woodwell, founder and director emeritus of Woods Hole Research Center; James Powell, former president of the science museums of Los Angeles and of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia; and some prominent climate researchers, like James Hansen of NASA, Michael Mann of Penn State University, and Kevin Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. They claim to be concerned that museums compromise their integrity by association with special interests, but some interests are obviously more special than others. The scientists and their allies havent objected, for instance, to the Boston Science Museums wind-energy exhibit being sponsored by an engineering firm that helps build wind farms or by a Massachusetts state agency with the explicit mission of promoting wind power. Only fossil-fuel companies are targeted, supposedly because theyre causing climate science to be distorted or censored, yet the scientists and their allies cant point to any damning examples. Their favorite accusation involves a Koch-sponsored exhibition at the Smithsonian on human evolution and adaptation that includes one panel asking if millions of years from now, some humans bodies might have adapted to various new environmental conditionsa hotter planet, a colder planet, or another planet with lower gravity. Whats wrong with asking those questions? Nothing, except that the mere mention of human adaptation is taboo to devout greens: There must be no distractions from their predictions that global warming will wipe out the human species. If youre looking for biased environmental science at museums, you can find it, but the bias goes the other way, toward eco-alarmism and left-wing politics. Before any more scientists denounce David Kochs influence at the American Museum of Natural History, they might try visiting the place first. A good place to start the tour, for historical perspective, is in one of the least popular parts of the museum: the Hall of New York State Environment. Its a quaint nook with a musty collection of dioramas from the early 1950s, long before Koch was on the board. The human impact on the environment is depicted in a historical series of dioramas of Dutchess County in upstate New York. First, theres The Forest Primeval, some of which is cut down to make room for The Settlement in the 1790 diorama. Most of the forest has given way to farmland in the 1840 diorama, titled High Tide. But by 1870, some of the farmland is lying fallow, and by 1950, much of it has been covered again with forest. One cause of this trend is depicted in the tiny models of farming equipment, a progression from a simple ox-drawn plow to more elaborate machines drawn by horses and, ultimately, by a motorized tractor. By 1950, the dioramas copywriter exults, the invention of the gas engine and the remarkable development of specialized machines enabled farmers to grow more food with less labor on less land, allowing farmland to revert to forest. That is indeed a remarkable trend, but you would never guess it from the modern environmental exhibits at the museumthe ones that get a lot more visitors. In the Hall of Biodiversity, there are no homages to gas engines and machines. Fossil fuels and modern technologies are the great villains. Photographs and videos of gas pumps and smokestacks are juxtaposed with images of traffic jams, smog-filled skies, and vanishing woodland. Forests are shown being destroyed by pollution, burned by farmers, and bulldozed to make room for ranches, roads, and factories. Nowhere is there a hint that the rest of the world is going through the same transition that occurred in the United States: the rate of global deforestation has slowed and has already reversed in many places. Just as in upstate New York, the amount of forestland in China and India has been increasing. Which message do the visitors take home? A few years ago, I went to the museum and gave a quiz to a class of high-school students who had just toured it. I asked about two long-term trends in the United States: Was air pollution getting better or worse, and was the amount of forestland increasing or decreasing? None of the studentsnor their teachergot both questions right. Most had no idea that air pollution has been declining for decades while the amount of forestland has been increasing. You cant blame them, given what theyd just seen at the Hall of Biodiversity. The message is unrelentingly gloomy, and sometimes just outdated or wrong. Theres an image of a forest supposedly decimated by acid rain, which was a much-proclaimed eco-catastrophe three decades agountil an extensive federal study concluded that there was no evidence of widespread forest damage. There are warnings of resource shortages and admonitions to reduce, reuse, recycleand rethink. One exhibit panel claims that global warming has already resulted in more frequent and severe coastal storms as hurricanes, which is contradicted by both data and theory. There has been no upward trend in hurricanes over the past half century (the last decade has been especially calm), and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that future changes in storms are likely to be small. A video shows much of Florida and Long Island disappearing under the rising oceanrepresenting a sea-level rise far beyond what IPCC projects. The hype was even worse when the museum presented a special show on climate change in 2008. The exhibition, which toured other science museums in the United States and abroad, displayed a model of lower Manhattan under 16 feet of water, while the rest of the world was ravaged by storms, droughts, fires, and plagues. In a review of the exhibition for the New York Times, Edward Rothstein criticized it for being concerned less with science than with frightening visitors. What we need from a museum is not proselytizing but a more reflective analysis, he wrote, complaining that the exhibition made me feel like an agnostic attending church and listening to sermons about damnation. Unfortunately, thats the trend in science museums, as Rothstein has documented over the past decade while writing about museums and exhibitions for the Times and the Wall Street Journal. Curators pride themselves on promoting moral agendas. Showing the wonders of nature is no longer enough: visitors must be hectored to transform their lives, check their privilege and prejudice, respect native cultures, and save the planet. Over the last two generations, Rothstein concluded in 2010, the science museum has become a place where politics, history and sociology often crowd out physics and the hard sciences. There are museums that believe their mission is to inspire political action. And the political actions are inevitably the sort that academics deem progressive. Given this trend, why would anyone worry about the influence of donors like David Koch? Even if conservatives ever imagined they could use their money to promote their ideology, theyve so obviously failed that theyd be idiots to expect any future returns on it. Since theyre not shaping science exhibits to their politics, why not use their money to make better museums that teach more people about science? Because the current campaign against Koch and other donors isnt really about science or museums. Its about politics. The campaign is sponsored by a coalition of environmental and progressive groups, including MoveOn.org and the Working Families Party. Its being led by a group calling itself The Natural History Museum, which sends a bus around the country with exhibits about the socio-political forces that shape nature. The group is financed by various foundations promoting progressive causes like the relationship between economics, racism, climate, gender and sexual orientation (as one donor, Solidaire, describes its interests). The donors also include a group promoting the construction of green buildings (another apparently acceptable special interest) as well as the Queens Museum (New Yorkers tax dollars at work!). The Natural History Museums mission statement isnt easy to understandit reads like a sophomore trying to impress his Marxist professor of sociologybut it seems to be mainly about moving beyond the evils of capitalist enterprises to a collective future. To reach this future, the group is using the modern Lefts favorite method of debate: silence the opposition. The activists and the scientists allied with them are following the twelfth of Saul Alinksys Rules for Radicals: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. The letter to museums is part of the larger campaign to demonize David Koch and other conservatives, to deny them any public credit for their philanthropy, and to prevent any reputable institution from having anything to do with them. The goal is not only to punish David Koch for his support of conservative groups but also to intimidate other philanthropists. The letter is a warning shot to donors and corporations: if you give money to a conservative cause, you will be banished from museums and respectable society. In this fight, the science museums are just bystanders. If their budgets suffer, if their visitors end up paying higher admission fees or seeing fewer exhibits, thats just collateral damage. A dedicated leftist can excuse it as a small tradeoff to reach our glorious collective future. But the curators and scientists who have signed on to the cause have no excuse for the damage theyre doing. Theyre supposed to give science priority over politicsor at least that used to be the professional ethic. These days, its looking as outdated as those dioramas from the 1950s. Photo by David Creswell Peste 300 de liceene s-au inscris in Startup School si sunt gata sa invete bazele antreprenoriatului tehnologic. Vezi cum a fost la evenimentul de lansare a programului national de educatie antreprenoriala Jessie Van Berkel covers the city of St. Paul for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. But last month, she traveled north to the small towns of rural Minnesota to report on Social Security Disability Insurance, the federal assistance program that, as the Star Tribune put it, has become a lifeline for a sharply rising number of Americans over recent decades. In Ohio, Dayton Daily News reporter Chris Stewart found his subjects closer to home for a March special report on the long road to benefits for the more than one million Americansincluding 40,000 Ohioans caught in the federal governments biggest traffic jam: the line of people appealing denied Social Security disability claims. Both reporters produced strong, sensitive work featuring local perspectivesvoices that are frequently overshadowed or missing in national coverage of disability benefits, where the emphasis is often on budget concerns and fears of fraud. The local reporters didnt ignore those concerns, but they struck an alternative balance, showing the difference that a little legwork and a shift in perspective can make. Claims of waste and abuse are rampant, Stewart wrote. So are the tales of real suffering. In Minnesota, Van Berkel found many of those tales concentrated in rural northern counties where timber and mining injuries are plentiful and desk jobs are scarce. She was prompted by her editors curiosity about which areas in the state had the most applicants for Social Security disability benefits. The answer turned out to be towns like Walker, population 941, located in Cass County, where about one out of 12 residents receive disability benefitsmore than twice the state average. Van Berkel described for readers the demographics driving what has been a growing dependence on SSDI nationwide and included a section on the uncertainty of trust funds financial future. But, she says, she was more interested in the policy implications for the average person. That means people like 65-year-old Rita Ray of Walker, who years ago destroyed a tendon in her arm on the job and, after 14 surgeries, counts on the disability benefit to get by. Ray is lucky enough to be able to supplement her benefit checkin 2014, Van Berkel writes, the median monthly benefit for a disabled worker in Minnesota was $1,068.90with a hard-to-find part-time desk job that can accommodate her limitations. Its not only the disabled residents of towns like Walker who rely on disability benefits, Van Berkel explains, but also the local businesses where they spend their money. Whats more, she found, by the time residents clear the difficult hurdles of getting benefits, theyve often used up any savings they may have had. One man, whos currently receiving benefits, told her he struggled to pay his expenses. By the time he was approved, he was down to $4,000 in savings. There will always be people gaming the system, Van Berkel told me, but I heard from so many others who struggled and were dependent on disability benefits. There were some real needs. Thats what Stewart found, too, in his reporting in the Dayton area. He focused on the backlog of people appealing denied benefits claims and waiting, often for a year or more, for their cases to be heard by Social Security administrative law judges. Some people die while waiting, Stewart writes, while others with serious physical or mental disabilities are left to live in squalid conditions or, in some cases, on the street. For 48-year-old Rainey Cowgill who, after a triple bypass in 2013 could not return to construction work and has twice been denied benefits, the four-stage appeals process has been a years-long limbo, which Cowgill says has left him feeling helpless. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project Another Ohioan featured in Stewarts piece has been applying and appealing for disability benefits since 2003. Most recently, his appeal was denied because much of the evidence he submitted didnt come from certified medical sources or licensed psychologists or psychiatrists, and the judge cited his lifestyle, which suggested he could function normally. Stewart, who read his subjects case files, told me it wasnt my intent to judge people. He said he was presenting the facts of the case as he read them. A lot of claimants dont understand some of the guidelines the law judges use to determine eligibility, Stewart said. Sometimes claimants find that hard to accept. Through his examination of the administrative law judge system, Stewart gives readers a sense of the difficulties of deciding cases and the enormity of the backlog. Do you have any idea how long it takes to review 1,000 pages of medical evidence, asked Marilyn Zahm of the Association of Administrative Law Judges. They [claimants] sometimes have as many as five to 10 impairments. You need to make findings on all of them. One judge, testifying in 2010 in front of federal lawmakers, called the bottlenecked appeals system a disaster for due process. While discussing his reporting with me, Stewart mentioned that old legal maxim, justice delayed is justice denied, adding, The delays hurt the most those people who have difficulties making ends meet. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a center-left think tank, poverty rates are nearly twice as high for SSDI beneficiarieseven taking into account their benefitsas for others. In the national debate over our social safety net, its important that the voices of those beneficiaries dont get lost. With their local coverage, Stewart and Van Berkel offer strong examples of how that can be done. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Trudy Lieberman is a longtime contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review. She is the lead writer for CJR's Covering the Health Care Fight. She also blogs for Health News Review and the Center for Health Journalism. Follow her on Twitter @Trudy_Lieberman. In 2012 there was not a single Ohio college graduate who received a degree in insurance. It was a troubling fact for an industry, which is considered an economic pillar for the state of Ohio. Insurance employs over 100,000 Ohioans and contributes billions to the states gross domestic product. The industry worked around this challenge by recruiting insurance talent from colleges in other states and by hiring students from related disciplines in Ohio. Today, nine Ohio colleges and universities offer insurance and risk management programs ranging from four-year bachelor degrees to two-year associate degrees and short-term certification programs. The pipeline of talent has been opened, and a new generation of insurance professionals is being trained in Ohio to work here. This dramatic shift in the education and training landscape is because the stakeholders partnered together to address a shortcoming. The turning point came when the insurance industry in Ohio realized it was facing a substantial talent gap and that if not addressed would hinder the industrys growth and optimization in the years to come. A 2013 study by the Insurance Industry Resource Council (IIRC) identified that Ohio needs to add 26,000 new workers by 2020 in the property and casualty segment with tens of thousands more needed in life and health. As the collective industry assessed the talent gap and the subsequent challenges, the critical missing piece from the talent pipeline was degree and certificate programs at Ohio colleges and universities. If you go back a generation, there were robust insurance programs at a number of Ohio colleges, but slowly the program enrollment eroded and students migrated toward other options. Neither the industry nor the colleges realized the long-term effect of those programs demise, said Dave Kaufman, CEO of The Motorists Insurance Group and co-chair of the IIRC. We began the Insuring Ohio Futures program to raise awareness and attract talent to the insurance industry and we realized that establishing multiple educational options was the long-term answer to bridge this talent gap. Individuals with an educational background in insurance and risk management will be talent equipped for success. Establishing these educational programs was critical, and it couldnt have happened without tremendous partners. The State of Ohio played a key role. Jobs have been at the forefront of the Kasich-Taylor agenda and agencies like the Governors Office of Workforce Transformation and Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services have teamed with Ohio Higher Education and the colleges to support the insurance industry talent initiative. Gov. Kasich and I met with insurance leaders early in our administration and the reoccurring theme was the need to attract new talent to an industry which was being hit hard by baby boomers retiring, said Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor who is also the director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. Multiple state agencies have worked with industry partners to grow the workforce, but a great deal of credit is owed to Ohio Higher Education and the colleges and universities for moving quickly to address the challenges identified by the industry. With the strong collaboration between the private sector and the state, we have been able to transform the landscape in just a few short years, and now educational programs exist that are ready to help Ohioans of all ages prepare for and claim good paying insurance jobs. Ohio Higher Education, formerly the Ohio Board of Regents, has been working diligently under the leadership of Chancellor John Carey to align post-secondary education with workforce development. The insurance industry engaged higher education and forged partnerships to create the different types of programs that were needed, said Chancellor Carey. This wasnt a passive, I hope you guys will build this approach. It was a true partnership led by business, which was instrumental in shaping the scope and focus of the programs. The colleges to their credit responded and have met the need. Nine new programs in four years is simply incredible. This industry and academic partnership is a model other sectors can and should emulate. The results speak for themselves, and there is now an educational infrastructure that will grow and thrive, as well as deliver talent to insurance for years to come. The nine Ohio colleges currently offering insurance education are (year founded): Kent State University (2012) Bachelor Degree in Risk Management and Insurance; University of Cincinnati (2013) Bachelor Degree and Minor in Insurance & Risk Management; Franklin University (2013) Bachelor Degree in Risk Management and Insurance; Ohio Dominican University (2014) Bachelor Degree and a Minor in Insurance and Risk Management as well as a Certificate in Insurance Studies; Ohio Northern University (2014) Bachelor Degree in Risk Management and Insurance; Columbus State Community College (2014) Certificate in Foundations of Insurance; Bowling Green State University (2015) Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Insurance Specialization; Clark State Community College (2015) Associate Degree in Business Management with an Insurance Option; Owens Community College (2016) Associate Degree in Insurance Studies. The nine programs currently have 216 students enrolled, which is over a 100-percent increase from spring of 2015 and represents over 450-percent increase since the spring of the 2014 academic year. For more information on Ohio insurance degree and certificate programs and for detailed information on insurance careers visit InsuringOhioFutures.com. Source: Insurance Industry Resource Council Rising drug prices contributed to a 2.2 percent growth in pharmacy spending for American workers compensation payers in 2015, according to a new report released by Express Scripts. Effective management programs helped lower injured workers drug utilization by 2.6 percent last year, offsetting the 4.4 percent increase in the average cost per prescription. In its tenth annual edition, the Express Scripts Workers Compensation Drug Trend Report evaluates year-over-year changes in medication costs and utilization for injured workers. Opioid and compound drug management continues to be a focus for this market segment, and the rising cost of specialty medications is emerging as a key budgetary challenge for workers compensation payers. Opioid Management Programs Hold Down Spending At $450.90 per-user-per-year (PUPY), opioids continue to be the costliest class of medications for occupational injuries. Yet, overall spending for opioids decreased nearly 5 percent as utilization decreased by almost 11 percent. On average, injured workers received 2.91 opioid prescriptions per year down from 3.33 prescriptions in 2014. When prescribing habits pose risk to patient safety, we create solutions to mitigate any potential harmful effects, said Dr. Brigette Nelson, senior vice president of workers compensation clinical management at Express Scripts. Over the past 30 years, our researchers, clinicians and product innovators have worked together to leverage the insights from an industry-leading set of data to create novel programs that address the biggest concerns of workers compensation payers. As opioid utilization continued to rise in prior years, Express Scripts introduced a proactive and retrospective look at opioid prescribing with tools such as the Morphine Equivalent Dose (MED) point of sale and prescriber outreach solutions, and injured worker narcotic education outreach. These programs provide a comprehensive look at the injured workers opioid use and identify escalation in the dose that might be of concern. One Express Scripts client that implemented the MED Management program had a 46.1 percent decrease in patients receiving opioids and a 51.5 percent drop in prescriptions with MED higher than 120 mg/day within one year. Express Scripts continues to build new, proactive tools that help our clients ensure that opioids are used as safely as possible, said Rochelle Henderson, Ph.D., senior director of research. Our predictive analytics identify risk behaviors from the first prescription fill and then throughout treatment so risk managers can engage with injured workers to improve treatment outcomes. Impact of Specialty Medications Realized in 2015 While specialty medications represent less than 1 percent of all medications used by injured workers, rapidly rising prices are a major concern. Spending on specialty medications increased 49.5 percent in 2015, with the average cost per prescription reaching $1,799.02 nearly 10 times that of a typical traditional medication. Antiviral medications to treat hepatitis C and HIV were primary drivers of the annual increase in overall specialty drug spending. Spending in the antiviral class increased 85.1 percent, heavily influenced by a 66.7 percent increase in cost per prescription. Combating Rising Compounded Medication Costs For the third consecutive year, compounded products were among the top 10 therapy classes as ranked by total spending in 2015. The cost to payers for compounded medications averaged $1769.45 per prescription in 2015. However, better education and management programs have led to a significant decrease in utilization. Because compounded medications are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or efficacy, these products may pose unnecessary risks for injured workers and therefore are not considered first-line therapies within workers compensation treatment guidelines. Express Scripts proactively addresses compound use through physician and patient education and our prior authorization capabilities, said Dr. Nelson. Last year, Express Scripts compound management solutions helped lower spending on these products by 33.7 percent. It is clear that by managing compounded medications, clients can reduce unnecessary costs and waste associated with more than 1,000 clinically unproven ingredients. The 2015 Express Scripts Workers Compensation Drug Trend Report offers a comprehensive review of trends in prescription drug spending for workers compensation. To access the full report, please visit lab.express-scripts.com/workerscompensation. Source: Express Scripts Six years after 29 miners were killed in a West Virginia coal dust explosion, the man who ran the mining company like a fiefdom a coal baron and power broker who earned millions of dollars a year will learn on Wednesday whether he goes to prison. Donald Blankenship, who presided over his coalfields from a mountaintop castle, faces as long as a year in prison and a $250,000 fine over his conviction, the first in U.S. history for a mining CEO of a workplace safety crime. In December, jurors found the former chief executive officer of Massey Energy had ignored safety standards. On Wednesday a federal judge, the daughter of a miner, will sentence him. The message this sentence will carry will be heard loudly and clearly in boardrooms across the U.S., said Patrick McGinley, a West Virginia University law professor who was part of a group that investigated the blast. The CEO of any company that fails to adequately protect its workers can be sent to prison just like any other offender. If U.S. District Judge Irene Berger does imprison Blankenship, it will bring some comfort to dozens of West Virginians, although the families of those killed had hoped for steeper felony convictions and longer jail time. Probation Sought Blankenships lawyers argue the former top executive, who was cleared of securities fraud and making false statements, deserves no more than probation and a fine. Probation will provide ample warning and deterrence to other mine operators, one of Blankenships defense lawyers said in a March 28 court filing. Even if hes handed a prison term, Blankenship may not be immediately headed to jail. His lawyers have asked Berger to allow the former coal baron to remain free until his appeal is decided. They say theyre confident Blankenships conviction will be overturned and he wont spend a day behind bars. Prosecutors said Blankenship sped coal production and willfully ignored safety so he could fatten his annual bonuses. This gentleman needs at least a year away from his luxurious lifestyle for reflection on what he did and how his greed led to the annihilation of 29 lives, Dr. Judy Jones Petersen, whose brother Dean Jones was killed in the disaster, said in an interview. I see no signs of remorse or acceptance of responsibility from him. Towering Presence A blunt taskmaster who bullied underlings and controlled virtually all of Masseys operations, Blankenship turned the mining company into the U.S.s fourth-largest coal producer. West Virginia officials said Massey grew into a towering presence in the Appalachian coalfields, with workers homes flying the companys white flag, a picture of a flame leaping out of an M. Blankenship, 66, a Republican, spent heavily to back politicians and judges friendly to the coal industry, according to state reports. He spent $3 million in 2004 on a candidate for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The winning judge later helped overturn a $50 million jury award against some of Masseys units. In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the judge should not have participated in that case. State Probe Investigators began probing the fatal blast at the Upper Big Branch facility, located about 30 miles south of Charleston, the state capital, immediately after rescue crews removed workers remains. A state panel concluded the following year that Massey managers forced miners to ignore basic safety measures, such as controlling coal dust and ensuring the mine had proper ventilation, as part of a push to increase production. The company operated the site in a profoundly reckless manner, the panel said. Blankenship disputed those findings, contending the explosion was caused by a stray spark from a mining machine and federal regulators had refused to allow Massey to use the companys preferred ventilation plan. At trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that in 2009 alone Blankenship made more than $18 million. He stepped down as Masseys top executive in 2010 with a $12 million retirement package. Five months later Alpha Resources Inc. acquired the mining company for $7.1 billion. Officials of Alpha, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August, were seeking $28 million in restitution from Blankenship to cover legal expenses and fines tied to the Upper Big Branch disaster. Berger denied the request in a ruling this week. Recorded Talks Blankenship didnt testify at the trial but his own words came back to haunt him as jurors reviewed internal memos and listened again and again over seven weeks to recordings he secretly made of telephone conversations. In those calls and memos, Blankenship told Massey managers to keep quiet about safety issues and focus on what pays the bills, according to one memo. Their job, he said, was simply to run coal. If Berger sentences him to prison, its likely Blankenship will be sent to a minimum-security facility because of his short stay, said Larry Levine, who served 10 years in federal prisons and now advises on how to survive time behind bars. Each day will start at 6 a.m. as a loudspeaker blares, The Compound is Now Open! Levine said. Blankenship is likely to be assigned a demeaning job and may not get to pick whether he sleeps on a bottom or top bunk bed, the consultant added. Meals will feature beans, rice and tortillas. No Computer Instead of blogging his free-market beliefs under the heading American Competitionist, Blankenship probably will have no access to a computer and no more than 300 minutes a month of phone time, he said. Its going to be a rude awakening for somebody who made $18 million in salary and bonuses one year to go to making 12 cents an hour scrubbing showers and toilets, said Levine. The case is U.S. v. Blankenship, 14-cr-00244, U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia (Charleston). Employers cannot deny a worker a place to sit just because they prefer the person stand, and they must consider the employees work station, not their overall duties, when determining whether to provide a seat, the California Supreme Court said Monday. The courts opinion stemmed from lawsuits brought by cashiers at the CVS drugstore chain and tellers at Chase Bank who said they were wrongly denied a place to sit while working. Experts called the opinion a victory for the cashiers and tellers. When all is said and done, the burden of proof is going to be on employers in most situations to determine why a seat would not be reasonable, said Stephen Hirschfeld, a San Francisco-based labor lawyer who advises companies. Companies likely will err on the side of providing a seat after Mondays opinion, and those facing similar lawsuits will settle, Hirschfeld said. The ruling is aimed at clarifying state labor regulations that require employers in California to provide workers with suitable seats when the nature of their work reasonably permits the use of seats. CVS and Chase Bank argued the rules require a holistic approach that determines the nature of employees work by considering the entire range of tasks they perform. In CVS case, cashiers also stock shelves and perform other tasks that require them to stand. The companys holistic approach would allow CVS to classify their jobs as standing jobs and deny them seats while working, the California Supreme Court said. But the court rejected that interpretation, saying it ignored the duration of those tasks, as well as where, and how often, they are performed. It instead called for an assessment of employees tasks and duties at particular work stations, such as a cash registers or teller windows, when determining whether they should get a place to sit. Michael Rubin, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the decision was a victory for all workers who have been denied a place to sit while they perform repetitive tasks in fixed locations. For the millions of California worker in the retail industry, this is going to mean that in the next few weeks, their employers will start giving them seats, which will promote health and comfort, he said. The court did find that some situations might make seating at work unfeasible, like if it interferes with standing tasks or affects overall job performance. CVS and Chase had argued employees provide better customer service while standing. Suzanne Alexander, a spokeswoman for JP Morgan Chase, declined to comment. CVS Health spokesman Michael DeAngelis said CVS was pleased with the California Supreme Courts ruling. The companys policies are consistent with the long-understood, reasonable interpretation of the law that employers can consider factors such as their desire to provide prompt and efficient customer service when deciding whether seating is appropriate. The big loss for the plaintiffs here is that business judgment is allowed as one of the objective factors in evaluating whether to provide seats, said Reuel Schiller, a labor law professor at the University of California, Hastings in San Francisco. Still, Schiller said the opinion overall favored plaintiffs. The CVS and Chase Bank lawsuits are now before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That court asked the California Supreme Court to determine whether each task employees perform must be evaluated to determine whether it qualifies for a seat. The 9th Circuit also asked whether the employers judgment about whether the employee should stand must be taken into consideration. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Otomo Yoshihide Brings the Noise Stateside Next Month Otomo Yoshihide, veteran "Japanoise" composer and free-jazz instrumentalist, will bring his contemporary improvised music project, FEN (Far East Network), to Japan Society's historic Manhattan headquarters next month. The venue will host both a club-style session and a main concert performance from the group, featuring leader Yoshihide along with fellow musicians Ryu Hankil, Yan Jun and Yuen Chee Wai. A longtime pioneer of contemporary classical, noise music and experimental turntablism, Yoshihide is one of Japan's most productive avant-garde performers. The innovator has composed music for multiple films, television shows and commercials while contributing to over 50 albums in the past 30 years. Yoshihide released his first, self-titled album in 1987. The artist then spent the bulk of the '90s playing in prolific Japanese improvisational noise band Ground Zero. In an interview with Jason Gross from the period, Yoshihide described the unconventional music that shaped his early aesthetic: "Most influence comes from French musique concrete, Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry. Also, there was some kind of rock stuff like Pink Floyd, always tape effects. Mostly contemporary composer's tape work, also Japanese '60s music. I really loved music when I was a teenager but I had no idea about how to play any instruments." Also an accomplished improvisational jazz guitarist, Yoshihide studied under revered Japanese free-improv musician Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi. Many of Yoshihide's performances combine his guitar playing with electronics and exploratory turntable manipulation. A musical activist, Yoshihide identifies with the underground subculture in Japan and its revolutionary leanings. As he told interviewer Michel Henritzi, the artist uses his music to express his sentiments, as opposed to expressly stating them in lyric: "I'm not interested in using music in order to send the kinds of explicit messages that can be put into words. I may have been in the past, but now I'm against that kind of thing. [...] I have absolutely no intention of making propaganda about the consumer society with music. I don't think music is something that can be simplistically changed into words." "Sound Exploration with Otomo Yoshihide/FEN" debuts at New York City's Japan Society with two performances on Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m and 9:30 p.m. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsOtomo Yoshihide, Noise Music, Experimental Music Noel Muir, Contractor Who Stole $500K from Cecil Taylor, Sentenced to Prison Noel Muir, a contractor from Uniondale N.Y. who stole nearly $500,000 from jazz pianist Cecil Taylor, has been sentenced to prison on chrages of grand larceny. (Photo : Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images) Earlier this year it was reported that Noel Muir, a contractor, stole nearly $500,000 in Kyoto Prize money from jazz giant Cecil Taylor. Now, Mr. Muir has been sentenced to one to three years in prison for grand larceny. The Kyoto Prize is a designation from the Inamori Foundation of Japan that rewards artists who not only contribute to the zeitgeist but who also contribute to "scientific, cultural and spiritual development." Mr. Muir, 55, of Uniondale, N.Y. has been indicted on charges stemming from his swindling of Mr. Taylor's prize money that was deposited directly into his Citibank account under the misnomer of the Cecil Taylor Foundation. The contractor plead guilty to the charges. For those who haven't followed the case, Mr. Muir befriended Mr. Taylor during the time he was contracted to work on the musician's Fort Greene brownstone. Mr. Taylor, who inherently trusted Mr. Muir, had him accompany the jazz giant to Japan in November 2013. It was during this time that Mr. Muir arranged to have the money deposited into the phony account, of which he spent roughly $300,000 on personal use. During the arraignment, it was noted that Mr. Taylor, in warranted frustration, told the contractor to "die." Ken Thompson, district attorney, said in a statement: "[Muir] shamefully bilked an elderly, vulnerable man out of half a million dollars in prize money that he received in recognition of his great talent and enormous contributions to jazz. In doing so, the defendant pretended to be Cecil Taylor's friend, but this guilty plea and sentence show that he was just a thief." Mr. Taylor also added that he thinks Mr. Muir is "not a spiritual man" and will ultimately get what he deserves. A most unfortunate circumstance for the jazz musician to face, especially as a living legend, Mr. Taylor has already been reimbursed $200,000 with Mr. Muir required to pay out the rest of the cash as restitution. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsCecil Taylor, Noel Muir, Inamori Foundation, Kyoto Prize crime tape A 16-year-old boy was found dead in a Summit County hotel room Wednesday evening. (File photo) GREEN, Ohio -- A 16-year-old boy was found dead in a Summit County hotel room Wednesday evening, the sheriff said. First responders found Andrew Frye of Akron unresponsive in a room at a Super 8 in Green. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death. The Summit County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from the boy's mother, Heather Frye, at 6:45 p.m., according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Andrew had spent the night at the hotel at 1605 Corporate Woods Parkway with his mother and his mother's friend, Jessica Irons, the release says. The Summit County Sheriff's Detective Bureau is investigating the case. Like Chanda Neely on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter: NASA Glenn open house 2016 Bryan Palaszewski, a rocket scientist, demonstrates propulsion to a crowd of visitors at Glenn's 2008 open house. Credits: NASA (NASA) CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NASA Glenn Research Center will have a rare, free public open house at its Lewis Field main campus in Cleveland on Saturday and Sunday May 21 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A news release says the open house will be NASA Glenn's first since 2008. The event is part of a yearlong celebration of Glenn's 75th anniversary, which began January 23. Other anniversary events include a free open house at Glenn's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky on June 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Details are forthcoming, the release says. At NASA Glenn, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, the May event will include: A walking tour of the research campus with a chance to step inside vacuum chambers, Chances to visit the Opportunities to meet Glenn engineers, scientists and technicians to hear about their work. Viewing space exploration and aeronautics exhibits and demonstrations. Attending special presentations by scientists and engineers. Experiencing hands-on activities and interactive exhibits appropriate for children and adults. Using social media @NASAglenn for scavenger hunts and meetups. Admission is free, and registration is not required. Food, beverages and souvenirs will be available for purchase. The NASA Glenn website provides information about security, I.D. requirements, free off-site parking, transportation and more. Hamlet Village prayer service.JPG Nearly 200 people gathered Wednesday at Hamlet Village to share memories of Terri Treadway and Catherine Sutter, the two employees killed March 24 in a shooting at the retirement village. (Evan MacDonald, cleveland.com) CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- Nearly 200 people gathered Wednesday to share memories and offer prayers for two employees killed last month at a Chagrin Falls retirement village. Hamlet Village residents, employees, faith leaders and friends attended a prayer service in memory of Terri Treadway and Catherine Sutter, the housekeepers killed March 24 in a shooting at the retirement village. The service took place in the Hamlet Atrium. "It shows how much support there is in this community," Treadway's younger sister Sandy Sabol said after the service. "I'm so thankful they were there for her and for us." Sabol, who attended with several other family members, said the service offered relief on a difficult day for the family. The service took place hours after Frank Staton, 58, pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting Treadway and Sutter. The Chardon man is being held at Cuyahoga County Jail on $3 million bond. Those who attended the prayer service described Treadway and Sutter as caring people who loved their jobs. "Catherine was a bubbly person in high school, and that didn't change," said Britann Gardiner, who attended Orange High School with Sutter. "She was always kind, and her family and friends were very important to her." Treadway -- the longest-tenured employee at Hamlet Village -- began working there 40 years ago. Faith leaders from a half-dozen area churches led the hour-long service. Those in attendance were also given the opportunity to speak. "We needed this," said Jean Hood, director of marketing and community relations at Hamlet Village. "It's been hard recently, but today was a great experience for the whole community." The shooting shocked residents and staff at the retirement community that residents described as peaceful and "tight-knit." The owner of Hamlet Village plans to cover the costs of the victims' funerals, which were held last week. Investigators said Staton was working as a cook at Hamlet Village when he gunned down the two women. Staton also suffered a gunshot wound. He was hospitalized for more than a week before being transferred to jail. Investigators said Staton and Treadway lived together, but did not elaborate on the nature of their relationship. Treadway's ex-husband identified Staton as Treadway's live-in boyfriend. Ohio online testing page.png Students across Ohio will be seeing this page as they log on to the state testing system for their online English, math, science and social studies tests. (Ohio Department of Education) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Students across Ohio have started taking new Common Core English and math tests this week, with few of the technical problems that plagued online testing last year. "I haven't heard anything about glitches to this point," said Tom Ash of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. But he cautioned,"We still have a ways to go yet." About 20,000 students took state tests online Tuesday, the first day of testing, and another 40,000 on Wednesday, according to the state's new test provider, the American Institutes for Research (AIR). We are still awaiting Wednesday's tally, but neither AIR, the Ohio Department of Education or a sampling of school districts are reporting any serious issues with the online tests. The Parma school district was among the first to give the new tests. Parma had its third and fourth graders do the first part of the state's English tests Wednesday. All of the students used the iPads they are given by the district, said spokesman Dan Rajkovich, without any real trouble. But most districts are taking their time to give the tests. They have until April 22 to give English tests on paper, April 29 to give them online. Math, science and social studies tests can be given in early May. The Cleveland school district, for example, won't start testing for another two weeks. Ash said schools are delaying for two main reasons. Many, he noted, had their spring vacations last week and don't want to test kids who might be out of practice. Others want to give students as many learning days as possible before testing so scores will be better. "If there's a chance to get a couple extra weeks of instruction in, prior to giving the test, I think a lot will do that," he said. Even with low testing numbers, the lack of widespread problems is a departure from the first day of testing last year, when about two thirds of the state's third- through ninth-graders took state tests online for the first time. That's rising to about 80 percent this year as the state moves toward its goal of doing all online. In the first few days of testing last February, districts reported multiple problems with logging on to the testing website, with pages freezing and with students being disconnected in the middle of tests. Most of those happened with new math and English tests from PARCC, the multi-state Common Core testing partnership that Ohio used last year. Ohio was the first state to try the new online testing system developed by PARCC, so students here dealt with issues that PARCC was able to fix for other states. But some of the online troubles also occurred with the science and social studies tests that AIR provided for Ohio last year. A survey by State Sen. Peggy Lehner of teachers, administrators and parents last spring found dissatisfaction with both online testing systems, but many more complaints with PARCC. The state legislature fired PARCC in June because of those issues and because of long testing times. The state then hired AIR to replace PARCC for the English and math tests, while continuing with the science and social studies tests. The AIR tests this year are about 40 percent shorter and will be given all at once, not in two separate rounds like the PARCC tests last year. Students last year took one round in February and March, then another in April and May. Because AIR had to develop the new math and English tests quickly, it is using a question "bank" it developed for multiple states and which have been tested in Arizona, Florida and Utah. Panels of educators from Ohio reviewed the questions and helped choose which ones to use. John Cohen, AIR's president of assessments, said he expects that Ohio will have tests of Ohio-only questions next year, or have only a few borrowed from other states. Districts that are still waiting to start testing say they are not as worried about the AIR tests as they would be if Ohio were still using PARCC. "The AIR platform for online testing was 10 times easier than the PARCC platform," said Kelli Cogan, assistant superintendent of the Olmsted Falls district. "We really didn't have any issues with AIR, so our fingers are crossed." Michael Molnar, director of educational services for the Amherst school district in Lorain County, also said he has fewer concerns about AIR's tests. "There were many fewer glitches, less students kicked off and it was a much easier process to get students and teachers ready for the testing," Molnar said. "It may be more user-friendly for teachers and students." Both Colgan and Molnar, however, still have concerns about whether online tests will offer a fair comparison to schools that give the state tests on paper. As we reported earlier, Molnar surveyed about two thirds of districts across the state and found that districts that gave tests online had significantly lower grades on state report cards than if they tested on paper. Though the Ohio Department of Education insists that the type of test is not affecting grades, a growing number of superintendents are objecting to the state grading and comparing schools using different tests. Since Molnar's survey, many districts asked to use just paper tests, but the state said it was too late to print enough paper test sheets. The most recent complaints came from a group of Summit County superintendents who jointly wrote a letter to the state calling the recent report cards invalid. "There's a general concern with this test or future tests that there's an accurate measuring stick," said Joe Iacano, superintendent of the Summit County Educational Service Center and author of the letter. "The test measures have been inconsistent, and it's difficult to make year to year comparisons." NAPOLEON, Ohio -- A police cadet is in critical condition at a Toledo hospital after he was wounded in the back in what investigators believe was an accidental shooting at a firing range. The Toledo Blade reports the male cadet was training Tuesday night with the Northwest State Law Enforcement Academy when the shooting occurred. He was taken to Henry County Hospital before being flown by helicopter to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. The unidentified cadet is expected to survive, officials say. Investigators tell 13abc.com a student was oiling a 9mm handgun when it accidentally fired and struck the other student in the back. "[The shooter] was very, very, very emotional and upset," Henry County Sheriff Michael Bodenbender tells the Blade. "All the indications we have is that it was an accident. We have not spoken to the victim yet. But the rest of the cadets and instructors that were there, that's the impression that we got -- that it was an accident." No charges are expected to be filed. Marisol Burgos is the principal of Thomas Jefferson International Newcomers Academy, a school on West 46th Street that helps welcome families from abroad to Cleveland. Cleveland creds: lifelong local Currently lives: North Olmsted Age: 38 Schooling: Bachelor's and two master's from Cleveland State University Family: husband and three stepdaughters Favorite locally owned restaurant: Rincon Criollo. What's Newcomers Academy all about? Marisol: Our school is the only pre-kindergarten-to-12th program for newcomers in the U.S. To qualify, they have to have very little English, and they can't have more than one year in the U.S. Everything's taught in English. We use visuals. We use a lot of repetition. We have 15 bilingual aides who rotate between all my classrooms for small-group instruction. They speak Chinese, French, Arabic, Swahili, Spanish, Vietnamese, Burmese and Nepali. Who comes here and where from? Marisol: We've grown this year from 545 to 804 students, and we're still growing. We open our arms to all, even special needs students. They all get transportation here if they live in Cleveland. We also have a few students from the suburbs; the parents have to bring them to school. There's about 45 countries and 25 languages here: Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, Swahili, Vietnamese, Albanian, Urdu, Romanian.... Do the students get along? Marisol: You're talking about people who fight in other countries, and here they're all friends. We had one student from Qatar and one from Saudi Arabia. They were fighting over who had more money and was more educated. We had the parents come in. They were kind of embarrassed. We told them everyone is equal here. The families were both going back to their countries. We told them, "You make sure you remember what you learn here and take it back with you." What sorts of cultural differences come up? Marisol: We had a Nepali student. The parents didn't even want us to mention the last name because they were in the lowest caste. We said, "No, this is America. We don't go by castes." We've had eighth-grade girls come from Africa already married and pregnant. We had a 15-year-old girl promised to a 38-year-old man, and he was flirting with people in the office right in front of the girl's parents. The couple went ahead and got married. We've brought judges here to speak regarding the laws. I'm proud because a lot of the parents are listening. They're calling the domestic violence center. Do refugees need more help than other immigrants? Marisol: A lot of students come with PTSD. Some mental health agencies are working with us. Pretty much every agency has someone speaking Spanish, but we need to do more for students with all these other languages. Last year, several Nepalese men in the community committed suicide. We made our own Nepalese social group. We meet at lunchtime. One of our paraprofessionals was a refugee from Nepal. He runs the program. Speaking of lunch, what sort of food do you serve here? Marisol: We don't have beef or pork. We're turkey hot dogs, turkey everything. Can students wear their native clothing? Marisol: Students are allowed to wear their traditional gowns as long as it's uniform colors. We also allow black here. But we often have dress-down days. On St. Patrick's Day, some of the teachers wore green, so the next day some of the students showed up in green. Can youngsters from warm climates handle Cleveland's weather? Marisol: When it snows, some students are looking outside like "Omigosh." Students from the desert, when it rains they can't believe there's so much water. Some of our teachers take them outside so they can touch it. We have to provide gloves and hats and scarves. Community members and staff have donated things. Some students come to school without socks. Do young newcomers have to attend Newcomers? Marisol: No, the parents have school choice. But a lot of students struggle elsewhere and end up here. Do students stay at Newcomers until they graduate? Marisol: You can only stay here for two years unless you're already in the high school grades. Over 85% of the high schoolers decide to stay. We had our first prom last year. We're having our first separate graduation here. Successful grads? Marisol: The majority have gone onto college. One student was cognitively delayed. He's currently at Tri-C and doing very well. How new is Newcomers Academy? Marisol: The school was started six years ago from programs in two other schools that were more geared to refugees. Then Cleveland began to expand, with all the immigrants coming in, so there was a need to create a school. Where are you from? Marisol: Born and raised in Tremont. My family is from Puerto Rico. We used to go there every two years. I went to Collinwood High, then transferred to Jane Addams. I was the valedictorian of '96. I went to Cleveland State. Every summer, I worked at NASA. I wanted to give back to my community. I taught at several schools. Then came the big layoffs in 2003. I became the director of day care at the Spanish American center. Then I assessed students for the multilingual office. This is my first year as principal. Tell us about your family. Marisol: We live in North Olmsted. My husband, Julio Burgos, works at the Arrow Co. and owns Radio Esperanza, a Christian station at our church, Puerto de Salvacion on Fulton. I've taught Sunday school there. His three daughters live in Pennsylvania and spend summers and Christmas breaks with us. Favorite dish at favorite locally owned restaurant? Marisol: At Rincon Criollo, I like the bistec and tostones [steak and plantain chips]. Groceries? Marisol: Dave's is probably the best for Hispanic food. They have good pork. Exercise? Marisol: I walk for two hours in my neighborhood. I walk the path along the freeway. Favorite thing about Cleveland? Marisol: The diversity. My goal is to see other people in Cleveland succeed. We have really smart people here. But they need someone to help guide them and let them know there's opportunities and help them go the right way. Signage for 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1MDB) is displayed at the site of the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Goh Seng Chong | Bloomberg | Getty Images Malaysia must open a probe into the former boss of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a Malaysian parliamentary committee said on Thursday, after the committee's own investigation found "restrictions and weaknesses" at the troubled wealth fund. 1MDB's board must be abolished, the committee's report also said, and enforcement agencies must investigate former chief executive Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibahim Halmi. Sharol was the founding managing director and CEO of 1MDB, which was set up in 2009. He remains on the fund's board. "The PAC is of the opinion that the former CEO of 1MDB Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi has to take responsibility for those restrictions and weaknesses," the parliament's bipartisan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said in the 106-page report that was tabled Thursday. "As such, enforcement agencies are asked to investigate Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and anyone else related." watch now The 1MDB board is headed by Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been plagued by Wall Street Journal reports that as much as $700 million passed from 1MDB to his personal bank accounts. In total, the prime minister received more than $1 billion from various government entities, the WSJ has alleged. Najib has vociferously denied any wrongdoing and was reportedly not named directly by the PAC. The PAC report said that as well as the board being abolished, any reference to the prime minister in the fund's memorandum and articles of association should be changed to references to the finance minister. Najib currently serves as both prime minister and chief finance minister. In a statement following the PAC report, the prime minister said, "We will study and act on the report's recommendations. We must ensure that lessons are learned, and action will be taken if any evidence of wrongdoing is found." Najib noted in his statement that the "comprehensive, conclusive and definitive" report had found no evidence of 42 billion ringgit ($10.7 billion) being missing from 1MDB, as he said had been alleged by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. An initial statement released by 1MDB itself focused on the WSJ's interpretation of Thursday's events, saying that the WSJ's coverage "betrayed its biased and incorrect coverage about the company." The news outlet's main story on the PAC findings said that the report had found that billions of dollars were missing from 1MDB and that the committee had called for a criminal investigation. CNBC was unable to independently verify these claims. A later statement from 1MDB said the report "dispelled numerous allegations" about the fund, adding that the board would resign. "The board has successfully steered 1MDB through a uniquely challenging period and trusts that, with the release of the PAC Report, a line has been drawn. However, given the findings of the PAC Report, the board has collectively this morning decided to offer its resignation," the release said. After the PAC's report was released, opposition leader Tony Pua told a press conference that the findings vindicated critics of 1MDB, Reuters reported. It confirmed the "gross mismanagement and wanton neglect of all principles of good governance and accountability at the fund," he said. Pua was part of the PAC team, Reuters said. Reuters said the PAC opened its investigation in May last year but faced delays after the committee chairman stepped down to become deputy home minister in Najib's government The fund remains at the center of several international investigations into its financial dealings. 1MDB teetered on the verge of default in early 2015 after racking up 42 billion ringgit ($11 billion) in debt in just five years. After missing various deadlines to repay loans to creditor banks, speculation was rife that the company wouldn't be able to service the rest of its obligations. Because the fund is wholly owned by the government, Najib's administration is responsible in the case of a default. At the time, 1MDB was widely considered a serious liability risk for an economy in which finances were already under strained by the oil price crash. Crude oil-related income accounts for 30 percent of Malaysia's government revenues. Have we reached peak quantitative easing? Moves in currency markets seem to suggest that, according to an investment manager. The Japanese yen has hit a 17-month high against the U.S. dollar on Thursday despite aggressive monetary stimulus from the Bank of Japan (BOJ) a sign that the market is experiencing "QE (quantitative easing) fatigue," said Garth Taljard, head of multi-asset product for Asia at Schroders. "Europe and Japan in particular have been very strong in the last three years because of this QE intervention and a lot of monetary stimulus, but that story is looking tired," Taljard told CNBC's "Squawk Box". Semi-automated trucks are driven on the E19 highway in Vilvoorde on April 5, 2016 as part of the 'EU Truck Platooning Challenge 2016'. A "platoon" of trucks driven by smart technology has arrived in the Dutch city of Rotterdam after crossing Europe. The concept of truck platooning involves a set of vehicles, connected by WiFi, driving in a "column." The truck at the head of the column sets both the speed and route of those behind it, with synchronized breaking and shorter gaps between the trucks two key features. Driving in this way helps to reduce CO2 emissions and provides up to ten percent of savings on fuel, according to the organizers of the trial. "The results of this first ever major try-out in Europe are promising," Melanie Schultz van Haegen, the Netherlands' minister of infrastructure and the environment, said in a news release. "Truck platooning ensures that transport is cleaner and more efficient. Self-driving vehicles also improve traffic safety because most traffic accidents are due to human error," she added. Could Bernie Sanders, a self-described "democratic socialist" and Wall Street's biggest critic, be an entrepreneurial genius? A closer look at the ideas and methods propelling the 'Feel the Bern' phenomenon, and interviews with entrepreneurial experts, show that the Sanders campaign has displayed plenty of business smarts tailored to today's market. His renewed momentum after a win this week in Wisconsin making it 7 out of the last 8 contests for the Vermont senator has been built on age-old entrepreneurial tricks and business trends that Sanders has turned into a large, vocal and "profitable" slice of the U.S. electorate. Bernie Sanders Jim Urquhart | Reuters To start and to cover quickly what should by now be obvious while Hillary Clinton and Republican candidates receive "handouts" from corporations and billionaire donors, Sanders has managed his campaign like an entrepreneurial start-up, funding it from the ground up. After rejecting all super PAC support and special-interest money, Sanders focused heavily on small money donations. President Obama's original run for the Oval Office set this trend, but Sanders recently broke fundraising records with more than 6 million individual contributions, almost tripling the record set by Obama in 2011. Sanders' marketing appeal has leveraged an American public growing more and more dissatisfied with campaign finance loopholes. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the Vermont-based founders of Ben & Jerry's, speaking from their car on the way to a Sanders campaign event, said, "It's all supported by the ultra-wealthy and the corporations, and that's the elephant in the room that nobody except Bernie wants to address." Sanders is the first politician for whom Cohen and Greenfield have ever campaigned. watch now Coming into the race as a virtually unknown senator from Vermont, his biggest hurdle was name recognition and getting on the public radar, in much the same way that fledgling start-ups need to gain traction to attract investors. Ben Cohen said, "When Ben & Jerry's was first starting out, a major way that we got people to find out about us was with bumper stickers. We distributed tens of thousands of bumper stickers! They were available at the counter, and people would take them because they were so moved, not only because they loved the ice cream but because they loved the way the company was doing business." The Ben & Jerry's founders said the broad message of the Sanders campaign captures societal tensions in the same way that many successful recent brand ad campaigns do. While they did not provide specific examples, Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty resonated by debunking the unattainable and demeaning physical standards women are held to; Chipotle at least until its recent E. Coli outbreak issues struck a chord with consumers opposed to big agriculture through its practice of buying ingredients locally and encouraging small businesses. "An entrepreneur is someone who understands a particular market segment, who can energize that base and who can get it to take action," said Lyneir Richardson, executive director of The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at Rutgers Business School. Richardson said that shattering the individual donor fundraising record shows that "Senator Sanders' 'product' is hitting its target in a way other candidates' 'products' may not be, given their lack of crowdfunding." While stressing his views were offered as an entrepreneurial expert and not as an endorsement for Sanders, Richardson noted that start-ups often achieve success not by discovering an all-together new market but by tapping into one that has been overlooked by established competitors. That is, by many accounts, a big part of the buzzy business school term "disruption." "Bernie Sanders is speaking to a segment that not only other politicians but most big corporations want to figure out how to sell to: millennials," Richardson said. "Everyone's going after that demographic right now, and millennials are responding to Sanders in a way that the rest of the country and business world is watching and learning from." The Sanders campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Bernie Sanders is speaking to a segment that not only other politicians, but most big corporations want to figure out how to sell to: millennials. [They] are responding to Sanders in a way that the rest of the country and business world is watching and learning from. Lyneir Richardson The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Mark Kauzlarich | Reuters Sanders' success with millennials can be linked to a number of disruptive business traits his campaign has translated to the political arena. "With disruptive companies, in the broader sense, what occurs is that they shift some constraint or parameter that has allowed an industry to behave a certain way for a long time," said Rita Gunther McGrath, professor at Columbia Business School. "In politics, those parameters are that you had to have paid media coverage and you had to have huge cash flow from the beginning," McGrath said (she also stressed her views should not be read as an endorsement of Sanders as a candidate). Sanders has taken this a step further by relying on crowdfunding, the latest incarnation of a classic entrepreneurial approach. "Bernie Sanders has ... taken advantage of this trick serial entrepreneurs use," McGrath said. "He's creating his 'organization' without having to invest a lot of money up front because so many people participated by contributing money, and that's part of why he has such a loyal following." She added, "You have to get critical customers locked in early and once they've made that investment, they tend to be more committed to following through later on. ... Now he's got this legion of committed investors." "When you have a groundswell of people who support you, if you can get them to use their visibility to get your name out, it's a really inexpensive way of growing your brand," Cohen said. To promote Bernie Sanders, Ben and Jerry, along with a number of volunteers, decided to create light-up "Bernie 2016" signs to sell on Etsy. Customers can pick between different types of signs, all varying in prices from around $8 to $12.50 each, and all revenue goes toward shipping and paying for materials. McGrath said it's impossible to separate the disruptive business traits of the Sanders' campaign from the broader disruption this year of the political sphere. Sanders has had the strongest support with millennials, because he speaks directly to the issues that affect them, like job insecurity and student debt. "His campaign is disruptive not only with the market that it's cornered but also in the sense that [Sanders] is appealing to neglected 'customers' by raising issues that other candidates have not focused on at least, not until after he did," the Columbia Business School professor said. A bum business rap Sanders' anti-Wall Street platform can become so great a focus for the media that it is, wrongly, equated with a pervasive "antibusiness" philosophy. Noted New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman recently wrote, "I'd take Sanders more seriously if he would stop bleating about breaking up the big banks and instead breathed life into what really matters for jobs: nurturing more entrepreneurs and starter-uppers." Friedman failed to notice what the entrepreneurial experts see within the campaign's success story. Furthermore, the Times' columnist disregarded specific Sanders' platform issues that support entrepreneurs and small business. In his Six-Point Plan, Sanders advocates that small businesses should have access to the same low-interest loans the Fed offers foreign banks. When small businesses can more easily access loans affordable to them, investment grows domestically rather than overseas, giving the economy a boost. Sanders helped pass the Small Business Jobs Act, which gave low-interest loans to small businesses and offered around $12 billion nationally in small-business tax breaks in 2010. It also provided $30 billion in capital for small businesses. The Sanders antibusiness narrative may have reached its apotheosis on Wednesday. In response to questions from the Daily News editorial board about his plan to break up the Wall Street banks, Sanders gave comments that became fodder for widespread media attacks that he didn't even know anything about the one business subject synonymous with his campaign (the specifics under debate were, not surprisingly, more nuanced and technical than the attacks would have it.) Sanders rhetoric does make it easy for critics to view him through an anti-business prism. In his comments to the Daily News, for example, he said GE was among the companies playing a role in destroying the moral fabric of America. But Sanders also said, "What I foresee is a stronger national economy. What I foresee is a financial system which actually makes affordable loans to small and medium-size businesses. Does not live as an island onto themselves concerned about their own profits." What I foresee is a stronger national economy. What I foresee is a financial system which actually makes affordable loans to small and medium-size businesses. Does not live as an island onto themselves concerned about their own profits. Bernie Sanders watch now Recent campaign rhetoric and government policy has amplified a feeling of hostility toward American businesses, two current and former executives contended Thursday. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has repeatedly taken swipes at the banking system and big corporations, promising to rein in their power and influence. Pfizer and Allergan , meanwhile, scrapped a $160 billion merger deal this week after the Treasury Department issued new rules to deter so-called tax inversions. Those and other developments underscore a need for more reasonable business policy and tax reform that encourages businesses to stay in the United States, said Robert Wolf, former CEO of UBS' Americas division. Sanders' rhetoric does not help that cause, he said. "He has an incredible angst against the business community," Wolf said on CNBC's "Closing Bell." Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) speaks to guests at a campaign rally at the Wisconsin Convention Center on April 4, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images Cypress Semiconductor CEO T.J. Rodgers argued President Barack Obama has been "anti-company" during his time in office. He told "Closing Bell" that the U.S. corporate tax rate and other policies drag on business growth and job creation. This week's developments did not inspire Rodgers' confidence in the government. Obama, though, argued the government's actions in the Pfizer-Allergan deal helped to protect American consumers and make the tax system more fair. In an inversion, a U.S. company acquires a smaller foreign competitor and moves its tax address. The company aims to get a lower tax rate in the process. U.S. ratings agency Moody's has warned oil, gas and mining companies are finding it harder to raise short-term liquid funds, potentially putting other sectors of the European economy at risk. The share of junk-rated European companies facing liquidity pressures has increased to 23 percent in March 2016 according to Moody's EMEA Liquidity Stress Index, published this week -- more than twice than a year ago, when only 11 percent of companies were feeling the squeeze when it came to cash. Stress levels could be pushed higher this year if high yield, high-risk companies find it increasingly harder to raise money by selling bonds. France has overhauled prostitution laws by making it illegal to pay for sex. The French parliament started debating the bill in 2013, but it has been beset by two years of rows between politicians. French media says under the new law, people who pay for sex can be fined $1700 (1500) for a first offence, rising to $4270 (3,750) thereafter. A second offence would also be put on a criminal record and offenders would need to attend classes highlighting the danger of prostitution. The law was passed Wednesday by 64 votes to 12 but many French MPs chose to abstain from the vote. Maud Olivier, a socialist MP behind the new bill, said she hoped that it would lead to a new perception of sex workers as "victims". "This law is essential to ending the idea that it is normal to buy someone's body," she told AFP news agency. The vote reverses legislation passed by Nicolas Sarkozy's administration in 2003 which placed the legal burden on sex workers, rather than those seeking to buy. According to Reuters the French government says 90 percent of the country's sex workers are victims of Romanian, Nigerian and Chinese trafficking networks. However some sex workers are unhappy with the ruling, one telling Reuters that sex workers now won't be able to declare what they earn or pay taxes. General Electric 's Jeff Immelt fired back at Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders for saying GE was among companies "destroying the moral fabric" of America. "GE has been in business for 124 years, and we've never been a big hit with socialists. We create wealth and jobs, instead of just calling for them in speeches," Immelt, the company's chairman and CEO, said in an op-ed on The Washington Post this week. Sanders made his comments on Friday to the New York Daily News editorial board. A decade of beer-over-beer profits Bristol Den | Getty Images In the 1980s a handful of home brewers had a vision: to create a choice of full-flavored beers unlike the mass-produced beers that had come to dominate the American beer market. The obsession of brewing high-quality, diverse ales with unique character has since swept the nation. To date, there are 4,269 small and independent craft breweries operating in cities all across the United States, up from just 1,447 in 2005, and craft beer now accounts for $22.3 billion of the overall $105.9 billion beer market. Research firm Technavio predicts U.S. craft beer will grow another 18 percent between 2014 and 2019. With so many available choices today, bars specializing in craft beer have become a common site across America. Yet as most beer lovers know, a great establishment isn't just about the ale. Atmosphere, friendly staff and special events are also a major draw. Craftbeer.com a website created on behalf of U.S. craft brewers and administered by the Brewers Association recently released their list of the 51 best craft beer bars in America. Here is a sampling of the winners, voted on by 9,000 craft beer fans nationwide. Cheers! By Barbara Booth, CNBC.com Posted 7 April 2016 Fate Brewing Co., Arizona Source: Fate Brewing Company Scottsdale This Scottsdale neighborhood gathering spot has a huge dog-friendly beer garden and serves up wood-fired pizzas to pair with their small-batch brews. If you enter Fate through the side door, patrons can view their entire brewing operation, which has brewed more than 200 different varieties and styles of beer in total since the brewery opened. Year founded: 2012 Bottles/cans: N/A Draft: 1420 Prospectors Historic Pizzeria and Alehouse, Alaska Prospectors Pizzeria and Ale House in Alaska. Source: Prospectors Pizzeria and Ale House Located just one mile from the entrance of Denali Park in the Old Northern Lights Theater, Prospectors Historic Pizzeria and Alehouse provides a glimpse into Alaska's past with its collection of old Alaskan photos, artifacts and maps throughout. Prospectors offers rare beers from around the world, each served in their specific glassware. If a patron drinks all 53 beers during their open season, they get a free T-shirt. If someone completes that four times, they get a round-trip ticket from Alaska to Hawaii. Year founded: 2010 Bottles/cans: 10 Draft: 53 Blue 5, Virginia Blue 5 in Roanoke, Virginia. Source: Blue 5 Housed in a newly renovated 100-year-old five-story former furniture store in Roanoke, Blue 5 provides a historical feel, with original hardwood floors and high tin ceilings. Patrons can listen to live music three nights a week while enjoying Southern-inspired cuisine and choosing a beer from one of their 46 taps from around the world. Year founded: 2007 Bottles/cans: 70 Draft: 46 Brown Iron Brewhouse, Michigan Brown Iron Brewhouse in Michigan. Source: Brown Iron Brewhouse Modeled after a modern German-style beer hall, the Brown Iron Brewhouse, in Washington Township, features high ceilings and a large open space with community seating. Outside sits a huge patio, which seats 100 and includes two gas fireplaces and an outdoor bar. Their Breathe and Brew brunch where patrons enjoy an hour of yoga in the brewhouse (and on the patio in the summer) followed by a beer and light lunch draws a large crowd. Year founded: 2015 Bottles/cans: 3 Draft: 70 The Farmhouse Tap & Grill, Vermont The Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Vermont. Source: The Farmhouse Tap & Grill. This farm-to-table gastropub located in downtown Burlington showcases local cheeses and produce and provides a speakeasy feel. In the cold months, patrons spend evenings near the fireplace playing darts in the subterranean parlor bar. In warmer weather they sit out in the beer garden. Year founded: 2010 Bottles/cans: 190 Draft: 30 The Brass Tap, Texas The Brass Tap in Texas. Source: The Brass Tap Located in a 110-year-old building on the main street of the historic district of downtown Round Rock, this beer bar features 60 rotating taps. Their most famous guests are two ghosts, who the owners claim have resided in the building for decades. One, a young woman in a white wedding dress that has been seen gliding up and down a staircase. The other ghost is a little boy who can be heard bouncing a ball on the second floor. Year founded: 2013 Bottles/cans: 200 Draft: 60 Wurst Bier Hall, North Dakota Source: Wurst Bier Hall Located in Fargo, Wurst Bier Hall is a German-themed bar with long communal tables. It is widely known for its Das Boot a 92-ounce glass beer boot that is served to patrons along with a lengthy, humorous set of rules, including never allowing the boot to touch the table until it's empty and always drinking from it with the toe facing up. Besides Wurst's numerous other events, each year the brewery holds three weekends of Oktoberfest celebrations. Year founded: 2014 Bottles/cans: 1520 Draft: 41 Maxs Taphouse, Maryland Source: Maxs Taphouse This cigar-friendly pub, located in Baltimore, is widely known for hosting events, including its Belgian Beer Festival, held every year on President's Day Weekend, followed on Monday by its Sour Beer Festival, as well as a Hopfest, Italian Fest and the weekly Monday Sucks Happy Hour. Year founded: 1986 Bottles/cans: 2,000+ Draft: 105 plus 5 casks Willimantic Brewing Co., Connecticut Source: Willimantic Brewing Company This brewery is located in the rural town of Willimantic, in the northeastern part of the state. Housed in a granite-and-limestone 1909 U.S. Post Office Building that was abandoned in 1967 by the federal government, it stayed vacant for nearly 30 years before it was turned into a restaurant and pub brewery. Much of the early 20th-century architecture has been retained, including the original terrazzo floors. Remnants of post office memorabilia have been preserved and are featured throughout. A new addition, however, is a 60-foot handmade mahogany bar. Year founded: 1997 Bottles/cans: 18 Draft: 40 Authentic craft brewers defined Brewery worker examining beer in beaker. Craft breweries continue to grow. Hero Images | Getty Images Sally Sussman should have been one of the greatest and most fortuitous hires in the history of Pfizer. The pharma giant hired Sussman to run their lobbying and governmental affairs efforts back in 2007. That was about a year before anyone could have known that Barack Obama, the man Sussman and her father had worked hard to bundle campaign funds for, was about to become the President of the United States. The Sussman family's efforts were so important to Mr. Obama's election, that her father Louis Sussman was given the plumb job of Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James, which is the fancy way of saying "Ambassador to the United Kingdom." With those kinds of connections and Obama administration gratitude for their top lobbyist, Pfizer's biggest shareholders and key executives must have been overjoyed with the thought of working with the White House after the 2008 elections. Read MoreForget Trump. Paul Ryan is the likely GOP nominee But the Treasury Department's killing of Pfizer's $160 billion deal to buy Allergan with its crackdown on tax inversions this week proves things haven't worked out the way Pfizer thought they might. Despite having the best possible connections to the administration, the administration screwed Pfizer. The question is: does this mean that Pfizer simply got unlucky, or is the entire lobbying industry a bubble that's starting to burst? First, let's quickly examine that lobbying industry and get an idea of its size and scope. The superb website OpenSecrets.org shows that total lobbying spending in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1998 to about $3.2 billion last year. The number of officially registered lobbyists has stayed about the same at about 11,000-12,000, but neither of those numbers really tell the whole story. The lobbying industry is much larger because those thousands of lobbyists employ tens of thousands of other businesses, lawyers, and other workers. Their influence is so great that they typically are the true authors of most legislation in Congress. And their lucrative salaries and lifestyle are a major reason why six of the richest ten counties in America are suburbs of Washington, D.C. But while they're certainly influential and successful, lobbyists have never been very publicly popular. I can't remember the last time the word "lobbyist" was used in a sentence by someone who wasn't trying to demonize them. Beating up on them or calling them "special interests" is at least a 40-year-old tradition in political campaigns. Read MoreWhy are states still passing awful 'religious freedom' laws? So allow me to defend lobbyists for just a moment. No, I don't like all lobbyists or agree with their causes or corporate bosses. But I do like how lobbyist money and influence can often act as a great hedge against a dangerously one-sided ideology. It might be easy for politicians to dismiss almost half the electorate when they can still win elections in this country by as little as one vote. But when the losers in an election can still get their voices heard through new campaign donations and lobbyists, it's not always such a bad thing. Remember that the next time your candidate or party doesn't win in November. But should the Pfizer story and the rise of politicians like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, who flaunt their supposed immunity to lobbyist influence, have all lobbyists worried? Not exactly. It's true that the Obama administration has decided to spurn some of the traditionally most powerful lobby groups. But it's not like they haven't been replaced by others. For example, the oil and coal industry has been replaced by green energy lobbyists, most heavily funded by people like Tom Steyer. The pro-Saudi Arabian and pro-Israel lobbyists have been replaced by lobbyists more sympathetic to Iran. The lists goes on. But while the lobbying bubble isn't bursting, it's definitely seems to be shrinking somewhat. That's because the public's growing anger about the economy and against big corporations is making it politically easier for politicians to ignore lobbyists and seize more power in industry after industry. I'm talking about the big banks, energy, and telecom. Former Speaker Tip O'Neill may have been right when he said, "money is the mother's milk of politics," but politics and politicians truly crave power, not money. Lobbyist donations and favors are a great way to get that power, but elected officials and their bureaucrat staffers would just as soon take a more direct path to it when possible. Read MoreWhy U.S. colleges get it all wrong Pfizer and Allergan just learned that the hard way. Usually, a lame duck administration in its final year is filled with top-to-low level officials and staffers who are very eager to cull favor with private industry as they come closer to needing new jobs. Perhaps the folks at Treasury who wrote these anti-corporate tax inversion rules have safe government jobs for the coming years no matter who wins in November. Or maybe they know they're going to get nice positions at law firms where they'll be the resident experts on the arcane rules they wrote and only they understand. But for whatever reason, another industry with a history of effective lobbying has been taken down a peg and that will make it easier for the next administration to do the same. That's especially true if the populist nature of the Trump and Sanders campaigns endures even if they are personally defeated. So lobbying isn't dead, or even dying. But it may be undergoing it's own kind of a recession. Let's see how long it lasts. An oak chair used by world-famous author J.K. Rowling when she penned the first two spellbinding tales of the "Harry Potter" series, has sold for the magical price of $394,000. The 1930's chair in question, was one of four given to the novelist back when she lived in a council flat in Edinburgh. Before Rowling gave it away, she decorated the furniture with gold, green and rose paints to give it an authentic "Harry Potter" feel. Getty Images: William Edwards | Tim Sloan for AFP On the chair itself, Rowling hand-painted the words "I wrote Harry Potter while sitting on this chair", on top of phrases including "Gryffindor" and "You may not find me pretty, but don't judge on what you see." The auctionwhich concluded on Wednesday in New Yorkstarted at $45,000, and received several bids before it went for over eight times its opening bid, according to Heritage Auctions, who managed the latest sale. The chair's most recent owner, Gerald Graywho paid roughly $29,000 in a 2009 auctionsaid he was quite surprised that the "Harry Potter" author had chosen to sell the chair. Gray who is the chief executive of AutoKontrol USA, added that he planned on donating 10 percent of the winning price to J.K. Rowling's own children's non-governmental organization, Lumos. The chair was originally donated by Rowling in 2002, to the "Chair-ish a Child" auction, which was helping support the U.K.'s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) charity. It sold for $21,000, at the time. The winning bidder will also receive a signed letter by Rowling sent "by Owl Post", which describes her history with the chair and how she was "quite sad" to see the chair leave her possession. "Dear new-owner-of-my-chair, I was given four mismatched dining room chairs in 1995 and this was the comfiest one, which is why it ended up stationed permanently in front of my typewriter, supporting me while I typed out 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' and 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'. My nostalgic side is quite sad to see it go, but my back isn't," the author's letter reads. The new owner of the chair chose to remain anonymous. A new copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio, described as "one of the most important books in the English language," has been discovered off the coast of Scotland. The First Folio refers to the first collection of Shakespeare's plays. Published in 1623, it contains 36 plays half of which had never been printed before including seminal works such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth and The Tempest. In May, Christie's will sell another copy of the First Folio, with an estimated price of between 800,000 and 1.2 million ($1.1 and $1.69 million). Emma Smith, professor of Shakespeare Studies at the university, said she was initially skeptical that a First Folio had been found at Mount Stuart, a neo-Gothic mansion on the Isle of Bute. "But when I went up to investigate, I could see from the watermarks and the idiosyncrasies of the text that it was genuine," Smith said. "It was a really exciting moment, I find First Folios to be such charismatic books." Through her research, Smith found that the copy was once owned by Isaac Reed, an editor who worked in London more than 200 years ago. "This is an exciting discovery because we didn't know it existed and it was owned by someone who edited Shakespeare in the 18th century," she said. "It is an unusual Folio because it is bound in three volumes and has lots of spare blank pages which would have been used for illustrations," she added. Widely regarded as a genius, Shakespeare who along with his plays also wrote poetry was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, and died in 1616. This year marks the 400th anniversary of his death. watch now Panama was removed from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering 's (FATF) gray list last February, but the Panama Papers scandal has led to scrutiny of the country. The leaked financial report, which contains 11.5 million encrypted documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, exposes politicians and celebrities who own offshore shell companies and property. While many of the activity isn't illegal, some of the documents shed light on hidden businesses and wealth. Still, the country has not broken any laws, according to Frank De Lima, a former Panamanian economy and finance minster. He told CNBC on Thursday that Panama has made great strides to rid of its bank secrecy reputation and has vigorously fought against money laundering, terrorism and tax evasion. "The truth is that most of the corporations that were used by these high-profile clients weren't Panamanian," he said during an interview with "Power Lunch." "The money that these individuals or corporations are hiding is not in Panama, it's in other banking centers. " A U.S. Treasury Department spokesperson said Wednesday that the agency aims to submit a long-delayed rule to the White House for review. The proposed regulation is said to force banks to uncover the names behind shell companies in efforts to address money laundering and other financial crimes. The initiative is a result of the Panama Papers scandal. While De Lima believes that the label Panama Papers is a big blow to Panama, he contends that the firm is one in Panama and is not representative of the entire country. He suggested that the documents could be referenced as the "Mossack Fonseca's Papers" instead. "We feel that it's completely unfair that they refer to this case as the Panama case," he said. "When you talk about tax evasion and money laundering it's a whole network and Panama is one piece of the puzzle in this case." Two more members of China's top leadership have been caught up in the growing global controversy over offshore companies after it was revealed that their relatives used the services of Mossack Fonseca, the Panamanian law firm that has helped global political elites manage their fortunes. In its latest "Panama Papers" revelations, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said that in-laws of Zhang Gaoli and Liu Yunshan were shareholders in companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Mr Zhang, executive vice-premier, and Mr Liu, the ruling Chinese Communist party's propaganda head, both sit on the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, China's most powerful body. It was not clear what assets Mr Zhang's son-in-law, Lee Shing Put, and Mr Liu's daughter-in-law, Jia Liqing, controlled through the BVI vehicles. The revelation brings to three the number of Standing Committee members with relatives cited in the Panama Papers. In its initial report, the ICIJ said that Deng Jiagui, Mr Xi's brother-in-law, was among Mossack Fonseca's clients. Mr Deng's wealth was first revealed by Bloomberg in 2012. The ICIJ's findings have been dismissed as "groundless" by China's foreign ministry. Ownership of an offshore company is not illegal in China and none of the three leaders' relatives have been accused of wrongdoing. But the revelations are potentially embarrassing given the sweeping anti-corruption campaign launched by Mr Xi three years ago. Reports about the Chinese leadership's Panama Papers connections have been blocked by government censors, who report to Mr Liu. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? Well not quite, more like a few stops on London's Jubilee Line. The trailer for the latest movie in the Star Wars franchise, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" appeared online Thursday and U.K.-based fans have been going crazy about a certain scene one minute and 10 seconds in. In the clip Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, and a team of rebels are seen escaping a group of Imperial Stormtroopers through a cavernous, dark, foreboding building filled with a perceptible air of menace. Or Canary Wharf London Underground station as it is known to the city's commuters. Imagine you knew a friend of a friend who kept bragging about the killing they were making trading. You don't know where they were investing, all you know is that they are doing really well. But imagine if you could invest directly into that person's strategy and also make money like them. This is the premise of so-called "social trading" platforms that have been on the rise aiming to shake up the hedge fund industry. Darwinex is one of the latest entrants in the space. The company allows traders to sign up and people can buy into their strategy. The trader's trades and strategy are wrapped into a "Darwin". Users can buy a Darwin which means that any money they invest will be traded exactly how the trader would do it. "There are traders who are better than your bank and financial advisor but you can't invest in any of them. We are here to turn those guys into an asset class you can then buy and whenever they win you make money along with them," Juan Colon, co-founder and CEO of Darwinex, told CNBC in a phone interview ahead of the Money 2020 conference in Copenhagen this week. "The Darwin itself is like an ETF that you can buy and sell at any time." Colon describes it as a "matchmaking service" for investors and traders. "With hedge funds you are forced to date a guy and you don't know how it works out. But you don't know how it would have worked out if you dated 60 guys. You can lower your risk substantially by investing in more than one Darwin," Colon said. watch now About half of millennials twice the proportion of older workers plan to change jobs within the next two years, according to the results of a study from Fidelity. Their reasoning seems to reflect their age and, perhaps, shifting values rather than unhappiness: 86 percent of the young people surveyed said they are content with their current workplace, a proportion in line with those of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. What attracts millennials to a workplace? It's not the salary or the benefits, but the "quality of work life" being offered, the report suggests. That includes meaningful projects, promotion opportunities, and positive company culture, said Fidelity senior vice president Kristen Robinson. In fact, more than other age group, 38 percent of young people surveyed said they would take a pay cut for a happier office life, the study found. The average salary cut they'd be willing to take was $7,600. There is anecdotal evidence of this trend, as well, said Bonnie Zaben, COO of recruitment firm AC Lion. In their applications, young people seeking work at her company have actually cited the imagery of "happy-looking" employees in AC Lion's job listings, said Zaben. "Recent college graduates are worried about company culture and work environment," she said. "It was interesting to see how that resonated with many millennial applicants, who articulated that just in the cover letter." But workplace happiness is not just a millennial concern: Baby Boomers increasingly have the same feelings, said Larry Luxenberg, a New York-based financial planner. "My contemporaries are stepping off the fast track," he said. In other words, they're taking jobs that are more meaningful to them. There were also some differences in what male and female millennials said they valued in a workplace. More young women placed emphasis on the importance of a workplace retirement plan, which makes some sense women live longer and earn less on average, which means less security when they retire. The online study surveyed 1,500 people aged 25 through 70 who work full-time. It defined millennials as participants born between 1981 and 1991. But it's not a good idea to put all millennials in the same bucket, said Zaben. "I would differentiate between the 25- and 35-year-olds," she said. "Most of those 25-year-olds aren't thinking career and family and work-life balance." Zaben attributes the trend of job hopping not to laziness or greed, but to the fact that younger people are in a period of transition. "Most aren't ready for desk jobs," she said. Changing jobs is also a key way millennials a generation plagued by student debt can pay off loans faster. Switching companies is one of the best ways to boost one's salary. Luxenberg said he thinks job hopping is more common among young people partly because the Great Recession led to pessimism about the ease of climbing the corporate ladder. But he said he thinks this cynicism will wear off as "the recovery unfolds." watch now watch now watch now A flurry of economists might have poured cold water on claims of a "very massive recession" in the United States by Donald Trump, but the Republican presidential front-runner might have just found someone to support his pessimistic view. Albert Edwards, the notoriously bearish analyst at the French bank Societe Generale, released a note on Thursday highlighting that his "failsafe recession indicator" had stopped flashing amber and had turned to red. "Newly released U.S. whole economy profits data show a gut wrenching slump. Whole economy profits never normally fall this deeply without a recession unfolding. And with the U.S. corporate sector up to its eyes in debt," he said in the note. Corporate profits in the U.S. are key for Edwards as a driver of the economic cycle. He looks at U.S. whole economy profits before tax and focuses on domestic non-financial companies. He says these are currently leading the business investment cycle and, ultimately, the overall economy into recession. "Whole economy profits data give a wider and cleaner estimate of the underlying profits environment than the heavily doctored pro-forma quoted company profits data," he said in the note. Federal Reserve tightening may not be a necessary condition to catalyze a recession, according to Edwards, who believes that the deep profits downturn is sufficient in itself to push the U.S. economy overboard. He adds that the economy will "surely be swept away by a tidal wave of corporate default" and U.S. corporate debt should be avoided, even more so than the "ridiculously overvalued equity market." On Saturday, business magnate Trump predicted the country is on course for a "very massive recession." In an interview with The Washington Post he warned of the combination of high unemployment and an overvalued stock market. The following days saw a list of names deride his comments including Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist at UniCredit Research in New York, and Sung Won Sohn, an economics professor at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo. Mohamed El-Erian, the Allianz chief economic advisor, sees a 30 percent chance of a recession next year, with a slowdown even less likely this year. El-Erian told CNBC on Monday that even if a recession looks imminent, the president's power to curb it is limited by the other branches of government. Edwards, meanwhile, believes his "Ice Age" thesiseconomic cycles that deteriorate in ever decreasing circlesis drawing ever closer to its final stages. While his bearish thoughts and predictions are widely read by colleagues and rivals at fellow banking organizations, they do not always come true. In September 2012, he announced the U.S. was in recession and Wall Street would soon react, and warned of an "ultimate" death cross for the S&P 500where the 50-day moving average falls below the 200-day trend line. Instead the continued to rally, and has gained around 40 percent since Edwards' pronouncement. In November 2013 and in March 2014 he also released notes that predicted imminent U.S recessions and spoke of declining U.S. profits. Donald Trump Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate targets Apple Inc. for manufacturing Apple products in China. Getty Images Two presidential candidates have found a new favorite target in Silicon Valley: the maker of the iPhone. Bernie Sanders is the latest to take on Apple , telling the editorial board of the Daily News: "I do wish they'd be manufacturing some of their devices, here, in the United States rather than in China." Sanders isn't alone. On the other side of the political aisle, real estate mogul Donald Trump also criticized Apple for manufacturing products overseas. "I'm going to get Apple to start making their computers and their iPhones on our land not in China," Trump said. "How does it help us when they make it in China?" watch now It's true that much of Apple's assembly line work is performed by partners outside the U.S., specifically in China. These are typically low-paying jobs requiring, for example, physically putting together different parts of iPhones and iPads. Analysts point out that if Sanders and Trump succeeded in bringing back these jobs to the U.S., the decision would have an immediate impact for consumers and the company's financials. "There are two ways this could go," said Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy, a tech analyst firm. "The price could go up, or Apple could decrease profits." "I don't see Apple decreasing profits any time soon nor would I expect their competitors to do that, who also manufacture most of their phones in China," Moorhead said. Moorhead estimated that if the iPhone were fully assembled in the U.S., its price could surge 66 percent due to higher labor costs, from an average selling price of $691 to $1,150. Just as important, while neither Sanders nor Trump mention it, Apple either employs directly or indirectly a lot of people in this country. ENDICOTT, N.Y. Binghamton University will use $20 million in state funding as the home of the New York node in the new NextFlex Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute. The institute is part of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation program, an initiative of the Obama administration to support advanced manufacturing in the U.S. The states $20 million commitment will support the retrofitting of space in the former IBM facility in Endicott, along with specific projects and new businesses that will be utilizing the space. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced the funding during an appearance in Endicott. His office later issued a news release about the announcement. The state expects up to 200 academic and private-sector jobs to be generated during the programs first year, with the potential for the creation of up to 1,000 new jobs over the five years of the Flex Tech Alliance Program, Cuomos office said. The funding award represents the first allocation from the Southern Tiers $500 million award from Gov. Andrew Cuomos 2015 statewide business competition. The award also matches a federal National Manufacturing Innovation Institute award that the U.S. Department of Defense announced last year. With the $20 million award from the Defense Department, the total federal award is $75 million over five years. The effort has already attracted nearly $100 million in matching funds and additional support from non-federal sources, private companies, academia, not-for-profit organizations, and several states. Binghamton Universitys role The Department of Defense chose the FlexTech Alliance to establish NextFlex as the nations first Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute. Binghamton University is a founding proposal partner of the FlexTech Alliance, according to the release. New York state played a critical role in the successful proposal, pledging up to $20 million in matching funds to support and strengthen the FlexTech proposal, Cuomos office said. The funding will help Binghamton University retrofit space at the Huron Campus in Endicott, enabling the university to attract companies like GE Global Research, Corning, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT), and i3 Electronics to conduct research and development and create jobs in the Southern Tier, instead of outside New York. The state will disburse the $20 million over the five-year period of the NextFlex program and will support specific Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute projects as they come to fruition. Flexible electronics uses both traditional chips and printed electronics on plastic, thin glass, paper, and fabric materials that can bend. The technology has a range of applications, including health-monitoring patches, medical devices, sensors, imaging systems, prosthetic devices, energy storage, and energy harvesting devices. The Flex Tech Alliance and Binghamton University have been leaders in the advancement of flexible-electronics manufacturing for nearly a decade, Harvey Stenger president of Binghamton University, contended in the governors news release. This latest news is an extraordinary affirmation of the work being done by the Alliance and of the work being done by our own researchers here on campus. We want to thank our federal representatives, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand, and Congressman Hanna for their support on this federal initiative. We also want to thank Gov. Cuomo and our state officials for supporting the $20 million New York State matching funds that were crucial to making the FlexTech application stronger and more competitive. Stenger is also co-chair of the Southern Tier regional economic-development council. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com Haiti celebrated the bicentennial of its constitution under Revolution leader Toussaint LOuverture in 2001 with a circulating commemorative 20-gourde bank note. Ripples of the French Revolution in 1789 were felt across the Atlantic Ocean and into the Caribbean, as free people of color in the French colony of Saint-Domingue demanded citizenship as decreed by the National Assembly of France in its Declaration of the Rights of Man. The most well known leader of the revolution was Francois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture (also known as Toussaint LOuverture), who would die April 7, 1803, in prison, betrayed by a fellow revolutionary, Jean-Jacques Dessalines. In 1797 Toussaint was made commander-in-chief of the island by the French Convention. After defeating Spanish and British forces, Toussaint began moving toward independence from France. With Toussaint as its governor for life, Saint-Domingue was still technically a French colony, but was acting as an independent state. Connect with Coin World: In 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte, who had seized power in France in 1799, sought to restore slavery to the West Indies. Toussaint was captured and exiled, but the fighting continued under the leadership of Dessalines and Henri Christophe, and Dessalines had Toussaint imprisoned. The revolution concluded in 1804 with the elimination of slavery in what would become established as the Republic of Haiti. It was the only slave revolt that led to the founding of a state and is generally considered the most successful slave rebellion ever to occur in the Americas. In 2001, Haiti issued a 20-gourde note for circulation, to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution of Toussaint LOuverture in 1801. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Why didn't Mizzou freshman QB Sam Horn play against Vandy? Eli Drinkwitz's plan was to put Sam Horn in Missouri's game against Vanderbilt. See why it didn't happen. MICHAEL DONAHUE/The Commercial Appeal Knickerbocker Shrimp Salad at Mortimer's Restaurant. April 5 2016 PHOTO BY MICHAEL DONAHUE SHARE By Michael Donahue of The Commercial Appeal I'm known among some co-workers for my love of shrimp. It's sort of a joke. Like I won't have a good time at a party unless shrimp is served. Which isn't true, by the way. I do love shrimp cocktail, shrimp remoulade and shrimp dipped in the red sauce with horseradish. I remember eating shrimp in New Orleans on a high school graduation trip back in 1969 and not removing the shells. Someone finally pointed out the correct way to eat the crustaceans. So, of course I love the Knickerbocker Shrimp Salad at Mortimer's Restaurant. Not only because it contains shrimp, but also because I have great memories of the old Knickerbocker restaurant, which was at 4699 Poplar Ave. Mortimer's owner Sara Stewart is the daughter of the late Vernon Bell, who owned the Knickerbocker as well as The Little Tea Shop, so Mortimer's includes some memorable dishes from both of those restaurants. Bell's middle name was "Mortimer." On the menu, the description for Knickerbocker Shrimp Salad reads, "Chilled shrimp with spices from an old family recipe." A scoop of the shrimp mixture is placed on lettuce leaves and tomato slices with a slice of lemon for garnish. Server Aaron Boyles, 20, told me he'd never eaten the Knickerbocker Shrimp Salad. "It's not enough to fill me up, so I never ordered it," he said. He goes with the lunch specials, including the tilapia and the grilled salmon. The shrimp salad would be great with a big juicy steak, but I recently ordered it with some of the great homemade yeast rolls made by Evalina Edwards and with my favorite: Bell's Little Tea Shop's frozen fruit made with marshmallows, cream cheese and other ingredients. Stewart texted me a copy of an old Knickerbocker menu. I was intrigued by some of the items, including "Roquefort Stuffed Shrimp with Russian dressing," "Shrimp Arnaud" and "Shrimp Surprise." I don't know if Mortimer's will bring any of those back, but I think I persuaded Stewart to put Knickerbocker's tomato aspic on the menu. She said she was going to add it to the summer menu as part of a salad plate, which also will include chicken salad and potato salad. I can't wait. I'll order the Knickerbocker Shrimp Salad as a side item. Mortimer's Restaurant is at 590 N. Perkins; 901-761-9321. Connor Schilling (left) and Darrius Stewart SHARE By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal Former Memphis police officer Connor Schilling, who shot and killed 19-year-old Darrius Stewart last summer, violated the department's policy regarding handcuffing techniques and radio procedures the night of the shooting, according to police personnel records. But before Schilling, 27, could be disciplined or possibly fired for the violations, he retired last week with disability pay, halting the internal investigation that started last October. The investigation officially remains open, however, in case Schilling should try to regain his job. Schilling, a white officer, shot and killed Stewart, who was black, during a traffic stop on July 17. Stewart was a passenger in a car that Schilling pulled over because of a headlight violation. During the stop, Schilling attempted to arrest Stewart after learning that the teen had two outstanding warrants, including one that accused Stewart of raping two 4-year-old boys in Iowa City, Iowa, when Stewart was 13. Police said Stewart struggled, hit the officer with handcuffs and ran, leading Schilling to open fire, striking the teen twice. In a report made available Thursday and added to Schilling's personnel file, investigators said Schilling failed to follow proper radio procedures regarding the warrants. However, it's unclear if those charges would've cost Schilling his job, some involved in the case said. In many cases, such violations likely would've been dealt with through reprimands or possible unpaid suspensions. "They probably don't rise to the level of what would be terminable. I don't think they will be fireable offenses, unfortunately, if those are the final violations," said Memphis pastor and police chaplain Keith Norman, who has been working with the Stewart family. Mike Williams, head of the police union, said his group would've fought termination for such charges. "I don't think it had risen to the level of termination," he said. Investigators said that on the night of the shooting, police dispatch notified Schilling of a "Signal W," which means that the suspect has a warrant, but that the officer "failed to properly secure your radio possibly bringing about an unpredictable reaction from your prisoner due to the forthcoming information." Investigators added: "Your prisoner may have overheard he would be extradited for the warrants. Your failure to secure your radio during the audio transmission from dispatch places you in violation of compliance with regulations of radio procedures." According to MPD radio policy, "The dispatcher will announce to a receiving unit 'Signal W' when it is of their opinion that a danger may exist for the officer. It is anticipated that by using this signal he will provide officers with the opportunity to prepare themselves for any type of situation. This may enable an officer to stand a better chance of performing his tasks with less of a risk of injury or loss of life." Investigators also found that Schilling failed to call for backup when attempting to arrest Stewart. "Once the warrants were verified you made the decision to place handcuffs on the prisoner while he sat in the rear of your patrol unit without assistance," investigators wrote. "You informed your intentions were to have the prisoner position his legs across the rear seat and place his hands behind his back so you could put handcuffs on the prisoner, while he sat inside the vehicle. Once you opened the rear door the prisoner escaped. These actions clearly place you in violation of compliance with regulations to handcuffing techniques." According to Memphis police handcuffing policy, "persons who have not been handcuffed, but who have been placed in the back of a patrol unit, and who are subsequently placed under arrest, should not be removed from the unit to be handcuffed without the presence of a backup unit." After the July shooting, Schilling was placed on paid leave. An administrative hearing into the shooting was scheduled for November, but was repeatedly delayed because Schilling was under a doctor's care. Before the hearing could be rescheduled, however, Schilling met with the city's Pension Board on March 31. That board granted his request for disability due to post-traumatic stress disorder. The decision, which was condemned by Stewart's family, means Schilling will receive $2,276.38 a month, in addition to a 70 percent subsidy of his monthly health care premiums, for the rest of his life. "We would like to know whether due diligence was performed," Norman said. "The public has to have confidence in our boards and city officials and all involved. Did they exhaust all reasonable sources and methods to make sure this was not a manipulation of the law?" Schilling was a police officer for 3 years, 9 months and 14 days. A grand jury decided in November not to indict Schilling, despite the recommendation of Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich. The Department of Justice is conducting a review of the incident. Staff reporter Jody Callahan contributed to this story. SHARE Larry Wilkins, 37, posted this advertisement for his 2006 Ford Mustang on Craigslist five days before a Memphis man and two minors posed as buyers with plans to steal the car and shot and killed him in 2014. Last month, Martiness Henderson was sentenced to life in prison in Wilkins' murder. By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal Memphis police have investigated more than a dozen Craigslist robberies in the city in the last three years. The latest incident occurred last Friday in Raleigh when police said two men shot a couple trying to purchase a pickup through Craigslist. Memphis Police Col. James Kirkwood, the commander at the Old Allen police station, said detectives at his precinct have been investigating the Craigslist related robberies in the city, and stressed that the transactions should take place in public places, and that those involved, "bring another person with you." "Meet inside restaurants, stores are areas where there are cameras," Kirkwood said. "All of these deals have been some real good deals. People want a good deal, and I ain't mad at them. But you have to know when it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." With the rise of Craigslist robberies, some police departments across the country including in Tennessee, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois offer their lobbies and parking lots as "safe havens" to the public for Craigslist and other online sales. Last year, the McNairy County Sheriff's Office in Selmer, Tennessee offered its parking lot to the public after a murder involving a Craigslist transaction there. And last summer, the Peoria Police Department in Illinois joined the growing national trend and opened its visitor's parking lot and the station's lobby for the transactions. "Interestingly enough we found out after this was implemented that people were already using our parking lot for the transactions. It was not widespread, but they were using the parking lot," said Peoria police spokeswoman Amy Dotson. "We now have the lobby open to them from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m." She added that officers do not get involved in the exchanges. "Our personnel cannot intervene on any parties' behalf on the exchange of goods," she said. "It is a completely civil matter, but so far it has been working very well for us and the general public loves it." Kirkwood said that while Memphis police have not dedicated "safe zones" for Craigslist buyers and sellers at any of the department's precincts, the public is welcome to use their lots. "We already have custody exchanges with parents at our precincts," Kirkwood said. "Like I said coming to a public place, whether it be our parking lots at the precincts or at a store, I think that is a wise thing to do with these transactions because we've seen how dangerous they can be." In March 2014, 37-year-old Larry Wilkins was shot and killed after a botched robbery of a Ford Mustang he was selling on Craigslist. Last month, Martiness Henderson was sentenced to life in prison in Wilkins' murder. Kirkwood said while some arrests have been made in the Craigslist robberies, some suspects remain at-large. "If the public knows anything regarding these cases, we want them to come forward," he said. "We were absolutely blessed the other day to make arrests in that robbery." Anyone with information about the Craigslist robberies can call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-2274 or the Old Allen precinct at 901-636-4399. Craigslist robberies: Memphis police have investigated at least 15 robberies involving Craigslist online sales in the last three years. June 9, 2013: A man was shot in the 600 block of North Germantown Parkway in Cordova by a suspects he met on Craigslist to buy cellphones. March 2014: A man was shot and killed after gunmen stole his Mustang that he had listed for sale on Craigslist. July 4, 2014: A man was robbed by two men when he arrived at a home in the 3400 block of Starsdale to look at a car he saw on Craigslist. Nov. 2014: A juvenile was arrested in Bartlett for attempting to rob a man who was trying to buy an iPhone through an ad the suspect placed on Craigslist. Jan. 20, 2015: A man was robbed of cash when he went to a Whitehaven home in the 100 block of Sullivan Drive to buy cellphones advertised on Craigslist. Feb. 2, 2015: A man answered a Craigslist ad about buying a lawn mower and was robbed of cash and two cellphones at a home in the 100 block of Sullivan Drive. Feb. 25, 2015: A couple is robbed of $16,000 when they showed up at a Raleigh home in the 3600 block of Joslyn Street to buy a truck through a Craigslist ad. June 20, 2015: A suspect answered a Craigslist ad regarding the sale of Apple MacBook Pro laptops. The suspect requested meeting at Briar Club Apartments and then stole the laptop from the seller and fled. June 24, 2015: Police believe the same suspect in the robbery at Briar Club Apartments robbed a man of his Apple laptop at the Trails apartments. In this robbery, the suspect pulled out a black semi-automatic gun. June 25, 2015: A man was robbed after he placed an ad to trade his Samsung Galaxy S6 cellphone for an Apple iPhone 6. Aug. 18, 2015: A woman lured a man to Memphis from Dallas to buy a Dodge Charger posted on Craigslist. Two men were waiting in the parking lot at 3251 Airways Blvd, where they robbed the victim of $20,000. Aug. 18, 2015: A couple from Madison, Kentucky, came to Memphis wanting to buy a 2013 Dodge Charger that was advertised for sale on Craigslist. The couple were robbed of $20,000 at gunpoint. Sept. 28, 2015: A 19-year-old man was shot by a Craigslist car buyer after the suspect tried to rob the victim at a home in the 3700 block of Irma Street in Frayser. Feb. 2, 2016: A man was shot in the 4700 block of Quintell Avenue in Raleigh when he reportedly went to buy a car advertised on Craigslist. After the man was shot, he was found by police at the Walgreens store at 5880 Stage Road in Bartlett, where he went for help. April 1, 2016: A man and a woman were shot by two men during an attempted robbery when the couple attempted to purchase a truck through Craigslist at a home in the 4600 block of St. Elmo Avenue in Raleigh. The victims drove to the post office at 3711 Austin Peay Highway, where police were called. SHARE Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal files Union Avenue Methodist Church's $210,000 annex was dedicated on April 4, 1954, and the annex Chapel of the Good Shepherd, shown here, consecrated by Bishop William T. Watkins (second left). Among clergy and laymen at the ceremonies were Dr. J.E. Underwood (left), superintendent of the Memphis district of the church; Dr. Wayne A. Lamb (second right), pastor of the church, and W.E. Ludlam (right), chairman of the church building committee. April 7 25 years ago: 1991 Iraq on Saturday accepted UN terms for a formal cease-fire in the Persian Gulf War. In accepting the conditions, the National Assembly in Baghdad, which follows President Saddam Hussein's dictates, called the arrangement unjust but acknowledged Iraq had little choice. Under the terms of the resolution, the Iraqi acceptance automatically activates a permanent cease-fire between the opponents in the gulf war, five weeks after the United States and its allies drove Iraq's army from Kuwait. 50 years ago: 1966 Purchase by the First National Bank of a quarter block at Monroe and South Third for $400,000 was approved yesterday by Chancellor Charles A. Rond. Joint owners of the site were the estate of Mrs. August Overton Busch, who died in 1958 and Mrs. Matilda Overton Adams of St. Louis. "The bank has no immediate plans for use of the property," said Early F. Mitchell, executive vice president. "Our own building is 96 per cent occupied and the bank is growing uninterruptedly. Because of Memphis' rapid growth, suitable land is scarce and we want land available when we need it." 75 years ago: 1941 A sales clinic for Memphis druggists will be held Friday at University Center by the Tennessee Pharmaceutical Association. Speakers will include: J.W. Laiben, Eli Lilly & Co.; C.R. Meyers, Merck & Co.; Don Clement, Coty Cosmetic Co.; R.G. Satterwhite, Eastman-Kodak; and Joe Donlon, American Weekly Magazine. 100 years ago: 1916 WASHINGTON The third great element of the national preparedness program was today brought into the House. It is the largest fortifications bill ever reported and the first of four proposals to spend 100 million dollars for modernizing the coast defenses. 125 years ago: 1891 The Appeal-Avalanche is gratified that none of the military organizations of Memphis made fools of themselves by tendering their services in case of war with Italy. When war comes is the time to buckle on the armor. Oct 18, 2013 - Phoebe O'Connor, 17, (left) and DeAndre Winters, 16, fill out surveys about a workshop on youth and community police relations before the closing ceremonies of the annual Gandhi-King Youth Conference at Bridges Memphis. The event feautred workshops on social justice issues, conflict resolution and offered a forum for youth to address issues affecting their communities throughout the Mid-South. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal Peaceful protest, race and good journalism will be the focus of two events in Memphis this weekend with the National Association of Black Journalists Region III Conference and the Gandhi-King Conference at the University of Memphis. Session topics at the free Gandhi-King event Friday and Saturday include empowering youth to be change agents, the living wage, health care justice and a free tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. Speakers include Pastor F. Willis Johnson, senior minister at the Wellspring Church in Ferguson, Missouri. Johnson hit the national spotlight after Michael Brown was killed by a Ferguson police officer. Online registration is closed, but walk-ins will be accommodated if space is available. The event is hosted by the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change and the civil rights museum. For more information, go to gandhikingconference.org. NABJ will welcome Bernard LaFayette, Jr., a co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and witness to his assassination as the keynote speaker at its luncheon at noon Saturday. With a theme, Race Matters: Looking Back, Moving Forward, sessions include Decision 2016: The Politics of Race, #Journalist'sLivesMatter: Keeping Journalists Safe in the Field and Black Twitter and other Social Media of Color. The conference is at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown, 250 Main. The registration fee for NABJ members is $50, $30 for student members, $60 for nonmembers and $40 for student nonmembers. Go to nabj.org and look under events/programs for more information. By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal Chip Washington, the spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office who was suspended last month after a domestic incident, has resigned from his job. Washington, a former reporter for WMC Channel 5 in Memphis, resigned Monday from the public information officer position he has held since 2010, said Sgt. Matthew Keaton, the interim spokesman with the Sheriff's Office. Washington's resignation follows his arrest on Feb. 29 when he was charged with simple assault/domestic violence stemming from an incident with a former girlfriend. Memphis police arrested Washington in the incident that began when Washington showed up at a former girlfriends apartment on Mud Island. According to police, Washington was upset about some things she posted on Facebook about a new relationship. The woman told police that Washington started talking to her while she was in her car, then punched her arm twice. They then went inside the apartment, where the woman told police that Washington pushed her onto a couch and started throwing pillows at her. He was suspended without pay after his arrest. Thursday, Washington was scheduled to be in court on the domestic violence charges. (April 6, 2016) Surveyors with the Memphis based firm A2H work where several empty shells are that remains of the Lakeland Factory Outlet Mall where Gilad Development has made plans for luxury retail, a hotel, restaurants, office space and residences. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Clay Bailey of The Commercial Appeal With a call for a new, walkable community atmosphere in Lakeland, a California-based developer unveiled a mixed-use plan for a decrepit vacant outlet mall site and surrounding 160 acres Wednesday night a project that, if developed, could remove a major eyesore from the suburb's exit on Interstate 40. Representatives of Gilad Development Inc. showed The Lake District concept to about 100 residents attending the concept presentation at Stonebridge Country Club. The plan with an estimated cost of $120 million includes rental units, major commercial on the perimeter and smaller, boutique shops near the middle. Lakeside restaurants, and services such as a gym, a day care center, an arts center and paddle boats on a lake are spread through the rest of the project planned in the southeast quadrant of the Interstate 40-Canada Road interchange. Developers will begin seeking approval from the city Thursday night. There are several subsequent steps needed, but word is the group would like to begin construction by the end of the year. "I think that's very doable," Lakeland City Manager Jim Atkinson said. The project not only would provide business, service and residential uses, but eliminate the 35-acre site of the abandoned Belz Factory Outlet Mall and a strip center annex to the west. The remaining acreage in the development is south of the mall parking lot to the mobile home park along the east side of Canada Road. That land is the former home of Lakeland International Raceway and was slated for mixed-use development by Belz Enterprises under a 2008 plan stymied by a poor economy. Gilad has a contract to purchase the remaining 120 acres from Belz, Maggie Gallagher, a Gilad representative, said. Developers plan to raze the two vacant commercial buildings on the site to start with a clear landscape on which to design the project. Yehuda Netanel, head of Gilad Development, said he hopes to complete construction within two years. All of the project would open at once so residents, tenants and business owners wouldn't deal with continual work, he said. Gilad has owned the 35-acre mall property since purchasing the site from Belz Enterprises in 2007. Netanel's company has brought a couple of other proposals to Lakeland for consideration, but none have commenced development. Some people expressed concern about the apartments, but Netanel emphasized it is not in the best interest of his overall development for the rental units to lose value. Others were anxious to see the abandoned commercial buildings removed. One resident asked the owner to level the structures even if he didn't build the mixed-use development. "It's better than an abandoned outlet mall," resident Jeff Martin said of The Lake District. April 7, 2016 - Cory Uselton (left), DeSoto County Schools superintendent, chats with CA reporter Ron Maxey for a podcast on his first few months in office. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal DeSoto County Schools Superintendent Cory Uselton has three-plus months under the belt as leader of Mississippi's largest public school district, and he's learned some valuable lessons in managing a sprawling countywide district. Uselton shared his observations Thursday during the inaugural Suburban Voices podcast, in which we'll regularly highlight the people and issues of Shelby County's suburban communities as well as DeSoto County. Uselton said he's looking at personnel consolidations and other ways to save money so that resources aren't taken away from the classroom. He also shared his thoughts on how chronic under funding by the state challenges the district's budget planning. The new superintendent also touched on a couple of developments affecting the DeSoto school system and him personally a newly enacted law that will require all superintendents to appointed by school boards rather than elected in the future, and a complaint filed against the district with the U.S. Department of Education's civil rights office over disciplinary practices. April 7, 2016 Lori Pound, 11, reacts with joy as she and the rest of her fifth grade class at Farmington Elementary during a scavenger hunt through the halls during Autism Awareness Week at the school. Pound has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. The school has an above average number of student with autism and held an awareness week not only to inform students about the disorder but also to honor the students who have it. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE April 7, 2016 Lori Pound gets excited as members of her class read the names of famous people who lived with autism including Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, Thomas Jefferson, Andy Warhol and Charles Darwin during an Autism Awareness Week scavenger hunt at the Farmington Elementary. Pound has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, and is one of 19 students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at the school. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) By Jane Roberts of The Commercial Appeal Lori Pound, 11, has candidly told her world some of the biggest things about herself since she was in second grade. She did it again this week taking the microphone at Farmington Elementary during morning announcements to tell her peers she is autistic. "I want you all to know something: Sometimes friends start out as enemies and enemies turn out to be friends. I know that sounds sorta confusing," she said as she explained autism in her clear, deliberate voice. She's spent the week celebrating Autism Awareness Week, a first at Farmington, with the glib, fun departures from routine that school principals allow for special events. The school's 817 students tore through the halls Thursday, (a class at a time) on an autism-related scavenger hunt, finding 10 large puzzle pieces, each with a description of some part of the spectrum of disorders the Centers for Disease Control estimates affects one in 68 children. At Farmington, it's one in 43, the highest rate of autism in the Germantown Municipal School District, partly because the district's preschool special education program is based there and many families choose to stay. "But families may also move their child there because they know that culture exists," said Kate Crowder, district spokeswoman. "It is well-established at Farmington." The message at the school is "we are all different. We all have special needs and things that make us different," said assistant principal Ashley Brasfield. "That's what we embrace. Lori doesn't want to be touched. We do ask before we touch someone, and it doesn't have to be an autistic child. That's just the way we do things here." Autism spectrum disorder is a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by repetitive patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction. Its prevalence in the society is rapidly increasing, growing 119 percent among U.S. children between 2000 and 2010, according to figures form the Autism Resources of the Mid-South. "People are aware that autism exists, but I don't think they know what to do about it," said Tara Mohundro, the autism group's president. "The key thing is early detection and early intervention. The majority of these children can live productive adult lives, but the problem is, we have to get them screened and start therapies on them early. It increases their chances to have a more normal life, if any one of us has a normal life." Lori was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome around age 4. When her parents told her several years later, she said it was "like my whole family was on one side of the river, and I was one the other. Actually, it was not that pleasant to hear. I wanted to run to my room and slam the door." Lori, who is a gifted verbally, struggles with comprehension and the social interaction that is an increasingly larger part of her life. "She doesn't understand what I'll call girl drama," said her mother, Tina Pound. "It's really hard right now, you know in fifth grade. She has a hard time with that and feels left out. She has made a couple of wonderful friends here that love her no matter what. And we just kinda stick with those kids." She also is allowed different accommodations for state exams, which means she takes them separately from the other children. She's worried other students notice how much she's called out of class for interventions and help, and make a connection. As a small child, she hid under her bed when it was time to go to the doctor for tests because they hurt, and the doctors were threatening. "I only like to be touched by those I love," she said. "You always have to ask if you can touch me." And just when she thinks she's made herself clear, "the next day at school, it's touchy, touchy, touchy," she said. "I don't like to be touched, and everyone is going to have to deal with that." Two years ago, Lori's family moved to Tennessee from New York, leaving a large network of support for autistic children, including frequent awareness events in the public schools. "I was surprised this school did not have autism awareness events," said her mother. "Awareness is needed." "She is an amazing girl. She has taught me more than anybody in the world," Tina Pound said. "She's my superhero. For her to embrace the fact that she has Asperger's and is totally fine with it, and is totally OK with everybody knowing and is teaching people about it, that's amazing." SHARE By Clay Bailey of The Commercial Appeal The Lake District plans showcased Wednesday evening certainly could change the face of Lakelands interchange at Interstate 40. A kind of suburban renewal for an exit that has a rundown, abandoned look with few things to attract a traveler other than a Cracker Barrel or someone in Shelby County looking for fireworks at the log cabin on the west side of Canada Road. The Lake District is destined to cover 160 acres including the old abandoned Belz Factory Outlet Mall site and the adjacent 120 acres to the south. That land is owned by Belz Enterprises, but California-based Gilad Development Inc. has an option to purchase the former site of Lakeland International Raceway. Yehuda Netanel, head of Gilad, along with associate Maggie Gallagher spoke glowingly of their project with its boutique shops, lakeside restaurants, plus services such as a day care, a gym, outdoor farmers market and an arts center. Around the northeast perimeter are bigger box retailers, such as a grocery store. The village concept is part of the walkable community idea some cities are striving to provide. Close-quartered residences, services nearby. An enclosure of many things needed in a daily life without having the leave the neighborhood. And developers are willing to drop brand names like Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware and Pier 1 as their desired tenants. There are a lot of nationals that arent in Memphis yet, Gallagher said noting the Wolfchase Galleria area is full. They havent had the opportunity to come into a project thats mixed-use like this where we might get a little more luxury, upscale retail. And, the best thing about the plan is the razing of the old outlet mall and the nearby strip center along the entrance drive from Canada Road. Several people, including Lakeland Mayor Wyatt Bunker, compared the new urbanism plan to Seaside near Destin, Florida. But before the excitement begins, a couple of reality checks: First, there are a lot of city reviews necessary before the project is approved, and city officials shouldnt get so excited about the overall desired concept to abandon their design principals. Not to say they will, but just a reminder to sweat the details. And, secondly, right now this is nothing more than a vision of grandeur. A dream. A gleam in a developers eye. A developer who has presented other grand plans for the mall site from an Americana-theme with an electric train carrying customers around the property to an outdoor pedestrian mall. Add to that, Belz hasnt developed its 2008 mixed-use plans for the 120 acres to the south. None of the ideas have reached fruition. The Belz property is still vacant, and the outlet mall property still sits abandoned -- an eyesore for the city. There is probably more evidence of the old drag strip on the 160 acres than any hints of the previous development plans considered. Yes, there were economic issues that stymied the plans. Yes, there is the ever-present construction at the Canada Road-Interstate 40 interchange to deter people from taking the exit. It remains to be seen if in three to five years the latest Gilad idea is a reality or just an unfulfilled plan rooted in another excuse or reason, leaving vacant land and abandoned buildings on the property. SHORT TRIP: RIVERDALE EXIT: Germantown reporter Jane Roberts highlighted how the Germantown Municipal School District got a lower-than-expected pricetag on its expansion work at Riverdale School. And, that could be of interest to the Lakeland School System on the cost of its new middle school. LATER TODAY ELECTION COMMISSION: Filing deadline for the August elections is at noon Thursday with some state rep races and, as weve mentioned, the fast-tracked Bartlett judicial contests. Sometime after lunch, Daniel Connolly and I will have a story regarding who is running, including a focus on the District 95 state representative race where incumbent Curry Todd has drawn several challengers. FINALLY: A new podcast -- Suburban Voices -- begins this afternoon. DeSoto reporter and assistant suburban team leader Ron Maxey will interview new DeSoto schools Superintendent Cory Uselton. SHARE The University of Memphis and its boosters are a governor's signature away from getting something they have wanted for a long time their own autonomous board of directors. Now that the dream is about to become a reality, what are they going to do with it? We are confident that the university is well prepared to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to further enhance the special role the U of M plays in Memphis and the surrounding area. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to spin off four-year public universities from the Tennessee Board of Regents system garnered final approval in the state legislature on Monday when the Senate voted 31-1 in favor of the measure. The House passed the measure on a 71-19 vote last month. The governor's plan creates local boards for the U of M, Austin Peay in Clarksville, East Tennessee in Johnson City, Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee Tech in Cookeville and Tennessee State in Nashville. The legislation gives the governor the authority to appoint eight of the nine voting members to each of the boards that will control budgets, tuition and the selection of college presidents. The change is all part of Haslam's Drive to 55 initiative, which has a goal of having 55 percent of Tennesseans equipped with a two- or four-year college degree or certificate of technology by 2025. That will allow the Board of Regents to focus on guiding the state's two-year schools and colleges of applied technology. The change will not affect the schools in the University of Tennessee system. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission would still oversee the priorities for capital projects at the schools. There are skeptics, including former Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan, who do not think the governor's plan will succeed over the long term. He announced his resignation in January in protest of the plan, which he called "unworkable" and contrary to efforts to enhance oversight and accountability in higher education. In a guest column on this page March 20, TSU President Glenda Glover, while supporting the Drive to 55 initiative and the governance boards' legislation, expressed concerns about certain provisions in the bill and their unintended effects on TSU. This is a big step for public higher education in Tennessee, and we are confident that the governor and Higher Education Commission will keep a close eye on the independent boards' progress. U of M officials and supporters have rightly argued for years that the university's position as a major research institution serving a mostly commuter student body provides the school with unique challenges and opportunities in an urban environment with a host of positives and a host of societal ills, ranging from a 30 percent poverty rate, high rates of preventable diseases, a high crime rate, too many failing public schools and too few college graduates. U of M researchers already are major players in the efforts to ease these problems, along with providing the support and research that have enhanced the area's quality of life. It has been long felt that an independent governing board, whose members really know Memphis, can steer the university to greater heights. Now that the school has gotten what it has long desired, don't muff the opportunity. SHARE By E.J. Dionne Jr. WASHINGTON It will not be the first time that a Clinton relies on the tough-minded voters of New York to salvage a front-running presidential candidacy. On March 24, 1992, an insurgent candidate named Jerry Brown (yes, California's current governor) upended Bill Clinton, the Democrats' nominee-in-waiting, in the Connecticut primary. To re-establish his primacy, Clinton went to work in New York. A few days after his Connecticut defeat, Clinton spoke to reporters about "all this crap I've put up with" and how he had to deal with "attacks, attacks, attacks on me." Of Brown, Clinton said: "I think he gives them easier answers to problems than I do. And a lot of people who are frustrated and angry want simple solutions." Sound familiar? Bill Clinton routed Brown in New York's primary and went on to win it all. Hillary Clinton is hoping for a revival of the same show. But with Donald Trump facing long-term free fall after his defeat by Ted Cruz in Wisconsin on Tuesday, she needs not only to win in New York, but also to use the coming weeks to begin dealing with political weaknesses that have been highlighted by Bernie Sanders' continued electoral strength. Sanders' own victory in Wisconsin was widely anticipated, but his 13-point margin was not. Yes, as Clinton's campaign insisted, a state with a storied progressive tradition, an overwhelmingly white electorate and rules that allow independents to vote in party primaries was naturally hospitable to Sanders. But the results underscored issues that have plagued Clinton from the beginning. Even among Democratic primary voters, only 58 percent saw Clinton as "honest and trustworthy" (89 percent thought this of Sanders) and only 14 percent said they would be "excited" by a Clinton presidency, compared with 33 percent who felt this about a Sanders administration. Once again, voters under 30 years of age backed Sanders by better than 4 to 1. Clinton can argue that she (like her husband) has faced sustained, long-term attacks from Republicans that have spilled over into image problems among independents and even some Democrats. That's true, but it doesn't make her troubles go away. Above all, Clinton and her lieutenants need to ask why Sanders has done so well. It's not simply that Sanders has become Mr. Authenticity, the proudly disheveled guy with the Brooklyn accent. He has also turned his campaign into a cause that goes well beyond himself. He has made big offers to voters single-payer health care, free college tuition, breaking up the big banks, higher Social Security benefits. And Sanders' trademark talk about the corruption wrought by big money in politics speaks to the electorate's sense across party lines that something is badly defective in our political system. When he's not busy self-destructing, Trump appeals to this sentiment, too. On the particulars of the Sanders program, Clinton has legitimate grounds for challenging him. Even if you are for single-payer health care, it would never arrive all at once; we are more likely to get there through the incremental changes Clinton proposes in Obamacare. In New York, Sanders will have to answer for his past votes on the gun lobby's side. And he has real difficulties in explaining how his proposals to break up the big banks and providing universal college access would work. But Sanders is singularly skilled at transforming Clinton's practical challenges to his proposals as a wholesale rejection of the idea of being visionary. In doing so, he casts Clinton as a practitioner of the old status-quo politics. The fact that it's so easy to put her campaign in the context of her husband's long-ago effort is a reminder that she has been around a long time. It's why a 74-year-old with a quarter-century of Washington experience is unexpectedly embraced as the next new and exciting thing. There have been moments her victory speech after the South Carolina primary, her recent thoughtful address about the importance of the battle for the Supreme Court when Clinton has been able to define the stakes of the election in larger terms. She emphasized "We" over "I." But she needs to compete far more aggressively with Sanders, both rhetorically and substantively, as a purveyor of big ideas of her own (she is not short on policy proposals) and as the answer to the small-minded politics of this moment. Sanders could help Clinton find a path to victory, or he could expose her weaknesses again and again, one primary and caucus at a time. Which it will be is largely in her hands. E.J. Dionne's email address is ejdionnewashpost.com. SHARE By Jennifer Rubin WASHINGTON Unlike the shameless Donald Trump, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, we hope, is capable of self-reflection and dealing with reality. If so, he surely must recognize after Wisconsin's balloting that his 31st loss out of 32 contests tells him something. Kasich not only came in third, but also came in a distant third in a Midwestern state that should have been ideally suited for his message of good governance. He has now come in third or worse in all Midwestern states (i.e. Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois) other than his own. With just over 155,000 votes and 14 percent of the vote in Wisconsin, Kasich managed to win less than half of second-place Trump's vote totals (more than 386,000 and 35 percent). Kasich now has finished third or worse in 26 of the 32 contests. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., dropped out of the race more than three weeks ago and still has more delegates (171 to 143) and about a half-million more popular votes than Kasich. If Kasich could not win in Wisconsin or any other nearby state, does anyone imagine he will win, say, Maryland? It is hard to image a scenario in which, even in a deadlocked convention, delegates turn to the candidate who may have finished so poorly in their state a proven loser, if you will. The only issue that matters, Kasich spinners would have us believe, is electability. Bunk. The winner of what will be a six-month primary process is the Republican nominee, and it is Republicans' support that Kasich has failed to get over and over since Feb. 1. If the issue were only electability, maybe Rubio or House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) would do better. (If Cruz beats Hillary Clinton in new polling, will Kasich get out?) There is nothing wrong with Kasich's argument that an effective governor would be the GOP's best choice. The problem is that Republican voters do not agree, or at least they do not agree that Kasich is the right governor to match up against Clinton. All this leads to one of two conclusions about his continued presence in the race. One explanation is that Kasich in his own way is more out of touch with reality than Trump. His ego will not allow him to exit the spotlight, and he has convinced himself that he's the party's savior. Egged on by greedy consultants, he refuses to recognize his campaign is futile. The other explanation is that he is still angling for the second spot on the ticket, despite his denials. If it is Cruz's VP spot he wants, he will have to get in line behind actual allies like Carly Fiorina and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. If he seeks to become Trump's running mate, he is as cynical and hypocritical as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who backs Trump despite his recognition of Trump's unfitness for the presidency. Why does this matter? The campaign is turning to New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, states Kasich cannot win but where he is polling in double digits. In the latest Quinnipiac poll from Pennsylvania, for example, Cruz at 30 percent is only 9 points behind Trump, but Kasich takes up 24 percent of the vote. Cruz and the #NeverTrump forces could use those voters. (The only saving grace is that most of Pennsylvania's delegates are technically unbound, but the phenomenon of Kasich dividing the votes holds true in states with bound delegates.) At this stage in the race, all Kasich can do is prevent Cruz from finally consolidating the #NeverTrump vote, thereby handing delegate-rich states to Trump. Either ego or the quixotic and hypocritical quest for a vice presidential slot keeps Kasich in the race. Voters who dread a Trump nomination should drive a stake through the Kasich campaign, if they really want to stop Trump. Just because Kasich won't get out of the race does not mean voters should continue to indulge him. Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Washington Post. All right, gang: With Google's still-pseudonymous Android "N" release on the horizon, it's time to start thinking about upgrades -- specifically, which manufacturers you can actually trust to provide 'em in a timely and reliable manner. This is the prime time to think about that always-loaded topic. We've just hit the point where we're six months past the launch of the most recent major Android release, Android 6.0 Marshmallow -- and that gives us an ideal opportunity to step back and look at the big picture of how the various device-makers are faring when it comes to getting the software into consumers' hands. Now, let's be fair: No one can predict the future. And a company's priorities can certainly evolve over time. But looking at a manufacturer's current performance with upgrades can give you a good general idea of how it tends to approach the area and what kind of commitment it tends to have to ongoing support. That sort of knowledge is invaluable ammo when it comes to future Android purchasing decisions. The platform's open nature means manufacturers (and anyone else) can modify the software as they see fit -- and that, of course, means it inevitably falls upon each company's shoulders to process each OS update and roll it out to its own devices. And while Google's ongoing deconstruction of Android and introduction of standalone monthly security patches has helped make OS upgrades less all-important than they once were, there are still significant foundational improvements that only a full OS upgrade can provide. Timely ongoing upgrades aren't everything, by any means -- but they are without a doubt a significant and valid factor to consider. So arm yourself with knowledge: It's time to see who's making the grade and who's coming up short. (Feel free to read over the following box if you're interested in the nitty-gritty of how these grades were calculated -- or just jump down to the grades if you want to get right to the good stuff.) In detail: How these grades were calculated For this report card, I've mostly continued with the grading system implemented with last year's upgrade analysis -- which features precise and clearly defined standards designed to weigh performance with both current and previous-generation flagships along with a company's communication efforts. There's been just one small adjustment, which I'll describe at the end of this section. Like last year, each manufacturer's overall grade is based on the following formula: 60% of grade: Length of time for upgrade to reach current flagship phone(s) 30% of grade: Length of time for upgrade to reach previous-gen flagship phone(s) 10% of grade: Overall communication with customers throughout the upgrade process Upgrade timing often varies wildly from one country or carrier to the next, so in order to create a consistent standard for scoring, I've focused this analysis on when Android 6.0 first reached a flagship model that's readily available in the U.S. -- either a carrier-connected model or an unlocked version of the phone, if such a product is sold by the manufacturer and readily available to U.S. consumers. (To be clear, I'm not counting being able to import an international version of a phone from eBay or from some random seller on Amazon as being "readily available to U.S. consumers." For the purposes of creating a reasonable and consistent standard for this analysis, a phone has to be sold in the U.S. by a manufacturer or a carrier in order to be considered a "U.S. model" of a device.) By looking at the time to Marshmallow's first appearance (via an over-the-air rollout) on a device in the U.S., we're measuring how quickly a typical U.S. consumer could realistically get the software in a normal situation. And we're eliminating the PR-focused silliness of a manufacturer rushing to roll out a small-scale upgrade in somewhere like Lithuania just so they can put out a press release touting that they were "FIRST!" The same analysis could be done using any country as its basis, of course, and the results would vary accordingly. All measurements start from the day Android 6.0 was released into the Android Open Source Project: October 5, 2015, which is when the final raw OS code became available to manufacturers. The following scale determined each manufacturer's subscores for upgrade timeliness: 1-14 days to first U.S. rollout = A+ (100) 15-30 days to first U.S. rollout = A (96) 31-45 days to first U.S. rollout = A- (92) 46-60 days to first U.S. rollout = B+ (89) 61-75 days to first U.S. rollout = B (86) 76-90 days to first U.S. rollout = B- (82) 91-105 days to first U.S. rollout = C+ (79) 106-120 days to first U.S. rollout = C (76) 121-135 days to first U.S. rollout = C- (72) 136-150 days to first U.S. rollout = D+ (69) 151-165 days to first U.S. rollout = D (66) 166-180 days to first U.S. rollout = D- (62) More than 180 days to first U.S. rollout (and thus no upgrade activity within the six-month window) = F (0) This year, I've had to make one modification to the formula in order to address a new type of failure that popped up in this upgrade cycle: a manufacturer's decision to abandon certain U.S. models of a recent flagship while continuing to support other models of that same device. That behavior obviously should not result in a favorable grade, as such a score would not convey the reality of that manufacturer's commitment to support. Consequently, this year's grading scale includes a new asterisk in that if a manufacturer outright abandons any U.S.-relevant models of a device, its score will default to zero for that specific category. Within that specific category (be it current or previous-gen flagship), such behavior is an indication that the manufacturer in question could not be trusted to honor its commitment and provide an upgrade. This adjustment will allow the score to better reflect that reality as needed, both in this analysis and future reports. All final scores were rounded up or down to the nearest full integer. (One last side note: You may notice that Sony, which has been present in past report cards, is missing from this year's analysis. That's because Sony is no longer an even remotely relevant player in the U.S. smartphone market, and so it no longer made sense to treat it as such and include it in this lineup. BlackBerry, on the other hand, is a major player making a major play for American consumers, and so I've added it into the mix in order to provide important perspective for potential consumers about its handling of OS upgrades. Most of the other newer niche players are focusing on the budget realm in the States as of now, meanwhile, and consequently are not included in this flagship-focused report.) Google Length of time for upgrade to reach current flagship: 0 days (60/60 points) Length of time for upgrade to reach previous-gen flagship: 0 days (30/30 points) Communication: Mediocre (5/10 points) Google isn't technically an Android smartphone manufacturer, but as the driving force behind the Nexus line of devices and the sole provider of upgrades for those devices, it serves the same practical role for the purposes of this list. Google is also a bit unusual in that its current flagships at the time of Marshmallow's debut -- the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P -- actually shipped with Android 6.0 already loaded. Since that's a core benefit of buying a current Nexus device, I thought it made sense to consider that a "zero day" upgrade for our purposes. At least some owners of Google's previous-gen flagship, 2014's Nexus 6, started receiving the Android 6.0 upgrade on October 5th -- the same day the software was officially released. Google infamously rolls out updates "in waves," which means some people end up waiting days or even weeks longer than others -- a deliberate process designed to minimize the risk of unexpected bugs or issues affecting large groups of users before they can be identified and addressed -- but the start of a rollout is what we consider for our measuring purposes. The Nexus 6 was also a bit unusual (for a Nexus device) in that it was sold via carriers in addition to being sold directly from Google -- something that invariably leads to some level of complication and delay. Not surprisingly, many users with carrier-specific variants of the phone ended up waiting an extra month or two to get the Marshmallow update. The real issue there -- and it's one we've seen with Google's rollouts before, both with and without carriers present as a complicating factor -- is that Google's communication could stand to be better. Following its initial announcement of a general rollout beginning for Nexus devices, Google didn't provide much else in terms of official info about its process. That means those users who were waiting were essentially in the dark, with no sign of the upgrade and no idea what was going on or how long the wait might be. Between its less-than-stellar communication and the frustrations that sometimes result from its staged rollout process, Google's Nexus devices are by no means perfect when it comes to OS upgrades. They are, however, still without question the most reliable way to receive ongoing updates in a timely, if not always immediate, manner. HTC Length of time for upgrade to reach current flagship: 80 days (49.2/60 points) Length of time for upgrade to reach previous-gen flagship: 59 days (26.7/30 points) Communication: Excellent (10/10 points) HTC's story with Marshmallow is eerily similar to its story with Lollipop last year -- which is to say that it's doing pretty darn well and continuing to make impressive improvements to its upgrade delivery time. Once again, though, there's still room for the company to get better. HTC's unlocked version of its One M9 -- the current flagship at the time of Lollipop's release -- started to receive Android 6.0 on December 23. Though the carrier-connected models of the device didn't start their rollouts until early February (just like last year), the unlocked M9 was readily available for purchase from HTC in the States and so its rollout counts as the first time the software became available to U.S. consumers. (Given the option, going with a carrier-connected phone model is rarely the best choice for speedy OS upgrades -- or maximum financial value.) The previous-gen flagship, the One M8, somehow fared even better than its younger brother: The unlocked model of that phone (which was also available for direct sale to U.S. consumers) started to receive Android 6.0 on December 2, just under two months after Marshmallow's release. As we've come to expect as of late, HTC's communication was outstanding all throughout the process. The company has established a detailed and frequently updated software update status page on which you can see the exact state of progress for any specific model and variation and can also get a clear overview of what steps are involved with every part of the process. In addition to maintaining that resource, HTC does a commendable job of providing regular updates on its progress for all models via Twitter. While its turnaround time could stand to be faster, the fact that HTC continuously keeps its customers in the loop on what exactly's happening, why things are being delayed when they are, and when they'll get back on track goes a long way in making the process feel tolerable. It's safe to say that HTC has firmly established itself as the second-only-to-Nexus manufacturer of choice for reliable OS upgrades -- a valuable distinction to hold for a company in its position. If it can keep up the trend of speeding up its process more with every passing year, it'll solidify that standing and make second place seem like even less of a compromise. LG Length of time for upgrade to reach current flagship: 80 days (49.2/60 points) Length of time for upgrade to reach previous-gen flagship: 135 days (21.6/30 points) Communication: Poor (0/10 points) LG has traditionally been terrible when it comes to Android upgrade reliability, but it's definitely gotten better bit by bit in recent years. That being said, of course, it's all relative. Just like it did with the 5.0 update last year, LG actually got Android 6.0 out to some of its flagship phones quite quickly this go-round. Quickly enough, in fact, to serve as fodder for marketing-friendly bragging rights (again) about being the "first" to roll out the software. But rushing out Marshmallow in what was effectively a small-scale single-country soak test isn't the same as actually getting it into the hands of most consumers (or into the hands of any consumers in the U.S., which is what we're measuring). Marshmallow first hit the G4 in the States on December 23, when the Sprint model of the phone saw its rollout begin. (The update was technically announced on the 17th, but the first user reports of delivery didn't happen until a few days later.) T-Mobile's model trailed in a good while after that, in early February, followed soon by AT&T and Verizon's versions of the phone. LG doesn't sell unlocked versions of its phones in the U.S., so there's no carrier-free option available to speed things up. The previous-gen G3, meanwhile, got its taste of Lollipop in the States starting on February 16 with the Verizon model. (Other carrier models are still waiting.) Aside from the poky previous-gen flagship performance, what hurts LG the most is its complete and utter lack of communication: Following its self-serving "Hey, look what we did in Poland!" press release, LG stayed mum throughout its entire upgrade process -- providing no real information to its customers about the state of its rollout or when the software might reach different devices. All in all, it's not a situation worth celebrating. And unfortunately, things only get worse -- much worse -- from here. NEXT PAGE: Motorola, Samsung, and BlackBerry In the past few weeks, North Carolina and Mississippi have adopted laws enabling businesses to discriminate against gays and transgender people by those who say serving them would infringe on their religious beliefs. Some large technology companies have publicly condemned the laws, with one company making a statement by pulling a new business out of North Carolina. "We are disappointed by the recent events in North Carolina," said Facebook, which has a data center facility in Forest City, N.C., in a posting on the facility's Facebook page. "As a company, Facebook is an open and vocal supporter of equality. We believe in ensuring the rights of LGBT individuals and oppose efforts that discriminate against people on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation." Late last month, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed into law House Bill 2, which prevents cities and towns from protecting gays and bisexuals from discrimination, while also preventing transgender people from using restrooms that don't specifically align with their "biological sex." Screen grab/IBM-Twitter IBM's statement on the Mississippi bill That was quickly followed this week by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's signing a similar "religious freedom" law that allows government employees to refuse to issue marriage licenses or perform marriages, while also enabling businesses to deny housing, jobs, and services for adoptions and foster care because of an individual's sexual orientation. The laws have drawn international headlines, along with praise and outrage across the country. Several major tech companies, along with other major corporations like PepsiCo and Disney, have come out strongly against the new laws. Online payment giant PayPal took the boldest action by announcing that it is canceling plans to open a new worldwide operations center in Charlotte, N.C. that would have added 400 skilled jobs to the area. "The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal's mission and culture," the company said on its website. "As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte. This decision reflects PayPal's deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect." The company also said that while looking for another location for its operations center, it also will work with the LGBT community in North Carolina to overturn the legislation. IBM, one of North Carolina's top 20 employers, also responded, tweeting, "IBM is disappointed by passage of #HB2 in NC since it reduces scope of anti-discrimination protections in state." Google also condemned the North Carolina law, tweeting, "We believe in equal rights and equal treatment for all. This North Carolina law is misguided & wrong. #WeAreNotThis." In Georgia, meanwhile, business backlash against a similar discriminatory bill in Georgia pushed Gov. Nathan Deal to veto that controversial legislation. In that case, Netflix and Apple were among the corporations that condemned the potential move. Whether the statements and actions of big tech companies with social clout and deep pockets will have any effect on the latest "religious freedom" laws remains to be seen. Judith Hurwitz, an analyst with Hurwitz & Associates, said such actions may only benefit the companies that take a stand against discriminatory laws. "Technology companies do have an influence in communities, since they are offering new generation jobs that are needed in states that have lost older industrial jobs," Hurwitz told Computerworld. "I think that tech companies, given their demographics, feel an obligation to support their employees and need to set a standard for non-discrimination." However, Jeff Kagan, an independent industry analyst, said there's always a downside when a company aligns itself with one side in a political or social debate. "This doesn't make sense competitively," Kagan said. "This is like a company saying it's for a Democratic or Republican presidential candidate. It will both strengthen their relationships with one side and weaken them with the other." 23 May 2022 - Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors. Seumas Milne is by common consent a very clever man. He without doubt possesses the brainpower to act as Executive Director of Strategy and Communications, the grand role which Jeremy Corbyn last October persuaded him to take on. And yet from the first there were grave doubts about the wisdom of this appointment. Corbyn had previously attempted, without success, to persuade Kevin Maguire, of the Daily Mirror, to take on the post. Maguire would undoubtedly have been very good at maintaining a relationship with journalists with whom he felt no ideological affinity. Milne is hopeless at doing that. It is not that he tries to get on with such journalists and fails, but that he cannot even see the need to do so. At the Guardian, where he worked for over 30 years and from which even now he is merely on leave (a most improper arrangement), he made no attempt to engage with colleagues of a different outlook to his own. In some ways, I find this admirable, and even attractive. As a small-c conservative, I approve of people who do not bend to every passing gust of fashion. Corbyn compels respect for maintaining, so far as one can see, precisely the opinions which he held 40 years ago. Like a perfectly working steam engine, he possesses a period charm. It was nevertheless a mistake, from the Labour Partys point of view, to choose such an anachronistic figure as their leader. And Corbyn has compounded the error by calling to his side Milne, who is just as intransigent, though in a slightly different idiom. Milne, who is nine years younger than Corbyn, was crammed to the gills with the finest education England can provide. He attended, as a scholar, the intellectual forcing house of Winchester College, followed by Balliol College, Oxford. John Whittingdale, the Culture Secretary, who like Milne is a Wykehamist, recently produced, to general amusement, at a Commons press gallery lunch, a poster from a mock election held at Winchester in 1974, which urged: VOTE MAOIST FOSTER & MILNE Foster, whom I knew slightly at Cambridge, is now a successful lawyer in Hanoi, in what used to be North Vietnam. Milne is Corbyns press man. But Milnes lifelong interest turned out to be in Soviet rather than Chinese communism. He stands accused of being a Stalinist rather than a Maoist. Even today, Milne feels an exaggerated pride, one might say an unconscious vanity, in sticking to the verities of his youth. He is, in fact, a completely traditional figure. He displays the immaturity of a clever Wykehamist. For many years, he looked younger than he really was, and the truth is that he has never grown up. The Labour Party used to be stuffed with clever Wykehamists, including Hugh Gaitskell, Richard Crossman and Douglas Jay. Milne continues, in a less cerebral age, this intellectual tradition. His articles are without doubt lucid and intelligent. What they lack is the human touch. Claud Cockburn, a brilliantly amusing leftie of an earlier era, described how, as a correspondent for The Times in Berlin in the Weimar Republic of the late 1920s, he drifted, while drinking beer with the Foreign Minister, Gustav Streseman, from liberalism towards the altogether harder but apparently more realistic creed of communism: I think it was Stresemann, sitting under a fruit tree, talking about European unity, who first sowed in my mind the doubt as to whether my warm-hearted enthusiasm on behalf of the victims of the [First] World War, my romantic belief in the Nationalist movements of Central Europe (Nationalist even when they were disguised as the resurgence of Central European democracy), and my conviction that the Treaty of Versailles had been a disastrous diplomatic crime, really covered all the facts. Milne sees no need to include the influence of human beings in his writings. He is somehow above all that human interest stuff. Which is why he is such an arid writer. And yet there is human interest in his own life. He suffered, a few years ago, a bad case of cancer, from which both his sister, Kirsty, and his mother, nee Sheila Graucob, died. His father, Alasdair Milne, educated at Winchester and at New College, Oxford, rose to become Director General of the BBC, only to be sacked during the prime ministership of Margaret Thatcher. Milne fils remains characteristically loyal to his father, and characteristically indignant: In the autumn of 1986, Thatcher installed Marmaduke Hussey as BBC chairman, a man with impeccable Conservative connections and a fiercely anti-union record. She did so, Seaton reveals [in her book Pinkoes and Traitors, here under review], only after first seeking the approval of Murdoch, the BBCs most committed commercial and political enemy. Hussey then consulted Victor Rothschild, a security adviser to Thatcher (and one-time associate of the Cambridge spies). According to Husseys memoirs, it was Rothschild who proposed firing the director general. That was finalised over lunch with the home secretary, Douglas Hurd. Within three months, it was done. No explanation was given. And Hussey used a threat to my fathers pension to persuade him to resign for personal reasons and prevent him speaking out in public. The British Establishment will stick at nothing. It is forever conspiring to do down people like the Milnes. How to strike back against the Establishment? At least Milne thought it worthwhile, with whatever reluctance, to take the job with Corbyn. But he has attracted a certain amount of adverse comment since doing so. In a profile in GQ, he was condemned, with much circumstantial evidence, for briefing against Hilary Benn, the shadow Foreign Secretary, during Corbyns catastrophically cack-handed first reshuffle. Many Labour people detest Milne. As one of them said to me while I was researching this profile, This kind of sixth-form plotting that hes used in little communist-party groups doesnt work when you get into a big political party you cant exercise the same level of control. Hes strangely incurious about people either unlike himself, or with different views. That was certainly my experience of carousing, as a correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, with colleagues from the Guardian at party conferences, and especially with my dear friend Simon Hoggart. Almost everyone in the enormous contingent of journalists from the Guardian was approachable. One could share a joke while agreeing to differ about, say, the merits of Margaret Thatcher. Only Milne held himself aloof, walking around the press room as if in a world of his own. He used to do the same in the Guardian offices. His detached manner renders some people incandescent with rage. As a Labour man said in a fury, Its a superiority thing. To expose Milne as a Stalinist strikes me as absurd. It is clear from his journalism where his sympathies lie. As Michael Mosbacher has said, in a learned account of Milnes early communism, Soviet nostalgia is a clear theme. And to this day, Milne is inclined to condemn the United States, while giving the benefit of the doubt to Putins Russia. It is impossible to go for a pint with him, in order to laugh off ones differences. This sensitive and even anguished-looking man is a liability to the cause which he and Corbyn purport to be serving. The sooner Milne goes back to writing attacks on American foreign policy for the Guardian, the better. Garvan Walshe was national and international security policy adviser to the Conservative Party until 2008. I count among my friends more than one member of the Fonseca family, half of the now infamous Mossack-Fonseca law practice. Their profession, hiding the money of the rich from the worlds tax gatherers, will never be the worlds most honourable. In our starkly puritan age, it is deeply unfashionable. But as the populist anger this disclosure provokes raises demands not for transparency, but for confiscation, it will become necessary, lest economic incentives for free enterprise be snuffed out. The capitalist system suffers from two ineradicable flaws: the great inequality of its rewards and the impossibility of subjecting it to detailed regulation. In good times, corners are cut, frauds perpetrated and whistleblowers ignored. Amid the general prosperity, infractions, frequently seen as victimless crimes, are overlooked. In the bad times, when people, almost always the poor, though sometimes also the unlucky, suffer, investigations are held and perpetrators are identified, and those identified as rich and fortunate vilified. It galls us that the people who benefited from the system are best placed to protect themselves in a down turn. The sheer obscenity provokes demands for justice and stimulates opportunists, from John Mann to Donald Trump, to identify scapegoats. The demand for retribution, in this as in ordinary crime or after the MPs expenses scandal, gets out of hand. Imposing huge fines on banks leaves them less money to lend to people and businesses and to protect against a future crash; just as keeping MPs pay down deters qualified candidates from seeking election, or raising taxes on the rich often yields less revenue by deterring the useful economic activity they would otherwise perform. If this Panama scandal is used to strengthen transparency, and make it more difficult for kleptocrats to hide their peoples money, or for venal officials to disguise their bribes, it will have served some purpose. But its effect on the biggest criminals will just be to slightly increase the cost of salting ill-gotten gains away. In a world economy that depends on global trade, it is just too easy to hide even vast sums of money in ordinary, legitimate transactions, by overpaying for services and siphoning off the surplus. Did those renovations, with that infinity pool installed, really cost $12 million, or should a fair price have been $10 million? Are you quite sure those consultancy services were charged at reasonable rates? The art market, where valuation is entirely subjective, offers the launderer a limitless prospect. But I fear these leaks are far more likely to give another boost to tax puritanism, which is always popular on the left and with the Treasury. The state has an excessive sense of entitlement to its peoples money. Where One Nation conservatives see taxation as a necessary evil, needed to fund important government services, they see it as a good in itself. In fact this part of politics is just a contest for resources. The poor and their allies quite naturally want to grab the wealth of the rich and distribute it more equally. This has considerably more moral justification that we often care to admit: what economists call the market outcomes are flagrantly unfair, and may well be getting more so thanks to new technology and globalisation. If we have any sense that were part of the same society we should recognise a strong moral case for considerable economic redistribution. But that doesnt mean that any scheme proposed in the name of the many, not the few gains by dint of superior numbers exclusive moral authority. To move from the poor need the money more than the rich, so the rich ought to part with some of theirs to the rich are not entitled to their money because the poor need it is to convert civilised redistribution into confiscation. Its a move that John McDonnell has made, and though the chances of McDonnell himself wielding power are few, the chances of such McDonnellism gaining ground are a lot greater. If it does and the astonishing success of even a mediocre politician like Bernie Sanders suggests it strikes a chord it will drain from our economy the incentives to work hard and start new businesses. We may find in time that the work of Mossak-Fonseca or their successors will again be needed to preserve the spirit of free enterprise, by assisting in civil disobedience against a confiscatory tax system. The first point to make is that the referendum vote in Holland wasnt really about its ostensible subject at all thats to say, the EUs proposed trade deal with Ukraine. Rather, it was like Denmarks rejection of EU rules on cross-border policing last December, or Greeces referendum last July essentially a wider protest against the union. No wonder the EU institutions hate referendums remember the Irish rejection of the Nice Treaty, the wafer-thin French yes to Maastricht, and the Danes original thumbs-down to the same treaty. And no wonder, therefore, that this latest piece of naysaying (the Dutch turned the deal down by 61 per cent to 31 per cent) came about as the result of a petition, itself the product of a new pro-democracy law in Holland. The vote isnt binding, and it isnt clear as I write whether the countrys Government will bow to the result, which was gained on a turnout of 32 per cent just above the required 30 per cent threshold. The pro-deal campaign seems to have gambled on the turnout being lower, and lost. Such is the continent-wide backdrop of discontent against which our own referendum in June will be set. Global Military Spending Increased In 2015 By Thomas Gaist 06 April, 2016 WSWS.org Spending on weapons and other military costs grew by more than one percent in 2015, marking the first year of growth in total military purchasing by governments worldwide since 2011, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found in a report published Tuesday. Total military purchases reached $1,676 billion in 2015, or nearly $1.7 trillion, consuming some 2.3 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), SIPRI found. The United States remained by far the leading financier of militarism worldwide, spending nearly $600 billion, according to SIPRI. The real figure rises as high as $1 trillion once the Pentagons black budget, contingency money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other hidden expenses are taken into account, according to the Center for International Policy. The Chinese government continued to fund the second largest war machine, spending $215 billion last year. Military spending by states in Asia and Oceania in general surged by 5.4 percent in 2015, an increase driven by the intensifying US war drive against China, which has militarized the entire East Asia and Pacific region, boosting weapons purchases by a coalition of US-aligned regional states, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan. Heightening tensions between China and various countries in the region contributed to substantial increases in expenditure, the SIPRI report notes. China continues to expand its military capabilities with imported and domestically produced weapons, said SIPRI senior researcher Siemon Wezeman. Neighbouring states such as India, Viet Nam and Japan are also significantly strengthening their military forces. A vastly outsized share of the growth in spending also came from Eastern European and Baltic governments aligned with the US-NATO strategic drive against Russia, including Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Overall spending by Middle Eastern governments rose by at least 4 percent in 2015, the report found. Saudi Arabia rose to become the third largest spender in 2015, $87.2 billion in total and $5.3 billion on its year-old Yemen war alone. The report noted the staggering rise in Iraqs military budget, which grew by 536 percent from 2006 to 2015. Among the Middle Eastern powers, however, none came close to the US-backed Saudi monarchy, whose war budget surpassed that of Russia by more than $20 billion. Russia, whose military is endlessly demonized in US and European media as the primary threat to world peace, spent only $66.4 billion in 2015, lagging well behind Washingtons favored semi-feudal client regime. Governments worldwide are scrambling to beef up their forces in response to ongoing war scares and feverish geopolitical tensions. According to SIPRI, a subset of governments have implemented especially sharp upticks in their military spending in response to active or imminent regional conflicts, including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. The overall growth of world war expediters came despite significant reductions by a handful of governments in response to plunging oil prices, including a 64 percent cut by Venezuela and a 42 percent cut by Angola. In a supplementary report, Military versus social expenditure: the opportunity cost of world military spending, SIPRI examines the military burden imposed on economies and social infrastructure by the renewed arms bonanza. The relentless siphoning of social resources into the global war industries is feeding conditions of mass deprivation in every region on the planet, and with special intensity in the ex-colonial and semi-colonial countries, where social spending is already minimal. In the past two to three years there have been particularly large increases in the military burden in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, as well as in the subregion of North Africa, SIPRI notes. According to a 2015 assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the reallocation of a small fraction of yearly war spending towards socially valuable purposes would be sufficient to resolve a laundry list of problems plaguing world society. The UN analysis found that only $265 billion annually would be required to end conditions of extreme poverty and hunger worldwide, a sum that amounts to less than 13 percent of annual worldwide war expenditures in 2015 prices. An additional $240 billion, or 12 percent of annual military costs, would be sufficient to realize universal primary and early secondary education globally. Four percent of annual military spending could guarantee universal agriculture and food security; three percent could insure universal water and sanitation; eleven percent for modern energy; and twelve percent could pay for universal telecommunications infrastructure, the UN found. No governments or establishment political parties even pretend to pursue a program that would transfer arms funding to social spending along these lines. Rational allocation of the immense wealth produced by the global economy is impossible within the historic framework of capitalism and imperialism, in which the various bourgeois governments are locked into a global struggle for markets, access to cheap labor and profits, in which the strength of their respective militaries plays a decisive role. Far from slashing their expenditures in the name of social benefits and infrastructure, all states worldwide are striving to finance their militarist agendas through ever-greater levels of social cutbacks, exploitation and police repression against the working class. The World And Israel: Complicity In Zionism's Crimes And Why By Alan Hart 07 April, 2016 Countercurrents.org I must begin with a clarification. "The world" of my headline is inhabited only by our so-called leaders and their governments, not the civil societies of nations. And the complicity of our so-called leaders and their governments in Zionism's crimes is in my view more by default out of fear of offending Zionism than design. But that doesn't make the complicity any less real in effect. The fear Western leaders and their foreign policy advisers have of offending Zionism is more complex than even some of the most informed and perceptive critics of Israel's policies and actions seem to appreciate. Yes, one part of the reason for the refusal of Western governments (the one in Washington D.C. especially) to use the leverage they have to try to cause Israel to end its defiance of international law and denial of justice for the Palestinians is fear of losing election campaign funding and votes and fear of being overwhelmed by false charges of anti-Semitism. But the other, and in my view the biggest part of the reason, is fear of what Zionism's nuclear-armed monster child might do if it was pushed further than its deluded leaders were prepared to go for the sake of peace based on an acceptable amount of justice for the Palestinians and security for all. The leader who alerted me to this fear was President Jimmy Carter in a private conversation my wife and I had with him and Rosalynn after they were denied a second term in the White House. (Carter invited me to meet with him to brief him on my experience when in 1980 I accepted the challenge of being the linkman in a secret, exploratory dialogue between Arafat and Shimon Peres. At the time Peres was Israel's main opposition leader and believed that he would win Israel's next election and deny Begin a second term by becoming prime minister himself. When Carter invited me to meet with him he asked me to bring my wife because, he said, he and Rosalynn worked as a team). In this conversation, which has its context in CONFLICT WITHOUT END?, the sub-title of Volume Three of my book Zionism: The Real Enemy Of The Jews, I took Carter back to the early months of his first and only term in 1977 and his real determination then to construct and push forward a plan for a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace. I was aware that when on 20 May 1977 it became clear that against all expectations Menachem Begin (the most successful terrorist leader of modern times) would win a second term as Israel's prime minister, Carter, who had privately welcomed my unofficial shuttle diplomacy, was in despair. He understood that he had no chance of overcoming the inevitable opposition from a Begin-led Israel and the Zionist lobby in America to his plan for a comprehensive peace and, first of all, the construction of a framework for negotiations. And that was why Carter instructed Cyrus Vance, his cool and admirable secretary of state, to work with the Soviet Union on the production of a joint US-Soviet Declaration of Principles on which a comprehensive peace was to be based. Carter allowed himself to believe, or perhaps only to hope, that Zionism's stooges in Congress, the Senate especially, would not dare to try to block a joint superpower initiative. The joint US-Soviet Declaration of Principles was published on 1 October 1977. It was American and Soviet diplomacy at its best on paper. It was an outline plan for a comprehensive settlement of what was then called the Arab-Israeli conflict which not only contained all the necessary ingredients for peace. It presented them in a way that was calculated to prevent a knee-jerk rejection by any of the parties. The PLO was not mentioned by name - this was to make it easier for Israel to accept the declaration as a discussion document; and there was no reference to UN Security Council Resolution 242 - this to make it easier for Arafat's PLO to give its seal of approval. Essentially the joint US-Soviet Declaration required the Arab states and the Palestinians to make peace with Israel, and therefore to formally recognise and legitimize it at the end at the end of the negotiating process. This was to be in return for an Israeli withdrawal "from territories occupied in the 1967 conflict." In addition to real peace Israel was to be offered a joint superpower guarantee of its existence; and the Israelis were required to recognize "the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people." The obvious implication was that after an Israeli withdrawal, a Palestinian mini-state would be created on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The idea was that "the representatives of all the parties involved including the Palestinians" would assemble in Geneva to talk their way to an end to the conflict based on the principles set down in the joint US-Soviet Declaration. It was hailed by most mainstream media institutions throughout the Western world (and beyond) as a real breakthrough offering real hope for real peace. What happened? The Arab states and the PLO welcomed and accepted the joint US-Soviet Declaration as a basis for negotiations leading to peace with Israel. Because the PLO had not been mentioned by name, and because there was no specific commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian mini-state, a minority of Palestinian leaders (not the mainstream) were unhappy and made their usual rejectionist noises, but Arafat had no trouble in getting his mainstream (and majority) leadership colleagues to accept the declaration as the basis for negotiations with Israel. Some years later I asked Arafat if he had truly believed that the Americans and the Soviets had opened the door to peace. And I told Carter exactly what Arafat said to me in reply. QUOTE Yes, yes, yes. I was very happy. Very excited. It was an historic moment. For the first time the two superpowers were committed to doing something for us Palestinians. Truly I believed there would be peace with some justice for my people. I was more optimistic than at any time in my life. UNQUOTE Israel rejected the US-Soviet Declaration General Moshe Dayan, Israel's one-eyed warlord and former defence minister, had crossed the Knesset floor to become foreign minister in Begin's second-term coalition government, and he, Prime Minister Begin, sent Dayan to Washington to bully and blackmail President Carter into tearing up the joint US-Soviet Declaration and substitute for it a joint US-Israel memorandum of understanding, the terms of which Dayan more or less dictated to Carter and Vance. (Dayan had long been of the view that Israel's task was not to explore the prospects for peace but to create settlement facts on the ground. According to a report in Time, Dayan was on the record just before the 1973 war with this statement. "There is no more Palestine. It's finished!") The joint US-Israel memorandum of was, in effect, the list of Israel's conditions for its attendance at a Geneva conference. Palestine was back to being a "problem of refugees", in other words the Palestinians had no right to self-determination; 242 was back on the agenda, which meant that the PLO could not involve itself; and Israel would "discuss", not negotiate about, the West Bank. Dayan also announced that Israel would walk out of any Geneva conference if the question of a Palestinian state was brought up. The question I wanted to explore in depth with Carter was why, really, he had surrendered to Dayan and his new political master, Menachem Begin. The conversation took place in the Oval Office equivalent at the Carter Center in Atlanta where, in partnership with Emory University. Jimmy and Rosalynn had set up a non-profit foundation which was driven by their true commitment to human rights, the alleviation of human suffering, the prevention and resolution of conflicts and advancing the prospects for freedom and democracy and improving health. From the outset I knew I was going to have a very honest conversation with Carter and here's why. My wife and I were taken to meet the Carters by one of their Zionist lobby minders. When he closed the doors behind the five of us he was clearly assuming that he would sitting with us and would be able to report back to his masters what had been said. Jimmy raised his left hand in a stop gesture and said to the minder: "Please leave us. Rosalynn and I want to be alone with Alan and Nicole." When I zeroed in on why Carter had surrendered to Dayan and Begin and torn up the joint US-Soviet Declaration, I said there was speculation at the time that he had been told he could forget about being re-elected for a second term if he required Israel to make what its leaders would regard as unacceptable moves for peace. I then said to Carter that I didn't buy the notion that the threat to withdraw Jewish campaign funds and votes would have been sufficient to cause him to back down. He was, I went on, less than 10 months into his first term, had probably factored the traditional Zionist blackmail threat into his own equation, and concluded that the peace he was confident he could deliver, with Soviet assistance, would win him the support of most Jewish Americans, enabling him to put the Zionist lobby out of business. I rounded off by saying with a smile, "Mr. President, if you had been allowed to deliver peace, the constitution might have been changed to give you a third term in office!" Carter smiled and said my speculation that a threat to deny him a second term would not have been enough to blow him off course was essentially correct. He then went on to tell me the essence of the threat that Dayan had actually presented to him. If he pushed Israel too far, Begin would let the IDF off the leash in the region and it would, among other things, invade Lebanon with two objectives - liquidating the PLO and taking for keeps Lebanese territory south of the Litani River. Carter was, of course, fully aware that such a demonstration of Israel's arrogance of power would de-stabilize the region and might well put a comprehensive peace beyond reach for all time. As told to me by Carter, Dayan's final flourish was this. QUOTE Mr. President you must know that my prime minister is mad. He could even bomb the Gulf oil wells. UNQUOTE Another truth Carter revealed to me was that any American president has only two windows of opportunity to confront the Zionist lobby - the first nine months of his first term because after that the fund raising for the mid-term elections begins, and the last year of his second term if he has one. (In the last year of his second term President Obama has washed his hands of the conflict in and over Palestine that became Israel and walked away from it). Reinforcing the fear that all Western (and other) leaders have of confronting the Zionist (not Jewish) state is their knowledge, which they will never admit to having, of why, really, Israel possesses nuclear weapons. They know that Israel's leaders were driven to acquire them not for defence but the need to have a nuclear blackmail card, to enable them to say to any American president, "Don't push us too far or we'll use these things!" In my book I quote Dayan admitting this to me by obvious implication in a conversation I had with him in 1969. When I add to that what Prime Minister Golda Meir said to me in an interview for the BBC's Panorama programme - in a doomsday situation Israel would be prepared "to take the region and the world down with it" - I think that only one conclusion is invited. The complicity by default of Western (and other) leaders in Zionism's crimes will be never ending because Israel is, as it has long been, a nuclear-armed monster beyond control. Footnote The above will be my last but one post for several months. As things are and look like going there will be nothing new to say until Hillary Clinton has won the race to the White House. My last post before I take a break will be the text of a presentation I'll shortly be making in Italy in support of the publication of the Italian version of my book. (As expected the Zionist lobby put great effort into trying to prevent publication but its threats have been counter-productive). The title of my Italian presentation is Palestine and Zionism: The Whole Truth. During my break from commenting on events in Israel-Palestine I'll be working on a book I am writing about my own global learning experiences and what they've taught me about why our world is in such a dangerous mess and what must be done if our children and grandchildren are to have a future worth having. The working title I have assigned to the book is Our Children Will Not Forgive Us. Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent. He is author of Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews. He blogs at http://www.alanhart.net and tweets via http://twitter.com/alanauthor Tags Alan Hart Israel Zionism Palestine The Media Still Got It Wrong When It Reports On The Role It Played In The Rise Of Trump By Shaik Ubaid 07 April, 2016 Countercurrents.org New York: The media has finally started to focus on its own role in the rise of Donald Trump. The focus is still not sharp though. The question should be not on whether the media made Trump but it should be on whether the media helped create a climate which made the rise of Trump probable. For, if the latter is true then there will be more Trumps. The Wisconsin primary has kept the hope that Trump could be prevented from the nomination but the alternatives are not better. The moderate majority in the GOP stand no chance in the primaries where mostly the diehard core care to vote. The core has now become Islamophobic and xenophobic. Media helped Trump in two ways. It provided him with free publicity, 1.9 billion dollars worth of free publicity as Nicholas Kristoff pointed out in his self-flagellating article. More importantly it helped prepare the stage for the arrival of a Trumpeter, a demagogue such as Trump. The right ring media specially. While Trump is a narcissistic megalomaniac with psychopathic traits, he is good for America because he has finally forced the mainstream media to focus on the climate of hatred and fear spreading all across the country. As long as Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and even Jeb Bush were saying hateful things about Muslims and not against the much larger vote bank of Hispanics, Blacks and women, they were getting a free pass from the media. The mainstream media should have stood up to the Islamophobic rhetoric not only because it was their ethical duty to expose the demonization of the Muslim minority but also to douse the flame of hatred in its infancy. You cannot contain sectarian hatred against one group in a multiethnic country like the US; nor can the genie of hatred be put back into the bottle once it is out, I had told a reporter in 1993 when the Yusuf Bodansky led Republican Task Force on terrorism issued its report. The inflammatory and hysterical report stated that establishment of the Bosnian Republic is part of an Islamist conspiracy to conquer the West and that Bosnian forces themselves have massacred their Muslim civilians to gain world sympathy. But unfortunately the media, including the liberal media, largely has maintained its failure. Worse, it has actually contributed even more to the spread of fear after the rise of DAESH (ISIS). The brutality of DAESH and the implication of its rise are newsworthy events. But when the media does not give the context of its emergence or when it calls it The Islamic State, it helps foster a climate of fear against Muslims. When it does not cover the violence or the supremacist ideology of nonmuslim groups then it gives credence to the Islamophobic propaganda that there is something wrong with Islam itself. Religious extremism and the use of terrorism as a tactic are not limited to Muslim groups. The Buddhist 969 movement in Burma has been involved in ethnic cleansing and genocide and has widespread support. The Christian fringe Lord Resistance Army has kidnapped many times more people than Boko Haram. RSS, the Hindutva supremacist movement in India has been involved in anti Muslim pogroms as well as in the undermining of the secularism and rule of law in worlds largest democracy. Jewish terrorist groups led a successful campaign to establish Israel and even today the violent settler groups get millions of dollars from their supporters in the US every month. The secular Tamil Tigers who had mostly Hindu and Christian members were the most successful suicide bombers who killed Sri Lankas Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa and Indias former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Yet only Muslim terrorist groups get overwhelmingly disproportionate coverage and many times it is provided without giving any context. Mainstream Muslims, who have been the primary victims of Muslim terrorist groups and thus both for moral as well as reasons of self defense, are fighting against these groups, are made out to be sympathetic to terrorism. When an insane woman chopped off the head of a child and walked around carrying the head, proclaiming to be a prophet, she got sensational coverage in the Western media as a Muslim. It is therefore only natural that the number of Americans who fear Islam and their fellow Muslim citizens is growing every year as the yearly poll by the Pew Foundation shows. When a country is going through a tectonic demographic shift its population gets insecure enough to yearn for a strong leader. Same phenomenon takes place when it is beset with economic uncertainty. When both these factors work together it becomes very easy for a demagogue to rise to power. America has been in economic decline for years. The Middle class has been shrinking and the income gap is rising steadily. 2010 was the first year when more nonwhite children were born in the US than White babies, and this trend will only accelerate. The influx of immigrants especially Hispanics and the election of a black man as the President has stoked fears in the minds of White middle and lower classes which has seen their economic condition worsen. The conditions in the US were ripe for scapegoating. Muslims were made the main scapegoat. Any student of history could have predicted the rise of White insecurity but the media bosses did not see the impending perfect storm or they did not care. The fears of the White middle and lower classes are natural instincts that are hardwired in the social DNA of human beings. While the media cannot be held responsible for the population shift or the economic stagnation, it must be blamed for not anticipating the rise of demagoguery. If it had then it would have been more careful in not contributing to the xenophobia. The media has an obligation to practice overcaution if and when needed. What was needed at this critical time was a visionary and pragmatic political leadership. Instead we got a partisan and dogmatic one from the Republican side and a timid one from the Democratic side. Since the time of Bill Clinton, when he put his party on the path towards the center, the party had lost its appeal for the blue collar segment. Consequently, there were no visionary consensus plans to set the national priorities right by focusing on building infrastructure, supporting education and reforming healthcare. Educating the masses that immigration is an engine for the economy in an aging population and not a siphon draining the resources, was not attempted. Concrete measures to cap corporate greed were never undertaken. The fear mongering by the corporate media, especially the Right wing radio talk shows and tabloids as well as Fox News added sensationalism to this volatile mix. This started a vicious cycle. The fear level kept increasing as did the mistrust of the liberals by the blue collar Whites. It became impossible to build national consensus to take some tough political decisions. The fears of the lower middle income White male were soon to be directed towards another other- the Moslems. Terrorism and not economy was soon to made the most important election campaign issue in the Republican side. The security establishment and the neoconservatives made this happen with ample help from Muslim terrorists. Even as the tolerance level continued to dip to critically low levels, the military industrial complex kept up its efforts to preserve its share of the national budget and national power. After the fall of the evil empire, the Soviet Union, it needed a new super threat. AlQaeda, Iran and ISIS obliged them. Never mind the fact it was the American policy failures that led to the rise of Khomeini and Bin Laden. But the logical solution -policy correction to solve the problem - was made out to be a weakness of the spineless liberal mind. It was here that the political leadership and the institution whose job was to keep the political leadership accountable- the media- that failed the nation again. American political system in which lobbying plays such a dominant role has inherent flaws. Many of the special interests that have tremendous influence in Washington had developed a concordance of their interests - over blowing the threat to the US from ISIS. The military industrial establishment was joined by the neoconservatives who considered that after the fall of the Soviet Union, time was ripe to annex the West Bank and send the Palestinians to Jordan. The neoconservatives are not religious fanatics but supporters of secular ultranationalist parties like the Likud which believed that for security reasons and for the future growth of the nation, Israel needs the West Bank. The neoconservatives even prepared a position paper, A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm to help Netanyahu in his election campaign in the late 1990s. They were the one who pushed Bush 43rd into invading Iraq, promising him that the Iraqis will welcome the troops with flowers and Bush would go down in history or rather live forever in history as the father of a democratic Middle East. While the neocons are secular, the evangelical Zionists are religious fanatics who needed a greater Israel for Jesus to return and eradicate both Jews and Muslims along with the pagans. A climate of economic and ethnic insecurity was deliberately transferred into a climate of Islamophobia by the multimillion dollar Islamophobia industry as shown in the report, Fear, Inc. 2.0 by the American Center for Progress. Islam was first equated to Salafism after Salafism was branded by the derogatory term of Wahabism and Wahabism was equated to terror. Then all Muslims were equated to terrorists. Even thousands of terrified refugees fleeing genocide in Syria were projected as the vanguard of an Islamic army or members of sleeping cells In November 2010, an anti-war conference had pointed out that hatred is being converted into fear. Fear is a primordial instinct that can evoke a self preservation reflex and lead to the eradication of the threat. In the past Irish, Italian and Jews had faced hatred but Native American savages resisting colonization were feared. President Andrew Jackson proclaimed that the only dead Indian is a good Indian. Native Americans were almost wiped off. Sadly, six years later it can be said that while the fear of Muslims by White America is unfounded in its level, the fears of Muslim Americans are well founded thanks to the efforts of the Islamophobia industry and the Republican leadership. This did not have to happen if the mainstream media had done its job. The mainstream Salafi groups focus on having a Salafi government such as the Saudi government in place to have a source of funding and security for their efforts to peacefully purify Islam from what they consider as "corrupt practices of worshipping dead and living saints". The Salafi militant extremists on the other hand have completely different aims liberate, liberate and liberate: to liberate the Holy land from the corrupt and immoral rule of the House of Saud, to liberate the holy land of the distant mosque from the Zionist colonizers and to liberate the Muslim countries from their current rulers the corrupt stooges of the West or the East (Earlier USSR and now Russia). They made an alliance with Islamic nationalists like the Taliban and the fringe Islamists like the Hizbut Tahrir (HT). HT which is the main source of the English recruits for Daesh, believes that democracy is evil and the panacea for the ills of the ummah (Muslim nation) which is suffering humiliation, is in the reconstruction of a strong Caliphate which will liberate and protect the Muslim lands. All three groups do not care about the West and its immodest lifestyle, contrary to the pronouncements by right wing pundits in the US. These three groups are the constituents of the Sunni militants who employ terrorism as a tactic of shock and awe. Then there are the Shia nationalists/ expansionists who are led by the messianic ayatollahs of Iran who try their best to create conditions conducive for their hidden Imam to reappear and lead the world in its final days. They too care nothing for the immodest lifestyle of the Western world Yet even the liberal media, in the name of fairness, gave ample opportunity to the Islamophobes to brainwash American people . Bigots kept chanting Muslims attacked us because they hate our lifestyle They are after the 72 houris in Paradise. Quran teaches its followers to kill all the infidels. Even liberal comedians like Bill Mahr joined in this crusade to demonize Islam. Hardly anyone in the mainstream media pointed out that there are female suicide bombers and no, they are not lesbians who fantasize about houris. Hardly anyone raised the question that when the Muslims were the sole super power and were ruling by the Sharia law in the medieval times and could have eradicated Jews and Christians and later Hindus from the lands they were ruling, they did no such thing. So why would they want to do it now? No one pointed out that fringe violent extremism is not a new phenomenon, that it is present in all religions. No one point out the reassuring fact that throughout history the Muslim mainstream had defeated their violent fringe every time it appeared. In this three way melee between the unholy triumvirate of the Sunni extremists; the Shia messianic forces; and the Western triumvirate of the military industrial complex, the neoconservatives and the evangelical fundamentalists; and their allies the opportunist politicians; the media did not do its investigative reporting as well as it should have. This was the biggest failure of the media. It is where the media helped Trump the most by contributing to a climate where the birth of a Trump was made probable. It is high time that the moral leaders of the US, both faith based and non-faith based, launch a movement to save America from the fear peddlers who have taken over the Republican Party and not just from Donald Trump. Trump is a lesser evil when compared to another politician with psychopathic tendencies - Ted Cruz - because Cruz is a religious fanatic. The fanatics are much more dangerous than megalomaniacs who are just out to brand the world with their name. The fanatics work to force the change they want. It is high time that the mainstream media start to report fairly and responsibly. Expose not just Trump but Cruz and other bigots. Let the media treat Trump not as a disease but as a symptom. He can be useful. He can be used as a trumpet to wake the sleeping nation to the threat of rising bigotry. He should also be used as a thermometer to measure the fever of fratricidal hatred. His own tactic of branding must be used against him and he should be branded as the rectal thermometer; for this type of thermometer may be disgusting but is more accurate. Calling the purveyor of insults by such a name will be an appropriate and effective way of defeating bigotry and divisiveness in this war where manipulation of images and perception are being used as effective tactics. Dr. Shaik Ubaid is a political commentator, community organizer and a practicing neurologist. He is active in the inter-faith arena and recently presented a panel discussion at the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City on "Sharing the lessons from the intrAfaith struggles against extremism", where leaders of major religions shared their communities' struggle against extremism. He had also spoken at The Left Forum, the premier yearly gathering of progressive intellectuals and activists in the US This article first appeared in Daily O on April 7th SHARE FRANKLIN In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court decided by a 5-4 vote the landmark case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which ruled that individuals and corporations feeding money in "super" political action committees had no spending limits. Proponents like Terre Haute attorney Jim Bopp Jr. maintained that such limits violated the First Amendment's guaranteed right of free speech. Two years later in the Indiana U.S. Senate race, Hoosiers saw $50 million spill into the Republican primary between Sen. Dick Lugar and Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, and in Mourdock's general election showdown with Democrat Joe Donnelly. Of that $50 million, literally about five times the amount spent on any other Senate race in state history, some $30 million came in obfuscated fashion from Super PACs. If you live in Southern Indiana's 9th Congressional District, you get Exhibit B on the impacts of the Citizens United decision. Joseph Albert Hollingsworth III, who goes by "Trey", is a Tennessee carpetbagger who showed up in Jeffersonville last September, rending a posh apartment in a gated community. He registered to vote in October. His Republican campaign lists a local Post Office box as its headquarters. It has no publicly listed phone number or email address. A source did show me a check from "Trey For Congress Inc." listing a "228 S. Washington St., Ste 115, Alexandria, VA.," address. Usually, Indiana campaigns begin in Indiana. Joseph Albert III has loaned his campaign at least $680,000, and a murky Super PAC called Indiana Jobs Now has spent at least $200,000, assailing a rival candidate Attorney General Greg Zoeller with a dubious and inaccurate claim that he supported immigration "amnesty." He has virtually no Hoosier donors. Zoeller, who's spent the past seven years in office ardently combating consumer fraud, decided to call Hollingsworth a "political scam artist" during National Consumer Protection Week in March. "We were talking about the red flags associated with a scam," said Zoeller. "We've been warning, beware of the scam artist. If you show up from out of state, if you have no one who can give you a reference, if there are no bona fides, the red flag goes up. If the claim appears too good to be true, the red flag is going up. I've got a political scam artist here." "If you thought about running for Congress for a long time, you might have had an opportunity to create a super PAC with a much larger collection of donors," Zoeller continued. "If you show up in my state in September and write your check for $680,000, did the super PAC have any lead time? Or is there a very big supporter who wrote a very big check?" Clark County Republican Chairman and Sheriff Jamey Noel recalls receiving a call from young Joseph Albert III last fall, with the future candidate refusing to reveal his name. Last Tuesday, another 9th CD candidate, State Sen. Erin Houchin of Salem, tried to call Joseph Albert Hollingsworth III out. "I'm calling on Trey Hollingsworth to come clean on his shady attacks on Greg Zoeller," Houchin said while seated in a Franklin City Hall conference room. "These anonymous attacks aren't anonymous to Trey Hollingsworth. He knows who is behind them. Since Trey has no donors to his campaign, and no support in Indiana, it's unfathomable that his super PAC would be funded by anyone other than himself, his family, or his close associates. Trey Hollingsworth should immediately disclose whether or not he is funding these attacks out of his own pocket, or who is behind them." The problem is, it's a federal crime for an announced candidate to coordinate in any fashion with a super PAC, but I suspect it happens all the time. It's the biggest wink-wink, nod-nod in American politics. When State Sen. Mike Delph pondered a U.S. Senate bid last year, he told me that Bopp urged him not to declare his candidacy until after he had met with Washington super PACs. Going back the summer of 2011, it appeared that Mourdock, who was supported by Bopp, had information regarding Club For Growth polling and stated he expected outside help in his pending race against Lugar. So in the Mysterious 9th, we have a field that includes Zoeller, Houchin and State Sen. Brent Waltz, all of whom worked their way through the party ranks, attending dozens of county Lincoln dinners, marching in scores of parades, and attending local service clubs and churches. They now find themselves in a tossup race against a rich carpetbagger from Tennessee, who believes he can buy an Indiana congressional seat. Indiana Democratic Chairman John Zody tweeted, "It's ironic that INGOP candidates in the 9th CD are pressing one another to reveal funding sources when their party pushed Citizens United." Voters in the 9th CD now have the front row seat to what you could call an unintended consequence. This might be an excellent opportunity for a federal district attorney or a local prosecutor to explore the intents, limits and abuse of American election laws. In the meantime, between now and May 3, enjoy Joseph Albert Hollingsworth III's suspense drama. The columnist is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana at www.howeypolitics.com. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @hwypol. I've never quite grasped the phrase, "Straight from a horse's mouth," even though a portion of my childhood was devoted to watching the TV series "Mr. Ed." According to the fallible Internet, the phrase originated in the early 20th century near a racetrack, where a gambler sharing a tip on a race said something along the lines of, "I didn't get it straight from the horse's mouth, but it was jolly well the next thing to it." Over the years, I've received plenty of those types of tips at Ellis Park, Churchill Downs and elsewhere. Generally speaking, my reply should have been a simple "neigh." But when it comes to politics, there generally is no better endorsement than what you hear straight from, well, the horse's mouth even if you believe the candidate more resembles the south end of a northbound nag. That's why I'm a fan of debates when they're done well in determining who to support at the ballot box. It would be difficult to say that the long string of presidential debates on both the Republican and Democratic sides have done much to help winnow the fields. Too often, the candidates have spent more time insulting one another rather than conveying how they truly would govern. I'm hopeful we'll get more done in two upcoming debates that hit closer to home. First, on Monday, the Indiana Debate Commission I'm one of 19 voluntary board members for an organization that has no paid staff will host the Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate seat that Dan Coats will vacate. Congressmen Todd Young and Marlin Stutzman will answer questions in a one-hour program that will be broadcast live from public television station WFYI in Indianapolis beginning at 6 p.m. CDT. A live feed of the broadcast will be available to television stations statewide. Voters can submit questions for consideration through the IDC's website at www.IndianaDebateCommission.com. "We have taken questions from the public ever since our organization's first round of debates in 2008, and we are continuing that custom in this debate," IDC President Dan Byron, a founding board member of the nonpartisan group, said in a news release. "We strongly believe in our motto of 'Putting Voters First.' We want to know what voters consider to be important issues that candidates should address." The moderator will be Elizabeth Bennion, a professor of political science at Indiana University South Bend. Bennion hosts the weekly television show "Politically Speaking" on WNIT, the local public broadcasting station. The IDC is making plans for a series of senatorial and gubernatorial debates throughout the state before the November general election. We're working to have one of those in Evansville. A debate that will take place locally will come on April 27 when the Courier & Press puts on a program for the Republican candidates for Vanderburgh County commissioner. Brenda Bergwitz, Cheryl Musgrave and Alex Schmitt have agreed to a debate that will be held in the Browning Room at Central Library in Downtown Evansville. There will be limited seating, and a live-stream of the event will be offered (and archived) at courierpress.com. We participated along with broadcast partners in a mayoral debate between Lloyd Winnecke and Gail Riecken last year, and decided it would be a great voter service to continue to build on our Election Center coverage. Other media are invited to cover the event. The GOP commissioner debate will begin at 6 p.m. and should wrap up with closing statements around 7 p.m. (though by live-streaming we have the ability to shorten or extend the program as needed). Each candidate has one minute per answer and also will have the ability to ask one question to another candidate. Veteran newsman John Gibson of WNIN public radio will be our moderator. Questions are being determined by our Election Center team, with the public invited to make suggestions at letters@courierpress.com. We chose the commissioner race because, very early, it developed as the most contentious, pitting a true conservative in Bergwitz, a political veteran in Musgrave and a newcomer with local party backing. We're also working on a universal meet-and-greet style event for candidates in all races and certainly will follow through with more opportunities for the general election. Debates can shape who crosses the finish line first. I got that straight from the horse's mouth. Tim Ethridge is editor of the Courier & Press. You can email him at tim.ethridge@courierpress.com and follow him on Twitter at @ECP_TimEthridge. SHARE The Rev. Kevin Flemming of First Presbyterian Church will portray Mark Twain in "A Pen Warmed Up in Hell: A Public Lecture by Mark Twain." Photo by Van Camp Images By Bradie Gray The Rev. Kevin Scott Fleming attended his first Mark Twain reading when he was in the eighth grade and has been a fan of the comedic writer ever since. "After seeing Hal Hobrook perform as Twain for the first time, I went home and started reading every Twain piece I could get my little hands on," Fleming said. To share the joy his favorite writer brings him, Fleming is hosting "A Pen Warmed Up in Hell: A Public Lecture by Mark Twain" at 7 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, where he has been a pastor for 17 years. "I discovered, through my children growing up, that they weren't exposed to very much of him besides the fact that they knew there was an award given to comedians named after him. That just doesn't cut it for me," Fleming said. "One of my daughters brought home Huckleberry Finn, and I started reciting the first chapter to her. She asked why I knew this, and I told her that it was the greatest American novel ever written." Not wanting to duplicate Holbrook's famed characterization, Fleming went looking for material that spoke to the present day in powerful ways. The first half of the lecture is focused on comedic stories. The second half allows the audience to meet Twain as a social critic. The script has been under research and writing for nearly two years. "The stuff he wrote over a hundred years ago sounds like it was written yesterday," Fleming said. "He had a little article about running for president that I'm going to do that is so spot on to what is going on today." Fleming will be the only lecturer, and he plans to dress up in hair and makeup to fully represent Twain. "I hope everybody will have fun," he said. "Twain was always afraid to perform in a church because he was always scared he wouldn't make anyone laugh. Luckily, I've been making people laugh in this church for 17 years." The event is free but organizers are suggesting a $10 donation with proceeds going toward the Summer Scholarship Fund for the Choir School of First Presbyterian Church. SHARE EVENTS St. Meinrad Archabbey: will offer confession times Saturday and April 16, 23, 30, May 7 and 14 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and Sunday and April 17, 24, May 1, 8 and 15 from 8:15-9:15 a.m. Confession will be available at the chapel in the Archabbey Guest House. Rummage Sale: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 3600 Oak Hill Road. Bag sale Saturday at 2 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be available for purchase. All proceeds will go toward youth and mission work. Rummage Sale: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Salem United Methodist Church, 6311 Kratzville Road. Sack sale from noon to 1 p.m. Rummage Sale: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 6400 Oak Hill Road. This is a fundraiser for youth mission trips. Baked goods will be available. Dinner and Auction: Saturday at Patoka United Methodist Church, 104 NE Mill St. Dinner at 4:30 p.m. (adults, $7; ages 10 and younger, $4); auction at 5:30 p.m. Call 812-779-3693. Johnson Temple Church of God In Christ: 216 N. Fourth Ave. will celebrate its 62nd church anniversary at 3 p.m. Sunday. Lenten Study: "Living the Questions 2.0" at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 6400 Oak Hill Road. "Out into the World: Challenges Facing Progressive Christians" will be discussed at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. After the Resurrection Spring Revival: 5 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 p.m. Monday-Tuesday at Cleaves Memorial CME Church, 650 Line St. Center for Congregations Workshop: "Guidelines for a Fruitful Ministry" presented Gary McIntosh, author, speaker and consultant on church growth, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary and John Parish, 613 Cherry St. The cost is $30 per person ($25 per person for congregational teams of three or more registered together). The fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and a copy of McIntosh's book, "What Every Pastor Should Know: 101 Indispensable Rules of Thumb for Leading Your Church." To register, call 812-618-2012 or visit centerforcongregations.org. Flea Market and Vendor Fair: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 16 at St. Peter's United Methodist Church, 2800 St. Phillips Road. Food will be available. Rummage/Craft/Vendor Sale: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 16 at Bethel United Church of Christ, 3029 N. Green River Road. There will be food available for purchase and a bake sale. Sisters of St. Benedict Program: "Psalms: Prayers of the Heart" 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 16 at the Benedictine Hospitality Center at Kordes Hall on the grounds of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. Presenter will be Sister Louise Laroche. Cost is $30. Registration deadline is Wednesday. For more information or to register, call 800-880-2777, or 812-367-1411, ext. 2915, or visit www.thedome.org/programs. Saint Meinrad Archabbey Library Gallery: St. Meinrad, an exhibit of paintings by Kentucky artist Jim Cantrell, through April 29 (free). For library hours, call 812-357-6401 or 800-987-7311, or visit saintmeinrad.edu/library/hours/. Teaching from the Book of Revelation: 11 a.m. every Sunday until completion at Church of God of Prophecy, 3407 Bellemeade Ave. Speaker is Bishop William Gaddis (free). Call 812-459-2359. The Mighty Acts of God in Zion: The Storyline of the Bible: 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays in the fellowship hall of St. Ananias Orthodox, 4411 Washington Ave. Old Friendship Church Celebrate Recovery Program: 7 p.m. on Fridays at Oak Hill Christian Center, 4901 Oak Hill Road. Traditional Roman Catholic Latin Mass: 3 p.m. every Sunday at St. Paul's Chapel, 629 E. Louisiana St. Music Spring Gospel Concert: featuring Le'Andria Johnson, Wess Morgan and James Fortune & FIYA, 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Baptist Church, 645 Canal St. (Tickets are $25, $30, $35 and $50). Call 812-422-7676. Doors open at 6 p.m. meals Chicken and ham dinner: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 5301 Daylight Drive. Menu will include fried chicken or ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade chicken and dumplings, homemade slaw, green beans, corn, dessert and drink Cost is $9.50 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and younger. Carryouts available. There will also be a country store with baked goods. SHARE By Brian Bosma And Gordon Hendry, Special to the Courier & Press Teachers are one of Indiana's most critical resources, touching the lives of thousands of students and shaping the future of our state. Unfortunately, we know from recent teacher licensing data that fewer and fewer Hoosiers are choosing the teaching profession. This session we seized the opportunity to incentivize the best and brightest Hoosier students to enter and stay in Indiana classrooms. The Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, which was signed into law on March 22, will begin issuing scholarships in the fall of 2017. Each year, a maximum of 200 graduating high school students will be awarded scholarships to receive up to $30,000 over four years for tuition to attend accredited colleges and universities in Indiana. Eligible students must have demonstrated success in academics, including high grades and SAT/ACT scores and well-rounded activity participation. Scholarship recipients will commit to teaching for at least five years in Hoosier public or private classrooms. This legislation received nearly unanimous support in both chambers of the General Assembly. Most importantly, lawmakers appropriated $10.5 million for the program in a non-budget year to establish, fund and promote the scholarships a clear signal that our state's policymakers are committed to supporting our schools, educators and students. This proposal was truly a bipartisan effort with input and broad-based support from lawmakers, education experts and organizations including the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Chamber, a coalition of Indiana colleges and universities, Indiana State Teachers Association, the Indiana Catholic Conference and Stand for Children. We believe this program reflects the way Hoosiers tackle our toughest problems with common sense solutions. Working together, we came up with a plan that will have a dramatic effect on the future of K-12 education. Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) is the Indiana House Speaker and author of House Enrolled Act 1002. Gordon Hendry is a Democratic member of the Indiana State Board of Education. Nerdism Chad Roberts, owner About 10 years ago I decided I didnt like working for somebody else and thought it would be a good idea to go out on my own. It started with me and one other guy, and in the second year I bought out my business partner. We have grown and grown from there. Now we are in a big shop in the homemaker centre and I have four techs. We repair and sell and do all the rest of it, and we also have a corporate side that does managed services. About three years ago the Leading Edge store closed and I saw the opportunity. I used to work for a Leading Edge store when I was 18 and knew how good they are. The way things are going with the market over the next few years, you need to be associated with somebody and I see Leading Edge as really well run youve got everyone there at your disposal without having to pay thousands. I helped them start Smart Choice Tech Repairs for mobile phones and thats going quite well. Im operational manager and help the stores set up and get going. FACT FILE Headcount 5 5 Established 2006 2006 Director Chad Roberts Chad Roberts Main vendors Toshiba, Lenovo, Acer, Leader Phoenix IT Ryan Bilsby, managing director I started the business in my last year of university in 1996. Id been working for the man since I was 12, so thought Id see if I could do it myself. The business was able to sustain itself and I won a Telstra Young Business Achiever Award in 2001, slowly growing from there. I started off doing technical and network support, but my core trade is software engineering. We have two sides to the business IT support and software development, which is writing software, dynamic websites and now apps. We are generally a Microsoft shop but support Apple devices too. We do high-level networking when required and are getting more referrals from eastern state companies that subcontract to us, plus we do internet connections for AAPT and Optus. We do more and more cloud stuff, but it is more educating clients about what it means and what the real impacts are, especially being regional and not having the bandwidth that the capital cities have. FACT FILE Headcount 6 6 Established 1996 1996 Director Ryan Bilsby Ryan Bilsby Main vendor Microsoft IVC Computer Services Ian Chen, director I started IVC in 1991. Weve grown from there to be 13 of us now. We have a two divisions. IVC is retail and we have our corporate division, offering data back-ups, cloud services and disaster recovery. There is potential growth in data backup and disaster recovery. The break and fix work is dying because computers are so cheap now. The future looks pretty bleak for selling computers, because the volumes arent there and nor are the margins. You have to think ahead, otherwise you would just walk away. Weve got good and loyal staff working for us. You cant just sell things and forget it if you cant support it. Bunbury is a small town everybody knows everybody, particularly on the corporate side. FACT FILE The Sydney Grammar School has banned students from bringing laptops to his school, despite a growing bring-your-own-device market in the education sector. Principal John Vallance told The Australian that using devices in the classroom was a distraction. We find that having laptops or iPads in the classroom inhibit conversation its distracting, Vallance told The Australian. If youre lucky enough to have a good teacher and a motivating group of classmates, it would seem a waste to introduce anything thats going to be a distraction from the benefits that kind of social context will give you. Vallance also took aim at the Rudd-Gillard governments $2.4 billion digital education initiative used to buy laptops for high school students, calling it a scandalous waste of money. It didnt really do anything except enrich Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard and Apple, Vallance said. Theyve got very powerful lobby influence in the educational community. Sydney Grammar students still have access to computers in the schools labs and can use laptops for homework, but are required to handwrite assignments until year 10. The prestigious Sydney school charges a $32,644 annual tuition fee and regularly leads in national literacy and numeracy tests. Australian cybersecurity vendor Nuix has announced that its data analysis aided investigators in breaking the Panama Papers this week. Journalists from German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists worked for over a year to uncover the inner-workings of secretive Panama-based financial company Mossack Fonesca. The leaked papers reveal some of the world's most rich and famous that have hidden their money in offshore tax havens. The investigation sparked from an anonymous leak of 11.5 million documents, totalling 2.6TB of data. Sydney-headquartered Nuix donated its big data analysis software Investigator Workstation to investigators in order to work through the massive data trove in a reasonable timeframe. The software allows users to analyse data in various formats in a single interface and search for relevant terms and information from millions of documents. A Nuix consultant also advised investigators on hardware configurations and workflows during the investigation, but had no direct access to the trove of data. Nuix technology was an indispensable part of our work on the Panama Papers investigation, as it has been with Offshore Leaks and many of our other in-depth investigative stories, said ICIJ director Gerard Ryle. Nuix director of eDiscovery products Angela Bunting said the vendor has worked with investigators for the past 10 to 12 years, but did not realise how large the Panama Paper leak was. We were given the opportunity to not be involved but provide software, unaware of what we were engaging with but knew we were working for the greater good, said Bunting. An investigation of this kind may have taken years for journalists to scratch the surface otherwise. Founded in Sydney in 2000, Nuix has an office in the UK, Ireland, Germany and four US locations. Its reseller partners in Australia include KPMG and Redeye Forensics. People that dob in the use of unlicensed software by Australian business will get up to $20,000 reward from BSA The Software Alliance - four times the previous $5,000 reward. The reward applies for leads on the illegal copying or use of software that belongs to BSA members, which includes Adobe, Apple, CA, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and Symantec. In 2015, IDC research revealed that the higher the unlicensed PC software rate in a country, the more malware was generally registered. A recent study by the Australian Cyber-Security Centre revealed that 56 percent of respondents have increased the investment on cybersecurity in the last 12 months. BSA senior director Roland Chan said: With cybercrime rising in Australia, its now more crucial than ever for organisations to introduce a formal policy on licensed software use to create the best possible security to protect them from infringement and cyber-theft. Reward payments will be made 30 days after the BSA members obtain a judgement or out-of-court settlement. Potential recipients must provide assistance and evidence to support the information provided. Last year Western Australia was the state with the highest number of software piracy settlements by businesses. BSA said the majority of offenders were in the manufacturing industry. Microsoft has recently launched a campaign to encourage people to anonymously report Australian businesses selling software that is not genuine. The campaign stresses the financial loss resellers face when competing with the illegal software market. Following the massive 2.6 terabyte leak from the Panamanian corporate service provider and legal firm Mossack Fonseca, a sentiment emerges among security professionals assessing the wreckage at the secretive company. In addition to the unsettling practices that the firm appears to have engaged in, the sheer volume of data released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' Panama Papers brings a startling awareness of the potential damage of weak information security practices to a legal firm and its clients. The dizzying quantity of data contained in the Panama Papers dwarfs the data released through Wikileaks by approximately 1,500 times. The files include more than 11.5 million confidential documents, 4.8 million emails, three million database records, and 2.1 million PDF files. The full list of companies is expected to be released early next month. The leaked documents were released less than a week after a report of the federal investigation that brought the cybersecurity practices of US law firms Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP into the limelight. A question lingers: will law firms' weak cyber practices begin to shift following these startling examples? The two incidents should catch law firms' attention, a cybersecurity professional, who wanted to remain anonymous, told SCMagazine.com. Based on the amount of data that was reportedly exfiltrated from Mossack Fonseca, SAS director of cyber strategy Christopher F. Smith projected that the organization probably didn't have DLP (data loss prevention). After you were in inside the perimeter, you basically had access to the keys to the kingdom. Several security pros agreed, noting that the leaks underscore the lack of preparedness among legal firms regarding insider threats. In a similar vein, intelligence agencies abruptly learned this painful lesson after the Snowden revelations almost three years ago. The Panama Papers leak appears to show just how critical it is that firms safeguard their information, not just from external forces, but also from inside adversaries,, said Ari Juels, professor at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute and member of the Cornell Tech Security Group, in comments sent via email to SCMagazine.com. In general, it's difficult to create systems and policies that strike an appropriate balance between enablement of legitimate whistleblowing and protection against outright theft of data. Mossak Fonseca has now become a poster child for the shortcomings of widely relied upon security solutions, wrote Seclore chief executive Vishal Gupta, in an email to SCMagazine.com. Unless data-centric security solutions capable of persistently controlling use of documents are in place, there is very little likelihood Mossak Fonseca, or any data breach victim, can remediate the damage done from this incident. Organizations must get away from this old-school thinking of Inside good, outside bad,' said Smith at SAS. That doesn't exist anymore. If users want to keep something confidential, don't put it on a computer specifically one connected to the Internet, warned Dodi Glenn, vice president of cybersecurity at PC Pitstop. The very second you do that, you can assume the data can be purloined. The incident may prompt long-term repercussions that extend beyond the walls of Mossack Fonseca's worldwide offices and the properties of its ultra-rich clients. Mark Sangster, vice president of marketing at eSentire believes the leak may trigger a new regulatory landscape for law firms. We're seeing many cases of insider data breaches that involve leaking sensitive data for front running trades or more malicious intent, he said. Until now, the legal industry has generally operated within a loose set of cyber security guidelines. However quickly, we expect to see hardline compliance rules and fines come to firms with sub-standard cyber security defenses in the future. That is a failure, said Smith. If you can move 2.6 terabytes into or out of an organization, it is a problem. This article originally appeared at scmagazineus.com A researcher at Vulnerability Lab claimed to have discovered a pass code bypass vulnerability in iOS 9.3.1-enabled iPhone 6S and 6S iPhone Plus devices which use the 3D Touch feature. Benjamin Kunz Mejri discovered the vulnerability that allows local attackers to bypass the physical device protection mechanism of the iPhones 6s and plus models, according to a 5 April Full Disclosure mailing list archive. An attack reportedly requires a low privileged iOS device user account and no user interaction in order to exploit. Researchers estimated the vulnerability rating would be high with an estimated 6.1 exploitation on the common vulnerability scoring system. If exploited, the bug could result in unauthorised access a user's contacts, photos, text and picture messages, emails, and phone settings. A source at Apple told SCMagazine.com that the vulnerability has already been patched without user interaction and is no longer exploitable. Skycure was unable to reproduce the exploit, company chief technology officer Yair Amit told SCMagazine.com via emailed comments, but said this wasn't the first time an exploit like this has been reported. The vulnerability was similar to another alleged iOS bypass bug reported by that the security firm earlier this month that claimed to leverage Siri to gain unauthorised access to a device. NSFOCUS International Business's chief research analyst - principal engineer Stephen Gates - told SCMagazine.com in emailed comments that vulnerabilities are not going away anytime soon. If every vulnerability had to be found before an operating system or application was launched or updated, nothing would ever be released, Gates said. This article originally appeared at scmagazineus.com Women in Technology QLD (WiT) and Diverse City Careers (DCC) have partnered to raise awareness on gender equality across IT and life sciences. Through events, digital campaigns, joint research projects, and familiarising with the community's needs, WiT and DCC hope to educate more people about gender inequality women face. Their first project together will be STEMed, a one day event with interactive workshops for families, sessions on 3D printing, information about startups, gaming, coding, drones, robotics and more. WiT will be hosting the event and DCC is promoting it through its network. STEMed will be held in Brisbane on the 29 May. DCC director and co-founder Valeria Ignatieva said: "What we are doing for this event is helping to promote it, for example, there are a lot of women who subscribe to our newsletter who will be reached." A previous event created by DCC in partnership with the Tech Girls Movement, The Superhero Daughter Day, aimed at girls from one to seven years old sold out in two weeks, according Ignatieva. Ignatieva told CRN that partnerships like this are very important and they would not be able to reach as many people working alone. "It is through our partnerships that we can amplify our efforts to help organisations build more inclusive workplaces and for women to pursue rewarding careers across any industry," said Ignatieva. WiT president Fiona Hayes said: "Addressing the diversity agenda takes the combined efforts of many. Our vision is to advance, connect and empower women in technology and life sciences and were excited about collaborating with DCC to achieve greater outcomes for both our communities." WiT was founded in 1997 with just 10 women and now has passed 3,500 members and affiliates. WiT programs are aimed at all career levels. DCC promotes gender equality through its jobs board, which requires companies to be pre-qualified in order to advertise. Some of the qualification points include focus on diversity and inclusion, and holders of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency Employer of Choice for Gender Equality qualify automatically. Other points it analyses are support for women within the organisation, how balanced is the recruiting panel, remuneration, reward and recognition systems. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has nabbed Macquarie Telecom for failing to upload customer information to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND). The database is an industry-wide collection of all listed and unlisted public telephone numbers managed by Telstra. Under the Telecommunications Act 1997, providers are required to provide the public numbers of their customers to the IPND. The IPND is used by law enforcement and emergency services to respond to emergency calls. It includes public numbers, names of customers and the name of their services provider. ACMA found that out of MacTels 1.4 million services in operation, 142,499 of them from 1272 customers did not have accurate records. Out of the unreported records, 130,883 of those services were ported from other providers, who customer details had not been re-entered into the IPND by MacTel. Another 11,616 services had no IPND record at all. CRN understands the link MacTel used to update customer details to the IPND using a third-party provider failed, meaning Telstra never received any updates. Since identifying the problem, we have worked to identify where and how we can improve our processes and systems, and worked closely with ACMA to ensure they are satisfied with our proposed responses, said MacTel national executive Matt Healy. We believe that the additional processes we have put in place will ensure that there is no further incident with our IPND processes. ACMA noted that MacTel coorperated fully during the investigation and has since initiated improvements following the findings. Failure by a telco to provide customer information to the IPND is an issue that the ACMA takes very seriously, particularly given emergency service organisations rely on it to respond to calls to triple zero, said acting ACMA chairman Richard Bean. MacTel reported a $2 million net profit for the half year ending 31 December 2015, and revenue up from $95 million to $100.1 million. Its telco business only operates in the business and government markets, and does not service the residential market. Networking News Telecom Turmoil: Solution Providers Place Their Bets As Carrier Churn Rocks The Industry Gina Narcisi Share this J.R. Vernick co-founded RDS Solutions 11 years ago to help customers navigate what was even then a "challenging and frustrating" telecom market. So is he surprised at how turbulent it is today, with some carriers eyeing the sale of their once-prized data center assets? Not one bit. "If you were only working with carriers, you weren't doing a good job," said Vernick. "They aren't the right play for every client." Even though large carriers account for about one-half of RDS Solutions' sales, the Clifton, N.J.-based company is finding increasing success with tier-two cloud providers. [Related: 10 Signs Of Telecom Turmoil] "The small providers can be more nimble," said Vernick. These fast-moving cloud service providers are winning over solution providers by offering access to top cloud services technical talent and sales support along with robust recurring revenue commissions. That's in sharp contrast to the single-digit margins provided by carriers attempting to compete in the cloud services market with the likes of Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. Amid the carrier churn, Vernick recognizes the potential threat of lower cloud commissions if a carrier's data center assets are sold to a company that is not channel-friendly. Click image for full-sized view. "If one provider is selling off a base of business that the partner is being compensated on, that's always a potential concern," he said. "That's why you have to hope that whoever is buying [those assets] is channel-friendly." Also amid the chaos is the emergence of a new breed of solution provider: strategic service providers, which are building their business by driving a higher percentage of sales from recurring revenue cloud services. Many of these strategic service providers also are taking a pass on building their own data centers and are instead establishing relationships with regional service providers or global service providers. A survey by The Channel Company, the parent of CRN, shows that 42 percent of strategic service providers have a relationship with a local or regional service provider, while 53 percent have a relationship with a global or national provider (see chart above). "We will never have our own data centers," said one solution provider executive who participated in the survey. "We don't want to compete with Microsoft and Amazon. Having your own data center was a great model about 10 years ago." Moving On Out Windstream, Little Rock, Ark., was one of the first carriers to move out of the data center space, selling its data center and colocation business to data center operator TierPoint in November 2015 for $575 million. "It takes so much capital to run the data centers, so the telecoms of the world are getting back to their roots. In the future, the cloud companies are the ones that will be selling cloud," said Jason Dishon, Windstream's channel chief and vice president of channel sales and operations. With the sale of the data centers, Windstream has revamped its channel program to give partners serving enterprise business customers access to more resources and dedicated support. Windstream's channel program now includes dedicated sales engineering, support, and order coordination and management resources in the form of tools and support staff. Verizon, for its part, bought highly respected cloud service provider Terremark in 2011 for $1.4 billion. Five years later, the Basking Ridge, N.J.-based company said it was closing its public cloud business effective April 12. The company urged users to migrate to its pricier Virtual Private Cloud offering or find another cloud alternative. The exit came after Verizon CFO Fran Shammo told Wall Street analysts that the company was eyeing selling its data centers in what he called an "exploratory exercise." He said Verizon was evaluating whether its data center assets were more valuable inside or outside its portfolio. Should the carrier decide to leave the data center space, it will continue to offer private cloud services for enterprise customers, said Dan Jablonski, director of IT solutions product management at Verizon Enterprise Solutions. "Ultimately, the infrastructure at the bottom only matters so much. What matters is the business outcome from the applications that run on top of it," said Jablonski. "At this stage, chasing after Amazon and Google and Microsoft from a public cloud perspective is a fool's errand and we aren't interested in it anymore." Verizon, however, is interested in stepping up its channel push and recently rolled out a Value Added Distributor Program that includes Synnex, aimed at helping the telecom giant sell its networking, security and managed servicesstarting with its Rapid Response Retainer offeringto more traditional solution provider partners. Like Verizon, Monroe, La.-based CenturyLink made a big cloud services bet five years ago with the acquisition of hosting giant Savvis for $2.5 billion. At the time, CenturyLink CEO Glen Post said he viewed the deal as a game-changer combining Savvis' managed hosting and co-location with the CenturyLink network. Fast forward to November 2015, when Post said CenturyLink would be exploring options for its data center operations and colocation business that could include the sale of some or all of its data center facilities. "For partners and for us, it's not about the product," said Blake Wetzel, vice president of CenturyLink's Channel Alliance program. "It's about facilitating the workload in the right cloud environmentwhether it's in our environment, or in AWS, or [Microsoft] Azure, for example." CenturyLink is also beefing up its security footprint with the acquisition last month of security firm netAura to bolster its managed security services portfolio. The Carrier Identity Crisis Though successful in their own core telecom services, the carriers' cloud services divisions have had a harder time gaining traction in the channel. As a result, some of the telecom giants are suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. Once the cloud services market began to heat up, carriers saw a big opportunity to buy these highfliers and tie together the telecom PBX and data network into a unified cloud voice/data network. But pulling off that vision as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and even Google are engaged in a vicious cloud infrastructure price war has left the carriers scrambling for higher ground. In the midst of the carrier fallout, Google has continued to aggressively build out a global data center infrastructure. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company has four cloud regions worldwidecompared with 12 for Seattle-based Amazon Web Servicesbut is preparing to open new regions this year in Oregon and Japan, Bloomberg reported in late March. By the end of 2017, Google is planning to build or lease facilities in an additional 10 regions worldwide, according to Bloomberg. Solution providers see Google's data center building campaign as a sign that Diane Greene, the co-founder and former CEO of VMware who joined Google in November as senior vice president of enterprise business, is serious about raising the vendor's profile in the enterprise cloud space. "Google is absolutely making the right move by launching additional cloud regions," Tim Wagner, president of the commercial business unit at DMI, a Bethesda, Md.-based Google partner, told CRN. "The majority of our largest customers have a global footprint and require local cloud access based on the criticality of their cloud-based infrastructure." The New Class Of Cloud Service Providers Evolve IP, a Wayne, Pa.-based cloud service provider, is an example of the emerging class of tier-two, niche cloud players winning over solution providers. Evolve IP owns six data centers scattered throughout the Midwest and focuses its contact-center-as-a-service and cloud computing offerings squarely on midmarket customers. "We have a niche support model around cloud...we don't even attempt to compete with the large cloud providers," said Scott Kinka, chief technology officer and founding partner of Evolve IP. Carriers struggle to compete in the cloud space because they can't outspend the market heavyweights, but they also aren't structured for the supportive, high-touch relationship with their customers that more agile cloud service providers and their partners are bringing to the table, Kinka said. The new class of cloud service providers such as Evolve IP provide partners with high-level pre- and post-sales support and technical services. It's not about simply selling space in a rack, Kinka said. For its part, Peak 10, a Cisco Powered IaaS provider, owns 27 data centers and is looking to pick up more real estate by the end of the year as business grows, according to Steve Harris, senior vice president of national alliances for Peak 10, Charlotte, N.C. The cloud service provider sells both directly and through its channel of partners, with indirect sales accounting for about 40 percent of revenue. That scale is tilting rapidly in favor of the channel, however, Harris said. Carriers aren't equipped to cater to partners to the extent that a smaller cloud service provider can, said Scott Lee, vice president of channels for Matrix IBS, a Columbia, S.C.-based cloud service provider. In fact, the biggest differentiator for the tier-two cloud players is that elevated level of support and sales assistance, Lee said. "Customers have told us that they don't think these larger carriers really hear what they are asking for, and that's what's causing so many partners and customers to say, We're done with the big guys on the compute side because unless we're a large enterprise, they don't want to spend the resources on us,'" he said. Only those cloud service providers capable of guaranteeing a specific level of support are going to be left standing in the end, said Neely Loring, president of Matrix IBS. "What the big carriers are incapable of doing is being agile enough to give people what they really want to buy, and that's the experience around cloud," Loring said. Matrix IBS owns its own data center in South Carolina located near its headquarters and also leases space in two third-party data centers in Milwaukee and Phoenix for geographic diversity. Loring believes that the cloud is becoming less about the technology and more about the support, Loring said. "No matter how cool the data center is, it doesn't really matter if you don't have a partner in practice," Loring said. Service-level agreements and how much support customers can expect if they run into a problem are key, according to Loring. "The question of where the data center is and who owns it probably comes up about 15 percent of the time," he said. Meanwhile, MetTel, New York, has a large base of data center operator customers. MetTel provides connectivity to many regional data center facilities. "With carriers getting out of this space, we might actually see an increase in what we are selling to these [regional] data centers," said Dave Mitchell, vice president of sales, agent channel for MetTel. "For a lot of customers making the transition to the cloud, they like to be able to walk into the room where their data is held," Mitchell said. "It seems like midsize customers don't have that level of comfort to drop off their data and leave it alone [when] they can use the data center that they drive by all the time." Partners and end customers also have the luxury of going to the data center location to talk about security, connectivity options, and other solutions that can be tied into their purchase while seeing the facility for themselves. Smaller is often synonymous with dexterous, and a boutique cloud service provider can be more agile with partners than a large provider can, according to Max Silber, vice president of mobility for MetTel. "I don't think the carriers have been able to overcome the fact that customers are choosing what is accessible and convenient to themI don't think these customers ever went to [their carrier] to discuss moving into one of their large data centers," Silber said. By working with partners, smaller cloud service providers are able to reach small and midmarket customers and help solve unique problems, said Andrew Pryfogle, senior vice president of cloud transformation for Intelisys, a Petaluma, Calif.-based master agent that partners with both carriers and smaller cloud service providers. More and more of these channel-friendly, or channel-only, cloud service providers are popping up, RDS Solutions' Vernick said. "The trend now seems to be pretty pro channel partner. I think cloud providers are seeing that partners understand their customers, understand their needs, and are seeing the results," he said. RapidScale is an Irvine, Calif.-based cloud service provider that targets the SMB market and sells exclusively through the channel. At its inception in 2008, the cloud service provider realized that the majority of direct cloud sales were very small. Many business buyers purchased IT solutions through a trusted solution provider that provides the entire packageexpertise included, according to Randy Jeter, CEO of RapidScale. RapidScale is seeing traction in its channel-only approach to the market. The cloud service provider has grown at a steady clip of about 160 percent annually for the past three years. Thanks to its relationships with master agents, VARs, managed service providers and SaaS provider partners, RapidScale recently said it would add to its fleet of cloud sales engineers and regional channel managers to help more partners. And by enabling large partners that consider cloud solutions to be a must-have within their portfolios, RapidScale gains thousands of feet on the street, which helps it compete in the crowded cloud market, Jeter said. "Our partners have our platform they can build onto. Because they don't have to build it, they [make] a great margin," he said. RapidScale leases space with third-party data centers and owns everything inside its data center space, including compute, storage and delivery. Many cloud service providers are following this model of leasing space within third-party facilities because there's been a palpable shift in the market in favor of managed cloud and away from "platform buying," Jeter said. This is the same shift that is allowing cloud service providers like RapidScale to blossom, without requiring them to put the same capital into the cloud that telecoms have sunk into data center investments, he said. "There's enough revenue and margin for a company like ours to support, manage and deliver, instead of just trying to just acquire [data centers]," he said. RapidScale's facility cost associated with the cloud is about 3 percent of its overall cost to deliver services to its users, Jeter said. That cost rises drastically for data center owners. "If [facility] costs are high, carriers aren't going be in the space for very long because they'll have to compete in the mass market with the large [cloud] providers that have the money and facility costs are always increasing," he said. For its part, Cirrity, an Atlanta-based channel-only cloud service provider founded by CEO Steven Vicinanza, who built Blue Wave Computing into one of the country's top MSPs, is also finding success in the channel. Vicinanza says the simple secret to the company's success is its 100 percent channel commitment. "Because our success is dependent on our partners' success, we have to enable them to be successful," he said. Ron Dupler, CEO of GreenPages Technology Solutions, a prominent national cloud solution provider based in Kittery, Maine, said Cirrity is one of the key "strategic" partners helping GreenPages drive double-digit sales growth in cloud services. "The big traditional carrier service providers don't have the channel DNA that Cirrity has," he said. "They just don't get it. Cirrity was founded by someone that was a VAR. He knows the channel psychology. We have direct access to Cirrity's CEO, CTO and CMO. We are collaborating directly with the executive team. That is helping us innovate and grow our cloud services business." Out Of The Data Center, Not The Cloud Just because some carriers are leaving the business of data center operations doesn't mean they are abandoning their cloud strategies, said Cindy Reid, CEO of 2Evolve Technologies, a cloud, telecommunications and IT solution provider. Omaha, Neb.-based 2Evolve Technologies is an example of a company that is increasingly relying on tier-two data center providersincluding Evolve IPfor its own data center and service distribution needs. At the end of the day, running a data center is a real estate business. If a carrier elects to put its servers in a third party's data center, it shouldn't impact the cloud services being provided and sold by partners, Reid said. "We are going to see data centers transition to operators that are more successful in that real estate space as opposed to the services space," she said. The sale of Windstream's data center business hasn't changed cloud commissions for partners that were selling Windstream cloud or data center services, according to Dishon. Following the sale, TierPoint took a number of cloud partners that had already established relationships with Windstream. "[TierPoint] hasn't changed the channel formatit's pretty much the same across the board so far," Dishon said. Because TierPoint is a "channel-friendly" provider, said Dishon, Windstream didn't have any qualms handing over its co-location business. TierPoint also established Bob Buchanan, Windstream's former vice president of channel sales at Windstream Hosted Solutions, as its vice president of channel sales in order to maintain consistency for partners. Regardless of data center ownership, the agent partners that carriers relied on for cloud distribution still want to sell cloud services, 2Evolve's Reid said. "A good portion of our own distribution is coming from the same telecom agent channel that was bringing cloud opportunities to [the carriers], and 2Evolve has made significant investments educating the telecom channel on cloud services," she said. As some of the large telecoms eye a data center exodus, Peak 10 hopes to pick up some of the more traditional telecom agent partners, Harris said. Tier-two players such as Evolve IP, Matrix IBS and RapidScale could also stand to win some of the cloud business that carriers couldn't grasp. Evolve IP has been taking on new telecom agent partners recently through its partnerships with master agents Intelisys, Malibu, Calif.-based World Telecom Group, and Chicago-based Telecom Brokerage Inc, Evolve IP's Kinka said. "While I can't say for sure if it's a conscious thing to do with carriers leaving [the data center] space, a good portion of the new kinds of partners we are getting come from that same channel," he said. It's safe to say that carriers won't be getting out of the cloud services business anytime soon. This year, Intelisys expects 22 percent of its overall sales to be cloud compared with 15 percent in 2015. The master agent said that cloud is by far its fastest-growing segment. Meanwhile, data center consolidation will continue, but so will expansion because there's room for more players looking to get into data center services, MetTel's Mitchell said. "I think there is definitely room for more providers, but they'll have to be niche providers," he said. "There's a ton of small and medium-sized businesses out there that don't feel comfortable putting their data in a carrier cloud." When procuring cloud services for customers, it's about comparing offerings, not physical data center assets, RDS Solutions' Vernick said. Decisions around cloud usually often come down to location for many customers. "The customer is usually going to dictate the location that they would like to be in and the latency they need to make their applications work, so we help them focus on finding the right provider for them in that area," Vernick said. For many customersespecially small and midsize businessesthere's a certain comfort in knowing their data is being housed locally by a smaller, regional provider. For RDS Solutions, every opportunity is unique. "Every client is different, every need is different," Vernick said. "It's about finding the right fit for the customer and sometimes that means it's a small, local cloud service provider like Matrix IBS or RapidScale," Vernick said. Kevin McLaughlin contributed to this story. Rough Turbulence The convergence of the IT and telecommunications markets is causing chaos among the carriers. In an effort to stay relevant with their customers, many telecom providers scooped up data center assets to get into the cloud market. But now, carriers are realizing that competing with the cloud leaders such as Amazon and Google is a losing battle. As telecoms back out of the data center business, many are putting their once-valuable facilities on the market. At the same time, these providers are returning to their roots and focusing on the network by acquiring more fiber and introducing strategic services that businesses want. Here are 10 signs that point to telecom turmoil in the market. Is Costa Crociere upping its deployment out of China in 2017? It would appear so, as the Chinese market leader appears to be adding a fifth ship to the Chinese market, after growing to four ships this year. The 1993-built neoRomantica has a repositioning voyage scheduled to end in Shanghai next April, which is consistent with other ship moves from the Italian brand into the Chinese market. Introducing the so-called neo slow-cruising concept, featuring longer itineraries and unique ports, could add a new and differentiated product offering to the quickly growing Chinese source market. The neoRomantica would join the Victoria, Fortuna, Atlantica and Serena in the region. Costa did not respond to a request for comment. MIAMI Immunity Inc kicked off the Infiltrate 2016 conference this morning with a warm welcome from Dave Aitel at the Fontainbleau Hotel. Keynote speaker, Nate Fick CEO at Endgame, spoke from both his military and private sector experience about what needs to happen in order to secure the future of the digital enterprise and the digital world. Nate Fick Addressing the crowd of offensive hackers, Fick offered advice for both the government and private fronts. "Continuing to do the same will not work, Fick said, which is why the tools that are more flexible and easily modifiable have become more popular. We need discontinuity in the adoption cure, Fick said, but you cant hack back. Hacking back is stupid, for many reasons not just that it is illegal. He argued that while it is illegal, laws change. Remember it used to be illegal to drink a beer in this country, and it was legal for a kid to work in a coal mine, he said. Beyond the issue of legality, hacking back is, what Fick described as, climbing up the escalatory ladder, which you cant do successfully unless you have the right tools. The tools and the power or ability to use them legally has historically been granted to the government. Certainly the perspectives of government and private sector vary when it comes to many topics, including security. A self-proclaimed optimist, Fick said, We can do as much to adversaries with defense as we can do with offense. There are, however, changes that need to happen in both the government and the private sector in order to bring down adversaries. The government, said Fick, Needs to define declaratory policies that outline a shared understanding of the red lines. What is espionage? What constitutes an offense? Once those red lines are clearly defined, there needs to be an escalatory policy, which includes a series of moves and counter-moves rather than escalating to the greatest use of force. In addition, the government needs to educate the public that digital offense is not intrinsically bad. We traditionally venerate kinetic offense, said Fick, but computer offense has always seemed sleazy. If the laws of offensive hacking are to evolve, the connotation of the word hacker and the work that they do in digital offense needs to change. The next generation of cyber security experts must possess offensive capabilities. Enterprises and government need to develop better policies to attract the talent of those who are perhaps secret experts concealing their offensive skills in the digital shadows. Fick said that the tactic of digital offense is increasingly being integrated into kinetic offense. The problem therein is that,"The government will be tempted to hack more killers and kill more hackers. All the more reason why clear policies need to be established and tough and sometimes uncomfortable questions like What level of hacking warrants a bullet? need to be answered, Fick said. These are important questions that impact not only the digital world. These are societal issues, and in order for the current perceptions about offensive hacking to shift, everyone needs to be educated, but (as one attendee noted) there are no schools for pen testers. In the private sector, enterprises have focused on prevention, but Fick said, They need to spend more on detection and remediation, on next generation tools rather than last generation tools. The companies of the future that will be able to withstand the shifts in the security industry are those that build diverse teams. Diversity is a wellspring of innovation, said Fick, whether it is gender, background, or perspective, he continued. When experienced people with a wide range of perspectives come together, it makes for effective problem solving. Those who have the skills to think like an adversary and be a stealthy and invisible attacker will have the greatest offensive success. By stealthy, said Fick, I mean using domain credentials, hardening tools, and signature diversity. There are no silver bullet solutions to issues in security, Fick said, but if we can change policies, continue to advocate for STEM education, and rely on companies that build better tools, we can take down adversaries. Being proactive, aggressive, and offensive are the essential skills for the next generation of success, said Fick who noted that 25% of Endgame employees are attackers. By creating a culture and environment that is appealing to a larger group of people, Fick said, enterprises will build better relationships with those who have been marginalized and often undervalued in the security world. With the new year comes the idea of having a fresh start and being a better version of yourself. A stick man named Bill is popping up all over the Internet to tell you how to do that, even if it stings a little. "Be Like Bill" memes are being shared across social media to call out people's annoying habits online and in daily life. From people who don't use blinkers to that guy from high school who keeps inviting you to play Candy Crush, the memes call out these folks in the most passive-aggressive way. BRIDGEPORT A local meat cutter has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Whole Foods saying he was fired after he complained that the Westport store was selling tainted meat. In his lawsuit filed in Superior Court here, Angel Figueroa, 44, said he repeatedly complained to management that the meat department staff were not following accepted hygienic practices and was fired one day after he filed a complaint with the local health department. Instead of doing the right thing and taking the tainted products off the shelves, they choose to retaliate against an innocent employee, said Figueroas lawyer, Thomas Thornberry, of Stratford. Mark Cooper, director of the Westport-Weston Health District, confirmed that his office had inspected the Westport Whole Foods store on Jan. 20 following Figueroas complaint. We found no violation, he said. There is no threat to the public health at the store. As I understand it there was an employee disciplinary process going on, the store has consistently gotten in the 90s on inspections. A copy of the inspection report signed by Town Sanitarian Norma Jarrett did say, however, that store and department managers at Whole foods agreed ensure (a) corrective plan of action is put in place immediately. Whole Foods Market vehemently denies the allegations presented in this case, said spokesman Michael Sinatra. This matter was immediately investigated and found to be untrue. Mr. Figueroas story is a fabrication and verified by documented health department inspection reports and team members at our Westport location. ... Since his separation, Mr. Figueroa has repeatedly attempted to extort Whole Foods Market, which is exactly what hes attempting to do with this baseless lawsuit. Figueroa was hired as a meat cutter at the Westport store on Jan. 25, 2015. On July 1, 2015, the suit states, he saw staff thawing frozen chicken at room temperature, in violation of health regulations. The lawsuit claims meat that showed signs of being spoiled was also put it out for sale. The plaintiff advised his immediate supervisor of the health code violations however, the plaintiff was advised to stop complaining and do as he was told, and continue with the unacceptable practices, the suit states. Figueroa was fired on Jan. 21, one day after he complained to the health department. His termination letter states: On January 8th Angel was put on a final warning for being insubordinate and using vulgar language during a team member training. Since that time we have found that Angel has created an uncomfortable and hostile working environment where other team members feel uncomfortable and threatened by his demeanor and behavior. Angel was also witnessed by store leadership having his cell phone out in his hand during his shift on 1/20/16. This is in violation of the companys cell phone policy. According to the Westport-Weston Health District records, there have been a number of complaints made against the Westport Whole Food store that were determined to be unfounded. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The star of Say Yes to the Dress was there along with hundreds of wedding vendors who were hawking everything from carriage rides to honeymoons. But a man few would expect to find at the 31st Annual Connecticut Bridal Show was also there, working the floor. John G. Rowland, former governor, twice-convicted felon, was busy pitching fairy tale weddings to unsuspecting couples inside the cavernous convention center. While Rowland, 58, awaits a ruling on the appeal of his conviction for campaign fraud, he has been biding his time as a banquet salesman for a country club owned by a Waterbury auto dealer and crony, Hearst Connecticut Media has learned. Hi, this is John Rowland calling from Chippanee Country Club in Bristol, Rowland said in a phone message, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, to one couple who asked not to be identified. Rowland gave the couple a full court press of phone calls and emails, said a source familiar with the interaction. The pair met Rowland at the bridal show in January at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, a building he broke ground for in his former life as governor. Weve sent you some information and I just wanted to touch base and see if youre still looking, Rowland said in his voicemail. Weve just finished our renovations at the club and Id love to have you and your fiance come up for dinner or have your family come up for a drink and tour, any day or any weekend, whatever works. Weve got very flexible pricing as well. So its (phone number). And thats John Rowland at Chippanee Country Club in Bristol. Thank you. Rowland did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did the clubs general manager or owner Fritz Blasius, a longtime Rowland confidante who operates Loehmann Blasius Chevrolet Cadillac in Rowlands native Waterbury. In 2015, Blasius bought the member-owned club, which had fallen on hard times and was in danger of closing. Free on bond while his appeal is pending, Rowland is facing 30 months in prison for getting paid under the table as a political consultant on the 2012 congressional campaign of fellow Republican Lisa Wilson-Foley. Its the second felony conviction for Rowland, who resigned as governor in 2004 and was incarcerated for 10 months for accepting bribes from state contractors. By many accounts, Rowland has racked up at least $500,000 in legal bills from his latest brush with the law. Thats led many politicians and lawyers in the state to wonder how Rowland, who was the youngest governor in Connecticut history and was once mentioned as a vice presidential candidate, can afford a gold-plated defense. He, like anybody else, has a right to make a living, said Ronald Schurin, an associate professor of political science at the University of Connecticut. If somebody thinks that John Rowland will be a good salesman for a place as a wedding venue, who are we to stand in the way? The hard sell The Connecticut Bridal Show Expo touts itself as the largest event of its kind on the East Coast. The cost of a 10-foot-by-10-foot booth started at $1,375. Jenks Productions Inc., the Connecticut-based company that puts on the show, did not respond to a request for comment. The event is a major showcase for formal wear shops, photographers, florists, caterers, limousine operators, stationary printers, DJs, banquet halls, jewelers, Botox clinics, beauty salons, dance instruction studios and even male Chippendale-style dancers. Several country clubs had a presence at the wedding expo, where the price of admission was $12 per person. True to his reputation as a retail politician, a persistent Rowland invited potential clients for free meals and drinks at the club. The message: be our guest. Dinner could be any Wednesday, Friday or Saturday or just come have champagne any day or time, Rowland wrote in an email to the same couple that was obtained by Hearst. Attached to the message was a menu. In 2014, a jury found Rowland guilty of conspiring with Wilson-Foley to hide his work on her 5th District campaign from the Federal Election Commission by receiving $35,000 in payments from a nursing home owned by the candidates husband, Brian Foley. Rowland is no stranger to lavish weddings. Eleven days after he was first elected as governor, Rowland married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Largay, at an inn on Block Island, R.I. It was the second marriage for both. Rowlands eldest daughter, Kirsten Rowland, moved up the date of her January 2015 wedding to before his original sentencing date. The judge who sentenced him then agreed to push back Rowlands date for reporting to prison so Rowland could attend his step-sons wedding. Political observers such as UConns Schurin, whose own son got married a year ago, say Rowlands wedding planner niche is unconventional. Thats American capitalism, Schurin said. neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SHELTON A home invasion and assault suspect led Shelton police and state troopers on a merry chase through town and into the Housatonic River, police said. On April 6 town police responded to a dispute at a Howe Avenue home, police said. Detective Richard Bango, a spokesman for the department, said that officers found a victim lying on the ground and seriously injured. The woman told officers that she had been at home with friend when her ex-boyfriend, 29-year-old Jesse Smith, broke into her house wearing a bandana on his face and dragged her down the stairs and out to the backyard, said Bango. The victim reported once in the yard, Smith struck her in the head several times and slammed her head into the ground. Smith then fled the area. While the woman was sent to St. Vincents Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, local cops and K-9s teamed up with Connecticut State Police to search for Smith, eventually finding him hiding in the Housatonic River, said Bango. Officers charged Smith with one count each of home invasion, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct and held on a $50,000 bond. More specific details on his identity were not immediately available. A 24-year-old New York woman was sentenced Wednesday to five years behind bars in the sex trafficking of two teenage girls in a Milford hotel. Kaya Walters, along with New York pimp Edward Thomas, recruited the two girls, ages 16 and 17, for prostitution and later held them as prisoners in a city hotel. Somerset jury finds two of three defendants guilty of murder Now in its fifth day of testimony and seventh day overall, the double murder trial taking place in Somerset County is now over. The jury decided. Leesburg Electric: With prices soaring, late fees are being waived Prices are up, so Leesburg Electric has decided that, as of Oct. 1, late fees will be waived. Jonathan Capriel More than 13 percent of student senators surveyed said they are against faculty being allowed to carry a concealed gun, and 13 percent said they were in favor. Most senators, 43 percent, said they were either not sure or wanted to survey the student body.Thirty percent refused to answer the question. The survey received responses from 30 of the 38 elected senators. The newly elected student government officers will tackle the aGuns on Campusa bill, which is working itas way through Tennessee legislature. Austin Anderson Tennessee lawmakers are voting on a bill that would allow university employees to carry concealed weapons on college campuses. Currently, it is illegal to bring a gun onto the University of Memphis campus. Jared Moses, president elect of the University of Memphis student government, plans to reach out to the students on opinions of the guns bill. If passed, the bill will allow full-time faculty and staff to carry a concealed gun on campus if they also have a state issued permit. aWe want to know how students feel about it and how the state will vote on it,a Moses said. Moses would not say exactly how he felt about the bill. He said he would follow the will of the students. aI know it seems like Iam the middle, but I still havenat heard about how the students feel about it,a Moses said. University administrators, however, have not been shy about their views. M. David Rudd, president of the U of M, and Bruce Harbor, campus chief of police, said in an email, aMore weapons on campus may result in more frequent emergency alerts a which will disrupt our academic mission and adversely impact student success.a Most of the newly elected student government senators are not sure about how they feel about concealed guns on campus, according to a survey conducted by The Daily Helmsman. More than 13 percent of student senators surveyed said they are against faculty being allowed to carry a concealed gun, and 13 percent said they were in favor. Most senators, 43 percent, said they were either not sure or wanted to survey the student body. Thirty percent refused to answer the question. The survey received responses from 30 of the 38 elected senators. Natalie Moore, vice president elect of student government and former senator, said many in the student government are still trying to find an answer to this question. aA lot of senators feel like they donat know enough about it,a she said. Some in the previous student senate tried to pass a protest bill to Tennesseeas aGuns on Campusa bill, but it was not able to gain enough votes. Moore said the new student government would talk to students and do more research before they bring another bill like that up. But in the end, the decision to allow guns on campus is out of the hands of U of M students and faculty. aAll we can do is make a recommendation; we canat change the law,a Moore said. aBut we will let the state know how we feel.a Lifestyle | Daily Life | News | The Sydney Morning Herald Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss As fair-minded readers will acknowledge, it is not David Cameron's fault that his father took elaborate steps to avoid tax, using every legal means, and made a fortune helping others do the same. They will also agree that the leaked papers from Mossack Fonseca expose sins far more egregious than any committed by Mr Cameron Snr. Consider the rank hypocrisy of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the sleaze-merchant once tipped for the French presidency, who preached Socialism while being director of a company which helped clients squirrel away millions in offshore accounts. Readers may agree that the leaked papers from Mossack Fonseca expose sins far more egregious than any committed by Mr Cameron Snr (pictured, with Mr Cameron in 2010) Readers will acknowledge it is not David Cameron's (pictured) fault that his father took elaborate steps to avoid tax, using every legal means Or look at the rapacity of third-world recipients of British aid, who use Mossack Fonseca's services to conceal vast private wealth while their countrymen starve. But while the late Ian Cameron stands accused of nothing approaching this scale of iniquity, this week's revelations can only be an embarrassment to his son, however unfair this may be. Again, it is not the Prime Minister's fault that his claim 'we're all in this together' has never been wholly convincing, coming from a former member of the Bullingdon Club who has never known financial hardship. Now that we know his privileges sprang from his father's tax avoidance, his call for sacrifices from families who have paid every penny asked of them becomes, to put it mildly, difficult to swallow. What he can be blamed for is his choice of friends and party donors a depressing number of whom have turned up among Mossack Fonseca's clients. If he wants to convince us he's one of us and that the Tories are the true party of working people shouldn't he break out from his gilded inner circle and mix more with the long-suffering taxpayers who keep the public services going? Meanwhile, as Stephen Glover argues on this page, shouldn't he understand and heed the rage of those working people over his offensive commitment to give billions in aid to foreign crooks at this time of painful austerity in Britain? Your right to know Millions of Americans will be talking about it, after publication of the full story. And inevitably the internet will be abuzz with names. Yet thanks to a Court of Appeal injunction, the UK Press remains banned from revealing the identity of the celebrity couple, one of whom is said to have indulged in an extra-marital threesome. Could anything more starkly expose the law's failure to keep up with the internet age, in which no judge's ruling can stop stories from flashing round the world? The UK Press remains banned from revealing the identity of the celebrity couple, one of whom is said to have indulged in an extra-marital threesome Indeed, the law's inability to understand this was shown by Lord Justice Leveson, who devoted barely 20 pages to social media in his 2,000-page report on the Press. Yet this didn't stop him recommending a draconian crackdown on British newspapers, which are expected to compete with wholly unregulated mega-sites on the internet. But it's the hypocrisy of it all that stinks. Celebrities spend fortunes on promoting an image of happy family life to appeal to their fans, who in turn buy their products and enrich them beyond dreams. Yet the moment an uncomfortable truth threatens to shake the fans' trust, they run screaming for an injunction. Whatever happened to the public's right to know? The Panama Papers are sending shockwaves in all directions. David Cameron has still not shown he didn't benefit in the past from his father's offshore tax arrangements. My guess is he will have to be franker before he convinces his critics that he hasn't somehow been associated with the kind of tax avoidance measures against which he has publicly railed. But there is another less obvious time-bomb in the Panama Papers that has not yet detonated. When it does, Mr Cameron will have to defend himself on another front. He is, of course, the great champion of Britain increasing foreign aid at breakneck speed, irrespective of our financial predicament. Last year it stood at 12.2 billion, including an overshoot of nearly 200 million. It is projected to be a staggering 16 billion by 2020. David Cameron (pictured) has still not shown he didn't benefit in the past from his father's offshore tax arrangements What is clear from the Panama Papers is that leading politicians from a number of poor countries to which we have given aid possess considerable assets. They have also employed offshore companies. For example, the daughter of Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif is named as having been the beneficial owner of flats in Park Lane, one of the most expensive parts of London. Note that in recent years, Pakistan has been among the top three recipients of British aid. The family of former Sudanese president Ahmed al-Mirgrani own a property in London whose value is not specified. Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and has received 175 million in British aid since 2003. The wife of Bukola Saraki, president of the Nigerian senate, and his former adviser own two offshore companies that jointly hold a 5.7 million house in London's Belgravia. In 2014, Nigeria was the fifth largest recipient of British aid, to the tune of 237 million. Also flying the flag for Nigeria is Mallam Bello Gwandu, a former director of the Nigerian Ports Authority. A British Virgin Islands company owned by him holds a flat in Maida Vale, another much sought-after area of the capital. Nor should we forget Folorunsho Coker, a former head of the Number Plate Production Authority in Lagos, who owns a 1.65 million property in agreeable Fulham. The daughter (right) of Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif is named as having been the beneficial owner of flats in Park Lane And so it goes on. A 2.8 million house near London's Sloane Square belongs to Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister of Iraq, a country in which much British blood and treasure have been invested. Kalpana Rawal, the deputy chief justice of Kenya (recipient of 135 million of British aid in 2014), was a director or shareholder in four offshore companies, some of which bought and sold property in Britain. There are hundreds of officials and politicians from Third World countries mentioned in the Panama Papers. Some of them come from oil-rich Arab countries that do not receive British aid. The ones that concern me here come from poorer countries to which we do give considerable sums of money. Needless to say, I am not suggesting these people are guilty of diverting British aid or their own government funds. But it is disturbing that officials and politicians from poor countries in receipt of aid should be buying up choice houses and flats in the richest parts of London, thereby pushing up property prices beyond the reach of most British- born people. Wealthy foreigners from the Third World are apparently using offshore companies in order to minimise their tax liabilities in their own countries, which they are thereby depriving of much-needed tax revenue. The hard-pressed British taxpayer is effectively being asked to make up some of the difference in the form of aid. There is, of course, already lots of evidence of the misuse of public funds in the Third World. President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has just been found guilty of half-inching nearly 14 million of public money to improve his private home. With the support of his ruling ANC party, he has escaped impeachment. President Jacob Zuma (pictured) of South Africa has just been found guilty of half-inching nearly 14 million of public money to improve his private home Over the past decade, the UK has given tens of millions of pounds in aid to South Africa, though it has now ceased. The South African president may not have been literally pocketing our money, but he was indirectly defrauding the British taxpayer. No less shocking is the case of Rwanda, an impoverished country that has received hundreds of millions of pounds of British aid. Its president, Paul Kagame, doesn't stint on his own comforts and hires a jet for his frequent foreign travels. This disagreeable man, who has cracked down on a free Press, was once a favourite of David Cameron and the Tory hierarchy. The Panama Papers state that Kagame's former physician, security adviser and spokesman, Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndahiro, has allegedly owned a jet aircraft as well as property abroad. Will David Cameron, and his fellow foreign aid zealot George Osborne, pause for a moment, and consider this new evidence? They should ask themselves how officials and politicians in dirt-poor countries are able to buy expensive houses in London. Their commitment to expanding foreign aid while other budgets are squeezed originates in a desire conceived more than a decade ago to 'de-toxify' the image of the Conservative Party. Mr Cameron believed that if Britain undertook to meet a United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of GDP a year, voters would be persuaded that the Tories were no longer 'nasty'. Has this worked? I hardly think so. In fact, I believe that Cameron and Osborne's pig-headed determination to increase foreign aid during a period of belt-tightening is having precisely the opposite effect to the one they intended. The Panama Papers state that Rwandan Prime Minister Paul Kagame's (second from left) former physician, security adviser and spokesman, Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndahiro, has allegedly owned a jet aircraft Many people, including a growing number on the Left, are aghast that money cannot be found for pressing causes closer to home while ever larger sums are lavished on often corrupt Third World countries where there is little or no accountability. For example, Britain spends nearly 250 million a year supporting industry in developing countries some 3.5 per cent of the soaring aid budget. Nigeria is a major beneficiary, with leather exporters there receiving tens of millions of pounds from our Department for International Development. Some, possibly most, of this money is misspent. An investigation on BBC Radio 4 revealed that a 700 per cent increase in Nigerian leather exports, largely to Italy, was exaggerated by filling containers with rocks to collect cash coming from huge aid subsidies. And yet money cannot be found or at any rate has not been found so far to keep alive the strategically important steel plant in Port Talbot on which the livelihoods of thousands of British people depend. Aid is lavished on countries whose politicians and officials are mysteriously able to buy expensive properties in London while our own people are asked to make sacrifice after sacrifice. A couple of days ago, a major study warned that GP surgeries are reaching 'saturation point' and can't cope with the rapidly rising population. Will Cameron and Osborne ever understand the rage of ordinary Britons facing such adversity? I am sure they are decent men, but I don't think their desire to splurge so much aid money is chiefly attributable to humanitarian concern. No, first and foremost they hoped it would look good. But it doesn't. It looks increasingly bad. They never express any outrage at stories of waste and corruption in countries to which we give aid, and they show scant concern when people in this country are in need of help. Sex workers have given a no holds' barred glimpse into the quirks - and kinks - of their profession in an eye-opening Reddit thread. Strippers, escorts, prostitutes and webcam girls weighed in with their candid stories about the most bizarre requests they've ever received on the eyebrow-raising thread. Their X-rated anecdotes were posted in response to the question, 'Current or former sex workers, what is the strangest thing a client has asked you to do?'. Scroll down for video We all know that some people have their kinks, but these stories eyebrow raising from seasoned sex workers are enough to make anyone blush The query was posted two days ago and has had 8466 comments - but surprisingly, many of the stories didn't involve sex acts at all. One poster, Jitzgrrl, said: '1 day ago I had a guy lay me out on the table, take my shoes off, get out a set of dental picks and mirrors and electric toothbrush, and do a "dental exam" on my feet. For an hour. Checking for "cavities", "polishing", "flossing", etc. 'I was supposed to play the whole thing straight as if it was really my teeth he was examining. Never did his penis come out of his pants. It was actually a totally great time, if a bit bizarre to start. I've got so many more, but that client story is my favorite.' When pressed for more bizarre stories the poster was all too happy to oblige in a series of bullet points. The anonymous woman added: 'Had a very nice gentleman come in wearing one of those dust masks. Wanted me to get up on pieces of bondage furniture, naked, and pose/spread. 'Then he would come right up and put his face about 1cm from my parts and stare intently for a few minutes, then have me take a different position. Never touched me, even accidentally, over the course of the hour. Current and former sex workers, from strippers to escorts and cam-girls have been sharing very candid stories about their most bizarre requests from clients in a Reddit thread 'Had a gentleman who would book multiple girls, have us play completely dead, then whack us with riding crops and pinch nipples and stuff. If you grimaced or flinched our gasped, you were out of the (several hour, lots of money) session. 'Had a very muscular guy come in who would shower, then once he was clean, would flex and want me to sink my teeth into his muscles and gnaw gently. Was surprisingly fun.' A user named Anotherglassofwine wrote: 'Used to work as a stripper a few years ago. Hands down, the weirdest thing was when a guy in the VIP section bought a few dances and then asked me to step on his d*** in my seven inch stripper heels. 'At first I was being careful, but then after he assured me that there was no way I could hurt him, I went to town. I even threw in a few combos where I'd step on it and twirl. It was actually pretty fun. Afterwards, he bought my thong for like $50. Really fun night.' One man got a thrill from watching women burn money, and paid a webcam worker to do it on camera. While some stories are amusing, others highlight just how lonely people can feel when they hire a sex worker MoonshineExpress said: 'Probably the most unusual was a guy who sent me money in advance of the session and the got me to burn it on cam whilst masturbating. Normally just 20 or 30 a time.' She went on to outline how in their final session he asked her to burn 50 notes before combining both activities. Other fetishes involved more literary themes. Dr_HQ wrote: 'I had a friend who was a sex worker. My favourite story from her was a client who wanted her to stand in a corner, facing the wall, wearing nothing but combat boots and reading from Ulysses.' A woman joined the thread identifying her self as a 'pro domme' to say that a client wanted her to scald him in a tub until he passed out, revive and repeat for several hours. She told him: 'Hell no.' She added: 'Client had a fantasy about being forced into legwarmers and forced to do jazzercise with my canes as motivation. I did that and it was awesome.' A Redditor who identified herself as a 'camgirl' related: 'I have a guy that comes in every few months and wants to have a pretend 'gunfight' with me. Like we face off draw our 'weapons' and 'shoot' each other. He is super specific with the wording he wants me to use, and it's such an easy show'. Not a sex worker but have an ex military friend who told me a story one time... they hired an escort to come over be the banker while they played monopoly. She was paid 300 to be the banker the entire time. Complete mind f***. I thought it wsa pretty ingenious and, seemingly, a good night off for the woman. Another male escort told a sad story about a woman who turned to him because she was lacking in intimacy from her husband. Escort_Guy wrote that she was 'a tiny and very beautiful Asian lady, probably 50 years old (...) She said she just wanted to start by being held, a gentle hug' But while some stories are amusing, others highlight a sadder side to hiring hiring a sex worker. A former male escort, Throwescorts, wrote: 'Had a larger, 50ish lady ask me to snuggle with her in a rocking chair. Wanted me to [pretend I was] nursing. She stroked my hair the entire time. It was really really weird and kind of sad.' Another, Smutwitch, has a client who only wanted her to give him to do lists and wish he had a good day at work. She said: 'My weirdest customer wanted me to make him weekly grocery lists, errands lists, and just general "honey do" lists for things he had to do around the house. 'He was a young guy, maybe 25, and actually really attractive. British. He claimed he was lonely after his fiancee moved to Belgium for a year for school, and now they were on a break. 'These were all the things she used to ask him to do, and now she was too busy. So every week, I'd have a private show with him, and we'd drink coffee and go over that week's list, and I'd wish him luck at work that day. It was kind of sweet, kind of heartbreaking.' Another male escort told about a woman who turned to him because she was lacking in intimacy from her husband. Escort_Guy wrote that she was 'a tiny and very beautiful Asian lady, probably 50 years old (...) I went to her house and explained in person what the services were that she could choose from. She said she just wanted to start by being held, a gentle hug. 'Well, after about a minute, I felt her crying into my chest (i'm 6'2"). I just held her and she stood there crying for 5 more minutes before I just picked her up and took her to the couch when I sat down and held her for another 20 minutes while she was crying. 'I asked if she was OK and she told me (without moving her face from my chest) that her husband never holds her, never has. So I just squeezed her a bit tighter and we sat there until the time was up (45 minutes was what she paid for).' Another strange story is that of a man who asked a webcam girl to pretend this be wife, and tell him about the 9/11 attacks as if they had just taken place. The sex worker, EvelynAModifiedDog, said: 'I have had a client for going on 14 months now - let's call him John. Attractive guy, American, fit, probably in his early to mid 30s. 'In this role-play that he designed and requested, we are to pretend that it's the morning of the 9/11 terror attacks, and I am playing his wife. It gets stranger...Entirely covering the wall behind him is a high-resolution finished panorama of what appears to be a block in downtown Manhattan (it could just be a generic metropolis, I'm not too familiar with NYC). It wasn't all heart-wrenching tales and mind-boggling oddities in the thread. One husband detailed how his wife's career as a cam girl could be fun for the both of them when a client asked him to put a pie in her face 'In our sessions, I am to pretend that I'm informing him - for the first time - of the attacks that have 'just taken place'. For nearly an hour, he'll ask questions and pretend to be completely oblivious/ignorant to world politics and even the simplest homeland security issues.' While some stories were intriguing in their oddness, others were just completely obscene and quite unsanitary. DontQuoteThisComedy wrote: 'I had an escort service a few years ago. One of the clients used to come with a plastic bag and a paper bag. He would get one of the girls to hold the plastic bag while he took a dump in it. 'Then he'd put it in the paper bag and take it to work. He said he would then hide the bag in various spots around his law firm, waiting for someone to find it and that was his get-off.' One client requested that a cam worker take his laptop to the bath and submerge themselves in water for as long as they could. He said: 'I was under for maybe 45 seconds and when I came up he had left the room. I still wonder what he got out of that.' However, it wasn't all heart-wrenching tales and mind-boggling oddities in the thread. One husband detailed how his wife's career as a cam girl can benefit both of them. He wrote: 'My wife is a cam girl. Some dude wanted her to do her makeup just like another girl (of whom he provided a picture) and for me to slam a pie into her face. It was probably the most fun I've ever had making $50.' A former high-flying Silicon Valley intern and college student has told how working in a sandwich shop helped her take a hold of her life after mental illness and suicide led it to spiral out of control. Mollie Garnes, 26, went to Santa Clara University and did multiple internships growing up near San Jose, California. After being diagnosed with depression and when psychiatric drugs did not work, her father paid her an allowance of $1,000 a month which she spent on 'lattes, takeout, and movie tickets'. Opportunities: Mollie Garnes, 26, went to Santa Clara University and did multiple internships growing up near San Jose, California Love: After being diagnosed with depression her father paid Mollie, pictured recently with her son, five, an allowance of $1,000 a month which she spent on 'lattes, takeout, and movie tickets' After meeting her now ex-husband, she completed three trimesters as a pregnant student and got married before dropping out in 2010 to raise her son. She later became clinically depressed and got postpartum depression. After their divorce two years later, she had a near-fatal suicide attempt in December 2013. She had her first symptoms of schizoaffective disorder - a rare dual diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - in 2006 but it was not diagnosed until last October. Narrowly escaping with her life after a suicide attempt and waking up to find her son, now five, singing a lullaby she said played a crucial role in her motivation. She told Daily Mail Online: 'It was Christmas 2013, and I didn't wake up for several days. 'It was a very serious suicide attempt, they didn't know if I would wake up. My son was in the ICU and he was singing a lullaby that his father and I taught him as a baby... 'I realized I had to get my life together...If I could l look back now and tell myself thank you, I'm incredibly grateful to have put myself back together and be a working force for my son's life.' Before her recovery, Mollie did not have custody of her son but now she looks after him at weekends. She said: 'I don't believe having children should instigate a maturity process. I believe maturity should precede having children. 'I'm very grateful to my ex-husband for shielding our son from my illness and my behavior until I could develop the responsibility and emotional intelligence of a sound parental figure.' When her parents cut off her $1,000 a month allowance in a last ditch attempt to help her recover she was left with no option but to get a job. Life change: The mother-of-one, pictured recently dressed for work for a food delivery service, who has since been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, got married to her now ex-husband and had her son She said the minimum-wage job making sandwiches was a huge step in her recovery from depression but also helped her recuperate from her 'entitlement'. In a piece written for XO Jane, titled, 'I Was a Spoiled Silicon Valley Brat Until My Parents Cut Me Off', Mollie said her post at the sandwich shop was a 'threatening reminder' and a 'cautionary tale' of what can happen to privileged young people when their lives take an unexpected turn. She added: 'Girl goes to college, girl gets competitive internships, girl makes sandwiches in seventeen-second intervals in exchange for minimum wage at a national bakery chain.' Describing a customer's response to her downfall, she said: 'This man was willingly to openly say what most of my customers are thinking: how did you fuck up? 'The answer is two-fold and complicated: clinical depression and extreme entitlement.' Girl goes to college, girl gets competitive internships... girl makes sandwiches in exchange for minimum wage She said for the first few weeks she was spurred on by 'sheer panic' before she started feeling 'resentment' towards herself and her parents. She added: 'What started as a clinical problem boiled into a personal problem. While I can't explain what lessened the depression in the end, I can tell you what worsened it: money. 'With unlimited access to money and little motivation, I simmered in a toxic attitude of apathy and entitlement.' Mollie said when her parents 'lovingly cut me off' she was left with no choice but to get out of bed in the mornings. She said she does not want her son to follow in her footsteps by not understanding the value of money and hard work. 'For his father and I it's very important to us that he goes to college but it's also very important to us that he's required to claim responsibility through his teen years,' she told Daily Mail Online. 'We will ask him to work part-time when he is at high school and to try for scholarships...The goal is to raise a balanced child, we want him to understand the value of money and how hard it is to earn it.' As well as working full time for Doordash, a mobile-app based takeout delivery service in the San Francisco Bay Area, she is also working on a series of essays about issues affecting millennials. Their seven storey home has nine bathrooms, a gym and a floor for staff No expense is spared to furnish their London homes with unique one-of-a-kind items Advertisement London property is the most expensive in the world but it isn't enough for today's super wealthy to just spend their money on bricks and mortar. Once they have acquired their dream home in the elite areas of Mayfair, Belgravia, Kensington or Chelsea, they then have to furnish and decorate them with unique items worth thousands of pounds. That's where a team of luxury interior designers come in, who have shared some of their clients' extravagances in a new Channel 4 show Millionaires' Mansions. Juliette Thomas from Warwickshire (pictured in her showroom) is an interior designer with mega wealthy clients who will spare no expense to decorate and furnish their mansions Juliette in the show bedroom of her studio in Chelsea which shows the kind of decor she provides. The single mother-of-four supplies luxury home decor to Premier League footballers and Russian oligarchs One of them is Juliette Thomas from Warwickshire who has opened her interior design studio in Kings Road, Chelsea, after humble beginnings starting out selling furniture on eBay. The single mother-of-four now supplies luxury home decor to Premier League footballers and Russian oligarchs. Her latest most popular innovation includes light up wallpaper covered in LED and Swarovski crystals. She said: 'We can inlay crystals into anything, fabric, furniture, rugs, just name it we will do it for you.' Juliette is keen to ensure her customers always get whatever they want, no matter how outlandish and impractical their demands may be. Juliette's shop window shows she can provide elaborate chandeliers but one client's proved a particular headache as it was three storeys high with 7,000 crystals The living room of Juliette's shop shows the decor she can provide from fur throws to wallpaper with LEDs. She said: 'We can inlay crystals into anything, fabric, furniture, rugs, just name it we will do it for you' A dining room in Juliette's store typical of that desired by her wealthy clients. Juliette is keen to ensure her customers always get whatever they want, no matter how outlandish and impractical their demands may be Juliette's take on an opulent bedroom is similar to ones she has created for her rich customers. Interior designer Brian Wade also revealed how one client's eight-year-old daughter has a pink themed room with her own bathroom and separate dressing room, while her mother has a walk-in wardrobe seemingly the size of an average house One of her most recent projects was for a particularly tricky customer who was keen to have a chandelier fitted into the entrance hall of his Surrey mansion. The chandelier was to hang down three storeys of the spiral staircase at the centre of his home and was to be made up of 7,000 crystals. The Russian billionaire, Sergy, requesting the lighting told her: 'It is the most important item, it will make the first impression of my home and its decoration.' Juliette had to search for months to find someone willing and able to fit the heavy chandelier that Sergy wanted to be the piece de resistance of his opulent home. She joked: 'This is the hardest job to make sure it is correct. Sergy's chandelier I am comparing to the pyramids, people will admire it but thousands of people were killed in the process of building that pyramid.' She eventually hired the company who care for chandeliers at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, saying, 'The Queen makes the right choices so maybe I have too.' Swarovski crystals can be inlaid into any furniture, pictured items in Juliette's shop which is frequented by footballers and oligarchs Elaborate lighting and opulent furnishings are in demand as well as unique pieces. Her latest most popular innovation includes light up wallpaper covered in LED and Swarovski crystals Meanwhile, the show also follows interior designer Brian Wade, whose distinctive style is inspired by the natural world. He has spent the last four-and-a-half years designing a seven-storey Knightsbridge townhouse for a Russian family. He said such properties are 'the palaces of this time' as owners want to splash out on making every room the height of decadence. The property includes a basement sauna, nine bathrooms, a separate floor for butlers and maids and a glass lift. The owner's eight-year-old daughter has a pink themed room with her own bathroom and separate dressing room, while her mother has a walk-in wardrobe seemingly the size of an average house. It has plenty of room to store her designer handbags, clothes and collection of more then 600 designer shoes. Even the equipment in their gym is bespoke, made to fit their height, while dining room chairs were flown in from Canada after 13 to 14 different styles were debated. Brian said his client has 'the finest of everything from ceramics to gym equipment' with 1.9million worth of furniture in their home. Interior designer Brian Wade inside the seven-storey home he has decorated for a family in Knighsbridge. His distinctive style is inspired by the natural world Brian said the family have spent 1.9m furnishing their home. The property includes a basement sauna, nine bathrooms, a separate floor for butlers and maids and a glass lift. Pictured: a reception room Even the exercise equipment at the family gym is bespoke, made to fit their height, while dining room chairs were flown in from Canada after 13 to 14 different styles were debated Brian has made a table out of 40 stingrays, pictured centre, for the family who want one-of-a-kind furnishings Brian has designed all of their furniture including a dining table made using 40 Stingrays and a dressing table with the feathers of guinea fowl pressed into the glass. There is a 185,000 chandelier made using leaves collected by the family in Hyde Park and dipped in three types of gold. In the past everyone wanted to a certain car or Louis Vuitton handbag. There is a tendency in this day and age to not be part of the club but to have something unique 'It is an astonishing amount of money but it will be the only one,' Brian said of the piece. There's also a cushion made out of the fabric of a haute couture dress once worm by a Hollywood star and embellished with pearls. He said these kind of 'one off' furnishings are what the wealthy today desire for their homes. He explains: 'In the past everyone wanted to have a certain car or Louis Vuitton handbag. There is a tendency in this day and age to not be part of the club but to have something unique.' As a result, some houses will be completely gutted and renovated when a new owner buys them, even if they have only just been done up years before, in order to make them one of a kind. 'It is shockingly wasteful,' Brian admits. Joanna Wood is one of the designers who oversees these kind of renovations and she has been hired by rock stars, royalty and Hollywood actors. On the show, she reveals one of her biggest projects in West London where a former office space was transformed into a family home with 93 rooms, including a small state dining room, a large state dining room and a state reception room. A 185,000 chandelier made using leaves collected by the family in Hyde Park and dipped in three types of gold Joanna Wood is one of the designers who oversees these kind of renovations and she has been hired by rock stars, royalty and Hollywood actors. She said London properties have became a 'status symbol' for the world's wealthiest families There are ornate ceilings decorated with gold leaf and a mantelpiece made with enamel. Joanna said: 'I can't tell you how much the renovation cost but it is obvious it was a fortune.' She said London properties have became a 'status symbol' for the world's wealthiest families and when it comes to what they want, 'there is so such thing as good taste or bad taste.' Often the owners are splashing out on exclusive home innovations to make their lives easier but Joanna said the rest of us are out of luck if we want to keep up with them. She said: 'The things in our world today will become normality in four or five years time. Eventually it will be in the supermarket down the road like BHS but by that stage, we have all moved on.' The Puzzled Fox by printmakers Currier and Ives came out in 1872 This poster challenges you to count how many animals and faces you see The craze of pitting your powers of observation against a devilishly difficult optical illusion is sweeping the world - and now a 150-year-old teaser is putting our powers of eyes to the test. The Puzzled Fox by US printmakers Currier and Ives came out in 1872 to test contemporary children and is now taking the internet by storm. In the woodland scene a fox and three birds are plainly visible, but the faces of 12 more animals and women are hidden amid the knotted trees and foliage. Scroll down for video Yet another puzzle is challenging the internet - this time to see how many faces and animals they can spot in this woodland scene. A fox and three birds are plainly visible in the optical illusion - but there are twelve more And unlike the tests to spot snowmen, pandas and bunny rabbits that have appeared online in the past six months, this image has had people scratching their heads since Victorian times. The painfully tricky brainteaser might give you a headache straining to spot all 16, even if you have the keenest of eyes. The picture has baffled puzzlers on the Playbuzz website, which challenges viewers to test their ability to make out the hidden figures, before flipping the image to see each one ringed. When the image is flipped it becomes clear that there are animals and faces dotted all over the image. As well as the fox peering curiously into the wood, there is a horse, lamb and a now-extinct passenger pigeon. A sheep lies at the base of a tree on the left of the image, while the outline of a boar can be seen in the undergrowth. Three faces can be seen on the tree on the left and two more on the tree on the right, while others lie in the shrubs beneath it. How many did you spot? When the image is flipped it becomes clear that there are animals and faces dotted all over the image. A sheep lies at the base of a tree on the left of the image, while the outline of a pig can be seen in the undergrowth Two days ago another teaser swept the web, asking people how much they could see within a red dot. Some people were able to see a vague outline while others saw a complex, details image - and others struggled to spot anything at all. The test claims to be able to reveal how good your vision really is. Is your eyesight good enough to see the hidden picture inside this red circle? The brain teaser has appeared online quizzing internet users about whether they can see another shape hidden inside the red blob, above The sight test trended online with many users baffled by what the mysterious picture actually is. When the dot is flipped you can clearly see a detailed sketch of a horse complete with a mane and tail, saddle and bridle and grass around its feet. Some people can only see the outline of the image before the red spot is flipped, while others say they can see much more. Try the test below to see how you get on. While some claim they can see the whole image perfectly, others are completely baffled by the image. When the dot is flipped, right, you can clearly see a detailed sketch of a horse complete with a mane and tail The online teaser shows how some people only see the outline of the horse rather than the other details in the picture such as the grass, mane, tail and saddle The test is just the latest in a string of a popular brain teasers sweeping the net. An image of an iPhone screen became an internet sensation last week as thousands of people deliberated over the photo, which was widely shared along with the question: 'How many threes can you see in this picture?' Social networkers came up with the most common answers of either 15, 19 or 21. But which answer is correct? Can you count how many threes are on the iPhone screen? If you see 15, 19 or 21 number threes, you have arrived at the same conclusion as the majority of social networkers... but what's the correct answer? There are in fact 19 number threes pictured in the image, but there could be 21 depending on how you interpret the question. Apart from the eight threes in the phone number, there are two threes on the key pad as the number eight button has been replaced. At 3.33pm, the time also contains three number threes and the battery power at 33 per cent contains another two. That totals 15, the answer many social networkers have come to. On closer inspection, however, there are a further four hidden digits, totaling 19. Three of the letters in the contact's name have been replaced with threes and the letter 'I' on the number four key has also been replaced. But many online posts give the answer to be 21, with people seeming convinced that there are a further two threes in the image. The differing opinions come down to the interpretation of the question. Many users have included the bar signal and the wifi signal, both of which show three bars. But whether 19 or 21 is the correct answer is a matter of opinion But many online posts give the answer to be 21, with people seeming convinced that there are a further two threes in the image. The differing opinions come down to the interpretation of the question. The images has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with the message. 'How many threes do you see in this picture?' Many users have included the network bar and WiFi signal, both of which show three bars. But whether 19 or 21 is the correct answer is a matter of opinion. The puzzle, which has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter after resurfacing again online, has instigated heated debate - with many left flummoxed at how others arrive at a different answer. Twitter user Dani posted: 'This thing annoyed the hell out of me when someone said 21. I was like no there's 18 until I looked again properly haha.' How many threes can you see? Apart from the eight threes in the phone number, there are two threes on the key pad as the number eight button has been replaced. At 3.33pm, the time also contains three number threes and the battery power at 33 per cent contains another two. Three of the letters in the contact's name have been replaced with threes and the letter 'I' on the number four key has also been replaced Facebook Ravi Vidyadhar Pathak came to a grander total and said: '28 if it's saying to count everything that resembles to 3 including the network signal which is 3 dots the page info on left which is 3 the buttons having 3 letters ABC.' Another philosophical Facebook user Marc Joseph posted: 'I see only 2....and technically am correct cause you never asked how many 3's are there in the pic.' Athene Whitfield finally concluded the answer was 19 but had made so many previous guesses she posted: 'I got to that in the end but thought - I can't send an answer through again!!? Was getting embarrassed!' One user by the name of Sarah was so involved in the problem she posted a mock-up of the screen with the potential answers highlighted in purple. When a friend posted 'Not sure where you get 20 from' she posted: 'Now I'm not sure.' It follows an optical illusion poster featuring tigers that resurfaced online this week, asking viewers to guess how many animals it featured. On close inspection the picture has the big cats hiding in the bushes, bark and even the sky. The image, which appears to have been produced as a poster, has two adults tigers and their two cubs in the foreground. After that it becomes trickier to track down the felines in the picture but there are 12 other tiger faces hidden. The image appears to have been used as a poster but has resurfaced on the internet In the foliage to the right of the tigers, there's a fern in the shape of a tiger's face, with two hiding in the dirt beneath the tigers' feet. In the top of the picture, there are five feline faces hidden within the branches of the trees. While another two are seen in the wide trunk of the tree on the left of the picture and another tiger is face is seen on the left behind it and the last one is hidden in the soil below. The poster, which features 16 in total, appears to be aimed at children, like many of the logic puzzles which have stormed the internet recently. Another recent brain teaser saw a children's picture with tourists at a holiday campsite and challenged them to answer a list of nine questions. The puzzle has the big cats hidden in foliage, trees and even the ground with all 16 very difficult to find The image is thought to be from an old children's magazine, according to The Independent, but the tough questions are likely to also leave adults scratching their heads. The black and white drawing showed three people at the campsite. One is standing by the cooking pot with a ladle, another is rifling through his backpack, and a third is taking photos. A sign nailed to a tree states said: 'On duty. Colin, 7. Peter, 8. James, 9'. The final name is obscured, but the number 10 is visible. A picnic blanket with four plates, four spoons and a watermelon is laid out on the ground and a hen is scratching in the grass nearby. Nearby, a tent is pitched and a spider has built a cobweb between the edge of the tent and a nearby tree. A recent challenge which baffled the internet is a logic puzzle from an old children's magazine that involves studying a picture of tourists at a holiday camp site and answering a list of nine questions A series of clues is provided by the apparently calm scene involving boys at a campsite The first question asks how many people are staying at the camp. They must also figure out whether they arrived that day or a few days earlier, how they got there and how far away the closest town is. CAN YOU SOLVE THE PUZZLE BY ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS? 1. How many tourists are staying at this camp? 2. When did they arrive: today or a few days ago? 3. How did they get here? 4. Is there a town nearby? 5. Where does the wind blow from: north or south? 6. What time of day is it? 7. Where did Alex go? 8. Who was on duty yesterday? 9. What date is it today? *Scroll down for answers Advertisement In addition, they are asked whether the wind is blowing from north or south and what time of day it is. The next question is to state where someone called Alex went. Finally, they must figure out who was on duty yesterday and what day of the week it is. Unlike the many cartoons that have swept the web in recent months challenging users to spot figures hidden in a sea animals or Star Wars characters, this puzzle relies on deduction. The answer to how many tourists there are is relatively easy to figure out. As there are four spoons and plates on the blanket and four names on the duty list, the answer is quite obvious. The cobweb gives a clue to when the group arrived as it must have been a few days earlier to give the spider time to build it. An oar leaning up against the tree is the key to figuring out how they got there - by boat. The hen indicates that the nearest town is not far away as it's managed to wander into the campsite. Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas, also known as Dudolf, posted his latest puzzle a few days ago to celebrate Easter, challenging fans to find an egg cleverly disguised alongside a group of bunnies The egg is cunningly disguised between a pair of white rabbit ears in the second row on the left hand side ANSWERS TO THE CAMP RIDDLE 1. There are four tourists four spoons on the picnic blanket and four names on the duty list. 2. They arrived a few days ago A spider's web has appeared between their tent and a tree in that time. 3. They got there by boat Note the oars by the tree. 4. No, a village is not far ..because there's a chicken wandering around. 5. The wind is blowing from the south A flag that shows the wind direction is on top of the tent. (To tell which direction is which, look at the branches - they're normally bigger on the southern side of trees - if you're in the Northern Hemisphere.) 6. Its morning Take the answer from question five to figure out east and west then work out the time based on the shadows. 7. Alex is catching butterflies His net is behind the tent. 8. Colin was on duty yesterday Colin is rummaging through his backpack (marked with a 'c'); Alex is catching butterflies; James is taking photos as his tripod can be seen sticking out of his bag. This leaves Peter - then, according to the list, that means Colin was on duty yesterday. 9. Today is August 8th... According to the list, Peter is on duty, and there is a watermelon - which ripen in August - on the ground. Advertisement A flag on the tent, known as a windsock, shows that the wind is blowing from the south, but to figure this out you need to be aware that branches on the southern side of trees in the UK get more sun and grow more densely. To figure out the time, you need to use the previous answer which tells you south from north to figure out where is east and west and deduce the time based on shadows. The answer is that it's morning because the boy by the cook pot's shadow extends to the west. Because we're asked where Alex went, we can assume he's not visible in the picture. However a butterfly net can be seen behind the tent. So the answer is that he's gone to catch butterflies. Gergley's original spot the panda puzzle left the internet baffled at Christmas 2015 The original Where's Wally-style snowmen picture was liked by 42,000 people and shared 100,000 times within days, with many struggling to find the panda at all Dudolf followed up the panda puzzle days later with another picture posted online, this time of a cat hidden among dozens of brightly coloured owls He planted a few red herrings in the owl picture like a colourful bow tie and festive hats, but the owl's facial features make it particularly difficult to spot the cat To figure out who was on duty yesterday first consider that Colin, Peter, James and Alex are staying at the camp. We know that Alex is catching butterflies and the person taking photos must be James, as there's a tripod sticking out of the bag marked J. The person looking through the backpack is Colin as it's marked with a C. That means Peter must be the one standing by the cooking pot. If Peter is on duty today, then according to the list on the tree Colin was on duty yesterday. Figuring out the day of the month isn't too tricky as according to the duty list it's the 8th of the month. But establishing what month it is may prove rather more difficult. The solution lies in the watermelon on the picnic blanket. The answer is August 8, but you would have to be aware that it's the month in which watermelons ripen to find the correct answer. Its long list of questions makes the puzzle even more baffling than a challenge by Gergely Dudas who first drove the internet mad trying to find a panda among a group of snowmen, and a cat blended into rows of owls. The Hungarian cartoonist posted his latest puzzle a few days ago to celebrate Easter, challenging fans to find an egg cleverly disguised alongside a group of bunnies. The panda craze was followed up by Reddit contributor, with the username Oneste, who created a mind-boggling puzzle in which he hid a panda amongst rows and rows of Stormtroopers - and TIE fighter pilots Pain so intense its like a knife twisting into you - over and over again. Forcibly confined to your bed for days in the dark. Important meetings, holidays and sex resigned to the back burner. These are just some of the effects of extreme period pain, as suffered by many thousands of women in Britain. With symptoms striking many days before their period arrives, these womens lives are ruled by their time of the month. But while they might find their period utterly debilitating, all too often their pain is dismissed. After all, how bad can womens troubles really be? Beverley Butler, 42, has periods that cause such intense migraines that she resorted to Botox injections Pretty bad, actually. Just ask Beverley Butler. The 42-year-olds periods caused such intense migraines she resorted to Botox injections to quell them. Migraines can be triggered by falling oestrogen levels, which happens just before your period, and Botox helps to relax muscles and blocks pain receptors. While its a happy coincidence Botox also gives her a wrinkle-free complexion, Beverley is only interested in pain relief - she has 31 injections in her temple, forehead and scalp every three months. Beverleys periods became truly agonising six years ago, when she entered the perimenopause and her hormones began to fluctuate. The day before my period is due I start to slur my words, I cant type, I lose all co-ordination. I certainly cant drive, says Beverley, who works in a call centre. The last time I had a migraine I spent 17 hours in bed. Ive got blackout curtains and wear an eye mask and ear plugs, as any light or noise makes me vomit. Susan Hughes, 40, struggled to stop her painful periods impacting on her career as a civil servant Sadly, her employers have been less than supportive: Im on a final warning because Ive been off sick more than six times in the past six months, she says. The stress when my period is due combined with the fear that I might lose my job has been almost too much to bear. No wonder, then, that Beverley and the thousands like her have welcomed the news that one company has introduced a period policy, allowing women to take time off without stigmatising their time of the month. Coexist, a community interest company based in Bristol, said it wanted to tap into employees natural cycle to create a happier and healthier working environment. Marita Moore, 35, suffered not only crippling pain, but huge blood loss on her periods According to the NHS, 14 per cent of women frequently call in sick with period pain. But gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Karen Morton believes such initiatives are retrograde. There are enough medications and surgical options to help, she says. Offering time off is a blow to women in the workforce. Women shouldnt be at home suffering in silence. If her working life is disturbed by extreme period pain, then she must demand help. Beverley, a mother of one, started her periods when she was 13 and suffered terrible pain for much of her teenage years, including occasional migraines. The day before my period is due I start to slur my words, I cant type, I lose all coordination In her late 30s, Beverley, who lives in Lancaster, noticed her periods and migraines were inextricably linked - she was having ten to 15 migraines at that time of the month. According to the Migraine Trust, half of women who suffer from migraines say theyre linked with their periods. Beverley has tried every drug going in an attempt to prevent the debilitating migraines - even experimental drugs prescribed by her doctors, including beta-blockers, which relax blood vessels, and antidepressants, which also have pain-relieving qualities. Nothing has worked. Beverleys husband, Jason, 49, an account manager for a national tool company, even had a vasectomy when they thought the Pill could somehow be the cause. Then 18 months ago, she was referred to a neurology clinic and began Botox injections - and the intensity and frequency of the migraines lessened. Beverley, pictured with her husband Jason, says her employers have been less than supportive I experience only two or so migraines during the week of my period. But most months I still end up taking at least one day off sick. In December 2015, Beverley also had a stud inserted into the innermost cartilage fold of her ear - known as a Daith piercing. Advocates believe the effect is similar to acupuncture, triggering the body to produce pain-reliving substances. In February, Beverley had her first period without a migraine. She prays shes found the solution. I love my job and desperately dont want to lose it. Hopefully these treatments will help, she says. Susan, pictured with husband Daniel, was diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition that causes the wombs lining to grow outside of it Mr Narendra Pisal, a consultant gynaecologist at the London Gynaecology clinic, helps women combine painful periods and work. I treat athletes for period pain, helping them compete when they are in their cycle. There is no question of them taking time off, he says. There is so much we can do to help. I find it amazing that women leave it so long to get to the root of whats causing painful periods. Yet this is precisely what 40-year-old Susan Hughes did. A civil servant in local government for 13 years until she left to start her own catering business three weeks ago, she struggled to stop her painful periods impacting on her career. Each month, Susan, who lives in Hertfordshire, was forced to take time off using a combination of flexitime and annual leave. Beverley has tried every drug going in an attempt to prevent the debilitating migraines - even experimental drugs prescribed by her doctors I had no choice. If I took the time off as sick leave, Id lose my job. I start taking medication, usually a combination of paracetamol, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid (which works by reducing the hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body) and oral morphine, a week before it arrives. Its as though knives are stabbing me in my stomach, like scissors are cutting away at my insides. Ive suffered since I was 18. For years my doctor dismissed me as having a low pain threshold. Doctors only took Susan seriously when she met her husband, Daniel, 38, who works in IT, in 2005. When we started living together, he realised how bad things were, she says. Hed have to carry me to the bathroom, where hed prepared a hot bath to ease the pain. Its as though knives are stabbing me in my stomach, like scissors are cutting away at my insides It had an impact on our sex life, which put a strain on our relationship. After years of seeing me in pain and when we were trying for a baby, Daniel made an appointment with our GP and told her we werent leaving until something was done. Finally, after 14 years of suffering, Susan was diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition that causes the wombs lining to grow outside of it, spreading into the pelvic region. The NHS estimates it affects around two million women in the UK. With no real cure, doctors prescribe hormonal drugs to manage the pain - which can affect fertility - or surgical options such as hysterectomy. Susan, who was desperate to have a baby, was forced to endure her painful periods. She gave birth to daughter Liora in January 2010, after two years trying to conceive. So far, shes had three surgical procedures to remove the scar tissue caused by her condition. Her left ovary and fallopian tube have been removed, as well as parts of her bladder and bowel. Sadly, Susans pelvic area has been so badly damaged she cannot have any more children. Today, their familys entire life is dictated by Susans periods. She takes the Pill constantly for three months at a time, rather than having the usual monthly break when a period would arrive. And their home life is finely scheduled so the moment her dreaded periods do begin, Daniel can take over the running of the house and the childcare. Yet Susans biggest worry is that she might have passed on her condition to her daughter, now six. Shes asked why she doesnt have a brother or sister. Ive explained about Mummys tummy troubles. Shes already worrying whether shell get them. But I would never countenance her suffering for so many unnecessary years as I did. Some women can even end up hospitalised. Marita Moore, 35, from Stockport, suffered not only crippling pain, but huge blood loss on her periods - so much so that one day, aged 26, she woke up in hospital after collapsing at work. After eight years of juggling her period pains and being a childrens support worker, she felt she had no option but to quit her job. Id lose my appetite. Id try to drink water, but was so nauseous. Id wake in the night with horrendous cramps. One doctor told me they were on the same level as labour pains. While my employers were understanding, if I was off sick it put pressure on my colleagues. They became quite hostile. Marita has never received an official diagnosis of what causes her period symptoms. When she was 25, she had a cyst the size of her fist removed from one of her ovaries, but its all her doctors say they can do. To control the pain, she takes a cocktail of drugs. Maritas social life has been decimated by her periods, too. In an attempt to minimise her pains, she avoids alcohol the week before and during her period. Holidays, too, are planned around her cycle, as hot weather exacerbates her symptoms. Im used to it now. But I worry about having children. What if I had a daughter and passed it on to her? I could never forgive myself. www.london-gynaecology.com But a later test showed no abnormalities and Simon was born healthy Staring at the blue line appearing on her pregnancy test, Cambridge professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz felt profound shock. At 44 and already juggling motherhood with her distinguished scientific career at the university, a second child had not remotely figured in her plans. It took only moments, however, for that initial confusion to be replaced by an enormous rush of maternal instinct. 'I knew that however unexpected the pregnancy might be, I wanted this baby,' she recalls. Yet fate looked set to intervene regardless: when she was 12 weeks pregnant, a genetic test routinely recommended for older mothers came back with that dreaded word: abnormal. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz had a healthy baby at 44 even though tests showed there were abnormal cells The result meant there was an increased chance of the baby being miscarried late in pregnancy, or born with birth defects. For many in the medical community, such an outcome might have lead them to consider having a termination - but not Professor Zernicka-Goetz. Although traumatised by the discovery, she is a highly respected scientist whose precise field happens to be embryos in their very earliest days of life. 'As a woman, I wanted to believe there was hope,' is how she puts it. 'As a scientist, my instincts from my work in this field told me that there could be.' And so, fuelled by both her ferocious maternal instinct and medical knowledge, her pregnancy unfolded alongside her research, as she endeavoured to find out whether the genetic test she had undergone could simply have been a false alarm. Happily, in her case, it was: six months after that alarming news, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Her scientific efforts took a little longer, but last week resulted in the publication of seminal research showing that - as Dr Zernicka-Goetz had suspected - the embryo has an amazing and previously unknown ability to correct abnormal cells at this early stage of its life. Simon is now an energetic little boy and a budding artist who has brought great joy to Professor Zernicka-Goetz and her family It's a discovery which has profound implications for pregnant women, particularly at a time when the number of older mothers is on the rise. And it's one of the reasons Professor Zernicka-Goetz has decided to talk openly about her personal experiences. 'As a scientist I am not at all used to talking about my private life, but this is important because it might help expectant parents to understand the meaning of this scientific result,' she says. 'Many have to make a difficult choice about their pregnancy based on a test, the results of which we don't fully understand, or they end up worrying for weeks between tests. I want to try to reassure women about what can be a hugely stressful time.' Professor Zernicka-Goetz, now 52, endeavoured to find out whether the genetic test she had undergone could simply have been a false alarm It certainly helps when that reassurance comes from someone with such tip-top credentials. Pin-thin and with model looks, Professor Zernicka-Goetz, now 52, may be the very image of a glamorous modern mum, but she is also a highly respected academic who has dedicated her entire adult life to embryo research. Her full title is professor of mammalian development and stem cell biology at Cambridge University, and she presides over a busy laboratory of 15 scientists at the university's Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. The way her two roles collide is visible in the photographs and children's paintings that line the walls of her office. I was so much in love with my unborn baby. So whatever the result, I think I would have continued Born and raised in Warsaw, Professor Zernicka-Goetz's father was a brain scientist, and the young Magda initially dreamed of following in his footsteps. But at the age of 19, she attended an embryology lecture which left her 'enchanted' and determined to learn more. It was a path that took her first to Oxford to finish her PhD then finally, in 1995, to Cambridge to join the laboratory of scientist Sir Martin Evans, who in 2007 was one of a team of three to win the Nobel Prize for his work in the discovery of embryonic stem cells. After studying for her post-doctorate at Cambridge, she got a fellowship to start her own research team at the university and, more than 20 years later, she has never left. She married a fellow academic in 2000, and the couple's daughter, Natasha, was born a year later. By then Professor Zernicka-Goetz was in her late 30s, but felt little anxiety about her age. As it happened, the pregnancy was easy and uneventful, Natasha's arrival marking a happy new chapter in her mother's life. Her first child Natasha (right) was born when she was in her late 30s, but she felt little anxiety about her age 'It was a beautiful time because you refocus not just on science but the normal beauty of life,' she recalls. Nevertheless, neither she nor her husband made any plans to have a second child. 'My life was already more than busy,' she says. 'I had a small child and this extremely occupying job, which is wonderful but not easy.' But Mother Nature had other plans, although it took Professor Zernicka-Goetz several weeks to work out what was going on. 'For quite some time I had felt very strange, like something just wasn't right,' she recalls. 'But I excluded the idea of pregnancy because I was in my 40s and we hadn't been trying, so it didn't seem possible.' She says the pregnancy was easy and uneventful, but she did not make any plans to have a second child Eventually, a pregnancy test confirmed it definitely was possible, leading to that tumult of emotions. 'It was so unexpected. I was stunned, but at the same time I couldn't believe my luck,' says Professor Zernicka-Goetz. 'I was not prepared but I fell in love straight away. Even though I knew as a scientist where this baby had come from, it still felt like a gift. Yet alongside the euphoria lay the anxiety that accompanies many in early pregnancy, but particularly older women, for whom the risk of birth defects rises exponentially as they age. So, advised by her doctor, Professor Zernicka-Goetz opted for a genetic test alongside the conventional ultrasound scan to determine whether there might be any foetal abnormalities in her unborn child. The first one possible, a CVS, or chorionic villus sampling, takes place in the 12th week of pregnancy, and involves using a needle to take cells from the placenta - not a pleasant experience, and one that carries with it a risk of miscarriage. The fact Simon was born healthy meant one of two things - either that having abnormal cells in the placenta does not mean that there are abnormal cells in the embryo, or somehow these abnormal cells are eliminated A few days of waiting followed, before Professor Zernicka-Goetz received her results. 'It was not good,' she says quietly. 'I was at work when I received the call, and I remember the person on the other end of the phone saying they were sorry, but there were abnormal cells, quite a lot of them.' In her case, they related to a trisomy - in which there are three instances of a particular chromosome instead of the normal two - in chromosome 2, the second largest human chromosome. This can lead to assorted birth defects, from autism and deafness to diabetes. It doesn't matter whether you are a scientist or not - in this instance, you are just like any other mother-to-be 'Most people have heard of Trisomy-21, which results in Down's syndrome, but chromosome 21 is much smaller than chromosome 2, so not many children with Trisomy-2 will be able to have a normal life, even if they survive the pregnancy,' she explains. Unsurprisingly, the news came as a shock, and Professor Zernicka-Goetz admits that her eyes filled with tears as she tried to digest the implications. 'I'm a scientist and naturally a rather rational, logical person, but this was about my unexpected "gift baby". It was difficult.' The only solution was another test in the form of an amniocentesis - but this can take place only after 16 weeks of pregnancy, meaning an agonising month-long wait. 'Of course, I wanted it straight away, but that wasn't possible,' she says. 'And I started to become visibly pregnant [during this time]. At the same time, this difficulty made me love my baby even more.' It did not, however, stop her endlessly worrying. 'It doesn't matter whether you are a scientist or not - in this instance, you are just like any other mother-to-be,' she says. Albeit one who knows more than most about the mysteries of human life at its earliest stages. And so, knowing that she could only surrender to time, Professor Zernicka-Goetz did what she knew best: she started some research. 'I wanted to know that if abnormal cells were present in the embryo at this early stage of its life, along with the normal cells, what would be the fate of these abnormal cells? Maybe they would be redirected to form the placenta, or maybe they would be eliminated? I hoped that this might be so. 'I realised there was so much we didn't know, and that there were so many other women like me spending weeks feeling anxious,' she recalls. Any work would be years too late to have any bearing on her pregnancy, however. And so all she could do was plan the experiments and apply to the Wellcome Trust to fund them, all the while trying to hide her burgeoning pregnancy bump from her colleagues and friends. 'I didn't announce it, although I think people probably guessed. It was a difficult situation,' she says. To her great relief, the amniocentesis at 16 weeks of pregnancy came back showing no abnormal cells. 'It doesn't 100 per cent guarantee a normal outcome, but it was very reassuring,' she says. 'By that stage, I was so much in love with my unborn baby I felt very bonded. So whatever the result, I think I would have continued and seen what I could deal with.' Her trust paid off: baby Simon was born five months later on a crisp January morning, a perfectly healthy baby boy. 'It was an extremely happy moment for me and my husband,' she says. It also crystallised some of her instincts. 'The fact Simon had been born healthy meant one of two things - either that having abnormal cells in the placenta does not mean that there are abnormal cells in the embryo, or that somehow these abnormal cells are eliminated, effectively committing suicide.' In time, by working on mice with so-called 'mosaic' embryos - meaning they comprise both normal and abnormal cells - Professor Zernicka-Goetz believes she has upheld the latter theory, although she emphasises that more research needs to be done to apply her findings to humans. 'It seems highly likely, given the similarities in mammalian embryos, not to mention my own experience,' she says. Quite how advanced in pregnancy embryos can repair themselves by eliminating faulty cells is also another question, but in the meantime Professor Zernicka-Goetz's findings will offer hope for women struggling with a difficult CVS result - as well as having implications for IVF babies, which are subjected to genetic pre-natal diagnosis before implantation, with embryos featuring apparently abnormal cells usually discarded. She acknowledges that her discovery may make difficult reading for any woman who did opt for a termination after past testing, but emphasises that no one should judge. 'We all make decisions in our life in the best way we can at the time. So we should never think 'what if' now,' she says. Her own 'what if' is today a loving, energetic little boy, a budding artist who has brought great joy to Professor Zernicka-Goetz and her family. 'I love him to pieces,' she says. 'Yes, I often feel tired, but I feel very lucky. Now I just want to live as long as I can to see my kids happy.' Model, actress and style crush Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has been named the new global ambassador for Ugg Australia. The iconic Australian company and brand rose to popularity internationally in the 2000s, when the boots became more than just lounge wear and transitioned into a fashion statement. It seems as if Ugg Australia is now looking to bring back the cool factor of the ugg boot by appointing Rosie as ambassador. Scroll down for video Bringing uggs to the world: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has been announced as the new global ambassador for Ugg Australia Super stylish: The 28-year old will be the face of a new campaign to 're-launch' the brand and will wear the company's Classic II ugg boot The 28-year-old will feature in a new campaign to be released in August, wearing the company's Classic II boot. She posted a snap of her own pair of personalised Classic II ugg boots to Instagram. The boots, sent to her by Ugg, were monogramed with 'RHW'. 'Thank you for the warm welcome @uggaustralia excited for the next couple days with you! #ThisIsUGG' she caption the photo, which has gained more than 47,000 likes. Social media love: The supermodel posted posted a snap of her personalised Ugg boots to Instagram Glamazon: The lingerie designer and model said that she was excited to work with Ugg and that she wanted to show a 'different side' to her personality The English supermodel told Women's Wear Daily that she was excited for the campaign. 'Its a way to showcase a different side to my personality,' Rosie said. She also revealed that she had always worn ugg boots growing up on a farm in Devon, and that she still wears them often today, both out and about and at home. 'Theyre part of my active and adventurous lifestyle. Ill wear a pair on the beach when Im walking the dogs in the winter,' she explained. 'I put my feet in a pair literally every morning. They are snuggle shoes that I wear around the house.' 'I put my feet in a pair literally every morning': Rosie told Women's Wear Daily that she had worn uggs since she was growing up on a farm in Devon A spokesperson from Ugg Australia said that Rosie has a 'natural love and affinity for the brand' and that they were excited to work with her A spokesperson from Ugg Australia declined to give more details on the campaign, other than it would be for the Northern Hemisphere's Autumn season, and that it will be the 'biggest re-launch' the brand has seen. Alice Hampton, Ugg spokesperson and senior director of public relations at the company, also told WWD that Rosie was the perfect fit for the campaign, which begins shooting later this month. Prince William is said to have given wife jewellery after birth of George As every parent knows, preparing for a new baby can be an expensive business. There's the pram to buy, clothes, feeding equipment and the nursery to kit out. But for many new fathers, there's an even bigger expense to come once the little one has been safely delivered - only this purchase is most definitely not for baby. The so-called 'push present', a lavish gift bought by a husband as a thank you to his wife for bearing his child, is becoming ever more popular. Scroll down for video Zoe Willows, 38, from Halifax, received a Mulberry handbag for giving birth to her son Dylan, now three For Zoe Willows, 38, a designer handbag was the present she requested - and received - from her husband Guy, 35, a marketing executive, following the birth of their son Dylan, now three. 'He asked me one day if it was traditional for a man to give his wife an eternity ring when she gave birth,' says Zoe, a full-time mum from Halifax, who has just given birth to her second child, Jemima. 'He said he wanted to buy something special for me and I told him that I'd rather have a handbag than jewellery. 'I don't normally buy designer clothes or accessories, but I loved the idea of owning a classic handbag that would give me a boost on days when I felt, and looked, exhausted by new motherhood. 'Just before Dylan was born in June 2012, we went to the Mulberry shop in Leeds to choose my bag. 'I've used it almost every day since I got it and it even doubled as a changing bag for Dylan, since it's big enough to fit nappies and baby wipes. Nathalie Dyson-Coope, 34, received a 450 top-of-the-range food mixer from her partner as a present 'There were days when Dylan was a baby that I'd go out with my hair unwashed and wearing unironed clothes, but it made me feel better to at least have a lovely handbag on my arm.' As is so often the case, the push present was born in the U.S. and has caught on here to such an extent that it is fast replacing the more traditional eternity ring as the gift of choice given to a new mother by her partner. A recent survey revealed that 38 per cent of new mums receive a push present. Prince William is said to have given the Duchess of Cambridge jewellery from Princess Diana's private collection after the birth of their son, Prince George, in 2013, and a bespoke brooch when Princess Charlotte was born last year. When Victoria Beckham gave birth to her longed-for daughter, Harper, in 2011, husband David was reported to have commissioned a necklace for her as well as adding a vintage Hermes handbag to her already extensive collection. Rachael Jackson, 38, received a pair of 350 Alexander McQueen heels from her husband Nick when she had their son Ethan now six While jewellery is a common choice, other popular gifts include tablet computers, cameras, designer watches and even a whole new wardrobe of designer clothes for Mum to wear once she has regained her figure. Parenting expert, Sarah Redshaw, from BabyCentre, says: 'Though many women believe a new baby is the only gift they need, increasing numbers of mums are definitely becoming more vocal about their desire for push presents. 'But we have also seen a real shift in the number of dads who want to acknowledge the sacrifices their partner has made during pregnancy and birth by marking the occasion with a special gift.' Aoife Murphy, 35, received a pair of 650 Louboutins from her husband when she had their daughter Ellen Yet the idea of being rewarded for giving birth is one that sits uncomfortably with some women, who consider it tacky, old- fashioned and patronising. Certainly when Nathalie Dyson-Coope, 34, received a 450 top-of-the-range food mixer from her partner as a present she was taken aback at the criticism and she received from friends. Nathalie's fiance, Jonathan, 34, presented her with a gleaming red KitchenAid mixer, the model made popular by The GreatBritish Bake Off, after the birth of their son Callum in 2011. Nathalie was thrilled, but some her friends said it was insulting and nothing more than a device to make sure she knew her place was in the kitchen. She admits she was less than subtle when campaigning for a push present while pregnant with her first child. Aoife is pictured with son Eoghen and Ellen 'I'd wanted that particular mixer for years,' says Nathalie, a food allergy expert. 'I've always loved baking and making cakes, but never felt able to justify the hefty price tag. The fact that Jonathan secretly did his research and bought the best one on the market for me made me feel so special.' Nathalie and Jonathan, 34, who makes Formula 1 racing cars for Lewis Hamilton, live in Buckinghamshire with their children Chloe, eight, and Callum, four. 'It wasn't a reward,' she says. 'It was Jonathan's way of acknowledging all that I'd been through during pregnancy and birth. Nathalie, pictured with her children Callum and Chloe, said her present was her husband's way of acknowledging all she had been through during pregnancy and birth 'I wholeheartedly believe that women deserve a little something, however small, from their partner after having a baby. 'It shows he's thought about her and realises the sacrifices she's made to carry and have their child.' Another benefit of the push present is that the more children a woman has, the more presents she will receive. When Nathalie had Chloe, Jonathan presented her with a stunning white gold and diamond necklace. 'Following the arrival of Callum, he opted for a more practical choice,' she says. Zoe says she's used her handbag almost every day since she got it. Her husband bought her a second Mulberry bag last June when she found out she was expecting 'As for the notion that push presents are patronising and sexist, that's nonsense. 'Men can't do much while we're carrying a baby, but a gift is a nod to their appreciation for what our bodies go through.' Lawyer Aoife Murphy, 35, agrees. In fact, she admits she was less than subtle when campaigning for a push present while pregnant with her first child two years ago, dropping what she calls 'huge hints' to her husband Paul, 35, a plumber, about her desire for something special. 'I spent a lot of time telling Paul he had to get me something as a push present. He didn't put up much of a fight,' says Aoife, who lives in Cheshire with Paul and their children, Ellen, 21 months, and Eoghen, four months. 'I wasn't fussed about jewellery, but I love shoes and the one thing I have always dreamed of owning is a pair of Louboutins. 'Paul was proud of me after I'd given birth to Ellen in July 2014. Even though I slightly railroaded him into getting me a push present, by the time we went to Harvey Nichols in Manchester a few weeks later to choose my gorgeous black ankle boots with the distinctive red soles, he was only too pleased to buy them for me. At 650 they were a huge extravagance, but they were worth every penny. 'When you have a baby you lose your verve and feel as if you've been knocked sideways. Men can't do much while we're carrying a baby, but a gift is a nod to their appreciation for what our bodies go through 'But my new shoes really helped my confidence in a small way and made me feel human. 'The first time I wore them was when we met other friends with babies for lunch when Ellen was about two months old. 'I remember slipping them on that morning and suddenly I didn't feel like a frumpy new mum any more. I felt confident again even if we were only going out for a casual meal. 'I absolutely believe a woman should get something from her partner as a gift after pregnancy. 'The point is that all the man has to do is put up with his wife or girlfriend being hormonal and then stand back and watch the birth, so a gift at the end of it all isn't a lot to ask for.' Designer heels also hit the spot for Rachael Jackson, 38, a data manager, who lives in Stoke-on-Trent with her husband Nick, 38, an IT technician, and their son Ethan, six. She discovered she was pregnant when they returned from a holiday in New York in October 2009 and admits she had no qualms about requesting something for her labour. 'I own 75 pairs of designer shoes including Louboutins and Manolos, but I had fallen in love with a pair of black patent peep-toe heels by Alexander McQueen that were 350 from Net-A-Porter,' she says. 'I had hinted like mad to Nick to get them for me that Christmas and was hugely disappointed when he didn't.' Little did Rachael know that Nick had other, more romantic plans. When she returned home from hospital in April 2010, cradling their newborn son, among the balloons, cards and gifts from friends and family piled high in their living room was a shoe box containing the McQueen heels she'd wanted so badly. 'I was stunned that Nick had gone to the time and expense of buying them for me,' she says. 'Yes, the best gift of all was our gorgeous baby boy, but it meant so much that Nick had thought about me. 'When I took Ethan into work to show him off to my colleagues a few weeks later, I teetered in wearing my new 4 in heels. 'Feeling tired and unattractive after pregnancy and sleepless nights, my wionderful McQueen shoes made a huge difference to my confidence. 'But mostly they are special not because of the price tag or designer label, but because Nick gave them to me to mark the birth of our beautiful son. The model treads the line between supermodel and transgender voice She is used to turning eyes thanks to her height and incredible cheekbones She was at the Hollywood Reporter's Annual New York media event By this stage, she is accustomed to the limelight. At a towering 6 foot 1, with cheekbones so sharp you could practically cut crystal on them, and a face so symmetrical she gives Kate Moss a run for her money, Andreja Pejic has taken the fashion industry by storm since she underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2014. And last night was no exception. The 24-year-old transgender model donned a sultry leather and lace outfit at the Hollywood Reporter's Annual 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media, where she showed once more just how well she can work the camera. Scroll down video Leather and lace: At a towering 6 foot 1, with cheekbones so sharp you could practically cut crystal on them, and a face so symmetrical she gives Kate Moss a run for her money, Andreja Pejic has taken the fashion industry by storm since she underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2014 No exception: On April 6, the 24-year-old transgender model donned a sultry leather and lace outfit at the Hollywood Reporter's Annual 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media Pairing a revealing leather and lace-hemmed dress with black stilettos and a crisp tuxedo jacket, Ms Pejic tied her hair back in a loose ponytail to allow her outfit to do the talking. This follows her recent appearance at the Jeffrey Fashion Cares 13th Annual Fashion Fundraiser event on April 4, when the striking supermodel opted for a low-cut, figure-hugging gown and delicate silver necklace. Ms Pejic's appearance at such events follows her explosion into the fashion industry, where she spent part of her life as a male model for the likes of Marc Jacobs, before she underwent surgery and became the first transgender model to be profiled by Vogue. Taking the plunge: This follows Andreja Pejic's recent appearance at the Jeffrey Fashion Cares 13th Annual Fashion Fundraiser event on April 4, when the striking supermodel opted for a low-cut, figure-hugging gown and delicate silver necklace Most notably in the fashion world of late was the model's appearance on the Paris catwalks in March as part of the H&M Studio show. Elsewhere, Ms Pejic maintains an admirable public profile. Recent times have seen her appear in a podcast for Foreign Affairs, as well as a keynote address in February at a Human Rights Campaign event. Treading the line between high fashion and a political voice, Andreja Pejic manages to carefully represent a voice for transgender acceptance. Fashion industry explosion: Since she underwent surgery in 2014, Ms Pejic has been everywhere - most recently was the model's appearance on the Paris catwalks in March as part of the H&M Studio show (above) Public voice: Elsewhere, Ms Pejic maintains an admirable public profile - recent times show that she appeared in a podcast for Foreign Affairs, as well as a keynote address in February at a Human Rights Campaign event Ms Pejic's Instagram profile, on the other hand, shows off a more playful side to the Bosnian-born, Melbourne-raised beauty. As well as pulling funny faces, the former political refugee regularly posts selfies in lingerie or bikinis, as well as behind-the-scenes shots at events. 'There was definitely a lot of, "Oh, you're going to lose what's special about you,' she said to Vogue, in a recent interview. 'You're not going to be interesting anymore. They are loads of pretty girls out there. 'It's about showing that this is not just a gimmick.' Fun side: Ms Pejic's Instagram profile, on the other hand, shows off a more playful side to the Bosnian-born, Melbourne-raised beauty - she regularly posts selfies of funny faces Industry first: Previously, Ms Pejic was the first transgender model to be profiled by the fashion bible, Vogue Model Anastasiya Kvitko who's been dubbed Russia's answer to Kim Kardashian thanks to her curvaceous figure puts her success down to refusing to lose weight. The 21-year-old model has been likened to the reality star thanks to her 37.4 inch bust , 24.8 inch waist, and 41.3 inch hips. Now based in Miami, she is originally from Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea and was discovered as a model when she was 17. Her first modelling agency suggested that she lose weight, but Anastasiya refused and has since clocked up has 2.6 million followers onInstagram where she proudly displays her 'belfies'. Scroll down for video Model Anastasiya Kvitko, 21, whose been dubbed Russia's answer to Kim Kardashian thanks to her curvaceous figure puts her success down to refusing to lose weight. Based in Miami, she is originally from Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea and was discovered as a model when she was 17 Asked by state-owned Russian news agency Sputnik about the secret of her popularity among men, she said: 'I think it's because of my feminine forms. 'I don't know why now myself, there is such a boom for Kim Kardashian, that they themselves decided to compare me to her. 'When I was 17 years old, I was noticed by famous fashion photographer Anvar Norov, and after that I liked being a model, and continued on this path. 'Plus, photographers themselves wrote to me, offering to photograph me, looking at my outstanding complexion.' The model has been likened to the reality star Kim Kardashian thanks to her 37.4 inch bust , 24.8 inch waist, and 41.3 inch hips Anastasiya believes her 'feminine form' explains her popularity as a model Like the Kardashians, Anastasiya loves a selfie and has clocked up 2.6 million followers on Instagram The Russian denies she's had any surgery and goes to the gym to stay in shape. She's also indulged in a spot of waist training with a corset (right), just like the Kardashian sisters Anastasiya shares the reality star's love of a selfie and has also indulged in a spot of waist training with a corset. The model is hoping to become just as successful as her fellow curvy star, who is married to rapper Kanye West. 'Yes, of course, since I get a lot of offers from advertisement agencies here in the US, and such great popularity is not far away,' she said. Anastasiya hopes to become just as famous as her curvy idol Kim Kardashian (pictured), who is married to rapper Kanye West The model is hoping to become just as successful as her fellow curvy star, who is married to rapper Kanye West and has had lots of job offers from advertising agencies since moving to Miami The star has a tiny 24 inch waist, but her hips are almost double the size at 41.3 inches The curvy model has no plans to alter her body with surgery and says there's no need to change anything as she considers herself 'perfect' already The Russian denied that she's had or is planning to - use plastic surgery, despite social media speculation that she enlarged her breasts. 'The only thing I put time into is sports, so I spend a lot of time in the gym,' she explained. 'I am not going to change anything, because I am for being natural. But I don't look at plastic surgery negatively. The model reveals that she sleeps on her stomach at night so as not to flatten her curvy behind and exercises her back muscles so that the weight of her large chest doesn't pose a problem Anastasiya has no desire to alter her figure with plastic surgery as she feels she's already perfect The aspiring star loves showing off her belfies on Instagram Anastasiya says that the 'modern woman' must be valued and pretty and she must look after her health and appearance 'If a person really has shortcomings, they can resort to plastic surgery, if it really makes them happier. 'I consider myself perfect, and therefore don't want to change anything.' Perfection is one quality Anastasiya believes is essential in the modern woman. 'I believe that in a modern woman, everything should be perfect,' she explained. 'She must be valued and pretty and she must look after her health and appearance, as well as her internal worlds.' Asked is her shape posed health problems for her, she said: 'Because I am crazy for sport, I exercise my back, and my whole body, so there are no problems if you strengthen muscles Advertisement An astonishing set of photographs shows a selective group of Chinese children taking part in an etiquette training programme, held at an expensive club in Shanghai. Hosted by UK luxury children's dress brand David Charles, the Royal Etiquette Training programme saw a group of wealthy children youngsters learn about British style and etiquette. The tuition, for seven to 12-year-olds, was delivered by etiquette expert James Seatton and each student paid 3,800 RMB (approximately 400) for the one-day course. The course, for seven to 12-year-olds, was delivered by expert James Seatton (pictured) and each student payed 3,800 RMB (approximately 400) for the one-day training The concept of the day was that the Chinese youngsters had been invited by a handsome prince or beautiful princess for lunch at the royal palace. Pictured: A child has eye-shadow applied by a make-up artist The children had to behave in a 'perfect way' in order to be invited back to the palace next time. Pictured: A child smiles for the camera after having her make-up done The concept of the day was that the children had been invited by a handsome prince or beautiful princess for lunch at the royal palace. However, they had to behave in a perfect way in order to be invited back next time. The day's programme started with a make-up session and photoshoot before the youngsters learned about table manners at lunch and British afternoon tea etiquette. The day's programme started with a make-up session (pictured) and photoshoot before the youngsters learned about table manners at lunch and British afternoon tea etiquette A child poses for a photo after having her make-up done at the event, held at an expensive club in Shanghai, China The young student waits for the lesson on how to dine correctly to begin. During the three-course lunch, the youngsters learned correct table manners Skills taught during the day included how to give a firm handshake, how to greet one another, how to curtsey, how to sit at the table without slouching and which cutlery to use for which course. During the three-course lunch, which included a main of Australian Beef Brisket with creamed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, the youngsters learned correct manners. They included waiting for everyone to be served their food before starting, not eating quickly, holding a fork properly, not putting one's elbows on the table, how to use a napkin and what you should do if your napkin falls on floor. They also learned what to do if they did not enjoy the food and how to excuse themselves from the table. The dolled-up children sit around the long table where they are about to be taught lunch manners and etiquette skills A child sits politely at the table as instructed, while a mother behind her takes a photo of the table set up on her mobile Students learn how to hold a knife and fork correctly, and which cutlery to use for which course A student watches as Mr Seatton explains how to use a knife and fork. Mr Seatton currently travels extensively throughout China to train his clients - private individuals, celebrities, corporations and government officials - on British etiquette Meanwhile, in the afternoon tea session they were taught how to make a cup of tea to their liking, how to stir their brew quietly, how to enjoy scones and how to make polite conversation. The day concluded with a graduation ceremony where the students were given certificates. Etiquette expert James Seatton has lived and worked in New York, Tokyo, London and Shanghai. His current job involves travelling extensively throughout China to train his clients - private individuals, celebrities, corporations and government officials - on British manners. A smiling waitress pours water into a young girl's glass during the lunchtime session A student digs into the main dish, which is Australian Beef Brisket with creamed potatoes and seasonal vegetables The children, pictured in their smart dress for the day, had some time to relax during the during a break before beginning their afternoon tea etiquette session The table laid out with a three-tiered afternoon tea set with dainty looking sandwiches, as well as cups of tea and a strainer On Mr Seatton's website, it says that the company provides their clients with training and knowledge by conducting both private and group courses. The instruction can cover a variety of different scenarios ranging from 'business exchange to social and dining etiquette to ensure that clients are confident in everything from making introductions to using the correct cutlery when eating a western style dinner'. Five different courses are on offer including Gentlemen's Academy, Western Drinking and Dining, International Business Etiquette, Royal Afternoon Tea and Table Manners for Children. A young girl drinks a cup of tea during the afternoon tea session, left. Mr Seatton - who has lived and worked in New York, Tokyo, London and Shanghai - demonstrates how to use cutlery as the children watch, right During the afternoon tea session the youngsters were taught how to make a cup of tea to their liking, how to stir their tea quietly, how to enjoy scones and how to make polite conversation The proud mothers of the students sit behind their children, watching their progress in understanding English etiquette and manners One of the Kardashians' favorite doctors has revealed an innovative new method for getting curves like Kim without even having to go under the knife. Doctor Simon Ourian - who is credited with removing Khloe Kardashian's 'tramp stamp', has earned praise from Kylie Jenner for her 'super natural' lip injections and is said to be 'great friends' with Kim and her mother Kris Jenner - has now unveiled a technique he calls the 'no scalpel Brazilian butt lift'. Sharing a video of the procedure, which claims to 'enhance and lift' buttocks, the doctor claimed the non-surgical lift is permanent and has immediate results. Enlargement: One of the Kardashians' favourite doctors and family friend, Doctor Simon Ourian, has revealed the 'no scalpel Brazilian butt lift' Curvaceous: The technique could prove popular with people who want to emulate the buttocks of Kim Kardashian, pictured in her white swimming costume 'belfie' Peace out: The Los Angeles doctor, pictured right with Kim in a post she shared last week, said the new method injects either liposuctioned fat or Dermal fillers into the buttocks under local anesthetic It uses either the liposuctioned fat of the person being treated or can be done using permanent or semi-permanent dermal fillers. The video shows a woman having marks drawn on her buttocks and then lying down as the top area of each of her buttocks are repeatedly injected. He wrote: 'No cutting, No anesthesia, No implants. Natural results. Using a persons own liposuctioned Fat or injection of permanent or semi-permanent Dermal fillers. 'This is just another alternative for those who do not want to get a butt implant but wish to have a more shapely butt.' Instant results: Dr Simon said patients will notice the impact of the treatment, before and after pictures, left and right, straight away Marking it out: The clip shows Dr Simon drawing on his client's buttocks with marker, to show where the fillers need to be injected Scalpel-free: The method, pictured being prepared left and right, is claimed to 'enhance and lift' buttocks The technique, which he does at his Beverly Hills clinic, uses 'multi-layer, micro-droplet injection with HD fat transfer for long lasting natural results or injection of permanent Dermal fillers'. He said only local anesthetic is needed and the pain levels are described as 'none to mild'. However the average cost of the treatment is $15,000 to $40,000 depending on the size of the enlargements and the method used. It comes as the popularity of butt implants continues to rise as the fastest-growing type of cosmetic surgery in the United States. According to recent data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), last year there was an average of one buttock procedure every 30 minutes of every day. Trendsetting: Dr Simon, who is a friend of Kim, pictured showing her curvaceous buttocks in a bikini, charges between $15,000 and $40,000 for the 'butt lift' Influencer: Kim, pictured on her infamous Paper covershoot, is renowned for her enviable curves, which are coveted by women the world over Trio: Dr Simon, pictured last year at a charity event with Kim and her mother Kris Jenner, describes the duo as 'great friends' The top three bottom-related procedures were buttock augmentation with fat grafting (14,705 procedures), buttock lift (4,767 procedures) and buttock implants (2,540 procedures). Dr Simon warned of the dangers of silicone injections which he said are 'not legal' and 'extremely dangerous'. He added: 'If someone is offering you silicone injection for your butt lift do not do it even if they pay you. 'Many cases of silicone or other types of injection in the buttocks that cause severe deformity and in many cases even death.' Friendship: Dr Simon, pictured, left, with his 'beautiful wife' Sharon Naim Orion, right, and 'beautiful friend' Kim, center, said his buttock enlargement method involves 'no cutting, no anesthesia, no implants' Smile: Dr Simon, pictured, left, with Khloe Kardashian, right, said the new 'butt lift' method provides 'natural results' Fan club: Dr Simon, pictured, center, with Kim, right, and brother Rob, left, has a long-standing relationship with the Kardashian family Khloe, 31, had her lower back tattoo that read 'Daddy' with a cross and angel wings in honor of her late father Robert removed by the doctor using laser treatment last year. Kylie, 18, praised Dr Simon for his work on her lips - hailing him as 'the best'. She said in an interview with the New York Times in September: 'I go to Dr. [Simon] Ourian in Beverly Hills. Hes the best, and hes super natural about it. Why is it that celebrities always look so fresh after disembarking from a transatlantic flight? For model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, it requires plenty of on-board maintenance and sticking to a strict regimen. This week, the Mad Max: Fury Road actress spilled her in-flight routine to Violet Grey and offered a glimpse into her well-stocked carry-on bag. Spoiler alert: It includes cashmere loungewear stolen from her fiance, actor Jason Statham, and more than $800 worth of beauty products. While the contents of us non-A-lister's suitcases may be slightly less extensive, there are useful tips we can learn from the well-traveled runway star. Read on for six rules of traveling like a supermodel, according to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Frequent Flyer: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 28, revealed her in-flight routine and must-have beauty products to Violet Grey Bring a change of clothes. No, she doesn't wear Saint Laurent blazers and Gianvito Rossi heels on the plane. As soon as she gets to her seat she swaps her designer duds for loungewear. On a recent trip from Los Angeles to London, she wore a cashmere wrap and pants from her own Rosie for Autograph line, a Paige Denim T-shirt and cashmere socks nabbed from her fiance. Drink all of the water. 'Ask for the biggest bottle of water they can provide and try to drink at least three to four liters,' Rosie said. Skip the airplane food. 'Usually Ill pack a paleo wrap with turkey or chicken and salad, as well as nuts and dried fruit.' In transit: Rosie said that she immediately changes into comfy clothes like a cashmere sweater when she gets on board Carrying on: The supermodel's travel beauty regimen (above) includes moisturizer, body oil and lip balm Hydrate your skin - and that includes your legs. After settling in, she takes off her make-up with Koh Gen Do wipes and goes through her daily skin care routine which includes iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum, Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream and By Terry Baume de Rose. She also applies African Botanics Marula Body Oil to her legs and feet to keep them moisturized. Freshen up your appearance with quick-fix make-up. 'I carry just enough [make-up] to give me quick and easy results before landing,' she said. She'll apply concealer from her Rosie for Autograph line, RMS Living Luminizer and Tom Ford lipstick in Indian Rose. Keep hair sleek. For a low-maintenance yet structured look she likes to scrape her hair back with Moroccan Oil Styling Gel. Shop some of Rosie's must-have travel products below. SHOP ROSIE'S ESSENTIAL IN-FLIGHT BEAUTY PRODUCTS FROM LEFT Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water Cloths $39, (violetgrey.com) African Botanics Marula Firming Botantical Body Oil ($90, africanbotanics.com) Advertisement SHOP ROSIE'S ESSENTIAL IN-FLIGHT BEAUTY PRODUCTS FROM LEFT By Terry Baume de Rose ($60, violetgrey.com) RMS Living Luminizer ($38, rmsbeauty.com ) Advertisement Brelfie: Tamara Ecclestone, daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie, is a vocal exponent of breastfeeding With her oversized sunglasses and wide smile, she looks like any other glamorous young woman relishing a day off by the pool. Then you notice she is otherwise engaged. For there, clamped to her bikini-clad breast, is her then 15-month-old daughter feeding. Tamara Ecclestone, daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie, is a vocal exponent of breastfeeding, which is commendable, Im sure, but why the need to post such attention-seeking selfies (or brelfies as her regular breastfeeding self-portraits have been called)? To date, she has posted dozens of pictures to her Instagram account and has also been photographed professionally with daughter Sophia clutched to her chest. You might think how sweet, but look closely at the size of the child Sophia recently turned two, so were not talking about a baby here. And then theres the fact her mother is fully made-up, hair blow-dried and showing her best angle. Judging from the lighting, I suspect even the snapper of the selfies is someone on the payroll. In my view, Tamaras poses have very little to do with being a feed-on-demand mother and a lot to do with her own insatiable need for publicity. But she is far from alone in turning an intimate moment between mother and child into a spectator sport. Only this week, TOWIE star Sam Faiers posted a picture of herself feeding her baby son Paul while sprawled on a sun lounger. A whole host of other celebrity mothers have also recently been gazing beatifically at the camera, hair and make-up immaculate with the all-important accessory on display: the babe at the breast. Take Brazilian supermodel Gisele. Having once declared to a fashion magazine that there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies, she shared a picture of herself reclining, all caramel limbs and flowing tresses, as a team of stylists pampered every inch of her famous body. Her fluffy white dressing gown was pulled open, revealing her one-year-old daughter, Vivian, contentedly feeding. The hashtag multitasking spoke volumes about the pictures self-serving smugness. Brazilian supermodel Gisele posted this photo of herself being pampered by a term of stylists, while breast-feeding her daughter Vivian, with the hashtag 'multitasking' Fellow model Miranda Kerr chose to introduce her son Flynn to the world with an intimate picture of her breastfeeding him taken by his father, actor Orlando Bloom. She later shared another brelfie this time wearing a white satin dressing gown and scarlet stilettos complete with bouncy blow-dry and feline flick. Since when were women required to look so ridiculously sexy when engaged in possibly the most unglamorous act you can imagine? Thats not to mention the fact that these pictures heap unbearable pressure on new mothers. Nowadays, not only must you miraculously shift your baby weight within a week, you must love breastfeeding and perform the task looking drop dead gorgeous! Miranda Kerr shared this picture of her looking glamourous while breastfeeding her son, Flynn I breastfed my two sons (now 20 and 22) for four months each. My GP explained in great detail that three months is all that is required to provide your infant with the all-important immunity boosters that we hear so much about. Six months is even better, he explained, but by the time a year has passed, the mother is being depleted of vital nutrients. Beyond that and, frankly, its getting weird. Did I breastfeed them in public? If I had to. My view on public breastfeeding is simple. Do it if you need to, but do not force the entire restaurant, cafe or aircraft to partake in the ritual. I quickly figured out how to breastfeed my two boys in public without making people squirm (and, frankly, many people will do at the sight of a swollen veiny breast with milk oozing from it). I know breastfeeding can be done discreetly anywhere. These days there are a variety of feeding bibs a mother can wear to spare her modesty and the discomfort of her fellow diners. But these would not please the likes of Tamara Ecclestone et al. These narcissistic young women post their carefully stage-managed pictures in order to gain attention and accolades for doing something so selfless and positive. The list of breastfeeding boasters is seemingly endless. Pop stars Pink and Gwen Stefani have also posed for brelfies, along with Russian model Natalia Vodianova, who went one step further by posing naked while feeding. What irks me is that these women are glamorising something that for most mothers is exhausting and messy. All those perfect lifestyle pictures are meant to show how wonderfully down-to-earth these celebs are when, in fact, this couldnt be further away from reality. Where are the eyebags from tending a wakeful baby at night? And that hard-to-shift baby fat? No hint of that anywhere on their toned, super-taut bodies. Meanwhile, feeding their babies in public gives these women more of the thing that they crave so desperately: attention. Tamara Ecclestone, pictured with her daugher , is certainly reaping the rewards of joining the so-called mammary mafia. Her brelfies have propelled her into the headlines and led to appearances on television Tamara Ecclestone is certainly reaping the rewards of joining the so-called mammary mafia. Her brelfies have propelled her into the headlines and led to appearances on morning television. She has also been interviewed in tabloid magazines, where she defended her right to over-expose herself in this way. It seems shes making a career out of it. Of course, there are no photos of Tamara changing Sophias nappy, cleaning up the post-feed vomit or even holding a cloth (the never snapped maternity nurse on 24/7 duty takes care of all that, Im sure). My hunch is that Tamara needs her daughter suckling on her much more than her daughter needs the milk. After all, Sophia will be tucking into three meals a day and drinking water from a sippy cup by now. And toddlers toddle by the age of two because they are meant to detach from Mum. Breastfeeding their babies in public gives these celebrities more of the thing that they crave so desperately: attention. Pictured, Tamara Ecclestone feeds her daughter in a snap posted on her Instagram account If breastfeeding were as painless, easy, tireless and tidy as these pictures suggest, trust me, we would all do it. Personally, I found it exhausting and time-consuming (babies fall asleep, latch off, have to be woken up, latch on again, then they need their nappies changed). It involves a lot more than tucking a child on the breast. Worryingly, however, this new competitive sport of public suckling is catching on in the real world. I see many examples in Notting Hill, West London, where I live. And after the requisite public feeding, the toddler in question is promptly handed back to the nanny walking three steps behind. A woman who suffered weeks of insomnia and paranoia after becoming convinced her husband was cheating on her actually had a rare cyst on her brain. Doctors discovered the 43-year-old, from Istanbul, had a fluid-filled lump in the right side of the organ, which was causing her to become psychotic. The right frontal lobe is the control panel of our personality and enables us to communicate. Specifically, it is is responsible for memory, judgement and emotional expression which form key aspects of our character and how we behave. The unidentified mother-of-one had been married to her partner for 20 years and they had a daughter together. But after becoming stressed when her daughter had to change schools due to bad grades, she also became suspicious her husband was seeing another woman. A woman who became paranoid and becoming convinced her husband was cheating on her actually had a rare cyst on her brain. Pictured is the porencephalic (a fluid-filled cyst) she had shown in white on an MRI scan She began checking his personal belongings and going through his mobile phone, according to doctors describing the case in the journal BMJ Case Reports. Then, she stopped being able to sleep and became increasingly paranoid and irritable. Forced to go to hospital, doctors from the Deparment of Neurology at Uskudar University, Istanbul, said she was tired-looking and suffering paranoid delusions about her family. Her family reported her personality had changed from her childhood demeanour, and had become irritable and nervous. However, the woman had no idea her manner had changed or that she was paranoid, doctors said. They carried out a range of tests and found nothing out of the ordinary, other than a mild iron deficiency. Baffled, they decided to carry out an MRI scan of her brain. It was then they found a large porencephalic cyst in the right frontal lobe of the organ. These are rare, cysts or cavities on the brain which become filled with fluid. Suspecting adultery, the mother-of-one began checking her husband's personal belongings and going through his mobile phone, doctors said. After being given anti-psychotic drugs her paranoia improved (file photo) They can be present from birth, or acquired through a bump to the head or if a virus or infection damages the organ. Symptoms of such a cyst depend on where it is located in the brain, but can include seizures, learning disabilities and changes to personality. The woman was diagnosed with a psychotic disorder which occurred as a result of the cyst pressing on her brain. She had never had never had any psychiatric or neurological problems before, doctors reported. After much discussion about what was the correct treatment, they decided against surgery to remove the cyst and instead prescribed the anti-psychotic medication olanzapine. Within three weeks her paranoid delusions and irritability had 'improved significantly', they said. A man with an itchy rash which appeared to 'move' over his foot was horrified to discover he had worms living under his skin. The unidentified 42-year-old came to see doctors at Peking Union Medical College, in Beijing, complaining of the mark on his foot, which resembled a varicose vein. The rash had appeared a month before, after he had returned from a holiday in Nigeria, and was intensely itchy. Bizarrely, it appeared to 'migrate', moving a few millimeters to a few centimeters daily, he told doctors, who described the case in the New England Journal of Medicine. A man with an itchy rash which appeared to 'move' over his foot discovered he actually had live worms under his skin, according to doctors describing the case in the New England Journal of Medicine Medics examined his foot and found a red, raised tract with a wavy margin. They gave the patient the stomach-churning news he had cutanteous larva migrans - a parasitic skin infection caused by hookworm larvae. These hookworms generally live in the intestines of pets such as dogs and cats and shed their eggs via their faeces, usually in sandy areas of beaches or under houses. Humans can become infected through contact with these faeces, such as by walking barefoot on the beach or in soil that has been contaminated with the waste. The parasite stays in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin, because it lacks the enzymes needed to burrow down deeper into the body. The rash it triggers is most commonly seen on the feet, back, buttocks, thighs, or abdomen. The man was given an anti-parasitic drug called albendazole and after two weeks, the marks on his foot disappeared. Cutaneous larva migrans is the most frequent skin disease among travellers returning from tropical countries, according to a paper in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. As it can lead to complications including impetigo, a skin infection that causes blisters, or allergic reactions, it must be treated immediately, it added. The best way to avoid infection is to ban dogs from beaches, the authors said. If this is not possible, lie on sand washed by the tide or use a mattress, and avoid lying on dry sand, even on a towel, they concluded. A man nearly went blind in one eye after developing a horrific ulcer on his eyeball after wearing his contact lenses for 14 hours a day. Andy James was rushed to hospital when he began to experience excruciating pain in his left eye, which he said felt like 'daggers stabbing into his brain'. He was diagnosed with ulcers on his cornea, the transparent layer over the front of the eye, and had to suffer yet more agony when doctors treated him. To his horror, this involved injecting a needle into his eyeball - and hearing it 'pop' left him feeling violently ill. Now the 32-year-old is sharing his story in a bid to warn others of the dangers of wearing contact lenses for too long. Andy James, 32, was nearly blinded in his left eye after developing an horrific and ulcer on his eyeball (pictured) after wearing his contact lenses for 14 hours a day He was rushed to hospital after experience excruciating pain in his eye, which he said felt like 'daggers stabbing into his brain'. Pictured with his fiancee Sam Mr James had been wearing his contact lenses for 14 hours a day for weeks, unaware this raises the risk of infection. The air freight sales executive said: 'The scary thing about my situation is that it can happen to anyone. 'In my case, I'd followed the guidelines on the back of the contact lens packet and I try to rest my eyes by wearing glasses when I can. 'The fact is that everyone who wears contact lenses is susceptible to corneal ulcers. 'And I was never ever informed about the dangers.' He added: 'There needs to be more diligence around contact lens use, and those prescribing them need to be more upfront about what can, and does, go wrong.' Mr James, from Lymm, Cheshire, discovered he was short-sighted when he was 14 years old, being -4.5 in his left eye and -4.75 in his right eye on the scale measuring vision. To take a sample from his ulcer, doctors had to inject it with a needle. Mr James says hearing his eyeball 'pop' left him 'sick to his stomach' Doctors told Mr James had he waited another 24 hours before seeking treatment, he could have lost his sight He started wearing fortnightly lenses but in his early 20s he developed a mild ulcer in his right eye. He said: 'At that point in time, I wasn't wearing my contacts correctly at all. But that's because I simply didn't know any better. 'The specialist at the hospital nearly had a fit when I told her I'd been wearing my contacts for seven days a week, 12 hours a day, and some days I'd probably wear them for 14 or 16 hours if I was working. VAST MAJORITY OF CONTACT LENS WEARERS ARE RISKING BLINDNESS BY IGNORING HYGIENE RULES Virtually everyone who wears contact lenses is committing a string of cardinal sins which puts them at risk of blindness, a report warned. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of 1,000 adults found 99 per cent were breaking one of the golden rules for wearing contacts. The number of contact wearers has grown steadily over the last 20 years with 3.5 million people in the UK and 30 million in the U.S. choosing the soft lenses instead of glasses to correct their eyesight. Around 99 per cent of contact lens wearers are risking blindness by ignoring at least one of the golden hygiene rules for wearing the devices The report found a number of worrying - but extremely common practices - such as failing to clean them properly. More than half of wearers admitted they had slept overnight wearing their contacts while almost nine in 10 people had taken a nap with their lenses in. The bad habits - such as topping up rather than replacing contact lens solution - can lead to potentially devastating eye infections like keratitis - inflammation of the cornea which can cause blindness. Nearly a third of wearers admitted they had gone to a doctor because of red or painful eyes, the report said. However the study's biggest concern was the number of people who exposed their contact lenses to water - by either rinsing their lenses in tap water, showering or going swimming. More than eight in ten people admitted showering while wearing them and six in ten went swimming while still wearing contacts. More than a third of people said they had rinsed their lenses under a tap while almost 17 per cent said they had soaked them in tap water overnight. Experts said this significantly increased the risk for infection because it can transfer micro-organisms living in water to the eye. Although household tap water is safe for drinking, it is not sterile and contains bugs that can contaminate contacts and cause eye infections. Advertisement 'She basically informed me that you shouldn't wear contacts for three consecutive days for longer than eight or nine hours.' As this was new information, he says he felt as though he had not been given the proper guidance. Then, in September last year, he developed a second ulcer, this time in his left eye and much larger. While driving to a meeting with work his eye began to feel 'gritty', and he cancelled the appointment. When he got home, he started wearing his glasses and went to the chemist to get eye drops and an eye bath solution. But the pain only got worse and worse. He said: 'By about 10pm that night the pain was becoming really unbearable. It was excruciating. 'I suffered through the night and then the following morning I went straight to the doctor, who instantly referred me to the nearest hospital. 'And that's when things got really uncomfortable.' In order to take a sample from his ulcer, the doctor had to physically stick a large needle in it. 'I could hear my eye literally "pop",' Mr James said. 'Feeling that sensation, and then hearing such a sickening noise, made me physically wretch. 'It was utterly horrible and something I never want to experience ever again.' Doctors said had he waited another 24 hours before having treatment, he could have lost sight in that eye. 'It was pretty frightening to hear,' he said. Ahd the pain from the ulcer didn't subside for quite some time, he added. Back at home, Mr James spent almost two weeks sitting in a darkened room wearing sunglasses, because the pain of seeing even the tiniest chink of light was unbearable. Watching TV was unthinkable, too, so he spent 10 days doing nothing but listening to the radio. He added: 'All the blinds were closed tight because every time I saw any light it felt like daggers in my eyes. 'Thankfully my boss, and my girlfriend, were both pretty understanding about the situation.' Since his ordeal, Mr James has opted to have laser eye surgery so he doesn't have to wear contact lenses any more. When preparing for the operation, his surgeon Dr David Allamby, clinical director of London's Focus Clinic, found he had eleven scars on his corneas - six on his left and five on his right. This serves as a stark reminders of the dangers that contact lenses can pose, Dr Allamby said. 'The dangers of wearing contact lenses are often underestimated and ignored but you're five times more likely to develop an eye infection if you wear them,' he said. 'And in some ways Andy is lucky to have emerged unscathed because some of the infections he's susceptible to are particularly nasty.' He says one such contact lens-related disease is called acanthamoeba keratitis - microscopic organisms found in lakes and rivers. I could hear my eye literally 'pop'. Feeling that sensation, and then hearing such a sickening noise, made me physically wretch Andy James, 32 These can burrow down into the cornea causing permanent damage and blindness. Dr Allamby said: 'It's extremely dangerous and almost impossible to eradicate fully, even though it can be treated with a combination of steroids and an anti-infection agent. 'Some people with this condition can undergo corneal grafts, but it can still remain in the cornea. It's not a bug to get.' He added: 'So it's entirely right that Andy has sought to nullify his chances of picking up these infections once and for all by undergoing laser eye surgery. 'He'll never need to look at a pair of spectacles or contact lenses again while he's now also got markedly improved eyesight too. 'I'm delighted he's so pleased with the results.' NHS bosses are planning to hire up to 400 GPs from India to plug staffing shortages in surgeries. In a desperate bid to prop up general practice, health officials have signed a contract with a major Indian hospital chain that will involve the transfer of qualified GPs to England. The details are still under discussion but the doctors could be allowed to bypass training and exams to ensure they can start as soon as possible. It is believed up to 400 doctors could be sourced from India in a bid to plug the shortage of GPs in England Senior British doctors last night branded the proposals dangerous for patients. Surgeries across England are struggling to cope with the soaring population, with a study published this week warning that they were reaching saturation point. Millions of patients are having to queue to get a same-day appointment or face waiting up to four weeks for a pre-booked slot. Doctors leaders admit general practice is in crisis, with family doctors in England dealing with more frequent and longer consultations with a rising number of patients. But they warned that bringing in Indian GPs was a most dangerous thing as there are considerable gaps in training, language and wider knowledge of the NHS and British culture. The proposals uncovered by the GPs magazine Pulse have been put forward by Health Education England, the quango in charge of the NHS workforce. A spokesman said negotiations were still in the very early stages but confirmed it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Apollo, a private hospital chain in India that trains family doctors. This will enable the mutual exchange of clinical staff and, importantly, the transfer of up to 400 Indian GPs to England. Currently, any qualified GP coming in from outside the EU must do three years of training in the UK followed by an exam set by the Royal College of GPs before they can work in surgeries. Doctors are concerned the new proposals may allow Indian doctors to bypass this training to ensure they can start quickly. It comes days after it was revealed the Government is falling behind on its pledge to increase the GP workforce by 5,000 by 2020 to reduce the staffing crisis Consultant paediatrician Dr Umesh Prabhu, a member of the British International Doctors Association executive committee, said: This is a most dangerous thing, because these doctors are not trained to be GPs in the UK. Their training is entirely different. I have concerns for the doctors safety and the patients safety. Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, warned that the GPs may not have a good command of the English language. If the Government is looking to recruit doctors from India and elsewhere, then there must be reassurance that patient-doctor communications will not be compromised, she said. All patients rely on their doctors to give them the advice, support and treatment they need. Its therefore important that patients feel they are easily able to communicate with those who are providing those services. As well as a good command of the English language, any medical professional must also have a good understanding of local policies and procedures. Miss Murphy said it was vital that efforts were made to train and retain more GPs in the UK. However the indications are that the Government is likely to train less than half of its 5,000 target by 2020, she added. With fewer GPs going into the profession, many UK-based GPs looking to work abroad and 7,200 GPs retiring within the next five years, this must ring alarm bells. The proposals to hire hundreds of foreign GPs will be seen as bizarre when the crisis in surgeries is partly being fuelled by immigration Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Associations GP Committee, said: It is clearly an admission of failure that the Government seems to have launched a recruitment scheme overseas to plug what is clearly a widening gap in the number of homegrown GPs in our workforce. Dr Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, who is in contact with Indian officials involved in the plans, said the NHS wanted as many GPs as possible. His understanding was that the Indian doctors would not do the three years of GPs training followed by an exam as there was not enough time. Im worried because if they are not trained here and they are thrown directly into general practice there are going to be problems, he said. They will need to be supervised. I dont think this training will happen as the NHS needs GPs now, not in three years. Health Education England said: England and India have signed a memorandum of understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas. The details are still in discussion. Since its establishment in 2013, HEE has honoured its commitment to invest more in GP training by increasing the number of training posts available. Is now in recovery and raising money for her own charity 'Jessica's Dream' Her heart stopped three times and medics worked hard to Jessica Morgan Price, pictured recently, was 19 when she was diagnosed with leukaemia A teenager 'came back from the dead' three times after her heart stopped beating while battling cancer. Jessica Morgan Price was 19 when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia and immediately started chemotherapy. But she caught MRSA and suffered a raft of complications - until she was eventually so ill she was put into an induced coma while doctors battled to save her life. Her heart stopped twice in the first four days of being unconscious, and she was put on a ventilator machine which breathed for her. Her terrified parents were told to 'prepare for the worst' as she may not survive. Two weeks later, her heart stopped again - this time for an entire minute - and medics had to resuscitate the organ with a shot of adrenaline and perform CPR. Miraculously, Miss Morgan Price survived and after a year of recovery she has been in remission for a year. The mortgage adviser, now 21, said: 'I believe that sometimes in life you have to go through hell to see the heaven just around the corner.' Miss Morgan Price, who lives in Porthcawl, South Wales, went to the doctor in 2013 after weeks of feeling tired and run down. But after undergoing blood tests she was shocked to be told she was suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia. She said: 'The doctor asked me if I knew why I was at the hospital and I said I knew I was anaemic. It was then he told me it was actually cancer. 'For weeks I had been feeling ill - completely exhausted with unexplained bruises and a lack of appetite. 'I thought I was going in for them to take a closer look at my blood but within a very short space of time I was being told I had leukaemia and being operated on.' Miss Morgan Price was immediately referred for treatment including chemotherapy. A line was also put directly into her chest to administer drugs straight into her veins or take blood samples easily. Miss Morgan Price started chemotherapy after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia However the tube - known as a Hickman line - left her with a life-threatening MRSA infection. 'My health took a real bad turn after that and I ended up on life support,' she said. Doctors put the teenager into an induced coma after she suffered multiple organ failure and collapsed lungs, last February. My heart stopped three times but each time I came back Jessica Morgan Price, 21 She also had pleurisy - inflammation of the sheet-like layers that cover the lungs, causing breathing difficulties - pneumonia, and several other complications. She said: 'I ended up in intensive care and I was put into an induced coma. My family were told I wasn't going to make it through the first night due to how ill I was. 'My heart stopped three times but each time I came back.' It is thought a lack of oxygen getting through while she was on a ventilator caused her heart to stop the first time. The second time the ventilator was blocked by blood clots. A senior doctor spent over an hour picking at the clots through the ventilator with a thin camera called a bronchoscope, to clear her airways, she said. After her third 'death' she became stronger and was woken from the coma when she could breathe on her own. Miss Morgan Price, pictured with mother Rebecca, caught MRSA and suffered a raft of complications She stayed in hospital for a year after developing MRSA - but kept friends updated about her progress through social media and by blogging Slowly, she regained her health and was able to sit up. 'It was very gradual. At first I could breathe on my own and later I could sit up. It all took time.' Miss Morgan Price, an aspiring writer, had to have physiotherapy for six weeks to regain her mobility and she stayed in hospital for almost a year. While she was in recovery she kept her friends updated with pictures on social media and blog posts about her progress. She said: 'To get better I pushed myself to the point I couldn't push myself any more. 'It helped having the support from followers online to keep me going and send their best wishes.' She has now been in a relationship with partner Jamie Perham, 26, for nearly a year, and says he provides the support she needs to get better. She said: 'He is so supportive and helps me through the down days. 'We try and take each day as it comes and really make the most of them. I am getting stronger all the time.' Miss Morgan Price and her mother, Rebecca Price, have also created a charity called 'Jessica's Dream' and have already raised 7,000 to help others with leukaemia. A young woman who was unable to wear heels or even make a cup of tea because her joints dislocated up to 17 times a day claims weightlifting has transformed her life. Lauren Balmain-Davies, 27, suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) - a rare condition that weakens the tissues that holds joints in place. The financial accountant from South Shields, Newcastle, has dislocated her joints tens of thousands of times since childhood. Nearly every joint in her body has been knocked out - including her ribs after sneezing to ankles and knees after wearing heels - leaving her in excruciating pain. The life-limiting condition means Miss Balmain-Davies struggles with everyday tasks such carrying her own shopping or lifting the kettle. But after two decades of battling the condition, she has now found relief through weightlifting, which strengthens the muscles around her joints to stop them from dislocating as often. Lauren Balmain-Davies, 27, suffers from Ehler Danlos Syndrome - a rare condition that weakens the tissues that holds joints in place - which causing hypermobility and her joints to dislocate thousands of time After two decades of being in excruciating pain due to hundreds of dislocations - she has finally found relied through weightlifting. This strengthens the muscles holding her joints in place - so they don't get knocked out She is being trained by ex-soldier Adam Foster, with whom she credits with 'saving her life', Miss Balmain-Davies said: 'When I was having a bad day I could dislocate up to 17 times per day. 'Some days are worse than others and it's so painful that I often end up in A&E. 'When I was 18 I started to wear high heels, but every time I tried to walk in them my ankle and knees would dislocate. RARE CONNECTIVE TISSUE ILLNESS Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a collection of inherited conditions, known as heritable disorders of connective tissue. Connective tissues provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones. There are different types of EDS, which can cause: joint hypermobility - increased range of movement of the joints loose, unstable joints that are prone to dislocation joint pain and fatigue joints that 'click' and are easily bruised stretchy skin fragile skin tissue The fragile skin and unstable joints may be the result of faulty collagen. Collagen is a protein in connective tissue that acts as a 'glue' in the body, adding strength and elasticity. The different types of EDS are caused by alterations in certain genes that make collagen weaker. In some cases the amount of collagen in the body is reduced. The faulty genes can be passed from parents to their children. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement She continued: 'I couldn't make myself a cup of tea without thinking I was going to dislocate my wrist - I even had to buy myself a kettle that you don't have to lift. 'I am so grateful for Adam, his training programme has helped me strengthen my joints - it's amazing - I can now go surfing and no longer have to strap all my joints with tape to try and prevent them from popping out. 'I am finally able to live my life without the fear of dislocating every time I make a drink or lift my handbag.' Miss Balmain-Davies was diagnosed with EDS, a genetic condition suffered by both her mother and grandmother, at 18. Doctors initially told her it was growing pains, until they eventually realised it was something more serious. Now, she has a specially adapted chair she uses to cook or iron as standing in an upright position for too long is too painful. She says there is a complete lack of awareness about EDS She said: 'What people don't realise is that there are so many other medical conditions linked to EDS - I have terrible memory loss which affects me most days.' In October 2014, Miss Balmain-Davies' hip bone popped out of its socket and she was forced to undergo an operation after years of dislocations had caused her bones to rub together. Sick of being in pain, she began searching for a solution to her illness and found others had found relief through exercise. She began working out with personal trainer and ex-soldier Adam Foster, known as Fibro Guy, and by week nine of his training regime she could work out in the gym without dislocating any joints. Now, she credits Mr Foster with 'saving her life'. As a teenager Miss Balmain-Davies was unable to wear heels as she would constantly dislocating her ankles and knees Miss Balmain-Davies' condition is so severe she has a specially adapted chair she uses to cook or iron, as standing in an upright position for too long is too painful Previously, Miss Balmain-Davies would frequently end up in A&E as she would dislocate her joints 17 times a day (pictured left, on crutches). Now weighlifting (right) has strengthened her muscles so this barely occurs Miss Balmain-Davies said: 'The results have been life changing - I barely dislocate at all now. 'I was always exhausted due to fatigue too, but I have so much more energy now. She added: 'After six weeks of being with Adam I was surfing in Portugal, I couldn't believe it. 'I have since been surfing in Morocco and I have booked to go surfing again in August.' Occasionally she has a flare-up, including recently when she walked into the washing machine door and her knee popped out of its socket. However, she is finally now well enough to go to work. She wants to share her story so other sufferers realise weightlifting can greatly help with the condition. Miss Balmain-Davies credits her trainer, ex-soldier Adam Foster, with 'saving her life' as by week nine of his training regime she could work out in the gym without dislocating any joints She said: 'I have finally found a solution that works and I want to share this with others suffering with EDS - I want to show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and help is out there.' Mya Choudry, EDS-UK health and helpline advisor said: 'EDS can vary on a spectrum between mild to severe, ranging from just being hypermobile to constantly dislocating and having extreme difficulty in terms of mobility, leaving the person very debilitated. 'EDS-UK is the only charity in the UK supporting this condition, we offer varying forms of support via social media, medical information, a free helpline service and local support groups all across the UK. 'EDS-UK strives hard to promote awareness of the condition within the public and medical community, and provides support to members to help get the services they need.' Scientists have discovered a new compound in algae that has potent anti-cancer abilities. A team of Oregon State University experts found that the compound is capable of fighting two of the most aggressive forms of the disease brain tumors and triple negative breast cancer. The compound, called coibamide A, cuts off cancer cells ability to communicate with blood vessels and other cells which triggers the diseased cells death. The findings could lead to new drug treatments to fight aggressive cancers. Lead study author Dr Jane Ishmael said: So far, there isn't a drug in clinical use or in any clinical trials that works in this way. We're using it to try to reveal a new pathway to trigger cell death in these cancer cells that have traditionally been considered very resistant to cell death. Scientists discovered a compound in blue-green algae (pictured) called coibamide A, which can cut off cancer cells' ability to communicate with blood vessels and other cells. That mechanism triggers the cells' death The compound was discovered by Dr Kerry McPhail, of Oregon State, while scuba diving in Panamas Coiba National Park eight years ago. The scientist collected blue-green algae called cyanobacteria - during a dive, and found it to be a mash-up of at least three algal species that grow together on rocks in areas with fast-moving water. Similar algal communities have been found in the Red Sea and off the coast of South Africa. Dr McPhail isolated coibamide A from the original specimen, and ran it through a screening system that looks for anti-cancer activity. The compound demonstrated a pattern of activity unlike any other which suggested it may be able to fight cancer through a mechanism not yet seen in existing drugs. Dr Ishmael said: The chemical diversity found in nature has always been a significant source of inspiration for drug design and development, but although the medicinal properties of plants have been recognized for thousands of years, marine environments remain relatively unexplored. We think that with this compound, nature has already found a way to target some of the specific proteins that are relevant to the growth of tumors Dr Jane Ishmael, of Oregon State University We think that with this compound, nature has already found a way to target some of the specific proteins that are relevant to the growth of tumors. The screening also showed the coibamide A was capable of killing off many types of cancer cells, the the scientists focused on brain tumors or glioblastomas and breast cancer. Dr Ishmael said: Patients with many other types of cancer already have some really excellent treatment options, so we were interested in focusing on some of the kinds of cancer that haven't had as much success with pharmacological development. For many brain tumors, for example, there are very few options and the prognosis has remained grim for many years. In an animal model for brain tumors, treatment with coibamide A significantly reduced the tumor size. Glioblastomas are difficult to treat as their tumors grow quickly and dont respond well to chemotherapy drugs. The compound was found to be effective in reducing the size of aggressive brain tumors called glioblastomas, as well as triple negative breast tumors - both of which are difficult to treat, scientists say A challenge in developing drugs to fight brain tumors is that the agent must cross the blood-brain barrier a strict filtering system. The scientists are working to determine if coibamide A could cross the barrier but regardless, they noted that knowing the compounds mechanism and structure could aid in future drug development. Collaborators at Japans Kyoto University recently developed a method to produce the compound synthetically which will make the teams research efforts even easier. A young woman was left in blood-soaked clothes and suffered a miscarriage after hospital staff ignored her desperate requests for help for six hours. Leanne Kenward, 22, was moved to two different rooms after turning up at Accident and Emergency, but wasnt seen by a doctor until after her harrowing experience. She was changing her clothes with the help of her boyfriend behind a curtain when the nine-week-old foetus fell to the floor. When they told a nurse what had happened, it was picked up and put in a container next to them. Leanne Kenward, 22, arrived at Whipps Cross University Hospital after suffering heavy bleeding. But the student waited two hours to see a nurse and another four for a doctor - by which time she had miscarried Miss Kenward was so distressed by the experience she demanded to be seen immediately by a doctor so she could be discharged. She said: Compassion should be the first thing you receive on the NHS, especially when you turn up at A&E. But no one thought about me or how I felt. There were several people who saw me crying but no one was nice to me. They treated me like a dog. It wasnt like they were rushed off their feet. I saw people sitting around a computer talking. Id never had a miscarriage before. If someone could have explained what was happening to my body it would have been so much better. The hairdresser started bleeding at the home she shares with her parents in Walthamstow, East London, at 1pm on December 9. She went to Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone an hour later after her boyfriend Billy King, 25, a gas engineer, rushed home from work. The couple explained that they thought she was having a miscarriage when they arrived at the emergency department but were left there for two hours. Miss Kenward, who has a 22-month-old daughter, Billie-Mae, with Mr King, was moved to a side room after she lost a lot of blood when she went to the toilet. There was a doctor in there and she was saying, Why has she been brought in here? she said. I was crying because she was so rude. She said she was going to see why theyd put me there. The couple werent moved, however, and Miss Kenward continued to lose blood. They asked a passing nurse if she could get changed but were told it was best if you stay like that. At 7pm they were transferred to a bed on a ward and again asked for clothes. They said there was a drawer with some and we should use those. Basically we had to do it ourselves, Miss Kenward said. The mother-of-one said: 'I was treated like a dog. I told them I thought I was having a miscarriage and I thought that might speed things up but nothing happened' She was getting changed when an untold amount of blood came out, along with the foetus. It was just horrific to see. When my partner told someone what had happened they picked it up off the floor and put it in a plastic pot on the bedside table, she said. Billy helped me clean myself and we sat there waiting for a doctor. By that time I was furious so I went to reception and told them, Ive had a miscarriage by myself. Can you get a doctor to see me so that he can tell me Ive had a miscarriage and I can go home? She was finally seen a few minutes later by a doctor who apologised for her treatment but said he had only just come on shift. Miss Kenward was allowed home at about 11.30pm. She believes she lost two pints of blood and passed about 40 clots. Joyce Robins, of pressure group Patient Concern, said the case was a terrible example of what hospitals are becoming. She added: There seems to have been bad management, bad communication, a lack of staff, a lack of compassion you name it. I dont think Ive heard of one as bad as this and my heart goes out to the poor young woman. Miss Kenward lodged an official complaint in January. She received an apology over the phone and was promised a formal letter of apology but this has not arrived. TEN DAYS by Gillian Slovo TEN DAYS by Gillian Slovo (Canongate 14.99) Inspired by research for her play The Riots about the confrontations in Tottenham, North London, and elsewhere in Britain during the summer of 2011, award-winning Slovo has created a thriller predicting it could happen again. On a fictional sink estate in the London borough of Rockham, a black activist is forcibly restrained by police officers - restraint that costs him his life. Fury erupts among the local community and riots begin, encouraged by another activist, Banji, revealed as an undercover police officer who has gone so far as to have a child with a woman on the estate. Add to the mixture an ambitious Home Secretary anxious to bring down the prime minister, who has taken his eye off domestic politics, and Slovo presents a vivid portrait of the realities of power in Britain. Seizing the opportunity, the Home Secretary demands tough police action and sanctions, for the first time, the use of water cannon on the streets of the capital. Sweeping in ambition and with a fine command of political and policing detail, this makes salutary, and alarming, reading. THE PASSENGER by Lisa Lutz THE PASSENGER by Lisa Lutz (Titan Books 7.99) The spellbinding story of a woman desperate to escape her past - and who decides to adopt several identities in her attempts to do so - this thriller positively pulses with energy. The bestselling Lutz creates a subtle, layered portrait of her heroine, whose real name is Nora Glass, but whom we first meet as Tanya Dubois. The death of Tanyas husband at the bottom of the stairs provokes her to flee, which makes her the prime suspect in what the Wisconsin police see as a murder. So Nora/Tanya begins a long road trip around the U.S., during which she even finds herself forced into murder, so frantic is she to remain undetected. She adopts the identities of six other women as she travels from the mid-West to New York, and meets the exotic Blue along the way, who also does not hesitate to kill. Told with enormous verve and at a breakneck pace, the story twists and turns like a corkscrew. Nora/Tanya is resourceful, determined and compelling, a heroine for our confused and uncertain times. FIRE DAMAGE by Kate Medina FIRE DAMAGE by Kate Medina (HarperCollins 12.99) This is Medinas second novel, and the first in a series built around the conflicted personality of psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn. She works with the Army, but has her own personal demons - not least of which is guilt at her younger brothers death and the resulting obsessive compulsive disorder that has come to paralyse her. Dr Flynn is presented with a four-year-old boy named Sami as a patient. His Army officer father has been terribly burned in Afghanistan, and the boy is all but catatonic. He will not let go of a huge torch, which he uses as a weapon, and keeps repeating that the girl did something - but Flynn cannot discover who she is nor what she has done. At the same time, one of Flynns former patients, Captain Ben Callan, of the Military Police, is investigating a suspicious death, also in Afghanistan, where two men went out for a run, but only one returned - the other having died from wounds from his own gun. When war arrives in 1939, the lives of four young people become entangled EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave (Sceptre 14.99) When war arrives in 1939, the lives of four young people become entangled. Rebellious Mary finds herself teaching and, to the horror of her parents, taking a stand against racism; steely Hilda drives an ambulance; Tom decides to give fighting a miss and work in education; but Alastair, an art restorer, signs up. In London, France and blockaded Malta, all four, at different times, are subject to bombing and deprivation, fall in love, battle with grief and injuries, make mistakes, succumb to addiction and are sometimes less than heroic. Will they make it through? Loosely based on the authors grandparents stories, this is a superb novel that breathes fresh life into an often brutal scenario. Particularly astute at demonstrating how war seeps into the psyche and changes it, this is beautifully written, funny, gut-wrenching and, above all, honest. THE SPY OF VENICE: A WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE NOVEL by Benet Brandreth THE SPY OF VENICE: A WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE NOVEL by Benet Brandreth (twenty7 16.99) Nothing is known for sure about William Shakespeare between 1585 and 1592. But this entertaining and ebullient story puts us right. Twenty years old, married and restless, Will escapes to London from Stratford after seducing the daughter of a local dignitary. Having fallen in with a band of players, he is co-opted into the train of Sir Henry Carr, the ambassador to Venice, and travels with him. The Catholic threat is omnipresent, assassins lurk in the shadows and Englands interests are under constant negotiation. Once in Venice, Will encounters skulduggery and violence, as well as the beautiful and clever courtesan Isabella Lisarro. He would be the better simply for having known her, he reflects. The author knows his Shakespeare backwards (the Venice setting has been carefully chosen), rejoices in its wordplay, loves his allusions and has a good time with his characters. So did I. THE ASHES OF LONDON by Andrew Taylor THE ASHES OF LONDON by Andrew Taylor (HarperCollins 14.99) Hot on the heels of the plague comes the Great Fire of September 1666 to consume the capital city. James Marwood, a Whitehall clerk and reluctant government informer, rescues the waif-like Catherine Lovett from a burning St Pauls. Later, a corpse is found in its ruins - but the man did not die in the blaze. Deputed to investigate, Marwood discovers a second corpse. Disease had already rendered the lives of Londoners pretty intolerable and, as James and the more troubled Catherine discover when their paths cross again, the taint they share from a dangerous past is also hard to shake off. A nondescript village in Noida, which was the hideout of freedom hero Bhagat Singh and home to members of Subhash Chandra Boses Indian National Army, is now the battleground of land-sharks. The fight against an alleged land grab by land mafia and government officials has been taken up by a 72-year-old woman, Manjit Kaur. She is the daughter-in-law of freedom fighter Karnail Singh, who she claims worked closely with Bhagat Singh and Bose. My father-in-law Karnail Singh was a relative of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh made the bomb, which was aimed at the central legislative assembly (present-day Lok Sabha), during his stay in Nalgaraha. This place used to be a forest then. Karnail Singh levelled the land and started using it for agricultural purposes. We have been farming here ever since, Kaur said. Manjit Kaur, 72, holds a picture of her father-in-law, Karnail Singh, with Netaji. She claims a land grab has been carried out in her village by land mafia and government officials. The area has links to Bhagat Singh (left) and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Her complaint that the land mafia, in collusion with government officials, is trying to grab the land to construct high-rise buildings, has finally led to a government inquiry. Nalgaraha village in Sector 145 of Noida is now under the scanner, with the District Magistrate ordering a probe into the suspected wrongful allotment of 3,700 bigha of land worth Rs 1,500 crore to the land mafia. This could be the biggest land scam of Noida, officials say. The land is allotted to people who dont even live here but have landline connections and electricity metres under their name. They have bribed officials to get the land allotted to their names. We want the land to be given to farmers, who have been farming here for over 60 years. Else, the government can take its land but it should not be given for construction, Kaur said. Her village has turned into hot property due to its close proximity to the expressway connecting Noida with Greater Noida, besides the promised metro connectivity. The village is surrounded by swanky residential towers and modern infrastructure. An elderly woman has submitted the complaint to me. The matter is already in court. I have ordered for an inquiry to check if the land was wrongfully allotted. Strict action will be taken if any government official is found guilty, N P Sing, District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, told Mail Today. However, an initial probe has revealed that the land belongs to the government, and several families have been living there for more than five decades. For the coming Republic Day, the Noida Authority has invited architects to design a proposed Shaheed Smarak in memory of Bhagat Singh, which will be put up in Nalgaraha village. According to officials, the proposed Rs 25-crore project aims to turn Nalgaraha into a landmark with new recreational amenities. A sprawling 13-acre site has been earmarked for the project. Back in the year 2000, India surprised the world by opening itself up to the import of food and wine. I still remember the official jargon: these products were 'decanalised' - and I was one of three journalists taken on a junket by the French government to the historic regions of France's rich wine heritage. The French were first off the mark, but the rest of the wine-producing world wasn't far behind. India opened its borders to wine imports in 2000, but many still see it as the fuddy-duddy drink of their parents With Japan - the old Asian wine-consuming power - hobbled by economic turmoil, India and China emerged as the wine market's great hope for the new millennium. A decade and a half have passed since those heady days, yet despite the growth of a fairly robust domestic wine production sector, proliferation of wine clubs, decent wine stores, and qualified wine sommeliers, India - unlike China - refuses to embrace the drink. Even today statisticians talk about a per capita consumption of 6ml (a little more than a teaspoon) of wine - it was 3ml or so at the turn of millennium. Vinexpo stats, the most widely quoted by the industry internationally, peg India's wine consumption at a little over 1.7 million cases in 2015. Compare this with China's present level of consumption - 174 million cases - and you'll know where India stands. I remember the year when I first went to France, export managers were laughing at the Chinese for mixing robust red wines with Coca-Cola to serve with ice. Today, those export managers have merrily abandoned India and are hosting lavish wine dinners across China and Hong Kong. They have been replaced by the high priests of vodka, and unsurprisingly so - the imported premium vodka market has touched 9 million cases. The story is no different in categories such as whisky, brandy and rum, especially because young India, across states and demographic categories, is warmly embracing every other drink bar wine. This seems ironical at a time when young hospitality professionals are busy studying in their spare time to become qualified sommeliers. Why is it so? I have three theories to explain why young India hasn't warmed up to wine. Theory 1: Indians, even if they have studied abroad, are not culturally inclined to have wine with food, which is a fundamental part of the wine culture. Our idea of drinking alcohol is to be done with it before sitting down for dinner. Theory 2: Young India views wine as a fuddy-duddy drink, maybe because it associates it with its parents. Historically, each new generation turns away from the drinks of its parents. Well, if you check out the age profile of the champions of wine across the world, and the average age of wine club members, you'll know what I mean. For a nation as young as India, wine has to be showcased in Bollywood style, not like some Solid State Physics Ph.D. thesis. Theory 3: Our hotels and restaurants are killing whatever little market that may exist for wine by pricing even supermarket plonks beyond the credit card limits of young India (and I suspect even of the parents). And no argument seems to melt their heart as they laugh their way to the bank. Tequila makes us happy Wine may be a struggling category in the country, but other alcoholic beverages appear to be finding new converts and expanding their market footprint. And the more interesting part of the story is that people are constantly trading up. Take for instance Patron, the 100 per cent Weber blue agave-based tequila that has done much to change the perception of the drink. Dave Wilson, President and Global COO, Patron Spirits, is upbeat about the 25 million new drinkers joining the Indian population every year I was surprised to learn during an interaction with Dave Wilson, Patron's President (International) and Global COO, that the tequila is selling in 11 Indian markets, with Chandigarh, Goa and Pune leading the way, and Chennai "starting to boom". He was speaking about the opportunity presented by India's demographics - every year, 25 million young people who are eligible to drink join the population of worshippers of heady liquids. "It presents an opportunity for international luxury brands," Wilson said, adding that he had "greater expectations" from young professionals, many of whom had returned home after completing an international education. This is the generation that keeps Patron's cash registers ringing by picking up the ultra-premium tequila from duty-free stores while travelling abroad. To inject excitement into the business, Patron is all set to roll out XO Cafe Incendio into the Indian market. Developed by Patron's master distiller, Francisco Alcarez, who's increasingly playing around with flavours such as orange, lime and mango, XO Cafe Incendio is a blend of Patron Silver, Creole chocolate and Mexico's arbol green chillies. It was in Ludhiana that I most recently savoured the XO Cafe Cocoa, which I drank in such copious quantities at an evening soiree in one of the historic qilas of the region that I thought I was in chocolate heaven. What happened to the national recipes mission? Amongst the din about food around the country, why don't we hear anything about a plan set in motion by the UPA-II to record the recipes unique to each of the country's 683 districts? Has it been quietly shelved by the Ministry of Tourism, which is where the idea originated when Chiranjeevi was minister and Pervez Dewan the secretary, because it originated from the previous dispensation, or is just plodding along in files? India is home to 50 different kinds of jalebis. We cannot afford to lose their recipes The project, as it was originally visualised, would have got culinary associations, chefs and food impresarios engaged in a nationwide quest for recipes - many of them in the danger of being forgotten or lost altogether. To me, it seemed just what the country needed to focus international attention on its vast culinary wealth. The buzz it would have created could have given travellers around the world, many of whom go country-hopping just to sample unfamiliar food, an entirely new reason to visit us. It would have done a world of good in these times of declining leisure travel to India, mainly because of safety concerns (the arrival of international women travellers has touched an alarming low!). Election season has kicked off. Opinion polls project a Left Democratic Front (LDF) win over the incumbent Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. That would deprive the Congress of a government in all five southern states bar Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs Karnataka, beset by corruption and sloth, may also fall at the next Assembly poll due in 2018. There is a 'real possibility' that by 2018 the Congress, run for the past 20 years by president Sonia Gandhi (pictured), could have governments in just two states - Meghalaya and Mizoram The news from Tamil Nadu isnt much better. Opinion polls project Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas AIADMK defying anti-incumbency to break the states historic electoral cycle of alternating between the two major Dravidian parties every five years. As the DMKs alliance partner in the state, the Congress is set to remain in political wilderness in Tamil Nadu. Corruption In West Bengal, the Congresss fair-weather partner, the Left Front, is projected to do better than in 2011 but will likely still lose to the Teflon-coated Mamata Banerjee. But the Trinamool Congress, despite facing serious charges of corruption, could win a second term with a reduced majority. Losing Kerala and being on the losing side in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal may not be the end of the Congress problems. It faces a strong challenge from the BJP in Assam. Opinion polls differ widely on the outcome. An ABP TV poll projects a comfortable win for the BJP, while other polls show the BJP and the Congress neck and neck, with the AIUDF likely to play kingmaker. If the Congress loses Kerala and Assam and is on the receiving end in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal along with its alliance partners, the partys national footprint will shrink significantly. With Arunachal Pradesh in the hands of rebel Congress Chief Minister Kalikho Pul and the Harish Rawat-led Congress government in Uttarakhand awaiting benediction by the court, that footprint could shrink further. Himachal Pradesh might be next in line. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) claims to have new incriminating evidence of corruption against Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Unrest is bubbling in Manipur, too. The outcome of these small and large political fires could leave the Congress singed and electorally neutered. Consider a likely scenario in 2018 following a potential defeat in Karnataka, rebellion in Manipur and setbacks in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The Patidar revolt and anti-incumbency could make Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state Assembly election in December 2017 the real semi-final before the Lok Sabha poll in May 2019 The Congress would then be left without a single major state government. Of Indias 29 states and seven union territories, it would be in government (on its own or in alliance with a partner) in just Meghalaya and Mizoram. The BJP though shouldnt exult too soon. It faces challenges of its own in 2017. It could lose Punjab (in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal). In Gujarat it will be lucky to hold on to power. The Patidar revolt and anti-incumbency could make Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state Assembly election in December 2017 the real semi-final before the Lok Sabha poll in May 2019. Semi-final Before that will be the other semi-final in Uttar Pradesh. Despite its lawlessness and social engineering, and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavs feckless governance, the BJP is unlikely to make much headway. Mayawatis BSP is set to be the main beneficiary and could win a comfortable majority. The BJPs victory in 71 out of 80 parliamentary seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha election will count for nothing in an assembly poll. Despite a five-cornered fight (and Asaduddin Owaisis vote-splitting entry) the BJP will struggle to match the SP for second place. The Congress will be relegated to an also-ran. Trouble could be brewing for the BJP in Maharashtra as well. Ally Shiv Sena may go it alone in the 2017 BMC civic poll. Depending on the outcome, a mid-term poll in Maharashtra cant be ruled out. In West Bengal, the Congresss fair-weather partner, the Left Front, is likely to lose to Mamata Banerjee However, the real possibility that by 2018 the Congress could have governments in just two states, Meghalaya and Mizoram, means that Sonia Gandhi would have succeeded in reducing the party to a tiny rump in her 20 years as Congress president. Why have things come to such a pass? The short answer: dynastic politics. When you pass power from mother to son, feudalism trumps merit. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should examine the leaders who win elections in todays India. Not one of them promotes dynasty. Dynasty Narendra Modi has no children. Nor does Jayalalithaa, Mayawati or Mamata. In contrast, those who build mini-dynasties in states patterned on the Congress model are likely to be shown the door in Himachal (Virbhadra), Uttarakhand (Rawat), Uttar Pradesh (Akhilesh) and Assam (Gogoi). Any attempt by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to foist her son on the electorate will also rebound. The same applies to Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and her ambitious daughter Anar. In Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other BJP-governed states, the slightest hint of dynasty and nepotism will be met with future electoral defeat. Modi has rightly sidelined Varun Gandhi. One Gandhi (Maneka) in the Cabinet is enough. He must resist pressure to allow dynasty to creep into the middle ranks of the BJP. The scramble for Rajya Sabha seats by the children of Lalu Prasad and the continuing patronage by DMK leader M Karunanidhi of his son Stalin as a future chief minister will bring diminishing returns. As the Congress shrinks, so will its funds. The Gandhis themselves may not be personally short of money (quite the contrary) but the partys ability to fund elections is already under strain. It is not only the Gandhi name but the familys ability to rustle up cash that has kept Congress leaders glued to the party. As the glue comes unstuck, there will be a stampede for the door. In a renewed focus on female applicants, Delhi University has asked colleges to present data on the cut-off relaxations given to women students last year. Once they have the data, the university will establish how many women have actually benefited from this policy. The move may also have a negative impact by reducing the existing number of seats for women, as colleges that have not filled their allocation, as per the concession, will be asked to abandon the scheme. Delhi University wants to know how many girls actually benefited from cut-off relaxations The varsity admits 54,000 undergraduate students across over 60 colleges every year. We want to see how many girl students have actually benefited from the concession. The colleges will have to provide us the data, and based on the data, the University will take the final decision. The data has to be submitted by April end, Nachiketa Singh, member of the admission committee of DU told Mail Today. The admissions season will kick off from May 25, and the first cut-off list will be displayed on June 22. The academic session will start from August 16. There are 16 girls' colleges affiliated with Delhi University. The University is interested to find out the intake of the students as per the relaxation norms given to them. If the students have not been admitted according to the concession, then the varsity will take up the matter, added Singh. Chances are also high that it might open doors for girls in the University, he said. In 2015, as many as 22 colleges relaxed their cut-offs for women by up to 3 per cent to encourage them to pursue higher education. Last year, colleges like Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma (ARSD) College, Deen Dyal Upadhyaya College, Zakir Hussain, Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, PGDAV College, Dyal Singh College and nine other colleges relaxed their cut-offs by 1 to 3 per cent in all courses. Similarly, Ramjas College offered a 3 per cent relaxation in Hindi, Sanskrit and Political Science courses, while Ram Lal Anand College offered a 2 per cent relaxation in popular courses such as Computer Science and B Com (Hons). Sometimes, due to the pressure the colleges give away the seats reserved for the girls to the boys. We dont want that. If any college is not getting the required number of girls for the seat, they cannot use those seats for the boys, Singh said. The relaxation helps many girl students pursue popular courses. We have observed that this rule has helped us in maintaining gender parity in classrooms, one of the principals of a DU college said. This year, the University is pondering putting the entire applications process online. The BJP-led central government has come out with a fresh set of guidelines to maintain the sanctity of the national anthem and national emblem. In an order issued to the state governments and other law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Home Affairs has told the agencies to initiate action against those who are found disrespecting the anthem and the state emblem. The MHA in its letter has also elaborated on what amounts to disrespect to the national flag, emblem and anthem. The move comes in the wake of frequent complaints of disrespecting national anthem and misuse of the state emblem. The Centre has sent an order to all government machineries and asked them to act against those people who are violating rules, and take action against officials using the national emblem wrongly. Complaints are being received by this ministry (MHA) from various quarters about the insult or disrespect to the National Anthem of India. Orders relating to the National Anthem must have strict compliance. It is also requested that suitable instructions in this regard may please be issued to all concerned agencies, the MHA said in its letter sent to all departments, ministries and states. Sources say that since October last year, the government has been receiving complaints along with instances where people have directly or indirectly insulted the national anthem. It has been noticed that MHA is receiving complaints regarding disrespect of the national anthem. So, an order has been issued along with details regarding the national anthem of India so that various government machineries can check that no one disrespects the national anthem intentionally or unintentionally, a senior government official told Mail Today. In January this year, a resident of Kandivali, Mumbai, was heckled out of a suburban cinema hall for refusing to stand up when the national anthem played before the screening of the movie. Similarly, in November, a few people were told to leave a cinema hall in Kurla, a central suburb, after they refused to stand up for the national anthem. According to the MHA letter issued to all government machineries: Whenever the anthem is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary anthem is played as a part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would bring in disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the anthem. The government says there are two versions of the national anthem, one of 20 seconds and another of 52 seconds. Similarly, the MHA has asked states and the central departments to keep a check on those officials misusing the state emblem. Brijmohan Agarwal demanded that those born in India must chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Stirring a controversy, BJP leader and Chhattisgarh Minister Brijmohan Agrawal has said his party workers are capable of breaking the jaws of anti-national elements, as he demanded that those who were born in India must chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. Even after 69 years of independence, anti-India slogans are being raised in the country. If anyone raises anti-country slogans in front of our workers, they (BJP workers) should reply with full power, the Agriculture and Water Resources Minister purportedly said at a function, marking the BJPs 36th Foundation Year at the party office on Wednesday. In a video clipping allegedly from the event, Agrawal was seen saying that those who were born in India and consumed the countrys food and water should chant Bharat Mata ki Jai. In an apparent reference to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi over his visit to JNU in the wake of a row, Agarwal said: It is unfortunate for the country that a leader of a big political party supported them. It is needed to tell those who raise anti-national slogans (that) we are capable of breaking their jaws. It is needed to tell them, if they have taken birth in Hindustan, eat and drink Hindustans food and after death (want to be) cremated in this land, then they have to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai (sic), Agrawal said. Pay cut: Richard Pennycook was originally drafted in to the Co-operative Group as its finance director but took over as chief executive in 2014 The boss of the Co-operative Group has taken the unprecedented step of taking a pay cut for good performance. Chief executive Richard Pennycook, who has successfully steered the much troubled mutual around over the last three years, would normally have expected a pay rise for his efforts but instead he requested and got a 60 per cent pay cut from the board. Pennycook explained that this was a logical step as his job has become easier over the past twelve months, ading that his hefty salary could be put to better use elsewhere in the group. His base salary will fall to 750,000 from 1.25million, after he took home 3million last year in pay and other awards. He told Sky News: 'Weve been through a period that was really quite difficult which we called the rescue phase. 'That involved extraordinary efforts from a great team of people. 'I feel as though I was appropriately rewarded throughout that phase but now that we are in calmer waters, I want to reflect the fact that our purpose as a Co-op is a bit different. 'Its about championing a better way to do business, and I thought it was the right time for me to move to a lower level of pay and to reflect that leadership which will allow us to invest elsewhere, for example in front line colleagues.' Industry bodies labelled Pennycook's bold statement 'refreshing' and called on other chief executives to do likewise. Simon Walker, director general of the IoD, said: 'The IoD has said repeatedly that a CEO's pay should be transparent and linked to performance. 'The proactive steps taken today by Mr Pennycook and the Co-op's board should be a wake-up call to other companies. 'Being open, honest and transparent about the salaries of senior executives can go a long way to restoring public trust in British businesses.' Pennycook's pay overshadowed the group's results, which were released this morning. The firm revealed profits rose 11 per cent higher last year to 81million, while group revenue remained fairly steady at 9.3billion. The figures were given a boost by it funeral division as death rates last year recorded their steepest rise in 47 years. Profits at the arm were up by 18 per cent to 78million over the period, as sales climbed by 9.9 per cent. The one blip was at its insurance business, which recorded a 13million loss - hit by the impact of flooding in northern England. Boost: The number of registered deaths rose 5.6 per cent to 529,613 in 2015, the highest since 2003, and the steepest rise in 47 years, helping raise profits at the Co-op's funerals business Nevertheless, the results mark a rapid turnaround since the dark days of 2013, when it was rocked by news that its bank had a 1.5billion hole in its capital, which resulted in a hefty 2.3billion loss for the group that year. That was followed shortly after by the humiliating departure of bank boss and group deputy chairman Paul Flowers, later nicknamed the 'Crystal Methodist' due to his drug use admissions and role as a preacher. Pennycook added: 'This has been a year of further progress at the Co-op as we have invested to drive the growth of our businesses. 'Underlying profits have increased but our priority this year has been on putting the building blocks in place for the long term. 'We are, however, only one year into our rebuild and whether it is driving further growth in our businesses, improving member engagement or getting back to our campaigning roots, there is still much to achieve.' The Co-op said it will maintain the pace of its turnaround by opening 100 new food stores and refitting 150 existing shops in the year ahead after sales across the group's 2,800 food stores grew by 1.6 per cent during 2015. Last year the Co-op invested 320million in opening 97 food stores and refitted 264 shops. However, 91 food stores which no longer fitted its 'focus on convenience shopping' were sold off, raising 175million. It also aims to open 200 new funeral homes over the next three years, increasing its estate of funeral parlours to 1,100. Earlier this week, grocery analysis body Kantar said the Co-op's sales rose at their fastest rate since it snapped up Somerfields in 2011, climbing 3.9 per cent in the 12 weeks to March 27. The Co-op said that its convenience stores were outperforming the UK grocery market, because people's shopping habits were changing as they made more frequent trips to buy food. In further rejigs, the group has appointed Victor Adebowale, chief executive of health and social care organisation Turning Point, as an independent non-executive director. Last week, Co-op Bank, which the Co-op Group still has a 20 per stake in, revealed that its losses had doubled as the lender continues to suffer from its troubled past. The first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up 'surge operation' for refugees have left Jordan and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the U.S. 'I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there,' al-Abboud said. Scroll down for video Syrian refugee Ahmad al-Abboud waits with his family at the International Airport of Amman, Jordan, as they wait to leave for the US. They are the first to be resettled to the U.S. under its speeded-up 'surge operation' U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Alice Wells (right) meets with Syrian refugee Ahmad al-Abboud his wife and five children. They moved to Jordan after feeling the Syrian civil war Ambassador Wells (left), poses with the family of Syrian refugee Ahmad al Aboud, while holding a Kansas City Royals t-shirt They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. 'I am ready to integrate in the U.S. and start a new life,' he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City late Wednesday night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the U.S. from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said U.S. Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. The family stand around in the departure hall as they get ready for a new life in the United States. Ahmad al-Abboud says he is thankful for Jordan, but is now looking forward to moving The Ambassador speaks to the children while one of her members of staff holds up a Kansas City Royals t-shirt in the background. They will be their closest baseball team U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Alice Wells checks identity technology at the International Airport of Amman Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. 'The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number,' Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. 'We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes,' she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. Advertisement A tour spokesman for Gregg Allman's band says three crew members have been injured when a bus went off Interstate 77 in West Virginia. Spokesman Ken Weinstein says the crew members were treated for minor injuries at a hospital and released Wednesday. He says the 68-year-old singer - of Allman Brothers Band fame - wasn't on the bus. The bus was carrying ten members of the sound crew, WSAZ reported. A tour bus for musician Gregg Allman's band rests against a tree near a creek after veering off Interstate 77 Wednesday morning, April 6, 2016, near Goldtown, West Virginia A tour spokesman for Allman's band says three crew members have been injured in Wednesday's crash in West Virginia According to the news station, the bus driver said he choked during the ride, causing him to veer of the road and crash. Media outlets report the southbound bus went into the northbound lanes, through a guardrail and over an embankment before stopping against a tree next to a creek near Goldtown at about 5am. The bus was headed to a concert Wednesday at the Clay Center in Charleston, about 20 miles south of Goldtown. Clay Center spokeswoman LeAnn Cain said the concert would still go on. On stage Wednesday evening, Allman thanked his crew, telling the audience: 'I want to thank my crew after being through a nightmare.' The Allman Brothers Band was formed in 1969 and set the tone for a style of music that would become known as the 'New South' sound - a rock-and-roll jam band take on traditional gospel, blues, and country music, Rolling Stone wrote. Their 1971 live album, 'At Fillmore East,' became the band's commercial breakthrough. The Brothers disbanded for the first time in 1976, then again in 1982 after a four-year comeback. The band took up their instruments again in 1989 and continued performing until 2014. Gregg Allman has continued touring with his own band and released the live album 'Back to Macon, GA' in 2015. Gregg Allman, pictured left in 2014, was not on board the bus that crashed Wednesday. Right, The Allman Brothers Ban onstage in New York after their last-ever show the same year A broken section of guard rail is seen where a tour bus for musician Gregg Allman's veered off Interstate 77, Wednesday morning The bus was headed to a concert Wednesday at the Clay Center in Charleston, about 20 miles south of Goldtown. Clay Center spokeswoman LeAnn Cain said the concert is still on An exploding Takata air bag has claimed another life, this time a 17-year-old girl whose car crashed near Houston. Huma Hanif, an aspiring nurse, is the latest victim of malfunctioning air bag inflators that have killed 10 people in the U.S. and another in Malaysia, touching off the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. More than 100 people have been hurt by the inflators, which can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and sending shards into drivers and passengers. Hanif, from Richmond, Texas, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic in Fort Bend County, Texas, when the car rear-ended another vehicle and the air bags went off, said Sheriff's Deputy Danny Beckworth, who investigated the crash. Shrapnel hit Hanif's neck, killing her, said Beckworth, who has not yet determined how fast her car was going. Scroll down for video Huma Hanif, 17, is the 10th U.S. fatality tied to ruptures of a recalled Takata air bag inflator Hanif, from Richmond, Texas, pictured above, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic in Fort Bend County, Texas, when the car rear-ended another vehicle and the air bags went off The 2002 Honda Civic that Hanif was driving is seen above at the scene of the crash in Fort Bend County, Texas Witnesses at the scene were shocked as to how what seemed to be a minor accident had killed her. Oscar Ariaca had tried to help the teen. 'I tried to hold where the blood was coming out, but I feel like there was not a whole lot I could do,' Ariaca told Click2Houston. 'I haven't been sleeping really good,' Ariaca said. 'It's been hard because I have kids, too.' Witness Oscar Ariaca had tried to help the teen and held her neck as blood was gushing out of it Another witness Rudy Corres told abc13: 'It was a minor accident, fender-bender. She should have walked away from the accident. She should have walked away from it. 'She had a deep laceration on the side of her throat. It looked like debris from the airbag.' And Beckworth agreed saying the crash was 'moderate' and wouldn't have caused any serious injuries if not for the air bag. 'Everybody would have walked away,' he said. Witness to the accident Rudy Corres said: 'She had a deep laceration on the side of her throat. It looked like debris from the airbag. Tenth death: Another person has been killed by an exploding air bag made by Takata Corp. A file picture of one of the faulty airbags Deadly design: The girl in this latest accident was driving a 2002 Honda Civic in Texas when the car crashed and the air bag exploded, killing her. Above, the American headquarters of automotive parts supplier Takata Hanif's family bought the Civic as a used car, but the date of the sale is not clear So far 14 automakers have recalled 24million U.S. vehicles to replace the inflators, which are powered by the chemical ammonium nitrate. Scientists hired by a consortium of automakers have determined that prolonged exposure to airborne moisture and high temperatures can cause the chemical to deteriorate. The inflator canisters also can allow moisture to enter in areas with extreme humidity. Completion of the recall repairs have been slowed by a lack of replacement parts. Takata and Honda have recruited other manufacturers to make replacement inflators, but still, only 7.5million, or about 27 percent of the 28.8million recalled inflators have been replaced. Hanif's family bought the Civic as a used car, but the date of the sale is not clear, Beckworth said. He said the family was not aware of the recall before the crash. Following the crash and investigations, Honda issued a statement saying: 'During an inspection today, accompanied by representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Sheriff's Department of Fort Bend County, Texas, and Takata, American Honda confirmed that the Takata driver's airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Civic on March 31, 2016, in Fort Bend County, Texas, resulting in the tragic death of the driver. 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the driver during this difficult time.' Known problem: Last June, ranking Member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. spoke about defective air bags during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing in June 2015 Killer piece: Mr Nelson showed how shrapnel from a defective air bag mechanism was able to kill several drivers when they were involved in car crashes. Pictured in June 2015 TAKATA'S STATEMENT 'Our heartfelt condolences go out to the driver's family in light of this tragic death. Takata is deeply sorry for all fatalities and injuries that have occurred in any case where a Takata airbag inflator has failed to deploy as intended. Takata continues to support all actions that advance vehicle safety and is in constant and close coordination with NHTSA to enhance consumer awareness. Takata strongly urges all consumers to check NHTSA'S https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ website and contact their dealers immediately if they discover their vehicle is subject to a recall.' Advertisement The Civic was first recalled in 2011, but despite six recall notices, repairs were never completed, the agency said. Honda said in a statement that it mailed multiple notices to several registered owners. But Bryan Thomas, a spokesman for the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said automakers need to do more to reach car owners than relying on mailed notices. 'Automakers need to get creative and more aggressive about how they're reaching these vehicle owners,' he said, adding that the agency plans to 'get louder' in its calls for a higher recall completion rate. Honda has the best completion rate of the 14 automakers with vehicles in the Takata recalls, Thomas said. The company has been using social media and other means to reach out to owners. Honda says replacement parts are now available for inflator recalls announced before this year. NHTSA has taken over management of the recalls to make sure replacement inflators get to high-humidity areas along the Gulf Coast first. Texas authorities notified NHTSA of the crash on Friday, and investigators inspected the car Wednesday, according to the agency. NHTSA says the crash shows how important it is for people to get Takata recall repairs made as quickly as possible. Car owners can go to www.safercar.gov and key in their vehicle identification number to check for any unrepaired recalls. Evidence: Since 2008, 14 automakers have recalled 24 million vehicles to replace the inflators, which can rupture in a crash, shooting metal shards at the driver and passengers. File photo from June 2015 KHOU.com reported that Hanif's friend Tiffany Reyes paid tribute to her pal saying: 'The sun has not shined any brighter than it has every morning on my way to school. And that to me is her telling me I'm here. I'm watching you,' Reyes said. 'She was just somebody that her smile would light up a dark room.' Hanif was a senior at George Ranch High School. Click2Houston reported that principal Frederick J. Black Jr. sent a letter home to parents April 1 saying: 'The Lamar CISD crisis team, made up of school counselors from across the district, was on site today to provide support to staff and students. 'If your student is having trouble dealing with this tragic event, please encourage them to speak with one of our counselors.' Last month Turkey complained about a satirical song about Erdogan on TV German prosecutors are considering whether to charge a comedian who read out a 'smear poem' about the Turkish president on live television. Prosecutors in the city of Mainz have opened an investigation into whether Jan Bohmermann's poem in which he called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a 'goat f*****' broke the law. In the poem Bohmermann also joked that Erdogan was 'watching child porn while kicking Kurds'. Jan Bohmermann read out the 'smear poem' live on his TV show last Thursday, leading to a furious complaint from the Turkish government. He was poking fun at the difference between satire and slander If convicted of insulting a foreign head of state the comic could face up to three years in prison. Bohmermann read the poem on Mainz-based ZDF television, one of Germany's biggest broadcasters, last week and it was also uploaded onto the channel's website, although it has since been removed. The 35-year-old is enormously popular among young Germans who love his anarchic, boundary-pushing humour, which stands in stark contrast to traditional German comedians. His poem about Erdogan came in the wake of a controversy last month when the Turkish government made an official complaint against the broadcast of a satirical song which mocked Erdogan for his record on human rights. On that occasion the German government defended the song as legitimate free speech but it has distanced itself from Bohmermann's poem. In his late night show last Thursday Bohmermann spoke directly to the Turkish president as if explaining the difference between satire and slander. He said: 'What I'm about to read is not allowed. If it were to be read in public that would be forbidden in Germany.' President Erdogan with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel during a visit to Berlin in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of an agreement which led to hundreds of thousands of Turks coming to Germany to work Bohmermann then proceeded to read out the poem, complete with the 'goat f*****' and child porn insults as an example of something which was clearly slanderous. The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel claimed the German Foreign Ministry had conducted a legal assessment and concluded it was 'highly likely' Bohmermann had committed a crime. The Foreign Ministry conducted the assessment in an emergency meeting after the Turkish government made a furious complaint on Friday. Jan Bohmermann has become very popular, especially among young Germans, who appreciate his iconoclastic comedy and refusal to accept boundaries when it comes to bad taste Under paragraph 103 of the German Criminal Code insulting a foreign head of state carries a maximum jail term of three years but it can be up to five years if the court considers it is an intended slander. Germany has more than three million citizens who are of Turkish origin, having come to the country since 1961 as 'guest workers' to help in the country's booming factories. See more on the Republican primary at www.dailymail.co.uk/gopprimary this week that he had ever been unfaithful to his wife and appeared on stage with her last night after winning Wisconsin Two of Heidi and Ted Cruz's closest friends have told how they are praying for the couple to have strength to come through claims of infidelity. William and Bonnie Miller were Cruz's childhood Sunday school teachers from when he was 13. They remain close to the couple, with Bonnie now volunteering to run a prayer group for the campaign. They spoke for the first time to Daily Mail Online to tell of their belief in Cruz for president - and about the strength of the couple's marriage. And they said they are utterly confident that Cruz would not betray his wife, an allegation which surfaced last week with reports that he had had five mistresses. This week claims also surfaced that Cruz was named in the notorious 'black book' of late DC madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Support: William and Bonnie Miller spoke to Daily Mail Online to express their backing for Ted and Heidi Cruz and their faith in the strength of their marriage, calling claims of infidelity 'so untrue'. First couple? Heidi and Ted Cruz hit the campaign trail again in New York on Wednesday after his victory in Wisconsin Very public display: The Cruzs embraced after he gave a speech to mark his victory in the Wisconsin primary over Trump - the man both he and the Millers say is behind the allegations of 'five mistresses' Two women have denied being Cruz 'mistresses' - Amanda Carpenter, a former campaign aide who is now a CNN contributor and Katrina Pierson, another former campaign aide who is now a spokeswoman for Donald Trump. Bonnie, 69, who has experience in counseling women with marital problems, spoke of her disbelief at the allegations. She said: 'I spend a lot of time talking to young women and they have husbands who have affairs and that's hard, you really have to work through that. 'In the case of Ted and Heidi it's so untrue, it's so false. It feels like one more arrow being aimed at them. THE BLACK BOOK, THE HANGED MADAM AND THE SENATOR Deborah Jeane Palfrey operated Pamela Martin and Associates, making $2 million servicing wealthy clients over more than a decade. At the time of her arrest in 2006, her escorts had slept with officials in the White House, the Pentagon, lobbyists and high-powered lawyers. Palfrey hanged herself in May 2008 before she could be sent to prison to serve a 55-year sentence. Her 'black book' has been circulating on the Internet for years but now RadarOnline has claimed that Cruz's number was among those listed. The book contains numbers dating from 1995 to 2006 and it is not clear when Cruz is said to have been featured. Cruz, who was born in Calgary, Canada and later brought up in Houston, moved to DC after Yale and Harvard in the mid-nineties to clerk for two Supreme Court Justices. He went on to work for a Washington law firm and then was an adviser to George W Bush's 2000 election campaign where he met his wife. Ted and Heidi Cruz married in 2001, having met on the George W Bush presidential campaign. He has denied being unfaithful to her, but not specifically addressed the claims he is in the 'black book'. Advertisement 'It's not something that Ted and Heidi on their private time are saying, "Talk to me about it". There's nothing to talk about it really is a false accusation. 'For Ted, while running for president, as a Christian, while on the campaign, to engage in affairs? It doesn't even make sense.' Bonnie is a close friend of Heidi and voluntarily runs the Cruz campaign's 'prayer team'. She spends around 30 hours a week writing a 'prayer email' and organizing a weekly conference call, led by different faith leaders, where Cruz supporters can call-in to pray together. 'We're not praying just for Ted, we're praying for our nation, for Ted and his family, for the campaign staff, for all the national prayer leaders and for the campaign events,' Bonnie said. 'It's unique, I don't know if any [other] campaign does this. Ted and Heidi very much wanted that to be an arm of the campaign and they have each been on the prayer call.' She believes that Heidi's strong Christian faith has helped her cope with the more hostile elements of the campaign trail. 'It's different than just being thick-skinned,' she said. 'It really is a protective shell by God who puts that around people who believe and trust him. 'It's more than just in your own self to fight off all the accusations. It's a protection and I really believe that's where she is now.' Bonnie said both Heidi and Ted are drawing strength from those who pray for them. 'I'm going to speak from perspective of prayer. There's really an incredible power behind corporate prayer, especially all over America, people are lifting them up. 'There's a real spiritual element. I can tell you that each one of them is reacting in a way supernaturally to all the criticism that comes against them, and I do think a lot of that is because of the prayer. 'Of course, once you're in the campaign you expect it [the criticism] and you can develop a tougher exterior.' Bonnie has received hundreds of emails from Cruz's supporters and takes the time to personally respond to those who reach out. She said that some followers described how they have been inspired by Ted Cruz on a personal level beyond the scope of politics. One woman said Ted Cruz had helped her son turn his life around by the example of how he lives his life. Bonnie said: 'One email said, "I have to tell you that my son had not found the Lord, he's been lost, I've been praying for him and because of the way Ted is living his life, his integrity and the things he says, he is now a believer." 'She just wanted Ted to know how much his campaign meant to her.' William, 71, suggested the claims of infidelity were the work of rival Republican candidate, Donald Trump, a claim which Cruz himself has consistently made. Trump has vehemently denied he is behind the allegations. Cruz's evangelical faith has been central to his campaign and he has contrasted his family values with those of Donald Trump. Trump has been married three times and cheated on first wife Ivanka while they were still married. In the frame: Donald Trump's spokeswoman Katrina Pierson (center) denied the allegations of an affair - that started with a National Enquirer story (left)- that she had an affair and 'came on' to Sen. Ted Cruz. Amanda Carpenter (right) also angrily denied the claims Family values: Ted Cruz has taken his wife Heidi and their two daughters, Catherine and Caroline, on the stump Bill Miller first met Heidi Cruz when she moved to Houston to work in the private wealth management division of Goldman Sachs in 2005. At the time, Ted was serving as solicitor general of Texas at the state capitol in Austin. 'I know them [Heidi and Ted Cruz] well, we've talked to them. They [the allegations] are so outlandish,' William said. 'If there was any hint of truth to them, it would be very, very stressful but Mr Trump has got a way about it that he gets very nasty and I think they understand that. 'I don't think it's having any kind of a cataclysmic effect on Heidi. Because if you know them, you know how ridiculous it is.' He added: 'Even if you're a tough cookie, if it's true, it could be awful. 'But it's not true and I think she [Heidi] totally understands that.' The retired financier said he watched Heidi's rise at the investment bank and believes the experience has prepared her for the rigors of the campaign trail. 'I get her schedule and she's going in different directions than Ted a lot of days. 'She knows how to gear up - she did it in her days at Goldman and then before that, she worked for Condoleezza Rice [then National Security Adviser] which was a high-stress, high-paced kind of a job.' He added: 'Heidi's a smart girl, she went to Harvard Business School. She's very focused and a diligent, hard worker.' The Millers believe that Heidi Cruz would be an outstanding first lady. William said: 'Quite frankly, I don't think anybody is ever ready [to be First Lady] but Heidi would adapt and handle it well. It's a great challenge. 'If Ted were to get the nomination, and I hope he does, and then be elected, I think she would do a great job. She's a smart lady and she's very principled.' Bonnie added: 'I think as a mother, she's going to bring a real sense of family to the office. 'She's highly intelligent. Usually the First Lady will choose a project and whatever Heidi does, it will be done with a sense of principle, a sense of class, integrity and passion. 'It will be really authentic.' Earlier this week, Cruz, 45, finally denied he had cheated on his wife after it was alleged he had affairs with 'five other women' and that his phone number was listed in a Black Book belonging to DC Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey. He has called the claims 'complete garbage' and on Monday told Fox News: 'I have always been faithful to my wife.' The statement was almost a week after he had first been asked by Daily Mail Online whether he could make clear he had never cheated. On Tuesday, Cruz put on a jubilant display after he won the Wisconsin presidential primary, delivering a blow to front-runner Trump's hope of capturing the GOP nomination before the party's convention - and pointedly hugged Heidi on stage during his victory speech. A quarter of people who receive welfare payments are not showing up to job interviews or accepting suitable work positions. New figures from the Department of Employment showed between July 1 and September 30 last year 276,000 people on Centrelink payments had their benefits temporarily discontinued, The Daily Telegraph reported. A total of 800,000 people are recipients of the Newstart or Youth Allowance payments. Scroll down for video A quarter of people who receive welfare payments are not showing up to job interviews or accepting suitable work positions. Above is a stock photo of Centrelink A majority of people whose dole had been suspended did not keep appointment times or refused to complete their work for the dole requirements. In addition to this, 8,900 welfare recipients were penalised financially for continuously not showing for appointments, accepting suitable work positions or bad behaviour. This new data further strengthens the Federal Government's argument to introduce tougher penalties for people looking for work. 'Australia's income support system is there as a safety net for people who genuinely cannot find a job - not as an option for those who simply refuse to work,' Employment Minister Michaelia Cash told the Telegraph. 'Failure to address loopholes results in taxpayer funds being wasted by those who have the ability to engage in paid employment but instead prefer to remain on welfare payments.' To be eligible for the Newstart Allowance, a person needs to be 22 years old or older, but under age pension age. A majority of people whose dole had been suspended did not keep appointment times or refused to complete their work for the dole requirements This new data further strengthens the Federal Government's argument to introduce tougher penalties for people looking for work. Pictured is Employment Minister Michaelia Cash Under this scheme, the welfare recipient needs to apply for jobs, train or study as part of the mutual obligation requirements put in place by the government to encourage people to enter the workforce. On the weekend, members of the Victorian Liberals will meet with the Prime Minister to seek an end to family tax benefits and a strict cap on all federal government spending. The Victorian Liberals' state council will meet in Melbourne to hear from Malcolm Turnbull and other senior figures in the party as well as debate a number of resolutions. The Young Liberals' policy branch has submitted a motion to abolish family tax benefits (FTB). The blade that sent two private school boys to hospital after it cut their necks during a performance of a horror opera had been filed down and wrapped in foam and duct tape, according to the school. The 16-year-olds were injured in a musical production of Sweeney Todd, a macabre, blood-soaked tale in which an English barber murders his victims with a cut-throat razor. One of the students was seriously injured and the second sustained moderate injuries. Both teenagers, from Saint Kentigern College in Auckland, are now in a stable condition at Auckland Hospital. Two students from Saint Kentigern College in New Zealand had their necks cut during a school production of Sweeney Todd (pictured here in rehearsal) on Wednesday One of the boys was seriously injured and the second sustained moderate injuries The school said prior to opening night that challenging material can be 'delivered, an delivered well, when you have the right cast and the right creative team' The blade used for the performance had been filed down, wrapped in duct tape, foam and silver paper according to St Kentigern College's Head of College. Steve Cole said the razor had been checked and deemed not dangerous to use, being used many times in rehearsals before the opening night. The owner of an antique shop where the razors were bought said the person he believed was a teacher at St Kentigern College had talked to one of his staff members about covering up the sharp edge. Talking to nzherald.co.nz the owner recalled a brief discussion about safety at the time of the purchase, I know they discussed the safety element and maybe covering up the blade. Exactly how the boys were cut on the opening night of the performance is still unclear, but New Zealand media have speculated that the wounds could have been caused either by a cut-throat razor prop or when the students were leaving the stage through a trap door. Daily Mail Australia contacted the school this morning, but were told management were unavailable to comment. Police and WorkSafe New Zealand are looking into the incident and the private school has put the production on hold. A member of the audience on Wednesday told stuff.co.nz that she had no idea an accident had occurred during the performance. 'No announcements were made to the audience that the throat slitting was not all just "fake blood", the show went on, we never knew anything about the real blood being spilt until later,' she said. In the production, Sweeney Todd uses a mechanical chair and trapdoor to dispose of his victims down a chute into Mrs Lovett's bake house, where she turns the bodies into pies. The school production used a six metre revolving stage, true to the set design in Stephen Sondheims Broadway version. The Victorian tale was adapted to film by director Tim Burton in 2007 and starred Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham. According to the school, the biggest challenge of the production 'was the ghoulish murder scenes themselves, as Todds barbering skills cleanly dispatched victim after victim. 'Lets just say there was gore and plenty of it!' The Victorian tale was adapted to film by director Tim Burton in 2007 and starred Johnny Depp Sweeney Todd, played here by Johnny Depp, uses a mechanical chair and trapdoor to dispose of his victims down a chute into Mrs Lovett's bake house, where she turns the bodies into pies They say pair lived less than three hours from their parental home where they were known to many people by their real names But the Dahlens say they did not hide girls and simply allowed them to stay with Grazzini-Rucki to hide the girls for two and a half years The owners of a therapy farm accused of helping to hide missing sisters for two and a half years while their parents battled for custody say they did nothing to conceal the girls. Doug and Gina Dahlen, who own White Horse Ranch in Minnesota which offers therapy sessions to abused children, are accused of helping to hide Samantha, 17, and Gianna Rucki, 16, at the request of their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki. While the Dahlens admit the girls lived on their farm between April 2013 and November 2015, they say the pair went by the own names and regularly visited town without concealing their identities. Gianna, 16 (left), and Samantha Rucki, 17 (right), went missing between April 2013 and November 2015 before being found living on a farm in Minnesota, three hours from their parents house Doug and Gina Dahlen, who are accused of hiding the girls at the request of their mother, say they did nothing to conceal the pair, saying the mixed with the nearby town and used their own names Doug Dahlen told ABC's 20/20: 'They had been in public. They had been out shopping. They had been in local restaurants. They were in, you know, the hair salon. 'Actually, they knew the waitresses at the little cafe in Hoffman. [The waitresses] knew their orders by heart 'cause they ordered the same thing every time. 'They made it perfectly clear that they would not stay [with their father]. Our choices were to put 'em out on the street or give 'em a place to live, we did not want 'em on the street, so we let them stay.' Mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is charged with deprivation of parental rights after police say she turned her children against their father then hid them The Dahlens, who are charged with felony deprivation of parental rights, say the girls were told they were free to leave any time they wanted. Mother Grazzini-Rucki is also charged with felony deprivation of parental rights as police say she deliberately hid them on the farm to keep them away from former husband David Rucki. At the time the girls vanished on April 18, 2013, the Ruckis were going through a bitter divorce in which they were fighting over custody of their five children, Samantha, Gianna, Nico, Nia and Gino. Grazzini-Rucki had accused her husband of abusing her and the children. Rucki denied the abuse, and said his wife was fabricating in order to win custody. Shortly after disappearing from their home, Samantha and Gianna appeared in a Fox News report to say their father had threatened to shoot them and their mother, before vanishing again. They were listed as missing persons until November 2015 when police traced them to White Horse Ranch, around a three hour drive from the couple's home in Lakeville, south of Minneapolis. Speaking to 20/20, Gina Dahlen said the girls were dropped off at the ranch by Grazzini-Rucki and Dede Evavold, an activist for Protective Parent, on April 22. Gina said she initially believed the girls were only staying for three days during a court case, but after Grazzini-Rucki failed to return she realized they would be there for much longer. Gina revealed that Grazzini-Rucki called just four or five times while her daughters were at the ranch, never asked to speak to them, and never visited. Meanwhile a court appointed psychologist ruled that Grazzini-Rucki had manipulated her children against her husband, and granted Rucki full custody of all five siblings. Father David Rucki, who was granted custody of all five of his children during his divorce with Grazzini-Rucki, is now waiting for the girls to return home following a stint in foster care Grazzini-Rucki was arrested in October last year and accused of hiding Samantha and Gianna. During a raid on an apartment belonging to Evavold officers found images which led them to the ranch, where Samantha and Gianna were found. The pair were subsequently placed in foster care ahead of being reunited with their father. Grazzini-Rucki, who was released on bond in February, said she was just trying to protect her children and has previously denied the charges. The Dahlens have also denied the charges against them, but when asked if they knew people were searching for Samantha and Gianna, they refused to answer. Clothes for Sam Cam? Special adviser Rosie at No 10 this week David Cameron seems to have only two outfits his business suit and, for his days off, a faded blue polo shirt and fleece. The Prime Ministers wife Samantha is far more stylish, but her elegance may not be entirely effortless. For I hear that baronets daughter Sam is being helped by a glamorous new assistant, Rosie Lyburn, whose salary of up to 53,000 per year has been put on the public payroll. The 28-year-old former model has been given the formal title of special adviser, a role more often reserved for ministers political aides. Her tasks include helping to organise Samanthas busy social diary and co-ordinate her designer wardrobe. She was seen arriving at 10 Downing Street this week carrying a large bag from luxury fashion label LK Bennett. Rosie is helping to add a splash of style to Downing Street, gushes my man at No 10. A member of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges circle, she has also modelled for Beulah London, the ethical label co-founded by William and Kates friend Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs. Rosie has replaced Sam Cams previous Girl Friday, Isabel Spearman, 37, who left Downing Street last summer to set up her own brand consultancy. Isabel who once worked for Sams mother, Viscountess Astor, at her furniture company Oka was appointed after David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010. Isabels job led to criticism of such vanity appointments by Labours Shadow Foreign Secretary, Hilary Benn, who said it came at a time of cuts, the need for everyone to tighten their belts and the civil service recruitment freeze. Rosies appointment was quietly approved last year and is confirmed on No 10s register of special advisers, which states that her civil servants salary is in Pay Band 1, or up to 52,999 per year. A Downing Street spokesman declined to provide further details. Stylish: Rosie Lyburn with husband Peter, who stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for Perth and North Perthshire in 2010 At the latest count, the Government had 92 special advisers on its books, whose combined wages cost the taxpayer 8.4 million per year. The granddaughter of late Tory grandee Lord Elliott of Morpeth, Rosie is married to Peter Lyburn, a jovial Scot who stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for Perth and North Perthshire in 2010. He later set up the political PR firm Stonehaven Campaigns. How helpful to have an ally at No 10. Monty Python star John Cleese is upset that his move to Monaco for tax reasons has been compared to the alleged tax avoidance by David Camerons late father, Ian. Cleese calls his time in the Mediterranean tax haven a brief sojourn in Monaco, under the guidance of Farrers, solicitors to Her Majesty the Queen. Such touching faith in the ethics of mlearned friends! Marr blasts 'sinister' high-speed rail link Having bravely fought back from the devastating stroke that left him struggling to walk, Andrew Marr has turned his sights on a future threat to public health. The BBC presenter is worried about the pollution that will be caused by the Governments high-speed railway project, HS2. He lives on the edge of the planned track, in North Londons swanky Primrose Hill. Marr, 56, claims the authorities apparent reluctance to provide clear evidence of the schemes impact on air quality could be seen as slightly sinister. He draws attention to the levels of poisonous nitrogen dioxide that residents may be breathing in before even a single track of the new line has been laid. I believe in the facts and unless we have good factual evidence of the air quality before the HS2 project starts, we wont know its effect on Camden, Primrose Hill and our health, says Marr. The reluctance of the authorities to do this for us is alarming and, some would say, slightly sinister. The next HS2 discussion on The Andrew Marr Show should be lively. Balls helps BBC Nick hit the right key Former Cabinet minister Ed Balls learnt to play the piano to take his mind off his career (last year saw him humiliated after losing his seat at the General Election). Now, hes encouraged BBC presenter Nick Robinson, whos survived lung cancer, to tickle the ivories. Nick used to play and he asked me who my teacher was, says Balls at the BBC Music Magazine Awards. I told him, and now hes started lessons with her. I dont imagine he has any plans to perform, but hes just taking it up again for the enjoyment. Its a great way to unwind. Tailor Timothy Everest, who makes suits for Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and David Beckham, among many others, gave a 007-inspired talk this week on How To Dress Like Bond at Robin Birleys new club in the City of London. Everest revealed his career was almost cut short while working in his uncles shop. A rich, titled lady came to collect a hand-stitched leather jacket and asked young Timothy if it had all been made from one hide. No, madam, he replied, without thinking. It was made from four skins. As a punishment for the unwitting double entendre, he was relegated to the stockroom for two months. Pendleton strikes gold Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton may not have won her race at Cheltenham, after switching from bicycles to horses, but shes laughing all the way to the bank, nevertheless. Latest accounts for her image rights company, Invictus V, disclose that it has amassed 1.9 million, including 1.2 million cash, investment properties at 271,000 and other investments at 400,000. Documents filed at Companies House do not reveal any salary or dividends paid to the comprehensive-educated former Strictly Come Dancing contestant. Pendleton, 35, who received a CBE from the Queen in 2013, brought out a popular bicycle range at retail chain Halfords. How long before she launches an equally lucrative equestrian range? Jamie Dornan took a sauna bag on to the set of sequel Fifty Shades Darker in Canada Now Christian Grey's getting really steamy Some particularly hot-blooded fans felt that the Fifty Shades Of Grey film was not as erotic as the book. So theyll be delighted to see its star, Jamie Dornan, taking drastic measures to ensure the sequel is even more steamy. The 33-year-old Northern Irishman, who plays brooding masochist Christian Grey, took a sauna bag on to the set of sequel Fifty Shades Darker in Canada. Its a portable steam sauna which, according to the manufacturer, detoxifies, revitalises, beautifies and sweats away weight, inches and toxins. That should help whip him into shape. One of Vote Stays most outspoken supporters, Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson, seems to be losing heart. The 56-year-old, who recently claimed this country was a cake-filled, misery-laden, grey old island, was asked during a theatre trip to New York if Britain would vote to leave the EU. God knows! God knows! God knows, she wailed mournfully, before reiterating her support for Stay. says sales surge was fuelled directly by the publicity storm Sales of Tunnock's tea cakes rocketed by 10 per cent after hardline Scottish nationalists called for a boycott of the treats. Adverts for the iconic Scottish snacks appeared on the London Underground at the beginning of the year featuring the words 'Great British Tea Cake'. This led extreme Scottish nationalists to stage a protest outside the company's HQ in Lanarkshire, Scotland and to call for a 'boycott' of their tea cakes. A Tunnock's Tea Cake: the iconic snacks are at the centre of a media storm after Scottish Nationalists urged a boycott when they were branded the 'Great British Tea Cake' But the campaign backfired spectacularly, with Tunnock's revealing on Wednesday that sales had soared following the controversy. The company says the sales surge was fuelled directly by the publicity storm which was unwittingly unleashed by the extremist protesters. And interest in Tunnock's tea cakes has grown so much thanks to the 'boycott' that the firm has now released a range of tea cake themed merchandise. Fergus Loudon, operations director at Tunnock's, said: 'It meant the Tunnock's name was being talked about all over the world and people are still talking about it. 'It prompted a lot people to go out and buy tea cakes and has been fantastic for us in terms of sales. There was a definite spike. Blair McDougall of Better Together who slammed the hardline nationalists for their 'hatred' 'Our sales went up by at least 10 per cent. 'January is traditionally a quieter time for us so this was a real boost. 'Sales are very, very strong. Our order book is full to overflowing.' In January Tunnock's launched an ad campaign on the London tube which the company said was a spoof on the Great British Bake Off. It featured a foil-wrapped tea cake on a cake stand alongside the slogan 'The Great British Tea Cake'. But some Scottish critics seized on the advert, noting it did not feature the company's iconic lion rampant symbol, which it has used since it was founded in 1890. A social media campaign was soon launched, calling for people to stop buying Tunnock's products, which include caramel wafers and snowballs, as well as tea cakes. One Scottish Twitter user posted: 'Time to boycott Tunnocks... Bought and sold for English gold.' Another wrote: 'Traitor too strong for me, hypocritical. Are you only 'British' south of border? #truecolours' Protesters from the self-styled 'Scottish Resistance' group picketed outside the Tunnock's factory in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, while a video appeared online showing a man smashing boxes of Tunnock's tea cakes while swearing and ranting. He is heard in the video saying in a heavy Scottish accent: 'Morning troops. This is a wee message to every c*** who is still a f****** secret teacake eater. F*** Tunnock's.' The company has also released a new range of tea cake themed merchandise, including teddy bears, key rings and beanie hats. Mr Loudon said: 'The range is very quirky and has got the sense of fun that people associate with Tunnock's.' A company spokesman said they remained proud of their Scottish roots and had not meant to cause offence. He said: 'Sadly some people got hold of the wrong end of the stick. The lion rampant is still on out boxes and will always remain there. 'We sent out hundreds and hundreds of emails reassuring people that our tea cakes were not being rebranded. However, at the end of the day it's all been good for us.' Speaking at the time of the boycott, Boyd Tunnock, managing director, said: 'It was just a fun take-off of the Great British Bake Off. It wasn't meant to offend anyone.' Politicians aired their views on the row on Twitter at the time. Blair McDougall, former Better Together campaign director, said: If a tea, a TEA CAKE results in such an outpouring of hatred from you, it's maybe time to re-evaluate your life and your politics.' Alasdair Stephen, an SNP activist, insisted at the time that not all independence supporters backed the boycott. This is the heartwarming moment four kittens were drilled out from underneath a concrete floor. Visitors to the Cultural Centre in Araras, Brazil, realised something was wrong when they heard meowing coming from beneath the tiled floor outside. Although some people thought the kittens should be left alone, a group of local people grouped together to bring them to safety. In the footage, a man - thought to be a worker from a local utility company - is seen drilling through the titles with a jackhammer and pulling away the debris. Then he whispers down the hole in the concrete to try and entice the kittens out, who can be heard meowing. A succession of people put their hands into the hole to see if they can get hold of the animals, but to no avail. Visitors to the Cultural Centre in Araras, Brazil, realised something was wrong when they heard meowing coming from beneath the tiled floor outside. A group of locals began drilling through the concrete with a jackhammer Here a man, thought to be from a local utility company, whispers down the hole in an attempt to entice the kittens out A new hole is drilled through a pipe where meowing can be heard coming from But then, after a new hole is drilled through a pipe, the first tiny kitten - coloured black, brown and white - is delicately lifted up to safety. It is put in a pink towel and petted by the rescuers. Another kitten is removed, to cheers from the assembled crowd, and soon all four are left to play together in a cardboard box. The animals were born on the roof of the building, but got stuck after falling in a gutter pipe. After a number of failed attempts to reach them, the first kitten is carefully removed from the drainage pipe The kittens were born on the roof of the building, but got stuck after falling in a gutter pipe Giullya Nahirniak wrote on Facebook: 'If it was not for the strength of the will of the people... they were going to die trapped inside. 'Some people talked about leaving them alone. But these guys don't give up easy and the rescue was successful.' Thankfully, the kittens are now being well looked-after by the people of Araras. Ricardo Urbach, one of the rescuers, told The Dodo: 'Since we announced the rescue of the kittens on social media, people in the area have donated milk, bottles, medicine and pet products 'They will be rehabilitated, then put up for adoption.' This is the drainage pipe that the animals fell into from the roof of the community centre A mother of four says she was stricken with grief and on the verge of homelessness when she left her three-year-old son in a locked car for almost an hour on a scorching hot day. Trisha Joy Ownsworth, 37, testified on Wednesday that her life was a 'mess' and 'chaotic' when her son 'slipped her mind' during a shopping trip in a north Adelaide suburb in February 2014, according to The Advertiser. Her 17-year-old nephew had committed suicide just three weeks before and the contract for the home her family was renting had ended and there was little money to go round, Mrs Ownsworth told the Adelaide District Court. Trisha Joy Ownsworth, 37, (pictured) Told the Adelaide District Court on Wednesday that her life was a 'mess' and 'chaotic' when she left her son in her locked car during a shopping trip in February 2014 The three-year-old boy was found hysterically crying by a passer-by stuck in the family's hot purple Commodore car (pictured) at a shopping centre on a 41 degree Celsius summer day Mrs Ownsworth told the court that she had taken her her daughter to buy new shoes at Tea Tree Plaza shopping centre in Modbury (pictured) 'I still feel horrible at what I did,' she said as she openly wept, according to The Advertiser. 'I was just devastated. I could not believe I left him. I was so stupid. I had forgotten him. How could I forget him? I just assumed he was with his dad.' As Mrs Ownsworth broke down into tears, Prosecutor Andrew Fowler-Walker asked her why just moments before she had been laughing outside of the courtroom, according to ABC. She responded that she needs to have positive conversations with her family to maintain her mental stability, the ABC reported. 'It's so hard to keep it together,' she said. The mother of four (pictured) says she was stricken with grief for her 17-year-old nephew and on the verge of being homeless at the time she 'forgot' her son The 37-year-old (pictured) pleaded not guilty to an aggravated charge of creating a risk of serious harm in the Adelaide District Court on Monday. She testified in court on Wednesday Mrs Ownsworth pleaded not guilty to an aggravated charge of creating a risk of serious harm in the Adelaide District Court on Monday when the trial began, according to ABC. The three-year-old boy, who is now a six-year-old, was found flushed and hysterically crying in the family's purple Commodore by a passer-by at Tea Tree Plaza shopping centre in Modbury, the court heard. He was in the car for 51 minutes while the mother 'popped into Big W.' the court heard. She went to the store to buy her teenage daughter some new shoes before buying an ice cream from McDonalds. Mrs Ownsworth told the court on Wednesday that she had taken her son with her to pick up her daughter and believed taking him to a cool shopping centre on a hot day was for the best. While in the shopping centre, she believed her son had stayed at home with his father, she said. The mother-of-three's lawyer Adam Gaite argued it was a case of 'forgetfulness' on her behalf and that she had genuinely made a mistake by leaving him when she entered the store with her daughter Passer-by Nathan Barker told the court he heard the boy screaming from inside the car as he walked through the car park to catch a bus and quickly alerted a man working in the car wash to call security, according to ABC. '[The boy] was very red, very red just jumping up and down and just crying,' he said. Security guard Nicholas Holland helped convince the young boy to partially open a window so he could free him. He said the boy was 'quite hot to touch' and 'sort of red in the face' when he pulled him from the car. The boy was not harmed during the ordeal, despite the temperature in the car reaching around 44-degrees Celsius. An inquest into Mr Sparrowhawk's death said it was completely avoidable His mother, Sara Ryan, called on managers of the health trust to resign Connor Sparrowhawk, pictured, drowned in a bath while staying at a learning disability unit in Oxford One of the largest NHS trusts has been warned by the health watchdog over concerns it is failing tens of thousands of vulnerable patients. Southern Health Foundation Trust, which covers five counties, has been accused by the Care Quality Commission of exposing patients to long-standing risks and for failing to learn from serious mistakes. Last year trust bosses were criticised over the death of 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk who drowned in a bath. The teenager, who had autism, died in 2013 after an epileptic seizure at Slade House, an Oxford learning disability unit which has since closed. An inquest last October found neglect and a catalogue of failings contributed to his death, which was preventable. Then in December, a damning independent report, ordered in the wake of the tragedy, accused the trust of failing to investigate more than 1,000 other deaths. It said investigations were of a poor quality and often extremely late. And in nearly two-thirds of cases, there was no family involvement. The organisation provides mainly mental health care and disability services for 45,000 patients in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It is now being investigated by the CQC, which yesterday published an initial warning notice calling for urgent improvements. Managers have been told they must do more to protect patients who are at risk of harm and ensure robust investigations are carried out. Inspectors visited the organisation, which employs 9,000 at about 200 sites, in January and will publish their final report at the end of this month. Yesterday it was revealed that the CQC said concerns raised by patients, their carers and staff were not responded to effectively. Dr Paul Lelliott, CQC deputy chief inspector of hospitals and lead for mental health, said: We found long-standing risks to patients, arising from the physical environment, that had not been dealt with effectively. The trusts internal governance arrangements to learn from serious incidents or investigations were not good enough, meaning that opportunities to minimise further risks to patients were lost. Mr Sparrowhawk, pictured, who had autism, suffered a seizure while having a bath and drowned in 2013 Mr Sparrowhawk's mother Sara Ryan, pictured, called on health officials responsible for his care to resign Dan Scorer, head of policy at learning disability charity Mencap, said: Families are being left questioning whether the death of their loved one should have been investigated and whether the death might have been avoided. The lack of urgency to tackle this national scandal is unacceptable. The trusts chief executive Katrina Percy is facing growing calls to resign over accusations of leadership failings. Yesterday she said: I have been very clear and open that we have a lot of work to do to fully address recent concerns raised about the trust. I want to reassure our patients and their families that I, and the board, remain completely focused on tackling these concerns as quickly as possible. Following the December report, Mr Sparrowhawks mother, Sara Ryan, said the leadership board at Southern Health had to go. She said: Its a total scandal. It just sickens me. It is too late for our beautiful boy but the treatment of learning-disabled people more widely should be a matter of national concern. She responded to the report yesterday by repeating her call for resignations, posting on Twitter: Completely baffled the board are still in place. David Cameron was rocked by fresh questions about his tax affairs yesterday as new details emerged about assets in an offshore tax haven that his father left in his will. And the Prime Minister faced further embarrassment when it emerged that he intervened personally three years ago to water down an EU bid to reveal the beneficiaries of trusts. Downing Street yesterday issued an extraordinary fourth statement in 48 hours on the Prime Ministers tax affairs in a bid to close down speculation he may have benefited from offshore assets. Family secrets: Prime Minister David Cameron with his parents Ian and Mary during his general election campaigning in 2010. The PM's father, who set up offshore investment funds, died later that year Number 10, which has been forced on to the back foot over revelations in the so-called Panama Papers, said: There are no offshore funds or trusts which the Prime Minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future. But the effort was undermined within hours when it emerged that his late father Ian left unspecified assets in the tax haven of Jersey where he had helped run a multi-million pound investment fund. Shortly before his death the former stockbroker personally owned more than 6,000 shares in a Jersey fund he helped to manage, known by various names including the Close International Equity Growth Fund. The assets in Jersey were left to the Prime Ministers mother Mary in 2010, leaving open the possibility that Mr Cameron could eventually benefit from it in the form of an inheritance. The revelation came on another day of drama prompted by the leak of millions of documents from a controversial Panama law firm: It emerged that in a 2013 letter to the then EU president Herman Van Rompuy the Prime Minister said a move to reveal the true owners of assets should be limited to shell companies and not extended to trusts. Chancellor George Osborne appeared to cut short a TV interview after he was asked about his own tax affairs. Aides later insisted he has no offshore interests. Swiss police raided the offices of European football body Uefa after senior officials were named in the Panama Papers. A string of celebrities faced potential embarrassment after being named in the leaked documents. Famous names included Simon Cowell, Sarah Ferguson and Sir Nick Faldo. Opposition MPs in Iceland demanded fresh elections following the resignation of the prime minister over his alleged involvement in the affair. Downing Street has been scrambling to get on the front foot on the issue since Monday when the leaked papers revealed Ian Camerons firm Blairmore Holdings avoided UK tax for years by operating out of the Bahamas. On Monday, the Prime Ministers official spokesman refused to comment on the issue, saying it was a private matter. As controversy mounted, Mr Cameron was forced to make a partial statement on his tax affairs on Tuesday, with Downing Street issuing a further clarification in the evening. Number 10 then issued a fourth statement yesterday denying that the Cameron family would benefit in future from any offshore assets. New documents uncovered by Channel 4 News yesterday reveal Ian Cameron also held assets in Jersey, which he left to his wife in his will. And the Prime Minister faced further embarrassment when it emerged that he intervened personally three years ago to water down an EU bid to reveal the beneficiaries of trusts 4 STATEMENTS IN THREE DAYS AND WHAT THEY DIDN'T SAY Downing Street issued four statements in 48 hours on the Prime Ministers tax affairs as it tried to shut down the row about his late fathers dealings in tax havens. Deputy Political Editor Jason Groves examines what they said and what they left out. Statement One 11am, Monday What they said. Asked if the Cameron family still had money in his late fathers offshore fund identified in the Panama Papers, the PMs spokesman said: That is a private matter. I will focus on what the government is doing. What they didnt say. The brief statement was an attempt to kill the issue before it gathered pace. There was no attempt to answer the question. Statement Two. 2.30pm, Tuesday What they said. Asked if he or his family had benefited from any offshore fund in the past, or would do so in the future, Mr Cameron said: In terms of my own financial affairs, I own no shares. I have a salary as prime minister and I have some savings, which I get some interest from, and I have a house which we let out while we are living in Downing Street, and thats all I have. I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And, so that, I think, is a very clear description. What they didnt say. Mr Camerons statement, although superficially comprehensive, did not address whether he had benefited from offshore funds or would do so in future. It also made no mention of assets held by other family members. Statement Three. 5pm, Tuesday What they said. No 10 said: To be clear, the Prime Minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds. The Prime Minister owns no shares. As has been previously reported, Mrs Cameron owns a small number of shares connected to her fathers land, which she declares on her tax return. What they didnt say. The statement made no mention of assets held by Mr Camerons mother. And it did not say whether the family had profited from offshore funds in the past, or were likely to do so in the future. Statement Four. 9am, Wednesday What they said. A Downing Street spokesman said: There are no offshore funds/trusts which the Prime Minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future. What they didnt say. The statement appears to have been designed to quash speculation that a trust fund had been set up that could benefit the family in the future. But it made no reference to possible receipt of money from offshore funds in the past. And it appeared to be undermined later by revelations that Ian Cameron left offshore assets to his wife that could benefit the Prime Ministers family. Advertisement Number 10 did not respond to a series of detailed questions about the Jersey assets, including how much they are worth and whether they are still held by Mr Camerons mother. The assets were worth at least 10,000 the threshold for declarations under probate rules. But a spokesman said: David Cameron did not discuss the writing of his fathers will with him, or know the contents of it, before he died. He was not an executor of the will. He was a beneficiary of a cash legacy. He does not have any offshore assets, accounts or private shareholdings of any description. The row has infuriated No 10, which insists Mr Cameron has done nothing wrong. But Shadow City minister Richard Burgon urged Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne to make a full disclosure. Mr Cameron wrote to Mr Van Rompuy in 2013 saying: It is clearly important we recognise the important differences between companies and trusts. This means that the solution for addressing the potential misuse of companies, such as central public registries, may well not be appropriate generally. Critics say the move left open a loophole that could allow the wealthy to hide their assets. But a senior government source last night told the Financial Times Mr Cameron had been acting on official advice, amid fears that extending transparency rules to trusts could delay the package of reforms. In the final draft of the regulations, the rules on trusts were left ambiguous in what was seen as a victory for Mr Cameron. How the Prime Minister could still benefit from offshore funds if he inherits his mother's Jersey money David Cameron could still benefit from offshore funds if he inherits money from his mother, tax experts said yesterday. The Prime Ministers stockbroker father died leaving assets in the offshore tax haven of Jersey, where he had helped to run a multi-million-pound investment fund. A document from the Royal Court of Jersey shows probate was granted to the executors of Ian Camerons will in 2011, six months after his death. The Jersey fund Mr Camerons father helped to manage, Close International Equity Growth Fund, changed names several times but grew to be worth around 23million for its investors by the time the Jersey probate was granted, in 2011. David Cameron could still benefit from offshore funds if he inherits money from his mother, tax experts say Mr Cameron Senior held at least 6,000 shares in the fund before he resigned in 2009. Channel 4 News reported they were understood to be included in his Jersey estate. Under Jersey law, the value of the assets does not have to be made public, but a grant of probate is normally required only for sums above 10,000. It cannot include property but can apply to cash held in bank accounts or investments, including offshore trusts and funds, known as movable estate. According to his English will, Ian Cameron left everything to his widow Mary, apart from specific bequests to the Prime Minister and his sisters. Legal sources said the terms of the will meant any Jersey assets were most likely to have gone to Mrs Cameron. Downing Streets latest statement said the Prime Minister and his family will not benefit in the future from any offshore funds. But tax experts said funds held in Jersey would have grown more quickly, as dividend payments would not have been subject to tax. If Mr Cameron inherits anything from his mother it could then be argued that he has benefited from the offshore Jersey assets. Chartered accountant and tax lecturer Robert Leach said: Its quite possible that Mr Cameron and his siblings could benefit from money held offshore if they inherit any of Mary Camerons estate. If this happens it will be difficult to reconcile this with the Prime Ministers statement. There are legitimate reasons to hold money and other assets offshore and there is no suggestion of illegality or wrongdoing by any member of the Cameron family. Documents filed in 2009 showed Ian Cameron held at least 6,000 shares in the Jersey fund the first time he was shown to have personally held wealth offshore rather than managing funds like Blairmore Holdings in Panama. After his death, the net value of his estate was put at 2.7million. He left 300,000 in cash just under the threshold at which inheritance tax is paid to David. A 1million mews house in Kensington, West London, was left to the Prime Ministers sisters Tania and Clare. The remainder of his estate was left to Mrs Cameron. The 2.5million family home near Newbury in Berkshire was transferred to the Prime Ministers older brother Alex in 2006, in an apparent attempt to reduce inheritance tax liabilities. Labour has repeatedly called for Downing Street to publish the full details of Mr Camerons links to Blairmore. Mr Leach said that the Prime Minister needed to say if the 300,000 he received from his fathers will was the proceeds of a scheme that avoided tax. He added: The answer is probably yes as he would have denied it otherwise. But even then he has not done anything illegal, although it is politically embarrassing. Bernie Sanders committed tonight to formally apologizing for slavery on behalf of the United States if he becomes president. Sanders told heavily black audience that Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, 'There's nothing that anybody can do to undo the deaths and misery, how many people we don't even know who died on the way over here in the ships.' But the United States has to make an attempt to 'wipe the slate clean' by acknowledging the truth, he said after an audience member asked him point blank if he'd offer a presidential-level apology and he said, 'Yes.' And while the U.S. Senator does not support reparations in the form of a check for the inhumane treatment of Africans before the end of the Civil War, he does believe the government should invest in low-income communities, many of which are black, and he reiterated that point tonight. Bernie Sanders committed tonight to formally apologizing for slavery on behalf of the United States if he becomes president Sanders told heavily black audience that Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, 'There's nothing that anybody can do to undo the deaths and misery, how many people we don't even know who died on the way over here in the ships' But the United States has to make an attempt to 'wipe the slate clean' by acknowledging the truth, he said after an audience member asked him point blank for a presidential-level apology 'I think my view is pretty close to President Obama's,' he told another attendee, Catherine Hicks, of the Philadelphia Sunday SUN newspaper, a local African-American publication. 'And that is we aunderstand the legacy of slavery. 'We understand that.' He directed their attention to remarks he'd already made that evening about the problems plaguing black areas and said, 'As everybody in this room knows, what were seeing in many African-American communities, outrageously high levels of unemployment, inadequate education, inadequate healthcare. 'I think what we have got to do as a nation is invest in those communities who need that...investment the most.' Communities with 'long-term structural' issues should 'become the communities that receive the highest priority for federal' assistance, he argued. 'Let us make sure that in every way, federal funding goes to those communities who need it the most,' Sanders, said, adding that 'in most cases, though' those areas are inhabited by blacks. Sanders came under scrutiny earlier this year from some blacks on the left after he said at an event that traditional reparations are a dead-end issue with Congress. Sanders participated in a question and answer session at the Philadelphia church before a rally in the City of Brotherly Love. He's seen here talking to the crowd aferward with Rev. Robert L. Johnson Asked tonight about slavery, and whether he would apologize for it, Sanders said, 'You want the short answer? Yes.' The answer earned loud cheers and clapping from his mixed-race audience He said at the time, 'I think it would be very divisive. I think the real issue is, when we look at the poverty rate among the African American community, when we look at the high unemployment rate within the African American community, the incarceration rate within the African American community, we have a lot of work to do.' Hillary Clinton has a similar position on the issue to Sanders. She also believes that amends should be made in the form of investment in blighted communities. Reparations have traditionally been seen as individual payments from the government but the modern interpretation leaves room for the types of investments Sanders and Clinton have endorsed. Now, reparations can mean 'reinvestment in communities most affected' and a 'payback for harm that is done,' one advocate for repayment, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change's Mike Griffin, told DailyMail.com in February. 'I mean, I will take a check,' he explained. 'This is not an either or, but an and.' Sanders took a 'step in the right direction,' Griffin said at the Minneapolis event, where the topic came up repeatedly, by saying he was for directing federal funds to communities in need. 'Hopefully by the end of the election we're going to get him to say specifically he wants to invest in communities that have been harmed historically that are still being harmed systematically, and that all stemmed from slavery,' Griffin said. Sanders did not appear any closer tonight to making that declaration than he was two months ago. But he did not harp on on the necessity of sending funds to poor white and Latino communities, as well, as he has when the topic has come up in the past. Tonight Sanders reflected on the tragedy of slavery and said, 'Truth is is not always an easy thing. 'And a lot of things that we have done in this country that are shameful, we've gotta recognize that' Asked tonight about slavery and whether he would apologize for it, Sanders said, 'You want the short answer? Yes.' Bill Clinton apologized in Africa in 1998 for the slave trade but the Office of the President and the federal government have never officially said they're sorry. Federal lawmakers made an attempt to do so in Barack Obama's first term but couldn't come to an agreement on what the resolution should say. Some worried that an apology would open the door to the kind of reparations that even Sanders, Clinton, Obama and other Democrats have said they do not support. Tonight Sanders reflected on the tragedy of slavery and said, 'Truth is is not always an easy thing. 'And a lot of things that we have done in this country that are shameful, we've gotta recognize that,' he said. Waleed Aly has taken Malcolm Turnbull's 'age of innovation' to task over the government's NBN plan - expected to be delivered late, provide slower broadband internet, and cost far more. Pitching the policy before the 2013 election, then-Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott who said Malcolm Turnbull 'virtually invented the internet in this country'. But Aly was not having a bar of the NBN designed by Mr Turnbull when he was Communications Minister - pointing out significant delays and added costs on Channel Ten's The Project on Wednesday night. Scroll down for video Waleed Aly has taken Malcolm Turnbull's 'age of innovation' to task because of the Coalition government's more expensive NBN plan which will provide slower internet - and be delivered only one year before Labor's Under Labor, Australia could expect fibre-to-the-premises with speeds of 1Gbps for $45 billion by 2021. But the project was scrapped by Mr Abbott when he came into power, and his Communications Minister our now Prime Minister redesigned the NBN to deliver fibre-to-the-node with speeds of 20-25mbs for $29.5 billion by 2019. But the estimated cost has blown out to $56 billion, with the delivery date pushed back to 2020 according to leaked documents just one year before Labor's deadline. 'We'll have much slower internet which will cost about $10 billion more, but we'll get it one year sooner,' Aly said. 'The problem here is, despite the latest figures showing the amount of data downloaded by Australians increased by 40 per cent from June 2014 to June 2015, the Abbott-slash-Turnbull government has never demonstrated that they value the need for high-speed internet,' Aly said (stock picture) Former computer centre director at University of Queensland, Alan Coulter, told Aly the government shouldn't be opting for 'cheap and error-prone' plans 'if we're going to be the innovation nation'. Aly said Coalition is delivering slower internet we'll get just one year sooner for $10 billion more 'The problem here is, despite the latest figures showing the amount of data downloaded by Australians increased by 40 per cent from June 2014 to June 2015, the Abbott-slash-Turnbull government has never demonstrated that they value the need for high-speed internet,' Aly said. 'But look, the biggest infrastructure projects in this country's history were built with the future in mind. 'The Snowy Mountains Scheme was built to last hundreds of years, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built with eight lanes, not two. 'But now, as we enter Malcolm Turnbull's 'age of innovation' and we're told the NBN is the most important infrastructure project of the 21st century, we're expected to rely on a decaying copper network that experts say is already past its use-by date, instead of investing in fibre which the same experts say could service our internet needs for the next 100 years.' By comparison, experts claim the Coalition's plans are already outdated, Aly told audiences on Wednesday night. Pitching the policy before the 2013 election, then-Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott called Malcolm Turnbull 'the man who virtually invented the internet in this country' Consumer group Choice claimed Labor's plan would allow Australians to download an HD film in under 30 seconds, while they'd have to wait between 10 to 20 minutes to do the same under Mr Turnbull's plan. In the past few years, Australia's global ranking for internet speeds has dropped from being 30th to the 60th in the world. 'So if you're watching this right now on the internet, and you had to wait for even a second for this video to buffer, you know who to blame,' he said in his Something We Should Talk About segment. 'Tony Abbott and the guy who he says invented the internet.' The Liberal Party criticised Labor's NBN and claimed it would have cost upwards of $80 billion. Mike Quigley, former NBN Co-Chief Executive, told The Project Labor's broadband internet was not running over budget to that figure. Mr Abbott made the claim Mr Turnbull had 'virtually invented the internet in this country' because he co-founded OzEmail in 1994. At one point, the email provider was one of the largest internet service providers in the country. It was an investment that reportedly made him $60 million when he sold it in 1999. Labor's plan was expected to provide fibre-to-the-premises with speeds of 1Gbps for $45 billion (pictured red). The Coalition's NBN was expected to deliver fibre-to-the-node with speeds of 20-25mbs for $29.5 billion, but the estimated cost has blown out to $56 billion. The Coalition claimed Labor's would cost upward of $80 billion A female soldier was beaten unconscious by two members of her unit after they spotted her kissing another man at a party. Private Melissa Centeno, 18, says she thought she was going to die when she was pinned up against the wall by her neck, strangled and hit repeatedly during a house party held by a fellow Fort Hood, Texas, officer on Saturday. She suffered concussion, a ruptured eardrum, wounds to the face, and fell unconscious. The case is slated to be taken to the Pentagon. According to an affidavit, Centeno - assigned to 1st Cavalry Divisions 3rd Brigade Combat Team - was 'making out with' a soldier in the back room of the house in Copperas Cove, Fort Hord, when two other men walked in. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Suspect: Combat engineer and party host Jacob Avila (pictured) has allegedly admitted to assaulting Melissa Centeno, 18, with a friend after she was spotted kissing another man at the event on Saturday night The suspects, identified by police as combat engineer Jacob Andrew Avila - who hosted the party - and his friend Lucas Curtis, ordered her out of the room. Later, as she left the bathroom, she claims they ambushed her, grabbed her by the neck, and hit her repeatedly. Curtis, a former active duty soldier, allegedly 'had his hand around her neck' and 'was squeezing tight enough that she was unable to breathe.' He punched her repeatedly until she tripped over a metal rabbit cage and hurt her back - at which point he 'straddled her' to keep her down, the affidavit states. Finally, another soldier walked in on the assault and broke it up, police said. Centeno was taken to the emergency room, where she was met by Copperas Cove officers at 7.15am on Sunday. Avila turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday night. He was later released after posting $6,000 bail. He admitted slapping Centeno, and claims to have seen Curtis slapping and choking her, police said. Centeno - the only woman assigned to 1st Cavalry Divisions 3rd Brigade Combat Team - was allegedly 'making out with' a man in the back room of this house in Copperas Cove when two other men walked in The case is slated to be taken to the Pentagon as Fort Hood directors vow to persecute the suspects A warrant has been issued for Curtis's arrest. The man Centeno was kissing sustained minor injuries but declined to press charges. Now investigators are grappling to determine what led to the attack. 'We're still trying to figure out why and what the motive is for this one. They're not ex-boyfriends or anything like that,' Copperas Cove police Sgt. Martin Ruiz told KWTX. The case comes just a month after the Army vowed to do more to assign women to high-up positions in the forces. Tom Rheinlander, Fort Hood spokesman, said in a statement: 'III Corps and Fort Hood takes all reports of assault seriously. 'Military law enforcement officials are investigating the allegations in cooperation with civilian law enforcement. Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident Power was cut to almost 600 homes due to risk of vapour igniting The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital Fire crews were called to the scene just before 8pm on Wednesday Families have been forced to evacuate their homes after a fuel tanker carrying 50,000 litres of flammable liquid lost control on a highway bend and rolled, coming to a halt just 20 metres from a home. Almost 600 homes in Inglewood, near the central Victorian city of Bendigo, are still without power after a tanker lost control as it exited the Calder Highway and rolled onto its side, crashing through fences and a power pole just before 8pm on Wednesday. The driver of truck was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Families have been forced to evacuate their homes after a fuel tanker carrying 50,000 litres of flammable liquid lost control on a highway bend and rolled, coming to a halt just 20 metres from a home Almost 600 homes in Inglewood, near the central Victorian city of Bendigo, are still without power after a tanker lost control as it exited the Calder Highway and rolled onto its side The Country Fire Authority issued an emergency warning for the immediate area at 10pm and about 30 residents were urged to evacuate their homes. Eight fire crews were still on scene Thursday morning and said residents could not return to their homes until the scene had been cleared. The Country Fire Authority's incident controller, Steve Smith, said power would be turned back on Thursday afternoon after the spill had been cleared by heavy haulage trucks. He said the truck had come to a halt just 20 metres from a house. 'Most of the fuel has gone into the local drainage system,' Mr Smith said. 'We can put it back on its wheels without having to take any more fuel out of it.' Mr Smith said the vapour emitting from the tanker posed a risk of igniting, hence why the power had to remain off. He said 28 people were initially directed to a relief centre set up at the town's senior citizens centre, but most found accommodation with relatives overnight 'If the power was on and there was a spark, that would start a fire.' He said 28 people were initially directed to a relief centre set up at the town's senior citizens centre, but most found accommodation with relatives overnight. A police spokeperson said the investigation into the cause of the crash was ongoing. David Cameron will today warn young voters that they will be hardest hit if Britain quits the EU, amid fears that a low turnout could cost Downing Street the referendum. Opening up a new front in the contest, the Prime Minister will tell younger voters their prospects of work, study and travel will suffer if Britain votes to leave. He will urge those in the 18-34 age group to vote In themselves. But controversially, he will say they should also press their parents and grandparents to side with the Remain campaign to build a more 'secure' future. During a visit to a university in the South West, Mr Cameron will claim that international evidence shows the unemployment rate for young people is twice as sensitive to fluctuations in the economy compared to older workers. David Cameron (pictured) will today warn young voters that they will be hardest hit if Britain quits the EU He will add that a broad range of experts, including the Bank of England and the London School of Economics, agree that the country's economy would suffer as a direct consequence of leaving the EU. The Prime Minister will say: 'The facts are these: young people are less likely to vote than older people. Yet you're the ones that are going to be most affected by the outcome more than any other vote in your lifetime. 'The jobs you'll do, the prices you'll pay, the chances you'll get to work, study and travel so many of your future opportunities are connected to whether Britain is in or out of Europe. 'And remember: it's widely accepted there would be an economic shock if we left. Who gets hit hardest by those shocks? Young people. So get out there. Register. Vote. Tell your parents, grandparents, friends and colleagues: this referendum will really help determine whether your generation is stronger, safer and better off.' He will add: 'The future is yours and it's in your hands.' Mr Cameron, who will also unveil a new battle bus which will tour campuses across the country, is to send out a raft of ministers in coming weeks to make the same case. But Tom Harwood, chairman of Students for Britain, said: 'The EU is an out-of-date institution that is creating misery on the continent for young people and reducing opportunities at home. Given the Government is still borrowing a fortune, it is my generation and those that will follow who really have to pay for the 350 million that we send to Brussels each week. The Prime Minister will tell younger voters their prospects of work, study and travel will suffer if Britain votes to leave the EU 'The best thing we could do for current and future generations is to take back control and spend our money on our priorities.' The Remain campaign has been rattled by research showing that young people could hold the key to them avoiding defeat on June 23. On Sunday, a poll for The Observer newspaper put the Leave side on 43 per cent, four points ahead of Remain. Some 18 per cent of voters said they were undecided. Opinium found that in the 18-34 age group, 53 per cent said they backed staying in, against 29 per cent who wanted to leave. But only 52 per cent in this age group said they were certain to actually go out and vote. Among voters in the 55-and-over category, support for leaving was far stronger 54 per cent against 30 per cent. Crucially, 81 per cent of this group were certain to vote. Adam Drummond, of Opinium, said: 'This shows how important turnout levels are going to be, particularly given the disparity between how likely the young and the old are to vote. 'Young people are much more pro-EU but much less likely to bother voting, meaning that a key element of Remain's coalition is looking flaky.' The number of people still renting in their thirties has almost doubled to a record high since the financial crisis. Figures from the Office for National Statistics published yesterday underline how difficult it has become for millions of people in their twenties and thirties to get on the property ladder. They show that a record 2.2 million people were still renting in their thirties in 2014, compared to 1.24million in 2007 - the year that Northern Rock collapsed and the credit crunch began. Soaring house prices, a crackdown on risky mortgage lending and years of meagre or non-existent pay rises have put the dream of home ownership beyond reach for many people. And last night campaigners said the rise in population over the last decade due to the surge in migration over the last decade has been a major factor in creating a housing shortage, pushing up prices and squeezing young Britons out of the property market. Figures from the Office for National Statistics published yesterday underline how difficult it has become for millions of people in their twenties and thirties to get on the property ladder Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: 'Rapid population growth from mass immigration has put huge pressure on the demand for housing. This has certainly contributed to the rise in house prices which is now affecting so many younger people who can no longer get on the housing ladder.' According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of 30-somethings who have a mortgage has slumped to 3.93m in 2014, down 25 per cent from 5.24m in 2007.. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said home ownership has also fallen across the UK, reversing a three decade long trend. Economists said the UK housing market had reached a 'tipping point', where younger people are more likely to rent than own their own home. They face a less secure future as a result. A record 1.2million people aged between 31 and 35 were renting in 2014, according to latest figures from the ONS. This equates to 31.4 per cent of the age group. This compares to just 648,000 people in this bracket in 2007, or 17.3 per cent. The number of 31 to 35-year-olds with mortgages fell from 2.5million to a record low of 2million over the same period. The figures also showed that people aged 25-29 are now more likely to rent privately (43.3 per cent) than own a home with mortgage (39 per cent). This marks a dramatic change from just 15 years ago, when people in their late 20s were more than twice as likely to own (56.5 per cent) rather than rent privately (21.4 per cent). Laura Gardiner, senior policy analyst at think-tank the Resolution Foundation, said: 'We've reached a tipping point in the UK housing market where young people are now more likely to rent privately than own their home. ONS figures showed a record 2.2 million people were still renting in their thirties in 2014, compared to 1.24million in 2007 'This dramatic shift from owning to renting has major consequences for young people and future generations. For many people, it brings major insecurity in terms of their housing costs and being able to find a secure long-term home. 'Ultimately it also means the nation's wealth will become increasingly concentrated amongst a smaller pool of home-owners, with serious implications for social mobility.' The Government is trying to help younger people get on the housing ladder, with initiatives such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Help to Buy Isa. It has also promised to build more affordable homes to address the housing shortage. But a crackdown on risky home loans has made it harder for many with small deposits to get a mortgage. And house prices have also soared faster than household incomes over the past decade as workers have endured years of pay freezes or meagre wage hikes. The average UK house price has jumped 24 per cent from 214,000 in 2007 to 265,000 in 2014, according to the ONS. During the same period households' disposable income after taxes has increased 20 per cent from 25,772 in 2007 to 30,895 in 2014. A Bu the decline of home ownership and the increase in renting has been felt across the country, according to the ONS. Its figures show that the proportion of households who own their own home increased from 56 per cent to 71 per cent between 1981 and 2008. But it fell back to 67 per cent in 2014. Tourism officials in Tasmania are on the search for a Chief Wombat Cuddler to look after an orphaned baby wombat named Derek. Successful cuddlers will get the chance to fly to Flinders Island and have some serious cuddle time with eight-month-old Derek. Tourism Tasmania came up with the idea for the competition after a video of the baby wombat went viral. Derek, a resident of Flinders Island became orphaned after his mother was hit by a car in December last year. He was found by Kate Mooney, 'The Wombat Lady of Flinders Island', who has reared over 100 wombats over the years. Footage captured by photographer Sean Scott shows Derek running along the beach on his Flinders Island home. The video went viral on social media Are you up to the job? Derek the eight-month-old wombat is in need of some serious cuddles after losing his mum in December last year The winner and a friend be flown to Tasmania's Flinders Island to smother the baby wombat with love and affection and spend three nights exploring Derek's island home Derek originally found fame after photographer Sean Scott captured a video clip of the baby wombat earlier this year. The footage shows Derek rushing along the sandy beach on Flinders Island. Sean Scott, one of Australia's most influential professional landscape photographers, spent four days on Flinders Island as part of a road trip around the country. CEO of Tourism Tasmania John Fitzgerald said the idea for the competition came after the success of Derek's viral video on social media. It provided a perfect opportunity to keep people talking and thinking about Tasmania. Viral sensation: Tourism Tasmania hopes Derek's popularity will get people talking and thinking about Tasmania Non-cuddlers need not apply: More than 2000 entries have already been received for the role of Chief Wombat Cuddler The role of Chief Wombat Cuddler includes flights to Flinders Island for two adults, three nights accommodation, four days car hire, and of course cuddle time with Derek the wombat. Entrants need to be over 18 years of age, live in Australia and describe in 25 words or less why you'd make the best wombat cuddler by 16 April. You can enter via the website where already more than 2000 entries have already been received. Public Interest Lawyers boss Phil Shiner to face questioning over alleged unscrupulous practices Solicitors at a law firm that has hounded British troops for more than a decade could be struck off in a huge victory for the Daily Mail. Public Interest Lawyers which has spent years suing Britain with taxpayers' money has been referred to a disciplinary tribunal over 'serious allegations of professional misconduct'. It is understood PIL's boss Phil Shiner, along with a former employee, could face hours of questioning over alleged unscrupulous practices. The referral by the solicitors' watchdog comes after it reviewed allegations revealed by this newspaper that an agent hired by PIL touted for business in the aftermath of the Iraq War. Other claims include that the Birmingham-based firm hired an agent to hand out questionnaires to potential clients which were then turned into witness statements by Mr Shiner back in the UK. Following an 18-month investigation, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday passed the allegations which specifically refer to Mr Shiner and another individual to a tribunal. The SRA decided the evidence was serious enough for Mr Shiner's firm and, it is believed Mr Shiner too, to face questioning. If found guilty, solicitors could be struck off or the firm could be fined tens of thousands of pounds. Last night Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan, said: 'It is very good news to see that the boot is on the other foot. 'These people who have used so much taxpayers' money to harass our soldiers will now face questioning themselves. I certainly hope that this will result in money being recovered on taxpayers' behalf.' The firm has received millions in taxpayer-funded legal aid, and has submitted more than 1,000 allegations of misconduct and alleged killings by soldiers to the Iraq Historic Allegations Team. PIL's website says the vast majority of its cases centre on claims arising from the war. Last year the Mail revealed how an agent named Abu Jamal, later employed by the firm, touted for business which is against the rules for solicitors. His role came to light during the 200,000 Iraqi Fatality Investigations (IFI) inquiry into the death of an Iraqi civilian shot dead by British soldier Richard Catterall. In a witness statement Fatima Dahesh, the widow of Muhammad Salim who was shot dead by former Sergeant Catterall in Basra in 2003, said Mr Jamal knocked on her door when she was in a 'severe grieving state'. He passed the case to PIL, which pursued it for more than a decade. It is claimed the Birmingham-based firm hired an agent to hand out questionnaires to potential clients which were then turned into witness statements by Mr Shiner (pictured) back in the UK A government source said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon was 'determined to stop British soldiers being hounded through the courts with baseless claims'. They added: 'That's why he instructed the MoD to submit evidence to the SRA on the actions of this firm. It is good news that Phil Shiner will now be made to answer these serious allegations.' During the inquiry, evidence emerged that the firm had also paid another agent to hand out questionnaires to Iraqi civilians as a basis for making claims against British troops. They were turned into unsigned witness statements in the UK by Mr Shiner, who then lodged claims in court. Sir George Newman, the IFI inquiry's chairman, found the case against Mr Catterall had also relied on a document which it transpired had been doctored by an Iraqi to make it look like the British military was to blame. Father of two Mr Catterall faced three investigations but was cleared. The probe began in 2014 after the 31million Al-Sweady inquiry into false claims that British troops murdered and tortured Iraqi detainees. Rural schools are at risk of closing and being turned into second homes because of the governments forced academies programme, teachers warn. They said the controversial scheme could be the final nail for many schools and was a major threat to village life across our green and pleasant land. Members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers said small rural schools are the glue that bind communities together, allowing young parents to carry on living where they grew up. Under new government plans, all schools will be forced to become academies or be in the process of converting by 2022, meaning local authorities will no longer run them. Rural schools are at risk of closing and being turned into second homes because of the governments forced academies programme, teachers at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have warned ATL said multi-academy trusts will be unwilling to take on rural schools because they are expensive and inconvenient to run, meaning some may have to close. This would mean young families moving out of villages, leading to the closure of pubs and shops, union members warned yesterday. It comes after a similar warning from leading Tory rebels on county councils who said many rural schools are thriving under local authority control. Speaking at the ATL annual conference in Liverpool, Joyce Walters, a teacher from Devon, said the cost of forced academisation could be the final nail for many rural schools that means that they will no longer be able to stay open. She said: Like many churches, chapels, barns, pubs and shops, too many rural schools are now large, beautiful and very often in Devon second homes. Rural schools are the sticking glue and the epicentre of rural communities. Because the parents of those children work, play and shop in those areas, where they may well have grown up themselves and have probably extended family. And they need to be able to stay there and they need a rural school in that area. Help rural communities and their children and their schools across our very beautiful green and pleasant land to continue to thrive and prosper well into the future. Gareth Lewis, from North Wales, said that head teachers in his local area worked with local authorities to keep villages going because councils still control schools there. He added: Unfortunately here in England youve lost that ability through the dismantling of the local education authorities. ATL passed a motion yesterday to campaign to protect rural schools across the country and maintain their funding. Proposing the motion, Trevor Cope from Devon said he recently saw four local rural schools close, causing those villages to have no heart. He said losing a school can cause the sorry death of a village and causes untold damage to communities. Education secretary Nicky Morgan (pictured) said schools are more likely to produce better results as academies, with multi-academy chains using expertise to pull up those which are performing badly He added: The first thing that happens, is the shop closes, and thats the post office as well. Theres no children to drop in for sweets and no parents to pop into the post office to post letters. The younger people move out of the village because they have to. The pub then closes. This is a rural crisis. Education secretary Nicky Morgan said schools are more likely to produce better results as academies, with multi-academy chains using expertise to pull up those which are performing badly. However, teaching unions have said there was no evidence to support the governments claims. Union leaders and Labour MPs have pledged to work with leading Tories on Conservative-held county councils who last month also voiced disquiet at the plans. One of them was Melinda Tilley, the cabinet member for education at Oxfordshire County Council - which includes the Prime Ministers Witney seat. She said: It means a lot of little primary schools will be forced to go into multi-academy trusts and I just feel its the wrong time, in the wrong place, for little primary schools to be forced into doing this. A woman who is starving herself to death is to be released from a hospital ward because nothing more can be done for her. The 28-year-old has had a decade of in-patient care aimed at making her eat properly and lead a normal life. Doctors, who have even tried force-feeding her, have failed to prevent her weight from falling below five stone. A woman who is starving herself to death is to be released from a hospital ward because nothing more can be done for her (stock image) Experts told a judge in the Court of Protection that the woman suffers guilt and remorse when she eats and has come to regard food as almost sinful. They said she eats only when she believes she is about to die and is addicted to losing weight through exercise. One plan they had considered was drugging her unconscious for six months while tube-feeding her to build up her weight. However, the woman objected to the idea, there were too few doctors available to carry it out, and it was unlikely to work in the long term. Doctors have failed to prevent her weight from falling below five stone (stock image) Ruling in the case, Mr Justice Peter Jackson said this treatment would be an unprecedented step and there were numerous potential objections about its ethical basis. However, he added that discharging the woman from her North Wales hospital meant her life would be at risk and her family were acutely apprehensive about what would happen when she left. The possibility that the withdrawal of in-patient mental health services will bring about a change for the better may not be very great, but in my judgement it is the least worst option, he said. No one is giving up on her, but the present treatment, such as it is, is not beneficial and it is therefore not right for it to continue. The woman, who cannot be named, has been having medical treatment under the supervision of the Wrexham-based Betsi Cadwaladr University local health board. She has suffered from a severe and enduring eating disorder for 20 years and has spent ten of those years living on hospital wards continuously for the past 30 months. She succeeded in spending a year at university, but had to return to hospital without completing her education. Mr Justice Jackson said her weight was less than 30kg four stone and 10lb and if she continues to lose weight at this rate, she will die. Tyrone Glover, a psychiatrist, told the court further hospital treatment was very likely to be futile and a cure was not to be expected. Taxpayers may have to pay up to 3 billion to finance a rescue package for the steel industry, the frontrunner to take over Tata Steels ailing plants indicated yesterday. Industrialist Sanjeev Gupta, whose Liberty House firm is the only declared bidder, said the sale process was likely to see the Government take on the 2 billion hole in Tatas pension scheme. As it emerged the sale of Tatas UK business will start by Monday, Mr Gupta said a buyer would also need the Government to ensure competitive energy prices. Steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta, pictured, said the Government would need to plug the hole in the Tata Steel pension fund if they want his company to take over the ailing plants It is understood that the threatened steel plant in Port Talbot, Wales, pictured, is losing 1 million each day He warned taxpayer support could be needed for at least two years while the Port Talbot plant was converted, saying: It is not a quick process. With the plant losing a rumoured 1 million a day, taxpayers could have to pump in more than 700 million over two years. Unions say their support could have to last three years. Intervention on this scale might fall foul of EU state aid rules, which ban subsidies to private firms, particularly those operating in the steel industry. But Business Secretary Sajid Javid last night said he expected Tata Steel to start selling its plants by Monday fuelling fears of a quick sale leading to the break up of the British steel industry. Mr Gupta said his analysis had been written on the back of an envelope, admitting he had never visited the Port Talbot plant at the centre of the crisis. But he said he could launch a serious bid for Tatas plants. Mr Javid held talks in Mumbai yesterday with Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry, but admitted afterwards he had not persuaded Tata to agree to a lengthy sales process. But he remained confident Tata would allow a reasonable amount of time to find a buyer. The steel industry is suffering from huge global overcapacity. Some experts believe Tata wants to shut Port Talbot to reduce the supply of steel and ease pressure on its plants around the world. Mr Javid said a number of possible buyers were coming forward and the Government wanted to work with any potential candidates. Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, whose Aberavon constituency includes Port Talbot, said it was vital the sale was allowed enough time. Pablo Lucio Vasquez, 38, from Donna, Texas, was executed on Wednesday for the 1998 murder of 12-year-old David Cardenas A man who claimed voices in his head ordered him to slit a 12-year-old boy's throat and drink his blood while the child was still alive has been executed in Texas. Pablo Lucio Vasquez, 38, from Donna, was sentenced to death in 1999 for killing David Cardenas in April the previous year while high on a cocktail of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. Vasquez was executed on Wednesday by pentobarbital injection after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected last-minute appeals by his lawyers, and was pronounced dead at 6.35pm. Addressing Cardenas' family from the execution chamber, Vasquez told them: 'This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here.' Strapped to a gurney and given the lethal dose of drugs, he complained of feeling dizzy before lifting his head and looking towards a window where his family watched. 'See you on the other side,' he told them before falling unconscious and being declared dead 24 minutes later. Vasquez had admitted to murdering Cardenas on the night of April 18, 1998, when he was aged 20, after attending a party. Andres Rafael Chapa, 15, Vasquez's cousin, attended the event in the border town of Donna along with Cardenas, who was his friend. After consuming alcohol, snorting cocaine and smoking marijuana, Vasquez left the party with his guests, before claiming he 'blacked out' near a home where Chapa's mother was staying. Vasquez claims a voice, which he believed to be the devil, began telling him to kill Cardenas, so he picked up a length of pipe and hit the boy several times in the back of the head. In a taped confession Vasquez said he ordered Chapa to prepare a grave while he slit Cardenas' throat as the boy was still alive, the Texas Tribune reports. Scroll down for video Slaughtered: David Cardenas, 12, was killed by his friend's cousin Pablo Lucio Vasquez after attending a party with the then 20-year-old In a taped confession, Vasquez described how he and cousin Rafael Chapa, 15, beat Cardenas with a pipe before he took a knife from his pocket and slit the boy's throat (pictured) Vasquez said: 'He was still saying something, and I picked him up in the air. The blood was dripping and got it all over my face. So, I dont know, I mean something just told me drink.' Vasquez said he then placed the boy on the ground, as Chapa picked up a shovel and hit him in the head with it 'five or six times' before the pair buried his body in a shallow grave which they covered with grass and pieces of wood. Police eventually received an anonymous tip-off that led them to Chapa and eventually Vasquez, who was arrested in Conroe, a Houston suburb more than 325 miles north of Donna. Five days later, police discovered Cardenas' mutilated body. He had been scalped, was missing a foot, arm and part of his other arm, while skin had also been removed from his back. Vasquez was convicted the following year and sentenced to death, while Chapa was also convicted but his sentence was limited to 35 years because he was a minor. Vasquez said he lifted Cardenas up while he was still alive and trying to speak, and as the blood was dripping on his face (pictured) he heard voices inside his head telling him to 'drink' Three other relatives of Chapa and Vasquez received probation and a small fine for helping cover up the slaying. One of them was deported to Guatemala. Vasquez was killed after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from his lawyer, James Keegan, who asked for a reprieve due to potential jury bias. He asked that justices be given time to review whether several potential jurors were improperly excused from the murder trial because they either were opposed to the death penalty or not comfortable making such a judgment. State lawyers opposed any delay, arguing the potential jurors' exclusion was legally proper and that the latest appeal was similar to an unsuccessful one 12 years ago. Assistant Texas Attorney General Jeremy Greenwell said the appeal amounted to 'nothing more than a meritless attempt to postpone his execution.' The Australian embassy have made contact with 60 Minutes journalist Tara Brown and her crew after the group were detained in Lebanon while filming a story about recovering two Australian children. 60 Minutes reporter Michael Usher told Nine News that Brown, her producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound operator David Ballment have been held in a Lebanese police station for around 15 hours. He said the Australian embassy have spoken with the team, but they have not been able to make direct contact themselves. 'Our concern obviously for everyone involved in this story is that we havent had direct contact with them for going on 15 or so hours,' Usher said on Thursday night. Scroll down for video Tara Brown (above) , 60 Minutes producer Stephen Rice and sound operator David Ballment are believed to have been detained by Lebanese police 'Thats a worry,' he added. The crew were filming a story about an operation to rescue two children - Lahala, 5, and Noah, 2 - from their father, Ali Elamine, with the intention of delivering them back to their Brisbane mother, Sally Faulkner, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Usher said Brown and Rice have worked extensively in the Lebanon area and were well aware of the risks before travelling to 'witness' the operation. The desperate Brisbane mother had tried to raise funds to help aid the recovery of her children in Beirut where they live with their father and paternal grandmother. Brown and her crew were with the children's mother as the operation was carried out, which ended in success when they were able to isolate the two-year-old and five-year-old from their grandmother. Following the operation, the children and Ms Faulkner were taken to a safe place while Brown and her crew were found by police who went on to question them. A car and a boat that was used in the recovery, which was carried out by a professional Europe-based agency with the help of locals, was taken by police. It is understood by Daily Mail Australia some of the same crew members with Brown (pictured) were set upon by thugs while reporting on the European refugee crisis with fellow reporter Liz Hayes in Sweden last month The mother has previously said she did not know about her ex-husband's intention to take her children. Mr Elamine has been accused of taking his children on a short holiday and then refusing to take them back to their mother. It is also understood by Daily Mail Australia some of the same crew members were set upon by thugs while reporting on the European refugee crisis with another reporter Liz Hayes in Sweden last month. A Nine spokesman said they were working with police to have their crew released. 'We can confirm a crew from 60 Minutes has been detained in Beirut,' he said. 'We won't be giving out any more details, other than to say we are working with authorities to get them released and back home ASAP.' Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said she had been in contact with Channel Nine about its crew being detained in Lebanon. Each of David Camerons statements about his personal wealth was carefully worded and posed as many questions as it answered Each of David Camerons statements about his personal wealth was carefully worded and posed as many questions as it answered. So could the PM ever have benefited from funds kept in a tax haven? And what exactly is an offshore trust? Here we provide at least some of the answers. So What is an offshore trust? The word trust covers a multitude of different financial structures, from an investment trust, which is organised like a company and has shareholders, to a fund in which investors own units rather than shares, or a family trust. A family trust is usually set up as a means of avoiding inheritance tax. Money which would otherwise be taxed if left directly to another family member can instead be sheltered in the trust and its proceeds distributed to beneficiaries as and when needed. The family members arent shareholders of the trust, as such but they are its beneficiaries. Why do the rich and famous invest offshore? There have traditionally been big advantages for UK-based investors who put their money into a tax haven. First of all, the investment companies operate in low-tax environments, paying low rates of corporation tax, which enables them to accumulate wealth more easily. UK-based investors in these trusts cant avoid tax on the income they make from them UK income tax rates apply to all their worldwide earnings. But for decades, they used to be able to accrue capital through offshore trusts without having to pay capital gains tax. This changed when UK tax law was reformed first in 1991, and again in 1998. Capital gains tax must now be paid by UK-based investors, making offshore trusts much less attractive. To get around this, some investors have either moved abroad to the tax havens themselves and became expats. Or they chose non-dom status using their ancestry to claim a foreign nationality but recently the Government has been cracking down on non-doms too. Many offshore companies have been used by celebrities and the ultra wealthy to ensure secrecy about financial transactions and to avoid paying stamp duty on domestic residences both here and abroad. Until recently, wealthy homebuyers could avoid stamp duty by holding their properties in offshore companies. But the Government now levies a punitive tax on residential properties held in this way. Are tax havens all above board? It is perfectly legal to invest offshore in tax havens, but there is a distinctly shady side to it too criminals use overseas funds to try to hide their wealth from the taxman. It is far easier to hide ownership of investments in this way than in the City, for example. There is no suggestion that Ian Cameron, or any other member of his family, used offshore investing for any illegal purpose. What fund did Camerons dad run? Ian Cameron was director of a company called Blairmore Holdings Inc, an investment fund founded in 1982 and which for most of its existence was based in the Bahamas. A 2006 prospectus for the fund, which still manages around 25million of assets, makes it clear why it was based there: This fund will not be subject to UK corporation tax. Ian Cameron (pictured) was director of a company called Blairmore Holdings Inc, an investment fund founded in 1982 and which for most of its existence was based in the Bahamas The corporation tax rate in the Bahamas is zero. Ian Cameron was paid a modest $20,000 a year as director of Blairmore Holdings, but is likely to have had some personal wealth invested in it. Why was the fund controversial? Blairmore Holdings did at one time issue what are called bearer shares. These do not carry the name of the owner, which makes them popular with money-launderers or others who want to keep their wealth quiet not that there is any suggestion that any Blairmore shares were ever held by criminals. David Camerons Government outlawed bearer shares last year. What happened when his dad died? David Camerons father died in 2010, the year his son became Prime Minister. Two years later, Blairmore Holdings was moved to Dublin. As one financial expert puts it, a trust based in Ireland sounds less fishy than one in the Bahamas. Why not bring the fund back to UK? Because of the repeated government crackdowns on tax haven-based investments, some brokers believe it might no longer be worth putting your money offshore and that it could actually be a disadvantage. You dont have as much protection with an offshore fund, explains Danny Cox of brokers Hargreaves Lansdown by which he means regulations in the City of London offer investors more security than regulations elsewhere. But secrecy in financial transactions is still very attractive to investors. And non-doms investing in offshore funds still benefit tax-wise, and Blairmore may well have had some non-dom investors. Ian Cameron (pictured with his son and wife) left 2.74million, but the will did not mention assets outside the UK Also, the process of moving a fund back onshore can be more trouble than its worth. If a fund started life offshore it might be simpler to leave it offshore, says Cox. Some offshore funds known as non-reporting funds allow investors to defer paying income tax, which can be an advantage if you are investing for the long-term. In addition, an offshore company does still possess the advantage that it will pay less corporation tax, helping its assets to grow faster. The Republic of Ireland has a corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent higher than in the Bahamas but lower than the UKs 20 per cent. What about the Jersey connection? Anyone who has assets in Jersey is required by law to get a grant of probate there, says Andrew Kidd, a partner at law firm Clintons. And since there is no inheritance tax advantage for any UK resident in publishing their will there inheritance tax covers all your worldwide assets it is likely that Ian Cameron had investments in Jersey, but we dont know what or how much. Ian Cameron left 2.74million, but the will did not mention assets outside the UK. As an expert in tax sheltering who was reportedly worth 10million shortly before he died, it is safe to assume his real wealth was larger than his will suggests. All we know, however, is that the PM inherited 300,000 in cash directly from his father while his brother and sisters received interests in property. So could the PM be avoiding tax? The Prime Ministers latest clarification on his financial investments state that there are no offshore funds/trusts which the Prime Minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in the future. This certainly leaves open the possibility that he has benefited from a family trust in the past. Its also possible that his mother, Mary, is the beneficiary of an offshore trust and that David Camerons family could in time profit from this. He doesnt know what his mother will do with her estate, says tax avoidance expert Richard Murphy. Providing the trust is wound up before any legacy reaches David Cameron, he could still receive wealth built up in Blairmore while sticking to the wording of yesterdays statement. A 25-year-old man who bashed a paramedic trying to treat him for an overdose in an ambulance has been sentenced to 18 months' jail. Matthew Thielemans-Stirling pleaded guilty to the serious assault of Queensland paramedic Brad Johnson at Upper Coomera on the Gold Coast in December last year. He also pleaded guilty to common assault for threatening to hurt the paramedic's female co-worker. Scroll down for video Matthew Thielemans-Stirling pleaded guilty to serious assault of Queensland paramedic Brad Johnson Brad Johnson, 48, suffered facial injuries and was treated in hospital after he was attacked by Thielemans-Stirling Thielemans-Stirling was sentenced to 18 months in prison but would be eligible for parole in October, the ABC reported. The maximum sentence was 14 years in jail. Prosecutor Nina Sulzer told the court that Thielemans-Stirling 'had a blatant disregard for public officers' and there was a need to deter such incidents. Ambulance officers attended to the 25-year-old after he fell unconscious from taking prescription drugs owned by his mother, who had recently committed suicide. His sister had also killed herself two months earlier. While he was being treated in the back of the ambulance, Thielemans-Stirling woke up and attacked Mr Johnson. He struck the paramedic between 20 and 60 times over several minutes. The 48-year-old paramedic suffered facial injuries and was treated in hospital. Mr Johnson required seven stitches above his eye, two on his eyelid, and has soft tissue damage to both sides of his head and his arms Mr Johnson required seven stitches above his eye, two on his eyelid, and has soft tissue damage to both sides of his head and his arms. After his co-worker, Belinda Donkers, pulled the ambulance over and opened the doors, the man leaped out and tried to attack her. Ambulance officers gathered outside court holding signs in solidarity with Mr Johnson, the ABC reported. In the past financial year more than 3,300 nurses, paramedics, doctors and hospital staff were assaulted in Queensland. The Queensland Government launched a confronting campaign to raise awareness about the issue at the start of the month. If you or anyone you know is struggling with their mental health you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 Mr Johnson and work partner Belinda Donkers, 32, on Saturday after the attack The EUs most sacred rules and beliefs could fall apart under the strain of a migration crisis without equivalent in Europe since the Second World War, according to its border agency. Frontex also revealed a 70 per cent increase in the number of migrants using fraudulent documents to try to get into Britain. The same organisation has also warned that jihadis are taking advantage of mass migration to sneak into the EU and plot atrocities. Scroll down for video Frontex said the EUs most sacred rules and beliefs could fall apart under the strain of the migration crisis. Pictured: Migrants at the port of Piraeus, Greece Frontex, which recorded 1.82 million illegal crossings into the EU last year, mapped out a number of scenarios of what might happen if the crisis is not brought under control. It said the common European identity could lose relevance as countries look after their own interests. In this situation, it said: The high numbers of economic migrants mostly with low educational qualifications and with a different cultural background are not truly integrated into European societies. The Frontex report also revealed the number of people aiming to get to the UK with false papers jumped by 70 per cent last year. The report said: This trend is mostly attributable to the increasing number of Albanian nationals often misusing Italian and Greek ID cards followed by Ukrainian nationals abusing authentic Polish ID cards. Other nationalities aiming to reach the UK with fraudulent documents were Syrian, Iranian and Chinese nationals. Overall there had been a marked increase in document fraud recorded on movements within the EUs border-free Schengen zone. The report said: This is partly due to the large number of migrants undertaking secondary movements within the EU, often with fraudulent documents obtained in the country of entry to the EU. There were 5,409 forged documents issued by EU member states detected in 2015. Frontex mapped out a number of scenarios of what might happen if the crisis is not brought under control. Pictured: Migrants camped out at the Idomeni refugee camp at the Greek-Macedonia border MAY CLOSES JIHADI BAIL LOOPHOLE Terror suspects who try to skip bail and flee the country will be jailed in a new crackdown after a jihadi slipped out of Britain to join Islamic State. Theresa May is toughening the law by creating a new offence of breaching pre-charge bail after police condemned current powers as weak and toothless. The Home Secretary acted after Scotland Yard was humiliated last November when it emerged Muslim extremist Siddhartha Dhar had fled to Syria while on police bail for terror-related charges. The jihadi escaped despite being asked by police to surrender his passport. The move aims to close a loophole which means it is currently not a crime to ignore a condition imposed by police only to fail to answer bail on the required date. Under new powers, it will be a crime for anyone released on pre-charge bail after being arrested for terror offences to breach any conditions imposed by police. Anyone convicted faces a maximum 12 months in prison and a fine. Mrs May said: We are determined to give the police the tools they need to fight terrorism and keep people safe. Advertisement Justice Minister Dominic Raab, an Out campaigner, said: Frontex warns that this creates a clear security threat, and being outside Schengen cant protect us properly. EU law ties our hands by forcing us to rely on travel documents issued by other EU countries, and prevents us from issuing our own. Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said: The extent of the fraud revealed in this report poses real dangers for our security and undermines our immigration system. 'When a British immigration officer is presented with an Italian or Greek ID they are clearly unaware of the history or misuse of that document. Criminal organisations have access to large numbers of stolen blank Syrian passports and printers used for their personalisation, the report said. It added: This allows them to produce genuine-looking passports, which may be difficult to identify even by experienced document experts. Yesterday, the Mail revealed Frontex fears that mass migration is allowing terrorists to sneak into Europe. It said it had no idea how many illegal migrants there were and, in any case, had no way of tracing their movements in the EU. Britain could be blocked from deporting thousands of asylum seekers to Europe under EU plans. The European Commission is examining proposals to tear up asylum rules that allow Britain to deport about 1,000 failed claimants a year. No 10 had earlier claimed intense lobbying by British officials had stopped the current system being ditched. The European Commission is examining proposals to tear up asylum rules that allow Britain to deport about 1,000 failed claimants a year But the commissions report instead said that the existing rules were not sustainable. It suggested bringing in a centralised system in which the EU would decide on individual claims, taking power away from member states. The commission said the migrant crisis had exposed the weaknesses of the existing system, where different national approaches had fuelled so-called asylum shopping. One proposal is to scrap the Dublin Regulation through which asylum seekers must stay in the first EU country they arrive in, instead distributing them across member states. It is a bitter blow to Downing Street, which had claimed UK officials helped persuade the commission not to tear up the scheme. No 10 had said its action was evidence that when you stand up for Britain in Brussels, we can get what we need. Although the UK could opt out of a federal system, it would lose the powers of removal under the Dublin Regulation. More than 12,000 people have been removed from Britain to other EU countries under these rules since 2003 a figure the Home Office has boasted is many more than we have received in return. Employment minister Priti Patel, a prominent Tory Eurosceptic, said: This report makes for alarming reading and shows the EU is institutionally incapable of dealing with events such as the current migrant crisis. Its a sorry state of affairs that the only response from Brussels is to demand yet more money to bolster the EUs failing policies. Its clearer than ever that we need to take back control of how we manage our immigration and asylum policy. No 10 had earlier claimed intense lobbying by British officials had stopped the current system being ditched Speaking about the reform plan unveiled by the commission yesterday, first vice president Frans Timmermans said the present system was not working. He added: In the longer term there are other options... a centralised EU system with EU decision on individual asylum claims. He said another option to be discussed was Dublin plus, which would preserve the existing rules but would include a corrective fairness mechanism meaning refugees could be moved between countries in times of crisis to take the pressure off frontline arrival states. A Home Office Spokesperson said the UK should not shoulder the burden of claims which should rightly be processed by other countries'. He added: We are committed to the principles enshrined in the current Dublin Regulation and welcome the option which would enable the UK to continue returning asylum claimants to the responsible first safe country without being part of a relocation mechanism. Three of Britains biggest high street banks look set to close 400 branches this year in a move which campaigners fear will hit elderly customers and small businesses. HSBC will shut up shop at 200 sites a fifth of its remaining network while Barclays is expected to close 100 branches. Natwest owner Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is also lining up 100 closures, according to Reuters. HSBC will shut up shop at 200 sites a fifth of its remaining network while Barclays is expected to close 100 branches Campaigners have hit out against the closures. Derek French, director of the Campaign for Community Banking, said: Were disappointed theyre continuing to charge ahead with closures and the Government is allowing it to happen. The people who suffer most when a branch closes are vulnerable the elderly and some of the disabled community, who rely on that personal service. Mr French said independent businesses are also badly damaged when branches shut. They suffer the inconvenience of not being able to bank locally, he said. And customers dont come to the community any longer because there arent any banks there, so their trade goes with them. You see losses in turnover, and that sounds the death knell for these independent businesses. The campaigners expect the axe to fall hardest in market towns and seaside resorts. The latest closures continues a decline in the high street branch network due to the rise of internet banking. Offering services online allows lenders to save on expensive building and staffing costs. About 1,150 branches have shut in the last two years alone, according to research by campaigners at Move Your Money. And banks have been accused of rowing back on a pledge not to shut a branch if it was the last left in a town. Research by Citigroup suggests there were 25 branches per 100,000 adults at the end of 2014. About half of the branches still open today could disappear in the next five years, according to financial services company UBS. About half of the branches still open today could disappear in the next five years, according to financial services company UBS RBS said there had been a 43 per cent drop in branch transactions since 2010. Digital transactions have increased by 400 per cent. A spokesman said: Where we do have to make the difficult decision to close a branch we will always tell our staff and customers first. In the event of a branch closure we will engage with our customers and the local community about why the decision to close the branch has been made and ensure that there are appropriate alternative ways for our customers to access their banking. HSBC said the number of customers visiting its branches had fallen by 40pc. It said 93 per cent of contact was now done through the internet. A spokesman said: We continually review our branch network to make sure our branches are in the right locations for our customers and we have a sustainable network for the future. A woman accused of leaking Vatican documents has denied having sex with a priest, telling a court instead he revealed secrets about his private life while his mother slept in the same hotel room. Francesca Chaouqui, 35, a married public relations consultant, and the priest, Spanish Monsignor Angel Lucio Vallejo Balda, are two of the people on trial in the so-called 'Vatileaks II' case. The case centres on the publication last year of two books based on leaked documents that depict a Vatican plagued by financial irregularities - and where Pope Francis faces stiff resistance to his agenda. Francesca Chaouqui, 35, (pictured left)a married public relations consultant, and the priest, Spanish Monsignor Angel Lucio Vallejo Balda (right), are two of the people on trial in the so-called 'Vatileaks II' case Balda admitted during an earlier hearing that he leaked documents to journalists, but Chaouqui said last Wednesday that she had not given them anything more than press articles already in the public domain. Balda had told the court last month that his relationship with Chaouqui had been 'clearly for me as a priest compromising,' and suggested that she had seduced him in a Florence hotel room. But she told the court on Wednesday that she was not attracted to him and that he had confided 'his sexual sphere' to her. 'I never had sex with him,' she said. 'I was never next to him carnally.' She said she wanted to tell her side of the story because 'I have been described as a sort of whore looking for priests to seduce.' PR expert Francesca Chaouqui, right, centre, pictured arriving at the so-called Vatileaks trial, Vatican City Chaouqui said she had entered the hotel room that Vallejo Balda was sharing with his mother in December 2014, and that he told her about his personal life while his mother was sleeping in the bed. Even though the two are now at loggerheads about what happened, she told the court she would never reveal all of what he told her because she had too much respect for promises she made. Chaouqui and Vallejo Balda were both members of a now-defunct commission appointed by Pope Francis to advise him on economic and bureaucratic reform. Vallejo Balda has accused her of intimidating and manipulating him in order to get a permanent job in the Vatican after the commission's work was done. The Vatican made it a crime to disclose official documents in 2013 after a separate leaks scandal, which the media dubbed 'Vatileaks'. Journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi last year published books based on documents that prosecutors say they got from Chaouqui, Vallejo Balda and his assistant, Nicola Maio. The journalists are accused of putting pressure on the three to get the documents. The defendants face up to eight years in prison if convicted. The trial resumes on Monday. Former senator Graham Richardson's 18 hour surgery is now over Graham Richardson has come out of radical surgery to remove multiple organs as he battles an aggressive form of cancer. 'Richo', 66, was admitted to hospital on Wednesday for operations to remove his bowel, bladder, prostate, rectum, sciatic nerve and tail bone. The political commentator, 66, has been battling chondrosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, for 17 years. Early on Thursday morning Sky News Australia CEO, Angelos Frangopoulos, tweeted that Richo's 18-hour surgery had finished. Sky News Australia CEO Angelos Frangopoulos announced that the surgery had finished after 18 hours 'Richo out of surgery. Op lasted nearly 18 hours. Next 24-48 hours vital. Family says: "Thanks for support,"' the twitter post read. While the former senator survived the surgery, Mr Frangopoulos said the next few days will be 'vital' for Richardson's long-term health. Many Twitter users tweeted their support and well wishes for Richardson. Many Twitter users quickly posted their support and well wishes for the popular political commentator 'There will be life': Graham Richardson, pictured with his wife Amanda with whom the 66-year-old has a son Darcy, 8, said radical surgery to remove major organs and other parts would change his quality of life but he will endure The 66-year-old political commentator braved the prospect of radical surgery which will leave him with bladder and colostomy bags, telling Radio 2UE on Monday, 'There will be a different quality of life, but there will be life'. Richardson, who with his partner Amanda has an eight-year-old son Darcy, has spoken openly about the cancer which has plagued him for 17 years. Richardson, pictured (above) at a 2015 Gold Telethon to raise money for sick kids while he was undergoing chemotherapy which left him bald and ill, said radical surgery was necessary because of an aggressive invasion of tumour spores The former Labor minister known among political colleagues as 'Richo' who was famous for his election campaign motto 'whatever it takes' was diagnosed in 1999 with chondrosarcoma, a rare condition in which cancerous cysts proliferate. Richardson underwent the operation on Wednesday after previous surgeries and a chemotherapy trial failed to stop the cancer from spreading. The Sky News and radio personality remained upbeat about his health prospects while speaking proudly about his youngest child, who Richardson said was already showing a talent for public speaking. Former Labor minister Graham Richardson underwent an 18-hour surgery on Wednesday to remove his bowel, bladder, prostate, rectum, sciatic nerve and tail bone 'I am trying not to be too miserable about all of this,' he said. 'The good news is I'm keeping my colon. Originally they were going to take the colon as well.' The extensive surgery was deemed necessary because tumour spores were already on his pelvic wall. 'There's some concern as the pelvic wall provides the blood supply to the organs and as it's riddled with these spores. Every day the wall remains, there's a chance the tumours will grow and push in on the organs,' Richardson said. In his long fight against cancer Mr Richardson lost his appetite, his sense of taste and his hair. But the former Labor Party numbers man battled through it, appearing mid-treatment on Channel 9's Gold Telethon in June last year to help raise money for sick children He was forced to use a walking stick and foot splint after the removal of part of his sciatic nerve which was affected by the tumours. Richardson plans to continue appearing on Sky News following a two-month recovery period from Wednesday's surgery. 'I'll be a bit uncomfortable this week,' he conceded, but promised to adjust to his changed quality of life. The 66-year-old former Labor Party numbers was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer 17 years ago and has been battling the disease with a range of treatements and a positive mindset Luxury goods and big bucks - Asian tourists are spending 6.5 times more than other tourists when they visit Australia, with daily expenditure hitting nearly $1000 per day in some cases. Among the most popular items purchased by these tourists are designer watches and jewellery, baby formula, vitamins, lanolin and Ugg boots. Clothing, handbags and shoes comprised on average about 30 percent of each tourist's spend, following by 22 percent on jewellery, souvenirs and toys, and 10 percent each on food and drink, personal care items and take home food and vitamins. Designer watches are among the most popular items among Asian tourists who spend up to 6.5 times more than other tourists visiting Australia Among the most popular items, which comprise about 30 percent of the average spend, are handbags, clothing and shoes Also extremely popular with Asian tourists visiting Australia are the distinctive Ugg boots Asian tourists were willing to pay for expensive items in Australia because of a reputation for quality products Some tourists have a daily spend of almost $1000 for the duration of their stay in Australia ourists stand in front of a large Christmas tree at Christmas Square in Melbourne A study by the University of Technology Sydney Business School has revealed the spending by Asian tourists who visit the city for conferences on incentive schemes, after surveying 1300 travellers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. They make up part of the Australia-wide $8.3 billion yearly spend in 2015 by Chinese tourists alone, according to Tourism Research Australia. A tourist poses next to fountains near Tumbalong Park in Sydney's Darling Harbour WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF AN AVERAGE SPEND BY AN ASIAN TOURIST IN AUSTRALIA? 30 percent of money spent on clothing, handbags and shoes 22 percent spent on souvenirs, jewellery and toys 10 percent spent on each of food and drink, perfume, cosmetics and skincare, and food to take home, vitamins About six percent spent on technology About three percent spent on entertainment, another three on wine, liqour and cigarettes, and another three on gambling General expenses made up only about two percent of the average spend Advertisement In 2014, Asian conference groups spent $56.2 million in Sydney - 75 percent of which came from Chinese. 'What's happening is that the Chinese market has a trust in our products, a higher trust in ours than in products in China,' research co-author, UTS Associate Professor Carmel Foley told the Sydney Morning Herald. Better value also attracted tourists to stock up on items, and they were more likely to spend a lot on luxury items to take home. One Chinese tourist spent $10,000 on a single opal product, it was reported. Business Events Sydney chief executive Lyn Lewis-Smith said the research reflected Australia's reputation for high-quality products. And supermarkets were the most popular place among Asian tourists ahead of souvenir shops, department stores and shopping malls, making up 63 percent of individual visits, according to the UTS research. Better value also attracted tourists to stock up on items, and they were more likely to spend a lot on luxury items to take home HOW MUCH DID INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS SPEND IN AUSTRALIA BY STATE IN 2015? New South Wales: $8.4 billion Victoria: $6.5 billion Queensland: $4.9 billion Western Australia: $2.3 billion South Australia: $897 million Northern Territory: $436 million Australian Capital Territory: $394 million Tasmania: $351 million Advertisement UTS Associate Professor Deborah Edwards, who also co-authored the research, said the incentive tourists were 'discerning shoppers', who knew when they were being ripped off. Ms Foley said other than their purchases, Asian incentive tourists also liked experiences such as shaking the hands of locals and dancing in nightclubs with locals. Incentive schemes are a tool used by companies to reward and motivate workers and also to attract and retain customers, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Overall in 2015, international visitors to Australia spent a record $36.6 billion dollars, a growth on the year before of $5.5 bn, according to Tourism Research Australia. Overall in 2015, international visitors to Australia spent a record $36.6 billion dollars, a growth on the year before of $5.5 bn Since then she's been inundated with support from fans on social media as well as Girls actress Dunham Until now she'd been 'running, ducking and dodging, because I'm scared' The 32-year-old said her life has been a 'whirlwind' since speaking out Best-selling author Jessica Knoll says her life has been a 'whirlwind' since she revealed she was gang-raped by three boys when she was a teenager. Her book Luckiest Girl Alive, published last May, follows the story of Ani, a 28-year-old magazine writer who remains haunted after being gang-raped while a freshman in high school. On March 29, Knoll, now 32, revealed in an emotional essay in Lena Dunham's newsletter, that her protagonist's fate was not 'inspiration' but had in fact derived from her own past. Since her brave decision to talk about her own harrowing experience, the writer says she has been inundated with support. 'This has been, to put it mildly, a whirlwind week,' she told a gathering of fans at a Barnes & Noble bookshop. Best-selling author Jessica Knoll says her life has been a 'whirlwind' since she revealed she was gang-raped by three boys when she was a teenager She told the crowd that the experience had brought to mind a quote by W.H. Auden, 'Art is born of humiliation.' 'This book was born of my humiliation,' she added. 'This book is my pain, and this book is my power, after years of powerlessness.' Luckiest Girl Alive caught the attention not just of the general public but of Reese Witherspoon, who is producing a planned film adaptation, with Knoll writing the screenplay. Parallels between Knoll's life and the heroine of her novel, Ani were clear from the start. Both grew up in the suburbs, attended private school in Philadelphia and worked in magazines. Knoll, a former editor at Cosmopolitan who was also 28 when she wrote the book, even hinted at her past in the book's dedication. It reads: 'To all the TifAni FaNellis of the world, I know.' But the author said she was not ready to fully admit what happened to her as the inspiration for her book until recently. In her essay, Knoll said she and Ani, the protagonist of her novel Luckiest Girl Alive (pictured) shared a similar past. Ani is a 28-year-old magazine writer who remains haunted after being raped as a freshman in high school 'I've been running and I've been ducking and I've been dodging because I'm scared,' Knoll wrote on Lena Dunham's website LennyLetter.com on March 29. In her essay, titled Why I'm Telling The Truth About My Rape, Knoll recalled being raped by three boys at a party, before she was 'old enough to drive'. She said she liked one of them, whom she called A Boy in the essay. 'I know that I went to a party at which the ratio of guys to girls was not in my favor, where I drank, flirted with A Boy, was dazzled by A Boy, drank some more, and slipped away from the waking world,' Knoll wrote. 'I know I came to on the floor of a bedroom, A Different Boy's head between my legs. I remember A Different Boy from a flare of coherence earlier, trying to help me walk when my anesthetized legs failed me.' She then described waking up in pain later on and seeing A Boy's shoulders 'rising and falling' above her in an 'excruciating rhythm'. Knoll said she woke up the next morning and saw a bare back, which belonged to a third boy, whom she didn't like. Knoll (pictured with her husband), who is now in her thirties and has been married for three years, said she once wanted to reinvent herself. But now, she believes the way to heal is to tell the truth about what happened 'He laughed about how hungover he was, how crazy the party had been, how the reason I couldn't find my underwear was because it was downstairs,' she wrote. She described going to get the morning-after pill and being called 'a slut' by classmates. Knoll confronted A Boy about her rape once but later apologized to him out of fear the boys would go after her again. 'I apologized to my rapist for calling him a rapist. What a thing to live with,' she wrote. She said she went into survivor mode and waited until the end of high school to reinvent herself. But Knoll, who has been married for three years, now believes the way to heal is to tell the truth about what happened to her. She had previously disclosed the truth to only one reader, the day she pitched her Lenny Letter essay. A woman approached Knoll at a book signing in New Jersey, asking if Knoll had interviewed a rape victim as her account of the even felt so real. Knoll told her something similar to Ani's experience had happened to her. After keeping her rape a secret for years, Knoll said on Twitter she was proud of having broken her silence and never thought she would feel this way Dunham, who has written about being raped as a college student in her 2014 memoir Not That Kinda Girl, said in Tuesday's newsletter: 'I take tremendous comfort in imagining an alternate universe in which 20-year-old me reads this essay, is able to identify herself as a victim of sexual assault, and saves herself years of self-laceration.' Dozens of readers praised her essay on Twitter on Tuesday morning, calling it brave, important and breathtaking. Knoll told one of them: 'I feel proud to talk about this which I never thought I would say.' At the gathering at Barnes & Noble on Wednesday, part of her book tour, she read a brief passage from the novel about Ani's determination to leave high school behind. To the author's relief, she received few questions about her essay from the crowd. 'I do want to talk about the essay, but I don't want it to drown out the book,' she said after the reading. 'I think it was a good balance tonight.' One attendee, Elizabeth Blanchard, said that she had bought 'Luckiest Girl Alive' when it first came out and that Knoll's essay intensified her feelings about it. Now she's recovered them it is unclear how she will get them to Australia The mother now in hiding in the Lebanese capital Beirut after what appears to be a botched child recovery operation which has apparently seen Tara Brown and a 60 Minutes crew arrested had spent 12 months in 'a living hell' without her young son and daughter. Sally Faulkner, who is also known as Sally Clafinger, is believed to be safe with her daughter Lahela, six, and son Noah, three, after an international child recovery agency took the children from their paternal grandmother at a Beirut bus-stop. Ms Faulkner set up the operation, for which 60 Minutes is believed to have paid $120,000, after she claims her estranged husband Ali El Amine did not return the children following their holiday in Lebanon in April last year. Ms Faulkner had travelled to Lebanon to meet up with Tara Brown and her crew for the 'recovery' by UK-based agency Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI). It is understood that 60 Minutes was filming from a second car travelling behind the vehicle carrying Ms Faulkner and a four man CARI team on Wednesday morning in the outer Beirut suburb of Hadath. Sally Faulkner (pictured with her daughter Lahela, now aged 6 and son Noah, now three) have been reunited after an operation in Beirut, Lebanon in which child recovery operators snatched the children while 60 Minutes filmed Sally Faulkner had been living in hell since her she claims ex-husband Ali took their children Lahela (left) and Noah (right) to Lebanon on holiday and then refused to let them return to Australia Both children were born in Australia and Ms Faulkner let them travel to Lebanon with their father because she had no reason to suspect they would not come back from the holiday It has been reported that the child recovery operators took Noah and Lahela El Amine from their grandmother as she was waiting with them for the school bus. Following the operation Ms Faulkner is believed to have telephoned the children's father and told them what had happened, after which he is believed to have told police his children had been kidnapped. Ms Faulkner, pictured with ex-husband Ali El Amine in happier times, was devastated when he allegedly told her she'd never see her children again Police then detained Tara Brown and the 60 Minutes crew along with members of the CARI child recovery team. All those detained were still in police custody on Thursday morning as Beirut officers investigated the validity of reports that the recovery team were armed and had struck the children's grandmother Ibtisam El Amine 'on the head with a gun'. The Nine Network told Daily Mail Australia they were not commenting on the incident other than they were concerned for the welfare of Brown and her crew and were 'working with authorities to get them released and back home as soon as possible'. It is unclear where Ms Faulkner and her children are being safe-housed and how she would get them out of the country without their passports. Ms Faulkner went public last year, revealing her devastation after her children were allegedly abducted by her ex-husband in his native Lebanon. A day after Lahela, then five years old and two-year-old Noah went to Beirut on holiday with their father, Mr El Amine allegedly told Ms Faulkner she would never see her children again. Ms Faulkner's two children Noah, left, and Lahela, right, are said to be back with her in Beirut after she and 60 Minutes organised a child recovery operation 'He said "by the way plans have changed the kids aren't coming back",' Ms Faulkner said her ex-husband Ali El Amine (pictured, right with her) allegedly told her on Skype a year ago During a Skype call he told her, 'By the way, plans have changed. The kids aren't coming back.' In a tearful interview last October, Ms Faulkner told Daily Mail Australia 'It's literally like a living hell'. Ms Faulkner said she called and emailed Mr El Amine daily and had attempted to take legal action. As her money and resources dwindled, Ms Faulkner asked for the Australian government to step in and also she petitioned for Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop to help bring her children home. But when the government 'did nothing' to help her, Ms Faulkner is believed to have contacted 60 Minutes who offered to pay for the recovery operation in return for filming it as a story. Ms Faulkner (pictured with her daughter) started a petition for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's help, but later teamed up with 60 Minutes who agreed to fund her bid to reclaim her children The heartbroken mother was desperate to see her children again and a petition was launched late last year Photographs of her precious children were all Ms Faulkner had to cling on to since communication was apparently cut off by her ex-husband in Lebanon 'It's literally like a living hell,' she said in a tearful interview with the Daily Mail Australia on Friday 'It is ridiculous Australia is one of a few countries where parental child abduction isn't criminalised, so the government isn't helping,' Ms Faulkner said at the time. 'But I'm desperate to hear Lahela's voice, to hold Noah's precious hands to tell them both mummy loves and misses them terribly,' she explains in the petition on Change.org, which has garnered 1,501 supports so far. 'The government has wiped their hands clean,' she said. Ms Faulkner missed Lahela's 5th birthday and her son, Noah's third birthday. Ms Faulkner said she just missed her daughter Lahela's fifth birthday (pictured) Her adorable son, Noah, tuned three during the time he was in Lebanon with his father before Ms Faulkner took it into her hands to recover her children 'It is a parent's worst nightmare. There is no real light at the end of the tunnel,' Ms Faulkner said about her children's alleged abduction before she made moves to get them back Both children were born in Australia. 'It is a parent's worst nightmare. There is no real light at the end of the tunnel,' Ms Faulkner said. The last time she heard her children's voices was during the immediate days after her children landed in Lebanon with their father and she claims he told her they were not returning. While talking on Skype, Ms Faulkner said her daughter told her she missed her 'mummy and wanted to come home.' The couple was amicably separated for two years and Mr El Amine would travel back to Australia to visit the kids, before he apparently changed his mind and, Ms Faulkner claims, refused to return them The separation was amicable and Ms Faulkner said she trusted her ex-husband before he left with the kids The last time she had heard her children's voices was during the immediate days after her children landed in Lebanon with their father and she claims he told her they were not returning While talking on Skype, Ms Faulkner said her daughter told her she missed her 'mummy and wanted to come home' Mr El Amine said she was upsetting the children and cut the conversation short and has apparently not since returned any messages, Ms Faulkner said. The alleged abduction came as a shock after a two-year amicable separation between Ms Faulkner and Mr El Amine. 'That's why I felt that I could trust him,' she said. Although after their separation Mr El Amine resided in Lebanon, he frequently visited every couple of months to see Lahela and Noah. She said she was reluctant to let her children travel with their father (pictured) to Lebanon to visit his family for a holiday but that she 'didn't want to be one of those mums that kept the kids from their dad' 'He knew what he was going to do,' Ms Faulkner said of her ex-husband's alleged plot last year to not return the children 'I just want him to be reminded that what he's done is wrong and what he's continually doing is not appropriate' Ms Faulkner said last year before launching the plan to recover her children from Beirut 'I never once denied him any access or relationship with the children he was free to come and go,' Ms Faulkner said. She said she was reluctant to let her children travel with their father to Lebanon to visit his family for a holiday but that she 'didn't want to be one of those mums that kept the kids from their dad.' She claims he planned to never return with the children after they boarded the plane and claims just a few weeks ago noticed that her children's immunisation booklets were gone from her records. 'He knew what he was going to do. I just want him to be reminded that what he's done is wrong and what he's continually doing is not appropriate.' Ms Faulkner (pictured with her ex-husband Ali) claims that he planned to never return with the children after they boarded the plane and claims that she later noticed that her children's immunisation booklets were gone A woman who served time in prison for her part in the brutal murder of a vulnerable teenager assumed a fake name in order to work as a barber just a mile from where the crime took place. In 2008 Leigh Mackinnon, 26, of Aberdeen, was sentenced to nine years in prison after admitting to the attempted murder of charity worker Laura Milne, 19, who was beaten and stamped on. Her co-accused, Debbie Buchan, was also jailed after admitting the same crime while Stuart Jack, then aged 22, was given a life sentence for the bloody murder after a court heard he slit Miss Milne's throat and then attempted to dismember her body. In 2008 Leigh Mackinnon, 26, (pictured working in the barbers), was sentenced to nine years in prison after admitting to the attempted murder of charity worker Laura Milne, 19, who was beaten and stamped on The trio then stuffed Miss Milne's body in a kitchen cupboard and left it there for several days. It has now emerged that following her early release from prison Mackinnon had been renting a chair at Gents Cut & Go barbers in Aberdeen - but bosses at the shop had not been told about her bloody criminal past. After The Daily Record revealed she was working at the barbers - which is located just a mile from the flat where Miss Milne was murdered - Mackinnon was told to leave. Owner Graham Stephen, who had been a friend of Miss Milne, said Mackinnon had given them the fake name 'Sherylleigh' and has not told them about her 'shocking' past. Stuart Jack (pictured left), then aged 22, was given a life sentence for the bloody murder after a court heard he slit Miss Milne's (pictured right) throat and then attempted to dismember her body He told The Mirror: 'She is no longer with us. We had no idea what she had done.' It is believed Mackinnon trained as a hairdresser while serving her prison sentence. At the time of her death in December 2007 Miss Milne, who had mild learning difficulties, was living at Stopover, a residential care home for young homeless people in Aberdeen. She thought her attackers were her friends, but they turned on her in Buchan's flat just days before Christmas. Miss Milne was in the bathroom of Buchan's Union Street flat when the gang kicked open the door, forcing her out. They punched and kicked her on her head and body, forced her to the floor and stamped on her again and again. It is believed Mackinnon (pictured) trained as a hairdresser while serving her prison sentence Jack struck repeated blows with a knife to her head and body. After she died death Jack cut off one of the victim's ears and tried to hack off her head, legs and breast. He then tried to dismember Miss Milne before all three wrapped up the body and hid it in a kitchen cupboard, where it lay for some time. The gang continued to come and go from the flat in the days following the savage attack. A video clip recorded in the early hours of December 14 last year, on a SIM card taken from the dead girl's phone showed Buchan asking Jack: 'Did you enjoy cutting her throat, yes or no?' 'Aye,' Jack boasted. Buchan finished the clip by saying: 'Thank you. Goodbye. You are the weakest link.' The court previously watched a video showing Jack and Buchan discussing the attack. Jack was filmed saying he was glad Miss Milne was dead Judge Lord Woolman said the victim was subjected to a ferocious, sustained attack. He said Miss Milne's injuries included fractures to her jaw and added: 'Jack took up a knife and slashed her throat. 'A post-mortem showed that was the cause of Laura's death.' He added: 'It is not clear what triggered the awful chain of events which led to her murder. 'None of the accused has given a coherent account. It is difficult to comprehend the evil that lay behind this attack.' Addressing the three in the dock, he added: 'None of you appears to appreciate fully what you have done.' 'It is a case of targeted killing,' said deputy police commissioner Samad was attacked with machetes and finished off with a pistol shot A student has been murdered in Bangladesh after posting comments against Islamic extremists on his Facebook page, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Nazimuddin Samad, 26, was attacked on Wednesday night near his university in Dhaka by men carrying machetes. Dhaka Metropolitan Police's deputy commissioner Syed Nurul Islam said: 'It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility. 'At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad's head with a machete on Wednesday night. As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot.' The Dhaka Tribune said the assailants shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Great) as they attacked Samad, an atheist, on a busy road near Dhaka's Jagannath University, where he was studying law. Samad had posted several comments on Facebook criticising radical Islam and mocking hardline Islamists and their attitude to women's rights. Scroll down for video A Bangladeshi policeman stands guard at the spot where law student Nazimuddin Samad, an atheist, was targeted by Islamic extremists on Wednesday night In one he described religion as 'the most barbaric invention' and in another mocked a hardline Muslim cleric who was recently arrested for raping a young boy. 'In raping a boy, the Hefajat-e-Islam cleric is only carrying out his religious duty. It's the first step towards establishing pure Islam,' wrote Samad sarcastically, referring to a hardline group the cleric belongs to. Samad had only recently arrived in Dhaka from the northeastern city of Sylhet to study law. Imran Sarker, who leads Bangladesh's largest online secular activist group, said Samad had joined nationwide protests in 2013 against top Islamist leaders accused of committing war crimes during the country's war of independence against Pakistan. Last year Bangladeshi secular activists took part in a torch-lit protest in Dhaka (pictured) against the killing of bloggers 'He was a secular online activist and a loud voice against any social injustice. He was against Islamic fundamentalism,' said Sarker, head of the Bangladesh Bloggers Association. At least four atheist bloggers and a secular publisher were hacked to death last year. Police have arrested members of a banned group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team in connection with those murders but have yet to prosecute them. Secular groups have called nationwide protests and rallies to demand more protection for publishers, bloggers and writers, some of whom have fled Bangladesh or gone into hiding. Bangladesh police escort members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team after they were arrested over the murder of two bloggers in Dhaka, in September Several foreigners have also been murdered in recent months in Bangladesh, which has also suffered attacks on minority Sufi and Shi'ite Muslims. The pressure group PEN America, which supports free speech, said after Samad's murder: 'The persistent failure of the Bangladeshi government and the international community to better protect threatened thinkers has created a climate of fear and direct threat to free thought in the country.' Kmart Australia have issued a recall for thousands of their limited edition metal chairs after it was revealed that the base of the dining room seat presented an 'entrapment or laceration hazard.' It comes just months after Fantastic Furniture were made to recall nearly 100,000 of their identically-styled Worx chairs after two people had their toes cut off by the sharp metal edges at the bottom. One 11-year-old boy from Queensland who had his foot sliced by the Worx chair at a family friend's BBQ last year was unable to reattach part of his second toe after reconstructive surgery. Kmart Australia have been forced to recall thousands of their limited edition metal chairs The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommended the recall, saying that the base of the dining room seat presented an 'entrapment or laceration hazard.' The chain - which has 189 discount stores across Australia - is offering free plugs to place on the legs of the chairs for all customers who own the dangerous chair Since the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommended the recall, complaints from concerned parents have flooded the Australian discount store's official Facebook page. 'It's about time this was recalled. I took my back a few months ago as my kids toes got caught in leg hole and if I wasn't right there god knows what would have happened,' one mother wrote. 'Wow no shock there.... fantastic furniture recalled the exact same style chairs while other stores keep rolling them out I was waiting for this,' added another. Another mother told Daily Mail Australia that her daughter had almost cut her toe off with a chair she had purchased at a separate discount store in Brisbane. 'My mum has similar chairs and my daughter almost cut her toe off! So sharp down the bottom,' she wrote online. Complaints from concerned parents have flooded Kmart Australia's official Facebook page Other parents said they had experienced similar problems with the same style chair from different stores Kmart, a discount retailer with 189 stores across Australia, first started stocking the dangerous metal chair back in July, 2014. It's unclear how many chairs were sold, but the retailer is offering a full refund or a free plug insert kit to customers 'for insertion into the inside legs of the chair.' Daily Mail Australia has approached Kmart Australia for comment. All former New Hampshire prep school student Owen Labrie (pictured) does is sit in his cell and read books All former New Hampshire prep school student Owen Labrie does is sit in his cell and read books, it has emerged, and he had also requested a new trial following his sexual assault conviction. Labrie, 20, of Tunbridge, Vermont, was arrested days after graduating from St. Paul's School, an elite prep school in Concord, in 2014. He was found guilty of three counts of misdemeanor sexual assault, a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment and a felony charge of luring a minor for sex by computer in August last year. But his new attorney has filed a motion on Tuesday asking for a new trial on the grounds that he his original defense team did not adequately challenge the computer-related charge. Labrie has been put in solitary confinement at the Merrimack House of Corrections for his own safety and is only permitted to leave his cell for an hour each day, his new layer Jaye Rancourt revealed. His family and friends visit him often but Labrie, who was once bound for Harvard University, spends most of his time reading, Rancourt told ABC News. Scroll down for video All former New Hampshire prep school student Owen Labrie (center) does is sit in his cell and read books, it has emerged. He he has also requested a new trial following his sexual assault conviction citing ineffective assistance of counsel from his defense team, which included Jay Carney (left) 'That's mostly what he does, is sit in his cell and read books,' she told the station. Labrie's case revealed details of a campus tradition of sexual conquests at St Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. Called the 'Senior Salute', it involves graduating seniors trying to have sex with underclassmen at the elite prep school. He had been intending to attend Harvard after graduating from St.Paul's but the prestigious college rescinded its offer after the allegations against Labrie surfaced. At the time of the encounter, Labrie was 18 and claimed that the pair had dry humped and it had been consensual. But the girl said that he had penetrated her with his tongue, finger and genitals despite her protests. His DNA was later found on her underwear. Labrie claims that his trial team didn't pay enough attention to the computer-related seduction charge 'What he did to me made me feel like I didn't belong on this planet like I would be better off dead,' his victim said in a statement that was read before Labrie's sentencing. Labrie was acquitted of felony rape against the 15-year-old student, but found guilty of the lesser charges. He was sentenced to a year in jail by a judge in Merrimack County Superior Court, but was initially allowed to remain free on bail pending an appeal. But he was taken into custody on March 18 after he admitted violating his bail terms but missing his 5pm to 8am curfew eight times, which included him having brunch with his girlfriend. He was caught out when he spoke to a journalist on a train about his life after being convicted. Labrie's bail was revoked and he was ordered to start serving his one-year sentence last month and he is set to remain in jail until a decision is made regarding his motion for a new trial. The motion argues that Labrie's defense team, led by Jay Carney, who also represented Boston gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger, had an 'objectively unreasonable' strategy in terms of the computer-related charge. Labrie is in solitary confinement at the Merrimack House of Corrections (above) for his own safety Labrie, right, speaks with his attorney Jaye Rancourt during a hearing at Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord on March 18 The computer charge carries the mandate to register as a sex offender for life. In her motion, Jaye Rancourt says Labrie's lawyers didn't challenge the computer offense until after his trial and conviction. 'Trial counsel essentially argued that they did not believe the computer offense could stand if Mr. Labrie was found not guilty on the aggravated felonious sexual assault charges,' Rancourt wrote. 'Presumably, the trial strategy was to challenge the aggravated felonious sexual assault challenges, assuming that the computer offense would thereby be defeated.' She added: 'This rationale and understanding was fundamentally flawed.' Rancourt said the lawyers also failed to investigate the girl's social media accounts, as requested by Labrie. She wrote it was likely that the girl's Facebook exchanges 'would have contained information which may have been used to challenge her credibility regarding her allegations of a forcible rape occurring.' On Wednesday, Carney said that he asked the judge to set aside the verdict on the computer count several weeks before Labrie's sentencing. 'The legislative history of this type of statute demonstrates that it was not meant to apply to teenagers who use Facebook to make plans to meet and have consensual sexual interactions,' he said in a statement. 'It was designed to prosecute much older individuals who hide their true identities in order to induce minors to send them nude pictures or set up secret meetings.' He said ultimately, it's a policy interpretation for the New Hampshire Supreme Court. 'I remain confident that the long history of the Supreme Court's emphasis on interpreting the criminal code so as to promote justice will continue.' But last year, Labrie said he had no regrets when it came to his defense strategy. Detectives say there is no evidence to back up claims made by a doctor that his wife was having an alleged affair before he murdered her, an inquest has heard. Robin Michael, 63, killed his wife Kerry, 44, while on holiday in the Tasmanian wilderness in February 2015. The South Australian couple were on a walking track at Mt Roland, west of Launceston, when he repeatedly struck Kerry in the head with a rock. Robin Michael, 63, killed his wife Kerry, 44, while on holiday in the Tasmanian wilderness in February 2015 Michael, who was found dead in his Hobart jail cell after taking his own life last June, had told police he killed Kerry after they fought over an affair he claimed she was having with one of his friends, The Mercury reports. But an inquest into the couple's deaths heard on Thursday that no evidence had been found of the alleged affair. Tasmania Police Detective Constable Russell Broomhall told the inquest he believed Michael was using the alleged affair as an excuse to justify his actions. The inquest also heard the former doctor was 'insanely jealous' and had also accused his previous wives and partners of being unfaithful. Kerry Michael's body was discovered on a 1,200 metre mountain in Tasmania in February. She had repeatedly been struck in the head with a rock Michael, who was found dead in his Hobart jail cell after taking his own life last June, had told police he killed Kerry after they fought over an affair he claimed she was having with one of his friends The South Australian couple were on a walking track at Mt Roland (pictured), west of Launceston, when he repeatedly struck Kerry in the head with a rock Michael, who pleaded not guilty to the murder, posted a rant on Facebook shortly before he killed his wife in which in which he appeared to accuse of cheating with one of his close friends. 'I have taught (his friend) everything I could, I have encouraged him, promoted him to others and protected him when required,' he allegedly wrote. 'So why would he think he has the right to engage in an affair with someone that he knows is the centre of my life.' An inquest into Robin and Kerry Michael's deaths heard that no evidence had been found of an alleged affair Michael was found trying to take his own life the day after he murdered his wife. He committed suicide at Risdon Prison last year while in custody over the murder Robin Michael was found dead in his jail cell at Risdon Prison in Hobart after taking his own life last June The post continued, with Mr Michael spilling out his heart for all his Facebook friends and family to see. 'I hold her at night and there is no drug that would deliver that same sensation to me... I thought she was my life partner and would never do me wrong. She is my heartbeat,' he wrote. Michael was found trying to take his own life the day after he murdered his wife. He committed suicide at Risdon Prison last year while in custody over the murder. One of the Islamic State suicide bombers who killed 32 people in Brussels last month previously worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament. Although it was not officially confirmed which of the men involved in the attacks worked there, it has been reported that it was Belgian Najim Laachraoui, 25, one of the airport suitcase bombers. On March 22 Brussels was hit by suicide bombings at the airport and on the Metro which ended up killing 32 victims and wounding 270. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group. Although it was not confirmed which of the men worked at the airport it has been reported that it was Belgian Najim Laachraoui, 25, (pictured left). Pictured centre: Fellow suicide bomber Ibrahim El Bakraoui The revelation comes just a week after police at Brussels airport claimed at least 50 Islamic State supporters are working there as baggage handlers, cleaners and catering staff. Last night an official from the European Union institution said that for a month in both 2009 and 2010, one of the suicide bombers worked as a cleaner in the parliament as a student summer job. The man had been employed through a cleaning company contracted by the European Parliament at the time, a spokesman said. But he insisted that the man did not have a criminal record at the time as the firm had submitted proof of this to the parliament as required under the terms of their contract. Chief executive Arnaud Feist confirmed that Brussels Airport would allow three commercial flights to depart tomorrow following the terror attacks which was one of the 'darkest days in the history of Belgian aviation' Last month Brussels was hit by suicide bombings at the airport and on the Metro which killed 32 victims and wounded 270. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group. Briton David Dixon, 50, who was originally from Hartlepool but was living in the Belgian capital, died in the Metro bombing and the Foreign Office said that seven British nationals were injured in the attacks. European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said: 'The European Parliament confirms that seven and six years ago, one of the perpetrators of the Brussels terrorist attacks worked for a period of one month for a cleaning company which was contracted by the European Parliament at the time. 'As a student, he held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. Those were the only instances he worked at the Parliament. 'As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record to the European Parliament.' The man who worked as a cleaner at the parliament was not identified by a spokesman Last week police based at Brussels airport claimed at least 50 ISIS supporters are working there as baggage handlers, cleaners and catering staff. In an astonishing open letter, the officers said they have warned about the terrorist sympathisers whose security badges give them access to planes, but they remain employed. The airport police, who are threatening to go on strike because of security deficiencies, also said they have raised the issue of terrorists scouting the airport to plan possible attacks. Some people suspected of having fought in Syria came to the airport as false tourists. We reported their presence but we do not know if anything was done with that information, the airport police wrote in their letter. The officers said they had raised suspicions about certain staff members including those who apparently celebrated after the Paris attacks in November that killed 130 people. When we checked these people, we were surprised more than once. It was men with a radical ideology and a long police history, the officers continued. Even today, there are at least 50 supporters of the Islamic state who work at the airport. They have a security badge and have access to the cockpit of a plane. In the past, a number of people had their badges revoked because they had IS sympathies. But clearly not everyone, especially in store personnel, cleaning services and baggage where we find the most suspicious people. Police at Brussels airport have claimed at least 50 Islamic State supporters are working there as baggage handlers, cleaners and catering staff. A soldier is pictured at the airport today Police raised concerns about inadequate security at the airport just four days before the attack took place. The Belgian police union, NSPV, told the interior ministry on Friday 18 March that they would go on strike unless it was improved. Alain Peeters, the general secretary, said: The sad events of 22 March demonstrate that our concerns are justified. We demand more security and more staff. Officers have said that they will not return to work when the airport re-opens unless staffing numbers are increased and that no vehicles can approach within 100 metres of the temporary check-in hall that is being built. The police have complained that they are not sufficiently resourced and do not have enough new uniforms to go around let alone the most up-to-date weapons. An uncle of bomber Ibrahim el-Bakraoui last week told how the terrorist and his brother Khalid had been employed at the airport and would have gained intimate knowledge of the terminal destroyed in the carnage. The man, who asked not to be named, told the Mail: 'They worked cleaning at the airport and in a restaurant. They didn't finish high school in the end. They cleaned the airport in the summer months.' Ibrahim, 29, and bomb-maker Najim Laachraoui detonated suitcase bombs in the airport. A third man, only known as the man in the hat or the man in white was also seen on airport CCTV but ran when his bomb failed to explode. A playboy artist who was murdered in Kenya 15 years ago told his lover that his mother-in-law was 'the most dangerous woman' in the country just weeks before he died. On October 16, 2001, Tonio Trzebinski, 41, was driving towards the gates of the villa owned by his mistress, professional game-hunter Natasha Illum-Berg, in the affluent neighbourhood of Karen, when he was killed by a single shot fired at point-blank range into his chest. Now, Ms Illum-Berg has told an inquest in Nairobi that Mr Trzebinski had called his mother-in-law Dodo Cunningham-Reid 'the most dangerous woman in Kenya'. On October 16, 2001, Tonio Trzebinski, 41, was driving towards the gates of the villa owned by his mistress, professional game-hunter Natasha Illum-Berg, when he was killed by a single shot fired at point-blank range Ms Illum-Berg (pictured) has told an inquest in Nairobi that Mr Trzebinski had called his mother-in-law Dodo Cunningham-Reid 'the most dangerous woman in Kenya' and claimed he was scared of his wife 'We never discussed exactly what that meant,' she said. 'I wish I had asked him all these questions but I was foolishly just planning a future with him and I didn't take it seriously.' She added that he was 'extremely scared' his wife would hurt him because he had asked her for a divorce. Ms Illum-Berg told the court: 'He said to me he was extremely scared of Anna and her capabilities and on many occasions when I said "how bad can it be?" he said "you have no idea what that woman is capable of."' She added that following the discovery of the affair she received a threatening email from Mr Trzebinski's wife warning her: 'Wear your protective gear because I will come around.' The mistress also revealed she was 'deeply in love' with the artist, who she said wanted to run away with her to Tanzania. Mrs Cunningham-Reid (pictured right) will give evidence at the inquest later today. Her daughter and Mr Trzebinski's widow, Anna Trzebinski (left) has denied she was involved in his murder Mrs Cunningham-Reid, who is reportedly known as Panzer to her friends because of her brusque manner, will give evidence at the inquest later today. Her daughter and Mr Trzebinski's widow, Anna Trzebinski, has denied she was involved in his murder - but previously told the inquest that she admitted their last meeting had not been a happy one. German-born Mrs Trzebinski, a fashion designer, told the inquest in Nairobi earlier this week that she discovered the affair after pressing redial on her husband's phone and recognising Ms Illum-Berg's voice. She told the court she immediately confronted him in his studio and said: 'I shouted, 'I want you to feel the pain that you made us feel!' and I held the knife up to him and cut his painting,' reports The Times. She added: 'I just knew that it would be so hurtful and devastating for him, for me to damage his paintings.' The Telegraph reports when asked if she had anything to do with the murder, she replied: 'Absolutely not. I can tell you it's deeply offensive to me and my children that that should even be thought.' Her children with Mr Trzebinski, Stas, 24, and Lana, 23, have been in court for the inquest. Mrs Trzebinski was at a a rehabilitation centre in America when her husband was shot. She has since remarried and still lives in Kenya. The inquest comes after years of dogged detective work by Mr Trzebinski's mother, who has never believed the original police theory that Mr Trzebinski's death was the result of a simple carjacking that went wrong. Neither his car, nor his expensive watch or a wad of cash in his wallet was stolen and his mother believes a 'hired assassin' killed her son. Rumours soon surfaced that the killing was an act of revenge, and police questioned Anna and other family members and friends. It has since emerged that the murder may have links to organised crime. Artist Tonio Trzebinski next to one of his paintings. His widow Anna Trzebinski has denied she was involved in his murder but admitted at his inquest that their last meeting had not been a happy one Last year Mrs Trzebinski, 79, told The Mail on Sunday: 'I lost my beloved son and while mourning him I came to realise that there may be extremely sinister undertones to his murder. 'The police wanted it to be wrapped up as just another opportunist crime. But I talked to everyone and anyone involved in his life, and I persuaded a team of undercover detectives to listen to me and to interrogate many witnesses.' Mrs Trzebinski, who was born in Britain before moving to Kenya and marrying a Polish architect, is the first to admit that her son, who was a widely exhibited artist who trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, ran with a fast-living crowd who openly used cocaine and held wild parties. Having returned to Kenya from London in his 20s, he fell in with a group dubbed 'The Fun Squad', a hard-drinking crowd who loved to party. Trzebinski even had a vodka-tonic cocktail named after him the Tonio. His mother said: 'He was probably the wildest of them all, doing everything to the maximum.' She said on the day of his murder, his wife Anna was in America on a therapy course called Women Who Love Too Much, while he had been taking care of their two children. Once the children were in bed, he drove off to see Ms IllumBerg. In a bizarre coincidence, almost exactly 60 years earlier, British peer and roguish philanderer Lord Erroll was shot dead in his car less than a mile from the spot where Mr Trzebinski was killed. He too was on his way to visit his mistress. Dozens of text messages that a teenage girl sent to her boyfriend encouraging him to kill himself were just words and do not constitute a crime, her lawyer told the state's highest court Thursday. But a prosecutor argued that Michelle Carter from Fairhaven, Massachusetts, pressured Conrad Roy III for weeks to end his life. They also say she engaged in 'emotional manipulation' of a vulnerable teen who had struggled with depression and previously attempted suicide. The Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in Carter's appeal of a juvenile court judge's refusal to dismiss the manslaughter charge stemming from Roy's 2014 death. A prosecutor has argued that Michelle Carter (pictured in court in August, 2015) pressured Conrad Roy III for weeks to end his life and engaged in 'emotional manipulation' of a vulnerable teen who had struggled with depression and previously attempted suicide The justices made it clear they were struggling with whether Carter's actions met the definition of manslaughter, peppering both side with questions about exactly what she did to encourage or assist Roy's suicide. Justice Robert Cordy questioned Assistant District Attorney Shoshana Stern about what he called the '$100,000 question' in the case: 'When did this cross the line when did these words cross the line?' In addition to the many text messages encouraging Roy to kill himself, Stern said, Carter also spoke on the phone with him while he was in his truck inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. When Roy got out of his truck, she told him to 'get back in,' Stern said. 'I think what we can say that we know is that she was way over the line when she told him to get back in the truck,' Stern said. But Carter's attorney Dana Curhan said Roy was determined to take his own life. He said Carter repeatedly tried to talk him out of it but finally gave up about two weeks before his death. Carter, who was 18 when she was charged last year, has been accused of 'emotionally manipulating' Roy (right) for weeks before he committed suicide Her lawyers claim the text messages were 'just words' and do not constitute a crime. She is pictured in court in August 2015 'IT'S NOW OR NEVER': MICHELLE CARTER'S MESSAGES TO CONRAD ROY Massachusetts prosecutors say Michelle Carter sent her boyfriend, Conrad Roy III, dozens of text messages urging him to take his own life. Carter's lawyer says she tried repeatedly to talk him out of it and only began to support the plan when it became clear he would not change his mind. Here are excerpts from their text exchanges, with messages cited by her lawyer first, followed by those cited by prosecutors: June 29, 2014: Carter: 'But the mental hospital would help you. I know you don't think it would but I'm telling you, if you give them a chance, they can save your life' Carter: 'Part of me wants you to try something and fail just so you can get help' Roy: 'It doesn't help. trust me' Carter: 'So what are you gonna do then? Keep being all talk and no action and everyday go thru saying how badly you wanna kill yourself? Or are you gonna try to get better?' Roy: 'I can't get better I already made my decision.' July 7, 2014: Roy: 'if you were in my position. honestly what would you do' Carter: 'I would get help. That's just me tho. When I have a serious problem like that, my first instinct is to get help because I know I can't do it on my own' Roy: 'Well it's too late I already gave up.' Between July 6, 2014, and July 12, 2014: Carter: 'Always smile, and yeah, you have to just do it. You have everything you need. There is no way you can fail. Tonight is the night. It's now or never.' Carter: '(D)on't be scared. You already made this decision and if you don't do it tonight you're gonna be thinking about it all the time and stuff all the rest of your life and be miserable. You're finally going to be happy in heaven. No more pain. No more bad thoughts and worries. You'll be free.' Carter: 'I just want to make sure you're being serious. Like I know you are, but I don't know. You always say you're gonna do it, but you never do. I just want to make sure tonight is the real thing.' Carter: 'When are you gonna do it? Stop ignoring the question' Carter: 'You can't keep living this way. You just need to do it like you did the last time and not think about it and just do it, babe. You can't keep doing this every day. Roy: 'I do want to but I'm like freaking for my family I guess. I don't know.' Carter: 'Conrad, I told you I'll take care of them. Everyone will take care of them to make sure they won't be alone and people will help them get through it. We talked about this and they will be okay and accept it. People who commit suicide don't think this much. They just could do it.' Advertisement 'Even when she said, 'get back in the truck,' that was not the proximate event that resulted in his death,' Curhan said. Roy got back in his truck and waited until the fumes overcame him, Curhan said. 'The undisputed evidence is that Mr. Roy inflicted the harm,' Curhan said. Carter was 17 and Roy was 18 when he died in 2014. They had met in Florida two years earlier while visiting relatives. They kept in touch mostly through texts and emails when they both returned to their homes in Massachusetts about 50 miles apart. They hadn't seen each other in more than a year before Roy's death. Carter's attorney Dana Curhan said Roy (pictured) was determined to take his own life. He said Carter repeatedly tried to talk him out of it but finally gave up about two weeks before his death Carter also posted tributes on Twitter after Roy took his life in the back of his pickup truck in 2014 'You can't think about it. You just have to do it. You said you were gonna do it. Like I don't get why you aren't,' Carter wrote to Roy the day of his death. Roy's body was found in his pickup truck in Fairhaven. Police found a gasoline-operated water pump in the back seat. Carter was charged as a youthful offender, which makes her eligible for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter. Attorney Joseph Cataldo, who also represents Carter, said after the hearing that prosecutors are attempting to criminalize Carter's free speech in the case when there is no law against encouraging or assisting suicide in Massachusetts. Thirty-nine states have such laws. 'It's not a case that should have even been brought,' Cataldo said. A nurse in training who rushed to help the toddler who died soon after a P-plate driver crashed into a brick wall has said the boy's grandmother screamed and clutched him in his last moments. Mariam Zreika, 19, ran onto Marion Street in Auburn in Sydney's west from her bedroom after hearing a 'huge bang' from her home when a car mounted the footpath on Thursday morning, Sydney Morning Herald reports. The nursing student and nurses assistant said she ran across the road dodging cars, where the grandmother who spoke little English was wailing with the 18-month-old boy in her arms. Scroll down for video Mariam Zreika (pictured), 19, ran onto Marion Street in Auburn in Sydney's west after hearing a 'huge bang' from her home when a car mounted the footpath on Thursday morning and tried to save the toddler before he died Photos from the scene show a grey sedan with red P-Plates on it had mounted the curb and crashed into a wall 'She [the grandmother] was just screaming and yelling and crying, she wouldn't let go of the baby,' she told the paper. 'I asked her: "Can I see if the baby is all right?" She was from a non-English speaking background, she wasn't understanding what I was saying to her. She had the baby tight on her chest. Ms Zreika then took the 18-month-old off the grandmother while witnesses called triple-0. She said she could not feel a pulse, but when she put the baby on his side he took a few shallow breaths. A toddler has been rushed to hospital in a 'very, very, serious condition' after being hit by a car The 19-year-old wrote on Facebook: '[I] only did what I could, wish I could've helped more.' 'I had a feeling he was gone when I was with him,' Ms Zreika wrote on Facebook When news surfaced the boy had died, she commented: 'I had a feeling he was gone when I was with him.' Police, followed by paramedics, arrived soon after taking the boy to Westmead Children's Hospital while he was in cardiac arrest. He died shortly after. It's believed the woman driving the grey sedan with P-plates was aged in her 50s. Ms Zreika told Sydney Morning Herald she'd been told the driver had tried to dodge the boy before crashing into the brick wall. 'The driver has been taken to Auburn Hospital for mandatory testing,' NSW Police said. Witnesses have described the horror that unfolded on Thursday morning when the child is said to have run onto the road into the path of the car. 'From my understanding the child ran out onto the road and she drives to swerve to miss him but she hit the child and ran into our fence as well,' resident Andrew Sunners told Newscorp. A woman believed to be the boy's grandmother (just out of view) was comforted at the scene by another woman (pictured) A woman believed to be the toddler's mother arrived shortly after the acident Another witness, who did not wish to be named, told Nine News she saw the child pull free from the grandmother's hand and run on to the street. An incredibly distraught woman, believed to be his mother, arrived on the scene shortly after the horrific accident. The toddler's grandmother did not suffer any injuries but was also taken to Westmead Hospital for shock. She was seen being comforted at the scene by another woman and a police officer. An eight-year-old girl has been stranded in Indonesia with an expired Australian passport for more than three years because her mother refuses to sign immigration paperwork unless she is paid $500,000 by the girl's father. Ebony Silva has been stuck in Bali with her Australian father, Peter Silva, 47, since her Indonesian mother left the family and moved to Norway with a new partner in 2012, Ebony's grandmother Jan Silva told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Silva has persistently tried to bring his daughter, who is a dual citizen, back to Australia with him but needs to renew her passport which is not possible without the signatures of both parents, according to Australian law. Eight-year-old Ebony Silva (pictured) has been stranded in Indonesia with an expired Australian passport for more than three years because her mother refuses to sign immigration paperwork 'She's quite distressed,' Jan said of her granddaughter. 'Ebony will tell you she's an Australian citizen, she doesn't claim to be Indonesian, even though she has joint citizenship.' Ebony, who was born in Indonesia, moved with her family to Altona, a suburb west of Melbourne, once she was old enough to go to school. She began attending Altona Kindergarten when her mother began to have difficulty obtaining a spouse visa in Australia and the family had to return to Indonesia, Jan said. Ebony, 8, is stranded because her mother refuses to sign immigration paperwork unless she is paid $500,000 by the girl's father Mr Silva has persistently tried to bring his daughter, who is a dual citizen, back to Australia with him but needs to renew her passport The marriage began to break down when they moved back to Indonesia in 2012 and the mother soon took Ebony and her passport and moved in with her parents, Jan said. After living with her maternal grandparents for several months while her father remained in Bali, Ebony's mother moved to Norway with a new partner and Mr Silva quickly moved his daughter back into his home and prepared to go back to Australia. By this time Ebony's passport had expired and needed to be renewed an application process that requires the approval of both parents. 'Ebony will tell you she's an Australian citizen, she doesn't claim to be Indonesian, even though she has joint citizenship,' Ebony's grandmother, Jan, said Ebony, who was born in Indonesia, moved with her family to Altona, a suburb west of Melbourne, once she was old enough to go to school '[Her mother] has since said she would sign it if she is paid 500,000, which of course [Peter] cannot and will not do,' Jan said. Mr Silva has now applied for his third renewal application and has been granted a review, which is expected to begin after all evidence is submitted by April 12, Jan said. 'The Australian government are not providing a duty of care to my son as an Australian citizen and my granddaughter as an Australian citizen,' Jan said. Frustrated by the constant rejections of their appeals, Jan and her son contacted social worker Les Twentyman, who worked to bring home 11-year-old Kate Vo last year after she was stranded in Vietnam in a similar situation. 'The Australian government are not providing a duty of care to my son as an Australian citizen and my granddaughter as an Australian citizen,' Ebony's grandmother said Late last year Foreign Minister Julie Bishop reportedly wrote to the Silva family stating that she would work to bring Ebony home to her family by Christmas Late last year Foreign Minister Julie Bishop wrote to the Silva family stating that she would work to bring Ebony home to her family by Christmas, Mr Twentyman said. 'And she bloody well didn't,' Mr Twentyman said. 'We want the minister to say why six months later she is still stuck there.' A reward to track down one of Australia's most notorious pedophiles known as 'Mr Cruel' could be increased to as much as $1million, 25 years on from death of a 13-year-old victim. Melbourne schoolgirl Karmein Chan was snatched from her family's Templestowe home in 1991 while her parents were working at their nearby Chinese restaurant. It was not until 12 months later that the teenager's body was recovered from a creek in the northern Melbourne suburb of Thomastown, some 20 kilometres from her home. A post mortem revealed she had been shot dead. The body of Karmein Chan was found dumped in a creek a year after she was abducted from her family home in Melbourne's north-east. Victoria Police are set to increase the reward for information into the identity or capture of her killer - a notorious pedophile dubbed 'Mr Cruel' Fairfax Media is reporting that the reward could even reach $1million as detectives try to unravel the mystery identity of the man behind some of Victoria's most heinous crimes. Karmein was the last known victim of the suspect tagged 'Mr Cruel' because of how he tormented his victims. The callous killer is also believed responsible for the abduction of at least three other young girls over the course of a decade from the early 1980s to Karmein Chan's death in 1991. But there is speculation from a former investigator that the suspect may have committed suicide or fled overseas, according to the ABC. Dutch voters have rejected a proposed EU-Ukraine treaty in a victory for the Brexit campaign and Russian president Vladimir Putin. The referendum in Holland had asked citizens to vote on closer political, defence and trade ties between Europe and Ukraine. But the resounding rejection was seen as a test of sentiment towards Brussels ahead of Britain's June Brexit vote and could also be a boost for Russia. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (picutured) said his country will continue moving towards the European Union despite the set back Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country will continue moving towards the European Union despite the set back. The broad treaty is already provisionally in place but has to be ratified by all 28 EU member states for every part of it to have full legal force. The Netherlands was the only country that had not done so. Many Ukrainian politicians feel their country deserves the treaty and are keen to show they have made progress in aligning their country with EU standards since the 2014 uprising that toppled pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich. Dutch leaders campaigning for the treaty had said voting against it would also hand a symbolic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'Under any circumstances we will continue to implement the association agreement with the European Union including a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement,' Poroshenko told reporters in Tokyo. Dutch voters have rejected a proposed EU-Ukraine treaty in a victory for the Brexit campaign and Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured) 'We will continue our movement towards the European Union.' Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum, which is non-binding, but said Ukraine should 'take it into consideration' and added that they were awaiting a decision by the government and parliament of the Netherlands. The Dutch government said on Wednesday that it could not ignore the vote but that it may take weeks to decide how to respond. Azerbaijan has launched a withering attack on Kim Kardashian after she urged people to 'pray for Armenia' amid the outbreak of violence between the two countries. The Armenian-American reality TV star posted the message to millions of followers on Instagram and Twitter after dozens of people were killed in fighting in the region. She uploaded a picture of tanks and two helicopters along with the message: 'Praying for everyone in Armenia and all around the world #PrayForPeace.' Azerbaijan's ambassador to the United States attacked her for weighing into politics and war, saying she should stick to TV. Scroll down for video 'Stick to TV': Kim Kardashian (left) has been criticised by Azerbaijan after posting this message (right) on her Twitter feed asking her followers to 'pray for Armenia' amid the outbreak of violence between the two countries Kim's sister Khloe also posted a message on her Twitter account asking her followers to 'Pray for Armenia' Elin Suleymanov told Foreign Policy: 'I'm not sure Ms Kardashian is a military or political analyst, so maybe we should all do what we do best. 'I personally would be a very bad reality TV star, so I try not to cross into areas I'm not familiar. 'She's very famous and beloved by her fans, but matters of war and peace are a little too serious for a reality TV star.' Kim's sister Khloe also posted a message on her Twitter account asking her followers to 'Pray for Armenia'. A tank of the self-defense army of Nagorno-Karabakh moves on the road near the village of Mataghis on Wednesday. At least 75 people have been killed in the worst fighting for decades between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the disputed region Doctors render aid to 12-year-old Gevorg Grigoryan, who was wounded in a missile barrage by Azerbaijani forces, in a hospital in Stepanakert, in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region last week At least 75 people have been killed in the worst fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades. The bloodshed is the worst since the early 1990s, when Armenia-backed separatists seized control of Nagorny Karabakh, a majority ethnic Armenian region inside Azerbaijan, in a war that claimed some 30,000 lives. The two sides have never signed a peace deal, despite a 1994 ceasefire, and sporadic violence along the line of contact regularly claims the lives of soldiers on both sides. Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia's entire state budget, has repeatedly threatened to take back the breakaway region by force. Ambassador Elin Suleymanov of the Republic of Azerbaijan has attacked Kim Kardashian for weighing into politics and war, saying: 'Matters of war and peace are a little too serious for a reality TV star' Armenian forces also occupy several areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh. The sides are separated by a demilitarised buffer zone, but small clashes are a frequent occurrence in the area Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian on Wednesday urged the international community to respect Karabakh's right to determine its own future. Speaking after a long-planned meeting in Berlin with Chancellor Angela Merkel, he took a swipe at Armenian ally Russia, saying it was 'painful for us that Russia and other countries... sell weapons to Azerbaijan'. Merkel called on the two sides 'to do everything in their power to stop the bloodshed and loss of life' and said international mediation was 'of the greatest urgency'. Channel 9 paid $120,000 to a child recovery agency whose operators were detained along with reporter Tara Brown and crew who were filming an operation in an international custody case in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Daily Mail Australia has learned that the man leading the operation to recover the six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son of Australian woman Sally Faulkner from the Beirut family of the children's father Ali El Alamine was arrested two years ago in Singapore. Former British police officer Adam Whittington, who runs Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI) and who is reportedly under police arrest in Beirut along with 60 Minutes' Tara Brown and her crew, was jailed in Singapore 18 months ago over a child abduction case. Whittington's CARI agency also boasts on its Facebook page alongside a photograph of a woman and child in a helicopter which is claims to be a successful 2013 CARI child recovery operation in the Philippines. The photograph is actually a 2006 Oregon, US police rescue of a mother who became lost with her daughters on a remote snowy mountain and had to be helicoptered out. Another claimed CARI operative, Kevin Critchley, is currently in a Peruvian prison following the alleged kidnap of a five-year-old girl in Lima last month. The girl's father was also arrested. However Whittington denies CARI has even been associated with Critchley. 'CARI has never worked with Kevin Critchley, nor was CARI involved in any way with the recovery in Peru. 'We have court documents that were sent to us from Peru where the verdict states that CARI was in no way found to be involved with this recovery. 'It has been proven in the Peruvian courts that this operative has no association with CARI,' Whittington asserts regarding the Peru recovery and Critchley. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI) agency boss Adam Whittington (pictured) has reportedly been arrested, not for the first time, in Beirut along with a 60 Minutes crew after CARI took two Australian women from their Lebanese grandmother at a bus stop The CARI operatives, acting on behalf of Sally Faulkner (pictured, left with children Lahela, 6, and Noah El Amine, 3) grabbed the children from a Beirut bus stop on Wednesday while Tara Brown (above, right) and her crew filmed the operation after which they were arrested but Ms Faulkner and her children are safe The child rescue agency CARI arrested in Beirut with Tara Brown has this photograph on its Facebook page boasting that it is a successful 2013 CARI child recovery in the Philippines, when it is in fact it's a US police rescue from 2006 Real: CBS News covered the story in 2006 when the woman, San Francisco mother Kati Kim had to be rescued from a remote Oregon mountain in winter by police after the family became lost in the snow Daily Mail Australia understands that the mother in the Beirut case, Sally Faulkner, who is also known as Sally Clafinger, is not in custody with the 60 Minutes crew or the CARI operatives including Mr Whittington. Ms Faulkner is believed to be have been taken to a safe house with her children, Lahela, 6, and Noah El Amine, 3. But there are fears for the welfare of Ms Brown and her crew if local reports that the operation involved violence and weapons proved to be true. Lebanese television station An-Nahar has reported the 'recovery' operation of Ms Faulkner's children as a 'kidnap' by 'four gunman' driving a silver Hyundai and 'abducting' the boy and girl from their grandmother as they waited for the school bus. Channel 9 released footage of the rescue operation on Thursday in which no weapons are visible. Although the operatives are seen shoving people out of the way to get the children. The 60 Minutes crew was in a car filming the recovery of Ms Faulkner's children who is now in hiding with her young son and daughter. The children's father Ali El Amine and Ms Faulkner separated more than a year ago and Mr El Alamine flew to Lebanon with the children for a 'holiday' but failed to return them, telling his ex-wife via Skype that she 'would never see them again'. The operatives snatched the El Amine children from their paternal grandmother at a bus stop in the outer Beirut suburb of Hadath (pictured) on Wednesday morning as they waited for the school bus Alleged CARI child recovery commando Kevin Critchley (pictured) was arrested in Peru last month after being detained over an 'international kidnap plot' to take the five-year-old daughter of Peruvian selfie queen Rose Chacon. But CARI denies they were ever associated with him Peruvian selfie queen Rose Chacon (pictured) took the girl Adrianna, 5, back to her native Peru from America claiming her husband had 'inappropriately touched' their daughter, but she was reported to have hired a CARI commando for $280,000 to recover the girl. However, CARI denies the claim Ms Faulkner flew to Beirut to meet up with the CARI team, with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes paying the $120,000 bill for her children's recovery. After taking the children from their grandmother at the bus stop, the CARI team handed them over to Ms Faulkner and she allegedly telephoned Mr El Amine and informed him that the children were with her. Mr El Amine is reported to have then informed police that his children had been abducted and he was concerned they would be taken out of the country and to Australia. It is unclear as to who has made claims that there were weapons used in the operation and that Mr El Amine's mother was pistol whipped. International child abduction recovery specialists CARI reportedly charged 60 Minutes $120,000 to recover the EL Amine children, but were arrested along with Tara Brown and her crew All those detained were still in police custody on Thursday morning as Beirut officers investigated the validity of reports that weapons were used and an assault had taken place. The Nine Network told Daily Mail Australia they were not commenting on the incident other than they were concerned for the welfare of Brown and her crew and were 'working with authorities to get them released and back home as soon as possible'. Adam Whittington and his firm CARI have made several controversial child recovery operations previously and the agency has made claims they had up to ten former SAS soldiers on their books. Last month, Peruvian police arrested alleged CARI operator Kevin Critchley after it was reported he was paid $280,000 to intervene in the custody battle between a Peruvian selfie queen and her American husband. Sally Faulkner, pictured with her ex-husband Ali El Amine with their child in happier times, hired a child recovery agency to retrieve her children from Beirut and they are now in hiding with the operatives and 60 Minutes in police custody The boss of the child abduction recovery agency CARI Adam Whittignton (pictured) was also arrested in 2014 in Singapore following an elaborate plot to recover a British woman's son and served 16 weeks' prison Sally Faulkner, pictured with her ex-husband Ali El Amine, now has to make her way out of Lebanon with her two children following the operation which led to Lebanese police arresting reporter Tara Brown Critchley, 35, reportedly a former British commando, is in custody with Dustin Kent in a Lima prison after they allegedly plotted to snatch back Mr Kent's five-year-old daughter Adrianna from the girl's mother, Rose Chacon. The men are being held for allegedly being part of an 'international kidnap plot' to take back Adrianna, after Ms Chacon took the girl to her native Peru from America claiming her husband had 'inappropriately touched' their daughter. Mr Critchley, a self-employed 'close protection operative and freelance surveillance operator', was believed to have been working for CARI on the operation. However, CARI's head, Adam Whittington, claims CARI has never been associated with Critchley. The two El Amine children (pictured) were living with their father and being cared for by their grandmother when they were grabbed of a Beirut street In September 2014, the London Telegraph reported that CARI's chief operator Adam Whittington was jailed in Singapore after a foiled attempt to snatch a two-year-old boy back on behalf of his mother. The boys London-based mother, 30, was also sent to prison. The mother had been in the process of divorcing her husband and had gained UK custody of the child, but her ex-partner took out a Singaporean order preventing his son's removal from the country. Whittington reportedly chartered a catamaran, then hired a taxi and went to the boy's grandparents' house where he allegedly put the grandfather in a headlock. Whittington, the mother and another man involved in the elaborate plot were arrested the following day. He was sentenced to 16 weeks prison for criminal assault, voluntarily causing hurt and illegal entry into Singapore. CARI's Facebook site features a photograph of a woman in a rescue helicopter clutching an infant on her lap. The caption written beside it says 'Landed safely back home in Australia, 2 children abducted over 12 months ago into the Philippines. One VERY happy family waiting at Sydney airport after CARI recovered both children safely from horrible living and health conditions. 'When the courts, lawyers and authorities could and would do nothing, CARI did.' The photo is actually a picture of San Francisco mother Kati Kim, 30, who in December 2006, CBS News reported, was photographed with her seven-month old, Sabine Kim, after they were rescued by police in Oregon. Ms Kim, husband James, Sabine, and daughter Penelope, 4, became lost during a family vacation to a remote Oregon mountain in winter. James Kim set out to look for help when the family became stranded and was never found. Police airlifted a relieved Ms Kim and her daughters from the scene in a helicopter to the nearest hospital where they were reported to be in 'good' condition. On its Facebook post beside the photograph of Ms Kim and her daughter, CARI wrote 'Welcome home kids from all the team at CARI. CARI - Second to None'. However, Mr Whittington has strongly denied that the post was faked, explaining that 'stock images' have been used in some CARI posts, in order to protect the identity of real children recovered. The CARI head claims parents of children recovered have requested that no images of them be used on any online platform, to protect their identities on occasion. A woman with the surname Kardashian who keeps up with the lives of the reality television celebs has revealed some of the perks and banes of sharing a name with Kim and clan. Sydney woman Christine Kardashian, 42, said she neither hates nor revels in her surname though reactions range from flustered to flabbergasted. 'I don't avoid it, but I don't say it [my surname] to get kicks either. I say it because it's my name.' But Ms Kardashian, who works with PR firm Launch Group, said it isn't without its perks. Sydney publicist Christine Kardashian (left) has revealed what it's like to share a name with the reality television celebs. She's met Kim Kardashian West (right) twice - once in Melbourne and once in Sydney 'One time I was buying a pair of shoes, they were already on sale, but when I pulled my card out and she saw my name, she said: "I'll knock a few dollars off for you." 'So that was kinda cool,' Ms Kardashian told Daily Mail Australia. The most common way people respond, though, Ms Kardashian said, is suspicion. 'Usually the first thing is people ask: "Are you related? Is that really your surname? Did you change it to that?" 'And my reaction is: "Yes that is my surname, and no I did not change it on purpose."' Ms Kardashian, who works in publicity, said she's had the pleasure of meeting the 'gracious' Kim Kardashian West twice once in Sydney and once in Melbourne 'quite a few years' ago. 'One time I was buying a pair of shoes, they were already on sale, but when I pulled my card out and she saw my name, she said: "I'll knock a few dollars off for you,"' Ms Kardsahian said 'We had a bit of a chat about it,' Ms Kardashian said. 'We were both like: "Oh my god, oh my god; we're from totally different sides of the world and we're finally meeting." 'She's very nice and was very gracious.' And she even remembered the 42-year-old the second time they met. 'I actually went up on stage to have pictures taken with her. The only other people going up on stage were a handful of winners that got to meet her that day also,' Ms Kardashian said. 'I almost didn't get to meet Kim and Khlow the first time around - but after talking to some people and mentioning my name (and showing some proof) I was in. 'People afterwards wanted to take photos with me!' 'We had a bit of a chat about it,' Ms Kardashian said. 'We were both like: "Oh my god, oh my god; we're from totally different sides of the world and we're finally meeting". She's very nice and was very gracious,' Ms Kardashian said Ms Kardashian said it was a rare name, and enjoys watching the show. 'To see your name in the show, up in the lights it's kind of a kick,' Ms Kardashian said, though he parents 'are not really into reality TV'. Just like the famous family, Ms Kardashian is also Armenian, but born and raised in Sydney. The Sydney woman has continued the grand tradition of famous Jenner-Kardashians with a 'C' or 'K' for the first letter of their names carrying on from Kim, Khloe, Kylie and Kourtney Kardashian, as well as Kendall and Caitlyn Jenner. The publicist, who also has the long brown locks the Kardsahian women are known for, said she first heard of the family through Rob Kardashian. Mr Kadashian, who died of cancer aged 59 in 2003, gained notoriety as the defence lawyer and friend to 1995 murder suspect O.J. Simpson. L-R Khloe, Kris, Kendall Jenner, Kourtney, Kim, North West, Caitlyn Jenner and Kylie Jenner at Madison Square Garden, New York, in February, 2016 Kim, Khloe and Kourtney attend the Grand Opening of Dash Miami Beach in March 2014 Kendall and Kylie Jenner arrive at the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in November 2015 One Dick Smith shopper has told her sorry tale about how she bought $3600 in Dick Smith gift cards from Coles before the official July cut-off date. ABC's The Checkout program on Thursday night will detail how the shopper named 'Winnie' bought $3600 worth of Dick Smith gift cards from Coles last March when they were on a 10 per cent special discount. Because of the collapse of the electronics retailer, the two companies had a goodwill gesture to thousands of angry customers, giving them the chance to exchange the gift cards for equal value. Scroll down for video ABC's The Checkout program told the story of 'Winnie' bought $3600 worth of their gift cards from Coles - before the official cut-off date However, unfortunately for poor Winnie, to her shock and surprise, was told she was not eligible for the Coles exchange offer as her gift cards were purchased before July 2015 - when the new deal between the two companies would begin. The Adelaide Advertiser reports that The Checkouts Julian Morrow described the terms and conditions of the offer as not very consumer-friendly. The process is a bit cumbersome, he said. You cant do it in store, you cant do it online, you have to post the cards in. These processes are sort of designed to minimise the amount of people that actually get through them. Ebony from Tasmania also told The Checkout she was left holding $750 worth of Dick Smith gift cards The Checkouts Julian Morrow described how the Dick Smith gift cards have customers headaches I cant for the life of me see why that [July 1, 2015 cut-off] limitation should apply. Its pretty rough, Morrow said Dick Smith stores are now in the process of closing down across the country I cant for the life of me see why that [July 1, 2015 cut-off] limitation should apply. Its pretty rough. Ebony from Tasmania also told The Checkout how she returned a phone to Dick Smith in exchange for $765 worth of gift cards three days before the collapse of the embattled company. I returned the phone to Dick Smith, which then said that because it was a change-of-mind policy that I would have to accept gift vouchers, Ebony said. Dick Smith was within its rights to offer her store credit though, and there was nothing Ebony could do about it. The Checkout will air at 8pm Thursday on ABC. David Cameron has flatly dismissed Eurosceptic fury over his decision to spend nearly 10 million on a pro-EU 'propaganda' mailshot to every household in the country. The Prime Minister said he 'made no apology' for using taxpayer funds to send out the leaflets, which have been condemned as 'biased and hysterical'. The glossy pamphlets, claiming that EU membership brings 'economic security, peace and stability', are due to begin landing on doorsteps by next week. In a defiant speech at Exeter University, Mr Cameron insisted it was 'money well spent' and the government was 'not neutral' in the referendum battle. 'I make no apology for the fact that we are sending out this leaflet to all households,' he said. Scroll down for video David Cameron brandishes the taxpayer-funded leaflet setting out the Government's pro-EU message, which will be sent to every household from next week The Prime Minister's speaking notes were left in full view during his Exeter University appearance today 'We are not neutral in this. We think it would be a bad decision to leave.' Challenged by a member of the audience to explain his 'undemocratic' action, the premier said: 'I absolutely don't think it is. 'There is nothing to stop the government from setting out its view in advance of the campaign.' Mr Cameron argued that the same thing had happened ahead of the previous European referendum in 1975, and before the Scottish independence poll in 2014. 'I think out there a lot of people want to know what are the facts, what are the arguments,' he said. 'A lot of people want to know what the government thinks.' PROTEST TO ELECTION WATCHDOG Angry Brexit supporters have called on the elections watchdog to take action over the government's 'propaganda' mailshot. In a letter to the Electoral Commission, Grassroots Out chairman Richard Tice said the cost of the leaflets effectively doubled the Remain camp's spending ability. He questioned whether the pamphlets broke the EU Referendum Act rules, and suggested that most would be delivered after April 15 - when formal spending limits take effect. However, the Commission has defended the government's right to send out its pro-EU leaflet. A spokeswoman said: 'After the referendum on Scottish independence, the Electoral Commission recommended that governments should conduct no taxpayer-funded advertising activity during the regulated period. 'However, parliament decided not to put any legal restrictions on government activity until 28 days before the poll, the 27th of May. These are the same rules that were in place for other recent referendums. 'The Electoral Commission is responsible for regulating the rules on spending in the run-up to the EU referendum. The rules on spending apply during the regulated period which starts on 15 April and ends on polling day, 23 June. 'The rules exclude spending that is met out of public funds, which includes spending by the government on the government information booklet.' Advertisement of the Cabinet ministers campaigning for Brexit - branded the leaflets 'wrong'. 'I want a fair campaign, I want to hear from both sides,' he told the BBC. 'I just think it is wrong that at a time of austerity, 9 million of taxpayers' money is being spent on a one-sided piece of propaganda. 'That money should be being spent on the NHS and the people's priorities, not on propaganda.' Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson has branded the mailshot 'biased and hysterical' and a 'complete waste of money'. 'If you are going to use taxpayers' money you should allow people to put the other side of the case as well,' he said. Eurosceptics are considering whether there are any mechanisms they can use to prevent the leaflets going out, and could protest by refusing to support the government on other measures when parliament returns from its Easter break next week. Labour MP Graham Stringer suggested the leaflet was being issued now to distract attention from speculation over Mr Cameron's financial affairs after revelations about offshore funds linked to his late father Ian. 'It is an outrageous use of taxpayers' money,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'This is a very biased document indeed.' A petition on the parliament website criticising the spending has already attracted more than 67,000 signatures today. It states: 'Prime Minister David Cameron plans to spend British taxpayers' money on a pro-EU document to be sent to every household in the United Kingdom in the run up to the EU referendum. We believe voters deserve a fair referendum - without taxpayer-funded biased interceptions by the Government.' Eurosceptic ministers including Chris Grayling and Priti Patel were apparently kept completely in the dark about the leaflet. Nearly 10million is being spent producing, printing, delivering and promoting the document. The government has pointed to independent polling indicating 85 per cent of voters want more information to help them make a decision before the crucial ballot on June 23. Environment Secretary Liz Truss said: 'This referendum will be a huge decision for our country, perhaps the biggest we will make in our lifetimes and it is crucial that the public have clear and accessible information. 'Independent polling carried out on behalf of the Government made clear that 85% of people want more information from the Government to help make an informed decision. 'The document makes clear why EU membership brings economic security, peace and stability. 'It also sets out that if the UK voted to leave, the resulting economic shock would put pressure on the value of the pound, which would risk higher prices of some household goods.' Andrew Rosindell, another Tory Eurosceptic, dubbed the leaflet 'propaganda'. David Cameron addresses students at Exeter University. He told them he 'made no apology' for spending millions of pounds of public money on leaflets backing EU membership The Prime Minister unveils the Remain campaign's battle bus after his question and answer session The Government said similar leaflets had been published ahead of the EU referendum in 1975, the referendums on the creation of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in 1997, the creation of the Mayoral system in London in 1998 and two UK Government leaflets during the Scottish referendum in 2014 Peter Bone, a co-founder of the Grassroots Out campaign, said: 'This is an outrageous way to spend hard-working taxpayers money. 'Many recent polls have shown that the majority of the UK public are actually in favour of leaving the EU so to spend their money on a pro-EU propaganda exercise is an inexcusable waste. 'This is a major error of judgement given the lack of funding for vital public services.' London Mayor Boris Johnson branded the leaflet 'biased and hysterical' and a 'complete waste of money' Both official campaigns will get to send their own taxpayer-funded leaflet to every household ahead of the poll. The Electoral Commission will also send a leaflet featuring one page each from both official campaigns. The 16-page leaflet - half of which is covered in pictures - leaves no room for doubt about the Government's view that EU membership is good for Britain. Its front cover reads 'Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK'. The back cover repeats an identical message but adds tick boxes suggesting the EU protects jobs, provides a stronger economy and provides security. Inside are sections about why the referendum is an 'important decision for the UK', claims the EU offers a 'stronger economy' and why the Government said membership ensured ministers were 'controlling immigration and securing our borders.' Ukip leader Nigel Farage was quick to protest claims in the document, insisting it was 'full of lies' and was 'outrageous' Tory MP Andrew Rosindell also claimed the leaflet was 'propaganda' in favour of the EU from the Government It makes claims such as 'a vote to leave could mean a decade or more of uncertainty' which will be hotly contested by the Brexit campaign. Ukip leader Nigel Farage hit out at the claim. He said: 'Government's pro-EU document full of lies including claim that we currently control our borders. We don't. Outrageous to suggest otherwise.' He continued: 'This government scam confirms my view that this referendum is defined by the battle of the people vs. the politicians. 'Why is the government spending 10million of our money telling us what to think?' The leaflet is costing 458,500 to produce. Printing and delivering it to 27 million homes - in two waves - is costing 5.9million. Another 2.8million is being spent on promoting the leaflet and a companion website. Households in England will receive the leaflet between April 11 and 13 next week. The document will be sent to Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish homes from May 9 to ensure it arrives after the devolved assembly elections. DUTCH VOTE 'NO' IN REFERENDUM ON EU TRADE DEAL Brexit supporters have been given a boost after the Dutch rejected an European Union trade deal in a referendum. Voters opposed the move to drop barriers with Ukraine by a margin of 61 per cent to 38 per cent in the poll, which was seen as a test of attitudes towards the EU. Turnout was low at 32.2 per cent, but above the 30 per cent threshold for the outcome to be valid. Although the result is not binding, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the government would look again at the deal. However, the Dutch parliament and all other 27 EU states have already ratified the agreement. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country would 'continue our movement towards the EU'. The referendum was triggered after Eurosceptics launched an online petition that attracted more than 400,000 signatures. Advertisement Big Claims... But do they really stand up to scrutiny? Within days, a 16-page taxpayer-funded leaflet on why Britain should remain in the EU will begin dropping on doormats across England. Here, Political Editor JAMES SLACK examines the Government's claims and the response of the Out campaign. CLAIM: More than three million jobs in Britain are linked to exports to the European Union. RESPONSE: The claim is more than 15 years old having begun life in a South Bank University paper in 2000. In any event, there are five million jobs in other EU countries which are dependent on trade with the UK, such as the sale of wine, clothes and cheese. This means other member states would have far more to lose by not agreeing a trade deal with a post-Brexit UK. CLAIM: The EU is by far the UK's biggest trading partner. EU countries buy 44 per cent of everything we sell abroad, from cars to insurance. RESPONSE: The EU's importance to the UK economy is declining sharply in 2006 the EU accounted for 62 per cent of British exports. Last year, Britain bought far more goods from EU countries than they bought from us with the gap at an all-time high of 89billion. Again, it is the other EU countries with most to lose. Pro Europeans claim Brexit would lead to an economic shock which could hit the value of sterling CLAIM: If the UK voted to leave the EU, the resulting economic shock would put pressure on the value of the pound which would risk higher prices of some household goods and damage living standards. RESPONSE: There is no agreement among economists, businessmen or politicians on the impact of Brexit. For instance, a study published by the Institute of Economic Affairs and cited by the Office for Budget Responsibility argues that leaving the EU could actually increase UK GDP by 13 per cent. CLAIM: EU membership gives UK citizens travelling in other European countries the right to access free or cheaper public healthcare. There are no guarantees we would keep these benefits if we left. RESPONSE: Both Switzerland and Norway use the EHIC insurance scheme which currently provides healthcare to Britons abroad and they are not members of the EU. In any event, Britain pays the bill and could continue to do so. Since 2007, the UK has paid out 5.8billion more to other member states for the treatment of British citizens abroad than has been recouped for the cost of treating their citizens here. CLAIM: Cooperation with the European Union makes it easier to keep criminals and terrorists out of the UK. RESPONSE: Frontex, the EU's own border agency, has admitted that mass immigration is allowing terrorists to slip into the EU including two of those behind the devastating attacks in Paris. Meanwhile Sir Richard Dearlove, who is the former head of MI6, has said Britain could be safer outside the EU as it would make it easier to deport fanatics. Frontex has admitted that mass immigration is allowing terrorists to sneak into the EU along with refugees CLAIM: Some argue that leaving the EU would give us more freedom to limit immigration. But in return for the economic benefits that come with access to the EU's single market, countries not in the union such as Norway have had to accept the right of all EU citizens to live and work in their country. RESPONSE: EU immigration is increasing the UK's population by 180,000 every year. Vote Leave point out that the EU has free trade deals in force (which do not entail membership of a customs union or limitless immigration) with at least 17 countries. These include: Colombia, Peru, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. CLAIM: The Government has negotiated a deal that will make our benefits system less of a draw for EU citizens. RESPONSE: David Cameron got a far weaker deal than he originally wanted or his manifesto promised. His changes to benefit rules will come into force in 2017 at the earliest and will be almost entirely counteracted by the new Living Wage. Weekly take-home pay would continue to be 156 per cent higher than in Poland and 353 per cent higher than in Bulgaria, according to research by Vote Leave. CLAIM: Voting to leave the EU would create years of uncertainty and potential economic disruption. This would reduce investment and cost jobs. RESPONSE: The head of the Remain campaign, Lord Rose of Monewden, has himself said: 'Nothing is going to happen if we come out of Europe in the first five years. There will be absolutely no change It's not going to be a step change or somebody's going to turn the lights out and we're all suddenly going to find that we can't go to France, it's going to be a gentle process'. French president Francois Hollande has dismissed claims that the UK's status within the EU is 'special' CLAIM: The UK has secured a special status in the EU. The UK has kept the pound, will not join the euro and has kept control of its borders. RESPONSE: French president Francois Hollande has dismissed the idea the UK's status is special. Cabinet minister Chris Grayling has warned that, as the rest of the EU moves towards full political union, Britain will be left voiceless, isolated and subject to ever more harmful meddling by a 'giant federation of eurozone' states. CLAIM: For every 1 paid in tax, a little over 1p goes to the EU. The Government judges that what the UK gets back in terms of opportunities, job creation and economic security from EU membership far outweighs the cost. RESPONSE: HMRC collected 515billion in taxes in 2014-15. According to Full Fact, in 2015 the UK government paid 13billion to the EU budget, and EU spending on the UK was 4.5billion. So the UK's 'net contribution' was estimated at about 8.5billion. This is money which could be better spent at home on the NHS and other public services. CLAIM: Being inside the EU also makes it more attractive for companies to invest in the UK, meaning more jobs. Over the last decade, foreign companies have invested 540billion in the UK, equivalent to 148million every day. A copy of Shakespeare's First Folio has been discovered at a stately home on a remote Scottish Island in what is being hailed as a monumental literary discovery. The book, which had languished in the library of Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute for more than 100 years, was confirmed as genuine by Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University. Published in 1623, the First Folio brought together the majority of Shakespeare's plays. Without it there would be no copies of more than half of them, including Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Macbeth and The Tempest. A monumental discovery: This copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, bound in three volumes, has been discovered and verified as authentic The text was found in Mount Stuart House (pictured) on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. Mount Stuart House's copy belonged to Isaac Reed, a well-connected literary editor working in London in the 18th Century The verification of the text brings the total known number of copies of the First Folio to 234 ahead of the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death on April 23. In 2001, a First Folio sold at auction in New York for 3m ($5.6m) and in 2003, Oriel College, Oxford, sold its First Folio for a staggering 3.5m. The texts were paramount to the survival of Shakespeare's literary legacy, for, without them, dozens of his works would never have been discovered. Mount Stuart House's copy belonged to Isaac Reed, a well-connected literary editor working in London in the 18th Century, Professor Smith confirmed. Published in 1623, the First Folio brought together the majority of Shakespeare's plays. The verification of the text now brings the total known number of copies to 234 A professor at the University of Oxford, Dr Emma Smith (left) said she was initially doubtful the text was genuine, and added more could still be found A letter from Reed shows that he acquired the Folio in 1786 and further records indicate it was sold after Reed's death in 1807 to a 'JW' for 38. After this sale there are no public records of the Folio and it was not included in Sidney Lee's 1906 census of First Folios. It was at some point between these two dates that Mount Stuart acquired the Folio because it is mentioned in a catalogue of the Bute library in 1896. The Mount Stuart edition is unusual because it was bound in three volumes with many blank pages which would have been used for illustrations. The rare book containing some 36 plays published in 1623 was in the library at Mount Stuart on Isle of Bute (shown on map) for more than 100 years Professor Smith said: 'When we think of Shakespeare we usually think of his plays being performed on stage. The collection is truly inspirational; it doesnt just tell the story of a house and family but the history of a Nation, it is the repository for a thousand years of history Adam Ellis-Jones, Operations Director at Mount Stuart 'But the written word and the First Folio is central to our understanding of Shakespeare. 'I hope this anniversary year encourages people to reread the texts of his work.' The discovery will form the focal point for a new education programme and will go on display from April 7 at Mount Stuart House as part of an exhibition that will run until October 30. Head of collections at Mount Stuart House, Alice Martin, said: 'In terms of literary discoveries, they do not come much bigger than a new First Folio, and we are really excited that this has happened on Bute.' Hailing the find as a monumental discovery, Adam Ellis-Jones, Operations Director at Mount Stuart added: 'The collection at Mount Stuart is truly inspirational; it doesnt just tell the story of a house and family but the history of a Nation, it is the repository for a thousand years of history and new discoveries are being made all the time. 'The revelation of this First Folio is not only important for the Isle of Bute but significant for Scotland as a country.' The book had languished in the library of Mount Stuart House (pictured) for more than 100 years This is Tanveer Ahmed, 32, the Uber driver who has admitted killing Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah for 'disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad' This is the taxi driver who has admitted killing Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah in retaliation to him 'disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad'. Tanveer Ahmed yesterday confessed to the brutal murder of the popular 40-year-old Muslim who only days earlier wished his Christian friends a happy Easter. His lawyer John Rafferty read a statement to gathered media on the 32-year-old's behalf following a brief hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court, during which he made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody. Ahmed stated that he killed the much-loved family man because he had claimed to be 'a prophet'. However, he denied that the murder had anything to do with Christianity or any other religion, despite suggesting he was standing up for the honour of Islam. The statement read: 'My client Mr Tanveer Ahmed has specifically instructed me that today, 6 April 2016, to issue this statement to the press, the statement is in the words of my client. 'This all happened for one reason and no other issues and no other intentions. 'Asad Shah disrespected the messenger of Islam the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Mr Shah claimed to be a prophet. 'When 1400 years ago the Prophet of Islam Muhammad peace be upon him has clearly said that "I am the final messenger of Allah there is no more prophets or messengers from God Allah after me. 'I am leaving you the final Quran. There is no changes. It is the final book of Allah and this is the final completion of Islam." 'There is no more changes to it and no one has the right to claim to be a prophet or to change the Quran or change Islam. 'It is mentioned in the Quran that there is no doubt in this book no one has the right to disrespect the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and no one has the right to disrespect the Prophet of Islam Muhammad Peace be upon him. A man accused of murdering Asad Shah (pictured) today admitted he killed the Glasgow shopkeeper in response to him ' disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad'. Tanveer Ahmed, 32, had his lawyer John Rafferty read out a prepared statement following his appearance at the city's Sheriff Court yesterday 'If I had not done this others would and there would have been more killing and violence in the world. 'I wish to make it clear that the incident was nothing at all to do with Christianity or any other religious beliefs even although I am a follower of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I also love and respect Jesus Christ.' Hours before he was killed on the day before Good Friday, Mr Shah had written on Facebook: 'Good Friday and very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.' The newsagent was stabbed up to 30 times with a kitchen knife and his head stamped on in the brutal attack Mr Shah was found with serious injuries outside his shop on the evening of March 24, after being allegedly attacked outside his shop Shah's Newsagents and Convenience Store in Minard Road, Shawlands, Glasgow It had been feared his murder was a sectarian attack against the branch of Islam he followed. There were claims Mr Shah was set upon because he belonged to the Ahmadi community, known for its non-violence and interfaith concerns. HOW AHMADI MOVEMENT DIFFERS FROM OTHER BRANCHES OF ISLAM Mr Shah was a member of the Ahmadi movement, a minority denomination of Islam which is seen as heretical by some orthodox Muslims because they believe that founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the messiah and a prophet. In some predominantly Muslim countries Ahmadis are persecuted, and in Pakistan a constitutional amendment passed in 1974 declaring Ahmadiyya non-Muslims. The Ahmadi movement, which has its origins in British-controlled northern India in the late 19th Century, identifies itself as a Muslim movement and follows the teachings of the Koran. However, it is regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical because it does not believe that Mohammed was the final prophet sent to guide mankind, as orthodox Muslims believe is laid out in the Koran. The religion is believed to have around 10 million followers. The Ahmadiyya community faces restrictions in many Muslim nations, where followers are constantly persecuted Sources at a Glasgow mosque say there are only 500 Ahmadi in Scotland, with around 400 of them based in and around Glasgow. Many of them are thought to have known Mr Shah. Advertisement But the group has been persecuted by members of orthodox Islamic sects in Pakistan. Last month it emerged Mr Shah had been branded a false prophet in two video posts in November 2014 by a Muslim group which views Ahmadi beliefs as heretical. He was also said to have received online death threats. Despite the declaration, Ahmed made no plea during the private court appearance. He was remanded in custody and is expected to appear at the High Court at a later date. Mr Shah's murder is feared to be the first major anti-Ahmadi incident in the UK, and has sparked fears Islamic sectarianism has spread to Britain. The newsagent was stabbed up to 30 times with a kitchen knife and his head was stamped on in the brutal attack the day before Good Friday. He was found with serious injuries outside his shop on the evening of March 24, after being attacked outside his shop Shah's Newsagents and Convenience Store in Minard Road, Shawlands, Glasgow. Mr Shah was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A silent vigil was held outside his shop attended by hundreds of people including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. A fundraising page on GoFundMe has raised more than 110, 000 for Mr Shah's family. Hours before his murder on the day before Good Friday, Mr Shah had written on Facebook: 'Good Friday and very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.' Floral tributes were left at the scene See more news on ISIS militants at www.dailymail.co.uk/isis However, Egyptian army soldiers caught him near Al-Arish, North Sinai The alleged terrorist had dressed in a burka to try to sneak past troops in Egypt tried to disguise himself as a woman An ISIS fighter has reportedly been captured by the Egyptian army in Sinai, while dressed as a woman. The jihadist was caught by government forces near the coastal city of Al-Arish, the capital of North Sina province, some 200 miles north-east of Cairo The alleged terrorist had attempted to disguise himself as a woman by wearing a burka, and is believed to have been trying to defect from ISIS-affiliates in Sinai. In disguise: Egyptian soldiers pose with a captured ISIS fighter dressed as a woman in a burka An image posted by Twitter account Jihad Threat Monitor on Thursday morning, shows the captured terrorist surrounded by smiling and cheering Egyptian army soldiers. The caption on the photo reads: 'Egyptian soldiers posing with alleged #ISIS operative dressed as a woman, captured in Al-Arish. #Sinai' ISIS-affiliated extremists are in the midst of waging a bloody insurgency which has killed hundreds of soldiers and policeman in the Sinai Peninsula since Mohamed Morsi was overthrown as president in 2013. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to North Sinai, where there are 'regular bomb attacks against government buildings and security forces', and all but essential travel to the south - with the exception of the heavily guarded Sharm el Sheikh resort area. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the explosion which downed a a Russian passenger jet carrying holidaymakers over Sinai last October, killing all 224 people on board. High risk: Bedouin protesters raise Al-Qaeda-affiliated flags on a watch tower of a Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) base in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Two men attacked a hotel in Hurghada in January, with several hotel residents suffering injuries in the attack. Eighty-eight people were also massacred by Islamists at Sharm el-Sheikh in 2005, of whom 11 were Britons while six Britons were among the 62 murdered by Islamists at Luxor at 1997. There has been calls for Egypt to increase security following the rise of violence, particularly with the growing threat of an ISIS franchise in Sinai. Meanwhile, the US military is considering pulling troops from a base in the northeastern part of Sinai Peninsula, partly because of the increasing threat from ISIS jihadists, CNN reported. The Obama administration may order the movement of some US and international troops into the southern Sinai, and is discussing such a move with Egypt and Israel. The two Middle East countries signed a peace deal in 1979, agreeing that a Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) mission would monitor compliance. A German state minister allegedly tried to pressure police in Cologne to remove the word rape from reports about the mass sexual assaults committed by asylum seekers on New Year's Eve. Cologne's Express newspaper claimed that the interior ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia pressured a senior police officer to delete 'rape' from an internal report issued on January 1. 'KHK told me that the state control centre wanted the report cancelled and the expression "rape" deleted,' read a document written by another police officer which was printed by the Express. A German state minister allegedly tried to pressure police in Cologne to remove the word rape from reports about the mass sexual assaults committed by asylum seekers on New Year's Eve According to the paper, officer KHK and his colleague were on duty when the events of the night before were being discussed for an interim report. The night before hundreds of women had been sexually molested and robbed by marauding gangs of refugees, most of them from North Africa. The initial report that the officers discussed read 'rape, sexual harassment, thefts, committed by a large group of foreign people'. Officer KHK received a call hours later requesting he delete 'rape' at the behest of the state interior ministry. The officer refused. NRW interior minister Ralf Jager, who allegedly wanted the word rape removed from official reports, is facing calls to stand down. He is due to be quizzed by parliamentary colleagues on Thursday. The night before the alleged discussion, hundreds of women had been sexually molested and robbed by marauding gangs in Cologne (pictured) He denied the allegations through a spokesman who said; 'It's not true that the rape on New Year's Eve in Cologne was supposed to be hushed up.' But his office did admit to 'professional discussions' about the 'criminal classification' of what went on - events which forever changed German perceptions about mass immigration. Meanwhile police in Germany have arrested a Syrian man on war crimes charges. Ibrahim Al F., aged 41, was detained in North Rhine-Westphalia. 'The accused is strongly suspected of treating people entitled to protection under international humanitarian law cruelly and inhumanely in the autumn of 2012 during the Syrian civil war,' prosecutors said. He was a member of an anti-Assad militia called Ghuraba al-Sham, operating in and around Aleppo. He is accused of plundering valuable art which he later sold for his own gain. 'Two residents who tried to protect their neighbouring district from plundering are believed to have been captured by the accused and his fighters and held for several days at a makeshift prison under their control,' prosecutors said. U.S. Government aircraft are using 'augmented reality' software during flights as they circle above major cities and 'target' Muslim areas. The software, which works through the spy plane's high resolution cameras, can be used by pilots to superimpose information - including the names of house owners and businesses - onto their screens. FBI and Homeland Security can also track the mobile phones of the residents below as dozens of aircraft take to the skies each day. U.S. Government aircraft are using 'augmented reality' software during flights as they circle above major cities and 'target' Muslim areas. FBI sometimes use Cessna aircraft, such as the one pictured above, which has a camera on The flights are also believed to 'target' specific areas, with one San Bernardino mosque circled over repeatedly in the week after the shooting in the city in December last year. An analysis of flight data by Buzzfeed News showed three FBI aircraft circling above the mosque the day after the attack on December 2, with some remaining above for up to three hours. The incident, which saw 14 people gunned down by husband and wife Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, took place at the Inland Regional Center, around 10 miles away. Farook is believed to have attended the mosque. An area with a high proportion of Afghans in Fremont, California, also saw a higher frequency of activity while in Minneapolis, the Somali population was largely watched, the data showed. The Government has now been accused of 'secretive' surveillance as experts revealed they have no idea what is collected during operations. Adam Bates, a policy analyst with the Cato Institute, told Peter Aldhous at Buzzfeed: 'Its very difficult to know, because these are very secretive programs, exactly what information theyre collecting and what theyre doing with it.' The investigation used data from Flightradar24 to piece together the activities of 100 FBI fixed-wing planes. It found they made nearly 2,000 flights in four months. But the FBI insists it is not carrying out mass surveillance as it defended its use of the planes. The flights are also believed to 'target' specific areas, with one San Bernardino mosque - believed to be attended by gunman Syed Farook, pictured with his wife Tashfeen Malik - circled over repeatedly in the week after the shooting in the city in December last year FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano said that it should come as 'no surprise' aircraft were being used to follow certain groups of people. He added: 'The FBI uses planes to follow terrorists, spies and series criminals. 'We have an obligation to follow those people who want to hurt our country and its citizens, and we will continue to do so.' It is not the first time the accusations have been put to the FBI. Director James Comey was last year forced to confirm the agency used its aircraft above Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 at the request of local law enforcement. Police and protesters clashed in the area following the death of an unarmed black 18-year-old. Comey, after being questioned about the use of the aircraft, confirmed the planes were used during investigations of specific suspects in criminal, terrorism and espionage investigations. He added that they were also used when local police request help during a 'developing situation' or emergencies such as riots. He said the planes were never used for mass surveillance. He has previously been accused of hypocrisy over his financial affairs Funnyman wants to install a cinema and swimming pool in the rural home But he's bought a cottage on the banks of the Thames in Oxfordshire Comedian has made millions off the back of his anti-establishment image Self-styled revolutionary Russell Brand has bought a 3.3million thatched cottage in one of the poshest areas of Oxfordshire - and is now spending 1million on renovations. The comedian turned anti-capitalist activist insists he is not interested in money and wants Windsor Castle handed over to 'poor families'. But the multi-millionaire has now purchased a seven-bedroom retreat just down the river from the royal residence, in an area which has had a Conservative MP since 1951. Russell Brand is getting 1million in renovations to his 3.3million thatched cottage in Oxfordshire The seven-bedroom retreat is in one the most expensive areas for property in the whole of the UK The 40-year-old funnyman now wants to spend 1million installing a home cinema and swimming pool in the Victorian cottage, which overlooks the Thames. A friend told The Sun: 'Russell wants the best and can afford to buy it. He admits in private he likes the finer things in life.' The 'Victorian Gothic' property, which includes a 'coachhouse' and a mooring post, was described by estates agents as occupying an 'idyllic setting' with a 'delightful private garden'. Restoration works already carried out have installed 'bookmatched Statuario Italian marble' in the bathrooms and a 4-oven Aga in the kitchen. After finding out about Brand's new country home earlier this year, his friend Noel Gallagher mocked the comic. Gallagher said: [Brand] told me he is writing another book. I said what is it going to be called this time? Now about that revolution that never took place. He is playing Xbox. Revolutionary Russell is playing PS4. Brand's house comes with a mooring point for boats and punts on the Thames, as well as a 'coachhouse' The TV personality has settled into the retreat with his girlfriend, Laura Gallacher, sister of presenter Kirsty The comedian has made millions by cultivating an image as an anti-capitalist and from his book 'Revolution' The tranquil setting contrasts with Brand's image as an anti-establishment hellraiser, but it is not the first time the crusader has faced accusations of hypocrisy. After demanding more low-cost housing in London, he flew into a rage when it emerged that he lived in a 2million home in trendy Hoxton, east London, owned by a firm based in a tax haven. He angrily called a TV reporter a 'snide' for suggesting he was part of the housing problem because the super-rich buying up property in London were driving up prices for everyone else. And despite demanding an 'orgy' of banker bashing, urged people to refuse to pay taxes and calling profit a 'filthy word', he appeared to have no problem with raising nearly 1million from wealthy capitalists including investment bankers to make a documentary about himself. Investors were enticed with generous tax breaks to support the film, portraying Brand as a 'troubled visionary' seeking to change the world. Brand is paying for alterations to the 120-year-old property, including installing a home cinema. File photo Anna Smigielska, from the EU border agency Frontex, has revealed the extraordinary lengths migrants go to in their bid to sneak past guards at the border in Greece to claim asylum in Europe An EU border guard today revealed the extraordinary lengths migrants are going to in their attempt to claim asylum - and said as many as one in five are lying. In an interview with the MailOnline, Anna Smigielska said new arrivals are coming to border posts armed with a series of tricks and lies to con officials into letting them into Europe. Many also provide fake documents to claim they are from Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq rather than their real homeland. Miss Smigielska, whose job is to interview migrants to identify their nationality, gave an revealing insight into the challenge facing staff dealing with new arrivals in Lesbos on smuggling boats from Turkey. She told how wealthier migrants pay smugglers in Turkey extra cash for a bespoke service to prep them for questions they are expected to face at the border to determine their nationality. Single men attach themselves to genuine refugee families and pose as brothers or husbands to try to dupe guards, while others copy answers given by refugees ahead of them in the queue. In some extraordinary cases, migrants from the Caribbean have travelled into Europe via Turkey and then claimed to be Syrian. Many are caught out because they are unable to name the leader of the country they claim to be from, or even recognise its currency or say which school they attended. Miss Smigielska said around one in five migrants smuggled into Greece lie about their nationality in an apparent attempt to claim asylum in the EU. The number claiming false nationalities has increased in recent months as border controls tighten in Europe and it is far harder for those without asylum to move country. Frontex, the European border agency, has a team screeners and forgery experts working 24 hours a day on the Greek islands to intercept those lying about their country of origin. Assisted by an interpreter, Miss Smigielska interviews migrants at the Moira camp in Lesbos hours after they land on the island following a perilous crossing from Turkey. Migrants disembark from a Turkish coastguard boat after a failed attempt crossing to the Greek island of Lesbos from the Turkish coastal town of Dikili A Pakistani migrant climbs an electricity pole during a demonstration inside the Moria registration centre on the Greek island of Lesbos on Wednesday She said: 'I usually start with simple questions what city are you from, who is the president, what is the currency? 'Sometimes people don't even know the answers to these, or they get nervous and I suspect something is amiss. 'But questions must be tailored to each migrant as some have very little education and don't even know basic things about the political situation in their country. 'The numbers vary, but if we see 100 migrants on a shift usually about 20 would claim a false nationality. 'When I was first in Lesbos last year people claiming false nationalities was not nearly such a big issue. 'But it has got far more widespread as border controls in Europe get stricter and there is less movement available for non-refugees.' Frontex said it did not have exact figures on those who give false nationality but estimated the figure was between 10 to 15 per cent of new arrivals. Migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan protest against deportations in the hotspot refugee camp, formerly a detention centre, in Moria, Lesbos Scores of migrants are being returned to Turkey following an EU agreement with the Turkish authorities to tackle Europe's worsening mass migration crisis The screening process is made tougher by smugglers offering a club class service to help migrants prepare for interviews with border staff. 'Sometimes they are very well informed, but there are usually details that give them away in the end,' Miss Smigielska said. 'Their accent may be wrong, and if you keep asking questions eventually there will be holes in their information and they will admit they are not from where they are claiming to be. 'I asked one migrant who admitted lying how he knew so much about Syria despite never having been there. 'He showed me his phone and had emails full of details about Syria and details about the kind of things we might ask. A smuggler had provided him with it, but he had to pay extra for it.' The sophisticated smuggler schemes means border guards keep having to change their questions. In some cases migrants have demanded to be tested on pictures of banknotes from the country they claim to be from, as they have revised them in advance knowing it is common question by screeners to establish nationality. Other migrants waiting to be interviewed sometimes ask a refugee family ahead of them in the queue details about the town they come from, and then give exactly the same information when they are questioned by the border guard. A Police officer closes the gate of Moria camp as refugees behind her protest against the EU- Turkey deal 'This is usually easy to detect because they might give the name of a city in Syria, but they won't know any street names or landmarks in it,' Miss Smigielska said. Others abandon plans to give false nationality when they see how thorough the screening is. 'You might get a group of 20 Moroccans and the first five in the queue will claim to be from Syria. 'But after they are all found out the others don't bother trying as they know it won't work.' 'Single males also sometimes try to join Syrian families and pretend they are with them. 'While waiting they will offer to help a woman with young children who is travelling without her husband. 'In return, he asks for the woman to say that he is her brother or husband. 'But when you see them for questioning it's clear from the body language that they are not related or a couple.' In one case, a man from Haiti in the Caribbean arrived claiming he was from Syria. 'We kept saying you don't speak Arabic and frankly you don't look like you are from Syria, but he kept insisting he was. 'Finally, we said, "you really have to say you are from somewhere other than Syria.' He replied:' OK, I'm from Afghanistan". 'Only after a long time did he admit to being from Haiti.' Migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan protest against deportations in the hotspot refugee camp, formerly a detention centre, in Moria, Lesbos. Migrants who refuse to apply for asylum are to be deported to Turkey, in accordance with a tit-for-tat agreement between European Union and Turkey on the refugee crisis Most of those claiming false nationality name somewhere where they have a plausible chance of being believed. North Africans from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria claim they are from Syria because they are Arabic speakers. Many Iranians and Pakistanis also claim they are from Afghanistan. Ms Smigielska, 35, was seconded to Lesbos from the investigations unit of the Polish border control where she specialises in human trafficking. She is part of a Frontex team of 32 screeners, 19 interpreters, and 66 fingerprinting officers on Lesbos. The screeners also have six document experts to check passports, identity cards, drivers licences and other id cards for possible forgeries, They have special scanners to screen for security features, but often can tell just by handling them that they are fake because they are printed on the wrong paper or have basic errors. To add to the confusion, some Syrians arrive with false Syrian ID papers because they believed it is better to have some documentation even if they were false or one family member has real documents and the rest fakes, because they did not have time or were not allowed to apply for genuine papers. Most of those arriving on the Greek islands are from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, but many also from Pakistan and from far afield as Uganda and the Dominican Republic, Miss Smigielska said. She said: 'There are fewer people coming on this route from Turkey but I do not think it will stop them trying to try to find another route. A police dog who was killed during a chaotic shootout with a gunman has been buried during an emotional memorial service attended by hundreds of uniformed officers. Nicky, an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, was fatally wounded when he was deployed to a call in Las Vegas with his handler to apprehend gunman James Craig Simpson, who is accused of killing two neighbours. Police say Nicky bit Simpson and held on before being shot. Police dog Nicky, who was killed during a shoot-out with a gunman in Las Vegas is laid to rest in a pet cemetery Hundreds of officers turned out to salute Nicky, who was buried in a K-9 heroes section of the cemetery Nicky, pictured, an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, was fatally wounded when he was deployed to a call in Las Vegas with his handler to apprehend gunman James Craig Simpson The dog had just returned to K-9 duty weeks before his death with handler Sergeant Eric Kerns after he was also seriously wounded in February by a machete-wielding man barricaded in an apartment. Yesterday, uniformed officers gave a salute as Nicky was laid to rest during a department ceremony at a Las Vegas pet cemetery. He was buried in the K-9 heroes section alongside 64 other animals who have served with the police or military. The service also saw Sergeant Kerns pay an emotional tribute to Nicky, who explained he was grateful to have worked with him for three years. Nicky's handler Sergeant Eric Kerns wiped the tears from his eyes as he paid an emotional tribute to the dog Sergeant Kerns clutches the flag that had covered the K-9's coffin at his funeral service in Las Vegas The dramatic moment when Nicky was shot was caught on camera and shows a fellow Las Vegas police officer Abudhabi Lewis approaching Simpson. The video shows Lewis shouting for the suspect to drop his gun while approaching him with his own weapon raised for protection. Later in the footage Sergeant Kerns releases Nicky, who immediately runs at the suspect. When the suspect saw the dog coming his way he lunged for his weapon and fired at the officers and the gunshots can be heard in the video. The officers returned fire as Nicky latched on to Simpson, but was unable to bring him to the ground. The suspect was struck six times by officers and Nicky was hit once. Dramatic footage captured on a police bodycam showed them apprehending the suspect before Nicky was shot The suspect saw the dog coming his way and lunged for his weapon to fire at the officers - the gunshots can be heard in the video Simpson, 31, was left paralyzed by police gunfire. He remains hospitalized pending arraignment on multiple felony charges including murder, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping and weapon charges. His lawyer this week sought a court order to visit him in custody at University Medical Center. The shooting was the fourth involving Las Vegas police in 2016 and Nicky is one of several of their K9s to die in the past 14 years. In 2002, Rudy, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois, was euthanized after he was paralyzed in a car crash on patrol with his handler, Officer John Jenkins. Buddy, a German shepherd assigned to Jenkins for training, was shot dead in 2003 when a carjacker stole his sport utility vehicle with the muzzled dog in the front seat. Police said the carjacker shot himself dead. A grief-stricken grandfather who was left devastated by the deaths of his wife and daughter has been found dead four months after he went missing. The body of 61-year-old David Welsh was pulled from the River Tees in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham yesterday. He was identified by his late wife's wedding ring, which he had worn since her death. Mr Welsh was last spotted on CCTV on December 8 near a shopping centre car park and his daughters had told police they 'knew he was in the river'. Scroll down for video The family of David Welsh (left) say he struggled to cope following the death of his beloved wife Sheila (right) and daughter Aimee. Mr Welsh and his wife are pictured here in 2009, one year after the death of their daughter Tragic: Aimee Welsh (left) died aged just 25 after she was hit by a police car in 2008. She had got engaged just one day earlier. The family of David Welsh (right) said 'delayed grief hit him' Mr Welsh's daughter Aimee was just 25 when she died after being hit by a police car near The Tees Newport Bridge in 2008. She had got engaged just one day earlier. In May 2013, his wife Sheila passed away following a battle with cancer. Speaking on behalf of his other daughters Lindsey and Tracey, his niece Vicky Fisher said: 'Sheila was his rock, she kept him strong but since her death he had not been himself. 'It was awful to get the call from Cleveland Police, but in many ways it was also a relief. 'We grieved when he went missing, but since then it has been so awful not to have his body back.' Officers informed the family on Wednesday morning a body had been recovered near Stockton's Watersports Centre. Besides identification cards belonging to David, the wedding ring he gave to his late wife was also still on his finger. 'It is just a tragic love story,' added Vicky. 'He loved her so much - she was his world. He even knew what lipstick she wore, he just adored her.' Officers informed the family on Wednesday morning a body had been recovered near Stockton's Watersports Centre (pictured) Just a week before his death, it is understood David left the family home and moved into a bungalow. 'We think a delayed grief hit him,' added Vicky. 'To go missing like that was just so out of character for him, he had never done anything like it in his life so we knew something was up.' There had been no sightings of him since he was last spotted on CCTV on December 8 near the Castlegate shopping centre car park. He had visited two bars the night he vanished. Police divers scoured parts of the River Tees on Christmas Eve but only found Mr Welsh's body yesterday. 'Lindsey said she knew he was in the river,' added Vicky. 'She knew after watching the CCTV and that on the day he went missing that he wanted to be with Sheila and Aimee.' There had been no sightings of Mr Welsh since he was last spotted on CCTV on December 8 (pictured) Cleveland Police admitted they were at fault for Aimee's death after her parents (pictured in 2009) launched a civil case against them Aimee Welsh had only just told her parents she was engaged when a police van, answering a 999 call, hit her car near Newport Bridge in October 2008. Aimee, who was born with cystic fibrosis, suffered serious injuries and died in hospital a month later. Cleveland Police admitted they were at fault for Aimee's death after her parents launched a civil case against them. Five years later, in May 2013, Sheila Welsh died after battling cancer. One of most dangerous areas in America has resorted to paying teenagers up to $1,300 a month as officials desperately try and stop gun crime (stock image) One of most dangerous areas in America has resorted to paying teenagers up to $1,300 a month as officials desperately try and stop gun crime. Gang members in Richmond, California, can also go on all expenses paid trips to New York and Washington if they are willing to travel with a rival. The programme, which is predominantly funded by taxpayers, was introduced in the city earlier this year. In 2007 Richmond had a population of just over 100,000 when 47 people were murdered. Dawaun Rice, who has lost seven friends due to gun violence in the area, is one of 24 men on the scheme. The 19 year old, who received the maximum $1,300 this month, is thought to be scheduled to remain on the programme for around 18 months. It is thought the maximum he can receive in a year is $9,000. He has been paired with Marrico Williams, who lives in a neighboring area and would have been a rival if it wasn't for the scheme. DeVone Boggan, who founded the Office of Neighborhood Safety in the city, told ABC the trips and money were about 'getting their lives together'. He added: 'We want to expose them to a world where they go from, "I dont give a ..." to a place where, "Maybe I do". Scroll down for video 'I see these young men as sons. And a part of their growth and development requires a little coddling, coaching... discipline, thats what they get here. 'It's not that hard... These young men shoot because when they shoot they matter. Its when we pay attention to them.' In 2013, Richmond saw the lowest rate of homicides in 33 years, with the rate falling to 15 per 100,000. Concerns are raised for Whyalla, where there are 1000 Arrium workers The sites are still operating as Arrium administrators tackle the crisis Up to 8000 Arrium jobs are on the line after the Australian-based mining and steelmaking company went into voluntary administration this week. Arrium is in debt more than $4 billion and owes $2.8 billion to lenders, $1 billion to suppliers and about $500 million to staff across South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. State governments are in communication with the troubled company and arranging for its manufacturing sites to continue operations as Arrium administrators tackles the economic crisis. Up to 8000 Arrium jobs are on the line after the company went into voluntary administration (pictured: NSW Arrium steel workers) Arrium Jobs in Australia New South Wales 2800 South Australia 1600 Victoria 930 Queensland 900 Western Australia 350 Tasmania 60 Northern Territory 40 ACT 30 Contractors 1,400 Advertisement Arrium employs about 6,700 permanent employees - 1,600 in South Australia, 2,800 in New South Wales, 930 in Victoria, 900 in Queensland, 350 in Western Australia, 60 in Tasmania, 40 in the Northern Territory and 30 in the ACT as well as additional 1,400 contractors in South Australia. SA Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the company has enough funds to continue operations and 'nothing was going to shut down,' reports ABC. NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Anthony Roberts says administrator Grant Thornton must be given time to review the operation of the company. Arrium is in debt more than $4 billion, putting jobs in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria at risk The troubled company says it has enough funds to continue operating its manufacturing sites (pictured: a NSW site) 'The administrator has advised there will be no job losses and the company will continue to operate,' Mr Roberts said. Queensland treasurer Curtis Pitt said he supported the administrator's aim to allow Arrium to trade out of its difficulties. Concerns have been raised for the South Australian town of Whyalla, where 1000 people are employed by the company. 'Can we afford to have people losing their homes? The social and mental health issues that can be caused by this are indescribable,' he said. Foreign Office officials today revealed the most bizarre requests for help made to British embassies around the world. One homesick expat demanded to know where he could buy English bacon while another wanted consular staff to provide a tour of St Petersburg in Russia. A man in South Korea sought British help on how plug sockets were built and a lady in Lebanon asked for assistance in recruiting an English butler. The Foreign Office today said the great majority of requests for help were genuine emergencies as it revealed statistics showing they helped 3,250 Britons who were hospitalised last year. Among the most bizarre requests for help made in the past year included advice on hiring an English butler in Lebanon and one home sick tourist wanted a taste of home and the chance to buy bacon Some 4,770 people needed help after being arrested abroad and the families of 3,760 British people needed help after a death while away. Foreign Office Minister James Duddridge said: 'Our consular staff are a helpful bunch and do an amazing job helping out Brits in trouble around the world. 'But it is important that people remember they are there to help with genuine emergencies and not as an alternative to directory enquiries. 'Every minute they spend handling a call requesting advice on butlers or nudists is time taken away from dealing with life and death cases, so I urge the public to think before picking up the phone.' Research has revealed British people think Foreign Office officials have far greater powers than they actually do to offer help. The study in the UK Travel Habit Tracking Research Report found 74 per cent of Britons thought they could be freed from foreign jails on the word of embassy staff. Some 22 per cent said they thought embassies could replace lost tickets to get home while 15 per cent thought they would even be able to borrow money if theirs was lost or stolen. One of the calls to British consular officials in Russia requested the assistance of a tour guide in St Petersburg Kelvin Green, Head of the FCOs Global Contact Centres, said: 'We receive thousands of calls a year, and do all we can to help people who find themselves in difficulty abroad. 'But we cannot help people make travel arrangements or lifestyle plans, lend them money or pay medical and other bills for them. 'I would urge people to prepare well before they travel, making sure they have valid travel documents and insurance.' Avoided jail: Julie Conroy, 48, pictured outside Teesside Crown Court, took her young son to Spain A mother who took her young son away on a one-way ticket to a new life in Spain against his fathers wishes has avoided jail. Julie Conroy, 48, of Middlesbrough, flew with her son to Benidorm, despite a warning letter from solicitors after his father learned of her plans. She claimed she was only going for a two-week holiday to the resort - but the father then found out that she did not want to return, her flat had been repossessed and her car had been sold. Conroy spent four months in Spain before the boy was finally returned to Britain after he texted his father for help and a court order was obtained, Teesside Crown Court was told. Conroy was arrested when she arrived back in Britain and pleaded guilty to taking the child out of the UK without appropriate consent. She received a suspended four-month jail sentence. Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said yesterday that boys mother and father separated in May 2014, but both had parental responsibility. Arrangements were amicable, but that summer the relationship broke down around the time Conroy started seeing another man who had links to Teesside, but spent lots of time in Spain. The father received communications that she wanted to move to Spain, said Mr Walker. His solicitors warned her against this and urged her to participate in family proceedings. Mr Walker added: That warning having been issued, the defendant set to reassure the childs father that she had no intentions of moving to Spain. 'In the September, the childs father agreed to a two-week holiday for the child and this defendant to be taken in Benidorm. The mother, child, and new partner travelled to Spain on September 13, with one-way tickets booked through Thomson. Fleeing Teesside: Conroy left her in Middlesbrough (above) and flew with her son to Benidorm, despite a warning letter from solicitors after his father learned of her plans Within days Mr Conroy was informed through social media that the defendant had no intention of returning. He made attempts to contact the defendant, but there was no response. He was informed the defendants flat had been repossessed, and her car and a number of household items had been sold. The father was contacted by the child by text message. He expressed a desire to return and made a request for help. After managing to gain a court order abroad, the boys father returned to the UK with his son in January 2015. Conroy later returned to the UK the next month, and was arrested. Benidorm: Conroy spent four months in Spain before the boy was finally returned to Britain after he texted his father for help and a court order was obtained Kelleigh Lodge, defending, said: She is 48, she did plead guilty at the first opportunity. She accepts she received a letter saying she didnt have the fathers permission. Shes built a new life in Spain Kelleigh Lodge, defending Her plans are to return to Spain, she has employment and shes built a new life in Spain. Judge Howard Crowson gave Conroy a four-month jail sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered her to pay 500 costs. The Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia has the highest year-round temperatures in the world Advertisement If you think your job is tough spare a thought for the men who dig for salt in one of the hottest places on Earth, the so-called 'Gateway to Hell'. The Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia has been mined for centuries for its salt but it is an unforgiving place to work. Temperatures during the day rarely drop below 50 degrees Celsius and frequently hit 60 degrees. So the workers choose to start work before dawn in order to avoid the worst of the midday heat. The Danakil Depression is up to 300 feet below sea level and acts as a giant cauldron with the heat being intensified by active volcanoes which pockmark the landscape. Massimo Rumi, an Italian photographer based in Australia, travelled to the area to take these extraordinary images. The working day starts early in the Danakil Depression, a landscape pitted with active volcanoes and springs which pump out plumes of foul-smelling sulphur The village of Hamad Ale (pictured) is home to the salt miners, who trade their salt in return for the food, water and other goods they need to survive in this inhospitable environment The sulphur and salt have created over the centuries a fantastical landscape, which some visitors have compared to the Moon It is a landscape you would not want to cross in the darkness, because a mis-step can drop the unwary visitor into a crevice or a vat of lava or steaming sulphur He chronicled the workers, who are from the Afar tribe, as they toiled to cut slabs of salt, known as tiles, out of the earth and load it onto their camels. Rumi said: 'The salt miners work under very tough conditions, in which temperatures hardly drop below 50-60 degrees celsius, even early in the morning. 'Their working hours are early, before the sun gets too hot and makes the work impossible.' It would be hard work even in a mild climate. The miners hack away at the salt crust of the depression, breaking it into slabs, which can then be lifted out and loaded onto their camels There are no pneumatic drills or heavy equipment for the miners, who use fairly rudimentary implements to break plates of salt out of the ground. Many of them have spent their whole lives mining salt The salt is chopped into slabs, which need to be a certain size and weight. Most of the salt is destined for Ethiopian and Sudanese farmers, who use them as what are known as mineral licks. In this way animals are provided with essential nutrients Some of the workers wear gloves to protect their hands while others prefer to work with their bare hands The salt is cut into tiles, which are then tied up and lifted onto the camels. On a good day they can produce 200 of these tiles, which can sell for around four birr (13p) each The landscape is very photogenic but is known as the 'Gateway to Hell' because of the heat and the overpowering smell of sulphur The landscape they work in is hauntingly beautiful, with active volcanoes, sulphur-spewing springs, solidified black lava flows and huge and multi-coloured salt basins. Rumi said: 'Visiting this place feels like being on the Moon. It is so surreal. It's a place of genuine, raw adventure.' Centuries ago the salt tiles were used as currency. Nowadays they are sold across Ethiopia, often to farmers who want to provide their livestock with essential minerals. Rumi said: 'As soon as I got out of the car I realised why this place is called the 'Gateway to Hell'. It is one of the hottest places on earth and I could feel the heat on my skin. The camels are loaded up with the 'white gold' and led up out of the depression and to the town of Berhale, which is three days' walk Camels, which famously store water in their humps, can walk for days without needing to drink and are the ideal means of transportation But the camels can be stubborn creatures and their guides have to be skilled at animal husbandry Sometimes donkeys are used to transport the salt tiles. But they cannot carry as much as camels or endure the heat as well The village of Hamad Ale has only recently had a proper road and it is a six hour drive to the city of Mekele and another 13 hours to the capital, Addis Ababa 'Still for centuries the Afar people return to this extremely harsh and inhospitable place to carry out an important job. 'I came here to meet the hard-working salt diggers, who spend a good part of the day in this cruel environment cutting and shaping the salt into books and loading the camels.' The miners use axes to chop the salt crust into large slabs of 'white gold' and place sticks into grooves which they have hacked out. Rumi said: 'Working with the sticks, the workers lift the big slab of salt which is cut into tiles of standard sizes. 'They earn around four birr (13p) for each salt tile they cut, and on a good day they can make up to 200 tiles.' The Danakil Depression is in a remote part of Ethiopia close to the border with Eritrea, which became independent in 1993 The Danakil Depression is not far from the border with Eritrea, and Ethiopian troops have been on high alert ever since a border war between the two countries which lasted from 1998 to 2000 The vivid colours of the Danakil Depression contrast with the bare mountains which surround it. It is up to 300 feet below sea level and this acts as a natural cauldron, keeping the heat in The sun is not the only source of heat. The temperature is complemented by the active volcanoes in the area Across the border in Djibouti is Lake Assal, a body of salt water which is nowadays just a salt plain. It is around 490 feet below sea level Salt is also extracted from Lake Assal, which may one day dry up completely like the Danakil Depression He said: 'The workers may look skinny but they're very strong. It looks like one of the worst jobs on earth but these people stay very humble and proud of their work.' But digging out the salt is only half the story. It is then loaded onto camels, who are led for three days to the town of Berhale, where the salt is traded to farmers in the Ethiopian highlands and in neighbouring Sudan. Rumi said: 'Because of safety issues this place does not see many visitors in the year.' The Danakil Depression has frequently been compared to the surface of the Moon and there are certainly similarities with the lunar landscape Italian photographer Massimo Rumi took these amazing images. In this picture a caravan of camels are silhouetted against the horizon as they head off towards Berhale with their cargo of salt The camels spend much of their time lolling around waiting for the salt to be cut. But after a good rest they have to walk for three days The salt miners and camel trekkers are from the Afar tribe. There are around three millions Afars in Ethiopia, with smaller numbers in neighbouring Djibouti and Eritrea Camels, sometimes referred to as the 'ships of the desert', have been living and working in the Horn of Africa for millennia This is the African king who leads two very contrasting lives - as a part-time monarch and a full-time mechanic. Dressed in all his royal finery, Cephas Bansah, helps to govern more than two million Ghanaian and Togolese people. But despite being regarded as a 'superior and spiritual chief of Ewe people' in Togo, he also works full-time mechanic in Germany - governing his people over Skype. Regal: King Bansah (pictured) leads two very contrasting lives as a part-time monarch and a full-time monarch Despite being regarded as a 'superior and spiritual chief of Ewe people' in Togo, he also works full-time mechanic in Germany - governing his people over Skype Marriage: King Bansah and his German wife Gabriele are pictured above on their wedding day in 2000 The 67-year-old's official royal status is 'King Togbe Ngoryifia Cephas Kosi Bansah' - but he spends most of his time in oily overalls fixing cars. Cephas grew up in Ghana, he moved to Germany in 1970 before he was appointed king. His kingdom, Gbi in Eastern Ghana on the border of Togo, consists of 300,000 Ewe people. He originally moved to Germany when his grandfather, the then king, encouraged him to train there as a mechanic. After finishing his studies and gaining full citizenship, he settled and set up his own garage in Ludwigshafen. He continued living a peaceful life until 1987 - when he received a Fax which would change his life forever. Dressed in all his royal finery, Cephas Bansah, helps to govern more than two million Ghanaian and Togolese people Ornate: His kingdom, Gbi in Eastern Ghana on the border of Togo, consists of 300,000 Ewe people The 67-year-old's official royal status is 'King Togbe Ngoryifia Cephas Kosi Bansah' - but he spends most of his time in oily overalls fixing cars His grandfather, the King of Hohoe, had died and Bansah's father and eldest brother were deemed unfit to rule because they were left-handed, which the Ewe people considered to be 'unclean'. This meant that Cephas was his grandfather's successor, and the new king. He now lives in Ludwigshafen with his wife Gabriele Bansah, 57 and his two children Carlo and Katharina, continuing his job as a mechanic and his role as King. He uses Skype to govern his people and still visits Ghana up to eight times per year. In his role as king he also works on a number of aid projects including building schools and is currently raising money to build a women's prison. To fund his aid projects, Cephas also sells his own beer, called Akosombo - even though he never drinks alcohol himself. German photographer Christina Czybik spent the day with the king at his home and managed to capture a fascinating insight into his life. King Bansah is pictured with his son Carlo Bansah (left), his daughter Katharina Bansah (centre) and his wife Gabriele Bansah (right) He now lives in Ludwigshafen with his wife Gabriele Bansah, 57 and his two children Carlo and Katharina, continuing his job as a mechanic and his role as King His garage wall features a promotional poster which asks for help building a school in his birthplace, Ghana Hundreds lined the streets as King Bansah and Gabriele enjoyed a royal wedding 16 years ago Even though Ghana is has a democratic system now, the traditional kings still have an important function within the communities as carers of their people Christina said: 'The mix of cultures is an interesting one. Bansah told me that the people in Ghana are very religious. 'They are mostly Christian, but a lot are also Voodoo. But not in a bad way. 'King Bansah has a small Voodoo shrine in his living room with a small handmade sign that reads 'Michael Schumacher shall recover soon and fast'. 'He invited me to join his delegation to travel to Ghana this September. I've actually booked my flights.' Three Mexican medics who took a picture of themselves holding up a newborn baby they had just delivered are being hunted by officials after the image appeared on Facebook. The staff - believed to be a gynaecologist, anaesthetist and paediatrician - had been involved in the delivery at the Hospital General de Calpulalpan in Mexico moments before they decided to take the shot. The image shows one of the men holding the newborn, who is still pink and unclothed, high in the air on another medic's shoulders as all three, who are all still gowned, smile at the camera. Three Mexican surgeons who took a picture (above) of themselves holding up a newborn baby they had just delivered have been slammed on social media The country's Ministry of Health has now confirmed it is investigating and added that sanctions could be applied to the three employees. Ramon Villegas initially uploaded the selfie on Facebook with a caption that claimed the 'surgeons' were 'not professional'. He added: 'Whilst one worries about their wife and new baby, hospital professionals are without ethics in the general hospital of Calpulalpan.' Mr Villegas also asked others to share the photo in a bid to find out the names of those involved, writing: 'Share so that everybody knows what kind of people work there, hopefully the directors will see it and they will be dismissed.' The medics had been involved in the delivery at the Hospital General de Calpulalpan in Mexico (above) when they decided to take the shot It is not known what connection Villegas has to the hospital or the new born baby. It is also not known how he got the photograph. The image sparked a fierce debate with some criticising the photograph for breaching the privacy of the family and others saying the medics should not have held the baby up 'like a trophy'. Others have commented in support of the surgeons. One user, known only as JD Paredes, wrote: 'I do not see the problem, the doctors are proud to have brought a life into the world and they want to celebrate it. The body of Colin Madsen, 25, an American student, was found in Siberia on Monday The American student found dead in Siberia was 'likely' murdered, claimed his mother who accused Russian police of 'ineptitude' and a 'cover up' over the case. The body of Colin Madsen, 25, was found on Monday, eight days after he vanished from a guest house in a tourist village where he had gone on a hiking vacation with friends. Grieving American mother Dana Madsen-Calcutt, 55, who is in Russia, wrote in a Facebook posting: 'The murder investigation is still open and I hate to even think it, but I believe barring some medical catastrophe like an aneurysm or pulmonary embolus, that it is likely. 'He would have never walked to a place in the pitch dark with his shoes unlaced, no socks , and when he was leaving for a climb in just a few hours that he was so excited about.' She accused local police in the Republic of Buryatia of a series of failings, while praising officers from the Investigative Committee, which she called the 'Russian FBI'. 'I believe that the local police here did not do their job and even to me made innuendos and remarks that were defamatory about Colin, when they didn't know him and should have been looking for him,' she said. 'I think they are trying to cover up the ineptitude that occurred here before we came - and the pressure to find him was accelerated.' She declared: 'He deserves better than this. Scroll down for video 'Corruption, cover up abounds here in this place but I am so grateful for the Russian FBI, all of the volunteers, and Colin's dear, dear, friends.' She claimed police had disseminated to the media 'so much misinformation' which 'makes him appear foolish'. He wore a thermal shirt when he left his lodging in the middle of the night, she said, not a T-shirt. His American mother Dana Madsen-Calcutt, 55, (left and with her son right) is in Russia and has accused local police of failings His body was found eight days after he vanished from a guest house (pictured) in a tourist village where he had gone on a hiking vacation with friends Mr Madsen's mother praised officers from the Investigative Committee, which she called the 'Russian FBI' Nor were the temperatures subzero as reported, she claimed. 'There is no substantiation that he went or told any one he was going outside for a walk,' she said. He might have initially gone to the bathroom, which was in an outhouse, she said, according to The Siberian Times. She queried the claims, leaked to the Russian media, that he may have been high on drugs when he vanished on a nocturnal walk. 'If Colin did any drugs (which we don't know) he would have smoked marijuana and that was hours before this event occurred. There was no alcohol involved,' he said. She said the night was 'warm' but added: 'If anyone knows Colin, he had an incredible tolerance to cool weather.' He had prepared for a hike next day, she said, but he was also 'familiar with this place that he loved to hike, spoke fluent Russian, and had his pack, water and food ready for the climb' a local mountain called Peak of Love. His thing were left in his cabin when he disappeared from his lodgings, she said. 'He was found a mile a way, one day after the Russian FBI came,' she said, implying local police had failed to properly search for him earlier. Mrs Madsen-Calcutt queried the claims, leaked to the Russian media, that he may have been high on drugs when he vanished on a nocturnal walk Mr Madsen's personal possessions, including his wallet (left), bank cards (right) and passport were found by police 'Not huddled or covered with leaves but flat on his back in grass with his sleeves pushed up, his boots unlaced, no socks on, his eyes and mouth open. He was not in snow but on the grass under a tree.' She claimed that an 'unscrupulous rescuer' took a picture of his body 'and sold it to a Russian tabloid'. She denied he was suicidal and suggested it was too easy an explanation that Colin took some drug substance with his friends in the night and it could be the reason of his death'. She also said: 'I have so many other things to tell you about this debacle but I might not ever be ready to talk about it.' The student had prepared for a hike next day and was planning to climb local mountain Peak of Love (pictured) A 'staggering number' of EU citizens have become jihadists and have returned to the continent hidden among the migrant influx, the bloc's border agency has admitted. Frontex said potential terrorists are exploiting the migrant crisis to travel unchecked through Europe while many migrants and refugees are arriving in Greece and Italy with false documents. It also warned that the deadly Paris attacks last November demonstrate irregular migration patterns that could be used by extremists to reach the EU. Frontex wrote that EU citizens who had joined ISIS (pictured) in Syria are now taking advantage of the irregular migration flows to return home In a report, Frontex wrote that EU citizens who had joined ISIS in Syria are now taking advantage of the irregular migration flows to return home. It said: 'The staggering number of EU citizens who joined the conflict as jihadists has resulted in a number of returnees opting to use irregular means of travelling. 'Islamist extremists will exploit irregular migration flows whenever such movements fit their plans.' The findings published by Frontex on Tuesday have been seized upon by Brexit campaigners, including justice minister Dominic Raab who claimed the EU's free movement rules leave Britain 'wide open' to crime and terrorism. The report also revealed more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings were detected by EU member states in 2015, six times the number reported in 2014. The agency said the never-seen-before figure is associated with the estimated one million individuals who reached the EU last year, but suggests many crossed two sections of the external borders of the EU. The report said: 'The Paris attacks in November 2015 clearly demonstrated that irregular migratory flows could be used by terrorists to enter the EU. The report also revealed more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings were detected by EU member states in 2015, six times the number reported in 2014 The report added that there is no EU system capable of tracing people's movements following an illegal border-crossing, so it is therefore impossible to establish the precise number of people who have illegally crossed two sections of external EU borders 'Two of the terrorists involved in the attacks had previously irregularly entered through Leros and had been registered by the Greek authorities. They presented fraudulent Syrian documents to speed up their registration process. 'As the vast majority of migrants arrive undocumented, screening activities are essential to properly verify their declaration of nationality. 'With a large number of persons arriving with false or no identification documents or raising concerns over the validity of their claimed nationality - with no thorough check or penalties in place for those making such false declarations - there is a risk that some persons representing a security threat to the EU may be taking advantage of this situation.' The report added that there is no EU system capable of tracing people's movements following an illegal border-crossing, so it is therefore impossible to establish the precise number of people who have illegally crossed two sections of external EU borders. 'Only an estimate of about one million persons can be provided, based on the assumption that all migrants first detected irregularly crossing in Greece were then detected for a second time re-entering the EU from the Western Balkans,' the report said. 'The unprecedented number of detections of illegal border-crossing has also led to a surge in violent incidents along the EU's external borders. 'People smugglers, motivated by profit, increasingly put migrants' lives at risk and even threaten border guards to recover boats or escape apprehension.' It also warned that the deadly Paris attacks (pictured) last November demonstrate irregular migration patterns that could be used by extremists to reach the EU The report is evidence that the UK is at risk from terrorists able to slip through European borders, Brexit campaigners said. A Leave.EU spokesman said: 'Prevented by free movement rules from carrying out extensive background checks on EU nationals, we are now in clear danger from European Islamists, who can seek to establish UK terror cells after slipping through the Schengen Area's porous external border. 'Incredibly, the EU's only answer to what has become a full-blown security crisis is to propose an armed European Border and Coast Guard, directed from Brussels and capable of seizing control of member countries' frontiers without their permission.' Vote Leave supporter Dominic Raab added: 'This is a damning indictment by the very EU body charged with managing Europe's external border. 'Frontex has set out all too starkly the risks, including from crime and terrorism, that the EU's free movement rules leave Britain wide open to. 'With no solution in sight, the safer option is for Britain to leave the EU in order to regain control over our borders and immigration policy.' A spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe insisted Britain has control of its borders. 'Britain has full control over our borders because we are not part of the EU's Schengen area,' he said. Statement on castle's website today says they will no longer offer food One of Scotland's most breath-taking wedding venues has said it has been forced to pull out of hosting marriage ceremonies after being targeted by a bridezilla 'hate campaign'. Kelly Morris, manager at 700-year-old Balgonie Castle in Fife, last night announced that the ancient medieval property will no longer welcome couples tying the knot after being harangued by a group of brides who 'bullied' and 'abused' her over the venue's dinner prices. She claimed the decision was made after several brides-to-be shared a private group conversation in which she was involved on Facebook. The row started when one woman - Henia Roy (pictured with her fiance) - queried why she was being asked to pay for her meal three months before her wedding day, not naming the venue Kelly Morris (left) then announced that Balgonie Castle will no longer welcome couples tying the knot after being harangued by a group of brides who 'bullied' and 'abused' her. Lauren Ann Hammond (right) posted screengrabs of the row between Morris and other brides on Facebook, using the hashtag #boycottbalgonie In it, one woman - Henia Roy - queried why she was being asked to pay for her meal three months before her wedding day, not naming the venue. She also asked if it was commonplace for children's meals to cost the same as adult servings. While several social media users offered her impartial advice, Ms Morris then interjected - insisting she was 'sick to death' of people using web forums to complain about the castle's policy, despite being defined in their terms and conditions. An argument then broke out, with several brides-to-be and married women slamming her as being 'unprofessional' and 'nasty'. As Ms Morris then went on to break down all the money the first complaining bride had committed to her big day, the women plotted to share screengrabs of the conversation on social media to deter couples from booking Balgonie for their weddings. Lauren Ann Hammond then posted the entire dispute on Facebook, using the hashtag #boycottbalgonie. The castle's officer Twitter account stated that is was closing down the wedding side of the business in response to the uproar the 'hate campaign' had caused after being shared more than 12,000 time on Facebook Ms Morris said the castle (pictured) would no longer host weddings after being harangued by a group of brides who 'bullied' and 'abused' her over the venue's dinner prices She wrote: 'Please please please if anyone is getting married or arranging a venue please AVOID Balgonie Castle. 'The owner posted absolute abuse to a bride today for asking a question on a closed group. Shocking behaviour! Please feel free to share this. The bride is distraught. #boycottbalgonie' In response, Ms Morris posted her own retorts to the reaction the sharing of the supposedly 'closed group' chat had caused, insisting she was 'God d*** sick of these f****** people who think it is alright to complain to public Social Media pages yet the owner cannot step in and say wait a minute this is not correct.' The castle then Tweeted that is was closing down the wedding side of their business in response to the uproar the 'hate campaign' has caused after being shared more than 12,000 time on Facebook. Henia, from Glenrothes, Fife, and her fiance are due to get married at the picturesque castle this summer As well as her query about paying far in advance, Ms Roy also asked if it was commonplace for children's meals to cost the same as adult servings. This is the conversation that sparked the argument After Ms Roy had received helpful response, Ms Morris then interrupted the private conversation, saying she was 'sick to death' of people using web forums to complain about the castle's policies However, a statement on its website today suggests they will continue welcoming ceremonies - but will not provide the catering. The post reads: 'We are sorry to learn of a recent campaign on social media targeting our business and disappointed that this has happened. 'The terms and conditions are set out clearly along with our tariffs. In line with the wedding industry. We ask for payment in the form of a deposit to secure the venue and reserve the slot for that couple. People jumped to Henia's defence, as the owner continued to say she was going to speak to her lawyers Several brides-to-be and married women then slammed Ms Morris as being 'unprofessional' and 'nasty' - plotting to share the details of the conversation online Ms Morris then went on to say she would 'not be bullied' by the brides, who already warned her the damage was already done We ask for the balance to paid in full before the big day to ensure there is no complications and to ensure that there is no surprises after the big day. 'Balgonie Castle will no longer be taking wedding meal bookings. We will provide for the current booked weddings.' A grandmother has been awarded 37,000 in compensation after doctors misdiagnosed her ovarian cancer as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Beverley Scott, 53, from Polesworth in Warwickshire, has now been given a maximum of two years to live after her she told it was too late for chemotherapy. For 18 months she was repeatedly told she had IBS, a treatable condition, despite pleading with medical staff for a second opinion. Beverley Scott, 53, from Polesworth in Warwickshire, has now been given a maximum of two years to live after her she told it was too late for chemotherapy For 18 months she was repeatedly told she had IBS, a treatable condition, despite pleading with medical staff for a second opinion The former estate agent, said: 'I am so angry it's unbelievable. 'l've been left to die. I feel let down. I'm the one now suffering and the suffering is unbearable. 'I have gone from a girl who was a sales negotiator, full of life, very flamboyant and arty to someone who lives week to week not knowing the outcome. 'I am not living a life me anymore, I am living an existence. 'It is life-limiting which means they don't quite know how long I've got. 'There is no more they can do, they can't shrink the cancer and it doesn't respond to chemotherapy. 'To me I've now got terminal cancer. It's like being on death row. 'I can just about plan what I am doing next week but I can't plan next year, I can't even plan this Christmas.' When she first went to hospital in 2012 with a bloating stomach and pelvic pain, she was referred to a gastric team. Ultrasound examinations failed to find the problem and she underwent a colonoscopy at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton. It found thickening in the mid and lower abdomen as well as nodularity in the pelvic region near to the bladder which suggested Mrs Scott had signs of cancer. However, she was told her results were 'normal'. She became housebound with her husband Stephen, 54, caring for her full time and, despite undergoing further tests, she was told she was just going through the symptoms of IBS. In August 2013 she became unable to walk due to the pain in her pelvis and she also suffered from varicose veins. Ultrasound examinations failed to find the problem and she underwent a colonoscopy at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton During an appointment with a vascular surgeon at the same hospital she was quickly referred to an oncologist after the test results showed white dots over her pelvic region. It wasn't until a month later that she received the devastating news that she had stage three advanced peritoneal ovarian cancer. After six cycles of chemotherapy it emerged the treatment was having no effect and her cancer had spread so much that it was deemed inoperable. Mrs Scott said: 'Each time, my friend and I asked them if l had cancer. 'And each time they said they either didn't know or my symptoms were a result of irritable bowel syndrome. They kept having meetings and I kept having tests but it was lie after lie and cover ups. 'I literally went back and forth between the gastric team and the gynecologist. I basically lived at that hospital. I went into shock when I was finally diagnosed. 'It was more of a shock for me to get the diagnosis as I had been led to believe that I was okay. 'To have left me to the point that I was beyond surgery is wrong. I felt like I had gone through all that for nothing.' In a statement George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust apologised to Mrs Scott for the 'unnecessary pain and suffering' caused by their delay Mrs Scott took legal action against George Eliot Hospitals NHS Trust and was due to attend a court case in Birmingham in August this year. But NHS bosses have now admitted responsibility and apologised to her and agreed a 37,500 out-of-court settlement. The NHS Trust admitted it would have been reasonable to achieve an earlier cancer diagnosis and not doing so was a 'breach of duty' in Beverley's care. In a statement George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust apologised to Mrs Scott for the 'unnecessary pain and suffering' caused by their delay. Chief executive Kath Kelly said: 'On behalf of the trust l would like to convey my sincere apologies for the failure to diagnose Mrs Scott's cancer sooner. Tourism boss claims man provoked a reaction, adding 'and he got one' Mr Skeels is now facing calls for his resignation following the outburst This is the shocking moment a council boss launched an angry tirade at a voter saying: 'You are a **** ain't you?' when he questioned him on his decision to leave UKIP. Councillor Mick Skeels then challenged William Hones, who filmed the clash, saying: 'Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough,' outside Clacton Town Hall, in Essex on Tuesday night. Mr Skeels, the Tendring council tourism boss, is now facing calls to resign following his outburst and the incident has been referred to council chief executive Ian Davidson. Outburst: Councillor Mick Skeels challenged William Hones saying: 'Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough' The unbelievable tirade was posted to YouTube where a number of people have criticized the actions of the Cabinet member. Addressing the issue today, Mr Skeels, who represents Clacton's St John's ward and is the authority's portfolio holder for leisure, claimed he was provoked. He said: 'Mr Hones has been turning up outside meetings and putting cameras in people's faces and putting up posters about us. 'It has been going on for a year now and it hadn't really bothered me but he wanted to provoke a reaction - and he got one. 'I said it in the heat of the moment - he stood for election before and got just 36 votes and he is just bitter. But I do want to apologise to all my colleagues profusely for causing anyone any upset. Apology: Council tourism boss Mr Skeels, who apologised to his colleagues, claimed he was provoked 'I used the wrong choice of words and should have just avoided him, but even at my age I do not suffer fools gladly.' Mr Hones is reportedly angry at Mr Skeels and a number of other councillors who left UKIP last year to support the ruling Conservatives and formed the Coastal Independents after a row within the Eurosceptic group. Two of the group have been given Cabinet posts in the council, which Mr Hones claims means they will be entitled to more than 300 a week in allowances On his decision to quit UKIP, Mr Skeels said: 'My biggest mistake was in joining UKIP in the first place - the group meetings I went to were totally out of control. 'We just did what we thought was best for the district to form a coalition administration to run the council at a time when the authority is facing a difficult economic future.' Pressure: Mr Skeels, the Tendring council tourism boss, is now facing calls to resign following his outburst Labour group leader on the council Ivan Henderson has now referred the incident to the council's chief executive and monitoring officer. Mr Henderson said: 'I think it's disgusting behaviour for a councillor or someone in public office to use that sort of language, regardless of any provocation. 'Councillors and politicians have cameras put in their face all the time and no-one in public life should react to a member of the public in that way. I think he should resign.' Council spokesman Nigel Brown said: 'This matter has been brought to the council's attention and it is being looked into.' Son slams the decision - which leaves him 'homeless' - as 'ridiculous' A judge has now ruled the house should be sold as part of settlement Son said he was promised the house. Sister said she deserved fair share Rupert Dorgan was a celebrated war poet - but after he failed to make a will, his children were left squabbling over his estate The son of a celebrated war poet is to be kicked out of the home his father built following a bitter 'mud-slinging' battle with his sister over their 1million inheritance. Rupert Dorgan wrote almost 100 poems about his experiences in the Second World War and his works adorn memorials in France and Belgium. Following the war, he set up a successful engineering business, amassing a property, luxury car and shares portfolio worth more than 1million. But the explosives expert never made a will, leading to a bitter inheritance battle between his children, Paul and Laurenne, after his death in 2005. The case reached court when Paul, 62, launched a bid to inherit the entire estate, including the six-bedroom home his father built in Wokingham, Berkshire. He claimed he had left school at 14 to work in the family firm, on the understanding that everything would be his when his parents died. His sister opposed the move, but he claimed she had resorted to 'mud-slinging' in court in a bid to smear his character. Laurenne, 55, insisted she was entitled to a 250,000 share in the estate, accusing Paul of being 'greedy' when he tried to get his hands on it all. However, a judge at Central London County Court has now ruled that, although each sibling has a stake in the estate, the property must be sold. Recorder Siobhan McGrath said crippling tax liabilities and estate administration costs meant Paul had to get out to allow the house to be sold by the estate administrator. 'Those costs must be discharged,' she said. 'I therefore order that possession of Bigwood House be given.' Paul Dorgan insisted his father had promised him the house. His sister Laurenne said she should get her fair share. A judge has now ordered that the house be sold Speaking afterwards, Paul, who has been left facing a legal bill approaching 100,000, said the decision was 'ridiculous'. 'It's four of us kicked out on the street. We are homeless from the 21st April,' he said. THE CORPORAL WHO TURNED HIS EXPERIENCES INTO POETRY Rupert Dorgan was a corporal who served as the driver of a Bren gun carrier in the 49th Reconnaissance Regiment, seeing service during the liberation of Belgium. He was an avid writer, who detailed his experiences and his memories of comrades in scores of moving poems. One piece was inscribed on a marble plaque in the Belgian town of Turnhout to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its liberation in 2005. The poem reads... Some were not to old to cry, None of them too young to die, They knew silent fears alone, They knew death far from home, How can we not remember them, They were brave unflinching men. The full poem was about a fellow soldier, Lt Thomas William Salmon, who died during a battle for a bridge over the Antwerp-Turnhout canal in 1944. Advertisement 'I'm not even allowed to take anything out of the house - no furniture, nothing.' The court heard Mr Dorgan Snr had built the three-storey house with his own hands over five years up to 1962. Similar properties in the area have recently sold for between 600,000 and 800,000. Whereas Paul left school at 14, still unable to read or write, to work in the family business, his sister flew the roost at 17. And as their parents got older, the son returned and looked after them, while his sister paid only weekly visits, he told claimed in court. His father signed over 470,000 worth of his assets to Paul before he died and, Paul claimed, he would have received the rest had his dad lived longer. He said his father had 'verbally' given him the family home and a valuable 1956 Jaguar XK140 which they had restored together over 20 years. He said the only reason he did not inherit everything was because his 84-year-old dad had died suddenly after a stroke in 2005 before he could make a will. 'My father didn't expect to die when he did,' Paul told the court. 'He was fit as a fiddle.' Because Mr Dorgan died intestate, the remainder of his estate, worth about 550,000, was due to be split between the two children. But, claiming it all, Paul's barrister, Shomik Datta, said the son had 'devoted his entire life' to working for the business and looking after his parents. He had also personally built an adjoining flat on the land. Speaking of the poet's sudden death, Mr Datta added: 'It would be unconscionable if Rupert's clear and expressed intentions were not given effect merely by the cruel intervention of time.' He accepted that accusations thrown back and forth by the siblings in witness statements were 'tit-for-tat mud-slinging'. Mr Dorgan built his home himself after the war, but it later became the source of the family dispute Laurenne lawyers said Paul, as it stood, would gain the value of about three quarters of their father's assets - which were already valued at 1m in 2008. 'If anyone is entitled to complain about the disposition of his estate, one might think it would be Laurenne,' her barrister told the court. 'Nonetheless, it is Paul who now makes the bullish claim that he is entitled to virtually everything the deceased owned. 'An independent observer, being polite, might describe this as greedy.' Judge McGrath said the remaining estate should be split, with Paul receiving slightly more, but that he would have to leave the house. 'I am not satisfied that Paul acted on an assurance that he would inherit the whole of the Bigwood Estate,' she said. 'However, I am satisfied that Paul built the flat on the basis that he would be able to live there. 'In my assessment, Paul is to be entitled to a 20 per cent beneficial interest of the house and the flat and the balance falls into the estate.' The judge gave Paul and his son Jack until April 21 to get out of the house to let it be sold. One of two men who escaped from a troubled psychiatric facility in Washington state was caught Thursday, but the second fugitive, who was accused of murder but found mentally incompetent to stand trial, is still on the loose. Officers picked up 58-year-old Mark Alexander Adams without incident in Des Moines, Washington, about 20 minutes away from Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital, Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said. Lawler says Adams, who was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault in 2014, was recognized and police detained him. Detectives will interview him. Mark Alexander Adams, 58 (left), and Anthony Garver, 28 (right), were reported missing from Western State Hospital Wednesday night. Adams was later arrested about 20 minutes away from the hospital. Garver remains on the run Adams got on a bus Wednesday night after he and Anthony Garver, 28, fled Western State Hospital, south of Tacoma, police said. Adams asked how to get to the airport, and he was caught in a town just south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A bus driver picked up a man he believes was Garver around 6pm, Lawler said. A couple of hours later, he picked up a man he believes was Adams. The driver told authorities that Adams was interested in going to SeaTac, home to the Seattle area's airport. Police have requested video from the transit agency. Adams and Garver were reported missing at 7:30pm on Wednesday, after last being seen at 6pm in the dining hall of Western State Hospital. Authorities believe the two men escaped through a loose window in their room. The Lakewood, Washington police released these images on Thursday, showing Adams when he got on an area bus Wednesday night In their initial warning to the public, police said the two men were 'dangerous to others' and should not be approached if spotted. A source at the hospital told KOMO News that the break out is 'serious business' and described Garver as 'scary and creepy'. Adams and Garver were both committed to the hospital in February 2015. Adams has been in jail since 2014 on a domestic violence and assault charge while Garver was arrested in 2013 for murder. Both men were found not fit to stand trial. The woman Garver is accused of killing, 20-year-old Phillipa Evans Lopez, was found strapped to her bed and stabbed 24 times in her Lake Stevens home on June 17, 2013. A Snohomish County judge called Garver 'scary, to say the least' in 2013. Above, Western State Hospital where the two men escaped from on Wednesday (pictured above in 2015) Garver also threatened to blow up a Department of Health and Human Services office Spokane in 2006, and was later accused of threatening to kill the judge and deputy prosecutor in the case. Garver is white, 5-foot-8, 250 pounds, has long curly brown hair and a beard/mustache. He was last seen wearing a brown faded sweatshirt and orange jail flip flops. His real last name is Burke, but he goes by Garver. He has also taken the alias of Deryk Garver before. Garver is originally from the Spokane area and the murder was committed in Snohomish County. The escape is the latest in a litany of problems at the 800-bed hospital, south of Tacoma. U.S. regulators have repeatedly cited the facility over safety concerns for both staff and patients, including violent assaults, leading to threats to cut millions in federal funds to the facility. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently extended the hospital's deadline for fixing the problems from April 1 to May 3. A federal judge also has said the hospital has failed to provide timely competency services to mentally ill people charged with crimes. The hospital is facing increased federal scrutiny, but assaults have persisted, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. A patient with a history of violent behavior choked and punched a mental health technician on March 26, according to an internal report. Another report on March 23 said a male patient slipped out of his monitors and was found in a bathroom with another male patient, who said he was sexually assaulted. The state has tried to fix some of the problems by increasing funds so more staff could be hired. But the hospital has struggled with recruiting and retaining workers. Injured employees missed 41,301 days of work between 2010 and 2014 and on-the-job injuries forced staff to move to other jobs, like desk work, for 7,760 days during that period, according to state Occupational Safety and Health Administration records. A man being held in a detention centre did not die because he had a heart attack as had been reported, his family claims. Rob Peihopa, 42, from New Zealand, is believed to have died in Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney after suffering a heart attack, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said in a statement. However, New Zealand Greens MP Marama Davidson said Peihopa's family had been told that wasn't the case. Rob Peihopa (pictured), 42, from New Zealand, is believed to have died in Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney after suffering a heart attack, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said 'The coroner told Rob's family that he had sustained a head injury,' Ms Davidson told the NZ Herald. 'But he wants to further investigate.' Ms Davidson also called on the New Zealand government to step in and help the 42-year-old's family, who have not even been allowed to see Peihopa's body. 'They have been blocked at every juncture,' she said. 'They just feel like no one actually cares that this happened.' It comes after a fellow inmate said Peihopa was involved in a disagreement with other detainees and then collapsed on the ground. 'With the stress of this place the brother has had a heart attack,' Vaelua Lagaaia said. Peihopa had been in Villawood for about 10 months and was fighting the efforts of Australian authorities to have him deported, Lagaaia said. Last year, Peihopa told Maori Television he had moved across to Australia in 1989 and has a partner and three sons. The New Zealand man was being held at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney (stock image) New Zealand politican Marama Davidson (pictured with her rather, actor Rawiri Paratene) said Peihopa's family had been told the 42-year-old did not die from a heart attack Two years previously he had been given a two-year prison sentence for his part in a police chase. The New Zealand High Commission in Canberra has been notified of the death and told AAP it is in touch with relevant Australian authorities. There were 181 Kiwis in immigration detention in Australia as of late February. More than 500 Kiwis have had their visas automatically revoked since December 2014, when the Australian government introduced tough new immigration rules cracking down on foreign-born convicted criminals. Foreigners who have served more than 12 months in Australian jails are being rounded up for deportation. Cameron insisted Government would offer some help to keep steel alive Britain's steel industry under threat after Tata announced it was selling up David Cameron today admitted he would not bail out the steel industry in the same way as the banks because it is less important to the overall economy. The Prime Minister said the last Labour government had no choice but to pour billions of pounds into the banking sector in 2008 because failure would have ruined the whole economy. Speaking at an EU campaign event in Exeter, Mr Cameron said the Government was committed to helping a buyer step in to rescue the steel industry hours. Business Secretary Sajid Javid today visited Port Talbot for a second time to update trade union leaders on his visit to Mumbai yesterday but made no comment beyond a tweet claiming it had been 'constructive'. Prime Minister David Cameron, pictured today during his remarks at Exeter University, said banks had a 'special position' in the economy Mr Javid is due to make a second visit to the plant today as he continues efforts to shake off strong criticism the Government had been slow to react to the steel crisis. But Mr Cameron's remarks today are set to infuriate those who insist Britain must save its steel industry. He said: 'I want to support the steel industry, I want us to go on making steel in Scunthorpe and in Port Talbot in South Wales. 'We have seen a big reduction in the steel industry over many years and that's not surprising in a developed economy. 'But what we have left we should see as a strategic industry we should try and support.' The Prime Minister said he 'stood ready to help' a buyer come forward and buy the steelworks. But turning to a full bail out of the industry, which supports around 40,000 jobs, he added: 'If buyers need support and there is commercial support we can give, we are happy to look at that. 'There is a reason, in defence of the last Labour government, for supporting the banks when they got into difficulty. 'The difference between a bank and another business is if a bank goes bust and collapses it can actually take down the whole economy with it because of the special position banks have in terms of lending money to so many other businesses.' Mr Cameron insisted his reforms to banking regulation meant in the future a bank bailout would not be funded by taxpayers but shareholders. The PM insisted he believed it was possible to get a 'resolution' for Port Talbot. Ahead of his latest visit to South Wales, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said he would be 'getting under the bonnet' of the Port Talbot steelworks business Mr Javid said he was able to give a 'constructive' update to the unions at Port Talbot following his visit to Mumbai yesterday Mr Javid returned to the plant today after a whistlestop visit to Mumbai yesterday but left without public comment. He tweeted he had been able to offer a 'constructive' update to the unions. And Community union president Alan Coombs said there was 'light at the end of the tunnel. He said: 'At the end of the meeting, the million-dollar question was 'what guarantees have we had from Mumbai?'' 'I was very encouraged by what he said - that Tata are not going to forget about their values and they are going to be responsible sellers. They are going to give the appropriate time to get a buyer in. 'I appreciate what Tata have done for us in Port Talbot over the years, but everybody understands that Tata is not a bottomless pit and they are not continuing with it. 'It has been a very frustrating process, but there is some hope. A week or so ago it was the worst-case scenario. That seems like a million miles away now. 'There does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel - even though there is nothing concrete at the moment.' Last night, Labour's shadow business secretary Angela Eagle demanded the Government do more. She said: 'Labour has consistently called for decisive action to help the steel industry and stand up for the livelihoods and life chances of those communities who depend on it. 'Labour has a four point plan to secure the future of the industry and have argued that Parliament should have been recalled to hold the Tory Government to account. 'The collapse of the steel industry would mean a 4.6bn cost to government over the next ten years, 40,000 jobs lost, and devastation for steel making communities. The government can't afford not to act.' Mr Cameron made his latest intervention on the steel crisis at a question and answer session with students at Exeter University today, pictured Ahead of today's visit, the Business Secretary had said he would be 'getting under the bonnet of the business' as he moved to shore up the Government's role in the crisis. Tata announced its plans for a sale in the wake of losses amounting to 1million a day. Sanjeev Gupta, the head of Liberty House, the only company to publicly express an interest in Tata's plants, said the process would take months. Mr Javid held a two-hour meeting with Tata officials in Mumbai, just over a week after the company made the shock decision to sell its loss-making UK assets. He said Tata will allow a 'reasonable amount of time' for the process to be completed. The minister stressed that the Government wanted to work with any prospective buyer, saying 'a number' of people had already started coming forward. 'I would like to see many more come forward when the formal process begins,' he said. Mr Javid met Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry and other company officials to discuss the planned sale. He said afterwards that he understood there would be some 'issues' to deal with, such as power, which the Government 'might be able to help further with'. Mr Gupta said buying Tata's UK steel business was a 'daunting' prospect, especially as the sale announcement was so unexpected. Police were able to arrest Darrigo after his friend posted video of the stunt online Other officers were called in to assist with the chase, but it was eventually called up when Darrigo sped up to 160 mph and got away When he saw the flashing lights, Darrigo just sped up Police have arrested a biker months after they say he led them on a chase through the streets of New Jersey that reached 160 mph - a pursuit he recorded on video. Authorities on Wednesday charged 20-year-old Anthony Darrigo, of Wanaque, with eluding police with risk of severe bodily injuring and resisting arrest. A police officer began chasing Darrigo on December 10, after seeing him pop a wheelie while driving on Route 23 North. The patrolman then tried to pull Darrigo over, but the young man just sped up. Scroll down for video Anthony Darrigo, 20, was arrested on Wednesday, four months after getting away from police in a high-speed chase on his motorbike Other officers were called in to trace the motorcyclist, who eluded police by driving in speeds excess of 160 miles per hour. Eventually, police called off the chase and Darrigo got away. In the ensuing months, police say they received several complaints about a video Darrigo's friend posted on YouTube, showing the police chase. A friend of Darrigo's later posted the video of the chase online and his speedometer at points shows speeds in excess of 100 mph In the video, Darrigo is seen winding through traffic, including speeding in between cars Another frame shows Darrigo passing one vehicle in the thin space between the right side of the car and the shoulder In stomach-turning video of the chase, Darrigo is seen speeding in gaps between cars just a few feet wide and passing other vehicles on the shoulder. Police were able to use the video to track down Darrigo and eventually take him into custody on Wednesday. He was booked on charges of eluding police and resisting arrest and released on his own recognizance. In an interview with NBC New York, Darrigo said he was 'nervous' when the cop flashed his lights and that the decision to speed away was made 'in the heat of the moment'. He said he's sorry and promised to drive 'very carefully' in the future. However, he says he doesn't plan to give up riding. 'I've been riding my entire life. I don't think I'll ever let go,' he said. During his interview, Darrigo sported a boot, explaining that he injured his leg during a fall from his bike recently. The European Union executive is considering whether to make U.S. and Canadian citizens apply for visas before travelling to the bloc, a move that could raise tensions as Brussels negotiates a trade pact with Washington. Only Britain and Ireland have opt-outs from the 28-nation EU's common visa policy and the European Commission must decide by April 12 whether to demand visas from countries who have similar requirements in place for one or more EU state. Washington and Ottawa both demand entry visas from Romanians and Bulgarians, whose states joined the EU in 2007. The United States also excludes Croatians, Cypriots and Poles from a visa waiver scheme offered to other EU citizens. The European Union executive is considering whether to make U.S. and Canadian citizens apply for visas before travelling to the bloc, a move that could raise tensions as Brussels negotiates a trade pact with Washington 'A political debate and decision is obviously needed on such an important issue. But there is a real risk that the EU would move towards visas for the two (Americans and Canadians),' an EU source said. Whether such a step was practical, however, was in question given that it would seriously undermine the EU's vast and lucrative tourist industry. The U.S. and Canadian missions to Brussels were not immediately available for comment. The discussion, prompted by U.S. and Canadian refusals to waive their visa requirements for holders of some EU member states' passports, will take place on Tuesday, just over a week before U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Europe on a visit that will include trade talks. Trade negotiations between Brussels and Washington are at a crucial point since both sides believe their transatlantic agreement, known as TTIP, stands a better chance of passing before Obama leaves the White House in January. Obama is due to visit Britain before meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a trade fair in Hanover on April 24. 'There are major question marks over TTIP, no one could now say exactly how it'll go in the end. We'll see if we can get Obama in Hanover to commit to more of what we want,' said one European Parliament member tracking TTIP. Voters are taking notice of Ted Cruz in the Republican White House race and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton is, too. Clinton has increasingly denounced Cruz by name in her speeches alongside Donald Trump. Appearing yesterday at the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO conference Clinton said, 'Ted Cruz and other Republicans are pushing a national right-to work law that would gut unions, drive down wages and benefits and concentrate even more power in the hands of corp and their allies.' Scroll down for video Voters are taking notice of Ted Cruz in the Republican White House race and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton is, too. Clinton has increasingly denounced Cruz by name in her speeches alongside Donald Trump Appearing yesterday at the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO conference Clinton said, 'Ted Cruz and other Republicans are pushing a national right-to work law that would gut unions, drive down wages and benefits and concentrate even more power in the hands of corp and their allies' It wasn't the only time Clinton name-dropped Cruz this week. Tuesday in Brooklyn she referenced the U.S. senator in the context of his plan to religiously profile Muslim communities to prevent terrorism. How's he ever gonna do that up in New York, she pondered. 'Maybe other cities have signs,' she said. 'It's just craziness.' Clinton said of the proposal, 'I thought that was not only shameful and offensive, I thought it was dangerous.' The former secretary of state still faces competition within her own party from Bernie Sanders. Her team believes she is close to winning the nomination outright, however, and she's shifted the focus of her attacks over the last month to Trump and 'other Republicans.' She said Tuesday that she also found Trump's plan to bar foreign Muslims from entering the country 'offensive' and 'dangerous.' 'It struck me as a little strange for Trump to say what he said,' Clinton said, because many of the countries in the coalition against ISIS are Muslim. Clinton's regularly drawn on Trump as inspiration in the foreign policy section of her speech since her gigantic win in South Carolina at the end of February. The New York billionaire has a large delegate lead over Cruz and is likely to nab the GOP nomination. But the Texas Senator is determined to catch up and has won the last three consecutive contests. As his plan to outfox Trump has taken hold, Clinton has invoked his name more often in her own stump speeches. The switch-up indicates that she now believes Trump may not be her opponent in November. The Texas Senator, seen here Tuesday after he won Wisconsin, is determined to catch up with Donald Trump and has won the last three consecutive contests. As his chances of outfoxing Trump have gotten better, Clinton has invoked his name more often in her own stump speeches Cruz had 517 pledged delegates as of this morning's Real Clear Politics count. He's poised to pick up more over the weekend in Colorado when that state doles out the rest of its delegates. Trump is at 743. His lead over Cruz is expected to rise significantly after New York's April 19 contest. The primary in Trump's home state is tied to 95 delegates. To win the Republican nomination a candidate needs to collect 1,237 pledged delegates before the national party's convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in July. After New York, 15 contests will remain, the largest of which, California, will give out 172 delegates. Even with New York in his pocket, Trump may fall short of the mandated number of delegates, though, kicking off a messy convention battle that could see someone else entirely come out on top. Ohio's John Kasich has stayed in the race for that very reason even though he's nowhere near the remaining candidates in terms of delegate count. Insiders are pushing House Speaker Paul Ryan, the 2012 vice presidential nominee, to accept the nomination from the convention floor as a consensus candidate. Ryan has given them the cold shoulder so far. He's not interested, his team says. An LA couple have spent over $8,000 on a billboard advert in central Los Angeles in a desperate bid to reach their children who they say have been 'lost' to Scientology. Former Scientologists Phil and Willie Jones have had very limited contact with their son and daughter for years and the advert is a last ditch attempt to reach out to them. The billboard was erected on Glendale Blvd in Echo Park Monday after two Billboard companies pulled out of the contract last minute. It reads: 'To my loved one in Scientology...call me' against a backdrop of hundreds of family photos of those who have been affected by the church's 'disconnection' program. Scroll down for video An LA couple have erected a billboard advert in central Los Angeles (pictured) in a desperate plea to reach their children who they say have been 'lost' to Scientology Former Scientologists Phil and Willie Jones (left and right) have not had contact with their son and daughter for years Their children - Mike and Emily (left and right) - chose to stay at the controversial church and cut all ties with their parents Their attempt to make contact is a direct attack on the church's 'disconnection program', which seeks to cut contact between a practicing Scientologist and any person who is deemed 'suppressive' or 'antagonistic' towards their 'spiritual journey'. The Jones' were involved in Scientology for 40 years, joining when they were just teenagers but have since become outspoken critics of the organization. But their children - Mike and Emily - chose to stay at the controversial church and cut all ties with their parents, Phil Jones told KTLA. Mike and Emily are still employees for the Church's Sea Organization and are tied into a 'billion year' contract, where they are required to work for long hours with little pay, according to the Underground Bunker. The parents' decision to reach out in such a public way comes after countless failed attempts to contact them by phone and by going down to the LA headquarters. He added: 'If we try to call they won't connect us and we've been down there numerous times - they won't let us on the property. 'The security guards come down and say we're not welcome.' The couple have described their current situation as 'heartbreaking' and mother Willie added: 'It makes me feel terrible - these are my children.' The children - now adults - grew up within the organisation and the parents say they feel 'some responsibility' for them still being in there. The Jones' had been members of the Scientology church for 40 years before renouncing it. But their children - now adults - remain there and are believed to be tied into a 'billion year' contract with the church's Sea Organization. Pictured: Headquarters in LA The controversial church - whose members include Tom Cruise (pictured left) - practice the process of 'disconnection'. As described by the church's founder Ron L Hubbard (right) as a 'necessary way to deal with someone who is 'antagonistic to Scientology or its tenets' and impedes a member's spiritual progress' Mr Jones said that their daughter got married last year but they didn't know it had happened until afterwards. While the desperate mother added: 'If they're sick, or if something happens to them, we won't know - we don't know.' The Jones' managed to raise the funds needed for the billboard advert through a GoFundMe page. Their plea: 'We are going to put up a billboard on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles to make people more aware of Scientology Disconnection, as well as hopefully entice those in Scientology to take that step of calling their loved ones, family, friends, or whoever they have disconnected from due to pressure from the Church of Scientology. 'In order to do this we're trying to raise enough money to put the billboard up for 3 months or more. 'We are putting up a portion of the money ourselves because we have 2 kids in Scientology who have disconnected from us due to the Disconnection Policy and duress from within the church, but will need help to get the rest of the way.' They have already raised $13,917. WHAT DOES 'DISCONNECTION' REALLY MEAN FOR SCIENTOLOGISTS? The Scientology website describes the disconnection process as a way to allow a Scientologist who may 'have trouble making spiritual progress in his auditing or training if he is connected to someone who is suppressive or who is antagonistic to Scientology or its tenets' By 'disconnecting' the person from the 'antagonistic' individual who 'continually invalidates them' their 'spiritual advancement' is able to progress. The church says that initially tries to 'handle' the other person's 'antagonism with true data about Scientology and the Church or, as a last resort, when all attempts to handle have failed, one 'disconnects' from or stops communicating with the person'. Scientology founder Ron L Hubbard defines the term as: 'The term handle most commonly means to smooth out a situation with another person by applying the technology of communication. 'The term disconnection is defined as a self-determined decision made by an individual that he is not going to be connected to another. It is a severing of a communication line. 'The basic principle of 'handle or disconnect' exists in any group and ours is no different. 'It is much like trying to deal with a criminal. If he will not handle, the society resorts to the only other solution: It 'disconnects' the criminal from the society. In other words, they remove the guy from society and put him in a prison because he won't handle his problem or otherwise cease to commit criminal acts against others.' Source: Scientology.org Advertisement The Jones' have also set up a website called Stop Scientology Disconnection, which aims to educate people about the process 'to expose this cruel and abusive practice' and 'to reconnect those who were estranged by Scientology'. This was the third attempt by the couple to erect an advert, according to the Laist. The initial location of the advert was to be just a block from Church leader David Miscavige's headquarters but the billboard company, Regency Outdoor Advertising, pulled the ad at the last minute. Phil Jones told Page Six that a Regency Sales rep had had three calls from Scientology's media company, who wanted to buy all of their inventory for the next three months'. Following that, another billboard company Outfront Media also apparently canceled their contract at short notice. But finally Lamar Media took on the contract and the sign was erected on 1631 Glendale Blvd Monday. Nordal Hauken writes that he feels sorry for his attacker Rapist was convicted and deported after serving his sentence A Norwegian politician has spoken of how how he felt guilty that the Somali asylum seeker who raped him was deported. Karsten Nordal Hauken, from As, Akershus, was raped in his home and the perpetrator was subsequently caught and jailed for 4.5 years. However, when Nordal Hauken found out that the man was to be deported back to Somalia after serving his time, he reveals he felt guilt that the man would possibly face hardship in his old country. Guilt: Left-wing politician Karsten Nordal Hauken was raped by a Somalian asylum seeker, but said the rapists subsequent deportation left him feeling guilty and sorry for his attacker Nordal Hauken has told his story as part of a television series on Norwegian state broadcaster NRK called Jeg mot Meg [Me against Myself] about mental illness and psychological struggles. Nordal Hauken, who describes himself as a 'young Socialist Left Party member, feminist and anti-racist', was attacked in his own home. Mr Nordal Hauken's attacker was jailed for 4.5 years and then deported back to Somalia (file photo) The politician reveals that he struggled to come to terms with being a heterosexual male rape victim, and subsequently self-medicated with alcohol and cannabis. 'I am a heterosexual man who was raped by a Somalian asylum seeker,' Nordal Hauken writes for NRK. 'My life fell into ruin, but now I feel guilty about him being sent out of the country.' He reveals how he was called up by the prison shortly before the perpetrator was to be deported to Somalia, having served 4.5 years in prison for the rape. 'I felt relief and happiness that he would be gone forever. I felt like the Norwegian State had taken responsibility to carry out the ultimate revenge, like an angry father confronting it's child's attacker. 'But I also had a strong feeling of guilt and responsibility. I was the reason that he would not be in Norway anymore, but rather sent to a dark uncertain future in Somalia Einstein privately criticized the US for not doing enough to defeat the Nazi Germany in a never-before-seen letter he sent to a colleague Albert Einstein privately criticized the US for not doing enough to defeat Nazi Germany in a never-before-seen letter he sent to a colleague. The German-born, Jewish scientist believed his adopted homeland would have failed to confront Nazi Germany if Hitler were not a lunatic, intent on world domination. He also suggested that for the first part of Second World War the White House was 'controlled by near fascist financiers' who sided with the Nazi regime, which was why the US did not enter the war until December 1941. The physicist's opinions have been revealed after the 1942 letter he wrote while at Princeton University emerged at auction for 30,000. It was sent to the university's president, Dr Frank Kingdon, who shared Einstein's concerns. It was never meant for public eyes as at the time of writing America had giving Einstein shelter from fascist persecution in Nazi Germany. The scientist thought the government's inaction had led to the consolidation of fascism in Europe and that American financiers tacitly encouraged the growth of the Far Right. Einstein, recognized as one of the most important minds in the twentieth century, was angered by America's relationship with Spanish dictator Francisco Franco after the country's civil war; the fact it had a diplomat in Vichy France - the French state which collaborated with the Nazis - and its treatment of Soviet Russia. He wrote: 'You can imagine how the new crimes committed by the Nazis in France make me suffer, crimes assisted to by the 'fascist' Vichy-traitors. 'I cannot, however, make up my mind to approach Washington on the matter. My reason is a sad one indeed and I wish to explain it to you so that you may understand my negative attitude: Why did Washington help to strangulate Loyalist Spain? The letter (pictured) was sent to sent Dr Frank Kingdon, the president of Princeton University, where Einstein taught Einstein suggested that for the first part of Second World War the White House was 'controlled by near fascist financiers' who sided with the Nazi regime, which was why the US did not enter the war until December 1941 'Why has it an official representative in fascist France? Why does it not recognize a French Government in Exile? 'Why does it flirt with Franco-Spain? 'Why is there no really serious effort to assist Russia in her dire need? 'Because it is a government controlled to a large degree by financiers the mentality of whom is near to the fascist frame of mind. 'If Hitler were not a lunatic he could easily have avoided the hostility of the Western powers. 'That he is a lunatic is the sole advantage in the present sinister picture of the world.' Einstein, who died aged 78 in 1955, wrote his broadside on September 3, 1942, nine years after the US had taken him in as a refugee. Einstein believed the US would have failed to confront Nazi Germany if Hitler were not a lunatic intent on world domination and was angered by America's relationship with dictator Franco (right) after the Spanish Civil War It was also nine months after America had entered the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour but he clearly thought his adopted country was not doing enough in Europe. The letter was sold by Dr Kingdon's family many years ago to a private dealer and is now being sold by American auctioneers Profiles in History. Joe Maddalena, president of Profiles in History, said: 'These letters provide a unique perspective on Albert Einstein, the greatest mind of the 20th century. 'Einstein didn't comment publicly about politics. He was very much on-message while living in America and was not critical of the country that had taken him in. 'But here he was saying that Washington was corrupted by financiers. Hitler was on the verge to taking over the world and Einstein was disappointed in America for not recognising what was going on. 'He really thought ultra-wealthy people were having an influence on Washington and they weren't looking out for the welfare of the USA or the rest of the world. 'He thought that it was only because Hitler was crazy and a lunatic that is why America was forced to act. 'He was biting the hand that feeds him and it would have placed him in a very precarious situation had it been made public at the time.' Dramatic new CCTV footage emerged today showing the ISIS militant dubbed the 'Man in White' fleeing the Brussels bombings that killed 32 people. Belgian prosecutors released a series of videos, pictures and graphics after painstakingly piecing together the movements of the world's most wanted man. They show him leaving Brussels Airport on foot moments before twin blasts killed 16 people in the terminal. He is then seen walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels as a second blast rocked the city's Metro station, killing another 16 victims. They also reveal for the first time that he discarded his infamous white jacket, from which he earned his nickname, and show him talking on a mobile phone moments before he disappeared for good. Prosecutors have released new CCTV footage showing the 'Man in White' leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were reportedly lost The militant strolls past members of the public as he leaves the airport moments before the blasts Belgian prosecutors released a series of videos, pictures and graphics after painstakingly piecing together the movements of the world's most wanted man Underneath, the fugitive's shirt appears bright blue with dark patches on the elbows. He was also wearing dark trousers and brown shoes with large white soles. Belgian authorities are hoping they or someone finds the discarded light-coloured jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. At a press conference in Brussels today, Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially appealing to people who might have filmed or photographed the suspect. He was seen with two suicide bombers who died in the March 22 attacks at the airport. At 8.50am, 24 minutes before another suicide bomber killed 16 more people at Maelbeek station, he was filmed here (above) on crossroads between Grote Daalstraat and Chaussee de Louvain Police say he then walked up the Chaussee de Louvain up to Meiser crossroads where he was recorded on CCTV footage at 9.42am A subsequent explosion at Brussels' Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same day. The first set of CCTV footage shows how he walked calmly out at 7.58am local time, past the Sheraton hotel, across the AVIS rental car park and out of the airport estate as the suicide bombers set off their explosive vests. His suitcase bomb packed with nails failed to go off. In the chaos he walked through Zaventem city, the suburb around the airport, and dumped his signature bright white jacket. Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen it. He walked further on the Chaussee de Louvain where he was again filmed at 9.49am talking his mobile phone He was filmed here moments before disappeared at the crossroads with the Rue du Noyer at 9.50am The CCTV footage shows was also wearing dark trousers and brown shoes with large white soles A map showing the route taken by the 'Man in White' in the one hour and 52 minutes after he fled the airport At 8.50am, 24 minutes before another suicide bomber killed 16 more people at Maelbeek station, he was filmed on crossroads between Grote Daalstraat and Chaussee de Louvain. At that moment, he was wearing a bright shirt with rolled-up sleeves. He also appeared to be on the phone. Police say he then walked up the Chaussee de Louvain up to Meiser crossroads where he was recorded on CCTV footage at 9.42am. He walked further on the Chaussee de Louvain where he was again filmed at 9.49am, on Avenue de la Brabanconne where he disappeared at the crossroads with the Rue du Noyer at 9.50am. New close-up image reveal further detail of the failed bomber's jacket whic he wore to Brussels Airport A CCTV image from the Brussels Airport shows the 'Man in White' (right) with two suicide bomber accomplices moments before they detonated, killing 16 people in the terminal He has not been seen since then. The jacket he left behind is described as bright white with a hood which is dark inside. Federal prosecutor Thierry Werts also said there had been many people around the hotel when the suspect walked by who may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked 'people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information' to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. If you saw the offender while he was on the run or if you know which way he went afterwards, please contact the investigators on 0032 2 554 44 88. Authorities in Tennessee say an officer fatally shot a woman who attacked with a medieval-style ax. 40-year-old Laronda Sweatt of Gallatin became combative when Sumner County sheriff's deputy Gary Pickard accompanied housing authorities to serve an eviction notice on her Wednesday. Sweatt stabbed Pickard using the ax, WKRN reported. 40-year-old Laronda Sweatt of Gallatin (left) became combative when Sumner County sheriff's deputy Gary Pickard (right) accompanied housing authorities to serve an eviction notice on her Wednesday Gallatin police said in a news release they sent several officers when Pickard requested help. Sweatt then threatened Gallatin Officer James Spray with the ax and Spray shot her. The Gallatin Police Department said in a statement issued to the Gallatin News: 'Laronda Sweatt met Officer James Spray in the street and backed him up to his vehicle while threatening him with the same ax that she assaulted the Sumner Deputy. 'As she continued advancing and making aggressive movement with the ax towards our officer, Officer Spray fired two shots striking Sweatt both times. 'Officers immediately attended Sweatt with medical treatment; however, she later died at Sumner Regional Medical Center.' Pickard was hospitalized and later released, WKRN reported. The incident comes amid a national debate and increased scrutiny over police treatment of black people and several deaths that have made international headlines. Sweatt is black. Spray, who's white, has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. Gallatin police said in a news release it sent several officers when Pickard requested help. Sweatt then threatened Gallatin Officer James Spray (pictured) with the ax and Spray shot her The Gallatin Police Department said: 'Our hearts are heavy as a life was taken and we ask the community to lift up prayers for the Sweatt family along with the law enforcement families of those involved and the employees of the Gallatin Housing Authority who witnessed this tragic incident.' Ella Sweatt is Laronda's mother and told WKRN: 'Laronda was a very sweet, caring person until you pushed her. 'Laronda wasn't violent unless you made her violent. She was a good mother, she took good care of her child. 'Her and I had our ups and downs, but she was my only child out of five, and I love Laronda dearly.' Ella Sweatt also told the station: 'Laronda didn't like to fight. 'All through school the child had to fight. They picked on her because she was small. 'Yea, she was a beautiful young lady and she's still a beautiful lady who died. 'She died a beautiful lady. And I'm not gonna be satisfied until I get the truth.' Sweatt's cousin Henry Apple claimed to the Tennessean that Laronda had a 'mental problem.' He told the news outlet: 'She was a good person. It could have been avoided, him killing her and shooting her in the chest like that. 'It could have been avoided.' Gallatin Police Chief Don Bandy told the newspaper: 'Transparency is key here. We have video cameras inside our cars. We also have body cameras, and they were all active. Matthew Gallagher has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse after his girlfriend's two-year-old son was found choking on an octopus A mother's boyfriend has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse after a toddler was found unconscious with a small octopus lodged in his throat. The boy's mother returned from work shortly after 9.30pm on Tuesday to find her boyfriend, Matthew Gallagher, giving her son CPR. The two-year-old boy was choking on the two-inch octopus, which was meant to be prepared as sushi, according to police in Wichita, Kansas. Paramedics took the boy - who was not breathing - to hospital where doctors removed the octopus and found injuries to the toddler's face. The two-year-old is still in a serious condition in hospital. Doctors fear oxygen deprivation suffered while the boy was choking may have caused brain damage, the Wichita Eagle reported. Gallagher, 36, was arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of child abuse, but has since been released. Investigators said Gallagher had been left alone to take care of the boy while the 21-year-old mother was at work. Scroll down for video When interview by police, he was unable to explain how the boy ended up choking on the octopus, KSN reported. Neighbors saw police at the home and were shocked to hear about the alleged child abuse. 'I teach a lot of swim lessons with a lot of kids. It's shocking how someone could do that to a kid, it's just strange the situation,' neighbor Mitchell Wagner told Kake.com. Kandyce Downer (pictured), 35, is accused of beating little Keegan Downer to death A mum battered her 18-month-old foster daughter to death which such force the child suffered more than 90 injuries, a court heard today. Kandyce Downer, 35, is accused of beating little Keegan Downer so ferociously that she had broken legs and ribs, and suffered severe head and spine injuries. The little girl, who was fostered by Downer after her drug addict mum was unable to look after her, died last September. A post mortem revealed she had 91 injuries to her body, including 29 recent scars and marks to her head and neck. Keegan, also known as Shi-Anne, was found unconscious at Downer's home in Weoley Castle, Birmingham, on September 5 last year after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but was pronounced dead. Mother-of-four Downer appeared at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday where she denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. The court heard Keegan was born on March 9, 2014, and soon after was put into foster care. In January last year she went to live with Downer, who was studying a full-time business course and became the tot's legal guardian. Prosecutor Nigel Power QC said Keegan went to nursery on June 5, 2015. He said: 'That was the last time any professionals had anything to do with Keegan. 'Three months later on the morning of September 5 the defendant called 999 from her home address.' She told the operator: 'My daughter is not breathing.' She was told to blow in her mouth. When paramedics arrived Downer told them she did not know when the toddler had stopped breathing because she had been in the bath. The toddler had broken legs and ribs, and suffered severe head and spine injuries in the lead up to her death. Keegan, also known as Shi-Anne, was found unconscious at Downer's home in Weoley Castle, Birmingham, on September 5 after suffering a cardiac arrest Mr Power said: 'The likelihood is that Keegan was already dead when paramedics arrived. 'A large number of people tried to save Keegan but it was already too late. 'Since she died an equally large number of people have tried to establish how in fact she died. 'The prosecution say the picture was one of repeated episodes of inflicted injury and apparent neglect.' The court heard Keegan had 49 older scars and other marks to the face and body, 29 signs of recent injury to the head and neck and 13 of recent injury to her body. She also had bruises to both arms and her right leg. The court heard the injuries could have been caused up to a month before her death. Mr Power said: 'There were numerous old and new fractures to her legs and ribs and there was historic traumatic injury, possibly caused on more than one occasion, to her head and spine. 'The fractures would have caused pain and would have been obvious to anyone around her. 'All those repeated traumas ultimately caused Keegan to die from a combination of septicaemia, blunt chest trauma and old head injuries.' Mr Power said Downer admitted having full responsibility for Keegan and that she was the 'only one candidate' for causing the injuries over a significant period of time. Pathologists found multiple rib fractures caused by blunt force trauma and lacerations to the lining of the lips which may have been caused by hard slaps, punching, or force feeding bottles or cutlery into her mouth. A policeman stands outside Downer's home - where Keegan was found unconcious on September 5 last year Consultant paediatrician Dr Ben Stanhope said a fracture to Keegan's right femur would have left her in 'excruciating pain'. In a written statement he told the court: 'It is unquestionable that a fracture to the femur of this nature would have caused Keegan excruciating pain. 'It is likely that she will have cried, possibly screamed, extensively on many occasions. 'Rib fractures are typically very painful injuries. They will have caused persistent severe pain for Keegan every time she moved her trunk or breathed. 'It is inconceivable that any parent or carer looking after Keegan at the time of any of the injuries would not have been very obviously aware of her pain and distress. 'The injuries to the upper and lower lip are the most severe I have seen in over 20 years working in paediatrics.' Keegan died from septicaemia, blunt chest trauma, an old head injury and a bacterial infection. She weighed 8.05kg (17.7lbs) at the time of her death and a post-mortem showed signs of 'developmental regression'. The tragic toddler was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital (pictured) but was pronounced dead on arrival Doctors said the injuries to her mouth and lips could have made it too painful for the tot to eat or drink. Pathologists concluded that there were 'repeated episodes of inflicted injury and neglect'. The court heard that a large number of scars on her skin were not noticed in the earlier stages of her life when she was being seen regularly by health professionals. Prosecutor Nigel Power QC said: 'Murder is the charge we say the defendant is undoubtedly guilty of. 'There is no other realistic candidate for the infliction, over a sustained period, of those many and terrible injuries that led to Keegan's death. 'Her [Downer's] actions on the morning that the emergency services were called are entirely in keeping with her being guilty of murder - namely, twice leaving her [Keegan] alone at home, once to dispose of bedding.' Christopher Millington QC, defending, said: 'The crucial question in this case is likely to be who caused these injuries to Keegan. 'Miss Downer denies causing any injuries or being aware that anyone else had done so.' A business tycoon who cut his 'secret' daughter out of his fortune and left it all to his mistress 'knew and approved' of what he was doing, a judge has ruled. Ken Jordan, formerly of Frimley, Surrey, amassed an estimated 2million estate off the back of his road line painting business. His marriage to wife Vivienne, with whom he had two children, fell apart when she discovered he was in a relationship with her cousin, Bernice Elliott, to whom he later left everything in his will. His third child, Ruth Simmonds, Mr Jordan's daughter from a relationship before his marriage, challenged that and claimed she was entitled to 100,000 from his fortune. She said he may not have been in his right mind when he disinherited her. But at the High Court, Judge Edward Murray dashed her hopes of a share of his estate when he ruled there was no sign he was 'insane' or 'deluded'. Business tycoon Ken Jordan, 75, left his entire 2million estate to his mistress Bernice Elliott (pictured) The court heard Mr Jordan owned two industrial yards and had been able to buy homes for both his son and his daughter during his marriage to Mrs Jordan. The couple's marriage broke down in 2008 and Mr Jordan later moved out of their house in Frimley, Surrey, to the Sunrise Care Home in nearby Bagshot after being diagnosed with cancer. Following their split, Mr Jordan changed his previous will to cut out his now-estranged wife and children. Instead, he left everything to his lover, except 100,000 each to his two sisters and Mrs Simmonds, now 58. But he changed his mind again in January 2012 and this time left everything to Miss Elliott. He died, aged 75, in August 2012. Mr Jordan left his entire fortune to his lover, Miss Elliott, pictured outside the High Court in London Mrs Simmonds claimed her father was 'confused' and not of sound mind when he signed the will in the care home and insisted he had no reason to strip her of her inheritance. Her lawyers argued there were 'real doubts' over his mental ability to make a valid will in the months before he died. James Weale, acting for Mrs Simmonds, said: 'Overall, real doubts have been raised about the deceased's capacity and his knowledge and approval. 'Those would have been dispelled if he had contemporaneous assessment from a doctor.' But his brother-in-law and solicitor, Richard Mumford, told the court Mr Jordan 'kept his cards close to his chest' and never discussed his firstborn with him. He said: 'Ken never mentioned Ruth to me at all. I knew of her existence, he said she was going to pick him up and that sort of thing, but he never mentioned her. 'He never told me he had given anything to Ruth. 'I have no idea why he changed the will, but he knew his own mind and that is what he wanted to do.' At the High Court, Judge Murray ruled against Mrs Simmonds and said there was 'plenty of evidence' of Mr Jordan's 'firm intention' to leave everything he owned to his mistress. He said Mr Jordan did not need to be of a 'perfectly balanced mind' and his motives for disinheriting his firstborn were irrelevant, even if they were 'capricious, frivolous, mean or even bad'. He added: 'There is no evidence of a psychiatric condition amounting to a disorder of the mind, no evidence of insane delusion or anything of that kind 'There were no other suspicious circumstances raising a doubt as to whether the 2012 will represented the testamentary intention of Mr Jordan.' Vladimir Putin has said the release of the Panama Papers is part of an American plot to 'rock Russia from within' - and his friend named in the leak was just 'buying musical instruments'. The Russian president hit out at the leak of 11.5million documents from a Panama-based law firm, some of which revealed cellist Sergei Roldugin had quietly built up a sprawling business empire. The empire is alleged to be involved in offshore transactions which might be linked to Putin, a friend of 64-year-old Roldugin. Russian President Vladimir Putin told an audience in St Petersburg that the recent leak of the Panama Papers was designed to destabalise the country by suggesting corruption at the highest levels The leaked documents revealed Sergei Roldugin, a cellist and friend of Putin, had quietly built up a sprawling empire offshore, which the Russian president said was used to buy musical instruments to be donated On Thursday, Putin spoke out in defence of his friend, saying Roldugin had done nothing wrong and spent the money he earned from business on buying expensive musical instruments which he was donating to public institutions. What's more, he claim the leak was part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. 'Our opponents are above all concerned by the unity and consolidation of the Russian nation. They are attempting to rock us from within, to make us more pliant,' said Putin, in his first public comments on the leaks, made to an audience in St Petersburg. 'There is a certain friend of the president of Russia, he did such and such a thing, and there is probably a corruption element there. 'But there isn't any (element of corruption).' Putin said Roldugin was a brilliant musician and a minority shareholder in a Russian company from which he earned some money but not 'billions of dollars'. He said Roldugin had spent almost all the money he had made from the venture on acquiring expensive musical instruments abroad which he was in the process of handing over to state institutions. 'I am proud to have such friends,' said Putin. Putin said there wasn't 'any element' of corruption and that he was 'proud to be friends' with Roldugin State Department spokesman Mark Toner rejected the notion that the U.S. is behind the allegations. The papers, from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, were leaked to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. They then became part of a broader investigation coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The files, which contained the details of clients around the world, prompted Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, the prime minister of Iceland, to quit, put British Prime Minister David Cameron under pressure over his family's financial affairs, and sparked calls in Ukraine to investigate President Petro Poroshenko. But in Russia, where state media closely hews to the Kremlin's line, the allegations have either been played down or portrayed as part of an attempt to undermine the ruling elite before parliamentary elections later this year. A newly married husband has been accused of strangling his teenage bride to death on their wedding night - after he found out that she was not a virgin. Khanzadi Lashari, 19, was dressed in her bridal suit when her husband Qalandar Baksh Khokhar, 28, also her cousin, allegedly killed her on their wedding night, in Jacobabad district of Sindh, Pakistan. Khanzadis father, Lal Mohammad Lashari, 60, became suspicious after he didnt hear from his daughter and son-in-law after the wedding and failed to get any response when he reached their house. Khanzadi Lashari (left), 19, was dressed in her bridal suit when her husband Qalandar Baksh Khokhar (right), 28, also her cousin, killed her on their wedding night The family notified the police and after they forced their way into the house they found Khanzadis lifeless body lying on the bed and Qalandar missing. Khanzadis brother Ali Sher Lashari, 37, filed an FIR against Qalandar and his four brothers accusing them of strangling his sister to death. He said: Qalandar was of a sceptic nature and everyone in our family knew about it but we never thought he could be so dangerous that wed lose our sister. Ali added that all was well at the wedding ceremony on March 30 but became suspicious after the couple left the venue. The family notified the police and after they forced their way into the house they found Khanzadis lifeless body lying on the bed and Qalandar missing Qalandar was caught the next day with a bullet to his leg and arrested, after the police traced his mobile number and location. Khanzadi Lashari is pictured above The wedding went well and everyone including the couple enjoyed the ceremony, he said. It took place with their mutual consent and we didnt notice any negativity in Qalandar Baksh. Qalandar was caught the next day with a bullet to his leg and arrested, after the police traced his mobile number and location. Police took him straight to Civil Hospital Police Ward, in Jacobabad, where his wounds were treated before taking him into custody. Superintendent Sajjad Khokhar, 46, of the Civil Line Police Station, said: Qalandar has admitted that he killed his wife with the cotton twine of her salwar suit for not being a virgin and fled from there. Arabic set to become second largest first language in Sweden Arabic is set to become the second largest first language in Sweden, with Finnish being overtaken for the first time in history. Finnish has been the most commonly spoken non-Swedish mother tongue for more than 1,000 years, but it is now set to come in third. This is a result of an ageing Finnish-speaking population and the influx of migrants and refugees from Arabic-speaking nations in recent years, researchers say. One nation, many languages: While Swedish is this unchallenged as the main language, Finnish is set to be overtaken by Arabic in second place Finnish as the second largest language spoken in Sweden has deep roots in the history of both countries. Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden for 560 years, until 1809 when Sweden effectively handed over the country to Russia as part of the peace deal that ended the Finnish War. But even 150 years after after the separation, a large number of Finnish migrants continued to arrive in Sweden, and in 2012, an estimated 200,000 people had Finnish as a first language. However, with native Finnish speakers ageing and the new generation of migrants coming from further afield, it is estimated that Arabic is due to take over in the next few years. 'Most speakers of Finnish are also immigrants. But they came several decades ago and are now dying,' Professor Mikael Parkvall, a linguist at Stockholm University, told Sveriges Radio. Reshaping the nation: The exponential growth in the number of Swedish people with Arabic as their mother tongue is linked to the influx of migrants and refugees in recent years 'They have to some extent passed the language on to their children but not to the extent that it would compensate for their own deaths.' More than 155,000 people in Sweden spoke Arabic as their first language in 2012, a number which is expected to have grown exponentially since. In 2015 alone, Sweden welcomed 165,000 migrants and refugees, many of them from Arabic-speaking nations. Mr Parkvall has therefore concluded that unless it is already the case, Arabic is soon to be the second most common mother tongue in Sweden. However, he stresses that this conclusion is based on his own research, and not on official first-language statistics as there is no such thing in Sweden. A judge has ruled a young boy has to be given intense chemotherapy for a brain tumour, despite his parents objecting to the treatment. Angela Kiszko and Colin Strachan, from Perth, were told by the Western Australian Family Court their six-year-old son, Oshin, has to start the medical care last week. Oshin was was diagnosed with medulloblastoma last December, however his parents do not want him to get chemotherapy and radiotherapy because they do not want their son to become a 'lab rat', the West Australian reports. Scroll down for video A judge has ruled a young boy, Oshin (pictured), has to be given intense chemotherapy for a brain tumour, despite his parents objecting to the treatment Instead of the cancer treatment, Ms Kiszko and Mr Strachan want to put their son on palliative care. The court was told Oshin would die in the next few months without treatment, however they admitted the chances of him surviving more than five years even with the treatment were slim. According to the newspaper, Family Court chief justice Stephen Thackray was told the six-year-old had a 30 per cent chance of surviving more than five years on chemotherapy, and a 50 per cent chance on chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Despite it being against the odds, Judge Thackray said the chance of a cure in the future 'is the matter that most heavily must weigh in the decision'. Angela Kiszko (middle) and Colin Strachan (back), from Perth, were told by the Western Australian Family Court their six-year-old son, Oshin, has to start the medical care last week Ms Kiszko said she did not want to put her son through the treatment after seeing what it had done to her mother and step-mother - both of whom died of cancer. 'I have watched and learned what all these children and their families go through and it is nothing short of toxic hell,' she said, according to the West Australian. 'The children are not really alive, they are completely drugged and exhausted and on the verge of death. 'It almost feels like Nazi Germany and I am honestly sickened by the treatment of all these children.' Mr Strachan posted an emotional message on social media, saying he was 'watching young Oshin getting sick' once the treatment started and he couldn't stop it Mr Strachan shared an emotional message on Facebook last week, along with a picture of him and his son. 'Today is Oshin's 6th birthday and his 6th day of court imposed Chemotherapy as sad as it is i will work at making it a beautiful day for him,' the post read. 'I love you my little soldier may your strength and determination get you through all this.' Mr Strachan posted another comment about the treatment, saying: 'Just when you think you know what pain is something comes along to show you some more. In hospital watching young Oshin getting sick and there is not a f***ing thing i can do about it.' The court was told Oshin (pictured) would die in the next few months without treatment, however they admitted the chances of him surviving more than five years even with the treatment were slim Family friend Lynda Jones started an online petition to 'stop forced medical treatment', adding Oshin's parents have been 'treated as criminals' after opting not to let their son have 'debilitating chemotherapy and radiation treatment'. 'They were told if he were to survive the treatment, he would be severely incapacitated for the rest of his life,' the petition reads. 'The parents opted not to do this and were more confident in following specialist, non-invasive treatments available offshore. That was when the nightmare began. 'Then four months after the initial diagnosis, the parents were summoned to the Family Court in Western Australia, where the judge used the legal power bestowed on him to override the parents decision... against their will and with the understanding that the chance of survival was not good. Megyn Kelly spoke about the media's treatment of Donald Trump Wednesday night during an interview with Katie Couric, and suggested that his high poll numbers are the result of the amount of coverage he is given by news programs and journalists. 'Yes, we all have to worry about numbers to some extent. That's the reality of TV news in 2016. But we also have to worry about our souls, and journalism,' Kelly told Couric while being interviewed at the seventh annual Women in the World Summit. Kelly appeared at the event in a blue peephole dress by Yigal Azrouel that costs $1200 and a pair of Valentino stilettos that retail for $1200 - but are currently sold out. Scroll down for video Come together: Megyn Kelly spoke with Katie Couric on Wednesday night at the seventh annual Women in the World Summit Thoughts: She suggested that Trump's high poll numbers are the result of the endless coverage he is given by news programs and journalists Look: Kelly appeared at multiple events Wednesday in the blue peephole dress (left) and a pair of four-inch Valentino stilettos that go for $1200 (right) She posed up with fellow news anchor Savannah Guthrie at the Hollywood Reporter event Kelly went on to say that Trump's rise in the polls seemed to have a direct correlation to his coverage in the media. 'And then the media would sit there and say, "It's amazing how the polls are just up, up,"' said Kelly. 'It's like, you're putting your thumb on the scale. It's not an anti-Trump thing. It's a responsibility as journalists thing.' Kelly said that she spoke with her team ahead of the primaries about making sure coverage was equal for all candidates, telling them; 'When the post-mortem is done on the coverage of Donald Trump, wherever this race goes, let's make sure we're on the side of the angels.' Kelly also said during the interview 'we don't do that for other candidates, so it's not fair.' She also spoke about how in addition to being attacked by Trump she also receives 'vitriol' from his followers on social media. 'I try to stay off Twitter,' said Kelly. 'But of course it has bothered me, and it has gotten very ugly. I try to stay in my happy world. 'I dont like having to put my kids to bed and think about that vitriol, but I understand its part of the job.' The Fox News host sat down with Charlie Rose for an episode of CBS Sunday Morning that aired over the weekend, and revealed that she was upset when O'Reilly failed to defend her against Trump's attacks when he pulled out of the Iowa debate she moderated in January. Kelly did however say; 'I think Bill did the best he's capable of doing in those circumstances.' She also criticized CNN for airing the event Trump was holding for veterans at the same time she was hosting the debate. 'There should have been a moment of solidarity among journalists that night to say, "We will not allow ourselves to be bullied by a presidential front runner, even one as powerful and as ahead in the polls at that point as Trump was,"' said Kelly. '"This is about journalism and the First Amendment, and we will put the debate moderator out on the stage that we think is appropriate." 'And I think it's a slippery slope when we don't stand shoulder to shoulder in those moments.' Kelly went on to say that the best way to teach Trump a lesson would be to ban him from appearing on television, which she acknowledges is not possible. 'What he really wants is oxygen, you know, he wants television time,' said Kelly. 'So the only thing that is really meaningful to him, the only consequence that would actually have an effect on him, we cannot enact because it would be insane. You cannot ban the presidential front runner from a channel.' Kelly said of the media and Trump; 'It's like, you're putting your thumb on the scale. It's not an anti-Trump thing. It's a responsibility as journalists thing' The host of The Kelly File also has some positive things to say about Trump as well, saying of the Republican front-runner; 'Trump, if he could pull himself back in just somewhat, would be so effective.' She then added; 'He's already been so effective. He could be so much more effective.' At one point in the interview, Rose says to Kelly; 'Has anything about this campaign season made you want to throw up your arms and say, "Politics has gone crazy in America!"' Kelly responds by saying; 'I've had the same feeling.' Rose then asked Kelly about her feud with Trump and if the two even had a relationship before last August's debate when his attacks first began on the political commentator. Kelly said she and Trump had no relationship before that debate, where her questions asking the presidential hopeful to address his negative comments about women and their appearance led to him saying the next day that she had 'blood coming out of her wherever.' She then got into why she believes she is constantly at the receiving end of his vitriolic attacks. 'I think its very clear to him that he cannot control the editorial on my show or me in a debate or other settings,' said Kelly. New hand: Paul Manafort is a veteran operative who helped the last Republican to take the nomination at a contested convention - Gerald Ford Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is strengthening his team and refocusing on New York after tactical failures have raised doubts about his campaign operation. The billionaire's campaign announced Thursday that veteran operative Paul Manafort would be taking on an expanded campaign role as chances grow of the Republican nomination being decided by a contested party convention. The move comes after Trump's loss this week in Wisconsin to rival Ted Cruz, which makes it increasingly unlikely that Trump will be unable to collect the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination before the national Republican convention. The addition of Manafort to Trump's team also signals a less prominent role for campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who recently was charged with simple battery over an incident with a female reporter in Florida. Lewandowski says he's innocent. 'The nomination process has reached a point that requires someone familiar with the complexities involved in the final stages,' Trump said in a statement. Manafort has worked on conventions for Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. But he has also worked for controversial foreign leaders, the Washington Post reported. It named previous clients during his 40-years working as a lobbyist and political consultant as Viktor Yanukovych, who was until he was ousted, the president of Ukraine - and an ally of Vladimir Putin. Other clients include a business group which the newspaper said was linked to Ferdinand Marcos, the Filipno dictator ousted by a popular uprising in 1986 after using martial law between 1976 and 1981 to keep a grip on the archipelago. Another was Lynden Pindling, a prime minister of the Bahamas accused of links to the drugs trade. However it is work for Gerald Ford in 1976 which is of crucial interest to the Trump campaign. Ford, the sitting president, faced a contested convention but beat Ronald Reagan to the nomination in a battle carried out on the floor. Manafort worked for Ford and was seen as crucial to the victory, an experience which Trump will hope he can bring to Cleveland, where he faces a party establishment which appears keen to stop him becoming the candidate. Trump's unconventional campaign operation is known for being unusually small and insular. There are no pollsters, no media consultants and few outside policy advisers, with the candidate determining much of the messaging himself. Trump is now focusing on the April 19 primary in his home state of New York, where early opinion surveys show him with a commanding lead. His team has cleared his schedule, cancelling planned trips to California and Colorado. New move: Trump, last seen campaigning in Long Island on Wednesday, has appointed a hard-charging new adviser to prepare for a contested convention Team Trump: The small and insular campaign team has been hit by the prosecution of Corey Lewandowski (left), who is charged with battery of a female reporter after a press conference held by the GOP frontrunner On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders hopes to turn his recent winning streak into concrete momentum toward the party nomination. But the Vermont senator must win 68 percent of the remaining delegates and uncommitted superdelegates, which would require blowout victories in states big and small, including New York. While Sanders is a Brooklyn native, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is a former senator from New York, and she has been highlighting her economic record in visits to struggling cities throughout the state. Trump's remaining Republican rivals, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, were both in New York City on Thursday. Former mayor Rudy Giuliani announced that he will be voting for Trump in the primary. Cruz has been criticized for a comment he made in a debate in January, where he said, 'Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal or pro-abortion or pro-gay marriage. Not a lot of conservatives come out of Manhattan.' A Saudi judge has divorced an eight-months-pregnant woman from her husband against the couple's will - after deciding she could have married someone better. Maha Al Tamimi's uncles had called on the judge to bring an end to their niece's marriage to a soldier stationed in South Saudi Arabia, near the border with Yemen. They claimed she had married him without her father's approval even though she claimed it was because her uncles thought the couple did not have 'compatible family origins'. A Saudi judge has divorced an eight-months-pregnant woman from her husband against the couple's will - after deciding she could have married someone better (file picture) She has now appealed through the media for Saudi authorities to intervene and overturn the judgment. According to Emirates247, Tamimi claimed she had been given the go ahead to get married by her older brother. She said she had not received her father's consent because he had taken a second wife and no-longer lived with the family. The website said she had claimed to have been mistreated by her father and even took him to court in the past because he rejected all her potential suitors. She is quoted as saying: 'My uncles claimed in court that I married against my fathers wish - but their real reason is that and I and my husband do not have compatible family origins as they believe. 'I appeal for the Monarch to intervene to save me and my baby.' Her husband claimed the judge backed his wife's uncles because he lived in the same neighbourhood. ISIS fighters have kidnapped 300 cement workers outside the Syrian capital Damascus, it has emerged. Extremists seized the labourers from an area close to the town of Dumeir, northeast of the capital. The hostages were taken near the spot where militants had launched an assault against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad earlier this week. ISIS fighters have kidnapped 300 cement workers outside the Syrian capital of Damascus (file picture) The workers and contractors of Al Badia Cement company were taken from near the town of Dumeir and their employer had lost all contact with them, the industry ministry is quoted as saying. A source in the company told state-run news agency SANA that there has been no success in efforts to establish contact with any of the workers. SANA said 'employees and executives of the Al-Badia cement factory' were abducted by the jihadists, after local residents reported that at least 250 workers at the plant had been missing since Monday. 'The company has informed the industry ministry that it hasn't been able to make contact with kidnapped individuals,' SANA said. Mass abductions have taken place on occasion in Syria during the country's devastating civil war, now in its sixth year, most often of religious minorities such as Christians. The abduction came as fighting with ISIS militants raged in northern Syria on Thursday. Syrian opposition fighters have advanced on strongholds of the terror group, including the ISIS-held town of al-Rai in northern Aleppo along the border with Turkey. Earlier this week, ISIS fighters launched attacks on government-held areas near Damascus in what a Syrian source said appeared to be a response to the group's loss of ground elsewhere. The group said in a statement it had attacked the Tishrin power station, 30 miles northeast of the capital. The Syrian military source acknowledged the group had staged assaults, but said all those who took part had been killed. Earlier this week, ISIS fighters launched attacks on government-held areas near Damascus (pictured) in what a Syrian source said appeared to be a response to the group's loss of ground elsewhere Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes have forced ISIS militants out of the town of al-Qaryatain, which lies between Damascus and the ancient city of Palymrya, itself recaptured by the government last week. ISIS has also been losing ground to US-allied Kurdish forces in northern Syria, and in recent days to Turkish-backed rebel groups fighting a separate battle against the group north of Aleppo. The Syrian source said Tuesday night's attacks outside Damascus appeared to be the jihadist group's response to its reverses around Palymra. ISIS attackers, using five bomb-laden cars, also struck military positions near the Dumeir military airport 25 miles northeast of Damascus, killing 12 soldiers, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ISIS claimed the bombings in an online statement, saying it carried out a suicide attack on government forces which were moving north from the military airport. Government forces responded with shelling and air strikes around the Dumeir area, which is held by a rebel group sympathetic to ISIS, the Observatory said. It added that the strikes have killed at least 15 civilians there, including four young girls from the same family, and that around 15 Islamic State fighters, as well as the drivers of its five bomb-laden cars, died in the clashes. The 23-year-old is facing charges for preparing an attack and recruiting others to a terror organisation An accused terrorist who allegedly purchased a stockpile of guns, machetes, knives and balaclavas was only 'days away' from launching a bloody attack on Australian soil, according to police. Agim Kruezi, from Logan, will face eight more terror related charges in the Brisbane Magistrate Court, bringing the total number of his offences to 15, after the Australian Federal Police presented more evidence against the 23-year-old terror suspect on Thursday, the Courier Mail reported. Kruezi, who appeared via video-link, was already facing seven offences which included transporting weapons and equipment - such as machetes, knives, balaclavas, military uniforms and guns- in preparation for a terrorist act, unlawfully possessing a rifle and recruiting members to a terrorist organisation. Scroll down for video Agim Kruezi, from Logan, will face eight more terror related charges in the Brisbane Magistrate Court The fresh charges against him, which were laid when his case was briefly mentioned in court, include five more offences relating to planning or preparing for a terrorist act and three others over preparing for incursions into war-torn Syria for hostile activities, the Courier Mail reported. The 23-year-old, who was born in Australia, was arrested in September 2014 alongside his co-accused Omar Succarieh after a spate of counter terror raids across Brisbane and Logan. Like Kruezi, Succarieh is also accused of preparing for incursions into Syria. But he's also facing a charge of providing funds to the terrorist organisation Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. Police will reportedly allege that Kruezi bought a plane ticket to Kosovo in 2014 and had attempted to board a flight at Brisbane International Airport on March 9 when he was stopped and his belongings were searched. The fresh charges against him, which were laid when his case was briefly mentioned in court, include five more offences relating to planning or preparing for a terrorist act and three others over preparing for incursions into war-torn Syria for hostile activities The 23-year-old, who was born in Australia, was arrested in September 2014 alongside his co-accused Omar Succarieh (pictured) They were both arrested following a spate of counter terror raids across Brisbane and Logan It has been alleged that he purchased weapons including a black-handled Gurkha Kukri machete, a 10-litre plastic jerry can with petrol and a compound bow with arrows between May and September 2014, according to the Courier Mail. It is believed he was planning for an imminent terror attack in Australia, however the target of that attack remains unknown. His father Milazim told the Courier Mail that he was 'frustrated' with the drawn out proceedings but was impressed with his son's patience. It is believed Kruezi was planning for an imminent terror attack in Australia, however the target of that attack remains unknown He continued to maintain Kruezi's innocence, adding that he had 'nothing to worry about'. '[He's doing] better than I ever imagined because he knows he's an innocent man. He's got a clear conscience.' According to Ten News, Kruezi told the court he understood the new charges against him, which relate to a period between November 2013 to September 2014. His lawyer requested the case be adjourned for a month and made no application for bail. General Counsel James Baker, the FBI's top attorney, believes WhatsApp's ramped up encryption will help terrorists and criminals communicate without detection The FBI's top attorney believes WhatsApp's ramped up encryption will help terrorists and criminals communicate without detection. General Counsel James Baker said the decision by the messaging platform to improve security - so the conversations of its one billion users are protected - 'presents us with a significant problem'. The update arrived amid a heightened international debate over how much access law enforcement should have to digital communications. It follows a high-profile showdown between Apple and the FBI over an encrypted iPhone linked to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Speaking during an event hosted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Baker said the encryption now threatens the reach of law enforcement agencies. According to US News he said: 'If the public does nothing, encryption like that will continue to roll out. 'It has public safety costs. Folks have to understand that, and figure out how they are going to deal with that. Do they want the public to bear those costs? Do they want the victims of terrorism to bear those costs?' It means all phone calls, texts, and even media files are visible only to people included in the thread. According to a recent WhatsApp Blog post, end-to-end encryption will lock out cybercriminals, hackers, oppressive regimes, and even WhatsApp officials to keep your data private. Messages on the Facebook-owned service will only be visible to the person who has sent them, and the individuals on the receiving end. Baker said the decision by the messaging platform to improve security - so the conversations of its one billion users are protected - 'presents us with a significant problem' The system works by using a lock to secure messages between individuals or in a group chat. This lock is paired with a distinct key, which only the sender and the recipients will have. Each message in the conversation will have its own unique lock and key, the website explains and the exchanges will occur automatically. Users wont have to turn on a particular setting to secure their messages with the latest version of the app, end-to-end encryption will be an automatic feature. We live in a world where more of our data is digitized than ever before, the blog post explains. Every day we see stories about sensitive records being improperly accessed or stolen. And if nothing is done, more of peoples digital information and communication will be vulnerable to attack in the years to come. WHAT IS END-TO-END ENCRYPTION? With 'end-to-end' encryption, messages are visible only to the person who has sent them and the individuals that were meant to receive. The system works by using a lock to secure messages between individuals or in a group chat. This lock is paired with a distinct key, which only the sender and the recipients will have. This will will lock out cybercriminals, hackers, oppressive regimes, and even WhatsApp officials to keep your data private, the blog says. Advertisement Fortunately, end-to-end encryption protects us from these vulnerabilities. The move follows the recent battle between Apple CEO Tim Cook and the FBI over the encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists. Tensions began on December 2 last year when ISIS-inspired terrorist Syed Farook massacred 14 people in San Bernardino, California, and left behind an iPhone 5s which the FBI tried to access. Apple refused a court order by the FBI to assist its investigation because it claims the Bureau wants it to build a backdoor that could be used to unlock thousands of other devices. The tech giant says that the row has grave implications in the wider debate about privacy and government surveillance. Starting today, users will see a notice in their conversation screen as their individual and group chats become end to end encrypted. As of last week, the FBI was able to hack into the iPhone with help from an Israeli firm. HOW TO USE IT To make this transition as clear as possible, WhatsApp clients notify users when their chats become end to end encrypted. Starting today, users will see a notice in their conversation screen as their individual and group chats become end to end encrypted. Additionally, the encryption status of any chat is visible under that chat's preferences screen. Advertisement Despite the recent developments on the topic, WhatsApps latest move toward firmer encryption aims to ensure free and secure communications. In the post, the author recounts growing up under communist rule in the USSR, where free speech was barred. WhatsApp is one of the few services to offer this type of encryption, the post says, and it will be available to upwards of a billion people who use the app. While we recognize the important work of law enforcement in keeping people safe, the post explains, efforts to weaken encryption risk exposing peoples information to abuse from cyber-criminals, hackers, and rogue states. In certain scenarios the court has no flexibility to impose a lesser sentence Indigenous people are currently sentenced for traffic offences and theft The call is to reduce the number of indigenous Australians in prisons Calls have been made to scrap mandatory sentencing for minor crime Governments have been told to scrap mandatory prison sentences for minor crimes to keep indigenous Australians who commit traffic offences and small-time theft out of jails. Australian Bar Association president Patrick O'Sullivan has met with federal Attorney-General George Brandis in the hope of tackling over-representation of indigenous people in the nation's prisons. The association wants laws that force mandatory sentences on minor assaults, driving offences and minor theft, repealed or amended. The Australian Bar Association has asked the government to rid mandatory sentencing for minor assaults in a bid to reduce the number of Indigenous Australians in prison More than a quarter of Australia's prisoners are indigenous, despite making up less than three per cent of the population. 'It is a shocking fact that an indigenous young person who has served a prison sentence is more likely to return to prison than finish school,' Mr O'Sullivan said. 'Australia's indigenous incarceration rate is one of the most challenging human rights issues facing the country today.' And the problem is getting worse. A recent Australian Institute of Criminology report found, in the two decades since a royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, the proportion of indigenous people in prison has doubled. The presedint of the ABA met with federal Attorney-General George Brandis (pictured) requesting sentences on minor assaults including driving offences and minor theft to be repealed or amended In the Northern Territory a person convicted of an assault, who had previously fronted court for a minor offence, faces a 12-month mandatory sentence. The court has no flexibility to impose a lesser sentence. The association is also calling for a review of imprisonment for fine defaults - which it describes as unjust, unfair to poor offenders, dangerous to vulnerable offenders, expensive and disproportionate in its effect on indigenous offenders. It says indigenous imprisonment costs about $3 billion each year and a 10 per cent reduction would save $10 million that could be channelled into rehabilitation programs, like community housing. Mr O'Sullivan will also meet with state attorneys-general throughout the year. A 70-year-old man who was recently fired from an insurance company turned up at his old office and shot his former boss before killing himself in Massachusetts today. The gunman - identified as Kermit Hooks Jr - fired a shotgun at his former supervisor, 58, who blocked the shell from hitting his face with a briefcase After shooting his ex-colleague outside the Senior Whole Health building in Cambridge, he turned the gun on himself in a parking lot. Scroll down for video Kermit Hooks, 70, who was recently fired from an insurance company turned up at his old office and shot his former boss before killing himself in Massachusetts. Pictured, police at the scene The shooter, from Framingham, Massachusetts, had recently been sacked by the supervisor he shot, as well as other managers at the company, the Boston Globe reported. Officials said the gunman waited in his car in the parking lot outside the office before approaching his target as he arrived at work at 7.46am. 'He appears to have been waiting in his car for this particular individual,' Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said. The shooter opened fire at close range, but the victim blocked the 12-gauge shotgun shell with his briefcase. He suffered minor injuries as shrapnel ricocheted off the walls of the building and hit him in the face, CBS Boston reported. In a panic, the shooter ran back to his red car and fatally shot himself, authorities said. After shooting his ex-colleague, Hooks ran out of the Senior Whole Health building (pictured) in Cambridge and turned the gun on himself in a parking lot Ms Ryan said that it appeared as if the shooter only had one target in mind when he arrived at the insurance company. 'Some of the bullets went awry,' she said, smashing windows and damaging the outside of the building, but no one else was hurt. Body armor was found near the scene of the shooting. Police and forensics teams secured the parking lot and a blue tent was placed over the gunman's car. Armed officers had earlier been sweeping the area, but quickly realized the only shooter was dead. Mike Ozog, who lives near the office, said he heard a gunshot this morning. Ten minutes later, his girlfriend heard someone shout: 'He's got a shotgun!' He said an officer was armed with a shotgun and that they were 'looking for a guy with a shotgun'. The mobster son of Sicily's most violent Godfather has sparked outrage in Italy by giving an interview in which he described his childhood as 'nice' and refused to denounce the mob. Giuseppe Salvatore Riina has written a book about growing up as the son of Italy's most wanted man, Salvatore 'Toto' Riina, and appeared on RAI's premier talkshow to promote it. But not once during the interview did Riina criticise his father, and he refused to acknowledge the existence of the mafia, saying cryptically: 'It could be everything or it could be nothing'. Giuseppe Salvatore Riina (pictured left and right in 2008 after he was released from prison) Salvatore 'Toto' Riina, the notorious Sicilian 'Boss of Bosses', gestures from his cell during his trial in Rome after he was recaptured in 1993 following three decades on the run from police Italian politicians denounced RAI for allowing the interview to be aired and RAI's top managers have been summoned to appear before parliament's anti-mafia committee on Thursday. Riina's 85-year-old father, nicknamed 'the Beast', was arrested in 1993 and is serving multiple life sentences for murder, including for ordering the 1992 assassinations of anti-mafia magistrates Giovanni Falconi and Paolo Borsellino. Investigators estimate that more than 1,000 people were killed in a mafia war in the early 1980s in which the elder Riina emerged as the supreme leader of Cosa Nostra. His son was also subsequently convicted of mafia membership and sentenced to nearly nine years in prison. He is currently on parole. During the half-hour pre-recorded interview, Riina said he had been home schooled and that he lied about his identity as a child to protect his father, who lived under an assumed name and told neighbours he worked as a surveyor. Wearing a grey jacket and a white shirt, Riina did not flinch when shown scenes of the aftermath of the bombs that killed Falcone and Borsellino. He said his childhood had been a happy one, and the unusual circumstances had united his family. 'We shared a secret to keep the family together,' he said. 'We were unusual children and our lives were completely different from others, but it was also very nice.' Riina's 85-year-old father, nicknamed 'the Beast', is serving multiple life sentences for murder that includes the killing of anti-mafia prosecutors Paolo Borsellino (pictured left) and Giovanni Falcone (right) Judge Borsellino was killed in this car bombing in 1992, triggering a massive state crackdown on the Mafia Pietro Grasso, Italy's former chief anti-mafia prosecutor, denounced the interview with Riina's son, claiming his father's hands were covered with the 'blood of innocents'. Pictured is the scene of Borsellino's killing Pietro Grasso, president of the Senate and Italy's former chief anti-mafia prosecutor, denounced the interview. 'I don't care if Riina's hands caressed his children. They are the same hands covered in the blood of innocents,' he wrote on Facebook. Veteran talk-show host Bruno Vespa defended his decision to air the interview, saying 'it's the first time we see how an important mafia family works'. Ferdinando Dome was aged 10 in 1969 when his father Giovanni, an innocent bystander, was gunned down in Palermo in a mafia shootout in which five people were killed. Riina was convicted of ordering the hit, known as the 'Lazio Street Massacre', and given a life sentence. 'He said he had a great life with his father. My childhood was not so happy,' Dome, the eldest of Giovanni's five sons, told Reuters. 'It bothers me very much that by broadcasting this interview on state television they are helping him sell his book.' Judge Giovanni Falcone was also killed by the Mafia (pictured), along with his wife and two police guards, after the hitmen planted explosives under the motorway he was forced to travel along to reach the airport Restaurant manager said this is the third time provolone cheese has been stolen from restaurant in last three months The man has been caught on CCTV and 'biological evidence' was found at the scene He used a crow bar to break into the fridge The thief stole 19 cases of Italian cheese worth $1,900 from the Do Drop Inn in Pueblo The provolone poacher has struck again at a Colorado restaurant but this time he said 'cheese' for security cameras. Police say someone stole 19 cases of the Italian cheese worth $1,900 from the Do Drop Inn in Pueblo early Tuesday. The restaurant doors were damaged and manager Kevin Romero told The Pueblo Chieftain that the thief broke through padlocks on a restaurant freezer to get to the Italian cheese, which is used as an ingredient to make pizza. Nothing else was taken. Pictured: Thief who broke into Do Drop Inn restaurant in Pueblo has been caught on CCTV while stealing $1,900 worth of cheese The restaurant (pictured) doors were damaged and manager Kevin Romero told The Pueblo Chieftain that the thief broke through padlocks on a restaurant freezer to get to the cheese Romero says this is at least the third time cheese has been stolen from the restaurant, presumably to be sold to other restaurants, in the last month and a half. However, this time the thief's image was captured by security cameras the restaurant recently installed. Kevin Romero, a manager at Do Drop told The Pueblo Chieftain that the man broke through padlocks on the restaurant freezer to get to the cheese. A crowbar was discovered at the scene. This is the third or fourth time that the thief has been here in the last month and a half, said Romero, and has stolen about $3,000 worth of cheese in total. Provolone (left) is an Italian cheese that is used as an ingredient to make pizza (Do Drop Inn pizza pictured right) He told the Chieftain: 'It's strange to us. This has never happened to us. 'We've had some things in the past but never food items, you know? We've never had to worry about that and we've never had that problem. 'This guy has started looking at us and monitoring us.' He added that he believed the suspect is selling the cheese on to a supplier. He said 'There's a lot of people in town that like to sell things that are stolen in local bars and local restaurants and things of that nature, so we're still on the lookout for it.' Passengers were given a free night at a hotel and a meal voucher but were frustrated that they A United Airlines plane headed for San Francisco was forced to go back to Hawaii on Sunday after strong winds they didn't predict threatened to exhaust all of the plane's fuel or at least push it past the legal limit. United Flight 724 carrying 263 passengers and 12 crew members landed safely at Honolulu airport on Sunday after the 'strong headwinds' caused the flight to turn around after two hours, according to ABC. FlightAware mapped out the path of the airplane that was turned around by crew who were following the rules about the legal amount of fuel. 'When the headwinds are greater than what were expected, and are going to be sustained for four or five hours of flight, you're simply not going to be able to land with your legal minimum of fuel,' ABC aviation expert John Nance said. Scroll down for video United Flight 724 carrying 263 passengers and 12 crew members (file photo pictured here) landed safely at Honolulu airport on Sunday after the 'strong headwinds' caused the flight to turn around after two hours Loop: FlightAware mapped out the path of the airplane that was turned around by crew who were following the rules about the legal amount of fuel Golsa Karimi, a passenger on the flight, explained that the pilot decided to turn around because of the weather Courtesy Hawaii News Now Nance called the even rare but commended the flight staff for doing the right thing. He said that the fuel might not have run out but it may not have flown with a legal minimum amount of fuel. 'It doesn't mean you're going to run out, but it means you're not going to be legal. That's when you have to turn around,' he added. The passengers on board the plane were allowed to stay at a hotel overnight and were given meal vouchers, a United Spokesperson told ABC. The passengers were allowed to fly out again on Monday morning at 11.42am. Passenger Carlo Fontana said it was 'frustrating' but the important thing was they were 'safe' Passengers on board the flight were frustrated that the plane had to turn around. 'It definitely doesn't make up for it, this is really bad for me to miss school and it's hard to make up all the work,' a student on the flight told Hawaii News Now. United Airlines says they will also compensate customers with 'United Award Miles.' 'We're safe. We didn't get hurt. That's the most important thing. But it's a little frustrating at this point. We've got a lot of plans just like everybody else on the plane.' said passenger Carlo Fontana. An Irish Harry Potter star posted a seemingly ironic tweet mocking his playboy lifestyle after his mother told the High Court how he blew his 800,000 fortune on cars, drink and girls. The revelation came out yesterday in court as Devon Murray is sued by his former agent for a 230,000 slice of the money he earned from his role in the popular film series. The 27-year-old, who played the cheeky but hapless boy wizard Seamus Finnigan in all eight Harry Potter films, now has to live on just 970 a month from the films, a judge heard yesterday. His mother Fidelma Murray told the court: He was a teenage boy. He went drinking. He went out with girls. He bought cars. I only have one child. I wasnt going to give out to him over that. Colin Murray tweeted this photo on social media, along with the caption: 'Completely forgot about this picture taken at Oxegen! Like she must have the worst mates in the world!! #oxegen' The Harry Potter star posted a seemingly ironic tweet mocking his playboy lifestyle after his mother told the High Court how he blew his 800,000 fortune on cars, drink and girls Mr Murray's mother Fidelma revealed how her son spent his money from the Harry Potter films on alcohol, girls and cars, telling the court 'I only have one child. I wasnt going to give out to him over that' An emotional Mrs Murray also said her son gets about 1,000 a month and thats over all eight movies. He has to live on something. And she added that the family was also in financial difficulty, saying: We almost lost our house. Thats why we had to move lately. His mother, who is representing the family in court, said they do not even have enough money to pay lawyers for the court case brought by Neil Brooks, the agent who was sacked by the Murrays. Neither Michael [my husband] or myself or Devon finished secondary school, she added. The case also heard claims of demands made by the child actor when he was on the set of the hit movies for a sound system in his trailer, his own apartment and to be driven in a Lexus were also heard in court. In evidence, Mr Brooks told the court that at one point the child actor had asked to swap his five-star hotel stays for his own apartment with his family with his mother cooking him meals. Devon Murray, 27, pictured outside court wih his mother Fidelma and father MIchael, played wizard Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter films and is being sued by his agent The young actors mother Fidelma Murray revealed how she sacked her sons Dublin-based agent Neil Brooks for failing to shield her teenage son after pictures of him smoking emerged in late 2004 Under questioning from Mrs Murray, Mr Brooks said the boy also wanted to be driven in a Lexus as he had a fixation with the brand of luxury cars. To that, Mrs Murray retorted: You phoned Lexus because you said, We could get a car out of this. The mother said: We never had a driver. We were the only cast member who never had a driver. Her son was ten when he signed with Mr Brooks in 1998. At 12, he beat thousands of young hopefuls to win a part in the first Harry Potter movie, The Philosophers Stone. He held the role for a decade. The High Court was also told yesterday how Devon was 13 and on the set of the Potter film The Goblet Of Fire in 2004 when he was photographed smoking. Mrs Murray told the court this led to Devon breaking down in tears on the set before she decided to sack Mr Brooks, who had been in South Africa at the time looking after a sick family member. In court she told Mr Brooks: The problem was publicity. Pictures were taken of Devon while he was on set. These photos were of a child who had been smoking. It was in every newspaper. I remember walking around on the set crying. And he [Devon] was crying I said, Okay, youre fired. I got angry and said, Youre fired. Then Devon told you, Youre fired we were both crying. Devon Murray, right, performs karaoke on stage with fellow Harry Potter actor Alfie Enoch, pictured left Devon Murray, right, and Daniel Radcliffe in The Philosopher's Stone. The Irish actor's character Seamus had a running joke through the film series in which he would inadvertently blew himself up Mr Murray first signed with Mr Brooks, pictured at court, in 1998 when he was just 10. He went on to beat thousands of other hopefuls to win the part of Seamus Finnigan in the first Harry Potter film Mrs Murray told Mr Brooks: You were sacked because of a big problem worldwide that this 13-year-old child was having. There was abuse being heaped on his shoulders all around the world and there was no agent there. Every newspaper, on the internet, photos of a child smoking. By the time we got to you we were crying... you were out nursing somebody else and we got in your way. When Mr Brooks asked Mrs Murray what he should have done at the time, she said: Im not saying it was your fault. Im saying you should have been there to help him. You are supposed to stop the abuse he got from the publicity. Turning to Mr Justice Michael Moriarty, Mrs Murray said: His job was to shield the child. Thats why he got the sack. He didnt do it. In the civil action, Neil Brooks Management said it successfully negotiated for Mr Murrays role in the first two Harry Potter films alongside headline stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. But relations with the family later broke down over alleged non-payment of commission fees, the court heard. It is alleged that Mr Murray tried to dodge out of his obligations under the contract in an unlawful manner after the first four films, said Gary McCarthy SC, for the Dublin management firm. Mr Brooks claims that Mr Murray and his parents broke an agreement to pay him commission fees of more than 286,000. The Murrays, from Celbridge, Co. Kildare, are counter-claiming for more than 98,000 that they say they paid to the management firm. In the civil suit, Mr Brooks says he was appointed sole agent for the actor in October 1998 under a commission-based agreement that entitled him to 12.5% for Mr Murrays film and TV earnings. It is claimed an increase in commission fees was later agreed but the Murrays allegedly have failed to make such payments since around August 2005. It is claimed in 2005, the actor told Mr Brooks: Youve made enough money out of me. You dont need the money. Mr Murray told the court that Mr Brooks was an idol for me, but said: He was the one that screwed up. I didnt screw up. Mr Justice Moriarty is to give his judgement today. One of the British Army's oldest working dogs is seen donning his goggles and boots yet again, as he takes part in the largest military exercise in a decade in the Jordanian desert. Six-year-old Scooby is one of 35 military working dogs currently taking part in the three-month-long Exercise Shamal Storm, alongside 1,600 soldiers and 314 vehicles. Each dog has its own body armour, ear protectors which allow them to be exposed to loud noises and eye goggles, for sand-storms and helicopter landings. Bomb doggety: Scooby the springer spaniel, aged six, is one of the British Army's oldest military working dogs All kitted out: Scooby, a search dog trained to sniff out explosives in vehicles and luggage, has his very own Personal Protective Equipment, including goggles, glasses and boots Trusted friend: Private Megan Cropper, 20, with Scooby, who is equipped with his own PPE, to keep him safe in the harsh environment of the Jordanian desert They even have specially-developed dog boots, which allow them to safely walk over dangerous liquids and jagged ground. The springer spaniel is a member of the 105 Military Working Dog Squadron, based in Sennelager, Germany. Scooby, a search dog trained to sniff out explosives in vehicles and luggage, has been with the unit for five years since completing a tour of Afghanistan in 2012. It is to test whether the Armed Forces could successfully mobilise in the event of a full-scale operation. The loyal animals are in the Middle East to undergo rigorous training and are being put through their paces so they are strong enough to deploy anywhere in the world. Gearing up: Scooby is is one of 35 hero working dogs currently taking part in Exercise Shamal Storm, the biggest military training exercise in a decade, in the Jordanian desert Hero: Scooby has been with the Military Working Dog Squadron for five years, since completing a tour of Afghanistan in 2012 as a search dog Strong unit: Private Carys Evans, with MWD Molly, Corporal Paul Langwell, with MWD Duke, Corporal Stuart Watson, with MWD Lightning, and Private Katrina Lynas, with MWD Hagen Corporal Paul Langwell, with MWD Duke and Private Katrina Lynas, with MWD Hagen. The 35 MWDs are taking part in Exercise Shamal Storm alongside 1,600 soldiers and 314 vehicles Warrant Officer Class 2 Steve Hood, speaking from Jordan, said each of the 35 dogs will get through on average 600g of feed each per day, over 75 days. He said: 'Everyone has got their own objectives to achieve out here. The units can find out how military working dogs can support them using our capabilities. 'Equally, it gives my handlers experience in working in these environments. 'The dogs out here aren't panting, they are used to the environment and have adapted to it. 'Military working dogs are still so relevant in modern warfare. They are so adaptable.' In the past, working dogs have served alongside British troops in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. They protect soldiers on the ground by sniffing out explosives, weapons and ammunition and some can even alert their handlers when enemy fighters are on the approach. While in Jordan, the dogs are supporting different units and working with troops to haven't been supported by military working dogs before. Major Ross Curnick of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, said it is important for them to train away from their home base. Dog days are over: A military working dog and its handler sits down for a rest in the desert Attack: A protection MWD (military working dog) is demonstrated on a British Soldier in Jordan Bite worse than the bark: The dog launches itself onto the soldier, who is wearing a special protective suit Breaktime: The dogs are from the 105 Military Working Dog Squadron, based in Sennelager, Germany He said: 'It allows you to practice moving your animals, your people, your equipment, to prove we have the ability and capability to deploy and work anywhere in the world.' Major Curnick, Commanding Officer 105 MWDS, added: 'This offers the perfect austere terrain that we just can't find in Europe.' Exercise Shamal Storm 16 is an overseas training exercise in the Kingdom of Jordan run by Force Troops Command from 25 January to 18 April 2016. British troops have been training alongside troops from Jordan, the United States and other partner nations. It is a validation exercise of the Vanguard Enabling Group's (VE Gp) ability to deploy anywhere in the world and to any military operation. Swaggering out of a porn shoot at a luxury home in California's San Fernando Valley, this is porn actor James Deen pictured for the first time since the death of fellow adult performer Amber Rayne on Saturday. Rayne, who was 31, was one of a group of women who came forward in November to accuse the 29-year-old of sexual assault allegations that led to Deen being dubbed 'the Bill Cosby of porn'. But, as Daily Mail Online can exclusively reveal, the death of the woman who once counted herself among his friends seems to have had little effect on the porn industry's best-known male star. Deen - real name Bryan Sevilla appeared unconcerned as he pulled away from the property, where he was making an adult film, in a white Lexus car and wearing a casual outfit consisting of a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. Swagger: James Deen spent Wednesday back filming porn at a home in the San Fernardo Valley. It is the first time he has been back at work since the death of Amber Rayne, the co-star who accused him of rape Silence: James Deen refused to comment when approached by Daily Mail Online. He has tweeted about 'disrespect' since the death of the former co-star who accused him of a degrading sex assault Family: Amber Rayne - real name Meghan Wren - and her mother, Margaret. In a 2013 interview she said that, aside from her career, she thought she was a normal, everyday girl Co-star: James Deen spent the day shooting a porn movie with Jess Rhodes, 22, who left the location separately. She posted on Instagram The actor spent approximately four hours at the home, which is in an area famous for blue movie shoots, and was seen enjoying a hug with his 22-year-old blonde co-star Jessa Rhodes on arrival. Later, he was spotted chatting outside on the property's large sun terrace with the Oregon native, who was included in CNBC's 'Dirty Dozen' list of top rated porn stars last year. Deen, who was once considered one of porn's most bankable performers, spent part of the shoot cracking off-color jokes about drugs to his 15,000 followers on Twitter but is yet to react to Rayne's death. However, the 5ft 8' star, who spent Saturday night at a Method Man gig at the luxury SLS Hotel in Las Vegas and posted photos of the casino on his Instagram on Sunday, did use the site to complain about the barrage of negative comments he received following news of the 31-year-old's demise. On Monday, as Rayne's death made headlines around the world, he tweeted: 'These levels of disrespect are powerfully uncool' only to be slapped down by many of her supporters and fans. Despite his pleas, Deen has so far refused speak about the death of the brunette actress and has instead continued to treat fans to his thoughts on anal sex and the lyrics from Madonna song Vogue. Approached by Daily Mail Online as he left Wednesday's shoot and asked about the tragedy, he once again refused to comment. Rayne, whose real name was Meghan Wren, was found dead at her Sun Valley home on Saturday morning following a possible drugs overdose. Early reports from the LA Coroner's office suggested that her death, which came in her sleep, was the result of substance abuse although friends have since said that they don't believe that to have been the case. One, porn actress and director Stormy Daniels, said Rayne had struggled with a number of health problems over the past few years but was 'happy and in good spirits' the day before her death. On set: Jessa Rhodes, 22, spent the day filming with Deen and described their scene together as 'amazing' on Instagram Friends: Stormy Daniels (left) has told Daily Mail Online she does not believe her friend Amber Rayne (right) would have deliberately overdosed Daniels, 37, who lives in Dallas, Texas, told Daily Mail Online that if Rayne's death was the result of an overdose it would have been accidental as she was neither depressed or a drug user. 'I know she was recently diagnosed with a potassium problem that is hereditary,' she said. 'It runs in her family so there's a chance she could have got the medication mixed up for that. 'We won't know until the autopsy report. She was not depressed, she did not have a drug problem so if it was an overdose it has to be an accidental one. 'She didn't mention anything like that to me - we were making plans to go to a big horse show later this month. I personally never witnessed her do any drugs.' She added: 'I spoke to her on Friday afternoon and she was in great spirits, she was happy and told me she was on her way out to ride her horse. 'We were going to reconnect over the next couple of days but obviously now that's too late. To my knowledge she would not have taken an overdose.' On Tuesday, Rayne's devastated parents Margaret and Paul were seen arriving at her home, along with her youngest sister Kendra, 24, and her baby son. Her step-mother Kris Wren also paid tribute to the late actress on social media, telling friends that the she had 'passed away in her sleep'. She later posted a photo of the star, captioned 'Miss you sweetheart', and revealed plans to travel to LA with Rayne's other sister Heather, 29, to join the rest of the family. Neighbors said they did not know Rayne well but saw police and ambulance services outside the house on Saturday night. Rayne spent a decade working in the adult industry before retiring in April 2015 but was forced to take time out after being diagnosed with uterine cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in her early twenties. In November last year, she was one of a group of eight women to make allegations of sexual assault against Deen. The furor began after one Deen's former girlfriends, porn actress Stoya, accused him of raping her in a tweet on November 28. Bye for now: Deen spent the days after his rape accuser's death in Los Angeles but was back to work as a porn star on Wednesday, leaving after an afternoon spent filming with a 22-year-old blonde HOW THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST JAMES DEEN UNFOLDED The accusations against Deen began on November 30, 2015, when his ex-girlfriend Stoya took to Twitter saying: 'James Deen held me down and f***ed me while I said no, stop, used my safe word. I just can't nod and smile when people bring him up anymore.' That was quickly followed by two other accusations, one from ex-porn star Tori Lux who claims he violently hit her and held her to his crotch on set and then from adult film actress Ashley Fires, who says he tried to rape her in the shower on one occasion. Porn star Amber Rayne revealed to The Daily Beast that after she called Deen a 'b****' during a shoot, he had anal intercourse with her so violently that she bled and needed stitches. Porn actress Kora Peters also told The Daily Beast that she refused anal intercourse during one shoot but that Deen shoved her face into a sofa and forced himself on her. Another unnamed woman told the LAist she was raped by Deen as a crowd watched inside a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. Porn actress Nicki Blue told Daily Mail Online in an exclusive interview that Deen raped her with a beer bottle in an off-camera attack at a wrap party. Another one of Deen's ex-girlfriends, porn star Joanna Angel claimed that one time while they were having sex, he held her head underwater for so long that she thought she was going to drown. Most recently, Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham told Daily Mail Online exclusively that she was raped, drugged, and abused by Deen over several months in 2013, when they were casually dating. Farrah never went to the police with her rape allegations and instead claims she handled the matter privately with her lawyers, she told Daily Mail Online. Advertisement Further allegations later emerged, including a claim from Rayne who said Deen had called her a b**** during a scene before punching her in the face and having sex with her so roughly, she was left bleeding. But she also admitted that she later became friends with him and put his actions down to him being a 'young, punk kid'. Other X-rated stars to come forward with allegations about the man previously dubbed 'the Tom Cruise of the porn industry' included Tori Lux, Kora Peters and Nicki Blue. Another rape claim was made by Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham who 'casually dated' Deen in 2013 and made a sex tape, later leaked, with the actor. Speaking to Daily Mail Online at the time, she said: 'James Deen raped me for his benefit of fame. He conspired against me with others that I thought were my friends at the time and that was very hurtful.' Deen, who has denied all of the accusations and has never been charged with rape or sexual assault, later used an interview with the Daily Beast to declare himself 'baffled' by the claims. However, that was not enough to prevent clients, among them film company Kink.com and women's lifestyle website The Frisky, from cutting ties. Daniels, who insisted that Rayne's death had nothing to do with her experience of working in the adult industry, said she rarely spoke of her interactions with Deen. 'Amber was very passionate about her work, she was very talented and loved the industry,' she told Daily Mail Online. 'She adored her fans and although she had happily moved on from starring in movies, she remained present in the industry and never had a bad word to say about it. 'She would be extremely upset if her death was blamed on the industry - that I know for sure. 'Any health problems she had would not have been to do with the industry - absolutely not - you can't catch anything she had.' She added: 'She never spoke to me about James Deen but that was definitely not a factor.' Rayne, who was born in Detroit but grew up in northern California, will be laid to rest next week following the results of an autopsy on Friday. According to Daniels, her family are planning a private memorial service close to their homes in Oakley and Brentwood. Daniels, who is making arrangements to bring Rayne's beloved horse Galli to live with her in Texas, said she will remember the late star as a 'happy, bubbly girl'. Tearfully, she added: 'Amber was a real tiny little spitfire. She loved horses and she was an incredibly talented artist. 'She would draw little caricatures of all of us - they were really cute. I never heard her say a bad word about anybody ever. 'Everybody who knew her liked her. I remember riding with her and talking about horses. The best movie I ever made she was a part of and it wouldn't have been possible or nearly as good without her. 'It was a scene of nightmarish horror that will be forever etched in my mind,' the doctor said Medics were also killed or lost their limbs in the relentless airstrikes She described horrific scenes where the patients burned in their beds Dr Kathleen Thomas is still haunted by the horrific deaths of her colleagues bombed a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan last October which killed 42 and injured 37 A doctor at the Afghan hospital accidentally bombed by U.S. forces last year says she is still haunted by the horrific deaths of her colleagues and patients. Dr Kathleen Thomas, an intensive care doctor from Australia, had been working at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF)Trauma Center in Kunduz, Afghanistan for five months before the devastating airstrike on October 3, which killed 42 and injured 37. She described horrific scenes where patients burned in their beds and medics' limbs were blown off in the relentless airstrikes. When they attempted to flee the burning building, they were gunned down by a circling aircraft. Scroll down for video Dr. Kathleen Thomas who worked at Afghan hospital accidentally bombed by U.S. forces last year says she is still haunted by the horrific deaths of her colleagues and patients Shocking: Another medic described seeing her patients burn in their beds, colleagues die on operating tables, and strong members of her team weeping uncontrollably unable to do anything as they were bombed in Kunduz Dr Kathleen Thomas, an intensive care doctor from Australia, had been working at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Trauma Center in Kunduz, Afghanistan for five months before the devastating airstrike on October 3 'It was a scene of nightmarish horror that will be forever etched in my mind,' Dr Thomas, who has since returned to her native Australia, told the Huffington Post. The medic, who escaped serious injury in the bombing, said the airstrikes came after a particularly intense week of fighting which meant the hospital was already running well over capacity. When the bombs began to fall, the first place hit was the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. Almost every patient on the ward, including a 12-year-old boy who had just made a miraculous recovery after a car accident and an ER nurse shot by the Taliban on the way to the hospital, were killed. Several nurses and doctors were killed or suffered horrific injuries alongside the patients they were trying to save as bombs continued to fall on the hospital. 'Our colleagues didnt die peacefully like in the movies,' she said. 'They died painfully, slowly, some of them screaming out for help that never came, alone and terrified, knowing the extent of their own injuries and aware of their impending death. She described horrific scenes where patients burned in their beds and medics' limbs were blown off in the relentless airstrikes (pictured is the burnt out shell of the hospital) When the bombs began to fall, the first place hit was the hospital's Intensive Care Unit but the relentless attack continued for an hour - destroying the entire hospital Several nurses and doctors were killed or suffered horrific injuries alongside the patients they were trying to save as bombs continued to fall on the hospital 'Countless other staff and patients were injured; limbs blown off, shrapnel rocketed through their bodies, burns, pressure wave injuries of the lungs, eyes, and ears. 'Many of these injuries have left permanent disability.' Other doctors were forced to make the very difficult decision to abandon their patients mid-surgery to escape. The air strike, which killed 42 including women, children and medical staff, sparked global condemnation. Surviving medics said they saw doctors, staff and patients shot by the plane as they 'tried to flee the main hospital building that was being hit with each airstrike, according to a report by MSF. Some accounts mention shooting that appears to follow the movement of people on the run. Others described seeing people 'running while on fire and then falling unconscious on the ground.' One MSF staff member described a patient in a wheelchair attempting to escape from the inpatient department when he was killed by shrapnel from a blast, the report found. Many of the casualties were the doctors themselves. One suffered a 'traumatic amputation' when he lost his legs in the blasts. Sadly his injuries were too severe and he died on a make-shift operating table on an office desk. MSF said some 105 patients and their caregivers, as well as more than 80 international and local medics were in the hospital which went up in flames Staff described how, despite frantic calls to American and Afghan military officials in Kabul and Washington, the attack continued for another 30 minutes Another member of staff was 'decapitated by shrapnel in the airstrikes.' MSF said some 105 patients and their caregivers, as well as more than 80 international and local medics were in the hospital, the only medical facility in the area that can deal with major injuries, at the time of the bombing. Staff described how, despite frantic calls to American and Afghan military officials in Kabul and Washington, the attack continued for another 30 minutes, with the main hospital building housing the intensive care unit and emergency rooms being targeted. 'The bombs hit and then we heard the plane circle round,' said Heman Nagarathnam, MSF's head of programmes in northern Afghanistan. 'There was a pause, and then more bombs hit. This happened again and again. When I made it out from the office, the main hospital building was engulfed in flames. 'Those people that could had moved quickly to the building's two bunkers to seek safety. But patients who were unable to escape burned to death as they lay in their beds.' One Doctors Without Borders nurse described seeing colleagues die on operating tables and strong members of his team weeping so hard they could not move as their hospital was bombed around them. 'We tried to take a look into one of the burning buildings. I cannot describe what was inside,' Lajos Zoltan Jecs said in a first-person account posted on the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) website. Surviving medics are seen here desperately trying to revive one of the wounded in an undamaged part of the hospital, just north of Kabul, Afghanistan. However, the facility was so badly hit they have now had to withdraw Dr Thomas, who escaped serious injury in the bombing, said the airstrikes came after a particularly intense week of fighting which meant the hospital was already running well over capacity Staff at the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan are pictured before the air strike 'There are no words for how terrible it was. In the intensive care unit six patients were burning in their beds.' Jecs described the confusion as bombing continued - long after the US military forces were alerted that the hospital had been hit. 'It was crazy,' she wrote. 'We had to organize a mass casualty plan in the office, seeing which doctors were alive and available to help. We did an urgent surgery for one of our doctors. Unfortunately he died there on the office table. We did our best, but it wasn't enough. 'The whole situation was very hard. We saw our colleagues dying. These are people who had been working hard for months, non-stop for the past week,' Jecs wrote shortly after the attack. 'They had not gone home, they had not seen their families, they had just been working in the hospital to help people... and now they are dead. These people are friends, close friends. I have no words to express this. It is unspeakable.' The international medical agency completely withdrew from Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, after the attacks. Six months after the airstrikes, the hospital remains an empty bombed-out shell. Dr Thomas said she is still struggling to come to terms with the horrific incident and the loss of her friends, colleagues and patients. Six months after the airstrikes, the hospital remains an empty bombed-out shell President Barack Obama has apologized for the Kunduz attack and the Pentagon has said it will pay compensation to the families of those killed 'But its so much more than that,' she said. 'Its the grief of the families of those lost on October 3; its the grief of all the Kunduz people who have suffered so many losses over their long history of conflict; its the loss of the four years of hard work by both the national and international staff to make the hospital what it was.' MSF President Meinie Nicolai condemned the strikes as 'abhorrent and a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law while UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned they could be classed as a war crime. The U.S. admitted responsibility for the devastating airstrike. Calling it a 'tragic mistake' - which was condemned at the time by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and human rights groups. At the time, American forces believed the hospital was being used by a Pakistani operative to coordinate Taliban activity but it is unclear whether the commanders who attacked it with an AC-130 gunship knew about the alleged enemy activity or whether it was a hospital. U.S. officials claim they stopped after 29 minutes - which is refuted by hospital staff who say it was an hour - after the frantic phone calls by MSF staff finally reached the ears of those in charge. Military personnel involved in the devastating airstrike have or will be punished, officials have confirmed. Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for US Central Command, said last month: 'I can tell you that those individuals most closely associated with the incident have been suspended from their duties and were referred for administrative action.' The Afghanistan insurgency has often been in southern provinces close to Kabul and the Pakistan border, though the Taliban's latest move occurred in the north More than 10 military personnel face administrative action, another official said. He said this can range from 'negative counseling', or being told not to do something again, to a letter of reprimand, which generally blocks further promotion. Removal of command is also a possibility. But human rights campaigners lambasted the 'punishments', saying the failure to criminally investigate them is an injustice and insult to the victims. 'For good reason, the victims' family members will see this as both an injustice and an insult: the US military investigated itself and decided no crimes had been committed,' Human Rights Watch said in a statement. MSF, which has called repeatedly for an independent international inquiry, said it would seek more details from the US government on the 'punishments' before commenting. The medical charity has previously branded the strike as a 'war crime', saying the raid by a AC-130 gunship left patients burning in their beds with some victims decapitated and suffering traumatic amputations. The air strike forced the closure of the trauma centre in Kunduz - a lifeline in the war-battered region - as hospitals are increasingly targeted amid a worsening conflict. After carrying out an investigation the US military blamed human error for the airstrike, which was condemned at the time by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and human rights groups President Barack Obama has apologized for the Kunduz attack and the Pentagon has said it will pay compensation to the families of those killed. In a bid to regain trust, General John W. Nicholson who took over as the new commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan last month, visited Kunduz to apologize for last year's hospital bombing. 'As commander, I wanted to come to Kunduz personally and stand before the families, and people of Kunduz, to deeply apologize for the events which destroyed the hospital and caused the deaths of the hospital staff, patients and family members,' said General John W. Nicholson. 'I grieve with you for your loss and suffering; and humbly and respectfully ask for your forgiveness.' Doctors Without Borders has appealed in vain for an international investigation of the airstrike and branded the bombing a war crime. The strike came five days after Taliban fighters captured Kunduz in a complex attack, which was their biggest military victory since being ousted in the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. It exposed a worrying lack of coordination between the branches of Afghan security, who are being trained by NATO. They regained control of much of the city after three days of fighting and with the help of US air power. But the battle underlined how Afghan and American security interests remain intertwined nearly a year after NATO's combat mission in Afghanistan officially ended. MSF has called for the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) - an independent body created under international law but which has never been used - to probe the incident. However, it would need permission from the United States and Afghanistan to proceed, and neither country has so far agreed. Police in Denmark have detained four suspected ISIS operatives and seized weapons and ammunition during raids linked to their arrest in Copenhagen. All four were suspected of breaking Denmark's terrorism law while in Syria, and were arrested in the Copenhagen area, police said in a statement. Under Danish terrorism law, 'letting oneself be recruited to commit acts of terrorism' is punishable with up to six years in jail. Danish police are seen guarding an apartment in Denmark following the arrest of four men suspected of having returned from fighting in Syria An officer is seen searching the interior of the apartment, which is located in Ishoej, on the outskirts of the city The police statement read: 'The suspects have been identified through investigations carried out in close cooperation between the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and Copenhagen police. 'The arrests took place as part of the effort against people letting themselves be recruited to terror groups in war-torn parts of Syria and northern Iraq.' Police inspector Poul Kjeldsen later told reporters that 'at one of the addresses we [searched] today we found some weapons and ammunition'. A person living at the address had ties to one of Copenhagen's criminal gangs, police later said. In the Vejledalen neighbourhood on the city's southwest outskirts, janitor Michael Harsfort said he was working when 'suddenly two big cars came in at high speed'. 'Out poured police officers in camouflage gear with machine guns,' he told broadcaster TV2. Local media said one of the apartments searched in another area was linked to a 27-year-old man whose name appeared in leaked documents that were given to Sky News containing information on jihadists who have joined ISIS. Sky reported last month that a disillusioned former ISIS member had given the channel tens of thousands of documents containing the names, addresses, phone numbers and family contacts of those joining the group. So far only one returning Syria fighter in Denmark has been charged with joining a terrorist organisation. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. 'Since my first day as justice minister it has been crucial for me to ensure that foreign fighters who take part in the armed conflict in Syria and Iraq are held responsible when they return home,' Justice Minister Soren Pind said on Facebook. Police superintendent Poul Kjeldsen (left) told media their searches (right) unearthed weapons and ammunition 'I am pleased that the authorities' efforts now appear to be bearing fruit.' Europe is on edge after the Paris attacks in November and last month's bombings in Brussels, both blamed on homegrown militants radicalised and trained by ISIS. Around 4,000 Europeans have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups as foreign fighters, according to a study from the Hague-based International Centre for Counter-Terrorism released last week. Data from Denmark showed that 125 people had left the country to fight in Syria or Iraq, and that 62 of those were believed to have returned to the Scandinavian country. The Danish city of Aarhus has drawn international attention for its 'soft-hands' approach to battling the radicalisation of young Muslims with social techniques used in gang exit strategies. An Iraqi family used as human shields by Islamic State have revealed the horrors of life under the terror group's control. Abu Israa has spoken of how he was fined because his beard was the wrong length, ISIS threatened to cut off his head when he said he could not work for free, and his young daughter was almost lashed for not wearing a niqab in their own back garden. His own brother was killed when the Iraqi army came to liberate their village. Horror: Abu Israa has revealed the horrors of life under ISIS control, including being made to watch executions Stayed: The family remained in their village when the jihadis took control, because Abu Israa's elderly mother (right) struggles to walk The family decided not to leave their village when the jihadis took control, because Abu Israa's elderly mother struggles to walk. Speaking to CNN from a refugee camp in Makhmour, Iraq, Abu Israa - who used a fake name - said civilians were captives in their village and ISIS used them as human shields. He said men were forced to grow their beards and women had to cover themselves from head to toe, and he was twice fined because of the length of his beard. And when his daughter, 12, went to their outdoor toilet and was seen without her niqab, she was almost severely punished. Abu Israa, who worked in a hospital, said ISIS did not pay regular salaries so he could no longer pay from the 30-mile journey to work. When he tried to quit, he was told: 'I will leave your head on the hospital gate so that everyone who comes will ask why this person was killed.' Abu Israa spoke about his experience from a refugee camp after the Iraqi forces liberated their village He also revealed how the terror group would make people watch their gruesome executions in Mosul, and said he once saw bodies tied to an electricity pole as a warning to people wanting to escape. And two years later, when the Iraqi army started approaching, ISIS rounded up civilians and put them into the centre of the village in different homes. When Abu Israa's daughter ran to the window and opened the curtain, his brother leapt froward to grab her. He was shot and died as the rest of the family was rescued. ISIS's territory has suffered significant losses in the past months - including the recent fall of Ramadi in Iraqi and Palmyra in Syria. Earlier this week, hundreds of Iraqi families were forced to flee their homes as government forces tightened their siege on the terror group's forces in the city of Hit. Police believe a former sex worker whose fiance was shot in the head ten times organised for her lover to brutally attack the business man only months before he was murdered, a court has heard. Melissa Leigh Shaw pleaded not guilty to the murder and attempted murder of her fiance Shyam Sam Dhody, who she met in a brothel, during her trial at the Brisbane Supreme Court. Mr Dhody was shot ten times in the head at close range with a rifle in July 2013 by Shaw's on-again, off-again lover Adam Gooley, who police say was encouraged by the former sex worker. Scroll down for video Melissa Leigh Shaw (middle) appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court for the opening of her trial on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the murder and attempted murder of Shyam Sam Dhody Shyam Sam Dhody (pictured) was found in his bed with 10 gunshot wounds to the head His death occurred only months after police attended the Gold Coast home following reports the 37-year-old was set upon by and repeatedly struck him with a crowbar in an earlier, interrupted attempt to kill him, the court heard. The court was shown disturbing footage of Shaw stepping over her beaten and bloodied fiance before she was interviewed by police over the brutal beating the bankrupt business man received. She said a man 'much bigger than' Mr Dhody attacked him out the front of their home but assured the officer that she did not recognise him. The crown alleged Gooley was the assailant in both instances. The court was shown disturbing footage of Shaw stepping over her beaten and bloodied fiance before she was interviewed by police She said a man 'much bigger than' Mr Dhody attacked him out the front of their home but assured the officer that she did not recognise him Shyam Sam Dhodythe was set upon by and repeatedly struck him with a crowbar in an earlier, interrupted attempt to kill him, the court heard. Mr Dhody was shot ten times in the head at close range with a rifle in July 2013 by Shaw's on-again, off-again lover Adam Gooley The jury was also played a Triple-zero call Shaw made after discovering his body in their bed. 'Ive just got home and I walked into the bedroom and my partner is dead. I think hes been shot, she said. She went on to describe him as cold and hard, repeating that she was so sorry after explaining his horrific injuries. Hes just still and theres lots of little bullet holes in his head. I know it's bullets definitely, theres a hole straight through his forehead and theres blood pooled in his ear.' Crown prosecutor Dennis Kinsella told the jury Shaw helped an on-again, off-again lover kill her bankrupt Gold Coast businessman fiance Crown prosecutor Dennis Kinsella said the prosecution's circumstantial case contended Shaw had encouraged, facilitated and assisted in the brutal attacks, effectively getting someone else to do the job. The court also heard Shaw's relationship with Mr Dhody began to sour in March 2013. Mr Kinsella compared the one-time sex worker, who met her fiance when he was her client at a Molendinar brothel, to Helen of Troy by describing her as the face that launched the murder. He said her relationship with Mr Dhody was domestically violent and approaching an inevitable end in the period leading up to his death in July 2013. The identity of the student found dead in a creek on University of Texas at Austin campus Tuesday has been released and police are now hunting for the chief suspect. Haruka Weiser, 18, from Portland, Oregon was a first year theater and dance student at the university. Weiser was reported missing on Monday morning by fellow roommates, said Austin Police Assistant Chief Troy Gay, speaking at a press conference Thursday. She had been walking back to her dorm from the drama building on campus when she was assaulted then killed, said Gay, but would not elaborate on what kind of assault she suffered. An autopsy has confirmed death by homicide but police have not said how she was killed. On Thursday hundreds a vigil honoring the first-year dance student. Scroll down for video The identity of the student found dead in a creek on University of Texas at Austin campus Tuesday has been released as Haruka Weiser (pictured) Weiser (pictured right) was a first year theater and dance student at the university A person of interest has been identified on CCTV (pictured) as a black male, approximately 6 ft tall near where her body was found The suspect was in the area on the fateful day for several hours before incident took place, said Austin Police Assistant Chief Troy Gay A chief suspect has been identified as a black male, 6 ft tall who was caught on CCTV at 11pm Sunday night riding a red or pink woman's bike. A $15, 000 reward is being offered for information that would lead to an arrest. Her body was found just after 10.46 am Tuesday morning. Speaking at a press conference at 1 pm local time Thursday, Gay described the series of events that lead to the horrific incident. He said: 'On Sunday night April 3 between 9.30 pm and 9.45 pm Haruka was seen leaving the drama building at the UT campus. 'She had communication with friends and we are confident we knew the direction she traveled back to her dormitory. 'But she never made it to her dorm. Her roommate called Texas PD to report her missing on Monday at 11.30 am. Speaking at a press conference at 1 pm local time Thursday, Austin Police Assistant Chief Troy Gay (pictured) described the series of events that lead to the horrific incident The cheif suspect was on a bicycle, described as a woman's bike in red or pink - similar to the one shown by police above 'The PD then did everything they could to locate her - speaking to roommates and going through the necessary procedures. 'On Tuesday morning the PD conducted a more thorough search and found her remains in the creek. 'As is was seen as a suspicious death from the off - we called Austin Police dept for assistance.' While a suspect has not yet been found, the person of interest has been identified as a black male, approximately 6 ft tall. The suspect was in the area on the fateful day for several hours before incident took place, said Gay. The Assistant Chief showed video footage at the conference, which revealed CCTV of young man on a bicycle, described as a woman's bike in red or pink. She was assaulted sometime before 10 pm Sunday on the University campus, near the theater and the chief suspect was seen on CCTV little after 11 pm. The body of a Weiser was found in a creek (pictured) on University of Texas at Austin campus Tuesday Weiser was found just after 10.46 am Tuesday morning Waller Creek, located behind the university's alumni center UTPD officer Hector Luevano stands watch near the site where a body was found in Austin, Texas University of Texas students embrace during a gathering for Haruka University of Texas students support each other on Thursday No weapon has been recovered. Austin Police Department are now leading the investigation. Her family released a statement at the presser Thursday, which was read out by UT President Gregory L. Fenves: 'Our beloved daughter and sister and friend was taken from us too soon.' The statement said how Weiser was looking forward to visiting family in Japan that summer and was a passionate and dedicated dancer and student - and was very happy to be at UT. They added that while she loved being on stage she never sought the spotlight off it and the last thing she would want is to be a 'poster child for any cause'. 'She would not wish us to be stuck in sadness and would want us to keep living life to the fullest and we will try and do that,' the statement concluded. UT President Gregory L. Fenves (right) also spoke at the press conference and described how Weiser was 'liked and admired by her classmates' In his own statement, Fenves, described how Weiser was 'liked and admired by her classmates and respected by professors for her intelligence and spirit'. He continued: 'The unthinkable brutality against Haruka is an attack on our entire family. Law enforcement is fully engaged to do everything to bring the perpetrator who committed this crime to justice. 'I ask you to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to Haruka's parents, family, classmates and friends and to help the university honor her life.' Fenves continued: 'Dance faculty members first met Haruka more than two years ago when she performed at the National High School Dance Festival. 'They immediately began recruiting her to come to UT from her home in Portland, Oregon. Our community was made better by her decision to join the College of Fine Arts. Weiser (pictured) had recently left Portland and moved to Austin to start fall classes at UT on a dance scholarship 'Trained in ballet, Haruka excelled in all her performance endeavors. She was also involved in Dance Action, a student-run organization for dancers, and performed in the fall Dance Action concert. 'UTPD first learned that Haruka was missing on Monday morning and immediately began a search. As I reported in my message to campus yesterday, Austin police are leading the homicide investigation into this horrifying and incomprehensible crime and working with UTPD and other law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend a suspect quickly.' While classes are continuing as usual, Austin Police and DUP troopers are providing extra security on campus, with 50 officers from UTPD, APD and DPS deployed to patrol the university community, says Fenves. And a student-led safety group is also stepping up its work. UT student Ivy Markwell leads a volunteer group called Sure Walk that advises students on safety after hours and offers 'guardians' for those who feel unsafe walking home alone. She told TWC News: 'It's pretty scary to think you can't walk home safely on campus.' The university confirmed Wednesday that this was the first homicide on main campus since Charles Whitman opened fire from the UT Towers observation deck on August 1, 1966, killing 13 people. University of Texas president Gregory Fenves (pictured) released a statement Tuesday: 'Today, we are dealing with a tragedy on campus' Wikileaks has condemned the reporters behind the Panama Papers for refusing to release the vast majority of the documents. The activists - who were behind some of the biggest leaks of recent years - hit out at the journalists behind the report after they decided not to publish all the documents at the disposal on the internet. '#PanamaPapers: If you censor more than 99% of the documents you are engaged in 1% journalism by definition,' it tweeted on Wednesday - just a few days after the leak was first revealed. Wikileaks took to Twitter to express anger at the decision not to put all the Panama Papers files online A team of journalists from across the world have been sifting through the files for a year, including reporters from the Guardian and German paper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which received the leak The controversial group's Twitter account had previously been full of support for the investigation in the run-up to the publication of the documents - the result of a year's work, led by German paper Suddeutsche Zeitung. The paper was handed 11.5million documents which belonged to Mossack Fonseca, one of the world's largest off-shore legal firms, which it then shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). In turn, it shared the files with its network of journalists - including the BBC and the Guardian. Over the course of a year, the documents were picked through, revealing secrets from inside the Panamanian law firm, showing how the company has allegedly helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax. Megastars Jackie Chan and Lionel Messi are among the big names accused of using Mossack Fonseca to invest their millions offshore. The leak contained more data than the amount stolen by former CIA contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 - and the whistleblowing activists at Wikileaks were supportive at first. 'In just under an hour over one hundred media outlets around the world will start publishing the Panama Papers,' it tweeted just before the first story was revealed. The Panama Papers revelations have led to Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson stepping down But once it revealed the reporters had decided not to dump all the files online, the Twitter account changed its tune. 'In total, Guardian has released, 2 documents. Suddeutsche Zeitung, 0 documents,' it noted. However, it seems those behind the Panama Papers will not be fazed. The man who was arrested over the alleged murder of missing policeman Gordon Semple told neighbours he was 'cooking for a mate' when they raised concerns about the 'smell of death' coming from the flat where the dismembered body was found. Mr Semple, who was gay, vanished on April 1 shortly after leaving the five-star Shangri La hotel in The Shard skyscraper, which is next to London Bridge. Detectives investigating the disappearance of the Met police officer arrested a 49-year-old man after discovering human remains in a property in Peabody Estate in Southwark. The force swooped on the area after a neighbour reported a 'smell of death'. Martin Harris, 49, today said he had knocked on the door of the flat where the body was found to complain about the smell. The man who answered the door was wearing nothing but blue Speedos and a pair of glasses. Scroll down for video Pictured is Pc Gordon Semple with his great-nephew Xander. Mr Semple went missing last Friday Arrest: Pc Gordon Semple, left, went missing after attending a meeting at The Shard a week ago, pictured on CCTV right, and a man has now been arrested on suspicion of murder A tent was erected today as forensic detectives in light blue suits examined evidence they had gathered Police officers are seen at a property where a man was arrested in connection with the search for missing policeman Gordon Semple Mr Harris said: 'My brother complained about the smell on Tuesday and asked me to go and complain. 'I banged on the door and a man answered wearing Speedos and a pair of glasses.' 'I asked what as going on and he said he was cooking for a mate. 'I said I was going to call the police but he didn't seem worried about it. He didn't seem bothered and shut the door.' Heather Brown, 55, who has lived in the block next door for over 30 years, said scented candles had been put outside the flat to disguise the smell. She said: 'They just smelled this like horrible smell, really. The candles had been outside for a few days, he had been putting candles outside his door for the smell.' Police said, due to the condition of the human remains, it will take some time before they can fully establish what caused the death and for them to be formally identified. Martin Harris, the brother of a resident of the Peabody Estate in Southwark, south-east London, said that he had complained about a smell Mr Semple was on duty at the time of his disappearance and detectives feared he had been a victim of crime when he failed to return home to his partner, Gary Meeks, in Greenhithe, Kent. Yesterday, police were called to the property in Southwark, less than 200ft from where Mr Semple, originally from Inverness, was last seen alive, and discovered a dismembered body hidden in a flat. Detectives arrested a 49-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of murder. Forensic officers were called to the property on Southwark Street as investigations continued through the night into this morning. An area was cordoned off by police tape as they were seen going in out of the the closed off site. Rubbish chutes were even sealed off as police carried out their inquiries. Mr Semple's brother, Ronnie, an Inverness taxi driver, was being supported by police. He said: 'I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts during the past dreadful week. 'It has been a terrible time for us all, especially Gary. 'Gordon will be sadly missed by all of his immediate family, his colleagues in the Met Police, former Bank of Scotland colleagues in Inverness and London, friends from his Tartan Army Days, but most of all the hardest loss is for Gary at this time.' The policeman's partner Mr Meeks added: 'I would also like to thank Oliver Westbury for setting up 'Gordon Semple, 59 missing' Facebook appeal page and also other cousins and nephews who tried to find Gordon. 'Gordon was a much loved partner, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and cousin and our world will be a worse place without him. It would be appreciated if the family is given time to grieve privately.' Map: Pc Semple had a meeting in The Shard on April 1 and vanished. Police were then called to a flat on the Peabody Estate where they recovered human remains and made an arrest - 200ft from where he was last seen A policeman opens up the cordon to allow a police van in closer to the scene on Southwark Street Commander Alison Newcomb today said the force were not in a position to speculate the cause of death James Game, 33, lives in the estate and said he witnessed yesterday's arrest from the window of his flat. FAMILY TRIBUTES TO 'MUCH LOVED' POLICEMAN GORDON SEMPLE Gordon Semple's brother, Ronnie, an Inverness taxi driver, was being supported by police. He said: 'I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts during the past dreadful week. 'It has been a terrible time for us all, especially Gary. 'Gordon will be sadly missed by all of his immediate family, his colleagues in the Met Police, former Bank of Scotland colleagues in Inverness and London, friends from his Tartan Army days, but most of all the hardest loss is for Gary at this time.' The policeman's partner Gary Meeks added: 'I would also like to thank Oliver Westbury for setting up 'Gordon Semple, 59 missing' Facebook appeal page and also other cousins and nephews who tried to find Gordon. 'Gordon was a much loved partner, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and cousin and our world will be a worse place without him. It would be appreciated if the family is given time to grieve privately.' Advertisement He said: 'I looked out the window and I couldn't believe it. It was swarmed with police. 'A meat wagon reversed up to the ambulance, they opened both sets of doors and escorted some gentleman from the ambulance into the police van. 'He wasn't cuffed but he was being held either side by a policeman.' A private ambulance arrived at the estate on Friday and remained there for the afternoon. Commander Alison Newcomb today said the force were not in a position to speculate the cause of death. She said: 'A man arrested on suspicion of murder remains in our custody and is being questioned by detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command. They have been leading our search to find missing PC Gordon Semple. 'This is obviously a significant development and we have informed Gordon's family and his colleagues. 'Gordon was reported missing on April 1 and we have been working hard to find him. 'Yesterday afternoon we were called by a member of the public to an address on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street, SE1. 'At that address a man was arrested and human remains were discovered. Due to the condition of those human remains it will take some time for cause of death to be established and for formal identification to take place. At this point I do not wish to speculate on what has happened.' Forensic officers were called to the property in Peabody Estate on Southwark Street as investigations continued through the night into this morning A policeman guards the area which has been cordoned off as officers continue their investigations The area was blocked off by police tape overnight after human remains were found inside a property PC GORDON SEMPLE WENT TO WORK LAST FRIDAY BUT NEVER RETURNED APRIL 1: Pc Semple leaves his home in Greenhithe, Dartford, Kent, to go to work in Westminster. 12.30pm - Pc Semple leaves The Shard. 3pm - Pc Semple is seen on CCTV in Great Guildford Street near London Bridge. Pc Semple's partner reports him missing after he fails to return home in the evening. TUESDAY: Police launch an appeal to find the missing officer. Residents in Peabody Estate confront a neighbour due to a 'terrible stench' coming from a flat in the block. WEDNESDAY: Police describe Pc Semple as a 'high-risk missing person' and detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command take over the investigation. The CCTV footage is released to the public by the police in an attempt to trace him. YESTERDAY: A resident in the Peabody Estate calls the police to report a 'smell of death' from one of the flats. 1.07pm - Police are called to a property on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street, south London, and human remains are discovered. The estate is a short distance from London Bridge. A 49-year-old man is arrested at the same address on suspicion of murder. TODAY: Detectives carry out a forensic search of the property. Commander Alison Newcomb admits it may take some time to establish the cause of death and for formal identification due to the 'condition of the remains'. Advertisement Commander Newcomb added: 'Yesterday, a forensic search started at the address and is ongoing. It will take some time for us to complete that work. It is a vital search for evidence. I would like to thank the local residents for their patience and support. 'Local officers are out on patrol to talk to residents and reassure them. 'If there is anyone who can help us with our investigation I would ask you to get in touch with us and tell us what you know. Due to the condition of those human remains it will take some time for cause of death to be established and for formal identification to take place Commander Alison Newcomb of Metropolitan Police 'My thoughts are with Gordon's family and friends at this time of personal tragedy. I would ask that they are given the space and privacy they need to come to terms with this development. 'This is a very sad day for Gordon's colleagues. There are many officers who have served London alongside Gordon during his 30 year career who will acutely feel his loss.' A Facebook page was set up to help find Mr Semple when he was reported missing last week and gained nearly 2,000 followers. Posting a link to the sad news, his niece Kerry Nicholas said: 'It's with great sadness that we post the following link. 'Gordon's family would like to thank everyone for their support throughout this difficult time. Your support and help to find Gordon was overwhelming. 'He was a loved partner, brother, uncle and friend to many. Family request that their privacy be respected at this sad time. X' Mr Semple, who worked in an anti-social behaviour unit at Westminster Council, was on duty at the time of his disappearance and detectives feared he had been a victim of crime when he failed to return home to his partner, Gary Meeks, in Greenhithe, Kent. Crime scene: Police sealed off one of the blocks in the Peabody Estate in Southwark as they continued their investigation - and found human remains Gordon Semple was originally from Inverness in Scotland and moved south to work in the banking sector at 18 THIN BLUE LINE EMBLEM USED ON TWITTER IN MEMORY OF GORDON SEMPLE The Thin Blue Line emblem was used on Twitter as fellow police officers commemorated Pc Gordon Semple. The symbol is used in the UK and America to mark the deaths of fallen law enforcers. Each stripe is said to represent different things. The top black stripe represents the public, while the bottom portrays the criminals - with the blue centre marking the police who aim to keep protect the top from the bottom. The Thin Blue Line emblem has become extremely popular among police, their families and supporters. One Twitter user posted the flag with the words: 'To some this is just a blue line ... to others it's a family crest (sic).' Another said: 'Today we mourn the loss of another colleague. The thin blue line just got thinner RIP PC Gordon Semple @metpoliceuk #police #ThinBlueLine.' Dan White added: 'My thoughts go out to the Family of PC Semple and colleagues within. The thin blue line becomes thinner!' Pictured is a Thin Blue Line representing the British police forces on a Union Flag background Advertisement Last night, a friend of the officer, Mark Dighton, said Mr Semple's distraught partner was being supported by his family at the 200,000 home he shared with the police officer. Mr Dighton said: 'I am devastated. He was a very good friend of mine for a number of years. 'Gary is being supported by his step-mum and police. They had been together for a long time.' Tributes flooded in on social media for the policeman, who friends said will be sorely missed. Karl Pilkington Chapman wrote: 'Sad news...(sic) Worked with him in my first year in the Job.... Always a smile and always willing to help.... Will be sadly missed... Thoughts are with his family and friends... RIP...' Twila Grower said: 'What heartbreaking news - Rest in peace dear Gordon. My thoughts are with your family and friends. I will miss your wonderful smile and our reminiscing chats.' Paul Brown added: 'Utterly devastated . Gordon was a lovely man. Words fail me. My deepest condolences to his family & his partner. RIP Gordon, we will miss you.' Sealed off: Police arrived at the Peabody Estate in Southwark shortly after 1pm yesterday where they found human remains Final movements: The anti-social behaviour officer was spotted on CCTV in Great Guildford Street near The Shard at 3pm (left and right) Relatives of Gordon have called him a happy-go-lucky man who is outgoing, sociable and friendly COMMANDER ALISON NEWCOMB PRAISED PC SEMPLE'S DEDICATION 'A man arrested on suspicion of murder remains in our custody and is being questioned by detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command. They have been leading our search to find missing PC Gordon Semple. 'This is obviously a significant development and we have informed Gordon's family and his colleagues. 'Gordon was reported missing on 1 April and we have been working hard to find him. 'Yesterday afternoon we were called by a member of the public to an address on the Peabody Estate in Southwark Street, SE1. 'At that address a man was arrested and human remains were discovered. Due to the condition of those human remains it will take some time for cause of death to be established and for formal identification to take place. 'At this point I do not wish to speculate on what has happened. 'Yesterday, a forensic search started at the address and is ongoing. It will take some time for us to complete that work. It is a vital search for evidence. I would like to thank the local residents for their patience and support. 'Local officers are out on patrol to talk to residents and reassure them. 'If there is anyone who can help us with our investigation I would ask you to get in touch with us and tell us what you know. 'My thoughts are with Gordon's family and friends at this time of personal tragedy. I would ask that they are given the space and privacy they need to come to terms with this development. 'This is a very sad day for Gordon's colleagues. There are many officers who have served London alongside Gordon during his 30 year career who will acutely feel his loss.' Advertisement His disappearance had shocked friends and family. One friend who did not want to be named said: 'I spoke to his partner the other night and he was really worried. 'He (Gordon) is a crime prevention officer going into companies and businesses all over that area advising them about CCTV and so on. 'We all used to meet up in our local pub and play darts and socialise.' A friend at The Lads of the Village pub in Stone village, near where Mr Semple lived said: 'Everyone in the pub knows him. He often pops in on his way home from work as he walks up from the station. 'It's a complete mystery why he would go missing. He is a very ordinary man and seemed fine.' CAFE WORKER WAS ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE TO SEE GORDON SEMPLE A shocked cafe worker today told how she was one of the last people to see murdered Pc Gordon Semple alive near where his remains were found. Tracey Graham, who works in the Bridge Cafe, just a short walk from the Peabody Estate in Southwark, south-east London, said she was 'shocked' to see Mr Semple's face on TV. She said the 59-year-old, who was last seen alive on Friday, April 1, visited the cafe last week. Ms Graham said: 'I don't remember what day it was, but it could well have been Friday. It was definitely last week. 'He came in and had a coffee and we had a chat and a laugh with him. He was happy; he seemed absolutely fine. He was very pleasant. 'He talking about how he had a meeting at London Bridge; he didn't say The Shard, but near London Bridge. 'He was saying how it had been moved forward and he had to go.' Ms Graham, 47, said that although she could not remember exactly which day Mr Semple had been in, she was sure it was him because both she and two other co-workers recognised his picture on TV. She said: 'It was definitely him - three of us recognised him. 'He came across as professional. I thought he was a businessman, because he said he had a meeting.' Advertisement Professor Alexei Likhtman, 44, died when he fell 50 feet after taking a photo at a U.S. beauty spot A British-based physics professor plunged 50ft to his death moments after taking a photograph at an American cliff-top beauty spot, an inquest heard. Professor Alexei Likhtman, 44, took a single jumping step down to a lower rocky ledge before slipping and falling from the Annapolis Rock lookout in Maryland. Despite rescue efforts from bystanders and trained first-aiders, the Russian was pronounced dead at the scene on October 11 last year. Professor Likhtman, who lectured in mathematical physics at the University of Reading, had flown out to Baltimore with student Jian Zhu to attend a scientific conference but deliberately jumped on an earlier flight to sightsee beforehand. Speaking through an interpreter at the inquest in Reading, Mr Zhu recounted his final moments with the 'stellar' academic and said he had been no more than two or three yards from the professor before witnessing 'very clearly' the tragedy. In a statement given to the police at the time of Professor Likhtman's death, Mr Zhu said: 'Professor Likhtman was hiking with me. We reached Annapolis Rock cliff. 'Alexei stood on the rock of the cliff trying to take a photograph. Later he stepped down to the rock on the edge. He slipped and fell.' Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford heard that the keen hiker and skier, who lived with his family in Ribbleton Close in Earley, Berkshire, was known to be a 'very careful person' and had good experiences of being out in the mountains in Scotland, Wales and China. The fall that led to the physicist's death took place at 10:46am and was witnessed by shocked hikers. He was declared dead by a paramedic just over an hour later at 11:55am despite more than 60 minutes of lifesaving efforts. Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Bedford tried to ease the mind of the Professor's widow, Katrina, by telling her he had been reached by 'very high quality medical care' despite the remote location. The Annapolis rocks on the Appalachian Trail where Professor Likhtman visited. He was declared dead by a paramedic just over an hour after his fall Professor Likhtman (pictured) had flown out to Baltimore with student Jian Zhu to attend a scientific conference but caught an early flight to squeeze in some sightseeing 'The cause of death can be documented as multiple blunt force injuries and the conclusion will be that the incident which led to the tragic death was an accident,' the coroner added. Professor Likhtman worked as a lecturer at the University of Leeds between 1999 and 2007 before taking up the post of professor of mathematical physics at Reading, working in applied mathematics. He was also the departmental director of postgraduate research studies. The Russian national, who moved to the UK from Moscow to teach, had been walking along the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail in eastern America, which stretches from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south, before his tragic death. He is survived by his wife Katrina and two daughters, Sonya and Asya. David Cameron finally admitted last night that he had profited from more than 30,000 in an offshore tax haven. After days of pressure, the Prime Minister acknowledged that he had benefited from a controversial fund set up by his late father Ian. He also accepted that some of the 300,000 left to him by his father may also have come from funds lodged offshore. In an extraordinary TV interview, Mr Cameron said he and his wife Samantha had jointly held a stake in his fathers investment fund, Blairmore, which was registered in Panama and operated out of the Bahamas. He said they had sold the shares in January 2010 four months before he became Prime Minister for 31,500, pocketing a tax-free profit of just over 19,000 on the deal. He also pledged to release his personal tax return in an attempt to limit the damage from his revelation. David Cameron, pictured yesterday, last night admitted he used to own 30,000 in shares of his father's firm but sold them before becoming PM In an extraordinary TV interview with ITVs Robert Peston (pictured), Mr Cameron said he and his wife Samantha had jointly held a stake in his fathers investment fund, Blairmore, which was registered in Panama and operated out of the Bahamas. But he insisted that he had paid all UK taxes due on his investment during the 13 years he held it. And he promised he would now publish details of his tax return, saying he did not have anythingwant anyone to say youve got other agendas or vested interests or all the rest of it. However, the revelations brought a fusillade of criticism from opposition figures. John Mann, a Labour member of the Commons Treasury committee, branded him a hypocrite and called for him to resign. Mr Mann said: Cameron has been less than honest. He should resign immediately. Most decent people would expect nothing less. Labours deputy leader Tom Watson said that Mr Cameron should repay at least part of the profits he made from offshore investments and questioned why he had taken six years to reveal them. Mr Watson said: After days of repeatedly avoiding the issue, this is an extraordinary admission from the Prime Minister. David Cameron, who described the use of complex tax avoidance schemes as morally wrong, has been forced to admit that he held shares in a fund now linked to tax avoidance. FOUR STATEMENTS IN THREE DAYS AND STILL THE PM HAD A CONFESSION TO MAKE LAST NIGHT Downing Street issued four statements in 48 hours on the Prime Minister's tax affairs as it tried to shut down the row about his late father's dealings in tax havens. Statement One 11am, Monday Asked if the Cameron family still had money in his late father's offshore fund identified in the Panama Papers, the PM's spokesman said: 'That is a private matter. I will focus on what the government is doing.' Statement Two. 2.30pm, Tuesday Asked if he or his family had benefited from any offshore fund in the past, or would do so in the future, Mr Cameron said: 'In terms of my own financial affairs, I own no shares. I have a salary as prime minister and I have some savings, which I get some interest from, and I have a house which we let out while we are living in Downing Street, and that's all I have. I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And, so that, I think, is a very clear description.' Statement Three. 5pm, Tuesday No 10 said: 'To be clear, the Prime Minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds. The Prime Minister owns no shares. As has been previously reported, Mrs Cameron owns a small number of shares connected to her father's land, which she declares on her tax return.' Statement Four. 9am, Wednesday A Downing Street spokesman said: 'There are no offshore funds/trusts which the Prime Minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future.' Advertisement People want a Government that clamps down on tax avoidance and they want a Prime Minister who upholds the highest standards. At the moment we seem to have neither. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: For ordinary taxpayers to have faith in the system they have to be able to have faith in their leaders. They deserve better than half-truths and qualified statements. Downing Street has spent all week dealing with questions on the Prime Ministers tax affairs following revelations on Monday that Ian Cameron was named in the so-called Panama Papers. Blairmore was named after the house in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, where Ian Cameron was born in 1932. The company was incorporated in the secretive Panama jurisdiction in 1982 and operated out of the tax haven of the Bahamas. The firm hired Bahamas residents, including a bishop, to sign off paperwork and held meetings in the Caribbean. The arrangement, while legal, allowed the company to avoid paying UK tax for decades. The fund also made use of bearer shares which enable people to hide their assets. On Monday No 10 said the Cameron familys dealings in Blairmore were a private matter. The Prime Minister and Downing Street then issued three further statements over the following 48 hours in a bid to close down the growing controversy. But on each occasion, they avoided key questions about whether the PMs family had benefited from offshore investments in the past. As the questions continued to mount, Mr Cameron yesterday decided to make a full statement of his affairs. He told ITV News: Samantha and I ... owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000. No 10 said Mr and Mrs Cameron had invested 12,497 in Blairmore in April 1997. They sold the shares in January 2010 for 31,500, yielding a capital gain of 19,003. They paid no tax on the profit because it came in just under their joint tax-free capital gains allowance which stood at 20,200 at the time. No 10 said the Camerons did pay income tax on the unspecified annual dividends they received from the fund over the 13 years they held the investment. Mr Cameron said he was proud of his stockbroker father, who had been unfairly written about. The PM said there was a fundamental misconception about the way Blairmore operated, saying it had not been set up to avoid tax. He said: It was set up after exchange controls went, so that people who wanted to invest in dollar-denominated shares and companies could do so, and there are many other, thousands of other unit trusts set up in this way. Family secrets: Prime Minister David Cameron with his parents Ian and Mary during his general election campaigning in 2010. The PM's father, who set up offshore investment funds, died later that year Mr Cameron made his admission in a TV interview with ITV's political editor Robert Peston, left with the PM today I SHOULD DEAL WITH THE PAST AS WELL HOW CAMERON SQUIRMED IN TV INTERVIEW David Cameron finally admitted to profiting from investments in offshore tax havens in an interview with ITVs political editor Robert Peston last night. Here are the key exchanges: Robert Peston: Have the disclosures about Blairmore, the company set up by your father in the Bahamas and Panama, been embarrassing to you? David Cameron: It has been a difficult few days, reading criticisms of my father and his business practices my dad was a man I love and admire and miss every day. I think a lot of the criticisms are based on a fundamental misconception, which is that Blairmore, a unit trust, was set up with the idea of avoiding tax. It wasnt. It was set up after exchange controls went so that people who wanted to invest in dollar-denominated companies could do so. RP: The effect of Blairmores structure meant it didnt pay tax. Is that wrong? DC: The point is that it was a unit trust. So the money it had was other peoples money on which they pay tax. If you were a United Kingdom owner of these things you paid income tax on your dividends and you paid tax in the normal way. I have been very clear about the future. I have said I am not going to benefit from any family trusts. I have been very clear about the present, I dont own any shares, I dont own any unit trusts or any investments like that. I own two homes one of which I rent out and I have a salary as prime minister. But I should deal with the past as well. Because of course I did own stocks and shares in the past quite naturally because my father was a stockbroker. I sold them all in 2010, because if I was going to become Prime Minister I didnt want anyone to say you have other agendas, vested interests. Samantha and I have a joint account. We owned 5000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000. RP: Was there a profit on it? DC: I paid income tax on the dividends. There was a profit on it but it was less than the capital gains tax allowance so I didnt pay capital gains tax. But it was subject to all the UK taxes in all the normal way. RP: So, I am sorry to press you on this but part of your dads estate was in Jersey when he died. Did you benefit from that? DC: He left me some money, very generously, quite a lot of money. It was 300,000. I obviously cant point to every source of every bit of the money, and Dad isnt around to ask the questions now. If people want information about my tax return, I can tell you what goes on mine. And I said before the last election, if we want to move to a situation where prime ministers and potential prime ministers publish this information, I am very happy to do that. So I hope I have dealt with the future, present and the past. Ive frankly been more transparent about these things than any prime minister in the past. RP: So you cant be certain some of that 300,000 didnt come from offshore sources? DC: Well he had investments in Blairmore. RP: And in Jersey? DC: Well that was because of another unit trust, again established to UK standards, and many people have those investments. But in all of this Ive never hidden the fact that I am a very lucky person. I had wealthy parents who gave me a great upbringing. Who paid for me to go to an amazing school. I have never tried to be anything I am not. Advertisement Labour's John Mann suggested Mr Cameron should resign over his 'hypocrisy' on tax avoidance Treasury select committee member Wes Streeting questioned why it had taken days for the facts to be 'dragged out' of Mr Cameron Labour's Paul Flynn also questioned why the truth from Mr Cameron was 'delayed' It emerged this week that Ian Cameron also left assets in the tax haven of Jersey when he died in 2010. The Prime Minister yesterday admitted that all or part of the 300,000 left to him by his father might have come from offshore assets. I obviously cant point to every source of every bit of money and Dads not around for me to ask the questions now, he said. Mr Cameron said that a promise to publish details of his tax return, which was first made four years ago, would now be acted on. Sources said the publication could come within days, although senior ministers will not be asked to follow suit. Last night's revelations have damaged the Prime Minister. Labour MP Paul Flynn said: 'Statement 6 by PM to ITV drags out truth that he inherited 300,000 from his father who profited from tax havens. 'Why was truth delayed?.' Treasury select committee member Wes Streeting said: 'David Cameron keeps saying he has nothing to hide. So why are facts being dragged out of him over days?!' In a bid to close down a toxic row over tax avoidance earlier this week, Mr Cameron made an extraordinary public statement about his personal finances and income - insisting he received no money from shares or offshore trusts. But the claims only suggested more questions and Downing Street was forced to issue a string of further clarifications - making a total of four statements. Ian Cameron was named in the massive leak of more than 11 million files from the Panama tax haven. Shortly before his death the former stockbroker personally owned more than 6,000 shares in a Jersey fund he helped to manage, known by various names including the Close International Equity Growth Fund. The assets in Jersey were left to the Prime Minister's mother Mary in 2010, leaving open the possibility that Mr Cameron could eventually benefit from it in the form of an inheritance. Mr Cameron was on the EU campaign trail in Exeter today, pictured, and insisted he had a good record on tackling tax avoidance as PM The leaked papers revealed Ian Cameron's firm Blairmore Holdings avoided UK tax for years by operating out of the Bahamas and Jersey. FIRM MOVED TO IRELAND 'TO AVOID INCREASED SCRUTINY' IN THE SAME MONTH CAMERON SLAMMED 'MORALLY WRONG' TAX AVOIDANCE SCHEMES Blairmore Holdings, the 35 million investment fund set up by David Cameron's father, may have been moved from Panama to Ireland due to growing scrutiny of offshore accounts. The Guardian reports that Ian Cameron consulted with lawyers on the pros and cons on several different tax havens before the fund eventually transferred to Ireland. The Cayman Islands and Bermuda were considered to host Blairmore Holdings Inc after the fund's directors began considering moving the investment from Panama. The fund had been registered in Panama by Mossack Fonseca. Ian Cameron set up the fund in the 1980s. It was incorporated in Panama and run from Nassau in the Bahamas, meaning Blairmore paid no UK tax over more than 20 years. The firm employed some 50 Bahamas residents to sign documents and fill administrative roles. Blairmore's directors consulted with London-based lawyers Simmons & Simmons in March 2008 over the best place to move the fund. A lawyer wrote to Blairmore's directors: 'Both the Cayman Islands and Bermuda are considered market-leading offshore financial centres with sophisticated investment fund infrastructures. Both offer political stability, an abundance of professional service provider and responsive regulatory bodies.' It was in 2012, after Ian Cameron's death in 2010, that Blairmore, now valued at 21 million, was moved to Ireland. A source close to the firm told The Daily Telegraph it was moved as directors thought it was about to 'come under more scrutiny'. Experts said last night a crackdown on international money laundering may have inspired the move. Richard Murphy, a professor of international political economy at City University, London, said moving money in and out of Panama became harder. 'It would look better in Ireland than in Panama it would have been easier to sell [to investors],' he said. But the move to Ireland was made in the very month Cameron, who was by then Prime Minister, described tax avoidance schemes as 'morally irresponsible'. In June 2012 he vowed a crack down after it emerged celebrities including Jimmy Carr and Gary Barlow had used the K2 tax avoidance schemes. Advertisement Under Jersey law, the value of the assets does not have to be made public, but a grant of probate is normally required only for sums above 10,000. It cannot include property but can apply to cash held in bank accounts or investments, including offshore trusts and funds, known as 'movable estate'. According to his English will, Ian Cameron left everything to his widow Mary, apart from specific bequests to the Prime Minister and his sisters. Legal sources said the terms of the will meant any Jersey assets were most likely to have gone to Mrs Cameron. Downing Street's final statement yesterday said the Prime Minister and his family will not benefit in the future from any offshore funds. But tax experts said funds held in Jersey would have grown more quickly, as dividend payments would not have been subject to tax. If Mr Cameron inherits anything from his mother it could then be argued that he has benefited from the offshore Jersey assets. Chartered accountant and tax lecturer Robert Leach said: 'It's quite possible that Mr Cameron and his siblings could benefit from money held offshore if they inherit any of Mary Cameron's estate. 'If this happens it will be difficult to reconcile this with the Prime Minister's statement.' There are legitimate reasons to hold money and other assets offshore and there is no suggestion of illegality or wrongdoing by any member of the Cameron family. Documents filed in 2009 showed Ian Cameron held at least 6,000 shares in the Jersey fund the first time he was shown to have personally held wealth offshore rather than managing funds like Blairmore Holdings in Panama. After his death, the net value of his estate was put at 2.7million. He left 300,000 in cash just under the threshold at which inheritance tax is paid to David. A 1million mews house in Kensington, West London, was left to the Prime Minister's sisters Tania and Clare. The remainder of his estate was left to Mrs Cameron. The 2.5million family home near Newbury in Berkshire was transferred to the Prime Minister's older brother Alex in 2006, in an apparent attempt to reduce inheritance tax liabilities. Labour has repeatedly called for Downing Street to publish the full details of Mr Cameron's links to Blairmore. Mr Leach said that the Prime Minister needed to say if the 300,000 he received from his father's will 'was the proceeds of a scheme that avoided tax'. He added: 'The answer is probably yes as he would have denied it otherwise. A British man left heartbroken after his new husband died while on honeymoon has revealed how his beloved other-half's ashes were confiscated by airport staff - because he was not considered next-of-kin. Marco Bulmer-Rizzi was trying to bring the remains of his husband David back to the UK from Australia, where he died after falling down stairs and cracking his skull at the end of their dream holiday, six months after the couple's June wedding. But local laws meant the devastated newly-wed was left to deal not only with his grief but also the problem of being in a country which did not recognise the marriage as legal, nor his standing as next-of-kin to David. Marco and David Bulmer-Rizzi pictured in the Greek Islands last year during a family celebration of their marriage. David, 32, died after a fall during their Australian honeymoon but is not recognised as married As a result of him not being named on the death certificate, Marco was stopped by authorities in Hong Kong, who questioned his right to have the ashes. Pictured: The happy couple pictured at their wedding last year Because of the law, Australian authorities refused to name him as husband on the death certificate - effectively cutting him out of all funeral arrangements, and meaning all arrangements had to be approved by his new father-in-law. But even as he returned home to the UK, his nightmare was not over. Staff at Hong Kong airport spotted the ashes as they passed through the X-ray machine, and demanded to know what they were - and why he had them. Marco, of Sunderland, was already aware there may be a problem, because the death certificate did not list him as next-of-kin, and because Hong Kong, like Australia, does not recognise same-sex marriage. As a result, the ashes were confiscated by the security guards. 'I felt like I was losing him again,' he told BuzzFeed. 'All I wanted was to be able to travel with David's ashes on me so he wouldn't have to travel back by himself.' Marco Bulmer-Rizzi has hit out at the Foreign Office for not being prepared for such an eventuailty Eventually an official overruled the guards, and Marco was allowed to carry on his journey home. However, the experience has left him even more angry and questioning why the British government was not prepared for such a circumstance. 'They [the British consulate] should have understood and stepped in,' he told Buzzfeed. 'They should have given me a next-of-kin letter, just something so that if I had issues with the hospital, in terms of making final decisions, I could have just said, Im Davids next of kin and this letter is to confirm that.' The couple was married in England in June last year before a Greek Islands celebration with family and friends ahead of the ultimately fateful honeymoon in Australia The matter caused a political row in Australia with the Greens calling on the federal government to recognise same-sex marriages performed overseas. 'It's appalling that a grieving husband is being treated this way. It really is degrading and humiliating and an example of the cruel nature of this element of Australian law,' Senator Robert Simms said. Azealia Banks' feud with the Palin family continues, though now it is with Sarah's daughter Bristol. The Oldest Palin daughter wrote a post on Wednesday attacking the rapper for saying her mother Sarah should be gang-raped, and for making comments about her children Tripp and Sailor. Banks fired back on Twitter, writing; 'Bristol Palin need to shut it the f*** up and get herself a nuvaring.' She later deleted the tweet after a fan wrote to her; 'Azealia stop giving the media reasons to attack you. We fans love focus just on us please.' Banks responded to that by writing; 'ok. i will.' Scroll down for video New feud: Azealia Banks (left in 2014) went after Bristol Palin (right in 2011) on Twitter Thursday afternoon Bristol wrote in her blog post; 'I want to start off this post by saying I would never wish any of these threats on Azealias mother (or anyones mother for that matter). 'She said the best thing to happen to my mom is if she was gang raped by a group of black men.' She later stated: 'It is unfortunate people in my generation think they can do, and say, whatever they wish without any sort of consequence. There are consequences for every action you make Miss Bank, and there will be consequences for your unimaginable threats. 'I am not going to waste another minute of my day addressing you, but I will finish my post by addressing what you said in regards to my children.' Banks wrote in an open letter to Sarah on Tuesday; 'If Bristol Palin listened to my music she probably wouldnt have all those cotdamn kids!!!! ;-P #sis #iud #stayinschool #causeitsthebest.' Bristol responded to this by writing in her letter; 'So, I looked up your lyrics. 'Which song should I have been listening too? Hood B****, P-U-S-S-Y, Queen of Clubs, Grand Scam, or Big Talk? 'Just let me know.' Banks posted a message calling Sarah a 'cracker' on Wednesday while also criticizing her on Twitter for supporting Donald Trump, saying: 'Everyone can tell you're spreading them cheeks for Mr. Trump Sarah..... you ain't got to lie.' This all came after Azealia attacked Sarah on Twitter Sunday in a series of now deleted tweets. 'Honestly Lets find the biggest burliest blackest n****** and let them run a train on her. Film it and put it on worldstar,' wrote Banks in one of the tweets. In another she wrote; 'Hideous. At least suk a n**** d*** or summ before you start talking s*** about "black people willingly accepting slavery." Least she can do.' The rapper lashed out at the former Alaska governor after reading a satirical article in which Sarah was falsely quoted as saying; 'Im telling you, Ive been saying it for years, but nobodys listening slavery wasnt forced onto African-Americans, they accepted it willingly.' Sarah responded to Banks on Tuesday, saying she was 'not exercising enough intelligence' and later added: 'Why don't we strengthen both our platforms and work together on something worthwhile.' She then wrote that 'condoning racism' was one of the things that the women could work on before editing it to 'condemning racism' in the post. On the attack: Banks posted a message calling Palin a 'cracker' and attacked her for supporting Donald Trump on Wednesday (Palin and Trump above on Saturday) Bristol's turn: Banks also responded to Palin's comment that she planned to delete Banks' music off her daughter's playlist by going after Bristol Palin's two out-of-wedlock pregnancies, saying; 'If Bristol Palin listened to my music she probably wouldnt have all those cotdamn kids!!!!' (Bristol above with her son and daughter) Sarah later told People; 'I've had enough of the unanswered threats and attacks against my family and me. 'So, for the first time I'm going to enjoy the only retribution some protected "celebrities" seem to understand I'm suing Azealia Banks and can't wait to share my winnings with others who have gone defenseless against lies and dangerous attacks far too long.' Palin added; 'Azealia engages in a form of racism and hate that is celebrated by some in the perverted arm of pop culture, but is condemned by those who know it's tearing our country apart. 'Others may keep turning a blind eye to problems like Azealia's mouth; I choose to take a stand against it and the double standards that result in her actually being rewarded for her divisive tactics and aggressively inciting violence.' Banks responded to this on Twitter, writing; 'When you're a public figure who courts attention, you can't sue ppl for making jokes. Freedom of Speech girllllyyyyy.' She also wrote; 'F*** Sarah Palin.' In the letter she posted Wednesday, Banks wrote; 'Despite their best efforts to conceal the contempt and envy that the cracker has for Blacks and other people of color... they just cant hide it and it's seeping from the seams of their being. 'Im 100% positive that the police killings, cultural appropriation, Trump and Palin etc. represent the contempt that whitey shares for this intangible , uncontrollable new black man thats been steeping for a while now.' Media Research Center managed to grab Banks' initial tweets before they were taken down, the most vulgar of which said; 'Sarah Palin needs to have her head shaved off to a buzzcut, get headf***** by a big veiny, ashy black c*** then be locked in a cupboard.' The 24-year-old rapper is frequently in the news for her erratic behavior, and just two weeks ago was seen charging at photographers who were taking her picture outside Manhattan Criminal Court. Banks was appearing in court following an incident that happened in December where she is alleged to have punched and then bitten a female bouncer at a Manhattan club. She was also accused of assaulting a bouncer at the Break Room 86 club in Los Angeles in October. Banks has also engaged in numerous Twitter fights, most notably with fellow rappers including Iggy Azalea, Eminem and Nicki Minaj. She tweeted about Azalea just last month, writing; 'Mentioning me is the only thing that will get you attention. Because ur music and nose job are trash.' New York Citys ultra-Liberal mayor Bill de Blasio has been thrown into the center of a wide-ranging corruption probe as the FBI closes in on top officers in the citys police department. Two major de Blasio donors are at the center of the scandal that led to the NYPDs chief on Manhattans tony Upper East Side placed on modified duty on Thursday. Deputy Inspector James Grant, head of the 19th Precinct, was relieved of his badge and gun amid claims that he accepted cash and diamonds from Jeremy Reichberg, a friend of the mayor. Michael Harrington, the second in command of the forces housing bureau was given similar punishment and deputy chiefs David Colon and Eric Rodriguez have been transferred, commissioner Bill Bratton confirmed. NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant (left) has been placed on modified duty and stripped of his gun and badge as was Deputy Housing Chief Michael Harrington (right) 'The public has expectations of its public officials, of the leadership of the department, and those expectations were not met,' Bratton said during a press conference. 'This is not a particularly good day for the department.' Grant allegedly told friends Im f****d, I cant go to jail, when he heard he was under investigation. Thursdays dramatic moves came after it was revealed that Philip Banks, the forces highest-ranking black officer, who quit in 2014 rather than accept promotion to what he considered a desk job, was also under investigation over hundreds of thousands of dollars that had appeared in his bank accounts. De Blasio had considered Banks for the top job of police commissioner but in the end passed him over and chose former LAPD chief Bill Bratton instead. Banks rejected the post of second-in-command and went to work as head of security for a medical marijuana distribution company. Harrington worked under Banks before his boss resigned. Two major de Blasio donors are at the center of the scandal that led to the NYPDs chief on Manhattans tony Upper East Side placed on modified duty on Thursday Around 20 other top NYPD officers were roused from their sleep in the early morning hours by FBI agents investigating what could become one of the largest corruption scandals to hit the department in years. Some are considered witnesses, others could face disciplinary action or even court charges. The probe centers on allegations that Reichberg and real estate investor Jona Rechnitz, two Orthodox Jewish businessmen, who are both major donors to de Blasio, gave cash, diamonds and overseas trips to cops in return for favors including providing security for large Jewish funerals. The scandal all started with an NYPD investigation into whether Norman Seabrook had enriched himself during his 20 years as head of the citys Corrections Officers Union, but soon grew to engulf top cops When Reichberg and Rechnitzs phones were tapped, it soon became clear they had close connections not only to Seabrook but to several leading police officers as well. A federal grand jury has already begun hearing evidence, the New York Times reported. Reichberg is said to have gone to Grants home on Staten Island around Christmas and handed him hundreds of dollars in cash. Grant has allegedly known Reichberg for some eight years, including his 2011-14 stint as head of heavily Jewish Sunset Park's 72nd Precinct from 2011 to 2014, the Post reported. Jeremy Reichberg (left) and Jona Rechnitz (right) flanked former top NYPD officer Philip Banks at a charity dinner. The two businessmen are major donors to New York City mayor Bill de Blasio Reichberg was suspended Tuesday from his post as one of four chaplains to the neighboring Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the Journal News reported. He had held the post since June 2013, the same month that his company gave $15,000 to Republican Rob Astorinos re-election campaign as Westchester County Executive. Bratton vowed that the NYPD will cooperate fully with the FBI investigation. A spokesman for the FBI told Daily Mail Online the bureau would not be commenting on the case. The commissioner said in a statement that the corruption investigation by the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau began in 2013. The FBI and Department of Justice became involved in the inquiry early the next year. 'The potential violations under investigation include violations of NYPD rules and policies, the City conflicts of interest rules and the federal criminal laws,' Bratton said. 'The investigation is examining the conduct of current and former NYPD Officers and several others.' In addition, Brooklyn South Deputy Chief Eric Rodriguez (left )and Deputy Chief David Colon (right) have been transferred, Bratton announced Grant is said to have personally chauffeured Reichberg from airports after overseas trips to pick up diamonds. As a form of payment, hed give him one or two really nicely cut diamonds to give to his wife. The New York Post reported. Despite the deepening scandal, de Blasio said on Wednesday that he will not hurry to give back donations from Reichberg and Rechnitz. An investigation means somethings being looked at, the mayor said. Until we get a result we cant make final judgments. He said he would look at returning the two mens donations once the probe is complete. Rechnitz gave $50,000 to de Blasios Campaign for One New York, the Post said. That is the exact amount of money he won on a freak Super Bowl bet, when he put down $1,000 on a 50-1 wager that the Giants would score the first points in the 2012 game with a two-point safety. It happened when New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was flagged for intentional grounding in his own endzone. Rechnitz and his wife, Rachel, who, according to public records is a registered Republican, each donated the maximum $4,950 to Democrat de Blasios 2013 winning campaign for mayor. Both he and Reichberg were on the inauguration team that planned de Blasios inaugural parties. Investigators discovered that on multiple occasions Grant (above) personally escorted Jeremy Reichberg, a prominent figure in Borough Park , from the airport after overseas trips to pick up diamonds. Grant was the boss of the NYPD's Upper East Side's 19th Precinct (above) located on East 67th Street De Blasio said neither man had contributed to his campaign for re-election next year. Rechnitz and Reichberg have long boasted about their close ties to the NYPD, New Yorks Jewish Voice reported with Rechnitz paying for officers to travel to exotic locations including the Caribbean, Rome, London and Las Vegas. Banks wore his uniform for an October 2014 visit to Jerusalems Western Wall even though he was on his private time. Banks paid for his own airfare but Rechnitz picked up the hotel bills for Banks and his friend, union boss Seabrook. Seabrook has already denied any wrongdoing., saying he and Banks repaid Rechnitz by giving him an expensive, ornate backgammon set made of ancient woods. [We] spent $5,000 on the backgammon set custom-made from Israel so that nobody could say they bought me the [plane] ticket, Seabrook told the Post. One of the officers who has already testified before the grand jury is veteran NYPD Community Affairs Officer Michael Milici. According to the New York Daily News he has been placed on modified duty. FBI chief James Comney touted the 'independent' nature of his bureau, while saying he's 'stayed close' to the ongoing investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails. He made these remarks yesterday at Ohio's Kenyon College, according to Politico, assuring students that the FBI would ward off any political influence due to the ongoing presidential campaign. 'I love the FBI because we aspire to, and I think we are, three things: We're honest, we're competent, we're independent,' Comey said. 'We're not perfect. We're competent, we're independent,' the director said reiterating the latter two. Scroll down for video FBI Director James Comey wouldn't say too much about the ongoing FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails, but did praise the bureau for its independence, competence and honesty FBI head James Comey said that the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails would be wrapped up 'promptly,' but said he's not taking the timing of the Democratic National Convention into account While he gave a general 'no comment' on the investigation, he also gave an explanation of what his role was. 'I've stayed close to that investigation to ensure that it's done that way,' Comey said. 'That we have the resources, the technology, the people and that there's no outside influence.' 'So, if I talk about the investigation while it's going on there's a risk that I'll compromise both the reality and the perception that it's done honestly, competently and independently,' he added. Earlier this week, while Comey was addressing an audience in New York he said the investigation would be wrapped up 'promptly,' but would not be taking the timing of the Democratic National Convention into consideration. A week ago, Al Jazeera America reported that the investigation has now reached a 'critical stage,' in that the bureau has finished examining her emails and homebrew server and will now be interviewing top aides, along with Clinton herself. Among those to be interviewed: Clinton's State Department chief of staff Cheryl Mills and senior advisor Philippe Reines, Al Jazeera America said. 'Soon after those interviews in the next few days and weeks officials expect director Comey to make his recommendation to Attorney General Loretta Lynch about potential criminal charges,' network anchor David Shuster said. The Justice Department and the FBI opened up their investigation in July upon receiving a security referral from the inspector general of the intelligence community, who concluded at the time that Clinton had sent emails deemed 'secret,' the highest level of classification, through her personal email system. The inspector general's office was leafing through the 30,500 emails Clinton had turned over from her homebrew server that she said were work-related. 'None of the emails we reviewed has classification or dissemination markings, but some included [intelligence community]-derived classified information and should have been handled as classified appropriately marked, and transmitted via a secure network,' Inspector General I. Charles McCollough wrote Congress in a letter at the start of the investigation. Previously, the inspector general and the State Department were shown to be in a dispute over whether these correspondences should be considered classified. Since then the State Department has released the emails publicly, as part of Freedom of Information Act requests, and 22 emails were marked 'top secret,' while hundreds of others were marked 'secret' or 'confidential.' None of the emails had markings indicating their classified nature at the time. Clinton has used this as part of her public defense of the email scandal explaining that these emails were 'retroactively' classified. She's complained of the government's overzealous nature in classifying the documents and called for the contents of them to come out publicly so that the stink of the scandal would subside. Clinton had also deleted 31,830 emails from her server that she said were personal correspondence. The Los Angeles Times found out that most of those emails have since been recovered since Clinton handed the physical server over to the FBI in August. Legal experts suggested to the Times that it would be difficult to prosecute Clinton over her handling of classified information as prosecutors would have to prove she knew the information was classified at the time she was sending it. While Democratic rival Sanders has shied away from criticizing Clinton for the email scandal famously saying on the first Democratic debate stage that 'the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails' Republicans have been chomping at the bit over it. Throughout the campaign they've portrayed Clinton as worse than former CIA head David Petraeus, who pleaded guilty of a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified material and thus was spared prison time. 'I mean look at Petraeus good guy, made a mistake, and by the way, leave the guy alone,' said Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in January. 'Leave Petraeus alone. Right? Enough already. Enough. They've gone after him, they've destroyed him and yet Hillary's flying safe and she did 100 times worse than what he did,' But there's a pivotal distinction between the Petraeus case and the ongoing one swirling around Clinton. Petraeus knowingly provided classified material to his mistress and biographer Paula Broadwell, legal experts pointed out. Broadwell was a civilian. Clinton's emails, even the ones that were later marked classified, were sent to aides who had been cleared to receive the contents. 'Those cases are just so different from what Clinton is accused of doing,' American University law professor Stephen Vladeck told the Times. 'And the Justice Department lawyers know it.' Other states could be at risk too Cali and Kentucky say no successful hacks have been made Hundreds of thousands who used the health insurance websites of California, Kentucky or Vermont could find their sensitive personal information in the hands of hackers thanks to significant cybersecurity weaknesses, The Associated Press revealed Thursday. Some of those flaws have still yet to be fixed. And the regulators who found the vulnerabilities say that given the number of weaknesses they discovered in just the three states studied, other state-run health insurance exchanges could be vulnerable, too. An employee of Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, at work. This and two other exchanges had 'significant' vulnerabilities to hackers, the investigative arm of Congress reported The discoveries were made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, which examined the three states' systems from October 2013-March 2015 and shared the data with state officials last September. Last month it released an abbreviated, public version of its findings without identifying the states. On Thursday, the GAO revealed the states' names in response to a Freedom of Information request from the AP. According to the GAO, one state did not encrypt passwords, potentially making it easy for hackers to gain access to individual accounts. One state did not properly use a filter to block hostile attempts to visit the website. And one state did not use the proper encryption on its servers, making it easier for hackers to get in. The report did not say which state had what problem. Vermont authorities would not discuss the findings, but officials in California and Kentucky said this week that there was no evidence hackers succeeded in stealing anything The regulators advised that the federal government continually monitor cybersecurity at other vulnerable state-run health insurance exchanges. Created under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, the exchanges are online marketplaces where people who have no health insurance through their jobs can buy government-subsidized private coverage. Only a dozen states ran their own websites this year; the rest either switched to the federal one or jointly operate their exchanges with Washington. Kentucky's Steve Beshear, who was governor when the security flaws were discovered, said through a spokeswoman that 'because of the time required to fix the technical issues, not all those issues had been addressed' by the time Gov. Matt Bevin took office in early December. But Beshear added: 'It is important to note that there were never any security breaches of any kind, and no-one's information was ever compromised.' Doug Hogan, a spokesman for the Bevin administration's Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said efforts to fix the problems 'are in various stages of completion and implementation.' He added that privacy and security of sensitive information are 'of the utmost importance' to Bevin's administration. Kentucky's insurance exchange, Kynect, will be dismantled later this year. While the system is credited with helping reduce Kentucky's uninsured rate from more than 20 percent in 2013 to 7.5 percent last year, Bevin says it is too expensive. He wants to transfer the more than 93,000 people who bought private coverage on Kynect to the federal exchange, Healthcare.gov. But Kentuckians' information might not be any safer there. According to the GAO report, Healthcare.gov had 316 security incidents between October 2013 and March 2015. Such incidents can include unauthorized access, disclosure of data or violations of security practices. None resulted in lost or stolen data, but the GAO said technical weaknesses with the federal system 'will likely continue to jeopardize the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Healthcare.gov.' Peter Lee (pictured, in 2013), exec director of Covered California, said that there were no successful breaches of website security. A representative of Kentucky's provider said likewise, but Vermont's declined to comment Lawrence Miller, director of health reform for Vermont's Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin, would not discuss details of the GAO findings. In California, a spokesman for the state's exchange, Roy Kennedy, would not say how Covered California was addressing the problems, citing security concerns. He pointed instead to a letter sent in October to members of Congress. In that letter Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said there have been no successful breaches of website security. However, he said personal information may have been exposed in a few instances because of human error or other mistakes. Lee said that Covered California adopted 37 of the GAO's 41 recommendations for improving security. He said his agency disagreed with three technical security recommendations and is constrained by state laws and union contracts from adopting a fourth requiring background checks for existing employees. Since the GAO audit, Lee's letter said, Covered California conducts more frequent scans to identify threats, and any critical findings will be immediately fixed. 'Protecting data is our highest priority,' Lee wrote. 'From day one, Covered California has followed the rigorous guidelines outlined in federal and state security regulations designed to protect our consumers' private information.' Computer security flaws are the just latest headache for the state exchanges. Some, like Oregon's, suffered crippling technical problems when they were launched in 2013. Some states, like Hawaii, turned operations back to the federal government because of cost concerns. The number of new babies born to European mothers in England and Wales has almost trebled in just a decade. Astonishing figures show that births to women from other EU countries soared from 24,942 to 64,067 or 157 per cent, according to the UK Statistics Authority. In total, this meant a staggering 476,000 births to women from the 28-nation bloc between 2005 and 2014 equivalent to the population of Liverpool. Astonishing figures show that births to women from other EU countries soared from 24,942 to 64,067 or 157 per cent, according to the UK Statistics Authority (stock photo) It means an average of 130 babies every day for 10 years were born to EU mothers using NHS or private maternity care in England and Wales. Brexit campaigners claim that the cost of providing maternity services to those families could be more than 1.3billion. The figures rose rapidly after Tony Blair's government threw open the doors to mass migration from Eastern Europe in 2004. Poland is now the most common country of birth for new mothers born outside Britain. And with migration from within the EU continuing to run at record levels over the past two years, the actual total now will be even higher. Some of the births would have been to mothers who were temporary migrants or visitors to the UK. But many babies would be born to EU women living here after exercising their right to free movement. Campaigners said the damning statistics showed that, if Britain wants to control its borders and plan properly for the future, it must quit the EU. The figures were compiled by the statistics authority following a request by eurosceptic Tory MP Anne Main, who said the increase in children would place extra demands on public services, including hospitals, schools and housing. The scale of immigration meant that one in every nine babies were born to EU mothers living here in 2014. Mrs Main said: These figures show the elephant in the room. People arguing to remain in the EU are refusing to explain how we will deal with the increase in the population. The rise in the numbers of children born here to EU parents is putting pressure on maternity services, but ultimately also housing, school places, the roads. There is already huge pressure on our infrastructure. It is already groaning. Instead of asking what Britain is going to be like if we leave the EU, those wanting to remain are not telling us what Britain will look like if we stay. I dont see any planning to fund or build the extra resources we will need to cope. The figures rose rapidly after Tony Blair's (pictured) government threw open the doors to mass migration from Eastern Europe in 2004 Locum GP Dr Jonathan Stanley, an ambassador for Leave.EU, said: These numbers really underline the speed and scale of the demographic changes brought about by open-door immigration with the rest of the EU. Unable to predict how fast the population will grow from one year to the next with any accuracy, the Government cannot make adequate provisions for our badly overstretched public services, with the impact on maternity services in the NHS being particularly severe. Even when you bring in more staff, you cannot magic more beds, bays and wards. That takes years and some sites are just not suitable for expansion. David Green, director of the Civitas think-tank, said: The effect of migration is not just down to people coming into the UK, but also the number of young people coming here and having families which increases the birth rate. Among the heaviest demand on public services are from children. The latest statistics show that in 2014, there were 695,233 births in England and Wales. Of these, 64,067 births were to EU-born mothers and 123,579 to women born elsewhere in the world. Last month [Mar] it was revealed by Eurostat, the EUs statistical agency, that Britain tops the 28 EU nations as having the highest number of births to mothers from elsewhere in the union. A spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe, which is campaigning to remain in the EU, said: Leaving Europe would cause a serious economic shock, which would reduce tax revenues and damage our NHS - meaning billions of pounds less to spend on treating patients. Our health service and care system employs over 100,000 workers from the European Union. Leaving would put their jobs at risk, putting pressure on our NHS and leading to longer waiting times for patients. A Department of Health spokesman said: The NHS is the envy of the world because it offers excellent care free at the point of need - to protect this enduring principle we must ensure that tough measures are in place to clamp down on ineligible migrants accessing care. Police have now been notified and are investigating The cases were on the counter, the teens said, but the man snapped A white man claiming to be a former Marine has been caught om camera offensively yelling at a group of Arab American teenagers at a gas station in Michigan, telling them: 'I've killed your motherf-----g kind, many times!' The shocking outburst was recorded by one of the teens and is now quickly spreading on Facebook. The incident reportedly happened on March 27 at a gas station in Coldwater. According to the Arab American News, Ahmed Mohsen, the 15-year-old who recorded the incident, said that the man started screaming after the teens put their gas money on top of the two cases of beer he had placed on the counter. 'I've killed your motherf-----g kind, many times!': This is the moment the man - announcing himself as a Marine - screams obscenities at the teens as he leaves the Coldwater gas station with his cases of beer Mohsen said there was nowhere else to leave their money and he didn't think it would a problem. As the video starts, the man is leaving with his beer. On camera he can be heard saying: 'I'm a U.S. Marine, dude. I've been in Fallujah. I've killed your motherf-----g kind. Many times. Many times.' A second video shows the man pulling out the gas station in his truck. He can be heard yelling out at the teens, but what he is saying is not audible. Mohsen then posted the videos on Facebook, writing: 'What kind of society do we live in, hopefully one day this kind of stuff won't exist.' Viral: The shocking outburst was recorded by one of the teens and is now quickly spreading on Facebook Coldwater, a town of 11,000 about 125 miles southwest of Detroit, has a relatively large Arab American population. The Director of Public Safety in Coldwater, Mark Bartell, told the newspaper they are aware of the situation. Police were notified of what happened a few days after the incident. Bartell said the man's conduct could fall under assault, disorderly conduct or ethnic bias. 'Our Arab American population is integrated into our school,' Bartell told the paper. 'To my knowledge, everything is successful and going quiet well.' In a second video taken at the gas station, the man can be seen pulling out in his truck, as one of the teenagers that was yelled at watched The video has been shared over 23,000 times on Facebook, as of Thursday, and received scores of comments from viewers. Hamilton has now been taken off patrol duty and moved to a desk job Lawsuit was later settled after he asked Ellen Bogan if she had accepted Jesus Christ as her savior Hamilton was also sued in 2014 for preaching at a motorist during a stop He then invited her to his church and even gave the motorist directions During the stop she says cop demanded to know if she'd 'been saved' A Christian state trooper has been sued for a second time after preaching his faith to a driver during a traffic stop. Wendy Pyle says she was driving through Pendleton in January when she was pulled over by Indiana State Police trooper Brian Hamilton and given a warning for speeding. But while she was pulled over, the cop used the encounter to ask if she had 'been saved' before inviting her to his church, the lawsuit alleges. He even gave directions. Pyle, who does not attend church, felt 'extremely uncomfortable with these questions' but felt like she had no other choice but to say yes to both, the suit states. A Christian state trooper has been sued for a second time after preaching his faith to a driver during a traffic stop (stock image) 'When he's engaged in the official acts of his job, especially when he's a police officer, those kinds of stops are inherently coercive. That is not the time to be talking to people about their religion,' Richard Waples, an Indianapolis civil rights attorney, told Fox 59. This is the second time Hamilton has been sued for preaching to a motorist after pulling them over. The trooper was sued in 2014 by Ellen Bogan who claimed he had stopped her that August for an alleged traffic violation in Union County. After giving her a ticket, the cop demanded to know if she went to church and whether she had accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. He also gave her a religious pamphlet from First Baptist Church in Cambridge City which advertised a radio broadcast called 'Policing for Jesus Ministries.' Wendy Pyle says she was driving through Pendleton in January when she was pulled over and lectured at by Indiana State Police Brian Hamilton The leaflet also provided a list of 'God's plan for salvation,' which told the reader they should 'realize you're a sinner' and 'realize the Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins.' Bogan told IndyStar at the time that she did not go to church but felt 'compelled to say I did, just because I had a state trooper standing at the passenger-side window. It was just weird.' Her lawsuit was later settled and Hamilton was advised not to question others regarding their religious beliefs, nor was he to provide religious pamphlets or similar advertisements to them. But two years later, Hamilton has been slapped with another lawsuit for continuing to preach his faith during traffic stops. The ACLU filed the claim Tuesday on behalf of Pyle, of Fayette County, saying her constitutional rights had been violated. 'There's a time and a place for everything, and the officer has certainly overstepped his bounds on this one, if the facts in the complaint alleged are true,' said Waples who is not directly affiliated with the case. Pyle filed a formal complaint with Indiana State Police after the stop and the department confirmed the trooper has since been taken off patrol duty and moved to a desk job. A spokesman was unable to comment on the case as litigation is ongoing. Britain has secretly been helping the US to carry out drone strikes in Yemen for six years, it was claimed last night. Special Forces from the UK are said to have systematically co-operated with the Americans to take out Al Qaeda operatives with targeted strikes. An investigation has claimed that Britain provided vital intelligence to draw up kill lists which were routinely used to carry out missions - and failed to tell the public. Campaign group Reprieve said that it showed beyond dispute that the UK was working hand in glove with the Americans to kill in secret. Britain has secretly been helping the US to carry out drone strikes in Yemen for six years, it was claimed last night. Special Forces from the UK are said to have systematically co-operated with the Americans (file photo) The US government began to use drones for assassinations in Pakistan and Afghanistan after the September 11 2001 attacks, but their use has since spread around the world. The programme, dubbed America's secret war, is credited with weakening Al Qaeda but also killed hundreds of civilians and fuelled a hatred of the West. According to Vice News, which spoke to former officials, politicians and diplomats, Britains role in US drone strikes in Yemen dates back to 2010. The UK has good on the ground intelligence in Yemen and would pass on the location of Al Qaeda operatives to the Americans, who sent up a drone. Stephen Seche, former US ambassador to Yemen, said that working with UK officers was very collaborative, according to Vice. British operatives would also train up the Yemeni surveillance teams which conducted observation of targets ahead of strikes. The number of strikes derived from British intelligence has never been revealed, however one British agent was supposedly responsible for nine drone attacks. They included the attack on May 6, 2012, in Wadi Rafad, which killed Fahd al-Quso, a senior Al Qaeda field commander. The strike also killed 19-year-old student Nasser Salem Lakdim, who was tending his crops in the field next door. According to Vice News, which spoke to former officials, politicians and diplomats, Britains role in US drone strikes in Yemen dates back to 2010. The country's third-largest city of Taez is pictured in September last year Other strikes from the same British agent led to the death of a 60-year-old passerby. Britains involvement in US drone strikes has been extremely controversial and the subject of legal challenges in the UK. At the same time, UK forces have been carrying out their own drone strikes in Iraq and Syria which last August killed two Britons citizens linked to ISIS. Reyaad Khan, from Cardiff, and Ruhul Amin, from Aberdeen were the first British citizens to be killed by their own government with remotely piloted aircraft in Raqqa, Syria. In response to the controversy, in 2012 the Commons Defence Select Committee set up a group of 40 MPs and Peers to look at the deployment of armed unmanned aerial vehicles. Last night David Davis, the chair of the group, said: If we know we're handing intelligence over which will be used in a killing then we ought to be confident that it meets our own rules and guidelines. If there are deaths of civilians there's a moral and legal problem'. A Foreign Office spokesman said: We have previously provided counter-terrorism capacity building support to the Yemeni Security Services to increase their ability to disrupt, detain, and prosecute suspected terrorists in line with Yemeni rule of law and international human rights standards. Following the closure of the embassy in Sanaa in February 2015 we suspended this activity. We continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by terrorist organizations. A Utah man went to crazy lengths to trick his wife's family into believing they had used an ancient map to find a buried treasure chest as part of an elaborate - or evil - April Fools prank. David Cline, from Logan, admits that he spent 'way too much time and money' orchestrating the trick, which involved an authentic-looking treasure map and an aged newspaper story about Spanish gold in Idaho. Cline filmed the entire treasure hunt - along with his explanation about how he did it - which culminates in the group believing they are bona fide discoverers and are now rich, only to be told it was all a joke. Treasure hunt: A video of the April Fools prank was put on YouTube and shows the group searching through a cave in Idaho looking for a treasure chest, using what they believe is an old map 'X' marks the spot: This is the moment the children believe they have actually found the treasure chest Major dig: The well-buried chest is hard work to get out of the ground, but the group all pitch in Cline filmed the entire treasure hunt - along with his explanation about how he did it - which culminates in the group believing they are bona fide discoverers and are now rich, only to be told it was all a joke Two of the adult men struggle to get the chest out of the cave near Paul, however they eventually manage The chest is then carefully loaded into a truck to be taken back to Utah. At this point everyone still believes they have actually found treasure Cline collected the pieces of treasure online and in shops - some of them old relics, some of them just new ornaments made to look like they were old. He even found an ancient-looking treasure chest. Cline then assembled all the pieces in the chest, and buried it in a cave near Paul in Idaho, about a two-hour drive from his home in Logan. 'I wanted this prank to feel so legitimate that even the adults would believe they were picking up gold,' Cline says in the video on YouTube. 'So I created a fake folder full of all sorts of articles, talking about how there might be some old Spanish buried somewhere up in the farm fields. April Fools: The video comes to an end with a subtitle saying that the group split the relics and ornaments 'And then I created a map, and put enough information on the map that if they googled it, they would figure out where 'X' marks the spot. 'I didn't want them to dig this thing up and just find candy, or something, so I spent way too much money and time getting this thing perfect, and I actually found replicas of this stuff.' The video shows the moment the group find the chest and are overwhelmed with excitement, especially the children. 'Guys this is a chest, it's a chest!' they scream. One of the children says: 'This is like my dream.' Another screams out: 'We're rich!' Not happy: In a montage of the children finding out they had been pranked, two of the girls are not impressed In describing the find that 'Indiana Jones meets Pirates of the Caribbean', the children start discussing what they are going to buy with all their new-found money, including cars and dogs. The video finishes out with a montage of the children reacting to finding out the whole trip was a prank. 'The treasure prank idea came to me when I remembered someone pranking me when I was younger,' Cline wrote in the description of his video. 'I just wanted to make it more epic with torches and real fire.' A woman who travelled to the Middle East to bring home her grandchildren after their mother died has returned home empty handed. Karen Nettleton, the mother of ISIS bride Tara Nettleton who married Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf had flown to Turkey to try and rescue her five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. However when media broke the story that she had plans to go to Syria via Turkey Ms Nettleton's plan was quickly foiled, the ABC reported. Scroll down for video Karen Nettleton (left) , the mother of ISIS bride Tara Nettleton (right) travelled to Syria She had gone to the Middle East to try and rescue her five grandchildren and one great-grandchild after both their parents died Ms Nettleton is pictured here leaving Australia on her way to the Middle East earlier this year It meant people who may have otherwise helped the grandmother from Sydney's west were spooked, and she had to return home alone. 'It's horrible. I envisioned them taking up a whole row of seats, and Hamze running up and down the aisle. The baby crying. And now it will just be me,' Karen told ABC's 7.30. She had been hoping to bring home her grandchildren Zaynab, 14; Hoda, 13; Abdullah, 11; Zarqawi, 10; Hamze, 5; and Zaynab's four-month-old baby Aiyesha. Ms Nettleton's daughter, Tara, died in September 2015 at the age of 31 from medical complications following surgery. She followed her terrorist husband Khaled Sharrouf to Syria in 2014, bringing with her their five children. Khaled Sharrouf (right) reportedly died in June 2015 however Australian authorities have long-held questions over whether this was actually the case Ms Nettleton pictured here with Tara who married Shourrouf when she was 15 then moved with him to Syria where she died at 31 This photo of one of Sharrouf's children holding a severed head shocked the world when it was circulated last year Sharrouf reportedly died last June, which means the children are now orphans in the strange country. However Australian authorities have raised questions over whether he may still be alive. After a failed attempt to bring her family home, Ms Nettleton has vowed she will keep trying until they are back in Australia. 'I'm coming back, I'm not going to leave them here ... it might take three, four, five attempts. Don't underestimate the determination of this nanna,' she said. Asked a cop for help: Gordon Raymond, 25, of Florida was charged with grand theft auto this month An alleged thief asked police to help him start a stolen truck after its battery died. Gordon Raymond, 25, of Florida was reportedly driving the pilfered vehicle when it broke down at around 4:00 a.m. on March 21 near a business. When the nearby business' security alarm went off, cops arrived at the scene and saw the broken down Chevy and Raymond behind the wheel. That's wen Raymond allegedly approached an officer and asked him if he'd be able to help him start up the truck again. 'I advised Mr. Raymond that I would not be able to help him jump start his vehicle and began to ask about the truck,' the officer said, according to Off The Beat. The officer ran the licence with police dispatchers who discovered the car was reported stolen, according to Off The Beat. Raymond told the officers that he got the truck off of Craigslist but later told them he stole it when his girlfriend ditched him at a bar and he had no way to get home. 'Mr. Raymond stated that at the time taking the truck seemed like his best option and that he had no other way to get home,according to police records. Former President Bill Clinton stumping for wife Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia today shouted down Black Lives Matter protesters in the crowd. 'You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter,' Clinton told those yelling at him from the crowd. The former president has been forced to defend his 1994 crime bill, which many point to as the start of mass incarceration of black men in the United States, and politicians on both sides of the aisle have endorsed criminal justice reforms. Black Lives Matter has also taken up this mantle, along with the issue of police violence against unarmed black citizens. At the same event Clinton made a comment about his own Oval Office leadership that suggested failure on the part of current President Barack Obama. Former President Bill Clinton engaged in a testy back-and-forth exchange with Black Lives Matter protesters who blame he and his wife Hillary for mass incarceration of black men in the United States Former President Bill Clinton touted some of the statistics that went alongside his 1994 crime bill, suggesting that the legislation - which incarcerated many black men - also saved the lives of African-American children Former President Bill Clinton laid out a number of counterpoints - including reminding the audience that Hillary was first lady at the time and didn't vote for the controversial crime bill Clinton said, 'Unlike when I became president, a lot of things are coming apart around the world now.' The commentary set off a new round of criticism of the former president for putting his White House record on a pedestal at the expense of two-term, Democrat Obama. The tussle with the Black Lives Matter protesters took front and center, as Clinton countered that they were 'afraid of the truth.' In the past, Clinton has suggested his crime bill went too far, on Thursday he defended it aggressively after they periodically interrupted him Pennsylvania, which holds a primary later this month. 'Can I answer?' he said, stopping his stump speech because of shouts. 'Now, you see, here's the thing, I like protesters, but the ones who won't let you answer are afraid of the truth. That's the simple rule.' Clinton noted that his crime bill had had a lot of support within the African-American community. 'I talk to a lot of African-American groups, they thought black lives matter, they said "take this bill because our kids are being shot in the street by gangs,"' he said. 'Because of that bill we had a 25 year low in crime, a 33 year low in the murder rate and listen to this because of that and the background check law, we had a 46 year low in the deaths of people by gun violence and who do you think those lives were? That mattered,' he continued. Protester Rosco Farmer is corralled in the back of the auditorium by civil affairs officers near the end of Bill Clinton's rally for his wife 'Can I answer?' Bill Clinton said, stopping his stump speech because of shouts, and then rebutting Black Lives Matter protesters 'Whose lives were saved that mattered?' he added. That explanation wasn't enough to satisfy the protesters who continued to interrupt the Democrat from the crowd. 'Now you're screaming, so let's do another one,' Clinton said. 'I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack and sent them out onto the street to murder other African-American children,' he noted. 'Maybe you thought they were good citizens,' he added, before railing against the hypocrisy he suggested that the protesters represented. He punctuated his throaty response with, 'tell the truth!' Throughout the course of the back-and-forth, Clinton also noted that his record and his wife's should not be looked at the same. 'Hillary didn't vote for that bill because she wasn't in the Senate,' Clinton stated. 'She was spending her time trying to get healthcare for poor kids,' he continued. 'Who were they?' he asked aloud. 'And their lives matter.' For more than two decades, a Colorado motel owner secretly watched hundreds, maybe even thousands, of guests have sex in his rooms as both of his wives supported him. Beginning in the winter of 1966, Gerald Foos outfitted more than a dozen rooms with fake ceiling vents at Manor House Motel in Aurora, Colorado, so that he could secretly watch his guests have sex. Journalist Gay Talese was first contacted by Foos in 1980 when he wrote him a letter and said: 'Sexually, I have witnessed, observed, and studied the best first hand, unrehearsed, non-laboratory sex between couples, and most other conceivable sex deviations during these past 15 years.' Foos was inspired to get in touch after hearing about Talese's coast-to-coast study of sex in America - 'Thy Neighbor's Wife' - and felt they shared similar interests. Talese is set to publish a book, The Voyeur's Motel, in July but until then he published a story in the New Yorker about the father-of-two who kept detailed notes of everything he witnessed through the ceiling vents and how he never got caught. Beginning in the 1960s, Gerald Foos (pictured above) outfitted more than a dozen rooms with fake ceiling vents at Manor House Motel in Aurora, Colorado, so that he could secretly watch his guests have sex In 1980, Foos wrote: 'Sexually, I have witnessed, observed, and studied the best first hand, unrehearsed, non-laboratory sex between couples, and most other conceivable sex deviations during these past 15 years' 'It's my life my secret life,' Foos, who lives in Denver with his second wife, told the Denver Post. 'I think the book will create a real situation, let's put it that way. I don't know if I'm ready for anything, to be honest with you. I'm just a poor soul.' He purchased the 21-room motel to achieve his 'uncontrollable desire to peer into other people's lives.' Foos said that both of his wives supported him watching his guests have sex, and that his first wife, Donna, assisted him when he cut rectangular holes measuring six by fourteen inches in the ceilings of the rooms. He covered the openings with louvred aluminum screens that appeared to look like ventilation grilles, but they actually were vents so that he could watch people have sex while in the attic, according to the New Yorker. Foos shared that his wife Donna would sometimes join him and watch guests have sex, as they sometimes would engage in sex on the viewing platform. In 1973, Foos created a report 'trying to identify significant social trends and noted that of the 296 sexual acts he'd witnessed, 195 involved white heterosexuals who favored the missionary position. In the report from that year, Foos counted 184 male orgasms and 33 female orgasms, as only three percent of his guests failed to have sex. Foos also categorized people according to their sex drive as he observed that 62 percent led 'moderately active sexual lives' while 12 percent of all observable couples at his motel were highly sexed', and 22 percent exhibited a low sex drive, the Post reported. Foos said that both of his wives supported him watching his guests have sex. He purchased the motel (above) to achieve his 'uncontrollable desire to peer into other people's lives' Foos contacted journalist Gay Talese about his voyeurism in 1980 explaining how he watched his guests have sex at his motel (above). Now Talese is publishing a book,' The Voyeur's Motel' about Foos with his permission Foos' first wife Donna died in 1985 and he eventually married a woman named Anita Clark. Talese even visited Foos at motel, and joined him to watch a young couple who came to Colorado on a ski trip. They spied on the couple in the attic through the fake vents installed by Foos. 'I saw a naked couple spread out on the bed below,' Talese wrote in the New Yorker. Foos became irritated when Talese leaned in closer to get a better look at them having sex as his necktie slipped through the screen that shielded the spyhole and dangled 'within yards of the woman's head.' The next morning, Foos shared with Talese 'The Voyeur's Journals, which was 15 years of detailed notes taken on yellow legal pads on what he'd observed in his motel. In reading Foos' notes, Talese discovered that the owner also watched his guest's bathroom habits as he viewed posts he'd installed in several bathrooms. Eventually, Foos developed a relationship of trust with Talese and began mailing him hundreds of pages of typewritten manuscript of the logs through 1978. The book discusses how Talese even visited Foos at motel, and joined him to watch a young couple who came to Colorado on a ski trip. They spied on the couple in the attic through the fake vents installed by Foos Gay Talese, pictured, was first contacted by Foos in the 1980s with his detailed logs on motel guests having sex - and even joined the voyeur one evening to spy on unsuspecting couples through vents in the ceiling In those logs, Talese was shocked to read about how Foos described a murder he claimed to witness one night. 'The male subject grabbed the female subject by the neck and strangled her until she fell unconscious to the floor,' Talese wrote in the New Yorker, quoting from Foos' journal. Foos claimed the next morning a hotel maid found the woman dead in the room, but never reported to police what he witnessed. Aurora police said they could find no record of the murder, and coroner's offices had no record of it, according to the Post. Talese and Foos lost touch with each other over the years but reconnected in 2012 after the Aurora shooting. By 2013, Foos told Talese he was ready to go public with his story, even though he sold his motel in 1995. Foos reportedly maintains that none of his guests at the now-shuttered motel were hurt or harmed by his voyeurism, since they never knew he was watching them. In addition, Foos told the Post he wanted to be seen as a 'sex researcher and social observer' and not a Peeping Tom or pervert. Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver District Attorney's Office, told the Post the statute of limitations has passed for any crimes that might be connected to his voyeurism. Hitmen who were planning to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have been detained, according to reports. At least two people - one of whom is believed to be a North Korean defector, and at least one Chinese national - were arrested near Tumen River at the border with China, it is claimed. The suspects were allegedly planning to kill the dictator in Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province, it has been reported. Target: At least two people who were planning to kill Kim Jong-un have been detained, it has been reported An unnamed source in North Korea told Asia Press said he heard the 'terrorists' had not crossed the river from China. North Korean guards went to China to arrest them and the suspects were taken to the State Security Department, the source claimed. The guards were reportedly given rewards for their work. However, the founder of Asia Press said the story was probably just a rumour spread by the state to to garner support for the Korean Workers' Party before the 7th Congress. The 7th Congress of North Korea's Workers' Party in early May will be the first in 36 years and the first under leader Kim Jong Un. He is expected to announce major policy directives and personnel changes. We have become all too used to hearing about the spiralling pay and extraordinary demands of City fat cats. But the 3.6million-a-year boss of the Co-operative Group has bucked the trend - requesting a huge pay cut because his job has become easier. In a refreshing show of conscience in the City, 51-year-old Richard Pennycook has asked the board of the supermarkets-to-funeral giant to slash his basic salary from 1.25 million to 750,000. Former accountant Richard Pennycook has asked the Co-op board to cut his pay by around 60 per cent He said the mutual was now in calmer waters, following the near collapse of the Co-op Bank in 2013 and a sex and drugs scandal involving the lenders former chairman Reverend Paul Flowers, who later pleaded guilty to drugs possession. Weve been through a difficult period which was very intense and I hope members would regard my remuneration as having been appropriate for that time, but were a different sort of organisation owned by members, the softly spoken Mr Pennycook told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. The cut to his salary combined with a significant reduction in his bonuses will see his total pay drop by more than 60 per cent. But the request may also reflect a more calculated desire to defuse another pay row. Shortly after Mr Pennycook publicised his intentions, the mutuals annual report revealed he received 3.6million in pay and perks last year - a 44 per cent pay rise. His 2.5million pay package for 2014 triggered a backlash from members, with just over a fifth voting against the troubled mutuals lavish pay packages. The Co-op Group could face an even bigger rebellion from its 2.6million members at its annual general meeting in Manchester later this year. Its chairman Allan Leighton who previously ran Royal Mail and Asda showed similar restraint. He said he would waive his 250,000 annual pay and donate it to the Co-operative Community Investment Foundation. Last night one campaigner described Mr Pennycooks move as highly unusual, but said he had set a strong example to other company bosses on inflated pay packages. Stefan Stern, director of the High Pay Centre, said: This is a highly unusual. Its a terrific example of an unfashionable and rare form of behaviour in the corporate world restraint. He is being a leader and setting an example during difficult times for most people. Mr Pennycook said the company was in 'calmer waters' since a sex and drugs scandal rocked the giant's banking arm This is not the time for any boss to be extracting mega bonuses and multi million pound packages. Mr Pennycook was thrust into the role of caretaker boss in 2014 by the exit of Euan Sutherland, who walked out in a huff after details of his 6.6million two-year pay deal were leaked to the media. As a parting shot, Mr Sutherland described the Co-op as ungovernable. Weeks later, Mr Pennycook a former accountant who is married with two daughters - had the unenviable task of announcing record losses of 2.5billion for the group, the worst in its 170 year history. This was driven by a huge loss at the Co-op Bank, after a 1.5billion black hole was discovered in its balance sheet. The lender was rescued from the brink, with the Co-op Group relinquishing control and selling the majority of the bank to US hedge funds Since then the group has focused its efforts on its other businesses, which include 2800 supermarkets and 986 funeral homes. Eurosceptic Tories last night vowed revenge against David Cameron over his decision to spend 9.3 million sending pro-Brussels propaganda to every home in Britain. Justice Secretary Michael Gove savaged the decision to use taxpayers money on what he described as a nakedly political attempt to sway the result of the EU referendum and said the funds would have been much better spent on the cash-strapped NHS. Furious MPs said they had been lied to by ministers, who promised last year that any government referendum leaflets would be even-handed. They threatened to take revenge by sabotaging other areas of Government business in the Commons. Some warned that Mr Cameron could even face a leadership challenge. Justice Secretary Michael Gove claimed the 9m for leaflets could have been better spent on the NHS In a defiant intervention yesterday, the Prime Minister said the 9.3 million cost of the 16-page leaflet was money well spent. Mr Cameron said the Government had a duty to set out its pro-EU view to voters. But Mr Gove was scathing about the move, saying: I want a fair campaign, I want people to hear from both sides but what I think is wrong is spending 9m of taxpayers money on one particular piece of one-sided propaganda. I think it is wrong that money that should be spent on priorities like the NHS is being spent on Euro-propaganda. In other developments: Former Tory defence secretary Liam Fox urged voters to deluge Downing Street with junk mail by posting the leaflets back to the Prime Minister. It emerged the independent Electoral Commission warned the Government not to issue taxpayer funded leaflets in the run-up to the referendum because of the risk it could give an unfair advantage to one side. Ministers were forced to deny claims that release of the leaflet had been brought forward to deflect attention from embarrassing questions about the Prime Ministers tax affairs. A petition calling for the leaflet to be abandoned had attracted more than 96,000 signatures in 24 hours. Mr Cameron acknowledged that the abrasive campaign was taking its toll on the Government. Former Tory PM Sir John Major warned that Brexit campaigners were playing Russian Roulette with Britains economy. Jacob Rees-Mogg, pictured, warned Tory MPs may attempt to de-rail over government business The senior Tory MP Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the Commons European scrutiny committee, said MPs were powerless to block the distribution of the leaflet to 27 million homes. But he said Eurosceptic MPs would hold talks on Monday over how to respond: This is a blatant breach of an undertaking given by ministers on the floor of the Commons that any leaflets would be both accurate and impartial. It is a breach of trust and there will be political consequences. Fellow Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested Eurosceptics could now take revenge by de-railing other areas of Government business. This is dangerous territory for the Government, he said. Many Eurosceptics do not want to fight the Government in other areas where it may be easier to defeat them in parliament, but if the Government behaves in this way that may be the only option. Another Tory MP said Mr Cameron could even face a leadership challenge, with MPs writing letters of no confidence to Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee. If Mr Brady receives letters from 50 MPs it would spark an automatic leadership contest. One MP said: I think you will see letters going to Graham Brady we have been lied to. Mr Cameron defended the leaflet during a question and answer session with students at Exeter University yesterday. The Prime Minister said he would make no apologies for throwing the full weight of the Government behind one side of the argument. But he admitted that infighting between members of the Cabinet was taking its toll. For this brief period you are going to have cabinet ministers on both sides of the argument. I dont necessarily think that means the Government suffers. Advertisement If heights aren't your thing then it's perhaps best not to take a trip to this tourist attraction in China's Liaoning province. Images have emerged of tourists struggling to walk along a glass walkway about 2,300 feet high on a mountain on April 6 outside of the city of Dandong. The see-through passage, called 'Sky Road', is located on the side of Fenghuang Mountain and is billed as the the only attraction of its kind in north-east China. Not a happy experience: A female traveller seemed so scared she had to be helped by two friends on the see-through cliff path in China This doesn't look normal: A man struggled to get across the 137-foot-long glass walkway in the province of Liaoning in east China Scary! The vertigo-inducing walk, which is 137 feet long, connects two popular scenic spots on Fenghuang Mountain in Dandong city The stomach-churning cliff path, which measures 137 feet in length, connects two popular scenic spots on Fenghuang Mountain and was first opened to the public in 2013, according to an earlier report on People's Daily Online. In September 2014, construction on the second phase of the walkway started. A glass-bottomed balcony, which measures 26 feet wide and 13 feet deep, was added to the side of the existing path. No more than 20 people are allowed on the thrilling walk at any one time. Clinging on for dear life: A man decides walking on the stone is a better option when attempting to walk the see-through passage Maybe not so frightening after all? Two female visitors pose for a selfie on the glass walkway which has become a popular attraction Pose for a picture! The walkway has been in operation since 2013 and was upgraded in 2014 to allow visitors full panoramic views In recent years, glass-bottomed walkways have become incredibly popular for Chinese thrill-seekers. More and more tourism sites are constructing viewing platforms over steep vertical drops to attract visitors. Last year, China opened the world's longest glass bridge in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon skywalk hovers over a nail-biting 980 feet drop and smashed the records for the world's longest and highest glass bottomed bridge. Israeli architect Haim Dotan was behind the ambitious venture which has dwarfed America's Grand Canyon Skywalk which sits 718 feet above ground and is 68 feet long. 56-year-old Yang Suhui has been on the road ever since her son went missing over two decades ago. For the past 25 years she has faced unemployment and a divorce yet she never gave up hope of finding her son, the People's Daily Online reports. But when she was told that she had lung cancer which later became terminal, the search for her son became more frantic. Race against time: Yang Suhui has searched for her son for over two decades and is desperate to find him Missing child: Her son was taken while they were in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province Desperate for one more meeting: Ever since she has travelled from province to province looking for him Despite the fact that her cancer is terminal, Yang still hopes that she will be able to see her son before she passes away. The son was just four years old when he was abducted in June, 1991, in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province. She says that she, along with her son, daughter and husband were approached by two strangers who were interested in her son Xu Jianfeng. The couple were sceptical about these two men and so decided that the husband would watch over the son and Yang Suhui would look after their daughter. The husband was given a cigarette by one of the men. He claims he woke up unconscious missing his son. The couple searched frantically. A shop worker told them that they had seen a man with a woman dragging a boy who looked reluctant to leave with them. For the next two weeks Yang searched the streets every day, walking over 30 miles but she could not find her son. Tragic: She discovered she had terminal cancer and her wish became a race against time to see him again Sad: Yang has conducted interviews with television programmes and newspapers to spread awareness The son's abduction took its toll on her marriage to the boy's father who wanted to move on however she vowed never to give up on her son. She divorced her husband. She spent time being interviewed by newspapers and television programmes but had no luck finding her son. Although it upset her, she says she felt a renewed sense of hope when she watched a television show where a family were reunited with their child after 17 years. In 2009 she found a young man in Hebei, referred to as Henshui Ah Tao who looked like her son. The pair spoke for around three years and later agreed to meet. When they did, they did a DNA test and there wasn't a match. A year later Ah Tao found his relatives which pleased Yang Suhui but also made her sad at the same time because she was desperately seeking a reunion with her son. Ah Tao and Yang Suhui forged a deep friendship. At the end of 2014 she was diagnosed with lung cancer after going to the doctors about a cough. Doctors told her to recuperate but she saw the cancer as a race against time to find her son. Her body is getting worse, she suffers from abdominal pain and sometimes coughs up blood. Doctors told her on March 26 that the cancer was terminal. After years of illegal poaching, the numbers of tigers in Cambodia have declined so significantly experts have now classified them as extinct. Between 20 and 50 tigers were believed to exist in Cambodia's forests but the last tiger spotted in Cambodia was seen by a camera trap in the forests of eastern Mondulkiri province in 2007. Conservation group WWF said in an official statement that there are no longer any breeding populations of tigers left in Cambodia, and they are therefore considered functionally extinct. Between 20 and 50 tigers were believed to exist in Cambodia's forests but the last tiger spotted in Cambodia was seen by a camera trap in the forests of eastern Mondulkiri province in 2007 (pictured). Conservation group WWF said there are no longer any breeding populations left, so they are therefore functionally extinct The statement was released at a joint news conference by representatives of the government, WWF and the Wildlife Alliance, another conservation group. Cambodia now plans to reintroduce tigers from abroad into the dry forests of the country. Keo Omaliss, a government official in charge of wildlife, said Cambodia is considering negotiating with the governments of India, Malaysia and Thailand to bring at least seven to eight tigers to live in the protected forests of Mondulkiri so they can breed and repopulate the forests. 'This would be the world's first transnational tiger reintroduction and will be based on best practices developed from successful tiger reintroductions within India,' the WWF statement said. The plan was approved by Cambodia's government on 23 March. The plan is to bring in the tigers after two years because Cambodia needs to resolve related issues such as poaching and rebuilding the population of tiger prey, which will be needed to sustain a tiger population, said Chhit Sam Ath, the director of WWF-Cambodia. He said the arrival of the tigers could be pushed back to 2018 if the preservation efforts are not completed by 2017. 'Tigers are an iconic species and part of our natural heritage,' he said. 'To bring tigers back to Cambodia would be the biggest conversation feat of its kind and would support the conversation efforts of the whole landscape.' The statement was released at a joint news conference by representatives of the government, WWF and the Wildlife Alliance, another conservation group. Cambodia now plans to reintroduce tigers (pictured in Cambodia) from abroad into the dry forests of the country The plan is to bring in the tigers after two years because Cambodia needs to resolve related issues such as poaching and rebuilding the population of tiger prey in the Mondulkiri province (marked). This will be needed to sustain a tiger population, said Chhit Sam Ath, the director of WWF-Cambodia The entire plan will cost $20-50 million, which will come from donor countries. After the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule in the 1970s left Cambodia devastated, poor rural dwellers scoured the forests for wildlife. Much of what was found was sold to traders connected to China, where many wild animals, including tigers, are believed to possess medical and sex-enhancing properties. Tourists from the UK may have spotted another group that traveled much farther to visit the Big Apple this past weekend. A witness claims to have a picture of the Empire State Building with a 'UFO' hovering near the famous landmark on 5th Avenue. This sighting could be part of an 'Earth safari' tourism some believe is setup for exterrestrials, but knowing New York City it was probably just a plastic bag floating in the wind. Scroll down for videos A witness claims to have a picture of the Empire State Building with a 'UFO' hovering near the famous landmark on 5th Avenue. This sighting could be part of an 'Earth safari' tourism some believe is setup for exterrestrials, but knowing New York City it was probably just a plastic bag floating in the wind The witness, which is going by the name 'D', reported the claim and it has been archived as Case 75586 in the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) archive, reports Inquisitr. D was visiting New York City with his girlfriend when he took the picture while on a Double Decker bus at 5:46 pm eastern on April 2, 2016 using a simple Samsung Galaxy S6. 'I'm from the UK and I'm visiting New York City with my girlfriend and have just been looking back through my previous holiday photos of the city and seen this,' the witness told MUFON. 'I have tried to zoom in to see if it shows anything different,' the witness continued, 'but hopefully you guys can sharpen the picture up and tell me what it is. I do not know what it is but looks freaky!' The witness, which is going by the name 'D', reported the claim and it has been archived as Case 75586 in the Mutual UFO Network archive, reports Inquisitr . D was visiting New York City with his girlfriend when he took the picture while on a Double Decker bus at 5:46 pm eastern on April 2, 2016 using a Samsung Galaxy S6 Well-known Martian researchers Scott C Waring, from UFO Sightings Daily, has chimed to offer his expertise about the mystery that surrounds this sighting. 'For this UFO to have been so close to the Empire State Building it had to have been cloaked,' Waring wrote in a blog post. 'Aliens have a high interest in how we try to preserve our old culture, and this building is a prime example of what they would like to see.' THINK YOU'VE BEEN ABDUCTED BY ALIENS? IT MAY BE SLEEP PARALYSIS Agents Mulder and Scully may have said 'the truth is out there' in the X Files, but it may instead be buried inside the brains of people who claim they have been abducted by aliens. Those who believe they have had a close encounter of the so-called 'fourth kind' may suffer from false memories or sleep paralysis, a psychologist has claimed. A rare form of the condition, which can involve hallucinations or the feeling of being dragged out of bed, may explain 'alien abductions' that people sincerely believe happened but can't remember. Writing for The Psychologist, Christopher C French, of Goldsmiths, the University of London, who specialises in the psychology of paranormal belief and experiences, said there are plausible explanations for why people 'see' flying saucers and think they have been abducted. He noted that most of the people making these claims are clinically sane, but their belief in life in outer space may influence what they see or feel in strange situations. Advertisement Waring suggests that the cloaking mechanism stalled or went dead at the exact second the picture was taken, revealing the alien craft to just D, who actually did not even see it until he went through his pictures afterwards. But this does coincide with a claim that has been around since the 1990s that extraterrestrials have been traveling to Earth on holiday. 'I'm from the UK and I'm visiting New York City with my girlfriend and have just been looking back through my previous holiday photos of the city and seen this,' said the witness. I have tried to zoom in to see if it shows anything different,''but hopefully you guys can sharpen the picture up and tell me what it is Dubbed 'Project Condign', documents in this file show numerous defense officials, in high level ranks, believe UFOs were coming to earth for 'tourist' visits, reports Telegraph. An RAF Wing Commander, who remains anonymous, lobbied the Military of Defense officials 'about the need for a properly funded study in 1995 but were just released in 2012. The national security implications (of UFOs) are considerable,' he said. 'We have many reports of strange objects in the skies and have never investigated them.' EX-NASA AGENT CLAIMS AGENCY USED CODE WORD SANTA CLAUS FOR THREE UFOS Three flying saucers were spotted on the moon during Nasa's lunar landings, according to the bizarre claims of a former Nasa contractor. In a video testimony, Dona Hare says the space agency covered up a series of UFO sighting that they codenamed 'Santa Claus'. Hare claims she was told by numerous sources, which she does not name, about three UFOs that landed shortly after one of the moon landings. Not only is she accusing Nasa of hiding UFOs from the public, she has also stated the agency has doctored and obscured thousands of photos. She went on record to state the agency erases anomalies from pictures before selling them to the public. During her time at Nasa, she was employed as an illustrator and photographic slide technician and received many awards for her work. She claims Nasa threatened those who dared speak about the UFO sightings or airbrushed pictures. Source: Express Advertisement 'If the sightings are of devices not of earth then their purpose needs to be established as a matter of priority.' 'There has been no apparently hostile intent and other possibilities are: (1) military reconnaissance, (2) scientific, (3) tourism.' Alien experts believe those visiting the Earth for some R&R use the cloaking technology to stay hidden while they observe humans in their natural habitat. He describes the object as 'like something from Close Encounters of the Third Kind' or the Millennium Falcon The object was spotted by Jadon Beeson from Worcestershire It can be seen appearing on the horizon and glows a blue-ish hue Something strange has been spotted hovering close to the International Space Station and it's raising a few eyebrows. Whispers of 'UFO' have begun to circulate after images appeared of the unidentified object on the horizon of the space station. The images were captured by Jadon Beeson, 20, as he watched the live stream from the ISS on his phone. Images have emerged of an unidentified object spotted close to the International Space Station (pictured top left above the horizon). The images were captured by a member of the public from a live stream from the ISS 'I looked and realised there was a metal object above the earth. It had a blue glow to it and it stayed there for about two minutes,' he explained. 'It was a metallic object, it looks like a Millennium Falcon from Star Wars or something from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' 'I thought it was all very strange,' he added. Beeson, from Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire, sent the images to the agency for its take. The object (pictured on the horizon in the upper left part of the image) looks to be cigar-shaped, with a blueish hue on one end that matches the upper atmosphere, and looks to have a band in the middle of the object It has been described as resembling something from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (still pictured), the Stephen Spielberg Hollywood sci-fi hit from the 1970s THE UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT Images have appeared of an unidentified object close to the International Space Station. It looks to be cigar-shaped, with a blueish hue that matches the upper atmosphere, and appears to have a band in the middle. It resembles similar objects spotted previously which were also captured on video. The images were captured by Jadon Beeson, as he watched the live stream from the ISS. Advertisement 'I took a picture of it and have contacted Nasa, but I've heard nothing back yet,' he explained. From the images, the object looks to be cigar-shaped, with a blueish hue on one end. This hue matches the upper atmosphere, and the craft appears to have a band in the middle of the object. It resembles similar objects that have been spotted previously, and which have also been previously captured on video. MailOnline contacted Nasa for comment, and the space agency confirmed that no unidentifiable objects have been seen from the ISS. A Nasa spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Reflections from station windows, the spacecraft structure itself or lights from Earth commonly appear as artefacts in photos and videos from the orbiting laboratory.' The skies above are becoming increasingly busy, with communications and research satellites collecting and relaying data for modern life. Jadon Beeson, who captured the images, described the unidentified object as resembling the Millennium Falcon, the infamous smuggler's star ship from Star Wars (pictured) The object reportedly appeared out of nowhere and disappeared (still pictured), but there is no accompanying footage from the live stream for context, its identity and its origin remain a mystery. However, it resembles similar objects which have been spotted previously, and which has been previously captured on video CYNIC'S CORNER: IS IT A UFO? In the true sense of the word, this is an unidentified flying object. The images were captured by a member of the public during a live stream from the ISS, but there is no sequence for the images, and no accompanying video for context. It could perhaps be a satellite, the Chinese space station, orbiting debris or even light refracting in the upper atmosphere. Of all of these, the most worrying would be space debris, which poses a very real threat for astronauts working in space. And finally, there's the possibility the images have been edited. All of which remain unconfirmed. Advertisement This fact, added with the high-quality streaming footage from the space station means such sightings of unidentified objects are becoming increasingly common. In addition to the ISS and fleet of satellites, one of the larger objects in permanent orbit is the Chinese Tiangong space station, which is cigar-shaped with solar panels. There is no indication yet what the object is, it's composition or how far away it is from the space station, making it difficult to gauge it's size. It is also not possible to tell whether the images have been edited in any way. One possibility is that it could be space debris, a growing problem in the Earth's uppermost atmosphere. There are estimated to be more than 20,000 items of space junk currently trapped in Earth's orbit, including old engine parts, dead satellites and other floating junk generated by space missions or from collisions in space. Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, told MailOnline: 'The ISS seems to be a magnet for UFO activity. In the past couple of years alone, several UFOs have been seen during the broadcast of live feeds by Nasa from the ISS, and in at least one other instance the feed was quickly switched off. This fuels the belief of conspiracy theorists that Nasa is covering up these visitations. 'In this case it is difficult to know what this, it could be anything from space junk, a satellite or even a lens flare or reflection. We would need far better evidence to determine if it was an alien spacecraft. 'That's the problem, any object or flick of light out there is given as proof that extraterrestrial craft are monitoring our planet, and are keeping an eye on the ISS at a distance. At the start of this year, a team of US researchers predicted the existence of a mysterious ninth planet. The unknown world, dubbed 'Planet Nine', is thought to be 10 times more massive than Earth and the furthest planet from the sun - but its exact location is unknown. Since then, researchers over the world have been using different instruments to hone in on the planet, in an effort that could lead to the planet being found before the end of the year. Not only could it be 'tugging' on Nasa's Cassini probe, a separate project called the Dark Energy Survey is coincidentally looking in exactly the right place to find the planet. This artist's concept illustration shows a distant view from Planet Nine back towards the sun. Based on mathematical modelling, French scientists calculated what influence a ninth planet travelling along the orbit postulated by the US researchers would have on the movement of other planets as it passed nearby Since the mysterious planet was predicted in January this year, data from Nasa's Cassini spacecraft has helped narrow down the search. The Dark Energy Survey is a Southern Hemisphere observation project designed to probe the acceleration of the universe that started in 2013. CASSINI AND DARK ENERGY SURVEY Last month, evidence from Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, orbiting Saturn, helped close in on the missing planet. Researchers at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France checked whether a theoretical model with the new addition of Planet Nine could better explain slight perturbations seen in Cassini's orbit. They found a sweet spot for Planet Nine, 600 astronomical units away towards Cetus, that can explain Cassini's orbit quite well. If the planet is where they think, other instruments might also be able to help find it. The Dark Energy Survey is a Southern Hemisphere observation project designed to probe the acceleration of the universe that started in 2013. It was not designed to look for a ninth planet, but by chance it is already looking in the right direction, according to the Cassini data. Advertisement It was not designed to look for a ninth planet, but by chance it is already looking in the right direction, according to the Cassini data. The Dark Energy Survey is already two years into its five year mission and using this data could cut down the time it takes to locate the planet dramatically. In January, astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown of Caltech predicted the existence of what they dubbed Planet Nine. They used mathematical modelling and computer simulations, and found the planet would exactly explain the strange clumping behaviour of a group of dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt, a field of icy objects and debris beyond Neptune. But if it does exist, its gravity should also tug on the planets, moons and even any orbiting spacecraft. This is why, since January, other teams have searched for further proof by analysing archived images and proposing new observations to find it with the world's largest telescopes. 'Evidence is mounting that something unusual is out there - there's a story that's hard to explain with just the standard picture,' David Gerdes, a cosmologist at the University of Michigan told Scientific American. Many experts suspect that within as little as a year someone will spot the unseen world. Last month, evidence from Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, orbiting Saturn, helped close in on the missing planet. By studying data from Nasa's Cassini spacecraft (artist's impression pictured) orbiting Saturn, the seventh planet from the Sun, a French research team found they could exclude two zones. They checked a theoretical model with the new addition of Planet Nine and it could better explain slight perturbations in Cassini's orbit HOW THEY FOUND PLANET NINE Researchers inferred Planet Nine's presence from the peculiar clustering of six previously known objects that orbit beyond Neptune. They say there's only a 0.007% chance, or about one in 15,000, that the clustering could be a coincidence. Instead, they say, a planet with the mass of 10 Earths has shepherded the six objects into their strange elliptical orbits, tilted out of the plane of the solar system. Advertisement Agnes Fienga at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France and her colleagues checked whether a theoretical model with the new addition of Planet Nine could better explain slight perturbations seen in Cassini's orbit. Without it, the eight planets in the solar system, 200 asteroids and five of the most massive Kuiper Belt objects can't perfectly account for it. They found a sweet spot for Planet Nine, 600 astronomical units (about 56 billion miles or 90 billion kilometres) away, towards the constellation Cetus, that can explain Cassini's orbit quite well. 'It's a brilliant analysis,' says Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at Lick Observatory. 'It's completely amazing that they were able to do that so quickly.' Jacques Laskar, researcher on the study, said the search field can be further narrowed if Cassini, due to finish its mission next year, is extended to 2020. Agnes Fienga at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France and her colleagues checked whether a theoretical model with the new addition of Planet Nine could better explain slight perturbations seen in Cassini's orbit. They found a sweet spot that can explain Cassini's orbit quite well The six most distant known objects in the solar system with orbits exclusively beyond Neptune (magenta) all mysteriously line up in a single direction. Such an orbital alignment can only be maintained by some outside force, according to the Caltech researchers who predicted Planet Nine in January But if the planet is where they think, other instruments might also be able to help find it. The Dark Energy Survey is a Southern Hemisphere observation project designed to probe the acceleration of the universe that started in 2013. It was not designed to look for a ninth planet, but by chance it is already looking in the right direction, according to the Cassini data. 'It turns out fortuitously that the favoured region from Cassini is smack dab in the middle of our survey footprint,' said David Gerdes, who is working on the cosmology survey. 'We could not have designed our survey any better.' It was the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil, ending the hopes of the Jacobite uprising and the claims to the throne of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Now a skull found on the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that ended the rebellion against George II from the House of Hanover. Archaeologists used 3D modelling technology to study the skull, thought to be from one of the soldiers killed during the clash between the two forces. A skull found at the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that took place as Jacobite troops charged the army of George I 270 years ago. The skull has been kept in a museum in Edinburgh but new digital analysis has provided new details about the wounds suffered by the soldiers The top of the skull clearly shows evidence of an entry wound of a projectile just left of centre with a larger exit wound at the back lower right. It suggests that whoever the skull belonged to had been shot in the top of the head at relatively close quarters by a musket. DID BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE HAIL FROM CORNWALL? The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation in the Jacobite rising of 1745, which saw Charles Edward Stuart try to regain the British throne for the House of Stuart. Following the death of Queen Anne in 1714, the British government sought to appoint a Protestant successor to the throne, which led to the crowning of George I from the House of Hannover. After his son George II took the thrown war broke out between Britain and France as part of the larger war of the Austrian Succession. Supported by the French, Charles Edward Stuart gathered the support of the Jacobites, who wanted a Catholic king to return to the throne. In June 1745 he then set sail from Nantes to Scotland. His forces took Edinburgh on 15 September and then marched into England, capturing Carlisle and later Manchester. However the Jacobite forces were stopped at Derby, forcing Charles to order a retreat while they waited for help from the French. This help failed to materialise and in April 1746, the Jacobites faced the British cannons and muskets across the moor of Culloden. Advertisement Analysis of the injury suggests the musket ball was probably fired from about 147ft (45 metres) away. Derek Alexander, head of archaeological services for the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'We cannot say whether the skull fragment belongs to a Jacobite or one of the Government troops but the injury to the top of the head could be interpreted in a number of different ways. 'It could be from someone, head down, looking at the ground as they charge forward, or an individual who has already been wounded and is on their hands and knees or indeed it could be someone hit while focusing on reloading their musket. 'The skull is a unique example of human remains from Culloden and graphically demonstrates the horrific wounds that would have been suffered by both the Jacobite and Government armies as a result of close quarter musketry.' The skull has been in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825. It was marked as having been found on part of the battlefield where the Highlanders attacked the King's troops. The Jacobite army, comprised mainly of highland battalions supported by the French, lined up to face the UK Government army, which comprised of four Scottish units, one Irish and 11 English. On April 16 1745, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie. In the face of brutal volleys of musket and artillery fire, the Jacobite's wrapped their tartan plaids around their left arms and charged. The Battle of Culloden (illustrated) saw the Jacobite forces charge towards the lines of King George II's troops across boggy moorland. Their defeat ended the Jacobite rising of 1745 The skull (pictured) has sat in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825, where it has been part of a medical collection. Archaeologists are now studying it using 3D digital modelling Boggy ground and a delay by the Macdonald regiments on the left wing, however, left the Jacobites exposed and caused the charge to collapse into a rout. Bonnie Prince Charlie - Charles Edward Stuart fled the battlefield and eventually found safety in exile in France. The skull was part of a collection of more than 3,000 items purchased from the Scottish surgeon Sir Charles Bell. On April 16 1745, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie (location marked). In the face of brutal volleys of musket and artillery fire, the Jacobite's wrapped their tartan plaids around their left arms and charged The digital model of the skull (pictured) has allowed archaeologists to estimate what caused the wound in the solider's head and how far away he had been when he was shot A musket ball is thought to have hit the soldier in the top of the head from around 147ft away. It passed through the skull (digital model pictured), giving an idea of the brutality of the close quarter fighting with muskets In order to better understand the skull, archaeologists used 3D imaging techniques to develop a digital model. Stefan Sagrott, National Trust for Scotland archaeology data officer said: 'Photogrammetry is a great tool for us, especially because it is low cost and doesn't require any fancy equipment aside from a decent camera and the processing software. 'We are using it to record a whole range of cultural heritage sites, monuments and artefacts, and we are getting some really outstanding results. 'By using it to record cultural heritage, it allows us to open up the past to even more people than ever before. 'We can take an object which would be too fragile for anyone to handle, photograph it, 3D model it and then make it available online for anyone to see, wherever they are. The exit wound took out a large chunk of the skull (illustrated). Wire used to hold the skull fragments together can also be seen in the digital model 'Another brilliant result of this, is that we can also 3D print the models, creating accurate replicas of objects, such as the Culloden skull, and they can then be displayed at a property and handled without any worry of damaging the original object.' A 3D print of the skull has been created as part of the commemorations to mark the 270th anniversary of the battle and will be presented to the Culloden Visitor Centre. Katey Boal, learning manager at the National Trust for Scotland's Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre said: 'A skull is an incredibly personal thing, when you look at it in 3 dimensions you can imagine the person it would have belonged to. 'This skull takes the story of Culloden and reminds us that real people were involved, they fought, suffered and died on the field. It is a huge responsibility to tell their story, and the work the team has done is an important part of that.' Ribose is one of the building blocks of life and forms a structure called RNA that helps our cells make protein. As a chemical cousin of DNA, RNA is believed to have been one of the first molecules characteristic of life to appear on Earth, yet the source of it is often debated. For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that ribose can form in the ice on comets. Not only does this confirm a long-standing theory that life on Earth may have come from space, it also increases the chances of finding life elsewhere in the universe. For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that ribose forms in the ice on comets, meaning life on Earth could have come from space. UV processing of pre-cometary ices (left) reproduces the natural evolution of interstellar ices observed in molecular clouds (right) leading to the formation of sugar molecules The research was carried out at the Institut de Chimie de Nice, France. The genetic material of all living organisms, as well as viruses, is made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). RNA, which is considered more primitive, is believed to have been one of the first molecules characteristic of life to appear on Earth. Scientists have long wondered about the origin of these biological compounds. Some believe the Earth was seeded by comets or asteroids that contained the basic building blocks needed to form such molecules. WHAT IS RIBOSE? Ribose and related molecules have been detected in pre-cometary ice (illustrated) The genetic material of all living organisms, as well as viruses, is made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). RNA, which is considered more primitive, is believed to have been one of the first molecules characteristic of life to appear on Earth. Ribose is a sugar that forms the backbone of RNA. It has the formula CHO. Several amino acids, the components of proteins, and nitrogenous bases which form nucleic acids have already been found in meteorites, as well as in artificial comets produced in the laboratory. But ribose, the other key component of RNA, had never yet been detected in extraterrestrial material or created in the laboratory under 'astrophysical' conditions. In this study ribose, and related molecules such as arabinose, lyxose and xylose, have been detected in pre-cometary ice analogs using multidimensional gas chromatography. Advertisement The researchers simulated the formation of dust grains coated with ice, the raw material of comets, by mixing water, methanol and ammonia in a high vacuum chamber at minus 200C. This was then exposed to ultraviolet irradiation, a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength UV light to kill microorganisms Several amino acids, the components of proteins, and nitrogenous bases which form nucleic acids have already been found in meteorites, as well as in artificial comets produced in the laboratory. HOW THE STUDY WORKED Researchers simulated the formation of dust grains coated with ice, the raw material of comets, by mixing water, methanol and ammonia in a high vacuum chamber at minus 200C. This was then exposed to ultraviolet irradiation, a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms, like in the molecular clouds where the grains form. The sample was then warmed to room temperature, to mirror comets approaching the sun. An analysis using extremely sensitive and accurate techniques known as multi dimensional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry then detected several sugars, including ribose. Dr Cornelia Meinert from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, said the diversity and abundance of sugars suggest they were formed from formaldehyde, a molecule found in space and on comets that forms in large quantities from methanol and water. Advertisement But ribose, the other key component of RNA, had never yet been detected in extraterrestrial material or created in the laboratory under 'astrophysical' conditions. Now, by simulating the evolution of the interstellar ice making up comets, the researchers have successfully obtained ribose, a key step in understanding the origin of RNA, and consequently life. It is the first realistic explanation for the formation of the key compound, which had never been detected in meteorites or comets before. The discovery adds to evidence comets seeded life here more than four billion years ago. The researchers simulated the formation of dust grains coated with ice, the raw material of comets. This was then exposed to ultraviolet irradiation, a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms, like in the molecular clouds where the grains form. The sample was warmed to room temperature, to mirror comets approaching the sun. Analysis detected several sugars, including ribose. Dr Cornelia Meinert from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, said the diversity and abundance of sugars suggest they were formed from formaldehyde, a molecule found in space and on comets that forms in large quantities from methanol and water. The findings support the identification of organic molecules in cometary samples taken by the Philae Lander after successfully landing on a comet in late 2014. The findings support the identification of organic molecules in cometary samples taken by the Philae lander after successfully landing on a comet in late 2014. Artist's impression of the Philae lander on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko pictured 'Our results suggest the generation of numerous sugar molecules, including ribose, may be possible from photochemical and thermal treatment of cosmic ices in the late stages of the solar nebula,' said Dr Meinert. Although the existence of ribose in real comets remains to be confirmed, they said the discovery completes the list of the molecular building blocks of life that can be formed in interstellar ice. It also lends further support to the theory comets are the source of the organic molecules that made life possible on Earth, and perhaps on other planets, they added. 'Our detection of ribose provides plausible insights into the chemical processes that could lead to formation of biologically relevant molecules in suitable planetary environments,' Dr Meinert added. The team carried out its study in an artificial comet created by astrophysicists at the University of Paris-Sud. It's widely known that modern Europeans and Asians carry traces of Neanderthal DNA and now scientists have pinpointed when we last shared a common ancestor According to analysis of Neanderthal and modern human Y chromosomes, which contain the genes that make men male, the two species split 588,000 years ago. They also showed our modern Y chromosome was not inherited from our ancient cousins, suggesting men today cannot blame their Neanderthal behaviour on their genes. Scientists have pinpointed when we and our ancient cousins, the Neanderthals last shared a common ancestor - 588,000 years ago. They examined the Neanderthal Y chromosome from a Neanderthal male found in El Sidron in Spain, to come up with the date Previous estimates of when our last common ancestor lived have been based on mitochondrial DNA and put the divergence of the two lineages at between 400,000 and 800,000 years ago. The Y chromosome was the main component remaining to be analysed from the Neanderthal genome. Researchers from Stanford University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany analysed this data using the remains of a Neanderthal male found in El Sidron in Spain. The Y chromosome is one of two human sex chromosomes. Unlike the X chromosome, the Y chromosome is passed exclusively from father to son. Researchers from Stanford University and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany say the Y chromosome (pictured right, next to an X chromosome) - which contains the genes that make men male - was the main component remaining to be analysed from the Neanderthal genome Experts were surprised to find that unlike other forms of DNA, the Neanderthal Y chromosome DNA was apparently not passed to modern humans during a time of interbreeding. A Neanderthal is illustrated. One explanation why this particular segment hasn't lived on is that it was simply lost over time. However, it is also possible the Neanderthal Y chromosome contained genes that made it incompatible with human DNA THE COMPLEX EVOLUTION OF MAN 55 million years ago - First primates evolve 15 million years ago - Hominidae (great apes) evolve from the ancestors of the gibbon 8 million years ago - First gorillas evolve. Later, chimp and human lineages diverge 5.5 million years ago - Ardipithecus, early 'proto-human' shares traits with chimps and gorillas 4 million years ago - Australopithecines appeared. They had brains no larger than a chimpanzee's 2.8 million years ago - LD 350-1 appeared and may be the first of the Homo family 2.7 million years ago - Paranthropus, lived in woods and had massive jaws for chewing 2.3 million years ago - Homo habalis first thought to have appeared in Africa 1.85 million years ago - First 'modern' hand emerges 1.8 million years ago - Homo ergaster begins to appear in fossil record 1.6 million years ago - Hand axes become the first major technological innovation 800,000 years ago - Early humans control fire and create hearths. Brain size increases 760,000 years ago - New DNA analysis shows the first Neanderthals emerging 400,000 years ago - Neanderthals begin to spread across Europe and Asia 200,000 years ago - Homo sapiens - modern humans - appear in Africa 590,000 years ago - Last common ancestor of humans and Neanderthals 40,0000 years ago - Modern humans reach Europe Advertisement The human lineage diverged from other apes over several million years, ending as late as 4 million years ago. After the final split from other apes, the human lineage branched into a series of different types of humans, including separate lineages for Neanderthals and what are now modern humans. Using the Y chromosome analysis, the scientists have now pinpointed when we last shared a common ancestor. Sequencing the Neanderthal Y chromosome may also shed further light on the relationship between humans and Neanderthals. As well as defining the date for our common ancestor, the experts found the Y chromosome they sequenced is different to any Y chromosome observed in modern humans, suggesting the genes disappeared from the human genome long ago. This means modern men may not be quite the Neanderthals they sometimes appear. Other studies have uncovered a legacy of breeding between modern humans and Neanderthals 50,000 years ago, so the experts were surprised to find that, unlike other forms of DNA, the Neanderthal Y chromosome DNA was apparently not passed to modern humans during this time. 'We've never observed the Neanderthal Y chromosome DNA in any human sample ever tested,' said Carlos Bustamante professor of biomedical data science and of genetics at Stanford said. ' 'That doesn't prove it's totally extinct, but it likely is.' Why the Y chromosome genes were not passed on isn't clear, however. Fernando Mendez, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford explained one explanation why this particular segment hasn't lived on is that it was simply lost over time. However, it is also possible the Neanderthal Y chromosome contained genes that made it incompatible with human DNA. For example, Dr Mendez said a woman's immune system might attack a male foetus carrying Neanderthal 'H-Y' genes, which resemble antigens that transplant surgeons check to make sure organ donors and recipients have similar immune profiles. Last year, geneticists sequenced DNA from the fossilised remains (pictured) of early humans discovered in a cave in the Atapuerca Mountains in Spain. The 430,000-year-old-bones were found to belong to an early Neanderthal and the analysis suggests the species may be up to 765,000 years old - twice as old as thought GENES FROM NEANDERTHALS MAY BE TO BLAME FOR MODERN DISEASES Neanderthals and modern humans are thought to have co-existed for thousands of years and interbred. These 'legacy' genes have been linked to an increased risk from cancer and diabetes by recent studies looking at our evolutionary history. However, it is not all bad news, as other genes we inherited from our species' early life could have improved our immunity to diseases which were common at the time, helping humans to survive. Speaking to MailOnline, professor Chris Stringer, research leader in human origins at the Natural History Museum in London, said: 'We got a quick fix to our own immune system by breeding with Neanderthals which helped us to survive. 'Studies have also already been published which show that humans outside of Africa are more vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes, and that is because we bred with Neanderthals, while those who stayed inside Africa didn't.' Last year researchers from Oxford and Plymouth universities announced that genes thought to be risk factors in cancer had been discovered in the Neanderthal genome, and in January Nature magazine published a paper from Harvard Medical School suggesting that a gene which can cause diabetes in Latin Americans came from Neanderthals. Advertisement The presence of the H-Y genes would have led to baby boys that were part-human, part-Neanderthal having a higher chance of being miscarried. This would ultimately caused the male Neanderthal genes to gradually disappear, according to the study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics. The researchers speculate that incompatibilities at one or more of these genes might have played a role in driving ancient humans and Neanderthals apart by discouraging interbreeding between them. Dr Bustamante explained: 'The functional nature of the mutations we found suggests to us that Neanderthal Y chromosome sequences may have played a role in barriers to gene flow, but we need to do experiments to demonstrate this and are working to plan these now.' A pair of astrophysicists have created a detailed model of Planet 9 to determine the physical properties of the mysterious world, if it really exists. The two planet-evolution experts in Switzerland have estimated that the planet is a smaller 'ice-giant' with a radius roughly 3.7 times that of Earth. Their results may explain why Planet 9 hasn't been detected, and the researchers say future telescopes like the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope in Chile could one day confirm or rule out its existence. Scroll down for video In a simplified explanation, they say the planet would have a central core consisting of iron, which is surrounded by a silicate mantle. Beyond this, the researchers speculate that there may be water-ice layer, which is then surrounded by a hydrogen/helium 'envelope' HOW THEY FOUND PLANET NINE Researchers inferred Planet Nine's presence from the peculiar clustering of six previously known objects that orbit beyond Neptune. They say there's only a 0.007% chance, or about one in 15,000, that the clustering could be a coincidence. Instead, they say, a planet with the mass of 10 Earths has shepherded the six objects into their strange elliptical orbits, tilted out of the plane of the solar system. The mysterious world is thought to be gaseous and similar to Uranus or Neptune. While no conclusive evidence of its existence has emerged so far, a number of researchers have undertaken their own studies on the possible planet, which is also referred to as or Planet X. Advertisement After hearing of the possible existence of a ninth planet, professor Christoph Mordasini and Esther Linder from the University of Bern sought answers. 'For me candidate Planet 9 is a close object, although it is about 700 times further away as the distance between the Earth and the Sun,' says Esther Linder, PhD student at the University of Bern, who typically investigates the formation of young exoplanets. The researchers created a model for Planet 9 based on the assumption that it is a smaller version of Uranus and Neptune. Planet 9 is thought to be the equivalent of 10 Earth masses, which led the researcher to estimate its radius is 3.7 times that of our own planet. And, the temperature would be -226 C, or 47 Kelvin. 'This means that the planet's emission is dominated by the cooling of its core, otherwise the temperature would only be 10 Kelvin,' explains Linder. 'Its intrinsic power is about 1000 times bigger than its absorbed power.' The researchers constructed a model which shows what they think to be the makeup of Planet 9. In a simplified explanation, they say the planet would have a central core consisting of iron, which is surrounded by a silicate mantle. Beyond this, the researchers speculate that there may be water-ice layer, which is then surrounded by a hydrogen/helium 'envelope.' The team was also able to estimate the evolution of Planet 9's brightness since the formation of the Universe. The researchers created a model for Planet 9 based on the assumption that it is a smaller version of Uranus and Neptune. Planet 9 is thought to be the equivalent of 10 Earth masses, which led the researcher to estimate its radius is 3.7 times that of our own planet 'With our study candidate Planet 9 is now more than a simple point mass, it takes shape having physical properties,' says Christoph Mordasini. Due to the believed size of Planet 9, the researchers say Planet 9 could have been missed by telescopes. The sky surveys performed to date would have had a small chance to find an object below 20 Earth masses, especially if it's at the farthest point of its orbit around the Sun, they explain. Last month, Professor Mike Brown from Caltech tweeted a photo that shows the plot of a newly discovered eccentric Kuiper Belt Object (KBO). The researcher claims this is 'where Planet Nine says it should be' And, Nasa's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer may have detected a much larger planet, ewual to 50 or more Earth masses. 'This puts an interesting upper mass limit for the planet,' Linder says. Moving forward, the team says emerging technologies including the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which is under construction near Cerro Tololo, Chile, could find Planet 9, or rule out its existence. According to Christoph Mordasini, 'That is an exciting perspective.' - some that can fly themselves to create 'air taxis' It has automatic altitude control, and can hover without being controlled making it as easy to control as a car and traveled 20 to 25 meters in sky Took to the skies for a 3 minute flight received permit-to-fly in February 2016, and has now been flown by a pilot for the first time Advertisement A German firm has embarked on a new era in urban mobility with a manned flight in the world's first certified multicopter. With passenger in tow, The Volocopter VC200 took to the skies for a three minute voyage using its 18 gently humming rotors and eco-friendly electric propulsion. Not only does this offer more widespread use in conventional aircraft domains, but it brings us one step closer to air taxi services and full transportation systems in the third dimension, the firm says. Scroll down for videos With passenger in tow, The Volocopter VC200 took to the skies for a three minute flight using its 18 rotors and electric propulsion. Not only does this offer more widespread use in conventional aircraft domains, but it brings us one step closer to air taxi services and full transportation systems in the third dimension, the firm says. WHAT ARE THE VOLOCOPTER'S FEATURES? The Volocopter VC200 took to the skies using its 18 gently humming rotors and electric propulsion. It is piloted one-handedly with a single joystick, which has shown to reduce the major reason behind fatal helicopter accidents: human error. The initial two-seat design uses battery packs, with a flight-time duration of only about 20 to 30 minutes. Its inventors say it will be the most environmentally-friendly helicopter ever created. They also claim it will be the world's safest because it is unlikely to crash if a rotor fails. Advertisement 'The flight was totally awesome' pilot Alexander Zosel said right after his landing on March 30th on an airfield in Southern Germany. 'It is definitely a sublime feeling to lift off, fly the first few meters, and then actually take my hand off the joystick and think that, yeah, it's really as if I'm standing on the ground, and then I look down and there are 20-25 meters beneath me.' 'So it's definitely unbelievable what we've achieved here. It's seriously unbelievable!' The multicopter is piloted one-handedly with a single joystick, which has shown to reduce the major reason behind fatal helicopter accidents: human error. It's designed with automatic altitude control, which means Volocopter can hover at a certain altitude without you having to operate it. And to show off the technology, Zosel took his hand off of the joystick and gave his team on the ground two thumbs-up. Zosel also explained that the process prior to lift-off was just as effortless. 'I got in, we did the pre-checks for what felt like maybe 20 seconds, and after that I'd already got the all-clear for flying,' he said. 'I didn't wait long, I simply pushed the lever upward and the Volocopter simply sprung upward in a single bound.' The Volocopter VC200, designed by e-volo, was granted the 'permit-to-fly' as an ultralight aircraft from German aviation officials in February 2016 -- three years after the team began developing the multicopter. The initial two-seat design uses battery packs, with a flight-time duration of only about 20 to 30 minutes. It will be certified for sport flying, Alexander Zosel told Wired , and he plans to sell the copters for about $340,000. The initial two-seat design uses battery packs, with a flight-time duration of only about 20 to 30 minutes. It will be certified for sport flying, Alexander Zosel told Wired , and he plans to sell the copters for about $340,000. He's also working to develop a hybrid power system that would extend flight time to over one hour. 'The Volocopter by e - volo is a completely novel, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) manned aircraft, which cannot be classified in any known category,' the firm says. 'The fact that it was conceived of as a purely electrically powered aircraft sets it apart from conventional aircraft.' A considerable advantage, apart from the simple construction without complex mechanics, is the redundancy of drives, which enables the safe landing of the Volocopter even if some drives fail. 'Through the use of its many propellers, the Volocopter can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. A considerable advantage, apart from the simple construction without complex mechanics, is the redundancy of drives, which enables the safe landing of the V olocopter even if some drives fail. 'The aim is to change the mobility for a lot of people, not only for fun,' Zosel says. 'For transportation, and for getting work done.' With its white spiderweb design and 18 rotors humming gently, it looks like it was plucked straight from a science fiction book. Instead of a traditional combustion engine, it uses an battery pack on the back of the aircraft to power the 18 rotors arranged on top. Its inventors say it will be the most environmentally-friendly helicopter ever created. The multicopter is piloted one-handedly with a single joystick, which has shown to reduce the major reason behind fatal helicopter accidents: human error. And to show off the technology, Zosel took his hand off of the joystick and gave his team on the ground two thumbs-up The initial two-seat design uses battery packs, with a flight-time duration of only about 20 to 30 minutes. It will be certified for sport flying, Alexander Zosel told Wired , and he plans to sell the copters for about $340,000. He's also working to develop a hybrid power system that would extend flight time to over one hour Its inventors claim it is also simpler to fly than a traditional helicopter, with just one joystick controlling almost every aspect of flight. They also claim it will be the world's safest because it is unlikely to crash if a rotor fails. The design is so unusual that authorities in Germany, where it was developed, have had to invent a new class of aircraft for it to get a license to fly. The idea has been several years in the planning and previously won a 2 million Euro (1.7m) grant from Germany's federal ministry of economics and technology. Test flights were conducted last year in Karlsruhe, Germany, including of a 16-rotor prototype last year with room for just one brave pilot. Weighing just 80kg including the batteries, it was so small that the helmet-wearing pilot had to sit in the open air between the blades strapped into a tiny chair. Anyone with a private pilot's licence in Germany will be able to fly the revolutionary aircraft once it hits the mass market. Its inventors claim it is also simpler to fly than a traditional helicopter, with just one joystick controlling almost every aspect of flight. The project has been handed a provisional airworthiness certificate and its inventors hope it will get the sign-off from aviation authorities in the near future. A statement by the firm said: ' T he Volocopter is an absolutely novel aircraft which cannot be assigned to any existing aviation category. Six gigantic extensional fractures converge onto a point near the Advertisement David Bowie famously named his band the spiders from Mars - but according to the latest images of Pluto, the dwarf planet may also have an arachnid infestation. Sprawling across Pluto's icy landscape is an unusual geological feature that resembles a giant spider, Nasa has revealed. It consists of at least six fracture, the longest of which is 360 miles. Scroll down for video Curiously, the spider's 'legs' noticeably expose red deposits below Pluto's surface. The curious radiating pattern of the fractures forming the 'spider' may instead be caused by a focused source of stress in the crust under the point where the fractures converge for example, due to material welling up from under the surface. 'Oh, what a tangled web Pluto's geology weaves,' said Oliver White, a member of the New Horizons geology team from NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. 'The pattern these fractures form is like nothing else we've seen in the outer solar system, and shows once again that anywhere we look on Pluto, we see something different.' As shown in the enhanced color image above obtained by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on July 14, 2015 this feature consists of at least six extensional fractures (indicated by white arrows) converging to a point near the center. The longest fractures are aligned roughly north-south, and the longest of all, the informally named Sleipnir Fossa, is more than 360 miles (580 kilometers) long. The fracture aligned east-west is shorter and is less than 60 miles (100 kilometers) long. To the north and west, the fractures extend across the mottled, rolling plains of the high northern latitudes, and to the south, they intercept and cut through the bladed terrain informally named Tartarus Dorsa. Curiously, the spider's 'legs' noticeably expose red deposits below Pluto's surface. Six gigantic icy fractures converge onto a point near the centre of the strange structure. The longest of the 'legs' is named Sleipnir Fossa, and is more than 360 miles (580 kilometers) long. New Horizons scientists think fractures seen elsewhere on Pluto which tend to run parallel to one another in long belts are caused by global-scale extension of Pluto's waterice crust. The curious radiating pattern of the fractures forming the 'spider' may instead be caused by a focused source of stress in the crust under the point where the fractures converge for example, due to material welling up from under the surface. The spider somewhat resembles radially fractured centers on Venus called novae, seen by NASA's Magellan spacecraft, as well as the Pantheon Fossae formation, seen by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft on Mercury. One of the other strange landforms spotted by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft when it flew past Pluto last July was the 'bladed' snakeskin terrain. This strange feature lies just east of Tombaugh Regio, the informal name given to Pluto's large heart-shaped surface region. Now, Nasa has revealed the stunning landscape in incredible detail - and now you can see it for yourself if using 3D glasses. One of the strangest landforms spotted by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft when it flew past Pluto last July was the 'bladed' snakeskin terrain. This strange feature lies just east of Tombaugh Regio, the informal name given to Pluto's large heart-shaped surface feature. Now, Nasa has revealed the stunning landscape in incredible detail - and now you can see it for yourself if using 3D glasses The blades are the dominant feature of a broad area informally named Tartarus Dorsa. They align from north to south, reach hundreds of feet high and are typically spaced a few miles apart. This remarkable landform, unlike any other seen in our solar system, is perched on a much broader set of rounded ridges that are separated by flat valley floors. On the global image, the bladed terrain extends far to the east. New Horizons scientists have speculated about - but not yet agreed on - the terrain's origins. Current theories include erosion from evaporating ices or deposition of methane ices; New Horizons researcher Orkan Umurhan takes an in-depth look at the terrain and proposes another origin idea in this recent Nasa Web blog. This global view of Pluto combines a Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) color scan and an image from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), both obtained on July 13, 2015 the day before New Horizons' closest approach. The red outline marks the large area of mysterious, bladed terrain extending from the eastern section of the large feature informally named Tombaugh Regio. In this extended colour image of Pluto taken by New Horizons, rounded and bizarrely textured mountains, informally named the Tartarus Dorsa, rise up along Pluto's day-night terminator and show intricate but puzzling patterns of blue-gray ridges and reddish material in between. This view, roughly 330 miles (530 kilometers) across, combines blue, red and infrared images 'Under the cold conditions typical of the surface of Pluto, methane clathrates are very stable and extremely strong, so they might easily mechanically support the observed bladed structures,' he writes. 'While there is no direct and unambiguous evidence of methane clathrates on the surface of Pluto, it's certainly a plausible candidate, and we are actively considering that possibility too.' 'It's a unique and perplexing landscape stretching over hundreds of miles,' said William McKinnon, New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging (GGI) team deputy lead from Washington University in St. Louis. 'It looks more like tree bark or dragon scales than geology. This'll really take time to figure out; maybe it's some combination of internal tectonic forces and ice sublimation driven by Pluto's faint sunlight.' The 'snakeskin' image of Pluto's surface is just one tantalising piece of data New Horizons sent back in recent days Scientists have recently discovered that, much like Earth, Pluto's huge mountains may have vast expanses of snow covering their peaks. Last month, Nasa's New Horizons team who has discovered a chain of exotic snowcapped mountains stretching across the dark expanse on Pluto informally named Cthulhu region. The reddish enhanced color image shown as the left inset reveals a mountain range located in southeast Cthulhu that's 260 miles (420km) long. The upper slopes of the highest peaks are coated with a bright material that contrasts sharply with the dark red color of the surrounding plains. The right inset also shows how the bright ice on the mountains matches up with the distribution of methane (purple) Hills of water ice on Pluto 'float' in a sea of frozen nitrogen and move over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean. This shows the inset in context next to a larger view. The resolution is about 1050ft (320 meters) per pixel and 300 miles (almost 500km) long and 210 miles (340km) wide. It was taken 9,950 miles (16,000km) from Pluto, 12 minutes before New Horizons' closest approach to Pluto on July 14 The area stretches nearly halfway around Pluto's equator, starting from the west of the great nitrogen ice plains known as Sputnik Planum. Measuring around 1,850 miles (3,000km) long and 450 miles (750km) wide, Cthulhu (pronounced kuh-THU-lu) is a bit larger than the state of Alaska. Cthulhu's appearance is characterised by a dark surface, which scientists think is due to being covered by a layer of dark tholins. Tholins are complex molecules that form when methane is exposed to sunlight. Cthulhu's geology exhibits a wide variety of landscapes - from mountainous to smooth, and to heavily cratered and fractured. The reddish enhanced colour image reveals a mountain range located in southeast Cthulhu that's 260 miles (420km) long. The range is situated among craters, with narrow valleys separating its peaks. The upper slopes of the highest peaks are coated with a bright material that contrasts sharply with the dark red colour of the surrounding plains. NEW HORIZONS' NEW MISSION The spacecraft that gave us the first close-up views of Pluto now has a much smaller object in its sights. New Horizons is now track to fly past a recently discovered, less than 30-mile-wide object out on the solar system frontier. The close encounter with what's known as 2014 MU69 would occur in 2019. It orbits nearly 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto. Nasa and the New Horizons team chose 2014 MU69 in August as New Horizons' next potential target, thus the nickname PT-1. Like Pluto, MU69 orbits the sun in the frozen, twilight zone known as the Kuiper Belt. MU69 is thought to be 10 times larger and 1,000 times more massive than average comets, including the one being orbited right now by Europe's Rosetta spacecraft. On the other end, MU69 is barely 1 percent the size of Pluto and perhaps one-ten-thousandth the mass of the dwarf planet. So the new target is a good middle ground, according to scientists. The team plans to formally ask Nasa next year to fund the mission extension for studying MU69. Scientists promise a better name before showtime on January 1, 2019. Advertisement Scientists think this bright material could be predominantly methane that has condensed as ice onto the peaks from Pluto's atmosphere. 'That this material coats only the upper slopes of the peaks suggests methane ice may act like water in Earth's atmosphere, condensing as frost at high altitude,' said John Stansberry, a New Horizons science team member from Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland. Compositional data from the Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) on Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft, indicates that the location of the bright ice on the mountain peaks matches up almost exactly with the distribution of methane ice, shown in false colour as purple. The resolution of the enhanced colour image is about 2,230 feet (680 meters) per pixel. The image measures approximately 280 miles (450km) long by 140 miles (225km) wide. It was obtained by New Horizons at a range of approximately 21,100 miles (33,900km) from Pluto, about 45 minutes before the spacecraft's closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015. Last month, hills of water ice were found to be 'floating' in a sea of frozen nitrogen on Pluto, moving over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean These hills, which can be seen in the recent images studied by the New Horizons team, are believed to measure one to several miles across. They are found in the vast ice plain informally named Sputnik Planum within Pluto's 'heart' and are likely miniature versions of the larger, jumbled mountains on the region's western border. The two scans were taken 15 minutes apart on July 14, 2015 from 67,000 miles away, showing the hemisphere visible to New Horizons as it flew by. According to Nasa, water ice is the crustal bedrock of Pluto, over the course of the changing seasons, it is covered by more volatile ices Their discovery follows news last month that Pluto may be covered in a lot more water ice than astronomers previously thought, which could boost the chances for finding a liquid sea and alien life. Nasa describes the feature as 'yet another example of Pluto's fascinating and abundant geological activity.' Because water ice is less dense than nitrogen-dominated ice, scientists believe these water ice hills are floating in a sea of frozen nitrogen and move over time like icebergs on Earth. The hills may be fragments of the rugged uplands that have broken away and are being carried by the nitrogen glaciers into Sputnik Planum. 'Chains' of the drifting hills are formed along the flow paths of the glaciers. When the hills enter the cellular terrain of central Sputnik Planum, they become subject to the motions of the nitrogen ice, and are pushed to the edges of the cells, where the hills cluster in groups reaching up to 12 miles (20km) across. At the northern end of the image, the feature informally named Challenger Colles honouring the crew of the lost space shuttle Challenger appears to be an especially large accumulation of these hills, measuring 37 by 22 miles (60 by 35km). This feature is located near the boundary with the uplands, away from the cellular terrain, and may represent a location where hills have been 'beached' due to the nitrogen ice being especially shallow. This image depicts an entire day on the dwarf planet. The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world today, representing one Pluto day, which is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days. The New Horizons spacecraft took the pictures as it zoomed past Pluto in an unprecedented flyby in July. Pluto was between 400,000 and 5 million miles from the camera for these photos THE BIGGEST ICE VOLCANO IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM: IMAGES REVEAL 90 MILE-WIDE CRYOVOLCANO ON PLUTO The most detailed image yet of a giant mountain on Pluto, which is suspected to be an ice volcano, was released by Nasa last month. It is one of two potential cryovolcanoes spotted on the surface of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. At about 90 miles (150km) across and 2.5 miles (4km) high, this feature is enormous. The feature, known as Wright Mons, was informally named by the New Horizons team in honor of the Wright brothers. If it is in fact a volcano, as suspected, it would be the largest such feature discovered in the outer solar system. 'These are big mountains with a large hole in their summit, and on Earth that generally means one thing a volcano,' said Oliver White, a New Horizons researcher. The most detailed image yet of a giant mountain on Pluto, which is suspected to be an ice volcano, has been released by Nasa (left). It is one of two potential cryovolcanoes spotted on the surface of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. At about 90 miles (150km) across and 2.5 miles (4km) high, this feature is enormous Mission scientists are baffled by the sparse distribution of red material in the image and wonder why it is not more widespread. Also perplexing is that there is only one identified impact crater on Wright Mons itself, telling scientists that the surface - as well as some of the crust underneath - was created relatively recently. This is turn may indicate that Wright Mons was volcanically active late in Pluto's history. The other potential ice volcano on Pluto has been named Piccard Mons, is up to 3.5 miles (6 km) high. Both ice volcanoes are located near Pluto's South Pole. 'We're not yet ready to announce we have found volcanic constructs at Pluto, but these sure look suspicious and we're looking at them very closely,' said Jeff Moore, a planetary scientist at Nasa said in an earlier release. Nasa says that if Pluto does have cryovolcanoes, it may be an indication that there is volatile ice that coats its surface. Advertisement A German professor was arrested after a human skull was found in his suitcase. The man was stopped as he travelled through Romes Fiumicino airport on his way to Dusseldorf after the item was discovered by security officials. The middle-aged professor, who was allegedly confused when confronted by officers, then claimed he had purchased the remains from a market stall. A German professor was arrested after a human skull was found in his suitcase while travelling through Rome (file image) According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, when asked by police how he had obtained the skull, he said he had purchased it for 50 (40). He reportedly said: 'I bought it used at a stand for scientific purposes. It was well polished, but without its lower jaw.' The professor, who was allegedly unaware of the implications of the purchase, was said to have been shocked when police informed him that he was being arrested for the illegal possession of human remains. Travelling through Romes Fiumicino airport to Dusseldorf on Monday, the man was stopped by airport security after something abnormal showed up in his luggage, local media reported Border police later sent the skull to Italys Scientific Police squad - Polizia Scientifica - to determine its origin. Romes Fiumicino airport has been approached for comment. MailOnline Travel previously covered an incident which saw an aeroplane passenger caught attempting to carry 55 dead seahorses into Texas in his luggage. The man arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on a flight from Vietnam, where he declared he was not transporting any agriculture-related items. After an inspection it was found that the traveller was carrying more than the passenger baggage limit of four seahorses per person. A hotel guest in the US received a rather rude surprise when he tried to access its complimentary and secure Wi-Fi system. The anonymous guest, who was staying at a place called the Cherry Tree Inn, in Billings, Montana, claims he was given a randomly-generated username and password but the username was f***. Guests are given usernames with four characters and it appears the system hasnt excluded curse words. A guest at the Cherry Tree Inn posted a photo showing a receipt with a rude username for the hotel's Wi-Fi The guest, an Imgur user named PizzusChrist who stayed at the hotel on 29 March, posted a photo of the receipt on the site with the rude username he allegedly received. With both letters and numbers used, the odds of receiving 'f***' as a username are incredibly small. To prove doubters wrong, he posted photos of two other receipts with usernames that have random characters. The user also posted a photo of a towel showing the logo for the Cherry Tree Inn, without identifying the location. To prove doubters wrong, the user posted photos of two other receipts with randomly-generated usernames The user posted a photo of a towel showing the logo for the Cherry Tree Inn, without identifying the location The logo on the towel matches the logo used by the Cherry Tree Inn in Billings, Montana. A manager at the hotel said: 'It appears to be from our machine and is generated by a separate coding machine. 'For security purposes every device has a different password and user name. 'I will contact our computer company to see if they can make sure such does not happen again.' Last year, Premier Inn apologised and reimbursed a guest who said he was greeted by an obscene welcome message on the TV his room Last year, Premier Inn apologised and reimbursed a guest who said he was greeted by an obscene welcome message on the TV his room. Phil Burke claims Welcome t*** was displayed on the screen when he arrived at the budget chains hotel in Dartford, Kent. He was so insulted by the message he demanded an apology from the hotel, and the cost of his stay was reimbursed after he continued to make a number of complaints about his stay. Last month, Victoria Whittle, from Manchester, was shocked to find a waiter had called her a rude name on a receipt from a hotel restaurant. Whittle was eating out with partner Mike Shawcross at The Silverton Hotel in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, when she was stunned to find Shaw****rs under the guest name. The hotel apologised for the rude name. Fans of Geordie Shore will be well aware that she's been trying to keep her rollercoaster relationship on the down-low. But Holly Hagan and Kyle Christie are preparing to hit the road and make their return as to TV screens as 'Hyle' in a brand new series on MTV, Car Crash Couples The couple, who imploded in front of their cast-mate's and viewers eyes in series 11 of Geordie Shore, will join three other couples on a car ride across the UK and Europe in the new show. Scroll down for video Happy couple? Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan and Kyle Christie are preparing to hit the road and make their return as to TV screens as 'Hyle' in a brand new series on MTV, Car Crash Couples The premise of the new show sees four couples take on relationship challenges and awkward dynamics as they navigate their seperate cars through the UK, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco and France. But if fans of the Geordie couple are expecting to see the couple on stronger and surer ground they'll be in for a shock, as in a teaser clip 'Hyle' arrive on the show as exes once again. Revealing that they split up two weeks before filming, Holly and Kyle definitely make an impression on the other couples - Kyle in particular attracting the attention of one half of another couple, Frida. Car Crash Couples | Episode 6: Holly And Kyle Arrive Watch More: www.mtv.co.uk/carcrashcouples In for a rocky ride? The couple, who imploded in front of their cast-mate's and viewers eyes in series 11 of Geordie Shore, will join three other couples on a car ride across the UK and Europe in the new show Pulling up in a Ferrari the pair look to be in high spirits as they greet the other three couples, and while they put on a jovial show - Holly was less than impressed when the question of Kyle being single came up. Following their on-screen revelation, Kyle admits he's hoping he can repair his friendship with Holly, saying: 'The breakup with Holly was SO bad, and all we want to do now is get our friendship back on track.' However it looks like Kyle might be in for a nasty surprise, as Frida (who appears to be single and grouped with a tattooed hunk, Joey) exclaims: 'This guy is SO HOT.' Ride of their life? The show sees four couples take on relationship challenges and awkward dynamics as they navigate their seperate cars through the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco and France Watch out! It looks like Kyle might be in for a nasty surprise, as Frida , who appears to be single and grouped with a tattooed hunk, Joey (both pictured), seems to have already set her sights on him And when asked about the rules regarding her newly single ex, Holy fixes a dangerous smile on her face, telling the group: 'We obviously still fancy each other, but we just want to be friends at the minute.' Turning to each other, with dubious expressions on their faces, Kyle sums up the couples collective thought, saying: 'What's the worst that could happen?' It's not the first time the pair have had to appear on reality TV together, as they were forced to film series 11 of Gerodie Shore in Greece after breaking up - resulting in Kyle leaving the show. 'This guy is SO HOT!': The blonde American thinks Kyle is just her cup of tea, but Holly appears less than impressed with some of the groups questions Still friends! When asked about the rules regarding her newly single ex, Holy fixes a dangerous smile on her face, telling the group: 'We obviously still fancy each other, but we just want to be friends at the minute.' However, proving that their passions for each other are as fiery as ever, Kyle hit-back at claims he 'hated' Holly in December. Following their break-up, Kyle revealed that he still loved his ex, explaining in a confessional cam clip from Gerodie Shore: 'You know what, I don't f*****g hate her. I'll say it and I'm not arsed, I still f****** love her and I fancy her to bits, I always will. 'After the whole bust up, after all the arguments and after the whole house turning against us, that girl was still there sitting next to us.' Car Crash Couples will premiere on MTV on Wednesday April 20 at 21:00. They're the controversial reality stars best known for their outrageous exhibitionism. So it's no surprise that Gabi Grecko and her new girlfriend Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan have taken a page from Kim Kardashian and recreated the 35-year-old's now iconic nude 'black bar' mirror selfie. 'We are also like we both have nothing to wear LOL,' wrote 40-year-old Frenchy, who posted the X-rated image to her 35,000 Instagram followers. Scroll down for video 'We are also like we both have nothing to wear LOL!' Gabi Grecko and new girlfriend Frenchy Morgan have recreated Kim Kardashian's now iconic nude black bar mirror selfie The raunchy lovebirds aren't the only reality TV stars to get on the Kim K selfie bandwagon, with The Bachelor bombshell Zilda Williams posting the image a few days ago in a brave bid fight back against body shaming. 'Dealing with online bullies is hard, in fact it's been a really difficult year... but now I'm happy to say that I love who I am, inside and out,' the 32-year-old Bachelor star wrote. 'I have become stronger than ever before and will continue to be a strong woman. I may not be perfect, but I've learned to accept the body I have, flaws and all.' 'I've learned to accept the body I have, flaws and all:' Earlier this week The Bachelor's Zilda Williams channeled Kim Kardashian in a bid to battle body shaming and online bullying The original: The 35-year-old's stunning mirror selfie has now become legendary with waves of women around the world recreating the bold image Also joining the trend is Melbourne mother-of-four Lacey Barratt, who recreated the image while breastfeeding her 11-month-old in an attempt to shed light on the 'double standards of body shaming'. Lacey shared the photo to her Facebook page together with the caption: 'A woman's body should be celebrated, regardless if there is a baby on the breast, or simply because, one feels like it'. 'As a woman who actively fights Facebook and other social media platforms for censoring birth and breastfeeding images ... this has bothered me,' Lacey wrote. 'The double standard of body shaming I have seen because Kim Kardashian posted a censored nudie of her body. WHO CARES?! It is a woman's body!! 'When you're like real life LOL': Photographer Lacey Barratt (right) also replicated Kim's divisive nude selfie to shed light on the 'double standards of body shaming' Influential: American reality TV star Courtney Stodden has also taken a stab at recreating the legendary image 'Only difference is a baby isn't hanging off her boob ... so does that now make it inappropriate? No way! 'Lets be very very careful not to have the same double standard Facebook has. 'Neither one of these images are sexual. Just two women's bodies at two very different times in their post partum and pregnancy walks.' Gabi and former porn star Frenchy, who are both bisexual, have been seeing each other for the past couple of weeks. Last week Gabi revealed on Instagram that the blonde starlet 'makes me happier than anyone else could'. Two peas in a pod! Bisexual reality TV stars Frenchy and Gabi recently started dating It would have been his 37th birthday this week and on Thursday fellow Australian actress Melissa George opened up about the late Heath Ledger. In honour of his birthday the 39-year-old spoke highly about their short-lived friendship while appearing on Channel Nine's Today Extra. 'He had just a zest for life. It is really tragic. He will be so missed,' the blonde beauty said during the interview. Scroll down for video Actress Melissa George has opened up about her short-lived friendship with the late Heath Ledger following his 37th birthday The former Home And Away actress went on to explain that the pair had formed a close friendship after relocating to Los Angeles together in a bid to chase their dreams of Hollywood. 'We both went to LA at the same time and we would hang out at for days, nights and weekends,' Melissa said with a smile. 'He is just such a wonderful human being.' Feelings: In her latest interview she said: 'He had just a zest for life. It is really tragic. He will be so missed' She went on to talk about Heath's natural ability to take on any acting role which popped up during his career. 'He was super natural. He was never overly rehearsed and he just went with instinct.' The two Australians both grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and appeared in the 1997 movie Roar together. Last week Heath's dad opened up at the possibility of a biopic being created in the honour of his son. Bonding: The former Home And Away actress went on to explain that the pair had formed a close friendship after relocating to Los Angeles together in a bid to chase their dreams of Hollywood While speaking to the Daily Telegraph Kim said he and his relatives were still 'pretty sensitive' to any issue which surrounds the Australian heartthrob. 'It's a little bit difficult for us,' he said. 'Heath was a pretty quiet individual so [a biopic] is not something we'd really be interested in participating in,' Kim explained to the publication. 'I have no doubt somebody will do something one day but when the timing for that is right, I don't know when that will be.' Gushing: With a smile the blonde beauty spoke highly of her friend saying: 'He was super natural. He was never overly rehearsed and he just went with instinct' Side by side: The two Australians both grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and appeared in the 1997 movie Roar together Heath's death in 2008 made international headlines. The late actor was just 28-years-old when he was found dead in New York. He died suddenly after suffering from an accidental overdose of prescription medication. One of his last films was The Dark Knight, which he later was awarded a post humous Academy Award for among other acting honours. The Perth-born actor had welcomed daughter Matilda, now 10, with former partner and actress Michelle Williams in late 2005. He had met Michelle on the set of Brokeback Mountain. They share a love for skimpy attire, towering stilettos, glitter and the colour pink. And Gabi Grecko, 26, and new girlfriend Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan, 40, appeared to be combining all of their favourite things when they stepped out in California on Wednesday. Coordinating in matching Moschino ensembles complete with pink bedazzled bras and platform heels, it was a Barbie-like display of epic proportions, even for their standards. Scroll down for video Coordinating already: Gabi Grecko, 26, and new girlfriend Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan, 40, put on a Barbie-like display of epic proportions when they stepped out in California on Wednesday The newly acquainted couple - who are known for their eccentric sartorial displays in their own rights - put on quite the synchronised front, despite only meeting for the first time on Tuesday. The bombshell duo clad their svelte frames in almost-identical figure-hugging two-piece ensembles from luxury Italian fashion house Moschino. The pair appear to be already taking style cues from one another despite the short duration of their romance. Playfully jostling with one another as they made their way through a car park in Malibu, the outlandish garments showcased the pair's taut midriffs. However this amount of flesh-baring wasn't enough for the usually-scantily-clad beauties, who took the liberty of lifting their tops up to reveal their protruding chests which they clad in jewel-encrusted bright pink push-up bras. In sync: The newly acquainted couple - who are known for their eccentric sartorial displays in their own rights - put on quite the synchronised front, despite only meeting for the first time on Tuesday Outlandish: The bombshell duo clad their svelte frames in almost-identical figure hugging two-piece ensembles from luxury Italian fashion house Moschino Daring to bare: Playfully jostling with one another as they made their way through a car park in Malibu, the outlandish garments showcased the pair's taut midriffs Gabi, estranged wife of Australian businessman Goeffrey Edelsten, sported a black version, which bared the designers label all over in outlandish pink and white script. She accessorised her outfit with a matching pink tote which dangled in the nook of her arm and added even more glamour to her look with large silver drop earrings. Meanwhile, Frenchy - a former exotic dancer from Paris - followed suit wearing the same outfit in an all pink hue. However the pair's meticulous coordination was disrupted when Gabi's shoes broke, forcing her to limp along the pavement barefoot. She held onto Frenchy's arm for support who towered over her in the hard-to-navigate heels. First rendezvous: Gabi became acquainted with her new flame Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan in bed after jetting to Malibu to meet her on Tuesday Earlier in the week, Gabi jetted into Malibu to spend time with new flame Frenchy and the pair have been spotted putting on quite the affectionate display. They also boasted about how they had combined their eccentric wardrobes, with Gabi sharing an image of their joint closet to social media with the caption: 'When two become one'. The Barbie-like photo featured endless amounts of pink stiletto high heels as well as mini-dresses and matching coloured handbags. In-between the shelves of accessorises featured randomly placed hair extensions of different tones as well as numerous bras which fell messily on the floor. 'When two become one': The pair boasted on social media about how they had combined their eccentric wardrobes, with Gabi sharing an image of their joint closet Earlier this week, Gabi gushed about her new romance, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'She's an amazing woman, we're taking things really slow.' Gabi went on to add: 'I'm really happy, I've waited a long time to meet her after talking and Skyping for so long.' Frenchy said for her part: 'We've been in bed all day, first time for us in bed, were about to fall asleep and are going to spend some quality time together.' The former exotic dancer from Paris added: 'We're double trouble. And, yes, I'm bisexual too'. Gabi revealed on Instagram last week that she is bisexual - and as a snub to her ex-husband, she claimed that her new girlfriend 'makes (her) happier than anyone else could'. Raised in Paris, Frenchy, real name Angelique, has appeared on appeared on Playboy TV and was on Celebrity Big Brother show in 2014. The 'most powerful' people in New York media were honored by The Hollywood Reporter at a special gala in the Big Apple on Wednesday. And while she wasn't included on the list of 35, reality star Bethenny Frankel certainly turned heads as she arrived in an off-the-shoulder black frock that showed off her cleavage. The Real Housewives Of New York castmember and businesswoman showcased her slim frame in the knee-length number that she paired with pointed toe pumps and a sleek bob. Skinnygirl: Bethenny Frankel showed off her slim physique in a strapless black number that showcased her cleavage as she arrived at a gala held in New York City on Wednesday night Frankel, 45, accessorized with a red clutch and a matching shade of red lipstick as well as a statement diamond bracelet. The annual event, now in its fifth year, was a who's who of New York-based media personalities, and celebrities who came out to help honor them. In addition to Frankel, the guest list included actress Brooke Shields, Oscar winner Julianne Moore and her director husband Bart Freundlich, as well as models Lindsay Ellingson and Jessica Hart. Reality star: The Real Housewives Of New York castmember and businesswoman wore her hair in a sleek bob and her shade of lip color matched the color of her clutch Stunner: Actress Ashley Greene pushed the boat out in scarlet, revealing her ample bosom in a low-cut bright red dress and with her hair styled in soft voluminous curls Date night: Oscar winner Julianne Moore and her husband, director Bart Freundlich, were among the famous names who came out to help honor the 'most powerful' media people in New York Matching colors: Brooke Shields blended into the backdrop in her black pantsuit and bright yellow blouse Wow factor: Blonde model Lindsay Ellingson was effortlessly chic in a strapless dark blue jumpsuit Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly made the '35 most powerful' list put together by the trade publication and she showed up looking fabulous in a sleeveless keyhole blue dress. The pretty blonde, 45, wore her short hair sleeked back from her face and kept her make-up light and fresh. She completed her look with a pair of statement black heels with cuffs at the ankle and pointed toes. She's got influence: Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly made the list of The Hollywood Reporter's 35 'most powerful' and celebrated by wearing a fabulous blue keyhole dress and standout black heels In the news: Kelly posed for photos with fellow honoree, NBC's Today co-host Savannah Guthrie who wore black NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie was also an honoree and looked stylish in a long-sleeved black frock with detailing at the waist and along the sleeves. Lara Spencer, 46, from ABC's Good Morning America opted for a quirky ensemble pairing a black leather jacket and black turtle neck with cropped black pants. She then added a Chanel designer belt and fringed beige sandal heels, leaving her shoulder-length blonde hair styled around a pair of stunning oval-shaped earrings. She's got the power: GMA's Lara Spencer stood out in a black leather jacket and cropped pants with fringed beige heels and a Chanel designer belt Icons: Charlie Rose gave veteran Barbara Walters a warm greeting at the event hosted by The Hollywood Reporter Catching up: Shields and Walters sat and chatted and swapped tales A little dotty: Arianna Huffington chose a red and white polka dot frock and beige heels for her night out Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington stood out in shiny red polka dots on a short-sleeved frock with brown pumps. Girls star Lena Dunham showcased her inimitable style in a lime green fluffy coat over a red-and-whte flower patterned chiffon nude dress. The actress and writer added a pair of snakeskin boots to complete her look. Stood out from the crowd: Girls star Lena Dunham paired a long fluffy lime green coat with snakeskin boots and a floaty dress dotted with red and white flower motifs Brought the blue steel: Model Andreja Pejic, left, looked like she was due on the catwalk in a black leather dress with lace panels, while model Crystal Renn, right, wore a black baggy black suit with matching shawl Stylish: Model Selita Banks showed her class with a simple white frock and fluffy animal print jacket and nude pumps Among the Broadway stars who showed up for the evening event at the Four Seasons in Manhattan was Laura Michelle Kelly. The English beauty was gorgeous in a halter-neck gown with a plunging neckline. Musical actress Miriam Shor opted for a monochrome look, wearing a black pencil skirt with a white short-sleeved blouse with Peter Pan collar. She completed the ensemble with black ankle boots. Dreamy: Broadway star Laura Michelle Kelly looked fabulous in a halter-neck full-length gown with a plunging neckline All business: Actress Miriam Shor made a monochrome statement, in a white short-sleeved blouse and below-the-knee black pencil skirt with back ankle boots Actress Carol Alt arrived on the red carpet carrying a brown briefcase-style bag that was almost the same color as her hair. She wore a brown strapless frock and had on a large choker featuring orange globes and a large butterfly. Martha Stewart was also on the guest list and the home goods and recipe maven wore a silk wraparound black jacket tied at the waist and matching pants and shoes. Living large: Martha Stewart showed up to help honor the currently powerful media figures in New York society in an all-black silky ensemble and chunky shoes Brown beauty: Carol Alt brought along a shiny briefcase-type purse and posed on the red carpet in a brown strapless gown and statement choker with large butterfly medallion Bold ensemble: Karen Duffy paired polka dots with bright red buckled heels and a peacock feather corsage Style queens: Model Jessica Hart, left, was colorful in patterned stripes and tassled heels, while model Lais Ribeiro was sleek in figure-hugging black The Hollywood Reporter publishes this annual list in order, the publicatin says, to salute 'the anchors, executives and iconoclasts who interpret the popular angst and anger.' The magazine praises its honorees 'unique perspective on what matters in media, what defines a New Yorker and what really makes America great.' Top women: Hoda Kotb, Alt, Kelly and Guthrie had wide smiles as they posed together inside the event Dapper: Bill O'Reilly from Fox News, left, and Hollywood actor Jon Favreau, right, brought some testosterone to the star-studded gala Jennifer Lopez early during the final season of American Idol predicted that La'Porsha Renae and Trent Harmon would be the last two singers standing. The 46-year-old singing superstar turned out to be right on Wednesday as Dalton Rapattoni was eliminated and Mississippi singers La'Porsha and Trent advanced to the finale. When host Ryan Seacrest asked J-Lo who she thought might take the title she initially said LaPorsha, but later told Trent he deserves to win. Called it: Jennifer Lopez rocked a stunning sparkling gown on Wednesday on American Idol as her prediction that La'Porsha Renae and Trent Harmon would be in the finale came true Its so close, she mused indecisively. J-Lo more than a month ago after watching Trent perform said: Youre amazing, I had a vision of you and LaPorsha at the end.' One of the most moving performances of the night was LaPorshas version of Rihannas love song Diamonds. LaPorsha sang for her baby daughter, sobbing profusely when the crowd began to chant her name. Final two: Ryan Seacrest interviewed La'Porsha and Trent as they headed into the series finale Crazy, amazing youre singing like its the final, said Keith Urban. It is the final,' J-Lo reminded him. Jennifer then told LaPorsha: I cant wait to go to a show of yours and see you let loosejust go offIm gonna be there.' I have nothing to say, it was amazing, said jazz pro Harry Connick Jr. Country tar: Keith Urban told La'Porsha that she was performing as if in the finals High praise: Harry Connick Jr was left speechless after La'Porsha performed LaPorshas performance was the highlight of the first half of the two-part American Idol finale in its final 15th season. Round one featured songs each of the three artists would release if they were to win the Idol crown. Round two included tracks picked for Trent and La'Porsha by Idols creator, English entrepreneur Simon Fuller, 55. Final three: Trent, La'Porsha and Dalton Rapattoni were the last three singers on the show First up was Mississippi farm boy Trent. Im so grateful to be here, said the 25-year-old who did an R&B number called Falling, which demonstrated his vocal range. His second song was picked by Fuller - If You Dont Know Me By Now by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Farming life: The Mississippi farm boy showed his vocal range with Falling This is gonna be the closest race in Idol history, said Keith, 48. I think its going to be the first time in a long time that were going to have a real battle, agreed J-Lo. Trents last song was Chandelier by Australian singer/ songwriter Sia. You should be very proud of yourself, said Harry, 48. Real battle: Trent was praised by Jennifer who said he could win it all Powerful performance: Trent turned in stunning rendition of Chandelier Its the best song that Freddie Mercury never wrote by the way, chimed in Keith, who is married to Nicole Kidman. I knew youd be here in the final twoyou deserve to win, said J-Lo, whod previously decided that LaPorsha had the upper hand by a small margin. The Texan pop rocker Dalton Rapattoni was eliminated after making it to the final three. Third place: Dalton performed Strike A Match as his swan song Im just happy that America cared to listen for so long, he said just before he left. When you join a competition like this you want to find success but you dont think that youre going to find yourself, he gushed, saying that hed learned a lot as a human being. The 20-year-olds swan song was a soft rock tune called Strike A Match. Fan favourite: Dalton waved to the audience after being eliminated LaPorsha said she was gunning for a better life for her baby girl. So Kelly, a woman started it, a womans gonna finish it, said the 22-year-old, referring to Kelly Clarkson who won the first season of Idol in 2002. LaPorshas first tune was a soaring ballad called Battles. Nailed it: La'Porsha unleashed her powerful voice during the ballad Battles Feeling it: Jennifer was moved by La'Porsha's performance Fuller picked Dionne Warwicks A House Is Not A Home for her second tune. J-Lo, who had been earnestly singing along from her desk, screamed her approval. Thats one of my top five songs of all time, I love Luther Vandross version too, now we have the LaPorsha version, she praised enthusiastically. Great song: The finalist impressed again with her take on A House Is Not A Home I dont even smoke and I need a cigarette right now, said Keith, calling it smoldering. Harry praised her mastery of melody calling it the most complex song she has done so far. The last ever winner of Idol will be announced on Thursday on Fox. Industry bigwig Scott Borchetta, who was wearing some kind of reptile coat, will sign them to Big Machine Records. The legacy of American Idol will live on through Big Machine Recordsit will be showtime, go time for real, said the 53-year-old music executive. It's eight years since Heath Ledger died from an accidental prescription drug overdose, but his Brokeback Mountain co-star Jake Gyllenhaal still feels it. The actor, 35, told People that the Australian's death in 2008 had a profound effect on both his personal and his professional life. 'In terms of professionally, I think I was at an age where mortality was not always clear to me,' he said. 'Personally, it affected me in ways I can't necessarily put in words or even would want to talk about publicly.' Scroll down for video Made mortality real: Jake Gyllenhaal has said that the death of actor Heath Ledger still has a profound influence on him, personally and professionally Gyllenhaal and Ledger played cowboys who fell in love with other in the 2005 film by Ang Lee. Each garnered an Oscar nomination for their performances in the ground-breaking movie. Ledger also fell in love with his co-star Michelle Williams and went on to have a daughter Matilda with the actress. 'We were super young,"Gyllenhaal said. Close: Gyllenhaal starred with Ledger in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain and both earned Oscar nominations for their performances Tough to deal with: The Australian actor, pictured in November 2007, was found dead in a Manhattan apartment on January 22 2008. He was 28. Gyllenhaal said his co-star'\s death made him realize life is 'fleeting' Ledger's sudden death made him realize that 'this is fleeting,' the Nightcrawler star said. 'None of the attention or synthesized love that comes from the success of a film really matters at all, he went on. 'What matters is the relationships you make when you make a film, and the people you learn from when you're preparing for a film. That changed a lot for me.' People had earlier reported that Gyllenhaal had admitted during an interview with publication that he had a crush 'for years' Friends star Jennifer Aniston. Opening up: Gyllenhaal revealed that he had a longtime crush on Jennifer Aniston and so when they got to work together on the 2002 film the Good Girl, it was 'lovely.' The pair are pictured in 2003 The two finally worked together on the 2002 film The Good Girl and that actor acknowledged it was 'lovely' to finally come face to face with his childhood crush. He also acknowledged he was in a new and better place in his life right now. 'I am enjoying a much more interesting life and connecting to my sister and other friends has been an important change for me. It just feels that I'm on the right track again on so many levels,' he said. Australian breakfast radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson have landed themselves in hot water after a recent phone prank segment called 'Wong Number' involving two Chinese restaurants. A petition has been launched by co-founder for the Asian Australian Alliance Erin Chew, after the KIIS 106.5 FM radio hosts rang the two restaurants, placing fake orders and then leaving the restaurant owners to speak to one another on the line, which unsurprisingly led to much confusion. The Change.Org petition has so far attracted 750 signatures following the radio segment which aired on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Under fire: Australian breakfast radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson have landed themselves in hot water after a recent phone prank segment called 'Wong Number' involving two Chinese restaurants On the petition page, Erin, who describes herself as an entrepreneur and social activist, has condemned the radio prank, saying: 'The purpose was pretty much about confusing Chinese takeaway stores when ordering on the phone. 'Their main motivation was to humiliate hard working mum and dad businesses for the sake of improving their ratings at the expense of a few cheap laughs and jokes about being Chinese.' She then goes on to explain the purpose of the petition, penning: 'As a mark of normal human decency, we are seeking a formal apology to be made on the air and to the Chinese takeaway stores by both Kyle and Jackie O. 'Secondly to ensure the Wong Number segment is canned for good. I think for these hosts to lose face will hopefully teach them a lesson that racially motivated jokes such as these are not acceptable.' Not happy: A petition has been launched by co-founder for the Asian Australian Alliance Erin Chew A spokesperson for ARN (Australian Radio Network) told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday afternoon: 'The Kyle & Jackie O Show have responded to Erin Chew and explained that the "Wrong Number" segment has been recorded with many takeaway and service providers. 'These have been recorded with pizza, chicken and Chinese takeaways, as well as hairdresser salons. Listeners also call the Kyle & Jackie O Show and make suggestions on what they'd like to hear, so we have other trades and services that we're also in the process of recording. 'Further to this, all our calls are recorded and permission granted by the takeaway or service providers who are happy to have the calls aired. 'We also offer the shops payment for the order that we've given.' Seeking an apology: The Change.Org petition has so far attracted 750 signatures following the radio segment which aired on Tuesday, and Erin is seeking an apology from the radio hosts Text message exchange: Erin has also taken to her Facebook account to express her disappointment with the segment, and has even shared some screenshots of her text message exchange with the radio station Meanwhile Erin has also taken to her Facebook account to express her disappointment with the segment, and has even shared some screenshots of her text message exchange with the radio station. 'As you can see, this isn't a racially motivated segment,' the radio station told Erin. Theatrical performance artist Teik-Kim Pok told Daily Mail Australia he was 'alerted to the segment by Erin Chew' and deeply disappointed by it. 'When I finally heard it, I guess I was kind of shocked this stuff was still going on,' he said. Still not satisfied: Erin gave her feedback to the radio station 'Firstly I was offended by the fact that it was not funny at all and secondly, I could tell the subtext was incredibly racist.' 'Asian Australians are also part of the audience,' he added. On Tuesday morning KIIS 106.5 FM presenters Kyle and Jackie O explained the 'Wong Number' segment to the listeners ahead of the prank call. 'What you do is you call one Chinese restaurant and you place an order and go "hold on a second". Quickly call a second Chinese restaurant, get ready to place your order, put them on hold. Go back to your first Chinese restaurant...' Jackie explained, before Kyle chimed in, 'relax and listen to the fun frivolity'. Jackie then continued: 'You ask them to repeat the order and then quickly add them on with the second one and that is when everything gets very confusing around who's placing an order and who's taking it. Teresa Giudice put her best foot forward on Wednesday night as she made her first red carpet appearance since husband Joe began serving his jail sentence for fraud. Teresa made a statement arriving at a screening party for The Real Housewives of New York in a little black dress and brightly colored peep toe ankle boots. The strapless number showed off her trim physique and ample bosom and the reality star wore her long brunette hair in voluminous loose curls that fell down across her chest. Back in circulation: Teresa Giudice stepped out in New York on Wednesday night in a strapless little black dress and some very eye-catching colorful peep toe ankle boots The 43-year-old found fame on The Real Housewives Of New Jersey and she and her husband with their four daughters have been fixtures in the series since the start back in 2009. Joe Giudice left the family home in New Jersey on March 23 to begin serving three years behind bars at a Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix. Despite Joe's departure, Teresa put on a brave face, smiling for the cameras and reconnecting with Bravo host and executive producer Andy Cohen, as well as some of the New York Housewives cast. Brave face: The 43-year-old star of Bravo's Real Housewives Of New Jersey looked in fabulous shape and appeared upbeat just days after her husband Joe began serving three years in federal prison for fraud Welcomed back: The pretty Italian-American, who served a year in federal prison, got a warm greeting from Bravo exec Andy Cohen on the red carpet; she's starred in the network's RHONJ since it began in 2009 Last month, she released a book Turning The Tables: From Housewife To Inmate And Back Again, about her own experiences behind bars for a year. She has now started work on a second book detailing the time between her return home from prison two days before Christmas and her husband Joe heading off to start his sentence. The screening party held at 42 West featured the RHONY castmembers - Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley and Julianne Wainstein. Housewives together: The reality cast celebrated the premiere episode of season 8 of their Bravo show - from l-r: Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley and Julianne Wainstein Say cheese! Andy made sure to snap a selfie with the women he's helped make household names Hand held in black and white: Dorinda and Teresa cozied up for pics together as they arrived at the event Luann stepped out in white, wearing a fringed top with caped shoulders and flares. Sonja opted for a form-fitting sleeveless dress with horizontal stripes and black stilettos. Ramona wore a cleavage-baring black dress which fell to the floor with transparent panels from the knee down, while Dorinda chose a pretty white pantsuit with a feathery jacket that had a plunging neckline and wide-legged pants. Contrasting looks: Luann, left, cut a dash in a white fringed top and white patterned flares, while Sonja, right, stood tall in black stilettos and a figure-hugging dress with bold horizontal stripes Different styles: Ramona, left, showed off her impressive cleavage in a low-cut black gown, and Dorinda flashed a hint of bosom in a feathery white jacket with daring slash down the front and wide-legged white pants New cast member Julianne Wainstein stunned in a flesh-baring outfit. The black sleeveless dress had a very risque bodice with a lace transparent skirt falling from the bust line and black shorts underneath. She left her long brown hair loose and tucked behind one ear. Newbie: New Housewife on the block Julianne Wainstein dazzled in a daring black outfit that had a skimpy top and high-aisted transparent skirt over under-shorts Ready to party: Sonja and Ramona were in high spirits as they mugged for the cameras Right hand man: With Joe behind bars, Teresa brought along her attorney James Leonard to keep her company Teresa's husband left the family home in New Jersey on March 23 to begin serving three years behind bars at a Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix. Joe was convicted of bankruptcy fraud in October 2014 and faces the possibility of deportation back to his native Italy when he is released from prison. Teresa was convicted on similar charges and served a year in the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, before being released two days before Christmas. A judge had ruled that the couple did not have to report at the same time for the well being of their four daughters. Doing time: Joe Giudice began his jail sentence on March 23 at the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix, New Jersey. His wife served one year in prison on similar charges and was released in December. Megan McKenna has slammed her former fiance Jordan Davies for proposing on television. The TOWIE star exclusively revealed to MailOnline that she was left angry and embarrassed after her fellow reality star proposed during their second stint on Ex On The Beach. She lashed out at her former beau, who she admits she has blocked on all forms of social media, while discussing her horror at his onscreen proposal before admitting he lied about the cost of the ring. Scroll down for video The big moment: Megan McKenna has slammed her former fiance Jordan Davies for proposing on television Megan and Jordan, who shot to fame on Magaluf Weekender, met when they first appeared in the MTV dating show in 2015 and became a couple shortly after. They went on to join the fourth season of the show, which aired in January, in which they appeared as a couple who were set to come face-to-face with Jordan's ex Lacey Fuller. During their second stint on the show, the Wales-born hunk left fans aghast when he popped the question to his stunning girlfriend - also leaving her in shock. While the reality starlet, who is now dating TOWIE co-star Pete Wicks, initially appeared happy with the idea of a wedding, now the pair have split she insists she was mortified at the proposal and the fact Jordan lied about the cost of the ring. Moving onwards and upwards: The TOWIE star exclusively revealed to MailOnline that she was left angry and embarrassed after her fellow reality star proposed during their second stint on Ex On The Beach She said: 'I was angry (he proposed) on camera, I wish he didn't do it, I think it's embarrassing. He embarrassed me. 'He lied to me about the ring price for a start... He makes me out to be bad all the time but he needs to realise he's a liar.' Since their split, avid social media user Megan has blocked Jordan online - a huge gesture for a reality starlet boasting 386,000 Twitter followers and over one million Instagram fans. She says: 'I actually blocked Jordan on everything when we broke up because he wasn't a very good boy.' Over it! Since their split, avid social media user Megan has blocked Jordan online - a huge gesture for a reality starlet boasting 386,000 Twitter followers and over one million Instagram fans New love? Megan was perhaps alluding to his recent public appearances with Geordie Shore star Marnie Simpson, which sparked rumours that the duo were dating In regard to rumours that Jordan had cheated on her, Megan hinted that she believed the claims that he had stepped out behind her back. The TOWIE star said: 'I have heard rumours (there were other girls involved). That's my thing, I never cheat. 'I think he's been a little s**tbag really and he tries to get back to me with other people and it doesn't work. Let him get on with it because I'm happy.' Moving on: Megan professed her joy that things are better with long-haired hunk Pete, as she insists that he is a 'gentleman' in a thinly veiled jibe at her ex-beau She was perhaps alluding to his recent public appearances with Geordie Shore star Marnie Simpson, which sparked rumours that the duo were dating. Megan professed her joy that things are better with long-haired hunk Pete, as she insists that he is a 'gentleman' in a thinly veiled jibe at her ex-beau. She said: 'With Pete it's so much easier. He's from Essex, he's a gentleman, I don't think he'd ever go behind my back and talk to other girls, that's what I get from Pete. 'It's good for me, he brings the good out in me. It's nice that people can see my normal side now. Rather than crazy Megan.' Jordan, who is currently abroad, dismissed the claims, with his publicist stating: 'Jordan and Megan were head over heels in love at the time of the proposal. Jordan regrets nothing as it's made him the man he is today.' They've had a relatively strained relationship since splitting in 2014. And, although it seems things have cooled between Blac Chyna and Tyga as the rapper congratulated his ex on her engagement to Rob Kardashian this week, new reports claim they are at war. According to TMZ, the former flames are involved in a bitter custody battle over their three-year-old son King Cairo. Scroll down for video Exes at war: Blac Chyna is said to be upset over her ex Tyga having filed legal documents to claim custody of their three-year-old son King Cairo Following the 26-year-old musician's public outpouring of support for 27-year-old Blac Chyna's relationship news, sources have told the site that he is going to 'great lengths to drive a wedge between their son and her' and that he is 'not backing down'. Tyga has allegedly filed legal documents to try to gain custody over their boy and is not letting up, causing the model and businesswoman upset, especially as he was so openly accepting of her and Rob's engagement. It's also believed the exes only have contact with each other over email, and that Tyga will not speak to her in person after changing his phone number. King Cairo's nanny is said to be the 'go-between' for the parents, and that many of the decisions are made via her. Upset: According to TMZ, the 27-year-old model is upset by Tyga's actions to gain custody of their son, especially as he so openly supported her engagement to Rob Kardashian What's going on? The 26-year-old rapper is apparently going to 'great lengths to drive a wedge between their son and her' and that he is 'not backing down' One final blow to newly-engaged Blac Chyna, as claimed by TMZ, is that Tyga is doing everything he can to ruin her reputation with his entourage. It was originally claimed back in February this year that Tyga had become increasingly concerned for his toddler's well-being as he lives with his mother, following her arrest in Austin, Texas for drug possession. TMZ alleged that he had filed legal documents in an attempt to get their custody agreement changed, with the rapper reportedly asking for custody of King during the week, while Blac Chyna would get visitation at weekends. Since being arrested at the airport for having two ecstacy pills in her baggage en route to London in January, Blac has insisted that they were not hers, and that somebody else packed her bags. Love: Blac and Rob - who have been an item for three months - confirmed their shock engagement news earlier this week These claims over their custody battle come days after Blac and her boyfriend of three months Rob - whose younger sister Kylie Jenner is in a long-term relationship with Tyga - revealed their engagement news. Tyga broke his silence on his ex-partner's engagement news on Tuesday, expressing his joy over their forthcoming wedding. The musician said he was happy to see the mother of his son finally find happiness, even if it is with the older brother of his current girlfriend. Tyga appeared to be responding to fans Twitter who were speculating about the Kardashians' tangled family tree with the engagement announcement. One Twitter user wrote: 'King Cairo trying to figure out if he gonna call Blac Chyna "Auntie Mama" or "Mama Auntie".' Surprise: Tyga said he was happy to see the mother of his son finally find happiness, even if it is with the older brother of his current girlfriend Tyga wrote, in apparent response to the topic: 'Everybody deserves 2 be happy. What some1 does for their happiness is not my concern, as long as it's not interfering wit my happiness.' 'It makes me happy to see the mother of my son happy,' he added before going on to defend his three-year-old son, 'My only concern in this situation is my son. I want him in happy environments.' 'He's innocent in this. & I want him to feel as much love as possible. Only an evil heart would direct negativity at a child & make fun of him for being in a situation that is out of his control.' A past life: Tyga and Blac dated from 2011 to 2014 and have son King Cairo together (seen here in 2014) 'When u been blessed how I've been, & create some1 u love unconditional, u'll understand how I feel. Ull want to protect that blessing.' 'Cherish yo own blessings and stop hating mine,' he concluded. Tyga and Blac dated from 2011 to 2014 and have one son together. Tyga only confirmed his relationship with Kylie, 18, last year. While Rob and Chyna were revealed to be dating only this year, and are already on the way to get married. Smitten pair: Tyga is in a relationship with Rob's younger half-sister Kylie Jenner, 18 Madonna returned to the UK on Thursday morning for the first time since her son Rocco Ritchie left the Rebel Heart world tour to live with his British father Guy Ritchie. The musician looked like she was meant business as she arrived at London's Heathrow Airport from New York's JFK after entering into a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband over the 15-year-old. The 57-year-old mother-of-four reportedly made plans to come back so that she could get Rocco back in school following his term-time Maldives holiday with Guy, 47, and his new wife Jacqui, 34. Scroll down for video Guess who's back: Madonna returned to London from New York on Thursday, no doubt ready to face son Rocco Ritchie who is embroiled in a custody battle Her outfit didn't seem to reflect a bright mood, since she was top-to-toe in black and hiding behind her tinted sunglasses as she walked through departures. Madonna wore a polka dot jumpsuit and masculine shoes but the main feature of her ensemble was a strange coat that was completed with the measurements of each design detail, including the width of her lapels and the length of her sleeve. She has just completed 82 global concerts that earned over 120m and reached over a million fans around the world. Game face: The blonde wore dark shades as she made a high profile arrival in London Ready to face the music? The musician, here at New York's JFK airport, has not been back in the UK since her son abandoned her on tour She means business: The star reportedly plans to get her son back in school following his term-time break Home at last: When the queen of pop arrived home, there were plenty of friends on hand to help with the bags But the musician, who is a mother to two biological children and two adopted children in total, made time for some shopping in Uptown New York with her daughter Mercy James before leaving the city, on Tuesday. Madonna has now hopped straight on a plane because it's thought she has hopes of being reunited with her eldest son in order to repair their relationship. She will have just missed the family though unfortunately, since Jacqui and Guy are currently holidaying in the Maldives with all of the children. Estranged: Rocco has been living with his father Guy Ritchie and his stepmum Jacqui in London, ever since quitting the world tour Holiday makers: Madonna is said to be worried for Rocco's education after Jacqui and Guy took him on a term-time holiday to the Maldives Happy families: Madonna's eldest son is said to have joined the couple's three young children on the break It is no doubt a welcome break from the ongoing custody battle, in which Madonna has already won the right for the hearing to be conducted in New York rather than London. A source told The Sun newspaper last Monday that Rocco's mother is concerned for his education since newly-married couple Jacqui and Guy decided to take him out of school to go on their holiday. The insider said: 'She has said she is prepared to fly over to London when Rocco gets back and take him to school herself.' Bag ladies: She certainly seemed to have packed plenty of luggage Moving about: She has been all over the world with her Rebel Heart tour Finally home: The star was back in London after a very long stretch Still smiling: Madonna revealed a wide and satisfied smile as she touched down Many hands: She was helped through the airport with her luggage while fans took pictures Just one bag: But she carried only her Gucci handbag while the other luggage followed Dressed up: It was quite an outfit that she had pulled together, complete with gloves Courting attention: Even though she was in black, she couldn't be missed with her high profile arrival They continued: 'Madonna is concerned Rocco is going to be missing so much school. She wants Rocco to relax but his education is very important.' Rocco has been living in London with filmmaker Guy and his new wife Jacqui, along with their three young children, ever since reportedly abandoning his mother before Christmas. The teenager is said to have walked out on the global tour when she took away his phone because she wanted him to focus on his studies, The Mirror reported in January. A London welcome: She was welcomed into the UK with suitably grey and wet weather Who's that girl? The star has just completed an 82-date tour, but she was looking well Looking well: The blonde was flying by herself it seemed, without her children Rocco is alleged to prefer his 'normal family life' in the British capital with his filmmaker Guy, stepmum Jacqui and their children, spending weekends at Guy's Grade II listed Ashcombe House in Wiltshire. Madonna and Guy later entered into a custody battle with hopes of coming to an amicable agreement over their son. Meanwhile this week, Madonna has been entertaining her 6.6M followers with pictures of her eldest daughter Lourdes Leon. Throwback: Madonna, meanwhile, has been entertaining 6.6M followers with pictures of her eldest daughter Lourdes Good things are coming: Madonna shared a picture that was captionned 'good things are coming' this week Happy families: Madonna is mother to Lourdes (left here in a throwback shot), David Banda (centre) and Rocco (right) as well as Mercy James Lourdes, 19, is Madonna's daughter from her fleeting relationship with Carlos Leon in 1994, while her younger daughter Mercy was adopted by the musician in 2009. Madonna and Guy share a second son, David Banda, the former Malawi orphan that they currently share joint custody of after welcoming into the family in 2006. Formerly married to actor Sean Penn for four years, Madonna wed Guy in 2000 and they spent eight years together before divorcing. Guy married his second wife Jacqui last summer and they now have three young children Rafael, Levi and Rivka. Quality time: She made time to take daughter Mercy James shopping in Uptown NYC on Tuesday As a young starlet, she is learning her style as she grows. And Elle Fanning showed off her experimental fashion as she headed out for lunch in Hollywood's El Pollo Loco restaurant with her mum on Wednesday. The 17-year-old Maleficent actress went for a quirky denim dress with a chalky design emblazoned upon the front paired with funky trainers. Scroll down for video Denim dream: Elle Fanning showed off her experimental fashion as she headed out for lunch in Hollywood's El Pollo Loco restaurant with her mum on Wednesday Elle's denim dress featured thin spaghetti straps and a loose-fitting pinafore style body while it was adorned with an abstract image of a woman's face. Injecting even more fun into the look she added a pair of pink trainers to the ensemble, which added a funky girly edge. Proving the attention is in the details, the stylish star added a pink long-strap Chanel handbag featuring the same colours as the trainers. Blonde ambition: The 17-year-old Maleficent actress went for a quirky denim dress with a chalky design emblazoned upon the front paired with funky trainers Elle showed off her incredible complexion as she bobbed along the road, flaunting the spoils of youth with her bright skin and pretty features. Her blonde tresses were styled into a straight style with darker roots adding an edgy feel to her beauty look. Clearly ready for lunch, she clutched a box which seemed to contain a salad and also a soft drink. Bright eyed: Elle showed off her incredible complexion as she bobbed along the road, flaunting the spoils of youth with her bright skin and pretty features Earlier this year, Elle posed up a storm for Vogue Australia and discussed the notion that as her 18th birthday approaches, she will put her child years behind her. 'Everyone's saying I'm adult now... [but] I'm not grown up, I want to be a girl forever!' she says. In the interview the model admits that she is excited about her impending 18th birthday, April 9, and looks forward to spending it with her closest friends in Los Angeles and then with her sister in New York. 'We're so close, I look up to her so much,' she says. Best friends: In the interview the model admits that she is excited about her impending 18th birthday, April 9, and looks forward to spending it with her closest friends in Los Angeles and then with her sister in New York This year, she stars as a teenage girl transitioning to a boy in About Ray, as a punk-rocker in 20th Century Woman and a model 'who gets devoured by the fashion industry' in the horror flick The Neon Demon. With maturity beyond her years and despite her teen contemporaries, she chooses not to have a public Instagram account and cites a Hollywood legend as inspiration for her mysteriousness. Advertisement The last time he was seen filming Taboo, Tom Hardy was stark naked. But the English actor was back in more familiar costume in Kent on Wednesday as he shot yet more scenes for the Georgian drama. Peeping beneath a tall top hat, the 38-year-old looked menacing as he flashed a keen eye over the set being prepared for an explosion scene, featuring a large sail boat. Scroll down for video Back on set: Actor Tom Hardy was spotted back on the Kent, England set of Taboo on Wednesday The new BBC One and FX period collaboration is being captured in South East England and the latest scenes are the first since Storm Katie struck the set. Gale force winds and driving rain meant that expensive filming equipment crashed into the moat at the 16th century site. A set source told The Mirror: 'The rigging had all been set up before the weather kicked in, and then things turned for the worse. Explosive scenes: The cast and crew were trying to capture an explosion scene on a sailing boat Back in character: It's the first time the Georgian drama has been filmed since Storm Katie battered the set Back on set: The new BBC One and FX period collaboration is being captured in South East England 'It was devastating - and a near miss for everyone on set. It's very lucky nobody was stood right underneath when things came crashing down. 'It only narrowly avoided hitting people. On top of that, thousands of pounds worth of kit ended up flying around the place - much to the horror of the production bosses.' The weather seemed to fall more in favour for the actor this week though, as it spent time filming outdoors. For his latest role the actor has had his head shaved into a ragged fade 'do', while he is sporting a moustache and goatee for his role in the Georgian-based tale. Back in clothes: Previously, the actor was seen filming on the Thames without a stitch to cover him up Dicing with death: Scaffolding was erected on the set, no down a sign of any damage done The damage is done: Thousands of pounds worth of equipment is thought to have been damaged Taboo, due out later this year, tells the tale of adventurer James Keziah Delaney - who builds his own shipping empire in the early 1800s. The mini-series, based on a story penned by Tom and his father Edward 'Chips' Hardy, sees Delaney return to Georgian Britain circa 1814 (during the Napoleon's second resurgence in Europe). Following 10 years in Africa, Tom's character arrives back in London to discover that he has been left a mysterious legacy by his dead father. Landing Hardy for the role is no doubt a major coup for the show's creators,and they have been effusive in their praise of the A list star. Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama commissioning said in a statement: The talent on-and off-screen is incredible and I am so excited to see Steves captivating scripts come to life. Tom Hardy and the rest of the cast are set to bring this original and spectacular story to life in a unique and epic way. With the cast: The mini-series, based on a story penned by Tom and his father Edward 'Chips' Hardy Inheritance: Following 10 years in Africa, Tom's character arrives back in London to discover that a mysterious legacy 'We are privileged to have landed Taboo and to work with this exceptional team led by Ridley, Tom and Steven,' said FXs Eric Schrier, according to Deadline. 'Toms passion for this project, from conceiving the original idea with his father to portraying James Delaney, promises to infuse this epic story with great personal passion and credibility.' Driven to wage a personal war of vengeance on those who have done him wrong, Delaney finds himself in conflict with the notorious and powerful East India Company, while also playing a dangerous game between two warring nations Britain and the newly independent United States of America. Directed by Kristoffer Nyholm, the eight-part American and British miniseries will also star House Of Cards actor Michael Kelly, Brazil star Jonathan Pryce and Game Of Thrones' Oona Chaplin. A release date has not been set for the series, but it is expected to air later this year on both BBC One and FX. Coming soon: A release date has not been set for the BBC One and FX series Advertisement She's just returned home from a sun-soaked family holiday in Barbados. But Coleen Rooney appeared to have matched her Caribbean tan to her bright orange dress as she enjoyed a day out at Aintree Races in her native Liverpool on Thursday. Suffering a rare fashion fail, the WAG, 30, looked a tad garish as she teetered around the racecourse on the opening day of the annual horse racing festival, where she hired a private box for watch the action. Scroll down for video Tan-tastic! Coleen Rooney appeared to have matched her Caribbean tan to her bright orange dress as she enjoyed a day out at Aintree Races in her native Liverpool on Thursday, turning heads in her eye-catching neon ensemble Displaying her trim post-baby body, the pretty mother-of-three slipped into an off-shoulder tangerine mini-dress, featuring lace detail and a dramatic cape. Coleen added height to her frame with a pair of towering nude patent heels and toted her belongings in a matching clutch bag by YSL. The Liverpudlian - who gave birth to her third son, Kit, with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, 30, in January - wore her brunette locks teased into a stylish beehive and accentuated her striking features with dramatic make-up. Caped crusader! Displaying her trim post-baby body, the pretty mother-of-three slipped into an off-shoulder tangerine minidress, featuring lace detail and a dramatic cape whilst her chestnut coloured locks teased into a stylish beehive half-up style Bright on the money! Coleen was impossible to miss as she stepped out in her neon gown with billowing cape, whilst she added height to her frame with a pair of towering nude patent heels and toted her belongings in a matching clutch bag by YSL Leading the way: Coleen lead the crusade of glamorous guests at the races and stood out against the crowds as she donned one of the brightest gowns on the day. She seemed in good spirits as she chatted with a friend on the way to see the races Bright and beaming: Coleen's neon lace dress hugged her incredible post-baby figure, showing just how trim she is following the birth of her third son, Kit, in January Joining her at the course was her mother Colette McLoughlin, who looked chic in a fitted white dress with black lace panels that clung to her slender curves and accentuated her hourglass frame. Teaming the midi dress with a matching coat, she added some extra height to her frame in a pair of black platform heels whilst she finished off the look with a patent black clutch bag. Radiating with a healthy bronzed glow, it seems she was also still reaping the benefits from the Barbados getaway, which she had enjoyed alongside Coleen, her three grandchildren and husband Tony. Making an entrance: Coleen's off-the-shoulder garment flashed some skin whilst remaining demure and as she teetered across the grounds in her nude patent heels, her caped dress billowed out behind her, creating an eye-catching visual effect as she walked Striking: Coleen was joined at the course by her look-a-like mother Colette, who looked chic in a fitted white dress with black lace panels, adding some height in a pair of platform black heels. She finished off the ensemble with a boxy black clutch bag Two's company: Colette cut a chic figure in her monochrome dress that she teamed with a matching coat, whilst she enjoyed a chat with a friend who had opted to wear a printed floral gown with purple detailing This is the way to do it! Coleen and her pals decamped to one of the private boxes with balconies giving great views of the track Upon arrival, Coleen and her pals retired to one of the private boxes with balconies giving great views of the track, which cost around 295 per person, although it's likely the millionairess picked up the bill. The boxes can accommodate up to 72 people with food and drink provided so racegoers can keep refreshed while watching the action. It appeared to be somewhat of a continuation of her 30th birthday celebrations, following her lavish party in Cheshire on Sunday with a host of fellow WAGs and Premiership footballers in attendance. Many of Coleen's friends joined their famous pal in the box with gifts and 30th birthday balloons as they marked her birthday in style. C'mon horsey! Coleen looks excited as she watches one of the races Getting lucky: Coleen's friends seemed to have backed the right horse as they poured over the betting slip with glee So many horses: The WAG poured over her long betting slip as she struggled to keep track of all her bets Coleen and her family returned from the Caribbean on Friday after soaking up the sun for two weeks whilst husband Wayne was kept busy with his football career back home in the UK. The Rooneys often frequent Barbados as Coleen and Wayne have owned a holiday home on the island since 2010. Their stunning whitewashed villa is situated on the island's 750-acre development, which is already home to several famous personalities and stars. Talking time: Coleen seemed to be in good spirits as she chatted with her friends whilst looking out over the balcony Happy hour: Coleen kept herself refreshed as she watched the races alongside her friend, who looked striking in a structured nude top Sneak a peek: Coleen looked on with joy as she watched the races from the stands, beaming broadly as she joked with her friends On to a winner: Coleen appeared to have cashed in as she looked over her betting slip with a giant smile Smiles all round: Coleen dazzled as she soaked up the sights, keeping herself refreshed she cut a cheerful figure as she walked by Lovely ladies: Coleen joined the glamorous brigade of ladies who were also watching the races, but stood out thanks to her gown Nail-biting stuff: Coleen gesticulated wildly as she watched the races from above and seemed to be really immersing herself in the action Too much fun: It looked the mother-of-three was having a whale of a time in her private box They are world renowned superstars. Yet Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham proved even stars must do the most mundane of tasks - such as picking up the weekly food shop. The 28-year-old supermodel looked stunning as she joined her handsome fiance, 48, as they headed to health emporium Whole Foods in Beverley Hills on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Off we pop: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham proved even stars must do the most mundane of tasks - such as picking up the weekly food shop Rosie looked stunning as she showed off her astonishingly long legs in a pair of dark jeans while she lengthened her legs with high ankle boots. She added hip-skimming boho style jacket with an adorned trim layered over a simple black top. The Transformers star alluded to her A-list status as she crossed an Yves Saint Laurent across her slender figure while keeping her accessories entirely minimal. Plymouth-born Rosie appeared to go make-up free for her trip while wearing her blonde tresses in a loose-style over her shoulders. Loved-up: The 28-year-old supermodel looked stunning as she joined her handsome fiance, 48, as they headed to health emporium Whole Foods in Beverley Hills on Wednesday Jason meanwhile went for his tried-and-tested look of a white T-shirt with a bomber jacket. His trademark shaved head was paired with a smattering of designer facial hair as he toted the carrier bags to load up their luxury car. Just this week, it's been announced that Rosie is the new face of UGG Australia with the official title of global ambassador. A spokesperson for the brand revealed that she will work on the Northern Hemisphere's Autumn season, and that they are planning the 'biggest re-launch' the brand has seen. Simple: Jason meanwhile went for his tried-and-tested look of a white T-shirt with a bomber jacket Opening up about the campaign, Rosie told Women's Wear Daily: 'Its a way to showcase a different side to my personality,' Rosie said. She also revealed that she had always worn ugg boots growing up on a farm in Devon, and that she still wears them often today, both out and about and at home. 'Theyre part of my active and adventurous lifestyle. Ill wear a pair on the beach when Im walking the dogs in the winter,' she explained. 'I put my feet in a pair literally every morning. They are snuggle shoes that I wear around the house.' The late Michael Jackson's only daughter Paris got her second tattoo in three days - a blue-and-green lotus flower on her left wrist - from artist Hillary Santagata on Wednesday. The newly 18-year-old dedicated her fresh ink - with 'Kaiselin' written in Mandarin Chinese - to her grandmother and former legal guardian, Katherine Jackson. The privileged heiress - whose mother is dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe - followed her permanent gesture up with a midnight tweet to her 1.2N followers reading: 'Never apologize for art.' Scroll down for video Not wasting time: The late Michael Jackson's only daughter Paris got her second tattoo in three days - a blue-and-green lotus flower on her left wrist - from artist Hillary Santagata on Wednesday 'For Grandma Katherine...Love you, G-Ma!' The newly 18-year-old dedicated her fresh ink - with 'Kaiselin' written in Mandarin Chinese - to her grandmother and former legal guardian, Katherine Jackson (2-L) The privileged heiress - whose mother is dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe - followed her permanent gesture up with a midnight tweet to her 1.2N followers reading: 'Never apologize for art' It came a day after Paris had 'queen of my heart' written in her late father's handwriting tattooed on the same wrist at Timeless Tattoo in Hollywood. The 5ft9in millennial has certainly been asserting her independence lately with the body art, Hot Topic-heavy punk style, and underage smoking. The same artist, Justin Lewis, put an Egyptian Anubis toting a sword dripping blood on the back of Paris' older brother Prince Jackson. Paris' burning desire for body modification is likely influenced by her new boyfriend Michael Snoddy, whose Confederate flag tattoo reportedly worries her family. 'He was the king of my heart': It came a day after Paris had 'queen of my heart' written in her late father's handwriting tattooed on the same wrist at Timeless Tattoo in Hollywood Rebelling: The 5ft9in millennial has certainly been asserting her independence lately with the body art, Hot Topic-heavy punk style, and underage smoking Grisly: The same artist, Justin Lewis, put an Egyptian Anubis toting a sword dripping blood on the back of Paris' older brother Prince Jackson 'Some members of her family fear [she's] dating a racist,' a source told TMZ. '[The fact] that his tat was strategically placed for all to see [might be] an omen about his feelings toward African-Americans.' The 26-year-old mohawked drummer told the website: 'I wouldn't be dating a black girl if I were a racist.' Jackson - who split with Chester Castellaw in December - and the Virginia-born musician celebrated her 18th birthday Sunday at Disney's California Adventure. Racist symbol: Paris' burning desire for body modification is likely influenced by her new boyfriend Michael Snoddy, whose Confederate flag tattoo reportedly worries her family A source told TMZ: 'Some members of her family fear [she's] dating a racist. [The fact] that his tat was strategically placed for all to see [might be] an omen about his feelings toward African-Americans' The 26-year-old mohawked drummer defended himself to TMZ, scoffing: 'I wouldn't be dating a black girl if I were a racist' It's likely that the not-so-typical teen met him at one of the AA meetings she confessed to attending in a since-deleted comment from her February 4 Instagram. '[Michael] is newly sober like Paris and they have obviously really latched on to each other,' a source told Radar Online. 'Snoddy is helping Paris with her vocals and they have gotten so close because of their shared love of music.' Snoddy - who attended Full Sail University - frequently performs at county fairs with his percussive band Street Drum Corps. 'Best birthday ever!' Jackson - who split with Chester Castellaw in December - and the Virginia-born musician celebrated her 18th birthday Sunday at Disney's California Adventure '[Michael] is newly sober like Paris': It's likely that the not-so-typical teen met him at one of the AA meetings she confessed to attending in a since-deleted comment from her February 4 Instagram What next? Snoddy - who attended Full Sail University - frequently performs at county fairs with his percussive band Street Drum Corps Becoming a legal adult meant Paris just inherited another fraction of her estimated $100M inheritance as the daughter of the king of pop. According to Page Six - the blue-eyed bottle blonde receives $8M annually as well as additional inheritance at ages 18, 33, and 40. It's interesting that Jackson chose to get inked on her wrist after allegedly slashing them and overdosing on pills back in 2013, which led to her enrolling in the $10M Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah. Ka-ching! Becoming a legal adult meant Paris just inherited another fraction of her estimated $100M inheritance as the daughter of the king of pop Amanda Holden made quite a statement when she arrived at the Britain's Got Talent photocall at the Regent's Street Cinema in London on Thursday. The 45-year-old joined her fellow judges wearing a very sexy red midi dress which flaunted her ample assets. She looked much younger than her years in the form-fitting number which had thin straps going diagonally across her body. Scroll down for video Red-dy for action: Amanda Holden arrived at the Britain's Got Talent photocall at the Regent's Street Cinema in London on Thursday wearing a very sexy red dress after modelling another design She slipped on some strappy red sandals which matched her outfit perfectly, showing off perfectly pedicured toes. But the indentations from the pink shoes she wore earlier in the day remained on her feet and were clear to see. Her caramel locks were styled in a sleek style which fell down past her shoulders for the outing. Earlier in the day, she stepped out wearing a thigh-split dress which had lips emblazoned across the front of the top section as she headed to BBC Radio One for an interview. See BGT updates as Amanda Holden wears white lips dress at BGT launch How does she do it? She looked much younger than her years in the form-fitting number which had thin straps going diagonally across her body Hair she goes: Her caramel locks were styled in a sleek style which fell down past her shoulders for the outing Fingers crossed: She slipped on some strappy red sandals which matched her outfit perfectly, but the indentations from the pink shoes she wore earlier in the day remained on her feet and were clear to see What a woman: The star looked incredible from every angle as she made her star turn on the red carpet Co-judge: Alesha wore white culottes with a black mesh top and had earlier appeared on This Morning to talk about how much she loved being a part of the show Teasing: Amanda, Alesha and David Walliams joind Britain's Got More Talent host Stephen Mulhern to chat about the return of the ITV series Adding a further pop of colour, the star wore a pair of pink strappy heels which added inches to her frame. She also slipped a leather biker jacket over the top as she headed to join her fellow judge Alesha Dixon who arrived at the same time as her. Alesha wore white culottes with a black mesh top and had earlier appeared on This Morning to talk about how much she loved being a part of the show. The show is set to return on April 9 on ITV, alongside Simon Cowell and David Walliams who are also scheduled to attend the launch. Coming soon! The hit show will be back on screens this month to find the latest crop of talent Stunning: The 45-year-old joined her fellow judges wearing a white thigh-split dress which had lips emblazoned across the front of the top section What a woman: She also slipped a leather biker jacket over the top as she headed to join her fellow judge Alesha Dixon who arrived at the same time as her It's all going on: It's been a busy day for Amanda who has been promoting the show Best foot forward: Amanda showed off her gorgeous strappy heels as she stepped out Elegant exit: The star put on a leggy display in the back seat of her car What a day! The star hot footed it across London all day for her various TV commitments It's been a busy day for Amanda who is also filling in for Lorraine Kelly on her eponymous show this week and on the show that morning, she took a tumble live on air. The Britain's Got Talent judge slipped while demonstrating a move recommended by Dr Hilary Jones to help viewers stay young. Amanda's bodycon yellow mini dress perhaps wasn't the most practical of outfits to test the exercise, making her lose her balance as she tried to right herself. The mentor asked show runner Maisie to test the move first before giving it a go herself. She exclaimed: 'Maisie did it. But that was a 23-year-old getting up from that Angela Rippon position!' Going going gone! Amanda took a tumble live on Lorraine in the early hours on Thursday, as she filled in for the host Oops: The bubbly blonde seemed to ruin her composure in a canary yellow dress Embarrassed: The star was left with her dress pulled up to reveal her legs Keen to give it a go herself, Amanda got into place, ensuring she adjusted her dress to preserve her modesty. 'Right, I'm going to turn my back [to do the move] and hitch up my skirt,' she said.'I have to turn my back because it's breakfast time.' The good-natured star joked: 'You see - if you're an old bird you can't do it.' Amanda has found herself at the centre of a furor over her changing appearance this week, as she takes the reigns at ITV's Lorraine. Viewers of the breakfast TV show pointed out that Amanda's face didn't seem to move, and questioned whether she'd returned to having Botox. In 2014, Amanda revealed that she replaced her Botox appointments with a new type of collagen facial. She said: 'Along the lines of Kylie when she had cancer, I gave it up after [the birth of daughter] Hollie. 'For the last three years I havent bothered, and have instead been having Collagen Wave facials by a wonderful lady called Nilam Patel. Its done amazing things to my face.' Pull that down: Amanda adjusted her hemline when she went to sit back in the chairs Awkward: Amanda was demonstrating a move recommended by Dr Hilary Jones to help viewers stay young They all boast incredible figures. And it seems Bikram yoga is partly to thank as TOWIE beauties Danielle Armstrong, Chloe Sims and Georgia Kousoulou headed to a fitness centre in their Essex hometown. The girls put their enviable shapes on full display in some tight workout gear, with Danielle leading the allure in a slogan T-shirt, emblazoned with the words 'I Gym To Eat Pizza', and tight cropped leggings. Scroll down for video Looking good! The TOWIE girls were as glamorous as ever as they headed to a Bikram yoga class with Danielle leading the allure in a slogan T-shirt, emblazoned with the words 'I Gym To Eat Pizza', and tight cropped leggings Despite her recent drama with ex-boyfriend James Lock on the show, the 28-year-old seemed in sprightly spirits as she chatted on her phone on her way into the session. Georgia was also bound to turn heads in her workout style as she flashed her taut tummy in a cropped jumper and quirky leggings adorned with a marble motif. But unlike her girlfriends co-star Chloe refused to brave the cold and instead hid her slender frame beneath a black padded jacket which conceded at the knee. Ready to go! Georgia was also bound to turn heads in her workout style as she flashed her taut tummy in a cropped jumper and quirky leggings adorned with a marble motif Wrapping up: Unlike her girlfriends co-star Chloe refused to brave the cold and instead hid her slender frame beneath a black padded jacket which conceded at the knee Their yoga session would not doubt have been a handy way for Danielle to de-stress after finding out that her former flame still has feelings for her in Sunday's episode of The Only Way Is Essex. The show was filled with non-stop drama, commencing after Danielle met up with Chloe, who revealed that Lockie was being much more honest about his feelings for her and said he wants to remain a part of her life. The whole situation is clearly very stressful for Danielle whose body language was tense throughout. What is a girl to do? It's non-stop drama on Sunday night's episode of TOWIE when Danielle (right) finds out that her former flame James Lock still has feelings for her All change: Danielle has previously hinted that she may want to get back with James now that he has sorted himself out and stopped his partying ways The pretty blonde looks completely torn as to whether she should attempt to get back with Lockie after Chloe's revelation as she weighs up her feelings. She has previously hinted that she may want to get back with James now that he has sorted himself out and stopped his partying ways. He has also been keeping himself busy with his successful restaurant business Lockies Kitchen. Shock horror: Danielle meets up with her good friend Chloe Sims, who revealed that James was being much more honest now about his feelings for her and said he wants to remain a part of her life Oh, hi! Meanwhile, Danielle and Chloe bumped into Billie Faiers (right) out on a clothes shopping trip Meanwhile, Danielle and Chloe bumped into Billie Faiers out on a clothes shopping trip. Danielle also updated Chloe on the fall out from her Suffolk weekend away with the girls, and the drinking game that ended in disaster. It resulted in Chloe Lewis confronting Megan McKenna over a rumour that he had heard. But on Wednesday, Danielle took to Twitter to stick up for Chloe. She wrote: 'Us girls should all stick together...regardless if this rumour is true or not there's one person who needs to man up #towie.' Adding: 'Big [love] to @ChloeLewis01 I totally feel your pain rumours are horrible and trying to get to the bottom of it is even worse #bestrongbeautiful.' Their eventful relationship is certainly not short of passion. And Jeremy McConnell, 26, and Stephanie Davis, 23, couldn't keep there hands off of one another in a steamy Instagram snap posted by the Irish model on Thursday. Sat on what looked to be a bed, a topless Stephanie straddled her beau who held her tightly in a loving embrace. Scroll down for video Saucy: Jeremy McConnell, 26, and Stephanie Davis, 23, couldn't keep there hands off of one another in a steamy Instagram snap posted by the Irish model on Thursday The former Hollyoaks star planted her lips on Jeremy's neck and ran her talons through his cropped hair. Meanwhile, Jeremy kept his eyes glued to his phone screen to ensure he took the perfect shot. The actress's long blonde tresses fell down her bare back, with Jeremy's heavily-inked arms providing contrasting with his girlfriend's unmarked skin. While fans of the couple were no doubt thrilled to see the lovers looking so close, it appeared Jeremy had a change of heart about sharing the intimate snap, deleting it soon after it was posted. Cuddly mood: Stephanie also shared a picture of herself modelling a new top in which she stated she felt 'all cuddly', and by the looks of things Jeremy obliged with the hugs Wandering hands: The pair packed on the PDA once again in another naughty snap which saw Jeremy pinch Steph's breast Stephanie also shared a picture of herself modelling a new top in which she stated she felt 'all cuddly', and by the looks of things Jeremy obliged with the hugs. The pair were packing on the PDA once again in another naughty snap. Dressed in a stunning ankle-length dress, Stephanie passionately kissed her beau while he cheekily pinched her breast. The actress cryptically captioned the post: 'Not long now' She has certainly been keeping busy on social media, shocking fans when she unveiled her newly plumped pout on Instagram, prompting fans to liken her to Leslie Ash. And Jeremy has now jokingly suggested she won't be getting any more lip fillers following the cosmetic faux-pas. Sharing a black and white snap of the lovebirds cuddling up in bed on Snapchat, Jeremy can be seen making a thumbs down as he pulls a grumpy face. Not a fan! Jeremy seemingly joked he was 'never again' letting his girlfriend Stephanie get lip fillers following her recent transformation The Irish model captioned the snap, 'Never again', and shared a string of sick face emojis. Stephanie can be seen nestling up to her shirtless beau under the covers, her lips puckered in an over-the-top pout. Jeremy seems to be suggesting he's certainly no fan of Stephanie's new look, which caused quite the stir on social media. The former Hollyoaks actress revealed at the weekend that she underwent a light touch of surgery, and has had lip fillers to plump her pout as well as brightening her bottle blonde locks even more. Shock! Fans aired their concerns over Stephanie's new appearance - complete with plumped-up pout and brightened bottle blonde locks - following the posting of his snap with boyfriend Jeremy and David Gest However, as Jeremy shared a new photo of them on Instagram, the 23-year-old has faced a slew of negative comments about her new aesthetic, with many fans sharing their concerns over her altered face. One follower on the social media site even compared the young Celebrity Big Brother star to actress Leslie Ash, who famously sported a trout pout after botched surgery left her with inflated lips. Instagram user jadelouiseb commented underneath the image, which showed Steph and Jeremy posing with their former CBB co-star David Gest: 'Steph looks like Lesley ash here, maybe she should go back dark and stop getting her lips done!' New look: Until early February, Steph sported naturally dark brunette locks and her lips were notably smaller pre-cosmetic enhancement Likened to Leslie: Writing under Jeremy's Instagram picture, some pointed out that the 23-year-old bore a likeness to Leslie Ash, who suffered from botched lip surgery Uncanny? With her brightened blonde locks and larger pout, the former Hollyoaks star looked similar to the Men Behaving Badly actress (pictured in 2006) And, although former brunette Steph has been a blonde since mid-February, she has gone one further and also took her mane a few shades lighter earlier this week, another factor in her striking new appearance. With her skin tanned and her lips and smile notably larger, the Stephanie who became a household name at the start of the year on the Channel 5 reality show was almost unrecognisable. Other comments shared under 25-year-old Irish hunk Jeremy's photo ranged from the shocked to the derogatory, most of them simply questioning what she has done to herself. Concern: Plenty of fans left concerned and shocked messages under the image on Instagram Instagram user kimberley95x wrote: '@sivealive look at her,' while her pal replied: '@kimberley95x omg naaaaa.' Another Jeremy fan, kirstencx, commented: 'Wtf!! Is with that face!!!' 'Whys her face swollen up? :( (sic),' added taraskelton, and kristina.lauren opined: 'Looks like she's had lips and cheek filler done too. She's so young such a shame she doesn't need that.' As well as comparisons to former Men Behaving Badly star Leslie's surgery-enhanced appearance, Stephanie was also likened to others, including designer Donatella Versace and former glamour model Jodie Marsh. xkt.noahx scoffed: 'Omg shes starting to look like donna tella vers (sic).' And oliviathatcher questioned: 'I don't know why she looks like Jodie marsh.' There were plenty of other comments on the social networking site to reflect the shock of Stephanie's new look. User n_aomix simply wrote 'look the state', and cynchiangel remarked that Steph 'looks older now'.lucindajohnstone@ohrach wait ...wtf happened to her face Plenty of those leaving comments added that Steph needed no work done, with turkstagram__ adding: 'She turned into a chipmunk.' murielbrookes727 wrote: 'No need for all that done to ur face.' One of the most pleading comments, from debbietaylor85, read: 'Wow !! @jeremymcconnellcooke what has she done to her face !!! She was GORGEOUS before she started having work done!! Stop her from ruining her looks !!' Leslie has previously been very candid about her lips, and several years ago admitted that she wanted fillers to make herself look more beautiful. More comparisons: Steph was also compared to fashion designer Donatella Versace Speaking to FEMAIL, she explained: 'The lips had everything to do with vanity. Id had it done before by a friend's mum, a plastic surgeon from Venezuela, and it was really lovely. So, I hit 40, and thought, "I'm going to have that done again." I just wanted to look like Liz Hurley or Meg Ryan. I used to look at magazines and think, "What's she had done?" She looks amazing. 'But this time, my friend's mum used a completely different product. I should have known something was up because she put in so many more injections.' After her face plumped up to a startling degree - and did not subside - it was later discovered following an MRI scan that the surgeon in question had injected her lips with liquid silicone rather than collagen. Leslie was horrified when she saw herself in the mirror, particularly when the swelling failed to subside. She confronted the plastic surgeon, who refused to say what she had injected her with. In the following months Leslie underwent an MRI scan, after which it was discovered she had been injected with liquid silicone, rather than a more commonly used filler such as collagen. Before and after: Stephanie treated herself a spot of pampering as she had her lips cosmetically enhanced with fillers on Saturday and shared the results on Instagram Pout it out: Stephanie - who also lightened her blonde hair - made the most of her new lips as she posed pouting up a storm Blonde beauty: Stephanie found time to revisit the salon on Friday as she showed off her new more even locks after being mocked for her original dyed tresses Another sweet photograph shared on Jeremy's page showed them locking lips in a sweet smooch, just days after she got her fillers. Earlier this week, Steph shared a before and after photo of her pout, writing along with the snap: 'Wooo @aestheticallyyou for my lush lips forever the best! #natural #bow #kiss #readyformykisses.' The treatment involves injecting the lips with a gel-like product that helps fill out their appearance and define the cupids bow and was made famous by the likes of Kylie Jenner and Geordie Shore's Charlotte Crosby. Meanwhile, Stephanie and Jeremy appear to be back on the track with their romance, having recently reunited for the fourth time. Their latest break-up came earlier this month when the Irish model was accused on cheating with Stephanie with five women. As she was: Stephanie has had a whirlwind three months so far this year, going through three break-ups and four reunions with Jeremy while altering her image But the blonde beauty - who hooked up with Jeremy during their CBB stint in January - later took to Twitter to clear up the confusion as she 'I can confirm the messages supposedly sent from Jeremy aren't true. 'Everyone can hate and say what they like, but at the end of the day I met a boy who I fell in love with. 'It's been hard with all the press and tweets, have all you not experienced heartache. It's been so hard for us. And if you could all see the pain I've been in and him you would understand. 'Yes you're right and I won't be posting my life on social media. But when you meet someone you love and can't live without, you know its real. 'This week has been the worst week of my life and I just want to be happy. Against me or not I'll do what I have to do and follow my heart. Where sets what will be will be. She finished: 'There's a lot u don't know only by what papers say. It's my life and my choice, I might be wrong I might be right... I can only follow my heart & I hope.' She's enjoying her first family break with boyfriend Paul Knightley and their four-month-old son. And Sam Faiers certainly looked in the holiday spirit as she shared some updates from the trip on her Instagram account on Thursday. The former TOWIE star flaunted her dance moves in a fun video, before cuddling up to baby Paul for a sweet snap in the sunshine. Scroll down for video Dancing queen: Sam Faiers certainly looked in the holiday spirit as she shared a video on Thursday of her 'shimmy' skills during a holiday with her boyfriend Paul and their four-month-old son Sam's video clip sees the new mum dancing on the deck of the family's beach front villa, looking trim in a sheer white shirt layered over her bikini. 'Shimmy shimmy shimmy #holidayfun #dancingqueen. Wearing my beach shirt from @minniesboutique,' the smiling star captioned her snap, giving a shout out to the fashion store she owns with sister Billie. The doting mum also shared a photo of her and her son Paul cuddled up on the deck, with the tot dressed in a baby blue romper. She's got moves: Sam's video clip sees the new mum dancing on the deck of the family's beach front villa, looking trim in a sheer white shirt layered over her bikini Sam is grinning from ear to ear as her boyfriend snaps away, with her holiday tan already evident. On Wednesday the happy family posed together for a cosy bedtime selfie with Paul Tony on Sam's right side while her partner was on her left. The beaming new mum appeared to be naked underneath her bed sheet as she simply captioned the image: 'Goodnight'. Mummy and me: The doting mum also shared a photo of her and her son Paul cuddled up on the deck, with the tot dressed in a baby blue romper One happy family: Sam was the picture of happiness as she ended the first night of her trip in bed with her two favourite boys on Wednesday Just the day before, Sam couldn't hide her delight at heading off on her first family trip. The smiling TV personality could be seen breastfeeding her tot in the Emirates lounge as she sported a cosy ensemble. The former TOWIE star had her designer handbag and a plain bag diaper bag beside her in the shot as she smiled towards the camera. Holiday wardrobe: Sam was sure to show off her style in holiday snaps as she wrote: 'Wearing my nude @minniesboutique Petra-a-line dress only 35 #nudefashion' 'So excited': The new mum seemed delighted to be off on her first family holiday with adorable baby Paul and her partner Paul Knightley as they appeared to jet off to Dubai on Tuesday Baby Paul appeared to be very cosy on the Emirates flight in a snap which saw the baby boy being held lovingly by his father in their seat. Sam has clearly taken to motherhood with ease and the popular star chose to share a very personal photograph of herself breastfeeding her baby last week. The 25-year-old looked beautiful in the snap as she relished the natural moment, with her little tot resting peacefully in her arms. He can't wait: Baby Paul appeared to be very cosy on the Emirates flight in a snap which saw the baby boy being held lovingly by his father in their seat Sitting in a sun-soaked location, she captioned the image with the words: 'Me and my bubba,' as she looked pretty in a cream mini dress. The couple appear to be enjoying every minute of their new roles as parents and Sam's happiness was plain to see as she smiled broadly in her latest picture. She has been regularly documenting her child's life on social media and on Wednesday, she shared another very cute snap of her little boy. As he lay down on a towel in a cute sunhat, she wrote: 'Mummy's little helper,' alongside a sunshine emoji. Nothing to hide: Sam has clearly taken to motherhood with ease and the popular star chose to share a very personal photograph of herself breastfeeding her baby last week While her Instagram is an image of new parenthood bliss, Sam's life as a mum has been widely-discussed after she starred in an ITV documentary about motherhood called The Baby Diaries. As the show detailed Sam and Paul's pregnancy journey, Paul came under fire as many viewers branded Paul Senior 'controlling' and a 'man child.' He refused to move in with Sam when she was six months pregnant, or cook for himself, asking Sam to make him beans on toast when she was breastfeeding. Atop his reluctance to do his part around the home, Paul's relationship with his mother Gaynor also came under fire after the duo were seen sharing a kiss on the lips during the show. So cute: Sam regularly shares snaps of her pride and joy on social media Viewers commented on the kiss, as they talked about his move into parenthood with one writing: 'Just watched the Sam faiers programme. Her boyfriend and his mother are very creepy... Strange relationship.' While a second said: 'Sam Faiers boyfriend awkward kiss with his MUM!!!! Did anyone else see this?' Despite this, Sam remained defiant, telling Lorraine: 'He wasn't too keen on the cameras. He took some persuading. It's not his world. He has a normal life, but he did it for me. I'm glad he got as involved as he did. 'It captured a massive milestone in our lives. It shows us as a family unit and it's something we can keep forever and show the baby when we're older.' She has already proven that she has what it takes to keep up with the boys thanks to her role as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And Gal Gadot opted to show her co-stars how its done in a fitted black trouser suit as she attended the London premiere of her new film, Criminal on Thursday evening. The 30-year-old beauty cut a chic figure in her simple but stylish ensemble as she joined the likes of Kevin Costner at The Curzon Mayfair for the glitzy premiere. Scroll down for video Suited and booted: Gal Gadot opted to show her co-stars (including Kevin Costner - above) how its done in a fitted black trouser suit as she attended the London premiere of her new film, Criminal on Thursday evening The Israeli actress went braless as she teamed the black blazer with matching cigarette pants and high heels. Holding onto a small black clutch, she kept her look simple and accessorised with just a few rings. Her long brown locks were styled away from her face and allowed the focus to be drawn to her full pout which was emphasised with classic red lipstick. Simply chic: The 30-year-old beauty cut a chic figure in her simple but stylish ensemble at The Curzon Mayfair for the glitzy premiere In the limelight: Holding onto a small black clutch, she kept her look simple and accessorised with just a few rings Black to basics: The Israeli actress went braless as she teamed the black blazer with matching cigarette pants and high heels Gal was seen posing alongside her director, Ariel Vromen, who opted for a navy suit and open collar shirt. Hollywood star Kevin Costner looked handsome on the night as he stepped out in a white shirt, dark blazer and matching trousers. The film, written is about a brain damaged criminal implanted with the memories of a murdered operative who must help the CIA defuse a ticking bomb when a hacker overtakes the U.S. governments nuclear submarines. Gal was seen posing alongside her director, Ariel Vromen, who opted for a navy suit and open collar shirt. Movie family: Gal's long brown locks were styled away from her face and allowed the focus to be drawn to her full pout which was emphasised with classic red lipstick Meanwhile, 1970s TV Wonder Woman Lynda Carter said she welcomed a new incarnation of the super heroine as portrayed by Gal. Carter told People magazine: 'I think it's time. It's cool, it's very cool. It just adds to the charm and the legend.' The beauty added: 'I think it's great. I'm very hopeful for her to reemerge I've tried to keep her alive a long time.' Showing off their work: Hollywood star Kevin Costner (L) looked handsome on the night as he stepped out in a white shirt, dark blazer and matching trousers She hit out at her ex fiance this week while gushing about her new romance. And Megan McKenna enjoyed a glam date night with beau Pete Wicks on Thursday night, looking smart in a sharp suit. The new TOWIE recruit cosied up to Pete at James Ingham's Jog-On to Cancer event which was held at Kensington Roof Gardens. Scroll down for video Hitting the town: Megan McKenna enjoyed a glam date night with new beau Pete Wicks on Thursday night, looking smart in a sharp suit Megan ditched the dress in favour of a smart blazer and trousers for the star-studded charity benefit. The reality star, who can usually be seen in more revealing ensembles, covered up in the brown jacket which she layered over a simple grey top. Silver peep-toe heels and a matching snakeskin clutch added a touch of glam, while the star finished off her date night look with a full face of makeup and side-swept locks. Reality romance: Megan ditched the dress in favour of a smart blazer and trousers for James Ingham's Jog-On to Cancer event which was held at Kensington Roof Gardens Pete stuck to his signature style, teaming a leather jacket with ripped skinny jeans, while he left his white shirt unbuttoned to flaunt his distinctive tattoo collection. Megan and Pete's date night comes after she slammed her former fiance Jordan Davies for proposing on television. The TOWIE star exclusively revealed to MailOnline this week that she was left angry and embarrassed after her fellow reality star proposed during their second stint on Ex On The Beach. She lashed out at her former beau, who she admits she has blocked on all forms of social media, while discussing her horror at his onscreen proposal before admitting he lied about the cost of the ring. Chic: The reality star, who can usually be seen in more revealing ensembles, covered up in the brown jacket which she layered over a simple grey top Me and you: Megan held onto Pete's arm as he flashed a coy smile on their way into the bash Inked: Pete stuck to his signature style, teaming a leather jacket with ripped skinny jeans, while he left his white shirt unbuttoned to flaunt his distinctive tattoo collection Surprisingly smart: The TV star opted for a khaki-coloured trouser suit which deftly flattered her form Getting cosy: The two looked like they were in a world of their own as they cosied up in a corner of the party Megan and Jordan, who shot to fame on Magaluf Weekender, met when they first appeared in the MTV dating show in 2015 and became a couple shortly after. They went on to join the fourth season of the show, which aired in January, in which they appeared as a couple who were set to come face-to-face with Jordan's ex Lacey Fuller. During their second stint on the show, the Wales-born hunk left fans aghast when he popped the question to his stunning girlfriend - also leaving her in shock. Strike a pose: The TOWIE stars perfected their poses for the cameras once inside Only got eyes for you: Megan flashed a big smile as the besotted couple got cosy While the reality starlet initially appeared happy with the idea of a wedding, now the pair have split she insists she was mortified at the proposal and the fact Jordan lied about the cost of the ring. She said: 'I was angry (he proposed) on camera, I wish he didn't do it, I think it's embarrassing. He embarrassed me. 'He lied to me about the ring price for a start... He makes me out to be bad all the time but he needs to realise he's a liar.' Touch of glam: New TOWIE recruit Megan finished off her date night look with a full face of makeup and voluminous side-swept locks Megan professed her joy that things are better with long-haired hunk Pete, as she insists that he is a 'gentleman' in a thinly veiled jibe at her ex-beau. She said: 'With Pete it's so much easier. He's from Essex, he's a gentleman, I don't think he'd ever go behind my back and talk to other girls, that's what I get from Pete. 'It's good for me, he brings the good out in me. It's nice that people can see my normal side now. Rather than crazy Megan.' Moving onwards and upwards: Megan and Pete's date night comes after she slammed her former fiance Jordan Davies for proposing on television Golden girl: Megan McKenna sported a suspiciously tanned complexion under the lights Not that they were the only famous faces at the bash, of course. They were also joined by a host of other names, including Jessica Wright, Lydia Rose-Bright, Jasmine Walia, Georgia Kousoulou and Michelle Heaton. Dan Osborne and Jacqueline Jossa also attended. Strike a pose: The women put on matching displays as they showed off their shapes for the camera Looking good: The blonde beauties flaunted their tanned and toned figures at the central London bash Competitive sex appeal: Marnie and Jasmine Walia both put on alluring displays in their black outfits Looking gorgeous: Sporting a monochrome ensemble, the TOWIE beauty had clearly dressed to impress She's got a flare for fashion! Jessica Wright stepped out in a pair of bell-bottom trousers Flower power: : Lydia Rose Bright was a spring-time vision in her floor-length maxi and pink heels Three's a crowd: Georgia Bright, Debbie Bright and Lydia Rose Bright cosy-up for a picture Putting on a good show: Georgia Kousoulou offered onlookers a leggy display in her sleeveless dress Mwah! Tommy Mallet plants a playful kiss on Georgia's kiss as they get the party started Glam style: Michelle Heaton and Gemma Oaten delivered plenty glamour in their choice of attire Suitably styled: Jacqueline cut a classy figure while Dan made the most of his fit form in skin-tight separates She is set to marry her beau Gary Clark Jr. in just under two weeks time. And on Friday Nicole Trunfio jetted off to Puerto Escondido, Mexico for her Bachelorette celebrations. 'On route to heaven,' wrote the 30-year-old, followed by the hashtags '#bachelorette', '#puertoescondido', and '#girltime'. Scroll down for video 'On route to Mexico,' wrote Nicole Trunfio on Friday as she headed to her bachelorette party in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca As always the breathtaking brunette flashed some flesh, showing off her very toned tummy in a beige crop top for her flight. She paired it with a cream coat that she wore over her shoulders, and sported a pair of very ripped jeans that showcased an eyeful of her tanned, toned legs. The stylish beauty finished with a pair of sneakers and a chic Tory Burch bag. Muah! The 30-year-old beauty looked stylish in a beige crop top and ripped denim jeans Looking good! The stunning supermodel accessorised her edgy ensemble with a chic Tory Burch bag Just three days ago, Nicole announced the countdown to her wedding with her beau and father of her one-year-old son, Zion. The brunette beauty gave fans with a sneak peek of her extravagant wedding gown as she attended her final fittings at a bridal boutique. She teased in the accompanying caption: 'Fittings fittings..... What to wear.......What to wear! #countdown is on!!!! #clarkjrwedding #mrsclark #2weeks.' Meanwhile, Nicole recently joined up with fellow Australian models Jessica Gomes and Gemma Ward for InStyle magazine. What a tease: Earlier this week Nicole gave a sneak peek of her final bridal fittings as she prepares to walk down the aisle to her American musician beau, Gary Clark Jr in two weeks It's the first time the trio of Perth-born beauties have been photographed on a set together, giving an intimate look at their close bond as they lie on the sheets. In an accompanying interview, Jessica explained that she once wished she could look more like her blonde friend who she lived in close proximity to for six years in New York. 'When I started out I wanted to be blonde and blue-eyed like Gemma,' she said. She has since learned to embrace her own look saying: 'But now (I'm grateful) for my look, the face of Australia is changing.' Nicole, meanwhile, told the publication that she hopes to have both Jessica, who is the godmother of her son Zion, and Gemma as her bridesmaids when she marries fiance Gary. Close bond: It's the first time Nicole has been photographed on a set with the other two beauties and gave an intimate look at their close friendship as they lie in the sheets for the shoot Stunning: 30-year-old Jessica Gomes revealed to InStyle that she once wished she could look more like her blonde friend Gemma earlier in her career Designer darlings: Gemma Ward, 28, lived in close proximity to Jessica for six years in New York and share a close bond to her Perth-born friends In what no doubt will be a star-studded event, Nicole confessed she 'couldn't get married without them'. 'They were the first two people that I thought of I couldnt get married without them by my side,' she said. 'Gemma says she is going to give Gary the lowdown: that if he does anything to hurt me, shell do some sort of kung fu,' she added. 'I couldn't get married without them by my side': Nicole (middle) reveals in April's InStyle Australia that her model bridesmaids will be Gemma (left) and Jessica (right) in her wedding to Gary Clark Jr Jenna Dewan Tatum took a walk on the wild side. The 35-year-old actress was spotted wearing leopard patterned Sundry leggings while heading to lunch in Studio City on Thursday. She looked rather comfortable while dressed casually for the midday meal with a gal pal at Sweet Butter Cafe in Los Angeles. Scroll down for video Relaxed: Jenna Dewan Tatum was spotted heading to lunch at Sweet Butter Cafe in the Studio City neighbourhood of Los Angeles on Thursday Along with the grey, black and blue patterned leggings Jenna sported a charcoal heather grey top which had 'THANKFUL' emblazoned across it. She kept the grey theme going with a leather designer bag draped over her shoulder along with a pair of shiny metallic silver trainers. The wife of Channing Tatum accessorised with circular, retro-styled shades and her blinged out wedding ring. On the prowl: The 35-year-old actress sported some grey leopard patterned Sundry leggings for the occasion 'Thankful': She had a special message emblazoned on her charcoal heather grey sweater Her medium-length raven coloured locks were messily tucked behind her ears as she sported natural, complimentary make-up on her face topped off with a swipe of pink lip. Before departing the breakfast and lunch spot, she shared a conversation with her friend as they shared a laugh together before going their separate ways. She did not only enjoy lunch but also a bit of shopping as she was seen with a large black bag with some of her purchases from what looked like a clothing store. Hanging out: As she dined with a gal pal, the two ladies shared a laugh together before going their separate ways Goodies: It seemed to be a busy day for Jenna as she was spotted leaving a clothing store with a large black bag of her purchases Shining star: She also wore a pair of metallic silver trainers Jenna and 35-year-old Channing met on the set of their 2006 dance film Step-Up and were marred in July 2009 in Malibu, California. They have a nearly three-year-old daughter named Everly together, who was born in London back in May 2013. Last month the couple announced they are executive producing a new dance competition show on NBC; in the still untitled show, Jenna will serve as a judge and mentor while Channing is set to appear. Jenna and Channing will executive produce the still untitled show that was granted a six-episode order from NBC. Retro chic: She wore a pair of circular purple retro shades and carried along a grey leather Tom Ford bag Treating herself to some retail therapy: Jenna was spotted out shopping later in the day US strike in Syria kills several Al-Qaeda militants: Pentagon The United States has carried out another raid against Al-Qaeda militants in Syria, on the heels of a strike that killed the spokesman of the group's Syrian branch, the Pentagon said Wednesday. "I can confirm that the US struck a vehicle killing several Al-Qaeda militants," said spokesman Matthew Allen. "The results of this strike are still being assessed." The latest strike was carried out in northwestern Syria, according to a Defense department official who asked not to be named. Syrian government forces inspect an area near the village of Khan Tuman, south from the provincial capital Aleppo, on December 22, 2015 George Ouralian (AFP/File) The Washington Post reported the latest raid was late Tuesday. On Monday, the Pentagon said the US military conducted an air raid on an Al-Nusra meeting in northwest Syria the previous day. Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate confirmed on Wednesday the death of its spokesman Abu Firas al-Suri in a US air strike. US strikes on the Al-Nusra Front in Syria have not been very frequent with their raids overwhelmingly targeting the Islamic State group. News of the strikes came as talks in Geneva aimed at ending the conflict loomed on April 11. Syrian peace talks which fail to address the question of President Bashar al-Assad's fate are "doomed to failure", a spokesman for the main opposition grouping involved in negotiations said. Riad Naasan Agha, of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, said that the talks which are set to resume must focus on the future of the Syrian leader. "If negotiations did not address the fate of Assad, it would be a waste of time and doomed to failure," he said late Tuesday at a forum hosted by Al-Jazeera in Qatar. Vietnam Prime Minister sworn in by lawmakers Vietnam's parliament approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the communist country's new prime minister Thursday, handing him a five-year term and a range of tough challenges from domestic economic reforms to a simmering maritime dispute with China. Phuc, a former deputy prime minister, was the only candidate nominated for the position by party officials earlier this year and won 90.26 percent of the votes in the rubber stamp parliament, according to state-run VTV. "I will do my best to serve the country and people," said the 61-year-old, whose election marks the completion of a five-yearly reshuffle of the Communist Party's top brass. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is sworn into office during a ceremony in Hanoi, on April 7, 2016 - (AFP) Phuc takes over from former prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung, a charismatic leader who championed a reformist pro-business agenda and talked tough to Beijing over a territorial dispute in the contested South China Sea. Dung lost out in internal party elections in January, which analysts called a move back towards more consensus-based rule by the party's conservative wing. - 'A team player' - "Dung was an individualist working within a conservative system of collective leadership. His demise is evidence that Vietnam is not yet ready for a modern, world savvy, prime minister," Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP. Authoritarian Vietnam is run by the Communist Party and officially led by a triumvirate of the party secretary general, president, and prime minister, with key decisions being made by the 19-member politburo. Top communist leader Nguyen Phu Trong was reelected in January as party secretary general in a victory for the party's old guard. On Saturday, the National Assembly approved a top police general, Tran Dai Quang, as president -- a key if largely ceremonial role. New Prime Minister Phuc is "a competent technocrat" and will stick to the party line, Thayer said. "Phuc does not have the charisma of Dung. He will be a team player," he added. Even senior party members greeted Phuc's election Thursday with a lukewarm reaction. Communist Party veteran Tran Tuan Hung, 76, expressed concern over the financial troubles the new premier has inherited. "How can he resolve public debt, budget deficits and corruption? I don't rely or expect much from him," he said. Army General Nguyen Trong Vinh also told AFP the new leader was "nothing special" and that he did not expect much change under his watch. In the past, the leadership handover was decided at the party congress in January but took up to six months to be confirmed by the National Assembly. Analysts say the process has moved more quickly this year, partly because several top leaders are retiring from politics, and also because of an upcoming visit by US President Barack Obama in May. "The new leadership is anxious to dismantle (former PM) Dungs network and gain prestige in the eyes of ordinary Vietnamese by meeting and greeting world leaders," Thayer told AFP, adding that rising tensions with China has added to the urgency. Well-known dissident Nguyen Thanh Giang, who spent time in jail for his criticism of the party in the 1990s, called Phuc's appointment a "step backwards" from Dung. "Phuc is not comparable in terms of competence, experience, international image. He has no international reputation and will need a lot of time to develop one," he told AFP. Lebanon detains Australian mother, TV crew in abduction case Lebanese authorities on Thursday detained an Australian woman for allegedly abducting her two children and an Australian television crew as well as two Britons accused of involvement. The crew were filming an operation by a child recovery agency involving two young children from Australia who were in Beirut with their Lebanese father. The two children disappeared on Wednesday while waiting for their school bus. The Nine Network TV crew were filming an operation by a child recovery agency involving two Australian children in Lebanon with their father Greg Wood (AFP/File) Lebanon's Internal Security Forces said in a statement that they had detained the Australian mother who was with her two children in Beirut. "The woman and her two children are in ISF custody after being located in a home in Beirut 24 hours after their kidnapping," a source from Lebanon's interior ministry told AFP. The ISF had detained the four-member television crew from Channel Nine's "60 Minutes" programme earlier on Thursday for questioning. The two children, meanwhile, were "handed to their father, based to a judicial order," the ISF later tweeted. It also said in a separate tweet that "five Australians among them the mother, two British and two Lebanese citizens, were arrested in the kidnapping". The mother of the children, identified by Australian media as Sally Faulkner, has said their Lebanese father, from whom she is divorced, took them for a holiday and then allegedly refused to return them to Australia. "The woman made an agreement with the 60 Minutes programme from Channel Nine to come help her recover her children from Lebanon," a security source told AFP. The source said the children had been taken while with their grandmother and there was a plan for them to be removed from Lebanon by boat. Australian media said the two children are a six-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy. A grainy video of the incident released by Lebanon's Al-Jadeed television showed the children walking with an older figure, reportedly their grandmother. Several figures jump out of a nearby car and carry the children into the vehicle, which then speeds off. Channel Nine said that the crew had been unreachable for 15 hours but were later tracked down to a Beirut police station and put in contact with Australian consular officials. "It is a relief to know that Australian officials are about to speak to them," a network spokesman told the channel's evening news bulletin. "The crew knew that this was a risk, going to do this story." Australian media named two of those held as reporter Tara Brown and producer Steven Rice. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement that the pair have been "offered all appropriate consular assistance". It is the second time an Australian television crew has been detained overseas in recent weeks after two Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalists were held in Malaysia for trying to question Prime Minister Najib Razak about multiple scandals swirling around him. Rights group calls for aid to Iraq's 'starving' Fallujah Human Rights Watch called Thursday for Iraq to allow aid to reach starving residents of the city of Fallujah, and for the Islamic State group to allow civilians to leave. "The people of Fallujah are besieged by the government, trapped by (IS), and are starving," HRW's deputy Middle East director, Joe Stork, said in a statement. "The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population." Displaced Iraqis, who fled regions controlled by the Islamic State group near Fallujah, arrive in Jwaibah, on the outskirts of Ramadi, in February 2016 Moadh Al-Dulaimi (AFP) HRW cited Iraqi activists who are in contact with Fallujah residents as saying that people "were reduced to eating flat bread made with flour from ground date seeds and soups made from grass." Anti-government fighters took control of Fallujah, just 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, in early 2014 during unrest that broke out after security forces demolished a protest camp farther west, and it later became an IS stronghold. IS seized more territory in surrounding Anbar province after launching an offensive later that year, but pro-government forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists. Iraqi forces have largely cut off access to Fallujah, while IS is preventing residents from leaving the city. Tribesmen battled IS in Fallujah for several days in February in a sign that its grip was weakening, but the fighting ended after the jihadists detained dozens of residents. Malaysia inquiry cites murky fund payments, urges probe A Malaysian parliamentary report released Thursday said a state-owned fund linked to Prime Minister Najib Razak made more than $3 billion in unexplained overseas payments and called for the fund's former CEO to be investigated. The report presented to parliament by its Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which has examined the affair, marked the first time an official Malaysian probe has clearly suggested misconduct and recommended action in a scandal that has deeply tainted Najib. Najib, who founded 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in 2009, has for months battled allegations that billions were looted from the investment vehicle in a vast campaign of fraud and embezzlement stretching from the Middle East to the Caymans. Malaysia's PM Najib Razak, who founded 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in 2009, is battling allegations that billions of dollars were looted from the investment fund in overseas financial transactions Manan Vatsyayana (AFP/File) The PAC said more than $3 billion in unapproved overseas payments were made from 1MDB funds. It chastised the now debt-stricken company for "weaknesses" in management under the 2009-2013 tenure of former CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi. "As such, enforcement agencies are asked to investigate Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and anyone else related," the 106-page report said. It made no further specific recommendations on investigations and did not mention Najib, who still chairs 1MDB's advisory board. Najib, 62, and 1MDB have consistently denied wrongdoing. In a statement, Najib vowed to "act on the reports recommendations". "We must ensure that lessons are learned, and action will be taken if any evidence of wrongdoing is found," he said. He did not address the questionable payments. The report comes as the Panama Papers, a vast trove of leaked documents related to a Panama law firm allegedly helping the rich hide assets offshore, has dramatically put financial probity under the spotlight, although Najib has not been implicated in the scandal. 1MDB's board of directors -- which does not include Najib -- released a statement repeating its assertion that all 1MDB funds "have been fully accounted for" but adding that the entire board would resign, which the committee recommended. - 'Vindication for 1MDB critics' - The report did not go nearly as far as many who have alleged blatant graft, but 1MDB opponents nonetheless seized on it. Tony Pua, an opposition PAC member, released a statement saying 1MDB critics have been "vindicated". It remains unclear whether the committee's recommendations will hurt Najib. The premier has faced a cascade of corruption allegations stemming from 1MDB's troubles and his own admitted acceptance of a mysterious $681 million overseas payment into his own bank accounts. But since the twin scandals erupted last year, he has weathered them by curbing scrutiny by authorities, purging officials demanding accountability, and stifling media reporting. The parliamentary committee cited a range of questionable money movements, particularly more than $3 billion it said went to Aabar Investments PJS Ltd. A Wall Street Journal expose last year said Aabar was likely a shell company created to resemble an Abu Dhabi wealth fund with a similar name. Authorities in Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere are investigating globe-spanning money transfers linked to 1MDB, with the Swiss saying $4 billion may have been stolen. The $681 million payment made to Najib's bank accounts in 2013 was revealed last year by the Journal. Subsequent reports by the newspaper have said Najib may have received more than $1 billion. Najib initially hotly denied the $681 million payment, but his government now calls it a "donation" from the Saudi royal family, most of which was returned. Saudi Arabia is yet to confirm that. The Journal has also reported that some of the money used to make Hollywood hit "The Wolf of Wall Street", a movie about financial corruption starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was laundered from 1MDB. Myanmar's Suu Kyi vows to press for political prisoner release Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday vowed to press for the release of political prisoners and student activists, hinting that a mass amnesty may be imminent as her government seeks to stamp its mark on power in the former junta-run nation. Suu Kyi's administration, stacked full of democracy activists who spent years incarcerated by the military, took power last week, ending nearly half a century of repressive army domination. In her first statement since assuming a new, broadly-defined role as state counsellor, Suu Kyi said: "I am going to try... for the immediate release of political prisoners, political activists and students facing trial related to politics". Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi Aung Htet (AFP/File) She did not provide a specific timeline in the statement, which was posted on Facebook. The routine jailing of dissidents was one of the most egregious acts of the former junta, stirring international outcry and support for Suu Kyi's pro-democracy movement. Suu Kyi herself spent about 15 years under house arrest and many current National League for Democracy lawmakers served time in the country's notorious prisons. While the quasi-civilian government that replaced the junta in 2011 freed hundreds of political detainees, it also oversaw the detention of scores more, particularly those involved in land and education protests. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 90 political prisoners were in jail and more than 400 activists were facing trial as of February. The majority were arrested before last November's landmark elections, which Suu Kyi's NLD won in a landslide. - Raising hopes - Among them are about 40 students facing a mix of charges, including unlawful assembly and rioting over education reform protests in March 2015 that were violently broken up by baton-wielding police in the central town of Letpadan. Another 30 or so students are on bail but facing similar charges. The students present a special case because while many have been detained for over a year, their trial is ongoing. To free them, Suu Kyi's statement indicated that the state prosecutor could decide to drop the charges. The father of detained student activist Phyo Phyo Aung expressed hope that his daughter could be freed. "I am very glad to hear that (Suu Kyi) will work for their release. I think she is doing the right thing," Ne Win told AFP. Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency by the junta-era constitution and has anointed her school friend and close aide Htin Kyaw to act as her effective proxy. That means she does not have the direct power to order an amnesty, but it signals that a presidential order is likely to follow. In the first few days of her new government she has already shown her determination to live up to a pre-election vow to rule "above" Myanmar's president. The role of state counsellor, which was signed off by Htin Kyaw on Wednesday, was specially crafted for her and enables her to wield influence over parliament as well as in the cabinet. She is also foreign minister and held talks with her Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, prioritising Beijing in the first foray into international diplomacy under the new government. Myanmar's new administration inherits a country in the grip of its most fundamental political transformation since the military seized power in 1962. Reforms since 2011 have opened the once-cloistered nation to foreign investment and tourism, helping spark an economic resurgence. But there are many hurdles ahead, including a deeply flawed legal system, the continuing clout of the army, high poverty rates and civil wars in serval ethnic minority states. A Myanmar security guard closes a gate leading to the Insein prison in Yangon Ye Aung Thu (AFP) US allies ignoring some anti-terror tools: FBI US allies, especially in Europe, are ignoring tools that US officials have given them to track potential terrorists, the head of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center said Thursday. "It's concerning that our partners don't use all of our data," said Director Christopher Piehota, interviewed on CNN. "We provide them with tools. We provide them with support, and I would find it concerning that they don't use these tools to help screen for their own aviation security, maritime security, border screening, visas, things like that for travel," Piehota said. Bombings at Brussels airport have revived criticism of the alleged weakness of Belgian police and its intelligence services, charges that local officials have rejected Emmanuel Dunand (AFP/File) While the United States has a centralized database for suspected terrorists, in the European Union each country maintains its own watch list. Asked if those involved in the Paris and Brussels attacks were on a US watchlist, Piehota said: "We were aware of some of the people." Last month's bombings at Brussels airport have revived criticism of the alleged weakness of Belgian police and its intelligence services, charges that local officials have rejected. Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the two suicide bombers who struck the Brussels airport, was on a US counterterrorism watch list even before the November Paris attacks, CNN reported in March. His younger brother Khalid, who blew himself up at Brussels' Maalbeek metro station, was added to the list "soon after the Paris attacks," CNN said, without specifying which US counterterrorism list. El Bakraoui was deported by Turkey to the Netherlands in July, after being arrested in June by Turkish authorities near the Syria border. Piehota said that if the Brussels attackers "were on our list and they were properly identified they may have been caught at our borders." Syria peace talks pushed back to April 13: UN UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said Thursday the next round of Syria peace talks will begin on April 13 after he completes a diplomatic tour, including stops in Damascus and Tehran. "I will be very much insisting and pushing for... a serious discussion on political transition" at the upcoming round, de Mistura told reporters. The United Nations had previously said the negotiations aimed at ending the five-year conflict would resume on April 11. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File) At the last round, which ended on March 24, the Damascus regime insisted it was premature to have a concrete dialogue on creating a transitional government, while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) put forward its plan towards forming a new government. De Mistura told journalists that in order to make progress on political transition next week, he needed to meet in person with key regional players and Syria's government. "I need to verify the international and regional stakeholders' position" in order to have "concrete results in the next round of talks", de Mistura said, adding that he expected to be back in Geneva on April 12 or 13. The main obstacle in the negotiations is the future of President Bashar al-Assad. The HNC has said Assad must go before a transitional government is agreed, while the regime insists his fate be excluded from the talks. De Mistura met with key regime ally Russia in Moscow this week, and will head to Tehran in the coming days for talks with another crucial Damascus supporter. He also plans to meet Turkish officials in Europe by the middle of next week. Ankara has emerged as one of Assad's main foes. The UN envoy said he has not requested a face-to-face meeting with Assad in Damascus, but expects to hold talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. De Mistura added that two of his staffers are currently in Riyadh to meet with the HNC. The negotiations set for next week will be the third round this year, including a round that was aborted in February as violence raged on the ground. The UN said a more positive atmosphere at the March round was helped by a ceasefire in Syria, which was declared on February 27 and remains broadly in place, despite multiple reported violations. Israel starts building new part of controversial West Bank wall Israel began construction on a controversial part of its separation barrier in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, near a Palestinian Christian town, an AFP journalist reported. Cranes began lifting eight-metre(yard)-high blocks into place near Beit Jala, south of Jerusalem and close to Bethlehem, a photographer witnessed. This part of the wall could cut Palestinians from their olive groves. Israeli workers install a new section of Israel's concrete separation barrier near the Christian Palestinian town of Beit Jala, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on April 7, 2016 Thomas Coex (AFP) Nicola Khamis, mayor of Beit Jala, condemned what he saw as a land grab. "This land is for our families, our children," he said by phone from the bridge next to the construction site. The Israeli army referred questions to the defence ministry, which did not immediately respond. Residents of Beit Jala fear the construction of the wall may lead to the expansion of the nearby Israeli settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo. Khamis said they hoped to battle the wall's construction, with emergency strategy meetings planned, but he conceded they had no further appeals within the Israeli legal system. After a nine-year legal battle, Israel's high court ruled in July 2015 the wall was legitimate, making only small adjustments. "Without this land all the Christians will leave this country," Khamis said. "It is impossible to build in Beit Jala. We want to widen Beit Jala." Israel began building the barrier of walls and fences inside the occupied West Bank in 2002 at the height of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising), saying it was crucial for security. The Palestinians see it as a land grab aimed at stealing part of their future state and call it the "apartheid wall". "It is consistent with the Israeli governments policy of consolidating apartheid in the West Bank," Xavier Abu Eid, a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said of Thursday's construction. "It destroys the prospects for Bethlehem to grow". Czechs charge American with quadruple murder Prosecutors brought murder charges on Thursday against an American man accused of killing four of his relatives in the Czech Republic and then trying to incinerate their bodies. Kevin Dahlgren, 23, was extradited to the Czech Republic last year after fleeing to the United States following the killings of his cousin, her husband and the couple's two sons. "He committed the crime in May 2013 in (the southern city of) Brno-Ivanovice, where he deliberately killed four people in a family house," prosecutor Hynek Olma said in a statement. The scene of a murder is barred with police tape on May 23, 2013 in Brno, Czech Republic Radek Mica (AFP/File) Dahlgren was detained at the Washington airport a day after the killings, and is the first American to be extradited to the European Union member state. Dahlgren, who faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted, stabbed his relatives to death and then "attempted to burn three of the four bodies by setting fire to them in the basement of the home", according to US court documents. The father and one of the sons were musicians in an amateur ukulele orchestra and the woman was a teacher, according to local media, which added that the house had been set on fire after the crime. Ben Harper, back with band, takes on police killings As he worked on his new album, the blues rocker Ben Harper looked on with horror at the killings of young African Americans and knew he had to put their plight into song. "I have to write about what moves me the deepest or what's knocking the loudest. I wanted to say it loud," said Harper, whose 13th studio album, "Call It What It Is," comes out Friday. "There was Trayvon Martin, Ezell Ford, Michael Brown," he said, referring to unarmed African Americans who have been shot dead, with Brown's 2014 killing by police in Ferguson, Missouri setting off mass protests. US singer Ben Harper performs in Belfort on July 3, 2015 Sebastien Bozon (AFP/File) "By the time it got to Michael Brown, it was my tipping point. My back was against the wall," Harper told AFP on a recent visit to Paris. Harper on the album's bluesy title track concludes with the line, "Call it what it is -- murder." Activism is not new for Harper, whose early successes included the 1994 song "Like a King" about Rodney King, the African American motorist whose filmed beating by white Los Angeles police set off riots after the officers were acquitted. Harper noted that the latest killings took place under Barack Obama, the first US president who is African American, and said that race was inadequately discussed in the United States. "I do think possibly having a black president, it made it a lot better. He's such a symbol around the world, a cultural symbol," he said. "But I also think that it stirred things up from the bottom. There's been too many situations now to not look at race, culture and politics holistically and question, why now? "People are so used to pressing the delete button and making things go away quickly that they think that culturally the same thing will happen, but there is no cultural delete button, right?" - Morning coffee and slide guitar - Besides his return to activism, "Call It What It Is" marks Harper's reunion with his old band, the Innocent Criminals, for the first time in eight years. "You have to know in your life when it's time to make the right moves, you hope. It had been too long. All roads led back to my original band," he said. Harper has stepped up collaborations in recent years, forming the rock group Relentless7 and the more folksy Fistful of Mercy. He has also recorded with the blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite and his own mother Ellen, who runs the Folk Music Center in Claremont, California. "The way our voices sound together is like I could never sound like that with anyone else 'cause it's my mom. "Same with the Innocent Criminals, I've been with them in the 90s, 2000s and 2010s. We've known each other so long that there is a sort of genetic encoding," he said. On the new album, the band revives its blues rock with Harper taking the lead on slide guitar. Harper and the Innocent Criminals go to a more rugged sound on "When Sex Was Dirty" and bring in reggae elements on "Finding Our Way" while also producing powerful ballads "Deeper and Deeper," "All That Has Grown" and "Goodbye to You." But not all of the album is stern, with the chorus of "Pink Balloon" inspired by his daughters. The reunited band plans an extensive tour for "Call It Like It Is," with dates until the end of the year throughout North America and Europe as well as dates in Australia and New Zealand and Japan's Fuji Rock Festival. At 46, Harper said he no longer felt obliged to write one song each day as was long his habit. But he said he cannot imagine spending a day without creating music. He wrote "Call It Like It Is" quickly but said that he is content simply to jot down a few lines before the end of a day. "When I wake up in the morning, I pick up a slide guitar. That's the first thing: coffee and slide guitar," he said. "I don't force a song a day, I let it come." "Call It What It Is" marks Ben Harper's reunion with his old band, the Innocent Criminals, for the first time in eight years JP Yim (Getty/AFP/File) ICC approves Congolese warlord Katanga's domestic trial The International Criminal Court gave Congolese prosecutors the green light Thursday to proceed with a domestic case against convicted warlord Germain Katanga, accused of committing war crimes in the vast African country. Katanga, 37, who was sentenced to 12 years in jail by the Hague-based ICC two years ago, finished serving a reduced sentence in January in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Instead of being freed however, he remained behind bars with Kinshasa saying they wanted to also try him for "other crimes" committed in the DR Congo's mineral-rich but restive northeastern Ituri province. General Germain Katanga sits in the military court in Kinshasa, on February 3, 2016 Papy Mulongo (AFP/File) Katanga appeared back in the dock with five other co-accused in early February, facing "war crimes, crimes against humanity and participating in an insurrectional movement" in Ituri near the Ugandan border, where some 60,000 people died in fighting between 1999 and 2007. Katanga's lawyers argued against his prosecution, using an article in the ICC's founding Rome Statute that says a sentenced person cannot be prosecuted in a country where he is serving his sentence without the ICC's approval. His lawyers also said he cannot be retried in Kinshasa for the same crimes he had been sentenced for by the ICC. Congolese authorities sent a number of documents to the ICC earlier this year detailing Katanga's alleged crimes and saying it wanted to put him on trial. "The DRC has clearly indicated that the domestic prosecution of Mr Katanga... relates to crimes other than those for which he has been convicted and acquitted" by the ICC, president judge Sylvia Fernandez de Gurmendi said. "Therefore, the presidency approves the prosecution of Mr Katanga" in the DR Congo, she said in a court order released at the ICC's headquarters on Thursday. Katanga was the second person to be sentenced by the ICC since it began work in 2003 as the world's first permanent court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was brought back from the Dutch city to Kinshasa late last year to complete his term and had been scheduled to walk free on January 18. He was convicted by the ICC in May 2014 over a 2003 attack on the village of Bogoro that saw 200 people shot and hacked to death. He was acquitted of sexual slavery and using child soldiers. Congolese authorities have claimed Katanga played a role in the killing of nine UN peacekeepers in the violence-torn northeastern region of Ituri in 2005. DR Congo, a country of more than 67 million people that is Africa's second largest, was torn by two wars between 1996 and 2003 estimated to have cost at least two to three million lives. Clinton, Sanders get tough as Democratic race narrows Hillary Clinton and leftist challenger Bernie Sanders turned up the heat Thursday in the Democratic race for the White House, locking horns over trade and the "Panama Papers" scandal ahead of the New York primary. Clinton, the frontrunner and former secretary of state, holds a six-point lead over Sanders in the RealClearPolitics national poll average but has lost seven of the last eight nomination contests to the Vermont senator. The New York primary on April 19 has turned into a battleground, where Clinton needs a commanding win in her adopted home state, which elected her twice to the Senate in 2000 and 2004. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton campaigns on April 7, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City Andrew Renneisen (Getty/AFP) Sanders, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, must build on his recent momentum by winning in New York and then in Pennsylvania on April 26 to keep alive his hopes of snatching the Democratic nomination from party favorite Clinton. The 74-year-old senator seized on the leaked "Panama Papers," which expose how terror groups, drug cartels and pariah countries hide money in tax havens, by conflating it with Clinton's support for a 2012 Panama free trade agreement. "I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed," he told a rally in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Sanders contended at the time that the free trade agreement would make it harder for the United States to crack down on offshore tax havens in Panama. Clinton, who said on a campaign stop that she would shut down "outrageous tax havens and loopholes" if elected president, helped push the trade deal through Congress when she was secretary of state. The two candidates have each questioned whether the other is qualified to be commander-in-chief -- Clinton took a fresh swipe Thursday at her self-described democratic socialist rival's radical promises that few believe he can deliver. "Don't make promises you can't keep," she told reporters while campaigning in the Bronx, where she rode the subway joined by a local Democratic politician. "Know what you want to achieve and then bring everybody together to get the results and that is what I'm going to do." - New low - New York, America's largest city and one of its most diverse, has demographics that play well to Clinton's support base among the wealthy and minorities, but observers warn there may be tougher terrain outside the city. Communities in the more economically hard-hit western and northern parts of the state voted Clinton into the Senate, but have not seen the job growth they were expecting. Sanders has resonated strongly among voters, particularly independents, for his steadfast opposition to the trans-Pacific trade deal signed by President Barack Obama that Clinton has only opposed more recently. A Clinton campaign spokesman on Thursday accused Sanders of sinking to a new low in questioning her suitability to be president because she voted for the Iraq war, takes money from Wall Street and supports trade agreements. "This is an absurd line of attack. And it's probably the lowest we have sunk here in terms of the rhetoric on the Democratic side," press secretary Brian Fallon told CN. "The Sanders campaign is getting increasingly desperate, flailing, because in spite of the recent victories they've had, the delegate math remains daunting." Sanders's campaign director Jeff Weaver said if the Clinton campaign wanted "a more bare-knuckled kind of approach, we're happy to do that." "Secretary Clinton is funded by Wall Street interests and other special interests. You know, she's really made a deal with the devil, and the devil always wants his due. So that time will come," he told MSNBC. This week Clinton ripped into her opponent for saying in a newspaper interview that he did not agree with efforts by parents of children killed in a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school to sue gun manufacturers. They also sparred for days about holding a debate ahead of the New York primary -- now scheduled for April 14 in Brooklyn, the borough where Sanders was born and which Clinton made her national campaign headquarters. Clinton leads Sanders 54-42 percent among likely Democratic voters in New York and 50-44 percent in Pennsylvania, according to Quinnipiac University polls. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during the AFL-CIO Convention on April 7, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania William Thomas Cain (Getty/AFP) IS setbacks in Syria and Iraq The jihadist Islamic State group has faced major setbacks in Syria and Iraq over the past 15 months. The latest was its loss on Thursday of its main supply route to Turkey. Here are the key IS losses since January 2015 : A man holds a flags during a rally on January 27, 2015 in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, following news that Kurdish fighters drove the Islamic State group from the Syrian border town of Kobane Ilyas Akengin (AFP/File) - Syria's Kobane recaptured - After a series of victories, IS suffers its first serious setback on January 26, 2015 in Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town near the border with Turkey known in Arabic as Ain al-Arab. Kurdish forces backed by intense US-led air strikes capture the town after four months of fighting. In June, Syrian Kurds also capture Tal Abyad, another town near the border that controls a supply route to Raqa, the IS de facto capital in northern Syria. - Iraq retakes Saddam's hometown - Iraqi troops, police and Shiite-dominated paramilitary forces retake Tikrit, the hometown of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, on March 31, 2015. The operation, at that time the largest by Iraqi forces against IS, is aided by the fact that much of Tikrit's 200,000 residents had fled the city. - Kurds cut key IS corridor - On November 13, 2015, Iraqi Kurds backed by US-led coalition air strikes drive IS out of Sinjar, northwest of Baghdad, cutting one of the group's crucial supply lines between Iraq and Syria. IS had seized Sinjar in August 2014 and carried out a brutal campaign against its Yazidi minority that included massacres, enslavement and rapes. - Ramadi falls - Iraqi troops retake a key district of the Sunni Arab city of Ramadi on December 8. Two weeks later, the troops backed by coalition air strikes reach the city's centre. Ramadi is the capital of Anbar province, Iraq's largest which stretches from the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to just west of Baghdad. IS had seized Ramadi the previous May following an assault by dozens of suicide bombers driving explosives-rigged vehicles. - Mosul and Palmyra - On March 24, 2016 Iraqi forces oust jihadists from villages south of Mosul, IS's main hub in the country. The army says the operation was the first phase of an offensive to recapture Nineveh province and its capital Mosul. In Syria, regime forces backed by Russian warplanes and allied militia enter the IS-held ancient city of Palmyra retaking it a day later. Known as the "Pearl of the Desert", Palmyra was overrun by IS in May 2015, since when the jihadists blew up UNESCO-listed temples and looted ancient relics. - IS loses it main passage between Syria and Turkey - On April 7, 2016 Syrian rebels seize control of the IS's main supply route to Turkey, the northeast of Al-Rai, following two days of clashes. Iraqi security forces gather near a temporary bridge south of Ramadi, during a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on December 29, 2015, after government forces recaptured the city from the Islamic State jihadist group STR (AFP/File) Paul Simon pursues new fusion on next album Paul Simon, the folk star turned world music champion, plans a range of further experimentation including a collaboration with a flamenco band on his new album. "Stranger to Stranger" is the 74-year-old's first album since 2011's "So Beautiful Or So What," which had partially returned to the acoustic guitar style that made him famous as part of Simon and Garfunkel. Simon on Thursday announced the latest album, which will come out on June 3, and released a first track, "Wristband," an upbeat, ironic tale about an overzealous bouncer. US singer and guitar player Paul Simon performs on April 3, 2015 in Paris Loic Venance (AFP/File) The song starts with a jazzy string bass before bringing in a flamenco rhythm section and a subtle electronic backdrop. Simon said "Wristband" was one of four songs which he recorded with a flamenco band. He also worked with Clap! Clap!, an underground Italian DJ also known as Digi G'alessio who infuses club tracks with traditional dance music from southern Africa. "It's about getting you to actually hear something in a new way. It's about making music that sounds old and new at the same time; music with a sense of mystery," Simon said in a statement on the new album. On "Stranger to Stranger," Simon also looked to the 20th century music theorist Harry Partch who designed his own instruments with microtonal scales -- meaning with smaller intervals than those usually used in Western music. Working with longtime producer Roy Halee, Simon went to the late Partch's laboratory at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Simon recorded sounds from some of Partch's instruments such as cloud chamber bowls, which consist of suspended large glass containers, and the chromelodeon, a uniquely tuned keyboard. Simon and Garfunkel were one of the signature acts of the 1960s, starting off with clean-cut folk songs before delving into fusion. The duo produced hits such as "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Mrs. Robinson." As a solo artist, Simon put out hits such as "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and "You Can Call Me Al." The latter song appeared on the 1986 album "Graceland," on which Simon brought South African artists into his pop songwriting. "Graceland" went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year. Sudan court sentences 22 S.Sudanese to death: lawyer A Sudanese court sentenced 22 South Sudanese to death and jailed three for life on terrorism charges for fighting with rebels in the western Darfur region, their lawyer said Thursday. "The Khartoum North court headed by judge Abidin Dahi sentenced 22 men to death, all of whom are citizens of South Sudan," the head of the defence team Mahjoub Abdullah told AFP. All 25 had been members of a faction of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakhit Abdelkarim Dabajo, who signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government in April 2013. Fighters from the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces sit in vehicles in the city of Nyala, in south Darfur, on May 3, 2015, as they display weapons and vehicles they say they captured from Dafuri rebels and fighters from The Justice and Equality Movement Ashraf Shazly (AFP/File) His troops were disarmed and taken to camps to be demobilised and pardoned by the government, which is where the 25 were discovered by inspectors and arrested last February because of their nationality. The 22 sentenced to be hanged were convicted of a range of offences including waging war against the state, undermining the constitutional order and on terrorism charges. "We will appeal the judgement," their lawyer said, adding the anti-terror laws stipulated he had one week to lodge his appeal. The sentence comes amid poor ties between Khartoum and South Sudan over allegations Juba backed rebels in Sudan's border Kordofan region. Ethnic minority insurgents in the western Darfur region mounted a rebellion against President Omar al-Bashir in 2003, claiming his Arab-dominated government was marginalising their region. Bashir launched a bloody counter insurgency, mobilising allied militia, ground troops and jet planes to crush the rebels. The International Criminal Court indicted Bashir over war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide charges, all of which he denies. US disappointed by 'flawed' Congo election The United States expressed dismay Thursday at the conduct of presidential elections in the Republic of Congo, which returned longtime leader Denis Sassou Nguesso to power. Congo has been on edge since an October constitutional referendum ended a two-term limit on presidential mandates, allowing 72-year-old Sassou Nguesso to run again. Heavy fighting erupted on Monday in parts of Brazzaville as rival factions awaited a ruling by the constitutional court on last month's poll. Newly re-elected Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso addresses a press conference in Brazzaville on March 24, 2016 after the Independent Electoral Commission declared him the winner Marco Longari (AFP/File) But opposition leader Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas has now conceded defeat, saying he does not want to stir trouble despite a poll "marred by all sorts of irregularities." In a statement, the US State Department said Washington is "profoundly disappointed by the flawed presidential electoral process in the Republic of Congo. "Widespread irregularities and the arrests of opposition supporters following the elections marred an otherwise peaceful vote," it said. And it urged Congo "to correct these numerous deficiencies before scheduling legislative elections in order to bring credibility to future electoral processes." Sassou Nguesso, a former paratrooper, served as president from 1979 to 1992, returning to power in 1997 following a civil war. New York travel agent in court over Pakistani scam A New York travel agent appeared in court Thursday charged with conning more than $350,000 out of Pakistani immigrants who paid to go on Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or fly home. Junaid Mirza, 50, who operated travel agencies in Brooklyn and one previously located in the Empire State Building was charged on 31 counts that include scheme to defraud, money laundering and grand larceny. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. Mecca's Grand Mosque on December 4, 2008 as Muslims from all over the world are flocking to Mecca to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage Khaled Desouki (AFP/File) "Many of the victims were hardworking Pakistani immigrants who trusted the defendant and were cheated out of a lifelong dream of taking a pilgrimage to Mecca," said Brooklyn district attorney Ken Thompson. Mirza allegedly owned travel agencies that specialized in selling travel packages to Saudi Arabia and airline tickets to Pakistani immigrants from July 2011 to September 2015. All Muslims are expected to perform hajj -- a pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca -- at least once in their lifetime. Mirza advertised discounted trips in local Urdu-language newspapers and in pamphlets distributed in mosques, New York prosecutors said. The victims, who included taxi drivers and home health aides, allegedly paid more than $6,000 per person for a hajj package, but prosecutors said Mirza pocketed the cash and failed to book the airline seats. Some victims only found out they had been conned when they arrived at the airport, including a bride who missed part of her wedding festivities in Pakistan as a result, prosecutors said. IS group doubles number of fighters in Libya: US The number of Islamic State group fighters in Libya has doubled to up to 6,000 in as little as a year, the head of US forces in Africa warned Thursday. Despite the vast increase the IS group is not likely to settle and seize swathes of territory inside Libya, as it has done in Syria and Iraq, said General David Rodriguez, head of the US Africa Command. According to the US intelligence community, about 4,000 to 6,000 IS fighters are now in the country, a number that has doubled in the last 12 to 18 months, Rodriguez said. Damaged buildings after forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognised parliament retook the city of Benghazi following fierce fighting with armed groups including Islamic State (IS) jihadists Abdoullah Doma (AFP/File) The Islamic State group has exploited the turmoil in Libya since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi five years ago, raising fears that it is establishing a new stronghold on Europe's doorstep. But Rodriguez said it is significantly harder for IS extremists to grab large areas of Libya and then consolidate. "It's possible but right now I am not concerned about it," he said, citing "significantly different conditions" in Libya. Among them is the fact that the IS group does not "have the homegrown people that know as much about Libya like they did in Iraq and Syria," Rodriguez said. And the Libyan people "don't like external influences." The IS group last year seized control of Kadhafi's coastal hometown of Sirte and has been fighting to expand to other areas. Rodriguez said that Libyan militias "are contesting the growth of ISIS in several areas across Libya." "In the east, in Benghazi and Derna, they have fought back against the Islamic State and made it much tougher for them to operate." Libya has a new UN-backed unity government, which is being led by Fayez al-Sarraj, who arrived in the capital only a week ago. Libya has had two rival administrations in place since mid-2014 when a militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognized parliament to flee to the country's east. Any possible international intervention against the IS group in Libya, Rodriguez said, "is going to be driven by their leadership and what they want us to do." Transgender restroom bill revived by Tennessee House panel NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A Tennessee House panel has revived a bill seeking to require public school students to use restrooms that match their sex at birth. The House Education Administration and Planning Committee voted 8-4 on Wednesday to reverse an earlier decision to study the bill after the Legislature adjourns for the rest of the year. The bill was then approved by the same vote. The committee vote came despite concerns raised by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam that Tennessee could lose federal education funding if the bill becomes law. State Reps. Kevin Dunlap, D-McMinnville, and Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, confer during a House Education Administration and Planning Committee meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Dunlap and Brooks were among the majority of the committee that voted to revive a bill seeking to require students to use bathrooms that match their sex at birth. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) Crow Tribe war chief remembered as a 'great man in 2 worlds' BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Montana officials and tribal leaders in ceremonial headdresses laid to rest a revered warrior and keeper of Crow Indian traditions Wednesday, 102-year-old Joe Medicine Crow. He was the last in a long line of Crow Tribe war chiefs, and later successfully assimilated into the modern world to gain widespread acclaim as a Native American historian. More than 700 mourners, including Gov. Steve Bullock and other state officials, gathered to bid Medicine Crow farewell at a service marked by military pomp and traditional regalia. The crowd packed into the one building on the Crow Reservation large enough to fit them all, viewing a flag-draped coffin flanked by Medicine Crow's World War II uniform and a picture of him in a massive feathered headdress. Pallbearers stand by the casket of Joe Medicine Crow during his funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Joe Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Brown) During a service that stretched more than two hours, those who knew Medicine Crow recounted his military exploits and his contributions to preserving his tribe's culture. Medicine Crow died Sunday after a months-long illness. He spent more than a half-century cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. He attained the title of war chief for a series of deeds performed during combat in World War II, including hand-to-hand combat with a German soldier whose life Medicine Crow spared. During the war, he wore an eagle feather under his helmet and war paint beneath his uniform. He later said that Plains Indian warfare was not about killing so much as leadership, honor and intelligence. Medicine Crow embraced the changes that came with settling the West, and he worked to bridge his people's cultural traditions with the opportunities of modern society. "He was a great man in two worlds, not only in mainstream society but also in the Crow way," tribal chairman Darrin Old Coyote. "To try to tell his story in one day does not do him justice." Medicine Crow became the first person to be buried in the tribe's Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery, an event punctuated by rifle fire from an honor guard and the sobs from dozens of members of his extended family. A native of the rural town of Lodge Grass, Medicine Crow grew up hearing stories as a child from direct participants in the Battle of Little Bighorn. They included his grandfather, White Man Runs Him, a scout for Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. His son, Ronald Medicine Crow, told The Associated Press that his father was a brilliant man. "He said, 'I never was a smart man to begin with, but I love to learn.' He said this is the way to get somewhere in life," Ronald Medicine Crow said. Obama released a statement after Medicine Crow's death saying his dedication to promoting his tribe's culture "helped shape a fuller history of America for us all." ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap . Pallbearers carry the casket of Joe Medicine Crow during his funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009.(AP Photo/Matt Brown) Mourners in full headdress attend the funeral of Joe Medicine Crow at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Brown) A U.S. Army honor guard holds an American flag over the casket of Joe Medicine Crow as pallbearers stand by during his funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Brown) FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2008 file photo, Native American Crow historian Joe Medicine Crow tells then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama to "take veterans to the top when you move into the White House," during a visit to Billings, Mont. Funeral services are planned for Wednesday, April 6, 2016, for the last surviving war chief of Montana's Crow Indian Tribe, Joe Medicine Crow, who died over the weekend at 102-years-old. (James Woodcock/Billings Gazette via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Medicine Crow, at right in uniform, hands a folded American flag to his nephew, Ronald Medicine Crow, during a funeral service for Ronald's father, Joe Medicine Crow, at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009.(AP Photo/Matt Brown) Ronald Medicine Crow, right, holding an American flag, talks with Tilton Old Bull confer as the casket of Ronald's father, Joe Medicine Crow, is lowered into the ground during his funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009.(AP Photo/Matt Brown) A portrait of Joe Medicine row in full headdress stands next to his casket during his funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Brown) Family members of Joe Medicine Crow attend the funeral service at the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery near Crow Agency, Mont., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Medicine Crow was the Crow Tribe's last surviving war chief and a widely-renowned historian. Medicine Crow, who died April 3, 2016 at 102, spent decades cataloging Crow history and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009.(AP Photo/Matt Brown) In Peru highlands, support for Fujimori's daughter runs deep CCANO, Peru (AP) This remote hamlet high in the Peruvian Andes is nearly drained of color, save for the bright orange campaign signs plastered on walls and houses promoting presidential hopeful Keiko Fujimori. It's an emblem of the poor community's continued loyalty to her father, now imprisoned former President Alberto Fujimori, who is credited by the corn and potato farmers here with defeating a Maoist-inspired rebel group that slaughtered their parents and children during a brutal armed conflict. "When Keiko is president, she will do right, using what she learned from her dad," Vicente Vicana said in Quechua-accented Spanish last week as he gathered with neighbors to receive the remains of 31 people killed by Shining Path guerrillas in a village church in 1991, at the start of the elder Fujimori's presidency. In this March 29, 2016 photo, people take pictures of the remains of their relatives killed more than two decades ago by Shining Path rebels, as they hold a group burial in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. While about half of Peruvians say they would never vote for anyone connected to the former strongman Alberto Fujimori, rural voters haunted by the conflict that claimed 70,000 lives say the country needs a firm hand to keep violence at bay and plan to cast ballots for his daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in the April 10 election. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) But other Peruvians remember Fujimori as the man who ordered army tanks to shut down Congress in 1992, reorganizing the country's judiciary and sparking a political crisis as a new constitution was drafted. While about half of Peruvians say they would never vote for anyone connected to the former strongman, rural voters haunted by the conflict that claimed 70,000 lives say the country needs a firm hand to keep violence at bay and plan to cast ballots for Keiko Fujimori in Sunday's election. Voting is compulsory in Peru, where the ballot also lists candidates for 130 new members of Congress. In tiny Ccano, many peasants worked with the military to fight the rebels. The Shining Path stormed a church here in retaliation, killing everyone praying inside. Last month, officials exhumed the victims' bones from an unmarked mass grave and returned the remains to the village in simple white caskets. "Alberto Fujimori brought peace. He was a good man; without him, the Shining Path would have killed us all," said Vicana, who lost his wife and two daughters in the church killing. Vicana worries that leftist insurgents could return if a weak leader were elected. Polls for months have shown the 40-year-old Keiko Fujimori as the favorite going into Sunday's contest, with a double-digit lead, although she is expected to fall short of capturing the simple majority of votes needed to avoid a June runoff. It's not clear which of her rivals might make it into a second round against Fujimori, but because the Peruvian electorate tends to prefer outsiders she would not be guaranteed a win. Her base of support is in places like Ccano, where promises to build roads, clinics and schools recall her agronomist father's own legacy of delivering aid to the long-overlooked countryside. Keiko Fujimori's political career began early. After her parents split when she was a teenager, her father named her his "first lady" in 1994. She was elected to Congress in 2006 and narrowly lost to Ollanta Humala in a 2011 presidential runoff. Peruvian law prevents Humala from running for a second, consecutive term. She has praised her father's work in rural areas while vowing not to revive his hardline regime marred by corruption and human rights violations. In an attempt to project a more modern image, she has also vowed that if elected she will not pardon her father, who is serving 25 years in prison for authorizing death squads and for corruption during his decade-long rule. It's a promise that rings hollow with many urban voters. Lima has seen street protests against her candidacy in recent weeks, with demonstrators expressing horror at the acts her father carried out. Among those is Gisela Ortiz, whose brother was studying in Lima to be a teacher when he was kidnapped and killed in 1992, along with his professor and eight classmates, by soldiers allegedly acting with government's consent. His body was found 15 months later in a mass grave. On Tuesday, the 24th anniversary of Peru's constitutional crisis, Ortiz joined tens of thousands in chanting "Never again" during a street protest in Lima. Protesters held signs reading "No More Fujimori," wore masks caricaturing father and daughter, and painted their inner thighs red to commemorate the thousands of indigenous women subjected to forced sterilizations under the former president. "She was the first lady of a criminal regime that ended the lives of our loved ones, in addition to engaging in serious corruption," Ortiz said of Keiko Fujimori. The race has been marred by the late disqualification of two candidates on technical grounds, including one who was Fujimori's strongest challenger. International groups say the eliminations have undermined trust in Peruvian electoral officials and fueled speculation Fujimori's allies are pulling the strings. "All this controversy, all these problems and crises with the elections officials have had a negative impact on Fujimori," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington, who lived in Lima for four years in the late 1980s and early 1990s. There is a virtual dead heat for second place between the leftist congresswoman Veronika Mendoza and former Wall Street investor Pedro Kuczynski. Of the three main candidates, only Mendoza, who fell out with Humala's government over its crackdown on anti-mining protesters, is looking to radically change the pro-business economic model that propelled record growth over the past decade. If elected, she has vowed to rewrite the constitution, ramp up public spending and reduce Peru's dependence on multinational mining projects that she says degrade the environment. Peru is among the world's top three silver producers. Candidates have also pledged to end the theft and corruption at public institutions that marked the old Fujimori administration. The younger, U.S.-educated Fujimori has gone to great lengths to convince voters of the same promise. During a televised debate Sunday, she signed a statement promising to respect institutions and human rights if she wins. "I know how to judge the history of my country," Fujimori said. "I know which chapters should be repeated, and I'm very clear about which ones should not." ___ Associated Press writer Hannah Dreier in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report. ___ Franklin Briceno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/franklinbriceno. His work can be found at: http://bigstory.ap.org/author/franklin-briceno. In this March 29, 2016 photo, villagers gather next to coffins holding the remains of their loved ones, who were slain more than two decades ago by Shining Path rebels, before burying them in the cemetery in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. In Ccano, many peasants worked with the military to fight the rebels, and the Shining Path stormed a church here in retaliation, killing everyone praying inside in 1991. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March, 29, 2016 photo, a woman waits for the return of the remains of over 30 people who were killed more than two decades ago in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. The villagers were killed by Shining Path guerrillas in the village's church in 1991, at the start of Alberto Fujimoris presidency. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, people eat and visit during a burial for over 30 villagers killed more than two decades ago by Shining Path rebels in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. Officials exhumed the victims bones from an unmarked mass grave and returned the remains to the village in simple white caskets. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, villagers gather by coffins holding the remains of their loved ones slain more than two decades ago by Shining Path guerrillas, before burying them in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. While some Peruvians remember Alberto Fujimori as the man who ordered the army to drive a tank to shut down Congress in 1992, reorganized the countrys judiciary and sparked a constitutional crisis as a new constitution was drafted, those in rural areas like Ccano remember him beating back the Maoist-inspired rebel group that slaughtered their parents and children during a brutal armed conflict. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 30, 2016 photo, sculptures recreating a massacre during Peru's two decades of political violence (1980-2000), stands on display at the Memory Museum in Ayacucho, Peru. While about half of Peruvians say they would never vote for anyone connected to the former strongman Alberto Fujimori, rural voters haunted by the conflict that claimed 70,000 lives say the country needs a firm hand to keep violence at bay and plan to cast ballots for his daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in the April 10 election. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, students watch a man carry the remains of a loved one who was slain more than two decades ago by Shining Path rebels, to the cemetery for a group burial service in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. In Ccano, many peasants worked with the military to fight the rebels. The Shining Path stormed a church here in retaliation, killing everyone praying inside in 1991. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, special forces police stand guard by a mural promoting presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori during a group burial service for people slain more than two decades ago by Shining Path guerrillas, in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. Keiko Fujimori's base of support is in places like Ccano, where promises to build roads, clinics and schools recall her agronomist fathers own legacy of delivering aid to the long-overlooked countryside. People here credit Alberto Fujimori with beating back a Maoist-inspired rebel group. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, Vicente Vicana Lapa, 65, right, and a relative pose for pictures next to coffins holding the remains of his slain wife, two daughters and son-in-law, all of whom were killed inside their village church more than two decades ago by Shining Path rebels, at a cemetery in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. "Alberto Fujimori brought peace. He was a good man; without him, the Shining Path would have killed us all, said Vicana. Vicana worries that leftist insurgents could return if a weak leader were elected. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 30, 2016 photo, a man looks over the city of Ayacucho, Peru, from a makeshift amusement park. Polls for months have shown 40-year-old Keiko Fujimori as the favorite going into the April 10 presidential election, with a double-digit lead, but shes expected to fall short of capturing the simple majority of votes needed to avoid a June runoff. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 30, 2016 photo, women whose relatives were killed or disappeared during Peru's two decades of political violence (1980-2000) sit inside the Memory Museum in Ayacucho, Peru. While about half of Peruvians say they would never vote for anyone connected to the former strongman Alberto Fujimori, rural voters haunted by the conflict that claimed 70,000 lives say the country needs a firm hand to keep violence at bay and plan to cast ballots for his daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in the April 10 election. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 30, 2016 photo, workers create flags for Keiko Fujimori's presidential campaign in Ayacucho, Peru. The bright orange campaign signs plastered on walls and houses promoting presidential hopeful Keiko Fujimori are an emblem of the impoverished communitys continued loyalty to the candidates father, imprisoned former president Alberto Fujimori, who the corn and potato farmers here credit with beating back a Maoist-inspired rebel group that slaughtered their parents and children during a brutal armed conflict. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, women prepare lunch during a group burial for people who were slain more than two decades ago by Shining Path guerrillas, in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. In Ccano, many peasants worked with the military to fight the rebels. The Shining Path stormed a church here in retaliation, killing everyone praying inside in 1991. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 30, 2016 photo, empty coffins that will hold the remains of people who were killed by Shining Path rebels during Peru's two decades of political violence (1980-2000), sit stacked inside the forensic laboratory in Ayacucho, Peru. Officials exhumed the bones from an unmarked mass grave and returned the remains to villagers in Ccano where many peasants worked with the military to fight the rebels. The Shining Path stormed a church in Ccano in retaliation, killing everyone praying inside. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this March 29, 2016 photo, children light candles in one of the niches of over 30 people killed by Shining Path rebels more than two decades ago, during a mass burial in Ccano, a village in the Huanta area of Ayachcuo department, Peru. While about half of Peruvians say they would never vote for anyone connected to the former strongman Alberto Fujimori, rural voters haunted by the conflict that claimed 70,000 lives say the country needs a firm hand to keep violence at bay and plan to cast ballots for his daughter, Keiko Fujimori, in the April 10 election. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Xi seen as easily surviving revelations in Panama Papers BEIJING (AP) For graft-busting Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, the Panama Papers revelations that show his brother-in-law and relatives of two other members of the party's elite inner circle owned offshore companies, often referred to as tax havens, might have been highly damaging. Instead, Xi will likely emerge unscathed as a result of his personal hold on political power, controls over free speech and the media, and a sense both among the public and potential rivals that all leading families are tainted to some degree, analysts say. With the latest reports still just days old, however, lingering impacts can't be ruled out entirely. Damage to Xi's reputation might show up in unexpected difficulties in putting in place a new team for when he assumes a second five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party next year and for setting in place a succession plan for 2022. Challenges to his leadership of a bevy of offices and committees, or to his sweeping anti-corruption campaign, might also be signs of weakness. In this March 5, 2016 photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening session of the annual National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. For graft-busting Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, recent overseas media reports showing his brother-in-law and relatives of two other members of the partys elite inner circle owned offshore companies, often referred to as tax havens, might have been highly damaging. Instead, Xi will likely emerge unscathed as a result of his personal hold on political power, controls over free speech and the media, and a sense both among the public and potential rivals that all leading families are tainted to some degree, analysts say. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) The latest report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, known as the ICIJ, says Xi's brother-in-law Deng Jiagui purchased one offshore company through Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca in 2004 and two more in 2009. All three had been dissolved or become dormant by the time Xi became party leader in 2012, the ICIJ says citing a stash of 11.5 million leaked Mossack Fonseca documents dubbed the Panama Papers that discuss cases involving politicians, celebrities and business people from around the world. Analysts say the revelations shed little new light on the Xi family's financial doings, further limiting their impact. Xi's case is also helped by the fact that he has shown no fear in taking on high-profile targets in his anti-corruption campaign and has been seen in past as reining in his family's illicit activities by having them sell off their interests and by telling provincial leaders personally that they did not act in his name, they say. "I would have suspected that many of those who follow elite politics already believe that Xi's extended family is like many if not most elite families in that some of them have managed to cash in on China's economic boom. I think, however, he still gets credit for cracking down on high-level corruption," said Georgia State University political scientist Andrew Wedeman, who has extensively researched corruption in China. The investigation does however provide new information about how members of the Chinese elite use international law firms and shell companies registered overseas in ways that could facilitate the concealment and protection of fortunes whose provenance may be unknown. The other two current Politburo Standing Committee members named in the ICIJ report are Zhang Gaoli, whose son-in-law was named as a shareholder of three companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and Liu Yunshan, whose daughter-in-law was the director and shareholder of a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in 2009. Having such accounts is not illegal, and no specific functions, asset amounts or allegations of wrongdoing were made in any of the cases. Like Xi, none have responded directly to the reports. While the leaked documents also revealed hidden dealings by politicians in Western-style democracies, Xi is shielded from the kinds of scrutiny his Western counterparts must contend with. Along with its muzzled press, China permits its national legislature to meet in full session just once a year and then only to debate and approve proposals sent them by the government. Nor does China permit public protests of the type that confronted Iceland's leader Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson before he stepped aside Tuesday amid outrage over revelations he had used a shell company to shelter large sums while Iceland's economy was in crisis. While the personal lives and finances of Chinese leaders are strictly off-limits to Chinese media, international outlets have frequently sought to plumb the truth of perceptions that the country's opaque politics and booming economic growth provide a rich environment for corruption. Previous reports, particularly one by Bloomberg News in 2012, have not implicated Xi, his wife or their daughter and have had no discernable impact on his political fortunes. They do show, however, that Xi's extended family accumulated investments and stakes in companies worth millions of dollars at a time when he was rising in the party and government. As the children of famed communist revolutionary Xi Zhongxun, he and his siblings enjoy privileged status as members of what is sometimes called China's "red aristocracy," with unique access to circles of power and inside information that can be leveraged for personal gain. China's censors have blocked, deleted or heavily edited all reports about the ICIJ reports to prevent any mention of Xi, or the relatives of seven other current or former members of the party's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee reported to have owned overseas tax havens. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei described the reports as "groundless" and said he would refuse to comment on them further. Even that brief exchange was struck from the transcript of Tuesday's briefing posted on the ministry's website. Behind the party's habitual secrecy and reflexive desire to control, lies the recognition that corruption remains a volatile issue. Anti-graft sentiments were a driver behind student-led pro-democracy protests in 1989 and since then, more than a half-a-dozen serving or retired members of the party's elite inner circle have been brought down over corruption allegations However, the perception that all leading families are corrupt to some degree also acts as a form of "MAD (mutually assured destruction) deterrence," said Steve Tsang, senior fellow at the University of Nottingham's China Policy Institute. Criticism, if it comes, is more likely to emerge from "outside the top echelon of the leadership in China," Tsang said. Chinese officials are also sheltered by public disclosure rules that require only that they declare their assets internally. The public in most cases never knows what is in such declarations, nor how carefully they are audited. Calls for changes have fallen on deaf ears or in some cases met with reprisals. Wealth among members of the legislature, the National People's Congress, is even easier to hide, one reason why the body is known as the richest parliament in the world. Despite the political obstacles, some Chinese continue to complain about the public's inability to supervise and push for greater transparency in their leaders' financial dealings. "If well implemented, asset declaration should be a good way to fight corruption and ensure the integrity of public officials," the official newspaper Ningbo Daily said in a March 31 article. AP Interview: Japan lawyer wants no-nukes after Fukushima TOKYO (AP) Lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai stands out in Japan, a nation dominated by somber dark suits: When not in a courtroom, he often wears colorful shirts and crystal-covered animal pins. He is a Noh dancer, a tenor and, of late, a filmmaker. His ride is a Harley. Some of it is just for fun, but much of the flamboyance is meant to draw attention to his cause: shutting down all nuclear plants in Japan. His more than two-decade-long legal battle is gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago led to all plants being idled for safety checks. In March, Kawai helped set up an organization to support Fukushima residents whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster 166 among 380,000 people 18 years and under who were tested, including suspected cases. That's up to 50 times higher than on average, according to Toshihide Tsuda, a professor at Okayama University. In this March 22, 2016 photo, lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai answers questions during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press at his office in Tokyo. Kawai is representing dozens of courtroom battles to shut down Japans reactors - a fight he has headed for two decades and one thats gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago. He is also a key figure in an organization set up in March to support the people of Fukushima whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) The Japanese government denies any link, saying the increase reflects more rigorous screening. Thyroid cancer, rare among children at two or three in a million, soared after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Also last month, Kawai's won a court injunction to stop two nuclear reactors in western Japan that had recently restarted. The district court cited concerns about safety, emergency planning and environmental contamination. One of the reactors was shut down shortly after its restart because of glitches. Both had met stricter standards upgraded after the 2011 disaster. Kawai's team is pursuing damage compensation for those evacuated from Fukushima, and criminal charges against former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the Fukushima plant. His ultimate goal is to banish nuclear power. "If another nuclear accident ever happens in Japan, everything will be destroyed turning upside down our politics, our economy, our education, our culture, our love, our law," Kawai told The Associated Press, sitting at a desk overflowing with files and papers in his Tokyo office. Born in 1944 in Manchuria, northeastern China, Kawaii has built a reputation as a champion of humanitarian causes, helping out Japanese abandoned as children in China after World War II, and Filipinos of Japanese descent in the Philippines. His compassion is driven partly by his own experience: A baby brother died of starvation during his family's perilous journey back to Japan. After graduating from prestigious Tokyo University, Kawai represented major corporations as a lawyer during the "bubble era" of the 1980s. In the mid-1990s he began taking on lawsuits against nuclear power. Until 2011, he was fighting a losing battle. To win over regular people after the Fukushima accident Kawai started making movies, which are sometimes entered as evidence for his court cases. In "Nuclear Japan," he points out how precariously quake- and tsunami-prone Japan is, and how densely populated. He interviews scientists, former Fukushima residents, a fire fighter who could not go back to save lives because of radiation. "Imagine remembering this film in an evacuation center after the next nuclear disaster," Kawai narrates in the movie. Since Japan imports almost all its energy, many in government and business view nuclear power as the cheapest option, and the best way to curb pollution and counter global warming. Kawai's stance angers many in the powerful business community. Hiroshi Sato, a senior adviser at Kobe Steel, lambasted Kawai's position as "emotional" and "unscientific." "What I'm really worried about is the idea of similar lawsuits being filed one after another. That would lead to uncertainty about a stable electricity supply," he told reporters recently. Even those who insist nuclear power is safe including top government regulator Shunichi Tanaka and Gerry Thomas, a professor at the Imperial College of London who advises Japan say the choice of whether to keep or abandon nuclear energy should be left to the Japanese people. Kawai believes policy shifts, like the turn against nuclear in Germany, begin in the courtroom. "For 50 years, Japan had a campaign that we need nuclear power, and how it is reliable and safe, and 99 percent of Japanese believed this," he said. "But we thought we could finally win, and about 300 lawyers came together to start a new fight against nuclear power," he said with a zeal making him appear younger than his 71 years. Financially independent thanks to his corporate law days, Kawai invested 35 million yen ($350,000) in his first movie, which turned a profit from screenings and DVD sales. He is now working on his third film. "I think he is fantastic," said Yurika Ayukawa, a professor of policy at Chiba University of Commerce. She attended at a recent screening where Kawai spoke and surprised the crowd by breaking into a song on Iitate, one of rural Fukushima's most radiated areas. Radiation is a sensitive issue in Japan, the only country to suffer atomic bomb attacks, and the Fukushima thyroid cancer patients and their families mostly have kept silent, fearing a social backlash. They face pressure from the hospital treating their children not to speak to media or to question the official view that the illnesses are unrelated to radiation. Two of the patients' families appeared recently with Kawai before reporters, although in a video-call with their faces not shown. They said they felt doubtful, afraid and isolated. Kawai believes they are entitled to compensation, though they have not yet filed a lawsuit. George Fujita, an attorney who specializes in environmental issues, says Kawai is Japan's top lawyer on nuclear lawsuits. "It's unusual for judges to watch a whole movie entered as evidence. It's because the people are putting pressure on the courts," he said. Kawai admits that at times he been tempted to give up. "I should never walk away. I must fight it out," he said. His business card is three times the usual size to include his artistic activities and his motto: "If you really mean it, you get most anything done. If you really mean it, everything becomes fun. If you really mean it, someone will come and help." He swears it sums up his life. ___ Online site for Kawai's movie: http://www.nihontogenpatsu.com/english Follow Mari Yamaguchi at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mari-yamaguchi Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/yurikageyama Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/yuri-kageyama In this March 22, 2016 photo, lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai listens questions during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press at his office in Tokyo. Kawai is representing dozens of courtroom battles to shut down Japans reactors - a fight he has headed for two decades and one thats gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago. He is also a key figure in an organization set up in March to support the people of Fukushima whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this March 22, 2016 photo, lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai speaks near the DVDs of his film "Nuclear Japan" on the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press at his office in Tokyo. Kawai is representing dozens of courtroom battles to shut down Japans reactors - a fight he has headed for two decades and one thats gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago. He is also a key figure in an organization set up in March to support the people of Fukushima whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this March 22, 2016 photo, lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai sits at his office during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo. Kawai is representing dozens of courtroom battles to shut down Japans reactors - a fight he has headed for two decades and one thats gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago. He is also a key figure in an organization set up in March to support the people of Fukushima whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) In this March 12, 2016 photo, lawyer Hiroyuki Kawai, left, sits in front of a screen showing an live image of family members of the patients of thyroid cancer, during a press conference of the launching of a support group for the patients of thyroid cancer and family members in Fukushima, in Tokyo. Kawai is representing dozens of courtroom battles to shut down Japans reactors - a fight he has headed for two decades and one thats gaining momentum after the multiple meltdowns in Fukushima five years ago. He is also a key figure in an organization set up in March to support the people of Fukushima whose children have developed thyroid cancer since the 2011 disaster. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi) A jetpack nears liftoff, but creator fears dream is grounded CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) Glenn Martin was sitting in a bar with his college buddies 35 years ago when they got to wondering: What ever happened to flying cars and jetpacks? The next day, the New Zealander began looking for answers in the science library, triggering a lifelong quest to build a jetpack. But today, with the company he created seemingly on the verge of triumph, Martin worries his dream is slipping away. Martin Aircraft Co. says it will deliver its first experimental jetpacks to customers this year, a big development for the new technology. But the jetpack is being designed for first responders like firefighters, an outcome that falls short of Martin's vision of a recreational jetpack that anybody could fly. In this Feb. 9, 2016 photo, Martin Aircraft CEO Peter Coker stands next to a Martin Jetpack in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company says its close to commercial liftoff, but the man who started it fears his vision of a personal jetpack will remain grounded. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) The inventor has now left the company he founded. What's more, he says, he's asked for his name to be removed. "All us guys know what a jetpack's for," he says with a smile at his Christchurch home. "With a jetpack, you save the world and you get the girl. Right?" Jetpacks have often been portrayed that way in books and movies. They have formed part of humanity's utopian future vision for the past century. Fictional characters from Buck Rogers to Elroy Jetson have used them, and a real jetpack wowed the crowds at the opening of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Martin, 56, grew up in the South Pacific, thousands of miles (kilometers) from Houston. But he followed the space race avidly. "I still remember sitting in class and listening to Neil Armstrong step onto the moon," he says. "And I believed, I suppose, that we would all have flying cars and jetpacks and bases on Mars by the time I was an adult." Storied though they may be, jetpacks have a troubled history. The Bell Aerospace rocket belt, developed in the 1960s, showed it was possible. However, that jetpack couldn't carry much weight and could remain airborne for less than 30 seconds. It was for show, nothing more. In the mid-1990s, three Houston men decided they'd try to make one. Instead, they made a mess. They fell out over money and their venture ended with an unsolved murder, an abduction, a man in jail and a device that had vanished. Peter Coker, Martin Aircraft's chief executive, says he believes the best business plan is to make jetpacks for first responders and later for other commercial operators. Once all the supply chains are in place, he says, the company can then turn its attention to building a personal jetpack. "We are now an aviation company," Coker says. "Before, it was very much the kiwi dream. But you have to take that commercial path." Glenn Martin's vision still holds true, Coker says: Creating and selling a personal jetpack remains part of what the company is all about. But Martin doubts the company will ever make one. When he began his research, he wanted to improve on the Bell rocket belt and make a jetpack that could lift a solidly built guy like himself and a safety parachute, then stay airborne for at least 30 minutes. He decided to use ducted fans, making the word jetpack something of a misnomer. During the 1980s, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry and built prototypes in his garage. He sponsored two university students to check his math. By 1997 he needed a lightweight pilot, so he enlisted his wife, Vanessa, to make the inaugural flight. It lasted a few seconds. More refinements eventually allowed the jetpack and its pilot to remain airborne for several minutes and complete controlled turns. Martin took inspiration from reading the Wright brothers' journals; in 2008, he took a prototype to the Experimental Aircraft Association airshow in Wisconsin. He says he decided to build his jetpack with straightforward components, including a piston engine that uses standard gasoline. He wanted to keep it small enough to be classified as ultralight aircraft, which in the U.S. don't typically require a pilot's license to fly. He figured anyone could learn to fly one after a 3-day course and be kept safe with a built-in parachute which would automatically deploy in an emergency. But as he sought to raise funds for his fledgling company, Martin says, he began losing control. Along came investors, venture capitalists, and plans for an Initial Public Offering. The company was listed on the Australian stock market in February last year, and is now majority owned by a Chinese company, KuangChi Science. It's valued at about 180 million Australian dollars ($138 million), showing that investors are taking the concept of a commercial jetpack seriously. Disillusioned with the direction the company was taking, Martin resigned as a director in June. He still owns a 10 percent stake, which he cannot sell before February. "I'd picked up the rugby ball and taken it almost to the finish line and felt it was time for other people to do the rest," he says. Coker, 60, a former officer in Britain's Royal Air Force, has increased the staff from six to 58 since taking the reins three years ago. By late 2016, he plans for the first customers to begin using the jetpack prototype in real-time operations while providing feedback for further improvements. The company is also developing an unmanned jetpack, which will be used for transporting goods. The company has signed preliminary agreements with several agencies, including Dubai's civil defense department. Coker says Dubai and others are interested in jetpacks that can rescue people from skyscrapers, or put out fires in them. He says jetpacks can get much closer to buildings than helicopters, and some people are calling them "high-rise lifeboats." Obstacles remain. The jetpack will need to be cleared by aviation authorities. Martin Aircraft has been working with New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority on a new category for jetpacks, which Coker hopes will provide a template for other nations. Coker says Martin has not formally asked for his name to be removed from the company, and he can't recall any informal approach. If the founder made an official request, Coker says, the board would consider the impact on branding and marketing before making a decision. And Glenn Martin? Yes, he's disappointed he didn't see the concept all the way through. On the other hand, he enjoyed a summer holiday with his family this year for the first time he can remember. "Jetpacks are a funny thing. They create a lot of passion," he says. "Everybody loves the idea of a jetpack. But the reality is that it's a lot of hard work." The jetpack may look bulky, but Martin says you don't notice that when you're airborne an experience he likens to living out his childhood dreams. "The jetpack is all behind you. You can't see it," he says. "All you can see is your hands. It's like some magic hand has lifted you up, and you're flying." ___ Follow Nick Perry on Twitter at: twitter.com/nickgbperry In this Feb. 9, 2016 photo, technician John Newell works on a jetpack component at the Martin Aircraft Co. headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company says its close to commercial liftoff, but the man who started it fears his vision of a personal jetpack will remain grounded. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) In this Feb. 9, 2016 photo, technician Simon Jones works on a jetpack at the Martin Aircraft Co. headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company says its close to commercial liftoff, but the man who started it fears his vision of a personal jetpack will remain grounded. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) In this Feb. 9, 2016 photo, test pilot Michael van der Vliet operates a flight simulator at the Martin Aircraft Co. headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company says its close to commercial liftoff, but the man who started it fears his vision of a personal jetpack will remain grounded. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) In this Feb. 9, 2016 photo, a number of early jetpack prototypes sit on display at the Martin Aircraft Co. headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. The company says its close to commercial liftoff, but the man who started it fears his vision of a personal jetpack will remain grounded. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) Student opponent of radical Islam slain on Bangladesh street NEW DELHI (AP) Three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked and shot to death a student opponent of radical Islam as he was walking with a friend along a street in Bangladesh's capital, police said Thursday. The killing on Wednesday night follows a string of similar attacks last year, when at least five secular bloggers and publishers were killed, allegedly by radical Islamists. Police suspect 28-year-old Nazimuddin Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim-majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement to demand capital punishment for war crimes involving the independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. Bangladeshi students protest seeking arrest of three motorcycle-riding assailants who hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death as he walked with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. ( AP Photo) No group immediately claimed responsibility. The assailants, who had been riding a single motorcycle, escaped after the assault while shouting, "Allahu Akbar," or "Allah is great." Fellow students and friends of Samad rallied at the state-run Jagannath University, where Samad was studying law and had attended class the evening of the attack. "This is very sad for us. We are trying whatever we can do to support the family during such difficult time," university proctor Nur Mohammad said. People also flooded Samad's Facebook page with messages to their late friend. "Friend, please pardon us. You were, you are, you will be (with us)," wrote one friend called Rahat Chowdhury. Many of Samad's posts criticized radical Islam and promoted secularism. A supporter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's secular Awami League party, Samad also took part in the movement that successfully pushed for prosecutors to have more scope for going after suspected war criminals. Hasina's government has been cracking down on radical Islamist groups, which it blames for the deadly attacks last year on secular bloggers, minority Shiites, Christians and two foreigners. It accuses the opposition of supporting religious radicals in seeking to retaliate against the government for prosecuting suspected war crimes. Some of the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group, but the government dismisses those claims and says the Sunni extremist group has no presence in the country. David Saperstein, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, tweeted: "Horrified by murder of student activist in #Bangladesh, our thoughts and prayers with Nazimuddin Samad's family." Rep. Joe Crowley, a Democratic lawmaker and chair of U.S. congressional Bangladesh Caucus, said: "The disturbing pattern of violent attacks on bloggers in Bangladesh is extremely concerning. These gruesome crimes have had a chilling effect on freedom of religious expression and speech." Two international groups promoting freedom of expression said the ongoing attacks showed Hasina's government was failing to protect people. "We urge the Bangladeshi police and other authorities to do everything in their power to investigate and prosecute this vicious attack on free speech and thought, and halt this terrible pattern of murders," said Karin Deutsch Karlekar of PEN America, a group of 4,400 U.S. writers. She also called on the U.S. and other countries to provide refuge to writers and secularists being targeted in Bangladesh. Samad's killing "is a cruel illustration of the costs of inaction," she said. The Center for Inquiry also expressed concern. The center's public policy director, Michael De Dora, said the Bangladeshi government "must do much more to protect its own people from marauding Islamist killers." "These murders keep happening because they are allowed to happen," Dora said. Bangladeshi students protest seeking the arrest of three motorcycle-riding assailants who hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death as he walked with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. (AP Photo) Blood stained glass and a photograph of the Hindu goddess Durga is seen near the spot where three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death while walking with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. (AP Photo) Bangladeshi police officers investigate at the spot where three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death while walking with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. ( AP Photo) A Bangladeshi policeman stands guard at the spot where three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death as he walked with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. ( AP Photo) Fire on California-Arizona border leads RV parks to evacuate NEEDLES, Calif. (AP) A wildfire driven by gusty winds erupted in western Arizona on Wednesday and jumped the Colorado River into California, devouring more than 2 square miles of brush and prompting the evacuation of a resort and RV parks before the flames began to ease, authorities said. The fire that began before dawn in the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, which spans both states, threw huge waves of smoke into the air along the border before the 15- to 20-mph winds began easing in late afternoon. The fire, which burned more than 1,400 acres of salt cedars, mesquite and river-bottom vegetation, was only 5 percent contained by nightfall, but the progress looked good, said Mike Reichling of the federal Bureau of Land Management. This photo provided by the San Bernardino County Fire Department shows a flareup of a wildfire that started in western Arizona and jumped the Colorado River into California, near Needles, Calif., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Two mobile home parks, Pirate's Cove and Park Moabi RV parks in the Mojave Desert south of Needles, were evacuated as firefighters on both sides of the river worked to surround the flames.(San Bernardino County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT "It's laying down," he said of the blaze. "The temperature's dropping, humidity's coming up a bit." Firefighters planned to set backfires overnight to hem in the blaze, which still threatened a marina on the Arizona side of the river. The brush fire was reported at 4:30 a.m. Tye James, a waitress at Double Ds Roadhouse in Topock, Arizona, said she saw a wall of flames as she drove to work. "There's just a lot of black smoke going up from around the river," she said. No injuries were reported. About 100 people were evacuated from Pirate's Cove, a pirate-themed family resort, and RV parks in the Mojave Desert south of Needles, California, Reichling said. Embers slightly damaged a bar area of the Pirate's Cove restaurant before the flames were knocked down. The cause of the fire was not known, but investigators were considering it suspicious, said Fire Chief Ted Martin of the Mohave Valley Fire District in Arizona. The blaze is 12 miles south of Needles, a small desert city about halfway between Los Angeles and Flagstaff, Arizona. This photo provided by the San Bernardino County Fire Department shows a helicopter making a drop on a wildfire that started in western Arizona and jumped the Colorado River into California, near Needles, Calif., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Two mobile home parks, Pirate's Cove and Park Moabi RV parks in the Mojave Desert south of Needles, were evacuated as firefighters on both sides of the river worked to surround the flames. (San Bernardino County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT This photo provided by the San Bernardino County Fire Department shows firefighters working to save Pirate's Cove Bar on the Colorado River - it suffered minor damage - after a wildfire that started in western Arizona and jumped the Colorado River into California, near Needles, Calif., Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Two mobile home parks, Pirate's Cove and Park Moabi RV parks in the Mojave Desert south of Needles, were evacuated as firefighters on both sides of the river worked to surround the flames.(San Bernardino County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Panama Papers leaks name prominent China political families BEIJING (AP) The Panama Papers document leak reported by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists names family members of eight present or past members of China's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, including the brother-in-law of president and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and a distant relative of the founder of the communist state, Mao Zedong. The family members mentioned were listed as owners or shareholders in companies registered offshore that are sometimes known as tax shelters, although no impropriety was implied. Here's a look at some of the families involved: ___ XI JINPING, PRESIDENT AND COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER The ICIJ reports state that Deng Jiagui, the husband of President Xi Jinping's older sister Qi Qiaoqiao, used Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca to open one offshore company in 2004 and another two in 2009. ICIJ said it was unclear why Deng opened the firms, which were given the fanciful names of Supreme Victory Enterprises Ltd., Best Effect Enterprises Ltd. and Wealth Ming International Ltd. All three companies had been dissolved or become dormant by the time Xi took over as party leader in 2012. ___ LIU YUNSHAN, POLITBURO STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER The reports say the daughter-in-law of the Politburo Standing Committee's fifth-ranking member of Liu Yunshan was the director and shareholder in a company called Ultra Time Investments Ltd. incorporated with Mossack Fonseca's help in the British Virgin Islands in 2009. Liu at the time was head of party propaganda and a member of the Politburo, one rung below the Standing Committee. ___ ZHANG GAOLI, POLITBURO STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBER A son-in-law of Zhang Gaoli, the seventh and lowest-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee, was listed as a shareholder in Zennon Capital Management, Sino Reliance Networks Corp. and Glory Top Investments Ltd. All three companies were incorporated through Mossack Fonseca in the British Virgin Islands, one of the most popular offshore tax havens. The reports did not say when the incorporations took place. Zhang's last formal positions prior to joining the Politburo Standing Committee had been as the top official in the fast-growing northern port city of Tianjin and in the eastern province of Shandong. ___ LI PENG, FORMER PREMIER Li Xiaolin, a prominent figure in the state power sector and the only daughter of former premier Li Peng, is reported to have used the law firm to acquire Cofic Investments along with her husband. ICIJ said the company was incorporated in 1994 and cited internal e-mails saying it was funded with commissions from the import European industrial equipment into China. Ownership was obscured by the use of bearer certificates that list no names. Li Xiaolin retired as CEO of China Power International Development last year in what was seen by some as part of Xi's moves to uproot leaders' children from highly visible positions in the state sector. ___ ZENG QINGHONG, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT Considered the consummate Chinese political insider, former vice president Zeng Qinghong was linked to a company named China Cultural Exchange Association Ltd. that was registered by his brother Zeng Qinghuai in Samoa in 2006 using Mossack Fonseca's services. Zeng Qinghong was still in office at the time. ___ HU YAOBANG, FORMER COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY GENERAL Hu Dehua, a son of revered former secretary general Hu Yaobang was listed as shareholder, director and beneficial owner of Fortalent International Holdings Ltd. The company was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in 2003, 14 years after his father's death. The elder Hu was considered a leading reformist and his political demotion and sudden passing in 1989 helped spark that year's massive student-led pro-democracy protests centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. ___ MAO ZEDONG, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FOUNDER The reports say Chen Dongsheng, a grandson-in-law of the founder of the communist state Mao Zedong, incorporated a company called Keen Best International Ltd. in the British Virgin Islands in 2011, and was its sole director and shareholder. Chen also heads a life insurance company and an art auction house. President Barack Obama accused Senate Republicans on Thursday of jeopardizing the 'integrity of the judicial branch' by refusing to consider his 'extraordinary' nominee to the Supreme Court. Holding court before Chicago law students, Obama argued that the treatment of judge Merrick Garland will cause the public to lose confidence in the ability of courts at all levels of government to fairly judge cases and resolve controversies. 'Our democracy can't afford that,' Obama said. Scroll down for video President Obama railed against Senate Republicans who have dug their feet in and said they will not budge on confirming the president's replacement - Merrick Garland - for the last Justice Antonin Scalia 'That erodes the institutional integrity of the judicial branch,' Obama told about 300 students, faculty and judges at the University of Chicago Law School Obama introduced Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, three weeks ago at the White House, but the nomination had stalled long before that sunny March day in the Rose Garden. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had announced hours after Justice Antonin Scalia's death in February that the Senate would not hold hearings or vote on any nomination Obama sent to Capitol Hill in an election year. Obama said that stance is jeopardizing democracy by leading to potential 4-4 ties on cases from the Supreme Court. He also said there potentially are two terms in which the high court will have to issue rulings without a tie-breaking justice. Obama described that scenario as unprecedented and said the courts have become a troubling extension of America's broken politics. 'That erodes the institutional integrity of the judicial branch,' Obama told about 300 students, faculty and judges at the University of Chicago Law School, where he taught constitutional law for more than a decade. 'At that point, people lose confidence in the ability of the courts to fairly adjudicate cases and controversies and our democracy can't afford that.' On the Senate floor Thursday, McConnell said Obama would 'be telling supporters a politically convenient fairy tale' by arguing that the Constitution requires a Senate vote on his nominee. Garland has been meeting with Democratic and Republican senators on Capitol Hill, but there is no indication the sessions are influencing the political calculus of the Senate Republican leadership. President Barack Obama speaks about his Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, Thursday, April 7, 2016, at the University of Chicago Law School in Chicago Judge Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's choice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, smiles as he meets with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., in her office on Capitol Hill He met Thursday with four Democrats: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Chris Coons of Delaware and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Blumenthal, after his meeting, urged more Republicans to meet with Garland. 'He will be a unifying force if confirmed,' Blumenthal said. Most GOP senators, including McConnell, have said they will not meet with Garland, though Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa has invited the judge to meet over breakfast Tuesday. Garland will meet with other Republicans next week, including Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Rob Portman of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Jeff Flake of Arizona, the White House said. Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, a Republican regarded as one of the most vulnerable incumbents seeking re-election in November, was the first GOP senator to meet with Garland. Kirk is Garland's home-state senator and one of a few Republicans to call for hearings on his nomination. Kirk on Thursday tweeted a photo of a handwritten note Obama sent thanking the senator for meeting with Garland late last month. Kirk tweeted that he met with the judge 'because my responsibility to the people of (hashtag)IL is more important than partisanship.' President Barack Obama responds to questions at the University of Chicago Law School, where he taught constitutional law for over a decade in Chicago Obama discussed his nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick Garland, and continued to call on the Senate to give him a fair hearing and and up or down vote Obama has accused Republicans of blocking Garland for political reasons. In the note to Kirk, Obama said: 'Thank you for your fair and responsible treatment of Merrick Garland. It upholds the institutional values of the Senate, and helps preserve the bipartisan ideals of an independent judiciary.' In Chicago, Obama answered some questions from students, including one who asked about the diversity Garland, who is white, would add to the court. 'Well, he's from Skokie, (Illinois),' Obama joked. He noted that Garland follows his earlier nominations of Sonia Sotomayor, a Latina, and Elena Kagan, who is Jewish, to the high court. 'When I look at Merrick Garland, yeah, he's a white guy but he's a really outstanding jurist. Sorry.' The question reflected some of the disappointment among liberal groups who had urged Obama to use the vacancy to further expand diversity on the court. Obama had been urged to name the first African-American female justice, while others hoped to see the first Asian-American. Some have worried that Obama's choice of a white man from the Midwest would deflate enthusiasm among the liberal base heading into November's elections. EU threatens to put sanctions on Panama, other tax havens BERLIN (AP) A European Union official threatened Thursday to sanction Panama and other nations if they don't cooperate fully to fight money laundering and tax evasion, after a leak of data showed the small country remains a key destination for people who want to hide money. The 11.5 million documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca showed it helped thousands of individuals and companies from around the world set up shell companies and offshore accounts in low-tax havens. Because such accounts often hide the ultimate owner of assets, they are a favored tool to evade taxes, launder money or pay bribes. So far, the scandal has brought down the leader of Iceland and raised questions about the dealings of the presidents of Argentina and Ukraine, senior Chinese politicians, famous actors, athletes and the circle of friends of Russian Vladimir Putin, who some allege has profited indirectly from such accounts. On Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged he profited from his father's investments in an offshore tax haven before being elected. FILE - In this April 4, 2016 file photo, a marquee on a building in Panama City, Panama, lists the Mossack Fonseca law firm, one of the leaders in setting up offshore bank accounts for the rich and powerful. Offshore accounts conjure up images of malicious misdeeds, but many people use them for more than just hiding bribes and laundering money. And offshore accounts can be a financial tool for more than just the ultra-wealthy, too. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco, File) "People are fed up with these outrages," said Pierre Moscovici, who heads financial affairs for the 28-nation EU. He took to task countries like Panama that facilitate such secretive, low-tax accounts. "The amounts of money, the jurisdictions and the names associated with this affair are frankly shocking," he said. Panama is listed by the EU as a country that is not cooperative on tax issues, and Moscovici urged the country to "rethink its position in this regard." The EU has to "be ready to hit them with appropriate sanctions if they refuse to change," he said. The Central American country's government is offering to cooperate more. On Wednesday, President Juan Carlos Varela announced the creation of an international committee of experts to recommend ways to boost transparency in Panama's offshore financial industry. But Varela defended his country against what he called a "media attack" by wealthy nations that he says are ignoring their own deficiencies and unfairly stigmatizing Panama. Ramon Fonseca, a co-founder of the law firm at the center of the scandal and until recently a top adviser to Varela, said Thursday the only law that has been broken so far is the right to his clients' privacy. He said the biggest source of secretive shell companies is Europe and the U.S. "If a company in England has problems nobody says anything against England, but when it happens to a firm in Panama it's a big problem and the entire world beats up on poor Panama," Fonseca told The Associated Press in an interview. He said his firm creates about 20,000 shell companies annually but also rejects about 70 to 80 clients every year due to conflicts that crop up during due diligence. "We're not perfect and some surely escape by," he said. "But in all our years in business we've never been accused or condemned by a court." Europe also is home to countries with a record of acting like tax havens and providing banking secrecy Luxembourg, Switzerland, Andorra, among others. The United States has also become a haven, with several states including Wyoming and Delaware now popular places to open anonymous accounts that are cheap to maintain and pay little or no local tax. Since the first reports based on Mossack Fonseca documents were published Sunday, prominent politicians, celebrities and businesspeople have had their offshore business dealings dragged into the spotlight. On Thursday, the German newspaper that first obtained what have been dubbed the "Panama Papers," said it won't publish all the files, arguing that not all are of public interest. Sueddeutsche Zeitung received the documents from an unidentified source more than a year ago and shared at least parts of them with dozens of other media outlets around the world. Fonseca said his firm has hired forensic experts to investigate and have already uncovered the method used to penetrate its systems. He said the hack was probably carried out from Europe and dismissed speculation it may have been an inside job. Sueddeutsche Zeitung and the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which helped coordinate reporting on the leak, have said they won't make the complete set of 11.5 million documents available to the public or law enforcement but rather mine the information for details of public interest. Responding to readers' queries about the absence of prominent German or American politicians in the reports, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said such names haven't yet been found in the documents. It said the documents include copies of the passports of 200 Americans and about 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies have listed addresses in the United States Fonseca said his firm has only a handful of American clients, mostly expats living in Panama. He said both he and his German-born partner have longstanding ties to Europe and over the years have focused their business there and in Latin America. Meanwhile, Britain's Cameron looks to become the next European politician ensnared by the scandal. After four days fending off headlines about his family's finances, he acknowledged Thursday that he and his wife, Samantha, sold shares worth 31,500 pounds (currently $44,300) in an offshore fund named Blairmore Holdings in January 2010 five months before Cameron became prime minister. They had paid 12,497 pounds for the shares in 1997. The prime minister's father, Ian Cameron, an affluent stockbroker who died in 2010, was a client of Mossack Fonseca. There's no indication the offshore fund was set up to avoid paying taxes but the revelation has reinforced the prime minister's image as a scion of wealth and undermined calls to boost transparency at a time many British overseas territories act as tax havens. Also on Thursday, an Argentine prosecutor asked a judge to authorize an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's role in offshore companies. Federal prosecutors said an investigation is necessary to see whether Macri "maliciously" omitted his role in two offshore companies in his annual tax declarations. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the document leaks scandal as part of a U.S.-led plot to weaken Russia. Speaking at a media forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses even though his name didn't feature in any of the documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm. Putin described the allegations as part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. "They are trying to destabilize us from within in order to make us more compliant," he said. The ICIJ said the documents it obtained indicated that Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin acted as a front man for a network of Putin loyalists and, perhaps, the president himself. The ICIJ said the documents show how complex offshore financial deals channeled as much as $2 billion to a network of people linked to the Russian president. ___ Associated Press writer Frank Jordans reported this story in Berlin and AP writer Raf Casert reported from Brussels. AP writers Irina Titova and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Joshua Goodman in Bogota, Colombia, and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. With a bust of Latin America's independence hero Simon Bolivar in the background, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela gives a televised statement to the nation, in Panama City, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Varela spoke about the millions of confidential documents that were leaked from a Panama-based law firm, coined the "panama papers," revealing details of how some of the globe's richest people funnel their assets into secretive shell companies set up in Panama and in other lightly regulated jurisdictions. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Partner of the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, Ramon Fonseca speaks during an interview at his office in Panama City, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Fonseca, a co-founder of Mossack Fonseca, one of the world's largest creators of shell companies, said that documents investigated by the ICIJ were authentic and had been obtained illegally by hackers. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Dominique Plihot, spokesman for ATTAC, right, delivers his speech with anti-fraud activists blocking entrances at Societe Generale's Paris headquarters as part of a protest accusing the French bank of ties to the so-called "Panama Papers", in Paris, France, Thusday, April 7, 2016. Calling it "inadmissible," Plihot, said he was there "to create public awareness that Societe Generale was among the big banks cited in the documents" released by an international probe of offshore accounts. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) Aung San Suu Kyi has busy week meeting foreign diplomats NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) Myanmar's high-profile new foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, met her Canadian counterpart on Thursday, as dignitaries visit the country to meet the Nobel laureate. Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion congratulated Myanmar on installing its first civilian government in decades and on its transition from military rule to democracy. "It's always difficult to build a strong democracy," Dion said at a joint news conference at Myanmar's Presidential Palace in the capital, Naypyitaw. "Myanmar needs to succeed. It's important for your country and it's important for the world." Myanmar Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, right, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, left, after their meeting Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Soe Gyi) Suu Kyi said Dion had offered to help efforts to end longstanding armed insurgencies against the Burmese-majority government by minority groups demanding autonomy and control over their natural resources in the north, northeast and east of the country. Many ethnic armies have been fighting since the country gained independence from the British in 1948, and experts say continued civil unrest is slowing development in one of the region's poorest countries. "I think, particularly, Canada is anxious to help us in the peace process. And this is the kind of assistance that we very much welcome," Suu Kyi told a news conference. "And we would appreciate everything that our friends can do to assist us in our efforts to make this country, one that has built unity out of diversity." Suu Kyi also hosted the foreign ministers of China and Italy earlier this week. In November, the country held its first free election in decades, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won by a landslide. Suu Kyi, the country's most popular politician, is barred by a junta-era constitution from becoming president because her sons are British citizens, as was her late husband. She picked her close ally, Htin Kyaw, to become Myanmar's president and lead the government that took office last week. In its first legislative act, the parliament created a new post for Suu Kyi as "state counsellor" on Tuesday, giving her powers similar to those of a prime minister. The move allows Suu Kyi to have a powerful hand in running Myanmar and helps her circumvent the constitution's ban. In addition to foreign minister, Suu Kyi also heads the president's office. This week's meetings have put Suu Kyi in the spotlight, with President Htin Kyaw playing a supporting role. Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, second right, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, third left, while Myanmar Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, right, watches during their meeting at Presidential Palace Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Soe Gyi) PICTURED: Iraqi museum refuge for relics of the past BAGHDAD (AP) After the destruction wreaked on archaeological sites by Islamic State group, the collections at the Iraq's National Museum in Baghdad have become even more important. It's now one of the only places you can find relics from the ancient cities that fell into the extremists' hands. As many as 4,000 archaeological sites are still under the domination of IS and around 100 sites have been destroyed, according to Iraqi Cuture Minister Firyad Rwandzi. The sites in their grip show the multiple civilizations that rose and fell during Iraq's history, ranging from mosques, churches and small shrines to large sites of old cities. Among the most significant ancient sites the militants captured were several capitals of the Assyrian Empire during its height between the 10th and 6th centuries B.C. sites known as Nimrud and Khorsabad as well as Hatra, a well-preserved Roman-era city of temples. Videos put out by the Islamic State group showed its militants blowing up or smashing relics and structures at the sites. FILE - In this Monday, March 7, 2016 file photo, Iraqis visit the Assyrian Hall surrounded by ancient artifacts of at the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad. After the destruction wreaked on archaeological sites by Islamic State group, the collections at the Iraqs National Museum in Baghdad have become even more important. Its now one of the places you can find relics from ancient cities that fell into the extremists hands. As many as 4,000 archaeological sites are still under the domination of IS and around 100 sites have been destroyed, according to Iraqi Culture Minister Firyad Rwandzi. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File) But some of the relics from those sites had been moved long ago to the National Museum. In its Assyrian Hall tower two great winged bulls with human heads, protective deities known as Lamassu, framing a statue from the temple of Nabu, the god of wisdom. Along the walls run bas-reliefs from the palace of King Sargon in Khorsabad. Rwandzi said museums are more important than ever. "A nation without a museum is like a human without eyes," he said. Here is a series of photos of the museum's halls and relics by Associated Press photographers. ___ Follow AP photographers on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP/lists/ap-photographers Follow AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images FILE- This file photo taken on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014, shows a detail of a statue of Lamassu, the great winged bull from the Assyrian period displayed at the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad. After the destruction wreaked on archaeological sites by Islamic State group, the collections at the Iraqs National Museum in Baghdad have become even more important. Its now one of the places you can find relics from ancient cities that fell into the extremists hands. As many as 4,000 archaeological sites are still under the domination of IS and around 100 sites have been destroyed, according to Iraqi Culture Minister Firyad Rwandzi. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File) In this Sunday, March 13, 2016 photo, Iraqi workers mop the floor at the Assyrian Hall of the Iraq National Museum Baghdad. Assyria was a civilization located near the modern-day city of Mosul, now held by the Islamic State group, who published videos online showing the destruction of key Assyrian sites Nimrud and Hatra along with many other religious and cultural sites.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) In this Monday, March 14, 2016 photo, Iraq's Culture Minister Firyad Rwandzi speaks to The Associated Press in Baghdad, Iraq. At a time when the Islamic State group has taken control of and destroyed many key archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria, Rwandzi says museums are more important than ever. "A nation without a museum is like a human without eyes," he said. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) FILE - In this Wednesday, July 29, 2015 file photo, an Assyrian artifact is displayed at the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad, Iraq. After the destruction wreaked on archaeological sites by Islamic State group, the collections at the Iraqs National Museum in Baghdad have become even more important. Its now one of the places you can find relics from ancient cities that fell into the extremists hands.(AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File) In this Sunday, March 13, 2016 photo, stone figures from the ancient site of Hatra line a corridor of the Iraq National Museum the Iraqi capital. They remain some of the only treasures from Hatra, which the Islamic State group destroyed along with several ancient sites in Iraq and Syria as part of its campaign to cleanse the territory it controls of items the extremists deem as non-Islamic. After the destruction wreaked on archaeological sites by Islamic State group, the collections at the Iraqs National Museum in Baghdad have become even more important. Its now one of the places you can find relics from ancient cities that fell into the extremists hands. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) In this Sunday, March 13, 2016 photo, a detail of a stone wall panel fo at the Assyrian Hall of the Iraq National Museum Baghdad. Assyria was a civilization located near the modern-day city of Mosul, now held by the Islamic State group, who published videos online showing the destruction of key Assyrian sites Nimrud and Hatra along with many other religious and cultural sites.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) In this Sunday, March 13, 2016 photo, two women visit the Islamic Hall of the Iraq National Museum the Iraqi capital. Iraq was home to some of the most important cities of early Islam including Kufa and Karbala, and Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate during its golden age in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Islamic hall displays pieces of Islamic art and architecture, including a burial casket of Imam Moussa Kadhim, a major figure in Shiite Islam. Elaborate stonework from the Grand Mosque in the northern city of Mosul, now under the Islamic State group's control, is also housed here.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) This Saturday, March 19, 2016 photo shows an inaugural leaflet from the grand opening of the Iraq Museum on Nov. 9, 1966. Established after WW1, the country' national museum contains treasures from Mesopotamian civilization. Gertrude Bell of Britain began collecting the artifacts in a government building in Baghdad in 1922 and eventually became the director of the museum. In the chaos that arrived along with U.S. troops in 2003, many treasures were looted or destroyed. More than a decade late, the Islamic State group has looted and destroyed several ancient sites in Iraq and Syria, making the museumis preservation work even more critical.(Iraq National Museum via AP) Greece to migrants: move to camps voluntarily or be forced PIRAEUS, Greece (AP) Authorities in Greece say thousands of migrants and refugees camped out at the country's largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps voluntarily or be expelled by force. The warning issued Thursday came as nearly a third of the 52,000 migrants stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. More than 4,000 migrants remain at Piraeus, which as the main port linking the mainland with vacation islands is important for Greece's vital tourism industry. It is also one of Europe's busiest ferry ports. Tents where migrants stay are placed at the Athens port of Piraeus, Thursday, April 7, 2016. The European Union took its first steps Wednesday toward a fundamental reform of its defective migration policy, which has heaped huge pressure on some nations like Greece as over a million migrants and refugees surged into the continent over the past year. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) "Every effort will be exhausted to persuade refugees and immigrants that it is in their own interest for them to move," a statement from the Greek coast guard said. "There is a 10-15 days timeframe for them to leave the port." Athens has toughened its position toward migrants since a March 20 agreement between the European Union and Turkey went into effect. Some 4,000 migrants and refugees who reached the Greek islands from Turkey after that date are in detention, with most due to be sent back to Turkish ports. The deportations started Monday and are expected to resume Friday. More than a million refugees and migrants reached the EU last year, most traveling through Greece and across the Balkans to central Europe. At Piraeus on Thursday, Interior Ministry officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade migrants to move to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. "We are trying to explain that the new camps have good facilities and that people there will be able to fill out their asylum applications there," volunteer translator Ilias Iakovou told the AP. "But people are afraid to go because they fear they will be cut off and will run out of money. They feel safe if they are near Athens." Iranian migrant Ahmad Devidjan said he wasn't sure whether he should move. "I've been in Greece for 19 days. I went two times to the border with Macedonia, but it was closed. Now I'm back here," Devidjan said. "I have a brother in Germany. He's a teacher. I want to go there." ___ Follow Gatopoulos at http://www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos A migrant sits at a promenade of the Athens port of Piraeus, Thursday, April 7, 2016. The European Union took its first steps Wednesday toward a fundamental reform of its defective migration policy, which has heaped huge pressure on some nations like Greece as over a million migrants and refugees surged into the continent over the past year. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Children play at the port of the Greek island Chios, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Volunteers are concerned about children's health of some 300 migrants and refugees who managed to leave the VIAL detention center on the island a few days ago. Authorities said that more than 1,700 migrants and refugees are on the island. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) A baby walks among railway tracks at the railway station where he lives with his family at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Stranded migrants are spending their days in a makeshift camp near the railway station and waiting for borders to be opened. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A woman prepares lunch in front of her tent at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Stranded migrants are spending their days in a makeshift camp near the railway station and waiting for borders to be opened. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A migrant boy has a haircut in a makeshift camp at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Stranded migrants are spending their days in a makeshift camp near the railway station and waiting for borders to be opened. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) The Latest: Venezuela to probe citizens in 'Panama Papers' PARIS (AP) The Latest on the publication by a coalition of media outlets of an investigation into offshore financial dealings by the rich and famous (all times local): 2:45 a.m. Venezuela's president says his government will investigate any citizens named in the "Panama Papers" leak. British Prime Minister David Cameron addresses students at Exeter University in Exeter, England, Thursday April 7, 2016. Cameron said he will "make no apology" for spending more than 9 million pounds (12.6 million dollars US) of taxpayers' money on a pro-EU publicity drive ahead of the referendum on Britain's future membership. (Dan Kitwood / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES President Nicolas Maduro is asking the chief prosecutor to look into Venezuelans whose names appear in leaked documents that originated with a Panama-based law firm that helps individuals and businesses set up secretive offshore bank accounts and shell companies. Maduro promised Thursday to investigate any wrongdoing exposed in the leak, while repeating his claim that political enemies of Venezuela's socialist government are involved in media reporting on the documents. Venezuelans whose names have appeared in connection to the leak include a former top military officer, a former state oil company official and a security official who worked at the presidential palace during the administration of the late President Hugo Chavez. ___ 12:15 a.m. The German-born lawyer who co-founded the Panamanian-based Mossack Fonseca law firm at the center of the "Panama Papers" uproar has resigned from a council advising the Central American country's government on foreign policy. Panama's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that lawyer Jurgen Mossack resigned this week from the honorary, unpaid post on the National Council of Foreign Relations, which is an informal advisory board. Mossack and his partner, Ramon Fonseca, had been political heavyweights in Panama until Sunday's publication of news stories on the financial affairs of the world's rich and famous. The stories were based on a trove of 11.5 million documents from the law firm offering details on secretive shell companies. Fonseca had been a member of Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela's Cabinet until February. __ 9:50 p.m. One nagging question since the Panama Papers story broke is why so few prominent Americans have so far shown up holding offshore accounts. The lawyer at the center of the scandal has an explanation: he prefers not to have them as clients. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ramon Fonseca said that he and his German-born partner at Mossack Fonseca like to vacation in the U.S., but they have longstanding ties to Europe and have always focused their business there and Latin America. The few American clients the firm has taken are mostly to handle visas and other requests from Panama's burgeoning expatriate retirement community. Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the newspaper that first obtained the 11.5 million confidential documents that make up the Panama Papers, said the files included copies of 200 American passports and 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies listed U.S. addresses. That's a small fraction of the more than 220,000 offshore companies Mossack Fonseca says it has created in the past four decades. ___ 9:40 p.m. After days of headlines about his family's financial affairs, British Prime Minister David Cameron has acknowledged that he profited from his father's investments in an offshore tax haven. Cameron told ITV news Thursday that he and his wife Samantha sold shares worth 31,500 pounds (currently $44,300) in Blairmore Holdings in early 2010, before Cameron became prime minister. A leak of millions of documents from a Panamanian law firm has disclosed the financial arrangements of wealthy people including the British leader's late father, Ian Cameron, who died in 2010. There is no suggestion he acted illegally. David Cameron's office has released several previous statements saying the prime minister and his family "do not benefit from any offshore funds" but not specifying whether they had done so in the past. ___ 7:00 p.m. An Argentine prosecutor is asking for an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's role in offshore companies, the latest fallout from a massive leak of documents in Panama that has dogged the South American nation's leader all week. Federal prosecutor Federico Delgado made the request Thursday to Judge Sebastian Casanello, according to a formal court document obtained by The Associated Press. Under Argentine law, such a request is the precursor to charges, which must be decided on by the judge. Delgado argues that an investigation is necessary to see whether Macri "maliciously" omitted his role in two offshore companies in his annual tax declarations. Macri, a conservative who took power in December, has repeatedly said they were family businesses and he was figurehead that received no salary. ___ 5:25 p.m. Malta's opposition Nationalist Party has filed a no-confidence motion against the government after it was revealed that the health and energy minister has a company in Panama. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil told reporters Thursday that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had failed to dismiss Konrad Mizzi, and that his "egoism is having a negative effect on the country's stability." The government proposed that the parliamentary debate take place next week. The opposition motion is likely to be defeated, as the government enjoys a nine-seat majority. Busuttil said the party is aware of this situation but cannot remain silent in the face of such a scandal. Mizzi, who is also deputy leader of the governing Labour Party, has acknowledged owning a company in Panama that's held by a trust in New Zealand. But he insists the leaked documents make no reference to him holding any funds in Panama. He said he has commissioned an independent tax audit to prove he's done nothing wrong, and that the company in Panama "will be closed soon after the tax investigation is concluded." ___ 3:15 p.m. The head of Switzerland's financial market regulator says the Panama Papers revelations show that the world financial system is susceptible to misuse, and says his office is dealing with money laundering cases that look like "blatant and massive corruption." Mark Branson, chief executive of regulator FINMA, said Thursday that his office is dealing with "a number" of money laundering cases, adding: "We are not talking about small-fry." He said Switzerland faces a relatively high risk of money laundering as the world's largest center for cross-border wealth management for private clients. He said "money laundering is on the increase" in Switzerland and Swiss banks must do more to fight it. Branson said his office was "taking action" against 14 unspecified banks that are facing "red" ratings for risk of money laundering. ___ 2:50 p.m. Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, one of Italy's most visible corporate managers, says he has no off-shore account in Panama. Montezemolo said at a UniCredit bank board meeting on Thursday that a check of his records indicated that references to him in a database of leaked off-shore accounts were related to "proposals by my financial consultants about investments that were never made." He added: "I can therefore confirm that I don't own any off-shore company, or any foreign account, and above all, I have done nothing wrong." Montezemolo's name turned up in a media investigation of accounts set up by a Panama-based law firm. The documents indicate a series contracts that listed Montezemolo, who is currently Alitalia chairman and on the UniCredit board, as head of a Panama-based company called Lenville set up in 2007. He was chairman of Fiat, CEO of Ferrari and head of Italy's Confindustria industrial lobby at the time. ___ 2:25 p.m. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied having any links to offshore accounts and is describing the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. Putin, speaking Thursday at a media forum in St. Petersburg, says even though his name didn't figure in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm, Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses. Putin described the allegations as part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. Putin said his longtime friend, cellist Sergei Roldugin, who figured in the Panama Papers as the owner of $2 billion in offshore assets, has done nothing wrong. He said he was proud of Roldugin, adding that the musician spent his personal money to advance cultural projects in Russia. ___ 2:05 p.m. The European Union's top taxation commissioner is calling on Panama to engage in talks on improving transparency so that it might eventually be taken off a list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. Pierre Moscovici said Panama was listed by the EU as a whole and separately by 8 of the bloc's 28 nations as a non-compliant state on tax affairs. He said that the media revelations linking the central American nation to massive tax fraud were "frankly shocking." Moscovici said Thursday: "Let's call a spade a spade: non-cooperative jurisdictions are tax havens." He added that "we have to list them through a common EU blacklist and to be ready to hit them with appropriate sanctions if they refuse to change." ___ 1:55 p.m. A member of Dutch bank ABN Amro's supervisory board says he is stepping down with immediate effect after his name appeared in the huge leak of information on offshore companies known as the Panama Papers. ABN Amro announced the departure of Bert Meerstadt in a brief statement Thursday that made no mention of his reported links to an offshore corporation established in the British Virgin Islands by Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helps create shell companies for the world's rich and famous. The Dutch bank then issued a personal statement from Meerstadt in which he says he already was in the process of leaving ABN Amro, but was now stepping down immediately, "to prevent any detrimental effects to the bank" after two Dutch newspapers linked him to the company on the British Virgin Islands. In the statement, Meerstadt says he will not comment on the report in the Financieel Dagblad newspaper, which said that he was listed in March 2001 as a shareholder in a company called Morclan Corporation. Two weeks later, the shares in his name were transferred to a trust office on Guernsey. ___ 1:05 p.m. The chief executive of Austrian lender Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg has resigned after the bank was mentioned in reports about offshore companies. The bank said Thursday that Michael Grahammer "surprisingly declared his resignation last night." Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported this week that at least 20 offshore companies had accounts with Hypo Vorarlberg, including one attributed to Gennady Timchenko, a Russian billionaire with longtime personal ties to President Vladimir Putin. ORF is one of dozens of media outlets worldwide that had access to the so-called Panama Papers, a trove of documents detailing offshore companies of the rich and famous. Grahammer said in a statement that "media prejudgment" prompted him to resign, but that both he and the bank had acted according within the law. ___ 12:10 p.m. Anti-fraud activists are blocking entrances at the Paris headquarters of French bank Societe Generale to protest its alleged involvement in creating offshore accounts, as detailed in the so-called "Panama Papers" reports. Around 40 protesters physically blocked the main and side entrances of the building in central Paris on Thursday, waving banners that read "Fiscal Fraud, Social Crime." Dominique Plihot, spokesman for the ATTAC activist group, said he was there "to create public awareness that Societe Generale was among the big banks cited in the documents" released by an international probe of offshore accounts. French newspaper Le Monde has said the bank created hundreds of offshore companies via Panamian law firm Mossack Fonseca. Societe Generale denies any accusations of fraud and tax evasion and repeated in a statement its commitment to the fight against such activities. FILE In this Saturday, June 9, 2007 file photo Russian President Vladimir Putin, with then head of his bodyguard service Viktor Zolotov in the back, watches the presentation of Sochi's bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics at the Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a new law enforcement agency, the National Guards, which will be led by their commander, Putin's former chief bodyguard, Viktor Zolotov. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, File) Dominique Plihot, spokesman for ATTAC, right, delivers his speech with anti-fraud activists blocking entrances at Societe Generale's Paris headquarters as part of a protest accusing the French bank of ties to the so-called "Panama Papers", in Paris, France, Thusday, April 7, 2016. Calling it "inadmissible," Plihot, said he was there "to create public awareness that Societe Generale was among the big banks cited in the documents" released by an international probe of offshore accounts. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) FILE - In this April 4, 2016 file photo, a marquee on a building in Panama City, Panama, lists the Mossack Fonseca law firm, one of the leaders in setting up offshore bank accounts for the rich and powerful. Offshore accounts conjure up images of malicious misdeeds, but many people use them for more than just hiding bribes and laundering money. And offshore accounts can be a financial tool for more than just the ultra-wealthy, too. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco, File) Iceland's Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, left, deputy chairman of the Progressive Party, and Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of the Independence Party attend a press conference at parliament in Reykjavik, Iceland Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Johannsson said Wednesday he will seek the president's approval to become the country's next prime minister after the previous leader resigned because of revelations he had offshore accounts. Progressive Party is in a coalition government with the Independence Party. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Nordea bank MD Casper von Koskull reacts during a media conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday April 7, 2016, in the wake of documents released by an international media probe of offshore accounts. Koskull declared that Nordea bank are taking allegations raised by the Panama scandal seriously, and want to be very open and transparent. (Anders Wiklund / TT via AP) SWEDEN OUT In this March 5, 2016 photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening session of the annual National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. For graft-busting Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, recent overseas media reports showing his brother-in-law and relatives of two other members of the partys elite inner circle owned offshore companies, often referred to as tax havens, might have been highly damaging. Instead, Xi will likely emerge unscathed as a result of his personal hold on political power, controls over free speech and the media, and a sense both among the public and potential rivals that all leading families are tainted to some degree, analysts say. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) The Latest: Merkel: Protecting Greece's border a key EU goal PIRAEUS, Greece (AP) The Latest on the flow of refugees and other migrants into Europe (all times local): 7:10 p.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Europe is on the "right track" to deal with the refugee crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a press conference following the 18th French-German cabinet meeting in Metz, eastern France, Thursday April 7, 2016. France and Germany held a joint government meeting to discuss the refugee crisis, counter-terrorism and Europes economic situation. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Merkel speaking at joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande, says "I think that last year the difficulties were due to the fact that we weren't clear on how to protect our external borders." She spoke in the French city of Metz, where the two countries governments were meeting. Merkel says protecting the maritime border between Greece and Turkey is a priority because when it "is controlled by smugglers and traffickers. And if the politicians in charge cannot find a solution to it, in that case how can we talk about a lasting mechanism?" Merkel also says the EU must implement the quota system to redistribute 160,000 refugees to its member states. ___ 4:05 p.m. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is donating award money he received for balancing the budget to Syrian refugees. The Stiftung Marktwirtschaft foundation said Thursday that Schaeuble would give his prize of 15,000 euros ($17,055) to the German Red Cross to aid Syrian refugees in the Middle East. While Chancellor Angela Merkel has faced massive criticism from members within her government coalition for welcoming more than 1 million refugees last year, Schaeuble has been one of her staunchest supporters. His donation of his award can be seen as a symbolic sign of support for her. Stiftung Marktwirtschaft, which translates as Free Market Economy Foundation, said it awarded the prize to Schaeuble because he balanced Germany's budget despite the additional burden of taking in 1.1 million migrants last year. ___ 3:55 p.m. The Czech government has stopped a program to give asylum to 153 Iraqi Christians who were threatened by extremists. Thursday's decision comes after 25 Iraqis who arrived two months ago asked to cancel asylum procedures. Instead of returning to Iraq, they illegally went to neighboring Germany over the weekend and were arrested there. Officials said they all applied for asylum in Germany, citing family ties. Eight others decided to return to Iraq. So far, 89 Iraqi Christians have arrived, and those who didn't leave may remain. Interior Minister Milan Chovanec has said the case shows a system of mandatory quotas to redistribute refugees in European Union member states cannot be functional. ___ 3:30 p.m. Greek police say they have arrested a 36-year-old man after finding 17 migrants hidden beneath a false floor in his truck. Police said Thursday the man was arrested the previous day after being stopped in northern Greece. A search of the vehicle revealed the false floor, under which 16 Pakistanis and a Syrian were hiding in a space just 40 centimeters (16 inches) high. Authorities said the men had spent four hours in the space after being picked up from the Evros region, near the Turkish border. Greece has been the main route for migrants and refugees heading from Turkey to more prosperous European countries ___ 3:10 p.m. Scuffles have broken out between migrants and police in the Idomeni refugee camp on the Greek-Macedonian border, with about 40 people mainly men pushing police and demanding that the borders be opened. More than 11,000 people have been stranded in Idomeni, an impromptu camp on the border with Macedonia, for weeks after Europe closed its land borders to migrants and refugees last month. The protesters stood on railway tracks near the border fence calling for the border to open, shoving at police who pushed back with shields. The railway line, used for freight traffic, has been blocked by protests since March 20. More than 53,000 people are stranded in Greece since the border closure. ___ 2:40 p.m. France and Germany are holding a joint government meeting to discuss the refugee crisis, counter-terrorism and Europe's economic situation. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and many of their ministers are meeting Thursday in the city of Metz in eastern France. The fight against tax evasion is also on the agenda following the Panama Papers leak about offshore accounts set for the rich and famous around the world by a Panamanian law firm. Hollande has called for "strengthened international cooperation" on the issue and France has decided to reinstate Panama on its list of tax heavens. The French and German governments meet once or twice a year to discuss common issues. ___ 2:15 p.m. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country will not implement a deal reached with the European Union on the return of migrants from Greece if the EU does not fulfill its obligations toward Turkey. Under the deal, Turkey agreed to take back migrants who reached Greece illegally from March. For every Syrian returned, Europe agreed to take a Syrian refugee from Turkey to be resettled in an EU country. Turkey is also set to receive funds to spend on the refugees, visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and sped-up EU membership talks. Erdogan said Thursday: "If the European Union does not take the steps it needs to take, if it does not fulfill its pledges, then Turkey won't implement this agreement." The Turkish leader did not elaborate. ___ 2:10 p.m. The Vatican is confirming Pope Francis will meet with refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16, a highly symbolic show of solidarity as the European Union begins deporting migrants back to Turkey. The Vatican said Thursday that Francis had accepted an invitation to visit by the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Greek president. Bartholomew will be in Lesbos as well. The visit comes as refugees are being deported back to Turkey under a controversial EU program. Francis, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, has been outspoken about Europe's moral obligation to welcome refugees. A visit to a refugee camp by the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches could embarrass EU leaders already under fire from human rights groups. ___ 12:15 p.m. Authorities in Greece say thousands migrants and refugees camped out at the country's largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps or be expelled by force. The warning issued Thursday came as nearly a third of the 52,000 migrants stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. At Piraeus, government officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade migrants to move voluntarily to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. More than 4,000 migrants remain at Piraeus an important site for Greece's vital tourism industry. Seen through a wire fence, refugees and migrants most of them from Pakistan, hold placards during a third day of hunger strike to protest their deportation to Turkey, in the Greek island of Lesbos, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Authorities in Greece have paused deportations to Turkey and acknowledged that most migrants and refugees detained on the islands have applied for asylum. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Migrant baby sleeping near train wagon at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars. About 11,000 migrants remain stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Migrant man and his wife rest at railway tracks at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars. About 11,000 migrants remain stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Migrant woman Kais Khalaf, 25, from Syria, holds her 7-month old daughter at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars. About 11,000 migrants remain stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Migrant girl plays at the railway tracks at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars, with about 11,000 migrants remaining stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Migrant boy plays inside a card box on a railway station at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars, with about 11,000 migrants remaining stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) Migrant boy is reflected in pound as he runs at the border crossing at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars, with about 11,000 migrants remaining stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) A Greek police officer closes the front gate of Moria Detention center, in the Greek island of Lesbos, Thursday , April 7, 2016. Authorities in Greece have paused deportations to Turkey and acknowledged that most migrants and refugees detained on the islands have applied for asylum. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Migrant man sits in a room inside abandoned building at the border crossing railway station at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Migrants and refugees stranded in Idomeni, find shelter in train sleeping cars, with about 11,000 migrants remaining stuck in Idomeni, most of them for over a month, not knowing how to deal with the shut European borders. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a press conference following the 18th French-German cabinet meeting in Metz, eastern France, Thursday April 7, 2016. France and Germany held a joint government meeting to discuss the refugee crisis, counter-terrorism and Europes economic situation. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Prosecutors seek info on Brussels Airport suspect in hat BRUSSELS (AP) Belgian prosecutors launched a public appeal Thursday seeking any information on "the man in a hat" seen before the Brussels Airport suicide bombings that killed 16 people. Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially interested in any people who might have filmed or photographed him. The suspect was seen at the airport with two suicide bombers before they died in the March 22 attacks. A subsequent explosion at Brussels' Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same morning. In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect, of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown, indicated in box, during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) Photos released by prosecutors showed the man, who was wearing a dark hat, leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were reportedly lost. The suspect also wore a white jacket but discarded it at some point, prosecutors said. The appeal for public assistance more than two weeks after the suicide bombings indicates that investigators are at a standstill. Three bombers, two at the airport and one in the subway, also died in the attacks, which wounded 270 people and were claimed by Islamic State extremists. According to a video reconstitution of the suspect's itinerary presented to reporters, the man left the Brussels Airport terminal at 7:58 a.m. before the two other men he was with there detonated suitcases laden with explosives. He passed by a Sheraton hotel and a rental car parking lot, walked through the town of Zaventem, discarded his jacket, and was seen on video footage at Meiser Square in northeastern Brussels at 9:42 a.m. Eight minutes later, his trail vanishes. Belgian authorities hope that they or someone finds the discarded jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. Federal Prosecutor Thierry Werts also said many people who were around the hotel when the suspect walked by may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked "people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information" to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. Belgian media had earlier identified a Brussels resident arrested on terror charges as the missing man in the hat. But prosecutors never officially confirmed the reports, and a judge ordered the man's release. Also Thursday, the lawyer for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam said it will take some weeks before his client can be extradited from Belgium to France. Lawyer Sven Mary spoke after a legal hearing on the Belgian-born French citizen's continuing detention in Belgium. He said the existing "Belgian arrest warrant must be lifted for (Abdeslam's) transfer" to France, in accordance with the extradition request. Mary said before Belgian authorities let Abdeslam leave they want to question the 26-year-old about another case a deadly police raid in the Forest neighborhood of Brussels days before his arrest. Abdeslam fled to Belgium after the deadly Nov. 13 attacks on Paris and was arrested March 18 after four months on the run. Since then he has been in a prison in the Belgian city of Bruges. He faces preliminary terrorism charges in France for the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people, left hundreds wounded and were also claimed by the Islamic State group. In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect, of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown, indicated in box, during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect, of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown, indicated in box, during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect, of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown, indicated in box, during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) In this Belgian Federal Police hand out picture made available Thursday April 7, 2016 the third suspect of the recent attack on Brussels airport is shown during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (Belgian Federal Police via AP) Spokesman for the Belgian Federal Prosecutors Office, Thierry Werts addresses the media during a press conference in Brussels on Thursday April 7, 2016. The Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Examining Magistrate in Brussels made available new CCTV footage and stills of the third suspect of the recent terrorists attack at Brussels airport during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt addresses the media during a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, April 7, 2016. The Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Examining Magistrate in Brussels made available new CCTV footage and stills of the third suspect of the recent terrorists attack at Brussels airport during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt addresses the media during a press conference in Brussels on Thursday April 7, 2016. The Federal Prosecutor's Office and the Examining Magistrate in Brussels made available new CCTV footage and stills of the third suspect of the recent terrorists attack at Brussels airport during his escape from the airport after the blasts. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) The Latest: Psychiatric fugitive stopped at parents' home LAKEWOOD, Wash. (AP) The Latest on the escape of two men from a psychiatric facility in Washington state (all times local): 8:45 p.m. Authorities say a murder suspect who escaped from a psychiatric hospital Wednesday stopped at his parents' Spokane-area home on Thursday. This undated photo provided by the Lakewood Police Department shows Anthony Garver. Mark Alexander Adams and Garver, described as dangerous, have escaped from Western State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, in Pierce County, south of Tacoma, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (Lakewood Police Department via AP) KHQ-TV reports (http://goo.gl/qo53cf) Anthony Garver's mother called 911 when she saw him. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office says deputies are working with U.S. marshals and others to find Garver, who was accused of torturing a woman to death several years ago. Authorities said at about 8:30 p.m. after a search with police dogs, helicopters and a SWAT team near the home, they hadn't located Garver. They said they'd continue to search through the night. ___ 6:30 p.m. Law enforcement officials say a man who escaped from a psychiatric hospital in western Washington has been spotted in the Spokane area. The Spokesman-Review reports (http://goo.gl/d2MW0T ) authorities are searching for Anthony Garver in a heavily-wooded area in Spokane's East Valley using a SWAT team, police dogs and helicopters. Authorities say they received information previously that Garver may have hidden a cache of weapons in the area. Garver was accused of murder three years ago but found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich described the search as "a pretty intense situation." ___ 4:10 p.m. Authorities believe a man previously accused of murder who escaped from a Washington state psychiatric hospital bought a bus ticket from Seattle across the state to Spokane. Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said investigators believe Anthony Garver purchased the Greyhound bus ticket around 8:50 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities in Spokane have been notified. Garver and another patient crawled out a window that night in a locked, lower-security unit of Western State Hospital. The other fugitive, Mark Alexander Adams, was caught Thursday morning. Garver was arrested in 2013 and charged with tying a woman to her bed with electrical cord and torturing her to death. ___ 2:40 p.m. A man still on the loose after escaping from a Washington state psychiatric hospital was accused of torturing a woman to death three years ago but found too mentally ill for trial. Anthony Garver and another patient crawled out a window Wednesday evening in a locked, lower-security unit of Western State Hospital, a facility already facing federal scrutiny over safety issues. Mark Alexander Adams was caught Thursday morning. Garver was arrested in 2013 and charged with tying a woman to her bed with electrical cord and torturing her to death. Snohomish County prosecutors say he stabbed her 24 times in the chest and slashed her throat. Garver was moved from a high-security unit after mental competency treatment failed. A judge granted a state request to hold him because he was considered a danger to himself or others. ___ 2 p.m. The agency in charge of mental health services in Washington state says two patients who escaped from a psychiatric hospital crawled out a window in a locked, lower-security unit. Mark Alexander Adams was caught in a nearby town Thursday, but Anthony Garver is still on the loose. Garver was accused of murder three years ago but found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Carla Reyes of the Department of Social and Health Services says the men were last seen at Western State Hospital at 6 p.m. Wednesday and discovered missing 45 minutes later. But police say the absence was discovered at 7:30 p.m. and officers were alerted just after 7:45 p.m. Garver and Adams weren't placed in the high-security unit because a judge granted a state request to hold them as a danger to themselves or others after treatment failed to restore their ability to understand the criminal charges against them. ___ 10:30 a.m. Authorities say one of the two men who escaped from a Washington state psychiatric hospital has been caught in a nearby town. The second fugitive, who was accused of murder but found mentally incompetent to stand trial, is still on the loose Thursday. Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler says officers picked up Mark Alexander Adams without incident in Des Moines, Washington, about 20 minutes away from Western State Hospital. Lawler says Adams was recognized and police detained him. Detectives will interview him. Adams was caught after police say he got on a bus Wednesday night and asked how to get to the airport. Des Moines is just south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The other patient, 28-year-old Anthony Garver, remains at large. ___ 3 a.m. Two men described as dangerous have escaped from a psychiatric facility in western Washington. Lakewood police says they escaped from Western State Hospital in Pierce County, south of Tacoma, sometime Wednesday evening. They say 28-year-old Anthony Garver and 58-year-old Mark Alexander Adams fled on foot but may have found transportation. Police say both men are dangerous to others. And both were being treated for mental illnesses under court commitment out of Snohomish County. Garver a 5-foot-8 and 250-pound white male with brown hair was arrested for murder in 2013 but found not competent to stand trial. Adams a 6-foot and 210-pound white male with long blond hair was arrested for domestic assault in 2014 but also found not competent for trial. Police are urging anyone who spots them to keep away and contact authorities. Man accused of torture killing escapes psychiatric hospital SEATTLE (AP) A man accused of torturing a woman to death but found too mentally ill for trial was on the loose Thursday after crawling out a window in a locked, lower-security unit of a Washington state psychiatric hospital already facing federal scrutiny over safety problems. Anthony Garver, 28, escaped Wednesday night with Mark Alexander Adams, 58, a patient who had been accused of domestic assault in 2014 and was captured Thursday morning, officials said. Authorities believe Garver bought a bus ticket from Seattle across the state to Spokane. Spokane Sheriff's Capt. Dave Ellis told the Spokesman-Review Garver was spotted in the city's East Valley and authorities were searching Thursday evening with police dogs, a SWAT team and helicopters. These undated photos provided by the Lakewood Police Department shows Mark Alexander Adams, left, and Anthony Garver. Adams and Garver, described as dangerous, have escaped from Western State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, in Pierce County, south of Tacoma, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (Lakewood Police Department via AP) Deputy U.S. marshals told KHQ-TV that Garver showed up at his parents' home in the area and that Garver's mother called 911. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich described the search as "a pretty intense situation." Western State Hospital says the men were discovered missing 45 minutes after they were last seen, but police said it took an hour and a half. There was no immediate way to reconcile the different timelines. Garver was charged in 2013 with tying a 20-year-old woman to her bed with electrical cords, stabbing her 24 times in the chest and slashing her throat, Snohomish County Assistant Prosecutor Craig Matheson said. Garver, who also has a history of running from authorities, was moved to a lower-security unit of the state's largest psychiatric hospital after a judge said treatment to prepare him to face criminal charges was not working. The escape is the latest in a litany of problems at the 800-bed hospital south of Tacoma, where violent assaults on both staff and patients have occurred. U.S. regulators have repeatedly cited the facility over safety concerns and threatened to cut millions in federal funding. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently extended the hospital's deadline for fixing the problems from April 1 to May 3. A federal judge also has said the hospital has failed to provide timely competency services to mentally ill people charged with crimes. A bus driver picked up a man he believed was Garver on Wednesday evening, said police, who urged anyone who spots him to stay away and contact authorities. Garver has been convicted of multiple charges and twice fled from authorities by stealing a car or leading a high-speed chase. Garver's lawyer, Jon Scott, said he hopes Garver "is found quickly and safely." Adams also got on a bus and asked the driver how to get to the airport. Someone recognized Adams, and officers picked him up without incident in a town just south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said. The men were last seen at 6 p.m. Wednesday during dinner and found missing 45 minutes later during a routine patient check, said Carla Reyes, assistant director of the Department of Social and Health Services' Behavioral Health Administration, which oversees mental health services in the state. Police said the absence was discovered at 7:30 p.m. and officers were alerted just after 7:45 p.m. Patients in the hospital's lower-security unit are checked every hour, Reyes said. Garver and Adams were not placed in the high-security unit because a judge granted a state request to hold them as a danger to themselves or others after treatment failed to restore their ability to understand the criminal charges against them. Officials are conducting a safety review of the hospital and will bring in outside experts to help, Reyes said. "We can never have too many fresh eyes reviewing a situation as serious as this," Reyes said in a statement. Nursing supervisor Paul Vilja said he was amazed to hear the men who escaped were assigned to a unit with hourly checks, because some of the more-dangerous patients are in units with checks every 15 minutes. Vilja and other hospital workers objected when the hospital first required the 15-minute checks two years ago because they said staffing levels were not adequate to handle the extra duties. Workers were required to fill out forms for each check but often fell behind, so not all of them were done, Vilja said. The state has tried to fix some of the problems by increasing funding to hire more workers. But the hospital has struggled with recruiting and retaining staffers. The state has a history of underfunding its mental health programs, including its facilities, said Lauren Simonds, executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Washington. Despite increased federal scrutiny, assaults have persisted at the hospital, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. A patient with a history of violent behavior choked and punched a mental health technician on March 26, according to an internal report. Another report on March 23 said a male patient slipped out of his monitors and was found in a bathroom with another male patient, who said he was sexually assaulted. Injured employees missed 41,301 days of work between 2010 and 2014, and on-the-job injuries forced staff to move to other jobs, like desk work, for 7,760 days during that period, according to state Occupational Safety and Health Administration records. Workers' compensation insurance paid $6 million in wage and medical costs for claims to injured hospital workers between January 2013 and September 2015, according to records acquired by the AP. ___ Follow Martha Bellisle at https://twitter.com/marthabellisle . In this Wednesday, April 6, 2016 photo provided by the Lakewood Police Department, Mark Alexander Adams rides a bus from Lakewood to the Federal Way Transit Center in Washington. Adams, who was one of two men who escaped from a Washington state psychiatric hospital, was caught Thursday after police say he got on a bus Wednesday night and asked how to get to the airport. (Lakewood Police Department via AP) This undated photo provided by Lakewood Police Department shows Mark Alexander Adams. Anthony Garver and Adams, described as dangerous, have escaped from Western State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, in Pierce County, south of Tacoma, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (Lakewood Police Department via AP) A 911 caller who reported a man waving a gun in an Ohio Wal-Mart before police fatally shot him could face a charge of making a false alarm. The man actually was toting an air rifle he picked up from a shelf. The Dayton Daily News reports Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root found probable cause for misdemeanor prosecution that could see Ronald Ritchie sent to jail for six months and hit with a $1,000 fine. The judge made the ruling after reviewing affidavits submitted by Greene County residents, which included a video showing surveillance footage of victim John Crawford III in the Wal-Mart synced to the audio of Ritchie's 911 call. Root wrote that the case should be referred to the prosecutor. Scroll down for video A judge has ruled that there is probable cause to charge Ronald Ritchie (left) for making the 911 call that led to John Crawford III's (right) death Ritchie called police on August 5, 2014 to say that a man was waiving a gun and pointing it at people. Crawford was holding a BB gun and was killed when responding officers confused it for a deadly weapon Crawford was shot by police officer Sean Williams on August 5, 2014, in the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek. Police said they believed Crawford had a real rifle and he didn't respond to commands to put it down. The gun he was holding turned out to be a BB/pellet gun. In addition to Crawford, another shopper at the Wal-Mart died from a heart attack induced by the stress of the event. After the shooting, Ritchie defended his actions the Dayton Daily News. 'He was just waving it at children, people, items, I couldnt hear anything that he was saying,' Ritchie said. 'When people did look at him, he was pointing the gun at people and everything.' In her opinion Judge Root wrote that the synced video 'does depict Mr Crawford swinging or waving an item in a casual manner while looking at a shelf at the time of the call.The item appears to be a rifle. 'At one point the caller advises that it appears that Mr Crawford is trying to load the rifle. It is difficult to discern from the video what Mr Crawford is doing at this point in time. 'The court does note that at the time that Ronald Ritchie is relaying to dispatch that Mr Crawford is pointing the gun at two children, the video does not depict this event,' Root wrote. A call seeking comment from Fairborn's city prosecutor wasn't immediately returned Thursday. Firefighters hope to contain Oklahoma blaze as winds subside WOODWARD, Okla. (AP) Firefighters battling a large wildfire in northwestern Oklahoma caught a break Thursday from diminished winds, but forecasters warned that other areas of the Midwest are at risk for pop-up fires because of dry air and strong gusts. The Oklahoma fire has burned nearly 90 square miles of mostly rangeland in an area about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. On Wednesday, wind gusts of 50 mph made it difficult for firefighters to establish containment lines for the blaze, Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Hannah Anderson said. "It became the perfect recipe for erratic fire behavior," Anderson said. This April 5, 2016 photo provided by Landon Cates, volunteer firefighters from the Dewey County Task Force work a blaze southwest of Freedom, Okla. Oklahoma Forestry Services Director George Geissler says arcing power lines are to blame for the blaze in northwest Oklahoma, located about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. (Landon Cates/Leedy Fire Department via AP) But winds, while still noticeable, weakened Thursday morning in northwest Oklahoma, and Anderson said crews are hopeful they can make progress battling the blaze, which was 20 percent contained Thursday morning. One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion but no other injuries have been reported. However, firefighters are battling fatigue after local departments that are barely free from suppressing last month's large wildfire in Oklahoma and Kansas work day and night to control the one in Woodward County, fire chief Steve Day said. No towns or cities were threatened Thursday afternoon, although oil and agriculture infrastructure was at risk, Day said. The county's emergency management director, Matt Lehenbauer, said officials were still trying to assess the extent of property damage on Thursday. Ogden Mills Phipps, owner and horse racing giant, dies at 75 NEW YORK (AP) Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps, a prominent thoroughbred owner and breeder whose stable produced 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, has died. He was 75. Phipps died Wednesday night at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The Jockey Club said Thursday. The horse racing organization, of which Phipps was once its longtime chairman, did not give a cause of death. Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, called Phipps "a deeply committed leader, sportsman, steward and advocate for the sport he loved." FILE - In this May 8, 2013 file photo, Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps, owner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, is interviewed at his Rockefeller Center office in New York. Phipps, a prominent American financier, thoroughbred owner and breeder, and former chairman of The Jockey Club, has died. He was 75. The Jockey Club said Thursday he died Wednesday night, April 6, 2016, at a New York hospital. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) Phipps Stable ran many winners of top races, notably Orb, a horse he owned in partnership with his cousin Stuart S. Janney III. "There is no area of American racing that was not touched and positively so by Mr. Phipps and his influence," Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery said. He added that seeing Phipps in the winner's circle at the 2013 Derby will "always rank among the most wonderful moments in the recent history of the Run for the Roses and American racing." Phipps' list of star horses was daunting. He owned and raced Successor, the champion juvenile colt of 1966; Rhythm, the champion 2-year-old colt of 1989 and 1990 Travers winner; Inside Information, the champion older filly or mare of 1995; Storm Flag Flying, the 2-year-old filly champion of 2002; and Smuggler, the 3-year-old filly champion of 2005. Craig Fravel, Breeders' Cup president and CEO, said Phipps' accomplishments as a breeder and owner were unmatched. "We are indebted to Dinny for his numerous contributions to what is right about our game and for speaking out when we fell short," he said. Phipps was chairman of The Jockey Club from 1983 to 2015, the longest service in that post in an organization dating to 1894. The group's main responsibility is to maintain the stud book of American horses and ensure the welfare of thoroughbreds in North America. Phipps also was chairman of the New York Racing Association from 1976 to 1983. On Saturday, he will be honored at Aqueduct Racetrack. "He was a giant of a man, both in life and in the industry," said Michael J. Del Giudice, Vice-Chairman of NYRA's Board of Directors. "On behalf of the entire NYRA board, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones." In a speech in Paris in 2014, Phipps spoke of his devotion to racing. "Quite simply, I see it as a way of giving back to a sport that has provided me with so much enjoyment," he said. "That was probably passed on to me from my dad, and I try to instill that sense of responsibility and commitment in my kids." Phipps also was a financier of considerable standing. From 1976 to 1994, he was chairman of the Board of Bessemer Trust, the private bank and investment adviser established by the Phipps family in 1907. He was chairman of Bessemer Securities Corp. from 1982 until 1994. He served on the two boards until he retired in 2015. Phipps was the great-grandson of Henry Phipps, the partner of the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. He was also the grandson of Henry Carnegie Phipps and Gladys Livingston Mills Phipps; and the son of Lillian Bostwick Phipps, who died in 1987, and Ogden Phipps, who died in 2002. Phipps was born in New York and lived in Palm Beach, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Andrea; children Kayce, Kelley, Lilly, Daisy, Samantha and Ogden; and 24 grandchildren. His sister, Cynthia Phipps, died in 2007. Funeral arrangements were incomplete. FILE - In this May 8, 2013 file photo, Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps, owner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, is interviewed at his Rockefeller Center office in New York. Phipps, a prominent American financier, thoroughbred owner and breeder, and former chairman of The Jockey Club, has died. He was 75. The Jockey Club said Thursday he died Wednesday night, April 6, 2016, at a New York hospital. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) Putin says Panama Papers part of US plot to weaken Russia ST.PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of a U.S.-led plot to weaken Russia. Putin also defended a cellist friend named as the alleged owner of an offshore company, describing him as a philanthropist who spent his own funds to buy rare musical instruments for Russian state collections. Speaking at a media forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses even though his name didn't feature in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Putin described the allegations as part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. "They are trying to destabilize us from within in order to make us more compliant," he said. State Department spokesman Mark Toner rejected the notion that the U.S. is behind the allegations. "I would reject the premise or the assertion that we're in any way involved in the actual leak of these documents," he told reporters in Washington. The Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said the documents it obtained indicated that Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin acted as a front man for a network of Putin loyalists, and, perhaps, the president himself. The ICIJ said the documents show how complex offshore financial deals channeled as much as $2 billion to a network of people linked to the Russian president. Putin said Roldugin, a longtime friend, did nothing wrong. He said he was proud of Roldugin, adding that the musician spent his personal money to advance cultural projects. Roldugin used the money he earned as a minority shareholder of a Russian company to buy rare musical instruments abroad and hand them over to the Russian state, Putin said. "Without publicizing himself, he also has worked to organize concerts, promote Russian culture abroad and effectively paid his own money for that," Putin added. "The more people like him we have, the better. And I'm proud to have friends like him." Putin contended that Washington has fanned allegations of Russian official corruption in order to weaken Moscow as the U.S. has become concerned about Russia's growing economic and military might. "The events in Syria have demonstrated Russia's capability to solve problems far away from its borders," he said, adding that Moscow has achieved its goal "to strengthen the Syrian statehood, its legitimate government bodies." Putin said it's essential to prevent the collapse of the Syrian state to stem the flow of refugees to Europe. He praised cooperation between Moscow and Washington in efforts to broker a cease-fire, which went into effect Feb. 27. The truce excludes the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida branch known as the Nusra Front. But while lauding contacts on Syria, he signaled tensions on another issue, accusing the U.S. of breaching its obligations under an agreement to reprocess weapons-grade plutonium. He said that while Russia has abided by the deal and built reprocessing facilities, the U.S. has opted for a different technology which, he alleged, allowed it to maintain the so-called "return potential" of keeping weapons-grade materials if it wishes to do so. Putin said that a rift over the issue was one of the reasons behind his decision to snub a nuclear summit hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington. ___ Isachenkov reported from Moscow. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin during media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to take part in a media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Siesta alert: Spanish parties pledge to end WWII time warp MADRID (AP) Spain's celebrated siesta could be facing a modern makeover. Political parties are promising to turn the clock back in Spain and eliminate a time quirk dating from World War II, a move that could radically change Spaniards' eating and sleeping habits. Until the 1940s, Spain was on the same Greenwich Mean Time as Britain and Portugal, being in roughly the same longitude. But during World War II, Spain, Britain and some other countries added on an hour, going on the same time as Nazi Germany to maximize factory productivity so people could get home before blackouts. FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2012 file photo, two workers take a nap on a roof in Madrid, Spain. Political parties are promising to turn the clock back in Spain and eliminate a time quirk dating from World War II, a move that could radically change Spaniards eating and sleeping habits, including the celebrated siesta. Until the 1940s, Spain was on the same Greenwich Mean Time as Britain and Portugal, being in roughly the same latitude. We cannot lose contact with Europe. The rationalization of the timetables of work shifts and government institutions is of capital importance, Spains acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said last April 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Alberto Di Lolli, File) While Britain reverted back after the war, Spain, under the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco, never did. That led to almost everything being done an hour or more later in Spain than was natural. Job hours vary greatly, but many Spaniards start work at 10 and finish at 8 p.m. Lunch is generally around 3 p.m. while dinner can start at 10 p.m. or later, leading often to late nights and less sleep. Now acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says if he manages to form another government following the Dec. 20 inconclusive election he will push for a new work-life balance law that would switch Spain back to its original time zone. The law would include a working day that ends at 6 p.m., thus scrapping the country's lengthy lunch-hour breaks that some use to grab a siesta. "We cannot lose contact with Europe. The rationalization of the timetables of work shifts and government institutions is of capital importance," Rajoy said. Nuria Chinchilla, an IESE business school professor who worked on a study urging the change in 2013, said the move would benefit both businesses and people. The study found that being ahead an hour meant Spaniards slept an hour less than recommended, which had a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates. "We have not been in our time zone for more than 70 years," she said. Some say the measure could end the siesta but Chinchilla disagreed. "The siesta is not a reality anymore," she says. "This was in agricultural times and before the Civil War too ... (but not) in Barcelona or Madrid, where for sure nobody is going back home to have lunch." Still, many Spaniards take siestas during the sweltering hot summer holidays or on weekends if they can. Rajoy's proposal mirrors one by two other parties also looking to form the next Spanish government, the Socialists and the Ciudadanos party. But no party has been able to muster enough parliamentary support to do that making a new vote look more likely day by day. GOPers say they'll back nominee but avoid Trump JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) When Donald Trump came to St. Louis last month for a raucous rally with thousands, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt was more than 130 miles away, announcing a Missouri Farm Bureau endorsement to a few dozen company employees and two news reporters. The timing was mere coincidence, Blunt said. In fact, Blunt said, he didn't even know the Republican presidential front-runner was in his home state. Yet the dueling events may symbolize an intentional distance between Blunt and Trump and the election-year dilemma facing GOP senators in some of the most competitive states. Like Blunt, Republican incumbents in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and elsewhere all have said they will support whoever becomes the GOP presidential nominee but none of them have rushed to eagerly embrace Trump or his close competitor, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. In this photo taken March 11, 2016, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., listens at left as Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst announces that its FARM-PAC has endorsed Blunt for re-election, at the groups state headquarters in Jefferson City, Mo. When Donald Trump came to St. Louis last month for a raucous rally with thousands, Blunt was more than 130 miles away, simultaneously announcing a Missouri Farm Bureau endorsement in front of a few dozen company employees and two news reporters. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb) For the candidates, Trump's frequently provocative comments pose a potential political risk by association rather than providing friendly coattails. And Trump's campaign has been fueled by voters fed up with Washington incumbents. "It's going to be inevitable, it's going to be relentless, and it's going to be a real, real tough challenge for all the incumbent candidates down the line to figure out how they're going to separate themselves from the party's nominee, if Trump is the nominee," said Dave Robertson, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. So far, Blunt has largely avoided talking about Trump, Cruz or any other Republican presidential candidate. He has endorsed no one and has declined to divulge whom he voted for in Missouri's March 15 presidential primary, which split nearly evenly between Trump and Cruz. Asked by a reporter after another recent agriculture-related campaign event to describe the strengths and weakness of Trump and Cruz, Blunt responded: "I'm pretty sure I'm not going to that." Then he shifted the conversation. "I'm focused on what needs to happen in the Senate. I'm focused on the things I'm working on. Hopefully we can see increases in health care research and mental health equity in health care treatment, in fighting back regulations," Blunt said. His response falls in line with a national strategy for Republican senatorial candidates this year: Stick to local issues, focus on what the individual candidate is doing, give short shrift to questions about the presidential race and move on. In the final week before Wisconsin's presidential primary, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson kept a fairly low profile. He endorsed no one and appeared with none of the Republican presidential candidates. Johnson, who is in a re-election rematch with former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, has said he will support whomever gets nominated at the Republican National Convention. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, facing a re-election challenge from former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, said last week that he intends to support the eventual GOP presidential nominee, Trump included, "unless something crazy happens." But when asked about Trump during a recent event, Portman replied: "I like John Kasich a whole lot better," and offered lengthy praise for his home-state governor who is running for president. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee already is linking Portman and other vulnerable GOP candidates to Trump in an online ad that mixes candidates' statements about backing the Republican nominee with video clips of apparent Trump vulgarities. The strategy is similar to 2012, when Democrats linked GOP candidates to controversial remarks made by Republican Rep. Todd Akin, who was challenging Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill. Asked by a TV reporter whether abortion should be legal for women who are raped, Akin responded: "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Blunt and other Republican leaders unsuccessfully urged Akin to drop out of the race. Other Missouri Republican candidates generally kept silent and stayed away from Akin. Although Akin lost badly, Romney still carried Missouri, and Republicans gained seats in the state legislature. But Democrats won four of Missouri's five executive offices on the ballot that year. Defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence cited the media storm spawned by Akin's remarks "as one of the biggest influences on our race." Comparisons to Akin began circulating last week after Trump remarked that there should be "some form of punishment" for women who get abortions if the procedure is outlawed. Trump later backed off that remark under criticism. But some Democrats may be walking a fine line in how aggressively they try to link Trump to other Republicans, lest they alienate some of the same voters both are courting. In Missouri, which backed Republicans in each of the past four presidential elections, Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander is seeking to unseat Blunt with an anti-Washington campaign theme that taps into many of the same frustrations that Trump supporters say they feel. Kander describes Trump as "unfit to be president" yet notes that many Trump supporters believe Washington incumbents "are not getting the job done." "I definitely think that there will be people who choose, for instance, to vote for Donald Trump who also will vote for me, because they feel that people like Senator Blunt are not doing a good job, and somebody who's been in Washington is not part of the solution," Kander said. ___ Associated Press writers Dan Sewell in Cincinnati and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report. ____ Follow David A. Lieb at: http://twitter.com/DavidALieb In this photo taken March 21, 2016, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., left, smiles as he receives the support of a half-dozen Missouri agricultural groups during a news conference at Lauf Equipment Co. in Jefferson City, Mo. When Donald Trump came to St. Louis last month for a raucous rally with thousands, Blunt was more than 130 miles away, simultaneously announcing a Missouri Farm Bureau endorsement in front of a few dozen company employees and two news reporters. (AP PhotoDavid A. Lieb) Battered EU is loser again in Dutch referendum on Ukraine BRUSSELS (AP) It once seemed a quaint formality, but the Netherlands' referendum on a European Union free-trade deal with Ukraine amounted to a slap in the face for the EU and yet another serious challenge to the European dream. Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the EU's executive Commission, had warned ahead of Wednesday's poll that a rejection of the deal "would open the door to a great continental crisis." Such is the EU's standing these days, however, that its warnings are not only disregarded but seen as a provocation. The "great continental crisis" may not be imminent just yet, but with a separate British referendum on whether to leave the EU looming in June, the 28-nation bloc's future looks ever bleaker. Firebrand Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders casts his vote in a non-binding referendum on the EU-Ukraine association agreement in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. The vote is seen by opponents of the 28-nation EU bloc as an opportunity to express their anger at what they consider unwanted expansionism and a lack of democratic rights for EU citizens.(AP Photo/Peter Dejong) "The president is sad," said Juncker's spokesman, Margaritis Schinas. "He will continue to do battle for Europe," Schinas said, adding that "if he would be left the only one to do it, he would do so." While the EU was a bandwagon everybody wanted to join two decades ago, it is indeed getting lonely at the top now. Even to the political groups that forced the Dutch referendum, it was never going to be so much about the finer points of trading with Ukraine. Under Dutch law, it gave them the best chance to snub their nose at "Brussels" increasingly used as a negative term for the home of EU institutions and their continentwide policies, which critics see as interfering with national life. Final results released Thursday in the Netherlands showed 61.1 percent rejected the EU-Ukraine deal, which was backed by the Dutch government and the EU leaders. Turnout was low, but just enough to make the vote valid. "That is a vote of no confidence by the people against the elite from Brussels," said right-wing firebrand Geert Wilders, who has directed his venom against the EU as much as against the national government. The Netherlands already rejected a proposed EU constitution in a 2005 referendum, and that proved a tipping point for the fortunes of the bloc. Since then, it has stumbled from one crisis to the next, including financial woes in several member nations that raised questions over the future of its common currency, and open disagreements on how to deal with the influx of migrants. EU governments do compromise to get agreements, but if such deals get put to votes, electorates throughout much of the bloc tend to reject them. France and Ireland also have rejected deals over recent years. "It again proves there is huge skepticism about what the EU is up to," said EU expert Hendrik Vos of Ghent University. "You see this populism ever more. Frist in Britain, and now much more across the EU, and it has led to this fundamental distrust." Wednesday's result was grist to the mill of Euroskeptics in Britain who want their country to vote to leave the EU altogether in a June 23 referendum. "This result gives the British people the signal that it is moderate and normal to reject the EU and stand up for what's in our country's best interests," said Brian Monteith, a spokesman for Britain's Leave.EU campaign. "The sun is now setting on the European Union." The Dutch result also delivered a political victory to Moscow, whether or not voters intended that. Ukraine's westward turn was at the core of Moscow's displeasure with Kiev and at the heart of the events that culminated in Russia's annexation of Crimea, followed by fighting in eastern Ukraine. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Twitter that the results "indicate Europeans' opinion of the Ukrainian political system." President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Dutch voters were "signaling their distrust" of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. Vladimir Frolov, a foreign affairs analyst in Moscow, said that the result was "confirming the official Russian narrative that Ukraine does not belong in Europe and its future is destined to be always with Russia." "It certainly creates a public relations boost to the Russian official line," Frolov said. In Ukraine, the mood was glum and many people were angry and upset with President Petro Poroshenko. "This is a blow to the basic and loudest promises made by Poroshenko, who promised a visa-free regime with the EU any day now," political analyst Vadim Karasev said. The EU will still need to find a way to deal with the outcome. Since the Dutch referendum was non-binding, EU leaders were already looking at a way to save a much of the agreement as possible, likely through the intricate political brokering that has alienated so many Europeans. "The Dutch will find a solution, we need to give it time," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "In the same way we handle other difficult subjects, we will find a way." U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that "clearly we're disappointed by the results." However, "we believe this association agreement is in the best interests of Ukraine, the U.S. and the European Union," he said. "And we still stand by that." The damage was already visible on Thursday, though. "I feel cheated and abandoned by Europe," said Anton Kononenko, a 56-year-old teacher in Kiev. "We are being pushed back into the arms of Russia." ___ Mike Corder contributed from The Hague, Yuras Karmanau from Kiev German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a press conference following the 18th French-German cabinet meeting in Metz, eastern France, Thursday April 7, 2016. France and Germany held a joint government meeting to discuss the refugee crisis, counter-terrorism and Europes economic situation. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) French President Francois Hollande, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel smile as they end their discussions referred to as the "Cafe du Monde" talks organized by the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ) Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Metz, eastern France, during a Franco-German cabinet meeting. (Frederick Florin, Pool via AP) Firebrand Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders answers questions after casting his vote in a non-binding referendum on the EU-Ukraine association agreement in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. The vote is seen by opponents of the 28-nation EU bloc as an opportunity to express their anger at what they consider unwanted expansionism and a lack of democratic rights for EU citizens, three months before British citizens decide in their own referendum whether to leave the EU altogether.(AP Photo/Peter Dejong) Russian President Vladimir Putin during media forum of the All-Russia People's Front in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St.Petersburg, Putin rejected links to offshore accounts, calling the leaks part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool) Caller who reported man with gun at Wal-Mart may be charged CINCINNATI (AP) A 911 caller who reported a man waving a gun in a Wal-Mart before police fatally shot him and found he had an air rifle he took from a shelf could be charged with making a false alarm, a judge ruled. Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root ruled this week that there was sufficient evidence to show Ronald Ritchie could be prosecuted for the misdemeanor stemming from the Aug. 5, 2014, police shooting of John Crawford III in the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek. Several citizens used an obscure state law to petition a judge to file charges against Ritchie. They submitted a copy of Wal-Mart surveillance video synchronized to the 911 call and alleged Ritchie violated several laws. The judge leaves it up to the Beavercreek city prosecutor to decide whether to charge Ritchie. FILE- In this Sept. 22, 2014 file photo, people rally in support of John Crawford Jr. and his family in their pursuit for answers into the Aug. 5, 2014 shooting of John Crawford III, in Beavercreek, Ohio. A 911 caller who reported a man, who was later identified as Crawford III, waving a gun in a Wal-Mart before police fatally shot him and found he had an air rifle he took from a shelf could be charged with making a false alarm, according to a judge's ruling. (Ty Greenless, The Daily News via AP, File) LOCAL PRINT OUT; LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; WKEF-TV OUT; WRGT-TV OUT; WDTN-TV OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Calls to Fairborn City Solicitor Betsy Deeds, who prosecutes for Beavercreek, weren't immediately returned Thursday. Ritchie, of Riverside, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday. No current phone listing could be found for him. Ritchie, the only person to call 911 from Wal-Mart before shots were fired, told police in his call that a man was walking around the store with what appeared to be a rifle, "pointing it at people" and "waving it back and forth." In an interview the next day, Ritchie told authorities the man actually didn't point the gun at others but swung it around and flashed the muzzle at children. Ritchie and his wife told investigators the gun looked like an assault rifle he owned and said they believed it was real because they didn't see an orange tip to indicate it was an air rifle. Police have also said they believed Crawford, 22, had a real rifle and said he didn't respond to commands to put it down. Root noted the poor quality of the video that she said showed about four minutes of Ritchie's call with accompanying footage of Crawford before police arrive. The video shows Crawford "swinging or waving an item in a casual manner while looking at a shelf at the time of the call," the judge said. "The court does note that at the time that Ronald Ritchie is relaying to dispatch that Mr. Crawford is pointing the gun at two children, the video does not depict this event," the judge wrote. She also notes that the sworn statements don't indicate the citizens filing them have any personal knowledge of the "sequence of events" other than a review of the video. The judge wrote that there wasn't sufficient evidence to issue a criminal complaint against Ritchie for inciting violence, inducing panic, involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide. Crawford's relatives and their attorneys have said Crawford posed no threat and have disputed Ritchie's description of Crawford's actions. A grand jury concluded the shooting by police was justified, and the U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the case. Crawford was black, and the officers are white. An attorney for Crawford's immediate family said Ritchie was "gravely mistaken," but they hold the police responsible for what happened. "It's the police's duty to show up and assess the situation prior to taking any type of action," attorney Michael Wright said Thursday. Crawford's family has sued the police and Wal-Mart, but Ritchie isn't named as a defendant. Legal experts say the law allows private citizens to make complaints and a judge can review them and make a recommendation. "But the prosecutor is under no obligation to bring charges," said Ric Simmons, an Ohio State University criminal law professor. "It would have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the caller knew what he was calling in hadn't occurred." Thaddeus Hoffmeister, a criminal law professor at the University of Dayton, said it would be difficult to prove Ritchie "knowingly caused a false alarm." ___ Associated Press writer Kantele Franko in Columbus contributed to this report. ___ Polygamous leader Lyle Jeffs to stay jailed in fraud case SALT LAKE CITY (AP) A judge rejected high-ranking polygamous leader Lyle Jeffs' latest request to be released from jail pending trial, making him the only defendant still behind bars among 11 people indicted on accusations of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart said in a written ruling Thursday that Jeffs can't be trusted to adhere to conditions of release because of his loyalty to his brother, imprisoned sect leader Warren Jeffs, and history of evading law enforcement by using aliases and concealing his whereabouts. He travels with armed guards who are "willing to take extreme efforts to protect him," Stewart wrote. Lyle Jeffs runs the day-to-day operations of the secretive sect on the Utah-Arizona border, prosecutors say. His attorney argued that he was being treated unfairly because of his religious beliefs. Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints women leave the Federal Courthouse following detention status hearing for high-ranking polygamous leader Lyle Jeffs Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Jeffs will have to wait to find out if he can leave jail pending trial on accusations he helped orchestrate a multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Stewart sided with prosecutors in writing that he worries releasing Lyle Jeffs may also cause witnesses to clam up because of the power he wields and history of imposing social, financial and spiritual punishment against those who cross him. The group known as Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is based in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, known collectively as Short Creek. "Several witnesses have stated that defendant exercises considerable control over the people and businesses in Short Creek and that there are serious consequences for those that disobey him," Stewart said. "The court is gravely concerned that defendant would use this influence to intimidate witnesses and obstruct justice." The judge ruled after a hearing Wednesday in Salt Lake City that drew about two dozen members of the sect, including women in prairie dresses and traditional updos. Federal public defender Kathryn Nester said Lyle Jeffs was willing to accept conditions of supervised release, including living in a house in Provo that is about 275 miles north of the polygamous community to squash any worries that he would influence witness testimony. Nester criticized federal prosecutors for using stale evidence and hearsay to suggest Jeffs would interfere with witnesses and skip future hearings. Anybody else charged with fraud and money laundering would be allowed out, she said. Nester declined comment on the ruling Thursday. Federal prosecutor Robert Lund said Jeffs openly defies the law by practicing polygamy and will follow commands from his brother, considered the religion's prophet, over civil rule. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment on the ruling. In the food stamp scheme, sect leaders instructed followers to buy items and give them to a church warehouse where leaders decided how to distribute the items to followers. The food stamps were also used in sect-owned stores without getting anything in return, with the funds then diverted to front companies and used to pay thousands for a tractor, truck and other items, prosecutors say. The volume of food stamp purchases at two small convenience stores was so large that it rivaled retailers the size of Wal-Mart and Costco, prosecutors say. The same judge who rejected Lyle Jeffs' request recently granted supervised release to three others accused of being ringleaders of the operation, reversing previous decisions by different judges. The food stamp crackdown marked the government's latest move against the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, coinciding with legal battles in two states over child labor and discrimination against nonbelievers. Last month, a jury in Phoenix decided the towns violated the constitutional rights of nonbelievers by denying them basic services such as police protection, building permits and water hookups. Jets receiver on trial: I feared for my life outside NY club NEW YORK (AP) New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall told a jury Thursday that he feared for his life while fleeing a Manhattan nightclub after fights broke out four years ago. An emotional Marshall testified in federal court, denying at the civil trial that he punched a woman who later sued him for unspecified damages. He said he saw men chasing him and his longtime friend, former NFL receiver Michael Anthony Sims-Walker, outside the Marquee nightclub and thought "no way we'll survive this." New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall enters federal court, Thursday, April 7, 2016, in New York. Plaintiff Christin Myles is seeking unspecified damages in a lawsuit she filed after a March 11, 2012, encounter outside Marquee nightclub in New York, where she was celebrating her 24th birthday. She told a jury that she still suffers from injuries incurred when she was punched in the face four years ago by Marshall. Marshall denies he punched her.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) "If you fall, you're dead," he recalled thinking as he worried that others might have weapons. "I was pretty hysterical." Marshall said he tried to flee the unruly crowd seconds after he cried while waiting with his wife outside the club after a thrown bottle cut her mouth and knocked some of her teeth out. As he testified about what happened, he dabbed his eyes with a tissue and got choked up. "The cut was the really scary part," he said. "I never heard her cry like that." Christin Myles, of Chino, California, testified earlier in the trial that she knew it was Marshall who punched her outside in March 2012 because she saw his tattooed forearm. Marshall said he did not punch her and video seemed to show his arms covered by sleeves when he was outside. Marshall, who was never criminally charged, acknowledged when questioned by an attorney for Myles that his arm was pulled back in one frame of a security video shown to jurors and then was moved forward immediately afterward at about the time a punch struck Myles. But he said he thrust his arms forward as he pushed Sims-Walker so they could get away from the melee and as he struggled to balance himself as he tripped on the sidewalk. Marshall said he ran into the street, where several men were circling him. He said he escaped by running between moving cars. During testimony over two days, Myles told jurors she was angry when she left the club early on a Sunday morning because a fight in the club's VIP area where her group was seated next to Marshall and Sims-Walker had wrecked her birthday party. She said she assumed Marshall and Sims-Walker were to blame so she took a swing at Sims-Walker when she got outside but it missed. Immediately afterward, she was punched in the eye, Myles recalled. Marshall testified that Sims-Walker later told him that he "swung, hit" Myles outside the club. "Is he lying or are you?" asked attorney Joshua Moskovitz, who represents Myles. An objection was sustained. Argentine prosecutor wants president probed in Panama leaks BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Argentine President Mauricio Macri said Thursday that he will set up a blind trust to make his finances transparent, speaking hours after a prosecutor sought permission to investigate the leader's role in two offshore companies that emerged in the "Panama Papers" leak. Macri, a conservative who ran for office last year on promises to crack down on corruption, has repeatedly said that they were family businesses and that he was a figurehead who received no compensation. The former mayor of Buenos Aires is the son of Italian-born tycoon Francisco Macri, one of Argentina's richest people. "I want to tell you once more today that I have told the truth and that I have nothing to hide," Macri said in a televised speech from the presidential palace. Argentina's President Mauricio Macri gives a statement at the government house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, April 7, 2016. An Argentine prosecutor on Thursday asked for an investigation into President Mauricio Macri's role in offshore companies, adding to the global fallout from a massive leak of documents from a Panama law firm. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) "I not only filled out an initial statement saying that I was not a shareholder, that as a director I never received any retribution, but I also did it since the first day that I came into office, and I took all those papers to the anti-corruption office." Macri said he would go before a judge Friday to certify that the information he provided is true and that he didn't omit details. While he spoke, about 500 people protested outside the palace demanding his resignation. Macri also announced the plan for a blind trust that will allow an independent group of people to manage his wealth without contacting him during his time in office. "This had never been done. No other (Argentine) president has done this," Macri said. "I'm doing this because I don't want there to be any doubt." Court documents obtained by The Associated Press show that federal prosecutor Federico Delgado asked for authorization to investigate Macri with a filing Thursday to Judge Sebastian Casanello. Under Argentine law, such a request is the precursor to charges, which must be decided on by a judge. Delgado argued an investigation is necessary to see whether Macri "maliciously" omitted his role in the two offshore companies in his annual tax declarations. In the document, Delgado notes the president has denied any wrongdoing, but says Macri needs to give authorities a full report of his role and the tax dynamics of the offshore companies. Opposition party leaders have also demanded Macri give a fuller accounting of what the companies did and why Macri was listed if he had no role. For example, Macri shows up in documents of Fleg Trading, a now-defunct company that was incorporated in the Bahamas. Macri has said it was set up in the late 1990s to make investments in Brazil, but the investments never materialized and by 2009 the company was dissolved. However, he has not provided details about the company or elaborated on why he was named as a partner if he had no role and received no income. ___ Associated Press video journalist Paul Byrne contributed to this report. ___ Peter Prengaman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/peterprengaman Luis Andres Henao on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuisAndresHenao A woman holds a sign that reads in Spanish "Macri if you have any dignity, resign," during a protest against President Mauricio Macri outside the government in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, April 7, 2016. An Argentine prosecutor on Thursday asked for an investigation into President Macri's role in offshore companies, adding to the global fallout from a massive leak of documents from a Panama law firm. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Demonstrators protest against President Mauricio Macri outside the government in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, April 7, 2016. An Argentine prosecutor on Thursday asked for an investigation into President Macri's role in offshore companies, adding to the global fallout from a massive leak of documents from a Panama law firm. The signs held by the protesters read in Spanish from left, "They said they were a team... It turned out they were an illicit association." "Let justice weigh them with the same scales." (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) FBI debates sharing iPhone hacking details with Apple WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI has not decided whether to share with Apple Inc. details about how the bureau hacked into an iPhone linked to a California terrorism investigation, the bureau's director says. James Comey discussed the situation during a speech Wednesday evening in Ohio. He said the flaw the FBI exploited in Apple's software works only on a "narrow slice of phones" the iPhone 5C, running version 9 of Apple's mobile operating system, not on newer or older models. "If we tell Apple, they're going to fix it and we're back where we started," Comey said. "As silly as it may sound, we may end up there. We just haven't decided yet." FBI Director James Comey addresses the media after visiting with employees and other law enforcement officials, Tuesday, April 5, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) The Justice Department dropped its legal fight to compel Apple to provide it with specialized software that would allow the FBI to hack into the iPhone, which was issued to San Bernardino county health inspector Syed Farook. Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people in December before dying in a shootout with authorities. The iPhone was found in a vehicle the day after the shooting. Two personal phones were found destroyed so completely the FBI could not recover information from them. A U.S. magistrate judge had ordered Apple to provide the FBI with software to help it hack into Farook's work-issued iPhone after the government said only Apple could help authorities access the encrypted and locked iPhone. The order touched off a debate pitting digital privacy rights against national security concerns. Comey told the university audience that the case also inspired a lot of efforts to try to break into the phone. "Someone outside the government, in response to that attention, came up with a solution," he said. "One that I am confident will be closely protected and used lawfully and appropriately." The government then "purchased a tool that allows court-authorized access to the phone," Comey said. The government has declined to release the identity of the third party that made it possible to access the iPhone. "The FBI is very good at keeping secrets, and the people we bought this from, I know a fair amount about them, and I have a high degree of confidence that they're very good at protecting it and their motivations align with ours," Comey said. Comey's comments were the closest hints about what the FBI may do with its knowledge of a vulnerability in Apple's software that could let someone bypass built-in digital locks to access private information. It remains unclear whether the FBI will share details about the technique with state or local police agencies or law enforcement offices. The encrypted phone in the California case was protected by a passcode that included security protocols: a time delay and self-destruct feature that erased the phone's data after 10 tries. The two features made it impossible for the government to repeatedly and continuously test passcodes. Comey said the new method to get into the iPhone would disappear if Apple changes its software. Lin-Manuel Miranda celebrates immigrants in prize speech NEW YORK (AP) Composer and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda has accepted one of the largest prizes given for the stage by celebrating immigrants, saying that his creation of the Broadway smash "Hamilton" was sparked by learning about Alexander Hamilton's overseas roots. Miranda, who on Thursday was awarded The Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History, told of reading a biography of the first U.S. treasury secretary by Ron Chernow and learning that he was born and raised in what was then the West Indies. "I grew up in an immigrant neighborhood. We just knew the rule was you're going to have to work twice as hard," Miranda, whose family came from Puerto Rico to New York, said in his acceptance speech. FILE - In this March 14, 2016, file photo, actor Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks during an event with the cast of the Broadway play "Hamilton" in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Miranda has accepted Thursday, April 7, 2016, one of the largest prizes given for dramatic writing, saying that his creation of the Broadway smash Hamilton was parked by learning about Alexander Hamiltons immigrant roots. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) "When I found that out about Hamilton, I said, 'I know this guy. I know this guy and he's not going to let me go.' And he didn't let me go for seven years." The prize, bestowed by Columbia University, was created to honor a new play or musical that explores the United States' past and deals with "great issues of our day." It comes with $100,000. This is the fourth year the prize has been given and the first time a musical has won. "We are all in awe," Edward M. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late senator, told Miranda. "You've made history come alive. And 'Hamilton' makes us all want to learn more about history." Before the ceremony, Miranda got a chance to see some of Columbia's Hamilton memorabilia, including his wedding band, enrollment papers and his final letter to his wife, Eliza, written on the morning of his fateful duel. He was also serenaded by the Young People's Chorus of New York City, performing songs from "West Side Story," a musical that inspired him to songwriting. The prize was established by Kennedy's sister, Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, in consultation with playwright Tony Kushner. The year's recipient is announced every Feb. 22, the anniversary of the late senator's birth. "Hamilton" explores Hamilton's life and is told by a young African-American, Asian and Latino cast and with music that blends musical theater, rap and pop. The show has won a Grammy Award and awards from the Outer Critics Circle, the New York Drama Critics' Circle and the Drama Desk, and it is a likely candidate for Tony Awards this summer. The show's album became the highest-debuting cast recording on the Billboard Top 200 in over 50 years. Miranda said he hoped his work would inspire more: "History is so subjective. The teller of it determines it," said Miranda. "I'm excited to see what stories come out of this and what comes next." ___ Online: http://kennedyprize.columbia.edu ___ Charlize Theron gets back behind the wheel for 'Fast 8' LOS ANGELES (AP) "Mad Max: Fury Road" star Charlize Theron is ready to rev up those engines once again in the eighth installment of the "Fast and Furious" series. Universal Pictures announced the casting Thursday on social media. Theron, who also showed off her car skills in "The Italian Job," will join stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Michelle Rodriguez in "Fast 8," set for release on April 14, 2017 with "Straight Outta Compton" director F. Gary Gray at the helm. The announcement teased that Theron's character will be the "crew's greatest adversary ever," although no plot has been officially announced. FILE - In this March 31, 2016 file photo, actress Charlize Theron waves as she attends the Italian State RAI TV program "Che Tempo che Fa", in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) USDA proposes stricter animal welfare rules for organic meat WASHINGTON (AP) The Agriculture Department on Thursday proposed stricter animal welfare standards for organic chicken and meat in a multibillion-dollar market that is rapidly expanding each year. The rules would ensure that all livestock, including poultry, have enough space to lie down, turn around, stand up and fully stretch their limbs. Beaks couldn't be removed and tails couldn't be cut. Poultry houses would have to have fresh air and ventilation. "This will support the continued growth in the organic livestock and poultry sectors, and ensure consumer confidence in the organic label," said Miles McEvoy, the head of USDA's organic program. FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2015, file photo, cage-free chickens stand in a fenced pasture on the Francis Blake organic farm near Waukon, Iowa. The Agriculture Department on April 7 proposed stricter animal welfare standards for organic chicken and meat as the multi-billion dollar organic market grows each year. The rules would ensure that all livestock, including poultry, have enough space to lie down, turn around, stand up and fully stretch their limbs.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) The retail market for organic products is valued at almost $40 billion in the United States. USDA said this week that the number of certified organic operations in the United States increased by almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300 percent since the department began counting operations in 2002. The broadest changes proposed by USDA would cover outdoor access for poultry, suggesting standards for how densely poultry can be stocked as well as minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements. The rules would require poultry have access to areas that are at least 50 percent covered in soil. Hen houses would not be allowed to only have a porch; producers would have to provide additional outdoor space. In addition to clean water and direct access to sun and shade, the rules would require producers to design facilities to encourage all birds to go outside on a daily basis. The outdoor areas would have to have "suitable enrichment" to entice birds to go outside, McEvoy said. The amount of outside access for poultry has been a subject of debate, as some food safety advocates have expressed concerns that more outdoor access may increase the chances of salmonella contamination. The Food and Drug Administration issued guidance in 2013 to try to help organic egg producers better prevent salmonella, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and can be deadly without prompt antibiotic treatment. The Organic Trade Association, which represents many of the nation's largest companies that sell organic products, did not comment on specifics of the proposal. But the group's president, Laura Batcha, said she was pleased USDA is moving forward with the rule. "Ensuring that the high expectations consumers have for organic foods are met preserves the organic seal's reputation as the gold standard for agricultural production practices," Batcha said. Other producers expressed concerns. Jim Byrum, president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association, said the rules could slow business for egg producers, which could in turn reduce the demand for organic corn and soybeans that the chickens eat. "Eliminating porches that already allow organic hens to be outside would render tens of millions of dollars of investment by many organic egg producers obsolete," Bynum said. "The proposal also makes deeply unrealistic assumptions about food safety, requiring direct exposure of hens to the outdoors." McEvoy said USDA understands the rules would mean additional investment for some businesses. But he said the rules would "assure consumers that organically produced products meet a consistent standard." ___ Chalice Renee Zeitner is on trial in Arizona on nearly a dozen charges An Arizona woman accused of faking a cancer diagnosis in order to get state Medicaid funding to cover a late-term abortion genuinely believed she was sick, her defense attorney said Thursday. Attorney Adam Schwartz told jurors in opening statements that Chalice Renee Zeitner was told she had cancer and she did not set out to defraud anyone. 'The requirement is that she did this knowingly and intentionally,' he said. 'The fact is that Ms. Zeitner did genuinely believe she had cancer in 2009 and 2010.' Zeitner, 30, is on trial in Phoenix on nearly a dozen charges including fraudulent schemes, identity theft, theft, attempted theft and forgery. She has pleaded not guilty to all of them. Zeitner appeared in court briefly wearing a light blue long-sleeved shirt and pants and her hair down. She only spoke to tell the judge she wished to skip the proceedings and was transported back to jail. Assistant Attorney General Maura Quigley depicted Zeitner as a woman who incessantly plotted not just to get an abortion, but to turn others' sympathy into money. 'The state will ask you to hold the defendant accountable for her false statements and misrepresentation about the fact that she had cancer in order to get a pregnancy termination that was paid for by the state of Arizona and money from a cancer fundraiser when she never had cancer at all,' Quigley said. According to attorneys for the state, Zeitner told her doctor in 2010 that she was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for cancer and that her fetus had been exposed to radiation. After a specialist found her fetus was healthy, they say Zeitner didn't give up the alleged scheme and forged a letter from another doctor that stated her pregnancy had to be terminated to save her life. She allegedly claimed before her abortion that she had stage IV cancer in her abdomen Attorney Adam Schwartz told jurors in opening statements that Chalice Renee Zeitner was told she had cancer and she did not set out to defraud anyone The Arizona health care program in which Zeitner was enrolled covers the cost of abortions in limited circumstances, such as when a mother's life is endangered. Prosecutors say she never mentioned cancer when she applied. Zeitner allegedly claimed before her abortion that she had stage IV cancer in her abdomen and lower spine and told her obstetrician that she was scheduled to resume cancer treatment at a hospital in Boston. Her abortion occurred 22 weeks into her pregnancy. Investigators say the scheme was discovered a year after the April 2010 abortion when a doctor who performed a C-section during Zeitner's subsequent pregnancy found no signs of cancer. Another doctor who was listed on medical records as having treated Zeitner for cancer later said he never treated her. Zeitner was arrested in May 2015 in Georgia, where she was living in an assumed name. The state estimates that more than $6,000 was spent on health care related to her abortion. She is also accused of using a fake identity on social media to convince her boyfriend to set up a fundraising website for her cancer treatments. She faces a trial May 25 in a separate case in which she is accused of defrauding a charity for military veterans and the leader of a second charity in 2012. The Latest: Fatigued firefighters assess damage in Oklahoma WOODWARD, Okla. (AP) The Latest on wildfires in Oklahoma (all times local): 6:15 p.m. Firefighters are assessing damage as they work to contain a wildfire that has burned nearly 90 square miles in northwest Oklahoma. This April 5, 2016 photo provided by Landon Cates, volunteer firefighters from the Dewey County Task Force work a blaze southwest of Freedom, Okla. Oklahoma Forestry Services Director George Geissler says arcing power lines are to blame for the blaze in northwest Oklahoma, located about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. (Landon Cates/Leedy Fire Department via AP) Woodward Fire Department Chief Steve Day said Thursday that firefighters are battling fatigue after local departments that are barely free from suppressing last month's large wildfire in Oklahoma and Kansas work day and night to control this week's fire in Woodward County. Day says no towns or cities were threatened Thursday afternoon, although oil and agriculture infrastructure were at risk. It's still unclear how many structures have been destroyed by the blaze. The Woodward County fire is the largest active fire that Oklahoma Forestry Services is monitoring. ___ 9:30 a.m. Firefighters continue to battle a large wildfire that has burned nearly 90 square miles of mostly rangeland in northwestern Oklahoma. Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Hannah Anderson says conditions are more favorable Thursday for firefighters to contain the blaze, which began Tuesday when gusting winds caused power lines to arc into dry grass. Anderson says windy, dry weather Wednesday made it difficult for firefighters to establish containment lines for the blaze, located about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. The winds also made it too dangerous for teams to assess how many structures have been lost in the blaze, and those assessments will continue Thursday. Anderson says that aerial assessments showed that the fire was 20 percent contained as of Thursday morning. ___ 8:15 a.m. Firefighters continue to battle a large wildfire that has burned more than 80 square miles of mostly rangeland in northwestern Oklahoma. Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Hannah Anderson says conditions are more favorable Thursday for firefighters to contain the blaze, which began Tuesday when gusting winds caused power lines to arc into dry grass. Anderson says windy, dry weather Wednesday made it difficult for firefighters to establish containment lines for the blaze, located about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. The winds also made it too dangerous for teams to assess how many structures have been lost in the blaze, and those assessments will continue Thursday. The fire was 10 percent contained as of Wednesday night. An aerial team is assessing the blaze Thursday morning to determine its size and containment. Hillsborough inquests jury down to nine after woman discharged A juror at the Hillsborough inquests has been discharged, reducing the jury to nine. The woman was discharged on a "medical basis" on Thursday, just a day after the jury first went out to begin considering its verdicts following more than two years of hearings into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans in the 1989 football stadium disaster. The jury began with a panel of 11 in March 2014, but one man was also discharged on medical grounds in February 2015. The jury in the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans at the Hillsborough disaster has retired to consider its verdicts, more than two years since the hearings began Coroner Sir John Goldring told the remaining jurors on Thursday morning that nine of them would now consider the case. He told them: "In the light of all the information I have had, I have decided to discharge juror number four from continuing to serve on the jury. She is not here now, she has formally been discharged, so you will continue the case without her. "The information I have had included a medical basis for her to be discharged. "I should make this plain so that you will know, everyone, including the families, is aware of all the detail of what's happened." He added: "We are conscious how difficult this has been for you. It's not, if I may say so, been entirely easy for me or us. "I'm confident you can put it all behind you now and deal with what is, after all, your real task, and that's making your decisions." Sir John continued: "Members of the jury, I'm going to ask you now to retire, I'm confident we can put all this behind us and you can deal with the real task. Thank you for your patience, I'm sorry that you got, to some degree, sidetracked." The remaining six women and three men, who first retired at 2.05pm on Wednesday, are considering 14 key questions set out by Sir John in a 33-page questionnaire, including determining if police match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield is responsible for the unlawful killing of the fans by gross negligence manslaughter. Under rules governing inquests, hearings can continue with as few as seven jurors. The inquests into Britain's worst sporting disaster first began on March 31 2014, in a specially built courtroom in Warrington, Cheshire. Dozens of relatives of the 96 victims have attended each of the more than 300 days the court has sat at Bridgewater Place on the town's Birchwood Park business park. On Wednesday, Sir John concluded his summing-up of the evidence which he first began in January, before making his final remarks to the jurors, telling them to put emotion aside and consider the case dispassionately on the evidence. The Hillsborough tragedy unfolded on April 15 1989 during Liverpool's FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest as thousands of fans were crushed on Sheffield Wednesday's Leppings Lane terrace. Mr Duckenfield gave the order at 2.52pm to open exit Gate C in Leppings Lane, allowing around 2,000 fans to flood into the already packed central pens behind the goal. Jurors have heard months of evidence from more than 800 witnesses on topics including stadium safety, match planning, the events of the day, the emergency response and evidence gathering by police after the disaster. Sir John told them they would have to resolve "conflicts" of evidence they have heard between what Liverpool fans said and the accounts of police officers critical of them. The coroner also told them they would have to consider the way police statements were taken, reviewed and sometimes amended in what families claim was an attempt to mould the evidence and protect the South Yorkshire force. Juliet Stevenson launches petition urging ministers to help child asylum seekers Juliet Stevenson is leading calls for the Government to do more to reunite child asylum seekers in the EU with their families in the UK. The actress has launched a petition with Citizens UK to demand that the Government steps in to help children who are separated from their families while trying to claim asylum. The charity said 17-year-old asylum seeker Muhammed Hassan died last week in a traffic accident 14 miles from David Cameron's Oxfordshire home as he tried to reach his uncle in Manchester. Juliet Stevenson has launched a petition with Citizens UK to demand that the Government steps in to help children who are separated from their families while trying to claim asylum A spokeswoman said: "He had a legal right to come to the UK to be with his family while his asylum claim was processed, but no safe method of travelling here from Calais, where he had been living in the squalid conditions of The Jungle. "He had travelled from Iraq, fleeing the violence of Islamic State." The Dublin III Treaty, which governs EU asylum applications, says refugees must claim asylum in the first safe country they enter. However, Dublin III also says refugees with a nuclear family in a third country should claim asylum on entry to the EU and can then formally request that the third country "takes charge" of their application. Citizens UK says that in practice this rarely happens and no children made a successful "take charge" application from France to Britain from the time the system was established in 2013 to last month. After a legal battle, the first children from The Jungle camp were allowed into the UK to be reunited with their families last month but Citizens UK estimates there are 150 more children in Calais who could come to Britain under the rules. Stevenson said: "These families have a full legal and moral right to be reunited. "The Prime Minister must take personal responsibility for these tragedies which have now arrived at his doorstep. "He must step in and ensure that all refugee children with family members in the UK across Europe are identified and supported to reunite with their loved ones with all possible urgency. NHS eyes GPs from India amid 'unsustainable' rising workloads NHS education bosses are considering bringing GPs over from India in a move that could bolster the number of doctors in England. Health Education England (HEE) has signed a "memorandum of understanding" (MoU) with Apollo Hospitals in India which may in future see a flow of staff into the NHS if they can pass rigorous tests. Earlier this week, researchers warned that the increase in GP workloads - up 16% over the last seven years - was "unsustainable" . Earlier this week, researchers warned that the increase in GP workloads - up 16% over the last seven years - was "unsustainable" Doctors' leaders said general practice was in "crisis" after the study showed that family doctors in England are dealing with more frequent and longer consultations with rising numbers of patients. HEE has been tasked by the Government with increasing GP numbers by 5,000 by 2020. In the new memorandum of understanding, the plan is to share ideas and staff with India. A statement from Apollo Hospitals said : 'We have signed this memorandum of understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas and clinical staff in improving the education and training of healthcare staff and therefore the quality of care provided to patients. "These are initial discussions but we look forward to announcing the outcomes of this work over the coming months and years as it progresses." A statement from HEE, which is currently running a GP recruitment campaign, said: "England and India have signed a memorandum of understanding as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas. "The details of the MoU are still in discussion. "Since its establishment in 2013, HEE has honoured its commitment to invest more in GP training by increasing the number of training posts available. We spend nearly 500 million a year on GP training. We will be working closely with NHS England to provide 5,000 more doctors in general practice by 2020." Dr Maureen Baker, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said doctors would not be simply "parachuted" into the NHS. She said: "We welcome any expressions of interest from doctors outside of the EU wanting to work in the NHS - but they would first have to undergo GP specialty training, and pass our rigorous entrance assessment. They would also have to pass the GMC's professional linguistic and assessments board test. "The RCGP has had a longstanding partnership with Apollo/Medvarsity in India, and we accredit their diploma in family medicine - but this recognises excellence in family medicine at an international level. It is not a shortcut to becoming a GP in the UK. "Over 3,000 GP trainees a year take the College's exam. This (MRCGP) is a world-renowned, comprehensive and robust assessment that demonstrates to us - and crucially, our patients - that our trainees are ready to practise independently and safely. "The College is working hard to 'recruit, retain and return' as many GPs as possible so that we can continue to give our patients the safe care they deserve. "If doctors from outside of the UK can undergo and pass our rigorous assessment process, then we would welcome their skills and expertise in UK general practice." Dr Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, told Pulse magazine, which revealed details of the plan, that his contacts in India have said HEE wants "as many GPs as possible". He said: "I think it is a pity that HEE have to go abroad to recruit for GP positions. Unfortunately, the training of GPs has not been managed properly over the years." He said GPs who come over from India would have to be "given proper support and mentoring so they don't land in trouble, as has happened in the past when doctors are put in the NHS without proper induction". Dr Umesh Prabhu, former chair and current member of the British International Doctors Association executive committee, said of the plan: " This is a most dangerous thing, because these doctors are not trained to be GPs in the UK. "Their training is entirely different. I have concerns for the doctors' safety and the patients' safety." The Patients Association issued a warning over a rise in the number of calls from patients about GPs. Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the charity, said: "We receive countless calls to our helpline from patients who are unable to obtain a GP appointment at a time when they need one. "It would be simply unacceptable if long waiting times to see a GP become the norm." She added: "If the Government is looking to recruit doctors from India and elsewhere, then there must be reassurance that patient-doctor communications will not be compromised. "We have also heard from our helpline that patients express concerns about the communication skills of practitioners from outside the UK. "All patients rely on their doctors to give them the advice, support and treatment that they need. It's therefore important that patients feel that they are easily able to communicate with those who are providing those services. "As well as a good command of the English language, any medical professional must also have a good understanding of local policies and procedures." Ms Murphy said it was " vital" that efforts are made to train and retain more GPs in the UK. "However the indications are that the Government is likely to train less than half of its 5,000 target by 2020," she said. "With fewer GPs going into the profession, many UK-based GPs looking to work abroad and 7,200 GPs retiring within the next five years, this must ring alarm bells." Lord Hunt, Labour's shadow health minister, said: "This Tory Government has presided over a chronic shortage of GPs, which has forced them to look abroad to try and plug the gaps in the NHS workforce. "Ministers need to provide assurances that any doctor recruited from abroad will continue to go through rigorous assessment to guarantee they are able to deliver safe care to NHS patients. Labour defends Corbyn over anti-Semitism accusations Labour has defended Jeremy Corbyn's approach to complaints of growing anti-Semitism within the party after the Board of Deputies of British Jews launched a fresh accusation of inaction. President Jonathan Arkush issued a strongly-worded statement criticising what he said was the Opposition leader's "deeply disturbing" defence of comments made at the weekend by his brother. Piers Corbyn dismissed as "absurd" a complaint by MP Louise Ellman, who is herself Jewish, that the party leader had failed to act on promises to stamp out abuse. Jeremy Corbyn is taking action against anti-Semitism, Labour has insisted Her comments came after a series of incidents involving anti-Semitic comments by Labour activists including one who was suspended after posting a series of tweets referring to Jews with "big noses" and describing Hitler as a "Zionist God". "JC+ All Corbyns are committed AntiNazi," Piers Corbyn posted on Twitter after her intervention in a TV interview. "Zionists cant cope with anyone supporting rights for Palestine." Asked about the post, the Labour leader told The Sun: "No, my brother isn't wrong. "My brother has his point of view, I have mine and we actually fundamentally agree - we are a family that were brought up fighting racism from the day we were born." He went on: "We're opposed to any form of racism and we are investigating allegations of anti-Semitism, but I wouldn't call it a crisis, we are a party are taking resolute action." Mr Arkush said his response suggested a failure to take the issue sufficiently seriously. "Jeremy Corbyn's defence of his brother's belittling of the problem of anti-Semitism is deeply disturbing," he said. "We cannot imagine that any other minority's concerns would be dismissed off-hand in this way. In the last few weeks we have witnessed a stream of clear-cut cases of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, which can't just be fobbed off as differences over Israel. "Most of the Jewish community, numerous Labour MPs, Labour peers, and Labour's London mayoral candidate are crying out for the leader to take action on anti-Semitism. "It would be incomprehensible for Mr Corbyn to remain inert and refuse to take this form of racism in his party seriously." A spokesman for the Labour leader said: " It is Jeremy Corbyn who is taking action on anti-Semitism. Jordan Spieth straight into the thick of the action at Augusta Defending champion Jordan Spieth assumed his customary position on a crowded leaderboard in the early stages of the 80th Masters on Thursday. Spieth, who was second on his debut in 2014 and claimed a first green jacket with a record-breaking performance 12 months ago, is looking to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods in making a successful title defence at Augusta National. And the world number two, who led from start to finish after an opening 64 last year, was quickly into his stride with birdies on the third and sixth taking the 22-year-old into a share of the lead with playing partner Paul Casey and Open champion Zach Johnson. Jordan Spieth enjoyed a good start to his title defence in the Masters Nine players were just a shot behind on one under, including US Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau and Ryder Cup trio Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson. Conditions were good for the early starters after heavy overnight rain, but the wind had started to pick up and was forecast to strengthen during the day with gusts between 30 and 35mph predicted. That was bad news for world number three Rory McIlroy in his bid to win a first green jacket to complete the career grand slam, the 26-year-old being the last man out shortly after 2pm local time. The first man out, American Jim Herman, had made a dream start to his debut after securing the last place in the 89-man field by virtue of winning the Shell Houston Open. However, the former assistant professional at one of the courses owned by US presidential candidate Donald Trump, then carded a hat-trick of bogeys from the fourth and had dropped back to two over par with four holes to play. World number five Rickie Fowler ran up a double-bogey on the first after hitting a tree with his second shot, but bounced back with birdies on the second, third and fifth before dropping back to level par with a bogey on the seventh. Spieth, who set records for the highest number of birdies (28) and lowest 36 and 54-hole totals in Masters history last year, moved into the outright lead after pitching to three feet for birdie on the par-five eighth. And although Casey, who was sixth here last year and on his debut in 2004, briefly got back on level terms with a birdie from 25 feet on the 10th, Spieth simply followed the Englishman in from half the distance to move back in front on four under. Two British nationals held in Lebanon over 'abduction of two children' Two British nationals have been arrested in Lebanon following the abduction of two children. Police and Australian media said Lebanese authorities detained four Australians, including journalists, on suspicion they were involved in the abductions of two children in Beirut. Officials also said a British citizen had been detained on suspicion that he planned to smuggle the children out of Lebanon on his boat, the Associated Press reported. The Foreign Office is providing consular assistance A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing consular assistance to two British nationals following their arrest in Beirut on 7 April." The second British person has dual British and Australian nationality, and was travelling on a British passport. The five are being questioned over the kidnapping of the son and daughter of a Lebanese man and an Australian woman. The children have been living in Beirut since their father brought them from Australia last year. Police said the kidnapping, in which the children were allegedly taken on Wednesday after an attack on their Lebanese grandmother as she was taking them to school near their home in Beirut, was part of a family dispute. On Thursday, police first said the mother and the children were at the Australian Embassy, but later the Lebanese intelligence department declared the mother was detained and was being held by police with her children, the state-run National News Agency reported. It did not say where they were found but added that the children were safe. 'Step forward' in battle against blood disorders British scientists have taken a first step towards mass-producing platelets - tiny cell fragments that play a vital role in blood clotting - tailored to individual patients. The team, including researchers from the NHS organisation responsible for blood transfusions, transformed stem cells into the large bone marrow cells called megakaryocytes that act as platelet factories. Hundreds of thousands of mature megakaryocytes were produced, which spontaneously began to release functional platelets. Scientists say they have taken a first step in a process aimed at improving treatment for patients with blood disorders In future, the technique could lead to patients with severe injuries or blood disorders being treated with platelets made in the laboratory from their own cells. This would overcome a major problem associated with platelet donation, rejection by the recipient's immune system. Dr Cedric Ghevaert, a leading member of the team from NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Making megakaryocytes and platelets from stem cells for transfusion has been a long-standing challenge because of the sheer numbers we need to produce to make a single unit for transfusion. "We have found a way to 'rewire' the stem cells to make them become megakaryocytes a lot faster and more efficiently. It is a major step forward towards our goal to one day make blood cells in the laboratory to transfuse to patients." Megakaryocytes, unusually large bone marrow cells, are a wonder of biology whose functioning is still not completely understood. They literally act as platelet factories, generating assembly lines for manufacturing the clotting agents along finger-like branching processes. Each megakaryocyte churns out between 5,000 and 10,000 platelets - and every adult human has nearly a trillion platelets circulating in their blood. Platelet transfusions are needed by patients with life-threatening bleeding due to major injury or surgery. They are also required by people undergoing cancer treatment and individuals with severe blood disorders who cannot make enough platelets of their own. But patients undergoing multiple transfusions may develop an immune reaction that destroys any "foreign" platelets before they have a chance to do their job. This is especially a problem when a patient is from a minority ethnic group or has a rare blood type. The megakaryocytes made by the NHS Blood and Transplant and Cambridge University team were derived from cultured lines of embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Both are capable of transforming into any kind of tissue in the body. While ES cells are initially obtained from early stage embryos, iPS cells are created in the laboratory from modified adult cells, such as skin cells. Mature cells made using the iPS route could theoretically be generated from a patient's own tissue, thereby averting the risk of immune system rejection. By genetically altering the stem cells in a precise way, the scientists coaxed them into following a development path that led them to multiply and become mature megakaryocytes. Crucially the process allowed large numbers of the cells to be generated, each stem cell giving rise to some 200,000 megakaryocytes. The scientists, whose research is reported in the journal Nature Communications, calculated that one million starter stem cells could yield enough platelets for several transfusions. Next the scientists want to investigate more efficient ways of producing platelets from stem cell-derived megakaryocytes. One avenue of research being explored is developing customised bio-reactors that can be used to scale up platelet manufacture. Dr Edwin Massey, associate medical director for diagnostic and therapeutic services at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "The success of this research team in producing megakaryocytes in the laboratory has paved the way for the ultimate goal, manufacturing platelets for transfusion. It will, however be many years before a process for the large-scale production of platelets is developed. "Donated platelets will still be needed by patients for the foreseeable future, either as part of a blood donation or by dedicated platelet donation using a machine collection process." NHS Blood and Transplant currently collects donated platelets using a machine collection process from 23 donor centres across England. Dutch 'No' to Ukraine pact forces government rethink By Thomas Escritt and Anthony Deutsch AMSTERDAM, April 6 (Reuters) - The Dutch government said on Wednesday it could not ignore the resounding "No" in a non-binding referendum on the European Union's association treaty with Ukraine, but that it may take weeks to decide how to respond. Although the results were preliminary, they exposed dissatisfaction with the Dutch government and policy-making in Brussels - signalling a anti-establishment mood in a founding EU member weeks before Britain votes on membership. There could also be far-reaching consequences for the fragile Dutch coalition government, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency and which has lost popularity amid a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. Exit polls indicated roughly 64 percent of Dutch voters voted "No" and 36 percent said "Yes". Although turnout was too close to call, early tallies indicated it was just ahead of a turnout minimum of 30 percent required for the vote to be valid. "It's clear that 'No' have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a televised reaction. "If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, then my sense is that ratification can't simply go ahead," Rutte added. That sentiment was shared by Diederik Samsom, leader of the Labour Party, the junior partner the governing coalition. "We can't ratify the treaty in this fashion," he said. A person familiar with internal EU discussions on how leaders in Brussels would respond said EU officials had been hoping for very low turnout that would disqualify or diminish the impact of a "No" vote. The European Commission, the bloc's executive, will play for time, waiting for the Dutch government to suggest a way forward, the official said. The political, trade and defence treaty is already provisionally in place, but has to be ratified by all 28 EU member countries for every part of it to have full legal force. The Netherlands is the only country that has not done so. SECOND DUTCH "NO" TO EU Options include leaving the agreement in force provisionally, or drafting exemption clauses for the Netherlands. Nothing will happen in a hurry, not least to avoid giving any succour to Britain's "out" campaigners. Rutte said the government would consult with parliament and European partners "step by step. That could take days or weeks." Pollster Ipsos said the validity was still unclear with provisional turnout at 32 percent - above the threshold - but within a 3 percent margin of error. The referendum, called by eurosceptic forces, was the first since a 2015 law made it possible to force through plebiscites by gathering 300,000 signatures on the Internet - a law which is already being criticised. "It is an instrument for anti-establishment forces," said Cad Mudde, an expert on Dutch politics and populism at the University of Georgia. "It looks like the Dutch people said no to the European elite and no to the treaty with the Ukraine. (This is) the beginning of the end of the EU," Geert Wilders, leader of the eurosceptic Freedom Party, said in a tweet. "I hope that later, both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe, other countries will follow," he said earlier. Dutch leaders campaigning for the treaty had said voting against it would also hand a symbolic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They had feared a repeat of 2005 when the Dutch rejected the European Union constitution, also in a referendum. Dutch PM: may reconsider Ukraine treaty ratification AMSTERDAM, April 6 (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday his government may have to reconsider ratifying a treaty on closer ties between the European Union and Ukraine. Dutch voters overwhelmingly voted against approving the treaty in a nonbinding referendum, but it was unclear whether turnout met the minimum threshold for the vote to be valid. Iceland government coalition appoints Johannsson as new PM - Progressive Party MP REYKJAVIK, April 6 (Reuters) - Iceland's governing centre-right coalition has decided to appoint Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as new prime minister, Progressive Party MP Hoskuldur Thorhallsson told reporters in parliament on Wednesday. Johannsson, of the Progressive Party, is the minister of fisheries and agriculture. Samsung Elec set for Q1 profit jump, but some call an earnings peak By Se Young Lee SEOUL, April 7 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd flagged a 10 percent jump in quarterly profit on Thursday - a sign of robust early sales for its new Galaxy S7 smartphones although doubts abound whether momentum can be maintained in the face of new rival offerings. The South Korean tech giant's estimate for first-quarter operating profit handily beat market forecasts and has boosted hopes that its struggling mobile business will post its first annual profit gain in three years, also benefiting from an improved performance for mid-to-low tier devices and cost-cutting efforts. Samsung said January-March operating profit was likely 6.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion), well above the 5.6 trillion won profit tipped by a Thomson Reuters StarMine SmartEstimate derived from a survey of 23 analysts. The firm will not disclose a full breakdown of its results until late April, and gave no comment on the performance of its business divisions. More than a dozen brokerages had lifted forecasts for Samsung earnings since late March encouraged by reports of better-than-expected sales of its Galaxy S7 models, which boast an improved camera, waterproofing and microSD storage support. Samsung's mobile business was probably the top earner for the first time in seven quarters, analysts say. A decline in the value of the South Korean won is also expected to help lift the firm's first-quarter bottom line. But even so, competition from new products such as Apple Inc's recently launched iPhone SE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's upcoming flagship P9 phone are tempering investor enthusiasm. "First quarter earnings will be the peak this year," said HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh, adding that marketing costs for the mobile business will rise in the next quarter, pushing profits lower. Investor caution stems from last year's launch of Galaxy S6 phones, which boasted major design changes and features and were widely praised. Initially expected to be Samsung's best-selling phones ever, sales fizzled following the launch. "S7 sales popped in the beginning but could very well fade as rivals launch new models," said Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo. "We have learned from the past." Other analysts said Samsung's decision to launch the Galaxy S7 models a month earlier than their predecessors may have simply have brought forward sales that would have been made in later quarters. Samsung's shares gave up early gains to be down 1.6 percent in midday trade, compared with a 0.2 percent fall for the broader market ($1 = 1,154.2000 won) PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - April 7 MOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - World Bank analysts doubt that the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow will help Russia's economy. - The creation of a new force and a potentially repressive structure - the national guard which is headed by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin - is the Kremlin's response to the revival of political life in the country, the daily says. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - Russia's environment protection lobby is seeking state support to replace activists from WWF Russia and Greenpeace working in the country. The national ecological movement should be patriotically-minded and should not hamper the work of local industries and businesses, the daily says. - France's Auchan chain of hypermarkets will export Russian products to Europe under its trade mark, the daily says adding that the retailer is plans to bring to 5,300 items to be sold by Auchan Retail Russia by 2018. IZVESTIA www.izvestia.ru - Russia will suspend the destruction of its chemical weapons until 2020 because the terms of the International Chemical Weapons Convention have already been violated, and the United States will most likely not complete the disposal of its chemicals before 2023, according to Russian expert Natalia Kalinina. - Russia will launch its Proton-M rocket carrier to deliver a new Intelsat satellite into orbit at the beginning of 2017, the head of the Khrunichev satellite maker, Andrei Kalinovsky, is quoted as saying. - Eighty-seven percent of Russians are convinced that Crimea must be part of Russia, while around three percent of those polled consider it part of Ukraine, according to a survey by Levada-Centre pollsters. PRESS DIGEST - Portugal - April 7 LISBON, April 7 (Reuters) - Following are some of the main stories in Portuguese newspapers and online editions on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. * Prime minister to discuss future of country's largest bank, state-controlled Caixa Geral de Depositos, during lunch with ECB's Draghi (Jornal de Negocios) * PM Costa wants state security agencies to have access to mobile phone data (Diario de Noticias) Rothschild says Ukraine president's trust up to international standards KIEV, April 7 (Reuters) - The wealth management arm of Rothschild Group set up a trust it handles for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in line with international standards for the treatment of assets of politicians in office, the company said on Thursday. Poroshenko has had to defend himself repeatedly against accusations he tried to evade tax after the "Panama Papers" data leak on Sunday showed he had placed his Roshen confectionary business assets in an offshore account. Rothschild said Poroshenko had appointed it as a trustee of a blind trust to hold his shares in Roshen. "The trust has been modelled on international standards for politicians requiring trusts to hold their assets while they are in office," it said in emailed comments. On Monday, Poroshenko's financial and legal team said the offshore company did not violate Ukrainian law. It was set up offshore as part of the process of establishing the Rothschild trust - needed to avoid a conflict of interest, they said. Nevertheless some Ukrainian lawmakers have said the scandal influenced Dutch voters' resounding rejection of a Ukraine-EU treaty in a referendum on closer political and economic ties. It could also further delay attempts by Poroshenko's faction to form a new coalition next week. Political deadlock and stalled reform efforts have derailed a critical $40 billion international bailout programme and raised concerns among Ukraine's Western backers that leaders in Kiev lack the political will to enact the changes they promised in the wake of the 2013-14 Maidan street protests. Jobs project helps Afghan asylum seeker finds work in "good life" Germany By Christine Soukenka REGENSBURG, Germany, April 7 (Reuters) - Afghan asylum seeker Yar Mohammad Haiqar can't stop smiling because he's finally found a job after arriving in Germany almost three years ago. Now he spends his days painting, plastering and sanding at a dry construction firm. The 23-year-old is one of 35 refugees who have found a job or apprenticeship through a model project run by the Bavarian Industry Association (VBW) that aims to integrate 120 migrants into German society via work. That's a small number compared to the 1.1 million migrants who arrived in Europe's largest economy last year. Germany desperately needs new workers to plug a skilled labour shortage caused by partly its ageing population but it is struggling to deal with the record influx and many newcomers do not have the training or language skills the country needs. "You can have a good life in Germany," Haiqar told Reuters. "Now I've found a job and I find the work very interesting and I would like to stay in this job," he said. It is not yet clear whether Haiqar, who left his parents and siblings behind in Afghanistan, can stay in Germany and finish his apprenticeship - he is still waiting for a decision on his asylum application. His employer, Anita Brunner, is helping him deal with all his paperwork and wants to keep him in her firm. "I think work is one of the best ways to integrate refugees and keep them here," she said. Bertram Brossardt, managing director of VBW, said it had not been possible to find 120 refugees to take part in the project when it was first set up as originally planned but of the 109 who did join, around 30 percent now had jobs or apprenticeships. Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitaries say will join offensive to retake Mosul By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD, April 7 (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary group said it will join government forces preparing to fight Islamic State for Mosul despite objections of politicians who fear this could instigate sectarian bloodshed in the mostly Sunni Muslim city. A much-touted government offensive to retake Iraq's largest northern city two years after its seizure by the Sunni Islamist insurgents has made a faltering start, casting doubt on the army's ability to do so without more ground support. The campaign will require the participation of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias, said a spokesman for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of its most powerful factions. "We think the battle to liberate Mosul will be huge, complex; it will be about guerrilla warfare in built-up areas, which only PMF fighters are good at ..., as forces may be fighting house to house, room to room," the spokesman, Jawad al-Talabawi, said in an interview on Wednesday in Baghdad. In an opinion column published in the New York Times on March 27, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri made a plea to keep the PMF out of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province. Jabouri, the most senior Sunni official in the Shi'ite led-country, said the PMF had destroyed Sunni houses and mosques, carried out reprisal killings in villages recaptured from Islamic State and barred people from returning to their homes. To avoid atrocities, Jabouri said, the Mosul campaign should replicate the recent recapture from Islamic State of Ramadi, capital of mainly Sunni Anbar province, by Iraqi army troops backed by Sunni tribal fighters and U.S.-led air strikes. Until Ramadi's recapture in December, it was the PMF, assisted by Iranian military advisers, that spearheaded operations to recover territory from Islamic State. The PMF says government forces will need the help of more than Sunni tribesmen to recover Mosul, which is four times the size of Ramadi. Asaib spokesman Talabawi dismissed the concerns of Sunni politicians about Mosul, saying the PMF would cause less damage to the city than if government forces stormed it under the cover of air bombardment as was done in Ramadi. He suggested the PMF rather than the army take the lead in pushing into Mosul, saying the army could advance effectively only when the ground had been cleared by heavy bombardment. Ramadi, 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first major success for Iraq's U.S.-backed army since its collapse in the face of Islamic State's lightning surge across the country's north and west in mid-2014. Ramadi suffered heavy damage as Islamic State militants typically use residential dwellings for cover, dig tunnels and lay mines and explosives to slow an enemy's advance. Most of the city's population fled before the final onslaught started. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared 2016 the year of "final victory" over Islamic State, which in 2014 proclaimed a caliphate from Mosul, by far the largest city under IS control in both Syria and Iraq with a pre-war population of about two million. Kremlin: Dutch voters signal their mistrust in Ukraine-EU treaty MOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - The results of an advisory referendum held in the Netherlands show that Dutch citizens have mistrust in a treaty on closer ties between Ukraine and the European Union, the Kremlin said on Thursday. "These (results) point to the attitude of the citizens of the Netherlands to a certain document. Dutch citizens have questions, have mistrust. They are sending a signal of their mistrust (in the Ukraine-EU treaty)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with journalists. In Wednesday's referendum, Dutch voters have overwhelmingly rejected a Ukraine-European Union treaty on closer political and economic ties, in a rebuke to their government and to the European Union establishment. U.S. gently presses Bahrain on rights, praises security ties By Arshad Mohammed MANAMA, April 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gently pressed Bahrain on human rights on Thursday as he praised security cooperation with the Gulf monarchy, where the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in part as a bulwark against Iran. Kerry made the comments before he met ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, all of which resent what they regard as Iranian interference in the region, including its support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war, for the Houthis in the Yemen conflict and for Hezbollah in Lebanon. Rights groups accuse Bahrain of failing to implement reforms to give its majority Shi'ites a bigger voice in government. They also accuse security forces of using torture against opponents and discriminating against Shi'ites, charges Bahrain denies. Sporadic violence targeting Bahrain's security forces has continued since pro-democracy, Shi'ite-led protests in 2011 were put down by the Sunni-ruled kingdom with help from Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia. At a news conference, Kerry called Bahrain "a critical security partner" but was circumspect about its rights record. "Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential in order to allow citizens to be able to reach and live out their full potential," he said. Brian Dooley of advocacy group Human Rights First described the comments as "disappointingly weak". He faulted Kerry for not raising specific cases in public and said his "watery, tepid" language did little to push Bahrain to improve its record. Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa defended his nation's rights policies and said activist Zeinab al-Khawaja, who is serving a two-month prison sentence with her child for tearing up a photo of the king, would be freed although the case against her will continue to be pursued. Sheikh Khaled also criticized Iran for its recent ballistic missile tests and accused it of "hegemonic interventions through proxies in several parts of our region." Concerns about Iran's behaviour are the underlying reason for Kerry's visit and for an April 21 summit in Riyadh that U.S. President Barack Obama will attend with the GCC - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. That summit aims to reassure Arab states of U.S. support and protection following the July 14 nuclear agreement under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Speaking after Kerry met the GCC ministers, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said they wanted better relations with Iran but it had to change its behaviour. Europe's banks under scrutiny as regulators look into Panama Papers By Joshua Franklin and Stephanie Nebehay BERN/GENEVA, April 7 (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth. Switzerland's financial watchdog FINMA said on Thursday that banks must clamp down on money laundering, as the Geneva prosecutor opened a criminal probe. Four decades of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which specialises in setting up offshore companies and has offices in Zurich and Geneva, showed widespread use of those instruments by global banks and triggered investigations across the world. "Do I think we are where we should be in fighting misuse in the financial system? No," FINMA Chief Executive Mark Branson told Reuters following its annual news conference. "We think in some ways the risks in Switzerland have risen, not fallen, and that there is more that can be done. We don't want to see large scandals involving Swiss banks." Switzerland is the world's biggest international wealth management centre with around $2.5 trillion in assets and has taken on more wealth of late from emerging markets, from which it is harder determine the origin of assets, Branson said. Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has written to 20 banks and other financial firms, giving them until April 15 to spell out any involvement they have with the "Panama Papers". HSBC, Britain's biggest bank and its affiliates created more than 2,300 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. HSBC has dismissed suggestions it used offshore structures to help clients cheat on their taxes. Also on Thursday, France's ACPR financial regulator said it has told French banks to hand over extra information about their business ties with tax havens. German regulator BaFin is likewise probing the role of Germany's banks, a source told Reuters on Monday. Watchdogs in Sweden, Netherlands and Austria said earlier this week that they were looking into banks named in the papers. The chief executive of Austria's Hypo Landesbank Vorarlberg became one of the first top bankers to quit over reports based on the data leak on Thursday, though he denies his bank violated any laws or sanctions. SWISS BANKS The "Panama Papers" investigation has exposed financial arrangements of public figures including friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain, Iceland and Pakistan, and the president of Ukraine. No U.S. banks are among the 10 banks named as the biggest creators of offshore companies for clients in the Panama Papers. But U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the Treasury Department to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with Mossack Fonseca. "As the primary agency charged with protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system and enforcing our laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, we strongly urge the Treasury Department to conduct its own inquiry into Mossack Fonseca's activities and its clients," the senators, both Democrats, wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. The Treasury Department would not comment specifically on the findings in the documents but a spokeswoman said that "the U.S. government intently focuses on investigating possible illicit activity, including violations of U.S. tax laws or sanctions, using all sources of information, both public and non-public." "If there has been any violation of U.S. tax law or sanctions evasion, we will take appropriate action consistent with the national security and foreign policy of the United States," she said. The senators, both members of the Senate Banking Committee and both proponents of stronger financial regulation, said they were concerned "this firm may have facilitated money laundering or terrorist financing with sanctioned persons or entities." Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS and Credit Suisse were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients. Both banks have denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice. Swiss financial institutions -- a focal point of efforts by European governments to crack down on tax avoidance -- trailed only Hong Kong in having used Mossack Fonseca, the reports have said. Branson said FINMA would first check for signs of illegal activity before deciding whether to launch an investigation linked to the Panama Papers. There were a few indications that they may be relevant in Switzerland, Branson said. Geneva's prosecutor also said on Thursday he had launched a criminal inquiry in connection with leaks that revealed many offshore companies set up by lawyers and institutions in the Swiss lakeside city and financial centre. "Some information has been made public this week and the prosecutor's office wanted to verify if this information showed anything that was against the law," a spokesman for the prosecutor said. One prominent Geneva lawyer helped set up 136 Panama offshore companies, Swiss television has reported. "Yes, it is an industry with a legal dimension. I have been in this business for 30 years and this activity was sought after by foreign nationals. There is nothing illegal, illicit or perception of criminality to it," another Geneva lawyer, Francois Canonica, said on Swiss television on Wednesday night. Canonica, a former head of the Geneva bar association, referred to a period after the 1981 election of French President Francois Mitterrand, which he said drove French fearful of nationalisation to place their money in offshore Swiss accounts. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam said on Tuesday his bank was after only lawful assets. UBS said on Monday it conducted its business in full compliance with applicable law and regulations and that it had no interest in funds that are not taxed or derived from unlawful activities. Branson said a number of Swiss banks were implicated in a corruption scandal surrounding Brazil's Petrobras and suspicious cash flows linked to the Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB. FINMA has launched four enforcement proceedings against institutions in the 1MDB case and three over Petrobras. Rights group, tribes urge Iraqi forces to save "starving" Falluja By Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD, April 7 (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called on Iraqi forces besieging the Islamic State-held Falluja to allow aid to reach tens of thousands of residents facing acute shortages of food and medicine. The Iraqi army, police and Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias - backed by air strikes from a U.S.-led coalition - have maintained a near total siege on Falluja, located 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, since late last year. Desperate residents are making soup from grass and using flour from ground date seeds to make bread, New York-based HRW said in a report. Food, when available, costs up to 50 times the normal price. "The people of Falluja are besieged by the government, trapped by (Islamic State), and are starving," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director. "The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population." Falluja - a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists - was the first Iraqi city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014, six months before the group swept through large parts of northern and western Iraq and neighbouring Syria. Tribal sheikhs from Anbar province, where Falluja is located, held a news conference in Amman on Thursday to press the Iraqi government to find a way to lift the siege and get aid to residents stranded inside. HRW also called on Islamic State to allow food and medicine into the city and to permit residents to leave. Iraqi and U.S. officials have said they are worried the insurgents would confiscate any aid sent to Falluja. Defence ministry spokesman Naseer Nuri accused Islamic State of using civilians to obstruct the advance of Iraqi forces. "The real siege is not by Iraqi forces," he said. "The Iraqi forces are liberating, they want to liberate the city's residents who have been held hostage by Daesh (Islamic State) for more than three years. Daesh is the one really besieging Falluja." Nuri said Iraqi forces had opened three corridors for civilians to flee but alleged that the militants had barred them from leaving. BLEAK PICTURE HRW, which has not had access to Falluja, said it relied largely on activists in Baghdad to communicate with residents directly or through people in contact with them. "The humanitarian picture in Falluja is bleak and getting bleaker," said Stork. "Greater international attention to the besieged towns and cities of the region is needed or the results for civilians could be calamitous." Since recapturing Ramadi - a further 50 km to the west - from Islamic State in December, Iraqi authorities have not made clear whether they will attempt to take Falluja soon or leave it contained while the bulk of their forces head north towards Mosul, the largest city under the militants' control. The humanitarian crisis has made recapturing Falluja from Islamic State a priority, Nuri said, but added that the timing was up to military leaders. In the past two weeks, Iraqi forces backed by coalition air strikes have retaken significant parts of Hit, an important town 50 km northwest of Ramadi, and three villages in the Makhmour area that is set to be a key staging ground for a future assault on Mosul. Shi'ite militias, which played a central role in offensives before Ramadi, have been largely sidelined in the predominantly Sunni provinces of Anbar and Nineveh, where Mosul is located, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions. But a spokesman for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the most powerful Iranian-backed militias, told Reuters on Wednesday the group was prepared to enter Falluja, which he said Islamic State was using to launch bomb attacks in Baghdad. Dutch vote highlights EU's problem with voters, UK beware By Paul Taylor BRUSSELS, April 7 (Reuters) - The European Union's long-running problem with voters just got a little worse after the Dutch rejected an agreement on closer EU ties with Ukraine, highlighting the difficulties of further European integration. Coming less than three months before a British referendum on whether to stay in the EU or leave after 43 years of semi-detached membership, the Dutch vote rang alarm bells in London and Brussels. Less than a third of the electorate turned out for the consultative Dutch referendum, forced by a grassroots petition launched by eurosceptics. But it was enough to make the ballot valid and oblige Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government to take account of the result. Jubilant eurosceptic Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders called it "the beginning of the end of the EU". His British counterpart, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, said: "Their 'No' to the EU was a tremendous victory for democracy." The EU's usual way of handling such setbacks - pressing ahead while giving some side-assurances to the country that voted "No" - only fuels anger among critics who see it as an elitist technocracy that ignores the popular will. "It will probably lead to a cosmetic solution, a little legal fix, which in future will give more reasons to vote 'No'," said Luuk Van Middelaar, a Dutch historian and an aide to former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. "This is the vicious circle of euroscepticism, which keeps fuelling itself." The Dutch "No" extended a dismal run of EU defeats since 2000 in plebiscites in Denmark and Sweden on joining the euro, and in Ireland, France and the Netherlands on approving new treaties giving greater powers to Brussels. Most recently the Danish government lost a referendum on opting back in to more EU judicial and police cooperation. Almost every time a European government has asked voters any question about "more Europe", the answer has been "No". The few exceptions included two in Ireland, where voters approved EU treaties at the second attempt after Dublin secured extra assurances from its EU partners following referendum "No" votes. "This confirms a 21st century trend that all referendums with the EU on the ballot paper result in 'No' to Europe," former British Europe Minister Denis MacShane told Reuters. "A low turnout helps the anti-EU/Brexit vote. If in UK the referendum has the same turnout as the European Parliament elections (35 percent in 2014) then Brexit wins," said MacShane, a pro-European who has forecast a Brexit vote since last year. TURNOUT IS KEY British Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the risky UK vote in response to rising euroscepticism that was tearing apart his Conservative party, is acutely aware that he needs to mobilise the electorate to avoid an historic debacle. Cameron made a big pitch on Thursday to young people, who polls show are more pro-European than their elders but less likely to vote, to register and cast ballots on June 23. Asked about the Dutch vote, he said: "I don't think it has any effect on us because we've got a bigger question: do we stay in this organisation or do we leave? "But I think it is important that the European institutions and the Dutch government ... listen carefully to what people have said, and try to understand that and try to work with that rather than saying this is something they can't deal with." Edouard Lecerf, global director of Political and Opinion at pollster TNS-Sofres, said the main lesson from the Netherlands for Britain was that the ability of the rival camps to get their supporters to go out and vote will be crucial. "We often see that in European elections or votes about Europe, opponents of the EU have a greater capacity to mobilise than supporters," he told Reuters. "The European question has a way of crystallising a whole series of discontents about institutions, policies and elites, with a high electoral payoff," he said. Early polling in Britain suggested barely more than half the electorate may take part in the referendum, Lecerf said, even though the economic and strategic stakes are far higher than in the Dutch vote on an arcane issue that stirred few passions. Some of the Dutch electors who bothered to turn out took the chance to vent discontent over the economy, immigration, globalisation or the Rutte government's policies rather than EU ties with Ukraine. The same could easily happen in Britain, where Cameron has been weakened by divisions in his party, a crisis in the steel industry, questions about his late father's use of a Panama-based offshore company and anger over welfare spending cuts. "THE ENEMY OF INTEGRATION" European unity was driven after World War Two by political leaders in France and Germany, but also Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who had national electoral mandates and parliamentary support, but most did not put the issue directly to their electorates until the 1990s. When they did, they got a nasty surprise. French voters only approved by a whisker the Maastricht Treaty on economic and monetary union that created the euro single currency, after the Danes had initially rejected it in a 1993 referendum. French President Francois Hollande, traumatised by the 2005 referendum defeat of the EU's Constitutional Treaty which split his Socialist party, has done everything to avoid treaty change for deeper euro zone integration to avert another plebiscite. The EU has advanced beyond the single market integration that could be sliced into a technocratic process and entered far more politically sensitive areas of control over national budgets, borders and foreign policy. In the Dutch case, the mainstream centre-right and centre-left parties which all supported the Ukraine deal were in a bind. As democrats, they could not publicly urge supporters to abstain in the country's first grassroots-driven referendum, but many quietly hoped that "tactical abstention" would keep turnout below the threshold for the vote to be valid. Some senior EU officials say referendums are inimical to the European project because they allow voters in a single country to block or delay agreements approved by other national parliaments, causing deadlock. All 27 other EU states have ratified the Ukraine pact. "Plebiscitary democracy is the enemy of European integration but it is the rising trend. I don't see how we avoid it and I don't see how we can advance with it," said one senior official, who requested anonymity because he does not speak for the EU institutions. The EU's most ardent federalists see the answer to the conundrum as lying in more pan-European democracy and greater powers for the directly elected European Parliament, even though many voters see their national parliament as the centre of democratic life and most did not cast an EU ballot last time. Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a federalist who leads the centrist liberal group in the EU legislature, said he was not surprised by the Dutch outcome. Russia dep foreign minister: fate of Assad not being discussed - RIA MOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Thursday that the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not being discussed at the moment, RIA news agency reported. European duties on cheap Chinese steel: too slow, too low? April 7 (Reuters) - A flood of cheap Chinese steel into Europe partly explains Tata Steel's decision to sell its British assets. The case has led to renewed pressure on the European Union to be as firm as the United States and China in imposing redressive import duties to counter dumping or perceived unfair subsidies. Brussels opened three anti-dumping investigations into Chinese steel products in February but will not impose any measures until November. This time lag is due to the 28-member bloc's extended investigation and approval process, irrespective of the resolve of member states to act. Here is the process whereby EU duties are set: DECISION-MAKING The European Commission, responsible for EU trade policy, conducts investigations and makes proposals such as on duties, but these have to be approved by the European Council, the body representing the member states. TIMING The Commission typically takes 45 days to determine whether a complaint from industry (such as steel sector association Eurofer) warrants an investigation. After a further nine months it can choose to impose provisional duties to counter dumping (selling at below domestic prices or below cost) or subsidies. Eurofer complains that compares with a U.S. average of four-and-a-half months to apply anti-dumping tariffs. It wants to cut the time to six months. The Commission has said it might be able to reduce it to eight, but would need new legislation that would involve lengthy EU debate to bring it to seven or below. LESSER DUTIES Duties are limited by the EU's "lesser duty rule". In an ongoing cold-rolled flat steel case it identified a "dumping margin" (amount by which the normal price exceeds the export price) of up to 59.1 pct for Chinese steel, but an "injury margin" (the margin deemed adequate to remove the injury to EU producers) of only a maximum 16.0 percent, so the lesser duty of 16 percent applies to the product from China. For the same steel grade from China, the United States set a preliminary duty of 266.79 percent. The Commission itself has suggested dropping the lesser duty rule as part of an overhaul of trade defence instruments. However, that overhaul has been stuck in the Council, with Britain and others blocking its progress. FREE TRADERS VS PROTECTIONISTS At the end of an investigation (15 months for anti-dumping, 13 for subsidy cases), the Commission makes a proposal and the 28 states vote. A majority of countries (including France, Italy, Spain, Greece, plus the more wavering Germany) typically support Commission proposals to impose tariffs, while another group (including Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden) tend to oppose them. The latter group are more open to duties to counter subsidies, although they can be more difficult to prove and are generally lower than anti-dumping duties. Those against anti-dumping duties may be opposed to them on principle or be concerned about potential retaliation from Beijing. Many EU producers also export to China. In a 21-billion-euro ($24 billion) solar panel import case in 2013, a majority of EU members indicated they would not support high anti-dumping tariffs and the Commission negotiated a settlement with the Chinese. Brussels trade experts and diplomats say that Beijing lobbies and warns individual countries against backing increased tariffs. EU RECORD ON STEEL In the past year, the EU has set duties on the following grades of steel from China: Rebar (9.2-13.0 percent), cold-rolled flat steel (13.8-16.0 percent), grain-oriented flat-rolled electrical steel (21.5-36.6 percent), stainless steel cold-rolled flat products (24.4-25.3 percent) With demolitions, Israel tightens squeeze on West Bank Palestinians By Luke Baker JERUSALEM, April 7 (Reuters) - In the past three months, the Israeli military has more than tripled its demolitions of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank, United Nations' figures show, raising alarm among diplomats and human rights groups over what they regard as a sustained violation of international law. Figures collated by the U.N.'s office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (OCHA), which operates in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, show that from an average of 50 demolitions a month in 2012-2015, the average has risen to 165 a month since January, with 235 demolitions in February alone. The Israeli military, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, says it carries out the demolitions because the structures are illegal: they were either built without a permit, in a closed military area or firing zone, or violate other planning and zoning restrictions. The U.N. and rights groups point out that permits are almost impossible for Palestinians to acquire, that firing zones are often declared but seldom used, and that many planning restrictions date from the British Mandate in the 1930s. "It is a very marked and worrying increase," said Catherine Cook, an OCHA official based in Jerusalem who closely monitors the demolitions, describing the situation as the worst since the U.N. body started collecting figures in 2009. "The hardest hit are Bedouin and Palestinian farming communities who are at risk of forcible transfer, which is a clear violation of international law." The structures include houses, Bedouin tents, livestock pens, outhouses and schools. In an increasing number of cases, they also include humanitarian structures erected by the European Union to help those affected by earlier demolitions. Appearing before a sub-committee in the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, Major General Yoav Mordechai, the coordinator of the Israeli government's activities in the West Bank, defended the policy and told right-wing lawmakers he was doing all he could to carry out 11,000 outstanding demolition orders. The lawmakers summoned Mordechai to the hearing because of their concerns he is not doing enough to dismantle Palestinian structures and focusing instead on removing unauthorised Israeli construction in the West Bank. "I want to state unequivocally that enforcement is more severe towards the Palestinians," Mordechai told them, comments that would appear to substantiate the concerns raised by diplomats, aid workers and human rights groups. "Moreover, much of the enforcement with regard to the Palestinians takes place on private Palestinian land." From the point of view of B'Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights group, that admission would appear to confirm that Israel's policy discriminates against Palestinians. Mordechai said Israelis and Palestinians were treated the same. "There is undoubtedly a wave of demolitions and displacements that is severely threatening the ability of thousands of Palestinians to live in these areas," said Sarit Michaeli, the spokeswoman for B'Tselem. "To demolish the homes of Palestinians who are protected under the Geneva Conventions and to build (Israeli) settlements is a clear violation of international humanitarian law." WHAT AIM? While it is clear have picked up sharply, it is less clear why the policy is being pursued more vigorously now or where it leads. One factor that appears to have increased the pressure on the government is the work of Regavim, a right-wing Israeli NGO that describes its goal as the "responsible, legal, accountable and environmentally friendly use of Israel's national lands". To Regavim, "national lands" includes the West Bank, which the group refers to as Judea and Samaria - the Biblical areas many religious Jews see as their ancient heritage. The Palestinians want the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip for their own independent state. Using drones, Regavim overflies the West Bank to capture footage of where illegal construction may be going on. Its lawyers and field workers then compile detailed files of alleged violations and present them to the government and courts. The group, co-founded by Betzalel Smotrich, an ultra-nationalist West Bank settler who is now a member of parliament, makes frequent submissions to the sub-committee on Judea and Samaria, the same forum that questioned Mordechai. While Smotrich is no longer involved with Regavim, his party, coalition partner Jewish Home, supports more settlement building and the annexation of "Area C" of the West Bank, where most Palestinian structures are being demolished. Area C, which makes up 60 percent of the West Bank, has been under complete Israeli military control since the mid-1990s. Ari Briggs, an Australian-Israeli who runs Regavim, says the group's aim is not to target Palestinians but to apply the law - usually Israeli military law - rigorously and equally. "What's happening on the ground is massive illegal construction in the Arab sector," he wrote in the Jerusalem Post in January. "Illegal construction is only a symptom of a much wider problem: The failure of the state of Israel to impose the law equally, on all its citizens, throughout the land." Diplomats see a wider trend. When Palestinians' homes are destroyed in Area C, they are forced to move away from the sector, which is where most Jewish settlements are based. Settlements - known as outposts - built without Israeli government permission are sprouting up across Area C and now number around 100. Some are even based in 'firing zones' where Palestinian homes have been destroyed. "They are exerting ever greater control over strategic areas of the West Bank," said a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "(Israeli) settlements are the vehicle for taking control of the land." Ugandan leader says orders military to quell disorder in country's west By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA, April 7 (Reuters) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Thursday he had ordered security forces into the Rwenzori region near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to stem a descent into lawlessness there since February's elections. The Rwenzori area overwhelmingly voted for the opposition in the Feb. 18 presidential and parliamentary elections. Museveni won the presidential election with 60 percent of the vote. His main rivals rejected the results with Kizza Besigye, who came second with 35 percent of the vote, describing the election as a sham because of what he called a biased official electoral body, widespread rigging and intimidation by security personnel. Deadly clashes between locals in the Rwenzori area and security personnel broke out in the days following the announcement of results. "I have directed the army and the police to deploy heavily and ensure peace and security returns," Museveni said in a statement issued by his office. At least 26 people have been killed and 10 others injured in the clashes that officials say are between supporters of rival candidates in the elections. But the opposition has said the insecurity was likely being stoked by the government to punish the region for shunning Museveni and other ruling party candidates. The statement said Museveni visited the area on Wednesday and met local people as he tried to assess the scale of the instability in the region and weigh a government response. "We can't entertain banditry and we can't negotiate with bandits. They either come out or we shall get them," he said. According to the statement, area residents told Museveni that "criminals and bandits" were coming down from nearby mountains to terrorise villages in low-lying areas. Some villagers had abandoned their homes due fear of being attacked, fleeing to towns which have a greater presence of security personnel, the statement said. The Rwenzoris have a history of unrest. The Allied Democratic Forces (EDF), an Islamist rebel group with links to al Qaeda operated from the area in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Khartoum sentences 22 South Sudanese to death CAIRO, April 7 (Reuters) - An anti-terrorism court in Khartoum has sentenced 22 South Sudanese nationals to death and three others to life in prison on Wednesday for belonging to a militant group in Darfur. "The judge sentenced them to death by hanging on charges of terrorism, fighting the state, bearing arms against the state and undermining the constitutional order," Mahjoub Dawoud, defense attorney, told Reuters. The defendants belong to the Justice and Equality Movement, a rebel group based in Darfur that took up arms against the Sudanese government in 2003, complaining that their region was being marginalised. The group, led by Bakhit Abdul Karim (Dabjo), signed a peace agreement with the Khartoum government in 2013. Shortly after the agreement, the group handed in its weapons to the government and in return the Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, pardoned members of the group. However, the presidential pardon did not include the 25 South Sudanese nationals. The government considered them foreign fighters and brought them to trial for bearing arms against Sudan. Lawyers of the defendants said they will appeal the court decision next week, calling the Sudanese authorities to treat their clients as prisoners of war. Sudan regularly accuses its neighbour of backing insurgents in its Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions. Turkey grants temporary protection to Syrians returned from Greek islands ISTANBUL, April 7 (Reuters) - Turkey will grant temporary protection status to Syrian migrants sent back from Greek islands, the government said on Thursday, a step required under an agreement with the European Union to combat illegal migration. The status would be given to Syrians who had illegally crossed to the islands after March 20, 2016, and who requested protection after being re-admitted to Turkey, according to the website of the government's Official Gazette. The Turkish cabinet agreed to the new regulation during its meeting on Tuesday, and it came into effect on Thursday. Turkey needed to make the legal change before Greece could return migrants from its territory. The EU's top migration official pressed for the provision in Ankara this week. So far only people who would have been deported anyway, even without the Turkish accord, have been sent back. Under the agreement deal with the EU, Turkey will take back all migrants and refugees who cross the Aegean to enter Greece illegally. The EU has agreed to take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and reward Ankara with money, visa-free travel and progress in talks on EU membership. In Switzerland, a handshake wakes cultural clash By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi ZURICH, April 7 (Reuters) - A school's decision to allow two Muslim pupils not to shake their teachers' hands has added fresh fuel to an ongoing debate in Switzerland about integration of immigrants. When the 14- and 15-year-old brothers refused to shake female teachers' hands last November, citing their religious beliefs, the school in Therwil near Basel replaced the customary greeting with a verbal one from the boys to both male and female teachers. The compromise solved the issue at the school, but when the public broadcaster SRF reported on it last week, it tapped into a groundswell of concern about immigration that is being felt all over Europe. The Egerkinger Committee, a lobby group that succeeded through a referendum in 2009 in banning minarets, and wants to do the same for Muslim face veils, has called for immigrants shunning Swiss customs to be shown the door. "Those refusing integration should not have their residence permits renewed," the committee wrote. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told SRF the schoolboys' action was not how she imagined integration. "We cannot accept this, even in the name of religious freedom," she said. "The handshake is part of our culture." Sommaruga, who has championed migrants' rights and pushed through legislation to handle asylum requests better , stands with other liberals who say women's rights are at stake along with Swiss customs. Muslim community representatives have so far taken a conciliatory line. Montassar Benmrad, president of the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, cited the Islamic principle of respecting others and avoiding unnecessary embarrassment. "It's important that the Muslim students concerned show respect towards the teachers that educate them year-round," Benmrad said on the organisation's website. Some rights groups also note that an increasing number of Israeli El Al flights have been delayed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish male passengers asking not to have women seated next to them - an issue that has led one female 81-year-old Holocaust survivor to sue the airline for discrimination after being asked to move to another seat. Benmrad warned against responding too hastily to cultural differences. Syrian rebels seize Islamic State stronghold -monitor, sources By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, April 7 (Reuters) - Syrian rebel forces on Thursday took over a town near the Turkish border that had been the main stronghold of Islamic State in the northern Aleppo countryside, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and rebel sources said. The monitor said factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), some supplied with arms by Turkey and other foreign backers, captured the town of al-Rai after fierce battles with the militants. "This is the beginning of the end of Daesh (Islamic State), those who have bet the FSA have been decimated are now proven wrong. It's a victory for the Free Syrian Army," said Abu Abdullah from the Nour al Din al Zinki brigade that participated in the assault on the heavily defended border town. "We will continue our path to al Raqqa and all the towns occupied by Daesh," he said referring to Islamic State's acronym in Arabic and its defacto capital. The rebels said their next step was advancing towards the Islamic State-held city of al Bab, south of al Rai and northeast of Aleppo. The recent gains by the mainly non-jihadist rebels is a boost to Turkey, which has sought to prevent Syrian Kurdish-led forces from expanding their stretch of territory along the border. It was the first retreat by the Islamic State militants since they made major advances in that area last May against rival insurgents and captured areas close to the Azaz border crossing with Turkey. Amaq news agency, which is linked to the militants, conceded that forces it described as "U.S.- and Turkish-backed opposition brigades" had taken the town after days of intense "U.S. bombing and Turkish artillery" fire. The news agency said al-Rai fell after heavy clashes and two suicide bombings that led to many casualties among Islamic State opponents. The Sunni militants have used suicide bombings to hold back offensives by the Syrian army and their allies by deploying small groups of fighters to disrupt supply lines. That is a change of tactics from ambushes and lightning attacks after the loss of significant territory, defence experts say. A sustained rebel advance by mainstream rebel groups near the Turkish border this week that allowed the moderate non-jihadist rebels to capture a string of villages eroded Islamic State's last foothold in an area identified by the United States as a priority in the fight against the group. Rebels who previously struggled to make gains against Islamic State in the area and had been fending off advances in recent weeks by Kurdish-led fighters mobilised several thousand fighters for the attack, rebel sources said. An alliance of FSA rebel groups formed for the offensive includes the Turkish-backed Sultan Murad and Failaq al Sham groups. U.S. senator wants billions in emergency funds for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - Senator Lindsey Graham said on Thursday he would seek an emergency appropriation of "multiple billions" of dollars to help Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as they try to cope with the fallout from the war with Islamic State. Graham, who recently returned from a trip to the region, said the three countries are facing severe stresses as a result of the political and refugee crisis caused by the Syrian civil war and the overrun of parts of Syria and Iraq by Islamic State. "One thing I'm going to talk... about is an emergency appropriation that would help Egypt, Jordan and probably Lebanon to deal with the stresses they're facing," said Graham, chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee overseeing foreign aid. He said he also wanted money for Israel to help protect its borders, especially with Syria. Graham said he expected opposition from budget hawks, mostly his fellow Republicans. He said he expected Democratic support, although he acknowledged deep concern from some, including Senator Patrick Leahy, the party's leader on his subcommittee, about Egypt's human rights record. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted former President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against Mursi's rule. Sisi then launched a crackdown on dissent, drawing allegations from rights groups of abuse, which his government denies. Sisi initially gained the support of millions of Egyptians, who saw him as a decisive figure who could deliver stability. But that support has thinned as the public has grown frustrated with unemployment and high prices. Graham said Egypt is too crucial an ally, to both the United States and Israel, not to bolster Sisi's government militarily to fight terrorism, and economically, if he improves on human rights. A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Graham said he would ask the Pentagon to approve Egypt's requests for additional military equipment. "If al-Sisi did something that would be seen by me and others as a real serious move on the rights front, it makes it easier for a guy like me to help," he said. Longer term, Graham said he wanted a "Marshall Plan" for the region, similar to what Washington provided to Europe after World War Two. "We need to think broadly as a nation about some kind of Marshall Plan for front-line states that would allow Egypt to have access to low-interest loans, preferential trade agreements and bolstering their civil society," he said. Spanish opposition parties fail to agree on coalition government By Blanca Rodriguez MADRID, April 7 (Reuters) - Talks among three Spanish opposition parties on Thursday made no progress towards forming a coalition government, a senior party official said, increasing the likelihood of a second general election in June. The opposition Socialists, market-friendly newcomer Ciudadanos and leftist upstart Podemos met for two-and-a-half hours in an attempt to end over three months of stalemate following an inconclusive Dec. 20 general election. Unless parties can form a government by May 2, parliament will be dissolved and fresh elections called. Polls show another election is likely to return a similarly fragmented vote. "I think we can conclude that the differences between Ciudadanos and Podemos are too great to lead to any agreement," said Jose Manuel Villegas, vice-general secretary of Ciudadanos, told a news conference following the meeting. The opposition Socialists, led by Pedro Sanchez, need the support of both Podemos and Ciudadanos to form a coalition. Sanchez was not present at the talks and nor was the Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera. Podemos and Ciudadanos emerged to answer Spaniards' call for a fresh approach to politics they tired of the centre-right People's Party (PP) and the opposition Socialist PSOE, which have alternated in power since Spain emerged from dictatorship in the late 1970s. But the newcomers disagree on issues ranging from allowing the northeastern region of Catalonia to hold a referendum on independence to tax hikes and public spending increases. Harsh austerity measures implemented by the PP after the European debt crisis, coupled with a string of political corruption cases, have turned voters away from mainstream parties. The Socialists said late on Thursday they would continue to try to form a coalition. "We believe an agreement is still possible and we can still avoid an election," said Socialist spokesman Antonio Hernando. After summoning French envoy, Algeria warns over 'red line' ALGIERS, April 7 (Reuters) - Algeria accused France on Thursday of crossing a "red line" after French newspaper Le Monde published a front-page picture of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika among leaders it said were named in the Panama Papers leaks. The leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm have put the offshore wealth of politicians and public figures under worldwide scrutiny. Just days before a visit by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Algeria summoned the French ambassador on Wednesday to complain that French media reports on the issue were a "malicious campaign". Valls starts a two-day visit to Algiers on Saturday to discuss trade ties and investment opportunities. Algeria, an OPEC member, is seeking to diversify its economy away from oil and gas. Algeria fought a war of independence through 1962. Paris has declined to apologise for the colonial past. Interior Minister Nouredine Bedoui on Thursday described the summons as an "appropriate reaction" to the media coverage of Bouteflika. "It is our duty as Algerians not to tolerate harming our symbols and constitutional institutions," the official news agency APS quoted him as saying. "This a red line." Iceland protesters call for govt to quit, want immediate vote By Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir REYKJAVIK, April 7 (Reuters) - Icelanders, not satisfied with the departure of the prime minister and a promise to hold elections this autumn, took to the streets again on Thursday to demand the government quit over the Panama Papers leaks. About 2,000 people showed up at parliament for another day of demonstrations, banging pots and pans and calling for immediate elections. Iceland fell into political crisis this week after documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm linked the then Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to an offshore company that held millions of dollars in debt from failed Icelandic banks. He stepped down on Tuesday. The centre-right coalition tried to appease Icelanders by naming Fisheries Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as prime minister and calling for early elections in the autumn. But many Icelanders, who have a deep distrust in government following a 2008 banking crisis which wrecked the economy, are saying it is not enough that Gunnlaugsson step aside. Saga Stephensen, a 33-year-old multicultural adviser who showed up at Thursday's protest, said others should resign. "They act like nothing happened and don't bear responsibility and don't apologise. I am fed up with their arrogance," Stephensen said. Johann Bjornsson, a 50-year-old teacher, called for elections as soon as possible. "To appoint Sigurur Ingi as Prime Minister is no solution," he said. Earlier on Thursday, the head of Iceland's anti-establishment Pirate Party - which polls show would win an election if held today - filed a vote of no-confidence motion in parliament. The motion is seen however as largely symbolic since the coalition of the Progressive and Independence parties has a solid majority in the 63-seat parliament with 38 seats. "How are we going to reclaim our reputation if things just go back to normal?" Birgitta Jonsdottir, head of the Pirate Party, told Reuters. "We are the laughing stock in the international community because of the former PM. It's too little and too late." The leaders of the Wahhabi section of Indian Sunni Muslims represented by the Deoband school, the missionary body Tablighi Jamaat, and another Wahhabi stream, Ahle Hadees, were into their familiar game of accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing the Muslim community recently, soon after Modi extolled Sufism at the World Sufi Forum in Delhi and called for encouraging it to counter radical Islam, leaving a deep impression on a series of Sufi scholars who were present at the meet. The first salvo was fired by Maulana Arshad Madani of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind (JUI), a Deobandi outfit. He accused Modi of dividing the Sunni Muslim community (Sunnis are divided into Wahhabi and Sufi sections in South Asia) by promoting Sufism. Next, a series of Urdu publications controlled by Wahhabis made the same allegation against Modi. Significantly, in the past one year, this was the third time that the Wahhabis were attacking Modi on the issue. The last two attacks followed soon after Modi met two different Sufi delegations in 2015. What is the difference between Wahhabism and Sufism? The attacks on Modi are, in fact, rooted in the internal religious dynamics of the Sunnis of India who form 85 per cent of the total 17 crore Muslim population in the country, and are divided among themselves into Wahhabi and Sufi sections, with the former constituting 35 and the latter 65 per cent of the 14-crore-plus Sunnis in India. An intense struggle has been going on between the two factions for the past many decades with the Saudi Arabia-supported, powerful Indian Wahhabis working overtime to convert their fellow Sufis into Wahhabism in what is a battle of two religious ideologies - one moderate and inclusive, and the other orthodox and exclusive. Significantly, the Sufis who are also known by two other names in India Ahle-Sunnat and Barelvi - worship saints and celebrate Prophet Muhammeds birthday as against the Wahhabis, and believe that Allah cant be reached without the intercession of the souls of the Muslim saints buried in dargahs. Sufism in India and Pakistan is symbolised by the dargahs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer, Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi and Baba Farid in Pakistan. These are among the dargahs of hundreds of Sufi saints in the Indian subcontinent which are worshipped by Sufis as well as Hindus by laying chadar on them in what is the symbol of a truly syncretic culture. On the other hand, the Wahhabis, driven by the radical ideology of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792) of Saudi Arabia, believe that there can only be direct dialling between the believer and Allah because seeking intercession of a saint - a third party - in reaching out to the Almighty is akin to guru puja. They believe the practice of dargah worsip is an import from Hinduism and therefore un-Islamic. Terrorists come from among the Wahhabis only and not the Sufis Interestingly, all the terrorists in the world invariably belong to the Wahhabi stream while not a single terrorist comes from the Sufi stream. But only a minor section of the Wahhabis have taken to terrorism or have sympathised with terrorists, others understanding the pitfalls of terrorism. The arrival of the ultra-Wahhabi Islamic State (ISIS) and its medieval vandalism has created a scare amongst a big section of the Wahhabis about their survival in the wake of the world zeroing in on their ideology. This has further strengthened the moderate faction amongst the Wahhabis. The biggest symbol of this is the welcome that Prime Minister Modi is getting in Wahhabi countries like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE). How Wahhabis convert Sufis and how riots strengthen Wahhabism But in India and Pakistan, the old game of Wahhabi preachers to convert impressionable Sufi youths into the Wahhabi fold continues. The communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims help the Wahhabi strategy. In Hindu-Muslim riots, it is the Sufis who largely bear the brunt of Hindu aggression in reaction to acts triggered by the Wahhabis. For example, in the 2002 Gujarat episode the Muslims who killed the 59 karsevaks at Godhra were Wahhabis and those who faced Hindu ire later, in reaction, were largely Sufis. How the Wahhabi conversion game operates is indeed interesting. When the Sufi victims of communal riots land up in relief camps the Wahhabi preachers woo these riot victims with the aggressive brand of Wahhabism and convert them. The Wahhabi clerics missionary zeal and convincing power, backed by funds create an ideal platform for conversion in these situations. Interestingly, the Sufi victims of the communal riots are told that they are facing the ire of Allah because they are following un-Islamic practices. The Wahhabi funds are often used in the form of subtle inducements to convert the Sufis who succumb to this ideology in those delicate phases. No wonder then that incidents like the 2002 Gujarat riots and 1992-'93 Mumbai riots following the demolition of the Babri Masjid have strengthened Wahhabism in a big way, as these unfortunate episodes have been exploited by sections of Wahhabis to convert Sufis into their fold. In fact, that is how Wahhabi population has increased in India from less than ten per cent at the time of independence to 35 per cent now. Interestingly, another factor that strengthened Wahhabism in India was the patronage that it got from the Congress since the days of the freedom struggle when the Deobandis, since they didnt believe in territorial nationalism, shook hands with an unsuspecting Congress and Gandhiji and earned the label of "patriots" in the process. Thats how Abul Kalam Azad, a Wahhabi and a follower of the Deobandi school, could become the president of Congress twice. His second innings was in the most crucial phase - between 1939 and 1945 at the time of Second World War. So it is was not surprising that Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad attended the massive anti-RSS/Modi rally organised by Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind (JUI) of Arshad Madani in Delhi last month in a vain bid to cash in on the artificial anti-RSS atmosphere built by the leftists with the support of a section of the media which, however, on the ground, was quite hollow. The nationalist claims of the Indian Wahhabis are best exposed by the speech given by the late JUI leader Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani in the 1945 JUI conference at Delhi which has been very precisely quoted by historian ZH Faruqi in his book The Deoband School and the Demand for Pakistan and also by reformist Muslim writer Hamid Dalwai. Madani opposed the demand for Pakistan in that conference saying that he didnt want Islams right to convert non-Muslims remain restricted to a small part of undivided India called Pakistan, thus clearly underlining that the Deobandis or Indian Wahhabis pitched for India against Pakistan since they were against territorial nationalism as they thought Islams right was to convert the entire world. This is what Madani said in the 1945 conference: "It is the non-Muslims who are the field of this Tabligh (propagation and conversion) of Islam and form the raw material for this splendid activity. We are opposed to Islams right to do missionary activity to a particular area (read Pakistan). How Congress and Gandhiji helped strengthen Wahhabism It is the one-sided secularism of Gandhiji that created room for the Wahhabis to enter the Congress and play their strategic game unhindered after the Mahatma shook hands with the pan-Islamists by supporting the Khilafat movement launched in 1920 by pan-Islamist Muslim leaders, including the Wahhabis for the reinstatement of the Khalifa of Turkey who had been unseated by the British. Once the Wahhabis earned the label of patriots, the patronage from the Congress helped them grow after independence and come up with the famous Qazmi Bill that proved to be a blow to Sufism. The Bill which came soon after independence had a deep bearing on the growth of Wahhabism as it clubbed the Wahhabis and Sufis together under the label of Sunnis in what was a strategic move by the Wahhabis who controlled the levers of power in the ruling Congress at that time. The power to appoint members on State Wakf Boards that controlled dargahs was given to the state governments. And since state governments, till only a few decades ago, were mostly of the Congress, a vast majority of the members appointed on the Waqf boards were Wahhabis. So in a unique and unjustifiable situation, the Wahhabis came to control the dargahs in which they didnt believe, and according to allegations by many Sufis, started taking steps to erode Sufism through the backdoor. When the Sufis protested against giving the control of dargahs to the non-dargah-believing Wahhabis through the backdoor, their protests fell on deaf years, thanks to the pro-Wahhabi Congress establishment. In some cases, the allegations of the Sufis that the Wahhabis were openly eroding Sufism was borne out by powerful evidence as in the case of the dargah of Dorabshah Baba in Navsari near Surat which would have been completely destroyed by the Wahabis but for the support of the BJP government in Gujarat. What Wahhabis fear the most under Modi The Sufis are demanding that since the Wahhabis dont believe in dargah worship, the current Sunni Wakf Boards should be renamed Sufi Wakf Boards and their charge be exclusively given to the Sufis while floating a new Wakf Board for the Wahhabis in every state. Mohammed Hamid, president of the Sufi tanzeem, IMAN (Indian Muslim Association - Noorie) said: Why should those who dont believe in dargah worship control dargahs? It is a very legitimate demand of the Sufis." What the Wahhabis are fearing the most now is that the strengthening of the Sufis will embolden them to place this demand before the Central government and a sympathetic government might give in to their demand which has all the logic when it comes to evidence. Plus, the Sufis argument that the control of dargahs cant be allowed to remain with those who dont believe in dargah worship can stand scrutiny even in the court of law. No wonder then that a possible loss of control of the dargahs would shatter the Wahhabi dream of wiping out Sufism from the entire Indian subcontinent. How the Wahhabi march slowed down in the Indian subcontinent When the situation goes out of control it seeks natural channels for remedy. Wahhabism got a unexpected lift when Russia invaded Afghanistan in late-1979 and the then Pakistan president Zia-ul-Haq, a Wahhabi himself, used the opportunity to spread the ideology while seeking American help in the anti-communist drive. The first stage comprised the training of mujahideens at Wahhabi madrasas in the North West Frontier Province with the help of America to fight the communist occupation of Afghanistan. Little did America know it was creating a Frankenstein. Eventually, the very Wahhabi fighters who were trained with American help started targeting America in an upsurge of ultra-Wahhabism which, in turn, started producing suicide bombers. Thats how anti-America ultra-Wahhabi movements in the form of Taliban and Al-Qaeda surfaced. In Pakistan, the final upshot of these developments was that the ultra-Wahhabi suicide bombers started targeting Sufi shrines and mosques in the country in a bid to wipe out Sufism. But what then happened was the most unexpected, and it pointed to how natural remedies are created in a hopeless situation. In what was a ripple reaction to the destruction of Sufi shrines the peace-loving and scattered Sufis, moved by the challenge of survival, started defending and uniting themselves and making their presence felt. The consolidation of the Sufis slowly but effectively started curbing the conversion of Sufis to Wahhabism. By 2011, the conversion rate of Sufism to Wahhabism had greatly slowed down because of the awakening of Sufi youths to the dangers of Wahhabism both in India and Pakistan. This was was best demonstrated by the turnout of lakhs of Sufis in the birthday procession of Prophet Muhammed (Wahhabis consider this procession un-Islamic) in both India and Pakistan in 2011. The turnouts were one of the biggest in both countries in many years and indicated an awareness amongst the Sufis about the Wahhabi threat. Why Modi is the best bet for the Wahhabis A senior officer in the prime minister's office (PMO) very bluntly told a delegation of the Sufis recently that describing all Wahhabis as terrorists was unacceptable to the prime minister as he firmly believed that a very small section of Wahhabis had taken to terrorism or sympathised with the terrorists. He was only reiterating what Modi has indicated in the past: while he would promote Sufism he would also like to take the moderate Wahhabis along who are genuinely against terrorism. Modis stand is just and is borne out by evidence. The first clue to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts was provided to the police by a Wahhabi. So not surprisingly, Modi is the only political leader in India who understands the dynamics of the Muslim problem and has some vision on how to tackle it. The only correction Modi needs to bring in himself is that he has to be more pronounced in his disapproval when BJP leaders like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sakshi Maharaj and Giriraj Singh tend to equate and condemn all Muslims by their senseless statements. AMSTERDAM - Netherlands - The result yesterday in the Dutch referendum regarding Ukraine is a step in the right direction and will boost the will of the people of Britain to vote for a Brexit. Britain, as a nation, has the power now to stop the EU dead in its tracks, to eviscerate its Soviet expansionist collectivist ideals and to regain Britains sovereignty. Just as the Dutch stood up to unelected eurocrats behind the scenes, so too can British voters on June 23 stand up to years of unfair payments, ridiculous diktats, rip-off prices, and move Britain to global International status once again. We must stop the planned TTIP legislation proposed by the EU rendering our NHS into a privatised mess, we must stop the further encroachment of legislated Brussels laws onto our parliament where we have no say, we must stop the unfair trade deals brokered by the EU, and forge our own deals globally opening up new markets for our businesses and corporations. We are stronger out of the EU, our NATO ties will always be there, our cooperation with Europe will always stand, and our security will strengthen outside the EU but firmly still in Europe, and a major part of the International community. LONDON - England - At the EU referendum announcement in March, David Cameron promised not to use taxpayers' cash against the population disseminating pro-EU propaganda. The government, which has been hijacked by pro-EU officials, have thus breached ministers assurances that the Government would not seek to play a significant role in the campaign and unfairly skew the debate. The blatantly biased nature of the In campaign does not only extend to the nefarious use of taxpayers cash to pay for their own demise, but also extends to the BBC, which has received 2 million just prior to the EU referendum campaign announcement. The misappropriation of taxpayer money is a key factor in losing the vote for the In campaign now, and has backfired on the pro-EU camp. There is a resolute rejection of this bias by David Cameron and his cohorts to sway public opinion by using money that would be served better being used for actually running the country in stead of running it into the ground by staying in the EU. Mr. Cameron. How about fixing the pot holes on Britains pockmarked roads? Surely, that 9 million could be put forward towards something that is useful? We urge you, if one of these erroneous pieces of garbage comes through your letter box, to take into your lavatory, wipe once, then send the leaflet back to Number 10 and dont forget to sign the petition to stop Cameron spending British taxpayers money on EU propaganda. Avid readers of Dayton, rejoice! One Dollar Book Swap makes it easy to read thanks to their low price of $1 per book plus a nearly limitless selection of books available throughout their expansive warehouse. But this dynamic business isn't satisfied with simply supplying your summer reading - they are making a real difference in the Dayton community and beyond by supplying free books to those in need. Opening in 2015, One Dollar Book Swap came about as a side project for Greg Murphy, owner online business Murphbooks. His employees sort, evaluate, and process 60 tons of used books per week. The most valuable books are immediately listed online, leaving quite a few books (think thousands) in great condition that are sorted and shelved in the warehouse for the One Dollar Book Sale. They also recycle any books that aren't usable - maybe they'll even become books again in the future! But how do they shelve so many books for the sale each week? Volunteers! People from the community are encouraged to volunteer at One Dollar Book Swap. In exchange, for every 3 hour shift completed, volunteers receive a $30 credit to use at the sale or to donate to a teacher or organization of their choice. In fact, Hannah of Hannah's Treasure Chest is accumulating volunteer credit to use toward supplying the Sandals Foundation with books to send to children in need in the Bahamas. If you'd like to volunteer your time to help Hannah send books to the Bahamas, you can arrange to have your hours count toward her credits. One Dollar Books Swap has generously offered to match the credits to double the number of books heading to the islands and they are getting very close to their first pallet. Don't have a lot of time but still want free books? You can swap 2 qualifying books to receive a $1 credit at the sale. One Dollar Book Swap also offers a free book coupon on their website. Their goal for 2016 is to give away one million books! This family business is doing great in the Dayton area where it has been very well received by the community. One reason might be that One Dollar Book Swap is open to suggestions from their customers. In fact, they count on it to help them improve their business going forward. "We're amateurs at retail, we're mostly figuring it out as we go along," quips Greg Murphy. Each week he and his staff can be found making changes and improvements all over the warehouse to make the consumer experience better and better. Plans for the future include more events in the warehouse for the community, as well as a possible retail store opening in the south of town in the fall. While this side project is fast becoming the primary focus for Greg, his dedication to putting books into the hands of the community, especially to the under-served in Dayton, is unparalleled except perhaps by the library. In explaining the difference between borrowing and owning books Greg points out that owning them, especially for children, changes our relationship with books. He believes when a child is given a book to keep, they are much more likely to read and cherish it. The One Dollar Book Swap is located at 1723 Webster Street, Dayton, OH 45404 and is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm and Sundays from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Keep an eye on their facebook page for updates. Tata Steel put its British operations up for sale last week, threatening thousands of jobs. London: Tata Steel will launch the formal sale process for its British assets by Monday and give a "reasonable" timeframe to find a buyer, Britain's business minister said after meeting the company's chairman in Mumbai. Prime Minister David Cameron's government has sought to broker a deal with potential buyers after Tata Steel put its British operations up for sale last week, threatening thousands of jobs. Tata had said it wanted to exit the country as soon as possible, raising fears that the government would not have enough time to find a buyer for a business that has been hit by high costs and cheap Chinese imports. But Sajid Javid, Britain's business minister, told broadcasters after the meeting that Tata had not set a time frame and would allow a reasonable period to find a buyer. "Formal sales process will begin by Monday - govt will do all it can to help secure a serious buyer," he said on Twitter. April 25 will be the first anniversary of Nepals devastating earthquake the countrys worst natural disaster since the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake. The magnitude 7.8 quake killed over 9,000 people and injured over 23,000. With prior warning many of those lives could have been saved. Most seismologists believe that predicting earthquakes is impossible. However, Friedemann Freund, a researcher at NASA believes he has found a subtle signal emitted in the hours before the tremors start. A mineral physicist by background, Freunds idea originated from attempts to produce electricity by putting rocks under stress. In 2006 he showed that a block of granite under pressure could produce an electrical current, due to mineral defects unsettling electrons. By 2009 he showed that this process caused air molecules to ionise above the surface of the rock. At that point he wondered if the build-up of stress prior to an earthquake would ionise the air molecules above the fault. Ian Main, an earthquake scientist at the University of Edinburgh, is skeptical of the hypothesis. The problem is how these processes scale to the much larger spatial and temporal scales in a much more complex material involved in earthquakes, he says. Nonetheless, Freund is testing his theory, using air conductivity sensors to monitor changes along fault lines in Alaska and on the San Andreas Fault in California. Whenever there was a moderate or big earthquake there was indeed a large increase in air conductivity, he says. Now he is working towards a Global Earthquake Forecast System aiming to issue alerts at least 24 hours before an earthquake strikes. Source: www.theguardian.com The Omani, Al Alawi Salah Faiz Zuma, who is working for a private firm in Oman, came to Hyderabad on April 4 to marry the girl. Hyderabad: The police nabbed a 42-year-old Omani on Thursday who was about to enter into a contract marriage with his 17-year-old minor relative. The Omani, Al Alawi Salah Faiz Zuma, who is working for a private firm in Oman, came to Hyderabad on April 4 to marry the girl. South zone DCP V. Satyanarayana said that Al Alawi Salah Fais Zuma often visited India to meet his relatives at the Gazi-E-Millath colony in Chandrayanagutta. On April 4, he came to Hyderabad on a tourist visa and visited his relative's house. His relative had a 17-year-old daughter who was a school dropout. As her parents were labourers she could not continue her studies. During the visit a proposal to get her married to Al Alawi came up and the family agreed to this, Mr Satyanarayana said. Khazi Habeeb Ali of Errakunta agreed to perform the ceremony and the marriage was scheduled for Thursday. After receiving a tip-off south zone police conducted a raid and apprehended the Omani national and the khazi. It is learnt that the girl's parents agreed to the marriage due to poverty. We are still checking if it was a contract marriage and the amount of money involved, Mr Satyanarayana added. A case of cheating and a case under the Child Marriage Prevention Act was registered against Al Alawi and Khazi Habeeb Ali. The police is investigating the case. Hyderabad: Industrialist Moturi Srinivas Prasad, a Hyderabadi who was director of four offshore British Virgin Island companies named in the Panama Papers, is facing a trial in an unrelated fraud case pertaining to the Visakhapatnam Special Economic zone to the tune of Rs19 crore. He was arrested on April 2, 2012, and is on bail. He is the MD of Xtraa Cleancities Limited, a unit of VSEZ, which allegedly resorted to cheating in export of bio-diesel. Duvvada police inspector Simhadri Naidu said, A case under Section 420 IPC was registered. Moturi Srinivasa Prasad was arrested on April 2. The case is under trial and it is in the stage of first examination of accused. It was posted to April 29 in 2016." Mr Prasad, along with others, had floated companies with ambitious plans of powering global aviation with bio fuel. Moturi says did nothing wrong Industrialist Moturi Srini-vas Prasad is facing a trial in an unrelated fraud case pertaining to the Visak-hapatnam Special Econo-mic zone to the tune of Rs 19 crore pertaining his Xtraa Cleancities Limited. Initial VSEZ had slapped a fine of Rs 66.30 crore on Xtraa Cleancities Limited along with a personal penalty of Rs 3.8 crore on the companys director for alleged violation of foreign trade rules. The company has a biodiesel plant in Visakhapatnam and exported several consignments of biodiesel from Jatropa plant to Europe. Mr Prasad meanwhile said, Xtraa Cleancities is bona fide and nothing wrong has been done. There were no illegalities. It is basically a trade rivalry. Apart from the criminal case we have a civil case pending in Delhi High Court. The initial penalty of Rs 70 crore has been reduced to Rs 20 crore. We went to the Supreme Court. Government hasnt given any incentive and there is no waiver to us. All accusations are being contested. We have exported to Europe and the case in Europe is against importers and not against me or our company. The work of the Pakistan probe team was as per the Terms of Reference (ToR), agreed by their respective governments (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Disapproving of Pakistans apparent disappointment that its JIT was not allowed to meet witnesses from the security forces, India on Thursday said the work of the Pakistan probe team was as per the Terms of Reference (ToR), agreed by their respective governments, thereby indicating that both countries had agreed on the ToR. The ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the JIT visit was on a reciprocal basis and in accordance with the existing legal provisions. Asked about the Pakistan Foreign Office statement on Wednesday night that its JIT was not allowed to meet witnesses from the security forces, the MEA spokesperson said, The work of the JIT in India was as per the ToR which were agreed between the two governments through their respective foreign offices. They are on reciprocal basis and in accordance with the existing legal provisions. It was agreed much in advance of Pakistans JITs visit that they would not get access to any defence personnel involved in Pathankot operation, a home ministry official was quoted by news agencies, as saying. The Terms of Reference for the visit say the JIT would collect, review and document physical evidence regarding the Pathankot incident, collect pieces of forensic evidence for possible matching with specimens of relevant individuals in Pakistan. The team would collect, collate, analyse and document electronic/ digital evidence, visit crime scene and other relevant places related to Pathankot investigation, it says. The JIT would share with Indian counterparts details of investigation conducted by it upto the time of the visit, get briefing from National Investigation Agency of India about the investigation conducted by them besides performing any other task associated with the investigation, it said. According to the methodology and timeframe of JIT, it would interview key witnesses and victims related to the investigation. It will visit crime scene and other relevant places associated with the investigation and collect necessary physical, forensic, digital and other evidence available or in possession of the Indian authorities. The JIT will process evidence in the most professional manner and establish a chain of custody to ensure admissibility of evidence in the relevant court of law. The JIT intends to stay in India for about a week from the date of its arrival, it said. Kathmandu: India was forced to change its policy towards Nepal under international criticism of a crippling blockade led by Madhesis due to which their months-long violent agitation fizzled out and lost relevance, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said. Presenting a 12-page political document during the ongoing CPN-UML party politburo meeting, party chairman Oli said that India changed its policy of supporting the Madhesi movement following international criticism during the 'unofficial' blockade imposed by it on Nepal resulting in disruption of supplies of essential goods. The international community was critical of India's approach to Nepal and exerted pressure on it, Oli said in his document. "India, then, changed its policy as it could not sustain backing the Madhesis further," he said. The Madhesis, largely of Indian-origin, launched a violent agitation in September last year when the new Constitution was announced, saying the statute failed to address their concerns. The Madhesi parties had led the six months-long agitation, mainly to protest against the seven-province federal model enshrined in the Constitution. Nearly 60 people lost their lives during the agitation that also disrupted the supplies of petroleum products and cooking gas among other essentials to Nepal, leading to severe hardships to the people. The major political parties had amended some provisions of the Constitution to address the demands of the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front, which rejected the move of the parties. However in an unexpected development just before Oli's maiden visit to India, the blockade ended in February without any political agreement. But the political crisis has not ended yet and there has not been any discussion between the agitating Madhesis and the government. The Madhesis have lately warned of a fresh agitation from the Nepalese New Year that begins in mid-April. "We will decide about the date and programmes of the future movement after we sit for a meeting in mid-April," said Laxman Lal Karna, Vice president of Sadbhawana Party, a key member of the UDMF. "The relevance of the movement will not end until and unless our demands regarding the rights and representation of the Madhesi people are properly addressed," he told PTI. To a question whether the relevance of the Madhesi movement has ended as India changed its policy, he said in sarcastic remarks: "Prime Minister Oli cannot change the policy of New Delhi." "Is it government of India or Prime Minister Oli who will change New Delhi's policy?" he questioned. Meanwhile, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that Nepal is likely to witness fresh turmoil if the dissatisfaction over the Constitution is not addressed soon. Security forces also said they had seized a large arms and ammunition cache due to information gleaned from the Afghan. (Representational Photo: Pixabay) Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday arrested a suspected Afghan spy believed to be behind assassinations and bombings in its Baluchistan province, security and government officials told Reuters. The move comes two weeks after Pakistan detained another man it said was an Indian spy who illegally entered the country and was also captured in the mineral rich province. "The arrested man is an Afghan national living in a rented house in Boghara area at the outskirts of Chaman town. Paramilitary forces raided the house on intelligence and detained him," Manzoor Ahmed spokesman for the paramilitary force said. "He was working for Afghan spy agency National Directorate of Security (NDS)," Ahmed said. Initial interrogation pointed to an NDS role in killings and blasts in the Baluchistan cities of Chaman and Quetta. The accused has not been identified and Afghan authorities did not immediately comment on the arrest. "He was on the payroll of NDS," said Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, spokesman for the Baluchistan government. Security forces also said they had seized a large arms and ammunition cache due to information gleaned from the Afghan. Pakistan has uneasy relations with neighbour Afghanistan. Kabul has long accused Pakistan of sheltering the Afghan Taliban insurgency's leadership, a charge Islamabad denies. For its part, Pakistan has demanded that Kabul do more to capture leaders of the separate Pakistani Taliban. They are believed to have sought refuge on Afghan soil after being dislodged in a Pakistani military operation from North Waziristan along the border. Pakistan last month said it had detained a spy from regional arch rival India in Baluchistan who had illegally entered from Iran. It later released a videotaped confession by the man. India has confirmed that the man was a former Indian navy official but denied he was a spy. A day after several students were injured in police action at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, a three member team from Union HRD ministry on Wednesday held talks with the officials and protesting students of the engineering college. The three member HRD ministry team which arrived here to take stock of the situation met Director NIT Srinagar Rajat Gupta and other senior officials, who briefed them about the prevailing situation in the premier engineering institute, sources told Deccan Herald. The team which includes Sanjeev Sharma, Director (Technical Education) in the HRD ministry, Deputy Director Finance Fazal Mehmood and Chairman of Board of Governors of NIT M J Zarabi, also held talks with the protesting students. Sources said the protesting students kept several demands before the visiting team which includes transfer of some NIT officials, action against them for their alleged anti-national activities, action against police officials who resorted to lathi charge on students on Tuesday night and permission to hoist tri-colour at the main gate of the college daily. They also demand shifting of the NIT campus to Jammu, building of a temple inside campus, return of the National Flag they had hoisted on the campus which was later seized by the police The agitating students have also demanded that exams scheduled from Monday be postponed to allow them to go home. However, a senior official of the NIT said the non-local students were using minor incidents as an excuse to seek migration to their home state. Demands like building a temple inside an educational institute is impossible. But some students are making it is an excuse, he said. On Tuesday night, some protesting non-local engineering students were injured in police action when they tried to march outside the campus to press for their demands. However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said that about 500 students of the NIT Srinagar in the shape of a mob resorted to violence by assaulting policemen including officers. The police chased the mob and in the melee some of the students got injured. The police have lodged a case FIR No 45 at police station Nigeen and started investigations, a police spokesman said. Authorities have deployed two CRPF companies for security of the non-local students at the campus with a SP rank officer stationed to keep a vigil. A Karnataka-based iron ore exporter, who was mentioned in the Justice M B Shah report on illegal mining, is among the new names that emerged in the controversial Panama Papers. Prasanna V Ghotage of PVG Group, who was in jail on cheating charges, and his associate Vaman Kumar are linked to an offshore company floated in British Virgin Islands (BVI), according to the documents. The PVG Group had operated over 3,000 trucks to transport iron ore from Bellary district. Ghotage, who hails from Belgaum, and Kumar could not be reached for their comments. The ICIJ and its partners, including Indian Express, has published the Panama Papers claiming that around 11.5 million documents sourced from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca showed that it helped people across the globe, including around 500 Indians, open offshore companies to protect their wealth. Ghotage, his wife and Kumar were shareholders in Nordbell Commercial Ltd, an offshore company in BVI set up in 2007, Indian Express said quoting documents. Ghotage's late mother was also once a shareholder in the company. According to documents, Ghotage and his mother had sold 12,000 shares to Kumar, who is said to be an expert in international trade and global commodity.Ghotage (49) was named by Justice Shah in his report on illegal mining in 2013. The report said Ghotage exported iron ore mined in Goa to China but under invoiced iron it. He was arrested and chargesheeted by Goa Police last year on charges of cheating after he failed to supply iron ore to a Raipur firm. He was earlier arrested in Chhattisgarh. According to sources, he had cases against him in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa. Other new names in the Panama Papers include Niira Radia, businessmen S K Modi and M S Prasad. Radia, the lobbyist who had shot to limelight after leakage of her calls with prominent personalities known as Radia tapes, managed an offshore account, the Panama Papers claimed. The offshore company linked to Radia was Crownmart International Group Ltd registered in BVI. There are resolutions until June 2004 which are signed by her, it said. The companys name was taken off Mossack Fonseca list in 2009. Modi, chairman of Modi Global Enterprises, is said to have two offshore companies in BVI. Modi's spokesperson has said all laws were complied with. ICIJ said all offshore companies in the list may not be illegal and there are legitimate ones also. As-well as shining a spotlight on the secret financial arrangements of the rich and powerful, the so-called Panama Papers have laid bare London's role as a vital organ of the world's tax-haven network. The files leaked from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca exposed Britain's link to thousands of firms based in tax havens and how secret money is invested in British assets, particularly London property. Critics accuse British authorities of turning a blind eye to the inflow of suspect money and of being too close to the financial sector to clamp down on the use of its overseas territories as havens, with the British Virgin Islands alone hosting 110,000 of the Mossack Fonseca's clients. "London is the epicentre of so much of the sleaze that happens in the world," Nicholas Shaxson, author of the book "Treasure Islands", which examines the role of offshore banks and tax havens, told AFP. The political analyst said that Britain itself was relatively transparent and clean, but that companies used the country's territories abroad -- relics of the days of empire -- to "farm out the seedier stuff", often under the guise of shell companies with anonymous owners. "Tax evasion and stuff like that will be done in the external parts of the network. Usually there will be links to the City of London, UK law firms, UK accountancy firms and to UK banks," he said, calling London the centre of a "spider's web". "They're all agents of the City of London -- that is where the whole exercise is controlled from," Richard Murphy, professor at London's City University, said of the offshore havens. The files showed that Britain had the third highest number of Mossack Fonseca's middlemen operating within its borders, with 32,682 advisers. Although not illegal in themselves, shell companies can be used for illegal activities such as laundering the proceeds of criminal activities or to conceal misappropriated or politically-inconvenient wealth. Around 310,000 tax haven companies own an estimated USD 240 billion of British real estate, 10 per cent of which were linked to Mossack Fonseca. The files appeared to show that the United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan owned London properties worth more than 1.2 billion pounds and that Mariam Safdar, daughter of Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was the beneficial owner of two offshore companies that owned flats on the exclusive Park Lane. The revelations undermined promises by British Prime Minister David Cameron to clear up the murky world of offshore finance and its proceeds. A 28-year-old Bangladeshi law student who was critical of radical Islamists has been hacked to death here by machete-wielding militants, the latest in a series of attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. He was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. "They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death," the official said. Nazim, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. His friends said Nazim used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the country's law and order in a Facebook post. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Nazim's activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Nazim got admitted to the university two months ago. "We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him," he said. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhaka's Tejgaon area. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. The Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. Sri Lanka is of great importance to China's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean as Pakistan cannot provide a strong foothold due to its "calamitous state" of security, state media here said today, underlining Beijing's concern in this regard for the first time. "Currently, the China-funded constructions in Pakistan cannot serve as a strong foothold for China, given the calamitous state of Pakistan's security," said one of the two articles in the state-run Global Times coinciding with the visit of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe here. "Sri Lanka can be of great importance for China in the security strategic layout in Indian Ocean. It will not only provide security assurances for nearby navigation channels, but will also promote the 21st Maritime Silk Road," it said. India has not yet endorsed the MSR due to concerns over its potential for China to take dominant role in Indian Ocean. Besides a foothold in Sri Lanka, China looks to gain access to the Indian Ocean through its USD 46 billion economic corridor with Pakistan connecting its Xinjiang with the strategic Gwadar port in Arabian Sea. Gwadar location also provides an opening to the Indian Ocean. Blaming India for stalling of the USD 1.5 billion Colombo Port City project which was kept on hold by the present Maithripala Sirisena government for a year, the report said "apart from partisan politics in Sri Lanka, pressure from India has also been playing a crucial role in suspending the project". "New Delhi is often biased when viewing Chinese investment in South Asia. New Delhi's anxiety stems from its suspicion that China is making an attempt to contain India. Despite the fact that neither Beijing's investment to Sri Lanka nor the latter's economic development will do any harm to India, New Delhi is still obsessed with the idea that China might create a military encirclement around India," it said. "The argument within the country over being pro-India or pro-China might gradually calm down along with Wickramasinghe's China tour," it said. The report also said, "New Delhi does have a huge influence on Colombo, yet the relationship between Sri Lanka and China has not infringed on India's interests. Colombo is now well aware that neither pro-India nor pro-China is the appropriate policy, and the best option is to keep a good relationship with all major powers." Locals started protesting on Wednesday after drinking water facilities at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gauri Shankar Mandir in Chandni Chowk were demolished by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation personnel and Delhi Police as a part of an anti-encroachment drive under the aegis of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporations beautification project. The anti-encroachment drive, conducted on a court order, started at 6 am. As soon as the demolition squad reached near the Gurudwara after removing roadside encroachments and started demolishing the water facility on its premises, locals started protesting. A big police contingent was called to avoid clashes. Shopowners shut down their shops for the latter half of the day fearing a communal outbreak. Soon after the squad demolished the piao (water facility) at the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, the devotees started reinstalling it. Heated arguments took place between the MCD officials and the locals. We didnt open our shop top today because the situation has become too tense here, said Rajesh Dharma. Conspiracy of AAP Delhi BJP unit head Satish Upadhya said it was the conspiracy of Kejriwal government and he should apologise for the demolition action in the premises of Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gauri Shankar Mandir. BJP National Secretary R P Singh said the AAP used the redevelopment of Chandni Chowk area for its political gains. After the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, it tried to use this for its political expansion and got the orders of demolition passed by the court with the help of its PWD officers. Under a conspiracy, the PWD shifted the responsibility on the North Delhi Municipal Corporation so that it may look like a demolition at the religious places by the BJP-ruled municipal corporation, said Singh. Today, the order of demolition of historical Chhabil in the corridors of Gurudwara Sish Ganj Sahib was given by the officers under the pressure of local MLA Alka Lamba, he said. Singh added Lamba was a member of the team formed for the expansion of AAP in Punjab. He claimed the drive was carried out under a planned conspiracy. Lamba is the director of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation. Officials with the North Corporation said that the anti-encroachment drive was planned on Tuesday in a meeting of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation, which was attended by Lamba, officials of the north civic agency, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Police and Public Works Department, among others. Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal owed an apology to the country for accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bowing before Pakistan by allowing an investigation team to visit the Pathankot air base terror attack site. On Tuesday, Kejriwal had said that the PM stabbed Mother India in the back. On one hand they (BJP leaders) chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai and on the other hand they let people from the country from where most number of terrorists have invaded India to do inspection of the Pathankot terror attack site, Kejriwal had said. Delhi Art and Culture Minister Kapil Misha had called the PM an ISI agent. Naidu said that opposition parties have been trying to malign the image of Union government. Theres nothing wrong in chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Freedom fighters chanted it for decades and even Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev chanted it, Naidu said at the All India Council of Mayors at Civic Centre here. The meeting of All India Council of Mayors began with Vande Mataram and later mayors, who came from all over the country and were mostly from the Bharatiya Janata Party, started chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. While the union minister highlighted public private partnership model to successfully achieve urban development across the country, he said the funds provided by the Centre under the Smart City and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) are inadequate. It sounds good to hear crores being granted under such schemes but it is not enough. For implementing projects successfully, the amount allocated under these schemes is not sufficient, he said. So the government has decided to adopt the PPP model to implement these schemes without a glitch, the minister added. Naidu said the government has decided to grant over Rs 87,000 crore to the local bodies in the country between 2016 and 2020. But they should all abide by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, which gives constitutional status to the urban local bodies. We have been receiving complaints from mayors that some states dont fully abide by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act for urban local bodies. Its a serious matter. All states must implement the Act in true spirit, the minister said. The government will incentivise the states which abide by the Act, he said. The states have always been asking for more powers, but at the same time they should delegate authority to the local bodies. Congress today came down hard on Pakistan for its "unilateral suspension" of peace process, and hoped NDA government has learnt the lesson and will refrain from "unthought, unconsulted" diplomatic moves aimed at building Prime Minister Narendra Modi's persona. "Pakistan's unilateral suspension of peace process is extremely unfortunate. It is also a grim reminder of how Pakistan time and again has betrayed the peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiations," party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. He hoped that BJP Govt has learnt their lesson and will "refrained from unthought, unconsulted diplomatic moves" purely aimed at building Modi's "larger than life persona at the cost of compromising our nation's safety and security." At the same time, Surjewala said Congress stood with all Indians in condemning Pakistan's skewed move to undo the peace process. Another party spokesman Manish Tewari said the government has itself to blame for the development. "The Government of India has no one but itself to blame for this unfortunate development. Prime Minister Modi's flip flops, U-turns and somersaults over the past 22 months have allowed the Pakistani deep state i.e GHQ-ISI-terror groups orchestra to run circles around India." "We do hope that this government realizes that diplomacy is not done on the fly by the seat of their pants. Government needs to introspect their failures in retrospect", he added. The sharp reaction from the Congress came close on the heels of Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's remarks that at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended". Former Union Minister and Congress spokesman R P N Singh took a dig at the Prime Minister remarking that the development showed that his "56-inch chest diplomacy has faltered". Making a strong pitch for taking everyone on board on the issue of foreign policy, he told the government that Pakistan's unilateral suspension of the peace process had shown India in poor light. Countering the Pakistan High Commissioner's assertion that the visit by Pakistani JIT was not on reciprocity, India today said before the team's visit here, both sides had agreed that it would be on the basis of reciprocity. "We have seen comments by the Pakistani High Commissioner on the visit of the JIT Team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Base that have reference to reciprocity. "MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry that the Terms of Reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions'. "Subsequently, the JIT visited from March 27 to April 1, 2016," External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup said. During a media interaction earlier, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said,"The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident." Reacting to Basit's remarks that the Indo-Pak peace process stands "suspended", Swarup referred to the press conference of Pakistani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nafees Zakaria in which he said,"I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. "I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. I have read the statement of the Indian Foreign Secretary you are referring to and in that also there was indication that the talks would take place." He was asked about the status of Indo-Pak foreign secretary-level talks. The Tokyo Fire Department in Japan has introduced a new helicopter unit recently to help fight fires in high-rise buildings. The Air Fire Rescue Task Forces development follows a near doubling of high-rise fires in Tokyo and a rapid growth in the number of buildings higher than 11 floors. The task forces, also known as Air Hyper Rescue, use Airbus helicopters from the Fire Departments aviation unit. The aircrafts are equipped with Simplex Aerospaces Model 516 High Rise Firefighting System, nicknamed the SkyCannon, which has received FAA, European and Japanese aviation certification. Japan Aerospace delivered the system, which is designed to discharge water and foam more than 125 feet (38 metres) from the helicopter through a 24-foot boom. The aircraft will also be equipped to carry a 10-person rescue gondola. The aviation units helicopters, more than 150 fire vehicles and 2,800-plus firefighters participated in the annual Dezome-shiki ceremonies on Tokyos Koto waterfront, according to media reports. The ceremonies, whose origins are more than 300 years old, remind Japanese citizens of the hazards of fire and encourage them to be safe. Emphasising that the organs of Indian democracy - Parliament, Executive and Judiciary - should operate within their own spheres, President Pranb Mukherjee today said the judiciary being a "critical" pillar must introspect and self-correct, when required, to meet the evolving needs of polity. Receiving the first copy of 'Statement of Indian Law: Supreme Court through its Constitution Bench Decisions since 1950' written by lawyer Govind Goel, the President said constitutionalism is the primary edifice on which Indian democracy stands. He said it is the Constitution which is supreme rather than the pillars - Parliament, Executive and Judiciary - and each organ of the state "must operate within its own sphere and must not appropriate what has been assigned to others". "The exercise of authority by the legislature and the executive is subject to judicial review. However, in the exercise of authority by the judiciary, the only check possible is judiciary's self-imposed discipline and self-restraint," he said. "The balance of power between the three organs as enshrined in our Constitution must be maintained at all times," Mukherjee said. The President said unlike the Supreme Court of the United States, where judges are appointed for a life term by the political executive keeping in view ideological preferences, judges of the Indian Supreme Court are appointed through a non-political process uninfluenced by such considerations. "As a result, the law that has emerged having been interpreted by the Constitution Bench of Indian Supreme Court navigates through diverse social, economic, political, cultural, historical and ethical moors. This has made the Constitution of India a living organic document keeping pace with the changing times," he said. The Supreme Court of India last year struck down the government's move to amend the appointment of judges through National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, saying it was "unconstitutional" and that it would breach the "independence" of the higher judiciary. The President said the uniqueness of a Constitution is that while the words can be amended, the 'constitutional silences' are indisputable. "It is the solemn responsibility of the Constitution Bench to decrypt and amplify these 'silences'," he said. He said of the 2,296 decisions of the Bench, only about one per cent have been overruled which is considerably less than the number of constitutional amendments. "Yet, there may be a possibility, and more so desirability, of revisiting the correctness or relevance of a decision as per the contemporary needs of society," he said. The book 'Statement of Indian Law: Supreme Court through its Constitution Bench Decisions since 1950', released by Chief Justice of India T S Thakur, is a study of all the judgments delivered by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India since 1950. Mukherjee said the judiciary is the final interpreter of the Constitution and laws and over the years, the Constitution Bench has interpreted the Constitution to counter numerous sensitive and complex constitutional situations. "Constitution Bench decisions have also prescribed constitutionally permissible boundaries for each organ of the state. They have at times invalidated the exercise of power and authority that violates constitutional provisions, including the basic structure of the Constitution," he said. The President said the rule of law is the hallmark of our democracy due to which every Indian feels empowered, making him or her participate in nation-building with full vigour and enthusiasm. "As an upholder of the rule of law and enforcer of the right to liberty and equality, the role of the judiciary is sacrosanct. The faith and confidence people have reposed in the judiciary must be upheld always. For justice to carry any meaning for the people, it must be accessible, affordable and quick," he said. The President said for the enforcement of fundamental rights, the Supreme Court through judicial innovation and activism has expanded the common law principle of 'locus standi'. It has been made possible for courts to permit anyone with sufficient interest and acting bona fide to maintain an action for judicial redress and to activate the judicial process, he said. The President said justice for all, affordable judicial system and quick delivery of justice are three pre-requisites of the effective system. "Courts should possess adequate resources to improve their infrastructure. Shortage of judges must be mitigated by filling up vacant judicial positions on priority," he said. Mukherjee said as litigation is often time-consuming, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and arbitration must be encouraged besides use of technology solutions. "The Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted in 1987 to give a statutory base to uniform legal aid programmes throughout the country. Successive Chief Justices of India have played key role in enforcing the Act. There is also a need perhaps to undertake greater efforts at legal literacy," he said. The state Home departments delay in taking action against IPS officer Abhishekh Goyal in accordance with the recommendations of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (NPA), Hyderabad, may come as a setback for a host of Karnataka cadre IPS officers anticipating promotion. The NPA, on December 15, 2015, had recommended action against Goyal for his misconduct, gross indiscipline and insubordination during his mid-career training (MCT) in November 2015. The NPA had suggested DG&IGP Om Prakash to hold a departmental inquiry and recover Rs 62,393 from Goyal within 30 days of the receipt of the letter and refund the money to the NPA. The NPA had stated in the letter that it would be difficult to accept further nominations for the MCT from Karnataka if the recommendations are not implemented within the deadline. The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) sought an action taken report from the DG&IGP two weeks ago, but there is no response yet, said a DPAR official. We will inform the government once we receive the state police chiefs response for further action. A decision would be taken at the government level, the official said. Goyal is currently Deputy Commissioner of Police, (CAR Headquarters), Bengaluru. The state government nominates IPS officers, who have been in service for nine years and are yet to complete 14 years, for the MCT. The MCT is mandatory for promotion. NPA may write to the Union Home ministry recommending not to consider any IPS officer from Karnataka for the MCT which would affect others expecting promotion, said a former DG&IGP. When contacted, Om Prakash was not available for comment. Goyal landed himself in trouble between November 29 and December 4, during phase III of the MCT, which was held in Australia. On Day One, Goyal came to the venue in civil wear which was objected to by the Academy faculty S Raveendran. Goyal had missed the first half of the session by the time he returned in uniform. A show-cause notice was issued to him. On the second day, Goyal insisting on bringing his family on the bus from Gold Coast in spite of clear instructions that families would not be allowed to travel. On the third day, Goyal requested that he be exempted from the final leg of the programme in Melbourne. Despite refusal of exemption, Goyal did not attend the last leg of the programme at Melbourne, missed his flight and stayed back in Brisbane, the NPA letter states. Goyal did not mend his ways, vitiated the training atmosphere and brought disrepute to the NPA and the IPS fraternity, despite repeated warnings, the letter adds. The NPA did not issue the course completion certificate to Goyal and he became the first IPS officer to face a draft charge sheet by the NPA, said the sources. Levelling allegations against MLA H D Revanna, dalits and members of other organisations staged a protest near the Deputy Commissioners office, in Hassan, on Thursday. They claimed that Revanna was trying to take revenge against Dalits in connection with the Sigaranahalli temple entry row, for political gains. The violence that erupted after the Dalits entered Basaveshwara temple, has turned into a serious issue. Revanna is responsible for it, they said. The protesters claimed that people belonging to upper class assaulted dalits, due to the failure of the district administration in tackling the issue. The administrative machinery has failed in punishing the guilty, they added. The agitators claimed, they had urged the authorities concerned to provide an opportunity to enter the temple and also necessary security, well in advance. Though police personnel were deputed, people belonging to the upper class threw stones at them and also assaulted them. A few journalists were also injured in the melee. Revanna is provoking the Vokkaliga community against Dalits, in an effort to reap political benefits, they alleged. They did not spare even the Congress government. The party, which claims to be Dalit-friendly has exhibited its inability to tackle the Sigaranahalli issue. In spite of the violence, neither Home Minister Parameshwara nor Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya have visited the village, they complained. They demanded a high-level probe into the issue and punishment for the guilty. Legal action should be taken against MLA H D Revanna. The miscreants, who torched the portrait of Dr Ambedkar in Arakalgud taluk, should be arrested, they stressed. Imam-e-Haram of Mecca, Saleh bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Aal Taalib, will visit the city on Friday. He will address ulemas, here, and will lead the Friday prayer at Eidgah Maidan in Rajivnagar. First visit The organisers of the ceremony claim that it is the first visit of a religious leader from Mecca, the holy place of Muslims in Saudi Arabia. He will address in Arabic and it will be translated to Urdu by Arshad Madni, president of Jamiat-e-Ulema. It will be followed by prayer. Former minister and MLA Tanveer Sait, former mayor and Corporator Ayub Khan, Siddiqia Arabic College Secretary Abdul Azeez Chand Saheb and Joint Secretary Javeed Ahmed and ulemas will be present. Soon after the prayer, the visiting leader will travel to Bengaluru to take part in an Islamic conference being held at the Palace Grounds. Yunis Ali, 65, was heading a well-to-do farming family of Bhawraguri in Kokrajahr district of Assam until 1993 when the Bengali Muslims settled in various areas of Bodo-dominated areas came under series of attack of armed groups. At that time, more then 50,000 Bengali Muslims had to flee to safer places.I had lot of land. We were a joint family and my two younger brothers and their families also stayed with us. We used to grow rice and maize. But October 6, 1993, changed all of that. I lost my two younger brothers. I was turned homeless and jobless. It has been 23 years, I am still in this make shift camp. I am yet to receive compensations. I had voted for the Congress and even the Bodo candidates every election till 1993. I was finally able to again transfer my name in the voters list to a centre close to this settlement. Governments have come and gone, everyone promised us resettlement and compensation, no one kept their promise, Ali says. The tale is same for 5,000 odd people living in Hapsapara camp near Rakhaldubi of Bongaigaon district of lower Assam. 2,200 among them are voters for the ensuing second phase of Assam polls. . The local MLA Bhupen Roy is from the AGP. He never visited the camp. The AGP is known for its anti-migrant stand. The Congress had for ages used us as vote bank. Since 2006 though the rise of Badaruddin Ajmal, we have found bit of solace politically. Our grandfathers were also born in Assam, yet we are treated as migrants and Bangladeshis. After the 1993 attacks, government ran camps for three months and asked us to return to our villages but we could not gather courage. The 2012 riots are testimony that things have only gone worse, Rajab Ali told Deccan Herald. After a lot of struggle, the voters in the camp were able to transfer their polling station to a centre near the camp from different parts of Bodoland region. The area falls in Abhayapuri (North) constituency. Some families had begun to leave Hapasara after receiving Rs 50,000 as compensation from the government. They had received Rs 10,000 as immediate relief earlier. Now these amounts are too less to start life afresh Rajab added. After the government washed off its hands, these helpless people rented a patch of private land outside Bodoland in Bongaigaon district. Mohammed Rofiqul Islam, the proprietor of the land, himself a Bengali Muslim, feels that Muslims across lower Assam are closely monitoring the BJPs anti-migrant campaign. Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday intensified the ruling Congress campaign for the second phase with couple of public rallies in Assam. She attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi even as the BJP gains ground in his name during the campaigning for the second phase of poll in Assam to be held on 11th April. While addressing a massive gathering of Congress supporters and workers at Sarukhetry in Barpeta district of lower Assam, Sonia Gandhi accused Modi of making grandiose statements during his visits abroad, while spreading hatred at home, and cautioned voters in Assam against BJPs communal politics controlled from Nagpur. When Modi ji goes to foreign tours, he goes and meets people. When he returns back to the country, he spreads venom of hatred Gandhi said. Gandhi warned the people of Assam to beware of the BJP as it plans to divide the society. The danger of communalism is looming large over Assam as the BJP is engaged in spreading communalism and dividing the society which has thrived for ages on the principles of love, peace and harmony, BJP's communal politics is controlled from Nagpur and this is a grave danger to democracy, the Congress president added. Gandhi also said that the BJP had no faith in the Constitution or democracy as was evident from their plan to destabilise the Congress government of Assam and removal democratically elected governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Violence has been the way of things at places like Nanoor, Parui, Labhpur and Suchpur in Birbhum district for years. If the Trinamool Congress used an iron hand to keep control over these areas, CPM leader Md Salim just might have added to the problems. Even though he was suggesting a solution to boost the morale of his party workers and supporters, his fiery speeches on Thursday could go some distance to spill more blood. Since Trinamool came to power in 2011, Left supporters stayed away from the streets. Some even had to leave their homes behind to escape any kind of retribution. With the Left working out a coalition with the Congress before the Assembly polls, red flags have again started making appearances in the district, however limited. Left party workers have again found the courage to return to their party offices, organise some public meetings and rallies, with the support from Congress workers, who were also cornered. Salim, one of the few Left MPs from Bengal, decided to take a stronger tone on Thursday as he addressed two rallies in the district, something the party had almost forsaken for the past five years. Taking opportunity of the situation, and to enthuse supporters, he let out a barrage, which called for retribution, even though CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra has called for peace. If such a situation arises that some of us try to harm Trinamool supporters after we return to power, you must protect them from such attacks, Mishra told supporters in a recent rally. Salim, who took a different path, said at Labhpur and Nanoor, two of the most disturbed villages in the district, that winning back power in Bengal would mean matching accounts for every attack, every drop of blood shed. The polling process in West Bengal came under question on Thursday after the EC issued altered statistics nearly 48 hours after phase 1 elections took place on April 4. Reviewed statistics, which are making Opposition parties scream foul play, show a spike in 3-5% of polling at a number of booths in some constituencies. The final voter turnout, released from the office of Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kumar Gupta after the end of the days polling on April 4, stood at 80.92%. On Thursday, however, revised figures put the final percentage of April 4 at 84.22, nearly 4% more than earlier stated. Most political parties, barring the Trinamool Congress, have raised questions over the spike and found the time period of releasing such data unusually long. April 4 saw polling in 18 constituencies across West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Burdwan. A second round of polling is scheduled for April 11 at Jungle Mahal, which traverses parts of these districts and is deemed Left-wing extremism-affected. Opposition parties feel Trinamool is engineering things from the realisation that it is not going to see a clean sweep as party leaders anticipated. CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra told reporters in Kolkata that the spike in figures leave little doubt that there was foul play. The revised figures are making Opposition parties wonder about the presence of ghost voters, people who were unable to vote for various reasons and whose votes were cast by Trinamool workers, Congress state president Adhir Chowdhury said, while Mishra questioned the rise in four constituencies of West Midnapore, two in Bankura and one in Purulia. Experts pointed out that such a rise is possible only if the CEOs office grossly miscalculated the figures on Monday or, if someone tampered with the electronic voting machines and cast votes after polling ended. The Tamil Maanila Congress hopes of allying with the AIADMK was shattered on Thursday after the ruling party insisted that the former contest elections under the two leaves symbol. The Tamil Maanila Congress is led by former union shipping minister G K Vasan.Tamil Maanila Congress sources told DH that Vasan was invited to meet AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa at her residence on Thursday afternoon for seat-sharing talks. However, the AIADMK high-command made it very clear that it would offer about 15 seats provided that Maanila Congress should contest under two leaves symbol. Declining the AIADMKs offer temporarily, Vasan said: we will decide the future course of action in the next two days considering all aspects of the party. Vasan, who revived the Maanila Congress just a little more than a year back, was planning to further strengthen its partys network after allying with the AIADMK and contest under his partys coconut farm symbol. The AIADMK, which wants to contest all 234 constituencies under its two leaves symbol to brighten its chances of getting more seats in this elections, had already allocated seven seats to its small allies, who agreed to contest under the ruling party symbol. A senior Maanila Congress party leader, seeking anonymity, said the AIADMK has given one more day to Vasan to re-think his decision not to contest under ruling partys symbol. According to him, Maanila Congress cadres were interested in joining AIADMK. At present, people are familiar with only cycle symbol that Maanila Congress had earlier. As there is little time to publicise our new coconut farm symbol, it is better to contest under AIADMKs two leaves symbol for time being, the Maanila Congress leader said. The Maanila Congress, which is also isolated like the BJP by not having alliance with any major party, has only two options left of joining either the ruling party or the national party. The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Centre for failing to field a law officer for the hearing on a PIL seeking release of funds to drought-hit states. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and N V Ramana expressed their displeasure after a junior counsel sought time for presence of Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Union government. He submitted that the law officer was busy before a Constitution bench. Show some seriousness...are we useless, the furious bench asked. Is this like cattle or something? Go here, go there. This is not your priority. Two judges are sitting here. You expect us to do nothing and just keep looking at the watch waiting for time to pass, the bench further said, forcing the law officer to turn up. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, said the law officer was just sitting over there and was not on her legs. The court also noted there were so many law officers of the Union government but no one was present, showing lack of seriousness on the issue. During the day-long hearing, the court also criticised states of Haryana and Gujarat for fielding junior counsel to make submission in the matter concerning grant of immediate relief and implementing the MNREGA and Food Security Act for the people suffering from drought. Is this the kind of seriousness you show as your people are dying of drought? This hearing is not about some picnic you are having in Haryana, Justice Lokur lashed out at the state counsel. When the counsel apologised, the bench said, You are sorry? You should be sorry for your people. They will die. It also questioned Haryana for passing on figures about canal construction which took place in 2013-14 and agricultural yield from 2014-15 when the court wanted the latest rainfall data in the state. What are we supposed to do with all this? Where are the rainfall figures? Are these papers something you randomly found in your office and filed here. In all districts, rainfall is in the minus... that means there was no rainfall in Haryana, the bench observed, asking why the state was in no hurry to declare drought. A 23-year-old housewife was strangled by her paramour over a petty issue under the Gangammanagudi police limits in Bengaluru North on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Sumithra, a resident of Venkateshwara Layout in Abbigere. The police arrested Ramegowda, a resident of the same locality for her murder. According to the police, Sumithra hailed from Tumakuru and was married to Ashok, 45, a priest at a local temple. The couple have a two-and-half-year-old baby girl. The victims friend Ishwarya had brought Sumithra to Bengaluru recently, after the couple developed differences of opinion, said the police. Ramegowda is married with two children and owns Sai Medical Store at Abbigere. Sumithra befriended Ramegowda and soon the two started an affair. Ashok had come to meet his wife on Sunday. He had brought new clothes for her and his daughter along with other gifts. He left for Tumakuru on Wednesday, said the police. Ramegowda went to Sumithras house after her husband had left. He got angry when he saw the new clothes. He objected the fact that she had accepted her husbands gifts. He told her that he would have bought her new dresses if she had asked. An argument broke out. He used a skipping rope to strangle her and took her baby away, said the police. He went back home and asked his wife to contact Sumithras mother Komalamma and inform that her daughter had hanged herself. Komalamma rushed to the City on Thursday and grew suspicious and lodged a complaint with the police. The police arrested Ramegowda near his house. He was produced before the court and was remanded in judicial custody, said the police. Helmetless riding claimed 2 lives and left 1 injured in separate accidents in the city on Thursday. A pillion rider was killed, while the rider was injured in a road accident in Devanahalli traffic police limits. The deceased is Vijay Kumar Anjanappa, 24, a resident of Muddereddypalya in Gudibande, Chikkaballapur, while the injured is P N Suresh, 22, a resident of Teresandra, Chikkaballapur. According to the police, the accident took place at 9 am at the Agalakote Junction at Baichapura near Budigere when the duo, both employees of KK Packaging at Chikkaballapur, were going to KR Puram on official duty. Suresh tried to overtake a BMTC bus and failed to control the bike as an unknown vehicle came from the opposite direction. The duo were wedged between the two vehicles. Vijay Kumar was killed on the spot due to head injuries, while Suresh fractured his leg. Suresh is being treated at Akash Hospital and is out of danger. The police arrested the bus driver Mallanagouda and seized the bus. The body was handed over to the family members after the post-mortem. Student killed A 21-year-old engineering student was killed on the spot after he was mowed down by an unknown vehicle on Whitefield Road in KR Puram police limits on Thursday morning. The victim, Dhanush Kumar C, was a resident of Gandhipura and a student of Cambridge Engineering College, KR Puram. His father, Chandrashekhar, is an FCI employee. The accident took place at 8.30 am when Kumar was on his way to the college. He was tossed up in the air, fell down and suffered massive head injuries. The vehicle driver absconded after the accident. A few local residents rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The police are analysing CCTV footage of the area to trace the vehicle and its driver, said the police. JD(S) leader H D Revanna on Thursday accused the government of politicising the fixing of reservation matrix for the posts of presidents and vice presidents of the zilla panchayats in Karnataka. Addressing reporters, he said the government had murdered democracy. The reservation matrix has been fixed in such a way that it benefits only the ruling party. It has meted out injustice to the Opposition parties. I dare Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil for a debate at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. I am ready to retire from politics if he proves the reservation has been fixed as per the rule book, he said. Revannas wife Bhavani is Hassan zilla panchayat member from the JD(S). As the JD(S) secured the majority in the zilla panchayat, she was a strong contender for the presidents post. But the government has drawn up the reservation matrix in such a way that she will not be able to become the president. Without mentioning about his wife, Revanna accused the government of targeting the JD(S) in Hassan district. I know how the ruling party leaders have conspired against the JD(S) in Hassan. I will expose everything at the right time with all documentary evidences, he warned. Asked whether the JD(S) would sever ties with the Congress in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike where both the parties have formed an alliance, he said his party would not stoop to that level. The JD(S) has helped the Congress when it was in difficulty. Instead of reciprocating by extending a helping hand elsewhere, the ruling party is trying to create problems, he said. India on Thursday debunked Pakistans claims on its investigatiors visit for Pathankot attack probe, saying it was agreed that its team would not get access to any security personnel involved in the counter offensive against terrorists. New Delhis comments came following Islamabads assertion on Wednesday that India did not produce witnesses belonging to the security forces before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which was in India for six days. According to Home Ministry sources, it was agreed before the visit that JIT would not meet any defence personnel involved in Pathankot operation. The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the visit agreed upon by both the sides said the JIT would interview key witnesses and victims of Pathankot terror attack. There was no mention of access to military or any other security personnel. The JIT would collect, review and document physical evidence regarding the Pathankot incident, collect pieces of forensic evidence for possible matching with specimens of relevant individuals in Pakistan. It would also collect, collate, analyse and document electronic and digital evidence, visit crime scene and other relevant places related to Pathankot investigation, the ToR said. The JIT had also agreed to share with Indian investigators details of the probe conducted by it upto the time of the visit. The NIA, in turn, would brief the JIT about its investigation. A complaint has been filed with the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) against IAS officer Amita Prasad in connection with the irregularities at the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) in Mysuru. The complainant, retired Wing Commander G B Atri, stated that though a high-level enquiry by the additional chief secretary was pending for the past 18 months, Prasad was posted on deputation to Government of India as a joint secretary. Based on a complaint about the irregularities, the then chief secretary Kaushik Mukherjee (on July 17, 2014) had asked former Director General (DG) of ATI Rashmi Mahesh for a report. Subsequently, Rashmi sent a detailed report to the Chief Secretary about irregularities when Amita Prasad was the DG of ATI. On October 20, 2014, Kaushik Mukherjee had ordered an enquiry against Amita Prasad. The order stated that the enquiry would be conducted by Additional Chief Secretary (RDPR). However, the next day, October 21 Amita Prasad was posted on deputation to the Union Water Resources ministry and Ganga Cleaning project. It is an irony that instead of facing the probe ordered by the government, she was elevated to the post of a joint secretary in the central government. This is nothing but a fraud committed against the people of Karnataka. There is a serious effort to dilute the case and bury the probe to save this IAS officer, Atri said. The complaint has requested the ACB to hold investigation based on the report submitted by Rashmi Mahesh on the irregularities. The complaint has attached the copies of the report and subsequent communication relating to the order of enquiry and clearing of the file pertaining to Amita Prasads elevation as joint secretary at the Centre. The enquiry ordered by the state government is pending for the past 18 months. Hence, I have no option, but to request the ACB that all charges of corruption against Amita Prasad be investigated under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Atri said. The complaint was submitted to the DySP, the designated officer of the ACB in the City. Plaint before Upalokayukta Member of Legislative Council G Madhusudan had filed a complaint against Amita Prasad with Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi. The Upalokayukta had taken up the complaint and was contemplating to direct an outside agency to carry out an audit of the ATI since the complaint mentioned misappropriation of around Rs 100 crore. However, before Upalokayukta could take any action, the Congress legislators submitted a petition to the Assembly Speaker, seeking removal of Justice Adi as Upalokayukta. Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Thursday said the process to restart the stalled dialogue between the two neighbours was suspended. I think at present it is suspended, Basit told journalists in New Delhi when he was asked about the status of the bilateral dialogue. He also said that two governments had not yet scheduled any meeting between Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries, who were to discuss and finalise modalities and schedule of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue (CBD), as it would have been renamed after resumption. But, responding to a question on the possibility of Foreign Secretary level talks, M Nafees Zakaria, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Government, said in Islamabad that both countries were in contact with each other and it had been reiterated from both sides that modalities were being worked out. Basit said that while Pakistan was willing to engage with India uninterruptedly, comprehensively and meaningfully to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues, New Delhi was not ready yet. He said Pakistan would wait for India to be ready to restart the dialogue. A contradiction Reacting to Basits comments in New Delhi, official spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup, drew attention to the contradictory statement made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan in Islamabad. Sources in New Delhi told DH that the contradictory remarks by Pakistani diplomats here and in Islamabad had reflected the ambivalence in the approach of the neighbouring country on the issue of engagement with India. Basits comment came almost four months after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj joined her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad on December 9 to announce the resumption of the formal bilateral dialogue, which had remained stalled since January 2013. Three weeks after the announcement, terrorists from Pakistan attacked the Pathankot airbase on January 2. New Delhi, however, did not call off its engagement with Islamabad. The Pathankot attack took place just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modis surprise visit to Lahore on December 25 to greet his Pakistani counterpart M Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. Despite criticism from the Congress and other opposition parties as well as some allies, the Modi government defended its decision not to call off restart of dialogue with the neighbouring country. The government cited Islamabads promise to probe the Pathankot attack on information provided by New Delhi on role of Pakistan-based terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed in planning, financing and coordinating the attack. For the first time, the government of India has received cooperation from Pakistan in the form of a JIT (Joint Investigating Team) visit for investigating a terrorist attack in India, Swarup said in New Delhi on Thursday. Basit on Thursday also remained non-committal on New Delhis request to Islamabad for allowing the National Investigation Agency, which has been probing the Pathankot attack, to visit Pakistan. This is not about question of reciprocity. It is about cooperation between our two countries, he said. I leave it to your imagination, he said on being asked to clarify about Pakistans position on allowing investigators from India. The Karnataka State Government First Grade College Guest Lecturers Association has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike from May if their pay is not hiked and salaries are not given on time. Srivivasachar N, state president of the Guest Lecturers Association, said that they would also boycott exams and evaluation process which will begin from May first week. We have submitted our memorandum to the government four times. Minister for Higher Education T B Jayachandra has said that he is helpless. There was a meeting in this regard on April 1 but we were not even invited. We want the pay hiked from Rs 9,500 to Rs 25,000. Also, we get our salaries only once in three months. We want it to be regularised, he added. Across the state, Srivivasachar said that there are 14,531 guest lecturers and 4,800 full-timers. The High Court on Thursday ordered that cases under investigation and pending sanction before the police wing of the Karnataka Lokayukta should not be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The order will remain in force till April 12, 2016, the next date of hearing of the PIL seeking stay and quashing of the government notification dated March 14, 2016 creating the ACB. Partially staying the government notification, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath said any action of the ACB will be subject to the outcome of the PIL. The bench ordered notice to the state government and adjourned the matter. During the hearing, K B Monesh Kumar, counsel for the petitioner, contended that snatching away the powers of the Lokayukta is against Article 162 of the Constitution, which talks about the executive power of the state subject. He said the Lokayukta was formed through an enactment of the legislation and a mere notification issued by the state government cannot limit and curb the powers of the institution. Additional Advocate General A S Ponnanna, however, argued that the ACB was created to fight corruption in the state and that the state government had the powers to create ACB. When the bench wanted to adjourn the next hearing of the PIL to post court vacation, Advocate General Madhusudan R Naik made a request to hear the matter on April 12 next. The PIL filed by advocate Chidananda Urs B G states that ACB is not fully operational and at the same time the powers of ADGP Lokayukta have been withdrawn and this has created a stalemate and a vacuum in the investigating agency. In the criminal justice system there cannot be any stalemate or vacuum due to non-existence of investigating agency, which has never happened in India. This 'unmindful' and 'reckless' act of the State Government has resulted in stoppage of investigations completely which may also result in possible disappearance of crucial evidence that are to be collected. It has also assisted the corrupt to roam freely, destroy evidence which otherwise were available. This act of State Government cannot, therefore, be justified even on the grounds of transformation or transitional issues of a new system, wherein powers are intentionally given to the interested parties. With talks between the government and protesting PU teachers deadlocked, the II PU results are likely to be delayed. Another round of meetings held on Thursday afternoon between the government and lecturers who have been boycotting evaluation, did not yield any breakthrough. The meeting went on till late into the evening on Wednesday and another immediate meeting was held on Thursday between 12 noon to 2 pm. The department has no time to lose and needs to resolve the issue soon or face the possibility of delayed results. Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar told Deccan Herald, We will have another round of talks on Friday and consult the Chief Minister and then come to a decision. We are taking all measures to make sure the re-examination of the chemistry paper goes on well for now, he said. Ajay Seth, principal secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education said they were not able to find common ground on the issues being discussed. Since the strike that started five days ago, there has hardly been any evaluation work in nearly 46 examination centres throughout the state said, A H Ningegowda, general secretary, state PU Lecturers Association. There are as many as 20,000 members in the association and the strike has been complete. No one has attended any evaluation work since it started on Sunday, he said. Earlier, PU director Ramegowda had said the strike would not affect evaluation. Asked for his response after the failure of Thursdays talks, he said he did not want to comment. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Government Degree College Lecturers Association that comprises of around 7,000 lecturers and a number of unaided PU college associations, has also come out in support of the strike of the State PU Lecturers Association. H Parkash, president of government degree college lecturers association the latter said: We have extended our full support to the PU lecturers. I heard some talk about the government trying to approach degree lecturers for evaluation as an alternative. Even if they do, we will not support them. We are with the PU lecturers, said Prakash. Plea on PU re-exam dismissed The High Court on Thursday refused to interfere in the matter with regard to Second PU Chemistry question paper leak and dismissed the PIL. The petitioner had approached the court seeking directions not to conduct re-exam to the Second PUC Chemistry paper on April 12, and to evaluate the answer sheets of the exam that was held on March 21, 2016. A division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath dismissed the PIL stating that it is the decision of the State government and the court would not interfere in the matter. Deputy Chairman of the State Legislative Council, Maritibbe Gowda, on Thursday demanded an amendment to the Karnataka Education Act to initiate stringent action against the teaching staff involving in illegal activities. Addressing reporters here, Gowda was reacting to a question on the involvement of teachers in large numbers in the leakage of the second PU chemistry question paper. Quoting Primary and Secondary Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar, who in a recent statement rued that there was no effective law to deal with teachers according to the existing Act, Gowda said the Act should therefore be amended and new laws introduced to take severe action in such cases. On the ongoing strike of PU lecturers, who have boycotted the evaluation of answer sheets, Gowda charged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with failing to keep his words on sorting out the pay disparity as per the report submitted by the then principal secretary for education G Kumar Nayak. Reacting to a query, he denied the JD(S), to which he belongs, was politicising the issue, eyeing the forthcoming elections to the Council from the South Graduates constituency. He said as a principal Opposition party, the BJP was also fighting for the cause of teachers and lecturers. Three kite flyers from Karnataka will represent the nation at the 33rd Wifang International Kite Festival to be held in China from April 15 to 18. Speaking to the media here on Thursday, President of the Kite Club of India V K Rao said the club has chosen Niranjan Rao Kadam Krishna, Naveen Danesh Rao Kesarkar and Padekatta Chandrashekhar, for their skills and financial abilities. Niranjan and Naveen are entrepreneurs from Bengaluru and Padekatta is from Mangaluru. Rao expressed displeasure and said the government had not paid attention to kite-flying as a sport and this was the reason why India is lagging at international competitions. He said, We met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G Parameshwara. They all took the representation and said they will look into the matter. But time is flying. The participants have to leave on April 12. Members of the Karnataka Kshatriya Maratha Parishat have assured financial support to the participants. The trio has been undergoing training for the last 15 days. This is the first time that members of the Club are participating in an international event. Before this we have taken part in many competitions held in Delhi, Tumakuru, Mangaluru, Ballari, Goa and Gujarat. We have also won many prizes, he added. Participants from 25 countries will take part in the Wifang festival. Winners will be given certificates and trophies. The competition will be held in five levels and the trio will fly a thread of 500 kites of different colours. They will also carry a 10 feet 3D Star kite, power kite and a kite on environmental awareness. Two physical education teachers arrested in connection with the second PU chemistry paper leak have been remanded in judicial custody till April 16. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) police produced Anil and Satish before the first Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court on Thursday. The public prosecutor for the CID pleaded with the judge to remand the two in police custody for further questioning, said the police. Anil, a resident of Malleswaram and teacher at Poornaprajna College in Sadashivanagar, and Satish, a resident of Matthikere and teacher with the government high school in Palace Guttalli, were arrested by the CID on Wednesday after Manjunath, one the suspects in the case, disclosed their involvement in the racket. The CID has decided to interrogate the five suspects arrested so far Manjunath, Obalaraju, Rudrappa, Satish and Anil separately. The CID sleuths, meanwhile, have intensified the search for the three prime suspects Shivakumaraiah, Dinesh and Kiran. The police are searching for them at various religious centres and in the neighbouring states. We have concluded that Shivakumaraiah, Dinesh and Kiran masterminded the chemistry paper leak on March 21 and 31. The materials seized so far and the details obtained during the interrogation of the five suspects strongly suggest the involvement of the trio. They connived with the treasury staff and the PU Board officials and leaked the question paper, said a senior police officer. They have evolved a strong network of their men across the state to sell the leaked papers. A majority of the networking members are physical education teachers and private tutors. There are some teachers who operate private tutorials in North Karnataka and coastal Karnataka in benami names, said the officer. Collecting evidence The police are trying to collect evidence to ascertain if all the papers of the PU examinations were leaked. We are in touch with some students and parents after the media reported about the leak of papers of all the subjects. There are a few handwritten papers and original question papers, but there is no mechanism to prove that the students had got the handwritten papers much before the start of the examination, added the police. We have not got any digital evidence in the form of WhatsApp posts or mails about the leak of other papers. The investigation will take a different turn if anybody submits such an evidence, said a senior officer and requested the students to be in touch with the CID staff in case they possess any incriminating evidences. The CID has decided to question a few students after the chemistry re-examination concludes. The police said they may also question the family members of the five arrested suspects. DETROIT Ford Motor Co. plans to build a $1.6 billion auto assembly plant in Mexico, creating about 2,800 jobs and shifting small-car production from the United States. The company announced the plant in the San Luis Potosi state Tuesday without saying specifically what cars it will build there. The United Auto Workers union has said Ford plans to shift production of the Focus compact and C-Max small gas-electric hybrid from suburban Detroit to Mexico, where the cars can be made at lower cost. The UAWs new four-year contract with Ford, signed last year, guarantees new vehicles for the Wayne, Mich., assembly plant and a $700 million investment that preserves the plants 3,924 jobs. Ford highlighted its investments in the U.S., saying that the company spends more than 80 percent of its capital in the U.S. CROW AGENCY About 1,000 people celebrated a sending-home ceremony Wednesday, laying to rest Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the celebrated Crow historian, storyteller, war hero and the tribes last war chief. His greatest honor is the one that came from his people, the title of war chief, the last Crow to hold that distinction, President Barack Obama said in a statement read by Crow Chairman Darrin Old Coyote. He was dedicated to sharing stories of his culture and his people, and he helped shape a fuller history for all of us. Medicine Crow died Sunday in Billings at the age of 102. In 2009, Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Gazette opinion: Medicine Crow's legacy lives on in more than his name When Joseph Medicine Crow wrote the important book, "From the Heart of The Crow Country: The Old Coyote shared the memory of attending the World Peace Summit in New York City in 2000 with Medicine Crow and 2,000 other spiritual leaders from around the world. Those leaders included Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Dr. Medicine Crow gave a prayer and talked about the peace pipe, the beliefs we still practice today, Old Coyote recalled. Spiritual leaders from all over the world all shook hands with Dr. Medicine Crow to show their respect. By the end of the day he was tired, but he still wanted to meet people. Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., said in a message that he first me Medicine Crow 66 years ago at a Crow dance. His father told Simpson and his brother to get to know the decorated war hero, and then laid down two commandments: don't get into trouble, and no dancing in the arena. "We followed half his advice," Simpson said. Herman Viola, curator emeritus at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, remembered this Crow saying that Medicine Crow taught him: With education, the Crow is the white man's equal; without it, he is the white man's victim. "He was the carrier of the gift of oral history," said Viola, who was later adopted a Crow and given the name One Star by Medicine Crow in honor of the people who raised him. "After each visit," Viola recalled, "I would walk away with a new appreciation of what he'd accomplished." Gov. Steve Bullock, who ordered flags to fly at half-staff across Montana Wednesday to honor Medicine Crow, said its no coincidence the wind was blowing hard on the day Medicine Crow was being remembered. Lets remember all that Joe fought for for freedom, the history and traditions of the Crow people, the opportunity that comes with education and the value of a story well told, Bullock said. The governor said he would ensure that the flags flying over the Capitol Wednesday would be sent to Medicine Crow Middle School in Billings. For more than 100 years, Bullock said, Dr. Medicine Crow made history as a hero, and then he taught us how to learn from that history and become stronger for it. Baptist Pastor Carson Yellowtail noted the Crow language has no word for goodbye. Theres no goodbyes because there is no end to life, he said. We say, Well see you again. Montanas congressional delegation sent its greetings and salutes via staffers. Rep. Ryan Zinke said that as a fellow warrior, hes held Medicine Crow in high honor and great respect. Sen. Steve Daines spoke of Medicine Crows unmatched legacy as the Crow Tribes historian, storyteller and decorated war veteran. Medicine Crows bravery, Sen. Jon Tester said, is the kind we read about only in stories. CJ Stewart, who helped lead the service, noted that Medicine Crow was trending as the fourth-most talked about topic on Facebook Wednesday. He is being recognized throughout the whole world, Stewart said. Joe Medicine Crow dies in Billings on Sunday morning Crow chief, World War II veteran and historian Joe Medicine Crow died Sunday morning in a Bi Joe was not afraid to live this life, said Yellowtail, who often led services with Medicine Crow in attendance, and he lived it with joy. Led by Joe Bear Cloud, the Crow Hymns Project sang hymns in Medicine Crows honor, including one borrowed from the Kiowa Tribe. They wont mind, Bear Cloud told the crowd. The program for the service included An Apsaalooke Belief, which reads in part, Dont weep too long, for I have returned to my Creator I am in the minds and hearts of the many lives I have touched. During the hour or so it took mourners to file out of the multi-purpose building, members of the Patriot Guard of Montana waited alongside their motorcycles to escort Medicine Crows body to the Apsaalooke Veterans Cemetery. Calling Medicine Crow as fine a man as I have ever met, Montana State Captain Wes Lambert said his organization 537 members in Montana is there to serve families in their time of need. I was privileged to have spent time with Dr. Medicine Crow, Lambert said. During that service, they barely scratched the surface of his greatness. Medicine Crows great-nephew, Clinton White Clay of Wyola said he was impressed and gratified by the turnout. He was a well-known man, White Clay said, and he showed me a lot of things about the old days. By mid-afternoon mourners had packed the new veterans cemetery to watch and weep while Medicine Crow was given his final rest. Grandpa Joe excelled in everything he set out to do, Stewart had told the crowd during the earlier service. I know the celebration on the Other Side will be great and that theyll be greeting him with open arms as a good and faithful servant. Colorado is blessed with beautiful public lands and wide open spaces. Our natural environment from Estes Park to Telluride is synonymous with our identity as a state. It supports our booming tourism industry, attracts great jobs to our rapidly growing state, and fills us with a sense of a pride every time we go out to hike, ski, hunt or fish. The reality is we have a moral responsibility to maintain a vision of a clean Colorado, so we can be good stewards and leave a proud legacy of clean air for our children and grandchildren. While the vast majority of Coloradans support that vision, we have seen unprecedented efforts by legislators to dismantle Colorados ability to combat air pollution purely for scoring Washington-style political points. This week, Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee voted on a party line to strip $8.5 million from the 2016-17 state budget that would go towards the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environments Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) an office that focuses on the protecting Coloradans by monitoring our air quality and removing asbestos. Over this legislative session, we have debated a number of bills that would undermine Colorados ability to combat climate change, and would take us backwards in our progress on promoting our clean air. We saw every member of the Republican caucus vote against an amendment affirming the human cause on climate change. We have watched Washington-style political games being played to slam the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan, when we should be moving forward to create our own state-specific carbon reduction plan. This latest action, however, takes the cake. Heres what $8.5 million allocated to APCD goes towards: Issuing industry emissions permits so companies can conduct business in Colorado; Monitoring air quality and advising the public if air is unhealthy for sensitive individuals, like those who suffer from asthma; and Overseeing the removal of asbestos from schools, hospitals, houses and other affected buildings. None of this funding was meant for implementation for the Clean Power Plan. Rather, it is meant for public health and safety. In the short term, stripping this funding is an affront to public health and safety. In the long term, it will negatively impact the CDPHEs ability to create a Colorado-specific plan to reduce carbon emissions, leaving us open to the EPA coming and applying a less flexible plan for Colorado. This kind of Washington-style politics is completely irresponsible. It is dangerous for state senators to be putting Colorados economy and public safety in jeopardy by threatening to withhold millions of dollars intended for a core program designed for a cleaner state. At the end of the day, hindering our ability to keep our air clean only benefits corporate polluters, not regular Coloradans. Republicans should be doing their jobs for the people of Colorado, and not playing Washington-style political games with our clean air. Thats not the Colorado way. Democratic state Sen. Matt Jones represents Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville and part of Erie. To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail. 5 April 2016 (UN) The number of people fleeing violence in Central America has surged to levels not seen since the region was wracked by armed conflicts in the 1980s, the UN refugee agency warned today, urging action to ensure that unaccompanied children and others receive the protection which they are entitled to. Last year alone 3,423 people, most of them from El Salvador and Honduras, sought asylum in Mexico, up 164 per cent from 2013 and 65 per cent from 2014, spokesperson Adrian Edwards of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) told reporters in Geneva. UNHCR considers the current situation in Central America to be a protection crisis, he said , expressing particular concern about the rising numbers of unaccompanied children and women on the run who face forced recruitment into criminal gangs, sexual- and gender-based violence and murder. Mexico currently hosts 3,448 refugees, the majority of them from Central America. Costa Rica today hosts 3,616 refugees, mainly people from El Salvador. Costa Rica registered 2,203 asylum claims in 2015, up 176 per cent from 2013 and 16 per cent from 2014. In Belize, where the population is less than 400,000, 633 people sought asylum in 2015, a 10-fold increase over 2014. Nicaragua and Panama are also seeing similar sharp increases in asylum requests from people fleeing the Northern Triangle countries El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. As in previous years, preliminary data from 2015 shows that the United States remains the main country receiving asylum applications from the Northern Triangle, on track to receive over 250 per cent more than in 2013 and almost twice the number of 2014, she said. Large-scale violence and persecution at the hands of armed criminal actors have now become, along with poverty and unemployment, primary drivers of refugee and migrant flows from the Northern Triangle, the spokesperson said. This reality can be seen, for example, in El Salvador, which has the highest rate of homicides of any country in the world. The crisis in Central America urgently requires a stepped-up protection response and a regional approach to sharing responsibility for this growing crisis. UNHCR is working closely with the governments of the region and civil society partners to enhance screening capacity to identify people forced to flee violence and persecution in the Northern Triangle. UN refugee agency warns of spike in asylum-seekers fleeing violence in Central America 5 April 2016 (UNHCR) This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards to whom quoted text may be attributed at the press briefing, on 5 April 2016, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The number of people fleeing violence in Central America has surged to levels not seen since the region was wracked by armed conflicts in the 1980s. Action is urgently needed to ensure that unaccompanied children and others receive the protection to which they are entitled. Last year alone 3,423 people, most of them from El Salvador and Honduras, sought asylum in Mexico. This was 164 per cent increase over 2013 and a 65 per cent increase since 2014. Asylum claims by Salvadorans were up almost 4 times over this period. Mexico currently hosts 3,448 refugees, the majority of them from Central America. The number of asylum claims in other parts of the region from people fleeing violence in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala the Northern Triangle of Central America has also risen dramatically. Costa Rica, for example, registered 2,203 asylum claims in 2015 a 176 per cent increase over 2013 and a 16 per cent increase since 2014. These were mainly people arriving from El Salvador. Costa Rica today hosts 3,616 refugees. In Belize, where the population is less than 400,000, 633 people sought asylum in 2015, up ten-fold over 2014. Other countries in the region, notably Nicaragua and Panama, are also seeing similar sharp increases in asylum requests from people fleeing the Northern Triangle countries. As in previous years, preliminary data from 2015 shows that the United States remains the main country receiving asylum applications from the Northern Triangle, on track to receive over 250 per cent more than in 2013 and almost twice the number of 2014. UNHCR considers the current situation in Central America to be a protection crisis. We are particularly concerned about the rising numbers of unaccompanied children and women on the run who face forced recruitment into criminal gangs, sexual- and gender-based violence and murder. Large-scale violence and persecution at the hands of armed criminal actors have now become, along with poverty and unemployment, primary drivers of refugee and migrant flows from the Northern Triangle. This reality can be seen, for example, in El Salvador, which has the highest rate of homicides of any country in the world. The crisis in Central America urgently requires a stepped-up protection response and a regional approach to sharing responsibility for this growing crisis. UNHCR is working closely with the governments of the region and civil society partners to enhance screening capacity to identify people forced to flee violence and persecution in the Northern Triangle. For children, who require assistance to make decisions on asylum claims, this means that best-interests determination procedures need to be in place to ensure that they are not returned to persecution. Government efforts require additional human and financial resources, in addition to the rapid establishment of more adequate infrastructure so that asylum-seeking and refugee children are effectively protected. We are also working to build reception capacity, including enhanced assistance for asylum-seekers and additional spaces in civil society shelters for migrants so that they can also accommodate asylum-seekers. UNHCR is also encouraging governments to introduce legal avenues for refugees so that they no longer have to rely on smugglers and traffickers and expose themselves to exploitation and abuse. For further information on this topic, please contact: In Mexico city, Francesca Fontanini +52 1 55 91972690, fontanin@unhcr.org In Washington DC, Brian Hansford: +1 202 999 8253, hansford@unhcr.org In Washington DC, Chris Boian: +1 Tel: 202-243-7634, boian@unhcr.org In Geneva, Nora Sturm +41 79 200 7618, sturmn@unhcr.org In Geneva, Adrian Edwards +41 79 557 9120, edwards@unhcr.org For more information click here. KALISPELL The Montana Supreme Court has declined to rule in a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America by women who were raped by a scout leader as children. William Leininger Jr. was convicted in 1976 of raping six female Explorer Scouts. He died in 2002. The high court on Tuesday rejected the Boy Scouts' request that it dismiss the women's case because time had run out to file a lawsuit. The five women plaintiffs say they only discovered within the past five years the connection between the rapes and the physical, mental and emotional harm they later suffered. The justices say the issues surrounding the statute-of-limits argument must be sorted in district court. District Judge James Reynolds had previously ruled the case must go to a jury trial. A few weeks ago, my column explained the transition of documenting bald eagle sightings from when they were an endangered species, until now when they are no longer endangered. While bald eagles are still protected as a national symbol, they are common enough that individual sightings no longer warrant a special report, though biologists do keep track of active eagle nests. There is another large icon of the prairie that has not yet fully recovered from its brush with extinction, and thats why biologists are interested in sightings of whooping cranes as they migrate through North Dakota. In 1860, it was believed about 1,400 whooping cranes existed in North America. By the mid-1940s, the population estimate was down to just 15 or so birds in existence. Through a variety of recovery efforts, the wild flock has slowly increased to a population of more than 400, but it is still one of the most endangered birds on the North American continent. A good share of these wild whooping cranes winter in and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Texas. In spring, they migrate north, en route to nesting grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories in Canada. This migration route takes many of them over North Dakota, primarily during the month of April. Not all of them land in the state, but some do and for anyone who happens to see one, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The endangered status of whopping cranes is why wildlife officials ask that anyone who sees them as they move through North Dakota should report sightings so the birds can be tracked. In mid-to-late April, its still possible to encounter these birds, particularly through the central part of the state. Whoopers stand about 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of about 7 feet from tip to tip. They are bright white with black wing tips, which are visible only when the wings are outstretched. In flight, they extend their long necks straight forward, while their long, slender legs extend out behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly or in small groups and may be associated with sandhill cranes. Other white birds such as snow geese, swans and egrets often are mistaken for whooping cranes. The most common misidentification is pelicans, because their wingspan is similar and they tuck their pouch in flight, leaving a silhouette similar to a crane when viewed from below. Anyone sighting whoopers should not disturb them, but record the date, time, location, and the birds activity. Observers also should look closely for and report colored bands that may occur on one or both legs. Whooping cranes have been marked with colored leg bands to help determine their identity. Whooping crane sightings should be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office at Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge at (701) 848-2466, Long Lake NWR at (701) 387-4397, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck at (701) 328-6300 or to local game wardens across the state. Reports help biologists locate important whooping crane habitat areas, monitor marked birds, determine survival and population numbers, and identify times and migration routes. Arasan Chip Systems, Inc. the leader in Mobile Storage IP announces its second generation of MIPI Soundwire IP Cores targeting Ultra Portable Devices. San Jose, CA April 7, 2016 -- Arasan Chip Systems, the leading provide of Semiconductor IP for the Mobile market today announced the availability of its second generation Soundwire Host IP and Soundwire Device IP Cores. The cores have been designed with an ultra small footprint, with ultra low latency and power consumption to meet the demands of ultraportable devices like Bluetooth headphones, IoTs and a wide array of mobile devices. Arasans Soundwire IP has been fully validated using Verification IP from Industry Leaders to ensure compliance to the Soundwire Specifications and Interoperability across emerging Soundwire devices. Arasan was the industrys first company to demonstrate Soundwire technology, which it did so at the MIPI Conference in Seattle during Q1 2015. Arasans Soundwire Host & Device platforms are available to early adopters in the form of a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) for interoperability testing with their own internal designs. Arasans goal is to ensure that a complete ecosystems to ensure the compliant soundwire products in the market. Arasan is an early contributor member of the MIPI Alliance with proactive participation in different working groups since 2005, while being first out the door with IPs for multiple MIPI specifications. We are happy to see Arasan continue to drive the MIPI ecosystem and compliance with its Semiconductor IP and Systems. said Joel Huloux, Chairman of the Board of MIPI Alliance. About Arasan Arasan Chip Systems is a leading provider of Total IP Solutions for mobile storage and connectivity applications. Arasan licensees include leading IDM and Fabless semiconductor companies and system manufacturers. Arasans high-quality, silicon-proven, Total IP Solutions include digital IP cores, analog PHY interfaces, verification IP, hardware verification kits, protocol analyzers, software stacks and drivers, and optional customization services for MIPI, USB, UFS, SD, SDIO, MMC/eMMC, UFS, and many other popular standards. Arasans Total IP products serve system architects and chip design teams in mobile, gaming and desktop computing systems that require silicon-proven, validated IP, delivered with the ability to integrate and verify both digital, analog and software components in the shortest possible time with the lowest risk. More than one billion ICs have shipped with Arasan IP. Arasan is also please to announce new sales support in Japan, provided by Stability Co, Ltd. About Stability Stability Co. Ltd 20F Yokohama Landmark Tower 2-2-1 Minatomirai Nishi-ku Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-8120, Japan Toll-Free number:0120-725-710 Contact: Arasan_Support@stability.jp About the MIPI Alliance MIPI Alliance (MIPI) develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries. Founded in 2003, the organization has more than 275 member companies worldwide, more than 15 active working groups, and has delivered more than 45 specifications within the mobile ecosystem in the last decade. Members of the organization include handset manufacturers, device OEMs, software providers, semiconductor companies, application processor developers, IP providers, test and test equipment companies, as well as camera, tablet and laptop manufacturers. MIPI CSI-2, C-PHY and D-PHY are trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and/or registered service marks owned by MIPI Alliance. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners. For more information, please visit http://www.mipi.org. WhatsApp has launched end-to-end encryption of all messages sent across its service. The security measure has been rolled out as it emerges that the encryption of another Facebook-owned service Free Basics is the likely factor behind the ban the service was hit with in Egypt in December 2015. Around this time, the zero-rating service was under intense scrutiny in many markets particularly India for going against net neutrality principles by offering free access to certain web content. The Egyptian government was reportedly unsatisfied with the level of access that it had to Free Basics, which launched in Egypt in October before its ban two months later. At the time, the government claimed that the ban was due to Etisalats temporary permit. Neither Facebook nor Etisalat have provided further comment on the matter. Mohamed Hanafi, a spokesman for Egypts Ministry of Communication, stated that the national telecommunication regulator saw the service as harmful to companies and their competitors. At the time that the service was suspended, Facebook claimed that 3 million Egyptians 1 million of whom were new internet users were using the service. The company had boosted Free Basics security features prior to the Egyptian launch in response to criticism that it needed to protect user privacy. Privacy has been touted as the motivating factor behind WhatsApps new encryption, with founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum stating: While we recognise the important work of law enforcement in keeping people safe, efforts to weaken encryption risk exposing peoples information to abuse. These comments cannot fail but evoke the recently abandoned lawsuit between the FBI and Apple, in which the former was demanding to be allowed access to data stored on a locked iPhone via an electronic workaround. Koum had previously stated that a conversation about a back door is not productive as we will not do that. WhatsApp was temporarily blocked in Brazil last year, apparently for refusing to release data pertinent to a legal case in which a drug trafficker was believed to have sent messages via the service. With regard to its new encryption, the company said: If nothing is done, more of peoples digital information and communication will be vulnerable to attack in the years to come. On a personal note, Koum added: I grew up in the USSR during communist rule and the fact that people couldnt speak freely is one of the reasons my family moved to the US. Iceland's ruling coalition appointed Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as the country's new prime minister and said early elections would be held in the autumn. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Johansson (pictured) replaces Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who resigned on Tuesday after being implicated in the Panama Papers documents leak. Johannsson is deputy leader of the Gunnlaugsson's right-of-centre Progressive Party . Gunnlaugsson resigned after his request for a dissolution of parliament was rejected by President President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. Leaked documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca revealed he had owned an offshore firm which held bonds in the three Icelandic banks that collapsed in the financial crisis. He sold the firm to his wife who was still the owner, according to the documents. Dutch voters on Thursday rejected an EU partnership deal that would axe trade barriers with Ukraine, in an embarrassing result for the Netherlands government. In a referendum where only 32.2% of the electorate turned out, 61.1% of those who voted rejected the deal compared with 38.1% in favour. The result just squeaked past the 30% turnout law to be valid under Netherlands law, but is not binding. However, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the government, which also currently holds the rotating EU presidency, could not ignore the result. "It's clear that 'No' have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient," Rutte said. "If the turnout is above 30% with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, then my sense is that ratification can't simply go ahead," Rutte added. The EU now faces further agony over the issue as, as the Dutch parliament approved the deal last year and the other 27 EU member states have already ratified it. In Kiev, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insisted his country would "continue our movement towards the EU". A foreign ministry official told the BBC that the result was disappointing, adding that Dutch eurosceptics could not take Ukraine hostage to express dissatisfaction with the EU. The vote also has big implications for Britain, which is holding its own referendum in June on its membership of the European Union. UK eurosceptics will see the vote as a repudiation of the EU, even though the Dutch vote was about external relations with a country outside the bloc. Lloyds Banking Group is planning to expand its insurance brand Scottish Widows via several acquisitions, according to reports. The lender has spoken to several City of London firms about potential acquisition targets and was not looking to divest the business, Sky News reported. A Lloyds spokesman confirmed that the bank was "looking at how we continue to focus on growing our insurance business where we believe we have competitive advantage through our sector expertise and scale". When Scottish Widows chief Toby Strauss stepped down last autumn after four years at the company, group CEO Antonio Horta-Osorio appointed consumer finance director Antonio Lorenzo as his replacement and said the strategy remained to further integrate the insurance business within the wider banking group. Go-Ahead Group 's 65%-owned Govia joint venture has won a place on the shortlist to bid for the West Midlands rail franchise by the UK Department for Transport. Govia, which is 35%-owned by French transport group Keolis, has operated the franchise since 2007. The contract, which remain on its existing terms until April 2016, will stay under Govia control but under new contract terms until it expires in October 2017. So far this financial year, the FTSE 250 company has won a number of rail contracts, including a direct award of the London Midland rail franchise from April 2016 to October 2017 and two German rail routes in the newly deregulated country. Last month, it lost out to Arriva in its bid for London's largest railway concession, with the German-owned transport firm given the contract to run the current 50-50 joint venture on London Overground. In February, Go-Ahead reported good half-year numbers across most of its operations, with the rail division delivering an adjusted operating profit of 32.9m and returning a 126.6m contribution to the government, up 18.4m on the prior year. Despite growth in passenger numbers, the contribution from London Midland, the Govia brand that operates the West Midland franchise, fell 37.6% to 20.1m. Samsung Electronics signalled a 10% jump in quarterly profit on Thursday, suggesting strong early sales of its latest Galaxy S7 smartphone, though there were lingering doubts over whether the strength would last. The South Korean electronics giant estimated its first-quarter operating profit would beat forecasts at KRW 6.6trn (4.1bn), well above the KRW 5.6trn estimates by a Thomson Reuters survey of 23 analysts. Its board did not comment on the performance of the various business divisions, however, and a full breakdown of the results would not be available until later in the month. Competition from Apples latest iPhone SE and Huaweis forthcoming P9 flagship smartphone were also putting a dampener on market enthusiasm. HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said first quarter earnings would be the peak for the company this year, and that marketing costs for the mobile business would push profits lower in the next quarter. Alpha Asset Management fund manager C.J. Heo added S7 sales popped in the beginning but could very well fade as rivals launch new models. We have learned from the past. There was also concern that Samsungs decision to launch the S7 a month before Apple and others could have brought forward sales that would have otherwise come in later quarters. Shares in Samsung gave up earlier gains in Seoul to close down 1.25% at KRW 1,269m. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. No power, no hot water, bedbugs at apartment towers near Downtown Residents at the Latitude Five25 apartment towers on the Near East Side said they've had no hot water, no power at times. The city is going to court. Liberty House boss Sanjiv Gupta in talks to buy Tata Steel Sanjiv Kumar Gupta, founder of the UK-based Liberty House, has emerged as the great hope for when Tata Steel initiates the formal process to sell its UK assets, which is expected to begin on Monday. British Business Secretary Sajid Javid met Gupta in London on Tuesday, just before flying to Mumbai for a meeting with Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry (See: UK minister Sajid Javid meets Tatas' Mistry in Mumbai). Gupta has already indicated his intention to stop widespread job losses in Tata Steel UK. ''I am pleased to report we had a positive meeting today. The UK government appears highly supportive and is proactively engaged in finding a long-term solution," Gupta is quoted as saying after his meeting with Javid. ''The next step is for Tata to define the formal sales process and request indications of interest from potential buyers. We await further details on this and then will assess our own next step.'' Liberty Group has revenues approaching $5 billion, covering steel, raw materials and non-ferrous metals, while employing more than 2,000 people globally. It also produces about 5 million tonnes per annum of steel and steel products. Gupta is also not new to takeovers. Ten days ago, Tata Steel UK announced it has reached an accord to sell its Clydebridge and Dalzell steel facilities in Scotland. The deal involved the sale of the two plants to the Government of Scotland, which was in turn to sell them on to Liberty House. Prior to that, Gupta's group had acquired a 1.5 million tonnes per annum steel plant in Wales that was set up as an integrated producer of steel based on the electric arc furnace route with a downstream hot rolling mill. This complex was shut for over two years before Liberty's takeover. Now the mill's operations have commenced and plans are on the anvil to eventually revamp the steel melting shop and grow the rated capacities of the mill, a testimony to Gupta's turnaround skills. Liberty's other investments include medium-sized mills and service centres in markets such as India and Ghana to strategic stakes in large producers, like a 2.5 million tonne per annum mill for steel and value added products. As per the group's website, it operates from four financial hubs in London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with a network of offices spread across 30 countries around the world. And "SKG", as Gupta is called by his peers, comes from a successful business family of Punjab. The 44-year-old left for Britain when he was 12 years old as a resident student at St Edmunds College, Canterbury, in Kent. He graduated from the Cambridge in 1995 and was subsequently awarded a master's degree from Trinity College. Since then, he has been trading in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. "From 2000 onward, SKG's focus has been on growing the trade in steel, metals and raw materials while developing the industrial asset base of the group," the Liberty website said. China has begun operating a lighthouse on one of its artificial islands in the South China Sea near where a US warship sailed last year to challenge China's territorial claims. China claims most of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. But neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims that conflict with China's. China's transport ministry held a 'completion ceremony', marking the start of operations of the 55-metre (180-ft) high lighthouse on Subi Reef, where construction began in October, state news agency Xinhua said late on Tuesday. The US guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in October, drawing an angry reaction from China, which called it ''extremely irresponsible''. Subi Reef is an artificial island built up by China on dredged up sand over the past year or so. Before China turned it into an island, Subi was submerged at high tide. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 12-nautical-mile limit does not apply around man-made islands built on previously submerged reefs. China says much of its construction in the South China Sea is designed to fulfil its international obligations in terms of maritime safety, search and rescue and scientific research. Asked about the lighthouse, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China was dedicated to providing public services in the South China Sea to ensure safety and freedom of navigation, which would be helpful for commercial users of the waters. Xinhua said the lighthouse, which emits a white light at night, "can provide efficient navigation services such as positioning reference, route guidance and navigation safety information to ships, which can improve navigation management and emergency response. "However, high traffic density, complex navigation condition, severe shortage in aids and response forces have combined to threaten navigation safety and hindered economic and social development in the region." Bishop of Raphoe, Dr. Philip Boyce, has said there is no indication yet of when he will retire from his position, more than a year after he tendered his resignation. Bishop Boyce turned 76 in January, having tendered his resignation last year when he turned 75 as required. The bishop must remain in his position until a successor is appointed. Speaking to the Donegal Democrat yesterday ahead of the golden jubilee of his entering the priesthood, Bishop Boyce said there is no indication of when his retirement will come: Im over a year now retired if you like, but still to keep on until we get a successor and as yet there is no sign of a successor, but someone will come. He said that retirement will bring a relief from the stresses and travelling involved in the position. When you get to 76 you dont have the energy and the strength and the initiatives or vision that you had when you were 56 or 66 even. Not to have to be travelling so much, not to have so many things to do and problems to solve and stress and so on, certainly that will be a relief. But as regards being a priest you are a priest forever. Bishop Philip Boyce is celebrating 50 years in the priesthood later this month. April 17th is the golden jubilee of the bishops ordination. The anniversary will be celebrated at mass in St. Eunans Cathedral, Letterkenny on Monday April 18th. Bishop Boyce was born in Downings, on January 25th 1940 and educated at Derryhassen school in Meevagh and at Castlemartyr College, Co. Cork. He was ordained in Rome on April 17th, 1966 and was ordained Bishop of Raphoe on 1st October 1995. Halloween creatures owls, crows and bats all live at Crossroads, and that makes us very happy, for these scary animals make a positive contribution to the habitats of the preserve. We don't even mind black cats, IF they are kept indoors. Feral and outdoor cats are exceedingly harmful to wildlife ... and that's not a superstition! But to tamp down superstitions, we at Crossroads will spend the week demystifying Halloween creatures. On October 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. will be our Evening with Owls. The Open Door Bird Sanctuary will be at Crossroads, offering a one-hour presentation followed by the opportunity to meet and greet live birds. Learn all about owls and the other incredible birds in the care of the Sanctuary! Down through the centuries, in many cultures throughout the world, owls have been associated with evil and death. Truth is, owls probably are not smart enough to be evil. But researchers agree that owls are about as dim as the nighttime forests in which they hunt. Owls don't need to be smart. They have everything else going for them. They are muscular. They fly silently. Their huge eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their beaks and talons are strong and wickedly sharp. But their sensitive ears are what make owls extraordinary hunters. Most people assume that the plumicorns (a.k.a. "horns) of an owl are its ears. Not so. The actual ears lie under feathers on the sides of the head, and they aren't symmetrical. Because one ear is higher than the other and the ears are unequal in size, sound is different from different directions, helping owls locate prey, which they do almost unfailingly, even in total darkness. Owls do not smell their prey. As with most birds, the sense of smell is insignificant, if it exists are all. Great Horned Owls frequently prey on skunks. Enough said. But well-developed intelligence? Researchers have observed owls beating their wings on bushes to try to flush out little birds. Is this learned behavior? Is it problem-solving? Maybe. For the most part, owls do not have a lot of problems to solve. They appropriate abandoned nests of other birds, so they don't need building skills. They are stealthy by nature, and they pounce on and usually catch anything they hear, so they don't need hunting techniques. In spite of ghost stories, legends of American First People, and superstitions from Europe and India, hooting owls do not foretell impending death, although their nocturnal calls are spooky. We hear them now and then this time of year, but we will regularly hear those eerie calls at Crossroads in January or February. In contrast to owls, crows are noisy all year round and they are amazingly intelligent. They can learn. They can remember. They can solve problems. They can even identify individual humans. And they detest owls, though whether this is innate or learned behavior is not clear. Those curious about crows will want to attend the Crossroads Book Club on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. This month, the book Crow Planet, Essential Wisdom for the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt will explore the fascinating world of these remarkable birds. The program is free and open to all, whether or not they have read the book. So bring the family to our program on owls, learn about crows at the Crossroads Book Club, or learn about bats at our pre-school Junior Nature Club on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. or our Family Science Saturday program at 2:00 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required at Junior Nature Club and Science Saturday, and adult visitors are welcome. dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. ____________________________________________________________ Tell us a little about the history of drinking and bar culture in Chile. In a country where the residents happily refer to themselves as being at the end of the world, one can only imagine their sense of humour and how that passes into drinking habits. Only a couple of decades ago Chile adopted an interest in dining out and with that came the initial wave of an industry dedicated to service and diversion circling around alcohol. As reported by the World Health Organisation in its 2014 report, Chileans above the age of 15 consume 9.6 litres of pure alcohol per capita annually, the most in Latin America and more than 3 litres above the world average. Based on that data, one would assume a local cocktail culture would be well developed across the country, but the reality is that when you speak of cocktails in Chile, you are really talking about Santiago. What are the cocktail trends? The history of drinking in Santiago primarily finds its roots in bars around live music, but mostly around a table and very seldom, belly-up at the bar (a space normally reserved for a quick bite to eat during lunch). With the popularity and wide consumption of local classics such as the Pisco Sour or Pichuncho served two ways, one version using pisco and white vermouth and the other using red its almost as if there was never any need to elaborate any further as it was almost always beer and wine that were consumed through the evening. However, thanks to a handful of gentlemen in the countrys capital, a cocktail revolution has begun and every day it is gaining more momentum. Who and what are the pioneer bartenders and bars? One of the first on the scene to start building artisan cocktails was Miguel Gonzalez. He and another Chilean bartender, Ricardo Guerrero, were two of the first with an appreciation for the times lost in cocktail history and a desire to offer bespoke cocktails based on their clients varied tastes and preferences. Besides these two pioneers, the past five years or so have seen a few young Chilean men and women gaining experience and inspiration outside Chile, both in the region in places such as Argentina and Brazil and via travels through North America and Europe. This newfound local love for the cocktail and a more experienced expatriate community make for an interesting combination and limitless possibilities. Once the bartending communities in Chile begin to take advantage of all the land has to offer in terms of produce, we may see a large rise in interesting offers such as new concepts, alcohols and infusions, tinctures, syrups and, of course, cocktails. And the current global trend for pre or Prohibition era cocktails couldnt have come at a better time for Chiles cocktail consumers. This concept represents the current state of affairs. New methods, tools, ideas and creations, spirits and glassware represent a new independence in the local bar scene incredibly reminiscent of the golden age of cocktails, where drinking was entertaining and the bartenders were stars of their neighbourhood. Where Cranly led me to get rich quick, hunting his winners among the mudsplashed brakes, amid the bawls of bookies on their pitches and reek of the canteen, over the motley slush. Even money Fair Rebel: ten to one the field. Dicers and thimbleriggers we hurried by after the hoofs, the vying caps and jackets and past the meatfaced woman, a butcher's dame, nuzzling thirstily her clove of orange. Thats how James Joyce describes a day at the races in Ulysses, in 1904, and for years things hadnt changed much. A Youtube British Pathe film of the Louth Hunt Point-to-Point in 1921 shows bookmakers shouting the odds, a dicer and thimbler spinning a wheel and collecting money as he plays three-cards tricks on a table, racegoers walking about on the grass and studying the form before a race, ladies in fox furs, gentleman in bowler hats, soft hats, all kinds of hats, all kinds of people, and motors, and clerics with gloves and binoculars, and the crowds gathered round the jumps waiting for the skillful, and not so skillful, riders to arrive, lots of people, for we always liked our racing here in Louth. On Sunday next 10 April the Louth Hunt Point-to-Point will be held at Bellurgan Park, a change of venue. For the past 40 years it has been run at Rathneeskin near Tallanstown, the original home home of the Filgates of Louth. The atmosphere is always very family friendly. The dicers and thimblers have been replaced by refreshments, a bar tent, a kids corner with bouncing castle (depending on the weather). And of course, all the bookies will be there. The point-to-point organising committee starts to meet in December every year to plan the event. There are 12 people on the committee and their job is to organise officers, stewards, get sponsors, and the whole event is run in conjunction with the Turf Club, the regulatory body for horseracing in Ireland. It's a one-day event. There are six races. The Turf Club limits each race to 20 runners. There are five fences on the course, each is jumped three times. Tom Lanigan is chairman of the Louth Hunt Point-to-Point. Tom and the committee are to be commended for the painstaking work they put into organising this annual event. We will have 15 stewards, and 10 to 12 health and safety people on the day, said Tom. The first race will start at 2.30 with a race every half hour. The Louth Hunt will be 200 years old next year. It was founded in 1717 and operated from the lands of the Filgates of Lisreeny at Tallanstown. They have about 60 hunts in kennels at Lishreny and the hunt covers Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. Point-to-point is of course for hunting horses and amateur riders. Here in Ireland it is open to professional trainers and many of the horses compete in these events before entering national hunt races. Our point-to-point meetings serve as a nursery for future young stars. A horse that wins its debut point-to-point in Ireland will often sell for a lot of money. Louth Hunt Point-to-Point can often be the starting point for a four-year-olds jumping career. The entries come from the countrys top trainers, names like Jim Draper, and other household names. About 120 horses will be entered for races on Sunday. It promises to be a great day. Not to be missed. So put it in your diary: Sunday next 10 April. Employee Share Schemes (ESS) have long been a utilised as a valuable tool to drive and motivate key personnel to invest themselves in the future of the company. ESS are also particularly appealing to boot strapped start ups who may not have the capital or cash flow to attract and retain employees. From an employee perspective, Share Schemes offer an opportunity to carve out a better package that includes a potential share in profits for future wealth creation and take advantage of some attractive tax concessions. Existing requirements for share schemes however trigger disclosure obligations for employers. These obligations are can be onerous, particularly for smaller start up companies who do not have the resources to produce appropriate Disclosure documents. Under the current regime, these documents are also made publicly available resulting in fledging companies having to release potentially sensitive commercial and financial information. The recent Innovation Report identified these obligations as one of the key causes for low utilisation rates of ESS by start-ups. In response, the government has proposed several amendments to the disclosure obligations which seeks to limit the disclosure requirement and allow an exemptions to public release of commercially sensitive documents for start-ups. These amendments will compliment and support the recent introduction of generous tax concessions for employees taking advantage of an ESS. These concessions include deferring tax obligations on share options until a true benefit is realised. Eligible start-ups will also be able to offer shares to employees at a discount and have that discount exempt from tax. A company will be considered an eligible start-up for the purposes of the Employee Share Scheme if it (or its subsidiaries or holding company) was not listed on the stock exchange, if it has been incorporated for less than ten years and its turnover does not exceed $50 million. While the tax provisions are already in place, the reduced disclosure obligations are expected to commence from 1 July 2016. Watch this space! About the author: Sarah Bartholomeusz is the founder and CEO of You Legal, a new category of law firm that provides leaders in growing companies with the confidence they need to make bold decisions in their businesses. In 2015 You Legal was the winner of the Telstra Business Womens Award in the Start-Up category for South Australia. Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Check out East Niagara Post videos on YouTube, Vine and Periscope. BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has recalled forwards Evan Rodrigues and Cole Schneider from the Rochester Americans (AHL). Both players will be joining the Sabres for their first career recall.Rodrigues (511, 174 lbs., 7/28/1993) has 28 points (9+19) in 68 games for Rochester this season during his first professional campaign. The Toronto, Ontario native signed with Buffalo as an unrestricted free agent on April 22, 2015 and ranks second among Amerks rookies in assists and points.Schneider (61, 198 lbs., 8/26/1990) is a native of Williamsville, New York and leads the Amerks with 54 points (20+34) in 69 games this season. Since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in a seven-player trade on Feb. 27, Schneider has compiled 12 points (3+9) in 15 games. As the mother of a transgender child, she is a fierce advocate for transgender rights. This is part of a story series about the lives of transgender people. Read the introduction here. Every parent hopes for a happy, fulfilling future for their children. Maybe they dream about what career they might pursue, or what their wedding day will be like. If their children face challenges, loving parents are there to support them with whatever they need to thrive. When a child comes out as transgender, it means parents must reshape some of their dreams. That was true for Coleen Young and her husband, David, when their daughter, Heather, told them she felt uncomfortable with the male gender shed been assigned at birth. But they never stopped loving their child just as they always had: unconditionally. Heather didnt come out until about three years ago, when she was 26 years old. But Coleen and David recognized that their child was struggling with something early on. When she was 7 or 8 years old, we caught her cross-dressing. Shed done the typical dress-up things, but it didnt seem like anything unusual. But the fact that she started doing it in secret told us something else was going on. My husband and I thought maybe she was gay and tried to take her to a gender therapist. She wasnt ready, so we gave her some space. But we werent comfortable seeing her in feminine apparel. We told her it would be okay to dress that way, but only in her bedroom. I wish now we would have handled that differently. But you cant go back. Wanting only what was best for their child, Coleen and David did everything they could to be supportive of Heather, who has significant health issues. Managing these health conditions consumed a lot of Heathers energy, Coleen says, so when Heather went to counseling she didnt spend much time in her sessions talking about her gender or sexual identity. When she was in high school, Heather told her parents she was bisexual. We tried to get her to talk about it, but she held back, Coleen says. Heather simply wasnt ready, even though her parents were completely accepting. In fact, before Heather came out as transgender, Coleen ran the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) for Wayland Union Schools in Wayland, Mich., where they live. It was my way of letting Heather know we were totally okay with it, Coleen says. It was our way of saying, You figure this out and let us know. Even after Heather started college, Coleen says she was fighting in her mind the whole time about her gender identity. But at age 26, she finally recognized her truth and told her parents she was transgender. Coleen admits that, at first, it was difficult to hear. I did a lot of crying and went through a lot of the emotions transgender parents go through initially of feeling that youre losing a child, which we werent. We also faced the normal struggles of a name change, pronoun changes, that type of thing. It took about nine months to get the pronoun and name changes, and we still goof up sometimes. The family attended some counseling sessions together, and Coleen had a few sessions of her own with Heathers counselor. Coleen read everything she could get her hands on about transgender issues and joined a trans parents group she attends to this day. I did everything I could to learn and understand, Coleen says. I still read daily, and being part of the Transgender Advocacy Project gave me the chance to learn from other transgender people and allies. As a mother, Coleen worries about her daughters safety. After all, the threat of violence against transgender people is very real, especially in states like Michigan that dont have statewide non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. Im a parent, Coleen says. Every time she goes out I worry shell be outed and run into those transphobic people that could do harm to her. Coleens protective nature, as both a mother and a retired teacher, has long motivated her to create safe spaces for LGBTQ youth. She was part of the faith community that helped pass a non-discrimination ordinance in Wayland in 2015 the first such ordinance in Allegan County. When the ordinance was brought before the City Council, opponents presented the typical misinformation about public bathrooms. Coleen had already spoken with Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigans LGBT Project, who armed her with facts. I explained to the City Manager that I knew seven or eight people in this small town who were transgender, and Id been in a public restroom with a trans friend, she says. I told them that transgender people using the bathroom isnt something new. With the Wayland ordinance successfully passed, Coleen is now working to get similar ordinances passed in all the other small towns in the county. She is also working on LGBTQ advocacy through her church. I belong to an affirming church, she says, but something Ill never understand is how people can let religion stand in the way of loving their child. In addition, Coleen works with a school GSA to help educate others in the community, the same way she educated herself. If you havent been around trans people it can be hard to understand. So Id urge anyone who doesnt understand to talk to transgender people. Let them tell their story. Even if you dont understand or agree, they still deserve the respect any other individual deserves. Id also encourage schools to learn how they should treat transgender people. There werent any transgender students at my school when I was teaching, and just a few years later almost every high school has students coming out as transgender. As long as they have some support at the high school, that seems to help so much. Recognizing that schools need assistance in creating affirming environments for LGBTQ students, and many schools have asked for it, Michigans State Board of Education has issued draft guidance to make schools safer and more supportive for students. The guidance is facing opposition including the introduction of a discriminatory bathroom bill similar to the widely criticized law passed in North Carolina thats already resulted in boycotts even though its simply about preventing harassment and discrimination. Guidelines like these are especially important because not every transgender person has the kind of affirming family that Heather does, including grandparents whose response to her coming out was, Whether I understand or not, I support you. Today, Heather presents as female even though she feels gender fluid, according to Coleen. In general, gender fluid people dont consistently identify as male or female. Whatever her future may hold, Heather knows she has her parents support. Like any loving parent, they just want her to be happy. Trans people are successful with their transition and make it if they have supportive parents, Coleen says. The 40 percent rate of trans people who have attempted suicide breaks my heart. Its so important for parents to support their kids. It does so much to make their kids happy and successful. Read all the stories in this series HERE. [Photo courtesy of Coleen Young.] Google, which lags far behind Amazon and Microsoft in the cloud infrastructure services space, last week released a slew of machine learning and analytics products and services. The Cloud Machine Learning platform provides access through REST APIs to the technologies powering Google Now, Google Photos and voice recognition in Google Search. The tools are designed to let users build predictive analytics models with their own training data through the open source TensorFlow machine learning library. Cloud Machine Learning will take care of everything from data ingestion to prediction, Google said. It is well integrated with other Google Cloud Platform products such as Cloud Dataflow, BigQuery, Cloud Dataproc, Cloud Storage and Cloud Datalab, the company said. More About the Tools Google also released a full set of APIs that let apps see, hear and translate. It added new services and capabilities to Cloud Dataproc, its managed Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark service. The company also added the following features to its BigQuery analytics data warehouse: Long Term Storage, which automatically cuts the price of storage 50 percent after 90 days; Capacitor storage engine, which accelerates many queries by up to 10x; Poseidon, a mechanism that improves data ingest and export speed 5x; Direct query and import of Apache AVRO files; Automatic schema detection of JSON and CSV files; and Public Datasets Program, which lets users host, share and analyze public data sets. Automatic Table Partitions, which lets users partition tables by date and query the date ranges they want, will be added to BigQuery soon, Google said. All of the features will be sent to users automatically without any upgrades or downtime. Google is continuing to develop its Tensor machine learning system. TensorFlow Serving can be used with Kubernetes, another Google open source project, to scale and serve machine learning models. Apache Beam, a new project on the Apache Incubator, lets users define data processing pipelines that can execute in either streaming or batch mode. It consists of a dataflow model, SDKs and runners submitted by Google and partnersCloudera,Talend andData Artisans. The Google Cloud Vision API has entered beta and is available to anyone. Getting its Act in Gear Amazon Web Services had 31 percent of the global cloud infrastructure services market in 2015, according toSynergy Research. Microsoft came in second with 9 percent, followed by IBM with 7 percent, and Google with 4 percent. Finally, Googles taking the enterprise battle for the cloud seriously, and its not too late to compete, said Al Hilwa, a research program director at IDC Seattle. AWS and [Microsoft] Azure have been more enterprise focused and have garnered early leadership, he told the E-Commerce Times, but the situation is fluid, and its definitely early days. However, Googles efforts come five years too late, noted Trip Chowdhry, managing director atGlobal Equities Research. Both AWS and Azure are miles ahead, and Google will be in perpetual catchup mode, he told the E-Commerce Times. Its all song and dance, announce and forget, as Google has been doing since 2011. The Features That Really Rock The machine learning platform and TensorFlow, in particular, have the most potential to bring about significant change in the computing world, noted Carl Brooks, an analyst at451 Research. There are extraordinary insights to be gained from playing with data tensors, and Google is making it very easy to do so. The major commercial application of this kind of machine learning is advertising, and Googles got that locked up, he told the E-Commerce Times. But the potential is vast: weather, traffic, populations, scientific exploration you name it. The Public Datasets platform is interesting because if enough of these open databases eventually are added to the platform, it would be a significant hub of undiscovered information, Brooks said. The focus on maturing platform technologies such as Node.js, Kubernetes, machine learning, DataFlow and many new capabilities being added to support developers who are demanding DevOps capabilities embedded in every feature, Hilwa said, are the biggest indicators in Googles announcement of how seriously it is taking the battle for enterprise cloud services. Amazon has carved another notch in its belt, adding one more customer to what it has called a tiny fraction of cases of people guilty of making too many returns. The company banned Greg Nelson, a computer programmer, from shopping at the site because he returned 37 of 343 items purchased, The Guardian reported last week. The returned products were damaged, faulty or not as described, Nelson asserted, but Amazon demanded a more detailed justification for the returns before it would consider lifting the ban. On top of having his account closed, Nelson lost access to unspent funds trapped on gift cards, he said, which struck him as questionable from a legal perspective. The computer programmer had been a fervently loyal fan of Amazon since 2002, he told the paper. Although he acknowledged that Amazon must protect its business, he found the companys actions in banning him to be totally egregious. A Matter of Policy From fine art and collectibles to game downloads and gift cards, Amazon offers specific return policies depending on the category. However, nowhere in its return policies does the company mention limits. This isnt the first time Amazon has closed an account on the grounds that an unspecified limit on returns had been reached. Katy Kilmarton lost unused balances on her gift cards and had her Amazon Prime membership canceled early this year after she returned 30 items out of 112, The Guardian pointed out. While these cases appear to be rare, they might do more harm to Amazon than good, sugested Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. By almost any measure, the cost of absorbing returned items is minimal compared to the Internets ability to transform bad publicity into brand damage, especially if a mere tiny fraction of Amazon customers is involved, King told the E-Commerce Times. Head On More brand damage may be one of the last things Amazon needs right now. The company already has been running on a brand deficit as a result of the 2015 New York Times piece that told of long hours and a brutally competitive work environment for Amazon employees, noted Trish McDermott, cofounder of Panic Media Training. Customers, like employees, are Amazon stakeholders, and their perception of the Amazon brand is important to the companys overall success, she told the E-Commerce Times. Care must be taken to weigh any forward-facing practices against the potential brand buzz, positive or negative, they may generate. Regardless of how much truth there is to the claims of Amazon banning customers over excessive returns, such reports could cause high-volume consumers to loose faith in the company, noted McDermott and that is where messaging becomes critical. Amazons reluctance to speak to the press can contribute to the negative buzz a policy like this generates, she said. What is the definition of excess? Is the company more or less favorable to certain types of returns? Will I be banned if my daughters bathing suit doesnt fit correctly? If there truly are legitimate reasons and hard metrics on discerning bad luck from abuse, then Amazon needs to offer customers transparency. Address the reasonableness of your customer base. Be frank and unapologetic, said McDermott. If there is a problem with the return policy, its best to address it as soon as possible, she said, and Amazon has to remember that no comment is indeed a comment. I would like to see the company getting in front of communications like this, McDermott added. I think Amazons customers would too. Rate Your Experience Many consumers already feel that theyve been wronged by a retailer at sometime or another, observed Pund-ITs King. Those feelings arise from cases ranging from the receipt of poorly crafted products to policies that marginalize customers. The move to e-commerce has exacerbated that situation, with some online retailers making it difficult or impossible for clients to engage directly with a company representative to clarify or settle disagreements, he pointed out. In short, I expect most consumers would side with the customer in this case, rather than Amazon. Blendle, a Netherlands-based news aggregation site that draws comparisons to Spotify, on Wednesday announced its beta launch in the U.S. Blendle made its debut with the participation of several major new organizations and financial backing from Axel Springer and The New York Times. The 5-year-old company, which recently expanded into Germany, has opened the beta phase to 10,000 users who can make refundable micropayments for stories they choose to read. Journalism needs a Spotify, a Netflix, an iTunes, whatever you want to call it, cofounder Alexander Klopping wrote on Medium. One website that houses the best newspapers and magazines in the country, that allows people to browse through everything and only pay for the stories they like, where you can see what your friends recommended. Success in Europe Since going live in 2014, Blendle has attracted 650,000 registered users who read millions of stories per month in Europe, Klopping noted. Half of the users are under age 35, which is important, because that demographic rarely pays for content. The site lets users connect their Facebook and Twitter accounts to Blendle, so they can see which stories their friends have shared. Some top journalists, including Felix Salmon, a senior editor atFusion, and Kim Ghattas of the BBC, are on board to select stories on business and politics, respectively. Generating money from individual users is critical, because digital media outlets are struggling to bring in advertising revenue, Klopping said, with 41 percent of younger readers using ad-blocking plugins on their devices. Investor Optimism The companies behind Blendle are optimistic about the potential for the site to be successful in the U.S. Axel Springer and the NY Times invested about US$3.8 million in the site in 2014. We at Axel Springer are working on establishing paid content offerings for digital journalism, spokesperson Michael Schneider told the E-Commerce Times. Thats why we think that Blendle is so interesting. The company established digital paid offerings for Bild, which has 318,000 paid digital subscribers, and Die Welt, which has 78,000 paid digital subscribers, he pointed out. It also launched its own digital newsstand, which other publications can use to distribute electronic versions of their content. Blendles technology and micropayments will not be implemented on any of The New York Times sites, a source familiar with the companys policy told the E-Commerce Times. However, NYT articles will be available on Blendles site and via related apps. The Times will work with Blendle to evaluate additional opportunities to integrate the various features as the company grows. Easy Does It Micropayments largely have failed in the U.S. until now, but the jury is still out on how successful Blendle will be in growing its U.S. customer base. Failure of the micropayment model to catch on more widely is partially due to clumsy, cumbersome payment mechanisms, an issue that could well be addressed by the evolution of digital wallet technologies, Pund-IT Principal Analyst Charles King told the E-Commerce Times. Blendle is easy to use and has solved many of the problems that hurt micropayment sites in the past, noted Rick Edmonds, media business analyst for the Poynter Institute. However, the site could suffer from a look dont touch problem as it gains subscribers. Even their good results in the Netherlands and Germany suggest that people may register, but not get in the habit of using, Edmonds told the E-Commerce Times. That behavior is not uncommon, he suggested, pointing to studies showing that people often download large numbers of apps onto their devices, but only become regular users of four or five of them. Strong Resistance Although the benefit for participating media companies includes the ability to generate revenue and attract younger readers, its unlikely that the launch will bring radical change to the existing paywall mechanism for at least a couple of years, Edmonds said. Its a matter of speculation whether the timing of Blendles launch has anything at all to do with The Wall Street Journals decision to close the Google paywall loophole last month. Readers previously had been able to view WSJ stories by clicking on links within Google News, without having to subscribe and pay a fee. Google is a significant provider of referrals to news sites. U.S. consumers remain very reluctant to pay for content, observed Susan Schreiner, an analyst at C4 Trends, which doesnt bode well for Blendle. Going to a reading app is cumbersome, she told the E-Commerce Times, and so is Blendles microtransaction model. Facebook on Wednesday announced enhanced Facebook Live video capabilities with additional features to allow members to share live video with friends and family by broadcasting events or sharing video in groups. Users can go live in Facebook groups so that a group of users or friends or family members can be sent specific video feeds. The live events capability allows users to feed video from an event such as a birthday party or let a performer give a sneak peek backstage at an event. Users also can use events to schedule a live question-and-answer session, for example. The Facebook Live feature has an interactive quality, with the ability to post live reactions from viewers, where emojis express instant feedback to a live event and then disappear. Live Video Activity Explodes Data collected since the company began live video feeds shows that users get 10 times more comments on live video feeds than regular video postings, Facebook said. It plans to repost comments from live video feeds when they are replayed later. Facebook also is introducing five live filters as a way to let users personalize their live video feeds. The company plans to introduce the ability to draw or doodle on top of videos. As a way to share the experience, Facebook will let users invite friends to watch live video along with them, so tapping on the invite icon will alert the friend to accept the invitation after a push notification. It will alert the masses about the most trending video feeds at any given time, so the mobile app will let users search for live video that is the most talked about at any given time. A Facebook Live Map for the desktop application allows users in more than 60 countries to search for the hottest trending live videos. To make it easier to measure the response to videos, Facebook launched metrics to get a feel for the demand for any particular post. Total live viewers for a broadcast and the total number of concurrent live viewers will be available through Page Insights and your Video Library. The figures soon will be available for the API and export. Enhance the Live Event Facebooks expanded live video capabilities is part of an effort to formalize it as a proper media type for individual users and businesses, according to Brian Blau, research vice president at Gartner. The unique nature of a live event, one that is personal or one from a brand that is global and well- known, is that its live and in the moment, he told the E-Commerce Times. Connecting with friends or fans using that live moment as a focal point can enhance the impact of that event, or provide a deeper and more personal experience. Facebook also is working to counter the impact of live video sites likePeriscope, which is owned by Twitter, and YouTube, which is reportedly planning to come out with a live interactive video feature, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Thats sensible from a competitive standpoint and also speaks to Facebooks belief in the increasingly critical role video will play across its business interests, he told the E-Commerce Times. Facebook ventured into the live video arena last year when it launched Live for Facebook Mentions, which allowed verifiable public figures to post videos to their fan base, with Q&A sessions, backstage sneak peeks, announcements and other events. The move comes weeks after a report in VentureBeat that Google has been working on a Periscope competitor called YouTube Connect. Broadband Internet service providers are wary of a government plan to impose consumer privacy protection regulations on the sector. TheFederal Communications Commission likely will issue the proposed regulations by Friday. It will accept public comment on the proposal before taking final action. The program would require ISPs to meet consumer privacy protection standards similar to the regulations that cover telephone service companies. ISPs currently are exempt from such requirements. The information collected by the phone company about your telephone usage has long been protected information. FCC regulations currently limit your phone companys ability to repurpose and resell what it learns about your phone activity without your consent. The same should be true for information collected by your ISP, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said at a recent Georgetown University conference. While consumers generally are aware that social media and website hosts collect a wealth of personal data from users and visitors, few are aware that the vehicle for such contacts the ISPs also track personal information, he said. FCC Reveals Ability to Collect Consumer Data Your ISP handles all of your network traffic. That means it has a broad view of all of your unencrypted online activity when you are online, the websites you visit, and the apps you use, Wheeler said. If you have a mobile device, your provider can track your physical location. Even when data is encrypted, your broadband provider can piece together significant amounts of information about you including private information such as a chronic medical condition or financial problems based on your online activity, he added. The regulations would address the use and protection of consumer data generated through ISP operations, according to a draft of the proposal. Privacy: ISPs would retain the authority to use customer data for billing and marketing their own broadband services. However, the proposed rules mandate that customers be given a choice as to whether an ISP can use customer data for other purposes, according to a summary of the draft compiled by Dee Dee Fischer, a partner atAkerman. For example, customers will have the right to opt out of permitting ISPs to use their data for marketing services other than broadband, or sharing data for marketing purposes with affiliates that provide communication services. Additionally, ISPs would be prohibited from sharing customer data for any other purpose, such as targeted advertising, unless the customer opts in, according to the summary. ISPs would retain the authority to use customer data for billing and marketing their own broadband services. However, the proposed rules mandate that customers be given a choice as to whether an ISP can use customer data for other purposes, according to a summary of the draft compiled by Dee Dee Fischer, a partner atAkerman. Security: The FCC program will impose robust and flexible data security requirements on broadband providers, Fischer noted. ISPs will be required to take reasonable steps to safeguard customer information from unauthorized use or disclosure, including adoption of risk management practices, training of personnel, and use of customer authentication measures. ISPs must designate a senior manager for data security and take responsibility for the use and protection of customer information when shared with third parties. Breaches would have to be reported to consumers and the government within certain time frames. These new rules, if passed into law, will represent the first time that the FCC has imposed data privacy rules on ISPs, and would constitute some of the strongest privacy regulations of any segment of the technology and telecommunications industry, Fischer said. The regulations would affect a wide range of broadband companies, including AT&T, Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable and Verizon. Operators Challenge FCC Authority Permanent adoption of the FCC proposal could face significant legal hurdles, however. A key factor is whether the commission has the legal authority to regulate ISPs at all. In 2015, it decided to classify ISPs as telecommunications entities subject to the same type of regulation as telephone utilities. That empowered the commission to issue the proposed privacy regulations for ISPs. Broadband operators challenged the decision in a case pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Colombia. They contend that under the Telecommunications Act, ISPs are information services and as such cannot be regulated in the same fashion as telecommunications providers. The technology and engineering associated with ISP connections is inherently different from the direct service to consumers provided by regulated telephone utilities, the ISPs argue. The FCCs jurisdiction extends only to telephone utility data defined by law as consumer proprietary network information and does not cover the tiered ISP structure enabled by router-based connectivity. ISPs Favor Flexible Regulation Even if the FCC prevails and retains regulatory jurisdiction over ISPs, members of the broadband community have taken issue with its approach to regulating ISPs. The rules for ISPs are at odds with the requirements for other online entities, according to theNational Cable & Telecommunications Association. The FCC should work to ensure consistency in consumer privacy protection and fair competition. The commission should embrace the approach taken by theFederal Trade Commission, which protects consumers while allowing IT providers flexibility in meeting privacy goals,CTIA urged. The FTC focuses on potentially deceptive activities by e-commerce providers in failing to inform consumers of privacy impacts, as well as prosecuting unfair practices in the delivery of services. There should be one set of rules that cover wireless operators, apps and over-the-top providers so that consumers know what, if anything, is happening to their information, regardless of which company holds it, said Debbie Matties, vice president for privacy at CTIA. If the FCC does have jurisdiction over this issue, it should follow the FTC model that has resulted in innovation throughout the Internet while protecting consumers. Establishing a different set of rules for a limited subset of the industry will only confuse customers, she told the E-Commerce Times. Consumer advocates strongly endorse the proposal. The FCC is not just legally authorized to take action it is imperative for the agency to issue a broad rule-making that addresses the full range of communications privacy issues facing U.S. consumers, said Claire Gartland, consumer protection counsel at theElectronic Privacy Information Center. Because the U.S. currently lacks comprehensive privacy legislation or an agency dedicated to privacy protection, there are very few legal constraints on business practices that impact the privacy of American consumers. The FCC has the opportunity to fill this void, she told the E-Commerce Times. Groups Cite FCC Powers Unlike the FCC, the FTC does not have rule-making authority to issue regulations on e-commerce, except in limited circumstances, Gartland noted. Fundamentally, the FTC is not a data protection agency. Without regulatory authority, the FTC is limited to reactive, after-the-fact enforcement actions that largely focus on whether companies honored their own privacy promises, she said. Broadband Internet access system providers act as critical gatekeepers in the broadband ecosystem, and their data collection is detailed and captures much of a consumers online activity. Therefore, the FCCs proposed actions are important, and it is good to see the FCC seize this rare and important opportunity to protect the privacy of broadband consumers, said Katharina Kopp, director of privacy and data at theCenter for Democracy and Technology. CDT believes that promoting innovation is not incompatible with protecting the fundamental right to privacy, she told the E-Commerce Times. Giving individuals the opportunity to affirmatively consent to uses of their broadband data for purposes unrelated to providing communications services is fair and will give them some much needed control. This will build trust in the process, in the economic marketplace and in further innovation. Facebook apparently has been working on mobile pay and secret chat features for its Messenger app, according to a report published this week byThe Information, based on clues found in extracted software code on Messenger for iPhone. Commands embedded in the software hint at secret conversations, similar to whats found in WhatsApp, the voice and messaging service owned by Facebook, according to the report. Other references reportedly found in the code include commands to pay in person and pay in Messenger when picking up an item. Since Facebook has long said it would continue to develop and support its own message app, it makes sense that it would adopt specific WhatsApp features into its own solutions, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Mobile Piggyback The mobile pay feature is credible as well, King told TechNewsWorld. However, it remains unclear whether Facebook would compete with Android Pay and Apple Pay directly, or if it would piggyback on one of those services. That would require a far lower initial investment and less risk than starting its own service, and eliminate the complexities of negotiating partnerships with banks and financial services, King said. Facebook does not intend to get into the payments business directly, but would consider partnering with other companies, CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated during a conference call with analysts earlier this year. On payments, the basic strategy that we have is to make it especially in a product like Messenger that, where the business interaction may be a bit more transactional, to take all the friction out of making the transactions that you need, he said. So we dont view ourselves as a payments business. Thats not the type of company that we are. Well partner with everyone who does payments, Zuckerberg added. Other possible additions to Messenger include shopping and delivery features, and the ability to synchronize calendars so users can update to-do lists, share articles and update their status. Digital Assist? The rumored features have the potential to turn Messenger into a virtual digital assistant, according to Susan Schreiner, an analyst at C4 Trends. Potentially, it could learn our likes and dislikes, make suggestions about articles to read or e-books to purchase, she told TechNewsWorld. The Messenger app already enables you to send money to friends, so the next logical step would be using the app for in-store purchases. Facebook would have to overcome a couple of hurdles, said Paul Teich, principal analyst at Tirias Research. Facebook is an advertising distribution channel, he told TechNewsWorld. Mobile pay will give them more insight into personal transactions. It will be a crowded market, but they have mindshare and are on a huge number of smartphones in good buying demographics. If the company really wants to turn the secret chat feature into a confidential experience like WhatApps, it will have to be willing to give up certain information, Teich said. Secret chat would presumably keep no record at all of messages sent, he said. That means metadata too otherwise throwing away the message payload, but keeping data such as time and length of messages, sender and receiver. 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The ARSC, comprised of researchers from Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville, will use the data to pursue collaborative opportunities in education, research, and outreach with emphasis on remote sensing technology and applications. "Teledyne Brown is privileged to be able to contribute this important data to the members of the ARSC," said Jan Hess, President of Teledyne Brown Engineering. "By providing Alabama university researchers and students with unique data, we are able to help advance understanding of the Earth while continuing our company's long tradition of giving back to the community." The first instrument to be installed on the MUSES platform is a hyperspectral sensor, an advanced imaging spectrometer sensing reflected light in the visible through near infrared wavelengths. The spectral data collected by the instrument will allow scientists and students to examine the distinct materials that make up objects on Earth, each of which has their own unique spectral signature. Through the agreement, ARSC researchers will have unprecedented access to volumes of unique data for a variety of applications, including forestry and agricultural management, atmospheric research, and other areas of scientific and humanitarian importance.Teledyne will provide up to 450,000 square kilometers of imagery as an in-kind contribution at no cost to the universities. "This consortium represents a joint effort by industry and higher education to advance Alabama's competitiveness in emerging fields like next-generation satellite remote sensing," said Dr. Rob Griffin, a faculty member in Earth System Science at UAH who leads the Consortium with Mike Ogles from Auburn University and Dr. Wubishet Tadesse from Alabama A&M University. "With applications as wide-ranging as disaster response, precision agriculture, and weather forecasting, these new data will help promote Alabama's universities through the integration of research and education and so position our students for careers in cutting-edge fields." Initially, the ARSC will focus on linking researchers and Principal Investigators at Alabama universities with data and resources made available through Teledyne. It will also coordinate funding opportunities within government and industry organizations to benefit the state of Alabama. In addition to the data, the Consortium will leverage existing research facilities and capabilities at each university to foster engagement and retention of undergraduate and graduate students in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines at Alabama colleges and universities. The data is expected to be available after launch of the MUSES platform to the ISS in early 2017. Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. is a full-spectrum engineering and advanced manufacturing company with operations in the United States. The company provides engineering services, systems and manufactured products to the space, defense, marine and energy markets. Find out more about Teledyne Brown Engineering at http://www.tbe.com. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) is a leading provider of sophisticated electronics and communications products, systems engineering solutions, and aerospace engines and components. Teledyne Technologies has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Mexico. More information about Teledyne Technologies can be found at www.teledyne.com. PHNOM PENH The ILO and Industriall Union have expressed concern after the Cambodian government passed a controversial new bill which could restrict union activity. Global NGOs had repeatedly requested alterations to the bill in the run up to it being adopted by parliament on April 4, however, it was passed with, "none of the requested alterations being made," according to Industriall Union. The legislation has significant implications for Cambodia's burgeoning garment manufacturing industry, a key sourcing hub for brands such as H&M, Inditex, C&A, Levi Strauss, Marks & Spencer, Tchibo and Primark. (Photo: REUTERS / Jakub Ociepa / Agencja Gazeta)A woman with umbrella walks past an image of late Pope John Paul II, part of a decoration preparation, at Old Town Market in Krakow, southern Poland April 23, 2011. Polish Pope John Paul II was beatified on May 1, 2011 in Rome. Catholic bishops have called for a permanent ban on abortions Poland to mark the 1,050th anniversary of the country's conversion to Christianity, but some Catholic women's groups are fighting such measures. "Each person's life is protected by the fifth commandment, do not kill. So the attitude of Catholics is clear and unchanging," Poland's bishops' conference said, The Irish Catholic reported. "In this jubilee year of Poland's baptism, we urge all people of goodwill, believers and nonbelievers, to take action to ensure full legal protection of unborn lives," said the bishops asking lawmakers to take the legislative initiative. At the same time the UK Catholic weekly newspaper, The Tablet reported that several groups of Polish Catholic women recently walked out of church services in Warsaw and Gdansk to protest against a proposed tightening of the country's abortion laws. It cited a video posted on Facebook showing women leaving Warsaw church of Saint Anna and shouting "scandal" as a priest read out a letter from Polish Catholic bishops in favour of the total ban on abortion. A similar church service walkout took place in Gdansk St Marys cathedral. "Every woman, every person has a right to choose. I do not push anyone to make an abortion but I think we cannot simply ban abortion in cases of women in various difficult situations," said one of the Warsaw protesters, Iga Zagrzejewska, to the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza daily. "We have no right to force this ban on women," said Anna Zawadzka, another woman who walked out of the church service in Warsaw. The Tablet reported that Poland already has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. The country allows the termination of a pregnancy only at an early stage and when it threatens the life or health of the mother, when the baby is likely to be permanently handicapped or when pregnancy originates from a crime such as rape or incest. The Catholic bishops have said Poland's 1993 law, which allows abortion in cases of rape, incest, severe foetal damage or threats to a woman's life, is unsustainable and should be replaced by a total ban. They encouraged politicians to implement such a ban while supporting "programmes to ensure concrete help for parents of sick and handicapped children and those conceived through rape." Catholics account for the overwhelming majority of people in Poland and in the final years of communist rule the church was a powerfull moral aribter, a role that has waned in recent decades. The Birmingham Public Library is hosting several events in April to enhance understanding of the work of poet Emily Dickinson as part of a project called "The Big Read Birmingham." A program of the National Endowment of the Arts, The Big Read broadens understanding of the world, communities and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The program is a partnership with Birmingham-Southern College, Public Libraries of Jefferson County and several other organizations. Here is a link to a Birmingham-Southern College release on the "Big Read" program: http://www.bsc.edu/communications/news/2016/20160328-bigread.cfm. Programs will look at Dickinson's poetry via literary analysis, creative writing, visual art, and more and include the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, Hoover Senior Center, Desert Island Supply Company, Creative Scholars, and Wordsmiths. Participants at many events will receive free copies of the featured book, The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson. "We chose these poems for their broad appeal to a number of audiences and because there are so many ways to look at them," said BSC librarian Stacey Thornberry, the project's organizer. "We wanted to find ways to look at Dickinson's work that are relevant to our community here in Birmingham, and also to spark an interest in poetry in general." BSC received support from the National Big Read, Books-A-Million, and from the Alabama Humanities Foundation; All Big Read events hosted by BSC or other community organizations are free and open to the public. The centerpiece of BSC's on-campus events will be an exhibition by the New York-based artist Lesley Dill, whose sculpture, photography, and performance draw inspiration from and include Dickinson's text. Her pieces have been widely shown and are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of Art. BPL branches in Birmingham are hosting several Big Read programs include the following: * Tuesday, April 5, 6 p.m., Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Poetry group Gifts of a Wordsmith Examines Emily Dickinson * Wednesday, April 6, 2 p.m., Avondale Branch, 509 40th St. South, "Adult Coloring the Poetry of Emily Dickinson" * Sunday, April 10, 3 p.m., Fiction Department, Central Library, 2100 Park Place, "WORD UP! Teen Poetry Slam" * April 13, 3:30 p.m., Avondale Branch, 509 40th St. South, "Wonder Tellers and the Poetry of Emily Dickinson" (for children) * April 18, 2 p.m., Springville Road Branch, 1224 Old Springville Road, "Book Giveaway" * April 20, 10 a.m., Smithfield Branch, #1 8th Ave. West "Storytime with Miss Candice" * April 21, 11 a.m., Eastwood Branch, 4500 Montevallo Road, "Storytime with Miss Eve" * April 25, 3:30 p.m., Central Branch, 2100 Park Place, "Teens Speak: Examining Emily Dickinson" * April 28, 10 a.m., Smithfield Branch, #1 8th Ave. West, "Learning Adventures: Emily Dickinson's Words" The Big Read kicked off on Monday, April 4, as BSC Robert E. Luckie Jr. Professor of English Dr. Sandra Sprayberry, along with her Contemporary Poetry class, read and discussed Dickinson's poetry at the Avondale Branch of the Birmingham Public Library and led a workshop for participants to create their own poetry. Birmingham-Southern College is a four-year, private liberal arts institution in Birmingham, which was founded in 1856 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It enrolls about 1,300 students from more than 30 states and 15 foreign countries. Learn more online at www.bsc.edu. For additional information about the programs and services of the Birmingham Public Library, visit our website at www.bplonline.org and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BPL. The mission of Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life-long learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment. This system, with 19 locations and serving the community for 129 years, is one of the largest library systems in the southeast. The third annual Dancing With Our Stars 2016, presented by the Pell City Line Dancers, will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Pell City Civic Center (2801 Stemley Bridge Road, Pell City, 35128). All proceeds from the event will benefit Children's of Alabama. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. At that time, finger foods will be served and attendees can find their seats. Advance tickets for the event are $25, tickets at the door are $30 and donations will also be accepted. Tickets will be sold at Pell City Coffee Shop (1605 Martin Street South, Pell City). For more information about tickets, call Pell City Coffee Shop at (205) 884-1100. For more information, contact Doris Munkus at 205-473-4063 or Lavelle Willingham at (205) 338-7324. This year, there will be approximately 47 dancers including well-known community leaders, such as local business owners, teachers, the Pell City Fire Department, Pell City Police, Odenville Police, St. Clair County law enforcement and many more. Participants will be paired with professional dancers to compete for first-, second- and third-place trophies, along with a People's Choice Award. There will be a panel of five judges. The judges will determine winners among competing couples and dance groups. There will be a special segment featuring a group of firemen battling a group of policemen in a dance-off. During the mid-show break and the judging process, Will Haynes and Margaret Seay of Showstoppers-Productions will sing. "This year we are expecting the best year ever for Pell City's Dancing With Our Stars," said Doris Munkus, DWOS dance coordinator. "We are excited to have Showstoppers Productions and Children's of Alabama on board with us." Since 1911, Children's of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient and outpatient services throughout central Alabama. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, Children's provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 41 other states and eight foreign countries last year, representing more than 677,000 outpatient visits and more than 15,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 2 million square feet, Children's is the third largest pediatric medical facility in the U.S. More information is available at www.childrensal.org. Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London. 08:11, 22 OCT 2022 Weird "explosions" in ZUG Hi everyone, this is not meant to scare anyone , it's not a terrorist attack or anything like that. It's just that we have many factories around us in ZUG (we are about 15 mn walk from Zug main station), we moved here about 9 months ago, and we've been hearing some very loud explosions -may be one every month- they are really loud and our house and windows are shaking, the first time it happened I paniqued ! really thought it was some terrorist attack and then I saw everyone acted normal in the street, no police, nothing... I checked the news, nothing. I don't have any friends or close neighbours in ZUg, only in Zurich so there's nobody here I can discuss it with. If you live in ZUG and you know something can you explain, may be this is just some "Factory Work" that everyone knows about here so they don't freak out. Thanks helena Re: Swiss handshake?? Quote: enguete Ah, the Swiss handshake. It confused me when my former girlfriends (swiss) parents insisted on shaking my hand upon entering and leaving their house every single time for 3 years, as if our meets were some business meeting. I dont mind though, although its a tad awkward. The only time i do mind actually is when the nurses and doctors shake my hand. There is no need for that. Im sure they disinfect their hands but still, especially when i come in there with a bad flu. And he once held a long and embarassing lecture to the two of us about different forms of contraception and even did a cost analysis. The parents of my first Swiss girlfriend continuing speaking to me in the Sie form for about two years and were really formal about everything. At least her dad was when anybody else was around. But then he cracked dirty jokes when it was just the two of us.And he once held a long and embarassing lecture to the two of us about different forms of contraception and even did a cost analysis. A zillionth thread about looking for a job after a gap It's like with most things, once you've told the world about it, you have to do something about it. Hence, here it is, tadaa! My name is Trollemor (no, it's not), and I want to start looking for a job. Thing is, what job? And how? I feel I cumulate the handicaps, I have a 4 year gap in my cv, never worked in CH, my German is only passable for lunchtime conversations (am at B1, but I speak 3 other languages fluently), I'm specialised in project finance in the energy sector (not a booming activity right now), I'm 40 and I have a kid... The first question is currently the most important, and in my mind leads to 4 outcomes: 1) me finding a job within my field, although not necessarily at the level of my last job - but that would imply that someone is willing to look at my cv and consider me for more junior positions. 2) me going for a more typical "Frau" job such as Personal Assistant - provided that employers accept to see past my last job title and believe me when I say that I'm willing to be a secretary and assist someone in his/her managerial tasks. 3) retrain for something completely different or at least branch out into another finance-related sector - but then again, according to EF pundits it's nearly impossible to do career changes here. 4) let go of any ambition to provide a honorable share of the family income, retrain as a ski teacher, move the kid to the Alps and get Trollefar to commute there. - A possible fall-back option that would bring our housing cost down somewhat, but financial security and ability to save for retirement wouldn't be too good. And it would require to uproot Junior from his life here, I'm not sure it would be fair to him. But if everything else fail it's an option, and I'll probably be doing my certification before Christmas anyway, since I'd like to teach ski again anyway. Spending too much time on EF as I do, I've come to expect that the answer might be that I'm too old, too little this and too much that and that I should bury myself in my housewife limbo. But seen that I'm a smart, competent, down-to-earth, pragmatic and adaptable individual of ONLY 40 (hell, I still have a few years in front of me), I can't really settle for that. I'm willing to forego ambitions and high salary expectations for a job that will give me the satisfaction of being useful and make use of more brain cells than I currently do, especially if it's something where I can expand my skills. So, to my query (sorry about the long intro), how do we do this in an intelligent and efficient manner? - I have already written to my previous employers and requested an attestation, which I have helpfully drafted for them using some of the key words advised in here (in English, aber doch). Unfortunately, one of the companies is agonising slowly and the other one has been shelved, but hopefully the main shareholder will be willing to help out. - I have identified two consulting firm that could help answer the tough question of "what can I do": job4U2 and spousecareercentre. Doing research on EF, it seems that the second isn't very helpful, so I'm waiting for feedback from the first before contacting them. Any other outfits I should be speaking with in order to better assess my employability and my options? - I'm thinking of contacting a lecturer I had at St. Gallen in September to discuss a possible reorientation. Now, this is very unfamiliar territory, I'm someone who works behind the scene and I'm not very good at selling myself. Afraid to look like a fool with "hello, I thought was you do was really interesting, I think I could do a good job, how would you go about if you were in my situation...". Has anyone done it and NOT looked like a fool? Advice? - I have to convert my cv to Swiss standards. But I'd like to find a sparring partner on that, someone who can tell me whether it should be toned down, pumped up and so forth. Any consultants any of you can recommend? I have a small allowance for job seeking from my husband's employer. It's not big and won't get far if I keep having to switch strategy, hence I want to think it through before making any commitment. Hence my brainstorming here on EF... Before anyone asks, I'm non-EU but my papers are in order. Now that it's out, and in the spirit a solution oriented individual, I'll be looking forward to your (good, the bad we don't need) advice and personal experience looking for a job after a trailing spouse gap. Re: Housing in Geneva as a "rentier"? Quote: miniMia Errr... We can tell you that... You don't need to pay an agency for this type of thing. In fact, call the authorities. It's free. Also, I figured that in a competitive market with plenty of potential renters having the resources the rest of my situation and profile would somehow put me at a disadvantage (which, by the way, I still think). Quote: The word 'rentier' in your title is so totally confusing. 'Rentier' in French means 'pensionner' eg NOT working retired. http://ge.ch/population/prestations-europeen http://ge.ch/population/prestations/rentier Quote: slammer You were confused? I thought OP was talking about a reindeer (Rentier) if that was what the OP was talking about then that puts a whole new slant on kinky stuff. . Quote: 3Wishes ...and proving you have enough money to support yourself. The job contract and maybe bank statements would be the proof. One assumes your job contract and bank statements would also be sufficient proof for any potential landlord. I don't know whether France has the equivalent of the Swiss G permit. If they do then you'd need to sort that as well. Regarding my situation in France though I would probably have to do lengthy and obscure paperwork with the administration to explain my situation I dont think I need anything such a residence permit as it wasnt the case during the three years that I have been living and working here. Thanks. I already did that regarding the residence permit though didnt get anyone to pick up the phone yet. Ill continue trying. I am a big fan of free things. I think I saw something regarding accommodation and housing. Do you think the authorities would help and counsel in that regard?Also, I figured that in a competitive market with plenty of potential renters having the resources the rest of my situation and profile would somehow put me at a disadvantage (which, by the way, I still think).As I said I dont feel either the word rentier fits my situation but I would definitely not be in the other categories.I am not yet (to my knowledge at least) a reindeer, but Ill keep you posted if for whatever reason I wake up one morning with some perverssion of Gregorio Samsas complexAnd thats why I asked and I am trying to contact the authorities to learn about how much would be considered sufficient.Regarding my situation in France though I would probably have to do lengthy and obscure paperwork with the administration to explain my situation I dont think I need anything such a residence permit as it wasnt the case during the three years that I have been living and working here. The state is in a renewed drive to "clean" Chhattisgarh of Naxalites. The large-scale combing operations have meant pillaging and looting of settlements, and mass sexual violence perpetrated on inhabitants of Peddagalur, Kunna and Nendra, among others, over the last six months. Victims and human rights groups are fighting an uphill battle to ensure that security forces and vigilante groups be held accountable for their crimes, and another reign of terror with impunity, like Salwa Judum, be stopped in its tracks. A cloak of silence continues to surround the subject of sexual violence by security troops; whether in Chhattisgarh, in Kashmir or in Manipur. This is evident, once again, in the silence in the mainstream national media over the recent episodes of mass sexual violence against Adivasis by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police in the conflict zone of Bastar, Chhattisgarh. Three separate incidents occurred in Peddagalur of Bijapur District between 19 and 24 October 2015, in Kunna of Sukma District and almost simultaneously in Nendra of Bijapur District between 11 and 14 January 2016, whilst troops occupied the villages during combing operations. A communal flare up may have been avoided in the Bhojshala complex at Dhar in Madhya Pradesh, but majoritarian Hindu groups continue to stoke popular communal passions unabated. The district of Dhar in Madhya Pradesh has been in the news, attracting local as well as national media attention due to the serious likelihood of a communal flare up. At the root of this possibility lies the Bhojshala structure which both Hindus and Muslims seek to appropriate as their own place of worship. It is far from being the truth that the conflagration was nipped in the bud. The Hindu right wing organisations, with the backing of the Sangh Parivar and its local pracharaks (propagators), held the town of Dhar to ransom for days on end, in the face of persistent attempts made by the administration to arrive at a settlement. However, in these repeated efforts at negotiations, the voice of the Muslim community was not taken into consideration at all. Moreover no lasting solution has been worked out despite repeated meetings with right wing Hindu organisations. The root cause of the furore remains largely unaddressed. But first, let me recapitulate in brief the history of the dispute surrounding the Bhojshala complex in Dhar. Contextualising the Conflict The district of Dhar lies in the western part of Madhya Pradesh and is less than 100 km away from Indore. Dhar was the capital of the Parmara ruler, Bhoj, who controlled a part of Madhya Pradesh in the early medieval period. The Bhojshala complex is an 11th century monument, associated with Bhoj. Next to it lies the dargah of an eminent preacher, Kamal Maulana. Like many other historical sites across the country, the Bhojshala complex comes under the guardianship of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which is responsible for its upkeep. It has become a contested space, with both Hindus and Muslims staking claim to it and attempting to appropriate it. [i] Hindus refer to it as the temple of goddess Saraswati while the Muslims call it the Kamal Maula mosque.[ii] For more than a decade now, the Bhojshala complex has been acting as a shared site between the two communities. The Hindus are allowed to conduct puja there on Tuesdays and the Muslims are authorised to offer namaz within the shrine on Fridays. The issue which sparked off tensions in Dhar in early February 2016 was linked to a pronounced desire, mostly on the part of the Hindu extremist groups, to secure greater access to this shared space. They want to appropriate it in the name of the wider Hindu community. The representatives of these groups, enjoying support from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), were expectedly fairly active in this regard. The Muslim religious leadership in the area favoured the maintenance of status quo and did not want relative peace to be disturbed. The Hindu leaders remained obstinate, refusing repeated overtures by the administration to arrive at a settlement. A similar problem had resulted in volatile situations in the past as well, namely in 2006 and 2013. As in 2006 and 2013 before it, in 2016 the festival of Basant Panchmi, which marks the onset of spring season for the Hindus and is a day of worshipping goddess Saraswati, fell on a Friday. In addition to carrying out worship within the Bhojshala complex on Tuesdays, the Hindus have been allowed to perform yajna and other rituals there on the day of Basant Panchmi. Given these circumstances, namaz and yajna ceremonies were bound to overlap, which could easily take an ugly turn at the slightest provocation. To avoid this intersection, the ASI came up with a carefully worked out scheme to which none of the interested partieslocal Hindus, Muslims and administration, could ostensibly raise any objection. According to the suggested formula, the Hindus could conduct worship within the complex from daybreak till 1 pm, following which Muslims could offer namaz over the next two hours. After the stipulated time for namaz ended at 3 pm, the Hindus could resume their ceremonies and continue till the evening hours. The ASI even issued an order to this effect which was upheld by the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh high court. Strategy for Communal Acrimony Hindu right wing groups, namely Hindu Jagran Manch and Bhoj Utsav Samiti, expressed their displeasure with this arrangement. They raised the demand for carrying out akhand (day long) puja within the complex without any break. This was a vehement refusal to allow the performance of namaz within the shrine on 12 February 2016 which happened to be a Friday as well as the day marking Basant Panchami. Deliberate attempts were made to polarise the Hindu community and to consolidate its support firmly in favour of the day long puja. Bikers, bearing saffron flags, had been touring the nearby villages for days to spread this message. The administration failed to take any cognisance of the situation and to implement stern preventive measures. Instead, it kept on appealing to the Hindu leaders to come to the negotiating table. While the administration offered lip service to further talks with representatives of both communities, they were actually focussed on appeasing the Hindu groups. No importance was accorded to consultations with the Muslims and no scope was provided to their leadership to express their viewpoint. The Shehar Qazi[iii] of Dhar expressed his disappointment that he had not been approached by the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership to take part in the ongoing negotiations over the Bhojshala question (Mitra and Mishra 2016a). Simultaneously, the local member of Parliament (MP) Savitri Thakur, who won on a BJP ticket, appealed to the citys Muslims to not offer namaz within the Bhojshala premises on 12 February and to allow the Akhand Puja (Mitra and Mishra 2016b). Prominent members of the government machinery employed their energies in persuading the Hindu leaders, with a view to avoid trouble around the complex, while referring all the time to the need for arriving at an amicable settlement to the issue at stake. Though the local media portrayed this stand off as an instance of hostility between Hindus and Muslims, it had in fact been reduced to a conflict between local Hindu groups, backed by the RSS-Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) combine, and the state administration. Members of the state BJP unit, including Dhars minister-in-charge Narrotam Mishra, were deputed to hold parleys with the Manch and Samiti leaders, while senior government officials were dispatched to ensure the maintenance of law and order there. The district was put under a heavy security blanket, with personnel from the state police as well as many companies of paramilitary forces being deployed. But, no attempts were made to impose section 144 around the Bhojshala complex, for restricting large assemblies, and to make preventive arrests or detentions. In the light of this backdrop, tensions continued to escalate unabated. The Hindu leaders sought to capitalise on the already strained situation to urge that they be allowed to conduct uninterrupted worship on Basant Panchmi within the Bhojshala complex and that barricading around it be reduced. A few days prior to 12 February, these leaders made it known that since the administration had not consented to their demands, they had decided to hold the yajna at a makeshift site outside the Bhojshala premises. The Hindu devotees were told not to enter the complex on Basant Panchmi but to join in the rituals, taking place outside its precincts. Course of Events Amidst a volatile and surcharged atmosphere, 12 February finally arrived. The Hindu leaders commenced religious ceremonies outside the Bhojshala complex from the early hours of the day. As the morning proceeded, the numbers gathered there began to grow, with devotees, from areas near and distant, flocking to the site. The crowd continued to swell till noon, by which time it comprised a few thousand men, women and children. What was projected as enthusiasm shared by the crowd for securing entry into the complex seemed more akin to hate-filled fervour intended to put the Muslim community in its place and to claim that space as a Hindu domain in popular imagination. The atmosphere in the complex was clearly tense. The administration, which appeared to be placating majoritarian sentiments in Dhar from the very beginning, did not want to use aggression against the Hindu leaders and their followers. A forceful suppression of these elements would have meant upsetting the BJP controlled state government and Sangh Parivar. To avoid such a possibility, the officials posted in Dhar had devised an alternate strategy. The Hindu groups had been warning that they would continue their worship during the stipulated time of 13 pm which was meant to offer namaz by the Muslims. In keeping with these loud claims, the convenor of the Hindu Jagran Manch Gopal Sharma, with a massive crowd of supporters in tow, raised the demand to enter the Bhojshala complex at about 1 pm. Sharma declared, We will offer prayers inside Bhojshala and between 1 pm and 3 pm. Now, we request the administration to make arrangement for us. We want to offer prayers peacefully (Gaur 2016). Undoubtedly, this was a tactic, deliberately designed to engender trouble and to disrupt the performance of namaz. But to their surprise, the Hindu crowd was allowed entry into the complex, with no resistance being offered from the side of the administration. As far as the Muslims were concerned, they were hardly present in the picture. It turned out that the administrationwhich had hitherto kept its cards unopened about how it intended to ensure the simultaneous performance of namaz and puja, had formulated its own plan. Around 20 persons belonging to the Muslim community had been brought in since the wee hours of the morning for the purpose of offering namaz. These individuals were surreptitiously made to enter the complex through the back door and namaz was offered in a highly discreet fashion, not inside the shrine but on its terrace. The azaan or call for prayers was not announced. The whole affair was very quiet and brief, and was over well before 1 pm which was the designated time as per the original ASI directive. In the complex below, the gathered mob was becoming restive and made a deliberate demand to enter the complex at the said hour. Since the namaz was already over and the namazis had been dispatched, the administration let the Hindus in without any hesitation. The bid of the Hindus to prevent the performance of namaz within the premises of Bhojshala on 12 February had thus been foiled. Moreover, some of their group leaders had been engaged in prolonged negotiations, at some distance from the disputed site, with a state minister who was present in Dhar. Therefore, no further trouble could ensue and the crowd had to disperse. The personnel from the government patted their own backs for successfully handling the situation. Their acumen was lauded, since the possibility of a confrontation had been averted. The divisional commissioner was quoted in the local press, We successfully implemented the ASI order that wanted simultaneous prayers by both Hindus and Muslims at the disputed site (Gaur 2016). The newspaper reports of the following day carried on in the same salutary vein. The efforts of the administration were praised, while the absence of violence was cited as a proof of the prevalence of inter-community ties in Dhar. Lasting Solution? Media reports suggest that the Hindu Jagran Manch and Bhoj Utsav Samiti, though seemingly distinct entities opposed to each other, are in fact affiliates of the same over-arching Sangh network. But these two sides are trying to give an impression that they are locked in a confrontation over the Bhojshala question. Sharing this integral link, the two camps cannot fundamentally be at crossroads with each other. It was chiefly on account of the existing common affiliations that no strong-handed measures were taken by the administration to deal with the aggressive and unrelenting postures adopted by the leaders of the Hindu groups in Dhar. Though ostensibly, the need to work out a compromise formula involving both communities was cited, yet for the most part, local administration, state ministers as well as members of the BJP state unit, appeared to be in negotiations with Hindu leaders only. Thus, consultations were being held with those very individuals who were responsible for fermenting tensions in the first place. Given this appeasing attitude of the government machinery, the situation continued to escalate till it reached a breaking point and the manner in which it was ultimately resolved was far from balanced or equitable. The tall claims of a balanced handling of the situation seem misinformed at best, if not downright delusionary. Though a confrontation has been averted at present, the situation on the ground remains extremely volatile. Whenever Basant Panchmi happens to fall on a Friday next, the possibilities to paint the turn of events in a communal colour will be manifold. Such a scenario will no doubt have to be addressed at some point in the future. But, at the immediate moment, discontentment and discord are festering in Dhar. As evident from news reports, the members of the Hindu community who were mobilised for holding day-long worship within the Bhojshala complex and obstructing the performance of namaz are deeply disgruntled that their hopes could not materialise. In these circumstances, even a small match can set the entire district ablaze. A petty argument or a minor scuffle can easily be transformed into a full-blown episode of communal violence. If that frightening possibility comes to fruition in the near future, the manner in which the situation will be handled can safely be gauged from the way the current deadlock has been dealt with. In that event again, the state government and the administration will have a fair bit of explaining to do, just as they have a lot to answer for now. Notes [i] Scholars including Amrita Basu and Ursala Rao among others have pointed out how the desire to appropriate shared or common spaces in the name of specific religious communities has assumed enormous proportions, at times leading to violence and spelling drastic consequences. For further reference see Basu (1988) and Rao (2003). [ii] An elderly informant who grew up in Dhar recalled, in the course of a conversation with me, that the disputed Bhojshala structure was just an empty ruin in the 1960s. Occasionally, he would visit it with his friends. Back then, neither puja nor namaz was performed within the complex. In fact, people rarely ventured there. The dargah of Kamal Maulana lies fairly close to the Complex. Kamal Maulana was a renowned Sufi saint, belonging to the Chishti silsila or order. Every year, an urs (a commemorative fair held at the tomb of a Sufi saint to mark his death anniversary) is organised at the site during winter months. Traditionally, both Hindus and Muslims offer prayers at the dargah and attend the urs. It is a major annual event as far as Dhars socio-economic life is concerned. [iii] Shahar Qazi is the supreme religious authority for Sunni Muslims in a city and its surrounding areas. He decides on civil and personal matters confronting the community. Generally Sunni Muslims adhere to the diktats of the Shahar Qazi, while Shias have their own religious heads. References Basu, Amrita (1994): When Load Riots Are Not Merely Local: Bringing the State Back In, Bijnor 198892, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol 29, No 40, http://www.epw.in/journal/1994/40/special-articles/when-load-riots-are-not-merely-local-bringing-state-back-bijnor. Gaur, Ashish (2016): Secret Rooftop Namaaz at Bhojshala Keeps Saffron Brigade at Bay, Times of India, 13 February, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Secret-rooftop-namaaz-at-Bhojshala-keeps-saffron-brigade-at-bay/articleshow/50970500.cms. Mitra, Punya Priya and Ritesh Mishra (2016a): Bhojshala row: Uneasy Calm in Dhar before D-Day, Hindustan Times, 11 February, http://www.hindustantimes.com/indore/bhojshala-row-uneasy-calm-in-dhar-before-d-day/story-HymmD4g7PL9OwUoYS8YgzN.html. (2016b): Communal Crisis Brews at Dhar Disputed Shrine, Hindustan Times, 11 February, http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/communal-crisis-brews-at-dhar-disputed-shrine/story-tX0M8ZdvkGN9zom6YKwMML.html. Rao, Ursula (2003): Negotiating the Divine: Temple Religion and Temple Politics in Contemporary Urban India, New Delhi: Manohar Publishers, p 48. Sorry... ..An error has occured: If you have any queries about this error, try emailing feedback@mirror.co.uk and we'll do what we can to help you. ZID:308457493 Riverfront Festival Photo 1.jpg Scene from last year's Riverfront Festival held in Pascagoula. (courtesy of Jennifer Evans) PASCAGOULA, Mississippi-- The 3rd annual Free Flowin' on the Riverfront is a day-long music festival set to commend the beauty of the Pascagoula River, the community and its contributions. The Pascagoula River is exclusive in that it is the last unrestrained river in the United States, thus the name of the festival. The festival came about as a belief among a group of friends that the beauty of the river, local art, food and music should be on display. The idea materialized two years ago and the festival is now ready for its third installment a week from Saturday on April 16. The festival is held in the area of the Riverfront parking garage at 3604 Front St. and runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. There will be activities for not only the adults, but for children also. "The Pascagoula River Audubon Center will have critters and other wildlife available for the children to view," said Jennifer Evans, one of the event organizers. "There will be tours aboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) newest vessel, as well as face-painting, and tie-dying t-shirts for the children." Magnolia Car Club will have a classic car show for this year's event and bands participating include: Madi Cooper Band- 10 am Amanda Jones Band- Noon Breaking Grass- 2 pm Blackwater Brass- 4 pm STARZ band- 6 pm This year's sponsors are: Stage Sponsor- Ingalls Shipbuilding Platinum- Scranton's Restaurant and Catering Gold- Chevron, Team Waste, Butch Oustalet Chevrolet/Cadillac and the City of Pascagoula. Silver- Dr. B. Dean Williams, Merchants and Marine Bank, First Federal Savings and Loan, Pascagoula Country Club, Charter Bank, Estabrook Motor Co., Goodgames Printing, Omega Protein, Ad.In Design, Hargrove Engineers & Contractors and Singing River Link. Bronze- District Attorney Tony Lawrence, Compton Engineering, Heidelberg, Steinberger, Colmer & Burrow, Heritage Funeral Home, Jerry Lee's Grocery, Liquors Unlimited, Mariner's Cove Marina, Singing River Federal Credit Union, The First Bank and Emerge Pascagoula. Bozo's.jpg Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli was the big winner Tuesday night as the City of Pascagoula handed out its first-ever "Best of Pascagoula" awards. Pictured are Bozo's owner Keith Delcambre (left) and city councilman Freddy Jackson. (City of Pascagoula photo) PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The City of Pascagoula presented its first-ever "Best of Pascagoula" awards during Tuesday night's city council meeting, honoring local businesses. Sponsored by the City and voted on by the public, the awards sought to highlight the best Pascagoula has to offer in a variety of categories. Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli was the big winner, taking honors for Best Seafood, Best Lunch Place, Best Po Boy and Best Place to Take Out of Town Guests. The complete list of winners includes: Best Liquor Store: Liquors Unlimited Best Beer Selection: Jack's By The Tracks Best Place to Meet After Work: Jack's By The Tracks Best Place to Hear Live Music: Jack's By The Tracks Best Cocktail or Drink: Downtown Jazz Club Best Pizza: New York Pizza Best Tamales: La Fiesta Brava Best Sandwich Shop: Lenny's Sub Shop Best Buffet: Jerry Lee's Grocery & Deli Best Burger: Edd's Drive In Best Family Dinner: Cornerstone Best Breakfast and Best Sweet Treat: Anderson's Bakery Best Seafood: Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli Best Lunch Place: Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli Best Po Boy: Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli Best Place to Take Out of Town Guests: Bozo's Seafood Market & Deli Best Healthy Option: Corder's Best Volunteer Opportunity: Our Daily Bread Best Art Gallery: Pascagoula Public Library Best Community Event or Festival: Zonta Arts & Crafts Festival. Mark Garrison of Jack's By the Tracks was thankful to the community for their support in helping Jack's win in three of the 'Best of' categories. "Thanks to all the Jack's supporters for their vote. Winning 3 'Best Of Pascagoula' awards is very humbling. I am forever grateful for our staff and our customers - that's what makes Jack's a great place. The best musicians and the greatest music fans walk through these doors." In other action Tuesday night, the council approved awarding the bid for this year's Fourth of July fireworks show to J&M Displays at a cost of $19,000, paid of of the City's general fund. According to an Emnid survey, four fifths of people who originate from Syria and who have been in Germany for quite some time appreciate the country's open policy towards refugees. However, half of the respondents advocate an admission ceiling. Three quarters of those surveyed show solidarity with the newcomers from Syria. The representative survey among immigrants of Syrian origin and their children in Germany, which the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics" of the University of Munster has conducted together with the polling institute TNS Emnid over the past three months, also showed that only one third fears that their own situation will now worsen. According to the nationwide survey, 46 per cent also ask themselves whether there might be numerous terrorists among the newly arriving refugees. 71 per cent of respondents are convinced that most of their fellow countrymen who fled wish to return to Syria after the end of the war, as the sociologist of religion and head of the study Prof. Dr. Detlef Pollack explains. Just as many believe that "Germany can manage to deal with the problems of taking in so many refugees". However, two thirds take the view that this can only succeed if the state and society changed a lot. Much faith in German capacity to solve problems On behalf of the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics", the polling institute TNS Emnid interviewed a total of 500 immigrants from Syria and their children between December 2015 and March 2016 for the survey. They have been living in Germany for 20 years on average, at least for one year, others for four decades. 20 per cent of respondents were born in Germany, 80 per cent were not. Half of them are German citizens, one third Syrian citizens, 11 per cent have dual German-Syrian citizenship, and four per cent a Syrian plus another passport. Sociologist of religion Prof. Pollack says: "On the whole, most of those who immigrated from Syria and their children are open towards the newly arriving refugees and show solidarity with them. The extent to which they have faith in the capacity of Germany to deal with the refugee policy's problems is amazing. At the same time - and in this, the respondents of Syrian origin are barely different from the German majority society - they clearly expect German politics and society to actively organise the integration process." In light of the challenges, those surveyed are not free of concerns, regarding, for instance, growing competition in the economic and social domains. "Fears that there might be a lot of terrorists among the refugees are relatively massive - which again is a concern that respondents share with many people of the majority society." More survey results about integration and discrimination The results are part of a large representative survey of the Cluster of Excellence and TNS Emnid among people in Germany of Turkish and Syrian origin about questions of integration, discrimination, religiousness and fundamentalism. The research association will publish detailed results in the weeks ahead. The Emnid survey was developed within the scope of a Cluster of Excellence research project headed by Prof. Dr. Detlef Pollack and with the collaboration of sociologists of religion Dr. Olaf Mueller, Dr. Gergely Rosta and Anna Dieler. For example, the research team around Prof. Pollack examines what members of the minority of Turkish and Syrian Origin - which is predominantly Muslim-oriented - understand by successful integration, how integrated they think they are themselves regarding language, culture or the labour market, what marginalisations they have experienced, and what role they ascribe to religions in society. "In light of the growing religious plurality in Germany, there are often tensions between the majority society and religious or ethnic minorities", explains Prof. Pollack. "It is therefore not sufficient to determine the attitudes, the norms and the self-perception of the majority society alone. Rather, it is necessary to thoroughly analyse the attitudes, interpretations, wishes and dislikes of the minorities as well. Political and legal regulations only take effect to the degree to which they meet with support in society as a whole." (vvm) ### Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Yale University have found that climate models are aggressively making clouds "brighter" as the planet warms. This may be causing models to underestimate how much global warming will occur due to increasing carbon dioxide. The research appears in the April 8 edition of Science. As the atmosphere warms, clouds become increasingly composed of liquid rather than ice, making them brighter. Because liquid clouds reflect more sunlight back to space than ice clouds, this "cloud phase feedback" acts as a brake on global warming in climate models. But most models' clouds contain too much ice that is susceptible to becoming liquid with warming, which makes their stabilizing cloud phase feedback unrealistically strong. Using a state-of-the-art climate model, the researchers modified parameters to bring the relative amounts of liquid and ice in clouds into agreement with clouds observed in nature. Correcting the bias led to a weaker cloud phase feedback and greater warming in response to carbon dioxide. "We found that the climate sensitivity increased from 4 degrees C in the default model to 5-5.3 degrees C in versions that were modified to bring liquid and ice amounts into closer agreement with observations," said Yale researcher Ivy Tan, lead author of the paper. Climate sensitivity refers to the change in global mean surface temperature due to a doubling of carbon dioxide. Climate models predict between 2.1 and 4.7 degrees C (3.75 to 8.5 degrees F) of warming in response to a doubling of carbon dioxide. "We saw a systematic weakening of the cloud phase feedback and increase in climate sensitivity as we transitioned from model versions that readily convert liquid to ice below freezing to model versions that can maintain liquid down to colder temperatures, as observed in nature," Tan explained. In nature, clouds containing both ice crystals and liquid droplets are common at temperatures well below freezing. As the atmosphere warms due to carbon dioxide emissions, the relative amount of liquid in these so-called mixed phase clouds will increase. Since liquid clouds tend to reflect more sunlight back to space than ice clouds, this phase feedback acts to reduce global warming. The icier the clouds to begin with, the more liquid is gained as the planet warms; this stabilizing feedback is stronger in models containing less liquid relative to ice at sub-freezing temperatures. "Most climate models are a little too eager to glaciate below freezing, so they are likely exaggerating the increase in cloud reflectivity as the atmosphere warms," said LLNL coauthor Mark Zelinka. "This means they may be systematically underestimating how much warming will occur in response to carbon dioxide." These results add to a growing body of evidence that the stabilizing cloud feedback at mid- to high latitudes in climate models is overstated. Moreover, several recent studies have concluded that other important cloud feedbacks also are likely to exacerbate warming rather than dampen it. These include amplifying feedbacks from increases in cloud top altitude and from decreases in the coverage of subtropical low clouds. "The evidence is piling up against an overall stabilizing cloud feedback," concluded Zelinka. "Clouds do not seem to want to do us any favors when it comes to limiting global warming." ### This work was funded by the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship Program and the Regional and Global Climate Modeling Program in the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a national security laboratory, with a mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. RICHLAND, Wash. - When water levels in rivers rise, an area known as the "river's liver" kicks into action, cleansing river water of pollutants and altering the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Now, in a paper published April 7 in Nature Communications, scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory present evidence suggesting that rising river waters deliver a feast of carbon to hungry microbes where water meets land, triggering increased activity, which could naturally boost emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. "This area around a river is a biogeochemical hot spot with a great deal of microbial activity," said ecologist James Stegen, the lead author of the study. "Understanding what occurs when surface water and groundwater meet and mix is critical for understanding our planet's carbon cycle." The hyporheic zone Worldwide, bacteria, fungi, algae and other microorganisms in and around rivers convert massive amounts of organic carbon into carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide - processes that are central to the future of the planet. Stegen's team focused on levels of microbial activity in an area known as the hyporheic zone, which includes the sediment where river water mixes with groundwater. Most people might know the area best as a place where they're likely to sink into squishy mud and get soaked feet. It includes the land directly beneath the river as well as along its edges, sometimes extending up to a few hundred yards from the river's edge. The sediments under the land surface are often porous like a sponge, becoming saturated when river water is high - such as during floods, high tides, and large releases of water from dams - and draining when water is low. Scientists know the hyporheic zone as a critical ecological feature that harbors a rich diversity of microorganisms that filter a river's water. For instance, the hyporheic zone removes nitrates - pollutants that come from agricultural runoff and sewage releases. But the zone has not been a focus for many scientists; they typically have their hands full analyzing the complex conditions in either groundwater or river water. Focusing on the area where the two types of water mix is incredibly challenging - but critical for understanding the planet's response to environmental change. Dinner served; emissions result A riot of physical perturbations takes place when river water rises and storms into the nooks and crevices of rocks and sediments in the hyporheic zone. Sands shift, rocks move, and water flows into new places. Picture the New Jersey shoreline under assault during Hurricane Sandy; similar encounters between the land surface and rising waters are happening constantly on minuscule landscapes in the sediments along rivers all around the globe. The rising waters spell opportunity for hungry microbes that may have been without food since the last high water event. The water cascades through channels and pores in sediment and rock, moving grains of sediment, slowly eating away at rock, and delivering meals of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and other substances. The team found that when river water and groundwater mix, there is a decline in the dissolved organic carbon and an increase in inorganic carbon - clear signals that microbes have been stimulated to consume organic carbon and produce carbon dioxide. The team believes the boost in carbon to hungry microbes results in the burst of microbial activity; such a spike in activity likely translates into a surge of greenhouse-gas emissions. The exact reason for the increased microbial activity has been a source of debate for scientists. Some have thought that the sudden change in water flow causes the microbes to change their chemistry or to simply blow apart. But Stegen's team believes the increased activity is largely the result of the physical changes that come with rising waters - how water filters through sediments, carrying carbon to the nooks and crannies of the hyporheic zone - and how long-isolated microbes respond to the sudden influx of food. The team hypothesizes that the main source of carbon fueling these spikes in activity is from carbon and nutrient sources in the river, in the form of small bits of leaves, plants, dead fish, and other detritus. The scientists also showed that as this microbial action increases, the overall ecological activity of the system becomes more directed and predictable - a finding that seems paradoxical given the dynamics of the mixing waters and the intensified microbial activity. Findings along the Columbia River The team's data included sophisticated measurements of various forms of carbon from water samples taken from the Columbia River and its hyporheic zone both along the shoreline and from groundwater wells approximately 100 yards away. The team conducted its study in November 2013 in central Washington, where the Columbia - one of the nation's largest rivers - flows near the Hanford site, a former nuclear materials processing facility. River levels fluctuated by about three feet during this time, due mainly to adjustments in water discharge at dams upstream. Since then, some rivers in the Pacific Northwest have seen more extreme fluctuations, particularly the Yakima, which relies on snowmelt from the Cascades to the west. As global temperatures continue to warm, scientists expect extreme climate events to occur more often, including longer periods of drought and larger storms. Stegen's team is exploring the implications on river dynamics. For instance, less snowmelt could translate to big changes in the timing and magnitude of river water and groundwater flow - making the need to understand what happens in the hyporheic zone even more important. ### The study was funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science. Scientists enumerated microbial cells and characterized organic carbon at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at PNNL. Scientists from Ohio State University contributed to the study. Reference: James C. Stegen, James K. Fredrickson, Michael J. Wilkins, Allan E. Konopka, William C. Nelson, Evan V. Arntzen, William B. Chrisler, Rosalie K. Chu, Robert E. Danczak, Sarah J. Fansler, David W. Kennedy, Charles T. Resch and Malak Tfaily, Groundwater-Surface Water Mixing Shifts Ecological Assembly Processes and Stimulates Organic Carbon Turnover, Nature Communications, April 7, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCOMMS11237. Pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae) tadpoles have the amazing ability to grow at different rates depending on changes in temperature. A new study has revealed that this species, which requires relatively warm environments for breeding, speeds up its capacity for growth in Sweden during the warmest time of the year in order to take full advantage of short periods of high temperatures. This trait may be the key to this frog's survival in cold climates. Two scientists from Uppsala University (Sweden) have studied the impact of temperature on the growth and development of the pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae), a species that needs relatively warm environments for reproduction and so that its larvae, or tadpoles, can properly develop. The study published in the journal 'Evolutionary Applications' explains how tadpoles from all of the regions studied in Sweden, Latvia and Poland grow at the same rate under low-temperature conditions. However, under improved conditions -i.e. higher temperatures- the tadpoles from frogs that inhabit Sweden are able to grow more quickly than those found in Central Europe (Poland and Latvia). "Since Sweden has briefer periods of high temperatures than Poland and Latvia do, this increased growth capacity under warm conditions allows this frog to take full advantage of the short periods of high temperatures. As a result, it is able to complete its life cycle -which relies heavily on warm temperatures- at high latitudes such as in Scandinavia," German Orizaola, a Spanish scientist, co-author of the study and a researcher for the Department of Ecology and Genetics at Uppsala University, told SINC. In Sweden, this species does not begin breeding until pond water temperatures reach about 16 C - hardly ever before mid to late May. In contrast, other species of frogs such as Rana temporaria and Rana arvalis begin reproduction much earlier (up to two months earlier), as soon as ponds start to melt. "Considering that pond temperatures drop once autumn arrives to levels that prevent further tadpole development, the period of time that these frog larvae have for development at northern latitudes is very limited," asserts the researcher. In order to conduct the study, researchers visited the area inhabited by pool frog populations around the Baltic Sea in May 2006 -the breeding period for this species- and began collecting samples in Poland. In each region, samples of frog spawn were collected from ten different females so that the population's genetic variability would be well-represented. "Once all of the samples of frog spawn had been collected, we then returned to our laboratory at Uppsala University where the experiments were conducted. The samples of frog spawn taken from the three Swedish regions were collected in early June - the time when the species in this region begins reproduction," points out Orizaola. Once the frog spawn samples had been taken to the laboratory, researchers carried out the experiment in two temperature-controlled rooms: one set to 19 C (a low temperature for this species) and the other set to 26 C (a high temperature). In both of these rooms the researchers then bred tadpoles from the different samples of frog spawn collected in each region. The degree of plasticity corresponding to each characteristic studied was determined for each frog spawn sample by comparing these characteristics among siblings that were bred at the two different temperatures. A greater difference in growth and development values among tadpoles bred at different temperatures indicates greater plasticity. Plasticity is their safeguard The two aspects that play crucial roles in the development of amphibian larvae are duration of the larval stage and size of the juvenile frogs when metamorphosis occurs. Ideally, the most advantageous scenario is to complete metamorphosis as quickly as possible and weighing as much as possible. The expert adds that "the fact that tadpoles bred in Sweden can maximise their growth during the brief periods of high temperatures that characterise these latitudes is indicative of the Swedish pool frog's increased plasticity". This ability that organisms have to develop different critical strategies (different phenotypes) in response to different environmental conditions -without needing to alter their genetic makeup- is what allows these frog larvae to survive. This may be one of the key traits that accounts for the survival of these populations in climates that are initially unfavourable, as a species so heavily dependent on heat can hardly maintain populations at such northern latitudes such as central Sweden. "The increased plasticity of the tadpoles from Swedish regions is demonstrated by the fact that, whereas there are no differences in growth rates at low temperatures among the three geographical areas, the Swedish larvae have the ability to grow at a much faster rate than those from Polish or Latvian regions when exposed to high temperatures," concludes the researcher. ### References: German Orizaola y Anssi Laurila. "Developmental plasticity increases at the northern range margin in a warm-dependent amphibian". Evolutionary Applications doi:10.1111/eva.12349 Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by abnormal hemoglobin, which alters the shape of red blood cells, resulting in poor blood flow and eventual death. In developed countries, the survival rate in children with SCD is high due to early medical intervention. However, the risk of adverse effects dramatically increases in SCD patients during early adulthood, and the factors that underlie adult progression of the disease are poorly understood. A new study in JCI Insight reports the results of a longitudinal study of SCD model mice that links impaired activity of the antioxidant regulator Nrf2 to intravascular red blood cell destruction and other adverse SCD-associated effects. Solomon Ofori-Acquah and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh found that that the severity of hemolytic anemia, vascular inflammation, and lung injury increases with age in SCD mice. Pharmacological activation of Nrf2 in young animals improved survival and lessened age-related adverse effects. Additionally, expression of Nrf2 in non-blood cells was crucial for protection against tissue damage. Together, these results suggest that Nrf2 augmentation should be further explored for treating SCD. ### TITLE: Non-hematopoietic Nrf2 dominantly impedes adult-progression of sickle cell anemia in mice AUTHOR CONTACT: Solomon Ofori-Acquah Sfo2@pitt.edu View this article at: http://insight.jci.org/articles/view/81090?key=2a2c78edd80164456986 JCI Insight is the newest publication from the American Society of Clinical Investigation, a nonprofit honor organization of physician-scientists. JCI Insight is dedicated to publishing a range of translational biomedical research with an emphasis on rigorous experimental methods and data reporting. All articles published in JCI Insight are freely available at the time of publication. For more information about JCI Insight and all of the latest articles go to http://www.insight.jci.org. A group of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has identified key underlying biological processes that involve some of the hundreds of genes known to contribute to the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Several separate analyses converged on a key molecular process - the overlap of two major signaling pathways - as well as on several groups of genes that participate in that process and contribute to other conditions. "Our pathway network analysis is the first bioinformatics study in autism to connect the dots of brain and body - of autism and accompanying medical conditions, of autism and vulnerability to environmental stress - in one investigation," says Ya Wen, PhD, a research fellow in the Department of Neurology at MGH and MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and lead author of the study published in the open-access journal PLOS One. "This coherence of results from different approaches reinforced our confidence that we were on to something fundamentally important." While it was originally expected that variations in only a few genes would explain the development of ASDs, major databases now list hundreds of genes that have been associated with the developmental disorders, with more added frequently. The MGH research team drew on the SFARI (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative) Gene database, which listed more than 650 genes as relevant to ASDs at the time the study was performed. To make sense of this diversity, they used additional databases to determine the pathways in which these genes participate and generate a network based on pathway interactions. Not only did the pathways found to be most strongly associated with ASDs have many interactions with each other, they also had overlapping associations with conditions as diverse as cancer, metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, and heart disease. Most prominent were the calcium and MAP kinase signaling pathways - which control key cellular activities - followed by metabolic and neural pathways. Particularly intriguing was that the calcium and MAP kinase pathways overlapped in a process known to play a central role in a large range of biological functions, the activities of which - when abnormal - are known to be associated with cancer, metabolic and neural disorders, and heart disease. "As the science of autism has moved from looking for a few genes to finding hundreds, we have been challenged to explain how so many different genes could contribute to such a distinctive condition," says Martha Herbert, MD, PhD, director of the TRANSCEND (Treatment Research and NeuroSCience Evaluation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) research lab in the MGH/MGHfC Department of Neurology, senior author of the PLOS One report and an assistant professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. "Our pathway analyses show that the diversity of genes may be linked by a smaller number of impactful pathways, and we hope our findings contribute to increasing the coherence and power of autism research and treatment." The authors add that a better understanding of how pathways interact may lead to more successful strategies for treating and even preventing ASDs in the future. "Many present treatments attempt to control or reduce particular symptoms of autism, but this study suggests that targeting core biological processes may be a more efficient strategy," says Wen. "Addressing a core process that generates a spectrum of symptoms may give you a shot at affecting all of those symptoms at ones. This is just a first step along what we hope will be a path to better care, but it is an important one." ### Mohamad Alshikho, MD, of MGH Neurology is also a co-author of the PLOS One report. The team's work has been supported by the Higher Synthesis Foundation. Massachusetts General Hospital (http://www.massgeneral.org), founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of more than $800 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, transplantation biology and photomedicine. In July 2015, MGH returned into the number one spot on the 2015-16 U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals." Rice University bioengineer David Zhang recognizes the difficulty of finding specific sequences of DNA in a tiny sample of blood that holds as many as 100 million billion nucleotides, the molecular units that, strung together, make up the genetic code. His ideas for improving the odds are great enough for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to invest in them. Zhang has won a pair of prestigious NIH R01 grants in the past month to develop novel therapeutic tools. The first, awarded in March by the NIH's National Human Genome Research Institute will allow his lab at Rice's BioScience Research Collaborative to develop probes that help next-generation sequencing (NGS) find and profile disease-causing DNA sequence variants by removing the vast majority of healthy sequences from view. That grant is for more than $2.5 million over five years. The lab customizes its molecular capture probes to bind to healthy DNA, effectively moving it out of the way as other probes identify sequences of interest that can be enriched for further analysis. The second grant, awarded this month, targets early detection of cancer. That grant was awarded by the National Cancer Institute and is for $3 million over five years. It will fund the design and validation of novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers and instruments for low-cost, point-of-care analysis of cancer-specific mutations. "My research has three main areas," Zhang said. "One is to understand the basic science of DNA and RNA. The second is to make very rapid diagnostics for point-of-care use for infectious diseases. "The third is to make comprehensive tools for diagnostics and profiling. We need a way to enrich DNA of interest by removing the vast majority of healthy DNA that does not provide meaningful scientific or clinical information," a task he compared to finding one purple bead in a large jar of white ones. "If you're doing random sampling, chances are you'll only see the white ones. We can get rid of them to reveal all the unusual ones." The first grant will help the lab perform such comprehensive diagnostics using next-generation sequencing. "It's matured in the past 10 years into a powerful technology that's able to easily and cost effectively look at many different DNA molecules within a bio specimen, be it blood or urine or tissue, in a high-throughput way," Zhang said. The grant will allow the lab to purchase a next-generation sequencer that will also be available to Texas Medical Center colleagues. "I hope this will be an enticement to potential clinical collaborators," Zhang said. The Rice lab is developing NGS techniques to locate rare DNA variants. "In cancer, for example, most of your DNA are healthy," Zhang said. "You only have a very small fraction that's cancer DNA. "Obviously, there are many other applications," he said. "For example, for food safety, most of a sample of ground beef should be beef DNA, but there might be bacterial or viral DNA you want to detect. If you're looking at soil, you might have mostly benign bacteria but also legumes and other things." He said the technique can either help find known DNA sequences or sidestep good DNA "to detect everything that's unhealthy." With the second grant, Zhang and his team plan to develop a PCR platform capable of the simultaneous detection and quantitation of 1,000 rare single nucleotide variants in a biological sample. Once validated in the lab, they hope to test the technology on blood samples from non-small-cell lung cancer patients. ### This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2016/04/07/rare-dna-will-have-nowhere-to-hide/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related Materials: Nucleic Acid Bioengineering Lab: http://nablab.rice.edu Rice University Department of Bioengineering: http://bioe.rice.edu Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/AboutRiceUniversity. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi-- This week, the city of Pascagoula announced former Deputy Fire Chief Donald "Donnie" Carlson would be promoted to Fire Chief. Carlson is replacing former Fire Chief, Robert O'Sullivan, who retired in February. According to Carlson, his promotion to Fire Chief has yet to settle within him. "It definitely has not sunk in yet, I don't think, even though I have really been chief for almost a month now," Carlson said. "I'm still learning the job and definitely looking forward to continuing the high level of service that we provide for our citizens." Carlson has been employed with the Pascagoula Fire Department for 22 years and ascended through the ranks as a firefighter, lieutenant, captain, and deputy chief. The tenacity to move up through the ranks, Carlson said, is based on the "honor, history, and tradition associated with the fire service." "Really, you set your own standard from the first day you walk into the fire department," Carlson said. "One of the biggest strengths that I have is integrity. I say this because that is doing the right thing even when no one else is looking. I think that I have set a really good example for people to use me as a role model here at the fire department and believe I am very well-rounded for the position." Out of all the duties of his new position, Carlson says he is most looking forward to bringing together the multiple generations of Fire Department staff. "We have people here of all ages, and they bring different ideas to the table," he said. "Integrating different perspectives on public safety will improve our services and make us all better firefighters in the end." Carlson is a native of Illinois and a former member of the United States Navy. He met his wife, Pam while stationed in Pascagoula for two years and decided to make Pascagoula his home. They have now been married for 25 years and have two children, Corey, 24, and Chad, 22. Cory resides in Pascagoula and is a diesel mechanic, while Chad is a senior at Mississippi State University pursuing a degree in Petroleum Engineering. On first glance, Mecysmaucheniidae spiders, which live exclusively in New Zealand and southern regions of South America, do not look like much to the naked eye. Because they are minute spiders that hunt for prey on the ground, they are hard to spot, even with keen, trained eyes. But now, a team of researchers led by Smithsonian scientist Hannah Wood has discovered that these spiders are more remarkable than they look, with a surprising ability to strike their prey at lightning speed and with super-spider power, according to new findings reported in the scholarly journal Current Biology. Using DNA analysis, Wood and the team found that the high-speed, power-amplified strikes have independently evolved at least four different times--a phenomena known as convergent evolution--within the Mecysmaucheniid family. The findings also contribute to Wood's broader investigation into the evolution of the spider tree of life, shedding new light on how the bizarre "head" anatomy of trap-jaw spiders and their relatives may have allowed them to evolve unique survival abilities like power-amplified strikes. "This research shows how little we know about spiders and how much there is still to discover," said Wood, curator of spiders at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. "The high-speed predatory attacks of these spiders were previously unknown. Many of the species I have been working with are also unknown to the scientific community. Scientists who are curious about natural history discover new things because they focus on understudied organisms rather than well-known model organisms. These new findings then begin filling in a puzzle, revealing epic stories about evolution across the tree of life." While in Madagascar in 2005, Wood was captivated by pelican spiders, a related but separate group from trap-jaw spiders. Pelican spiders have unusual, highly maneuverable jaw-like mouth parts scientifically known as chelicerae. They stalk other spiders and attack from a distance by reaching out with their long chelicerae, stabbing their prey with fangs located at the tips. Wood hypothesizes that the orientation of the muscles in the pelican spider's elongated "head" allows them to make these unusual movements with their chelicerae. Wood began to examine a close relative to the pelican spiders, the trap-jaw spiders, which had similarly modified "heads." She investigated how trap-jaw spiders in Chile were using their unusual "head" anatomy and observed that they would stalk their prey with their chelicerae wide open, snapping them shut once their prey was close enough, similar to a mouse-trap. She recorded different species of trap-jaw spiders with the hunch that trap-jaw spiders might be using their specialized "head" anatomy to snap their chelicerae shut at extremely fast speeds. Wood used a high-speed camera to record the spiders--some species had to be recorded up to 40,000 frames a second. These videos showed that when target prey came close enough, the spiders snapped their chelicerae shut with incredible power and speed. That kind of predatory behavior had been observed before in the distantly related group of ants, but not in arachnids, the branch on the tree of life that includes spiders. High-speed videos of 14 species of Mecysmaucheniid spiders revealed a great range of mouth-part closing speeds. The fastest species of trap-jaw spider snaps its mouth-parts shut more than 100 times faster than the slowest species. Aside from sheer speed, the power output from four of the spider species exceeded the known power output of their muscles, the researchers found. This finding implies that the spiders' movements cannot be directly powered by the spiders' tiny muscles. Instead, other structural mechanisms must have evolved that allow trap-jaw spiders to store energy required to produce their high-powered, lightning-quick movements. The biological ability of these spiders' to release stored energy almost instantaneously results in power being amplified. Wood and the researchers describe some of the anatomical differences between the power-amplified trap-jaw spiders and their close relatives. The research team is conducting additional investigations to better understand the underlying mechanism for storing energy for trap-jaw spiders' power-amplified behavior, learn why these spiders originally evolved this behavior and discover what these spiders prey upon in the wild. In addition to providing new insights into spiders and their evolution, the new findings may have broader implications beyond the field of natural history science. "Many of our greatest innovations take their inspiration from nature," Wood said. "Studying these spiders may give us clues that allow us to design tools or robots that move in novel ways." ### Funding for this project came from the National Science Foundation. Support for fieldwork came from the Lindsay Expedition, Exline-Frizzell Funds at California Academy of Sciences and the Schlinger Foundation. Strong emotional experiences, an opportunity to find your place in the world, a clear set of rules and the knowledge that other people regard it as immoral and shameful; These are some of the views held by perpetrators of BDSM that Strong emotional experiences, an opportunity to find your place in the world, a clear set of rules and the knowledge that other people regard it as immoral and shameful. These are just some of the views held by perpetrators of BDSM that Charlotta Carlstrom examines in her social work thesis. "There is an aura of sensationalism surrounding BDSM in the media and in the film world," said Charlotta Carlstrom. "I have chosen to delve more deeply to find out how the perpetrators themselves talk about and describe BDSM." In the introductory chapter, Carlstrom presents an historical expose and looks at how BDSM is viewed from a medical, popular science, research, political and feminist perspective. She also explores how views have shifted in line with changes in society. "Sadomasochism, for example, was a psychiatric diagnosis in Sweden as late as 2009," said Charlotta Carlstrom. "In many countries sadomasochism is still regarded as an illness and also criminal. "Opinions within feminism are divided. A number of feminists view BDSM as patriarchal oppression whilst others regard a woman's sexual pleasure as a private matter, even if it involves pain." In her thesis Carlstrom allows the perpetrators to present their views on how BDSM is portrayed from a medical and feminist point of view. Carlstrom's thesis is essentially an ethnographic study. Through a website and a series of interviews, home visits and club visits, she made contact with perpetrators of BDSM and got to know them. She interviewed some 30 individuals and made a number of observations during pub and club evenings. What are the most important results to emerge? "Perpetrators are highly reflective about what they do. They strive to understand their identity. They defend themselves when faced with an image that is stigmatised and shrouded in shame, and they consider BDSM to be a positive element in their lives. Despite this, several of them state that it would be disastrous if their family and colleagues at work were to find out that they practised BDSM." Carlstrom points out that perpetrators of BDSM emphasise trust, a sense of belonging and the importance of finding like-minded individuals. They also say that they take newcomers under their wing in order to teach them the correct forms of BDSM. The perpetrators state that there are clear rules for communicating what you are willing and not willing to be subjected to sexually. "Behaviour which in a different context would be regarded as immoral and wrong could thus become morally justifiable in a BDSM context." Another important result to emerge is that BDSM challenges taboos and engenders emotional intensity. The interviewees spoke about physical sensations and a change in their level of awareness, comparing it to spirituality and religiousness. BDSM is frequently associated with violence and the two are often put on a par. Carlstrom's thesis demonstrates, however, that because BDSM embodies consent and communication, BDSM and violence should be regarded as two different things. Carlstrom states that her thesis highlights the ambivalence and paradoxes that perpetrators of BDSM are forced to contend with. Whilst there are firmly rooted opinions regarding BDSM, the perpetrators seek to highlight alternative opinions. How would you like the thesis be used? "I would like it to not only reach the perpetrators but also people working in sexology, social services, the care sector and in particular the legal system. There is a whole host of myths surrounding BDSM." ### Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions (AIHS) and the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry are pleased to announce the awarding of the AIHS Translational Health Chair in Cardio-Oncology to University of Alberta alumnus Gopinath Sutendra, PhD. Sutendra, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's Division of Cardiology, is receiving $2.1 million over seven years to study the molecular pathways of cancer therapies that lead to heart complications. "It's a growing clinical problem as many cancer therapies can cause adverse complications to the heart," says Sutendra. "A subset of patients who are being treated by these therapies experience heart failure, despite responsive tumors. Because of this, patients have to be treated for their heart failure and in some cases also discontinue the cancer therapy." "My research program is going to look into understanding why these cancer therapies have such a negative effect on the heart, and also try to discover some new and novel translational therapies to prevent this cardiotoxicity. We're going to try to find a way to target these pathways selectively to prevent the toxic effect of cancer therapies in the heart, but still maintain its benefit against cancer." Sutendra's recruitment as an AIHS Translational Health Chair and assistant professor within the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry brings much needed expertise to Alberta and aligns with the province's strategy for cancer. He uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary and translational approach to cardiovascular and oncology research which includes working with a similar program at the University of Calgary. "The expectation is that the research program will grow and that we generate promising results with therapeutic implications," adds Sutendra. "With these results we can apply for further funding from other agencies--it's of importance to both the cardiology and oncology field--and can bridge the two fields together in terms of therapeutic applications." "Cancer touches the lives of thousands of Albertans ever year," says Dr. Pamela Valentine, CEO Interim of Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions. "The work being done by Dr. Sutendra is a made-in-Alberta solution to an unmet medical need. His work will lead to a better understanding of cancer drugs and therapies and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans." "Gopinath Sutendra's important work in cardio-oncology is paving the way for cancer therapies with fewer complications," says Richard Fedorak, dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. "He is a bright example of the next wave of scientists at the University of Alberta working to protect the health of Canadians and others around the world." ### Researchers who uncovered irregularities in retracted 2014 Science article on same-sex marriage canvassing conducted the new study of the same organization's efforts April 7, 2016 Berkeley -- Researchers from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, report in today's edition of Science that volunteer canvassers - both transgender and not - reduced voters' prejudice against transgender people. Last year the study's authors David Broockman and Joshua Kalla set off a firestorm of debate about the need for transparency in social science research when they raised doubts about a now-retracted study of the Los Angeles LGBT Center's door-to-door canvassing on marriage for gay and lesbian couples by other researchers that had appeared in Science. They discovered irregularities in that study's data in the process of conducting this follow-up study of the center's canvassing on anti-transgender prejudice. "We found that a single, approximately 10-minute conversation with a stranger produced large reductions in prejudice that persisted for at least the three months studied to date, were resistant to counterargument, and affected political attitudes," said Broockman, an assistant professor of political economy at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. He and Kalla, a Ph.D. student in political science at the University of California at Berkeley, co-authored the study. Testing the model Kalla added that the decline in prejudice against transgender people achieved by the canvassers is comparable to the decrease in prejudice against gay and lesbian people that took more than a decade to achieve. The Los Angeles LGBT Center developed and implemented the canvassing model the researchers studied. Dave Fleischer, director of the center's Leadership LAB, welcomed the academics' independent measurement of its canvassing program. "Our ability to change voters' hearts and minds has been measured, this time for real," Fleischer said, contrasting the intensely reviewed work of Broockman and Kalla to the earlier, retracted paper. New distinctions When Broockman and Kalla both were graduate students at UC Berkeley last year, they uncovered data irregularities in a December 2014 Science article studying the center's innovative grassroots approach. That article was retracted after Broockman and Kalla (along with political science and biostatistics professor Peter Aronow of Yale University) uncovered the irregularities. Broockman, Kalla and Aronow subsequently won a Leamer-Rosenthal Prize for Open Social Science for going public with their concerns. "Our new study's findings differ from the retracted one's in an important way," Kalla said. "Unlike the original claim that only gay canvassers could lastingly reduce prejudice, we find both transgender and non-transgender allies were effective canvassers. Canvassers do not need to be members of an affected group to lastingly reduce prejudice against that group." However, the study does find that experienced canvassers appear especially effective. The research measured the impact of an approach developed by the Los Angeles LGBT Center that the center calls "deep canvassing." It differs from a conventional canvass conversation in both length and reciprocity, with canvassers taking 10-15 minutes as they listen to voters' experiences and respond conversationally rather than reciting a script or talking points. These conversations involve voters engaging in deep reflection on their experiences and views, a process involving so-called "active processing" of their ideas. In the conversations, canvassers asked voters to reflect on experiences voters had when treated differently and with LGBT people. Psychologists call this exercise "analogic perspective-taking," as it involves considering what another's experience is like by likening it to one's own. From January through June 2015, the Los Angeles LGBT Center partnered with SAVE, South Florida's largest and longest-serving LGBT organization, based in Miami. Together, they canvassed voters in conservative neighborhoods in Miami six months after the Miami-Dade County Commission voted to include transgender people in the county's human rights ordinance. The study of these efforts took place in June 2015. A decade of change in 10 minutes The result: With a rigorous randomized trial - just like a clinical drug trial - Broockman and Kalla found that the deep-canvass conversations changed approximately one in 10 voters' attitudes about transgender people. The researchers also found an impact on feelings toward transgender people comparable to the decline in prejudice against gay and lesbian people seen between 1998 and 2012. In repeated re-measurement, this impact remained intact for at least the three months studied to date. This enduring effect stands in contrast to other published measurements of conventional attempts at voter persuasion and prejudice reduction through TV ads or mail, or in standard phone or canvass conversations. Although research rarely tracks the long-term impact of such activities, when it does, it has found conventional tactics tend to have little or no impact. Typically, their impact dissipates within days as voters return to their old points of view. Broockman and Kalla also found that the conversations were broadly effective: Democratic and Republican voters, liberal and conservative voters, female and male voters, and voters who were Caucasian, Latino and African American all exhibited a profound shift. A "real game-changer" "The immediate practical value is that we know we are reducing anti-transgender prejudice here in Miami," said Justin Klecha, director of campaigns at SAVE. The organization has continued deep canvassing in its ongoing campaign to pass statewide non-discrimination protections and make Miami-Dade County a more accepting place for transgender people to live and work. "These conversations are a real game-changer for us here in Florida," said Tony Lima, executive director of SAVE. "Because of these conversations and their impact, we're getting closer to being the first state in the South to pass statewide protections for LGBT people." "When our community faces anti-LGBT ballot measures, it has become abundantly clear we need more than 30-second ads to win," said Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri Jean. "We've long believed that if LGBT people and our allies could meet and engage voters in heartfelt conversations, we could reduce their prejudice. It's exciting to have the data to prove that deep canvassing works, and gratifying to share this powerful new approach with LGBT leaders and progressive allies throughout the country." The independent study was made possible by the Gill Foundation, which provided grants for the data measurement costs incurred by Broockman and Kalla for the research published in Science, as well as significant funding for both SAVE and the Los Angeles LGBT Center to conduct the prejudice-reduction canvassing. The participation of the Los Angeles LGBT Center was also made possible by support from the Walter and Evelyn Haas Jr. Fund and the William B. Wiener Jr. Foundation. Neither of the study's authors is affiliated with the Los Angeles LGBT Center or SAVE, nor did they receive compensation from them for the research. Implications for 2016 election Although the broader applicability of this approach to other issues is an area for future research, Broockman underscored the significance of these findings to the 2016 election. "These results suggest that campaigns could be more effective by engaging in more one-on-one conversations with voters, rather than merely flooding airwaves and mailboxes," he said. "The fact that minds could be changed across partisan lines and on a controversial social issue is encouraging for the power of face-to-face discourse." "The bottom line is that we have new insight into how to reduce prejudice against transgender people," said Fleischer. "Considering the recent loss at the ballot box in Houston, the new anti-LGBT legislation in North Carolina and the threat of future anti-LGBT ballot measures and bills, this study has real practical importance. We in the LGBT community can put ourselves in a better position to win if we start having deep-canvass conversations now, well in advance of a flash point." ### RELATED INFORMATION Kalla and Broockman write for Vox about why politicians should talk face-to-face with voters they hope to persuade. Broockman, Kalla and UC Berkeley political science and statistics professor Jasjeet Sekhon have developed new experimental methods to produce reliable assessments of people's attitudes based on a fairly small survey. (This link will be live at 11 PDT, 2 p.m., EDT on April 7.) An interdisciplinary team of researchers led by University of Delaware professors Wei-Jun Cai and Mark Warner has successfully measured both pH and carbonate ion concentration directly inside the calcifying fluid found in coral, an important development in the study of how ocean acidification will affect marine calcifying organisms such as corals and shellfish. According to Cai, Mary A.S. Lighthipe Chair of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, the research team, which includes colleagues from University of Georgia and Ohio State University, is the first to measure carbonate ion concentration inside coral using a specialized carbonate sensor developed in Cai's laboratory. The researchers reported their findings in a paper published in Nature Communications on April 4. Unraveling a mystery Ocean acidification (OA) is the ongoing decrease in pH in the global ocean due to the absorption of excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Scientists know that OA impacts shell formation and development in marine calcifying organisms, but they don't know exactly why. "With Prof. Cai's microelectrode we now have the ability to probe through the coral's stomach tissue and into the calcifying fluid next to the rock of the skeleton, and capture data about what the chemistry is like where calcification occurs," explained Warner, a marine science professor at UD. This is very important, Warner continued, because while scientists know how OA is changing the seawater chemistry, they don't yet understand how the chemistry of the fluid deep inside the coral -- where coral make their calcium carbonate skeletons -- is changing. "You need two parameters to completely understand a carbonate system. If you only measure pH, as has been done historically, we can only guess what the other dissolved inorganic carbon parameters may be," said Cai. Measurements were worth the wait To measure pH, Cai and his colleagues inserted a miniscule electrode equipped with microsensors into the coral's thin calcifying fluid layer, which is smaller than a human hair at only a few micrometers thick. They also inserted a second electrode equipped with a carbonate sensor developed in Cai's lab to directly measure the concentration of carbonate ions. A special chemical inside the carbonate sensor was designed to move carbonate ions across a membrane, creating a voltage difference that can be measured and used to quantify the carbonate concentration. The work was challenging, and required many tries and great patience before they were successful. "If you push too hard, the electrode misses the fluid and breaks at the hard skeleton," Cai said. The researchers' results confirmed what other scientists have measured before - the pH inside the coral's calcifying layer is high. This finding supports the idea that coral are equipped with a proton pump that force protons away from this site in order to regulate pH and allow calcification to occur. The team also measured high carbonate ion concentrations. The scientists then used the two measurements to calculate the amount of total dissolved inorganic carbon present. Current hypotheses suggest that dissolved inorganic carbon is highly concentrated inside the coral's calcification layer, however, the researcher's findings indicate it might not be as highly concentrated as previously believed. "Our findings show it is similar to seawater or even slightly lower than seawater," Cai said. The researchers hypothesize the reason is that the coral is rapidly using the carbon to make their skeletons. One hypothesis with OA is that a coral has to work harder to keep making the same amount of skeleton when there is a change in pH. "At least for the corals we've tested it on, when we back calculate the chemistry in this area, our findings indicate they may not have to work quite as hard as we thought. The work definitely opens up the scope of study to ask more questions related to ocean acidification and energy demand and how corals can potentially resist these kinds of stressors," said Warner. "It also could explain why the calcification rates of many species of corals are not affected by ocean acidification," said co-author Andrea Grottoli at Ohio State University. Next steps Now that the scientists have overcome the technical difficulties associated with taking these complicated measurements inside coral, the next step is to collect measurements under different conditions and from other species of corals. For example, Cai envisions taking measurements under various ocean acidification conditions, light conditions or temperatures, and while exposing the coral to different nutrients or environmental stressors. "We have a long way to go," he said, "but I am confident that this work will help the scientific community to look at coral calcification mechanisms somewhat differently from the approaches we've seen in the past," Cai said. It may also help scientists better understand carbon delivery -- how carbon is moving inside the coral -- and how external changes in pH may affect the coral's biochemistry. "These tools and the results we obtained with them provided exciting new insight into calcification mechanisms and we are currently working to incorporate these findings into models of coral carbon processing," said Brian Hopkinson, a collaborator at the University of Georgia. "Some of the premises that scientists have been working under regarding OA are predicated on what's happening to the chemistry of the seawater, but the coral is changing these concentrations biologically as well. This is the kind of tool that will help us figure out what coral are doing differently," added Warner. ### This work was funded in part by two awards from the National Science Foundation. About the research team University of Delaware's Wei-Jun Cai is the paper's lead author. Andrea Grottoli, professor in the School of Earth Sciences at Ohio State is principal investigator (PI) of one NSF award with Cai and Mark Warner as co-PIs. University of Georgia (UGA)'s Brian Hopkinson is the lead PI of the other NSF award with Cai as co-PI. Other co-authors on the study include colleagues at University of Georgia, Ohio State University, Zhejiang University, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Western Australia Ocean's Institute, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, State Oceanic Administration Second Institute of Oceanography in China, and Reef Systems Coral Farm (Ohio). This news release is available in German. Simulations are a popular tool to study physical processes that cannot be investigated experimentally in detail. For example, scientists are challenged to investigate physical processes in materials since their properties are determined by the interactions of single particles, which are hardly measurable directly. Conventional computers quickly reach their limits when dealing with these complex simulations. At the beginning of the 1980s, Richard Feynman proposed to simulate these processes in a quantum system to overcome this obstacle. Two decades later, Ignacio Cirac and Peter Zoller presented concrete concepts of how quantum processes could be studied by using ultracold atoms confined in optical lattices. In the last few years, this approach has proven itself in practice and is now broadly applied in experiments. "We are able to control ultracold particles well in experiments and this has provided us with new insights into physical properties," says Francesca Ferlaino from the Institute for Experimental Physics of the University of Innsbruck and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In collaboration with Peter Zoller's team of theoretical physicists, her research team has now extended this approach for quantum simulations and laid the groundwork for future new research: For the first time, the physicists were able to quantitatively measure long-range interactions between magnetic atoms in optical lattices. Experimental tool box for matter Many studies have focused on the investigation of the interaction of short-range particles. "In contrast, we are working with strongly magnetic atoms, which can also interact over long distances," says co-author Manfred Mark. For their experiment the physicists prepared an ultracold gas of erbium atoms - a Bose-Einstein condensate - in a three dimensional optical lattice of laser beams. In this simulated solid-body crystal, the particles were arranged similar to eggs in a carton. The distance between the particles was seven times their wave function in the Innsbruck experiment. "By using a magnetic field we are able to directly change the direction of the mini magnets and precisely control how the particles interact - attracting or repelling each other," explains first author Simon Baier. A search for exotic quantum phases "Our collaboration with Zoller, Cai Zi and Mikhail Baranov was indispensable for understanding our measurement results comprehensively," underlines Francesca Ferlaino. "Our work is another important step towards a better understanding of quantum matter of dipolar atoms because their nature is a lot more complex than the atoms used for ultracold quantum gases in other experiments." The research results also lay the groundwork for future studies of novel exotic many-body quantum phases such as checkerboard and stripe phases, which may be created by long-range interactions. "Our study opens the door to finally being able to measure these type of phases," says Simon Baier, who is already looking into the future. "In principle, we should be able to do this in our experiments as well but we will need to cool the atoms even further from currently 70nK to approximately 2nK." ### The research is supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and the European Research Council (ERC) among others. The addition of sound waves offers the potential to better manipulate qubit communications within a quantum system, researchers say EUGENE, Ore. -- April 7, 2016 -- University of Oregon physicists have combined light and sound to control electron states in an atom-like system, providing a new tool in efforts to move toward quantum-computing systems. The work was done on diamond topped with a layer of zinc oxide containing electrical conductors and performed at a temperature of 8 degrees Kelvin (-445.27 Fahrenheit, -265.15 Celsius) -- just above absolute zero. Using sound waves known as surface acoustic waves to change electron states could foster data transfer between quantum bits, the researcher said. The interaction of qubits, as is the case with binary bits in current computing, is seen as vital in building advanced systems. The research is detailed in a paper placed online April 7 by the journal Physical Review Letters. "Computer chips in today's systems are based on electrical circuits," said Hailin Wang, a professor in the UO Department of Physics and member of the Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular and Quantum Science. "What we have accomplished could lead to a new architecture -- a new way -- to design a computer chip. Instead of using electrical circuits we incorporate sound waves on a chip, with our eyes on acoustic circuits and also on potential applications in tomorrow's quantum computers." The research focused on a goal of quantum-computing research -- taking advantage of defects in diamond known as nitrogen vacancy centers, where a nitrogen atom substitutes for a carbon atom adjacent to a missing carbon atom. These defects are, in effect, artificial atoms that can be used as qubits. It is in these centers where scientists want to harness control of the spin, or electron states, of qubits. Wang's lab is among many around the world looking to incorporate sound waves. "We've brought in sound waves that we can drive into the diamond itself," said the study's lead author D. Andrew Golter, a research associate in Wang's lab. "We can tune the pitch to just the right frequency that lets us control the quantum state." To add sound waves, researchers built a tiny speaker on the surface of diamond. Sound caused the diamond and zinc oxide layer to crunch up and expand back and forth. The sound wave travels across the surface of the diamond and interacts with the NV center. There, the researchers used lasers to monitor light being emitted, which allowed them to confirm electron states had been changed. "You want qubits to be either on or off," Golter said. "We use sound and light to switch them between different states. Light works well for some contexts, but it is sometimes hard to work with. If two qubits are in different locations and we want them to talk to each other, it is difficult to get light to go from one to the other. Light moves fast and can be hard to control. Sound is much slower, and it is easier to make it travel within this material because it automatically travels through solid matter." In essence, using this new tool based on both light and sound can help create logic gates -- the building blocks of digital circuitry -- that serve to let qubits talk with one another, Wang said. "You can, in principle, use the sound waves to entangle two qubits," he said. "For quantum computers you need this." For a solid material such as a chip, sound may be an ideal tool for building a network of interacting atoms, with sound waves carrying information from one atom to the next, Golter said. "For basic physics and for potential technological applications, we want to have tools to control single atoms in really tiny systems," he said. "Our approach has advantages. Sound is slow compared to light. Sound is confined to the chip. It would be a good way to do operations inside the solid material. We've shown this with a single artificial atom, which now means we should be able to build up to multiple artificial atoms using sound to network them together." ### Co-authors with Golter and Wang were Thein Oo and Mayra Amezcua, both of the UO Department of Physics, and Kevin A. Stewart of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Oregon State University. The National Science Foundation supported the research (grants 1414462 and 1337711). Sources: Hailin Wang, professor of physics, 541-346-4758, hailin@uoregon.edu; D. Andrew Golter, research associate, 541-346-5864, dgolter@uoregon.edu Note: The UO is equipped with an on-campus television studio with a point-of-origin Vyvx connection, which provides broadcast-quality video to networks worldwide via fiber optic network. There also is video access to satellite uplink and audio access to an ISDN codec for broadcast-quality radio interviews. Links: Paper abstract: http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.143602 Wang faculty page: http://oco.uoregon.edu/faculty/hailin-wang Department of Physics: http://physics.uoregon.edu/ Daily deal websites, such as Groupon and LivingSocial, have emerged as a popular way for small local merchants to conduct online promotions, but unlike other online and offline discount sources, they continually track and display the number of deals sold. Dr. Upender Subramanian, assistant professor of marketing, and Dr. Ram C. Rao, Founders Professor, developed a theoretical model that considers the strategic interaction between a daily deal website, a merchant and consumers. The Naveen Jindal School of Management researchers found that by providing this sales information, daily deal websites gained advantages over traditional coupon mailers, while also allowing merchants to attract new customers. Their study was published online in March in Management Science. "When we started this research, Groupon and LivingSocial were rapidly becoming popular, and it was a puzzle," Subramanian said. "We have had coupon mailers like Valpak for a long, long time. They collect coupons from different merchants, put them together in one envelope, send it to you, and you find it in your mailbox. How is Groupon or LivingSocial different, or are these online extensions of the same phenomenon?" Daily deal websites create value for both the customer and the merchant, Subramanian said. For customers, they offer the convenience of finding deals for restaurants or spas they would like to try. For merchants, the websites help promote their businesses by increasing awareness among customers and attracting new ones. Unlike traditional advertising, daily deal websites are paid based on how many deals they sell, as businesses like Groupon have a revenue-sharing agreement with merchants. "In traditional advertising, the merchant has to pay upfront," Rao said. The researchers found that tracking and displaying deal sales enables daily deal websites to provide further advantages over traditional coupon mailers. Displaying sales tackles a basic problem in attracting new customers online because it lowers the risk that consumers face when trying a new merchant. By seeing how many deals have been sold, new customers can see how popular the merchant is with its regular customers. "When consumers do business online, often they don't know who they're doing business with. That's the biggest problem in online business," Rao said. "Our model shows that between the merchant and the consumer, an intermediary like Groupon allows the benefit of many merchants being able to reach the consumers and the consumers having confidence in the merchants." Displaying deal sales also addresses another fundamental problem with traditional discount promotions, Subramanian said. Using discounts to attract new customers contributes to a loss of profit because they are also given to regular customers who would have bought without the deal. But by displaying sales numbers, daily deal websites transform this into an advantage by allowing a merchant to use its popularity with its regular customers to attract new ones. The researchers said other online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay could implement the strategy of tracking and displaying sales. They plan to conduct future research on whether competing websites should display sales and the best types of contracts between merchants and intermediaries. ### This news release is available in German. Our genetic material - our DNA - must be stable; so that it can be passed on from generation to generation and life can persist. On the other hand, it must be versatile to allow for genetic variety and evolution. DNA breaks are introduced on purpose during reproduction to guarantee faithful chromosome distribution. But they also arise for example from damaging environmental factors or toxic metabolic products. Luckily, nature has devised a number of sophisticated processes that repair DNA breaks. Mosaic DNA arises during the generation of egg and sperm cells Since her Postdoc years, Verena Jantsch from the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) has been interested in chromosomes and the processes ensuring their proper distribution into cells and their integrity. "DNA double strand breaks comprise one type of DNA damage. They are for example part of a cut and paste mechanism to create mosaic chromosomes and so introducing genetic variety in egg and sperm cells. In addition, they are crucial for connecting chromosomes - a precondition for accurate distribution of chromosomes into egg and sperm cells. They are repaired by a process called homologous recombination where the DNA damage is repaired from an identical copy of DNA present in the same cell," explains Verena Jantsch, one of the Berta Karlik Professors of the University of Vienna. Important for the outcome of homologous recombination is a machine called RTR complex, which consists of several protein factors. Mutations in these factors result in genetic instability and promote cancer development. Keeping DNA breaks in check Marlene Jagut, Postdoc in Verena Jantsch's lab together with collaborators from Anne Villeneuve's lab at Stanford University and Arndt von Haeseler at MFPL could now show that one of the RTR complex factors - RMI - has several crucial functions during the repair of DNA double strand breaks. She explains: "Using a genetic model system, we showed that RMI is required for defining the position and maturation of homologous recombination events along chromosomes. Mutations in RMI led to both undesirable connections between chromosomes and incompletely repaired DNA breaks, all leading to chromosomal abnormalities in the germ cells." The findings not only contribute to our understanding of the role of the RTR complex in the generation of egg and sperm cells, but may also prove helpful in understanding cancer-related processes. In the future Verena Jantsch and her team would like to learn more about how the RTR complex directs the outcome of homologous recombination. Several advantages of their model system will allow them to study how the RTR complex contributes to the final steps during the maturation of the connection between chromosomes. This late function of the RTR machinery during recombination had gone unnoticed in previous studies. ### Publication in PLoS Biology: Marlene Jagut, Patricia Hamminger, Alexander Woglar, Sophia Millonigg, Luis Paulin, Martin Mikl, Maria Rosaria Dello Stritto, Lois Tang, Cornelia Habacher, Angela Tam, Miguel Gallach, Arndt von Haeseler, Anne M. Villeneuve and Verena Jantsch: Separable Roles for a Caenorhabditis elegans RMI1 Homolog in Promoting and Antagonizing Meiotic Crossovers Ensure Faithful Chromosome Inheritance. In: PLoS Biology (March 2016) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002412 New research in north-central Mongolia illuminates the effects of global climate change on certain vulnerable species of salmon. Air temperature records demonstrate that in the last 40 years, Northern Mongolia's rate of warming has been 3-times greater than the northern hemisphere average. Streamside measurements indicate that salmon metabolism has increased exponentially with temperature, and the fish are now experiencing temperatures near their upper levels for growth during summer. "Because of the remote location of many Northern Mongolian rivers, the fish populations are generally in great shape. However, many of the salmonid species in Mongolia are already living near the limits of their ability to withstand warm water," said Dr. Kyle Hartman, co-author of the Ecology of Freshwater Fish study. "As the climate here continues to warm, these species could be pushed out of one of their last refuges in the world," added co-author Dr. Olaf Jensen. ### Banks and corporations in the eurozone were told they must comply with the core provisions of the Sepa regulation, the EUs flagship cross-border payments system based on IBAN and BIC, by February 1, 2014. Firms within 32 nations the 27 EU member states, EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and Monaco have a regulatory requirement to replace their existing national euro credit transfer and direct debit schemes with the standardized Sepa credit transfer (SCT) and Sepa direct debit (SDD) via XML (extensible markup language). However, an alarming number of companies were still not ready, so the EC was forced to intervene, adopting a proposal to allow an extra six months from February 1 when payments that differ from the Sepa format can still be processed by banks and clearing houses. There was a fear that Europes payment system, which handles 80 billion of transactions a year, might have been paralysed had the EC not intervened. Today, the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB), chaired by the European Central Bank (ECB), is addressing post-SEPA migration issues. The ERPB is also working to achieve instant payments in euro, and person-to-person mobile payments and contactless payments. Here is a comprehensive list of Euromoney's latest coverage, plus choice pickings. Imperial FX moves from high street to online January 2018 Looking further ahead, the UKs access to the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) post-Brexit is a concern. International real-time payments still in early stages November 2017 Domestic real-time payments are spreading as more countries adopt the technology, but the move to international, cross-currency payments is still some time off. Order The Single Euro Payments Area's (Sepa) instant credit transfer scheme (SCT Inst) went live on Tuesday, enabling payments to be made between European countries. T2S implementation opens up settlements overhaul November 2016 Unlike other European-wide regulatory initiatives, such as the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa), it has not been implemented in a single push. Regulators face balancing act for global rule implementation October 2016 The World Payments Report unsurprisingly showed that the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) was having a moderate impact on Europe, but was not an issue in the US or Asia. Treasurers lash out over compliance burden May 2016 Questioned on what their priorities for the year would be, 25% of treasurers stated it would be complying with regulations such as Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) and Emir. Virtual account management looks beyond Sepas borders March 2016 After the groundwork was laid by Sepa, virtual account management (VAM) had the chance to thrive in Europe. Now the question is how to make it work better for corporates and banks alike, and expand its use outside western Europe and the traditional corporate sector. Real-time payments face euro split November 2015 Europe does not have the infrastructure in place for implementing cross-border real-time payments. The ECB have called for this to happen, and EBA have recently issued an RFP to find a provider. PSD2 opens up payments competition October 2015 The rules on the revised Payment Services Directive have been finalized by the European Commission (EC), allowing third parties to initiate payments between bank accounts. But should this be a cause for concern for the traditional players? Western Europe sets standard on payments October 2015 The Single Euro Payments Area prompted a wholesale change in how European banking operates and set a precedent for other regions on the possibilities open to them. Sepa enables European treasury sophistication October 2015 Full Sepa implementation has facilitated the creation of an ever-more sophisticated corporate treasury landscape across Europe. The challenge now is to inform treasurers of its diverse benefits. Banking clubs extend global reach February 2015 International banking alliances offer a number of benefits to treasurers from FX hedging to cash pooling while Sepa and the rise of non-bank payment providers have yet to diminish their allure. 2014: a year in data Sepa January 2015 Self-Explanatory Poll Answer... Sepa provides force for change in transaction banking December 2014 The single euro payments area (Sepa) initiative was something so burdensome it took longer than planned to implement, but after delays transaction banks and their corporate clients stand to benefit from this payments regulation. Setting the foundations of standardization November 2014 There is much discussion around moving towards a standardized form of banking, but who is setting the standard? Corporates look to make regulation pay September 2014 euromoney.com It is not common to hear about the positive side of financial market regulation. But corporate treasurers are finding ways to turn the new rules to their advantage. How to engineer a cash management monster September 2014 What does it take to succeed in the increasingly competitive world of transaction services? Internal collaboration, global footprint, adaptability, connectivity and mobile technology all make up part of the equation. But every bank, and every client, is different. Corporate treasurers find opportunity amid regulation August 2014 Corporate treasurers are looking for the simple life, and having more efficient systems in place can bring its own financial rewards but despite some advances, there is still a long way to go. Gear up for Sepa 2.0 July 2014 The extended deadline for Sepa is fast approaching and, despite initial fears, corporates are set to meet it but this is the first step in creating an efficient single European payments framework. Debate about Sepa 2.0 is now in full swing. Sepa threatens to induce SME cash-flow squeeze February 2014 European companies, and particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), could yet suffer a cash-flow squeeze from direct debits under the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) regulation, despite the European Commission handing companies an extra six months to comply. Companies use Sepa as opportunity to refine payment processes February 2014 European companies have to be Sepa-compliant this year, and many have used this as an opportunity to tidy up payment processes to give better visibility over liquidity and cash flow. European companies struggle with derivatives reporting deadline January 2014 Some companies are putting more of their efforts into complying with the Sepa project than EMIR. EC intervenes to forestall Sepa-induced crisis January 2014 The European Commission has moved to thwart the rising threat of another liquidity crisis in the eurozone by offering European companies more time to migrate to the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) system. How will Sepa impact banks' $108 billion payments revenues?January 2014 Banks are facing up to the challenges posed by the upcoming Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa), which threatens to undermine a lucrative - and historically stable - source of revenue for financial institutions, with the interchange-fee legislation adding insult to injury "There is no room for complacency" Challenging year ahead for transaction banking industry January 2014 Although the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa) presents the biggest and most pressing challenge to the European transaction banking industry at the outset of 2014, there are reasons for banks and their corporate clients to be optimistic about the year ahead. German companies trailing in Sepa migration race October 2013 Bid to redraw European payments landscape faces delays August 2013 Corporates way behind schedule as Sepa deadline looms July 2013 Most corporates are still wholly unprepared for mandatory compliance with the Single Euro Payments Area, the EUs flagship cross-border payments system, with a lack of understanding of its scope and impact. The long and winding road to Sepa March 2013 International cash management banks adapt to a tough new world March 2013 Transaction banking: a year of fundamental change March 2013 The 2013 guide to Technology in Treasury Management March 2013 No time to lose on Sepa compliance February 2013 "It's finally the year of Sepa" New year's resolutions for the transaction banking industry January 2013Banks face up to Sepa deadline January 2013 Cash management strategy debate: Cash management in a world of risk and complexity January 2013 Cashless payments underpin economic growth November 2012 Sepa migration: A lame duck struggles to make common senseFebruary 2010 Cash management debate: Sepa: A new model for Europe?January 2006 The European Central Bank publishes an official progress report monitoring Sepa migration. The local currency liquidity constraints being experienced by many MNCs have resulted in growing demand from them for distributor financing and other products, including invoice financing. These have traditionally been the preserve of SMEs, often unrated and privately owned. Now bigger companies are having to resort to them, especially in EMs. Sameer Sehgal, Citi Sameer Sehgal, trade head EMEA at Citi, says: Of the Fortune 500 companies, I would estimate 25% to 30% have actively engaged in a product like this in the last six to nine months. Two years ago, you could have counted the numbers on your fingers. The trend will likely continue. Like supply chain finance four or five years ago, distributor finance is picking up momentum very quickly, and the next few years look very bright. Invoice discounting allows a company to obtain funds ahead of an invoice being paid. The treasurer can access a percentage of an invoice before it is settled, with some providers offering up to 90% of the invoice value, depending on due diligence into the credit of the payer. Once the customer settles the invoice, the remaining percentage is released by the provider, minus the agreed fee. Sehgal says although invoice discounting is not new, current market conditions have spurred a notable increase in the number of enquiries. Invoice discounting as a product has been around for years as a plain vanilla offering, he says. Its use is more pronounced now as companies realize sources of liquidity are drying up and they need to propel their value chain through other sources. Although the worlds largest corporates have had access to high levels of bank liquidity in recent years, Sehgal says there are areas emerging where a number of factors are combining to curtail easy access to credit. These problems are rising up the supply chain, with the impacts on the ability for SMEs to access financing now being felt by larger corporates at the top. FX fluctuations are hurting corporate value chains quite adversely, says Sehgal. No company is isolated, since even if the corporate is able to ring-fence itself, its SME dealers and suppliers are not immune and actually are quite seriously hampered. Depreciating EM currencies cause a mismatch in payments [in foreign currency] and receivables [in local currency], thereby in turn creating liquidity and solvency issues for the SME. This is impacting how able these companies are to make their payments. Companies in some geographies are really concerned about their ability to pay on time, and what the cumulative impact of late or missed payments could be, says Sehgal. In some markets, this is further accentuated by a severe paucity of US dollars, thereby causing further systemic delays. In addition to the falling value of local currencies, the availability and willingness of many banks to provide financing to companies operating in EMs is declining. Smaller-sized corporates are finding it difficult to obtain direct financing from banks, says Sehgal. Balance sheets are being pruned, geographic presence is being rationalized to core markets and, overall, banks are just lending less. Banks have rising concerns on the social and political climate in some countries, which is disproportionately impacting emerging regions. The current geopolitical climate is also taking its toll on how many banks want to lend to EMs, especially as they go through challenging macro-economic issues, says Sehgal. They are less willing to take that risk. Regulation Caution on the bank side is also down to regulations starting to bite. The impact of Basel III on the banks means that capital becomes scarcer and lending is more selective, says Sehgal. This means even good corporates are having difficulties in certain regions. The countries suffering the most are the ones that have been hit by falling commodity prices. Markets like Nigeria and the Middle East are seeing their liquidity levels in the banking sector drop. The outcome is corporate treasurers are now seeking to make up for the slowdown of their payment flows. Making use of their own future cash flows for working capital, through products such as invoice discounting, does not disrupt how a company conducts its conventional funding business. It can be used alongside other debt products, such as revolving credit facilities. Lasma Orlovska, head of open account products at Barclays, says: Invoice discounting has the potential to provide greater cash flow, allowing the treasurer to utilize cash within the company, or indeed group of companies, to their advantage. Additionally, as the facility is linked to the debtor book, it allows the treasurer to leverage other assets as and when required. For many treasurers and auditors, invoice discounting is considered to be a credit risk mitigant. This ability to offset risk is also adding to its appeal. Citis Sehgal adds: MNCs today would say they need to see growth, and would greatly benefit from the banks being able to take on distributor risk. Barclays Orlovska says the rise in use might also be down to companies of all sizes now understanding its availability. Lack of awareness of invoice discounting and its benefits has historically translated into relatively low product penetration, she says. As businesses look for more efficient and cost-beneficial methods to manage their supply chain and, indeed, their own cash flow requirements, we continue to see an uptick in demand. With larger companies now looking to use these products, the market should grow quickly. Sehgal says: The portfolio will run into billions of dollars. Look at a huge international company that can make hundreds of billions in sales. A few percentage points on that sales base works out to be billions. And when you aggregate it across the MNC base, we are confident the demand for distributor finance is here to stay and grow. He forecasts the demand for these products will continue to rise even as the overall market slowdown deepens. From all indicators, we are at the bottom of the cycle, and from conversations with MNCs, the market is not expected to pick up anytime soon, concludes Sehgal. Banca Popolare di Milano (BPM) Giuseppe Castagna (left) with Banco Popolare's CEO Pier Francesco Saviotti Optimists say the long-awaited announcement of the first Italian popolari bank merger since a 2015 government reform is the start of a wave of consolidation. It will increase competitive pressures on other mid-sized lenders in Italy, they argue. Thousands of cooperative shareholders, however, could still annul a fusion of Banca Popolare di Milano and its bigger, Verona-based rival Banco Popolare. Even if it goes ahead, the regulators stance may dissuade their biggest rival UBI Banca and others from following, while making it harder to fund similar mergers. Popolari banks rushed to appoint M&A advisers in 2015 after the government abolished their one-share, one-vote rules. The reform was meant to make it easier for them to raise equity, and as a welcome side effect at least to spur consolidation. So it was disappointing that Banco Popolares stock dropped sharply last month, when its CEO Pier Francesco Saviotti announced the deal, and an accompanying 1 billion capital increase he said the ECB had required. The news prompted KBW research to raise its capital targets for Italian banks across the board. Rapid action Italian banks need to take rapid action to reduce bad debt, and Banco Popolare performs particularly badly in this. The capital increase will help improve asset quality and the merger targets a new 10 billion cut in bad debt, albeit in a rather vague timeframe. Despite a commitment to avoid redundancies (necessary to get trade union buy-in), the banks estimate 1.9 billion in present-value synergies after tax and integration costs. They are also adopting a leaner governance model. The stock markets reaction might have been better if the ECB had done more to clarify its requirements early on. After the reform (and recurrent leaks to the press), news of a proposal for a big Popolare merger like this is hardly a surprise, though the two banks CEOs were quoted in late February saying there was no need for a capital raise. Saviotti has been quite open about his dissatisfaction with the capital call, and not without reason. Shareholders will be diluted when the bank is almost four percentage points above its latest Pillar 2 ratio and merger synergies will improve capital generation anyway. The merged banks increased systemic importance (it will be Italys third biggest) could justify a higher regulatory buffer, and the ECB wants to stamp its authority across European banking. But the ECB will make consolidation less likely if its demands on mergers are hazy until it is too late for the banks to back out. It could be setting a precedent of punishing banks for getting bigger, preventing vital efficiency gains. Maria Ramos CEO of Absa and Barclays Africa The decision to deconsolidate and sell Barclays Africa has caused more worry about African banking and the commodities downturn. The planned break with the parent after more than 100 years came just days before Old Mutual, the British-South African insurer that owns 55% of Nedbank, announced it would break up and sell down to a minority its stake in South Africas fourth biggest bank. It is an abrupt change for Barclays. Last year, former CEO Antony Jenkins told Euromoney he could increase capital allocation to Africa. Has Africa suddenly become so much less attractive? Not necessarily, according to new CEO Jes Staley, and certainly not, according to Maria Ramos CEO for the last seven years of South Africas third-biggest lender, Absa, and since 2013 also CEO of Barclays Africa, which with Absa covers 12 African markets. Ramos strategy dubbed One Africa will even be reinvigorated, it seems. Barclays Africa will use its strong balance sheet to invest for growth, Ramos told investors after the group exit was announced. Economic prospects in the continent are still unbelievably good, she said in a subsequent interview. Freed of Barclays PLCs frugal accounting of African risk-weighted assets, Jaap Meijer, analyst at Arqaam Capital, thinks Ramos could actually accelerate growth, perhaps reconsidering a purchase of Barclays Egyptian and Zimbabwean banks. The British group left these out of a 2013 deal with Ramos unit, and talks broke down again last year over price, but Staley still hopes to sell them. Momentum Harry Botha at Avior Capital Markets agrees Ramos would be unwilling to abandon her strategy of investing in the rest of Africa, launched in 2014. He says her effort to win back clients and staff nabbed by competitors like Standard Bank is working, after the group had underinvested in what were established businesses that generated decent returns before 2013. The purchase of an insurer in Kenya last year, and applying for a licence in Nigeria, are parts of that story. Expansion by Barclays Africa in the rest of the continent, outside South Africa, is definitely still on the cards, says Meijer. South African banks have long outperformed their economy, and analysts think Absa one of the worst hit by the local mortgage market after 2007 has recently begun to catch up in its risk management and digital offering. Income at Barclays Africa rose 7% in rand in 2015. Its made a lot of progress in winning back old customers, says Botha. Barclays PLC is selling, said Staley, because it is a disadvantaged owner a European lender of global systemic importance with a 62.3% stake, so it bears all the regulatory cost for less than two thirds of the profit. Old Mutual has similar reasons in the form of Solvency II insurance rules for selling its Nedbank stake. Barclays Africa reported a 17% return on equity for 2015 on a standalone local-currency basis, which fell to 8.7% at group level. But the dilution would be even greater if the BBB- South African sovereign were downgraded (as feared) to junk, giving higher risk weightings on local assets, notes Meijer. Barclays group CFO Tushar Morzaria said the sale could be to a strategic buyer, via private placement, sales in the secondary market, or a combination. Among potential strategic buyers, thoughts have turned to China and the Middle East. Chinese bank ICBC has a 20% stake in Standard Bank. Qatar National Bank is the biggest shareholder in the pan-African group Ecobank. Buyers in China and the Gulf, however, are suffering from the wider emerging-market slowdown. Meanwhile, European banks will be unwilling to suffer the same regulatory profit dilution as Barclays. South Africas economic and policy mire makes an immediate merger with a domestic rival less likely, too. It sounds like the most likely way is for a sell-down via a couple of private placements, says Meijer. Particularly tantalising is the prospect of a takeover by Atlas Mara, the London-listed African bank investment vehicle co-founded by Jenkins predecessor, Bob Diamond. Atlas Maras CEO John Vitalo was previously CEO of Absa Capital. Yet Atlas Mara is much smaller than Barclays Africa, so could only buy between 5% and 10%, says Meijer. Moreover, Barclays Africas assets are mainly in South Africa, and Atlas Maras focus has been the rest of Africa. Ramos and the board of Barclays Africa (not to mention minorities) will furthermore resist a split between Absa and its business to the north. Absa only officially merged with the other Barclays African businesses in 2013. Proud I have never been more convinced and prouder of what we have built in Barclays Africa, Ramos said after the announcement. She added in the later interview with South Africas Sunday Times, while discussing the business outside South Africa: The PLC has no say over these assets; we own them and we have no intention of selling any of them. Morzaria stressed Barclays is not selling to boost its capital in the short term. However, if Barclays PLC struggles to find a buyer to pay a control premium today, it may have to wait for a turn in sentiment, including on the rand, before it can sell even a small chunk. They wouldnt want to sell with the share price where it is today, says Botha. Levels of corporate debt in China have reached a worrying point, senior officials have warned, raising fears of a raft of fresh defaults as the wider economy slows. Speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing on March 20, Peoples Bank of China governor Zhou Xiaochuan warned that corporate lending as a share of GDP is too high, adding that high leverage levels made the wider economy more prone to unintended and unforeseen risks. Debt levels have been on the rise for years, a problem that stems from Beijings decision at the height of the financial crisis to roll out a trillion-dollar stimulus programme to prop up the economy. Mainland banks at central and local level channeled record amounts of capital into infrastructure projects and favoured state enterprises. Bank lending has continued apace, hitting a record high in 2015, according to the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC). Despite concerted efforts to stave off or delay corporate defaults, either by forcibly restructuring or merging troubled state firms, failed and special-mention loans have surged, rising by Rmb1.22 trillion ($188 billion) in 2015, CBRC data show. The overall level of non-performing loans in the banking sector rose to 1.67% at end-2015, from 1.25% a year earlier, with the share of special-mention loans those with a high likelihood of failing completely rising to 3.79%. Many others put the true level of NPLs far higher. In an October 2015 report, UBS analyst Lucy Feng said the hidden level of failed or failing loans at end-June 2015 was 11.7%, up from 10.8% six months earlier. An updated report by the Swiss lender on February 23 warned that rapid and excessive lending to corporates by the banking sector over many years had set the foundation for significant potential losses, which would take years to clean up. UBS analyst Jason Bedford warned that the banking sector faced serious challenges ahead. Smaller, regional lenders, he said, had lent excessively to and through high-risk clients and investment vehicles. We not only expect continued asset-quality deterioration as the credit cycle picks up speed, but also believe the potential for isolated NPL events is much greater, he added. Yet even Chinas banks have struggled to keep pace with the demand for funds, forcing corporates those in trouble, as well as those seeking to expand their operations at home and overseas to turn to shadow-finance operators and, particularly, the formal debt markets, in search of fresh capital. A recent surge in unregulated lending by grey-market finance providers is helping to push property prices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou close to record highs. According to data from Dealogic, total onshore bond issuance in the mainland hit a record $151.4 billion in the year to March 21, up from $82.4 billion in the same period a year ago. Corporate debt now stands at 160% of Chinese GDP, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In a briefing on March 16, premier Li Keqiang said high corporate debt levels were not new in China, and could be solved through capital market reforms. But OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria warned that high leverage rates across a slew of sectors, including cement, steel, coal and flat glass, presented a short-term risk to the nations economy. Go global A large slice of the new corporate borrowing is being used to fund bold acquisitions far from Chinas shores. President Xi Jinping has for years urged domestic firms to spread their wings and go global. In the first six weeks of the year, outbound spending on mergers and acquisitions by mainland firms totaled $86.1 billion, according to Dealogic, against $73.4 billion in the whole of 2015. Notable pending deals include Anbang Insurances $13.2 billion bid for Connecticut-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts. S&P Global Market Intelligence warned in a recent report that a majority of the 479 outbound M&A deals completed last year by mainland firms were highly leveraged. High levels of corporate leverage constitute a problem across the emerging world, as economies slow or sink into recession. The Bank for International Settlements has warned that a steep rise in corporate debt, particularly in large developing nations, was eerily reminiscent of prevailing conditions in pre-financial crisis western markets. Chinese officials have spoken, both publicly and in private, about the threat to the domestic financial system and to economic growth, should a large number of mainland firms fail to meet their debts. Infection Ratings agencies have begun to fret about high rates of leverage and the threat of wider infection, should a surge in corporate defaults undermine the global financial system. Shang Fulin, CBRC On March 2, Moodys revised downward its outlook on Chinas economy to negative from stable, and warned it may downgrade the sovereign rating, citing fears about rising debt and falling foreign-exchange reserves. Standard & Poors tips the number of bond defaults by Chinese corporates to double this year to 18, from nine in 2015, citing a rapid deterioration in credit quality. In the first week of the year, Fitch Rating said 12% of the mainland firms it rated were on watch for a downgrade, up from 7.4% a year ago. Beijing is desperately casting around for ways to cut rising corporate debt levels and bank NPLs, without actually turning off the funding taps. In March, CBRC chief Shang Fulin said banks could use debt-for-equity swaps to wipe around $200 billion in bad loans off their balance sheets, exchanging the debt they hold in troubled firms for stock holdings. Chinese premier Li singled out the plan as a logical and necessary way to progressively reduce corporate leverage. From the second floor of an ordinary building in the Hague, Jeroen van Hessen oversees a two-year-old fund that is eating away at the near oligopoly of local banks. A former banker himself, his beaten-up trainers and straggly blue jeans give an impression of laid-back entrepreneurialism at what has become the fifth-biggest Dutch mortgage producer: perhaps hinting at the future of mortgage lending across Europe. Jeroen van Hessen It is not only van Hessens Munt Hypotheken origination platform. Subsidiaries of insurance firms and smaller origination start-ups helped by the common practice among borrowers of using mortgage brokers have also taken more mortgages recently, backed by pension funds. They are more portents, perhaps, of how risks are shifting away from traditional lenders. After launching in June 2015, Munt has already sold more than 4 billion of mortgages. This year, the funds total commitments are heading beyond 6 billion, after a further six local pension funds joined the three (Hoogovens, PGB and PMT) who put down an initial 1.6 billion in late 2014. By 2017 van Hessen hopes to reach 10 billion, after which he envisages bringing in another 10 billion from abroad, primarily European pensions and life insurers. We now have a strong track record of organizing a new lender in an efficient way and getting the mortgages investors are interested in, says van Hessen. He outsources mid- and back-office functions to a subsidiary of ABN Amro (Stater), while Intertrust manages the cash flow, so his firm whose 21 employees get normal salaries can focus on communicating performance and making sure service providers get the type of mortgages the pension funds want. In van Hessens view, local pensions and foreign investors rather than Dutch insurance money will over the next few years take the market share that has been dropped by banks, especially in longer-dated loans. He thinks local insurers will remain stable at around 20% of origination, but local pension funds stated intentions of increasing allocation to mortgages to 5% of their holdings could see them double their mortgage book to around 60 billion. If foreigners took another 100 billion, van Hessen thinks local pensions and international funds could hold around a quarter of outstanding mortgages within 10 or 15 years. Funds like his could then have the job of explaining Dutch idiosyncrasies to foreign investors, like high loan-to-value ratios due to tax breaks on borrowing. Solvency II The big three banks are meanwhile shrinking their mortgage books ahead of regulations that could force them to put aside more capital for mortgages. At the same time, bankers say the securitization market is languishing, despite growth in new mortgage production,due to Solvency II rules bringing higher charges to triple-A-rated securitization investments. Others to have spotted an opportunity include Amsterdam-based alternatives fund manager Dynamic Credit. UK fund manager Venn Partners also launched a mortgage origination platform in March, Venn Hypotheken, targeting 2 billion in annual mortgage lending by end-2018. Having used the securitization market in 2014 to refinance a 500 million mortgage book purchased the previous year from GE, Venn Partners co-founder Gary McKenzie-Smith says securitization will help fund the new platform, but he expects insurance companies and pension funds to back the majority. Regulation is affecting the supply of credit across Europe but on the credit side the fundamentals [in Dutch mortgages] are strong, and funding is available, McKenzie-Smith tells Euromoney. But none of these funds is as big as the one run by van Hessen, who says his success is partly because Munt, unlike traditional lenders, automatically allows fixed-rate mortgage prepayment from borrowers savings, and automatically adjusts borrowers rates as they redeem. We dont do things very differently, but more transparently and more honestly, he says. We dont want to make money off less savvy consumers. Banks, however, are not happy to lose the contact with clients that comes from originating mortgages: even if they want to off load the risk onto the same kinds of investors that the likes of Munt are targeting. Pension funds are looking for yield, and mortgages could be part of the answer, says Marco Roddenhof, global head of capital markets at Rabobank. Insurance companies have long distributed mortgages in the Netherlands, sometimes to cross-sell insurance. While they can put more money into longer-dated mortgages than banks, insurers are also opening mortgage funds to third parties, including pensions and international funds. Late last year, NN Bank, part of INGs former insurance subsidiary, launched its Dutch Residential Mortgage Fund alongside NNs asset management arm, NN Investment Partners, with a view to bring in NN IPs institutional clients by selling an initial 165 million to the fund. We think theres interest from institutional investors in the NN mortgage product, says Kees van Kalveen, head of treasury at NN Bank. Aegon opened up its Dutch Mortgage Fund in 2013, citing likely demand from pensions; the fund had invested 5.5 billion at end-2015. ABN Amro, ING and Rabobank remain the three biggest Dutch mortgage producers today, according to IG&H, a local consultancy. Post-crisis exits of foreign banks helped. Over the last year, however, in addition to Munts ascendance to fifth, NN and local insurer Achmea (whose asset management arm also taps pension funds) have surpassed Florius and Obvion: two top-10 mortgage originators, owned, respectively, by ABN Amro and Rabobank. The latest example of murky dealings concerns the privatization of MKB Bank. Formerly owned by BayernLB, Hungarys sixth-largest lender was on the verge of bankruptcy when it was taken over by the central bank (MNB) in July 2014. At the time, the government promised to return the bank to the private sector once it had been restored to health. Permission was subsequently obtained from European authorities for a restructuring, and MKBs distressed assets were spun off into a special purpose vehicle. The bank was then put up for sale early this year. So far, so unexceptionable. In March, however, worrying rumours began to surface about the likely buyers of MKB. Reports suggested that the bank was destined to end up in the hands of several controversial foundations belonging to the MNB. The announcement of a successful conclusion to sale at the end of the month did little to reassure the doubters. The main buyers were named as a newly created Hungarian private equity fund called Metis and Blue Robin Investments, an obscure Luxembourg-based fund said to be backed by Chinese and Indian investors. Viktor Orban All involved in the deal vehemently deny suggestions of a connection between the funds and the MNBs foundations. Nevertheless, many in Budapest continued to speculate that the central bank which has been run since 2013 by Georgy Matolscy, a key ally of prime minister Viktor Orban was represented on the buy side as well as the sell side of the transaction. Suspicion In most European markets, gossip of this sort should be at worst a temporary annoyance or embarrassment for the authorities. In due course, assuming everything to be above board, publication of the accounts of the MNB and its foundations would be enough to dispel suspicion of inappropriate dealings. In Hungary, however, that is no longer the case. At the start of March, Fidesz politicians rushed through legislation allowing the central bank to withhold information from the public that it deems potentially damaging to monetary or foreign exchange stability. Meanwhile, the activities of the six foundations, which have attracted criticism over the past two years for lavish purchases of assets including real estate and fine art, were completely exempted from public scrutiny. Under any circumstances, such a move would be cause for concern. In Hungary, where allegations of cronyism are already rife, it reinforces suspicions that policymakers see civil institutions as vehicles for self-enrichment rather than as the cornerstones of a democratic state. If the MNB has nothing to hide, there can be no good reason for refusing to allow public access to its accounts and those of its foundations. If it fails to do so, it risks irreparable damage to both its own reputation and that of the companies it controls which, since November, include the Budapest Stock Exchange. Hungarian politicians should be warned withholding information can be as dangerous as releasing it. LONDON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Landmark European Iron Deficiency Survey highlights the lack of awareness of the condition, which currently impacts more people than both diabetes and chronic heart failure worldwide. - The survey findings published to coincide with World Health Day 2016, which this year will be dedicated to raising awareness of diabetes. - Market research measuring awareness across 7 markets, with over 1,000 surveyed in each locality, finds that 1 in 10 people suffer or have suffered from iron deficiency during the course of their lives. Out of these, 1 in 3 people had not heard of iron deficiency before being diagnosed. - Those countries with the lowest awareness of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia were Portugal and France, whilst those with the highest awareness include Sweden and the UK. One in three Europeans surveyed do not know the symptoms of iron deficiency, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Vifor Pharma[1]. The market research, undertaken by Kantar Health, highlights a profound lack of understanding and awareness of the symptoms of both iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, at a time when iron deficiency is more prevalent than diabetes and chronic heart failure worldwide[2],[3],[4]. (Logo: enlace ) The survey of over 10,000 adults across seven countries highlights the significant lack of awareness around the symptoms associated with the condition, despite almost 50% of sufferers confirming the condition to have a notable negative impact on their working life, and one in three describing their condition as severe or very severe at the time of diagnosis. The summary report launched today and available on http://www.irondeficiency.com/life, also highlights how men and women share many of the concerns around iron deficiency impacting their everyday lives, such as a lack of concentration and impairment to their professional productivity. Over a third of patients surveyed also feel that iron deficiency impacts their personal relationships negatively; for example, one in four feel the condition affects their sex life. The survey found that it took an average of over 2.5 years for the sufferers to be prescribed a treatment for iron deficiency. This is despite patients' perceiving the condition to negatively impact their own wellbeing more than any other aspect of quality of life. For example, more than 60% of patients find that iron deficiency has a negative impact on their ability to concentrate and half stated that it stopped them from being active. Professor Toby Richards, Professor of Surgery at University College London, commented: "Published on World Health Day, this report highlights that despite iron deficiency affecting a larger population than many other conditions, the lack of understanding and recognition is far greater. It also clearly illustrates that there may be a large undiagnosed population who are unaware of the symptoms caused by iron deficiency. With half of those sufferers who did not experience any symptoms discovering their condition by accident during a visit to their doctor, we must now look to raise awareness of iron deficiency as a European-wide issue. The situation is more extreme in those unwell or with illness where iron deficiency and anaemia can affect a third of people coming into hospital, and this is associated with a longer hospital stay and worse outcome." Symptoms not widely known The report also revealed that the main symptom that drove those to consult a health care professional was tiredness/fatigue, which was mentioned as the first symptom experienced, followed by pale skin and poor attention. Of those 6,986 people surveyed and aware of iron deficiency, 64% recognised tiredness/fatigue as the most common symptom, which can be attributed to iron deficiency. This was followed by suffering symptoms including; pale skin (37%), headaches (21%), poor attention (20%) and (19%) brittle (poor condition) of nails respectively. Women were found to be more concerned about the cognitive, as well as physical impact of the condition, which can include the paleness of skin, brittle nails and hair loss[5]. However, the survey also identified that many symptoms were not recognised or known by those surveyed, these include; mouth ulcers, infection, sore tongue, restless legs syndrome, cold intolerance and craving non-food items. Symptoms and Comorbidities Description Mental Feeling mentally tired, irritable, dizzy or losing fatigue concentration quickly Mouth ulcers Sore, white patches on the inside of mouth or sore, red, flaky cracks at one or both sides of mouth Infection May cause more infections than usual, such as coughs and colds Shortness of Reduced physical capacity breath Craving Craving to eat ice or non-food items such as clay, dirt, ash non-food and starch Restless legs A disturbing need to move legs even when resting Hair loss Losing clumps of hair or more hair than normal Headaches Repeated headaches Sore tongue Affects the surface of the tongue making it feel sore or gives a dry mouth Paleness Most noticeable on the face, nails, inner mouth, and lining of eyes Physical Feeling physically tired fatigue / exhaustion Brittle nails Chip and crack easily Cold Cold hands and/or feet may mean that there is not enough intolerance oxygen being delivered in the blood Table 1: General symptoms and perceptions around iron deficiency. Adapted from Clark (2008) Professor Toby Richards continued: "This survey further illustrates that this is a condition that is insidious. Iron deficiency is one of the most frequent metabolic disorders at a European level, despite being easy to diagnose and treat. Although clinical studies show that treating iron deficiency improves peoples' quality of life, it remains underlooked and is often ignored. Given its prevalence and impact on its sufferers, it should not be left untreated." Editor's Notes: Research Methodology The survey was conducted by Kantar Health during July - August 2015, across 7 countries including: UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Sweden - with over 1,000 nationally-representative adult respondents in each market. By analysing the total number of participants who took part in the survey vs. those who qualified being aware of ID and/or IDA it allowed to calculate awareness levels amongst the general population. 1,000 adults aged 18+ per country took part in this nationally representative survey. The survey was administered online and took the form of a 5-minute quantitative interview with the general population and a further 20 minute questionnaire for those who self-reported being diagnosed with ID/IDA. Various quality control procedures were in place in order to reach a unique, genuine and representative audience in each country. About Vifor Pharma (CONTINUA) The other day I congratulated Tom Gilson, proprietor of the Thinking Christian blog, for summarizing in a paragraph the gist of Stephen Meyers case in his debate with Lawrence Krauss. Gilson also said: Krauss, eager to do battle with a straw man, insisted that [God of the gaps] was what ID was about, and ridiculed Meyer (and all of ID) for it. Krauss made the same kind of mistake repeatedly. For example, after Meyer made the point absolutely uncontroversial among mainstream biologists that some of evolutions processes must be random, Krauss ridiculed him for claiming that everything in evolution is random. Its an easy claim to ridicule, except that (as he underscored in a later blog post) Meyer doesnt believe the claim and never said it. Gilsons main point was that Darwinists predictably go after straw-man versions of ID God of the gaps, aka Goddidit, etc. I would add that another, related habit they have is to avoid grappling directly with IDs main theorists. With that in mind, heres a post by atheist biologist PZ Myers. Its snide as always, and thats fine. Its his schtick. There is the expected accompanying image macro, this one with a picture of Mike Myers/Dr. Evil with a humorous caption. Dr. Myers comments on my post thanking Mr. Gilson for his thumbnail sketch of what Dr. Meyer said about, among other things, the massive challenge of protein evolution that relies on unguided natural processes alone. In his article, Gilson refers to a post by Meyer sharply taking issue on that with Richard Dawkins, who took issue with Dr. Meyer on the same question (Dawkinss Dilemma: Misrepresent the Mechanismor Face the Math). Now guess. Besides characterizing ID in the usual cartoon terms (magic man done it), do you think Myers chose to grapple with Tom Gilsonor with Stephen Meyer himself? Of course! Hes goes after Mr. Gilsons formulation. Myers totally bypasses Steve Meyers highly germane response to Dawkins. He also ignores Paul Nelsons response to Dawkins, and a further response from geneticist Wolf-Ekkehard Lonnig. Why would this be? Instead of arguing with these figures in the world of ID science and scholarship, he argues with Tom Gilsons paragraph. I could understand, if it were a choice between fighting with a book-length treatment of an ID argument, or with an article or blog post, then there are only so many hours in a day. You could justify responding to the article over the book. But these are all relatively short, digestible articles were talking about. And from Gilsons article, Meyers reply to Dawkins was one click away. Its always the habit of IDs top scholars, given the choice, to argue directly with the leading scientific advocates of the competing theory. Its the preference of Darwins partisans to avoid doing the same. You understand, I mean no disrespect at all to Tom Gilson. Far from it I admire his thoughtful writing. But let me try to imagine Stephen Meyer evading a chance to engage with Dawkins or Krauss and instead taking to the Internet to try to wrestle to the ground a paragraph in a post by a hypothetical blogger, the Thinking Atheist. Trying hard, but sorryI cant do it. Image credit: James Steidl / Dollar Photo Club. Its a cliche that loathing other people is something we do to prop up our own sagging sense of self-worth. Sometimes thats true, but other times not. A candid and interesting article in Harvard Magazine makes clear that not long ago, the vilest eugenic thinking was a phenomenon at the very uppermost levels of the American elite. I doubt there was any deficit of self-esteem among the men chronicled by Adam S. Cohen in Harvards Eugenics Era. Cohen traces the craze for racial purity versus racial suicide as it made its way across the Atlantic: Eugenics emerged in England in the late 1800s, when Francis Galton, a half cousin of Charles Darwin, began studying the families of some of historys greatest thinkers and concluded that genius was hereditary. Galton invented a new word combining the Greek for good and genes and launched a movement calling for society to take affirmative steps to promote the more suitable races or strains of blood. Echoing his famous half cousins work on evolution, Galton declared that what Nature does blindly, slowly, and ruthlessly, man may do providently, quickly, and kindly. Eugenics soon made its way across the Atlantic, reinforced by the discoveries of Gregor Mendel and the new science of genetics. In the United States, it found some of its earliest support among the same group that Harvard had: the wealthy old families of Boston. The Boston Brahmins were strong believers in the power of their own bloodlines, and it was an easy leap for many of them to believe that society should work to make the nations gene pool as exalted as their own. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. A.B. 1829, M.D. 36, LL.D. 80, dean of Harvard Medical School, acclaimed writer, and father of the future Supreme Court justice was one of the first American intellectuals to espouse eugenics. Holmes, whose ancestors had been at Harvard since John Oliver entered with the class of 1680, had been writing about human breeding even before Galton. He had coined the phrase Boston Brahmin in an 1861 book in which he described his social class as a physical and mental elite, identifiable by its noble physiognomy and aptitude for learning, which he insisted were congenital and hereditary. Holmes believed eugenic principles could be used to address the nations social problems. In an 1875 article in The Atlantic Monthly, he gave Galton an early embrace, and argued that his ideas could help to explain the roots of criminal behavior. If genius and talent are inherited, as Mr. Galton has so conclusively shown, Holmes wrote, why should not deep-rooted moral defectsshow themselvesin the descendants of moral monsters? As eugenics grew in popularity, it took hold at the highest levels of Harvard. The targets change with time different races or ethnic groups but the language enjoys remarkable staying power: The human race could be immensely improved in quality, and its capacity for happy living immensely increased, if those of poor physical and mental endowment were prevented from multiplying, [Harvard economist Frank W. Taussig] wrote [in 1911]. Certain types of criminals and paupers breed only their kind, and society has a right and a duty to protect its members from the repeated burden of maintaining and guarding such parasites. A century ago, the objects of such elite reflections were negroes, or Jews, Italians, Asians, and anyone else who did not share their northern European lineage. Now, whether rationalized on scientific grounds or not, you are more likely to hear such things (the repeated burden of maintaining and guarding such parasites) said about working-class whites. The temptation to revile those below you on the social ladder remains evergreen. In fact, reading the article, its hard not to be struck by contemporary comparisons, like this to the despised 47 percent as it was conceived back in the day: [Harvard psychologist Robert M. Yerkes, A.B. 1898, Ph.D. 02], who taught courses with such titles as Educational Psychology, Heredity, and Eugenics and Mental Development in the Race, developed a now-infamous intelligence test that was administered to 1.75 million U.S. Army enlistees in 1917. The test purported to find that more than 47 percent of the white test-takers, and even more of the black ones, were feebleminded. The 47 percent feebleminded claim was an absurd result unless, as Harvards late professor of geology Stephen Jay Gould put it, the United States was a nation of morons. I dont think theres anything in evolutionary doctrine per se that inclines it to such invidious thinking. Darwin had his views on which constituted the superior and which the inferior races. But the need to have somebody, some group, to detest is more or less a constant of human nature. Evolutionary-eugenic theory, like other faiths and philosophies, has been obliging in offering to justify hatred on seemingly objective grounds. People can always find other justifications. And they do. Photo: Statue of John Harvard, by InSapphoWeTrust (Harvard University) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Disappointing domestic services data weighs on AUD exchange rates today, but Citibank see risks skewed to the upside. While the Australian Dollar and the New Zealand Dollar have ended the week in strength, this may not last. The US Dollar has been low today, having been put in its place by dovish Fed comments. In the near-future, however, positive results from Chinas Sunday ecostats could raise the Dollars appeal due to increased Fed rate hike expectations. Currency exchange markets returned to risk-on mode on Friday morning, shoring up demand for commodity-correlated currencies such as the Australian Dollar (AUD) and New Zealand Dollar (NZD). Although Fed Chair Janet Yellen took a rather less dovish tone in her latest comments this failed to particularly weigh on investor sentiment ahead of the weekend. Markets continued to largely favour safe-haven assets on Thursday morning, even though investors anticipate that Fed Chair Janet Yellen with take a dovish tone in comments this evening. Should Yellen continue to rule out the likelihood of a near-term interest rate hike then the Australian Dollar exchange rate (AUD) could see a fresh rally on the back of the resultant US Dollar (USD) weakness. Over the past month or so the Australian Dollar has racked up notable gains thanks to improved risk-appetite and rising commodities prices. A recent return to risk-off trading has weighed on Australian Dollar exchange rates but the Aussie (AUD) remains significantly overvalued. However, the recent publication of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes showed that policymakers still expect to hike the overnight cash rate twice in 2016 which could cause the Australian Dollar to soften considerably. Latest Pound/Australian Dollar Exchange Rates On Sunday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The pound conversion rate (against pound) is quoted at 1 GBP/GBP. The GBP to USD exchange rate converts at 1.13 today. Today finds the pound to new zealand dollar spot exchange rate priced at 1.966. Please note: the FX rates above, updated 23rd Oct 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks. If the Australian Dollar continues to rise, analysts at Citibank predict that the prospect of further rate cuts will be back on the table. Today has seen the Australian Dollar cool versus nearly all of its major peers after domestic data produced disappointing results. One particularly poor domestic report was the AiG Performance of Construction Index for March which dropped from 46.1 to 45.2. This meant that contruction output contracted because it remained below the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction. Additional Aussie losses can be linked to a stronger US Dollar after FOMC minutes confirmed that most policymakers expect the central bank to hike the overnight cash rate twice in 2016. This is in stark contrast to trader fears of no rate hikes at all in 2016 in the aftermath of a particularly dovish speech from Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen a few weeks ago. Despite todays Aussie depreciation analysts at Citibank still believe risks are skewed to the upside; The recent rise in iron ore and copper prices accompanying the improvement in global risk appetite, a more resilient domestic economy, a more positive technical picture against the backdrop of more balanced positioning continues to favour further moderate gains in AUD. The key risk however is should AUD appreciate too quickly and too sharply, then this could see stronger jawboning from the RBA and may even bring the prospect of further rate cuts back on the table. Pound Sterling (GBP) exchange rates continue to struggle against political uncertainty resulting from Brexit jitters and the UKs steel crisis. This week has seen the British Pound soften versus its major peers thanks to mounting political uncertainty. The forthcoming EU referendum is having a particularly detrimental impact on demand for the British Pound, especially with recent opinion polls showing that the vote will be very close. Additional political uncertainties can be linked to the British steel crisis as the government desperately scrambles to find a buyer for the Tata steelworks. US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Edge Higher on FOMC Minutes After leaked documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca caused market sentiment to dampen considerably, the US Dollar has racked up some notable gains of late thanks to heightened demand for safe-haven assets. Positive domestic data has also supported demand for the US Dollar amid hopes that the strength of the economy will cause policymakers to hike the Federal Reserve overnight cash rate. The latest publication of FOMC meeting minutes also aided hopes of a near-term rate hike after policymakers showed willingness to tighten policy at least twice in 2016. Philip Marey, Senior US Strategist at Rabobank believes that rate hikes will be on the agenda for each meeting from now. From this point on, it would require a significant deterioration in the US economic outlook for the FOMC participants to remove more hikes from their anticipated trajectory for 2016. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Vermont senators escalation is more semantic than substantivehes been critiquing her decisions on the Iraq war, campaign finance, and free trade for months. Jim Young / Reuters Please consider disabling it for our site, or supporting our work in one of these ways New Yorkers are a blunt and confrontational bunch, so its only appropriate that as the presidential campaign heads to the Empire Statebirthplace of Bernie Sanders and adopted home of Hillary Clintonahead of the April 19 primary, the Democratic race is getting a little chippy. Speaking in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Sanders unloaded on Clinton, arguing she is unqualified to be president (and then sending out the remarks to reporters in a press release): I dont believe that she is qualified if she is through her super PAC taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds. I dont think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC. I dont think you are qualified if you voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I dont think youre qualified if you supported almost every disastrous trade agreement. I dont think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed, which has gave the green light to wealthy people and corporations all over the world to avoid paying taxes owed to their countries. The first thing to say about these remarks is that the escalation is almost entirely semantic, rather than material. All of the attacks that Sanders leveled hereClintons support for free trade, backing for the war in Iraq, and coziness with Wall Street, and dependence on big donorsare things hes talked about for months now. Sanders cast his remarks as simple turnabout. Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little nervous, he said. She has been saying lately that I am not qualified to be president. The Vermonter appears to be referring to an interview Clinton did with MSNBCs Morning Joe, in which she criticized Sanders for his vague answers in a meeting with the New York Daily News editorial board . The Clinton campaign has leapt on that interview with the News, even sending out the full transcript as a fundraising email. (Sanderss defenders continue to insist , contra the transcript, that he was crystal clear.) In the TV interview , Joe Scarborough tried three times to get Clinton to say that she didnt think Sanders was qualified. Heres her first answer: I think the interview raised a lot of really serious questions. I look at this way: The core of his campaign has been break up the banks, and it didnt seem in reading his answers that he understood exactly how that would work under Dodd-Frank Her second: I think he hadnt done his homework, and hed been talking for more than a year about doing things he obviously hadnt really studied understood. That does raise a lot of questions. And her third: I think that what he has been saying about the core issue in his whole campaign doesnt seem to be rooted in an understanding of either the law or the practical ways you get something done. And I will leave it to voters to decide who of us can do the job that the country needs, who can do all aspects of the job. Its classic Clinton: Shes cautious, careful, and stays on message. And the qualified broadside is classic Sanders too. Hes angry, and hes not afraid to show that. This directnessand its contrast with the impression that Clinton is calculatingis one of the forces that has powered Sanderss campaign. He may have overdone it in this case. Theres a certain logic to attacking Clintons qualifications, since her campaign is built not on charismatic appeal so much as her experience and resume: Attack the strengths, not the weaknesses. But this sort of attack will only motivate and energize her own voters, who wont hear it as a commentary on Iraq so much as a personal slam. Besides, Sanders has said in the past that he would support Clinton if she were the nominee, a stance his campaign manager affirmed Thursday. Clinton, meanwhile, seemed delighted to be able to take the high road. I don't know why he's saying that but I will take Bernie Sanders over Ted Cruz or Donald Trump any time, she said Thursday morning. (Of course, she also happily turned his remarks into a fundraising plea .) ABCs Rick Klein argues that qualified is a Rubiconits pretty hard to go back and endorse someone youve said is unqualified. Maybe, though candidates have walked back stronger statements, and theyll continue to do so. Sanderss campaign seems to already be backing off his comments. Even if he walks them back, you can be assured theyll return in the general election if Clinton is the Democratic nominee. Despite registering positive domestic data results today, the South African Rand (ZAR) declined versus nearly all of its major exchange rate peers thanks to ongoing political unrest. Forex traders were not impressed by the UKs latest raft of production and trade data, as industrial output contracted and the visible trade deficit was found to be wider than anticipated. As exports continued to fall against rising imports the appeal of the British Pound declined, pushing the pound to rand exchange rate into a sharp downtrend. With South Africas President Jacob Zuma urged to step down by opposition politicians, uncertainty surrounding South Africas political landscape has weighed heavily on demand for South African Rand exchange rates. Not even a succession of positive domestic data publications was enough to reverse the South African Rands downtrend. Meanwhile, the British Pound declined versus most of its major peers as Brexit jitters continue to dampen investor confidence. Latest Pound/Rand Exchange Rates On Sunday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 FX markets see the pound vs pound exchange rate converting at 1. FX markets see the pound vs euro exchange rate converting at 1.147. Today finds the pound to australian dollar spot exchange rate priced at 1.779. At time of writing the pound to us dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.13. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 23rd Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. President Zuma Survives Impeachment but Political Uncertainty Remains Rife in South Africa After South Africas top court ruled that President Jacob Zuma was guilty of violating the constitution by using public funds to improve his home, members of the opposition party called for impeachment. However, Zuma survived the vote which further put downside pressure on the Rand with investors clearly unsettled by Zumas continued rule. There is definitely an unease in South Africa like never before, said Sean Jacobs, an expert on South African politics. Zuma has become the embodiment for a lot of people of what they think is wrong with the country. South African economic data produced positive results today but had minimal impact on the Rand. Marchs Foreign Exchange Reserves and Februarys Manufacturing Production both bettered the respective median market forecasts. UK Pound Sterling (GBP) exchange rates continue to struggle on political uncertainty as Brexit fears unsettle investors. With a distinct absence of influential British economic data today the Pound continued to rack up losses in response to political uncertainty. The latest developments regarding the EU referendum was the announcement by the British government that public funds will be used to finance a leaflet campaign highlighting the benefits of remaining in the EU. This caused significant controversy amid complaints that public funds could have been better used elsewhere. Out campaigners were quick to pounce on this, stating that Prime Minister David Camerons tactics were underhand. Given the PMs growing unpopularity, many traders are concerned that the use of UK taxpayers money to support the in campaign will cause undecided voters to swing in favour of a Brexit. Bride Falls In Love With Grandmas Wedding Dress Weeks Before Wedding Two weeks before her November 2015 wedding, UK bride Connie Bell tried on the dress that her grandma Margaret White wore in 1966 and it fit like a glove. Courtesy of Connie Bell Margaret White on her wedding day in 1966. Connies wedding venue plans had just fallen through, and her beloved grandma brought out the 50-year-old floral lace wedding dress from storage in an attempt to cheer her up. Connie had only ever seen the dress in photos, and even though she had already purchased her own gown, she couldnt help but try it on. Molly Treanor Photography Connie Bells grandmas wedding dress fit her like a glove. Dress: lace bridesmaid dresses uk I was shocked at how well it fit and how lovely it made me feel, Connie, who lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, told The Huffington Post. I tried it on to cheer me up. I had no idea that I would be trying it on to wear on my wedding day, but I knew as soon as I had it on that I wanted to wear it. Courtesy of Connie Bell Margaret and husband Michael on their wedding day. After trying on grandma Margarets dress, everything began to fall into place for the wedding. Connie and her husband-to-be Sam Bell found a new wedding venue on short notice, and Connie decided to change into her original dress at the end of the reception so it wouldnt go to waste. Molly Treanor Photography Connie and Sam Bell on their wedding day. She even found little pieces of confetti still tucked inside the dress from her grandmas wedding. It made it more special to have pieces of confetti from 50 years ago [in the dress] and theres now some from my day as well, Connie said. Molly Treanor Photography Connie and her grandparents Margaret and Michael. Connies vintage wedding dress was a hit all around. Wearing my grandmas dress made everybody so happy and emotional on my wedding day, especially my grandparents, Connie said. I love my grandma so much and am so pleased that we both got to wear the same dress for our special day. See More: queenie yellow bridesmaid dresses Dear all, Today I received my ACS +ve assessment. However now I am not able to calculate the number of years that I can claim points for. Because the result letter can be interpreted in two different ways. Following is the result Here is the confusion: First Interpretation: After Feb-2013 the employment is skilled employment. And my last month on the letter is Mar-2016 And there is no gap between my all three jobs. Last month in one organization follows directly the next month in the next organization. So no gap is there. Now simple Mar-2016 - Mar-2013 = 3 Years (I am happy because I can claim 5 points) 2nd Interpretation: In the result they have mentioned the duration of each employment. 1st Org: 3 year and 1 month (Feb-2011 - Mar-2014) 2nd Org: 0 Years and 4 months (Apr-2014 - Aug-2014) 3rd Org: 1 year and 6 months (Sep-2014 - Mar-2016) Now lets calculate total number of years that I can claim points for: 1st Org: From Mar-2013 to Mar-2014 = 1 Year 2nd Org: 4 Months 3rd Org: 1 year and 6 months Total : 1 year + 4 months + 1 year and 6 months = 2 Years and 10 months. (Then I am crying and will lose 5 points) Now my question is which interpretation is correct: first or 2nd? What DIAC will consider? Will DIAC consider my 3 years experience or 2.10 years? Note: I am changing my current employer at the end of the current month (April-2016). So I will not be working with the current employer anymore. Can someone please shed some light on it. Especially if someone has been through this kind of scenario. Thanks and Regards, Inayat SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio Ethan Holmes was a normal teenager. Then he read the book, Reallionaire by Farrah Gray and Fran Harris, when he was 14 years old. The book is about a teenager who went from public assistance to a million dollar net worth. After he read the book, Holmes, now 22, knew he wanted to start his own business. But first he learned some hard lessons. Keep trying The first lesson was failing. When he tried selling homemade candy bars at his school, he quickly got feedback from students who didnt like them. So he decided to try a different food, and this time he wanted it to be healthy. While still in high school, Holmes started doing some research, and found there was little competition in the applesauce market. There are only a few manufacturers nationwide and none in Ohio. So Holmes set his sights on creating an Ohio-made applesauce with natural ingredients. He admits he knew very little about cooking, but spent a year in his moms kitchen with a focused goal his own business. I realized Im going to make myself successful, not anyone else, said Holmes. The recipe Holmes first tries included missing water, sugar and different apples. And he wasnt happy with the recipe, so he started adding strawberries, pomegranates and pears. Then, his parents, tired of purchasing apples, told him there would be no more money for apples. But Holmes entrepreneurial spirit couldnt be broke, so he started asking for apples instead of gifts. Id go back to school after Christmas break and kids would ask what I got. I would tell them apples. The kids would say, an iPad or iPhone?, and then I would have to tell them no I mean apples, said Holmes. Struggle Holmes quickly learned the financial struggle went way beyond apples there were paperwork fees, capital finances and the need for business experience. I didnt always have the money to move forward, but Ive kept trying, said Holmes. Along the way, hes had many mentors and people lend a hand. They have helped me fill out paperwork when I had no idea what I was doing, said Holmes. Holmes kept trying Chop the fruit. Cook the fruit. Then he decided to add apple cider. Finally, with the help of his grandfather, the recipe came alive and Holmes Mouthwatering Apple Sauce was born. Business lessons When Holmes was 16, his mom took him to the Shaker Heights LaunchHouse, a seed capital and investment fund based in Shaker Heights. Ethan is one of the entrepreneurs Im most proud of here at the LaunchHouse, said Todd Goldstein, CEO and co-founder. Goldstein said Holmes has been successful because he gets out of his comfort zone by talking directly to customers about the product. Its OK to hear no, but what is most important is finding out how to get a yes from those customers, said Goldstein. The next step. Holmes said the incubator helped him take the next steps, including entering the Council of Smaller Enterprises, or COSE, contest while in high school. He started the process, but was not accepted for a couple of years. Then, in 2015, Holmes won first place and earned a $20,000 grant to jump-start his business. Not long after high school, Holmes was able to get his applesauce into the Miles Farmers Market in Solon, Ohio, but he knew that was not enough. To fill his orders at the market, he needed a commercial kitchen. Through his connections, Holmes found the Cleveland Culinary Launch Kitchen incubator. Through the kitchen, he learned state and federal food safety regulations. Building the business Holmes mentors encouraged him go to college. At first, he didnt want to go, but he eventually decided to attend Hiram College. On the weekends, he would head to the incubator, where he would spend the weekend making applesauce, selling between 20-30 jars a month. Between classes, he would work on marketing his business. He knew he wanted to get his product into Heinens Fine Foods, a grocery chain of 30 stores, so he started calling the purchaser two or three times a week. Finally, in 2014, he found out the chain was interested. Label challenges To enter this larger retail market, however, required some label changes. On a whim, Holmes reached out to a label designer for Kraft Foods. After hearing Holmes story, the designer decided he would help for free and provided him with a label that meets both state and federal regulations. The next marketing challenge would be Giant Eagle. The buyer eventually said he liked the product and wanted it in the Market District locations starting in December 2014. More applesauce To meet the demand, Holmes challenge would be to produce 3,000 jars of applesauce. Holmes had used his family and school friends to help make the applesauce, but after making 3,000 jars, they said something else had to be done. Holmes learned about Youth Opportunities Unlimited, an internship program for disadvantaged high school students. The young people would help pare apples, blend the sauce or do what ever Holmes needed them to. The program paid for the youth, but Holmes would purchase pizza out of his pocket and even pay for bus fares for those who couldnt afford it. With the students help, Holmes would manufacture 20,000 jars of applesauce between 2014-2015. Still growing However, it was apparent Holmes needed a new manufacturing plan. So with the help of his mentor at Cleveland Culinary Launch, Tim Skaryd, he searched for a co-packer to help him make the applesauce. The process started with a nondisclosure agreement signed by both parties. Holmes would fax the recipe, then the co-packer would ship the attempts to Holmes to see if its the same sauce. He said one canners attempt was too chunky. Another used too much cider. Then Holmes drove to a site in McArthur, Ohio, so the co-packer and Holmes could perfect the applesauce. Now, the co-packer cooks the recipe, packs it and ships it directly to the store. The increased supply let Holmes pick up the Marcs store chain, which now also carries Holmes Mouthwatering Apple Sauce. Never alone Holmes said he owes a lot to his mentors, but also to his parents. Holmes mother is in education and his father works as a social worker. They helped me to become who I am, said Holmes. Everyone has a different definition of success, he added. I dont believe success is based on money or fame, but accomplishing the goals you make, he said. His next goal is to own an apple orchard and grow his own apples. PALMYRA, Ohio The Southeast FFA chapter held its 64th annual parent-member banquet March 31. Top fruit sellers were Amber Zavara, first; Kelsea Ebie, second; and Michael Kline, third. Star Greenhands are Shawnee Wilt and Courtney Montgomery. Star Mechanic went to Adam Michael. Star Agribusinessman, Ashley Hench; Star Chapter in Agriculture Placement, Caroline Rohal; and Star Chapter Farmer, Kelsea Ebie. Scholar recipients include Kelsea Ebie and Adam Michael, both going to OSUs Agricultural Technical Institute, and Caroline Rohal, going to Youngstown State University. The new 2016-2017 officer team is president, Ashley Hench; vice president, Danielle Whitted; secretary, Amber Zavara; treasurer, Seth Johnson; assistant, Nate Aliff; reporter, Shawnee Wilt; assistant, Clay Ramseyer; sentinel, Michael kline; parliamentarian, Courtney Montgomery; and chaplain, Victoria Tarter. WEST SALEM, Ohio Northwestern FFA Chapter members traveled to Miami Trace to compete in the spring career development events contests March 12. The contests that members competed in were dairy cattle, dairy foods, general livestock, and equine. The dairy cattle judging CDE requires students to select and place quality dairy cattle. Team members were Marie Clements and Austin Beegle. The team placed 18th overall. The dairy foods judging contest requires members to identify types of cheese, identify defects in 10 milk samples, test milk for mastitis and identify fat content in different types of fluid dairy products based on the taste. Jaydn Berry, Emily Comer, Emily Finley, Brock Tegtmeier, Cody Tegtmeier, Rae Rempher, and Maria Chellis competed. They placed first overall. Individually, Tegtmeier placed first, Rempher placed second, Arianna Borton placed sixth, and Wood placed ninth. The general livestock CDE team consisted of Jessica Bair, Katie Stull, Riley Stull, Taylor Dawson, and Skylar Dawson. The team placed 16th overall. The equine judging contest requires members to evaluate and place horses, as well as identify different parts of tack and take an equine knowledge exam. Marshall Geiger, Reiley Murphy, Jazon LeMaster, Katlyn Praisler and Emily Flinn competed in this event. They placed first as a team with Flinn placing second and Murphy fourth individually. SULLIVAN, Ohio Members of the Black River FFA chapter participated in multiple judging career development events on March 19 at the Ashland FFA Invitational. The Nature Interpretation team placed fifth overall. The Horse Judging team placed sixth out of 27 teams and 144 individuals. Chloe Howard, a Black River Middle School student, competed in the event and earned second place. On March 12, multiple elective programs at Black River High School collaborated to organize an annual Fine Arts Night and Technical Showcase. The art students displayed their work in the library while the family consumer sciences, agriculture education and FFA, media technologies and industrial arts programs showcased their programs in the high school hallways and cafeteria. The family consumer sciences chef II students created an assortment of appetizers and desserts for the event. About 300 people attended. Legal ruling set to have implications for farm inheritance rows By Adam Russell Fruit growers continue to monitor possible problems with weather, disease and pests but conditions so far bode well for 2016 crops, said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts. Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Uvalde, said individual growers should be wary of disease and pests but that conditions are shaping up for a good year. Bloom across the state was fairly strong and good moisture levels should help fruit set, he said. Stein said trees bloomed earlier this year because of the mild winter, and the protracted bloom may be the result of marginal chilling. Stan Peters thins out peaches at the Philley Peach Orchard near Overton. He said most trees looked good but there are concerns about how a recent frost may have affected others. Stein said he and other specialists feel pretty good that fruit crops have made it past the critical cold stage where freeze damage might occur. He said spring storms with heavy winds and hail have become a concern but there have been few reports of losses due to those weather events. Jim Kamas, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Fredericksburg, said some vineyards in the Hill Country sustained damages from hail and high winds. Stein and Kamas said mild temperatures are causing some concerns for peach producers. One early concern for peach producers has been the lack of consistent chill temperatures, which are needed for peaches to bloom. Kamas said peaches need chilling temperatures to exit dormancy. The lack of a chill can affect fertility, and temperature fluctuations from cold to hot coupled with too much moisture can affect fertilization, he said. The mild winter and lack of effective chilling temperatures has caused some fruit to drop already, Stein said. The chill we had was borderline, he said. We had cool temperatures but in some places it might not have been enough. I dont think it will be extensive but were watching that statewide. Another challenge could be disease, Stein said. Winter and spring rains have been good overall for the state, Stein said, but too much moisture creates prime environments for diseases to spread in orchards. Too much of a good thing can be bad, Stein said of the recent rains. Its been cloudy, muggy and warm here and that creates prime disease conditions. Kamas said there was a high level of disease pressure in 2015 and that a relatively high number of inoculums remain in trees and vines. The right conditions could cause problems for growers who are not monitoring and proactively addressing diseases. Peaches line the branches of a tree at the Philley Peach Orchard near Overton. Some varieties at the orchard still show blooms while fruit has emerged on others. Stein said growers should stay on top of their orchard programs because diseases are easier to prevent than cure. He said some growers are spraying for diseases now. Insect pests could be a problem in the future, but Stein said most early season pests have enough green spring vegetation to consume that their effect on fruits has not been significant to date. The bottom line today is that fruit crops in Texas look pretty good, he said. That can change and growers need to be proactive in their management but overall it looks good. AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries: CENTRAL: Overall, crops were in good condition. Some corn was replanted due to hard rains and hog damage. Hail was reported in some counties. Farmers planted hay and grain sorghum. Livestock were in good shape with some supplemental feeding taking place. Cattle were leaving hay for short winter grazing. All counties reported good soil moisture. Pastures were greening up but warmer days were needed to promote season grasses. Tanks, creeks and rivers were full. ROLLING PLAINS: Scattered showers and warmer weather had the winter wheat crop looking good in some areas, but a lack of moisture in other areas started to affect its progress. Some producers moved cattle to wheat for grazing. Some wheat was affected by stripe rust. Livestock were in good condition as pastures began to green up, offering plenty of grazing. Wildfires were a concern with the recent dry weather and abundance of fuel in some areas. Farmers began preparing fields for this years cotton crop. There was plenty of soil moisture, however, timely rains were needed to keep levels up through planting season. COASTAL BEND: High winds in the region significantly reduced topsoil moisture. Overall, livestock and pastures were doing well and some winter hay pastures were being prepared for cutting. Cotton and rice planting commenced. Corn and grain sorghum were looking good and cotton was emerging in areas where it had been planted. Rootless corn syndrome was found in corn planted on heavy clay soils. Corn planted in heavy soils struggled to set a root system and have fallen over. A good, saturating rain would help corn roots settle. EAST: Conditions around the region were wet. Several counties received more rain with totals up to 1 inch. Pasture and range conditions were fair to good. Subsoil and topsoil were reported as adequate with only Houston County reporting a surplus. Ponds were full. The moisture was good for forage growth. Warm-season weed control started. Cooler temperatures continued to make good growth conditions for winter forages like ryegrass. Warm season forages continued to make good growth as well. Livestock were doing fair to good with some supplementation taking place. Cattle had stopped eating hay in most places. Spring calving continued along with selling of cull-cows and market-ready calves. The cattle market was lower on some classes of feeder calves in Houston County. Prices in Gregg County held steady. Temperatures ranged from highs in the mid-70s to low-80s and lows in the mid-40s. Feral hogs were active and continued to pose problems. Houston County reported problems with gnats and flies. SOUTH PLAINS: Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels in Cochran County continued to decline due to lack of rain. Pasture, rangeland and winter wheat all needed moisture. Producers prepared for spring planting. Garza County received rainfall with amounts ranging from a half inch to nearly 1 inch across the county. Farmers continued to prepare land for planting cotton. Range and pastures were mostly in fair to good shape as showers helped with topsoil moisture. Warm-season grasses began to come on with the warmer temperatures and deeper soil moisture. Rainfall will be needed in the next few weeks if temperatures continue to climb and winds continue to blow. Livestock was in mostly good condition with no supplemental feeding reported. It rained in Scurry County but it did not improve moisture levels much. Temperatures were warm and more rain was needed. PANHANDLE: The region was dry and windy with near-average temperatures. Some moisture was received but fire danger remained high. Soil moisture was mostly short. A good general rain was needed throughout the region. Irrigation was active. Dry conditions further depleted soil moisture levels in Collingsworth County. Farmers planned water allocations to improve soil moisture conditions when planting if no rain was received. Areas of the county began to see stripe rust in wheat. Ranchers started spring roundups. Pasture conditions were fair. Dallam and Hartley counties received 2.5-6 inches of wet snow followed by windy conditions and mild to cool weather. Conditions remained dry. Irrigation was active on winter wheat. Farmers fertilized, cultivated and sprayed pre-emergence herbicides in preparation for corn planting to begin soon. Heavy stockers were coming off wheat fields and going to local markets. Ranges tried to green but soil moisture was not sufficient. Supplemental feeding and spring calving continued. Deaf Smith County producers waited on planting corn but continued with field preparations. Producers will begin planting corn very soon, depending on weather. The wheat crop actively grew but needed moisture. Producers ran irrigation pivots. A freeze in Hutchinson County did not appear to damage as much wheat as expected. Lipscomb County needed moisture. Some freeze damage was found on early planted wheat. Ochiltree County summer crop pre-plant field work continued. Cattle on range continued to receive supplemental feed. Wheat fertilization and weed control stopped. More rain was needed. Rain was needed in Wheeler County for drought-stressed wheat as well as to improve rangeland and prepare land for spring crops. Cattle remained in fair shape. Producers were beginning to fertilize improved pastures. Wildfires burned approximately 10,000 acres due to dry, windy conditions. NORTH: Topsoil moisture was mostly adequate. Temperatures were mild and about 1.5 inches of rain fell. Bottomlands were still very soggy. Corn farmers continued to plant with about 50 percent of the crop in the ground. Ground temperatures were between 55-60 degrees and milo farmers decided to plant despite it being early. The mild winter and warmer-than-average temperatures prompted all farmers to consider planting early. Wheat was doing well. Winter pastures continue to also do well. Rust was seen and treated on wheat. Horn fly numbers on cows increased. There was a report of small grasshoppers in the northern part of the county. FAR WEST: Andrews County received a trace amount of rain with a cold front. Glasscock County experienced high winds, which dried out the upper portion of the soil profile. Field work continued on cotton and sorghum fields. Stripe rust continued to build in susceptible wheat varieties. Cool, wet weather was expected to help the rust spread. Greenbugs were spotted in a wheat field near St. Lawrence and were being monitored. Culberson County had seasonal temperatures but no rainfall. Presidio County continued to be under high fire danger because of windy conditions. Weeds were dominating pastures with little to no greening. Cattle were on supplemental feed. Terrell County received no rain and temperatures varied all week. Deer started fawning. Mesquites in Ward County had budded out. Perennial grasses began to green up from moisture received in previous weeks. Temperatures were seasonal to cooler from a passing cold front that also brought a half inch of rain. Winter wheat in Upton County was in the boot stage and some had been cut for hay. Working sheep and goats started along with cows. Goats and lambs continued to kid and lamb out. Livestock and wildlife continued to receive supplemental feed. Pasture and range conditions were fair with topsoil and subsoil short. WEST CENTRAL: The region was warm, dry and windy. A cool front brought a few scattered showers late in the week. Wildfire danger remained in effect due to low humidity and little to no rainfall. Winter wheat was grazed heavily and only a small portion started to head out. Most wheat looked good. Some winter wheat crops showed drought stress and rust was reported. Some fields were tested for wheat streak mosaic virus. Field activities continued to increase. Producers continued to spray for spring weeds and applied yellow herbicides. Some dryland corn was planted. Other producers began planting sorghum. Preparations for cotton planting was well underway. Some cutting and baling of small grain forages was underway. Range and pasture conditions were good. Warm-season grasses and forages broke dormancy. Spring green-up started. The forage load was very good and producers hoped it would sustain livestock and wildlife through the summer. Livestock remained in fair to good condition. Livestock were grazing winter smallgrain fields. Cattle prices remained steady. Most trees were budding and showing early leaves. Wildflowers were blooming also. SOUTHEAST: Growing conditions were good in Walker County. In Brazos County, growing conditions were excellent for cool-season forages. In Grimes County, warmer temperatures and less wind provided great conditions to work in fields. Hardin County started to dry out from recent floods though some areas still held water. Winter annuals in Montgomery County showed good growth. Nighttime temperatures were just below average. In Fort Bend County, livestock were in good condition. Row crops had emerged and were growing well. Some corn recovered from superficial frostburn received in previous weeks. Some sorghum had to be replanted due to poorly timed rains. Soil-moisture levels varied widely: most were in the adequate to surplus range with adequate being most common. Brazos, Chambers, Fort Bend and Walker counties reported 100 percent adequate. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied widely as well, mostly excellent to good. Fair ratings were most common. SOUTHWEST: Conditions remained favorable with spotty showers and cool conditions. Some early hotter temperatures allowed pests and fungus to move in and growers were concerned the combination of early moisture and heat could create issues with rust in corn plants. Lambing and kidding was almost complete and spring shearing was expected to begin soon. Livestock remained in good condition. SOUTH: Cool nighttime and warm daytime temperatures continued. In Atascosa County, all corn fields were planted and 100 percent emerged; oats were in good condition with about 99 percent headed and 90 percent of sorghum was planted. In Frio County, 100 percent of the corn was emerged; oats were in good condition with 75 percent of the crop headed and 75 percent of the sorghum was planted. About 80 percent of upland sorghum in Live Oak County was planted and oats were in good condition. Winter wheat was in good condition with 90 percent of the crop headed. Soil moisture conditions were mostly adequate. Atascosa County reported 98-100 percent adequate. Moisture levels were 59-100 percent adequate in Frio County, 80 percent adequate in McMullen County and 80 percent short in Live Oak County. Range and pasture conditions were in overall good condition. Mild weather conditions persisted in the Jim Wells County area, where row crop farmers made good progress on planting. Forage production and quality improved with recent rains and warmer temperatures. Also in the Jim Wells County area, corn progressed well with 90 percent emerged; 40 percent of sorghum was planted, and wheat was in good condition with 100 percent of the crop headed out. Conditions in the Kleberg and Kenedy counties were cloudy and humid with occasional sunshine. Crops were in good condition with 100 of corn and sorghum crops planted. Soil moisture conditions were 100 percent adequate in Brooks and Jim Wells counties and 70-80 percent adequate in Kleberg and Kenedy counties. Range and pastures were in good condition. Conditions were favorable for forage production in Dimmit County. Producers were planting forage sorghum, corn and some vegetable seeds throughout Maverick County. Coastal Bermuda grass was almost ready for its first cut of the year, and pecan orchards were developing green leaves. Temperatures reached the mid- to high-90s in Zapata County. Mornings were cool and cloudy but no measurable rain was reported. Range and pastures were healthy but may start deteriorating soon as temperatures rise and drought conditions persist. Crops in Zavala County were doing well, with 80 percent of corn emerged, 40 percent of cotton planted, 90 percent of the oat crop headed out and 85 percent of winter wheat also headed. Click here to see more... Wheat: Net sales reductions of 58,100 metric tons for delivery in marketing year 2015/2016--a marketing-year-low--were down noticeably from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. Increases reported for Taiwan (50,800 MT, including 48,400 MT switched from unknown destinations), Malaysia (24,500 MT, including 20,000 MT switched from Indonesia), Mexico (22,400 MT), the Dominican Republic (14,500 MT), China (13,300 MT, including 10,000 MT switched from Indonesia), and Nigeria (10,800 MT), were more than offset by reductions for the Philippines (72,700 MT), Indonesia (63,500 MT), unknown destinations (50,200 MT) and Japan (29,300 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 159,300 MT were reported primarily for the Philippine (78,000 MT), South Korea (33,500 MT), Indonesia (25,000 MT), and Mexico (18,500 MT). Exports of 392,700 MT were up 15 percent from the previous week and 3 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Indonesia (71,500 MT), Nigeria (68,800 MT), Mexico (65,700 MT), Taiwan (50,800 MT), and China (47,300 MT). Exports for Own Account: New exports for own account totaling 500 MT were reported to Italy. Exports to Italy totaling 3,100 MT were applied to new or outstanding sales. The current outstanding balance totals 32,800 MT, all Italy. Corn: Net sales of 945,200 MT for 2015/2016 were up 20 percent from the previous week, but down 5 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Mexico (339,000 MT, including 30,000 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 98,300 MT), Japan (220,300 MT, including 82,800 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 31,200 MT), Taiwan (138,500 MT, including 65,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), Peru (84,500 MT, including 33,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), and Saudi Arabia (65,400 MT, including 65,000 MT switched from unknown destinations). Reductions were reported for unknown destinations (32,500 MT), Guatemala (3,300 MT), and South Korea (700 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 175,100 MT were reported for Japan (129,000 MT), Mexico (101,000 MT), and Guatemala (5,000 MT). Reductions were reported for unknown destinations (59,900 MT). Exports of 1,137,500 MT--a marketing-year-high--were unchanged from the previous week, but up 12 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (371,400 MT), South Korea (129,200 MT), Colombia (129,000 MT), Taiwan (82,900 MT), Japan (82,800 MT), Peru (66,700 MT), and Saudi Arabia (65,400 MT). Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current outstanding balance totals 398,000 MT, all unknown destinations. Barley: Net sales of 100 MT for 2015/2016 were reported for South Korea. For 2016/2017, net sales of 1,100 MT were reported for Japan. There were no exports reported during the week. Sorghum: Net sales reductions of 100 MT for 2015/2016 resulted as increases for China (160,600 MT, including 106,000 MT switched from unknown destinations) and Mexico (3,600 MT), were more than offset by reductions for unknown destinations (159,000 MT) and Pakistan (5,300 MT). Exports of 142,900 MT were down 37 percent from the previous week and 9 percent from prior 4-week average. The destinations were China (110,600 MT), Pakistan (29,800 MT), and Mexico (2,600 MT). Rice: Net sales of 91,200 MT for 2015/2016 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 63 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases reported for South Korea (22,200 MT), Japan (22,000 MT), Colombia (17,000 MT), Haiti (12,000 MT), and Mexico (11,200 MT), were partially offset by reductions for unknown destinations (4,800 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 11,000 MT were reported for Japan. Exports of 84,300 MT, up 24 percent from the previous week and 29 percent from the prior 4-week average, were reported to Venezuela (30,000 MT), Haiti (12,000 MT), Guatemala (10,500 MT), South Korea (8,600 MT), and Honduras (7,500 MT). Exports for Own Account: The current outstanding balance totals 200 MT, all Canada. Soybeans: Net sales of 420,400 MT for 2015/2016 were up noticeably from the previous week and 2 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for unknown destinations (112,700 MT), Japan (106,000 MT, including 14,500 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 300 MT), Germany (66,200 MT, including 3,800 MT switched from the Netherlands), Mexico (66,100 MT), Indonesia (33,100 MT, including 25,000 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 100 MT), and Taiwan (20,100 MT). Reductions were reported for the Netherlands (3,800 MT) and Cuba (1,600 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 1,500 MT were reported for Japan. Exports of 322,500 MT were down 19 percent from the previous week and 54 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were China (70,300 MT), Germany (66,200 MT), Mexico (50,900 MT), Indonesia (49,800 MT), Colombia (22,900 MT), Japan (20,600 MT), and Cuba (14,400 MT). Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current outstanding balance totals 420,000 MT, all China. Exports for Own Account: The current outstanding balance totals 500 MT, all Canada. Export Adjustments: Accumulated exports to the Netherlands were adjusted down 66,232 MT for week ending March 24th. The correct destination is Germany and is included in this weeks report. Soybean Cake and Meal: Net sales of 23,300 MT for 2015/2016--a marketing-year low--were down 89 percent from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Guatemala (9,100 MT, including 7,900 MT switched from unknown destinations and 600 MT from El Salvador), Canada (6,100 MT), the Dominican Republic (4,000 MT), Belgium (3,800 MT), Trinidad (2,900 MT), Colombia (2,600 MT, including 400 MT switched from Ecuador), the Philippines (2,200 MT, including 500 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 100 MT), and Japan (1,100 MT). Reductions were reported for unknown destinations (5,200 MT), Mexico (5,000 MT), El Salvador (600 MT), and Ecuador (400 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 29,300 MT were reported for Mexico. Exports of 146,800 MT were down 32 percent from the previous week and 37 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (38,600 MT), the Philippines (35,800 MT), Colombia (27,900 MT), Canada (13,600 MT), Guatemala (12,600 MT), Nicaragua (5,100 MT), and Trinidad (3,100 MT). Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current outstanding balance totals 99,000 MT, all unknown destinations. Soybean Oil: Net sales reductions of 7,600 MT for 2015/2016--marketing-year low--were down noticeably from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. Increases reported for unknown destinations (11,000 MT), Mexico (700 MT), Nicaragua (300 MT), and China (100 MT), were more than offset by decreases for Canada (19,700 MT). Exports of 9,100 MT were down 74 percent from the previous week and 69 percent from the prior 4-week average. The destinations were primarily to Mexico (5,400 MT), Jamaica (3,500 MT), and Canada (100 MT). Cotton: Net upland sales totaling 210,900 RB for 2015/2016 were up noticeably from the previous week and 45 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Vietnam (69,000 RB, including 900 RB switched from Taiwan, 600 RB switched from Hong Kong and decreases of 300 RB), China (60,100 RB, including 100 RB switched from Japan and decreases of 200 RB), Turkey (28,500 RB), South Korea (18,900 RB), Pakistan (9,500 RB), Indonesia (6,500 RB, including 600 RB switched from Japan and decreases of 200 RB), and Thailand (4,300 RB, including 200 RB switched from Japan and decreases of 100 RB). Reductions were reported for El Salvador (1,300 RB), Nicaragua (700 RB), and Hong Kong (600 RB). For 2016/2017, net sales of 28,000 RB were reported primarily for Turkey (19,800 RB), Taiwan (6,200 RB), and Mexico (1,700 RB). Exports of 331,400 RB--a marketing-year high--were up 72 percent from the previous week and 59 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Vietnam (73,900 RB), Turkey (64,300 RB), China (28,600 RB), Pakistan (28,200 RB), Indonesia (21,700 RB), and South Korea (17,400 RB). Net sales of Pima totaling 13,200 RB for 2015/2016 were up 8 percent from the previous week and 1 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for China (4,700 RB), India (4,000 RB), Germany (2,400 RB), Pakistan (500 RB), and Mexico (500 RB). For 2016/2017, net sales of 700 RB were reported for India. Exports of 12,700 RB were down 6 percent from the previous week, but up 23 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were China (5,900 RB), India (4,000 RB), Pakistan (1,000 RB), and Germany (800 RB). Exports for Own Account: Exports for own account totaling 300 RB to China were applied to new or outstanding sales. The current outstanding balance of 40,700 RB is for China (35,100 RB) and Vietnam (5,600 RB). Hides and Skins: Net sales of 256,600 pieces for 2016 were down 18 percent from the previous week and 40 percent from the prior-4 week average. Whole cattle hide sales of 253,200 pieces were primarily for China (128,800 pieces), South Korea (69,000 pieces), Mexico (13,800 pieces), Italy (11,700 pieces), and Japan (10,900 pieces). Reductions were reported for Vietnam (100 pieces). Exports of 357,100 pieces were down 5 percent from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. Whole cattle hide exports of 356,100 pieces were primarily to China (242,900 pieces), South Korea (59,200 pieces), Mexico (20,800 pieces), Thailand (13,800 pieces), and Italy (9,500 pieces). Net sales of 90,500 wet blues for 2016 were up 46 percent from the previous week, but down 6 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for China (36,700 unsplit and 4,100 grain splits), Italy (30,300 unsplit), and Vietnam (17,100 unsplit). Reductions were reported for Vietnam (900 grain splits), Japan (200 grain splits), Hong Kong (200 grain splits and 100 unsplits), and South Korea (200 grain splits). Exports of 130,700 wet blues were down 2 percent from the previous week, but up 4 percent from the prior 4-week average. Exports were primarily to China (27,800 unsplit and 4,500 grain splits), Italy (28,700 unsplit and 1,800 grain splits), Vietnam (7,800 grain splits and 7,200 unsplit), and South Korea (8,700 grain splits and 4,400 unsplit). Net sales of splits totaling 1,055,100 pounds for 2016 reported for Italy (1,113,100 pounds), Hong Kong (50,000 pounds), and Vietnam (300 pounds), were partially offset by decreases for China (55,600 pounds) and South Korea (52,700 pounds). Exports of 1,561,100 pounds were reported to China (733,800 pounds), Italy (480,100 pounds), Vietnam (247,100 pounds), and Hong Kong (100,000 pounds). Beef: Net sales of 11,300 MT for 2016 were down 60 percent from the previous week and 17 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Japan (3,100 MT), South Korea (2,300 MT), Mexico (1,800 MT), Taiwan (1,600 MT), and Canada (1,000 MT). Exports of 11,600 MT were up 19 percent from the previous week and 5 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Japan (3,900 MT), South Korea (2,500 MT), Mexico (1,500 MT), Hong Kong (1,200 MT), and Canada (1,100 MT). Pork: Net sales of 26,500 MT for 2016 were up 8 percent from the previous week and 22 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases reported for China (15,400 MT), Mexico (3,500 MT), Japan (2,800 MT), Canada (1,900 MT), and South Korea (1,300 MT), were partially offset by reductions for Costa Rica (100 MT). Exports of 17,600 MT were up 9 percent from the previous week, but down 4 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (5,100 MT), Japan (4,100 MT), China (2,600 MT), South Korea (2,100 MT), and Canada (1,100 MT). Source : USDA Fayetteville mother says four charged in son's killing were his friends The mother-of-two is struggling to understand not just how her son could be gone so quickly, but why his friends turned on him. An increased urgency is growing around the world regarding the need to confront the deep-rooted problem of corruption. Prime Minister David Cameron plans to host a major international anti-corruption summit in London in May 2016 that will engage the global community on this issue. The Wilson Centers Rule of Law Initiative, in collaboration with Transparency International and Integrity Initiatives International, will preview the London summit and its potential both to refine and re-invigorate the global anti-corruption agenda. Mary Beth Goodman, Senior Director for Development and Democracy of the National Security Council, will address the United States international anti-corruption agenda and its goals for the London summit. She will be joined by Nick Dyer, Director General of International Development from the United Kingdom, as well as other prominent national and international experts. * * * Introductory Remarks: Blair Ruble Vice President for Programs, The Wilson Center The Honorable Mark L. Wolf Chair, Integrity Initiatives International and Non-Resident Distinguished Fellow, Wilson Center Keynote: Mary Beth Goodman Senior Director for Development and Democracy, National Security Council, USA Nick Dyer Director General, Policy and Global Programs, Department of International Development, UK Discussants: Nicholas Pinaud Deputy Head, OECD Sherpa Office and Global Governance Unit Shruti Shah Vice President, Programs and Operations, Transparency International-USA * * * Wednesday, April 13, 2016 2:00-3:30 pm Flom Auditorium, 6th floor Directions Wilson Center Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center One Woodrow Wilson Plaza 1300 Pennsylvania, Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20004 Phone: 202.691.4000 [email protected] Register Here. The Treasury Departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on Tuesday fined the Sparks Nugget $1 million after the casino admitted that it willfully violated the anti-money laundering (AML) provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act. Sparks Nugget egregiously and willfully violated AML program requirements, reporting obligations, and recordkeeping requirements, FinCEN said. Casinos are required to have effective AML programs. They have to maintain records of certain transactions and file reports relating to transactions in currency and suspicious transactions. Located in Sparks, Nevada, Sparks Nugget is an 84,000 square foot casino and a hotel with over 1,600 rooms in two towers. The Casino opened in 1955. In December 2013, after the AML violations occurred, Sparks Nugget, Inc. sold the casino property. FinCEN Director Jennifer Shasky Calvery said Tuesday: Despite the fact that it hosted convicted embezzlers and had been repeatedly alerted to suspicious transactions by its own [Bank Secrecy Act] compliance manager, Sparks saw no need to re-think its AML defenses. Sparks disregarded its compliance manager. FinCEN said, It chose not to file rightfully prepared Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and it instructed her to not interact with the Internal Revenue Services BSA auditors and prevented her from reviewing a copy of the completed exam report. Sparks Nugget also committed hundreds of recordkeeping violations and failed to report several Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) as well as SARs. Sparks Nugget had a management committee to determine whether to file SARs. The committee never held a single meeting, and some committee members were unaware that they were even on the committee, FinCEN said. The casino lacked any mechanism to document or otherwise account for decisions not to file SARs. Its managers maintained that no suspicious activity ever transpired in the millions of dollars of transactions that occurred at the casino. Like other modern casinos, Sparks Nugget could have implemented risk-based, information-driven compliance. Instead it used software systems to gather large amounts of information about its customers. The casino used this information to improve profits, to provide more personalized customer service, and to minimize the casinos business risk, FinCEN said. FinCENs Assessment of Civil Money Penalty In the Matter of Sparks Nugget, Inc. d/b/a John Ascuagas Nugget dated April 5, 2016 is here (pdf). _____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here. Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could use their India tour to highlight the plight of UK steel workers. Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Duchess Catherine will visit India and Bhutan next week on an official tour, and are due to meet up with business leaders in Mumbai and Indian politicians in Delhi, where they could mention the issue. Royal sources told the Daily Express newspaper that the couple and their advisers are "monitoring" the "crisis" - which sees 15,000 jobs at Mumbai-based firm Tata Steel's UK-based workforce hang in the balance with the sale of British steelworks due to begin on Monday (11.04.16). However, the prince and duchess are not due to meet anyone from Tata Steel. The royal couple - who have children, Prince George, two, and 11-month-old Princess Charlotte - will fly to Mumbai on April 10, where they will begin their week-long visit to the country, and nearby Bhutan. As well as Mumbai, William and Catherine will visit India's capital, New Delhi, and Gandhi Smriti, where India's founding father Mahatma Gandhi spent the last few years of his life. They will also meet more youngsters in Kaziranga, Assam, and go to the National Park before heading to Bhutan, where they will be treated to a ceremonial welcome in the country's capital of Thimphu. The royal couple will then return to India, where they will take in the famous Taj Mahal in Agra on their final day. Finally coming to UK screens tonight (April 7), You're The Worst is the hot new hit comedy from the US starring British actor Chris Geere as lead character Jimmy. Chris Geere as Jimmy in You're The Worst We got the chance to chat to Chris about differences working in the US and UK, some of his favourite comedy shows and much more... What is the main thing you've noticed from working in the US compared to the UK? The main difference is the wonderful thing called Kraft service, which I don't believe they have on many comedies in England. It is a little van in America that you can go to and make your own sandwich. And there's all these treats, and by the end of season one I'd put on half a stone so season two I decided to curb that a little bit. The main difference for me was the weather. Because I remember doing Waterloo Road and driving to work Monday to Friday, sideways rain, and there was weather cover, so if it rained, which it did every day we had to go inside. In America, there's no such thing. You're always outside, it was brilliant. The American people have been so welcoming, so it's exactly the same as it is in England; you have a family of people and you're working together to produce this wonderful piece. So that's quite similar. In terms of the style do you think there's more different types of comedy? It depends on the piece. I think there are quite slapstick-y comedies in both countries. What makes You're The Worst different is that it doesn't have one identifiable tone. It can be slapstick one minute and then quite heartfelt and emotional at other points. This is the first comedy I've ever done that has allowed us to go [with] all the emotions in one episode. Where do you see British and American comedies going? In the same direction? Yeah I hope so. I hope they all just become more real. I like studio sitcoms but there's a part of me that thinks they've had their day and I like to see real people and real relationships and relatable situations now, and I think that people like Ricky Gervais have changed that, changed comedy for the better and for good. In terms of the actors you've worked with both in the UK and US, how were their processes different? Everyone has different processes. Every actor does, and the first couple of weeks is working on what the process is and how, from my point of view, how you fit in with their process rather than them trying to fit in with yours. Everyone has a different process. I remember working on UK projects and people would learn their lines on the morning of the scene and that's the same in America. Other people would learn their lines four weeks in advance, that's the same in America as well. Collaborating with three brand new people with an American delivery is different. It does feel different to English deliver and there were points in the first few episodes where I thought maybe I was being too broad, too big but actually when you watch it back, I'm just being British. As Jimmy I need to articulate every single thing, that's important. I'm really not a fan of slurring. I think anyone who performs; I think with cinema these days, there's a tendency for people not to be audible. And it works for some people, but I like articulation. In terms of the writing, what are the main differences you see between when you get a British and an American script? I've worked with some incredible writers over here that I'm proud that I have worked with but Stephen Faulk is, not only a great writer and a funny man, he's a very intelligent man. He knows these characters inside out whereas some writers may just write jokes in England, but not necessarily know the character back to front. But from what I've experienced from Steve's writing, every word is said for a reason because only that character would say those things. I think on some British comedies, anyone could play those parts but in American sitcoms, why the casting process is so long is because they have to find that specific actor for that role. But I still think British comedy is superb and it's changing all the time which I think is really important. Finally what is your favourite British and American comedy? Favourite British comedy is still The Office, and favourite American comedy is You're The Worst! You're the Worst, tonight at 10pm on 5STAR. by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor have fuelled speculation they have got back together. Millie Mackintosh The brunette beauty, who split from rapper husband Professor Green in February, and her former 'Made in Chelsea' co-star - who she dated in 2011 - are rumoured to have reconciled after they were spotted together arriving at her home on Sunday (03.04.16). An onlooker said: "They've been spending a lot of time with each other recently, really enjoying each other's company and after a day out on Sunday they decided to go back to Millie's pad. They had a great night together and it looks like they are officially back on after all these years apart." The rumoured couple were also said to have shared a sneaky smooch at the British Polo Day event in Dubai last month. While Millie has only recently split from Pro Green - who she married in September 2013 - the rapper is said to have given the pair his blessing. A friend told The Sun newspaper: "When he saw the pictures, Stephen joked 'Ugo Girl!' He's got no issues with it. He's totally cool with the situation." After dating during the first series of 'Made in Chelsea' in 2011, Hugo and Millie split later that year, and in the show's second series she found out he had got with her pal Rosie Fortescue behind her back. Millie went on to date Pro Green and the pair were married six months after their March 2013 engagement, but sadly split earlier this year. In a joint statement, they said: "It is with sadness and regret that we confirm our separation. "It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well." Hugo dated Natalie Joel for more than two years, but the pair called time on their relationship in June 2014, just a year after she admitted in an interview she was keen to get married and had been looking at engagement rings. Confirming their split at the time, Hugo said: "Natalie and I love each other unconditionally and are taking some time apart to concentrate on our own lives and careers." Fit preference specialist Fits.me has further strengthened its position within the retail technology market with the appointment of Mike Kimberley as Chief Technology Officer following its summer acquisition by Rakuten, Inc. Kimberley has been appointed to drive the development of its recommendation tools and ensure all product progress is aligned to the overall strategy and growth and global ambitions of the company's business. Kimberley said, I'm excited about the new challenge that being part of Fits.me will bring. Joining forces with Rakuten really puts the business in a position to achieve its ambitions. I'm looking forward to working with the team to further enhance the products and technology we offer our clients and to transforming the search and discovery process for consumers, both in the UK and around the world. Fit preference specialist Fits.me has further strengthened its position within the retail technology market with the appointment of Mike Kimberley as # Previously at Play.com, also owned by Rakuten, Inc., Kimberley brings with him a wealth of experience following a long career in development and technology, including roles at Enron, Arthur Andersen and The Financial Times. Stuart Simms, CEO, Fits.me said, Our acquisition by Rakuten last summer presented us with a fantastic opportunity to fulfil Fits.me's potential and continue its market leadership. Mike's appointment will allow us to make the jump that will allow the technology team to develop, ensuring we continue to deliver the expert service and technology that our clients have come to expect. (HO) Fits.me Yes you read it right! Ex-lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Deeepika Padukone will reunite for Karan Johar's next film. According to Spotboye.com, the film, revolves around a couple that goes on a road trip and how it changes their perspective. KJo is mighty impressed with the story and has approached his Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani lead stars for the film. It remains undecided whether Karan will direct the film himself. Click On VIEW PHOTOS TO See More Unseen Pics Of Ranbir & Deepika Many stories came out when Deepika Padukone was spotted on Ranbir Kapoor terrace. It was also said that Ranbir specially went to meet Deepika abroad where she was shooting for her first Hollywood project. Best Friends Forever! Shahrukh Khan's Hot Wife Gauri Khan's Unseen Pictures With Buddy Karan Johar But later it was revealed that they both are going to star in another film soon. Talking about the same a source told a leading website, "Deepika isn't getting back to Ranbir nor is she trying to make any patch up happen between him and Katrina. There might be a possibility that the two might come together for a film and that was being discussed between them." The source further added, "Ranveer Singh has nothing to worry. In fact Deepika and Ranveer are as good as being engaged. Both their families are extremely fond of each other and there is no scope for an ex-lover issue cropping up to damage their equation. Ranveer is very much aware of Deepika meeting Ranbir and he's extremely cool about it." Well, Deepika & Ranbir are our favourite on-screen couple and we are super excited to see them together again on the silver screen! Today (April 7, 2016), we have reported you that lovebirds Bipasha Basu & Karan Singh Grover have announced their wedding officially and they are all set to take their marriage vows on April 30, 2016. OMG! This Hot Beauty Is Ali Zafar's Wife Ayesha Fazli! Now, a few hours ago Bipasha shared her pre-wedding photoshoot with partner Karan Singh Grover and guys, the picture is way too romantic. In the picture, Bipasha & Karan are damn adorable and we can't stop gushing about their sizzling chemistry in the picture. Click On VIEW PHOTOS To Check Out All The Pics Here: Bipasha captioned the picture as saying, "We are happy to finally share the good news with everyone. April 30, 2016 is the big day and we cannot thank our family, friends, fans and well wishers enough for all their love and support. The wedding will be a private intimate affair. Our deepest gratitude for respecting our privacy this far. We hope to have your continued blessings and warm wishes as we embark on this new journey together. Priyanka Chopra was one of the first celebs to congratulate Bipasha and Karan on Twitter. She said, "I'm truly so happy for my friend @bipsluvurself n her handsome bridegroom to be @Iamksgofficial Ure a golden heart..u deserve so much n more." On which Bipasha replied, "Will miss you.Thank you sweetheart! Hugs! " The love birds are busy with the wedding preparations and have already begun sending out the invites. Reportedly, it will be an intimate Bengali-style wedding at Bipasha's Khar residence which will be attended by close family and friends from both sides, on the wedding day. Bipasha has even hired a wedding planner to plan her big day. Darshan's Jaggu Dada is slated to hit the marquee in May. The action cum romantic movie is directed and produced by Raghavendra Hegde. We all know that, Jaggu Dada and team have headed to Italy for song shooting. The latest reports about the movie is, "Jaggu Dada is the first Kannada movie to be shot in Pompeii, Italy". A few pics of Darshan and Deeksha Seth sizzling for a song was recently seen on the social media. The actors looked extremely hot and beautiful together, though they are pairing up for the first time. Jaggu Dada and team are on a high! The film-makers are happy that, they are completed the song shooting in picture-perfect locations in Italy, the city of love. The two songs between the lead pair has been shot in Vespa, Matera and in the surrounding areas. "For the first time, an Indian film was shot in Pompeii. The location has not yet been explored by any film-maker. It is situated near the coast of the Bay of Naples that features excavated ruins buried after the volcanic eruption". Also Read: 'Jaggu Dada', Darshan Is In Love With Italy! He added,"We managed to seek permission from the government of Italy and we were charged 5 lakh a day of shooting. We didn't mind paying a hefty sum because of the extraordinary location", says the debut director Raghavendra Hegde. Like every other Kannada movie, even Darshan's Jaggu Dada and team have something new which will be released on April 8, as a gift for the Ugadi festival. The makers are planning for a big audio launch in May and the movie is slated to release in the same month. Continue to see unseen and hot pics of Deeksha Seth below.... Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp emerged as the winner on Thursday from a fierce fight to buy Barclayss private banking business in Singapore and Hong Kong with a $320 million (S$434 million) cash bid. The auction was a rare case of all three of Singapores major banks OCBC Bank, DBS and United Overseas Bank competing head-to-head. Contestants were seemingly not put off by Chinas crackdown on wealthy citizens sending money overseas either to Hong Kong or Singapore, nor by the intense scrutiny of offshore wealth management structures in the wake of the leaked Panama papers. Barclays's Asian private banking arm has had relationships with more than half of the top-50 names on Forbes China Billionaires List, according to OCBC's presentation explaining the rationale for the deal. One person familiar with OCBCs thinking said the Singaporean bank wanted to benefit more from the long-term wealth creation in China and to diversify its exposure across the region so as to weather national regulatory changes more easily. The deal also comes as private banks in Asia fight to recruit each others relationship managers, the people who talk to and manage the personal finances of the growing ranks of Asias billionaires. UBS and Citigroup run the biggest private banks in Asia, while third-ranked Credit Suisse is rapidly filling out its ranks of relationship managers. They come from everywhere, said chief executive officer Tidjane Thiam when asked by FinanceAsia on Tuesday whether he had targeted Barclayss private bankers. Standard Chartered had already picked off last December Didier von Daeniken, who was the head of Barclayss private banking business for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Bank Julius Baer, which also bid for the Asian private banking business of Barclays, said on Thursday that it had hired David Shick to head of private banking for Greater China, poaching him from Credit Suisse where he was most recently private banking market leader for China and Taiwan. In the fight for the Barclays' unit, OCBC and UOB were looking to bulk up their teams of relationship managers while DBS was playing defensive, looking to lock out its rivals, according to one of the people involved in the deal. Barclays had 88 private banking relationship managers with an average tenure at the British bank of more than five years. Following the completion of the acquisition, OCBCs private banking unit, Bank of Singapore, will employ about 400 relationship managers, more than its rival DBS. The Barclays unit had more than 1,800 clients, with assets under management of $18.3 billion as of December 31, which will boost Bank of Singapores AUM by 33.3% to $73.3 billion, propelling it into the region's top-10 private banks in Asia by AUM. In 2015 it was eleventh in the Asian Private Banker rankings. The consolidation of Asias private banking industry is partly driven by the need to achieve efficiencies of scale. Cost-to-income ratios, a key valuation measure for private banks, are between 70% and 80% in the US and Europe. In Asia, these rise to between 80% and 95%, according to a study by consultancy services firm Accenture. Commissions make up nearly half of all private bank revenues in Asia in contrast to a more stable and mature industry such as Switzerland's private banks, which is founded on asset management fees as old-moneyed families look to transfer their wealth to the next generation in an often-complicated fashion. How to value a relationship? OCBCs offer looks to be in line with other recent deals in Asian private banking and a lot cheaper than its previous acquisition of ING's Asian private banking business. The purchase price will equal 1.75% of the AUM that are transferred to Bank of Singapore upon completion of the transaction. Credit Suisse advised OCBC on the deal, Lazard advised Barclays. In comparison, OCBC paid the equivalent of 3.4% of AUM when it acquired ING's Asian private banking business for $1.46 billion in 2009. However at that time, OCBC was starting from scratch in private banking and as a result paid a premium to acquire the franchise. In March 2014, DBS said it bought Societe Generales Asian private banking business in Singapore and Hong Kong for $220 million in cash, or about 1.75% of AUM based on SocGens Asian AUM of $12.6 billion as of December 31, 2013. And when Julius Baer acquired Bank of America Merrill Lynchs wealth management division outside of the US it paid 1.2% of the eventual AUM transferred. But the portfolio was not entirely Asian and Julius Baer paid integration costs upfront which if factored in would push the purchase ratio up to around 1.5% of AUM, estimates one person familiar with the matter. Source: RBC/Cap Gemini report Keeping relationships warm The key to a successful deal for OCBC will be its ability to keep hold of Barclayss relationship managers in Asia. OCBC Bank said it has experience in the best ways to retain staff based on its purchase of ING Asia Private Bank, which it acquired in 2010 and renamed Bank of Singapore and Wing Hang Bank, which it bought in 2014. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to OCBC Banks earnings per share and return on equity after the first year. The transaction is subject to the approval of the Singapore High Court for the transfer of the Singapore business. OCBC expects the transaction to complete towards the end of 2016. OCBC is looking to deepen its presence in its four core markets Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China and particularly in its wealth management business. This platform comprises private banking services offered by Bank of Singapore, life insurance by Great Eastern Holdings, asset management by Lion Global Investors, brokerage services by OCBC Securities, as well as other wealth management products and services offered by the bank. OCBC Banks consolidated wealth management income across its group of companies has grown steadily over the years. That income reached S$2.35 billion ($1.74 billion) in 2015, up 6% from a year ago, and amounted to 27% of the OCBC groups total income. We see attractive value in Barclayss strong and complementary private banking client base in Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as in its experienced and service-oriented wealth management team, OCBC Banks CEO Samuel Tsien said in a statement. India will probably begin merging its 27 public sector banks by next year, with Bank of Baroda among the likely consolidators, its executive chairman Ravi Venkatesan said on Thursday. Speaking to FinanceAsia at Credit Suisses 19th annual Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong, the former chief executive officer of Microsoft India predicted that the Indian government would look to strengthen the struggling institutions by melding them into larger entities. The government has come to the conclusion you cant have 27 public sector banks, he said. "The point of view is emerging that consolidation is inevitable and necessary. Venkatesan said this is because there are simply too many poorly managed banks in India for the government to revitalise. The capital cost alone would be huge. New Delhi has said that it will invest $10 billion over four years to support public sector banks but Venkatesan said that much more will probably be required, citing Credit Suisse estimates that they will need up to $45 billion by 2019. I think that figure is much closer to the mark, he said. Venkatesan added that the government would be unlikely to seek to inject new capital into unreformed lenders. Theres no point in handing new capital to badly managed banks; it will just be a waste of capital, he said. Bank of Baroda is likely to be at the forefront of the expected change given that the Indian government of Narendra Modi only installed Venkatesan as chairman and PS Jaykumar as CEO in October with an explicit mandate to turn the bank around. In effect, Bank of Baroda is a test case for public sector bank reform. The government asked me to come and do an experiment to fix the Bank of Baroda, Venkatesan said. Its an experiment that we cannot afford to fail. Venkatesan was the head of Microsoft India for eight years before being approached for his new role. I was brought on board to both manage the board and to help instal governance procedures into the bank, he said. Owning up Indias public lenders have long struggled due to a combination of poor lending practices and weak insolvency proceedings, but also because governments at all levels often regarded the banks as easy sources of funding for favoured projects or companies. Weve often been referred to as piggy banks or ATMs [for politicians], Venkatesan said. This has led to a surge in non-performing loans even as these banks have lost market share to their nimbler, more aggressive private sector rivals. The public sector banks constitute 75% of the overall bank market [in terms of assets] but the private sector banks make 50% of the profits, Venkatesan said. And their market share is growing. They accounted for 50% of new loans so far this year. Rating agency Crisil, which is affiliated to Standard & Poors, estimated in early March that weak assets held by public sector banks would rise to hit 11.3% of their total loans by the end of March, 2017. It also predicted that many of the lenders will report losses for the financial year just concluded to March-end and over the next 12 months as well. Under its new leadership, Bank of Baroda has come as clean as possible about its bad loan exposure. It reported a whopping Rp33.4 billion ($496.19 million) loss for the final quarter of 2015, the largest quarterly loss ever reported by an Indian bank. The drop was due to gross non-performing assets rising 64.2% from the previous quarter to Rp389.3 billion, or 9.68% of total assets. Venkatesan admitted that the result for the last financial quarter of the 2015/2016 fiscal year were likely to be pretty unpleasant too. Litmus test Bank of Baroda is the nations second-largest public sector bank after State Bank of India. Venkatesan said the lender was chosen by the government as a litmus test of reform because it had better general metrics and clients than most its public sector peers, plus a 5,330 domestic branch network that is largely focused upon more economically vibrant areas of the country. Turning the bank around will take a combination of wholesale retraining of internal managers, implementing more rigorous governance standards in hand with support from better information technology, plus far more centralisation and improvement of loan approvals and risk management. We can use technology to create big data and analytics, Venkatesan said. It can highlight risk fraud and patterns. Our CEO is obsessed with it. Of course, turning the bank around also needs politicians to recognise the importance of leaving the lenders alone, but this is something Venkatesan says the new government most definitely does. The bank is conducting a top-to-bottom review of its strategy, considering what business areas or clients fail to yield enough returns, and which profitable areas it could improve its exposure to. He points to trade finance low risk but low return as one example of the former. In addition, the bank is looking to sell non-core assets, such as its 18.5% stake in UTI Mutual Fund, Indias oldest mutual fund, and recalibrating its overseas branch network of 106 offices, potentially pulling back from some countries or regions and expanding others. Why do we need a branch in Nassau [the capital of the Bahamas]? he said. Instead, maybe we should double down on London or Dubai. Bankruptcy hopes One way Venkatesan believes the government can also raise capital for the banks is to sell further shares in them. We are currently 57%-owned by the government and it could reduce this to 52%, which is the current legal minimum, after our share price begins to recover, he said. With a change in the law, New Delhi could even cut its stake to a minority, while remaining the largest overall owner. Venkatesan said it could do this by issuing non-voting shares, for example. In addition to bank consolidation and recapitalisation, Venkatesan also looks forward to the Indian parliament finally passing a comprehensive bankruptcy law, to make it easier to force companies into insolvency and restructure their debt. He would also like to see a professional debt management agency. Its not a core competence of the bank and takes a long time, and then you have joint lending consortia as well, and if you negotiate a settlement then there is the spectre of money having changed hands, he said. Its better for state agency to deal with it. But ultimately Venkatesan said he has one key goal: improving Bank of Barodas people. Ive worked in a lot of different businesses but the one constant between them all has been people. To raise the talent at Bank of Baroda the management has chosen 500 assistant general managers, the sort of people likely to become the next leaders, and is putting them through 18 months of intensive training, which includes mentoring, training, and assessments such as making them conduct and execute tough projects. Were putting them through intensive personal development. They are the heart of this transformation, Venkatesan said. WASHINGTON Answering critics who claim the Labor Department caved to industry interests in issuing its final fiduciary rule, a top official countered that the new regulations will result in major reform," while not ruling out additional government action. The department will closely monitor the rule as it is implemented, "and if we think there is some continued abuse that hasn't been adequately addressed, we'll figure out what to do," Timothy Hauser, a deputy assistant labor secretary, told Financial Planning. "It's a very complicated marketplace, so we are going to deal with whatever problems [that arise] as they come up. By the same token, if we see that there's something in the rule that is having an unintended consequence, we are going to look to deal with that, too." Hauser's comments came in response to concern from some quarters that the department caved to pressure from the industry on key issues. "No added fee breakdowns, no restrictions on proprietary schlock products, no limit on selling with conflicts. The Street wins (again)," Josh Brown, an advisor with Ritholtz Wealth Management in New York who blogs at thereformedbroker.com, tweeted shortly after the rule's release. "My initial read on the DoL's final Fiduciary Rule: Literally nothing changes." In an email, Brown declined to elaborate. 'DISAPPOINTED' Ric Edelman, founder of Edelman Financial, also expressed concern that the rule no longer bans certain high-fee products in retirement accounts, as it had in an earlier draft. "I'm disappointed," he said. Read more: DoL Amends Fiduciary Rule in Bid to Ease Industry Concerns Hauser countered: "The rule itself should take care of that," noting any products sold to investors in their retirement accounts still must comply with the mandate that advisors put their clients financial interests before their own. The change was made, Hauser explains, because regulators wanted to avoid the risk of clients taking heavy losses by exiting certain investments precipitously, such as some annuities or nontraded REITs. "We didn't want to create a rush for the door," he says. The extended timeline for the rule's implementation also dismayed some experts. Many expected the department to require full implementation before a new president is sworn in in January. Instead, advisors and firms must come into full compliance by January 2018. POLITICAL RISK? "Im generally in favor of long phase-in periods, especially for such a massive change as this DoL rule may entail," says Ron Rhoades, a former chairman-elect of NAPFA, "but this reasonable accommodation to the industry means that a Republican, if elected president, will likely do away with this DoL rule, in much the same [way] as President Obama suspended the fiduciary rule enacted under President Bush, which had not yet been implemented. Terry Anderson, an LPL-affiliated retirement plan advisor who attended the Labor Departments press conference, believes regulators had no choice but to give the industry more time. "I think a short time frame would have made compliance impossible," Anderson said. "For example, when I had to repaper 50 retirement plans from commission-based to fee-based, it took about two years to meet with plan sponsors to implement those changes." As to any political upheaval the rule might face, Hauser says there's no way to prevent this possibility regardless of when it is fully implemented. "That was always the case," Hauser says. Read more: MELBOURNE, Australia, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Screen-Magic, a leading mobile media, and communication solution provider, will be exhibiting two of its flagship solutions; SMS-Magic and SMS-Magic-Stories at the Salesforce World Tour, Melbourne, on 12 April 2016. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150910/763156 ) The Salesforce 'World Tour Melbourne' is one of the biggest Salesforce events in Australia where Salesforce ISV partners get a chance to showcase their latest innovations. "Australia is a key market for us; we're excited about being a sponsor and exhibit at Salesforce World Tour Melbourne, 2016. We will be demonstrating our product SMS-Magic and a few new innovative solutions to help our customers have seamless interaction with their customers, increase retention and raise process efficiency," said Karan Seth, Director Sales & Partner Alliances, Screen-Magic. Screen-Magic is one of Salesforce's top ISV partners in the APAC region and a regular participant in various Salesforce events. "After a considerable success in events such as Dreamforce and Salesforce Higher Ed Summit, we are looking forward to World Tour Melbourne. This event is a perfect opportunity for us to interact with our customers in Australia, demonstrate our solutions and learn from customer experiences about ways to enhance our products and services further for the market," said Nitin Seth, CEO, and Co-Founder, Screen Magic Mobile Media. SMS-Magic is the highest recommended and most rated enterprise texting solution on Salesforce, with over 900 customers across the globe. SMS-Magic facilitates text automation with workflow rules and scheduling SMS campaigns with standard or custom text templates, from within Salesforce. It has a vast portfolio of clients spread across different verticals including educational institutions, recruitment firms, BFSI, real estate companies, NGOs, etc. To Schedule a Meeting with SMS-Magic at World Tour Melbourne, Click Here or Text "WTMEET, First Name, Company Email ID" to 61427142795 (Australia) and 36343 (USA) Date: 12 April 2016 Venue: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2 Clarendon Street, South Wharf Victoria, Melbourne (Google Map) Booth No: 15 About Screen-Magic Screen-Magic is a leading mobile media and communication solution provider helping businesses communicate effectively, with their consumers. Passionate about offering convenient ways to reduce cost, increase operational efficiency and delighting users, Screen-Magic is a privately held company with more than 70 mobility experts and offices in U.S & India. Screen-Magic is one of the top ISV partners for Salesforce in the APAC region. With over 900 customers. SMS-Magic is the most popular texting application on the Salesforce Appexchange. You can book a demo of SMS-Magic at - http://www.screen-magic.com/book-a-demo/ Contact Screen-Magic Mobile Media Koeli Chatterjee Manager Marketing and Communication koeli@screen-magic.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/06/16 -- Stetson Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: SSN) has negotiated an amendment (the "Amendment") to the debenture previously entered into with Irati Energy Corp. ("Irati") on February 27, 2015 pursuant to which Stetson purchased a $2 million convertible debenture from Irati (the "Debenture"). Under the terms of the Amendment, the Debenture maturity date will be extended to August 27, 2016. In exchange for extending the maturity date, Irati has agreed to, among other things, pay Stetson a fee of $200,000 and to appoint a full time Chief Executive Officer satisfactory to Stetson. All other terms and conditions of the Debenture remain in effect. About Stetson Stetson is a junior oil and gas company with a carried interest in an exploration asset in Colombia. About Irati Irati Energy Corp. is a private Ontario company with an oil shale development project located in Southern Brazil targeting 8,000 bbl/d of initial production. It is strategically located in a producing basin with 25 MMbbls of oil produced by operating PetroSix plant within Irati formation over the last 25 years. The company controls 100% of a 3,100 KM2 land position that contains 93,000m of historic drilling. Oil produced from the Irati oil shale is considered a premium product for the regional industrial market with no refining or pipelines required. It historically demonstrates consistent revenue integrity, trading at a significant premium to Brent. Regulatory Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the terms and conditions of the Amendment and disclosure related to Irati. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Stetson, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate acquired properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the oil and gas industry. Although Stetson has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Stetson does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Contacts: Stetson Oil & Gas Ltd. Fred Leigh President & CEO +1 (416) 861-5933 fleigh@forbesmanhattan.com SEOUL (dpa-AFX) - South Korean conglomerate Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.OB, SSNNF.OB, SMSN.L) said that it expects operating profit for the first-quarter of 2016 to increase about 10 percent year-over year and sales to rise about 4 percent. Quarterly operating profit is projected to increase sequentially, while sales are expected to decline from the preceding quarter. The company estimates operating profit for the first-quarter to be about 6.6 trillion won. The outlook represent a 10 percent increase from the company's year-ago quarter operating profit of 6.0 trillion won, represents a 8.2 percent sequential increase from fourth-quarter operating profit of 6.1 trillion won. Samsung projects first-quarter sales to increase 4.03 percent to 49.00 trillion won from last year's sales of 47.1 trillion won. But, sales are expected to decline 8.07 percent sequentially from the previous quarter's sales of 53.3 trillion won. 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. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar retreated from early highs against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday. The Australian dollar fell to a 2-day low of 82.85 against the yen, from an early 2-day high of 83.73. Against the U.S., the euro and the Canadian dollars, the aussie dropped to 0.7587, 1.5022 and 0.9932 from early 2-day highs of 0.7629, 1.4951 and 0.9969, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 81.00 against the yen, 0.74 against the greenback, 1.54 against the euro and 0.98 against the loonie. 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. WARSAW, Poland, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Syncron, the global leader in aftermarket service optimization, announced today that it was awarded the title Best Company To Work For by Great Place To Work, the global authority on building, sustaining and recognizing high-trust organizational cultures. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160405/351707 ) "This is a great honor," said Annika Thunberg, Head of Employee Success at Syncron. "Great company cultures don't just happen. They are created through an intentional investment in employees. This award is a strong sign our employees embrace our corporate culture and enjoy being members of the successful Syncron team" "We want all of our employees to look forward to going into our offices, located around the world, every day," said Anders Gruden, Syncron CEO. "We want them to be excited about the possibilities, the next challenge and the next win. When our employees enjoy what they are doing, we create great products and superior customer experiences. Hiring the best talent and developing a positive and creative environment enables us to deliver beyond our customers' expectations." "It is a great honor for me to be part of the Syncron's team," said Tomasz UrbaA"ski, MD at Syncron Poland. "Our ultimate goal at Syncron is to create a workplace that places a high value on transparency, honesty, integrity and trust. I strongly believe that this type of culture fosters creativity and allows us to serve our customers' needs in the best possible way." Syncron has taken part in the Trust Index Employee Survey from Great Place To Work since 2006. The work with Great Place to Work is an integral part of Syncron strategy. About Syncron Syncron is the global leader in cloud-based aftermarket service optimization. Syncron enable companies in the manufacturing and distribution industries to create a superior customer experiences and improved financial performance. Out of its 12 offices across the globe, Syncron combines a passion for innovation, business process expertise, and a global collaborative workforce to deliver immediate and measurable improvements for its clients. For more information, visit us online at http://www.syncron.com . Media Contact Global Annika Thunberg, Global Head of Employee Success, Syncron Phone: +46-703-72-92-20 E-mail: annika.thunberg@syncron.com Poland Tomasz Urbanski, Managing Director Syncron Poland Phone: +48-663-430-405 E-mail: tomasz.urbanski@syncron,com NEW YORK, NEW YORK and TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- TouchBistro, the leading iPad point-of-sale (POS) solution for restaurants in 35 countries, is now seamlessly integrated with iZettle, the number one mobile payments provider in Europe and Latin America. The award-winning TouchBistro solution is designed to work as the heart and operating system of a restaurant. It streamlines operational efficiencies, and helps to improve the bottom line and overall customer experience. Servers use the TouchBistro app to take customer orders tableside, or while patrons are in line, and instantly transmits them to the kitchen or bar for preparation. Bills are automatically calculated and split according to the patrons' requests. iZettle offers an easy way for restaurants to process card payments using mini credit card chip and pin and contactless Readers. With iZettle integration, bills totaled by TouchBistro are automatically processed using the iZettle iPad chip and pin or contactless card readers. This provides the greatest payment convenience and security for patrons, while eliminating staff time for manual bill re-entry and lost revenues due to bill calculation errors. "Our commitment to our customers is to continue innovating by adding new features and support for technologies that address both their current and future needs," said Alex Barrotti, CEO and founder of TouchBistro. "iZettle offers unbeatable payment processing technology and service in Europe, and we are proud to partner with them to offer restaurants a seamless integration as we broaden our reach across the continent." The iZettle service was first launched in Sweden in the summer of 2011 and is now available to individuals and small businesses across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, The United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, France, Mexico and Brazil. New restaurants that sign up for iZettle can choose to receive a "Card Reader Lite" or "Card Reader Pro Contactless" for free. TouchBistro features a full suite of cloud reporting tools to further streamline restaurant operations, from seating and scheduling to inventory, payroll, and sales analysis. Total revenue and cost aggregate is calculated by TouchBistro as an end-of-day summary that can be broken out into the categories that work best for the restaurant - such as food, liquor, soft drinks, and dessert - for sales analysis, inventory restocking, and business accounting. The TouchBistro app first launched in English, and is now also available in French and Spanish, supported by free 24/7 world-wide customer service by phone and email. The TouchBistro app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store for a free 30-day trial that can be converted to a no-contract subscription. About TouchBistro With offices in New York and Toronto, TouchBistro is a leader in iPad point-of-sale technology for restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, and other food and drink venues. The TouchBistro app has been ranked as the number one top-grossing food and beverage app in 35 countries on the Apple App Store(SM ). TouchBistro was named Best POS System for Restaurants by Business News Daily in its annual review of dozens of point-of-sale (POS) systems and International App of the Year 2015 by Best in Biz Awards. TouchBistro offers a 30-day free trial that can be converted to a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.touchbistro.com. Contacts: Media Contact: Kari Wise Echo PR for TouchBistro kari@echo-communications.com +1 818.588.8074 The Supervisory Board of Delta Lloyd has nominated Mr John Lister and Mr Paul Nijhof for appointment to the Supervisory Board at the General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 19 May 2016. Mr John Lister (56) has broad experience in the insurance sector. As the CFO of Aviva UK Life, he has extensive Board experience of a large British life insurance company. In addition, as the former Group Chief Risk Officer for Aviva Plc, he has ample and relevant risk management expertise. Mr Paul Nijhof (50) has extensive experience in the management of consumer operations with a strong focus on online, e-commerce, digital marketing and big data, including as CEO of RFS Holland Holding and Wehkamp. The Works Council used its enhanced right of recommendation to recommend Mr Paul Nijhof. The Executive Board and the Works Council support the nominations. The proposed appointments of Mr John Lister and Mr Paul Nijhof have been approved by the Dutch Central Bank. The abridged CV of both candidates is enclosed with the notes to the agenda of the annual General Meeting, which were published today on www.deltalloyd.com (https://www.deltalloyd.com/en/investor-relations/annual-general-meeting/). Press release (http://hugin.info/142905/R/2001405/738434.pdf) This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Delta Lloyd via Globenewswire HUG#2001405 Regulatory News: Mainstay Medical International plc (Mainstay or the Company, Euronext Paris: MSTY.PA and ESM of the Irish Stock Exchange: MSTY.IE), a medical device company focused on bringing to market ReActiv8, an implantable neurostimulation system to treat disabling Chronic Low Back Pain, announces that Peter Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, is to present at the Innovation in Medtech Dublin 2016 Conference, to be held on 12 14 April 2016 at The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Mr. Crosby will present on Wednesday 13 April from 9.00am BST. The presentation will be made available on the Company's website shortly after the meeting at: http://www.mainstay-medical.com/investors/presentations. In addition, Peter Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, and Hugh Kavanagh, Chief Financial Officer, will attend the 9th Kempen Life Sciences Conference in Amsterdam on Thursday 7 April 2016. If you would like to meet with Mainstay management at either of these events, please contact the event organizers or investor-relations@mainstay-medical.com End About Mainstay Mainstay is a medical device company focused on bringing to market an innovative implantable neurostimulation system, ReActiv8, for people with disabling Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP). The Company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. It has subsidiaries operating in Ireland, the United States and Australia, and is listed on Euronext Paris (MSTY.PA) and the ESM of the Irish Stock Exchange (MSTY.IE). About Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) One of the recognised root causes of CLBP is impaired control by the nervous system of the muscles that dynamically stabilise the spine in the lower back, and an unstable spine can lead to back pain. ReActiv8 is designed to electrically stimulate the nerves responsible for contracting these muscles and thereby help to restore muscle control and improve dynamic spine stability, allowing the body to recover from CLBP. People with CLBP usually have a greatly reduced quality of life and score significantly higher on scales for pain, disability, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Their pain and disability can persist despite the best available medical treatments, and only a small percentage of cases result from an identified pathological condition or anatomical defect that may be correctable with spine surgery. Their ability to work or be productive is seriously affected by the condition and the resulting days lost from work, disability benefits and health resource utilisation put a significant burden on individuals, families, communities, industry, and governments. Further information can be found at www.mainstay-medical.com ReActiv8 is an investigational device and is not approved for commercialization anywhere in the world. CAUTION in the United States, ReActiv8 is limited by federal law to investigational use only View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160406006225/en/ Contacts: Mainstay Medical PR and IR Enquiries: Consilium Strategic Communications (international strategic communications business and trade media) Chris Gardner, Mary-Jane Elliott, Jessica Hodgson, Hendrik Thys Tel: +44 203 709 5700 +44 7921 697 654 Email: mainstaymedical@consilium-comms.com or FTI Consulting (for Ireland) Jonathan Neilan Tel: +353 1 663 3686 Email: jonathan.neilan@fticonsulting.com or FTI Consulting (for France) Astrid Villette Tel: +33 1 47 03 69 51 Email: Astrid.Villette@fticonsulting.com or Investor Relations: The Trout Group LLC Jillian Connell Tel: +1 646 378 2956 +1 617 309 8349 Email: jconnell@troutgroup.com or ESM Advisers: Fergal Meegan or Barry Murphy, Davy Tel: +353 1 679 6363 Email: fergal.meegan@davy.ie or barry.murphy2@davy.ie Guernsey. 7 April 2016 - Eurocastle Investment Limited (Euronext Amsterdam: ECT) ("Eurocastle" or the "Company") announces the appointment of Liberum Capital Limited as UK corporate broker to the Company with immediate effect. Enquiries: Liberum Capital Limited Richard Bootle / Robert Johnson +44 203 100 2222 About Eurocastle Eurocastle Investment Limited is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company that focuses on investing in performing and non-performing loans and other real estate related assets primarily in Italy, and actively managing its legacy business-commercial real estate assets in Germany and European real estate related debt. The Company is Euro denominated and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol "ECT". Eurocastle is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global investment manager. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com (http://www.eurocastleinv.com/). This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Eurocastle Investment Limited via Globenewswire HUG#2001410 CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the pre-European session on Thursday. The U.S. dollar fell to a 1-1/2-year low of 108.76 against the yen, from an early high of 109.90. The greenback dropped to 1.1424 against the euro, 1.4157 against the pound and 0.9536 against the Swiss franc, from early highs of 1.1391, 1.4107 and 0.9566, respectively. Against the Australian, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the greenback slipped to 3-day lows of 0.7634, 0.6849 and 1.3029 from early highs of 0.7587, 0.6805 and 1.3099, respectively. If the greenback extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 107.00 against the yen, 1.15 against the euro, 1.46 against the pound, 0.94 against the franc, 0.77 against the aussie, 0.70 against the kiwi and 1.28 against the loonie. 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. Wartsila Corporation Financial Calendar 7 April 2016 at 10:00 am EET Wartsila's Interim Report January-March 2016 to be published 21st April 2016 at 8.30 a.m. local time Wartsila Corporation will publish its Interim Report for the period January-March 2016 on Thursday 21 April 2016 at 8.30 a.m. Finnish time. The report will be available in pdf-format and in a web-based report system at www.wartsilareports.com (http://www.wartsilareports.com) as well as on the company website at www.wartsila.com (http://www.wartsila.com) after publishing. An analyst and press conference will be held on the same date, on Thursday 21 April 2016, at 10.00 a.m. Finnish time (8.00 a.m. UK time), at the Wartsila headquarters in Helsinki, Finland. The combined web- and teleconference will be held in English and can be viewed at the following address: http://wcc.webeventservices.com/r.htm?e=1163080&s=1&k=5FC92DDC5B26941DAC1FC8AD5E3E0B89 (http://wcc.webeventservices.com/r.htm?e=1163080&s=1&k=5FC92DDC5B26941DAC1FC8AD5E3E0B89). To participate in the teleconference please register at the following address: http://emea.directeventreg.com/registration/79260235 (http://emea.directeventreg.com/registration/79260235). You will receive dial-in details by e-mail once you have registered. If problems occur, please press *0 for operator assistance. Please use *6 to mute your phone during the teleconference and the same code to unmute. An on-demand version of the webcast will be available on the company website later the same day. www.wartsila.com (http://www.wartsila.com) This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Wartsila Oyj Abp via Globenewswire HUG#2001458 LONDON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Landmark Europe an Iron Deficiency S urvey highlights the lack of awareness of th e condition , which currently impacts more people than both diabetes and chronic heart failure worldwide. The survey findings published to coincide with World Health Day 2016, which this year will be dedicated to raising awareness of diabetes . M arket research measuring awareness across 7 markets, with over 1 , 000 surveyed in each locality , finds that 1 in 10 pe ople suffer or have suffered from iron deficiency during the course of their lives. Out of these, 1 in 3 p eople had not heard of i ron d eficiency before being diagnosed . Those countries with the lowest awareness of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia were Portugal and France , whilst those with the highest awareness include Sweden and the UK. One in three Europeans surveyed do not know the symptoms of iron deficiency, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Vifor Pharma[1]. The market research, undertaken by Kantar Health, highlights a profound lack of understanding and awareness of the symptoms of both iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, at a time when iron deficiency is more prevalent than diabetes and chronic heart failure worldwide[2],[3],[4]. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352583LOGO ) The survey of over 10,000 adults across seven countries highlights the significant lack of awareness around the symptoms associated with the condition, despite almost 50% of sufferers confirming the condition to have a notable negative impact on their working life, and one in three describing their condition as severe or very severe at the time of diagnosis. The summary report launched today and available on http://www.irondeficiency.com/life, also highlights how men and women share many of the concerns around iron deficiency impacting their everyday lives, such as a lack of concentration and impairment to their professional productivity. Over a third of patients surveyed also feel that iron deficiency impacts their personal relationships negatively; for example, one in four feel the condition affects their sex life. The survey found that it took an average of over 2.5 years for the sufferers to be prescribed a treatment for iron deficiency. This is despite patients' perceiving the condition to negatively impact their own wellbeing more than any other aspect of quality of life. For example, more than 60% of patients find that iron deficiency has a negative impact on their ability to concentrate and half stated that it stopped them from being active. Professor Toby Richards, Professor of Surgery at University College London, commented: "Published on World Health Day, this report highlights that despite iron deficiency affecting a larger population than many other conditions, the lack of understanding and recognition is far greater. It also clearly illustrates that there may be a large undiagnosed population who are unaware of the symptoms caused by iron deficiency. With half of those sufferers who did not experience any symptoms discovering their condition by accident during a visit to their doctor, we must now look to raise awareness of iron deficiency as a European-wide issue. The situation is more extreme in those unwell or with illness where iron deficiency and anaemia can affect a third of people coming into hospital, and this is associated with a longer hospital stay and worse outcome." Symptoms not widely known The report also revealed that the main symptom that drove those to consult a health care professional was tiredness/fatigue, which was mentioned as the first symptom experienced, followed by pale skin and poor attention. Of those 6,986 people surveyed and aware of iron deficiency, 64% recognised tiredness/fatigue as the most common symptom, which can be attributed to iron deficiency. This was followed by suffering symptoms including; pale skin (37%), headaches (21%), poor attention (20%) and (19%) brittle (poor condition) of nails respectively. Women were found to be more concerned about the cognitive, as well as physical impact of the condition, which can include the paleness of skin, brittle nails and hair loss[5]. However, the survey also identified that many symptoms were not recognised or known by those surveyed, these include; mouth ulcers, infection, sore tongue, restless legs syndrome, cold intolerance and craving non-food items. Symptoms and Comorbidities Description Mental Feeling mentally tired, irritable, dizzy or losing fatigue concentration quickly Mouth ulcers Sore, white patches on the inside of mouth or sore, red, flaky cracks at one or both sides of mouth Infection May cause more infections than usual, such as coughs and colds Shortness of Reduced physical capacity breath Craving Craving to eat ice or non-food items such as clay, dirt, ash non-food and starch Restless legs A disturbing need to move legs even when resting Hair loss Losing clumps of hair or more hair than normal Headaches Repeated headaches Sore tongue Affects the surface of the tongue making it feel sore or gives a dry mouth Paleness Most noticeable on the face, nails, inner mouth, and lining of eyes Physical Feeling physically tired fatigue / exhaustion Brittle nails Chip and crack easily Cold Cold hands and/or feet may mean that there is not enough intolerance oxygen being delivered in the blood Table 1: General symptoms and perceptions around iron deficiency. Adapted from Clark (2008) Professor Toby Richards continued: "This survey further illustrates that this is a condition that is insidious. Iron deficiency is one of the most frequent metabolic disorders at a European level, despite being easy to diagnose and treat. Although clinical studies show that treating iron deficiency improves peoples' quality of life, it remains underlooked and is often ignored. Given its prevalence and impact on its sufferers, it should not be left untreated." Editor's Notes: Research Methodology The survey was conducted by Kantar Health during July - August 2015, across 7 countries including: UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Sweden - with over 1,000 nationally-representative adult respondents in each market. By analysing the total number of participants who took part in the survey vs. those who qualified being aware of ID and/or IDA it allowed to calculate awareness levels amongst the general population. 1,000 adults aged 18+ per country took part in this nationally representative survey.The survey was administered online and took the form of a 5-minute quantitative interview with the general population and a further 20 minute questionnaire for those who self-reported being diagnosed with ID/IDA.Various quality control procedures were in place in order to reach a unique, genuine and representative audience in each country. About Vifor Pharma Vifor Pharma, a company of the Galenica Group, is a world leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of iron deficiency. The company also offers a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines as well as over-the-counter (OTC) products. Vifor Pharma, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, has an increasingly global presence and a broad network of affiliates and partners around the world. For more information about Vifor Pharma and its parent company Galenica, please visit http://www.viforpharma.com and http://www.galenica.com About Kantar Health Kantar Health is a leading global healthcare consulting firm and trusted advisor to many of the world's leading pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device and diagnostic companies. It combines evidence-based research capabilities with deep scientific, therapeutic and clinical knowledge, commercial development know-how, and brand and marketing expertise to help clients evaluate opportunities, launch products and maintain brand and market leadership. Kantar Health deeply understands the influence of patients, payers and physicians, especially as they relate to the performance and payment of medicines and the delivery of healthcare services. Its 600+ healthcare industry specialists work across the product lifecycle, from preclinical development to launch, acting as catalysts to successful decision-making in life sciences and helping clients prioritize their product development and portfolio activities, differentiate their brands and drive product success post-launch. Kantar Health is part of Kantar, the data investment management division of WPP. For more information, please visit http://www.kantarhealth.com. Source: The European iron deficiency survey. Data on file; 2016, Vifor Pharma. Miller JL, Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Common and Curable Disease Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2013; doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a011866. WHO - Media centre - Diabetes (Fact sheet N312, updated January 2015 . Available at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/ Last accessed 14. March 2016 . Ponikowski P et al., Heart failure: preventing disease and death worldwide White paper: 2014 DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.12005. Clark SF, Iron deficiency anemia Nutr Clin Pract. Apr-May; .2008 23(2):128-41doi: 10.1177/0884533608314536. For media inquiries, contact: Ollie Pratt Director FTI Consulting +44(0)203-727-1428 / +44(0)7807-29-5691 Ollie.Pratt@fticonsulting.com ChannelAdvisor Corporation (NYSE:ECOM), a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions that enable retailers and branded manufacturers to increase global sales, today announced that Payoneer will be one of the two headline sponsors of Catalyst Connect 2016. Taking place on 20 April at The Savoy, London, Catalyst Connect is the premier one-day e-commerce event for leading brands, retailers and e-commerce vendors. With a comprehensive speaker list, including leaders from Amazon, Google and Clarks, the event offers a diverse range of e-commerce topics for attendees to discuss, debate and learn about. Payoneer enables millions of businesses and professionals from more than 200 countries to reach new audiences by facilitating seamless, cross-border payments.1 At Catalyst Connect, Payoneer's VP of Mass Payouts, Yair Tal, will be co-hosting a Q A session with James Huang, ChannelAdvisor's managing director, Greater China, on the Chinese e-commerce opportunity, obstacles for going global and cross-border payment services. "Catalyst Connect 2016 brings together the e-commerce industry's most innovative minds for a day of presentations and networking opportunities," said Zoe Ripley, marketing director of EMEA and APAC at ChannelAdvisor. "Payoneer and James Huang will provide insightful observations into global trends and payment solutions, and what we can learn from leading markets such as China." "We are looking forward to presenting at this year's Catalyst Connect and helping e-commerce companies understand and overcome the challenges of implementing a global payment strategy. This Q&A will be a great opportunity to share some of the trends that we're seeing in the marketplace arena and across the payments industry, and will help facilitate a discussion about how companies are dealing with the incredible complexities in this space," said Yair Tal, VP of mass payouts at Payoneer. For more information and to register for Catalyst Connect 2016, please visit catalystconnect2016.channeladvisor.co.uk/. About ChannelAdvisor ChannelAdvisor (NYSE:ECOM) is a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions that enable retailers and branded manufacturers to integrate, manage and optimise their merchandise sales across hundreds of online channels, including Amazon, Google, eBay, Facebook and more. Through automation, analytics and optimisation, ChannelAdvisor customers can leverage a single inventory feed to more efficiently list and advertise products online, and connect with shoppers to increase sales. Billions of dollars in merchandise value are driven through ChannelAdvisor's platform every year, and thousands of customers use ChannelAdvisor's solutions to help grow their businesses. For more information, visit www.channeladvisor.co.uk. 1 Payoneer: https://www.payoneer.com/about-payoneer/ View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005511/en/ Contacts: ChannelAdvisor Amelia Morgan-Giles, 0203 300 2746 amelia.morgangiles@channeladvisor.com 7 April 2016 ATLANTIS JAPAN GROWTH FUND LIMITED Notice of Requisitioned Extraordinary General Meeting Introduction The Board announced on 18 March 2016 that the Company had received a requisition from LIM Asia Multi-Strategy Fund Inc., which holds more than 10% of the Voting Share Capital. The requisition requires the Board to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company to consider a special resolution instructing the Board to put to Shareholders proposals for the restructuring and/or liquidation of the Company (which may include a roll-over or continuation option into an open-ended fund managed by the Company's investment manager) and, as part of the restructuring and/or liquidation, to offer Shareholders the opportunity to realise all of their investment in the Company (without penalty or the payment of redemption fees) as soon as possible at a price payable in cash that is as near as possible to the prevailing NAV per Share. A circular containing the notice convening an extraordinary general meeting of the Company for Tuesday, 3 May 2016 commencing at 2.30 p.m. at which LIM's Resolution will be proposed will be posted to Shareholders later today. Copies of that circular will be available shortly at www.atlantisjapangrowthfund.com and at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm. The Board is committed to acting in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole: Lead fund adviser succession settled - Taeko Setaishi, deputy fund adviser to the Company since 1996 and the highly rated lead fund adviser to Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund, appointed with effect from 1 May 2016 (the beginning of the Company's next financial year). Taeko Setaishi, deputy fund adviser to the Company since 1996 and the highly rated lead fund adviser to Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund, appointed with effect from (the beginning of the Company's next financial year). The Company's portfolio to be managed in similar manner to Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund, which has an impressive track record - Morningstar 5-stars rated over three, five and 10 years and overall. - Morningstar 5-stars rated over three, five and 10 years and overall. The Company's closed-ended structure expected to lead to superior investment returns relative to Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund over the longer term - the benefits of managing a stable pool of capital and the ability to use gearing. - the benefits of managing a stable pool of capital and the ability to use gearing. Commitment to enhanced marketing and investor communication - the Board believes that investment performance, supported by enhanced marketing and investor communication and underpinned by the Company's existing robust and effective discount control mechanism, is the key to narrowing the Share price discount and ultimately growing the Company. Accordingly, the Board is unanimously recommending that Shareholders VOTE AGAINST LIM'S RESOLUTION at the EGM. Enquiries Sue Inglis Cantor Fitzgerald Europe T: +44 (0) 20 7894 8016 James Alexander Aravis Partners T: +44 (0) 20 7036 8172 Rebecca Booth Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited T: +44 (0) 1481 745 189 Email: rb235@ntrs.com Lead fund adviser succession - Taeko Setaishi appointed with effect from 1May 2016 Ms. Setaishi, deputy fund adviser to the Company since 1996 and lead fund adviser to Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund since 2003, has been appointed as the Company's lead fund manager with effect from 1 May 2016 (the beginning of the Company's next financial year). The Company will continue to pursue its existing investment objective and policy but its portfolio will be managed using the same investment style and process as Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund, an open-ended fund that targets undervalued growth companies with a small to mid-cap bias. Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund has outperformed TOPIX by +128% and the AIC Japanese smaller companies sub-sector by +79% over the five years ended 31 March 2016. As with Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund, Ms. Setaishi will work closely with the rest of the AIRC team, including the Company's current lead fund adviser, Ed Merner, in advising the Company. Taeko Setaishi - highly rated, top decile ranked manager Ms. Setaishi To 29 February 2016 1 year 3 years 5 years Citywire rating AA AA AA Citywire ranking in Japan - Equity sub-sector 3rd of 204 3rd of 160 2nd of 139 Source: Citywire. Notes: 1. In order to be rated by Citywire, a fund manager must beat their benchmark over a three-year period. Fewer than 25% of fund managers tracked by Citywire achieve this, and managers in this select group receive a Citywire+, A, AA, or AAA rating. AA-rated managers are in the top c.7.5% of all fund managers tracked by Citywire. 2. Past performance is not a guide to future results. Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund - impressive track record To 29 February 2016 1 year 3 years 5 years Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund Morningstar rating (also rated 5 stars over 10 years and overall) N/a 5 stars 5 stars To 31 March 2016 1 year 3 years 5 years NAV total return in GBP Atlantis Japan Opportunities Fund 25.4% 77.9% 169.9% TOPIX -1.7% 22.1% 41.5% Atlantis Japan Growth Fund -2.0% 23.8% 74.6% AIC Japanese Smaller Companies sub-sector average 12.9% 46.6% 90.7% Source: Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (based on data sourced from a specialist third party data provider). Notes: 1. Morningstar rates mutual funds from 1 to 5 stars based on how well they have performed (after adjusting for risk and accounting for sales charges) in comparison to similar funds. Within each Morningstar category, the top 10% of funds receive 5 stars. Funds are rated for up to three time periods (three, five and 10 years) and these ratings are combined to produce an overall rating. 2, Past performance is not a guide to future results. Atlantis Japan Growth Fund - benefits of its closed-ended structure Efficient portfolio management: With a stable pool of capital, your Company can put capital to work without having to manage significant inflows and outflows of cash - this is particularly helpful bearing in mind the Company's bias towards the more illiquid small to mid-cap sectors. This can lead to superior investment returns over the longer term, in particular relative to a similarly managed open-ended fund. Ability to borrow: Unlike UK open-ended funds, the Company can borrow for investment purposes. By way of illustration: The lead fund manager of the top performing investment trust in the AIC Japanese Smaller Companies sub-sector also manages a similar open-ended fund. His investment trust has outperformed his open-ended fund by +6.9%, +18.2% and +46.5% on a NAV total return basis over the one, three and five years ended 31 March 2016 (Source: Cantor Fitzgerald Europe, based on data sourced from a specialist third party data provider). The Board - pro-active in managing the Share price rating Key drivers of a strong Share price rating: The Board believes that investment performance, supported by enhanced marketing and investor communication and underpinned by a robust and effective discount control mechanism, is the key to narrowing the Share price discount and ultimately increasing the likelihood of growing the Company through new issuance (including through the exercise of the annual subscription rights). Strong investment performance: The Board believes that Ms. Setaishi's appointment as the Company's lead fund manager will enhance the Company's investment performance over the longer term. Enhanced marketing and investor communication: Following discussions among the Board, Tiburon (the Company's London-based investment manager) and AIRC (the Company's Tokyo-based investment fund adviser), Tiburon and AIRC have committed to a closer day-to-day working relationship. As a result, your Board expects: - the Company to benefit from additional strength-in-depth in the management resources available to it; and - more proactive and effective communication with existing Shareholders and marketing of the Company to potential new investors. Robust and effective discount control mechanism: The Board introduced a DCM in March 2013 that aims to limit the Share price discount and reduce the discount volatility. The Company's DCM requires it to hold a continuation vote if its Shares have traded, on average, at a discount of more than 10% to the NAV per Share during any rolling 90 days period in normal market conditions. Since the Company's DCM was introduced, the Shares have traded at an average discount of 8.0%, which is narrower than the average discount for its peer group of 9.5% (Source: Cantor Fitzgerald Europe, based on data sourced from a specialist third party data provider, three years ended 31 March 2016). Recommendation In the Board's opinion, voting in favour of LIM's Resolution would not be in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Board is unanimously recommending that Shareholders VOTE AGAINST LIM'S RESOLUTION. Expected timetable Latest time and date for receipt of completed forms of proxy and CREST electronic proxy instructions for use at Extraordinary General Meeting 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, 1 May 2016 Extraordinary General Meeting 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 May 2016 Definitions and glossary The words and expressions listed below have the meanings set out opposite them throughout this announcement except where the context otherwise requires: "AIRC" Atlantis Investment Research Corporation "Board" the board of directors of the Company (or any duly authorised committee thereof) from time to time "Company" or "Atlantis Japan Growth Fund" Atlantis Japan Growth Fund Limited "DCM" discount control mechanism "discount" the amount by which the Share price is lower than the NAV per Share (expressed as a percentage of the NAV per Ordinary Share) "EGM" or "Extraordinary General Meeting" the extraordinary general meeting of the Company requisitioned by LIM which the Board has convened for 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 May 2016 (or any adjournment of that meeting) "GBP" pound sterling "LIM" LIM Asia Multi-Strategy Fund Inc. "LIM's Resolution" the special resolution to be proposed at the EGM, details of which are set out under the heading "Introduction" in this announcement "NAV" net asset value "rating" the price at which the Shares trade relative to their NAV "Shareholders" holders of Shares "Shares" redeemable ordinary shares of no par value in the capital of the Company "Tiburon" Tiburon Partners LLP "Voting Share Capital" the issued share capital of the Company excluding any Shares held in treasury Note Cantor Fitzgerald Europe, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting solely as financial adviser for Atlantis Japan Growth Fund Limited and for no one else, including any recipient of this announcement, in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Atlantis Japan Growth Fund Limited for providing the protections afforded to clients of Cantor Fitzgerald Europe or for affording advice in relation to any matters referred to in this announcement. Nothing in this paragraph shall serve to exclude or limit any responsibilities that Cantor Fitzgerald Europe may have under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or the regulatory regime established under that Act. AMSTERDAM, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HelpTheCrowd offers invaluable insights into European crowdfunding opportunities with new Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool HelpTheCrowd, the Amsterdam-based Crowdfunding comparison platform, today brings professional-level transparency to the European equity crowdfunding market with the launch of its new Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool. Subscribers can use the tool to analyse and compare investment opportunities in the previously fragmented and confusing European equity crowdfunding market. Jaap Dekter, HelpTheCrowd Founder & CEO and former investment banker explains: "We want to take the best traditional investor services and make them available for the crowdfunding universe. Our Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool is the first step. This tool helps investors by clearly showing what kinds of companies are raising money through equity crowdfunding, and at what valuation. It also includes past deals, so investors can see how much money similar companies have raised, or tried to raise." The HelpTheCrowd.com website already gives potential investors free-to-access information about how much money a business is trying to raise through crowdfunding. The Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool takes things one step further, giving subscribers a statistical overview of currently live deals and completed deals, as well as access to the full database of completed deals. This allows investors to directly compare an investment opportunity with similar deals from different European countries, platforms and sectors. They can see how its valuation measures up against its peers, and also easily identify broader trends in crowdfunding and early stage investing. Dekter continues: "Now investors can tell at a glance whether an investment opportunity is relatively cheap or expensive. This kind of information is widely available in the world of traditional investments - HelpTheCrowd's new tool brings the same service to the crowdfunding market, which is an important next step for the industry." HelpTheCrowd has built a comprehensive database that demystifies early stage crowdfunding investment in Europe. HelpTheCrowd staff gathers and reads every pitch from the leading crowdfunding platforms, then categorises and labels each pitch with the appropriate sector and tag, before adding the required minimum funding amount and valuation. Dekter again: "Giving investors a benchmark of average funding needs, and valuations for different kinds of companies, helps them to ask better questions. If a particular investment opportunity has a very different valuation from its peers, investors will know what kind of extra information they should request from the entrepreneur, or what they should do more research on." HelpTheCrowd was founded in 2015 and began gathering data in August of that year. Investors can browse the free-to-use part of the HelpTheCrowd website and review leading crowdfunding platforms from all over Europe, as well as the individual investment opportunities on those platforms. The new subscription-based Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool gives investors clear, transparent information about the exciting investment avenues that crowdfunding is opening up. 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. Soraa, the world leader in GaN on GaNTM LED technology, announced that its LED lamps have been installed in the MaNCaR Restaurant in the seaside neighborhood of Alsancak in Izmir, Turkey. MaNCaR is a unique, sophisticated restaurant that attracts both locals and tourists looking for a high-end dining experience, delivering impeccably prepared food and an enchanting ambiance. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005212/en/ Soraa announced that its LED lamps have been installed in the MaNCaR Restaurant in the seaside neighborhood of Alsancak in Izmir, Turkey. (Photo credit: Yanki Sungar) The owners of the MaNCaR restaurant worked with interior designers at Toner Architects and lighting designers at PLANLUX, who chose Soraa's VIVID LED MR16s to light the space. This selection provides tremendous dimming and control flexibility allowing them to not only adjust the level of light as needed but also adapt to changes in the table configurations. Soraa's MR16 lamps give the restaurant the ability to have a dimmable, narrow beam solution spotlight the tables, creating a tasteful glimmer on the food and wine without disturbing the guests. And not only is the lighting beautiful, but the new lamps will lower energy use and costs for the restaurant. "When it comes to quality of light with required beam widths, and filtering abilities, Soraa's products outshine the competition. Soraa lamps deliver simply perfect lighting that enhances the customer experience," said Korhan Sisman, light designer at PLANLUX. "An unorthodox take on restaurant concept with a pure and modernistic architecture, Mancar was designed in a way so it could be a laid back, unexposed and natural restaurant that did not outshine the food it serves," said Mustafa Toner, Toner Architecture. Soraa's unique GaN on GaN technology allows its LEDs to operate at currents that are more than five times higher than LEDs built on other materials. This means a lot of light comes from a very small source, resulting in a narrow beam that can be controlled to crisply illuminate any area with a single shadow. The MaNCaR bar and seating areas are illuminated for perfect rendering of colours and whiteness because of Soraa's Violet-Emission 3-Phosphor (VP3) LED technology. Utilizing every color in the rainbow, especially deep red emission, Soraa's lamps render warm tones beautifully and accurately, and achieve a colour-rendering index (CRI) of 95 and deep red (R9) rendering of 95. And unlike blue-based white LEDs without any violet emission, the company's lamps have violet emissions to properly excite fluorescing brightening agents, including paper and natural objects like human eyes and teeth. For more information on Soraa's LED lamps, please visit: www.soraa.com. About Soraa Pioneering lamps using LEDs built from pure gallium nitride substrates (GaN on GaN), Soraa has made ordinary lighting extraordinarily brilliant and efficient. Soraa's full spectrum GaN on GaN LED lamps have superior colour rendering and beam characteristics compared to lamps using LEDs created from non-native substrates. Founded in 2008, Soraa is located in Fremont California, where it manufactures its GaN on GaN LEDs in the company's state-of-the-art facility. For additional information, please visit www.soraa.com and follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005212/en/ Contacts: Soraa Andy Beck, 001-202-587-5634 Makovsky abeck@makovsky.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- As the Ontario Government gears up to sell off another 74.2 million shares in Hydro One, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is calling for an immediate moratorium on the sale of the province's hydro transmission and distribution company. "The Wynne Government has no mandate to sell off an irreplaceable public asset that was created as a legacy for future generations," said OFL Executive Vice-President Ahmad Gaied. "Premier Wynne was elected to be a guardian of the public trust, not to hold a fire sale on Hydro One." Prior to the initial sale of 15 percent of Hydro One shares last November, the province's budget watchdog dropped a bombshell report sounding alarm about the impact of the sale on provincial revenue. Stephen LeClair, Ontario's Financial Accountability Officer, warned: "In the years following the sale of 60 per cent of Hydro One, the province's budget balance would be worse than it would have been without the sale." "More than 80 percent of Ontarians, including the majority of Liberal voters, strongly oppose the Hydro privatization and nearly 200 municipalities have passed resolutions opposing the sale of Hydro One," said Gaied. "Public outrage is growing every day, as hydro bills continue to climb. Premier Wynne is making a big mistake in underestimating the magnitude of the backlash that will continue to foment until the next election." The OFL is part of a broad-based campaign, called "Keep Hydro Public," that is supported by more than 20 community, labour, environment, anti-poverty and student organizations. The campaign has begun rolling out large community canvasses across the province that are blitzing Liberal ridings across the province to amplify public outrage over hydro privatization. The next community canvass will take place in the Beaches-East York riding of Liberal MPP Arthur Potts on Saturday, April 16. "The Ontario Liberals are still governing in the shadow of one energy scandal and they cannot afford another," said Gaied. "It is time for Kathleen Wynne to start listening to her constituents and put our energy assets back into public hands." Find out more about the campaign at KeepHydroPublic.ca. The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter. Contacts: Ontario Federation of Labour Joel Duff OFL Communications Director 416-707-0349 (cell) jduff@ofl.ca ENG/FRENCH SAN FRANCISCO, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global nurse call system market is expected to reach USD 1.8 billion by 2022, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The decreasing reimbursement coverage, government penalties for hospital readmissions and the increasing support for digital healthcare are expected to drive the demand for nurse call system market. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 ) Additionally, technological advancements pertaining to introduce the next level of communication enabling the wide range of applications configuration to the hospitals, home care, and residential facilities are also expected to upsurge the demand for the nurse call system market. In April 2015, Mircom launched MiCare wireless nurse call system. The system was designed to enable its integration with the cloud technology. It had a unique mesh technology, which could be customized depending on the needs of the facilities. With the increasing life expectancy and changing healthcare requirements, the burden on national insurance bodies is constantly increasing. Owing to aforementioned factors, Medicare penalizes healthcare facilities which have hospital readmissions within 30days. The government is providing funds for research, which can help caregivers to streamline the entire process with the aid of technology. For instance, in April 2015, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) granted USD 160,000 pertaining to the appropriate and effective use of such technologies. Browse full research report with TOC on "Nurse Call System Market Analysis By Technology (Wired Communication Equipment, Wireless Communication Equipment), By End-use (Hospitals, Clinics, Outpatient Departments (OPDs), Assisted Living Centers, Ambulatory Care Services, Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs)), And Segment Forecasts to 2022" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/nurse-call-system-equipments-industry Further key findings from the report suggest: Wired communication equipment dominated the market in 2014 owing to the early adoption of the technology and continuous innovations such as integration Wi-Fi cordless telephone, IP DECT, and radio pocket pager for greater efficiency and safety. In August 2014 , South Tyneside Hospital installed IPiN Ethernet-based nurse call system in its accident &emergency units, cardiac wards, and Special Care Baby Units (SCBUs). Wireless communication equipment is expected to witness rapid growth. With the increasing healthcare complexities, the need for integrated nurse call systems and electronic health records is driving the industry players to launch advanced solutions. In November 2015 , RCare launched its G4 technology with Advanced Location Protocol (ALP) for senior living facilities. The "I Got It" button provides a state-of-the-art solution to allow staff to pinpoint locations with the aid of RCare pendant. In 2014, North America was the largest regional market owing to the establishment of separate certification and coding system. Increasing demand for remote patient monitoring and the subsequent introduction of technologically advanced nurse call system are amongst key factors for the region's large share. Europe was the second largest market in 2014 owing to the separate funding for nursing technologies and funding for effective patient monitoring devices. The European Union has funded over USD 558.29 million for the eHealth and mHealth technology since 1990. Moreover, in June 2015 , Innovate UK funded the Oxehealth camera based patient monitoring study, which captured the real-time movements of patients to measure the vital signs and alert the staff accordingly. In 2014, the Hospitals have a majority of the market share owing to the patient flow and the increasing chronic and emergency case patients. Hospitals are revamping their older nurse call systems and increasing their budgets pertaining to the funding infrastructure supporting system integration. Market participants are constantly evolving the traditional nurse call system and incorporating newer techniques or devices helping caregivers to provide patient care effectively. For instance, internet protocol nurse call systems offer a higher level of integration with wired and wireless technologies. In February 2016 , Austco Communication Systems launched Tacera Pulse intelligent solutions for the clinical business. Key players in the nurse call system market include Hill-Rom Holding, Inc., Tyco SimplexGrinnell,Ascom Holding, Honeywell International, Inc., Rauland-Borg Corporation,TekTone Sound & Signal Mfg., Inc., Stanley Healthcare, Azure Healthcare, West-Com Nurse Call Systems, Inc., and Critical Alert Systems LLC. Grand View Research has segmented the global nurse call system market on the basis of technology, end-use, and regions: Nurse Call System Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022) Wired Communication Equipment Wireless Communication Equipment Nurse Call System End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022) Hospitals and Clinics Outpatient Departments (OPDs) Assisted Living Facilities Ambulatory Care Services Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) Nurse Call System Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2022) North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Germany France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific India Japan China Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America MEA South Africa Rest of MEA Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Lab Accessories Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/lab-accessories-market Ambulance Services Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/ambulance-services-market Artificial Pancreas Device Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-pancreas-device-market Arthroscopy Product Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/arthroscopy-product-market About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. Thecompany provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Read Our Blogs - mediafound.org, grandviewresearchinc.blog Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: www.grandviewresearch.com VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - French shares gave up early gains as banks tumbled after the release of the ECB's 2015 annual report. '2016 will be a no less challenging year for the ECB and we face questions about the direction of Europe and its resilience to new shocks,' ECB President Mario Draghi indicated in the report. Stocks traded firmly in positive territory earlier in the session on the back of gains in oil prices and the more dovish than expected FOMC minutes. The benchmark CAC 40 last traded down about 9 points or 0.21 percent at 4,275 after rising 0.8 percent the previous day. While banks Credit Agricole, BNP Paribas and Societe Generale Group dropped 1-2 percent, Vivendi, Technip and Airbus Group rose between half a percent and 1 percent. In economic releases, French trade deficit widened to a 20-month high in February, as exports fell and imports rose, figures from customs office showed. The deficit stood at 5.18 billion euros, up from 3.91 billion euros in the preceding month. The current account gap also widened to 3.9 billion euros from 2.2 billion euros in January. 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. DUBLIN, April 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Influenza Market - Vaccines and Therapeutics" report to their offering. The global market for overall influenza is forecasts to reach a value of US$10.2 billion by 2022. The influenza virus has been implicated in infecting millions of individuals on an annual basis, with vaccination programs against seasonal influenza infections necessitating the manufacture of hundreds of million doses within a very short time period. The emergence of innovative production systems based on mammalian or insect cell cultures have resulted in surmount the hurdles associated with the egg-based production system. These industrially well-established production systems provide a faster and more flexible response to pandemic threats. This 128 page market research report includes 30 charts (includes a data table and graphical representation for each chart), supported with meaningful and easy to understand graphical presentation, of market numbers. This report profiles 16 key global players and 39 major players across North America - 8; Europe - 10; Asia-Pacific - 20 and South & Central America - 1. The research also provides the listing of the companies engaged in research and development, manufacturing and supply of influenza vaccines and therapeutic. The global list of companies covers addresses, contact numbers and the website addresses of 80 companies. Companies Mentioned: Abbott Laboratories Astrazeneca PLC Biocryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CSL Limited Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. Glaxosmithkline PLC Hualan Biological Engineering Inc. Instituto Butantan Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation Nanotherapeutics Inc. Protein Sciences Corporation Roche Holding AG Sanofi SA Shanghai Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd. Shionogi & Co., Ltd. Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Report Structure: Part A: Global Market Perspective 1. Introduction 2. Major Products In Pipeline 3. Key Market Trends 4. Key Global Players 5. Key Business Trends 6. Global Market Overview Part B: Regional Market Perspective Regional Market Overview 1. North America 2. Europe 3. Asia-Pacific 4. South & Central America 5. Middle East & Africa Part C: Guide To The Industry 1. North America 2. Europe 3. Asia-Pacific 4. Rest Of World Part D: Annexure 1. Research Methodology 2. Feedback For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/flrdzm/global_influenza Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Copenhagen, 2016-04-07 13:26 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Wednesday 6 April 2016, the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority has commenced an investigation of Hansson & Knudsen A/S and of other companies in the industry. The purpose is to investigate whether the companies may be involved in restrictive trade practices on the civil engineering market. The Aarsleff Group acquired the shares in Hansson & Knudsen in Odense effective from 13 January 2016. The company will endeavour to collaborate constructively in the investigation with the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority with a view to finalising the investigation as soon as possible. Povl Christensen, general manager of Hansson & Knudsen says: "We find it very important to comply with the competition laws, and we are not of the opinion that we have been involved in restrictive trade practices. We will do our utmost to contribute to a fast completion of the matter". Further information: Knud Ole Kirstein, corporate development manager, Per Aarsleff Holding A/S, tel.: +45 8744 2222. Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=555303 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. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 7:30 am ET Thursday, the European Central Bank is set to publish the minutes of the monetary policy meeting held on March 10. Ahead of the release, the euro showed mixed trading against the other major currencies. While the euro declined against the yen, it held steady against the rest of major currencies. The euro was worth 1.1401 against the greenback, 0.8076 against the pound, 123.51 against the yen and 1.0889 against the franc as of 7:25 am ET. 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. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Firan Technology Group Corporation (TSX: FTG) today announced financial results for the first quarter 2016. -- Achieved record first quarter sales of $16.9M -- Achieved record first quarter gross margins of 22.2%, up 22% from Q1 2015 -- Achieved record first quarter earnings before tax of $725K, up 46% from Q1 2015 -- Subsequent to quarter end, completed the acquisition of Photo Etch, via an asset purchase, to rapidly increase utilization of our Aerospace - Chatsworth facility. "We started 2016 with very strong operating performance for FTG as a result of past investments in technology, positive impacts from past key new program wins as well as the strengthening of the US dollar," stated Brad Bourne, President and Chief Executive Officer. He added, "Growth is key to FTG to increase utilization across all facilities, particularly the new ones in Chatsworth, California and Tianjin, China. The acquisition of Photo Etch, subsequent to our quarter end, will enable us to transition work to our Aerospace Chatsworth facility more rapidly than planned. Improved utilization will drive profitability due to high contribution margins on incremental revenues." First Quarter Results: (three months ended Feb 26, 2016 compared with three months ended Feb 27, 2015) Q1 2016 Q1 2015 ---------------------------- Sales $ 16,929,000 $ 16,307,000 Gross Margin 3,752,000 3,069,000 Gross Margin (%) 22.2% 18.8% ---------------------------- Operating Earnings(1): 1,220,000 554,000 - Net R&D Investment 717,000 1,013,000 - Foreign Exchange gain (55,000) (956,000) - Recovery of Investment Tax Credits (167,000) - ---------------------------- Net Earnings before Tax 725,000 497,000 ---------------------------- - Current Tax Expense 16,000 11,000 - Deferred Tax expense (non-cash) 259,000 60,000 - Non-controlling Interests - 4,000 ---------------------------- Net Earnings After Tax $ 450,000 $ 422,000 ---------------------------- Earnings per share - basic $ 0.02 $ 0.02 - diluted $ 0.02 $ 0.02 (1) Operating Earnings is not a measure recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Management believes that this measure is important to many of the Corporation's shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders. The Corporation's method of calculating Operating Earnings may differ from other corporations and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other corporations. Business Highlights FTG accomplished many goals in the first quarter of 2016 that continue to improve the Corporation and position it for the future, including: -- Signed two new sourcing agreements with a leading US based Aerospace customer for the Circuits Toronto and Chatsworth businesses for applications in Business, Regional and Air Transport Aircraft and well as Defense and Space applications -- Received initial production orders from two large aerospace customers at the FTG Printronics Circuits joint venture in China -- Completed certification of Circuits Chatsworth facility for rigid flex technology under US Department of Defense MIL-PRF-31032 certification, positioning this site in the top two technology providers worldwide -- Achieved recertification of the FTG Printronics Circuit joint venture under the AS9100 designation -- Continued work on new development program for a control panel assembly for a helicopter program -- Completed all risk reduction testing successfully -- Built qualification test hardware for test and certification later in 2016 For FTG, overall sales increased by $0.6M or 3.8%, from $16.3M in Q1 2015 to $16.9M in Q1 2016. Revenues benefited from the weakening of the Canadian dollar versus the US dollar which was down 19 cents in Q1 2016 versus Q1 last year. US dollar currency hedges in place that matured in the quarter reduced reported sales and earnings by $0.7M in Q1 2016. The Circuits Segment sales were down $0.2M or 1.6% in Q1 2016 versus 2015. Circuits Chatsworth experienced reduced demand from a large defense oriented customer, but bookings were strong at that site in the quarter so sales are expected to recover going forward. For the Aerospace segment, sales in Q1 2016 were $4.4M compared to $3.5M last year resulting in a 23.1% growth rate. All three sites contributed to the growth. Gross margins in Q1 2016 were up $0.7M compared to Q1 2015, due to strong operating performance across the company, and the weaker Canadian dollar. Margins improved dramatically in Circuits Chatsworth, due to improved performance and product mix, notwithstanding the decreased sales activity. Again, the currency hedges that matured in the quarter reduced revenue, and therefore margins by $0.7M, compared to $0.4M in Q1 last year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for FTG for Q1 2016 was $1.3M, an increase from $1.1M in Q1 2015. The following table reconciles EBITDA(2) to the net earnings for Q1, 2016. Q1 2016 ----------- Net earnings $ 450,000 Add: Interest 40,000 Income taxes/ITC 275,000 Depreciation/Amortization 567,000 ----------- EBITDA $ 1,332,000 ----------- (2) EBITDA is not a measure recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Management believes that this measure is important to many of the Corporation's shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders. The Corporation's method of calculating EBITDA may differ from other corporations and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other corporations. Net earnings before tax was $0.7M in Q1 2016 versus $0.5M in Q1 2015. The improvement was due to higher gross margins, lower R&D spending, offset by significantly lower foreign exchange gains. Net earnings after tax at FTG in Q1 2016 was $0.5M compared to $0.4M in Q1 2015. The tax expense is mostly non-cash, drawing down the Corporation's deferred income tax asset. This expense was not reported in Q1 2015 and as such, the more meaningful year-over-year comparison is the net earnings before income taxes. The Circuits segment net earnings before corporate and interest and other costs was $1.4M in Q1 2016 compared to $1.2M in Q1 2015. The Circuits Chatsworth facility drove the improved results. The Circuits joint venture in China did not have a material impact on profitability. The Aerospace segment net earnings before corporate and interest and other costs was ($0.2M) in Q1 2016 versus ($0.3M) in Q1 2015. The newer facilities in Chatsworth, California and Tianjin, China were a drag on earnings due to lower utilization rates at the plants as they continue to ramp up with new customers and opportunities. The acquisition announced subsequent to the quarter end provides an opportunity to transition work to the Chatsworth facility and move this site to profitability. The transition is expected to take approximately 6-9 months. Cash flow from operations after investments in capital equipment and deferred development in Q1 2016 was ($0.6M) compared a cash flow of $0.6M in Q1 2015. Increased working capital primarily drove this change. As at February 26, 2016, the Corporation's net working capital was $16.0M, a $1.0M increase compared to November 30, 2015. The Corporation will host a live conference call on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 11:30 am (Eastern) to discuss the results of Q1 2016. Anyone wishing to participate in the call should dial 416-340-8527 or 1-800-355-4959 and identify that you are calling to participate in the FTG conference call. The Chairperson is Mr. Brad Bourne. A replay of the call will be available until April 21, 2016 and will be available on the FTG website at www.ftgcorp.com. The number to call for a rebroadcast is 905-694-9451 or 1-800-408-3053, pass code 8540540. ABOUT FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION FTG is an aerospace and defense electronics product and subsystem supplier to customers around the globe. FTG has two operating units: FTG Circuits is a manufacturer of high technology, high reliability printed circuit boards. Our customers are leaders in the aviation, defense, and high technology industries. FTG Circuits has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Chatsworth, California and a joint venture in Tianjin, China. FTG Aerospace manufactures illuminated cockpit panels, keyboards and sub-assemblies for original equipment manufacturers of aerospace and defense equipment. FTG Aerospace has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Chatsworth, California, Fort Worth, Texas and Tianjin, China. The Corporation's shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FTG. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are related to, but not limited to, FTG's operations, anticipated financial performance, business prospects and strategies. Forward-looking information typically contains words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan" or similar words suggesting future outcomes. Such statements are based on the current expectations of management of the Corporation and inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including economic factors and the Corporation's industry, generally. The preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by the Corporation. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions with respect to the Corporation and not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as may be required by law, FTG disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) February 26, November 30, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASSETS Current assets Cash $ 2,228 $ 3,160 Accounts receivable 12,259 12,987 Taxes receivable 300 231 Inventories 11,407 11,122 Prepaid expenses 865 979 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27,059 28,479 Non-current assets Plant and equipment, net 5,516 5,644 Deferred income tax assets 2,515 2,876 Investment tax credits receivable 6,903 6,736 Deferred development costs 462 387 Intangible assets, net 88 100 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total assets $ 42,543 $ 44,222 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 8,993 $ 10,970 Provisions 379 366 Customer deposits, net of deferred development 653 1,044 Current portion of long-term bank debt 1,071 1,058 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11,096 13,438 Non-current liabilities Long-term bank debt 4,017 4,234 Deferred tax payable 1,492 1,460 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total liabilities 16,605 19,132 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equity Opening retained earnings (deficit) $ 1,628 $ (7,909) Net earnings during the period 450 9,537 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 142 (233) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,220 1,395 Share capital Common shares 13,090 13,075 Preferred shares 2,218 2,218 Contributed surplus 8,381 8,373 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total equity attributable to FTG's shareholders 25,909 25,061 Non-controlling interest 29 29 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total equity 25,938 25,090 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total liabilities and equity $ 42,543 $ 44,222 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) (in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per February 26, February 27, share amounts) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales $ 16,929 $ 16,307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cost of sales Cost of sales 12,664 12,778 Depreciation of plant and equipment 513 460 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total cost of sales 13,177 13,238 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gross margin 3,752 3,069 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Expenses Selling, general and administrative 2,452 2,370 Research and development costs 787 1,262 Recovery of research and development costs (70) (249) Recovery of investment tax credits (167) - Depreciation of plant and equipment and amortization of intangible assets 40 42 Interest expense on short-term debt - 9 Interest expense on long-term debt 40 94 Foreign exchange (gain) (55) (956) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total expenses 3,027 2,572 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings before income taxes 725 497 Current income tax expense 16 11 Deferred income tax expense 259 60 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 275 71 Net earnings $ 450 $ 426 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attributable to: Non-controlling interest $ - $ 4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equity holders of FTG $ 450 $ 422 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings per share, attributable to the equity holders of FTG Basic $ 0.02 $ 0.02 Diluted $ 0.02 $ 0.02 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) February 26, February 27, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings $ 450 $ 426 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other comprehensive income (loss) to be reclassified to net earnings in subsequent years: Foreign currency translation adjustments 859 866 Net unrealized (loss) on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges (645) (1,835) Tax impact 161 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 375 (969) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total comprehensive income (loss) $ 825 $ (543) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attributable to: Equity holders of FTG $ 825 $ (549) Non-controlling interest $ - $ 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended February 26, 2016 Attributed to the equity holders of FTG ------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) Opening (in thousands of Common Preferred Retained Contributed Canadian dollars) Shares Shares Earnings Surplus ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, November 30, 2015 $ 13,075 $ 2,218 $ 1,628 $ 8,373 Net earnings - - 450 - Stock-based compensation - - - 12 Common shares issued on exercise of share options 15 (4) Foreign currency translation adjustments - - - - Net unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges, net of tax impact - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, February 26, 2016 $ 13,090 $ 2,218 $ 2,078 $ 8,381 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended Attributed to the equity February 26, 2016 holders of FTG ---------------------------- Accumulated (Unaudited) Other Non- (in thousands of Comprehensive controlling Total Canadian dollars) Income (Loss) Total interest equity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, November 30, 2015 $ (233) $ 25,061 $ 29 $ 25,090 Net earnings - 450 - 450 Stock-based compensation - 12 - 12 Common shares issued on exercise of share options - 11 - 11 Foreign currency translation adjustments 859 859 - 859 Net unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges, net of tax impact (484) (484) - (484) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, February 26, 2016 $ 142 $ 25,909 $ 29 $ 25,938 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended February 27, 2015 Attributed to the equity holders of FTG ------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) Opening (in thousands of Common Preferred Retained Contributed Canadian dollars) Shares Shares (Deficit) Surplus ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, November 30, 2014 $ 12,681 $ 2,218 $ (7,909) $ 8,411 Net earnings - - 422 - Stock-based compensation - - - 14 Foreign currency translation adjustments - - - - Net unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, February 27, 2015 $ 12,681 $ 2,218 $ (7,487) $ 8,425 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended Attributed to the equity February 27, 2015 holders of FTG ---------------------------- Accumulated (Unaudited) Other Non- (in thousands of Comprehensive controlling Total Canadian dollars) Income (Loss) Total interest equity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, November 30, 2014 $ (312) $ 15,089 $ 15 $ 15,104 Net earnings - 422 4 426 Stock-based compensation - 14 - 14 Foreign currency translation adjustments 864 864 2 866 Net unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges (1,835) (1,835) - (1,835) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance, February 27, 2015 $ (1,283) $ 14,554 $ 21 $ 14,575 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Unaudited) February 26, February 27, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net inflow (outflow) of cash related to the following: Operating activities Net earnings $ 450 $ 426 Items not affecting cash: Non-controlling interest share of net (earnings) - (4) Stock-based compensation 12 14 Effect of exchange rates on US dollar debt 78 138 Depreciation of plant and equipment 541 490 Amortization of intangible assets 12 12 Amortization of deferred financing costs 2 7 Deferred income tax expense 393 60 Investment tax credits (recovery) (167) - AMIS interest accretion - 84 Amortization of government assistance - (113) Decrease (increase) in net unrealized loss on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges 399 (1,140) Net change in non-cash operating working capital (1,887) 863 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (167) 837 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investing activities Additions to plant and equipment (389) (242) Additions to deferred development costs (75) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (464) (242) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net cash flow from operating and investing activities (631) 595 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financing activities Repayments of long-term bank debt (282) (698) Proceeds from issue of Common shares 11 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (271) (698) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Effects of foreign exchange rate changes on cash flow (30) (20) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net (decrease) in cash flow (932) (123) Cash, beginning of the period 3,160 641 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash, end of period $ 2,228 $ 518 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure of cash payments Payment for interest $ 40 $ 20 Payments for income taxes $ 7 $ 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contacts: Firan Technology Group Corporation Bradley C. Bourne President and CEO (416) 299-4000 x 314 bradbourne@ftgcorp.com Firan Technology Group Corporation Joseph R. Ricci Vice President and CFO (416) 299-4000 x 309 joericci@ftgcorp.com www.ftgcorp.com New Funding Will Support Further Commercial and Industrial Customer Growth Electric Imp, a powerful IoT platform that securely connects devices to advanced cloud computing resources, today announced it has closed $21 million in initial Series C funding. London-based Rampart Capital led the round alongside company insiders and returning venture capital firm Redpoint Ventures.The new funding brings the total raised to date by the company to $43 million, and will further accelerate the continued rapid growth, development, and global adoption of Electric Imp's platform by enterprises in commercial and industrial markets. "This funding is a natural step in Electric Imp's ongoing expansion and validates our approach with large commercial and industrial customers including Pitney Bowes and other yet to be announced global enterprises," said Hugo Fiennes, CEO and co-founder of Electric Imp. "Our company is strategically positioned to maximize the potential of our industry-leading technology platform where proven security and scalability are critical to commercial and industrial enterprises. "In 2014, we proved the reliability and usability of our scalable platform in the consumer market, and partnered with Murata to design and build our hardware modules, enabling our customers to connect their devices quickly, easily, and securely," continued Fiennes. "In 2015, we launched our enterprise cloud offerings, which allow customers to build on top of our class-leading platform, accelerating their company-wide IoT strategies. Our continued focus on enterprise services has helped us with key customer wins, and has enabled our customers to get their devices connected in record time without sacrificing security." In addition to technology firm Pitney Bowes, Electric Imp provides connectivity solutions to a diverse array of commercial and industrial customers in energy and resource management, health and fitness, industrial light equipment and HVAC systems. Electric Imp's proven platform, robust ecosystem of IoT partners, and range of cloud offerings allow our customers to reduce operational costs through energy optimization and resource management, measurable reduction of waste, and introduction of predictive and preventative maintenance. "Our flexible solution, coupled with rapidly expanding commercial and industrial demand, were key factors in raising a solid C round in the face of a challenging funding environment," said Oliver Hutaff, Electric Imp's CFO/COO. "Global industrial and commercial enterprises are looking for ways to extract data from the physical world through the IoT and are turning to us to provide them with a fully secure company-wide IoT platform." About Electric Imp Electric Imp offers an innovative and powerful Internet of Things platform that securely connects devices with advanced cloud computing resources. Our unique solution featuring fully integrated hardware, OS, security, APIs and cloud services dramatically decreases cost and time to market while increasing security, scalability and flexibility. The Electric Imp platform enables innovative commercial and industrial applications and empowers manufacturers to manage and quickly scale their connected products and services to millions of users. Electric Imp, founded in 2011, is located in Los Altos, California and Cambridge, England. For more, visit https://electricimp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005452/en/ Contacts: The Blueshirt Group Jeff Fox, 415-828-8298 jeff@blueshirtgroup.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- -- Letter to shareholders reveals the systemic conflicts of interest at Taseko Mines and documents the current board's failure to respond adequately -- Raging River will release its comprehensive plan for Taseko Mines in a live telephone town hall and webcast on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 11:00am (ET) Raging River Capital LP ("Raging River") releases a letter to shareholders exposing new details about the systemic and ongoing conflicts of interest at Taseko Mines Limited (TSX: TKO)(NYSE MKT: TGB) ("Taseko Mines") that have benefited three conflicted directors-Ronald Thiessen, Russell Hallbauer and Robert Dickinson-and their other company, Hunter Dickinson. Raging River also reveals the inadequate response Taseko Mines has taken in ending these conflicts of interest and warns shareholders not to be fooled by the smokescreens they are putting in place to protect their golden goose. While the full text of the letter can be viewed here, at www.atrustedtaseko.com, or at Taseko Mines' SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, new revelations include: 1. Conflicted acquisition of Curis Resources Ltd. without requisite shareholder approval. Evidence of a significant overlap of Taseko Mines' directors and officers with those of Hunter Dickinson and the company they were acquiring for over $100 million, Curis Resources Ltd., such that the "independent" committee struck to assess the transaction was not so independent, and Raging River believes that the transaction ran afoul of applicable laws designed to protect shareholders in related party transactions. 2. Exposure of another "buddy bailout" of Misty Mountain Gold Ltd., that once again included numerous Hunter Dickinson representatives on its board. Taseko purchased the Harmony Project from Misty Mountain in October 2001 for an estimated $65 million. What happened to this project? In Taseko Mines' own words, it "was written down to a nominal value in 2004" as "there had not been significant exploration or development conducted". In under three years, the value of the project went from $65 million to zero. 3. Revelation of a high compensation risk. The leading independent proxy advisor and industry standard bearer, Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), has assessed Taseko Mines' compensation program and found it to be so deficient that it ranked in the bottom 10% of index or region peers whose compensation program ISS has assessed. What Taseko Mines doesn't want you to know is that they have been determined to have a "high compensation risk". In fact, on the risk scale they reached a 9 out of 10! This means the way and amount they pay Hallbauer and the rest of management is wholly divorced from good corporate governance and at extreme odds with the interests of shareholders. Why hasn't the board done anything to address this? Cronyism. 4. Systemic cronyism. The poor leadership and Hunter Dickinson influence at Taseko Mines is augmented by what Raging River believes to be the cronyism which influences the selection of its "independent" directors. Three of the four so-called current "independent" directors have had significant relationships with the conflicted directors prior to joining the board. Not only are these "independent" board members close to Hunter Dickinson, they have been paid handsomely in retirement, on average almost $250,000 per year. With a 'buddies board', who is looking out for shareholders? 5. Previous insolvency involving Taseko Mines' Chairman Ronald Thiessen. Thiessen was the Chairman of the board of Great Basin Gold Ltd. when it filed under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act. Raging River believes raising the issue of insolvency in respect of others is a desperate and failed attempt to distract shareholders from Thiessen's own history of insolvency. Numerous questions surround the role he played in this insolvency. 6. Pattern of value destruction. For decades, Thiessen, Hallbauer and Dickinson have left a trail of value destruction behind them. Each has a track record of negative total shareholder return, as shown below: -------------------------------------------------- Annualized Total Shareholder Return (TSR) -------------------------------------------------- Robert Dickinson Average TSR -------------------------------------------------- Executive -21.47% -------------------------------------------------- Director -14.49% -------------------------------------------------- Ronald Thiessen Average TSR -------------------------------------------------- Executive -9.87% -------------------------------------------------- Director -9.02% -------------------------------------------------- Russell Hallbauer Average TSR -------------------------------------------------- Executive -5.01% -------------------------------------------------- Director -19.96% -------------------------------------------------- Average TSR: Calculated as an average of the annualized total shareholder returns achieved over each director's respective tenure as a public company executive or director, as sourced from Bloomberg on March 31, 2016 and assuming dividend reinvestment. Raging River also announces it will be holding a telephone town hall and webcast where it will provide full details about its plan to create long-term value for all stakeholders and give shareholders a chance to ask the director nominees questions directly. Town hall details: Wednesday, April 13th, 2016 at 11:00am (ET) Conference ID: 83971136 Participant call-in: (647) 788-4919 Local and International or (877) 291-4570 (North American toll free number) Webcast is broadcast live and archived at: www.gowebcasting.com/lobby/7436 If you are unable to join, a replay will be available: Replay number: (416) 621-4642 Local and International or (800) 585-8367 (North American toll free number) Conference ID: 83971136 Available until: 11:59 pm on April 27th, 2016 SHAREHOLDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VOTE FOR CHANGE Shareholders are encouraged to vote their BLUE proxy or VIF "FOR" the removal of each of the self-interested and conflicted incumbent Taseko directors: Ronald Thiessen, Russell Hallbauer and Robert Dickinson and the election of the following four independent and highly qualified new directors to the board: Paul Blythe, Randy Davenport, Henry Park and Mark Radzik. Shareholders with questions should contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-888-518-6832 toll-free in North America, or 1-416-867-2272 outside of North America, or by email at contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com. ADVISORS Raging River has engaged Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP as its legal advisor and Kingsdale Shareholder Services as its strategic and communications advisor and proxy solicitor. Contacts: Media: Kingsdale Shareholder Services Ian Robertson Executive Vice President, Communication Strategy Direct: 416.867.2333; Cell: 647.621.2646 irobertson@kingsdaleshareholder.com MIAMI BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CCGI) ("CarCharging"), the largest owner, operator, and provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging services, announced today that it has finalized an agreement with Green Commuter, an entrepreneurial, socially minded and passionate group that is focused on improving people's mobility options, while positively impacting the environment. As a part of this agreement, Green Commuter purchased 200 Blink Level 2 EV charging stations and 50 Blink DC Fast Charging (DCFC) stations, to facilitate the charging of the electric cars included in Green Commuter's vanpool and car sharing program. Green Commuter has developed an innovative system that will utilize a fleet of 100% zero emission vehicles to provide a combined service of vanpool, car sharing and fleet replacement to help alleviate traffic, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease the cost of commuting and mobility. To maximize vanpool efficiency, Green Commuter has developed a new model that will utilize the vanpool vehicle during non-commuting hours as a public car share vehicle or to replace an employer's fleet vehicle. The efficiency between the two systems dramatically increases the benefits by maximizing the use of the all-electric vehicle and helps reduce costs. "As a company committed to widespread EV charging infrastructure and reducing greenhouse gases, we proudly support innovative business models aligned with that mission," said Mike Calise, CarCharging's Chief Executive Officer. "We believe that Green Commuter's vanpool and car sharing program provides a new and sustainable approach to maximizing vehicle resources and improving travel for a large commuter base. This is a sizable unit commitment from a strategic partner, and we are delighted to enable Green Commuter's mobility solutions with our Blink EV infrastructure and access to Blink Network." "At Green Commuter, we are focused on improving the world that we live in and have started by changing the way we move," said Gustavo Occhiuzzo, Chief Executive Officer of Green Commuter. "By combining vanpool with car sharing and offering only zero emission vehicles, we are able to alleviate traffic congestion and improve air quality, all while lowering user costs. Partnering with Blink provides us with the necessary equipment and services to sustain our programs." Green Commuter's Blink DCFC and Level 2 chargers will operate on Blink Network, the software that manages, monitors, and tracks the Blink EV stations and all of its charging data. Blink commercial EV chargers are able to rapidly recharge electric cars and accept payment with the Blink InCard or major credit card via the Blink mobile application, Blink Network website, or Blink customer support center. Blink's free membership offers drivers discounted charging fees on select public EV chargers on the Blink Network. Drivers can become a Blink member and pinpoint Blink EV charging station locations via the Blink mobile application or www.BlinkNetwork.com. Drivers can also initiate charging sessions via the Blink mobile application. Green Commuter plans to launch its vanpool, car sharing, and fleet replacement system with 50 units to serve the Los Angeles area in mid-2016. About Car Charging Group, Inc. Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CCGI) is a pioneer in nationwide public electric vehicle (EV) charging services, enabling EV drivers to easily recharge at locations throughout the United States. Headquartered in Miami Beach, FL with offices in San Jose, CA; New York, NY; and Phoenix, AZ; CarCharging's business model is designed to accelerate the adoption of public EV charging. CarCharging offers access to Blink Network, the software that operates, monitors, and tracks the Blink stations and all of its charging data, and has strategic partnerships across multiple business sectors including multi-family residential and commercial properties, parking garages, shopping malls, retail parking, and municipalities. CarCharging also provides residential EV charging solutions for single-family homes. For more information, please visit www.BlinkHQ.com. For more information about CarCharging or Blink Network, please visit www.CarCharging.com and www.BlinkNetwork.com. About Green Commuter Green Commuter has developed an innovative system that will utilize a fleet of 100% zero emission vehicles to provide a combined service of vanpool, car sharing and fleet replacement. As an entrepreneurial, socially minded and passionate group based in Los Angeles, Green Commuter's goal is to help alleviate traffic, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease the cost of commuting and mobility. Current vanpool commuter systems are inefficient. The vans are only utilized a total of 10 to 15 hours each week (an average of 1 to 1.5 hour commute each way for five days), which is only 6-9% of the time during any given week. To maximize vanpool efficiency, Green Commuter has developed a new model that will utilized the vanpool vehicle during a substantial portion of the remaining 91-94% of the time as a public car share vehicle or to replace an employer's fleet vehicle. The efficiency between the two systems dramatically increases the benefits and helps reduce costs. Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Car Charging Group, Inc., and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions. Investor Relations and Media Contacts: CarCharging Media Contact: Suzanne Tamargo Suzanne@CarCharging.com (305) 521-0200 x 214 Green Commuter Media Contact: Gustavo Occhiuzzo gustavo@greencommuter.org CUPERTINO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Stack, the technology leader behind the world's first responsive lighting solutions for homes and buildings, today announced the launch of its global partner program, Stack Enabled. The Stack Enabled program is designed to provide organizations ranging from lighting manufacturers to security platform and smart home system providers with access to Stack's motion sensing algorithms and ambient light sensor technology, which can be embedded inside the actual light bulb itself. Stack is announcing today that they are currently partnering with several lighting partners, including Lunera Lighting, Brilia, Plumen, and US Global Glow. Lunera Lighting, which designs and manufactures innovative commercial LED lighting fixtures and lamps, and Brilia, a Brazilian provider of LED lighting products and solutions, have already announced entire product lines based on the new technology. "Stack Enabled was born out of a desire to accelerate and quickly scale the process of bringing our sensor technology and machine learning algorithms, currently only available through our product portfolio, to mass markets all around the world," said Neil Joseph, Founder & CEO of Stack. "Through these partnerships, we are able to share our proprietary technology within specific partner solutions, so their customers can also experience the simplicity and intuitiveness of responsive lighting." "With Lunera's successful integration of Stack's sensor technology and wireless networking into our plug-and-play LED lamps, we created a simple, elegant way to deploy sensors for a powerful, data-driven control system for buildings. This cost effective approach enables businesses to receive valuable operations and environmental data from networked sensors that wirelessly connect to the cloud," said Lunera CEO, Doug Schendt. "We are excited to partner with Stack at such an incredible time," said Vinicus Marchini, CEO of Brilia. "Combining Brilia's unique human centric design and Stack's advanced sensor and software technology, LED lighting becomes intelligent, digital and beautiful." Becoming a Stack Enabled partner offers cutting-edge companies the ability to integrate Stack's embedded sensor technology, which detects motion, occupancy, and brightness, at a fraction of the cost of competing solutions. Partners will have early access to Stack's advanced Radio Frequency (RF) motion sensing technology, initially launching as part Stack's "Classic" (A19) bulb format this summer, which enables the bulb to see and detect motion even under a traditional lampshade or from within fixtures. Stack Enabled Partners immediately have access to Stack's APIs and SDKs, which will allow them to build their own valuable applications atop the Stack technology, while retaining the majority of any SaaS and data services revenue their applications and platforms may drive. This represents a major step forward in the distribution of lighting oriented IoT operating systems, and the first of it's kind to focus on embedded sensing technologies in replacement lamps and fixture products. As part of the Stack Enabled program, Stack also provides a full Partner Development Kit, as well as a number of reference products built on the architecture, to help partners easily integrate the technology into various lighting formats and other product platforms. The Stack Enabled program is available today, and open to all companies. For more information, please contact partners@stacklighting.com About Stack Lighting Stack is a leading innovator in home and building automation, seamlessly integrating lighting controls for better living. Stack is the creator of the world's first responsive light bulb for homes and commercial use, and through their Stack Enabled platform, lighting partners across the globe are embedding Stack technology into their products. Stack is revolutionizing the way buildings are automated and controlled. For more information, please go to www.stacklighting.com or @stacklighting. Contact: Chad Torbin 508.740.5899 Email Contact Katie McDonald 408.421.8192 Email Contact COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - Macola, a leading provider of ERP and business software, today unveiled details of its corporate social responsibility and community service programs to fight hunger issues locally and across the Americas. Since 2015 the company has provided financial support, volunteerism and product donations to food banks across the country to help them streamline operations and better serve their communities. This year, Macola is participating in the Empty Bowls Project, an international grassroots effort to raise both money and awareness in the fight to end hunger. Additionally, Macola has continued its Macola Fights Hunger initiative in Central Ohio, which encourages employees, friends and family to donate to Mid-Ohio Foodbank -- on behalf of the company. According to Yolanda Owens at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, a donation of as little as $25 can provide at least 100 meals for a single person. "Our employees, partners and customers are passionate about fighting hunger in the Americas," said Alison Forsythe, managing director, Macola. "For that reason, we have galvanized our resources with corporate philanthropy and employee volunteerism to support various programs that reflect this commitment." At Macola's leadership meeting earlier this year, the team kicked off its participation in the Empty Bowls Project by painting bowls to auction off at various events throughout the year. The organization's largest auction will be at Macola's annual customer conference, Exact Macola Evolve, taking place April 19-22 in Atlanta, GA, with all proceeds going to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Exact Macola Evolve 2016 will focus on trends and disruptions in the manufacturing and distribution markets, aims to provide attendees -- C-level executives, consultants, business management, IT professionals and daily users of Exact Macola solutions -- with new tools and ideas to accelerate company growth, transform their businesses and positively impact bottom lines. To learn more about Macola's community service efforts or to donate to the Macola Fights Hunger initiative, visit www.exactmacola.com/about-exact-macola/community-service. For more details on Exact Macola Evolve 2016 or to register to attend, please visit www.exactmacolaevolve.com. About Exact Vigorous business software. That's what Exact builds. For more than 250,000 businesses around the world. For entrepreneurial doers who dare and, if they fall, always get up again. Exact breathes that same spirit. Thirty years ago a garage start-up by six students, now a global company, employing 1,550 people in 15 countries with revenues of EUR207 million in 2015. With Exact, businesses can quickly respond to shifting market conditions and grasp opportunities with both hands when they arise. Our business software enables customers to focus on their next goal, and look ahead to the next challenge. For further information about Exact, visit www.exact.com and www.exactmacola.com. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/6/11G092285/Images/PTL_0015_Exact_Event_2016-8420f8595d849a8f9af6c66d232b8f48.jpg Media contacts Emily Lospennato Version 2.0 Communications for Macola elospennato@v2comms.com (617) 426-2222 Lora (Deeds) Priest Macola Lora.priest@exact.com (614) 410-2622 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG) reported a income from continuing operations for the third-quarter that declined 11.6% from last year. Quarterly adjured earnings per share beat analysts' expectations. Sean Connolly, CEO of ConAgra Foods commented, 'Our results for the quarter exceeded our expectations as our actions to drive improved profitability continued to take hold. Our focus on improving price/mix and driving efficiencies is enabling us to enhance our overall fundamentals in both of our segments resulting in solid comparable operating profit growth and expanding operating margins......We are on track to establish two independent segments with excellent operating foundations as we separate into two pure-play companies in the fall.' In Thursday's pre-market trading, the company's shares are up $1.07 or 2.36 percent to $46.50. Given the recent divestiture of the private label business, which is classified within discontinued operations in latest-and prior periods, the company's earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2016 is now based on expectations for comparable results for continuing operations. Fiscal 2016 year-to-date earnings per share from continuing operations totals $1.16 as reported, and $1.56 adjusted for items impacting comparability. The company expects full year fiscal 2016 earnings per share from continuing operations, adjusted for items impacting comparability, to be in the range of $2.05 - $2.07. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $2.26 per share for fiscal year 2016. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items The board of directors of ConAgra Foods approved a dividend payment of $0.25 per common share to be paid on June 1, 2016, to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 29, 2016. The company said it completed the divestiture of the private label business during the quarter, receiving in excess of $2.6 billion in proceeds. The company has utilized a significant portion of the proceeds to reduce debt by approximately $2.15 billion so far, and as part of a balanced capital allocation program plans to utilize more of the remaining proceeds for further debt reduction. The company is committed to an investment grade credit rating. Net income attributable to the company for the third-quarter was $204.6 million or $0.46 per share, compared to a loss of $954.1 million or $2.21 per share in the same quarter last year. Income from continuing operations for the third-quarter dropped 11.6% to $187.6 million from the prior year's $212.3 million, with income from continuing operations per share declining to $0.41 from $0.49 in the prior year. After adjusting for items impacting comparability, comparable earnings per share was $0.68 latest-quarter and $0.59 in the year-ago period. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.58 per share for the third-quarter. Quarterly net sales increased 0.6% to $2.924 billion from $2.907 billion in the previous year. Wall Street expected revenues of $2.86 billion. The Consumer Foods segment posted sales of approximately $1.9 billion and operating profit of $291 million in the fiscal third quarter, as reported. Sales declined 2%, with a 4% volume decrease, 3% favorable price/mix, and a negative 1% impact of foreign exchange (all rounded) compared to year-ago period amounts. Sales for the Commercial Foodssegment were $1.1 billion, up 6% over year-ago amounts (rounded). Sales for Lamb Weston's potato operations grew across North America as well as in international markets. International sales performance for Lamb Weston was notably strong, reflecting the lapping of the impact of the West Coast port labor dispute in the year-ago period, as well as improving demand across several international markets. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Northair Silver Corp. (TSX VENTURE: INM) (the "Company" or "Northair") today reminds its shareholders to vote "FOR" the special resolution to approve the proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with respect to the Northair business combination with Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSX VENTURE: KTN) ("Kootenay"), as previously announced in a news release dated March 31, 2016. The filing deadline for submitting proxy forms and voting instruction forms is April 12, 2016 at 10:00 am (Pacific Daylight Time). BOARD RECOMMENDATION Northair's Board of Directors (the "Board") have determined that the Arrangement is in the best interest of shareholders, based on the opinion of its financial advisor Haywood Securities, the recommendations of the special committee of the Board and Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a leading independent proxy advisory firm. As such, the Board reiterates its previous recommendation that shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement. NORTHAIR SPECIAL MEETING The Northair special meeting of shareholders is scheduled to be held at Suite 950 - 609 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 14, 2016 at 10:00 AM (Pacific Daylight Time). All shareholders are encouraged to vote. HOW TO VOTE In the interest of time, shareholders are encouraged to vote via the internet, by telephone or fax. Registered shareholders (shareholders who hold Northair shares in their name and represented by a physical certificate or through the Direct Registration System) may vote as follows: -- Internet: Vote online at www.investorvote.com, using the control number located on your proxy (which you will receive in the mail or via email) -- Telephone: Call 1-866-732-VOTE (8683) toll free -- Facsimile: 1-866-249-7775 (toll free in Canada and US) -- By mail -- In person at the meeting Beneficial shareholders (shareholders who hold Northair shares through a bank, broker or other intermediary) will have different voting instructions provided to them and should follow the instructions found on their voting instruction form to vote online, by telephone or fax. SHAREHOLDER QUESTIONS Shareholders who have questions or require assistance with voting may contact Northair's Proxy Solicitation Agent: Laurel Hill Advisory Group Toll free at 1-877-452-7184 International +1 416-304-0211 outside Canada and the US By email at: assistance@laurelhill.com Qualified Persons Mr. David Ernst, a professional geologist and VP Exploration of Northair is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Ernst has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the disclosure herein. About Northair Silver Corp. Northair is focused on advancing its flagship La Cigarra silver project located in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, 26 kilometres from the historic silver mining city of Parral. The property boasts nearby power, good road access, gentle topography, established infrastructure and currently hosts a NI 43-101 Resource estimate of 51.47 million ounces of silver in the Measured & Indicated categories grading 86.3 g/t silver and 11.46 million ounces of silver in the Inferred category grading 80 g/t silver. The mineralized system at La Cigarra has been traced over 6.5 kilometres and is defined at surface as a silver soil anomaly and by numerous historic mine workings. The La Cigarra silver deposit is open along strike and at depth and is approximately 25 kilometres north, and along strike of Grupo Mexico's Santa Barbara mine and Minera Frisco's San Francisco del Oro mine. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, NORTHAIR SILVER CORP. Andrea Zaradic, P. Eng., President & CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward looking statements which are statements that are not statements of historical fact, such as statements regarding the mineral resource estimates, results of the sensitivity analysis, anticipated production or results, sales, revenues, costs, or discussions of goals and exploration results, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, metal price volatility, volatility of metals production, project development, mineral reserve estimates, future anticipated reserves and cost engineering estimate risks, geological factors and exploration results. See Northair's filings for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected results. Cautionary Note Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources This news release uses the terms "Measured and Indicated Resources" and "Inferred Resources", which have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a Measured and Indicated and/or Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Northair advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of a Measured, Indicated and Inferred resource exists, or is economically or legally minable. Contacts: Northair Silver Corp. Andrea Zaradic President & CEO 604-687-7545 Northair Silver Corp. Chris Curran Manager of Corporate Communications 604-687-7545 info@northair.com www.northairsilver.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Members of the media are invited to attend a press conference regarding infrastructure with the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Josh Colle, TTC Chair. Date: Thursday, April 7, 2016 Event: Visit to TTC - Harvey Shop (photo op) Time: 10:30 a.m. (Members of the media are encouraged to arrive anytime after 10:00 a.m. to allow time to be escorted to the photo op area at the Body Structural Repair Section.) Media availability: 10:45 a.m. Location: Toronto Transit Commission Hillcrest Complex Harvey Shop 1138 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario Follow us on Twitter at @INFC_eng Contacts: Press Office Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities 613-991-0947 Infrastructure Canada 613-960-9251 Toll free: 1-877-250-7154 media@infc.gc.ca LA PRAIRIE, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- The management of Vanstar Mining Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: VSR) announces that it will undertake in the coming days an initial drilling program of 1,000 to 1,200 meters on the PRH Gold project recently optioned from Vantex Resources Ltd. This program will test, among others things, certain geochemical targets identified during the fall exploration program in 2015. The MMI survey was run largely north of the Moriss zone and north of the GP area. Some of these geochemical anomalies correspond to IP anomalies and EM conductors (Input). The company has obtained all the permits required to initiate this program. The PRH Gold project. Covering an area of about 650 hectares, the PRH Gold project, comprising the Perron block, Renault Bay and Hurd (western part of the Galloway project of Vantex Resources Ltd), contains several gold showings including the Moriss, Hendrick, GP and Hurd gold showings. The first three showings form the Golden Triangle while the Hurd showing is located approximately 1.5 kilometers northeast of the GP area. The Moriss gold showing contains three interesting gold zones which are the Moriss Zone, Moriss South and N-1. These remain open both laterally and at depth. The management of the company suspects the presence of other gold bearing structures in this sector. The following link shows a drilling section of Moriss: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/morrishow.pdf. According to the results, the company will decide on the completion of a second phase of drilling to take place in the summer of 2016. The company also plans, depending on available funds, to extend the MMI geochemical to the west and to the northwest of the Moriss Zone this summer. This press release has been read and approved by Gilles Laverdiere, P.Geo Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding our intentions and plans. The forward-looking statements that are contained in this news release are based on various assumptions and estimates by the Company and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a consequence, actual results may differ materially from results forecasted or suggested in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We caution you that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as discussed in the Company's filings with Canadian securities agencies. Various factors may prevent or delay our plans, including but not limited to, contractor availability and performance, weather, access, mineral prices, success and failure of the exploration and development carried out at various stages of the program, and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward- looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Guy Morissette, CEO Cell: 819-763-5096 gmvanstar@gmail.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Cancana Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CNY) (the "Company" or "Cancana") and its joint venture partner Ferrometals BV ("Ferrometals"), together Brazil Manganese Corporation ("BMC"), announce a 4,500 tonne sales order of high grade (50% minimum) manganese mineral product. The Company is pleased to announce a sales order of an additional 4,500 tonnes to a ferro-manganese client in Brazil. This purchase is on top of the sales order of 7,500 tonnes announced January 14, 2016, an order that is planned to be fully delivered by the end of April, 2016. This new order is scheduled to be delivered during the second quarter of 2016. Cancana's President & CEO, Anthony Julien, stated, "Our aim has been to establish a secure supply of high grade ore for Brazilian customers, then scale to a global market. This sale represents confidence in our exploration programme to meet domestic customer's orders for high quality, high purity manganese and our operational expertise to deliver a consistent and reliable supply." Quarterly sales and production numbers for the first quarter of 2016 are expected to be released in the second week of April, 2016. On behalf of the Board of Directors of CANCANA RESOURCES CORP. Anthony Julien President, CEO and Director ABOUT CANCANA Cancana Resources Corp is focused on exploring and developing the BMC manganese project in Brazil with its joint venture partner Ferrometals BV. The JV is employing a two-pronged strategy at BMC, where the primary objective is to advance the project to an initial resource and onward to feasibility, while also expanding current small-scale production to support those exploration activities. Further information can be found at cancanacorp.com, and bmcorporation.com.br. ABOUT FERROMETALS Ferrometals is a privately held mining and metallurgical group. It is a global supplier of essential minerals and micronutrients to the agriculture, steel and manufacturing industries. Building on sustainable and ecologically sound production methods, it is developing specific product lines designed to enhance the yield and growth potential of these industries. Further information can be found at ferrometals.net. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements include, among others, statements with respect to the Company's plans for exploration and development of the Brazil properties and potential mineralization. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such risk factors include, among others, failure to obtain regulatory approvals, failure to complete anticipated transactions, the timing and success of future exploration and development activities, exploration and development risks, title matters, inability to obtain any required third party consents, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices and one-time events. In making the forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions including, but not limited to, the assumptions that: (1) the proposed exploration and development of mineral projects will proceed as planned; (2) market fundamentals will result in sustained metals and minerals prices and (3) any additional financing needed will be available on reasonable terms. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. The Company cautions that it has not completed any feasibility studies on any of BMC's mineral properties, and no mineral reserve estimate has been established. Because the Company production decision is not based upon a feasibility study of mineral reserves, the economic and technical viability of the property has not been established. Contacts: Cancana Resources Corp. Anthony Julien President, CEO and Director +1-604-681-0405 info@cancanacorp.com Attached please find below text and the Chairman's report in full as PDF files.________________________________________________________________________________Announcement no. 77 April 2016Annual general meeting in Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/SAttached as separate PDF file, please find Chairman of the Board of Directors Klaus Nyborg's oral report in full from NORDEN's annual general meeting, which is held today 7 April 2016 at CET 3 pm.The Chairman's report and the accompanying presentation (the presentation is only available in Danish) will be made available at www.ds-norden.com from approximately CET 3 pm. Here, a webcast (only in Danish) from the annual general meeting will also be made available today after the general meeting has ended.Kind regards,Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/SBoard of DirectorsFor further information: Martin Badsted, CFO, tel. +45 3315 0451.________________________________________________________________________________DAMPSKIBSSELSKABET NORDEN A/S, 52, STRANDVEJEN, DK-2900 HELLERUP, CVR NO. 67758919Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=555170 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. - Former Tetra Pak Executive to Lead Kezzler at a Time of Significant Growth - Kezzler AS, a leader in serialization business services, today announced the appointment of Thomas Kormendi as the company's new chief executive officer. Mr. Kormendi brings more than 20 years of relevant experience to the packaging and consumer goods industries. "As we enter a tremendous growth period for Kezzler, the Board of Directors welcome Thomas' deep international experience and leadership to Kezzler," said Arve Johansen, chairman of the Board. "In his role as CEO, he will be responsible for delivering against our strategic business plan and to build on the significant momentum the company is currently experiencing. His results-oriented approach and ability to think strategically will play a pivotal role in extending our track record of innovation, while helping us grow toward profitability in 2017." "I am very excited to join Kezzler as I believe their technology platform could become the backbone of global serializations strategies, whether that is with key packaging companies such as Amcor or among global consumer brands. The Kezzler product portfolio has been tested and proven in some of the most regulated industries in the world, including Pfizer's Viagra and Roche's key cancer products. A key differentiator from other serialization technologies is the fact that, at a fraction of the cost and data foot print of competing database systems, Kezzler's encrypted technology solution connects products and people with the scalability and security never been seen before," said Mr. Kormendi. Mr. Kormendi has worked extensively in the packaging industry and has an excellent grasp of the entire value chain of global companies, including supply chain issues and manufacturing operations. Most recently he was president and CEO at Relacom, a Swedish technology service company. Prior to that, he spent 18 years at Tetra Pak in roles of increasing responsibility. Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. From 2006 to 2010 he served as vice president and head of North Europe, from 2003 to 2005 he was the managing director of Tetra Pak Turkey and Caucasus, and from 1998 to 2002 he served as managing director at Tetra Pak Hungary. He has also served as general manager for Tetra Pak in Bulgaria and vice president for Food, Fats and Oils at Tetra Laval in Sweden. He has held brand management positions at Procter Gamble Nordic. Mr. Kormendi earned his Masters in Business from the Copenhagen Business School. About Kezzler Kezzler AS is a global leader in serializing products at the unit level. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the company has offices in the United States, India, the Netherlands and Austria. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005300/en/ Contacts: Kezzler AS Paul Laland, +1-415-519-6610 VP Corporate Affairs p.laland@kezzler.com Still using your old winter tyres in summer? Not a good idea: in warm weather, summer tyres provide increased efficiency and safety Motorists can enjoy considerable savings: order perfect summer tyres quickly and securely from Mytyres.co.uk and benefit from attractive prices and additional services Springtime is tyre-changing time. However, some people who have been driving on old winter tyres might consider wearing them out completely by leaving them for all summer, thus saving themselves the cost of having the tyres changed as well as the possible cost of a new set of summer tyres. By doing so, they sacrifice their own safety and purchasing efficiency. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005795/en/ Springtime is tyre-changing time in warm weather, summer tyres provide increased efficiency and safety (Photo: Business Wire) The properties of summer and winter tyres are designed to meet the specific requirements of weather conditions at different times of year. In this way, they ensure optimum efficiency and safety in the prevailing weather conditions. While it may be very tempting to drive straight through to autumn on winter tyres, in warm temperatures summer tyres are a better choice. The general rule of thumb is: from Easter to October. Once the average temperature is mostly above seven degrees Celsius, summer tyres show off all their advantages. Even Germany's largest automobile association, ADAC, warns against driving on winter tyres during summer. The reason: due to the soft tread compound used in winter tyres, they are not suited to warm temperatures and offer less grip. When the weather gets warmer, the tread quickly wears off and braking performance is significantly affected. ADAC tests on winter tyres have shown that in summer, stopping distances at approx. 60mph/h may be extended by up to 16 metres. If tyres are also heated further through heavy vehicle loads, winter tyre side walls can suffer damage, and parts of the tread can even come unstuck. "We recommend changing to summer tyres now, because they are the only tyres that offer the right custom profile and special rubber compound for warmer weather and therefore ensure good grip and shorter breaking distances", advises Thierry Delesalle from Mytyres.co.uk. "If you're thinking of leaving your winter tyres on, you won't do your wallet any favours: in warm weather, winter tyres can increase fuel consumption by up to 15%", explains Delesalle. So save now and hit the road properly equipped: just click on Mytyres.co.uk and enjoy a wide range of suitable summer tyres at great prices quickly, easily and securely. Tyres can be delivered either to the customer's preferred address, or to one of over 2,000 partner fitting stations across the UK. Many partner workshops also offer customers competitive prices for storing their winter tyres at the workshop until the following winter. The most important hints on the changing of summer tyres can be also found in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE5wWgUmi2k&nohtml5 About Mytyres.co.uk There are over 100 tyre brands and more than 25,000 models of tyres to be found at Mytyres.co.uk also including the latest best-rated tyres from official comparison tests. The product portfolio not only includes tyres for cars, motorbikes, lorries, commercial vehicles and buses, but also wheel-tyre sets, rims and car replacement parts and accessories. Particularly practical: new tyres can be delivered quickly and free of charge* to any address provided. When purchasing tyres, buyers can also choose from more than 2,000 professional car workshop partners across the UK and have the tyres sent to them directly for professional fitting. Many of our partner workshops offer also additional services, such as tyre storage. *2 tyres and more Buy tyres online: www.mytyres.co.uk www.reifendirekt.de, www.reifendirekt.at, www.reifendirekt.ch, www.123pneus.ch, www.autobandenmarkt.nl, www.123pneus.fr, www.gommadiretto.it, www.neumaticos-online.es and in many other Delticom online shops. Tyre tests: www.tyretest.com Information about the company: www.delti.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005795/en/ Contacts: insignis Agency for Kommunikation GmbH (GPRA) Henning Jahns Tel.: +49-511-132214-14 Fax: +49-511-132214-99 delticom@insignis.de or Delticom AG Anne Lena Peters Tel.: +49-511-93634-8909 Fax: +49-511-93634-8301 anne.lena.peters@delti.com Dividend of EUR 1.30 per A-share approved SES S.A. (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) today in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005843/en/ SES (Photo: Business Wire) The AGM approved all proposed resolutions, notably the company's 2015 accounts and the proposed dividend of EUR 1.30 per A-share, which will be paid to shareholders and holders of SES FDRs on 27 April 2016. Shareholders also elected three new directors to the Board: Ms Pascale Toussing and Mr Victor Casier have been elected for three-year terms in replacement of Mr Marc Colas and Mr Jacques Espinasse, and Mr Jean-Paul Senninger has been elected in place of Mr Victor Rod for a two-year term. Ms Pascale Toussing is Premier Conseiller de Gouvernement and Director for Tax Policy at the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance. She is the Chairwoman of the Conseil Economique et Social, Vice-Chairwoman of the Commissariat aux Assurances, a member of the Steering Committee of the Luxembourg Sovereign Fund, and a director of Banque Internationale Luxembourg S.A. Mr Victor Casier is a member of the Executive Committee of Sofina S.A. He represents Sofina on the Boards of O3b Networks, Privalia, Global Lifting Partners and Spanish investment fund QMC II. Mr Jean-Paul Senninger has been the general secretary of the Council of Ministers of the Luxembourg Government since December 2013. The shareholders further renewed the mandates of Ms Tsega Gebreyes, Mr Romain Bausch, Mr Jean-Claude Finck and Mr Francois Tesch for a new three-year term. Following the shareholders' meeting, the Board of Directors re-elected Mr Romain Bausch as Chairman and Mr Francois Tesch and Mr Jean-Paul Zens as Vice Chairmen. In an Extraordinary General Meeting following the AGM, shareholders approved the introduction of an additional share capital under which the Board of Directors of SES is authorized to issue up to 61,848,000 shares (i.e., 41,232,000 A Shares and 20,616,000 B Shares) which represents 12.0% of the current issued share capital of SES. After the AGM, the 2015 Annual Report was published and is available for download at: http://www.ses.com/annual-report Follow us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: http://www.ses.com/blog SES Pictures are available under http://www.ses.com/21472913/Our_Pictures SES White papers are available under http://www.ses.com/18681915/white-papers About SES SES (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the satellite industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. SES holds a participation in O3b Networks, a next generation satellite network combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre. Further information available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005843/en/ Contacts: SES Markus Payer Corporate Communications Tel. +352 710 725 500 Markus.Payer@ses.com MAPLE GROVE, MN--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - TopLine Federal Credit Union was recently honored with two Diamond Awards, which recognizes outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry. The awards were presented by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Council, a national network comprised of over 1,200 credit union marketing and business development professionals. Awards are given in 30 categories ranging from advertising and community events to financial education, social media and more. TopLine won the in financial education category for its youth financial literacy series called Get Smart With Your Money', an ongoing initiative encouraging kids and their parents to talk about spending, saving and sharing money wisely. The financial literacy workshop series consists of three age-specific sessions: Building Dreams (ages 5- 8), Dollar Power (ages 9-13) and Dollars & Sense (ages 14-18). TopLine also took home a trophy in the community/one-time PR event category for its sponsorship of the Power of Produce Kids Club at the Maple Grove Farmers Market. TopLine's involvement taught young shoppers about the value of money -- and the importance of making healthy food choices. Over 802 children enrolled in the twelve week program, making more than 1,800 shopping trips to the market. "The Diamond Awards competition represents the pinnacle of credit union marketing and business development," said Andy Reed, Chair of the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council, and President and CEO, Texas People FCU. "Honoring credit unions in 30 categories, ranging from brand awareness to website, social media to mobile marketing, credit unions and individuals that receive these awards represent the very best of the best in their profession." "We are honored to be recognized by CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council for our financial education and community outreach efforts," said Tom Smith, President and CEO, TopLine Federal Credit Union. "Most importantly, we believe it's never too early to talk to your kids about the money management basics, and the Power of Produce Kids Club was a wonderful way for parents and kids to have valuable conversations about money, including how and when to spend it. We are proud to be recognized for our marketing creativity in delivering those messages, connecting with our community and communicating the credit union difference." Award winners were recognized at the council's 23rd annual conference held March 20-23 in Anaheim, California. For more information on the Diamond Awards or to view the entire list of winners, go to http://www.adque.com/cuna/2016/cuna2016_menu.html. The CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council is a member-led organization comprised of more than 1,200 credit union professionals from across the United States. The Council strives to provide superior educational and networking opportunities to help its members be recognized in the credit union industry as the premier experts in credit union marketing, business development, and related disciplines. The Marketing & Business Development Council is one of the six organizations that make up the CUNA Councils, a network of more than 6,600 credit union professionals. For more information, visit www.cunacouncils.org. TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 13 th largest, with assets of more than $370 million. Established in 1935, the not-for- profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations -- in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul's Como Park -- as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members. CONTACT: Vicki Roscoe Erickson Vice President, Marketing & Communications verickson@toplinecu.com 763.391.0872 AerCap Holdings N.V. ("AerCap", NYSE: AER) announced today that it has completed the closing of a new $0.7 billion secured credit facility. The facility will primarily be used to acquire new narrowbody and widebody aircraft as they deliver from Boeing and Airbus through the end of 2016. The facility was signed to finance a portfolio of 9 aircraft and has a maturity date of December 2022. The facility was coordinated by CTBC Bank Co. Ltd., Development Bank of Japan, and DBS Bank Ltd., all of whom together with Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, National Australia Bank, China Construction Bank, Bank of East Asia and The Tokyo Star Bank, acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers. Paul Rofe, Group Treasurer of AerCap, said: "We are very pleased with the successful closing of this transaction, which further demonstrates AerCap's excellent access to liquidity. We were able to welcome new lenders to the AerCap group along with enjoying the continued support and confidence of our existing banking partners in executing this facility." The total amount of financing transactions completed in 2016 is $0.8 billion. About AerCap AerCap is the global leader in aircraft leasing with approximately 1,700 owned, managed or on order aircraft in its portfolio. AerCap has one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves over 200 customers in approximately 80 countries with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and has its headquarters in Dublin with offices in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Shannon, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Singapore, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Seattle and Toulouse. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements, estimates and forecasts with respect to future performance and events. These statements, estimates and forecasts are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate or correct. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future performance or events described in the forward-looking statements in this press release might not occur. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information regarding AerCap and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.aercap.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005893/en/ Contacts: AerCap Holdings N.V. For Investors/Media: John Wikoff, +31 20 655 9661 Investor Relations jwikoff@aercap.com Company hosts three international youth cyber defense competitions and national-level workforce discussion to elevate dialogue about critical talent gapBALTIMORE, 2016-04-07 15:42 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the Northrop Grumman Foundation will sponsor cyber defense competitions this month in the U.S., Middle East and Europe demonstrating the company's global commitment to cyber education and workforce development and the importance of inspiring tomorrow's youth to pursue a career in cybersecurity. In addition, the company will sponsor a cyber workforce discussion featuring Tony Scott, U.S. federal chief information officer."Cyber is a borderless threat. Globally, we face a critical shortage of trained professionals ready to take on the job of securing our systems and networks," said Kathy Warden, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "We are channeling our expertise to help tomorrow's workforce develop the skills and competencies needed to succeed and keep all sectors of our economy safe. These competitions are a great way to get youth involved and open their eyes to the enormous potential of pursuing an education and a career in cybersecurity."Competitions:-- The 8th annual CyberPatriot competition is slated for April 12 in Baltimore. Created by the Air Force Association and presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, teams of high school and middle school students will compete face-to-face in a one-day event to defend virtual networks and mobile devices from a professional aggressor team. A record 3,300 teams entered nationwide this year, with the top 28 teams - including three middle school teams - competing in the finals. Media are invited to attend the competition. For more information, click here or follow the competition on Twitter @CyberPatriot, CP8Finals. -- The CyberArabia competition will take place at King Saud University, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia on April 18 and 19. This is the second year that Northrop Grumman has hosted this two-day cyber security awareness and training session, which will include a hands-on training workshop culminating in a cyber defense competition on both the men's and women's campuses. -- The CyberCenturion competition will be held at the National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, in the United Kingdom on April 26. Now in its second year, CyberCenturion is the U.K.'s first team-based cyber security contest for 12-18 year olds. Sponsored by Northrop Grumman in partnership with Cyber Security Challenge U.K., the competition aims to engage talented young people with an interest in cyber as a way to bridge the national skills gap in STEM subjects and encourage careers in cyber security. Media are invited to attend the competition. For more about CyberCenturion, click here. Or follow the conversation on Twitter @CyberChallenge, CyberCenturion.In addition to these competitions, Northrop Grumman will sponsor a cyber workforce discussion with Passcode on April 12 titled "Workforce 2.0: How to cultivate cybersecurity professionals." Headlining the discussion will be Tony Scott, U.S. federal chief information officer, along with Rodney Petersen, leader of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Maryland. Follow the conversation on Twitter via the hashtag SecurityCulture and @csmpasscode. Or follow the livestream here.Northrop Grumman and the Northrop Grumman Foundation are committed to supporting cyber security education, training, technology and workforce development. Highlights include the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Cyber Scholars program; the University of Maryland Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students program; the university-based Cybersecurity Research Consortium; the Cync incubator program in partnership with bwtech@UMBC; UK CyberInvest, in which the company is an industry partner, and numerous other global academia-focused partnerships. For more about Northrop Grumman in cyber, go to www.northropgrumman.com/cyber.Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.CONTACT: US: Marynoele Benson (703) 556-1651 (office) (703) 282-5428 Marynoele.benson@ngc.comUK: Ken Beedle +44 (0) 207-747-1910 (office) +44 (0) 7787-174092 (mobile) Ken.beedle@euro.ngc.com WINSTON-SALEM, NC and PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - Clinical Ink, the pioneering provider of eSource solutions for clinical trials, today announced that Scott Miltenberger has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As Chief Financial Officer, Scott Miltenberger leads Clinical Ink's accounting, business planning and global financial operations. He reports directly to Clinical Ink CEO, Ed Seguine. "It's a privilege to join Clinical Ink, a company that brings together a unique mix of entrepreneurial talent and seasoned, global expertise," said Scott. "The dynamic and fast-moving environment is exciting, and I look forward to working with this team to help develop and support clinical trial sponsors and partner companies in their innovative, and potentially industry-transforming, work." Mr. Miltenberger brings more than 20 years of financial management and technology industry experience, primarily in executive roles leading strategic global financial operations. Prior to joining Clinical Ink, Mr. Miltenberger was Chief Financial Officer for Evolve IP through GPX Enterprises, a private equity firm focused on the sponsorship, development and management of selected investments, where he helped lead the company through a period of rapid growth. Prior to Evolve IP, Scott served as CFO for Elemica, a cloud-based software services company, where he led the company's financial strategy, capital raising initiatives, and was instrumental in the organization's M&A activities. Scott began his career at Deloitte & Touche LLP. "Scott comes to us with a superb track record at high-tech, high-growth companies, and he will be a tremendous asset to our management team during Clinical Ink's growth and maturation," said Ed Seguine, Chief Executive Officer of Clinical Ink. "I am confident that he will enhance our ability to transform clinical trials through novel technology and process innovation. We are delighted to have him on the Clinical Ink team." Capturing patient data electronically in real-time using Clinical Ink's SureSource at clinical trial sites and CentrosHealth for patients, ensures the reliability, quality, integrity, and traceability of data from electronic source to electronic regulatory submission, and delivers benefits that legacy technologies do not. Clinical Ink eliminates the need for EDC and on-site source data verification, allowing for true remote monitoring saving time and money while increasing quality. About Clinical Ink Founded in 2007, Clinical Ink is transforming clinical development with innovative technologies that make clinical research easier -- for sites, sponsors and patients. Clinical Ink's SureSource and CentrosHealth solutions directly capture eSource data and documents and improve patient engagement while streamlining clinical development. Clinical Ink maintains offices in Cambridge, MA, Winston-Salem, NC, and Philadelphia, PA. Find more at www.clinicalink.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Dorsey Clinical Ink 336.728.6822 jim.dorsey@clinicalink.com www.clinicalink.com OAKVILLE, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. ("Saint Jean" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SJL), a carbon science company engaged in the development of natural graphite properties and related carbon products, is pleased to announce the results of their spherical shaped carbon coated graphite for lithium ion batteries. The coin cell tests are essential to developing materials in the future. There are many different outcomes based on quality of the material, how it was purified, shaped and amount of coating(s) and binders. The results show tremendous promise in meeting customer specifications. Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: "We are very pleased with the results. The first challenge was to develop our own design-build solution by creating and then filing for patents on our process. The next big challenge was to build the materials, and we have done that. The selling price range of 99.999% GC spherically shaped carbon coated in four sizes, is around (i)$1,950.00/mt including delivery in USD. This means we need to create great products, affordably. Our high-yield low-waste system certainly looks like we may be able to do just that." The results show that the SEM images have very good conductivity. At 0.1C first discharge: 463.9 mAh/g. First charge 371.7 mAh/g. Slow degradation at 0.5C until 100 cycles. Very good capacity retention at 0.05C after 10 cycles at 0.1C. Meaning, our material is performing within the upper standards of graphite for high quality applications such as electric cars. Further, the results are reproducible. The results are promising. More testing to continue to improve on these results and will help in applying the material to other projects. The basic plan is to work with our academic and industry partners' by applying our test results into real life applications where the performance can be measured in all types of environmental conditions. As an example; building batteries for an electric car and then thoroughly testing the life cycle of the batteries and the performance of the graphite. The Company plans to build a number of coin cells and a complete lithium battery in the coming weeks. Further, the Company is planning to announce the commencement of construction of their first full production line for the manufacturing of spherical/coated graphite. (i) The company is presently in negotiations with two battery manufacturers, to supply graphite, spherically shaped and coated, at a price point of $1,950.00 USD per metric ton. The company has also had to demonstrate, through research and engineering modeling, that the material can be produced at the negotiated price point. About Saint Jean Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with interest in graphite mining claims on the 100% Company-owned properties located in the province of Quebec in Canada. The properties include past producing mines. For information on Saint Jean's other properties and the latest news please go to the website: www.saintjeancarbon.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc. Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Contacts: Information Contact: (905) 844-1200 info@saintjeancarbon.com www.saintjeancarbon.com NEUSTADT AN DER AISCH, Germany, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Onlineprinters GmbH has announced the opening of its new Large Format Prints production facilities. In order to reflect the company's growth, the production area moved into a 1,200 square-metre hall just a few kilometres from the headquarters. In addition, the company has also unveiled an administrative building offering 600sqm of office space, which already houses 21 employees from the Marketing and Product Management departments. Onlineprinters thus remains loyal to its roots in the German town of Neustadt an der Aisch where it operates in a total area of ""42,000 square metres. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352622 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352623 ) "Thanks to its rapid growth, large format prints have slowly but steadily become one of our core products," says Dr Michael Fries, CEO of the German print giant. In 2015, the annual demand for these products increased exponentially. "Large-scale outdoor advertising is now part of a modern marketing mix. We continue to invest in this area in order to meet our customers' demands both at present and in the future, " said Fries. Five years of large format printing Onlineprinters GmbH first opened its Large Format Printing (LFP) facilities in January 2011. Among its large range of products, Onlineprinters offers advertising boards and exhibition displays, such as roller banners, wallpapers, tarpaulins for fences and scaffolding, flags and banners. A total of nineteen employees are in charge of processing the orders received on 15 international online shops from all over Europe. Much like the wide array of paper stocks used for other printed products, the LFP division uses a varied mix of materials such as PVC tarpaulin, Plexiglas, flag fabric and composite boards. The department also takes over the further processing of the products, including the cutting of prints, tarpaulin eyelets and banner hems and ensures all products are printed according to the highest quality standards. The industrial production of large format prints results in a high-quality and cost-effective model, no matter the size. In addition, there is enough room for customisation and personalisation: bespoke sizes with millimetre precision and same-day print (production on the same working day the order is placed) are available. Onlineprinters produces large format prints on modern HP and Durst digital presses and uses odourless, environmentally friendly latex inks. The company was the world's first buyer of the Durst Rho 312R, a high-speed UV roll-to-roll printing press for the printing of mesh and PVC tarpaulins. Video "A look behind the production at Onlineprinters": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWWiPcVE5P8 About Onlineprinters GmbH Onlineprinters GmbH is one of the leading online printing companies in Europe. Unlike all other large online printers, the company has evolved from a classic commercial print shop to be one of the first providers of online printing services when the German web shop "diedruckerei.de" was launched in 2004. In 2009, the company went international with the brand "Onlineprinters". Employing a staff of more than 600 today, Onlineprinters serves over 500,000 customers in 30 European countries. The company's in-house production department uses state-of-the-art Heidelberg Speedmaster technology in offset printing, HP Indigo digital printing presses and LFP printers from Durst and HP with latex and UV ink. The product range comprises over 1,400 printed products in ten million configurations - from business cards, stationery and flyers to catalogues, brochures and large-format advertising systems. With more than 110 printing units, Onlineprinters is the largest 3b printer in Europe, producing over two billion printed products each year. - Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) - LONDON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ABI Research, the leader in transformative technology innovation market intelligence, finds that highly accurate, real-time maps are an essential next step as the automotive industry steers toward the future of fully driverless cars. All autonomous and driverless vehicle maps will need to combine accuracy, environmental models, and real-time attributes allowing positional and temporal awareness. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151014/276887LOGO "Crowdsourcing is crucial," says Dominique Bonte, Managing Director and Vice President at ABI Research. "As connected vehicles include more low-cost, high-resolution sensors, cars will capture and upload this data to a central, cloud-based repository so that automotive companies, such as HERE, can crowdsource the information to build highly accurate, real-time precision maps. This is fueled by the rapid adoption of a wide range of active safety systems with more than 94 million longitudinal assistance ADAS systems expected to ship in 2026." The new 3D, dynamic maps will provide a complementary data set to ADAS sensors for an overall smoother driving experience. Whereas sensors provide real-time visibility on a vehicle's immediate vicinity for last-minute obstacle detection and collision avoidance, maps extend this visibility to allow vehicles to anticipate those situations long before the sensors would even have to detect them. "Humans managed to learn how to drive without maps, which leaves many wondering why driverless vehicles can't do the same," continues Bonte. "The short answer is: they can. But there is still an inherent need for reliability and robustness, which can only be achieved by building redundancy into autonomous vehicle technology. Maps will work in harmony with ADAS sensors to dramatically improve overall accuracy and predictability." The battle for controlling crowdsourced driverless HD map technology is heating up. Daimler, jointly owning HERE with BMW and Audi, confirmed talks with Amazon and Microsoft to join the consortium. Mobileye signed agreements with GM, VW, and Nissan to use its Road Experience Management (REM) mapping platform. And at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), NVIDIA announced its new HD mapping approach based on its DRIVE' PX machine vision hardware platform. Car OEM Toyota also announced its own mapping platform, working with mapping supplier Zenrin in Japan. ABI Research argues that the biggest challenge for the new mapping paradigm is the lack of standards coupled with high levels of fragmentation in the automotive industry. Despite HERE's efforts to assemble the industry around its Sensor Integration Standard for real-time map attributes, many players, like ADAS vendor Mobileye, are vying to play a role in map data crowdsourcing and proposing and/or imposing their own proprietary approaches. "The industry needs to set standards, if only for the fact that standards readily allow vehicles to exchange real-time map attributes between each other," concludes Bonte. "In the early stages, new players introducing their own solutions might actually fuel innovation and accelerate adoption of crowdsourced map technology. But in the long term, economies of scale and a maturing market environment will require the adoption of standards and open platform approaches." These findings are part of ABI Research's Automotive Safety and Autonomous Driving Service (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/service/safety-and-security-telematics/), which includes research reports, market data, insights, and competitive assessments. About ABI Research For more than 25 years, ABI Research has stood at the forefront of technology market intelligence, partnering with innovative business leaders to implement informed, transformative technology decisions. The company employs a global team of senior analysts to provide comprehensive research and consulting services through deep quantitative forecasts, qualitative analyses and teardown services. An industry pioneer, ABI Research is proactive in its approach, frequently uncovering ground-breaking business cycles ahead of the curve and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. In all, the company covers more than 60 services, spanning 11 technology sectors. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com. Contact Info:Christine Gallen Tel: +44.203.326.0142 pr@abiresearch.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senator Pat Toomey, R-Penn., leads either of the two Democrats challenging him in the Pennsylvania Senate race, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll. The poll showed Toomey with a 47 percent to 39 percent lead over former Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Penn., and a 47 percent to 38 percent lead over Katie McGinty. Toomey seems to be benefiting from a positive 50 percent to 29 percent job approval rating and a positive 45 to 24 percent favorability rating. Meanwhile, 51 percent of Pennsylvania voters said they don't know enough about Sestak to form an opinion and 64 percent said they don't know enough about McGinty. 'Toomey can take some comfort in the lead he has on his two Democratic challengers, but it's a lot easier to be the front runner when voters don't know much about the challengers,' said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. The poll also found that Pennsylvania voters disapprove 52 percent to 35 percent of Governor Tom Wolf's job performance, reflecting his lowest job approval rating since taking office. Meanwhile, Senator Bob Casey, Jr., D-Penn., has a positive 45 percent to 24 percent approval rating, the poll showed. The Quinnipiac survey of 1,737 Pennsylvania voters was conducted March 30th through April 4th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. 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. Rokiskio suris AB, Pramones str. 3, Rokiskis, Lithuania, 2016-04-07 16:36 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The draft resolutions prepared by the Board of Directors of AB Rokiskio suris for the general meeting of shareholders to be held on 29th April 2016:1. Auditor's findings regarding the financial statements and annual report.Debriefed.2. The Audit Committee report.Draft resolution:To endorse the report of the Audit Committee.3. The Company's consolidated annual report for the year 2015.Debriefed with the consolidated annual report for the year 2015 of Rokiskio suris AB which is prepared by the Company's management, assessed by the Auditor's and approved by the Board of Directors.4. Approval of the consolidated and company's financial accounting for the year 2015.Draft resolution:To approve the audited consolidated and company's financial reports for the year 2015.5. Allocation of the profit (loss) of the Company of 2015.The Company's Board of Directors has not accepted a resolution regarding distribution of profit (loss).6. Election of the Company's auditor and establishment of payment conditions.Draft resolution :To elect an audit company UAB PricewaterhouseCoopers to perform an audit of annual consolidated financial statements and evaluation of the annual report of the Group of AB Rokiskio suris and the Parent Company. Remuneration for the audit shall be identified by the Board of Directors. The Company's manager is authorized to sign an agreement with the audit company.Dalius Trumpa Board Chairman +370 458 55200Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=555396 OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - A Canadian court has sentenced a 16-year-old boy who unsuccessfully attempted to fly to Syria to join Islamic State to two years' imprisonment and 12 months probation. The Court of Quebec, Youth Division, sentenced the boy on charges of terrorism offenses under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The sentence is to be served consecutively to the sentence he is already serving for related criminal offenses prosecuted by the province of Quebec. The court found him guilty of committing an offense for the benefit of a terrorist group, and attempting to leave Canada to participate in its activities. The unidentified boy, when he was 15, became radicalized and stole $1,680 at knife-point from a Quebec store in order to pay for travel to Syria where he hoped to join the Islamic State group and take part in the conflict there. Noting his move, the boy's father informed police, who arrested him before he could leave the country. 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. DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology giant Google has revealed its providing seed funding to help companies in Asia buy their energy from clean sources. Google's funding will be used to set up renewable energy certification programs through the Center for Resource Solutions, starting in Taiwan. Taiwan has set extensive targets for renewable energy and plans to source 16% of energy from renewable energy sources by 2030, as noted in a report available from Research and Markets, hence why Google has chosen the country as its starting point. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160330/349511LOGO ) The push to set up energy certification programs in Asia is part of a bigger global move for Google to power its data centers using renewable energy. Google's long term plan is to use renewable energy to provide power to all its operations across the world. In December it was announced that Google had completed deals to purchase output from power plants in Sweden, Chile and U.S., giving it contracts for 2 gigawatts of global renewable energy. The amount of funding provided for the certificate programs was not revealed. The Asia Pacific wind energy market is set to grow at a CAGR of 12.13% by 2020, as forecast in an industry report. Similarly, the Asia Pacific solar energy market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.42% by 2020, as noted in a separate market report. The high growth of the renewable energy markets in Asia gives Google a strong chance to ensure its renewable energy certificate programs are successful, and will also hopefully convince other tech industry leaders to follow suit and create their own renewable energy initiatives. For further information on this topic, and a full list of all related documentation, please visit the Renewable Energy section at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/rm/NNLJ. Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-07/google-to-provide-seed-funding-for-renewable-energy-in-asia About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Mondi Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number: 1967/013038/06) JSE share code: MND ISIN: ZAE000156550 Mondi plc (Incorporated in England and Wales) (Registered number: 6209386) JSE share code: MNP ISIN: GB00B1CRLC47 LSE share code: MNDI As part of the dual listed company structure, Mondi Limited and Mondi plc (together "Mondi Group") notify both the JSE Limited and the London Stock Exchange of matters required to be disclosed under the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited and/or the Disclosure and Transparency and Listing Rules of the United Kingdom Listing Authority. 7 April 2016 Mondi launches EUR500 million Eurobond NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ANY PERSON OR ADDRESS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE "UNITED STATES") OR TO THE U.S. PERSONS Mondi is pleased to announce the successful launch of a EUR500 million, 8-year Eurobond. Proceeds of the issue, which is due to close on 14 April 2016, will be used for general corporate purposes. The Eurobond matures in April 2024, has a coupon of 1.5%, and an application will be made for it to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. The joint book-runners for the issue were BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and UniCredit. The Eurobond will be issued under Mondi's European Medium Term Note (EMTN) programme, which is rated Baa2 by Moody's and BBB by Standard and Poor's. Andrew King, Mondi's Chief Financial Officer, said: "We are delighted with the support for our bond issue from a wide group of European Institutional investors. The success of this transaction further strengthens the Group by extending our debt maturity profile and reflects Mondi's consistent and focussed long term strategy, robust business model and high-quality, low-cost asset base". THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS. THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") OR THE LAWS OF ANY STATE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF U.S. PERSONS (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), EXCEPT IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, OR PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES IS BEING MADE, AND THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFER OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. This communication is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters related to investments and who are investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) of the United Kingdom (the "Financial Promotion Order"); (iii) persons who fall within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Promotion Order; and (iv) any other persons to whom this communication may otherwise lawfully be directed (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the United Kingdom. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Contact: Mondi Group Andrew King Group CFO Tel: +27 (0)11 994 5415 E-mail: andrew.king@mondigroup.com James Paterson Group Treasurer Tel: +44 (0)1932 826340 E-mail: james.paterson@mondigroup.com We are Mondi: In touch every day At Mondi, our products protect and preserve the things that matter. Mondi is an international packaging and paper Group, employing around 25,000 people across more than 30 countries. Our key operations are located in central Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa. We offer over 100 packaging and paper products, customised into more than 100,000 different solutions for customers, end consumers and industrial end uses - touching the lives of millions of people every day. In 2015, Mondi had revenues of EUR6.8 billion and a return on capital employed of 20.5%. The Mondi Group is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain - from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and compound plastics, to developing effective and innovative industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Our innovative technologies and products can be found in a variety of applications including hygiene components, stand-up pouches, super-strong cement bags, clever retail boxes and office paper. Our key customers are in industries such as automotive; building and construction; chemicals; food and beverage; home and personal care; medical and pharmaceutical; packaging and paper converting; pet care; and office and professional printing. Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker code MND and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker code MNDI. For us, acting sustainably makes good business sense and is part of the way we work every day. We have been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index since 2007. Sponsor in South Africa: UBS South Africa (Pty) Ltd /ends DUBLIN, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese transportation network company Didi Kuaidi has raised the target of its latest funding round to over USD 1.5 billion, as it prepares for the inevitable showdown with Uber. China's biggest ride-hailing service is expected to be valued at more than USD 20 billion following this round, which will close soon and is oversubscribed by multiple times. Didi had sought to raise USD 1 billion, but chose to extend the round due to the tough competition it expects to face from Uber. The global IT spending market by cab aggregators is set to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% by 2019, according to a report available from Research and Markets, suggesting a ride-hailing market dominated by the bigger companies. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160330/349511LOGO ) Didi will use its funding to recruit drivers and ensure fares are kept competitive, something it hopes will combat Uber's aggressive growth in China. Uber spent more than USD 1 billion in China last year and expects China to become its largest market. Didi operates in over 400 cities across China and will serve 30 million customers by the end of 2016. It expects to expand its active drivers from the 4 million it currently has to 10 million by the year's end. Didi Kuaidi has a financial advantage over Uber in that it also offers vehicle rental services, which are popular in China. The China car rental industry will expand from 400,000 vehicles for lease in 2014 to 750,000 vehicles for lease in 2018, as forecast in an industry report. The global taxi market is expected to grow from 4 million vehicles in 2014 to 5 million in 2020, as predicted in a market report. However, this forecast could be higher if network companies like Didi Kuaidi and Uber continue to aggressively expand their services in an attempt to beat competitors. For further information on this topic, and a full list of all related documentation, please visit the Auto Leasing and Rental section at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/rm/NNNK. Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-07/uber-rival-said-to-raise-funding-goal-to-more-than-1-5-billion About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016-04-07 17:03 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the initiative and decision of the Company's Management Board the General Shareholders Meeting of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL (identification code 121304349) is to be held on 29 April 2016 at 16:00 p.m. in the Company's office Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius.Registration of the Shareholders will start at 15:30 p.m.Only the persons who are the shareholders of the Company at the end of the accounting day of the General Shareholders Meeting (22 April 2016) are entitled to participate and to vote at the General Shareholders Meeting.The agenda of the General Shareholders Meeting of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL includes:1) Presentation of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL consolidated annual report.2) Presentation of the independent auditor's report on the financial statements of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.3) On the approval of the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2015 of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.4) Regarding the distribution of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL profit for 2015.5) Regarding purchase of own shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.6) On the approval of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL Employee Stock Option Policy.7) Regarding the specific number of ordinary registered shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL for which during year 2016 employees shall be offered options contracts and regarding the price of the shares.The draft resolutions of the General Shareholders Meeting of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL:1) Presentation of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL consolidated annual report.Shareholders of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL are presented with the consolidated annual report of Invalda INVL for 2015 (There is no voting on this issue of agenda).2) Presentation of the independent auditor's report on the financial statements of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.Shareholders of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL are presented with the independent auditor's report on the financial statements of Invalda INVL for 2015 (There is no voting on this issue of agenda).3) On the approval of the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2015 of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.To approve the consolidated and companies financial statements for 2015 of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.4) Regarding the distribution of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL for 2015.To distribute the profit of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL for 2015 as follows:Article (thousan d EUR) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Retained earnings (loss) at the beginning of the financial year of the 24,515 reporting period -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net profit (loss) for the financial year 4,481 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Profit (loss) not recognized in the income statement of the reporting (4) financial year - retained earnings transferred during the split-off -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transfers from reserves - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- from reserve to purchase of own shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- from legal reserve - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- from share premium - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shareholders contribution to cover loss (if all or part of loss is - covered by the shareholders) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Profit distribution: 28,992 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Profit transfers to the legal reserves - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Profit transfers to the reserves for own shares acquisition - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Profit transfers to other reserves - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Profit to be paid as dividends - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Profit to be paid as annual payments (bonus) and for other purposes - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Retained earnings (loss) at the end of the financial year 28,992 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. Regarding purchase of own shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL.Executing the resolution of the General Shareholders Meeting on 30 April 2015 on the acquisition of own shares, Invalda INVL purchased its own shares for a total of 550 thousand euros. The remaining amount of the unused reserve for own shares is 10,571 thousand euros.To use the reserve for the purchase of own shares and to purchase shares in Invalda INVL under these conditions:1. The goal for the purchase of own shares - to ensure for shareholders a possibility to sell company's shares 2. The maximum number of shares to be acquired - the nominal value of own shares may not exceed 1/10 of share capital. 3. The period during which the company may purchase its own shares - 18 months from the day of this resolution. 4. The maximum and minimal one share acquisition price: the maximum one share acquisition price - value of consolidated equity per one share calculated according to the last publicly announced data of the consolidated equity of Invalda INVL before the decision of the Board, minimum one share acquisition price - EUR 1. 5. The conditions of the selling of the purchased shares and mininal purchase price: Purchased own shares may be cancelled by the decision of the General Shareholders Meeting or sold by the decision of the Board upon the condition that minimum sale price for one share isn't lower than value of consolidated equity per one share calculated according to the publicly announced data of the consolidated equity of Invalda INVL before the decision of the Board, and the sale procedure will ensure equal possibilities for all shareholders to purchase these shares.The Board of Invalda INVL, AB is delegated on the basis of this resolution and the Law on companies of the Republic of Lithuania to organize purchase and sale of own shares, to organize purchase and selling procedure own shares and to determine an order and timing for purchase and sale of own shares as well as the amount of shares and shares price, and to complete all other actions related with purchase and sale procedure of own shares.From the date of this resolution the resolution of the General Shareholders Meeting on 30 April 2015 on the acquisition of own shares expires.6. On the approval of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL employee stock option policy.To approve Invalda INVL Employee Stock Option Policy (enclosed).To authorize the Board of Invalda INVL to ensure the proper implementation of Employee Stock Option Policy.7. Regarding the specific number of ordinary registered shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL for which during year 2016 employees shall be offered options contracts and regarding the price of the shares.It is offered for the employees of Invalda INVL and of the companies, in which Invalda INVL owns 50 per cent or more of shares, during year 2016 to make options contracts, on the basis of which according to the procedures and terms established in options contracts in year 2019 employees will be able to exercise the right to acquire 52,906 ordinary shares of Invalda INVL of EUR 0.29 nominal value, by paying for every acquired share 1 (one) euro.The acquisition price of shares is fixed, it does not change depending on performance results of the company and / or other companies' of the group or on ordinary registered share price of Invalda INVL on a regulated market.The documents related to the agenda, draft resolutions on every item of agenda, documents what have to be submitted to the General Shareholders Meeting and other information related to realization of shareholders rights are available at the office of Invalda INVL (Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius) during working hours.The shareholders are entitled: (i) to propose to supplement the agenda of the General Shareholders Meeting submitting draft resolution on every additional item of agenda or, than there is no need to make a decision - explanation of the shareholder (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes). Proposal to supplement the agenda is submitted in writing by registered mail or delivered in person against signature. The agenda is supplemented if the proposal is received no later than 14 before the General Shareholders Meeting; (ii) to propose draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the agenda of the General Shareholders Meeting at any time prior to the date of the General Shareholders meeting (in writing, by registered mail or delivered in person against signature) or in writing during the General Shareholders Meeting (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes); (iii) to submit questions to the Company related to the issues of agenda of the General Shareholders Meeting in advance but no later than 3 business days prior to the General Shareholders Meeting in writing by registered mail or delivered in person against signature. Shareholder participating at the General Shareholders Meeting and having the right to vote must submit documents confirming personal identity. Each shareholder may authorize either a natural or a legal person to participate and to vote on the shareholder's behalf at the General Shareholders Meeting. The representative has the same rights as his represented shareholder at the General Shareholders Meeting. The authorized persons must have documents confirming their personal identity and power of attorney approved in the manner specified by law which must be submitted to the Company no later than before the commencement of registration for the General Shareholders Meeting. Shareholder is entitled to issue power of attorney by means of electronic communications for legal or natural persons to participate and to vote on its behalf at the General Shareholders Meeting. The shareholders must inform the Company about power of attorney issued by means of electronic communications no later than before the commencement of registration for the General Shareholders Meeting. The power of attorney issued by means of electronic communications and notice about it must be written and submitted to the Company by means of electronic communications. Shareholder or its representative may vote in writing by filling general voting bulletin, in such a case the requirement to deliver a personal identity document does not apply. The form of general voting bulletin is presented at the Company's webpage. If shareholder requests, the Company shall send the general voting bulletin to the requesting shareholder by registered mail or shall deliver it in person against signature no later than 10 days prior to the General Shareholders Meeting free of charge. The filled general voting bulletin must be signed by the shareholder or its authorized representative. Document confirming the right to vote must be added to the general voting bulletin if authorized person is voting. The filled general voting bulletin must be delivered to Invalda INVL, AB by registered mail (address Gyneju str. 14, LT 01109 Vilnius, Lithuania) or in person against signature no later than before the day of the General Shareholders Meeting. The Company does not provide opportunities to participate and vote at the meeting by electronic means. Information related with the convened General Shareholders Meeting (notice on convocation of General Shareholders Meeting, information about Company's shares, draft resolution, etc.) are available at Company's webpage www.invaldainvl.ltThe person authorized to provide additional information: Darius Sulnis President Phone +370 5279 0601 E-mail: darius.sulnis@invl.comAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=555426 BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - For posing a burn risk, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has recalled 20,000 made in China scarves under the Ivanka Trump brand. No injuries have been reported so far. The rayon scarves in blue, red, neutral and green colors were sold between October 2014 and January 2016. Ironically, Donald Trump, during his high voltage campaign for the Republican nomination, has been criticizing companies for outsourcing products. He has said that he would impose high tariff on Chinese products if elected. The Chinese scarves under Ivanka Trump brand have been available in Lord & Taylor, Marshalls, TJ Maxx as well as Amazon site. The brand has been in market since 2007, selling clothing, accessories and jewelry collection. The Commission noted that the women's scarves do not meet the federal flammability standards for clothing textiles. The notification said the consumers should immediately stop using the recalled scarves and return them to the place where purchased. Return will offer full refund. 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. NORMA Group, a global market leader for engineered joining technology, continues to make progress on the implementation of the NORMA Clean Water development aid project in India. Launched in 2014, the program is determined to improve the water supply and sanitary conditions in 50 schools in Greater Pune in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Children's clubs at project schools gathered to raise awareness for hygiene and water conservation at a recent series of World Water Day events. "We have achieved important milestones since the start of the project," said Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group. "For instance, we were able to bring the importance of clean water and hygiene closer to the kids at almost all of the schools. "We are very pleased with the progress we are making. After all, World Water Day reminds us of how important access to the valuable resource water is for all of us. With its diverse product solutions for water management, NORMA Group supports the global trend toward an efficient and sustainable water usage." As part of the NORMA Clean Water project, educational children's clubs have been founded at 46 of the 50 schools involved in the Greater Pune program. Students check the status of sanitation and cleanliness in their schools. Essay competitions and theater performances have helped students understand their responsibility for the environment and their usage of water. The project also has installed electric incinerators at 11 educational institutions, which allows hygiene products to be disposed of safely. NORMA's Clean Water project will benefit 15,000 pupils and teachers through 2017. The project is conducted in cooperation with the child aid organization Plan International. Along with the educational initiatives, essential renovations on washrooms and water lines are carried out to improve the learning and working conditions for the children and teachers in the long term. Further highlighting NORMA Group's sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives, the company recently received Gold Status in the EcoVadis Rating for achievements in the area of sustainability. The company ranks among the top five percent of all companies assessed and was praised in particular for its holistic approach to sustainability management. EcoVadis is a leading, independent provider of sustainability ratings. Through its assessments, the sustainability activities of more than 20,000 companies with international supply chains that span more than 100 countries are made measurable and comparable. Companies are evaluated in four categories: environment, working conditions and human rights, responsible management and sustainable procurement. Click here for project pictures http://norma.to/1pZhga3, and to watch a film about NORMA Clean Water: http://normagroup.com/norma.nsf/id/Community_CR_EN. NORMA Group makes its achievements and the progress it is making in the area of Corporate Responsibility transparent on its website www.normagroup.com/cr and in the Sustainability Report it first published in 2014. The next Sustainability Report will be published in 2016. Additional information on the company is available on www.normagroup.com. Press photos are available from our platform on www.normagroup.com/images. About NORMA Group NORMA Group is a global market leader in engineered joining technology. The company manufactures a wide range of innovative connecting solutions and water management technology offering more than 35,000 products to customers in 100 countries with around 6,500 employees. NORMA Group helps its customers and business partners to react to global challenges such as climate change and increasing scarcity of resources. NORMA Group joining products can be found in vehicles and trains, ships and aircraft, buildings and water management as well as in applications for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. The company generated sales of around EUR 890 million in 2015. NORMA Group operates a global network of 22 production facilities as well as numerous sales and distribution sites across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. NORMA Group has its headquarters in Maintal, Germany. NORMA Group SE is listed on the German stock exchange (Prime Standard) and included in the MDAX index. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407006054/en/ Contacts: Company Contact: NORMA Group SE Daphne Recker Group Communications +49 6181.6102.743 daphne.recker@normagroup.com or Media Contact: AutoCom Associates Larry Weis or Mike Arnholt +1 248.647.8621 lweis@usautocom.com marnholt@usautocom.com BROSSARD, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- DIAGNOS Inc. ("DIAGNOS" or "the Corporation") (TSX VENTURE: ADK), a leader in healthcare technical services including screening, software and algorithm development, data analysis, and image processing, announces a private placement ("Private Placement") of up to $1,070,000 worth of units (each a "Unit"). Each Unit consists of: -- One Secured Convertible Debenture ("Debenture"), $10,000 principal amount, 1-Year Term, 12% Annual Interest, and -- 50,000 Stock Warrants (each a "Warrant') entitling the holder to purchase one Common Share ("Share") per Warrant at a price of $0.06 per Share for a period of one year from the date of issuance. At the sole option of the holders of the Debentures, the principal amount of the Debentures may be converted at any time, in whole or in part, into common shares of the Corporation at a price of $0.06 per common share. Any accrued interest on the principal, at time of conversion, is immediately payable in cash. There will be no cash proceeds as the Debentures and Warrants will be issued solely in settlement of outstanding debt pertaining to Unsecured Convertible and Redeemable Promissory Notes ("Notes"), bearing interest at 10%, with a conversion and redemption price of $0.16, issued between March 31, 2014 and May 2, 2014. The Corporation has retained the services of Dundee Goodman Private Wealth, a division of Dundee Securities Ltd. ("Dundee"), to act as a referral agent in connection with the Private Placement. As per the engagement agreement, Dundee is entitled to receive a commission in cash of 4% on the value of Debentures issued to subscribers referred by Dundee. The Debentures will be sold in Canada on a prospectus-exempt basis and the Shares underlying the Debentures and Warrants will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period from the closing date. This proposed Private Placement is subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, as well as the negotiation and execution of formal documentation. Closing of the Private Placement is expected to take place on, or around, May 2nd, 2016 ("Closing Date"). Within 10 days after the Closing Date, the Corporation shall make a special payment, in the form of interests at the annual rate of 12%, to compensate the holders of the Debentures and Warrants for the number of accrued days between the date of issuance of the Debentures and Warrants and the expiry date of the initial Notes. All monies quoted in this press release shall be stated and paid in lawful money of Canada. About DIAGNOS DIAGNOS is a publicly-traded Canadian corporation with a mission to improve the quality of patients' lives and minimize the economic burden of vision loss. Computer Assisted Retinal Analysis (CARA) is the Company's proprietary tele-ophthalmology platform that integrates with existing equipment (hardware and software) and processes at the point of care (POC) and comprises: image upload, image enhancement automated pre-screening, grading by a specialist, and referral to a specialist. CARA's image enhancement algorithms make standard retinal images sharper, clearer, and easier to read. CARA is accessible securely over the internet, and is compatible with all recognized image formats and brands of fundus cameras, and is EMR compatible. CARA is a cost-effective tool for screening large numbers of patients, in real-time and has been approved by regulatory authorities including Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the European Union. Forward-looking information This document contains forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, statements pertaining to the Private Placement and its use of proceeds. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. Unless required under law, DIAGNOS will not update this forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Andre Larente President DIAGNOS 1-877-678-8882 or (450) 678-8882, ext.: 224 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Children born to mothers who eat oily fish such as salmon during pregnancy may be less likely to have asthma compared to children whose mothers do not eat it, according to a new research. The study, led by Professor Philip Calder of the University of Southampton, was presented at the recent Experimental Biology Congress in San Diego. The professor won the Danone International Prize for Nutrition for his research on fatty acid metabolism and functionality, focusing notably on the immune, inflammatory and cardiometabolic systems. The Salmon in Pregnancy Study was a randomised controlled trial in which a group of women ate salmon twice a week from week 19 of pregnancy. Allergy tests were then performed on the children at six months and then at two to three years of age. Results were compared to a control group whose mothers did not eat salmon during pregnancy. Professor Calder told the Congress that the early results, which are yet to be published, showed that at six months there was no difference in allergy rate between the two groups of children. However, at age two and half years, children whose mothers ate salmon while pregnant were less likely to have asthma. 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. Company announcement no 2016-05 7 April 2016Annual general meetingToday, William Demant Holding A/S held its annual general meeting at the Company's premises, Kongebakken 9, 2765 Smrum, Denmark. All proposals put forward by the Board were adopted by the general meeting, implying among others the following decisions:-- The Company's Annual Report 2015 was approved, and the year's profit, DKK 1,171 million, will be transferred to the Company's reserves. -- Lars Nrby Johansen, Peter Foss, Niels B. Christiansen and Benedikte Leroy were re-elected members of the Board of Directors, and Lars Rasmussen was elected new member of the Board of Directors. -- The Company's auditors, Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, were re-elected. -- The Company's share capital will be reduced by nominally DKK 1,208,870, corresponding to the Company's holding of treasury shares at 9 March 2016. The Company's holding of treasury shares was acquired as part of the Company's share buy-back programme in 2015 and 2016. As a result of the capital reduction, article 4.1 of the articles of association will be amended no later than four weeks after expiry of the time limit for the filing of claims by creditors. -- Until the next ordinary general meeting, the Board was authorised to let the Company buy back shares with a nominal value of up to 10% of the share capital. -- A revised Remuneration Policy and new Guidelines on Incentive Pay were adopted, providing the possibility of concluding agreements on retention schemes for the Company's management. -- The proposed increase of the Board of Directors' basic fee and the introduction of remuneration for the members of the audit committee were adopted. -- The minimum nominal denomination that the Company's shares may have was amended from DKK 1 to DKK 0.20, and each share amount of DKK 0.20 will carry one vote, which will allow the Board to carry through a share split of the Company's shares at a ratio of 1:5 at a later time. -- The Company's shares will be changed from being registered in the name of the bearer to being registered in the name of the holder. -- The power to bind the Company was amended to the effect that in the future the Company can also be bound by the joint signatures of two members of the Executive Board. -- The limit concerning the number of members of the Executive Board was extended to 1-5 executives. -- Until 1 April 2021, the Board of Directors was authorised to increase the Company's share capital as follows:-- By issuing - at one or more issues - new shares with preferential rights of subscription for the Company's existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 6,664,384. -- By issuing - at one or more issues - new shares without preferential rights of subscription for the Company's existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 6,664,384, provided that the increase is made at market value. The Board of Directors' authorisations under this and the above bulletpoint may only be exercised in aggregate by way of issuing new shares of a total nominal value of DKK 6,664,384. -- By issuing - at one or more issues - new shares without preferential rights of subscription for the Company's existing shareholders and with a total nominal value of up to DKK 2,500,000 in connection with the new shares being offered to employees of the Company and of any company which is regarded as being affiliated to the Company by the Board of Directors.In his address, the Chairman of the Board, Lars Nrby Johansen, gave an account of the Group's development in 2015. He said among other things:"2015 was the year in which our classic core business - wholesale of hearing aids - came back on the growth path. It is a great pleasure to see that once again we succeeded in winning considerable market shares. And it is also gratifying that we can now start reaping the benefits of our extensive investments in new technology - not least in Oticon's coming major product launch. Through investments such as these, we have created a solid foundation for growth in 2016 and in the coming years.In the William Demant Group, we continue to invest massively in the future. In order to support the establishment of a genuine hearing healthcare Group, we have taken initiatives to benefit from the Group's common infrastructure and will continue to do so in the coming years. Moving our ITE production to Poland and Mexico and establishing a new global distribution centre in Poland."After the general meeting, the Board of Directors elected Lars Nrby Johansen Chairman and Peter Foss Deputy Chairman of the Board.Further information: Other contacts: Niels Jacobsen, President & CEO Rene Schneider, CFO Phone +45 3917 7300 Sren B. Andersson, VP IR www.demant.com Rasmus Srensen, IR OfficerAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=555424 MOORPARK, CA--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - Following the announcement of the team's return to Los Angeles, local-area manufacturer Picnic Time has released their collection of products adorned with the new Rams logo. Known for their unique selection of indoor entertaining and outdoor leisure goods, the license gives Los Angeles Rams fans the ability to show their team pride on Picnic Time's picnic and wine baskets, chairs, cheese and cutting boards, totes, coolers, tailgating items, barware, and more. "We at Picnic Time, along with long time Rams fans everywhere, are very excited to have our team back," says Scott McCormack, Picnic Time's Director of Sales and Marketing. "Picnic Time is doubly proud to be, as of April 2 nd , one of the first to release LA Rams merchandise to all of our traditional channels of distribution." ABOUT PICNIC TIME Living life to the fullest is more than just a phrase. It's a part of everything we do. At Picnic Time, we are dedicated to the design and development of unique products that bring family and friends together. Picnic Time is more than just picnic; our wide array of outdoor leisure, indoor entertaining, and barware concepts set the stage for countless unforgettable occasions and inspire memories that will last a lifetime. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/954-02-505-333-2_m-187897ec0055b9f6b90cf3be716be222.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/949-13-505-333-2_m-a9c4b9d1ba60b4c597249f4bab44d3b4.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/908-00-505-333-2_m-3869f58d6b348d7facd0ce2c3a0a280f.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/891-00-512-333-2_m-55a1f8d6f7e6920fad122e3e0ab09d94.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/811-02-175-335-2-07e6e7715d71bd028cb811b53bfe7de8.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/1/11G091461/Images/780-00-179-334-2_m-5cca1a72133da845b6c114bbfdfa877b.jpg FOR MORE INFORMATION: Amanda Davis Marketing Manager Picnic Time Amanda@picnictime.com 805-529-7400 NOVA Chemicals Corporation, 1000 Seventh Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 5L5 www.novachemicals.com | 403.750.3600 tel | 403.269.7410 fax Arnel Santos Appointed Senior Vice President, Operations of NOVA Chemicals Calgary, Alberta (April 7, 2016) - NOVA Chemicals Corporation (NOVA Chemicals) today announced that Arnel Santos will join NOVA Chemicals as Senior Vice President, Operations, effective April 18, 2016. He will be located at NOVA Chemicals' Calgary, Alberta, Head Office. Santos previously served as Regional Vice President, Manufacturing for Shell Eastern Petroleum Limited in South Eastern Asia and brings his extensive background in operational excellence, capital investment, health and safety, as well as business leadership. "NOVA Chemicals is leading the industry in bringing new polyethylene capacity to North America. I'm excited to be a part of the team that will continue to execute on growth projects that will deliver more products that help make everyday life healthier, safer and easier," stated Santos. "I look forward to working together with all aspects of NOVA Chemicals and continuing to deliver on the strong commitment to Responsible Care." Santos will be a part of NOVA Chemicals' senior management team and will succeed Bill Greene, who earlier this year, announced his retirement effective the end of May 2016. "I'm pleased to have Arnel join NOVA Chemicals and have our full leadership team in place," stated Todd Karran, NOVA Chemicals' President and CEO. "As we execute on our growth strategy, Arnel's experience will be key to ensuring we continue to responsibly and effectively operate our current assets while we substantially grow our footprint to continue to meet and exceed our customers' expectations. I also want to thank Bill for his countless contributions to NOVA Chemicals over a distinguished career. His insight and leadership will be missed and we wish him all the best in his retirement," continued Karran. About NOVA Chemicals Corporation NOVA Chemicals develops and manufactures chemicals, plastic resins and end-products that make everyday life safer, healthier and easier. Our employees work to ensure health, safety, security and environmental stewardship through our commitment to sustainability and Responsible Care. NOVA Chemicals, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Visit NOVA Chemicals on the Internet at www.novachemicals.com (http://www.novachemicals.com). Download headshot (http://www.novachem.com/Content%20Images/Company/santos-hs-full.png) # # # Media inquiries, please contact: Pace Markowitz Director, Communications E-mail: pace.markowitz@novachem.com Investor Inquiries, please contact: Tracey Simpson Leader, External Financial Reporting E-mail: tracey.simpson@novachem.com NOVA Chemicals' logo is a registered trademark of NOVA Brands Ltd.; authorized use. Responsible Care is a registered trademark of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada. This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: NOVA Chemicals Corporation via Globenewswire HUG#2001739 WEST KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- COLORADO RESOURCES LTD. (TSX VENTURE: CXO) ("Colorado" or the "Company") announces at the request of IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada), this it is fully disclosed of all material facts regarding the Company. The Company's main exploration focus for 2016 is the KSP property which optioned from SnipGold to acquire up to an 80% interest (the "KSP Option") and has been described in the Company's earlier news releases. The Company continues to maintain its KSP Option and as described in its news release of February 29, 2016 plans to commence a 5,000m larger NQ sized diamond drill program this summer. The KSP property is located 15 km's along strike to the southeast of the past producing Snip Mine, located in northern central British Columbia. Colorado's other main assets include its North ROK property, Hit Property and Heart Peaks Property recently optioned by Centerra Gold Inc. wherein they can earn up to a 70% interest all of which are located within British Columbia. Please refer to the Company's website www.coloradoresources.com for further details on these projects. About Colorado Colorado Resources Ltd. is currently engaged in the business of mineral exploration for the purpose of acquiring and advancing mineral properties located in British Columbia and is also seeking opportunities in Southwest USA and Latin America. Colorado's current exploration focus is to continue to advance: the KSP property optioned from SnipGold, located 15 km's along strike to the southeast of the past producing Snip Mine; its 100% owned North ROK property, located 15 km's northwest of the Red Chris mine development, both located in northern central British Columbia. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF COLORADO RESOURCES LTD. Adam Travis, President and Chief Executive Officer NR 16-03 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release, constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including: that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, that the Company obtains required regulatory approvals, that the Company continues to maintain a good relationship with the local project communities. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, delays in regulatory approval, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis reports filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Colorado Resources Ltd. Adam Travis President and Chief Executive Officer (250) 768-1511 or Toll Free: (855) 768-1511 Colorado Resources Ltd. Terese Gieselman Chief Financial Officer (250) 768-1511 or Toll Free: (855) 768-1511 (250) 768-0849 (FAX) www.coloradoresources.com Technavio's latest global exoskeleton robots market report highlights three key emerging trends predicted to impact market growth through 2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as something that has potential for significant impact on the market and contributes to its growth or decline. "Advances in material technologies, control systems and sensors, software, and electrical and electronics engineering has helped in the development of new and advanced exoskeletons in the market. The availability of ultra-low-power exoskeleton technology has led to the development of robotic suits that enable anthropomorphic movements, which ensure that the robots do not need external power to operate," said Bharath Kanniappan, one of Technavio's lead industry analysts for robotics research. "To match the human power output, exoskeletons are equipped with lithium-ion battery, which aids with mechanical assistance. The processing power of the electronic components is so high that it has led to an easy interface between the machine and the human through a portable control system. Such advances in technology have led to the development of advanced exoskeletons," added Bharath. Technavio's market research study identifies the following three emerging trends expected to propel the growth of the global exoskeleton robots market: Rise in use of exoskeletons for military and industrial applications Insurance cover for exoskeletons in the US Automotive vendors entering exoskeleton market Rise in use of exoskeletons for military and industrial applications Rehabilitation exoskeletons dominated the global exoskeleton market in 2015. However, there has been a rise in the commercial sale of exoskeletons used for military and industrial applications. For instance, in 2014, Ekso Bionics and Lockheed Martin received their first royalty payment for the FORTIS unit provided to the US Navy. In 2014-2015, Cyberdyne started selling or renting HAL for industrial and construction applications. Panasonic and Sacros, and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, are the other major companies that offer exoskeletons for military and industrial applications. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering have also started using exoskeletons for shipbuilding. Workers have started wearing exoskeletons to lift heavy objects and carry out other functions. We expect the company to begin the commercial sale of exoskeletons used for industrial purposes by the end of the forecast period due to a rise in demand for such robotic suits. Insurance cover for exoskeletons in the US In 2015, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs started including cost of ReWalk Robotics exoskeletons in the insurance coverage of the paralyzed veterans. The Veterans Affairs policy is the first national coverage policy in the US wherein 45 paralyzed veterans identified by ReWalk Robotics will be provided with exoskeletons. The veterans will undergo training at the ReWalk training centers on how to use exoskeletons, and on successful completion, they will be provided with ReWalk Robotics exoskeletons for personal use. Technavio researchers expect vendors and insurance companies to undertake many more similar initiatives during the forecast period. Automotive vendors entering exoskeleton market Initially, exoskeletons were developed in partnership with robotics companies and medical research centers. However, many automotive vendors are entering the market. Honda Motors has started leasing exoskeletons to hospitals in Japan. In 2015, about 20-25 units of walking assist devices were leased to hospitals in Japan. Audi, a leading German automobile manufacturer, has also started developing and testing a new chairless chair exoskeleton for its workers. The worker wears this exoskeleton on the back of the legs by fastening it with belts to the hips, knees, and ankles. The buttock and thighs are supported by two leather covered surfaces and the two carbon fiber reinforced plastic struts adapt to the contours of the leg. These two are joined behind the knee, and can be hydraulically adjusted to the body size of the wearer, or as per the desired sitting position. This exoskeleton weighs just 5.29 lb. Three prototypes of this chairless chairs are being used at the Neckarsulm plant in Germany, and it is expected to go on commercial sale by the end of the forecast period. Browse related reports Global Biometrics Monitoring Systems Market 2015-2019 Global Biometric Access Control Systems Market 2015-2019 Global Biometric in Workforce Management 2015-2019 Global Mobile Biometrics Market 2015-2019 Purchase any three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005024/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 http://www.technavio.com/ media@technavio.com According to the latest research study released by Technavio, the global laboratory cabinet market is expected to reach over USD 792 million by 2020. This research report titled 'Global Laboratory Cabinet Market 2016-2020', provides an in-depth analysis of market growth in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. The market size was calculated from revenue generated from the sales of laboratory cabinets by the market vendors in this product category. Request sample report: http://bit.ly/1qd1wjF "Rapid expansion of several R&D facilities can be seen in many developing economies, including China, India, South Africa, and Brazil. These countries are experiencing high economic growth, and it is in-turn creating tremendous growth potential for the laboratory equipment and furniture market. The rapidly growing process industries, such as the chemical industry, will drive the demand for these products during the forecast period. Further, investments from private investors will also have a positive impact on the growth of the market," said Abhay Sinha, one of Technavio's lead analysts for lab equipment research. "An increase in migration of R&D facilities from Western countries to emerging APAC nations due to lower capital and labor costs will also lead to a high demand for laboratory cabinets and other laboratory furniture products over the forecast period," said Abhay. Global laboratory cabinet market by end-user segmentation 2015 Medical and healthcare 24.18% 24.18% Pharmaceutical 20.62% 20.62% Electronics 13.97% 13.97% Others 41.23% Global laboratory cabinet market in medical and healthcare industry The global laboratory cabinet market in the medical and healthcare industry was valued at USD 142.5 million in 2015. The growth of the global laboratory cabinet market in the medical and healthcare segment will be driven by the increasing number of healthcare facilities around the world. Growing emphasis on healthcare and medical research will also have a positive impact on the demand for laboratory cabinets over the forecast period. The primary source of revenue for this segment is from the sales of biosafety cabinets. The healthcare facilities industry posted a year-over-year (YoY) net income growth of 6.9% in 2015, compared to 2014, and this net income growth trend will continue over the following five years, allowing the segment to reach a YoY growth rate of 4.56% by the end of 2020. Global laboratory cabinet market in pharmaceutical industry The global laboratory cabinet market in the pharmaceutical industry was valued at USD 121.5 million in 2015. The global laboratory cabinet market in the pharmaceutical industry will be driven by a large number of R&D facilities being set up, as well as the migration of the facilities of top vendors to emerging APAC nations. The majority of the demand for laboratory cabinets in the pharmaceutical sector will come from APAC over the next four years, and this trend is expected to positively impact market growth until 2020. Global laboratory cabinet market in electronics industry The global laboratory cabinet market in the electronics industry will be driven by an increasing number of industry market players, most of whom are joining due to the expanding consumer electronics product portfolio. The application of nanotechnology in embedded electronics and circuit design will allow this market to expand steadily over the forecast period. Significant revenue for the laboratory cabinet market in this end-user segment comes from the sales of laminar flow cabinets, which are widely used for handling printed circuit boards and other delicate electronic components. North America and APAC will see maximum demand for laboratory cabinets over the forecast period. Browse related reports: Global Biological Safety Cabinet Market 2016-2020 Global Laboratory Automation Market 2015-2019 Virtual and Remote Laboratories Market in Europe 2016-2020 Global Lab Glassware and Plasticware Market 2015-2019 Purchase any three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005020/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com media@technavio.com Late yesterday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill that will raise the state's net metering caps 3%, while imposing a 40% cut to surplus generation from private PV installations above 25 kW. Today, the Senate approved the legislation, which means that it will go to the desk of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) to be signed. H.4173 represents a compromise between Massachusetts' solar industry, environmentalists and Senate leadership on one side, and the leadership of the House of Representatives on the other. Last fall and winter House leadership stalled action on the caps for months and produced a bill which would have dismantled retail-rate net metering. However, a number of actions culminating ... 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. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold futures jumped Thursday amid lingering concerns about the health of the global economy. With traders in search of safe haven assets, June gold settled 1.1% higher at $1,236.20 an ounce. Prices have been bouncing back and forth around that mark for the past month, with gold rising on days that stocks have struggled. Dovish comments from the Federal Reserve have also lifted gold prices in the past 24 hours. A report from the Labor Department showing a bigger than expected drop in initial jobless claims in the week ended April 2nd. The report said jobless claims fell to 267,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 276,000. Economists had expected claims to edge down to 272,000. 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. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- VeloCloud Networks Inc., the Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN company, today announced its selection as a finalist for Interop Las Vegas' 2016 Best of Interop Awards in both the Networking and Cloud/Virtualization awards categories. The Best of Interop Awards recognize exhibitors for innovation and technological advancements within 10 core areas of IT. Award winners will be announced from Interop Las Vegas 2016, which takes place May 2 - May 6 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. "We are honored to be selected as a finalist for the 2016 Best of Interop Award," said VeloCloud Co-Founder & CEO Sanjay Uppal. "Last year VeloCloud was named Best Startup of Interop and to be a finalist in multiple categories this year for our solution reflects the level of recognition that VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN has achieved in the industry." VeloCloud will showcase the VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN in its booth number 705 at Interop Las Vegas, the industry's most respected independent technology event for modern IT and networking professionals. VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN enables enterprises to support application growth, network agility and simplified branch implementations while delivering optimized access to cloud services, private datacenters and enterprise applications. Global service providers are able to increase revenue, deliver advanced services and increase flexibility by delivering elastic transport, performance for cloud applications, and integrated advanced services all via a zero-touch deployment model. "Congratulations to VeloCloud and all Best of Interop finalists on the success of their new products and positive impact on the IT community," said Interop General Manager Jennifer Jessup. "These are the types of visionary solutions that define the future of networking. We're excited for Interop attendees to be able to interact with these products first-hand in the Expo." After a thorough review of all finalists, an expert judging panel will announce the winners on May 4 from noon - 12:45 pm PDT on the Expo floor. For more information on the 2016 Best of Interop Awards, please visit: interop.com/lasvegas/special-events/best-of-interop-awards.php About Interop Interop is the leading global IT infrastructure event series, offering in-depth education alongside a showcase of emerging technologies in an independent, vendor-neutral environment. For 30 years, Interop has brought the IT community together to explore the latest in network infrastructure, encouraging collaboration, and interoperability. Through dynamic conference programs, Interop helps professionals at all career levels leverage the network, systems and applications that enable business innovation. The Interop Expo and InteropNet Demo Lab provide immersive, hands-on experiences, while connecting enterprise IT buyers with leading suppliers. Interop Las Vegas is the flagship event held each spring, with an annual event in Tokyo and Cloud Connect China in Shanghai. For more information, visit interop.com. Interop is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communications services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. About VeloCloud VeloCloud, the Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN company and winner of Best Startup of Interop, simplifies branch WAN networking by automating deployment and improving performance over private, broadband Internet and LTE links for today's increasingly distributed enterprises. VeloCloud SD-WAN includes: a choice of public, private or hybrid cloud network for enterprise-grade connection to cloud and enterprise applications; branch office enterprise appliances and optional data center appliances; software-defined control and automation; and virtual services delivery. VeloCloud has received financing from investors including NEA, Venrock, March Capital Partners, Cisco Investments and The Fabric, and is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. For more information, visit www.velocloud.com and follow the company on Twitter @VeloCloud. VeloCloud is a registered trademark of VeloCloud, Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Contact: Dan Spalding Email Contact (408) 960-9297 Technavio has announced the top seven leading vendors for the global LED industrial lighting market in their latest research report. This report also lists three other prominent vendors who are expected to contribute to this market's growth over the forecast period. To identify the top vendors, Technavio's market research analysts have considered the top contributors to the overall revenue of this market. To calculate the market size, the report covers the market for finished LED lighting products that are used for industrial applications only. Request sample report: http://bit.ly/1pU46ew "In terms of revenue, APAC was the largest market for LED industrial lighting systems in 2015, accounting for 43% of the market. In APAC, China is the major revenue-contributing country due to the presence of a large number of LED lighting manufacturing units and industries. Since 2010, subsidies were being provided by the Chinese government for MOCVD. Many players entered the LED market in China and purchased MOCVD tools to manufacture LED dies," said Sunil Kumar Singh, one of Technavio's lead analysts for lighting "India is also expected to contribute to the global LED industrial lighting market during the forecast period due to the government's make in India initiative, which encourages manufacturers across the world to build industrial units in India," added Sunil. Seven leading vendors in the global LED industrial lighting market: Cree Cree offers a wide range of commercial and industrial LED lighting systems for multiple applications. Cree relies on innovation and developing new products that provide economic and competitive value to its customers. The company makes efforts to improve its products' quality and performance. To maintain their competitive edge, the company is developing brighter and more efficient low-cost products that are anticipated to enter the market over the forecast period. GE Lighting GE Lighting was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Ohio, US. The company is a global provider of LED lighting products. It offers LED fixtures, LED lamps, LED sign lighting, LED architectural lighting, LED traffic lighting, LED rail signal lighting, and LED refrigerated display lighting. The company's main focus is on innovation. It is one of the leading providers of LED products with innovative optical, electrical, and thermal designs. In October 2015, GE announced it will start a new company called Current for an investment of USD 1 billion. The company's commercial LED lighting products applications include energy saving products and technologies for electric vehicle, energy storage, solar, and onsite power generation. Their early customers will be Walgreens, JPMorgan Chase, Hospital Corporation of America, Simon Property, and Intel. LG Innotek LG Innotek is known for its fast time-to-market, quality, product differentiation, and brand management capabilities. The company focuses on innovation and R&D to manufacture effective LEDs that will deliver a superior performance. This will help the company maintain its competitiveness amid a rapidly changing market environment. Nichia Nichia has adopted the strategy of enhancing its business in APAC because of the region's focus on energy-efficient lighting solutions and favorable government policies. The company's strategy is to establish a system comprising high-end, mid-end, and low-end customers and enhance cooperation with big clients to form alliances. The company expands productivity by prioritizing R&D and making investments in its advanced products, and the strategy has helped Nichia maintain its cost competitiveness in the market. Osram Opto Semiconductor Osram Opto Semiconductors aims to expand its global reach by manufacturing and delivering multiple lighting products, solutions, and services to customers. The company's long-term objective is to leverage its core strength to expand its market share. In December 2015, OSRAM announced that it will be the official lighting partner for the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, in May 2016. In this event, OSRAM plans to promote their LED smart lighting system called LIGHTIFY. Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics focuses more on long-term growth than short-term profits. The company has analyzed the growth potential of the market and is making substantial investments in developing its target markets. The company aims to achieve excellence by providing highly efficient LED products. Samsung Electronics has established the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center with close to USD 100 million from the Samsung Catalyst Fund to accelerate innovation and expand the device-solution business. In the early stage, this center is expected to focus on electronic components and subsystems that fuel innovation technologies and business models. This will help Samsung Electronics to capitalize on its parent company's resources and gain a competitive edge over rivals during the forecast period. Seoul Semiconductor Seoul Semiconductor's strategy is to provide creative solutions through innovative management systems and advanced technologies. The company invests heavily in R&D and wants to become the world's top LED manufacturer. Their main business strategy is to increase its market share in the commercial lighting segment using its Acrich LED products. Browse related reports: Global LED Production Equipment Market 2015-2019 Global LED Packaging Equipment Market 2016-2020 Global UV LED Technology Market 2016-2020 Purchase three reports from our library for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005026/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com media@technavio.com QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Petrolia (TSX VENTURE: PEA) is pleased to see that the guidelines contained in the Quebec government's energy policy are in line with the action plan, announced in May 2014, which allows the government to commit to the development of the hydrocarbon sector by proceeding transparently and step by step. The Quebec government's focus on energy transition is good news because it acknowledges the importance of hydrocarbons in Quebec's energy profile. It also acknowledges that hydrocarbons, which could eventually be produced here in Quebec, can play a positive role during the period of energy transition. The adoption of the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation (WWPR) in August 2014 and the publication of the conclusions of the strategic environment assessments slated for spring 2016 are part of the process leading the government towards the adoption a law on hydrocarbons. As such, the government is setting the foundations for the establishment of a Quebec hydrocarbon industry. It is perfectly reasonable for the government to rely on local hydrocarbon production to foster the energy transition set forth in the energy policy guidelines. Basing this transition on the consumption of locally-produced hydrocarbons would reduce the environmental footprint of Quebeckers' overall hydrocarbon consumption. The local production and consumption of hydrocarbons will be governed by far stricter environmental standards than under certain foreign jurisdictions producing some of the hydrocarbons consumed here. It is a safe bet that local hydrocarbon production in Quebec will allow for a sound energy transition, with substantial economic benefits being kept at home, while at the same time reducing the GHG footprint of the various hydrocarbons consumed here. As a Quebec company headquartered in Quebec City, Petrolia has always embraced the ideal of energy self-sufficiency and the creation of wealth for Quebeckers. About Petrolia Petrolia is a junior oil and gas exploration company which owns interests in oil and gas licenses covering 16,000 km2 (4 million acres), which represents almost 23% of the Quebec territory under lease. The closing of a partnership on Anticosti Island has led to the creation of Anticosti Hydrocarbons L.P., a limited partnership in which Petrolia holds a 21.7% interest. In order to carry out the project's operations, Petrolia Anticosti Inc., a subsidiary of Petrolia, was designated project operator. Petrolia is a Quebec company whose objective is to develop oil from here, by the people here, for here. Petrolia has 92 420 195 shares issued and outstanding. Disclaimer Certain statements made herein may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the future economic performance of Petrolia and carry known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may appreciably affect their results, economic performance or accomplishments when considered in light of the content or implications or statements made by Petrolia. Actual events or results could be significantly different. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Petrolia disclaims any intention or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Alexandre Gagnon President and Chief Executive Officer 418-657-1966 agagnon@petrolia-inc.com For Interviews Jean-Francois Belleau Director of Public and Governmental Affairs 418-657-1966 jfbelleau@petrolia-inc.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Treasuries moved notably higher over the course of the trading day on Thursday, more than offsetting the pullback seen in the previous session. Bond prices moved steadily higher for much of the session before closing firmly positive. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, tumbled by 6.4 basis points to 1.691 percent. With the sizable decrease on the day, the ten-year yield dropped to its lowest closing level in almost two months. Treasuries benefited from substantial weakness that was visible on Wall Street, with stocks giving back ground after moving notably higher on Wednesday. Traders also moved money into the relative safety of bonds amid concerns about the outlook for global economic growth. Meanwhile, traders largely shrugged off a report from the Labor Department showing a bigger than expected drop in initial jobless claims in the week ended April 2nd. The report said jobless claims fell to 267,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 276,000. Economists had expected claims to edge down to 272,000. Later in the day, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is scheduled to participate in a conversation with former Fed chairs Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan and Paul Volcker. Any significant remarks from the panel discussion could impact trading on Friday amid a relatively quiet day on the U.S. economic front. The Commerce Department is due to release its report on wholesale trade in the month of February, but the data does not typically impact the markets. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER) announced today that it will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, May 12, 2016 to review its first quarter 2016 financial results. AerCap's first quarter 2016 earnings press release will be released before financial markets open in the United States on May 12, 2016. A copy of the press release will be posted on the "Investor Relations" section of AerCap's website at www.aercap.com. At the same time, the presentation slides for the conference call will also be posted on AerCap's website. The call can be accessed live by dialing (U.S./Canada) +1 646 254 3366 or (International) +353 1 486 0920 and referencing code 6266402 at least 5 minutes before start time, or by visiting AerCap's website at www.aercap.com under "Investor Relations." The webcast replay will be archived on the "Investor Relations" section of the company's website for one year. About AerCap AerCap is the global leader in aircraft leasing with approximately 1,700 owned, managed or on order aircraft in its portfolio. AerCap has one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves over 200 customers in approximately 80 countries with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and has its headquarters in Dublin with offices in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Shannon, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Singapore, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Seattle and Toulouse. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements, estimates and forecasts with respect to future performance and events. These statements, estimates and forecasts are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate or correct. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future performance or events described in the forward-looking statements in this press release might not occur. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information regarding AerCap and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.aercap.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005902/en/ Contacts: AerCap Holdings N.V. For Investors/Media: John Wikoff, +31 20 655 9661 Investor Relations jwikoff@aercap.com WHITTIER, CA--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathryn A. Solorzano, held her first Re-Election Fundraiser/Meet & Greet last night at the Rusty Monk Restaurant, in Whittier's beautiful Uptown Shopping District. For the Past 8 years, Solorzano has sat as a Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles County, Office #165. "Her example of integrity, justice, and fairness are what our system needs," said Ms. Marie D. Koestner, Partner in the law firm of Koestner & Shahon, Attorneys at Law, and Host of the evening's festivities. Koestner & Shahon's law office is also located in Uptown Whittier at 13019 Bailey Street. Solorzano has worked both sides of the bench, first as a Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney for more than 17 years, until her appointment to the bench by the former Governor of the State of California. "Her connection with the community is deep and timeless, "said Matt Shahon, Ms. Koestner's Law Partner and Co-Host of Thursday evening's event. "Judge Solorzano was born in East Los Angeles, raised in Montebello, educated in Los Angeles at both UCLA and Loyola Law School. She has been of service to the City and County of Los Angeles for over 25 years." Judge Solorzano's late Brother-in-Law, Kyle Koestner, was the Proprietor of The Rusty Monk, located at 6749 Greenleaf Avenue, Whittier, CA 90601. Since his recent death, Solorzano's niece, Colleen M. Koestner has taken over stewardship of her Father's eclectic gastropub, and is proud to be providing the venue for her Aunt's first Re-Election Fundraiser. Judge Solorzano has already garnered tremendous support and is very enthusiastic about her re-election bid. "Most importantly, on June 7th, "said Solorzano, "the Citizens of Los Angeles County must get out and vote. For the benefit of our community, and those who will seek and need justice in the future." To donate to Judge Solorzano's re-election campaign and to learn more about the Candidate, please visit www.kathrynsolorzanoforjudge.com or contact her Campaign Consultant, David Gould at 213.489.4792. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/4/7/11G092476/Images/Kathy_pic_-_pink_background-4ae8d6cf5b65ab088b0933fb33693921.jpg David Gould Campaign Consultant 213.489.4792 www.kathrynsolorzanoforjudge.com EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/07/16 -- Canadian Western Bank (CWB) (TSX: CWB) today announced its recent signing of an asset purchase agreement to acquire GE Capital's Canadian Franchise Finance business. The business provides financing across Canada to a diverse group of established companies in the hospitality and restaurant industries. The acquisition will include key employees required to complement CWB's continued strategic commercial banking growth and geographic expansion. The balance of loans to be acquired is approximately $350 million. The transaction is expected to close in CWB's third quarter of fiscal 2016, subject to customary approvals. About CWB Group CWB Group (CWB) is a diversified financial services organization serving businesses and individuals across Canada. Operating from its headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta, CWB's key business lines include full-service business and personal banking offered through 42 branches of Canadian Western Bank and Internet banking services provided by Canadian Direct Financial (CDF). Highly responsive specialized financing is delivered under the banners of CWB Equipment Financing, National Leasing, CWB Maxium Financial and CWB Optimum Mortgage. Trust Services are offered through Canadian Western Trust. Comprehensive wealth management offerings are provided through CWB Wealth Management, which includes the businesses of Adroit Investment Management, McLean & Partners Wealth Management and Canadian Western Financial. As a public company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), CWB trades under the symbols "CWB" (common shares), "CWB.PR.B" and "CWB.PR.C" (Series 5 Preferred Shares and Series 7 Preferred Shares, respectively). Learn more at www.cwb.com. Contacts: Canadian Western Bank Kirby Hill, CFA Vice President, Strategy & Communications (780) 441-3770 kirby.hill@cwbank.com Canadian Western Bank Matt Evans, CFA AVP, Investor Relations (780) 969-8337 matt.evans@cwbank.com www.cwb.com Actress and supermodel features the new Classic II in fall 2016 campaign NEW YORK, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --California-based brand UGG, a division of Deckers Brands (NYSE:DECK),has announced it has partnered with international supermodel and actress,Rosie Huntington-Whiteley,as the first-ever global women's brand ambassador. Huntington-Whiteley's UGG partnership will begin with a fall 2016 campaign featuring the iconic Classic Boot reimagined with a range of new features and benefits anticipated to launch globally in August 2016. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352836 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352835 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352833 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151120/289961LOGO "It's an honor to be partnering with a global brand that is loved as much asUGG," said Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. "When I started modeling one of the first things I ever purchased was a pair of Classic boots as comfort to me is everything.The updated Classic offers the same immediate comfort but now with an edgier, street style appeal that can be worn indoors or out." "As an internationally accomplished model and actress,Rosie's effortless elegance andauthentic love for UGG make her the perfect ambassador as herconfidence, styleand natural warmthmirror our brand values perfectly," said Dave Powers, President of Deckers Brands."Originally from England but now based in Malibu, Huntington-Whiteley personifies what it means to live a contemporary California casual, yet global, lifestyle. We could not be more proud to welcome her into the UGG family." As the face of the new UGG Classic II Huntington-Whiteley's signing coincides with the biggest re-launch the brand has ever made since its inception thirty-seven years ago. Including a Treadlite by UGG' outsole for increased traction, improved cushioning for greater support and Scotchgard' Protector to help repel water and stains, the new Classic II contains features and benefits that will confidently allow consumers to take their favorite UGG Classic to the street. Just in time for UGGseason, the campaign will kick off this September in print, digital and out of home advertisements and feature an array of new and improved Classic boots rolling out throughout the year. Please visitwww.uggaustralia.comfor further news and brand updates. About the UGG brand Founded in 1978 in California, the UGG brand (a division of Deckers Brands, NYSE:DECK) has built a reputation on luxury and comfort by using only the finest materials in the world, employing the highest standards of craftsmanship, and delivering new and innovative styles. The UGG brand is recognized as a premium lifestyle brand with more than $1 billion in annual sales, offering men's, women's and kid's footwear as well as loungewear, outerwear, home products, cold weather accessories and handbags. The brand's concept and outlet stores offer the ultimate brand experience with 150 locations worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. For more information please visitwww.uggaustralia.comor the brand's official blog at uggaustralia.com/blog. @UGGAustralia thisisUGG Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P., and NewRoad Capital Partners, LLC, have partnered to form a new $90m fund. Kayne NewRoad Ventures Fund II, L.P., which has received commitments from investors in NewRoad Ventures Fund I, the Arkansas Venture Development Fund, other local Northwest Arkansas-based investors, and Kayne Andersons high net worth and family office clients, will partner with experienced management teams in early-stage, technology-enabled businesses within retail and other large growth opportunities. KNRVF II will also seek strategic opportunities to create demand-driven businesses to serve existing, unmet needs in the marketplace through its strategic partners and unique sourcing capabilities. The fund actively sources and makes non-control investments in companies with recurring revenues that have proven demand for their products or services, but can benefit from accelerated growth through a direct capital investment and strategic partners who can add operational expertise. To date, KNRVF II has already made commitments of $6.5m to an innovative medical diagnostic testing business in Springdale, AR and a Kansas City, MO, software-as-a-service company in the call center application space. The fund is led by Clete Brewer, Managing Partner. FinSMEs 07/04/2016 One of the biggest criticisms of the National Awards this year is that it has a large Bollywood presence in its awardee list. Not just that, there seem to be many popular films winning awards: Bajranji Bhaijaan, Tanu Weds Manu Returns to name a few. However, one of the most polarising debates pertaining to the awards this year is whether or not SS Rajamouli's magnum opus Baahubali: The Beginning should have won the National Award for the Best Feature Film. Many filmmakers have lamented that the National Awards have awarded only commercial films (a feat unlike them). Gurvinder Singh, the director of Chauthi Koot says in this Hindustan Times article, "I dont think any sane jury will give an award to a film such as Baahubali. Its full of populous Hindutva iconography. Its just a bad calender art film. And now, veteran filmmaker and four-time National Award-winner Girish Kasaravalli has a pertinent point to make about why Baahubali should not have won the Best Feature Film award. According to this report in The Hindu, at an event in Bengaluru, Kasaravalli said, "The award given to Baahubali has already triggered a big debate in the social networking arena." Kasaravalli has no problem with popular films being chosen for the award as earlier winners have touched upon some social issues. His reason is that in picking Baahubali, the jury has ignored many regional films,"which touched upon issues plaguing society. Apart from this, he also criticised the film for for its insensitive portrayal of the subaltern communities". Truth be told, this could just be the first time a popular, mainstream film is winning the Best Feature Film award. But popularity isn't something we should be bothered about. While films like Dabangg, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun and Veer Zara have previously won Best Popular Film awards, this year Bajrangi Bhaijaan was picked for Best Popular film. Fair enough. However, the last couple of years, here are the films that have won Best Feature Film: Court, Ship of Theseus, Paan Singh Tomar, to name a few. Socially-relevant regional films like Deool, Kanjivaram, Adaminte Makan Abu and Kasaravalli's Dweepa have also been given the award. There are a handful of Hindi films in this list. Perhaps the most mainstream of them would be Page 3, which won the Best Feature Film award in 2004. Dweepa was released in 2001 and deals with the issue of building dams regardless of the dangerous displacement of natives/locals. 2007 winner Kanjivaram is a perfect example of a mainstream film that dealt with a pressing social issue. The Priyadarshan film revolves around the pitiful state of silk weavers from Kanjivaram in Tamil Nadu. Marathi film Deool, which won the Best Feature film award in 2011 discusses the globalisation and politicisation of India's villages. "Except technical excellence, what is the qualification of Baahubali in terms of social and cultural relevance? asked P Sheshadri, a filmmaker working in Kannada films, in the same event that Kasaravalli was present. Valid point. More so, the pressing question to ask would be: Why wasn't Baahubali chosen to be awarded the Best Popular Film this year at the National Awards? A group of Indian lenders is set to reject businessman Vijay Mallya's offer to repay Rs 4000 crore ($600 million), less than half of what his defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes them, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), are due to inform the Supreme Court of their decision on the offer at a hearing on Thursday. A senior SBI executive overseeing its stressed-assets management unit declined comment when asked about the banks' decision. A spokesman for Mallya's UB Group also said he would not comment. Kingfisher, which ceased operations in October 2012, owed the banks, mostly state-run, Rs 9,091 crore including interest and fees as of last November, the government has said. A lawyer for Mallya told the Supreme Court last week that the former billionaire planned to repay Rs 4,000 crore to the banks by September, and Rs 2,000 crore more if Kingfisher wins a lawsuit seeking damages from a plane engine-maker. The court had sought the response of the banks on Mallya's offer within a week. Mallya, once known as the "King of Good Times", left India on March 2 as Kingfisher's creditor banks stepped up pressure on him. His whereabouts since then have not been disclosed. Reuters Arun Jaitleys budget speech with its `9 pillars of growth may have soared the hopes of many, but his one sentence, announcing 1% excise duty on all gold jewellery as well as studded jewellery ornaments, floored the entire gems & jewellery trade. For, a trade that pinned its hopes of a reduced import duty on gold and presumptive tax for the gems & jewellery trade it was a rude shock. So much so, that the trade has been on an indefinite strike since 1 March. They want a complete roll back of the excise duty, nothing more and nothing less, period. The imposition of excise duty and the introduction of the excise department have sent the trade into a panic mode. They say that they are reminded of the horrors caused by the inspector raj during the period of obnoxious Gold control Act that lasted from 1962-1990. The same Arun Jaitley, as union commerce minister in 2004, had announced in his trade policy that gold imports would be `freed of all restrictions. He went on to add that even a 'paanwala could import gold. Therefore, the trade had high hopes when Jaitley was made the finance minister at the centre. The trade that was under the cosh on account of the CAD induced restriction on gold imports in the form of 10% import duty coupled with the 80:20 scheme of bullion imports. However, while the 80:20 scheme has been scrapped, the import duty on gold continues to be at 10%. So, while the CAD situation seems to be under control on account of lower official gold imports and more pertinently the lower crude oil bill due to the crash in crude oil prices, the gold trade continues with its set of problems led by smuggling, higher hawala rates and round tripping of gold and other precious metals and diamonds. Moreover, NRI remittances that come under invisibles in the government balance sheets have shown a decline in the last three-four years. It is very much debatable whether the remedy has been worse than the malady. Therefore, the trade pinned all its hopes on Jaitley to wave the magic wand. Instead, when the FM introduced 1% excise duty on jewellery the trade lost its collective patience. Even the raising of the excise threshold limit from Rs 6 crores to Rs 12 crores nor the setting up of a high powered committee to set up a mechanism to prevent harassment by the excise department has failed to assuage the trade and they have continued the indefinite strike and insist on a total roll back of excise duty. Even the refiners in the dta area are riled by the rationalization of excise duty in the budget. Now, the duty differential between gold dore and imported gold bars is 1.25% instead of the earlier 2%, making it difficult for gold bars to be manufactured in India. Moreover, while excise free areas continue to hold the 2% advantage even that is on the way out as the government has decided to phase out concessions in the Uttarakhand region and no concession to new units there. Whither, Make in India! In 2012, the then FM too had tried to impose excise duty. Then too, the trade went on an indefinite strike and the excise duty was rolled back on branded and non-branded jewellery. So, why is the FM now going down the same path? The 1% excise duty has a corollary; non-credit excise would attract a 12.5% countervailing duty against imports. In the current context, a 12.5% excise duty is imposed on jewellery imports from Asean countries. Now, India has FTA agreements with Asean counters, whereby gold jewellery imports attract a concessional rate of import duty. So, while Thailand attracted 1% duty in 2012, Malaysia and Indonesia attract a 2% duty. These FTA agreements have been in place for a long time. However, as long as the import duty was lower it did not matter. In 2012, the import duty on gold was raised from Rs/100 per 10 gms rapidly in a few months to 4%. Therefore, import of gold jewellery from Thailand was the point of debate and much heartburn for the bullion trade, particularly after the government first increased the import duty on gold bars to 2% (up from 1%) in January 2012 and then to 4% in the budget. While the FTA with Thailand, whereby jewellery from there could be imported at a concessional rate of 1%, was in place for a long time, the increase in import duty on raw gold at 4% was expected to skew the marketplace. It was expected that imports from Thailand could go through the roof and replace the import of gold bars to some extent. Moreover, if gold jewellery were to be imported in bulk it could have impacted the Indian gold jewellery manufacturing sector in the long run. It could have rendered lakhs of artisans jobless. Quite expectedly, gold jewellery imports for 2012 aggregated $5 billion (around 94 tonnes), an increase of over 500%. However, when one looks at the import data in detail, jewellery imports from Thailand aggregated just a mere $113 million or just over 2 tonnes. So, where was the catch? The catch was that while Thai jewellery imports to India attracted 1% duty, jewellery exports from Thailand to the UAE attracted just 0.32% duty. So, in all probability Indian jewellers got their Thai jewellery to India via Dubai to Surat (in particular). While Indias jewellery imports from Hong Kong in 2012 were $963 million, imports from the UAE were $3.7 billion. Industry sources opine that around 95% of this jewellery from both Hong Kong and UAE would be fine gold and almost all such imports were for round-tripping of jewellery from Dubai to Surat and so on. Converting the same into quantity at the average gold price for 2012, it would be around 90-94 tonnes. Probably, the then government chose to roll back excise duty and instead concentrated on curbing CAD. At that point in time CAD was the top priority for the government. It raised the bogie of value addition in gold jewellery and asked the customs here and authorities there to implement the same. For, there were fears about Chinese jewellery making an entry into India and flooding the markets or such jewellery to be converted into bars here and make a mockery of the 10% import duty. Subsequently, the import duty was raised to 10% and it continues to this day. With CAD under control, the current government hopes to kill two birds with one stone. For, FTA agreements cannot be cancelled for a single product or a group of products. Probably, the government does not want a repeat of the 2012 situation when jewellery imports from Thailand were on the rise. It wants to put an end to a potential surge in such imports in future as well. The 12.5% countervailing excise duty offers an ideal solution to the problem as it effectively makes import of jewellery unviable. But, then excise duty had to be imposed on the gold trade. Therefore, the move to impose 1% excise duty in the budget was taken by the FM. The other bird that the FM wanted to kill was to find a way to regulate and monitor the gold trade. While the process to have a regulator for the realty sector has begun, the gold trade has no such regulator; Sebi has too much in place. After trying to put curbs on cash transactions in the gold trade, the government now wants to be able to monitor the trade on a regular basis. The trade refuses to buy the FMs specious argument that excise duty is a prelude to GST. The trade says that they are fine with 1% extra levy, but not the entry of the excise department. The trade also does not give any credence to the assurance given by the FM that the excise department will not enter shops and seal establishments. While the government wants control, the trade wants freedom and ease of doing business. It is deadlock as of now. With Municipal election next year in Mumbai, the stand-off has political overtones to it. The gold trade has long being considered as the vote bank of the ruling party at the centre. But, it seems that after three budgets they are disillusioned with the ruling party. While the MNS chief told the jewellers to sustain the strike, the Shiv Sena has assured the trade that they would help make their `morcha successful, the Congress too is talking to the trade. So, who will blink first? Will political expediency gain over the urge to control? Watch this space! Lagos, Nigeria: Regulators in Nigeria have fined four mobile phone carriers a total of $7.3 million over poor service in a nation that depends on cellular phones for communications, a spokesman said. The Nigeria Communications Commission's penalties hit Bharti Airtel Ltd of India, Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat, local firm Globacom Ltd and South Africa-based MTN Group Ltd, some of the dominant carriers in Africa's most populous nation. Etisalat and MTN must pay $2.25 million apiece, while Airtel faces a penalty of $1.68 million and Globacom faces a $1.125 million fine, said Reuben Muoka, a commission spokesman, on Sunday. The fines come for poor service, dropped calls and bad line quality in March and April, Muoka said. The commission issued a statement Saturday saying that they decided to allow January and February to be a grace period for the companies to improve their services. In October, the communications commission warned carriers it would begin fining them for poor service. "The current penalties signal a new regime of quality of service management in the Nigerian telecommunications industry," the commission said. The companies have until May 21 to pay the regulators or they will face further penalties. MTN, long the dominant provider in Nigeria, has 41.1 million subscribers in the nation after 10 years of doing business there. MTN did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Etisalat said in a statement it is committed to delivering quality service to more than 12 million subscribers in Nigeria, and expects to spend more than half a billion dollars on upgrading its network this year. The CEO of Etisalat's Nigeria division, Steven Evans, blamed "the failure to hit some of the quality measures" in part on industrywide difficulties including a lack of reliable power, accidental damage to transmission lines and occasional sabotage. "These factors are unique to the operating environment in Nigeria and pose a tough challenge for operators to deliver quality of service levels equal to that of other countries," Evans said. "What we would like to see is the declaration of the telecommunications industry as critical national infrastructure which would afford the industry and its facilities greater protection." Emeka Oparah, a spokesman for Airtel in Nigeria, declined to comment. Officials with Globacom could not be reached Sunday. Nigeria, long troubled by pothole-littered roads and little electricity, has relied on mobile phones since the government granted the public access to them about a decade ago. Landlines are almost nonexistent, as the state-run telephone company has collapsed and repeated efforts to sell it to a private company have failed. However, carrier service is often so poor that those who can afford it carry multiple phones with different providers to be able to make calls. The ultimatum by the commission comes as Nigeria, home to 160 million people, continues its explosive growth, making it a lucrative market for mobile phone service providers. The arrival of Airtel sparked a price war in the market, with local phone calls now down to pennies a minute. AP MUMBAI Sanjeev Gupta, the boss of metals trader Liberty House Group who wants to buy Tata Steel Ltd's loss-making British operations, says he has the financial resources to match his ambitions. Hitting back at critics who have questioned his capacity to take on a business dragged down by heavy debt and weak sales, the 44-year-old Cambridge graduate said he was serious about making an offer and had the backing of a group with $7 billion of revenues. "If you look at our financials, we are probably the least leveraged company in our sector," Gupta told Reuters in a phone interview on Thursday. "We like to punch above our weight, we like to take on challenges, but we know how to stay in business so we never over-stretch ourselves." Asked how profitable Liberty House's businesses were, a spokesman for the company said it could not provide details at short notice. Tata, the biggest steel producer in Britain, has been forced to try to sell its British businesses due to high costs, weak demand and a flood of cheap supplies from top producer China. The formal sale process for the assets, which the Indian company bought in 2007, is expected to start by Monday. Liberty's financial advisers will start due diligence on the assets within a week from that date, said Indian-born Gupta, who founded Liberty House in 1992 and is known among friends and former colleagues as a risk-taker with a strong network among British and U.S. financiers. TURNAROUND Tata, which entered the European steel market with a $12 billion acquisition of Anglo-Dutch Corus in 2007, will only produce steel in Europe in the Netherlands once it sells its UK business with production capacity of 7 million tonnes per year. The British business employs about 15,000 people, and Gupta plans to retain them if a deal goes through. But he wants the government to ensure "competitive power prices" so that he can change the raw material for the steel plants to locally available scrap from imported iron ore. The British government, under fire for the way it has responded to the crisis, opened talks with potential buyers for Tata Steel's UK operations, including Gupta's Liberty House, earlier this week. "It's a loss-making business and a loss-making business is not worth a lot in itself to buy," said Gupta. "It's more of a question of what are the resources required in turning it around." He declined to estimate the money needed for a revival of the Tata plants. Born in a family of businessmen in the western city of Ludhiana, he has grown his Liberty group into a multi-national player with operations run out of London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong with assets in Asia, Africa and Britain. Gupta's Tata bid is part of a plan to turn his company into to a manufacturing conglomerate with interests in steel, power generation, renewables energy and financial services. The company last year also acquired a UK-based bank as a push towards financial services. "We've a company which is doing $7 billion of topline, assets worth a billion dollars, no long term debt, only short term working capital, so we too have resources," Gupta said. "I don't know if anybody will question the seriousness I am obviously putting myself all out to do this." (Additional reporting by Freya Berry and Clara Denina in LONDON; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Keith Weir) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Nitish Kumar has kept his word to women in Bihar who, he says, had wanted ban on liquor, and announced the ban with effect from 1 April in the rural areas on country liquor. Citing a favourable ambience, he pushed to cover towns and cities, making Bihar another dry state. The question is how prepared the Bihar administration is in enforcing it. Liquor doesnt leave a person easily or vice versa. The process of detox is slow and often painful, and the person having to undergo the process needs to be strongly motivated. A mere government policy does not lead to abstinence. If it did, Gujarat would have really remained dry. But bootleggers flourish, delivering the booze on a phone call. There already is resentment building up among the liquor traders and consumers, and as per a report in The Hindu, a PIL has already been filed in the Patna High Court for the "arbitrary" decision. IMFL vend owners had paid for their licences on 2 April and don't know what would happen to their stocks. This points to an absence of thought on the policy implications. De-addiction centres havs been opened in all districts. But the rush could be difficult to manage for new set-ups because they take time to start functioning efficiently.One does not yet know if the de-addiction centres are enough to cope with the policy decision of the liquor ban, but the paper reported how one drinker took to eating a soap cake and another fell unconscious. Of course, all MLAs across party lines standing up in the legislature and swearing to abstain from consumption of alcohol was a pretty sight, and must have been reassuring to Nitish Kumar. Perhaps, that was one aspect of the ambience, that the CM spoke about. But it is unlikely that any of them would be consumers of country liquors. The oath was taken with respect to the ban on that category of liquor. A legislator would have moved up the social ladderthe lifestyle change would only be expected. A ban on the consumption of alcohol evokes different responses from different sections. Gandhians, and others who frown at it, welcome it and hope the ban works. The drinkers, regardless of whether they drink themselves silly and empty their purses for their fix of alcohol, will find a way. The enforcers include those who welcome it because it helps run a new business bootlegging. It is easy to agree to abstain from something you dont consume, like a vegetarian swearing to stay away from meat. But the day one of them asks his errand boy to go fetch a bottle of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) which too has come under the prohibition policy, the implementation of the policy will loosen. It is the same with the police, who are the enforcers of the policy. They have also stood in uniform and swore abstinence, in public places and the not-so-public places, namely police stations. I recall that during the curfew hours in Ahmedabad when an agitation on reservations was raging, an outstation journalist walked up to a police outpost and bought his bottle of tipple from the men in uniform. Like other states, Bihar had flirted with prohibition briefly over three decades ago and gave up in sheer frustration at not being able to enforce it. Bihar is not the only state which made this attempt. Karnataka retained only country-made arrack. Nagaland has not been able to implement its policy because like in Manipur and Mizoram, illicit booze arrives from Assam. Tamil Nadu is a classic case of going back and forth on prohibition, having it in force in four spells, the last being four years from 1991. The erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, during Chandrababu Naidus stewardship, had imposed a liquor ban because the women had wanted it to save their families from ruin. But the tipplers had their way. The policy lasted only for only five years till 1997. Haryana has a different story. Prohibition was a poll promise, like Nitish Kumars, and its implementation led to loss for the government. And people continued to drink because a liquor mafia took birth, frustrating the policy. Also, the state lost a whopping amount of revenue it used to get from booze. These revenue losses are a trade-off for the imposition of prohibition. The ban in Chandrapur in Maharashtra has already impacted the states revenue by Rs 600 cr. Two other districts, Gadchiroli and Wardha were already dry then. Maharashtra likes to seek higher revenue from booze as duties year upon year, because it is a certain stream of money. Bihar is going to lose an estimated Rs 3,000 to 5,000 cr per annum, and that is why perhaps, the state has not decided to ban production of the stuff. Liquor can be produced and transported to places outside by trucks using GPS. But then the industry that emerges in dry states, bootlegging, knows how to ensure that supplies sustain. Mumbai: With actor Amitabh Bachchan's name figuring in the Panama Papers leaks, the opposition Congress in Maharashtra on Thursday sought his ouster as state's ambassador for the 'Save Tiger project' even as a BJP MLA objected to the 'vilification campaign' against the Bollywood megastar. "Till Bachchan gets a clean chit in the Panama Papers case, he should be removed as tiger brand ambassador as well as from advisory panel on the development of part of the Bandra Kurla Complex as International Finance and Services Centre," the Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said while raising the issue in Lower House. Incidentally, Bachchan visited Mantralaya on Thursday to attend a meeting of the panel. "It would be improper if Bachchan continues to occupy the two posts especially when his name has allegedly figured in the Panama Papers," the opposition leader said. The Papers are a leaked set of 11.5 million confidential documents that provide detailed information about more than 214,000 offshore companies listed by corporate services provider Mossack Fonseca. "Bachchan should be removed from the two posts till the inquiry launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard is complete," the opposition leader said. BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar objected to the 'vilification campaign' against a star of Bachchan's repute. Bachchan, whose name figured in the leaks as allegedly having links with offshore entities in two tax havens, had already denied any connection with those companies, saying his name may have been "misused". "I do not know any of the companies referred to by Indian Express - Sea Bulk Shipping Company Ltd, Lady Shipping Ltd, Treasure Shipping Ltd, and Tramp Shipping Ltd. I have never been a director of any of the above stated companies. It is possible that my name has been misused," he had stated after the Indian Express newspaper broke the story. Hyderabad: If Charles Dickens had ever sought to create a university campus in India for a novel, his heightened imagination would have more likely created the Hyderabad Central University (HCU); with raging social battles as a theme for the grand canvas, and its two faces Dr. Jekyll is rated forth among the top 10 universities in the country, while Mr. Hyde reveals deep rooted caste and political divide across all sections of this academic paradise. In true form, the varsity was in news in the last week with over five episodes of the ongoing saga students protesting in anticipation of a varsity move to demolish a Rohit Smarak Stupa, being named by a Union HRD survey as number 4 in top 10 universities, its Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podiles papers revealed as plagiarized and continued conflict at the gate, with the police disallowing outsiders into the campus and students continuing to seek the sacking of the V-C. Yet again, last afternoon and evening were tense on campus, with Prof Appa Rao conducting an Academic Council Meeting, where the Controller of Examinations, Prof V Krishna, resigned from his post in protest and police held students. Transformation of campus A group of seven alums, which passed out over 25 years ago, and whose members hold a wide range of impressive positions in life, invited me for an informal coffee meeting, expressing sadness over the developments. We had political differences and belong to various castes, including Dalit. We had our kind of student politics we would meet on the lawns and different students would speak at a makeshift podium, bringing out issues. People voted for issues. Nobody pressurized anyone. No parties dominated the narrative. Open dissent was possible to popular viewpoints. And we did not call names for those who disagreed with us, they explained. We feel sad that our university is being dragged into controversies and confrontation. We cant say who is right or what should be done, but surely, this must end. An alum with over three decades of connection in various capacities, including student, visiting faculty and faculty, narrated her connection, Ask anyone who has been at HCU; they will reiterate this. It was a campus of academic, intellectual and personal freedom and space. We could choose our groups, or be alone, and do any kind of work. Look at the great work done at HCU, department by department, school by school, she said, without wishing to be named. We had the highest standards of academic discourse. Our exams are standards in integrity. Our classrooms are an answer to how education must be in our country. She is partly disillusioned today. I have seen both sides of the conflict. Another faculty member showed me a hand-written proposal of a project Rohit Vemula wanted to pursue had the incident not happened. It was brilliant. When people say students come and party and mooch tax money it is disgusting. Ask them to come and read Rohits proposal. When questioned about discrimination against Dalit, she is definitive. A lot of it is because of lackadaisical attitude of the administration staff, which routinely delays processing fellows requests and closing on scholarships. But it is not based on caste. Increasingly, caste is being politicized today faculty are afraid to mark a Dalit student as absent because they will come and start a protest. When every transaction and action comes under such colored scrutiny, we will lose the much needed freedom to instruct, develop, and give feedback. Barsha Panda, who leads Communications for Yahoo in India & Southeast Asia, said, HCU was and I believe, continues to be the best of universities in India. My experience was transformational. I chose to join it, when I also had an admission in another prestigious institution. In our communication school, we saw our stream as a culmination of arts and thought - not cynical criticism or spin doctoring. We learnt the power of language, the impact of images. We presented case studies, made documentaries, worked in project teams. We also learnt approaches to acknowledging complex issues and problem solving, a learning which remains useful, even when applied beyond communications to business and life decisions. The faculty, across different schools and departments, was outstanding. Many, with global credentials published and respected across campuses and countries. By teaching us an approach to thinking, and not necessarily prescribing what we think I think the HCU campus prepared us for life. " Caste discrimination narrative is Janus-faced The narrative of an upper caste dominated university, driven by a saffron agenda to wreck and end the Left domination to seat the ABVP as force numero uno and reverse the uprising and awakening of the underprivileged, especially Dalits, which finds maximum media seconding, and coverage; covers-up another side of how caste awakening and assertion has also become a political tool for a radicalized fringe seeking to become mainstay. Caste-based discrimination is too obvious a reality. We cannot deny it, nor wish it away. What has sidestepped past steps to normalize and neutralize such trends is a radicalization based on caste as a political agenda, which does not belong in an educational institution of excellence. Over the last decade, scholarly approach to debate, intellectual and ideological differences, and positions has been replaced by a more militant identity assertion, which perceives every transaction of life through its prism, said a political analyst, who did not wish to be named. Several of the Dalit scholars come from state-run social welfare residential schools reserved only for Dalits, which despite its merits, creates a segregation as well as alienation. These kids grow up unable to interact with people from other castes, even backward castes. They attribute every single reversal in life to discrimination and protest as the only way to redress problems, the analyst said. The Dalits, who are part of Left or right parties, like SFI or ABVP, are different in that they work with or are willing to fight it out with others based on situation. These groups are losing a sense of society where we must all live together. V-C fiasco Another senior faculty member, accused outside political interference as the principal cause of the changing scenario. Students will have political views; and differences. It is our asset intellectual, social and political diversity. But once political leaders from outside begin to make interference first the BJP leaders like Bandaru Dattatreya and MLC Ramachander who intervened in a pure-student matter, and then Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal arrived to take mileage. The big mistake was to make Appa Rao the V-C he has neither academic stature, as demonstrated by the slight and normal plagiarism he is guilty of and justifies; nor administrative astuteness proved by his efforts to fortify an idyllic campus. He is a disgrace and his exit alone can begin any restoration of normalcy. Honestly, I have been here for most of my life he is a disgrace. Student leader Dontha Prashanth, who was recently arrested and has been a key member of the agitation, is both a charismatic youth leader and a brilliant student. Quoting extensively from a wide range of historic and political contexts, he articulates the complex scenarios of the campus with dexterity. We are not stuck with assumptions; for example, unlike in FTII, we were not opposed to Prof Appa Rao from the start. Only after his guilty role became obvious in Rohits suicide, we are seeking his removal. Unlike a V-C or government, we students cannot afford a standoff we need to move on. Our commitment to restoration of normalcy is paramount. But it cannot be at the cost of our dignity or justice. Remove the V-C, enact the Rohit Act and remove the cases against the students normalcy will come not crawling but running, he said. Kerala connection Several people hold the growth of the students from a particular region from Kerala as a foundation of disquiet. Campus violence by radical Left is a normal tradition in Kerala. When students from a region in Kerala started coming to HCU in ever-increasing numbers, the campus began losing its narrative of excellence. It is sick to paint a large community in one color but a large section of these students have resorted to creating a constant situation of strife. Tea in the morning is not hot enough protest. Water supply is low protest. Vandalize and protest. And create a constant victimhood in those who are struggling to come out of social divides with academic excellence. It is often these radicals who have attacked and humiliated non-teaching staff, creating a simmering discontent. A Dalit staffer in the mess spoke of a truth no one cares to report. I am also a Dalit, and a Malbari student leader abused and spit on my face. Everything is an ammunition for politics for them. We dont intervene about these things, but now they are accusing our strike of being motivated by a quest for land or benefits the VC may give us. We have served the institution for so many years, and in the past students were respectful and affectionate. When alums come back, they still come and meet us first. Can I not register cases against them under the Prevention of Atrocities against SCs/STs? We have suffered enough thinking after all, these are young people, hot-blooded and hot-headed. But for how long? he asked. We have never looked at students as different because they are from different places, but is it wrong to expect to be treated well for our age and service? Now some of them call us Dalit Drohi for speaking out. Silent majority The protests and the movement has less then 10 percent of the students on campus joining in and while a large number of students support their fellow students, they want it to end. Three Dalit students who spoke to Firstpost from the sciences stream, supported the protests being led by the humanities and social sciences stream, but feel they have to move on. What happened with Rohit is very sad but we have to move on. Student have a political right but we have an equally important right in wanting to refocus on pursuit of excellence we are known for. We are silent because we are in the labs and classrooms, not at the gate talking to the media hawks. First, you guys go away. Normalcy will come if you stop making headlines out of everything. With over 95 percent attendance, exams around the corner, the police keeping out outsiders, including the media and politically-inclined trouble-spot-tourists, HCU is working hard to find balance, with significant caste and social issues to solve; and to restore a nations faith that nothing but quest for academic excellence shall reign. No matter how deep the controversy of the day, alum after alum express faith the varsity will rise up and above soon. "There are few easy solutions," said the political analyst. "Inviting alum back to speak to the students would be one good way - after all, no matter what the divide, they will all possibly listen to their seniors." Sriram Karri is the author of the acclaimed bestselling novel, Autobiography of a Mad Nation. Latur: A city with a population of five lakh, Latur offers a peek into a possible dystopian future for the rest of India. In the middle of the most severe drought of the past half century, everything here revolves around water. Social gatherings, family outings, VIP visits and administrative meetings are all connected in some way to water scarcity and ways to address it. Unless a solution to the water problem is found, what is happening in Latur could become the norm in the rest of India. In Latur, where almost every sector is reeling under recession, the business of selling water is booming. The severe water scarcity has created an opportunity for profiteers to cash in on the crisis and sell water at exorbitant rates. Supplying water gives the best return on investment, far greater than cultivating cash crops or starting an industrial unit. People with access to water find it more profitable to sell it, rather than use it for any other purpose, Ravindra Jagtap, a journalist who runs a news service covering Latur, said during an interview with Firstpost. As per Jagtaps estimates, the cost of pumping 6,000 litres of water from a borewell in a rural area is around Rs 50, as the agricultural meters are subsidised. The borewell owners sell the water to a supplier for Rs 400, making a profit of 800 percent. The cost of a water tanker triples to Rs 1,200 by the time it is sold in Latur town. Jagtap says around 600 tankers of different capacities operate in Latur town. A rough calculation suggests that if each tanker makes five trips a day and charges Rs 800 per trip then the turnover of the water economy is Rs 24 lakh per day. Around 70 government tankers have been pressed into service to supply water, District Collector Pandurang Pole said in an interview. When asked whether the district administration was regulating the private water business he said, We have told them to supply water at a reasonable rate. But others with whom Firstpost spoke seemed sceptical about the government being able to regulate the water industry. The bottled water business is just as lucrative. According to the estimates of a local businessman, the turnover may be around Rs 3.75 lakh daily. And these are just conservative estimates. Its anybodys guess what the real numbers are. For one, the demand for water has spiked in the last two months even as water sources have shrunk, leaving everyone guessing about the real volume of water being transported. Secondly, water is a precious commodity and much of the trade is part of the grey economy, with people reluctant to reveal the true figures. Pramod Mundhra, the promoter of Mundhra foods, is one of the largest players in the bottled water business. The companys Sunrich brand of mineral water is marketed within a 50 km radius around Latur. He has a bottling plant in the MIDC industrial area of Latur, with a polymers unit in the same compound to supply the caps and bottles. Mundhra said the company bottles around 18,000-20,000 litres of water and ships 15,000 boxes (each box containing 12 one-litre bottles) each day. In an interview, Mundhra claimed that the company sells a one-litre bottle of mineral water for Rs seven-eight to retailers, who in turn resell it for Rs 15. Its the retailers who make most of the profits, he said. When pressed, he claimed that his cost for purchasing water came to Rs 2,000 per 10,000 litres (20 paisa per litre) With water being such a precious commodity, a substantial part of the family budget is set aside to purchase it. Around 20-30 percent of the monthly budget is spent on buying water for drinking and daily use, estimates Kedar Rasure, a local businessman. An average family in Latur earns around Rs 10,000 he said. Compare this to the Rs 250 that a family living in a middle class cooperative housing society in Mumbai pays per month as water dues. The current drought in Marathwada is being compared to the historic drought of 1972, of which some of the towns older residents have vivid memories. In Latur city every third vehicle is a water carrier, points out Atul Deulgaonkar, a journalist who has written extensively on environmental issues. After three years of drought, the demand for water has skyrocketed while the supply has shrunk. Water availability per capita in Marathwada is the lowest among all the regions of Maharashtra at 438 cubic meters per person, compared to 985 in Vidarbha and 3,980 in Konkan, according to figures quoted in a state government report on Balanced Regional Development. The cost of buying 6,000 litres of water from a tanker has climbed 300 percent in four months, from Rs 400 to Rs 1,200. Jagtap estimates that by May it will be Rs 2,500. More than the economics, it is the social impact of water tankers in urban and rural Marathwada that is most striking to a visitor. From rent agreements to social status, the ubiquitous water tanker has permeated every aspect of life. House owners and tenants all over the town arrive at a basic understanding before getting into an agreement. Apart from the house rent, there is an additional charge for the tanker water as and when needed, Lalasaheb Agle, a Beed-based social activist says. A persons social status is determined by the storage capacity of the tank they have. The more affluent have 10,000 litre tanks, while the less fortunate have to make do with 100 litres. In rural areas, the arrival of a water tanker is like the beginning of a war, say residents of Rahatgaon village in Paithan taluka of Aurangabad district. Each family has a person dedicated to tanker duty alerting others when the tanker arrives. All able-bodied members rush out with buckets or whatever they can lay their hands on. The crush around the tanker is hazardous and fights often break out. Of the 188 revenue villages in Paithan taluka, 60 percent water are supplied by tankers, Kishore Deshmukh, tehsildar of Paithan said in an interview. Currently, 136 tankers per day make 274 trips to supply water. By May, it will increase to 200 tankers and 30-40 more villages will be added to the list, Deshmukh said. Ninety percent of the villages will be bone dry. With inputs from Neerad Pandharipande This is the second segment of a 13-part series on Marathwadas drought. Read the first part here: A crisis of the regions own making When Karun Misra did dieshot at close range while riding a motorcycle on his way homeit was a shock to his family. He left behind a wife, Payal, and two young children, including a 15-day old newborn. But Karun, a journalist in Uttar Pradeshs Ambedkarnagar district, was aware his life was in danger, a friend, Manish Tiwari, told IndiaSpend. From all accounts a driven, idealistic man, Karun, 32, had written stories about a particularly dangerous businessillegal mining. Mafia hit-men first came for Karun after he refused bribes and ignored threats, said the friend. On February 5, he got information that something was going to happen to him on either the 11th or 12th of February, said the friend. A day later, Karun was dead, the fifth journalist murdered in Indias most populous state since March 2015, accounting for half the 10 killed nationwide, according to data independently compiled by The Hoot, a media watchdog, and IndiaSpend. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India Asias deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Committee For The Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) affirms this statement with their compilation of data showing that for the year of 2015, there were only two deaths of journalists in Pakistan and no deaths in Afghanistan. Karuns case is unique because the mastermind behind his murder and the main shooter were arrested. This is rare. As many as 24 journalists were murdered for work-related reasons in India since 1992, Committee for the Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) data reveal. But 96% of the cases are unsolved, ranking India 14th globally for impunity in murder cases against journalists, according to the CPJ impunity index. Thats because the concerned governments are not willing to really protect journalists performing their duties, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, told IndiaSpend. Indian journalists daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015, Reporters Without Borders states. Illegal mining for a variety of sand and mineralsparticularly sand for the construction industryis a crime that is in growing evidence across India. Two murders monitored by RSF (in 2015) were linked to illegal mining, a sensitive environmental subject in India, an RSF report released in 2015 said. RSFs data are estimates of murders confirmed as work-related; there are four more awaiting confirmation. Soldier-like Karun went up against powerful, illegal industry He didnt like to do stories and leave them just like that, said another friend of Karun, Rashtriya Sahara. He wanted a result from it He was soldier-like, he would not call police and say something is happening and they should go there. When Sahara met him four days before he was killed, Karun, a reporter with Jansandesh, a Hindi daily, confessed, There is some danger, some difficulties but I have to fight. His fight was against a powerful, illegal industry that is steadily expanding despite a new law, promulgated in January 2015, that allows for five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500,000 per hectare of land mined illegally. But illegal mining has steadily increased over the last six years (except for a dip in 2013-14), as this government statement to the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament) revealed. In UP, where his investigation of illegal mining cost Karun his life, cases registered almost doubled over a decade. With illegal mining embedded in UPs economy and politics, Karuns friends and family pointed out that despite arrests, illegal mining in their area has not stopped. The reason for which Karun was killed is still going on, said one of the two friends we spoke to. Police are not doing what they can to stop the illegal mining business its still going on. For Karuns brother, Varun Misra, the shock endures. He has not forgotten how Karun did not answer his phone when he called on February 13. At 11 pm, he received a call from an uncle. [My uncle] told me Karun was dead. I was so shocked. I could not believe it. 46% of Indian journalists killed on duty were covering politics Since 1992, only 3% of journalists in India have died covering wars, according to CPJ data, and as many as 46% of journalists who were killed while working were covering politics; 35% corruption. India is not alone in this trend, reported RSF: Two thirds of the journalists killed worldwide in 2014 were killed in war zones. In 2015, it was the exact opposite. Two thirds were killed in countries at peace. Death is not the only cause for concern for the Indian journalist. Human rights defenders, journalists and protesters continued to face arbitrary arrests and detentions. Over 3,200 people were being held in January [2015] under administrative detention on executive orders without charge or trial, the latest Amnesty International report states. Journalists face hostile environments across the world: 71 were killed with confirmed motives, with another 25 unconfirmed, according to CPJs statistics. RSF records that 43 journalists have been killed for unclear reasons. Karuns brother, Varun, said crimes were getting bigger and criminals bolder and this is why punishment was important. This can happen with anyone anywhere, he said. My only appeal to the authorities is a speedy trial and severe punishment. Death is inevitable but nobody deserves to die like this. (Campbell is a graduate in Film and Media from Otago University, New Zealand, and an intern with IndiaSpend.) The Uttar Pradesh police have detained two persons in connection with the murder of NIA officer Tanzil Ahmad. The police said that they are hoping to make a major breakthrough in the case soon, according to The Times Of India. The NIA officer was shot 21 times when he was driving back home from a family wedding in Bijnor on Sunday. While he died on the spot, his two children survived the attack and his wife, who sustained four gun shot wounds, is admitted to a Noida hospital, where her condition continues to be critical. On the progress of the investigation, senior official Deepak Ratan, who is in-charge IG of law and order said that some important leads are being followed and the cops are exploring all angles to find the perpetrators. The team investigating the case also claimed that personal animosity due to a property dispute could be the motive behind the brutal murder. A senior police official told IANS that while the matter is still being probed, they have zeroed in on the personal angle as the motive behind the high-profile murder. Of the two people police have detained, one is a former student of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) while the other is a sharp shooter and a contract killer. Sources said Tanzil Ahmad was killed owing to a dispute over a shop in New Delhi. The Pulsar bike, allegedly used by the suspects during the killing has also been recovered from Bareilly. According to The Hindustan Times, police raided some spots in Bijnor, Aligarh, Sambhal and Bulandshahar districts. The police have, however, ruled out the terror angle. The report further stated that Ahmad had a rift with the local residents after he bought a property in Bijnor district. The police have rounded up six people, according to The Times Of India, are being interrogated by state and central intelligence agencies. Additional DG (law and order) Daljeet Chaudhary was quoted saying that the police have also identified a key suspect, closely associated with the murder. The report added that five people known to Tanzil are being screened as some of them were also at the wedding. The investigating team has zeroed in on a video clip of the wedding which Tanzil attended and on the way back home shot dead, sources said. A man shown in the video was at the centre of the probe, as no one was able to identify him as belonging to either the bride's or groom's party. Several agencies including the Delhi police have been roped in for the probe with the Director General of Police "directly and personally" monitoring the case. With inputs from agencies It's been two days since Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a blanket ban on liquor in the state. On 5 April (Tuesday) Nitish Kumar government imposed a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect. The decision, announced by Nitish after a Cabinet meeting makes it clear that no alcohol can be legally consumed in all of Bihar, including bars and restaurants. The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from 1 April this year, but had allowed sale of IMFL in towns and cities. "But, the tremendous response of people, particularly women and children against liquor in Patna and other towns in a short period of four days, only convinced us that a conducive environment against alcohol has been created in the state and that's why we decided to go for a total ban on liquor after four days only," Kumar had told reporters. But this decision of the state government has left the alcoholics of Bihar dry without a high. Just two days after the announcement, the after effects of the move are visible in the state. According to a report in The Times of India, doctors in private clinics have been dealing with a heavy inflow of people who are dealing with this sudden withdrawal. Hospitals and clinics have reported a sudden rise in admission of alcoholics who are facing withdrawal symptoms. An IBNLive report quoted a patient as saying, "As soon as I stopped consuming alcohol, my body started shivering. Then I was admitted to hospital." Another patient said, "I have been drinking alcohol for a long time now. When I stopped consuming alcohol, I fell ill." According to reports, "At least 749 such people were brought to the state's 38 new de-addiction centres." The data was received by the State Health Society of Bihar. But that's not it. According to Rakhi Sharma, a counsellor at a private rehab centre Disha in Patna, which has been roped in by the government to assist in its de-addiction drive, "The de-addiction centre at Nalanda Medical College & Hospital in Patna has referred to us a teenage patient who had turned pretty violent. His family members told us the boy was a heavy drinker and had started chewing whatever he could lay his hands on, including chilli, since Tuesday." But that's not it. According to Rakhi Sharma, a counsellor at a private rehab centre Disha in Patna, which has been roped in by the government to assist in its de-addiction drive, "The de-addiction centre at Nalanda Medical College & Hospital in Patna has referred to us a teenage patient who had turned pretty violent. His family members told us the boy was a heavy drinker and had started chewing whatever he could lay his hands on, including chilli, since Tuesday." A petition was filed in the Patna High Court challenging the Bihar government's decision to clamp total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in the state.The petition contended that the state government's decision violated human rights of a citizen about what to eat and drink. Filed by an ex-serviceman AN Singh, the writ described the penal provision in the Amended Exise Act of Bihar, which was passed in the state Legislative Assembly on March 31 last, as "draconian, arbitrary and malafide" as it violated Article 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the Constitution. The concern of the petitioner is not unfounded. According to this report in The Hindustan Times, there are local deities in Bihar who are suffering because of the prohibition rule. The report said that there are many temples in the state where country-made liquor, toddy, and even IMFL was mandatorily offered to the gods. "With total prohibition in force, shrines of Dak Baba, Masan Baba, Goraiya Baba, Dihwal Baba, Naukha Baba, and Bhairavall revered by the Dalit and Mahadalit communities among othershave gone virtually dry." The Hindustan Times quoted a priest as saying, "Our God Kapal Bhairav accepts only liquor as his first bhog (food of gods). But after the ban about 40% of the devotees have chosen to stay away." The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from 1 April this year, but had allowed sale of IMFL in towns and cities. The Army cantonment areas have been kept out of the ban order. On 'toddy', the state cabinet decided to strictly impose the 1991 guidelines which prohibit sale of toddy within 50 metre of places like hospital, education institutions, religious places among others in towns and 100 metres radius in rural areas. The 1991 guidelines also prohibit opening of toddy shops at bazar haat, entrance point of such haat and densely populated areas in villages among others. The Panama Papers incident, which has shocked the nation with its revelations brings a question to mind, are whistleblowers protected in India? While, yes, there is a Whistleblower Protection Act, 2011, the Act unfortunately, does little to actually protect the whistleblowers. The Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (the Amendment Bill) only makes matters worse. The Whistleblowers Act provides for a public interest disclosure which can be made by any person, including a government official, a public authority or even an NGO. The disclosure should be made to the Competent Authority appointed under the Act (the Authority), which is usually the Central Vigilance Commission or the State Vigilance Commission. The actual complaint mechanism under the Act is yet to be set up. Complaints can still be made to the CVC under the Resolution on Public Interest Disclosure and Protection Informer. The disclosure can be sent in a closed envelope, e-mail, SMS or any other form of electronic communication. A complainant can give documentary evidence in any form, such audio recording, video recordings, documents, photographs, etc. How effective the Whistleblowers Act is in protecting whistleblowers is best understood in the context of revelations made in the past: Anonymous, pseudonymous complaints cannot be made The Panama Papers involved a report given by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), involving thousands of leaked documents from a Panama based law firm. The actual source of the information has requested anonymity. Under the Whistleblowers Act, the ICIJ could not have filed a report with the authority on behalf of the unknown source. There is no provision for such indirect disclosures. In fact, the first step to be taken by the authority is to ascertain the identity of the person making the complaint. An anonymous or pseudonymous complaint will not be allowed. The person is required to reveal his name at the beginning or end of the letter. The authority is under an obligation to conceal the identity of the person. However, if in the text of the letter, he reveals his identity in any form, even through a hint, the obligation ceases. A revelation in any other form by the complainant will also result in the obligation ceasing. How such a revelation will be determined is not clear. In the Satyendra Dubey case, who revealed major discrepancies in an ongoing NHAI project, Satyendra Dubey first approached the higher officials at the NHAI. Thereafter he wrote to Prime Ministers Office requesting anonymity. Will the approaching of the higher officials first be considered to be a revelation of his identity by the complainant? Considering that the text of the letter will have details similar to those given the higher officials by the NHAI, which is sufficient for him to be identified, will that be considered to be a hint? Disclosure related to public persons only Disclosures in relation to private persons or corporate entities cannot be made under this mechanism. Therefore, even among the names revealed under the Panama Papers, only the names of government officials involved will be considered. Considering that the possible disclosures are as great from private persons as from government officials, it is surprising that law makes no provision for such disclosures. Security information, personal information cannot be disclosed The Whistleblowers Act doesnt allow disclosures on all subjects. Instances of corruption, abuse of power by a government authority, or a crime committed by a public servant can be reported. Issues relating to private persons or companies cannot be reported. The Amendment Bill introduces ten broad categories of information which cannot be disclosed. For example, suppose the source of the Panama Papers is an attorney employed at the law firm from which the documents were leaked. In this case, the complaint will not be inquired into, since it falls under the restricted category of information obtained in a fiduciary capacity (the lawyer-client relationship) under the Amendment Bill. Edward Snowdens revelations can fall into the restricted category of information concerning the security of the nation. Chelsea Mannings revelations regarding the US military will also not be allowed, since the armed forces are not subject to this Act. For example, the alleged army atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be reported under this Act. Under the Amendment Bill, the authority is required to forward the matter to an appointed authority to ascertain if the matter falls under any of these restricted categories. The decision of such an authority will be binding on the Authority. Neither the Authority nor the complainant can either question or appeal this decision. This gives far too simple an escape route for government officials who do not wish to inquire into something. Victimisation Reliefs The Act requires the Government to ensure that the complainant is not victimized. The Act does not define victimisation. As a result, it is not clear what will constitute victimisation, or how precautionary measures are to be granted. The Act mentions that the Authority can take such measures as he deems fit, which will include police protection. Specific provisions have been made with respect to administrative measures. For example, in the Ashok Khemka case, he faced over 40 transfers on account of the disclosures. Such transfers can be remedied under this Act. The Act, however, makes no specific provisions for the protection of complainants whose lives will be in danger. This is surprising, given that whistleblowers are most often in fear of their lives. Only a complainant under the Whistleblower Act will be protected Only a person who makes a disclosure under this Act is entitled to seek protection under this Act. For example, Edward Snowden chose to make his disclosure through the press, while Satyendra Dubey chose to approach the higher officials first. Such people who choose other routes, whether lawful or unlawful, cannot seek protection under this Act. Time limit of 7 years Under the Act, only complaints regarding incidents over the last 7 years can be heard. For example, the Panama Papers concern incidents of the last 40 years. As per this rule, the Authority will only be able to inquire into incidents of the last 7 years, and all previous ones will have to be overlooked. Limited responsibility on officials called to give evidence The Act does not permit government officials to seek exemptions from giving evidence on grounds such as an obligation to maintain secrecy, for instance under the Official Secrets Act, or any privilege to not produce documents, such as the privilege of members of parliament. However, they can claim that the information will affect the sovereignty, security, etc. of the State. A certificate issued by the Government to this effect will be binding and conclusive, which means, again, that neither the Authority nor the Complainant can appeal against this decision. Under the Amendment Bill, the exemptions are extended to the ten prohibited categories. Maximum penalty imposed is Rs 50,000 Interestingly, this Act prescribes a higher penalty for a person making a false disclosure, than on a government official filing a false report (for instance, as the outcome of the case, or as evidence). The former will be penalized with imprisonment of upto two years plus a fine upto Rs 30,000, while the latter has a maximum penalty of Rs,50,000/-. The same penalty also applies to a government official who deliberately gives wrong or misleading information, or who destroys document. This gives an all too easy escape route for corrupt government officials destroy the relevant records, pay the penalty, and escape the inquiry. The maximum penalty imposed on a government authority for victimisation of a complainant is Rs 30,000. The Act makes no provision for any compensation either for such victimisation. This penalty is hardly enough given the forms victimisation can take. For example, in the Satyendra Dubey case, the victimisation was in the form of murder. Snowden was forced to flee the country. The Central Vigilance Commission itself said that the Act does little to instill confidence in the people. Considering the grave consequences of the disclosures made by whistleblowers, the Act does not appear to take the matter seriously at all. Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan on Wednesday said its Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that was in India to probe the Pathankot terror attack had visited the "crime scene" but witnesses from the Indian security forces were not produced before the probe team. A day after India dismissed a report in Pakistan Today, quoting sources in the JIT that the 2 January attack on the Pathankot Indian Air Force base was stage-managed by India, a statement from the Pakistan foreign office said the JIT had visited India from 27 March to 1 April, 2016 for "investigating the allegations regarding the attack on Pathankot airbase, India". "The visit started with a presentation given by the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) regarding its investigations so far. "The JIT visited the crime scene and also recorded the statements of some witnesses. However, the witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not produced before it. "The JIT briefed the NIA on progress of investigations in Pakistan. Further investigations are underway. "The visit of the JIT to India took place in the context of the cooperative approach being pursued by the government of Pakistan as part of its commitment to effectively fight terrorism in all its forms," the statement said. Earlier, a Pakistan Today report quoting sources in the JIT said "the Indian authorities had prior information about the attackers" but the country used the incident as a tool to expand its "vicious propaganda". "India used the attack as a tool to expand its "vicious propaganda" against Pakistan 'without having any solid evidence to back the claim'," the source told the newspaper. India on Tuesday dismissed the Pakistan Today report as "total concoction", while union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said no one, including people in Pakistan, will believe that the Pathankot attack was stage-managed by India. The 2 January attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohamed terrorists from Pakistan, in which seven Indian security force personnel were killed. The attack has led to stalling of the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, which had been kick-started by a visit to Pakistan late last year by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and a 25 December stop-over visit to Lahore by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which he held talks over tea with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. During Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad and her meeting with the Pakistani leadership, including Sharif, both sides had agreed to resume the stalled dialogue which they called Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. The modalities of holding the dialogue, including a section on tackling terrorism, was to be discussed by the foreign secretaries of the two countries in January this year. But the Pathankot attack has put a spanner in the process. Sharif has directed a high level team to probe the "specific and actionable" evidence provided by India. Bogijuli village, Tamulpur (Baksa, Assam): "There is no help from the government. We get neither seeds nor fertiliser from the government for farming. In our small plots of land we somehow manage to do a little bit of paddy cultivation but we can barely feed our family," said a farmer Birdao Basumatary. Basumatary's identity is not limited to being a farmer alone. He is also a member of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), that calls the shots in the Bodoland Territorial Council, or BTC. The BTC, which takes care of the jurisdiction of the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD), is an autonomous Administrative unit constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution covering an area of 8,795 square kilometre. The four BTAD districts Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang were carved out of seven existing districts namely Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur of the central and western Assam. Explaining the rationale behind the creation of the BTC, the official website says: "The administrative unit has been created with a mission to accomplish development in the area of economic, education, preservation of land right, linguistic aspiration, Socio-culture and ethnic identity of Bodos and above all to speed up the infrastructure development of communities in the BTC area." For someone like Basumatary, life should have been smooth given the mission behind the creation of the BTC. Sadly though, even today there is a glaring gap between the aim and the actual execution. He sat along with a few other BPF members and villagers in a temporary election office along the National Highway 127D in Bogijuli under the Tamulpur Legislative Assembly constituency in Assam's Baksa district. Everyone had one thing in common weary eyes which dreamt of a better life ahead. So far, that dream has been elusive. Unlike the smooth and wide NH 127D that connects Bhutan's Samdrup Jongkhar town with India via Tamulpur, the life in the adjoining villages where Basumatary sits now, has always remained a struggle to survive sans basic amenities. "In nearby places like Kadamguri, Similiguri, no. 7 and even in Bogijuli we don't have electric connections. Only the poles have come up in some places. In some places, the cables are in place but they are not charged yet. Unlike the highway, the remote areas have no roads. During monsoon, commuting becomes very difficult and it is worse during monsoons. We hope Emmanuel Sir will take care of that soon," he said. Emmanuel Mosahary is the incumbent Tamulpur MLA from the BPF and is contesting again from the seat. Among the others who were seated in that roadside election office was Sunil Narzary, who was a member of the erstwhile Bodo Liberation Tigers Force (BLTF), that went defunct after the militant organisation entered into a tripartite pact with the Centre and Assam government on 10 February 2003. This paved the way for the formation of the BTC after the BLTF cadres surrendered en masse on 6 December 2003. Narzary was amongst those who surrendered. Former BLT chief Hagrama Mohilary was sworn in as the Chief Executive Member (CEM) on 7 December 2003. Hagrama now heads the BPF. "I had surrendered with the hope that my life would get better. But since 2003, I have received a cheque of only Rs 50,000 from Hagrama. It gets all used up in feeding my family. I have a wife, a 17-year-old son and two daughters aged nine and seven respectively. Now I am forced to work as a daily labourer. Although I am ashamed to do it, I have run out of choices," Narzary told Firstpost. "Even a pair of bullocks would cost you Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000," adds Basumatary. Being a former militant of a dreaded organisation that once reigned terror in the entire Bodo-belt, Narzary considers it below his dignity to work as a labourer. His pride as an ex-BLT often prevents him from seeking financial help from the BPF. "When there is absolutely no alternative I go the BPF office asking for monetary help. They do dole out Rs 1,000-1,500 once a month at times like alms. This is insufficient to feed my family. It was Hagrama's responsibility to take care of us as we surrendered after his instruction," Narzary said. Notwithstanding his principles whatever they might be, working as a daily labourer isn't easy for Narzary. "He was once captured by the troops of the Rajput Rifles of the Indian Army and badly tortured in a nearby camp. He was subjected to electric shocks. He was so badly beaten, that today he finds it difficult to walk or stand for long hours," said one Pravin Boro. Tamulpur like most of the other regions of the BTAD is hardly industrialised and the economy is largely agrarian severely restricting livelihood to cultivation and other allied jobs. Despite that, the thrust from either the Assam government or the BTC on agriculture has been pathetic. While travelling through the interiors of Tamulpur constituency, Firstpost came across Runu Moshahary and Bimal Murmu -- the former a Boro and the latter an Adivasi. Unlike the Bodo-Adivasi conflict of 1996 that has smeared an entire generation with gory bloodshed, the struggle for survival has brought both the communities together. Deprived of the bare minimum, the common Bodos and Adivasis have both realised that unity and peace are the only way forward for some sort of economic resilience. Not comfortable with the idea of being interviewed by a stranger on a highway, Runu was initially keen on moving away but opened up e later. "There have not been much development in the last five years. We did not get as much as we had expected. There are no roads, electricity, schools or hospitals. We somehow lead our lives on cultivation," he said, repeating the same concerns as Basumatary, revealing lack of employment opportunities in the area. Lack of work has forced Murmu to go as far as Himachal Pradesh where he works in agricultural fields helping in putting up dong, a traditional water harvesting procedure. "I have come only to vote. We have to vote whatever it may be," he said. Someone like Murmu would be a proud example of a thriving democracy if his zeal to vote is gauged. Question is how much has the democracy given back to him or his friend like Moshahary? In June last year, the BPF had snapped its 8-year-old alliance with the Congress blaming the national party of neglecting it. In January this year, it forged an alliance with the BJP in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister assured the BPF that a special package of Rs 1,000 crore would be granted to the BTC. It remains to be seen how much of that would usher in development in the region or would just end up as a bait for votes. Ahmedabad: Asserting that BJP will not compromise on the issue of nationalism, Union Minister JP Nadda on Thursday said even some Congress leaders secretly admit that BJP's stand on the issue is right, but they can't say it openly as it would go against their leadership. "When India is surging ahead under the leadership of Narendra Modi, opposition parties are conspiring to change the track, as they fear that they will be completely wiped out in the next elections. But we have to stay focused in this situation," Nadda told party workers in his address at a function organised here as part of BJP foundation day celebrations. "I want to make it clear that we will not do any compromise on the issue of nationalism. Even our opposition knows that when it comes to nationalism, there is no one bigger than BJP," he added. "Some Congress leaders secretly admitted that the stand taken by BJP about nationalism is right. However, these leaders told me that they cannot say it in the public, because it will go against the leadership," the minister said. Stating that the debate on intolerance was a conspiracy by the Opposition, the Minister said the same Congress had imposed the Emergency in the country. "Congress blames that India has become intolerant. It was Congress, which imposed Emergency in India and now they are preaching us about intolerance. India and Indians were never and will never be intolerant," he said. A strange sight met the eyes of villagers in Nallampatty near Perunthurai in Erode in March this year. A notice was pasted on the door of the house of Chinnasamy, a farm labourer, whose body had been found floating in the village well two days earlier, on March 19. The notice was signed by the police inspector of Gaundampatty circle and stated the following in Tamil. Police Department Notice Mrs C Subbulakshmi w/o Chinnasamy, no. 104, Rice Mill, Pudur, Nallampatty, Perunthurai Taluk, Erode district which is you, on the basis of the written complaint given by you on 20/03/16 at 2.30 in the morning Police Dept No 58/2016 CrPC 174 (suspicious death) a case has been registered and according to it your husbands Mr Chinnasamys body on 20/03/16 evening has been sent to the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital and post mortem was performed by medical officers. Inspite of the agreements you have not taken the corpse for burial from the hospital, hence the body is stored in the hospital morgue. The abovementioned corpse has to be retrieved by you within 24 hours, say the medical officers. So, as soon as you see this notice you are informed to take the body of your husband Chinnasamy for burial from the morgue. Failing this suitable action will be initiated. Police Inspector Gavundampatty Circle Erode District A furore had begun by then though over the suspicious death of farm labourer Chinnasamy. The Background The issue began on 10 March in Kizhakkupudur village near Peruntharai. A 19-year-old Dalit boy named Krishnan was attending the temple festival in the village. A villager belonging to the Gounder caste (OBC), named Marappa Gounder is alleged to have denigrated Krishnan by using his caste name. When Krishnan retorted, Marappa Gounder allegedly pulled out his belt and whipped the boy. After beating my son and abusing him with his caste name, Marappa Gounder then called two more people, alleged Nallakutty, Krishnans father. They tried to push him under a passing truck but luckily he escaped. Otherwise my son would have perished that same day. He has told the authorities all this, he said. Krishnan was admitted in Perunthurai hospital with wounds and a case was registered in Thingalur police station under the Prevention of Atrocities Against SCs/STs Act, charging Marappa Gounder and some others for violence against a Dalit. This issue was then picked up by Chinnasamy, a 45-year-old farm worker, who was also the Branch Secretary of a fringe Dalit outfit called the Dalit Freedom Party. A quarrel ensued between Chinnasamy and Marappa Gounder, according to police sources. The Erode district authorities then went into high gear, creating a Peace committee of 14 members and discussions were held between both the Dalit and Gounder sides. The Committee met seven times but there was no progress. Locals in the area, along with Dalit activists in neighbouring districts began protests, downing shutters of shops and sitting on fast, demanding that Marappa Gounder and others be arrested. On 19 March, Chinnasamy informed his wife that the Committee had called for a meeting again, which he would attend, then head to work straight from there. That same evening, around 7pm, villagers of Nallampatty found Chinnasamys corpse floating in a well in the centre of their village. This well was used by both the Gounder and Dalit communities. The already tense area flared up. Around 300 Dalit activists from other areas along with villagers sat in protest, not allowing Chinnasamys body to be taken for postmortem. District police sent a 100-strong force to control the situation from deteriorating further. Six hours later, the protesters relented and allowed Chinnasamys body to be taken for postmortem to the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital. Following the postmortem, police allegedly began to spread the word that Chinnasamy died due to drowning as he had been inebriated. However, the postmortem report has still not been furnished to Chinnasamys family. When the family heard of this, protests began in earnest once again, and Chinnsamys wife refused to take the body back home for cremation in protest. This was when the police stuck the notice on the door. Court Steps In Chinnasamys wife moved the Madras High Court through counsel Rajini Kumar demanding a re-postmortem with a team of forensic experts from Chennai. On March 28, this plea was granted and a team of doctors from Chennais Ramachandra Medical College arrived at Coimbatore to conduct the postmortem once again on April 01. Following this, Chinnasamys corpse was finally laid to rest at Nallampatty. We have still not received any word on the postmortem report from the police, said Rajini Kumar, counsel for Chinnasamy. We have filed a petition in the Madras High Court, asking for a CB-CID (special unit of Tamil Nadu police) investigation into Chinnasamys death. We have not even received the first postmortem report, he stated. Police sources told Firstpost that the key accused, Marappa Gounder, was absconding. When Firstpost tried to contact him over phone, he was not reachable. Dalit activists are livid at what they claim is a deliberate attempt by the police and upper caste Gounders in the area to subvert justice in Chinnasamys case. Gounders in this area have been causing problems for a long time, said A Sengottaiyan, Founder, Dalit Freedom Party. Earlier they used to simply beat Dalits but now they have gone a step further by committing murder. Police is not taking necessary action against them. We had been giving petitions to the police regarding threats to both Chinnasamy and Krishnan since the issue began, but police did not take any action, he stated. As Tamil Nadu heads to polls, analysts say there is visible caste consolidation in the western and southern districts of the state. Simmering caste tensions between OBCs like Gounders, Thevars and MBCs like Vanniyars against the Dalits, have taken a murderous turn of late. On March 13, Dalit youth Sankar was hacked to death in broad daylight in a busy market square in Udumalaipet, Tirupur district, part of the western belt of the state. This murder was an honour killing, according to police sources, carried out by the family of Sankars Thevar wife Kausalya who had eloped with and married Sankar against her familys wishes. In 2015 another young Dalit engineer Gokulraj was murdered by a caste fanatic belonging to the Gounder caste for the crime of speaking to an upper caste classmate and this too created a furore in the state. In 2014, an alleged suicide of Ilavarasan, a Dalit youth in Dharmapuri district, caused tensions between Vanniyars and Dalits. G N Saibaba, the wheelchair bound Delhi University professor facing charges of being a Naxal ideologue, was released from Nagpur Central Jail on Thursday, reports Times of India. The Indian Express report quotes the professor saying he had a rough time in jail and treated "worse" than the last time he was there. "My health has deteriorated in the last three months. I was not given any medical treatment and had to suffer in bed. They didnt allow me to meet my lawyer or my wife, says Saibaba. Supreme Court grants bail Earlier this week, the Supreme Court granted Saibaba bail. A bench of Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice C. Nagappan granted bail to Saibaba, noting that all the material witnesses in the case have already been examined. Not accepting the contention of the Maharashtra government that if Saibaba was released, he was "he is likely to indulge himself in the anti-national activities", it described the position taken by Maharashtra government as "extremely unfair." "We are of the view, that the submission made by the learned counsel for the respondent (Maharashtra) is extremely unfair," the court said, noting the "undisputed position" that the professor has "never been accused of having misused the concession of bail". "Since all the material witnesses have been examined and cross-examined, the release of the petitioner on bail ought not to have been opposed, especially keeping in mind the medical condition of the petitioner," it said, directing Saibaba's release on bail "forthwith" on conditions to the "satisfaction of the trial Court" . It said Saibaba "shall enter appearance before the trial court, as and when the petitioner (Saibaba) is directed to appear before the trial court, failing which, it shall be open to the trial court to cancel the concession of bail granted to him". Saibaba was arrested by Maharashtra Police in May 2015 for alleged Maoist links. He had challenged the December 23, 2015, order of the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court rejecting his plea for regular bail. He was released on interim bail on health grounds by Bombay High Court which had treated as a PIL an email based on a newspaper report on his failing health condition. Saibaba suffers with 90 percent disability for post-polio paralysis. The interim bail was extended till December 31 as court asked him to approach the Nagpur bench of the High Court for regular bail. The other accused in the case had already been granted bail. However, when Saibaba moved for regular bail, the same was rejected on December 23 and was asked to surrender before Nagpur Central Jail within two days. With IANS Sarukhetry (Assam): Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making grandiose statements during his visits abroad while "spreading hatred" at home, and cautioned voters in Assam against BJP's "communal politics controlled from Nagpur". "Modiji jab videsh jaate hain toh sabko gale lagate hain aur awam ko lekar badi badi batein karte hain par desh mein wapas aakar nafrat failate hain (when he goes abroad he embraces all and talks big about the nation, but on returning he is engaged in spreading hatred)," Gandhi told an election rally in Lower Assam's Sarukhetry in Barpeta district. "The danger of communalism is looming large over Assam as the BJP is engaged in spreading communalism and dividing the society which has thrived for ages on the principles of love, peace and harmony," Gandhi said. "Assam is a shining example of harmony with its people following the teachings of Sankardeva and Azaan Fakir. Modiji and his ministers are moving across the state making false promises and creating divide among the people," she said. "BJP's communal politics is controlled from Nagpur and this is a grave danger to democracy," the Congress President said. She said the development plan of Congress had always included people of all religions, castes and creeds and they had taken all parties along. "Congress jodne ka kam karte hain, BJP todne ka (Congress does the work of uniting while BJP of breaking," she said. Gandhi alleged that BJP had no faith in the Constitution or democracy as was evident from "their plan to destabilise the Congress government of Assam and removal democratically elected governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand." "The Prime Minister is keen to stifle our voice and has not stopped from attacking the Constitution. He has forgotton our nation's traditions," she said. "They have forgotten our 'Ganga-Jamuna parampara' and have made a mockery of our traditions," she said adding, that "the truth is that they have only one agenda to fool and divide the country by giving false promises and coining new slogans and advertisements." Fifteen years ago Assam was faced with insecurity, instability and violence and it was Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his ministers who toiled hard to bring peace, development and progress in the state, Gandhi said. Educational institutions for youths, employment to lakhs of people under MGNREGA, 30 per cent reservation for women, schemes for development of the girl child, improvement in the health sector are some of major initiatives taken by the Assam government under the Congress. "It is the chief minister and the Congress members who have brought 'parivartan' (change) in Assam. Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's dedication and keen interest also ensured development of the state," she added. The Congress leader also paid her tributes to former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who hailed from Barpeta, along with other freedom fighters of the district and appealed the people to vote for the ruling party of the state so that the process of development and progress continued. Part XVIII of the Constitution of India containing provisions relating to Emergency Powers of the Central Government was meant to be little used, if at all. The emergency powers relate not just to a national emergency (imposed in 1962, 1971 and most controversially, in 1975 by the Congress Government) but also to the imposition of 'Presidents Rule' over a State Government under Article 356, whether for failure of constitutional machinery or for financial reasons. The constitutional intent that these powers would be used sparingly and it would be best in fact, if they were not used at all can be seen in that Dr Ambedkar, in a discussion in the Constituent Assembly, hopes that this provision would be a dead letter and never be called into operation. It is a matter of fact of course that Dr Ambedkars expectations in this respect have been belied by the long history of the use and abuse of Article 356 of the Constitution. There have been 126 instances (including the most recent invocation against Uttarakhand and Arunacha Pradesh) of Presidents Rule being imposed in India since the coming into force of the Constitution - an average of a little less than twice a year. This is not to say that every invocation of Article 356 is an automatic abuse of or contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. There are broadly two kinds of cases where the Central Government may justifiably invoke Article 356 powers - lack of majority in the Assembly and constitutional breakdown. Lack of Majority There are two situations where lack of majority can lead to imposition of Presidents Rule. When coalition governments lose majority because of a coalition partner withdrawing support and no other party is in a position to step into the breach, imposition of Presidents Rule is a temporary measure to ensure governance of the State is carried on according to the Constitution as happened in Jharkhand in 2013. It can also be legitimately imposed when no one party or alliance is in a position to form the Government immediately after elections, as happened in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015. (Since Jammu and Kashmir has its own Constitution, the provision similar to Article 356 is Section 92) The scope for misuse here lies in the fact that the trigger for the imposition of Article 356 is the report of the Governor of the State sent to the President recommending Presidents Rule. With the Governors office having become subservient to the Centre and a partisan centre of power in States (despite the Supreme Courts efforts to change that), a ruling party at the Centre would get its Governors to send in favourable reports seeking the imposition of Presidents Rule in opposition ruled States. Even if a State Government enjoyed full majority in the Legislative Assembly, there have been multiple instances where such State Governments have been put under Presidents Rule on the pure whim of the Centre. The en-masse imposition of Presidents Rule in 1977 by the Janata Party Government and later in 1980 by the Congress Government (in an obvious tit-for-tat move) are two such examples of the misuse of this power. The Supreme Courts judgment in SR Bommai versus Union of India has put an end to the Governors subjectivity in this matter and mandated that the existence or otherwise of a majority has to be determined on the basis of a floor test in the Legislative Assembly and not on the basis of the Governors own opinion. In doing so, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling which had held that the Supreme Court had no power to review the Governors report to the Centre in imposing Presidents Rule on a State. The Supreme Court reiterated this principle of law in the Bihar Assembly dissolution case in 2005, where it set aside the imposition of Presidents Rule in Bihar on the ground that the Governors Report was based on his own subjective assessment of the majority being cobbled together by unethical or illegal means. Constitutional breakdown Strictly speaking the absence of a majority is also a kind of constitutional breakdown, but the key difference between cases where Presidents Rule is imposed for the lack of majority and for constitutional breakdown is the presence of objective material in the former and the necessity of a subjective opinion in the latter. Whereas it is possible to objectively determine (as the Supreme Court has laid out) whether or not a Government enjoys the majority in the House, determining whether or not theres a constitutional breakdown involves some amount of subjectivity. The Supreme Courts judgment in the Bommai case also dealt with the cases of constitutional breakdown in the context of the Governments of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan which had been dismissed for the reason that they were aiding kar sevaks in the Babri Masjid demolition. The Supreme Court, noting that secularism was one of the basic features of the Constitution, upheld the dismissal of these Governments on the ground that the Centre was entitled to dismiss such Governments which had actively and consciously gone against the basic principles of Constitutional rule. It must be noted here that the Supreme Court did not leave this ground for imposition of Presidents Rule entirely to the subjective determination of the Governor and the Central Government. The report of the Governor alleging breakdown of constitutional machinery has to be backed by material relevant to the recommendation of Presidential Rule. Whether or not the material is relevant will also be determined by the Supreme Court and if the material is irrelevant or shows no evidence of a constitutional breakdown, proclamation of Presidents Rule can be set aside. In assessing whether or not there has been constitutional breakdown, it is not possible for the Court, or for that matter any agency, to exhaustively determine all the circumstances under which Article 356 invocation would be justified. The argument that the Supreme Courts unwillingness to clarify the grounds on which Article 356 may be invoked is a cause of concern overlooks the fact it is the Constitution which prescribes one and only one ground for the invocation of Article 356, and Supreme Courts interpretive role (and judicial imagination) cannot be stretched to compel it to give an exhaustive expansion of this one ground in all circumstances possible. What the Supreme Court has done is to clarify the procedure - an objective floor test and existence of relevant material - that ensures that the Constitutional norms are followed by the Centre in trying to impose Presidents Rule in a given State. The rise of the coalition era of politics in the 1990s at the Centre and the Supreme Courts judgment in the Bommai case have long been held to be factors in the diminishing abuse of Article 356 since its inglorious heyday in the 70s and 80s. The controversial imposition of Presidents Rule in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, both efforts to topple sitting Congress Governments and install a BJP Government in their stead, has brought the topic of Article 356 into public debate once again. Both the cases are now in Court - Arunachal Pradeshs case having been heard by the Supreme Court and judgment awaited, and Uttarakhands case going on in the Uttarakhand High Court. Having laid down the law in fairly clear terms in the Bommai case, it is now up to the higher judiciary to show that it is willing to uphold the law, no matter the cost. The author is a senior resident fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy UPDATED Washington Two things were clear Wednesday after the first negotiated rulemaking session since the U.S. Department of Education put out draft regulations for the Every Student Succeeds Act on testing and supplement-not-supplant (a wonky funding issue thats stealing all the headlines on this wonky process). First off, anyone who bet that whats known as neg reg was going to be quick and smooth sailing lost their money. Theres a good chance the committee will have to convene for an optional third multi-day session later this month, or may not reach agreement at all. (If that happens, the department will write its own regs, through the typical process. Unlike under the typical process, however, Congress would get to review them before they take effect.) The committee didnt settle on any regs during a long negotiating session Wednesday morning. And its members didnt spend a lot of time talking about issues that such as supplement-not-supplant that are arguably among the most controversial pieces. Even some of the negotiators, including Tony Evers, the superintendent in Wisconsin, expressed dismay at the sluggish pace of the discussions. And he worried that some of the departments proposals could violate Congress intent in writing the law (more on that below.) Secondly, that doesnt mean the negotiators arent making any progress at all. The discussion remained collegial and collaborative (and very, very in the weeds). Some flavor of the conversation: The committee of educators, advocates, and experts had an interesting discussion on how testing waivers for students taking advanced math classes should work. ESSA allows middle school students who are taking tougher math classes, like Algebra or Geometry, to be tested in those subjects for accountability. The department proposed regulatory language for the committee to consider that would call for states that want those waivers to show that all kids have access to advanced math courses and are prepared to take them. A big question: Is it fair to ask states to ensure equitable access to advanced courses in regulation? Or should that be in guidance? Alvin Wilbanks, the superintendent of Gwinnett County public schools in Georgia, seemed to think that guidance was the right place for that, not regulations, which carry legal force. Also there was a long and robust discussion of when states must offer assessment in languages other than English to students who arent yet English-proficient. The department suggested in proposed regulations that states should aim to offer tests in any language thats spoken by 30 percent of ELLs or more. But Rita Pin Ahrens of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center worried that would miss a lot of kids in a big state like California, where a big number of students speak say, Vietnamese, but may not be 30 percent of ELLs. (CORRECTION: I initially attributed Pin Ahrens quote to Delia Pompa of the Migration Policy Institute. Thanks to Pompa for setting me straight!) But Derrick Chao, a school board member from Los Angeles, said that being too explicit about what kinds of languages assessments must be offered in could hinder local districts efforts to advocate for themselves. And later, a subcommittee trying to hash out a definition for students with severe cognitive disabilities announced that they hadnt been able to come up with an agreement, but they were able to come up with some principles. More from Christina Samuels on this issue . Meanwhile, supplement-not-supplant is still the toughest issue on the table, and the negotiators arent likely to get to it until much later in the three-day session. (The issue is the primary topic of side conversations in the room where the negotiations are taking place.) Why all the disagreement? Short version: Under ESSA, Congress gave states more flexibility to meet the long-standing requirement that federal funds are an extra for Title I schools, and not a substitute for local dollars. States and districts need to come up with some kind of methodology to meet the requirement, and the feds cant dictate what process or test they use. But the department wrote a proposed regulation ahead of the session that calls for states to provide equal funding for students in Title I and non-Title I schools, which some advocacy organizationsincluding the Council of Chief State School Officers, groups representing local and state superintendents and school board members, and both teachers unionsworry would essentially require all districts to use whats known in wonky circles as an actual expenditure test . Those advocates see the language as a violation of congressional intent, since Congress was going for more flexibility here, not less, in their view. Plus some folks privately worry that such a test could inject actual teachers salaries into the mix when districts are comparing school-by-school expensesa prospect that makes advocates for states and districts very nervous. Whats more the proposed regulations call for state and local funding to be sufficient to meet the requirements of Title I, the part of the law that calls for students to have equal access to good education, no matter where they live. Theres an argument to be made that this would truly ensure equitable resources for disadvantaged kids, but some folks expect that could open the door to lawsuits if funding isnt equitable. (Want more? Andrew broke it all down for you, with some great analysis here .) The battle over the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar just got more intense. The Congress has decided to counter the aggressive bid of the BJP and its ideological fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to usurp the legacy of the Dalit icon through its own brand of aggression. The party will organise a grand celebration of the conclusion of year-long celebrations of Babasaheb Ambedkars 125 th birth anniversary at Nagpurthe Sanghs nerve centre on 11 April. The Congress will also use the opportunity to pay tribute to another Dalit icon and social reformer Jyotiba Phule for which the party has formed a celebration committee. Tributes will be paid to Babasaheb Ambedkar at Deekshabhoomi at Nagpur. The day of 11 April also marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, from whom Dr Ambedkar drew inspiration. Both the Congress President and Vice President will be addressing the rally on that day. The event is to mark the culmination of one year long celebrations the Congress Party has taken up last year across the country under the aegis of AICC and PCCs, said K Raju, chairman, Scheduled Caste department of AICC. The leaders and workers of the Congress party from all the states will be meeting at Nagpur in large numbers and the rally will be addressed by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Lot of suggestions from across the country have come up. The Congress Party and the leadership of Congress President have decided that all the suggestions that have come from the SC/ST Leaders' Conclaves will be taken up for discussion in a dedicated session during the AICC Session to formulate Congress Party's commitment for Dalits in this country in the years to come, he said. The Congress party sees this as an opportunity to take on the BJP, as the latter had hijacked Congress stalwarts Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar claiming them as its own. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Stand Up India scheme meant for SC/ST entrepreneurs on the birth anniversary of another Dalit icon from the Congress Babu Jagjivan Ram on 5 April. On the occasion Modi had said, Today is Samta Divas--the birth anniversary of Babu Jagjivan Ram, one of the greatest Dalit leaders of our country. By launching Stand Up India, we want to pay tribute to his struggles and contributions. Till date, no scheme has been launched for the Dalits during any of his birth anniversaries. Earlier, the BJP-led NDA government had appropriated these Congress icons by celebrating their anniversaries and achievements, thereby taking them out of the Congress fold and rendering them true national leaders. The government has undertaken a year-long celebration of Ambedkars 125th birth anniversary. Losing no time, the Congress has now geared up to pose a strong challenge to both to the government and the RSS at Nagpur on issue of Dalits. The suicide of Hyderabad Central Universitys Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula has witnessed enough political mud-slinging over the past few months. For the last two years, whenever incidents of attacks on Dalits happened or Constitution of India, which was authored by Babasaheb was challenged, it has always been the Congress party and the Congress leadership which were in the forefront to be with the victims and to demand justice for them. In fact, in every issue, it has been the Congress Party which is really raising these issues and this clearly reflects the mindset of the BJP and I would like to make it clear that the very foundations of BJP are anti-thetical to the ideology for which Babasaheb stood for. It shall be our endeavour to expose the government, to expose their anti-Dalit approach and also to do everything to protect the Constitutional values Babasaheb has given to this country, added Raju, also the convener of Dr BR Ambedkar 125th Birth Anniversary Celebrations Committee. The Congress party besides celebrating at a large-scale in Nagpur has asked its state units to have similar kind celebrations and reach out to Dalits, especially when Assembly elections are going on in West Bengal, Assam and Kerala. Meanwhile, the Congress leaders have asked for a clear concerted effort within the party to promote Dalit leaders in all the states by nurturing the leadership, by giving them opportunities and also by giving them adequate power within the party and outside. The BJP appropriated our national leaders like Nehru, Patel and Ambedkar, but that doesnt mean they belonged to their ideology. They were stalwart Congress leaders and had immense contribution in Indias freedom struggle. Its the Congress party that worked for the Dalits, SC and ST. Now to woo the Dalit vote bank, the BJP has been showcasing itself as a messiah of the Dalits and economically backward section of the society by hijacking Congress icons, a senior Congress leader told Firstpost. By conducting this celebration and rally in Nagpur, we want to give the message of Congress Party's commitment how Congress Party since Independence has actually strived towards fulfilling Babasaheb's vision towards a society where there will be equality and empowerment to every section of the society. And, simultaneously expose the false claims made by the BJP and the RSS on Dalit issues, the senior leader added. In happier times for Indo-Pakistan relations circa December 2015, a Twitter user had remarked that India and Pakistan are the Ross and Rachel of Indian diplomacy. This was in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modis sudden stopover at Lahore to meet his counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Cut to April 2016, and the ongoing events appear to be proving the wise Twitter commentator right. On 1 April, the National Investigation Agency had said that its team may visit Pakistan to probe the Pathankot terror attacks. The official who addressed the media conference had said that the Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT) welcomed the idea and that NIA would like to visit Pakistan and carry forward the probe. However, in retrospect, the agencys statement may well have been an elaborate April Fools Day prank. Barely a week later, Pakistans High Commissioner Abdul Basit put forward his countrys position in, lets just say, not very welcoming terms. He said, Personally I feel that this whole investigation isn't about reciprocity, but about extending co-operation to get to the bottom on this." Further, to make sure there is no ambiguity about the present state of affairs, Basit said, I think at present, the peace process is suspended. Not surprisingly, voices across the political spectrum wasted no time in making themselves heard. The Congress Manish Tewari hit out at the Modi government, and was quoted as saying by ANI, that people in the government were being imbeciles if they expected the JIT to validate Pakistans involvement in the Pathankot attacks. Not to be outdone, the BJPs Subramanian Swamy demanded that Abdul Basit should be sent packing to his home country and called for a ghar wapsi of Indias Ambassador to Pakistan. Later in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs issued its response, albeit in a more measured tone. Referring to Basits comments about the investigation not being about reciprocity, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup cited the Terms of Reference on the JITs visit, saying that they are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions." The MEA also referred to a statement of a spokesperson for the Pakistan Foreign Ministry which said that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. While the MEA has taken note of Basits dramatic statement, it has reacted cautiously to the statement. MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup's response to Pakistan High Commissioner's comments today. pic.twitter.com/S5pNrJk2bk ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 However, subsequent to Basits statement, the Modi government may well find itself at the receiving end of several uncomfortable questions. Just last month, Rahul Gandhi had attacked the government over its Pakistan policy, saying that there was a lack of a clear vision in the governments stand. With the country in the middle of a long election season, the opposition parties are unlikely to pull many punches after the perceived U-turn by Pakistan. Compounding the situation for India is Basits statement supporting China on its veto on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, in which he said that he subscribes to the Chinese viewpoint. This comes even as India continues to demand Azhars extradition, and accuses him of being involved in the Pathankot attack. In this context, the Pakistan High Commissioners statement is likely to give further ammunition to rival political parties, who have accused PM Modi of paying only lip service as opposed to taking a hard stance against Pakistan. Whether the NIA would have achieved anything substantial by visiting Pakistan to investigate the Pathankot attacks is now irrelevant. But with Basit's explosive media conference on Thursday, Pakistan's changed stance on the NIA visit speaks volumes on the level of trust between the two countries. In such an environment, as Sandipan Sharma says in this Firstpost article, Indo-Pak relations may well be dictated by the politics of the last atrocity. WASHINGTON/NEW YORK Ted Cruz's emphatic victory in Wisconsin's Republican primary gave new energy on Wednesday to groups battling to prevent Donald Trump from capturing the party's presidential nomination. What once appeared as a long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination gained momentum from Cruz's 13-point win in the Midwestern state on Tuesday. The U.S. senator from Texas showed he was increasingly viewed as the main Trump alternative by those Republicans who cannot bring themselves to support the New York billionaire to be their presidential nominee for the Nov. 8 election. The groups trying to defeat Trump, who has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his comments on immigration, Muslims and trade, were hopeful on Wednesday of a cash infusion to fund their efforts. "Our funders are committed to nominating a principled conservative that can win in November and can help Republicans up and down the ballot," said Katie Packer, who is leading the anti-Trump Our Principals PAC. "They understand that this is a long slog now and they are supportive of our mission and strategy. I expect that we will have the funds necessary to execute." The next big test in stopping Trump will be New York, the state he calls home. A Monmouth University poll of New York Republicans released on Monday showed Trump with 52 percent of the state's support, a huge lead over Ohio Governor John Kasich at 25 percent, and Cruz at 17 percent ahead of the state's April 19 primary. "It's very important for Trump to bounce back strong. The sense of his inevitability is one of his strengths," said David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Center at Southern Illinois University. Trump was uncharacteristically silent on Twitter the day after his Wisconsin loss, and his only statement on Tuesday night was written. Cruz met with black and Hispanic religious leaders on Wednesday in the New York City borough of the Bronx. "The men and women of Wisconsin resoundingly rejected (Trump's) campaign," Cruz told reporters afterward. "Donald has no solutions to the problems that were facing." Republican New York Chairman Ed Cox said he believed the state could decide the nomination. "Given the wide diversity in New York, I think it will be a definitive moment," he said. A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed Cruz statistically even with Trump among Republicans nationally. His recent gains marked the first time since November that a rival had threatened Trump's standing at the head of the Republican pack. Trump has 743 delegates, Cruz 517, and Kasich 143, according to an Associated Press count. Trump would need to win about 55 percent of the remaining delegates to reach the 1,237 threshold. "We fully expect this to go to Cleveland now and are shifting from focusing on state wins to peeling off every delegate we can," Packer said of the anti-Trump effort. CLINTON GOES ON ATTACK On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born U.S. senator representing Vermont, is trying to stage a come-from-behind upset of Hillary Clinton, but will struggle to overcome a large deficit in delegates. Sanders' big win in Wisconsin, which brought his victory tally to six out of the last seven contests, added to Clinton's frustration over her inability to knock out a rival who has attacked her from the left. That frustration was on full display on Wednesday when the former secretary of state gave two live televised interviews in which she criticized Sanders. In contrast to a Republican primary season that has been rife with personal insults, the Democrats have largely avoided personal attacks and stuck to policy arguments. But Clinton attacked Sanders for his position on guns and said he lacked a depth of policy understanding. "You cant really help people if you dont know how to do what you say you want to do," Clinton said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "I think he hadnt done his homework and hes been talking for more than a year about doing things that he hasnt really studied or understood." She criticized him for an interview to New York's Daily News in which he failed to offer specifics on how he would break up large banks - a key part of his campaign message - when he was asked how he would put to use the existing financial regulation Dodd-Frank law. "It's not clear that he knows how Dodd-Frank works," Clinton told CNN in an interview on Wednesday afternoon. The Democratic Party nominating race moves to Wyoming on April 9 before New York on April 19. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Croatian politician Vesna Pusic, hoping to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, says being a woman plays a key role in her election bid by shining a light on her career of gender equality activism. The former foreign minister of Croatia is one of a quartet of female candidates vying to become the first woman to hold the U.N.'s top office. "I am not a gender-neutral candidate," Pusic said on Wednesday at an appearance at the International Peace Institute. "It's not about you, personally. It's about changing the way institutions function and societies think," she said. Another contender, Helen Clark, New Zealand's former prime minister, played down the gender aspect when she announced her candidacy this week, saying she has "never sought election as a woman." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's term finishes at the end of 2016. The members of the U.N. General Assembly vote on a new leader later this year. Kicking off the race late last year, the presidents of the U.N. Security Council and the General Assembly told member states in a letter that they were "encouraged to consider presenting a woman." Pusic stressed her activism on gender equality and her support for quotas to place women in political institutions. But asked how she would increase female representation in the upper echelons of the UN, she did not mention quotas but said: "I would look for the best." As Croatia's foreign minister, she opted for a results-oriented team rather than "specifically" seeking gender balance, she said. Eight candidates so far are campaigning to succeed Ban. Along with Pusic and Clark, they are Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, head of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Natalia Gherman, Moldova's former foreign minister. The men are former Slovenian President Danilo Turk; former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who is also a former Portuguese prime minister; former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim and Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic. The candidates' homeland also is likely play a role. The U.N.'s top job traditionally rotates among regions, with Eastern Europe next on the list. Pusic expressed support for increased scrutiny of U.N. peacekeepers following a spate of allegations of sexual abuse. She said military organizations that have committed crimes of sexual violence at home should not be deployed as peacekeepers abroad. Next week, U.N. member states are scheduled to grill each candidate in a series of informal public meetings. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Nicosia: Cyprus said today that it had approved a request from Cairo to extradite the man accused of hijacking an EgyptAir plane and diverting it to the Mediterranean island. Egyptian Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa, 58, is accused of using a fake suicide belt to seize the Alexandria-to-Cairo flight on 29 March and force it to land in Cyprus. Cypriot government officials said that a legal process would now begin to send home the 58-year-old, who is in police custody on the island. "Instructions were given for the relevant procedures to begin," a government official told AFP. Nicosia is expected to try to fast-track the extradition process which could take several weeks. The suspect is expected to remain in custody until his extradition papers are ready. The Egyptian state prosecutor's office had asked for him to be handed over under a 1996 bilateral extradition treaty. Mostafa, described by authorities as psychologically unstable, has said he acted out of desperation to see his Cypriot ex-wife and children. Cypriot prosecutors said last week he faced possible charges of hijacking, kidnapping, reckless and threatening behaviour, and breaches of the anti-terror law. According to police, Mostafa has given a voluntary statement admitting to the hijacking. His ex-wife has been quoted by Cypriot media as describing their five years of marriage as a "black period" of her life. The hijacking ended peacefully with Mostafa's arrest. Most of the 55 passengers were quickly released after the plane landed, but some escaped only minutes before the six-hour standoff finished. AMSTERDAM The Dutch government said on Wednesday it could not ignore the resounding "No" in a non-binding referendum on the European Union's association treaty with Ukraine, but that it may take weeks to decide how to respond. Although the results were preliminary, they exposed dissatisfaction with the Dutch government and policy-making in Brussels - signalling a anti-establishment mood in a founding EU member weeks before Britain votes on membership. There could also be far-reaching consequences for the fragile Dutch coalition government, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency and which has lost popularity amid a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. Exit polls indicated roughly 64 percent of Dutch voters voted "No" and 36 percent said "Yes". Although turnout was too close to call, early tallies indicated it was just ahead of a turnout minimum of 30 percent required for the vote to be valid. "It's clear that 'No' have won by an overwhelming margin, the question is only if turnout is sufficient," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a televised reaction. "If the turnout is above 30 percent with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, then my sense is that ratification can't simply go ahead," Rutte added. That sentiment was shared by Diederik Samsom, leader of the Labour Party, the junior partner the governing coalition. "We can't ratify the treaty in this fashion," he said. A person familiar with internal EU discussions on how leaders in Brussels would respond said EU officials had been hoping for very low turnout that would disqualify or diminish the impact of a "No" vote. The European Commission, the bloc's executive, will play for time, waiting for the Dutch government to suggest a way forward, the official said. The political, trade and defence treaty is already provisionally in place, but has to be ratified by all 28 EU member countries for every part of it to have full legal force. The Netherlands is the only country that has not done so. SECOND DUTCH "NO" TO EU Options include leaving the agreement in force provisionally, or drafting exemption clauses for the Netherlands. Nothing will happen in a hurry, not least to avoid giving any succour to Britain's "out" campaigners. Rutte said the government would consult with parliament and European partners "step by step. That could take days or weeks." Pollster Ipsos said the validity was still unclear with provisional turnout at 32 percent - above the threshold - but within a 3 percent margin of error. The referendum, called by eurosceptic forces, was the first since a 2015 law made it possible to force through plebiscites by gathering 300,000 signatures on the Internet - a law which is already being criticised. "It is an instrument for anti-establishment forces," said Cad Mudde, an expert on Dutch politics and populism at the University of Georgia. "It looks like the Dutch people said no to the European elite and no to the treaty with the Ukraine. (This is) the beginning of the end of the EU," Geert Wilders, leader of the eurosceptic Freedom Party, said in a tweet. "I hope that later, both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe, other countries will follow," he said earlier. Dutch leaders campaigning for the treaty had said voting against it would also hand a symbolic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They had feared a repeat of 2005 when the Dutch rejected the European Union constitution, also in a referendum. But ignoring a clear "No" would be risky for Rutte's already unpopular government - which has lost further ground over Europe's refugee debate - ahead of national elections scheduled for no later than March 2017. (Additional reporting by Toby Sterling and Svebor Kranjc in Amsterdam, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow and Alessandra Prentice and Natalia Zinets in Kiev; editing by Angus MacSwan and G Crosse) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. London: The number of known executions worldwide went up by more than 50 percent last year to at least 1,634, the highest figure recorded since 1989, Amnesty International said Wednesday. The surge was largely fuelled by Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the London-based human rights organisation said in its annual report on death sentences and executions worldwide. The 1,634 figure does not include China, which is thought to have killed thousands of its own citizens. Death penalty data is "treated as a state secret" by Beijing, Amnesty said, as it is by Vietnam and Belarus. Recorded executions were up by 54 percent on 2014's figure of 1,061. Some 89 percent of those executions were carried out by Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia alone. "The rise in executions last year is profoundly disturbing," said Amnesty secretary general Salil Shetty. "Not for the last 25 years have so many people been put to death by states around the world. "Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have all put people to death at unprecedented levels, often after grossly unfair trials. This slaughter must end. "Thankfully, countries that execute belong to a small and increasingly isolated minority." Pakistan lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty following the Peshawar school attack in December 2014. It executed 326 people in 2015, while Saudi Arabia put 158 people to death. Majority of countries abolitionist Iran executing at least 977 people is at odds with its opening up to the West after striking a deal with world powers last year on its nuclear ambitions, Amnesty said. "Western countries are starting to build commercial ties and trade missions," said James Lynch, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa deputy director. "However, human rights has been absolutely left in the margins," he told AFP. "That risks undermining all these efforts." He said that since the mid-1980s, around half of those people executed in Saudi Arabia have been foreigners, largely migrant workers who did not speak Arabic and who had little legal assistance. For the first time ever, the majority of the world's countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Fiji, Madagascar, Republic of Congo and Suriname fully abolished the death penalty in 2015, taking the total number of countries to do so to 102. In China, Amnesty said there were signs that the number of executions has decreased in recent years, but it could not verify this. In August, nine crimes were removed from the list of offences punishable by death, bringing the total down to 43. "We've been urging the Chinese government to come clean for years," Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty's East Asia regional director, told AFP. "Executing several thousand people a year is really very serious and China knows it would be the black sheep of the international community if it was to release the numbers. "What China needs is the very high number of executions and the judicial procurement of organs for transplant (from those killed) to come to light for the government to be moved into doing the right thing." 'Questioning leader's policies' People were executed in 25 countries in 2015. The methods used were beheading, hanging, lethal injection and shooting. Amnesty said its reports indicted that four people in Iran and at least five in Pakistan were executed for crimes committed when they were aged under 18. Worldwide, people were sentenced to death or executed for murder, drug-related offences, corruption, armed robbery, adultery, aggravated rape, rape, apostasy, kidnapping, and insulting the prophet of Islam. A total of 28 people were executed in the United States. Forms of treason, including "acts against national security", "collaboration" with a foreign entity, "espionage", "questioning the leader's policies", participation in "insurrectional movement" were among those punished with death sentences. Amnesty recorded a drop in the number of death sentences imposed in 2015 compared to 2014, but this was partly due to difficulties in corroborating data, the charity said. At least 1,998 people were sentenced to death in 61 countries. At least 20,292 people worldwide were under sentence of death at the end of 2015. DUBLIN Acting Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has proposed entering an unprecedented coalition government with the country's second-largest party and historic rival Fianna Fail, his Fine Gael party said on Wednesday. Kenny made the proposal during his first meeting with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin since inconclusive February elections after both failed for the second time to be elected prime minister. The two centre-right parties have few policy differences but have been bitter rivals for decades and senior members of both parties, particularly in Fianna Fail, had ruled out a formal coalition with their fierce rival before the meeting. "Taoiseach (prime minister) has formally offered Micheal Martin a full partnership govt with Independent TDs (lawmakers) - a historic change and good for Ireland," Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, one of Fine Gael's negotiators, said on Twitter. Fine Gael said in a statement that such a government would have the "potential to provide a stable and lasting government" and that the two party leaders had agreed to meet again on Thursday for further discussions. A Fianna Fail spokesman said Kenny told Martin a minority government led by either party reliant on the other for support from opposition would not work. Martin will discuss the offer and other options with his party before meeting Kenny again. The offer was a good first move on Kenny's behalf, according to Eoin O'Malley, politics lecturer at Dublin City University, as he knows Martin cannot really accept it but it allows the Fine Gael leader to appear magnanimous and constructive. One Fianna Fail lawmaker, Lisa Chambers, told national broadcaster RTE that she would not be prepared to go back on the party's election promise not to enter a coalition with Fine Gael. The rivalry between the parties dates back almost a century to Ireland's civil war and senior members admit they deeply mistrust each other. Since the election the parties had separately been vying to win the support of 15 independent members of parliament to form a minority government before asking the other to back it from the opposition benches on a vote-by-vote basis. Martin, who would have to win approval of reluctant grassroots members of the party to enter coalition with its rival, has not ruled out backing a minority Fine Gael government. However, analysts have said a minority administration would be weak and short-lived, potentially paralysing policy needed to tackle bottlenecks in housing and infrastructure that threaten to choke a sharp economic recovery. Ireland's central bank has said the impasse has so far had little effect on Europe's fastest growing economy but warned it could have an adverse impact. Data on Wednesday showed consumer sentiment posted its sharpest fall in 17 months in March. If the parties cannot come to some sort of arrangement, as they did in the 1980s when Fine Gael indirectly backed a Fianna Fail minority government, Ireland faces a second election. (Additional reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Catherine Evans, Toni Reinhold) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Dhaka: A 28-year-old Bangladeshi law student who was critical of radical Islamists has been hacked to death here by machete-wielding militants, the latest in a series of attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. He was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. "They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death," the official said. Nazim, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. His friends said Nazim used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the country's law and order in a Facebook post. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Nazim's activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Nazim got admitted to the university two months ago. "We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him," he said. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhaka's Tejgaon area. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. The Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. UPDATED Washington Testing for students in special education got a lot air timelittle of it resulting in real action yetduring Thursday mornings discussion by a panel of negotiators trying to work out rules on assessments and funding issues under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Quick refresher: ESSA allows states to use alternate tests for 1 percent of all students, typically those with the most-severe cognitive disabilities (that translates to about 10 percent of students in special education). States can apply for a waiver to go over that cap, and the U.S. Department of Education would need to approve it. Great background from Christina Samuels here . The negotiated rulemaking panel, which is made up of educators, advocates, and experts, is trying to fill in two important blanks in that rule. One, the negotiators are trying to figure out what exactly constitutes a severe cognitive disability. That term has so far gone undefined in the underlying law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Some folks on the committee, including Tony Evers, the state superintendent in Wisconsin, say its worked well to have locals define the term, and they dont necessarily need to make a change now. Still, a subcommittee of negotiators attempted to reach agreement on a definition. And it couldnt, although the members agreed on some high-level principles. The Education Department stepped in and proposed its own definition, which you can read below. Some educators worried about aspects of the definition, including the fact that it doesnt seem to have a real role for the individualized education program, or IEP, team. The panel tabled discussion on the proposal for the time being. (Tabling is a theme of ESSA neg regthese issues obviously arent easy.) UPDATE: The panel returned to this issue later Thursday, but didnt settle on a definition, or even agree that there should be one. On another issue, the committee is still trying to hash out what has to happen when a state wants to exceed the 1 percent cap when it comes to alternate assessments for those students with severe cognitive disabilities. The department proposed an extensive list of requirements in draft regulations for states to get waivers in that instance. Evers wanted to delete language proposed by the department that calls for states seeking such waivers to show data proving they did not assess a disproportionate number of students in a particular subgroup using alternate assessments for severe cognitive disabilities. In a nutshell, he doesnt think its fair for states and districts to be penalized for past conduct. Alvin Willbanks, the superintendent of Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia, co-signed that point, saying he thought adding the language would amount to overreach by the feds. But Liz King, of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said she worried about districts with systemic problems with certain populations of students. And Aaron Payment, of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe in Michigan, said data on ongoing practices can help advocates make their case. And Audrey Jackson, a public school teacher from Boston, was curious about what happens when a state exceeds the cap. Her own home state of Massachusetts administered alternate assessments to about 1.6 percent of its students in recent years, she said. Its not going to go down overnight, she added. Patrick Rooney, the deputy director of the education departments office of state support, told the group the department could consider the state out-of-compliance. That could carry a risk of loss of funding. High School Tests The committee also failed to reach agreement on another key issue, how to define nationally recognized test. Quick refresher: ESSA allows districts to offer a nationally recognized high school test in lieu of the state exam. But the law doesnt specify exactly what constitutes a nationally recognized test. (Language accompanying the new law makes it clear that ACT and SAT should be in the mix, though.) The department proposed defining it as any test used for college entrance (i.e. the SAT or ACT) or any test thats been designed for the purpose of college placement. That would seem to allow PARCC and Smarter Balanced tests, which are federally-funded exams aligned to the Common Core State Standards, on the menu. States would also have to ensure appropriate accommodations for students in special education and English-language learners, something states using the ACT and SAT for accountability have struggled with. (Negotiators really stressed this issue during discussions late last month.) And others on the panel worried that the definition might allow states to use tests not aligned to state standards. Delia Pompa of the Migration Policy Institute said she would take a stab at revamping the definition, with other folks on the committee, trying to move beyond the emphasis on college entrance examswhile preserving the need for rigor. The focus of the requirement, she said, should be on high school instruction. In a dramatic media conference on Thursday, Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit said that according to him the peace process between India and Pakistan at present 'is suspended.' Basit, however, remained evasive on whether a team from the NIA would be allowed to visit Pakistan to probe the Pathankot attacks which took place earlier this year. In March, Pakistan's Joint Investigative Team was in India to probe the attack, after which reports suggested that NIA could go to the neighbouring for its investigation. Speaking to the media, the envoy said, "Personally I feel that this whole investigation isn't about reciprocity, but about extending co-operation to get to the bottom on this." "Therefore, a fair and just resolution is a must and attempts to put it on backburner from our perspective will be counterproductive," he said. Not about reciprocity but co-operation of our two countries: Abdul Basit on if NIA team will be allowed to visit Pak pic.twitter.com/tqCbW6oTDK ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 Four months after the terror attacks in Pathankot, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had said that its team might visit Pakistan to probe the attack. "The Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT) welcomed the idea that an NIA would like to visit Pakistan and carry forward the probe," Sharad Kumar, DG, NIA had said. The JIT team which was in India in March, to probe the Pathankot attacks was given a detailed presentation on the probe and was taken to the scene of the attacks in Pathankot. The team was also handed some documents which included the DNA report of the four terrorists and also given access to witnesses. New Delhi had claimed that the attack on the airbase was masterminded by Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar. Recently, China had vetoed the UN sanctions committee's attempt to designate Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case "did not meet the requirements" of the Security Council. This had come after India had taken up at a "fairly high level" with China the issue of Beijing blocking its bid to have JeM chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as designated terrorist by the UN. On Thursday Basit said that he agreed with the Chinese on the Masood Azhar issue. I subscribe to Chinese viewpoint, says Pak High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Beijing's veto on Masood Azhar pic.twitter.com/HTsDlnp0Dj ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 Basit went on to say, "There shouldnt be any doubt that Pakistan wants to have a normal & peaceful relationship with India. We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize it are bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities." On India's request for consular access to Kulbhushan Yadav, the alleged spy arrested by Islamabad, Basit said, "The request is under consideration, but can't say when they would be given consular access," reported The Times of India. Basit announced in the media conference that the 19th SAARC Summit would be held in Islamabad. He said, "We sincerely hope the summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and win-win situations." The official further said ,"It is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust (Indo-Pak) and other bilateral issues." Lahore: Six Taliban militants allegedly planning a major terror strike on government offices have been killed in an encounter with security forces on the outskirts of this eastern Pakistani city. Intelligence agencies on Wednesday received information about the presence of around 10 suspected militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) splinter group Ustad Aslam in Tallat Park near Katchi Abadi, Sherakot residential area in Lahore. The suspected militants were planning to attack law enforcement agencies' offices and prominent personalities in the city, according to the statement issued by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab Police. It said a CTD police team reached there and challenged the suspects, who opened fire. "The security personnel retaliated and when the firing stopped six suspects were found dead. Three to four suspects managed to escape," it said, adding police seized weapons and explosives, including 5 kg of explosives, four detonators, two Kalashnikov rifles, three motorcycles, four pistols, and dozens of bullets. "Raids are being conducted to arrest the absconding terrorists," the statement said. The CTD said the terrorists belonged to the TTP's Ustad Aslam group and it was involved in various terror activities in the Punjab province. United Nations: An escalation in fighting in Darfur has forced 138,000 people to flee their homes since mid-January and there is no end in sight to the 13-year conflict in Sudan's vast western region, the UN peacekeeping chief said Wednesday. Herve Ladsous painted a grim picture to the UN Security Council of the upsurge in fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra area between Sudanese government forces and rebels loyal to the Sudan Liberation Army's founder Abdul Wahid Elnur. The government has blocked access to the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID and humanitarian organisations, so the number of casualties is unknown, he said. The Security Council briefing follows a report from UN experts monitoring sanctions against Sudan dated mid-December that has been circulated to council members but not released because of Russian objections to some recommendations. The report, obtained by AP, said armed groups in Darfur are capitalising on gold mined in the region to illicitly raise funds. Darfur, which is the size of Spain, has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Khartoum is accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes known as the the janjaweed and unleashing them on civilian populations a charge the government denies. The United Nations says at least 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.6 million have fled their homes. Ladsous, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, said the security situation in other parts of Darfur remains "fragile" with persistent conflicts between local tribes over land, water and other resources. He said the political process remains "polarised" and urged the government and Abdul Wahid to immediately stop fighting in Jebel Marra and start peace negotiations without conditions. "The pursuit of political objectives through military means over the past decade has only contributed to the prolonged suffering of the civilian population," Ladsous said. Despite the "volatile security environment," Ladsous said a referendum is scheduled to take place from 11 to 13 April on whether Darfur should become a single region or retain the current division into five sub-regions. He cited a controversy over the criteria for voter eligibility and concerns about what some call "the unsuitable timing." Sudan's UN Ambassador Omar Dahab Fadl reiterated the government's call for "an exit strategy" for UNAMID and called Elnur's forces "criminals." He said the government has documented evidence that the rebel leader and his movement have threatened to kill citizens in Jebel Marra if they refuse "to pay the ransom imposed on them under duress." The panel of experts said it "is certain" that another rebel group the Abbaka Rezeigat Militiamen of North Darfur control the Jebel Amir artisanal gold mines, one of the largest sites in Darfur. It said it is "almost certain" that at least 400 mines are being exploited by the rebel group. The panel said it is also certain that a substantial part of the gold taken from the mines is collected in Darfur and flown to Sudan's capital Khartoum for illegal export to the United Arab Emirates. The experts said they are "almost certain" the Abbaka rebels have the potential to earn $54 million annually from levies on prospectors and businesses, direct mining of gold and its illegal export. They said they are certain that "an entity" controlled by janjaweed leader Musa Hilal gets "a substantial revenue stream from illicit levies on gold mining in Jebel Amir." "The panel is almost certain that other armed groups, who impose illegal levies on prospectors, also control most artisanal mines of Darfur," the report said. An analysis of trade data by the panel found that around 48,000 kilograms (105,821 pounds) of Darfur gold was potentially smuggled from Sudan to UAE from 2010 to 2014. It said this equates to an additional income of $123 million to armed groups in Darfur. In other sanctions violations, the panel said it found small arms in Darfur manufactured after 2005, which violate a UN arms embargo. They also obtained evidence clearly showing that the Sudanese Air Force possesses cluster munitions, and that government forces in Darfur possess Typhoon armored personnel carriers, also in violation of the arms embargo, the report said. Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday warned the European Union that Ankara would not implement a key deal on reducing the flow of migrants if Brussels failed to fulfil its side of the bargain. "There are precise conditions. If the European Union does not take the necessary steps, then Turkey will not implement the agreement," Erdogan said in a speech at his presidential palace in Ankara. "Everything that has been promised (must be put into action by the EU), everything that is specified under the accord." The March 18 accord sets out measures for reducing Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, including stepped-up checks by Turkey and the shipping back to Turkish territory of migrants who arrive in Greece. In return, Turkey is slated to receive benefits including visa-free travel for its citizens to Europe, which in the accord is promised "at the latest" by June 2016. Turkey is also to receive up to the end of 2018 a total of six billion euros in financial aid for the over 2.7 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. "Some three million people are being fed on our budget," said Erdogan, referring to the Syrian refugees. "There have been promises but nothing has come for the moment." "We have received lots of thanks for our action on the refugees and in the fight against terrorism. But we are not doing this for thanks." "Everything should happen in line with what has been promised, what has been set out in the text," he added. The first transfer of over 200 migrants from Greece took place on Monday but the process has been stalled by a last-minute flurry of asylum applications by migrants desperate to avoid expulsion. Vienna: Vienna's famous Leopold Museum on Thursday settled a long-running feud over five Nazi-plundered drawings by Austrian painter Egon Schiele with the descendants of the works' Jewish former owner. The museum said it had agreed to return two of the watercolours including a self-portrait of Schiele to the New York-based heiress of Viennese art collector Karl Maylaender who was deported from Austria in 1941. The remaining three drawings will stay in the possession of the museum, which is home to the world's largest permanent Schiele exhibition. Austrian Culture Minister Josef Ostermayer hailed the settlement as "a very happy day." "It puts an end to years of conflict while allowing both parties to save face," Ostermayer told reporters in Vienna. Maylaender's descendant, 95-year-old Eva Zirkl, spent nearly two decades trying to reclaim the drawings by Schiele, a leading figure of Austrian expressionism and protege of Gustav Klimt. Since Austria passed a law in 1998 covering the restitution of vast numbers of artworks stolen by the Nazis, thousands have been returned -- including major works worth millions of euros. In 2010, the Leopold made worldwide headlines when it reached a $19-million settlement with a Jewish art dealer's estate in the United States over "Portrait of Wally", another Schiele masterpiece stolen by the Nazis. The same year, an art commission set up by the culture ministry recommended the museum hand back Schiele's watercolours to Zirkl. As a privately-funded institution, however, the museum was not obliged to follow the ruling. Austria's Jewish Community, which had represented Zirkl in the case, called Thursday's deal "tremendous". "I am so happy that the heiress can still enjoy these works," said community representative Erika Jakubovits. Austria's most famous restitution case in recent years concerned Maria Altmann, who after a lengthy legal battle secured the return of five Klimts in 2006. One of them, "Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer I," sold for $135 million, a record at the time. During the Third Reich, the Nazis carried out large-scale cultural looting across occupied Europe, with many stolen art works still unaccounted for today. One of the most spectacular finds occurred four years ago when more than 1,200 artworks, including pieces by Cezanne, Delacroix and Munch, were discovered in the Munich home of Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of a powerful Nazi-era dealer. Earlier this month, the Virginia legislature passed a bill that would require computer science to be added to the states K-12 learning standards. If the governor signs the bill, as he is expected to do, Virginia would become the first state to integrate computer science into its core academic requirements for elementary, middle, and high school, according to Code.org, a nonprofit advocacy group. The call to increase K-12 computer science education has come down from up high recently. President Obama announced a budget proposal earlier this year that, if passed, would include $4 billion for states and $100 million for districts to expand access to K-12 computer science. In that speech, he called computer science a basic skill, right along with the three Rs. Arkansas has been held up as a leader in the K-12 computer science movement , and the state now requires that all high schools offer courses on the topic. However, that doesnt mean that all high school students in that state take the courses. Starting in 2017-18, though, all elementary and middle school students in Arkansas will learn computer science, said Katie Hendrickson, advocacy and policy manager for Code.org. And several states, including Rhode Island, have launched efforts to expand K-12 computer science . Some large individual school districts, such as Chicago , New York , and San Francisco , have committed to making computer science courses available to all students in the coming years as well. But so far, no states have gone as far as Virginia is likely to go, and made computer science a statewide school requirement. The bill, which would add computer science and computational thinking, including computer coding to Virginias Standards of Learning, passed both the House and Senate with unanimous votes and is expected to be signed in July. As Chris Dovi, a co-founder of the nonprofit CodeVA, an affiliate partner of Code.org, wrote in a blog post, Its time to train a whole lot of teachers ! Related stories: UPDATED Since September, high school students in Rochester, N.Y., and Hillsborough County, Fla., have been taking a joint digital course on civil rights. This week, the course kicked into high gear, when a civil rights museum on wheels left New York state for Tampa, Fla., as part of a Destination Diversity tour, with plans to stop at locations along the way with ties to the civil rights movement. On Wednesday, the traveling museuma restored 1954 GMC TDH transit bus in the green, yellow, and white color scheme of Montgomery, Ala., buses from that erastopped near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington. There, staffers from the Department of Educations civil rights division boarded the bus to discuss with students in Rochester and Hillsborough County, Fla., who were participating via a large video screen mounted on the bus, the departments work around transgender students, testing, suspensions, and civil rights in the education realm. #DestinationDiversity attorney answers questions regarding protecting the rights of transgender students pic.twitter.com/J5QlwILfa0 -- RCSD Digital Classrm (@RCSDDigiClassrm) April 6, 2016 The traveling museum will continue its journey south over the next several days, making stops at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, N.C., the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta; and, finally, Thomas Jefferson High School in Tampa. At each location, students in Rochester and Hillsborough will hear from individuals affiliated with the civil rights movement, and residents in those areas will be able to board the bus, follow a timeline of the movement, hear an oral history of the movement, and, in some cases, talk to students. The year-long civil rights class grew out of an experiment that the Council of Urban Boards of Education and the Rochester school district conducted in January last year around the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Backed by technical assistance from Cisco, students from eight districts across the country gathered for a live digital town hall to discuss Kings famous I Have a Dream speech and its resonance in todays world. With the town halls success, the district started exploring ways to take advantage of the technology it had at its disposal. Gilbert Rosa, a social studies teacher at Rochesters School Without Walls, an alternative school, said he didnt quite know what to expect when the digital class was pitched to him last summer. He had never met his co-teacher, Ivy Shipp-Washington, who teaches in the Hillsborough County district, but he saw the opportunity for his students learning and experiences to extend beyond the walls of his classroom, as the schools name suggests. He signed up. I said every time Ive done something outside of my comfort zone something amazing has happened, he said. The two teachers worked together to devise a curriculum for the course. The first time the teachers met face-to-face was on a video conference call, he said. About twice a week, a dozen or so 9th to 12th grade students sit on the Rochester side of the camera for the civil rights class, while about 30 students do the same hundreds of miles away in Florida. Through the class, students explore contemporary civil rights issues and make historical connections. The class, for example, recently dissected the case of Glenn Ford , a Louisiana man who spent nearly 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit and succumbed to cancer last year shortly after he was released from prison, Rosa said. The class examined Fords case along with that of the 1931 Scottsboro Boys, in which nine African-American teenage boys were falsely accused of raping two white women. The Destination Diversity tour is a great addition to the course and the examination of civil rights, Rosa said, because the kids dont have to leave the classroom to take part in this field trip. At School Without Walls, we have always talked about education taking on many different forms, he said. I think this is proof that learning can take place anywhere, even if the teacher is not there in the room...This is a good example. We are going to people [and] talking to themI think thats what education is about. You want to create a scenario where kids are excited to show up every day because there is something new and exciting for them. While the students are not on the bus, they will be connected through modern technology, Van Henri White, the president of the Rochester School Board, said in an interview last week. The class sessions and conversations with speakers at various stops will also be streamed online and archived for viewing between the stops. Literally, it will be a digital room full of people, White said. What you have is a wonderful blend of technologynext-generation technologyand history, allowing kids to talk about history. White owns the bus and has spent thousands of dollars restoring it to look like the one Rosa Parks boarded on Dec. 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat. Setting up the mobile museum with Van White in DC #destinationdiversity pic.twitter.com/BMilzjmOQT -- Cynthia Temesi (@ctemesi) April 6, 2016 For White, the digital class is an opportunity to bring together students from different backgrounds and experiences, and the civil rights museum on wheels is a form of expeditionary learning. Not all of the Rochester students would have the chance to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, visit Greensboro (where African-American college students sat down at Woolworths whites-only lunch counter and started the sit-in movement) or make it to Tampa to interact face-to-face with their classmates. Students in Tampa will also get explore the museum on wheels. White envisions future digital classes involving students from vastly different backgrounds and walks of life, including potentially pairing students in urban and rural settings or even suburban and urban settings. The subjects could extend far beyond civil rights, he said. Imagine the potential to expand AP classes to districts that are too poor to afford the extra teacher or two [to] provide AP instruction, he said. This journey is a physical journey, White said of the current trip, but what we are trying to do is inaugurate for the nation a conversation about the use of next-generation technology. Such experiences could finally lead to the kinds of integrated classrooms that courts, politicians, and well-intentioned public officials have sought unsuccessfully over the years, he said, which is to provide an environment where kids can learn together, in an environment that is not intimidating or unsettling, he said. The internet, the digital classroom can do that. (While the inside of the bus has been outfitted with modern technology, it still only goes about 35 miles an hour. As a result, it cant be driven on the interstate and will be ferried on a flatbed truck between stops.) The Destination Diversity tour plans to roll into Greensboro on Friday, April 8. Follow the bus at //www.rcsdk12.org/Page/45963 or on Twitter using the hashtag #DestinationDiversity. Related stories Students Delve Into Civil Rights Issues in Virtual Town Hall on Dr. Kings Birthday The Detroit school board has filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, alleging that his state-appointed emergency managers have failed to adequately address the districts financial troubles, crumbling school buildings, and academic deficiencies. The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of roughly 58,000 students who have attended classes in the district since 2011. That total includes students enrolled in the states Education Achievement Authority, a state-run district that operates the worst Michigans lowest-performing schools. The suit notes the districts declining enrollment and an ongoing scandal that has more than a dozen former administrators facing charges in a bribery and kickback scheme. Also named in the suit are at least three of the emergency managers that have run the Detroit schools; the district has been under state oversight since 2009. Michigans Emergency Manager Law and related practices were used to compromise and damage the quality of education received by all [Detroit public schools] students with life-long consequences in the name of financial urgency, the lawsuit claims. The suit also names former Chicago schools CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett. Byrd-Bennett pleaded guilty in 2015 to an indictment charging her with receiving money and benefits from her former employers in exchange for steering no-bid contracts worth more than $23 million to the firms. Federal investigators are also scrutinizing contracts awarded during her time in Detroit, where she worked as chief academic officer. Snyders emergency manager law has faced renewed scrutiny this year as the district teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, and teachers and parents have become more vocal about their distaste for the law. This isnt the first school-related lawsuit targeting the emergency manager law. In January, the Detroit Federation of Teachers, along with the American Federation of Teachers, filed a lawsuit against the district and former Emergency Manager Darnell Earley, alleging that the district has failed to provide a minimally adequate education and to properly maintain the schools. Amid the mounting legal challenges, state lawmakers are considering legislation to reconfigure the Detroit school system, which is saddled with more than $500 million in debt and dozens of dilapidated school buildings. Snyder has rolled out plans to deal with the debt and to turn around the districts poor-performing schools by splitting the district in two. One piece of the legislative package would take $750 million in taxpayer money over the next decade to pay off the Detroit schools debt. In April, Snyder approved nearly $50 million in emergency funding last month to Detroit schools open through the end of the year. He also is pressing state lawmakers to enact a $720 million restructuring plan that would pay off the districts operating debt. Heres a look at the lawsuit: Detroit School Board Lawsuit A new study of career and technical education has concluded that disadvantaged students are not tracked in large numbers into those programs, and that taking three or more related courses in one career area significantly boosts students chances of graduating from high school on time. The report, published Thursday by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute , found that students who concentrated"took three related courses focused on one industrywere 21 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school in four years than their peers who did not, and were just as likely to go to a four-year college. It also found no evidence of disproportionate participation in career-tech-ed programs by disadvantaged students, except among students who went into career-tech-ed most deeply. Low-income students, students with disabilities, and low and middle achievers, were slightly overrepresented in the group of students who took seven or more CTE courses, the study found. That finding contradicts many years of experience in education. Policymakers grew increasingly uneasy about vocational education because it was often used as a dead-end pathway for students who are perceived to have little chance of succeeding in college. But the Fordham studys author, Shaun M. Dougherty, an assistant professor of educational policy and leadership at the University of Connecticuts graduate school of education, wrote that the playing field seems to have changed. The evidence does not indicate that low-achieving students are being tracked into comparatively large numbers of CTE classes, and high-achieving students away from them, Dougherty writes in the report. Instead, it suggests that CTE is considered a desirable elective for the majority of students, and middle and high achievers are not shying away from it. The Fordham study sparked cautionary notes from activists who have studied the disproportionate impact of tracking on disadvantaged students. Sonja Brookins Santelises, the vice president of K-12 policy and practice for Education Trust, which published a study earlier this week showing that only 8 percent of students complete a course sequence that prepares them well for both college and jobs , welcomed the Fordhams study on coherent rather than haphazard career study. The EdTrust study is a reminder that completing a coherent career-ready course sequence isnt sufficient. Many students who do so hope to earn a bachelors or graduate degree, but cant because they didnt also complete a full set of college-ready courses, she said in an email. Good-quality career-tech studies need to prepare teenagers for both work and college, she said. High school should be about preparing young people for whatever future they choose for themselves, Santelises said. Right now, far too many graduatesespecially those from low-[socioeconomic] backgroundshave a diploma but no clear path forward. Arkansas as a CTE Model Dougherty examined career and technical education in Arkansas, which has made it a top priority in order to expand the supply of workers for middle-skill jobs that dont require bachelors degrees. The state also requires students, starting with the graduating class of 2014, to take six classes with a career focus. What kinds of courses, and how theyre related, are up to students to decide with their teachers and counselor. The study used Arkansas data to follow about 104,000 students from three cohorts of students: those who started 9th grade in 2008, 2009. and 2010. It followed them through high school and the first year afterward, examining what courses they took, whether they graduated, whether they enrolled in a two- or four-year college, or, if they got a job, and how much they earned. Dougherty separated the students into groups to study the effect of concentrating more or less deeply in career-related study. About 30 percent of the students are categorized as concentrators because they took three or more related courses: Thirty-nine percent of the students took three to six courses, and 31 percent took seven or more. The biggest impact of a CTE concentration is on high school graduation rates. Students who took three or more courses were 21 percentage points more likely than non-concentrators to graduate in four years. Boys saw a particular benefit: Male students who took a three-course concentration were 23 percentage points more likely to graduate on time than boys who didnt. Girls were 19 percentage points more likely to graduate on time than girls who didnt take three related career courses. Similar differentials were found by family income. Low-income students who do the three-course career concentration were 25 percentage points more likely to graduate on time than low-income peers who dont. Among higher income students, the graduation rate difference between concentrators and non-concentrators was 17 points. There is limited and scant evidence of tracking. White students and female students were the ones who took the three-course career concentration most often. Low-income students and students with disabilities did not choose a CTE concentration any more often than other students, but were slightly overrepresented in the group of students who took seven or more CTE courses. Low and middle achievers, defined by 8th grade math or English/language arts scores, also were slightly overrepresented among the students who took seven CTE courses. A career concentration boosts job and college-enrollment prospects, but modestly. Students who concentrated in career and tech ed were slightly more likely to get a job the first year after high school than their non-concentrating peers, the study found. Their average quarterly wages were $45 higher than peers who didnt take a three-course cluster. The wage benefit was bigger for boys: They earned $89 per quarter more if they did a CTE concentration than their peers who didnt. A CTE concentration boosted a students chances of enrolling in a two-year college by 1.3 percentage points. Dara Zeehandelaar, Fordhams research director, said the study suggests that the potential benefits of a CTE concentration are immense. Even without expensive interventions such as intensive counseling or career placement, schools could see big gains in graduation rates if they simply encourage students to take a set of three or more related courses instead of random CTE classes, she said. Even the smaller gains in the study are encouraging, she said, since so little effort is required to produce them. Some educators have expressed concern that encouraging students to focus deeply in one area too early in their schooling can rob them of the chance to explore. But Zeehandelaar said Arkansas has set up its requirements in a way that allows teenagers to do both. By requiring six career-related courses, she said, the state makes room for the concentration that yields the benefits in the study, and also three courses in other fields for exploration. Michael Yudin, the assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services, is leaving the U.S. Department of Education April 30. Yudin has been with the Education Department since 2010 in a variety of capacities. He became acting secretary of the office of special education and rehabilitative Services, or OSERS, in August 2012, and was officially confirmed in that position in June 2015. In an email to department colleagues Wednesday, Yudin did not give a reason for his departure or what his future plans entail. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to work on behalf of President Barack Obama, former Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and current Secretary John B. King Jr., the email said. The department will be led by Sue Swenson, currently the deputy assistant secretary. While leaving OSERS and the department is challenging for me personally, I am comforted by the knowledge that our friend and my partner Sue will serve in this capacity, Yudin wrote in his email. The office of special education and rehabilitative services oversees the office of special education programs, or OSEP, and the rehabilitation services administration. OSEP is also being led by an interim chief; former director Melody Musgrove stepped down last year . During Yudins tenure, the office of special education programs shifted its state monitoring focus to what it called results-driven accountability , with the intent of boosting state attention to the academic performance of students with disabilities, rather than focusing primarily on adherence to the rules of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. During Yudins time as assistant secretary, the Education Departments office for civil rights also increased its monitoring of discrimination complaints on the basis of student disability. He co-wrote several Dear Colleague guidance letters to state officials, including on dyslexia , aligning individualized education programs to state academic standards , and state requirements to meet the communication needs of students with hearing, vision, and speech disabilities under the IDEA, as well as under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Recently, the department rolled out a proposal that would require more districts to use federal special education money to support early-intervention programs for students with and without disabilities. The department said that many school districts disproportionately identify minority students as needing special education services, and those minority students are also placed in separate educational settings or suspended or expelled more often than their white peers. We cant begin this hard work unless were honest and forthright about the disparities that we see, Yudin said when the proposed new rule was announced in February. Prior to his work at OSERS, Yudin served as acting assistant secretary and principal deputy assistant secretary of the office of elementary and secondary education. He also worked for nine years in the U.S. Senateas legislative director for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, senior counsel to former Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, and committee counsel to the late Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont, all Democrats. Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law Thursday legislators answer to a February state supreme court ruling that deemed the states funding formula inequitable. The court said in its ruling that if lawmakers didnt come up with a sufficient answer by June 30, they would be forced to close the entire school system. The law Brownback just signed redistributes education funding and increases state spending by $2 million for its poor districts, without taking money away from wealthier districts. But it falls far short of the courts request to provide poor districts with $54 million more in aid. Many of the states Democrats argue that the proposal ultimately forces local taxpayers to pay for the gap in funding. The new funding formula now heads to the state supreme court, which is expected to rule in the coming months on whether the proposal appropriately responds to its ruling. Brownback said he signed the bill to keep our schools open and ensure our students continue to have access to a quality education, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal . This bill is the result of a delicate legislative compromise - one that I respectfully endorse and that the Court should review with appropriate deference. Signed #ksed bill to keep schools open, despite closure threat by Court. Thanks #ksleg for bill opening schools. https://t.co/2EID7lPqJm Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) April 7, 2016 The lawmakers ability to fully address the courts ruling is hampered in several ways. The state passed its budget last month and a series of tax cuts made over the last three years have left the states coffers mostly empty. While the legislators are reluctant to raise taxes, even if they did so, itll take some time for the state to start collecting that revenue. Because of these hurdles, its possible that the supreme court will deem the lawmakers answer as a temporary solution to a longterm problem, Randy Watson, the states education commissioner told me earlier this week. The court has yet to rule on the adequacy part of the Gannon v Kansas lawsuit in which four districts argue that the state has shortchanged its entire school system by hundreds of millions of dollars. Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics. Samsung has announced earnings guidance for Q1, 2016 and it has crossed anaylsts expectations. The company is expecting a 10 percent jump in quarterly profit in its first quarter. Samsungs earnings guidance suggests a consolidated operating profit of 6.6 trillion won or $5.7 billion. Compared to Q1 2015 this will be a solid increase of 10.4 percent. The company said that its consolidated sales are expected to come in at 49 trillion won or $42.3 billion, a slight increase over the 47.1 trillion won or $40.7 billion in Q1 2015. Samsung is pointing to strong sales of its popular Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones. This comes as a good news for the South Korean company which has been facing a drop in market share owing to tough competition from Apple and other Chinese companies like Xiaomi and Huawei. Analysts expect the S7 and S7 Edge to remain popular until Apple rolls out its new iPhone in the second half of the year. source Candy or Meth? It May Be Hard to Tell Every Halloween raises the specter of candy laced with drugs, or drugs made to look like candy, finding their way into children's trick or treat bags. (We know it's only April, but bear with us here.) The worry builds all October, and then most kids come home with the standard Snickers Mini and not some LSD-laced Starburst. It would also help if parents and school administrators were familiar with what drugs look like -- much of the paranoia about drug-laced candy or candy replica drugs comes from a fear that drugs could look like anything or find their way into everything. Like a recent case near Sacramento, where school officials thought they found meth in a student's candy, when what they really found was a student carrying a tab of Ecstasy. Smarties and Dummies It sounds alarming enough in The Sacramento Bee: "What appeared to be Smarties candy was confiscated from a student, and a test of the substance came back positive for methamphetamine." Kids were warned not to accept candy from other students. A letter was written to parents. Hands were wrung and pearls were clutched. Here's the thing, though: the tablet tested positive for Ecstasy (a drug also known as MDMA or Molly) and methamphetamine. Which means it was Ecstasy. Not a Smarties candy laced with Ecstasy or meth, but just an Ecstasy tablet. As the article notes, only one tablet was found, and not in a Smarties wrapper. The 14-year-old student said he found it on the ground. Drugs and Candy Had school staff done their research, they'd know that many Ecstasy tablets look a lot like candy, which has been a concern for parents and law enforcement for years. And that is not to say that drug dealers won't try to disguise Ecstasy tablets as Smarties or try to lace Smarties with drugs. But when they do, it looks a lot more like this. Parents should be concerned about their children's exposure to drugs and potential drug use. But that means being educated on what drugs really look like, so they can know when it's just drugs, and not candy laced with drugs. If you want more information on student drug risks or current drug laws where you live, you can contact an experienced drug crimes attorney near you. Related Resources: Wal-Mart has recently launched the 'Fight Hunger. Spark Change' campaign throughout their stores in Northwest North Carolina, including Elkin and Mount Airy, which is a nationwide initiative calling the public to take action in the fight against hunger. However, by combining Wal-Mart's donation with the supplier donations through customer donations and product purchases, the campaign aims to secure 75 million meals for the Feeding America Network, of which Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC is a member, according to Elkin Tribune. "Across the 18 counties served by Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, one in every six people struggles with food insecurity, and more than one in every four children goes without enough to eat," said Jenny Moore, development manager: public relations and marketing for Second Harvest Food Bank. "With strong support from the community, the campaign will provide significant support for our network of more than 400 partner food assistance programs working in local communities to help neighbors in need, as it helps to raise awareness about the continuing problem of hunger in America." The campaign, which runs through April 25, aims to 'Fight Hunger' and 'Spark Change' in three ways, which include online acts of support, buying participating products, and donating at the register. The online acts of support will generate donations for a Feeding America food bank, including but not restricted to the Second Harvest food bank by using #FightHunger hashtags on social media, and also showing support for the Wal-Mart's campaigns. For each act of online support, Wal-Mart will donate an amount to help secure 10 meals (an equivalent of 9 cents), up to $1.5 million, according to The Dispatch. For every participating product purchased at Wal-Mart stores, the manufacturer will donate 9 cents to Feeding America, to help secure 10 meals. Additionally, individuals can also make a donation to the campaign at the register during checkout. According to the journal Pediatrics, vegetables like kale and broccoli tend to taste bitter for the first-timers. Late introduction to these healthy foods could result in being a picky eater. So, if you already feel the need to dip in the greens but aren't sure where to start, this is how you can love healthy foods without forcing yourself. Block the bitter There is a scientific answer behind why people love broccoli and cheese. The salty cheese aids to block your receptor to taste that strange flavor from broccolis. It goes the same way with coffee as many people would start drinking it with sweetener added, but eventually, they get familiar with the taste and end up having less sugar. Chemosensory Perception published a theory that sweeteners like sugar, blocks receptors from tasting that bitterness. To make Brussels sprouts more delicious, try adding a pinch of salt and gradually decrease the amount along the way. Feel good by pairing your healthy food with high-calorie ingredient Our body is programmed to like foods that taste good. That explains why people love sweet salty foods and foods that are high in calories. When teaching yourself to swallow broccolis, you can add seasonings like olive oil, butter or cream cheese. This should go for a few days before the trick actually works. The vegetables on the 21st plate will be tasty Experts found that once an adult gets to eat a certain meal for a few days- even if they don't like it, their mind eventually says it's 'okay'. This means that when you consume a certain healthy food, let say, kales - in a long period of time, it produces the sense of 'tolerant' towards the bitter taste. Jane Wardle, a professor at Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, London explains how the familiarity due to repeated tasting can increase the liking. Psychology Professor Elizabeth Phillip recommends eating a certain food on a regular basis. The trick has been applied to kids at the age of three that they started to like the food after taking for 20 times in a row. While lawmakers in Louisiana are considering whether they should allow sales of raw milk on-farm, health officials in Tennessee and Utah are voicing the federal warning issued in March regarding the threat of consuming raw milk, as they are prone to cause outbreaks and deaths. According to rough estimates by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3 percent Americans drink raw milk, which is unpasteurized; forcing it to renew its warnings regarding the practice in March this year. Louisiana has proposed to change a law that includes a stipulation that would necessitate raw milk producers to test for coliform. Data released by Utah health officials revealed that such tests did not help to put off or detect a deadly outbreak there in 2014, Food Safety News reported. Scientists at Utah's health and agriculture departments confirmed that routine somatic cell and coliform counts in raw milk do not make it safe for consumption. They further said that there is a need to educate consumers about the fact that raw milk may possibly be unsafe even after fulfilling the routine testing standards. The warning issued by authorities in Utah cites a deadly outbreak in 2014 associated with raw milk from an anonymous dairy. The data states that though "Dairy A" followed the Utah law, and submitted raw milk samples every month to the state for somatic cell and coliform counts, the safety measure failed. As many as 99 people died between May 9 and Nov. 6, 2014, including one who was infected with Campylobacter jejuni that was later identified in the raw milk from the dairy. Of the 99 dead, 59 said that they drank raw milk from "Dairy A" about 10 days before falling ill. Another 40 patients said they either drank raw milk from the dairy or came into contact with another outbreak victim. Meanwhile, health officials in Tennessee joined the recent chorus of public health officials and scientists cautioning about the potential life-threatening pathogens present in unpasteurized or raw milk. The Tennessee warning came early this as reinforcement to a similar caution issued last month by CDC. The CDC warning March 18 came after the agency discovered two Listeria monocytogenes patients - one of whom succumbed to the ailment - had been infected in 2014 by the same pathogen isolate that officials in California had detected in samples of raw milk from an organic dairy in Pennsylvania. Way back in 2014, the CDC reported on data assembled from outbreaks related to raw milk in the U.S. from 2007 through 2012. The salient features of the CDC report are as below: There are definitely times when we're all feeling both hungry and lazy, a dangerous combination. However, thanks to technology, you don't need to get up and make an effort when ordering food, particularly pizza. This is simply because Dominos Pizza has an app for you. The nationwide pizza chain recently launched a mobile app that lets you place a pizza order just by launching it. And no, you're not required to tap or navigate at all: you only have to launch it and wait. Dubbed as a "Zero-Click" app, it joins the ranks of the numerous pizza order experiments by the pizza chain. To use, you just have to tap it, wait for 10 seconds, and after a set amount of time, the pizza guy will come knocking at your doorstep. Take note, though, launching the app does not mean the pizza order has been placed. There is a 10-second countdown timer that is being displayed. If the time elapses without you pressing the button to stop the timer, the order is automatically placed in your local chain. After which, a screen appears asking you to confirm your order. How does it work? Before you place an order, though, you first have to set up a profile on the company's website, Dominos.com and create something the company dubs as a "Pizza Profile". This includes all the data required for the company to make a delivery, like your credit card details, address, name, and phone number. The pizza being delivered to your doorstep is also determined here: for example, if you choose Hawaiian, then a Hawaiian will be brought to your doorstep when the app is launched. As of today, Dominos is arguably the most digital tech-savvy pizza companies which offer the most number and the best digital initiatives. Note that it also supports ordering via the Samsung Smart TV, Twitter, SMS, and through smartwatches like Android Wear. Biological Agriculture (BioAg) or biological farming could be the saving grace of Monsanto's damaged reputation while solving the predicted global food crisis and putting money in its coffers in the process. BioAg or biological farming is a farming technique that aims to balance the physical (soil structure), chemical nutrients and biological aspects of the soil to increase productivity while maintaining soil health. Monsanto entered into a BioAg partnership with Danish company Novozymes which already has existing products such as Jumpstart, a bacteria that helps plant roots absorb more phosphorus from the soil. BioAg can be seen as a non-chemical way of increase agricultural yield. This is achieved by coating seeds with certain microbes which enable the growing plant to absorb more nutrients from the soil, use water more efficiently and could offer some sort of protection against pests and diseases according to a Market Watch article by Sarah Sjolin. The Coming Food Shortage Monsanto President and chief operating officer Brett Begemann is betting that by 2050 the world's population would increase by 2 billion, burgeoning to 9.6 billion people. Factoring in the more pronounced effects of climate change by then such as scarcer water and a hotter climate, along with degraded agricultural land, the increased population would put more pressure on farmers and governments to increase the productivity of increasingly limited arable lands. Even the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agree with this assessment. According to FAO, farmers in 2050 will need to produce 70 percent more food to sustain the projected population increase, a tricky problem to solve because by then, it projects that most farmlands will be significantly degraded in terms of soil quality. BioAg A Possible Solution In this bleak scenario, microbes and BioAg might be a significant part of the solution. Iowa State University biology professor Gwyn Beattie explains that microbes could restore soil quality to a more productive state according to the Market Watch article. Another advantage of using microbes is that they could be deployed without resorting to chemical fertilizers and is, therefore, a more environmentally sound option. In addition, there is always that possibility that as more research is poured into BioAg by future players, new and more effective methods might be discovered which could potentially increase crop yields without harming the environment and soil quality, the perfect "sustainable intensification" FAO is looking for. A Gentler Non-Chemical Monsanto Image Monsanto's entry into the non-chemical BioAg market could help paint a more positive company image for the chemical giant. Monsanto has suffered publish backlash due to its introduction of genetically-modified crops earning it the 2013 most evil company in a Natural News poll. However, Begemann was quick to clarify that the company's entry into BioAg is not some publicity stunt aimed to counter negative public opinion. Begemann explained that the company's microbes thrust were solely aimed at providing farmers another option to increase yields. Doubts and Hesitations But some scientists are still hesitant to embrace the BioAg Alliance path too soon. According to an article in Modern Farmer by Sam Brasch, "microbiologists advocate a complete census of all fungi, bacteria, insects, viruses and their interactions around a single crop" before putting up a product for sale. For these microbiologists, such a complicated but necessary task might not be a priority of commercial ventures like the BioAg Alliance between Monsanto and Novozymes who might want to come up with a marketable products line as soon as possible. Such cautious stance among scientists is, of course, not unwarranted. After all, if the global community dives head first into the BioAg agenda without assessing possible risk scenarios beforehand, it would be like trading a chemically disastrous future for a possible biological nightmare due to microbial imbalance on a global scale. Capri Sun, the refreshingly tasty yet classy fruit drink is now back in a new format, with organic ingredients. Kraft Heinz, the parent company of the Capri Sun, has recently announced Capri Sun Organic, a new line of USDA-certified organic juices with no sugar added and more vitamin C. The new Capri Sun is also made with zero artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. "Our consumers are at the center of everything we do and we know that while kids simply want things that taste good, parents want to feel good about what they're serving," said Dennis Wu, director, refreshment beverages, Kraft Heinz. "Capri Sun Organic strikes the perfect balance between these two needs, offering the same great taste as original Capri Sun, but with the organic ingredients we know are important to moms and dads." The new organic version of Capri Sun, which comes in the flavor of fruit punch, tropical punch, apple, and grape, will still be made with 66 percent juice, leaving consumers to wonder what the other 34 percent comprises of, according to The Daily Meal. Each of the flavors come with a different calorific value, but 0% fat, making the juices naturally healthy. Notably, the announcement of the new organic version of Capri Sun comes just a couple of months after the company's announcement of juice formula simplification to five key ingredients of water, sugar, juice, citric acid and natural flavor. The shift, however, is not a surprise as the food companies have undertaken similar steps last year as consumers called for greater transparency in the items. Unilever, for example, managed to cut down the formula considerably for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter while the Hershey's announced that it would replace high-fructose corn syrup with sugar in a number of its products, and Kool-Aid recently introduced a low-sugar option. Lawsuit: SoCal Surfers Are a Criminal Street Gang A group of local surfers in an affluent southern California beach town have been accused of operating like a criminal street gang, following threats, intimidation, and violence against outsiders trying to surf their break. A federal class-action lawsuit claims Lunada Bay Boys "not only confront and attack other (beachgoers), but also confront, threaten to kill, assault, vandalize property, extort, and bring harm to other persons." Along with fines and damages, the lawsuit is seeking a gang injunction that would prevent the Bay Boys from congregating anywhere in Palos Verdes Estates, a city in Los Angeles County home to some killer waves and a $125,000 median income. Not so Good Vibrations As Surfer Magazine put it, the Lunada Bay Boys are "a group allegedly composed largely of third-generation millionaires." So you may have to put your stereotypes about what a criminal street gang looks like to the side. But if you go by the California Penal Code -- a "group of three or more persons ... having a common name or common identifying sign or symbol, and whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity" -- then the Bay Boys' behavior might place them firmly within the statute. This is the third civil rights lawsuit filed against the group in the last ten years, all accusing the Lunada Bay Boys of verbally and physically attacking visitors and vandalizing their cars, and all while Palos Verdes Estates Police looked the other way. The lawsuit claims "Plaintiffs are suffering ongoing irreparable harm, including loss of sleep, emotional distress, and mental anguish as a proximate result of Palos Verdes Estates and Defendant Chief of Police Jeff Kepley's deliberate indifference to Plaintiff's rights." Act Local Mention "localism" to a non-surfer, and they probably won't know what you're talking about. Even to surfers, the expression can mean everything from giving wave preference to year-round residents to verbal or physical assaults on outsiders. And Palos Verdes Estates hosts three major surf beaches along with some well-heeled (when they're wearing shoes) surfers. The lawsuit, filed by El Segundo Police Officer Cory Spencer and others, says that "[e]ven though Palos Verdes Estates is an exclusive community with more than 40 police personnel, Spencer and other surfers had to pay a security guard $100 to watch their vehicles to protect the vehicles from vandalism while they surfed." It is perhaps because Palos Verdes Estates residents, the Lunada Bay Boys among them, are so well off that police were inclined to ignore reports of threatening or violent behavior. But with this lawsuit, and perhaps dozens more surfers willing to join it, law enforcement may not be able to overlook the gang-like behavior for much longer. Related Resources: What Is the Penalty for Criminal Mischief? Criminal mischief is an offense that covers a range of trouble, from playful misbehavior to malicious property destruction. Recently, for example, two teens in Alaska were charged with criminal mischief after negligently burning a love letter and starting a fire on school property. Meanwhile, in Michigan painting or sticking things on someone's property will get you arrested -- and the same goes for Texas. Charged as either a misdemeanor or as a felony offense punishable with prison, depending on the state statute and extent of damage, criminal mischief involves the defacing and destruction of property. It's an interesting crime to consider lately especially as cultural notions of vandalism transform. Penalties for Property Destruction The penalties for criminal mischief vary, depending on the details of the case, the quality of property and extent of destruction, and how state statutes are written. A misdemeanor penalty may only involve a minimal fine and community service, or it can be much more serious. Misdemeanors are generally punishable by up to a year in jail and felonies are punishable with prison -- how much time depends on the degree of the offense. Best of Criminal Mischief Not all criminal mischief is destructive in the eyes of society, even though it may still be illegal. Some criminal mischief -- but this is rare -- can even turn out great for a property owner. Banksy's graffiti is considered world class art and now people sue each other over rights to what was once seen as vandalism and created specifically to undermine notions of ownership. Artists like Shepard Fairey -- best known for his Obey Giant campaign and the Obama "Hope" poster -- have been convicted of criminal mischief, and continue to get arrested. It's one of the few crimes where the person accused can become a major contributor to a neighborhood. Last year, Fairey was arrested in the Los Angeles airport based on a warrant issued by Detroit police. He was wanted for malicious destruction of property -- putting up his posters and stickers, the stuff that made him an international art superstar. But once he was in custody, Detroit authorities declined to extradite him. Fairey turned himself in voluntarily, was arrested, booked, and released. The Los Angeles Times pointed to this as proof of the evolution of street art from vandalism to a legitimate form of art. But Fairey's treatment also suggests criminal mischief is still a big risk. Even when you give this country "Hope," you can be wanted for messing with property. Accused? If you have been accused of a crime, speak to a lawyer today. Don't delay. Many criminal defense attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to talk to you about your case. Related Resources: The military is teaming up with Uber to give jobs to veterans and soldiers on active duty. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told the FOX Business Network during an interview on Mornings with Maria that a military advisory board of retired senior officers got together to advise the company on how to reach the veteran and active duty community. We are trying to help not only veterans, but people who are on active duty who may need a second income and are stationed in the U.S.; or especially military spouses who move from place to place. And its a perfect kind of position for them because they can pick up where they left off when they were re-assigned from New York to California. They can pick up and start driving again, he said. After working with Secretary Gates during a fellowship at the White House and spending time with troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, Uber SVP of Business Emil Michael realized all they wanted was an opportunity. When we got back we realized that Uber could be a part of the solution whether youre coming back or youre transitioning into school via the G.I. Bill or youre transitioning into a job. Uber was a perfect solution for that in the near term and it was flexible and they can make money and theyre rated the same or better than other drivers, said Michael. With Uber currently valued at more than $60 billion, Secretary Gates says the program has already put over $125 million in the hands of vets since the initiative started 18 months ago. More on this... Veterans signing up for UberMILITARY Michael also expects that number to increase to over $500 million in the next few years. Gap has learned that following the trends isn't always a winning strategy, and is now getting back to basics at its Banana Republic chain. It was supposed to be the makeover that turned Gap around. The seeming success it enjoyed converting its Old Navy brand into a fast-fashion powerhouse was going to be replicated at its name-brand Gap stores as well as the high-end Banana Republic. Because both of those concepts were in a comparable-store-sales free fall, the retailer was in hurry-up mode to implement it. Yet as Gap quickly discovered, and others are now finding out, too, turning trendy is no panacea for curing what ails retail. According to an article in industry trade publication Racked, the retailer has largely abandoned the fashion-forward designs at Banana Republic that caused the concept to post in 2015 its biggest drop in sales in over a decade. Although Gap is keeping some of the trendy fashion designs in some select stores, and online, across most of its retail footprint, Banana Republic is returning to its tried-and-true past. What happenedThe fast-fashion concept that was supposed to save retail took off as retailers including H&M , Forever 21, Uniqlo, and Zara expanded across the country, opening hundreds of stores, and seeing sales soar as consumers abandoned the logo-centric designs of Abercrombie & Fitch , Aeropostale , and American Eagle . Teens no longer wanted to be walking billboards for the brands, and were instead choosing the clothes they were seeing on the fashion runways. H&M was one that seemed to have perfected the ability to take a fashion show design, break it down to its essentials using cheaper materials, and have it available on store racks in a matter of weeks rather than months. The disposable-clothing boom was here! Between 2011 and 2015, the forward-fashion leader saw revenues grow from 110 billion Swedish krona to almost 181 billion, a better than 13% compounded annual growth rate,making it the second-largest retailer in the world behind Inditex, the Spanish owner of Zara. At the same time, Abercrombie's sales were shrinking from $4.2 billion to $3.5 billion while Aeropostale's tumbled to $1.8 billion from $2.4 billion.American Eagle saw its sales barely budge until last year when they grew to $3.5 billion, a 7% gain driven by the very changes the industry was forced to make to fend off the inroads being made by cheap threads. Next, retailers started to transition some of their own brands to the fast-fashion concept. Abercrombie & Fitch was perhaps the first to strike as it converted its California surf-inspired chainHollister concept, but struggled to make the process work. It may have only just turned the corner, though, as it reported earlier this month that Hollister has finally been able to record back-to-back quarters of same-store-sales growth, allowing comps to come in flat for the fiscal year compared to a 10% drop in 2014. While Gap converted the Old Navy chain, other more stodgy retailers joined in as well. Sears Holdings , for example, said it was going to launch the fast fashion line Now & HereandJ.C. Penney launched a brand called Belle + Skye. Yet these changes are coming just as disposable clothes may have hit their peak. Uniqlo announced last year it was scaling back the number of new stores it would open in 2015, going from a planned 15 stores to just five, and its styles have become more mainstream rather than fashion-forward. Zara has also announced its expansion plans would slow from 8% to 10% annually to a more modest 6% to 8% a year. Gap, it seems, is now learning that lesson, too. Having "confused" its customers with the shift in styles, it is stepping on the brakes and going back to what its customers knew and expected. It suggests this may be the new trend in retail that others will soon follow. The article Gap Inc. Has Learned a Hard Lesson. Will Others Follow? originally appeared on Fool.com. Rich Duprey has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Netflix. In just a few weeks, investors will get another update from Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). The third-quarter update, scheduled for October 17, will be particularly important because it follows the streaming-video company's weaker-than-expected global member additions in the second quarter. Investors will be checking to see whether Netflix's member-addition headwinds will continue in Q3. Of course, other areas beyond net member additions will be worth looking at, too. Here's what investors should know about Netflix before it reports earnings next month. Revenue and earnings per share For Q3, analysts currently have consensus estimates for revenue and earnings per share of $2.28 billion and $0.06, respectively. This compares to revenue and EPS of $1.74 billion and $0.07, respectively, in the year-ago quarter. EPS is expected to be suppressed by management's ongoing emphasis on aggressively investing in international markets -- investments which management believes will pay off over the long haul. Notably, analyst expectations for EPS of $0.06 are about in line with Netflix management's own EPS expectations of $0.05. Members Net member additions will be worth examining when the company reports results, particularly because Netflix fell short of its own guidance on this metric in Q2. Management had forecast net member additions of 2.5 million, but actual net member additions were 1.7 million. Image source: Netflix. Management blamed the worse-than-expected additions on press coverage of its price increase. Interestingly, it's not the members impacted by the price increase who seemed to be bothered by it, but rather other members who may have perceived the press coverage as an impending price increase. "Churn of members who were actually ungrandfathered is modest and conforms to our expectations," Netflix said. For Q3, Netflix is expecting to add 2.3 million new members -- 0.3 million in the U.S. and 2 million internationally. International streaming Another important clue when Netflix reports results will be any commentary on the progress of the company's international streaming markets. Growth for this segment is stellar. Netflix's international revenue increased 67% year over year in Q2, but the segment's contribution loss of $69 million doesn't look so nice. And management doesn't expect this to get any better in Q3: Netflix forecast an international contribution loss of $95 million. But investors should keep the bigger picture in mind. While the growing loss suggests the company can't profit in these newer markets, this isn't the case. The company is actually generating a positive contribution margin from some of its maturing international markets, but it is investing these contribution margins into newer international markets. Management remains confident these international investments will pay off over the long haul. The company explained in its second-quarter shareholder letter: Overall, Netflix's third quarter should demonstrate a transition for the company, as it continues to invest heavily in international markets but aims to boost contribution margins in mature markets with price hikes. While investors should pay close attention to whether net member additions live up to guidance, it's also important to keep the long game in mind. As Netflix said in its most recent shareholder letter: "Disrupting a big market can be bumpy, but the opportunity ahead is as big as ever and we continue to improve every aspect of our business." A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, 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. Daniel Sparks has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. NVIDIA's P100 accelerator. Image source: NVIDIA. Graphics specialist NVIDIA is known as the dominant player in the market for high-performance compute accelerators. Arguably the most powerful challenger to NVIDIA here is Intel with its line of compute accelerators branded Xeon Phi. Intel's first-generation Xeon Phi, code-named "Knights Corner," generally didn't fare all that well against NVIDIA's top product performance-wise. Intel did gain share with that product, but NVIDIA remained solidly in the lead. For a while now, Intel has been talking up its second-generation Xeon Phi product, code-named Knights Landing. The product is expected to deliver a significant boost in performance over the prior-generation Knights Corner, and it was viewed as a threat to NVIDIA, particularly if Intel could leverage its chip manufacturing lead to build a better/more efficient product. However, the launch timeframe for Knights Landing has gone from sometime in 2015 to early 2016 and now, per a leaked slide, first system availability is expected in the third quarter of 2016. These "slips" have allowed NVIDIA to come within a quarter or two of Intel's time-to-market with its own competitive offering based on its new "Pascal" graphics architecture. And, it would seem, NVIDIA has delivered the better product. More raw compute performanceIntel has said its Knights Landing part will offer more than 3 teraflops (trillion floating point operations per second) of compute performance in double-precision mode, and more than 6 teraflops in single-precision mode. This is impressive, but NVIDIA's just-announced Pascal-based P100 accelerator offers 5.3 teraflops of double-precision performance and 10.6 teraflops of single-precision -- handily besting (at least on paper) Intel's upcoming Knights Landing chip. More efficient, too?In terms of performance-per-watt -- a key metric for data center customers NVIDIA's P100 may also have a lead over Knights Landing. The P100 is rated at a 300-watt thermal design power, which is certainly high, but not out of the ordinary for very high-performance accelerators. Intel's prior-generation Knights Corner Xeon Phi accelerators, for example, were rated at anywhere from 225 watts for the lowest performer (Xeon Phi 5110P) to 300 watts for the highest performers. I wouldn't be surprised if the upcoming Knights Landing parts were rated at similar thermal design powers, particularly for the top performers. If these thermal design power ratings are representative of actual power consumption, then the NVIDIA parts should not only offer higher performance than the Intel parts, but better power efficiency, too. NVIDIA should be in a good position, hereIntel was able to gain share with the relatively unimpressive Knights Corner parts, so I expect the chip giant to do about as well with the upcoming Knights Landing parts. I don't expect any dramatic shifts in market share, though. In order for Intel to really disrupt NVIDIA's high-performance compute efforts with its Xeon Phi family of products, it needs to make some pretty significant architectural strides. Intel simply doesn't seem to be there yet, while NVIDIA continues to make significant improvements to defend its turf. The next matchup should be between NVIDIA's Volta architecture, which is expected to come either in late 2017 or sometime in 2018, and Intel's 10-nanometer Knights Hill product. It will be interesting to see what manufacturing technology NVIDIA will use for Volta. The article NVIDIA Corp. Announces Answer to Intel Corp.'s Xeon Phi originally appeared on Fool.com. Ashraf Eassa owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool recommends Intel and NVIDIA. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Image source: Mercedes-Benz. Home-field advantages aren't always what they seem. Investors already know that the Tesla Model S beat out the venerable Daimler Mercedes-Benz S-Class last year in the U.S. market for large luxury vehicles. As part of fourth-quarter earnings, Tesla gave a rare glimpse of its U.S. sales figures in order to tout the fact that the Model S took the crown from the S-Class last year. 2014 Unit Sales 2015 Unit Sales Tesla Model S 16,689 25,202 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 25,276 21,934 Data source: SEC filings. The S-Class, which starts at $95,000, has long dominated this market segment, so Tesla's victory was no small accomplishment. The electric-auto maker may have just repeated that in the European market. A close raceAccording to the U.K.'s EAGLE AID, the Model S narrowly squeezed ahead of the S-Class in 2015. Tesla sold an estimated 15,787 sedans, while Mercedes-Benz moved 14,990 units of its top-of-the-line car. Just in case there was any lingering doubt that Tesla has attracted the attention of its competitors by stealing their most profitable customers, it's safe to say that the Germans are coming after Tesla with blood in their eyes (just like the rest of the auto industry). Tesla Model S. Image source: Tesla. It's probably not a coincidence that Daimler recently announced that it was severing all development ties with Tesla, preferring to in-source EV drive unit development going forward while also building up battery production capacity. The German automaker intends on tripling capacity and is investing 500 million euros in a new lithium-ion battery production plant. The rest of the worldIf EAGLE AID's estimates are accurate, that would account for nearly 41,000 of Tesla's total Model S deliveries in 2015. Tesla delivered 50,452 sedans last year. That would mean that Tesla sold just under 9,500 into Asia-Pacific, which primarily consists of China, Japan, and Australia. Model S in Australia. Image source: Tesla. Tesla has high hopes to grow in China, but continues to face some headwinds. The supercharger network still needs a lot of work in the Middle Kingdom in order to combat range anxiety, and import tariffs are still extremely high. Tesla's revenue in China fell 33% last year to $318.5 million, according to its 10-K annual report. The article Tesla Motors Beats Mercedes-Benz on Its Home Turf originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Tesla Motors, andhas the following options: long January 2018 $180 calls on Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. SOURCE: FLICKR USER STOCKMONKEYS.COM. What: Following news that it's amending its previous collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly , Incyte Corporation shares jumped 11.62% higher today. So what: Eli Lilly has returned rights to develop Jakafi for use in the treatment of graft versus host disease (GVHD) to Incyte, thereby allowing Incyte to license ex-U.S. rights in this indication to Novartis . Under the amended agreement with Eli Lilly, Incyte will pay $35 million to Eli Lilly now and may make additional payments to it upon the achievement of regulatory milestones. At the same time, an amendment to its existing relationship with Novartis gives Novartis R&D and commercialization rights to Jakafi in this indication outside the United States. In exchange for those rights, Novartis will make payments to Incyte upon the achievement of both development and regulatory milestones. If Jakafi is commercialized outside the U.S. in the GVHD indication, Novartis will pay Incyte royalties on those ex-U.S. sales. Now what: The agreements resolve some uncertainty regarding the potential path to develop and eventually commercialize Jakafi in GVHD, an important indication with a significant need for new treatment options. Jakafi is currently approved for use in treating polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis patients. Incyte markets Jakafi in the U.S., and Novartis markets it in other countries. In February, Incyte issued guidance calling for global Jakafi net sales of between $800 million and $815 million. Following this amendment, Eli Lilly will continue to own global rights to baricitinib, a rheumatoid arthritis drug that it co-developed with Incyte and that Eli Lilly filed for FDA approval of in January. Overall, developing Jakafi for GVHD with Novartis makes more sense given Novartis' existing experience with Jakafi. Novartis' willingness to sign on to this program also suggests it believes Jakafi has a decent shot at clinical success In GVHD. If that's true, then an eventual approval in this indication would further expand Jakafi's addressable patient population, boosting Incyte's sales and profit in the process. The article This Deal Sent Incyte Shares Soaring 12% Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Verizon. What happened?Telecom giant Verizon Communications has announced that it will acquire a 24.5% stake in AwesomenessTV, which is a joint venture between DreamWorks Animation and Hearst. DreamWorks will remain the majority owner with 51% ownership, with Verizon and Hearst splitting the remainder at 24.5% each. The deal values AwesomenessTV at $650 million, implying that Verizon is paying approximately $160 million. Verizon intends to create a short-form mobile video service that includes scripted and non-scripted series. The premium content will only be available on Verizon's platforms within the U.S. as part of its go90 offering, but AwesomenessTV will have the ability to distribute the content outside of the U.S. Does it matter?The deal is the latest in a long string of moves by Verizon to expand deeper into content. The most notable acquisition as part of that broader strategy was certainly the $4.4 billion acquisition of AOL last year. Big Red is emphasizing video services and hoping exclusive content can set it apart, differentiating from its smaller rivals that may lack the resources to make big content-related acquisitions. That might help it defend its pricing power, which is under attack on the wireless front as rivals undercut on price. The article Verizon Acquires Stake in AwesomenessTV originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends DreamWorks Animation and Verizon Communications. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Apple. Apple has never done this before. The Mac maker is packaging its highest-end tech in its lowest-end package with the iPhone SE. From a product strategy standpoint, it's incredibly smart since it provides a strong product for the large segment of the market that still prefers smaller phones. From a pricing strategy standpoint, the iPhone SE also serves as evidence that Apple is evolving as the global smartphone market matures. The way it's always beenFor many years, Apple has implemented a consistent strategy of cascading iPhone models down to successively lower price points, thereby extending the overall life cycle of each new model and streamlining development resources. The iPhone 5c was the first major departure from this strategy, but the 5c didn't fare well because it didn't convey a strong value proposition. The iPhone SE is another attempt -- and a more promising one, at that. But the introduction of the iPhone SE raises some important questions about the iPhone portfolio. What's happening to the development cycle? Will the iPhone SE get a price reduction next year? Let's say that Apple has decided to segment its iPhone offerings between smaller and more affordable devices, and larger and more expensive devices. Apple should keep strong, current products to capture both market segments, instead of relegating older devices to lower price points. This could be what's happening as we speak. The way it might be nowIf that's the case, then we might even expect Apple to discontinue the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2016 (a relatively shorter two-year life cycle compared to the historical three-year life cycle), instead of dropping it to a lower price as we would have previously expected. Then the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus would drop to the mid-range price point and the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus would come in as the new high-end flagships. Since the iPhone SE was just introduced, I wouldn't expect any changes at the low end of the portfolio until next year. But at that point, would Apple really consider reducing the iPhone SE to an even lower price point of perhaps $300? That seems unlikely, even if it could potentially spur unit growth, since it would hurt average selling prices, margins, and risk diluting the brand. Instead, what if Apple introduced an entirely redesigned 4-inch iPhone for 2017, while discontinuing the iPhone SE? That would be a remarkably short life cycle for the SE, but remember that the device shouldn't have required too much development work since it uses the same chassis and overall design as the 5s. The SE is just a 6s in a 5s body. Another possibility is that since the iPhone 7 is expected to feature a new design, maybe Apple will make a smaller version of this new design and position it at the low end where the SE currently sits. That's what I think Apple will do. The article What Happens to Apple, Inc.'s iPhone SE Next Year? originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. There are seven U.S. states with no income tax whatsoever and two more that don't tax wage income. If you live in any of the other 41 states or D.C., your state has an income tax. Here's a quick guide to the tax-free states, and the answer to whether having to pay an income tax is really as beneficial as it might seem. Seven U.S. states have no income tax There are seven U.S. states that have no state income tax whatsoever: Image source: Getty Images. 1. Alaska-- One of the few states with no state income tax or sales tax, Alaska residents actually get paid an annual "dividend" to live there, as a result of the state's natural resource revenue. 2. Florida --Much of Florida's government is funded by sales taxes, which are fueled by the state's tourism industry. Plus, property taxes in Florida are higher than the national average. 3. Nevada -- Nevada's revenue comes from two main sources: sales taxes and gaming-related taxes. 4. South Dakota -- Unlike many of the other states without income taxes, South Dakota's sales tax rate is quite low, at just 4%. The state does have other revenue sources, such as excise taxes and video lottery revenue. 5. Texas -- In addition to sales taxes, Texas collects its revenue from royalties on its oil and gas production, as well as from relatively high property taxes. 6. Washington -- Instead of an income tax, Washington relies on its above-average sales tax and its gasoline tax, which is among the highest in the U.S. 7. Wyoming -- The state's revenue comes from its coal mining revenue as well as other sources, such as hunting licenses, which bring in an average of $59 for every resident. Two more states are pretty close In addition to the seven states mentioned above, Tennessee and New Hampshire are nearly tax-free. Specifically, while they don't tax earned income, there is a tax on interest income and dividends. So, if you live in one of these two states and only get income from a paycheck (not from investments), you don't have to worry about paying a state income tax. In fact, Tennessee is set to become the eighth tax-free state in 2022, as its 6% tax rate on interest and dividend income is being reduced by 1% per year, beginning in 2016. So, unless your state is one of the nine mentioned here, the answer to the original question is "Yes, your state has an income tax." Is living in an income tax-free stare really such a good thing? However, before you pack your bags, it's important to think about whether living in a tax-free state will actually be a financial benefit to you or not. As I briefly mentioned along with some of the tax-free states, there are several other ways states can bring in revenue, aside from assessing an income tax. Personally, I lived in a tax-free state for several years (Florida) and a quick calculation shows that I easily paid more in taxes than I do now in South Carolina, where there is a state income tax. Property taxes alone more than made up the savings I got from not having to pay state income tax. The same may be true for you, especially if you're not in the higher income brackets. Income tax systems, for the most part, have tax brackets that make them progressive taxation systems. In other words, people who earn more pay more, while lower earners pay less as a percentage of their income. On the other hand, state sales tax systems, gasoline taxes, property taxes, and other sources of revenue usually charge one rate to all taxpayers, making them less beneficial to lower earners. So, if your state substitutes higher flat taxes like these for an income tax, it can end up costing you more than an income tax would. For example, in South Carolina, the lowest state income tax bracket has a rate of just 3%. Meanwhile, the state's 6% sales tax rate is assessed without regard to income. Even worse, consumption-based taxes can actually be regressive, meaning that lower earners end up paying a higher tax rate. This is because lower-income individuals tend to spend more on purchases, as a percentage of income, than higher earners. In fact, a recent Bankrate analysis determined that four of the five most regressive tax systems in the country are found in states with no state income tax -- Washington, Florida, South Dakota, and Texas. Because of this, living in a state without an income tax is generally beneficial if you're a high-income household and not such a great thing if you're toward the lower end of the income spectrum. The bottom line is that state income taxes are just one piece of the taxation puzzle, so be sure to evaluate how all of a state's tax rates affect you, not just how much you're paying in income tax. The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. What Disaster Aid Is Available for Small Businesses? When disaster strikes, small businesses are hard hit, and the federal government recognizes this. In a Senate committee meeting this week, a Federal Emergency Management Agency representative emphasized the importance of focusing on small business rehabilitation for the sake of employment in recovering communities. The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee also discussed implementation of a law passed in November to specifically assist business owners who need to rebuild, reports USA Today. The Recovery Improvements for Small Entities after Disaster Act, commonly called RISE, is designed with you in mind. Let's look at what it offers. Capital to RISE After a disaster, it is particularly hard for small businesses to quickly access capital that will allow them to rebuild and rise above. RISE was created to address this, for example when business owners cannot promptly get money from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The RISE Act provides long-term loans to small businesses that don't receive the SBA funds needed and has hiring requirements for federal agencies to put local contractors to work on disaster recovery. It also allows small businesses to apply to use certain government properties. Federal officials are still publishing rules for the RISE Act, which passed late last year. They said at the meeting that they are working on automating and streamlining the loan application process under the new law, and to raise limits on the amount of capital lent on unsecured loans. Funds from RISE have been used to help business owners who are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 reportedly. In March, President Obama declared disaster areas throughout Lousiana and Mississippi to allow the locales to receive emergency federal funding for recovery. Interested in Assistance? The RISE Act was drafted by Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, who explained the impetus. "Small businesses, in particular, are often among those hit the hardest and experience long-lasting effects when a disaster occurs," Vitter said. "Small businesses need extra help to get back on their feet as quickly as possible, and we need to make sure that they are receiving the help they need." If you are interested in learning more about how to apply for a loan from the Small Business Administration, through the RISE Act, or via any other entity, get help from a lawyer. An attorney can advise you about financing options, whether you're in a disaster situation or just trying to avoid one. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Google+. Related Resources: Ford's Chinese joint-venture company Jiangling Motors began building the truck-based Ford Everest SUV last year.The Everest is a midsize SUV that is well regarded for itsoff-road abilities. SUV sales have helped drive Ford's growth in China this year. Image source: Ford Motor Company. Ford Motor Company said that its sales in China rose 5% in March, giving the Blue Oval a 14% first-quarter gain in the world's largest new-vehicle market. What Ford said: Ford has two joint ventures in China. The first, Changan Ford Automobile (CAF), builds and sells passenger cars and SUVs, most of them familiar products from Ford's global portfolio. It's doing well: CAF's sales were up 12% in March, and rose 23% in the first quarter versus the year-ago period, to 244,411 vehicles sold. Ford said in a statement that its SUVs "continue to be in high demand with Chinese customers." Combined sales of Ford's SUV portfolio, which in China includes the Ecosport, Kuga (twin to the Escape), Edge, Explorer, and Everest, were up 38% in the first quarter versus a year ago, to 79,964 vehicles. Performance cars are also doing well for Ford in China. Sales of the Mustang jumped 75% in the first quarter, while sales of the popular imported-from-America Focus ST rose 23% over the same period. Ford's other Chinese joint venture, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), builds and sells trucks and commercial vehicles, including some of Ford's Transit vans, the midsize Ranger pickup, and that Ranger-based Everest SUV. It's doing less well: Like most of its rivals in China, JMC's sales are suffering as China's construction boom fades. JMC's sales were down 11% in the first quarter, to 60,306 vehicles. Sales were down 8% in March. In addition to its joint ventures, which build Ford's vehicles locally in China, Ford also imports a number of products that it sells via its own operations. Those include the Lincoln-brand vehicles sold via a growing network of dealers in China. Lincoln's sales totals in China are still small, with just 5,484 vehicles sold in the first quarter. But growth is very good: That's a threefold increase from a year ago. Lincoln now has 37 dealers in China. "We are pleased with the continued growth and positive customer response our products continue to receive in China," said John Lawler, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China, in a statement released on Thursday. "We remain committed to offering a great portfolio of vehicles and providing world class service to our valued customers." What it means for Ford and its investors: Despite concerns about the slowing Chinese economy, Ford managed to find good growth in China during the first quarter. That bodes well for first-quarter profits from the joint ventures, which Ford records as equity income. SUVs appear to have had a lot to do with that sales gain: Like their counterparts in the U.S. and Europe, Chinese car shoppers are increasingly choosing car-based "crossover" SUVs over traditional sedans. That favors Ford, with its deep portfolio of well-regarded crossovers. Ford's sales in China are still well behind those of old Detroit rival General Motors , which had already built a big Chinese operation by the time Ford began its aggressive China expansion in 2012. Ford put nearly $5 billion into that effort, and it's now paying off: Ford now has a large, profitable, and growing business in China, and its balanced and up-to-date product portfolio should continue to deliver gains as the year goes on. The article Ford's SUVs Help Drive Growth as China's Economy Slows originally appeared on Fool.com. John Rosevear owns shares of Ford and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ford. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. In late 2012,Exelixis, joined the extremely limited group of companies to successfully launch an internally discovered cancer therapy in the U.S. on its own.The company has done a fine job of marketing cabozantinib (commercially known as Cometriq) to America's extremely limited advanced medullary thyroid cancer population. Unfortunately, plans to expand the therapy beyond this indication have so far failed, and the company has been losing money since its launch. To be fair, Exelixis has had some awful luck. A phase 3 flop in prostate cancer set it back nearly a year and a half ago.It also began a phase 3 trial in advanced liver cancer in 2013, but the study isn't going anywhere fast. If there were a highly significant survival benefit, we probably would have heard about it by now. Since 2011, the diluted share count has grown 60% to over 209 million, and its debts have risen to more than 10 times annual revenue.Although there's still hope for Exelixis, it's an extremely risky stock with a rapidly diminishing potential reward. If you'll let me walk you through some figures, I can show you whyGilead Sciences ,Abiomed , and former Exelixis partner Bristol-Myers Squibb are better buys. Bristol-Myers Squibb: five in one, or one in four?Exelixis' ability to commercialize cabozantinib in the U.S., Canada, and Japan on its own, and then strike a deal with Ipsenfor commercialization outside these territories, is commendable. Still, I think you'd be better off with Bristol-Myers. Interestingly, Bristol-Myers and Exelixis inked a collaboration deal in 2008 -- which Bristol backed out of just two years later. If I had to guess, I'd say Bristol's cancer-fighting Opdivo was beginning to show promise around the time Bristol ended its affair with Exelixis. Whether or not that was the case, Opdivo's regulatory success is off the charts. Image source: Bristol-Myers Squibb. The immuno-oncology superstar won its first FDA approval in December 2014 and within a year expanded that label four times. That's five approvals in less than one year -- plus Opdivo scored its sixth as a combination with Yervoy for treatment of advanced melanoma this past January. Exelixis, on the other hand, has been pushing its oncology candidate along at a far slower pace. It's been nearly four and a half years since cabozantinib won its first and only approval. The good news is that the FDA allowed Exelixis to submit data for advanced kidney cancer as it accumulated last fall.The company completed the application just in time for Christmas last year,and in January the agency granted it a priority review. That hardly a guarantee, but an approval for advanced kidney cancer seems likely to increase cabozantinib's addressable U.S. population by roughly 17,000 patients per year. The company expects a decision this June. Unfortunately for Exelixis, Bristol's application to expand Opdivo to the same population was approved last November, just one week after Bristol announced the FDA had accepted it.If Exelixis had the resources to run its phase 3 advanced kidney cancer earlier, it may have had a chance to gain a toehold in the indication. But by the time Cometriq is available for these patients, Opdivo will be relatively entrenched. I'll be surprised if the expansion will be enough to push Exelixis into profitability, if it's even approved in the first place. Opdivo isn't the only reason I think Bristol-Myers is a better buy than Exelixis, but this situation highlights the disadvantages of developing oncology therapies with limited resources. Gilead Sciences: an antiviral juggernautIf the tale of Bristol-Myers, Exelixis, Cometriq, and Opdivo has left you weary of oncology, allow me to suggest an antiviral champion: Gilead Sciences. Recent patent disputes withMerckover the main ingredient in its hepatitis C virus franchise, sofosbuvir, haven't helped the shares recover following the latest biotech meltdown, but the damages appear minor. Also overblown is the extent to which Merck's recently approved hepatitis C antiviral Zepatier will hinder Gilead's growth in the years ahead. While another market entrant will affect Gilead's pricing power somewhat, sofosbuvir-containing combination drug Harvoni is still a favorite among physicians because of its superior efficacy and safety profile. Also, the extent to which U.S. insurers have been denying infected patients access to the hepatitis C antivirals is justcoming to light, which means there will be plenty of demand for years to come. Granted, Gilead's free-cash-flow growth of the past couple of years will probably level off. Even so, one important thing to bear in mind is that at recent prices, Gilead's earnings yield -- earnings per share divided by the stock price -- of nearly 13% is higher than the average return of 10% on the S&P 500. Gilead isn't using this cash to bloat up with acquisitions. Instead, it's returning it to shareholders with enormous share repurchases and dividend payments. Admittedly, a yield of about 1.8% at recent prices isn't the juiciest on the market, but $12 billion in share repurchases approved when the stock hit its low point in early February, added to the $15 billion approved last January, will make raising that distribution much easier in the years ahead. Abiomed: if you want to keep it smallIf Bristol and Gilead don't appeal to you because of their size, than perhaps you might be interested in Abiomed. With a market cap of $4 billion, it's much larger than Exelixis, but still small enough to provide the excitement some small-cap healthcare stock investors enjoy. The three months ended Dec. 31 were its best quarter yet in terms of devices delivered and sales. Results are looking so good that Abiomed raised revenue guidance for fiscal 2016 (which ended March 31) to $326 million from a previous range that topped out at $315 million. Image source: Abiomed, This medical-device maker is successfully commercializing the tiniest heart pumps in the world. The Impella 2.5 is a 3mm catheter with an inlet valve that stays in the left ventricle, and a 4mm diameter pump that pumps 2.5 liters per minute into the aorta. There's a 5.0 version that pumps up to 5 liters per minute, and two more nuanced devices that recently earned premarket approvals from the FDA in March. Last year's banner year was largely due to a premarket approval for use of the Impella 2.5 in patients undergoinghigh-risk percutaneous implant procedures. The approvals bestowed in March expand the use of four of its pumps for use inemergency patients suffering reduced blood flow following a heart attack or cardiac surgery.The stock's price of nearly 33 times trailing earnings is awfully high, but following these four approvals, it just might be worth it. Granted, a string of successes could cause Exelixis stock to outperform all these companies. If you share my aversion to risk however, these three options are far better buys. The article Ignore Exelixis, Inc.: Here Are 3 Better Stocks originally appeared on Fool.com. Cory Renauer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool recommends Exelixis. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. SOURCE: AMAZON.com. For a company that went two decades with minuscule profit margins, Amazon.com has enjoyed a streak of profitability that's been a welcome relief for longtime stockholders. The driving force behind Amazon's profit over the past year is Amazon Web Services, the company's cloud computing division. Last year, it brought in $7.9 billion in revenue at an operating margin of 24%. Amazon's retail operations produced an operating margin of less than 3% by comparison. While investors have cheered the profits driven by AWS, competitors Microsoft and Google, the Alphabet subsidiary, are aggressively going after the market. Google recently announced a slew of new customers, including Spotify, Disney, and Home Depot, while reports indicate that Apple recently came on board as well. With high-profile (and high-revenue) customers heading toward the competition, does Amazon need to consider the weird idea that AWS profits may be too high? Another price warWhile it's not explicitly clear how Google is attracting such big customers, the likeliest case is that it's simply undercutting Amazon's pricing. This is a tactic both Google and Microsoft have taken before to attract new customers. In late 2013, all three cloud companies started slashing prices considerably. Google committed to pricing that follows Moore's Law, implying the cost will be cut 20% to 30% every year. From October 2013 to June 2014, Amazon cut prices 36%, according to RBC's Mark Mahaney. Google cut its prices 35%, and Microsoft trimmed 24% off its prices in the same period. As a result of the price cuts, Amazon's AWS operating profit actually fell year over year in 2014. It certainly bounced back in 2015, nearly tripling year over year, but another price war could be just as costly for Amazon. Analysts expect Amazon's profits to continue expanding this year and next. Analysts' consensus for Amazon's EPS come to $4.69 for 2016 and $8.64 in 2017, up from $1.25 last year. Considering most of Amazon's profits are driven by AWS, a drop in operating income like in 2014 would be devastating for Amazon's stock price. And Google and Microsoft are seriousGoogle recently announced plans to add 12 new regions in the next 18 months to its Cloud Platform to provide it the global scale to take on Amazon and Microsoft. It's starting with covering the Western U.S. with a data center in Oregon and East Asia with a data center in Japan. The move will quadruple its existing reach and bring it in line with Amazon, which currently operates 12 regions, with a further five planned. Google's head of cloud computing, Diane Greene, is also hiring across the board in an effort to work more closely with its enterprise customers. She wants to make sure their needs are met, whereas before it was focused on building advanced cloud system. It eschewed basic services like compatibility, compliance, and security, which are of the highest importance for enterprise customers, and a reason Amazon's more basic services drew more customers. Microsoft, meanwhile, just announced that Azure, its cloud platform, is drawing in 120,000 new customers every month, accelerating from 100,000 at this time last year. It also released an Internet of Things platform, which has seen strong adoption, processing over 2 trillion messages every week. Should Amazon investors be scared?While Google and Microsoft have gotten more aggressive with their products and pricing lately, Amazon has maintained a sizable lead over the competition. While Google has made some high-profile announcements, Amazon hasn't lost any major business because of it. With the market for cloud platform and infrastructure expected to grow 35%, according to Gartner, Amazon can afford to cut prices a certain degree to stem any losses to Google or Microsoft. So, while the announcements indicate the competition is heating up, Amazon is still in the catbird seat. The article Is Amazon's AWS Too Profitable? originally appeared on Fool.com. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Levy owns shares of Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, Apple, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Home Depot and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A day after the Obama administration limited the ability of U.S. companies to do international deals to lighten their tax burdens, Pfizer and Allergan terminated their planned $150 billion merger and other companies around the globe raced to assess the impact of the new rules. The new Treasury Department rules -- the third such attempt to rein in a spate of so-called tax-inversion deals -- drew swift condemnation from Allergan Chief Executive Brent Saunders, who criticized them as "un-American" and "capricious." "The rules are focused on the wrong thing: Our government should be focused on making America competitive on a global stage, not building a wall locking companies into an uncompetitive tax situation," Mr. Saunders said in an interview. In an Op-Ed written for The Wall Street Journal appearing in Thursday's newspaper, Pfizer CEO Ian Read wrote that U.S. pharmaceutical companies "compete in a global marketplace at a real disadvantage" to rivals with lower tax burdens. "While the Treasury's proposal is a shot at Pfizer and Allergan, this unilateral action will hurt other companies as well," he wrote. The White House and the Treasury Department pushed back against the criticism. They argued that they were shutting down unfair loopholes that shift the tax burden to everyone else. "We tailored our earnings stripping rules to focus on abusive practices, not genuine investment in our country," said Rachel McCleery, a Treasury spokeswoman. "Businesses that are investing in American workers and infrastructure will not be penalized by these regulations." The rules are aimed at making it more difficult for companies to move their tax addresses out of the U.S. and its 35% corporate tax rate and then shift profits to low-tax companies using a maneuver known as earnings stripping. The action drew howls of protest from corporate boardrooms and conservative critics. Some foreign companies with ordinary U.S. businesses worried they would be swept up by the rules. Nancy McLernon, president of the Organization for International Investment, a nonprofit that represents the U.S. operations of foreign-based companies, said the proposal would put at risk the jobs of 12 million American workers. "This is a misguided approach that could have a freezing effect on attracting global employers and will damage U.S. competitiveness," she said. A spokesman for Swiss food giant Nestle SA delivered a similar message, though he said the draft regulations wouldn't affect Nestle's current investment and employment in the U.S. "As a major investor and employer in the U.S.A., we are concerned that those new regulations intended to curb 'inversions' by U.S. companies could have substantial impact on good-faith foreign-based groups' creation of jobs and investments in the U.S.," the spokesman said. U.S.-based companies with large global operations like General Electric Co. and Honeywell International Inc. don't appear to be affected by the proposed rules. Still, the rules raised concerns among analysts about tougher tax treatment of foreign earnings. Industrial companies with "persistently low tax rates and a low mix of U.S. federal taxes will be viewed as potentially vulnerable to these Treasury proposals," Morgan Stanley analyst Nigel Coe said in a note to investors. GE is among industrial companies at the low end of that range, Morgan Stanley said. GE and Honeywell declined to comment. Merck & Co. Chief Executive Kenneth Frazier said in an interview Wednesday the new Treasury rules will make tax inversions less attractive for companies to pursue. But he predicts "you'll still see iconic American companies moving their headquarters overseas or being acquired by foreign companies" because the Treasury changes don't address the underlying reason that companies pursue inversions: a U.S. tax structure that he says puts American companies at a competitive disadvantage to rivals like Switzerland's Novartis AG that have lower effective tax rates. The U.S. political response to the issue has been fraught. Both parties are distressed by the fact that U.S. companies benefit by having their tax addresses outside the U.S., and lawmakers on both sides agree the U.S. corporate tax code is broken and in desperate need of an overhaul. Neither side expects change any time soon. The Obama administration and congressional Republicans actually agree -- and have for years now -- that the U.S. should cut its corporate-tax rate, make it harder to push profits out of the U.S. and remove the incentives to stockpile profits abroad. The agreement ends there, and there are few signs that the parade of companies attempting to flee the U.S. tax net or the administration's increasingly ambitious regulatory attempts to stop them will prompt Congress to act. Major legislation looks especially unlikely in an election year when both sides think they might get more of what they want in 2017. "The further you drill down, the more difficult it becomes to keep everyone on the same page," said Dorothy Coleman, vice president of domestic economic policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. "People recognize that we have a dysfunctional tax system and something needs to be done about it." While both sides are pushing "tax reform," they don't mean the same thing. President Barack Obama wants to focus on business taxes only, and he would address U.S. companies' foreign income by making them pay a 14% one-time tax on their stockpiled offshore profits and a 19% minimum tax on future foreign profits. The corporate tax rate on U.S. income would drop to 28%. Under his approach, tax changes would neither be a net tax cut nor a tax increase. Republicans want to address individual and business taxes together, because the two systems are so closely linked. They want lighter taxes on U.S. companies' foreign income. Rep. Kevin Brady (R., Texas), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has said he'd like to take the corporate tax rate below 20%. "This is a competitive disadvantage that we have" compared with other major countries, said Sen. David Perdue (R., Ga.), a former chief executive of Reebok and Dollar General Corp. "These aren't companies that are led by mean, greedy CEOs. These are people making good decisions based on our current tax law." Republicans are also much more open to cutting taxes on net. The presidential candidates have proposed steep tax cuts that would amount to trillions of dollars over a decade. In 2014, Republicans cast aside a revenue-neutral plan released by then-Rep. Dave Camp (R., Mich.), in part because of the politically difficult trade-offs that crop up when some taxpayers pay more and others pay less. "Policy makers could reach complete unanimity on how to deal with inversions," said Warren Payne, who was policy director for Mr. Camp and now advises companies at Mayer Brown LLP. "But there are other international tax issues that they need to agree on, plus they have to agree on a host of other issues." Perhaps U.S. lawmakers should just stop trying for "tax reform," the idea that the system can be fixed in one fell swoop in a repeat of the bipartisan magic of 1986, said Jared Bernstein, a former economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden. Instead, he said, Congress should try to identify discrete problems, such as inversions, and solve them one at a time. "Tax reform is an elusive muddled concept that yields nothing but animosity and confusion at this point," Mr. Bernstein said. "Stop chasing the tax reform unicorn, which leads nowhere." --Saabira Chaudhuri, Ted Mann and Peter Loftus contributed to this article. Write to Richard Rubin at richard.rubin@wsj.com and Jonathan D. Rockoff at Jonathan.Rockoff@wsj.com Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders took a swipe at Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, a day after winning Wisconsin's nominating contest. Sanders of Vermont easily defeated front-runner Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin, adding to Clinton's frustration that she has not been able to put away her rival and march to the Democratic presidential nomination. "Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous," Sanders said during his campaign rally in Pennsylvania. "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, if she is through her Super Pac taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest funds," he said. "I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement," he added. Bernie Sanders, a Brooklyn-born U.S. senator representing Vermont, is trying to stage a come-from-behind upset of Hillary Clinton, but will struggle to overcome a large deficit in delegates. Sanders' big win in Wisconsin, which brought his victory tally to seven out of the last eight contests including Democrats abroad, added to Clinton's frustration over her inability to knock out a rival who has attacked her from the left. That frustration was on full display on Wednesday when the former secretary of state gave two live televised interviews in which she criticized Sanders. In contrast to a Republican primary season that has been rife with personal insults, the Democrats have largely avoided personal attacks and stuck to policy arguments. But Clinton attacked Sanders for his position on guns and said he lacked a depth of policy understanding. She criticized him for an interview to New York's Daily News in which he failed to offer specifics on how he would break up large banks - a key part of his campaign message - when he was asked how he would put to use the existing financial regulation Dodd-Frank law. But despite winning six of the last seven states, Sanders still faces a difficult task to overtake Clinton as the presidential nominating race moves to Wyoming on Saturday before New York on April 19 and to five other Eastern states on April 26. Still, his victory was another sign that a sizeable group of Democrats are not sold on the viability of Clinton's candidacy. Stinging from a loss to rival Ted Cruz in the Wisconsin Republican primary, Donald Trump held a rally in New York on Wednesday, telling his supporters that Cruz has shown "hatred for New York", as Trump seeks to shore up support in his home state. The billionaire real estate tycoon was introduced by his daughter Ivanka, who joined her father on the campaign trail despite having given birth to a son just eight days before. "So I have a one week old son named Theodore who is at home tonight, and I will tell you it was not easy to leave him for so much as a minute to be here. But it was incredibly important to me that I did. Because I believe that the importance of this election and setting our country on the right path for the current and future [partially inaudible] generations is more important now than ever," she said. Cruz's Wisconsin emphatic win in Wisconsin has dealt momentum to his once long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July, by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination. Trump hopes to regain the upper hand with a win in delegate-rich New York on April 19th. Speaking to thousands of supporters in the town Bethpage, Trump hammered Cruz for comments the Texas Senator made during a televised debate in January. "Do you remember during the debate when he started lecturing me on 'New York values', like we're no good. Like we're no good. And I started talking to him about the World Trade Center, the bravery, the incredible bravery of everybody, our police, our firemen, our everybody," said Trump. "The bravery that was shown was incredible, we all lived through it, we all know people that died. And I've got this guy standing over there looking at me talking about New York values with scorn on his face, with hatred, with hatred of New York. So folks I think you can forget about him," he continued. The crowd broke out in a spontaneous chant of "Lying Ted!" repeated the derogatory nickname Trump has given to his closest rival. A Monmouth University poll of New York Republicans released on Monday showed Trump with 52 percent of the state's support, a huge lead over Kasich at 25 percent, and Cruz at 17 percent. Trump has 743 delegates, Cruz 517, and Kasich 143, according to an Associated Press count. Trump would need to win about 55 percent of the remaining delegates to reach the 1,237 threshold. Courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons. Owning shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has been as much fun as banging your head against a brick wall during the past year. The company faces a virtual black hole of problems: massive debt, a crumbling business model,and no less than three ongoing federal probes of its pricing practices and accounting. A few weeks ago, the already-depressed shares took a huge one-day tumble. After the company finally reported its overdue Q4 results and slashed all of its 2016 financial forecasts, they fell an agonizing 50 percent. But there's been a big shake-up at Valeant recently, with former CEO Michael Pearson on his way out. And at least onefamousinvestor is betting big on a turnaround -- Bill Ackman. The hedge-fund managernow sits on Valeant's board andcontinues to champion the stock, despite how much Valeanthas hurt his fund, Pershing Square Holdings. Pershing's investors werethrashed last year with a negative 20.5% return, net of fees. Much of that loss was due to ahugeposition in Valeant. (According to the latest 13Dfiling, Pershing owns 34 million shares, or more than 9% of the specialty pharma.) What's ahead for this specialty pharmalong term? Is it more likely to continue to fall apart, or doa U-turn?Our contributors duke it out below. Sean Williams: It's really difficult to project where Valeant Pharmaceuticals will be in 10 years when the best minds on Wall Street don't have the remotest clue where it'll be the next 10 days, but I'll give it a shot because I've closely followed its ascent and subsequent implosion. My suspicion is that if Valeant manages to survive the next decade,it's going to be struggling mightily. The company's biggest issue is its $30.9 billion debt load. Valeant isn't a drug developer in the traditional sense. It acquires drugs in areas that often have minimal competition, then boosts the price on those drugs following a relaunch. It may not sound like the most ethical tactic, but it's been quite profitable for Valeant. The problem is that, in order to buy new products and companies, it's had to dip deep into its debt coffers. Without the ability to use debt and issue stock, Valeant's M&A growth strategy slows to a crawl, or halts completely. With its share price down more than 85% from its August peak, and its lenders prepared to offer tough collection terms if Valeant fails to file its annual report in a timely manner, the company's primary business model is in serious jeopardy. The other issue here is that prescription drug reform may not get swept under the rug this time. Even if sweeping industry reforms aren't passed, lawmakers appear to have taken exception with Valeant's pricing practices. It's always possible Valeant could be cleared by U.S. lawmakers, and may continue to grow its business by acquisitions. But I see lawmakers targeting price increases on acquired therapeutics without any formulation or manufacturing change as a strong possibility. However you slice the bread, things don't look good for Valeant, even over the long run. Brian Feroldi:There's no doubt thatValeant Pharmaceuticals is a complete mess right now, so predicting this company's long-term future is a complete stab in the dark, at best. Between the leadership challenges, accounting issues, and its massive debt load, the company is skating on thin ice right now, and anything could happen. However, while it's impossible to know what the next headline will be about Valeant, I think it's important for investors to remember that this company's acquisition strategy did bring some terrific products into the company's portfolio that have real value in the marketplace. Those products will likely keep producing revenue and profits no matter what is happening at the headquarters. As an example, in 2013, Valeant shelled out $8.7 billion to acquire Bausch & Lomb, one of the biggest and most-respected brand names in eye care. At the time of the acquisition, Bausch & Lomb had worldwide revenue of approximately $3.3 billion, and the company was highly profitable, so even if Valeant Pharmaceuticals went belly up from its huge debt pile, there would still be value in the company's pipeline. Personally, I'm of the belief that Valeant is such a mess right now that it will likely have to sell off some of its assets in order to satisfy its bond holders. Also, because the name Valeant has been cast in such a negative light, I'd bet that the company will likely have to rebrand itself down the road. If my predictions come true, then 10 years from now, the company will look completely differently than it does today. Still, even though this company has products that hold real value, I personally have no interest in buying shares, even at today's seemingly "low" price. There's simply too much uncertainty in the air for me to feel like my money would be in good hands. While I'll readily admit that Valeant has real assets that could make today's price look screamingly cheap, I'm content to keep far away from this train wreck. Cheryl Swanson:As I see it,the key risk to Valeant right now is thatinvestors coulddecide this company is headed for imminent defaultandabandon it,further crashing itsstock. Good news emerged on that front recently, however,withValeantmovinga step closer to getting a default waived by sweetening its offer to debt holders.Valeant alsoannouncedthat an internalinquiry into its deal with specialty pharma Philidor had closed, andno additional items were identified to require another restatement.(The committee had previously discovered thatValeant had incorrectly reported $58 million in sales in 2014.) While there's no way of tellingwhat will happen to this companyover the next decade,Valeantandits creditors stand to gain more from this company remaining a solvent entity.And Valeantstill owns real products and real customers -- so there is at least a pathwayto becominga stable companyagain.Amongthose assets arevaluable dermatology and gastrointestinal drugs, as well as aprized eye-care business that at least one health-care analyst (Eric Axon from CreditSights) believesis worth in the neighborhood of $20 billion. Personally, I think that $20 billion is a pipe dream. Butthat doesn't mean Valeant can't claw its way out of the dark hole it is in.The company has settled its civil lawsuit with Philidor, it is shedding disgraced executives, and it has signed a 20-year distribution deal with Walgreens. I wouldn't buy Valeant'sstock in its current crisis,because I expect further huge volatility, and Ilike to sleep at night.But once it completely cleans house and finds a new CEO,that will at leastgo a long way toward getting itheaded towarda better future. The article Where Will Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Be in 10 years? originally appeared on Fool.com. Brian Feroldi has no position in any stocks mentioned. Cheryl Swanson has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sean Williams has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Ionis Pharmaceuticals. What: Ionis Pharmaceuticals was down as much as 13% today, although it's pulled back a bit in midday trading after announcing that the Food and Drug Administration put a clinical hold on a clinical trial, dubbed CARDIO-TTR, being run by its partner, GlaxoSmithKline . So what: Clinical holds are usually really bad news because the FDA usually issues them when it's worried about the safety of a drug. In this case, though, the phase 3 clinical trial testing IONIS-TTRRX in patients with transthyretin (TTR) amyloid cardiomyopathy hadn't started yet, so the clinical hold appears to just be precautionary while the FDA waits for GlaxoSmithKline to answer its questions. Ionis is currently running another phase 3 trial, NEURO-TTR, testing the drug in patients with a related disease, TTR familial amyloidpolyneuropathy, which affects the nervous system rather than the heart. The FDA hasn't put that trial on a hold, so the issue appears to be disease specific -- patients with the cardiomyopathy version are sicker than those with the polyneuropathy version. Now what: Worst-case scenario, the FDA won't let Ionis and GlaxoSmithKline test IONIS-TTRRX for the cardiomyopathy version. Best-case scenario, the FDA just wants more monitoring of patients, and GlaxoSmithKline only needs to adjust the clinical trial protocol to convince the FDA that patients will be well monitored in case issues arise. It may be a few months before investors know whether IONIS-TTRRX is alive or dead as a treatment for TTR amyloid cardiomyopathy. Unfortunately, the delay allows the duo's competitor, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals,to get further ahead with its already-started phase 3 clinical trial testing revusiranin TTR amyloid cardiomyopathy -- that one is scheduled to read out in early 2019. The article Why Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc Couldn't Hold Its Price Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. To sleep, perchance to dream and to keep your brain working: Scientists have long known about the importance of getting a good night's sleep to improve memory, learning and mental health. But the underlying cause of primary insomnia a chronic inability to sleep soundly that's not associated with the use of stimulants, or medical disorders such as depression has eluded researchers. Now, a small study comparing healthy participants to patients who have primary insomnia has found that the people with insomnia have weakened neural connections to and from the thalamus, the region of the brain that regulates consciousness, sleep and alertness. The researchers could not determine whether these weaker connections were the cause of the insomnia or the result of a chronic lack of sleep. But the work may offer important clues to the origin and treatment of the sleeping disorder, according to experts in the field who were not associated with the study. The results of the study were published online today (April 5) in the journal Radiology. [7 Strange Facts About Insomnia] More than one-quarter of the U.S. population reports an occasional inability to sleep well, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This type of insomnia can be caused by a host of factors interfering with sleep, such as drug use, stress, pain, allergies, Parkinson's disease and depression. But about 3 to 5 percent of adults have primary insomnia, according to a 2002 study by researchers at Stanford University. The diagnosis is based largely on ruling out known causes for the insomnia. Treatments include behavioral therapy, such as relaxation techniques. Doctors sometimes prescribe sedatives, but such drugs can become addictive or lose their effectiveness over time. In the new study, researchers in China examined 23 patients with primary insomnia and 30 healthy volunteers. All of the participants completed standardized questionnaires concerning their mental health and sleeping patterns. Each participant also underwent brain MRI with a specialized technique called diffusion tensor imaging, a sensitive tool that can probe deeper than the basic brain structure revealed by MRI to see how well neurons are connecting. The researchers' goal was to assess the connectivity of the brain's white matter tracts, which are "bundles of axons, or long fibers of nerve cells, that connect one part of the brain to another," said Shumei Li, a researcher at Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital in Guangzhou, China, and the lead author of the study. "If white matter tracts are impaired, communication between brain regions is disrupted." And that is what the researchers may have found among the patients with primary insomnia. Compared to the healthy participants, the insomnia patients had significantly less white matter integrity in several right-brain regions and the thalamus, which houses "important constituents of the body's biological clock," Li said. The extent of these abnormalities in the thalamus and connected regions was associated with the duration of the patients' insomnia and their self-rated scores on the depression scale, Li said. The worse the neural connections, the worse the sleep and depression. Dr. Max Wintermark, a professor of radiology at Stanford School of Medicine in Stanford, California, who was not part of the study, said the research was important for understanding the cause of primary insomnia but that "it must be taken with a grain of salt." The MRI-based diffusion tensor imaging technique can be affected by numerous factors, such as the age of the patient and the type of MRI machine, Wintermark told Live Science. "We don't fully understand normal variation in the scanning," he said, adding that the technique is still only used as a research tool, not for diagnostics in the clinic. Wintermark said he would be interested in seeing a larger study based on these results, particularly to see whether the white matter tracts improve with treatment for insomnia. Li said that one of the limitations of her team's study was that it was too small to determine cause and effect or whether abnormalities in white matter tracts can be reversed. She, too, would like to follow a larger group of patients before and after treatment to see if the white matter tracts improve as the insomnia improves, she said. [5 Things You Must Know About Sleep] Li sees her group's work overseen by Dr. Guihua Jiang, a researcher at the same hospital as promising but in the early stages. The study results hint that the underlying cause of white matter abnormalities may be a loss of myelin, the protective coating around nerve fibers. "The mechanism underlying insomnia [and] sleep is quite complicated," Li told Live Science. "The exact neural circuit of sleep control still needs to be further investigated by other techniques in terms of function and neurophysiology." Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Before being diagnosed with a rare muscle cancer, 6-year-old Madison Pruitt dreamed of one day becoming a Chicago police officer. But as her cancer took a turn for the worse, Pruitts hospice worker reached out to District 6 officers to see if they could make her dream come true, Fox 32 Chicago reported. Shes been in our program for just a few weeks but shes declining, so we wanted to set this up for her, Lindsay Wooster, Pruitt's hospice worker, told Fox 32 Chicago. Pruitt wasnt feeling well enough to make roll call Wednesday, so 75 of District 6s officers marched to her house to complete the surprise. Today, Im going to make your dream and make you a Chicago police officer, interim police superintendent Eddie Johnson told Pruitt. Pruitt said she always wanted to be a police officer because without them, you cant do anything to protect each other. If something bad happens, without police officers you cant do nothing about it, she told Fox 32 Chicago. Her family isnt sure how much longer she has left to live, but hope that she lives her last days pain free. Prison Sentence for Ex-Massey CEO in Mine Safety Case In an unexpected, if not unprecedented, criminal trial, the former CEO of Massey Energy Company Don Blankenship was sentenced to a year in prison on conspiracy charges for violating federal mine safety laws. As Senator Joe Manchin III, who was the governor of West Virginia when an explosion in a Massey Energy-owned Upper Big Branch mine killed 29 miners in 2010, told The New York Times, "I never heard of anyone thinking that that could happen or would happen, because it had never happened before." Enemy Mine The mine explosion created a litany of litigation, including a $210 million settlement, the largest ever following an American mine disaster. Massey's mine safety track record and involvement in the explosion were horrendous: Massey was cited for 600 mine safety violations in less than a year and a half, 50 of which charged the company with "unwarrantable failure" to comply with safety standards; Employees told investigators the company had a system for alerting them when safety inspectors arrived at the mine and even used miners to cover up safety violations; and Massey kept a second set of external set books just for safety officials, completely fabricating mine safety records. Day-to-Day Violations Even with Massey's transgressions, criminal charges (let alone convictions) against corporate executives are exceedingly rare. Or, at least, they have been. Shortly after Blankenship's conviction, the Department of Justice released a memo detailing plans to increase criminal prosecutions for worker safety violations. As for Blankenship, his attorneys are appealing his sentence, which includes a year behind bars, a $250,000 fine, and a year of supervised release. It's unclear, however, how much precedent his case will carry. As University of Michigan law professor David M. Uhlmann told the Times, "there are not likely to be a lot of cases where senior executives were involved to the degree that Don Blankenship was in the day-to-day running of the company." Many of the families of deceased miners filed wrongful death lawsuit against Massey energy. If you've been injured in an accident, you may want to consult an experienced personal injury attorney regarding your own lawsuit. Related Resources: While Republicans running for president immerse themselves in primary and caucus battles (and plan for a possible contested convention), its worth considering well in advance how they should do battle with the eventual Democratic nominee. Politics resembles business, sports, betting and board games in that winning requires not just making the right moves in real time but also anticipating the right moves for the times ahead. In politics, victory requires you to define your adversarys vulnerabilities long before their negative definitions of you solidify into concrete that traps you, as Barack Obamas demonization of Mitt Romney trapped Romney in 2012, months before Romneys nomination. Republicans must intensify their case against Hillary Clinton now, before both parties national conventions in July. They cant be outmaneuvered by Clintons pouring of concrete on them! The vulnerabilities of Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and determined underdog Bernie Sanders are apparent from public opinion polls. But Clinton is the higher priority focus. In a fairly recent Gallup poll, voters described Clinton, as a liar (voters say she is dishonest, they dont trust her and she has poor character). Voters identify Sanders as a socialist. But lets get real. The liar will defeat the socialist (Clinton triumphs by telling lies and selling lies). Even if the FBI uncovers strong evidence that Clinton committed criminal offenses with her personal email system, how likely is it that Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Justice Departmentcontrolled by Obamawill pursue those criminal charges? So, lets go with the conventional wisdom that Clintons nearly insurmountable delegate lead will make her the Democratic nominee (despite recent impressive primary wins by Sanders). And lets examine where Republicans should call out Clinton for the harm she would do to the everyday Americans she claims to champion. The evidence is in Clintons own misleading statements. According to the website On the Issues, described as non-partisan and non-profit, here are some citations, drawn from newspapers, speeches, press releases, book excerpts, House and Senate voting records, Congressional bill sponsorships, political affiliations and ratings, and campaign websites from the Internet. Here are just some examples: Clinton has insisted that, I am a progressive who gets things done. Really? When asked by ABCs Diane Sawyer what her marquee achievement was, Clinton changed the subject and she fumbled over a similar question during a womens forum in Manhattan last year. I see my role as secretary [of state]in fact leadership in general in a democracyas a relay race. You run the best race you can run, you hand off the baton. Some of what hasnt been finished may go on to be finished, she told [New York Times columnist] Thomas Friedman. Huh? Clintons clumsy attempts to distract from her lack of accomplishments provide Republican presidential candidates with target-rich opportunities to set the record straight. As The Washington Post has reported, even many Clinton supporters have struggled to come up with any significant Clinton achievements. Clinton herself provides little help as she twists herself in knots attempting to defend her defense of ObamaCare. Shes reduced to taking credit as the progenitor of the presidents unpopular health care reform. She told Iowans in a campaign rally in January, It was called HillaryCare before it was called ObamaCare. But as The Hill (online) points out, Clinton has had to tread carefully on ObamaCare throughout her campaign: Democrats support the law but are increasingly willing to acknowledge that it doesn't address the rising out-of-pocket costs. And Republicans looking for a detailed prescription for how to repeal and replace ObamaCare are advised to consult a new book by my friend (and Fox News contributor) Steve Forbes, Reviving America: How Repealing Obamacare, Replacing the Tax Code, and Reforming the Fed will Restore Hope and Prosperity. Clinton has said, What's true in our daily lives is also true at the highest levels of government. Keeping America safe, strong, and prosperous presents an endless set of choices. But the damaging choices Clinton has made include her support of President Obamas increasingly dangerous, disingenuous and deceptive Iran nuclear deal. Her other catastrophic choices as secretary of state range from her lies and failures of judgment about Benghazi and Libya at large to her massive mismanagement of U.S. policies regarding Syria, Russia, ISIS and other slaughterers of innocents, documented in The Huffington Post. Clinton called criticism of her by Republicans as all a political ploy. Well, its not a ploy for Republican presidential candidates to brand Clinton with her own words. As author and Donald Trump supporter Wayne Allyn Root suggested, Do you remember [Clintons] Congressional hearings over the Benghazi disaster? Hillary famously said, What difference does it make? when referring to four dead American heroes. Make her own that brand. What difference does it make should become Hillarys middle name. Make her run on Benghazi, Obamacare and Obamas economy, and Hillary will soon find out what difference it all makes. The Republican plan to defeat Hillary Clinton is as simple as ABC: Always Brand Clintonby quoting her own dishonesty and disinformation. PayPal, the website known for processing online payments, believes grown men have a constitutional right to use the same bathrooms as little girls. So when North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that banned people from using bathrooms not assigned to their birth sex, PayPal became enraged and retaliated. Click here to join Todds American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives! They canceled plans to open a new operations center in Charlotte a facility that wouldve employed more than 400 workers. The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPals mission and culture, CEO Dan Schulman wrote in a memorandum on the companys website. Thats what a corporate bully looks like, folks. Conform to the demands of radical cultural militants or pay the price. It is corporate blackmail, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest told me. But PayPal is not just a big business bully they are also hypocrites. PayPal does business in 25 countries where homosexual behavior is illegal, including five where the penalty is death, NC Rep. Robert Pittenger wrote on Facebook. Yet, they object to the North Carolina legislature overturning a misguided ordinance about letting men into the womens bathroom? Yes, they do, congressman. Perhaps PayPal would like to try and clarify this seemingly very hypocritical position, he suggested. I asked PayPal to explain why they were doing business in countries that slaughter gay people but they did not return my calls or emails. This bill was purely to protect women and children in the bathroom from people who are really bad actors, Forest told me. This had nothing to do with the transgender movement. Nobody has ever said that its the transgender community thats going to be causing those problems. Other bad actors will. In Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Indiana religious liberty bills have come under attack from a number of Fortune 500 companies from Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines to UPS and Marriott Hotels. But the American Family Association says whats shocking is that all of those companies opposing religious liberty in the name of LGBT rights are operating in countries where gays are facing fines and imprisonment. The hypocrisy of the major corporations that threatened a boycott in Georgia or other states in response to Religious Freedom Restoration Acts is astounding, AFA President Tim Wildmon said. Many of these same corporations are doing business in Saudi Arabia a country in which homosexuals are fined, jailed or killed for their lifestyle. Yet where is the action there? The sad truth is that many Fortune 500 companies have turned a blind eye to the horrors inflicted on the LGBT community in Middle Eastern countries. Hollywoods hypocrisy is just as bad. Celebrity websites are filled with stories about stars of stage and screen vacationing in exotic locales like the United Arab Emirates where being gay can be a death sentence. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres recently rebuked Mississippi for protecting the rights of religious people. This is not politics, this is human rights, she told her television audience. Last year, Miss DeGeneres partied the night away at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai a city where gays can be thrown in jail for simply sharing a public kiss. If Miss DeGeneres is so concerned about human rights, why would she spend her money in a nation that would commit such atrocities? Even family-friendly Disney is guilty of hypocrisy on the LGBT issue. Georgia lawmakers recently passed a bill that would protect pastors from performing same-sex weddings. Disney threatened to boycott the state and take their business elsewhere. Gov. Nathan Deal gave in to the bullies and vetoed the legislation. Disney was willing to boycott Georgia for protecting Christian pastors and yet just a few months ago they staged a performance of Beauty & the Beast in Dubai. I asked Disney to explain why they would do business in a country that imprisons gay people but so far they have not returned my phone calls or emails. Theres only one way to stand up to corporate bullies with your pocketbook. Im not the kind of person to tell you what to do with your hard-earned money. But as of today, I will no longer drink Coca-Cola products, nor will I mail packages through UPS. And Im proud to tell you that PayPal is no longer a pal of mine. What if the latest craze among the big-government crowd in both major political parties is to use the power of government to force employers to pay some of their employees more than their services are worth to the employers? What if this represents an intrusion by government into the employer-employee relationship? What if this consists of the government's effectively saying that it knows the financial worth of employees services better than the employers and the employees do? What if the minimum wage, now on the verge of being raised to $15 per hour everywhere in the land, is really the government's using threats of ruin and force to transfer wealth? What if the $15-per-hour figure is based on a political compromise rather than on free market forces or economic realities? What if these wealth transfers will have profound unintended economic consequences and will negatively affect everyone? What if one of the politically intended consequences is that the employees whose salaries will rise will show gratitude not to their employers, who will be paying them more than they earn, by working better but to the politicians who will have forced the employers to pay them more by voting for those politicians? What if the right of an employee to sell labor by going to work and the right of an employer to purchase that labor by paying a salary are part of the natural right to exchange goods and services, which the Constitution was written to protect? What if during Americas most prosperous periods, that right was protected by the courts? What if there are clauses in the Constitution that protect that right but the modern courts have ignored them? What if the Constitution prohibits the government from interfering with freely entered-into contracts but the government does so anyway? What if the courts have approved this? What if the Constitution prohibits the government from taking property from people without charging them with wrongdoing and proving the charge to a jury but the government does so anyway? What if the courts have declined to interfere with all this theft? What if it is none of the governments business how an employer and an employee decide on salary? What if the employer and the employee know far more about the worth of the employees services and the needs of the employer than the politicians in the government do? What if the government has fundamental misunderstandings of the way businesses earn money, create wealth and pay salaries? What if the government's mindset is stuck on the governmental economic model? What if that model has no competition, guaranteed revenue and no creation of wealth? What if that governmental mindset is one of control and central planning rather than appealing to the needs of consumers by providing goods and services better, faster and more cheaply than the competition? What if the government has no need to be better, faster and cheaper because taxpayers are forced to pay it for services they often dont use and the government has no competition? What if forcing employers to pay employees more than their services are worth results in higher prices for the goods and services the employers produce? What if the effect of the minimum wage rise is to transfer wealth not from employers to employees but from consumers to employees? What if the rising prices of goods and services, caused by the forced increase in wages, put some of those goods and services beyond the reach of some folks who rely upon them? What if the folks who can no longer afford some goods and services on which they have come to rely are the very same people whom the politicians have boasted they are helping by the increase in the minimum wage? What if the politicians who have done this do not know what they are talking about? What if they believe they can use minimum wage increases to bribe the poor for votes -- just as they bribe the wealthy with bailouts and the middle class with tax cuts? What if there are other unintended consequences to the governmental imposition of a minimum wage? What if, rather than pay employees more than they are worth, employers stop employing some of them? What if this results in higher unemployment? What if the rise in the minimum wage has the unintended consequence of harming the folks it is supposed to help? What if the poor are better off being gainfully employed and earning less than $15 an hour, with an opportunity for advancement, than not working, earning nothing and relying on welfare? What if that welfare burden adds to already overtaxed state budgets? What if states raise taxes to care for the newly unemployed? What if the newly unemployed lose the self-esteem they once enjoyed when they were gainfully employed? What if all this came about not because of market forces, such as supply and demand, and not because people worked harder and produced more but because of lawless, greedy politicians -- heedless of basic economics -- who think they can write any law, regulate any behavior and tax any event without adverse consequences? What if the politicians who caused this did so just to win the votes of those they promised to help? What if these politicians only helped themselves? What if the minimum wage increase is a fraud? What do we do about it? On Tuesday Pfizer Inc., one of America's iconic pharmaceutical companies, announced that it is dropping it's bid to merge with Dublin-based Allergan. The $150 billion deal was killed apparently by changes in tax laws announced by the Obama administration a few hours before. Pfizer must now pay up to $400 million to Allergan for expenses associated with the cancelled wedding. Shareholders in both companies are the big losers. So are patients hoping for new miracle cures for diseases. Obama wanted to stop the deal because it would have made Pfizer an Irish company. Ireland's corporate tax is 12.5 percent versus a 35 percent rate charged in the USA. Pfizer was only one of the latest major American company that had announced it is packing up and moving to a foreign country because of lower tax rates in India, Mexico, Canada, Ireland, and almost anywhere else on the globe. First it was Burger King, then Medtronics, and then Pfizer, Johnson Controls and on and on. Can Disney and Mickey Mouse be far behind? Many more Fortune 500 companies are planning to leave in the months ahead - and it's questionable whether these new rules will prevent it from happening. Obama complained that these companies are moving to avoid paying their "fair share of the taxes." His new inversion rules will only make America less competitive by effectively preventing companies like Pfizer from ever leaving. This only makes it less likely that technology, manufacturing, drug, and financial services company are formed in America to begin with. If you can't ever leave, you don't come in the first place. Inversions are prima facie evidence that tax rates make a huge difference in a global economy. There was a much simpler and less punitive solution here. Mr. President: why not just cut the U.S. tax rate to make America tax competitive? Shouldn't it be a wake up call when socialist Sweden and France have lower corporate taxes than we do? As one company after another lines up to leave, shouldn't we all be able to agree on the lunacy of the Bernie Sanders plan to raise tax rates to 70 percent or more? It that happened there'd be such a stampede of businesses and capital out of the U.S. that Mexico and Canada would start complaining about all the illegal immigrants coming in from America looking for jobs! Even Hillary Clinton, who wants a 45 percent tax rate, would accelerate the flight of businesses. Our corporate tax rate is almost 40 percent and many countries in the rest of the world are closer to 20 percent. Every year other nations around the world cut their tax rates some more. Japan was the latest tax cutter. Barack Obama's speech Tuesday called for lower tax rates and fewer loopholes. Great idea. He says he wants to get rid of the army of "lawyers and lobbyists" who "exploit loopholes" in the tax code. Another great idea. Republicans like Paul Ryan, now the House Speaker, have wanted tax reform for years. But Obama's tax reform plan is always punitive, and would raise taxes on companies making them even more noncompetitive. His tax bills have added loopholes and raised tax rates. Small businesses saw their highest tax rate rise from 35 to 41 percent under Obama. He raised corporate capital gains and dividend taxes from 15 percent to 23.8 percent -- a near 60 percent hike. So why your business locate here? The best way to stimulate growth is to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 or 20 percent right now. Then let companies bring back the $2 trillion stored in offshore accounts and pay a 5 percent penalty tax. This could raise $100 billion and bring repatriated capital back to the states where the money will be invested by American businesses. Obama's right to want to keep American companies in the USA so jobs are created here. But we've tried the stick approach for 20 years and it has led to one of the most masochistic tax systems on the globe. Why not do what Reagan and JFK did? Cut tax rates and the businesses and jobs will come back home. With Equal Pay Day 2016 approaching on April 12th, women and men around the world turn their attention to the pay gap between their earnings, specifically how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. As we draw awareness to such an important issue, Id like to bring some attention to a disheartening figure by the 2015 Fidelity Investments Money FIT Women Study. According to this study, eighty percent of women confess that they have refrained from and feel uncomfortable with discussing their finances with those they are close to. Their parents, spouses, siblings, best friends, etc. Eighty percent. Women around the world work so hard to break through that glass ceiling, balance it all, and earn the same wages as their male counterparts yet an alarming number of women dont discuss the core reason for that wage gap money with those who love and care about them the most. So the question iswhy? Most researchers point towards confidence. From the early days in a womens education, women are less confident and more timid in fields like math, science, and computer programming, as those have historically been male-dominated and more heavily encouraged for young male students. Its no surprise that as women move into adulthood, they are not as confident in their math skills, and thus their financial know-how, given their history throughout their early education. But I cant help but disagree that a lack of confidence is the main reason eighty percent of women are uncomfortable discussing money. After all, women now make up 60 percent of university graduates almost all of whom are required to complete a certain degree of math and basic business courses. Furthermore, women now compose 40 percent of students at the countrys top MBA programs. According to Fidelitys survey, 92 percent of women want to learn more about financial planning, 75 percent want to learn more about money and investing, and 83 percent want to get more involved in their finances in the next year. Whats even more interesting is that 82 percent of women are confident in managing their day-to-day budgeting. While confidence undoubtedly comes into play with women and money, the real reason so many women dont feel comfortable discussing their finances is the negative stigma associated with it. The organization, BanBossy, states, When a little boy asserts himself, he's called a leader. Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded bossy. The same goes for women and money. When women talk about money in an authoritative way, there is a belief and negative stigma that women are not only bossy, but pushy, egotistical, and too ambitious. Its a badge of honor for men but it makes a women seem money-hungry and aggressive. As it stands, women are already twice as likely to be labeled bossy than their male counterparts and a common indicator for bossiness is a focus on authority, power, and status. And that includes money. According to Harvard Business Review, High-achieving women experience social backlash because their very success and specifically the behaviors that created that success violates our expectations about how women are supposed to behave.If a woman acts out of character and is not feminine, nurturing, and kind with her communication she is disliked. For most, discussing money and finances is considered masculine and macho and its not surprising that women fear backlash in approaching a topic considered as such. Because eighty percent of women are not comfortable discussing their finances with those people they are closest to, it comes as no surprise that women are less likely to negotiate their salaries (and ask for raises) than their male coworkers. According to a Glamour Magazine survey in 2015, just 39 percent of women asked for a higher salary when starting a new job, compared to 54 percent of men. Similarly, 43 percent of women admit to asking for a raise during their career, compared to 54 percent of men. So how do we fix it? 1. Change the language. Just as we need to ban the word bossy, we need to eliminate the negative stigma associated with women discussing their finances. It does not make a woman money-hungry but rather educated, smart, and prepared. 2. Get educated. Education is the key propellant to change. Young girls in school should be proud to excel in math, science, and computer programming class. Young women in college should be required to enroll in personal finance and accounting classes, regardless of their major. 3. Embrace asking for help. Most people view asking for help as a weakness but in reality, those on the giving end of it feel fulfilled by giving help. Asking for help is a great way to start the conversation as it relates to your finances and will get you used to speaking about it, without coming from a powerful, authoritative position. As you get more comfortable speaking about money and finances, you wont need to approach it from a position of asking for help you can be the one helping others. Were moving in the right direction but there is still work to be done. I believe true progress will be made when we acknowledge that the real issue deterring women from talking about money is not confidence, but self-imposed limitations in our thinking. Only then will teachers, parents, businesses, and society at large be able to identify the real challenge at hand and work to fix it. Senior politics writer for U.S. News and World Report David Catanese told viewers Wednesday on "Special Report with Bret Baier that "this is going to be a brutal two weeks for Hillary Clinton. "She's sharpening line of attacks. So she's going to go at him with everything. I think it's going to be a tough, tough run for the Sanders campaign," Catanese said. Her rival Sen Bernie Sanders is on a roll after his double digit victory Tuesday night in Wisconsin and winning the last six of seven primaries. "I think the Clinton campaign is worried that he could creep up on her. I mean he's going to draw some huge rallies in that state, there are a lot of liberals in New York we know of." The friendly reception Ted Cruz got in Wisconsin where he was boosted by the states governor and its influential conservative talk show hosts must seem like ages ago as the Texas senator faces a very different scene in New York. Cruz ran into a decidedly more hostile reception as soon as he started campaigning in the state ahead of the April 19 primary. He was greeted by shouting protesters Wednesday in the Bronx telling him to get out, and reportedly saw an event at a high school canceled after students wrote a letter to their principal threatening to walk out if Cruz showed up. "Ted Cruz has no business being in the Bronx, this is an immigrant community, one protester shouted. Fewer than a hundred people showed up for a Cruz meet-and-greet at a local restaurant in the Bronx and front-runner Donald Trump, who got thumped by Cruz in Wisconsin, was more than happy to play up Cruzs political problems with New Yorkers. While Trump, too, faced protesters, he attracted a crowd of thousands for the first rally of his New York campaign swing. He used the occasion to hammer Cruz over past comments mocking New York values -- which may be coming back to haunt the Texas senator as he tries to catch up to Trump in the delegate count. Trump, to cheering supporters, recalled how Cruz knocked New York values as if were no good. He also recalled how, at one debate where the issue came up, Trump described the bravery of New Yorkers on 9/11. And Ive got this guy standing over there looking at me, talking about New York values with scorn in his face, with hatred, hatred of New York, Trump said. Its a narrative Cruz may have a tough time shaking -- though a reality he may have to accept. Hes not only losing to Trump in the polls, but trailing Ohio Gov. John Kasich putting him dead last in the New York GOP primary battle right now. A Monmouth University poll showed Trump enjoying the support of 52 percent of likely Republican primary voters. Kasich had 25 percent and Cruz had just 17 percent. Still, Cruz may have an easier time in more Republican-leaning areas like Long Island or Upstate. The Bronx is tough turf for any Republican, and Cruz was taking his campaign to potentially more friendly territory on Thursday, north of Albany in Scotia, N.Y. And even if Trump holds his big lead in New York and snags most of its delegates, well over a dozen states have yet to vote, including delegate-rich California on June 7. Cruzs chances of at least holding Trump under the necessary 1,237 delegates to clinch the nomination in turn, triggering an open convention only grew after his Wisconsin win. Trump, meanwhile, indicated hes going to concentrate on locking down the state. The campaign confirmed Thursday that a planned trip to California has been rescheduled, apparently so Trump can stay in the Empire State. We look forward to campaigning in New York and returning to California in the weeks ahead, spokeswoman Hope Hicks said. Trump is eager to regain the momentum after Cruzs Wisconsin victory, and there may be no better venue for him than New York, where he built his real estate empire. "I love these people. These are my people," he said to thunderous cheers on Wednesday. The rally comes as the GOP front-runner signaled a shift toward "more meat on the bone" in his policy speeches. But Cruz nevertheless claimed the Wisconsin results showed a turning point in the race. His victory came after Trump suffered one of the most difficult stretches of the campaign, including having to walk back a string of varying statements on his abortion position. We've beaten Trump over and over again, Cruz said Wednesday. Fox News Garrett Tenney and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland may never score a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land. Perhaps hes at least deserving of a lifetime supply of chai lattes from Cups, the coffee shop located in the basement of the Russell Senate Office Building. Garland was back on Capitol Hill Wednesday for meet-and-greets with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. He already had sessions earlier in the week with Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and John Boozman, R-Ark. Garland is going to breakfast Tuesday with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. And yet the Berlin Wall erected by Republicans to block Garland from ever creeping close to confirmation is barely in need of caulk even though some Democrats will try to tell you otherwise. So what can Democrats do? Parade Garland around some more and hope for the best. And then there is Senate Rule XVII (17). Something Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., referred to as the procedural stuff. There are many procedural things we can do. That's one thing we can do. Certainly, we've got that in our arrow quiver, said Reid. Fox News is told Democrats wont resort to any of the procedural stuff any time soon. And even if they do, chances for success are practically nil. Senate Rule XVII is whats called a motion to discharge. When President Obama nominated Garland, the nomination went administratively to the Senate Judiciary Committee. And thats where it will languish until the committee decides to take action. That is, unless a senator is able to successfully discharge Garlands nomination from the Judiciary Committee and dispatch it to the floor. Of course, thats to say nothing of mustering a Senate supermajority to overcome a procedural filibuster let alone engineering a simple majority for confirmation. This parliamentary gambit would make Doug Fluties Hail Mary look like a bubble screen. Its particularly cumbersome and complex, involving multiple steps. Heres how a motion to discharge campaign might play out: The nomination is lodged in the committee. First, a senator must move that the Senate halt its legislative session and start an executive session to consider nominations. On a parallel track, that senator must simultaneously ask that if the Senate moves into executive session, it advance to the Garland nomination. This is important. There are other nominations for various administrative posts in the queue ahead of Garland. Thus, if the effort to get into executive session isnt specific to the Garland nomination, the Senate simply lands on whatever nomination is first in line should it get into executive session. Moreover, the Senate just doesnt drop everything and immediately start an executive session. Such a request likely consumes a calendar day to lay over. In other words, if someone makes the request to go to executive session on a Monday, nothing happens until Wednesday. Moving into executive session entails a vote needing 51 yeas. Failure to secure a simple majority short-circuits the enterprise right there. See how dicey this is? However, if the Senate does wind up in executive session -- on the nomination in question senators must then cobble together 60 votes to invoke cloture or end debate on the motion. If the Senate doesnt marshal 60 votes, everything stops there. However, if the Senate does find 60 yeas to end debate, the Senate must vote to actually discharge the nomination from committee. That needs 51 yeas. Only after the Senate formally discharges the nomination and puts it on the floor can the Senate consider the nomination itself. At that point, the Senate reverts to more conventional rules. Sixty votes are required to break a filibuster and stop all debate on the nomination. If the Senate clears that bar, senators finally need but a simple majority (51 yeas) to confirm the nominee. Very complicated. Plus, its exceptionally challenging considering the fact that only 46 senators caucus with the Democrats right now. The Democrats could pick up a defection or two to inch close to 50. But two rounds of 60 votes loom large. Theres no indication yet Garland supporters could even get to 51 let alone 60. When it came to the tortured parliamentary scheme just to pry Garlands nomination out of committee, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Democrats were trying to exhaust all possibilities. He described the compound process as a desperate move. Its unclear if Democrats may ever resort to this excruciating route. But other than escorting Garland around the Senate all day, the procedural stuff is about all Democrats have at their disposal. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. A congressman is calling for an investigation into the mismanagement of the adoption process for military dogs. Rep. Richard Hudson (R., N.C.) sent a letter to the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee asking for a formal investigation into adoption procedures for dogs from the Tactical Explosive Detector Dog program. Allegations that former handlers looking to adopt the dogs are being overlooked while the dogs are being sold to civilian families instead have cast shadows over the adoption process. Both the Office of Provost Marshal General, which oversaw the adoptions, and K2 Solutions, which housed the dogs during the process, have come under scrutiny for their role in the program. This problem came to my attention a year and a half ago when I helped reunite Specialist Brent Grommet and his military working dog Matty who were separated after being wounded overseas, Rep. Hudson said in his letter. Since then, my office has been contacted by countless veterans who have described the mismanagement of the program. Our veterans selflessly put themselves in harms way with their military working dogs, yet too many of them are now separated because of hollow promises from our government. They deserve answers, and its for this reason that I am requesting the House Armed Services Committee to launch a formal inquiry into the adoptions of these combat dogs. Jeff DeYoung, a former Marine dog handler, said he experienced years-long delays when attempting to adopt his dog from K2 Solutions. For four years I continuously tried to email this company asking about where he was, DeYoung said. Is Cena still alive? Is he OK? They wouldnt respond to anything. DeYoung, who ultimately succeeded in adopting his dog, said that of the 13 other handlers with whom he deployed, he is the only one who has been successful in such an effort. Animal welfare activists said an investigation into the adoption process is important because reuniting military dogs and their handlers can be a life-saving form of therapy. Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon. More than 100 medical groups sent a joint letter to Congress Wednesday urging lawmakers to fund research on gun violence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Guardian reported the letter requests that Congress end the dramatic and chilling effect of the current rider language restricting gun violence research and to fund this critical work. A 1996 bill prohibits the agency from using funds to advocate or promote gun control, which has contributed to the decades-long drought of research into the subject. The amendment has been interpreted as prohibition on all gun violence research at the CDC, though former congressman and author of the bill Jay Dickey has called on lawmakers to end the prohibition. Medical groups said that the language of the law doesnt necessarily prohibit research into gun violence as a threat to public health, but the lack of funding for the research causes a de facto ban, The Guardian reported. The 141 organizations that signed the petition represent more than 1 million health professionals in the U.S., according to the newspaper. The groups demand that the funding for the research should be included in funding for the next fiscal year. President Obama has repeatedly requested the CDC to study gun violence. He ordered the agency to do so after the 2012 Newtown shooting and in 2013 he asked the agency to find ways to prevent gun violence. He also requested $10 million in 2014 and 2015 to fund the research but was blocked by Congress, The Guardian reported. The groups have cited numerous research questions that the CDC could address, including how to prevent gun suicides and child deaths from gun accidents. Click for more from The Guardian. Legality of Chicago Teacher Strikes Last Friday, thousands of teachers took to the Chicago streets, demanding a new contract and an overhaul of the city's school funding system. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner called the strike illegal, while Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis accused Rauner of trying to destroy the city's schools. The strike only lasted a day, but affected some 400 students, highlighting the unique impacts of teacher strikes and the legal rules and agreements that govern them. No Contract, No Class Chicago teachers have been working without a contract since last July, and the teachers' union and the city were unable to agree to a new contract in February. As with most collectively bargained employment agreements, that contract would presumably cover when walkouts of this kind are permitted, but the rules are less clear now that the contract is expired. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) govern the relationship between employers, employees, and labor unions, and, for the most part, protect the right of employees to strike. But participation in an unlawful strike -- like those that violate a no-strike clause in an employment contract -- could get an employee fired. Generally speaking, employment contracts for essential personnel like police officers and firefighters contain explicit no-strike clauses. Lightning Strikes Twice If all of this sounds familiar, it is -- Chicago teachers went on strike four years ago, and many of the issues and players are the same. Then, as now, the teachers were out of contract. Then, as now, they were unhappy with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. And then, as now, the city's Board of Education filed to block the strike. That 2012 strike lasted eight days, which makes last week's action appear to be a mere blip on the school calendar. Governor Rauner released a statement saying, "It's shameful that Chicago's children are the victims in this raw display of political power." We agree, though we're not convinced on which display he's referring to -- the teacher strike or his own attempt to take over the Chicago Public School system. Related Resources: **Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.** Buzz Cut: No time for Trump to go mainstream Bronx cheer for Cruz Big money a big problem for Hillary Sick Bern A Disneyland of sorts NO TIME FOR TRUMP TO GO MAINSTREAM Donald Trump likes to say that he can change his tone to be more presidential any time he wants. Theres little evidence to suggest that that claim is true, but it reflects his sense that he cant keep doing what hes been doing. This hardly seems like the time for Trump to change his ways. The Republican frontrunner has retained the services of K Street stalwart Paul Manafort, who is the one you hire when you cant get Charlie Black. The candidate is expanding his Washington presence, with his campaign setting up meetings with the little claque of lawmakers who support him, and he is reportedly preparing to open a D.C. office. Trumps aim is to stop the bleeding on the delegate selection process. Remember that while almost all delegates will go to Cleveland bound to vote for a specific candidate, if the process continues into the third ballot, they will all be free agents. Trump has to be concerned not just with the effort of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to nick delegates in places like Louisiana, Arizona, and Tennessee, by working the system but also with the loyalties of the delegates themselves. It is a smart, if belated, move to start paying attention to the way things work. But, Trump cannot let the process control his product. Trump was back to his insult-comedy routine at a packed Long Island rally on Wednesday. The crowd ate it up. It was a return to, ahem, normalcy for Trump who in recent weeks has done things heretofore unthinkable, including apologizing, admitting error and saying flattering things about his rivals. Sad! The temptation to change his tone and style is understandable given how poorly Trump runs in the general election, as demonstrated in this new poll from must-win Virginia. Trump also is struggling with the recalcitrance of the majority of his own adopted party. While Trump can look forward to a big win in his native New York on April 19, the developments of the Wisconsin primary bear a potentially troubling message. Trumps supporters stuck with him, but the rest of the party effectively organized itself against him. So how does Trump broaden his coalition inside the GOP and make himself a more palatable general election candidate? He cant. And he shouldnt try. Trump is a disrupter whose insults and wood-chipper approach to his lengthy list of enemies remade the Republican nominating process. If he can pull out the nomination, hes not going to win as a conventional candidate. His only hope would be to turn the general election into WWE Smackdown. But what the experts are telling Trump is that he needs to change and be less insulting and less disruptive. Of course they are. The message of every Washington consultant is always the same: Its complicated, its expensive and you cant do it without them. Trump seems very worried that the party will try to steal the nomination from him and as poll-obsessed as he is he also must fear the general-election humiliation they portend. But this is no time for him to lose his nerve. Trumps strategy should not be to change and broaden his coalition within the GOP. Instead he should focus on running up the score in New York and those districts of California where his white-hot rhetoric on immigration has won him many loyal followers. He should be thinking about Staten Island and Bakersfield, not K Street. [WaPos Philip Bump explains why Trumps number of delegates needed to win the nomination just went up.] Bronx cheer for Cruz - WSJ: Republican Sen. Ted Cruz made a rare trip to the heavily Democratic Bronx on Wednesday, visiting a self-described American-born Chinese Dominican eatery and facing hecklers as he tried to blunt Donald Trumps commanding lead in New York. Fresh off winning Wisconsin, Mr. Cruz was greeted at the Sabrosura 2 restaurant by about 50 supporters, who came from Long Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn and elsewhere. Cruz would win a brokered convention - FiveThirtyEight breaks down why Ted Cruz not House Speaker Paul Ryan would be the victor of a contested convention. [GOP delegate count: Trump 743; Cruz 517; Kasich 143 (1,237 needed to win)] WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE History: On this day in 1776, Navy Captain John Barry, commander of the American warship Lexington, makes the first American naval capture of a British vessel when he takes command of the British warship HMS Edward off the coast of Virginia. The capture of the Edward and its cargo turned Captain Barry into a national hero and boosted the morale of the Continental forces. Barry was born in the seaboard county of Wexford, Ireland, in 1745 and offered his services to the Continental Congress upon the outbreak of the American Revolution. Congress purchased Barrys ship, Black Prince, which it renamed Alfred and placed under the command of Commodore Esek Hopkins. It was the first ship to fly the American flag, raised by John Paul Jones. Got a TIP from the RIGHT or the LEFT? Email FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM POLL CHECK Real Clear Politics Averages National GOP nomination: Trump 40.3 percent; Cruz 33.2 percent; Kasich 20.5 percent National Dem nomination: Clinton 49.7 percent; Sanders 43.8 percent General Election: Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +10.8 points Generic Congressional Vote: Republicans +0.5 BIG MONEY A BIG PROBLEM FOR HILLARY Americans generally care very little about the issue of campaign finance reform, but among Democratic activist and primary voters it is a big deal. For Democrats, the Supreme Courts Citizens United decision is almost tantamount to Roe v. Wade among Republicans. Either youre against it and youre a true Democrat or youre no better than the big money Koch brothers. Thats bad news for Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Picking up where President Obama left off, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has made dark money a theme of his campaign from the beginning. He takes no money from PACs and instead relies on his grassroots donors, a feat that has paid off for him in both fundraising and messaging. Although Clinton has been actively campaigning against the corrupting power of big money, she sure has been taking quite a lot of it in. A new piece from the investigative group Center for Public Integrity dives deep into the interwoven network of big money that has funded Clinton throughout the campaign cycle. When trying to unravel the Clinton donor network, the reporters had a particularly difficult time: A look at specific contributions to the super PACs supporting Clinton shows just how difficult it can be to unravel who is really writing the checks. For example, federal records show that on June 29, super PAC Priorities USA Action received $1 million from an outfit called Fair Share ActionSo who funds Fair Share Action? During 2015, a pair of social welfare nonprofits alone bankrolled it: Environment America Inc. ($800,000) and Fair Share Inc. ($300,000). But neither Environment America Inc. nor Fair Share Inc. is required to comprehensively or publicly reveal its donors, because as social welfare groups that cant primarily focus on electoral politics, federal law says they dont have to. Both Acting Director for Fair Share Inc., and the pro-Clinton PAC Priorities USA declined to comment, but the point is clear: For a candidate who regularly slams the courts decision, Clinton doesnt seem to mind the benefits. Since some Democrats feel burned after then-Sen. Barack Obama reversed his position of only using public funds in 2008 and went on to raise a then-record $745 million for his campaign despite also actively campaigning against big money politics, its a sweet spot for Sanders. Sick Bern - ABC News: At a rally in Pennsylvania Wednesday night, Bernie Sanders declared that rival Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be commander in chiefSanders said, Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous, Sanders told a crowd of thousands at a rally at Temple University in Philadelphia. She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote unquote, not qualified to be president. Now, let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton, I dont believe that she is qualified, if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest donations. Hillary looks Upstate for New York win - NYT: The strategy helped Mrs. Clinton win her 2000 Senate race by double digits, a victory fueled by the unlikely support of white working-class voters in upstate New York who had previously voted Republican but were won over by the first ladys attention to their underserved area. Now, 16 years later, Mrs. Clinton is again promising to bring jobs back to the region as she courts the people who helped secure her first election victory. But this time her message is colliding with a surprisingly potent threat from the left and doubts about her ability to deliver. [Dem delegate count: Clinton 1749; Sanders 1061 (2,383 needed to win)] THE JUDGES RULING: HIGH WAGE HOODWINK Higher minimum wage doesnt necessarily mean more prosperity. Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano gets Socratic this week: What if the politicians who caused this did so just to win the votes of those they promised to help? What if these politicians only helped themselves? What if the minimum wage increase is a fraud? Read it all here. A DISNEYLAND OF SORTS KNBC: An 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, was accepted into five Ivy League schools and another prestigious university after writing a memorable essay describing her admiration for Americas largest wholesale warehouse, NBC News reported. Brittany Stinson got into Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Cornell and Stanford. The straight-A student tells NBC News that writing about Costco felt natural to her. I had always gone to Costco while growing up. It was a constant part of my childhood. I looked forward to trips on the weekends, and I had always treated it as a Disneyland of sorts. I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life, Stinson said. AND NOW A WORD FROM CHARLES [T]he worst is [President Obamas] staff, who are all as inexperienced with him with no credentials other than academic ones, supporting him in that and producing a foreign policy that was removed from reality. And the results are what we see today, seven years later. Charles Krauthammer on Special Report with Bret Baier Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here. While California Department of Justice agents were raiding the home of the pro-life activist behind a series of undercover Planned Parenthood videos, their boss was helping the abortion provider fight for public funding, prompting critics to complain of a conflict of interest. Kamala Harris, the state attorney general and Democratic candidate for Senate, has a link on her campaign website for visitors to sign a petition on behalf of Planned Parenthood. That fact, coupled with the Tuesday raid in Orange County in which agents who answer to Harris took a laptop and hard drives from the home of Center for medical Progress Executive Director David Daleiden, has created a firestorm. To storm into a private citizens home with a search warrant is outrageously out of proportion for the type of crime alleged. Its a discredit to law enforcement, an oppressive abuse of government power, Matt Heffron, a former federal prosecutor in Phoenix and now a legal adviser to Daleiden, said in a statement. To storm into a private citizens home with a search warrant is outrageously out of proportion for the type of crime alleged. Its a discredit to law enforcement, an oppressive abuse of government power. Matt Heffron, a former federal prosecutor in Phoenix Daleidens group released more than a dozen undercover videos last year showing Planned Parenthood officials and subcontractors discussing the alleged sale of fetal tissue, in what would be a violation of federal law. The videos prompted several states to strip Planned Parenthood of state funding, and calls from federal lawmakers to do the same. But a grand jury convened in Houston, where some of the footage was shot, found Daleiden guilty of tampering with governmental records for using a fake drivers license as part of his undercover sting. He faces up to 22 years in prison. The search warrant application listed materials related to the video footage of Dr. Deb Nucatola, Planned Parenthood Federation of Americas senior director of medical services, and Dr. Mary Gatter, president of PPFAs medical directors counsel, according to Daleidens legal team. In one of the CMP videos, Nucatola said that she would use less crunchy techniques to obtain intact fetal tissue better suited for medical research. Federal law bans any alteration of the timing, method or procedures used to terminate the pregnancy solely for the purposes of obtaining the tissue. Daleidens supporters say the raid smells like payback from Harris, whose campaign website asks voters to take a stand and join Kamala in defending Planned Parenthood. Voting to strip federal funding from an organization that provides vital health services to 2.7 million Americans is the epitome of dysfunction, says the Harris petition. Brenda Gonzalez, spokeswoman for the attorney generals office, declined to comment on the raid. Harris, is facing Rep. Loretta Sanchez in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer. She said last year that she intended to review the Center for Medical Progress undercover videos, and a March 25 column in the Los Angeles Times reviewed the prosecution of Daleiden in Texas and asked Whats taking California so long? Kamala Harris is engaged in the highest level of corruption and abuse of power, said Penny Nance, of Concerned Women for America. While she uses her KGB-like tactics to seize personal property of an innocent American citizen, shes simultaneously running for U.S. Senate and using her campaign web site to promote and defend Planned Parenthood and its atrocious practice of harvesting, trafficking and selling baby parts. The Democratic presidential race is getting uglier pulling other party leaders into the fray as Sen. Bernie Sanders lashed out at front-running rival Hillary Clinton as "not qualified" to be president because of "special-interest" contributions to her super PAC. "She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote-unquote not qualified to be president," Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people Wednesday at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds." "I don't think you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC," Sanders continued to cheers from his audience. "I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I don't think you are qualified if you have supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement which has cost us millions of decent-paying jobs." Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., a key Clinton ally, responded to Sanders with an emphatic message on Twitter. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon added his own tweet: "Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was `not qualified.' But he has now -- absurdly -- said it about her. This is a new low." Indeed, Clinton did not say Sanders was "unqualified" or "not qualified" during a much-quoted interview Wednesday morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." In a discussion of an interview with Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if "Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States." She responded, "Well, I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions." Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Wednesday evening that Sanders was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined, "Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president." The Democratic race has become noticeably fractious in recent weeks as Sanders has closed the delegate gap with a series of wins over Clinton, capped by Tuesday's convincing victory in the Wisconsin Democratic primary. His campaign manager fueled the fire by predicting that the Democratic convention in Philadelphia could become an open contest for the nomination. It will be an open convention, likely with neither candidate having a majority of pledged delegates," Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN on Tuesday. In response, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook blasted out a fundraising memo as Sanders was rolling to victory in Wisconsin, saying Clintons delegate lead is nearly insurmountable. He said the Sanders camp, in pushing for an open convention, is trying to flip delegates votes, overturning the will of the voters. The complicating factor is the role played by superdelegates, party insiders free to support whomever they want. When those delegates and pledged delegates awarded via primaries and caucuses are added together, Clinton has a huge 1,748-1,058 delegate lead. She would need to win just 635 of the remaining delegates roughly a third -- to get a majority of total delegates, or 2,383, before the convention. Given her record in the primaries so far, thats hardly a heavy lift. But when only pledged delegates are counted, Clintons lead is narrower, at 1,279-1,027. Despite Weavers comment, Clinton could easily win a majority of them with roughly 43 percent of the remaining pledged delegates. The Sanders campaign, however, may be setting the bar much higher. If they argue Clinton must win 2,383 pledged delegates to clinch the nomination in other words, hit a majority of all delegates counting only pledged delegates she would need more than 60 percent of the remaining pledged field. Asked specifically what it would take to avoid an open convention, a DNC official reiterated that 2,383 represents the majority of all delegates, but would not speculate beyond that. Fox News' Ed Henry, FoxNews.com's Judson Berger and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Concerned that hundreds of American forces based in Egypts Sinai Peninsula are vulnerable to attack by a nearby Islamic State affiliate, top administration officials are worried about their safety and what to do next. The State Department said Wednesday the U.S. troops will not be withdrawn from Sinai. We remain fully committed to our multinational force and observers mission, said State Department spokesman Mark Toner. So no change in policy, no change in our force structure. But troop safety has U.S. military leaders weighing what to do next. More than 1,600 international forces occupy outposts in the Sinai, including 700 mostly U.S. Army National Guard troops. But these forces are unable to carry out offensive operations against ISIS-affiliated groups such as Wilayat Sinai since they are bound by an agreement made months after the 1978 Camp David accord, which made peace between Egypt and Israel. At the Pentagon Wednesday, a senior U.S. military leader said discussions at the highest levels were taking place among the U.S., Israeli and Egyptian governments about the future size of the U.S. commitment to Sinai. My focus is making sure that they have the force protection measures in place and we have increased the force protection measures, said Rear Adm. Andy Lewis, Joint Staff vice director for operations, in a briefing with reporters. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, the Armys top officer, visited the force in December, accompanied by Fox News, shortly after four U.S. soldiers were injured by a roadside bomb. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. In early September, the Pentagon added 75 more troops, as well as additional armored vehicles including four Bradley Fighting Vehicles, after another ISIS attack injured two peacekeepers from Fiji. Their base is typically hit by incoming fire once a day. As part of the routine harassment attacks, mostly from small arms fire, ISIS-aligned forces sometimes launch mortars without warheads to land inside the camp in order to send a message, one official told Fox News. The threat is increasing, said the official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The warning signs have been mounting. In November, a group claiming allegiance to ISIS said it downed the Russian airliner that crashed over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board. In December, the Middle East Institute's Geoffrey Aronson got the Pentagon's attention when he wrote in an article: "Sinai is ground zero in the ongoing insurgency against the Egyptian government led by ISIS." Another foreign policy expert said it is unlikely the United States will be able to change its treaty agreements regarding the international force. The Israelis and Egyptians do not want them to [pull out], they don't want to appear to be giving into ISIS, said Paul Salem, of the Washington-based Middle East Institute, in an interview with Fox News. They're pushing the Americans hard not to redeploy. Then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld faced pushback when he tried to pull the U.S. troops out over a decade ago. Israel and Egypt have resisted calls for American troops to withdraw, leaving the Pentagon and the White House with a dilemma considering 700 U.S. troops are now positioned in the middle of an increasingly dangerous region. Almost everything has changed in the last few years, Salem said. Now there's a full-on battle between ISIS and the Egyptian army. Eleven Virginia Democratic lawmakers said Tuesday they are against George Mason University renaming its law school after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The group of legislators sent a letter to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) asking it to reject the universitys plan over concerns about whether Scalia is worthy of the honor. The university said it needs the councils approval for the new name. Scalia "was also one of the most controversial justices in modern history," the lawmakers wrote. "Indeed, we have received pleas from alumni who are deeply concerned that this decision will undermine their ability to find future employment or undermine their professional reputation." Del. Marcus Simon, D-Falls Church, said he has received more than 1,000 signatures to an online petition he started opposing the name change. "This is a big, in-your-face kind of a move," Simon said of the renaming proposal, which highlights Mason's growth in recent years as a conservative powerhouse in law and economics, fueled partly by the Koch Foundation money. He said he's concerned about using $30 million to attract students "and trying to shape their young minds and train them in the Scalia way of thinking. That's troubling to me." Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, questioned the secrecy of the donor and the lack of input from George Mason alumni, students and the public. "To simply steamroll people's collective input over $20 million from an anonymous donor is outrageous," he said. The school announced last week that it planned to rename its law school the Antonin Scalia School of Law. The new name honoring the conservative icon was suggested by an anonymous donor, who is giving the school $20 million. The Charles Koch Foundation also contributed an additional $10 million. Charles Koch is CEO of Koch Industries and along with his younger brother David is known for his support of conservative and libertarian causes. George Mason tweaked the proposed named change Tuesday to the Antonin Scalia Law School after the previous acronym was mocked on social media. Law school dean Henry Butler said in a letter Tuesday to students and alumni that the large sum of money from the donor allows flexibility in the naming and that Antonin Scalia Law School was a logical substitute. "We just want to be sure we're being respectful to Justice Scalia, to the school and our students" in constructing the name, law school senior associate dean David Rehr said Wednesday. Butler's letter said the school is also looking into whether it can accommodate requests from students who don't want Scalia's name to appear on their diplomas. Rehr said that $20 million gift is explicitly conditional on naming the school for Scalia. SCHEV spokesman Greg Weatherford said the council received Mason's application Wednesday, and that staff would review it and make recommendations in the coming weeks. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Former President Bill Clinton was involved in a heated exchange with Black Lives Matter protesters Thursday at a Hillary Clinton campaign event in Philadelphia, where he was forced to defend his record as president and his wifes past statements. For almost 15 minutes Clinton sparred with protesters who objected to the 1994 criminal justice reform bill he signed into law as president that increased prison sentences for a number of gang-related offenses. Black Lives Matter activists claim the bill disproportionately hurt African-Americans. A visibly agitated Clinton told the protesters that the bill helped crack down on gangs who were killing African-American children. "I talked to a lot of African-American groups. They thought black lives mattered. They said take this bill because our kids are being shot in the street by gangs. We had 13-year-old kids planning their own funerals," Clinton said. One protester yelled that black youth are not super predators a reference to a statement Hillary Clinton made as first lady. The former president shot back. I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack and sent them out onto the streets to murder other African-American children, maybe you thought they were good citizens, Clinton said, his face turning increasingly red. She didnt. You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter. Tell the truth. You are defending the people who cause young people to go out and take guns, Clinton yelled. He also addressed claims by the protesters that the 1996 welfare reform bill increased poverty among African-Americans. They say the welfare reform bill increased poverty then why did we have the largest drop in African American poverty in history when I was president? he asked rhetorically. Donald Trump may be selling himself as the ultimate "outsider" presidential candidate, but after a thumping Tuesday at the hands of Ted Cruz in Wisconsin, he's reaching out to long-term Republican establishment figures to help manage his campaign. The fresh involvement of veteran operatives reportedly is fueling tensions inside the Trump operation. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks told FoxNews.com on Thursday there is no truth to recent stories suggesting disarray in the Trump ranks. But at the very least, the makeup of the campaign is changing. Fox News learned Thursday that the Trump campaign will add some seasoned operatives to beef up the team for the big state contests ahead. And Paul Manafort, best known for managing President Gerald Fords successful floor game at the 1976 contested Republican Convention, was put in charge of the Trump campaigns Washington, D.C., office, sources close to the campaign told Fox News on Thursday. A campaign statement later said Manafort would be working closely with other top campaign members in his new role. The nomination process has reached a point that requires someone familiar with the complexities involved in the final stages, Trump said in a statement. I am organizing these responsibilities under someone who has done this job successfully in many campaigns. This will allow the rest of my team to deal with the increasing needs of a national campaign for both the pre-Convention phase and most importantly, the general election. Manafort will be working with other top advisers on the delegate process and D.C. outreach. This, as the Trump campaign plans to hold meetings starting next week with lawmakers who back the billionaire businessman. Manaforts addition to the Trump staff is seen as crucial by many observers. While Trump holds large delegate leads over rivals Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Cruz has been cannily working in several states to elect delegates to the convention who support the Texas senator and has been wooing unbound delegates who may vote for whichever candidate they choose. But the move to bring on veterans like Manafort reportedly is causing some internal clashes, and could signal diminished roles for some of the loyalists who have surrounded Trump since the first days of his campaign. Politico reported that campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is fighting to box out Manafort, concerned about his own role in the campaign. Politico reported that he even fired an operative in Colorado, James Baker, for communicating with Manafort after being told not to. (Lewandowski reportedly disputed the claim.) Manafort has really kind of taken over, and started reorganizing the campaign, a GOP source told CNN. Manaforts arrival comes as Lewandowski has developed into a controversial figure within the Trump campaign. He recently was charged with simple battery over an incident where he was seen grabbing and pulling a reporter away from Trump who has adamantly defended Lewandowski against the charge. Wow, @Politico is in total disarray with almost everybody quitting. Good news -- bad, dishonest journalists! https://t.co/xTvGLDXY5O Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2016 Politico also reported Tuesday that staff around the country had been laid off en masse. According to the report, the campaign has almost totally pulled out of Florida and Ohio key general election states and several significant staff members have been let go. The outlet also said multiple staffers and advisers left the campaign in March in protest of staff treatment. Trump didnt let the Politico reporting go unanswered. He responded by tweeting a link to a Washington Post article that reported four senior Politico managers were leaving the web publication. For the near term, Trump appears to be back on favorable turf in the Republican race after losing Tuesdays Wisconsin primary to Cruz. Hes now campaigning in New York ahead of the states April 19 primary, and is leading the field by double-digits. But informal Trump adviser Roger Stone appeared to sound the alarm about lingering concerns in Trumps operation at the state-by-state level. The campaign has no infrastructure in the states, he told Breitbart. The woman who ran Wisconsin for Trump previously ran Oklahoma for Trump. Trump lost. Prior to that, she had never run any political campaign, so there was no depth of experience. This is something I see again and again. FoxNews.coms Cody Derespina and Fox News John Roberts and Chad Pergram contributed to this report. Forty-two rock-cut tombs and a shrine decorated with a winged sun disc have been found along the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. The discovery of this necropolis, the burial ground of men, women and children, proves that Gebel el-Silsila in Upper Egypt was not just a quarry site for the kingdom's temples and tombs; it was also a bustling population center, according to the archaeological team that discovered the structures. "This is actually a major hub of commerce, worship and possibly political [activity]," said John Ward, assistant director of the Gebel el Silsila Survey Project. A big mystery surrounds the new tombs, however. Where is the lost city of Silsila? So far, archaeologists have discovered tombs, the quarry, a temple and slab monuments called stelae. But they haven't found a town or village where the people who used these structures would have lived. [See photos of the new tomb discoveries in Upper Egypt] Flooded graves Silsila was originally believed to be a sort of work camp, where the predominant activity was quarrying for sandstone. Survey project mission director Maria Nilsson, Ward and their colleagues have been discovering much more than that at the site, however. Earlier this year, for example, they announced the discovery of six statues dating back 3,500 years that depicted elite families. Yesterday (March 30), Ward, Nilsson and the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector announced the spring archaeological season discovery of the new tombs. They date back to the 18th and 19th dynasty, a period of time that runs from about 1543 B.C. to about 1189 B.C., which includes famous pharaohs like Hapshetsut. Archaeologists had known that rock-cut openings were present on the site's Nile bluffs, Ward told Live Science. But the river has been eating away at the sandstone exteriors, damaging the structures. The group of archaeologists launched a project to clean out three of the openings, both to find out what was inside them and to see if they could slow down the erosion. They found that the tombs were filled with Nile silt, indicating that they'd been flooding before the first dams in the river were constructed in the 1800s. This silt was acting as a "sponge" to draw in river water, worsening the erosional damage, Ward said. "Once we started to clear this Nile silt, we could see that the actual sandstone surface itself was starting to dry out," he said. "Tomb" 1, which was already clear of silt, turned out not to be a tomb, but a two-room shrine. While the outer room overlooks the Nile to the west, the inner room, which once had a slightly elevated floor, is damaged by water, Ward said. Despite the water damage, a carved stone solar disc with wings a symbol of power and protection is still visible, he said. Tomb 2 is an actual tomb, with stairs leading down into a rough-cut chamber without paintwork or any interior design. The space is so small that workers have to kneel to fit inside rather than stand up, Ward said. Many human bones were found in a jumble inside, which was probably caused by the Nile waters, he said. The tombs were also looted at some time in antiquity. Still, they contained many pieces of pottery such as beer jugs, offering plates, and bowls and storage jars all funerary wares that were used in ancient Egyptian tombs, Ward said. [Photos: Nile Cemetery Discovered in Sudan] People of status The other two tombs that have been cleaned out, Tombs 14 and 15, were also looted, but both contained crypts carved into the floor. The crypt in Tomb 15 even retains half its lid, Ward said. The excavation also turned up "lots and lots of beads," Ward said. And most intriguingly, the archaeologists found a scarab amulet bearing the name of the 18th-dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose III and a seal right along with his cartouche (an oval symbol surrounding a royal name), reinforcing the theory that Silsila was more than just a work camp for quarry diggers. These artifacts suggest that the people buried in the tombs were of higher standing than quarry workers, Ward said. Each of the documented tombs has a door with notches carved in the door jambs that could have held a stone portcullis, which could have been raised or lowered for new burials. "These are family tombs," Ward said. The portcullis closures would have kept out floodwaters and wildlife, though maybe not permanently. In Tomb 14, the archaeologists found crocodile scutes the triangular, bumpy protrusions seen on crocs' backs. It's not certain whether a crocodile made it into the tomb, Ward said, or whether the scutes flowed in with the Nile floodwaters. The team members plan to excavate more tombs in the next field season, and hope to find remains or names of the tomb occupants. They're also continuing the survey in hopes of solving the biggest mystery surrounding Silsila: Where was the town, or village, that this necropolis served? "We're pretty excited, to say the least," Ward said. "It's kind of nice to be able to say, 'Silsila, we've got a necropolis now.'" Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The head of the FBI said Wednesday that the government had "purchased a tool" enabling investigators to access an iPhone belonging to San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook. The disclosure by James Comey in a speech at Ohio's Kenyon College was a departure from previous official statements, which had been vague in explaining the details of how the government broke into the phone last month. The Justice Department had only said that a third party had "demonstrated" an alternate method of unlocking the device to the FBI the evening before federal prosecutors filed a motion to delay a court hearing on the matter. "The people that we bought this [tool] from I know a fair amount about them and I have a high degree of confidence that they are very good at protecting it, and their motivations align with ours," Comey said during a question-and-answer period following his talk. Comey added that the technology only works on an iPhone 5C, the type of phone used by Farook. "This doesnt work on [an iPhone] 6S, doesnt work in a 5S, and so we have a tool that works on a narrow slice of phones," he added. Neither the Justice Department nor the FBI could immediately provide further details. The exact method the FBI used to access information on Farook's phone is a mystery that has puzzled Apple software engineers and outside experts alike. After the FBI hacked into the phone, Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym vacated her order compelling Apple to assist the FBI in hacking their phone, which also took away any obvious legal avenues Apple might have used to learn how the FBI did it. A senior law enforcement official told The Associated Press last month that the FBI managed to defeat an Apple security feature that threatened to delete the phone's contents if the FBI failed to enter the correct passcode combination after 10 tries. That allowed the government to repeatedly and continuously test passcodes in what's known as a brute-force attack until the right code is entered and the phone is unlocked. It wasn't clear how the FBI dealt with a related Apple security feature that introduces increasing time delays between guesses. At the time, Comey said with those features removed, the FBI could break into the phone in 26 minutes. Farook died with his wife in a gun battle with police after they killed 14 people Dec. 2 in San Bernardino, Calif. The iPhone, issued to Farook by his employer, the county health department, was found in a vehicle the day after the shooting. A senior FBI official told The Wall Street Journal Tuesday that investigators were still analyzing the phone and had not decided whether to disclose what they had found. Fox News' Matthew Dean and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Aren't you tired of spraying celebratory champagne everywhere by keeping your thumb on the mouth of the bottle? Not to worry -- the champagne gun is a gadget that helps you waste more champagne more efficiently by spraying a steady stream of bubbly in any direction you choose. The champagne gun also comes with a "champagne service" attachment, so that the next time you pour a magnum bottle around the table, you could be pouring it from a gun-inspired holder. The champagne gun itself weighs five pounds, and is made of a metal structure in a plastic shell, coated with a "high quality" metal finish. It works with any magnum bottle, which means you're blasting 1.5 liters of champagne at a radius of 16-23 feet for about 45 seconds each time you use it. Related: Want to keep your memory? Drink champagne Prefer to tone it down a notch? If the diffuser works up too much spray for your personal taste, you can also use the spout attachment to pour champagne in much the same way you used to pour from the actual bottle before you laid eyes on the champagne gun. For obvious reasons, some people seem to think that pouring champagne into a glass or another thirsty person's mouth is more fun when the bottle holder looks like a gun. Of course, the champagne gun comes in gold, rose gold, and chrome finishes, and it costs $459, down from the original price of $499. The creators of the gizmo seem to think the savings are worth the luxury status statement made by owning your own champagne gun. In addition to the bigger champagne spray mess you'll have to clean up and the unnecessary champagne pouring accessory, the champagne gun's third function is as a display item, to prop up your magnum bottle in a gun-shaped stand for the world to see. Cheers. The Islamic State is harnessing apps and websites in an effort to distribute its radio station, Al-Bayan, via the Internet, the Middle East Media Research Institute warns. ISIS has released three versions of its radio app on the Android platform, MEMRI says in a report seen by FoxNews.com. The first two were experimental, and the most recent version was released in February of this year. Related: Pro-ISIS hacking group CCA returns to secure messaging app Telegram MEMRI says that the original links to download these apps were at one point posted on a website called the Internet Archive. A screenshot of the app provided by MEMRI shows a straightforward interface that reportedly gives users the choice between streaming content in either high- or low-quality. The report also states that ISIS has created six websites to stream its radio content so far, with the most recent version created on April 2. (The first website was launched in July of last year.) The makers of the current version use a service called WhoisGuard to mask information about the site, as well as CloudFlare to protect its website from cyber attacks and to hide details about the server, according to MEMRI. Related: ISIS made up to $200M last year from seized Palmyra artifacts WhoisGuard is based in Panama, and CloudFlare has offices in both the United States and abroad. Speaking to Fox Business last year on a related issue, CloudFlare CEO Matthew Prince defended the service, saying that they work with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, and that these agencies actually sometimes prefer that terrorist-related sites use CloudFlare because it can make the sites easier to monitor. WhoisGuard and the Internet Archive have not yet responded to a request for comment on this story from FoxNews.com. Related: First-of-its-kind UN conference on violent extremism underway On the ground, the ISIS radio station, Al-Bayan ( 'to illustrate' or 'to uncover' in English) is broadcast over FM frequencies in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. The radio stations topics include religious content and military news. The app version of the Al-Bayan radio station and the Web version of the stations are said to feature the same streaming content. Pro-Islamic State hacking group Cyber Caliphate Army (CCA), whose Telegram account was closed over the weekend, made a swift return to the encrypted social media platform Monday, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. In addition to a CCA channel on Telegram, the group also launched a new account titled United Cyber Caliphate a collective account for four cyber jihadi organizations Ghost Caliphate Section, Sons Caliphate Army, Caliphate Cyber Army, and Kalachnikov E-security team, MEMRI reported Monday. The United Cyber Caliphate Telegram account racked up 200 members in less than an hour, MEMRI said. Related: Secure messaging app Telegram removes 78 ISIS-related channels Messages sent via the app are heavily encrypted and can self-destruct. The free app has already been harnessed by ISIS as a promotional and recruitment tool. Telegram introduced channels, which it touted as a new tool for broadcasting your messages to large audiences last September. ISIS used Telegram to claim credit for the Paris terror attacks in November, prompting the messaging app to remove a slew of ISIS-related channels. The mobile messaging service said that reports sent by its users help it identify and then block the public channels. Related: Telegram boots more terrorist channels as its battle with ISIS continues Telegram has not yet responded to a request for comment on this story from FoxNews.com. MEMRI also reports that the CCA launched a Twitter account Monday, although the account now appears to be closed. A spokesman for Twitter told FoxNews.com that the company does not comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons. Twitters rules make it clear that promotion of terrorism, or any violent threat, are not permitted on the service. In a blog post in February Twitter said that, since the middle of 2015, it has suspended over 125,000 accounts for threatening or promoting terrorist acts, primarily related to ISIS. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers A man has been arrested in the murder-for-hire shooting death of a Texas pediatric dentist and an arrest warrant has been issued for a woman suspected of hiring him, police said Friday. Dallas Police Maj. Max Geron said 31-year-old Kristopher Love has been charged with capital murder in the Sept. 2 death of Kendra Hatcher. Geron said Love, also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, has been identified as the person who shot Hatcher in her apartment complexs parking garage. He said that when Love was arrested, he was in possession of the gun believed to have killed 35-year-old Hatcher. Love was in Dallas County jail on $2.5 million bond. Jail records didnt list an attorney. Police say they are searching for Brenda Delgado, 33, who is accused of planning the murder, according to the Dallas Morning News. Delgado ended a two-year relationship with Hatchers current boyfriend earlier this year, according to WFAA. Geron, who did not discuss a motive at the Friday night news conference, said that the woman "was involved in the planning and the commission of the offense." More On This... Earlier this month, a woman accused of driving the shooter to the garage was arrested. Crystal Cortes, 23, was arrested on Sept. 5 and charged with capital murder in the case. She remained in Dallas County jail Friday on $500,000 bond. Police say Cortes admitted to conspiring with Delgado in a plot to rob Hatcher. Cortes allegedly told police she was paid $500 to drive Love to the parking garage at Hatchers Gable Park 17 apartment building in a borrowed jeep on Sept. 2. She then watched as the male shoot and rob Hatcher, before the pair fled. Delgado was reportedly jealous of her ex-boyfriend, Ricardo Paniagua, and his new relationship with Hatcher. The envy grew when Paniagua took Hatcher to San Francisco to meet his parents, according to the News. WFAA, citing information in police warrants, reports Cortes also told police that the Delgado tracked Hatchers movements prior to the robbery attempt via an iPhone. Cops were led to Cortes when they released security footage of the jeep she was driving. The jeeps owner saw a news report on the case and contacted police, telling them he had loaned the vehicle to the ex-girlfriend. When interviewed by authorities, she said she loaned the jeep to Cortes. Delgado previously had been charged with speeding and failure to have valid car insurance, according to the Dallas Morning News. She was arrested in early September on a traffic warrant several hours after Cortes arrest and after cops obtained a warrant to search her apartment, the News reported. But cops released her from the Dallas County Jail later that night. George Ashford III, Cortes attorney, has said Cortes thought the plan was to rob Hatcher, not kill her. Last month, Hatchers family released a statement hoping for justice in the situation: Kendra had so much to give, and we are so thankful her 35 years were lived to the fullest, the family said. We will miss Kendra tremendously, especially her laugh and smiles. But we cannot fully mourn and celebrate her life until the authorities apprehend the person(s) responsible for committing this senseless act. Click for more from The Dallas Morning-News. The Associated Press contributed to this report. One of the two men who busted out of a psychiatric facility in Washington state on Wednesday was captured Thursday, but the more dangerous of the pair -- an accused killer -- remains on the run. Mark Alexander Adams, 58, was caught in Des Moines, Washington, near the Western State Hospital he escaped from Wednesday evening. Anthony Garver, however, remains on the loose. Garver, 28, was arrested for murder in 2013 but was found not competent to stand trial. Garver's real last name is Burke, but he goes by Garver and also has used the alias Deryk Garver, Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler said. "It's a pretty serious crime, the worst you can imagine -- and he's got mental illness," Lawler said Thursday. "We don't know what he's thinking." Adams was arrested for domestic assault in 2014 but also found not competent for trial. Lawler said Adams was caught when he was recognized and police detained him. Detectives are set to interview him. Adams was located after police said he got on a bus Wednesday night and asked how to get to the airport. Des Moines is just south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Police are urging anyone who spots Garver to keep away and contact authorities. "That makes it difficult for people to run when the public is paying attention," Lawler said. Police are making automated calls to Lakewood and Steilacoom residents near the facility to tell them to keep an eye on the department's Facebook page and local news websites for more information. The escapes are the latest in a litany of problems at the 800-bed facility, Washington state's largest psychiatrichospital. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has threatened to cut millions in federal funds to the facility after inspectors cited safety violations for both staff and patients. The agency recently extended the hospital's deadline for fixing the problems from April 1 to May 3. A federal judge has also said the hospital has failed to provide timely competency services to mentally ill defendants. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Two burglarly suspects led authorities on a long, bizarre chase through the streets of Los Angeles in a convertible Thursday before surrendering to police, but only after stopping to exchange high-fives with onlookers and take selfies before being handcuffed. The chase began at around 1:30 p.m. local time with a report of a home burglary in Cerritos, about 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said. During the ensuing chase, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, two blue-clad men sped along freeways in a blue Ford Mustang and wove through jammed streets sometimes dangerously. The vehicle, its top down despite persistent rain showers, drove north on the Hollywood Freeway north of downtown Los Angeles before exiting at Hollywood Boulevard. The Mustang slowed to avoid people in crosswalks, while the driver did "donuts" on the rain-slicked avenue best-known for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On one occasion, the Mustang appeared to clip another car, but kept on going. At one point, a TMZ tour bus boxed in the Mustang before another car moved off and the vehicle was able to get around it. After leaving Hollywood, the Mustang made its way up Laurel Canyon Boulevard and eastbound on Mulholland Drive, Fox 11 reported. Pursing patrol cars backed off several times for safety reasons, authorities said. Coming down from the Hollywood Hills, the men took the Hollywood and Harbor freeways in the opposite direction from which they had come. Finally, shortly after 3 p.m., the car riding on three tires by this time pulled up on a South Los Angeles street where a group of mainly young men were standing near a driveway. The driver got out and sat on the hood. Both men took selfies and exchanged hugs, high-fives and conversation with the group of apparent friends or well-wishers. When sheriff's deputies arrived a few minutes later, the two men calmly surrendered and were handcuffed as onlookers took videos of the scene with cellphones. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the men were to be booked for burglary, "among many other charges." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from FoxLA.com. Police in Missouri asked for the public's help Wednesday to find the person who shot and killed a man in front of his 10-year-old daughter. Jake Brantner, 39, was gunned down in a Raytown shopping center parking lot Sunday at about 8:30 p.m., according to Fox 4 KC. Kansas City police said there were plenty of people who witnessed what happened, but so far there have only been three calls to the department's tipline. "There was a little girl sitting in the passenger seat crying and a man outside the car ... outside the car bleeding," an unidentified witness told Fox 4 KC. She said she didnt want to be identified because the gunman hasnt been arrested. The witness said she was in the parking lot when she heard several gunshots. She told the station that she drove over to where the shots came from and found the man and the child. I asked her to unroll the window and she did. I asked if she was ok, she was, she was asking for her dad. I didn't want to say anything about her dad because from where she was sitting I didn't think she could see him lying there," the witness said. Friends of Brantner told KCTV that the incident was likely a Craigslist deal gone wrong. Brantner reportedly was in the parking lot to sell someone a handgun, but police havent confirmed that information. Daniel Holdcroft, a long-time friend of Brantner, told the station he was a family man and well-known in the local car racing community. He said Brantner took a buyout from General Motors to start his own body shop that specialized in race car fabrication. Police have not released any description of the alleged gunman and are urging anyone with information to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Click for more from Fox 4 KC. A man who caused a crash that killed a Texas volunteer firefighter and his two children last week reportedly was in the U.S. illegally. A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman told the Dallas Morning News Tuesday that a van driven by Margarito Quintero, 33, swerved into the northbound lane on State Highway 70, hitting fire Capt. Peter Hackings car. Quintero didnt have a license. Hacking and his children ages 4 and 22 months died at the scene of the accident. Quintero and two others who were in the van were taken to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano with serious injuries. DPS spokesman Lonny Haschel told the paper Tuesday that Quintero could be charged with criminal negligent homicide by the time officials complete the investigation of the accident. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Quintero is a Mexican citizen who entered the U.S. illegally near Laredo in August 2006. He was arrested on criminal charges and deported in 2008. ICE said it has no record of encountering Quintero since his 2008 deportation. ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok told the Morning News an immigration detainer will be placed on him if hes placed into custody. A GoFundMe page was setup for Hackings family to help with funeral costs and other expenses for his children. As of early Thursday more than $20,000 had been raised. Click for more from The Dallas Morning News. Its getting ugly as we are less than two weeks until the New York primary.. and what some are calling the other subway series. Hillary Clinton seizing on an interview Bernie Sanders gave this week to the editorial board of the New York Daily News where he appeared unprepared on several major issues. Hillary attacked Bernie on several fronts yesterday. Questioning his knowledge of issues and dismissing his Democrat qualifications. Clinton saying, "He's a relatively new Democrat, and, in fact, I'm not even sure he is one, so I don't know quite how to characterize him." In response late last night Bernie Sanders called Hillary Clinton unqualified to be president suggesting her Wall Street ties and vote to go to war in Iraq disqualified her. The Washington Post reporters Anne Gearan and John Wagner write today: Sanders's blunt assessment at a raucous rally here came at the end of a day of testy exchanges between the two White House contenders in a race that Sanders has prolonged by continuing to win nominating contests, despite Clinton's formidable lead in the delegate count. Earlier Wednesday, Clinton launched a fierce two-pronged attack on Sanders, questioning her persistent challenger's qualifications as a Democrat and for the presidency - but stopped short of calling him unqualified for the job. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times today writes, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders reveled Tuesday in hard-fought victories in the Wisconsin primaries, but both men confront an implacable challenge ahead: math. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz attacked each other at separate events in New York. The Washington Post reporters Sean Sullivan and Paul Kane write today: After his most convincing victory yet over Donald Trump in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz sought on Wednesday to shed his reputation as a divisive bomb-thrower and position himself as the candidate who can bring the Republican Party together. But it wasn't clear whether it was working. In Washington and across the country, many mainstream Republicans who despise Trump - including many supporters of former candidate Marco Rubio - are still declining to support the senator from Texas, whose antagonism toward GOP leaders has been the centerpiece of his political rise. The lukewarm reception highlighted the difficulty Cruz faces in recasting himself as a bridge builder after years of bridge burning. Nate Cohn writes in the New York Times today about the breakthrough by Ted Cruz in Wisconsin: Mr. Cruz was well ahead of the 41 percent projected by the same model. It was also above his typical results in pre-election polls. It was foreseeable that Mr. Cruz could outperform the model this way, at least to some extent. The model didn't include any potential gains from Mr. Rubio's departure from the race, and Mr. Rubio was still on track to win about 8 percent of the vote in Wisconsin when he left. Splitting those votes evenly with John Kasich might have gotten Mr. Cruz up into the mid-40s. But Mr. Kasich didn't exactly split those votes with Mr. Cruz; he actually fell back to 14 percent of the vote. Mr. Kasich's total was less than the model estimated (18 percent), less than the pre-election polls pointed toward (all at least 17 percent), and less than he received in nearby Michigan (24 percent) and Illinois (20 percent). It appears that many moderate voters, who have long been the biggest obstacle to Mr. Cruz, finally broke his way. According to exit polls, Mr. Cruz won 29 percent of them -- far higher than the 12 percent he won in Michigan and 15 percent in Illinois. Mr. Kasich's share of the vote among both self-described ''moderate'' and ''somewhat conservative'' voters dropped. Its worth noting there is voting in the presidential race in Wyoming on Saturday for Democrats. Well talk to Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia Center for Politics about his new Crystal Ball out today. Hes changing six Senate race ratings and two governor ratings towards the Democrats direction. Hell joins us to explain why. Bernie Sanders outlined (finally) a plan to break up the big banks, but let the firms themselves determine how to do it. The hunt for delegates is on with candidates chasing single delegates and beginning the process of wooing individuals. Karl Rove has a column out today in the WSJ on the rise of the non-Trump GOP. President Obama heads to Chicago today returning to the University of Chicago where he taught law to pitch Supreme Court nominee Merrick B Garland. Hes trying to pressure Senate Republicans into holding a vote. Were continuing to watch bad wildfires out West. Brazil moving closer to impeaching President Rousseff as a new report recommends a trial, and a judges ruling paved the way for a vote on impeachment. The Panama Papers story continues to snowball.. with more officials in China implicated in stashing possibly ill-gotten gains in offshore accounts hosted by Panama. Donald Blankenship was sentenced to a year in prison. Hes the former head of the Massey Energy Company accused of crimes related to a 2010 explosion that killed 29 men in a mining accident. For more news, follow me on Twitter: @ClintPHenderson A Southern Illinois police officer put his life on the line to save a construction worker after a gas line explosion triggered a massive fireball on Wednesday, a witness told Fox 2. Glen Carbon Explosion A utility worker was injured in this large explosion near Glen Carbon, IL. Jim Harrison sent this video in. Viewers tell us they could see the smoke for miles. Full story: http://via.fox2now.com/4SspM Posted by Fox2Now on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 Maryville Police Officer Justin Krausz "literally called for help and ran full speed towards the flames to pull the victim further to safety," the witness said, adding that the flames shot up 100 feet into the air. Paramedics rushed the worker to the hospital with severe burns, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The worker's condition Thursday was unclear. "As far as instincts go, youre always wanting to get in there and help," Krausz said. He thanked Police Sgt. Brandon Ponce for his help in rescuing the worker. The explosion rocked a construction site. Investigators said it started after a piece of equipment struck the gas line. Maryville is nearly 15 miles northeast of St. Louis. Click for more from Fox 2. A small business owner volunteered to create special "In God We Trust" decals for police cars and fire engines in a city east of Dallas, as the city council legalized the stickers Tuesday. Jay Stinson said he made the pledge after learning last week that the city of Forney was considering the proposal. The Freedom From Religion Foundation had challenged many similar plans in other parts of the country. It's unclear whether the atheist group will target the Forney resolution. "I believe in the words of this motto. I believe that our country was founded on this motto and believe that this project will be a small step to unite our community and make people feel better about our police and fire entities," Stinson told ABC News. He owns a store in Forney that sells signs and banners, among other items. He estimates that producing decals for all of Forney's city-owned vehicles could cost him as much as $2,500. Forney is roughly 20 miles east of Dallas. 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. The brother of a 17-year-old Texas girl who was killed last week when an exploding Takata air bag sent a shard of metal into her neck said he never received a recall notice about his 2002 Honda Civic. Faizan Hanif spoke during a news conference Thursday with investigators who said the March 31 wreck should have been a minor accident. Hanif said he never received a notice that his car might have a faulty air bag inflator, a defect that has now been blamed for 10 deaths in the U.S. Honda spokesman Matt Sloustcher said the company mailed multiple notices to owners of the vehicle, including the current registered owner. Sloustcher wouldn't say if one was sent to the Hanif family, but he noted that the Civic had a salvage title. Hanif said couldn't remember when or from whom he purchased the vehicle. Hanif's sister, Huma, was driving the car when she rear-ended another vehicle that was legally stopped near the Houston suburb of Richmond. She was killed when the air bag deployed, local sheriff's officials said. "I wish we would have received a notice from Honda so we could have avoided this tragedy," her 24-year-old brother said. Honda is among 14 automakers that have recalled about 24 million U.S. vehicles to replace the inflators the largest automotive recall in U.S. history though only about 27 percent of the recalled inflators have been replaced. More than 100 people have been hurt by the inflators, which can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and sending shards into drivers and passengers. "I have worked of hundreds of these crashes in the county and everybody should have walked away from this crash," Fort Bend County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Beckworth said Thursday. Authorities showed five pieces of metal from Hanif's air bag during the news conference, including a piece slightly larger than a fingernail that investigators say severed his sister's jugular vein and carotid artery. Deputies responding to the crash saw the metal fragment lodged in her neck, Sheriff Troy Nehls said. The inflators are powered by the chemical ammonium nitrate. Scientists have determined that prolonged exposure to airborne moisture and high temperatures can cause the chemical to deteriorate. The inflator canisters also can allow moisture to enter in areas with extreme humidity. Hanif's Civic was first recalled in 2011, but despite six recall notices, repairs were never completed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Every quarter, Honda pulls addresses for registered owners from a database of state auto registrations, and sends notices to those with unrepaired recalls, Sloustcher said. The company said it also uses telephone calls, text messages, advertising and social media to reach people. Faizan Hanif said he never saw a notice. "I'm the one basically who handles all the mail at my house," he said, adding that he didn't want to get his parents involved. He said he couldn't remember when he purchased the car, saying only that he "bought it from someone else." He said his sister, a high school senior who planned to study nursing, was returning to her job at a sandwich shop when the crash occurred. Fort Bend authorities are still investigating the crash, but said there was no evidence the Civic was speeding. The sheriff said investigators also ruled out distraction by a cellphone or other electronic device, but said "we do believe that there was a distraction in the vehicle that caused her to crash into the vehicle in front of her." Authorities in Washington state said late Wednesday that two dangerous men are on the loose after escaping from a psychiatric hospital. Lakewood police said Anthony Garver and Mark Alexander Adams were last seen in the dining hall at Western State Hospital at about 6 p.m., but were discovered missing at 7:30 p.m. Garver was found incompetent to stand trial for a murder charge in 2013 and Adams was sent to the hospital to receive treatment stemming from a domestic violence arrest in 2014 where he was found not competent to stand trial, Q13 Fox reported. Garver is charged with killing Phillipa Evans-Lopez, 20, in a home in Lake Stevens in July 2013. She was found tied to a bed and stabbed to death. Police said Garvers real last name is Burke and he also goes by the alias Deryk Garver. "It is suspected that they left together on foot and may have obtained transportation," Lakewood Police said. "They were both housed in the locked civil ward at the hospital and may have escaped out of a loose window in their room." A manhunt for the two men is underway. Authorities said theyve contacted cab companies, Amtrak, Greyhound and Pierce Transit to be on the lookout for the two men. "Both subjects are reported by the hospital to be dangerous to others," police said. Garver, 28, is white, described as 5-foot-8, about 250 pounds, with long curly brown hair and has a beard and a mustache. He was last seen wearing a brown sweatshirt and orange jail flip-flops, Q13 Fox reported. Hes originally from the Spokane area. Adams, 58, is white, described as 6-foot, about 210 pounds, with long blond hair. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and gray shorts. Police said Adams might try to flee to California. Police said both Garver and Adams arrived at the hospital in 2015 on a court commit order of Snohomish County to treat mental health issues. Click for more from Q13 Fox. A thief who posed as a guest at California weddings and stole wallets, credit cards and cash from brides, guests and wedding workers will be honeymooning in prison. KNSD-TV reported Denise Gunderson was sentenced Wednesday to seven years behind bars. She had previous felony convictions. Prosecutors said last year Gunderson showed up at several San Diego County weddings, went into rooms and offices and stole valuables during the ceremonies. Authorities said Gunderson used the credit cards to make thousands of dollars in purchases at Costco, Walmart and other stores -- sometimes only minutes after the wedding vows were taken. Surveillance video caught Gunderson at several wedding locations and stores. She was arrested last December in Las Vegas and pleaded guilty in February to grand theft and identity theft. The jilted woman accused of planning the murder of a Dallas pediatric dentist last September was formally added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list Wednesday. Brenda Delgado is only the ninth woman to make the list since its inception in 1950. Federal investigators told a news conference that they are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her capture. "Delgados addition to the list underscores the violent and calculated nature of the crime shes accused of committing," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Class Sr. Delgado, 33, is charged with capital murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in connection with the Sept. 2 death of Dr. Kendra Hatcher. Authorities say Delgado ordered Hatcher's murder because she was jealous of the dentist's relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Authorities have already arrested three other people in connection with the killing, including the suspected triggerman. Kristopher Love, arrested last October, has also been charged with capital murder after he allegedly shot Hatcher in the parking garage of her apartment complex. Delgado, a Mexican citizen, is believed to be hiding somewhere in her home country. Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk said Wednesday that by law, Delgado cannot face the death penalty if she is apprehended in Mexico and extradited to the U.S. Delgado is described as standing about five feet, five inches tall and weighing approximately 145 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes and should be considered armed and dangerous. Click for more from Fox4News.com. A woman who claimed she was slashed in the face by a stranger in Lower Manhattan has recanted her story, police said. The New York Police Department said Friday that their investigation revealed that the woman's wound was self-inflicted. They said the 20-year-old woman was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. Police said the woman reported a random attack Thursday afternoon and told police a man grabbed her and slashed her on the left side of her face. Police said she told them that the man called her a terrorist during the attack. Authorities say her injuries aren't life-threatening. One of the suicide bombers who attacked the Brussels airport had previously worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament. According to a parliamentary spokesman, Najim Laachraoui did not have a criminal record at the time of his employment. "As a student, he held a summer holiday job cleaning at the parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010, the spokesman said in a statement. "Those were the only instances he worked at the parliament." Najim Laachraoui blew himself up at the Brussels airport, and is also suspected of making suicide vests for last Novembers Paris attack. The revelation came as Belgiums prime minister admitted the country had made mistakes in how it tackled violent extremism. "In the fight against terrorism, in all countries in the world and in Europe, there have been successes and there have been failures," Prime Minister Charles Michel said. But he rejected suggestions Belgium had become a "weak link" in Europes war on terrorism. He made the comments to an audience of largely foreign journalists following last months attack on the Brussels airport and metro. The attacks killed 32 people, along with the three bombers. Click for more from Sky News. The first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan on Wednesday and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the U.S. "I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there," al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. "I am ready to integrate in the U.S. and start a new life," he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City late Wednesday night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the U.S. from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by Sept. 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said U.S. Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. "The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number," Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. "We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes," she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. German prosecutors have to decide whether a TV comedian's poem about the Turkish president was mere satire, or a punishable offense. German public broadcaster ZDF said Wednesday that prosecutors in the western city of Mainz have opened a preliminary probe into whether the poem broke the law. If convicted of insulting a foreign head of state, Comedian Jan Boehmermann could face up to three years in prison. Boehmermann read the poem in a program aired by ZDF television Thursday as an example of something that wouldn't be allowed in Germany, contrasting it with another channel's satirical song that also poked fun at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. While the German government defended the song as legitimate free speech, it has strongly distanced itself from the poem. The Islamic State terror group has kidnapped more than 300 workers at a Syrian cement company, witnesses and state TV reported Thursday. The al-Badia Cement Company reportedly has its headquarters northeast of Damascus, where ISIS had launched a surprise attack on government troops earlier this week. Syrian officials said the employer lost all contact with the workers and contractors. They said the kidnapping unfolded near the town of Dumeir, some 25 miles outside Syria's capital. A company spokeswoman declined to discuss the kidnapped workers' fate, saying authorities had told the firm to keep quiet. "The situation is not easy at all," she told The Associated Press. The ISIS-linked Aamaq agency posted a video showing the deserted cement factory, located near a military air base. The video showed what appeared to be a Syrian soldier lying on the ground, apparently dead. One militant is seen driving a truck, towing away a fork lift. Islam Alloush a spokesman for the Army of Islam rebel group which has a strong presence in Dumeir, told the AP Islamic militants attacked five targets in the town, including other insurgents' positions near the airport. They also seized control of the factory, kidnapping hundreds of its workers. He said his group had managed to secure some workers who got away, but the fate of the kidnapped workers was not known. Alloush added that the town is densely populated, making their ability to maneuver difficult. Mass abductions have taken place on occasion in Syria during the country's devastating civil war, now in its sixth year, most often targeting religious minorities or Syrian soldiers. Also Thursday, Syrian rebels and allied Islamic groups advanced into ISIS strongholds in southern and northern Syria undermining the group's hold of a border crossing with Turkey, activists report. Various factions of the Free Syrian Army entered the ISIS-held town of al-Rai, in northern Aleppo province along the border with Turkey, according to activist Bahaa al-Halabi. The Syrian army reportedly launched a push Tuesday night aimed at retaking the village of Tel al-Ais, which overlooks the Damascus-Aleppo highway. The village was captured on Monday by rebels allied with Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front. The fighting outside Aleppo, the country's second-largest city, has been the worst since a partial cease-fire agreement came into effect in late February and has threatened to completely derail the agreement, which greatly reduced overall violence in Syria. The fighting pits Syrian government forces and allied Lebanese Hezbollah militiamen against militants, including the Nusra Front. The recent truce excludes both ISIS and the Al Qaeda branch. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ISIS militants pocketed up to $200 million last year on plundered antiquities from Palmyra, the Syrian desert town with 2,000-year-old ruins, Russian investigators revealed. Palmyra is an archaeological gem and a cherished landmark known endearingly to Syrians as the "Bride of the Desert." It is also a strategic crossroads linking the Syrian capital, Damascus, with the country's east and the border with Iraq. Syrian forces recaptured Palmyra in March, their first major victory in years over Islamic State fighters who had overseen a 10-month reign of terror in the town. During their stay, the extremists destroyed some of Palmyra's best-known monuments, including two large temples dating back more than 1,800 years and a Roman triumphal arch. The militants also used the ancient Roman amphitheater for public killings, including a video they released showing 25 boys with pistols shooting captured Syrian soldiers, with the colonnades in the background. The militants reportedly reduced much of the ancient town to rubble. Drones sent over to explore the site found that little remains of the Temple of Bel, the Arc du Triomphe and the Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani Castle. Vitaly Churkin, Russias ambassador to the United Nations, said in a letter released Wednesday that the militants formed an antiquities division that monitored these transactions. The main center for the smuggling of cultural heritage items is the Turkish city of Gaziantep, where the stolen goods are sold at illegal auctions and then through a network of antique shops and at the local market, Churkin wrote, according to Reuters. Turkish officials did not respond in the Reuters report, which points out that the two countries have had strained relations since Turkey shot down a Russian jet last November. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 The Latest on the flow of refugees and other migrants into Europe (all times local): 2:10 p.m. The Vatican is confirming Pope Francis will meet with refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16, a highly symbolic show of solidarity as the European Union begins deporting migrants back to Turkey. The Vatican said Thursday that Francis had accepted an invitation to visit by the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Greek president. Bartholomew will be in Lesbos as well. The visit comes as refugees are being deported back to Turkey under a controversial EU program. Francis, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, has been outspoken about Europe's moral obligation to welcome refugees. A visit to a refugee camp by the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches could embarrass EU leaders already under fire from human rights groups. ___ 12:15 p.m. Authorities in Greece say thousands migrants and refugees camped out at the country's largest port near Athens have been given two weeks to move to army-built camps or be expelled by force. The warning issued Thursday came as nearly a third of the 52,000 migrants stranded in Greece by European border closures are refusing to move to organized shelters and remain camped out at the port of Piraeus and at the northern border with Macedonia. At Piraeus, government officials and translators spent hours trying to persuade migrants to move voluntarily to a new camp in northern Greece, showing them aerial photographs of the site and explaining what facilities are available. More than 4,000 migrants remain at Piraeus an important site for Greece's vital tourism industry. The much-awaited liberation of Mosul from ISIS stalled late last month almost as soon as bullets flew, when Iraqi government troops once again fled from the black-clad terrorist army, members of the broad coalition poised to retake the key city told FoxNews.com this week. The Iraqi army, which was heavily criticized for abandoning posts and weapons as ISIS moved in on Mosul in June of 2014, had begun taking small villages on the outskirts after Baghdad announced the campaign March 24. But the liberation effort, which was to include Shia and Sunni militias, Kurds, Christians and Yazidis with U.S.-led coalition support, was quickly paused when the opposition struck back. The Iraqi Army commenced an assault on ISIS strongholds around Mosul, but when ISIS fired back, the Iraqi Army ran away and the assaults ended, a western, Iraq-based security and defense specialist told FoxNews.com of last weeks failed offensive. So now they are regrouping and rethinking their next options. They retook some territory but fled shortly (afterward,) during the nighttime. Yakhi Hamza, Iraq's 1st New Allied Expeditionary Force Iraqi officials claimed the operation came to a halt when they determined they needed reinforcements to hold onto the villages they took. Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Najm Abdullah al-Jubbouri said ISIS fighters had dug a network of tunnels and had suicide bombers and truck bombs waiting for them. U.S. Army Maj. Jon-Paul Depreo, operations officer for the international coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, said some of the Iraqi army troops were unfamiliar with the territory, contributing to the decision to temporarily freeze the campaign. These [Iraqi army] forces arent from that area necessarily, so theyre learning the area, Depreo told reporters in Baghdad. In a dramatic announcement last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said "Operation Conquest" was Phase I of the retaking of Mosul and would involve capturing areas around Mosul to use as staging areas for future operations. The towns and villages targeted were all roughly 50 miles outside of Mosul. The Iraqi Army reportedly has around 4,500 troops lined up for the Mosul campaign, augmented by untold numbers of loccal militia and Kurdish forces. The army is equipped with U.S.-supplied Humvees and a top-of-the-line cache of artillery, anti-tank missiles, air craft, infantry weapons and ammunition. Pausing the effort is another humiliation for Baghdad, and the army the U.S. has spent years and billions of dollars training. The Iraqi Army came under harsh criticism two years ago following revelations that many fighters dropped their U.S.-issued weapons and fled their posts as ISIS approached Mosul, not only abandoning their posts but allowing their advanced weapons to fall into militant hands. Mosul, which once boasted a population of 2 million, has been the terrorist armys Iraqi headquarters since it was taken. ISIS is believed to be holding thousands of civilians in the city that could be used as human shields. In addition, thousands of Christian, Kurdish and Yazidi captives, including girls and women held as sex slaves, are believed to be held in the city. Yakhi Hamza, director of The 1st New Allied Expeditionary Force, a volunteer aid organization that includes Western and Allied Veterans and works with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, said the stalled Mosul campaign showed the Iraqi army still may not be ready for battle. They retook some territory but fled shortly (afterward,) during the nighttime, he said. There hasn't been progress so far. The Iraqi forces did reclaim three villages just outside Mosul from ISIS, ones situated on the perimeter of Makhmour, a medium-sized town between Mosul and the Kurdish capital of Erbil. But the prime initial target of Operation Conquest, the town of Qayyara, on the western bank of the Tigris River, remains under ISIS control. Hamza said the failed effort is a public relations coup for ISIS. It negatively affects the whole process, he said. ISIS uses these defeats for more propaganda and morale boost of their fighters. Nobody is optimistic about the ability of the otherwise well -equipped and trained Iraqi Army to retake the city, he added. Even if ISIS were pushed out of Mosul in the long run by the greater support from Peshmerga and [U.S.-led] Coalition, there is fear that they push the offensive towards Baghdad. No date has been set for when troops will try again, with sources telling FoxNews.com that it will more than likely be many months away and possibly not even this year. In the meantime, ISIS is sure to further dig in, planting more IEDs and booby traps and continuing to manufacture chemical weapons at the labs of Mosul University. Observers believe the next time Iraqi forces attempt to liberate Mosul, they will be backed by a heavy U.S. presence on the ground. Already, an undisclosed number of American troops are in the area to provide cover and logistical support. Yes, additional U.S. assets are here to try and help, but still not in the numbers needed to be effective, said one Iraq-based American contractor. Mosul will be a different nut than all the other cities to crack. I do not see how the Iraqi Forces are in any way ready to start a major offensive. Farther south, the Iraqi forces have been more successful. The Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi was liberated from ISIS late last year, and with the assistance of coalition airstrikes, it has been estimated that the Islamic terrorist group has lost over 40 percent of the land it once held in Iraq. The liberation of Ramadi came at a cost, as much of the city was demolished by the onslaught of Iraqi troops and by fleeing ISIS fighters. National and coalition forces are hoping to avoid the destruction of Mosul. For those trapped inside Mosul, hope for liberation has been put on hold. On Tuesday, some 18 civilians were executed by ISIS after being charged with collaborating with the Baghdad government, a day after the group publically slaughtered 14 of its own fighters under similar accusations. Everyone lost hope, said one Iraqi whose family is still stuck inside the city. Knowing that something has started gives them something to live for. Those civilians may need to help whenever the next effort to retake Mosul begins, said Moen Al Kadimi, deputy of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU), a local force which works with the Iraqi army. The actual liberation should start from within, following coordination with locals and forces around the city to start the revolt, he said. We are waiting for government support and re-arming so we can move forward toward Mosul. North Korea has developed a large-caliber multiple launch rocket system that has the capability to strike Seoul as early as this year, South Koreas defense minister said Wednesday. The announcement, reported in The Washington Post, comes a day after a South Korean official said the North has the ability to mount a nuclear warhead on a medium-range missile that could strike targets in Russia, China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. Han Min-koo said Wednesday that North Koreas recent rest-firings of 300-millimeter rockets suggest that its multiple launch rocket system is almost fully developed. Under this assessment, I think North Korea will deploy the 300-mm MLRS as early as the end of this year, Han told reporters. The 300-millimeter rockets are cheaper than missiles and are believed to have a range of 125 miles, giving them the ability to strike Seoul, a city of nearly 26 million people that lies just 35 miles from the demilitarized zone, the Post reported. North Korea recently has threatened to "scorch" South Koreas presidential offices with its powerful large-caliber multiple-rocket-launching systems, according to statements from the regime. The official who said Tuesday that South Korea believes the North can mount a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile said there was no direct evidence yet that it had done so, but declined to elaborate. "We've not seen them demonstrate it, so we don't share that assessment necessarily, but we do accept what they say as a threat we need to take as real," Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said Wednesday when asked about the claim from the South Korean official. "That said, we know that they've said they have that capability and we have to be -- we have to take them at their word," he added. "And that is why we have a missile defense system that we have been working and developing over time. As they've developed their capability, we have worked to outpace that capability with our defensive system." Click for more from The Washington Post. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A government administrator says dozens of suspected militants have attacked a Pakistani security post along the Afghan border, sparking a gun battle in which 12 insurgents were killed. The official, Javed Khan, says the attack took place before dawn Thursday at Mangaro post in the northwestern Kurram tribal region. He says security forces suffered no casualties, and that the attack was repulsed with the attackers fleeing toward Afghanistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan share a 2,250-kilometer (1,400-mile) border and militants from both sides routinely launch cross-border attacks before fleeing back over the border. Much of the border area is remote and off limits to reporters. Also Thursday, police officer Jamshed Khan said a bomb targeting police at a checkpoint near the northwestern city of Peshawar killed a police officer. Despite a skyrocketing death toll and new attacks from the Islamic State in Syria, Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday cheered his military's achievements there. "The [Syrian] statehood has strengthened, as well as the government structures and the armed forces of the Syrian Republic," Putin told a media forum in St. Petersburg. "It is obvious that we have completed our task there." He added that the Syrian army has continued to make advances against ISIS, even though Russia pulled out some of its warplanes from Syria last month. The Russian air campaign started on Sept. 30. The fighting in Syria has killed nearly half a million people in 5 years, according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research. Putin said it's essential to prevent the collapse of the Syrian state to stem the flow of refugees to Europe, The Associated Press reports. Putin also hailed the cease-fire which started on Feb. 27, brokered by Moscow and Washington. However, ISIS and Syria's Al Qaeda branch known as the Nusra Front don't have to abide by the truce. Shortly before Putins comments, a leader of the U.N.-backed humanitarian efforts for Syria said he was "disappointed" with recent efforts to get aid convoys into hard-to-reach and besieged areas, and called on the Damascus government to "live up to its promises." Jan Egeland, the humanitarian aid adviser for the U.N.'s Syria envoy, told reporters on Thursday in Geneva that "April was supposed to be our best month" but that aid delivery is "not getting better and better, it's actually slowing down." Egeland spoke during a break in U.N.-sponsored indirect talks between the Syrian government and the opposition delegation, which are to resume next week. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A decision by a Swiss high school to allow two Muslim boys to skip handshakes with their female teachers over religious concerns has triggered a debate in a country where handshake greetings have long been a gender-neutral tradition. The school in Therwil, near Basel, recently accepted the teens belief that they should only willingly touch women they eventually marry. Regional spokeswoman Deborah Murith said that the schools decision centered on the balance between constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion and gender equality, Murith said the school had ruled that if the boys wont shake hands with female teachers they should also be banned from shaking hands with male teachers. However, she added the decision is only temporary pending the legal advice the school has sought from the Basel-Landschaft regional government on the matter. Some political and religious leaders criticized the schools decision to allow the boys ages 14 and 15 to forgo shaking hands with their female teachers. "Shaking hands when greeting one another is part of the culture in Switzerland and practiced as such at Therwil schools," Therwil's local council said in a statement. "The decision of the school therefore doesn't reflect the position of the community council in this matter." The boys have lived in the country for several years, BBC reported. Mayor Reto Wolf said in an email to the Associated Press the citys council hopes the regional government will give a clear signal within days about how to handle such issues. The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland noted that politeness is a key aspect of Islamic tradition, and the practice of women and men shaking hands across gender lines varies from one predominantly Muslim country to another. The federation said refraining from handshakes is "inappropriate" in Switzerland. "I would urge students and parents to consider the following: Can refusing a handshake be more important than the Islamic commandment of mutual respect?" federation president Montassar BenMrad said. According to BBC, the Islamic Central Council of Switzerland has said that a handshake between men and women was prohibited. "After the sex attacks in Cologne, they asked Muslims to keep their distance from women; now they demand they get closer to them," spokesman Qaasim Illi told Swiss media. This recent issue is another episode showing how European officials are struggling to balance civil and religious rights on a continent that has long been dominated by Christianity, but has faced an influx of Muslims in recent decades. Local education officials said the school took a practical approach to the situation, but agreed that it wasnt a permanent one. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The usual reason for forming an independent franchisee association is to address problems with the franchisor or other conflicts within the system. While the goal of the franchisees who banded together was to improve the system as they saw it, the relationship often was adversarial--at least initially, until the two sides discovered they had overriding common interests. These internal "family feuds" were the norm for decades, especially in systems where the franchisees were not making the return on their investment they'd expected, for whatever cause. In recent years, however, the focus of franchisee associations has expanded to include external threats--from competition and the battle for market share, to what many currently perceive as a threat from governmental and regulatory bodies to the franchise business model itself. This alliance against a common, external "enemy" has driven the two parties closer together, much as the Japanese threat to the U.S. auto industry in the 1970s and 1980s drove the United Auto Workers to view GM, Ford, and Chrysler more as an ally than an adversary. From the NLRB's 2015 stance on joint employment, to minimum wage mandates by states and municipalities and the Fight for $15 from the SEIU, to the ongoing fallout from the Affordable Care Act, these are tough times for franchising. Tough times make strange bedfellows. Little Caesars Like most franchisee associations, the Independent Organization of Little Caesars Franchisees (IOLCF) was formed during a period of adversity for the brand. "Times were not so good in the mid-'90s," says Todd Messer, who operates 18 Little Caesars in Little Rock. "Franchisees grouped together to see if we could improve our situation." About 30 percent of franchisees in the Little Caesars system are IOLCF members, says Messer, who is seeking to increase membership in the association. "One way is to provide an economic benefit to members," he says. That's one reason the IOLCF joined the Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) about 6 years ago. Specifically, he's looking at group purchasing to help franchisees save on costs and boost unit profitability. After all, no matter what the brand or industry, "We all use air conditioning, trash disposal, and alarms," says Messer, who is a CFA co-chair and on the organization's Strategic Planning Committee. "By working together we're able to bring some synergy to create savings and cost advantages." A second reason was to have a greater effect on state and national laws and regulations that affect franchising by joining with nearly 20 other franchisee organizations to make their message heard by policymakers. "State and local representatives will listen more intently to the voice of thousands of franchisees, instead of hundreds," he says. This expanded voice means a greater ability to affect state and national franchise law--to the benefit of franchisees nationwide. Since the founding of the IOLCF, relations with the franchisor have improved significantly as both franchisees and franchisor have learned to work together to rejuvenate the brand. Ironically, the success of the association in helping to turn the brand around may be one reason many franchisees have chosen not to join. "The Little Caesars system has been enjoying a good decade for franchisees," says Messer. "Generally these associations are born in times of adversity. In good times it's harder to bring people together." Although franchisee-franchisor relations are vastly improved from 20 years ago, there always are issues, as there are in all franchise systems. One example, says Messer, is whenever the franchisor considers making changes to the franchise agreement. Involving the IOLCF in advance as those changes are being considered, rather than as a done deal, goes a long way to smooth the transition. As for the future, says Messer, "We are looking to prosper and grow a successful franchise business. Let's work together to make this as conducive to growth and prosperity as possible." Power in numbers Misty Chally is executive director of the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, whose 18 member associations represent more than 38,000 franchise owners with more than 87,000 locations employing more than 1.4 million people. "We're facing constant battles with the U.S. government and Congress," says Chally, with regulations on such critical items as joint employer, overtime regulations, ambush election rules, and the Affordable Care Act. "We're on the defense a lot in the states," she says, "particularly regarding minimum wage increases--and not only in states, but in localities, which is tough to monitor and is how a lot of federal legislation gets started. Minimum wage will continue to be a key issue in 2016." At the municipal level, New York City and Seattle have passed legislation forcing franchisees to comply with minimum wage hikes sooner than non-franchised businesses, based on what many consider the spurious reasoning that, because they display the trademarks of their franchisor, the franchisees themselves are big businesses. "I think it's a complete lack of understanding about franchising," says Chally. What's needed to remedy this misunderstanding, she says is a massive, ongoing educational effort at every level--as well as forging alliances to build strength in numbers. "We work very closely with the Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, NRA, and IFA to get information to our franchisees," she says, who then can take action at the local and state levels, as well as in Washington, D.C. "One of our top issues is to promote a more fair landscape in relation to rights granted in the franchise agreement," says Chally. The CFA is supporting two Congressional bills intended to help candidates who are considering buying a franchise: H.R. 3196 (Fair Franchise Act of 2015) and H.R. 3559 (Small Business Administration Franchise Loan Transparency Act of 2015). Both were introduced by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN). At the state level, Chally says she is "very excited" about the passage of A.B. 525 in California, which passed in October and applies to all franchise agreements signed on or after January 1, 2016. Chally, who was a state lobbyist before coming to the CFA, knows how difficult it can be to pass a bill, even the most benign. Along with CFA Chair Keith Miller and CFA Vice Chair Rob Branca, she worked with the IFA to come up with the language that would most likely pass the state legislature and maximize the goals of the CFA's members. "I don't think it should be easy to pass a bill," she says. "Legislators need to take a look at all sides and understand the full impact of a bill before casting their vote." Miller, a multi-unit Subway franchisee in California, issued the following statement after the bill became law in October: "This journey started almost five years ago, when then Assemblyman Jared Huffman introduced a comprehensive franchise bill. While not everything wished for was achieved, the legislation signed today is a significant achievement. It will give franchisees more rights against termination. It will add transparency to the transfer process. It will put meaningful remedies for improper terminations or non-renewals. And most importantly, it acknowledges that franchisees own the equipment and fixtures they purchased for their business, and that franchisors must purchase them to take possession upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement." Franchisors, on the other hand, are not universally pleased with the new law. Yet as California goes, so goes the nation? A good way for franchisees to educate themselves on the issues and test the waters of political involvement is to attend the CFA Day Forum this March 17 and 18 in Washington, D.C. This year the agenda has changed so that all events and receptions will take place on Capitol Hill. With the raft of legislation franchisees must sort out this year, the legal session has been extended with an opportunity to meet with attorneys at a roundtable breakfast--and of course, visit the Hill and meet with their elected representatives to make their concerns known. "We need more voices in this fight," says Chally, adding that the CFA offers individual memberships to franchisees whose brands have no franchisee association. Into the fray One franchisee who's embraced an activist role in the fight for franchisee rights is Mara Fortin, who in 2007 became the first franchisee of Nothing Bundt Cakes. Today she has seven bakeries and chairs the brand's franchise advisory committee. Fortin has become involved at the local, state, and national levels as an advocate for franchisees. She is one of several co-chairs in the Coalition to Save Local Businesses, which is supported by both the CFA and the IFA, along with more than two dozen other business organizations including the NFIB, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She's also testified before Congress to support pro-franchisee legislation (see sidebar), penned an op-ed for The San Diego Union-Tribune, and has appeared on CNBC and Fox Business News. "There was absolutely no reason for the NLRB to change the standard in the Browning-Ferris case. Nothing good can come out of this," says Fortin, who was a practicing attorney before becoming a franchisee. "It was case by case before. Why change a rule for the 5 percent abusing it and punish the 95 percent who follow the rules?" Fortin urges franchisees to be more vocal and to participate in public events and meet with legislators. "Franchisees need to get involved. We have to send a message to all our elected officials and educate them about what a franchise is," she says. ""There is no upside to joint employer. How many small businesses need to close their doors before they realize there's a problem?" A first step for franchisees, she says, is to educate themselves on the issues. She suggests starting by reaching out to their franchisee association, the CFA, the IFA, local councils, political action committees, and any other organizations involved in supporting franchisee rights. A second step is to shore up their own operations to be sure they're on solid ground contractually with their franchisor before speaking out. "Everyone's afraid if they say something and stand up the brand will retaliate and they won't grow," says Fortin. "What I say is make sure you are following all the brand requirements. Don't go rogue. Don't sell non-brand items. Be vocal, be fearless. Because over time your voice will be heard. And your brand will realize you're in the trenches for the long haul to improve the brand." While an attempt to pass H.R. 3459 (Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act) passed in the House in the previous Congress, the measure failed to be included in the year-end federal spending bill. However, in California, where her stores are located, A.B. 525 did pass, and she organized an event for franchisees to celebrate in Sacramento in January, along with visits to legislators. As the brand's first franchisee approaches her 10-year renewal, it will be under the new law. Balancing franchise agreements One of the more interesting discussions in franchising today is the question of balance in franchise agreements. Beyond the traditional sticking points--pre-sale disclosure, FPRs, encroachment, renewals, transfers, right of first refusal, remodeling, tech upgrades, early termination, cure periods, personal guarantees, liquid damages--there's a fundamental tension between the franchisor's role as protector of the brand versus the financial investment/risk of the franchisee. If franchisees don't invest anything, franchising cannot work, says Miller. Yet, he says, the financial protections in franchising are "completely backwards" from the rest of the business world, where the investor is protected against the institution. "If you invest $100,000 in a security, what's your risk? $100,000. If you invest in a franchise, what's at risk? Everything," he says. "The franchisee is the one who should be protected." "Most people think the largest investment they'll ever make is when they buy a house or a stock. The SEC provides more protection and banking laws for house buyers than for a person who invests in a franchise," says Ed Wolak, who signed his first franchise agreement in 1975 with Dunkin' Donuts. Today his company, The Wolak Group, operates more than 70 Dunkin' Donuts in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York, as well a central production facility with the capacity to supply up to 120 stores. Wolak has seen his share of franchise agreements, as well as owners of the brand, from founder Bill Rosenberg and his son Bob to various private equity firms. "Along the way, the franchise agreement became draconian to keep the flock in control, which I totally support and understand," he says. Franchisees need to know the franchise owner across town is running a good operation and meeting brand standards; if not, it reflects badly on him and all the other Dunkin' franchisees. Still, during the past 40 years, he says, "The franchise agreement has gone from maybe 4 pages to over 30 pages." Then there are additional documents, most notably the FDD: Dunkin's 2015 FDD weighed in at 660 pages. Until last year, Aziz Hashim, the incoming 2016 chair of the IFA, dealt with onerous clauses in franchise agreements during his two decades as a franchisee of multiple restaurant brands. Today, as the founder and managing partner of NRD Capital, a franchisee-funded and managed equity fund that invests in franchise brands, he's on the franchisor side--and determined to rewrite the franchise agreements of any franchise the fund buys to reflect his fundamental rule about investing in a brand: "Is this an agreement I would sign as a franchisee?" In May, NRD Capital announced its first acquisition: Frisch's Restaurants, operator of 95 Big Boy restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, plus 24 other locations it franchised, for approximately $175 million. Hashim is writing a brand new franchise agreement--not necessarily because it was bad for the franchisees, but because it was 20 years old. His intention is not to balance the agreement so it's equal, but rather to "address the imbalance" that has come to dominate franchise agreements to favor the franchisors, seemingly more with each passing year. "A franchise agreement cannot be equal because you're licensing someone else's property," he says, much as signing a lease with a landlord. Yes, franchise agreements are restrictive, meant to protect the entire system by setting standards and providing a mechanism to terminate bad actors who hurt the system. "You have to protect your brand," Hashim says. Yet, at the same time, franchisees invest hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes millions, to build and expand their portfolio and the brand, so their investment must be protected too, he says. "In our agreement we're going to have some of those protections for the franchisee." Two areas he's looking at are personal guarantees and transfer terms. "Personal guarantees for people who are signing franchise agreements whose corporations are very well capitalized are ridiculous. Why should I sign a franchise agreement if my corporation has substantial assets, much more than required by the franchisor in the qualification process?" When it comes to transfers, he says, most franchise agreements have a provision that the buyer must sign the then-current franchise agreement. Yet, if the seller made their initial investment decision based on a royalty rate calculated over a 20-year agreement, this provision reduces the value of their investment if they sell in say, year 13 and the buyer has to sign at a higher rate. "One thing that should not change is the royalty rate. That needs to be guaranteed for 20 years--even if you sell the business," says Hashim. "To raise it from 4 to 5 percent decreases my equity. When the term is over, all bets are off." On the other hand, many people think franchise agreements should be more equal. "I disagree pretty strongly with the idea that franchise agreements should not be balanced," says attorney Ron Gardner, managing partner at Dady & Gardner, where he represents franchisee associations. He says that before franchising took hold, companies raised capital by selling parts of themselves in the form of shares. The government's role was to protect the usually smaller investor from being taken advantage of by the usually larger entity they were investing in, as well as by the banks. "Somewhere along the line, as franchising grew, those roles got reversed," he says, and it became about protecting the brand, not the investor and their money. "Why in franchising do we protect the brand, not the money?" he asks. Fortin, the multi-unit franchisee and attorney, has an opinion somewhere in between, based on the longevity of the franchisee in the system. Before the franchise agreement is signed, she says, the balance should not be equal. "The franchisor is definitely sitting in the position of advising, teaching, and giving the franchisee something of value." At that point, she says, "It's fair that the franchisor has more power." However, once the franchisee has become more sophisticated and has contributed years of royalties to the system, it's time to rethink the balance in the franchisee-franchisor relationship. At that point, the relationship should be 50/50, she says--and reflected in the franchise agreement. A good, experienced franchisee can be a "gold mine" in helping the franchisor improve the system for the benefit of all. "I've been with Nothing Bundt Cake for 10 years, longer than most of the staff," she says. "It should be a win/win." The joint employer initiative from the NLRB has brought up how unbalanced the franchisee-franchisor relationship is, says attorney Eric Karp, a partner at Witmer, Karp, Warner & Ryan, where he represents franchisee associations. The truth, he says, is that the only place the franchisee has some control is to hire and fire and set the wages etc., of the employees. It would be nice if the NLRB agreed. Educating Congress On September 29, 2015, Mara Fortin, a 7-unit franchisee of Nothing Bundt Cakes and a co-chair of Coalition to Save Local Businesses testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions at a legislative hearing on H.R. 3459 (Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act). What follows are excerpts from Fortin's testimony: "The simple, one-sentence legislation contained in H.R. 3459 is the solution that can protect small businesses like mine and give us certainty that out-of-touch regulators are not going to threaten our business again in the future." "Under the NLRB's ruling in Browning-Ferris Industries, my franchisor could be found to be the joint employer of my employees." my franchisor could be found to be the joint employer of my employees." "The real world consequence of the NLRB's decision is that it will lead to consolidation among our franchisors and a loss of autonomy for local franchise business owners.... My franchisor may decide to exert more control over my business, relegating me to a middle manager role for which I did not sign up." "To consider my franchisor a joint employer of my employees is to completely misunderstand how franchising works. When I entered into a franchise agreement with Nothing Bundt Cakes, I signed up to independently operate my business, and that is what I have done for more than eight years. My franchisor provides the recognized brands and trademarks, a set of business practices to ensure consistency and quality across all franchised locations, and support for marketing and advertising. Everything else is up to me--I hire my workers and set their wage and benefit rates. I manage my inventory and purchase equipment. I pay taxes as my own small business, with my own identification number. And I help my employees when they are in need of assistance. My franchisor plays no part in any of these key functions that only a true and sole employer performs. The suggestion that my franchisor is in any way an 'employer' of my workers is insulting, and takes away from all the effort I have put in over the years to build a successful small business." "...Nothing exasperates me more than this manufactured joint employer threat by unelected regulators who have never faced the stress of a small business owner." Improving the System Gary Robins is a longtime Supercuts franchisee with 48 salons. He's involved in the independent Supercuts Franchisee Association (SFA), as well as with the CFA, where he's a board member. "The CFA helps us make our voice at SFA be a little louder and have a little bit more clarity," he says. "We want to run our association better and bring more value to our members by getting together with other association members." The SFA's mission is to enhance the personal and professional lives of its members by sharing best practices, he says. It's also to present a "united voice from the franchisees to take to our franchisor--mostly in a positive direction." He also appreciates the value of being in a group of successful people in the same business dealing with the same issues he is. "Whatever challenge you may be experiencing, other people have gone ahead of you and have addressed that challenge in nine different ways from five different directions," he says. "Why wouldn't you join the association? It's a no-brainer." On the legislative front, he says, "There are a lot of great franchisors out there, but there are some bad actors." The challenge is how to advance legislation to protect against the bad actors without causing harm to the people who are doing it right. "It's a balancing act." "We CFA work cooperatively with other organizations, the IFA specifically where we have common ground, and make reasonable progress on franchisee-franchisor issues, which would include supporting certain aspects of legislation, whether at the state or federal level to protect franchisee equity." Internally, says Robins, relations with the franchisor are good these days--but there's always room for improvement. "How do we make the brand better?" he asks. "There's always a little bit of friction. It's their brand, they own it. We have a different opinion sometimes on how to improve the brand. That's always the issue: working in a spirit of cooperative endeavor. I think our franchisor is great in that respect. They certainly work with us in a spirit of cooperation." One item on his agenda this year is the large number of new franchisees entering the Supercuts system. "We have more new franchisees in the past 2 years than in past 15 years combined," he says. This is a new issue for the brand he says, and raises two questions: 1) how to get the new franchisees engaged in the SFA, and 2) how to ensure corporate is ramping up its resources to make sure the new franchisees are successful. Robins says his involvement stems from his passion about entrepreneurship and franchising. "I think franchising is a great place to start, and I want to protect it. I want to see more young people start businesses." At end of day, says Robins, there are two types of franchisors: 1) those who say, "This is our brand, we own it," and 2) those who say, "Our success flows from the success of our franchisees." Fortunately, he counts Supercuts among the latter. Get Wrapped Up with Mummies of the World and Chronic Tacos Experience the Worlds Largest Exhibition of Mummies and Savor California-Inspired Mexican Fare with New Cross Promotion April 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // Aliso Viejo, Calif. - Chronic Tacos, the California-inspired Mexican Grill, and Bowers Museum, Orange Countys finest arts museum, embark on an upcoming cross-promotion that highlights the debut of the nationally recognized collection: Mummies of the World: The Exhibition. Starting now, guests who dine at any Orange County Chronic Tacos location will receive a coupon for $4 off an adult ticket for Mummies of the World. Guests attending the Mummies of the World exhbit at Bowers Museum will also receive vouchers with a special code to text to receive a free taco with the purchase of a drink. Now in our 14th city, were excited to finally open our doors in Orange County, said Marcus Corwin, President of American Exhibitions Inc. We are excited to be working with Chronic Tacos, a partner who shares our values in giving back to the local communities that we work in. Headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Chronic Tacos joins in celebrating the local communitys excitement for the Orange County unveiling of Mummies of the World. With over 1.4 million visitors experiencing the exhibit to date, the display at Bowers Museum offers an opportunity to view over 150 artifacts and mummies. This makes the collection the largest exhibition of real mummies and related artifacts ever assembled, providing a window into the lives of ancient people from every region of the world. As Orange County is home to over a dozen Chronic Tacos locations, were thrilled to welcome Mummies of the World to our neighborhood, said Michael Mohammed, CEO and President of Chronic Tacos. Having personally experienced the fascinating exhibit, were looking forward to this partnership and sharing its curiosities with our guests. Chronic Tacos menu includes high-quality Mexican cuisine that uses locally sourced ingredients. Visitors can find a variety of meal options like burritos, tostada bowls, tortas, taquitos, flautas, salads and tacos, including a breakfast menu all day. Customers can choose from carne asada (steak), pollo asado (chicken), carnitas (slow-cooked pork), al pastor (spicy marinated pork), fresh pico de gallo and guacamole. Seafood lovers can also order grilled, beer-battered, or baja-style fish and shrimp. The promotion will run through May 1. Mummies of the World: The Exhibition made its public debut on March 19 and will run until September 5. For more information please visit either www.bowers.org or www.eatchronictacos.com. About Chronic Tacos Chronic Tacos is a California-inspired Mexican grill that celebrates authenticity and the individuality of its customers. The fast-casual franchise is known for its fresh Mexican cuisine that is customized for each guests distinctive taste. Founded in 2002, the Aliso Viejo, California-based company has more than 30 locations operating across North America and is committed to serving only the highest quality with locally sourced ingredients. Chronic Tacos offers traditional Mexican items such as tortas, taquitos, flautas and tacos as well as burritos, tostada bowls and salads, including a breakfast menu all day. Customers can choose from vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as carne asada (steak), pollo asado (chicken), carnitas (slow-cooked pork) and al pastor (spicy marinated pork). Seafood lovers can also order grilled, beer-battered or baja-style fish and shrimp. Each restaurant incorporates original art designs inspired by traditional day of the dead art, creating a unique experience at each location. For more information or to find the nearest chronic tacos, visit www.eatchronictacos.com. About The Bowers Museum The Bowers Museum has earned an international reputation through its world-class exhibitions, including Warriors, Tombs and Temples: Chinas Enduring Legacy, Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of Chinas First Emperor, Secrets of the Silk Road, and Mummies Death and the Afterlife: Treasures from the British Museum, as well as its own extensive art collections from throughout the Americas and the South Pacific. Additionally, the Bowers Kidseum, located one block south of the main museum, offers a high-tech and interactive focus on its new mission of Igniting Imagination through Exploration spotlighting the excitement of art and archaeology. Enjoy a leisurely luncheon at our award-winning restaurant, Tangata. Outdoor seating is also available, overlooking the Bowers historic mission-style courtyard from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Browse the rare and exotic at the Bowers Museum Gallery Store. Its more than just a shopping tripits a cultural experience. Bowers Museum and Kidseum are closed on Mondays, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. Regular operating hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Bowers Museum, in Santa Ana, is centrally located in the heart of Southern California. Address: 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706 Tickets and Information/ 714.567.3600 Group Tours: grouptours@bowers.org / 714.567.3680 Membership: membership@bowers.org / 714.567.3639 www.bowers.org SOURCE Chronic Tacos Media Contact: Matt Kovacs Blaze Public Relations (310) 395-5050 mkovacs@blazepr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Hot Dog on a Stick to Giveaway One Free Original Turkey Dog on Tax Day ATLANTA - April 6, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Doggone taxes! Tax Day can be a bit of a bummer, but not at Hot Dog on a Stick. On Tax Day, Monday April 18, the iconic all-American brand known for its hand-stomped lemonade and made-to-order stick items is offering customers one free Original Turkey Dog on a Stick*. No purchase or proof of completed taxes necessary. "If Tax Day has you feeling a little down, a visit to Hot Dog on a Stick is guaranteed to Stick a Smile on Your Face!" said Lisa Merrell, Vice President of Hot Dog on a Stick. "We want to give everyone a taste of good old Americana on Tax Day and a free Original Hot Dog on a Stick is a pretty great way to make the day a little less stressful and more fun." Tax Day freebie at Hot Dog on a Stick An American Icon since 1946, Hot Dog on a Stick began as a small beachfront store in Santa Monica and has grown to close to 100 locations across the U.S. as well as locations in Korea. Hot Dog on a Stick is busy planning a big 70thanniversary lemonade Stomp-A-Thon for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at that exact beachfront store on April 21. Hot Dog on a Stick is operated by Global Franchise Group, LLC. To find a Hot Dog on a Stick near you, visitwww.hotdogonastick.com, or engage with Hot Dog on a Stick on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram. *Valid at participating Hot Dog on a Stick locations only. Offer is valid for one free Original Turkey Hot Dog on a Stick per customer. About Hot Dog on a Stick www.hotdogonastick.com Established in 1946 in Southern California, Hot Dog on a Stick is known for its fresh, made-to-order hot dog on a stick and cheese on a stick products, hand-stomped natural lemonade, smiling customer service and its iconic bright striped uniforms. Hot Dog on a Stick provides customers with a fun all-American quick service restaurant experience, catering services for events, party packs, and fundraisers. Hot Dog on a Stick has close to 100 locations in the U.S. and internationally including Korea. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter andInstagram. For franchising opportunities, visitwww.hotdogonastickfranchise.com. About Global Franchise Group, LLC www.globalfranchise.com Global Franchise Group, LLC is a strategic brand management company with a mission of championing franchise brands and the people who build them. The company owns a portfolio of franchise brands that includes five primary quick service restaurant (QSR) franchise concepts: Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery, MaggieMoo's Ice Cream & Treatery, and Pretzelmaker. The brands are managed by GFG Management, LLC, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group, LLC. Global Franchise Group, LLC is a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an independent investment firm, with approximately $7 billion of capital under management and substantial franchise management experience. SOURCE Hot Dog on a Stick ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The Chickery Inks New Franchise Deal in Ontario Chef David Adjeys The Chickery partners up with local restaurant veteran April 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // Toronto, Canada - The Chickery the Toronto-based better chicken chain with two locations already open in Toronto and a 3rd set to open soon on Elm Street - has signed on a new franchise partner for Waterloo, Ontario. The partner group is deeply rooted in the restaurant industry with years of experience as operating partners in other franchised concepts. The Chickerys original location in Toronto was founded by Celebrity Chef David Adjey, and is his version of chef-driven fast food, with a focus on real ingredients and better quality, tasty chicken and sides. I for one am very excited to be working with another set of franchisees in Toronto. The city has been responding so well to The Chickery, and the new franchisees are great partners who are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of our brand, said Adjey. The Chickery has partnered with Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the explosive growth of restaurant brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill, to launch their expansion efforts. About The Chickery The Chickery is a fast casual restaurant on the cutting edge of the increasingly popular better chicken segment, offering real, tasty chicken and sides. First and foremost, The Chickery is about premium roast chicken using all natural, never frozen, farm-fresh, humanely raised chicken with no added water or flavoring. The Chickerys menu was created by renowned celebrity chef, David Adjey, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America and has dedicated his life to great food and proving that you can eat both quick and well. We use quality authentic ingredients to create recipes designed by a top chef. Not only is our chicken delicious, but our entire menu consists of options you simply wont find at other chicken restaurants. SOURCE The Chickery Contact: Casey Thorp E: casey@fransmart.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The Goddard Schools Dynamic Learning Through Play Curriculum Comes To Spring (Klein), TX Premier Preschool Now Open For Enrollment To The City Community April 07, 2016 // Franchising.com // SPRING, Texas - Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School preschool system, announces its newest school in Spring (Klein), Texas is open. Located at 3429 FM 2920, Spring, TX 77388, the new school is owned and operated by Terry Sun. Terry brings a wide variety of business experience with him to The Goddard School, as he previously worked as a planner in the oil industry and operated his own restaurant. In addition to his business aptitude, Terry is also equipped with a vast educational background holding a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Science and a Master of Business Administration degree. Terry and his wife, a registered nurse, heard about The Goddard School when researching preschools in the area. Their young children will also attend the school in Spring. The Goddard School preschool system prides itself on its unique dual-management system, a distinguisher in the early childhood education industry. Franchise owners are onsite at each location and work alongside an educational director, whose focus is to communicate and work with teachers, as well as to implement The Goddard School curriculum. This dual-management system ensures a hands-on, community-focused approach when it comes to early childhood education. With each school opening, The Goddard School also has a local economic impact, creating an average of 20 to 25 jobs within the community. The Goddard Schools play-based approach, called Fun, Learning Experience (or F.L.EX.), is grounded in research on how children learn best: children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun. At The Goddard School, the focus is on building each childs emotional, academic, social, creative and physical skills to provide a well-rounded experience and ensure each one becomes confident, joyful and fully prepared in school and in life. The Goddard Schools proprietary F.L.EX. curriculum has earned AdvancED and Middle States Corporate Accreditation by demonstrating excellence in early childhood education. With nearly 30 years of experience in early childhood education, The Goddard Schools unique dual-management system creates lasting community bonds as owners are on-site at the Schools to provide support to the communities they serve, said Joe Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer of Goddard Systems, Inc. One area that truly sets us apart from other childcare systems is our philosophy based on learning through play, designed to teach and reinforce 21st century skills, including social behaviors such as communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. This philosophy fosters a lifelong love of learning and creates meaningful connections at an early age. Jobs relating to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy, and a focus on developing 21st century skills such as creativity and innovation as well as the abilities to collaborate, communicate and think critically, is expected to increase over time. By introducing 21st century skill concepts early on, children develop a strong foundation and a passion for STEAM at the very beginning of their education. With three degrees, I know first-hand how beneficial it can be to have quality education and how important it is to start that journey early on, said franchisee, Terry Sun. The Goddard School was the clear answer to fulfill both my entrepreneurial desire while also bringing the community, and even my own children, a premier academic experience. Long recognized as the industry leader, The Goddard School preschool system has been consistently listed in Entrepreneur magazines Franchise 500 ranking as the number one childcare franchise for 15 consecutive years (January 2016). The Goddard School located in Spring (Klein), TX is located at 3429 FM 2920, Spring, TX 77388. To reach this location, please call (281) 825-5456 or email Spring2TX@goddardschools.com. For general information and franchising opportunities, please visit www.goddardschools.com About The Goddard School Franchise The Goddard School Franchise, franchisor of The Goddard School preschools, was named the No. 1 Childcare Franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine for the fifteenth consecutive year (January 2016) and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise Times for the ninth consecutive year (October 2015). Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, The Goddard School Franchise currently licenses more than 430 franchised Schools with more than 50,000 students in 35 states. The Goddard School's AdvancED- and Middle States-accredited F.L.EX. Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience), a comprehensive play-based curriculum developed with early childhood education experts, provides the best childhood preparation for social and academic success. With a proven system in place and a strong network of dedicated franchisees, The Goddard School Franchise is the acknowledged leader in franchised childcare and a premier educational childcare provider. For more information, visit www.goddardschoolfranchise.com. SOURCE The Goddard School Franchise Media Contacts: Amanda Bialek 213-988-8344 Abialek@konnect-pr.com Deanna Ashikyan 213-988-8344 Dashikyan@konnect-pr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The executive board function entrusted to Prof. Rosenfeld is responsible for systematically developing the transfer of research results from science to industry. Model cross-institute projects, the central commercialization of IP, more spin-off companies, and a wider range of training programs for industry are to help make this possible. Prof. Heinz Jorg Fuhrmann, Chairman of the Fraunhofer Senate, described the appointment as follows: In Georg Rosenfeld we have been able to appoint someone who is an established expert in the German and European scientific community and who also has a wealth of experience in the Fraunhofer environment. He is ideally qualified to unlock the potential for technology transfer and build up strategic projects in key technologies. Fraunhofer President Professor Reimund Neugebauer said about the outcome of the election: I am very much looking forward to continuing my close collaboration with Georg Rosenfeld in his new role. His department will be pivotal in strengthening Fraunhofer for the future and establishing it firmly as a strategic, flexible and first-rate research partner for industry in Germany and Europe. Prof. Rosenfeld himself says: It gives me great pleasure to have been elected, and I am grateful for the trust of our Senate. I want to help further strengthen the position of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany and Europe as an organization that sets the benchmark in bringing research results to industry. The Senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was unanimous in its decision to appoint him. Prof. Rosenfeld has held various management positions within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft over the past 16 years, most recently as Director of Research. In this position, one of his tasks was to steer the strategic direction of the Fraunhofer research portfolio. He was also President of Fraunhofer USA, and he is on the Supervisory Board of the international subsidiaries Fraunhofer Austria and Portugal. Prof. Rosenfeld holds a PhD in physics as well as a habilitation in physical chemistry. Before joining Fraunhofer he worked at the Julich Research Center and at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. Scott, also an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Oncology at the University of Washington, decided to become a doctor in high school after his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. After watching her go through what she did, and seeing the doctors work with her, I knew that I wanted to become a doctor, too, he said. After completing his first year of medical school at the University of South Alabama School of Medicine, his mother passed away. During his second year of medical school, Scott himself was diagnosed with cancer: Hodgkin lymphoma a malignancy of the immune system. The experience had a profound influence on his life, Scott said. I think it has made me more compassionate with what other patients experience and it has also taught me the importance of the time that I have. His treatment also gave him insight into participating in clinical research studies. I have first-hand experience about the benefits of people participating in clinical trials, said Scott, whose patient-care philosophy centers around patient education, particularly informing his patients about the advantages of participating in cutting-edge research studies. The Dr. Ali Al-Johani Award began in 2001 with a $125,000 contribution from its namesake, a former Hutch leukemia patient from Saudi Arabia who was so grateful for the care he received he wanted to pay it forward by recognizing individuals who exemplify excellence in caring for patients. Awardees are nominated by their peers and selected by a committee that includes representatives from nursing, quality and patient family services, clinical faculty and the Clinical Research Division director. Nominees must demonstrate excellence in science and clinical performance, empathy toward patients and willingness to work on clinical and administrative assistance to improve patient safety and quality care. In accepting the honor, Scott said, This means so much coming from all of you. Ive learned so much from everyone, acknowledging a number of colleagues in the room. If it werent for you, I wouldnt be here, he said. Past Al-Johani Award recipients: 2001 Drs. David Madtes and Leona Holmbert 2002 Dr. Robert Bob Witherspoon 2003 Dr. Mary Flowers 2004 Dr. Mike Linenberger 2005 Not awarded 2006 Dr. Paul Carpenter 2007 Dr. Paul O'Donnell 2008 Not awarded 2009 Mid-level providers 2010 Dr. Kris Doney 2011 Dr. Jean Sanders 2012 Dr. George McDonald 2013 Dr. Colleen Delaney 2014 Dr. Merav Bar 2015 Not awarded While the initial Al-Johani fund has expired, the award lives on, according to Leslie Sandberg, administrator of the Clinical Research Division. Fred Hutch recognizes the importance of the contributions made by these individuals and will continue to support this annual award, she said. Kristen Woodward / Fred Hutch News Service SunPower Awards Semper Solaris Residential National Dealer of the Year Local veteran-owned and operated dealer was chosen from among more than 500 U.S. dealers for recognition, publishes sempersolaris.com -- Semper Solaris, a San Diego-based solar installer and SunPower Elite Dealer, today announced it has received the SunPower "Residential National Dealer of the Year" award for its outstanding performance as a SunPower dealer in 2015. "Semper Solaris is honored to receive the 2015 'Residential National Dealer of the Year' award from SunPower for our success delivering the world's highest efficiency solar systems and superior customer service to homeowners," said John Almond, CEO of Semper Solaris. "Partnering with SunPower, a leading solar technology and global energy services provider, allows us to offer our customers reliable solar energy and electricity savings over the life of their systems." The "Residential National Dealer of the Year" award honors SunPower residential dealers that demonstrate exceptional customer service, knowledge and leadership in the United States. SunPower's global dealer network includes more than 500 dealers located in the U.S. "We congratulate Semper Solaris for their extraordinary performance in 2015," said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units. "As a SunPower Elite Dealer, they have demonstrated an outstanding level of quality, innovation and commitment to customer value, and we look forward to their continued success in 2016." In 2015, Semper Solaris took on a number of solar panel installation projects varying in size and complexity. Among these was a 54-panel, 15.4 kilowatt ground-mounted system in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. This award winning solar company likewise engineered a non-standard mounting and reinforcement framework for a 40-panel roof-mounted system in San Diego's East County. Other projects in the company's portfolio include a smaller-scale 13-panel arrangement in Alpine, Calif as well as an 18-panel residential roof-mounted system in San Diego. Each of these undertakings incorporated SunPower's high-efficiency solar technology. Semper Solaris serves both Northern and Southern California in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange Counties. The San Diego solar company also holds a Better Business Bureau accreditation with an A+ rating. Their staff has received customer acclaim for excellent service and outstanding quality. For more information on Semper Solaris, call (619) 715-4054 or visit http://sempersolaris.com/. About Semper Solaris: Semper Solaris is a licensed California solar energy installation company locally owned and operated by a team of veterans. The company is dedicated to excellence as well as extraordinary customer service and committed to furnishing American products with American leadership. For more information about us, please visit http://stillwateragency.com/ Contact Info: Name: Lance Wilson Organization: Semper Solaris Phone: (888) 519-5149 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/sunpower-awards-semper-solaris-residential-national-dealer-of-the-year/109775 Release ID: 109775 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Lanyards USA Launches Campaign To Educate ID Users On Need For IDs To Be Seen IDs must be seen to be effective is message of campaign launched by Lanyards USA according to LanyardsUSA.com -- According to a statistics released by the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2013-14, 68 percent of public schools required faculty and staff to wear badges or picture IDs. Further, 14% of public middle and high school students were required to carry them as well, with the percentage increasing each year. With an increasing number of schools requiring these essential badges for security reasons, it's no wonder the need for id covers and lanyards has grown as well. Says Lanyards USA spokesperson Rebecca Montrenes, "What good does the ID badge do administrators and security personnel if it's not in plain sight?" With the goal of helping students, employees and others display their badges, ids and show their own personality at the same time, Lanyards USA is launching a campaign to make employees and administrators aware of the need for everyone, students and adults alike to keep their ids in plain view. Montrenes explains, "Teachers and administrators should easily be able to see if a student belongs there or not. With that in mind, we recommend color coated lanyards for each grade level. You can view the range here in our online catalog. We also suggest having one set of lanyards with the school logo on it for all the teachers and administrators to easily identify them to students and visitors." With a variety of lanyards and plastic sleeves to choose from, Montrenes says there's no reason everyone shouldn't be able to keep their badges or IDs visible. "We also suggest that schools keep a supply on hand to sell to students when they lose theirs or if theirs become worn out. It can become a fund raising event, as well." About Lanyards USA: Located in Westminster California, Lanyards USA has been the premium one stop shop for all lanyard needs since 2008. With their focus set on their customers, their team leaves no stone turned in designing, printing and delivering the best quality lanyards in the USA. The customer service staff is always available for delivery and production queries. As a company keen on growth, they always welcome new ideas and tips on how to better themselves. Lanyards USA's products are made in their own factory which puts them in charge of the whole operation and therefore increases efficiency. As soon as the lanyard order is completed, the staff will ensure it reaches the customer in the shortest possible time. The team takes a lot of pride in the fact that although they're faster than most of the other players in the market, they deliver the highest quality. For more information about us, please visit http://www.lanyardsusa.com Contact Info: Name: Rebecca Montrenes Organization: Lanyards USA Phone: 657 200 2030 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/lanyards-usa-launches-campaign-to-educate-id-users-on-need-for-ids-to-be-seen/109825 Release ID: 109825 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Treasury on Collins Launches Special Offers Catering to Latest Lodging Trend Vacationers now seek accommodations above and beyond cookie-cutter chain hotels, publishes treasuryoncollins.com.au -- Reports released last year indicate the winds of change are sweeping through Australia's travel and tourism industry. While the nation's local cuisine, shopping, cultural and nature sectors remain high on visitors' lists of priorities, vacationers appear to be veering away from international hotel chains. Instead, tourists are now seeking a more customised lodging experience. This comes as no surprise to the staff of Treasury on Collins, a stand-alone hotel on the leading edge of this movement. With this developing trend in mind, spokesperson Troy Collins has launched the boutique hotel melbourne's latest special offers. Said Collins, "We offer all the features so many visitors now look for when choosing accommodations for their getaways. Because we're situated in the heart of the city, our guests are within walking distance of Bourke Street Mall, our local theatre district, the area's historic venues and a number of other attractions for which Melbourne has become known. Our new special offers apply to suite and apartment booking as well as some of the culinary delights of our region." Constructed in 1876, the building now housing Treasury on Collins was originally home to the Bank of Australasia. Though renovations took place and three additional levels were added in 1929, the exterior of the structure continues to exhibit a conservative Renaissance Revival design with both historic and architectural significance. Following recent interior remodeling efforts, the boutique hotel melbourne now offers 86 guest quarters in a setting combining design elements of the past with modern comforts and conveniences. Paying homage to the building's heritage, Treasury on Collins also features an in-house restaurant and bar deemed The Bank. A lounge is likewise available to hotel guests. Staff members focus on hospitality and amenity provision with an emphasis on incorporating local culture into the atmosphere of the hotel. As noted on global travel website TripAdvisor, past guests have awarded the hotel a rating of 4.5 out of 5. Concluded Collins, "We pride ourselves on not only providing guests a unique experience in our boutique hotel, but remaining a cut above others in our category. Those visiting Melbourne from elsewhere in Australia and abroad are welcomed to browse our website to learn more about our city as well as our hotel, and book our plaza suite, one of our heritage king or twin suites, the one-bedroom loft or one of our two-bedroom accommodations. Our special offers are simply the most recent step in our efforts to better cater to those looking for something beyond the cookie-cutter hotel chains." About Treasury on Collins: Nestled in the heart of Melbourne, Treasury on Collins is a boutique hotel offering 86 rooms and an atmosphere filled with the ambience of the city. For more information about us, please visit http://treasuryoncollins.com.au Contact Info: Name: Troy Collins Organization: Treasury on Collins Source: http://marketersmedia.com/treasury-on-collins-launches-special-offers-catering-to-latest-lodging-trend/109836 Release ID: 109836 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Spa and Hotel Break Sets Records on Mother's Day, Releases New Wave of Offers Company's deal negotiators have just topped then-unprecedented crop of Mothering Sunday offers, with new spring discounts at spas throughout U.K. available now at website, Spa and Hotel Break reports -- Spa and Hotel Break, the United Kingdom's top source for spa day deals, revealed an unprecedented new round of special offers for spring. Having recently set new records with the site's selection of Mothering Sunday spa break packages, Spa and Hotel Break experts committed to upping the ante further. Leveraging the company's strong, long-term relationships with hundreds of the United Kingdom's top spas, Spa and Hotel Break insiders have privately negotiated dozens of exclusive offers good throughout the rest of spring. From the largest, most widely known spas to the best-kept local secrets, Spa and Hotel Break has now unveiled a better selection of offers than has ever been available before. "Mother's Day is always one of our busiest times of the year, and we work very hard to deliver the best deals we can find to our clients for that important holiday," Spa and Hotel Break representative Ben Waterfall said, "We're proud to report that Mothering Sunday this year was our most successful yet, with new records set both in terms of the deals we negotiated and how many took advantage of them. Not content with resting on our laurels, we've just released a huge new selection of springtime special offers. Each exclusive to our service and privately negotiated for the benefit of our users, these spa-day specials are the best we have ever been able to offer." With hundreds of spas in the United Kingdom offering everything from accessible afternoon treatments to weekends full of pampering and relaxation, residents have plenty of options to choose from. While many think of a visit to a spa as a luxury or an indulgence, the reality is that those who know where to look can find some surprisingly affordable options. Dedicated to making this point with every visit to the company's website, Spa and Hotel Break is the U.K.'s top source for spa-day discounts. Providing users the benefit of the volume it delivers to spa partners and the private negotiations it conducts with each, Spa and Hotel Break offers up exclusive, unbeatable deals on spa visits all throughout the U.K. Visitors to the Spa and Hotel Break website will find special offers for spas everywhere in the United Kingdom, from the busiest, most popular city-center hotels to the smallest and most secluded of rural operations. For Mothering Sunday recently, Spa and Hotel Break negotiated and offered an unprecedented selection of discounts, setting several records as a result. Following up on that success, the company has just released an even more impressive wave of special offers good throughout the rest of spring. All the new, exclusive offers are available now at the Spa and Hotel Break website. About Spa and Hotel Break: With the widest selection of special offers good at spas throughout the United Kingdom, Spa and Hotel Break makes it easy and affordable to reserve a relaxing, recuperating day or weekend away. For more information about us, please visit https://www.spaandhotelbreak.co.uk/ Contact Info: Name: Ben Waterfall Organization: Spa and Hotel Break Address: Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4NN United Kingdom Phone: 0800 012 2000 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/spa-and-hotel-break-sets-records-on-mothers-day-releases-new-wave-of-offers/109840 Release ID: 109840 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cravens Law, LLC Launches Their New Foreclosure Help Website The website includes resources to educate Albuquerque homeowners about foreclosure and show them how they can get help with the process, reports http://www.cravenslawllc.com/. -- Cravens Law LLC, a premier Albuquerque-based law firm serving the residents of New Mexico, has recently announced the launch of their new website. The site is focused on helping the people of New Mexico understand how foreclosure works and educating them on the importance of enlisting the help of an experienced attorney throughout the process. Those who would like to see the new website or get more information about the services that Cravens Law provides should visit www.cravenslawllc.com. Richard Cravens, the attorney at the helm of the firm, stated "We are excited to unveil our new website. We specialize in helping homeowners who are facing foreclosure. If a homeowner is in foreclosure, or has missed more than two payments on their home, they need to talk with an attorney. However, we also realize that people in this situation probably aren't able to afford the costly hourly fee that many lawyers will charge. At our new website, homeowners will see that we only charge a flat fee of $500 a month for foreclosure help. This means that clients will never have to worry about unknown fees and the high litigation costs that foreclosure brings." The website, which was built by the design experts at Maverick Web Marketing, is complete with a plethora of information and educational videos that will help people understand how foreclosure works and what to expect before, during, and after the process. The new website also explains possible alternatives to foreclosure and how homeowners may qualify for these alternative options. As Cravens goes on to say, "Our purpose in launching this new website is to reach out to homeowners facing foreclosure and provide attorneys who can, by virtue of our flat rate, provide excellent representation without breaking your bank. If you call and we talk about your case, we do not send a bill for hundreds of dollars; you only pay $500 per month. We can conduct expensive litigation without worrying if our clients can afford the thousands of dollars that can cost, they only pay $500 per month. When difficult times arise, we want to be there to help New Mexicans get back on track with their lives. We invite the people of New Mexico to Google My Business Page and find out how they can get the legal help they need to face foreclosure head on and get their situation resolved as quickly as possible." About Cravens Law, LLC: Cravens Law represents homeowners who are in foreclosure or have missed more than two payments on their home. Their team understands that people in foreclosure cannot afford high attorney's fees. In response, their firm charges a flat $500 per month with no hidden fees. Clients may rest assured that they will have access to their attorney as well as top-notch litigation representation. For more information about us, please visit http://www.cravenslawllc.com/ Contact Info: Name: Richard Cravens Organization: Cravens Law, LLC Address: Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 554-2079 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/cravens-law-llc-launches-their-new-foreclosure-help-website/109842 Release ID: 109842 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Jonathan Polins roles at Sanlam and Argonaut Capital will remain independent, a spokesman for the asset manager confirmed. Mr Polin, who is chief executive of Sanlam, was appointed chairman of Argonaut today (7 March) after its founder Barry Norris assumed full ownership. A spokesman for Argonaut said Mr Polin will remain in his position at Sanlam and that his two roles will be completely independent. He joined Sanlam at the beginning of this year, with a view to turning the company into one of the UKs leading wealth managers. Argonaut was formed as a joint venture between its founders and Britannic Asset Management in 2005. At the time Mr Polin was sales and marketing director at Britannic, where he was involved in the companys transformation into Ignis, including the creation of its boutiques. Standard Life Investments kept a passive minority take in Argonaut after its acquisition of Ignis in 2014, but following todays deal, both SLI and Oliver Russ will exit the business. Liontrust has agreed to acquire Argonauts 169m European Income and 131m Enhanced Income funds with their manager, Mr Russ, moving to the company. Argonaut will focus on the fast-growing core of its business, such as its European Alpha, pan-European Alpha and Absolute Return franchises which now have more than 1.1bn of assets under management. Mr Polin said: I have a long association with Argonaut and am extremely pleased to witness its strong growth, particularly since the business became operationally independent. Charles Montanaro has committed to back asset managers in his UK Income fund as the countrys well-established and quite ingrained savings culture gets a boost from changes to Isas. The manager of the 130m vehicle, and also the founder of Montanaro Asset Management, said holdings such as Jupiter and St Jamess Place (SJP) continued to offer an upside. He noted that Jupiter, which made up 4.2 per cent of the fund at the end of February, offered strong long-term prospects, while SJP continued to benefit from the effects of the RDR. Mr Montanaro has 10 per cent of the funds 40-stock allocation to asset managers, a level he is comfortable with but is unlikely to increase. He said: Some 68 per cent of Jupiters funds have outperformed and it has a long-term strategy. The company is yielding more than 5 per cent and I dont think anything has significantly changed. SJPs assets could grow at 10 per cent a year. We like SJP because it is a prime benefactor of the RDR, which has driven many of the good advisers to join [the company]. The manager also thought recent changes, such as a rise in the yearly Isa allowance, would help boost a pre-existing savings culture, which was likely to help asset managers. The trend for saving and awareness of the need for saving is well-established and quite ingrained, he said. Mr Montanaro said he was unperturbed about the prospect of a Brexit and a weakening sterling. Management at his holdings seemed reasonably relaxed. Around 30 of the 40 names in the portfolio are domestically biased and largely unaffected. The ones that are affected would see some impact in terms of the currency, the manager said. Holdings such as [engineering specialist] RPS sell to the US and the Netherlands. They have a globalised company and quite large overseas earnings, so they would benefit [from a weaker pound]. These firms seem reasonably relaxed. Montanaro funds 4.2%: The UK Income funds weighting to Jupiter at the end of February 70%: The European Income funds crossover with the trust it used to mirror Meanwhile George Cooke, who manages the 84m Montanaro European Income fund, has tweaked his portfolio in a quest for yield following changes to the vehicles approach. Late last year the product was converted to a European income fund, after previously serving as an open-ended mirror to the firms European Smaller Companies Trust. While Mr Cooke stressed the vehicle still had a 70 per cent crossover with the trust, he has removed holdings that offered little or no dividend. This has involved him selling companies such as Sartorius Stedim, which provides equipment and services for the biopharmaceutical industry. Thats a great growing business, but its reasonably capital intensive. They dont pay much of a dividend, Mr Cooke said. Meanwhile, the manager succumbed to the trade-off plaguing income managers amid testing times for the sector. He added names that offered a payout but lower growth prospects, such as German TV company ProSieben. Radical pension tax changes 10 years ago failed to usher in a simpler, clearer regime for pensions, industry specialists have claimed. According to Kate Smith, head of pensions for Aegon, the revolutionary changes a decade ago, known as A-Day, were supposed to lead to a new, simpler pensions world, but constant tinkering has made pensions more complicated than ever. In April 2006, the government brought in A-Day and pensions simplification, combining eight different pensions tax regimes into a one for personal schemes and one for occupational pension schemes. To attempt more harmonisation and encourage more people to make provision for later on in life, the government at the time created concepts such as the annual allowance and lifetime allowance. For Neil MacGillivray, head of technical support for James Hay, this was a boon: A-Day achieved clarity an annual allowance stipulating how much you could save each year and a lifetime allowance capping your total pension savings. After A-Day, the annual allowance rose to 255,000 and the lifetime allowance, which was introduced in 2006 with a 1.5m limit, reached 1.8m within a few years. Ever since that date, successive chancellors have set about progressively re-complicating pensions Tom McPhail But continued cuts by chancellor George Osborne have reduced the allowances to 40,000 and 1m respectively. Tom McPhail, head of retirement policy for Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Ever since that date, successive chancellors have set about progressively recomplicating pensions. Ms Smith agreed: Each reduction has added layers of complication with provisions to protect those who find themselves approaching or above a reduced lifetime allowance maximum. Mark Stopard, head of product development at Partnership, said: The government also unveiled the concept of the alternatively secured pension, which meant people did not have to annuitise, but could use a form of drawdown. A further change made in April 2016 was to do away with the limit on the amount of death benefits, although a 55 per cent tax charge would be applied if the pension was paid out as a lump sum on the death of the member. A-Day also brought in more flexibility for people who wanted to work past state retirement age. Ms Smith explained: At last pension rules started to align with the UK populations later life aspirations and flexible working patterns, allowing people to start taking their pension while continuing to work shorter hours, and still make pension contributions. However, she said hopes for a world of simplified pensions have largely unravelled, as governments have sought to cut back on pension tax relief to balance the books. Responding to the work and pensions committees call for views on allowing certain women to draw their state pension early, Royal Londons Steve Webb has warned this would be of little or no benefit to those most affected by increasing state pension ages. Under the proposal, some women born during the 1950s who are facing sharply increased state pension ages would be allowed to draw a state pension earlier than planned, albeit at a reduced rate. In its response, the provider pointed out such a scheme could not practically be implemented until April 2018 at the earliest, by which time the women who had least notice of changes to their state pension age would already have started to draw a pension. For example, all of the women in the much-discussed group born between April 1951 and April 1953 would already be drawing a state pension and so the option of early access would be of no value to them. There is also a question as to whether early access for women only would be compatible with equalities legislation. Mr Webb, director of policy at Royal London, said while the select committee is to be commended for looking at creative solutions to the problems faced by women who have seen large increases in their state pension age, unfortunately, early access is likely to be of very limited benefit to such women. He said: By the time the government had passed the necessary legislation, reprogrammed its computers and communicated the new option, most of the most affected women would already have begun drawing a pension or be close to pension age. Mr Webb instead suggested giving all workers greater flexibility on state pension ages might be an option for the longer term, particularly if there was clear blue water between the headline rate of the state pension and the poverty line. He said: Otherwise this would mainly be of interest to better off retirees, who could combine a state pension drawn at a reduced rate with other sources of income. This would mainly be of interest to better off retirees, who could combine a state pension drawn at a reduced rate with other sources of income. Steve Webb For those with little other income, surviving for 20 to 30 years of retirement on a pension below the poverty line would probably not be a viable option. There would also be huge complexity, as the DWP had to invent rules to ensure people who received a reduced state pension by drawing it early did not simply claim back the shortfall through claiming higher means-tested benefits. Paul Lindfield, director at Manchester-based Sedulo Wealth Management, was in agreement stating by the time it could be implemented, it would no longer really be practical. He said: There is no cast iron guarantees with state pensions, it is something that in every government and change of parliament they fiddle with. I dont believe the triple lock and new state pension has got any legs. Industry leaders are asking farmers to lobby MEPs for the urgent re-authorisation of glyphosate, warning that its loss would trigger a fall in UK cereal production. The NFU wants growers to contact their local MEP to tell them the importance of the herbicide on their farm and the potential consequences if it becomes unavailable. The union will write to EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis and UK members of the European Parliaments agriculture and environment committees over the coming days. See also: Glyphosate licence renewal faces further delays It comes ahead of a plenary vote later this month by the European Parliament on whether the European Commissions proposed re-authorisation of glyphosate should be removed. The vote, on whether to remove the authorisation pending further analysis of the environmental and human health impacts of the herbicide, is not legally binding. However, it will set the tone for the commissions considerations ahead of a final vote between experts from EU member states. The NFU is urging MEPs to oppose the resolution. From an MEPs point of view a letter from a constituent can influence their opinion, and potentially their vote, which is why were urging farmers to do this Guy Smith, NFU European umbrella farm organisation Copa-Cogeca has already written to MEPs, urging them to ensure that glyphosate remains available on the EU market. Although some studies suggest glyphosate can cause cancer, the NFU will cite a conclusion from European food safety watchdog, the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans. See also: EU scientists say glyphosate unlikely to cause cancer Environmental benefits NFU vice-president Guy Smith said: Glyphosate has long been used on farm as a broad-spectrum herbicide to control pernicious weeds before planting. This practice allows the farmer to avoid more expensive cultivation techniques such as ploughing. This is proven to be good for climate change mitigation by reducing fossil fuel usage in tractors and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, these minimum-tillage establishment practices have additional environmental benefits and have been shown to have positive effects on biodiversity and decrease soil erosion. A study by farm business consultants Adas put the estimated value of the use of glyphosate in the UK arable sector at an estimated 633m/year. It said the loss of glyphosate would likely see a decline of production of winter wheat and winter barley by 12% and oilseed rape by 10%. Loss of availability in the livestock and dairy sectors would result in an inability to tackle invasive and poisonous species such as ragwort in grassland, said Mr Smith. Were keen that farmers make the case for glyphosate use on their farm to their local MEP. From an MEPs point of view a letter from a constituent can influence their opinion, and potentially their vote, which is why were urging farmers to do this. Copa-Cogeca secretary-general Pekka Pesonen said After Efsa confirmed its safety, we expect the EU Commission to extend the authorisation in June. Glyphosate is widely used in herbicides in all EU member states and a key part of farmers toolbox due to its availability and cost-effective price, said Mr Pesonen. Without this, cereal crops as well as vineyards, fruit and olive production across Europe would be seriously threatened. This would be unacceptable given the current agricultural crisis and the need to meet growing world food demand. Chemical control is also a prerequisite for some farming practices such as no-till and minimum-tillage, contributing to less greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion. Glyphosate was the most widely used herbicide in the world, said Mr Pesonen. Not approving this active substance would consequently benefit non-EU countries that export to the EU, as it would still be part of farmers toolbox in these countries. We therefore urge the EU to maintain this product on the market. Story Highlights 15% of Brazilians approve of country's leadership Perceived corruption in government is highest in decade, at 78% Record-low 9% see the economy getting better WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff faces possible impeachment, Brazilians' faith in their leadership is at a new low. Just 15% of Brazilians approve of the job performance of the leadership of the country, which -- on top of political scandal -- has struggled with social unrest and its worst recession in decades. Rousseff's chances of impeachment increased last week after the country's largest party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, pulled out of her coalition government. The move isolates her politically as she faces allegations of improperly using money from state banks to cover budget shortfalls. She also is facing scrutiny for attempting to appoint former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be her chief of staff. Silva is among dozens of political and business figures implicated in a corruption probe related to state-run oil company Petrobras. The president's popularity has plummeted amid a second term plagued by long-running corruption scandals and the longest economic downturn since the 1930s. A majority of Brazilians have perceived corruption as widespread in their government for years, but as the scandal fully came to light in 2015, it hit a record-high 78%. Brazilians' outlook for their economy tanked at the same time, with the percentage saying it was getting better dropping to a record-low 9%. Brazilians' frustrations have spilled out into massive anti-government street protests. Many analysts are uncertain as to how Rousseff's potential impeachment would affect the country's economy and political situation, but most Brazilians already believe there is no stability in the current situation. After years of relative stability, the majority (63%) now say the country's political situation is not stable at all. Bottom Line While corruption scandals are hardly a new phenomenon in Brazil (or in Latin American politics, for that matter), the unfolding Brazilian crisis could signal a new era in the region's institutional development and political culture. Events in the past year have shaken the region's political establishment, with iconic populist regimes and once-popular political figures falling -- or losing ground -- rather dramatically. As recently as September 2015, Guatemala's President Otto Perez Molina resigned and was jailed amid a corruption scandal. Shortly after, the populist regimes in Argentina and Venezuela faced resounding defeats in presidential and legislative elections, respectively, and within two months, Bolivian President Evo Morales lost a referendum that would have allowed him to run for a fourth term in office. Brazil's legislators and Supreme Court will soon decide Rousseff's fate, and she's pulling strings to gain some much-needed political support as she launches her defense. Regardless of the outcome, it adds to Latin America's recent political drama. It is unclear whether this regional trend is a sign of political and institutional maturity or just a popular reaction to the "perfect storm" of plummeting commodity prices, failed fiscal policy, rampant corruption and chronic crime issues. Political change that occurs when countries uphold the rule of law and fight corrupt practices and political hegemony is certainly a rarity worth noting and monitoring in Latin America. Johanna Godoy contributed to this article. Survey Methods Results are based on face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults in Brazil, aged 15 and older, each year. The most recent survey was conducted from October to November 2015. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 3.5 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls. For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. Story Highlights 84% rate their campus race relations positively, unchanged from 2015 Sharply fewer rate race relations on U.S. campuses positively College students also say the racial climate on their campus is good PRINCETON, N.J. -- During a year marked by numerous college protests over race and diversity issues, presidents of U.S. colleges and universities describe race relations on their own campus positively, and no worse than they did in 2015. However, their broader perceptions of race relations on campuses nationwide are significantly worse than a year ago. Currently, just 24% of presidents rate race relations on U.S. campuses as either excellent or good, down sharply from 43% in 2015. Change in College Presidents' Assessments of Race Relations Generally speaking, would you say the state of race relations [on your campus/on college and university campuses in this country] is excellent, good, fair or poor? 2015 % 2016 % Change % Own Campus Excellent 18 20 +2 Good 63 64 +1 Fair 18 16 -2 Poor 1 1 0 U.S. College Campuses Excellent 1 0 -1 Good 42 24 -18 Fair 51 65 +14 Poor 5 10 +5 Inside Higher Ed Survey of College and University Presidents These results are based on the Inside Higher Ed annual survey of U.S. college presidents, conducted by Gallup. Protests about the treatment of racial and ethnic minority students erupted last fall on a number of college campuses, including the University of Missouri, Yale University, Princeton University and Ithaca College. Student concerns ultimately led to the resignation of the president of the Missouri state university system and the chancellor of the main campus in Columbia. The president of Ithaca College also resigned under student and faculty pressure for his handling of race matters on that campus. These protests received widespread media attention and likely contribute to presidents' more negative assessment this year -- fewer than one in four presidents now say race relations are "excellent" or "good" on campuses across the country. The majority of presidents, 65%, describe race relations on U.S. campuses as "fair," and 10% say they are "poor." The latter figure is up from 5% a year ago. But in a year of high-profile student activism on race relations issues on U.S. campuses, college presidents continue to be just as positive about race relations on their own campus as they were in early 2015. The survey finds 84% of presidents saying race relations on their campus are "excellent" or "good," similar to the 81% of presidents who rated their campus race relations positively a year ago. Just 1% of presidents say race relations on their campus are poor, the same as in 2015. These findings could indicate that a few highly publicized incidents of racial tensions on campuses have had a dramatic influence on the way presidents perceive the state of race relations at most U.S. colleges and that racial strife is not the norm at colleges. College presidents' more positive assessments of race relations on their own campus, compared with campuses nationally, may also reflect individuals' tendency to rate their own situation more positively than the situation in the country as a whole. College Students Report Positive Racial Climate on Campus It is not just college presidents who perceive race relations positively on their campus. A new Knight Foundation/Newseum Institute survey of U.S. college students, conducted by Gallup, finds college students are generally positive about the racial climate on their campus. Nearly three-quarters of college students describe interactions between students of different races and their treatment of one another on campus as either excellent (26%) or good (48%). Only 6% say the racial climate on their campus is poor. Majorities of all major racial and ethnic groups are positive about the racial climate on their campus. At least seven in 10 whites (76%), Hispanics (74%) and Asians (70%) describe the racial climate as either excellent or good. Blacks are slightly less positive, with 62% evaluating their campus' racial climate positively. Blacks are more than twice as likely as whites to say the racial climate on their campus is poor (13% vs. 5%, respectively). College Students' Ratings of Racial Climate on Their Campus Thinking about how students of different races interact and treat one another, how would you rate the overall racial climate on your college's campus -- as excellent, good, only fair or poor? All % White % Black % Hispanic % Asian % Excellent 26 27 21 15 27 Good 48 49 41 59 43 Fair 20 20 26 16 25 Poor 6 5 13 10 5 Knight Foundation/Newseum Institute/Gallup Survey of College Students Students' views of the quality of race relations on campus are related to their perceptions of how racially and ethnically diverse they perceive the student body to be. While 87% of those who believe their campus is "highly diverse" rate the racial climate positively, 34% of those who say their campus is "not diverse at all" do. College students were not asked to rate the racial climate on colleges nationwide. Implications Both presidents and students at U.S. colleges and universities assess the racial climate on their campuses positively. And presidents see the situation as no worse than a year ago, even though a wave of college protests on racial matters is likely contributing to their considerably more negative assessment of race relations on campuses nationwide. While the poll results paint a generally positive picture of race relations on campus, they do show that there is still progress to be made, given that about one in six presidents and about one in four students rate the racial climate at their college as fair or poor. Survey Methods Results for college presidents are based on Web interviews conducted Jan. 7-Feb. 2, 2016, with 727 presidents of U.S. colleges and universities with student enrollment greater than 500 students. The sampling frame for the study was the universe of 3,046 presidents of colleges with greater than 500 students, with weighting adjustments made to correct for nonresponse using institutional characteristics (region of the country, private versus public control, two-year or four-year degree-granting, and student enrollment size. The weighted sample results can be viewed as representative of the views of presidents at colleges nationwide. Results for college students are based on telephone interviews conducted Feb. 29-March 15, 2016, with a random sample of 3,072 U.S. college students, aged 18 to 24, who are currently enrolled full time at four-year institutions. The college sample consists of a random subset of full-time students at 32 randomly selected U.S. four-year colleges that were stratified based on region, enrollment size and private versus public control. For results based on the total sample of college students, the margin of sampling error is 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Fans who attended the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2022 can renew their ticket orders for next year beginning Monday, Oct. 24. When California legislators voted to raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2022, labor activists cheered. Discounting fears that a $15 minimum might cost some low-wage workers their jobs, activists and their political allies celebrated a victory for fairness and economic justice. Progressive labor activists took a very different view 100 years ago, when 15 states established Americas first minimum wages. Labor reformers then believed that a legal minimum would hand a raise to deserving white Anglo-Saxon men, and a pink slip to their undeserving competitors: racially undesirable immigrants, the mentally and physically disabled, and women. The original progressives hailed minimum-wage-caused job losses among these groups as a positive benefit to the U.S. economy and to Anglo-Saxon racial integrity. In 1910, 22 percent of the U.S. workforce was foreign-born. A Whos Who of American economic reform warned that immigration was leading to race suicide. This theory claimed that because non-Anglo-Saxon immigrants had low living standards, their competition in the labor market undercut the wages of the American workingman. Woodrow Wilson, echoing many others, said that Chinese immigrants could live upon a handful of rice for a pittance. The American-born worker, who refused to lower his familys living standard to the immigrants level, opted instead to have fewer children. Thus, concluded the theory, the inferior races would outbreed and displace their white Anglo-Saxon betters. Progressive economists proposed a minimum wage as the ideal remedy. It lifted up the deserving while excluding the unworthy and did both in the name of progress. Journalist and progressive social reformer Paul Kellogg in 1913 advocated a minimum wage of $3 per day for all immigrants, double the $1.50 per day ordinary laborers were then paid. Kellogg knew that no firm would hire an unskilled immigrant for $3 per day. That was the purpose of his high minimum wage, as he wrote, to exclude Angelo Lucca and Alexis Spivak from American shores, thus protecting American jobs for John Smith and Michael Murphy and Carl Sneider. Kellogg targeted racially undesirable immigrants, but a high minimum wage would also protect the American workingman from unworthy economic competition already in the American workforce. The developmentally disabled, then called feeble minded or defective, also were treated by many labor reformers as low-wage threats. Unable to command a minimum wage, they too would be pushed into unemployment and then could be removed to institutions or to labor colonies. In the case of women, the minimum wage argument was subtler than the hysteria directed at immigrants and the disabled. Rather, it was couched in the paternalism of protecting womens health and virtue. In reality, labor reformers wanted to protect employment from women as much as they wanted to protect women from employment. Labor reformers have far more inclusive views these days. Unlike their namesakes, 21st century progressives consider job losses a social cost, not a putative social benefit. Todays progressives would say their namesakes were wrong on race and gender and wrong on the effects of the minimum wage on employment. The original progressives were indeed wrong reprehensibly so on race and gender. But were they wrong that a minimum wage set high enough will cost low-wage workers their jobs? If a $15 per hour minimum by 2022 proves to be too high too fast, the workers who will lose their jobs will disproportionately be people of color, immigrants, the disabled and women the very people labor reformers vilified as low wage threats a century ago. Incident at Mehlem railway station : Shot fired from gas gun at 31-year-old man Mehlem Police were called to Mehlem railway station yesterday after someone allegedly shot at a 31 year old man with a gas pistol. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A large contingent of police gathered yesterday afternoon at Mehlem railway station after an argument among a group ended in someone allegedly firing a gas gun at a 31 year old man. Police are investigating. Witnesses raised the alarm with police around 16.30 on Wednesday afternoon after several people were arguing on a regional train travelling towards Bonn. According to police, those involved left the train at Mehlem and continued their argument first in the station premises and then in front of the station. According to police spokesman Robert Scholten, an unknown man then shot a 31 year old man in the face with a gas gun. The man was slightly injured. Scholte said ten police cars from the Bonn police force together with members of the Federal police helped in an extensive investigation and search. Witnesses said five or six suspects fled in various directions before police arrived. Scholten said they may have fired several times into the air while fleeing. Police found a cartridge case at the end of the platform. Scholten said that judging by the victims wounds, the gun used was not a live weapon. Bonn police searched the train at Mehlem for possible suspects. Federal police searched a regional train in Bornheim-Sechtem. No suspects were found and as yet there have been no arrests. Scholten said it is not yet known if those involved were from Bonn. Police have given descriptions of two possible suspects: the first man has a dark beard and was wearing jeans and a dark pullover. The second man was wearing striking work trousers and has a possible head wound. Bonn police are asking for witnesses or those with information to call 0228/150. 'Feels Like Home Season 2' offers something real and tangible to think about; takes home a pertinent point - if your intentions are good, there is nothing in life that isn't achievable. Federal Service of Troops Russian Federation National Guard (RF FSVNG) Federal'naya Sluzhba Voisk Natsionalnoy Gvardii Russia's president signed a decree April 05, 2016 to create a national guard tasked with fighting terrorism and organized crime. The new federal agency would be led by Vladimir Putin's former chief bodyguard, Viktor Zolotov. Putin said in a televised meeting with Zolotov and other top security officials in the Kremlin that the new government entity would merge the country's interior ministry troops with riot police and swat teams. He also said that Russia's drug control and migration services would be incorporated into the interior ministry's structure. The National Guard was headed by Viktor Zolotov, formerly the commander of the Internal Troops, and the former head of the president's personal security. His new rank would be equal to that of a federal minister. As head of the National Guard, Zolotov would have a cabinet-level seat in the Security Council, the powerful Kremlin advisory body, and would report directly to the president, bypassing the interior minister. A veteran officer in Russia's security services, Zolotov served as Putin's personal bodyguard starting in 1999. Before that, he served as bodyguard to President Boris Yeltsin, and to St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoli Sobchak, which was where he met Putin. Between 2000 and 2013, Zolotov was the head of the president's personal security service, serving as the deputy director of the Federal Protective Service, the agency charged with the protection of high-ranking state officials, including the president. The decree listed the main duties of the newly created national guard, which in addition to the fight against terrorism and extremism, include other functions such as participation in the territorial defense of the Russian Federation, protection of important state facilities and special cargoes, support for border protection, and the monitoring of compliance with the law in the areas of arms circulation. The decree says that it takes effect on the day of signing. Plans to create the National Guard, which would be subordinated to the president, were reported in 2012. Initially it was assumed that the first and foremost at the National Guard would be protective function (why its leaders and other main guard President): combating riots, prevention and liquidation of mass disorders. It was assumed that the National Guard would be formed to ensure the security and protection of the constitutional order on the basis of Russian Interior Ministry and other security agencies, including at the expense of the forces and means belonging to the Airborne Forces, Air Force, Navy and the military police, as well as elements of EMERCOM of Russia. But in the end the National Guard gained expanded functions, which meant more hardware for Zolotov. The term "National Guard" appeared at the initial stage of the French Revolution to designate units to ensure order in the streets of Paris. At the beginning of the XIX century this was the name adopted by the Americans: US National Guard was equipped with military reservists who periodically mobilized to suppress the riots. Formed out of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, according to the president, would continue to work "in close cooperation" with the ministry. The new National Guard's tasks, the president noted, would include those previously assigned to OMON and SOBR, tactical special rapid response forces whose functions include the maintenance of public order, assisting police (in a manner similar to SWAT in America), and maintaining order in the event of a state of emergency. Based on the decree of the text, it can be assumed that the National Guard under would be responsible for the suppression of unlawful protest, spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov said. "Illegal, we can assume that the course" - Peskov said, but rejected the suggestion that the National Guard was created as a proactive step "in order to prepare for some rallies." The president's press secretary assured that the National Guard under the appearance was not associated with the forthcoming Duma and presidential elections. The new Federal Service of troops of the National Guard include units of special rapid reaction forces (SWAT) and riot police, Special Operations Center Rapid Reaction Force and aviation security and observation technologies, in particular the Center for special purpose private security Interior Ministry, Interior Ministry, which supervises the observance of the legislation in the field of trafficking in arms and in the field of private security activities, as well as the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Security", which provides services for the paramilitary and the physical protection and the installation and maintenance of security equipment. The National Guard would also be charged with assuring territorial defense, preventing and dealing with internal armed conflicts, and guarding important facilities, such as nuclear power plants, and cargoes, as well as the protection of other property. The federal body, according to the decree, would also work with the Federal Security Service (Russia's main intelligence agency) in the protection of state borders. Internal troops guard the order of more than fifty of so-called "closed" cities of the country. Including a million people. As well as around 100 important state facilities, including nuclear power plants, nuclear power companies and even nuclear icebreakers. The military explosives - true professionals, which was very important for ordinary citizens: for thus minimize the possibility of a deadly error, which out of ignorance or inability soldiers could make. It was only at first glance, the internal forces play only a protective, almost peaceful function. And in this regard, even abandoned heavy weapons - they do not have tanks, rockets and heavy artillery. Nevertheless, in some ways this was the most belligerent forces. Every year about 15 thousand soldiers, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers and officers awarded departmental and nearly 300 soldiers - the state awards. They detained more than 1 million offenders, including some tens of thousands of criminals. And the guards for the protection of important state objects to catch more than 30 thousand offenders exclusion zones. As of May 2016, the size of the Guard force had not been confirmed. Unconfirmed estimates range from 250,000 to 400,000. With a wide mandate and armed with tanks, heavy artillery and attack aircraft, an entity of this size would be a very powerful force. Other European national guards are dwarfed compared to Putins National Guard in sheer numbers. The contrast was especially stark in some cases. For example, the Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of about 16,000 soldiers, and the Latvian National Guard has some 11,000 personnel. The reorganization was significant precisely due to the new body's potential size and strength. The Ministry of Internal Affairs includes Russia's police and traffic police; the Internal Troops, meanwhile, constitute a gendarmerie-like paramilitary force. The total number of Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2015 was little more than a million people. Of these, about 170,000 [by one estimate] were internal forces that were deployed almost throughout the country. The Internal Troops numbered about 200,000 men [by another estimate], and in addition to their other functions, they play an important role in maintaining law and order in the North Caucasus. The troops are fully motorized, have access to armored vehicles (though in smaller quantities than the army), and have their own aviation, engineering, marine and other formations as well. In addition to the Internal Troops, the National Guard would include territorial SWAT and riot police, as well as federal security guard services, totaling 230,000 people; all told, therefore, the new federal service would have up to 430,000 people under its command. The decree on the National Guard was part of a major reorganization of the security forces. In addition to the formation of the new service, Putin announced that Russia's Federal Migration Service and the Federal Drug Control Service would be merged into the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which already had ample experience in dealing with both drug crime and issues related to migration. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Rear Admiral Andrew L. Lewis April 06, 2016 Department of Defense Press Briefing by Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Director for Operations Rear Adm. Andrew L. Lewis in the Pentagon Briefing Room PETER COOK: Good morning, everyone. Glad everyone could be here. And today, pleased to welcome to the podium Rear Admiral Andy Lewis. He's the Joint Staff vice director for operations, Call sign Woody. And he's here to give us our latest counter-ISIL campaign update. If you could, do us a favor and identify yourself when you ask a question for the benefit of Admiral Lewis. And again, we'll take as many questions as we can. We'd like to keep this focused on the counter-ISIL campaign. And without further ado, sir, the podium is all yours. REAR ADMIRAL ANDREW LEWIS: Thanks. Well, good morning. My name is Andy Lewis, and as the vice director for operations on the Joint Staff, I play a role and am responsible for overseeing the U.S. military's daily operations around the world. This includes the global fight against ISIL, and today, I will brief you on the progress our coalition has made in the counter-iSIL campaign, particularly in Iraq and Syria. As has been stated by the chairman and secretary recently, the military coalition fighting ISIL has momentum. Broadly, the coalition has degraded ISIL's ability to move freely on the battlefield, has regained significant territory in both Iraq and Syria, and has degraded ISIL's leadership and resources. There are more than 60 nations participating in the coalition, and more than 20 of our partners contribute combat troops and equipment. Although there is certainly still a long road ahead, there's been significant progress. Iraqi security forces have begun shaping an isolation operation for re-taking Mosul, with U.S. and coalition partner supporting them with air power and other enabling capabilities. We have seen steady progress as the ISF continues to re-capture territory, to include HIIT and Makhmur. These are vital nodes in ISIL's communication networks both in Iraq and Syria, and are important stepping stones in isolating Mosul. The ISF's capabilities continue to grow, and their newly-trained troops are having a positive impact. In Syria, coalition partners seized Shadadi and closed off nearly 6,000 square kilometers of ISIL-held territory. They have cut off key lines of communication between Iraq and Syria. Additionally, we've continued to target senior ISIL leadership, and our successes are degrading their ability to govern and control their forces and territory. Coalition air power has had significant impacts on ISIL in Iraq and Syria, and as our intelligence continues to improve, so has our ability to target ISIL leadership and other high priority targets. This weakens ISIL and makes them desperate. In fact, we assess the attacks in Paris and Brussels are not signs of ISIL's strength, but rather a reflection of their distorted attempts to maintain the ability to recruit in the face of their failures on the battlefield. We do not assess that there is a direct correlation, but they do demonstrate the twisted lengths to which ISIL will go as it attempts to survive as an organization. Rest assured we remain focused and postured across the globe to degrade, defeat and destroy ISIL and to deny them safe havens from which they can operate. There is no hole deep enough in which they can hide, and time is not on their side. Finally, and before I finish, I'd like to say I come to work each day honored to wear this uniform and serve the tremendous soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who serve our great country all over the globe. The sacrifices these young Americans make are significant, but they willingly do so with humility and dignity. They execute the mission precisely and violent when necessary, always maintaining their values. It is truly eye-watering to be a part of it. Thank you for being here today and for helping tell the story to the American public. With that said, I'll take any questions you may have. Yes, ma'am? Q: Admiral, Lolita Baldor with the Associated Press. Thanks for doing this. One quick question on your map and then a broader question. We've heard some varying percentages over time. Can you say what -- based on this ISIL area of influence map -- what percentage of territory has ISIS either lost or gained in Iraq and in Syria, you know, over the past year or so. We've heard varying numbers, I'm wondering if you can maybe clear that up a little bit. And then my broader question is about Russia's bombing and inciting activities in Syria. Can you give us a picture of what you're seeing from Russia? We know that some fighters have left, but are -- is -- are the bombing activities by Russia starting to make it more difficult for the U.S. to conduct any operations there? Does this call for greater confliction? And what are you seeing what Russia do over the last couple of weeks? ADM. LEWIS: Yes, ma'am. First of all, in regards to the percentages of territory re-gained by -- you know, as I -- as I mentioned at the outset, the momentum has with the coalition, it's -- it has shifted. So a year ago, 18 months ago, the area in which was ISIL control was much larger. I would not come to a percentage decrease, but it is -- it is significant. It's a significant. I mean, we're talking 6,000 square kilometers in Syria alone, that's a lot of -- that's a lot of space regained by coalition forces fighting in Syria and coalition forces fighting in Iraq. And as the -- and Iraqi forces fighting in Iraq that are re-taking ISIL territory. It has restricted their movement, their ability to -- lines of communication among -- you know, between Iraq and Syria but also within Iraq and within Syria. So they can't move freely around the battlefield. So not really a percentage, but it's significantly reduced. I mean, if you look at comparisons side-by-side, it's significant. Less bad colors on there. In regards to the Russians, what we are seeing is they have a number of fighters, fighter aircraft and other combat capability that has gone back to Russia. There is still some there and they are still operating. The ceasefire operations are ongoing. There are -- there are still hiccups in the -- in the ceasefire that are happening from day to day. We are not seeing them move further east at present, east of Palmyra. And we're not seeing that as being a problem to our operations. Where we're operationally, where they are fighting against ISIL, where they have an effect against ISIL. We like that. Outside of that, operationally, what they're intent is? I'm not qualified to even address that. Q: Can I just get a clarification? You said 6,000 square kilometers. Is that the number of kilometers in Syria that you believe ISIS has lost? ADM. LEWIS: As that as -- that coalition forces have regained. Q: Regained. Do you have a similar number for Iraq? ADM. LEWIS: I do not have that off the top of my head. Yes sir. Q: Tom Bowman with NPR. You talked about 20 countries providing combat troops and equipment, but not one of those countries is a Sunni country. Two months ago, Secretary Carter said, he was confident that the Saudis and UAE would provide special forces to this fight. That hasn't happened yet. Also, I understand, no trainers from the Sunni countries are in Iraq. They're all from European countries, Australia, U.S. and Canada. So, I guess, are you still hopeful that these countries will still send special forces, and why haven't you been able to attract any trainers from any of these Sunni countries? ADM. LEWIS: The dialogue is ongoing with our leadership, U.S. leadership and the leadership of Sunni countries, to try to get participation and those forces to be trainers, to have special forces operators. But at my level and what I've been involved with and what those -- that dialogue continues. But I can't speak to where it is as far as, you know, where we are as far as the training. Q: One trainer from the Sunni countries. I mean, you have Norway, Finland, Australia, New Zealand. Not one from an Arab speaking country? ADM. LEWIS: The -- I would -- I will say that my understanding and that dialogue that's ongoing with the leadership, with our leadership. I'm not privy to most of the discussions. And I'll leave it at that. Q: One more question. There was a strike in Idlib. Can you talk about that because it's kind of rare for you guys to be bombing that far west. ADM. LEWIS: I'm not going to talk about that at this point. Yes ma'am. Q: Sir, Jennifer Griffin, Fox News. General Votel testified to Congress that there was no operational plan to retake Raqqa. Is that still the case and if so, why not? And secondly, can you talk about the Sinai? There have been some reports that there are plans under foot to remove U.S. forces from the Sinai, because of concern about ISIS in that area and the ability to protect those troops. Where does that stand? Are you planning to pull U.S. troops out of the Sinai? ADM. LEWIS: In regards to your first question ma'am, in Raqqa. I think that -- well, first of all, the campaign, the counter-ISIL campaign, the military component of the counter-ISIL campaign in Iraq and Syria, if you look at it less as a sequential campaign and more of a simultaneous campaign and the Iraqi and coalition forces on the ground. They are making the determination on what they are going to isolate and what they are going to take in accordance with the ebb and flow of activity on the ground and what we are supporting and what we are training forces to help support and in support of their overall campaign objectives. To -- and it's going. We have the flexibility to shift focus as directed, by the forces that are doing the fighting. So, to -- so it maybe that Raqqa becomes the focused effort, maybe Mosul becomes the focused effort. And that uncertainty that we have against the enemy -- or that the coalition has against the enemy, makes it a much more advantageous situation for us on the ground. Q: So are you waiting for the local forces to come up with a plan for Raqqa? ADM. LEWIS: We are -- nothing has changed in our overall strategy and support of the coalition in the fight. And we are supporting their military plan to execute. Q: But isn't it a little strange that a year and a half into this conflict, there's still no plan to retake the capital of the so-called Islamic State? A little bit -- slow going? ADM. LEWIS: I don't think I -- I'm not really qualified to answer that question frankly. In regards to your Sinai question, that operationally, we have people there that are committed to the mission. And my focus is making sure that they have the force protection measures in place and we have increased the force protection measures in the -- in MFO Sinai, to ensure their maximum safety. Q: Are there plans to pull them out? ADM. LEWIS: Those discussions are happening with the -- with -- not the plans to whether to pull them out or not, but to what that looks like with our -- within the U.S. government and within the governments of Israel and Egypt. And on those discussions are happening at the very highest levels. Q: Can I quickly follow-up on that? I was told that two outposts outside of north camp in the Sinai has been closed. Is that accurate? ADM. LEWIS: No sir. They have not been closed. There's -- yes sir? Q: Jim Sciutto from CNN. Just to follow-up on the Russian presence there. You say that there are still hiccups. The Russians have withdrawn some assets, but there's still assets, they're still doing bombing runs. I just wonder if you would characterize this as a substantive withdrawal, or is this is just a symbolic withdrawal? The Russians seem to still have a major military presence there. Is there any operational difference from your perspective? And I just have one to follow. ADM. LEWIS: Operationally, there is a difference because their focus of effort is very refined and -- but, as far as their intent, the Russian intent overall, you'd have to ask the president of Russia that. Q: If you could arrange that, I would appreciate it. Just on another topic, and I know it's not in Iraq and Syria, but it's in the news today. The South Koreans saying that North Korea, their belief, has a deployable, miniaturized, nuclear weapon. I know that the U.S. view is more nuanced on that. But operationally, how does it change U.S. operations in that region in terms of protecting allies? Staff: (off mic) Q: Well, we went -- we've gotten to Sinai, just in the news. If you could -- is it an operational question? Staff: (off mic). ADM. LEWIS: Yes ma'am. Q: Thank you sir for doing this. Carla Babb, Voice of America. I have two, quick questions. The first is on the border with Turkey. What's being done by the coalition -- Turkey being a member of the coalition -- to secure the border further and stop any Islamic state gains? Because we can see in the map that they've made some gains. And then my second question is around Ramadi and Hit. There's been a lot of touting of success with the retaking of Ramadi, but I've noticed that they've -- there's also been some losses around Hit and Ramadi as well. Is this trading territory? Are they -- or are they removing Islamic state fighters from the battlefield? Or are they just pushing them outside of the major cities? ADM. LEWIS: Well, I'll take the second question first. The -- in the area of Ramadi, it is not trading territory. It is clearing operations and securing and putting governance in place. There -- it's a dangerous situation still, but one in which they are -- Iraqi security forces and Iraqi police forces are moving in and -- and securing and moving in the right direction. In regards to the border with Turkey and Syria, the broader coalition -- you know, it's a very complicated situation there on the ground, with various coalition input, to include the Turks -- our NATO ally in the Turks. But the -- that situation is, you know, with the big take-away operation, is we are making -- the coalition is making gains in securing that border. Because one of the things that we are concerned about is the foreign fighter flow into Syria through that -- that area. So that has a lot of impact on it. But there is -- there are gains being made. Q: If I may follow up. How are there gains when the Islamic state is also making some gains? ADM. LEWIS: I think in aggregate, the gains by the coalition are more than what the Islamic state is. STAFF: Yes, ma'am? Q: Thank you. Tara Kopp with Stars and Stripes. With Fire Base Bell, could you describe the range of operations the Marines there are involved in? Are they now getting outside the base as Iraqi forces keep pushing west? And then as a follow-up to that, could you similarly describe the range of operations against the Islamic state in Afghanistan beyond -- including the airstrikes, but are there any additional roles for U.S. ground forces to fight the Islamic state in Afghanistan? ADM. LEWIS: First -- I'll take your second question first, because I think I have a short-term memory loss. The -- in Afghanistan, I think just a couple of days ago Afghanistan had the command structure within USFOR-A and Resolute Support, had some specific numbers that they came out with. So I won't talk to those. But I will say that there have been, you know -- I won't name numbers, but there have been counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan recently. And they're -- and I know that's of interest, and the public affairs organization here at the secretary of defense's office is working with the press to be as forthcoming as possible when they can with the information. Obviously, what we are concerned with is putting our forces at risk and putting the mission at risk by sharing too much. In regards to Fire Base Bell, which goes by another name, which the name I can't pronounce right now, I'll just leave it as Fire Base Bell. But the chairman addressed this very succinctly a week ago Friday in regards to, you know well behind the FLOT. And they were -- their mission is to provide fire in support in Iraqi forces, just like we do with airplanes, just it's -- surface-to-surface fires, by air-to-surface fires. The same concept; very accurate; very -- and we have put force protection measures in place at Fire Base Bell, and strengthened those measures even since the -- the attack on there several weeks ago. STAFF: Yes, ma'am? Q: Hi. Courtney Kube with NBC News. Can you explain a little bit more what you mean that the Russian focus of effort in Syria has been more defined recently? There were some reports I think it was yesterday that the Syrian regime, along with the Russian, had launched this fierce assault against an area just south of Aleppo. So that doesn't seem like it's necessarily ISIS, if their mission is more defined. Are you seeing that they are continuing to support the government's assault on civilians, on opposition forces, or what not? And then I have one other question on Syria. ADM. LEWIS: Okay, I'll answer that one before you ask the second one. You know, I'm -- I have four kids, so I've always told my kids, you know, actions speak louder than words. For me to try to figure out, or any of us to try to figure out about the -- what the Russians intend and what the Russians and the Syrian regime intent is -- I -- I'm not -- what I'm referring to as far as their actions and where we're seeing their activity, it is confined to a geographical area that is not presenting a problem with our fight -- the coalition fight against ISIS, if that's clear. Q: Are they actually striking ISIS? I mean, like, Aleppo -- what -- what is your assessment of what -- (inaudible)? ADM. LEWIS: Where they're having -- where the concentric circles of -- (inaudible) -- ISIL that are being struck by the Russians, we will happily accept that happening. Where it doesn't happen, it has not become a hindrance for our operations it would be -- Q: I just have one more about your -- your question -- or (inaudible) question about -- Idlib. I was just struck by your answer to that because it was something that came out in the CENTCOM daily roundup of strikes. And I think it was they struck a tactical unit and some other ISIS thing near Idlib. And I was just curious why you won't -- (inaudible). ADM. LEWIS: Well -- (inaudible) (CROSSTALK) Q: (inaudible) -- specific about the strikes that we should be asking about? ADM. LEWIS: No, no, not at all. It's more my comfort level of talking in detail. And from a -- and just from a standpoint of committing to memory what those details are -- not anything other than that. That's -- to be quite honest, that's where I'm coming from. ADM LEWIS: Yes, sir? Q: Joe Tabet with Al Hurra. I would like to ask you if you could provide us with a clear picture about the size of the SDF, the Syrian Democratic Forces? Could you confirm that the number runs between 30,000 to 40,000? And also, I have a follow-up on Syria. AMD. LEWIS: I don't think that I can provide you a clear number. And I will -- I will say that -- and I won't even be as specific as SDF. I will back up and say the coalition, and contributing members of the coalition, which is inclusive of several different groups, is, you know, I think that range of numbers is probably pretty close. But I think it would be disingenuous for me to say -- to come down on a number. Q: How much -- how much do you think the Arab component is among this force, the coalition force? Thirty percent? ADM. LEWIS: Sorry, I would be -- I would be making something up if I answered. I just don't know. Q: Okay. You mentioned the significant loss that ISIL has faced lately. Do you believe that the U.S. and the coalition have reached a turning point in the fight against ISIL? ADM. LEWIS: As I stated up front, I think there is momentum, and I would characterize it as significant momentum. But ISIL is still a dangerous enemy. And -- and -- and capable of irrational actions that present danger to a lot of innocent people. So, they're -- have we turned the corner? I don't know if we've turned the corner, per se, but I know that we are -- we are -- the trend is going in the right direction. And we are committed, the coalition is committed and -- to accelerating that where we can. And that -- it just doesn't happen. STAFF: All right, last one. Q: Last follow-up, sorry. As you know, Assad regime -- the Assad regime is pushing ISIL out of Palmyra and the suburbs of Palmyra. Also, the SDF are closing, are pushing ISIL from the Northern -- the Northeastern side of Syria. Do you believe as a combatant military commander that there is a point one day you would be -- you would need to communicate with the Assad regime through their channels, for example? ADM. LEWIS: Outside of my lane as military officer, outside of the operational piece, I -- I would -- I would say that those discussions are happening, the diplomatic discussions, political discussions are -- are happening, you know, the -- being played out and alternatives being addressed. But not something that I'm involved with day-to-day, or even at all. Yes, sir? Q: Going back to comments Thomas Gibbens-Neff, Washington Post. Going back to Idlib and strikes that were not on the CENTCOM release, can you speak to the U.S. drone strike that targeted five militants, Al Qaida militants in Idlib City last night? ADM. LEWIS: I won't speak specifically to that. I will say that the authorities to strike, AQ have stayed -- stayed in place, and we continue to execute those strikes. Q: And a second follow-up unrelated to the -- related the Syria train and equip. There has been reports coming out of theater, a lot more U.S. equipment flowing to Syrian -- Free Syrian Army divisions that we previously haven't worked with in the past, we've worked with division 30, but now there is pickup trucks, heavy machine guns, mortars. Have we changed how much we're equipping the Syrian rebels that we support? ADM. LEWIS: The easy answer to that is no. What we -- how we are equipping is -- it is transactional dependent. In other words, their -- their stated -- whatever force that we are supporting with equipment, their stated objectives on the ground. And we provide those -- those -- that equipment that they can execute that mission. And then we -- you know, we evaluate it at the end of it for further support. It's not -- it's not a, you know, unfettered support of arms and supply. Q: Are we supplying people that we haven't supplied in the past with that transactional agreement? ADM. LEWIS: As I -- I -- no. I don't think we're supplying as a group, no, we're not doing anything -- anything -- we're not supplying people -- the different groups overall any differently than we were in the past. So -- okay. Yes, ma'am. Q: I want to go back -- just for purposes of efficiency, I'll call Fire Base Bell. Have there been any other similar bases put up in Iraq or Syria since that time? And/or are there -- or should the American public expect that future such compounds will appear in Iraq and/or Syria? ADM. LEWIS: Well, subsequent Fire Base Bell -- they still have -- there is, you know, it's dependent upon what's happening on the ground, and in the campaign -- military campaign. So, this is -- you know, as the -- as Iraqi force -- Security Forces progress towards isolating Mosul, there may be a situation in which there is another -- a base or -- that has opened or reopened from years past that would -- would be used in the same manner as a -- as a fire support base behind the FLOT Q: And has it happened yet? ADM. LEWIS: Not to my knowledge, no. Q: And then, there are reports emerging that Anbari -- Ali Anbari was killed in Dayr Az-Zawr. Does the U.S. military have any information, one way or the other, whether he has indeed been killed or struck in Dayr Az-Zawr? ADM. LEWIS: I -- I can't confirm that. I can't confirm that, so. Yes, ma'am. Go ahead. Q: The last thing is you've talked a lot about territorial losses that ISIS has suffered. And you also mentioned that ISIS routinely will strike almost immediately when it suffers such losses to signal that it has not been debilitated. And I would like to know if you have a sense of how much of a backlog or an estimation of their backlog in terms of strikes, particularly in the West that they have, sort of in stock? And -- and because I think it will help understand the -- or address how the territorial losses might not be mitigating, at least in the short-term, strikes on Western countries. Do you guys have a sense, in terms of how much of a backlog they have? ADM. LEWIS: If -- if we had -- if we had a sense of that, we would stop it now. But we don't. I mean, there is a -- there is a -- there is a -- you know, this is not rational actor that speaks -- that behaves like we would behave, or like common, decent people would behave. But to -- to be able to -- to be able -- now, we're constantly diligent, looking for threat of these kinds of attacks throughout the globe. But where -- we have an estimate on what -- what's in -- what's cooking right now, I don't -- I don't think we do. Q: Can you address broadly, then, when ISIS losses territory, like Palmyra, like Shaddadi, like -- (inaudible) -- just a few days ago, how much has that been limiting their ability to conduct, to plot, to train, to conduct strikes as long as they hold onto places like Raqqa and Mosul, where the predominate number of foreign fighters have come in and trained, and then in some cases, gone back to Europe? ADM. LEWIS: Sorry, can you repeat the question? Q: I meant to say that when you lose places like -- when ISIS loses places like Palmyra and some of these other smaller towns in Shadadi. As long as they hold Mosul and Raqqa, are they not then able to continue to pose a significant threat to the west? How much does Palmyra matter if they continue to hold places like Raqqa and Mosul, given that that's where most of the training of foreign fighters have gone through those -- ADM. LEWIS: Well, it -- no. It degrades significant because it degrades our ability to move freely on the battlefield and to -- they -- so we're taking away their mobility and their agility on the battlefield, the coalition is. And so that -- it does degrade it. Does it reduce it to zero? No. But it definitely degrades it. Yes, ma'am? Q: If you, sir, could just move back to the microphone so we -- ADM. LEWIS: Okay. Sorry. Q: Thank you so much. We're sorry about that. ADM. LEWIS: I had to make eye contact. Q: I wanted to -- I wanted to just go back on the issue of Raqqa, because I was very struck by the president yesterday saying, and quoting him, he said, "We should no longer tolerate the kind of positioning that is enabled by them, ISIS, having headquarters in Raqqa and Mosul." So if the sort of guidance is not the tolerate the positioning of ISIS to have Raqqa as its headquarters, can you go back over the Pentagon's thinking, the Pentagon's status of this? Because I -- is there an operational plan, then, to get ISIS out of Raqqa? Even if you can't say what the plan is, where are you on getting them booted out of Raqqa? ADM. LEWIS: What I can say is the president provided -- asked the secretary of Defense and the chairman to work on accelerants in the -- to accelerate the campaign against ISIL. And those options of being -- are being discussed and being planned with the leadership in the department. And what has -- and those options haven't been brought to -- you know, they're being discussed also with the president, and giving him options to address that. And those specific -- you know, obviously, those options are being addressed with our coalition partners in Iraq and our coalition partners in Syria because ultimately, our overall strategy of fighting is support to those fighting those on the ground. Q: Do you have an operational plan yet to get ISIS out of Raqqa? ADM. LEWIS: I can't answer that question. I don't -- I'm not -- I'm not qualified to answer. Yes, ma'am? Q: One last one on Fire Base Bell. Do you know why the base was renamed? ADM. LEWIS: You know, I have -- I do know why, but I can't remember why right now. I'm sorry. I'll take -- (inaudible). STAFF: (off mic). ADM. LEWIS: Okay. Q: The cap level of American troops in Iraq, the FML is 3870, but it's come out that the numbers are higher because of TDYs or other temporary assignments, as you call them. Can you explain what the Joint Staff thinking is as -- what do you define as a TDY in theater? And what is the actual number of American troops there in Iraq right now? ADM. LEWIS: This is an -- Q: What -- (inaudible) -- troops are actually being sent under this kind of assignment. ADM. LEWIS: This is a pretty easy one to answer because the chairman answered this exact question here a week and a half ago, and he answered it in that -- the rules that we use and the process we use is the same one that we've used for about 15 years now as far as FML, boots in the ground. And what -- you know, things like swap outs of troops, we don't double count. Things like security -- military security forces for embassy personnel, that doesn't count toward FML. And then there's periods of, you know, TDY time that, in the business rules, if you like. We know there's more than 3750 in Iraq at any one time, but it's all being done in the -- in the -- along the lines of those business rules. So I think the chairman answered that much better than I just did, but that's essentially what he said. Q: A thousand more than -- ADM. LEWIS: I can't. I don't know. I mean, to be honest with you. Q: Thanks, admiral. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/715043/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen Ansarullah confirms agreement on ceasefire in Saudi border IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, April 6, IRNA -- Yemen's Ansarullah Spokesman Mohammad Abdussalam approved agreement on continuation of ceasefire in war zones including Midi region on the border area with Saudi Arabia. According to Arab media reports, Abdussalam described halt to military operations in several Yemeni provinces as the first step towards the truce agreement. According to the initial agreement, military operations were completely stopped in the country in order to open doors to bright future for Yemeni-Yemeni talks that are being held in next few days under the supervision of the United Nations (UN), he has lately written on his facebook page. Saudi Arabia with the help of nine other Arab countries except Oman has been mounting massive attacks on Yemen since March 26, 2015, to give power back to the resigned Yemeni president Mansur Hadi and prevent the Yemeni revolutionary forces from taking power. Since then, thousands of Yemenis, including a large number of women and children, have been killed and tens of thousands have been displaced. 1483**1394 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General calls for NATO to make training a core task for the Alliance in the fight against extremism NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 06 Apr. 2016 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday (6 April) that the "strength and unity" of NATO is key to addressing current security challenges, including in the fight against extremism. In a speech at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, the Secretary General said "to protect our territory, we must be willing to project stability beyond our borders". He highlighted the importance of using forces to train others to fight as an important lesson from past operations. "In the fight against terrorism, building local capacity is one of the best weapons we have", he noted. He stressed that "while NATO has to remain an expeditionary alliance, able to deploy forces outside our territory, NATO must also become a more effective training Alliance". In his speech, Mr. Stoltenberg proposed three ways that NATO could upgrade its training and capacity building efforts and advance cooperation with regional partners. First, he said, "We need to make training a core capability for the Alliance. We need a more robust approach. A responsive, ready-to-go capability, so that we can plan, coordinate and deploy advisory support and training missions faster." Second, Mr. Stoltenberg proposed stepping up NATO's support for Iraq. "The ability of an inclusive Iraqi government to restore security is critical to the stability of the whole region. And a stable Iraq is key in the battle against ISIL. Last week, NATO started training Iraqi officers in Jordan. We should further reinforce these efforts", he said. His third proposal was to take NATO cooperation with regional partners and international organisations to a new level, "complementing bilateral efforts and strengthening the capacity of regional organisations". Referring to the importance of the transatlantic bond, Mr Stoltenberg said, "I know that I can count on the continued leadership of the United States. I also know that the mutual interests of Europe and the United States are best served by a strong North Atlantic Alliance. Because the security of Europe and North America is indivisible. And only by standing together will we remain safe and secure". On Wednesday, Mr. Stoltenberg also met with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill. Earlier this week, the Secretary General also met with President Obama and other senior US officials, and paid a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, home of the US Army airborne forces and Special Forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General thanks US military personnel for their service during visit to Fort Bragg NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 04 Apr. 2016 - 07 Apr. 2016 Last updated: 06 Apr. 2016 12:11 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked US service personnel on Tuesday (5 April), praising their skills and dedication to keep all Allies safe. In the second day of a visit to the United States, the Secretary General today visited Fort Bragg in North Carolina, home of the US Army airborne forces and Special Forces. The base plays an important role for the security of the United States and NATO. Mr Stoltenberg saw how the 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps maintain readiness and sustain their fighting capability. Meeting with commanders and paratroopers, Mr. Stoltenberg told them that what they do is really important for NATO and an example of readiness for the whole Alliance. He was briefed on the capabilities and the units of the base and observed a training exercise of the Global Response Force the US rapid reaction force, which is able to deploy anywhere in the world at short notice. The Global Response Force is counterpart to NATO's high-readiness Spearhead Force, led by European Allies. Mr. Stoltenberg also met some of the paratroopers he saw in action during NATO's large Trident Juncture Exercise in November 2015, when 500 US airborne troops flew directly from Fort Bragg to parachute drop onto a training ground in Spain. Some of them will return to Europe in the months ahead for more military exercises together with the troops of other NATO Allies. The Secretary General's US visit continues tomorrow (6 April) in Washington D.C. He will hold meetings with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, and deliver a keynote speech at an event organized by the Atlantic Council. The speech will be web-streamed live on the NATO website (http://www.nato.int) and on the website of the organiser: http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/events/webcasts/a-conversation-with-nato-secretary-general-jens-stoltenberg. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary of the Navy Meets with Gabonese President Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160406-05 Release Date: 4/6/2016 10:47:00 AM From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs LIBREVILLE, Gabon (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met with Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba during an official visit to the nation's capital April 5. During the meeting, Mabus and Bongo Ondimba discussed maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and other areas of mutual concern such as piracy, transnational crime and regional security. "Border and maritime security and the fight against illicit trafficking affect both our nations," said Mabus. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Gabon in addressing these security issues." The two leaders also discussed progress on Gabon's Maritime Strategic Framework, which was generated as the result of a maritime assessment and strategy developed by the U.S. Navy for Gabon following a mutual agreement between Mabus and Bongo Ondimba in August 2013. The assessment provided recommendations for the achievement of maritime security for the people and interests of Gabon. Mabus presented the Department of the Navy's "Gabon Maritime Assessment and Strategy" to Bongo Ondimba during a visit to the Pentagon by the Gabonese president in 2014. During his time in Gabon, Mabus also met with other Gabonese government and military officials to discuss, among other issues, the Central African nation's partnership with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. "Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea is important to both our nations," said Mabus. "The Department of the Navy values the partnership we have with Gabon and their participation in exercises like Obangame Express and Central Accord. The interoperability developed through exercises such as these enhances our ability to work to together to maintain security and stability in this region." Mabus' visit, part of a multinational tour meant to reinforce existing relationships and highlight the importance of maritime domain awareness with African countries, represents a continuation of the Department of the Navy's focus on building partnerships designed to help distribute the burden of securing the global maritime domain based on alliances, shared values and mutual trust. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Three Saudi-backed commanders killed in Yemen Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 5:52PM The Yemeni army and Ansarullah fighters have engaged in fierce clashes with militants loyal to the Saudi-backed fugitive former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, in northern Yemen, leaving three field commanders dead. Almashhad-alyemeni, a pro-Hadi website, said on Wednesday that a leader from the Salafi Islah party and two field commanders were killed in the clashes in the northern area of Naqil al-Aqabah of al-Jawf province on Tuesday. According to the report, pro-Hadi forces were sent to capture the area of al-Aqabah in al-Jawf from the Yemeni forces on Monday. The news comes as the Yemeni forces continued to make gains against the Saudi-backed forces on Wednesday as Yemen's army and popular committees took control of the strategic military base of al-Shabaka, which overlooks the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, in Ta'izz Province, according to al-Masirah television channel. Also on Wednesday, the Yemeni security forces raided a hideout of al-Qaeda militants in al-Qadad area of Dhamar Province, killing two militants and injuring four others. Three terrorists were also arrested. The forces also seized the terrorists' weapons and explosive belts during the raid. Meanwhile, Saudi warplanes continued to bomb the Yemeni provinces of Ma'rib, Ta'izz and al-Jawf, but there were no immediate reports of casualties so far. Saudi Arabia launched its military aggression against Yemen in March last year in a bid to bring the country's former president, who is a staunch ally of Riyadh, back to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement. More than 8,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the aggression. The Saudi strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armenian, Azeri forces say truce is observed in Karabakh Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 2:13PM Armenian and Azeri forces say they are observing a ceasefire recently agreed between the two sides in the Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh following a new spate of violence in the disputed territory. "The ceasefire was largely observed overnight along the Karabakh frontline," the Armenia-backed Defense Ministry in Karabakh said in a statement released on Wednesday. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry also stated that its troops were "strictly abiding by the ceasefire agreement." The deal was hammered out on April 5 by the Azerbaijani and Armenian army chiefs during a meeting in the Russian capital, Moscow. It was reached after at least 75 people were reported killed since April 1, when fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh. Both sides accuse each other of starting the latest outbreak of violence. 'World should recognize Karabakh right to decide its fate' In another development on Wednesday, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan called on the global community to recognize the right of the Karabakh region to determine its own future. "They want to determine their own fate and their own future," Sargsyan said after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, adding, "They expect only one thing from the international community, namely the recognition of this right." For her part, Merkel urged the two sides to the Karabakh conflict "to do everything in their power to stop the bloodshed and loss of life," adding that international mediation attempts are "of the greatest urgency" over the issue. 'Russia siding with Armenia in the Karakh crisis' Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Russia of siding with Armenia in the Karabakh crisis. "Russia says Turkey is taking sides. If one is looking for those who are taking sides the most significant country taking sides is Russia. Russia loves to take sides. Russia took sides in Ukraine, Georgia and now in Syria." Erdogan said in a speech broadcast live on Wednesday. The remarks came as Ankara has vowed to stand by Azerbaijan, saying it backs Baku "to the end" amid its clashes with Armenians over the Karabakh region. The landlocked territory, which is located in the Azerbaijan Republic but is populated by Armenians, has been under control of local ethnic Armenian militia and the Armenian troops since a three-year war, which claimed over 30,000 lives, ended between the two sides in 1994 through mediation by Russia. Last December, the Armenian Defense Ministry said the ceasefire deal was no longer in place, saying the current situation amounted to "war." Although the two countries are divided by a buffer zone, both sides have frequently accused one another of violating the ceasefire. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address McCain rips ISIL war: Another Vietnam looms Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 12:58PM Senator John McCain has warned that the US military campaign against the Daesh terrorist group risks becoming "another slow, grinding failure" like the Vietnam War. In a letter to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday, McCain invoked his own involvement in the Vietnam War as a military pilot to rebuke the current strategy in the Middle East. "As a young military officer, I bore witness to the failed policy of gradual escalation that ultimately led to our nation's defeat in the Vietnam War," the Arizona Republican wrote. "Now as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I fear this administration's grudging incrementalism in the war against ISIL risks another slow, grinding failure for our nation," he added. McCain, a frequent critic of the White House, said he feared military commanders were not making recommendations to the civilian leadership based on facts on the ground. "My conversations with military commanders both on the ground and in the Pentagon have led me to the disturbing, yet unavoidable conclusion that they have been reduced from considering what it will take to win to what they will be allowed to do by this administration," he wrote. The Pentagon has recently announced plans for deploying additional US combat troops in Iraq to accelerate military operations against Daesh terrorists. The Pentagon has acknowledged that the US force level in the country has already exceeded the authorized level of 3,870 approved by President Barack Obama. Officials have quietly said that the actual number is closer to 5,000 when accounting for troops considered to be on "temporary" deployment. Meanwhile, military officials said last week that the US was considering a new plan to "greatly increase" the number of special forces deployed in Syria. The military also said that it had resumed training new groups of militants to fight Daesh in Syria. In his letter, McCain demanded answers to a slew of questions, including military strategies in Daesh strongholds of Mosul in Iraq, and Raqqah in Syria, as well as the exact number of military and civilian personnel deployed in those countries. President Obama said Tuesday that he was looking for ways to ramp up the fight against Daesh militants in Iraq and Syria ahead of a meeting with top US military brass at the White House. "We continue to take on their leadership, their financial networks, their infrastructure," Obama said before conferring with combatant commanders and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At a news conference after the session, Obama said defeating the Daesh terrorist organization was his "top priority." "One of my main messages today is that destroying ISIL continues to be my top priority and so we can no longer tolerate the kinds of positioning that is enabled by them having headquarters in Raqqah and in Mosul," the president said. "We are going to squeeze them and we will defeat them." Last December, the US announced it was deploying a new force of special operations troops in Iraq to conduct raids against Daesh militants. The announcement followed another one in October, which said dozens of US special forces would be sent to Syria - the first US ground deployment there. In addition to the gradual escalation of ground presence, the US military has in recent weeks stepped up airstrikes purportedly targeting Daesh leadership, command and control structure, and financing. Daesh terrorists, who were among the militants initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government, now control large parts of Iraq and Syria. They are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni rocket kills 70 Saudi mercenaries in Jawf: TV Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 9:52AM Yemeni forces have killed scores of Saudi mercenaries in the war-hit country's northern province of al-Jawf, local reports say. According to a report on Yemen's al-Masirah news website, the rocket hit a building belonging to Saudi mercenaries late Tuesday and killed 70 of them. At least 100 others were injured in the attack, it said. Local sources said the death toll may increase as the position was targeted while the mercenaries were distributing arms and munitions among themselves. Saudi warplanes bombed an area in al-Zabab region in southern Yemen and the Hayran city in the northwestern province of Hajjah, al-Masirah reported without saying if there were any casualties. Meanwhile, Saudi state television said that three people were killed in shelling by Yemeni forces on the kingdom's southern province of Jizan. The report said the shelling happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday and the child died at a local hospital. The attacks came despite a ceasefire announced by both Houthi and Saudi officials. On Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said that a Houthi delegation was in the Arab kingdom to hold peace discussions. A Houthi spokesman, Mohammed Abdulsalam, said on Tuesday a ceasefire was reached with Saudi Arabia to halt operations in a number of Yemeni provinces. He said the truce would pave the way for peace talks between Ansarullah and former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's loyalists. Last month, the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, announced that the former government and the Houthi Ansarullah movement had agreed to halt hostilities on April 10 ahead of a new round of peace talks to be held in Kuwait on April 18. Saudi Arabia is under growing pressure as its protracted war has ground into a no-win situation. In February, Saudi military spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri acknowledged that the kingdom was stuck in a "static war" against its southern neighbor. Riyadh is also coming under an unprecedented chorus of criticism from around the world over rising civilian casualties and destruction in Yemen. Negotiations suggest Riyadh's submission to Houthi demands. The group had long maintained that any talks must be held with the Saudis as their main adversary in the war, and not with Hadi. Saudi Arabia has been waging a war on Yemen since late March 2015 in a bid to return Hadi to power. Nearly 9,400 Yemenis, including 4,000 women and children, have lost their lives in the deadly military campaign. Yemenis, in return, have been carrying out retaliatory attacks on the Saudi forces deployed in the country as well as targets inside Saudi Arabia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prosecutor to appeal UN tribunal's acquittal of Vojislav Seselj of war crimes in the Balkans 6 April 2016 The long-serving Prosecutor of the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today announced that he will appeal The Hague-based court's recent acquittal of Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj on war crimes charges in connection with actions committed by Serbian forces between August 1991 and September 1993. Serge Brammertz, who is also serving as the Prosecutor of the International Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals the body that will oversee the residual functions of the UN war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia, known by the acronym ICTY, as well as for Rwanda (ICTR) said he had come to the decision after reviewing the written reasons given by the Trial Chamber Majority for acquitting Mr. Seselj. That verdict was announced on 31 March. "Given the far reaching nature of the errors we have identified in the Majority Judgement, we underscore for the victims of the crimes that the forthcoming appeal is of utmost priority for this Office," said Mr. Brammertz, adding that his Office considers "there has been a fundamental failure by the Majority to perform its judicial function." Among others, his Office noted that in its view, the Majority has omitted to properly adjudicate core aspects of the Prosecution's case, including by: failing to consider large parts of the evidentiary record; failing to provide proper reasons for its conclusions; failing to properly apply the 'beyond reasonable doubt' standard; and failing to consider the charges against Mr. Seselj in light of the pervasive pattern of crimes proved. "At the same time, we consider that the Majority unreasonably allowed for the possibility that criminal conduct was simply a lawful contribution to the war effort, despite the overwhelming body of evidence pointing against it," said Mr. Brammertz, noting a "sweeping disregard" of the large number of crimes proved at trial had lead the Majority to conclude "that there was no widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population in parts of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as required for crimes against humanity." Mr. Brammertz said that his Office would exert maximum effort to ensure the appeal in the Vojislav Seselj case is litigated efficiently, effectively and fairly in accordance with the prescribed appeals process of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN agency condemns large-scale home demolitions in West Bank 6 April 2016 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has condemned today's large scale home demolitions by Israeli authorities in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South Hebron Hills. As a result, according to UNRWA, 31 Palestine refugees, including 16 children, were made homeless in a community that has endured several rounds of demolitions and often faced harassment from the nearby illegal settlement of Karmel. Already this year, over 700 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli demolitions in the West Bank. This figure is approaching the total number of displaced for all of 2015, said Lance Bartholomeusz, Director of UNRWA Operations in the West Bank, who said that he was "appalled" by the "unjustifiable" demolitions, which are in violation of international law. "As the UN has said repeatedly, these demolitions must stop," said UNRWA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Challenged by More Assertive Russia, Militants by Isabela Cocoli, Jela de Franceschi April 06, 2016 NATO is preparing to step up its response to Islamic State and a more assertive Russia responsible for aggressive actions in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with VOA's Serbian Service about the alliance's future this week in Washington. "That is the two main challenges we face and they are very different. But at the same time we have to be able to both face the challenges from the Southern Flank, from the Middle East/North Africa and at the same time face the challenges posed by Russia to the East. And what we are doing is we are implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War," he said. NATO is neither seeking confrontation with Russia nor a cold war, Stoltenberg said, but rather a dialogue to avoid incidents like the downing of the Russian plane over Turkey. He added that in the event of something like that happening, NATO can help keep it from spinning out of control. Stoltenberg said NATO is implementing the biggest reinforcement to its collective defense since the end of the Cold War in response to the new security environment in the east of Europe and in the Middle East and North Africa. He stressed the importance of different kinds of transparency, risk-reduction mechanisms to avoid difficult situations becoming even more difficult. Stoltenberg is consulting with U.S. leaders before the Warsaw NATO Summit in July, where the refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe is expected to be high on the agenda. The NATO chief said the alliance has deployed ships to the Aegean Sea to assist with the crisis. He said the ships are not there to turn back boats with migrants and refugees, but are providing surveillance, reconnaissance, and monitoring. Stoltenberg added NATO is sharing the information with the Turkish Coast Guard, with the Greek Coast Guard and the EU Border Agency Frontex. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Shooting of Young Palestinian Sparks Debate Over Israeli Army Ethics by Joshua Brilliant April 06, 2016 Twenty-one-year-old Abd al-Fatah al-Sharif was lying flat on his back, eyes shut, hands spread out, in the middle of a street in the West Bank town of Hebron. A few minutes earlier he and an associate had stabbed an Israeli soldier. The soldiers killed his partner and wounded the black clad al-Sharif. An ambulance crew was evacuating the soldier when someone shouted, "This terrorist is still alive, the mad dog." A shot rang and blood trickled from al-Sharif's head down the gray road. The incident intensified an argument among Israelis over the security forces' ethics. Some people were appalled by the shooting of a wounded person. Others maintained al-Sharif got what he deserved. Israeli soldier arrested The soldier, who cannot be identified because of a court order, was arrested. He reportedly told his commanders that "whoever stabbed my friend should die." Later he said he had fired because he feared al-Sharif was carrying a bomb. Visibly angry, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon accused him of breaking the law, violating "our ethical standards and the rules of engagement." "We have to know how to win and remain human beings," Ya'alon stressed. Prosecutors told the soldier he could be charged with murder and aroused a storm. Sharp disagreement about arrest Education Minister Naftali Bennet of the hawkish national-religious party, Habayit Hayehudi (The Jewish Home) said that "a soldier sent to the battlefield cannot be a murderer, period." Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who heads the hawkish Yisrael Beitenu (Israel is Our Home) maintained the legal process was "a farce." "A soldier who killed a terrorist is certainly no murderer nor should he be accused of manslaughter," Liberman maintained. Oren Hazan, a member of Netanyahu's Likud Knesset faction declared that "every terrorist must end such an event [as the stabbing] with a bullet in his head." Hundreds of people who gathered in the soldier's hometown, Ramla, to support the soldier responded with resounding applause. Ya'alon was resolute. "What do you want? An army that becomes bestial? An army that has lost its moral backbone?" he challenged his critics in parliament. PLO, some US politicians have complained The Palestine Liberation Organization recently asked the United Nations to investigate 207 cases of what it called extrajudicial Israeli executions of Palestinians. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and 10 members of the House of Representatives asked the U.S. State Department to investigate "reports of what may be extrajudicial killings" of four Palestinians and the torture of two others by Israeli security forces. The findings could lead to a curtailment of U.S. military aid to Israel. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu insisted Israel was not culpable. "Israel's soldiers and police officers defend themselves and innocent civilians with the highest moral standards against bloodthirsty terrorists," he said. The army's rules of engagement provide that soldiers should kill an assailant to avoid an attack. However, a second after the attack ends the rules change and it does not matter whether the attacker succeeded or not. What the soldier did "is not our way," said Major General (in the reserves) Elazar Stern who was chief education officer. Debate continues In an attempt to stem excessive reactions, the army's Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot told high school students: "When a 13-year-old-girl holds scissors or a knife and there is a barricade between her and soldiers, I wouldn't want a soldier to open fire and empty a magazine" at her. The rebuttal came from Sepharadi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. It is a religous commandment to kill a terrorist "who comes at you with a knife... Fear not the High Court of Justice or some chief of general staff," he said. Last October, during a peak in Palestinian stabbings, Israel Democracy Institute pollsters asked Jews whether every Palestinian who attacks Jews should be killed on the spot, even if he is caught and no longer poses a danger. Fifty three percent of the respondents said yes. Last week the pollsters asked whether one can ignore human and civil rights in order to fight terror more effectively. Forty nine percent of the respondents thought so and another 26 percent replied they "don't agree so much." Soldiers get mixed messages According to the Haaretz newspaper, ministers, rabbis and popular Internet sites "urge soldiers to kill every terrorist." The argument could affect the army's cohesiveness. Pnina Sharvit-Baruch who heads the Law and National Security Program at the National Institute for Strategic Studies noted, "We want a professional army, an army that knows what it is doing, an army that has a chain of command. "If we let loose on discipline and values we will get a very bad army and that will be our end," she warned. Fear of deterioration prompted the defense establishment to react to al-Sharif's death with unusual speed. The army was "scared" of the impact the shooting might have on other soldiers unless it acted immediately, Stern told reporters. Last Wednesday the chief of general staff issued a letter to the soldiers. He said the army will back every soldier who "errs in the heat of battle" but "will not hesitate to severely punish soldiers and commanders who deviate from the ethical and operational standards under which we operate." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 7, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, 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 eight strikes in Syria: -- Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed an ISIL front-end loader, disabled seven ISIL well-heads and neutralized an ISIL pump-jack. -- Near Ayn Isa, a strike destroyed four ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Manbij, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL rocket system, four ISIL vehicles, three ISIL excavators, and three ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Mar'a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position. Strikes in Iraq Rocket artillery and attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 19 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with Iraq's government: -- Near Baghdadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and a cache of ISIL improvised bombs. -- Near Rutbah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Habbaniyah, a strike destroyed two ISIL-used bridges. -- Near Hit, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL front end loader, an ISIL supply cache and an ISIL vehicle bomb and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Kirkuk, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL supply cache, three ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL fighting position. -- Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL tunnel system. -- Near Mosul, five strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tunnel system, an ISIL assembly area, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions. -- Near Sinjar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position. -- Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas. 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 one 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. 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 that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Azerbaijan Accuses Nagorno-Karabakh Separatists Of Violating Cease-Fire April 07, 2016 by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service Azerbaijan has accused Armenian-backed separatists in its breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region of violating a cease-fire agreed between the two sides. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a statement on April 7 that the separatists violated the cease-fire 119 times in the last 24 hours. Separately, the Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces shelled several districts in Azerbaijan's Naxcivan exclave. Naxcivan is surrounded by Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. On a visit to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized Moscow's special role as mediator in the conflict. "Beyond all doubt, we are interested -- maybe more than the other foreign partners of these two countries -- in this conflict being settled as soon as possible," Lavrov said after meeting his Azerbaijani counterpart on April 7. Lavrov noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to urge an end to the violence, and that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was traveling to Armenia on April 7, then onto Azerbaijan the next day. Since the cease-fire took effect on April 5, Azerbaijan and the separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have said the situation along the "line of contact," which effectively serves as a front line separating the combatant sides, remains tense but calm. The cease-fire came after fighting erupted on April 2. The four days of ensuing fighting was the deadliest flare-up over the mountainous South Caucasus enclave in decades. Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict have brought little progress. With reporting by Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan-armenia-karabakh- cease-fire-violation-nakhchivan/27659695.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 Russia, OPEC Said Likely To Freeze Oil Output Without Iran April 07, 2016 by RFE/RL Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries can reach an agreement to freeze oil production, even if Iran doesn't join in, a top OPEC official told Bloomberg News. Kuwaiti OPEC governor Nawal al-Fezaia's prediction of an output freeze excluding Iran in an interview with Bloomberg helped send oil prices soaring more than 5 percent on world markets on April 6 and 7. Fezaia said oil-producing countries have no alternative but to reach an agreement to freeze output when they meet on April 17 in Doha, Qatar, because prices are too low. She said the freeze may be at February levels and would be aimed at setting a floor under oil prices. "Oil producers have no option but to freeze their production as oil prices are low and hurting everyone," she said. "All early signs before the meeting point to this conclusion." Producers are meeting in Doha to finalize the agreement to freeze production reached earlier this year between OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia and Russia, the largest producer outside the cartel. Russian sources told Reuters on April 6 that the output freeze is on track and Russia and OPEC are discussing the details, such as how long to maintain it and how to monitor it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on April 7 that the energy ministers from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan will attend the talks in Doha. That's despite earlier in the week suggestions by Russia that OPEC would start the freeze without Iran and allow Tehran to join next year after it restores the 4 million barrels a day output that it maintained before international economic sanctions were imposed in 2012. The Russian-Saudi output freeze plan was thrown into doubt after Iran insisted it must be allowed to restore output after the sanctions were lifted in January, and Saudi Arabia said it would not freeze production unless Iran follows suit. But Fezaia told Bloomberg that rising production from Iran won't hinder the output freeze agreement as Tehran will find it difficult to sell its crude in an oversupplied market. Fezaia expects the oil market to return to balance in the second half of the year. Oil prices may end the year between $45 and $60 a barrel, she said. Brent North Sea premium crude jumped $1.97 to $39.84 a barrel in London trading on her comments on April 6, and the gains were extended in early trading in Asia on April 7. With reporting by Bloomberg, Reuters, and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-opec-said- likely-freeze-oil-output-without-iran/27659414.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 Kerry, Bahrain Leader Discuss Iran's Destabilizing Activities by Pamela Dockins April 07, 2016 Iran needs to change its "foreign policy" in the region and stop weapons shipments, training "terrorists" and financing and supporting "proxies," said Bahrain's foreign minister. In a Thursday appearance with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said Iran needed to devote as much effort to its "neighbors" as it did to securing the nuclear agreement with the United States and five other world powers. His comments indicate ongoing concerns among Bahrain and other Gulf countries about what they view as Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region, an issue they raised with the U.S. before the January implementation of the nuclear deal with Tehran. Since September, military ships have intercepted four vessels containing weapons that were believed to have come from Iran. All were believed intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen. The most recent incident took place in late March. The U.S. Navy said it seized AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns from a dhow off the coast of Oman. Also, Tehran has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles. U.S. officials say the tests do not violate the nuclear agreement but are a U.N. Security Council resolution violation. "We call on Iran to prove to the world that it wants to be a constructive member of the international community," said Kerry. He said Tehran should help end the war in Yemen, "not prolong it," and help end the war in Syria,"not intensify it. Kerry said there was no pretense that the nuclear deal would erase other challenges with Iran. Rights record questioned Bahrain's human rights record was a focal point during Kerry and Al Khalifa's appearance, in particular, the case involving Zainab al-Khawaja, a political activist who was detained with her young son last month. Al Khalifa said the woman chose to keep her son with her in detention. He also said she would be released "pending her case in the court." Without specifically addressing the case, Kerry said Bahrain had made progress in some areas but that more work remained. Regional conflicts Kerry and Al Khalifa discussed a range of regional issues on Thursday ahead of a full meeting with foreign ministers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group that includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates along with Bahrain. Kerry said the fight against Islamic State militants would be a "centerpiece" of those discussions. The main goal of Kerry's visit to Bahrain is to lay the groundwork for President Barack Obama's attendance at the April 21 GCC summit in Saudi Arabia. US Navy base visit Earlier Thursday, Kerry visited the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain that is the headquarters for both the Fifth Fleet and a multinational force that deals with maritime security and combats piracy. His visit comes a day after the base launched a large maritime exercise involving more than 30 countries. Military officials say there are about 8,000 U.S. service personnel in Bahrain, mostly from the Navy. "The core of the focus is the destruction of Daesh, ISIL," said Kerry to military personnel at the base, referring to Islamic State. "You are all central to our ability to do this," he added. Bahrain is the first stop of a week-long trip for Kerry. Later, he travels to Hiroshima, Japan, where he will attend a G7 ministerial meeting and visit a World War II memorial. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Paris Attacks Suspect to Remain in Belgium for Several Weeks by VOA News April 07, 2016 The main suspect in the 2015 terror attacks in France, Salah Abdeslam, will be detained in Belgium for several more weeks before being extradited to France. The word came Thursday from his lawyer after a hearing on continuing Abdeslam's detention in Belgium. The lawyer said Abdeslam cannot be extradited to France until he is questioned in another case concerning a shootout with police during a raid last month in Brussels. Abdeslam was captured in Belgium on March 18 after more than four months on the run. Global terrorist On Tuesday the U.S. State Department named Abdeslam a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist." The order says, "All property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Abdeslam has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him." It said Abdeslam "is an operative for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," a group the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The Belgian-born suspect is accused of helping plan the November 13 terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people at multiple locations. He allegedly rented rooms for the suicide bombers and bought explosives. "Witnesses identified Abdeslam as the driver of a car full of gunmen that killed patrons at numerous restaurants in Paris," the State Department said. Authorities found his DNA both on a discarded suicide belt and on traces of explosives in a Brussels apartment, the statement said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China-built C28A corvette conducts test launch of anti-ship missile People's Daily Online (People's Daily Online) 15:14, April 06, 2016 A C28A class corvette conducted a test launch of anti-ship missiles recently. The ship with 3,000 tons displacement is Chinese-built new generation of warship exported to Algeria. It is part of a three-vessel order signed with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. in 2012 for corvettes, to be outfitted with Chinese and Western systems. The vessel began to be built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai in March 2013. C28 stands for 2,800 tons of corvette and the letter A is the initial letter of Algeria. On Aug. 14, 2015, the first ship of the 3,000 ton corvette which was designed and built by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation started sea trails, which represents the project achieved initial results. The vessels' weapons include eight C-802 anti-ship missiles, a FM-90N launcher for short-range HQ-7 surface-to-air missiles, an H/PJ-26 76-millimeter main gun, two sets of Type 730 CIWS and two triple-tube 324-millimeter torpedo launchers. On Sept. 22, 2015, the Algerian Navy commissioned first C28A corvette. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defense Industries open major plant to produce explosives IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, April 6, IRNA -- The Defense Industries Organization affiliated to Iranian Defense Ministry launched a factory for producing the HMX explosives, also known as octogen, on Wednesday. The modern explosives and its components are used in production of an array of missiles including the ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft, surface-to-surface and anti armor missiles helping improve precision of such weapons. Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said in the inauguration ceremony that his ministry is following a strategy to build a powerful defense infrastructure for the country and modernize its capabilities. He said that the Defense Ministry has focused on optimization of the missiles being produced in Iran. 'A key strategy and main goal pursued by the Defense Ministry is increasing the destructive power and sophistication of the domestically-produced missiles by relying on more powerful explosives,' he said. The defense minister also praised Iranian engineers and experts at the ministry's Defense Industries Organization for acquiring the technical know-how to produce the modern explosive. 'In order to acquire the technology from the foreign countries to produce octogen, Iran needed to pay a high price and it was not acceptable,' he added. 2044**1416 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Leader welcomes measures of gov't to develop economy of resistance IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, April 6, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday welcomed the measures taken by the government to develop Economy of Resistance. The Supreme Leader made the remarks in a meeting with senior officials of the three branches of government. The Supreme Leader said that he will support any action by government and the Judiciary that falls in line with interests of the public, making breakthrough to solve the problems of the people. However, it is important to see something is done has been helpful and necessary for the national interests, the Leader said. Ayatollah Khamenei said in implementing the policies of economy of resistance, self-reliance should be made on abundant domestic capabilities and potentials. The Supreme Leader thanked the government for the major steps they have taken to develop the economy of resistance. The Supreme Leader called for solidarity and unity among Iranian officials for implementation of the policies. Ayatollah Khamenei said that government -- the First Vice-President in person-- should undertake the command of the executive works to develop the economy of resistance. The Supreme Leader encouraged different sectors of the governing system to cooperate with the government to bring about the economy of resistance. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the need to boost domestic products and prepare the ground for all-out and broad action to address Plan and Implementation phases of the Economy of Resistance. The Supreme Leader said the command of the executive works to develop Economy of Resistance is momentous. The organs moving within framework of the policies should be promoted and the organs remaining indifferent should be drawn to the main road, preventing actions of certain organs following an opposite course to the Economy of Resistance. The Supreme Leader then emphasized that the Plan and Implementation part of the Economy of Resistance should be in a way that by end of the year, presentation of a careful and tangible report on performance in various sections will be possible. The collection of executive organs is capable of implementing the policies of economy of resistance and the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) should help government in the meantime, the Supreme Leader said. Ayatollah Khamenei said that as the revered President Hassan Rouhani is highly and extensively engaged, the First Vice-President, who is in an exceptional position, can play a special role in commanding the task. Elsewhere in his speech, the Supreme Leader referred to the US as the 'symbol of immorality and indecency' and said, 'US administration can not be trusted. The US and other western governments are the same; so, we should believe in our own capabilities and the practices and conduct of the US officials proved the idea so far.' 'If we come on the scene sincerely, God Almighty will help. There are ups and downs, difficulties as well as the breakthrough will come.' Saying that 'grave importance' of support for domestic products should be taken seriously, Ayatollah Khamenei said both the industrial and agricultural products should be given special attention. Ayatollah Khamenei said solidarity and unity among officials will prepare the ground for materialization of the Economy of Resistance. To the end of his remarks, the Supreme Leader said the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been benefiting from the advantage of national unity. 'However, besides national unity there should be unity and solidarity of officials and the unity is not in contradiction with diversity of traits and opinions.' 'The prevailing sense today is unity of opinion and views among officials of the three branches of government and the key officials of the system are in line with the main goals of the revolution, despite certain differences in traits regarding the methods or lines they have adopted.' First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri thanked the Supreme Leader for his guidelines and support for the government. He said government has drawn up a comprehensive program to make policies of the Economy of Resistance operational to remedy the economic maladies. 1420**1416 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNSC resolution does not ban Su-30 fighter jet sales to Iran: Russia Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 5:36AM Russia has rejected a US claim that the sales of Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to Iran were prohibited under a United Nation Security Council resolution. On Tuesday, the US Department of State Undersecretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said Washington would use its veto power in the Security Council to block the possible sales of the fighter jets to Iran. "The sale of Su-30 fighter aircraft is prohibited under UNSCR 2231 without the approval of the UN Security Council and we would block the approval of any sale of fighter aircraft under the restrictions," Shannon said, referring to the UN resolution. Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department for non-proliferation and arms control, Mikhail Ulyanov, dismissed the claim. "Such deliveries are not prohibited, they are allowed, and this follows from the text of the resolution," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. Resolution 2231, adopted by the Security Council on July 20, 2015, endorsed a nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany. Shannon claimed that under the resolution, such weapon deliveries "require the submission of relevant notification to the Security Council and this notification's endorsement by the Security Council." Ulyanov said Moscow has not forwarded such a notification to the Security Council so far. Political analysts say Resolution 2231 does not prohibit Iran from buying fighter jets, and its language is not legally binding and cannot be enforced with punitive measures. Su-30 is a multirole advanced fighter aircraft for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. Iran and the P5+1 finalized the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, Austria, in July last year. They started to implement the JCPOA on January 16, 2016. On Tuesday, a senior Russian diplomat also said Moscow would begin the first shipment of its S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran in the coming days. "I don't know if this will happen today, but they (S-300 missiles) will be loaded (for shipment to Iran)," Interfax quoted Zamir Kabulov, a department chief at the Foreign Ministry, as saying. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Libya's Tripoli Government Backs Down from Promise to Disband by VOA News April 06, 2016 The odds of a unity government taking hold in Libya got smaller Wednesday when the rival Tripoli-based administration backed down from its promise to give up power. The National Salvation Government ordered security forces to stay on the job and continue protecting the administration. It also said it would hold the new unity government responsible for any violations of its security. Tripoli-based authorities said Tuesday that they were disbanding their government and that its prime minister, parliament and ministry chiefs were all stepping down. But it said a day later that the new U.N-brokered unity government violated Libyan sovereignty. "The choice of the new government is a purely internal national affair in which no one has the right to interfere," it said in a statement. But the Tripoli administration also said it was committed to ensuring peace and preventing bloodshed. It said it would work toward a comprehensive political agreement that gives "legitimacy" to a Libyan government. There was no immediate reaction from the U.N., which put together the deal for a Libyan unity government that the United States and Europe hope can bring the country together and successfully enter the fight against Islamic State militants. Libya has been split between two governments the pro-Islamic administration that took over in Tripoli and what had been the internationally recognized government that fled to Tobruk. Tobruk authorities also have refused to recognize the unity government. Libya has been in chaos since longtime dictator Moammar Gahdafi was toppled and killed in 2011. Rival armed factions have spent the last five years trying to grab power and take control of Libya's oil industry. The turmoil has opened the door to extremists, such as Islamic State, to grab territory. The fight for oil fields and refineries has led to devastating fires and damage and has destroyed the Libyan economy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Analysts: Myanmar May Need to Compromise to Advance Relations with China by Joyce Huang April 07, 2016 The friendly handshake between Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi this week is being portrayed in China as a "good beginning" for Sino-Myanmar ties. But the neighbors' long-term relationship will hinge on how Myanmar's new civilian government addresses China's concerns about border security and business disagreements. Considering Myanmar's economic dependence on China, analysts say it will be difficult for Aung San Suu Kyi and the new government to contain their superpower neighbor's growing influence over the domestic economy. Yet China will have to make compromises to resolve its business spats with Myanmar, they add. Friendly talks During his two-day official visit, China's Wang extended an olive branch to Myanmar. "I've come to send out a very clear signal to the international community that China is pleased to stand by Myanmar and continue to be a good neighbor, a good friend and a good partner, now that Myanmar has turned over a new page in its annals," Wang told Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's capital, on Tuesday. The Chinese official's visit ensured that the close ties Beijing enjoyed with Myanmar's former military-run government will continue now that Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy are now in power. Wang also expressed confidence that consultations can resolve outstanding business disagreements between the two countries, and he said China would guide its enterprises toward a more socially responsible role in Myanmar. Ending his visit on a positive note Wednesday, Wang assured Myanmar's Armed Forces commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing, that China is committed to working with Myanmar in safeguarding peace and stability along their shared border. Regional tensions On China's policy agenda are the long-simmering tensions between the central government in Myanmar and ethnic militias in the northern border region near Yunnan province, which have a direct impact on China's security and bilateral relations with Myanmar. The two countries also have disagreed over controversial Chinese investments in Myanmar, including - but not limited to - the $3.6 billion Myitsone mega-dam project, which Myanmar unilaterally suspended in 2011. China counts on the new civilian government to resolve both issues soon. By receiving Wang as her government's first foreign visitor, Aung San Suu Kyi cleared doubts about the trajectory of Myanmar's future ties with China. However, she failed to commit to a quick solution to the MyitsonE dam controversy. "We want to cooperate peacefully with the world. We will cooperate for peace and human development," she said during a joint news conference with Wang. Non-alignment That suggests that the new leader is seeking to keep a neutral stance in Myanmar's bilateral relations with China and other western allies, most notably with the United States, said Jonathan Chow, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Macau. "What I think we are actually seeing is Myanmar returning to its traditional posture of non-alignment, and I think in that sense we can see continuity with its joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 1997," Chow said. He disagrees with the view that since its reforms began in 2011 Myanmar has moved to reduce its dependence on China, in order to align with the United States against China as part of the Americans' encirclement strategy. Myanmar is diversifying its diplomatic options, but China will remain vital to the fate of the emerging state, Chow added. "Myanmar needs Chinese investment and trade. China desires access to Myanmar for its natural resources and access to the Indian Ocean," he said, as an alternative route for China to import Middle Eastern oil. But in return, China also needs to address Myanmar's concerns by encouraging its companies to ensure a positive social impact there. A number of China's large-scale resource-extraction and infrastructure projects, such the Shwe gas project, are seen to have harmed the environment in Myanmar and affected public health and the people's income. Cease-fire agreements In addition, Aung San Suu Kyi needs China to mediate cease-fire agreements among several of largest militias active in Myanmar, including the Chinese-speaking United Wa State Army and the Kokang-led Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which do business with Yunnan in the renminbi currency. "The Wa State is currently the biggest ethnic minority militia in Myanmar, which has closer ties to China [than to the rest of Myanmar] a fact that Aung San Suu Kyi simply can't overlook," said Chao Chung-chi, an associate professor of Southeast Asian studies at National Chi Nan University in central Taiwan. "So even if the West wishes to use her to contain Chinese influence, she will have to think twice," he added. China's economic importance in Myanmar may eventually outweigh that of the West. But Myanmar will still look to the West to promote democracy at home, said Liang Jinyun, a professor of political science at Yunnan Police College. "The West plays a bigger role in facilitating [Myanmar's] democratization while China is key [to foster its] economic benefits and proximity [advantages]," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin's New Security Force Seen As 'Praetorian Guard' April 06, 2016 by Tom Balmforth MOSCOW -- The Kremlin has cast its new National Guard force as a timely move to combat terrorism and organized crime, but wary observers liken the agency to a "Praetorian Guard on steroids" to protect President Vladimir Putin and his hold on power, particularly as elections loom. The Russian president publicized his order for the National Guard, to comprise Interior Ministry troops, OMON riot police, and SOBR special forces, on March 5. The National Guard will stand alone as a separate federal agency and answer directly to the president, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told Interfax. The agency will be headed by Viktor Zolotov, Putin's staunchly loyal former chief bodyguard, who is said to have been dubbed "The Golden One" by colleagues. Zolotov has effectively been handed ministerial powers and been named a permanent member of Russia's Security Council. In outlining the function of the National Guard, Putin placed the accent on its role in fighting crime and terrorism, although Peskov later clarified that it will "of course" also be involved in the suppression of "illegal" protests. Liberal journalists, analysts, and many other Russians see the latter as the evident primary task, with the authorities looking nervously ahead to parliamentary elections in September -- and to a presidential election in 2018 -- with the country currently facing a second year of recession. Interior Ministry troops are typically deployed at opposition protests and to quell unrest -- as are OMON riot police. "There is no real reason for creating the National Guard out of the Interior [Ministry] Troops (VV) and other forces unless you have a serious worry about public unrest," Mark Galeotti wrote on his In Moscow's Shadows blog following the announcement. A poll conducted by the Ekho Moskvy radio station also showed skepticism about the Kremlin's stated intentions, with 54 percent saying the new structure had been created "for the personal security of the president" and 36 percent saying it was "to combat the political opposition." State newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta wrote late on April 5 that the National Guard force currently numbers around 180,000 men and that they may receive new armaments including tanks, helicopters, and heavy artillery. Rossiiskaya Gazeta wrote that the creation of such an agency had actually been discussed since 2005. But Galeotti speculated that the decision in the end came out of the blue, suggesting it was made by the very close circle surrounding Putin, a group that he said appeared to have "big worries" about unrest in the future. "The idea of creating a National Guard for Russia bringing together public security forces under a single command has been raised periodically and always abandoned for very good reasons, not least the lack of any apparent need to have a Praetorian Guard on steroids." New Powers On April 6, draft legislation outlined eye-catching powers the Kremlin intends to bestow on its National Guardsmen. The bill submitted to the State Duma says that officers of the National Guard will be permitted to open fire on or use force against targets without warning if there is a risk to the lives of other citizens or the guardsmen themselves. The bill goes on to note that the guardsmen are prohibited from firing on pregnant women or disabled people. They are allowed to use armored vehicles and water cannons to disperse mass protests. They may seal off sites, including homes, to quell unrest; they may stop traffic and block roads during emergency situations; and they may carry out document checks and arrest Russians on suspicion of criminal or administrative offenses. The spirit of the law appears to echo a statement by Putin on March 15 in which he said: "Even when Interior Ministry staff implement, speaking frankly, repressive state measures against the subjects of the law, but the people see that this is done in the interests of society, then this evokes support from the people." A 'Putin-Centric' World Putin suggested in February that "enemies abroad" were trying to "interfere" in Russia's parliamentary elections scheduled for September. The last State Duma elections, in December 2011, were marred by allegations of fraud and brought tens of thousands of Russians out onto the streets in protest. Yevgenia Albats, the editor in chief of the New Times investigative weekly, said that the creation of the National Guard needed to be understood in the context of the Kremlin's perception of being surrounded by threats. "I think the main question right now -- it is the question of protection for Putin -- to defend him," Albats said on Ekho Moskvy. "If you look, the rhetoric of all the last days, it is all Putin-centric. Everything that happens in the world is directed against Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich." The revelations reportedly contained in the "Panama Papers" this week have implicated dozens of world leaders and officials around the globe, but the official Kremlin reaction claimed the massive data leak was part of a U.S. plot targeting Putin. Albats said Putin's appointment of Zolotov to a prominent new post points to his desire to have trusted men in powerful positions. "Vladimir Putin fears his own circle more than anything else in the world. And he needs people who are guaranteed to be prepared to protect him," Albats said, pointing to Zolotov as a person who is "absolutely dedicated and loyal to Putin." 'The Golden One' In August 2013, Argumenty I Fakty predicted the creation of a kind of a Praetorian guard for the president, quoting an anonymous source saying that Zolotov had been tapped to prepare the Interior Ministry troops and other forces "to be reformed into the personal guard of the president." The Argumenty I Fakty piece also noted that Zolotov's nickname among colleagues was "The Golden One" ("Zolotoi" in Russian). Zolotov is an enigmatic figure, but his successful career as a bodyguard for the country's elite and his knack for making powerful friends is hinted at in a pair of photographs from the 1990s. In August 1991, he was photographed as a bodyguard standing behind Boris Yeltsin on the tank outside Moscow's White House, facing down the failed hard-line coup. Later in the 1990s, again as a bodyguard, Zolotov could be seen walking with Anatoly Sobchak, the mayor of St. Petersburg and Putin's patron, and the mayor's daughter, Ksenia Sobchack. Zolotov met Putin, who worked under Sobchak until 1996, during the latter period. Zolotov became the head of the presidential security detail when Putin moved to the Kremlin. In 2013, he was made the deputy head of the Interior Ministry troops, and the following year was made their commander. Speaking of the appointment, Ekho Moskvy editor in chief Aleksei Venediktov said: "In my opinion, first, this strengthens Putin's personal control over the internal troops. Second, the creation of more mobile brigades within the country to resolve issues linked not to operational work but to...mass unrest, mass movements, clashes, and so on." Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-national- guard-or-praetorian-guard/27658769.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 Russian Public Unfazed by Panama Papers by Daniel Schearf April 06, 2016 People around the world have reacted with shock and outrage to the trove of documents leaked from a law firm in Panama that revealed secret bank accounts connected to hundreds of public officials, politicians and celebrities. The list of notables includes the current leaders of Argentina, Britain, China, Iceland, Russia, and Ukraine, among others, or people closely linked to them. But, while the Panama Papers named close friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and suggested Putin himself might be involved, the reaction of the Russian public has been muted. While thousands of people protested outside the prime minister's office in Reykjavik Monday demanding Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson's resignation, a mere three demonstrators showed up outside the Russian parliament building in Moscow Tuesday, and they were quickly detained. The fact that even such a small public protest was quickly silenced comes as little surprise to political analysts, who say authorities are taking no chances with parliamentary elections scheduled later this year. Russians See Corruption as Permanent The Russian public's general apathy to the Panama Papers' allegations of high-level corruption may perplex some outside observers. A public opinion poll released Wednesday by the independent Levada Center sheds some light on Russian thinking on the issue. It shows that while 56 percent of Russians think that corruption and bribery can be reduced, only 15 percent say it can be eliminated while 24 percent believe it is permanent. The poll was conducted in February, before the Panama Papers leak was made public. The Levada Center's Alexei Grazhdankin says Russians do not so much tolerate corruption as accept the idea that little can be done about it. "On the one hand, these revelations do not add anything new to what is known by the part of the Russian public that takes an interest in it, as compared to the information that has been published in reports by [the late opposition leader] Boris Nemtsov and his co-authors and in the materials by the Anti-Corruption Fund of [opposition blogger] Alexei Navalny," he tells VOA. "And, moreover, it is 'expected' of the authorities because of the belief that corruption can't be rooted out in Russia." State Media Control While Russians have to deal with everyday corruption - paying bribes to avoid tickets from traffic police, to get decent care in hospitals, and to more quickly navigate the state bureaucracy - they rarely get a glimpse of high-level corruption. Most Russians get their information from ubiquitous Russian state media, which all send the same message, designed to show officials, especially at the very top, working hard for Russia. As Western media, and the few independent media in Moscow, were awaiting the revelations of the Panama Papers, the Kremlin prepared the public by announcing an expected "information attack" against Putin and his associates. Meanwhile, Putin confirmed a proposed National Anti-Corruption Plan for 2016-2017. "One must remember that during 16 years of Putin's rule a certain image of Russian power was formed in the mass consciousness," Grazhdankin tells VOA. "Putin is perceived not as a key figure in the corrupt system of Russian power, but as a separate element above it, that does all in his power to curb corruption in Russia." Russian state media gave only dismissive coverage to the Panama Papers, portraying them as part of a Western conspiracy to diminish Russia by any means necessary. According to Grazhdankin, most Russians buy into this conspiracy theory. "Under the present confrontation with the West, they are interpreted by most Russians as 'anti-Russian propaganda' and the attempts of the West to discredit Russia," he said. Russia to Investigate Allegations? The Russian Prosecutor General's Office told the Interfax news agency it plans to investigate the data in the leaked documents to see if any Russian laws or international commitments were broken. But few, if any, expect cases to be brought against the Putin loyalists named in the report. "The explanation of this is, well, very simple too," says Ekaterina Shulman, a political scientist at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. "We don't have an independent judiciary, we don't have independent prosecutors, and we don't have a full-potential parliament that can conduct a parliamentary investigation, which would be a natural thing in a parliamentary democracy, but not in today's Russia," she told VOA. Shulman says the mounting allegations against top officials, combined with Russia's worsening economy, could eventually accumulate negative sentiment among the public. "It was easy to be tolerant to officials living the good life if your own wages were getting higher and higher with every year, your standard of living was getting better and better," she says. "But now, when the trend is exactly the opposite, this type of information will grate on peoples' feelings more and more." Channeling Mass Discontent The World Bank on Wednesday downgraded its economic forecast for Russia in 2016, from a 0.7 percent to a 1.9 percent contraction, and warned that more than 15 percent of the population could be living below the povery line by 2017. But the Levada Center's Grazhdankin says it would take a much worse collapse of the economy to convince Russians to turn on their own leaders. "If the downfall is not catastrophic, the authorities will have enough resources to channel mass discontent into something else," he says. "Especially because international tensions grow and [authorities have] campaigns connected with the search for 'internal enemies' and 'fifth columnists' that open up impressive opportunities, with propaganda going on for a few years now." Grazhdankin says the worse the situation in Russia becomes, the more ire the Kremlin will direct at its critics and opponents before finally looking at scapegoats within the ruling class. "All routes for escape are already prepared," he concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Militants continue shelling Kurdish area in Syria's Aleppo: Monitor Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 12:39PM A monitoring group says Takfiri militants continue to shell a Kurdish area in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, in a blatant violation of a shaky ceasefire agreement. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that militants affiliated with Ahrar al-Sham, an al-Qaeda-linked group, and other terrorist groups continued their attacks against Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood on Wednesday. The observatory's head, Rami Abdel Rahman, said the Takfiri militants aim to capture the neighborhood, which overlooks areas controlled by the Damascus government, in order to have "a launching pad for attacks" on government troops. Wednesday's attacks come a day after some 18 civilians were killed in militant attacks on the same neighborhood. "A major shelling attack on Tuesday has left 18 civilians dead, including three children and two women, a pregnant one and an elderly one," the Observatory said, adding that 70 people, including 30 children, were also injured in the assault. Abdel Rahman described the attack as "a very clear violation of the ceasefire" brokered by the US and Russia, which took effect on February 27. The news comes as the Syrian troops, backed by the Russian warplanes, have made major advances in several fronts across the country, especially in the strategic province of Aleppo. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to the UN, at least 270,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Some reports, however, put the death toll at as high as 470,000. The Syrian army has vowed to press ahead with its counter-terror military operations to drive Daesh elements out of their major strongholds in the conflict-ridden country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria launches operation to liberate city in Aleppo Iran Press TV Wed Apr 6, 2016 11:12AM The Syrian army has launched an attack, described as the biggest government assault in Aleppo since February, to recapture the town of Tela'at al-Eis. Syrian ground forces, supported by heavy and concentrated air raids, targeted the positions of terrorist groups in the area, Lebanon's al-Ahed news website reported on Wednesday. The army said in a statement that the operation was a response to the militants' violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement, which entered into force on February 27. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had made progress but not been able to recapture the town. The monitor also said a pregnant woman and three children were among 18 civilians killed when militants shelled a Kurdish neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo. The attack by Ahrar al-Sham, which is allied to al-Qaeda in Syria, targeted the Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood which houses some 50,000 residents, it said. The observatory said the attack was "a very clear violation of the ceasefire" in place in Syria. The agreement stipulates the cessation of all military hostilities, except for the operations against the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. On Tuesday, a Syrian warplane was shot down in Aleppo by a surface-to-air missile fired by al-Nusra militants, who then captured its pilot. Syrian forces have recently been making rapid advances against terrorists, who are committing heinous crimes against all religious groups, in parts of the country. Daesh terrorists launched attacks on government-held areas near Damascus overnight on Tuesday in an apparent response to the group's loss of ground elsewhere in Syria, Reuters reported. Citing a statement from the Takfiri group, the news agency said militants attacked the Tishrin power station 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the capital. It quoted an unnamed Syrian military source as saying that all those who took part in the assault had been killed. Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian airstrikes have forced Daesh militants out of the town of al-Qaryatayn west of the ancient city of Palymrya, itself recaptured by the government last week. Daesh attackers, using five bomb-laden cars, also struck military positions near the Damascus airport, killing 12 soldiers, the observatory said. Government forces responded with shelling and airstrikes in that area, and jets also struck the town of Dumeir which is held by a terrorist group, the observatory said. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 270,000 people have been killed in the conflict; however, some reports put the death toll as high as 470,000. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Official Accuses Syria of Blocking Humanitarian Aid by Lisa Schlein April 07, 2016 A senior U.N. official is accusing the Syrian government of refusing permission for relief agencies to distribute humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Syrians in blockaded and hard-to-reach areas. U.N. special adviser Jan Egeland calls this past week very disappointing. He says the United Nations has been waiting for four days for the Syrian government to give the green light for the delivery of aid to 287,000 people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. Egeland says five convoys of food and other essential relief supplies are waiting for the go-ahead. He says aid agencies only have been able to deliver supplies to 45,000 people during the past week. He says opposition forces also have blocked the entry of some relief. But he says the government bears the major responsibility for this impasse, since 15 of 18 besieged areas are under its control. Egeland says access to these areas is particularly crucial as the United Nations is entering the intensive phase of a big national vaccination campaign. "There are problems in many places in going as planned. The appeal to the government and to the armed opposition groups, do not stop our volunteers and our health workers that are to vaccinate millions of children for epidemic disease," said Egeland. Egeland says the one positive note in this otherwise grim scenario is the United Nations likely will be able to do major evacuations of wounded, sick, and their relatives from four towns under siege in the near future. "Altogether, it could be up to 500 people. It is one of the biggest medical evacuations that have been planned. We hope it will happen, because it will happen from places where people have recently bled to death, died totally unnecessary because there were no medical evacuations," he said. Egeland says in this situation of life and death, medical evacuations, medical assessment missions, and assistance, should be routine. He says they should not be one-time situations or be used by the warring parties for political purposes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dutch Voters Reject European Union Pact With Ukraine April 07, 2016 by RFE/RL The Dutch government says it may have to reconsider ratifying a treaty establishing closer European Union ties with Ukraine after a strong majority of voters rejected an Association Agreement in a nonbinding referendum. Dutch broadcasters NOS and RTL reported that turnout for the referendum among the Netherlands' 13 million voters was 32.2 percent -- above the 30 percent minimum level that makes the vote valid -- with all of the votes having been counted and reported by municipalities to the national news agency ANP's election service. Official results will not be known until April 12. The preliminary results show that among those who voted, 61.1 percent rejected the pact with Ukraine and 38.1 percent supported it, according to the ANP count. European Council President Donald Tusk said he was waiting for the Dutch government's conclusions on the referendum. "I will continue to be in contact with Prime Minister [Mark] Rutte on this, as I need to hear what conclusions he and his government will draw from the referendum and what his intentions will be," Tusk said in a statement on April 7. "The EU-Ukraine agreement continues to be applied. The EU-Ukraine agreement has already been ratified by the other 27 member states." Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko remained upbeat despite the setback. "We will continue our movement towards the European Union," he told reporters in Tokyo on April 7. Poroshenko downplayed the importance of the referendum but said Ukraine should "take it into consideration." Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said the result of the referendum was "an important political fact." "It means that the ratification [of the agreement] cannot proceed as was expected before," he said late on April 6. "So we have to take a step-by-step approach. Now we have to talk within the [Dutch] cabinet, with the parliament, with our European partners, also with the Ukraine, to see what the consequences of this decision might be." French President Francois Hollande has said France and Germany will continue to back the EU-Ukraine pact despite the outcome of the Dutch referendum. "As far as Europe is concerned, it will implement what it can of the association [agreement]," Hollande told a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 7 in Metz in eastern France. Ukrainian Ambassador to the Netherlands Oleksandr Harin, speaking late on April 6, said he was taking positives from the referendum's outcome. "I am looking at it from the other [angle] -- 70 percent [of Dutch voters did] not [come to] the poll and were not participating in the vote," he said. "So, if we look at the situation from this point of view, we can say that 70 percent are not satisfied with the way the campaign [has been run in the run-up to] the referendum." Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said in a televised reaction that "if the turnout is above 30 percent, with such a large margin of victory for the 'No' camp, you can't just go ahead and ratify the treaty." That sentiment was shared by Diederik Samsom, leader of the Labor Party, the junior partner in the governing coalition. "We can't ratify the treaty in this fashion," he said. Anti-EU activists who pushed for the referendum declared victory. "It looks like the Dutch people said NO to the European elite and NO to the treaty with Ukraine," tweeted popular anti-EU lawmaker Geert Wilders. "The beginning of the end of the EU." Wilders said the Dutch referendum could act as an incentive for British voters to reject the EU in a referendum scheduled for June. "So it could be today that it is the start of the end of the European Union as we know it today, and that would be very good," he said. The vote highlighted a deep-rooted skepticism about the Netherlands' place in Europe and the EU's expansion to the east, incorporating ex-Soviet states and allies in recent years. Exactly what will happen to the agreement with Ukraine now remains unclear. The deal has already been ratified by 27 other EU states, and was being provisionally implemented even in the Netherlands after being approved last year by both houses of Parliament. Rutte said he would not be rushed into stopping implementation. He said he will discuss the voting results with his cabinet, the EU, and the Dutch parliament before deciding what to do -- a process he said could take "days if not weeks." For the EU, options for dealing with the Dutch vote include leaving the agreement with Ukraine in force provisionally, or drafting exemption clauses for the Netherlands in the agreement. The rejection deals a harsh blow to Ukraine at a time when its shaky government already faces a political crisis. It also builds on the turbulent history of such pro-EU efforts in Ukraine, as it was former President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign such an agreement in late 2013 that led to violent street protests and his eventual ouster. Yanukovych's downfall in turn led to Russia's annexation of Crimea, and a drawn-out conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that continues to dominate Ukraine's economic and political life. The Kremlin is sure to celebrate the "no" vote, which is likely to at least slow Ukraine's march toward closer ties with the EU. Dutch opponents of the pact with Ukraine said the bloc shouldn't be dealing with Ukraine's leadership because of widespread corruption in the country. Just this week, leaked documents revealed Ukrainian President Poroshenko moved his candy business that made him wealthy into an offshore holding company in 2014, possibly depriving the country of millions of dollars in tax revenues. Poroshenko says the move was necessary to put his assets into a blind trust when he took office. Dutch supporters of the Ukraine deal argued it would provide the EU with the benefit of increased trade and stability while helping Ukraine in its battle against corruption and efforts to improve human rights. Ukrainiian ambassador Harin called the agreement a "plan for reforms which Ukraine has to execute in order to become a really civilized, liberal democracy with a socially oriented market economy." Because it strengthens the hand of anti-EU forces, the vote will reverberate well beyond Ukraine. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had warned earlier this year that a "No" vote "would open the door to a great continental crisis." With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, AFP, and TASS Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ dutch-voters-solidly-reject-european-union- pact-with-ukraine-nonbinding-referendum/27659278.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 Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Thank you for your support! New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - April 7, 2016 - Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE, FSE: D7H, OTCQX: CMRZF) (the Company or Commerce) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NorFalco Sales (NorFalco), a division of Glencore Canada Corporation. Under the terms of the MOU, the Company agrees that NorFalco will be the sole provider of the sulphuric acid required for the Ashram Project, at highly competitive market rates and terms. The agreement is binding and is subject to an initial 5 year term and may be re-negotiated thereafter. Company President Chris Grove states, We are very excited to be working with NorFalco, an industry leader in marketing, trading, and distribution of sulphuric acid. This agreement is a significant first step in what we expect to be a meaningful ongoing supply relationship with NorFalco. The nature of this agreement today is that it is a benefit to the Ashram Project with favourable pricing for one of the largest project consumables. We look forward to working with NorFalco . The information outlined in this news release will be incorporated, along with other necessary technical data including geological and engineering studies, into the ongoing Pre-feasibility Study, with costs and benefits to be described in more detail therein. NI 43-101 Disclosure Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geol., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About the Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit The Ashram Rare Earth Element (REE) Deposit is located in Nunavik, north-eastern Quebec. The Deposit has a measured resource of 1.6 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.77% TREO, an indicated resource of 27.7 Mt at 1.90% TREO, and an inferred resource of 219.8 Mt at 1.88% TREO. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The REEs at Ashram occur primarily in the mineral monazite and to a lesser extent in bastnaesite and xenotime. These minerals dominate the currently known commercial extraction processes for rare earths. The Ashram Deposit mineralization has an REE distribution with enrichment in the critical and magnet feed REEs (Nd, Pr, Eu, Tb, Dy, and Y). A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) was completed by SGS-Geostat of Montreal (Blainville) with an effective date of July 5, 2012 (revised date of January 7, 2015). The PEA is based on a 4,000 tonne per day open-pit operation with an initial 25-year mine life, a pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of $2.32 billion at a 10% discount rate, a pre-tax/pre-finance Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 44%, and a pre-tax/pre-finance payback period of 2.25 years. This economic assessment is by definition preliminary in nature and it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The current Ashram Technical Report dated January 7, 2015 explains why no after-tax case is included, and that a combined tax rate of around 32.5% may apply to production. About Norfalco NorFalco is one of North America's largest traders of sulfuric acid, responsible for the marketing and distribution of about 2 million tonnes per year. Through parent company Glencore, NorFalco has exclusive access to sulfuric acid production from four major North American production facilities and to an unrivaled global sulfuric acid supply and trading network. Additionally, NorFalco has offtake agreements with several other Producers outside of the Glencore group. Norfalcos fully integrated distribution network, comprising of rail cars, trucks, barges, vessels, trans-load terminals and import terminals, is one the most expansive and reliable networks in North America. These production, marketing, and distribution strengths help ensure excellent reliability to a diverse range of consumers across more than 20 different industries. The company is a Responsible Care company with the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada. NorFalco is committed to delivering "More than H2SO4 ". This means delivering customer solutions that make it easy to order, receive and use sulfuric acid in a safe and reliable manner. About Commerce Resources Corp. Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company with a particular focus on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development of its Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Quebec and the Upper Fir Tantalum and Niobium Deposit in British Columbia. For more information please visit the corporate website at http://www.commerceresources.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.484.2700 or info@commerceresources.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. Chris Grove Chris Grove President Tel: 604.484.2700 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For example forward looking statements in this press release include that NorFalco will provide sulphuric acid to the Ashram Project as the mineral reserves have not demonstrated economic viability at this stage. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on current data that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/CommerceApr72016.pdfSource: Commerce Resources Corp. (TSX Venture:CCE, OTCQX:CMRZF, FWB:D7H) http://www.commerceresources.com/en Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) - Millrock Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MRO) ("Millrock") announces that the company has purchased mining claims comprising the Chisna project in Alaska. A 100% interest in the project was purchased by Millrock from Corvus Gold Inc. ("Corvus" or the "Company") -- (TSX: KOR) (OTCQX: CORVF) for US$25,000. Corvus will retain a 1% Net Smelter Returns royalty on the claims. Along with the mineral rights, Millrock purchased an exclusive copy of a proprietary exploration database covering the claims and the surrounding district. The data represents an estimated US$11 million worth of exploration work. The claims hold indications of copper-gold porphyry deposits. There are numerous untested targets represented within the proprietary database. Other possible target types in the district include gold-only vein and intrusion-hosted deposits, as well as nickel-platinum group element deposits. Millrock President & CEO Gregory Beischer stated: "We are pleased to add this project to our portfolio and look forward to utilizing the information that we've purchased. Since Corvus has now focused their efforts on their discovery in Nevada, a great opportunity was created for Millrock in Alaska." The easternmost portion of the Chisna project is accessed by a series of trails leading from the paved Tok Cutoff highway. The trailhead is four kilometers west of the village of Slana. Fairbanks Alaska lies 420 km by road to the northwest. The technical information within this document has been reviewed and approved by Gregory A. Beischer, President, CEO and a director of Millrock Resources. Mr. Beischer is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. About Millrock Resources Inc. Millrock Resources Inc. is a premier project generator to the mining industry. Millrock identifies, packages and operates large-scale projects for joint venture, thereby exposing its shareholders to the benefits of mineral discovery without the usual financial risk taken on by most exploration companies. The company is active in Alaska, British Columbia, the southwest USA and Sonora State, Mexico. Funding for drilling at Millrock's exploration projects primarily comes from its joint venture partners. Business partners of Millrock have included some of the leading names in the mining industry: Centerra Gold, First Quantum, Teck, Kinross, Vale, Inmet and Altius. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Gregory Beischer" Gregory Beischer, President & CEO Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs. "NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE." Toronto, Ontario / TheNewswire / April 7, 2016: Toachi Mining Inc., ("Toachi" or the "Company") (TSXV-TIM) is pleased to announce that Jonathan Goodman, President of Metaform Investments Inc. and Executive Chairman of Dundee Precious Metals Inc., ("DPM") has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the Company. Mr. Goodman is well known in the Canadian investment community and brings more than 30 years of diverse financial and technical experience in the Canadian and International mining industry. As the founder of DPM, Mr. Goodman acted as that company's President and CEO from 1995 to 2013 at which time he became Executive Chairman. Mr. Goodman joined Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Ltd. in 1990, where he was responsible for the selection of Canadian equities and played a major role in developing asset allocation strategies, before becoming the company's President. He is also a founder of Goepel Shields and Partners, an investment firm. Mr. Goodman graduated from the Colorado School of Mines as a Professional Engineer and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and is a director of several other publicly-traded resource companies. "We are delighted to have Jonathan join our board as Chairman and look forward to working closely with him as we build Toachi and advance the La Plata project towards production," former Chairman, Director and founder of the Company, Laurence Curtis said. The La Plata Project Toachi entered into an option agreement with a private Ecuadorean company to earn between a 60% to 75% interest in the La Plata gold-copper-silver-zinc VMS project, located 85 km south of Quito, Ecuador. For complete terms of the transaction, please see our press release dated February 11, 2016 and available on www.sedar.com La Plata is a gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit which was the subject of small scale mining from both an open pit and underground workings from 1975-1981. From 1996 to 2000, Cambior Inc., a Canadian mining company, completed 8,628 metres of drilling and a preliminary resource estimate totaling 840,000 tonnes grading 4.8 grams gold per tonne, 4.1% copper, 54.4 grams silver per tonne and 0.7% lead and 4.2% zinc per tonne in 1999, according to a report completed by AMEC Foster Wheeler, a mining consulting firm, in March 2015. Following a drill program by Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc., which included 5,933 metres of drilling from 2006-2007, a revised mineral resource estimate totaling 913,977 tonnes grading 8.01 grams gold per tonne, 88.3 grams silver per tonne, 5.01% copper, 6.71% zinc and 0.78% lead per tonne in the inferred category was completed. The resource estimates described above are historical estimates as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects S.2.4 ("NI 43-101"). Toachi has not completed the work required to independently analyze and verify the results of the previous operators nor has a qualified person completed sufficient work to classify the estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. With respect to the Cambior estimate, the Company is also not aware of what categories were used in the estimate. As a result, Toachi is not treating these estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company believes these historic results provide an indication of the potential of the property and are relevant from an on-going exploration perspective. Alain Vachon, P. Eng., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release. About Toachi Mining Toachi Mining, which was previously listed as Ferrum Americas Mining Inc., brings a disciplined and veteran team of project managers together with a high grade gold-copper-silver-zinc project at La Plata in Ecuador. Toachi Mining is focused on and committed to the development of advanced stage mineral projects throughout the Americas using industry best practices combined with a strong social license from local communities. Toachi Mining has 18,849,937 million shares issued and outstanding. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include the Company's expectations about the completion of the Option Transaction. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to obtain TSX Venture Exchange approval for the Option Transaction on the terms described herein or at all, or the Company receiving funding to complete the Option Transaction. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT Nick Tintor, President and CEO Telephone: 416 987 0855 Email: ntintor@rgmi.ca Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. /NOT FOR DISSEMINATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES AND NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO US NEWSWIRE SERVICES./ MELBOURNE, April 7, 2016 /CNW/ - OceanaGold Corp. (TSX/ASX/NZX: OGC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") to make a strategic investment in NuLegacy Gold Corp. ("NuLegacy") (TSXV: NUG), and, by way of a private placement, purchasing 47.66 million common shares of NuLegacy at a price of C$0.14 per share for gross proceeds of C$6.67 million. Upon completion of the transaction, which is expected to close on or about April 13, 2016, the Company will own approximately 19.9% of NuLegacy's issued and outstanding shares on an undiluted basis, prior to giving effect to any shares purchased by Barrick Gold Corp. ("Barrick") and/or Waterton Precious Metals Fund II Cayman, LP ("Waterton") pursuant to their existing equity participation rights to maintain their current equity ownership interests in NuLegacy. The Company also has the option to purchase up to an additional 9,303,845 common shares of NuLegacy, subject to Barrick and/or Waterton, LP exercising their participation rights. Under the terms of the Agreement, upon the completion of the transaction, so long as the Company holds not less than 5% of the then issued and outstanding common shares of NuLegacy, it will have the right to nominate one director to NuLegacy's board, appoint one representative to NuLegacy's technical committee, participate in all future equity financings of shares or convertible securities to maintain and/or increase its then equity ownership interest in NuLegacy to 19.9%, and have the right of 'first offer to negotiate' should a joint venture be contemplated for the purposes of financing the Iceberg Project. Mick Wilkes, President and CEO said, "Our investment in NuLegacy is closely aligned with our strategy to seek exposure to quality gold projects. The Iceberg Project sits within the prolific Cortez gold trend in Nevada and we look forward to working with NuLegacy to advance the project." About OceanaGold OceanaGold Corp. is a mid-tier, low-cost, multinational gold producer with assets located in the Philippines, New Zealand and the United States. The Company's assets encompass its flagship operation, the Didipio Gold-Copper Mine located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. On the north island of New Zealand, the Company operates the high-grade Waihi Gold Mine while on the south island of New Zealand, the Company operates the largest gold mine in the country at the Macraes Goldfield which is made up of a series of open pit mines and the Frasers underground mine. In the United States, the Company is currently constructing the Haile Gold Mine, a top-tier asset located in South Carolina along the Carolina Terrane. The Company expects the Haile Gold Mine to commence commercial production in early 2017. OceanaGold also has a significant pipeline of organic growth and exploration opportunities in the Australasia and Americas regions. OceanaGold has operated sustainably over the past 25 years with a proven track record for environmental management and community and social engagement. The Company has a strong social license to operate and works collaboratively with its valued stakeholders to identify and invest in social programs that are designed to build capacity and not dependency. In 2016, the Company expects to produce 385,000 to 425,000 ounces of gold from the combined New Zealand and Didipio operations and 19,000 to 21,000 tonnes of copper from the Didipio operation at All-In Sustaining Costs of US$700 to US$750 per ounce. Cautionary Statement for Public Release Certain statements and information contained in this public release may be deemed "forward-looking" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future performance and reflect the Company's expectations regarding the generation of free cash flow, execution of business strategy, future growth, future production, estimated costs, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of the Company and its related subsidiaries, the acquisition of any common shares of NuLegacy and the acquisition of any common shares of NuLegacy in the future. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and information. They include, among others, the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and related assumptions, inherent operating risks, the ability to obtain the necessary approvals to complete the transactions contemplated in the Agreement and those risk factors identified in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form prepared and filed with securities regulators which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's name. There are no assurances the Company can fulfil forward-looking statements and information. Such forward-looking statements and information are only predictions based on current information available to management as of the date that such predictions are made; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Company, some of which are beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual outcomes or results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The information contained in this release is not investment or financial product advice. SOURCE OceanaGold Corp. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 7, 2016) - Lundin Mining Corp. ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") (TSX:LUN)(OMX:LUMI) announces that the report for the first quarter period ended March 31, 2016 will be published after the close of the trading day in Toronto on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The Company will hold a telephone conference call and webcast at 08:00am ET, 14:00 CET on Thursday, April 28, 2016. Conference call details are provided below: Please call in 10 minutes before the conference starts and stay on the line (an operator will be available to assist you). Call-in number for the conference call (North America): +1 734 385 2616 Call-in number for the conference call (North America Toll Free): +1 866 393 4306 Call-in number for the conference call (Sweden): +46 (0) 8 5661 9361 To view the live webcast presentation, please log on using this direct link: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=174913 The presentation slideshow will also be available in PDF format for download from the Lundin Mining website http://www.lundinmining.com before the conference call. A replay of the telephone conference will be available after the completion of the conference call until May 5, 2016. Replay numbers: North America: +1 404 537 3406 The pass code for the replay is: 87388484 About Lundin Mining Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the USA, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds a 24% equity stake in the world-class Tenke Fungurume copper/cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland. On Behalf of the Board, Paul Conibear, President and CEO The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. This information was publicly communicated on Thursday April 7, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. SHARE With Hickory, palatability will likely improve By Monique Ching Some find San Angelo's water unpalatable, but the water itself is not "bad." In fact, it met all drinking water requirements and could even improve once the city brings in Hickory Aquifer water. "The salt levels in West Texas are mostly pretty high," said Tymn Combest, superintendent of water quality. "It makes it not taste very good." The city's water department released its 2014 Consumer Confidence Report this week. The nine-page report on the quality of San Angelo's drinking water and the contaminants it contains is required by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and must be completed by July each year, Combest said. All contaminants regulated under state and federal guidelines ? such as lead, copper and fluoride ? meet drinking standards, Combest said. The data were collected during 2013 by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, both at San Angelo's treatment plant and throughout the distribution system, he said. The characteristic taste of San Angelo water that some are averse to, Combest said, actually is caused by total dissolved solids, which typically come from erosion of natural deposits and are unregulated. The average level of TDS was particularly high in 2013 because O.H. Ivie Reservoir was so low, Combest said. The report indicates Ivie had an average TDS level of 1,550 parts per million. Combest said most water treatment plants cannot take out TDS levels more than 1,000 ppm. "It's perfectly safe to drink," he said. "It just affects the taste." The recent Memorial Day weekend deluge should have helped dilute the TDS levels in Ivie, Combest said, as recent samples have shown it at a TDS level from 950 to 1,000 ppm. "The rains kind of cleaned it up," he said. When San Angelo starts bringing in water from the Hickory Aquifer, after completion of the groundwater treatment plant, Combest said the water quality ? and taste ? should improve because the Hickory has TDS level of about 350 to 400 ppm. The city tested the process of blending Hickory water with surface water supplies in May to find and fix any bugs in the system. After blending those small amounts, Combest said San Angelo has not used Hickory water for about a month, and the city does not plan to use any more in for now. The report also gives general information about San Angelo's water system, water sources, usage, capital water projects and the annual periodic switch from treating water with the usual chloramines to treating with free chlorine. The city began using free chlorine to treat its potable water at the beginning of the month and plans to continue its use for two weeks. Surface water sources such as Ivie and the South Concho River typically contain dissolved organic compounds. When they react with free chlorine, it produces trihalomethanes, or THMs, an undesirable byproduct. To reduce the THMs, municipalities add liquid ammonium sulfate to the chlorine, which forms chloramines. The chloramine, however, decays partially in the water mains and releases ammonia, which leaves a biofilm in the system. Most municipalities burn off this biofilm by switching to free chlorine for about four weeks, which smells stronger than chloramine. A city news release pointed out other facts listed in the 2014 Consumer Confidence Report: The total number of gallons pumped in 2013 was 4.3 billion, down from 4.53 billion in 2012 and 5.75 billion in 2011. Average daily usage in San Angelo last year was 13 million gallons, compared with 14 million in 2012 and 17 million in 2011. The average per person usage in 2013 was 132 gallons, compared to 150 in 2012 and 177 the year before that. Residential users accounted for 69 percent of the water consumed last year, compared with 15 percent by commercial users, 7 percent by industry, 6 percent by institutional users (the city, county, school district, Angelo State University, Goodfellow Air Force Base, etc.), and 3 percent by wholesale users. The number of miles of pipeline in San Angelo's water infrastructure jumped from 672 to 750, due largely to the 62-mile pipeline from the Hickory Aquifer. San Angelo had 856 more water meters (39,804 total) in 2013 than in 2012. During that same span, the population increased by 1,343 to 95,887. The city is replacing 20,000 feet of water mains at a cost of $1.3 million this year and next. The full report can be accessed at: cosatx.us/ccr2014. Contributed photo/Closet Maid A Closet Maid closet system available at Home Depot that offers a mix of hanging space, open shelving and closed storage, perfect for quickly converting a spare room into a dramatic walk-in closet. SHARE Several systems install with little sweat By Melissa Rayworth, Associated Press Longing for a bigger closet? Remember that rooms in your home don't have to be used the way they were originally intended. Get creative and convert a small room into the ultimate walk-in closet, says Egypt Sherrod, host of HGTV's "Flipping Virgins" and "Property Virgins." "Homes built before the '80s just didn't have the room size that today's buyers have become used to, or the walk-in closets we've been trained to expect," she says. Giving up a room can be a big decision. The trick is doing it on a minimal budget and retaining the flexibility to use the room differently in the future, says Kevin O'Connor, host of PBS' "This Old House." CHOOSING THE SPACE Ideally, use the bedroom closest to the master bedroom, says Sherrod: "That way you have the option of opening up the wall to go directly in." Creating a doorway in a wall is relatively minor construction and can easily be undone, experts say. DIY CREATIVITY The simplest way to convert a small room is by lining the walls with clothing racks on wheels and with freestanding wire shelving units. You can customize the space by adding colorful bins and baskets. Or you can create shelving that expresses your personal style. For a recent "This Old House" episode, O'Connor worked with a homeowner to build closet storage out of black metal pipes with wooden shelves. The industrial look brought a dose of style to the space, and the unit was sturdy. "The few places they anchor to the wall give you nice rigidity," O'Connor says, but the shelves also are easily removable. Another DIY project: To fill the center of a room that Sherrod converted to a closet, she brought in two large bureaus of the same height and arranged them back-to-back. She had a sheet of granite cut to cover the tops, creating a work island that combines storage and a flat surface for arranging accessories or stacking folded laundry. Interior designer Mikel Welch, previously a competitor on "HGTV Design Stars," says another option is bringing in a pretty table for the center of the room. "For those who like to lay out their attire to help them choose their outfit for the day, a table would be perfect," he says. And for changing or trying things on, "having a snazzy upholstered bench or chaise in the space will certainly come in handy." The finishing touch: Prop up a framed, full-length mirror on one wall. "It's sort of a boutique hotel look," O'Connor says, and easy to remove if you repurpose the room. CONSIDER A SYSTEM For a finished look with no DIY effort, there are many closet systems that offer a mix of hanging space and shelves. Some are freestanding and others are anchored to the walls. The more permanent systems are made to look like built-ins, Welch says, and "are a great way to maximize the space with a more customized look." He recommends California Closets and Poliform for portable closets and wardrobe units. He also likes the Italian brand Porro Storage: "They put a chic spin on a typical storage unit," he says. Additional pieces worth considering: "A great planning tool is a valet rod, which is a pullout rod that you can lay out your outfit for the next day on or use for staging for a trip," says Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design at Home Depot. "I use mine all the time." If you have enough space, she suggests adding jewelry trays and racks designed for belts and ties: "Some spin, and some you can slide out with plenty of space," she says. BONUSES AND OBSTACLES A bedroom repurposed as a closet has ventilation and natural light that's lacking in many closets. "For people who care about getting the tie to match the jacket," O'Connor says, "there's nothing better than natural light." For the best possible lighting, Fishburne suggests adding dimmers to a walk-in closet and choosing light bulbs carefully (she likes LED daylight bulbs). One challenge: Closet doors are designed to swing out, but bedroom doors generally swing into the room. So the door to your new walk-in closet will swing in unless you decide to remove it. Adding sliding pocket doors can be expensive, O'Connor says, but they're a nice luxury to finish off your ultimate walk-in closet. What has Gov. Abbott done about the six mass shootings on his watch? SHARE By Ngan Ho, ngan.ho@gosanangelo.com A structure fire that destroyed a small storage shed in the 2600 block of Freeland Avenue on Wednesday was ruled accidental. The shed, which was behind a home, caught fire and was engulfed in flames about 10:40 a.m., said Battalion Chief Ricky Long, of the San Angelo Fire Department. An SAFD worker saw black smoke as he was driving on the Houston Harte Expressway and reported the fire, Long said. It looks like clothes, a cabinet among other items were destroyed by the fire. pic.twitter.com/kn48HjdL6H Ngan Ho (@Ngany) April 6, 2016 "We put the trees out first to keep it off the electrical line to contain the fire," Long said. "We accounted for the people that live here. They were actually asleep, did not know their storage shed was on fire." Long said the shed had collapsed on itself by the time first responders arrived. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the periphery of the shed and quickly douse the flames, Long said. It appears a shack caught on fire behind a resident at 2625 Freeland Avenue. pic.twitter.com/2oIYzTYdI5 Ngan Ho (@Ngany) April 6, 2016 "When I arrived on scene, it was still smoldering and there were some hot spots," said Karla Steppe, SAFD investigator. "I did observe numerous cigarette butts throughout the yard." Steppe said the residents told her they had been painting the shed the night before and that everyone was smoking. "The most probable cause was an accidental or careless discarding of a cigarette." Steppe said. "There was a good chance of that being the cause of ignition." AEP, an investigator and Battalion Chief R. Long at the scene discussing the details of the fire. pic.twitter.com/Qaq5O5aNko Ngan Ho (@Ngany) April 6, 2016 Steppe said the shed was about 10 feet by 10 feet, and the items inside were destroyed clothing, books, appliances and miscellaneous items. The combination of wind, the storage shed's age and the items inside contributed to the fire, Steppe said, adding that no citations were issued. Several fire trucks parked in front of the home. Police have blocked off the surrounding streets to traffic. pic.twitter.com/Q84akRY7Sm Ngan Ho (@Ngany) April 6, 2016 AEP was on site and determined the power lines were not affected and there no lost of electricity in the area, Long said. The owner of the property said he will have people come clean up the debris for the residents, Steppe said. Michelle Gaitan/Standard-Times file Rhonda Reed of Veribest reacts to the photographs of 604 Texas service members who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. The "Remembering Our Fallen" traveling memorial wall was on display inside the Veribest ISD gymnasium in April 2015. SHARE Michelle Gaitan/Standard-Times file Handwritten notes from family and friends expressing their love to the ones they lost hang beside photographs on the "Remembering Our Fallen" wall. By Federico Martinez, Federico.Martinez@gosanangelo.com @Federico_sast He joined the Marine Corps in honor of his brother, who died three years earlier in a vehicle crash. Lance Cpl. Elias Torres III's life was be cut short as well when his vehicle was ambushed in Iraq on April 9, 2004. Torres, 21, of Veribest, was the first service member from the Concho Valley to die in Iraqi action. Torres is among more than 600 military service members from Texas killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, who are recognized on a traveling "wall of honor" that will be displayed Friday and Saturday at the Stephens Central Library. The event is free and open to the public. San Angelo resident Tony Ramirez, who is organizing the event, said the "Remembering Our Fallen" display is a chance to honor military heroes who lost their lives and give family and friends of the deceased some closure. "I was never in a warfare environment," said Ramirez, who retired from the Air Force in 2001. "This is an opportunity to hopefully help people deal with their grief. It's a chance for the public to see the faces of the people who sacrificed their lives for them." The exhibit, which was created in 2010, features the photos of every Texan killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ramirez said. "The wall is 200 linear feet," he said. "It's quite massive." The goal is for every state to create similar walls of honor by 2017, when all 50 exhibits will be brought together for a national tour. In March 2015, Torres' stepmother, Mary Ramirez, arranged for the Texas display to be brought to Veribest, where Torres grew up. Tony Ramirez, who attended that event and is not related to Mary Ramirez, was so moved by the exhibit that he decided to sponsor the wall's visit to San Angelo this weekend. As a tribute, he scheduled the event so that it would coincide with the date Torres was killed. Mary Ramirez, who raised Torres, is pleased that the exhibit will be returning to West Texas. "It represents our freedom," she said. "It represents a lot of loss, grief and pain. "But it also recognizes our heroes and their courage for fighting for our freedom." IF YOU GO What: Remembering Our Fallen display honoring Texas service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Where: Stephens Central Library, 33 W. Beauregard Ave. Cost: Free Contact: 325-657-8002 SHARE By Rashda Khan, Rashda.Khan@gosanangelo.com / @Rashda_SAST The Tom Green County Election Office is adding a second early voting location for the May 7 elections. Traditionally early voting, which starts April 25, is held at the Election Office, on the first floor of the Edd B. Keyes Building, 113 W. Beauregard Ave. The second early voting site will be at Wall Brethren Church, 7921 Loop 570 in Wall. Positions up election include San Angelo police chief and City Council seats for Single Member District 1, 3, and 5. Wall voters will cast their ballots on Wall Independent School District's $19.7 million bond election to build a new elementary school. Election Administrator Vona Hudson said Wall requested the branch location for early voting. "We'd like to get a lot of voter turnout," Wall Superintendent Walter Holik Jr said. "It will be easier for people who live in Wall and a lot of parents who can vote when they come to school events and such." Previously, Wall residents had to travel to downtown San Angelo to participate in early voting. This is Wall ISD's third attempt at a bond election. "The first two times we had other things included in the election, but this time we trimmed it down to one thing: the new elementary school," Holik said. "We're experiencing steady growth that has put us at the limit for the current buildings." He added that aged buildings and security were also concerns. Thursday is the last day to register to vote. "This is especially important for anyone who has moved," Hudson said. "Even if you moved from SMD 2 to SMD 1, you need to register because otherwise you will get a city ballot, but you'll get the ballot for the area you're registered for." Residents who need to check whether they're registered to vote should visit votetexas.gov/register-to-vote. Voter registration applications are available at the link if needed. Voter registration applications also are available at VoteTomGreenCounty.org, in the Tom Green County Elections Office and at all three Tom Green County library locations. Completed applications can be returned in person or by mail; mailed applications must be postmarked by Thursday. Residents also can register to vote when renewing their driver's license in person at a Texas Department of Public Safety office. Ballot by mail requests have to be in at the Election Office by April 26. Forms are available at co.tom-green.tx.us/default.aspx?Tom-Green_County/Elections. SHARE City's violence lower than some, but it's still too high By Kenneth L. Stewart, Casey Jones and Andrea Chavarria The most recent Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2015 update indicates 447 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect in Tom Green County. The good news is that number is down from 583 confirmed cases for the prior year in 2014. Still, child abuse in the local community continues to track a trend that generally places West Texas cities well above levels of different types of violence found in Texas as a whole. Indeed, Tom Green County's 447 instances of child abuse computes to a rate of 1,636 cases per 100,000 children in the population. This rate is 79 percent higher than the statewide rate of 912 cases per 100,000 children. However, Tom Green County's level of child abuse is not the highest among the four urban centers in West Texas. That unfortunate distinction falls to Taylor County and Abilene, where the 2015 rate of child abuse reached 2,726 per 100,000 children about three times the overall level for Texas. Of the four regional cities including Abilene, Midland, Odessa and San Angelo, only Midland has a rate of child abuse that is below the statewide level. These results are one finding from the newest update of the West Texas Violence Index produced each year by Community Development Initiatives at ASU. The index compares data for the four cities in our West Texas region on violent events that can potentially devastate a community. A distinctive aspect of the Index is that it looks beyond a single type of violence at a specific point in time, unlike snapshots of the latest crime spree or a sudden rash of accidents. The Index tracks six indicators of different types of violence in the community over the most recent three years of available data. The six indicators for the Index are violent crime, family violence, child abuse and neglect, suicide, accidental deaths and sexual assault. The index uses a scoring system developed by Community Development Initiatives to compare differences between the cities. The scoring begins by placing the most recent available data for each type of violence on a 100-point scale with higher scores representing lower rates of violence. Then the scoring uses a three-year trend adjustment to decrease the score if a city is moving toward more of a given type of violence. The adjustment, of course, increases the score for a city if the trend displays less of a type of violence over the three years. The result is that cities with lower current levels and trends toward decreasing violence get a higher score, while high current violence combined with an increasing trend pushes the score lower. San Angelo's average score last year on the six types of violence in the index was 72 on the 100-point scale. At that time, the score identified the city as the least violent of the four West Texas urban centers. This year's results again place San Angelo among the least violent of the four cities, although it is virtually tied with Midland. However, the discouraging news for the local community is that San Angelo's score fell from last year's 72 to 60 points this year. Changes in four of the six indicators in the index helped bring San Angelo's score down because they point to increased levels of violence in the local community. One of the four takes us back to the issue of child abuse. As noted above, San Angelo and Tom Green County fit the established pattern of West Texas urban areas with higher levels of child abuse than the overall state, but there is more to the story. The local rate is going up, according to the most recent data. Four years ago in 2012, the child abuse rate for Tom Green County was 1,605 per 100,000 children. Three years later in 2015, it reached the rate of 1,636 per 100,000 reported above. This amounts to a 1.9 percent increase over three years. The trend toward increased child abuse, however, is only one factor reducing the local score on the West Texas Violence Index. There are three other types of violence that are increasing more rapidly than the level of child abuse. For the first time in many years, violent crime is on a disturbingly upward trend. The Texas Department of Public Safety reports 250 incidents of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault for Tom Green County and San Angelo in 2011. This computed to violent crime rate of 263 per 100,000 residents. It climbed by 25 percent to 329 per 100,000 by 2014. Suicide is another type of violence on an upward trend in San Angelo and Tom Green County. There were 14 suicides in the county, amounting to a suicide rate of 12.7 per 100,000 residents in 2010 according vital statistics at the Department of State Health Services. Fast-forward three years records show a jump to 19 suicides in 2013, translating to a 31 percent increase in the suicide rate at 16.6 per 100,000. One more troubling violence trend is growth in numbers of sexual assaults. Department of Public Safety data document 86 sexual assaults in the local community during 2011 and 96 in 2014. The 10 additional events over this three-year period drove the rate of sexual assault up by 8 percent, from 90.4 per 100,000 local residents in 2011 to 97.5 in 2014. The way a single dramatic, violent event such as the recent terrorist attack in Brussels can rivet the attention of citizens and summon rash calls for public action is astounding. It becomes a fascinating puzzle when it is juxtaposed to the blind complacency with which many of the same citizens greet news of escalating patterns of violence in their own neighborhoods and communities. This, in fact, is the riddle that drew our attention to a recent collection of studies edited by Javier Auyero of the University of Texas and his associates. The collection, titled "Violence at the Urban Margins," was assembled as part of an effort to counter the tendency to push public discussion about local patterns of violence to what the editors call "the urban margins." By this, Auyero and associates mean that too many of us are prone to view the usual skeletons of violence in our own communities as evidence of cultural, racial or ethnic defects of individuals rather than to raise questions about its relationship to the inequities of the social, economic and power dynamics churning the community every day. The authors of the studies in Auyero's collection show over and over that the result of this hat-trick turns the everyday experience of violence, especially when it appears focused in the poor parts of town, into something so unspeakable that the daily trauma and torment of people living in its midst is constantly muted or denied. True to the message of Auyero's collection, the principal means to reduce violence in the local community are focused on changing the defects of individual culprits and sometimes the victims. These efforts notoriously meet with heartbreaking recidivism that wears down and burns out some of the social workers, therapists, police officers and other professionals whose job it is to work the problem. Perhaps it is true that we need to aid their important work by putting equal fervor into changing the inequities that help drive violence in the local community. Kenneth L. Stewart is director of Community Development Initiatives at the ASU Center for Community Wellness, Engagement, and Development. Casey Jones is chairman of the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice and director of the Center for Security Studies at ASU. Contact them at casey.jones@angelo.edu or kenneth.stewart@angelo.edu. Andrea Chavarria, graduate research assistant at ASU Community Development Initiatives, contributed to this article. SHARE The following editorial appeared in Saturday's Chicago Tribune: "The real world is full of anti-Semitism, homophobia, sexism and racism. The question is: Do we prepare students to accept the world as it is, or do we prepare them to change it?" Williams College administrator Ferentz Lafargue, in a Washington Post op-ed, March 28, 2016 The obvious answer to that question is: We should prepare students to make the world better, of course. But how to do that? One way is to teach them about resolve in the face of prejudice and discriminatory treatment. We're thinking about the lives of three soldiers who died recently. All had been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest tribute America bestows on soldiers or sailors. These men, however, had had to wait decades to be recognized. Their heroics finally came to light because, more than a decade ago, Congress ordered a review of the war records of Jewish and Hispanic soldiers from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Under earlier legislation, the Pentagon also reviewed military records of Asian-Americans who fought in World War II. The aim: Ensure that those who deserved a Medal of Honor were not denied because of prejudice. And so the nation has honored these men, among others whose military records have been revisited: n Army Sgt. Santiago Jesus Erevia, who died March 22, was presented the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in 2014 for heroic action on the battlefield in 1969 during the Vietnam War. Erevia crawled from one wounded soldier to another, tending to their injuries, before charging four enemy bunkers. After Obama called him with the news of his award, Erevia told a reporter. "They say you deserve it. I'll take it in stride. And I'll jump in joy, but I'm going to jump in joy by myself in the bedroom." n Army Cpl. Tibor Rubin was awarded the medal for his Korean War service in 2005 by President George W. Bush. Rubin, who died in December, was born in Hungary and survived a concentration camp as a teenager. He was rescued by U.S. soldiers and, to show his gratitude, he enlisted during the Korean War. In Korea, Rubin held a hill against an overwhelming assault by North Korean troops, allowing his fellow soldiers to retreat. Rubin was taken prisoner and sent to a POW camp. Because he had been born in Hungary, he was offered a chance to return to his homeland. He declined. He spent the next 30 months providing medical care and pilfering extra food for his fellow prisoners. Although his Medal of Honor was delayed 50 years because of anti-Semitism, he remained proud of his service and his adopted country. "It is the best country in the world and I am part of it," he said. n Army Pvt. George Sakato, who died the same week as Rubin, snagged his Medal of Honor in 2000. On a rescue mission behind enemy lines in 1944, Sakato single-handedly stopped an enemy attack while under withering fire. His medal was delayed for 56 years because of his Japanese ancestry. "I am American and I wanted to show my loyalty to the country," Sakato said without a trace of rancor. As a boy, Sakato and his family moved from their California home to Arizona to avoid being placed in an internment camp following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was classified as an "enemy alien" even though he was a native Californian. He enlisted as part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a World War II unit of 12,000 Nisei (second-generation Japanese-American) volunteers. It became one of the most highly decorated U.S. units and suffered some of the highest casualty rates. At the end of World War II, President Harry Truman expressed his gratitude to Sakato's unit: "You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice, and you've won. Keep up that fight, and we'll continue to win. And make this great republic stand for just what the Constitution says it stands for the welfare of all the people, all the time." Each of these soldiers fought to make the world a better place. Recognition of their bravery and exploits came late, but it did come. Terrible wrongs were corrected. That's how we make change progress happen. SHARE By Suzanne Carter Hahn In the mid-1980s, I met an English veteran of World War II on a train in France. He told me he had been a Royal Air Force pilot. His plane was shot down in occupied France, not far from the coast. With minor injuries, he made his way to a nearby farmhouse, and a family hid him there for a couple of weeks while making arrangements to get him back to England. "One night they took me to the water's edge and told me to wade out, that I would be taken back across the Channel. The water reached my knees, then my waist. And just as it reached my shoulders, I heard the faint sound of oars slipping through the water. A small rowboat appeared out of nowhere, a sight I'll never forget." There is more than one hero in that story. According to Merriam-Webster, a hero is one who is admired for great or brave acts. Joseph Campbell, author of "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," talks about the hero's important role in all ancient civilizations. Who are today's heroes? We've learned that Islamic terrorists turn into heroes both quickly and certainly. A suicide vest works well. It's all in the name of evil, persuading others to join in the mayhem. They know nothing of the long, plodding and mostly unrewarded persistence required by the true hero. When I met the British pilot, I was on a quest of my own. I wanted to learn more about my father's World War I experiences and follow his steps through France. His name was Harris, and he was an accidental warrior. He also might have been an accidental hero. If so, he either didn't know it or didn't talk about it. Today our heroes often are celebrities. As if we believe the terms are synonymous. "Doughboys." That's what they called the men America sent to France in the Great War. Harris was in a position of high command. He had total responsibility for two horses, Bunny and Prince. Plus the caisson, a wooden cart used to haul ammunition to the front lines. He was a private in the 42nd Rainbow Division on the Chateau-Thierry Front in France. The battles won there saved Paris from its greatest threat since the early days of the war, in 1914. Harris was the oldest of nine siblings, born in Coke County on a hardscrabble five-acre farm. His father, Henry, taught 11 grades in a one-room schoolhouse. His credentials? Not a clue. Communication was by letter and transportation depended mostly on horses. There were few job opportunities in small-town Texas just after the turn of the 19th century. When Harris turned 15, he made his way to Kansas and found work in the zinc mines. In 1917 he joined the Kansas National Guard. I never thought to ask him why. Although his unit was sent to the Mexican border to fight Pancho Villa, it soon was gobbled up by the 42nd Rainbow Division, and in the blink of an eye, Harris found himself on a troop ship headed for France. After the war, Harris wrote a book called "How a Man Feels in Battle," which he and his brothers hawked on street corners for 25 cents a copy. In it, Harris wrote about marching home again, speaking French. "I practiced on innocent French persons, with no more regard for them than a student has for his piano." And that was the tone of the entire book. It was my guide through France. I knew several American heroes, class of 1942. One of them was my cousin, a 16-year-old freshman at Texas A&M on Pearl Harbor Day. He landed in a PT boat in the Pacific Theater. Edwin is 90 now, living in a nursing home near his daughter. A survivor. And we lose one every day. My father had three younger brothers. Two came home. The third didn't. My generation almost missed the Korean conflict. But a good friend's husband was a corpsman assigned to the Marines. It's impossible to imagine what he saw and how many lives he saved. But clearly the man I knew and admired never recovered from that time. He was a hero of the highest order. Young people fight wars their elders have planned. So many in my generation have no personal stake in recent conflicts. Yeah, most of us knew someone who had dodged the draft or burned a flag in the Vietnam era. But in an all-volunteer army, war is no longer personal for many. It becomes harder for us to imagine risking our lives for strangers. Yet throughout history, ordinary people have stepped up to the plate when called to do so. Let's hope we'll be ready for the next challenge. "My heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results ... but it is the effort that's heroic. I admire those who fight the good fight." That's a quote from George R.R. Martin, who wrote a book called "Hero." Good job, George. Wish I'd said that. Suzanne Carter Hahn lives in San Angelo. This week's weather may justify a "cooler & warmer" slogan for Rhode Island, but our readers continue to answer our query: "Think you can do better?"More than four dozen recommendations, some accompanied with art and explanations, were mailed to the Providence Journal's headquarters downtown as Governor Raimondo listened to numerous complaints and ultimately ditched the tourism and branding tagline unveiled at a Commerce Corporation meeting more than a week ago.The sent-by-post suggestions are in addition to several online submissions already received, such as "Anchor Here" and "Rhode Island: An Ocean of Possibilities."Many took the state's beautiful waters, beaches and coastline into consideration when sharing their motto.East Greenwich resident Michael J. Hayes offers "Rhode Island: Shore Beautiful," "Rhode Island: A Shore Thing" and "Rhode Island: Shore Nice."In submitting "Oceans of Fun & Recreation," Johnston's Richard Lobello explains, "This is direct, to-the-point attracting tourism and blends in Rhode Island being the Ocean State."A lifelong resident and Vietnam War veteran, Coventry's Ray Chamberland chose: "Sea the Ocean State."Warwick's Darlene McCall suggests "Coast with the Most" while East Providence resident Jim Kinder also rhymes with his idea, "A Beach Within Reach.""Rhode Island has more to offer than just its ocean beaches," says Regina M. Cabral, of Smithfield. "Beauty can be found in architecture, mansions, cathedrals, bridges, historical sites and farmlands."She continues, "There is beauty in its zoos, wildlife refuges, festivals, parades, regattas, polo matches, forts, taverns, ocean drives and WaterFires. Let's not forget the beautiful minds that attend our wonderful colleges and universities, nor the customs and cultures that have created such diversity in Rhode Island restaurants."Cabral sums up her sentiments with this motto: "Rhode Island: Beauty and the Beach."In agreement, others tried to capture more of what Little Rhody has to give potential tourists.Barrington resident Wendy Wing gives, "Small and Salty."Providence resident George J. Coleman, uses Latin in one of his ideas: "Rhode Island: Multum in Parvo," which translates into "Much in Little." He also gave "Small Scale & Smart Sized," "The Substance of Things Hoped For" and "Rhode Island is Treasure Island."Saunderstown resident Clarice D. Anderes writes, "For a slogan, Rhode Island Old & New, says it better in my opinion. It can conjure up our beginnings with Roger Williams, the burning of the Gaspee, Touro Synagogue, Newport mansions... We can save money and keep the signs on the highways because Beautiful Rhode Island, old and new, welcomes you."Warwick's Anne F. Wolfe, also tapped into the state's past with two of her three suggestions: "Historic & Quaint" & "History & Discovery."A few couldn't help tying a slogan to Rhode Island's designation as the smallest state in the country.Pawtucket's Louis Tetreault suggests, "The Smallest has the Greatest..."Providence resident Morton Paige used state logos elsewhere for his inspiration: "New York has 'I Love NY,' Virginia has 'Virginia for Lovers.' For RI, may I suggest the 'We Love You' state or 'R.I. Loves You.'"In his love for his state, North Kingstown's David S. Nicholson simply suggests: "Rhode Island Rocks.""Other than politics," he writes, "we really do rock. Think of the possibilities." Wyoming has launched an investigation tied to the massive data leak of the so-called "Panama Papers" that has drawn headlines and sparked outrage around the world.Secretary of State Ed Murray announced Wednesday that his office is probing the group serving as Wyoming's registered agent for Mossack Fonseca.The Panamanian law firm prompted international scrutiny this week after millions of leaked documents exposed how the group helped wealthy individuals across the globe hide assets though shell companies.The leak -- one of the largest ever of its kind -- has led to the resignation of Iceland's prime minister and accusations of corruption by many other prominent figures and world leaders.Although shell companies are not illegal, they can be targets for money launderers, politicians hoping to avoid conflict-of-interest charges and other fraudulent operators because of the anonymity they offer.For years, Wyoming has been considered a haven for shell companies because of the state's relatively lenient requirements and extra privacy protections. And even though legislative changes have been put in place since 2009 to strengthen the state's laws, Wyoming remains one of the most attractive locations in the country for these groups.Murray said his office performed an audit of M.F. Corporate Services Wyoming LLC, which serves as the registered agent for Mossack Fonseca in Wyoming, following news of the leak.A registered agent, which is a representative who can be served and handle legal documents on behalf of a company, can range from a firm representing thousands of clients to an attorney who might represent just a few.The audit revealed 24 of the 214,488 entities mentioned in the leaked Panama Papers were registered with M.F. Corporate Services Wyoming LLC. It further showed that M.F. Corporate Services violated a state law that requires registered agents to maintain certain information with the state or at their office.Will Dinneen, a spokesman with the Secretary of State's Office, didn't say specifically what part of the law was violated. But among the provisions in the state statute are requirements that registered agents maintain a physical address and keep the names and addresses of each entity's directors, officers, limited liability company managers, managing partners, trustees or persons serving in a similar capacity at the entity's registered office.Failure to maintain the records, under state law, carries a penalty up to $500 per violation. But Dinneen didn't say what punishments, if any, were made.A release from the Secretary of State's Office says M.F. Corporate Services eventually complied with a demand to provide the missing information.But Dinneen said an internal investigation into this matter is ongoing. He added that Murray notified law enforcement of the developments.Meanwhile, Murray pushed back against calls for federal changes to add transparency for registered agents and shell companies."I oppose a one-size-fits-all federal law mandating the dissolving of privacy protections, and assure the citizens of Wyoming that we will continue to fight fraud and, if there is a clear need to do so, address necessary changes to Wyoming statutes," he said in a statement. "We are not naive as to the importance of the release of these 'Panama Papers,' but we will not compromise the privacy of our customers."He also noted that Wyoming has enacted several legislative changes since 2009 "to combat illicit activities while maintaining Wyoming's competitive business environment." The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed suit Wednesday against Secretary of State Jon Husted, arguing that he is illegally removing eligible voters from voter registration rolls.The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus, comes seven months before voters will head to the polls to elect a new president. It alleges that Husted is violating the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by canceling the registrations of voters who do not vote in three successive federal elections or in the intervening local elections. The practice, attorneys argue, disproportionately affects homeless and other marginalized voters."We have spoken to purged voters from around the state of Ohio who tried to vote in the November 2015 local election and were turned away," said Freda Levenson, legal director for the ACLU of Ohio. "The already widespread disenfranchisement that has resulted from this process is likely to be much worse in a presidential election year."In Cleveland's Cuyahoga County, 40,000 voters were "unlawfully purged," attorneys claimed.Husted, a Republican, said the lawsuit was "politically motivated, election-year politics (and) a waste of taxpayer dollars."He insisted that he maintains the state voter rolls in compliance with state and federal laws as well as an agreement with the same federal court four years ago stemming from a similar legal complaint."Voter rolls with deceased voters and people who've moved out-of-state have long contributed to the problems of voter fraud, long lines and discarded ballots," Husted said. "In 2011, there were several Ohio counties with more registered voters than eligible voters."In recent years, Husted's office has removed 465,000 deceased voters and 1.3 million duplicate registrations from Ohio's voter rolls.Wednesday's lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Ohio A. Phillip Randolph Institute and Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, asks the court to halt the practice and order purged voters returned to the rolls.Ohio and other states have been working to clean up their voter rolls under requirements of the National Voter Registration Act, known as the "motor voter law."Practices vary state to state. In Ohio, if a person did not vote in 2009 and 2010, the county board of elections sent the person a notice in 2011. If the person failed to verify his or her status and did not vote in any election through 2014, the county board was told to remove the person from the voting rolls in 2015.Husted spokesman Joshua Eck said secretaries of state dating back to Bob Taft in the 1990s, and including Democrat Jennifer Brunner, have followed similar practices to identify voters who are no longer eligible. The criminal case against former Gov. Rick Perry was officially dismissed on Wednesday, weeks after Texas' highest criminal court ordered that it be dropped.The occasion triggered another round of sniping between attorneys on each side.Judge Bert Richardson, who presided over the case in Travis County and now serves on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, signed an order dismissing the abuse-of-power indictment related to a 2013 veto threat.The case against the longest-serving governor in Texas history centered on a threat to veto $7.5 million in state funds for the public integrity unit of the Travis County district attorney's office, and questions about whether he abused his authority allegations that he had called a "baseless political attack." The unit was charged with investigating and prosecuting state corruption.After Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was arrested and pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in 2013, Perry threatened to veto state funding for the integrity unit unless she first resigned. She refused to step down, and Perry vetoed the funding.Perry and his lawyers successfully argued that he was acting within the powers of a governor and did nothing criminal.Tony Buzbee, an attorney for Perry, told the Tribune that his client deserves an apology, and he vowed to fight for more transparency in the grand jury process that led to Perrys indictment.Youre put through a two-year ordeal, and you ultimately win, but you ultimately lose, he said of the legal saga that loomed over Perrys final days in office and dogged his failed run for president.Richardson said the case had not been a pleasant experience, according to the San Antonio Express-News. I didnt ask for this job and I didnt want it, he said, according to the Express-News. Richardson declined to comment further to the Tribune.Michael McCrum, the special prosecutor in the case, said he still believed that Perry committed a crime and had drafted and printed copies of a motion for an amended indictment. But on Tuesday afternoon, he decided to halt the effort, saying the high court's ruling had "muddied" the criminal statute at issue.It was our position, and our feeling that the law had been so muddied that it was not the just thing to do with any citizen," he said.The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled in February that courts could not limit veto power and that prosecuting Perry over his action violates the separation of powers provision of the Texas Constitution and infringed on his First Amendment right to freedom of speech.McCrum contended that the case was not about veto power itself but Perry's actions prior to his veto. Perry, McCrum maintained, illegally tied his power to eliminate state funding for the public integrity unit to his demand that Lehmberg resign, effectively setting up a quid-pro-quo arrangement that crossed the line into an abuse of power.We felt there was a clear basis, factually, that he committed a crime, McCrum said.Buzbee called the prosecutors statements all kinds of foolishness, and suggested that he had personal animus toward Perry."Is there anybody at any point saying, you know, 'Im sorry'? he said. Instead, we have some guy stand up and say, 'I still think a crime was committed.'"Buzbee said he hoped to ultimately get a copy of the information McCrum presented to the grand jury, which is normally secret. He declined to reveal how he planned to do it.Buzbee said he was considering taking other actions against McCrum, or related to the case, but wouldnt specify what those might be.One thing Im not going to do is go off half-cocked like Mr. McCrum did, he said. Im going to make sure if I do anything, that I have my ducks in a row."McCrum called Buzbee's comments "just more colorful diversionary tactics. ""Im 100 percent confident that everything I did was appropriate. I have no concern whatsoever about his threats," he said. "Its a common tactic to take the attention off your client who has created criminal acts to try to deflect the attention onto the prosecutor." For all the ways government affects young people, there still arent many avenues for them to influence public policy. But that's less true in Cook County, Ill., where a youth advisory board has become an in-house think tank for improving the local juvenile justice system.Three years ago, a group of high school- and college-age students in Cook County spent a summer studying ways to ease the transition from youth detention centers back to the community. The students found that a lot of young people didn't know they were eligible to have their records expunged, and the ones who did still weren't sure how to start the process. In Cook County, the annual number of juvenile arrests dwarfs the number of expungements. Between 2010 and 2014, there were about 28,000 juvenile arrests each year, on average, but only about 650 juvenile expungements.The students wanted to make the process more accessible, so they created Expunge.io , a free website and smartphone app that helps Cook County residents erase their records of arrests, charges and minor convictions that happened before they were 18 years old.With help from a software developer and a civic technology nonprofit, the students built an app to simplify the process of determining eligibility and requesting expungement. As a result, between 2013 and 2015 the annual number of expungements nearly doubled.Before Expunge.io, people had to wade through a 25-page document with technical language to figure out if they qualified for expungement. By contrast, the app asks a few questions and connects the person with free legal aid. The concept is spreading to other states, such as Louisiana and Maryland , where nonprofits have created similar apps.Having a juvenile record stunts peoples' progress in nearly every aspect of life, making it more difficult to attain jobs, housing and financial aid. States vary in how they treat juvenile records.In Alaska, for example, the state automatically expunges juvenile records within 30 days of a teen's 18th birthday or 30 days after their court release. Until last year, Washington state required people to file a motion to have their records sealed -- and prosecutors could object. In 2015, though, the state Supreme Court ruled that juvenile records would be sealed automatically for people who met certain requirements, such as paying restitution and not having additional offenses for two years.The official name of the Cook County youth advisory group is Mikva Challenges Juvenile Justice Council, named after Abner Mikva, a former Illinois congressman and state assemblyman. Much of Mikva's work focused on empowering individuals in marginalized communities, particularly young minorities. The Mikva Challenge is a nonprofit that works alongside Chicago and Cook County government to engage young people in civic affairs. Each summer, about 25 paid student interns research a question and publish a report with policy recommendations.Twenty-year-old Lali Avila joined the group after a friend died in a gang conflict. That made me want to make a difference, she said. I was tired of all these Hispanic and black youth going through this stuff.When Avila and her peers presented their findings to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, "she was straight to the point, and she told us what she liked and what she didnt like," Avila said. "She took us very seriously." If Preckwinkle believes an idea can work, she'll promote it and use her connections to get it implemented.Expunge.io was the group's first concrete accomplishment, but they're already working on new projects. Last summer, the students found that the juvenile court system alienated young people with unfamiliar legal language and intimidating spaces. With Preckwinkle's help, the students met with the superintendent of the county's juvenile temporary detention center about redesigning several rooms. The students proposed putting educational materials on the walls, such as videos about the juvenile justice system and posters with legal vocabulary definitions."It's young people in the facility," said Emma Kornfeld, a senior program director with the Mikva Challenge, "and young people require different things." Description GIS - 07 April, 2016: The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism and External Communications, Mr Xavier-Luc Duval, cautioned law enforcement officers as well as other concerned agencies against the trivialisation and minimisation of domestic violence, especially in cases where abuse is recurrent. The Deputy Prime Minister was proceeding with the launching of the Report of the National Coalition against Domestic Violence Committee yesterday in Port Louis in the presence of the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie-Aurore Perraud, and other personalities. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the practice of mediation approach in the context of domestic violence should not be an excuse to not take any action against the perpetrator, or not hold the perpetrator accountable for the abuse. Mediation should in parallel be accompanied by a series of other measures to prevent the recurrence of domestic violence, stated Mr Duval. Highlighting the Reports recommendation on the setting up of a Command Centre against Domestic Violence, the Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the initiative which, he said, will ensure a multi-sectoral collaboration and coordinated efforts to combat domestic violence and support victims. He also stressed the importance of empowering victims economically through training with a view to ensure they become self-sufficient, and do not feel compelled to stay or return to an abusive relationship. Now is the time to act! We all have a role to play to combat domestic violence. We must work collectively to eliminate family violence! affirmed Mr Duval. Joining in the call for action, the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Perraud underlined the necessity to consolidate and update legislation to prevent and combat domestic violence more effectively, in light of figures which indicate that at least 3,000 cases of domestic violence are reported yearly. The Minister warned though that amendments to the law are not enough; mentality and attitude have to change. The Minister also spoke of the training programme being delivered to police officers on domestic violence with the aim of building their capacity in better understanding the issue, and thus improving police responses to, and enhancing protection of victims of, domestic violence. A first batch of 78 police officers were trained from 29 March to 1st April 2016, while a second group of 73 police officers attended the training session from 4 to 7 April 2016. It is recalled that in line with the Government Programme 2015-2019, the National Coalition against Domestic Violence Committee was set up under the aegis of the Prime Ministers Office, as an effective means to ensure a multi-agency response to the issue of domestic violence. Following a first presentation of the report of the Coalition to the Cabinet, other measures were deemed necessary for an effective response to domestic violence. A Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, thus forwarded other additional proposals to the Report of the National Coalition against Domestic Violence Committee. The Ministerial Committee has, besides recommending domestic violence being treated as an aggravated offence, proposed that the cases of domestic violence be dealt with expeditiously by the judiciary and the safety and security of victims be safeguarded; mediation be accompanied by other stringent measures to prevent recurrence of domestic violence; victims, if unemployed, be trained to enable them to become employable and earn a decent living; and an emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence be set up. Arrangements are being made for the appropriate legislations to be amended accordingly. Too often, innovative ideas in the public sector never see the light of day due to regulations and oversight designed for a different era. While procurement regulations are intended to ensure accountability and minimize risk, the process leaves little room for experimentation or creative engagement with entrepreneurs. Philadelphia's FastFWD initiative tackled these challenges directly by opening up new mechanisms for entrepreneurs to co-create solutions with the city.FastFWD, an initiative of former mayor Michael Nutter's administration, was a winner of the 2012-2013 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a competition that encourages cities to generate innovative ideas that solve major problems and improve city life -- and have the potential to spread to other cities. FastFWD used a business accelerator to connect interested entrepreneurs with staff from eight city departments for collaborative thinking and development. The initiative resulted in nine pilot projects, and two full contracts, with positive public-safety impact.With FastFWD's problem-based procurement model, the city chose public safety and community stability as focus areas and invited open solutions to those problems. The accelerator graduates took a wide variety of approaches, ranging from Textizen's text-messaging-based outreach tools to Edovo's work to provide tablet-based education opportunities to jail inmates. Textizen's pilot work with the Mayor's Office of Reintegration Services has improved re-entry meeting attendance by 40 percent. The Edovo pilot enabled more than 500 inmates to complete 2,100 online educational courses in the first year of its work with Philadelphia's Department of Corrections. Brian Hill, the CEO of Edovo, credits FastFWD with his company's success: "There is absolutely no question that our ability to pilot in Philadelphia allowed us to exist and succeed today."As part of its overall procurement-reform effort, the city streamlined and codified its procurement process for pilot projects, shortening the amount of paperwork required for a typical RFP from 47 pages to 18. The city also plans to pilot an open online registry with which innovators and entrepreneurs can share both pilot ideas and successes from pilot projects. A partnership with CityMart, a Barcelona-based procurement company, will enable Philadelphia to continue its problem-based procurements, with five more planned in the coming year to address a range of important urban problems. The FastFWD procurement effort also inspired open-source improvements to Big Ideas , the website through which the city procures innovative IT projects.Based on my observation of the project's development over the past two years, four key themes for success emerge with broader applicability to other cities:Because grant funding supported the pilots, the city was able to accept a much greater level of risk than it could have with budgeted department funds. The pilot funding allowed the FastFWD companies to demonstrate proof of concept; as a result, several of the pilots are going to full contract at department cost.The city was able to leverage the areas of expertise of local partners throughout the FastFWD project, with a substantial investment of many local discounted, low-cost and pro-bono resources. A local business accelerator ran a modified version of its curriculum for FastFWD participants. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania conducted market research to identify city priority areas that also had a large market opportunity for entrepreneurs.The city conducted much broader outreach for FastFWD than for a typical procurement project and attracted a very competitive pool of applications from 137 companies around the world. "The team framed the RFP process as a robust campaign to seek out new types of partners and to attract more than just frequent-flyer vendors," said Todd Baylson, Philadelphia's technology procurement advocate. "Rather than just post in the usual places, they posted in the forums where startup companies look for opportunities, and held outreach events at coworking spaces and untraditional venues."4.As part of FastFWD, the city established a cross-agency procurement working group. Andrew Buss, the city's director of innovation management, said the group "really raised the issue of procurement and the need for procurement reform to more stakeholders within the city. It is at a level of conversation within city government that it wasn't before." The project also paired entrepreneurs with agencies across the city to work on areas of common concern.Although Mayor Nutter has since left office and the FastFWD pilot is complete, the new administration is continuing to address procurement reform. Earlier this month, Nutter's mayoral successor, Jim Kenney, issued a request for proposals for a "reverse auction" bidding system, which enables bidding to continue until vendors reach the lowest price. He also appointed a new chief administrative officer to oversee administrative functions, including procurement.Procurement-reform projects in government are seldom without challenges, but with persistence success is possible. As Story Bellows, former director of FastFWD and the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, reflected, "We proved that there are a lot of great ideas out there that are not coming from traditional problem-solvers. Opening up our problem sets to a wider variety of actors resulted in innovative solutions for the city." (TNS) -- While you are reading this, a governmental agency, possibly the IRS or FBI, could be reviewing emails that have been sitting in your private email box for longer than 180 days.That's no joke, according to U.S. Reps. Lou Barletta, R-11, of Hazleton, Pa., and Tom Marino, R-10, of Cogan Station, Pa.The congressmen are co-sponsors of the Email Privacy Act, which they expect to become law soon. An amendment to the bill would require a search warrant from a judge to access older emails."Federal law has not kept up with technology or the way millions of people use their email. When the law was written 30 years ago, Congress thought that everyone would have a home email server like Hillary Clinton," Barletta said. "Obviously, that's not true, and millions of us use gmail, Yahoo or some other third-party email service. What this bill does is treat all of those emails the same, no matter how old they are."Governmental agencies have been able to scour through emails of Americans whenever they wish thanks to the 1986 Electric Communications Act passed by Congress. The law considers emails older than 180 days abandoned and subject to search. All an agency has to do is contact the email provider and request a copy of the messages.Under the new act, the government would have to obtain a warrant from a court before asking providers to disclose the contents of emails regardless of how long the communications had been held in electronic storage or whether the information is sought from an electronic communication service or a remote computing service.The new law also would require a law enforcement agency, within 10 days after receiving the contents of a customer's communication, or a governmental entity, within three days, to provide the customer whose communications were disclosed by the provider with a copy of the warrant and a notice that such information was requested by and supplied to the government."Government will need a warrant or a subpoena to look at them -- otherwise, the IRS could be reading your old emails right now without your knowledge," Barletta said. "We will be treating emails just like regular mail, and government can't just go snooping around without going to court. This bill is a victory for privacy and Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches, and I am proud to be a co-sponsor."The bill also is co-sponsored by 314 members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats."The Email Privacy Act fixes a loophole used by the government to gain access to someone's email. With today's inboxes holding thousands upon thousands of emails, these messages should no longer be considered 'abandoned,'" Marino said. "The current telecommunications laws are out of date, and the Email Privacy Act would garner more protection for American citizens by requiring a warrant to gain access to these emails."The judiciary committee will consider the bill during the week of April 11. There could be amendments to the language, and Marino said he is waiting to see changes before he decides whether to support the amended bill in committee. (TNS) -- Six convoys of partially self-driving trucks reached their destination in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after a test drive lasting several days, using a technology that could make transport cleaner and safer."The results of this first ever major try-out in Europe are promising," said Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment Melanie Schultz van Haegen in a press release."Truck platooning ensures that transport is cleaner and more efficient. Self-driving vehicles also improve traffic safety because most traffic accidents are due to human error," Schultz van Haegen said, whose ministry initiated the convoy challenge.Platooning refers to a technology that connects the trucks into rows using wireless internet connections, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and radar, which allows the first truck to determine the speed and route. The other trucks follow with a close gap, eliminating sudden stops, which can reduce fuel consumption by up to ten per cent and lower exhaust emissions.The trucks came from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and The Netherlands.Truck producers MAN, Scania, DAF, Iveco, Volvo and Daimler were involved in the challenge.The companies said that it would be possible from a technical standpoint to introduce the technology to European roads by 2020, but European laws need to be harmonized first. (TNS) -- For 10 days in February, the staff at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center had to treat patients the old-fashioned way with pen-and-paper forms, faxes and hand-delivered X-rays. Gone were many of the data-reliant, high-tech tools that have transformed medical care, according to local media reports The Los Angeles hospital had fallen victim to a ransomware attack increasingly common network break-ins that encrypt all information in their path. When hospital computer systems freeze, the hackers offer to reverse the encryption in exchange for cash.Its like if someone broke into your house and changed the locks on your doors and said, If you give me money, Ill give you the new key and everything will be just where you left it, said John Klassen, senior director of solutions marketing at Bay Area cybersecurity firm FireEye.Cybercriminals have targeted hospitals with growing frequency in recent years, identifying the millions of recently digitized patient files as a treasure trove of unguarded information. Hospitals have historically been vulnerable to security breaches due to their reliance on expensive, aging medical equipment, their inability to halt patient care to perform time-consuming software updates, and a workflow that depends on the constant input and accessing of data on different devices. Those complications, combined with the high black market value of medical records, makes such facilities prime targets for a growing number of sophisticated criminals.Breaches at hospitals, insurance companies and other health care-related businesses have been climbing in California in recent years, with 30 incidents reported in 2015, up from eight in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nationally, about 1,500 data breaches have been reported in health-care settings since 2009.Last year, the Ponemon Institute, a privacy and security research group, found that about half of health organizations are attacked by hackers one or more times in any given 12-month period.(Hospitals) are in a tricky situation, said Lysa Myers, security researcher at software company ESET. There are ways in which theyre behind the curve in terms of securing information, but they also have it harder. At a bank youre not really sharing peoples information. At a hospital its important to be able to share information quickly and safely. Thats not the same as getting it and locking it up.In October, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring hospitals to properly encrypt patient information and notify all affected patients when a breach occurs. The California Department of Public Health can fine hospitals $25,000 for each persons information breach if theyve failed to prevent unauthorized access to data.In Sacramento, the UC Davis Medical Center and the Sutter Medical Foundation have both suffered data breaches in recent years, each affecting between 1,300 and 2,300 patients. Representatives from both organizations said patient files were not compromised.UC Davis Health System has ongoing, multiple defensive layers to continuously prevent, identify and contain cyberattacks at the system and end-user levels, said interim Chief Information Officer John Cook in an email. These include multiple network, system and data safeguards (firewalls, encryption, intrusion prevention systems, etc.) to detect, prevent and mitigate the effects of an attack.At Hollywood Presbyterian, all attempts to bring systems back online failed. Finally, the hospital paid $17,000 in the form of 40 bitcoins an anonymous digital currency commonly used for laundering, illicit drug purchases and cyberterrorism to regain access to its records.Just weeks later, two Prime Healthcare hospitals in the Los Angeles area also had their data taken hostage. In both cases, hospital officials shut down the cyberattacks and regained access to their data without paying ransom. Media reports indicated patients at Hollywood Presbyterian had to wait hours longer for care and suffer other inconveniences.The staff at the impacted hospitals switched to the backup paper record system for a period while the situation was being analyzed and controlled, said Prime Healthcare spokeswoman Elizabeth Nikels in an email. We were able to successfully contain the disruption after a short period and no patients were ever turned away from receiving care.In addition to ransomware attacks, hospitals are also vulnerable to back door hacks. While people launching ransomware attacks dont necessarily use the compromised data, back door hackers seek out the most valuable information a hospital has on file usually patient medical records and transfer it to their own computers to sell to people committing medical-identity fraud.If hackers make their way into main data caches, they can steal millions of patient records at a time and sell them to people seeking to illegally get medication or undergo medical procedures under another identity, Myers said. Such a breach occurred at the UCLA Health System in July, compromising 4.5 million patient records. At least two patients filed lawsuits seeking class-action status against the system.You think about credit card info as the holy grail, but you can cancel a credit card, Myers said. You cant cancel medical records and start over. Theyre with someone their entire life. Once its out of the hospitals control, its really out of their control. Theres nothing you can do to put the toothpaste back in the tube.Hospitals and health insurance companies are particularly at risk of cyberattack because of the unique nature of their operations.Many hospitals use decades-old specialized medical equipment that arent equipped with security software, experts said. Hackers often target vulnerable machines as entry points to access other information in the network. Shutting breached devices down can stop the malware in its tracks, but it isnt always an option considering the constant need to provide care.A lot of these devices werent designed to be secured, Klassen said. Hospitals are not going to shut down a medical device or put things on hold until they know its safe to proceed.Doctors also often computer-jump, work in multiple departments and have different levels of security privilege on several devices. That means a cyberattack can spread quickly after someone opens a suspicious link, PDF or Microsoft Word document from an email, and inadvertently releases malicious programs that run code quietly and imperceptibly behind the browser.They have a larger attack surface, Klassen said of hospitals. Theyre more exposed.Such facilities also operate on a 24/7 schedule, which means hospitals cant usually go without computers during the hours or even days it takes to install system updates and encryption programs that hide patient data.Because the provider doesnt want to take the application offline stop the presses for a few hours they dont do it, and thats a vulnerability, Klassen said.To prevent ransomware attacks, hospitals must have all of their information backed up on a separate network so they can wipe clean the system theyve been locked out of and start fresh. Increasingly, hospitals are hiring additional technical staff members and seeking alternative storage solutions, such as off-site cloud servers.Lately theres been a big emphasis, with the implementation of the electronic medical record, on patient records and how to protect information, said Cheri Hummel, vice president of emergency management and facilities for the California Hospital Association. Its a very challenging process and an ever-changing process. (Hospitals) need to be vigilant about updating their system, backing up their data and learning how to maintain care at their facilities in the event their systems are shut down. Just a small fraction of Wi-Fi hot spots promised by one government-funded program continues to exist, according to Ars Technica Nonprofit Manchester Community Technologies, for example, collected 453,000 in federal funds for a community Wi-Fi project that the group claimed in March 2015 had connected more than 100,000 people to the Internet. But an investigation by The Los Angeles Times this month revealed that Wi-Fi hot spots were present at just two of the 25 locations.The groups executive director claimed that the hot spots had all worked at one time, but because businesses formed the networks backbone, the hot spots have disappeared as equipment was turned off, moved or stolen.Many businesses werent interested in participating in the program to begin with, reported , and according to the Daily News , public buildings didnt want to participate because of security concerns. RENO, Nev. A downturn in the economy in 2008 and the need for more control of the information circulating through the community drove positive changes in one California law enforcement agency.Following several attempts to better engage the public and news media, officials within the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office settled on a social media management style that does not require a full-time public information officer (PIO), but rather the collective efforts of agency employees.On Wednesday, April 6, during the 2016 Government Social Media Conference (GSMCON), Deputy Sheriff Royjindar Singh discussed the unconventional method and the how multiple voices are managed through popular platforms.The use of multiple, designated handles under the agencys Facebook account, Singh said, has allowed for the accountable and timely flow of information from deputies and staff to the public and news media.Our social media team is about 30 staff within our department, he said. We have coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.After striking the balance between what he referred to as cop stuff and other content, the agency engaged the citizens within its jurisdiction and four other contract cities with posts on such topics as arrest notifications and charitable work on the part of deputies.The coordinated approach allows on-duty reporting as well as real-time monitoring of questions from the public, which Singh said in smaller towns equates to fewer calls to dispatch for information.We give them a lot of freedom on what they are going to post," he said. "On major incidents, homicides or major critical incidents, we limit what they are going to post, maybe just some very brief information we want to keep the integrity of the investigation for our detective.While the agency relies on Facebook for general daily posts and incident information, Twitter is managed by only a handful of social media team members and is used especially effectively for quick, to-the-point communications.Singh said the platform allows for no frills delivery of information such as road closures and incident updates, and offers better direct access to media outlets.This collective engagement approach was effectively deployed following the November 2015 Denair Tornado, which Singh said resulted in fewer calls from the media, the more effective distribution of information and services, and immediate availability of images from the scene. Home Motorcycles & Bikes Top 10 Best Motorcycle GPS Trackers Of 2022 Reviews & Buying Guide Motorcycles & Bikes Top 10 Best Motorcycle GPS Trackers Of 2022 Reviews & Buying Guide This article may contain affiliate links. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Motorcycles are excellent vehicles for travel and adventure both on and off-road. It is an investment you need to keep safe from those who would love to take that treasure off your hands. Wheel-locking systems may not be enough for those with enough mechanical ability to hot-wire it, and in some cases, one or two people could simply load it onto a truck without unlocking anything. You dont want to wait months for the police to try to get it back. You want to know where it is right now. A GPS tracking system is the perfect security investment for your motorcycle, and we have reviews of the best motorcycle GPS trackers here for you. Top 10 Best Motorcycle GPS Trackers You Should Buy Of 2022 Reviews 1 AMERICALOC GL300W Mini Portable Real-Time GPS Tracker. XW Series Leta start with this Americaloc mini portable GPS tracker. This is a mid-range GPS tracker both regarding cost and ability. It comes in about the size of a heavy keychain, so if you are looking for something tiny, this is not it. It is detectable by someone who knew what they were looking for but depending on where you attached it to your motorcycle, it may take them a bit of time to identify it. There are diverse opinions in the reviews about its battery life. It appears that it will last at least 3-4 days, but there are sometimes problems when recharging it. Make sure to follow the instruction guide that comes with this tracker. You also need to recognize that this service is run by a tech that is not as widespread as most cellphone GPS trackers. While is advertises real-time the reality is that it updates once per minute, thirty, or ten seconds depending on your setting. This setting will affect battery life, and depending on where it is, the updates may not be entirely accurate. It is not a bad tracker, but you need to have realistic expectations for it. Pros GPS Tracker for vehicles, people, assets GPS Tracker for vehicles, people, assets This GPS tracker has the longest battery life version with extended multicarrier coverage. Battery life is measured in weeks. This GPS tracker has the longest battery life version with extended multicarrier coverage. Battery life is measured in weeks. Alerts: movement, parked, speeding, device on/off, low battery, entering or leaving zones Alerts: movement, parked, speeding, device on/off, low battery, entering or leaving zones Real-Time Tracking and 1 year of tracking history. Track from any computer, tablet or phone or just download our Android and iPhone APP. Real-Time Tracking and 1 year of tracking history. Track from any computer, tablet or phone or just download our Android and iPhone APP. Works in the US, Canada, Europe and in almost every country in the world Works in the US, Canada, Europe and in almost every country in the world 1-minute location updates while moving. Can be configured for location updates every 60, 30 or 10 seconds with no additional cost. Cons Slightly bigger than something described as mini. Slightly bigger than something described as mini. Sometimes faces battery charging issues Sometimes faces battery charging issues Behind cellphone GPS technology and occasionally is off a block or so in tracking Behind cellphone GPS technology and occasionally is off a block or so in tracking No mobile app and website can be buggy 2 Spy Tec STI GL300 Mini Portable Real-Time Personal and Vehicle GPS Tracker Spy Tecs GL300 GPS is about the same size as the Americaloc, but about half the price. As with most GPS devices, there is a monthly subscription fee that can quickly add up over time. In practice, this GPS seems to function a little more smoothly than others, with many short-term satisfied customers. For this GPS to work well for you, you need three things. First, you need to be using it in an area covered by T-mobile, or else you may have accuracy problems. Second, you need to be able to recharge it every few days. Finally, this is a short-term solution. The charging cable seems to break down over months, not years, and the customer and tech service can be a pain to deal with. If you are looking for a long-term GPS, you may want to take a pass on Spy Tec. Pros Perfect for tracking vehicles, people, or assets Perfect for tracking vehicles, people, or assets Compact size can go anywhere Compact size can go anywhere Tracks with Google Maps in real-time over the Internet Tracks with Google Maps in real-time over the Internet Get text or email when a person leaves an area (geo-fencing) Cons Inconsistent customer service Inconsistent customer service Works primarily in T-mobile coverage areas Works primarily in T-mobile coverage areas Problems with charging cable Problems with charging cable Short life span 3 Amcrest AM-GL300 V3 Portable Mini Real-Time GPS Tracker for Vehicles Here is another low-end GPS tracker for your motorcycle. What makes this one of the best motorcycle GPS trackers is that it works with mobile apps from Google and Apple, so you can track your motorcycle from your phone and not just your computer or a webpage. It comes with lots of tracking options as well. You can create zones and be alerted if your motorcycle moves outside of it. You can set speed alerts or other proximity alerts, which will be pushed to your phone via text and email. The Amcrest is a solid package for taking care of your needs, and there is no contract required to use it. How you use it will determine the battery strength, and, like other devices in this low-cost range, the batteries are a weak point, particularly if not re-charged correctly. Also, it relies on 2G coverage and does not connect with all carriers. To get your moneys worth out of this motorcycle GPS tracker, make sure to inquire about coverage in your area and this tracker, and be sure to read the instructions about recharging your GPS. Pros Works with apps from Google and Apple store Works with apps from Google and Apple store This GPS device allows you to create zones that you specifically want to monitor, such as your home to you know when your loved one leaves or returns. Set maximum speed alerts and proximity alerts for your vehicles to suit your needs. This GPS device allows you to create zones that you specifically want to monitor, such as your home to you know when your loved one leaves or returns. Set maximum speed alerts and proximity alerts for your vehicles to suit your needs. Receive text, push and email notifications straight to your personal device. Receive text, push and email notifications straight to your personal device. Long-lasting Stay connected with a longer battery life of 10-14 days on a full charge. Long-lasting Stay connected with a longer battery life of 10-14 days on a full charge. Access the reports from your GPS device from your PC, Mac or smartphone. Access the reports from your GPS device from your PC, Mac or smartphone. No contract required Cons GPS Tracker is limited to 2G and will only work in areas where there is 2G coverage. GPS Tracker is limited to 2G and will only work in areas where there is 2G coverage. Batteries can be faulty leading to short lifespan of the device 4 GPS Tracker Optimus 2.0 This low-end tracker has a better performance record than some of the others, making it one of the best motorcycle GPS trackers on the market. This GPS has a monthly subscription fee but no contract required and it comes with apps you can use to track your motorcycle from your phone. There is no limit to how much data you can save on the secure databases, and so will update you every 30 seconds while your motorcycle is moving, or you can upgrade it to update you every 10 seconds. Fortunately, there are only two reported issues from the reviews of this GPS tracker. It is slightly larger than some of the other models, making it a bit more challenging to hide securely. It also sends out false reports occasionally if the cell service is interrupted. Pros No Contract No Contract Adjustable position report frequency from 30 Seconds while moving. Adjustable position report frequency from 30 Seconds while moving. iPhone and Android App iPhone and Android App Email and Text Message notifications for Movement, Speeding, Leaving or Entering Areas, etc. Email and Text Message notifications for Movement, Speeding, Leaving or Entering Areas, etc. Unlimited Tracking Data Saved During Service Unlimited Tracking Data Saved During Service SIM Card and Data Plan all Included SIM Card and Data Plan all Included Easy to install and use Cons Will occasionally send out false reports if it loses cell service Will occasionally send out false reports if it loses cell service Slightly larger than other models Which of the best motorcycle GPS trackers have the best batteries? 5 Trackmate Mini 3G H GPS Tracker for Vehicles Unlike the previous models of the best motorcycle GPS trackers, the Trackmate does not rely on a rechargeable lithium battery. Instead, it is hardwired directly into the motorcycle battery itself. This has the benefit of preventing the GPS from turning off when the battery dies at inopportune times. The downside of this setup is that installation is more difficult, and while the device is easily concealable, it also has wires running between it and the battery. This connection can cause your motorcycle battery to run down if you do not monitor it closely, causing both the device and motorcycle to fail to operate. This is a 3G tracker and has better accuracy than the previous 2G GPS trackers, making this one of the best motorcycle GPS trackers on the market. Pros On/Off Detection, Speed Indicator, and Live Map Tracking. On/Off Detection, Speed Indicator, and Live Map Tracking. Numerous alerts such as low-battery, tampering and towing. Historical location reports available. Numerous alerts such as low-battery, tampering and towing. Historical location reports available. All-Weather Resistant and Waterproof. All-Weather Resistant and Waterproof. STAY IN TUNE: Unique system Tracks via AT&T and T-Mobile networks, simultaneously. STAY IN TUNE: Unique system Tracks via AT&T and T-Mobile networks, simultaneously. EASILY CONCEALABLE: 3.4 X 1.75 X 0.50 , 2oz. No visible external light. Cons Can drain the motorcycle battery Can drain the motorcycle battery Challenging to install since it is hardwired to the motorcycle battery 6 MotoSafety Mwaas1P1 Wired 3G GPS Car Tracker The MotoSafety Mwaas1P1 is another hardwired GPS tracker that you can use on your motorcycle. It also uses 3G service and, as long as you are in the United States, typically does an excellent job of tracking through mobile apps. It sends detailed reports, particularly useful for tracking teen drivers, such as speeding, hard braking, and curfew notices. You must subscribe to a monthly fee, but there are no contracts. Overall, this is one of the best motorcycle GPS trackers. There are about 10% of customers though who encounter significant issues trying to get this GPS to function properly. Many of these are being used in cars, rather than motorcycles. However, since this GPS is hardwired into the vehicle system, the fault seems to be a compatibility issue, between the GPS and the vehicle. There are no reports of which vehicles are incompatible or why. You take a small risk with this GPS that it may not be compatible with your motorcycle. Otherwise, this is one of the best motorcycle GPS trackers. Pros Monitor driving activity using Google Maps. Monitor driving activity using Google Maps. Use GPS to review driving routes, set geofences around key locations and know when the vehicle is in use after curfew. Use GPS to review driving routes, set geofences around key locations and know when the vehicle is in use after curfew. No contracts or cancellation fees. No contracts or cancellation fees. Track anywhere with free GPS tracking mobile apps with real-time email & text message alerts. Cons Has some issues updating consistently Has some issues updating consistently Only works in the United States 7 ATian Vehicle Car personal GPS/GSM/GPRS/SMS Tracker The ATian GPS Tracker is one of the less expensive of the best motorcycle GPS trackers available. It comes with both a Lithium-ion battery and power supply to be installed to the motorcycle battery. Be warned though, that it will drain both rather quickly if you use it continuously. The lithium-ion battery, for example, is only rated up to 29 hours of continuous use, meaning you have to recharge it daily. This GPS is not waterproof so some kind of external cover may be necessary to keep it working correctly. It comes with a remote control though, to turn it on and off without getting on the motorcycle yourself. The biggest challenge with this GPS is that they do not provide a SIM card in it. Being foreign made, they have adapted to the global cellular service challenge by forcing you to get your own SIM card for it. This means that, although there is only a minimal service fee for using this GPS, you have to pay a cell service company to use it. With the frequent false alerts reported in the reviews on this GPS, that cell service bill can cost you a pretty penny. Pros Single Locating Single Locating Auto track continuously Auto track continuously Track with limited times upon time interval, Smart track upon time and distance interval Track with limited times upon time interval, Smart track upon time and distance interval The tracker will update the positions automatically to web server once the vehicle changing driving direction over preset angle value to form a smooth trajectory consistent with the actual road, this function works only in GPRS /GSM mode Cons Drains motorcycle battery Drains motorcycle battery May often send false alerts May often send false alerts Requires a SIM card and the additional cost of that cellular service. Looking for a higher end GPS for your motorcycle? 8 AES RGT90 GPS Tracker The difference (besides the price) between the AES RGT90 and some of the other best motorcycle GPS trackers that operate with a lithium-ion battery, is that the folks over at AES implemented a sleep mode into their device. That saves you hours and hours of battery use wasted when your motorcycle is simply sitting in your garage. That is how they are able to get 90 days worth of use out of their battery. The other reason that this GPS tracker costs so much is that it has the broadest range of the best motorcycle GPS trackers extending all through North America and over 100 other countries as well. By comparison, most other trackers have difficulty even covering the USA alone. Pros Works Anywhere in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, plus over 100 other countries Works Anywhere in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, plus over 100 other countries Internal battery Operates GPS tracker up to 90 days on a single charge. Recharges by Micro USB for better convenience. Charge using any USB Charger. Internal battery Operates GPS tracker up to 90 days on a single charge. Recharges by Micro USB for better convenience. Charge using any USB Charger. Covert, Discrete, Waterproof Magnetic Case Covert, Discrete, Waterproof Magnetic Case Goes to sleep when the vehicle is parked for 5 minutes or more. Displays the last location before going into Sleep Mode. Access anytime via text. Goes to sleep when the vehicle is parked for 5 minutes or more. Displays the last location before going into Sleep Mode. Access anytime via text. Track on your phone or on the website. You can also receive GPS coordinates via SMS Text. Cons Phone app is not the easiest to use Phone app is not the easiest to use Relies on magnetic attachment What is the best reviewed of the best motorcycle GPS trackers? 9 Goome 3G/WCDMA/GSM/GPS GM36W The Goome has the least amount of negative reviews of the best motorcycle GPS trackers on the market. It also has the fewest reviews in total, so take that with a grain of salt. Many of the reviews commented that they got more value than they expected from this GPS. It is easy to install and very accurate, and the company offers global service. The only problem the reviews have reported is that the app associated with this tracker is in Chinese and can be difficult to navigate. Even so, most customers were able to use this GPS quite well directly through SMS communication between their phones and devices. Pros Support 3G/WCDMA/GSM/ Network Support 3G/WCDMA/GSM/ Network Waterproof features, level IP67 will prevent water damage the inter electric components. Waterproof features, level IP67 will prevent water damage the inter electric components. Geo-fencing, playback history tracks, speeding alarm, low power &battery alerts, etc. Geo-fencing, playback history tracks, speeding alarm, low power &battery alerts, etc. OTA Upgrade Program, Anti-theft OTA Upgrade Program, Anti-theft One year free trial for North America customers Cons App is Chinese and hard to navigate App is Chinese and hard to navigate Can be difficult to find to purchase What is the least expensive best motorcycle GPS tracker on the market? 10 MOTOsafety OBD GPS Tracker Device Here is the least expensive of the best motorcycle GPS trackers you can find. This GPS, like several of the others reviewed, was made with teen drivers in mind. It gives comprehensive reports on driving stats, but it is not meant to be long-lasting. If you are looking for a short-term GPS tracker, and you are living in the US, this is an inexpensive option for you. If you are looking for a GPS for security reasons, you may want to see another option. Pros Monitor driving activity using Google Maps. Monitor driving activity using Google Maps. Get a complete driving report cards that score safe driving habits such as speeding, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration to improve driving habits. Get a complete driving report cards that score safe driving habits such as speeding, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration to improve driving habits. 3G vehicle tracking coverage that updates every minute in the US, Canada, and Mexico 3G vehicle tracking coverage that updates every minute in the US, Canada, and Mexico Track anywhere with the free GPS tracking mobile apps and real-time email & text message alerts. Track anywhere with the free GPS tracking mobile apps and real-time email & text message alerts. Use the GPS tracking to review reports such as driving routes, set geofences around key locations (school, home, or friends house) and know when the vehicle is in use after curfew. Cons Inconsistent updating Inconsistent updating Only works in the US So, how do these reviews line up? Best Motorcycle GPS Trackers Buying Guide Best Value The MOTOSafety OBD GPS Tracker is the least expensive option if you are looking for a short-term tracker for your motorcycle. It is made for tracking the driving habits of teenage drivers. The Trackmate is a more expensive device, but it has a lower monthly subscription cost and is hardwired into your motorcycle, so you dont have to worry about recharging the battery. The ATian GPS tracker is inexpensive as well, but you may end up paying more for your SIM card (not included) usage. Accuracy The AES is the most expensive of the best motorcycle GPS trackers but can provide you with some of the best accuracy across the greatest number of countries. The ATian is one of the least expensive devices but can offer service in any country you can get a SIM card to use in it. The Goome GPS also provides excellent service if you can navigate the Chinese app or use SMS to connect to the device. Durability How long do the best motorcycle GPS trackers last? The most durable of these trackers are the ones that are hardwired into your motorcycle battery. The lithium-ion battery is one of the earliest failing points on these devices, and if it doesnt have one, it lasts that much longer. You also want one that is waterproof, to prevent moisture from damaging the electronics. The Trackmate is a great hardwired GPS that is recommended for motorcycles and is waterproof. It is one of the more durable of the best motorcycle GPS trackers. There is one exception to the battery rule, and that is the AES RGT90 GPS tracker. This tracker, because of its sleep mode, causes less wear on the battery and ends up lasting much longer than any other GPS with a lithium-ion battery. Conclusion You can get inexpensive GPS trackers if you are only interested in short-term use. If you want something to last longer, you need to spend a little more money. You also need to be able to install it to your motorcycle battery. It is also important to watch for the subscription costs. The device may be inexpensive, but most subscriptions are around $20 each month. Some may require cell phone contracts (although most do not). Also, the more expensive GPS trackers have better service (3G instead of 2G) and a much wider area of coverage. If youre looking for the best motorcycle GPS trackers, the reviews suggest checking out the AES RGT90 and the Trackmate Mini 3G H GPS Tracker. The system is designed to enable high performance computing applications for physics to interact, in real time, with big data in order to improve scientists ability to make quantitative predictions. IBMs systems use a GPU-accelerated, data-centric approach, integrating massive datasets seamlessly with high performance computing power, resulting in new predictive simulation techniques that promise to expand the limits of scientific knowledge. The University of Michigan is collaborating with IBM to develop and deliver data-centric supercomputing systems designed to increase the pace of scientific discovery in fields as diverse as aircraft and rocket engine design, cardiovascular disease treatment, materials physics, climate modeling and cosmology. The collaboration was announced this week in San Jose at the second annual OpenPOWER Summit 2016. The OpenPOWER Foundation, which U-M recently joined, is an open, collaborative, technical community based on IBMs POWER architecture. Several other Foundation members contributed to the development of this new high performance computing system, which has the potential to reduce computing costs by accelerating statistical inference and machine learning. OpenPOWER Foundation: new servers and big data analytics innovations At the second annual OpenPOWER Summit, the OpenPOWER Foundation revealed more than 50 new infrastructure and software innovations, spanning the entire system stack, including systems, boards, cards and accelerators. These new products build upon 30 OpenPOWER-based solutions already in the marketplace. Foundation members introduced more than 10 new OpenPOWER servers, offering expanded services for high performance computing and server virtualization. Working with IBM, U-M researchers have designed a computing resource called ConFlux to enable high performance computing clusters to communicate directly and at interactive speeds with data-intensive operations. The ConFlux cluster will be built with ~43 IBM Power8 CPU two-socket Firestone S822LC compute nodes providing 20 cores in each, and fifteen Power8 CPU two-socket Garrison compute nodes providing an additional 20 cores each. Each of the Garrison nodes will also host four NVIDIA Pascal GPUs connected via NVIDIAs NVLink technology to the Power8 system bus. Each node has a local high-speed flash memory for random access. All compute and storage is connected via a 100 Gb/s InfiniBand fabric. The IBM and NVLink connectivity, combined with IBM CAPI Technology will provide an unprecedented data transfer throughput required for the data-driven computational physics researchers will be conducting. Hosted at U-M, the project establishes a hardware and software ecosystem to enable large-scale data-driven modeling of complex physical problems, such as the performance of an aircraft engine, which consists of trillions of molecular interactions. ConFlux, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, aims to advance predictive modeling in several fields of computational science. IBM is providing servers and software solutions. There is a pressing need for data-driven predictive modeling to help re-envision traditional computing models in our pursuit to bring forth groundbreaking research. The recent acceleration in computational power and measurement resolution has made possible the availability of extreme scale simulations and data sets. ConFlux allows us to bring together large scale scientific computing and machine learning for the first time to accomplish research that was previously impossible. Karthik Duraisamy, assistant professor in the U-M Department of Aerospace Engineering and director of U-Ms Center for Data-driven Computational Physics ConFlux meshes well with IBMs recent focus on data-centric computing systems. Scientific research is now at the crossroads of big data and high performance computing. The explosion of data requires systems and infrastructures based on POWER8 plus accelerators that can both stream and manage the data and quickly synthesize and make sense of data to enable faster insights. Sumit Gupta, vice president, high performance computing and data analytics, IBM Advanced technologies such as data-centric computing systems are at the forefront of tackling big data challenges and advancing the pace of innovation. By moving computing power to where the data resides, organizations of all sizes can maximize performance and minimize latency in their systems, enabling them to gain deeper insights from research. These data-centric solutions are accelerated through open innovation and IBMs work with other members of the OpenPOWER Foundation. The incorporation of OpenPOWER technologies into a modular integrated system will enable U-M to configure the systems for their specific needs. ConFlux incorporates IBM Power Systems LC servers, which were designed based on technologies and development efforts contributed by OpenPOWER Foundation members including Mellanox, NVIDIA and Tyan. It is also powered by the latest additions to the NVIDIA Tesla Accelerated Computing Platform: NVIDIA Tesla P100 GPU accelerators with the NVLink high-speed interconnect technology. (Earlier post.) Additional data-centric solutions U-M is using include IBM Elastic Storage Server, IBM Spectrum Scale software (scale-out, parallel access network attached storage), and IBM Platform Computing software. In an internal comparison test conducted by U-M, the POWER8 system significantly outperformed a competing architecture by providing low latency networks and a novel architecture that allows for the integrated use of central and graphics processing units. As one of the first projects U-M will undertake with its advanced supercomputing system, researchers are working with NASA to use cognitive techniques to simulate turbulence around aircraft and rocket engines. Theyre combining large amounts of data from wind tunnel experiments and simulations to build computing models that are used to predict the aerodynamics around new configurations of an aircraft wing or engine. With ConFlux, U-M can more accurately model and study turbulence, helping to speed development of more efficient airplane designs. It will also improve weather forecasting, climate science and other fields that involve the flow of liquids or gases. U-M is also studying cardiovascular disease for the National Institutes of Health. By combining noninvasive imaging such as results from MRI and CT scans with a physical model of blood flow, U-M hopes to help doctors estimate artery stiffness within an hour of a scan, serving as an early predictor of diseases such as hypertension. Studies are also planned to better understand climate science such as how clouds interact with atmospheric circulation, the origins of the universe and stellar evolution, and predictions of the behavior of biologically inspired materials. Hard times are ahead for Green River. Green River has gone through five straight years of budget cuts; and this coming fiscal year is no different. In fact, its worse. The state took some large hits this year, Green River finance director Chris Meats said. The city will plan a budget with a substantial cut in funds totaling $1.2 million. The deficit comes from two avenues of revenue; consensus funding from the county and sales taxes revenue. The state has also cut its budget for the past five years. This year, Meats said the governor and state legislature cut about $500 million... Officers responded to a motorist assist regarding a vehicle stuck and blocking a turning lane, on Uinta Drive and Roosevelt Drive. Officers issued a traffic warning for allegedly speeding in a school zone at 250 Monroe Avenue. Officers contacted an individual who reported a nuisance regarding smoke from wood stoves in the area on Colorado Drive. Officers received a call of a vehicle with mechanical problems on the bridge on Uinta Drive. Officers worked traffic control while the motorist had help arrive and tow the vehicle. Officers responded to the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 s... Allegedly failed to report residence A registered sex offender who is accused of failing to report his change of residence, which happened to be near a school, and employment could serve prison time. Lonnie Phillip Moffitt, 41, of Green River was convicted in 1999 of third-degree sexual assault. Since then, he is required to notify the proper authorities on his employment or residential changes, however, he is accused of failing to do so. Moffitt appeared in Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at an arraignment to two felony charges and three misdemeanor charges. The felonies, sex offender failure to report change of... Frederick Alexander Banks, 52, of Rock Springs, passed away March 26, 2016 at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, surrounded by his friends, following a valiant battle with cancer. He was born on Dec. 22, 1963 in Buffalo, N.Y., the son of Arnold Banks and Nora Mae Burkes. He served honorably in the United States Army and was a member of American Legion, Archie Hay Post No. 24 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2321. He was employed as a carpenter for Doud BTS Construction. His interests were vintage guitars, music, bull riding and riding snowmachines. He enjoyed visiting with people and veterans were among his close friends. Following cremation, memorial services with military honors will be conducted at 11:30 a.m., April 9 at the American Legion Archie Hay Post No. 24, 543 Broadway, Rock Springs. What would make your medicines cheaper? Thats a question Americans are asking every time they go to the pharmacy and find the price of a maintenance drug theyve been taking has doubled or tripled, or that a new medicine, like one of the new diabetes drugs, their doctors have prescribed is beyond their means. Increasingly the answer from the drug industry, which pretty much can charge whatever it wishes, is more patient assistance programs that come in the form of coupons, co-pay cards, or vouchers to help people buy their drugs. People needing help can also apply directly to a pharmac... Are you in the market for some baked goods? Try our local bakery, The Daily Knead, located downtown on Flaming Gorge Way. Loanda Slaton opened her bakery about 5 and a half years ago to start a college fund for her two sons. She and her son, Aaron, do all the baking themselves and everything they sell is homemade. Loanda said that she decided to start a bakery because she loves baking for other people. She really enjoys watching peoples expressions as they take a bite of one of her goodies and seeing the look of joy that comes over their faces. Some of their specialty items are their H... Sweetwater County, like every other governing body in Wyoming, faces a severe funding problem as a result of a decline in natural gas and coal prices. Discussion taking place between the Sweetwater County Commissioners Tuesday morning heavily foreshadow tough economic choices to be made amongst the county department heads and the directors of its satellite agencies. With a projected 20 percent decrease in county revenues, amounting to a loss of about $8 million total, the county commissioners are doing the right in telling the various groups they fund not to expect the same level of funding... Grease is the word; Linzi Johnson sits while Julia Eaton toys with her hair as Kayla Gibson and Ali Dewey watch, The four performed in a dress rehearsal for "Grease: The Musical" at Green River High School Monday evening. The ever-popular movie "Grease" will come to life in the form of a musical this week at the high school. The Green River High School Theater Department is putting on "Grease" the musical Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. at the GRHS theater. Tickets can be purchased at the door or from the administration office ahead of time for $5 for students and seniors and $7 for general admission. GRHS theater director Terrin Musbach said the production was adapted for the stage from the film by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The stage version was then adapted for school audiences. "W... Senior menus/activities April 6, 2016 Golden Hour Senior Center Menu April 7-13 Thursday - Artichoke chicken, rice pilaf, Harvard beets, fresh fruit, roll, brownie Friday - Fish sandwich with lettuce and tomato, French fries, coleslaw, Jello Monday - Indian tacos, refried beans, fruit, pudding Tuesday - Baked tilapia, seasoned rice, spinach, peach cobbler, biscuit Wednesday - Pizza, hawaiian and sausage, olive cup, cottage cheese with tomato, dessert Golden Hour Senior Center Activities April 7-13 Thursday - Diabetes and me, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Coffee break with Mayor Pete Rust, 11 a.m. Exercise class, 11 a.m. Bridge, 12:30 p.m. P... For access to this article please sign in or subscribe. From April 10 through 16 the Sweetwater County Library System joins libraries nationwide in celebrating National Library Week, a time to highlight the dynamic changes happening in todays libraries. Libraries today are more about what they do, for and with library users as opposed to what they have for patrons. Libraries arent only a place of quiet study, but are creative and engaging community centers where people can collaborate, attend fun and educational programs, or just relax. The library offers access to a variety of print and digital resources, including online homework help, e... Top U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Irish rival Allergan are charting independent futures after scrapping a record $160 billion deal torpedoed by new Treasury Department rules meant to block American companies from moving their corporate addresses overseas on paper to avoid U.S. taxes. The rules issued Monday, aimed at stopping the companies' "tax inversion" deal, wiped out its financial incentives and rationale for Pfizer Inc., though they had no impact on Allergan PLC. That led Pfizer and Allergan to walk away "by mutual agreement" on Wednesday. Pfizer, which is based in New York, will pay Allergan $150 million as reimbursement for its deal-related expenses. It was Pfizer's third, and most expensive, failed attempt at an inversion, leaving analysts to speculate Pfizer will drop the strategy for good. The merger would have moved Pfizer's address, but not its operations or headquarters, to Ireland, where it would have paid hundreds of millions of dollars less in annual U.S. corporate taxes. Tax inversions, in which a big U.S. company buys a smaller one in another country with a lower tax rate, and then moves the combined company's address there on paper, are a hot issue in the presidential race. President Obama on Tuesday called them "one of the most insidious tax loopholes out there," adding that Treasury's new rules are meant to make wealthy corporations shoulder their tax responsibility like working-class Americans. Pfizer and Allergan regrouped Wednesday and began touting their prospects as solo companies. They are far from being in dire straits as they contemplate their next moves: Both are highly profitable, have multiple lucrative medicine franchises and strong pipelines of experimental drugs, and each have enough cash to quickly do another deal. Shares of Pfizer rose 4.8 percent to $32.87, while Allergan shares jumped 7.7 percent to $244.20 Wednesday afternoon. "We can pivot very quickly from combination planning to independent planning," Allergan CEO Brent Saunders told The Associated Press, adding that both companies were prepared for a Treasury move to block their deal but considered it a small risk. Saunders already is focused on closing Allergan's $40.5 billion deal to sell its generic drug business to Israel's Teva Pharmacueticals Industries Ltd., the world's top generic drugmaker. He expects that to close by the end of June, bringing Allergan about $36 billion after taxes to invest in "opportunities." Those include mergers and acquisitions, buying rights to experimental drugs, share repurchases and paying down part of Allergan's $40 billion in debt, Saunders told The AP. Best known for its Botox anti-wrinkle injections and Restasis drops for dry eye disease, Allergan had a profit of $3.7 billion on revenue of $15 billion last year. The company is the result of multiple inversions, and despite its Dublin address operates from offices in Parsippany, New Jersey. "Allergan will continue to invest in the United States," Saunders said, with a focus on jobs creation, expanding factories and research facilities, and doing research on cures for diseases with huge unmet need. Nomura analyst Shibani Malhotra wrote that Allergan's share price underestimates its stand-alone value, adding that "Allergan offers some of the best, most durable assets in the sector." It is currently launching several new drugs: Vraylar for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Viberzi for irritable bowel syndrome and Kybella for reducing double chins. It's also in the final stage of patient testing of Rapastinel, a new type of depression drug. Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, pain treatment Lyrica and pneumonia vaccine Prevnar-13, said in a statement that its "late-stage pipeline has several attractive commercial opportunities" in multiple disease areas. "We also maintain the financial strength and flexibility to pursue attractive business development," CEO Ian Read said in a statement. He declined interview requests. Pfizer's statement said it will decide by year's end whether to separate its established products business, which sells older, mostly off-patent drugs and accounted for nearly half of Pfizer's sales and profit last year. That could indicate Pfizer has given up on inversions and is "back to usual business once again," Bernstein analyst Dr. Timothy Anderson wrote to investors Wednesday. He kept his "Buy" recommendation on Pfizer, adding, "We need a clearer vision of what 'Plan B' might be." Pfizer has endured years of relentless pressure from Anderson and other analysts to break up the company so growth and profits could accelerate. That's easier said than done, given Pfizer's huge scale, increasing pressure from insurers for bigger medicine discounts and revenue that's been declining for several years as multiple blockbusters such as cholesterol drug Lipitor have lost billions in annual sales to much-cheaper generic copycats. Pfizer had $23.3 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments available at the end of 2015, when it posted a profit of $9.1 billion on revenue of $49.6 billion. It's made several mega-acquisitions over the past two decades that allowed it to cut costs and increase sales to boost profits quickly. Deals like last year's purchase of injected drug maker Hospira have kept Pfizer among the top global drugmakers but haven't pleased investors enough, ultimately triggering the 2010 ouster of Read's predecessor. The Allergan deal's demise could deter other tax inversions in the works exactly the impact the Obama administration is seeking. Other health care companies have recently done or are planning inversions, including fellow drugmakers Baxalta Inc. of Bannockburn, Illinois, and Shire PLC of Ireland, which are planning a $32 billion inversion deal. Meanwhile, Medtronic PLC, which relocated from Minnesota to Dublin in January 2015 after buying fellow medical device maker Covidien for $42.9 billion, said in a statement that it had done a preliminary review of the new Treasury rules and concluded they wouldn't have a material effect on the company. Read has said the deal was needed because U.S.-based drugmakers are at a major disadvantage to their multinational rivals based in Europe and elsewhere, who face lower corporate tax rates. Other U.S. companies likewise have complained about the top U.S. tax rate of 35 percent which few ever pay and the U.S. taxing them on profits made overseas. As a result, Pfizer and other companies are keeping billions in overseas profits outside the U.S. to avoid a big tax bill if they "repatriate" those profits. Mystified Outer Banks tourists witnessed a bizarre act of nature Friday, Oct. 14, as fish began flinging themselves onto the beach at Ocracoke Island. Multiple videos shared on social media show the ocean appeared to boil with fish as they tumbled over each other in the surf. The so-called bluefish blitz concluded with thousands of dying fish piled on the sand, flopping up and down as ... GREENSBORO Guilford College trustees extended President Jane Fernandes contract through 2022. Fernandes got a three-year contract when she was hired in July 2014. The private liberal arts college announced Thursday that the five-year extension will keep her on campus through June 30, 2022. In a statement, Ed Winslow, chairman of the colleges Board of Trustees, called Fernandes an inspiring leader who embodies Guilfords values and a no-nonsense manager who does not shrink from hard realities. Our trustees are united and enthusiastic in support of Janes leadership for our College, said Winslow, a Greensboro attorney. We have observed with appreciation how, during her initial tenure, Jane has confronted one challenge after the next with fortitude, resilience and compassion. Fernandes, the first deaf woman to lead an American university, formerly served as provost at UNC-Asheville and at Gallaudet University, a federally chartered private university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Washington. When Fernandes arrived at Guilford two years ago, the Quaker college was running a $2 million annual budget deficit and had lost about a quarter of its enrollment in the previous five years. Guilford cut 52 positions last summer. Since then, Fernandes has expanded Guilfords academic lineup. During the current academic year, the college added a cyber and network security major and signed an agreement with Elon University School of Law to offer Guilford students a faster path to a law degree. The colleges faculty recently approved a new major in sustainable food systems and a new masters degree program in criminal justice. The college also is planning to expand its post-graduate program in health professions. Also in the current academic year, Guilford led a national effort to get colleges and universities to provide shelter and support for Syrian refugees. Fernandes got national attention for her statement on diversity denouncing the new state law that prohibits local governments from barring discrimination in public accommodations and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I firmly believe we are on the verge of a remarkable renaissance at Guilford College, Fernandes said in a statement. Make no mistake we face a challenging road ahead, she added. But by putting Guilford first and pulling together we are quickly making big strides to move the college forward. Contact John Newsom at (336) 373-7312 and follow @JohnNewsomNR on Twitter. CHICAGO At least four people have made "credible allegations of sexual abuse" against former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday, citing unidentified law enforcement sources. The newspaper also reported that it had determined the identities of three accusers, all of them men whose allegations stem from when they were teenagers and Hastert was their coach in Yorkville, Illinois. One of them is dead. The other two accusers have been described in court documents only as Individual A and Individual D. Individual A declined to make any comment when approached by the newspaper. Individual D spoke privately to the newspaper, according to the Tribune. The newspaper did not name any of the men who are still alive, and it said it did not know the identity of the fourth accuser and offered no details about that person. The now-deceased accuser named by the Tribune had been named previously by The Associated Press as Stephen Reinboldt, a team equipment manager at Yorkville High School, where Hastert worked as a teacher and wrestling coach from 1965 to 1981. Individual A and Individual D, the Tribune said, were popular standout athletes in Yorkville from well-known families. Reinboldt's sister, Jolene Burdge of Billings, Montana, has told the AP that her brother told her his first homosexual experience was with Hastert and that the sexual abuse lasted throughout his time at Yorkville. Reinboldt died in 1995. Hastert, 74, is scheduled to be sentenced April 27. He pleaded guilty last fall to violating banking laws while seeking to pay $3.5 million in hush money to ensure Individual A stayed quiet about unspecified past misconduct by Hastert against that person. According to court documents, Hastert managed to pay $1.7 million to Individual A in lump sums of $100,000 cash and abruptly stopped making the payments in 2014 after the FBI questioned him about the large cash withdrawals. Keys aspects of the case have been shrouded in secrecy, starting with the May 28, 2015, indictment. The seven-page document only vaguely hints at Hastert's motivations for breaking banking law. Only two weeks ago at an unannounced court hearing did the judge and attorneys first broach sexual-abuse allegations in a mostly empty courtroom as they discussed Individual D possibly testifying at Hastert's sentencing. The Associated Press and other media outlets, citing unnamed sources, previously reported that Hastert wanted to hide claims he sexually molested someone. The agreement about the payments was regarded as an out-of-court settlement and not extortion, the newspaper reported. The Tribune did not say if both Hastert and Individual A saw the deal that way. On April 14, 2014, a sheriff's deputy found a vehicle belonging to Individual A on the side of the road and a later search uncovered envelopes stuffed with $100 bills totaling $24,400, the Tribune reported. In papers filed Wednesday, Hastert's lawyers asked Judge Thomas M. Durkin to spare Hastert time behind bars and give him probation instead, citing his deteriorating health and the steep price they say he has already paid in shame and disgrace. Prosecutors are expected to seek at least some prison time this week when they file their own sentencing papers, in which the government could also offer more details about Hastert's actions that underpinned the banking charge. The Tribune said it spent the 10 months after Hastert's indictment contacting people who may have knowledge of the case, including former students and athletes in Yorkville. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With a name like Art, its hard not to break into the creative field. Ive always loved and appreciated art and wanted to be an artist, Art Powers said. I love expressing myself both musically and visually. Powers, of Westport, opened the Art and Sound Gallery at 101 Mill St. in December. Nestled at the border of Greenwich and Port Chester, N.Y., the location was ideal for his new retail concept, which combines his passions for visual and audible art. He said Art and Sound provides a space for the latest developments in audio and video in an innovative gallery environment. His other company, Designed Sound, has worked for interior designers, architects and custom builders on audio and video installations for the last 30 years in Connecticut and New York. Having been in the industry for years, Powers sells everything from retro consoles and turntables to custom-build speakers, like the award-winning PlanterSpeakers, in his new brick-and-mortar space. He also rents out his space for company gatherings, meet-up groups and events. This is experimental; this is a concept store, he said. When he took over the Mill Street storefront, he planned on creating a standard audio store, like he previously did in Port Chester and White Plains. As an artist himself, however, he quickly realized his empty wall space could provide opportunities for local artists to display their works. Now, the entire space acts as a gallery, blending the art with his products and equipment. It fell into place, he said. Its something that was a natural transition and just came to me one day. I thought about the store design, and being an artist, thought of how if we changed the art regularly, we would have a fresh and brand new store every six weeks and a brand new group of people. Powers also emphasized the importance of keeping his business as local as possible. He works with local manufacturers like Madera Handcrafted in Tarrytown, N.Y., and partners with neighboring businesses, including Kneaded Bread and Famous Greek Kitchen, on providing food for his art openings. I try to source things locally, he said. Its kind of a farm-to-table approach to audio. Right now, patrons primarily learn about the space through word of mouth and exhibition openings, like the latest one this past Sunday. Audrey Nefores, the curator at Art and Sound, said more than 100 people attended the event, adding that theres an increased need for community-based arts spaces. I want to make sure art is an integral part of communities, she said. Id like to work with people who arent necessarily getting access to art or where the community may not necessarily have the spaces where art is available. Artists can also use the space if they dont have a studio. Once the show is over it doesnt mean that our support for them is over, Nefores said. The current exhibition, The Big Picture, features work from local photographers as well as better-known artists. Nefores met and spoke with all the exhibiting artists, who mostly hail from Greenwich and parts of Westchester County. Nefores and Powers hope to debut a new exhibit every six weeks with a fresh theme, new artists and different mediums. We have artists who are exhibiting for the first time ever, people who have always wanted to do photography, she said. But we also have people who have unbelievable lineages in art. Rosalind Schneider, an experimental filmmaker and mixed media artist, was one of the featured exhibitors at the opening. Though she started her career as an abstract expressionist painter, she has since expanded to include photography, videography and mixed media. She decided to display two small landscape paintings at Art and Sound after being connected with Powers through a mutual friend. I was really impressed what Audrey did with the hanging. Its a lot of work, and I thought it worked very well, she said. Theres a good possibility of this space becoming a destination point. I havent seen that combination before a gallery environment that also has to do with emphasis on sound. Powers also noted that the art itself helps keep the space alive and functioning. Though artists display their work at no cost, Art and Sound gets a 35 percent commission on any pieces sold at the gallery, and any revenue generated through sales helps with overhead expenses. Nefores said they also promote all featured artists on social media and in press releases as well as at events and through additional marketing measures, like the website. Megan.Dalton@scni.com; 203-625-4411 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 file photo / GT Show More Show Less 2 of 3 David Ames / Greenwich Time Show More Show Less 3 of 3 GREENWICH A few lucky visitors to the annual Experience the Sound day on June 26 will get a lesson in Greenwich history by water this year. In the past, the Greenwich Historical Society has led bicycle ride-and-stop tours as part of the towns Experience the Sound events. This year, the organization is teaming up with the Greenwich Point Conservancy and the Old Greenwich Yacht Club for a new twist on the trips. More Information The text of Malloy's letter: Dear XXX, As you already know, Mississippi has generated national news, with Republican Governor Phil Bryant signing discriminatory, anti-LGBT measures into law. Wittingly or unwittingly, HB 1523 sends a message to the world: Mississippi is closed-minded when it comes to human rights and does not celebrate the LGBT community. I'm writing to let you know that we in Connecticut are quite the opposite. In our state, your employees and customers would not face such institutional discrimination. We are inclusive. This law is no doubt alarming to those outside Mississippi, and I'm writing to let you know that we would certainly welcome you, your employees, and your customers to our state no matter their sexual orientation. We believe that diversity and inclusion makes us stronger for business. Connecticut has been at the forefront of fighting for civil rights over the past few decades. Connecticut passed a comprehensive anti-discrimination law concerning sexual orientation in 1991 and then expanded that law to cover gender identity or expression in 2011. In 2005, while many states around the country were using constitutional amendments to prohibit marriage equality, Connecticut stepped forward as the second state to create civil unions and then in 2010, we transitioned to full marriage equality. We've been a leader on these critical issues. That's why I'm writing you today. We believe in a modern day value system - and we believe in the future, not the past. We would celebrate your business in Connecticut if you were to consider relocating as a result of this discriminatory law. Not only are we an inclusive state, but we have one of the best-educated and most productive workforces in the nation. We lead the U.S. in patents, business R&D, and venture capital deals. We are strategically located between Boston and New York City, within reach of one-third of U.S. consumers and, not least of all, offer a high quality of life, safe communities and great schools. If Connecticut were a country, we would rank seventh in the world for productivity-even higher than the U.S. itself. Connecticut is an incredible place to live. Our state routinely ranks among the highest in quality of life and education, and the skill and dedication of our workforce is second to none. In short, beyond our openness and inclusiveness, we have much to offer to your business. We would welcome you and your employees in our state, no matter their sexual orientation. Unlike Mississippi, we stand up against discrimination. HB 1523 has obviously caused, and continues to cause, a national backlash that may be unconducive to the success of XXX. As such, I hope you will consider relocating to the State of Connecticut and we would be happy to discuss this further. Sincerely, Dannel P. Malloy This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD The father of a 25-year-old man shot and killed by police last month made a desperate 911 call before his depressed son waved what appeared to be a real gun, prompting SWAT team members to fire the fatal shots outside the Newfield home, according to unsealed search warrants. Dylan Pape purchased a BB gun at a Wal-Mart in Norwalk, hours before police mistook it for a real pistol on the night of March 21, according to the warrants. Police found a receipt for the gun, as well as a clipping from The New York Times, Adam Lanzas Mental Problems Completely Untreated Before Newtown Shootings. The warrants for Papes house and rental car provided no clues as to why the items, especially the article about Lanza who killed 20 first-graders and six adults in a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 were inside the Chevrolet Camaro. Papes parents, Linda and Richard, declined comment through their Stamford attorney, Mark Sherman, who also would not talk about the specifics of the warrant findings but said the family has been cooperating with State Police. This was a tragedy all around, and the family will wait for law enforcement to complete their investigation, Sherman said. State police have not released any information about what happened that night. Within 24 hours of the incident, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner made the unusual ruling that Papes death was a suicide-by-cop. It was only the second time in 20 years a police-involved shooting in Connecticut was determined to be a suicide. The affidavit accompanying the search warrant for Papes house and rental car provides the first insight into what led to the fatal shooting the first time Stamford police have killed a civilian in 31 years. According to the affidavit, Richard Pape called 911 and said his son was depressed and walking around the front of their Wedgemere Road home with a gun at about 7:40 p.m. on March 21. Richard Pape told dispatchers his son said, I have to do it. Pape said his son had been drinking that night and had no idea what he was doing. Pape also said his son made previous suicide attempts. As Special Response Team members arrived and negotiators tried to connect with Dylan Pape, the 2008 Stamford High School graduate continued to walk around the property and into the street, displaying the handgun and acting irrationally while getting in and out of his rental car, according to the affidavit. Pape ignored police commands to put the gun down and approached officers, placing them in a dangerous position for their own safety, the affidavit said. As a result of his actions, the affidavit said the officers were forced to shoot him. Wal-Mart receipt The SRT members who shot Pape were Lt. Christopher Baker, a 16-year member of the department and commander of the team, and Sgt. Steven Perrotta, who has been with the department for 12 years. Police found an instruction booklet for a XBC semi-automatic BB pistol and opened packaging inside Papes car, according to the affidavit. The pistol looks like a small semiautomatic gun and sells for about $25. Police also found a box of 15 C02 cartridges, BBs and a receipt for the items, including the gun, purchased at Wal-Mart in Norwalk on March 21, according to the affidavit. Police seized two laptop computers from inside the home and the residences surveillance camera system, the affidavit said. Pape was a plumber in training at Astacio Plumbing & Heating in Norwalk. His boss of two years, Richard Astacio, said Pape worked a regular day that Monday and left between 4:30 and 5 p.m. with no indication of the trouble that followed just a few hours later. He came to work in good spirits and was laughing, Astacio said of the last day he saw Pape. I wish there were signs. It took us all by surprise, and we are all hurting and praying for his family. DANBURY - Blue is not the only color for priority parking. A veterans advocate is promoting purple combat-wounded parking spaces, reserved for war veterans. Combat wounded parking spaces are already reserved at the Danbury War Memorial. The spaces are marked by signs with purple hearts that read Reserved - Combat Wounded, according to a release. The poets author, Calvin Trillin. Photo: Desiree Navarro/Getty Images Esteemed food writer and humorist Calvin Trillin is getting grilled for a poem in this weeks New Yorker that tackles the issue of Chinese food, or, more specifically, how complicated its become for serious food lovers to keep track of all the different types of Chinese food that are available. Called Have They Run Out of Provinces Yet? maybe not the best title it begins: Have they run out of provinces yet? If they havent, weve reason to fret. Long ago, there was just Cantonese. (Long ago, we were easy to please.) But then food from Szechuan came our way, Making Cantonese strictly passe. Szechuanese was the song that we sung, Though the ma po could burn through your tongue. Then when Shanghainese got in the loop We slurped dumplings whose insides were soup. Then Hunan, the birth province of Mao, Came along with its own style of chow. So we thought we were finished, and then A new province arrived: Fukien. .@NewYorker the answer is YES soon the world is going to run out of provinces for basic whites to gaze on and consume and toss to the side Eddie Huang (@MrEddieHuang) April 6, 2016 I wrote this in 45 minutes cause that's all Calvin Trillin gets "Have They Run Out of Pumpkin Spice Yet?" @NewYorker pic.twitter.com/rFNnMreCIN Eddie Huang (@MrEddieHuang) April 6, 2016 Has Calvin Trillin written a poem utilizing the syllable "Cruz" yet? Request here. Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) April 6, 2016 Asian-Americans are understandably tired of being the punchline of every food joke, but Times restaurant critic Pete Wells and others say Trillin should get the benefit of the doubt here: Before we beat Trillin to a pulp let's remember there are professional food writers who think "Asian food" is a meaningful phrase. Pete Wells (@pete_wells) April 6, 2016 Also this would be a good moment to go read Trillin's back catalog including his coverage of the civil rights movement. Pete Wells (@pete_wells) April 6, 2016 :whispers: Calvin Trillin may have miscalibrated his tone but I'm pretty sure he's making fun of white people David A. Graham (@GrahamDavidA) April 6, 2016 That Trillin poem is mostly about FOMO and stress about keeping up. His chow mein nostalgia is silly; he prob thought it was self-effacing. John Birdsall (@John_Birdsall) April 6, 2016 And yet other critics understand that this is a self-aware parody, but they take issue with the technical aspects of the poem itself. Three Asian-American writers have submitted their own rhyming poem about Chinese food: [The NYer, Guardian] These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Haiti - Politic : Jocelerme Privert in favor of an Verification Commission Wednesday President a.i. Jocelerme Privert on the sidelines of the government retreat held at the Karibe Convention Center declared "The implementation of the Verification Commission of elections of 2015 is indispensable to restoring confidence in the electoral process and political stability," recalling that the agreement of 6 February https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16533-haiti-politic-the-details-of-the-agreement-from-a-to-z.html to the point V) asks the "Implementation of the technical recommendations of the Independent Commission of Electoral Evaluation." which are in line with a thorough verification of certain decisions of contentious instances. Beyond any political interpretation of the words in the recommendations of the Independent Commission of evaluation it is stipulated "[...] a closer examination on the technical level of the responsibility of the electoral machine in the irregularities often assimilated to the massive fraud" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16231-haiti-elections-the-recommendations-of-the-commission-of-electoral-evaluation.html President Privert claimed to have received several proposals for terms of reference for the Verification Commission and that he would consolidate them in order to take into account the concerns of all stakeholders. With much more nuance, Prime Minister Jean-Charles said he was open to a certain form of verification stressing that there is a difference between the commission of verification and evaluation of steps already taken in the process provided for in the agreement of February 5 and promises for next week, a final decision on the issue. Wednesday, Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles said that "the priority of his government is determined and fixed by the agreement of 5 February, ie the continuation of the 2015 elections. The agreement of February 5, provides for the evaluation of the electoral process of 2015. We are open a certain form of verification, which must be as close as possible to the agreement of February 5." Note that Rosny Desroches, Executive Director of the Initiative for Civil Society (ISC) and former Spokesman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Evaluation (of which he was a member) recently reminded that it is impossible to know who benefited of irregularities in this election to the extent that all the candidates seem to have benefited. In addition he insists on those who raise their voices to demand these verifications because of fraud that they present strong evidence and not rumors. Recalling that in the conclusions of the report of the Independent Commission it is written only "[...] Members of the commission found no evidence of the presence of widespread electoral fraud to favor one candidate, only on the basis of testimonies gathered the commission said in its report that several candidates have received by their representatives benefited from their representatives to the BV of these irregularities assimilated to fraud." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Economy : The World Bank continues to work with Haiti Following the statements Tuesday of Ronald Lareche, Vice-President of the Senate at the end of a meeting with a delegation of the World Bank about the amending budget of the Haitian State, suggesting that the World Bank did not intend to finance the budget of the provisional government, before the outcome of the electoral process; The World Bank on Wednesday issued a statement through his Special Envoy to Haiti, which states "The World Bank continues to work with the Haitian Government to implement its portfolio in Haiti and prepare new operations that will be submitted for approval to the Board of Directors of the World Bank on a case by case basis. To recap, the World Bank portfolio in Haiti includes 15 projects for a total commitment of $ 735.53 million (figures of mid-February 2016) is the most important commitment of the World Bank in Haiti. The program finance projects of Government in areas such as the management of disaster risk, housing, electricity, transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, agriculture, education, health, regional development , private sector growth, and management of public finances." Note that France is the only country to make direct budget support to the Government of Haiti, other friendly countries, institutions, NGOs, Foundations or other, usually provide assistance through the financing of specific projects. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping politics... Funding of the next election Regarding the financing of the second round of elections, Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles announces that the government will solicit international partners, but ensures that an envelope will be dedicated in the amending budget for the continuation of the electoral process with or without support of the international. Agreement and Commissions of verification, the houses divided Ronald Lareche, Vice President of the Senate and the President of the Lower House, Cholzer Chancy, reiterated their commitment to the agreement of 6 February. For their part, the opposition in the lower house: the spokesman of the GPI (G11), Antoine Rodon Bien-Aime and the vice president of GPEP (G33), Sinal Bertrand, are demanding to the President a.i. and Prime Minister the creation of a Commission of Electoral truth. In the Senate Senators Antonio Cheramy (VERITE), Jean-Baptiste Bien-Aime (FANMI LAVALAS) and Ricard Pierre (PITIT Dessalin) continue to demand the formation of the verification commission of the 2015 elections. Senator Cheramy ruled in favor of a parliamentary commission of verification recalling that the Constitution allows each of the two branches of the legislature to investigate all matters it is seized. Governmental retreat Wednesday at the Karibe Convention Center, President a.i.Jocelerme Privert, accompanied by the Prime Minister, Enex Jean-Charles, attended the launch of the Governmental Retreat. The purpose of this retreat was to familiarize the new ministers with working mechanisms of Public Administration and the opportunity for each minister to present its roadmap and achieve a draft government action plan "We have no right to fail because the nation expects a lot of us," insisted President Privert. For his part, the Prime Minister urged ministers to implement the vision of the President of the Republic and to be at the service of the people, recalling that there was "no time for thanks. We are in a situation of budgetary austerity [...] We want a coherent government and cohesion in government action. I rely n you to contribute to this coherence and cohesion." Wise statement of the First Lady The First Lady, Dr. Ginette Michaud Privert had a meeting with the "Women's Coordination Unit" who presented their grievances relating both their defeat in the last elections than the feeling of great frustration that they experience through their exclusion. The First Lady said that "the struggle of women should not be conducted against men but with them, for the triumph of equity and the participation of all in a true democracy, where parity prevail." Aviol Fleurant received the Ambassador of Switzerland Aviol Fleurant, the new Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, received a courtesy visit from the Ambassador of Switzerland accredited to Haiti, Jean Luc Virchaux. During a brief work session Minister Fleurant briefed the diplomat of Switzerland of his determination to reform the cooperation component of the Ministry, one of the essential axes in the development process of Haiti. HL/ HaitiLibre Shaming your employer on social media might be considered a sackable offence, but employers need to weigh up whether the punishment is proportionate to the employees misconduct, or risk unfair dismissal claims. Employers need to take a step back and consider the evidence and the circumstances in which the event in question occurred before taking punitive action, says The Workplace employment lawyers Principal, Hannah Ellis. The totality of the circumstances need to be assessed when considering the gravity of misconduct, Ellis told HC Online. Instead you should ask yourself, what actually occurred and how serious is this when examined in the context, she says. HR professionals should be asking questions like what were the effects of the conduct, was the conduct wilful and deliberate, does the employee have an unblemished record and does the employee have a long period of service, Ellis says. These were points all taken into consideration in the recent Fair Work Commission decision to reinstate a sacked Centrelink officer who called clients spastics and junkies on a social media forum. The FWC ruled that his employer acted disproportionately in firing him over his comments and said that the employee caused no actual detriment to the department with his situational misconduct. Ellis says it is important for HR professionals to be asking themselves if there were any defects in procedural fairness and if the investigation was poorly executed before making the move to dismiss an employee. Employers should also consider what impact the termination will have on the employee, whether the employee showed remorse and what are the employees personal circumstances, taking into account any existing mental health issues. The FWC recognises that the employment relationship "is capable of sustaining some stresses and strains", as was the case in Perkins v Grace Worldwide, where an employee was fired for allegedly supplying marijuana in the workplace when there was no evidence that this had occurred. But termination should not be the only remedy for misconduct, Ellis says, reminding employers that there are other alternatives to consider before sacking a staff member. Termination is in a sense the ultimate disciplinary outcome, she says. There are other disciplinary sanctions available to an employer prior to dismissing an employee. In these circumstances a first and final written warning would have been appropriate. By Jesse Wood Appalachian State students held a march and rally on Thursday afternoon to protest House Bill 2, a sweeping law recently passed by the Republican-led N.C. General Assembly and signed by Gov. Pat McCrory. The law was passed in response to an anti-discrimination bathroom bill passed by Charlotte City Council in late February. The state law mandates that people use the bathroom of the gender on their birth certificate. After signing the bill, McCrory said that the Charlotte law defies common sense and basic community norms by allowing, for example, a man to use a womans bathroom, shower or locker room. This bathroom portion of the law made most of the headlines, but experts in employee discrimination law said that HB2 unravels North Carolina workers right to bring action in state court for workplace discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or disabilities. It also prevents local governments from raising the minimum wage. In a release prior to the rally, the group Appalachian State Student Power noted that they were demanding that ASU Chancellor Sheri Everts and UNC System President Margaret Spellings publically denounce the law. As long as the university and administration, including Chancellor Everts, neglect to oppose HB2, this university is complicit in its endorsement of hate-fueled bigotry and legislation and further enacts the violence faced by these communities, said App State student Huy Quang Tu said in a statement. Students on this campus are standing in solidarity with queer and trans people of color across the state after the passage of such an unjust and unwarranted bill. At the rally was Jules Wilson, a sophomore at App State. I thought it was important to be out here and recognize that HB2 is really not OK. Its very discriminatory to lots of students and very oppressive against a lot of students on this campus, Wilson said. I am here because this bill is basically just an example of everything really that I dont like about how this state is being run right now. I really think we need to stop letting this stuff happen. Its time for our generation to take a stand, said another student named Madison. Students dont even feel comfortable to go to the bathroom, something so small that everyone should have the right to do. I think its really good to be out here and support everyone that is being discriminated against and to show that all lives matter. See video of the students chanting in the universitys administration building here. Yesterday, Everts released a statement: Dear Appalachian Community: With the passage of House Bill 2 by the North Carolina Legislature and its signing into law on Wednesday, March 23 by Governor Pat McCrory, many in our community are concerned about how it will affect individuals on our campus and across the state. The UNC systems General Administration is working diligently to review and analyze the new law and we are working closely with our colleagues at GA to better understand how this will affect our campus. Some of you have reached out to share concerns and we want to assure you our campus remains committed to a diverse, inclusive, safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. Diversity is central to Appalachians well-being and academic mission. Related to the new law, there have been inquiries about single-occupancy restrooms on campus and we are pleased to share that the Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance, in partnership with the Henderson Springs LGBT Center, recently updated the listing of these facilities, which can be found here: http://edc.appstate.edu/single-occupancy-restrooms. Sincerely, Sheri N. Everts, Chancellor Darrell Kruger, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Cindy Wallace, Vice Chancellor, Student Development Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket By Jesse Wood As managing partner of the Boone Film Festival, the Wonderland Woods Production team pulled off quite a feat in hosting a film industry pioneer and legend this week for the inaugural Boone Film Festival, which takes place this Saturday, April 9. (The festival is sold out.) While you may not be familiar with the name, Dean Lyon, you will certainly recognize his work. Lyon is a visual effects specialist, who has been described in such a way: There are few who have helped pioneerand then continued to significantly influencean industry. Dean Lyon is one of those people. Lyon is serving as one of the judges in this years Boone Film Festival. I think there will be some really good quality clips shown at the festival, Lyon said Just a few of the film projects he has worked on include The Lord of the Rings trilogy (as visual effects supervisor), Jerry Maguire, Air Force One, Independence Day and so on. Hailing from Detroit, Mich., Lyon said he ran away to film school in California as a teenager and kind of just slid into the Hollywood industry. He started working in the visual effects and graphics industry in the 70s, employing techniques such as matte paintings, forced perspective, double exposure and slow motion without the aid of computers. Lyon said these were called practical effects back in the day. Of all of the famous films that Lyon worked on, The Lord of the Rings trilogy was obviously a favorite that he couldnt discount I travelled half way around the world to work on the biggest project and most famous in Hollywood, Lyon said. However, he noted that Air Force One, which starred Harrison Ford, was also a favorite. Lyon thought Ford was a great guy and also had the opportunity to meet former President Bill Clinton. Lyon and crew were able to board the real Air Force One to take measurements and recreate the setting inside the plane. [Bill Clinton] was very gracious. We had full clearance to do what we wanted to do, and it was also kind of cool to think of Harrison Ford as the next president, Lyon joked. In Boone, Lyon has met with and talked to middle school students of Two Rivers Community School as well as leaders in the community about potentially starting a film studio in the High Country perhaps a franchise of Splinter Studios. Lyon is the CEO of Splinter Studios, which is described a filmmaking company that has a disruptive business model compared to how Hollywood operates today. The idea is if we want to change the way of doing things, you need to train the next generation of technicians and artists, Lyon said. We could create an industry that makes it possible for people to learn the skill set and take that elsewhere in the world or stay here and do what they want to do right in their own backyard. Which is exactly what the Wonderland Woods Productions team is doing. The fellas that make up the Wonderland Woods Production Team Paul Halluch, Eitan Abramowitz and Jerry Sebastian first met Lyon at the G-Star School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Fla. They were attending the prestigious school working on a school-sponsored film when they met Lyon, who participated in the project. They stayed in touch and have now worked on the others projects. Lyon heaped praise on the young filmmakers. They are doing world-class work and traveling around the world doing stuff, but they just so happen to want Boone to be their home, and they are doing their part, giving back to the community, Lyon said. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket WHEN: April 7, 2016 12:00pm WHAT: Anti-House Bill 2 Rally at Appalachian State WHERE: Sanford Mall (300 Locust St, Boone, NC 28608) WHO: Appalachian State Student Power On March 23, North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Pat McCrory signed into law House Bill 2. This bill prohibits city and county governments from raising the minimum wage, and prohibits anti-discrimination policies that account for gender identity, expression, and sexual orientation. On April 7 members of Appalachian State Universitys campus community will rally on Sanford Mall to protest HB2 and demand that university administration and Chancellor Everts release a public statement opposing HB2. Students will also be demanding that Chancellor Everts and administration publically request that newly-appointed UNC System President Margaret Spellings states opposition to HB2 as well. If students are not met with an immediate response, they will all move to B.B. Dougherty and each student will one-by-one use the only single-occupancy restroom in the building, in Chancellor Everts office. As long as the university and administration, including Chancellor Everts, neglect to oppose HB2, this university is complicit in its endorsement of hate-fueled bigotry and legislation and further enacts the violence faced by these communities, said Huy Quang Tu, a student at Appalachian State University. Students on this campus are standing in solidarity with queer and trans people of color across the state after the passage of such an unjust and unwarranted bill. HB2 is a reflection of a state that relentlessly enacts violence upon black and brown queer and trans communities, said Hannah Seay, a student at Appalachian State University. Until Chancellor Everts and the administration release a public statement denouncing HB2, students on Appalachian States campus are subjected to an unsafe and hostile environment that we will not accept. We will not allow the university to function as usual while the university silently endorses violence against black, brown, queer, and trans bodies. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket By Kaitlan Morehouse Have you been to the Watauga County Public Library lately? Your local library has special events throughout the month of April. From celebrations to author talks to poetry events to storytellers, youre sure to be entertained! Anytime is a good time to come to the library, depending on what your needs are, said Monica Caruso, the Watauga County Librarian. Join the local branch for National Library Week festivities April 10-16. Read below for events, dates, times and more information regarding the National Library Week and other upcoming programs and events. Visit www.wataugacountylibrary.org or call 828-264-8784 for more information. The library is located at 140 Queen Street in downtown Boone. Library Hours: Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 10-16: National Library Week National Library Week, sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries school, public, academic and special all over the country, celebrates the contributions of libraries and librarians and promotes the support and use of the library. Each year the American Library Association has a different theme for the week. This week, the theme will be Libraries Transform. You can show your support by adding the National Library Week Facebook Cover Photo, Libraries Transform Twibbon to your profile picture on Facebook and/or Twitter or taking part in the Libraries Transform Video Challenge to showcase whats happening at your local library! If you swing by the library during these days, the library will have special giveaways and story time guests at 11 a.m. who include: Kathy Idol, library board John Welch, county commissioner Laura Donovan, musician David Still, meteorologist On Monday, High Country Lifelong Learners and the library will co-host and feature Hallstroms 2014 film The Hundred Foot Journey, from 2-4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 11 in the Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room. The PG movie, which stars Helen Mirren, Om Puri and Manish Dayal, tells the story of the Kadam family who leaves India for France and moves directly across the road from Madame Mallorys Michelin-starred eatery. Tuesday is National Library Workers Day, so be sure to thank your local staff for their service! Wednesday morning will feature a special musical story time in the Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room with Local Musician Laura Donovan. Arly, gray fox and Appalachian Regional Library mascot, will also be celebrating his birthday on Wednesday morning. He will be taking pictures with the kids from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and eating cake. Arly is native to North Carolina, like all gray foxes, and he roams around Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes counties. You can visit Arlys den here to learn more about Arly or gray foxes! The library will hide a bookmarks for a free Stick Boy Bread Company cookie coupon or for $1 off your book fines, so look for them throughout the day! There will be a Special Preschool Storytime, The Story Lady, at the Western Watauga Branch at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Local Storyteller Sharon Clarke will weave story and song in a dramatic reading with imagery and imagination for a delightful and engaging performance. Make sure to stick around and join Paula Finck at 2 p.m. on Thursday! She will show a short, 30-minute documentary about Granny D, who walked from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, D.C. in fourteen months, from 1999-2000, at the age of 84 to raise awareness for campaign finance reform. Granny D, longtime acknowledgement and middle name of Doris Haddock (as of August 19, 2004), was an American politician and political rights activist from New Hampshire. She passed away in 2010 at the age of 100. She wrote Granny D: Walking Across America in My Ninetieth Year, and co-wrote Granny D: Youre Never Too Old to Raise a Little Hell, Granny Ds American Century and Granny D with Dennis Burke. Finck will promote her solo book, but all of the books are available in the library. She was my mentor, and luckily, Ive been able to keep her memory alive, Finck said. Contact Paula Finck at 828-963-1164 for more information. April 13-15: Western Watauga Branch Friends Spring Book Sale Do you love a good book sale? The Friends Book sale will be held at the Western Watauga Branch during the following times: 4-7 p.m. (Friends group members only) You can join the night of for $5! 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. April 16: Shred and Protect, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Did you finish your taxes? If so, join the library and safely shred all those important personal documents and records that you dont need any more and protect yourself from identity theft on Saturday, April 16! Heres a list of possible papers to shred: Account numbers Birthdates Passwords or PINs Signatures Social Security Numbers Addresses physical, email or phone There will be a limit of 3 document boxes or 75 pounds of paper per attendee. The event will be sponsored by the Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU). Call 800-344-4846 (toll free) for more information. April 17: Author Visit: Meg Reid, 2 p.m. Join the local branch as it opens the Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room especially for Meg Reid, an editor, nonfiction writer and Deputy Director of Hub City Press! She will be coming from Spartanburg to present her book, Carolina Writers at Home, which is about North Carolina treasured writers. For her book, she interviewed all of the authors who live in North Carolina, such as Joseph Bathanti, Clyde Edgerton, Nikky Finney, Allan Gurganus, Jill McCorkle and George Singleton, about what home means to and what inspires them. The book will sold after the event. She has had essays featured in Chautauqua and Matter Journal, DIAGRAM, the Oxford American Fringe and The Rumpus. Friends of the Library will sponsor this event. The Community Favorite Poem event in the librarys Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room will be in observance of National Poetry Month and National Poetry Reading Day on Saturday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. At this event, you can present a poem of your own, a favorite poem or listen to your fellow community members present their Favorite Poem. There will be a master of ceremonies and refreshments at the event. Local poetry group Behind the Stacks and Friends of the Watauga County Library will co-sponsor the event, For more information, contact Paula Finck at 828-963-1164 or Adult Services Librarian Ross Cooper at 828-264-8784, Ext. 2. April 25: Small Investing for Teens: Writing Checks, 5-7 p.m. Do you worry about your teenagers being financially dependent adults? Worry no more! The April installment of the teen financial literacy workshop, Small Investing for Teens: Writing Checks, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 25. The NCWorks Career Center, 130 Poplar Grove Road Connector, will host its own workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 21. The two workshops will attempt to answer: As digital natives, teens have grown used to the online world but do they know enough to protect themselves. Your teenagers will learn to identify common scams and strategies for protect themselves both online and in real life. There will be food served at both workshops. RSVP to or call 828-264-8784 ext. 2 for more information. You can also visit the librarys $mart Investing website for tools to help your teen learn to manage their money. April 30: Author Visit: Eva Mull Wike, 11 a.m. Eva Nell Mull Wike, PhD, a story teller and author, will present her book, Fiddler of the Mountains Attuned to the Life and Times of Johnny Mull, which is an account of her Uncle Johnny. Wike has obtained her Uncles old acetate records and had them restored and put in a CD to accompany her book. In a release, Wike said: It all seems like some kind of a miracle that I accidentally got my Uncle Johnnys personal photos from a dear friend who had worked with Johnny up in Canton, in the 1950s. I no sooner got the photos from him, til a few days later he upped and died during open-heart surgery in Atlanta! About the same time, the Ohio landlady sent me the old acetate records which had been stored away in her closet for decades! Then just a few days later, her son called me to say that she had passed away. So in between sad times, I got down to business and wrote Johnnys story. And dog-on if my book didnt win the North Carolina Society of Historians AWARD! Clubs and Organizations April 6: Lego Club, 3:30 p.m. Does your child play with Legos? You can have them join the library and create and play with other kids in the Lego Club. The clubs next meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. on April 6. April 13 and 27: FANDOM Club, 4:30 p.m. Does your teenager belong to any fandom or strongly favor a media niche, such as The Lord of the Rings series or Doctor Who? Teenagers aged 12-18 can join the library for the FANDOM Club. Your child will explore a pre-selected book, graphic novel, manga, podcast, web series, anime or TV series. The club will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 and 27. Email Amy at [email protected] for more information. April 14 and 28: High Country Writers, 10 a.m. Do you love to write? Join the library as a guest for the High Country Writers, an organization that fosters the growth and creativity of writers of all genres offering its members support, constructive criticism and professional development, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 14 and 28. The meeting will feature Cynthia Gaw, local author of Bone of my Bones. For more information about the organization, membership and calendar of events, please visit the HCW website at http//:highcountrywriters.tripod.com. April 19: Elementary BOB Book Club, 4 p.m. Does your 4th and/or 5th grader enjoy reading? You can have them join the library for the BOB Book Club, which discusses Battle of the Books book selections, enjoys snacks and engages in fun activities. The club will meet at 4p.m. on Tuesday, April 19 to discuss this months The Homework Machine, by Dan Gutman. The Worst Book Club Ever, 3:30 p.m. Middle schoolers can join the library for The Worst Book Club Ever, which focuses on a book or theme of the month and allows kids to pick out their own selection and share it with the group. The next meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19 and will feature the book Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. April 21: Movie Group, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Do you like to watch movies? Join the librarys movie group from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 21. The group will show Anthony Asquiths 1952 film adaption of Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest. The movie is unrated. Call 828-264-8784 ext. 2 for more information. April 25: Pokemon Club, 3:30 p.m. Does your kid want and/or trade Pokemon cards? Have them join the library for its Pokemon club for its next meeting at 3:30 p.m. on April 25! April 26: Book Brunch Book Club, 1:30 p.m. Join the library for the club the Book Brunch Book Club. The next meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26 and will feature the book The 100-Year-Old man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Ongoing Library Programs Monday-Friday: Family Story Time, 11 a.m. Mondays: Alphabet Ready by 5 Tuesdays and Thursdays: Baby Lap Time, 10:30 a.m. Second Week every month: Lego Free Play Visit the Watauga County Public Librarys Childrens Services for more information. For more information, visit the library online or its Facebook page now! You can also call Watauga County Librarian Monica Caruso at 828-264-8784 or Branch Manager Jackie Cornette at 828-297-5515 or email the Library at [email protected]. Contact the library five or more days in advance if accommodations are needed before an event. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket (Reuters) Two funds managed by Gavea Investimentos Ltda, the hedge fund run by former Brazilian central bank President Arminio Fraga, posted heavy losses in March as bets on declining prices for financial assets in Asia and Brazil soured. Money managers at the Rio de Janeiro-based firm said in an investor letter that a strong global market rally led investors to pour more of their money into riskier assets last month. A weaker U.S. dollar hampered some of Gaveas bets, including so-called short-positions in currencies and equities in Brazil and Asian counterparts. To read this article: It is indeed a shocking piece of news and a serious blow to employment. Approximately one-fifth of the almost 7,000 jobs at Nokia will disappear. Extraordinary measures will be needed to recover from this, he states in a press release on the website of the Union of Professional Engineers . Pertti Porokari, the chairman of the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland, says he is shocked by yesterday's announcement that Nokia is about to shed a maximum of 1,300 jobs across its operations in Finland. Nokia announced on Wednesday that it has taken steps towards reducing its headcount worldwide as part of a synergy and transformation programme the objective of which is to deliver operating cost synergies of 900 million euros in connection with its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. The reductions will be largely introduced in business segments with overlap, such as research and development, regional and sales organisations, and corporate functions. The measures are an attempt to reinforce the position of the network equipment maker as an industry leader, says Rajeev Suri, the chief executive at Nokia. Porokari, in turn, estimates that the measures draw attention to the real consequences of the acquisition. It was a match between Finland and France. Finland lost. France was intent on protecting the jobs of French people, which it did. Judging by the outcome, Finland stood idly by during the match, he slams. He considers it obvious that such massive lay-offs will require extraordinary measures from both the network equipment maker and the central administration. You must take absolutely every measure possible to ensure people ensnared in the harsh transformation programme can find new jobs. I am afraid this blow will affect not only those being laid off but also those sticking around in the form of bigger workloads, he states. Jari Nummikoski, the chief shop steward for managerial employees, has similarly urged the network equipment maker to re-consider the reductions. Nokia's employees in Finland have 15 years of work experience on average: they are highly skilled in the information communications sector, they are committed to their work and their productivity is high in global comparison. Nokia can't afford to waste this expertise as it prepares for its new rise, he says. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi One should keep a cool head. The situation must be analysed carefully and calmly, while respecting the principles of the rule of law. Only then must one make determined decisions on further measures to combat tax evasion, he writes on his personal blog . Alexander Stubb (NCP), the Minister of Finance, has called for patience in the wake of the so-called Panama Papers data leak. A lot is at stake, he reminds: the reputation and future of several businesses, politicians and decision-makers. Bankruptcies and trials will undoubtedly come as surely will progress in international co-operation and information exchange. The data leak will change a number of things in a number of ways. I hope that it will, first and foremost, send a message to tax evaders that stashing taxable income abroad will become increasingly difficult in the future, writes Stubb. Related posts: - Nordea comes under criticism for alleged ties to tax havens (05 April, 2016) He reminds that every euro of lost tax revenue will dent the national economy. When everyone pays the taxes they are due to pay, the national economy will strengthen and we will be able to cut taxes. More tax evasion, on the other hand, increases the tax burden of honest businesses and citizens. It is unfair, and it cannot be tolerated. It is also a question of corporate conscience, adds Stubb. Not everything that is legal is necessarily right. The loss of reputation is very costly for businesses. A smart business recognises that investments in corporate responsibility, diligence in regards to tax obligations and the promotion of transparency are worthwhile. I am sure these virtues will become an increasingly important competitive factor for businesses in the future, he states. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Mikko Stig Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi BRCC, county schools win Golden Leaf grants Blue Ridge Community College won a grant for $1 million to equip a simulation lab at the Health Sciences Center at Pardee Hospital and Henderson County schools received $200,000 to expand a current pilot initiative that aligns the school courses with expected growth in health care and advanced manufacturing, the Golden LEAF Foundation announced. Related Stories In Henderson County, the $200,000 will be used for professional development and other training to expand the current pilot initiative in high schools to middle schools. The initiative aims to align the teaching and learning with expected growth in health care and advanced manufacturing in Henderson County. BRCC will use its grant of $1,087,500 to provide equipment and networking/technology at the new $46.5 Health Sciences Center under construction next to Pardee Hospital. The Golden LEAF grant will equip healthcare training facilities at the new Health Sciences Center with surgical and mannequin-based simulations, providing realistic hospital and healthcare experiences through a high-fidelity simulation lab. The Health Sciences Center is a partnership between BRCC, Wingate University, Pardee Hospital, the City of Hendersonville and Henderson County. BRCC is relocating its Associate Degree Nursing, Surgical Technology degree and diploma, Nurse Aide I and II certification, Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy certification programs to the Health Sciences Center. Blue Ridge Community College is excited to provide the community and the region with highly trained, highly skilled healthcare workers through this new facility, said BRCC President Molly A. Parkhill. The Golden LEAF grant will enable us to establish state-of-the art simulation labs for health care training. It is truly an investment in our future and in future generations of students in our area. "We are pleased to welcome the high-fidelity patient simulation lab to the new Health Sciences Center on the Pardee Hospital campus," said James M. Kirby II, president and CEO of Pardee Hospital. "This lab will give allied health students the hands-on, real-life experience they need to be successful in their chosen career fields. We look forward to seeing excellent learning opportunities and real-world applications for our community's students once this lab is complete." The Health Sciences Center is scheduled to open in August. There goes the neighborhood, residents say of railroad tankers FLAT ROCK Some residents are expressing concern about a long line of black tankers that railroad operator Watco is storing on the inactive tracks from Flat Rock to Zirconia. Related Stories Watco, a Kansas-based short line freight operator doing business here as Blue Ridge Southern Railroad Co., has told residents said that the tankers are empty and that theyll do no harm. Residents of Highland Lake Village, even if they buy that, are not so sure about the visual appeal of the black tankers. Ginger Brown, a Flat Rock Village Council member and resident of the neighborhood on Highland Park Road, says she was puzzled when the cars showed up on the abandoned line on March 19. Her neighbors, knowing shes on the Village Council, asked her to do something about it. Brown phoned Brigid Rich, the marketing director Blue Ridge Railroad. I called her twice last week and kind of complained a little bit, Brown said. She called me Friday and said some of those tankers had been called back into service. She said she couldnt promise that they wouldnt come back and bring friends. But theyre still there. She said they will be leaving this week. She said they might go this weekend. I did get some information they do have a lease contract with whoever owns those cars for a year with an option to renew. In an interview Monday, Rich told the Hendersonville Lightning that the tankers are empty residue cars that have no volatile chemicals or gas. Some are labeled for carrying LP gas. It could be an in-and-out kind of thing, she said of the duration. Although the line has not been used since 2002 and is not fully in service, we can use it, she added. Watco has stored about 30 tankers on the rail line between Highland Lake Drive and West Blue Ridge Road and parked almost 50 hoppers on either side of Mine Gap Road in Zirconia. Hauled crude oil Tom Zimmerman, a neighbor of Brown, said in an email to Brown that Blue Ridge Southern Railroads general manager had told him that the cars had last carried crude oil, were empty and that they would be there for an undetermined amount of time, as the owner or lessor of the cars was leasing the track that they occupy in order to park them there. An oversupply of crude oil has created a surplus of tankers that need a temporary home. Zimmerman noted that some of the cars are marked with the name Carbo, a Houston company that provides materials for the fracking industry. It might be assumed they are also idle because of the reduced activity in the fracking industry, he said. Brown talked to Mayor Bob Staton to let him know about her neighborhoods concern. But she recognizes the village has no power to intervene because the tracks are in unincorporated Henderson County. In the real world theres little I can do about other than to make a pest of myself, she said. Im trying to get everybody in my neighborhood involved. But while she organizes opposition Brown said shes grateful to Rich for returning her call and explaining the stored tankers. I told her one of the things that bothers us is that we had no information, no prior notice of the tankers moving in, Brown said. I hope that she can keep us in the loop in the future. Not a zoning issue Freight cars stored legally on a line owned by a railroad company is not something Henderson County can control, County Manager Steve Wyatt said. Like the proposed Duke Energy transmission line and a large new natural gas line now under construction, its a disruptive land use that the countys zoning ordinance does not reach. But unlike the transmission line, the railroad cars have provoked no constituent uprising. I had one call maybe a week or two ago, Wyatt said. Now that youve called Ive gotten two. We refer them to the railroad. Thats their property. Its a railroad. Its commerce. Brown is not giving up. She plans to contact MountainTrue, the environmental organization, to see if it might get involved. Of course were relived that theres nothing volatile in there, she said of the tankers. Were also taking the railroads word for that. We have no way of proving that theres nothing in them. We got word that the last time they were used they were used to haul crude oil. I feel a little bit better not having them there full of LP gas. That aside, were still upset that we have to look at these things, she added. My neighborhood maintains that road. We do litter pickup because thats the approach to our home. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has offered Fianna Fail the opportunity to take part in a so-called 'partnership' government following a dramatic day at Leinster House. The proposal was made after an hour-long meeting between Mr Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin - after neither was elected Taoiseach during a Dail vote. Exact details of the formal offer have to be teased out, but it is understood it will include an equal split of Cabinet positions, and while there was no mention of a rotating Taoiseach at the meeting, it is also an option. Significantly, Mr Kenny said that he wants as many as possible of the Independent TDs who have been involved in talks over the past fortnight to be part of the deal. A Fine Gael spokesman said Mr Kenny made an offer "for the purpose of forming a sustainable five-year government". Afterwards a Fianna Fail spokesman said: "At the meeting this evening between the Leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, Enda Kenny confirmed that he believes a Fine Gael minority-led government or a Fianna Fail-led minority government would not work and that a full partnership of Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Independents would be his preferred option. "There was an hour-long talk and Micheal Martin will discuss this and other options with his parliamentary party." Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will hold meetings of their parlimentary parties today to discuss the latest developments before Mr Kenny and Mr Martin meet again. Cards But Fianna Fail is likely to reject the offer because members feel it is a coalition by another name. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment intends to place an order for four million polling cards in the coming weeks. Officials have advertised online for the cards which are sent to every registered voter in the country informing them of the date, time and place at which they are entitled to vote should an election be called. A spokesman for the Department told Herald they are taking a "best to be prepared" attitude as the situation remains in a "state of flux". The Dail is due to sit again next Thursday - but both parties say it is still unclear whether they will be in a position to elect a Taoiseach at that stage. Drug mule McCollum with her new look in the RTE interview The previously unseen mugshot taken minutes after Michaella broke down in tears This is the first official mugshot ever taken of convicted drug mule Michaella McCollum. The picture - which hasn't been made public before - shows an upset Michaella in police custody a day after she was caught trying to smuggle 1.8m of cocaine out of Peru. Speaking to the Herald yesterday, one of Peru's highest ranking police officials said it took the aspiring model some 24 hours before the reality of what she had done dawned on her. Pointing to the image, the officer, who cannot be named, said both women were extremely calm and cool after their arrest at Lima Airport on August 6, 2013. However, Michaella broke down crying 24 hours later as police officers took her official mugshot. Sobbing Revealing the shot, he said McCollum, who was 20 years old at the time, had been sobbing moments before the image was captured on August 7, 2013. The picture shows a dishevelled looking McCollum with swollen red cheeks and puffed up eyes. "All the time they were very calm," he said. "Apart from in the queue at the airport. Our people there know what to look for, small things like body language and they were a bit nervous. "But when the shot was taken in the drug unit prison, I think it hit her that there was no getting out of it." Police uncovered 16 food packages in McCollum's bag containing 5.8kg of cocaine shortly after 8.10am on August 6, 2013. In Glaswegian Melissa Reid's luggage, investigators found 5.7kg of the drug. They were caught while trying to board an Air Europa flight with a final destination in Majorca, Spain, via Madrid. One of the lead investigators with the country's elite anti-drugs unit said the pair first told police they had won their trip to Peru as part of competition. "Their first story before they mentioned about being kidnapped was that they had been given a trip to Peru as a present," said the officer. "They said they were tourists and that they had come to visit Machu Picchu. "The chicas [girls] stated that they were bringing the food packages that were found in their suitcases back for someone who had helped with the trip and that they had no idea of the contents. "At first, we believed them. They put on a convincing show; they were calm, but as time went on holes started showing in their accounts," he said. "Next thing we had this account of the kidnap, which of course we knew to be false." Photography student McCollum was freed from Ancon 2 prison in Lima at 5pm last Thursday. Since then, she has been staying in an apartment in the Miraflores district - one of Lima's most affluent neighbourhoods - with family and friends. Situated close to the beach and with a bevy of high-end stores and restaurants nearby, a standard apartment in the area usually rents for 1,900 per month. Newly-blonde Michaella fled when questioned by the Herald earlier this week in Miraflores. The pair fought charges against them for months, claiming a host of dubious stories. However, they later accepted the charges and pleaded guilty before a court in the Peruvian capital of trying to smuggle 11.5kg of cocaine - worth 1.8m - out of the country. Sentence They were sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, although they could have faced a sentence of 15 years. Under new legislation which came into force in Peru in 2015, McCollum was let out on parole last week. The only stipulation of her release is that she must sign a document at Lima courthouse once a month and remain in the country until she has completed two-thirds of her initial sentence. "She is now free to do as she pleases," said a source. "She should not be out on the streets. Our laws have become too lenient. This is an epidemic that is growing with Europeans at the moment. "Demand for cocaine in Europe is at record levels and in Australia and Russia the price for a kilo is an average of 285,000. On mainland Europe and average of 70,000." The source said that the majority of the drugs exported by mules from Peru are landing in Holland and Spain. KINGSPORT, Tenn. If youre a fan of Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie, then youre in for a treat and a good cause. Contact-Concern of Northeast Tennessee is hosting an interactive murder mystery fundraiser. Murder on the Motor-Coach, scripted and directed by Judy Womack, will benefit the helpline with its operations expenses. The show will be held Saturday, April 23, at 6 p.m. at the St. Pauls Episcopal Church Parish Hall, located at 161 E. Ravine St. in Kingsport Dinner will be catered by Texas Roadhouse and will include ribs, chicken, baked potatoes, salad and dessert. Wine will also be served. Tickets cost $50 and are available by calling 211 or 423-246-2273. Contact-Concern connects people in need to with local organizations that provide services such as food, financial assistance for utilities, free or low-cost medical care, area shelters, counseling services, support groups, battered womens shelters and addiction prevention or treatment. Contact-Concern also provides daily reassurance calls for the elderly and homebound residents of Northeast Tennessee. A non-profit organization of the United Way, Contact-Concern is entirely supported by donations from people and organizations in the community. Counts said additional financial support is needed for the program to expand and provide additional services. For more information, call Counts at 423-246-2273. Will high school cross country competition be different in 2023? Proposal calls for elimination of one postseason race, leaving several options for new format and what that might mean for small schools This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ It costs about Rs 500 crore to start a government or private medical college. With such a high cost there is no hope of bringing down the cost of medical education. Indirectly, we are admitting that medical education is not for the poor. Furthermore, our medical education system is based on the 70-year-old model we inherited from the British. Medical practice requires both knowledge and the competence to apply the knowledge. An MBBS graduate of today has full knowledge of medical sciences, but is weak in competence to handle even common conditions such as coronary artery disease. Knowledge is imparted through endless lectures, but unlike in the past, facts and details of medical procedures can also be accessed online. By contrast, competence is best imparted through apprenticeship: A senior doctor mentoring students by teaching the art of healing. Medical students in India and in most parts of the world hardly touch the patients. If technology could be used to deliver essential knowledge in a standardised form to colleges across the globe, we have an opportunity to build thousands of medical colleges across Asia, Africa and Latin America and skill highly-skilled doctors. India alone requires close to two million doctors. The idea is to create a global medical university on the lines of United Nations. The university would be truly virtual. It will identify outstanding medical teachers to deliver lectures on topics of their interest, which will then be recorded and made available on a website. So, the university will not require classrooms. The university will recognise busy hospitals across the world having over 300 beds, broad specialties like medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics as mini medical colleges. Any medical specialist with over five years of experience, after careful vetting, can be recognised as a medical teacher. Each 300-bed hospital will be allowed to take only 30 students per year based on their performance in an online exam. The first year will be structured roughly as follows: In the first month, the students will attend virtual dissection classes online. After this they will work in the hospital for five hours every day as nurse assistants and spend two hours a day in group discussions on anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. These discussions will supplement the online lectures and demonstrate their importance in clinical care. The students will also work in hospital labs as assistants to understand biochemical, hematological and microbiological tests. At the end of the first year, the students will have adequate knowledge about the basic sciences in the clinical context. In the second year, they can work as student doctors under medical specialists by taking care of the patients under the resident doctors. They will be substitutes for some of the activities performed by the nurses and also take part in on-call duty at night working as assistants to on-call doctors. During the clinical years they will assist surgeons and take care of the patients in the intensive care unit under the resident doctors. Essentially, these student doctors will take care of the patients for at least six to seven hours a day, spend two hours in a group discussion about the patients admitted in the ward rather than on an imaginary patient based on textbook descriptions. What will the hospitals gain from the training programme? At any given time, hospitals will have 30-150 students working with great passion and taking care of their patients, which will improve the outcome of clinical care. Also, a modest tuition fee paid by the students is an additional attraction to maintain the highest standards and attract bright students. The students will be evaluated through online tests every quarter. A students promotion to a higher class will depend entirely on the aggregation of their performance in the quarterly exam rather than on a final exam at the end of the year. By exposing the medical students to clinical settings and a gruelling schedule from day one will encourage the less motivated ones to drop out. Another advantage of having a global university is that the doctors would be able to practise in any of the member countries. India requires 500 new medical colleges. With the current cost structure, not many governments or private enterprises will be keen to set up medical colleges. With this backdrop, we are in a unique position to have as many as 10,000 medical colleges across Asia, Africa and Latin America by adopting medical education as apprenticeship and online education to supplement classrooms. We can convert, for instance, 150 naxal-affected district hospitals into medical colleges with a little over Rs 100 crore investment and change the medical economy of the districts. Interestingly, quite a few African countries are keen to adopt this model and many are looking at India to take the lead. Some of the most respected medical teachers from England and the US have liked the concept. This model is not aimed at claiming superiority over the existing models of medical education. It is a proposal for a different and affordable model as a pilot, which, at the end of five years, can be compared with the existing forms of medical education. Devi Shetty is chairman and senior consultant cardiac surgeon, Narayana Health Group of Hospitals, Bangalore Vinay Kumar, MD, FRCPath is chairman, department of pathology, The Pritzker Medical School, University of Chicago The views expressed are personal The Tamil Nadu elections this time will be a multi-polar contest, with Captain Vijayakanths DMDK and Vaikos MDMK adding colour and competition to the usual DMK versus AIADMK fare. The BJP is another X-factor in the polls. But Khushboo Sundar, national spokesperson of the Congress, tells Viju Cherian that the Congress-DMK alliance will return to power this May. Excerpts from the interview: How is the Congress placed in Tamil Nadu and how prepared is the DMK-Congress alliance to take on the AIADMK? Under the leadership of EVK Elangovan the party is confident and is today in a stronger position than it was in 2014. The DMK-Congress alliance will win this election under the guidance of M Karunanidhi. Opinion polls show that the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK will return to power. Opinion polls are not always accurate. We saw how such polls got it wrong in Delhi and Bihar. The people of Tamil Nadu for some time now have not elected the same party back to power and that trend will continue. The DMK did not concede all the seats that the Congress had asked for. Is this a reflection of the Congress decreasing relevance in Tamil Nadu? The Congress has got 41 seats this time and that has been the demand all the while. The initial number floated was speculation either by the media or other parties. What will be the impact of GK Vasans exit from the Congress in Tamil Nadu? With due respect to him, Vasan is yet to find place in an alliance, so nothing more needs to be said about that. What do you think of the BJPs chances in Tamil Nadu? The party is still trying to find a foothold in the state and other than Narendra Modi there is no face for the party in the state. Also, the Modi wave has long gone. Will Vijayakanths decision to join the PWF adversely impact your alliance? It is unfortunate that he did not join us but it will not have any impact on our alliances showing. There are many chief ministerial candidates this time. Does this mean that more people are unhappy with the two main Dravidian parties? No it does not. Rather it shows how the AIADMK has failed and that people are fed up with her government. Anyone can claim to run for the CMs post, but at the moment the DMK is the only option. Not many parties condemned the intercaste honour killing in Tirupur in March. Are caste equations a big factor in the polls? Over the last few years in Tamil Nadu there is an increase in such abominable acts. Theres no honour in killing anyone, but some parties benefit from such tension. Rather than focusing on educating people about such evils, parties turn a blind eye to it. The Congress has issued a statement condemning the incident, but the AIADMK is yet to. The incident has happened in an area where the AIADMK has a presence and will not upset its vote bank there. You left the DMK to join Congress. Now that both are allies, does it put you in an awkward position? Will you campaign for DMK candidates? It was not a bitter exit and I still have good ties with many DMK leaders. I often speak to Kanimozhi, Raja and others. If my party leadership asks me to campaign for the DMK, I will. Freebies are a big thing when it comes to elections in TN. Whats your take on it? There are things that are necessary, and there are those that are not. Free education, especially for the girl child, is necessary aid. Any aid to the farmer is important, like providing electricity. Same is with aid to people living below the poverty line. Providing access to water to every person in Tamil Nadu is essential. Freebies like television, grinders and mixies are a waste of tax-payers money. With rising alcoholism, the demand for prohibition is growing in Tamil Nadu. Whats your view on the issue? Prohibition is possible in Tamil Nadu. Look at how chief minister Nitish Kumar has done it in Bihar and how neighbouring Kerala is tackling the problem. In the last five years, under the AIADMK rule, a TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, which has a monopoly over sale of liquor in the state) outlet has come up in every street. The AIADMK has a vested interest in continuing TASMACs monopoly because Midas Golden Distilleries belongs to a close aid of the party leader. The AIADMK is more concerned about the profits they make rather than the social, economic and health impacts alcoholism has on the people of Tamil Nadu. In a 2014 interview to HT on the prospect of Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister of India, you had said: My only fear [if he comes to power] is that the minorities might get suppressed further. Whats your view now? My worst fears have come true. In the last 22 months minorities, Dalits and OBCs are living in fear. People are being lynched on suspicions of eating beef, patriotism has been reduced to a select few slogans and atrocities against Dalits have increased, the latest being the incident in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. In the same interview you said about Rahul Gandhi that he needs to come a bit closer to reality. He gives the impression that he is still cocooned within four walls. Do you still hold those views? Of course Rahul Gandhi has changed from where he was then. Today he is more with the people and is giving sleepless nights to the government. The questions he raises are very pertinent and he is strengthening the party with every passing day. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actors often end up hurting themselves while shooting for action sequences for their films. Something similar recently happened with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Apparently, while shooting for a scene for her upcoming movie in a village in Punjab, the actor was required to run on a rocky street. Read: Aishwarya Rai invited to lunch with French Prez Francois Hollande A source close to Aishwarya says, Unfortunately, during the shot, her sandal broke. It would have taken some time to get a new pair. So, Aishwarya said that she can run barefoot for the scene. As a result, she ended up bruising her feet. A crew member says that Aishwarya always makes things easier for them on the sets. Whenever we get stuck or face a problem, she always hears us out, and makes an effort to find a solution. Aishwarya remained unavailable for a comment. Read: In pics: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan meets BSF soldiers Unconfirmed reports indicated on Thursday that actor Akshay Kumar was detained by immigration authorities at Londons Heathrow Airport on Wednesday for not having a valid visa. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the actor, who arrived in London for the shoot of his upcoming film Rustom, was made to wait for over an hour-and-a-half at the airport and had to sit in the general holding area where detained passengers are made to wait. Read: When Shah Rukh Khan was detained at a US airport A well-placed source from the production house, however, rubbishes the reports, It has to be the silliest piece of news! How can one come to UK and not have a visa? Even if one says, they are friends with the Queen, they will still send you home, if you dont have your visa in order. Is Akshay the most influential person to have got it all sorted in an hour? These reports are highly exaggerated. The officials took some time checking the paper work because their computer wasnt reflecting the visa status. But they eventually checked the papers, which were all in order, and then everyone was good to go. Akshay sir has been shooting, which would have been impossible if there was a glitch in the visa status. Read: I make films that mean something to me, says Akshay Kumar According to the report, the problem arose when Akshay was asked the purpose of his visit. Akshay also holds a Canadian citizenship and the rules state that a Canadian national is allowed to visit the UK on a tourist visa, but as Akshay was in London for a shoot, he needed a visa stamp. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rizwan Siddiquee, Kangana Ranauts lawyer, has accused Hrithik Roshan of misusing his clients private e-mails and photographs. My clients absolutely private and confidential emails and photographs are being misused by Hrithik Roshan, Siddique said. He also accused Roshan of threatening the actress. My client's(Kangna Ranaut) absolutely private and confidential emails&photographs are being misused by Mr.Hrithik Roshan:R Siddiquee,Counsel ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 Kangna Ranaut's counsel in letter to Police Commissioner says that Hrithik Roshan had criminally threatened Kangna of these actions ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 The legal fight between the two stars, who worked together in Kites and Krrish 3, has been in the headlines for some time now. Hrithik, on his part, said he never had a relationship with the actress. He accused Ranaut of sending up to 50 e-mails a day, some explicit, while Kangana alleged that Hrithik had hacked into her e-mail account to delete mails that could have complicated his divorce proceedings with his ex-wife Suzanne Khan. Read: Withdraw notice or face action: Kanganas lawyer to Hrithik Read: Hrithik Roshan, Kangana Ranaut feud: Lawyer says summons to her illegal Kangana accused him of a clumsy attempt to cover up their relationship. She said she was not a dim-witted teenager who was smitten, and that whatever happened between the two of them was with the full consent of both parties. Follow @htshowbiz for more. SRKs wax statue at the famous Madame Tussauds museum in London will be re-dressed as Gaurav, his character in Fan. The wax figure will resemble Gaurav in terms of his clothing and look. What adds to the fun is that the statue will step out at the iconic London Eye. Interestingly, a scene from the film was also shot at the location. Talking about the novelty factor in the film produced by Yash Raj Films (YRF), Shah Rukh had earlier said, If youre looking for novelty, then you should watch out for Fan. Its a different kind of film, supposed to be a niche... Its not meant to be a blockbuster releasing ahead of Christmas. Read: Fan trailer out now: Shah Rukh Khan back with a dark, edgy role Read: Shah Rukh Khan offers job to his fan via Twitter Madame Tussauds Londons General Manager, Edward Fuller, elaborated on the promotional plans,We have a long and strong relationship with the Indian film industry and our Bollywood figures, especially Shah Rukh Khans likeness, are hugely popular with guests. Were delighted the attraction is featured in Fan and excited to be celebrating the release of the film by re-dressing Shah Rukhs figure and taking it to the London Eye for his fans to see and grab a selfie with. Avtar Panesar Vice President of YRF International said, Placing the Madame Tussauds wax figure as a film character at a public place where crowds throng is an exciting opportunity for SRK fans! This is our way of returning the love of the Fans that make our films what they are. Read: Fan wont be a blockbuster, says Shah Rukh Khan Read: Shah Rukh Khans Fan gets no love from censors, receives 7 cuts Madame Tussauds collaborated with the makers of James Bond franchise during the release of Spectre last year. Wax figures of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig and George Lazenby dressed in Bond-style suits were put up at the museum in 2015. Follow @htshowbiz for more. The last week has been a whirlwind for Jessica Knoll, the author of the best-selling book Luckiest Girl Alive after she posted an open letter saying the gang rape her character endured was based on her own experience in high school. The 32-year-old Knoll, beginning a tour to promote the books paperback release, told a gathering of about 50 friends and fans at a Barnes & Noble bookshop that the response to her essay had been intense and overwhelmingly positive. This has been, to put it mildly, a whirlwind week, she said, adding that she had been thinking about a quote by WH Auden, Art is born of humiliation. Read: Jessica Knoll was raped, and she wont deny it any more. Read her piece This book was born of my humiliation, she told the audience. This book is my pain, and this book is my power, after years of powerlessness. Luckiest Girl Alive was published last year and caught the attention not just of the general public but of Reese Witherspoon, who is producing a planned film adaptation, with Knoll writing the screenplay. Parallels between Knolls life and the heroine of her novel, Ani FaNelli (or TifAni FaNelli), were clear from the start. Both grew up in the suburbs, attended private school in Philadelphia and worked in magazines (Knoll is a former editor at Cosmopolitan). But Knoll had long kept a crucial connection secret, acknowledging that she had dodged questions about Anis rape, questions raised in part by the books dedication: To all the TifAni FaNellis of the world, I know. Jessica Knoll, 32, is on a tour to promote Luckiest Girl Alives paperback release. (Twitter) Ive been running and Ive been ducking and Ive been dodging because Im scared, Knoll wrote March 29 in an essay titled What I Know, which appeared on LennyLetter.com, a website co-managed by Lena Dunham. Knoll was greeted warmly Wednesday and read a brief passage from the novel about Anis determination to leave high school behind. To the authors surprise and relief, she received few questions about her essay. Audience members asked instead about her favorite authors (Gillian Flynn, Donna Tartt, Flannery OConnor), her writing process and her work on the screenplay. I do want to talk about the essay, but I dont want it to drown out the book, she said after the reading. I think it was a good balance tonight. One attendee, Elizabeth Blanchard, said that she had bought Luckiest Girl Alive when it first came out and that Knolls essay intensified her feelings about it. It makes it more personal, the 24-year-old Blanchard said. To learn about what she went through takes the book to a different level. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. Air India (AI) has finally decided to take strict action against pilots who refuse to operate flights with particular crew members. Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director (CMD), AI, has ordered that strict action should be taken against pilots who refuse to fly with a particular crew, sources said. The order looks to tackle the problem of directives issued by pilot unions to its members to not to fly with a particular individual, which has resulted in disruptions in the past and made crew scheduling a nightmarish exercise at times for the airline. There is currently a directive by the union of pilots belonging to the erstwhile Indian Airlines to its members, urging them not to fly with a senior captain who was an officer on special duty to a former AI CMD. This happens in no other airline. It was high time that the management took action, a senior official said. AI has also warned pilots of strict action if they refuse to carry out assigned duties or insist on flying with a particular crew. These are serious acts of indiscipline that cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. All such cases shall be brought to my notice immediately and very strict action shall be taken. The company has suffered enough because of stray and also repeated cases of indiscipline. I would like to stress that acts of indiscipline shall neither be tolerated nor condoned by the company, Lohani said in his order. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In the next couple of weeks, ShopClues will close its acquisition of Momoe, the wallet company. The Momoe deal is not only to get a play in the wallet business, but it will have a larger role in the unicorns future, said a senior ShopClues executive. It will help ShopClues merchants with mobile banking, a service that is not yet available on the platform, while offering a wallet service like that of Snapdeal and Paytm. Through Momoe, the merchant will have the capability to do accounting, do digital payments in offline mode and will also have offering in the merchant finance space. In a way Momoe will help ShopClues build what Rupee Power and Freecharge together are doing for Snapdeal the scale, though is very small, but Momoe comes at just a fraction of what Snapdeal paid. In an earlier meeting Sanjay Sethi, co-founder and CEO of ShopClues had told HT that the company will spend around $50 million, or around Rs 330 crore to acquire companies to plug-in gaps. The executive also said that Momoe is just one of the many companies ShopClues is talking to. Another company is HeyBiz, a mobile app based services that helps search deals, products and support services, much like Snapdeal-backed UrbanClap. HeyBiz will help ShopClues build a marketplace for concierge services. For the advertisement-technology platform ShopClues was in talks with Komli, but backed out, as Komlis valuations were high. We gave it a pass as it was overpriced, said the executive. According to market sources Komli was valued at $10-12 million. ShopClues founders Sethi and Radhika Agarwal continue to look for smaller companies in the ad-tech space for targeting product marketing to buyers. Flipkart and Snapdeal are ahead in this game. The founders also looked at TargetingMantra, a startup that recommends products based on user behavior something that is done very well by Amazon and video streaming company Netflix, but then backed out. Shopclues is also in talks with a number of hyperlocal companies. Are these one of the big firms like BigBasket or Grofers? No, it is a smaller Delhi-based company, said the executive, without disclosing the name as the deal is in its early stage. But, in one area Shopclues will build capabilities on its own thats data analytics. The founders were not able to narrow down a single company for acquisition. Data analytics has become crucial to ecommerce it helps in better product discovery, and boosts conversion ratio. We will make customised banner ads, and map social media footprint and see how customers are reacting to them, and will use those to improve conversion ratio, said the executive. ShopClues has a conversion ratio of 4%. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Khan Zadi, 40, an expectant mother, fled Pakistan four months back, hoping for a better life for her child in India. She has been living in a village near the forest area of Bhati Mines with other Hindus from across the border since then. Unfortunately, she hardly found a change in her life here as she continues to battle for basics. A couple of days back, she gave birth to a baby boy. Facing religious persecution across the border, many Pakistani Hindus crossed over. Hers is among the 10-12 jhuggis located on both sides of the Sanjay Colony police chowki. The area is called Pakistani mohalla. Ironically, their kuccha houses were referred as a Hindu colony in Pakistan. We are seen as Hindus there and Pakistanis here. Our kids dont mix well with other kids complaining of being teased as Pakistanis. Our struggle brought no difference to our lives. We continue to live in fear, said Khan. She is one of the 40 Pakistani Hindus who carried the tales of discrimination with them on a 20-day pilgrimage visa and have now decided to seek asylum in India. Since India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it cannot recognise fleeing Pakistani Hindus as refugees officially. So the emigrants have to wait for seven years before applying for citizenship under the Indian Citizenship Act of 1955. Being born and brought up in Rahim Yar Khan District in the Punjab province of Pakistan, this Hindu minority group faced severe discrimination there. We have worked so hard as labourers there that our bodies shivered after a point. But there was no money for our work. The way Britishers treated Indians in old Bollywood films, we were treated the same way in our birthplace. At least here we have a place to live and work to do, said Laila bai, who has three toddlers to take care of. In his speech in April 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that Pakistani Hindu refugees would be treated like other Indian citizens but without proper identification documents, people like Laila are waiting for help from the government. Pakistani refugees cannot get proper jobs or reap benefits from state welfare schemes. According to Seemant Lok Sangathan, a Rajasthan-based organisation fighting for the rights of Pakistani Hindu refugees, almost 1,20,000 Pakistani Hindus are now living in India and approximately 1,000 migrate to India annually in the hope of an Indian citizenship. Most people from the Pakistani colony, including children, work in various south Delhi colonies like Chhatarpur, Khanpur, Saket, Khirki etc as construction workers and daily wage labourers. After selling their cattle and household possessions at throwaway prices, they managed money for a train journey to India. For people who claim to have never felt happiness since birth, India is their last resort. I had to give up my education after class VI because of religious discrimination in schools. We were asked to recite kalmas in school. The only reason we crossed over was for our kids so that they could study, have a dignified life and jobs, said construction worker Soda Ram with his thick Riasti accent. Hindus are the single largest minority in Pakistan and form about 2% of the total population. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) stated that Pakistan saw a 22% rise in religious violence in 2014 when 687 people were killed in more than 200 attacks. The HRCP also added that around 600 to 1,000 families fled to India in 2012-13. With half of their families stranded in Pakistan and the other half struggling to make a life here, both long for a closure to their problems. All we demand are basic amenities. We have a place to cover our heads here but no life. In this forest, we are as good as animals. Wild animals attack our kids and fear cripples our lives after sunset, said Ramesh Kumar, another asylum seeker. Last week, a wild pig from the forest attacked one of the children and injured his arm. Since then there has been no movement in the village after the sunset. Stories of mine workers dying in a stream next to the jhuggis makes them wary of stepping out of their makeshift tents. It is said that people who died here were never cremated. But for us, this is our home. It is better than our earlier home where everybody used to haul abuses at us. And none of the women stepped out of houses out of fear. We were always told that India is our home and that is why we came here, said nine-year-old Ramesha, who is learning the art of embroidery from her mother so that she is able to make a living soon. A Delhi Police constable has been suspended for allegedly sexually harassing a metropolitan magistrate with a Delhi court near the Yamuna ghat in south Delhis Jaitpur on Sunday. The incident happened when the magistrate had gone to Yamuna ghat to perform some rituals with her husband and son. The constable was allegedly drunk and misbehaved with the judge when she was sitting in her car. He tried to make a video of the complainant, used abusive language and threatened her when she objected, said a police officer. An FIR was filed with the Jaitpur police station under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 354-A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. According to the FIR, a copy of which is with HT, the judge had parked her car next to a police post near the ghat. I went near Yamuna to perform some Hindu rituals. It took me around two minutes. Thereafter, I came back. As I was sitting in my car, I saw that a constable was taking photos of my car and me, the magistrate said in her complaint. When confronted, he replied, jao jao yahan se, meri marzi (go away, its my wish). From his way of walking and speech, I could find that he was completely drunk. He abused me in a filthy language, she said in the complaint. Shocked at his behaviour, the magistrate contacted the SHO of the Jaitpur police station as his mobile number was provided on the wall of the police post. The SHO asked her to wait and said that a team would reach immediately. I along with my husband and kid kept sitting in the car as we were apprehensive that the constable might do something as he was completely drunk, she stated. A few minutes later, a police team arrived after which the magistrate went outside her car. The moment she got down, the constable allegedly turned violent. To my utter surprise, none of the police officials tried to stop him. He came rushing towards me saying abhi dekhta hun, mujhse bachkar kidhar jayegi (Now lets see who is going to save you), she mentioned in the complaint. He allegedly claimed that he would lodge a false complaint against the magistrate and her husband. The Delhi high court ordered the removal of a drinking water kiosk near Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk and round-the-clock police protection in the area after the kiosk was reconstructed overnight against court orders. A mob took to violent protests when municipal officials demolished a water kiosk piao in an encroachment demolition drive in Chandni Chowk following the high courts March 28 order. The kiosk was rebuilt after officials left. Read more | Delhi high court directs police on situation in Chandni Chowk How can you allow it to be reconstructed? Why wasnt somebody posted. This is an upfront challenge to the court. This is not tolerable. We will issue contempt of court notices to those responsible, a bench of Justice S Murlidhar and Justice Vibhu Bakhru noted, taking the police and the concerned municipality corporation to task. If anyone tries to obstruct the courts order, the civic officials will be answerable to the court for wilful violation of courts order DCP concerned has to explain what kind of security was provided at the spot and how police permitted reconstruction of the piao. Terming the incident as an open challenge to a court order, the bench also issued contempt of court notices to two leaders of the Sikh groups who led the mob after Wednesdays demolition drive. Delhi police said they were identifying others present in the mob through CCTV footage. Apart from asking for the video evidence of the entire incident, including the reconstruction of the kiosk, the court also directed the North Municipal Corporation of Delhi (NDMC) to submit a report on what exactly happened. The demolition drive was conducted under the NDMCs supervision. The matter was posted for further hearing on Friday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hundreds of people offered suggestions to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday on a proposed exemption to parents dropping or picking up their chidren from school when the odd-even plan will be in force. Schools were shut down when the odd-even scheme was implemented last time between January 1 and January 15. This time when the car rationing plan will be implemented between April 15 and April 30, schools will be open. The government had suggested on Wednesday that cars with children wearing school uniforms should be exempt from following the odd-even restriction. This prompted questions such as how the enforcers will treat people returning home after dropping their kids school, or those who are going to pick their children from school. Thats a real problem. Looking for a solution. Pl suggest if anyone has any ideas. https://t.co/zJilAFGaR0 Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 7, 2016 Responding to a tweet by Kejriwal, hundreds of citizens came up with their solutions to the problem. Issue a sticker for the vehicles which carries children to the schools. This will also help u in collecting data about the transport facility for schools (sic), Ankush Bhargava tweeted. A majority of suggestions revolved around getting authorisation from schools. People said schools should issue cards that display the schools and childs name and their residence address, vehicle number and the pick up-drop time. Enlist such students with help of schools and issue time/route bound permission for parents car, said a person. Government officials, however, did not agree. A lot of children stay back for extra classes, co-curricular activities and sports. A time card will not be applicable in this case. Also, if parents are given the freedom to use this card any time, there are chances of misuse, a senior official said. Some people suggested car pooling by parents who live in the same locality. TV personality Raghu Ram, who has campaigned for the Aam Aadmi Party, asked, Can we ask schools and parents to try and organize special school carpools? Several people also said there should be no exemptions at all. The idea, however, was shot down by some. Bad idea, will encourage ppl to use cars instead of school buses to ferry kids to school! (sic) Renuka Dhar posted. Some were also in favour of postponing the restriction to June when schools are closed for summer vacations. The government, however, may not take the suggestion seriously. China considers Pakistan an irreplaceable all-weather friend. In line with that sentiment Beijing did Islamabad a favour recently by blocking Indias attempt at the UN to place Maulana Masood Azhar of the Jaish-e-Mohammed on the proscribed list of terrorists. Beijing decided to put the request on a technical hold, even though countries like the US, the UK and France reportedly backed Indias move. Read | China opposes JeM ban: India needs new ideas to re-engage with China This has surprised India, which has termed the decision incomprehensible and while New Delhi is taking this up at a fairly high level, according to foreign secretary S Jaishankar, the Chinese deputy chief of mission in New Delhi offered a glimpse into Beijings thinking on the matter. After suggesting that India and Pakistan address their differences directly since they cant change their neighbours as one can have a new boyfriend or a girlfriend, Liu Jinsong stated that China cant be judge (to decide) who is right and who is wrong when it comes to India and Pakistans views on Azhar. He reiterated: We cant stick to one side. We cant veto, we cant (be) absent. Only thing we can do is (to put it on a) technical hold. Read | Congress, BJPs Swamy criticise Chinas move on Masood Azhar in the UN Such reasoning is unlikely to satisfy Indian policymakers and public opinion who will expect China to have a more unequivocal stance on terror, particularly since it is a P5 power. China is evidently trying to provide some domestic relief for the Nawaz Sharif government, which is under pressure on both the security and governance fronts. Many in New Delhi will also see in Beijings efforts an attempt to appease militants in Pakistan with a view to restraining violent extremism in its own Xinjiang province. Some will also see it as a warning to India not to band together with the US on regional security. This is a challenging issue to tackle for the ministry of external affairs, which has to balance offended public opinion with wider strategic objectives. So far it has done the right thing by maintaining that it will stick to pursuing the matter at the UN. There are suggestions that India should retaliate against Chinese firms, but that is not advisable. Mr Jaishankar has clarified differences on this issue will not overflow into other areas. India is constantly lobbying for more foreign investment to fuel its growth, including from China. India-China trade is worth $71 billion it would be foolish to undermine the business climate owing to differences on political issues. Both countries have long delinked the two areas and that is how it should remain. A team of five students of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have developed a workshop kit to spread awareness about sexual abuse of children. Sexual abuse among children, though rampant, remains a taboo subject in India. At least 46% children are subjected to sexual abuse, but most dont report the assaults to anyone. Jhumkee Iyengar, who is guiding the team, said the workshop kit is self-sufficient and can be used by anyone with basic communication skills, affinity towards children and an interest in educating kids teachers, NGO volunteers and school counsellors. The team comprising of Apoorva Aggarwal, Mitali Bhasin, Sneha Parhi, Sachin NP and Swayamsiddha Panigrahi said it was difficult for them to read about child sexual abuse and understanding the current situation was an emotionally draining process. (HT photo) Iyengar is a faculty in the Design Program at IIT Kanpur where she teaches post-graduate design students a course that she conceptualised and created on Human Centered Design. Children in the age group of 8-12 years and in a group of 30-35 can be benefitted in a single session, Iyengar said. The central message to kids is that being abused is not their fault and that they should freely discuss their problems with parents or teachers. Our underlying vision is to save a childs innocence through knowledge, the professor added. Read more: UP woman ends 4 years of sexual abuse by father by filming proof The team developed the kit after extensive research and field studies, which included talking to psychologists, counsellors, teachers, parents and doctors along with holding focus group interviews in Kanpur slums. The initiative was a part of a year-long project that culminated in April 2015. The workshop includes lessons on personal safety, respecting ones body and overcoming guilt. It has been designed in a way such that its playful, educative and interactive, and also helps the teacher tackle the embarrassment thats likely to accompany the subject. The content has been approved by subject experts and psychologists, Iyengar said. We tested the product internally and iteratively as it was being defined and refined. It was also tested by the staff of an NGO on the children they serve. Pilot testing is being done in schools and the product is being further refined, shared Prof Iyengar. Read more: IIT Kanpur alumnus given key World Bank position The team comprising of Apoorva Aggarwal, Mitali Bhasin, Sneha Parhi, Sachin NP and Swayamsiddha Panigrahi said it was difficult for them to read about child sexual abuse and understanding the current situation was an emotionally draining process. Sexual abuse has so many wrong notions attached to it. So, spreading awareness about this issue is definitely of paramount importance. For instance, the middle, upper middle class societies are quick to dismiss child sexual abuse as a problem of the lower classes, Bhasin said. Aggarwal said she too had gone through one such harrowing experience when she was a child. As a child, there were instances when I was subjected to uncomfortable scenarios that disturbed me for weeks but I was unable to react to the situation at the time. In retrospect, my parents always did everything in my best interests but something was missing, Aggarwal said. While they spared no efforts to send me to the best school of the city, my mom, dad, sister no one ever told me how to guard myself from the world. Somewhere they hesitated in giving me that one important life lesson, she added. Currently available in English, the kit can be translated into different Indian languages. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Students in schools following the state board curriculum will be able to study a vocational subject instead of a second or third language in Class 9 and 10 from the next academic year. The state school education department is training government-aided schools to teach automobile, information technology, retail and multiple skills such as plumbing and carpentry as subjects. The education department had introduced the skill development curriculum in 350 schools across the state on a pilot basis a couple of years ago. It is aimed at providing early vocational training to students in line with the new vocational education policy of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), a central government scheme. The curriculum has been extended to other aided schools from this year and 30 teachers will be trained in skill development for a period of one year starting from July 11. After undergoing the training, the teachers will be able to implement the curriculum in their respective schools and train others. These teachers will also be paid an extra salary of Rs650 a month for the work. We had tested the curriculum in selected schools, now we are training schools in phases to implement it, said Nand Kumar, principal secretary of the department. Once the teachers are trained, they can help their schools in selecting the subjects for the new academic year. One of the unique aspects of the vocational curriculum is that it is focused on hands-on learning. In the period of one year, students will have to work as an apprentice for three months. The subjects will carry 100 marks each, out of which, as many as 70 marks will be for practical exams. Even private schools said that they would be willing to offer the curriculum. Our students would be interested in subjects such as healthcare and information technology as these two fields are growing fast, said Savita Venkat, principal, Bombay Cambridge School, Andheri East. If the state board allows private schools to take up the subjects, we would consider it. Read more | Mumbai: Number of students appearing in SSC exam has dropped Some teachers said that the subjects should not be offered in lieu for languages. If the state government wants to promote mother tongues and Marathi, they should not allow students to drop these languages for vocational subjects, said Uday Nare, senior teacher, Hansraj Morarji Public School, Andheri. Students will obviously opt for vocational subjects as they would be considered more scoring than languages. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The TV actor is obsessed with shoes. So much so, he sets aside a day just to scrub them clean Sporting spiked hair, a white T-shirt, slightly distressed denims and a pair of Nike slippers, actor Karan Tacker ushers us into his Lokhandwala home. The TV actor, of Rang Badalti Odhni fame, settles into a plush white couch and gets talking about his love for shopping. Comfort first: Im a simple dresser and cant do trends and fads. My style is boyish and above all, comfortable. Monochrome mania: Youll find a lot of black and white T-shirts in my closet. I think for a man, pairing a white T-shirt or white shirt with jeans, while heading out is the perfect combination. Guys look better when dressed in simpler colours. Tackers closet is filled with black and white T-shirts and jeans (Photo: Pratham Gokhale ) Red alert: Ive never liked wearing red, although I did wear a red suit for one of my shows and it looked pretty cool. But it isnt a colour Id pick for myself. Shopping around: I travel a lot and end up shopping wherever I go. I love to walk into stores when overseas. Theres something surreal about the experience of shopping for high street labels abroad. Impulsive much: I sometimes have the impulse to just walk into a store while coming back from the gym. While shopping, I have to try and feel everything I pick. Online shopping isnt for me. Read: Behind closet doors: Emraan Hashmi Brand value: I love Diesel for jeans, they just know how to make jeans right. Zaras finally in India and I have several of their T-shirts. Spanish brands like Pull & Bear and Bershka are also great, but they arent available in India. I love the boyish vibe that these brands have. I also love clothes from H&M and Topshop. Style no-no: The ultra-skinny jeans and T-shirts are an absolute no. I dont know how they came into fashion for men they need to go. Tackers treasured pair of Black Louis Vuitton brogues (Photo: Pratham Gokhale) Lavish kicks: A pair of Louis Vuitton brogues. It was a splurge for me but I fell in love with them. Theyre quite old now and I wouldnt wear them again but Id never throw them away. Shoe fetish: I am obsessed with shoes I have a shoe for every occasion and practically in every colour as well. I love sneakers and pick them up every time I travel. I was recently in Spain and saw people dancing in clubs wearing Light Up shoes that looked really funky. I ordered a pair from Red UK London. Im also possessive of my shoes, even the ones that are really old. I keep them really clean. I pick a day in a week, sit with a toothbrush and bucket and clean my shoes on my own, so that all of them look spic and span. Quick picks: Its always a white T-shirt and jeans. It looks clean and classy and seems like youve done enough even when you havent put in a lot of effort. Watch it: I cant walk out of my house without a watch. There was a time when I didnt even own a watch, but now its something I absolutely cannot do without, even if Im going to the gym. Google fashion designer Manish Arora and you will be treated to kaleidoscopic colours, exaggerated prints and an overall fearless approach to fashion. Does this no-holds-barred candour extend to the internationally renowned designers personality as well? In Mumbai for the launch of his first-ever menswear line, in collaboration with online retailer Koovs.com, the living room of Aroras hotel suite is peppered with key pieces from the collection. The room comes to life as he enters with his entourage. He gets down to business right away discussing the look he should wear for our photo shoot. The frame is set and the photographer assures him that he looks perfect in the shot. Liar! he laughs in response. Candidness, it would appear, Arora does not lack. A T-shirt from Aroras new collection Reaching a wider audience Admittedly excited about this high street collection, he says, More than the right time, this was the right opportunity. After all, the e-commerce platform will allow him to reach a wide audience minus any geographical barriers, and the affordable price points (priced between Rs 495 to Rs 1,995) are bound to attract men who may otherwise not be able to afford his brand. The collaboration is with my Indian by Manish Arora label, which has been adapted for men. The design philosophy and core value which is happiness remains the same, he adds. While the collection may be a first of sorts for the designer, Arora is no stranger to collaborations and has tied up with the likes of Swatch, M.A.C Cosmetics, Amrapali and Swarovski, among others, in the past. He feels that such tie-ups are a great way for designers to increase their brand value and reach. Also read: How Suket Dhir won the International Woolmark Prize using Indian weaves Safe choice One cant deny that Indian men, at large, prefer to play it sartorially safe. An approach as kitschy and eccentric as Aroras is bound to be uncharted territory for them. Yes, Indian men can be more adventurous when it comes to fashion, but a change is coming about slowly. They are definitely ready, he says. So, how should they go about sporting bold colours and prints? Have your basics in place, but also have that one special piece, which you can mix and match in many ways. This could be a T-shirt, jacket or even trousers, but it should reflect your personality, he advises. In fact, a strong personality and confidence are a mans most fashionable possessions, according to the designer. Muscles and big biceps dont make you stylish. Understand what looks good on you and be comfortable in it. You could be wearing the best clothes, but if youre conscious, people will be able to see it. He also says that T-shirts black, white, navy blue and maybe pink are must-haves. A boot from Aroras first-ever menswear line All about comfort Aroras personal style is about comfort and practicality too. I prefer fashion that can carry over from day to night without having to change. I also believe in adapting to the situation I am in. For instance, I wear a lot of black in Paris but am crazier than anybody else at Burning Man. Ask him about the most stylish men in his books, and he takes a minute to mull it over. People generally ask me about stylish women! he exclaims before adding, I would have to say David Bowie (musician) for his androgynous take on style. Know the designer Manish Arora was awarded the Legion dhonneur by the French government in February 2016 for his contribution to the world of fashion. The first Indian designer to be given this distinction, Arora says that, It comes with a big responsibility it makes you conscious and aware of yourself. I hope it will inspire many others to strive for the honour too. Aroras Mumbai Colaba Causeway (Photo: HT File) The designer, who normally shuttles between France and India, fills us in on some of his favourite city experiences. Eat: Trishna, Kala Ghoda and Mahesh Lunch Home, Juhu. Drink: I used to be fond of Aurus in Juhu. Explore: I like walking around Colaba. Shop: Bombay Electric in Colaba is a must-visit. Love her or hate her, Kim Kardashian makes news. A lot of it. Recently, she created waves on Instagram when she posted a selfie in the nude. But then again, in the past, she has hardly left much to imagination. Dont get me wrong, I am a fan. She gets hated on a lot, which is never easy. Nude selfies and debuting baby bumps in body-hugging Balmain aside, Kim Kardashian has done one more thing: she has made the bulbous body type one of the biggest trends in the recent past. Curvy women havent always been unapologetic about their tiny waists and rounded hips. Being curvy myself, I would shy away from acknowledging my body until a few years ago. And then there are the occasional quotes and posts on social media saying men prefer curvy women or studies and quizzes to know What kind of a body do white men/black men/beige men really like? To begin with, the entire debate is wrong. You cannot compare one body type to another Like Sonam Kapoor in her recent tweet rightly said, Fat shaming or skinny shaming. Its still body shaming! (sic). Thankfully though, of late, women across the world have been standing up for their bodies, of late. Big women arent having it, nor are the skinny ones. Sonam Kapoors tweet slamming body shamers (Twitter.com/sonamkapoor) Reality check Now, how does this changing trend affect the fashion world one of the biggest champions of skinny women? Are we going to see full-bodied women on the ramp, on hoardings and ad campaigns? The answer is yes, but not really. Body diversity is a topic widely discussed and debated, even in fashion. But changing the age-old format of tall, leggy women as the perfect canvas for designers to showcase their art may never see its end. Will there be an additional format to showcase clothing on curvy women? Absolutely. However, it will only turn into a phenomenon once designers stop using curvy women as one-time showstoppers, just to grab more eyeballs. The way ahead The industry as a whole needs to come out and support this idea. Fashion magazines need to divide their cover stars into women ranging from skinny to curvy, all year round, and not just as a publicity stunt. Model Ashley Graham on the cover of Sports Illustrated Designers, too, should follow the same practice where we have a mix of models showing various styles for different body types. And models can promote and talk about women who are not really considered ideal for the ramp. Madrid, Italy and France have banned skinny models, but that is hardly the solution. The idea is not to leave the skinny women behind and slam them for their genetics. We dont have to pick a particular kind of body but embrace the various types there are. Fashion is meant to cater to everyone in the same way. As we focus on pricing for different strata of society, we need to follow the something-for- everyone philosophy when it comes to different body types too. Gupta is a leading fashion designer. She tweets as @MasabaG An experimental drug that greatly increases levels of good cholesterol has no effect on heart health, a comprehensive clinical trial found, leaving researchers shocked and disappointed. It is also a blow to patients who were hoping for an alternative because they cannot or will not take statins, which can cut low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol. The study involving more than 12,000 patients at high risk for serious cardiovascular problems found that the drug evacetrapib had no benefits, according to research presented Sunday at the American College of Cardiology conference in Chicago. Read: Low levels of Vitamin D can predict heart disease Manufacturer Eli Lilly stopped the trial in October when the drug was found to be ineffective. But now experts have given a comprehensive explanation of what happened. Two other drugs in the same class as evacetrapib, known as CETP inhibitors and designed to raise levels of HDL cholesterol -- high-density lipoprotein, the good type -- have also failed, presenting experts with a quandary. Disappointed and surprised We have a paradox: here weve got an agent that more than doubles the levels of good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol and yet has no effect on clinical events, said lead author Professor Stephen Nicholls. We were disappointed and surprised by the results, added Nicholls, of The University of Adelaide in Australia and cardiologist at Royal Adelaide Hospital. On average, patients taking evacetrapib daily for at least 18 months lowered their LDL cholesterol by 37 percent and increased their HDL cholesterol -- high-density lipoprotein, the good type -- by 130 percent compared with patients taking a placebo. An experimental drug that greatly increases levels of good cholesterol has no effect on heart health, a comprehensive clinical trial found, leaving researchers shocked and disappointed. (webmd.com) However, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of the primary endpoint of the research -- including the amount of time until cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke or coronary artery bypass surgery. As we close out the trial, were trying to understand how a drug that seems to do all the right things in terms of blood cholesterol levels doesnt then translate into reducing clinical events, added Nicholls. Steve Nissen, chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, attempted to put a positive spin on the disappointing outcome. These findings illustrate the importance of performing large, high-quality outcome trials, he said. Just looking at the effects a therapy has on cholesterol levels doesnt always translate into clinical benefits. However, Nicholls cautioned that evacetrapib could potentially benefit patients with low risk of serious heart trouble, although that was not part of the study. Read: Painful periods put you at a higher risk of heart attack The findings could challenge conventional thinking regarding the benefits of HDL cholesterol in protecting against cardiovascular problems, he said. They also suggest that existing treatments, such as statins, are already so effective that they cannot be improved upon. Side effect woes However, some people with high cholesterol are hoping for an alternative to statins because they complain about side effects such as muscle pain and weakness. They have high hopes for a new drug like Repatha, produced by the US company Amgen or its rival Praluent, sold by the French firm Sanofi with its American partner Regeneron. The two new powerful anti-cholesterol drugs of the same class were approved last year by the Food and Drug Administration only to patients with a hereditary form of high bad cholesterol and those with cardiovascular disease but not for prevention. These new anti-cholesterol drugs dont cause side effects on muscles in most people, according to a recent clinical trial. But they are very expensive, costing around 14,000 dollars a year. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. His Twitter bio reads: chef, restaurant owner, ramen eater, insomniac, often grumpy. And most of these attributes surfaced, albeit briefly, when we met Manu Chandra (35) at his popular gastropub Monkey Bar in Bandra. In less than a year, it has already become the go-to spot for the suburbs hipster crowd. Its hardly surprising, though, as the gastropub boasts of trendy decor (naked bulbs, exposed brick walls and vintage posters) and eclectic items like cocktails in jars. However, what stands out, and has been a game changer is Chandras take on regional flavours presented in a modern avatar. It has resulted in dishes (versions of which are routinely seen at new openings), such as laal maas phulka presented taco-style, dal pakwan (offered in bite-sized, bar food format) and kheema bao. So, does he think that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery? Restaurateurs have the tendency to feed into the larger mindset. Why should one do that when you can redefine boundaries? he asks before adding a word of caution, When we started Monkey Bar four years ago (in Bengaluru), the word gastropub didnt even exist in India. But now, when you have 50 other me-too ones, you are competing with each one of them. As entrepreneurs, we feel the pressure of that, says Chandra. Tuna tataki tostada (Photo: Kunal Chandra) Au naturel But that doesnt stop the New York-trained chef from breaking the mould in pursuit of the next big thing. For Chandra, it is his latest offering, Toast & Tonic an East Village-inspired international bar which opened in Bengaluru last month. It is his tribute to the neighbourhood that defined him as a person. An eclectic bunch of people from across the world have settled in the East Village (situated in the south of Manhattan, New York, where Chandra spent his formative years). It gives it a unique character. This is where chefs are pushing the boundaries in terms of producing local, organic food while relying on influences from the area, he says, sipping his first cup of coffee for the day. At one point, I used to have close to 20 cups a day, now its just two, he says. Udon, house cured chorizo and clams (Photo: Kunal Chandra) At the month-old Toast & Tonic, Chandra has opted for fresh local produce, such as young jackfruit, that features with smoked goat cheese and guacamole on a tostada and root vegetables like sweet potato and elephant foot yam that are pureed and used in various dishes. We make everything from scratch right from sausages, four kinds of mustard sauce to tonic water for our cocktails, says Chandra, who has always been passionate about showcasing the biodiversity of the country. And with Toast & Tonic, he is confident that hes set the bar so high that replicating it in a tawdrier format will be tough. For me, god lies in the details. And its great when you can put thought into details, and people start noticing them, he says. Read: Follow Purple Foodie? Now get ready for her colourful cookbook Early days Chandra broke into the Indian restaurant scene a decade ago, and since then, has risen to be one of the most successful chefs in the industry. This was the early 2000s, and there werent too many stand-alone restaurants with the exception of Olive (in Mumbai and Delhi), Indigo and a few others. I bumped into AD [Singh] at Olive, Delhi. He asked me to try the food and said, We have beautiful spaces but we dont have the prowess to match in the kitchen. At that point, he was contemplating opening the third outlet in Bengaluru and was looking for someone, recalls Chandra. As a 23-year-old chef, who had just returned from a string of successful stints at legendary restaurants like Daniel, Le Bernardin and Gramercy Tavern, among others, was it a good opportunity? When we made a trip to Bengaluru, we saw this beautiful old bungalow and I was sold, says Chandra. That was a decade ago. Today, Chandras portfolio includes eight outlets under his company Olive Cafe South. Flatbread - charred broccoli, tomato gojju and feta (Photo: Sanjay Ramchandran) Chandra also spent a considerable amount of time at the two Olive Bar & Kitchen outlets in Mumbai. Before Bengaluru, I spent eight months in Mumbai. As my first move, I made a presentation to the board of directors. I went slide by slide asking them to change the whole kitchen. It was a rundown kitchen, fly-by-night operations; it was a disaster, says Chandra, who took over the reins and turned it around. His second stint in the city was in 2009, when AD Singh was setting up the Mahalaxmi outpost. Since then, Chandra has risen to culinary fame. But over the last 10 years, if one thing has remained unchanged, its his ability to speak his mind. I dont follow a dictated trajectory. And I walk the talk, he adds. So, where in Mumbai does Chandra envision a Toast & Tonic? Bandra is the closest thing that there is to the East Village, he says, dropping a subtle hint. The writer tweets as @culturecola SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A week after it blocked efforts to ban Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, China on Thursday backed India against the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that opposes its domestic manufacturing under its National Solar Mission. The WTO on February 24 ruled against Indias Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission on the plea that New Delhis efforts towards the indigenous production of solar cells violated WTO rules. The ruling came on a 2013 complaint filed by the US. We support India in their appeal against the WTO ruling. We support the domestic industry to manufacture products for the solar industry, said Xie Zhenhua, special representative for Climate Change of China. The Chinese support came at the 22nd BASIC ministerial meeting on climate change held in New Delhi, where environment minister Prakash Javadekar was representing India. Representatives from the other countries Brazil, South Africa and China were also present. Last week, Indias move to get Pathankot terror attacks mastermind, JeM chief Masood Azhar, banned by the UN was rebuffed by China - for the second such time, causing huge disappointment in India. China, a close friend of Pakistan, had said that Azhar did not meet the UN criteria to be banned as a terrorist. Chinas burgeoning solar industry too faces political opposition in the US. A joint statement issued by the four countries here welcomed the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change - 21st Conference of Parties (COP-21) in December last year. The United States had in 2013 filed a complaint with the WTO against India providing support to domestic solar cell manufacturers under its National Solar Mission, which Washington said was against the international trade agreement. USA claimed that India violated domestic content requirements (DCR) rules. A three-member dispute settlement panel of the WTO was set up in 2013. The panel ruled against India on February 24, 2016. India in its appeal against the WTO ruling, argued that the DCR measure were justified on the ground that they secure its compliance with laws required to promote sustainable development. India also argued that its solar programme was helping it to meet its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Indias solar energy programme is considered one of the worlds largest and fastest renewable energy programmes. At present India generates around 5,000 megawatts of solar energy from virtually nil some five years back. India had also scaled up its target to produce solar energy by pushing ahead the 20,000 megawatts of solar electricity generation to 1,00,000 megawatts by 2022. In the meeting, India along with China, Brazil and South Africa issued a joint statement to ratify the Paris COP 21 Global Climate Agreement in New York on April 22. India is set to get new national milk safety standards after 60 years that will standardise outdated benchmarks for determining adulteration, include sources such as camel and yak and incorporate flavoured and fortified milk. Under current guidelines set in 1954, only milk from cow, sheep, buffalo and goat is considered. There is a need to revisit old standards to ensure people eat and drink quality food, said Pawan Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the countrys food-safety regulator. Close to 70% of milk sold in India is considered adulterated as it doesnt conform to standards for fat and solid non-fat (SNF) content including vitamins and minerals that vary from state to state. This is a problem, experts say, as not conforming to fat standards is not a health hazard which is what adulteration implies. Also, hybrid cattle and environmental changes have rendered the old standards useless. Milk with water added is considered adulterated. It may be non-conforming to set standards but is essentially not unsafe to drink, said an FSSAI official. Diluting milk with water lowers the percentage of fat, vitamins and minerals. Fat and SNF standards differ across states. In Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana, for example, the percentage of recommended fat is 4%, its 3% for Mizoram and Odisha, and 3.5% for the rest of India. For SNF, earlier criterion was 8.2%. Read: 2 out of 3 Indians drink milk laced with detergent, urea and paint With milk sourced from across states, there is no point in having different standards for different states. While drafting the new standards, we have brought uniformity to the criteria, the official said. While 8.5% will be the recommended benchmark for SNF, 3.2% is being considered for fat in milk as the tentative cut-off across India. We have adopted a three-pronged strategy, in which setting new standards is one component. The other two being commissioning a national-level survey to measure the quality of milk India is drinking and identify problem areas, Agarwal said. The revised standards were also needed because of changes in environmental conditions, quality of fodder and water that cattle are consuming. We now have hybrid cattle and the quality of milk is changing naturally across country, which is why we need to revisit old standards, the FSSAI official said. Why should someone be persecuted if his or her cow or buffalo is producing milk with lower fat content than the permissible limit? Since camel milk is traded in some states, we have proposed 3% fat content and 6.5% SNF for camel milk. Yak milk is also being considered, though we are yet to set the criterion for it, he said. For flavoured milk, the levels of additives are under consideration, and in fortified milk, the regulatory body is looking at vitamin A and vitamin D fortification that should not exceed the set limit. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Several local deities are going thirsty, following the total prohibition of manufacture, sale, and consumption of liquor in Bihar. There are many temples in the state where country-made liquor, toddy, and even IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) was mandatorily offered to the gods. With total prohibition in force, shrines of Dak Baba, Masan Baba, Goraiya Baba, Dihwal Baba, Naukha Baba, and Bhairavall revered by the Dalit and Mahadalit communities among othershave gone virtually dry. In Gaya, the move has spelt doom for priests of many temples where the number of the devotees has shrunk considerably owing to the ban on liquor. Last Saturday some devotes clandestinely procure the offering, for their deities. However, due to stepped up operations of police and excise department they were compelled to stay indoors with the stuff. Our God Kapal Bhairav accepts only liquor as his first bhog (food of gods). But after the ban about 40% of the devotees have chosen to stay away, complained Anant Marathe, the priest of Godawari Mohalla Bhairav Sthan temple. Similar situation prevails at Dak Baba and Samshan Baba shrines. In places such as Kauakol in Nawada district and Goraiyasthan in Maner (Patna district), there is an age-old tradition of brewing liquor at home, for offering to the family deity. Those who cannot brew, purchase the country liquor to please their gods. My family has been offering kalasam (vessel that holds ritualistic offerings) to our prandevata (deity) using liquor brewed in our house, Babloo Kumar, a native of Goraiyasthan, told HT on Wednesday. For the Musahar community, to which ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi belongs, offering liquor to Masan Baba is integral to their culture. They offer country liquor to the deity on all festivals, as well as on births, deaths, and marriage anniversaries. We offer liquor along with a live chicken to invoke Masan Baba, whose benediction helps us overcome sickness and fulfil our wishes. With the lawmakers depriving our deity of liquor, Masan Baba would be forced to migrate to some other place, Manjhi feared. Raghuni Manjhi, a resident of Sekhodevra village of Kauakol police station in Nawada, warns that the policymakers should be prepared to face the consequences if they persist with prohibition. Experts point out that the government may relent if religious sentiments come into the picture. They hope that the government would grant concessions for ritualistic brewing and use of alcohol. The Ghaziabad police on Thursday arrested Sagar, son of Bahujan Samaj Party Rajya Sabha MP Narendra Kashyap, following the mysterious death of his 27-year-old daughter-in-law at their Sanjay Nagar residence on Wednesday morning. Senior police officials said MP Narendra Kashyap and his wife Devendari Devi were also likely to be arrested soon under a dowry death case lodged against them and their family members. Meanwhile, Kashyap and his wife were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of a Ghaziabad hospital following complaints of chest pain on Wednesday night. Himanshi was found dead in the washroom adjacent to the first floor bedroom in her Sanjay Nagar residence. Police sources said her post mortem revealed death due to gun shot injury with marks of blackening and tattooing (due to gun powder) as a result of a bullet injury on her head. Following the arrest of his son, the MP and his wife will face immediate arrest as soon as they get discharged from the hospital. The police officials are deployed at the hospital and both are under observation. Himanshis post mortem was conducted late night and body was taken by her parents to Badaun, said Salman Taj, superintendent of police (city) at Ghaziabad. MP Narendra Kashyap, his wife and son Sagar, who is a medical doctor, are among six persons named by Himanshis family under an FIR lodged at Kavi Nagar police station. Police said that they have booked them under sections of 304B (dowry death), 498A (subjecting woman to cruelty by in-laws) and provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act against six, including Narendra Kashyap and Dr Sagar. We have also taken up the finger print samples of Kashyaps family members and will be sent for forensic examination to match with those on the weapon found from their residence. After the family members found Himanshi dead, they lifted the weapon and placed it elsewhere from the scene of crime. The weapon is a licensed revolver belonging to Dr Sagar but the family is yet to produce its license. Further, we have also seized and sent the weapon for ballistic examination, a police source said. The hand wash (used for finding the gun powder traces over the hand after a weapon is fired) of Kashyaps family members could not be taken as the police were informed late, nearly one and half hours, after the incident on Wednesday, the source said. Narendra Kashyap, an advocate before joining politics, was member of Uttar Pradesh legislative council (1998- 2010) and elected to Rajya Sabha in August, 2010. He is also a member of Committee on transport, tourism and culture and Member of Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Himanshi got married to the son of Kashyaps friend and former UP minister Hiralal Kashyap, in November 2013 and have a one-and-a-half-year-old-son. Following Himanshis death, her family arrived at Ghaziabad on Wednesday evening and her father levelled serious allegations of dowry harassment, domestic violence and demands of a Fortuner SUV on her in-laws. They have murdered my daughter and shot her ... she was beaten several times. If police dont arrest her in-laws, i will take my family members and immolate before the Parliament... Hiralal Kashyap said on Wednesday. Both Narendra Kashyap and Hiralal Kashyap shared a dais at a function held on Maharishi Kashyap Jayanti at sector-23 Park at Sanjay Nagar on Tuesday. A day later, Himanshi, Hiralals only daughter, died at her in-laws house at Sanjay Nagar while her in-laws were present inside the house and did not hear gun shot being fired. Her husband was away for work at Meerut. After the function on Tuesday, I had met her and she was repeatedly asking me to take her along, said Hiralal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands of protesters clashed with police on Thursday after two militants were killed in a gun battle with security forces in South Kashmirs Shopian district. According to eye witnesses, the protesters torched a police armoured vehicle as masked militants fired automatic rifles into the air in honour of the dead men. The two militants were members of Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest local rebel group operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The gun battle broke out early on Thursday morning when militants fired on security personnel who had cordoned off a village. Acting on a specific information about the presence of militants in Vehil village, Shopian Police, 62-RR and 14 BN CRPF cordoned off the area and launched the search operation. During the search the hiding militants opened fire which was retaliated, triggering an encounter, said a Srinagar based police spokesman. The two militants were identified as Anam-ul-Haq Malla, a district commander of Hizbul and a resident of Pahlipora Trenz, Shopian and Naseer Ahmad Pandith from Karimabad, Pulwama who was active in the organisation since 2015 after deserting from the Police department along with service weapons. Pandith was a security guard at the residence of a former minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds cabinet. Two AK-47 rifles, 183 rounds, six magazines, 2 grenades, 2 LTPE, 2 electric detonator, 1 wire cutter and cash Rs. 6,500 were recovered from the encounter site. After the shootout, thousands of angry villagers came out onto the streets, throwing stones at police and chanting slogans in support of the rebels. Police fired tear gas at the protesters but later withdrew to avoid an escalation. Clashes between civilians and security forces after death of militants or during ongoing encounters have been on a rise for some time in the Valley. Local police and the army have issued public warnings asking residents within a two-kilometre radius of a gun battle to stay indoors, but the request is usually ignored. (With inputs from Reuters) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bombay Hospital is inquiring into an incident in its paediatric department, where a six-month-old suffered burns on her cheek and shoulder last week while was being administered steam to open up her lungs. Ishani Rathod was being treated at the hospitals paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) after a choking incident at her Vikhroli home. Steam inhalation is administered to remove phlegm in the lungs and allows a patient to breathe easily. Ishani was brought to the hospital on March 25, admitted in the PICU and put on ventilator. Two days later, doctors removed the ventilator support and started her on nebulisation and steam therapy. On the evening of March 28, she sustained the burns while being given steam therapy. Ishanis father, Jitesh , alleged that the hospital staff initially did not inform the parents about the burns. It was only when we spotted blisters on her cheek and shoulder and questioned them they admitted that my child got burnt. Initially, they tried to pacify me by saying that she suffered burns because she has a sensitive skin but all children have sensitive skin, Rathod told Hindustan Times. Rathod said that the team of doctors apologised to the family for the mistake which has put the child in additional pain. She was already suffering and the burns only made it worse, said the childs grandmother, Leela Rathod. Ishani, doctors said, has suffered damage to the brain that has affected her mobility and eyesight. Mukesh Sanklecha, the doctor who is treating Ishani, said her survival after the incident at home was miraculous. Our team did everything to save the life of the child. She is stable and has been shifted to the general ward. She developed blisters following the steam therapy and there would not be any repercussion on the outcome of her treatment, said Dr Sanklecha, adding that the child is undergoing physiotherapy at the hospital. Hospital spokesperson Dr Sagar Sakle said, The child was brought to the hospital with zero heart rate. She has sustained superficial burns and we have treated her for that. We will investigate into the incident and our nursing department is looking into it as steam therapy is given by the nurses. A minor girl in Jharkhand who was to be forcibly married later this month displayed exemplary courage and sought help from police on Wednesday. Sakina Kumari, 14, from Simdegas Kullukera village, was to marry Abhisekh Nayak of Chhattisgarhs Jaspur district on April 21. It was to be the last day of school for this Class 8 student and her resentment was growing. The angst of discontinuing studies, parting with school friends, and the pain of losing her childhood forever stared her in the face. Half way through the school day, she had made up her mind there was no way she was going through with the marriage. Sakina gathered every ounce of courage she had and narrated her ordeal to her teacher, Brahmadutt Nayak, who took her to the police superintendent, Rajiv Ranjan Singh. What followed in the next couple of hours scripted history in Simdega. Never before in this tribal district more than 70% of the population here is tribal had a schoolgirl protested against her parents decision and used the law against them. No sooner did the girl come to us appealing to prevent her marriage and sought asylum from us than we decided to adopt her, said Singh. Despite hailing from a remote village where children are clandestinely married off early, Sakina showed tremendous courage of conviction. We hail her bravado and pledge to help her in her studies till she finds a career of her own. We will be her guardians now. A police team went to Sakinas home and arrested her parents. By the time of filing this report, the police and the administration were making arrangements for Sakina to continue her studies at a Kasturba Gandhi Residential School. Sakina dreams of one day becoming a police officer. Given that the Jharkhand government and the director general of police have announced that women will be given priority to fill vacancies in the force, her chances look good. Several organisations including JKNPP, JPPF and Sri Ram Sena called for Jammu bandh on Thursday in protest against the alleged police action on outstation students at NIT in Srinagar. We unanimously decided to observe complete Bandh in Jammu on April 7, said Jammu Province Peoples Forum (JPPF) Working President M S Katoch. Katoch appealed to all Jammuites to make the call a success in support of outstation students studying in NIT Srinagar. JPPF, an amalgam of over 50 various social, commercial and other organisations, has strongly criticised the state government for provoking anti-national activities in NIT Srinagar by hurting sentiments of nationalist forces. He alleged the government was hell bent to destroy the peace and communal harmony in the State. Strongly condemning lathicharge on the outstation students by Jammu and Kashmir police, Katoch demanded security and their protection in the campus. Demanding a judicial probe into the incident and strict action, he said the police entered the campus and brutally beaten and thrashed outstation students, the action will adversely affect the thousands of Kashmiri students studying outside the State as it will create a sense of insecurity among them. Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers party (JKNPP) also announced a Jammu bandh on Thursday. Terming as inhumane the lathicharge on students, JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh appealed to all Jammuites to unite and come forward to support call for Jammu Bandh. Singh condemned the ugly episode of clash inside the NIT campus when certain anti-national elements celebrated Indias defeat by the Caribbean team in the World T20 Cup match. Those involved in alleged India bashing, raising pro- Azadi slogans and pelting stones should be booked under sedition charges and other provisions of the Ranbir Penal code, he said. He also criticised J&K police for lathi charge on students and slammed the state government for its failure to provide security to the traumatised students who have been unlawfully detained and confined within the four walls of the institute campus. He also expressed solidarity with the parents of the students and sought dismissal of police personnel who were involved in lathi charge. Meanwhile Sri Ram Sena in the state has also announced a one-day Bandh in Jammu. We have called a Bandh on Thursday over the NIT incident which is a shameful act of some anti national elements, its leader said. Confessional statements of some witnesses in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case are reported to be missing from the special MCOCA court in Mumbai, prompting the authorities to mount a search for those. The issue came to light earlier this week when staff of the special court approached former special public prosecutor (SPP) Rohini Salian to inquire about whether she had with her some of the confessional statements of witnesses. I was surprised when such a query was made to me. The court staff asked whether I had confessional statements of six or seven crucial witnesses recorded before a magistrate. I conveyed that all documents had been handed over to the new SPP Avinash Rasal in presence of NIA officers and, in any case, the originals were in the court records only, Salian said. The witnesses whose statements have gone missing include those of a close aide of Ramji Kalsangra who had confessed before a magistrate about the criminal conspiracy hatched to plant explosives in Malegaon. Two low-intensity explosions in Malegaon on September 29, 2008, had left seven people dead. The Maharashtra polices Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), which investigated the case before it was handed over to CBI and later to NIA in 2011, arrested several, including self-styled Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Srikant Purohit. When Karun Misra did dieshot at close range while riding a motorcycle on his way homeit was a shock to his family. He left behind a wife, Payal, and two young children, including a 15-day old newborn. But Karun, a journalist in Uttar Pradeshs Ambedkarnagar district, was aware his life was in danger, a friend, Manish Tiwari, told IndiaSpend. From all accounts a driven, idealistic man, Karun, 32, had written stories about a particularly dangerous businessillegal mining. Mafia hit-men first came for Karun after he refused bribes and ignored threats, said the friend. On February 5, he got information that something was going to happen to him on either the 11th or 12th of February, said the friend. A day later, Karun was dead, the fifth journalist murdered in Indias most populous state since March 2015, accounting for half the 10 killed nationwide, according to data independently compiled by The Hoot, a media watchdog, and IndiaSpend. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India Asias deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Committee For The Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) affirms this statement with their compilation of data showing that for the year of 2015, there were only two deaths of journalists in Pakistan and no deaths in Afghanistan. Karuns case is unique because the mastermind behind his murder and the main shooter were arrested. This is rare. As many as 24 journalists were murdered for work-related reasons in India since 1992, Committee for the Protection Of Journalists (CPJ) data reveal. But 96% of the cases are unsolved, ranking India 14th globally for impunity in murder cases against journalists, according to the CPJ impunity index. Thats because the concerned governments are not willing to really protect journalists performing their duties, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, told IndiaSpend. Indian journalists daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015, Reporters Without Borders states. Illegal mining for a variety of sand and mineralsparticularly sand for the construction industryis a crime that is in growing evidence across India. Two murders monitored by RSF (in 2015) were linked to illegal mining, a sensitive environmental subject in India, an RSF report released in 2015 said. RSFs data are estimates of murders confirmed as work-related; there are four more awaiting confirmation. Soldier-like Karun went up against powerful, illegal industry He didnt like to do stories and leave them just like that, said another friend of Karun, Rashtriya Sahara. He wanted a result from it He was soldier-like, he would not call police and say something is happening and they should go there. When Sahara met him four days before he was killed, Karun, a reporter with Jansandesh, a Hindi daily, confessed, There is some danger, some difficulties but I have to fight. His fight was against a powerful, illegal industry that is steadily expanding despite a new law, promulgated in January 2015, that allows for five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500,000 per hectare of land mined illegally. But illegal mining has steadily increased over the last six years (except for a dip in 2013-14), as this government statement to the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament) revealed. In UP, where his investigation of illegal mining cost Karun his life, cases registered almost doubled over a decade. With illegal mining embedded in UPs economy and politics, Karuns friends and family pointed out that despite arrests, illegal mining in their area has not stopped. The reason for which Karun was killed is still going on, said one of the two friends we spoke to. Police are not doing what they can to stop the illegal mining business its still going on. For Karuns brother, Varun Misra, the shock endures. He has not forgotten how Karun did not answer his phone when he called on February 13. At 11 pm, he received a call from an uncle. [My uncle] told me Karun was dead. I was so shocked. I could not believe it. 46% of Indian journalists killed on duty were covering politics Since 1992, only 3% of journalists in India have died covering wars, according to CPJ data, and as many as 46% of journalists who were killed while working were covering politics; 35% corruption. India is not alone in this trend, reported RSF: Two thirds of the journalists killed worldwide in 2014 were killed in war zones. In 2015, it was the exact opposite. Two thirds were killed in countries at peace. Death is not the only cause for concern for the Indian journalist. Human rights defenders, journalists and protesters continued to face arbitrary arrests and detentions. Over 3,200 people were being held in January [2015] under administrative detention on executive orders without charge or trial, the latest Amnesty International report states. Journalists face hostile environments across the world: 71 were killed with confirmed motives, with another 25 unconfirmed, according to CPJs statistics. RSF records that 43 journalists have been killed for unclear reasons. Karuns brother, Varun, said crimes were getting bigger and criminals bolder and this is why punishment was important. This can happen with anyone anywhere, he said. My only appeal to the authorities is a speedy trial and severe punishment. Death is inevitable but nobody deserves to die like this. (Campbell is a graduate in Film and Media from Otago University, New Zealand, and an intern with IndiaSpend.) Story was first published in India Spend. Hinting that the partys manifesto for the May 16 Tamil Nadu assembly polls may include lifting the toddy tapping ban, BJP alleged on Thursday that there was a deep nexus between distilleries and successive governments in the state. There is a deep nexus between distilleries, state-run TASMAC liquor shops and politics for the last few years in Tamil Nadu, BJP general secretary Muralidhar Rao told reporters in Coimbatore. Considering this, the party will caution the Election Commission to be vary with the kind of money which is coming from distilleries, Rao said. Asked whether BJP, which is for prohibition, would lift the two decade ban on toddy, he said the party did not equate toddy with TASMAC liquor, Indian Made Foreign Liquor, beer or any other drinks. When pressed for an answer, he said I have given you enough hints that the manifesto, to be released in another 10 days, will have important issues. Stating that the assembly election was going to be an important one not only for the state, but also for the nation, he said corruption was going to be a big issue. BJP was the only party qualified to say it would give a corruption-free government in Tamil Nadu, based on the performance of the central government and other BJP-ruled states, he said. BJP, which has released the first list of 54 candidates, would focus more on western region, which has the potential to be the engine of growth and development in the state, he said. However, corruption was hurting the development of industries, he alleged. Asked about BJPs prospects in Tamil Nadu, Rao said the prospects are great and the future is bright. The state is passing through a transition, where old is giving way to new. About 1.7 crore first time voters want participatory politics and to oust both DMK and AIADMK, he said. On what the Modi government has done for Tamil Nadu, he claimed its biggest achievement was the stopping of killing of fishermen from the state by Sri Lankan Navy. He recalled that when external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had met the Sri Lankan President last year, the number of fishermens casualties had touched 500. Now there was no killing of fisherman and those arrested were released in the shortest possible time, he said. The process of finding a comprehensive solution to the problem has already started and will be completed. There is a marked improvement in the situation and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited Jaffna, Rao said. Police have identified a person with a criminal record as one of the killers of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Tanzeel Ahmed, and launched a hunt for him.The victims family, however, has contested their theory -- claiming that he may have been murdered by those with terror links Muneer, a resident of Seohara town in Bijnor district, is suspected to have killed Ahmed over a property dispute. Police teams have been dispatched to various locations to nab him, Omkar Singh, DIG of Moradabad range, said. A red Pulsar motorcycle reportedly used in the crime was recovered from Bareilly. Ahmed was murdered early on Sunday, while he and his family were heading back to their residence in Sahaspur, Uttar Pradesh, after attending a wedding in Bijnor. Muneers name surfaced while police were interrogating certain suspects captured in raids carried out at Bijnor, Aligarh, Sambhal and Bulandshahr districts. Sources said Ahmed came into contact with the suspect as they belonged to the same town, but later fell out over a property dispute. When Muneer and his associates found out that Ahmed planned to attend his nieces wedding on Saturday night, they allegedly hatched a plan to kill him. A few of the suspects were reportedly identified from the video footage of the ceremony. Read: NIA officer shot dead by gunmen at Bijnor in planned attack Police said Muneer was allegedly involved in murder cases at Aligarh. However, Ahmeds family has raised serious questions over the polices property dispute theory. Show us the details of the properties they were dealing in. Neither Tanzeel nor I have ever met or seen any Muneer in our lives, but they say he was a partner. This is ridiculous, said Ahmeds brother Raghib Masood. He further asked why Ahmed was targeted when the property would only be transferred to his wife or children in the event of his death. My children and I could have been claimants too, but they didnt kill us. My car was just behind Tanzeels. Read: NIA officers murder: 3 held, property dispute likely motive for killing Masood said Ahmed had bought a shop near his ancestral house, and all payments for the property were made through cheques. Muneer had nothing to do with that purchase, he claimed. Tanzeel and his wife were earning very well, almost Rs 2.5 lakh a month. They wanted to make an investment for their children, he said. My brothers integrity is beyond doubt, and his professional and personal conduct has always been exemplary. I am shocked by this kind of investigation. Masood said his brother was killed 24 hours after leaving the company of the Pakistan delegation that investigated the Pathankot attack. He was with the Pakistan team for five days. Isnt it weird that he was killed less than 24 hours after his work with the team got over and he returned to the village? Insisting that the police probe was heading down the wrong track, he said Ahmed had received death threats on several occasions for apprehending terrorists. Police have identified a person with a criminal record as the killer of NIA officer Mohammed Tanzil Ahmed, who was murdered on Sunday when he and his family were heading back to their house in UPs Sahaspur after attending a wedding, officials said on Thursday. Sources said Muneer, a resident of Seohara town in Bijnor district, eliminated Ahmed to settle some property dispute. Police teams have been dispatched to different location to nab him, Omkar Singh, DIG of Moradabad range, said. Investigative teams also have recovered a red Pulsar motorcycle from Bareilly which was used in committing the crime. Read | Slain NIA officers wife critical, undergoing treatment Two gunmen on a motorcycle fired more than 20 bullets at Ahmeds WagonR car when he was returning home from a wedding at Seohara in Bijnor district on Sunday with his 40-year-old wife Farzana, teenaged daughter Jumnish, and son Sahbagh. Ahmeds wife, with bullets in her stomach and legs, is undergoing treatment at a Noida hospital. The children escaped unharmed as they hid behind the seats. Youth Congress workers paying tribute to NIA officer Mohammed Tanzil Ahmed during a condolence meeting at PCC office in Bhopal on Wednesday. (Mujeeb Faruqui/ HT Photo) Muneers name surfaced during the interrogation of the suspects who were detained by the police on Wednesday after raiding their hideouts in Bijnor, Aligarh, Sambhal and Bulandshahar districts. Sources said Muneer came in contact with Ahmed as they belonged to the same town and later developed enmity over some property dispute. Read | Bring to book the murderers of NIA officer Ahmad, says Rahul Gandhi They said Muneer was planning to eliminate the NIA officer since a long time but could not do so because Ahmed used to come to Seohara without informing anyone about his visit and leave soon. His killers were aware that he would attend the wedding ceremony of his niece and they planned his killing. Police identified a few suspects from the video of the ceremony which eventually helped the investigative agencies identify the killers. Senior National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Mohammed Tanzeel Ahmed died on Sunday after two unidentified gunmen sprayed over 20 bullets at him in Uttar Pradeshs Bijnor district in first such attack on a member of Indias only federal anti-terror body. Around 1am on Sunday, 49-year-old Ahmed was returning home with his family from a wedding when two motorcycle-borne men drove past his Wagon R but came back within seconds. The firearm of one of the men who fired at Ahmed jammed but he soon resumed, pumping over 20 bullets into his body and injuring his wife. For Ahmed, an inspector the NIA, the end came soon but not before he asked his teenaged son and daughter to crouch between the rear and front seats, saving them. Following the deadly attack, tributes began pouring in - from shocked relatives and colleagues - for the NIA officer who spoke Urdu and Persian with as much ease as he would crack codes and develop intelligence in critical counter-terror operations, including those that led to the nabbing of the Indian Mujahideen (IM)s then India chief bomb expert Yaseen Bhatkal in August 2013. On leave after his stint as a liaison officer for the five-member Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the January Pathankot attack by a six-member Jaish-e-Mohammed squad, it was suspected he was targeted by terror elements. The role of IM and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was being examined. Three days later, on Wednesday however, a senior UP police officer supervising the murder probe said that the slain counter-terror ace was suspected to have been targeted by hired criminals at the behest of acquaintances for reasons related to personal, property-related reasons. Police sources spoke of the probe focusing on his frequent trips to his hometown for personal reasons, which could unravel the murder of the man who was an assistant commandant with the Border Security Force (BSF) on deputation to the NIA for the past six years. Police have detained three people in connection with the murder after raiding the hideouts of the suspects in Bijnor, Aligarh, Sambhal and Bulandshahar districts, a senior officer said. The suspects are being interrogated and officials have refused to identify the suspects. The probe team, however, ruled out a terror angle in the case. Ahmeds murder is being probed by several agencies, including the state anti-terrorist squad, special task force, district police and central investigation bodies. Sources said the terror angle was eliminated only after a thorough probe. According to sources, the probe revealed that Ahmed had a misunderstanding with local residents when he bought some property in Bijnor district. Ahmed is not the only police officer who was feted by the public and hogged the front pages and prime time news bulletins before their slide began, abruptly, allegedly due to their lure of the lucre or proximity with land or property mafia. Heres a lowdown on such officers: Rajbir Singh: Encounter specialist, Delhi police ACP Singh was killed on March 24, 2008, at property dealer Vijay Bharadwajs Gurgaon office, where he had gone to meet him as they were old acquaintances. According to the CBI that probed the murder case, it was suspected that there was a dispute over Rs 50-60 lakh between the two, which led to the murder. Singh had allegedly provided money in lakhs to the accused, Bharadwaj, for investing the same in properties with a motive to earn a profit. The CBI submitted before the court that Singh, who had Z-plus security, told his escort to wait outside the office and entered the dealers office. Both sat down for drinks and after an altercation, Bharadwaj allegedly shot him twice at point-blank range from behind. Singh died on the spot. Bharadwaj was later convicted. Singh, who was known for his formidable network of informants in the world inhabited by gangsters and terrorists and the number of kills in police encounters, allegedly represented many of his ilk who live by their automatics and mobile phones. While they are expected to draw a line between countering criminals and adopting pressure tactics to amass personal fortunes, the line does get blurred now and then. Singh had neutralised several terror cells in Delhi in coordination with central intelligence agencies and arrested several operatives including Mohammed Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013 after his conviction in the 2001 Parliament attack case. Singh was posted with the Delhi Polices Special Cell and the crime branch and had also detected the Red Fort terror attack case of 2000. Daya Nayak: Encounter specialist, Mumbai Police A 1995-batch sub-inspector, encounter specialist, Nayak had neutralised 83 alleged gangsters during his stint with the Mumbai crime branch and its crack Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), which virtually decimated the citys underworld during 1995 to 2005. His world came crashing down with his arrest in early 2006 by the state anti-corruption bureau on charges of amassing properties, which he denied as baseless and motivated. He was later suspended. Allegations against Nayaks disproportionate assets began surfacing since 2002 after he opened a school in his home state of Karnataka. A departmental inquiry, however, cleared Nayak of all allegations. In October 2009, Maharashtra police denied permission to prosecute Nayak, citing insufficient grounds. Nayak was cleared of all charges in 2010 by the Supreme Court and his suspension was revoked in 2012. Nayak belonged to a modest background and is said to have studied under street-lights to join the force. The lives of Nayak and his purported mentor - former inspector and encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma who had 103-plus hits to his credit including gangsters and three LeT terrorists - inspired several Bollywood movies like Ab Tak Chappan. In January 2010, Sharma, who had joined the police force in 1983, was nabbed along with 21 others for their alleged involvement in the fake encounter of gangster Lakhan Bhaiyya but was subsequently acquitted by a Mumbai court in July 2013. Ravindranath Angre: Encounter specialist, Maharashtra Police A 1983-batch police officer, Angre had killed 52 alleged gangsters. Among his scalps was elusive and resident underworld don Suresh Machekar in August 2003 after tracking him for three years. It was my Independence Day gift to the nation, Angre had told media then. His slide from the top began five years later when Thane Police arrested him in February 2008 on allegations of threatening a local property developer, Ganesh Wagh. The complainant, Wagh, had backed out of a deal to build a Rs 100 crore swimming pool-cum-club complex in Thane. Wagh filed a complaint of threatening, extortion and robbery against Angre, following which the officer was arrested and suspended. Angre spent months in prison and was released in May 2009. He was later reinstated into the service and transferred to Maoist-infected Gadchiroli but he refused to accept his transfer. Angre was dismissed from service in June 2014. Shridhar Vagal: Former Mumbai Crime Branch chief Maharashtra-cadre IPS officer Vagal was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the multi crore-stamp paper scam in November 2003. Vagal, who was posted as commissioner (state intelligence department) at the time of his arrest, had also served as joint commissioner of police (crime), a prestigious posting, earlier. Vagal, an officer of 1976 batch, was the first IPS officer to be arrested in the fake stamp paper scam and charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. He was suspended in 2003 after his arrest. In 2010, however, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) set aside his suspension. BJP cautioned on Thursday that the way non-Kashmiri students are being dealt with at NIT Srinagar could have an impact on students from Jammu and Kashmir studying elsewhere in the country. The elements involved in the misaction are anti-national and anti-people who want to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the state by indulging in such type of violence which tantamount to instigating similar reactions against students from the state studying outside the state and putting to risk and jeopardy their lives, said Sunil Sethi, chief spokesperson of BJPs state unit. Noting that Jammu and Kashmir is poised to get AIIMS and IIT, he said, Bad treatment given to our fellow countrymen in the state will dissuade the students and teachers to come to these institutions which looks like concerted effort to isolate the state from national mainstream. Sethi called upon the state govt to take effective and strong action against all persons involved, including police officials, to instill confidence among students belonging to other states. Sethi further said raising of national flag and chanting national slogans are a matter of pride and the state has to facilitate activities which propagate nationalism. Action should be taken against all such elements who are indulging in anti-national slogans and hoisting flags of Pakistan which amounts to supporting and propagating terrorism and separatism in the state and rest of country, Sethi said. He said there should be total ban on sale and possession of Pakistani Flags in the state with penal consequences to stop the politics of hatred in the state. Amid a political row over the Panama Papers revelations, the Congress on Thursday demanded a probe into the alleged offshore financial investments by Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singhs son and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Singh. The party accused the BJP-led NDA government of ignoring the investigations of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) for the past one year about the alleged serious fraud, holding of off-shore assets and money laundering in off-shore accounts through fictitious companies by Singh. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said when the issue was raised by the party in Chhattisgarh, Singh had denied having any foreign bank accounts. He was intentionally vague by not mentioning any investments in form of shareholdings in a company. These companies can then own assets or whatever, he said. In the ICIJ investigations in 2013, Ramesh claimed that one Abhishak Singh is a shareholder of Quest Heights Ltd, an offshore company in British Virgin Islands, which is part of a larger web created to hide away offshore investments. Another firm also finds connection with Abhishak Singh that is Share Corp Ltd and this firm is shareholder in numerous other off-shore companies based out of tax havens like British Virgin Islands, he said. Who is Abhishak Singh? He is actually Abhishek Singh. He is the son of Chhattisgarh CM, he added. Ramesh claimed that the connection between Abhishek Singh and Abhishak Singh is brought out by the address. The address is c/o Raman Medical Store, New Bus Stand, Vindhyavasini Ward, Ward no. 20, Kawardha. The other address is Raman Medical Stores, Main Road Kawardha. This proves the connection, he alleged. Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit said on Thursday the dialogue with India is suspended as there are no plans for the foreign secretaries to meet, while hinting that the NIA will not be given access to JeM chief Masood Azhar for the probe into the Pathankot attack. The assault on the Pathankot airbase, blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, disrupted fresh efforts to place troubled bilateral ties on an even keel and Basits remarks reflected a new low in the diplomatic impasse. The arrest of alleged RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav in Balochistan also triggered a row between the two sides. Chinas decision last week to block Indias move at the UN to designate Azhar a terrorist has added to tensions. I would say the dialogue is suspended, Basit said during an interaction at the Foreign Correspondents Club, responding to a question on the status of the comprehensive dialogue announced by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz last December. There is no meeting scheduled between the foreign secretaries... Lets see if we are able to commence the dialogue process, he said. Basit created a stir by saying a Pakistani joint investigation teams (JIT) visit to India to probe the Pathankot attack was not based on reciprocity the complete opposite of what external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said several times though the day. The visit of the Pakistan JIT was not based on reciprocity, but on a spirit of cooperation, Basit said when asked whether an NIA team would be allowed to visit Pakistan. Asked specifically if this meant Pakistan wouldnt allow the NIA to visit, he said, You can draw your own conclusions. Pakistan has said there is no evidence against the JeM chief. An Indian move at the UN Security Council to designate Azhar a terrorist was blocked by Pakistans close ally China, which said more evidence is needed. China has also blocked previous attempts to sanction Azhar. Read | Love thy neighbour: Chinese diplomats response to Masood Azhar issue The NIA wants to send a team to Pakistan to question the JeM chief and his brother Rauf Azhar for their alleged role in the Pathankot attack. Swarup said the Pakistani JITs visit was on a reciprocal basis. Indian officials said Basits statement went against the terms of reference for the JITs visit. The work of the JIT in India was as per the terms of reference that were agreed between the two governments through their respective foreign offices. They are on reciprocal basis and in accordance with existing legal provisions, Swarup said. Read | Both sides agreed on reciprocity: India counters Pak envoys JIT comment Any Pakistani decision not to allow a visit by an NIA team would give the Opposition an opportunity to target the government for giving the green signal to the trip by the Pakistani team, which included an ISI operative. On Basits remarks that the peace process stands suspended, Swarup referred to the press conference of Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria in which he said, Both countries are in contact and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. I will again state that negotiations are the best means to resolve the issues. Government sources said if Basits comments reflected a shift in the Pakistan governments policy, this should have been conveyed to India through appropriate channels. A source said: This should have been conveyed through Pakistans Foreign Office, rather than the envoys statement to the media. The sources said the only contact between the two sides was at the level of the national security advisers and there is no proposal for a meeting between the foreign secretaries in the near future. Read | Govt junks Pak reports on Pathankot JIT, awaits Islamabads reaction Basit spoke on several other issues, including the arrest of the alleged RAW operative and the Kashmir issue. The recent arrest of Kulbhushan (Jadhav) in Pakistan irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along. We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilise the country, he said. India and Pakistan, he said, should be realistic about the Kashmir issue and attempts to put it on the backburner will be counterproductive. It is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues. Therefore, its fair and just resolution, as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, is imperative. Basit said there could not be any short cut to achieving a lasting peace. He added, Nor does cherry-picking work. What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively, and meaningfully. Read | Request for consular access to RAW spy under consideration: Pak National carrier Air India on Thursday ordered an inquiry into an incident in which a captain allegedly refused to operate a flight from Chennai without a particular woman co-pilot. The company will neither condone nor tolerate such acts, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said in a statement in New Delhi. As many as 110 passengers onboard the airlines flight from Chennai for Male via Thiruvananthapuram were made to wait for over two hours at the Chennai airport yesterday morning after the commander allegedly insisted for the particular woman pilot to operate the aircraft with him. On the issue of the recent incident on (Air India flight) AI 263 from Chennai to Male via Thiruvananthapuram where the pilot refused to fly without a particular co-pilot, the airline has taken a strong view on the matter and has ordered an immediate inquiry into it, Lohani said. The airline has suffered enough because of such stray and repeated cases of indiscipline, he said, adding Air India will neither condone nor tolerate such acts. I have directed all such cases be brought to my notice immediately and strict action to be taken, he added. Pakistan said on Thursday it was still considering Indias request for consular access to Kulbhushan Yadav, an alleged Indian spy detained Balochistan. Pakistan said that the issue would be considered under bilateral agreement on such matters. The Indian request for consular access is under consideration, foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. It may be pertinent to mention that in the case of Pakistan and India, there is an agreement on consular matters. The request would be considered in view of the relevant clauses of the agreement, he said at the weekly briefing. Kulbhushan Yadhav, who was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after he entered from Iran, has been accused by Pakistan of planning subversive activities in the country. Zakarias remarks came after local media reports said that the conditional access may be granted if India accepts that Yadav was on spy mission when arrested. Zakaria said Pakistan was concerned at the subversive activities of RAW against it and its interests from various locations in the region. We believe in living in a friendly and peaceful environment with all our neighbours, which can lead to the betterment of our peoples, he added. Zakaria said the probe in the spy case was in process and law enforcement agencies were making every effort to apprehend all individuals involved in subversive activities in Pakistan. Pakistan Army had also released a confessional video of Yadav, who said he was the serving Indian Navy officer. India has acknowledged Yadav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied the allegation that he was in any way connected to the government. Zakaria said Pakistan had briefed the P5 members, EU and others on the issue and requested these countries to raise the issue of RAWs alleged involvement in Pakistan with India. To a question, Zakaria said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visited India in context of the Pathankot terror attack probe. Investigations are underway and the JIT is evaluating the information shared by the Indian side. Further queries on this issue may be directed to the ministry of interior, he said. To another question about Samjhuta train blast case, he said that Pakistan had taken up the issue with the Indian side repeatedly since the incident because 48 innocent Pakistanis lost their lives in that terrorist attack. The Indian side at the highest political level had agreed to share the outcome of the investigations with us. However, we are still waiting. We will keep on raising the issue with them, he said. He said that negotiations were the best means to resolve the issues and Pakistan had said many times that both countries were in contact with each other for foreign secretary level talks and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered an inquiry into clashes at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar even as protests by students continued on the campus heavily guarded by police and CRPF. Two FIRs were also filed regarding the incidents of violence. Some outstation students staged a protest march within the campus demanding shifting of the institute from Kashmir besides action against policemen involved in lathicharge on them on Tuesday. The protesters, who included girl students, were chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai, officials said. As tension prevailed, state police chief K Rajendra Kumar visited the campus to take stock of the situation. The protesting outstation students have also accused some faculty members of harassment and demanded their resignation so that they do not play with any students career. Faculty members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked at the allegations levelled against them. The allegations are shocking. Just check the records and you will see outstation students have been doing better at examinations. If anything, we have been generous with them, a faculty member said. He, however, said the faculty will not compromise on the standards of this prestigious institute. We cannot pass even those who are mediocre in studies. The minimum standards have to be upheld, he said. Officials said classes were held on Thursday although non-Kashmiri students continued with protests and boycotted classes. FA Mir, registrar, said, Situation is normal. Classes have begun. Many of the protesting students have also joined. The Union HRD ministry, which rushed three-member team of officials to the campus on Wednesday, said students will have an option to appear for the exams later. The exams are beginning on April 11 and will be held as scheduled, the officials said. Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday ordered a time-bound inquiry into the clashes that have taken place at the campus. The report of the inquiry will be submitted in 15 days. We have instituted an inquiry to go into the incidents at the NIT, deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh told reporters in Srinagar. We will resolve this issue at the earliest, Singh said. Asked about his controversial comment that students were subjected to mild lathicharge, Singh said his statement at that time was based on information he had received. He said the state government will ensure the personal as well as academic security of the students at the NIT. Meanwhile, two separate FIRs were filed against unknown persons under various sections over the violence on campus on April 1 and 5. To counter allegations of brutality against them by non-local students, the state police released a video showing how students damaged the NIT property and clashed with police personnel on April 5. The teachers association of the institute also came out with a statement in response to allegations by non-Kashmiri students against partiality by the faculty. The Teachers Association of NIT Srinagar strongly refutes the baseless allegations by some students about the partiality and playing with the careers of non-local students, it said. A bandh was organised in Jammu region to protest alleged police high-handedness on outstation students at NIT in Srinagar. The shutdown was called by various groups, including Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP). (With inputs from PTI) The Uttarakhand high court in Nainital will hear the plea filed by former chief minister Harish Rawat challenging the imposition of Presidents rule and the Centres ordinance for the budget on Thursday, continuing his counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvis argument from the day earlier. Singhvi argued that the Centres decision was in violation of the Constitution in front of a joint bench of Chief Justice KM Joseph and justice VK Bisht on Wednesday, taking up most of the courts time. Additional solicitor generals Maninder Singh and Tushar Mehta, who are representing the Union government, were unable to present their counter arguments, and will have to wait till Singhvi finishes his presentation on Thursday morning. Read more | Presidents Rule imposed in Uttarakhand, Cong says murder of democracy The courts verdict could shape the political future of Uttarakhand which has been in a stalemate since nine rebel MLAs from the ruling Congress helped pass an appropriation bill on March 18. The rebels, backed by the BJP, were demanding a voice vote that was denied by the Speaker who ruled the bill as passed. The BJP and rebel legislators denied the claim. Read more | All you need to know about Presidents rule in Uttarakhand What followed was a series of events leading to Presidents rule being imposed on March 27, a day before Rawat was asked prove his majority in floor test. Amid the developments, it was also claimed that Rawat had offered money to the rebel legislators to support him. On Thursday, the Centre will try to justify the imposition of Presidents rule, basing their argument on the claim that the appropriation bill was not passed. Stating that the government is prepared to tackle the case with facts, Nalin Kohli who is part of the Union governments legal team, lashed out at the Congress for trying to gain political capital. Former Congress MLA Navprabhat also challenged the BJP, alleging the whole episode was a ploy to topple the state Congress government. We have 34 MLAs and are ready to prove majority, he said. Read more | Uttarakhand row: HC to hear petition on Presidents rule Uttarakhand has been dealing with the political turmoil for close to a month now; if the court delivers a verdict on Thursday, it would have ramifications for both BJP and the Congress who are pitted against each other in the battle for control over the state government. Despite the court proceedings, Rawat has started holding public rallies claiming sympathy for being ousted in an unfair manner by the Narendra Modi-led central government. On the other hand, some BJP leaders are weary that the Presidents rule may go against them in the next assembly elections slated for early 2017. With the crucial GST Bill stuck in Rajya Sabha, finance minister Arun Jaitley questioned the extent to which the Upper House can be used to block economic decision-making and said the weight of directly elected house must always be maintained. Jaitley, who in May last year stated that Indian democracy faced a serious challenge with an indirectly elected Upper House questioning the wisdom of directly elected Lok Sabha, on Thursday said he will again be speaking to the Congress on the GST bill. To what extent our Upper House is going to be used to block economic decision making... in Australia the debate is on, the UK has gone through this debate a while ago and Italy is having the same debate. Because ultimately the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained, he said at a seminar here. Opinion on a bicameral system of legislature world over has been sharply divided with some being of the opinion that a second chamber is essentially undemocratic as it can override the opinion of a directly elected House. Others however maintain that the Upper House provides for detailed scrutiny of bills which may have been rushed through in haste due to political compulsions by elected members. The Goods and Services Tax bill, which seeks to replace a slew of central and state levies with a uniform GST rate, was passed by Lok Sabha in May and is pending ratification by Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority. Congress is opposing the bill in the current form, demanding a cap on GST rate be included in the Constitution Amendment Bill. It is now coming down really to one issue. The only opponent to GST is the Congress party. Curiously, the party which had sponsored the law in first instance, has some belated wisdom that you must have a Constitutional cap. Now that seems a little difficult, Jaitley said. Finance minister said he would be discussing the issue with the Congress in hope of getting the bill passed in the second half of Budget session, which begins on April 25. I am all for the idea of having a reasonable rate as far as GST is concerned which the GST Council will decide. But I hope with some consensus on that reasonable rate between two national parties, we are able to arrive at a more consensual approach, he said. The finance minister said stand on crucial economic legislations should not depend on where one sits in Parliament. For instance, I am faced with a reversal of position when I accept some of the moves which the Congress party itself started, he said. He said the idea of keeping corporate tax down to 25% was included in the Direct Tax Code (DTC), which the then finance minister P Chidamabaram had mooted. GST was first mooted by Chidambaram and then introduced by the present President when he was finance minister and there is no point in taking a reversal as far as those issues are concerned, he said. On the Congress demand for capping the GST rate at 18%, he said, it is a fair stand but whether you put it in the Constitution or (it is the) GST Council (of the states) who suggests that (rate). I have no problem with the rate, he said. He added that there is now a demand to keep luxury items out of the proposed taxation system, which would mean that luxury items are subsidised by essential goods. I am then reminded of President Clintons comment on economy -- you cant create a situation where GST moves up into 20s by keeping luxury items and then say that now maintain it at 18%, he said. Jaitley said there was a greater need for a mature level of thought and discussions as far as these issues are concerned. This, he said, was not a problem specific to India. As I travel around the world I see a lot of democracies having it. Asked whether he would term the reform initiatives as Big Bang, Jaitley said the government has taken a series of incremental reforms, which taken together are much more than Big Bang. I think this government is yet to commit its first mistake as far as the economic policies are concerned. All steps, which are taking place are in one direction and slowly and surely you are moving in that direction carrying the democratic opinion along with it, he said. Film-maker and gay rights activist Sridhar Rangayan has won a National Award. But the crusade, he feels, is just getting started We meet film-maker Sridhar Rangayan (53) on the eve of his birthday (April 2). Hes visibly upbeat. Theres reason to celebrate: hes just won the National Award for Best Editing for his documentary Breaking Free (along with Praveen Angre; Rangayan also directed the film). And just days before that, he was selected to feature in British Councils fiveFilms4freedom Global List of 33 people who are changing perceptions about the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community. An activist for the last two decades, Rangayan has been a crucial figure for the community. He is a founder member of the Humsafar Trust and also edited the seminal gay magazine Bombay Dost. And while he has a background in technology and design, he switched to directing and producing television serials and, later, LGBT films. Some of his most acclaimed works include the documentary film 68 Pages (2007) and Project Bolo (2011), which consists of video interviews of LGBT personalities. My activities were triggered by what I saw around me. I was lonely as a teenager and didnt know who to approach. When I started working at Bombay Dost, the aim was to reach out to young people, who might be living in a village in Mizoram or Kerala, and to tell them that they are not alone, he says. For Rangayan, a greater surprise than the National Award was getting selected for the Indian Panorama 2015 (a non-fiction film showcase). It offered us recognition from the government. Considering Breaking Free is an LGBT film, we didnt have a lot of hope. After that, we wanted to win the National Award, says Rangayan. A still from Rangayans film Breaking Free Tell it as it is Breaking Free collates archival footage, VHS tapes and photographs of events like the Pride March to narrate the history of the community over 20 years. Shot over seven years, Rangayan ended up with 400 hours of footage, which was shortened to a 82-minute-long documentary narrated by him. Breaking Free is a complete LGBT film. We didnt sugarcoat the stories to make it palatable to the mainstream, says Rangayan. Some of the stories left him shaken, he says, citing the example of Kokila, a transgender who was raped by goons in a park and subsequently molested by a policeman when she went to lodge a complaint. But he also realised the privilege of being an insider who people trusted: People felt their stories were safe with me, that they wouldnt be misused. It wasnt easy for them to relive their stories, but the trust helped. Rangayan can empathise with the victims, as he himself underwent harassment. In the documentary, I have spoken of being blackmailed and hit on many occasions by policemen. It was in my formative years when I was not so comfortable about my identity. Today, I can deal with such incidents, he says. Read: The makers of Aligarh talk about creating films with a conscience The film-makers aim is to let mainstream audiences understand the plight of the community. He is currently looking to release Breaking Free in theatres or on a TV channel. Rangayan admits that he lives with his films long after he has made them. It takes me several years to make a film; I live with it for the next five years. Once the film is made I start thinking of how to take it forward, what kind of dialogue to raise and how to make money, he says. A still from Rangayans film Purple Skies View finder Seven years ago, he started the LGBT film festival Kashish as a platform to nurture film-makers who make LGBT films. Towards that end, it offers cash awards, screens films at festivals worldwide and packages the films as DVDs. If you make a good film that no one sees, then whats the use? he reasons. Significantly, 30 per cent of Kashishs audience are not from the LGBT community. Many fans apply for leave just to be here; they sort of elope, leaving everything behind to attend, laughs Rangayan. But he also admits that each edition has been a rollercoaster ride. We are never sure if we are going to do the next edition, he observes. Fittingly, while certain aspects of the festival have always been crowdfunded, Wishberry (the crowdfunding platform) is their partner this year and the theme is seven shades of love. Apart from Kashish, he is busy with a feature film, Evening Shadows, a mother-son story, for which he will commence shooting by the end of the year in south India. And while Rangayan is happy with the attention his films are bringing to the community, he feels there is a long road ahead: There is visibility people are coming out. But while there is tolerance, there is little acceptance. There is a lot of sloganeering saying I am proud that I am gay. I am not ashamed I am gay. Rangayans picks of 5 must-watch LGBT films >Undertow Director: Javier Fuentes-Leon A moving film about the relationship between two men in a fishing village. >Out In The Dark Director: Michael Mayer An edge-of-the-seat movie about a Palestinian guy who falls in love with an Israeli guy. >The Way He Looks Director: Daniel Ribeiro A sensitive Brazilian movie about a visually impaired young guys coming of age story. >A Perfect Ending Director: Nicole Conn A romantic comedy of errors about a middle-aged housewife and a high-priced female escort. >Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish Director: Rituparno Ghosh The story of a choreographer considering a gender-reassignment surgery. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Road accident victims could soon get free treatment for three days at 488 private hospitals across the state, as the Maharashtra government is mulling a scheme on the lines of one in Tamil Nadu. This will be part of a big revamp the state has planned for its flagship Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Arogya Yojana (RGJAY), state public health minister Dr Deepak Sawant said in the legislative council on Thursday. Under the proposed scheme, road accident victims wont need to pay for the first three days of treatment when admitted to private hospitals after an accident. The government said the scheme is aimed at reducing fatalities, as victims are usually taken to government hospitals, where treatment is free, but are far away from the accident spot. We are planning to launch a same scheme on the lines of one in Tamil Nadu under the RGJAY, Sawant told the Upper House while replying to a debate over the poor health services in the states rural areas. Under RGJAY, poor patients receive treated at private hospitals for specific ailments or surgeries and the state bears the cost. The RGJAY also facilitates treatment at 488 government-empanelled private hospitals for 971 types of diseases, surgeries and therapies. Sawant, while replying to queries from legislators, said the government is in the process of revamping the RGJAY scheme and changes will be made to it based on the response the government has got so far. It will drop 113 surgeries that RGJAY used to cover, as there arent many takers. Instead, some new medical procedures will be incorporated. Sawant also admitted that posts of doctors are lying vacant, as many do not want to take up rural posting. Only 151 specialised doctors are serving right now in rural areas, of 512 posts, he said. The state has 16 government medical colleges from which nearly 3500 students pass out every year. But many of them dont want to pursue post-graduation studies and some others even break government bonds for taking up private practice, the minister added. The process of restoring Wakf board properties that were illegally handed over to institutions under the patronage of political leaders has been initiated, revenue minister Eknath Khadse, who heads the minority development and Wakf department, told the state Assembly on Wednesday. The Wakf land is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law and donated for religious or charitable purposes with no intention to reclaim it. The minister said, if need be, criminal cases, too, will be filed against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Tariq Anwar and Rajendra Shigane and other officers on charges of alleged misappropriation and mismanagement of Wakf properties, based on the findings of the Atak Shaikh committee report submitted last year. The committee, appointed in 2007, had found large-scale violations in transactions related to Wakf land. Of the total 1 lakh acres belonging to the board, 70,000 acres were either sold, transferred or encroached upon, the report stated. The report mentions the names of many politicians and the then board members and officers like MY Patel, AU Pathan and the late MA Aziz. Anwar was held guilty in the report for renewal of lease for a property in Aurangabad, Shingane for deletion of land from a certain category. The late MA Aziz, who was the chief of the Wakf board and ex-Congress MLA, too, was held responsible for illegal transfer of lands. Patel and Pathan were members of the board. We have already taken a decision to prohibit any more transfer of Wakf properties to any person or institution. The properties have been registered in the governments name, which bans their sale or transfer. This will help us protect Wakf properties from misappropriation, said Khadse, replying to the debate on budgetary grants to the minority development department. Minister of state for minority welfare development Dilip Kamble said the government was ready to hand over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation. After the announcement of total prohibition and pepped up by the initial response, especially from women, the Bihar government has now embarked on its strict compliance both in rural and urban areas. The next in the firing line could be gutkha, following reports that it is used along with ammonia nitrate and other dangerous chemicals to prepare a country brew, that could even kill. According to sources, principal secretary, department of excise and prohibition, KK Pathak, had talks with health department officials on this score. Gutkha and paan masala were banned in the state four years ago, but their availability could not be contained in the open market. Pathak has also issued orders for removal and destruction of stocks sealed in various hotels and clubs by Thursday. The stocks cannot be kept in sealed form for long, he said. The well-equipped control room of the department of excise and prohibition is on job, with telephone operators receiving complaints from far and wide and passing it on to authorities concerned for prompt action. The compliance is also reported to the complainant through phone for verification and feedback. The impact is such that the departments control room is receiving more complaints than the police control room. On Tuesday it received 137 complaints, while on Wednesday 25 complaints were received by 11am. Many women are also coming forward to lodge complaints, said an official. On complaints, a mechanism has been developed to carry out raids the same day. The department has roped in 550 jawans of the special auxiliary police (SAP) to accompany excise teams, in addition to the police teams. The raids are conducted in coordination with the police to avoid duplicity. Though prohibition got effective from April 1, the department was doing its homework since mid-December through regular raids against illicit liquor manufacturing units to build an atmosphere for prohibition. An important aspect of the new law is that it has made violation and offence non-compoundable, a move to check field-level corruption. The department has also worked out a plan for community fine should there be sale and consumption of country liquor repeatedly in any locality in violation of prohibition norms. There were reports from some places, including Aurangabad, that people assembled in groups to sell country liquor. This can no more go on. Though there is provision of jail sentence for violation, the community needs to understand the repercussions. The community fine, at the rate of Rs 2,000, is not meant for earning revenue, but only as a deterrent so that people dont allow such things to happen in their vicinity, said Pathak. Even spirit in any form has been banned. It will not be available even for polishing wooden furniture. There will, however, be production of ethanol and extra neutral alcohol. Though production in the liquor manufacturing companies located in Bihar would not be affected by the new law, its sale within the state will be prohibited. For transportation of liquor outside state as well for in-transit stocks, digital locks will be used. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A public interest litigation (PIL), challenging penal provisions in the Bihar Excise (amendment) Act 2016 for violation of total liquor ban in Bihar, was filed in the Patna high court on Wednesday. Petitioner Awadh Narayan Singh, a resident of Gaurichak in Patna district, said sections 4(22), 5, 6(4), 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 55, 57, 61, 63, 64, 67(K) and 68(J) of the amended Act were draconian and arbitrary. Read: Even local deities are going thirsty Singh said all punishments under the amended Act were excessive, disproportionate to the offences and in contrast to what had been prescribed in other states where sale and consumption of liquor were banned. Any ban on drinking or food habit was violation of human rights and therefore the petitioner and others moved the state human rights commission on March 31, 2016 against the prohibition, Singh said. Read: After liquor, gutkha on radar Apart from violation of human rights, the Act also required to be adjudicated on the matter of the law and provisions of excessive punishment disproportionate to offence by a competent court of law, the petitioner said. Singh also challenged the statement of principal secretary, excise department, that one could not drink liquor in rural areas. Being a retired Indian Air Force personnel, I am entitled to my quota of liquor every month from the CSD canteen, the petitioner said, adding that many ex-servicemen were based in villages. Read: Bihar govt will lose nearly Rs 4000 crore revenue annually Huge quantity of liquor, country made as well as Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL), was seized during raids across Bihar on Wednesday, a day after total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol was clamped in the state. Police conducted raids at 1,159 places across the state, recovered 4,665 litres of IMFL, over 20,000 litres of country liquor, 380 litres of spirit and sent 85 people to jail for violating the provisions of alcohol ban. In the state capital, Malsalami police seized 90 cartons of illegal liquor from a hut at Damrahi Ghat. It seems that the liquor was hidden in the hut to avoid the police action. However, as the matter came before us, the police team raided the place and seized the illegal brew, said city SP (east) Dhurat Saayli. Read: Even local deities are going thirsty When the police reached the hut, no one was present there, she said, adding that efforts were on to trace the owner of the liquor. A case was being registered in this connection, she said. In Nalanda, the home district of chief minister Nitish Kumar, 990 litres of IMFL liquor was seized from a hotel in Biharsharif and its owner arrested. A report from Kishanganj said more than 150 cartons of IMFL, headed for neighbouring Malda district in West Bengal, was seized at Faring Gola check post. Read: After liquor, gutkha on radar The liquor coming from Siliguri bore stamp of West Bengal but there was no signature of any official and hence excise officials seized the consignment. In Siwan, 235 cartons of IMFL were seized from PACS chief Ramayan Choudhary. Assistant excise commissioner Om Prakash Gupta told HT that around 17,000 litres of country made liquor were seized from Konhra Bazar area in Saran district. A control room, set up in the state police headquarters, said altogether 92 complaints of illegal sale, stocking and consumption of liquor was received till 5pm on Wednesday and officials concerned were alerted for action against them. Read: Bihar govt will lose nearly Rs 4000 crore revenue annually The state government had on Tuesday imposed of a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, including IMFL with immediate effect. This resulted in drastic decline in footfalls in hotels, clubs, bars and restaurants in different parts of the state. The government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1, but had allowed sale of IMFL in towns and cities. On midnight Tuesday, police had seized 445 litres of country made liquor, 2,405 litres of IMFL, nine litres beer and 15.80 quintals of java-mahua. Read: PIL filed in Patna HC challenging penal provisions SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Five months after reserving its judgment in the case, the Delhi high court has again started hearing the petition that sought de-registration of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a secular party for its participation in the gurdwara elections. The matter has been listed for April 21 before a fresh bench, after high court chief justice G Rohini recused herself from the case on Tuesday. The high court will continue its hearing in the case, notwithstanding the orders kept reserved by the chief justice on the five-year-old petition. The April 21 hearing will be the fourth date of hearing after the judgment was reserved on November 5, 2015. The matter had come up before the chief justice on February 9 as the petitioners counsel wanted to know the fate of the case three months after the judgment was reserved. The division bench comprising the chief justice and justice Jayant Nath adjourned the matter to March 16, and subsequently to April 5, when the chief justice recused herself from the case. The case background RTI activist Balwant Singh Khera of the Socialist Party (India) had filed the public interest litigation in the Delhi high court in 2010, asking for directions to the Election Commission to cancel the registration of the SAD. It was said that only a secular political party could contest parliamentary and assembly elections as per the Peoples Representation Act. The petition claimed that the SAD had submitted its party constitution to the Gurdwara Election Commission for recognition as a Sikh religious body to contest the gurdwara elections, while another copy of its constitution submitted to the EC mentioned the SAD as a secular party. Khera told HT, We already wanted the replacement of the division bench under the chief justice, and it is good that the chief justice herself recused after repeatedly adjourning the hearings. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amritsars first woman municipal commissioner Sonali Giri assumed office on Wednesday. She has a challenge at hand how to end the strike of safari workers and normalise the civic bodys functioning. A 2009-batch IAS officer, she has served as municipal commissioner, Moga. As she was heading towards her office, protesting workers raised the pitch of their slogans. She crossed by with a smile. Once in her office, Giri said sanitation and the smart city projects would be pursued seriously. A meeting will be held with the protesting workers to end the stir, she said. The workers are demanding inclusion in the list of workers who are eligible for the revised pay scales, filling up of vacant posts and regularising workers of the sewerage department. High drama was witnessed on Thursday evening as the road dividing Sectors 45 and 50 was opened after followers of the Nangli Ashram, also known as Shiv Shakti temple, blocked it for four days against the estate office for demolishing the ashram at Sector 50. After tehsildar Amrinder Singh and sub-inspector (SI) Sarita Rao from the Sector 49 police station requested the protesters to vacate the road, the followers agreed to shift the protest venue and continue agitation on the land where the structure had been demolished. As a preventive measure, police had come with water cannons in case of any resistance from the protesters. Singh said he met the protesters in the morning and requested them to shift from the road. Even as the followers said they would shift by the evening, it was only after the police force reached the spot that they agreed to do so. The main road was blocked for several days and people were facing inconvenience. Therefore, we had to open the road, said Singh. Ashram head Sant Prem Rameshwara Nand Puri said they would continue with their prayers and peaceful protest till their demands are not fulfilled. Hindu Parv Maha Sabha president BP Arora said, We went to the deputy commissioners office this morning but he was not available. So we submitted our demands in a letter to his personal assistant. We are planning to visit his office on Friday again. The protesters said if the DC did not agree with their demands, they would block the road again. Sarita Rao said when she visited the ashram 15 days before its demolition to enquire about the encroachment for submitting an assessment report the Nangli followers told her that they had stay orders. But when the structure was demolished, they failed to produce any stay paper, she added. Earlier in the day, deputy commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi told HT, We have requested the followers to clear the road as this will not solve any purpose except creating inconvenience. We have even offered to rehabilitate the women. ADC Amit Talwar said, It is unfortunate that despite the administration having paid compensation to the land owners, they are resorting to protest. The ashram followers on Wednesday created a Facebook page Nangli Ashram-Mandir Protest through which they are trying to gather support from all across the country. In its bid to reach out to the youth section of state, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Captain Amarinder Singh will hold a session during the first edition of Punjab Da Captain campaign in Ludhiana on Friday. The state Congress, along with their election strategist Prashant Kishor, is eyeing 2017 assembly elections. The former chief minister will interact with party workers at a wedding palace would and try to gauge the issues on the ground. Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu and district congress chief Gurpreet Gogi, along with MLAs have asked the local leaders to be present at the venue before Singhs arrival. Singh is expected to reach the venue around 3 pm. Congress had in February tried to woo Dalits in the district by organising a two day conclave for them. Gurpreet Gogi said that all preparations have been made for the first edition of Punjab Da Captain. We hope that the campaign would let the people know as to how Captain is important for the state of Punjab that has been ruined due to the misrule of SAD-BJP government, said Gogi. Also, Coffee with Captain session would be held in which Singh will have coffee with youngsters of the district and he would answer their queries. Ravneet Singh Bittu said the youth of the state is in deplorable condition as there is widespread unemployment and drug menace. We hope that as chief minister of the state Captain Amarinder Singh would change the fortunes of Punjab and bring it back on the track of prosperity, said Bittu. The Patiala police on Wednesday claimed to have broken a nexus of drug supply chain with the arrest of two drug suppliers, including a constable of Punjab Home Guard (PHG) posted inside the Nabha jail, who supplied drugs to the jail inmates. Addressing the media on Wednesday, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said the accused used to supply heroin at a rate Rs 10,000 per gram inside the jail. The SSP added that during the investigation it was revealed that constable Jarnail Singh, a resident of Ramgarh village in Nabha, used to earn Rs 1,000 per gram as commission for delivering the drugs in the jail. The SSP said, During the investigation, it has come to fore that the accused, Jarnail Singh, serving with the Punjab Home Guard and posted at Nabha jail, used to supply drugs to the jail inmates. He added that there was a middle-man in the jail who used yo purchase the drugs from Jarnail and further sell them to the inmates. The SSP, however, but refused to reveal the name of the middle man. Apart from Jarnail Singh, the other accused arrested has been identified as Kuldeep Singh, a car mechanic and a resident of Satoj village in Sangrur. Chauhan said the police arrested them following a tip off that they were together travelling in a car. He added that the police recovered 80 gram of heroin from their possession. During the interrogation, accused Kuldeep Singh divulged that they were into smuggling since the past six months and earlier had delivered one consignment to the inmates. He said that he met constable Jarnail Singh around six months back and befriended him to deliver the drugs to the jail inmates. Jarnail Singh was guarding the tower of the Nabha jail when they had delivered the first packet of 100 gram heroin inside the jail. The SSP said the police were investigating the matter further to break the supply chain of the drugs in Punjab. He said now the trend of drugs supply was being channelised from Delhi to Punjab. The SSP said the police would interrogate some jail inmates to break the chain of drugs supply inside the jail. He added that the police were procuring the call details of the accused to verify the involvement of the other persons in the jail. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against both the accused under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. The rural unit of the Amritsar District Congress Committee (DCC) on Wednesday protest against the beating up of three youths of at Bhittewad village by the police in connection with the desecration of birs last Sunday. Partially burnt pages of a gutka were found scattered in a lane in the village and a case was registered against unidentified persons at the Lopoke police station. A police party visited the village on Tuesday and took three youthsSurinder Singh, Nishan Singh and Padarnath Singh into custody. They were let off by the cops the same day. Briefing the media, DCC president Gurjit Singh Aujla alleged that the only fault the youths was to post photographs of the half-burnt pages of the gutka on the social media sites. Our protest was against the thrashing of youths who were not behind the desecration. We demand action against the cops responsible for beating up the youths, Aujla said. Only questioned, not thrashed: SSP Amritsar Rural SSP Jasdeep Singh admitted that three youths had been taken to the police station for questioning. He, however, refuted the allegations that they were beaten up. We questioned them as they were the ones who saw the partially-burnt gutka pages in the village. Obviously, there were grounds for questioning them. Moreover instead of informing their sarpanch or the granthi at the gurdwara, they chose to put the photographs of the pages on the social media, the SSP said. The youths claimed that they had informed the sarpanch and the granthi before putting the photographs on the social media. Jathedar wants early arrests Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has expressed shock over the incident at Bhittewad and asked the police to probe the case and arrest the culprits. I fail to understand why such incidents occur only in our gurdwaras? This aspect needs to be thoroughly investigated by, the Jathedar said. He appealed to all gurdwara management committees, particularly those in charge of shrines in rural areas, to ensure the presence of at least one granthi or sewadar in the gurdwara round the clock. A petition filed seeking constitution of a judicial commission to look into alleged extrajudicial killings in Punjab during the militancy period, was withdrawn by the petitioner on Thursday. The petitioners counsel, RS Bains, said he will file a fresh plea incorporating more facts. The bench of justice RK Jain allowed the withdrawal of petition. The plea was filed in December last year, seeking constitution of a judicial commission on the alleged killing of innocent people in fake encounters. The petition was filed by Ludhianas Parminder Pal Kaur, whose husband died under mysterious circumstances, and Hoshiarpurs Gurjit Kaur, Shaheed Bhagat Singhs niece, who lost her brother-in-law in one such alleged killing during the militancy period. The petitioners had also sought directions to record statements of controversial Punjab Police cat-turned-dismissed cop Gurmeet Singh Pinky, who in an interview last year, had cited examples of such killings. The petition also carried an affidavit by Pinky, saying he stood by what was reported as the confessions in media on fake encounters recently and he is ready to depose before courts. The crisis at Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Banur, deepened on Wednesday evening as the deadlock between the protesting staff and college management continued with the management telling the staff to resume classes from Thursday or face termination as the talks between the two on the college campus failed. Later, the managements threatening emails further provoked the staff, who categorically refused to resume classes till the clearance of their pending dues. A senior faculty told HT that they were ready to face even termination. With both the faculty and management not budging from their respective positions, about 300 students, along with parents, who were part of the failed meeting, blocked the Zirakpur-Patiala highway in front of the college around 4.30 pm for an hour. The classes in the college have been suspended since February 25 as the staff is protesting against the non-payment of salaries since September. As the management paid their salaries till November on Tuesday, it wanted the staff to resume work. Medical education director Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi rushed to the college around 6 pm. However, there was no solution in sight till the filing of this report. While Mohi refused to say anything, college management chief executive Manish Jakhar was not available for comment. Meanwhile, a showdown between the staff and management is imminent when the college begins on Thursday. If the management thinks termination is the best solution, let it terminate us on Thursday since our present condition is no better, said a senior faculty, adding that the college management is repeating the same mistake committed by Chintpurni medical college, Pathankot, where the services of the agitating faculty were terminated over their pending dues a year ago. UP Singh, representing a group of agitated parents, said they wanted that the state government take over the college management immediately as no solution was in sight. We are worried about the future of our children, he said, adding that if the situation did not improve, parents had no option but to move court, urging it to shift their wards to other colleges. When contacted, medical education secretary Hussan Lal said the government is equally worried about the current situation. We want the management to resume classes immediately and clear the staffs dues by April 30, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Revenue and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia has condemned Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi governments act to pull down a water kiosk adjoining Gurdwara Sis Ganj at Chandni Chowk in Delhi. Majithia said Kejriwal should apologise to Sikhs for this. He was addressing a gathering after distributing grants of Rs 1.25 crore for the development works at Chogwan village. He said it was a matter of regret that AAP was emulating anti-Sikh stance of the Congress. He said Kejriwals anti-Sikh and anti-Punjabi bent of mind was evident from the fact that Delhi government had no Sikh representative in its cabinet. Majithia said Kejriwal was playing games on the issue of SYL Canal. In Punjab, he backed Punjab and on returning back to Delhi, he started opposing the states stance not to share river waters, he said. Returning to his academic roots, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to Panjab Universitys (PU) offer of professorship for the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair. Interestingly, PU has a chair named after Manmohan himself, for which noted economist Yoginder K Alagh has accepted the professorship offer. This would be the second stint as PU professor for Manmohan, who had completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) with economics in 1952 from the same university, and his masters in 1954, ranking first in the university in both. He joined PU as a senior lecturer in 1957 and became a professor in 1963, before heading off to the United Nations in New York in 1966. Padma Bhushan awardee Ela Bhatt has accepted the offer of professorship for Mahatama Gandhi Chair, said PU vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover at a monthly chairpersons meeting on Tuesday. Grover asked PU teachers to update their biodata on the university website. He also proposed to institute two awards for teachers participating in outreach programmes like Swachh Bharat. The meeting approved proposal for online admission to masters courses in social sciences, humanities and languages. It was proposed to re-advertise for recruitment in the teaching posts which could not be fulfilled earlier due to various reasons. The ongoing manpower audit in teaching departments and the status on filling up of advertised positions were also discussed in the meeting. Under attack over illegal hoardings and low collection of revenue from advertisement tax, the municipal corporation has decided to adopt a new policy to allow advertisements on private properties. After passing the proposal during the budget meeting on March 31 this year, it has been sent to the department of local government in Chandigarh for final approval. The policy was discussed by members of the advertising committee, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party councillor Ashwani Bhandari and comprising Congress councillor Sushil Rinku and BJP councillor Darshan Lal Bhagat, and got the Houses approval during the budget meeting. Initially, the committee has defined no criterion for charging fees as per specifications of the board size, its location and safety norms to avoid visual distraction to commuters, but it has fixed an amount of `10,000 per hoarding or board. At present, there is no control on hoardings and billboards on private buildings with people using private space for putting up advertisements to earn money without caring the norms. The corporation is losing revenue because it had no policy so far, but if the government gives the go ahead, revenue collection through this source is expected to surpass the targets, said Bhandari, adding that other specifications will be decided during the committee meeting on Thursday. Bhandari said earlier the committee had proposed to charge Rs 7,000 - Rs 8,000 as the price per hoarding, but the mayor suggested the final rate of `10,000. He said in the previous year, the committee had also proposed to erect around 200 unipoles in the city, but the Amritsar-based private company that had a contract for ads on unipoles till 2017 got a stay from the high court, due to which the proposal was taken back. Sushil Rinku, another committee member, said the policy would help check illegal hoardings in the city while enhancing the civic bodys income. As per MC records, since the present mayor, Sunil Jyoti, has taken over reins of the municipal corporation in September 2012, it has failed to achieve its advertising revenue targets (see box). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The implementation of one seat, one child norm in buses ferrying school students has given way to new problems to the parents, school authorities and bus operators. The schools in the city are now facing shortage of vehicle. Bus operators reportedly have dropped of the list some students who were being picked and dropped to the chagrin of the parents, who are crying hoarse. Some operators have hiked the fare, it is learnt. Under the Safe School Vahan Scheme (in keeping with the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988), buses belonging to an educational institution should not carry children in excess of the seating capacity. With the Act being implemented strictly following court orders, school vans in the city are no more overcrowded. The problem has struck at the start of the new academic session for most of the schools. A few other schools are bracing up for a similar situation. A number of students who had been commuting by buses were left high and dry when the buses didnt stop at the desired place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The van my ward and his cousins had been commuting by comes to pick up students in our locality, but the driver refused to let in my son and his cousins. We have been asked to arrange another van, said a parent, requesting anonymity. The parent said when he insisted on adjusting his son, the driver quoted monthly travel fee that was exorbitant. Because of this, the children of our family have missed school for the past few days. It is not possible for us to drop and pick them up daily as we all are working, he said. The authorities at Spring Dale Senior School said they were summoned for a meeting in this regard only a few days before the beginning of the new session, whereas more time should have been given as it involved arranging more vans or making alternative travel arrangements for students. We are taking measures to sort out this problem for our students, said Seema Swani, transport coordinator, Spring Dale. Stating that the problem was likely to hit her school once the students of Class 11 will start attending classes, Delhi Public School principal Sangeeta Singh said as of now the school had warded off the crisis by rescheduling the routes. We make sure that all our students commuting by school vans get a seat. We have asked our service provider to press in more buses. However, the problem can arise in future when Class 11 students start attending classes, she said. District education officer (secondary) Satinderbir Singh said the issue was in his knowledge. What is equally disturbing is the fact that the van fares have been hiked, which has put unwarranted financial burden on the parents whose wards commute by vans, besides causing harassment to those whose wards are not being picked by school vans, he said. Singh said he would write to the government in this regard. We can only apprise the government of the problem. We do not have any execution powers, he said. Parents resort to auto-rickshaws The shortage of school buses has forced some parents to make a beeline for the potentially unsafe auto-rickshaws. This is evident from the fact that a number of three-wheelers can nowadays be seen ferrying students more then the capacity. In the absence of school vans, we are left with no other option, but three-wheelers, said a parent, requesting anonymity. Continuing its attack on the Aam Aadmi party (AAP), the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday dared AAP convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to oust the tainted MLAs from his government. In a statement here, SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal asked Kejriwal to explain to the people why he had not thrown Somnath Bharti out of the party even after the latter had been chargesheeted in a case involving a bid to kill his wife. This is not one odd case. Earlier senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas was allegedly involved in a molestation case, Grewal stated. He also cited AAP Karol Bagh legislator Vishesh Ravi for being in the spotlight for allegedly extorting money in the name of collecting party funds. There are other numerous cases of misconduct by AAP leaders and legislators but no serious action has been taken against such persons by Kejriwal, he added. After a three-week agitation by parents against the fee hike in private schools and alleged nexus of school managements with book shop owners, Ludhiana deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat has directed the schools to reduce development charges by 30% and increase tuition fee only by 5%. The decision was taken during a meeting of parents and management committees of private schools with deputy commissioner at his office on Wednesday. Ravi Bhagat said, The issue has been resolved. From now on, tuition fee will be increased by not more than 5% and schools will have to reduce development charges by 30% from the new academic year. Besides, schools will provide textbooks to the needy students at 25% discount. Bhagat said, Schools will give list of books to the parents, three months before the beginning of new session. Apart from this, schools will inform parents about the colour of uniform and shoes. Parents will be free to purchase books and uniform from anywhere. The fee will be deposited through bank. Meetpal Singh Dugri, zonal president of the Student Organisation of India (SOI), said, The issue has been sorted out on the directions of deputy chief minister. It has come as a relief for parents. Rajesh Rudra, representative of private schools, said, On Monday, we met education minister Daljit Singh Cheema, who assured us that rights of private schools will also be protected. The directions issued by the DC will be followed by all 1,450 private schools. Rajinder Ghai, district president of the Parents Association, said, Some demands of parents have been accepted. Now, we are waiting for the formation of state regulatory committee that will review the fee structure of all schools. Parents create drama after decision, call off protest later Meanwhile, a high drama was witnessed, as some parents staged a protest outside deputy commissioners office alleging unfair decision. Parents of children studying in MGM School, Dugri and Greenland Convent School, Sector 32, staged protest against private schools and Parents Association district president Rajinder Ghai. They alleged that the decision was not fair and they will have to pay increased fee every month. Parents also submitted a memorandum to the DC demanding the decision to be reviewed. But later, they withdrew the application and called off the protest. Raman Sharma, a parent from Greenland Convent School, said, The verdict has given a little relief to the parents, and the state regulatory committee may also reduce the tuition fee in future. We have decided to take up the matter in court. From the coming academic session, the vacant MBBS/BDS seats under the 15% all-India quota in Punjab medical colleges will not be filled on the basis of the state quota merit as the Punjab government will re-advertise them after the third counselling concludes and fill them on the basis of the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT)-2016 merit. Till now, the state used to fill the vacant medical seats under the national quota by its own selection process. In 2015, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, filled 17 MBBS and 13 BDS vacant seats under the national quota--surrendered to Punjab on September 17 by the director general of health services--through its state quota. On October 1, the Supreme Court banned the practice of filling vacant national quota seats through the state quota merit and the Medical Council of India asked all states to comply with the orders. These seats, however, could not be reversed since the apex courts September 30 admission deadline was over and there was status quo on the admission process. To avoid any legal complications this year, the university, in its prospectus for the 2016-17 session, has clearly mentioned that it will re-advertise all-India quota seats, if surrendered by the director general of health services to the state after the end of third counselling in September, and fill them through the AIPMT-2016 merit. Commenting on the move, Chandigarh-based PMT trainer Arvind Goyal said it is good that the state government had clarified its stand in advance so that meritorious students of AIPMT could rightly claim the vacant seats unlike last year when these were filled through the PMET merit. The whole purpose of conducting AIPMT is defeated if eligible all-India students are denied admission on the seats reserved for them, he added. However, many believe the move will adversely affect the state quota students. With NRI seats in the state also being filled on the basis of Class-12 merit this year, the general category state quota students have little hope of the vacant NRI seats being shifted to them unlike last year when over 90 such seats were shifted to the general category after they went vacant after the normal selection process. Only 670 MBBS seats on offer According to the tentative list released by the university for the next session, only 670 MBBS seats have been confirmed so far. These are 150 seats each in Patiala and Amritsar government medical colleges, 150 in Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar, 70 in Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, 100 in Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, and 50 seats in Government Medical College, Faridkot. It is to be seen whether the Patiala and Faridkot colleges get an increase of 50 seats each. Besides, no permission for admission has been granted to 100 seats of Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot. Medical education secretary Hussan Lal said the college would be included in the admission process in case the MCI allowed permission before the first admission counselling in June. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) district unit held its executive meeting on Wednesday here. Mohit Gupta, district president of BJP, said the party supported the governments decision to take strict action against people involved in sacrilege of birs of Guru Granth Sahib. Besides discussing about preparations for the upcoming assembly elections, the executive committee passed resolutions demanding action against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for supporting questionable elements in the row at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Talking about the partys preparedness for the upcoming assembly elections, he said the workers had been asked to boost their morale and gear up for the polls. The workers have been asked to acquaint people with policies and schemes of both the central and state government in their respective areas, he said. Senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal and deputy mayor Gurinderpal Kaur Mangat were also present on the occasion. As sanitation workers strike entered seventh day, the entire city seemed to be turning into a garbage dump with several prominent roads covered with filth on Wednesday. Carcasses of stray animals, too, can be seen lying at many open dumping sites, raising fear of spread of diseases. In many areas, people are left with no choice but to burn the garbage, leading to air pollution. While garbage strewn across nearly half the width of the busy Nakodar road near Link Road has made commuting difficult, the authorities have been forced to close one side of the road from Friends Cinema to Plaza Chowk. All street corners and internal roads of colonies, too, have not been cleaned for the past seven days. Garbage was also seen overflowing in several other parts of the city, including Kishanpura Chowk, Link Road, Avtar Nagar Road, Kishanpura Chowk, Basti Bawa Khel, 120-foot Road, Rama Mandi Bridge, Ladowali Road, Narinder Cinema Road, Sodal Chowk, Focal Point, Alaska Chowk, Kala Sangha Road and Basti Sheikh Road. Congress workers standing next to a heap of garbage protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mayor Sunil Jyoti in Jalandhar on Wednesday. (Pardeep Pandit/HT Photo) Cops remain on toes at MC building Heavy police force was deployed outside the municipal corporation building, amid reports that protesters may turn violent and lock the offices. Although, the protesters managed to close down some counters of the birth certificate branch for a few hours, these were opened later. On Wednesday, eunuchs were seen dancing at the site where Punjab Safai Mazdoor Federation, Punjab Sewer Man Employees Union, Municipal Corporation Coordination Committee Drivers and the Technical Union and Corporation Four Class Employees Union have been protesting. The eunuchs were carrying pictures of cabinet minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, chief parliamentary secretary KD Bhandari and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Manoranjan Kalia. Punjab Safai Mazdoor Federation chief Chandan Grewal said if the government failed to accept their demands, the union would start holding massive agitations outside houses of state legislators and ministers. Telling the protesters to get ready for a long struggle, Grewal said parties wont be able to exploit them as part of their vote-bank politics this time. The Punjab government would hand over the bust of Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the French envoy in India in June for its installation at Saint-Tropez in France, the birthplace of his general, Jean Francois Allard. The bust of the will be installed along with those of general Allard and his wife Bannou Pan Dei on September 17. A delegation led by Saint Tropez deputy mayor Henri Allard, the direct lineal descendant of general Allard, had met Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday. While the move is best seen to herald a new epoch of Punjab-France relations and boost tourism, HT gives you the story behind this move and a glimpse of General Allards life whose bust will be installed next to the Sikh emperor. *Jean Francois Allard, a Frenchman and native of Saint Tropaz, was born in 1785. Trained in military life, Allard served as soldier in Napoleans army. After the death of his officer Marshal Brune, he went to Leg-horn, with the idea of proceeding to America, but was persuaded by an Italian officer to go to Egypt with him. *According to A General Biographical Dictionary (Volume 4) by John Gorton, Allard left for Persia after finding no good fortune in Egypt and visited Abbas Mirza, who promised to give him the title of colonel and a regiment, which he never got. He then left for Kabul, where he was honourably received, but was scarcely established. It was here that he heard about a bold chief (Maharaja Ranjit Singh) in Lahore who was occupied in founding a kingdom. *Maharaja Ranjit Singhs association with Jean Francois Allard dates back to 1822, when he entered into the services of the Sikh emperor. Allard was commissioned with the work of raising Fauj-i-Khas, along with his colleague General Ventura (Italian), after which he was awarded the rank of a general. *According to Gortons book, at first General Allard was set to discipline some men who were to be made instructors for others. After this, he organised a regiment, then a brigade, and subsequently a division. After the army was formed, the rival chiefs, who disputed the power with Ranjit Singh, were attacked and beaten in succession. Highly impressed with his contribution, the Sikh emperor loaded him with honours. According to Kerry Browns book titled Sikh Art and Literature, Maharaja Ranjit Singh decorated General Allard with the Bright star of Punjab, which he very proudly wore above his Legion of Honour that was awarded to him by Napolean Bonaparte. *The general left for France in 1836, to see his friends and relatives, but returned to India, agreeably to a promise made to Ranjit Singh. He continued to serve the Sikh emperor till tye latters death in 1839. General Allard died after a brief illness in 1840. A youth allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl at EWS Colony on Chandigarh Road here on Wednesday night. The victim, who is visiting her uncles family here, on Thursday narrated the incident to her aunt, who had recently gone back to their native place, Saharsa in Bihar. Her aunt sounded her husband, who in turn informed the police. The Division No 7 police started investigation. As the word spread, locals nabbed the accused, 25-year-old hosiery worker Jai Prakash, and beat him up before handing him over to police. The victim was sent to the civil hospital for medical examination. The victim said that on Wednesday night, when she was home alone, the accused barged into the room and raped her. The accused also threatened her against reporting the crime. SHO Harpal Singh said the police would register a case after recording the victims statement. Sixth incident in 24 days This is the sixth such incident in the city in the past 24 days where a minor was sexually assaulted. On March 14, a teenager slit the throat of a two-year-old girl after trying to rape her at Railway Colony. On March 24, a 22-year-old drunk youth raped his four-year-old cousin at Dholewal. On March 31, a Basti Jodhewal resident raped his neighbours four-year-old daughter. The same day, a 30-year-old man tried to rape a seven-year-old girl at Moti Nagar, and a 22-year-old youth sodomised a five-year-old boy at Basti Jodhewal. Actor Riyaz Khan who has worked in many Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil films, is readying to feature in a full-length trilingual horror film. The film will see him share screen space with a canine and elephant. Matroruvan (The Other Man) will see Riyaz Khan as the lone and the only character in the film, with the script based on his dreams turning into reality. This is a psychology (based) story. The hero gets dreams which turn into reality. He gets a big dream and the climax of the movie is whether that one also comes alive, director of the film, Majo Mathew, said. Read: Nayanthara, Sivakarthikeyan to work in Mohan Rajas new film Read: Wrote my film Oyee with Sivakarthikeyan in mind, says director Khan, 43, has an invisible villain and the suspense remains as to who that Matroruvan is and whether it is a ghost or just an imagination cannot be guessed, Mathew said in a statement. Read: Dhanushs Enai Nokki Payyum Thota team to shoot in Turkey Khan, known for his negative characters in many languages including Tamil, termed his role as challenging. Besides Khan, a dog and an elephant are the other live characters, the statement said adding the film will release in May in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Last week, Bollywood celebrities Malaika Arora Khan and Arbaaz Khan made public their decision to separate, by issuing a joint statement to a Mumbai daily. It read, The truth is, we have taken a break We are taking out time to figure out our lives... Yes, its true that we are separated, but where our lives go and what transpires between us, it is for us to decide... Earlier this year, in another shocking revelation, Farhan Akhtar and his wife, Adhuna Akhtar, after 16 years of marriage, announced their separation. They, too, had issued a joint statement that read, we, Adhuna and Farhan, have mutually and amicably decided to separate. Our children remain our priority and it is immensely important to us, as responsible parents, that they be protected from unwarranted speculation and public glare... Read: Malaika Arora Khan, Arbaaz Khan confirm split. Read their statement According to experts, a separation lays the groundwork for a divorce, whether contested or mutual. In legal terms, it is a mandatory period of one year that precedes a formal divorce. During this time, the couple can choose to live under the same roof or not. Waiting period Divorce lawyer Umesh Chary explains, Sometimes, people mutually want to get divorced within a month of getting married. But thats not possible. They have to wait for a year. In the case of a contested divorce, one has to prove why he or she has decided to separate, and that he or she tried solving the issues personally or by involving other family members, but nothing worked. In a mutual divorce, you dont have to prove the reasons for your separation in court. Last year, in September, Konkona Sen Sharma and Ranvir Shorey also announced their separation. Ranvir and I have mutually decided to separate, but continue to be friends and co-parent our son. Will appreciate your support. Thank you, (sic) Konkona had tweeted. Actor Konkona Sen Sharma tied the knot with fellow actor Shorey in 2010. The couple got divorced in 2015. Time out Officially, the purpose of this separation period is to prove that the marriage is indeed not working. Informally, however, relationship experts feel that this period helps the couple rethink their decision and take a final call, under no pressure. Says Riddhish K Maru, relationship counsellor, At times, the separation period also gives couples time to reconsider their decision without any interference from family members. The separation period also gives couples enough time to think what they want for their future. Once the separation period is over, the couple can then officially file for a divorce. The six months that follow the filing date are referred to as the cooling period, during which the court provides mandatory counselling sessions for the applicants involved. In the case of a contested divorce, there is no cooling period. Divorce lawyer Mansi Karia says, These counselling sessions are held on the first day and the last day of the cooling period for people who file for divorce mutually. Says Maru, During the separation, senior family members try to sort out the issues. But when all these efforts fail, professional marital counselling, which is unbiased, can surely help save the marriage. Read: Farhan Akhtar, Adhuna to divorce: We grew apart over the years Almost there In some cases, a separation doesnt end in a divorce. For instance, in February, the court granted Om Puri and Nandita Puri judicial separation, as they decided to part ways after 26 years. The veteran actors lawyer, Jalaja Nambiar, had said in a report, Mr Puri wanted divorce but because things started going here and there, he opted for an amicable settlement and the court granted them judicial separation under which they are a married couple legally but have their separate lives and cannot interfere in each others matter (sic). Legally, there is no issue with this status. But divorce lawyer Pooja Thakkar warns, They wont be able to get married again until they get a divorce. They can also face difficulties when it comes to property issues or issues related to their children. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Mumbai Police team reached the hospital actor Pratyusha Banerjees boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh is admitted in to get a health update on Thursday, hours after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. Singh is accused of abetting the April 1 suicide of Banerjee, who is best known for her role as Anandi in the hit teleserial Balika Vadhu. Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Rahul Raj Singhs anticipatory bail rejected Read: Pratyusha was fed up with Rahuls harassment: Mother Bangur Nagar police station senior inspector Santosh Bhandare arrived at the Shree Sai Hospital along with inspector Deepak Phatangare, the investigating officer in the case. The police team reached the hospital at 4.13 pm for Singhs health update, sources said. Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Friends attend prayer meet Read: Rahul has not been honest from the day of Pratyushas death: Lawyer The doctors at the hospital told police officials he still had suicidal tendencies. The team left from the hospital at 5.15 pm. Singh was booked for abetment of suicide and assault after Banerjees mother lodged a case on April 5. Singh was questioned by police for several hours on April 2 but was admitted to the Shree Sai Hospital in Kandivli (east) a day later when he complained of heaviness in his chest. Dr. Santosh Goel of the hospital said he was depressed and had suicidal tendencies. Follow @htshowbiz for more. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A sessions court rejected the anticipatory bail application of Pratyusha Banerjees boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh on Thursday. Rahul was booked for abetment to suicide on April 5 after Pratyushas mother Soma pressed charges against him. Pratyushas father and mother were present in the court. Soma, talking to Hindustan Times, said, We hope Pratyusha will get justice. He will suffer for life. We still doubt she was killed. Datta Mudiganti, public prosecutor, argued that there were injury marks on Pratyushas body as per statements which indicates Pratyusha was assaulted. The prosecutor also told the court that Rahul had left Pratyusha at Kokilaben hospital and had also switched off his phone. Read: Pratyusha was fed up with Rahuls harassment: Mother Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide: Friends attend prayer meet Advocate, Falguni Bramhabhatt assisting the prosecution, said, Case is at a very preliminary stage. It can be a murder hence interrogation of accused is necessary. In his application, Rahul stated that Banerjee may have committed suicide because of the financial stress. Banerjee had loans from four banks and she was unable to pay her installments on time, the application read. Rahul also said that recovery agents had come to seize Pratyushas car but he intervened and did not let them take the vehicle. Read: Rahul has not been honest from the day of Pratyushas death: Lawyer Read: Pratyusha was tortured by Rahul, he should rot in jail: Parents Rahul said that he has been paying the rent for the Goregaon apartment and had paid Rs 1 lakh as security deposit. The prize money of the reality show Power Couple was divided equally among the duo but Rahul gave 90% of the money to Pratyusha out of love as he was going to marry her, the application states. Rahul also mentioned he gave Banerjee a diamond ring among other ornaments. He also claimed the FIR registered by Banerjees mother Soma is false and fabricated and that he is falsely implicated in the case because of the media and press. Follow @htshowbiz for more. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Around 250 Syrian civilians are feared kidnapped after an attack by the Islamic State jihadist group on a cement factory east of Damascus, residents told AFP on Thursday. We havent been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh on the factory, said a resident of the town of Dmeir, 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Damascus, using the Arabic acronym for IS. We have no information about where they are, the resident added. An administrator at the plant said 250 employees had been unreachable since Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of staff were believed to have been seized by IS from the cement factory and taken to an unknown location. The Badiyah cement factory lies outside Dmeir, which has seen fierce fighting in recent days as government forces have shelled IS positions inside the town. The Observatory said 18 civilians were killed in government shelling of the town. A Syrian security source told AFP that IS fighters had also tried to seize the nearby Dmeir airbase and power plant from the government but had failed. Unidentified assailants hacked and shot dead a Bangladeshi activist who promoted secularism and opposed radical Islam amid global concern that the failure to ensure prosecution in similar murders is encouraging the killers. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, was walking home with a friend when he was attacked on Wednesday night. This was the latest in a a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Police said the attackers, who were on a motorcycle, intercepted Samad and hit him with sharp weapons. They then shot him to make sure he was dead. Tapan Kumar Saha, the officer-in-charge of Sutrapur police station, said the attackers chanted Allahu Akbar before they fled. A law student of Jagannath University in Dhakas old quarter, Samad was known as an atheist to his friends. He was involved in a 2013 movement to demand capital punishment for war crimes during Bangladeshs war of liberation against Pakistan in 1971. Samad was also involved with a pro-government group called Bangabandhu Jatiya Juba Parishad. The group backs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has said she will not give in to pressure in the fight against extremism. Police had no immediate clues about who attacked Samad. No group claimed responsibility for the killing. Samad had recently arrived in Dhaka from the northeastern city of Sylhet to study law. Police officials said they suspected the attackers had been monitoring Samad since before he arrived in Dhaka. Read: Attacked and arrested, these Bangladeshi atheists fight it out in exile Last year, radical Islamists killed at least five secular bloggers and publishers and two foreigners, an Italian and a Japanese. Members of the minority Hindu, Christian and Shia communities have also been attacked or threatened across Bangladesh. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for some of the killings, according to the SITE Intelligence a monitoring group, but the government has rejected such claims. Authorities said local groups were responsible for the killings and threats. Many of Samads friends condemned the killing in posts on his Facebook page while others expressed their frustration. Read: Bangladesh blogger Niloy Chowdhury hacked to death in Dhaka We have lost another friend, dont know where it will stop...whoever the killers, we want justice, his friend Asif Sazil wrote in a post. On Thursday, students of Samads university and his friends demonstrated on campus and demanded justice. Two international groups that promote free thinking condemned the latest killing and blamed the Bangladesh government and international community for not doing enough. Read: Two sentenced to death for murder of Bangladesh blogger PEN America, a group of writers, condemned Samads killing in a statement. We urge the Bangladeshi police and other authorities to do everything in their power to investigate and prosecute this vicious attack on free speech and thought, said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, PEN Americas director of free expression programme. Karlekar urged the US and other countries to provide shelter to writers who are at risk of being killed. The Center for Inquiry, another advocacy group, said Bangladesh must do much more to protect its own people. One of the jihadists who blew themselves up in Islamic State attacks in Brussels on March 22 briefly worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament several years ago, the EU body said on Wednesday. He held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. Those were the only instances he worked at the Parliament, it said in a statement. It did not name the individual but a source close to the inquiry told AFP it was Najim Laachraoui. Laachraoui and fellow suicide bomber Ibrahim el Bakraoui blew themselves up at Brussels airport in coordinated attacks two weeks ago that also struck a Brussels metro station and killed more than 30 people. Laachraoui is also suspected of being the bomb-maker for the Paris terror assaults last November after his DNA was found on some the explosives used in the attacks, which killed 130. The European Parliament said the suspect did not have a criminal record when he worked for the cleaning firm it had contracted at the time. As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record to the European Parliament, the statement said. Laachraoui, 24, is understood to have travelled to Syria in 2013. He resurfaced last September, two months before the Paris attacks, when he was stopped by police on the Austria-Hungary border. He was using the false identity of Soufiane Kayal and was travelling with the Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving Paris attacks suspect. The head of Burkina Faso's armed forces took power on Friday after President Blaise Compaore resigned amid mass demonstrations against an attempt to extend his 27-year rule in the West African country. Compaore, who seized power in a 1987 coup, had attempted to defy popular pressure for him to step down after a day of violent protests on Thursday in which demonstrators stormed parliament and state television. However, with hundreds of thousands of protesters packing the streets of the capital Ouagadougou for a second day on Friday and no sign of international support for him staying on, Compaore announced his resignation. "I declare a vacancy of power with a view to allowing a transition that should end with free and transparent elections in a maximum period of 90 days," Compaore said in a written statement read on local radio and television. Burkinese celebrate after embattled President Blaise Compaore announced that he was stepping down in Ouagadougou. (AFP Photo) A heavily armed convoy believed to be carrying Compaore was seen travelling on Friday towards the southern town of Po, near the border with Ghana, two diplomatic sources and local media said. Crowds danced and cheered in Ougadougou's dusty streets, blowing on whistles after Compaore's statement was broadcast. The mood cooled, however, as it became plain that military chief General Honore Traore had taken over the reins of power. Under Burkina Faso's constitution, when the president resigns the head of the National Assembly should take office, but parliament had already been dissolved by the Traore on Thursday under short-lived martial law. "SUB-SAHARAN SPRING" "Considering the urgency of saving the nation, I have decided that I will assume from this day the responsibility of the head of state," Traore told a news conference. "I undertake a solemn engagement to proceed without delay with consultations with all parties in the country so as to start the process of returning to the constitutional order as soon as possible." There was no immediate reaction from opposition leaders to Traore's announcement. Many protesters said they wanted a transition led by retired General Kouame Lougue, a popular former defence minister who was accused of trying to topple Compaore in 2004. Long a bastion of stability in the turbulent Sahel region, Burkina Faso's crisis is being closely watched by military allies France and the United States, and by governments in the region where several long-standing rulers are approaching the end of their mandates amid rumbling of popular discontent. Women pose in front of an armored perssonel carrier in Ouagadougou as people were demanding that the army take over following the resignation of the president. (AFP Photo) "This is a sub-Saharan Spring and it must continue against all the presidents who are trying to hang on to power in Africa," said law student Lucien Trinnou, referring to the Arab Spring that toppled several long-term leaders. French President Francois Hollande, who had discretely sought ways to usher Compaore into an international role when his term was due to have ended next year, welcomed the former president's resignation in a statement and called for quick elections to be held. Burkina Faso is one of the world's poorest nations but has positioned itself as a mediator in regional crises. It is also a key ally in Western operations against al Qaeda-linked groups in West Africa and one of the last African states to retain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Regional West African bloc ECOWAS said on Thursday it would not accept any party seizing power through non-constitutional means in an apparent suggestion of diplomatic pressure to leave Compaore in place. A delegation from the African Union, the United Nations and ECOWAS was due in Burkina Faso on Friday to hold talks with all parties. The city of Vancouver made a history on Wednesday by naming a street after Punjabi pioneer Jack Uppal. The late Uppal is the first Punjabi whose name will appear on a street sign in the city that discriminated against immigrants and people of colour a century ago. Uppal was a prominent Punjabi businessman who came to Canada as a toddler to join his immigrant father Dalip Singh in 1926. He grew up facing blatant racism against people of colour. His father, who had moved to Canada in 1907, faced difficulty bringing his family to the city because of discriminatory immigration policies that prevented people from India to bring their wives and children in order to discourage their permanent settlement. Uppar had to endure bullying at school and often barbers would refuse to give him a haircut. He also fought for the right to vote. The Indo-Canadians were disfranchised in 1907. The right was restored after a 40-year-long struggle by the community activists. Uppal passed away in 2014 at the age of 83. On Wednesday, Vancouver passed a unanimous resolution to designate a street in his name. His relatives were presented a replica street sign bearing his name by the city mayor Gregor Robertson after the resolution was passed amidst thunderous applause from the South-Asian community members and councillors present in the city hall. This is a very significant day for Vancouver as it recognises an extra ordinary Vancouverite who fought racism and discrimination and created many jobs, particularly in South Vancouver. He was a great leader from the South Asian community who became a leader across the entire city, Robertson said while talking to HT. Uppals daughter Cindy Bains said that it is not just an honour for her family but for the entire South Asian community. While addressing the gathering at the event, former BC attorney general Wally Oppal said that Uppal should have been recognised long ago for his contribution to Canadian society and his compatriots. The regrettable aspect of his life is that he could have done something lot better - as he faced racism, he couldnt go to university. Others in attendance included former federal minister Herb Dhaliwal and former BC minister Moe Sihota. Notably, both Dhaliwal and Sihota made history after becoming the first Punjabi federal minister and first provincial legislator respectively. China and Sri Lanka signed seven agreements on Thursday amid reported negotiations over compensation of $125 million demanded by a Chinese company for the temporary suspension of the Colombo Port City (CPC) project. The seven agreements included one on extradition and another on cooperation between the China Development Bank and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Work on the $1.5 billion CPC project, Chinas biggest foreign investment venture, resumed last month. On Thursday, a Chinese official said both countries are determined to push the project forward after it was suspended for nearly a year by President Maithripala Sirisenas government. On the Colombo port, both sides agreed to further speed up the overall and comprehensive resumption of work on this project. The announcement to resume the work has been made by the Sri Lankan side but now we will go into further technical details, Xiao Qian, the foreign ministrys Asia department chief, told reporters. This is an important project and both countries have a strong desire to further enhance and advance this project, Xiao said after visiting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met Premier Li Keqiang. No official comment was made here but a Sri Lankan minister said in Colombo on Wednesday that the country was not in a position to reimburse the losses of the China Communications Construction Company for the projects suspension. The Sri Lankan side has promised to protect the rights and interests of Chinese companies and to foster a sound environment for Chinese investors. The two countries had agreed to prioritise the construction of an industrial park at Hambanthota in Sri Lankas deep south, where China has already built a port and an airport. China will encourage its competitive companies to make investments in Sri Lanka and step up cooperation with Sri Lanka in industrial park, in the processing and manufacturing sectors and in (increasing) production capacity, Xiao said. Filmmaker Huo Jianqi suffered food poisoning, barely avoided a heatstroke and was stranded in crawling traffic a few times while shooting in Bihar and Maharashtra for the first Sino-India co-production based on famed traveller Hiuen Tsang. With Xuanzang (as the 7th century monk and scholar is known in China) set for release on April 29, Huo says hed be more than willing to direct another joint production, notwithstanding logistical problems and visa delays. Leading Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming plays the Buddhist monk who made a 17-year overland journey to India during the Tang dynasty, and actor Sonu Sood appears as King Harsha. Speaking to Hindustan Times at an arty cafe, Huo said he and his team of around 80 shot for 30 days last year at Nalanda and Gaya in Bhihar, around the Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra and in the haunting ruins of Hampi in Karnataka. In China, the team shot in remote areas of Xinjiang, Tibet and Gansu provinces. Most of the shoots were outdoors. It was physically taxing. In India, we spent 10 days in April and May and another 20 days in September...The heat and the sun were all very challenging, Huo said in Chinese. It was the heat that led to Huos brush with food poisoning. During the first 20 days (of shooting), we originally planned to stay longer and visit more places in the south. But one day, I had iced lemonade in a restaurant and had a stomach ache soon after. I threw up whatever I ate and was in bed for three days. Language was another challenge, with translators aiding actors and the production team for every scene to ensure the dialogue did not lose its meaning. The only problem lay in the interpretation of some words, as sometimes we have a different understanding for certain words, especially complicated religious words, he said. For example, the word guilt. (While shooting) we would discuss the meaning of guilt, whether guilt is suitable to be used in a particular sequence. Huang Xiaoming , who plays traveller Hiuen Tsang, on the sets of the film Xuanzang (HT Photo) Huo travelled to India after 15 years for the shoot. In 2000, he received the Special Jury Award for his movie Postmen In The Mountains at the International Film Festival of India in New Delhi. This time, his India-connect was different with both governments closely linked to the project. Produced by acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, Xuanzang is a co-production by Indias Eros International and state-run China Film Corporation. The shoot enabled Huo to find out more about Indians, such as their love for chicken legs and their mysterious curiosity about the Chinese. I was overwhelmed by the degree that Indians like chicken legs. They seemed to eat only chicken, no pork, no beef, only chicken. Then, I was impressed by the beauty of the airport in Mumbai. I thought it was the most beautiful airport in the world, he said. Expectations are riding high on the movie, with millions of renminbi being pumped into it the sets were lavish, hundreds of extras were used and 10 companies from the US and China comprising 200 people were hired for post-production. It is also a prestige project as the first agreement on joint productions was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in May last year. The story of Xuanzang and his journey to India, which features in Indian school textbooks, is very popular in China, inspiring the famous book Journey To The West. Whether the new film can have an equally lasting impact will soon be known. Watch | Trailer for the Sino-Indian co-production Xuanzang French police arrested a suspected gunman on Thursday after shots were fired near Parisian cafes that were targeted in Novembers attacks. No injuries were reported but the incident rattled nerves in a city still on edge. Paris police spokesperson Johana Primevert says officers were deployed after shots rang out. A suspect who appeared to be drunk later surrendered, she said. I heard there was a hostage-taking so I came outside. There was a crowd collecting and all these police and media. But its hardly anything. Now every time we hear a police siren we panic. Everyone overreacts. Fear? Im not afraid, said local resident Gilles Selles. The building is at the junction of the Rue de Bichat and Rue du Faubourg du Temple in eastern Paris, near two cafes targeted in the Nov. 13 Islamic State attacks that left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. France remains on edge and under a state of emergency since the attacks. It was quiet, dead for a long time after the attacks with all the memorials, and then this again, another resident, Pierre Chretien, told The Associated Press. I dont realize the impact yet of this (shooter) here. Were not safe here, not safe anywhere in Paris. Bernie Sanders questioned whether Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is qualified to be president after she spent much of the day criticising his record and his preparedness for the job. Sanders also said Wednesday that Clinton is not qualified because of her vote on the war in Iraq and her support for trade agreements that he says are harmful to American workers. She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote unquote not qualified to be president, Sanders told a crowd of more than 10,000 people at Temple Universitys Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. I dont believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds. Its the latest salvo in a war of words that has gotten increasingly heated as underdog Sanders has gained ground on front-runner Clinton, capped by the Vermont senators victory in Tuesdays Wisconsin primary. Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon responded quickly to Sanders comment, writing on Twitter: Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was not qualified. But he has now absurdly said it about her. This is a new low. Indeed, Clinton did not say Sanders was unqualified or not qualified during a much-quoted interview Wednesday morning on MSNBCs Morning Joe. In a discussion of an interview with Sanders that appeared in the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States. She responded, Well, I think he hadnt done his homework and hed been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadnt really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions. Sanders spokesperson Michael Briggs said Wednesday evening that Sanders was responding to reports on the CNN and Washington Post websites. A Post story was headlined, Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president. Whether or not Clinton called Sanders unqualified, she clearly ratcheted up her attacks Wednesday. In an interview with Politico, she said she tries to explain things in a more open and truthful way than my opponent. Later, at a Philadelphia job training centre, Clinton said people should know what she would do if shes elected president, not just lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric. On the Republican side, Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked the heroism of New York City police and firefighters during the 9/11 terror attacks in a swipe at Republican rival Ted Cruz. Trump, in a rally on Long Island Wednesday night, invoked Cruzs line from a debate earlier this year in which he criticised New York values. Trump said Cruz said it with scorn on his face and with hatred. Trump said he couldnt believe that anyone would question the heroism of the citys uniformed officers and construction workers during the aftermath of the 2001 attacks that toppled the World Trade Centre. The latest casualty of the Panama Papers storm was the head of an Austrian regional bank who announced his resignation on Thursday but denied any wrongdoing. At the end of the day what made the difference in taking this step was the prejudgement through the media of Hypo Vorarlberg and of myself in recent days, Michael Grahammer, 51, said. I remain 100% convinced the bank at no time contravened laws or sanctions, he said in a statement, adding that he said he will remain in office until a successor is named. Hypo Vorarlberg was named in a vast trove of documents leaked on Sunday related to a Panamanian law firm allegedly helping the rich, famous and infamous hide assets offshore to avoid tax, circumvent sanctions or launder money. Austrias financial market authority (FMA) on Wednesday began looking over the banks accounts, and those of fellow Austrian lender Raiffeisen Bank International (FBI), following the allegations. Hypo Vorarlberg, majority owned by the state of Vorarlberg, was already the subject of an FMA probe in 2012 related to a firm registered in the Virgin Islands to Gennady Timchenko, a Russian oligarch subject to US sanctions. The FMA alerted authorities to possible money-laundering but Austrian prosecutors dropped an enquiry in 2013 because of a lack of evidence. Grahammer said on Wednesday that the bank no longer had business dealings with Timchenko. For graft-busting Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, the Panama Papers revelations that show his brother-in-law and relatives of two other members of the partys elite inner circle owned offshore companies, often referred to as tax havens, might have been highly damaging. Instead, Xi will likely emerge unscathed as a result of his personal hold on political power, controls over free speech and the media, and a sense both among the public and potential rivals that all leading families are tainted to some degree, analysts say. With the latest reports still just days old, however, lingering impacts cant be ruled out entirely. Damage to Xis reputation might show up in unexpected difficulties in putting in place a new team for when he assumes a second five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party next year and for setting in place a succession plan for 2022. Challenges to his leadership of a bevy of offices and committees, or to his sweeping anti-corruption campaign, might also be signs of weakness. The latest report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, known as the ICIJ, says Xis brother-in-law -- Deng Jiagui -- purchased one offshore company through Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca in 2004 and two more in 2009. All three had been dissolved or become dormant by the time Xi became party leader in 2012, the ICIJ says, citing a stash of 11.5 million leaked Mossack Fonseca documents dubbed the Panama Papers that discuss cases involving politicians, celebrities and business people from around the world. Analysts say the revelations shed little new light on the Xi familys financial doings, further limiting their impact. Xis case is also helped by the fact that he has shown no fear in taking on high-profile targets in his anti-corruption campaign and has been seen in past as reining in his familys illicit activities by having them sell off their interests and by telling provincial leaders personally that they did not act in his name, they say. I would have suspected that many of those who follow elite politics already believe that Xis extended family is like many if not most elite families in that some of them have managed to cash in on Chinas economic boom. I think, however, he still gets credit for cracking down on high-level corruption, said Georgia State University political scientist Andrew Wedeman, who has extensively researched corruption in China. The investigation does however provide new information about how members of the Chinese elite use international law firms and shell companies registered overseas in ways that could facilitate the concealment and protection of fortunes whose provenance may be unknown. The other two current Politburo Standing Committee members named in the ICIJ report are Zhang Gaoli, whose son-in-law was named as a shareholder of three companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and Liu Yunshan, whose daughter-in-law was the director and shareholder of a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in 2009. Having such accounts is not illegal and no specific functions, asset amounts or allegations of wrongdoing were made in any of the cases. Like Xi, none have responded directly to the reports. While the leaked documents also revealed hidden dealings by politicians in Western-style democracies, Xi is shielded from the kinds of scrutiny his Western counterparts must contend with. Along with its muzzled press, China permits its national legislature to meet in full session just once a year and then only to debate and approve proposals sent to them by the government. Nor does China permit public protests of the type that confronted Icelands leader Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson before he stepped aside on Tuesday amid outrage over revelations that he had used a shell company to shelter large sums while Icelands economy was in crisis. While the personal lives and finances of Chinese leaders are strictly off-limits to Chinese media, international outlets have frequently sought to plumb the truth of perceptions that the countrys opaque politics and booming economic growth provide a rich environment for corruption. Previous reports, particularly one by Bloomberg News in 2012, have not implicated Xi, his wife or their daughter and have had no discernable impact on his political fortunes. They do show, however, that Xis extended family accumulated investments and stakes in companies worth millions of dollars at a time when he was rising in the party and government. As the children of famed communist revolutionary Xi Zhongxun, he and his siblings enjoy privileged status as members of what is sometimes called Chinas red aristocracy, with unique access to circles of power and inside information that can be leveraged for personal gain. Chinas censors have blocked, deleted or heavily edited all reports about the ICIJ reports to prevent any mention of Xi, or the relatives of seven other current or former members of the partys all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, reported to have owned overseas tax havens. On Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei described the reports as groundless and said he would refuse to comment on them further. Even that brief exchange was struck from the transcript of Tuesdays briefing posted on the ministrys website. Behind the partys habitual secrecy and reflexive desire to control, lies the recognition that corruption remains a volatile issue. Anti-graft sentiments were a driver behind student-led pro-democracy protests in 1989 and since then, more than a half-a-dozen serving or retired members of the partys elite inner circle have been brought down over corruption allegations However, the perception that all leading families are corrupt to some degree also acts as a form of MAD (mutually assured destruction) deterrence, said Steve Tsang, senior fellow at the University of Nottinghams China Policy Institute. Criticism, if it comes, is more likely to emerge from outside the top echelon of the leadership in China, Tsang said. Chinese officials are also sheltered by public disclosure rules that require only that they declare their assets internally. The public in most cases never knows what is in such declarations, nor how carefully they are audited. Calls for changes have fallen on deaf ears or in some cases met with reprisals. Wealth among members of the legislature, the National Peoples Congress, is even easier to hide, one reason why the body is known as the richest parliament in the world. Despite the political obstacles, some Chinese continue to complain about the publics inability to supervise and push for greater transparency in their leaders financial dealings. If well implemented, asset declaration should be a good way to fight corruption and ensure the integrity of public officials, the official newspaper Ningbo Daily said in a March 31 article. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said every bit of Panama Papers which point toward offshore companies set up by more than 500 Indians, will be probed and that people with illegal money stashed abroad wont get to sleep at night now. In last three days we have formed a group. We are analysing each and every account to find out what is legal and what is illegal, Jaitley said in an interview to ETV News Network, referring to the probe ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Those who are having legal accounts, they need not worry and those having illegal accounts wont get sleep at night, the finance minister said, adding: Those people who have kept it illegally, we will try to detect it fully. And I think that soon every thing will be made clear. Panama papers: 500 Indians in global list of secret firms in tax havens For four days now the media around the world has been carrying stories on people with offshore firms, as part of the expose by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and over 100 global media organisations, dubbed the Panama Papers. It is based on millions of leaked documents of a Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helped in setting up these companies. But Indian authorities have also said not every off-shore company opened by an Indian need be illegitimate. Its a hack, not leak: Mossack Fonseca files complaint on Panama Papers In the interview, the finance minister also sought to clarify what Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan said on the legality of offshore companies opened by Indians. He said such firms can be opened with the central banks permission. So, I think he (Rajan) must have said it in that reference -- that people who have kept the money by taking permission from the RBI is legitimate and who have kept the money by not taking permission of RBI is not legitimate. Adding a political twist to the black money issue, Jaitley said while some people were angry with him because the government was strict, some previous regimes kept silent on the issue of illegal money parked abroad. Panama papers in numbers: Countries implicated, companies involved Liechtenstein accounts came to light and Congress government didnt do anything. Complete investigation, assessments and criminal proceedings have now been undertaken against one and all of the accused. Taxes are being collected and criminal proceedings going on, he said. He said similar steps were being taken with respect to the information of about the 628 HSBC accounts of Indians. Some 500-525 people have been traced, assessment orders passed and criminal cases filed against 150 persons. As regards the third round of expose -- again by the ICIJ -- Jaitley said assessments were being done on that and 52 prosecutions have been filed till date. A copy of William Shakespeares First Folio published in 1623 has been discovered at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, bringing the total of surviving First Folios to 234. The discovery, authenticated by Emma Smith, professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford, comes as Britain is celebrating 400 years of the Bards legacy. His death is recorded on April 23, 1616. The First Folio is the name given to the collection of Shakespeares 36 plays published in 1623. Smith identified the Folio as the working copy that once belonged to Isaac Reed, a well-connected literary editor who worked in London in the 18th century. Smith said: When the team at Mount Stuart first told me they thought they had a First Folio, I must admit I thought yeah, sure, and so do I! But when I went up to investigate, I could tell from the story of the books origins, the watermarks and the idiosyncrasies of the text that it was genuine. The Reed-Bute Folio is in three volumes comedies, histories and tragedies and was rebound in goatskin in 1932. Smith added: This is an exciting discovery because we didnt know it existed and it was owned by someone who edited Shakespeare in the 18th century. It is an unusual Folio because it is bound in three volumes and has lots of spare blank pages which would have been used for illustrations. The real importance of the First Folio is that, without it, we would not have half of Shakespeares plays, including Macbeth, The Tempest and As You Like It. Shakespeare would have looked very different, and his legacy would have been very different, had the Folio not been published. Oxfords copies of the First Folio will be displayed in the Bodleian Libraries from April 22 in an exhibition curated by Smith called Shakespeares Dead. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan said on Thursday it is ready to discuss arms control and restraint measures with India to avoid unnecessary arms race in the region. We have taken note of President Obamas call on both Pakistan and India to work together with a view to ensuring that military doctrines do not move in the wrong direction, Pakistans foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. Zakaria said our proposal of strategic restraint regime can provide basis for mutually agreed restraint measures and avoidance of unnecessary arms race in the region. Pakistan is opposed to nuclear and conventional arms race and strongly believes in peace and stability in the region, he said. We are committed to minimum deterrence, Zakaria said, adding that Pakistans nuclear capability was solely for self-defence. Obama had on Friday identified South Asia, in particular India and Pakistan, as one area where there is a need to make progress in nuclear security and reduction of nuclear arsenal. Zakaria claimed that there is increased understanding at the international level of Pakistans genuine concerns regarding rapidly growing Indian conventional and nuclear capabilities and their offensive military designs such as cold start doctrine. Zakaria said Pakistan has strong credentials to become a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as a non-NPT state. The NSG is still deliberating upon the issue of membership for non-NPT states, he said. We have been running a safe, secure and safeguarded civil nuclear programme for more than 42 years. We have the expertise, manpower and infrastructure to produce civil nuclear energy, he said. Zakaria said that 4th Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington, which concluded last weekend, was a significant event from Pakistans perspective. Loggerhead turtles are struggling to survive in their native waters of the Mediterranean. New research from the University of Exeter found that thousands are killed annually due to small-scale fishing operations in Cyprus, the Middle East and North Africa. The problem is such fishing practices trap and tangle loggerheads in deadly nets. What's worse is that the turtles are at a heightened risk of being strangled because they migrate and search for food throughout the areas where fishing is particularly common. Nesting on beaches from Greece and Turkey to Israel and Libya, loggerheads are the most common turtle in the Mediterranean. In the latest study, the researchers tracked female turtles by satellite as they migrated from Cyprus. Rather than returning to the place of their birth to lay their eggs, the research team found many turtles will nest along beaches in a number of countries. After breeding, adult females then travel to foraging sites extending from the continental shelf of Cyprus to Levant and North Africa, sometimes swimming up to 2,100 kilometers from their nesting sites. Over the course of the 10-year study, three of the 27 adult female loggerheads tracked from north Cyprus nesting beaches died within a year of being tagged. It is believed that the turtles likely died from bycatch or accidentally being caught in fishing nets. "The mortality rate and level of bycatch in these countries is very concerning. There is poor understanding of the need for conservation and of the impacts that fishing practices can cause," said Robin Snape, postgraduate research student with the Marine Turtle Research Group. "This is particularly difficult to manage when local people are dependent on fish for their food and livelihood. Wider studies are needed into fishing practices, the exact methods being used and into how we can mitigate bycatch. Although this is difficult at the moment when countries are at war or politically unstable, Cyprus as an EU member state is well situated to address its significant sea turtle bycatch." The death of three out of 27 tagged turtles represents an 11 percent mortality rate per year, which is much higher than expected for a long-lived species. It follows then that this staggering decline could have cascading impacts, as turtles are unable to live long enough to produce enough offspring to keep the species going. "Whilst the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population is dependent on the continuation of decades of intense conservation work at core nesting sites in Greece, Cyprus and in Turkey, we now need to move into the water to secure the future of the species mitigating threats from fisheries and oil and gas related seismic activity," added Professor Brendan Godley, project leader. "Encouragingly, we have been involved in some recent work elsewhere that has shown that the simple and inexpensive measure of putting LED lights on nets can reduce turtle bycatch significantly. Our knowledge of the impacts of seismic activity is embryonic." The findings were published in the March 29 issue of the journal Diversity and Distributions. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Washington state police have launched a manhunt after two mentally ill patients, who are considered dangerous to other people, escaped from Western State Hospital Wednesday evening. The last confirmed whereabouts of the two men, 28-year-old Anthony Garver and 59-year-old Mark Alexander Adams, were in the hospital's dining hall at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday. However, hospital staff didn't realize that the pair had gone missing until 7:30 p.m., prompting them to notify police about the disappearance. Police believe that the pair likely used a loose window in their room to escape the facility on foot before catching nearby transportation, according to Lakewood Police. Prior to their escape, both had been housed in the facility's locked civil ward. Garver and Adams had been admitted to the hospital in February 2015 after both were deemed incompetent to stand trial for crimes they had committed. Garver, described as being 5-foot-8 and weighing 250 pounds with curly brown hair and a beard or mustache, was arrested for the 2013 murder of a woman he allegedly gagged with a ball of cloth before stabbing her in the chest 24 times and slashing her throat. He was last seen wearing a brown, faded sweatshirt and orange flip flops. Meanwhile, Adams, described as 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds with long brown hair, was arrested in 2014 for second degree assault/domestic violence. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and grey shorts. In response to their escape, especially since they were both deemed dangerous, police have launched an intensive manhunt in order to ensure their capture. Other local enforcement agencies and transit systems have been alerted, and as of Wednesday, investigators were at the hospital gathering more information. So far, police have at least one clue to work off of. They - for one reason or another - suspect that Adams, originally from Snohomish County, will try to flee to California. However, there's no word on what Garver, who is originally from the Spokane area, may be planning. In the meantime, police urge anyone who potentially sees the two escapees to not contact them and immediately call 911 instead. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Feel free to breathe a sigh of relief, iPhone users. The FBI may have been successful in hacking one of the San Bernardino shooters' iPhones, but apparently that miraculous hack is severely limited in use and the iPhone 6s remains impenetrable for the time being. As a matter of fact, it appears the iPhone 5c is the only phone vulnerable to the hack, and all variants of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s models are safe from the hack. This revelation comes as a result of testimony from FBI Director James Comey who told reporters that the agency had purchased a tool from a third party to unlock the San Bernardino iPhone. During that time, he stated the tool only worked on a "narrow slice of phones" that does not include the newest Apple models, or the 5s. Comey's statement can be taken to mean that the FBI is only capable of hacking 32-bit devices, which in Apple's case means the iPhone 5c. As you may recall, starting with the iPhone 5s, Apple included a 64-bit chip in the iPhone, which is harder to crack. The team of experts responsible for the tool has yet to be revealed, but Comey said he trusts it, saying that its motivations align with the FBI's. "The people we bought this from, I know a fair amount about them, and I have a high degree of confidence that they are very good at protecting it, and their motivations align with ours," he said. That's about as much as we're getting from Comey or the FBI about the hack, though a few select senators are allegedly privy to further information. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) has already been briefed about the method used, while Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) is poised to learn the same info in the immediate future. Why them, you ask? Both are working on a new bill that seeks to limit the use of encryption in technology. Even if the FBI is incapable of hacking into any iPhone above a 5c, the ability to hack into one at all is victory enough. The agency has already notified other U.S. law enforcement agencies that it will try to help unlock other iPhones from various criminal investigations. Of course, this limitation hasn't deterred the FBI from gaining access to all iPhones in the future, as evidenced by the fact that it has yet to inform Apple about the method used to perform the hack. "We tell Apple, then they're going to fix it, then we're back where we started from," Comey said. "We may end up there, we just haven't decided yet." So yes, the FBI can't hack into anything above a 5c, but that isn't due to a lack of trying. Furthermore, the agency's ability to do so doesn't resolve the issue that has been at the center of the debate from the beginning: whether Apple should be required to grant the government access to customers' personal information. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Residents in downtown San Diego experienced a pretty unpleasant shock Wednesday when a suitcase containing the remains of a young woman was discovered near garbage cans next to the Chadwick hotel. The black suitcase containing the young woman's body was discovered about 11 a.m. by a man who lives nearby. The man, who opted to remain anonymous, spotted the suspicious luggage as he was taking out his trash. "I was taking out the garbage, and I went around to the back of the building and saw a black garbage can, one of them was turned over," he said. "I dropped it and looked down and saw hair, black hair coming out... because it was zipped up, but you could still see the hair." The man immediately called the local police, who were promptly deployed to the scene. Upon arriving, the authorities opened the luggage only to find what they'd been fearing - the grisly remains of a young woman. Unfortunately, very little information is currently available about the incident. Police, so far, have not identified the victim's identity, nor were they able to determine the cause of her death. Residents in the area, however, reported seeing the suitcase being placed on a gurney and being wheeled away. Lt. Ray Valentin with the San Diego Police Department emphasized that the identity of the dead woman remains unknown as of publication. He did, however, state that the authorities will be doing all they can to get to the bottom of the case. "This is a tragic scene right now, what we've got here, but we're going to do everything in our power to find who conducted or did this to this person," he said. Police who responded to the scene were quite mum about the details regarding the victim, refusing to confirm if there were any signs of trauma on her body. An autopsy by the medical examiner is already underway. Despite the air of mystery surrounding the grisly find, Valentin nonetheless believes that information about the incident would probably emerge soon. "There are a lot of windows that look down into the parking lot of where the suitcase was located," he said. "Detectives will be combing those locations to see what they find." Residents of the area have been quite shaken by the incident, including David Bloomer, who expressed his shock and fear at the nature of the probable murder. "Scary as hell," he said. "Just goes to show when you think things are safe, they're usually not. Frightening when you consider the perimeter. It's very close to our living situation." @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It turns out that ability to regrow body parts may be hidden in our genes. Scientists have built a running list of genes that enable regenerating animals to grow back limbs and have found that they may have counterpart genes in humans. Studying regeneration in animals such as salamanders is important for researchers. This is largely because if we can unlock the secret of regeneration, we may be able to help the healing process occur more quickly in humans. That's why researchers have focused on genes in animals that have regenerative capabilities. "We want to know how regeneration happens, with the ultimate goal of helping humans realize their full regenerative potential," said Kenneth D. Poss of Duke University School of Medicine, senior author of the new study. "Our study points to a way that we could potentially awaken the genes responsible for regeneration that we all carry within us." Researchers have identified regeneration genes in species like zebrafish, flies and mice. However, scientists have yet to find them in humans. In this latest study, though, the researchers looked for genes that were strongly induced during fin and heart regeneration in zebrafish. They found leptin b was turned on in the fish after being injured. Then, the scientists took the gene and looked at the shortest required DNA sequence from it and looked at whether the "tissue regeneration enhancer elements" (TREEs) could have a similar effect in mammals. In this case, the scientists found that the same genes were activated in the injured paws and hearts of mice. Currently, the researchers hope to combine genetic elements with genome-editing technologies to improve the ability of mammals to repair and possibly even regrow damaged body parts. With that said, the research is still in its beginning stages. While scientists have found counterparts in some mammals, they still need to uncover the same in humans. "We want to find more of these types of elements so we can understand what turns on and ultimately controls the program of regeneration," Poss said. "There may be strong elements that boost expression of the gene much higher than others, or elements that activate genes in a specific cell type that is injured. Having that level of specificity may one day enable us to change a poorly regenerative tissue to a better one with near-surgical precision." The findings are published in the April journal Nature. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. For Ted Cruz, his landslide victory in Wisconsin seemed like a faraway dream. In an attempt to gain the support of New Yorkers before the primaries on April 19, Ted Cruz stopped by the Bronx. Unfortunately for the candidate, the New Yorkers in the area wasted no time in giving the GOP candidate a piece of their minds. The cold response to the candidate was so severe that among the 1.4 million people in the Bronx, Cruz was only able to gather less than 100 at his campaign event in Parkchester. Considering that the event was coordinated with state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., the turnout was indeed alarming for Cruz. What's even worse is the fact that a significant number of those who showed up for the candidate did not come to support Cruz's candidacy. During his stop at the Sabrosura Chinese-Dominican restaurant, only about a dozen voters turned up, and two of them ended up being thrown out of the area after heckling the GOP candidate. Rebel Diaz, one of the protesters against Cruz, expressed his displeasure about the candidate. "He is anti-immigrant. He denies climate change. He's a right-winged bigot and he's not welcomed here," he said. Rodrigo Venegas, one of the men who got thrown out of the restaurant, was even more fierce in his criticisms of the candidate. "You're running on an anti-immigrant platform, and you're speaking in the Bronx. You should not be here," he said before he was removed from the area. While he was being escorted out, Venegas was cheered by fellow protesters. That is not all, either. Cruz's scheduled appearance at the Bronx Lighthouse College Preparatory Academy was ultimately cancelled after the students took it upon themselves to prevent the candidate from visiting the school. In a letter submitted to the school principal, the students threatened to walk out of the school if Cruz goes through with the visit. According to the students, Cruz's stance on various national issues is offensive and in complete disagreement over the principles that the school is founded on. "The presence of Ted Cruz and the ideas he stands for are offensive. His views are against ours and are actively working to harm us, our community, and the people we love. He is misogynistic, homophobic, and racist," the letter read. Lighthouse Principal Alix Duggins has lauded the students' efforts. "Your points are eloquently argued, in fact, so eloquently argued that upon reading your email, Khori Whittaker, the CEO of Lighthouse Academies has agreed to cancel the visit. I'd like to commend you and the other students for your commitment to your beliefs and values. I believe that I would not have been able to get the visit cancelled without your actions," Duggins said. With the state's reception so far, it seems like New York will be a challenging area for Ted Cruz. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DARPA's new unmanned sub-hunter - the Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) - unconstrained by the necessity of human operators, was commissioned in Portland today and will be sent to San Diego in a few weeks for a two-year-long trial period to test the concept. Although DARPA will conduct the initial trials, the vessel will be turned over the Office of Naval Research (ONR) later this year, with the total test phase running through September 2018. Unmanned surface and underwater vehicles have been in use for decades, but the development of the new ACTUV, also referred to as Sea Hunter, is being created with the goal of searching for submarines at sea for up to three months at a time. The ACTUV is 130 feet long and can be remote-controlled and operated safely in all weather conditions. The lack of a crew means it can support manned ships during dangerous missions that would otherwise have potentially fatal results, such as countermining and submarine tracking. Sea Hunter was launched in January and has been running trials in the Portland area. The San Diego trials will be the most extensive yet - two years long - and will not only test the concept of the ACTUV but also the various sensors that can be installed onto the displacement vessel. The composite-construction design of the unmanned sub-hunter resembles a Polynesian war canoe, possessing a long, slim hull that is supported by Amas - outboard pontoons - that are connected to the vehicle by outriggers. Sea Hunter will not be loaded with weapons, instead detecting and tracking submarines, and it will likely become an extension of Little Combat Ships, aiding them in their travels. "We don't want ACTUV to be a one-trick pony," said Scott Littlefield, the project's program manager. "We really want to build a truck that's versatile to carry lots of different kinds of payloads." The project is not a prototype for an operational Navy platform, but it could be in the future with additional research and development. As of now, it is fairly pricey, much more than a potential follow-on vessel. "It looks we're going to deliver the first one for a construction cost of between $22 million and $23 million dollars," Littlefield said. "We're trying to get to a series cost of about $20 million a copy - not cheap, but not as expensive as a manned warship." Daily operating costs are likely to be between $15,000 and $20,000, which do not include program costs such as development, design and software. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A video featuring a police officer appearing to aggressively body slam a 12-year-old girl has surfaced online, triggering widespread criticism. The video, shot through a mobile phone, showed Janissa Valdez, a 6th-grade student at Rhodes Middle Schoo in San Antonio, Texas, getting lifted up and thrown to the ground by police officer Joshua Kelm. During the course of the incident, a crowd around the girl and the policeman fell silent after she was thrown to the ground, especially after a notably audible crack was heard the moment the 12-year-old's head hit the pavement. One of the students in the video was heard expressing concern about the girl. "Janissa! Janissa, you OK? She landed on her face!," a student said. After the girl was body slammed to the ground, the policeman proceeded to cuff her hands behind her back, before pulling her up and escorting her away. Prior to the violent incident, the girl had reportedly been involved in a verbal altercation with one of her peers. Responding to the incident, the San Antonio Independent School District stated that it has begun investigating. District spokeswoman Leslie Price stated that the administrators have been very disturbed about the contents of the video. "The video is very disturbing. We immediately launched a formal investigation, which is being conducted by both district police and administration," she said. Kelm, a non-lethal weapons instructor before his stint in the school district, was reportedly placed on paid leave after the incident. He started working for the district police in 2015. Judith Browne Dianis, co-director for Advancement Project, a civil rights organization condemned the policeman's actions. "It is unconscionable for a 12-year-old student involved in a verbal altercation to be brutalized and dehumanized in this manner. Once again, a video captured by a student offers a sobering reminder that we cannot entrust school police officers to intervene in school disciplinary matters that are best suited for trained educators and counselors," she said. The girl's mother said that what disturbed her the most is the fact that Kelm did not even flinch when he hit her child. Even after she stopped moving after her head hit the concrete, he still proceeded to subdue her. She also stated that after the incident her daughter's right eye was bruised and swollen. "You could actually hear her head hit the concrete. That's what hurt me the most. He didn't even seem like it bothered him. He still handcuffed her after she was unconscious," she said. After being body slammed, knocked out and taken away in handcuffs, Janissa Valdez was suspended for two days. Check out the video below. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. With news of bombings and airplane hijackings making headlines in recent weeks, the U.S. Senate has finally addressed the possibility of such incidents happening in the U.S. and reached a deal that bolsters travel security at airports. The deal, reached between Senate Republicans and Democrats, comes in the aftermath of the deadly bombings at the Brussels airport and subway on March 22, which left 35 people dead and injured 300 others. Under the agreement, according to a source familiar with the matter, lawmakers have agreed to amend a Federal Aviation bill with provisions that would boost the screening of airport employees with access to secure areas, as well as allow the Transportation Security Administration to donate equipment to foreign airports who have flights coming directly to the U.S. The reasoning for this is simple. As TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger notes, it would be easy for someone with easy access to a U.S. airport to stage an attack similar to what has made headlines recently. For example, an investigation into the explosion that forced a Dallo Airlines flight to make an emergency landing at an airport in Mogadishu in February revealed that the bomb used by the man responsible had been given to him by workers at the airport before taking off. The second part would order a new U.S.assessment of foreign cargo security programs, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The meaning behind this is somewhat vague, but the order would most likely allow airport security to have an improved ability to check cargo before flights. If this assumption is true, then that would reduces the chances of incidents like the one in October when ISIS managed to sneak a bomb onboard a Russian Metrojet, which blew up over Egypt, of occurring. Negotiations over the deal aren't finished quite yet, however. Brokered by Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Republican chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and the panel's top Democrat, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, lawmakers and their aides are still working to see which other security items could be added, such as federal grant money for training state and local law enforcement to respond to emergencies involving armed attacks. In the meantime, the Senate is also expected to vote on the FAA authorization bill, which would renew the aviation agency's programs through September 2017. The Senate isn't the only government body working to improve airport security. The House of Representatives has been considering a FAA legislation of its own. It's more of the same, but it also calls for the privatization of the U.S. air traffic control system - something that isn't mentioned in the Senate's legislation. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. W e are in the middle of exceptional countryside between the Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales, says Ashley Reece, co-founder of luxury eco-homes builder egg Homes, who lives in Cumbria. The sea is one mile away and the M6 is within 15 minutes. The location is perfect for active families. There are plenty of good schools nearby, many of them undersubscribed. Sustainability, thoughtful architecture and luxury living do not always go hand in hand with a rural setting but get it right and you are on to a winner. Thats what egg Homes discovered when it launched on a 12-acre site in Viver Green. Phase One properties sold out within a week last year with those six buyers, all full-time residents, due to move in this summer. Now Phase Two is released, for October delivery. From 445,950: six house styles are available at Viver Green near Kendal Peaceful Viver Green will have 19 four- and five-bedroom freehold homes on generous plots priced from 445,950 to 800,000, mostly detached and in six styles. All have balconies, garages and attractive finishes including top-grade Burlington Slate and A-rated eco-credentials. The site is 10 minutes drive from Oxenholme station where trains connect directly to Euston in two hours and 40 minutes. Kendal, gateway to the Lake District, is 10 minutes away and Windermere is within half an hour. Homes will have superfast broadband, solar panels, solid upper-floor insulation, intelligent controls and a high thermal envelope. All this comes at a higher than normal buying cost for the area Rightmove puts the average detached Kendal house at 313,250 but these should be maintenance-free homes with low running costs. The developers are aiming for accreditation through the independently assessed Home Quality Mark, a new national standard for well-designed, well-built, healthier, energy-efficient homes. WE LOVE THE DESIGN AND THE GREEN SIDE IS IMPORTANT TO US Moving in: Viver Green buyers Sam and Nathan Sayers, with son Isaac Sam and Nathan Sayers, a school secretary and company MD, say: We couldnt find anything we liked locally then we saw Viver Green. We thought there must be some mistake. You just dont get homes like that around here. We love the design and the eco-side is important to us. They bought a four-bedroom house and move in with son Isaac, nine, and five-year-old daughter Daisy in June. STRONG RENTAL RETURNS The Lake District in Cumbria is Englands largest National Park. Established in 1951, it is a walkers paradise, boasting 244 fells within 885 square miles stretching up to Scafell Pike, Englands highest peak at 3,208 feet. The wettest part of the UK, it still attracts 16 million visitors a year, according to Cumbria Tourism enough to ensure strong rentals of up to 40 weeks for the best properties. Many local families choose to live in or close to Kendal, outside the National Park with good local facilities. Local agent Arnold Greenwood has a handsome five-bedroom stone townhouse in central Kendal for sale at 390,000, while Savills is selling an eight-bedroom house in 12 acres of outstanding countryside at Staveley, Kendal, for 895,000. News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits. Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 7 p.m. Orr Area EMS Open House Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798. Orr Fire Hall 4540 Lake St., Orr Tuesday, October 25, 12 6 p.m. Essentia Health Job Fair Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org. 901 9th St. N., Virginia In the pre-internet-domination days, Forbes star ratings or AAA's diamond ratings provided an immediate litmus test of luxury, with a five star or diamond as an immediate indicator. Regrettably, the sun has set on these traditional bulwarks of quality control. TripAdvisor and other online review agencies have now assumed the mantle of being the traveling public's quality thermometer. As a hotelier, it may seem counterintuitive that limited-service or economy properties can achieve a prestigious TripAdvisor rating of 4.5+ out of 5. And yet somehow, the public now equates free WiFi and waffles to be more important than evening turndown service or 24/7 concierge availability. The standards for third-party approval are now based upon emotional whims rather than logical systems and checklists. However much I gripe, the situation is what it is, and instead of fighting the current, we must accept this paradigm shift and adapt accordingly. I recently set out to visit six purported luxury properties throughout Southern Florida. Each of these properties has exceptionally high TripAdvisor scores in addition to four or five star and diamond ratings. What was surprising to me was the wide variability in accommodation quality and service offerings. All of these half dozen properties appeared to be trying to save money, cut corners and scrape by with near-minimum standards. Whether this is a product of decreased overall margins (or already knowing what their target demographic of 'luxury customers' already wanted and excising everything else in the name of efficiency) is still up for grabs. I might add that I did not ask for comp rooms. After all, this was peak season in Florida! Moreover, I wanted an unbiased treatment. My findings are as follows: A lack of value. Every room night was over $500. Add to that the compulsory resort fee ranging from $27 to $45 per night, $38 to $54 for parking and mandatory taxes, and each night was close to $650. Now at that price range, I would expect that there would be some special treatment, or at least some added value. But alas, there was the large water bottle with an $8 price tag and an outrageously priced mini-bar. The complimentary magazines, usually plentiful, were down to just one or two. Welcome amenities and welcome notes from the GM were non-existent. WiFi was variable, too. All featured some form of free WiFi, often available if you were a member of a loyalty program. However, the 'free' version was typically so slow that you felt second-class. Morning newspaper delivery? Can't even find one in the breakfast room. How about a simple flower vase in the room? You must be kidding. Imperfect housekeeping. I've long stressed the importance of housekeeping and standards that must be upheld. Every one of the hotels I visited failed in one way or more to achieve my minimum housekeeping criteria. Some of the flaws were so flagrant that Conrad Hilton would be rolling in his grave! I don't like a knock on the door at 8:30am with the words loudly spoken, "Housekeeping!" After all, checkout is at noon and check-in for the next guest is 4:00pm; certainly there could be some sense of timeliness. What's most surprising here is how important housekeeping is to the average online commentator. Being flawless in this regard is a vital part of the new age TripAdvisor paradigm of hotel reviews, and yet we are still failing to give guests what they want. On a related note, one of the latest housekeeping ideas is to reuse towels, supposedly for eco-friendly reasons (but really to save laundry costs). At one property, even those I left on the floor were picked up, folded and placed back on the racks. Amenity bottles half-used shampoos, for example were not replenished. Bed sheets were often not changed daily at all six hotels. The list of errors by traditional standards could fill a page. I do not fault the housekeepers, though! Rather, I fault operational management who are probably pushing too many rooms per shift on these hourly employees. Rip-off breakfasts. I know that room service has a cost, and most hotels (maybe all) do not make any profit from this department. But the prices have now moved to the point of umbrage. A guestroom-delivered, continental breakfast for two, including all compulsory service charges and taxes, came through in the range of $70 to $90. Sorry, but that is simply unfair. It would be borderline acceptable if the breakfast included the best pastries, juice and coffee on earth, or if it was cooked right before my eyes by Anthony Bourdain. But sadly, in this instance the grapefruit juice was reconstituted and the bread rolls tasted store bought. The next morning I walked to the nearest Starbucks, and, with even more melancholy, I was hardly the only guest making the trek! Breakfasts in the restaurants were better but far from exemplary. Any way you put it, when you are coercing your guests to travel offsite, either through exorbitant pricing or reheated, stale food, you are doing something wrong, especially at the luxury level where cuisine is expected to be stellar. Think about it this way: it's often stated that a great day begins with a great breakfast. In this sense, how can a truly luxurious hotel experience be attained with a mediocre morning meal? Cutting corners on maintenance. Now, most guests are not going to go to the extremes of examining hard goods or looking at sheets for wear and tear. But I did, and I want to report some more not-so-great news. Not one property of the six has been keeping up on room maintenance at least for what should be expected at the luxury level. Chipped paint on doorframes and thin towels appear to be highly overlooked. Sad in a way, but I imagine everything was trimmed back to a minimum in the Great Recession, and no one thought to reopen the funding for these necessities. While I doubt this error factors in as a priority for most consumers, it is nonetheless a subtle contributor to the overall experience, and something that may stymie an individual from falling head over heels for a specific hotel. When with this persnickety diatribe, all is not lost, however. Not all properties visited failed in each and every one of these four criteria. For example, exemplary reception and valet services prevailed. Dinner and lunch in the various restaurants ranged from excellent to outright 'wow'. General comfort (beds, air conditioning and so on) was also without fault. As a closing remark, if these properties are representative of what guests can expect from the contemporary 'luxury' segment, we're not putting up much of a fight against the inevitable intrusion of alternate lodging providers like Airbnb. Properties at this price range should exude a feeling that makes all guests feel special, wanted and appreciated. For the most part, this was not the case. I do not blame line staff exemplary in service delivery to a tee, housekeeping errors aside. I do, however, point my finger at the owners, senior management, the executive team or whoever else is responsible for the rampant cost reductions. In their quest for never-ending profit increases, they have cut corners to the point of embarrassment. Every little snip pushes the traveling public closer to property ambivalence, brand apathy and the habit of looking solely to alternate lodging providers for a bona fide luxury experience. It's a shame, though, as I thought our luxury leaders would set a higher standard to ensure healthy long-term success in the face of so many industry changes. Larry Mogelonsky Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited View source Bangkok, Thailand -- As well as with its diverse offerings in Thailand, Centara Hotels & Resorts also has a strong international presence in key leisure destinations such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Bali, and is pleased to announce more significant global growth. Centara is building on its brand strength by establishing properties in Doha, Muscat, Dubai, Cuba, Turkey and undergoing further expansion in current destinations. With two properties scheduled to open in Q4 2016, Doha and Muscat become Centara's first properties in the Middle East. In Doha, the Centara Grand West Bay Hotel is located in the new business and shopping district West Bay, at the heart of the city. The property will have 261 rooms and suites plus 96 apartments that vary from one to three bedroom units. Centara Grand West Bay will have Centara's own signature Thai restaurant, Suan Bua along with four other F&B outlets. The rooftop will feature a unique restaurant with stunning city views along with the swimming pool and relaxation zone. Other facilities include award winning SPA Cenvaree, with male and female facilities and private hammams, Club level business rooms and Centara Club Lounge and ballroom and meeting facilities. In Muscat, the Centara Muscat Hotel, with 152 rooms, will offer travellers a comfortable and centrally located property with all the classic Centara facilities, which includes SPA Cenvaree, a fitness centre, ample meeting and event space along with a premium lounge and roof deck available for private events. The roof deck with also have a swimming pool. There will be further expansion in Doha with two additional properties. Centara West Bay Residence & Suites will open in Q2 2017 in the West Bay area close to the Centara Grand. Slightly further down the pipeline in 2018, there will be a third luxury property to open that will have 514 keys in the West Bay area as well. Cuba, as a destination, is going to provide Centara with other growth opportunities. The first property, Centara Grand Beach Resort Cayo Guillermo, will have approximately 250 keys and will be the first truly five-star product in the region. Given the trusted reputation of Centara, the property in Cuba will allow loyal guests to travel to new destinations with the comforts of the Centara brand standards. This property will mirror the successful Centara Grand in the Maldives with the introduction of over water villas. This property is scheduled to open late in 2017. Additionally, Centara is working on two more projects in complementary locations. Centara Grand Lykia World Resort & Spa will be the first venture into Turkey. The property is located in Denizyaka, between Belek and Side, on the coastline of the river Koprucay. The resort will have 449 rooms, 10 restaurants and 10 bars and will offer an all-inclusive concept, allowing guests to experience a cash-free stay. "As we start to create a presence in Europe, I think it'll become apparent that blending the Centara/Thai quality with the local culture and styles will allow us to deliver unique, premium experiences for our guests," said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts. The Maldives has been a key destination for Centara, which has encouraged the company to further invest in the region with 4 new properties. Centara has been very strategic in the products and services offered at their current two properties. The Centara Grand Island, which has been open for over 6 years, was one of the first properties to introduce safe family travel in the Maldives. "We are very confident that the service-oriented formula that Centara has perfected in Asia will be just as popular in many of our new destinations," shares Chris Bailey, Chief Operating Officer for Centara Hotels & Resorts. "Given the changing desires of travellers, we are able to deliver an experience with quality service that reflects the heritage of Centara and Thai hospitality, which is warm, nurturing and gentle. We are very excited about these new projects and will be sharing some more exciting destination news later this year." The expansion plans will take Centara Hotels & Resorts to new levels. Currently Centara has about 14,000 rooms over 6 brands in their portfolio across Asia, Indian Ocean, and the Middle East, which span city, resort and beachfront destinations. About Centara Hotels & Resorts Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand's leading hotel operator. Its 90 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, China, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Cambodia, Turkey, Indonesia and the UAE. Centara's portfolio comprises six brands Centara Reserve, Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara and COSI Hotels ranging from 6-star hotels and luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology. It also operates state-of-the-art convention centres and has its own award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree. Throughout the collection, Centara delivers and celebrates the hospitality and values Thailand is famous for including gracious service, exceptional food, pampering spas and the importance of families. Centara's distinctive culture and diversity of formats allow it to serve and satisfy travellers of nearly every age and lifestyle. Over the next five years Centara aims to become a top 100 global hotel group, while spreading its footprint into new continents and market niches. As Centara continues to expand, a growing base of loyal customers will find the company's unique style of hospitality in more locations. Centara's global loyalty programme, Centara The1, reinforces their loyalty with rewards, privileges and special member pricing. Find out more about Centara at www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Michelle Jamieson Corporate Director of Marketing Communications - International +66 (0) 86 111 1439 Centara It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Hotels in Berlin recorded a 13.0% increase in profit per room this month as Messe Berlin hosted the IT conference, Cisco Live! for the first time following its move from Milano Congressi, according to the latest HotStats data. Hotels in Berlin recorded a 13.0% increase in profit per room this month as Messe Berlin hosted the IT conference, Cisco Live! for the first time following its move from Milano Congressi, according to the latest HotStats data. The 13,000-strong delegation helped fuel a 10.3% increase in RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) for the month, which was almost entirely as a result of a 9.8% increase in achieved average room rate, to 150.73 from 137.22 during the same period in 2015. Despite the uplift in rooms revenue, TrevPAR (Total Revenue per Available Room) growth was tempered back to +3.8%, as a decline was recorded on a per available room basis in Food & Beverage (-4.9%) and Conference & Banqueting (-10.1%) revenue. The revenue uplift, in addition to a decline in payroll as a proportion of total revenue (-1.7 percentage points) to 31.6% of total revenue, contributed to the 13.0% increase in GOPPAR (Gross Operating Profit per Available Room), to 53.07 from 46.97 during the same period in 2015. The Cisco Live! congress is clearly of huge benefit to hoteliers in the host city, with profit per room in the previous location, Milan, down by 34.7% year-on-year in January 2016, having last hosted the event in January 2015. Budapest Hotels Record Profit Increase Despite Revenue Drop Occupancy at Budapest hotels dropped by 2.5 percentage points year-on-year in February, contributing to a 0.5% decline in RevPAR for the month, to 52.39 from 52.64 during the same period in 2015. A 4.0% drop in TrevPAR was also recorded as Food & Beverage revenue plummeted by 13.4%. As a result of the drop in revenue, year-on-year, profit per room in the Food & Beverage department fell by 35.5% in February, contributing to a 29.7% drop in this measure so far in 2016. Whilst Budapest hoteliers lamented the absence of demand related to the European Regional Consultation on the World Humanitarian Summit, which boosted top and bottom level performance this time last year, they were able to salvage profit growth for the month, which is no mean feat considering the growth in February 2015 was recorded at +56.4%. With GOPPAR for the month increasing by 0.2% to 17.67, profit per room at hotels in Budapest in the 12 months to February 2016 is now 56.7% above the profit levels recorded in the 12 months to February 2013, at 45.17. Prague Hotels Enjoying Purple Patch of Performance Growth in top-line performance at Prague hotels is seemingly unstoppable, with RevPAR increasing by 11.6% for the month and demonstrating almost consistent growth over the last 24 months. On a rolling 12-month basis, this has resulted in a +32.1% increase over the last two years to 72.55 in the 12 months to February 2016, from 54.94 in the 12 months to February 2014. However, the Prague hotel market is facing some challenges, particularly in the Food and Beverage department as year-on-year profit has dropped by 4.5% in February and -11.0% for the year so far, as a result of increases in departmental payroll +11.3% and expenses +13.1%. That said, the decline in the food and beverage department has had little impact on overall GOPPAR growth, which increased by +10.4% for the month, to 16.84 from 15.25 during the same period in 2015. This contributed to the +18.3% year-on-year increase in profit per room in the 12 months to February 2016 and the 48.3% increase in GOPPAR over the last 24 months. Click here ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file) to view full the report. For an inside view of a local or regional market place in the hotel sector, bespoke HotStats reports are available. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.hotstats.com to view a sample report. HotStats provides two reporting tools to hoteliers: Our unique profit and loss benchmarking service which enables monthly comparison of hotels performance against their competitors. It is distinguished by the fact that it provides in excess of 100 performance metric comparisons covering 70 areas of hotel revenue, cost, profit and statistics providing far deeper insight into the hotel operation than any other tool. Our latest innovation in daily revenue intelligence, MORSE. Amongst its reporting are daily and highly granular market segmentation metrics as well as distribution channel and source of booking analysis. It takes daily market intelligence to a whole new level. For more information contact: Enquiries +44 (0) 20 7892 2241 enquiries@hotstats.com Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza Joins Curio Collection Established in 1933, the hotel was the first purpose-built hotel established on Ibiza and was used as a military barracks during the Spanish Civil War. The building is recognised as a site of heritage and cultural interest by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and many of the hotel's historic features, such as its characteristic neoclassical white and yellow facade will be retained as part of the new designs. Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) has reached a franchise agreement with Grupo Avintia to bring Curio - A Collection by Hilton to Ibiza's historic town centre. The 33-guestroom Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza will welcome guests all-year-round and is set to open this summer, marking Hilton's debut on The White Isle. Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide said, "Ibiza is the perfect location to welcome Spain's first Curio. The island has a considerable reputation as an upscale summer destination and is world renowned as one of Spain's most frequented and vibrant destinations. Gran Hotel Montesol will be one of the few internationally branded hotels on Ibiza, and as a part of the Curio collection it will benefit from Hilton's prime commercial engine while maintaining all of its unique character and charm." Established in 1933, the hotel was the first purpose-built hotel established on Ibiza and was used as a military barracks during the Spanish Civil War. The building is recognised as a site of heritage and cultural interest by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and many of the hotel's historic features, such as its characteristic neoclassical white and yellow facade will be retained as part of the new designs. A Mediterranean gem, the port town of Ibiza is a UNESCO World Heritage site with cobbled streets peppered with world-class restaurants, trendy boutiques and exclusive nightclubs. Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza is located in a quaint neighbourhood of the town, in sight of the busy harbour on the central plaza of Vara del Rey. Many of the hotel's guestrooms will have balconies overlooking the lofty 14th century cathedral of Santa Maria d'Eivissa, which sits atop the Dalt Vil, the town's highest point. Advertisement Carlos Berrozpe, managing director of ADH Hoteles, Grupo Avintia's hotel management arm, said, "This property is one of the icons of Ibiza and we are tremendously proud to be working with Hilton on reinstating the luxury and elegance of this famed hotel for visitors to the island to enjoy throughout the year. This project, with Hilton's seasoned hospitality experience and commercial capabilities, will be a great addition to our portfolio of hotels". Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza will be less than 10km from Ibiza's airport and a short distance from some of the island's most famous nightclubs and beaches. Ibiza is an island of great natural beauty, with some of the Mediterranean's most picturesque beaches. Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza will have a restaurant on the ground floor as well as a rooftop terrace that can be used as an exclusive meeting space for business travellers. Part of the restoration and the interior of the hotel will be designed by prestigious Spanish designer Lazaro Rosa Violan. Dianna Vaughan, senior vice president and global head, Curio A Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton, said: "With its fascinating history and elegant look-and-feel this landmark hotel is a sought-after addition to the Curio collection. The well-balanced synergy of the island's legendary nightlife and its long history make Ibiza the perfect location for a Curio hotel." Curio is a global set of remarkable upscale and luxury hotels hand-picked for their unique character and personality; each one embedded with local history and culture. Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza will join more than 80 properties open or in various stages of development across the world, in locations including Hamburg, Reykjavik, London, Paris and Lagos. Gran Hotel Montesol Ibiza will be located at Passeig de Vara de Rey, 2, 07800 Ibiza, Illes Balears. Last years Dark Sky Paradise was a big step up for Big Sean. He culled his finest crop of beats yet, finessed natural-sounding collabs out of some of the biggest artists around, and most importantly, finally let go of his goofiest lyrical impulses in favor of more mature songwriting that still didnt sacrifice any of his characteristic charm. It was a promising first step on the path to becoming a true album artist not just a motormouthed guest verse wild card and one that made an even better follow-up seem inevitable. Jhene Aikos path in the last few years, on the other hand, has been more of a languid coast than a clear ascent, with her style and songwriting settling into a groove and rarely straying outside of it. Luckily, she does stoned floating over lightly psychedelic neo-soul better than the vast majority of her peers right now. The anticipation for her next move wasnt due to upward trajectory, but rather consistency and an almost complete lack of missteps. Unfortunately for both parties involved, Sean and Aikos collab EP TWENTY88 is just that, a misstep. A thirty-minute-long collab project is already a rickety, dubious slat of wood on most artists rope bridges to success, and what these two just put their feet through is not fit to be a load-bearing rung. TWENTY88s press release describes the project as the story of the highs and lows of a relationship, with insights into conflict, memories, love, sex, and more, which is on-point for the most part. Sean and Aiko assume the role of a complex, somewhat realistic couple who always seem to be on the verge of either fighting or fucking, and this is portrayed through tracks with relatively clear concepts, such as opener Deja Vu (about being exes with benefits) or On The Way (about a lover whos perpetually sending dubious otw texts). This format is pretty intriguing, and has the potential to be an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-style scrambled history of a breakup, like Bjork did on her excellent album Vulnicura last year. Instead, TWENTY88 is one of those formulaic ensemble rom-coms like New Years Eve or Valentines Day with Sean and Aiko playing every role. Theres no continuity in their story, and not much in the way of the insights promised in the press release either. If it was merely an issue of TWENTY88 not being as conceptually pleasing as it promised to be, it wouldnt be that big of a deal, but the main culprit in that problem is some truly shoddy writing, and is a big deal. Big Sean has made a career off of lyrics existing in the nebulous region between facepalm and mind=blown (My block behind me like Im coming out the driveway, We on a roll like we did good in college, etc.), but for the majority of this EP, theyre decidedly in the former category. Whether clumsily slipping in cool kid references (Im from a tribe called questions, I need them answers now like its test time), doubling back to make sure people caught his jokes (You got these people inside of our business like U and I is You probably didnt even catch that, did you?), being straight unimaginative (Looking for some feelings in the lost and found), or just being an utter cornball (I might pass out like a pamphlet/You got a candle lit/Cinnamon apple the candle scent), he makes me cringe quite a few times on this one. But thats nothing compared to some of the clunkers Jhene throws around. Outside of a few bafflingly bad concoctions of her own Ill take you inside outside/Bring your outside inside is, if you can believe it, supposed to be sexual and way too many double entendres, shes just playing dial-a-cliche with romance novels. Running through my mind, How deep is our love, Im gonna give my all to you, and Everything that starts has an end, all show up at various places to iron out the projects few traces of specificity and actual detail. To boil it all down to one tell-all observation about the EPs writing, TWENTY88 has more instances of rhyming a word with itself in consecutive lines than any other project I can remember. If everything else about these eight tracks was just as bad, itd be easy to write off, but the true tragedy is that TWENTY88 seems like it could have been salvaged if Sean and Aiko just spent some more time writing. Aside from a closing track that takes the dumbest interpolation of London Bridge' trophy away from Fergie, there are some truly intriguing concepts and song structures here, especially Talk Show, where our two stars address each other like theyre sitting on the couch of a relationship counseling show. Then theres the music itself. Flippa and frequent Sean collaborator Key Wane handle most of the production, and similarly to dvsns Sept. 5th, they do an excellent job of updating classic R&B sounds into something sleek and modern. Sampling from sources as varied as Xscape, British DJ Mat Zo, old jazz standard Sentimental Journey, and an effortlessly breezy 70s soul deep cut, they do a much better job than the vocalists at deploying a bunch of disparate elements for the end goal of creating something thematically linked but episodic. Wane has been steadily building on a Graduation-era Kanye sound for years now, and his work here is yet another marked improvement on his past discography; I had never heard of Flippa before this, but hes just as impressive. They both seem to have put a ton of time into flipping samples, constructing beats, and structuring songs, and its disappointing when it doesnt feel like the people on the other side of the boards put in nearly as much work. The sad coincidence of TWENTY88 is that its just as much of a mess as the relationship it describes. Big Sean and Jhene Aiko have had chemistry on tracks like I Know and Beware, but something didnt click between them when they put their heads together for a full joint project. If theres a bright side in all of this, its that TWENTY88 is pretty far off from what either of them attempt with their solo work Seans usually not this romance-focused, and Aikos clearly out of her neo-soul comfort zone so hopefully this shouldnt disrupt either career that much. Hopefully in a few years, this EP is just a crazy ex in both artists rearviews. Whens the last time you heard it like this? You may still bump Pusha T on the daily (No Malice too, no shade there), but there was something extremely special about the chemistry between Push and his brother No Malice. Taking that one level deeper, the chemistry between those two bros and The Neptunes was equally undeniable. Together, the quartet composed some of the most iconic songs from the early 00s era of rap. Cuts like Grindin, When the Last Time, and Popular Demand (Popeyes) continue to bless sound-systems across the country. Clipses Lord Willin became somewhat of a cult classic back in the day. That enthusiasm has followed Pusha T into the current chapter of his career, where he manages to jungle the presidency of G.O.O.D. Music and consistently putting out dope music. Today we take a look back at the music of Virginias illest rap duo. Were mainly looking at their singles today, but were throwing in some non-singles for good measure. Really though, you should just go back and listen to all three of their albums from start to finish. Grindin Pusha T has been dropping heated bars for too long now. Proof comes in the form of Grindin,' which served as the lead-single from Clipses Lord Willin album. No Malice, at the time going by Malice, crushed his verse too. So the ultimate question is, who had the better verse on Grindin'? Was it Pusha T: The jewels is flirting, be damned if Im hurting Legend in two games like Im Pee Wee Kirkland Platinum on the block with consistent hits While Pharrell keep talking this music shit or No Malice: And my weight, thats just as heavy as my name So much dough, I cant swear I wont change Excuse me if my wealth got me full of myself Cocky, something that I just cant help Specially when them 20s is spinning like windmills And the ice 32 below minus the wind chill Filthy, the word that best defines me Im just grinding man, yall never mind me When the Last Time The entirety of Lord Willin was produced by The Neptunes, and they did a bang-up job with this record. When the Last Time may just be their finest moment on the record, complete with an iconic introduction that gives the track away from the first get down! Clipse also earned their highest-charting single with this one, it climbed the Billboard Hot 100 to #19 in 2002. Virginia Clipse brought us into their world for the very first time with Lord Willin. To that effect, we found out a lot more about what life is like down in the VA. This bouncy Neptunes-produced joint did the job masterfully, and it seems, if you thought there was shit-all to do in Virginia, you were probably right. Malice and Pusha provide descriptive verses about the grimey streets of their native state. Cot Damn featuring Ab-Liva & Rosco P. Coldchain The fourth and final single from Lord Willin connected Clipse with fellow Re-Up Gang member Ab-Liva, and perhaps lesser-known is Philadelphias Rosco P. Coldchain. Along with production from The Neptunes, the ensemble crafted a certified banger that weve been enjoying for fourteen years and counting. Mr. Me Too featuring Pharrell Hell Hath No Fury was Clipses second album, following up Lord Willin, although the release of the sophomore LP wasnt as smooth as the duo would have liked. Despite label frustrations, the duo still released what many have hailed as a classic album, earning many a critical praise. Like their first, this one was also entirely produced by The Neptunes. One of the lead singles, Mr. Me Too, featured Pharrells icy vocals on the hook and sleek, bass-thumping production from The Neptunes. Some saw the record as a slight towards Lil Wayne at the time. Transport to the early 2000s below. Keys Open Doors Straying from Clipses proper singles for a minute, lets dive into their shimmering, jingling trap banger, Keys Open Door from their second album. With a chopped and screwed hook, the duo take their drug lingo to whole new heights (and metaphors). Only Pusha and Malice could describe the drugs they sell in such detail and make it sound so good. Kinda Like A Big Deal featuring Kanye West Til the Casket Drops, the third and final album from the short-lived duo, found them branching out ever so slightly when it came to producers. Kanye West, who went on to sign Pusha as the solo artist and helped him reach new audiences, appeared on the lead single. DJ Khalil laced the trio with a horn-touting beat (which, admittedly, sounds like it could have been produced by The Neptunes), and Pusha T compares himself to B.I.G. within the first few bars just this year he managed to snag a Biggie sample on his braggadocio record Untouchable, so he definitely never let go of that influence. Im kinda like a big deal, its unbelievable You see my warning gives you big chills The flow running on Bigs heels My life after death, Big aint get to see how this feels Im Good featuring Pharrell While Kinda Like A Big Deal took a break from Neptunes-produced singles, Im Good got right back to it, as the second single they released to promote Til the Casket Drops. Pharrell and Chad Hugo created a jazzy beat for No Malice and Pusha T to bless, and Pharrell accompanied the Virginia natives with back-up vocals through out the feel-good song. Popular Demand (Popeyes) featuring Camron & Pharrell Yup, another Pharrell feature, and yet more evidence of the fire chemistry between Neptunes and Clipse. No Malice and Push invite Camron to the party for this piano-jangling record and he didnt miss a step. Birdman What Happened To That Boy featuring Clipse Clipse didnt do a whole lot of features, but they did assist Birdman with this piece of 2002 gold. Off Birdmans self-titled LP, this one feels just like Lord Willin classic Neptunes production, fire verses from the duo, and a pretty stellar Birdman verse as well. Not to mention, does the bird noise sound better in any other track? Its a classic we couldnt miss out on. This article can only be read with a Premium Account Yann Martel's fourth novel, The High Mountains of Portugal, is an allegorical religious tale featuring chimpanzees. The mega-selling Life of Pi author talks to Hot Press about faith, suffering, bad reviews and using animals as storytelling devices. This article can only be read with a Premium Account Please Log In or Subscribe to continue reading Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. 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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. Expert companies Are Trying Hard To Perfect Their Client Care Services Posted by lida parker on Thursday, 04-07-2016 2:03 am Currently 0.0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 0.0 from 0 votes Pakistan's expert Rent a car Pakistan services suppliers have been around for a long while and they have made a name for themselves. The two things that offered them some assistance with earning appreciation, notoriety and success are their most premium quality of services and fabulous client care services. Customer care solutions Pakistan's rent a car groups have been concentrating on the quality of their services since the minute they entered the business. 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You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-04-06 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] Government's economic team concludes meeting with institutions [02] PM Tsipras says EU proposals on revision of Dublin Treaty are a step forward [03] Financial prosecutors call former PM aide, businessman for questioning on off shore firm [04] Foreign investors net buyers in Greek stock market in March [01] Government's economic team concludes meeting with institutions A meeting between Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Economy Minister George Stathakis and Alternate Finance Minister Giorgos Chouliarakis with the representatives of the institutions concluded in Athens on Wednesday evening. According to finance ministry's officials, the meeting discussed the process through which the negotiations will reach a draft agreement in the next few days. Sources from the heads of the institutions' mission said efforts are focused on recording the progress made in a document which could take the form of an announcement, in which the two sides will be noting the significant progress made or the achievement of an interim agreement. [02] PM Tsipras says EU proposals on revision of Dublin Treaty are a step forward Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the proposals unveiled by the European Commission on Wednesday to overhaul the EU's asylum procedure and migration policy are a step in the right direction. "The European Commission's proposals for the revision of the Dublin treaty are a positive step forward," he tweeted. "The Refugee Crisis requires comprehensive management and solidarity between all European countries," he added. [03] Financial prosecutors call former PM aide, businessman for questioning on off shore firm Financial prosecutors have called a close adviser of former prime minister Antonis Samaras, the lawyer Stavros Papastavrou, for questioning next week on the ownership of an off shore company. Along with Papastavrou, the prosecutors also called businessman Sabby Mionis to appear before them, as he appears to be the owner of the off shore company in question, STABRI Ltd. The two business partners are suspected of having committed felony offenses following a batch of new evidence acquired by the prosecutors. The name of Papastavrou appeared in documents leaked by several international newspapers in the so-called "Panama papers" affair. [04] Foreign investors net buyers in Greek stock market in March Foreign investors raised their participation in the capitalization of the Greek stock market in March to 60 pct including the participation of Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, while excluding HFSF's participation their share rose to 63.3 pct in March from 62.3 pct in February. Foreign investors were net buyers in March with capital inflows of 5.93 million euros, while Greek investors were net sellers with capital outflows of 5.91 million. The value of transactions amounted to 1.602 billion euros in March, up 25.6 pct from February and up 14.6 pct from March 2015. Average daily value of transactions was 80.11 million euros in March, up from 60.74 million in February but down from 89.32 million euros in March last year. The number of active investor codes fell to 17,253 in March from 21,159 in February and 32,776 in March 2015. The market's capitalization was 34.68 billion euros at the end of March, up 11.4 pct from a month earlier but down 11.9 pct from March 2015. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article iness that depend largely on recruitment agencies could end up with a much smaller talent pool as one recent New Zealand study reveals most job seekers have been put off by past experiences.According to the 2016 survey conducted by Talent Propeller more than half of New Zealand job seekers (51 per cent) have had a negative experience with a recruitment agency and would rather apply for a position directly.The gripes expressed by the surveys 250 respondents include a lack of transparency around the hiring company, suspicion that the recruiter is more interested in filling the role quickly rather than appropriately, and poor support overall.Common feedback was that there seemed to be little communication between recruitment agencies and candidates, revealed founding director Sharon Davies.Agencies fail to return calls and candidates often never receive feedback as to why they didn't make the grade, or recommendations for how to improve, she continued. Most jobseekers just want honest advice on what am I doing wrong?'".Worryingly, the survey revealed that 90 per cent of candidates said if they had a bad experience with a recruitment agency, it would then affect their opinion of the business advertising the job they had applied for.Jane Kennelly, director of Auckland-based Frog Recruitment, admits employer brand has become much more important to many jobseekers."Looking at a job listing with recruiter branding on behalf of an anonymous client simply isn't enough information, she said, advising HR professionals to look for recruitment solutions that allow you to present your employer brand and promote your company as a great place to work. re absolutely certain an employee spent the night drinking heavily and now theyre suddenly too sick to come into work so what can you do about it? Well, as it turns out, not a lot.While some may think that an employee who takes sick leave to recover from a bad hangover is committing an act of misconduct, this is not the case, reveals leading business advisor Mark Robotham.When the Holidays Act was introduced, legislators declined to include a definition of the term sick so it remains open to interpretation.According to Robothom, the last time the Court of Appeal was asked to clarify, it responded with the frustratingly vague: unfitness for health reasons of any nature and however caused.An employee who is hung-over is just as entitled to claim sick leave as an employee with the flu, he told Stuff. Your employee may even admit they are hung-over, without comeback.In fact, its probably better if your employee did tell the truth and stay at home with that stabbing headache theyd be at less risk of potential misconduct claims which could arise from being dishonest or turning up to work under the influence of alcohol.Employment lawyer Craig Mundy-Smith told the news outlet that, in reality, employers should give a little slack to employees as long as its not all the time.If this is an irregular occurrence, suck it up and let it pass, he said. You do not want a hung-over person at work and everyone has the right to go celebrate once on a while.Mundy-Smith says employers should only start to worry if the issue is happening repeatedly either with one specific employee or across the workforce in general.The bigger issue is if this is a recurring problem, and whether this is an organisational issue or specific to an employee? If it's a specific employee, I would be having stern words with them and noting it on their file, he said.If taking sickies is commonplace in your organisation, this could be a sign of lack of clear leadership and direction on your part, he warned. As a leader it's your job to create a motivating and stimulating work environment where people want to come to work. hough MasterCard is doing well in its global business efforts, Mike McCarthy, group head of HR for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, understands the dangers of resting on your laurels.What we have right now works very well, he said. The same could be said of Kodak though, which in its time was an industrial giant until the digital camera came along and wiped the business out.To prevent this kind of a future for MasterCard, the company works to nurture a creative culture through initiatives such as innovation forums, a drive for staff-submitted patents, and innovation express sessions.There is also a big push to bring more females into STEM roles, McCarthy said. He spoke of Singapore where the firm supported the global organisation Women 2.0 with its local launch.We helped with the launch on our premises. Women 2.0 invited any guests that they wanted to, so the people that attended were external to MasterCard and our staff, he said.These same speakers were invited back at a later date to talk with the companys employees, he added. Its actually very inspirational.When striving towards gender balance, McCarthy said that although MasterCard isnt exactly where it wants to be with regards to gender equality, this is still something it is working hard on.We focus quite strongly on that internally and externally.In the Asia-Pacific, about 43% of MasterCards workforce is female. This figure drops significantly though in areas such as the Middle East, India and Pakistan, he added.He stressed though that the company aimed at providing meaningful careers to talented women who wished to develop themselves worldwide even in more conservative regions.We cant change a countrys culture, and nor should we. What we can do is provide opportunities for people who want to take a particular path, he said. Consider us terrified that this colossal alligator was strolling around just a few days ago. Hunters in Florida recently killed and captured a nearly 15-foot (4.6-metre) long, 800-pound (360-kg) gator that was eating their livestock, they told Fox13 News. The reptile was so big that they had to use a tractor to pull its carcass out of the water, hunting guide Blake Godwin told the outlet. Advertisement He said he and hunter Lee Lightsey found the alligator while on a guided hunt on their company farm April 2, he said. After seeing cattle remains in a pond, Lightsey shot the animal as it came out of the water about 20 feet (six metres) in front of them. Lightsey told the BBC the alligator was one of the largest he'd ever seen, but he wasn't surprised it existed. Advertisement "We have come across lots over the last 20 years that have been only a little smaller," he said. "It was a monster which needed to be removed." The two work at Outwest Farms, a hunting outfitter in Okeechobee that runs hunts for alligators, wild boars and other animals. When Godwin posted the photo to Facebook, people could barely believe it. "There is no Photoshop done whatsoever. For the record. That gator is what he is. He's huge," he told WPBF. "There is no Photoshop done whatsoever. For the record. That gator is what he is. He's huge." A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman told ABC News that the colossal reptile is the real deal. But Tony Young also said hunters are often off in their measurements. "The official way is to have an alligator on its stomach and have someone pulling on its nose a little bit and pulling on its tail to get it real straight," he told ABC. Chalk then marks each end of the creature. The largest wild gator ever caught in Florida was 14 feet, 3.5 inches (four metres), according to state records. Advertisement Godwin told WPBF Tuesday that the alligator was at the taxidermist, where it would be stuffed and mounted so its official length could be assessed. Also on HuffPost Many Canadian parents understand the challenge (and stress) of finding affordable care for their children. But nothing compares to the daycare crisis in Japan. In fact, the nations economic trajectory depends on better access to child care -- or at least allowing moms to work outside the home, if they want to. Japan simply doesn't have enough daycare spaces to meet the demand of working parents. As a result, finding a daycare in this country can be an incredibly frustrating process. Most parents have to visit 20 to 40 daycares before they find one that will take their child. Advertisement Initial reports had the number of children on daycare waiting lists at 23,167 but the BBC reported in March that a staggering 72,000 Japanese children are on waiting lists across the country. The inability to access child care has led to many women leaving work. In fact, about 70 per cent of Japanese women abandon their careers after having their first child. And therein lies the problem for Japan's economy. Womenomics In 2013, when Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faced a stalled economy, an aging population and massive national debt, he decided that women were the answer to a growth strategy. Its important to note that this wasnt an exercise in equality. It was a business decision. Encouraging more women to join the workforce can have a positive effect on the economy, according to Kathy Matsui, chief Japan strategist at Goldman Sachs. In 1999, she coined the term 'womenomics,' which Abe has espoused. Advertisement Women exchange tips for the best months to have children to optimize daycare potential. Matsui told Bloomberg that achieving parity in the workplace could increase Japan's national GDP by 13 to 14 per cent. As a result of a shrinking and greying workforce, acute labour shortages and a recovering economy, a growing number of policy makers and citizens are finally becoming convinced that gender diversity in the workplace is no longer an option, rather, it is an imperative, she wrote in a report. Japan can no longer afford not to leverage half its population. Since implementing womenomics' three years ago, Japan has seen growth. The country moved up four spots on the World Economic Forums Gender Gap Report and now sits at 101 out of 145 countries. Since Abe took office, over a million women have joined the workforce. In 2010, only 48.5 per cent of women worked outside the home, mostly in clerical positions. Four years later, 63 per cent of Japanese women were in the workforce, which is still far below men at 81 per cent. What's holding up progress? Abes ambitious plan, which included women holding 30 per cent of leadership positions by 2020, has hit some snags: a sexist corporate environment, a bamboo ceiling (think glass ceiling but more difficult to break through), confusing paternity leave standards and an unfair distribution of housework to name a few. But the greatest sticking point has been daycare. Advertisement The increase in child care facilities has correlated to but not matched the growing number of women joining the workforce in Japan. Bloomberg reported that as of last April, 2.47 million daycare places were available for pre-schoolers, which is an increase of 140,000 from the previous year. But its still not enough. Fully subsidized daycares are expensive for local governments to open up. The centres have large overhead costs (paying workers, maintaining the facility, etc) and a low profit margin. If you can't work, you can't live. But without daycare you can't work -- and you won't want to have kids. Private centres can generate more profit by offloading costs to parents, but expansion regulations are strict. One such regulation is that private companies can't open more than one facility. "Subsidies for state-sponsored daycare skew demand while leaving the government unable to afford expansion. Meanwhile, regulations restrict the ability of private-sector daycare operators to build new centers," the Wall Street Journal reported. Advertisement The lack of daycares centres doesn't help another problem facing Japan: a declining birth-rate. If you can't work, you can't live. But without daycare you can't work -- and you won't want to have kids, one mother told Reuters. Next steps With an election of the House of Councillors later this summer in Japan, daycare has become a central issue. And the government is looking for solutions. Yokohama, Japans second largest city had the countrys longest daycare waiting lists for two years in a row. That is until Fumiko Hayashi was elected mayor in 2009. In 2010, the waiting lists had 1,552 children, four years later the waiting list was down to 20. Her overhaul of the system included increased spending on child care (Hayashi doubled spending to $160 million and opened 175 daycares in four years). She also created programs to encourage private providers to open daycares and installed nursery concierges who can field questions and provide recommendations to searching parents. Prime Minister Abe is now looking to implement the 'Yokohama method' across the country. Advertisement Abes Liberal Democratic Party has said it will make supporting child care systems part of its upcoming campaign platform by pledging to increase the amount of available spots by 400,000 by 2018 and cut the waiting list to zero. Another of Abes proposed solutions is to loosen immigration policy to allow foreign workers to take care of children and elderly family. The opposition, the Democratic Party has proposed a bill to increase the wages of daycare staff. In the meantime, between chatrooms where women exchange tips for the best months to have children to optimize daycare potential to navigating a culture that unfairly divides housework, it remains a vicious cycle that leaves many women exhausted. Also on HuffPost OTTAWA In an effort to attract donors, former Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier will officially throw his hat in the Tory leadership contest Thursday. Bernier will march into the Conservative Party headquarters Thursday afternoon, hand over $25,000 and paperwork that includes 300 signatures from Tory members, and formerly launch a campaign that is expected to last more than 13 months. The popular Quebec MP told The Huffington Post Canada Wednesday that he decided to join the race early because hes ready. Advertisement Maxime Bernier speaks in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Thursday, June 4, 2015. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP) Why wait when you are ready? I did a lot of consultations across the country with a lot of members, and my program is ready. I know that I can raise money for that leadership and my organization is ready all across the country so why wait? I want to be out there speaking about my vision for the country and what I believe as soon as possible, because that is important for me. But Bernier also acknowledged the giant financial advantage a candidate may gain by declaring sooner than the others. Receiving earlier access to Conservative membership lists means a leadership contestant can tap potential donors sooner, max out their donation limit and lock them in for the year preventing other contenders from tapping the same source of income. Advertisement One person can only give $1,525 each year, Bernier said, his blue eyes sparkling and a smile on his lips. "People said I would not be re-elected. I was re-elected with the biggest majority in Quebec every time. Im very popular in Quebec, outside Canada." Elections Canada rules state an individual can donate a maximum of $1,525 in total to all leadership contestants in each calendar year. This week, another former cabinet minister, Kellie Leitch, became the first to file her papers and is launching her bid for the leadership. Conservative party members will choose their next leader on May 27, 2017. The Conservative party has set the entrance fee at $50,000 half of which is payable immediately. Another $50,000 is requested as insurance that a candidate will abide by the party rules. The campaign spending limit has been set at $5 million. Advertisement 4 key themes Bernier told HuffPost his campaign will focus on individual freedoms, personal responsibility, fairness, and also respect. I think more personal freedoms will bring more prosperity, he said. When I am speaking about respect, Im speaking about respecting the Constitution that will be important respecting the taxpayers, respecting the members of our party and respecting the diversity of our country and its different regions, so I will have policy that will be based on these four themes. Im ready with the ideas, and Im looking forward to going out there and speaking with our members and Canadians about what I believe. Open to discussion of pot legalization Bernier said he will not interfere in areas of exclusive provincial jurisdictions such as health care and education. In health care, he said, the [Liberal] government wants to give money with conditions. That is a provincial jurisdiction. The provinces are the experts, they are the ones who manage the hospitals. Bernier, a well-known and self-promoted libertarian, told HuffPost that he will not be calling for the legalization of all drugs but he will wait and see what the Liberals do with marijuana before pronouncing himself specifically on pot. Advertisement Forbidden drugs will be forbidden, but for marijuana, Im open to having that discussion, and Im going to wait [to see] what the government will do. 'Nothing there' in 2008 scandal Bernier made national and international headlines in 2008 after it was revealed that, as foreign affairs minister, he had left briefing documents at the home of his then-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, who had links to the Hells Angels. Bernier resigned and was sent to the ministerial dog house a junior portfolio as minister of state for tourism and small business. Its a fact of my political career, and its there. I think Ive managed it pretty well since that time. For me, there is nothing there, he said. People said I would not be re-elected. I was re-elected with the biggest majority in Quebec every time. Im very popular in Quebec, outside Canada. Im popular with the members of our party but maybe not with the population of Canada. Advertisement Maxime Bernier is shown arriving to be sworn in as the new minister of foreign affairs, accompanied by Julie Couillard, in Ottawa on in this Aug 14, 2007 file photo. (Photo: Paul Chiasson/CP) The demotion allowed Bernier to continue to build a profile for himself across Canada. He toured, promoted his blog and his ideas of limited taxation and increased personal freedom. He became a popular fixture at the Manning Centre conference, an annual gathering of Conservatives and conservative-minded people in Ottawa. At Manning in February, Bernier all but announced his plan to run. He came out with a team of young people wearing Maxime For Leader T-shirts and handing out cards to his new website. (Photo: Althia Raj/HuffPost) Bernier said he is joining the race to win and believes that after four years of a big spending Liberal government, Canadians will be itching for a government with a smaller footprint. Advertisement Justin Trudeau told us that we were only going to have $10 billion deficit every year, and now its triple that. People know that todays deficits are the taxes of tomorrow, Bernier said. The spending isnt for infrastructure as people think it is, two-thirds of this spending is on social programs, so the young generation will have to pay a bill, and they wont benefit from that and I think that will be very important four years from now. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: OTTAWA Its the question on nearly every New Democrats lips: Can Thomas Mulcair stay on as NDP leader? Delegates at the partys national convention this weekend in Edmonton will get an answer Sunday, but before the 1,521 registered participants vote, two days of debate will focus on the policies the party will embrace. Advertisement In a nutshell, New Democrats are asking themselves whether last Octobers disappointing election result signals that the NDP is on the right path but needs to communicate its message better, or whether losing 51 seats and dropping to 19.7 per cent in popular support from 30.6 per cent in 2011 was a wake-up call that the party needs to champion different values and find a new leader to voice them. NDP leader Tom Mulcair speaks to supporters at an election rally Sunday, October 18, 2015 in Montreal. (Photo: Ryan Remiorz/CP) "There are two conversations, but they are obviously intertwined," said Nathan Cullen, a popular B.C. MP since 2004 who ran unsuccessfully against Mulcair for the party leadership in 2012. Advertisement "There is a temptation to really navel gaze, to really go into a full 'Oh my gosh! Oh, what did we offer? Are we not talking about the right things? Are we not presenting ourselves in the right way?'" For Cullen, the October election was a confirmation that the NDPs values were reflected in Canadian voters. "When the Liberals brought forward platform elements that could have been written by the NDP, it was in a sense a form of imitation and a correct guess than the Canadian public were very much ready for that. They did it differently, and in some cases better than we did. That's my reflection," he told The Huffington Post Canada. Look before you Leap After the election, questions emerged about the direction of the NDP's campaign, leading to new and louder calls for the party to embrace a more decidedly left-wing message. There is currently an effort, led by Avi Lewis and former MPs Libby Davies and Craig Scott, to have the party embrace the values of the Leap Manifesto, a document that calls for radical economic and social change in areas from agriculture to trade deals to aboriginal rights and offers a plan to pay for social programs through tax increases on corporations and wealthy individuals and cuts to military spending. Advertisement Several of the policy resolutions offered for discussion at the NDP convention also suggest the grassroots want the party embrace a more social democratic agenda. Cullen said he's seen this movie play out before, especially provincially, when the NDP hasn't done as well as was expected. But, he told HuffPost, he didn't come away from the election thinking the party was wrong in its ideas."I just don't think we were able to communicate them or execute them fully." "When the Liberals brought forward platform elements that could have been written by the NDP, it was in a sense a form of imitation and a correct guess than the Canadian public were very much ready for that.." Nathan Cullen His reflections are in tune with the Campaign 2015 Review, a summation from thousands of New Democrats who shared their disappointment in the campaign with a working group chaired by president Rebecca Blaikie. In their report, the working group points the finger at the balanced budget pledge and says it was, in part, responsible for presenting the NDP as "cautious change." NDP supporters found it difficult to understand why the party was opposed to deficits, especially after refusing to balance the books became a symbol of change that the media and voters embraced. The balanced budget pledge also overshadowed the NDP's "progressive economic platform," the report notes. Advertisement When it came to deficits, Cullen told HuffPost, the campaign team just "miscalculated" the mood of the electorate when it planned the platform nine months or so before the election. "Authorship matters a lot," Cullen said. If the Liberals' March budget with a $29.4 billion deficit had been wrapped in an orange cover, it would have been received differently from Bay Street and some pundits, he suggested. "Depending on who is talking, the words are interpreted and felt a different way, and so for us to have run the exact same campaign and people say 'Why didnt you?' well, its like it would have been interpreted differently, and we made that choice." Peggy Nash speaks on stage during the NDP leadership convention in Toronto on Friday, March 23, 2012. (Photo: Pawel Dwulit/CP) Advertisement That choice and others are currently under a powerful microscope by party members, defeated MPs, and pundits. On Tuesday, former Toronto NDP MP and 2012 leadership contender Peggy Nash penned a scathing column in HuffPost outlining what where in her mind the party's egregious failings in the last campaign. That "it was so tone deaf to the mood of the nation and ultimately so incompetent in its campaign offer to Canadians, was simply heartbreaking," she wrote. Not only did the party fail to understand the context of a balanced budget pledge when the resource sector was taking a nosedive, but the national campaign appeared to want to match the tone and approach of the Conservatives, she wrote. "Many have commented on the failure of the Leader to answer questions on the opening day of the campaign, the failure to debate unless the PM was present, and generally the failure to inspire Canadians. I agree." "Many have commented on the failure of the Leader to answer questions on the opening day of the campaign, the failure to debate unless the PM was present, and generally the failure to inspire Canadians. I agree." Peggy Nash Nash, who was defeated in the election despite having, in her words, more identified supporters, more money, more signs and more volunteers, wrote that she still hasn't made her mind up about Mulcair and is waiting to see whether he can inspire delegates on Sunday when he addresses the convention before the leadership review. Some people, however, have made up their minds. Canadian Labour Congress president Hassan Yussuff who will be addressing delegates on Friday doesn't think Mulcair deserves another shot as leader and has been vocal that new blood is needed to face off against Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the 2019 election. The NDP's youth wing also issued a letter Wednesday urging younger delegates to support "a new direction, and a new style of leadership." The letter, sent to The Huffington Post Canada by Paula Krasiun-Winsel, the Young New Democrats' co-chair, says the party's platform was "uninspired, and problematic" and notes that young people were asked to argue "against the legalization of marijuana, against the inclusion of other parties in debates, against our leader's participation in a debate on women's issues, and defend our non-position on hydraulic fracturing." Advertisement "In an era of massive popular movements energizing progressives across Europe and North America it is time for the NDP to boldly and unapologetically stake our ground as the party of the left," the letter states. Party needs a Bernie Sanders-type figure: Ontario MPP Ontario NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo, one of the first persons to call publicly for Mulcair to go, believes the party needs to tack left and needs a new leader, someone like U.S. Democratic contender Bernie Sanders or new British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, to inspire voters. "The only place left is left," she told HuffPost this week. "There is a real appetite for that." DiNovo thinks that the NDP's plan for balanced budgets would have "instituted austerity across Canada" and that the voters saw it. "They understood that this was not the progressive change that they were looking for." Since January, Mulcair's rhetoric has changed. He is speaking more forcefully on income inequality, on poverty, and on helping the most vulnerable. His words and a focus have been consciously chosen to portray him as more in tune with NDP members, advisers close to him confided. Advertisement But for DiNovo, it's "too little, too late." While she thinks Mulcair will survive the vote Sunday he needs to receive only one vote more than 50 per cent, although Blaikie has pegged the aspirational number at 70 per cent. DiNovo also questions why some union leaders who are backing Mulcair now also suggest he could be removed during the party's next convention, in 2018. "If I were Tom, I'd prefer someone like me who just said 'the emperor has no clothes,' to people saying 'You're dressed, but not quite the way we would like you to be.'" With an inspirational leader and party platform that reflects a social democratic agenda, DiNovo believes, the NDP could leapfrog from third place to first just like the Liberals did. "I think that the idea that you can achieve change by doing something other than standing on principle and being the party of conscience is a pipe dream," she told HuffPost. "We are the party of principle and conscience, and guess what? We can run on that too, and Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn have shown that you can do that with incredible effect." Advertisement Even if Sanders doesn't win the presidency and Corbyn doesn't form a government, DiNovo said, she believes their goals have already been achieved. "If I were Tom, I'd prefer someone like me who just said 'the emperor has no clothes,' to people saying 'You're dressed, but not quite the way we would like you to be.'" Cheri DiNovo "They have already won, because they have shifted the conversation substantially from where it was before. At the end of the day, the question really is why are we involved in the political process at all in the first place if it is not to make the lives of those millions of Canadians who work in precarious employment, who can't get childcare, who live under the poverty line, if it is not to make their lives better, then why the hell are we doing in the first place? ... "We shouldn't be all about winning, we should be all about principle." The NDP, she said, has been "moving to the centre" for a long time now, something that predates Mulcair, she noted, but "it's now time to move back to our position of principle," those positions of Tommy Douglas, J.S. Woodsworth and the founders of the party. Making compromises to achieve electoral success or to chase after it isn't, in DiNovo's mind, worth the sacrifice. She points to NDP Ontario premier Bob Rae's and Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter's experience in government: "That does more damage for our party than not winning and being known as a party of principle." Advertisement While this should be obvious to people who are involved in politics full time, DiNovo said, she thinks it is especially clear to millennials who have turned away from politics. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a campaign event, Monday, April 4, 2016, in Milwaukee. (Photo: Paul Sancya/AP) "It is to those folks that Corbyn and Sanders have really appealed, and they have reawoken the dragon in some sense, and I think we need to do that in Canada." "We need a different leader to do that, and that's no disrespect to Tom. He's a smart guy, he was effective, really effective leader, I think, in the legislature, but he clearly isn't the guy to do it, because he didn't do it. And one need only say that. Advertisement "Call it bad timing, call it bad advisers, bad campaign information, whatever. He lost over half our seats. In any other enterprise, if you had somebody at the helm and that was their track record, and by the way, since then nine out of 10 Canadians say they wouldn't want to see him as prime minister, you've got a problem on your hands, and that's just common sense, it seems to me. That is not even deep political theory; that is just common sense." Pointing to Mulcair's approval numbers, which have plunged in recent opinion polls, DiNovo said the 1,500 delegates in Edmonton should think about all the progressives and activists out there who say they would prefer another leader. "Those are really the people we should be listening to not just those who turn up to vote at convention." 'Orange Wave' alum backs Mulcair Matthew Dube, a re-elected NDP MP from Quebec, feels differently. He's part of a caucus of Quebec delegates strongly supporting Mulcair. Dube credits Mulcair's strong performance in the House of Commons with helping defeat Conservative prime minister Stephen Harpers government. And while the NDP didn't "reap the benefits" of it, Mulcair has shown he can hold governments to account, propose change and do "all the work that needs to be done both in Parliament and on the ground," he said. Advertisement "I think when you are evaluating the work a leader has done, you can't just look at an election, even if it was a long election. Mistakes were made. We might have been able to be more how should I put it? less cautious. At the same time, first of all there is a team, its not the responsibility of one person. NDP MP Matthew Dube is shown in Laval, Que., on August 25, 2015. (Photo: Mario Beauregard/CP) "Also, I look at the work that he's been doing over the years, I think of how he stood up to Stephen Harper and the fight against C-51, and on the Senate scandal, and those things are so important, because people wanted change from Stephen Harper's government. While the Liberals may have won the election, I feel that the NDP and Thomas Mulcair played a big role in getting to that change, and I think that's something super important that we can't lose sight of," Dube said. The young Quebec MP Dube was one of the 2011 wave of McGill University students elected to Parliament said he has been watching Mulcair in the House and sees "a willingness to learn what went wrong in the campaign, to listen to New Democrats, to go back to those issues that are so important to us in a strong way and to hold the Liberals to account, in a progressive way." Advertisement "[Muclair] can be a stubborn guy, it's his Irish side, I think he is also very open and respectful and willing to learn, and I think that's super important and [that] we can't lose sight of all the great work that he has done as leader." Dube said he too expects the discussion in Edmonton to focus on the role the party should play, whether it should fall back on its traditional role as the conscience of Parliament or whether it should be striving to become the government so it can affect change. New Democrats 'want back to the big show' Where we are at right now is reconciling those two roles, and I think with the Liberals there is more of a responsibility to keep them honest, because they promised a lot of things that arguably could seem like New Democrat promises, but there could be waffling weve already seen that so that gives us an interesting role to play. Dube views the discussion about the NDPs core social democratic roots as a normal and natural process. "I think when you get a disappointing result like we got, you kind have to remind yourself of who you are and what's important," he said. "Yes, we want to go back to our roots, but at the same time we are trying to find a way to do that and still aspire to form government, because that's the greatest way to make change." Advertisement Cullen agrees with Dube. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair holds a news conference with Nathan Cullen in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/CP) "The notion of the NDP returning back to some satisfaction with being the conscience of the Parliament is, from my perspective, gone," Cullen said. "When Im talking to New Democrats, they want back to the big show. The B.C. MP said he thinks there has been a "cultural shift" within the party and there is now a general acceptance that the NDP can stick to its principles and achieve power. "Whether you want to say that [we] became more centrist on economic issues, [we] gave up some views that [we] first held in 1950, well, views do change," Cullen told HuffPost. "True progressiveness, what it looked like three generations ago is different now because things are different now, so why wouldn't you... embrace evolution and transformation?" Advertisement Some NDP members may be hoping for a leader like Sanders, but Cullen suggests the U.S. experience is very different than the likely context of the next federal election. "It's always dangerous to transpose another country's experience onto your own and say we want that, that will work directly for us," he said. "The context there is a front runner campaign, an aging senator who has nothing to lose and can say and promise anything, that is probably not going to be the context that we run the next campaign in." Can 'sunny ways' last? Nobody was predicting Sanders was going to be able to raise money 12 months ago, Cullen asserted. "If anyone was able to predict that...I will buy them a steak dinner." In contrast, Cullen suggested, the NDP currently has a leader that is careful, thoughtful, very smart, is curious, always willing to learn, and has admirable dexterity in both French and English. Four years from now, the NDP may be facing a very different election and perhaps Mulcair's "experience and competence" one of the themes the party ran on in 2015 will be just what's needed, Cullen suggested. Advertisement "Maybe it's still sunny ways but maybe it's not, we don't know...This government will have had four years, it will be a report card on that," he said. "In four years, experience and competence might be a huge thing if the government is not shown to be competent and people just want the trains to run on time." Thomas Mulcair declined multiple requests for an interview. Also on HuffPost An Australian mom has changed her stance on vaccinations after she passed on whooping cough to her newborn daughter. Now the first-time mom is urging other pregnant women to get the vaccine. In a video posted to Gold Coast Healths Facebook page, mom Cormit Avital reveals how she contracted whooping cough after rejecting the vaccine in the 28th week of her pregnancy. Advertisement Being the healthy, fit, organic woman that I am, I said, Leave me alone. I dont need this crap, she explained. And even me, the bullet-proof lady thats never been to a doctor, travelled the world and felt healthy got whooping cough. Cormit 'If I could turn back time I would protect myself.' Cormit's baby has contracted Whooping Cough. Watch this clip to hear the first-time mum bravely talk about her decision to opt out of vaccination during pregnancy and how hard it is now coping with her new baby being so unwell. For the facts on Immunisation go to http://bit.ly/1PJ6Cc0. #vaccinationmatters #immunisation #preventabledisease #GoldCoast #publichealth Posted by Gold Coast Health on Monday, April 4, 2016 Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a contagious respiratory infection. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the illness is most harmful to newborns because there is no vaccine for infants under two months of age. Avital got sick right before she gave birth, despite having a healthy pregnancy with no complications. At first, she thought nothing of it, but when she went to the doctor, she discovered she had whooping cough. The illness was then passed on to her daughter Eva. Advertisement As a result, Avital and her baby girl have spent the last three weeks in the hospital. Its been a nightmare, the first-time mom said, describing Evas cough as horror movie scary. [She was] coughing to the point of turning blue, flopping in my hands, cant breathe, running to the hospital. At one point, Eva stopped breathing for three minutes and was admitted to the ICU. Admitting that Evas recovery is so hard to watch, Avital said: Shes my only child and my first, and if I could turn back time I would have protected myself. [She was] coughing to the point of turning blue, flopping in my hands, cant breathe, running to the hospital. This isnt the first time a parent has spoken out about the importance of the whooping cough vaccine. Back in January, parents from Perth, Australia, shared a video of their son, Riley Hughes, who contracted whooping cough in 2014. Unfortunately, the baby boy died when he was one month old. In January, the boy's mother, Catherine, told Guardian Australia: I really want people to know that pregnancy vaccination means we now have the power to minimize if not completely stop deaths from whooping cough. Its so amazing that we can now protect our babies before they are even born. Immunity is such an important gift we can give our children. Advertisement In Canada, pregnant women are advised to get the whooping cough vaccine in their third trimester to help protect their newborns. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the vaccine is first administered to babies at two months old, then again at four, six and 12 to 23 months of age (but generally given at 18 months). Last November, Canada experienced a whooping cough outbreak in several provinces, but specifically, Manitoba had 44 of 51 reported cases in the country. As a result, many health officials urged the public to make sure their vaccinations were up to date. Canada generally has between 1,000 and 3,000 cases of whooping cough per year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Getty Images On a beautiful autumn day four years ago, my family and I were enjoying an outing together in the lake district of BC. After lunch, we stopped to take some pictures and walk our dog along the shore of the lake. What happened next was unexpected and not something any of us were truly prepared for. Cardiac arrest isn't something you really think will happen to you or your loved ones. For my family, our story was written that day when my father-in-law suddenly collapsed in front of us on the dock at the lake. He had experienced a cardiac arrest and our family was instantly hurled into an emergency response situation to try and save his life. Advertisement It's an unfortunately common story; the numbers are astonishing. Cardiac arrest kills more people than prostate cancer, breast cancer and car accidents combined. That means every year it will claim the lives of some 40,000 Canadians, most without any warning signs or history of heart problems. But with more public education and awareness, we know we can create more survivors. And research tells us that one of the positive influencing factors on survival rates is the fast action and willingness of bystanders to perform CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) and use an AED (automated external defibrillator). No one can predict where or when a cardiac arrest might occur. As in my father-in-law's case, 85 per cent of cardiac arrest events happen outside the hospital. And the odds are currently stacked against us: less than 10 per cent of those who experience an out of hospital cardiac arrest in Canada will survive. While there was no AED nearby for us to use, we know that we did everything else we could to help. Our family sprang into action. We assessed him, called 9-1-1, and started CPR immediately. My husband performed chest compressions on his father for 22 long minutes until emergency medical services arrived to our remote location. Despite everyone's efforts, we were unable to save him. Four of us went out for a beautiful day together. We never imagined that only three of us would go home. Advertisement We took some comfort that we were with him when the arrest occurred; if it had happened the day before, he could have been alone or behind the wheel of his car. For my father-in-law, maybe it was his time. For me, it has been the catalyst that led to a job with the Heart and Stroke Foundation promoting healthy lifestyle choices, heart and stroke education and providing support for survivors and their families. This month, the Heart and Stroke Foundation in B.C. launched a smartphone app to give people some basic knowledge so they can respond to a cardiac arrest -- whether it's a stranger on the street or a loved one at home. The difference between doing something and doing nothing is the chance of survival. With just a few simple clicks, the new Cardiac Arrest Action App can teach a user some simple steps they can use to respond. It then offers a quick and fun test along with the ability to share what you've learned on social media. There are three easy steps to learn: CALL 9-1-1 and then shout for an AED PUSH hard and fast in the centre of their chest RESTART the heart by using the AED as soon as it arrives The difference between doing something and doing nothing is the chance of survival. If it was your husband or daughter, wouldn't you want to give them the best possible chance? Advertisement You can't control where or when a cardiac arrest might happen, but you can be prepared with some basic knowledge and choose to act so more lives can be saved, including those of the ones we love. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Robert Ingelhart via Getty Images Sad young man thinking On any given day in Los Angeles there are more youth behind bars than in all of Canada. Lucas was one of them. At 17, drinking and doing drugs, even hotwiring a car for a joyride, was nothing for Lucas. Last year, police caught him and some friends in a stolen vehicle. Even though Lucas (his name has been changed to protect his identity) was just a passenger, the prosecutor was prepared to put him away for at least four years. Lucas took a plea bargain and was sentenced to one year in California's Challenger Memorial Youth Center, a juvenile prison. Advertisement It's hard to match the image of wanton recklessness with the soft-spoken, thoughtful 18-year-old Lucas we talked to recently. He has transformed, thanks to a service learning program that's teaching young convicts -- including hardened gang members -- about global issues, social justice and community activism. We knew service learning has an incredible impact for students in marginalized, low-income communities who are at higher risk for problems like addiction and criminal activity. When these students participate in our WE Schools programs are 1.5 times more likely to respect their teachers, 2.1 times more inclined to share opinions in class, and almost nine times as likely to launch a campaign to address a social issue they're passionate about, according to a survey of North American teachers, and current and former students, conducted by research firm Mission Measurement. Initiatives in the U.S. and UK show service learning can create equally positive results for those in extreme circumstances like Lucas who society has given up on. The Challenger Center's service learning program launched a year and a half ago. Educators realized young offenders lacked key social skills -- especially empathy. "We were looking for a way to engage them in something outside themselves," says Leslie Zoroya, lead educator at Challenger. Advertisement The change in attitude among the young inmates has been dramatic, Zoroya says. "They're so engaged; excited about learning in ways we've never seen before." Inmates at Challenger learned about the child soldiers of Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. "I was stunned," Lucas says, describing how he discovered global problems he'd never had an inkling about. He tells us it was even more of an eye-opener for the incarcerated gang members, who could relate personally to the violence young soldiers experienced. "The use of gang language and signs really dropped," Lucas recalls. Inmates also took on advocacy projects. Challenger students created posters and flyers to raise awareness about child soldiers among youth at non-prison schools in L.A., and wrote letters to local politicians pushing them to take action. Since then, the students have recorded audio letters sharing their life stories that will be shared at schools in low-income areas where youth are at risk of falling into gang life. We hear similar positive anecdotes from teachers in the UK, where 20 specialized schools are using service learning for youth with discipline problems and learning difficulties. In one such school, Camden students are studying homelessness and putting together food packages for local people living on the street. At the end of the project, the students will create a guide so youth at other schools can take on this issue in their communities. Advertisement Back in L.A., Lucas was released from prison just a few weeks ago. Already he's volunteering as a mentor to other at-risk youth, helping out at a local seniors' home and ready to start college studies in psychology. He wants a career that will allow him to lift others up. Stories like Lucas' show great promise for using service learning to help at-risk kids, and those who have already walked down a darker road, find purpose to achieve their full potential. Brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger founded a platform for social change that includes the international charity, Free The Children, the social enterprise, Me to We, and the youth empowerment movement, We Day. Visit we.org for more information. Few things matter more to a community, to a country, to a global society, than a child's health. Healthy children grow up to become healthy adults -- people who can create and contribute to the public good. Indeed, improving the health of a child is one of the greatest investments any society can make towards bettering its future. Today, on World Health Day, we must take the opportunity to do two things. We must look at how far we have come together and learn from our achievements. Advertisement The beginning of 2016 marked the end of The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set by world leaders at the start of the new millennium to guide progress in the most critical areas of human development. And in those last 15 years, we have learned this: that targets really do work. More children are surviving their first days and years of life, and now have hope for a brighter future. Progress in many areas may have been slow, and certainly slower than we would have hoped, but we saw that through targeted interventions, equipped with adequate resources and political commitment, improvement was possible. Canada, for instance, played a lead role in driving the global effort to save the lives of children and mothers. Through an investment of $2.85 billion in the Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in 2010 -- and a further $3.5 billion over five years (2015-2020) -- Canada has helped to improve nutrition, reduce disease and strengthen health systems for mothers and children around the world. Advertisement Falling mortality rates since 2000 have saved the lives of 48 million children under the age of five. More children are surviving their first days and years of life, and now have hope for a brighter future. But it's too soon to pat ourselves on the back. On World Health Day, we must also look at how far we still have to go -- and it's farther than we might like. Given our available knowledge and technologies, if the preventable death of a young child wasn't inexcusable before, it most certainly is now. Millions of children around the world continue to suffer from malnutrition, from preventable diseases, from exploitation. Every day 16,000 children under the age of five still die from mostly preventable causes -- 11 every minute. More than 80 per cent of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Our global progress has fallen short of our promises. Advertisement As we move into the new era of the Sustainable Development Goals, or Global Goals, adopted by the UN General Assembly in September last year, we have 169 targets to work towards. These goals incorporate all aspects of sustainable development -- the social, economic and environmental -- and will touch on the lives of children everywhere. The final results may not be tallied for another 15 years, but the decisions we make today will determine our progress tomorrow. Given our available knowledge and technologies, if the preventable death of a young child wasn't inexcusable before, it most certainly is now. Today cannot be a day like any other. It cannot be about business as usual. Today we must recommit ourselves, renew our resolve, and take action to invest in children's health. Because every child deserves every chance to survive and thrive. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: This reminds me of a harrowing experience of my mother's political activism in the U.S. She became friends with Bertrand Russell through her work against nuclear weapons testing. Russell contacted my mother in the course of the 1964 election campaign. A group of international intellectuals had decided to appeal to American voters to reject Barry Goldwater. Lord Russell asked my mother for her opinion of the letter. She read it and was shocked - the signatories included many prominent global thinkers, some of whom were communists. She called another friend, Norman Cousins, and asked him to get Lyndon Johnson's running mate, Hubert Humphrey, to call Russell and persuade him not to publish the letter. The message was simple: this letter could help elect Barry Goldwater. Three years ago, my daughter Rehtaeh Parsons gave up the brave fight she had fought with many demons and she ended her life. As tempted as I am to go home and curl up in the comforting darkness, there are too many reasons not to. The last three years have taught me a lot about justice, sexual assault, and where our focus needs to be -- especially if we want to do something to address the toll that rape culture takes on our communities. Advertisement When sexual assault advocates, counsellors, and rape crisis centres are at the point where they believe going to the police and filing a report will cause more harm than good, it's safe to say our criminal justice system has some serious trust issues. Whether or not it's willing to admit it is pretty much moot at this point. This is no longer a case of #DueProcess meets #WeBelieveSurvivors. It's a case of #WeLostFaith. But I'm not going to talk about Jian Ghomeshi, Bill Cosby, Judge Robin Camp's berating of a rape victim for not keeping her knees together, or how upsetting it is to realize that the feminists I've gotten to know during the past three years have all been threatened with rape and murder because they spoke out online. Instead, I want to talk to you about what I believe we can do about it. Advertisement Rehtaeh Parsons was 17 when she was taken off life-support in April 2013 after attempting suicide. (Photo: Facebook) A few months after Rehtaeh died, a sexual assault centre in a rural town of Nova Scotia asked me to come and do a talk with them for some high school students. During the discussion, a counsellor asked the class (of about 30 girls and one boy) a very insightful question: "If a girl who went to a party and drank to much and some boys had 'sex' with her, how many of you think it was her fault?" Easily half the hands went up. "Not teaching sons and daughters the law is what led to my daughter going into a bathroom three years ago and hanging herself." Chances are what happened to Rehtaeh has happened to someone at that school and every other high school in Canada. It's not hard to imagine what happens once other students find out the identity of the victim; that girl or boy will be blamed, ridiculed, hated, and tormented to the point of becoming suicidal. Rarely will they tell their parents and get the police involved. Most of them will spend a big part of their lives blaming themselves, especially if they were among those putting their hand up in response to that question. Advertisement You cannot have sexual intercourse or do anything else sexual to a person who hasn't or is unable to consent to it. The Criminal Code of Canada (Section 273.1) provides a clear definition of consent and lists specific situations where there is no consent including: Where the agreement is expressed by the words or conduct of a person other than the complainant Where the complainant is incapable of consenting to the activity Where the accused induces the complainant to engage in the activity by abusing a position of trust, power or authority Where the complainant expresses, by words or conduct, a lack of agreement to engage in the activity, or Where the complainant, having consented to engage in sexual activity, expresses, by words or conduct, a lack of agreement to continue to engage in the activity. That isn't a set of guidelines, it's the law. Not knowing the law is irrelevant. Not teaching sons and daughters the law is what led to my daughter going into a bathroom three years ago and hanging herself. "The best way to combat sexual violence isn't through the courts. The best way to prevent sexual violence is to engage youth in the conversation." A few months ago, a reporter called me regarding some school talks I did in Toronto about consent, sexual assault, and bullying. He had a parent call him to complain that my talk was inappropriate for high school. There are parents who prefer, usually on religious grounds, that talks about sex should be something a family decides to do at home with their own children. I understand, but... Advertisement If 15-year-old boys are raping 15-year-old girls who end up being blamed for it by other 15-year-old girls, then way too many of us aren't really talking to our kids about sex ed and consent at home. In the past three years I've learned the best way to combat sexual violence isn't through the courts. The best way to prevent sexual violence is to engage youth in the conversation. Many of them already want to talk about consent. They can and want to play a role in preventing sexual assault and the subsequent victim-blaming that always follows. I know they want to, because some of them are doing it already. In Ontario, Grade 8 students Tessa Hill and Lia Valente convinced Ontario premier Kathleen Wynn to put consent in the new sex-ed curriculum. They also made a short documentary about rape culture in the media and are the youngest-ever winners of YWCA Toronto's Women of Distinction Award. I spoke in Ottawa a couple years ago and a local high school teacher brought some of his students to listen. After the talk, I had the chance to meet them and talk a bit about the importance of intervention when it comes to preventing rape and violence. They seemed like some really nice young men and I am still blown away with what they came up with. Advertisement "In the past three years I've learned that the most powerful tool to combat violence against women could very well be the minds of young men." I found out about the work they were doing when the teacher called to ask me to speak at the school where he teaches: Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School (LDHSS). This was in the fall of 2014, and I'll never forget walking into the school and seeing the posters. Posters about consent, posters about standing up for others, about violence against women, about the role men play in addressing bullying and abuse. The young guys who heard me talk formed a group they called ManUp, and now they've spread the message to many other Ottawa high schools, with a lot of interest from other regions. What does ManUp stand for and do? In an interview with the Ottawa Community News, Grade 12 student and member Ben Noor says that ManUp wants to: "...get across the message to students, young males in our community, that we need to stop violence against women. To change the idea of what constitutes a man in our society... A man will speak up if he hears a sexist or derogatory comment towards women. A man teaches other males about healthy relationships. A man will not stand by if he sees violence happening. A man is not a passive bystander." How important is that group of young men? From my perspective, I can't help but wonder if one of those guys was there when Rehtaeh needed someone to help, she may very well be alive today. Because he wouldn't have stood there and watched. Given her state, he would have known she couldn't possibly have consented. I can only wish a young man like Ben had been there looking out for my daughter. Blog continues after the video below Glen Canning reflects on what he's learned three years after the death of his daughter, Rehtaeh Parsons. On the anniversary of her passing, Glen has an urgent message for other parents. Read his blog here: http://huff.to/22dOaQ0 Posted by HuffPost Canada Parents on Thursday, April 7, 2016 The most powerful tool In the past three years I've learned that the most powerful tool to combat violence against women could very well be the minds of young men. In three years I've learned that if we don't fill those minds with examples of virtue, empathy, affection, tolerance, trust, kindness, courage, and bravery, then those minds will end up being filled with ignorance, racism, sexism, hate, and anger. What would have happened to Rehtaeh Parsons if just one of the boys with her that night was informed about consent and his role in preventing sexual violence? After Rehtaeh died, the young man in the photograph sent her mom a series of Facebook messages. The last one reads, "I regret everything that happened I don't want to live with the title Rapest (sic) for the rest of my life it is the most hurtful word I can think of." Advertisement He doesn't think what he did was rape because he doesn't know what rape is. Something in his life blurred the line between what is healthy and what is abuse and no one corrected him. Rehtaeh Parsons paid for it for by doing nothing more than wrongly believing she would be safe in the company of other teenagers in her community. "I knew nothing about rape culture until it shattered the person I cared about more than anyone. I own that and I have to live with it. Once you see it, you will recognize it everywhere." Our unwillingness to engage youth and really talk to them about consent, sex, boundaries, and rape cost my daughter her life. Rape is a crime of character and that means a great deal can be done to prevent it. That's why it is vital for us to speak to our young men and women and set in stone not only where the boundaries are, but also who is at fault when those boundaries are crossed. I knew nothing about rape culture until it shattered the person I cared about more than anyone. I own that and I have to live with it. Once you see it, you will recognize it everywhere. There was a time when rape culture could shield and protect a rapist from his rape, but that time is long gone. Social media has seen to that. The names of men who abuse women were once written on bathroom walls and now those names are coming out on Twitter. Advertisement We can label that irresponsible, criminal, unfair, and injustice, but it was our failure to act and believe when it would have mattered that is ultimately responsible for it. Family photo. It took me weeks to write this. I'd start and finish and erase and rewrite. Summing up the past three years without sounding angry has been impossible. I want to end this with a plea to the parents of teenage boys. I want you to imagine your son graduating high school with all the promise his life holds as he steps into the next chapter. University, a job, getting married and giving you grandkids to enjoy, the places he will visit, the friends he will make. Now imagine how hard it's going to be for him to do any of that when the first thing that comes up on a Google search of his name is that he participated in the rape of a 15-year-old girl. Advertisement It's the first thing that comes up for all four of the boys who assaulted Rehtaeh. Unjust, unfair, irresponsible... Preventable. If you don't think this could ever affect your son, you are wrong. If you don't think rape jokes, rape chants, hate-fucking polls on Facebook, cat-calling on streets, or standing silently by doing nothing will ever affect your son, you are deeply mistaken. Three years ago, I walked down a hallway in a hospital and saw the cost of rape culture in Canada. Please talk to your children about boundaries, consent, healthy relationships, and sexual violence. They'll listen. I know they will. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Ian Hitchcock via Getty Images TOWNSVILLE, QUEENSLAND: An F/A 18E Super Hornet from the United States Navy fighter squadron VFA-115 conducts a strafing run on April 6, 2016 in Townsville, Australia. Exercise Black Dagger is a field training exercise held at RAAF Base Townsville and surrounding airspace from 1 to 15 April. The exercise aims to further enhance military co-operation with coalition partners and provides essential training to ensure Army and Air Force personnel are capable of coordinating close air support to soldiers on the ground. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images) Does Canada need a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter? I don't think so. As a matter of fact, beside the F-35 fiasco in general, Canada cannot afford such an expensive plane that had limited capabilities. A project worth more than $8 billion at the start, many experts now evaluate it at more than $49 billion. This might include all acquisition, sustainment and operating costs but does not guarantee the price won't go up again due other issues with the aircraft. What Canada needs is a solid multirole fighter that can carry a wide array of weapons. Unfortunately, the F-35 has not been designed to do so. Advertisement Aside from its two internal bay, the F-35 only has 6 external pylons capable of carrying 15,000 lb of weaponry. As for the internal bays, it only has two pylons with a capacity of 3,000 lb. It also has a 25mm GAU-22A gatling gun, internally mounted with 180 rounds. What amazed me is that the Conservatives was selling this to the Canadian as a stealth aircraft but forgot to mention that carrying missiles on external pylons clearly dismisses the stealth features. Another problem with the F-35 is its maneuverability. With a 35 feet wingspan, the aircraft cannot execute fast turns or climbs fast enough to hit an enemy fighter jet. As a matter of fact, during a dogfight test against an F-16D Block 40--the F-35 is supposed to replace them--it wasn't able to win the engagement. Even while flying clean--no weapons in its internal bays or under its wings and fuselage--and the F-16 flying with two underwing drop tanks, it wasn't able to clearly engage the F-16. The F-16D Block 40 was delivered to the United States Air Force in 1988. Basically, a fifth-generation fighter can't outmaneuver and destroy a 30 years old jet. I wonder how this would work against a Sukhoi Su-30 or Su-35. Advertisement Canada has no intentions to conduct airstrikes against a sophisticated enemy that has state-of-the-art radars and is no need of a stealth fighter aircraft. Even if it was the case, China announced it already can track the F-35. That said, it is most likely a lie but it could be done in the next few years. Canada needs a multirole fighter capable of filling the gaps for the next 20 years. The government would then have two decades to decide whether Canada will keep a fleet of fighter aircraft or turn toward dogfight-capable drones, if available. Until then, I believe the F/A-18E Super Hornet would perfectly suit Canada's need. Canada could also look into the Stealth UCAV such as the Boeing Phantom Ray to conduct stealth ground attack if they really want that capability. I will look into those at a later time, though. The F/A-18E Super Hornet is what Canada needs The Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet would be a great cost-effective alternative. Adding to that, with our NORAD commitment, I believe an aircraft designed and operated by both members of the Command will prove more useful. Advertisement Despite the possibility of closing the production line in 2017, Boeing is ready keep the line open to produce the future Canadian fighter aircraft. Although many will argue that spare-parts might become scarce, I am positive Canada would include maintenance and sustainment costs in the contract to keep the aircraft flying. That said, current Super Hornet backlog takes deliveries into 2018. As for the spare parts, the U.S. Navy will be flying Super Hornets beyond 2040 and so spare parts will not be an issue. The Super Hornet would cost less than half of the F-35, going from approximately $180 million to $65 million per aircraft. Adding to that, Boeing could start production quickly after the contract is signed without any delays. To be exact, there is always some lead time needed, but Boeing has a hot production line and will be building Super Hornets for years to come. For the same price, Canada would have 130 Super Hornets instead of the 65 F-35. The Royal Canadian Air Force would have more flexibility in managing its aircraft; some could be on permanent standby, some allocated for training and some on deployment. Advertisement The reason why I believe the Super Hornet would be the best alternative for Canada is due to its multirole abilities. Although it's a 4++ generation and not a 5, the F/A-18E is far superior when it comes to Canada's needs. First, it features 11 hardpoints and a M61A2 Vulcan gatling-style cannon with 400 rounds. Compared to the F-35, the Super Hornet can carry 3 more missiles and has 220 more rounds, perfect for air-to-air combat. Slightly faster, Mach 1.8 compared to Mach 1.6, the F/A-18E is better at intercepting incoming aircraft, a primordial feature especially in the Arctic. It is also more maneuverable at high speed. The twin engines of the Super Hornet makes it safer for Arctic operations. The F-35 runs on a single engine and a simple failure could mean disaster. The fact that it is a carrier-based fighter makes me capable of flying in horrible weather conditions. The EA-18G Growler would be great for Canada By choosing the F/A-18E Super Hornet, Canada would have the ability to train its pilots on the Growler as well. Canada would greatly benefit of adding a few Growlers to its fleet. Advertisement The Growler is a fantastic aircraft capable of conducting electronic warfare (EW). Capable of doing radar jamming and deception, the Growler would enable the Super Hornet to effectively conduct airstrikes without being followed by enemy radars. Having EW-capable aircraft would also enable Canada to jam incoming aircraft during interception mission in the Arctic. According to Foxtrot Alpha, the Super Hornet design was created with great commonality with the first generation Hornet in mind. This includes similar maintenance procedures, training doctrine, avionics and especially pilot familiarity. Foxtrot Alpha made an excellent analysis on the Super Hornet and how it would be better than the F-35. I strongly advise you go read it! Advertisement CapturedNuance via Getty Images Prescription for medical marijuana from family health care doctor The province of Ontario introduced legislation in 2015 to control the growing e-cigarette market with Bill 45, called the Making Healthier Choices Act. As reported, the legislation had originally intended to exempt medicinal marijuana patients from the legislation, but that decision was quickly reversed amid what was no doubt a public outcry over the possibility of second-hand exposure. Advertisement Once implemented, it would put medicinal marijuana under the same regulations as tobacco products under the Smoke Free Ontario Act. I am in full agreement and support of the proposed changes to control the sale of e-cigarettes, but as I have written before, I can't agree with lumping in medicinal cannabis patients. There is an opportunity over the next few weeks during the consultation of the implementation of Bill 45. This opportunity pertains to increasing harm reduction efforts, educating the public and policy makers and regulating the cannabis industry that is operating in legal limbo. Premier Kathleen Wynne has made it clear she is in support of safe injection sites as part of a harm reduction strategy. Advertisement There are numerous opportunities ahead in the debate over Bill 45, but none more important that the opportunity to do the right thing and protect patient rights. Safe injection sites are locations where drugs can be injected safely with support of nurses and in a sterile environment. Let's be clear, these are drugs that will never be legalized in any way. The cost to society of treating overdoses, deaths related to overdoses and infectious diseases like AIDS, and reducing the public health and safety impact of drug use means this harm reduction strategy is good public policy. It seems odd that while the premier supports safe spaces for illicit drug use, her health ministry is pushing licensed cannabis patients out into the cold. Safe spaces for cannabis education and treatments, like those offered by Ontario's cannabis lounges, is also good public policy and should be reconsidered. There is also a great opportunity for education about the differences between cannabis and tobacco "juice." Vaporizers and pens that are used for tobacco "juice" cannot be used for delivery of medicinal cannabis. Advertisement If someone is using a vaporizer with "juice" in it, it's not cannabis -- the two technologies are different and can't be confused as regulators and the public believe. By granting the medicinal exemption, you are not opening the door to rampant vaping of tobacco and "normalizing smoking" again, as has been stated. Law enforcement, inspectors and other officials who might be enforcing the changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act should know these differences. The last opportunity being presented by this debate is one for regulation, which the cannabis industry truly needs. Associations like the Cannabis Friendly Business Association (CFBA), the Cannabis Trade Alliance of Canada (CTAC) and others have been established to set standards and codes of conduct, and professionalize the industry as it deals with growing demands for medicinal cannabis ahead of the legal adult use market coming to Canada. Working with these associations to establish and fine tune these standards would benefit the government and save time and resources when legal cannabis use is a reality. The national debate about legal adult use cannabis has just begun, but medicinal cannabis patient rights are well established. Advertisement There are numerous opportunities ahead in the debate over Bill 45, but none more important that the opportunity to do the right thing and protect patient rights. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Perry Mastrovito / Design Pics via Getty Images Quebec, Canada Justin Trudeau announced on International Women's Day this March 16 that a Canadian woman will appear on the next series of bank notes expected in 2018. And the Bank of Canada is now inviting nominations as to who should appear on the bill. This is our chance to have a say and perhaps at the same time make a statement. This is not the first time a woman will appear on Canadian currency. In the early 1900s, Princess Patricia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, appeared on the one-dollar bill. But while she was a very sociable young lady, some people may not consider her Canadian enough. Advertisement The 2012 $100 bill with Robert Borden on the front side has a lady scientist looking into a telescope on the reverse side, but there is some controversy concerning its creation. It seems that there was objection from some members of focus groups to the original Asian-looking woman on the draft design and, in striving for a more ethnically neutral image, she was re-drawn to look more Caucasian. And most recently, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a loonie commemorating 100 years of women's right to vote, but a coin does not have the gravitas nor usually the spending power of a bill. And of course, we've always had the Queen -- but she is not Canadian and, one could say that since she's representing the British monarchy, just coincidentally a woman. Now is our chance to do it right. Advertisement On the one hand, we could use this occasion to honour a Canadian woman for deeds done. Our first impulse may be to select someone famous, like author Lucy Maud Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame), artist Emily Carr (associated with the Group of Seven) or Laura Secord (a heroine in the War of 1812). Or women's rights activists, like Therese Casgrain, Idola Saint-Jean or the Famous Five (Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Edwards). Or humanitarians like Lotta Hitschmanova or Margaret McTavish Konantz. Or politicians like Jeanne Sauve or Agnes Macphail. Or early entrants into scientific fields like the first woman doctors, Jennie Kidd Trout and Emily Stowe, or the first woman astrophysicist, Allie Vibert Douglas. We could also look beyond the pale, literally, to other accomplished women like poet Pauline Johnson (half Mohawk and half English) and black abolitionists such as Mary Bibb, Mary Ann Shadd and Viola Davis Desmond. There would also be worthy candidates among the early Chinese and South Asian immigrant communities. On the other hand, we could use this occasion to honour an unsung Canadian woman and at the same time draw attention to an unresolved issue: the murdered/missing indigenous woman. Advertisement She certainly meets all of the Bank of Canada's criteria for a "bank NOTE-able Canadian woman." With four white founding fathers occupying the front of four of our banknotes, it seems only right that a brown founding mother grace at least one. First, she is definitely Canadian -- more Canadian than most of us, the four men on the current series of bills, and certainly more so than the Queen. Second, while she is not famous or powerful, she is distinctive and fundamental to our lives in Canada. She has the distinction of being a member of the First Nations, and therefore one of the original people of this country. She is -- in heart and soul -- the mother of this land we all now call home. Third, she is unarguably iconic. Fourth and unfortunately, she meets the criteria that the nominated person must have been dead for at least 25 years -- this issue of missing/murdered indigenous women began at least 30 years ago, if not many more. The oldest case on record is that of Margaret Blackbird, who went missing nearly 65 years ago. And, most importantly, it is still a problem today, giving the choice of the missing/murdered indigenous woman an unsurpassed relevancy and urgency. One of the most recent cases was the death last year of 11-year-old Theresa Robinson, first thought to have been mauled by a bear, and now upon further analysis considered a homicide. Advertisement The RCMP claim some 1,200 indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing over the past three decades. Patricia Hajdu, Minister for the Status of Women, said recently that research from the Native Women's Association of Canada puts the number at over 4,000. The issue is now so talked-about that press and social media have an acronym for it: MMIW. Selection of MMIW to depict on the front side of the banknote is also in line with the new Liberal government's concerns. They have promised to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. More specifically, Minister of Indigenous & Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett and Patricia Hadju have travelled across the country for three months, speaking to families of murdered/missing women in an attempt to shape a national inquiry on this issue and the recent federal budget has allocated $40 million towards it. Now, we could show the face of one specific MMIW, such the Margaret Blackbird, on the note. However, there is no photo of her and, besides, the issue is so much broader. The idea of commemorating a group -- versus an individual -- somehow makes more sense in our new kinder, gentler, more moral, and more socialist Canada that is trying to counter all manner of inequalities. Advertisement By selecting an indigenous woman, we would not only be making a statement, but beginning a discussion. But how does one depict a group on a bank note? One way would be to simply do away with the idea of a single individualistic face and instead present several faces of representative MMIW. However, another and perhaps more powerful way would be to present a faceless indigenous woman. The feature-less face would represent all indigenous women and certainly the many who are murdered/missing. It would reflect their unfortunate, anonymous and neglected status in our greater national society and also within their own community. It would enable us to put our own face or those of women we love into that empty space and thereby better empathize with their pain. And holding the note in our hand would serve as a constant reminder of the unfinished nature of the issue and the need for action. Women of accomplishment are the fortunate ones whose hopes and dreams have been largely realized, and while it's always nice to get further acknowledgement, they don't need it. Advertisement MMIW, however, lie at the other end of the spectrum. And with four white founding fathers occupying the front of four of our banknotes, it seems only right that a brown founding mother grace at least one. Nominations close April 15. By selecting an indigenous woman, we would not only be making a statement, but beginning a discussion. Money can talk. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: The HR sector, employment and recruiting world are constantly evolving. And so are the terms that define the industry. You have probably already noticed, we no longer speak only of recruiting but also of staffing and talent acquisition. Notwithstanding these developments, the main mission of recruiters remains the same. That is matching the right candidate to the right employer. However this recruitment role is not always filled by a hiring professional. Sometimes it is an entrepreneur in search of a collaborator, or an HR generalist who must perform talent acquisition tasks. Advertisement Not everyone has the same level of expertise, but everyone will have to navigate through the terminology of recruitment to carry out their mission. The Terminology of Recruitment To demystify the jargon of recruitment, here is a list of terms that are increasingly used in the vocabulary of recruiters. Some terms will allow you to revisit familiar notions while others will allow you to deepen or discover new concepts. Active vs Passive First, what is an active candidate vs a passive one? In very simple terms: the active candidate is actively seeking new career opportunities while the passive candidate is not. Semi-active On some occasions you will also hear the expression "semi-active" candidate or jobseeker. As you have already probably guessed, those people are already employed but they are sometimes looking at employment opportunities and are also open to considering offers. Advertisement While it is possible to easily recruit active and semi-active candidates via postings, this method is unlikely to work with passive candidates, even if they are generally very much in demand. They already have a fulfilling career and you will not find them on job boards. In order to attract a passive candidate, I recommend the appointment (as described below) of a headhunter or the use of sourcing services. Employee Referral Program Employee Referral Programs are put in place in order to use employees to recruit their peers. This form of recruitment is often accompanied by a reward that is paid to the person who referred the new recruit to the organization. In France there are several websites dedicated to "co-optation" (or Employee referrals) such as Coopt Action which recognizes that "More and more companies are now using the networks of their collaborators to find new talent." Employee referrals have many benefits Referring people makes recruitment procedures inexpensive, valued and effective. When specialists or executives are sought, the professionals working in the same field can easily identify the most qualified potential recruits. This has the advantage of shortening the research and therefore it potentially saves time and money. Advertisement Sourcing Sourcers are experts who provide candidate sourcing services. Their main function is to search for, categorize and analyze specific profiles to fill vacancies. Using various data and online tools such as social networks, forums, blogs, groups, corporate sites, ATS, and others, they unearth active, semi-active and passive profiles very quickly. One of the main advantages of sourcing is it can quickly find passive candidates. It is also used to create a pool of potential candidates which is particularly helpful in areas with skilled labor shortages. Usually the sourcer occupies a complementary role to the recruiter. The sourcer finds profiles, contacts them and then the recruiter takes over to complete the subsequent steps leading to the selection and hiring. For more information on sourcing, I recommend you read Vince Szymczak's article on the subject. Talent Search Increasingly, terms such as headhunting and executive search are giving way to a more user-friendly name: talent search. Hunting talent is a well-known activity that is required where usual recruiting practices lose their effectiveness. Its main advantage is to allow the delegation of difficult hiring to experts. Advertisement The talent search approach varies greatly depending on the expert, the firm and/or sector. And the same applies to the fees. Therefore, do not hesitate to inquire about available services and fees as the practice is evolving quickly and changes are significant. Outsourcing With outsourcing, a part or the entire recruitment process (or HR management process as appropriate) can be delegated to an external entity. Although some insist on the differences between outsourcing, externalization of the recruitment process and the RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), these three terms are commonly used to describe a corporate strategy that makes use of an external resource for one or more HR functions. In Quebec, the most common expression is outsourcing (impartition in French) while in the rest of Canada we speak of RPO. In Europe it is more frequent to see the externalization of the recruitment process although RPO is gradually being introduced. HR Marketing HR marketing, also known as employer branding, has become common practice over the last few years. The goal is to facilitate the retention and attraction of talent by combining a marketing approach to human resources. This combination of the two disciplines may seem odd but it is proving to be an essential strategy in a context of skilled labor shortages. HR marketing utilizes a set of practices and policies that are part of an organization in order to trigger favorable behaviors in line with its HR objectives both in its public and internal environment. Advertisement Increasingly, HR marketing is accompanied by specializations such as content marketing and relationship marketing. Content Marketing When a company uses a content marketing strategy, it creates informative and useful content (as guides, case studies, testimonials, blogs, videos and other) corresponding to a specific theme. With the creation and publication of content, the company is acquiring a target audience. In talent acquisition, the editorial strategy is created in order to be in harmony with the desired talent group providing specialized, educational and interesting content. Relationship marketing To complement their approach, many companies use relationship marketing to retain the targeted talent community. In other words, relationship marketing facilitates the development of an individual and personalized relationship with candidates through emails, newsletters and other automated marketing tools. A common example is to send emails to people with profiles corresponding to a new job opening. In conclusion, I have to point out that the above list is not exhaustive. Although it addresses some common questions, there are still further terms specific to the world of recruitment that could be clarified. Advertisement If you are curious and would like to learn more, I invite you to leave your questions and comments below. "The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein A blog by Sonia Desrosiers "Nowadays you don't want to be a knowledge expert, you want to have a knowledge network". The words above were uttered by Brian Murphy, the Head of L&D for Citi in conversation with me last month. And they are important words because they underpin a huge shift in how knowledge is perceived within organisations and the impact on hiring decisions in the future. In the past, people were employed because of their expertise and knowledge. Many hours were spent building that expertise and, in a culture where many people followed a 'job for life' career path, expertise and knowledge were kept in-house and passed on by their holders to their successors as people moved up through the organisation. That's no longer the case. Now, following the same model, when a knowledge-holder leaves an organisation there is the risk of them leaving a big hole as they take all of their knowledge with them. The value an employee brings to an organisation lies less in the bank of information they have collected over the years (although, of course it still plays an important role in ensuring competence and effectiveness) but the knowledge they can bring to the organisation at any one time and access to new sources of information. Advertisement Neil Munn, Knowledge Manager at the UK branch of KAS BANK, told me, "I'd argue that sharing their knowledge is actually even more important now than before given that for almost all organisations these days knowledge is at the heart of the business - in my view both managing and mobilising knowledge is absolutely critical to success and the motto 'No one is as smart as everyone' is truer now than ever before" Murphy goes a step further, referencing the The Corporate Leadership Council's Learning and Development High Performance Survey (2012). "In 2002", Murphy told me, "78% of a business unit's profit could be derived from employee's 'Individual Task Performance'. By 2012 this had dropped to 51%." What about the other 49%? Murphy continued, "This component of business profit could be linked directly to employees 'Network Performance'. That's a shift of +27% in the importance of network performance to the bottom line in just ten years - a radical shift which shows the changing nature of work in that time and the need for delivering performance through networks rather than retained knowledge. "The importance of network performance is only going to continue to increase, in fact I'm sure that by 2016 it has easily overtaken retained knowledge in terms of impact on the bottom line." Advertisement Demographic changes in the workplace are not the only influencer on the change in our relationship with knowledge. Technology plays a huge role too. Today it is so much easier to capture, curate, distil and distribute a wider range of knowledge to a wider audience. Munn offers a warning though, "The tools allow you to store and access enormous amounts of information - the skill is knowing how to identify, capture and disseminate what is of most value rather than just collect terabytes of "stuff". "The technology has levelled the playing field in terms of allowing both large and small firms to have roughly the same capability when it comes to storing and accessing knowledge. Google is fantastic at being able to return 30,000 hits in under half a second but the skilled knowledge worker learns how to use the tool in an advanced way to refine the results so you avoid the '30 thousand hits, some useful' problem." For the business that means that there is less of a need to employ experts.They can be more dynamic, responsive and agile by implementing a robust knowledge network. That may mean employing a Knowledge Champion at a senior level to oversee the strategy and then implementing a mix of technology and human resources to farm knowledge in the most effective way possible, taking into account the challenges outlined above. For the individual, there is more of a drive to understand how to best access and curate knowledge and position yourself as the go-to person. Organisations need to create a culture where their employees are encouraged to seek intelligence and new ideas, diversify their networks to access different perspectives and constantly seek to question what is happening in their industry, their clients' industries and beyond. Advertisement Murphy is a fan of Harold Jarche's 'Seek, Sense, Share' model for 'Personal Knowledge Mastery'. Jarche explains as follows: "Seeking is finding things out and keeping up to date. Building a network of colleagues is helpful in this regard. It not only allows us to "pull" information, but also have it "pushed" to us by trusted sources. Good curators are valued members of knowledge networks. Sensing is how we personalize information and use it. Sensing includes reflection and putting into practice what we have learned. Often it requires experimentation, as we learn best by doing. Sharing includes exchanging resources, ideas, and experiences with our networks as well as collaborating with our colleagues." Interestingly, Jarche goes on to share the same quote that I often do in my talk on Connected Leadership when he explains how strong knowledge networks can lead to greater fortune in connections made and innovation uncovered. "Chance favours the connected mind", said Steven Johnson, author of Where Good Ideas Come From. Advertisement These changes are reflected not just in the employment practices of big organisations but in their training too. Classroom learning, while not obsolete by any means, has to compete with collaborative and social platforms. In the age of social media, everyone is an expert (or at least, they think they are!) and that means that participants in learning programmes want to share their knowledge on courses too and. in many cases, can add value by doing so. There are three things we need to keep in mind about the forthcoming EU referendum. Firstly, our Government has delivered wholeheartedly on its pledge to hold an in-out vote, despite a chorus of sneering and doubting voices. It deserves respect for that. Secondly, we all have one vote and one only - Ministers, MPs, MEPs and everyone else. My view counts no less than the Prime Minister's and no more than the man on the Clapham omnibus. Thirdly and crucially, this is a decision which should be taken with the head rather than the heart. Emotion is inevitable, but a sober assessment of the pros and cons will bring us to the wisest choice. Advertisement As someone who has to listen to French and Spanish socialists in the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, sometimes my heart would vote to get out! They constantly tell us how bad part-time contracts and flexible working arrangements are and how bad the employment prospects are in their countries, especially for young people. I tell them that it doesn't have to be like that: just look at the UK. We have the lowest unemployed claimant count for over 40 years, we have more people in work than ever before, we have nearly 700,000 job vacancies and we have the highest growth rate in the developed world. We have all this as members of the EU - and this is where my head comes in. It tells me that in my lifetime we have experienced the longest period of peace and prosperity ever. Why would I want to jeopardise this? Why would I want to take the risk? Why would I deny all the benefits that I have received to the next generation? Jobs and growth are vital to our economy and it is small businesses who produce 85% of new job opportunities. As a member of the Federation of Small Businesses, I know that nearly a third of its members trade overseas and 80% of those who export sell to Europe. Advertisement We should also remember that it's not just those that trade directly with other EU countries, it's the whole supply chain who benefit. So, many businesses succeed directly or indirectly, because of the free trade system. The single market means we have open access to 500 million people, tariff-free. It is amazing to think that, back in the 1980s before the single market, a lorry taking products from Birmingham to Barcelona would have to have 88 different documents. Now it is only one. The single market for our products is very important, but we must go further and the Prime Minister's renegotiation has secured a clear commitment to complete the single market in services, digital commerce and energy. David Cameron's negotiations have achieved a lot more than many predicted. It is good news that the member states have agreed on certain reforms, but this is in no way the end of the reform process. I continually work to cut the administrative workoad that EU legislation has put on small business and I'm pleased we have reached agreement for burden-reduction targets in specific sectors. In practice, this will mean removing, repealing and withdrawing existing legislation and ensuring that what is left is fit for purpose. Advertisement I was once told that economics isn't a zero-sum game. I'd just published an article on the damage inequality does to society, to which the predictable response from some of Twitter was to refer to me as a 'commie f***wit' and the like, but this one response stood out as a little more thoughtful than the rest. Market-based economies are laudable in many ways because they do, as my critic suggested, make trade and hard work mutually beneficial to many people- commerce did away with the medieval notion that you could only gain by taking away from others. This doesn't mean that all gain is good for everyone, or that the profit motive doesn't do terrible things to society when pursued single-mindedly, however. When a CEO is allowed to hand himself millions in bonuses whilst the workers toil away on the minimum wage, this is a zero-sum game: there is a set amount of revenue out of which the company can pay its workers - choosing to give much of this to the top few deprives the many. The same is true of tax avoidance - it's a zero sum game because by keeping the wealth in off shore accounts, national treasuries have less, which means the poor have less- they are robbed twice in many ways. This is the reason why the most startling thing about the Panama Papers is not that the mega rich do this, or that they are allowed to, but rather what the world would look like if they didn't. The Tax Justice Network estimated in 2005 that the tax revenue lost globally to off shore havens like the one the Panama papers has revealed to the world in such dramatic fashion (which is really just the tip of the iceberg) is around $255billion ($273billion in today's money) every single year. If we'd have stopped this lost tax flowing out of our countries in 2002, the TJN calculate that 'global poverty would be permanently eradicated, way beyond the goals of the international targets on halving global poverty by 2015'. That's quite difficult to read in 2016, when over a billion people still live in poverty and 22,000 children a day die because of it - it doesn't have to be like this. Advertisement Off-shore tax havens are just one way we lose tax revenue - the figures rise to astronomical levels when all the other avenues for avoidance and evasion are factored in. Tax Research UK have estimated that the EU alone loses up to $1 trillion a year in tax revenue, of which shadow economies and, you guessed it, off-shore havens are significant drains. A similar figure has been touted for developing countries, and the US has been placed at $385 billion- $2.4 trillion a year lost, and that's only on 3 continents. The International Energy Agency has concluded from its research that providing the entire globe's energy via 'low carbon' sources would cost somewhere in the region of $36-44trillion dollars: this means that if the world recouped all of its lost tax revenue (what people should legally be paying) then we could switch to a low carbon planet in less than 20 years. Tax Research UK highlighted in their report that stopping tax evasion across Europe could eliminate public debt across the entire EU in less than nine years - by 2045 we could have no public debt and no global warming, if people just paid their tax. Eradicating global poverty and halting climate change in its tracks - perhaps the two biggest challenges the human race faces- and we've solved them both without any new laws. All of this so far has been what would happen if tax levels stayed exactly as they are - but what if we increased them, even by small margins? Some estimates suggest that a one-off wealth tax of 20% on the top 10% richest individuals in the UK could raise as much as 800billion- shaving off almost half of Britain's entire debt burden (that's the debt, not the deficit - 800billion would equal more than four times the amount of the deficit). Another suggestion of a 0.05% tax on financial transactions could raise up to 250billion globally a year. As the site promoting the tax states, the revenue acquired from just three minutes of the tax would be enough to employ a teacher, a nurse AND a police constable. Every three minutes. Imagine what we could with the revenue from a whole term in Parliament. Advertisement And these are just the direct, raw figures- there are plenty of indirect effects too. As Kate Lyons pointed out in the Guardian, houses being bought up in the UK through the capital stored in these offshore funds is pushing up property prices, pricing many of my generation out of an affordable home. Offshore tax havens can encourage rapid transfers of large amounts of capital, linked to destabilising financial markets, particularly common in developing countries. The inequality that prompts the few to hide their immense wealth from the taxman has been shown to hold economies back by staggering levels, as well as lead to a slew of social and health problems. Many will tell you higher taxes will reduce investment but the economic benefits of having a better distribution of wealth, rigorously supported empirically, outweigh the concerns of the fear-mongers. If you have seen the Mail on Sunday's petition to scrap the UK's promise to the poorest people in the world, or even much of the other anti-aid coverage, you might be led to believe that nearly all of the UK's aid spending is being "wasted and fuels corruption, funds despots or corrodes democracy" but there are 90 million reasons as to why UK aid money does work and how it makes a difference. 1. Thanks to #UKAid more than 150 NHS volunteers worked on the frontline during the Ebola epidemic and trained more than 4,000 staff in Sierra Leone. Advertisement I was one of the first NHS volunteers who swapped Christmas in the UK for five weeks in West Africa to join the front-line fighting Ebola in the region. I worked alongside dedicated and courageous British NHS professionals who volunteered to be deployed by the UK Government to work in British-built treatment centres to help people who had contracted the deadly virus. We volunteered to support this effort, the public backed it with their own private donations, and the Government helped to coordinate this effort through #UKAID because the virus needed to be stopped. This deadly and terrifying disease was destroying the lives and tearing apart communities who were recovering from conflict and extreme poverty, and because Ebola could have well spread to other nations if action wasn't taken. 2. #UKAid has provided over 60m people with access to clean water or better sanitation UK aid has also provided 62.9 million people around the world - almost the equivalent of the population of the UK - with access to clean water or better sanitation. Every year around 1.2 million people are estimated die from diarrhoeal diseases mostly brought about because of a lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services. Around half a million of these deaths are of children under the age of five. Providing 60m people with access to clean water or better sanitation is saving countless lives, and it is working. In 1990 the death toll from diarrhoeal disease was over twice what it is today. The fact is UK aid saves lives and it's worth it. 3. Thanks to #UKAid 5.1m babies were born safely between 2010 and 2015 In just the last year, 5.1 million babies were born safely with the help of nurses, midwives or doctors thanks to UK aid. Advertisement Whilst working as a public health nurse in rural Nepal with the organisation VSO for two years I personally met many women who walked for over 4 hours to deliver their baby at hospital; in Nepal women routinely cannot access quality health services. Maternal deaths in Nepal have reduced by over a fifth since the millennium, but the number of women who get complications during their pregnancy is still high. I worked alongside health workers in a district hospital in the foothills of the Himalayas working to improve standards and raise awareness of the care vulnerable women should receive before and after pregnancy. I also worked with a local organisation to educate communities about women's health rights and enabling village women to get involved in making decisions. UK aid supported me in carrying out this work - I'm living proof that UK aid really does make a real difference. 4. #UKAid has contributed to a 60% reduction in malaria deaths in the last 15 years The death rate from malaria has been more than halved in the past 15 years. But while this progress is staggering half a million people still die from malaria every year; most of them are children under the age of 5. While we are unlikely to be bitten by a mosquito in the UK, and even if we are it won't be carrying a deadly disease, but for the 40 per cent of the world's population who live in areas where there is a risk of malaria the outcomes can be far worse. 5. #UKAid reached over 13m people with emergency food assistance between 2010 and 2015 When tragedy strikes, whether in an earthquake, floods, famine or human made disaster like war, British aid is there to help the innocent people who have been caught up through no fault of their own. Humanitarian aid reached over 13 million people with emergency food assistance, including 5.5 million women or girls. Without our help, the human cost of natural disasters and wars would just be that much more terrible. Advertisement From helping to feed Syrian refugees caught on the borders of their former country, to helping to keep families sheltered and warm following the earthquake in Nepal, British aid is an extremely important contributory factor in making sure that innocent people are not made to suffer further. 6. #UKAid is supporting over 11m children to get a good quality education Since 2011, the UK aid budget has been used to support 11.0 million children to get a good quality education; 5.3 million of those were girls, to ensure that they got a primary education. Initiatives such as VSO's Sisters for Sisters project in Nepal is helping to keep nearly 1,300 young girls to stay in school. Historically 7 out of 10 young girls enrolled in primary school dropped out by the time they were due to go to secondary school. A mere 4% of men identify themselves as feminists, according to a 2016 survey carried out by the UK feminist charity, the Fawcett Society. Conversations with my male peers have only served to confirm that feminism has an unsavoury reputation among the general male population, and often among young male students. It seems to be that to say "I am a feminist" is a difficult phrase for some young, informed males to wrap their tongues around, let alone their heads. For a movement which might be seen to originally and primarily benefit females, it is understandable why many boys do not immediately form a connection with feminism. It may not be a social or political priority for many male students to shout from the rooftops, "I am a feminist" when other issues might occupy them first - understandable, considering the threat of terrorism, the refugee crisis, Donald Trump, among others. Indeed, I spoke to a fourth year male science student who said, 'I don't think feminism is anywhere near as much of an issue anymore. There are much bigger problems in the world currently. It's got to the point where men and women have equal rights, and the problems now are people's attitudes, which will take time to change.' So, whereas women and men in our society may, more or less, have equal rights in the eyes of the law, it is a lot more difficult for attitudes to change. Even more difficult to measure those changes in attitude. Perhaps this gap between feminism and the male student body is a question of image. At university, we have arguably only just left behind us the days when boys were called "gay" or "camp" on the playground, for being "effeminate" or being interested in things affecting women. Is this disconnection between young men and feminism a legacy of this, the product of a generation of boys too keen to prove their masculinity to actively embrace feminism? Paradoxically, though, such pressures placed on men are issues that feminism wants to tackle and improve. As the fourth year science student suggests, 'I think there is just as much pressure on men as there is on women to achieve a certain image,' citing the Hollister bags as embodying such unrealistic expectations. This feeds right back into a lack of awareness of the work feminism does for men, too. It aims to establish gender equality, not female supremacy or male subjugation, and its name derives from a gender bias which most obviously, although not exclusively, works against women. Feminism is about liberating men and women from the constraints imposed on them by gender stereotypes. However, young male students arguably don't identify with a movement which they feel has developed into something more sinister. I spoke to a first year arts student who summarised his perception of feminism. 'I believe that in the modern day, the word "feminist" has taken on a new meaning. It's become very politically charged and I would say aggressive.' Certainly, many young male students actively disengage themselves from the feminist movement, as some females do too. The same student said, 'I choose to avoid the word feminist, and say instead that I support equality for everyone.' Advertisement However, I did speak to some male students who do identify as feminists. Another first year arts student commented, 'we're part of a society that's obsessed with scrutinising everybody's beliefs and opinions. So if you openly support/follow certain political, religious or gender related ideals, you should be prepared to be held accountable for them. I believe in gender equality, that makes me a feminist,' yet admits 'I don't always treat women the way I should but calling me a hypocrite isn't helping anyone.' A second year joint honours student also considered himself a feminist, when asked, going on to explain, 'I suppose I am committed to the idea that there is no meaningful or important difference between men and women (indeed, or any other gender) with respect to the contribution they can make to society.' What I want to avoid is caricaturing all middle-class, male students as people who champion the patriarchy and will resist gender equality at all costs, just because they don't call themselves feminists. This is quite simply not the reality of 2016. Advertisement Some have argued that white male university students are too blinded by their so-called "white male privilege" to truly engage with feminism, but this is neither a helpful nor accurate conclusion. A lot of negative perceptions of feminism certainly exist among the male student body, but maybe this is influenced by the shortage of male feminists in the public eye. For instance, in several interviews, David Cameron has resisted answering the question, "are you a feminist?"; he even refused to wear and be photographed wearing Elle magazine's "this is what a feminist looks like" t-shirt. Equally, when the perhaps infamous Milo Yiannopolous came to the University of Bristol, he described the kind of feminist movements on campus at the moment as 'ugly, sociopathic, third-wave feminism'. It is natural that there should be debate around the feminist ideology, but anti-feminists such as Yiannopolous do seem to prevail over the voices of prominent male feminists, such as Joseph-Gordon Levitt. In fact, we are desperately in need of more forward-thinking and inspiring male feminist role models to inspire young men to embrace feminism, to show what feminism can do for men and to overturn the cliche that all feminists are militant, radical and, most importantly, female. The appalling ordeal of a young woman in Northern Ireland, dragged before the courts for using abortion pills bought online, has yet again highlighted the gross injustice experienced by women in this region when it comes to accessing abortion. The 1967 Abortion Act, which made abortion lawful in certain circumstances, never extended to Northern Ireland. Abortion is only available to a tiny number of women, and so women must either travel to England - at huge personal cost, or take their chances by ordering pills online. But we should be very wary of concluding that women elsewhere in the UK have a "right" to abortion that their sisters in Northern Ireland are denied. They do not. Abortion laws in the UK are underpinned by the 1861 Offences Against The Person Act. This legislation, passed before women could vote or legally refuse sex with their husbands, stipulated that any woman who induces her own miscarriage can be sentenced to life in prison. This legislation is still in force and used against women today. It was used against the young woman in Northern Ireland, it was also used against a young mother from County Durham who also used abortion medication bought online. She was sentenced to 3 years in prison just before Christmas. Advertisement The 1967 Act did not repeal the 1861 legislation, rather it created exemptions. A woman would not be prosecuted if two doctors agreed she met certain criteria and gave legal authorisation to her request. Any woman anywhere in the UK who has an abortion without that legal authorisation from two doctors can be prosecuted. This means any woman anywhere in the UK who uses abortion medication she has bought online to end a pregnancy at any gestation can go to prison - in principle for life. Of course in most of the UK it's reasonable to assume women should have no reason to do so. Abortion is funded by the NHS and much work has gone into making services as accessible as possible to women, within the constraints of the 1967 Abortion Act, which kept abortion fully inside the criminal law. But there will always be women who turn online for help rather than seek professional help. They may be young women who are scared their parents will know, women in abusive relationships who fear making the multiple trips to a clinic the law demands in case their partner finds out, or women with no right to NHS funded care. All these women risk prison. Even a country such as Poland, where abortion is all but outlawed, does not imprison women for inducing their own miscarriage. We need to ask ourselves - what purpose does criminalisation serve? If we don't think women should go to prison for taking control of their own bodies, then we need to act. Advertisement Bpas - joined by a coalition of women's organisation including the Fawcett Society, the Royal College of Midwives, the Women's Equality Party and Women's Aid, is calling for the offending sections of the Offences Against The Person Act to be removed. Abortion should be taken out of the criminal law altogether and regulated in the same way as all other healthcare procedures. Women should be trusted to make their own decisions about their own pregnancies, without having to jump through a series of legal hurdles that they would not experience in any other area of healthcare. With the news dominated by the forthcoming EU referendum, crucial local elections on 5th May are in danger of being overlooked. Decisions taken at a local level impact us all; they shape the communities we live in, the transport we use, the housing that is built and the education and jobs we need. But since George Osborne was handed the keys to the Treasury, funding for local government has been cut by an estimated 40 per cent. Across the country, services are being salami-sliced and pressured to provide more with much less. When Labour took control of Southampton in 2012, we inherited a city that had suffered under a chaotic Tory administration. An industrial dispute had left millions of bin bags rotting in the streets and employee relations were described as 'the worst in local government'. Meanwhile, increasingly draconian cuts passed down to local areas from Westminster had been waved through. Southampton is a snapshot of modern Britain. It is a diverse, confident city with a strong sense of identity. Its population is growing and people are living longer. However, like many cities that have seen a decline in their manufacturing sector, there are still significant levels of poverty. It is places like Southampton that have been hit hardest by cuts; 20 minutes up the M3, wealthy Winchester has had a much smaller funding reduction. Advertisement The question for Labour councils has been how to achieve all the things we believe in - reducing inequality, helping communities to flourish, providing opportunity and security for both young and old, making our cities places where businesses can thrive - against this backdrop of austerity. Our primary focus has been the economy. We have got Southampton moving and the progress is there for all to see; cranes dominate the skyline and new developments shoot up as brownfield and waterfront sites are redeveloped. In order to tackle gaps in educational attainment and to make sure people in Southampton can fill the jobs being created, we have focused on skills, working with local business to create 6,600 new apprenticeships over four years. Through innovation we have generated new sources of income to mitigate the cuts. We have dramatically reduced the number of buildings we occupy and rented some out. We have introduced an additional licensing scheme for Houses of Multiple Occupation which has driven up the quality of the private rented sector and begun to address the problems faced by areas where large swathes of housing are rented out. We have created a late night levy which raises funds for both the city's thriving late-night economy and the police. All these ideas not only generate income, but also improve and protect the communities that are the lifeblood of any city. Where services are centred on much-loved but expensive buildings we have sought better options. Youth services in the inner city are now run by a charity in a former council building; a suburban pool that was run at a loss is now a successful community enterprise; several of our libraries are about to start a new life led by local groups. The BBC recently revealed that almost 8,000 libraries have closed across the UK in the last six years: in Southampton we have kept every library open. Advertisement Perhaps our crowning achievement has been to keep all of our Sure Start Children's Centres open while neighbouring Tory authorities seek to close theirs. Without prudent handling of the city's finances this would not have been possible, but in a city with 25 per cent child poverty this is a priority that Labour has been clear should never be compromised on. There are three factors required for a wildfire to occur. The first is an ignition source coming into contact with vegetation. The second is heat, and the third is a sufficient oxygen supply from the ambient air. Wildfires begin from a single spark and quickly become an inferno, enveloping and consuming everything in their path. They are destructive, swallowing the diversity of the forest, and robbing animals and plants of their homes, their families, their lives. Indonesia burned last year, and is beginning to burn again. Its fires have been caused by human greed, with businesses preferring to use cheap 'slash and burn' methods of forest clearance, regardless of the damage caused. People have died due to these fires, hundreds of thousands have suffered respiratory problems, animals such as wild orangutans are edging ever closer to extinction. The fires have been releasing around 20 million tons of carbon dioxide per day, and still there is no end in sight. We have collectively decided to put money and consumerism before the health of our planet and its inhabitants. And then there was Glasgow. Not an environmental disaster, but a tragedy of another kind. Ahmadi Muslim shopkeeper Asad Shah brutally murdered, not by an 'Islamaphobe' but allegedly by another Muslim in what the police have described as a 'religiously prejudiced' act of sectarian hatred. This was not a one-off, freak event that we can simply consign to the annals of history, but a sign of a spreading wildfire which began in Pakistan and threatens to encompass the UK too. Advertisement Under the dictatorship of General Zia Al-Haq in the 1970s and 80s, being a member of the peace-loving Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was forbidden by Pakistani law. Since then, persecution against the community, as well as against other minorities such as Christians and Hindus, has sharply increased. Intolerance has become pervasive, and from Pakistan it has spread throughout the world, and to the UK. A Tooting Imam told his congregation to boycott shops in the area owned by Ahmadis. Just in recent weeks, both a Bradford Imam and the leader of Glasgow's largest mosque used their platforms of power not to calm religious tensions and sectarianism but instead to glorify Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Salman Taseer, who prominently opposed Pakistan's blasphemy laws - used to persecute Ahmadi Muslims. A Facebook post by an Islamist group posted its 'congratulations to all Muslims' following the murder of Asad Shah. These are not insignificant happenings. Prominent, highly-regarded Imams in this country praise extremists rather than denounce them. Their bigotry, exposed for all to see, highlights the need for the UK to confront the problem head-on, and to stamp out hate-speech at its source. If this is not done, then previously innocent minds may soon become gripped by the messages of hate which they are being preached. And what of the Ahmadis' reaction? Despite the persecution and killings it has suffered over the years, the community does not take the law into its own hands. Having a global spiritual leader, a role model in the form of a Caliph, who possesses a philosophy of patience, peace and prayer must have helped in this regard. This Caliph, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, repeatedly enjoins every Ahmadi to strive to create a world of harmony through acts of charity and compassion, in accordance with Islam's true teachings. Not only that, he offers practical solutions to world problems. In an LBC interview last year, as part of a number of solutions which he posited, the Caliph called for the government to monitor all sermons in Mosques, in order to identify and root out hate speech. The openness of the Ahmadiyya Community is epitomised by the fact that every Friday sermon given by the Caliph is shown live on TV, and within hours put online and translated into several languages. The Ahmadis also regularly partake in inter-religious dialogue, and encourage people to learn about their community from the source, rather than from extremist Imams. Advertisement What the Anti-Ahmadi laws of Pakistan teach us is that if we are not careful and prudent about the decisions we take and the acts we choose, then the suffering which initially only touches a small minority, eventually reverberates back to us all. If we turn a blind eye, and do not put out the wildfires of Indonesia and Glasgow before they are allowed to spread even further, then the devastation they create may quickly become too great to handle. What is required is an open discussion, in plain sight, about Islam in Britain and the duty of care that British Imams owe not only to their followers, but to the society at large. Last week in the United States, the spectre of identity politics reared its ugly head once more, as a white student at San Francisco State University was assaulted by a woman of colour (reports conflict as to whether she was a student or staff member) for the evident crime of wearing dreadlocks, allegedly because dreadlocks are "black culture". Such an accusation of "cultural appropriation" was also recently levelled at Justin Bieber, for also wearing dreadlocks. Such accusations are nothing new from identity politicians on both sides of the Atlantic, and points to a vision of an identitarian society to which we should not subscribe. It seems remarkable in the first instance that we have got to a point in the USA where it is considered acceptable to assault a person purely because you take offence at their hairstyle. However, the student's own response - that dreadlocks have also been worn by white people in the past - strikes me as disingenuous; rather than implicitly accept the premise that it is acceptable to police what people wear purely on account of the colour of their skin, we should be replying that people are simpy free to choose what they wear. More disingenuous still is when, in defence of such policing of someone's hairstyle, the hairstyle itself becomes politicised by writers. How, for instance, is it reasonable for dreadlocks - a hairstyle with many means to different people - to be prescripted as a "a global symbol of anti-racism" without such an assumption being questioned? It seems just as illogical as attempting to tie Muslim identity down to bearded Islamists preaching hate - though this too has been done in the UK, as evidenced by the contrast between the Guardian's near-fawning feature on the British leader of Hizb-ut-Tahrir shortly before a piece on Maajid Nawaz which, by contrast, gave considerable space to his critics and appeared to attempt to cast him as somehow less of an "authentic" Muslim. Advertisement At least in these cases, however, the people taking offence at the San Francisco student and Bieber are complaining about the alleged appropriation of their own culture, in stark contrast to a now-infamous episode at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, where protestors (many of whom were not Asian-American) attacked the alleged "appropriation" of Japanese culture in a "Kimono Day" despite the fact that many Japanese-Americans supported the museum's initiative to the point of holding counter-protests against the decision to end the initiative (though this opinion was not universal, with the Globe also interviewing Asian-American protestors). Similarly, the reaction to Avril Lavigne's "Hello Kitty" music video in Japan was broadly positive or indifferent, which you wouldn't have guessed for the storm of accusations of fetishisation or "appropriation" being levelled by some western commentators. Such wanton offence-taking on behalf of the non-offended seems to speak of something far more sinister than empathy or compassion (two words often thrown around by those protesting against offensive speech and expression). Rather, it seems to speak of a striving for a society not characterised by free expression, cosmopolitanism, and cultural interchange & development, but instead for one characterised by identitarianism, the putting of people into tiny boxes, and a society in which your haircut must be approved in advance - a policy existing only in North Korea today. And on the subject of the latter, it's worth revisiting how some on the New Left - those same people nobly taking offence on behalf of people who aren't offended, or indeed other cultures - responded to the case of Otto Warmbier, sentenced to fifteen years of hard labour for attempting - yes, attempting - to steal a single poster. In a widely-circulated piece, a writer proclaimed that "white male privilege is not universal", and seemed to compare living in America while non-white to living under the North Korean justice system. Never mind that Warmbier was allegedly promised a substantial sum of money if he returned with a poster, when his family are facing financial uncertainty - the author characterised Warmbier as acting the way he did for fun and out of an alleged sense of entitlement (how his mind was successfuly read and this sense of entitlement established remains a mystery), before bizarrely concluding that this was more shocking than the North Korean government effectively sentencing him to death. That we live in a world where wearing the wrong hairstyle or trying on a replica kimono induces more virtue-signalling outrage among some in our society than the sentencing of a man to be worked to death, likely as a diplomatic pawn if previous similar situations are instructive, should concern us all. Advertisement The withdrawal of Tata from the UK has come as a further blow to steel communities. The steel crisis has already claimed thousands of jobs in Redcar and the North East. Thousands more are now at risk in Port Talbot, with huge troubles looming for steelworks all across the country, as China continues to fuel a price war that has made fair competition in steel a thing of the past. In recent days, the steel crisis also got embroiled - courtesy of our very own UK-made populists - in the EU referendum debate. Yet Nigel Farage would be forgiven for laying the blame on the European Commission's doorstep. That is not because what he says is right, but because he is only repeating somebody else's lie. The UK government spent the crucial first few months of the crisis incriminating the EU for its own faults, before slowly coming to terms with the fact that they are in charge and therefore responsible. As a result of this, we are now paying double the price for the crisis: the government's conduct has severely damaged the prospects for the steel sector; and it has also severely damaged the prospect for the EU referendum. Advertisement The simple, unadulterated truth is that the EU has been trying hard to be part of the solution for UK steel. The government has been consistently part of the problem. It is the Conservative party's ideology that is to blame, not EU rules. The Tories are libertarians who believe that the state has no role to play in the economy, despite EU rules allowing direct state aid to ailing industries in certain circumstances. The government let the Redcar steelwork go bust in 2015, arguing that the EU would not permit them to save it. We have always argued that this was just an excuse: nothing in EU law prevents a government from stepping in, as long as certain conditions are met. The French, German and Italian governments have done it in the past. Now the UK government is considering whether to temporarily nationalise Port Talbot. It's great that they are finally seeing the light, but this won't give us Redcar back. It won't undo the damage already done. China is pursuing a determined strategy to take over the European market. Their plan is to keep prices as low as possible until all EU producers are forced out and unable to return. This is costing China a great deal as they have to subsidise their own steel sector heavily to keep prices artificially low. But this will pay off eventually: China will soon be the only provider of steel in Europe, and thus be able to raise prices as it sees fit. Rather than letting UK taxpayers bear the full cost of this war of attrition, we need to correct prices on the market to end the battle for good. The Conservative Party's ideological bias is the biggest hurdle we have to overcome in order to be able to do so. Unlike the European Commission, or even the World Trade Organisation, the Tories equate legitimate defensive measures against unfair trade with protectionism. Until we can convince them to shift on this too, there won't be any lasting relief for UK steel. Advertisement The European Commission proposed in 2013, well before the crisis started, to relax EU rules so that much higher anti-dumping duties could be charged on unfair Chinese imports. Half of EU countries agreed with that, and so did the European Parliament. But the UK government managed to block any reform, using all its diplomatic skills and EU procedures to its advantage. So much for the argument that our government has lost control on EU decisions. In reality, this shows that our country has the power to veto anything from Brussels, even reforms that would definitely be in our interest. We've been calling on the government to lift its opposition to this reform, the removal of the 'lesser duty rule', for months now, and I was very pleased to see the press starting to relay this message last week. But after arguing that the reform was not desirable because it would impede free trade, the Business Secretary's new line is that the reform is not needed because the current measures are actually working just fine. The government's latest excuse for inaction is called 'registration'. It was deployed by the Commission for the first time last December on two steel products, at the request of the industry. What it does is to warn EU importers of the product, that whatever tariff may be imposed at the end of the anti-dumping procedure, which takes an average of 8 months, may also be charged retroactively on all imports made as early as three months before the 'registration' was notified. The government argue that as a result imports from China of that specific product have virtually stopped. If confirmed this would indeed be good news. But if, in the end, the actual tariff is set at a level that is too low to deter dumping, importers would simply resume buying from China and registration would have only bought us a few months. It won't be enough, and can't be a substitute for scrapping the lesser duty rule. The weekend brunch. Giving us carte blanche to booze before midday and eat a billion, bechamel-laden calories. I'm sure there are some that think this mid-way meal a waste of time and money, but they are deranged. The very beauty of a bruncheon is that it can go well into an afternoon. And, as you're generally only having one dish, swapping extra 'lunch courses' for cocktails it seems positively bargainous (especially as you're likely to be in bed by 5pm thus artfully avoiding the cost of dinner). Let me be clear, when I say 'boozy brunch' I do not mean 'bottomless prosecco with a two-hour window to get smashed'. Which might have been a hot concept in 2014, but now attracts the same people that go out in Shoreditch on a Saturday night (read: shouty non-London people from the surrounding counties). What us Londoners like to do now is take advantage of the many brilliant restaurants realising that brunch is very much a 'thing' and finding ways to do it fabulously. From a Soho legend to a (relative) newbie in Islington, these are three of this spring's best... Galley Galley has only been occupying a mid-way spot on Upper Street for a wee while, but has rightly decided that brunch is big business around these parts. This not only gives those that read Fay Maschler's belter of a review another time window in which to nab a table; but allows the extremely capable kitchen another chance to show off their skills. Advertisement Brunch technically only runs from 11am-1pm on the weekends, but staff are far too charming to chuck you out and the cocktail list far too accomplished to not amble at least half way down it. Think fluffy chocolate pancakes on blueberry-rippled mascarpone and buttery brioche bursting with red mullet and soft shell crab, all washed down with a Grey Goose Blackberry Mary. Be warned, the room is beautiful and the temperature kept at womb-like levels, so it's hard to tear oneself away. Meaning you may find yourself still there... five hours later... ordering their saffron-laced fish stew alongside a stack of golden ham hock croquettes and a bottle of Picpoul. www.galleylondon.com L'Escargot Bottomless brunching may be a tacky trick of the brunching world, but if any restaurant can make it okay it's Soho-stalwart, L'Escargot. For 25 from 11-4pm on Sundays, guests can gorge themselves to the gills: starting with an 80's-tastic buffet of pastries, fruit and juices (not to mention a crepe station) - before moving on to more substantial hot dishes. The latter swings eccentrically from six plump Gallic snails to British roast beef with Yorkshire pudding to fry ups representing both countries. As if that wasn't enough there's also Croque Monsieur, smoked salmon, French toast and anything else you might want for breakfast or otherwise. Advertisement Drinks are extra which keeps things from getting too out of hand. Though this is L'Escargot, darling of the 90's-eat-and-drink-to-fabulous-excess dining scene, so it's a shame not to indulge in a champagne cocktail or two... www.lescargot.co.uk Bernardi's Located on Seymour Street where the edge of Mayfair meets Edgware Road, Bernardi's is an Italian restaurant from Melbourne-born owners that opened quietly but confidently last September. Like the area in which it sits (and crowd is largely caters to) the space is all immaculate elegance with brushed leather banquettes, flower arrangements in perfect spheres and marble on every available surface. Before you think 'cold and stuffy' be assured that staff are warm and the food so good, that even if your handbag hails from Primark and you forgot to put a comb through your hair, you'll be instantly at ease. Though they do a breakfast menu in the week too, it's the Saturday brunch menu (served from 9.30am-4pm) that gets my vote. Unless you're on a health kick (in which case stay at home, your smug glow is ruining my weekend) ignore the 'Cereals, Grains & Fruits' section. Instead, head straight for the marvellously indulgent dishes below which all sound so brilliant, repeat visits are a must. Favourite dishes: a pretty plate of wild mushrooms, gold-edged cubes of pancetta topped with bright-yolked fried eggs and crunchy focaccia croutons; a bright tangle of scrambled eggs, Cornish crab and parsley; and zesty French toast dripping in mascarpone. Cocktails excellent too. Advertisement The fourth UN World Conference of Women was held in Beijing in 1995 and took the view that progress in achieving gender equality had been insufficient. In response national governments agreed the Beijing Platform for Action, a document setting out critical areas of concern toward the goal of empowering women. It acknowledged the fairness for both genders of being involved in decision-making, and that the perspective of women is essential for true equality, development and peace. To mark the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a reflection on both where progress has been made, and identifies some of the continuing challenges in achieving gender equality in politics. This Compendium explores the participation of women through political parties, in elections, local politics and in parliaments. It acknowledges that these different aspects of political life need to be seen as connected and related activities. A number of recommendations are offered to assist those working to improve women's participation in politics. Wider society The Compendium sets the scene by placing women's political participation in the context of their position in wider society. While there is some good news there's still a long way to go for equal outcomes for men and women; significant improvements in health and education and many women enjoy greater legal rights, but discrimination in law persists in many countries, particularly in family law, and violence against women and girls continues. Advertisement National parliaments show progress in political participation, but it is slow and uneven and the average is below the 30% target set within the UN. Globally in September 2015 it reached 22.5% up from 11.3% in 1995. Parliaments in the OSCE region had an average of 25.8% female representation, but with wide variation from a high of 50% to around 10%. Progress has been particularly slow for women who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Importance of parties Political parties are important in achieving greater female participation as they are the gatekeepers to democracy. Good practices to encourage the recruitment and retention of women members are essential, along with separate structures such as a women's wing to provide support and influence. Parties should ensure that both men and women have equal opportunities to develop the skills to become effective political activists. Guaranteeing both men and women positions of responsibility in the party is an important mechanism in achieving this. Introducing internal party quotas, or formal policies that secure equal representation of women and men, ensures women can take on elected positions of responsibility and are represented on decision making bodies. Candidate selection processes can be a barrier, or provide opportunities. Voluntary party quotas and legal quotas have contributed to increasing the number of women elected, but in some circumstances party members who are not supportive have undermined their implementation. There are a few examples of states encouraging political parties to promote women's political participation but these are rare. Supporting the development of gender action plans in parties is effective in embedding gender equality. Elections Gender issues affect all aspects of an election. Women's elected representation may increase, and it's also an opportunity to examine wider issues such as female representation in election management bodies, party processes and campaigning, voter education, polling obstacles, and the impact of campaign finance arrangements. OSCE has extensive experience in the role that election monitors can play in identifying the extent that gender has been mainstreamed into election processes. Reports on elections are an opportunity to reflect on how changes can be made to ensure greater gender equality in the future. Advertisement Local Government Women's political participation in local government has been neglected and deserves greater focus. There is a little comparative data and information on the use of temporary special measures to increase the level of female representation in locally elected bodies is sparse, yet many decisions that affect everyday life are made at a local level. For both men and women learning via undertaking various roles within a political party, then becoming a local representative, builds confidence and interest in furthering a career in politics. Across OSCE states a high level of female representation in parliament does not necessarily mean a high level in local government, while other countries have higher local representation than national. The reasons behind these variations are many and specific to each environment. Across the OSCE the proportion of female elected mayors is generally significantly lower than the proportion of women in other locally elected positions. We need more research to determine how to improve female representation in locally elected bodies and as mayors. Parliaments Women's participation in parliaments is vital in improving the representative nature, accountability, and quality of democracies. It also has a profound impact on the way politics is done in terms of policymaking agendas and political content. Yet despite the many international conferences, documents, exhortations and commitments, with a small number of exceptions, parliaments remain a long way from parity of men and women. Of the top performing countries in the OSCE most use some form of quota - either legislated or a voluntary party quota. Unfortunately, the head line figures for each country does not identify difference between political parties. Two important aspects in developing gender sensitive parliaments are the working conditions, and the extent to which gender is mainstreamed within the work stream. These aspects are often inter-related, with women MPs, usually through women's organisations or caucuses, being the prime motivators for change to a more gender sensitive work environment. Parliaments as institutions could do a great deal more to mainstream gender equality and take the responsibility away from MPs. Women's caucuses act both as a support to female MPs and as a mechanism to influence policy, with most being successful in raising policy issues of concern to women, usually achieving legislative change. Moving forward The words of the Beijing Platform for Action are as true for the last 20 years as they were for the decade leading up to 1995, Advertisement "the status of women has advanced in some important respects ... but that progress has been uneven, inequalities between women and men have persisted and major obstacles remain, with serious consequences for the well-being of all people." The Compendium concludes that we need a more thorough understanding of the differences between those countries and political parties that have made good progress and those struggling. New and more thoughtful and sustained efforts will be needed if the goal of women's equal participation in the Beijing Platform for Action is to be reached. Better data and transparency of processes is also important. We require greater recognition of the importance of socio-political context, political processes and the need for civic activism coupled with clear political leadership. Political will is important in making change - generating political will means understanding the political environment, knowing what incentives for change there are and what temporary special measures have the best chance of being implemented. A determination to capitalise on good practice to develop comprehensive methods of supporting greater participation of women in all aspects of political life could begin to see significant improvements across OSCE countries and beyond. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need charities. I firmly believe that charities should aim to solve the problem they were set up to solve and then cease to exist. But until that happens I also firmly believe that charities have a hugely important role to play in our society. Charities, like private and public sector organisations, come in all shapes and sizes and have a very wide range of remits from delivering healthcare, social care or educational programmes to campaigning because something in policy or law is not working. What all charities should have in common is that they exist because there is a need and their mission is to address that need. The law says that a charity must be 'established for charitable purposes only' and this purpose must be 'for the public benefit'. At Action for Children, these are not just legal requirements, they are the standards to which we hold ourselves. But charities are so much more than that: just imagine where we would be today without charities that spearhead research into cancer, that work to relieve the grinding poverty of hope and expectation that affects so many billions around the world, that support children who are abused and neglected. Advertisement The charity sector has come under a lot of scrutiny in the last few years and rightly so. The public has a right, just like a shareholder in a commercial company, to know where and how funds are spent, and what the benefits and impact of this expenditure should be. Indeed, transparency about our impact, our income and, yes, our pay should be something that we as charities welcome and embrace. Like many charities with a long history Action for Children is a very different organisation today than when we were founded in 1869. Our founder Thomas Bowman Stephenson saw the plight and poverty of London's homeless children and asked them what he could do to help. The answer was simply "Do what you can for us, Sir." Nearly 150 years later, the language has changed but the sentiment and spirit of what we do remains the same. Poverty and disadvantage still exists. Not all children have a safe, happy and loving family life and the life chance gap between some children and their peers is not closing. We have developed and grown according to the need around us and adapted how we work to make the greatest impact we can in today's society. The children's sector is seeing unprecedented demand for frontline services and the complexity and severity of need is increasing. The effects of government spending cuts are also taking hold in communities across the country, meaning that the voluntary sector must step up and play an even more important role. Much of what we do is through local authority contracts, where we deliver the service on behalf of the local authority. Working in this way means we can reach more children and make a tangible difference to their lives. I am hugely proud of this work and know that it fits squarely within our purpose and mission. But we want to do more still. While the majority of the funding that Action for Children receives comes from the work we undertake for local authorities, we are working hard to grow our voluntary income so that we can innovate and deliver even more services. Advertisement One such service is Family Partners, a programme which is wholly funded by income generated by an amazing group of women, Women Taking Action, who give up their time and exert their efforts and energy into raising money to help give families a family life. I had the honour of introducing HRH the Duchess of Cambridge to this project in 2015 and I know that she was both moved and impressed by what she saw. The Family Partners programme tackles neglect. It's an intensive early support programme for a whole family, where children are at risk of neglect. A key worker works closely with the family to make positive changes in their lives and to stop their situation from escalating to crisis point where children might be taken into care because their lives could be in danger. There is a solid body of evidence that shows how powerful an impact the programme has had. There is a huge tangible difference both to the family and society. If you ask people why they work in the charity sector you tend to get variations on one answer: "I want to do something worthwhile, good, meaningful. I want to make a difference". To the more cynically minded, it sounds trite. But that is why we are all here. Whether you're on the ground with direct contact or if you're an accountant, a project manager or a web editor, choosing the charity sector is about how your role can affect the lives of others for the better. When picturing research scientists in their labs, most of us probably imagine a man. Why is the image of science so often immediately associated to men? According to statistics from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), just 28% of the world's research scientists in the world today are women. That figure rises to 32% for the United States and Europe. These proportions have been largely stable since 2004 and are still a long way from parity. And while 50% of European PhD students are women, their presence in post-doctoral levels decreases, dropping even further when looking at leadership positions in research. Indeed, women hold only 11% of the highest academic positions in scientific fields and account for just 3% of scientific Nobel Prize recipients. Advertisement One of the reasons seems to be persisting stereotypes that women and science don't mix. According to a L'Oreal Foundation For Women in Science study conducted in five European countries last year, 90% of Europeans felt women were qualified for practically everything except science. While 84% of respondents liked the idea of parity in this area, 67% felt women do not possess the required capabilities (such as logical thinking and persistence) to access high-level scientific positions. The survey also points to a lack of recognition of women's achievements in science, with many key discoveries - the chemical composition of stars or the AIDS virus, for example - automatically attributed to men in the public conscience. A few private companies, such as L'Oreal and AXA, are using scientific philanthropy to fight these misconceptions and promote the role of women in science. At the AXA Research Fund, we start by walking the talk: our 14-member Scientific Board is evenly split down gender lines. This board selects the fundamental research projects we support around the world in our focus areas of human health, environmental and socio-economic risks. We also build our selection processes so as to avoid any type of discrimination, for example by allowing time for maternity leaves. Of the 492 projects we have supported in 33 countries since 2007, 201 -- or nearly 41% -- are managed by women. That includes post-doctoral grantees, for whom we provide support during crucial years for the researchers' careers. We also support women heading world-class research programs at the leading edge of their fields, such as Luisa de Cola, whose team at the University of Strasbourg is working to improve human health through research in molecular chemistry and nanomaterials, and Katharine Cashman at Bristol University, who aims to attenuate the impact of volcanic catastrophes on local communities and flight safety. Advertisement Some of the academic institutions we support are best-in-class in terms of gender equality. The Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona, for example, has created a dedicated committee to promote equal opportunities and encourage the advancement of their women researchers. CRG is also leading the LIBRA project, which is funded by the European Union and aims to identify gender biases as well as best practices in the life sciences research community across Europe. As with gender balance in many other areas, part of the solution for science lies in attitudes, education, role models and stereotypes. In her recent book, Nathalie Loiseau, the current Director of ENA, the prestigious School of Public Administration in France, makes a strong link between the way young girls are educated and their lack of confidence for raising their hands, speaking out loud and reaching leadership positions. Girls are expected to behave in school, learn their lessons and not ask too many questions; quite the opposite of what makes a great research scientist! A lot has to do with the image of science. By supporting our research scientists in popularizing their research and findings through innovative and impactful formats, we want to demonstrate that science is accessible -- not to mention exciting and rewarding! -- as well as useful, if not crucial, for society. Ivanka Trumps scarves catch on fire, however they are still less dangerous for someones well-being than Trump University. Millennials hate Donald Trump so much youd think he was a bowl of cereal. And Chuck Schumer proved once again that, as majority leader, hell be just like LBJ if LBJ concerned himself with PR-friendly crusades against baggage fees. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Thursday, April 7th, 2016: CHUCK GRASSLEY NOT SCARED OF OBAMA'S STRONG-ARM, JUDGE-NOMINATIN' TACTICS - The Iowa Republican took to the Senate floor to say he is not at all feeling any pressure. "It is no secret that the white house strategy is to put pressure on this chairman of the Judiciary Committee and other Republicans in the hopes that we can be worn down and ultimately agree to hold hearings on the nominee," Grassley said. "This pressure campaign, which is targeted at me and a handful of my colleagues, is based on the supposition that I and they will crack and move forward on the consideration of President Obama's pick. This strategy has failed to recognize that i am no stranger to political pressure and to strong-arm tactics." OBAMA SORRY NOT SORRY FOR PICKING A WHITE GUY - l" target="_hplink">@jbendery: "I need a black lesbian from Skokie. Can you find me one?" -- Obama, on how he did not approach finding SCOTUS pick Advertisement Lawmaking alert: Today Congress approved a reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, thereby ensuring some meals will continue to have wheels. We've all been there. BOTH CHAMBERS SQUABBLING OVER STALLED HEROIN BILL - Grim: "Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio took the floor of the upper chamber Thursday to put pressure on his House colleagues, condemning inaction that has left the Senates sweeping heroin legislation to languish. Portmans address was likely sparked by an op-ed published by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a local paper on Thursday. McCarthys piece strikes the right notes in describing the historic nature of the opioid epidemic, but then veers off track, suggesting that the Houses approach will be to take up and vote on a series of bills being quickly worked up by House Republicans. Law enforcement agencies, health care providers and advocates for the addiction community have spent the last three years working with Portman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act,which passed on March 10 by a 94-1 vote." [HuffPost] BILL CLINTON BLAMES SENTENCING LAWS ON GOP, MAYBE JOE BIDEN A LITTLE - Philip Bump: "On Thursday, at a rally in Pennsylvania, he was forced to address Black Lives Matter protesters who confronted him on his crime bill'Biden said, 'You can't pass this bill. The Republicans will kill it if you don't put more sentencing in.' I talked to a lot of African-American groups. They thought black lives mattered. They said, 'Take this bill because our kids are being shot in the streets by gangs.' We had 13-year-old kids planning their own funerals. She' -- referring to the protester -- 'don't want to hear any of that.'" [WaPo] Advertisement DELANEY DOWNER - Sad news for Ivanka Trump scarves: they catch on fire too easily. "The scarves do not meet the federal flammability standards for clothing textiles, posing a burn risk," the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. "Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled scarves and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund." Also, the scarves are made in China. Sad! [CPSC.gov] Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill IT'S COMPLICATED BETWEEN PAUL RYAN AND TED CRUZ - And by "complicated," we mean, "Ted Cruz is a grade-A jerkface." Scott Wong: "The two young Republican stars did team up last year on a Wall Street Journal op-ed urging colleagues to back fast-track trade legislation that Ryan was spearheading.But the first-term Texas senator quickly backtracked and voted against giving President Obama trade promotion authority (TPA), complaining of secret deals between GOP leaders and Democrats. Those splits highlight precisely why many in the GOP establishment are still reluctant to rally behind and Cruz, even as the Tea Party favorite begins to aggressively court his colleagues on Capitol Hill and make his case against Trump...Cruz was one of five GOP senators who joined Democrats in rejecting the Ryan blueprint, which cut trillions of dollars in spending from programs such as Medicaid and repealed ObamaCare. The Texas firebrand opposed it, in part, because it repealing the healthcare reform law but still counted its revenue. Cruz also raised eyebrows in early 2014 when he hired Paul Teller as a top aide in his Senate office and then promoted him to chief of staff. Teller had just been fired from his job as executive director of the conservative House Republican Study Committee after lawmakers discovered he was working with outside conservative groups to derail a two-year budget deal Ryan was negotiating with his Senate counterpart, Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.)." [The Hill] MILLENNIALS HATE TRUMP - There is really an untapped well of Trumpian bombast that has yet to be directed at America's supposedly laziest generation. Ariel Edwards-Levy: "GOP front-runner Donald Trumps poor standing among female voters has attracted most of the attention in recent weeks, but his candidacy may be even more toxic to voters under age 35. A new NBC News/Survey Monkey election tracking poll pitting Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton against her two possible Republican rivals finds that young voters lean Democratic regardless of the candidate, but theyre practically allergic to Trump. Against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Clinton wins the vote of 18 to 24-year-olds by just 7 points. Against Trump, her margin rises to 25 points. Theres a similar gap for older millennials, ages 25 to 34, who give Clinton a 19-point edge against Cruz and a 33-point edge against Trump." [HuffPost] Our own Milessa Jeltsen interviewed Joe Biden about his work to combat sexual assault. RUDY GIULIANI SEMI-ENDORSES TRUMP - That will go a long way in his home state where everyone hates him. Eliza Collins: "Rudy Giuliani is voting for Donald Trump. The former mayor of New York City stopped short of an outright official endorsement, but he told the New York Post on Thursday that the billionaire has his vote. 'I support Trump. Im gonna vote for Trump, Giuliani said, according to the report. Giuliani, who sought the Republican nomination in 2008, told the Post he has high expectations for Trump's performance in his home-state primary on April 19. 'Its a question of how much he gets over 50 percent. If he wins 70 to 80 delegates, Donald has a good shot of securing the 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination before the convention,' he said, adding that he had met with Ted Cruz months ago before his comments about 'New York values.'" [Politico] PETE KING: THE POOR MAN'S TRUMP - Andrew Kaczynski. "Rep. Peter King of New York said in a radio interview on Thursday that New Yorkers should not vote for Ted Cruz in the states upcoming primary. 'Let me say something about the New York primary: Any New Yorker who even thinks of voting for Ted Cruz should have their head examined,' King said on the Joe Piscopo Show on AM 970 The Answer. 'Really, heres a guy who refused to sign onto the 9/11 health care act for the cops and fireman. Heres a guy who talks about New York values.' 'New York keeps going forward,' King continued, citing the citys response to 9/11. 'Were tough, and to have some guy like Ted Cruz with cowboy boots walk around criticizing us. Look, I hope he gets the cold shoulder and other things from every New Yorker. Send him back where he belongs. Hes a phony, and that was all off the record by the way. I dont want anyone listening. That was all off the record.'" [BuzzFeed] Advertisement CAN BEN CARSON BE ALL THE SURROGATES? - Elise Foley: "Former GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson has been doing a fair amount of press to talk up current GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump since endorsing him last month. Much of it has been strange. On Thursday, Carson came to the defense of Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who was charged with battery for allegedly grabbing a female reporter. 'A lot of people have been charged with various things,' Carson said in an appearance on CNN. That doesnt necessarily mean that we need to demonize them.' Okay, the innocent-until-proven-guilty argument. Pretty standard. 'Youve probably been charged with something, too,' Carson continued, speaking to CNNs John Berman. 'Maybe with a misdemeanor or something. Doesnt mean that youre an evil, horrible person.' Berman, looking befuddled, replied that he actually has not been charged with any crimes." [HuffPost] SCHUMER GONNA SCHUMER - But when will Schumer tackle autoplay videos? Mike DeBonis: "If youre seeking relief from sardine-can conditions on airline flights, dont expect any help from Congress. The Senate voted down an amendment Thursday that would end any further reductions of airplane seat sizes. The amendment failed on a 54-to-42 vote, with most Democrats supporting the amendment by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and most Republicans opposed. The amendment to a sprawling bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration would order a moratorium in reductions to seat size and pitch (i.e., the space between rows of seats) and would empower the FAA to set new standards, in consultation with experts, for seat dimensions that maintain 'the safety, health and comfort of passengers.' Currently, regulators can take only safety into account in making such rules. Schumer took to the Senate floor ahead of the vote to describe his dismay with the incredible shrinking airline seat." [WaPo] BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here are dogs playing tug-of-war. COMFORT FOOD - Trailer for the upcoming one-off "Star Wars" movie. - A tour of Arianna's slumber palace. TWITTERAMA @jennyjaffe:2054 AD. Influencers are as kings. Shares are currency. Food is considered an in-app purchase. But Blue Ivy is president so it's all good. @elisefoley: Tell me more about your personal experiences swiping cards to get on the subway. @jbarro: Poor Martin O'Malley has been living in the New York subway for the last three months but still won't get any votes. The Vermont senator cited Clinton's donations from Super PACs, support for the Iraq War and various trade agreements while arguing why she "isn't qualified" for the presidency. [Politico] "Each weekday, dozens of U.S. government aircraft take to the skies and slowly circle over American cities. Piloted by agents of the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the planes are fitted with high-resolution video cameras, often working with 'augmented reality' software that can superimpose onto the video images everything from street and business names to the owners of individual homes." [Buzzfeed] Mapping out the prisons holding hundreds of convicted terrorists in the U.S. [NYT] "[Rex Mullins] noted that 365 days in prison amounted to about 12-and-a-half days for each dead miner. 'This man made millions of dollars at the expense of our loved ones,' he said. 'Rex Mullins family wants their 12-and-a-half days paid in full.' [Charleston Gazette-Mail] Advertisement The embattled Supreme Court justice nominee is still tutoring students once a week at a D.C. elementary school. [WaPo] "The White House is declining to offer public support for draft legislation that would empower judges to require technology companies such as Apple to help law enforcement crack encrypted data, sources familiar with the discussions said." [Reuters] If you would like to read an article that will most likely anger you about entitled millennials who are the children of the rich and famous, The New York Times wrote this piece for you. [NYT] WHATS BREWING Tune in for the last night of the talent show that started them all. [USA Today] After the collapse of the VHS/DVD world, here's what to expect in physical sales. [Vulture] The creative fields are looking like a good choice after all, folks. [Financial Times] Don't make your heirs pay off your debt. [WSJ | Paywall] With its live video update, the social media site pivots. [HuffPost] In seven charts. [WaPo] "We were told hoverboards -- self-balanced, two-wheeled, battery-powered scooters -- are a transplant surgeons new best friend." [HuffPost] Advertisement For more from The Huffington Post, download our app for iOS or Android. WHAT'S WORKING "Top executives from Salesforce, Microsoft and IBM decried on Tuesday a new 'religious liberty' law passed in Mississippi that gay rights advocates say legalizes discrimination in the state based on sexual orientation or gender identity." [HuffPost] For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter. BEFORE YOU GO ~ Country legend Merle Haggard has died at 79. ~ The White House is moving cash in the fight against Ebola to Zika. There have been 312 travel-related cases of Zika in the U.S. as of the end of March. ~ The Swedish Tourism Association just launched a program where you can call a Swede to ask about their life. This is not a joke. ~ Inside the sometimes very awkward tradition of the First Lady handover tour of the White House. ~ The history of the wonderful phrase "happy hour." ~ Be right back, booking our tickets to go to Japan to check out their cherry blossom season. ~ Tracking ancient conquerors -- by their poop trail. ~ Try cooking your next pizza upside down. ~ Mapping the lead exposure across the U.S. ~ And have a few million on hand? This entire British village is for sale. New York State began 2016 Common Core aligned English-Language Arts testing on April 5. On Long Island, a major opt-out center, thousands of students refused to take the tests. Based on a survey that included 60% of Long Island school districts, Newsday estimated that 58,000 out of a potential 115,000 test-takers in third through eighth grade, a little more than half the eligible students, sat out the tests. In one district, Patchogue-Medford, over 70% of the students refused to take the tests. Preliminary reports in the Hudson Valley region showed that thousands of families were having their children opt-out of the exams. Critics have dismissed the opt-out movement as limited to White parents who are over-protective of their kids. However at Westbury Middle School on Long Island, where 97% of the students are Black and Latino, half the students opt-out of the tests this year, compared to only 2% in 2015. The Network for Public Education (NPE) has endorsed a call for a national "opt-out" of this year's Common Core aligned high-stakes testing because of the harmful effects of annual high-stakes testing on children and schools. According to the NPE call "there is no conclusive evidence that NCLB high-stakes testing has improved the academic performance of any student--particularly those who need the most help. All that has been closed by testing are children's neighborhood schools." The tests, as U.S. Secretary of Education and former New York's Education Commissioner John King concedes are basically designed so that 70% of students will fail, with much higher percentages among students with disabilities, English Language learners, and children who live in poverty. Fairfield University Professor and NPE Board member Yohuru Williams argues these tests, which are manifestly unfair to the neediest children, feeds into racial determinism in American society while closing doors of opportunity for Black and Latino children. Advertisement NPE is also concerned that "data derived from high-stakes testing is intended to undermine our public schools by creating a false narrative of failure. Once public schools are closed, they are replaced by privately managed charter schools, with insufficient public oversight." The national opt-out is supported by Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters, agreed: "As shown in New York state, where 240,000 parents opted out last year, opting out is the most effective strategy parents have to protest, disrupt and dismantle the punitive agenda of high-stakes testing, Common Core and privatization that is undermining our public schools and hurting our kids. Moreover, parents should know that the personal student data being collected through the PARCC and SBAC exams have few if any privacy protections. Most of their children's exams, including their writing samples, will be scored via computers, which is not a fair, reliable or valid method of assessing their abilities." Despite claims that the new federal ESSA law reduces emphasis on high-stakes testing, companies are scrabbling to make money off of the Common Core tests. The latest big entries seeking to profit from the testing bonanza are the SAT and ACT testing companies. At the same time that U.S. colleges are increasingly deciding not to use these tests as admission requirements, the companies are entering the secondary school market. Thirteen states are either currently using, planning to use, or considering using these tests to satisfy ESSA mandates. Scott Marion, the executive director of the Center for Assessment, a nonprofit organization that helps states design and evaluate tests, accuses the SAT and ACT of a "land grab," "It's a little like the Gold Rush." Advertisement Save Our Schools, United Opt Out, the Network for Public Education, BAT (Bad Ass Teachers), and several other organizations are sponsoring a March for Public Education and Social Justice in Washington DC at the Lincoln Memorial on July 8. We are living in an age of vast technological improvement, and this growth has been predicted many times over to lead to the downfall of the human race. While that hasn't exactly been the case, there have in fact been some negative consequences to our increasingly Jetson-esque world. We all already know about modern technology's ability to distract, whether it be in class or the night before a final exam. But what many of us college students are just beginning to realize is its potential to disrupt our sleep, and lord knows we can't afford any less sleep than we're already getting. But before we bemoan the times we live in, we need to realize that this technological growth, as distracting as it can be on a personal level, is also helping researchers and scientists understand sleep better than ever before. The work is being done on a large scale, like at the National Sleep Foundation or the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, but a growing understanding of sleep is being promoted at areas all over the country. At the University of Missouri, students are offered a course that they can take from the most appropriate place possible: their own beds. Sleep and Sleep Disorders, an online class taught by Dennis Miller, an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri School of Psychological Sciences, focuses on teaching students the ins and outs of sleep deprivation. "The goal of the class is to get a basic overview of what happens when we sleep, why it's important and some of the common sleep disorders that people might experience," Miller said. The course runs for nine months, so even though no formal classroom is used, it's still an immersive experience. "We tend to think of sleep as just being unconscious - 8 hours to 10 hours a night we are unconscious - but sleep is really us existing in a different form of consciousness," Miller said. "If we do certain things like take drugs that disrupt the brain's activity, what we'll find is we're not at our best the next day." College students often use their weekends to catch up on sleep, but many of them don't know that their alcohol and drug use inhibits their sleep's effectiveness, even if they sleep in until late in the afternoon. In fact, having drastically different sleep habits on the weekends is potentially harmful to a person's sleep schedule during the week, as sleeping in late or relying on naps creates a harmful reliance on midday rest. These seemingly innocuous habits can lead students down a slippery slope. "Regardless of how many hours of sleep you get, low quality sleep will make you feel groggy and drowsy, and long term that can contribute to psychological disorders like depression and anxiety," Miller said. When students understand their sleep patterns and recognize when it's time to make a change in their habits, they are taking a big step toward better overall health. Miller recommends maintaining a regular schedule. "It can be hard with classes, work and other social activities, but you should try to go to sleep around the same time every night and get up at the same time each morning." This might mean foregoing the temptation to sleep in on days that start late, because in the long run your body's ability to adjust will prize the quality of your sleep over the amount. Sleep and Sleep Disorders is just one class at one university, and the country is rapidly making improvements in access to sleep education. If your university offers a class like this one, online or not, you might want at least consider it for the benefit of your physical and mental health. Vintage distressed retro version of the Colorado State flag with Marijuana leaf in center - controversial issue The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear a lawsuit brought by Nebraska and Oklahoma opposing Colorado's regulation of the sale and cultivation of legalized marijuana. The reaction has been a mixed bag. The challenge and its ultimate dismissal have provided a smorgasbord of topics to be served up and savored -- from scholarly debates on jurisdiction, federalism, states' rights and constitutional law, to crystal ball predictions as to what this foretells for the future of marijuana legalization. As a former prosecutor, what is striking to me is that throughout the fabric of this diverse commentary, a common thread steadily rocks along embroidering its name across the landscape -- irony. Nebraska and Oklahoma did not challenge Colorado's legalization of marijuana. They conceded that Colorado has the power to legalize the production, distribution, possession and use of marijuana. Rather, they criticized the Justice Department for turning its back on enforcing federal law, thereby allowing it to be "dismantled by piecemeal nullification." The states complained that Colorado's establishment of a legal, regulated market caused marijuana to flow into their states, thereby undermining their strict laws prohibiting marijuana. This, they claimed, caused "irreparable injury" by draining their treasuries, placing stress on their criminal justice systems and endangering the health of their residents. Advertisement Irony #1: Nebraska and Oklahoma did not challenge the fact that Colorado could legalize marijuana. Just last year, Oklahoma enacted legislation known as Katie and Cayman's Law, which legalized cannabidiol (CBD) oil for children with epilepsy. However, the law is silent on how patients can actually obtain CBD products and provides no safe, in-state access. This leaves patients and their families with few options, all involving significant risk and expense. Ultimately, they must travel to another state with a legalized market to obtain the medical oil. Irony #2: The criticisms Nebraska and Oklahoma launched against the Justice Department for allowing "piecemeal nullification" of federal marijuana laws have backfired. It is difficult to argue "the supreme law of the land" to spur a crusade when the ones leading the charge cannot pass the "fair weather federalism" smell test. Both states have fervently fought Obamacare on the grounds of states' rights and personal liberties. The federal power they zealously opposed on the healthcare front is the same federal power they sought to rely upon to force a change in their neighbor state's laws. The lawsuit against Colorado not only contradicted their long-held stances on state sovereignty, but inadvertently advocated for dissolution of states' rights altogether. Had the lawsuit succeeded, the stage would be set for states to sue each other over any differing laws and policies or anything that just didn't suit them. Moreover, states that choose to carry a torch for prohibition policies do nothing but fuel a never-ending expansion of the size and power of government. As drug enforcement efforts expand, states' rights and individual liberties shrink as a result of raids and civil asset forfeiture. Irony #3: Nebraska and Oklahoma argued that Colorado's providing a legal, regulated marketplace naturally resulted in more people entering their states with marijuana, which taxed their criminal justice systems and hurt the health of their residents. It was never alleged that the flow of marijuana into their states was due to Colorado's engaging in any conduct that would promote interstate trafficking, such as setting up dispensaries near the states' borders or encouraging bulk sales or shipments. Basically, Nebraska and Oklahoma were advocating for legalization without regulation. If the lawsuit had succeeded, marijuana would still remain legal in Colorado. The only difference would be control of the supply would return to the underground market, thus perpetuating crime, violence and likely more trafficking. Advertisement The Final Irony: The crime, violence and health risks that Nebraska and Oklahoma, and in fact, all drug warriors try to suppress are not derived from marijuana itself, but are the ultimate consequences of the continuation of failed prohibition policies. Regardless of the reason the US Supreme Court declined to hear this case, states that cling to outdated myths and misinformation, pander to industries with vested and conflicting interests, and rely on civil asset forfeitures and drug enforcement funding to justify their drug wars or to attack their neighboring states are wasting valuable time and resources and are not serving the best interests of their citizens. A person who possesses or uses marijuana should not be deemed a patient or merely a free citizen in one state and a criminal or unfit parent in the next. A few years ago, there was a significant nervousness in the business community about a requirement that employers provide earned sick leave as a basic standard. As more of these policies are passed and implemented in cities and states around the country, I've seen business owners who were once nervous become strong supporters of these policies, willing to talk with other business owners about how earned paid sick leave makes good business sense for small and large companies, their employees, and the communities they serve. A recent poll conducted by LuntzGlobal, commissioned by the Council of State Chambers, tells us more of what we already know. Of the 1,000 business owners and C-level executives representative of the Chamber's membership, 73% support paid sick leave. The overwhelming support from their members makes the opposition from local Chambers of Commerce a curious one. How did an organization claiming to represent the will of their membership miss the mark on this issue? Advertisement A closed-door webinar, surfaced by the Center for Media Democracy, sheds light on the disconnect between Chamber leadership and their members. In the webinar, the Council of State Chambers can be seen teaching state-level leadership to convince members to overcome their "empathy" for their employees and oppose paid sick days. Similar coaching was directed at members support for minimum wage increases as well. While business owners should be empathetic of their employees, a paid sick leave standard is far more than a demonstration of empathy; it's good business. The business case for providing earned sick time is evident. Earned sick time reduces "presenteeism," when employees physically report to work, but the limitation of their injury or illness slows their productivity and harms their ability to focus. "Presenteeism" has a similar impact on businesses as absenteeism but it is harder to measure. When employees take the time to recover from illness or attend to the needs of their families, productivity increases. Workers perform at their best when feeling healthy, focused, and not struggling with their illness, or worried about children and family members who need care. Providing earned sick leave also reduces employee turnover costs -- a significant benefit for small business owners who must invest significantly in the training and development of their employees. Paid sick leave is also cost-effective for business owners and the local economies that pass these laws. In Connecticut, Washington D.C., Seattle, and New Jersey, jurisdictions that have passed earned sick leave legislation or ordinances, studies have shown no negative impact on the economy or significant increase in business costs. Advertisement The Center for Economic and Policy Research examined the experiences of Connecticut businesses a year and a half after the state became the first in the country to pass paid sick leave legislation. Most employers reported the law had a modest impact or no impact on their costs or business operations, and they typically found that the administrative burden was minimal. Additionally, more than three-quarters of surveyed employers expressed support for the earned paid sick leave law. In D.C., a 2013 audit of the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act found that the act the Act neither discouraged business owners from locating in the District nor encouraged business owners to move their businesses from the District. Despite the favorable analysis, a high percentage of our nation's workforce still lack the ability take time off to recover from illness without lost income. A survey of 1000 small businesses for our report, "Voices of Main Street," found just 44 percent of those responding had policies on the books. Nationally representative, scientific surveys paint a grimmer picture. A 2013 National Health Interview Survey found that just 38 percent of employers with 1 to 9 staff members provided access to paid sick days. Small business owners recognize the problem, though. The 2015 MSA report found that 65 percent of respondents support a national standard for paid sick days. They support earned sick time because they want to do right by their employees and because it makes smart business sense. However, for many small businesses -- especially those who operate on razor-thin margins -- they can only afford to offer it if their competition does as well. A minimum standard, which levels the playing field, is essential for small businesses to compete in crowded markets. Advertisement That's why business owners from Burlington to Seattle are asking their legislators to ink a policy that provides them with a roadmap, helping them navigate the ins and outs of the system. In Vermont alone, over 250 small business owners joined the campaign to support their state-wide standard for paid sick days and dozens testified during hearings in Montpelier in the months and weeks leading up to the vote. The standard passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Shumlin in March. Next week my wife Barbara, Alison's boyfriend Chris Hurst, and I will head back to James Madison University for the School of Media Arts and Design (SMAD) banquet. SMAD was where Alison cut her journalistic teeth, learning from some of the finest professors in the country. One of the first things we did after Alison was killed was set up a scholarship in her name for a worthy student in the SMAD program who exemplifies the qualities she showed as an overachiever in school and in life. We initially hoped donations would make it to $25,000 so it could be matched by a generous alumnus. We were astonished when that goal was reached within a week and now stands at more than $210,000. It's still growing. It means that each year in perpetuity a rising junior and senior will get a substantial scholarship. Her legacy at JMU and the SMAD program is cemented. The day after the banquet is SMAD Day, where students meet with alumni in their desired field. Alison was a panelist immediately after she graduated. The three of us will participate in a discussion for students on our dealings with the media throughout our ordeal after Alison's murder. Ours is a unique situation because, with very few exceptions, the media has been gracious and sensitive. Alison was one of the tribe, and because of that, I believe they treat us with a deference that few others receive. From my perspective, our relationship with the media is so unlike what students might experience in the real world that I'm not sure I could add much to the conversation beyond that observation. Advertisement So what do I tell these aspiring journalists? I will tell them my favorite Alison journalism story. It's one that makes me smile, burst with pride, and appreciate how she approached life. It shows how she treated people and how others felt about her then and to this day. But first the lead up... Alison got a job before she got her diploma in December 2012. She was hired at WCTI 12 in New Bern, North Carolina initially to work with another reporter in their Greenville bureau. Within a week, the news director discovered she was something special and asked her if she'd like to run the Jacksonville, North Carolina bureau on her own. She jumped at the chance. She covered hard news and in that area it generally revolved around these kinds of stories: "Marine Comes Home To Hero's Welcome", or "Marine Shakes Baby To Death", or "Big Meth Lab Bust". One story she broke went international about a 12-foot alligator that snatched an 80-pound dog from a creek in a park in the middle of town. Her stories there were unlike the mostly fluff pieces she did as the morning reporter for WDBJ. Alison was a fierce competitor who always wanted to break the story and the majority of the time she did. As she did throughout her short life, Alison developed relationships and trust. There was no better example than the mutual trust she gained with the court clerks, judges and law enforcement in Jacksonville, Onslow County and the state police attached to the area. While they all had to share appropriate information to the local media, Alison was clearly a favorite. Once while visiting her, she took Barbara and me by to see the old Onslow County sheriff who sang her praises and invited us to join his wife and him "for suppuh". I thought it quite unusual, but it said how fond of her he was. Advertisement One day she got "scooped" even after she got a call from one of her police contacts telling her they were working on a "very active" investigation. They were asking the media to keep it quiet because of it's "sensitive nature." Alison did what we taught her and was reinforced at JMU. Given the nature of the case, she was ethical and she complied. Her competition did not, and broke the story. Initially, there were some in her news department that criticized her for not reporting it. I remember her telling me how stinging that was for her, but she was OK with the decision, knew she had done the right thing and stood up for herself in her staff meetings. Ultimately, prematurely breaking that story backfired on the other station and Alison was later hailed by upper management at hers. The respect she already had was multiplied by her correct course of action. The immediate benefit came in the form of getting more tips. When law enforcement had information to feed the press, they would send out a release to all media outlets at the same time. Alison would get it an hour or two before anyone else. It was a small gesture that recognized her integrity. ...and that leads to my favorite Alison news story. Alison was tipped off that there was going to be a major meth lab bust in the county. State as well as local police were involved and the lead investigator assured Alison they would be working long through the night at the crime scene. She requested the only live truck the station had for the entire area so she could lead the 10 o'clock news with a live report. Alison and crew were ready to go. Then around 9:45 the lead investigator calls out to his team, "OK, guys, that's it. Let's wrap it up". Alison panicked. Her story is tanking before her eyes. She went to the lead investigator and asked if they can please just stick around for a few more minutes for her live shot. Advertisement "Sure Alison, we've got you covered," he said. He then proceeded to have the lights on the squad cars turned on and flashing. Normally they stayed off for something like this. He then positioned other members of his team to stand in the background, with clipboards, appearing to be intensely writing notes. The scene was dramatic and made for a great backdrop for Alison's report. She nailed it. Could one argue that it was a staged event? Perhaps, but the reality is it was a benign recreation, the kind of small-town harmless courtesy that belonged in Mayberry, or in this case, Jacksonville, North Carolina. Would officers in a major metropolitan market have done this for Alison? Maybe not, but given the trust she gave and garnered, I'd like to think so. These guys did it for her because she was held in high esteem and they knew her ethics to be beyond reproach. I smile and I cry every time I recount this story. She made me proud. Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of a nuclear security summit last week in Washington, President Obama said that he is troubled with some authoritarian trends within Turkey when asked whether he considers the Turkish leader an authoritarian. "(Erdogan) came into office with a promise of democracy," Obama said. "And Turkey has historically been a country in which deep Islamic faith has lived side by side with modernity and an increasing openness. And that's the legacy that he should pursue, rather than a strategy that involves repression of information and shutting down democratic debate." It is correct that when Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party in Turkish) took office in 2002, many intellectuals in Turkey and abroad were convinced that Erdogan's commitment to democratization was promising. Advertisement The first term of the AK Party rule, which is considered as a golden era, broadly extends from 2002 to 2007. This era is characterized by high and inclusive economic growth, coupled with significant reforms on the democratization front, ranging from a radical reordering of civil-military relations to the recognition of minority rights, including the language and cultural rights to Kurdish citizens. This initial high performance had created a certain level of trust towards Erdogan's rule among the liberal intellectuals of Turkey, assuming that, by time, the Justice and Development Party would get rid of the nondemocratic aspects of the Turkish governmental system. Between 2009 and 2011, Erdogan's AK Party successfully managed to ensure the legal framework that would prevent military interventions that Turkey suffered in the past. But the end result was not a consolidated democracy as it was expected, but a highly personalized autocracy embodied around the figure of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The main reason that liberal intellectuals failed to see Erdogan's real ambitions was the very belief that the elimination of the military tutelage and other secular institutions such as judiciary would be sufficient to lead a democracy. It did not. It was correct that these institutions failed to create a functional democracy in the past but it was wrong to believe that weakening these institutions would lead to the emergence of a democracy. Advertisement It has to be stressed that it wasn't only the Turkish liberals that were prey to the Erdogan fallacy. Even some leading international think-tank organizations failed to forecast the future of Turkish Democracy. For instance, in some future scenarios detailed by Rand Corporation in 2008, four possible scenarios in a sequence from the strongest to the weakest were produced: a) AKP pursues a moderate and EU-oriented path, b) AKP pursues a more aggressive Islamist agenda, c) Judicial closing of the JDP and d) Military intervention. For the authors, the regression from Turkish democracy was not even likely: 'In this scenario, the reelected AKP government pursues a more aggressive Islamist agenda. With full control of the executive and legislative branches of government, the AKP is able to appoint administrators, judges, and university rectors and even to influence personnel decisions in the military.' The authors of the Rand Corporation concluded that this scenario is less likely because it would lead to greater political polarization and would likely provoke intervention by the military and second, most Turks support a secular state and oppose a state based on the shari'a and EU membership has been a core element of the AKP's foreign policy. Professor Andrew Arato of The New School in New York suggests that the liberal intellectuals understandably failed to see the logic of Erdogan's actions, because of their own conflict with the military tutelage in the past. During all these years, Erdogan's main goal was to establish an executive power over the judiciary in a move that would violate the separation of powers. Erdogan's personality traits and leadership style also played a crucial role on the transformation of the political system in Turkey. Erdogan's authoritarian charisma and narcissistic personality organization provide evidences that he would be willing to rule Turkey as an ' indisputable sole leader' but not a democratic leader. Readily available data provides evidences that authoritarian charismatic leaders with narcissistic personality organization tend to be dictators. Advertisement A new regime has already been established in Turkey, in which all power is monopolized by a single person, Erdogan, without any check and balance mechanism. A country without any check and balance mechanism brings only instability to its people and to the world. Many believe that West turns a blind eye toward Erdogan's autocratic rule in return to its support against ISIL. But is Erdogan's government a reliable ally against ISIL? Turkey is a NATO ally but is it cooperative against ISIL? It's no secret that when you're done reading an article that you really loved, you should stay clear of the comment section, otherwise you'll go 0 to 100 real quick because of the ignorance that tends to be rampant there (or is that just me?). I learned this the hard way the first time I got published. I felt the need to obsess over every comment that I got and it left me feeling like crap. Since then, I've done my best to steer clear of the comment section of most articles that I read. I let the trolls have their playground to themselves and unless I'm tagged in a comment, I never really know what's being said. The sad thing is, comment sections and social media should be platforms for real discussion to take place, even a healthy debate, but usually this is not the case. Advertisement I like writing. I want to keep writing and if I spend hours reading negative comments about the subject I've chosen to write about, I'll never write anything again. I have been given an amazing platform to have my thoughts read and to create conversations around topics that are important to me. It is a privilege that I do not take lightly. So let's talk about privilege, we all have it in some varying form. Usually the focus is on how unfair it is to say someone has privilege when they deal with tough situations too. But that isn't what privilege is about. While privilege refers to the unearned opportunity one gets simply for being who they are, it does not mean that one with privilege never experiences hardships. However, having privilege comes with a responsibility to use it wisely and better those who do not have the same privilege as you. Choosing to not use your privilege to speak out for those who can't, is problematic. This week, Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams told Mashable, she doesn't speak up for fans who are upset about the mistreatment of women on the show "out of fear of being bashed by women on social media." While I agree that the internet's callout culture is strong, as a feminist who's gotten a nice amount of hate for what I've written, I can't help, but feel like she's missing the point. Advertisement Feminism isn't a convenient title that you can put in your Twitter bio or toss around in an interview for good PR. As a white woman who stars in a popular television show, Williams is in a position of privilege. The way I see it, she had two options: 1) give an interview about the scenes her and her fans found problematic and educate people on why they are problematic or 2) give the the interview she gave about being worried about what people on social media would say. Her worries are valid, but in worrying she missed an awesome opportunity to stand up for what she says she believes in. She also let the sexist trolls win. Racists, sexists, homophobes, etc. want to silence those who believe in equality. They want you to stay seated and silent because it's convenient to do. But that's not how privilege and activism works. If Deray didn't decide to protest would he have the platform he has now? One that could change the city of Baltimore. What about Amandla Stenberg, she used her privilege to educate young people about cultural appropriation. If she had remained silent, maybe she wouldn't have been recognized by Black Girls Rock! What if Shonda Rhimes would have written her shows the way Hollywood wanted her to, putting white people at the forefront, would she be as prominent and powerful as she is today? She owns an entire night of television during the week. Who else does that? South African social rights activist Desmond Tutu once said that "If you you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." Women aren't benefiting from feminist who choose to stay silent. You can't assume that someone else will come along and do the right thing when you've been given the platform to do so. That's what privilege is about. This isn't an attack on Williams or even Game of Thrones, it's a wake up call for those who see bad things happening and choose to do nothing about it. Advertisement Since he burst onto the concert scene in 1983, pianist Stephen Hough has become widely regarded as among the most versatile and probing of artists. "In addition to being a pianist of uncommon depth and sensitivity," the Boston Globe's David Weininger wrote last May, "Hough is also an increasingly visible composer, a painter whose works have been exhibited at London's Broadbent Gallery, and a deft and imaginative writer whose unfailingly interesting blog for London's Telegraph newspaper covers seemingly everything: theology, hats, tea, perfume -- and music, of course." He is the first classical musician to have been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Hough recently spoke with Carlos Gardels for The WorldPost about the challenges of classical music in the age of social media and instant messaging. Advertisement The Internet has changed the way artists work. Just a few years ago a classical pianist working on the Liszt Sonata, for example, had two options if he wanted to hear it. He could go out and buy a CD or go to a concert. Now one can listen to 20 performances through a quick search on YouTube. Surely, this must change the way creative people absorb and reproduce culture? I find this can be both good and bad. The good thing -- and I've been hearing this from students when I give classes -- is that it's now possible to get a much broader idea of historical performance practices from different periods. Of particular interest to me is the style of pianists who played in the first decades of the 20th century, which can now be heard right there on YouTube without having to search all over in old record stores. That is a tremendous resource for research. I can certainly attest to the fact that I'm hearing more of this influence recently in students than before these recordings were so readily available. But I suppose the bad side is that it can limit your own imagination, your own creativity, and -- in a way -- your own struggle to learn these pieces. Learning great works like the Liszt Sonata or Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" should be a struggle to a certain extent, where you need to labor intensely with your own brain and soul for the meaning of the work, instead of cutting and pasting a bunch of stuff together from the Internet and boom! -- there you are with a performance ready to go. We need to be original in our conception of a piece but not self-consciously, artificially so. This takes time and too many other recordings jangling around in our heads is not helpful in this. 'The Internet tempts us to think that because an email or a new website can be accessed in seconds that everything works at the same instant speed. Art is more like the growth of a plant. It needs time and space.' So I think what we must do is use these resources to absorb all of this available material and then let it marinate and enable our own ideas to come out of that, rather than copying anything that's in there. So a good and bad side, but I think weighed more towards the good. Aside from music, I think more of us need to develop a discipline regarding the Internet. The temptation is to jump around, take things superficially and not dig deep. Certainly I'm guilty of this myself. You know how it goes; you are reading one article, and there's a link to something else and something else, and before you know it, two hours have gone by. So there is a need in the arts to delve deep, and to live with the material and let it be absorbed. This is very important. It's related to any kind of growth. The Internet tempts us to think that because an email or a new website can be accessed in seconds that everything works at the same instant speed. Art is more like the growth of a plant. It needs time and space. Do you ever purposely turn off your connection so as to avoid distraction? Not so much when I'm practicing, but I do when I'm writing, both words or music. Ironically, it's important for musicians to step aside even from music, and from listening to music. I think it's terribly important for musicians to have silence in their lives because we're dealing constantly with something that breaks the silence; music is sound waves which interrupt the silence, therefore for musicians, silence is the soil into which we have to plant music; we must nourish the soil, make sure it's of good quality so that our seeds will take root. A vintage illuminated sign calling for quiet. (Oversnap/Getty Images) The death of classical music has long been predicted. One of my favorite quotes is by pianist and musicologist Charles Rosen, who said: "The death of classical music is perhaps its oldest continuing tradition." What is your view? I suppose it depends if we mean the death of music or of the audiences who listen to it. For the latter it is sometimes a problem of concentration. There have always been distractions away from great culture and art -- as it's always been easier to do something superficial rather than something deep -- but I think the sheer amount of that distraction is so much greater today than it ever was with the Internet, Netflix and such, so the danger is that much greater. If you're thinking of going out to a concert, for instance, it's so much easier instead to turn on the television or watch a performance on video. Of course, people lead busy, difficult lives. I understand they might not want to go out on a rainy night, find parking and go to a concert. Advertisement I do find it necessary for musicians and presenters not to be scared and think it's necessary to dumb down music, or to panic as we try to find ways to stimulate people into liking great music, saying things like, "Oh, it's not so bad," "We'll find a way to make it cool," "I know you don't like that piece, we'll do something easier" and so on. We're dealing with one of the highest forms of human achievement, and we need to be confident in its complexity! I think a more effective strategy, especially with young people, would be to challenge them: "Yeah, this is going to be a hard evening for you, do you have the concentration to sit through a Bruckner symphony -- I'm not sure that you do!" And then if they are anything like I was, they will say "Of course I do, how dare you think I might not have concentration for something difficult!" I think this sort of reverse psychology might actually be the key. 'For musicians, silence is the soil into which we have to plant music; we must nourish the soil, make sure it's of good quality so that our seeds will take root.' I remember in school during English lessons I would ask the teacher what were the most difficult books to read, and when she'd say "Ulysses" or something, I'd run off to the library to check out a copy, eager to attempt the most difficult mountain. People aren't that enthusiastic about climbing a two-foot hill, but if they're going to have to go into training to attempt a really difficult mountain, then that's something really exciting! So, relating this to classical music or any complex art form, the excitement of difficulty is something we haven't really begun to explore. We're so scared of turning people off that we turn to excuses ... "It's easy, don't worry," etc. I think we should be more tough with people, and say "this is not going to be easy and you need to enjoy the challenge." Advertisement Your performance schedule takes you to dozens of countries each year. What are some of the differences in attitudes and habits of both audiences and artists that you observe around the world? I'm not sure it differs country by country, but there are certain cities which have tried different experiments. For instance I'm going to Los Angeles, and there are a number of interesting things they've asked me to do; pre-concert talks, public discussions and doing one concert that is a shorter version of the main program. I think that's all very fascinating. 'People aren't that enthusiastic about climbing a two-foot hill, but if they're going to have to go into training to attempt a really difficult mountain, then that's something really exciting!' As far as audiences are concerned, I have great confidence in Asia. I was just sitting in piano auditions at Juilliard a few weeks ago, and around 70 percent of the students were from Asia, which I find absolutely thrilling because this is a part of the world where 150 years ago none of this music had ever been heard, and now they are leading the way. This is a terrific example of how classical music can reinvent itself. Asian audiences tend to be younger -- I played recently in Thailand and Singapore, and it's fantastic, such young audiences, scores in hand, and just totally enthusiastic about Western music. That is very different from certain places in America or Europe where sometimes the audiences are a bit more jaded and have heard it all. I haven't played a lot in South America, but I've been told things are developing enormously with younger audiences down there as well. I'd like to touch on the topic of being both a performer and a composer. Typically, the 20th and 21st century classical musician has not written their own music. I've found this baffles a lot of non-musicians, and for good reason: All of the great virtuosi of the past from Liszt to Beethoven were not only great instrumentalists, but also great composers. Today, all types of musicians outside of the classical genre compose their own music, but classical musicians don't. The great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould said he thought it was a tragedy when performers stopped being composers. I'm curious why you think this happened. It is rather strange! You know, in the 19th century, unless you were part of an orchestra, if you came to a town and called yourself a musician but said you didn't compose they would have been puzzled: "Then how can you call yourself a musician!?" I compare it to words; anyone who can read can write. You won't necessarily be Henry James, but the actual technique of writing words down is similar to reading them on the page. I would certainly encourage all young musicians to try their hand at composing. I have found, with words, the more I write, the more the words flow. I think this idea that one shouldn't compose and perform at the same time came around a time after the First World War when a kind of intellectual snobbery took root, the idea that only a small number of people really knew the "inner secrets," or were members of club to which few belonged. Look at writers such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Ezra Pound and T.S Eliot. They were all great writers, of course, but all esoteric, complex and working within a very small exclusive world. Virginia Woolf famously said that she would be horrified if the ordinary man in the street could understand what she was writing about because then she felt it probably wouldn't be any good. It was only of value if it spoke in an exclusive way to people of high intelligence and from a particular cultural background. I actually think this infected a lot of musicians' attitudes as well because they tended to feel that unless they were writing masterpieces they had no right to compose music at all. That should be left to the experts. Stephen Hough performing the music of Beethoven, Janacek, Scriabin and Liszt at Carnegie Hall on Thursday night, November 18, 2010. (Hiroyuki ito/Getty Images) This continued further on into the later-20th century when after Schoenberg and his 12-note system, it was required to write in that style with that technique and sound. However, I feel that this has pretty much disappeared now; people are free to write in any style, in any way. So now is the time for people to come back to writing again -- words or music. Don't worry about what the experts tell you, and just have this wonderful sense of freedom and self-expression. Not that I'm encouraging amateurism, because obviously writing a good sentence or a good musical phrase requires a certain technique and observance of rules which come from a learned tradition, but let's not avoid something because the experts claim it's their property. Let's have the confidence to try things out ourselves and to experiment and have fun. I have to say I was quite scared when I started performing my own compositions in public, because I sensed something of this attitude at times. "Well, you're not a professional composer" or "By putting your music next to Mozart's or Beethoven's, aren't you suggesting you're as good as they are?" Now that I've been doing this for quite some time I feel more confident and don't really care so much what people think! You're not only a blogger, a painter, a composer, and a touring soloist -- but also working on a novel. Are there certain things in life that you've learned to avoid or block out that give you this robust energy, time and focus? I don't watch television! At least not when I'm traveling. For some reason I have always found it depressing to watch television in hotel rooms. I try to use that time, as well as time on planes, to write. I'm flying back to England next week, and I showed the first draft of my novel to a publisher who was very encouraging but had a few suggestions, so I'm going to use the time on the flight to go through my manuscript and make some changes. Donald Trump, president and chief executive of Trump Organization Inc. and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, center, speaks to the media in the spin-room following the Republican presidential candidate debate sponsored by CBS News and the Republican National Committee at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina, U.S., on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Donald Trump tops the GOP field with support from 36.3 percent of likely South Carolina Republican primary voters with Ted Cruz at 19.6 percent, according to a poll conducted for the Augusta Chronicle released on Friday. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Republican National Convention will be held in Cleveland later this year. Already it is shaping up to be one of the most contentious party meetings in American history, even months ahead of time. Pretty much no matter what happens, there are going to be some seriously disappointed people (and that's putting it mildly), both within the convention hall and out in the surrounding streets. That much, at this point, seems almost guaranteed. The real question is whether this will boil over into anything other than the usual disgruntled muttering of the supporters of a losing candidate or not. Salon ran an article today from Digby which details some of the behind-the-scenes planning by supporters of Donald Trump. Some are already using the phrase "days of rage" for what they want to see happen if Trump is somehow denied the GOP nomination. This, of course, harkens back to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which saw waves of rioting in the streets (and also gave birth to the cry: "The whole world is watching!" since the television cameras were rolling during some of the worst of it). Could this be the year when Republicans see some sort of replay of what the Democrats went through in 1968? Advertisement Normally that would be an incredibly provocative question to even ask. It might even border on incitement -- again, if these were normal times. But these are anything but normal times, obviously. Donald Trump himself pondered whether there would be riots in the streets at the convention, in an interview earlier this year. Most of the media tried to portray this as Trump instructing his followers to riot, but that's not precisely what he said. He was asked what he thought would happen if he were to be denied the nomination, and he gave an honest answer: "I think there'd be riots." The reason I defend his use of the word "riot" is because that is exactly what I had been thinking as well: "Trump denied? Riots in the streets." Further proof, should any be required, comes from major Trump supporter Roger Stone, who sounded this clarion call last week: Go to Cleveland. Come to Cleveland. Don't let the big steal go forward without massive protest. Peaceful, nonviolent protest. So, as they used to say, don't wait for orders from headquarters. Ride to the sound of the guns. I don't mean to imply violence on that. I mean: Ride to where the action will be. We have to let the Republican bosses and the kingmakers and the insiders and the lobbyists know that we're not going to stand for the big steal. So if you are a Trump supporter, make plans now. Take a bus! Hitchhike! Carpool! Take a train! Fly, if you can afford it. We need you in Cleveland! Even without that "days of rage" phrase, the parallels to the Democrats in 1968 are pretty stark. The people think the political system is rigged against them and their cause, and they intend to let everyone know about it, in as big a way as possible. Advertisement The speculation about an "open" or "brokered" convention is currently at a fever pitch. It was already a hot topic among the pundits, but Ted Cruz's victory in Wisconsin has shoved it into overdrive. Normally merely a "what if" scenario that nobody but political wonks love to dream about, this year the chances of it becoming reality are greater than they have been in the past four decades. But there's a big question that almost all the pundits fail to ask themselves, in the midst of all this rampant open convention speculation. That question is: What happens next? Say the wonky dreams come true and Donald Trump does not have a simple majority of delegates -- the amount necessary to win on the first ballot. Say also that somehow the party manages to nominate someone else on a second, third, or eighty-seventh ballot. What then? What happens next? Nobody really wants to contemplate this aspect of their predictions -- the pundits and party insiders all prefer to then pivot immediately to the general election, as in: "Paul Ryan could be a white knight candidate who rides in and saves the party from Trump and Cruz, and then goes on to wage a successful campaign against Hillary Clinton." Perhaps that might happen, but it completely ignores what the immediate (and visceral) reaction from the Republican base would surely be. There are only, really, three scenarios to contemplate for the Republican National Convention. Either Trump wins, Cruz wins, or someone else wins. Trump could win outright, on the first ballot. Trump could actually win on a subsequent ballot, by picking up delegates from non-Cruz candidates (especially if he's only a handful of delegates away from winning). Either way, the outcome is the same: the candidate who won the most support from the Republican electorate wins the Republican nomination. This would actually, at this point, be the best possible outcome for those Republicans who care about party unity. That sounds counterintuitive, but when stacked up against the other possible outcomes, this would indeed be the best for holding the party together. The Republicans are divided into three factions. There are the legions of Trump supporters, there are those who truly love Ted Cruz for his conservatism, and then there are the party establishment types. Both the Cruz and the establishment factions might consider launching some sort of third-party run against Trump if he wins the nomination, but in the end this effort will likely fizzle in one way or another. The problem is that there really isn't anyone for them to rally around -- that's been the party's problem all along, in trying to stop Trump. The establishment types are rallying around Cruz at the moment, but this is merely a marriage of convenience -- they are attempting to use Cruz as a means to an end (denying Trump the nomination), pure and simple. The establishment types have no love for Cruz at all, and would not leave their party if he launched a third-party bid. Remember, at heart the establishment types are the "party above all else" people. Some of them might announce they could never support Donald Trump, but the vast majority of them will eventually fall in line and dutifully "support the nominee of the Republican Party." It is in their nature to do so, since (after all) they are establishment types. Even many of the voters who have been supporting Ted Cruz would likely fall into line behind Trump eventually, rather than follow Cruz off into the third-party wilderness. Trump winning the nomination would actually give the Republican Party the best chance to heal their internal wounds before the general election, as strange as it may seem. Advertisement Consider the two other alternatives the party could take in Cleveland. Ted Cruz could masterfully play the delegate-choosing game, and -- after the first ballot denies Trump his victory -- Cruz could emerge with enough delegates to grab the nomination. He's really the only other viable candidate who has proven he's able to get a large amount of voter support, so he'd be the natural alternative to Trump. If Cruz emerges as the party's nominee, then of course his conservative supporters would be happy. The establishment Republicans would also consider this an acceptable outcome, and would fall in line behind Cruz (indeed, most of them already have). But the Trump supporters are not going to go quietly into the night, to put it mildly. More on this in a moment. The third scenario would actually be the worst, for those who care about party unity. Say a miracle happens, and the party rejects both Trump and Cruz after the initial round of balloting. Say it turns into a real "brokered" convention, with party bigwigs in smoke-filled back rooms (well, "smoke-free," these days, but that is still the correct historical term to use). The party elite would plot and scheme and eventually emerge with a "consensus" candidate -- Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, the ghost of Ronald Reagan, or whomever they came up with. Ironically, this choice would be intended to heal the rifts in the party so they can present a unified front in the general election fight. This would not happen, however. Far from it. If some "consensus" nominee emerges, it is going to absolutely enrage a majority of the party's voters. The establishment Republicans, of course, will not see this coming, and instead be left wondering why their "consensus" candidate cannot achieve any sort of consensus. The Trump supporters would be just as enraged as if Cruz had won -- but so would the Cruz supporters. Cruz commands the Tea Party wing of the Republicans, to a large extent -- those whose complaint for the past few decades has been: "Why doesn't the party nominate a true conservative instead of losing so many elections with the centrist candidate the establishment types love?" Ted Cruz would be the perfect conservative experiment, since he is about as pure a conservative as you could even imagine. Denying him the nomination -- after supporting him to dethrone Trump -- is going to enrage all of his true conservative supporters. Paul Ryan (or any other "consensus" candidate) would be seen as a traitor to the cause, a betrayal of the grand "true conservative nominee" experiment. So nominating a "consensus" candidate would actually result in the least amount of party unity of any of these choices, since doing so would anger not only the Trump supporters but also the Cruz supporters -- which, added up, roughly equal at least two-thirds of the Republican base who voted in the primaries. Nominating Trump would avoid more party disunity than the other two options, in other words. Strange but true, but then it's been that sort of year. Not nominating Trump would lead to utter disarray -- and that's at best. At worst, it could lead to rage in the streets. If the party took the "consensus" candidate route, there might not just be Trump rage in the streets, there might be competing Trump and Cruz supporters incensed at what was happening inside the convention hall. That's a pretty ugly thing to contemplate, admittedly. Even inside the convention, if Trump is denied the nomination there are going to be a whole lot of seriously annoyed pro-Trump delegates (Cruz won't be able to totally pack the house). Even the best case is pretty ugly -- the party calls the delegate roll and announces someone other than Trump as the nominee, accompanied by loud booing and catcalls. Picture it: "Paul Ryan, Republican nominee... BOOOOOOO!!!" That's a spectacle just made for the television cameras, and not exactly the best "party unity" message to send to the public. And remember, that's the best case. Slightly worse would be if all the Trump supporters stood up together and marched out of the convention in unison, angrily screaming all the way. In this case, it wouldn't match the Democratic National Convention of 1968, but instead that of 1948, when the Dixiecrats stormed out to create their own party and nominate Strom Thurmond. Again, this would be tailor-made for television, the spectacle of incensed delegates streaming out of the hall while the congratulatory balloons are supposed to be dropping. The worst case scenario would be not just fistfights and rioting outside the convention, but fistfights and rioting inside the convention, as well. This is a real possibility, at this point. Sad, but true. If Donald Trump is not guaranteed the nomination on the first ballot, the math will be clear weeks before the convention convenes. If there is a movement to steal the nomination away from Trump, it will take place out in the open. It is already openly being discussed by all kinds of Republicans, so if it becomes a real possibility I seriously doubt it'll suddenly become a secret plot or anything. It'll play out on cable television, instead. This will give the most fervent Trump supporters time to heed the call of those who see "days of rage" as a good thing. It'll give them time to travel and gather in Cleveland in preparation for the convention. In 1968, the protests and riots occurred right outside the convention hall. This won't happen in 2016, because security zones are a lot wider these days. But even a few blocks away, the cameras will still be rolling. My guess is that if Donald Trump isn't nominated as the Republican presidential candidate this year, there are going to be some mighty disappointed people loudly letting the world know what they think. Which is the real answer to the mostly-unasked question of what happens after a brokered convention comes up with some way to stop Donald Trump. What happens next might indeed be rage in the streets. Advertisement Chris Weigant blogs at: Old times there are not forgotten. -- "Dixie" by Daniel Decatur Emmett It was bad news for Alabama, a state that had just gotten two doses of very good news. The first had come from the United States Supreme Court, and the second from Robert Bentley, its governor. On March 7, 2016, the United States Supreme Court had patiently explained to Chief Justice Roy Moore and his somewhat dull colleagues on the Alabama Supreme Court, that when a same sex couple adopted two children in Georgia and the adoption was valid in Georgia, Alabama did not have the right to opine, as Roy and his colleagues had done, that the adoption was void and not entitled to full faith and credit in Alabama. That was the first piece of good news. The other piece of good news came on February 23, 2016. On that date the Governor announced that he was introducing the Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act. That was great news for those who were incarcerated in Alabama prisons. The need for the Act, although not a cure all for all the ills of the Alabama prison system, was obvious. Advertisement According to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Alabama prisons have a population that is almost double the number they were designed to accommodate. Instead of holding 13,318 prisoners, the prisons are home to 24,000 prisoners. The reason there is such crowding, according to the Center, is that Alabama incarcerates "more of its citizens, per capita, than all but two other states." To make matters worse for those incarcerated, Alabama ranks last in in the country in what it spends per prisoner. The governor's plan, if approved by the legislature, would provide for the construction of four new prisons, and would, as Governor Bentley said when introducing his proposal, make Alabama "a national leader in safe and effective incarceration of inmates." Although his comments were hyperbolic, there was clearly a need for his proposal. On March 11th and 14th, 2016, shortly before the Alabama State Senate was to begin consideration of the governor's proposal to issue $800 million in state bonds to fund construction of new facilities, there were two riots at the William C. Holden Correctional Facility. That prison is home to 900 prisoners even though it is designed to accommodate only 581. (It is also home to Alabama's execution chamber which, from time to time, serves to reduce the overcrowding in the prison.) During the riots two prison officials, including the warden, were stabbed by the inmates. The governor's announcement of his proposal was greeted with enthusiasm by those concerned with the state's prisons, but received a somewhat less enthusiastic response from legislators who are reluctant to authorize the issuance of up to $800 million in bonds to fund the effort. Comments made by legislators, following the governor's announcement, indicated that the proposal would have a rough time in the legislature. It now turns out that the legislature is probably off the hook. That is good news for the legislators and bad new for prisoners and others who hoped that at long last the state would address severe overcrowding and its attendant problems. It is also bad news for the governor. Advertisement On April 5thth the legislature returned from its Easter vacation. It is no longer interested in prisons. It is no longer interested in prison reform. Upon returning from its Easter vacation, a group of Alabama lawmakers said they were introducing articles of impeachment against the governor. They decided to do that because on March 23, 2016, it was publicly disclosed that Governor Bentley had made what were described as "inappropriate and sexually charged remarks" to one of his female aides. Although not articulated, it was hinted that the behavior might have included more than just sexually charged remarks. In Alabama, where perceived sexual misbehavior is taken seriously, news of his behavior shocked his Alabama constituents and their elected representatives. The governor has admitted that he made made inappropriate remarks to his female aide but denies that there was an affair. He has tried to move beyond the crisis affecting his administration, explaining, as recently as April 4, that he has asked God for forgiveness. It is unknown how God responded, but as of this writing it appears that the legislators may proceed with the impeachment. The process is not complicated. The New York primary is fast approaching, and our next president will likely be a New Yorker. Oy, gevalt! Two hometown sons from New York City are in the race. There is Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, who was raised in outer borough Queens and has spent decades stamping his name in large, gold letters on luxe buildings across Manhattan. And there is Bernie Sanders, the don't-count-him-out-yet democratic socialist candidate, who long ago traded working-class Flatbush, Brooklyn for the greener pastures and hills of Vermont. So, too, there is the leading Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton, who in another era might have been called a political carpetbagger. She moved to the New York City leafy suburb of Chappaqua - rather than back to Little Rock, Arkansas - when her husband, President Bill Clinton, had to cede the White House back to the Bush dynasty. Not long thereafter, Bill set up his post-presidential post in the heart of Harlem, and Hillary's new New York neighbors elected her to the Senate. Advertisement Odds are one of the three will be elected, and the prospect of a New Yorker presidency has some folks hot and bothered. Earlier in this colorful campaign season, Ted Cruz, who is running second place in the Republican slugfest, tried to cast aspersions on Trump by accusing him of having "New York values." When pressed during a debate to elaborate, Cruz - who himself was born in Calgary, Canada - claimed, "Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media." More recently, Cruz called Trump a "big, loud New York bully," as if New York nurtures its own special breed of bullies distinct from the tormentors of other states. Has anyone other than Cruz thought through the implications of a New Yorker presidency? It certainly won't be the first. Four presidents were born in New York: Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Others have had strong New York connections. Chester Arthur practiced law in New York and reported to William Tweed, the boss of the corrupt Tammany Hall machine that manipulated New York City politics and patronage. Grover Cleveland was sheriff of New York's upstate Erie County. More recently, Barack Obama temporarily made New York his home, while completing his undergraduate degree as a transfer student at Columbia University and then starting his career. In Dreams from My Father he recalls, "I spent my first night in Manhattan curled up in an alleyway." Obama woke up the next morning and joined a homeless man "washing himself at an open hydrant." But the current president's New York credentials are admittedly flimsy. After all, he largely was raised in Hawaii and raised his own daughters in Chicago. It is about time we had another New Yorker in the White House. As a fourth generation New Yorker, and the mother of two fifth-generation New Yorkers, I fancy that I am as fast-talking and sharp-elbowed as my lineage and years navigating the crowded aisles of Zabars and Fairways have primed me to be. But I have never experienced a New Yorker presidency. I was born during Lyndon B. Johnson's second term. Working backwards, apart from Obama, the presidents in my lifetime have hailed from: Texas (George W. Bush), Arkansas (Bill Clinton), Texas (George P. Bush), California (Ronald Reagan), Georgia (Jimmy Carter), Michigan (Gerald Ford), California (Richard Nixon), and, yes, Texas again (LBJ). In other words, apart from Bush Sr., who grew up in Connecticut, there has not been a single president in the past half century affiliated with anywhere on the East Coast. Advertisement As I look down the long and winding road toward New York's primary on April 19 and beyond that to the general election, I wonder to what extent geography is destiny. How will a New Yorker presidency differ from a Texan or Californian presidency? Unlike Cruz, I realize that New Yorkers are not all alike. After all, as Trump so helpfully reminded us, when rebutting Cruz's comments about New York values, "Conservatives actually do come out of Manhattan, including William F. Buckley and others." A Sanders presidency surely would little resemble a reign of Trump. Even so, will some essential eau de New York - the salty mist of the Atlantic or the refreshing spray of Niagara Falls - waft into the Oval office with its next occupant? Will the pungent bouquet of the disturbingly named Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island - once the biggest garbage dump on the planet and after 9/11 the sorting ground for the rubble and human remains from Ground Zero - make itself known? Will the next occupant of the White House have a New Yorker's outlook on matters foreign and domestic? Emily Dickinson famously wrote, I see -- New Englandly -- The Queen, discerns like me -- Provincially -- Will our next President see New Yorkerly? Will he or she discern provincially? In all likelihood, next November we will collectively elect the Empire State's first president since FDR. But which stripe of New Yorker will it be? The homegrown capitalist, the native socialist, or the geographic opportunist? For the first time in several years I crossed to and from the border with Mexico, at Tecate, last week. Given my experience doing so, I found myself wondering whether we can even say we have a border with Mexico. Although there was an x-ray machine operating to get into Mexico, the Mexican immigration agent charged with screening luggage was too busy helping U.S. tourists move their bags off of the machine to bother even looking at what the x-ray images revealed. No big deal, a U.S. citizen might think, except that individuals who can so easily enter Mexico at another entry point may then attempt to enter the U.S. Coming back in to the U.S., none of my bags were x-rayed, nor were those of any in the group I was traveling with. Of course, we all submitted our passports for review, but the x-ray machine was not used for anyone. Perhaps that is because we were all U.S. citizens, but I found myself wondering whether not x-raying anyone's baggage was any worse than x-raying bags but not reviewing what the x-ray revealed. My conclusion is that both Mexico and the U.S. have a problem, as it is in both nations' interest that border crossings be managed effectively. Borders are the geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions that are either completely open (such as in the Schengen Area of Europe), completely closed (such as with North Korea), or fall somewhere along the continuum between the two (as most do). The border between the U.S. and Mexico is clearly on the more open end of that continuum, with most of the border being completely uncontrolled, given its 2,000 mile length. The U.S./Mexico border happens to be the most frequently crossed 'controlled' international boundary in the world, with approximately 350 million legal crossings being made annually. Perhaps that is why some customs and passport control agents on either side of the border don't fuss too much. Advertisement In speaking with some people in Mexico while I was there, I learned that some of them had driven into Mexico from the U.S. without so much as a passport check. Even worse, two American citizens I spoke with had driven back and forth across the border back into the U.S. without having their passport, bag or person checked. This is occurring not only 15 years after 9/11, and after having spent many billions of dollars to enhance our security protocols and capabilities, but while the debate rages in the U.S. presidential campaign about the security risks associated with what can only be referred to as our "porous" southern border. I don't like much about Mr. Trump, but he sure has it right that the U.S. has a serious problem with its southern border. Beyond being outrageous that the above- referenced events could occur -- even on a random basis -- the idea that it may not be so random, but rather, the norm, makes my blood boil. Given the intention of a variety of terrorist groups to attack the U.S., you'd have to wonder why it hasn't happened with greater frequency. You don't have to be a conservative, or subscribe to the tactics of Sheriff Joe Arpaio or border vigilantes, to find the current state of affairs unacceptable. Given that the 'solution' the Mexican and U.S. governments have crafted is so obviously inadequate, I find myself asking why building a border wall between the two countries should be so automatically opposed by people in the middle or on the left of the political spectrum. Are they truly willing to sacrifice their individual, and our collective, security for the sake of the civil liberties of people who enter the U.S. illegally, want to sell drugs or weapons, or engage in acts of terrorism? It seems to me that those who enter legally should have no reason to object. Whether a border fence that is nearly 100 percent effective (as in the case of the fence separating Israel and Gaza) can even be constructed is questionable. Building such a wall could cost as much as $8 billion, and even if it were able to be built legally (current international and environmental law raises question about that), it is unlikely to be truly effective, given that passage between the two countries also occurs by sea and air, that drones are being used with increasing frequency, and that tunnels can be built to bypass the border. At least 40 such tunnels that have been discovered since 9/11, enabling the large-scale smuggling of drugs, weapons, and immigrants to take place. One tunnel running from San Diego to Tijuana was half a mile long, 60-80 feet deep, had a concrete floor, drainage, and was wired for electricity. It is hard to detect or combat that. Advertisement Would the construction of an 18-foot high concrete fence running the length of the border greatly disrupt the flow of illegal people, drugs, and weapons into the U.S.? Certainly. Will it be 100 percent effective? Certainly not. Would we be better off with it than without it? Probably. But building such a fence would make no sense at all if it was not accompanied by strict border protocols on both sides of the border. In that regard, building a fence would undoubtedly prove to be the easy part. I'd like to hear what Mr. Trump proposes for the rest of the equation. If that were already being done more effectively, there would be no need for a fence at all. The Innocence Project at Cardozo Law School reports 337 post-conviction exonerations in the U.S. since 1989. But damage done to the wrongly convicted cannot be undone. Time served by all 337 people exonerated totals almost 4,606 years, a per person average of 14 years in prison. The Innocence Project reports that the real perpetrators were identified in 166 of the DNA exoneration cases. But while innocent people were behind bars, those 166 went on to commit 146 additional crimes. More than half of these wrongful convictions were due to improper forensic science at trial. Cybergenetics, developer of computer automated systems and technology research data analysis, claims its TrueAllele Casework system prevents wrongful convictions by accurately matching the DNA of the perpetrator to the DNA evidence. TrueAllele's computerized DNA interpretation system excels in situations where human forensics fail--when evidence contains a mix of three or more DNA samples. However, Cybergenetics' refusal to share the source code behind the software proves problematic in courts. This source code, or programming code, is the key to software function. If Cybergenetics releases the code, its competitors could replicate it. But without the programming code, defense attorneys are unable to challenge the accuracy of TrueAllele. Likewise, prosecutors can't authenticate it. For $60,000, crime labs can buy TrueAllele software. According to Cybergenetics' TrueAllele Process Overview Video, an analyst first assays the DNA evidence following a typical procedure such as PCR, a DNA amplification process. This DNA evidence can range from bodily fluids to skin cells. After the evidence is scanned, the computer fitted with the TrueAllele software finds the length and quantity of every data peak. Through complex, undisclosed codes and algorithms, the computer separates DNA mixtures into genotypes, solves kinship and paternity, and calculates match statistics. Quantitatively, TrueAllele seems to be more reliable in probability modeling than typical methods used by forensics labs. However, the support for this claim consists only of peer-reviews and mock tests done by Cybergenetics. Its TrueAllele Mixture Validation in 2010 seems to satisfy state courts. This groundbreaking technology helped convict criminals in over 500 cases in the past five years, with the majority of those convictions occurring last year. Currently, states lack regulations of the use of evidence provided by TrueAllele. In Pennsylvania, this is demonstrated by the Michael Robinson murder case. Counsel for Robinson, accused of killing two men in 2013, was denied access to the TrueAllele source code last month. Prosecutors used TrueAllele to link Robinson to DNA evidence found on a bandana near the crime scene. TrueAllele found that the DNA was 5.6 billion times more likely to belong to Robinson than to another suspect. If Robinson is convicted, he faces the death penalty. Relying on the Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause, Robinson's defense attorneys claim that access to the programming code is necessary in order to cross-examine Mark Perlin, founder of Cybergenetics and TrueAllele's creator. Defense attorneys have asked the Pennsylvania Superior Court to reverse the trial judge's decision. They state, "without production and defense review of the computer instructions, not only will the petitioner be denied his constitutional right to a fair trial--he risks being wrongly executed." In her ruling, Judge Jill Rangos stated, "An order requiring Cybergenetics to produce the source code would be unreasonable, as release would have the potential to cause great harm to Cybergenetics." Cybergenetics would lose a lot of money to competitors if it made the source code public. But without the code, there is no way of verifying that TrueAllele is as accurate as Cybergenetics claims. Perhaps Cybergenetics should be required to release the source code after the court orders a nondisclosure order protecting the software. Despite benefits for cases involving mixed DNA evidence, TrueAllele could promote wrongful convictions--even though it's meant to prevent them. This highlights the need for regulations in the state court systems regarding TrueAllele. antique row houses,colorful,narrow streets, Do you find yourself in one of those places where spring never seems to happen until long after the calendar says so? Easy fix -- plan a trip to Charleston, where it's all going down -- daffodils, flowering trees, chirping birds, warmer days, the works. One problem: Everybody likes Charleston, particularly in the springtime -- this can drive the cost of a visit far higher than it ought to be, even if it is one of North America's best-loved destinations for a reason. Don't get sucked into spending the college fund: The truth about Charleston is that the best thing is just being there -- the specifics are less important. Here's a handy guide that will help you keep costs down. Affordable hotels in Charleston? That's a laugh. (Well, sort of.) Charleston's best hotels win all sorts of awards for good reason -- they're wonderful and charming and often quite luxurious. It's best, however, to think of the city as Manhattan in miniature -- here too, it's mostly about demand. If you're pricing out a weekend in, say, April and are impressed by the number of options going for $400, $500 a night, know that it's not because these are the world's most opulent/unforgettable hotels, it's just that everyone else is going, too. You can fight to find a budget bed in the historic district, but unless it's the depths of low season, when everything's on sale, apart from a couple of less than thrilling options (the dated Days Inn comes to mind), you're going to get a lot more for your money across the Ashley River. This brings you to a part of Charleston that's not quite so famous, one with a ton of affordable hotels, quite literally minutes from the action. Here, recognizable chain properties, some offering rates of less than $99 a night at certain times of the year, mix it up with great indies like the Town & Country Inn & Suites, starting around $150, even on some very busy weekends. And there's no need to cross the river every time you want to eat -- this part of Charleston has its fair share of good restaurants, too. (Try Swig & Swine for BBQ and beers, Early Bird Diner for great regional breakfasts, Boxcar Betty for famous fried chicken sandwiches.) Value hunters will have similar luck across the Cooper River in Mount Pleasant, an upscale suburb with great access to the beach. In the historic part of town, the charming Old Village Post House Inn is a great find, with starting rates of $99. If price is the only concern, look no further than the area of North Charleston closest to the airport -- here, smart chains like Aloft and Hyatt Place can be booked quite cheaply for much of the year. From all of these areas, the historic core is between 10-20 minutes by car, tops. Bonus: Charleston now has Uber, so those flying in don't have to feel pressured to rent wheels to get around -- you can get downtown from the airport and most places in the 'burbs for about $15. (More on that below.) Advertisement See the city without spending a penny. The great pleasure of Charleston is to explore a place that probably looks nothing like where you come from -- if you've never been, the main thing to do is to see as much of it as you can on foot. (For sure, bring comfortable walking shoes.) From the old City Market to the nearly-ancient architecture that surrounds it, the famous pineapple fountain at Waterfront Park and the miles of seawall wrapping around the city's historic core, there's a lot to take in without going very far. Then there are the terrific shopping / people-watching strips like King Street, which deserve to be walked end to end -- stop at Marion Square, a hub of local social life and home to both Thursday night movies (Apr-May) and a great Saturday morning market in season (Apr-Nov). One of the most impressive pieces of local architecture is one of the newest -- the stunning Ravenel Bridge soars above and over the Cooper River, connecting Charleston to Mount Pleasant. It's not just for cars, either -- a path at the top of Bay Street takes you up and over for a thrilling if lengthy round-trip, offering views for days. Temperatures rising? Charleston is surrounded by water - make like a local and hit the beaches, which are everywhere. (Not to play favorites, but laid-back Sullivan's Island is pretty great.) At the very least, head near water -- at the Mount Pleasant end of the big bridge, you have two excellent open spaces -- Memorial Waterfront Park, which includes the remnants of the old bridge, and Shem Creek Park with its boardwalk offering views of both the natural surroundings and Charleston's handsome little skyline. Cheap eats, Charleston style. Charleston is one of those towns where food is almost as important as politics and maybe even a little more important than religion. It can also be quite expensive. From the first meal to day's end, it really does pay to watch your wallet when eating out. The better-known breakfast spots tend to be monstrously overpriced for what you get -- instead drop by the Marina Variety Store, looking out to the Ashley River; in the restaurant, a breakfast combo special starts at only $5.99. For lunch, newer hotspots spots like Two Boroughs Larder make it easy to pop in and out without overspending -- a noodle bowl option allows you to assemble your own ramen lunch from about $12 per bowl. The popular Artisan Meat Share butchery sells excellent sandwiches priced between $7 and $12 (try the hot fried chicken and biscuit, or their tasty take on the banh mi), plus great sides like macaroni and cheese and bean salad for a couple of bucks each. Need a drink? Tank up at some excellent happy hours -- stop in for a couple of $4 craft beers at Parlor Deluxe, a popular new soda fountain and hot dog shop known for their beer floats, every weekday from 4-7pm. At the so-hot-right-now top end of town, everything on the happy hour menu - including tasty snacks -- is $4 at Edmund's Oast, a top beer bar. And while must-try dinner spot The Ordinary is far from budget-friendly, would it hurt to stop in for their oyster happy hour ($1.50/each, Tues-Fri, 5-6:30pm)? No. No it wouldn't. Sit-down evening meals don't have to break the bank, that's for sure -- celeb chef Sean Brock's known for the high-end Husk; skip that and instead try Minero, his curious Lowcountry-influenced Mexican joint that gets raves for its catfish taco (no, really!), served with green tomato tartar and crisp cabbage, a good deal at $4 each. There's also a glammed-up burrito for $10. Way, way up King Street, the fun and informal Spero is open for dinner as well as lunch -- drop in for some local clams, an order of mussels, inventive steamed buns and a great barbecued lamb sandwich, all at refreshingly accessible prices. Not trying to turn your evening into a whole thing? The divey and much-liked Griffon, a relaxed pub near most popular downtown hotels, does a good fish and chips for $9.99 -- try the soups, too. Advertisement To car or not to car? Unless you've got designs on a Lowcountry road trip (those who have the time really ought to twin a Charleston visit with some time in Savannah, the other historic gem in the region), Charleston's a very small town, not to mention a relatively safe and walkable one. With Uber making it easy to navigate the bridges after a fun night out and a handful of Zipcars available downtown should you feel the beaches calling your name, there's really no need to burden yourself with a car here, at all. For those staying in the city, what you'll save on hotel overnight parking charges alone makes this a smart move. If you're stuck with wheels and can't get rid of them, the city maintains a series of parking structures with a daily maximum of $16 -- some, such as the garage located next to Marion Square, are manned 24/7. Ready to go? Have a look at our current fare finds to both Charleston and nearby Savannah. Other stories you might like: There are many times and many reasons in our lives that we find ourselves wanting to give up. We may have even followed that instinct a few times, only to regret it later. It can be really hard to keep going when times seem tough, and it seems like throwing in the towel is the simple answer. There may be truth in that, it may be the simple answer, but it certainly is not the successful one. All of the great successes in life had that crossroads. They have many more times that they failed than they succeeded. The difference is that they got up one last time, the time that mattered. They kept in mind a few key things that all of us should remember when we are on the verge of giving up. 1. Sir Winston Churchill once said, "Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about." If this is true for you, do you want what you think about it to be that you threw in the towel, or that you persevered? If it is the latter, it is a thought that will stick with you and motivate you in ways that you had not dreamed of. It will show you that no matter how dark things seemed to have gotten, you were able to find a strength from within, and demonstrate that you could be successful if you out your mind to it. If you decided just to stop because things seemed hard, you would always live with that knowledge as well, and you are likely to question how you will handle it when things get rough in the future. 2. Dale Carnegie said, "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." I am sure you know people who have given up in these moments, perhaps you have been the person who has given up in these moments. I know I have seen people give their lifelong dreams a very short window or time to prove the success they had always dreamed of, before giving up. What if the success they had imagined truly was right around the corner. I believe that the most successful are the ones who say they are going to keep going no matter what, until they have exhausted every option possible, because sometimes the last time is THE time. Advertisement 3. I saw a quote the other day that tickled me because it was so true, it simply said, "Remember that guy that gave up? Neither does anyone else." I find it fitting that the author is Unknown. Such a simple thought, such a sad thought, such a true thought. People do not remember the person that made it 90 percent of the way to their goal, they remember the few who stuck it out that extra 10 percent and achieved what they set out to do. Do you have an incredible idea? Do you envision greatness? Then never, ever, give up on yourself, no matter how many obstacles get thrown in your way. They are to test you, they are to strengthen you, and they are to make your ultimate success that much sweeter, because you kept going when you could have much more easily thrown in the towel. 4. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying something that makes me giggle, but makes me giggle with delight. He said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." It is the idea of not dropping anchor and veering off course, or stopping for any given amount of time. If you slow down, lose focus, or don't keep your head up for the rough terrain ahead, you may come to an unpleasant stop. If you keep your focus, stay on track, and never stop your momentum, you will reach your final destination. Today, April 7th, marks World Health Day 2016, a yearly event that gives public health advocates a unique opportunity to raise global awareness for a key health issue. As a former Minister of Health, scientific researcher and lifelong advocate, I look forward to this day with great anticipation. Few occasions give us such a platform to enliven discussion and coordinate action for health on a truly global scale--inspiring change from the smallest community health clinics to the most prominent boardrooms. This year, we are all talking about diabetes. Why diabetes? For one, diabetes wreaks havoc on the world in increasing numbers. The World Health Organisation estimates that 9 percent of the world's population currently has the disease. It is the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths annually, 80 percent of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. Second, diabetes causes substantial financial loss for individuals, their families and national economies. And third, it joins a multitude of other non-communicable diseases (NCDs)--cardiovascular disease, hypertension, common cancers--that signal a new pandemic. Advertisement Diabetes can be successfully prevented and managed by a healthy lifestyle. When not managed, it can lead to severe organ damage and death. In too many countries, this choice is not up to the individual; it is dependent instead on the quality of regional, country-level and international health systems. And recently, we have seen the weaknesses of those systems laid-bare as even the world's developed countries have struggled to address and contain pandemic health threats. During my tenure as Minister of Health of Ethiopia from 2005 to 2012, we achieved tremendous progress in tackling the many infectious diseases prevalent in resource-poor countries such as my own. But we also planned for the future, making holistic investments across the entire health system with our national government at the head. We built integrated health information systems and critical infrastructure, and flooded the system by developing and expanding the number of skilled workers at all levels. In short, we built a health system for the country we aspired to be, one that could meet diverse health challenges. Not surprisingly, our successes in reducing infectious diseases coincided with a rise in NCDs--diabetes among them. More people are alive to develop chronic illness, and increasing economic strength enables many to practice the same poor health behaviors that made NCDs commonplace in high-income countries for generations. On April 7th and in the days and weeks that follow, we should take the occasion to converge and intensify our efforts to meet the ambitious targets of the sustainable development goal of reducing premature mortality from diabetes and other NCDs by 2030 in all countries--rich and poor alike. Advertisement While travelling internationally as a North American is by no means a novel concept, every so often someone does it a little differently, capturing the world's collective attention in the process. Few phenomenon stimulate the human spirit quite like music, and a unique example of using musical performance as a focal point of the travelling experience is the story of Outspeaker Dotan Negrin. Feeling lost and disconnected in his home city of New York, Negrin departed in 2010 on an ambitious round-the-world tour. While this is not on its own a remarkable story, what makes Dotan stand out is his choice of luggage, namely a stand-up piano on wheels. His mission: to connect with global citizens through impromptu musical performances in any and every setting you can imagine. Dotan's YouTube channel documents his five-year ongoing journey through the United States, Central and South America, and Europe. In the process, he captures some beautiful moments, including a stunning performance in California's picturesque Malibu Canyon: And an impromptu jazz duet in the streets of Paris, France: Dotan's journey has captured significant media attention, including coverage by CBS News, People Magazine, CNN, Fox News, Mashable, Rolling Stone Magazine, and was even spun into a Goodyear Latin America commercial. Beyond his YouTube channel, follow Negrin's story on his website, Periscope, Facebook and Twitter. A tweet dated April 5 indicated that Dotan's next stop was Sedona, Arizona, so if you're in the area, look for a man and his piano where you'd least expect to be serenaded. Reached through his Facebook page and asked about what's next for him, Dotan indicated that 'the journey never ends...it evolves', and that he hopes to inspire people around the world to learn the language of music. Advertisement Earlier this week tragic events on the island of Mindao in the Philippines, served as a stark reminder of how climate change and poverty are visiting violence on peasant and indigenous communities across the globe. After record-breaking temperatures and a months-long drought resulted in massive crop failures, 6,000 desperate peasant farmers and supporters blocked a highway near Kidapawan City in Cotabato province, Their demand? 15,000 sacks of rice from the government disaster relief agency to ease the food crisis. After days of protest, instead of rice, Filipino police and army forces opened fire into the unarmed crowd, killing 10 and wounding over 100, with a further 87 reported missing. Over 40 protesters were arrested and charged. The country's most widely read newspaper, The Philippine Star, reported on the event as if it was more of public nuisance than a criminal act of extra-judicial execution. They insinuated there were links between the starving protestors and the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Filipino Communist Party. The Star declared that farmers were unwilling to dialogue with the governor, and presented government shootings of unarmed civilians as a logical and inevitable result of this intransigence. Advertisement The Kidapawan shooting transcends the specifics of this regional drought and localised food protests. It reflects the catastrophic neoliberal intersection of climate change, poverty and state violence. Rather than stepping in with state support, governments and the military worldwide are increasingly deploying political repression and counter-insurgency tactics to crush the growing dissent of peoples not only in climate-affected regions, but also against those losing their homes and territories to the brutal expansion of extractive industries and palm and soy plantations. Following on the heels of the targeted murders of indigenous leader Berta Caceres in Honduras and two Mayan activists in the Peten of Guatemala, the Kidapawan massacre highlights two dangerously related global trends: the criminalization of dissent and decriminalization of extra-judicial executions. Not all dissent is criminalized equally and not all dissenters risk executions at the hands of the police and military. Indigenous peoples, peasants and people of color suffer disproportionately from environmental disasters and from income and resource inequities, trapping these communities in a vicious cycle of poverty and hunger - a cycle that is exacerbated by climate change. Not only is the gap between the poor and the privileged widening, the levels of violence against the disenfranchised is increasing. When indigenous people come together with the ultimate resource they possess - their collective dissent - they are repeatedly met with violence intended to terrorize them, shatter their unity, weaken their resolve and silence their voice. The events in the Philippines are a sad example of how peasant and indigenous peoples across the world are struggling for recognition, struggling for their homes and fighting for their lives by demanding "the right to have rights." Advertisement When public dissent is criminalized--and when the police become executioners--it not only robs the lives and voices of the oppressed, it silences democracy for everyone. Updated April 14, 2016, to reflect that a charge of simple battery against Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager for Donald Trump, has been dropped by the state attorney for Palm Beach County, Fla. Irrational exuberance has been gushing from the anti-Trumpites since Donald Trump's loss Tuesday to Ted Cruz in the Wisconsin primary. After months of wishful thinking and unfulfilled predictions of imminent collapse, was this finally the Trump campaign's reversal of fortune? ABC News screen grab Maybe, maybe not, declared The New York Times' Nate Cohn in a dispassionate analysis on Thursday. Trump did just as projected in Wisconsin -- 35.1 percent of the Republican vote -- undercutting the more cinematic storyline that a couple of wretched weeks of bone-headed acts and comments had caught up with him. What did happen was that Cruz did significantly better than expected. Advertisement So as tempting as it is to label this is a "Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?" moment for the Little Caesar of contemporary politics, it's worth remembering what we've learned since Trump announced last June that he was running for president: 1. It is impossible to underestimate Trump's knowledge of or even curiosity about the most basic facts regarding the crucial issues of our time -- from economics to terrorism, social justice, the environment and, terrifyingly enough, nuclear war. 2. It also is demonstrably unwise to underestimate Trump's competitive ferocity and his instincts for inventing diversions and employing tactics -- no matter how ugly, shameful, ignorant, despicable or seemingly self-damaging -- that successfully distract, reframe and refocus the campaign to his advantage. Yet it is precisely now, with the nomination within his sight but still beyond his grasp, that sticking with what has worked could prove his undoing. If he fails to change and loses, he will have no one to blame but himself. The deeply creepy Cruz notwithstanding, the only things really standing between Trump and the Republican nomination for president are himself, one number and two words. Advertisement The number is 1,237, and the words are "women" and "violence." Trump already has the power to deal with these matters. What we don't know is whether he has enough self-discipline to direct his power effectively and whether he wants the nomination badly enough to try. 1,237 One thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven is the minimum number of delegates constituting a majority of the 2,472 expected at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland starting July 18. Under convention rules known to all candidates well in advance, including Trump, a candidate must acquire a majority to become the party's nominee. Trump has racked up 743 delegates since the primary/caucus season began on February 1 and holds a substantial lead over Cruz's 517. Trump's job, then, is to arrive in Cleveland on July 18 with at least 1,237 delegates bound to vote for him on the convention's first ballot. If he does his job, he will become the Republican nominee for president. If he doesn't do his job, he will become a coast-to-coast loser. Theoretically, candidates can come to Cleveland with fewer than 1,237 delegates, lose on the first ballot and, assuming no one else got to 1,237, try to cut deals on subsequent ballots for the votes of delegates allowed to switch their allegiances. Complex rules that vary from state to state define when delegates are obliged to vote in accordance with the outcomes of their state primaries and caucuses and when they become free to vote for anyone they prefer. Trump, however, cannot realistically succeed in this environment. He has incinerated far too many Republican bridges with his personally insulting campaign tactics, his competitive belligerence and an endless fact-defying litany of assertions that have veered from Republican principles and antagonized and alienated many party members and activists. Advertisement In other words, Trump cannot win the Republican nomination by just getting more delegates than any other candidate or just getting closer to a majority than anyone else. To win, he has to show up with 1,237 delegates already sewn up. WOMEN To get to 1,237 with the primaries remaining before July 18, Trump somehow must reverse his atrocious standing among women. In a national survey in December by Quinnipiac University Polls, 50 percent of Americans -- half the country -- said they would feel embarrassed if Trump became president. Among women, the embarrassment factor was a staggering 59 percent. A Gallup tracking poll done in March found that 70 percent of American women viewed Trump unfavorably, a perspective that has been steadily rising since July 2015. Even among women who identified themselves as Republicans or leaning toward Republicans, 46 percent expressed an unfavorable opinion of Trump. Why so many women feel this way is not exactly a mystery. The documented record of Trump's degrading, condescending and insulting attitudes and comments about women stretches back across many years and contexts and has continued through the campaign (Google "Trump" and "Megyn Kelly"). Advertisement In Wisconsin recently, Trump tried to dismiss past comments about women as show business jokes. But less than two weeks ago, Trump made Ted Cruz's wife, Heidi, the object of threats and thinly disguised invective based on her appearance. Then he distributed an unflattering picture of her to the 7.5 million followers of his Twitter account. Trump will lose if he doesn't overcome women's well-grounded unfavorable perceptions of him. It's an enormous challenge, and he'll need to come up with something a lot more heartfelt and substantive than his boast last year that "I'll be the best thing that ever happened to women." VIOLENCE Equally grave are Trump's problems with violence. He routinely claims that he doesn't condone it, but his words and tone at rallies reek with winking approval and sometimes worse. At a February rally in Iowa, Trump told the crowd to "beat the crap" out of anyone who seemed to be about to throw a tomato at Trump, and he promised to pay their legal fees. Such comments have incited numerous incidents of violence perpetrated by Trump supporters who apparently see themselves as doing what their champion -- wink, wink -- really wants them to do: A North Carolina protester already in the custody of security staff was punched in the face by a Trump supporter; a protester in Tucson, also in security custody, was punched in the face by a Trump supporter and then punched and kicked after he fell to the ground; a protester in Florida was slammed in the head with an elbow punch from a nearby Trump supporter; a reporter covering a Florida rally was seized by the arm from behind and yanked sideways as she was asking Trump a question, leaving bruises on her arm. All these incidents were captured on video. Advertisement The person shown grabbing reporter Michelle Fields on March 8 was Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski denied that he touched Fields, and Trump denied that any incident had occurred, claims disproved by video footage that was released subsequently. After campaign officials began trying to smear Field's reputation, she filed a complaint with the Jupiter, Fl., police, which conducted an investigation and, on March 29, arrested Lewandowski and charged him with simple battery. Trump continued to defend him. On April 14, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg announced at a press conference in Florida that the charge against Lewandowski had been dropped and he would not be prosecuted. Aronberg said that the available evidence had met the police standard of "probable cause" that a law had been violated and justified the arrest and charge. But Aronberg's investigation determined that the evidence did not meet the higher prosecutorial standard of "a reasonable likelihood of conviction" and that Lewandowski had "a reasonable hypothesis of innocence" based on a claim that he was acting to protect Trump. Finally, there was Trump's barely veiled threat that there would be violence in the streets of Cleveland if he had more delegates than anyone else but did not get the nomination, even if he fell short of the required 1,237 delegates. "I think you'd have riots," he told CNN's Chris Cuomo in March. "I wouldn't lead it, but I think bad things would happen." CNN Video To put an end to this, Trump must address his supporters with deadly seriousness and unambiguously forbid them from doing violence of any kind to anyone for any reason. If he doesn't do this, then the responsibility for violence that occurs is on him, morally if not legally. And if he does not recant his outrageous threat about riots and clearly instruct supporters to do no such thing, and he doesn't get the nomination, then any violence that occurs in Cleveland is on him, too: the people hurt, the businesses damaged, the jobs disrupted, the families thrown into turmoil. On him. Advertisement Riots if I don't get my way! Whatever fears may haunt us in the dead of night, in the light of dawn Americans do not want a president who acts like a punk enforcer strong-arming folks for protection money. by Rod Collins, Director of Innovation at Optimity Advisors Last month, in this column, we explored Frederic Laloux's color-coded typology of organizational evolution, and I left you with this question: What color is your organization? Chances are that most of you responded either Orange or Green. If you are one of the approximately 70 percent that workplace surveys report are not engaged in the workplace, yours is probably an Orange organization where the primary focus is on making the numbers and management practices are clearly top-down. If you are lucky enough to be in a workplace where you feel engaged and your voice matters, yours is likely a Green organization that views strong human cultures and a focus on delighting customers as the pathway to profitability. But regardless of the color of your organization, it is almost certain that the vast majority of you report to a boss. The difference between being in an Orange or a Green organization is those of you in Green organizations probably like working for your bosses a lot more than your Orange counterparts. However, if you work for Buurtzorg, the Dutch neighborhood nursing organization, or Morning Star, the world's largest tomato processor, you don't have a boss, which is why the color of your organization is Teal. Buurtzorg and Morning Star are two of the innovative enterprises that Laloux highlights in his book Reinventing Organizations: A Guide for Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness. These Teal organizations are models of an evolutionary leap in organizational design that may very well represent the future of management. Advertisement Putting Patient Care First Buurtzorg was founded in 2006 by Jos de Blok, a nurse who had a radical idea for a better way to organize neighborhood nurses--an idea he knew would never be accepted in the traditional organization where he worked. In the Dutch health care system, neighborhood nurses have an essential role, working hand-in-hand with hospitals and family doctors. At the time, every one of the approximately 85 nursing organizations followed the Orange model where the primary focus was on efficiency and economies of scale. Accordingly, the various tasks of these organizations were distributed into specific functional roles, such as intake specialists, schedule planners, call center employees, and, of course, managers and supervisors. What concerned de Blok was that, although this typical arrangement was highly efficient, it unwittingly enabled a system that lost track of patients as human beings. For example, because schedule planning was done by people who didn't know the patients and whose primary interest was minimizing the travel time of nurses between visits, the patients had no continuity of care and would see different nurses from visit to visit. While the system appeared to be managing costs well, the same could not be said for managing patient care. To correct this problem, de Blok put in place an organizational arrangement where nurses work in self-organized teams of 10 to 12, with each team responsible for the care of 50 patients in well-defined neighborhoods. From day one, no one on the teams has ever been in charge and there is no prescribed division of labor. Instead, the teams are responsible for collectively distributing tasks among themselves, monitoring their own performance and productivity, and making important decisions that affect the team. Jos de Blok's innovative organizational paradigm has been extraordinarily successful. In its first seven years, Buurtzorg rapidly grew from 10 to 7,000 nurses, and today employs two-thirds of all neighborhood nurses in the Netherlands. Buurtzorg requires almost 40 percent fewer hours of care per patient than traditional nursing organizations because, by putting patient care first, Buurtzorg's clients heal faster, are less likely to be hospitalized, and stay in care half as long. It turns out the key to efficiency has less to do with focusing on costs and managing travel time between visits, and more to do with providing a human care experience for the patients. Advertisement No Coercion and Keep Commitments In 1970, the idea that you could build a successful enterprise where there are no bosses would have been considered business insanity. After all, how would anything get done if no one is in charge? The notion that workers could effectively self-organize work defied all conventional wisdom on how to build a successful enterprise. But Chris Rufer is not a conventional businessman. So, when he decided to start Morning Star, he structured his company on two foundational principles: No one person should have the authority to coerce another person, and all individuals should keep their commitments to the company mission. With these two principles in mind, Rufer designed his organization as a peer-to-peer network without any supervisors, where individual workers negotiate specific commitments with their colleagues and measure the status of these commitments on a bi-weekly basis. The linchpin for this unconventional approach to managing a complex organization is a rubric known as the Colleague Letter of Understanding (CLOU). Before the beginning of each business year, colleagues in the various business units of the tomato processor gather to discuss business strategy for the upcoming year. Following these strategic sessions, each worker negotiates a CLOU with the colleagues he or she works with or services most directly. Typically, a worker negotiates with about ten colleagues, and a completed CLOU can list up to thirty specific deliverables with relevant performance metrics. The negotiation and the documented agreement of measurable deliverables form the basis of the shared understanding that directs the coordination of the individual efforts of each of the workers. By holding colleagues accountable to each other rather than to supervisors, Morning Star creates a highly collaborative environment in which everyone effectively becomes each other's customer. Throughout the year, detailed business information is updated twice a month and made available to all employees so they can track the metrics in their own and their colleagues' CLOUs. The transparency of critical financial and operational data is essential for self-organization to work well. Unless people have real-time access to data throughout the year, negotiating CLOUs runs the risk of becoming nothing more than an empty exercise. With the data, CLOUs can be a lever that drives extraordinary business performance, as Morning Star has demonstrated. It turns out you can get a lot done when no one is in charge. Today, Morning Star has grown into the world's largest tomato processor, with 400 full-time colleagues and 2,000 part-time workers during the summer harvest season. Advertisement The Network Effect Buurtzorg and Morning Star are impressive examples of how Teal organizations can be far more effective and efficient than their traditional counterparts. Given how their stories are so impressive, it's somewhat surprising that more organizations don't follow their lead. Yet, when Zappos made the decision to move from being a Green to a Teal organization by adopting the bossless Holacracy structure, CEO Tony Hsieh and his leadership team faced a firestorm of business media criticism for what many felt was a senseless move for a company that was already well-known for its extraordinary culture of empowerment. But perhaps Hsieh understands something that the media critics fail to grasp: We are living in a time of unprecedented change that is redefining the fundamental rules for how the world works. One of the most significant insights derived from Laloux's study of the evolution of organizations is how the emergence of the Teal organization is so radically different from any other organizational transformation. The moves from Red to Amber to Orange to Green were all done in the context of a constant dominant paradigm. Every one of these organizational types is some form of a prescribed hierarchy where people are led by someone who's in charge. What changed over these early evolutionary phases was the scale, the motivational incentives, and the expected behaviors of those who held power over others. But what has remained constant across ten millennia of organizational evolution is an unquestioned belief that organizations can't work unless someone is in charge. While Buurtzorg and Morning Star have effectively challenged this belief, they've haven't drawn media wrath because they have been essentially hidden in plain sight and could be written off as anomalies. Zappos, however, like the bright neon lights of its Las Vegas headquarters, is a force that cannot be ignored. When Zappos does something, everyone notices. What is truly unprecedented about these first decades of the digital revolution is that for the first time in human history, we live in a hyper-connected world--a world where all people are available to each other on the Internet and where, very soon, all devices will be connected through the Internet of Things. In a hyper-connected world, power is not derived from being in charge, it belongs to the connected, which is why the network is rapidly replacing the hierarchy as the dominant paradigm of our time. What can best be described as the "network effect" will completely displace the silo effect that has shaped our organizational structures. It's also why, as Tony Hsieh understands, the Teal organization is very likely the future of management. Advertisement Hollywood Sign Seriously? What the fuck is fuckable?? I don't know if I can answer that question for you, but I can share my own experience. When I was 19 or so, I was standing in a Starbucks in West Hollywood with a director, talking about the upcoming film we were about to shoot. It had been a long road, but we had finally made it. Waiting for our coffee, I could see that he seemed a bit uneasy. I asked him if everything was ok. He said yes. I didn't believe him, so I asked him again. He looked at me and said "Heather, I'm sorry, we have to give your role to another actor. The producers don't want you." I didn't understand. I had been attached to this project for two years, and now two weeks before filming, I'm being let go. I asked him why. He looked me dead in the eyes and said "They say you're not fuckable." Well, fuck me. Even as I write this, I can still feel the pain, shame, and humiliation that came over me in that moment. This is a part that I had been so excited to play. She was bold, witty, sarcastic, sexy, but more importantly, she had a deeper vulnerability underneath. She had layers, she was complex. Advertisement I don't really remember what happened moments later, except for a few words from the director like "sorry" "Investors" "love you." Later that day, he said "I still want you to do this movie. We have another part for you, that we think you'd be great for. Right now it's small, but I'll make it bigger, so it's worth your while." What does a girl do? Do you say yes, okay, because the script is amazing, and great people are attached, or do you say, go fuck yourself, fuck no, because I have my pride, and thanks for wasting the last two years of my life. I said yes. I said yes. It was hard. It was difficult, but I did it because I loved the script, and the people who were on the project. What I didn't love was the politics, and what would be my first real taste of what gross fucks financers can be. And no, they are not real producers. Scott Rudin, Christine Vachon, Jane Rosenthal, those are producers. There is a difference. You don't really know what moments are going to help shape who you are going to become. I didn't know then just how damaging those words would be. Three words. "You're not fuckable." Advertisement Other words I attached to "You're not fuckable" were ugly, disgusting, loser, failure, DISGUSTING.... That was the biggest word. It made me feel as though people wondered why I should even be taking up space. "Who the fuck are you to be taking up space on this planet you unfuckable fucking fuck?" I carried this with me into my late 20s. Along with that, I had continual confirmation that I was indeed not fuckable based on the fact that the phone wasn't ringing very often, and my agents at the time were only sending me roles for "plain janes" or "very large women." Mind you, I'm 5'4 and weigh 120. And as I write this, I also have the thought, I want to eat some pizza. Oprah talks about how all we want is to be seen. Well, I didn't think my agents were seeing me, I didn't think casting directors were seeing me and I began to truly wonder, am I NOT seeing me? Am I ugly? Am I this unfuckable, gross, disgusting creature who should only be cast as the fat girl, or the freak? But then I realized something. Of course they were seeing me, because that's exactly how I saw myself. That's how I saw myself from the time I was 11, around the time I did Dollhouse. Until then, the definitions of beauty hadn't registered in my brain. I just knew it when I saw it, usually when I had a crush. After Dollhouse came out, I read the reviews. I was asked a lot of questions by reporters, such as, "How does it feel to play the ugly duckling?" "How does it feel to play someone so unattractive?" and in my little 13-year-old head, all I heard was, how does it feel to BE ugly? So it was that much more devastating when it was confirmed yet again, by someone whom I respected, who I thought saw me, saw my beauty, saw my sexiness, saw my power, saw my capability. Truthfully, I feel that all women go thru this, especially actors. Will we be seen? For me, I had to stop sitting shiva, remove the blanket from my mirror and look. I had to look at my gorgeous face, with my piercing blue eyes, my pouty lips, small chin, slightly crooked nose, full teeth and smile. I had to really look at myself and see my beauty, and once I could accept the harsh reality that I was indeed, not only fuckable, but fucking beautiful, everything started to change. The roles I started to get called in for were women who were " beautiful, confident, secure," they were complex, they had bite, they had depth. Advertisement On Wednesday, March 23, legislators in the state of North Carolina called an emergency session to discuss House Bill 2, the "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act." Within twelve short hours, the bill passed both House and Senate and made its way to Governor Pat McCrory's desk where it was signed immediately. The "emergency" that prompted this rapid trajectory of events was an antidiscrimination ordinance passed by the city of Charlotte, NC in February of 2016. This local ordinance prohibited businesses from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and required transgender people be allowed to use public bathrooms of their choice. With remarkable swiftness and frightening intent, North Carolina state legislators responded by overturning Charlotte's ordinance and imposing draconian anti-LGBT measures. Far more sweeping in scope than related "religious freedom" bills that emerged last year in states like Indiana and Arkansas, North Carolina's law rolls back civil rights protections across the board by effectively prohibiting any municipal efforts to curtail discrimination. The particular logic that undergirds HB2 is a myth. The core fear that fuels this law is that women and children will be raped and molested in public restrooms if transgender people are allowed to use the bathrooms of their choice. Supporters of the law believe it is a necessary measure to protect a vulnerable female population from sexual violence. They argue that ordinances like the one passed in Charlotte will provide predatory men with unprecedented access to the bodies of women and children by allowing them to pose as women in order to breach the cis-gendered ordering of public restrooms. Advertisement This logic has a very long history; the recent deployment of such ideas in North Carolina did not emerge out of thin air. In fact, looking at HB2 from a historical perspective allows us to see North Carolina's recent rash actions as a tragic revival of some of the darkest political traditions in American history. Historically, the rhetoric of protecting women has never been about actually protecting women. Over the course of several centuries, accusations of rape and sexual assault were believed to have been variously used to undermine and negate the social and political advances of minority groups. When certain sectors of American society have felt threatened by racial, cultural, or sexual minorities - particularly ones that seem on the cusp of achieving real civil equality - they fought back with accusations of rape and sexual violence. It has always been little more than an emotional ploy to enforce a regressive social policy. North Carolina's transparent efforts to foment anxiety about the physical and sexual safety of women and children reflect ideas as old as our nation's founding. As Americans turned their gaze West after the Revolution, the protection of women and children provided the foundational logic of settler colonialism. Demands for the physical and sexual safety of women and children provided the emotional catalyst for American offenses against native Indian enemies. Eighteenth-century newspapers regaled the reading public with tales of horrors enacted upon the bodies of Anglo-American women and children by native marauders. Such language and imagery demonized and dehumanized Indian populations and justified ruthless, retaliatory violence against native people. Daniel Boone himself referred to Indian men as "ravagers" when he narrated his story to John Filson in 1784, alluding to the predatory desires of native men for sexually vulnerable Anglo-American women. While historians have illustrated how such tales were rooted in fiction, these associations compelled white men to the defense of American households and the dependent, female innocents within. The language of female protection became of the language of war and, ultimately, justified and celebrated the slaughter of native men, women, and children. Advertisement North Carolina's current campaign to "protect women and children" from the imagined predation of LGBT people can also trace its genealogy to the nineteenth century. In many ways, the fears of rape perpetuated by anti-LGBT crusaders are just the most recent incarnation of what the nineteenth-century journalist Ida B. Wells called "the old threadbare lie." In the decades following the Civil War, Wells, a pioneering writer and anti-lynching campaigner, publicly challenged the myth that white women needed protection from sexually rapacious black men. During the late nineteenth century, whites justified the lynching of blacks in the name of avenging sexual assaults against white women. This fiction about the sexual vulnerability of white women and the predatory inclinations of black men justified and perpetuated unspeakable horrors and barbaric violence. Through her exhaustive investigative research, Wells found that the lynching of black men for the alleged rape of white women had no basis in fact. Rather, she argued, the violence unleashed in the name of protecting white women served to legitimize the savage enforcement of social control, white supremacy, and patriarchal authority. In the early twentieth century, this same rhetoric of vulnerable womanhood was mobilized in the name of white supremacy. It was marshaled to secure separate public facilities for black and white and rallied to excuse and defend racial violence. In the 1920s, it created what historian Nancy MacLean refers to as a "mask of chivalry" - a broad appeal to an early version of "family values" politics - that gave rise of the second Klu Klux Klan. In the rapidly changing decades of the early twentieth century, the Klan mobilized millions of rank and file members by calling for the chivalrous protection of white women and children against the perceived threats of a modernizing world. They made direct links between black voting rights and rape, claiming that the franchise would politically sanction black men's insatiable lust for white women. Such calls set loose forces of domestic terrorism onto racial, religious, and foreign minorities in order to brutally and violently suppress the rising tides of African American equality, women's rights, and foreign immigration. While North Carolina's new anti-LGBT law is the product of a contemporary political moment, the basic argument at its core speaks to a very old and very insidious historical narrative. It demonizes a marginalized group and punishes their growing social and political visibility by labeling them sexual predators. This characterization, in turn, justifies their persecution and legitimizes their victimization. We have been here before. Such fictions have long been used as powerful arguments against the forces of racial progress. They are now being deployed to combat gay and transgender equality. The myths perpetuated by legislators in Raleigh serve the same nefarious purposes that they have for centuries. And the lies at the heart of HB2 are as threadbare as those we have seen before. A picture taken on April 7, 2016, shows heavily damaged buildings on a street in Yemen's third city Taez as a result of clashes between Shiite Huthi rebels and fighters from the Popular Resistance Committees, loyal to Yemen's fugitive President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. A new ceasefire enters into effect in Yemen midnight on April 10, 2016, with the United Nations hoping it can be the cornerstone of a long-lasting peace deal at upcoming talks in Kuwait. / AFP / AHMAD AL-BASHA (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-BASHA/AFP/Getty Images) Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrikes using United States-supplied bombs killed at least 97 civilians, including 25 children, in northwestern Yemen on March 15, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. The two strikes, on a crowded market in the village of Mastaba that may have also killed about 10 Houthi fighters, caused indiscriminate or foreseeably disproportionate loss of civilian life, in violation of the laws of war. Such unlawful attacks when carried out deliberately or recklessly are war crimes. Human Rights Watch conducted on-site investigations on March 28, and found remnants at the market of a GBU-31 satellite-guided bomb, which consists of a US-supplied MK-84 2,000-pound bomb mated with a JDAM satellite guidance kit, also US-supplied. A team of journalists from ITV, a British news channel, visited the site on March 26, and found remnants of an MK-84 bomb paired with a Paveway laser guidance kit. Human Rights Watch reviewed the journalists photographs and footage of these fragments. Advertisement One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemens year-long war involved US-supplied weapons, illustrating tragically why countries should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, said Priyanka Motaparthy, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. The US and other coalition allies should send a clear message to Saudi Arabia that they want no part in unlawful killings of civilians. Human Rights Watch has called on the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other countries to suspend all weapon sales to Saudi Arabia until it curtails its unlawful airstrikes in Yemen, credibly investigates alleged violations, and holds those responsible to account. Selling weapons to Saudi Arabia may make these countries complicit in violations, Human Rights Watch said. On March 15 at about noon, two aerial bombs hit the market in Mastaba, in the northern Hajja governorate, approximately 45 kilometers from the Saudi border. The first bomb landed directly in front of a complex of shops and a restaurant. The second struck beside a covered area near the entrance to the market, killing and wounding people escaping, as well as others trying to help the wounded. Human Rights Watch interviewed 23 witnesses to the airstrikes, as well as medical workers at two area hospitals that received the wounded. A United Nations human rights team visited the site the day after the attack and compiled the names of 97 civilians killed in the strike, including 25 children. The UN team said that another 10 bodies were burned beyond recognition, bringing the total number of victims to 107. Two Mastaba residents said that many members of their extended families had died. One lost 16 family members, and the other 17. A local clinic supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) received 45 wounded civilians from the market, three of whom died and were counted in the total death toll. Advertisement A witness who helped retrieve bodies said that he saw the bodies of about 10 Houthi fighters, whom he knew previously, among those killed. He said that some armed Houthi fighters regularly ate and slept in a restaurant about 60 meters from where one bomb detonated. The restaurant was not damaged. He said some residents objected to the Houthis presence but were powerless to remove them. Human Rights Watch was not able to confirm these claims with other witnesses. The only Houthi military presence identified by Human Rights Watch during its visit was a checkpoint manned by two or three fighters about 250 meters north of the market. On March 16, the day after the attack, the Saudi military spokesman for the coalition, Gen. Ahmad al-Assiri, said that the strike targeted a militia gathering. He also noted that the area was a place for buying and selling qat, a plant widely chewed in Yemen as a mild stimulant, indicating that the coalition knew the strike hit a civilian commercial area. On March 18, al-Assiri told Reuters that the coalition used information from Yemeni military forces loyal to President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi when targeting the Mastaba site. He said the Houthis deceived people by saying it was a market. A graphic forwarded to Reuters prepared by Hadis government indicated that the target was a military area where Houthi forces had gathered but provided no further detail. The laws of war prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks, which are attacks that strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction. Attacks that are not directed at a specific military objective are considered indiscriminate. An attack is disproportionate if the anticipated loss of civilian life and property is greater than the expected military gain from the attack. The Houthis use of a building in the market as a barracks would have amounted to failure to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians under their control from the effects of attacks. However, this in itself would not have justified the coalition airstrikes as carried out. Individuals who commit serious violations of the laws of war with criminal intent may be prosecuted for war crimes. Individuals may also be held criminally liable for assisting in, facilitating, aiding, or abetting a war crime. All governments that are parties to an armed conflict are obligated to investigate alleged war crimes by members of their armed forces. Hadis government announced on March 18 that it had formed a committee to look into the bombing. Human Rights Watch contacted the Yemeni human rights minister, who said that a Yemeni national investigative body created in September 2015 and based in Aden was charged with the investigation. Findings have not yet been reported. Advertisement Since March 26, 2015, a coalition of nine Arab countries has conducted military operations against the Houthi armed group and carried out numerous indiscriminate and disproportionate airstrikes. The airstrikes have continued since the announcement of a ceasefire, to begin on April 10. The coalition, whose targeting decisions are made in the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh, has consistently failed to investigate alleged unlawful attacks or to hold anyone accountable. On February 25, 2016, the European parliament passed a resolution calling on the European Unions high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Federica Mogherini, to launch an initiative aimed at imposing an EU arms embargo against Saudi Arabia. On March 15, the Dutch parliament voted to impose the embargo and ban all arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch and other international and Yemeni groups have called for foreign governments to halt sales and transfers of all weapons and military-related equipment to parties to the conflict in Yemen if there is a substantial risk of these arms being usedto commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law. The US military has deployed dedicated personnel to the Saudi joint planning and operations cell to help coordinate activities. US participation in specific military operations, such as providing advice on targeting decisions and aerial refueling during bombing raids, may make US forces jointly responsible for laws-of-war violations by coalition forces. As a party to the conflict, the US is obligated to investigate allegedly unlawful attacks in which it took part. Even after dozens of airstrikes on markets, schools, hospitals, and residential neighborhoods have killed hundreds of Yemeni civilians, the coalition refuses to provide redress or change its practices, Motaparthy said. The US and others should pull the plug on arms to the Saudis or further share responsibility for civilian lives lost. Advertisement Market Airstrike At about noon on March 15, 2016, an airstrike hit the crowded market in Mastaba, in northern Yemen. It detonated in front of a line of shops selling groceries and household items, and a restaurant on the floor above the shops. Ali Ahmad Nahan, a secretary working at his home nearby, said he heard the sound of planes and ran outside. He saw two planes circling the market area, then saw an explosion. Approximately five minutes later, he said, he saw a second explosion. Yehia Ali, 70, said he was in a restaurant across the road from the market when he saw two planes overhead. The first strike hit here [in the market], right next to the tomato seller, he said. It threw people everywhere. The planes went west, circled around to the south, then came back toward us. Then the second [bomb] struck, and people were just finished off. The second strike hit near the entrance to the market, approximately 12 meters north of a covered area containing several market stalls. Ali Abdullah Bakily, a 19-year-old high school student, was sitting in the covered market. People ran out of the market to the north after the first strike, he said. But those who ran north were killed in the second strike. Bakily himself ran east behind the line of stores, into the village. Mohammed Yehia Muzayid, a cleaner at the market injured in the attack, said: When the first strike came, the world was full of blood. People were all in pieces, their limbs were everywhere. People went flying. Most of the people, we collected in pieces, we had to put them in plastic bags. A leg, an arm, a head. There wasnt more than five minutes between the first and second strike. The second strike was there, at the entrance to the market. People were taking the injured out, and it hit the wounded and killed them. A plane was circling overhead. I was helping to remove the dead, trying to pick a man up to see who he was. Then the second strike hit. Shrapnel hit me in the face. After the second strike, I just ran away. The shrapnel cut my lip and inside my mouth, I lost these teeth. Advertisement Sixteen members of the extended Muzayid family died in the attack, he said. The airstrike also killed 17 members of the al-Obeid family, another witness told Human Rights Watch. Abbas Mastabani, 35, said he had parked his car across the street from the market and was approaching it to buy some goods when the first bomb struck. He was thrown to the ground, but was able to crawl back to his car to check on his four-year-old son, Majid. He said he crawled past bodies, limbs, and livestock until he reached his car, and saw a leg was wedged under the front tire. He pulled himself up and looked through the shattered front window but his son was no longer in the car. He then fled the site, terrified that there might be another strike and panicking about the fate of his child. When he got home he found that a friend who had been standing by his car had grabbed his son when the first bomb hit and taken him home. Hamid Muhammad Yahya, 25, pointed to a red scarf hanging on the remains of the roof covering the patio of the shops and restaurant: That is Muhammad Hussein al-Aslamis scarf. He was a qat seller at the market. We found his body on the other side of the street, about 60 meters away. Three witnesses gave Human Rights Watch the names of relatives whose bodies they had not been able find even weeks after the strike. Ahmed Bakeel Abdullah, 50, a local sheikh, said that local residents found 48 body parts that they could not identify, and buried them in a pit just outside the village. Several witnesses said that the wounded could not receive medical treatment for at least an hour because bystanders and emergency medical services could not enter the site, fearing additional strikes. Advertisement Othman Saleh, a Health Ministry official at the MSF-supported clinic in Abs, said that the clinics staff received 45 wounded from the Mastaba attack, one of whom was dead upon arrival and two of whom died over the next five days. He and other medical staff estimated that about a quarter of the wounded had been women, a quarter children, and a quarter elderly. Saleh said his team sent medical kits to Mastabas healthcare center and that residents there had treated a number of the wounded. Previous Airstrikes in the Area Coalition airstrikes have struck the area in and around the village of Mastaba at least six times over the last eight months. Between July 16 and 19, 2015, airstrikes hit an Agriculture Ministry office, a newly constructed municipal administration building that had yet to open, and a storage hangar in the buildings backyard. Three more strikes hit the road next to the buildings as well as the local courthouse, damaging its outer wall. These government building compounds are about 800 meters from the Mastaba marketplace. One witness said that Houthi fighters had been sleeping in all three buildings leading up to the airstrikes, but he did not know how many. On August 3, at about 2 a.m., a bomb landed next to a small shop across from a hut being used by the Houthis as a checkpoint along the road into Mastaba village. It did not detonate or cause any casualties. Across northern Yemen, Human Rights Watch has documented airstrikes on 11 other marketplaces. On May 12, 2015, a strike on the marketplace in the town of Zabid, along the western coast, killed at least 60 civilians. A July 4 strike on the marketplace in the town of Muthalith Ahim in the northwest, 20 kilometers from Mastaba, killed at least 65 civilians. In the northern Houthi stronghold city of Saada, the coalition has bombed at least five of the citys main marketplaces. Coalition Airstrikes Generally Since March 26, 2015, the UN and nongovernmental organizations have documented numerous airstrikes by coalition forces that violate the laws of war. The UN Panel of Experts on Yemen, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2140 (2013), in a report made public on January 26, documented 119 coalition sorties relating to violations of the laws of war. Advertisement This article was originally posted on Inverse. By Dylan Love It's the American political process that gave us a word like "gerrymandering," the redrawing of electoral boundaries to favor one party over another. Rather than see the United States innovate on methods to increase voting, we still largely depend on filling in circles with a pencil or making literal holes in a piece of paper to cast our ballots. This is not the case around the world, where citizens of some countries use technologically enabled voting that's easy and convenient to use. And some of them aren't even "cool" countries. Consider Estonia, the Baltic nation of 1.3 million people, which kicked off its internet voting system in 2005. By the country's 2015 Parliamentary election, 176,491 people making up 30.5 percent of eligible Estonian voters cast their votes online. Estonia is one of the most internet-focused countries in Eastern Europe, so perhaps the only reason that rate isn't higher is that some people still enjoy missing work to go to the polls. Advertisement Machines are sufficiently advanced enough to identify humans based on certain unchangeable features of our bodies, like our retinal scans and fingerprints. You see this in action every time you activate an iPhone by touching your thumb to its fingerprint-reading surface. This technology surely could be implemented for voting, no? To answer this question, we look to the perhaps unlikely countries of Uganda and Ghana, where biometric voting is already implemented. Despite hurdles -- some Ghanaian voting machines broke down and contributed to long waits to vote -- the new technology was largely seen as a success. Though the voter experience with it was far from perfect, the seeds of technological progress are being planted far from the first world. For whatever reason, electronic voting never got much of a shake in the United States after the Arizona Democratic primary in 2000. Far from catching on and taking flight, electronic voting is declining in the United States. Biometric and internet-enabled voting help contribute to a more-accurate result of an election more quickly, but it would need a hipper mechanism to work in the United States. Advertisement So why can't we vote with a selfie, straight from our phones, and choose our candidate by blinking or winking? (Imagine: "Wink once for Trump, twice for Clinton"). If Snapchat is smart enough to swap your head with someone else's, surely we have the technology to choose a face out of a lineup and figure out which of your eyes are closed. A since-defunct company called Election.com facilitated the internet component of Arizona's notorious 2000 election, but its efforts were met with cries of civil rights concerns involving the state's significant Native American population, threats of cyberattack, and legal efforts to stop the election from ever taking place. None of these were successful, and the election was carried out in-part online. As Al Gore invented the internet, it's perhaps fitting that he won, but there's still debate over if his victory was legit: was it a private election outside of federal jurisdiction, some kind of hybrid between public and private election, or a conventional primary that happened to have an online voting component? Because there will always be room for distrust in technology, and because politics' flirtations with distrust are well-chronicled, it seems that Americans will cling to pencil and paper as they determine the next leader of the free world. India is perhaps leading the way when it comes to electronic voting. As the country has the second-largest population in the world, it has been using digital technology since 1982 to wrangle and count all those votes. Its electronic voting machines, or EVMs, cost about $400 apiece and let pollsters instantly know an election's results, down to how many people voted for which candidate at a given polling station. In 2011, the country took its voting online when the state of Gujarat implemented internet-based voting. David Bismark is the developer behind an electronic voting system that presents itself as "the Bitcoin of voting." His system is hyper-secure, accurately counting votes while shielding the voter's identity from abuse of power. It involves using elaborate cryptographic techniques to keep everyone's vote secret. His lays out his ideas in the following TED talk: Advertisement Meanwhile, all those selfies we take go on being largely meaningless when they could be contributing to our national discourse. MORE FROM INVERSE: Since virtually unknown Satya Nadella took over the helm at Microsoft, the stock has steadily climbed and is currently trading near its 2-year high - hovering around $55. During the Ballmer years, the stock bounced in a narrow range between $24 and $30 per share. What's going on? Is the empire striking back? Cashing in on cash cows Under Gates and Ballmer, Microsoft seemed satisfied with, and addicted to, the revenues generated by its legacy, cash-cow products - Windows and Office. When it came to innovation, Microsoft trailed the market - missing the boat on search and social media. It tried to play catch-up in search with Bing, but Bing did not add sufficient value to pull users away from Google. It almost killed Windows with Vista and Windows 8. It spent a lot of effort fixing the damage. It jumped from Windows 8 all the way to 10 while skipping 9. Apparently, Microsoft does not share the Beatles' affection for the number 9, or it wanted to put further distance between the troubled 8 and 10. Mobile hardware debacle Microsoft's ventures into mobile hardware have been disastrous. Its acquisition of Nokia's handset business resulted in a $7.6 billion write-off and the elimination of 7,800 jobs. In total, Microsoft Mobiles division has racked up losses nearing $8 billion with sales declines of 50% and lay-offs approaching 8,000 employees. Advertisement Quietly making some overdue changes When Ballmer stepped down, many stockholders were happy. However, when Nadella was announced as his successor, reaction was muted. Many said, "Who?" Satya was not a "household-word" executive by any means. Even so, he has been quietly transforming Microsoft into an innovative Cloud-based company. Under his leadership, Microsoft has introduced Office 365 - a cloud based version of the legacy product many use for work and a web hosting service called Azure that competes with Amazon and Google. He is also moving Microsoft to become a major player in the IoT (Internet of Things) market - estimated to be a $1.6 trillion over the next several years. Sharp contrast to previous management Where Gates and Ballmer were vocal, outwardly competitive (some believe combative), and aggressively focused on PCs and the past glory of Microsoft, Nadella has taken a quieter more strategic path - focusing Microsoft on the future. His approach has been more cooperative with developers and competitors alike. Rather than act like a hard-charging dictator, he has expressed a willingness to listen that has been missing from Microsoft for quite a while. From-inside out to outside-in In two short years, Satya has moved Microsoft from a company culture that was inside-out and top-down to one that is customer-focused, employee-and-partner-friendly, and innovative. Ironically, it appears that the empire (aka Microsoft) is striking back with its own Obi-Wan Kenobi character that is transforming the company into a more innovative, market-focused organization that resembles the Jedi more than the Empire. The transformation is paying off Instagram and the Cult of the Attention Web I'm disappointed about Instagram's most recent announcement. They'll be shifting their photo feed from a chronological list to an algorithmically driven one, ordered based on which posts they think you will like most. My disappointment is not based in nostalgia or a lament of change. I'm disappointed because the decision is a symptom of a larger problem that is eating the web. *** Over the past few decades a significant portion of the economy has shifted. Once upon a time companies and services were geared toward enticing you out of your money. Today, the goal of many is to entice you out of your time. Which, in turn, is leveraged as collateral to attract money from advertisers. Advertisement Our current version of the internet lives and breathes off a currency of human attention. With the success and failure of many internet companies predicated on how much of a person's time they can capture. This model has reshaped much of the internet into an "attention web", with companies fighting tooth and nail to own every possible moment of your time. As laid out in a recent New York Times piece about the Instagram change: "These companies want to always, always give you the next best thing to look at," said Brian Blau, a vice president at Gartner, an industry research firm. "If an algorithm can give you much more engaging content more frequently, you'll stick around longer." The more time people spend using Instagram, the more often the company is able to serve people ads. It's the Faustian bargain we've all struck. In exchange for a "free" web, we give you our time. Unfortunately, this structure is unsustainable and is compromising both our experience of the web and the quality of the things we consume. Advertisement *** Time is more precious than money. Money is a renewable resource. Everyone always has the potential to make more money. Time, on the other hand, is finite. There are only so many hours in a day. By definition, you only have so much time to give. The finite nature of time means that, in the world of the attention web, the competitive landscape is all encompassing. Everything is in competition with everything else. Facebook is as much in competition with Twitter, as it is with Spotify and Apple Music, Gawker and BuzzFeed, Hulu and YouTube, Candy Crush and Four Dots, Amazon and Walmart, Xbox and Playstation, Chipotle and your family dinner table, your hobbies and your bed. Because in the attention web, time spent shopping, eating, talking, playing, or sleeping is time that you are not looking at ads. It's why Facebook has experimented with in-feed shopping. It's why they bought a messaging app and VR company. It's behind their big drive into video, as well as article self-publishing. They have to compete on all fronts to win the attention war. If they could serve up your meals they would. "The finite nature of time means that, in the world of the attention web, the competitive landscape is all encompassing." Coca-cola talks about trying to win "share of stomach", acknowledging that they are not just in competition with the other players in the drink industry, but in competition with every other food company and restaurant for the finite resource of stomach real estate. The attention web has taken this concept to a new scale that pits a vast array of industries against each other. This broad, unending competition for people's time takes it's toll on even the most popular services. See Twitter, Yahoo, Zynga and others. Advertisement As with all finite resources, there is a physical cap to how much time can be mined from the world, with population size as the forcing function. The number of people on the internet is directly proportional to the amount of time available. If you assume that technology companies want to maintain their growth curves, there are three possible avenues for them to take against this constraint: Grow the size of the population with internet access. Free up more time for the people who already have internet access. Or create more people. While no tech company is currently trying to create more people (except maybe Tinder) the other two paths have already started to manifest. Major players are trying to expand global internet access. Facebook's internet.org initiative is geared toward bringing free internet access to populations without it, and Google's Project Loon is designed to create a balloon-based network delivering reliable internet to isolated rural areas. Google is also one of the best examples of a company taking the second avenue: free up more time for people who already have internet. Their push into self driving car technology has a lot of potential benefits for humanity, but it also does something fundamental for Google and their business model. Time spent in the car is a vast untapped reserve of human attention. If your daily commute isn't filled with trivial things like watching the road and trying not to kill people you suddenly have a lot more time to search -- and be served search ads. Building a self driving car may seem like extreme measures just to free up people's time, but it's really just the tech equivalent of fracking -- Oil's extreme attempt to unlock untapped reserves. At some point though, the reserves run out, and as more and more competitors (from almost every industry) come onto the scene, all vying for their slice of the time pie, simply expanding internet access and freeing up time isn't enough. You still have to win people's attention. *** Ostensibly the drive to capture share of attention should be a big win for consumers. Based on the principles of human-centered design, companies should be striving for the best possible user experience and highest quality content in order to win the hearts, minds and, ultimately, the time of would be users. But, often the attention web takes a different direction. Advertisement Instead of streamlined experiences, filled with quality content, we've seen the rise of clickbait headlines, listicles and ad-saturated UIs that are slow, cumbersome and sometimes down right unusable, especially on mobile screens. In the attention web we end up with feeds that look like this: And then we click through to a mess like this -- with auto-playing video ads and inline ads that suddenly appear mid-scroll. The drive for attention has also influenced the way we talk about products. As designers we're expected to make things "habit forming". Get people "hooked." And turn monthly "users" into daily "users." The only other people I know who call their customers users are drug dealers. This rhetoric has made companies more and more aggressive about pushing their agenda into our lives. Floods of emails, push notifications, text notifications, daily reminders, and weekly digests are the norm in the attention web. We aren't creating human-centered experiences. We are creating attention-centered experiences, which puts the needs of the business squarely ahead of the needs of the customer. Advertisement Which brings us back to Instagram. *** A long time ago I picked my horse in the social media race and it was Instagram. It's one of the few services that, in my opinion, completely nailed the intersection between human desire and the capabilities enabled by the internet. It's the kind of product the internet was born to produce. And, as I see it, has the potential to be around for the long haul. The desire to preserve and share memories is uniquely human and is as old as cave drawings and the spoken word. It has always been in us and it will always be in us. The magic of Instagram is that it delivers on that innate desire in a beautifully crafted, deeply human experience. One that is so simple it becomes second nature, allowing you to co-create an interwoven story of your life and the lives happening around you, visualized, in real-time, as a stunningly artistic, chronological archive of photographs.'' "We are creating attention-centered experiences, which puts the needs of the business squarely ahead of the needs of the customer." That is a beautiful and powerful value proposition. Something that hits on a real human need and drives real connection. It is an example of what creating a human-centered experience should ultimately be. For a long time (surprisingly long actually) Instagram maintained that magic. Keeping the feature set small and the experience pure. Which is in sharp contrast to the rest of the social world, which promises connection in a bloated tangle of features and gimmicks. Advertisement But, alas, a business has to pay the bills. And in the attention web, when the devil of revenue comes calling, the easy out is ads. Or, in the parlance of our time, "sponsored posts". So Instagram instituted sponsored posts. Step one. And now comes the second step: the algorithmic feed. The NYT piece states that this change won't impact how Instagram ads are served, and it won't, they are already algorithmically targeted. But it changes something else. Something more fundamental. An algorithmic feed changes the ability of influencers and brands on Instagram to reach people. It changes the ability of accounts to be discovered. Instagram is making this move just when brands are really starting to figure out how to leverage the platform. Strategically this makes sense for the business because brands have found the value of the platform, so when the new feed starts to erode that value, they'll be more likely to stay and pay for promoted posts. The same scenario has already played out on Facebook (Instagram's parent). And it works. Facebook is doing pretty well from a revenue perspective. And so, Instagram will continue to head down the same road. And, as has happened with other services, as the Instagram experience falls deeper and deeper into the attention web's monetization trap it's likely the magic will fade. *** The problem is that you can't fault Instagram, or any of the other service out there that's playing the attention web game. It's we, the people of the internet, who have set the rules of engagement. We want our web and we want it for free. However, the inconvenient truth is that there is a cost to doing business and at some point companies have to make money. Advertisement And so we sacrifice the magic. We devalue content and products by refusing to pay for the work it takes to create and maintain them. We are satisfied wading through poorly designed, ad-based experiences. And we allow our most precious resource, our time, to become a commodity to be traded, sold and manipulated. Our data is mined, our privacy discarded and our actions tracked all in the name of more targeted advertising. And it's not even the best scenario for companies either. In Q4 of 2015 Facebook brought in $5.9 billion in revenue with 1.59 billion active users/month. That's roughly $1.23 of revenue/user/month. If, in the same quarter, Facebook moved away from ads and instead charged each active user just $1.50 a month for the service, their Q4 2015 revenue would have increased by $1.2 billion dollars, from $5.9 billion to $7.1 billion. "We devalue content and products by refusing to pay for the work it takes to create and maintain them." Now, what if Facebook started using that extra $1.2 billion to pay content creators for posting quality content on the platform? Similar to what Netflix does. And what if other major platforms like Twitter and YouTube followed the same model? Suddenly the revenue sources for content creators starts to diversify. The reliance on advertisers wanes. Feeds are no longer designed to hide creators and friends in order to drive ads, they are designed to promote connection and shine a light on creators. Bloated, ad-filled UIs start to disappear. Content loads faster. Creators develop more immersive content experiences focused on the people using them. The balance of power flips back to the user. Maybe this is a utopian dream, and I'm sure a lot of people will say it would never work for lots of reasons. However, if we are willing to start paying for the products and services we use, we stop being the commodity and we start being the driver. And when users are the driver, companies will focus on adding value, not just grabbing our attention. Advertisement But these passages are all about how God delivers us. Few, if any, talk about how we might deliver ourselves. Quite the opposite, in fact: we're warned against seeking deliverance from creatures. God "is not impressed by the might of a horse; he has no pleasure in the strength of a man" (Psalm 147:11). Moreover, a preoccupation with safety can get in the way of other things, about which God cares a great deal--like compassion for every human being, especially the marginalized. The biblical commandment about people beyond our own borders--"you shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt" (Exodus 22:21)--stands against the anti-Muslim measures promoted by Donald Trump and his supporters. The Jesus of the gospels promised the kingdom of heaven to people of whom he could say, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me...I was in prison and you visited me" (Matthew 25:35). Think about that a bit. Strangers are, by definition, unknown. We have no idea if they're safe. We do know that many prisoners are not safe--not by any standard. And we are asked to care for them. Now consider some of the heroes of the Christian faith. Mother Teresa went into India's most wretched slums to care for people forgotten by the world. St. Francis of Assisi crossed enemy lines to bridge divides with the Sultan of Egypt in the heat of the Fifth Crusade. Dorothy Day, a journalist by trade, did not just write about the poor and homeless; she lived among them. Why do we admire them so? Why do we use their stories, virtues, and character as examples to live by? Partly because nothing--not even a healthy sense of self-preservation--prevented them from going where, in their understanding, God asked them to go. Now some Bible students have made thoughtful cases in favor of self-defense for Christians. And few people of faith would condemn taking some well-considered steps to keep oneself and one's loved ones safe. Does anyone really want to argue against smoke alarms, seat belts, or martial arts training? After a great deal of reflection, I'm coming to believe that thoughtful gun ownership can be justified too. The problem does not lie in these "well-considered steps." The problem comes when the steps are not well-considered: when we overreact, when we take steps and pass legislation purely out of fear, when we make safety a life pursuit. For people of faith, the challenge comes when we hear the call of God and, concerned for our own safety, refuse to respond. As people of faith, then, we are often asked to act contrary to our first instincts and self-interest. God's call may take us into dangerous territory, and that may cost us. But a central message of the Christian faith is that even our death, the ultimate defeat of our attempts at self-protection, is not the end: we live on with God as the fruit of our good deeds lives on in the world. That is a fulfillment devoutly to be wished. After decades of development promises not kept and a lingering recession, Louisville has lagged behind Southern cities like Nashville, Greenville, and the Research Triangle in creating enough excitement to bring in the big tourist dollars. But now the city seems poised for a boom built on booze. (photo by Marty Pearl) The city's movers and boosters are betting the bank on Louisville's bourbon culture to drive tourism downtown, with several distillers and visitors stores opening along Main Street in the next two years. It's a bet not without ballast: According to the Distilled Spirits Council, the combined U.S. revenues for bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey jumped 7.8 percent to $2.9 billion in 2015, and domestic volume rose 5.2 percent to 20.4 million cases, outpacing the overall distilled spirits sector. One third of the bourbon made now comes from Louisville. A good deal of that will be poured into 100,000 bourbon-based Mint Juleps during the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Derby next month. A lot more goes into the Old Fashioned cocktail, said to have been perfected at the city's Pendennis Club. The idea for a new Whiskey Row (left) was preceded by a portion of Main Street dubbed the "Wall Street of Whiskey," which once housed 50 bourbon-related businesses before Prohibition. An added appeal for bourbon-related tourism is the Urban Bourbon Trail, a network of bars and restaurants and stores in the city that promote the whiskey by stocking at least 50 labels. It was established in 2008, largely through the efforts of Stacey Yates, VP of marketing communications for the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau, who saw that linking the restaurants like the Down One Bar (right) and distilleries to downtown's nighttime activities would pull everything together, and, in Yates's words, "move bourbon off the front porch." The Trail began with eight stops; eight years later, there are 34. (The state has had its own Kentucky Bourbon Trail since 1999 that schedules visits to nine distilleries outside of Louisville.) Time will tell if so much focus on bourbon will have a sustaining effect on tourism, but the city has a lot more going for it culturally, and, as seen over recent visits, the hotel and restaurant scene is picking up steam the way it has in other Southern cities like Nashville, Greenville, and Raleigh. (I'll report on dining out in Louisville in my next article.) By Judith E. Glaser Over my years working with leaders and teams, I've come to realize that people often have good intentions and think they are fostering great conversations when they are not. For example, a leader who realizes her team is not getting her message about the vision and mission of the company may "tell more," hoping that more information will make a difference. If telling more doesn't create the results she wants, the leader may "sell" her ideas to get people on board; when this doesn't work, she is inclined to "yell" to get results. Yet employees don't want more "vision," they want deeper engagement with leaders who can help them execute the vision. When those dynamics don't emerge, employees often go into protective behaviors, pulling back from engagement rather than stepping into it. As an example of a leader who got caught up in the Tell-Sell-Yell Syndrome, let's look at Jacques Nasser, who became CEO of Ford in 2000. Nasser's goal was to transform the company from a top-down, hierarchical organization to one that engaged the hearts and souls of its employees. In the beginning he was having great success. He set up town halls across the country and visited many locations, talking about how he wanted employees at all levels to have a voice and become engaged in helping the organization change. Yet when he didn't see the results of engagement come quickly enough, he became frustrated and started to voice his dissatisfaction. His motivation turned to disappointment, and employees felt that shift. Soon the board stepped in and asked Nasser to step down as CEO. A powerful beginning transformed into a disappointing ending, as Nasser fell into the Tell-Sell-Yell Syndrome and didn't recognize its impact in time to do something about it. Advertisement When we look at stories of leaders who initially inspired engagement and then ultimately failed to move the organization forward, we find these same patterns repeating themselves. Bringing awareness and experimenting with Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ) practices will help you improve communications for building healthier, more resilient organization in the face of changes. Pattern # 1: Being the center of attention Symptom: You do most of the talking in the meetings you run. Why you do it: You love to hear yourself talk and it feels great. Why you should change: Your selfish behavior makes your team feel ignored. What to do: Stop talking and make your team the center of attention. Everyone has good ideas to share, but if you put your ideas first you'll soon find people's initiatives and voice dry up. When people are afraid of your positional power they stop raising their hands to add ideas. Pattern # 2: Insensitivity to others feelings, needs and aspirations Symptom: You're too often surprised to find a staffer angry with something you said - or didn't say. Why you do it: You're not worrying enough about how you and your actions impact other people. Why you should change: When we aren't considering other people, we stop focusing on what they need help with to be successful. As a result, people lose their aspirations and passions for success. They can even start to trust their bosses less, since they don't believe their bosses have the staff's best interests in mind. What to do: Create a feedback-rich culture where it's not about 'me,' it's about 'we'. Find ways to check in with staffers and identify needs, give healthy candid and caring feedback, and support people achieving their aspirations. In a feedback-rich culture, a new level of honesty and awareness emerges so that people don't feel territorial and learn to support each other. Advertisement Pattern # 3: No one ever agrees with you. Symptom: You're always frustrated that no one listens to your point of view. You might find yourself shut out of discussions or that decisions are made without you. Why you do it: Neuroscience research is showing us entrenchment to your own point of view leads to the 'addiction to being right.' Dopamine is released each time we feel we're right - and we want more - closing down our awareness of the negative impact it has on others. Why you should change: You stop picking up cues and feedback and people think of us a 'bully boss.' What to do: Instead of debating a point, start exploring solutions. Create opportunities for other people to share what they think. Listen to them and act on their ideas. The more people engage in becoming navigators of the future together, the more courage they have for taking innovative risks. Promoting a rich dialogue in which you ask questions you have no answers for, share and discover what is on your mind, you encourage everyone to help shape mutual success. These sorts of dialogues change an environment driven by the three Ps --power, politics, and personalities--into an environment that honors the Is inside the WEs. By giving everyone a chance to talk about mutual success and build a shared "movie" of what success looks like, the interaction dynamics change and the neurochemical drives behind interactions change too. Most of all, such Level III transformational conversations reduce the levels of uncertainty that trigger distrust and create a process that allows everyone to play a role in defining success for the whole enterprise. In 2012, I left my 9-to-5 job to pursue an online business. I wanted to create a business to provide flexibility and financial freedom to my family so we could live where we wanted and have more quality time together. At first I didn't know exactly what life would look like when we were able to live where we wanted but I knew I had to work hard to get there so we could have the choice. About two years into my business my husband and I realized that our vision was becoming a reality and suddenly it was scary. Dreaming and doing are two very different things. Suddenly the thought of selling our home and moving somewhere foreign became scary not a dream that propelled us forward. However, one cold dark night in January my husband got home from New York City exhausted and disappointed he was not able to see the kids before bed. He fell on the couch, looked at me, and said, "I feel like my soul is dying." No longer was it an option to stay put because of fear. We started to talk about a date for him to leave his job and what the next year was going to look like. I can't remember the exact day but suddenly Costa Rica popped into my mind and I said to my husband, "Would you consider moving to Costa Rica?" Instantly we knew and started to plan a trip there to explore. Advertisement The amount of days that I would sit in my office bogged down with huge To Do list for the house, kids and my business dreaming of days with the warm sand beneath our toes, the sun shining on my face, and finally having time as a family to bond were endless. I also imagined time for myself to truly spend guilt free on my own health and happiness. When we got to Costa Rica things will be better. We would have more time for ourselves. We would feel more relaxed. We will be able to stay present in the moment to enjoy life. I've been in Costa Rica for eight months and the one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is I was completely wrong. Costa Rica didn't fix my problems in fact it made them worse at times. This is not a story to complain. It has a happy ending but for those of you putting off quality time with your family or your own personal goals for health or happiness until you can escape the rat race or get somewhere like a dream destination, DON'T. Make the time now. Find a way because when you simplify your life everything changes. A retirement, leaving a job, or living in a tropical place won't heal or fix the problems underneath, only you can do that and you can do that now. Here are five lessons I have learned since selling everything I own and moving my family to Costa Rica. 1. Getting Rid of Physical Stuff Uncovers The Emotional Stuff I remember when the dumpster was delivered to our house how excited I was to fill it up! The junk was easy to throw in but eventually things started to get more personal. I would open a box and see pictures from high school or a trip in my twenties and think, "oh wow I need these." Sure I had not opened the box in eight years but these were my memories plus all the scrapbooking materials I never used should not go to waste. Then my husband looked at me and said maybe we should just not open the boxes. We haven't cared all these years. We don't know what is in it so throw them out. Wow how liberating! Every day got easier. I would cry over my daughter's dollhouse but be greeted by a pregnant mama at the door sharing how it will be the greatest gift for her daughter distraught over the new baby coming to steal her attention and I would light up inside. Advertisement By the time we are done, we were leaving for Costa Rica with six suitcases. I had never felt happier. Of course when we arrived we were exhausted and a stranger in a strange land. Suddenly having none of our stuff felt jarring and uncomfortable. We had a beautiful view but no routine. We had adventure but too much time on our hands. We had plenty of family quality time but in some ways too much. It was like standing in a room without furniture, without clothes, being fully exposed. It was scary the emotions that bubbled up. There was no hiding behind busy, excuses, or I'll get to it later. Later was now and there is no escaping how uncomfortable it felt. 2. New Problems Arise When You Change Your Surroundings When we moved to Costa Rica the problems we wanted to solve were more family time and my husband finding his balance between work and time with the family. It was time for him to find his purpose. Little did I know how changing the routine of daddy working all day long and mommy working her business around the family had become our comfort zone. Yes we felt it was becoming a prison we wanted to escape back in New Jersey but being in a foreign land without that comfortable prison started to challenge everything we said we wanted. I wasn't used to my husband being home all the time. My husband wasn't used to sharing the responsibilities of the household. The kids weren't used to the new routine. In addition, my husband faced reinventing himself after twenty years as a successful businessman in New York City. Instead of facing a work crisis we were facing a marriage crisis. 3. Having More Time Doesn't Make a Goal Easier To Reach Here we were with more time on our hands. I wanted to spend it meditating, working out, being there for my children, and creating family memories to last a lifetime. Instead, I was faced with more work and the stress of providing for my family on my own while my husband figured out his next move. After 20 years of working a 60-hour workweek, he needed and deserved time to decompress but as much as I wanted to grow my business the problem was I still wanted to be a mom. I went from my husband and I being on the exact same page to being too far apart. I knew I was meant to take this year in Costa Rica but I had no idea it would mean I needed to work on my marriage. Suddenly this wasn't the scenario I thought would change our lives and grow my business. More time did not solve the problem, we needed to make a choice to change now more then ever. Advertisement 4. Relationships Will Change For the Better But Also For the Worse For the first four months, my husband was living the life of his dreams while I grew sad, lonely and stressed out. He wanted this to be an experience we remembered not regretted so after Christmas break we started to see a therapist. Before I moved to Costa Rica I would tell people that I didn't know why but I felt God wanted me to be there. Whether you believe in God or something greater than yourself it doesn't matter, it was a strong feeling and I knew I needed to leave New Jersey. I knew I needed to be in Costa Rica for a reason. What I didn't realize is that it had nothing to do with business and it had everything to do with my life. Seeing how our loved ones reacted to our move forced us to become a better couple, a better family, and to reevaluate our relationships with friends and family we loved the most. We were changing but not everybody wanted to change. Many people were incredibly supportive but some we love most disappointed us in the end. We are totally fine with both because we are a more confidant, stronger couple because of it. Nothing can break us now. In a way, it is survival of the fittest. The strong grow stronger and the weak don't survive. 5. You Will Never Look at the World the Same Way Again Before we moved to Costa Rica, I felt I was the problem in my life because I should just be happy with what I had. Leaving the comfort of our town, state, family, and friends we loved brought us face-to-face with problems I may never have dealt with if I had stayed. Where would that have led, divorce or depression? We made the right choice for us. It was hard. It was uncomfortable. I still feel scared but I'm not hiding behind excuses of time, money, or the reasons I used to give, like when I leave my job or when I pay off that credit card or when the kids get older. We did it now and are forever changed. We are the family that sticks together and supports each other with shared goals. We know that home is not a place of four walls but is a place in our hearts filled with love, support, and togetherness. We chose memories over stuff. We lost some friends along the way. Some family was disappointed. We still love. We love each other. We love those support us. We love those we disappointed and who disappointed us. We face this world with new eyes not bitter eyes, not tired eyes, but eyes that will survive change. Eyes that can feel afraid but still smile. Colleen Cekovsky, National Guard Spouse, and Joy Goulette, winner of Blue Star Families 2016 Neighbor Award. Photo courtesy of Blue Star Families. Joy Goulette was just trying to be a good neighbor when her friend Colleen Cekovsky's husband, Chris, who serves in the National Guard, left for a six month deployment to Afghanistan. A daughter of a former U.S. Marine, Joy wanted to show her support for Colleen while Chris was away. So Joy asked people from school and the Girls Scouts to pitch in, telling them that it didn't have to be fancy, it could be a meal or not a meal, but it had to include a note that let Colleen know that they were thinking about her and were there for her. Colleen, a mom of two, was both surprised and humbled by the network which she affectionately dubbed "Dinner Angels" that Joy had assembled to ease the burden of the busy military mom while her husband was off in harm's way. Cekovsky family. Photo courtesy of Colleen Cekovsky. But Joy had no idea how much Colleen truly appreciated that act of kindness until Colleen revealed to Joy that she had submitted Joy's name for the Blue Star Families Neighbor award. "She told me that she had submitted our names to Blue Star Families when we were one of the top five finalists. For me it was a very small thing that I did for her. But it really meant a lot to Colleen because she really did feel secluded while her husband was gone," said Goulette. Advertisement The Blue Star Families Neighbor award is one of the many ways the nonprofit, comprised of military spouses, is working to close the divide between the military and civilian community. It's the group's way of thanking members of the nonmilitary community for their friendship and support. "We want to thank real people whose actions aren't an example of extreme heroics, but rather anyone can see themselves doing to help a member of the military community," said Blue Star Families CEO, Kathy Roth-Douquet. That simplicity really speaks to the heart of Blue Star Families mission and the hope that people across the country will be inspired to be a good neighbor to military families in their communities. According to Blue Star Families annual 2015 military lifestyle survey, "41% of veterans cite disconnect between the military and civilians and 92% of military family members feel that the general public does not truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices they make." Advertisement Colleen wrote on her nominating form that Joy wanted to make Colleen's life easier during a tough deployment, but Joy will never know how much it truly meant to her. Those notes of support and encouragement are what got her through her husband's deployment. Today the two ladies fondly joke about all the lasagnas Colleen received, but Colleen is quick to point out that as a busy mom on the go, she appreciated every single one of them. Photo of Joy Goulette's note to National Guard Spouse Colleen Cekovsky, courtesy of Colleen Cekovsky. Blurred businesswoman climbing stairs in office As career women, we wait for that moment when the journey will be easier for our daughters, when the skepticism at our success will subside and when any chink in our armor will not signal an open season for the media to undermine our futures with irresponsible reporting. We hope that the inspiration of Shonda Rhimes can make it a year of "yes," the influence of Arianna Huffington can make this a time to openly balance work and wellness, and with the popularity of Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, we hope for an era of female empowerment. Instead, we have endured a year marked by openly misogynistic attacks by the media on successful women. This is particularly true when a woman comes into the spotlight and the media piles on, using her femaleness to soil her reputation and potentially destroy her business. Advertisement Like many business leaders who find themselves under scrutiny, I am bone weary of petty media attacks. Like my fellow businessmen, I am frustrated by unchecked reporters who hope to write career-breaking stories by publishing anonymous allegations. But why as a woman am I also subjected to insulting and demeaning words that describe me as "self-proclaimed," "self-promoting," and "self-styled?" I have been alleged to "play the sex kitten card," "to manage by fear," to win business by being "provocative." I am amazed that a Christmas Card with photos taken 17 years ago (ok, it was a big mistake, but I have owned it) is the most searched Lynn Tilton Google term, despite the fact that I have managed 13 investment funds with more than 1,000 investments over the last 15 years. Virtually every article written about me, good or bad, by a male or female, has focused on my dress, my hair and/or my jewelry. I have made it my practice not to watch my on-air interviews or read the written press about me unless required in order to respond. But if I'm certain of one thing, it is that no man would be forced into my shoes -- not because they are six inch heels, but because we live in a world of double standards, female imposter bias and misogynistic media who perceive women as career-breaking targets. I am insulted not only for me but for the sexist reporting that extends well past me to Marissa Mayer, Elizabeth Holmes and of course, Hillary Clinton. A recent blog post, "The Sexism in American Politics" by Barbara Streisand, in support of our female Democratic candidate reminisced about a speech she gave more than two decades earlier in which she highlighted, "Men and women are clearly measured by a different yardstick... A man is commanding, a woman is demanding. He's assertive -- she's aggressive. He strategizes -- she manipulates. A man is forceful -- a woman is pushy. He shows leadership -- she's controlling. A man is a perfectionist -- a woman's a pain in the ass." Streisand finished by saying that nothing has changed. And sadly, I agree. Advertisement Marissa Mayer has been compared to Evita, condemned for her extravagant lifestyle and criticized for taking too little maternity leave. This would not be interesting if she were a man. I have no place in passing judgment on her performance as Yahoo's CEO, although I do know how difficult it is to turn around a company, and I am sympathetic to the hill she climbs. I am, however, deeply offended by the media banter of her critics, who find her femaleness easy pickings. Elizabeth Holmes, once considered the female Steve Jobs, has been pummeled by the same press that lauded her and now disrespectfully labels her a "fraud" because her unicorn company faces setbacks. When in litigation, lawyers prefer that their clients keep a low profile. When the press is in take-down mode, media experts recommend minimal engagement. And if it were anyone else's life but my own, I might agree. But I own dozens of businesses with tens of thousands of employees. To allow the perception of the press to be my reality is to do my businesses -- employees, customers and vendors -- a disservice. There is no dignity in remaining silent in the face of press attacks where I am placed in the preposterous position of having to disprove unfounded rumors. When it has come to this, and it has, it is time to fight back. This is a time of change in my career, and I am fighting on myriad legal fronts. Recently, a male peer told me to "toughen up" because I was offended by his asking me to prove myself. Make no mistake about it: I am tough. I am neither weak nor cowering in a corner. Fighting against bullies or those trying to destroy or take what I have built is not new to me. It is the running theme of my career. To the contrary, I have chosen my battles because I believe in fighting for truth, and I will not be extorted by threats and baseless allegations. I have chosen to step down from one role to focus on another because it was what I wanted to do, the path I chose to take to escape the ugliness of bad business relationships. Each step I have taken has been voluntary, carefully planned, with sacrifices made, and consequences understood. Careers, like life, move in waves. Sometimes we are surfing; other times, we are treading water. Sometimes we are sucked under by the current only to resurface even stronger. I've never attended a terribly exciting funeral, but then I'm the sort of person who also skips high school reunions. Or maybe enough of my friends haven't died yet. In any case, the death of someone bringing the old gang back together is a tried and true formula, from movies like Return Of The Secaucus Seven (aka The Big Chill before Hollywood stepped in) to this new play by Anne Washburn. Coming off the rousing success of her post-apocalyptic comedy Mr. Burns, you won't be surprised to know that Washburn is not terribly interested in formula. Or rather, a fear of the familiar pushes her to abandon the strong characters and witty dialogue she starts the play with and head off into the stratosphere. Washburn has a lot on her mind, including parenting, the supernatural, childhood and food, lots of food. But she shies away from all that, ending up with a vague monologue about lost passion, the hint of a ghost story and a finale that strives for an open-ended sense of eeriness. The result frustrates more than it intrigues Advertisement Nina (a very good Annie Parisse) is preparing for an influx of friends, there to commemorate the death of one of their own. Sure they've drifted apart but this passing should be celebrated. And that means food! She launches into prep work that would make a major restaurant chain proud as others drift in and out. Eventually, we get to know her wry sister Liz (April Mathis); pal Ula (Maria Striar); the amiable Len (Nat DeWolf), who has fun playing with the kids on hand; and old flame Adrian (Rob Campbell), who broke Nina's heart long ago and really, no one can believe he's actually going to show. But show he does. A late arrival by Bama (an amusing Crystal Finn) offers more welcome humor. But truly the play has all sorts of humor on tap, with every actor given a juicy speech or distinctive banter for them to toss out. Campbell's Nat may be the exception, which is due to the writing, not his performance. Adrian must be the mysterious center of the show and yet a quiet remove doesn't quite get us there. Plus, they refer to his past with Nina in such dire terms I kept thinking it had to be something far darker and more upsetting than merely (?) breaking her heart. Yet perhaps not, since precisely what he did that was so despicable isn't illuminated. Instead, Adrian is given a rambling, somewhat romantic discourse on constellations, Nina is given a chance to see if she still wants what might have been...and then even this modest moment of actual plot development is undercut by Washburn choosing to muddy up what's going on in unconvincing and an inconsistent manner. (If nothing else, Adrian should certainly decline a sangria when he arrives. Ghost story 101, if you want to keep things uncertain.) It's rather frustrating to know Washburn could meet the demands of a more traditional play but wouldn't commit. (Maybe she identifies with Adrian too much?) Antlia Pneumatica is certainly well acted, well directed by Ken Rus Schmoll and given a handsome production by scenic designer Rachel Hauck. Advertisement For a seemingly conventional play, it's also rather bold and interesting in its sound design, thanks to Washburn's writing and its execution by Leah Gelpe. The show begins with Nina offstage talking on a cell phone. We hear her voice though the stage is empty and this is done in a way that -- somehow -- we don't really expect her to appear, giving that entrance a modest little jolt. (Similarly, actors often pop out from offstage in a way designed to keep them hidden until the last possible moment, another admirable detail demonstrating the presentation is in sync with the story.) Two children in the show are only heard from off-stage, either nearby or talking in scenes that take place separate from the action at hand. This use of sound should be applauded and is a reminder of how little the theater makes use of sound design beyond the expected atmospherics. Yet even here Antlia Pneumatica falls a little short: this notable quirk isn't really explored or used in a consistent manner, used first for one effect and later for another and ultimately not adding up to much. Just like, I fear, the show itself. THEATER OF 2016 _____________ Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the founder and CEO of the forthcoming website BookFilter, a book lover's best friend. Trying to decide what to read next? Head to BookFilter! Need a smart and easy gift? Head to BookFilter? Wondering what new titles came out this week in your favorite categories, like cookbooks and mystery and more? Head to BookFilter! It's a website that lets you browse for books online the way you do in a physical bookstore, provides comprehensive info on new releases every week in every category and offers passionate personal recommendations every step of the way. It's like a fall book preview or holiday gift guide -- but every week in every category. He's also the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes. Advertisement Protesters call for Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to veto House Bill 1523, which they says will allow discrimination against LGBT people, during a rally outside the Governor's Mansion in Jackson, Miss., Monday, April 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Mississippi didn't need its new "religious freedom" law "protecting" those in the state with a "sincerely held religious belief or moral convictions" in continuing its ongoing discrimination against LGBT people. The new law states specifically that those who believe that marriage "should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman" are empowered to discriminate in hiring, housing and public accommodations against gay couples, and it defines gender "as determined by anatomy and genetics at the time of birth" and "protects" blatant discrimination against transgender people in all areas. But legal experts believed that kind of abominable discrimination in the name of religion had already been written into law because Mississippi had passed a draconian Religious Restoration Freedom Act (RFRA) in 2014 -- literally referred to at the time as Mississippi's new "religious freedom" law, just like this one is now -- something that's been lost in the discussion this week. It's important to raise it now, however, as it points back to the complacency of the media, big business and many in the LGBT community. Advertisement And of course, it must first be pointed out that the state didn't need the 2014 RFRA either for the purpose of discrimination, since there have never been any statewide laws banning discrimination in Mississippi against LGBT people. So, in most of the state, except for localities with specific ordinances, it's always been legal to turn away a lesbian couple from a shop, or fire someone from a job simply because the individual is transgender. But it's the act of hate itself -- the actual passing of the laws -- that gets hate mongers whipped up and excited, particularly in a state with a history of discrimination against minorities and in the months before an election. Mississippi legislators would pass an anti-LGBT law every year if they could -- and maybe they will, especially if there are no ramifications. That's why we need to look back on our own lack of attention on the signing of the RFRA in 2014, which emboldened Gov. Phil Bryant to sign this new law. Back in February of 2014, the LGBT community was high on marriage equality wins, and also intoxicated by a defeat of a RFRA passed by the Arizona legislature, which GOP governor Jan Brewer vetoed. As happened in Georgia in recent weeks, major companies such as Delta Air Lines and Marriott, as well as the NFL, put pressure on Brewer, who let the controversy build over days rather than signing the anti-gay LGBT bill right away (as was the case in North Carolina two weeks ago with Gov. Pat McCrory). She may not have intended to sign it from the outset, knowing it would hurt the state, so Brewer perhaps allowed the controversy to blow up and then could point to it as the reason for not signing the bill. The same strategy may have been in play on the part of Gov. Deal in Georgia this month. Whatever the case, the euphoria over the defeat -- and idea that hate had been vanquished by companies supportive of LGBT people -- was overblown. Advertisement As I've pointed out numerous times, LGBT activists and the media, caught up in victory blindness, were too quick to call Arizona the "turning point," seeing big business supposedly finally coming to the rescue -- only to see bills in other states later in the year and into 2015 that were far worse than Arizona's but which quietly got passed. The following year, Indiana's pulling back from a draconian RFRA was also supposed to be the "turning point." And I'm really afraid that we're going to look at PayPal pulling out of its expansion in North Carolina over that state's new anti-LGBT law-- especially if PayPal and other businesses push the state to do something about the law -- as a "turning point" rather than realize we are in the midst of massive backlash from enemies who aren't giving up any time soon and who will exploit it when we let our guard down. LGBT leaders and the media need to end the "turning point" narrative -- which is a linchpin of victory blindness -- because it is consistently our own undoing. Within weeks of Jan Brewer's veto in Arizona, the Mississippi legislature passed its RFRA, and legislators there had learned from Arizona, wording their bill more cleverly (but to legal observers, it was no less dangerous), which Gov. Bryant signed virtually under the radar. That's because there was no national uproar from media, big business and LGBT leaders, all still celebrating the Arizona "turning point." The Mississippi RFRA states that the government "or an action by any person based on state action shall not burden a person's right to exercise religion." Though the law didn't name gay and transgender people, the ACLU and other legal groups believed it would give the very conservative Mississippi courts impetus to allow businesses to discriminate against same-sex couples. Tony Perkins of the anti-LGBT Family Research Council in fact put out a statement in support of the law saying it would "allow a wedding vendor, whose orthodox Christian faith will not allow her to affirm same-sex 'marriage'" to turn away gay couples. Christian evangelical leaders across the country backed the bill and vowed to continue in other states. (They soon made their strategy public, in a Washington Post article headlined, "After veto in Arizona, conservatives vow to fight for religious liberties," and yet LGBT leaders still didn't seem to be paying attention.) So it's not shocking that Mississippi legislators, seeing no real uproar at the time -- the kind of uproar there had been only weeks earlier in Arizona -- would two years later take that RFRA law and put it on steroids, with a new law that spells out the specificity of brutal discrimination more clearly, targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, -- and even targeting heterosexuals who are divorced or who've had extramarital affairs. It's hard not to think about how the current law might have been prevented if there was an Arizona-sized uproar over the Mississippi RFRA two years ago. Instead, we allowed the "turning point" talk to sway us, lulled as well by all the victories on marriage, while the enemies of equality continued their crusade, undaunted. Tenneseee and South Carolina are now moving to pass bills determining what public rest room transgender people must use. Kansas passed its own sweeping anti-LGBT "religious freedom" law, with almost no one noticing, two weeks ago. Missouri is moving ahead with one, as are other states across the country, all part of a a full-blown assault. It's great to see businesses standing up, and to sees mayors and governors from cities and states across the country that support LGBT rights banning official travel to the anti-LGBT states. The Clinton and Sanders campaigns are harming themselves and each of their chances of defeating the Republican nominee by descending into the gutter of charges over whether or not the other is qualified to be President. Whatever your respective views of Clinton and Sanders, their strengths and weaknesses, either is more qualified to be President than any of the Republican contenders and they should each say so. Politics ain't beanbag. And New York politics can be particularly rough, but both campaigns are risking going over the edge. Advertisement Right now, the campaigns are squabbling over who started it. It seems to have begun on the very night of Bernies's double-digit win in Wisconsin with the Clinton campaign pooping on his victory party with leaks that their strategy going forward would be to disqualify Sanders in the eyes of voters and worry about unifying Democrats for the general election later. CNN reports that a fundraising appeal from Clinton's deputy communications director, Christina Reynolds, "argued that Sanders is unqualified." Wednesday morning Clinton gave a wink and a nod to Joe Scarborough's question of whether Sanders is qualified. She didn't dispute the premise of Scarborough's question but said she'd leave it to the voters to decide. But as New Yorker Paul Simon sang on his Graceland album, "everybody knows what I'm talking about." It may be been artful, but there could be little doubt that Hillary was questioning Bernies's qualifications to be President. Unfortunately, Bernie took the bait. Speaking later in Philadelphia, Bernie doubled down, accusing Hillary of being unqualified because of her donations from special interests, her vote for the Iraq War, and her past support for job-killing trade agreements. These are key elements of Bernie's critique of Hillary as too beholden to Wall Street and the military-industrial complex and have been part of Bernie's standard stump speech. His point was amplified by a report on NBC this morning that Hillary's Super Pac contributions show that Citizens United is helping Hillary Clinton's White House bid. Advertisement But Sanders going tit-for-tat and saying this disqualifies Clinton from the Presidency is a bridge too far. And frankly, as a Sanders supporter, I must say that it harms his brand. Indeed, whoever started it, these charges and counter-charges about who's qualified to be President are harming both candidates. It smacks too much of Trump's insults of "Little Marco" and Rubio's response about Trump's "little hands." Stop it and grow up! Both campaigns should call a truce and state that whatever their differences, either is more qualified for the Presidency than any of the Republican contenders. The Brooklyn native and the adopted resident of Chappaqua can have a good old-fashioned New York brawl over whose values and policies would make for a better President. I am the eldest son of Korean Immigrants. My father was born in Pyongyang and served in the Korean Navy during the Korean War, while my Mom came to the U.S. as a refugee to study. My maternal grandfather, Kim Sang Don, was the very first popularly elected mayor of Seoul. Prior to being elected Mayor, he served as a congressman and led a commission to bring Koreans who illegally profited from extorting their fellow Koreans during the Japanese occupation (Chin-Il-Pah) to justice. He survived an assassination attempt by the President Syngman Rhee administration, who was protecting the Chin-Il-Pah and would lead a sit in at the National Assembly which would eventually lead to his overthrow. Shortly after my Grandfather became Mayor of Seoul, there was a military coup d'tat and my grandfather would be unfairly charged and jailed for eight months. He was eventually found to be innocent, but placed under house arrest, and finally exiled to the U.S. He was not a politician, but rather was a very honest man of great faith and integrity who never had a dime to his name. He believed that we as a society were defined by how we cared for the least among us and practiced love for one another and Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' My Grandfather would continue to fight for democracy until his death and my family was not allowed to return to Korea until 1992 when democracy was fully restored. Advertisement My mom would eventually graduate from Columbia Teacher's college with a masters degree in early childhood education. When she graduated, her first mentor and employer was Shirley Chisholm. Ms. Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to congress and the first woman to ever run for President. Prior to running for office, she directed several inner city preschools in NYC, and my Mom would work under her tutelage for 6 years. In fact, it was Ms. Chisholm who got my Mom her green card. Eventually, Ms. Chisholm would run for congress while my mother would go on to lead the Head Start program in Newark, NJ for 20+ years. In 1972, Ms. Chisholm became the first major-party black candidate for President of the United States, and the first woman ever to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. When Ms. Chisholm ran for president, she would send out an envelop asking individuals for donations that read "Up until now there were only two ways finance a campaign for major office. One was to be a millionaire. The other was to get the support of a group that had a lot of money and was looking to make more. I am certainly not a millionaire, and I will not be bought by any group". She would say she was "Unbought and Unbossed". Ms. Chisholm advocated powerfully for those without a voice and constantly fought to better the lives of those that were marginalized. Advertisement Everything I remember about my Grandfather and know about Ms Chisholm leads me to support Bernie Sanders. As a radiation oncologist for 20 years, I have seen far too many of my patients go bankrupt strictly because they got cancer and sadly most of them had insurance. As one of a dwindling number of physicians in California who will accepts Medicaid patients, I have seen far too many patients present with advanced stage cancer solely because they could not get proper preventative screening or find a physician who would see them in a timely fashion. The harsh reality is that we have a broken and immoral healthcare system where 29 million people remain uninsured and 31 million are underinsured. Of this later group, 44% of people will delay seeking care because they cannot afford the co-pays and deductibles and 51% will have trouble paying off their medical bills and debt. As for prescription drugs, 1 out of 10 Americans will skip filling a prescription because they cannot afford the cost. For all the good the ACA has done, there is no mechanism to address any of these major issues, and for the millions of patients above, they simply cannot continue the deeply flawed status quo and rely upon incremental change to help them in their greatest time of need. Senator Sanders is the only candidate who believes that healthcare is a human right and that the only true solution to provide comprehensive universal healthcare is to improve, strengthen, and expand Medicare for all. Advertisement When business tax breaks for providing healthcare to employees are factored in, it is estimated that the US taxpayer covers about 62 cents of every healthcare dollar spent in the U.S. When coupled with the fact that the private insurance industry takes roughly 20-31 cents of every healthcare dollar away from actual patient care for marketing, administrative costs, and exorbitant salaries, it is clear that we are already paying more than enough for universal healthcare. We are just not getting it. It is a little-known fact that of all Asian American Pacific Islander groups in the U.S., Koreans remain the most uninsured. Ironically Korea has a single payer healthcare system that is considered one of the most advanced in the world, with tremendous patient satisfaction. Senator Sanders is has been fighting for the past decade to transform our broken healthcare system into a similar single payer medicare for all system where everyone will have access to comprehensive healthcare and no one will ever go bankrupt again simply because they have a serious illness. With the pile-up of data proving the bottom line benefits of employee volunteer and giving programs, more companies are clamoring to launch or escalate their own programs. As someone whose business helps organizations manage their corporate volunteering and giving, I'm delighted with this trend towards more employee-led philanthropy. But I also see another trend: companies that try to do this all on their own and then wonder why they're not seeing the results they hoped for. "When you're launching a business, you get experts to help with areas like legal, financial, marketing, and so on," says Charisse Browner, Business Development Director of America's Charities, a nonprofit that helps companies engage employees in greater giving. "So why do company leaders try to build impactful corporate philanthropy programs on their own? It's best to plan and execute these programs with those who make it their sole focus." Advertisement In fact, Browner observes that when company leaders wonder why their programs aren't as successful as they'd like, they may not even have the proper understanding to recognize what success should look like. This time of year is a common one for evaluations of last year's line item wins and misses. Right about now is when America's Charities tends to be having a lot of conversations with clients and would-be clients about their volunteer and giving programs, as company leaders question whether their programs are hitting the mark. "I've learned since working in this industry that companies may be focusing on one particular area as a measurement that doesn't necessarily relate to impact," Browner says. "Impact is not necessarily the participation rate. So many companies want to focus on participation rates, but that's not what I advise clients to look at. And even then, what defines participation? Some companies feel that participation is defined as the employee visiting the online volunteer platform. Employees are measured as participants not by volunteering or giving but just by clicking on the platform. Obviously, this has nothing to do with creating impact in the community. You want to know that what you're offering your employees is actually translating in the real world." Many companies do tend to fixate on participation rates as the North Star of success. But just because 500 employees participate in a volunteer effort doesn't mean that the experience is necessarily impactful for the community or employee engagement. Advertisement Measuring impact has so many different variables. A press release may announce that 1000 employees just raised $50,000 for the Boys and Girls Club, but that doesn't tell the whole story of the question of impact. You go from 5 percent to 8 percent participation rate; great, but what does that mean? What kind of participation are we talking about and will it resonate in significant ways with employees and nonprofits? "I remember a recent volunteering event at a food bank," Browner recalls. "The company sent approximately 200 volunteers to the organization to stuff bags, and most of those people happened to be engineers. The company coordinator looked around and was crestfallen at this realization. Imagine if you had those same 200 engineers taking time out of their day to build some sort of an infrastructure that the food bank desperately needed instead. Same people, same charity, greater impact that can be measured." Cutting to the heart of impact is the focus of America's Charities. (Disclosure: America's Charities is a partner of Causecast.) Without the guidance of experts like America's Charities, it's easy to treat corporate philanthropy programs like feel good initiatives for companies to engage in now and then rather than fundamental value propositions of a company's mission. The problem is, the "feel good" mindset ensures that your program won't get very far or leave much of an impression on anyone it touches. All of the research that has taken place in the last several years shows that CSR programs aren't charity. Smart volunteer and giving efforts deliver a measurable ROI, creating a culture that engages employees, attracts and keeps top talent, increases productivity, and builds brand loyalty - having nothing to do with the actual impact in the community. One study sponsored by Verizon and Campbell's Soup, titled Project ROI, showed that corporate responsibility can increase productivity up to 13 percent; reduce the average turnover rate by 25 percent to 50 percent; and increase employee engagement by 7.5 percent. The study also found that improving CR performance has the same effect on retention as an increase in annual salary of $3,700 per year, and workers who were informed about a CR program were willing to accept a lower wage and were more likely to go "above and beyond" for the employer by doing extra work not required for payment. Advertisement Employees are rating your CSR and Millennials in particular are passing you by for other companies if they don't believe in your social mission. So whether you like it or not, the rest of the world is paying attention to how your company is giving back and that impression has a direct impact on your success. Once companies accept that corporate responsibility - especially that which involves employees - is a priority that should be taken as seriously as any other business endeavor, it makes sense to bring in partners that can help define the proper direction. "It's not just about understanding the impact of your measurement of success," says Browner. "It's about understanding the measurement of success that will impact the charities your company may be partnered with." Browner believes that if the person sitting down at the table with the charity organizations doesn't know the questions to get the best outcome, it's a wasted conversation. But most company leaders aren't having honest conversations with their charity partners about what success looks like to the charity, in part because companies and charities need a third party to create an environment in which these conversations can happen. For example, too often, companies earmark exactly how funds they raise should be used by charities without truly understanding what is going to make the most sense for the charity. "Even Top Fortune 500 companies have this problem," Browner notes. "They give money to charity organizations for certain purposes and the charities take the money because they don't want to offend the corporation. A particular Fortune 500 company has told us that they know these charities feel uncomfortable being forthcoming with them but they don't know how to spark an honest discussion about their needs." Understanding how charities can align better with companies and vice versa is an ongoing challenge, and also the key to a successful relationship that creates success as defined by myriad metrics. Experts like America's Charities make it their business to ask the right questions and devise targeted programs that increase funds raised, participation, skills-volunteering, and so many other areas that companies and charities want to enhance in smart ways. Advertisement "What we do has so much to do with education," says Browner. "We act as the agent or partner of the employer and are there as a consultant and guide, helping them increase their impact and most of all understand what success looks like for them, for their charity partners and for their community at large." On March 31, 2016, the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) controversially acquitted Serbian nationalist Vojislav Seselj of war crimes. The verdict prompted immediate condemnations from Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic, who described the acquittal as an "embarrassment for the Hague Tribunal", and from victims of the Yugoslavian civil wars who linked Seselj inextricably to Slobodan Milosevic's policies of ethnic cleansing. Seselj responded to these criticisms by praising the verdict as a victory for innocent Serbs facing unjust prosecution by Western legal institutions, and pledged to continue his campaign for a parliamentary seat in the April 24 Serbian lower house elections. The popularity of Seselj's Serbian far-right faction has declined significantly since last year's demonstrations, which included the burnings of EU, NATO and Croatian flags by ultra-nationalists. Nevertheless, his continued presence in Serbian politics has been regarded as a setback for Belgrade's hopes of transitioning Serbia towards European integration. The ICTY's acquittal of Seselj is a major blow to its legitimacy as an agent of punishing international law violations, as the evidence against Seselj was overwhelming. It also threatens to erode the progress towards normalized relations between Serbia and other Balkans states that has been a vital step towards the eventual integration of the entirety of former Yugoslavia into the European fold. Advertisement How Seselj's Acquittal Undermines the Credibility of the ICTY While the credibility of the ICTY had been challenged by world leaders, like Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who accused the tribunal of covering up crimes by non-Serb suspects, and by Serbian nationalist groups, questions surrounding the relevance and fairness of the ICTY have reached a fever pitch since the Seselj acquittal. The ICTY justified their not guilty verdict with a veiled reasonable doubt case, contending that Seselj's volunteers committed crimes but that there was no evidence that Seselj knew that crimes were being perpetrated or that he personally ordered mass murders. Upon even a superficial examination of the evidence in the Seselj case, this conclusion is a dubious one. Seselj openly incited violence during his speeches, claiming that for Serbs, the Second World War had not ended (a veiled reference to need for Serbian retribution against war crimes perpetrated by pro-Nazi Ustase forces in Croatia), and warning that "rivers of blood" would flow in Bosnia if his goal of creating a Greater Serbia faced opposition. His support for Milosevic's ultranationalist policies and implicit endorsement of the use of force against Bosnia's secession from the Yugoslav federation is undeniable. There is also compelling evidence of his direct involvement in the atrocities inspired by this rhetoric, with a witness named by the court as VS1064 describing the burial of 88 men in a mass grave by Seselj's forces. This atrocity was one of many crimes against humanity perpetrated by Serbian paramilitary forces under Seselj's command, and is compelling proof that the Serbian regime's vision of a Greater Serbia was a "criminal project" as prosecutors alleged and not a mere "political project" that the court ruled. The court's ruling that the forced busing of non-Serbs from territories that Seselj wanted to incorporate into Greater Serbia was a "humanitarian mission" and not ethnic cleansing, is an egregious sugarcoating of the actions of Serbian paramilitaries. Advertisement The trial process also constituted a victory for Serbian ultra nationalists seeking to prevent war crimes suspects from being held accountable for their actions under international law. Seselj surrendered himself to a UN war crimes tribunal in 2003, but was kept in prison for 11 years without clear progress towards trial before his temporary release on medical grounds in November 2014. Immediately after his acquittal, Seselj announced that he was seeking 14 million euros in compensation from the ICTY. In order to demonstrate to the Serbian public and a wider international audience that he regarded the ICTY as little more than a kangaroo court, Seselj condemned the tribunal vociferously as being an illegal American proxy and even held a hunger strike in 2006 to win sympathy for his cause. The massive delays in the trial process and the tribunal's lack of control over proceedings would have been issues regardless of the verdict. But with Seselj's acquittal, they can provide further ammunition for Serbian war crimes suspects to discredit the courts in the eyes of the watching public in Belgrade and the international community. How Seselj's Acquittal Could Impact Inter-State Diplomacy in the Balkans The ICTY's acquittal of Seselj has resulted in a wide range of responses from political leaders in former Yugoslavia. The far-right Serbian Radical Party, formed by Seselj in 1991 and a leading political force during his stint as Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia from 1998-2000, has the potential to gain momentum in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Seselj's demagoguery against Western legal institutions, which included a reference to the execution of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who he described as his "friend," and his claims that he was persecuted on ideological grounds, strikes a chord with far-right factions in Serbia resistant to European integration. The removal of the threat of extradition from Belgrade will undoubtedly embolden his cause, but Seselj faces an uphill political climb. A poll taken before his acquittal revealed that his party had just 5% support amongst Serbs voting in the parliamentary election. Nevertheless, Serbia's Prime Minister Alexander Vucic expressed concern that his Serbian Progressive Party's hold on power could be made more vulnerable as a result of the acquittal. Seselj believes the decision could increase the popularity of his party to above 25% by election day. Should the Radical Party gain a great deal of political momentum as a result of the ICTY ruling, relations between Serbia and other former Yugoslav republics could sour further. As Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic was a member of Seselj's Radical Party until 2008, the capacity of the Serbian government to openly oppose the ICTY's verdict in order to de-legitimize Seselj is almost non-existent. Any hard-hitting statement by Nikolic or Vucic would likely cause a mass wave of defections by Serbian right-wingers and populists, away from the moderate conservative Serbian Progressive Party to Seselj's Radical Party. Advertisement Yet a failure to take a strong stance on this issue will undoubtedly provoke opposition from other leaders in the Balkans. Croatian Prime Minister Oreskovic speaking from Vukovar described the damage wrought by Seselj to the town and decried his complete lack of remorse for the brutality he oversaw. Bosnian Prime Minister Denis Zvidsic echoed Oreskovic's position condemning international courts for letting Seselj's aggression against Bosnia go unpunished. The head of Bosnia's Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Foundation described the acquittal as "madness squared" and the "collapse of international justice." These sentiments on such an emotionally charged issue could escalate tensions within former Yugoslavia. Despite pleas from German and European politicians for a rapproachment between Serbia and Croatia, Croatia has threatened to obstruct Serbia's accession to the EU. Croatia's new foreign minister Miro Kovac inflamed tensions by rejecting the idea that Serbia and Croatia are part of a common "region," instead preferring the term "neighborhood." Vucic also recently clashed with former Bosnian president Bakir Izetbegovic over a potential genocide lawsuit from Sarajevo against Serbia, claiming that such a provocative move could lead to a "spiral of violence." At a time when Serbia is trying to ease tensions with Croatia and Bosnia in order to demonstrate to European leaders that it has moved beyond the Milosevic era of genocide and belligerence, the backlash resulting from Seselj's acquittal is an unwelcome setback. A few months ago we, at StandWithUs New York, together with Israel's Permanent Mission to the UN, embarked on a mission: sharing Israel's story at the UN Headquarters in New York. The "Israel Matters Display" was created a few years ago to highlight significant issues regarding Israel. It is meant to enrich public discourse about the geo-political situation in the Middle East and touch upon Israel's achievements and advancements in various fields such as technology, the environment and international cooperation. In the course of time we made the display available to students and communities to share at local events and spread the word about Israel in a more comprehensive and inclusive manner. It has been shown all over North America, and even Australia and South Africa. Unfortunately, Israel's relationship with the United Nations revolves too often around anti-Israel resolutions in the General Assembly, absurd denunciations in various UN forums and, of course, the notorious UN Human Rights Council, which tends to solely focus on Israel and unjustly single her out. Mind you, when the Council was established a few years ago, Israel supported it in the hope we could open a new leaf and it might even "play fair". Unfortunately it chose not to, up to a point where former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, though a supporter of the Council's establishment, harshly criticized it, saying: "Do they not have a sense of fair play? Why should they ignore other situations and focus on one area?" Advertisement It is in this hot bed of a political arena that we wanted to place our Israel Matters Display. Our desire was to engage people about Israel in a different manner, open their eyes to what Israel is and what she has to offer, beyond the "usual" they are accustomed to at the UN. We truly believe that such introductions are the only path for a meaningful dialogue and, indeed, an eventual progress and solution. The path to reconciliation, albeit long, must begin with a first step, one that is focused on building bridges between people and not building walls to set them apart. Thankfully, after months of preparations and after discussions between Israel's Mission to the UN and the UN, the latter approved the showing of our exhibition. However, shortly before the exhibition was due to open, the Israeli representatives were informed that three out of the thirteen panels of the exhibition would not be permitted for showing, namely: Arab Israelis, Jerusalem, and Zionism. No reason was given aside from their being "inappropriate". Naturally, we were appalled by this decision of the UN to censor our display; viewing it as a blatant insult that Israel's core values are rebuffed by what is supposed to be an "all-inclusive" organization. We ask ourselves what happened to the UN, since its establishment? How did the good will and good intentions of those who made it into a reality been distorted in such a way? For the life of us, we could not comprehend why would a panel showcasing Israel's non-Jewish population not be welcome at the UN? How come Jerusalem, whose connection to the Jewish people is unbreakable, undeniable and irrefutable, be disregarded in such a way (especially when the display does mention both Christian and Muslim connection with the city)? Yet, the most offending of all, was the UN's decision to view "Zionism" as inappropriate. Zionism, a respectable movement in the family of nations, is no more and no less than a manifestation of the Jewish People's basic right for self-determination: the indigenous people of Israel's return to their ancestral homeland. How could such a right, so quintessentially elementary to all, become "inappropriate" when it comes to the Jewish people?! Advertisement Later on, and after many efforts put in by StandWithUs and by Israel's UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, and his team, the United Nations agreed to put up the Zionism display, but yet still rejected Arab-Israelis and Jerusalem. Why? Well, a spokesperson for the UN secretary general said there was a "misunderstanding" about the Zionism panel, but he wouldn't explain what that misunderstanding was nor provide an explanation for the refusal to show the other two panels. What is the lesson here? Aside from the importance of standing up for what you believe in, this UN denial presents Israel with a warning sign: our narrative has been hijacked and re-defined. If a UN bureaucrat, even if not intentionally anti-Semitic, felt Zionism and Jerusalem were "inappropriate" Israeli values to share, it means we can no longer take it for granted that our narrative is known and our deep connection with our homeland to be self-evident to all. We must reclaim our story, and tell it out loud, so that the world hears and none doubts the obvious: we are back home again, and we are here to stay. US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a campaign rally at Temple University, April 6, 2016, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sanders scored a crucial victory April 5, 2016 over Hillary Clinton in the US state of Wisconsin, throwing a road block in his Democratic rival's march toward the party's presidential nomination. / AFP / DOMINICK REUTER (Photo credit should read DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images) Wednesday night Senator Bernie Sanders made a path-breaking speech stating that Hillary Clinton is "not qualified" to be president of the United States. This is a major escalation in his attacks on the former Secretary of State in anticipation of the upcoming New York Democratic presidential primary. It is the first time that he has made her personal character a part of his campaign rhetoric -- in direct refutation of his promise to make this contest about issues rather than personal matters. This is potential dynamite for the Democratic Party. For it may mean that if Senator Sanders does not get the Democratic presidential nomination next summer -- and he continues to argue that Secretary Clinton is disqualified from the presidency -- that he will take his large progressive following out of the Democratic Party and run as an independent next fall, figuring that he can win the presidency on his own by taking advantage of a split vote between a reactionary Republican candidate and a figure like Clinton whom, he believes, most people don't trust. But in doing so he will risk committing a Ralph Nader-type disruption that could bring about the election of a true reactionary in the person of Ted Cruz or the triumph of a reckless right-wing gambler like Donald Trump. Advertisement By Alula Eshete, Harvard Business School Class of 2017 & Harbus C.E.O. According to Harvard Business School's recruiting statistics, the most sought out industries by HBS graduates are financial services and consulting, together consistently drawing in over half of the school's graduating classes. The class of 2015 statistics support that narrative, with 31% of graduates entering financial services and 24% joining a consulting firm. Contrast that with the fact that less than one percent of the 2015 HBS graduates assumed roles in government. This divergence inspired the Harbus to reach out to Calvin Allen Young III, a 2015 HBS alumnus who is running for Mayor of Baltimore. A proud Baltimore native, Young is one of four siblings raised in northeast Baltimore by his single mother, a correctional officer of 22 years. It was during his time as a student at one of the city's engineering magnet high schools that he discovered his passion for technology. Though growing up in Baltimore was no fairytale story, Young credits his mother's perseverance for affording him access to a neighborhood and education that could serve as a springboard for him to eventually pursue his mechanical engineering degree at NYU. Whether while working as a systems engineer for Sikorsky Cyclone or as a manufacturing supervisor for Pratt & Whitney, Young has always kept one foot in civic service. He served as National Chairperson for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and, most recently, on the Obama Administration's National Economic Council, where he worked on an initiative aimed at addressing the challenges small businesses face in accessing affordable working capital. Young points to his upbringing, education, and professional experiences when asked why he believes he knows how to best address the issues confronting Baltimore. Advertisement Baltimore continues to be plagued with corruption, violence, and despair. Most recently, the city made headlines as Baltimore police faced scrutiny for the arrest and tragic death of Freddie Gray. When asked whether he felt Baltimore had been trending downwards since his departure, Young simply remarked, "it was bad and it remains bad". Citizens across the nation formed opinions on the heightened conflict and subsequent protests based on fragmented sound bites and news clips. Many criticized the unrest for the damage it caused to the city, but a less shocked Young asserts that "anyone familiar with those neighborhoods knows that those neighborhoods have looked that bad for many years." Sadly, abandoned blocks, rat infestations, open drug markets and neglected trash heaps have been a reality for many Baltimore residents for decades. Baltimore's declining voter participation - 35.3% in the most recent Governor election - is just one indicator of the faltering hope among its citizens and their level of confidence in the political representation. Despite this reality and the slew of manufacturing jobs that have continued to escape Baltimore, Young remains optimistic about the city's future. By prioritizing education system advancements, small business growth, and lead paint elimination, Young believes that Baltimore can rightfully reclaim its reputation as "Charm city". As NSBE Chairperson and long-time board member, leading strategies in favor of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and retention among black youth across universities nationwide remained a top priority of his. Attributing much of his success to the resources made available to him as a child, Young believes that "universal pre-kindergarten, algebra by 7th grade, and calculus by 11th grade should be standard in any modern day curriculum." Beyond these core components, Young also seeks to ensure that after school and recreational activities that expose adolescents to 21st century technologies, STEM, and the arts will no longer be the exception. Responsible for employing half of the private sector and for creating two-thirds of new jobs in the U.S., small businesses remain a critical component of Young's plan to redirect Baltimore's trajectory. With plans to introduce microfinancing loans and incubator spaces, Young plans to support and encourage small businesses to create jobs in underserved neighborhoods. This, Young believes, will provide more of Baltimore's youth with viable opportunities and deter them from violent crime. Advertisement Today, Baltimore's African American population - representing two-thirds of the city's population - only own one third of local businesses; an imbalance in empowerment that Young believes is a factor in the increasing crime rate among the city's black youth. Lead poisoning, an epidemic that plagues Baltimore's poor community, lays claim to over 5% of Baltimore's children, despite unfulfilled promises by leadership to eradicate the issue. Victims of lead poisoning - the late Freddie Gray, included - are exposed to a toxic contaminant that is known to cause permanent learning and behavioral challenges. While Young echoes other candidates' stance on holding lead paint manufacturers accountable, he believes that this strategy must be complemented with the "testing of parents as well as children at birth to allow for more targeted interventions early in the detection process". In light of the recent Flint Water Crisis, negligence in public leadership has become a relevant topic of discussion. In response to a question about the similarities and differences between leadership across the private and public sector, Young had this to say: effective leadership is determined by how one is evaluated and perceived by constituents and civic organizations. Young credits his experiences in both the private and the public sector for teaching him the valuable lessons he will need to leverage in successfully leading a citywide office. With respect to the private sector, Young says, "leaders have strayed from making long-term strategic decisions in favor of quarter-to-quarter decisions that create short wins." Considerations of environmental and human costs, it seems, have taken the back seat in these decision making processes. Young also acknowledges that the public sector leaders could take a page from the private sector and begin to "treat citizens more like customers and not just a vote". Young recognizes the tension between the pressure for immediate results and the need for meaningful transformations, but says that he is "willing to be that long-term thinker who makes the tough decisions in favor of sustainable solutions," should he be elected Mayor. Young's passion for the city of Baltimore is undeniable, but his decision to uncharacteristically pursue a path of public service following Harvard Business School remains puzzling to some. While many recognize HBS as one of the best management institutions and training grounds for business leaders, Young says that people often lose sight of the school's broader mission of educating leaders who make a difference in the world. In fact, Young credits HBS for helping him realize that returning to Baltimore was the right way for him to begin making a difference. While assuming a role in industry or founding a start-up both serve as means for impact in certain contexts, Young asserts that "service in the public sector was the best way for me to make a difference given Baltimore's cultural and political realities". Equipped with his leadership training, lessons from career successes, and passion for Baltimore, Young enters this race determined to bring promise and opportunity to Baltimore. While recent press has shined a light on the problems that plague Baltimore, Young admits that highlighting these problems at the national level has inspired him and so many other leaders in Baltimore to action. Pointing to what sets Baltimore apart, Young states: "Many people forget that Baltimore houses one of the best deep water shipping ports, a world-renowned medical system, and a biotech start-up scene second only to Boston's," adding that "with the right policies in place, we can leverage the impact of our growing tech start-up scene to create impact in marginalized neighborhoods". Home to Fort McHenry, where the Star Spangled Banner was written, Baltimore, Young believes, deserves a future as rich as its history. On April 26, the citizens of Baltimore will decide whom they deem to be most fit to forge that future as they cast their votes for the primary elections. This year's Primary Election Day will occur just a day prior to the one year anniversary of the late Freddie Gray's funeral. While that period in Baltimore was stained by controversy and dissension, Young envisions a new narrative being written this April. A narrative that reflects new leadership and a new vision that promises to run against the grain of the status quo politics and policies that have struggled to address the needs of Baltimore. "If not now, then when?" asks Young. For more on Calvin Young's Mayoral campaign, visit www.electcalvinyoung.com. __________________________________________________________ Alula Eshete (HBS '17) is a first-generation Ethiopian-American and CEO of The Harbus. Prior to HBS, he spent 4 years working across several divisions of Abbott before joining GE's Global Growth & Operations group in Ethiopia. He enjoys exploring the world, making people laugh, and advocating for the voiceless. Advertisement By Charlotte Florance Genocide survivors make home goods for global sales--a sign of healing in Rwanda. Women producing baskets, handbags, and jewelry in the small, central African nation of Rwanda comprise TO THE MARKET's artisan network. These survivors of the Rwandan Genocide are transforming a society torn apart by gruesome ethnic violence through the dignity of work, opportunity, and economic empowerment. Artisan entrepreneurship, assisted by TO THE MARKET's online sales platform for Rwandan goods, helps propel Rwanda forward. April 7th marks the 22nd anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. From April to July 1994, between 800,000 and one million ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during a 100-day killing spree planned and perpetrated by ethnic Hutus, also known as genocidaires. Despite the presence of United Nations Peacekeeping Troops, the international community did very little to intervene or quell the violence, which has left lasting social, economic, and political scars on the small African nation. Paul Kagame, now President of Rwanda, led a Tutsi intervention force, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), comprised of Tutsi refugees, to defeat the Rwandan Army and Hutu militias. Kagame ultimately established a unity government led by the Tutsi RPF political party. Hundreds of thousands of Hutus fled the country for fear of retribution, many fleeing to neighboring countries, including Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Many of the Hutus who fled were then, in turn, targeted by DRC militias, including M23, a militia backed until 2013 by Kagame's government. Advertisement After the genocide, Rwanda was on the brink of total collapse. Of the survivors, women comprised 70 percent of the population, entire villages were destroyed, and social cohesion was in utter disrepair. This small African country of 12 million inhabitants, encompassing a geographic area roughly the size of Maryland, has made a remarkable economic turnaround over the course of the past two decades. The country now boasts intra-regional trade and service delivery, urban design innovation, and efficient transport links. It has positioned itself as an attractive destination for foreign investment and business ventures. Remarkably, there is free wifi on city buses in Kigali, the country's capital! The Financial Times highlights that Rwanda's "good roads, security, healthcare services and an efficient bureaucracy are impressive in a region where all are in short supply." Rwanda is leading the East African Community (EAC) in pursuing a monetary union and further trade integration--an area notorious for high tariffs. In fact, it is often easier in East African countries, such as Tanzania or Kenya, to trade with Europe than with their neighbors in Africa. Rwanda, among other EAC countries, is attempting to change this dynamic. The country has made a point to learn from other small service-delivery oriented countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and fellow African country, Mauritius. Despite these overall economic improvements and Rwanda's long-term economic vision, significant political challenges remain. Paul Kagame continues to run the country with a strong authoritative hand, very little political dissidence is allowed, and press freedom is limited. Those within his inner-circle who have spoken out against his policies are now the targets of international political assassinations. While ethnic associations and labels have been banned, Hutu's see a glass ceiling on their success. For example, Tutsis comprise about 15 percent of the population, but account for the majority of top government posts and business leaders. The country still remains very poor as more than a third of the national budget is supported by foreign aid. Rwanda's high growth rate (over 8 percent) in the 2000s is now slowing. The country's constitution was recently amended by the support of the Rwandan people to extend Kagame's term limits beyond 2017; he can now remain in power, if popularly elected, until 2034. Paul Kagame will be the first to admit that Rwanda is an experiment and that the end result is still unknown. Given the atrocities and the complex dimensions of reconciliation, the ability for genocide victims and perpetrators to live and work side-by-side is remarkable. However, the collective memory of the genocide is a distinct and defining element of Rwandan society today. Despite the horrific trauma many experienced, post-genocide Rwanda presents opportunities for women leadership in how the country is being reconstructed. Women in Rwanda hold significant power and respect, unique to a continent where patriarchy and oppression remain major factors for leadership in many countries. Successful women-led cooperatives (including several TO THE MARKET local partner organizations working in Rwanda: All Across Africa and NO. 41), a women-majority led parliament (women hold 64 percent of the seats, the highest proportion of women in the world), and equal access to education and financial services are just some of the remarkable accomplishments in Rwanda over the past 22 years. Advertisement Last week a new government took office in Burma while a chorus of business leaders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, called for the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions on the Southeast Asian nation. To do so would be a mistake. While the swearing in of a government run by the political party of Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi is welcome news, it is imperative that the U.S. keep the pressure up to protect minorities who remain under pressure and under siege. The signals being sent by the Obama administration are not encouraging. And that is bad news for those who care about the plight of minorities like the 1.3 million Rohingya who continue to be denied basic rights as they try to survive under the harshest of conditions. Advertisement Over 100,000 Rohingya displaced by violence in 2012 remain in squalid camps facing severe restrictions on their freedom of movement and access to life-saving medical care and humanitarian aid. On a recent visit to the camps, one of the UNs top humanitarian officials expressed shock at seeing so many temporary shelters in a state of collapse and the appalling sanitation conditions. The million other Rohingya living outside the camps dont have it all that much better, facing continued restrictions on their rights to marry, have children, and even to self-identify. Last May, thousands of Rohingya fleeing the conditions in Burma were trapped at sea and over 100 bodies, mostly Rohingya, were found in mass graves in the camps of human traffickers along the Thai and Malaysia border. The Early Warning Project at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum continues to list Burma at the top of the list of states likely to see mass killings. Independent human rights groups including United to End Genocide have warned about the high risk of genocide and Yale Law Schools Human Rights Clinic has found strong evidence that genocide may already be taking place. Aung San Suu Kyi has said little about one of the most persecuted minorities on the planet, except that the plight of the Rohingya should not be exaggerated. Her political party spokesperson told reporters after its election that the conditions facing the Rohingya would not be a priority of the new government and suggested that the new government needed to work with neighboring Bangladesh on the question of where the Rohingya belonged. This fueled the narrative of the former ruling party that the Rohingya are illegal immigrants and should have few rights, despite the fact that most of the Rohingya have lived in Burma for generations. Advertisement Aung Ko, who was just appointed Minister of Religious Affairs in the new government, continued this by telling reporters last week that the Rohingya and all Muslims in Burma are but associate citizens. A recent congressionally mandated report by the State Department, the same report that led to the determination that the Islamic State is committing genocide, ignored the question of atrocities taking place against the Rohingya and grossly understated their plight by concluding only that the Rohingya face persecution and discrimination. There was no mention of the Rohingya at the U.S.-ASEAN Summit that President Obama hosted in California in February, but Burmas Vice President did use the occasion to urge lifting of U.S. sanctions. Advocates for lifting U.S. sanctions point to news that 25,000 Rohingya have returned to their homes in the past year. They fail to note, however, the latest report of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the country that finds that, only a small majority relocated voluntarily. They also ignore the brutal reality that even those Rohingya who were never displaced remain without citizenship and basic human rights. As the Special Rapporteur has stated, There are more than a million Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar deprived of some of their most fundamental rights. This is a million too many. The consequences of these conditions are real. The UN Special Rapporteur continues to report on preventable deaths due to lack of access to emergency medical treatment. The expulsion of Doctors Without Borders in February 2015 led to an estimated 150 deaths in the first two weeks alone. Though the group has since been allowed to return, it is at a significantly reduced level with even more restrictions. As long as the Rohingya continue to face systemic persecution, apartheid-like conditions, denial of basic human rights, and a high risk of atrocities, the United States must be clear that failure to address these conditions will negatively affect U.S.-Burma bilateral relations. If the new government of Burma fails to prioritize protection of the Rohingya and prevention of the worlds worse crimes, then the United States must do so. Renewing U.S. sanctions for another year on Burma is an important start. Advertisement Human hand waving in front of Syrian flags. Most Syrians forced from their homes dream not of going to Europe or Canada, but back home. And Canada's military involvement in the region is not improving their chances. That is the message a Canadian aid agency is conveying from its partners in Syria and surrounding countries. The Winnipeg-based Mennonite Central Committee has 60 years of experience on the ground in the Middle East and currently works with over 25 local civil society partners in Syria and neighboring Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan. It has spent over $47 million to address the Syria-Iraq crisis over the past five years. Advertisement Savay, whose last name is withheld for security reasons, cooks rice in an unfinished home shared by 10 families affected by the Syria-Iraq crisis. (MCC Photo/Matthew Sawatzky) The agency's representatives for Syria and Lebanon, who cannot be named for security reasons, work directly with partner organizations in some of the hardest hit areas of Syria as well as with refugees who have fled places like the defacto ISIS capital of Raqqa. While many media reports portray Syria as little more than a place from which to flee, MCC works with people who long to return, people who refuse to leave, and people who do not want their home towns shelled beyond recognition. Speaking via skype from the region, MCC staff say of their local partners, "they are in love with their country." They tell of a bishop in the ravaged city of Homs who presides over a church that was founded in 47 AD. He is not leaving. Advertisement In Aleppo, another one of the most chaotic cities, MCC staff say electricity is "pretty well non-existent" and water flows once a month if residents are lucky. For many people, their days consist largely of dodging sniper fire to get water and food. On a very good day in Aleppo, people may be able to have a family picnic at one of the parks that is still suitable for such purposes. The recent cease-fire has made this more possible. In that barren context, MCC used funds provided by Canada's Office for Religious Freedom to support a theatre project that saw over 1,200 people from a range of Christian and Muslim sects literally dodge bullets to attend a play about a love story that crosses traditional boundaries. MCC staff say it is the "amazingly resilient" people like the bishop in Homs and the theatre organizers in Aleppo "who will rebuild the country." Though half of Syrians have been forced from their homes--4.6 million have fled the country while another 6.6 million are displaced internally--it is clear that there are many people who have not given up on Syria. Indeed, some who have made Canada "home," still dream of their other home. Qasim (8), Tawaf (5), Hatay (61) and Murad (6) fled from the Islamic State group and have taken refuge in an unfinished house in a small town in northern Ninewa governorate, Iraq. (MCC Photo/Matthew Sawatzky) Advertisement MCC staff recount the story of the father of a Syrian refugee family in Lebanon, who, driven by desperation, was prepared to put his family in a dingy headed for Europe. His wife was reluctant. That's understandable; since Aylan Kurdi's body washed up on shore last September, at least 340 children have drown in the Mediterranean according to the U.N. Through an MCC partner, the family debating the voyage to Europe obtained food vouchers that made the difference between heading out to sea and staying on dry ground. In many cases, aid for refugees sustains them while they await the chance to go home. While MCC's partners in the region are deeply grateful for the willingness of countries like Canada to welcome refugees--and MCC is also very active in refugee resettlement in Canada--they say the primary need is in the region itself. People don't want to have to leave. Feryal (left) (22), her parents Elyas and Fatima and her sister Jandar, whose last names are withheld for security reasons, live in a tent at a camp for internally displaced persons in northern Ninewa governorate, Iraq. (MCC Photo/Matthew Sawatzky) Canada has pledged $1.1 billion in aid to the region over three years. In a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, MCC praised that commitment. At the same time, the letter says MCC is "deeply concerned" about Canada's ongoing anti-ISIS military involvement, including its reconnaissance and refueling assistance for air strikes. "Our . . . partners have reported," the letter states, "that as coalition airstrikes attempt to retake cities from ISIS not only do they cause immeasurable harm to civilians, but they demolish vital health, sanitation, and educational infrastructure. . . leaving cities virtually uninhabitable and fueling massive displacement." Partners are also concerned about provision of weapons, which they say do not always stay in the right hands. Advertisement Rooted in the Mennonite pacifist tradition, MCC urged Canada to focus instead on humanitarian and diplomatic efforts which contribute to what its partners see as the only solution: "a comprehensive political process in Syria, strengthening inclusive governance in Iraq, supporting peacebuilding initiatives that prevent religious and sectarian violence, and investing in humanitarian measures that build regional resilience." That, they believe, is the path to the future that so many still believe in. With the coming celebration of Passover, we recall the Jewish exodus from the tyranny they faced of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Sunni Muslims recall a similar exodus, in escaping the tyranny they faced of the Quraish tribe in Mecca. Though these holidays are also celebrated in October, during Yom Kippur and the 'Day of Ashura' they have similar meaningful explanations during the feast of Passover. On the Day of Ashura, the majority of Sunni Muslims celebrate by performing many rites including fasting. While the celebration of this holiday differs for the Shia, who represent 10% of the Muslim population, it has similarities with the Jewish celebration of their exodus from Egypt. However, what most non-Muslims don't know is the reason behind this fasting celebration which Prophet Mohamed commanded his followers to observe. Most non-Muslims believe this holiday is when we Muslims commemorate the tragic death of Al-Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohamed, and his family members who were killed by their rival, the Ommiad army, over the historical and controversial issue of who was more worthy of inheriting the Caliphate after the death of the Prophet. Moreover, many Muslims missed the same wisdom behind their celebration, and over time confused it with the tragic event of the death of Al-Husain. This date coincided with another great event that occurred on the same day, yet preceding it by 2000 years. That event is Passover, the miraculous flight of the Jews, led by Prophet Moses to escape the tyranny of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Advertisement The story began when Prophet Mohamed made his "Exodus" with his followers from the tyranny of his tribe, Quraish, in Mecca, to the safety of Medina. When he arrived, he noticed that the Jewish tribes of Medina were fasting on that day, the 10th of Mahram. When Prophet Mohamed asked the reason why, he learned of the day when God miraculously saved the Jews, allowing them to cross the Red Sea, led by Moses, peace be upon them both and all prophets. Prophet Mohamed then made a commandment stating that this day should be honored, and to this day it is honored by 90% of Muslims. "Since we Muslims share Prophet Moses with the Jews, we should share with them their joy and praise to Allah," as Prophet Mohamed reasoned. Thereafter, he fasted during those days of celebration, and so have most Muslims for the last 14 centuries. The moral behind this is that we, all faith followers, are actually closer to each other than most of us know. However, and on such a great day when Allah saved Moses and his Jewish people from tyranny, we only say, "Happy Passover to all Jews" in the hopes of celebrating the same safe "Exodus" from tyranny to freedom for hundreds of millions of Muslims who remain under the yoke of dictatorship. Advertisement Two years ago, on a cold winter day, I went to protest in a demonstration. I went to protest to protect the (human) rights of refugees in the Netherlands. It was a protest that perfectly fitted my idea of how a protest would look like. You probably have an image in your mind of a protest. Think about it. Really try to imagine it. For me, it looked something like this: Well... it looked exactly like this. This was that protest two years ago. I won't guess what you had in mind, your image might have looked completely different. But to me, the image of a protest has completely changed. The way we protest depends on the historical, social and political context. In the democratic society of the Netherlands, we had the freedom to go onto the streets with the masses and 'occupy' the streets. We could shout, chant and say whatever we wanted. We walked for hours and hours, with a gathering and concert at the end of the walk. Afterwards, most of us disappeared. People went back home, dove into a pub, got a bite to eat and went with the refugees back to their own shelter. This was what a protest was to me. This was my association with a protest. Advertisement The way we define things is by association. We assign images, signs, and symbolic capital to a word and this is what that word comes to mean to us. The associations available are different for everyone. For me, a protest had become to define that image above. A protest became what I experienced myself. But the associations that accompany 'protest' will differ depending on the social, cultural, but mostly, on the political context. The moment my conception of protest changed was when I spoke to Tashi. Tashi is a 19-year-old Tibetan refugee living in Dharamsala, India. He fled Tibet when he was 9 years old. Fleeing Tibet isn't that easy though. Tashi embarked upon a journey I can't imagine. Joining a group of 21 - many of whom kids (some even younger than him), mothers and monks - they set off on a journey they will never forget. Tibet is located so high in the sky that they refer to it as 'Roof of the World'. Its location and mountains make it one of the most elusive locations of the world. The icy mountains form a fairytale-like wall around the territory. The only way out of Tibet, is to bite through the ice. A Short History of Tibet Until 1949, Tibet was an autonomous Buddhist nation in the Himalayas. Religion was what unified the Tibetans, as did their language, literature, art and world view that they developed living on the roof of the world, under harsh natural conditions and in separation of the rest of the world. In 1950, China invaded Tibet. The 17 point agreement a year later stated that China would not "alter the existing political system in Tibet" and that "in matters relating to various reforms in Tibet there would be no compulsion on the part of the central authorities". As the years went on, the resistance grew. The capital Lhasa became filled with refugees from Eastern Tibet. In 1959, fearful of plans to abduct the Dalai Lama, 300.000 Tibetans took to the streets and surrounded the Palace to offer protection. A week later, the Dalai Lama flew over the mountains to India. From 1960-1962, Mao implemented his catastrophic campaign "The Great Leap Forward" aiming to rapidly transform an agrarian economy into a communist society, which led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Tibetan peasants and nomads. Thousands of monasteries were also destroyed. A few years later, Mao's movement to enforce communism continued onto every aspect of society and led to the destruction of many Buddhist monasteries and cultural sites. This went on for years. China continued to enforce its cultural and political power which led to the suppression of the freedom of Tibet. In 1989, 30 years after the National Uprising, Tibetans took to the streets, only to be met with brutal force. Chinese authorities expelled all foreigners and declared martial law. In the years that followed, China strengthened its control. In 1996, China launched a patriotic re-education campaign for Tibetans. The continuingly growing force and control of the Chinese leads to a growing number of Tibetans who don't feel they can be Tibetan in Tibet. The religion, culture, arts and language that once unified the Tibetans, was now suppressed. Many decide to flee. Over 150,000 Tibetans now live in exile, most of them in India or neighboring Nepal. So does Tashi. At 9 years old, he decided it was enough. From a very young age, he loved school. He always dreamt about going to university. But in Tibet, everything is directed towards the Chinese. The only language in schools or universities is Chinese, and all the education is colored by the regime. His mother knew he could do better. He could do great, but the Chinese kept him down. His mother made the incredibly difficult decision to send him away. Tashi would undergo an immense journey to flee Tibet, leaving his mom and two brothers behind. Fifteen days of trekking through the mountains. Something adventurous tourist do all the time to find peace of mind and freedom, something Tibetans do for the exact same reason. The tourist climbers do it for the journey, the Tibetans do it for the destination. "It's about the journey, not the destination" doesn't really apply anymore. There was nothing good about this journey. "Why am I doing this to myself?" Tashi asked himself continuously while he was on this journey through hell. They walked nights, never during the day. The Chinese had patrol all over the mountains during the day. Instead, they hid and slept at daytime, and trekked night-time. All Tashi had with him was a small rug sack with some water and bread. The gear consisted of the human body, faith and resilience. Tashi told me he was scared as hell. He was in hell for those 15 days. The journey was extremely dangerous and difficult and he counts himself very lucky to come out of it safe. In his group, no-one died, but one monk did lose his toes due to frostbite. Advertisement They arrived in Nepal, at a 'Tibetan Refugee Center'. For another two weeks, they stayed here until their journey to India continued. At least now they had food, shelter and they were away from Chinese control. They had nothing, but they were safe. After two weeks they moved on to Dharamshala, India. The same place the Dalai Lama escaped to. Finally they received a warm welcome. They got offered free shelter and were accompanied by many other Tibetans. Dharamshala, India World Merit Ten years later. Tashi still lives in Dharamsala. But he has applied for University. He wants to study Political Science in Delhi. In his body and mind, he wants to help Tibet and Tibetans. Through Political Science he wants to learn about systems, structures and politics in order to be able to change it. "Its up to the people in exile, to change the situation in Tibet", he says, "the people who are still living there can't do anything, so we have to. We have to show the people in Tibet that things can be different." A Tibetan monk in Dharamshala, India. World Merit Tashi calls his mom as much as he can. "She couldn't leave Tibet. Her whole life has always been there, it would not feel right. But my mom always says she is so proud of me," Tashi says. He got to meet the Dalai Lama, talk with him and live in his city - a dream that has come true for him, and his mom could not be more proud. "But our conversations are very limited", he explains. "The Chinese government tap into our phone lines and whenever we discuss anything political, the lines gets cut off. So we keep our conversations very basic. We withhold talking about anything political." "Once", he tells me, "the phone lines got cut off for a really long time. For months, I couldn't call my mom. When I finally spoke to her again after those months, she burst out crying. Although, to be honest, she cries almost every time we speak", he admits. "My mom doesn't know I want to study Political Science. She keeps asking me what I will study. The only thing I can say is English and Tibetan. So that's what I say." If it is up to the Tibetans in exile to bring about change within Tibet, the restrictions on conversation make this even harder to achieve, is what I keep thinking. In Tibet, you're no longer allowed to have pictures of the Dalai Lama in your house. Or anywhere, for that matter. "My mom secretly does have pictures of his holiness in her house. Everyone does. But they're just generally covered by other pictures. Only on important religious days she reveals them", he explains. I ask him about his brother, the monk. As a monk, I would think, you are automatically a more politically charged being, open for scrutiny from the Chinese government. Your title carries with it something the Chinese would dispute. "My brother works in a monastery, one of the ones that still exists. The monastery is not really allowed any pictures either, but of course they have them, they just hide them. The Chinese patrol is around the corner all the time. They just stand outside the monastery, observing and controlling." The strict totalitarian regime of China and the nature of the Buddhist religion make the kinds of protest that the Tibetans have at hand very different. The Dalai Lama doesn't support aggression and the religion he promotes is one of peace and freedom of violence. When Tibetans tried their hand at 'conventional' protest, they were met with brutal force from the Chinese. Since the late 90's, some monks took another route. Monks set themselves on fire in public; self-immolation. Since 2009, over 140 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet, 99% of them after 2011. 24 of them aged 18 years or younger. It's a form of protest very different from other protests. It is too politically charged to be a stand-alone suicide (even though there is something to say for every suicide being a political reflection of the society). But it is too individual to be compared to a suicide bomber; it is not meant to harm anyone but the protester. In a way, it protests what we see as protest. That day two years ago, the day I protested to protect the rights of refugees, I took the train to Amsterdam in the afternoon. I spent 5 hours walking around in the freezing cold, to get back in my train and return back home. I spent the rest of my evening talking in a pub. The next day, some journalists had brought out articles or news on the protest. That was it for my protest. In a democratic society, and if the protest is big enough, this can bring the change in regulations. This can indeed raise the awareness of people all over the country and bring about the change that was desired. But in a totalitarian regime there are no journalists that report this, there are no possibilities to organize such a protest in a similar way. People have to find other ways to protest the current political system. They resort to other forms of protest. Much harsher and more impactful forms, like self-immolation. In a different political context, the forms of protest change. This is not necessarily something new, I know. What I do wonder, is why these forms of protest are relatively little discussed in the media in other countries? If I take the West as an example - which knows most democratic societies and possibly most protests like I described - the self-immolations in Tibet are relatively undocumented. Remember Jan Palach? In 1968 he committed self-immolation as a political protest to end the Prague Spring. His name is remembered forever in many minds and history books all over the world. Talking about impact. Those 140 self-immolations in Tibet are without name. People will have heard about it, but the sheer amount of these deaths is relatively undocumented and the names remain too anonymous. Why? Maybe it is because China is just really good at keeping away international press from these actions, maybe it is because the West has too much to gain from a connection with China, or maybe it is because many of us uncomfortable with these types of protest. Maybe, we are so closed to this form of harsh protest, we refuse to cope with it. To really understand it. To try and imagine it. It is too quiet. It is too 'small', too personal, too painful. It is difficult to digest. Whereas women in Iran taking of their headscarf as a sign of protest, is also small and personal, but peaceful and not physically painful. It is easier to digest. I can't put my finger on the reason, but probably, it is a combination of all of the above. When I asked Tashi about the self-immolations, his tone changed. When I first heard of it, I was shocked. Very shocked. In the years following, I heard that some monks from my village did it, too. I used to live in a really small village. Like, really small. Everyone knew each other. Three guys I went to school with and who lived in my village, set themselves on fire in aid of freeing Tibet. I knew them quite well. I was just shocked. All I could really do was go to the temple and pray for them. Just pray. That is probably the only thing you can do when you hear of these self-immolations. It's what happens to me too. I was shocked. Sad. Terrified. Which is probably what these acts do for most people, but in a lot of ways, this form of protest is the biggest I have seen so far. It is not personal at all, it is not individual at all, and mostly, it is not small. It is contextual. As I said earlier, we define by association. It is not the word that matters, it is the meaning we give to it through images and symbols. It is the mysterious mental processes which give us an image of what that word means. Language is a mental process without which language would be empty. If associations differ, just like the mental processes and the meaning, we start to misunderstand each other and we fail to unite. Political and social contexts differ, and therefore the mental process which associates meanings to words differ. My idea of a protest was limited and framed through one glass. "Do you think things are going to change?" I asked Tashi. "Yes, I believe so. We have a long way to go but I believe we can. Things will have to change from outside though." If things are going to have to change from outside, the outside needs to pay more attention to it. We need to understand the cries for attention from inside, and we need to act towards the change. But we might need to change our language of protest to be able to deal with it. We might need to look at the silent and symbolic protest, the human body as protest. Yes, I have been to a protest. A type of protest Tashi has never been to, probably. But Tashi walked over mountains, crossed through ice and dealt with fire to find freedom and help Free Tibet. His protest was silent, symbolical, personal. His whole life has been a protest. Talking to Tashi, I realized he transformed my language of protest. He opened my eyes to other understandings of protests. Now, he symbolizes protest for me. I told Tashi about World Merit. About our community of changemakers who support each other in their mission to change the world. I told him I would tell his story to you. For you to support him, for you to encourage him, but most of all, for you to listen. And maybe, for us all, to unite by expanding and changing our language of protest. For us all, to participate in his protest. Advertisement dragance137 via Getty Images Alcohol forbidden sign Following the Bihar governments blanket ban on alcohol this week, habitual drinkers in the state turned a jittery lot for want of their daily dose while some of them even suffered tremors. Without their regular dose of booze, some failed to recognize even their own family members while a man chose to munch on soap bars in a desperate attempt to get a high, The Times Of India reported. Advertisement Doctors in the state are busy attending to patients with heavy withdrawal symptoms. As of Wednesday, at least 749 such people were brought to the state's 38 new de-addiction centres, the newspaper reported, citing reports received by the State Health Society of Bihar (SHSB). Four days after banning sale and consumption of country-made and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1, the Bihar government followed it up with prohibiting India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Meanwhile, the liquor ban has turned out to be a boon for paan shopkeepers after alcoholics, denied of their regular quota of booze, started depending on bhang to get a high, according to another news report. Bhang, sold in tiny sachets in most paan shops across the state, though produced from cannabis leaves, is not a listed narcotic drug in the state. Advertisement With alcoholics migrating to a cocktail of sugar cane juice and bhang for their daily fix, the display of Dutch courage by many after downing a few pegs that often leads to bloody brawls, has reportedly gone down. Bihar liquor ban however excludes army canteens and the BJP was quick to criticize the state government, questioning the basis of allowing sale of liquor there. "Will not the high and mighty be able to get liquor from Army canteen?... How the government would make prohibition a complete success in such a situation," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Times Now screenshot (Editor's note: This incident took place in April 2015. The article has been updated to reflect the same.) A 44-year-old woman was hacked to death in full public view by her brother in Chhattisgarh last April. Her crime? She lighted the pyre of her dead mother, as per the latter's last wish. Advertisement Geeta Prahlad, also the sarpanch of the Mohda village in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh, had lit the funeral pyre of her mother Surjubai on 5 April last year. Two days later, her brother, Tejram Verma accosted Geeta and hacked her to death in public. He was accompanied by his youngest son Piyush. Geeta's son was injured when he tried to stop his uncle and cousin. The Indian Express reports: "Tejram Verma was aided by his son Piyush as they attacked 46-year-old Geeta Prahlad when she was going to a river for a customary bath three days after the death of their mother. Geeta ran to save her life as they chased her in front of villagers and hit her repeatedly with axes." Geeta's 19-year-old daughter Khushboo told The Hindu: "Santosh threw my grandmother out from his home 22 years ago. My mother was looking after her all these years. He did not perform his duty as a son when my grandmother was alive but killed my mother for doing something which every daughter should do fulfil her mothers last wish." Relatives confirmed that Geeta had not staked claim on any property belonging to her brother. But, Verma's ego was hurt as Geeta performed the last rites of their mother. Also, he was allegedly envious of his sister who did much better than him in life and was elected the sarpanch of the village earlier in February last year. Advertisement Verma's elder son said that it seemed like his father was 'possessed' and added that he was ashamed to be called his son. Contact HuffPost India Unlike Gaurav from Maneesh Sharma's yet-to-release Fan, there's something achingly innocent about the characters in Nagesh Kukunoor's new film, Dhanak. While we only get to briefly see the two kids in the film's trailer that premiered yesterday, their playful smiles matched with a disarming wit are more than enough to win you over. With its fable-like treatment, the film tells the story of 11-year-old Pari and her little brother, Chottu, who cannot see. But if you were thinking of an arduous, back-breaking struggle as the film's story, stop right away. Instead, the crux of the film lies in the promise Pari makes to Chottu wherein she tells him he'll be able to see the world before turning 9. No, there isn't a specialist flown in to fix Chottu instead, the duo set out on a seemingly life-altering journey across the dramatic terrains of Rajasthan in the quest to meet, who else, Shah Rukh Khan. The narrative, from what one can tell, is peppered with wise-cracks and the stars of this show are undoubtedly the kids: Hetal Gada and Krissh Chhabria. Advertisement Produced by indie-stalwart Manish Mundra (previous credits include 2014's Aankhon Dekhi and 2015's Masaan), Dhanak had its world premiere at last year's Berlin Film Festival where the film inspired a standing ovation from a sold-out audience. It also bagged the prestigious Grand Prix award for the Best Feature film and also earned Special Mention by the Children's Jury in the Generation KPlus category. Dhanak also seems to have found a fan in Shah Rukh Khan, who tweeted his wishes to the film's team. My best wishes to these beautiful kids & to Nagesh & Elahe. https://t.co/K7zX9gpM55 Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 6, 2016 The film opens in Indian cinemas on June 10. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost India: Hindustan Times via Getty Images DOOARS, INDIA - APRIL 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing BJP election campaign rally at Birpara on April 7, 2016 in Dooars, India. West Bengal began voting for the assembly seats on April 4, a crucial election that could see political fortunes turn. While analysts predicted the Trinamool Congress would be a shoo-in, the flyover collapse could hurt the ruling partys chance, and the BJP is hoping to gain political capital from this. (Photo by Bikram Sashanker/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Even as Kolkata continues to nurse its wounds following last weeks flyover collapse that claimed several lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the tragedy was Gods message to the people of Bengal to save the state from the ruling party. "It is an act of god in the sense that it happened during election time so that people may know what kind of government she (Mamata Banerjee) has been running. God has sent a message to the people - that today this bridge has collapsed, tomorrow she will finish off entire Bengal. God's message to you all is to save Bengal," Modi said. Advertisement He accused Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee for blaming the Left Front that gave the contract for the flyover project for the accident, instead of keeping herself busy with the rescue work. "The flyover collapsed, such a big tragedy; if some chief goes what does he or she do; they try to save people, assist in rescue work. But what did Didi (Banerjee) do? The first thing she did was to declare that it was the Left Front that gave the contract (for the project)," NDTV reported, quoting Modi. Last Thursday, a portion of an under-construction flyover in busy north Kolkata had collapsed, killing at least 25 people and trapping hundreds under the debris. Modi accused Banerjee of "adjusting" with corruption and claimed that her party, TMC, stood for "terror, maut (death) and corruption". Advertisement He said the West Bengal Chief Minister boycotted meetings called by the Centre to discuss the issue of states' development and failed to bring about any transformation despite her call for 'paribortan' (change). "What kind of a Chief Minister is she? Whenever the Centre has called a meeting to discuss development of states, Didi has boycotted it, even if it hurt her state," Modi said. "She (Banerjee) did not attend those meetings only because Modi convened it. But whenever she visited Delhi, she met (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi and took her blessings," the Prime Minister told an election rally at Birpara in north Bengal. He also attacked the Congress for having "fallen at the Left's feet" in Bengal while the party was fighting the communists in Kerala. "If there is ideological difference between them, it should be there both in Kerala and Bengal," he said, wondering whether they could be trusted. Advertisement "Please go through the videos of Congress leaders five years back when they had criticized the Left. The first-ever Left government in Kerala was dismissed by the Congress government. Now see the magic, Congress is moving behind communists by holding their hands," he said. He said the Left and the Congress were trying to "fool" the people by fighting against each other in Kerala while at the same time forging an alliance in Bengal. Adnan Abidi / Reuters Indiaas Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses a gathering during a conference of start-up businesses in New Delhi, India, January 16, 2016. Indian Prime Minister Modi launched a number of initiatives on Saturday to support the country's start-ups, including a 100 billion rupee ($1.5 billion) fund and a string of tax breaks for both the companies and their investors. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi NEW DELHI -- Almost all the respondents in a ET-TNS survey of salaried persons in seven Indian cities approved of the Modi government's take on nationalism and sedition. Four-fifths of respondents in Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad felt that the Modi government had made the right noise on nationalism and sedition. Advertisement Over 80 percent of respondents in Delhi felt that either the Modi government was completely correct or mostly correct on its take on nationalism. The next highest approval rating came from Ahmedabad followed by Bengaluru and then Chennai. Nearly half the respondents felt that the Congress Party was responsible for the Jawaharlal Nehru University row, which sparked an uproar over free speech, dissent and nationalism. In Ahmedabad, over 70 percent of respondents blamed the Congress Party for the row, followed by 50 percent in Bengaluru, and just over 40 percent in Delhi. In Hyderabad, which has been in the throes of protests over Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student who committed suicide in January, 47 percent blamed student leaders of political parties, and 34 percent felt the same in Kolkata. Advertisement Overall, the survey revealed that Modi's stock is still high among the urban salaried classes of India. Eighty six percent of respondents in seven cities said that they were satisfied with the economic growth, 62 percent felt that enough jobs had been created, and 58 percent feel that 'achhe din aaney wala hain." Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost: Eduardo Munoz / Reuters A woman jogs in her shorts during a warm day in Central Park, New York December 25, 2015. Much of the U.S. East Coast could see record high temperatures on Christmas Day and through the weekend even as a major winter storm looms for the southern Great Plains, forecasters said on Friday. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz A professor at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bangalore is facing heat after he allegedly made sexist remarks at a woman student who wore a pair of shorts to his class. Her entire class turned up in shorts the next day to show solidarity and protest moral policing. Mukunda Mamidipudi, a student at the school, wrote in a Facebook post that the professor asked the third-year law student to "dress properly" when she appeared in shorts at his class on Monday. The matter did not end there. Miffed at being publicly called out, the student sought him out to clarify the matter. Instead, he allegedly rebuked her and made a series of comments about her "character". Advertisement Prof V. Nagaraj went on to make some crass comments, the student alleged in the statement, without naming him. "We all know why parents marry their children off--so that they can have sex. Just because the parents marry off their children for this reason, it does not mean that the children have sex in front of their parents, Nagaraj is alleged to have told the woman in the presence of her colleagues, Mamidipudi claimed in the post. He did not stop there. He went on to tell her "you can come to class without a dress also. That is how your character is, Im going to ignore you". When contacted, Prof. Nagaraj told HuffPost India that "the matter has to be objectively investigated by a competent body constituted by the university administration." Advertisement "The matter I reported to the head of the institution as soon as the allegation started. Now it for the university administration to handle this," he said. Here is Mamidipudi's entire post. Statement of CondemnationAs many students of the III year batch of B.A., LL.B. (Hons.), NLSIU, we issue this statement... Posted by Mamidipudi Mukunda on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 When asked to apologise, Nagaraj told Legally India, that Nothing like (what is described in the Facebook statement) happened. Students are making false and baseless allegations. It is for the university authorities to examine this incident. This is the first time that students have made such a statement. I have been teaching for 27 years. Nagaraj was the Registrar of NLSIU from 8 September, 2008 - 13 March, 2013. His areas of specialization include labour law, contract law, legal methods, insurance law and alternate dispute resolution. The NLSIU came into existence through a notification under the National Law School Of India University Act (Karnataka Act 22 of 1986). The Chief Justice of India is the Chancellor of the University. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost: Handout . / Reuters Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (R) talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Lahore, Pakistan, December 25, 2015. Modi arranged his landmark visit to Pakistan - the first by an Indian leader in a decade, at the last minute on Friday, a Pakistani official said. REUTERS/Press Information Department (PID)/Handout via Reuters ATTENTION EDITORS - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE Barely a week after a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan wrapped up its India visit to probe the Pathankot terror attack, a Pakistani envoy in Delhi said on Thursday that the peace process between the two countries was suspended, citing Kashmir as the bone of contention. Lets be realistic. It is the Jammu & Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust and other bilateral issues. Therefore, its fair and just resolution, as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, is imperative. Attempts to put it on the back burner will be counterproductive, Pakistan high commissioner to India Abdul Basit said. Advertisement He hinted that Pakistan may not allow Indian investigation team to visit the country to probe the Pathankot attack, as was recently agreed upon by the security agencies of the two countries. The whole investigation is not about question of reciprocity and is about cooperation between the two countries in probing the Pathankot attack, Basit said. Asked whether he was ruling out NIA visit to Pakistan, he said, "I leave it to your imagination." There is no meeting scheduled as of now. I think at present the peace process is suspended, he added. He also referred to the purported arrest of an alleged Indian Navy officer in Pakistans Balochistan. Last month, the Pakistan Army released a video of an arrested ex-Indian Navy officer purportedly confessing his involvement in terror activities in Balochistan. New Delhi had rubbished these claims and sought access to the arrested Indian national. Advertisement The recent arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan irrefutably corroborates what Pakistan has been saying all along, Basit said, adding, We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilise the country They are bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities. Tension started to build up once again between the neighbours after the Pakistani JIT claimed that Indian authorities "failed" to provide evidence to prove that Pakistan-based terrorists had stormed the IAF base, according to reports. India disapproved Pakistans claim on Thursday and asserted that the JITs probe was carried out as per the terms and conditions agreed upon in advance by both the governments. I subscribe to Chinese viewpoint, says Pak High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Beijing's veto on Masood Azhar pic.twitter.com/HTsDlnp0Dj ANI (@ANI_news) April 7, 2016 China last week scuttled India's attempt to get JeM Chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the United Nations. Pakistan-based JeM was behind the Pathankot attack. Advertisement India had responded by issuing a strongly-worded statement, slamming China's virtual veto of its attempt to blacklist Pathankot terror strike mastermind Azhar, saying "this does not reflect well on the determination that the international community needs to display to decisively defeat the menace of terrorism". On Wednesday, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government, saying its Pakistan policy was in 'shambles.' Singh said the government was failing miserably to honour its solemn promise to the people of the country. The governments policy towards Pakistan is in shambles. Terrorists from Pakistan continue to operate freely not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Punjab and other neighbouring states, Singh, who represented Assam in Rajya Sabha for 10 years, told a Congress poll rally. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Balraj Jittla/ Youtube Back in the 60s, when George Harrison, the lead guitarist of The Beatles, took sitar lessons from maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, it started a trend that gained momentum globally over the following years -- the use of Indian instruments -- dhol, tabla, sitar -- in Western pop. Shankar, who would have turned 96 today, has many, many laurels to his name, including working with legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin and filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Here's one such lesson to George Harrison by Ravi Shankar: Advertisement Shankar picked up the sitar at 18 and mastered it to perfection. He is the recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Today, Google marked Pandit Ravi Shankar's 96th birth anniversary with a Doodle. Here are some facts you might not have known about this classical music legend. 1. Education When Ravi Shankar was very young, his father and brother left India and moved to Paris. Paris had a powerful effect on the young Ravi Shankar who completed his education there and grew interested in Indian classical music and dancing. 2. Dancer. In his early years, Ravi Shankar joined his elder brother -- the famous dancer Uday Shankar -- and his troupe and went to Paris in 1930. In 1938, he gave up dancing as a career and moved back to India. He then began his formal training for Sitar under Ustad Allauddin Khan and dedicated a number of years learning the instrument. Advertisement 3. Sare Jahan Se Achha. The song Sare Jahan Se Achha which was written by Muhammad Iqbal in 1904 and was set to tune by Ravi Shankar in 1945. 4. All India Radio. Ravi Shankar joined the All India Radio as a music director and worked there from 1949 to 1956. 5. Created a new Raga for Mahatma Gandhi following his assassination. Following Mahatma Gandhis assassination in 1948, Shankar was asked to play some mournful music without tabla accompaniment on All India Radio. The Raga that he had created which drew from the name "Gandhi" was later used in the Richard Attenborough's 1982 movie -- Gandhi. 6. Association with George Harrison. The year 1966 was an important one for Ravi Shankar as it marked the association of the maestro with the legendary George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the cult band The Beatles, who learnt sitar from him. This association boosted Shankar's popularity in the West. 7. Regretful performance at Woodstock, 1969. The performance at Woodstock remains one of Ravi Shankar's main regrets. He called it a terrifying experience, where the stoned audience reminded him of the water buffaloes you see in India, submerged in the mud. He was so upset that he did not perform in the US for the next one year and a half. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: ASSOCIATED PRESS Bangladeshi police officers investigate at the spot where three motorcycle-riding assailants hacked student activist Nazimuddin Samad to death while walking with a friend, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, April 7, 2016. Police suspect 28-year-old Samad was targeted for his outspoken atheism in the Muslim majority country and for supporting a 2013 movement demanding capital punishment for war crimes involving the country's independence war against Pakistan in 1971, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nurul Amin. ( AP Photo) A Bangladeshi law student, who posted comments against radical Islamists on Facebook, was hacked by machete-wielding militants before being shot dead from close range here, the latest in a series of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, 28, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath University's law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhaka's Sutrapur area last night. Advertisement He had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists prepared and sent to Bangladesh's interior ministry. Samad was attacked by three assailants on a busy road while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. "They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death," he added. Samad, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. Advertisement His friends said Samad used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the country's law and order in a Facebook post. Samad was known to have been critical of state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Samad's activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Samad got admitted to the university two months ago. "We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him," he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, in the past the Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks on secular bloggers in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Here's what the new Docking State Office Building could look like Ready to take your business to new heights? The aviation sector offers producers a vast and stable market Ever since 9/11, news from the aviation sector seems to be fraught with horror stories, from the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 somewhere in the South Pacific in 2014 to the deliberate crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 in southern France last year. But the specter of such disasters is only a small part of the aviation industry. The sector is populated by a diverse array of business classes that present interesting and unexpected opportunities for insurers who want to engage in a potentially lucrative and steadily growing market. From the ground up Major lines of business within the aviation sector include both international and domestic airlines, aviation manufacturers, airport service providers (such as fuelers, baggage handlers and caterers), privatized air traffic control and drones. Theres also general aviation, which includes anything that flies that is not airline or military, such as corporate aircraft, chartered aircraft, utilities, emergency medical services and news helicopters. While it may seem strange to lump firmly grounded business classes such as caterers into the aviation sector, there is a good reason for it, says Lori Hunter, a California-based aviation specialist with surplus lines wholesale broker Worldwide Facilities. In order to take the food out to the commercial aircraft, the caterers have to put it on lift trucks on the tarmac and load it onto the plane, she explains. In a typical claim scenario, the driver operating the lift with the food cart could damage the aircraft, resulting in a very expensive proposition. Such a varied sector naturally requires a broad spectrum of insurance products. Manufacturers require aircraft products liability coverage. This product serves several tiers of buyers. At the apex are the people building the aircraft. After that come Tier 1 suppliers people who make things like engines, avionics and flight control actuation systems. After that come sub-tiers for instance, people making one piece of metal that goes into those complex items. Its a straightforward coverage, addressing bodily injury and property damage arising out of an aviation product, says Eric Donofrio, XL Catlins North American regional manager for aviation insurance. If someone alleges your product caused or contributed to an accident, and people on the aircraft were injured or there was property damage on the ground, thats what this would cover. Another common coverage, known as grounding coverage, is more of a financial loss cover. If something happens to an airplane that results in bodily injury or property damage the engine blows up, for example, and hurts a person or the aircraft the FAA may ground all of that type of aircraft until the problem is resolved. If the FAA mandates grounding, the airlines come to the manufacturer of the product that caused the grounding and say, We are losing revenue because your part caused our aircraft to be grounded, Donofrio explains. This coverage responds to the financial loss a manufacturer might have because their product caused the grounding. Airline/general aviation hull and liability coverage responds to bodily injury and property damage if the plane crashes. The coverage works the same way for commercial airlines and the general aviation business class. Corporate aircraft have the same exposures as a commercial airline people riding in the aircraft, and people and property outside of aircraft in the event of a crash, Donofrio says. Coverage for airport service providers consists of an airport general liability form with coverage specific to airport premises. The coverage is required because P&C policies have exclusions for airport exposures. It is geared toward people providing services inside the airport aircraft repair, maintenance, fueling, etc. Products and completed operations coverage insures the airline itself, including its employees. However, if an airline pilot makes a mistake, they derive their protection from the airlines hull and liability policy. All aviation policies also have a war exclusion, covering things like terrorism related incidents or outright acts of war. Generally speaking, Hunter says, commercial airlines and major airports are the typical business classes that purchase stand-alone war coverage. In the global airline industry, there are two different ways of placing insurance coverage: on a quota share basis or on a 100% basis. The way the coverage is placed revolves around the size of the limit. Often, when it comes to the giants of the industry, the exposure is so significant that no one insurer wants to do it on their own, Donofrio says. Airlines tend to buy $1.5 to $2.25 billion worth of cover for any one occurrence. No one market wants to put out that much limit, he says. In a co-participation basis, everyone pays a share. Even an aviation manufacturing company buying a comparatively low limit of $5 to $10 million might have a product that is so significant and so likely to cause a loss that one market wouldnt want to cover it on their own because of the exposure, even though the limit is low. The other way to place coverage is on a 100% basis, which comes into play for a business with a very low loss exposure, or where the frequency of loss is very low. Smaller, owner-flown aircraft such as corporate jets would fall into this category. From a global perspective, most business is transacted on a quota share basis, and people that play on that business in the US are the same internationally, Donofrio says. It truly is a global marketplace. to be continued... Exterior wind damage 25% of all losses Non-weather-related damage (plumbing or appliance issues, for example)) 19% Hail 15% Weather-related damage (rain, melting ice, snow, for example) 11% Theft 6% Weather incidents were the most common causes of homeowners insurance claims in the past six years, accounting for more than half of all claims, a new report from The Travelers Companies reveals.The Hartford , Connecticut-based property/casualty insurer review covers claims made on home policies from 2009 through 2015. Winds, freezing and bursting pipes, roof and flashing leaks and ice dams were among the major issues, it found.Any number of things can go wrong with a home, and its impossible to predict them all, said Pat Gee, senior vice president of personal insurance claims with Travelers. But if consumers focus on these particularly common risks and take preventive steps and perform routine maintenance, it may help lessen the likelihood of damage.The top five most common causes of home claims since 2009 where:Although weather-related claims were the most common, they were not the most costly. The Travelers report suggested fire caused the most expensive claims, accounting for nearly one quarter of total claims costs.Fires were most often caused by appliance and machinery misuse or failure, electrical problems and cooking. Hail, wind and plumbing or appliance leaks followed fire in terms of expense.Results also differed somewhat by region of the United States, the carrier reported. In the Northeast, wind was the most common cause of claims, while the weight of ice and snow on home roofs followed in a close second. Fire was the costliest source of claims for homeowners in the region.In the South, wind was also the most common cause of home claims, though hail was the most expensive.In the Midwest and West, hail was both the most common reason for a homeowners insurance claim and cause the costliest damage. Midwestern homeowners also saw repeated problems caused by sewer or sump pump backups.Travelers concluded the report by recommending home maintenance practices and preparation for severe weather, as well as revisiting homeowners policy terms with an insurance agent. Shawn Collins, left, presents Richard Davis of the Friendship Center Food Pantry with donation from Bond Auto Parts. Volunteers pack grocery bags for patrons at the food pantry. PreviousNext Bond Auto Donates $1,000 to Friendship Center NORTH ADAMS, Mass. People love discounts and, in North County, they seem to especially like them when they benefit a local charity. Bond Auto Parts customers snapped up coupons just before Christmas that would ensure donations to local food banks. And out of the 45 or so stores in the chain, the North Adams location was one of four that exceeded $1,000 in donations. Shawn Collins, store manager of the location on Curran Highway, delivered the $1,000 gift to the Friendship Center Food Pantry on Wednesday. The "Good Neighbor Discount" program allows customers to buy food shelf coupons from the end of November through the end of the year at Bond Auto stores and get double the amount off as a discount. Collins said the Friendship Center was advertised as the designated recipient at the North Adams store. Last year, the store donated $700 but really kicked it up this past fall, he said. "We had customers who bought a couple hundred dollars worth." The pantry takes in about 27,000 to 28,000 pounds of fresh and nonperishable food every month. Most of that is free through donations and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, but it still has to supplement with purchases. Seventh-graders Emily Godfrey, Nicholas Alibozek and Sydni Jamros constructed a hover board for the science fair. Seventh-graders Trista Daury and Castyn Duteau determined that Crest made teeth the whitest. Microsoft fan Colby Andrews rated boot-up speeds of its operating systems. Jenna Levesque, Grade 8, says her experiment found Mountain Dew was best for removing rust. Devon Pekosz, a seventh-grader, built a catapult to see what type of ball would go farthest: a pingpong ball. The exhibits were reviewed by several judges to determine the top three experiments. PreviousNext Hoosac Valley High Revives Middle School Science Fair CHESHIRE, Mass. More than 300 students participated last week in the first Hoosac Valley High School science fair since its renovation. Science teacher Mindy Chapman said Friday's science fair marked the first time the event was held at the school since the middle and high school combined and reopened in 2012. She said students in Grades 6 through 8 worked as individuals or in teams to develop 58 projects. "So it's our first science fair," Chapman said. "Students were able to pick a topic they were interested in They have been doing a great job." She said the science fair allows students to see that science goes beyond the classroom. "It helps them realize that science is all around them and they are involved with science every day without even realizing it," Chapman said. "It can be fun and it is very hands on." Students presented a variety of projects to different judges. Colby Andrews' project stemmed from his love of Microsoft products. "I wanted to test Windows' speed. I like Windows, it's really reliable and stuff," Colby said. "I dislike Apple very much. It's just not trustable or reliable." Colby clocked boot up speeds at his table. He said he found that Windows 8 booted up the fastest but Windows 10 loaded websites quicker. Jenna Levesque, Grade 8, wanted to know which soda was best at removing rust. "We wanted to see if we could do something to help get rid of rust instead of using toxic chemicals," She said "We found that Mountain Dew was the most effective at this because it had the most caffeine and sugar in it. More than root beer and Pepsi." She said the project did inform her of what soda not to drink anymore Seventh-graders Emily Godfrey, Nicholas Alibozek and Sydni Jamros constructed a hover board. They built a wooden platform with an inflatable bottom. They connected a leaf blower to inflate the bottom, which raised the wooden platform off the ground. Emily said the project jumped out at the team because it looked like a lot of fun. Seventh-graders Trista Daury and Castyn Duteau studied toothpaste and tried to figure out what brand made teeth the whitest. "Crest is the best," Castyn said. "We thought it would be a good project and we thought it would be good to know." The science fair was made possible through a Gelfand Endeavor in Massachusetts Schools, or GEMS, mini-grant of $1,000. The grant is given to middle and high schools that currently do not host an annual science fair. GEMS Director Kimberly Kamborian said it is important to hold science fairs in school. "It can inspire them to peruse something in science ... school can sometimes force it but in a science fair students can engage science," Kamborian said. "Also, they can engage community members and reach out to ... possible mentors and ... it's a good experience to present to adults." The first place project was "Eggs" by Jayne Civello, Shaleigh Levesque and Dana Canales. Second place was "Endothermic Vs. Exothermic" by Brodie Lanoue and Carti'Air Graham The third place project was "How Do Different Types of Flour Affect Rising Bread?" by Kristen Wilczak. Chapman said 15 projects will go to the middle school Region 1 Science & Engineering Fair held at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Saturday, April 30. 'Put That Topic to Rest': Hardik Pandya to Presenter on Question About His Fitness IND vs PAK: 'Get it Boys' - Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja and Others Wish Team India Good Luck Ahead of Pakistan Clash We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Edward Price Non-Resident Senior Fellow NYU Center for Global Affairs Contact email linkedin Edward Price, a former British economic official, teaches international political economy, financial systems and international relations at NYUas Center for Global Affairs. He is also an economic advisor for BritishAmerican Business (BAB). Educated at the London School of Economics (LSE), Edward holds an MSc in Finance and Economic Policy and an MA in German History. He has worked in both the British and European parliaments, was Americas editor at IFLR and has worked in the City of London. He speaks German, gets by in Italian and is a member of the Economic Club of New York (ECNY). Under Secretary Rose Gottemoeller Travels to California Palo Alto, California - On April 7, Under Secretary Gottemoeller will join Deputy Secretary Blinken for a day-long workshop at Stanford University, The Hunt for Weapons of Mass Destruction: Leveraging New Technology in Palo Alto. This workshop, which follows the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit hosted by President Obama last week in Washington, will explore the innovative tools we need in the fight against weapons of mass destruction. While new technology is making access to these weapons easier every day, it also provides new opportunities to prevent their spread and verify their destruction. The event will bring together experts from the tech and science community, government, private sector, NGOs, philanthropy, and academia to harness new technology and trends such as microsats, smartphone apps, ubiquitous sensing, crowdsourcing, and data analysis to address this urgent challenge. This event is the latest installment in the State Department's Innovation Forum, a program that convenes regular conversations between senior policymakers and global innovators to spark and accelerate new approaches to foreign policy challenges. On April 8, Under Secretary Gottemoeller will deliver keynote remarks on The 2020 NPT Review Process: Challenges and Opportunities at the conference on US-Russian Dialogue on Nuclear Issues - Security and Nuclear Challenges on the Korean Peninsula: Finding a Solution in Monterey, California. This event is co-hosted by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and the Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS). For more information on the Office of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, visit www.state.gov/t. California Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Interstate Travel to Engage in Sexual Acts with a Minor Martinez, California - Blake Robert Johnston, 42, of Martinez, California, was sentenced to 30 years in prison late yesterday and ordered to serve a lifetime on supervised release for traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch and Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin for Homeland Security Investigations. Johnston pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2015, to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. According to the plea agreement, Johnston admitted to flying to Oregon for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old victim. Johnston also admitted that, approximately a week later, he drove to Oregon, picked up the victim, drove her to California and engaged in sexual acts with her at his home in Martinez. Johnston was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2015. He was charged with: travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor; transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; online enticement of a minor, production of child pornography (two counts with different victims); possession of child pornography; and distribution of child pornography. According to the criminal complaint, this investigation began in October of 2014, when the first identified victims mother called police in Salem, Oregon, to report that her 14-year-old daughter was missing. Based on mobile phone records and the victims computer history, Salem police were able to determine the probable location of the victim and the identity of the suspect. Within 24 hours of the victims disappearance, Martinez police found the missing girl in Johnstons bed. According to a status conference update filed by the government, a hard drive seized from Johnstons bedroom contained approximately 500 folders labeled with different females names. The majority of those 500 folders each appear to contain images and/or videos of child pornography no law enforcement investigators had previously encountered. At the time the governments sentencing memorandum was filed, investigators identified 94 minor victims, from at least 30 states and six countries, whom Johnston enticed into creating child pornography or sexually exploited online. Investigators confirmed that four minor victims met with Johnston and engaged in illicit sexual activity with him. In Johnstons communications with underage victims, he encouraged the girls to commit harmful and violent acts such as cutting themselves, penetrating their bodies with foreign objects, strangulation and drug abuse. Blake Johnston sexually exploited an untold number of children to satisfy his demented fantasies, said Acting U.S. Attorney Stretch. Today he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, a just sentence we can only hope provides some measure of closure to the victims and their families who had to endure Johnstons torment. This office remains vigilant, ready to prosecute child predators who troll the internet targeting the most vulnerable among us. A cyber monsters perverse desires often turn into physical victimization and a childs worst nightmare, said Special Agent in Charge Spradlin. While we are satisfied with the 30 year sentence for the horrific crimes committed, we must remember the young victims who are left with permanent psychological, physical and emotional scars. HSI works tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to seek out and bring to justice those who mercilessly exploit children. During the sentencing hearing before the U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White for the Northern District of California, some of the victims and their parents testified about the impact of Johnstons actions. One of the victims, who was between 13 and 14 years old at the time of the offenses, told Johnston during the sentencing hearing, You took away my childhood. You took me away from my family. You killed who I could have been. But I am free now, free to live without fears. Another minor victim told the judge that In November of 2014, when Homeland Security contacted me . . . when I found out the nature of the situation, I was sick to my stomach. Telling my mother broke her heart because she had no idea whatsoever of what was going on. Two mothers of victims said that they had no idea what was going on with their daughters until Homeland Security agents showed up at their door. One mother of a teenage victim told the judge that her family and her daughter have been dealing with nightmares almost every night. In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge White described Johnstons conduct as unusually heinous, cruel, degrading and completely inhumane to other individuals and it is a sad day for our society when people engage in the kind of behavior that the defendant [did]. U.S. District Judge White said that Johnston preyed upon [the child victims] low self-esteem and used extreme cunning, guile, intelligence, strategies and a lot of thought and a lot of skill. U.S. District Judge White said that, in all of his years as a judge, the Court has never seen . . . such serious, heinous behavior. U.S. District Judge White sentenced the defendant to a lifetime period of supervised release and ordered no contact with victims or minors without the permission of his probation officer. Johnston must register as a sexual offender as required by state law. Full restitution to the victims of defendants crimes will be ordered, and the court will determine the final restitution amounts on June 28. The defendant has been detained since his arrest, so he will immediately begin serving his sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Bessette and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Vargas Quant, Melissa Dorton and Patty Lau. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by: Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Child Exploitation Group; Martinez Police Department; Salem Police Department in Oregon; the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office; the Malaysia Royal Police; numerous law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom; the Irish Garda; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and the Australian Federal Police. Salton Sea Public Workshop Brawley, California - Monday, April 11, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors will host a joint public workshop regarding the Salton Sea in Brawley. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Palmer Auditorium. The workshop is an opportunity for both boards and members of the public to hear updates from state and federal agencies regarding Salton Sea related activities and programs. Scheduled to speak are Phil Rosentrater, Executive Director of the Salton Sea Authority, Valerie Simon, Salton Sea Program Manager of the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Bruce Wilcox, Assistant Secretary of Salton Sea Policy of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA). Amongst the presentations, the public will be informed of the list of shovel-ready Salton Sea restoration projects that the CNRA submitted to the Legislature on March 31, 2016, pursuant to AB 1095, legislation introduced by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and enacted in October 2015. There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and/or provide comments. Additionally, translation services will be provided. Individuals interested in hearing updates regarding recent Salton Sea related activities are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact the Clerk of the Boards office at (442) 265-1020 or visit the Imperial County website. Salton Sea Public Workshop, April 11, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.; Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. at the Palmer Auditorium, 480 North Imperial Avenue, Brawley, California. El Centro Sector Border Patrol Rescues Two Men Lost in Desert Imperial, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents rescued two distressed male Mexican citizens who were lost in the desert northwest of Imperial after they illegally entered into the United States on Tuesday. The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m., when California Highway Patrol (CHP) notified Border Patrol that they received a 911 distress call from two men lost in the desert who claimed that they had only 50% battery power left on their phone and have been without water for two days. One of the men was reportedly in and out of consciousness. The men provided CHP with the GPS coordinates of their location. Border Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents where activated and immediately responded to their reported location and conducted a systematic search of the area. At approximately 3:43 p.m., BORSTAR agents located the men in the rugged desert terrain. BORSTAR agents performed a medical evaluation on the men and determined that they were cleared for travel and did not require further medical attention. This rescue is another reminder of the risks and dangers associated with illegally crossing into the United States, and can be attributed to the dedication and commitment of our agents to work tirelessly to protect and secure the Southwest Border, said Miguel Garcia, Acting Special Operations Supervisor of the El Centro Sector. The mens ages are 55-years-old and 24-years-old, both citizens of Mexico. They will be processed at a Border Patrol station and were later returned to Mexico. The El Centro Sectors Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-800-901-2003. Justice Department Sues to Block Halliburtons Acquisition of Baker Hughes Washington, DC - The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today seeking to block Halliburton Companys proposed acquisition of Baker Hughes Inc., alleging that the transaction threatens to eliminate competition, raise prices and reduce innovation in the oilfield services industry. The department filed its lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, where both companies are incorporated. The complaint alleges that the acquisition which the companies valued at $34 billion when announcing it would combine two of the three largest oilfield services companies in the United States and the world, eliminating important head-to-head competition in markets for 23 products or services used for on- and off-shore oil exploration and production in the United States. The proposed deal between Halliburton and Baker Hughes would eliminate vital competition, skew energy markets and harm American consumers, said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. Our action makes clear that the Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing our antitrust laws. In the days ahead, we will continue to stand up for fair deals and free markets, and for the American people we are privileged to serve. This transaction is unprecedented in the breadth and scope of competitive overlaps and antitrust issues it presents, said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the departments Antitrust Division. Halliburton and Baker Hughes are two of the three largest integrated oilfield service companies across the globe, and they compete to invent and sell products and services that are critical to energy exploration and production. We need to maintain meaningful competition in this important sector of our economy. During the departments investigation, Halliburton proposed to remedy the significant harmful effects of the transaction by divesting a mix of assets extracted from certain business lines of the two companies. According to the complaint, the proposed divestitures would not include full business units but rather would be limited to certain assets, with the merged firm holding onto important facilities, employees, contracts, intellectual property, and research and development resources that would put the buyer of those assets at a competitive disadvantage. The proposed divestures mostly would allow Halliburton to retain the more valuable assets from either company while selling less significant assets to a third party. The complaint further alleges that this divesture would not replicate the substantial competition between the two rivals that exists today. Halliburton is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Houston. Founded in 1919, Halliburton is the largest provider of services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States. It has operations in approximately 80 countries and earned revenue of $23.6 billion in 2015. Baker Hughes is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Houston. It was formed in 1987 with the merger of Baker International and Hughes Tool Company, both founded over 100 years ago. The third-largest provider of oilfield services in the world, Baker Hughes operates in more than 80 countries and earned revenue of $15.7 billion in 2015. President Obamas Call with President U Htin Kyaw of Burma Washington, DC - President Obama spoke by phone today with President U Htin Kyaw to offer congratulations on his inauguration as Burmas President. The President welcomed the historic step forward of a democratic transfer of power to a civilian-led government that reflects the will of the people. The President underscored the commitment of the United States to support the people and Government of Burma as they work to achieve a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future. The President also extended his best wishes to President U Htin Kyaw and the people of Burma ahead of the upcoming Water Festival and New Year celebrations. The IMO paid a special tribute at its AGM in Sligo to two of its founding members who died in recent months. Dublin GP Dr Aiden Meade, who died in December, was President of the IMU (1966), President of the ICGP (1998), and a senior member of the IMO for many years. Remembering his colleague, Mayo GP Dr Ken Egan recalled how Aiden an excellent GP who was a great help when he started out in general practice was heavily involved in the 1970 and 1972 Health Acts when fee per item and the new contract came in, having worked with Erskine Childers. But the biggest thing he probably did was to set up the Sick Doctors Scheme, said Dr Egan. Up till then, we had drunkards falling all over the place, and people in difficulty who had no money or others in trouble. You could ring Aiden and he would get into his car and drive down and visit with that family and help sort things out. And he covered the whole of Ireland. Dr Egan recalled that back then, if the Medical Council heard you were in such trouble you were gone. Thus the Sick Doctors Scheme bridged the gap between the sick doctor and the Medical Council and kept people working. Cork consultant Dr Daniel (Don) Coleman, who died in February at the age of 94, was also remembered by retired Cork consultant physician in geriatric medicine Dr Cillian Twomey. Everyone knew him as Don. In fact, in Cork he was known as the Don, which I think those of us who knew him will understand why. Born in Nenagh in 1921, Dr Coleman studied medicine at UCC where he was president of the Students Union before going to Liverpool to train in anaesthesia. He came back to Cork, initially to the Mercy but later to the South Infirmary as an anaesthetist. He was a founding member of the South of Ireland Association of Anaesthetists, and was also involved with the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, serving as its Vice President. And, of course, he was a founding member of the Irish Medical Union, and became President of the IMU in 1972/73. Dr Twomey described how Don was a member of the team that negotiated the common contract for consultants, and after he retired worked tirelessly for this group of underrepresented doctors. A minutes silence was observed at the AGM for all members who died over the past year. dara.gantly@imt.ie The IMO has called on the Minister for Health to immediately establish a task force to make recommendations for the reform of the current medical negligence system, which does not serve patients, the medical profession or the State. With Ireland described by IMO Consultant Committee Chair Dr Peadar Gilligan as the second most litigious country in the world for medical negligence cases, the current system was not serving our population well. Ballinasloe GP Dr Henry Finnegan spoke of how parents were being put through a long, tedious, expensive and emotionally draining exercise in trying to act on behalf of a child damaged, for example, at birth. I think we are pushing an open door here. Everyone agrees the current adversarial system only benefits one profession and thats the legal profession, added Dr Finnegan. dara.gantly@imt.ie The IMO has described the unilateral move by the HSE in 2009 to withhold salary increases due at that time to consultants under the 2008 Contract as an abuse of their position as an employer. Confirming at the AGM in Sligo that the union had commenced legal proceedings in the High Court to secure the release of salary increases due, Consultant Committee Chairman Dr Peadar Gilligan said: Is it any wonder that the HSE is struggling to recruit doctors given their record as an employer. Incidents like this feed the general crisis in morale amongst Irish doctors and directly contribute to the current exceptionally high emigration levels amongst Irish doctors, added the Beaumont emergency medicine consultant. Commenting on reports in the media suggesting the Attorney General was advising the Government that the HSE action could not be defended, Dr Gilligan noted: Given the reported view of the AG on this matter, we would question why the HSE would waste further taxpayer money by fighting this issue. The IMO has been in dispute with the HSE on this issue since 2009. It believes that a recent Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) hearing and the reported advice of the Attorney General confirms the IMO position that this payment was illegally withheld. In January, two consultants won their case against the cuts at the EAT, creating a precedent that may mean the HSE will have to reimburse as many as 2,000 consultants. Endocrinologist Dr John McDermott and retired Anaesthetist Dr Thomas Hogan appealed to the Tribunal against decisions of the Rights Commissioner in cases which they brought under the Payment of Wages legislation. In each case, the Tribunal was satisfied that the salary outlined in the contract was properly payable within the meaning of the Payment of Wages Act. It found that an unlawful deduction had occurred by virtue of section 6 of that Act on the basis that the consultants had not agreed in writing to the deduction. In allowing the appeals, the Tribunal awarded Dr McDermott 14,000 and Dr Hogan almost 100,000. The IMO will vigorously pursue this issue and will proceed with legal cases to the High Court unless the matter is settled, a spokesperson for the union added in Sligo. dara.gantly@imt.ie King Charles' Signed Painting Sold For 5 Lakh Rupees, Ten Times More Than What Was Estimated 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 }} In moving behind the camera, Don Cheadle fulfils his dream to tell the Miles Davis story. Taking the lead from the jazz trumpeter, he has created a freewheeling narrative that takes liberties with the truth. The idea, he says, was to create a sense of the manic, drug-addled life of the Kind of Blue artist, not a chronological, narrative picture. "We wanted to do something that felt experiential," he says of Miles Ahead. "We wanted to create something that felt like creativity and had an energy that was externalising an internal process." Films to watch in 2016 Show all 30 1 /30 Films to watch in 2016 Films to watch in 2016 Hail, Caesar - 5 February The Coen brothers' latest film might be their most ambitious yet. Telling the story of a Hollywood fixer struggling to keep A-listers in line, it has a movie within a movie, an amazing cast, and, judging by the first trailer, some luxurious visuals Films to watch in 2016 Deadpool - 12 February Comic book superhero movies have been getting slowly more self-referential and self-parodic lately, and Deadpool looks to be taking itself even less seriously than Guardians of the Galaxy or Ant-Man. It looks as though fans will finally be getting the comic book-faithful, foul-mouthed version of the character they wanted, but it remains to be seen whether Deadpool will actually be funny, or just descend into toilet humour Films to watch in 2016 Zoolander No. 2 - 12 February Zoolander's return was derailed somewhat by backlash over a trans/gender fluid character played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The long-awaited sequel will no doubt do well at the box office, but I'm not sure if the fashion industry is as fertile for satire now as it was in 2001, and the trailer relies too heavily on honouring old gags rather than creating new ones Films to watch in 2016 Knight of Cups - 4 March A new film from Terrence Malick should have been a huge cause for celebration, but Knight of Cups has been swimming in post-Cannes purgatory for months now. In March it will finally get a theatrical release. Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman, it sees a man return home from New York and get sucked into the hollow hedonism of LA, fighting to extricate himself from it Films to watch in 2016 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - 4 March Based on journalist Kim Barkers 2011 memoir The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan, this dark comedy sees Tina Fey play a foreign correspondent reporting in the Middle East during Operation Enduring Freedom, where she develops a weird relationship with a fellow journalist played by Martin Freeman Films to watch in 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - 18 March The wind seems to have gone out of the sails of the Man of Steel series in spite of the addition of a new Batman, and there's a more palpable anticipation for Suicide Squad (which arrives later in the year) Films to watch in 2016 Everybody Wants Some - 15 April Coming off the back of multi-Oscar winner Boyhood, this Richard Linklater film looks a lot like Dazed and Confused if it was set in the 80s, albeit pitched more towards comedy Films to watch in 2016 The Jungle Book - 15 April Disney is trampling on its own hallowed ground with this live action remake. Elf and Iron Man director Jon Favreau is a fairly safe pair of hands though, and Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Esposito and Bill Murray are all on board Films to watch in 2016 Money Monster - 13 May 'Financial TV personality Lee Gates, who offers up stock advice on his hit show "Money Monster," is held hostage by a viewer, Kyle Budwell, who lost all of his money following a bad tip from Lee during his show' Films to watch in 2016 Snowden - 13 May Platoon director Oliver Stone takes on a very important and timely story. But can he make it entertaining the way The Big Short did with the financial crisis? Films to watch in 2016 X-Men Apocalypse - 27 May 2016 will see a ninth X-Men film. Ninth. Every cast member you would expect will be back to collect their paychecks, which might require a crane Films to watch in 2016 Finding Dory - 17 June The Finding Nemo sequel will focus on Ellen DeGeneres' forgetful blue tang fish. It's expected to have an anti-SeaWorld message, which should make it strike a chord with parents as well as children Films to watch in 2016 Independence Day: Resurgence - 24 June Will Smith isn't in it. Moving on Films to watch in 2016 The BFG - 1 July There's still a lot of love for Roald Dahl's stories, and this one is being adapted by none other than Steven Spielberg. There hasn't been a huge amount of buzz around it but it's early days, and Mark Rylance is an interesting casting for the titular Big Friendly Giant Films to watch in 2016 La La Land - 15 July There's a lot of expectation on director Damien Chazelle's shoulders following the success of Whiplash, one of the smallest films ever to have been nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. La La Land will certainly be different, a musical comedy-drama about a young pianist and an actor played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone respectively Films to watch in 2016 Ghostbusters - 15 July This is something of a question mark. On one hand, it's landed a cast of incredibly funny actresses, but on the other, another reboot? Really? There's also thought to be a very meta all-male version in the works from the creators of Jump Street, set in the same universe as Men In Black no less Films to watch in 2016 Star Trek Beyond - 22 July If you thought Abrams' Star Trek films were bad, feast your eyes on the trailer for the next one from the director of the Fast & Furious franchise. Expect major face-palming from Trekkies in July. Hopefully the new TV show will offer something a bit less action-orientated and a bit more cerebral Films to watch in 2016 Untitled fifth Bourne film - 29 July The Bourne series completely went off the boil with Jeremy Renner as its lead, but now both Matt Damon and original director Paul Greengrass are back to steady the ship. This might well be Jason Bourne's last outing, so I hope they send him off in style Films to watch in 2016 Suicide Squad - 5 August Harley Quinn was one of the most popular Halloween costumes this year, despite the holiday falling months before the release of the film she's in. That says a lot about the hype over this comic book adaptation, which revels in the villains rather than the heroes for once and sees Jared Leto step into Heath Ledger's size 58 boots as the new Joker Films to watch in 2016 Sully - 9 September Friendly-looking dad named Chesley Sullenberger who saves a plane load of people? Tom Hanks is your guy. Clint Eastwood will direct this biopic, about an airline captain who was hailed as a national hero in the US after successfully executing an emergency water landing on the Hudson River off Manhattan Films to watch in 2016 Bridget Joness Baby - 16 September It's 2015 and Bridget is now pouring her soul into an iPad rather than a diary. This sequel might perfectly skewer the frustration of growing up in an increasingly youth-orientated world, or it might just serve to tarnish the originals like with Sex and the City 2 Films to watch in 2016 The Magnificent Seven - 23 September I'm not convinced there's the demand for Westerns that Hollywood seems to think there is. We'll find out in September with Antoine Fuqua's remake of 1960's The Magnificent Seven. Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke are among the gang Films to watch in 2016 Masterminds - 30 September Based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina, this comedy comes from the man behind Napoleon Dynamite. Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis form a strong cast, but there are no trailers to go on yet Films to watch in 2016 The Girl on the Train - 7 October That book everyone was reading on the commute inevitably makes it cinemas in October, with Emily Blunt playing Rachel Watson, an alcoholic whose husband left her for his mistress, and who witnesses a murder and starts to realize that she may have been involved in the crime Films to watch in 2016 Doctor Strange - 4 November Doctor Strange might not have been the most obvious character to take to the big screen, but by this point Marvel could make $1billion at the box office from a comic an exec once scrawled on a piece of toilet paper Films to watch in 2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - 18 November J.K. Rowling makes her screenwriting debut adapting her own book here, with a film that takes place in the Harry Potter universe but is well removed from Hogwarts Films to watch in 2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - 16 December Disney is releasing a Star Wars movie every year between now and 2020. This first standalone 'anthology' film centres on a Death Star heist, but may prove to just be filler while Star Wars 8 is in production Films to watch in 2016 Passengers - 21 December 'A spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet and transporting thousands of people has a malfunction in one of its sleep chambers. As a result, a single passenger is awakened 60 years early. Faced with the prospect of growing old and dying alone, he eventually decides to wake up a second passenger' Films to watch in 2016 Jumanji - 25 December Is nothing sacred? Everyone is so pissed about this remake of the Robin Williams cult hit that it will be a miracle if it escapes a critical drubbing Films to watch in 2016 Silence - sometime in 2016 Martin Scorsese's next film doesn't have a mafioso or corrupt banker in sight. Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield star, playing two Jesuit Portuguese Catholic priests who face violent persecution when they travel to Japan to seek out their mentor and spread the teachings of Christianity The 51-year-old tells me this while lying on a chaise longue in a London hotel. He is tired after a flight from Los Angeles and, leaning back, says I can treat him like he's on a psychiatrist's couch. "So what made you want to be Miles?" I ask, in a Germanic accent. "It was my mother," he quips in return. Despite the fatigue, he has a mischievous glint in his eye. I'm immediately struck by his joie de vivre. In addition to directing, Cheadle stars as the musician. He dispenses with biographical information on Davis, so those watching are not given details such as his being born in 1926 in Illinois, nor that his father was a dentist and his mother a capable blues pianist, a fact she hid from him. Nor are we told that Davis was married three times, that he studied at Juilliard and spent a few years in Paris before settling in New York City. These are details that Cheadle calls "the facts". "We were not interested in doing something that [Davis biographer] Quincy Troupe does better. There are so many places that you can go when you want to get that information. We wanted to make a film without being didactic or instructional." Don Cheadle photographed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images) During his lifetime, Davis earned the moniker the Prince of Darkness. As with so many artistic geniuses, his transgressions were largely forgiven because the music was so damn fine. Cheadle does not shy away from showing all sides of the musician. Set in 1979, Miles Ahead begins with the artist in a rut. A fallow period has seen him go five years without recording a song. His record company, Columbia, are desperate for him to release an LP to rival Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain. That much is true. Then the film starts freewheeling. A journalist knocks on the door looking for an interview, kick-starting an adventure that sees Davis take his gun to his record company, have a session tape stolen and reminisce over his first wife, Frances Taylor. The fictional Rolling Stone journalist, Dave Braden, is played by Ewan McGregor. Casting has been the cause of controversy after Cheadle admitted at the Berlin Film Festival that "having a white actor in the film turned out to be a financial imperative". He said it allowed him to raise the budget threshold because it would no longer be seen as a "black film". Cheadle also used a crowdsourcing site to raise $370,000 of the budget. Miles Ahead Clip - Now You Don't Have To Stare I ask Cheadle if the financial imperative to cast a white actor means Hollywood whitewashes the story of black American icons. "I don't know if we had cast Chiwetel Ejiofor in that part that it would have been different. From the start, we were going to create that character and I suppose we could have put a black character there then it would have been five out of six actors being black, rather than four out of six. I think the fact that the character is white says more about race relations and black history than if he wasn't." Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Davis was never one to hold his tongue on any subject matter, but he was especially outspoken on race, or at least he was if the media were to be believed. Davis was sometimes criticised for having a problem with Caucasians. It's something Cheadle is quick to shoot down. "If you know anything about Miles Davis, you would know that his closest musical collaborator was Gil Evans. Miles was about the music. Somebody said to me that he had a problem with white people. Well, he had a problem with white people who had a problem with black people, or those who clubbed him outside his own club." Given Davis's status, it's amazing there has not been a biopic on him before. Cheadle has his own theories as to why. "People see Miles Davis in a reductive way, playing a type of music that is marginalised. Something that smells jazz is seen as black and not a safe bet." Cheadle does not shy away from showing all sides of the musician The affinity Cheadle feels towards Davis is clear to me, if not to him: "We come from the same part of the world. He moved to St Louis when he was young. I was born in Kansas City, Missouri. We both grew up playing music, but I don't know any parallels beyond that." Cheadle's mother was a teacher and his father a clinical psychologist, which might explain why he is comfortable on the couch. He got into acting in the 1980s, appearing alongside Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress in 1995. There were roles in ER and Boogie Nights, but his best-known collaborations have been with Steven Soderbergh, in Out of Sight, Traffic and the Ocean's Eleven films. In 2004, Cheadle was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for Hotel Rwanda. A year later, he played a doctor in Oscar-winner Crash. It's been quite a career for the father of two, who is in relationship with Rosewood co-star Bridgid Coulter. In a few weeks he will be on screens fighting alongside Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War and as management consultant Marty in House of Lies. He directed several episodes of the show. So is Marty his favourite character? "I don't have a favourite," he responds. "You kind of love the one you live at the moment." While that sort of attitude landed Davis in trouble, for Cheadle it just adds to his chilled vibe. 'Miles Ahead' is out April 22 . 'Captain America: Civil War' is out April 29 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 }} In his work, Jacques Audiard seeks to create icons of cinema out of those society cruelly attempts to disregard as unworthy of our time, unworthy of our gaze. In A Prophet, he turns a French youth of Algerian descent into an assassin of the gangster genre; in Rust and Bone, Marion Cotillard plays the great romantic heroine, wheelchair-bound after a double amputation. His latest, the Palme d'Or winner Dheepan, reveals an entire community disregarded; the Parisian banlieue. These suburban low-income housing projects are unique in a way that, in their geographical distance from the city, their sense of social isolation takes on a bleak physicality; Paris becomes the glimmering dream always just out of reach. Yet, as Audiard depicts in his tale of Tamil refugees fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka, the banlieue's insularity acts like its own kingdom; self-ruling, there's no police to be seen in Dheepan's housing estate, and its protagonist soon learns this new world he's entered lives by its own rules and conflicts. Though Paris once pulsated with industry, with labourers and craftsmen; under Napoleon III, the working class began to be thrown aside for the construction of the city's boulevards. In 1871, the Commune revolt only further accelerated this alienation from urban areas, as the ruling class sought to push them further and further away; starting with the Communist-dominated "Red Belt" and then onwards into the surrounding countryside. During the de Gaulle era of the '50s and '60s, "mushroom cities" were created, packed with low-incoming housing estates as a means to house French settlers who had left Algeria during the Algerian War of Independence; a systematic placement which left them essentially segregated from the core of French society. It's this sense of isolation which has become such a core part of the Parisian banlieue's evocation on screen; though towering above it all, stands Mathieu Kassovitz's bristling 1995 film La Haine/ Hate. Like a brand to French cinema, it demanded all eyes turned to the place so many were taught to forget; a film significant enough in its social realism for Alain Juppe, who was France's Prime Minister at the time, to commission a special screening of it for which his minsters were required to attend. Kassovitz was not the first to bring the banlieue to screen in so raw a form; Jean Luc Godard's radical 1967 film Deux ou trois choses que je sais d'elle/ Two or Three Things I Know About Her witnessed the early dream of the high-rises of the banlieue, supposedly built as a luxurious homestead for working families. Yet, like J.G. Ballard's High-Rise (and Ben Wheatley's recent adaptation), all Godard saw behind those abrasive concerete walls was the ravaging decay of consumerism. Kassovitz's film didn't appear in isolation, with Malik Chibane's Hexagone in 1994, and Thomas Gilou's 1995 work Rai; yet there was something different about this work. A drive which surpasses what came before, the raw quality of pulsating blood and a quivering heartbeat. Kassovitz started work on the screenplay the day of Makome M'Bowole's death on 6 April, 1993; shot while in police custody, though officially labelled as an accidental death. Another drive behind Kassovitz's words: the death of Malik Oussekinem, a 22-year-old student protestor who was fatally beaten by riot police in 1986 after a mass demonstration he didn't even take part in. He is referenced in the opening montage of the film, which sets up the aftermath of a riot which drives a fevered 19 hours in the lives of three young men. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up La Haine depicts fury; the vengeful rage that fills the soul and body of Vinz (Vincent Cassel), the young Jewish man determined to avenge the death of youth at the hands of the police during the riots; an eye for an eye, he seeks to become a cop-killer. His is the ultimate portrait of where the hopeless and powerless are driven to, where the isolation of the banlieue drives lines as deep as the trenches of warfare. Yet, Kassovitz's film reminds also that there is brotherhood to be found amongst the detached; as Vinz's friendship with the Arabic Said (Said Taghmaoui) and the Afro-French Hubert (Hubert Kaounde) sees them bound together by that mutual sense of social isolation. Though La Haine's portrait of the banlieue's spiralling descent into chaos (which in turn seemed to predict the 2005 riots) seems utterly bleak, there is a hope that humanity can be found within there. The cast of Girlhood, led by Karidja Toure was plucked from the street (Strand Releasing/Courtesy Ever/REX) Dheepan reveals its own descent into darkness, but also a message of overcoming isolation through commonality; as echoed in the blossoming relationships between its Tamil refugees, roughly thrown together as a fake family in order to seek political asylum in France. There's a similar bond to be found in Celine Sciammas Bande de Filles/Girlhood, released last year; which intermixes the coming-of-age movie with a similar portrait of the isolating nature of the banlieue. It follows black French teenager Marieme (Karidja Toure), who falls in with the seduction of the girl gang lifestyle; all glamour, shoplifting, street fighting, but also that desired sense of place and purpose. Dheepan hits UK cinemas 08 April. 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 }} If you haven't seen Galaxy Quest, you should stop what you're doing to do so immediately; it's a truly hilarious 1999 satire following the faded stars of a 1970s sci-fi series who are beamed aboard the spaceship their show was set on. Now, one of the film's stars Sam Rockwell - who played Guy Fleegman, a jobbing actor who appeared as an extra in the series within the film - has suggested that the untimely death of Alan Rickman put the brakes on sequel plans at Amazon Studios. They were going to do a sequel on Amazon, he revealed in a Nerdist podcast. We were ready to sign up, and [then] Alan Rickman passed away and Tim Allen wasnt available he has a show [Last Man Standing] and everybodys schedule was all weird. It was going to shoot, like, right now." "And how do you fill that void of Alan Rickman? Thats a hard void to fill. He's not wrong: in a cast comprised of Allen, Rockwell, Sigourney Weaver and Tony Shalhoub, it's Alan Rickman's Alexander Dane that many consider Galaxy Quest's crowning glory. The only word Rickman publicly spoke about a potential sequel was in 2013 when he commented: Theyd need a few zimmer frames. Rickman's death from pancreatic cancer on 14 January led to an outpouring of tributes from across the world. Having made his film debut at the age of 41 as iconic villain Hans Gruber in Die Hard, the actor went on to star in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Sweeney Todd and as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. He will make a posthumous appearance in Eye of the Sky - out 15 April - and his voice will be heard in Disney sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass, out May. 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 }} Star Wars: The Force Awakens alum. Adam Driver and JJ Abrams have thrown some light on why Kylo Ren turned to the Dark Side, saying its not so much a case of him simply being a bad seed as bad parenting on Han and Leias behalf. Driver explains in a featurette on The Force Awakens' Blu-ray: "If you really imagine the stakes of him, in his youth, having all these special powers and having your parents kind of be absent during that process on their own agendas, [being] equally as selfish, he's lost in the world that he was raised in, and feels that he was kind of abandoned by the people that he's closest with. "He's angry because of that, I think, and he has a huge grudge on his shoulder." Director JJ Abrams then builds on this, musing: "It's more than just having a 'bad seed' as a kid. Snoke had targeted this kid and knew that this kid was going to be incredibly powerful in The Force and wanted him as an ally. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Show all 12 1 /12 Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) General Grievous The general played a big part in the Clone Wars, collecting dead Jedi's lightsaber's along the way and using them to do a crazy spin-attack. Unfortunately, they all get cut off by Obi-Wan just a little too quickly. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Qui-Gon Jinn Obi-Wan's master really didn't have too much time on screen, but his battles with Darth Maul will go down as some of the best in Star Wars history. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) The Emperor It was a little weird seeing The Emperor, at this stage Palpatine, getting out a lightsaber and battling Jedi. Much better when just using Force lightning! Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Anakin Skywalker/Luke Skywalker/Finn Now, this one really does have some history, travelling down the generations of Skywalkers, and briefly using by Finn in The Force Awakens. Of course, **Spoiler** someone else also uses the saber after it calls to them, could they be a Skywalker to? Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Darth Vader The first red-lightsaber we ever saw on screen: the definition of evil and an iconic weapon. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Yoda Again, a little odd seeing a character from the Original Trilogy using a saber, especially when he was jumping around after putting down his walking cane. Ah well, doesn't stop Yoda being a brilliant mentor to Luke. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Mace Windu Samuel L. Jackson managed to someone get George Lucas to give him a purple lightsaber, just to stand out from the rest of the crowd. That's one bad*ss motherlightsaber. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Obi-Wan Sure, Obi-Wan managed to lose his saber on countless occasions throughout the prequels, but at least he had it in A New Hope when going against Vader. Because that went well... Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Darth Maul Maul's double ended lightsaber may have been the best thing about Phantom Menace. Scratch that, he was the best thing about that film! The last battle between Maul, Jinn and Obi-Wan was phenomenal, just a shame Maul didn't last until the next film (of course, he came back in The Clone Wars TV show, but that will take a little too long to explain here) Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Kylo Ren At first, the cross lightsaber was mocked by the Internet for being impractical. Yet, when seen in the movie, it's ferocious, spitting out light due to be unstable, much like it's master. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Count Dooku Now, Dooku's character wasn't in the films for very long, feeling hugely underutilised, especially considering it was the great Christopher Lee, who took on the role as he was a trained fencer. It was still hugely impressive for an 80-year-old to be the best sword fighter in the galaxy. Every lightsaber in Star Wars history (films) Luke Skywalker Luke's second saber, after the one he inherited from his father, was originally going to be blue as well. Yet, due to not standing out against the Tatooine landscape, it was changed to green - which is why in early posters his saber is blue. "So this mother and father had a target as a son, someone who's watching their boy, and these parents aren't there enough to guide him." Given that we know Star Wars 8 will pick up where TFA left off, with Luke and Rey meeting on that remote island, this back story will likely be explored in the film. We know that Luke went into self-imposed exile due to a padawan (presumably Ben) going rogue, and its likely through flashback that we learn more about the conflict within Ben/Kylo that led to his turn to the Dark Side. It will be a tricky bit of background info for screenwriter/director Rian Johnson to get right, as you wouldn't expect Han and Leia to be so foolish as to leave their obviously very powerful son unsupervised. In other Star Wars news, a teaser for Rogue One dropped today, with a full trailer coming imminently. 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 }} While that old chestnut any press is good press may be true in many cases, for financial firms, a Hollywood film focusing on subprime bonds and the 2008 housing crises has only had negative effects. In a recent briefing, American financial services firm Morgan Stanley blamed Oscar-winning drama The Big Short for investors reluctance to sign up for subprime bonds. The Christian Bale-starring flick follows an eccentric hedge-fund manager as he attempts to profit from the housing crisis which resulted from risky subprime loans with low returns. Concerns about growing recessionary risks and perhaps even the popularity of the recent movie The Big Short have motivated investors to investigate any potential source of weakness, Morgan Stanleys briefing reads, as noted by Bloomberg. Oscars 2016 winners Show all 24 1 /24 Oscars 2016 winners Oscars 2016 winners Leonardo DiCaprio Oscar for Best Actor: "The Revenant" Oscars 2016 winners Brie Larson Oscar for Best Actress: "Room" 2016 Getty Images Oscars 2016 winners Mark Rylance Oscar for Best Supporting Actor: "Bridge of Spies" Oscars 2016 winners Alicia Vikander Oscar for Best Supporting Actress: "The Danish Girl" Oscars 2016 winners Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Oscar for Best Director: "The Revenant" Oscars 2016 winners Emmanuel Lubezki Oscar for Best Cinematography: "The Renevant" Oscars 2016 winners Mark Mangini (L) and David White Oscar for Best Sound Editing: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Oscars 2016 winners Margaret Sixel Oscar for Best Editing: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Oscars 2016 winners Lesley Vanderwalt (R), Elka Wardega (C) and Damian Martin Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Oscars 2016 winners Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson Oscar for Best Production Design: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Oscars 2016 winners Jenny Beavan Oscar for Best Costume Design: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Oscars 2016 winners Tom McCarthy (L) and Josh Singer Oscar for Best Original Screenplay: "Spotlight" Oscars 2016 winners Adam McKay (L) and Charles Randolph Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay: "The Big Short" Oscars 2016 winners (L-R) Steve Golin, Blye Pagon Faust, Nicole Rocklin, and Michael Sugar Oscar for Best Picture: "Spotlight" Oscars 2016 winners Jimmy Napes (L) and Sam Smith Oscar for Best Original Song: 'Writing's On The Wall' - "Spectre" REUTERS Oscars 2016 winners Ennio Morricone Oscar for Best Original Score: "The Hateful Eight" Oscars 2016 winners Laszlo Nemes Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film: "Son of Saul" Oscars 2016 winners Shawn Christopher Ogilvy (L) and Benjamin Cleary Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film: "Stutterer" Oscars 2016 winners James Gay-Rees (L) and Asif Kapadia Oscar for Best Documentary Feature: "Amy" Oscars 2016 winners Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject: "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness" Oscars 2016 winners Pete Docter (R) and Jonas Rivera Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film: "Inside Out" Oscars 2016 winners Director Gabriel Osorio Vargas (L) and producer Pato Escala Pierart Oscar for Best Animated Short Film: "Bear Story" Oscars 2016 winners Andrew Whitehurst (R), Paul Norris (2nd L), Mark Ardington (L) and Sara Bennett Oscar for Best Visual Effects: "Ex Machina" Oscars 2016 winners Chris Jenkins (R), Gregg Rudolf (C) and Ben Oslo Oscar for Sound Mixing: "Mad Max: Fury Road" Consumer sectors that involve large initial outlays, such as housing and autos, provide a natural place to start. This wouldnt be the first time a Hollywood blockbuster had major effects on the financial industry. After the release of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprios The Wolf of Wall Street there was a sudden influx in people wanting to be stockbrokers. The Big Short, which was directed by Adam McKay - previously best known for Anchorman and Step Brothers - won best screenplay at the Oscars but lost out on best picture, director and supporting actor for Bale. 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 }} Two teenagers have been hospitalised after a school performance of Sweeney Todd took realistic too far, leaving them with razor neck cuts. Stephen Sondheims famous musical tells the story of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who murders customers by slitting their throats before selling their bodies to Mrs Lovetts meat pie shop. Police and health and safety regulators are investigating the incident at Saint Kentigerns College in New Zealand but treating it as an accident. The two victims, both aged 16 with one suffering more serious injuries, have been discharged from Auckland Hospital. Steve Cole, headmaster of the school, commented on the very unfortunate mistake, insisting that precautions were taken to protect the students. Its normal for Sweeney Todd to have such an instrument. It had clearly been checked many, many times, he told the New Zealand Herald. It had been bound and cellophaned and all sorts of things. It was non-sharp, blunted and had been through all sorts of health and safety checks. Culture news in pictures Show all 33 1 /33 Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures 30 September 2016 An employee hangs works of art with "Grand Teatro" by Marino Marini (R) and bronze sculpture "Sfera N.3" by Arnaldo Pomodoro seen ahead of a Contemporary Art auction on 7 October, at Sotheby's in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 29 September 2016 Street art by Portuguese artist Odeith is seen in Dresden, during an exhibition "Magic City - art of the streets" AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 Dancers attend a photocall for the new "THE ONE Grand Show" at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, Germany REUTERS Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 With an array of thrift store china, humorous souvenirs and handmade tile adorning its walls and floors, the Mosaic Tile House in Venice stands as a monument to two decades of artistic collaboration between Cheri Pann and husband Gonzalo Duran REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A gallery assistant poses amongst work by Anthea Hamilton from her nominated show "Lichen! Libido!(London!) Chastity!" at a preview of the Turner Prize in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A technician wearing virtual reality glasses checks his installation in three British public telephone booths, set up outside the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. The installation allows visitors a 3-D look into the museum which has twenty-two paintings belonging to the British Royal Collection, on loan for an exhibit from 29 September 2016 till 8 January 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 An Indian artist dressed as Hindu god Shiva performs on a chariot as he participates in a religious procession 'Ravan ki Barat' held to mark the forthcoming Dussehra festival in Allahabad AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Air Power', 1984, is displayed at the Bowie/Collector media preview at Sotheby's in New York AFP/Getty Culture news in pictures 25 September 2016 A woman looks at an untitled painting by Albert Oehlen during the opening of an exhibition of works by German artists Georg Baselitz and Albert Oehlen in Reutlingen, Germany. The exhibition runs at the Kunstverein (art society) Reutlingen until 15 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 24 September 2016 Fan BingBing (C) attends the closing ceremony of the 64th San Sebastian Film Festival at Kursaal in San Sebastian, Spain Getty Images Culture news in pictures 23 September 2016 A view of the artwork 'You Are Metamorphosing' (1964) as part of the exhibition 'Retrospektive' of Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo at Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany. The exhibition runs from 25 September 2016 to 1 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 22 September 2016 Jo Applin from the Courtauld Institute of Art looks at Green Tilework in Live Flesh by Adriana Vareja, which features in a new exhibition, Flesh, at York Art Gallery. The new exhibition features works by Degas, Chardin, Francis Bacon and Sarah Lucas, showing how flesh has been portrayed by artists over the last 600 years PA Culture news in pictures 21 September 2016 Performers Sean Atkins and Sally Miller standing in for the characters played by Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell during a photocall for Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children" at Potters Field Park in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A detail from the blanket 'Alpine Cattle Drive' from 1926 by artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is displayed at the 'Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum for Contemporary Arts' in Berlin. The exhibition named 'Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Hieroglyphen' showing the complete collection of Berlin's Nationalgallerie works of the German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and will run from 23 September 2016 until 26 February 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A man looks at portrait photos by US photographer Bruce Gilden in the exhibition 'Masters of Photography' at the photokina in Cologne, Germany. The trade fair on photography, photokina, schowcases some 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries and runs from 20 to 25 September. The event also features various photo exhibitions EPA Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A woman looks at 'Blue Poles', 1952 by Jackson Pollock during a photocall at the Royal Academy of Arts, London PA Culture news in pictures 19 September 2016 Art installation The Refusal of Time, a collaboration with Philip Miller, Catherine Meyburgh and Peter Galison, which features as part of the William Kentridge exhibition Thick Time, showing from 21 September to 15 January at the Whitechapel Gallery in London PA Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Artists creating one off designs at the Mm6 Maison Margiela presentation during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections 2017 in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Bethenny Frankel attends the special screening of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Edition release on Blu-Ray and DVD in New York City Getty Images for Walt Disney Stu Culture news in pictures 17 September 2016 Visitors attend the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival at Theresienwiese in Munich, Germany Getty Images Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Visitors looks at British artist Damien Hirst work of art 'The Incomplete Truth', during the 13th Yalta Annual Meeting entitled 'The World, Europe and Ukraine: storms of changes', organised by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at the Mystetsky Arsenal Art Center in Kiev AP Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Tracey Emin's "My Bed" is exhibited at the Tate Liverpool as part of the exhibition Tracey Emin And William Blake In Focus, which highlights surprising links between the two artists Getty Images Culture news in pictures 15 September 2016 Musician Dave Grohl (L) joins musician Tom Morello of Prophets of Rage onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California Getty Images Culture news in pictures 14 September 2016 Model feebee poses as part of art installation "Narcissism : Dazzle room" made by artist Shigeki Matsuyama at rooms33 fashion and design exhibition in Tokyo. Matsuyama's installation features a strong contrast of black and white, which he learned from dazzle camouflage used mainly in World War I AP Culture news in pictures 13 September 2016 Visitors look at artworks by Chinese painter Cui Ruzhuo during the exhibition 'Glossiness of Uncarved Jade' held at the exhibition hall 'Manezh' in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 200 paintings by the Chinese artist are presented until 25 September EPA Culture news in pictures 12 September 2016 A visitor looks at Raphael's painting 'Extase de Sainte Cecile', 1515, from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence during the opening of a Raphael exhibition at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia. The first Russian exhibition of the works of the Italian Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino includes eight paintings and three drawings which come from Italy. Th exhibit opens to the public from 13 September to 11 December EPA Culture news in pictures 11 September 2016 Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd perform during Otis Redding 75th Birthday Celebration - Rehearsals at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia Getty Images for Otis Redding 75 Culture news in pictures 10 September 2016 Sakari Oramo conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Singers at the Last Night of the Proms 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall in London PA Culture news in pictures 9 September 2016 A visitor walks past a piece entitled "Fruitcake" by Joana Vasconcelo, during the Beyond Limits selling exhibition at Chatsworth House near Bakewell REUTERS Culture news in pictures 8 September 2016 A sculpture of a crescent standing on the 2,140 meters high mountain 'Freiheit' (German for 'freedom'), in the Alpstein region of the Appenzell alps, eastern Switzerland. The sculpture is lighted during the nights by means of solar panels. The 38-year-old Swiss artist and atheist Christian Meier set the crescent on the peak to start a debate on the meaning of religious symbols - as summit crosses - on mountains. 'Because so many peaks have crosses on them, it struck me as a great idea to put up an equally absurd contrast'. 'Naturally I wanted to provoke in a fun way. But it goes beyond that. The actions of an artist should be food for thought, both visually and in content' EPA Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures Cole defended the decision to use real razors but admitted that removing the risk altogether would have been wiser. [Sweeney Todd] was chosen because of the very nature of the talented young men and women we have in year 12 and 13, who wanted something that would push their skills and the boundaries, he said. It was deemed important to make it as realistic as possible. The throat-slitting scene had reportedly been performed many times without incident since the play first began rehearsals in January. Upcoming performances have been postponed until further notice and all students and staff have been offered counselling and support. 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 }} Most of us know seaweed as a brown, rubbery, wig-like plant you kick along a beach, or perhaps as nori, a dried seaweed which is shredded and pressed into flexible sheets ready to roll around sushi rice and tasty fillings. But fresh seaweed, already a favourite of many top restaurants, looks poised to become a popular ingredient in home kitchens thanks to supermarkets and celebrity fans. Waitrose has announced plans to stock the nutrient-rich wild sea green, and Jamie Oliver credits it with his recent 30lb weight loss. Noma chef Rene Redzepi has called seaweed "one of the few untapped natural resources we've yet to really start eating". Now's our chance. "Seaweed is one of this year's biggest trends in veg," says Simona Cohen Vida, a Waitrose product developer. "Our customers like to experiment in the kitchen, so we predict that seaweed will be top of the shopping list this spring." Food trends in 2016 Show all 11 1 /11 Food trends in 2016 Food trends in 2016 Celeriac root We had a kale obsession in 2015, but 2016s vegetable sine qua non is predicted to be the knobbly celeriac root. Celeriac milk (Tom Hunt at Poco in Bristol serves it with winter mussels and wild water celery), celeriac cooked in Galician beef fat (from Adam Rawson of Pachamama, hot new chef in the capital) and salt-baked celeriac (to be found in Matthew and Iain Penningtons kitchens at The Ethicurean in the West Country) are just a few examples. Getty Images Food trends in 2016 Middle Eastern food The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook (24.95, Phaidon) by grand-dame Salma Hage, author of the bestseller The Lebanese Kitchen (whose halva is pictured here), is out in April Liz & Max Haarala Hamilton Food trends in 2016 Non-alcoholic cocktails Grain Store mixologist Tony Conigliaro has created Roman Redhead, a riot of red grape juice, beetroot, pale ale and verjus, and Rose Iced Tea (black tea, rose petals, anise essence, pictured here) Food trends in 2016 Gin The discerning will be slurping Hepple gin from chef Valentine Warner and cocktail guru Nick Strangeway which is punctuated with bog-myrtle nuances Food trends in 2016 Argyll and Bute Restaurant followers are getting in a froth about Pam Brunton in Scotland, who opened the Inver restaurant in Argyll and Bute to acclaim last year Food trends in 2016 Andy Olivers Som Saa One of the most eagerly awaited restaurants of 2016 will be the permanent incarnation of Andy Olivers remarkable pop-up Som Saa opening very soon in east London. Oliver, who worked at Thai god David Thompsons Nahm in Bangkok, raised a whopping 700,000 through crowdfunding, and is renowned for his piquant Thai flavours and obsessive attention to detail, including in his home ferments and DIY coconut cream Adam Weatherley Food trends in 2016 Venison Another ruminant in vogue is venison, with Sainsburys doubling its line for 2016. It provides a protein-packed punch, with B vitamins and iron, and its low in fat. Its entry into the mainstream is in part thanks to the Scottish restaurant Mac and Wild, just opened in London, whose Celtic head chef Andy Waugh (who also runs the Wild Game Co) has been touting it as street food for years (his venison burger pictured here) Food trends in 2016 Goat From Brett Grahams The Ledbury to Angela Hartnetts kitchens at Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest, Cabrito is the go-to goat supplier among the chef cognoscenti (roasted loin of kid pictured here) but this year, domestic cooks can get in on the action, as Sushila Moles and James Whetlor of Cabrito offer their meat through Ocado Mike Lusmore / mikelusmore.com Food trends in 2016 Coffee Coffee sage George Crawford is launching the much-anticipated Cupsmith with his partner, Emma. Crawford believes that 2016 is the year purist coffee will finally meet the masses; Cupsmiths mission will be to make craft coffee as popular as craft beer on the high street. The company roasts Arabica beans in small batches, improving its quality but sells it online, at cupsmith.com, in an approachable way: expect cheerful packaging and names such as Afternoon Reviver Coffee (designed for drinking with milk no matter how uncouth, most of us want milk) and Glorious Espresso Julia Conway Food trends in 2016 120-day-old steak Hanging meat for extremely long lengths of time has become an art. In Cumbria, Lake Road Kitchens James Cross is plating up 120-day-old steak (pictured here). The beef is from influential ager Dan Austin of Lake District Farmers, who is currently investigating the individual bacterial cultures that go into this maturing process Food trends in 2016 Lotus root Diners can expect root-to-stem dining - cue the full lotus deployed by the Michelin-starred Indian Benares in its kamal kakdi aur paneer korma Getty Images Waitrose will stock a variety called kombu on 139 fish counters from 20 April, harvested by The Cornish Seaweed Company and costing 1.99 per packet. But what if your pockets aren't Waitrose-deep, never mind Noma-ready? As Redzepi says, seaweed is a natural resource and ripe for the picking, but how easy is it to collect for free from our shores, how should we cook and eat it, and is it always safe? Marcus Harrison runs foraging courses via his Wild Food School and recently published Cooking with Seaweed: 101+ Ways. "Be safe," he advises. "Know which seaweeds are safe to eat, work out what the tide times are like, and wear strong boots or wellingtons preferably non-slip since most seaweed grows in low-lying rocky environments on the shoreline. Any seaweed that you want to eat should be attached to a rock. Seaweed washed on to the beach is not fit or safe to eat." Noma chef Rene Redzepi has called seaweed one of the few untapped natural resources we've yet to really start eating (Getty) About 650 varieties of edible seaweed grow on British coastlines and it's often said they are all safe to eat, but Harrison disagrees. He names badderlocks/dabberlocks, tangle, sugar kelp, sea spaghetti, dulse, laver, sea lettuce, gutweed and carrageen, or Irish moss, as good for consumption Google-image-search these and you'll recognise a handful but advises against eating some varieties too often, because they are dense in iodine. But what to do once you get them back to your kitchen? "Thicker, more robust seaweeds such as tangle and sugar kelp are best in stew-type dishes, or deep fried and served like crisps," says Harrison. Sugar kelp is one of 650 varieties of edible seaweed that grows on British coastlines (Rex) "Thinner dulse can be eaten raw (fresh or dried), while making an interesting ingredient for stir-fry food. Laver is generally too tough to eat like that. For laver bread, it's boiled for hours until it coalesces into a dark green jelly-like mass. "Sea lettuce can be used raw or cooked. Being very fine leaved, it lends itself to use as a seaweed salad ingredient; or larger fronds may be used to wrap around food to be steamed. The gutweeds are also very finely structured and may be used in salads (when young), steamed, or cooked. Irish moss is only used for its carrageen, as an alternative to gelatin." From left to right : Seamoss, sea lettuce, sugar kelp, and laver (Rex) There are few opportunities for a free lunch these days, and seaweed has spectacular health benefits. It's great for digestive health and it has more vitamin C than oranges. It's also packed with protein and is the only vegetal source of vitamin B12. But Harrison stresses to forage responsibly. "If 60 million people start heading for the shore and ripping up all the seaweed... that is going to damage the environment." 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 }} Hundreds of GPs are being recruited from India to help fill the growing crisis in general practice and meet a Government pledge to add 5,000 family doctors by 2020. Health Education England, the non-departmental body of the Department of Health responsible for NHS training, has signed a "memorandum of understanding" with a major hospital chain in India. The deal with Apollo Hospitals will involve the transfer of up to 400 GPs to England but HEE said that the details "are still under discussion" according to Pulse, the primary care magazine. Recommended Read more Worry over rent sends a million to GP surgeries The Chennai-based hospital chain, which employs more than 40,000 people and has a 500m turnover, offers a diploma in family medicine which is accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners. Apollo Hospitals said it signed the memorandum as a "starting point" to explore how both countries can benefit from "the mutual exchange of ideas and clinical staff in improving the education and training of healthcare staff" and patient care. "These are initial discussions but we look forward to announcing the outcomes of this work over the coming months and years as it progresses." The move to recruit GPs abroad comes after doctors leaders claimed this week general practice is "crisis" and warned that the sector is nearing "saturation point". In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London Workloads increased by 16 per cent over the last seven years as family doctors in England deal with more frequent and longer consultations while the rate of GPs has decreased, according to a major study in The Lancet. The Government gave a pre-election pledge it would recruit an extra 5,000 GPs by 2020, but many doctors say Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will struggle to meet it. Dr Umesh Prabhu, former chair and current member of the British International Doctors Association executive committee and a consultant paediatrician in Wigan, warned that the Apollo deal was "a dangerous move". Recommended Read more Nine out of 10 GPs fear missing symptoms because of their workload He told Pulse: "These doctors are not trained to be GPs in the UK and my biggest worry is around vulnerable patients, such as child abuse. Their training is entirely different. I have concerns for the doctors safety and the patients safety." Dr Maureen Baker, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said any doctors arriving from outside the EU would have to pass the GMC's Professional Linguistic and Assessments Board test. Any suggestions that they will simply be parachuted in to practise in the UK is grossly misleading," she said. The RCGP has had a longstanding partnership with Apollo Medvarsity in India, and we accredit their Diploma in Family Medicine but this recognises excellence in family medicine at an International level. It is not a shortcut to becoming a GP in the UK." GP crisis: A doctor speaks out The staffing crisis now hitting GP surgeries mirrors the situation that affected nursing in recent years - seen by many as the inevitable outcome of cutting nurse training places. NHS trusts around the country regularly host open days in Portugal, Spain, and further afield to boost numbers back home as fewer British-trained nurses come through the system. Roughly one in four nurses are now recruited abroad and the Apollo Hospitals "deal" suggests health officials are now following the same path to boost GP numbers. With the Government's pledge to add 5,000 more family doctors by 2020, they have their work cut out. Many think that target impossible to achieve. One GP in Hampshire told me his surgery is three GPs down and he has had no success in bringing in new partners. Dr Umesh Prabhu has warned that the Apollo deal was a dangerous move "We're back filling with locums, who cost a lot and therefore another drain on the partnerships finances. The buzzword across the profession is 'resilience' but nobody really seems willing to grasp the reality that Hunt cannot deliver 5,000 more GPs by 2020 - it just won't happen. "Even if there were more 10,000 more GPs today, every appointment would be filled. The system is broken and the general public need to seriously consider what they want from their primary care service." Further evidence that general practice is in crisis can be seen almost every day in the local newspaper letters pages around the country. Following the Lancet's report this week on "unsustainable" workloads for GPs, Dr Jonathan Evans, a Senior Partner at Whitecliff Surgery in Blandford, Dorset, described his daily routine that is exactly that. He and his colleagues are now working 12-14 hours a day, with an excess of 70-90 patient contacts per doctor, per day, he wrote. The European average is 25 contacts per day. The figure equates to one patient contact every 9 minutes, without break, throughout the working day. "This extreme situation is unsustainable and is leading to the demise of UK general practice, with disastrous implications for patients and the NHS as a whole," he wrote. Paul Gallagher 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 }} Money may actually be able to buy you happiness despite the traditional saying at least thats what a study from Cambridge University suggests. After looking at almost 77,000 transactions (with permission) of 625 participants, it was found that people who spent more on purchases that matched their personality were happiest. The study, which was published in Psychological Science Today, matched spending categories on the widely recognised Big Five personality traits: Openess to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. For instance, "eating out in pubs" was rated as an extroverted and impulsive spending category, while "pets" was rated as agreeable. Cher shopping 'til she drops in 'Clueless' Researchers then compared the participants real purchases to their personalities using the same scale, which revealed that people who spent more money on things that matched their personalities were happier. Joe Gladstone, a research associate at Cambridge Judge Business School and author of the study, said it "breaks new ground by mining actual bank transaction data and demonstrating that spending can increase our happiness when it is spent on goods and services that fit our personalities and so meet our psychological needs". Sandra Matz, a PhD candidate in the psychology department at the University of Cambridge, added: Our findings suggest that spending money on products that help us express who we are as individuals could turn out to be as important to our well-being as finding the right job, the right neighbourhood, or even the right friends and partners. 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 }} Male Tinder users think they are entitled to use unattractive women however they want, new research has suggested. The study found that men often believe that if they go on a date with a woman who is less attractive than depicted in her dating profile, then they have a licence to use the woman as they see fit to compensate for the perceived breach of trust. Sociologists at Manchester Metropolitan University conducted the study by questioning male Tinder users in Manchester and Cheshire about their dating habits. The study primarily focused on heterosexual male-female relationships. Presenting the research at the British Sociological Associations conference yesterday, study author and senior lecturer in sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University Dr Jenny van Hooff, said: Many of our respondents felt let down on meeting a woman and on feeling a visual representation hadnt been accurate. 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Show all 10 1 /10 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Hilary Duff A year after splitting from her husband Mike Comrie, the newly single Lizzie McGuire child star has started a profile on Tinder so she can date normal folks, like you or I. 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Leonardo DiCaprio OK, so the days of Titanic poster boy Leo might be dead in the water, but that hasn't stopped famous lady's man Mr DiCaprio from making himself publicly available. According to "a source" he's been swiping away as a "Leonard". Getty Images 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Katy Perry "Im really deep on Tinder so I dont have a whole lot of time," the pop singer told one radio station following her split from John Mayer for the umpteenth time last year. Getty 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Shane Warne Lock up your mothers - Shane Warne is just 13km away, according to his profile. The former cricketer landed himself in hot water via the dating app when a mother-of-two from Adelaide cashed in on their apparently steamy Tinder hookup. 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Lindsay Lohan Imagine Lindsay Lohan's face when she was happily swiping through Tinder one day and came across her own brother? Look who I just found on @tinderapp ... hey bro, she tweeted. 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Chris Pine Whether he's actually on there RIGHT NOW, at this VERY MOMENT, remains unclear. But Chris Pine did tell Cosmopolitan recently: I have a couple of buddies who use Tinder. Whatever eases the process is great, since it can be awkward or uncomfortable meeting someone. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Lily Allen Is very much married to a builder. But that hasn't stopped her enjoying the contagious swipe action in her spare time. Just discovered tinder, the singer wrote on Twitter. *waves goodbye to life* 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Ed Sheeran What do you mean you wouldn't want to date pop music's favourite Fraggle, Ed Sheeran? Well you can't. "I got offered the first verified Tinder account," he admitted. However, he added: "I did say no. I haven't got time to go on loads of dates." He wants to play music, or something. No idea. Getty Images 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Britney Spears Jimmy Fallon added the singer to the app himself in September 2014 after she split up from David Lucado. Whether she used it or not... Getty Images 10 Famous People You Could Date On Tinder Samuel Preston OK, so we've swung down market somewhat. See also Calum Best and the entire cast of Made In Chelsea. They're all on there. Happy swiping. Some of our respondents felt that this breaking of trust was a licence to use their date as they saw fit, thereby speeding up intimacy and undermining it at the same time. Dating expert Hayley Quinn told The Independent: Online dating apps like Tinder inevitably encourage people to judge one another on physical appearance. Due to the perceived abundance of partners online this can also prompt people to be less willing to commit, especially when apps encourage you to keep playing. However, its too simplistic to believe that all men are predatory and all women have to fear this. My best advice to anyone wanting to use an app is to be very clear about your own boundaries for commitment and intimacy and to stick to them. If youre looking to form a relationship then be up front about this and take your time getting to know someone- that advice goes for men and women, she added. Shallow Tinder: 'You're the prettiest girl but I get turned on by someone slimmer' Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has become one of the most popular dating apps in the UK. The smart phone based app allows people to search through other users near-by and swipe either right or left to indicate whether they are interested in them. Once two people both swipe right, they match and can then contact each other. Some users say the app has revolutionised online dating by its simplicity and popularity but critics claim it encourages shallow judgements based on peoples appearance and promotes casual encounters. Around the world, an estimated 800 million swipes happen every day. Bored of Tinder? Try Independent dating and find someone special 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 }} Sanjeev Gupta, the tycoon who has emerged as the front-runner to bail out Britains steel industry, says he has not yet submitted a bid for Tata UK interests and would have to think very carefully before attempting a takeover. He played down the prospect of an early rescue for Tatas threatened British plants, including the giant Port Talbot steelworks in South Wales, signalling that any deal could take many months to complete. Tata is expected to start setting out its planned sale process next week, but potential purchasers are likely to baulk at the size of its pensions liabilities and the high cost of converting the Port Talbot plants blast furnace into a profitable arc furnace. Mr Gupta stressed that a takeover could involve long and complex negotiations. It is something we will examine very carefully before we actually take it on. It is big step forward for us, there is no denying that, he told The Guardian. There is no definite in anything, it is very early days. We have to engage with Tata, we have to then make a proposition. I believe we will make a proposition but that proposition has to be accepted and it depends on who else we are competing against. Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary, pressed Tata chiefs at a meeting at their Mumbai headquarters to make sure there was sufficient time for all possible buyers to consider a takeover. Shortly after returning he travelled to Port Talbot for private meetings with managers, workers and union officials. Alan Coombs, president of the Community union, said: At the end of the meeting, the million-dollar question was, What guarantees have we had from Mumbai? I was very encouraged by what [Mr Gupta] said that Tata are not going to forget about their values and they are going to be responsible sellers. They are going to give the appropriate time to get a buyer in. Theres no line in the sand when it has to be sold by. To me, thats a big plus. I dont want to work to a deadline to get someone in, although I know it cant be open-ended either. He added: It has been a very frustrating process, but there is some hope. 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 }} Venezuelan workers will get Fridays off in the months of April and May, in a bid to save energy in the black-out hit country, the president said. President Nicolas Maduro said Venezuelans will have long weekends in an appearance on state television on Wednesday night, announcing the measure as part of a 60-day plan to fight a power crunch. This plan for 60 days, for two months, will allow the country to get through the most difficult period with the most risk. I call on families, on the youth, to join this plan with discipline, with conscience and extreme collaboration to confront this extreme situation, Maduro said. Recommended Read more Venezuela is going to shut down for a whole week The governments plan will be effective from this Friday and last until June 6, according to Agence France Presse. Some Venezuelans took it to social media to express their surprise. Many others wondered how the measure would impact schools, bureaucratic procedures and supermarkets. It was not immediately clear how the non-working Fridays would affect the public and private sector. The 10 most prosperous countries in the world Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 most prosperous countries in the world The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 10. Ireland The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 9. Finland The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 8. Netherlands The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 7. Australia The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 6. Canada The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 5. Sweden The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 4. New Zealand The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 3. Denmark The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 2. Switzerland The 10 most prosperous countries in the world 1. Norway 2008 Getty Images The announcement comes after the President shut down the country for a week over the Easter period as an energy crisis gripped the country. The traditional two-day Easter holiday was extended by three days, effectively closing the country, which is also in the throes of an economic crisis, for a full working week. Venezuela protesters push for President Maduro to be ousted The majority of electricity in the country is supplied by hydropower, from infrastructure such as the 10.2-gigawatt Guri Dam in the eastern Bolivar state. However, due to a drought, the water reserves which are needed to power hydroelectricity are extremely low. 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 }} Charlie Sheen is being investigated by Los Angeles Police over claims of abuse from his ex-fiancee. Scottine Ross an adult film actress who works under the alias Brett Rossi filed a report against the controversial actor last week for alleged domestic violence, physical assaults, and death threats, according to police documents delivered to the US gossip site, RadarOnline, by LAPD. Radar said Police issued a search warrant to the tabloid site for an audio recording they reported on that allegedly features Sheen threatening to have Ms Ross killed for $20,000 (14,163). A spokesperson for LAPD could not confirm to The Independent the issuance of such a warrant for the alleged tape, but disclosed that the investigation of Sheen is being conducted by the departments Threat Management Unit. They added that the unit "completed an investigative report" that listed Sheen as a suspect on 31 March. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ms Ross filed a lawsuit against Sheen in December, alleging assault, battery, and negligence. The Wall Street actor filed for dismissal of Ms Ross complaint. Ms Ross expressed her fear of Sheen in a December interview with People magazine. Im scared he wants to kill me, she said. Sheen had revealed he was HIV-positive one month prior to the lawsuit. Legal representatives for Sheen did not immediately respond to request for comment. 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 German comedian could face prosecution in his own country for "insulting" Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Jan Bohmermann, a satirical comedian, is being investigated by German authorities under defamation laws for a poem in which he calls the Turkish premier a "goat f*****" and other insults. He could face up to five years in prison if Turkey's foreign ministers, who were reportedly angered by the programme, decide to press charges and he is convicted, according to Der Tagesspiegel. "Erdogan is definitely a president with a small tail," says the comedian, in a line where "tail" is understood in German to refer to another part of the male anatomy. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Show all 8 1 /8 Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Just a week before he was elected President, he called Erdogan Amberin Zaman, the Turkey correspondent for 'The Economist', a "shameless militant woman disguised under the name of a journalist" after she had asked an opposition leader whether "Muslim society is able to question" the authorities. "Know your place," Erdogan said. "They gave you a pen and you are writing a column in a newspaper. "And then they invite you to a TV channel owned by Dogan media group and you insult at a society of 99 per cent Muslims," he said he said according to Today's Zaman newspaper. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Turkish people are pictured chanting slogans during an anti-government protest on Taksim square in Istanbul, on 29 June, 2013. The protests were sparked by brutal police action against a local conservation battle to save Istanbul's Gezi Park, and soon turned into nationwide demonstrations against the government. Amid the protests - the worst in Turkey for years - Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements. We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. GURCAN OZTURK/AFP/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes During last years protests, activists used social media to organise and disseminate information. Several dozen tweeters were arrested following the protests, according to local media reports. Erdogan responded by calling the technology a "menace". "There is now a menace which is called Twitter," Erdogan said. "The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society," BBC New reported. Vladimir Astapkovich/RIA Novosti via Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Not helping to allay accusations of authoritarianism, after Turkish police detained 49 people, including well-known business people and those close to the ruling party, Erdeogan ominously told reporter that Turkey "is not a banana republic" that can be affected by unnamed "operations", according to Today's Zaman newspaper. People who are backed by the media and certain funders cannot change this country," he said. "People backed by certain dark gangs both inside and outside Turkey cannot mess with the country's path. They cannot change conditions in Turkey. Turkey is not a country that anyone can launch an operation into. The [Turkish] nation will not allow that. The AK Party, which is governing this nation, will not allow this." Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Friends and relatives of the miners who died in an explosion at the Soma mine are pictured praying following the burial in Soma cemetery of the last body to be recovered from the mine in May 2014. At the time, the then-Prime Minister badly misjudged the Soma mining disaster, in which 301 workers died. He told the relatives of dead and dying miners that "these types of incidents are ordinary things", following allegations that the government had ignored safety concerns about the privately owned mine, the Guardian reported. In his defence, Erdogan recounted in a separate speech a list of mining disasters which occurred abroad, including a British disaster in 1862, and one in America "which has every kind of technology". Oli Scarff/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Palestinians pictured attending Friday noon prayers in a destroyed mosque that was hit by Israeli strikes, in Gaza City. As Prime Minister, Erdogan has condemned Israel, accusing it of deliberately killing Palestinian mothers and warned that the it would "drown in the blood it sheds." Speaking to thousands of supporters during a rally in Istanbul ahead of the 10 August election, Reuters reported him as saying: "Just like Hitler, who sought to establish a race free of all faults, Israel is chasing after the same target." "They kill women so that they will not give birth to Palestinians; they kill babies so that they won't grow up; they kill men so they can't defend their country ... They will drown in the blood they shed," he said. AP Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Amid the worst protests in Turkey for years which had spread across dozens of cities last June, Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. A demonstration to halt construction in a park in an Istanbul square grew into mass protests against a heavy-handed police crackdown and what opponents called Erdogan's authoritarian policies. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements," Erdogan said before departing on a trip to North Africa. "We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes In March 2014, Erdogan accused a 15-year-old boy who died from injuries sustained in last year's anti-government protests of being linked to terrorism. Berkin Elvan, who became a symbol of anti-government protests, had gone to pick up bread when he was hit with a teargas canister - sending him into a nine-month coma before he passed away. In a speech broadcast on state TV, Erdogan said of Berkin: "This kid with steel marbles in his pockets, with a slingshot in his hand, his face covered with a scarf, who had been taken up into terror organisations, was unfortunately subjected to pepper gas. How could the police determine how old that person was who had a scarf on his face and was hurling steel marbles with a slingshot in his hand? ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images The popular young comedian was reportedly trying to outdo the offensiveness of an earlier song insulting Erdogan, which Ankara officially complained about in March. "What I'm about to read is not allowed. If it were to be read in public - that would be forbidden in Germany," said Mr Bohmermann before going on to read his "smear poem" on public broadcaster ZDF, according to The Local. He also said Mr Erdogan "watches child porn while kicking Kurds", in reference to accusations against the Turkish president that he is persecuting the Kurdish minority in the country. To avert diplomatic tensions, Angela Merkel personally called Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu and agreed the poem was a "deliberate insult". She has recently helped broker a deal with Mr Erdogan that for every refugee returned from Greece back to Turkey, one will be admitted into the EU from Turkey's refugee camps. ZDF removed the programme from its website. Under paragraph 103 of the German Criminal Code, insulting a foreign head of state can result in a three-year jail term, while an intended slander can stretch to five years. Such "insult laws" still exist in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden, according to a report from Pen International, which campaigns on behalf of imprisoned writers. Mr Erdogan said at the start of April that he welcomed criticism but would "file a lawsuit" against anyone who insulted him. Turkey: Erdogan cites Hitler's Germany as 'example' of presidential state Ms Merkel's intervention reportedly means the Turkish government is less likely to resort to pressing formal charges against Mr Bohmermann. 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 public figure who took out an injunction to keep an extra-marital "three-way sexual encounter" and details of their "open" marriage a secret has been named in US media. The well-known claimant took out an injunction to prevent The Sun on Sunday from publishing the details. The individual is referred to by the initials PJS and their partner is referred to as YMA in the case. Both are described as public figures. The Sun on Sunday had wanted to publish an account of their sexual exploits with others. The newspaper had argued the story would contribute to an ongoing debate but the Court of Appeal ruled PJSs right to private and family life overrides the newspaper's right to publish details about the extramarital sexual activities, which is reported to have taken place four years ago. In the appeal court ruling, Lord Justice Jackson revealed that the claimant had appealed after a High Court judge ruled in favour of the newspaper. 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 principal issue in this appeal is whether the first instance judge, who refused to grant an injunction, properly balanced the competing rights which are in play, he wrote in his ruling. Justice Jackson said he and Lady Justice King had decided to allow their appeal after balancing their human right to respect for family life and the newspaper's right to free expression. Lord Justice Jackson said publishing the story would be devastating for the claimant under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and would generate a media storm - saying the couple's two children would become the subject of increased press attention. Lord Justice Jackson said both PJS and YMA had been in an "open" relationship but were committed to each other and their children. They maintained that they had not courted publicity about their private life. They said that the various press articles about them were substantially true. They had been in a relationship for many years. The relationship was an open one. YMA accepted that from time to time the claimant had sexual encounters with others. The relationship between the claimant and YMA was one of commitment. They provided a loving home for their children. PJS has now been named by an American publication, but the injunction prevents the UK from naming the entertainer or their spouse. Additional reporting by the Press Association 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 }} The brave new world of synthetic biology has taken a major step forward as the UK opened a new DNA factory manufacturing genetic components that will be used to tackle everything from global warming to vaccines. Synthetically creating the right DNA formula for example to artificially produce penicillin is an extremely laborious process when done manually, as scientists painstakingly try out numerous combinations of genes from various organisms before finding the combination that works. But the opening of the 2 million Foundry at Imperial College London should speed up the process immensely through a new automated lab that can run thousands of experiments simultaneously. This should help identify the winning combination of genes needed for a given task between 10 and 100 times as quickly as a human scientist would using the traditional apparatus of pipettes and Petri dishes. 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 foundry will give a significant boost to the fledgling but rapidly-developing world of synthetic biology in which microbes such as bacteria, viruses and funghi or larger organisms are genetically manipulated for a wide range of functions such as generating energy and creating drugs to fight disease. This is a step change in our ability to design and build new genetic components which we can then put into cells which then act as little microbial factories producing a variety of chemicals, said Professor Paul Freemont, head of molecular biosciences at Imperial College. The genes contained in DNA act as an instruction manual telling the cells how to make the various proteins needed to build a body. Synthetic biology works by mixing and matching genes from different microbes and injecting the resulting DNA into simple, harmless cells, such as yeast cells. DNA is a natural instruction telling the cell to do something. But in synthetic biology we can design sections of DNA which do not exist in Nature, said Professor Richard Kitney, also of Imperial College. When you put those into the cell it does something you want it to do rather than what it would do naturally. Things like producing chemicals or new types of drugs or vaccines, he added. The Government has welcomed the Foundry after identifying synthetic biology of one of the eight great technologies in which it believes the UK can excel. 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 }} A group of schoolchildren are searching for a toy dog which went missing after they launched it into space. As part of a science project, the pupils from Morecambe Bay Community Primary School used a giant helium balloon to see if they could send Sam the Dog, a cuddly toy mascot, to the edge of space. With the aid of SentIntoSpace, a British company which specialises in such projects, they strapped Sam onto his spacecraft, along with a GPS tracker and a GoPro camera to capture the action. The 'launch', which took place on 5 April at a hotel in the town, proved successful. Sam rose at a stately pace of 6 metres per second, eventually peaking at a height of 15 miles. However, the problems began during his descent. The balloon popped and Sam's spacecraft plummeted to Earth, eventually landing in a field near Burnley, over 30 miles away from the launchpad. The GPS and camera were there, but Sam was nowhere to be seen. Now, the school has mounted a campaign to find the dog, who could be anywhere within a 40 to 50-mile radius of the landing site. Sam could be anywhere within a 40 to 50-mile radius of Burnley Such a large radius means Sam could potentially have ended up in the Irish Sea - however, the team behind the launch say they are "confident" that he landed inland. This still leaves them with quite a search, since the potential landing area stretches from Liverpool to York, taking in Sheffield and the Yorkshire Dales at the same time. Twitter users are being urged to take part in the #FindSam hashtag as the search goes on, and anyone with information is asked to get in touch with Morcambe Bay's Midland Hotel. As if a school full of sad children wasn't reason enough to go out and search for Sam, the person who finds him will win a complimentary stay at the hotel. 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 }} More effective sanctions are needed against British lawyers, accountants and estate agents who knowingly help corrupt individuals hide their assets using methods such as offshore companies, campaigners warn today. Transparency International said tens of billions of pounds of corrupt and illicit money is being laundered through the United Kingdom each year with the assistance of an eco-system of professional enablers who face inadequate punishment if they are found to be involved in wrongdoing. The campaign group, which last year revealed that 75 per cent of corruption cases concerning property investigated by Scotland Yard involved the use of anonymous offshore companies, said regulators needed increased powers to strip professionals and companies of their licences as part of a wider package needed to end Britains role as a safe haven for corrupt individuals and their wealth. The call follows this weeks leak of millions of documents detailing the use of more than 200,000 offshore entities set up by Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The use of such companies is legal (nearly 3,000 companies established by Mossack Fonseca appear on a Land Registry database of overseas property owners for 2014) and can offer advantages such as stamp duty avoidance. Britain is the second most popular place for companies set up by Mossack Fonseca to operate. An analysis of the leaked files shows the firm worked with 1,924 UK-based professional entities such as law firms and company incorporators. There is no evidence that any of these companies, or Mossack Fonseca, knowingly facilitated deals using corrupt funds. London's offshore property moguls The leaked 'Panama Papers' reveal how billionaires, politicians and their offspring own some of Londons most sought-after real estate through anonymous offshore companies. Such a mechanism is not illegal. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan The president of the United Arab Emirates owns dozens of central London properties, worth a total of 1.2bn, through offshore companies set up by Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. They include the BHS building on Oxford Street and Mayfairs Berkeley Square estate. Bukola Saraki President of the Nigerian senate, Dr Saraki is currently facing allegations that he failed to declare assets. He and his wife own two multi-million pound properties in London. They both deny any wrongdoing. Dr Saraki says the allegations against him are politically motivated. Alaa Mubarak The son of former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak and his family have long been rumoured to own an 18m townhouse in Londons Knightsbridge. Alaa, whose registered address is given in the Panama documents as the property in Wilton Place, was jailed on corruption charges last year. He was released after six months. But experts argue that the sheer volume and value of all transactions passing through the UK mean a certain number will involve corrupt wealth and this places added responsibility on professionals to ensure they are not dealing with dirty money. In a report published today, Transparency International said: The Government should establish more effective administrative sanctions on professional enablers by encouraging professional bodies to withdraw licences from those implicated in such cases, in addition to prosecuting those who are personally involved. The group said Britain was in urgent need of an overhaul of its flawed framework for dealing with corruption, including the appointment of a single super-supervisor for the 27 separate supervisory bodies overseeing the UK anti-money laundering system, and the introduction of a new civil mechanism for the courts to allow the quicker freezing of unexplained wealth. Campaigners want to see Prime Minister David Cameron use an anti-corruption summit in London next month to put Britain at the forefront of anti-corruption enforcement, including prevailing upon its own overseas territories, which include some of the worlds most popular tax havens, to introduce public registers of the beneficial owners of companies. Of the 180m of UK property investigated for links to corrupt money since 2004, more than two thirds involved companies registered in UK-linked tax havens. Rachel Davies, head of advocacy and research for Transparency International, said: If corrupt individuals are allowed to continue to buy up luxury property and enjoy life in the UK, then the Government risks its credibility in leading efforts to tackle corruption on the global stage. 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 second woman is to stand trial in Northern Ireland charged with breaking the abortion ban. The woman, who has not been named, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court yesterday charged with helping her daughter to access abortion pills. The woman faces up to life in prison under the countrys abortion ban which makes it a criminal offence to have an abortion or help someone else to do so except in extremely limited circumstances. The Irish News reports that two further cases are currently being considered by the Public Prosecution Service relating to the abortion ban. 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 On Monday, a 21-year-old woman was given a three month sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to having an abortion. The woman was 19 when she had a crisis pregnancy and tried to save up enough money to travel to England for a termination. However she didnt manage to find the funds in time and so ordered abortion pills online which were posted to her home in Belfast. Her housemates found out and reported her to the police who subsequently arrested her. Northern Irelands leading anti-abortion group Precious Life has asked for the sentence to be appealed so that it can be increased, calling the suspended sentence very lenient. The prosecution has been criticised by human rights bodies including Amnesty International who have called the trial a "grotesque spectacle". Unlike the rest of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland. In November Belfast High Court ruled that the abortion ban is a breach of international human rights law, however the Northern Ireland Assembly voted in February to keep the ban in place. An estimated 1,000 Northern Irish women travel to Great Britain every year to have terminations and it is believed that a growing number may be ordering abortion pills online. 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 }} A man concerned by Spanish nudists and a homesick expat asking where he could buy English bacon are among the most bizarre consular calls made by Britons abroad in the past year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has revealed. The FCO provides assistance to British travellers abroad and stressed its services should only be used in emergencies. However, in the nearly 500,000 calls made to the FCOs consular services last year, there were some unusual requests that officials said wasted valuable resources. A man planning to move to Spain who was worried he would encounter nudists walking through the streets asked for consular assistance, as did a homesick expat asking where he could buy English bacon. Operators were also contacted by a woman in Lebanon looking for help recruiting an English butler and a man in Singapore asking for assistance obtaining illegal employment. The town of Coventry was seen by someone as a destination for which he needed travel advice and a man in South Korea wanted guidance on what he could do with his old pound notes. A European filmmaker even called looking for an English pensioner to play a part in his new production. One woman rang because she was disappointed the British Embassy had not sent someone to give her a tour of St Petersburg on her arrival in Russia. Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Show all 8 1 /8 Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Winners: Landscape category - Jurassic Coast (Dorset, UK) by Tony Cowburn Tony Cowburn Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Winner: Icon category - Tiger's Nest (Paro Valley, Bhutan) by Kasia Nowak Kasia Nowak Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Winner: People category - Reflections (S-21 Prison, Phnom Penh, Cambodia) by Charlotte Currie Charlotte Currie Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Winner: Wildlife category - Escape! (Tanzania) by Vittorio Ricci Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Runners-up: Icon - Snow Time (Westminster Bridge, London) by Ron Tear Ron Tear Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Runner-up: Wildlife - Momentary (Bucks, UK) by Porsupah Ree Porsupah Ree Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Runner-up: Landscape - Polar Bear Landscape (Wrangel Island, Russia) by Gunther Riehle Travel Photo of the Year: The winning entries Runner-up: People - Let Sleeping Sikhs Lie (Amritsar, India) by Allan Dransfield Allan Dransfield Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister James Duddridge said: Our consular staff are a helpful bunch and do an amazing job helping out Brits in trouble around the world but it is important that people remember they are there to help with genuine emergencies and not as an alternative to directory enquiries. Every minute they spend handling a call requesting advice on butlers or nudists is time taken away from dealing with life and death cases, so I urge the public to think before picking up the phone. In the last year, the FCO helped 3,250 Britons who were hospitalised, 4,770 people who were arrested, and the families of 3,670 people who died overseas. They also issued nearly 38,000 replacement travel documents. Kelvin Green, head of the FCOs Global Contact Centres, said: We receive thousands of calls a year, and do all we can to help people who find themselves in difficulty abroad. "But we cannot help people make travel arrangements or lifestyle plans, lend them money or pay medical and other bills for them. I would urge people to prepare well before they travel, making sure they have valid travel documents and insurance. 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 }} An urgent inquiry must be launched into the sexual abuse of Jewish children following an investigation by The Independent, campaigners have said. Kol vOz,a global organisation dedicated to preventing abuse of Jewish children, has formally written to the UKs investigations body for child abuse urging action. In a letter to the Independent Inquiry for Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), Chief Executive Manny Waks wrote: The IICSA notes that it will investigate a wide range of institutions, including those who fall under the category of other religious organisations. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage the IICSA to seriously consider including at least a segment of the Jewish community in its investigations. In the past few years there have been numerous reports of troubling incidents within the Jewish community; more specifically, within the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community in the UK, including a series of reports by The Independent which note that child sexual abuse is alleged to have occurred in illegal Jewish ultra-Orthodox schools and that authorities turned a blind eye to these schools due, in part, to the fear of being accused of anti-Semitism, Mr Waks added. An investigation by The Independent revealed that thousands of Jewish children are missing from full time education records in the London borough of Hackney and are feared to be attending illegal, ultra-strict faith schools. The schools teach only religious scripture and all lessons are in Yiddish; meaning that many children with no qualifications and unable to speak English. Physical beatings and sexual abuse is also alleged to take place at some schools. A redacted internal memo revealed by The Independent recorded that Hackneys education authority had initially begun collecting information about the illegal schools but destroyed it after receiving a legal threat from some schools. Department of Education staff have been aware of this since at least 2010 but does not appear to have acted to prevent the destruction of these records. In response to the allegations, the Department for Education said that the redacted internal memo will be investigated. A spokesperson for Hackney Council said: "Hackney Council takes all allegations of abuse extremely seriously and we thoroughly investigate all reports we receive of abuse involving a child in Hackney. We've made the Metropolitan Police and the City & Hackney Safeguarding Board aware of contents of The Independent's report and would urge anyone with specific concerns to contact us or the police." The Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse was established under the Inquiries Act 2005 to independently investigate allegations of child sexual abuse by institutions. It undertook the investigation into allegations against Labour peer Lord Janner and alleged institutional failures over child protection by the Anglican Church. 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 }} A man was forced to give up his husband's ashes at airport security because officials refused to recognise him as the "next of kin". British national Marco Bulmer-Rizzi's case made headlines around the world when his new husband David died while the couple was on their honeymoon in Australia. Mr Bulmer-Rizzi suffered a series of humiliations as he was told by South Australia officials that his husband's death certificate would read "never married", and funeral arrangements had to be approved by David's father. Now, Mr Bulmer-Rizzi has revealed how he suffered the further indignity of being told he could not take David's ashes with him when he returned back to Britain. He told BuzzFeed: "I felt like I was losing him again. All I wanted was to be able to travel with David's ashes on me so he wouldn't have to travel back by himself." Describing what happened, Mr Bulmer-Rizzi said of a female airport security officer: "She wanted to open the box. And I said, 'These are human remains. It's my husband. My husband died while we were in Australia.' "She just looked at me and said, 'I need to take this away'." Mr Bulmer-Rizzi tried to stop the box being taken away and asked to see a supervisor, who eventually let him fly home to Britain with his husband's ashes. Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Drag queen Panti Bless and crowd celebrate a Yes victory Drag artist and Yes activist Panti Bliss joins supporters to celebrate in front of Dublin Castle Getty Images Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures The celebrations started last night in Dublin and continued all day A couple celebrating in Dublin EPA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures A woman heading to the polling station yesterday Woman walks past a mural of two rainbow coloured hearts on polling day. Polling stations in the 43 constituencies across country opened their doors yesterday to vote on legalising same sex marriage EPA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures A 'Yes to Equality' badge A pro-gay marriage badge on a voter's lapel in gaelic meaning "Yes to Equality" seen in Dublin on polling day. EPA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures A cafe in Dublin lending its support to the cause Many businesses in Ireland have got involved in the campaign, declaring their support for both the Yes and No campaigns EPA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Two campaign posters side by side posters on a Dublin street Both sides have campaigned fiercely saying they are fighting for social freedom EPA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Newly married couple share their support for a Yes vote Newly married Anna and Vincent Fox share a kiss as they mark their support for a Yes vote in Dublin on polling day Getty Images Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures 50 foot mural on the wall of Caherkinmonwee Castle in Galway to celebrate gay marriage A 50 foot referendum mural created by artist Joe Caslin to promote a Yes vote Getty Images Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Supporters celebrate an expected Yes vote Supporters in favour of same-sex marriage pose for a photograph as thousands gather in Dublin Castle Getty Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures Couple waiting for the result in Dublin Castle Erin Reddy (left) and Dee Campell awaiting the result at Central Count Centre in Dublin Castle PA Irish gay marriage vote results: In pictures A gay marriage activist kisses her rosary beads in celebration A gay marriage supporter kisses her rosary beads at the Central Count Centre at Dublin Castle PA He added that he had asked the British consulate to certify him as his husband's next of kin because he was worried about travelling through countries where same-sex marriage is still illegal, but had not been issued with documentation. The couple's story has previously outraged readers around the globe. Jay Weatherill, the South Australian premier, said he was "deeply ashamed" by what the whole family had been made to go through. "A man's just lost his husband, someone he loves, someone he's legally married to and treated with disrespect in my state," he told ABC. The Foreign Office has indicated it is willing to meet with Mr Bulmer-Rizzi to discuss ways of improving assistance to British members of the LGBT community when they travel abroad. In a statement, a spokesman told The Independent: "We have the greatest sympathy for Mr Bulmer-Rizzi and our staff in Australia and the UK worked hard to offer support and find a practical solution. "Following this exceptional case, we put in place a process enabling us to issue a death registration quickly once an application is received. "While Australias position on same sex marriage is a matter for Australians, we have asked the premiers and chief ministers of states and territories where UK same-sex marriages are currently not recognised to urgently consider legislation or other measures that would allow for such recognition on death certificates." 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 }} Educated Muslim women are much less likely to be employed than non-Muslim women, even when they have the same qualifications, new research has suggested. The study found that the unemployment rate for Muslim women is between 5.9 per cent and 27 percent depending on the womans ethnic background. By contrast, the rate for white non-Muslim women is 3.5 percent. A similar gap was noted among professional occupations whereby 8.5 percent to 23 percent of Muslim women are employed depending on ethnicity, compared to 32 percent of white non-Muslim women. The study dismissed the idea that this was because Muslim women may be less likely to have educational qualifications than other social groups, as the same trends were observed even when both Muslim and non-Muslim women had the exact same credentials. The research is a joint undertaking between Dr Nabil Khattab of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar and Dr Shereen Hussein of Kings College London and involved data analysis of more than a quarter of a million womens lives. It was presented yesterday at the British Sociological Association's annual conference. 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 Dr Khattab said: Economic activity among Muslim women in the UK remains considerably lower and their unemployment rate remains significantly higher than the majority group even after controlling for qualifications and other individual characteristics. He added that Muslim womens dress might reveal their religion to potential employers in more obvious ways than Muslim men or non-Muslim women, which enabled Islamophobic employers to discriminate. He said: They wear a hijab or other religious symbols which makes them more visible and as such exposed to greater discrimination. Last year hate crimes against Muslims in London were found to have risen by 70 per cent upon the previous year. In particular, the Met Police noted a number of Islamophobic incidents in which women wearing headscarves were attacked and strangers attempted to remove their veils. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight 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 Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of David Camerons closest political allies has accused the Prime Minister of putting money into one-sided propaganda rather than the NHS as the row over the Governments pro-EU leaflet intensified. Mr Cameron insisted he was right to sign off on a 9m Government-produced leaflet that is being sent to every household in the country setting out the case for voting to remain in the EU. He claimed it was money well spent because people needed to know what the Government thinks ahead of the referendum. The cost of the promotional push is greater than the 7m each the formal Leave and Remain camps will be allowed to spend by law during the last 10 weeks of the campaign. In an attack on the Prime Minister, Michael Gove previously one of his closest political supporters and a personal friend questioned his motives. I want a fair campaign, I want to hear from both sides, he told the BBC. I just think it is wrong that at a time of austerity, 9m of taxpayers' money is being spent on a one-sided piece of propaganda. That money should be being spent on the NHS and the people's priorities, not on propaganda. Mr Goves attack underlines how hard the pro and anti-EU wings of the Tory party are finding it to campaign against each other without doing lasting damage to their relationships. Addressing young voters at a rally in Devon, Mr Cameron denied spending taxpayer money on the leaflet was undemocratic. We are not neutral in this, he said. We think it would be a bad decision to leave. We think it would be bad for our economy, bad for jobs, bad for investment, bad for families' finances. We think it would be bad for universities. We are not neutral so we have made a clear stance in this leaflet which everyone will get a copy of. He went on: There is nothing to stop the Government from setting out its view in advance of the campaign and that's what the Government did in 1975, when we last had a referendum. I want everyone in the country to know just how strongly the Government, that works on your behalf - you might not agree with everything it does but it works on your behalf - feel that the right choice is to stay in. That is why we are spending this money. I want everyone to have all the information at their fingertips but I absolutely make no apology for the fact that the Government has a strong view and wants everyone to know that strong view. Ukips leader Nigel Farage questioned whether the referendum was now still free and fair. Speaking at the launch of Ukip's Holyrood election manifesto in Edinburgh, he said: I know that this was a stunt that Harold Wilson pulled back in 1975 but I would have thought one of the very reasons for the establishment of an Electoral Commission was that the ground rules in this referendum were supposed to be free and fair. Given that HM Government is not a registered participant in this campaign, I think, frankly, it's outrageous to use 10 million of our money to tell us how we should think and how we should vote. Former defence secretary and Tory MP Liam Fox, a Vote Leave campaigner, said the Government is exploiting a loophole in election campaign rules. He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: It's a question of fairness. The Government knows that it wouldn't be allowed to put this leaflet out during the last four weeks of the campaign and is taking advantage of that loophole. "What the Government are effectively doing is doubling the funding for one side, ie the Remain campaign, by spending this amount of money." He added that the public wanted balanced information: I think they would like to see both sides of the argument and what they're getting is a lot of opinion and it is in fact propaganda. If it's not against the letter of the law, it's certainly against the spirit of the referendum in giving the public a balanced view of the information. But he distanced himself from accusations that the Government timed the leaflet's launch to divert attention away from the scrutiny of Mr Cameron's tax affairs. He said: I think the Government has been doing this for some time ... I'm sure the Government thought this was the window in which they would get away with it. I don't know what the motivation may or may not have been. 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 was today accused of "completely undermining" the Government's claims to be tough on tax dodgers after the Prime Minister personally intervened to try to prevent EU transparency rules affecting offshore tax trusts. The Prime Minister was forced to respond to the scandal after it emerged that he sent a letter to the European Council president Herman van Rompuy in 2013 arguing for trusts to be treated differently from companies in anti-money laundering rules. Mr Cameron claimed that it was "clearly important we recognise the important differences between companies and trusts". Herman Van Rompuy formerly served as Prime Minister of Belgium and as the first President of the European Council (Rex) "This means that the solution for addressing the potential misuse of companies, such as central public registries, may well not be appropriate generally," the letter said. Labour said Mr Camerons position "completely undermined" Tory claims to be determined to act on tax avoidance. Another day and another story emerges which exposes what the Conservative Party really thinks in its heart of hearts about tackling tax avoidance, said Labours shadow Treasury minister Richard Burgon. "The Prime Minister can't raise a finger to save our steel industry but at the drop of a hat he can personally intervene to undermine EU efforts to clamp down on tax avoidance. "When things like this come out from the very top of the Conservative Party it completely undermines anything they have said previously on this major issue. David Cameron speaking in Birmingham on Tuesday (Getty Images) Forced to respond to the allegations, following a speech on Europe in Exeter, Mr Cameron told students he had put tax avoidance at the top of the agenda during his chairmanship of the G8 group of leading nations. Britain has been an absolute leader on this and we will continue to do it, he added. But Judith Sargentini, the Dutch MEP who led the European Parliament's work on the draft rules, told the Financial Times that she saw the UKs call for different treatment for trusts as a danger and a possible loophole". The revelation adds to the pressure on Mr Cameron after the Panama Papers leak revealed his late father, Ian, had been the director of an offshore fund that allegedly paid no UK tax in 30 years. Asked about questions over the Prime Ministers finances on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said he did not think anything more that can be added to Downing Streets previous statements. These questions were honestly answered from the beginninghe made it very clear he is not benefitting from any offshore trust of this kind." Challenged by Today programme host John Humphrys on whether Mr Cameron had benefitted in the past, he added: Hes already answered these questions. He may not have answered them to your satisfaction but these questions have been answered and Ive nothing more to add to them. What are The Panama Papers? A Government spokesman said Mr Camerons stance was taken because of concerns that seeking to apply registers of "beneficial" owners to trusts "would distract from action against those areas of most concern, such as shell companies". "In practice, these further changes weren't achievable. In the subsequent negotiations, we were able to secure a sensible way forward which ensures that trusts which generate tax consequences have to report their ownership to HMRC." The spokesman defended the Government's record on tackling tax evasion and avoidance, pointing to legislation forcing British companies to disclose who owns and benefits from their activities which comes into force in June. World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Show all 15 1 /15 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Petro Poroshenko President of Ukraine World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Ayad Allawi Allawi Iraqs Vice-President between 2014 and 2015, and the countrys interim prime minister from 2004 to 2005 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Abu Dhabi World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson Prime Minister of Iceland World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sergey Roldugin Close friend of Vladimir Putin World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995-2013 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Li Xiaolin Daughter of Li Peng, the former Premier of China (The current vice-president of state-owned power company China Datang Gorporation and former CEO of China Power International Development, she has been nicknamed Chinas Power Queen World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Rami Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hafez Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Clive Khulubuse Zuma Nephew of Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Maryam Nawaz Sharif Safdar Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hasan Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hussain Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Alaa Mubarak The eldest son of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Read more here In the latest of a series of clarifications of Mr Camerons tax arrangements, Number 10 insisted that neither the PM, his wife Samantha or their children would benefit in the future from offshore funds or trusts. Labour, however, is still demanding to know however whether they have benefited previously from the arrangement although there is no suggestion that having done so would have been illegal. Conservative ministers have, however, insisted that the Government has led the way in fighting tax avoidance, claiming that Mr Cameron has championed a transparency agenda, since at least 2013 when, ahead of a G8 summit, he promised: Im going to push for international agreements to fight the scourge of tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. That means automatic exchange of information between our tax authorities so those who to evade tax have nowhere to hide. Mr Cameron, though, has faced criticism for failing to secure reforms in all but two of the UKs overseas territories and Crown Dependencies, which see would see major beneficiaries of offshore companies named in public registers. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight 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 Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has said he will make no apology for spending more than 9 million of taxpayers money on a pro-EU leaflet publicity drive ahead of the referendum, adding its money well spent. Pro-Brexit campaigners and Conservative MPs reacted with fury to the governments decision to send the leaflet to every household in the country, setting out the case for a remain vote on June 23. One Tory MP, Tom Pursglove, called it frankly outrageous and an affront to democracy. Downing Street said the move was a response to polling which showed 85% of the public wanted more information from the Government to help them make an informed choice on June 23. The cost to each household for the 14-page booklet will be 34p, government sources added. The Prime Minister made his comments as he took questions from Exeter University students, who grilled Mr Cameron on range of subjects including the Tata Steel crisis, Iain Duncan Smiths resignation, tuition fees and tax avoidance in the wake of the Panama Papers. Stamped with the HM Government logo, the leaflet says in large type: Why the government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK. The Prime Minister told the rally of young people in Devon: "I make no apology for the fact that we are sending to every household in the country this leaflet which sets out what the Government's view is and why we come to that view. "We are not neutral in this. We think it would be a bad decision to leave. We think it would be bad for our economy, bad for jobs, bad for investment, bad for families' finances. "We think it would be bad for universities. We are not neutral so we have made a clear stance in this leaflet which everyone will get a copy of." He also warned young people had the most to lose from the UK leaving the European Union. The Prime Minister added: "I don't want anyone to go to the polls not knowing what the Government thinks, and I think that is money well spent It is not, in my view, just legal - I think is it necessary and right." But the pro-Brexit Justice Secretary Michael Gove, speaking after the speech to BBC condemned the leaflet drive. He said: What I think is wrong is spending 9 million of taxpayers money on one particular piece of one-sided propaganda. I think it is wrong that money that should be spent on priorities on like the NHS is being spent on Europe propaganda. He added: But the critical thing is, I just think its wrong that at a time of austerity 9 million of taxpayers money is being spent on one-sided piece of propaganda. The 9.5 million budget for the leaflet drive consists of 6 million for printing and delivering, 500,000 for design and almost 3 million for producing the website and promoting it on social media channels. The Labour MP Graham Stringer, who supports the leave campaign, claimed on BBC Radio 4s Today programme that news of the leaflets publication was an attempt to divert attention from the prime ministers immediate problems about his income. He said: He is failing to answer questions. He hasnt answered the questions about his historical income and whether that has come from tax havens or not. He needs to answer that question and its clearly very uncomfortable for him, and this diverts attention. Additional reporting by Press Association 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 }} Female junior doctors have reacted with fury to a letter by a retired LSE academic which suggested fewer women should be allowed to become doctors. In a letter to the Times, Emeritus reader in economics at LSE, Dr Roger Alford, questioned the wisdom of employing women as doctors because they are likely in due course to move to part-time appointments. Responding to an editorial by the newspaper which called for the Government to allow universities to train more doctors, he wrote: I understand that there is now a very high proportion of women students in our medical schools, and that many women doctors are likely in due course to move to part-time appointments. Given that the role of medical schools must be to deliver the full-time frontline doctors that we need, surely the number of young women allowed to begin training should be considerably limited to allow in more young men who will give a full career of medical service and provide society with much better value for the money spent on medical training. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London The letter was greeted with fury and humour on Twitter, attracting derision from both doctors and feminist campaigners. Third-year medical student at the University of York, Jaime Bolzern, told The Independent: "The idea that limiting womens access to the medical profession is an appropriate way to save money for the NHS is both sexist and myopic. "'Hire men instead' is not a solution to a problem. its suggestion is a reflection of a society which continues to undervalue the contributions of women. "Occupational therapy, nursing and midwifery are all female-dominated professions which have their training subsidised by the NHS. I dont see Roger Alford calling for those fields to limit the number of women who can enter them." It comes as junior doctors stage their fourth strike over new contracts which they say will force them to work unsafe hours and several weekends in a row. On Monday, the Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that the new contracts could violate equality rules after the Governments own equality analysis says there are features of the new contract that impact disproportionately on women. The equality analysis said the new contracts would disadvantage women working part-time and single parents. There also may be adverse impacts regarding maternity leave. A spokesman for LSE told The Independent: "The letter is a personal view of a retired academic. It does not reflect LSEs position. The Independent was not able to reach Dr Alford for comment. 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 UK is the epicentre of sleaze with London at the heart of a spiders web of corruption, a tax evasion expert has said. Nicholas Shaxson claimed that while the UK itself is relatively transparent itself, Britain "farms out the seedier stuff" to its former colonies. The British Virgin Islands, for example, are home to more than half of the companies listed as clients in the Panama Papers. The tax haven, an overseas territory of Britain, is nominally home to 113,648 clients of Mossack Fonseca the law firm whose documents were leaked as the Panama Papers even though only 28,000 people actually live there. More than a million companies are registered on the islands, where the British government has repeatedly refused to introduce regulation. London is the epicentre of so much of the sleaze that happens in the world," Mr Shaxson told AFP. "Usually there will be links to the City of London, UK law firms, UK accountancy firms and to UK banks." Other former colonies at the extremities of Britains spiders web of tax evasion include Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. While the Caymans have a population of just 60,000 slightly fewer people than live in Bognor Regis it plays host to $2 trillion in banking assets, or one-fifteenth of the global total. World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Show all 15 1 /15 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Petro Poroshenko President of Ukraine World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Ayad Allawi Allawi Iraqs Vice-President between 2014 and 2015, and the countrys interim prime minister from 2004 to 2005 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Abu Dhabi World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson Prime Minister of Iceland World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sergey Roldugin Close friend of Vladimir Putin World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995-2013 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Li Xiaolin Daughter of Li Peng, the former Premier of China (The current vice-president of state-owned power company China Datang Gorporation and former CEO of China Power International Development, she has been nicknamed Chinas Power Queen World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Rami Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hafez Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Clive Khulubuse Zuma Nephew of Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Maryam Nawaz Sharif Safdar Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hasan Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hussain Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Alaa Mubarak The eldest son of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Read more here Mr Shaxsons comments came as the Panama Papers revealed that the UK is home to more companies working with Mossack Fonseca than any country in the world bar Hong Kong. According to the 11 million documents leaked by an anonymous employee, there are 1,924 intermediary companies in the UK who have used the services of the Panama-based law firm, including law firms, banks, and corporate middlemen. The only country hosting more of these companies is Hong Kong, with 2,212. The South Asian tax haven also has the highest density of 'Ultra High Net Worth' residents in the world. Considered in isolation, Britain is 15th on the Tax Justice Network's annual Financial Secrecy Index, which lists tax havens "according to their secrecy and the scale of their offshore financial activities". But the TJN add that the UK would easily be ranked first on its Index if considered alongside all its overseas territories. 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 }} An Exeter University student asked David Cameron what should be done by the EU to combat tax avoidance, something, the questioner claimed, he had "some personal experience of". It comes after a torrid week for the Prime Minister who has faced a number of questions over his familys tax affairs specifically, his late father, Ian Cameron, who it was revealed through the leaked Panama Papers had been the director of an offshore fund. Mr Cameron made his comments as he took questions from students in Devon, who grilled the PM on range of subjects including the Tata Steel crisis, Iain Duncan Smiths resignation, tuition fees and the governments decision to spend 9m of taxpayers money on a pro-EU leaflet ahead of the referendum. One student prompted laughter when he asked the Prime Minister what do you think the collective states of the EU should be doing to combat tax avoidance which is obviously something youve got some personal experience of. Mr Cameron responded to the rally of young people in Devon, saying there is need for action on the world stage to tackle tax avoidance. He said: I think its absolutely vital at the EU level but also thats not enough, we have to internationally as well. Thats why when I was chair of the G8 meeting in Northern Ireland I made tax and transparency the number one issue. World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Show all 15 1 /15 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Petro Poroshenko President of Ukraine World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Ayad Allawi Allawi Iraqs Vice-President between 2014 and 2015, and the countrys interim prime minister from 2004 to 2005 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Abu Dhabi World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson Prime Minister of Iceland World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sergey Roldugin Close friend of Vladimir Putin World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995-2013 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Li Xiaolin Daughter of Li Peng, the former Premier of China (The current vice-president of state-owned power company China Datang Gorporation and former CEO of China Power International Development, she has been nicknamed Chinas Power Queen World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Rami Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hafez Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Clive Khulubuse Zuma Nephew of Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Maryam Nawaz Sharif Safdar Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hasan Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hussain Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Alaa Mubarak The eldest son of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Read more here Since then Britain is going to be the first country in the world to have totally open public register of beneficial ownership so you can see who owns what company and weve also got other countries to sign up to that process. Weve also got countries to exchange tax information, he added. The Prime Minister did not allow the press to ask any questions after the speech in Devon. 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 800 members of the Boko Haram terror group have reportedly surrendered to the Nigerian military in the last three weeks. Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is forbidden", previously pledged allegiance to Isis. Since 2009, the insurgency has killed around 20,000 people and made 2.5 million homeless. They were also responsible for abducting around 270 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok in April 2014. According to a report from the Institute for Economics and Peace released towards the end of last year, Boko Haram overtook Isis in 2014 to become the deadliest terror group in the world. The rise of Boko Haram Show all 20 1 /20 The rise of Boko Haram The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau delivers a message. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the mass killings in the north-east Nigerian town of Baga in a video where he warned the massacre was just the tip of the iceberg. As many as 2,000 civilians were killed and 3,700 homes and business were destroyed in the 3 January 2015 attack on the town near Nigeria's border with Cameroon AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People displaced as a result of Boko Haram attacks in the northeast region of Nigeria, are seen near their tents at a faith-based camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Yola, Adamawa State. Boko Haram says it is building an Islamic state that will revive the glory days of northern Nigeria's medieval Muslim empires, but for those in its territory life is a litany of killings, kidnappings, hunger and economic collapse The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nitsch Eberhard Robert, a German citizen abducted and held hostage by suspected Boko Haram militants, is seen as he arrives at the Yaounde Nsimalen International airport after his release in Yaounde, Cameroon on 21 January 2015 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Officials of the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) visit victims of a bomb blast in Gombe at the Specialist Hospital in Gombe. According to local reports at least six people were killed and 11 wounded after a bomb blast in a marketplace in Nigeria's northeastern state of Gombe on 16 January 2015. Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been blamed for a string of recent attacks in the North East of Nigeria The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather at the site of a bomb explosion in a area know to be targeted by the militant group Boko Haram in Kano on 28 November 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather to look at a burnt vehicle following a bomb explosion that rocked the busiest roundabout near the crowded Market in Maiduguri, Borno State on 1 July 2014. A truck exploded in a huge fireball killing at least 15 people in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the city repeatedly hit by Boko Haram Islamists The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram President Goodluck Jonathan visits Nigerian Army soldiers fighting Boko Haram Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Displaced people from Baga listen to Goodluck Jonathan after the Boko Haram killings AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan speaking to troops during a visit to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State; most of the region has been overrun by Boko Haram AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Members of the Nigerian military patrolling in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, close to the scene of attacks by Boko Haram EPA The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Harams leader, Abubakar Shekau, appears in a video in which he warns Cameroon it faces the same fate as Nigeria AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nana Shettima, the wife of Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima (C) weeps as she speaks with school girls from the government secondary school Chibok that were kidnapped by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, and later escaped in Chibok The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram South Africans protest in solidarity against the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls in Nigeria by the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram and what protesters said was the failure of the Nigerian government and international community to rescue them, during a march to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Haram militants have seized the town in north-eastern Nigeria that nearly 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from in April 2014 AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A soldier stands guard in front of burnt buses after an attack in Abuja. Twin blasts at a bus station packed with morning commuters on the outskirts of Nigeria's capital killed dozens of people, in what appeared to be the latest attack by Boko Haram Islamists, April 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The aftermath of the attack, when Boko Haram fighters in trucks painted in military colours killed 51 people in Konduga in February 2014 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau (with papers) in a video grab taken in July 2014 AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Ruins of burnt out houses in the north-eastern settlement of Baga, pictured after Boko Haram attacks in 2013 AP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A Boko Haram attack in Nigeria, 2013 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau, Boko Harams leader AP Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, acting director of defence information, told local newspaper The Punch "about 800 of the Boko Haram members have surrendered to the military". The statement came a day after the Defence Headquarters announced the establishment of a rehabilitation camp for former Boko Haram militants. The army did not give details of how the camp was run, but said insurgents would undergo vocational training and eventually be reintegrated into society. Niger steps up fight against Boko Haram Last week, the Nigerian Army said it had rescued over 11,000 captives of Boko Haram in the last month. Although joint operations between Nigeria and neighbouring countries succeeded in driving the militant Islamists from many of its strongholds last year, the terror group has recently stepped up cross-border attacks and suicide bombings. It has become known for its use of female suicide bombers. In February, a teenage girl ripped off her suicide vest and fled from her handlers after being sent to blow up the Dikwa refugee camp in northeastern Nigeria. Her two companions went through with the attack and killed at least 58 people. 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 }} In an air conditioned office-block in Libreville, Gabon's capital, senior wildlife warden Joseph Okouyi flicks through images on a laptop. This is the exit wound, he says, pointing to a bloody mess of muscle and bone exploding from a man's leg. The stricken soldier was shot in the shin by a kalashnikov-wielding poacher in Minkebe National Park, north-east Gabon. He was lucky to survive, says Okouyi. A Belgium-sized expanse of virginal rainforest, Minkebe has no roads, and it took three days for a helicopter to reach him, by which time it was almost too late. The incident took place in December amid escalating conflict between poachers and eco-gaurds. Clashes have increased in both frequency and intensity since Gabon's national parks agency (ANPN) upped its presence in area. A rotating battalion of 100 eco-guards and soldiers now keep guard in the park, which borders Cameroon to the north and Congo to the east. When Manchester-born Lee White took over ANPN in 2009, the agency had no vehicles and 60 staffers controlling 13 national parks and 3 million hectares. It now has close to 700, and a budget of almost $20m which pays for military training, weapons and vehicles. As we became more numerous and more professional, we inevitably became more proficient at arresting people and seizing ivory, he says. Poachers responded aggressively. In the past they were naive, and, upon contact with our men, would fling their weapons in the air and run into the forest. But they very quickly worked out that unlike, say, Botswana, we weren't going to shoot them without being shot at first. For the last six months they've started systematically shooting at my men on sight. Interrogations of arrested poachers revealed many work, possibly under duress, for a gang operating out of a Cameroonian military base in Djoum, just over the border. White says they are cannon fodder and face severe punishment beatings, possibly worse if they return to Cameroon empty-handed. The women hunting big-game poachers Show all 8 1 /8 The women hunting big-game poachers The women hunting big-game poachers The Black Mambas are a specially trained team of rangers who police the park night and day to protect the animals from illegal hunting Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Lukie, 26, says, 'The next generation must know rhinos in life. If poaching is allowed they will only see them in a picture' Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Proud finds and disables a snare laid by poachers Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers During a scouting trip, the Mambas examine an impala horn Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Qolile, 21, learned about wildlife and conservation at Timbavati Bush School. She would like go further both with her studies and with the Black Mambas Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Mambas on the march. The unit has so far removed more than 1,000 poachers snares, and been awarded the UNs Champions of the Earth award Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Yenzekile reports the location of a young, slain kudu to the control room Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Black Mambas Mirren, 26, Winnie, 22, Belinda, 27, and Dedeya, 26 Julia Gunther At some point in the last six months, the risk of being arrested, having guns and ivory confiscated and eventually being deported back to into the clutches of the poaching gangs in Cameroon became equal to, or worse, than the risks of shooting at my men. Intensive logging right up to the Gabonese border means Cameroonian poachers have easy access to northern regions of Minkebe, while White's men must hike or travel by boat for four days. The helicopter is expensive, and must be used sparingly. The battle against poachers brings new challenges to Gabon's army, which has never fought in a war. Okouyi's men were disturbed when two years ago they killed a poacher for the first time. It was traumatic. We have no psychologist. The men have to adapt, because it is their job, but killing another human has an effect, and it's difficult to deal with. From 2002-2011, poachers ran amok in Minkebe, killing over ten thousand of the of the park's forest elephants. Beyond the reach of the authorities a camp of 7,000 people trading ivory, gold, prostitutes and drugs sprung up in the middle of the forest. The camp coincided with soaring gold and ivory prices, the latter reaching a high of $240 per kilo in 2011. Gabonese paratroopers razed the camp in 2011, but poachers returned in smaller, harder to detect groups. White and his team are reluctant to be drawn on the number of elephants remaining in the park in case it attracts more poachers. Political stability and an environmentally-engaged government have made Gabon a relative haven for the forest elephant, whose hard, pinkish ivory is prized by carvers and consumers in the far east. Roughly half the world's forest elephants around 40,000 live in the country, despite it holding only 12 per cent of the elephant's preferred habitat. The forest elephant dwells in remote, often lawless regions of central Africa, leaving it vulnerable to armed gangs. Scientists say poachers slaughtered two thirds of the entire population in just over a decade. On 29-30 of this month African heads of state, business leaders and conservationists will meet in Kenya at the inaugural Giants Club Summit to drive front-line protection measures and work out a co-operative frame-work for saving Africa's elephants. The Kenyan government will follow the summit by burning 120 tonnes of ivory, the largest ever amount to be burned in one go. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of Charles Mansons gang has complained to Wikipedia about their description of his crimes, saying he did not steal $70 from the purse of one of his victims. Charles Tex Watson was one of four people instructed by Charles Manson to go to the home of musician Terry Melcher and murder everyone there in 1969 as part of Manson's plan to start a "race war". His Wikipedia page describes how he broke into the house in the mountains above Beverly Hills and murdered five people, including the wife of film director Roman Polanski, actress Sharon Tate, who was heavily pregnant at the time. The page says Watson stole $70 from the purse of another victim, Alison Folger, and later said Ms Tate had shouted Mother, Mother, Mother! as he killed her. The gang were instructed to go to the house to murder five people by their leader Charles Manson (Getty Images) Last week, the community of moderators who look after the page received the message supposedly from Watson himself asking for several changes to be made, the Times reported. In an edited printout of the page - which was five pages long - forwarded to the moderators, Watson hand wrote a series of corrections in the margins. He said it was not true that he had stabbed Ms Folger seven times, suggesting that it should be changed to Watson assisted [Patricia] Krenwinkel in killing Folger". He also asked that he be called Charles Tex Watson - rather than just Tex Watson - on the page and said he had never been known as "Mad Charlie". The convicted murderer - who is currently serving a life sentence at Mule Creek prison near Sacramento in California - told the Wikipedia moderators he wished they would include more details about his early life including the summers he worked at an onion packing plant saving for college. He also asked them to remove the genders of the four children he fathered with his ex-wife during conjugal visits in prison and the fact there was a public petition against him being granted parole. The team of volunteers, who process hundreds of requests and comments on Wikipedias encyclopaedia entries every week, said they debated whether or not it was really from Watson but then decided it only mattered whether the information was accurate. Several of the disputed facts have remained on the page but with citation needed inserted in brackets and a footnote to support the use of the nickname "Mad Charlie" has been included. Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes Show all 10 1 /10 Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "I'm nobody. I'm a tramp, a bum, a hobo. I'm a boxcar and a jug of wine, and a straight razor if you get too close to me." - Interview, 1989 Getty Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "Maybe I should have killed four, five hundred people. Then I would have felt better. Then I would have felt like I really offered society something." - NBC interview with Heidi Schulman, 1987 Granger/REX Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "Do you feel blame? Are you mad? Uh, do you feel like wolf kabob Roth vantage? Gefrannis booj pooch boo jujube; bear-ramage. Jigiji geeji geeja geeble Google. Begep flagaggle vaggle veditch-waggle bagga?" - NBC interview with Heidi Schulman, 1987 Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "I've been 15 years in the nut ward, for trying to stop the trees from being cut down, from trying to rearrange the lifestyle of a bunch of people who don't want to change. But they're gonna change because a cold wind is blowing. You're gonna change or else there's going to be no life left on the planet Earth." - Interview with Penny Daniels in San Quentin Prison, California, 1989 Rex Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "We use the word God. God hooks all the other words up. I'm the pope. I'm ten times the pope. I'm sixty times the pope. But I'm the pope in the hills and in the mountains." - Interview by Penny Daniels, 1989 Rex Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes Will of God.. whatever you wanna call it.. you call it Jesus, call it Mohammed, call it goobybob, call it nuclear mind, call it blow the world up, call it your heart. Whatever you wanna call it, it's still music to me. It's there. It's the will of life. - Interview with Geraldo Rivera (1981) Rex Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes Believe me, if I started murdering people, there'd be none of you left. - Interview, Rolling Stone (1970) Getty Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy. - Interview by Diane Sawyer (1994) AP Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy. - Interview by Diane Sawyer (1994) AP Charles Manson's 10 most bizarre quotes "I was so smart when I was a kid that I learnt that I was dumb fast." - Interview on the album 'All the Way Alive' (2003) Rex The volunteer who dealt with Watson's request, Lane Rasberry, wrote a blog post about it which said: "I processed the request as I would any other and as I have many before. "But should prison inmates be permitted to edit Wikipedia? Should there be a special rule which keeps certain people out of Wikipedia based on their off-wiki behaviour? "Perhaps, but in this case, I pass no judgement on the person making the request. They are incarcerated, which is where their society wants them to be, and they are free to write letters. "I treated them as I would treat anyone else making a request." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Neighbours have come to the defence of a nine-year-old old journalist who was told she should be "playing with dolls" instead of reporting the news. Hilde Kate Lysiak scooped the competition to break the story of a murder in her hometown of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, for her newspaper Orange Street News. However, she was criticised by some locals for reporting the incident as they believed crime reporting wasnt a suitable activity for a nine-year-old girl. Sean Christine, the former mayor of Selinsgrove, described Hilde's big scoop - "Exclusive: Murder on Ninth Street!" - as sensationalist trash, leading a litany of complaints online. But while some Selinsgrove residents criticised Hildes work, others applauded it. Gianluca Pezzuti, a resident who grew up close to the crime scene, told The Independent: Her paper is better written than the Daily Item [Selinsgrove's established paper]. She has more integrity in her little finger than most journalists and the critics that are calling her writing sensationalist are insane. She's nine for Gods sake. She isn't capable of sensationalism. How the Orange Street News website reported the crime (Orange Street News) Hilde, it turns out, was also fully capable of defending herself. In a video message to her critics, she said: Yesterday, there was a murder in Selinsgrove. It happened just a few blocks from my house. I got the tip from a good source that I was able to confirm. Then I went straight to the scene and asked neighbours for more information. I worked very hard. Because of my work, I was able to inform the people that there was a terrible murder hours before my competition even got to the scene. "In fact, some of these adult-read newspapers were reporting the wrong news, or even no news at all. 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 All the while, the Orange Street News was out covering the murder. I know this makes some of you uncomfortable and I know some of you just want me to sit down and be quiet because Im nine but if you want me to stop offering news, then you get off your computer and go do something about the news. Is that cute enough for you? The Orange Street News has a popular social media following, and has nearly 10,000 Facebook 'likes'. In comparison, the population of Selinsgrove is around 5,500 people. In addition to crime, other content on Orange Street News deals with social issues: Homeless in Selinsgrove! (another exclusive); cyber-crime: Porn Hacker on Loose on Grove!; business: Where Have Selinsgrove Stores Gone? and local government: Grove Chooses New Cop, Borough Limits Public Comment. Hilde's sister, Isabel Rose, 12, also works on the Orange Street News on pictures and video. And they also get some help from their father, Matthew Lysiak, a former reporter for the New York Daily News. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman suspected of ordering the killing of her former boyfriends new girlfriend has been named in the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Brenda Delgado is only the ninth woman to ever appear on the list. The 33-year-old is wanted for capital murder in the shooting of dentist Kendra Hatcher in Texas. The bureau has offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to her arrest. Delgado, a Mexican citizen, is suspected of orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot in which she hired two co-conspirators to carry out the alleged crime. Ms Hatcher, 35, was shot in the parking garage of her apartment complex in September. Special Agent Jason Ibrahim, a member of the FBIs Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force, said: Apparently [Delgado] was jealous because the victim was dating her ex-boyfriend. After being interviewed by investigators over the alleged crime, it is believed that Delgado fled the country. Investigators believe she could be hiding in Mexico, KTVT reported, and are trying to get her extradited back to the US. Her co-conspirators, Kristopher Love and Crystal Cortes, have been arrested and remain in custody. Delgado allegedly told one of them that she was connected with a cartel which could provide a source of drugs if the murder was carried out, according to the FBI. Brenda Delgado was able to effectively manipulate everyone she involved in her calculated scheme, said Thomas Class Sr., a special agent in charge of the FBIs Dallas Division. Although she didnt pull the trigger herself, she is still responsible for the murder and through international publicity and a significant reward offering, we intend to find her and to bring her to justice. According to detectives speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Delgado planned the murder when she found out her former boyfriend and Ms Hatcher had met his parents. The Dallas Morning News reported that the couple were planning a trip to Mexico. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man dubbed the 'Texas Vampire' has been executed for the killing of a 12-year-old boy whose blood he said he drank after beating him with a pipe and slitting his throat. Pablo Lucio Vasquez told police he was drunk and high when voices convinced him to kill David Cardenas in Donna, a Texas border town about 225 miles south of San Antonio, in 1998. He also told detectives in a videotaped statement that he drank some of the boy's blood. Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Vasquez, 38, told relatives watching through a window that he loved them and thanked them for being there, then turned his head to look through an adjacent window where four of his victim's relatives stood. "I'm sorry to David's family," he said. "This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here." As the lethal dose of pentobarbital began taking effect, he said he was a little dizzy. "See you on the other side," he said, raising his head off the gurney pillow and looking toward two of his sisters, a brother-in-law and a cousin. He snorted loudly once, then dropped his head back to the pillow and took a few quiet breaths before all movement stopped. He was pronounced dead 24 minutes later at 6.35 pm. In pictures: Controversial executions Show all 5 1 /5 In pictures: Controversial executions In pictures: Controversial executions George Stinney Jr, 14 George Stinney Jr became the youngest person to be executed in the US in the 20th century when he was sent to the electric chair in 1944 during the trial that lasted less than three hours and reportedly bore no evidence and barely any witness testimonies. Reuters In pictures: Controversial executions Clayton Lockett, 38 Convicted of the murder and rape of 19-year-old Stephanie Neiman in 2000 and sentenced to death. Lockett died of a heart attack after a failed execution by lethal injection in April 2014 In pictures: Controversial executions Roy Blankenship, 55 Killed by lethal injection in 2011 after he murdered an elderly woman. Witnesses saw him grimace and jerk as he became the first person put to death in that state with pentobarbital. Medical experts said he suffered greatly In pictures: Controversial executions Michael Wilson, 38 Executed by lethal injection in January 2014. Wilson was convicted of murdering co-worker Richard Yost during a robbery at a convenience store in 1995. He is one of three people executed for the crime In pictures: Controversial executions Dennis McGuire, 53 Sentenced to death following the rape and murder of pregnant 22-year-old Joy Stewart in 1989. After spending 25 years on death row fighting the order to end his life, McGuire was executed by lethal injection in January 2014 Cardenas' relatives declined to speak with reporters following the execution, the 11th this year in the US, six of them in Texas. The punishment was carried out about four hours after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Vasquez' lawyer, James Keegan, who sought a reprieve so the justices could review whether several potential jurors were improperly excused from Vasquez' capital murder trial because they either were opposed to the death penalty or not comfortable making such a judgment. State lawyers opposed any delay, arguing the potential jurors' exclusion was legally proper and that the latest appeal was similar to an unsuccessful one 12 years ago and amounted to "nothing more than a meritless attempt to postpone his execution," Assistant Texas Attorney General Jeremy Greenwell told the high court in a filing Tuesday. Earlier, unsuccessful appeals, including one rejected last month by a federal judge, focused on whether Vasquez was mentally ill and should be ineligible for the death penalty. Court records showed Vasquez, his 15-year-old cousin, Andres Rafael Chapa, and Cardenas, Chapa's friend, all attended a party in Donna, a Texas border town where Vasquez and Chapa lived. Cardenas was from nearby Alamo, also in the Rio Grande Valley, and was spending the weekend with Chapa. The killing occurred April 18, 1998, after the three left the party. Vasquez told authorities as they reached a wooden shed, he started hearing voices telling him to kill Cardenas. "Something just told me to drink," Vasquez said in the statement to police. "You drink what?" a detective asked. "His blood," Vasquez replied. Police received an anonymous tip about the slaying that led them to Chapa and eventually to Vasquez, who was arrested in Conroe, a Houston suburb more than 325 miles north of Donna. Authorities found the mutilated body five days later under some scraps of aluminum in a vacant field. "It was really horrendous," Joseph Orendain, the lead trial prosecutor, recalled last week. Vasquez declined an interview request from The Associated Press as his execution date neared. His statement to police about the devil and drinking blood fueled speculation about Satanism, but the subject never came up at Vasquez's trial or in appeals. "Did he drink it? I don't know," Mr Orendain said. Chapa pleaded guilty to a murder charge is serving a 35-year prison term. Three other relatives of Chapa and Vasquez received probation and a small fine for helping cover up the slaying. One of them was deported to Guatemala. Additional reporting by the Associated Press Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The secret offshore companies were set up from a condominium which had once featured in the 1980s television series Miami Vice. The clients using them were wealthy and had powerful political connections. Many of them also faced accusations of links to serious crime. This is Mossack Fonsecas operation in Florida, according to leaked documents seen by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The state had gained notoriety historically as a conduit for the narcotics trade and money laundering, and is now in the spotlight again following the leak of more than 11.5 million documents from the law firm to the ICIJ. There are legitimate uses for offshore companies, and the ICIJ has made no direct accusations of illegal activity. But the documents have revealed connections between the firm to figures linked to bribery, drug crime and fraud. According to the ICIJ, services provided from Miami and Mossack Fonseca branches in South America were used by the governor of a Brazilian state who resigned over bribery allegations; a businessman accused of bribing Brazilian congress members; a woman who was one of Guatemalas drug lords; and a father and son convicted of a $50m (35m) tax fraud. The operation was run by a woman called Olga Santini from the Palace complex of the Bal Harbour Condo where high-end apartments cost around $8m (5.5m). It had been used in an episode Miami Vice in which a rich pimp and drug dealer is shot dead by the sister of a call girl. In May last year, a woman who was a real-life drug dealer and Mossack Fonseca client appeared at a Miami court. Marllory Chacon Rossell had run a vast cartel from her home country, Guatemala, spreading to Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Honduras, Mexico and the US. Rossell, nicknamed The Queen of the South because of her dominance, had surrendered to the US and provided information. Recommended Read more British banks ordered to divulge details of dealings with Panama firm It has now emerged from the documents, says the ICIJ, that Mossack Fonsecas Panama office had sold a company, Broadway Commerce Inc, in 2009, to Rossell and associates which was used to transfer huge sums of money. Other clients of the firm included Giuseppe Donaldo Nicosia, an Italian wanted for tax fraud who is accused of laundering money through an offshore company and Martin Lustgarten, who was acquitted of laundering $100m (70m) of alleged narcotics money in Miami last year. Also on the list was Mauricio Cohen Assor who was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2011 for a $50m tax fraud in which ownership of a Miami Beach mansions, a condo, luxury cars and even a helicopter had been hidden from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Assors son, Leon Cohen-Levy had also been imprisoned for 10 years for the same offence. Leaked documents show that Mossack Fonseca set up 13 shell companies for the two men and continued acting for them for four years after their conviction, according to the ICIJ. 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Show all 10 1 /10 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Luxembourg There are an estimated 2.5 trillion shares of mutual funds registered in the Grand Duchy, 1 trillion of which cannot be traced to an owner 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands contain 6% of the world's total banking assets, but just 0.000008% of its population 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Isle of Man David Cameron has said the Isle of Man, where there is no corporation, capital gains or inheritance tax, should not be considered a tax haven 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Jersey There are over 3.5 billion assets per square mile on the self-governing Channel Island 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Ireland Ireland made headlines last year when it emerged Apple was registered in the country in order to dodge over 40bn in taxes 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Mauritius The Mauritian government notionally charges corporation tax, but companies can easily make this back through generous tax credits for foreign businesses 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Bermuda Google holds more than 30bn in offshore cash reserves, primarily via Bermuda 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Monaco A popular domicile for super-rich private individuals, Monaco has the most expensive property in the world. 1 million will buy just 225 square feet 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Switzerland Switzerland has such secretive banking laws that it took until the 1990s to secure the release of Nazi cash reserves 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Bahamas David Cameron's father ran an offshore fund which hired Bahamas residents to complete paperwork, thus dodging British tax bills Mossack Fonseca did, however, sever connections with Hector Daniel Munoz, personal secretary to former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, who had been charged with money laundering, even though the charges had been dropped. According to the ICIJ, leaked emails show that Ms Santini pressed to keep Munoz on as a client but was overruled by her superiors. Mossack Fonseca says it has never been charged with criminal wrongdoing or formally investigated and says it conducts thorough due diligence on all new and prospective clients. In an email to the Miami Herald Ms Santini insisted: I am an independent service provider to the Mossack Fonseca law firm. I am not the Miami office of Mossack Fonseca nor am I an employee of that organisation it is my personal policy to fully comply with the letter and spirit of the law in every jurisdiction. However, the newspaper pointed out, a post on the firms website described her as Ms Olga Santini of our Mossack Fonseca Miami office. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} South Carolina may be close to passing a copycat discriminatory law following North Carolinas success in severely restricting protection of its LGBT citizens. Republican Senator Lee Bright has introduced a bill that borrows language from North Carolina specifically to bar transgender people from accessing public facilities. If passed by the governor, the bill would impose three things: it would stop municipalities from allowing transgender people from using bathrooms and it would ban state buildings and schools from allowing transgender people to use sex-designated bathrooms. Mr Bright criticised PayPal for scrapping its plans to build a new operational center in North Carolina in protest at the discriminatory law. Theyre [North Carolina is] getting so much grief out of it [the new law]. Apparently PayPal has shown its support for pedophiles by wanting them to go into bathrooms, he said. Well, I want to stand with North Carolina and I think you should as well, for our neighbours to the north who are showing some common decency and some common sense. Mr Brights previous proposals include schools teaching students how to shoot guns and that his state should withdraw from the US and impose their own laws, known as secession, a move among southern states which led to the Civil War. He also made his views against refugees, abortion and gay marriage clear on twitter. Ive about had enough of this, added the Senator. I mean, years ago we kept talking about tolerance, tolerance, and tolerance. And now they want men who claim to be women to be able to go into the bathroom with children. And you got corporations who say this is OK. Mr Bright has searched for co-sponsors and has been taken up on the offer by Republican Senator Kevin Bryant. The Republican Governor Nikki Haley responded that the existing law works well and she does not agree with the proposed bill. I dont know of any example that weve had a problem on and South Carolina is going to continue to focus on ethics and on roads and on jobs and on all of those things because we think weve got that part covered." According to Think Progress, similar discriminatory legislation is also underway in Tennessee, and has been passed already in Mississippi. 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 }} While campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia on Thursday, Bill Clinton defended his wife's criminal justice platform against activists during a 15-minute exchange. The protesters began shouting black youth are not 'super predators' referring to language that Mrs Clinton used in 1996 to support her husband's 1994 crime bill. I talked to a lot of African-American groups [in 1994], Mr Clinton shouted back. They thought black lives mattered. They said take this bill because our kids are being shot in the street by gangs. We had 13-year-old kids planning their own funerals. Mr Clinton also said that then-Senator Joe Biden advised him to add provisions that would give harsher prison sentences to offenders in order to gain Republican support. He also defended Mrs Clinton's use of the word super predators to describe black youth. This is what's the matter, Mr Clinton said. I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack and sent them out into the street to murder other African-American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens, she didn't. She didn't. You are defending the people who kill the lives you say matter. Mr Clinton added: Ill tell you another story about a place where black lives matter: Africa. Back in February, Mrs Clinton was confronted by 23-year-old Ashley Williams, a protester who slammed her use of the term during a private event in Charleston, South Carolina. Nearly a day later, Mrs Clinton apologized for her remarks. Looking back, I shouldnt have used those words, and I wouldnt use them today, Mrs Clinton said in a statement. My lifes work has been about lifting up children and young people whove been let down by the system or by society. Still, Ms Williams said that it was hard for her to trust Ms Clinton and that the rest of the presidential candidates should also be placed under scrutiny for their actions. "I think she is inconsistent and she has not explained this," Ms Williams told The Independent in February. "She is not to be trusted until she explains her record on supporting policies that continued to fuel the mass incarceration of people of color. 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 }} The former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has said he will vote for Donald Trump in the presidential election. Recommended Read more Michael Bloomberg says he is not running for president I support Trump. Im gonna vote for Trump, he told the New York Post, citing the Republican's policies on the economy, immigration and national security as reasons to vote for the businessman. Mr Giuliani, who was mayor between 1994 and 2001, said he expects Mr Trump to win the majority of the states 95 delegates and to get over 50 per cent of the statewide vote. The controversial ex-mayor met with Ted Cruz several months ago, but was turned off the Texas Senator after he was seen to attack Donald Trump and his New York values during a Republican debate on live television. After losing to Mr Cruz this week in the key state of Wisconsin, Mr Trump bashed his rival's criticism of those "values" and claimed that he "hated" New York. Its New York City. Were family. I can make fun of New York. But you cant! said Mr Giuliani. I know he was attacking liberal Democratic values I know. I fought to change those policies in areas like welfare reform and policing, as did Mike Bloomberg. There was a better way to say it," he added. Mr Giuliani, a frequent commentator on Fox News, has come under fire for his racist comments towards black people. Current mayor Bill de Blasio, who has endorsed Hillary Clinton, accused Mr Giuliani's policies of resulting in a 40 per cent rise in homelessness during his time in office. Former mayor Michael Bloomberg recently wrote that he would not run for president as it could lead to the election of either Mr Trump or Ted Cruz. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A teacher who was jailed after she admitted sexual contact with three of her students has reportedly defended her relationship with one of the victims, saying she helped to improve his grades. Brianne Altice, 36, was given a lengthy sentence of two to 30 years in prison in the high profile case in Utah last summer, after she pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse involving three 16- and 17-year-old boys. Altice originally faced a range of 14 felony charges including five counts of rape, and a lawsuit has now been lodged against her and her former employer, Davis High School, by one of the victims and his parents. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Altice has now submitted a handwritten two-page document in federal court saying she had no evil or malicious intent in her relationship with the boy. Altice wrote that she could not afford a lawyer, but insisted she had never been reprimanded by the school for her conduct in the classroom. Altice admitted three counts of abuse (AP) She said the boy had come to her for advice on his difficult relationship with his parents, and described how he would stand up for her in school by thwart[ing] inappropriate comments directed at her. Ms. Altice expressed and advised [the boy] to communicate with his parents and continue to do his best in school, the teacher wrote, adding the boys grades showed improvement while she was his teacher. Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas The original complaint alleged that the schools management was told about Altices inappropriate behaviour with her male students, but did not act on the information. The school has denied officials had any knowledge of what was going on. Sexual violence at its worst level The Tribune reported that no trial date had been set for the lawsuit. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening 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 Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hillary Clinton appeared before an enthusiastic audience at a Brooklyn college, where she looked to solidify her favour and lead amongst black and women voters ahead of the New York state primaries. The event began roughly 40 minutes late, but that did not dampen cheers from the crowd as Ms Clinton took the stage in the Medgar Evers College gymnasium. The former secretary of state has a commanding lead over rival Bernie Sanders in New York polls, and as the 19 April primaries quickly approach, Ms Clinton needs a decisive victory in the Empire State. Ms Clinton, 68, delivered her standard stump speech, where she embraced the successes of the Obama Administration, the policies of which she promised to uphold and expand if elected. I dont think president Obama gets the credit he deserves, she said to a swell of applause and cheers from the mostly-black audience. Everything he did was against a wall of implacable hostility from the Republicans. But she insisted that she has the experience and follow through to get her policies through Congress. Can you produce positive results in peoples lives dont just talk about it, but actually deliver, she said, taking a pointed jab at Mr Sanders. Recommended Read more Bernie Sanders holds first New York rally in the Bronx Ms Clinton remarked on the top Republican contenders, Texas senator Ted Cruz and businessman Donald Trump, calling out their shameful, offensive, and dangerous rhetoric particularly as it pertains to Muslims and womens reproductive health. On Mr Trumps remarks to punish women who have abortions, which he later backtracked, Ms Clinton said the former reality TV star was simply saying aloud the common Republican stance on the matter. He is saying what all of them believe, she proclaimed. He just committed the sin of actually telling people what they think. Ms Clinton, joined by Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clark and the First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray, also called for ending the era of mass incarceration, applauding criminal justice reforms made by the New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Hillary Clinton speaks to a full house in the Medgar Evers College gymnasium AP Attendees were spread across the age spectrum, some students at the Historically Black college, while others were much older, and predominantly female. Tiffany Reid, 33, said she believed Ms Clinton was the right choice for the White House because of the experience she brings with her. She was the First Lady, so she has a lot of insight. She was the Secretary [of State], she said. She has a lot of insight when it comes to the government. She worked there, shes been there for many years. One supporter, 45, who requested to go by the initial K., felt it was important the the former secretary of state would continue the forward march of the Obama Administration. Not to mention the psychological effect of having a woman in the White House, she added, calling back to a moment from Ms Clintons speech conveying the sentiment that anything will be possible for women if shes elected. Standing beside K., Hyonsu, 45, agreed adding that Ms Clinton is simply the best candidate. I think she brings a realistic vision of change to the country, she said. And Ive been following her since high school! Mari Tomunen, 25, a law firm intern from Finland, said that while she cannot vote in the upcoming election, she has been a strong supporter of Ms Clinton for some time. [Shes] breaking the biggest glass ceiling there is, so in the next election nobody has to talk about who is a woman and who is a man, she said. In fact, all of the girls in China and in Finland and in Indonesia can wake up in the morning and think, I can be anything I want'. Lisa Diller, 55, joked that it was predictable that she, a middle-aged white woman, was voting for Ms Clinton. She felt, however, that this election was not just about womens issues, it was about the pragmatism of her candidate. Shes the only one who digs into policy in a realistic way, she said. I like what Bernie is doing to push her more progressive, but I cant afford to pay the taxes for Bernies plans. I dont think hes going to be able to fight his way through Congress. Yael Sebag, 32, is planning on becoming a US citizen in time to vote for Ms Clinton. Born in France, but of Israeli descent, she believes the former Secretary will improve the global impression of the US a job that she said Mr Obama started, but there is still work to be done. We, the Western world, are backwards. We still havent had a woman as a president. Look at Brazil, look at Myanmar, she said. I think women will benefit from [a Clinton presidency], but out of all the choices that we have, shes the best one because she has the most experience. Some audience members were still undecided, however. Chantel Moses, 37, identified as an independent and wanted to listen to both sides beyond Ms Clinton and Mr Sanders, but also from the Republican candidates. Foreign policy, I think, is the biggest issue. Were going to need someone who is able to negotiate with the current leaders in place, who is going to be able to ensure we have a strong army. Were going to need a strong military presence, she said, adding that the US needs a president who can create more jobs and prioritize issues in a realistic way. A social work student in her senior year at Medgar Evers College, 23-year-old Roberta Sai, felt dubious about Ms Clinton, and said she was leaning toward Mr Sanders, who she said is actually meeting with community leaders when it came to issues that pertained to the black community. You know she mispronounced Medgar Evers name? she said, defending the schools namesake, a crucial Civil Rights figure. Were supposed to be an HBCU so is that why youre here? But Ms Sai did appreciate the excitement generated around the campus and the community at-large. I never saw the community so buzzed about this, she said of the 2016 election. Im glad her and Bernie are trying to come here to Brooklyn, New York. 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 liberal blogger who criticised Islamism on his Facebook page has been hacked to death by attackers wielding machetes in Bangladesh. Nazimuddin Samad is one of the latest victims in a spate of murders by suspected Islamist militants against secular activists. The 28-year-old postgraduate law student was attacked as he was returning from a class at his university in Dhaka late on Wednesday, police said. Tapan Chandra Shaha, a police officer, said three or four men attacked Mr Samad with machetes and then shot him after he fell to the ground. People heard the attackers shouting "Allahu akbar" - God is greatest - as they fled, he said. Imran H Sarker, convener of the Blogger and Online Activist Network (BOAN) group, said Samad was an outspoken critic of injustice and militancy. "We found him always a loud voice against all injustice and also a great supporter of secularism," Mr Sarker said. Mr Samad campaigned for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists - and had also posted concerns about his country's laws a day before his murder, his friends told the Dhaka Tribune. Describing his religious views on Facebook, he stated: Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people. Wafi Chowdhury, a school friend of Samad, told the Guardian: Nazim had lived in hostels since grade six and later moved to shared room after he joined university. He said Mr Samad had deactivated his Facebook account about a month ago at the request of his family but I remember him telling me he would come back on Facebook soon with a grin, said Chowdhury. Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims Show all 5 1 /5 Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims 621029.bin Department for International Development Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims 621030.bin Department for International Development Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims 621031.bin Department for International Development Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims 621034.bin Department for International Development Acid attacks: Bangladesh's hidden victims 621035.bin Department for International Development There is evidence that Mr Samad's attackers had placed the activist on a "hit list" and had discovered his route home by monitoring his movements for some time. In protest at the murder, hundreds of students from the Jagannath University where Mr Samad studied took to the streets to demand the prompt arrest of the killers. They blocked roads in and around the university and told reporters that if those behind the earlier murders of bloggers had been punished then Samad would not have been attacked. Yet police reported that witnesses were reluctant to come forward. "Even though the spot was crowded at the time of the murder, they are not sharing any information with the police," Shamir Chandra Sutradhar, a police officer, told the Dhaka Tribune. Bangladesh has seen a wave of militant violence over the past year or so, including a series of bomb attacks on mosques and Hindu temples. Some recent attacks have been claimed by Isis, including the killing of a Hindu priest, a Japanese citizen, an Italian aid worker and a policeman. Last year, suspected militants killed five secular writers and a publisher, including a Bangladeshi-American activist. A banned Islamist militant group, Ansarullah Bangla Team, claimed responsibility for some of the attacks. Meahwhile, the government denies that Isis has a presence in the Muslim-majority country of 160 million people. Additional reporting by PA 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 eight members of Chinas red nobility have relatives who have controlled secretive offshore companies, it has been revealed. The leaked Panama Papers, from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, reportedly show prominent figures, including current and former Chinese leaders, have links to offshore companies set up by the firm, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. The brother-in-law of the President Xi was a director and shareholder of two offshore companies, Wealth Ming International and Best Effect Enterprises, which both existed for around 18 months before being closed between 2010 and 2011, the Guardian reports. The teenage granddaughter of Jia Oinglin, who was the fourth ranked leader in China between 2002 and 2012, was a registered shareholder of two British Virgin Islands companies. World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Show all 15 1 /15 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Petro Poroshenko President of Ukraine World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Ayad Allawi Allawi Iraqs Vice-President between 2014 and 2015, and the countrys interim prime minister from 2004 to 2005 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates, Emir of Abu Dhabi World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson Prime Minister of Iceland World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sergey Roldugin Close friend of Vladimir Putin World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 1995-2013 World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Li Xiaolin Daughter of Li Peng, the former Premier of China (The current vice-president of state-owned power company China Datang Gorporation and former CEO of China Power International Development, she has been nicknamed Chinas Power Queen World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Rami Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hafez Makhlouf Cousin of Bashar Assad, the President of Syria World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Clive Khulubuse Zuma Nephew of Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Maryam Nawaz Sharif Safdar Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hasan Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Hussain Nawaz Sharif Son of Nawaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan World leaders linked to 'Panama Papers' Alaa Mubarak The eldest son of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Read more here The companies, Harvest Sun Trading Limited and Xin Sheng Investments Limited, were reportedly registered in her name in 2010, when she had just begun studying at Stanford University in the US. The daughter of Li Peng, the fourth Premier of the Peoples Republic of China who oversaw the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, owned a British Virgin Islands company called Cofic Investments Limited in 1994. The brother of former vice-president Zeng Qinghong and the son of former Politburo member Tian Jiyun were found to be directors of a single offshore company registered initially in the South Pacific island of Niue and then in Samoa. Hu Dehua, the son of Hu Yaobang, the Communist partys general secretary who was ousted in 1987, is registered as the sole shareholder of a British Virgin Islands company called Fortalent International Holdings. Other relatives include Lee Shing Put, the son-in-law of Zhang Gaoli, a member of Chinas powerful seven-member Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee, and Gu Kailai, the wife of Bo Xilai, an ex-Politburo member jailed for corruption and power abuses. The data, obtained by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), shows nearly one third of Mossack Fonsecas business came from its offices in Hong Kong and China, the BBC reports. This made China the law firms largest market and many of the names uncovered in the documents have been linked to offshore banking in past. Owning off-shore companies is not illegal in China and there is no indication of any wrong doing, however the leaks have highlighted the hidden wealth of some of Chinas most powerful families, which has already caused Chinas censors to crackdown on online access to the unfolding revelations. 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 }} Activists have launched a renewed campaign calling for the end of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, where 10,000 dogs and cats are slaughtered each year. In the latest images from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, dogs and cats are into cages as preparation begins for beginning of the festival in June. A new report from Humane Society International (HSI) found the slaughter continues all-year-round in Yulin, with an estimated 300 cats and dogs being butchered each day. Pictures and video footage taken earlier this month show dogs and cats crammed into tiny cages. Many of them had collars, indicating they pets who had been stolen from families. In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs in holding pen at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cats crammed in wire cage, delivered to slaughterhouse in Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs held at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cat looks out from its crate as arrives at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs in blood-covered holding pen at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cat slaughterhouse, Yulin Peter Li, HSI's China policy specialist, visited three cat and dog slaughterhouses in Yulin and described the scene as a "nightmare". Mr Li said he witnessed animals being bludgeoned to death with metal rods before being disemboweled and dismembered in front of the other dogs - some restaurant owners claim the pain and fear makes their adrenaline-rich meat tastier. He said: This was one of the most harrowing visits Ive ever made to Yulin. The dogs and cats I saw were visibly traumatized, their spirits broken from their terrifying ordeal." Footage shows dogs ready to be slaughtered in Yulin He added: "Its hard to imagine their mental suffering, watching other dogs being killed, disemboweled and dismembered in front of them. "It was like a scene from a nightmare that will haunt me forever." The HSI have launched the #StopYulin campaign along with an online petition calling on the President of China to end to the tradition this year. Over 600,000 have signed the petition so far. Comedian and animal rights campaigner Ricky Gervais has joined with the HSI to once again call for an end to the festival. An estimated 10-20 million dogs are killed for human consumption every year in China. Many traders break the law by stealing animals and violating animal welfare guidelines. The trade has been linked to cholera and rabies, according to the World Health Organisation. 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 }} Scientists are conducting the world's first clinical trials on a drug to treat paedophiles before they sexually abuse children. Researchers are appealing through a British science crowdfunding platform to raise enough money to carry out a full study on the drug. The drug, called degarelix, is normally used to treat prostate cancer but was found to have the side effect of reducing sexual arousal. It dramatically lowers levels of the male sex hormone testosterone and lasts between three and four months. So far, several men with sexual fantasies about children have volunteered for the trial. Doctor Christoffer Rahm, who heads the "Priotab" project at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said: "One in 10 boys and one in 20 girls is sexually abused during childhood. This issue is hard to deal with but we must, because it affects all of us. "Child sexual abuse causes a lot of suffering for the victims and their relatives ... it also has negative consequences for the perpetrator, who risks becoming totally isolated, depressed and sentenced to imprisonment. 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 "Up until now most of the attention has been on how to deal with perpetrators while they're protected by the police or by the authorities, but by this stage children have already been harmed. "With this research project, I want to shift focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place." Child abuse victims demand justice over paedophile ring Researchers are appealing for 38,000 on the crowdfunding site Walacea in order to carry out a full trial of the drug. They aim to compare 30 men receiving the drug with 30 others given a placebo treatment. So far, a handful of men who have paedophilic urges, but have never convicted of an offence, have been recruited to trial the drug. Three days after receiving the injection, 97 per cent of treated men had almost no levels of testosterone in their blood. In 2008, more than 100 convicted sex offenders at Whatton Prison in Nottinghamshire received medication to reduce their sex drive. The scheme, which was co-funded and managed by NHS England is now in the process of being implemented nationally. Additional reporting by PA 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 }} Police investigating the mass sexual assaults in Cologne on New Years Eve claim they were ordered to remove the word rape from their initial report. Local officers had produced an internal important event memo entitled rape, sexual harassment, thefts, committed by a large group of foreign people the first indication of the scale of the incident which would go on to make headlines around the world. According to Cologne newspaper Express, officers received a phone call from the state police control centre ordering them to take down the report or otherwise delete the phrase Vergewaltigung rape. A senior Cologne police officer told Express he was informed of the order by a colleague who took the call, and that state police understood it to be the wish of the state interior ministry. The allegation of a political cover-up puts serious pressure on North Rhine-Westphalia interior minister Ralf Jager, in a scandal which has already seen Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers forced into early retirement. Express published a letter it had received from a high-ranking Cologne policeman, named as Joachim H, who was on duty on New Years Day and described his colleague receiving the order. 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 Police ultimately refused the request, leaving the word rape in their report, and the news would eventually reach the wider world. According to German media reports, opposition politicians in NRW state are calling for Mr Jager to be sacked. The interior minister was due to address an interior policy committee meeting on Thursday, and his spokesman said he would answer questions on the new reports then. He denied a cover-up, but confirmed professional discussions had taken place between state controllers and Cologne police over the classification of the New Years Eve assaults. Mr Jagers spokesman told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung: It is not true that the rapes on New Years Eve in Cologne were supposed to be kept quiet. 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 compulsive hoarder has been found crushed to death under mound of rubbish, police said. The man, 51, who lived in Alcabre in north-western Spain, was believed to have suffered from Diogenes syndrome, a condition in which people often collect things compulsively and neglect themselves. He was discovered by police after a friend living in the Canary Islands expressed concern over his lack of communication. The deceased had not used Facebook or Whatsapp for at least six days, local newspaper Faro de Vigo reported. On investigating the call, police found piles of rubbish at the mans property. "It was something out of the ordinary," officers told the newspaper. Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish Show all 4 1 /4 Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish hoard3.jpg Glenn Copus/Evening Standard Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish hoarder2.jpg Glenn Copus/Evening Standard Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish hoarder.jpg Glenn Copus/Evening Standard Hoarder was feared dead after living room ceiling collapsed under 20 tonnes of rubbish hoard1.jpg Glenn Copus/Evening Standard His corpse was discovered crushed between a collapsed heap of garbage and a door to the house. Such was the quantity of rubbish that officers struggled to enter the house and firefighters were called in to remove his body. Foul play is not suspected but officials are awaiting the outcome of an autopsy. Diogenes syndrome is not a condition which applies to all compulsive hoarders but is used primarily to refer to older people who may also refuse offers of help and experience social alienation and indifference to living in domestic squalor. For more information or to get help with mental health issues, Mind can be contacted on 0300 123 3393. 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 man who was escorted from an EasyJet flight because another passenger "didn't feel safe" has said he was a victim of racial profiling". Meghary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was ushered off his Rome to London flight by armed police. He said this was done after another passenger complained she felt uncomfortable with his presence. He then had to wait 15 hours for another flight. The event is the latest in a number of instances where ethnic minority EasyJet passengers were removed from flights after security concerns were allegedly raised. After flight EZY5258 was delayed because of luggage issues, Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis, of London, said he was called to the front of the cabin where he was greeted by armed police". I was asked to leave the plane by the captain," he told ITV. "When I asked him why, he explained: A fellow passenger has stated that she does not feel safe with you on board.' 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 I was then directed by the police to the airport police station. I was subjected to further questioning and intimidation by the Italian authorities before being left to sit in the airport for a further 15 or so hours." He said of the incident: I felt violated, it was racial profiling. If she feels uncomfortable, she should get off the plane. (AFP/Getty Images) The airline has since apologised to him, but Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis insisted: Its not just about me and EasyJet, it's way bigger than that. In a statement, the company said: EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY5258 from Rome Fiumicino to London Gatwick on 29 March 2016 was delayed due to the police requesting that additional security checks were undertaken before departure. Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis was questioned by the authorities as a result of another passenger reporting concerns about his behaviour. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority and airlines have to take any security-related concerns seriously. EasyJet rebooked Mr Yemane-Tesfagiorgis on the next flight from Rome to Gatwick after the authorities confirmed they were satisfied he could travel. In March, another black Londoner, Laolu Opebiyi, was removed from an EasyJet flight after another passenger saw a message mentioning prayer on his mobile phone. In the same month, an Iraqi man was prevented from taking his EasyJet flight after a passenger reported him over what she thought were "Isis messages" on his mobile phone. Both passengers were cleared of any wrongdoing. 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 French economy minister, Emmanuel Macron, has appointed himself the messiah-in-waiting who can haul France into the 21st century. In a startlingly brash move for a never-elected politician aged 38, Mr Macron has launched a new political movement En Marche! (Forwards! or On the Move!) which will be neither left nor right and will attempt to unlock Frances untapped energy and genius. Mr Macron insists that he has no plans to run for the French presidency next year but admits that 2022 may be a different story. Friends say that he COULD enter next years race but only if his mentor, President Francois Hollande, decides not to go for a second term. Colleagues and rivals on the centre-left of French politics suggested that Mr Macron, intoxicated by his high opinion poll ratings, had embarked on a political ego-trip. They point out that the initials of his movement, EM, are also Mr Macrons initials. Since he was appointed economy and industry minister 20 months ago, Mr Macron has spearheaded Mr Hollandes change of direction towards reformist, market-friendly social democracy rather than interventionist socialism. He is not a card-carrying Socialist and is therefore free to launch a new movement which, he insists, is not a political party. Mr Macron, a former banker, has made many friends, but also many enemies on the traditional left, by attacking barriers to enterprise and innovation in France. He insists that the new digital world from Amazon to Uber taxis should be seen as an opportunity not a threat. 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 He will address a series of meetings from next month which will claim to represent a new 3.0 generation of politics. This seems to mean mostly that there will be interactive links to satellite meetings in other towns. Mr Macrons youth and can-do spirit have shone like a beacon in the relatively geriatric, slow-moving world of French politics. He has, however, annoyed many of his ministerial colleagues by trampling in their territory. He infuriated the interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve last month when he entered the Brexit debate by saying that Calais migrant camps would move to Kent if Britain left the European Union. Mr Macron is said to be especially detested by the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, 53, who was pre-Macron, the poster child for reformist left-wing politics in France. Mr Macron is a short, dapper man, a brilliant pianist, and a step-grandfather in his late 30s. At the age of 16 he had an affair with his French teacher, Brigitte Trogneux. He married her ten years later. They have children and grandchildren from her previous marriage. Ms Trogneux describes herself as president of the Macron fan club. She has recently moved into the ministry of economy and finance as her husbands unpaid adviser and image consultant to the fury of full-time civil servants. The precise aims of En marche! are unclear. At a meeting launching the movement in his home town of Amiens in the Somme, Mr Macron said that he wanted to generate new ideas for the country and tap its energy. Friends said that Mr Macron believed other politicians of both right and left based their policies on myths about a France which does not really exist. Macron wanted to start with things as they are and to make proposals accordingly. So far, so vague. More prosaically, he has moved to bolster his position as the new whizzkid on the block in French politics. His movement will give him a platform and a legitimacy after the centre left (almost inevitably) loses power next year. He has postioned himself as more imaginative alternative to Prime Minster Valls as the next big thing on the French left. 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 gunman opened fire on the streets of Paris just 300 metres from cafes targeted by Isis in last November's terror attacks. There is no suggestion at this stage that the incident was terror-related, with some reports saying the man was drunk. At around 1.15pm, the gunman was said to have fired shots from the window of a building at the junction of the Rue Bichat and the Rue du Faubourg du Temple. Security forces arrived and cordoned off the area, with armed police officers surrounding the building where the gunman was hiding, a witness told the Associated Press. No injuries were reported, and a suspect surrendered to police. At its other end, the 300 metre Rue Bichat opens onto the area of street where 15 people were shot dead last year in the Le Petit Cambodge and the Carillon Paris cafes. Le Petit Cambodge only re-opened for business in March this year. France remains in a state of emergency following last year's attacks, in which a total of 130 people were killed, along with seven terrrorists. In pictures: Paris attacks Show all 25 1 /25 In pictures: Paris attacks In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French police with protective shields walk in line near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers evacuate an injured person on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French Vigipirate troops mobilize next to Place de la Bastille AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French soldiers mobilize near to the Place de la Bastille AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated outside the scene of a hostage situation at the Bataclan theatre EPA In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks People react as they gather to watch the scene near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French police secure the area outside a cafe near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers workers evacuate victims near the Bataclan concert hall AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and French President Francois Hollande attending an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Spectators invade the pitch of the Stade de France after explosions were heard outside AP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks A man lies on the ground as French police check his identity near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Police officers man a position close to the Bataclan theatre AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France in Paris EPA In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Two men evacuate the Place de la Republique square in Paris as a police officer looks on AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Football fans are evacuated from the Stade de France stadium In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks An armed police officer Dan Gabriel In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Stade de France is evacuated after reports of an explosion In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks A member of the French fire brigade aids an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France in Paris In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Police are seen outside a cafe in 10th arrondissement of the French capital Paris, In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers assist an injured man on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, close to the Bataclan concert hall AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The scene at a restaurant in 10th arrondissement In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Bataclan theatre - where around 100 people are thought be held hostage In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Stade de France as it was evacuated In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Forensic experts inspect the site of an attack outside the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis AFP The United Nations has warned that the current security measures were imposing "excessive and disproportionate restrictions" on human rights. 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 former Auschwitz guard has died days before going on trial, accused of being an accessory to murder. Ernst Tremmel was a member of the Nazi SS guard team at Nazi camp in occupied Poland between November 1942 and June 1943, during which time at least 1,075 prisoners were gassed to death, prosecutors say. He allegedly played a part in the deportation of prisoners from Nazi transit camps in Berlin, Drancy in occupied France, and Westerbork in occupied Netherlands. The 93-year-olds trial was scheduled to begin on 13 April at a court in Hanau near Frankfurt, Germany. A court spokesman said all trial dates had been cancelled after the police confirmed Tremmel's death on Thursday. Germany is holding what are expected to be its final trials linked to the Holocaust, in which more than six million people were killed under the Nazi regime. Remembering the Holocaust Show all 16 1 /16 Remembering the Holocaust Remembering the Holocaust 119165.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119169.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119229.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119167.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119162.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119166.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119163.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119224.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119168.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119228.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119152.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119226.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119150.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119151.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119147.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119231.bin Hannah Bills Two other men and one woman, all in their 90s, are accused of being accessories to the murder of hundreds of thousands of people at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. The trial of 95-year-old Hubert Zafke, a former Auschwitz medic, and 94-year-old Reinhold Hanning, an Auschwitz guard in the camps Deaths Head SS division, have begun. Hanning faces charges of complicity in the murder of 170,000 Holocaust victims between January 1943 and June 1944. Doctors have ruled that Hanning is psychologically capable of spending only two hours a day in court Zafkes trial was suspended for the second time last month due to ill health. The cases follow the prosecution of former Sobibor Nazi death camp guard, John Demjanjuk, in 2012, and former Auschwitz SS guard, Oskar Groning, last year. Both were convicted on the basis that their presence at the death camps meant they were complicit in mass murder. The two cases marked a change in the attitude of German prosecutors to Holocaust perpetrators. Until 2012, German judges had demanded specific eyewitness evidence directly implicating the accused which, in most cases, proved impossible to find. Additional reporting by agencies ::This article has been amended to remove a reference to Auschwitz as a 'Polish death camp' 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 }} Hamburgs Blankenese district - a city suburb famous for being one of Europes wealthiest won new and unexpected notoriety after its residents staged Germanys first posh protest against a planned refugee hostel for 192 of the 1.1 million migrants who entered the country last year. Overlooking the river Elbe on Hamburgs leafy western fringes, Blankeneses luxury waterside villas are home to scores of rich and famous Germans including, until his death late last year, the legendary former Social Democrat, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. Recommended Read more Refugees living in cramped conditions in former German airport But earlier this week, Blankenese hit headlines across Germany after residents used their shining limousines, some with yachts on trailers coupled to the rear, to block off the suburbs Bjornsonweg street where Hamburg city government had planned to begin constructing a hostel for 192 refugees. Renate Krenz one of Blankeneses protesting residents told Spiegel TV that she feared the district would be unable to cope with the planned hostel: They have had to employ guards at other refugee hostels because there is so much stealing going on, she insisted. A tree specialist appointed by the Hamburg city government to mark out trees that were due to be felled to make way for the hostel was also reported to have suffered verbal abuse. We are trying to show the city government that it cannot just do what it wants, said another female resident who declined to be identified. Hamburg city government says it must find more permanent homes for 40,000 of the citys refugees who are currently living in disused warehouses and other makeshift mass accommodation. Other German big cities face similar problems. Most protests against refugee hostels had until now been confined to the former communist east. Hamburg city government said it had been obliged to suspend its plans for the Blankenese hostel after a resident obtained a court order blocking the project on the grounds that the necessary tree felling involved was in breach of European environmental regulations. Hamburg has said it will appeal against the ruling. A radical Hamburg leftwing group called the Interventionist Left said it planned to solve the tree problem by organising a Blankenese Chainsaw Massacre. 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 }} Three soldiers have been fined after ordering a group of new recruits to jog naked in sub-zero temperatures during an unauthorised exercise. All three Norwegian soldiers, affiliated with Brigade North, received fines for causing bodily harm and two were also punished for carrying military weapons above their rank. A military police investigation was launched after the trio forced six junior soldiers to jog in temperatures of -20C without shoes or clothes from their barracks in Setermoen, northern Norway on 19 January 2015. All six recruits received first and second degree frostbite and had to be hospitalised following the unauthorised exercise. At the time of the incident, Colonel Fred Arne Jacobsen of Brigade North told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: They've got strong frostbite. Three of them are so severely damaged that they have been sent to the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromso to be checked by professionals there. I've never experienced anything like this before, and it can neither be justified or accepted. None of the recruits suffered permanent damage from the incident, however police attorney, Goril Lund, told NRK the three soldiers could have faced more severe penalties had the recruits' injuries persisted. The three soldiers have been ordered to pay 12,000 krone (1,020), 7,000 krone (590) and 4,000 krone (340) respectively. All three have accepted the fines and will not face military discipline in addition to the their civil punishment. Army spokesperson, Obit Aleksander Jankov, previously told Dagbladet newspaper: This kind of thing is not supposed to happen. Boys and girls called up for military service for the first time should be brought into a safe environment. Consequently we are taking this incident very seriously. 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 }} Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands have accused Spain and Argentina of bullying and ignoring their wish to remain British. In a joint statement on Tuesday, the disputed island territories accused the two nations of "ganging up on the islands after Spain and Argentina said they were committed to ending the [territories] two colonial situations. On Monday, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and his Argentinian counter-part Susana Malcorra, said in a joint news conference they were "fully available to restart" talks with Britain, describing Spain's relations with the UK as "the best, as well as being a NATO ally and a European Union partner". In response, the foreign secretaries of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands said in a statement: "It also does not say much for the democratic credentials of two large countries that they should seek to gang up in this way in order to bully two very small territories and in the process completely ignore the right of their people to choose what they want to be. "Referenda held in both Gibraltar and in the Falkland Islands have made those wishes abundantly clear. In 1982, Britain and Argentina fought a war over the Falkland Islands, in which 649 Argentinian soldiers, 255 British solders and thee islanders were killed. In 2013 the inhabitants of the South Atlantic archipelago decided by 99.8 per cent in favour of retaining their status as a United Kingdom overseas territory. Turnout from the electorate of 1,649, some of whom queued in wind and rain to cast their ballots, was 92 per cent. In Gibraltar, which lies off the coast of southern Spain, 98.5 per cent of Gibraltans voted solely to stay under British sovereignty, with the results being received with hostility in Spain. The UK Government has said that it will never enter into an agreement with Spain on the sovereignty of the island without the consent of the people of Gibraltar 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 only remaining doctor in the besieged Syrian town of Zabadani has been killed by sniper fire, days before the UN said it would begin a major medical evacuation from areas under siege. The doctor and a member of a rescue team were shot last week after treating a patient, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said. A doctor in the neighbouring town of Madaya named the man as Mohammed al-Kos, a surgeon in his 70s. Both towns have been under siege by the Assad regime and Hezbollah forces since July last year, in retaliation for the use of the tactic on two towns in northern Syria by rebel forces. Reports have emerged from the towns of people starving to death and being forced to eat grass and stray cats. Despite a ceasefire which came into force on 27 February, the UN and aid agencies say getting aid into besieged towns has been proved difficult. MSF says aid convoys are also restricted from transporting some life-saving medical supplies. Some areas, including Daraya and Douma, remain completely cut off from aid. MSF estimates there are up to 1.9 million Syrians currently under siege. The UN announced it hoped to begin the evacuation of up to 500 sick and wounded people from Madaya, Zabadani and the two rebel besieged towns of Fua and Kefraya within days. But it will be too late for many, including five people in Madaya who died in the town in recent days. Among them were three boys who died of their wounds after they were caught in a landmine explosion, and a young man who starved to death, after Hezbollah ignored pleas for them to be evacuated. Jan Egeland, the co-chair of the task force on humanitarian access in Syria, said the deaths were totally unnecessary. There are hardly any doctors left in Syrias besieged areas. In Madaya, there are five medics left, including two dentists and one vet. Dr Mohammed Darwish, one of the towns dentists, said he has had to deal with all levels of medical care, from first aid to surgery. This is simply our situation, he said. It has become habit. An open letter from 47 women in Daraya, which has been besieged by government forces for more than three years, warned that children and the elderly in the town were on the brink of starvation. 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 Isis jihadist group has lost control of its main supply route between Syria and Turkey, the latest in a series of strategic defeats. Syrian rebels had been closing in on the key border town of al-Rai for a number of days, and on Thursday afternoon monitoring groups said the city finally fell. The area has been identified by the US as a priority in the fight against Isis. The rebels involved in the offensive include factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army that have been supplied with weapons via Turkey. Speaking to the AFP News Agency, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel factions had taken control of the northeast section of al-Rai, adding: "This is the main and one of the last crossing points with Turkey." Meanwhile, Syrian state TV reported on Thursday that Isis militants had abducted 300 cement workers and contractors northeast of Damascus. Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Show all 10 1 /10 Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Graffiti on the ancient stones reads in Arabic Shooting without the permission of the chief is prohibited Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Damaged artefacts lay inside the museum of the historic city of Palmyra Reuters Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Syrian pro-government forces rest by Palmyra Citadel as they take control of the city from the hands of Isis Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The UNESCO world heritage site appears surprisingly intact after its recapture from the militant group Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Many had feared the ancient city would be destroyed following its capture by Isis in May Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Smoke billows from the Palmyra Citadel as Assads forces drive the Jihadist group from the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Palmyra is one of the most important cultural centers of the world Unesco says Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Pro-government forces play football in the streets following the recapture of the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The extent of the destruction caused by Isis 10 month occupation of the city has yet to be fully realised Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The City Council of Palmyra building in ruins Reuters The employees of the al-Badia Cement Company were kidnapped in the area of Dumeir, where militants launched a surprise attack against regime forces just a few days ago. State-run news agency SANA quoted a source in the company as saying that there has been no success in efforts to establish contact with any of the workers. Additional reporting by agencies 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 university has been forced to denounce a contract it made those alleging sexual assault sign which required them to not discuss the case with third parties - or risk being expelled. Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada, has issued a public statement after an outcry, saying it now recognises its student behavioural contract to be inappropriate, adding it will no longer be using them. Recommended Read more Warwick student draws criticism for opposing sex consent lessons The contract - which has since been labelled a gag order by campaigners - has been confirmed as genuine by the university, and first came to light when student, Stefon Irvine, learned of its existence via an anonymous sexual assault support forum. An image of the document has been obtained by local news site CBC News which reports how the victim is forbidden from having any contact with the other person involved in any incident, and that any matter must not be discussed with anyone other than a counsellor. If students breach any of the rules they sign up to follow, CBC News - which spoke with a student who was made to sign the document after allegedly being assaulted in residence in September last year - reports how they are threatened with suspension or expulsion. A day before the university released its statement on the controversy, president Gervan Fearon told a press conference that, despite the universitys best intentions, the contract was originally meant to protect victims from harassment, reports Winnipeg Free Press. In its statement the following day, though, Brandon University said it has been and remains significantly concerned by the reported sexual assault on campus in September 2015, and added: [We] used a Student Behavioural Contract, which we now recognise to be inappropriate in this case. We are reviewing the use of Student Behavioural Contracts under any circumstance and will no longer be using them in the case of sexual assault, sexual violence, or sexual harassment. The top 10 universities in the world Show all 10 1 /10 The top 10 universities in the world The top 10 universities in the world 1. California Institute of Technology The top 10 universities in the world 2. University of Oxford The top 10 universities in the world 3. Stanford University The top 10 universities in the world 4. University of Cambridge The top 10 universities in the world 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology The top 10 universities in the world 6. Harvard University The top 10 universities in the world 7. Princeton University The top 10 universities in the world 8. Imperial College London The top 10 universities in the world 9. ETH Zurich Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich The top 10 universities in the world 10. University of Chicago Dr Corinne Mason, head of the universitys gender and womens studies course, told CBC News the document was a gag order which was not surprising given the culture of silencing victims on all Canadian university campuses. Since the controversy surfaced, Mr Irvine is one of the students to have started a campus group called We Believe Survivors. Speaking with CBC News, he lauded the student for being strong enough to come forward about the contract, which has led to a means for change and discussion. New campaign to stop sexual harassment on transport The university has now highlighted it is currently introducing new policy to deal with the issue of sexual assault on campus, and confirmed: A sexual violence, assault, and harassment advisory committee - with strong representation from students as well as faculty, staff, and community experts - has been in development, and its work is getting underway. With consultation across the university community - and taking into account new provincial legislation - the committee is tasked with producing appropriate new standalone policy and protocols. The institution added how the work will be ready for additional consultation in September 2016. 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 University of Dundee in Scotland has been named as the nations best young university, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) 150 Under 50 rankings. The global list, which analyses the worlds top universities under 50 years of age, has seen the UK emerge as being the most-represented country in the world, boasting an impressive 25 institutions in the complete top 150, said editor of the list, Phil Baty. Recommended Read more American universities head up top 20 best in the world With Dundee leading the way, the universities of Bath and Surrey have also featured in the rankings, in second and third place respectively, followed by Stirling and Plymouth University. Eleven of the UKs 25 universities have made the top 100. However, more than half (13) of the country's representatives were founded in the 1960s, something Mr Baty said means many will be told old to feature in future years, with eight alone dropping out next year. Top ten best young universities in the UK: University of Dundee (established 1967) University of Bath (1966) University of Surrey (1966) University of Stirling (1967) Plymouth University (1992) Loughborough University (1966) Aston University (1966) Brunel University London (1966) City University London (1966) Heriot-Watt University (1966) As well as this, the editor of the rankings added that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) received a 150m budget cut last year, as the number of first-year overseas students fell by 1.7 per cent in 2015/16, after a Government overhaul of immigration policies. In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 1. Cambridge University (1st in world rankings) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 2. Oxford University (4th) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 3. University College London (14th) UCL In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 4. Imperial College London (15th) Flickr (Ariaski) In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 5. Edinburgh University (18th) Creative Commons In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 6. Manchester University (25th) In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 7. Kings College London (35th) Jamesmh2006/Wiki Commons In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 8. London School of Economics (44th) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 9. Birmingham University (60th) Birmingham University In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 10. Nottingham University (63rd) Creative Commons Mr Baty continued: The rankings are led by young, exciting, and dynamic institutions - half of the universities in the top ten are 30 years or under - from nations investing heavily in creating world-class institutions, for example, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore. As the pendulum swings, the traditionally dominant US and UK will have to raise their games to continue to compete in future years. Professor Sir Pete Downes, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee, said the institution is in good company and delighted to be 16th best in the world, as well as the top young university in the UK. The 20 hardest universities to get into He continued: Our work at Dundee carries global impact and we have built an international reputation for excellence in research and teaching, while the experience we offer students has been consistently highly rated. On the whole, the rankings have listed 150 universities from 39 countries. The methodology used to compile the list has drawn upon the same as THEs World University Rankings, in which 13 performance indicators are taken into consideration from all the core missions associated with the modern global university, including research, teaching, knowledge transfer, and international activity. Click here to see the complete 150 Under 50 rankings Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel 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 Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Travel essentials Why go now? Spring is the time to discover this serene and fascinating island before the summer peak. The capital, Mahon (Mao), is a fascinating destination in its own right, with a glorious setting above the Mediterraneans largest natural harbour. The location explains its rich history, from Bronze Age mystery to British Naval stronghold. The island has been awarded Unesco Biosphere Reserve status, recognising and protecting its coastline, dune systems, wetlands and forests, which between them provide habitat for 220 species of birds and 1,000 species of plants. (Alexander Beuge (Alexander Beuge) Touch down Over the next month the range of flights to Menorca will widen, with non-stop flights to the islands airport (1) on British Airways (0344 493 0787; ba.com) from Heathrow; easyJet (0330 365 5000; easyJet.com) from Bristol, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton and Southend; Jet2 (0800 408 1350; jet2.com) from Belfast, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle; Monarch (0333 003 0700; monarch.co.uk) from Birmingham, Leeds/Bradford, Luton and Manchester; Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) from East Midlands; plus a range of links on the airlines of the two leading tour operators, Thomas Cook (0844 879 8880; flythomascook.com) and Thomson (0871 231 4787; thomson.co.uk). The airport bus runs to Mahons main bus station at Placa de SEsplanada (2) every hour (every half-hour from June to September), 2.50. A taxi to the centre costs about 10. Historic centre of Mahon (Rex Features) Get your bearings Spains easternmost island is kidney-shaped and wrapped in a superb coastline. It is twice the size of the Isle of Wight, and rather sunnier. Mahon, at the eastern end of the island is balanced by the elegant former capital, Ciutadella (3), at the western end. They are linked by a good highway, the 45km ME1, from which roads run to the islands resorts - most of them on the southern shore and ranging from low-key bays of hotels and apartments to wild, unspoilt coves with nothing more than white sand, pine trees and turquoise water. Mahon has two tourist offices: one in the centre in the Town Hall on the Placa de Constitucio (4), the other down by the water at Moll de Llevant 2 (5). For more information call 00 34 971 363 790 or visit menorca.es. Check in Mahon makes an excellent base, partly due to its transport links and also because of its heritage and range of places to eat, drink and stay. The boutique hotel Jardi de Ses Bruixes (6) occupies a 200-year-old townhouse at Calle San Fernando 26 (00 34 971 363 166). Modernist flourishes from a makeover a century ago have been retained. The eight well-appointed rooms start at 120. Breakfast served in a lovely courtyard is extra, with three options: Menorca, Healthy and Continental. (hotelsesbruixes.com) Around the corner at Carrer dEs Commerc 26 is the Hotel San Miguel (7) (00 34 971 364 059), whose Seventies look in the public areas is complemented by high-spec rooms. This cosy retreat offers double rooms and breakfast from 81. (hotelsanmiguelmenorca.com) A few miles east of Mahon on Carretera Sant Felip, the Hotel Rural Son Granot (8) (00 971 355 555) is a 300-year-old mansion built by the British. The Georgian treasure has rooms in the main house and also beautifully converted cottages in the grounds. Doubles start at 107 in April, including breakfast. (songranot.com) Day one Take a view Mahon perches on a bluff overlooking a harbour three miles long and half-a-mile wide, which means you can enjoy a succession of panoramas as you wander through the city. From west to east, the first mirador is outside the church of St Frances (9), at the west end of Calle Isabel II. Look back through the millennia in the Museu de Menorca, housed in the cloister adjoining the church (00 34 971 350 955; museudemenorca.com), covering the islands early dominant cultures: Talayotic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic. It opens 10am-2pm (to 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, closed Monday), admission free. Take a hike Walk east from the church along Calle Isabel II. The street is flanked by 18th-century mansions, many with elegant bay windows from the period when the British ruled the island intermittently (1713-1802). The Gobierno Militar (10) is the former home of the governor. A few doors along, La Cereira (11) at Calle Isabel II 6 is a designer shop offering locally sourced and environmentally sensitive products. A few doors along on the same side of the street, look for a gate marked 2000, which should swing open to provide access for another excellent view. Placa de Constitucio (4) contains the 1789 Ajuntament (town hall), with a clocktower donated by Sir Richard Kane - the first British Lieutenant-Governor of Menorca, who is still well respected. You can look along Sant Roc to the only remaining medieval gateway to the city. Continuing east, Portal de Mar leads to the fish market (12), now with a range of eating and drinking options, and the Claustre de Carme (13) - the busy cloisters of the church of Carme. Ciutadella Lunch on the run The cloisters (13) now comprise the venue for the citys produce market; you could assemble a picnic (augmented by the basement supermarket) or lunch in one of the cafes. Alternatively, at Portal del Mar 11, Can Pota (14) (00 34 971 36 23 63) has been serving local specialities including sobrasada a Balearic pork speciality, like a spreadable chorizo with potato and poached egg, for over a century. Window shopping The cloisters (13) have plenty of interesting stores, but the Saturday and Tuesday market at Placa SEsplanada (2) is more vibrant. The local ironmonger, SEsparter (15), on Carrer Sant Roc, has just celebrated 200 years of trading. Cultural afternoon As Mahon settles down for a siesta, catch bus 1 (taking an hour) or the express 14 (45 minutes) from Placa SEsplanada (2) to Ciutadella (3). The former capitals cobbled lanes and honey-toned houses comprise one of the loveliest old towns in Spain. The 14th- to 16th-century cathedral would provide a good reason to visit on its own, but there is plenty more from the pretty harbour to the handsome Placa des Born. An aperitif Since Menorca is the first place in Spain to see the sunrise, its also the first place where you can legitimately sip a sundowner. Choose a cafe terrace on the Placa des Born, perhaps La Reina, and let the warm breeze waft scents of a sunny day over you while you drink in the Spanish and Moorish architecture. Dine with the locals Down by the waterside, the interior of the Cafe Balear (00 34 971 380 005; cafebalear.com) has been transformed into one of the most smartest restaurants in the Balearics - but there are also tables outside on the quayside where you can tuck into arroz caldoso - a rich and delicious seafood soup - in more informal surroundings. The last bus 1 back to Mahon departs at 10.30pm from May to September. Cafe Balear, Ciutadella (Simon Calder) Day two Sunday morning: go to church The ornate organ at Mahons Santa Maria church on Placa de Constitucio (4) is of bewildering proportions: 45ft high, and comprising 3,006 tubes. It was imported from Austria in 1810 on the orders of Admiral Collingwood, who ran Britains Mediterranean fleet from Mahon at the time. The church opens 7.30am-12.30pm each morning, with Mass at 11am each Sunday, and 5.30-8pm each evening. Take a ride From Placa SEsplanada (2) take bus 32 (fare 2.55), which trundles every 90 minutes to the south coast resort of Son Bou (16) - one end of the longest beach in Menorca, stretching west for two miles. Follow the shore and dunes (possibly past some naked sunbathers, on what has become the islands naturist beach) until you join the coastal path, known as the Cami de Cavalls - Way of the Horses. This ancient bridleway wraps its way around the islands entire coastline. Follow it to Santo Tomas (17), which you should reach in an hour. Out to brunch The neighbouring resort of Sant Tomas (17) has plenty of refuelling options. But if you can make your way 12 miles across the island, via Es Mercadal, to the fishing port of Fornells (18) you will be rewarded with some astonishingly good seafood at the waterfront Es Port restaurant (00 34 971 376 403). Book in advance. Ask for what is good for the day, and you will be rewarded with a simply prepared but irresistibly tasty dish. Expect to pay around 25, excluding drinks. The restaurant is also one of several serving the local dish, caldereta de langosta, a lobster stew using local crustaceans that are in season from April-August. The limited availability comes with a price tag expect to pay up to 130/kg. A walk in the park Menorcas wild side, which Unesco rewarded with Biosphere Reserve status, is best represented at the beautiful lagoon of SAlbufera (19) - off the road from Fornells (18) back to Mahon. A network of paths helps you explore the natural beauty and extraordinarily rich wildlife. The icing on the cake The road from Mahon out to the airport (1) passes one of the islands most impressive archaeological sites. The Talayotic era (derived from atalaya, Arabic for watchtower) between 1500 and 123BC saw the construction of dozens of cone-shaped structures across Menorca (although the earliest traces of human occupation on the island date from 2100BC). Cornia Nou (20) is 300m west of the roundabout on the south-west side of Mahon. It includes a staircase that enables visitors to clamber to the top. While access is officially restricted to Saturdays, the gate is usually open. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel 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 Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As I wander through Pula, I wonder momentarily if the area has been targeted by an eccentric art thief. Several of the statues dotted about the citys historic centre appear, quite literally, to have lost their heads. But, I learn, this isnt the work of some deviant art collector. As in many Roman cities, in ancient times the emperors were overthrown and replaced so abruptly here and with such frequency that it could be hard for the citizens to keep up, not to mention the sculptors, who decided it would be practical to create just a body and then periodically fashion a head whenever the situation called for it. The Romans had a significant influence on Pula, the biggest city in Istria, the westernmost county of Croatia. That influence is perhaps most visible at the remarkably well-preserved amphitheatre in the city centre. Constructed in 1AD, the imposing landmark was once a hotbed of gladiatorial combat, with fights played out in front of up to 20,000 spectators; today, it hosts spectacular events of a different kind in its capacity as an open-air concert venue. Performers including Elton John and Tom Jones have appeared here. Bordering Slovenia and with a maritime border with Italy, Istria is the Adriatics largest peninsula, with more than 500km of coastline. From the seaside town of Fazana (8km north-west of Pula) I take a ferry to the Brijuni archipelago. In 1945, when the Brijuni became part of Yugoslavia, the Communist leader Josip Broz Tito was so taken with the beauty of the 14 islands that he used them as his private summer residence, relocating here for up to six months each year in decadent style. Marshal Tito died in 1980, but his legacy has been keenly preserved. At 5.6sq km, Veliki Brijun is the biggest island in the group and the location of a safari park thats home to animals bequeathed to the president by heads of state and his coterie of glamorous friends. The exotic menagerie comprises elephants, zebras and llamas and even two Shetland ponies, courtesy of our Queen, who dropped in on Tito at his lavish residence in 1972. Brijuni archipelago In the decades he resided here, the president hosted dignitaries from Gandhi to Gaddafi and celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Many of these visits are documented in a museum dedicated to the man himself, also on Veliki. Dozens of photographs of the late leader decorate the walls and display cabinets of this intriguing, if eerie, spot, alongside a rather gloomy taxidermy collection. Back on the mainland I relax by the waterfront in the sun until my stomach starts to rumble. A small fishing port, Fazana offers an abundance of restaurants making the most of this maritime regions produce. But while seafood dominates the menus, Istrias pride and joy is its exquisite olive oil. Whether youre dropping in on a rustic tavern for a quick bite or indulging in a five-course meal at one of the pricier establishments, youll likely be offered a selection of oils, with bread for dipping, upon your arrival. In March, Flos Olei, the specialist guide to the worlds finest extra-virgin olive oils, crowned Istria the best olive region in the world. More than 500 olive growers from 59 countries featured on this years list, and more than 50 were based in Istria. Wherever I go, groups of diners seem to give a cursory glance to the restaurants wine list before proceeding to spend an inordinate amount of time mulling over the olive oil menu to choose the perfect pairing for their meal. Tucked away in the small town of Vodnjan, 10km from Pula, is Brist Oil, a sleek and stylish store, where visitors can stock up on the oils produced by the family-run business. I meet Paul OGrady (not that one), an Irish expat, and his Istrian wife, Lena. The couple look after the day-to-day of the business and offer tours of their six-hectare grove, home to 1,600 trees, which can each produce up to five litres of oil. The family relies on the intuition of Nona Ana, Lenas 96-year-old grandmother, to select the best trees every season. A team of 40 pickers, mainly women, plucks the olives from the 100-year-old trees and races to get them to the local mill within 40 minutes. This summer Brist will introduce a night-time tour, including a gourmet sunset picnic. Previously a highly paid architect in Ireland, OGrady has lived in Croatia for 13 years, including six in Istria. Its a beautiful, magical place, he tells me proudly. When Im driving through the vineyards and olive groves, I feel like Im expecting a Roman legion to march across the road. The place is timeless. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel 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 Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles readers' questions. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder Q Im desperate for sunshine break. Is it a good time to book a holiday in Crete at the moment, with worries about the euro - or any other local issues? A April is an excellent time to travel to Crete, the southernmost Greek island and also the most interesting. Spring has arrived, and you can be fairly confident of sunny skies (although the Mediterranean will be chilly). The last couple of years have been enlivened by the drama involving a possible Greek exit from the euro, but life has calmed down and I havent seen any indication of another financial crisis emerging this summer. The local issues that have concerned people in the Greek islands over the past year concern the flow of refugees. As far as I am aware, Crete is not on a people-trafficking route and is unlikely to become so. The islands most affected have been Kos, Lesbos and Rhodes. Despite some tabloid newspaper stories to the contrary, tourism continued as normal through this unfolding humanitarian crisis. I am visiting Crete this month for 48 hours, in advance of the new British Airways flights to Chania. But the fare I have paid is around 180 return, rather than more than Id like. For not much more than that you should be able to find a weeks basic package holiday, flying in either to Chania or to Heraklion. 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 }} All right, so Donald Trump looks slightly less likely to become the next President of the United States than he did a week ago. He was soundly beaten by Ted Cruz in the Republican primary in Wisconsin, a swing state that may be a more accurate gauge of overall electability than most. Nor has he given any even a hint of reining in his unguarded self, although his statements on abortion could already have cost him a large part of the female vote. But the fact that this untamed politician says things that are widely unacceptable, or just plain daft, does not automatically make everything he says wrong. As with George Galloway here at home, it well suits those who disagree with him to damn all his views by association. But there are times when an innocent or an iconoclast speaks a truth that others are unprepared to face. Trumps description of Nato the hallowed North Atlantic alliance as obsolete is a case in point. His terseness may have shocked, but he is right. So are his reasons. As currently constituted, he says, Nato is ill-suited to combating international terrorism, which is for him the worlds single biggest threat. He especially objects to the US footing so much of the bill, saying that other allies should pay up or get out, and refuses to see the US as the worlds policeman. As he told a town hall meeting in Wisconsin: Maybe Nato will dissolve and thats OK, not the worst thing in the world. To judge by the response to his words, though, on both sides of the Atlantic, it would appear to be the worst thing, or close to it. In casting doubt on the future of Nato, Trump has challenged an establishment consensus that goes far beyond Washington DC. Both Trumps Republican rivals have denounced his view. Hillary Clinton, the probable Democrat nominee, accused him of putting at risk the coalition of nations we need to defeat Islamic State. Practically every general and admiral between the US and the Baltic States reached for their verbal swords. Every transatlantic think-tank, every Atlanticist professor, and even President Obama joined the fray. Trumps words, said Obama, had shown that he doesnt know much about foreign policy or nuclear policy... or the world generally. Recommended Read more This could be the end for Donald Trump It is worth noting a couple of ironies here. Obama is on the record in his last State of the Union address and in his recent Atlantic magazine interview as rejecting, more explicitly than any of his immediate predecessors, a world policeman role for the US. Both he, and his former defence secretary, have also criticised the lacklustre contribution to the alliance of some Europeans. To question Natos very existence, however, is another matter. For a sitting president, countenancing the twilight of the North Atlantic alliance is a step far too far. There are times, though - and this is one of them - when a measure of distance and not knowing may foster much-needed clarity. Seen from the perspective of 2016, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is not only obsolete, but has been so in spirit since 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, and in fact since the end of 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed. The end of the Cold War should have celebrated, and made final, by the dissolution of both the alliances of the era. In the event, only the Warsaw Pact was wound up. Nato survived, and has spent the best part of 30 years casting around for something else to do. There are reasons why Nato was not disbanded. Some are understandable: there was so much going on, so many uncertainties to deal with, that there was no time to take on additional distractions. Nato also offered an element of solid security in a suddenly fluid world. Other reasons are, in their way, admirable. Those countries now freed from the extinct Soviet bloc still feared Russia and sought the defensive shelter they believed Nato could provide. The mistake was less to admit them, almost a decade later, than that the alliance was still there. Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY The collapse of the Soviet Union was a lost opportunity for a new security settlement across the whole of Europe. But a second opportunity was lost, too. During the late 1990s there were tensions between the US and the European Union, which had begun to harbour defence ambitions of its own. While Washington was all in favour of its European allies taking a greater interest in their own security, it did not want them to run their own show. Had the Europeans asserted themselves more, had the British been better Europeans, had Nato expansion not obscured the dilemma, the EU might now have its own defence union, albeit not without a possibly unpleasant split with Washington. It is tempting to look back at what might have been - and specifically what different security arrangements for Europe might have prevented. The obvious example here is the Ukraine crisis and the new stand-off with Russia which gives Nato a revived (and thoroughly regrettable) purpose. In the end, though, perhaps the least contentious way for Nato to bow out would not be in a new 1991-style cataclysm, nor for the Europeans to declare defence independence, but for the US to conclude that the alliance is no longer in its national interest. Or, as Donald Trump put it, that Nato is obsolete, that it may dissolve, and thats OK. 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 }} This week's Republican primary in Wisconsin was indeed a turning point as Ted Cruz put it but not only in the sense that the Texas senator intended, that voters are starting to desert a faltering Donald Trump and rally to his flag as the sole viable alternative. That may well be true: on Tuesday the arch-conservative Mr Cruz notably extended his support among moderate voters. Even more important though, assuming this trend holds in the contests that still lie ahead, his victory signifies that no candidate is likely to secure the 1,237 delegates required for a first ballot victory at Julys convention in Cleveland, Ohio. The modern US party convention has become little more than a pageant. A nominee has emerged from the primary season, he has already announced his vice-presidential running mate. His formal coronation is centre-piece of a three-day political info-mercial, minutely scripted to show the party in the most favourable possible light, but essentially newsless despite the best efforts of the army of reporters who cover them. This time, however, it could be an unscripted free-for-all of utterly unpredictable outcome. The last time a candidate failed to be nominated on the first ballot was at the Democratic convention of 1952, and just conceivably, the same might occur for Democrats this year if Bernie Sanders maintains his current winning streak against Hillary Clinton. That, however, is but a remote possibility. Republicans, who last went through a multi-vote convention in 1948, are now staring the beast in the face. Mr Trump needs to win 65 per cent or so of delegates in the remaining primaries and caucuses to cross the finishing line. That now looks a tall order. Mr Cruz needs 80 per cent plus, an even taller order. As for the third candidate still standing, governor John Kasich of Ohio, he must amass no less than 124 per cent of available delegates. In years past, confronted by this statistical impossibility, Mr Kasich would have thrown in the towel. But in 2016 nomal maths dont apply. He is still in the race because polls give him the best chance of the three remaining contenders of defeating Hillary Clinton in November. And hey, if he could get the convention rules changed, that might just yet happen. Cleveland, though, is completely uncharted territory. Once such events were described as brokered conventions." But in 2016, who will do the brokering? Not the Republican establishment, akin to the men in grey suits who once decided prime ministerial comings and goings in the Tory party. The biggest lesson of this campaign, and the main reason for Mr Trumps remarkable success, is the gulf it has exposed between a discredited establishment and grass roots voters who think the former has betrayed them. A blatant attempt to fix things in the smoke-filled rooms of yore could see an uprising among Mr Trumps dedicated supporters, outraged that the candidate who in every probability will enter the convention with the most delegates had been denied the crown by machinations behind closed doors. More likely, a contested convention will mean arcane fights over rules, and a battle for the hearts of delegates who after the first ballot will be free to defect to the candidate their choice. That battle has already started, in the delegate selection processes under way in states that have held their primaries and caucuses. Cleveland wont run to the 103 ballots and 16 days of the legendary deadlocked Democratic convention of 1924. Nor will it be a great advertisement for democracy. But for once, reporters will really have something to write about. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight 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 Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Claims and counter-claims abound on the topic of how much it costs the UK to belong to the European Union. Unsurprisingly, both sides of the debate cherry-pick the statistics that support their side of the argument, but both are also prone to misrepresent the facts and to neglect data that tell a different story. Part of the explanation for this confusion is that there are conceptually very different ways of measuring the flows to and from Brussels through the EU budget. All EU members pay in to it and all receive money from EU spending programmes, ranging from the Common Agricultural Policy to the Horizon 2020 research initiatives. However, some EU spending does not directly come back to members because it is for policies implemented collectively, notably to support what the EU does in the rest of the world, such as spending on humanitarian aid. And a relatively small proportion of EU spending (around 6 per cent) is on the administrative costs of running the Union. The EU budget amounts to around one per cent of the total annual output of the EU, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP). To fund it, member countries are expected to contribute one per cent of their respective national GDPs. However, ever since Margaret Thatcher negotiated the famous rebate in 1984, the UK has been required to pay less than this proportion, with others then obliged to pay relatively more to make up the difference. The result is that the actual amount that the UK sends to Brussels, to use a phrase often employed in the debate, is not the hypothetical gross contribution, but an amount that has already been reduced because of the rebate. Although this is well-known, campaigners all too frequently use the higher figure, despite the fact that it is wrong (and some of those making the claim know this full well). For example, the often heard claim that the UK sends 350 million per week to the EU is based on this incorrect measure. The amount that the Treasury remits to Brussels, and thus the direct cost to UK taxpayers, always has the rebate deducted before payment is made. Because of this, the correct figure, taking account of the rebate, should be around 280 million per week (based on 2014 data). UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA 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 The contention (by the Vote Leave campaign featured prominently on its home page) that the UK has paid more than half a trillion pounds is also wrong. The calculation aggregates UK payments to the EU since first joining in 1973, after reflating the amounts from earlier years to current prices. While the methodology employed can be justified, the Vote Leave calculation also makes use of the wrong figure, again by ignoring the rebate. An amended calculation (using the same methodology but applying it to the amount the UK actually pays) shows that the half trillion figures exaggerates the true figure by fully 110 billion. There are other ways of looking at what Britain pays, for example by taking account of money that flows back to the UK through spending from EU programmes. A net contribution can be calculated in this way by deducting what the UK receives from what it contributes. In 2014, the receipts were a little under 6 billion. Throughout our years of membership since 1973, only the UK and Germany have consistently been net contributors to the EUs finances, although in recent years, many more countries have joined them. Remain campaigners know this, but often blur the picture by arguing that the UK benefits in other ways. They then arrive at a figure which conflates budget flows with a range of other benefits to arrive at figures such as a net 3,000 gain per household per year. This too is misleading for the simple reason that it is comparing apples with oranges. In short, they are all at it. Citizens, voters, commentators: beware. Iain Begg is a a senior fellow of The UK in a Changing Europe 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 }} Welcome the new style of democracy, where taxpayers money is spent on the EU In campaign at 34p per household. Campaign leafleting to win is a numbers game; the more you hammer the point home the more chance of gaining success. The new leaflet that we are all due to receive, printed under the banner of being from our Government, will mislead some people that there is all-party support to remain in the EU and will play on their insecurities to vote for such. This is political manipulation which contradicts our British sense of fair play, decency and consideration, and is unacceptable. The Conservatives know that the public and MPs are too apathetic to react to the outrageous spending of taxpayers money and, with a docile nation that seems to have lost its confrontational strength, it seems that we will remain in the EU, regardless. The Conservatives overspent on expenses for three by-elections which were pivotal to their General Election win last year. Our new leaner, keener and meaner government is now showing a new form of the old Conservative sleaze. Rodger G Deyn Manchester I'm strongly in favour of staying in the EU but, as a taxpayer, I object to the government using my money for campaigning. Moreover, I fear that it could be counter-productive because many people who are irritated by the leaflet may be turned against the cause it attempts to promote. Here is yet another example of this government's inability to understand ordinary people. Susan Alexander Frampton Cotterell, South Gloucestershire It is funny that the government now resorts to using our tax money to send us leaflets telling us to vote to remain in the EU. This desperate action, coupled with the false claims the leaflet makes, proves that there is nothing good anyone can actually say about the EU. Emily Stevens Brighton I wish to remain in the EU, but the publication of this brochure is ill considered. Those who are undecided want either opposing views set out side by side or an impartial view on each issue. No-one wants opinions laid out as facts, with scant justification, or glossy pictures. Both are patronizing to the public. What incompetence. Patrick Cosgrove Bucknell, Shropshire Now that the Government has published a document detailing the case for remaining in the EU, it must produce a similar document detailing the case for exiting the EU. This is most important, so that the public can make an informed decision. Timothy Harris Bridgnorth Limp excuses over government failure on tax havens To crack down on tax havens, says Dominic Grieve, would ruin livelihoods. I suppose we should not crack down on illegal gambling or tax avoidance as it would ruin the livelihood of the illegal dodgers? Or illegal theft or robbery or those who reset stolen goods, as that too would ruin someone's livelihood along the illegal chain? I have heard limp excuses in the past equivocating the absurd, but that statement by Grieve must rank as the most preposterous. Ian Cameron's fund prospectus, according to reports, advertised that no UK tax would be paid. I make no further comment other than to ask if this is an incitement or inducement to dodge tax. John Edgar Blackford What an extraordinary conclusion John Rentoul arrives at in his article on transparency, or not, of public figures on their tax returns. He suggests that "normal" people would be deterred from public service if they ran the vexatious risk of having to come clean about their tax affairs. Why dont we all shut up shop and move to the Virgin Islands? Donald Zec Address supplied David Cameron may claim not to benefit from his fathers offshore fund. I wonder how many parents may also have been able to provide the best education money can buy given the same cosy tax arrangements? Michael Blake Beverley, East Yorkshire The BBC is too easy on Cameron How interesting to see that the BBC website devotes a long piece to scrutiny of any suspicious links to President Putin that might be revealed in the Panama Papers, while contenting itself with merely reporting Downing Street's denial that David Cameron derived any benefit from Cameron Senior's equally murky financial jiggery pokery in the Caribbean. But, of course, the BBC - as it never ceases reminding us ad nauseum - is entirely independent and is not in the least reliant on the government's goodwill when it comes to raking in its licence fee. Is it? Adrian Marlowe Netherlands The military is no place for animals Awarding Lucca, the army dog, the canine equivalent of a Victoria Cross is anthropomorphic romanticism. The animal was not protecting allied troops, as Nicola Sheerin suggests, but simply doing what men had trained it to do, for their exclusive benefit. The poor beast seems to have lost a leg: Id say thats an example of extreme cruelty to animals. People who have made fighting their chosen way of making a living should be taking their own risks, instead of endangering innocent animals. Robert Dow Tranent 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 most relevant newspaper cartoon on the asylum story popped up on the front page of The Irish Times this week, for Martyn Turners sketch caught two scandals in one. On the left hand side was a rich businessman stepping onto a palm-fringed island under the caption: Since forever, RICH people have been taking their assets offshore to avoid tax... On the right hand side of the cartoon, refugees in a flimsy rubber boat sail across choppy seas beneath the words: Since recently POOR people have been taking their assets offshore... Guess which problem we have worked day and night to stop? Well, of course, its the poor guys who are getting the chop courtesy of an annual 3bn to the Turks and an easy visa for anyone from Izmir to Iskanderia who wants to take a look at the EU which the refugees risked their lives to reach. Its not just that nor the clever-clogs way in which the EU packed its first boat of returnees with Pakistanis who dont quite qualify for our pity, and thus couldnt be seen on our television screens as refugees fleeing for their lives.They all went meekly aboard, guarded by the blue legions of Frontex, that least accountable of all border institutions the EU has yet invented. Im sure theyre all gentle lads and lasses, but why on earth do they wear these preposterous hygiene masks over their faces when confronted by refugees? Reporters, NGOs, local villagers apparently feel no need to protect their health from the huddled masses of the Middle East. But the Frontex centurions seem to be in a state of permanent delicate healths. Indeed, like the soldiery and cops of Brussels, it now seem de rigeur for any self-respecting European security man to wrap his face up in scarves or hoods. Are we telling the world that the refugees are plague carriers? Or have the Belgian army and police and Frontex picked up this fashion accessory from Isis itself? As for the one-for-one refugee exchanges, as weve now been taught to call the whole fandango, what happened to our well-founded concerns about the nature of the state Turkey to which we are dispatching immigrants the moment they step ashore on Greek territory? Sure, the Turks have promised that they will be very correct and pleasant and sweet to all the folk we fling back at them. But isnt there a problem with Turkey? Isnt this the place where the cops take over newspapers and lock up journalists, and where the army has been slaughtering large numbers of Kurds for decades, and where the president is turning into a miniature Sultan? And where, still let this not be forgotten the government does not recognise the Turkish genocide of a million and a half Christian Armenians in 1915? I imagine that present-day Armenian refugees from Syria will demand a quick transit to Greece and Syrian Kurds in Greece will request a very slow journey back to Turkey. I was very struck by the words of French philosophy professor Frederic Worms last month who pointed out that the Turks will somehow ensure that Europe has validated the identity of refugees travelling (legally, if thats the right word) in the other direction. In other words, were already choosing the ones we want from the ones we dont want. The ironies and the injustices and the violence, alas are still to come. Yet at least there are some prepared to point out the iniquities of the current crisis and take risks to do so. Among the latest are German journalist Wolfgang Bauer and Czech photographer Stanislav Krupar whose slim new book, Crossing the Seas: With Syrians on the Exodus to Europe, is a bleak but deeply revealing expose of the trade in refugees. Both men set off from Egypt, beaten by youthful smugglers on their way to the beach, only to be caught when it turns out that the nightly Egyptian naval patrol has not been paid off by the smugglers. When the same Syrians without their journalist friends try the same trip later, the very same patrol boat lets them sail away. But its not just the detail in this book that counts. Its the anger. Europe had done nothing to bring the carnage in Syria to an end, Bauer says, and most European governments...said a no-fly zone and military intervention would just worsen the situation... Hundreds of thousands of people have come to us across the sea and via the Balkans. And now the EUs interior ministers want to close the borders. None of them have resigned, despite the thousands who have drowned in the Mediterranean in the wake of their mistakes... All those who whose strategies led to the greatest disaster since the Second World War are still working on strategies for the Middle East. I dont buy Bauers demand for military action; by funnelling weapons to the bad guys in Syria, weve done quite enough intervening already. But his conclusion is humbling indeed. He talks about the horrors of last years Paris attacks which, he says, are endured by the Syrians every single awful day. But we have never been particularly interested in the Syrians suffering. We are only interested in our own suffering. No wonder we are wearing face-masks. 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 theatre of the absurd is no longer fashionable for playgoers but the politics of the absurd flourishes in the West Balkans. Tomorrow, a new president of Kosovo will be inaugurated. It is a calm, peaceful transition, but the President of Serbia, Tomislaw Nikolic, unlike other heads of Kovosos neighbouring states, will not attend the ceremony because he says Kosovo does not exist. Kafka was Czech, not Serb, but the spirit of the writer is alive in Belgrade, where the Serb leaders do not seem to be able to live with the fact that the Balkans wars are over. The region faces new problems: a tsunami of refugees fleeing violence in Iraq and Syria; massive youth unemployment from the Aegean to the Alps, sending scores of thousands to join family and friends in north Europe to earn some money; an inability to let the past be history. Belgrade once lorded it over the former Yugoslavia, but no longer. Kosovo, for example, has as much chance of returning to rule by Serbs as Ireland is likely to go back to being ruled by Britain after the Easter Uprising of 1916 and the war of independence five years later. Nevertheless, Serbs feel the losers. They feel let down by the international court in the Hague, as their hero Radovan Karadzic is sentenced to 40 years in prison for his involvement in Serb brutalities against Croats and Bosniaks. But the statement from the Serb president that Kosovo is a nonexistent state takes Balkan politics to a new high of absurdity. To be sure, Russia vetoes Kosovo being a UN member as a way of getting back at the United States after the US finally intervened in the Balkans to stop the Serb wars of the 1990s. But this childish Moscow power play has not stopped most of the worlds democracies opening embassies in Pristina and treating Kosovo like Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia, and Serbia itself, as successor states to Titos Yugoslavia. Last month Prince Charles went to Kosovo and made a highly charged appeal in Serbia. Citing the death of his godson, who was blown up with Lord Mountbatten by a terrorist bomb in 1979, he said: I have at least some understanding, through my own experience, of the heart-rending anguish that so many families in this region of whatever nationality, race or religion, have experienced through the loss of loved ones. In a speech that he was uniquely placed to make, Prince Charles told the Serbs: Only reconciliation offers the assurance that our children and grandchildren will not suffer the same agonies as our generation. The royal appeal has fallen on deaf ears in ruling circles in Belgrade,where the Kosovo presidential inauguration will not be an act of reconciliation but a rejection of the fact that Kosovo now exists. Serbia seems determined to divert from the road to the EU that Brussels diplomats take for granted. As the Serb president proclaimed Kosovo does not exist, the nations foreign minister, Ivica Dacic, told the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, at a press conference in Moscow that, while Serbia wants to become part of the European Union, it cannot be done at a cost of our good relations with the Russian Federation". Russia can do nothing for the Serb people who need to join the network of EU citizens, and integrate with richer, more democratic Europe. Yet where is the political leader in Belgrade able to move? At a time when stability and cooperation between the former component nations and peoples of Yugoslavia is more than ever necessary no-one knows how to leave history to historians and move on. Denis MacShane was Minister for Europe and the Balkans from 2001 to 2005 An aerial view of a new runway set to open in 2020 (Dublin Airport Authority/PA) Dublin Airport chiefs have offered to buy at least 40 homes as they push ahead with plans for a second runway by 2020. Aviation bosses said the deal for homeowners worst affected by noise and flight paths will be kept on the table for at least one year. The 320 million euro runway project was first given the green light in 2007 and management is now examining options to reverse tough planning restrictions on take-offs and landings between 11pm and 7am. Forty homes suffering the greatest noise disruption have already been identified and another set of homes close to the airport will be offered specialist insulation. Meetings have been arranged with residents' associations from Portmarnock and St Margaret's to assess demand. "We are going to work very closely with the residents," a spokeswoman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said. "There is a number of mitigating measures which we put forward as part of the planning application back in 2007. We will be honouring that." The cost for the home buy-up scheme has not been estimated but the DAA said it would pay "full market value" based on independent assessments. The 3,110 metre runway will be built 1.6km north of the existing main runway and airport bosses estimate it will help create 31,000 jobs over two decades. The DAA said compulsory purchase orders will not be used in the expansion as the airport secured the necessary land bank in the 1970s when the idea was first floated. Aviation chiefs identified houses for purchase by assessing exposure to noise from planes in homes and schools. Tests were carried out during the day and night along places at the same height over 90 days of the airport's busiest months from June to September. They were recorded on contours on a map and took into account the types of aircraft, the flight paths and other factors. Areas hit by noise of 63 decibels will be offered insulation and people in homes affected by 69 decibels will be offered relocation. The DAA said the scheme was in line with international practice. The Portmarnock Residents' Association is meeting airport bosses on Monday for talks on the expansion plans and the potential buy-outs and insulation offers. Kevin Toland, DAA chief executive, said the airport's runway infrastructure is currently at capacity during peak hours. "We are very conscious of balancing the national and business needs with those of our local communities and we will continue to work closely with our neighbours in relation to this project," Mr Toland said. Conditions three and five of the original planning permission would severely reduce future operational capacity of the airport at key periods. They include a ban on take-offs or landings on the new runway from 11pm to 7am, which would affect two of the busiest hours of the day - 6am-7am for departures and 11pm to midnight for arrivals. The second condition restricted the average number of take-offs and landings at the airport between 11pm and 7am to 65. At the time the average was already 72 and it is now 99, meaning flights would be cut by one third during the eight night-time hours if the runway is built under the current planning order. "It'd be akin to putting a lane on the M50 and not being allowed to use it," the spokeswoman said. The entire project was put on hold in 2008 because of the recession. Construction is now scheduled to start in 2017 and about 1,200 people will work on the building project. It is billed as the key expansion needed to cement Dublin as a North Atlantic hub for long-haul operations, an idea repeatedly floated by International Airlines Group when it was buying Aer Lingus. Passenger numbers recovered significantly as the economy has begun to improve and last year was the busiest in the airport's history, with 25 million people passing through. The DAA said passenger numbers continue to grow strongly this year, with double-digit growth recorded in January and February. It said almost 50 new routes and services have been added to schedules in the last two years, along with significant increases in capacity on a number of existing routes and nine new airlines operating at Dublin. Mr Toland said a second operating runway has the potential to open up connections to a range of long-haul destinations, particularly Asia, Africa and South America. "The north runway will significantly improve Ireland's connectivity, which plays a critical role in growing passenger numbers and sustaining the future economic development of Ireland," he said. Paschal Donohoe, acting Transport Minister, said the runway was a vital piece of infrastructure that would support Ireland's continuing economic recovery. "It has the potential to create thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, over the coming years," he said. "In recent years, Dublin Airport has experienced a strong and sustainable return to growth. However, in order to capitalise on this growth and sustain it into the future, we need to put in place the appropriate airport infrastructure." The Irish Congress of Trade Unions warned the runway project must not become a vehicle for bogus self-employment and tax evasion in the construction sector. Trade union official Fergus Whelan said: "Forcing individual workers to pretend they are independent contractors only benefits bad construction employers. Workers lose their rights and entitlements and the state loses tax revenue." The congress also called for adequate apprentice numbers to be employed. Elsewhere, the Green Party said people in Portmarnock and St Margaret's who live below flight paths will be adversely affected. Acting premier Enda Kenny has accused his arch-rivals of a serious mistake in spurning his proposal for a ground-breaking coalition to free the country from political stalemate. His Fine Gael party overwhelmingly backed moves towards a a "full partnership government" with ancient enemies Fianna Fail amid fears for the ongoing economic recovery. The proposal would have ended more than 90 years of bitter civil-war era enmity between the pair to break a deadlock caused by an unprecedented voter split in February's general election. Both parties held meetings of their parliamentary members on Thursday on the prospect of a historic deal. But after four hours of discussions with his own rank and file, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin delivered his rebuke in a frosty 10-minute meeting with caretaker Taoiseach Mr Kenny. Afterwards, he insisted Fianna Fail had campaigned to put Fine Gael out of power. "We made a core commitment to the Irish people, we reiterated it time and time again and we are not going back on it," he said. Mr Kenny hit back that Fianna Fail was acting in its own selfish interests. "I believe that this decision is a serious mistake and one which was driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest," he said. "Ireland needs a stable and lasting government to meet the many national and international challenges facing the country. "Fine Gael's preferred option of a full partnership is the best option for providing the necessary stability and it is very regrettable that Fianna Fail has rejected this historic opportunity." Voters now face the prospect of going back to the polls if a stable minority government cannot be formed within the coming weeks. Fine Gael said the "partnership" offer remains on the table. But with both sides trading insults on the choreography of the offer, or the haste with which it was turned down, it appears unlikely they will strike a deal any time soon. Mr Martin said he would support a minority Fine Gael-led government from the Opposition benches, if he could not form one himself. Concerns would remain over the stability of such an administration. Bookmakers immediately slashed the odds on a second general election being held on the back of Fianna Fail's refusal to enter a "grand coalition" with Fine Gael. After its meeting, Fine Gael party secretary Helen McEntee said: "This is an historic offer, representing seismic change in the political landscape. "I believe now more than ever we need to put the people first." Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael's acting chairwoman, said a "partnership government" is the best way to assure stability. "Fine Gael TDs and Senators overwhelmingly supported a partnership government, as the best way to provide a stable and lasting government to deal with the issues concerning people and the challenges facing the country," she said. However, a slew of senior Fianna Fail figures remained trenchant in their opposition to a partnership. Niall Collins, the party's justice spokesman, said it had sought votes on the basis that it would not support Fine Gael in power. "I think to roll over now to enter a grand partnership or coalition with Fine Gael would be a betrayal of that," he said. John McGuinness was one of the few high-profile Fianna Fail figures to publicly back the idea. "I have no problem with a partnership government that gives 50-50 to everyone involved," he said. Willie O'Dea, a former Fianna Fail minister, campaigned on the basis of not supporting a Fine Gael minority government. "The people of this country voted to get rid of the outgoing government; they voted to get rid of Enda Kenny as taoiseach," he said. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had engaged in six weeks of play acting. "It was always clear from the election results that the only real option was for the two conservative parties to form a government," he said. "The policies of both parties are entirely compatible. The civil war excuse is bogus." Mr Adams added: "It will be entirely reprehensible if Fine Gael and Fianna Fail came back next week, having suspended the Dail, and go through the same charade again. That would be unacceptable. "They should either do a deal or they should admit that there won't be one. It's time they were honest with people." Houses and apartments at Abbeylands in Co Kildare will be sold at the upcoming Allsop auction As many as 70 commercial properties as well as some residential portfolios valued at less than half a million euros will be included among the properties which Allsop will auction on 28 April at the RDS, Dublin. Combined guide prices for the 210 lots in the catalogue total 23m. In Co Monaghan, The Castleblaney Shopping Centre that was developed by local supermarket owner Jim McConnon is being offered for sale with a 320,000 to 440,000 guide price range. Across the road a plot of land extending to 2.27 acres known as Tavey's Lands is also in the auction with a 70,000 guide price. The vacant shopping centre at Railway Road, extends to almost 85,300 sq ft. It is divided into 25 units including three large units: a food court of 15,000 sq ft, a supermarket of 20,000 sq ft and a third unit of 23,000 sq ft. The centre is arranged over a two storey basement car park, ground, and first floors and has two pedestrian access points from the town's Main Street. In Cork a group of seven off-licence stores are being auctioned in separate lots. If they were to achieve their combined guide prices their sales would generate 904,000. Individually they range in guide price from 90,000 to 180,000. Three of the units have leases with Kingsleigh Ltd trading as the O'Donovans chain of off-licences and two of these are located in Blackpool and Summerhill North in Cork City. Another of these lots, in Passage West, consists of two units, one of which has a lease with Kingsleigh showing a rent of 10,000 a year and the other a lease with an individual trading as De Barber at 9,000 a year. This lot has a combined guide price of 120,000 to 130,000 suggesting a yield of 15.2 pc. The other four former off-licence units are vacant and located in Douglas Village and Shandon St in Cork City as well as the towns of Mallow and Cobh. A period Limerick property, whose tenants include a museum dedicated to the memory of Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, will go under the hammer with a 140,000 to 180,000 guide price. Known as Leamy House, Hartstonge Street, Limerick City, the arts and crafts style property extends to 15,726 sq ft and is subject to four tenancies generating 23,500 a year. However the museum is on an informal lease with a rent of 100 a year. A number of commuter belt multi-unit residential investment properties are included in the auction with some of their units occupied and generating rents. A group of four two-bedroom apartments, 18, 12, 119 and 114 Thornfield Square, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, have a 380,000 guide price. Ranging in size from 645 to 839 sq ft three of the units are occupied and generating annual gross rent reserved of 27,600. In Co Louth, a group of six houses on 4.6 acres at Cordoogan, Monasterboice has a 420,000 - 460,000 guide price. These include five terraced houses, each with four bedrooms and generating current rent reserved of 35,640 a year. The sixth unit is a detached house with five bedrooms finished to shell and core meaning that it requires to be fitted out and decorated. In Keenagh, Co Longford, eight semi-detached houses on a 2.66 acre site are for sale with a 400,000 guide price. Five of the properties including four houses are at 4, 5, 8 and 9 Crannach. The other houses comprise 3 and 4 Leo Casey Drive and 4 and 10 Woodland Path. One of the houses - 4 Crannach generates 3,640 a year in rent while the others are at various stages of completion. Among the commercial properties are three in Dublin with guide prices in the 150,000 to 230,000 range. The more valuable of these is Unit 1 Manor Hall Shopping Centre, Swords, Co. Dublin, which extends to 1,209 sq ft and is let to SASPAR Ltd trading as McNally's Pharmacy. Its guide price is 200,000 to 230,000. The auctioneer says it has a current rent reserved of 50,000 a year suggesting a possible gross yield of 23.2pc but rent payments are being withheld. A modern end of terrace warehouse investment, Unit 7 Block J, Ballymount Industrial Estate Ballymount Drive, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, has a 180,000 to 200,000 guide price. It extends to 5,091 sq. ft and also has a mezzanine floor. Its current rent reserved is 30,000 suggesting a gross yield of about 15.8pc and is let to an individual trading as Eolas Technologies. A vacant retail showroom at Harbour Court, Georges Place, Dun Laoghaire has a 150,000 to 170,000 guide price. A Waterford warehouse unit with a current rent reserved of 55,000 a year might possibly have the potential to generate a gross yield of 30pc a year. Located at IDA Industrial Estate, Cork Road, Waterford, the property is let to WWETB Training Services, formerly known as FAS, but its lease is due to expire next December. It extends to 10,000 sq. ft and its guide price ranges from 165,000 to 200,000. More higher value commercial and investment properties will be for sale at the next Allsop Private auction which will take place in the Minerva Suite in the RDS on 11 May. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photo: Reuters European stock markets rose by late afternoon yesterday, boosted by pharma companies as the $160bn mega-merger between Pfizer and Allergan unravelled as President Obama sought to thwart tax-focused corporate mergers. The giant would have had its headquarters in Ireland. News that the rug had been pulled from under the merger sent shares in UK drug companies such as Shire and AstraZeneca higher as mergers and acquisitions activity was put back in focus. A rebound in oil prices and data from China also helped stocks. Traders said the pharma sector in the UK was rallying on the possibility that British drug companies might be back in play. "The possibility now is that Pfizer goes shopping again, and you might be prepared to develop a case that maybe a firm like Shire becomes the bid target," said Chris Beauchamp, market analyst at IG. "The implications of the new rules would have to be worked out, but if you've got cash sloshing around the sector, people are wondering who will benefit." There were several broker notes from the likes of Credit Suisse, saying that Shire's bid for Baxalta is likely go ahead despite the new ruling. In Ireland, the Overall ISEQ Index had dipped slightly by late afternoon and was just 0.53pc lower near the close, at 6,189.82. Stocks that were active included Ryanair, which shed 3.8pc, or 53 cent, to 13.32 as the closing bell loomed. It fell as EasyJet's passenger numbers disappointed investors. Shares in the Ryanair rival declined about 3pc. Airlines were among biggest fallers on the FTSE. Traders said the figures showed that Easyjet was underperforming the likes of Ryanair, which produced stronger figures last month. "Budget airline EasyJet's latest figures disappointed investors," AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said. "Passenger numbers rose in March but the load factor fell after the airline was forced to cancel hundreds of flights, principally due to strike action in France," he noted. British Airways and Aer Lingus owner IAG was down 2.5pc in London. Back on the ISEQ, Bank of Ireland was 2.7pc lower at 25 cent as the end of the session neared, while both CRH and C&C were on track to claw back some of the losses they notched up on Tuesday. The UK's FTSE-100 was 1.1pc higher, while France's CAC-40 was up 0.7pc. Germany's DAX was 0.6pc higher. Miner Glencore shed 1.2pc after agreeing to sell 40pc of its agricultural business to Canada's state pension fund to cut debt. The chief financial officer of Dublin-based retail giant Primark, Aidan Shields, has left the company after six years in the role, the Irish Independent has learned. Mr Shields, a native of Cork, is understood to have moved back to the United States with his family, where he was living prior to taking up the role with Primark. His wife, Patti, has been active in Irish-American activities since they moved to this country. Mr Shields's departure comes just as Primark is accelerating its roll-out in the US, having opened its first store there last September, in Boston. Primark is owned by UK group Associated British Foods. A spokesman confirmed Mr Shields' departure and said that a successor would be appointed in due course. The role is certain to lure a number of high-ranking candidates. Mr Shields worked closely with Primark chief executive Paul Marchant, who has headed the clothing chain since 2009, when he took over from the legendary Arthur Ryan. Mr Marchant had previously been the chief operating officer of New Look. Mr Shields studied at the Cork Institute of Technology, and has an MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Prior to joining Primark, he had worked for retailer Gap and its Old Navy unit, as well as for KPMG in the United States. Primark, which trades as Penneys in Ireland, is the gem in ABF's portfolio of activities, which stretch from sugar production to argi-feeds. ABF is publicly-listed and controlled by the Weston family, which also owns Brown Thomas, Selfridges, and now Arnotts. In the financial year to the end of last September, Primark made a 673m profit - about 61pc of the total ABF profit, and accounted for about 42pc the group's 12.8bn revenue. Primark now has 300 stores in 10 countries, having started off as a one-shop operation in Dublin in 1969. It expects to open another six outlets in the United States this calendar year, and a 70,000 sq ft store in New Jersey next year. The Bizimply team. The company is set to hire 15 more staff Dublin-based Bizimply has raised 2m to help it grow. The tech company helps other businesses to manage employee rostering and costs. Dublin and London private equity fund Causeway Capital led the investment round alongside 500 Startups, a global venture capital seed fund based in Silicon Valley. Founded by Bono's brother, Norman Hewson, Gerard Forde and Mikey Cannon, Bizimply is a recent winner of the ESB Spark Of Genius award and the PITCH Alpha award at the 2015 Web Summit. Bizimply is a workforce management platform for businesses with predominantly hourly paid workforces. Its cloud software provides multi-location businesses with an efficient and scalable way of scheduling employees, monitoring costs, managing attendance and keeping up-to-date HR records, and improving employee communication and engagement. Backed by high profile and experienced investors including Ray Nolan (Skyscanner), Jerry Kennelly (tweak) and Bono, Bizimply is in over 450 locations in 11 countries. Clients include Wagamama, TGI Fridays, Insomnia Coffee, Mothercare and Compu b. The new funds will be used to expand Bizimply's sales and marketing capability. The company plans to create 15 new jobs over the next 12 months, the majority at the company's head office in Dublin, as well as open an office in London and the US. "We have been growing rapidly over the past 12 months, with interest from businesses all around the world. The investment by Causeway Capital and 500 Startups will enable us to really scale the business and expand our team as we move to the next level," said Bizimply founder and CEO Gerard Forde. Causeway Capital partner Matt Scaife said: "The Bizimply team has developed a world class product which saves its customers time, effort and money. "A company's most valuable asset is its people and people management is so important to managers and business owners. "Well-designed software can make such a difference - particularly in small to medium-sized businesses where management time is a scarce resource." Pegasus Capital advised Bizimply on the fundraising. Dillon Eustace acted as legal advisers to Causeway Capital. Maples acted as legal advisor to Bizimply. Workforce solutions firm CXC Corporate Services is to create 30 new jobs at its new Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) hub in Dublin. The new roles will be based across operations, multi-lingual sales, marketing, and support at its new office. The company, which deals in contractor management, compliance, risk mitigation and other areas, has recently agreed a partnership with on-demand sourcing platform Elevate Direct that will be supported from Ireland. CXC Corporate Services managing director Connor Heaney said Dublin is "perfectly positioned" between its two major growth markets, the US and EMEA. "The talent pool available to us in Ireland plus the ease of access it affords to the US and EMEA were key drivers in our decision to locate here," Mr Heaney said. IDA Ireland chief executive Martin Shanahan said CXC has chosen Ireland to expand its business into Europe and the US. "IDA Ireland markets Ireland as a location for global companies from across the world to gain access to these markets. IDA Irelands Growth Markets Division is actively targeting a number of companies in Australia - this investment win will assist in IDAs marketing efforts. CXC Corporate Services is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland. We got a wake-up call when three gardai straight out of Templemore quit and said they might as well work at Tesco. We realised that the guys employed to tackle crime are on very poor pay - so bad, that it is hard to retain them. They start on 23,750 in year one, and after 10 years this rises to around 46,000. But even after 19 years, it's not a salary that's going to allow you to buy the average house. The days when gardai were stereotyped as landlords in Rathmines are gone. The Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure, Robert Watt, disputed some of the figures being bandied about in relation to public servants' pay this week. He said when allowances are taken into account, gardai can earn up to 31,000 in year one. However, the Garda Representative Association insisted members would have to work day and night to achieve anything like this. Central Statistics Office figures point to the gap between the average public sector and private sector worker, with the private sector faring worst. But these figures mask the realities for many - including the lower paid among the workforce with its numerous grades, incremental payscales, allowances and premium pay. To be fair to Tesco workers, in terms of pay they have it tougher. Their starting rates may be similar to gardai, but there the similarities end. Their rise up the pay scale stops at about 12 an hour and most can only hope for 30 hours or less a week. Senior Mandate official Gerry Light suggested any garda considering making the leap into retail should understand the shift patterns don't come with premiums from 7am til midnight. But even on the upper end of the pay scales, it could be argued that gardai and teachers might be tempted to think about another career. The government has gone some way to better the pay of so-called 'yellow pack' workers in the public sector since wages were slashed by 10pc during the recession. But if the unions are right, there is huge pressure among their members for more. They have said they want the restoration of pay accelerated. It's not clear yet whether this means they want the pay rises due brought forward, new pay claims, or both. They are also likely to hold Fianna Fail to its election promise to repeal the Fempi legislation if it is involved in the negotiations for a programme for government - this would mean the 2bn taken through the pension levy and pay cuts would go straight back into their pockets. Subscribe to The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone via iTunes or SoundCloud. There has been an explosion of Irish companies producing high quality food and drink for Irish and international markets and on this weeks Ready Business show, Brian Purcell spoke to two entrepreneurs who have found success. Gary Lavin, co-founder and Managing Director of VitHit and Brian Lee, founder of Chopped, explained their very different journeys to reach this point and gave their thoughts on the revolution in Irish food and drink that has been occurring over the last few years, especially for those products with an emphasis on healthy produce. Expand Close Brian Lee, founder of 'Chopped' and Gary Lavin , Founder of 'Vit Hit' chat with Presenter Brian Purcell during the Ready Business Podcast. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brian Lee, founder of 'Chopped' and Gary Lavin , Founder of 'Vit Hit' chat with Presenter Brian Purcell during the Ready Business Podcast. For Lavin, it has been a seventeen year overnight success when as he describes it, the market finally caught up with VitHit about five years ago. Perseverance is what its all about he says as well as believing strongly in your product. After seventeen years of dogged persistence, VitHit is officially the fastest growing soft drink in Ireland and the 15th biggest selling soft drink nationally. VitHit now sells over 17 million bottles per year in 8 countries and in the UK it is the market leader in health drinks in both Boots and Tesco. For Brian Lee, his road to Chopped has been one that has seen him always answer his entrepreneurial spark, from his teenage years when he ran his own stalls at the Christmas markets, to running a successful property management company in his 20s, before opening FIT Studios in Dublins Fairview. Seeing a gap in the market for healthy fast food, Chopped was founded in 2012 and has been going from strength to strength. Since the first Chopped opened in Baggot St in 2012, two more Chopped outlets have opened and it has also begun rolling out a franchising programme. For both Brian and Gary, they believe they have the products that can answer those needs and they have been on a long enough business journey to know that the market is now there and in demand. The explosion in the Irish food and drink explosion shows no sign of easing off. Well be running our Twitter poll every Friday on @independent_ie using the hashtag #readybusinessadvice so dont forget to let us know the key business issues that you would like us to address. The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone , is available via iTunes , SoundCloud and Stitcher or subscribe to the RSS feed of the Ready Business Podcast using your favourite podcatcher. You can check out the full Ready Business Podcast series here . In association with: I grew it without taking out any loans. One of my priorities is that I refuse to be in debt to a bank, says Annina Lebeau Annina Lebeau (44), is the founder of The Pram Doctor, a buggy valeting and repair service based in Co Wexford. "I am in business since 2012. I am based in rural Wexford but the service is available all over the country, north and south. I am a former architect with 20 years experience. I'm originally from Germany, near Frankfurt. I moved to Ireland in 2001 to work for an Irish building group which was importing German products and then went to work for an Irish architect firm. Then the recession hit and employment in the construction sector disappeared. It was very tough - I was on the job hunt for two years, with a mortgage to pay and two small children. Another parent of small kids was the source of inspiration for my business. I nearly choked when I heard she had paid 1,900 for a buggy, which of course went on to break down. I am very mechanically-minded and am always tinkering around with something, be it a mountain bike or a motorbike, so I was easily able to fix it. Buggies break very easily -these days they are not made to last. There are huge differences in quality between older models and new brands. I had a grandfather from Galway bring me a 75-year-old pram this week and it still had its original tyres. But you get some buggies newly bought where the tyres won't even last four months. People end up just throwing them in a skip, which is wasteful and hard on the environment. For most buggies that break, a small repair will get it going again, or it can be used for spare parts. To cut a long story short, I decided to launch a buggy-servicing business, with the help of a Back To Work enterprise allowance. Once I got started it took off like a rocket. I repaired 12 buggies in the first year and 300 in the following year. I'm should do my 1,000th soon. It's not just about repairs and restorations of vintage models, which I do too. Cleaning and valeting are also important. In my former life I spent a lot of time measuring attics and invariably you end up covered in dust. And where do people store buggies? The attic. They don't want to throw away something they have spent hundreds or even thousands on, so they keep it for the next child, but because building regulations in Ireland don't demand enough suitable storage space, the buggy ends up in the attic or the shed. It comes out covered in all manner of dust and mould. I think it is really important that parents get the buggy cleaned before the next child uses it. So I offer that service - it will be cleaned and dried in the fresh Wexford air. Customers can drop their buggy in themselves for a 20pc discount. Otherwise I use national courier DPD to pick up and deliver. They are fantastic. There are some manufacturers that I would definitely recommend - Silvercrosss and Bugaboo among them. I am totally independent and not paid by any brand so parents can trust what I'm saying. I am playing with the idea of offering a buggy-testing service to parenting magazines at the moment. The scariest part has been taking on employees, becoming responsible for other people's incomes. My first team member was an intern who came through JobBridge and now there are four people working on the business full-time as well as one part-time person. Juggling everything at once, while raising my five and six-year-old, is also challenging. It's a lot of work - weekends, nights, you name it. But it allows me to better manage time with my children as the business is run from my home. I grew it without taking out any loans. One of my priorities is that I refuse to be in debt to a bank." Elevation Partners, the private equity firm co-founded by U2 frontman Bono, is still winding down. But in the meantime, three members are starting a new group. The Silicon Valley veterans have raised more than $100m to back technology startups at their new firm, NextEquity. Two of the founders have a long history together. Fred Anderson was Apple's longtime chief financial officer, and Avie Tevanian was the company's top software executive. In 2004, Anderson helped start Elevation Partners, which took its name from a U2 song. Tevanian joined as managing director in 2010. After Elevation told investors in 2014 that it would not raise another fund, the former Apple executives discussed starting a new firm with Adam Hopkins, another managing director at Elevation. Tevanian said he and Anderson committed some of their own money to NextEquity's fund and raised the rest from other investors. NextEquity is a play on NeXT, the company Jobs started after he was ousted from Apple in 1985. Tevanian said the Menlo Park, California, firm has already made a few investments but declined to name them. In addition to the three managing directors, NextEquity has two principals and a senior advisor, all of whom also worked at Elevation. Elevation Partners LP, the firm's first fund, has invested $1.76bn, with a 12pc net internal rate of return, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Some of its biggest bets did not pay off. The firm backed Palm during its failed attempt to challenge Apple's iPhone, and it then helped orchestrate the company's sale to Hewlett-Packard for $1.2b. It also backed Forbes Media, which foundered before being sold to a group of Asian investors. Other investment moves were savvier. The company purchased more than $100m in Facebook stock from private shareholders two years before Facebook's initial public offering and backed video-game companies that were acquired by Electronic Arts. Since 2014, Elevation has slowed its pace of investments and mostly sat on the sidelines while the latest generation of startups took hold, missing out on such high flyers as Uber and Snapchat.Tevanian said Elevation had an "excellent performance" and has done better than many of its peers. While some of the firm's partners are still focused on venture capital, others are spending more time playing music. U2 are reportedly working on a new album. Roger McNamee, who was often the face of Elevation, plays guitar in the rock band Moonalice. The group is scheduled to play at least 10 live shows this month. (Bloomberg) The technology has echoes of the Tom Cruise movie 'Minority Report', where future crimes could be predicted and prevented. Computers are getting pretty good at predicting the future. In many cases they do it better than people. That's why Amazon uses them to figure out what you're likely to buy, how Netflix knows what you might want to watch, the way meteorologists come up with accurate 10-day forecasts. Now a team of scientists has demonstrated that a computer can outperform human judges in predicting who will commit a violent crime. In a paper published last month, they described how they built a system that started with people already arrested for domestic violence, then figured out which of them would be most likely to commit the same crime again. The technology could potentially spare victims from being injured, or even killed. It could also keep the least dangerous offenders from going to jail unnecessarily. And yet, there's something unnerving about using machines to decide what should happen to people. If targeted advertising misfires, nobody's liberty is at stake. For two decades, police departments have used computers to identify times and places where crimes are more likely to occur, guiding the deployment of officers and detectives. Now they're going another step: using vast data sets to identify individuals who are criminally inclined. They're doing this with varying levels of transparency and scientific testing. A system called Beware, for example, is capable of rating citizens of the US city of Fresno, California, as posing a high, medium or low level of threat. Press accounts say the system amasses data not only on past crimes but on web searches, property records and social networking posts. Critics are warning that the new technology had been rushed into use without enough public discussion. One question is precisely how the software works - it's the manufacturer's trade secret. Another is whether there's scientific evidence that such technology works as advertised. By contrast, the recent paper on the system that forecasts domestic violence lays out what it can do and how well it can do it. One of the creators of that system, University of Pennsylvania statistician Richard Berk, said he only works with publicly available data on people who have already been arrested. The system isn't scooping up and crunching data on ordinary citizens, he said, but is making the same forecasts that judges or police officers previously had to make when it came time to decide whether to detain or release a suspect. He started working on crime forecasting more than a decade ago, and by 2008 had created a computerised system that beat the experts in picking which parolees were most likely to reoffend. He used a machine learning system - feeding a computer lots of different kinds of data until it discovered patterns that it could use to make predictions, which then can be tested against known data. Machine learning doesn't necessarily yield an algorithm that people can understand. Users know which parameters get considered but not how the machine uses them to get its answers. In the domestic violence paper, published in February in the 'Journal of Empirical Legal Studies', Berk and Penn psychologist Susan Sorenson looked at data from about 100,000 cases, all occurring between 2009 and 2013. Here, too, they used a machine learning system, feeding a computer data on age, sex, zip code, age at first arrest, and a long list of possible previous charges for such things as drunk driving, animal mistreatment, and firearms crimes. They did not use race, though Berk said the system isn't completely race blind because some inferences about race can be drawn from a person's zip code. The researchers used about two-thirds of the data to "train" the system, giving the machine access to the input data as well as the outcome - whether or not these people were arrested a second time for domestic violence. The other third of the data they used to test the system, giving the computer only the information that a judge could know at arraignment, and seeing how well the system predicted who would be arrested for domestic violence again. It would be easy to reduce the number of repeat offenses to zero by simply locking up everyone accused of domestic violence, but there's a cost to jailing people who aren't going to be dangerous, said Berk. Currently, about half of those arrested for domestic violence are released, he said. The challenge he and Sorenson faced was to continue to release half but pick a less dangerous half. The result: about 20pc of those released by judges were later arrested for the same crime. Of the computer's choices, it was only 10pc. (Bloomberg) Money is like water, it flows to the place of least resistance. This has been the case for many years but is even more sharply in focus in the digital age when money can be flicked around a global financial system very easily. Few should be surprised by the revelations contained in leaked documents about the operations of a Panamanian law firm and the operations of its clients. It is highly likely that some of the offshore companies and trusts set up by its clients began with hot money, while for others it was simply about legitimate tax avoidance and maintaining a degree of confidentiality in their legitimate business affairs. There are lots of reasons why people set up offshore corporate structures and trusts. For large multinationals it is about conducting their international operations in a way that reduces their tax bill, while also perhaps protecting financial information from competitors or prying eyes. For wealthy individuals it can be about tax evasion or even corruption. But equally it can be about conducting their affairs in a tax-efficient manner which doesn't break any laws. Based on what has been published from the leaked documents so far, there isn't real evidence that wholesale tax evasion was going on. Offshore trusts have been used for decades by the wealthy - sometimes to hid money, sometimes to protect it. Sometimes they want to pass it on to the next generation without incurring large tax bills. Privacy can be important. But feeling the need to use a Panamanian law firm to protect it, suggests that a lot of people were taking their privacy issues to real extremes. Very often international tax rules are put in place for the operations of big business. Sometimes the same rules and tax laws that make sense for a large global conglomerate, and are totally legal, can be used by wealthy individuals too in ways that were never envisaged. For example, take bearer share companies. This is a company that is owned by whoever holds the shares as opposed to having a registered owner whose name appears on the certificate. So, instead of formally registering who the new owner of a company is, you simply hand over the bearer shares to whoever has just acquired it, or whoever you want to be the owner. The company might not even know. These structures allow the ownership of a company to remain completely anonymous, even to the directors of the company themselves and for the ownership to change by physically moving the bearer share certificates from one safety deposit box in a tax haven to the one right beside it. This makes international tax investigations extremely difficult because it is virtually impossible to track down who owns or owned the asset. Bearer share companies are now finally coming under major scrutiny but were only done away with in Ireland as recently as 2014. Privacy in legitimate business dealings can still be assured. But the problem for people who want to hide money offshore is that more and more European countries and established tax havens are being dragged kicking and screaming into greater co-operation and information sharing. This means that old reliable favourites like Switzerland, Liechtenstein and some Caribbean islands are somewhat less private than they were. This forces the clients to go to more unstable, higher risks places to source their corporate services. It also makes it extremely difficult to crack down on international tax evasion because as long as there is some jurisdiction somewhere willing to facilitate it, the money will flow there. The scandal around the Panama files has reached the upper echelons of the powerful in many countries, from China and Russia to Iceland and Israel. It comes at a time when there is already major debate about how corporations and wealthy individuals can use international tax laws to reduce their tax bills. How much tax should businesses pay and where? The truth is that far too many countries are in competition with each other to win highly mobile capital and investment. It is difficult to say you will crack down on tax avoidance while also saying you want to be the best country in the world in which to do business? Are the two contradictory? As long as there is competition for global investment flows, then to a certain extent they are. Tighter rules benefit larger wealthier economies which are less reliant on tax as a competitive tool. Take Ireland for example. We have a low 12.5pc Corporation Tax rate, yet we have had lots of companies availing of various legitimate tax tricks to pay a lot less than that. If we close these off, but others don't, we could lose out. International tax advisers will tell you that in the past when some US executives were coming to Ireland to work for a multi-national, they set up an offshore company, like a consultancy firm, which charged their employer for their services. This firm in turn paid the executive, living and working in Ireland, a relatively modest wage, on which he was taxed here. The rest of his salary stayed offshore and was not taxed. This was all perfectly legal. Ireland lost out on some tax revenue but gained on multinational investment which created jobs. The files raise serious questions for the UK, given the extent to which some of its dependency territories, such as the British Virgin Islands, are mentioned. Former UK business secretary Vince Cable said during the week that he was in favour of introducing direct rule to these places if they did not fully comply with changes on transparency and tax that might be sought from London. But the truth is that places like the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands are other dependencies like Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man, have all fed into the success of London's success as a global financial services centre. There isn't real will in Westminster to rattle the cage too much. Because money is like water, it will only flow somewhere else anyway. The Panama files will feed into the wider debate about tax avoidance in a positive way. The files could be of enormous value to various tax authorities, while also raising questions about why wealthy people would go to such lengths, even legitimately, to protect their assets from the exchequer coffers of where they live. People are asking legitimate questions about who pays what, but that debate must be grounded in the real world. The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once said that: "Wealth is like sea-water, the more we drink, the thirstier we become." Even if that is true, nobody has managed to come up with a workable alternative system for modern society that doesn't need wealth, and to reward those who create it. The real problem posed by global movements of capital is getting everybody to play by the same rules when we are all competing against each other. Darragh O'Toole as Conor Tyrell and Andrea Irvine as Angela Tyrell Cathy Belton as Patricia Hennessy and Pandora McCormick as Claire Hennessy TV3 boss Pat Kiely has described the BBC's acquisition of garda drama 'Red Rock' as "one of the biggest export deals in the history of Irish broadcasting". Kiely, who was appointed managing director of TV3 in January, described the deal - which is worth a reported 500,000 - as "a ringing endorsement for the show". The BBC will air 80 episodes of 'Red Rock' during a coveted daytime slot. The episodes will be shown in one-hour packages over the course of the summer. News of the deal comes after US on-demand site Amazon Prime revealed they had snapped up the series for 1.5m. "It is a huge endorsement for 'Red Rock' and a fantastic vindication of TV3's programming strategy and investment," Kiely told the Irish Independent. "To sell 40 hours of programming is a huge achievement. "The BBC deal and our deal with Amazon Prime make this one of the biggest export deals in the history of Irish broadcasting." Widely acclaimed by audiences and critics, 'Red Rock' first aired in January 2015 and attracted an audience of 323,000. The drama centres around two feuding families, the Hennessys and the Kielys, and is produced by Oscar-winning production company Element Pictures. 'Red Rock' won three Iftas and a People's Choice award after its first series. Ed Guiney, series executive producer, hopes the success of 'Red Rock' will encourage Irish stations to continue investing in home-produced drama. "It's the first Irish soap in a generation - the last one we had was 'Ros na Run'," he said. Video of the Day "We are a nation of storytellers, and the world wants content," he added. "I hope it would encourage TV3, RTE and Sky to put more eggs in that basket." 'Red Rock' creator Peter McKenna has a proven track record when it comes to writing successful soaps. He has worked on hit series 'EastEnders', 'Casualty', and 'Holby City'. McKenna has cited 1958 film 'The Big Country' starring Gregory Peck as the inspiration behind 'Red Rock'. Dan McGolpin, controller of BBC Daytime, described the drama as "compelling" with plenty of "twists and turns". The soap, which is set in a fictional seaside town just outside of Dublin, costs 65,000 per episode to make and is now in its second series. The first episode kicked off with members of An Garda Siochana discovering a lifeless body on a pier. The show stars Cathy Belton, Adam Weafer, and Sean Mahon. David Drumm will now represent himself in his US case Photo: Aidan Crawley/Bloomberg David Drumm's US legal team has been given permission to step down from the former banker's bankruptcy case. The move was approved after the former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive indicated he wished to represent himself. Mr Drumm (49) is appealing the decision of a bankruptcy judge not to give him protection from creditors who are owed around 10m. The appeal is proceeding in the US, despite Mr Drumm's return to Ireland last month to face 33 criminal charges relating to his time at the helm of the bank. He is currently free on bail. Boston attorneys Edward McNally and David Rosner requested in February that they be allowed to step down from the bankruptcy case. The application was granted by the US Court of Appeals earlier this week, according to an order published by the court. The order said Mr Drumm was now "proceeding pro se", meaning he will act on his own behalf. Mr McNally previously told the court that Mr Drumm instructed his lawyers to withdraw following a series of phone conversations over the course of several weeks. "As a result of such discussions, [the] appellant has informed us that he understands the consequences of proceeding without counsel, understands his legal rights and the available options," said Mr McNally. AN actor who worked as a child in the Harry Potter film series told the High Court an agent's agreement signed by his parents was "forced on us" without legal advice. Devon Murray (27), who played the role of Seamus Finnigan in the series, also denied he had never told lawyers who represented for the family until this week about his dissatisfaction with the service being provided by Neil Brooks, trading as Neil Brooks Management, or that the first time it was mentioned was when he came to court. Mr Murray was being cross-examined in an action by Mr Brooks for recovery of 286,000 in commission fees he says he is owed by the Murrays who deny his claims. The Murrays claim they sacked him while Devon was working on the Harry Potter 3 film following an incident in which the boy, who was 13 at the time, was photographed smoking a cigarette on the London set. They claim when they sought him to help them deal with subsequent adverse worldwide publicity, and to address the security situation over the taking of the photograph, he did not act. Mr Brooks said he was in South Africa at the time helping his seriously ill sister. Mr Brooks also said the incident over the smoking was the responsibility of his guardian and asked "what could I have done". He said the Murrays were unhappy with the arrangements while Devon stayed in London during filming, including wanting an apartment rather than the five-star hotel he was in so his mother could cook for the boy and having his own driver to take him to the set as other child actors got. Mr Brooks said he provided the apartment and that Devon wanted to be driven in a Lexus. Mrs Murray denied this and said Devon was a boy obsessed with cars and all he had said was he would love to ride in a Lexus. Mr Brooks said he arranged an Irish teacher as part of Devon's schooling while filming but this was turned down. Mrs Murray disputed this and said there was no teacher after the first year. When Devon said he wanted his own sound system for his dressing room, Mr Brooks said he did not agree he should have a "boom box" as it would cause a disturbance for the other actors. Mr Brooks was being cross-examined by Mrs Murray because last Tuesday, solicitors for the family asked to cease representing them because they could not get proper instructions and funds for barristers. Mrs Murray said they had no money for solicitors. Devon Murray told the court that in the early days he had a bond with Mr Brooks because he was away so much and did not get to see his own dad. However, by Harry Potter 3, there had been difficulties over when they were receiving cheques as well as problems getting in touch with Mr Brooks. "It was like Where's Wally", he said. In 2003, the Murrays signed a new agreement where Mr Brooks 12.5 per cent fee was to be increased to 15 per cent on the basis that Devon would get higher payment from the film makers Warner Brothers for his work. Mr Brooks said he did this and Devon's fees went up from st20,000 and st30,000 for films 1 and 2 to st50,000 and 65,000 for 3 and 4. However, Devon told the court, he found out that all other child actors got the same pay as part of a general across-the-board payment for those actors in his particular category, including those with no agent. When the smoking incident occurred and Warner Brothers complained, both he and his mother rang Mr Brooks telling him he was fired. "I thought an agent was going to be able to magically make this (adverse publicity) disappear, but I was wrong". Under cross-examination by Gary McCarty SC, for Brooks, he said they had signed the 2003 contract without legal advice and felt they had to do it because he had made so many good friends on the Harry Potter set. Asked was he saying he was he was forced into signing it, he said yes. Asked did he tell this to his lawyers, including junior and senior counsel, he said he had told them. He could not explain why it was not put in as part of his defence by his former solicitors. He said he had been receiving fees for what are known as "residuals" - money from DVD and other box office sales - over the years but they had at this stage dwindled to around st1,000 per month. He said he had to rent out the house he bought to pay the mortgage and moved back in with his parents in Celbridge, Co Kildare. Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said he would give a decision Friday (April 8). A man smeared the initials of terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) in faecal matter on the walls of a Dublin garda station cell. Derek Lonergan (29) claimed he had a bad reaction to medication he had taken and does not remember what he did. Judge David McHugh applied the Probation Act after he heard that Lonergan had paid for the damage he caused. The defendant, with an address at Kilcohan Park, Waterford, admitted before Blanchardstown District Court to a charge of criminal damage. The incident took place at Finglas Garda Station last November 21. Gda Louise O'Sullivan said Lonergan was in custody at the time, and had been placed in the cell. She said the defendant defaced the cell and damaged a blanket, causing a total of 170 in damage and cleaning fees. In relation to the damage, Lonergan was accused of smearing faecal matter on the walls of the cell. The court heard that the defendant has 14 previous convictions. Defence solicitor Simon Fleming said his client wished to apologise for his behaviour, which was completely unacceptable. He said he had brought 200 in compensation to court for the damage he had caused. Mr Fleming said Lonergan has "no recollection" of what happened. He said the defendant had been prescribed medication, and he had previously had a bad reaction to it. The court heard that Lonergan had foolishly taken this medication on the day in question. Mr Fleming said he had "learnt his lesson" and he had advised him on the dangers of taking old medication. The court heard that Lonergan is currently out of work, but had spent four years working in Australia. Mr Fleming said he previously suffered from a "depressive insomnia type illness". Applying the Probation Act, Judge McHugh said Lonergan had brought compensation to court and had "mended the damage" he caused. Jude Miley with his mum and dad Anne Louise and Greville from Dundrum in Dublin Photo: Ronan Lang/Feature File A four-year-old boy was left profoundly brain damaged after an operation in Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin, the High Court has heard. Jude Miley was only six months old when a suture used in an operation to release his diaphragm and help his breathing remained untrimmed, causing damage to the heart muscle. Two days later, he had a heart attack and had to be rushed to theatre for emergency surgery which saved his life. The child, through his father, has sued the hospital and a settlement of 1.8m has already been agreed in relation to his accommodation and loss of earnings. The court is now assessing damages in relation to the cost of his future care. Liability was admitted last year. His parents, Anne Louise and Greville Miley, were told he had suffered irreversible damage as a result of what happened. An MRI scan days later showed he had widespread damage to the brain. Liam Reidy SC, for Jude, told the court from the time of the original operation, every time he took a breath, the raw end of the suture was piercing sword-like around the heart. "They were not told a mistake had been made - that a suture had been left untied down - and every time poor baby Jude took a breath he was causing injury to his heart," counsel said. The Mileys asked to be involved in the hospital's internal investigation but, counsel said, they were not consulted or kept informed. Mr Reidy said a most remarkable feature of this case was "a whitewash" put forward by the hospital. But the hospital denied there was any cover up, the court heard. Jude, of Holywell, Upper Kilcmacud Road, Dundrum, Dublin, sued the hospital through his father. Jude was born on July 16, 2011 and by January of the following year a condition regarding the contour of his diaphragm was diagnosed. Surgery was carried out on January 24, 2012 which Jude's side contended was below the standard of care. It is claimed a suture was placed in the wrong place. damaging the heart resulting in the baby deteriorating, and culminating in the baby suffering a cardiac arrest on January 26. It is claimed there was an alleged failure to use the correct suture. It was further alleged that before placing any sutures there was a failure to ensure the surgeon could visualise both the heart and other organs - which it was claimed was vital in such a procedure. There was also an alleged failure to take into account and act appropriately upon the baby's parents' concern post-operatively regarding Jude's condition. The court heard the Mileys brought their son to the UK and US for treatment after friends set up a trust fund to help Jude. Both parents had to give up their jobs to care for him. The case resumes on Friday. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have clashed after talks about the formation of a partnership government dramatically collapsed in Leinster House. Micheal Martin and a number of Fine Gael ministers provided completely different versions of the discussions that took place today and yesterday. The Fianna Fail leader has claimed that acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny took the prospect of a minority government off the table, essentially threatening that it was a coalition of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents or a second election. This has been vehemently denied by Fine Gael. Mr Martin said the best interest of the Irish people are not served by a coalition by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. He said Fine Gael wanted the parties lumped together but the idea of a government with over 100 TDs was not healthy. Mr Martin said there are questions around the integrity of Fine Gaels offer. Just minutes later Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney denied this was the case, saying: Im not sure what Micheal is talking about. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald added: Thats nonsense. It was an absolutely genuine offer. Mr Coveney described Fine Gaels offer as an historic missed opportunity which was very much in the national interest. Fianna Fail havent even given a day to consider it, he said, adding it was a setback. However, Mr Coveney said that Fine Gael would now reassess the situation and while the offer of a partnership government remained open, they would continue working with independents. Were not ruling anything out, he said. Health Minister Leo Varadkar said that they would focus on the alternatives to a deal with Fianna Fail but denied that an election would be sparked if no Taoiseach is elected when the Dail sits again next Thursday. He said it would be a failure of the political system if there is a second election. Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he regrets that Fianna Fail has refused to serve in a partnership government. Yesterday evening, I offered Micheal Martin a full partnership government. It is an offer that reflects the way in which people voted in the General Election and the respective mandates of both parties and independents, he said. In a statement Mr Kenny said it was a serious mistake on the part of Fianna Fail and one which was driven by narrow party interests rather than the national interest. Ireland needs a stable and lasting government to meet the many national and international challenges facing the country. Fine Gaels preferred option of a full partnership is the best option for providing the necessary stability and it is very regrettable that Fianna Fail has rejected this historic opportunity, he said. Earlier this afternoon, the meeting between party leaders Micheal Martin and Enda Kenny lasted just 10 minutes. Fine Gael felt their offer of a partnership Government was rejected with "serious haste" and that this was "extremely disappointing". During the meeting Mr Kenny said that his offer still stands and that he hopes that FF will reconsider it. There was no discussion of a minority government during the meeting. Earlier today, Mr Kenny got unanimous support from his parliamentary party for his approach to forming a government during a meeting described by one minister as incredibly united. Read More Sources told independent.ie there was no opposition to the idea of a coalition involving Fianna Fail and Independents, although a small number of TDs expressed concern about the idea of a rotating Taoiseach. Arts Minister Heather Humphries proposed a formal motion that Fine Gael support the Taoiseachs efforts to form a partnership government. It was unanimously supported, said a source. Read More However, elsewhere in Leinster House Fianna Fails meeting with party leader Mr Martin was told in no uncertain terms by his TDs that they do not want a partnership deal with Fine Gael. Sources said Mr Kennys proposal was overwhelming rejected. Mr Martin began the meeting by outlining the details of his long discussion with Mr Kenny last night and sought views from the floor. Following the Fine Gael meeting acting chairperson of the parliamentary party Catherine Byrne said: Fine Gael TDs and Senators overwhelmingly supported a Partnership Government, as the best way to provide a stable and lasting Government to deal with the issues concerning people and the challenges facing the country. Helen McEntee TD, Secretary of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, said This is an historic offer, representing seismic change in the political landscape. I believe now more than ever we need to put the people first. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin would have the chance to become Taoiseach for two-and-a-half years if the deal is agreed Photo: Mark Condren Enda Kenny is prepared to offer Micheal Martin the opportunity of being Taoiseach for two-and-a-half years if Fianna Fail signs up to a "full and equal partnership government". The Fine Gael leader finally met Mr Martin last night and told him he would be "generous and open" in any deal between the two parties, provided it would last a full five-year term. The 'partnership' would see Fine Gael and Fianna Fail share the same number of seats at the Cabinet table. And it is understood Mr Kenny is willing to offer a rotating Taoiseach if that's what it takes to secure the arrangement. Significantly, the Fine Gael leader told Mr Martin that he wants as many as possible of the 15 Independents who have been involved in talks over the past fortnight to be part of the new government. Forty days after the General Election, the two men finally met for an hour and 10 minutes last night after the Dail failed to elect a Taoiseach for a second time. After the meeting, a Fine Gael spokesman refused to confirm the exact nature of the "formal offer" tabled by Mr Kenny but said it was "for the purpose of forming a sustainable five-year government". A spokesperson for Fianna Fail said Mr Kenny had outlined that he believes a minority government led by either party "would not work and that a full partnership government of Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Independents would be his preferred option". However, party sources were immediately sceptical, saying that it amounted to a coalition by another name and the idea of a rotating Taoiseach was "nothing new". TDs from both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will meet their leaders at 11am today to discuss the latest developments. Neither party managed to convince any Independents to back their leader in yesterday's vote, although Michael Lowry, who has not been at the talks, voted for Enda Kenny. It has also emerged that the Department of Environment intends to place an order for four million polling cards in the coming weeks. Officials have advertised online for the cards, which are sent to every registered voter in the country informing them of the date, time and place at which they are entitled to vote. A spokesman for the Department told the Irish Independent they were taking a "best to be prepared" attitude as the situation remains in a "state of flux". The meeting between Mr Kenny and Mr Martin took place in a room between Government Buildings and Leinster House just after 8.30 last night. At a briefing of Fine Gael ministers prior to the meeting, Mr Kenny was warned by colleagues to "not get offside". Sources say Mr Kenny appeared "tired" as he sought the advice of colleagues. There was a sense of apprehension expressed by some of those present in relation to some of the demands that are expected to be laid down by Fianna Fail. Ministers say there is a sense that a minority government is very much a "last resort" for Fine Gael for fear it would quickly collapse. "The view in the room is that they would pull it down at their choosing - Fine Gael are clear that it has to be some form of a coalition or we will have another election," one minister said. Before yesterday's Dail sitting, Mr Kenny met the 15 Independents but was told they needed more time to pore over Fine Gael's 123-page 'foundation document' for a government partnership. Sources confirmed several TDs said there was still a long way to go before they would support a minority government - and Mattie McGrath clashed with the acting Taoiseach, who he alleged had described him as "difficult". Mr McGrath also indicated to the meeting that he would not be in a position to support an arrangement which includes a citizens' convention on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, as has been proposed by Fine Gael. Sources told the Irish Independent that between the 15 Independents they have made 103 specific requests that would involve extra spending, and 43 different tax incentives. Five issues to top agenda in 'temporary little arrangement' Are you sure a 'Grand Coalition' is not an option? The preferred option of Fine Gael and most of the Dail appears to be a coalition between the two big parties. Micheal Martin is set against the idea fearing it will open up space for Sinn Fein to rival them at the next election and damage his leadership. But the question has to be asked before these talks go any further. Fine Gael is willing to offer Mr Martin two-and-a-half years as Taoiseach and seven Cabinet positions if he will enter into a full-blown coalition. Your minority or mine? Assuming a traditional coalition is quickly taken off the table, the two party leaders must then argue why they should be the ones to lead a minority government. By virtue of winning eight more votes in the Dail yesterday, Mr Kenny is in poll position but Fianna Fail is unlikely to admit that reality immediately. Mr Martin has repeatedly said he wasnt elected in order to put Enda Kenny back in Government Buildings. Thats a tricky statement to backtrack on, so it may take some time. Will both sides compromise on water charges? Even if they get past the first two items on the agenda, there is very little point in Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin holding any talks unless they first show their hands in relation to water charges. Fine Gael say charges are here to stay and that Irish Water is the best way of fixing our ancient system. Depending on the day, Fianna Fail say the abolition of charges is a red line issue and Irish Water will be gone with 18 months. Somebody has to give an inch or theres no point in going any further in the negotiations. Is this a temporary little arrangement? At his final press conference before polling day, Enda Kenny said that the Labour Party would be the only option for a coalition. He warned that there would be no temporary little arrangements with Fianna Fail because it wouldnt last. That sort of language has been dropped but it remains s a serious question. There is a huge distrust between the two parties, with Fine Gael particularly believing that Fianna Fail will pull the plug on a minority government if they overtake Fine Gael in the opinion polls. Tax versus spending Fianna Fail campaigned on an Ireland for All where social provision and investment in public services would trump any tax cuts. Fine Gael built the bulk of their Keep the Recovery Going campaign around a promise to completely scrap Univeral Social Charge. Both sides will need to find a middle-ground because getting budgets through the current Dail will be a big ask. A minority government wont need the support of the other party on every vote but on money issues the rules will need to be clear. Outbreaks of the winter vomiting virus have led to the closure of 60 beds in various hospitals - pushing up the numbers of patients waiting on trolleys in emergency departments. The worst-hit hospitals are Sligo, Tallaght, Naas, Beaumont and Waterford, said the HSE. Some 180 patients in hopitals across the country were still waiting more than nine hours for a bed yesterday afternoon. Emergency consultant Fergal Hickey earlier warned that overcrowding was deteriorating again as the trolley crisis suffered from the lack of political focus due to the failure to put a government in place. The HSE said there has also been a rise in the numbers of "delayed discharges" - patients who no longer need hospital care but are waiting for transfer home or to a nursing home. The HSE insisted the number of patients presenting to emergency departments continues to be at a higher level than in 2015, with a 7.5pc overall increase in to date this year. "While the incidence of flu-like illness had been decreasing, the most recent figures available at the end of March show a slight increase again with hospitals still reporting cases of patients requiring hospital admission and isolation," said a spokesperson. Some 242 of the 301 additional new beds promised this year are now open. The Spire lit up as a lightsaber to celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photo: Patrice Le Paulmier DUBLIN City Council has admitted that "in hindsight" it could have charged Disney for lighting up the Spire as a promotional gimmick to advertise the latest Star Wars blockbuster. Council executives were left red-faced when it emerged they had allowed the companies behind the multi-million euro franchise to use the landmark for free. This was despite the fact that London authorities received the equivalent of 33,000 for a similar publicity stunt using Nelson's Column on Trafalgar Square. However, in a statement the council has said that "perhaps in hindsight a fee could have been sought" and it "may adopt a different approach" for similar future events at the O'Connell Street monument. stunt Disney and Gala spent 35,000 lighting up the Spire from mid-December until January 2 as a light sabre to advertise Star Wars: The Force Awakens ahead of its release here. Local councillor Gary Gannon said that it was "ridiculous" for council chiefs not to seek payment for the publicity stunt. "I think the fact that we didn't charge is ridiculous. People made money from using our city as a prop to promote a film, that's not acceptable unless we as a city are benefiting from it. "It defies belief that the council didn't have the foresight to charge a fee," he said. "I can't see the benefit that the city got, apart from being seen as a novelty. If they're using our city to promote their film there should be some recompense for that. "It creates a dangerous precedent. What other prop are we going to use to promote commercial brands," Mr Gannon asked. "Can anyone just walk in and use one of our monuments to promote a film because we don't charge for this courtesy?" In one email last December, released under the Freedom of Information laws, Disney Ireland manager Trish Long said the company had identified an opportunity with its new Star Wars film to work with the council on "reinvigorating O'Connell Street at Christmas time". In a statement, DCC deputy chief executive Brendan Kenny said the council viewed the proposal to illuminate the Spire for the movie as a "once-off opportunity". Mr Kenny said a fee could have been sought "but that might have resulted in the project not happening at all. And we are satisfied on this occasion that the right judgement was taken. "It may well be possible that similar opportunities related to the Spire will arise again, and we may adopt a different approach including the seeking of a suitable fee," he added. Ivan Yates, said he and his wife Deirdre will spend some time in the US Photo: Frank Mc Grath Ivan Yates is taking a year off from his various media roles to travel around the US with his wife. The former Agriculture Minister's main public role is as a presenter of the Breakfast Show on Newstalk. He will be departing in July and also stepping down from his jobs as a presenter on TV3 and as a columnist with the Irish Independent. Mr Yates has presented the Newstalk programme since 2009, apart from his 16 months in Wales when he emerged from bankruptcy. The former Fine Gael TD will be stepping back from public life and travelling around the US with his wife, Deirdre, for a year. But Mr Yates has categorically denied his departure is related to his wife's financial difficulties after AIB secured a 1.6m debt judgment against her. "I am saying categorically this is completely unlike my departure to Wales and which was quite brutal. This is absolutely by choice," he said. On whether this departure was down to Deirdre's finances and if she was now seeking bankruptcy, he said this was "absolutely" not the case. Mr Yates said he will be making the move this summer. "From early July, I have decided, in a considered way, to take a step back from public life," he said. Read More "I've been presenting since April 2009. I never thought I would be getting away with it for this long. I have decided it is time to take a break," he added. He does not rule out working with any of the media organisations in the future. "Who knows? I may reconnect again or that may not happen," he said. Mr Yates will spend the time travelling. "I will be more out of the country than in the country. I am going to be 57 in October. I have been working for 40 years. I owe it to my wife," he added. And as for his long-suffering sidekick and co-presenter, Chris Donoghue, who has to put up with his jibes each morning: "Like every sucker, he deserves an even break. He'll finally get someone to treat him with a bit of respect." Mr Yates returned to his media roles in 2013 following his filing for bankruptcy in the UK on foot of the collapse of his Celtic Bookmakers chain. He spent 16 months living in Swansea to complete the terms of the bankruptcy. Last night, Newstalk said Mr Yates had notified the station of his departure. Read More "He has made a decision to withdraw from all of his media commitments for the foreseeable future due to personal reasons," the station said. Newstalk said changes to the programming schedule will be announced at a later date. The search is now under way for a successor and the station is believed to be looking at a number of high-profile broadcasters. The case against Deirdre Yates arose out of a guarantee she gave on April 13, 2010, towards 6.7m in loans for the expansion of the Celtic Bookmakers chain, which was run by her husband. In January 2011, the bank appointed a receiver over Celtic, which went into liquidation. Commuters walk on the Luas line during an earlier strike Photo: Steve Humphreys All Dublin-area commuters face more transport chaos this month and next after Luas drivers vowed to ramp up their ongoing strike action. Trams will grind to a halt on six weekdays later this month and in May, on top of a two-day strike set for April 23 and 24. The latest strike notice comes on the same day that Luas operator Transdev invited members of the Siptu trade union to talks on April 11 yesterday. "Next we received strike notice," a Transdev spokesperson told the Irish Independent last night. The work stoppage includes five 24-hour strikes taking place on April 28, May 4, May 13, May 20 and May 27 and a four-hour strike during the evening rush-hour between 3pm and 7pm on May 26. This escalation comes in addition to the two-day strike set for April 23 and 24. An "indefinite" work to rule campaign will also commence on April 17, in which drivers can down tools in order to take their breaks or end their shifts. And it's not just 90,000 Luas passengers a day who will be affected by the strike, but "everyone in the city", according to AA Ireland spokesman Conor Faughnan. "The proposed further strike action will magnify the consequences for the travelling public," he said. "It will make traffic worse and put pressure on other forms of public transportation." Transdev Managing Director Gerry Madden said the company is "deeply disappointed by today's decision". The strike action will cost the operator around 100,000 a day in fines for each day the service is not running. That's on top of being fined 800,000 when Luas drivers went on strike for eight days, including last weekend, over the Easter weekend and in February. "Today's strike notice shows a continuing blatant disregard by Siptu for Luas customers and the travelling public," Mr Madden said. "These latest strikes are clearly designed to cause maximum customer disruption. He said Transdev is "prepared to enter into negotiations to deliver a fair and balanced agreement that is fully in line with current norms in the private and public sector, with essential cost offsetting measures." "Unfortunately, the demands of staff go way beyond this. They are totally unaffordable and cannot be met," Mr Madden added. Owen Reidy, Siptu negotiator, said: "The reason we did this and gave such lengthy notice is to create the space and opportunity for talks in the hope that strikes won't have to happen." But the union representative said there had been no contact from industrial relations mediators at the Workplace Relations Commission since talks broke down before Easter. Mr Reidy described relations between workers and management as fraught. Sheikh Hussein HaIawa, Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland an islamic complex, including a mosque, based in Clonskeagh, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers The country's leading Islamic cleric said all Muslims have a duty to inform gardai if they suspect any potential terrorist threat here. His comments come as armed gardai continue to patrol Dublin Airport amid fears of a terror attack from jihadi militants and heightened tensions in Europe following last month's attacks in Brussels. Sheikh Hussein Halawa, the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh, said he was "deeply hurt" by the Brussels bombings and there could never be "any justification" for a terror attack in this country. He said that in Ireland or elsewhere "there was no way of recognising someone by their appearance" as a supporter of the so-called Islamic State (IS). Expand Close Dublin-born Ibrahim Halawa (19) faces charges of murder and attempted murder in a group trial alongside 493 others / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dublin-born Ibrahim Halawa (19) faces charges of murder and attempted murder in a group trial alongside 493 others "We don't know if there are any affiliates or supporters or members of IS in this country, but we hope there are none," said Dr Halawa (61). "There is no way of knowing who is who, but as far as we know there are none. There are none that attend our mosque." However, he added that it was incumbent on members of society and the Muslim community in Ireland to report any suspicious activity. "I take this opportunity to call upon the police and the security forces and the relevant authorities to stay vigilant," he said. "I also call on society and the Muslim community to cooperate with the authorities if they notice any terrorist or suspicious activities. "Thankfully, Muslims in Ireland consider themselves an integral part of society. "They do not face systematic discrimination and are loyal to Ireland." As the Imam of Ireland's biggest mosque, he expressed his utter rejection of violence and terrorism. "We unequivocally condemn all acts of terror and killing of innocent people, regardless of their religion, their colour or their language wherever they are and we always condemn such acts as crimes against humanity," he said. Sacred Victims of terrorism "are all human beings and our religion teaches all human life is sacred". "What happened in Belgium was a crime against humanity," he said. He added that, even before the murders of staff at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris last year, he had condemned previous attacks on staff of the magazine by individuals angry about their depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. He said acts of violence by members of any religion should always be reported to the authorities. "Terrorism does not have a religion and it should be condemned and tackled wherever it happens," he said. He added that he hoped the world will find a radical solution to the problems of terrorism. A first step would be to help justice to prevail and to stop the rule of tyrants. Dictatorships can pressure people into radical reactions, he said. Sheikh Halawa said he had a very happy childhood growing up in Cairo. He and his wife Amina moved to Ireland with their six children when he was appointed Imam 21 years ago. Their youngest son is Dublin-born Ibrahim Halawa, who was 17 when he was arrested in Egypt. He was taking refuge in a mosque in Cairo along with his sisters after violence erupted following street protests almost four years ago. "I cannot sleep at night when I think of him in prison and I don't know what will happen to him," said Sheikh Halawa. Ibrahim was born and raised in Dublin and was very popular with his classmates. It was normal for the family to visit relatives in Egypt on a regular basis. The Imam told the Herald of his anguish about Ibrahim's continued detention. Ibrahim was on holiday in Egypt in 2013 when street protests erupted after democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, was deposed in a military takeover. Ibrahim and three of his sisters were at a protest when violence broke out. They took refuge in a mosque and were later arrested. Mercy His sisters were released after several months, but Ibrahim is among almost 500 people who remain in prison jointly charged with violence. Amnesty International considers Ibrahim a prisoner of conscience who was peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and assembly. "How can I sleep at night when I think of my youngest son in prison in the hands of people who show no mercy. He has been denied food and medicine requirements," he said. "Ibrahim was always a very clever, helpful and sociable young boy who was loved by his teachers and classmates. "He was our youngest child, and growing up he was ador-able and cute. He told me once that when all his brothers and sisters move away that he would always stay with me." One of Peru's highest-ranking police officers has lifted the lid on the web of lies spun by drug mules Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid after their 2013 capture. The officer, who cannot be named, yesterday took the Irish Independent through his files and notes on the pair in his Lima office. One of the lead investigators with the South American nation's elite 'Dinandro' anti-drugs unit, the officer said the Peru Two first told police they had won their trip to Peru. "Their first story before they mentioned about being kidnapped was that they had been given a trip to Peru as a present," said the officer. "They said they were tourists and that they had come to visit Machu Picchu. "The 'chicas' stated that they were bringing the food packages that were found in their suitcases back for someone who had helped with the trip and that they had no idea of the contents. "At first, we believed them. They put on a convincing show; they were calm, but as time went on holes started showing in their accounts," he continued. "Next thing we had this account of the kidnap, which of course we knew to be false. They never cooperated with the police." Former photography student and part-time model McCollum was freed from Ancon Dos prison at 5pm last Thursday. Expand Close A picture of Michaella McCollum taken by Peru Police . Pic:Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A picture of Michaella McCollum taken by Peru Police . Pic:Mark Condren Since then she has been swanning around one of Lima's most affluent neighbourhoods with family and friends and has been living in the Miraflores district. Situated close to the beach and a bevy of high-end stores and restaurants, a standard apartment in the area usually fetches around 1,900 per month. She fled questions from this newspaper earlier this week after we tracked her down to the trendy district. Sporting a fetching new blonde hairstyle, the convicted drug smuggler refused to answer questions before fleeing in a taxi. Her striking new image sparked outrage across Ireland, after her appearance on RTE last Sunday, which many have branded as being disingenuous and fake. Revealing a very different picture of the 23-year-old Tyrone woman yesterday, the police officer said it took over a day for McCollum to finally break down. He said the aspiring dancer and model from Dungannon was cool and aloof. He said she had even been filmed laughing and eating doughnuts hours after their arrest. However, the situation quickly changed when police took her mugshot a day after her arrest on August 7, 2013. Pointing at the image, he said McCollum, who was just 20 at the time, had been sobbing minutes before the shot was captured. The picture shows a dishevelled-looking McCollum with swollen red cheeks and puffed-up eyes. "All the time they were very calm," he said. "Apart from in the queue at the airport. "Our people there know what to look for, small things like body language and they were a bit nervous," he said. Police uncovered 16 food packages in McCollum's bag containing 5.8kg of cocaine shortly after 8.10am on August 6 2013. In Glaswegian Melissa Reid's luggage investigators found 5.7kg of the drug concealed in 18 similar food containers. They were caught while trying to board an Air Europa flight with a final destination in Mallorca, Spain, via Madrid. The pair fought charges against them for months claiming a host of wide-eyed stories as to events surrounding their circumstances. However, they later accepted the charges and pleaded guilty before a court in the Peruvian capital of trying to smuggle 11.5kg of cocaine - worth 1.8m - out of the country. They were sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, although they could have faced a sentence of 15 years. Under new legislation which came into force in Peru in 2015, McCollum was let out on parole last week. The only stipulation of her release is that she must sign a document at Lima courthouse once a month and remain in the country until she has completed two-thirds of her initial sentence. "She is now free to do as she pleases," said a source, "she should not be out on the streets. Our laws have become too lenient. "This is an epidemic that is growing with Europeans at the moment," he added. "Demand for cocaine in Europe is at record levels. In Australia and Russia the price for a kilo is an average of 285,000 - on mainland Europe an average of 70,000." The source said that the majority of the drugs exported by mules from Peru are landing in Holland and Spain. Between 2008 and 2013, some 612 individuals were stopped trying to board flights bound for Spain while 248 people were intercepted en route to Amsterdam. In the same year the Peru Two were captured, 705 kilos of cocaine were discovered at Lima Airport and 212 people arrested. Reid remains in a Peruvian jail while she seeks to serve the remainder of her sentence in Scotland. The request was approved by the Scottish Prison Service in January 2015. However, any transfer will depend on the decision taken by the prison authorities of Peru. Prayers which start each Dail session should be scrapped, Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy has said. Mr Murphy's comments came as part of a wide-ranging debate on changes to the Dail rules which aimed at giving TDs more freedom to call the government to account. The Dublin South West TD, who served from October 2014 until January 2016 in the last Dail, said he was very disappointed at the lack of accountability of government and lack of TDs' powers to get answers to questions on behalf of ordinary citizens. He welcomed some of the proposed changes contained in an interim report to the Dail but said change must reflect a changing Ireland and a new political landscape. He said voters had decided the end of the "2.5 party system" in the last election and the Dail must change to accommodate new party structures. Mr Murphy then turned to the prayer read by the Ceann Comhairle at the start of each session. "We think the prayer should go. We think it's anachronistic," he argued - adding that Ireland was now a secular society and the Dail should reflect this. Heated Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he agreed with some of what Mr Murphy had to say about the prayer. He said the Dail must be reformed so it could better defend citizens' interests, and he also called for changes to the Seanad and local government. Mr Ryan urged an assessment of what happened in the Northern Ireland or Scottish Assemblies on the use of prayer. He said it might be possible to substitute a minute's silence and he also suggested that, when debate got too heated, a bell might be rung to begin a short break to draw a deep breath and cool things down. "We should be creative and we should be innovative and open," Mr Ryan said. Independent TD Catherine Zappone, who is a former Senator, said the Seanad had already debated the use of the opening prayer. Senators had compromised on a minute of silent reflection, followed a minute-long Christian prayer. "The Dail could go further with a couple of minutes silence," Ms Zappone said. She added that this could allow people reflect on their own spiritual inspiration and/or drawing upon their "own ethical sources." The debate on Dail reform at one stage teetered on the brink of farce as TDs argued over the order in which they should speak. Members of the committee on reform complained that acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny had spoken first. They said the agreement was that committee members would speak in alphabetical order. After Mr Kenny's contribution, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin spoke, followed by representatives of Sinn Fein and Labour. As acting minister Brendan Howlin began to speak for Labour, Fianna Fail committee member Thomas Byrne complained. Bernard Durkan, who was standing in for the Ceann Comhairle, tried to revert to the original running order after Mr Howlin had spoken. But Mr Murphy and Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats insisted they should to speak first. Another committee member Darragh O'Brien said the debate had "gone awry" while Independent Clare Daly branded it "a mess". Con and Mary McCarthy died in a head-on collision shortly before 6pm on Tuesday evening Photo: PA Tributes have been paid to an elderly husband and wife who died in a horrific head-on collision. Buttevant GAA and Buttevant Community Association hailed Con and Mary McCarthy, both 76, as a couple who were utterly devoted to each other, their family and their locality. Both died in a head-on collision shortly before 6pm on Tuesday evening which forced the closure of the N20 Cork-Limerick road at Buttevant. Buttevant community activist Liam Ware said the area was "deeply shocked" by the double tragedy. "Con and Mary were such a lovely couple," he told the Irish Independent. "Con was a staunch Fine Gael supporter and was very involved in all aspects of the party organisation. "When it came to sport and politics, when Con spoke, everyone stopped to listen." Mr McCarthy, who was also involved in the IFA, was originally from west Cork while his wife Mary was from the west of Ireland. She had worked as a nurse. Denis Curtin and Sean Guinane of Buttevant GAA extended the club's sympathy to the entire McCarthy family. "Con was a great club man and served for a time as vice-president of Buttevant GAA," Denis said. Former Mayor of Cork County Tom Sheahan said the community was still reeling from the tragedy. "Con was such a great community man," he said. Brendan Keenan: 'Better laws and foreign money needed to overcome worrying homes shortage' There is a district in Belfast known as the Holy Land. Not because of its religiosity, but because the streets - Jerusalem Street, Damascus Street and so on - are called after places in that region. Once, there were others; Little Crimea, India, and so on. Seemingly, houses were built so quickly for the city's huge expansion in the 19th century that it was too much trouble to think up original names. They eventually gave up altogether, so far as names were concerned. The Shankill area got First Street, Second Street etc, all the way up to Tenth. People looking at the recently published Nanny State Index would do well to ask who really has their best interests at heart before accepting that Ireland is one of 'the worst places in the European Union to eat, drink, smoke and vape'. This index has been compiled by free-market lobby groups, the Institute of Economic Affairs and the European Policy Information Centre. If it is to be taken seriously, one first has to accept that all regulations governing food, alcohol and smoking are inherently bad regulations. The index does not address why these regulations were introduced or what benefit they bring to individuals, families and wider society. Ireland is penalised by the index for the introduction of life-saving measures, such as the smoking ban and our drink driving legislation. It tells us we should be ashamed of regulations such as protecting children from exposure to tobacco and junk food advertising. Of course, if all these pesky regulations were removed in the morning and we dropped down the Nanny State Index, what would happen? We'd be fine, apparently, as personal responsibility would take over. While it is undoubtedly important that we take responsibility for our own behaviour, this approach completely ignores both the influence of the environment we live in and the harm that our behaviour causes to others and society as a whole. Ireland has a chronic disease crisis that is being driven by our smoking, drinking and eating habits, as well as a lack of physical activity. Chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, liver disease and diabetes, now account for the majority of ill-health and death, as well as putting an enormous burden on our health service that has crippled its ability to function effectively, leaving hundreds of people on trolleys and waiting for months on end for procedures. This increasing burden of disease is not due to an epidemic loss of willpower or an abdication of personal responsibility. People have not changed dramatically in recent decades, but the environment in which they grow up and live has, making it far more likely that they will be unhealthy due to their significantly altered lifestyles and consumption habits. This was made starkly obvious by shocking new obesity figures published in recent days. As weight loss expert Dr Yoni Freedhoff has pointed out, "the longer we retain the trope of personal responsibility as the foil to the forces that torrentially push us into the arms of illness, the longer we as a society will remain ill. When there's a flood knowing how to swim is all well and good, but even the strongest swimmers will tire if the current doesn't abate. While there will always be a role for personal responsibility, we need to do something about this current." We need to make the healthy choice an easier one. Regulation is important to protect and promote public health as we cannot build an environment that supports people and their families to lead healthier lifestyles while ignoring the influence of the tobacco, alcohol and food industries (supported by the advertising and retail sectors) on our daily lives. In the drive for increased consumption of unhealthy products these industries often step well beyond their remit and use their considerable power to influence the policy and legislative process in favour of their business interests. Attempts to protect and promote public health are fought relentlessly, from lobbying to legal action, and the State is denounced as a 'Nanny' for putting the interests of its citizens first. One of the main reasons the State must act is that while decisions to smoke, drink alcohol and what to eat are individual ones, we simply can't pretend that these decisions don't have significant social and economic impacts that affect every single taxpayer and user of our health service - and that's before you count the huge personal costs. An Irish family who lost a loved one due to the actions of a drink driver would take little comfort from being told our stringent legislation is being relaxed in favour of personal responsibility. The thousands of Irish children whose lives are negatively impacted every day by the harmful drinking of a parent would hardly cope better if it were explained to them that this decision to drink is their parents and theirs alone. The many innocent victims of alcohol-fuelled crime are unlikely to feel any better if it is explained to them that they are in fact free market casualties. The Nanny State critics are also very inconsistent in how they apply their concept of State interference, with interventions on behalf of industry seemingly never deemed to be 'Nanny State'. For example, why does this index not penalise Ireland for the billions of euro worth of bank debt transferred to generations of taxpayers, but does penalise us for the fact that our pubs have designated closing times? It is because the 'Nanny State' label seeks to exploit a fear of government regulation and restriction of personal freedoms to ensure that profit continues to be prioritised over public health, no matter what the cost. There are few things more limiting to personal freedom than ill-health and the poorer you are, the greater your chance of ill-health and the worse your health outcomes. Nanny State critics invariably champion exactly the type of economic policies that deepen these inequalities and then call on the State not to get involved to help those communities worst affected. However, it is the job of a government to strike a balance between preserving our personal freedoms and the need for regulation, a balance that is good for both the economy and our society. Conor Cullen is Head of Communications and Advocacy at Alcohol Action Ireland Communions used to be a simple affair. Back in the 1980s, when I made mine, I got a simple white dress, rosary beads and a prayer book, and my classmates and I were most excited to see what Communion really tasted like. Despite the new purity of our souls and the piety of the occasion, let's just say we were bitterly disappointed with the taste - the universal verdict was that it was far too much like cardboard. After the Mass, parents clambered to get a photo with the bishop, then we went for dinner in our local restaurant, visited a few relatives and were home by teatime. Fast forward to today and Communions have become big business. Bouncy castles, photographers, expensive dresses, chocolate fountains and lavish parties are making Communions a very costly event for families, with the average spend coming in at almost 800. Some parents feel under pressure to put on a big spread and find themselves taking out 'Communion loans' (Yes, they're real!). But if you cannot afford to borrow for the day, or like us, simply don't want to put yourself into debt for the occasion, there are ways to cut down the cost while still making it a great day. Dressing the child is a big part of the day. There is a plethora of choices for girls' dresses with prices varying from 15 in charity shops, 25-30 in TK Maxx and Aldi, 55-150 in Dunnes Stores, right up to 1,000 in boutiques. I have spoken with mums who put themselves into debt spending hundreds on dresses for their daughters and I'm not sure the children really cared about the cost. Our daughter April, is making her Communion this year and we got her dress, gloves, tiara, veil, tights and bag for 140 in Alexanders Bridal communion sale. Her rosary beads, cardigan and umbrella have been passed down from her big sister. She did not care about the prices, she is happy and we're not broke so it's win-win. Boys wearing smart casual can get dressed from head to toe for around 30-40 in Penneys. If you do want a suit for your son, shop around. They can cost from 100-1,100. Some mums feel pressure to buy expensive outfits or even hire dresses for themselves but it's easy to can pick up a dress or outfit for under 60. The Ilac Shopping Centre, in Dublin, is very good for bargains and I got my own outfit for 100 in Rouge Boutique, Laurence Shopping Centre, Drogheda. After the service, most families go to the school for tea and coffee and the children can play with their friends for a while. Then families either go out to dinner or back to their house for a party. If having people to the house, getting help with the food is a great idea. You can ask grandparents or godparents to buy a cake for the day to take that cost off you. And again, no need to spend a fortune on a cake. Local bakeries and delis are great. Instead of bouncy castles, other options like the vintage ice cream bike from www.rockfieldicecream.ie allow children to have fun making their own ice creams. Another idea is dry clay modelling parties from www.clayotic.ie. The clay is dry, so does not transfer colour onto clothes, so Communion outfits stay clean! It's difficult to know how much to put in cards for the Communion child so it's good to have a conversation with family and friends about this. There was a time when people were putting 50 in cards for friends' children. This puts pressure on parents to reciprocate the same amount and creates a lot of expense for people attending Communions. We agreed with our close friends not to put over 20 in Communion/Confirmation cards. And thankfully, our school has a policy of no cards to be exchanged between class-mates. If your school does not have this policy yet, you can suggest it. It makes the day a little easier for parents. On the day, you do not have to wear fake tan or false nails. My daughter and I will get our hair done, though. At 14 for a blowdry with Curley Cuts (who come to your house!), that's a small spend we can definitely allow for. Looking back at photos from my own Communion, I wish my mother had gotten her and my hair done. That's one spend I think most women should splurge on! Nicola Hughes and Alex Mytton attending the Specsavers 'Spectacle Wearer of the Year' party on October 6, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Mark Robert Milan/GC Images) Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson has apologised to Nicola Hughes for calling her "fame hungry" when they first met. Nicola, a model from Sandyford, made her debut on the E4 reality show in 2015 as a supporting character thanks to her romance with boyfriend Alex Mytton, whom she has been dating for nearly two years. And during a recent trip to Ireland, Louise, who is one of the most popular characters on the show, said: "I thought her intentions were wrong at the beginning, that she was really up for being on the show and moving to London maybe for the wrong reasons - that she just wanted to be famous." But she said after recently spending time together, she regrets making the comments. Expand Close (L to R) Louise Thompson, Nicola Hughes and Tiffany Watson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (L to R) Louise Thompson, Nicola Hughes and Tiffany Watson "We han out together now, I've become closer to her," she told the Irish Daily Star. "The last time I was in Ireland, I said some not very nice things about her and I'd like to clear that up. "We've gone beyond that. I didn't really respect our relationship, but now I think she's a really, really sweet girl." Read More Nicola and Alex's turbulent romance has played out on the small screen as they have regularly spoken about taking breaks on air, but look rock solid on their respective social media feeds. Expand Close Nicola Hughes and boyfriend Alex Mytton / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Hughes and boyfriend Alex Mytton They met in the Naas Court Hotel in Co Kildare in 2014 and Nicola previously told Life magazine she doesn't see her future on the hit show. "What? Be on Made In Chelsea for the rest of my life! No! I'll never be a massive role in the show because I'm not 'made in Chelsea'. So the reason I joined the show was more to support him [Alex], because it was based on his life. It is based on what is going on for him," she explained. Video of the Day "He is the main character in the show, along with a few others. So I was part of his life at the time, so they brought me in, to introduce me as his girlfriend. We filmed a bit together and now we're back filming. I come in and out. I'm not a massive character. "Made In Chelsea won't, I don't think, be long-term for me, because I'm from Ireland. It's based on the lives of these Chelsea kids. I can come in and out." There is no end in sight to the conflict in Sudan's largest region An escalation in fighting in Darfur has forced 138,000 people to flee their homes since mid-January, and there is no end in sight to the 13-year conflict in Sudan's largest region, the UN peacekeeping chief has said. Herve Ladsous painted a grim picture to the UN Security Council over the upsurge in fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra area between Sudanese government forces and rebels loyal to the Sudan Liberation Army's founder, Abdul Wahid Elnur. The government has blocked access to the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force known as UNAMID and humanitarian organisations, so the number of casualties is unknown, he said. The Security Council briefing follows a report from UN experts monitoring sanctions against Sudan dated mid-December that has been circulated to council members but not released because of Russian objections to some recommendations. The report said armed groups in Darfur are capitalising on gold mined in the region to illicitly raise funds. Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic Africans rebelled, accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination. Khartoum is accused of retaliating by arming local nomadic Arab tribes known as the the janjaweed and unleashing them on civilian populations - a charge the government denies. The UN says at least 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.6 million have fled their homes. Mr Ladsous, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, said the security situation in other parts of Darfur remains "fragile" with persistent conflicts between local tribes over land, water and other resources. He said the political process remains "polarised" and urged the government and Abdul Wahid to immediately stop fighting in Jebel Marra and start peace negotiations without conditions. Ms Ladsous said: "The pursuit of political objectives through military means over the past decade has only contributed to the prolonged suffering of the civilian population." Despite the "volatile security environment," Mr Ladsous said a referendum is scheduled to take place from April 11-13 on whether Darfur should become a single region or retain the current division into five sub-regions. He cited a controversy over the criteria for voter eligibility and concerns about what some call "the unsuitable timing". Sudan's UN ambassador Omar Dahab Fadl reiterated the government's call for "an exit strategy" for UNAMID, and called Elnur's forces "criminals". He said the government has documented evidence that the rebel leader and his movement have threatened to kill citizens in Jebel Marra if they refuse "to pay the ransom imposed on them under duress". The panel of experts said it "is certain" that another rebel group - the Abbaka Rezeigat Militiamen of North Darfur - control the Jebel Amir artisanal gold mines, one of the largest sites in Darfur. It said it is "almost certain" that at least 400 mines are being exploited by the rebel group. The panel said it is also certain that a substantial part of the gold taken from the mines is collected in Darfur and flown to Sudan's capital Khartoum for illegal export to the United Arab Emirates. The experts said they are "almost certain" the Abbaka rebels have the potential to earn 54 million dollars (38 million) annually from levies on prospectors and businesses, direct mining of gold and its illegal export. They said they are certain that "an entity" controlled by janjaweed leader Musa Hilal gets "a substantial revenue stream from illicit levies on gold mining in Jebel Amir". "The panel is almost certain that other armed groups, who impose illegal levies on prospectors, also control most artisanal mines of Darfur," the report said. An analysis of trade data by the panel found that around 48,000 kilograms (105,821lbs) of Darfur gold was potentially smuggled from Sudan to UAE from 2010 to 2014. It said this equates to an additional income of 123 million dollars (86.5 million) to armed groups in Darfur. In other sanctions violations, the panel said it found small arms in Darfur manufactured after 2005, which violate a UN arms embargo. They also obtained evidence clearly showing that the Sudanese air force possesses cluster munitions, and that government forces in Darfur possess Typhoon armoured personnel carriers, also in violation of the arms embargo. Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton, pictured, in Wisconsin's Democratic presidential primary, bolstering his bid to slow the front-runner's march toward the party nomination and extending a string of victories. Sanders, a Vermont Senator, was declared the winner of the primary by NBC and Fox News based on early returns and exit polls, with about 3pc of precincts reporting Sanders had 56pc of the vote to 44pc for Clinton. It is his sixth victory in the past seven primaries and caucuses, with a showdown looming in two weeks in New York, where Clinton is favoured as the state's former senator. Broadcast Sanders campaigned hard in Wisconsin, which has a deep progressive tradition where any voter can take a Democratic ballot and first-time voters can register and cast ballots on primary day. During the week ahead of the primary, the $2.1m Sanders spent on broadcast television ads in Wisconsin was about twice as much as Clinton, according to estimates from Kantar Media's CMAG. He also held 15 events there since March 26 while Clinton moved on to New York in recent days. The Clinton campaign had sought to lower expectations about the outcome in Wisconsin, where polls showed Sanders leading before the vote. Because delegates are awarded proportionally, Sanders won't make a significant dent in Clinton's commanding lead, the campaign said. Heading into Tuesday's vote, Clinton had a lead in pledged delegates of 1,243 to 980, according to an Associated Press tally. That advantage was 1,712 to 1,011 counting superdelegates, the party officials and leaders who are free to change their support, the AP said. To win the nomination, the suppport of a total of 2,383 delegates is needed. Legislation such as the bill proposed in the Republican-controlled state Senate has fueled a national debate South Carolina lawmakers have introduced a measure that would require transgender people to use public bathrooms matching their sex at birth, disregarding a growing outcry for a repeal of a similar provision enacted last month in North Carolina. Legislation such as the bill proposed in the Republican-controlled state Senate on Wednesday has fueled a national debate, with states entrenched on either side of the issue and major companies calling for a rollback on measures restricting transgender rights. The South Carolina measure would prohibit local governments from requiring private businesses to provide restroom access based on gender identity rather than birth gender. "Men should use the men's room, and women should use the women's room - that's just common sense," Republican Senator Lee Bright, a sponsor of the bill, told The State newspaper. "North Carolina is getting so much flak over what is common sense." The South Carolina measure is narrower than North Carolina's law, which precludes local governments from adopting anti-discrimination ordinances with protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. But opponents warned the new proposal could spark the economic backlash seen this week in North Carolina, where PayPal Holdings Inc cited the discriminatory nature of the law in canceling a new operations center that was to employ 400 workers in Charlotte. More than 130 business leaders, including the chief executives of Bank of America, Herbalife and American Airlines, have signed a letter with the Human Rights Campaign calling for a repeal. "Government simply has no place in our bathrooms," said Jeff Ayers, executive director of South Carolina Equality, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group. PUSHBACK Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed two executive orders on Thursday aimed at safeguarding the rights of transgender people. One of them bans the state from discriminating against any employee or job applicant based on a host of criteria including "gender expression or identity." "This is the right thing to do. ... This is also the smart thing to do," Wolf said, citing PayPal's decision in North Carolina. Last year, the Democratic governor named a transgender woman as the state's physician general, a Cabinet-level post. More than a dozen states have considered bathroom provisions this year that would restrict access for transgender people, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures come amid a wave of legislation pushed by social conservatives after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last year. Mississippi's Republican governor on Tuesday signed a law allowing people with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and permitting employers to cite religion in determining workplace policies on dress code, grooming and bathroom and locker access. In response, a number of governors and mayors have banned non-essential government travel to Mississippi or North Carolina. Last week, the governors of Georgia and Virginia vetoed "religious liberty" bills, which critics said discriminated against same-sex couples. A man concerned by Spanish nudists and a homesick expat asking where he could buy English bacon are among the most bizarre consular calls made by Britons abroad in the past year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said. The operators, who should only be contacted in emergencies, were also contacted by a lady in Lebanon looking for help recruiting an English butler and a man in Singapore asking for assistance obtaining illegal employment. Foreign minister James Duddridge said: "Our consular staff are a helpful bunch and do an amazing job helping out Brits in trouble around the world - but it is important that people remember they are there to help with genuine emergencies and not as an alternative to directory inquiries. "Every minute they spend handling a call requesting advice on butlers or nudists is time taken away from dealing with life and death cases, so I urge the public to think before picking up the phone." The unusual calls also included a man in South Korea asking what he could do with his old pound notes and a woman expressing her disappointment that the British Embassy had not sent someone to give her a tour of St Petersburg on her arrival in Russia. Almost half a million calls were made to the FCO's consular service in the past year. The vast majority were from people with genuine requests, including 3,250 Britons who were hospitalised, 4,770 who were arrested and the families of 3,670 who died overseas. Almost 38,000 replacement travel documents were issued. The execution chamber where Ronnie Lee Gardner was shot by a firing squad at the Utah State Prison in the US in 2010 Photo: Reuters There were more executions worldwide in 2015 than in any year since 1990 and almost 90pc occurred in three countries - Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Amnesty International said yesterday. At least 1,634 people were executed last year, the human rights watchdog said, adding that the actual number was probably significantly higher given that there are no definitive numbers for China. "The number of known executions rose by more than 50pc compared with 2014 - this development is unsettling and alarming," said Oliver Hendrich, an expert on capital punishment at Amnesty International in Germany. At least 977 people were executed in Iran last year, mostly for drug crimes, Amnesty said, while more than 320 death sentences were carried out in Pakistan and at least 158 people were executed in Saudi Arabia. In the United States, 28 people were executed last year - the lowest number since 1991, Amnesty said. China is believed to remain the world's top executioner, with the number of people put to death annually in the thousands, though the exact figure is a state secret. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked about the report, said Amnesty often released "unfair" statements about China that lacked objectivity. Countries that impose the death penalty are in the minority for the first time now, Amnesty said. It added that 102 countries had got rid of the death penalty for all crimes by the end of 2015, compared with 60 countries in 1996. EgyptAir plane hijacking suspect Seif Eddin Mustafa, second left, is escorted by Cyprus police officers as he leaves court after a remand hearing (AP) An Egyptian request to extradite a man who authorities say admitted to hijacking an EgyptAir flight with a fake suicide belt has been approved and legal procedures are under way, Cyprus' attorney general said. Petros Clerides said that 59-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa is objecting to extradition and has hired a lawyer. Mr Clerides said a Cypriot court will weigh Mustafa's arguments against his extradition during a hearing scheduled for April 22. Mustafa, described by Cypriot authorities as "psychologically unstable", is accused of forcing a flight from Alexandria to Cairo to land in Cyprus last week after claiming to be strapped with explosives. The hijacking ended peacefully after six hours with Mustafa's arrest when he stepped off the aircraft and tried to flee, police said. Most of the 72 passengers and crew aboard the Airbus A320 had been released shortly after the plane landed at Cyprus' main Larnaca airport, although a few were kept until just before the hijacking was over. A Cyprus court last week ordered the eight-day detention of Mustafa, who faced preliminary charges including hijacking, kidnapping and threats to commit violence. Mustafa did not ask to be represented by an attorney at that hearing, police said. Mr Clerides said Mustafa will not be tried in Cyprus and was freed on Thursday, but he was re-arrested on the strength of a warrant issued as part of extradition proceedings. The German newspaper that first obtained the so-called Panama Papers, a vast trove of documents on offshore companies, has said it will not publish all the files, arguing that not all are of public interest. Sueddeutsche Zeitung received the documents from an unidentified source more than a year ago and shared at least parts of them with dozens of other media outlets around the world. Since the first reports were published on Sunday, prominent politicians, celebrities and businesspeople have had their offshore business dealings dragged into the spotlight, prompting a flurry of public outrage, official investigations and fierce denials from some of those named. Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the complete set of 11.5 million documents "won't be made available to the public or to law enforcement agencies. That's because the SZ isn't the extended arm of prosecutors or the tax investigators." Authorities have legal powers to obtain such documents from those suspected of wrongdoing, and in many cases there is no public interest in revealing companies' or individuals' offshore business dealings, the Munich-based paper said. The documents relate to Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helps create shell companies for the world's rich and famous. The firm said it has filed a criminal complaint alleging that the data was stolen in a hacking attack. Sueddeutsche Zeitung said it did not know how the anonymous source obtained the data, but that he or she had expressed "a very strong moral impulse" and wanted to make "these crimes public". Panama's government on Wednesday accused wealthy nations of unfairly attacking the Central American country while ignoring their own failings. President Juan Carlos Varela said an international committee of experts would be created to recommend ways to boost transparency in the Central American country's offshore financial industry. Experts say that while offshore companies can be used for tax evasion and money laundering, there are also legitimate and legal grounds for creating them. German lawmakers said on Thursday they plan to hold an urgent debate on the offshore leaks next week. "The revelations in the Panama Papers have triggered a broad discussion among politicians and the public about necessary consequences," said Christine Lambrecht, of the Social Democratic Party that is part of chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition. Responding to readers' queries about the absence of prominent German or American politicians in the reports, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said such names have not yet been found in the documents. It said the documents include copies of the passports of 200 Americans, and about 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies listed addresses in the United States. "One possible reason why comparatively few Americans appear in the documents could be that US citizens have no reason to contact a law firm in Panama," the paper said. "That's because offshore companies can easily be created in US states such as Wyoming, Delaware or Nevada." Russian president Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has denied having any links to offshore accounts and is describing the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of Western efforts to weaken Russia. Mr Putin, speaking on Thursday at a media forum in St Petersburg, said even though his name did not figure in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm, Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses. Mr Putin described the allegations as part of the US-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. Mr Putin said his long-time friend, cellist Sergei Roldugin, who figured in the Panama Papers as the owner of two billion US dollar (1.42 billion) in offshore assets, has done nothing wrong. He said he was proud of Roldugin, adding that the musician spent his personal money to advance cultural projects in Russia. Undated handout file photo issued by Cleveland Police of Angela Wrightson, taken some years before her death. Cleveland Police/PA Wire Two teenage girls subjected a 39-year-old woman to "gratuitous degradation" as they battered her to death in her home, according to a judge who said they must be locked up for a minimum of 15 years. The pair were 13 and 14 when they murdered Angela Wrightson in the lounge of her home in Hartlepool, County Durham, using weapons including a shovel, a TV, a coffee table and a stick studded with screws during a five-hour long ordeal. A judge at Leeds Crown Court recounted how Miss Wrightson suffered an "absolute minimum of 70 separate slash injuries and 54 separate blunt-force injuries - 71 were to the head and face, 31 were to the body, 22 were deflection injuries to the back of her hands, wrists and arms as she tried to ward off the blows". Mr Justice Globe said it was a "cowardly attack" and that Miss Wrightson's defensive injuries backed up one of the girls' claims to friends that their victim was pleading with them to stop. The judge outlined how "in addition to punching, kicking and stamping", Miss Wrightson suffered "an absolute minimum of 27 blows" with 14 different items. But he refused to allow the girls, now both 15, to be named. Expand Close Handout file photo from Cleveland Police of a photograph taken by one of two girls who are accused of murder when they were getting a lift in the back of a police van only hours after the alleged murder of Angela Wrightson. Cleveland Police/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Handout file photo from Cleveland Police of a photograph taken by one of two girls who are accused of murder when they were getting a lift in the back of a police van only hours after the alleged murder of Angela Wrightson. Cleveland Police/PA Wire Dismissing an application by media organisations to lift an order banning their identification, he pointed to multiple suicide attempts by the older girl. He said some of these incidents happened in the Crown Court building during the trial, which finished earlier this week when both girls were found guilty of murder. The judge praised a member of the court staff who saved the girl's life after one incident. The teenagers showed no obvious emotion when the judge passed sentence, although one wiped away the occasional tear during the two-hour long hearing. After they were taken from the court, a loud wail could be heard from the cell area. The judge told them: "It was an attack that included gratuitous degradation." He said: "She (Miss Wrightson) undoubtedly suffered considerably, both mentally and physically, before she ultimately lost consciousness and died." The judge went through how Miss Wrightson, who was 5ft 4in and weighed six-and-a-half stone, was found dead in her blood-spattered living room in December 2014 after the five-hour long ordeal. While at the house, the younger girl made a phone call over Facebook to a friend, who heard her say: "Go on (older girl). Smash her head in. Bray her. F****** kill her," as another laughed in the background. A selfie posted to social media site Snapchat showed the defendants smiling with Miss Wrightson pictured in the background shortly before her death, with further selfies showing the girls drinking cider from a bottle. After the attack, the girl rang the police to take them home and they took a picture in the police vehicle which was posted to Snapchat with the message: "Me and (older girl) in the back, on the bizzie van again." The trial heard that the girls had visited Miss Wrightson, an alcoholic known as "Alco Ange", on a number of occasions as she would buy them alcohol and cigarettes. On the evening of the murder, they let themselves into her home and asked Miss Wrightson to go to the shop for them. The judge told them: "It was in her own living room. She kindly invited you in. She kindly went out to buy you what you wanted. She kindly let you stay. "You then abused her hospitality and attacked her again and again in the very place where a person is supposed to feel safe." The judge read a victim impact statement from Miss Wrightson's mother, Maureen. The judge said: "She describes the horror of seeing Angie's battered body in the mortuary. She does not think she will ever be able to blink those images away. "Having seen photographs of what Angie looked like at that time, I readily understand why she is of that view. "She cannot understand how you could have been as violent as you were. "She is not alone in that view. "She had been disgusted by the laughing and giggling and sharing of photographs during the time of and immediately after the attack." The judge told the girls they would have been facing much longer sentences if they were adults. He said he was effectively giving them a mandatory life sentence but told them that, because of their ages, this was referred to as "detention at Her Majesty's pleasure". The teenagers sat through the two-hour hearing surrounded by carers and intermediaries. The Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board and Hartlepool Safeguarding Children Board have said the three independent reviews into the circumstances of Miss Wrightson's murder will be made public. A Safeguarding Adult Review is being undertaken by the Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board regarding Angela Wrightson and Serious Case Reviews are being undertaken by the Hartlepool Safeguarding Children Board regarding the two teenagers. Deborah Jeremiah will lead the Safeguarding Adult Review and Jane Wiffin will lead the Serious Case Reviews into the girls, the boards have said. A spokesman said: "They are, however, working together to undertake the three reviews to make sure that the maximum amount of learning is realised." He said all the reports will be made public. Dave Pickard, independent chair of the Hartlepool Safeguarding Children Board, said: "Events like this are extremely rare and we owe it to Angela to learn everything we can and, where necessary, share those lessons nationally." The 93-year-old served as a guard in Auschwitz from 1942 to 1943 A 93-year-old German who worked as a guard at the Auschwitz death camp has died days before his trial was due to open. Ernst T, whose full name was not given in keeping with German privacy rules, allegedly played a part in the deportation of prisoners from Nazi transit camps in Berlin, Drancy in occupied France, and Westerbork in the occupied Netherlands. Prosecutors say at least 1,075 prisoners were gassed to death shortly after arriving at Auschwitz. The suspect allegedly was a member of the SS-Totenkopfsturmbann group and served as a guard in Auschwitz from November 1 1942 to June 25 1943. The man was to go on trial next Wednesday at a court in Hanau, near Frankfurt, on charges of accessory to murder. The court confirmed his death on Thursday. The EgyptAir flight from Alexandria to Cairo was forced to land in Cyprus last week An Egyptian request to extradite a man who authorities say admitted to hijacking an EgyptAir flight with a fake suicide belt has been approved and legal procedures are under way, Cyprus' attorney general said. Petros Clerides said that 59-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa is objecting to extradition and has hired a lawyer. Mr Clerides said a Cypriot court will weigh Mustafa's arguments against his extradition during a hearing scheduled for April 22. Mustafa, described by Cypriot authorities as "psychologically unstable", is accused of forcing a flight from Alexandria to Cairo to land in Cyprus last week after claiming to be strapped with explosives. The hijacking ended peacefully after six hours with Mustafa's arrest when he stepped off the aircraft and tried to flee, police said. Most of the 72 passengers and crew aboard the Airbus A320 had been released shortly after the plane landed at Cyprus' main Larnaca airport, although a few were kept until just before the hijacking was over. A Cyprus court last week ordered the eight-day detention of Mustafa, who faced preliminary charges including hijacking, kidnapping and threats to commit violence. Mustafa did not ask to be represented by an attorney at that hearing, police said. Mr Clerides said Mustafa will not be tried in Cyprus and was freed on Thursday, but he was re-arrested on the strength of a warrant issued as part of extradition proceedings. The treatment was given to patients who had failed to respond to other medications Paedophiles could be treated with a single injection to prevent them abusing children, scientists hope. Experts in Sweden believe that a drug which stops the brain from making testosterone can combat hyper-sexuality and aggression, turning off the need to seek out sexual contact with youngsters. The drug degaralix is currently being tested on five Swedish men who called a sexual offenders helpline because they were concerned about their paedophilic inclinations. Scientists at the Karolinksa Institute in Sweden now want to expand the trial to 60 men, and have today launched a crowdfunding project to raise money for the controversial research. Dr Christoffer Rahm, Consultant Psychiatrist and post-doctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institute said: Child sexual abuse is one of the most pervasive social problems today. This issue is hard to deal with, but we must, because it effects all of us. Child sexual abuse causes a lot of suffering for the victims and their relatives, and also costs society enormous amounts of money. It also has negative consequences for the perpetrator who risks becoming totally isolated, depressed and sentence to imprisonment. Up until now, most of the attention has been trying to deal with perpetrators by the police but by this stage children have already been harmed. With this research project .I want to shift focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place. What is relatively unknown is that a substantial number of patients which paedophilic disorder actually want help. The goal of pilot is to reduce the number of child sexual abuses, intervening before the damage is done. Studies have suggested that between one in 20 and one in 35 men are sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children, a prevalence so high that some experts think it could be an orientation, in the same way as homosexuality or heterosexuality. Around one in 10 girls are sexually abused as youngsters and one in 20 boys. More than 36,000 sexual offences were recorded against children in the UK last year. The Home Office estimates that the cost each child sexual offences costs 37,000 when taking into account the police investigation, legal proceedings and medical treatment. Drugs have been used in the past to chemically castrate sexual offenders, but always after abuse has taken place. Many of the therapies used also have serious side effects such as breast growth, bone thinning, mood changes. The new treatment would work before a crime has been committed. It is hoped that men who are worried that they will abuse children would voluntarily opt for the treatment. As part of the research the team will also be trying to identify biomarkers which could indicate if a person was prone to paedophilia. Last year, researchers from the Karolinska Institute and Oxford University found that 40 per cent of the risk of committing a sex crime is genetic, with the remaining 60 per cent down to personal and environmental factors, such as being abused as a child. Although the researchers have ruled out screening for paedophiles, it could help identify those who were likely to benefit from medication. The new drug, degarelix, is a hormone therapy which is currently used in the treatment of prostate cancer. It blocks brain signals which stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone. Testosterone is known to be linked to high sexual arousal, diminished self-regulation and low empathy. The drug appears to block receptors in the limbic system of the brain which promote anger. Initial trials showed that after three days men had no detectable levels of testosterone and within two weeks their risk of abusing children had dropped substantially. One way risk was measured was by scanning brains for sexual arousal while looking at computer-generated images of scantily clad children. The drug appeared to limit arousal. The effect lasts for three months and another injection could be given afterwards if sexually inappropriate behaviour and thoughts returned. Assistant Prof Stefan Arver, Karolinska Institute added: Sexual crimes are committed by people who are unknown to society, 90 per cent are new perpetrators. They exist already out in society, at the grocery store, and some of them will commit crimes. We need to reach those people who have behaviours which may lead to crime and abuse. We need treatment programmes. In 2012 we raised money to establish a telephone line where people who are worried about their own sexuality can call and talk to a professional. We have the proof of principle that people with these worries really want help, and we have shown if help is offered people will come forward. Researchers said the project was focussed on men because, while it was acknowledged that women also sexually abuse children, it is men who carry out the most serious crimes. Prof Donald Grubin, Emeritus Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, Newcastle University, added: It's about prevention. Typically we come in after an offence is committed and we're trying to pick up the pieces. The project called Priotab (Paedophilia at Risk Investigations of Treatment and Biomarkers) is being launched on the crowdfunding site Walacea. Researchers need 38,000 to fund the project. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Bavarian police say they have arrested two men, an Iraqi and a Nigerian, on suspicion that they may have been preparing a "serious act of violence". The state criminal police office said the 46-year-old Iraqi and 29-year-old Nigerian were detained in Munich and nearby Fuerstenfeldbrueck following a tip to Bavarian security authorities. They did not elaborate but the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung quoted Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch as saying there had been indications the two were in contact with members of the Islamic State group. Police said no suspicious objects have been found and that, as far as authorities knew, there was no "concrete danger to the population." The Australian flag flies outside a compound that houses the Australian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (AP) Two British nationals have been arrested in Lebanon following the abduction of two children. Police and Australian media said Lebanese authorities detained four Australians, including journalists, on suspicion they were involved in the abductions of two children in Beirut. Officials also said a British citizen had been detained on suspicion that he planned to smuggle the children out of Lebanon on his boat, the Associated Press reported. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing consular assistance to two British nationals following their arrest in Beirut on 7 April." The second British person has dual British and Australian nationality, and was travelling on a British passport. The five are being questioned over the kidnapping of the son and daughter of a Lebanese man and an Australian woman. The children have been living in Beirut since their father brought them from Australia last year. Police said the kidnapping, in which the children were allegedly taken on Wednesday after an attack on their Lebanese grandmother as she was taking them to school near their home in Beirut, was part of a family dispute. On Thursday, police first said the mother and the children were at the Australian Embassy, but later the Lebanese intelligence department declared the mother was detained and was being held by police with her children, the state-run National News Agency reported. It did not say where they were found but added that the children were safe. The Australian detainees include journalists working for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes. SHARE By Ray Chandler, Special to Independent Mail SALEM City officials are looking into the prospect of starting a charter school in the buildings of the Tamassee-Salem middle and high schools if the schools are closed at the end of the current school year, as expected. "I like the idea of us keeping a school here in Salem," Mayor Diane Head said. "If you take the school and all the children out of the town, you just about deaden the town." Head said she and city officials met Monday with officials of a charter school to discuss the prospects. The public will get a chance to weigh in and have questions answered at a meeting with Salem and charter school officials at the Salem Community Center starting at 6 p.m. April 12. School District of Oconee County trustees, acting on the recommendations of school administrators, voted unanimously in October to close the Tamassee-Salem middle and high schools at the end of the current school year. The administrators cited as reasons for the closing: the schools' declining enrollment; estimates that closing the school would save the school district about $750,000 a year; and the possibility of offering Tamassee-Salem students more opportunities and choice by consolidating them into other campuses. Because of their small size, the current Tamassee-Salem schools do not offer all the courses and extracurricular activities offered by the other middle and high schools in the county. The total enrollment for Tamassee-Salem middle and high schools dropped to about 250 this year from about 300 at the beginning of the last school year. The recommendation to close the schools set off a furor among parents of students and residents of the Salem area, who argued that they offered students more personal attention than a larger school and were "the heart of the (Salem) community." A lawsuit filed by area resident Lynn Martin seeking to keep the schools open awaits a judge's final decision. In hearings, however, Judge Cordell Maddox has said that state law gives school boards the authority to close schools and leaves him few options. Earlier this year, the school district and the city of Salem joined in a contract that will transfer the school buildings to the city's control once the schools are closed. Among the possible uses Salem officials have previously indicated for the buildings were economic development and housing an expanded Salem branch of the county library, which is currently housed in City Hall. Danny Day, chairman of the county library board, said Wednesday that plans for the expanded library branch would be affected "if the charter school would be using the entire campus." It is not certain how much of the available space the charter school would use, Head said. Head said if a charter school is opened, it will begin classes in the fall, with the same grades 6 through 12 as the current middle and high schools. Brad Norton, city attorney for Salem, said a charter school would attract students from a larger area than just Salem. "It's a unique program," Norton said of the ideas advanced so far in discussions between Salem and charter school officials. "It's a lot more open and a lot less structured. It's for kids who are motivated and innovative." The school would, like other charter schools, be controlled by a board answerable to the state, Norton said. The charter school would not take funding away from the county schools, he said. Oconee school Superintendent Michael Thorsland could not be reached Wednesday for comment. Head and Norton said the public will hear a presentation and have its questions answered at the April 12 meeting. All questions must be submitted in writing at City Hall before the meeting. As many of the questions, selected at random, will be answered as possible in the time set for the meeting. The charter school group's own board of directors will meet on April 18 and vote on whether to proceed with the Salem school, Head said. Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster SHARE Sen. Larry Martin By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail The South Carolina Senate's effort to pass an ethics overhaul imploded Thursday when a key provision requiring legislators and other government officials to disclose their private sources of income was derailed. The Senate's presiding officer, Republican Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, ruled that an amendment containing the income-disclosure requirement was improper because it went beyond the scope of an ethics bill that the state House of Representatives approved last year. His ruling came at the request of Democratic Sen. Gerald Malloy. Gov. Nikki Haley took to social media to express her displeasure over the major setback in her crusade to reform the state's ethics laws. "It is amazing the level elected officials will go to avoid disclosing who pays them," Haley said in a post on her Facebook page. "Never did we think that this Lt. Governor would help the Senate kill income disclosures. "We have fought for this for four years because people deserve to know who pays their elected officials including the part-time ones, like the legislators and the Lt. Governor," Haley wrote. "There is no good excuse for what happened today and how incredibly sad we are for our state." Sen. Larry Martin said he met with Haley after the Senate adjourned in disarray Thursday afternoon. "She was very reserved, not happy at all," Martin said. The Republican from Pickens has acted as floor manager for the ethics bill in his role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill before the Senate still calls for independent investigations of ethics complaints against members of the General Assembly, Martin said. Currently such complaints are handled by legislative ethics panels. But McMaster's ruling means that the Senate will be unable to pass a comprehensive ethics reform bill. Martin and other Senate leaders now must find the time and votes to deal with the income-disclosure issue before the chamber turns its attention to budget issues. Martin also said he hopes the Senate will take up another House bill that calls for legislators and government officials to disclose private sources of income. The bill would not require actual amounts of private income to be revealed. "I am optimistic," he said. "I think there is a 70 to 75 percent chance." Sen. Kevin Bryant, a Republican from Anderson, voiced similar sentiments. "I think the Senate is committed" to disclosing private sources of income, Bryant said. But Bryant said he is concerned that the ongoing ethics debate will be further complicated a number of senators who want to force noncandidate political committees to identify their contributors. Bryant contends that such a requirement would infringe on the First Amendment rights of these groups. Sen. Vincent Sheheen, a Democrat from Camden, argued noncandidate committees are using "phantom donors" to pervert the political system. "We need to shine a light on dark money," he said. Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM SHARE KEN RUINARD/INDEPENDENT MAIL Phillip Boyer and Kim Boyer of Clemson will appear on an episode of House Hunters, an HGTV show, Thursday night. Phillip Boyer and Kim Boyer of Clemson will appear on an episode of House Hunters, an HGTV show, Thursday night. Phillip Boyer and Kim Boyer of Clemson will appear on an episode of House Hunters, an HGTV show, Thursday night. By Abe Hardesty of the Independent Mail Phillip Boyer works in the grants division of the Clemson University engineering science department. His wife, Kim, is pursuing a degree as a registered nurse. Thursday night, the Upstate couple become television stars. Nervous ones. "It was very surreal, having the presence of a camera close by," Phillip Boyer said. "We were definitely nervous." The Boyers and Pickens County Realtor Joey Martin will appear on HGTV's "House Hunters" program at 10 p.m. Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday. All said the nearby camera didn't affect decisions, but required an adjustment. "The crews tried to make us feel at ease," Phillip Boyer said, "but I found myself thinking about what I was going to say instead of just saying it." The Boyers are fans of "House Hunters," as is Phillip's mother, Magalie who suggested they contact HGTV as they looked for a house. "When she said that, I'm thinking, 'That's ridiculous. They do those shows in places like California, not small towns in Upstate South Carolina,'" Phillip Boyer recalled. To the Boyers' surprise, HGTV instead sent two four-man crews to make the video, which required four 12-hour days and part of a fifth. "The big surprise for me is how long it takes to get a shot just right," Phillip Boyer said. Martin, 38, who has 17 years of experience in real estate, said the camera "adds a new level of fear." "I gained a new respect for the work it takes to produce a show," said Martin, who was so nervous at one point that he had to stop to put on a dry shirt. "It was a lot of work, but I'm glad we did it," Kim Boyer said. "I hope it will be good exposure for Joey, who was amazingly patient with us during the whole process." Follow Abe Hardesty on Twitter @abe_hardesty CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Phillip Cheney (left) director of Oconee County libraries, holds a copy of a period map showing the lands an 1816 treaty affected. Luther Lyle, curator of the Museum of the Cherokee, holds a copy of the treaty. SHARE The Museum of the Cherokee in South Carolina plans to present a special commemoration Saturday in Walhalla of an 1816 treaty that later sheltered Cherokees in the Carolinas from forced removal to what became Oklahoma. The treaty, signed by President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe on April 8, 1816, provided for the purchase of some Cherokee lands across what is now northern Oconee County. Luther Lyle, curator of the museum, describes the document as "a good treaty" that the Cherokee favored because at the time it allowed them to stay on their ancestral lands in the Carolinas. The treaty did not apply to those Cherokee living in Georgia who were later forcibly removed. The museum is on Short Street in Walhalla, across from the Oconee County Courthouse. The commemoration will happen during the museum's normal operating hours on Saturday, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Hugh Lambert, a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee from Cherokee, North Carolina, will be on hand during that time to elaborate on Cherokee history and the treaty. Contributed report Looks like the 'Talwar' famed actor is making most of his stay in Bangladesh. Irrfan Khan who is currently shooting in Bangladesh for his next, 'No Beds No Roses', is soaking in and enjoying the country's flavour. Recently he was clicked at this particular place, where in the background it was written - "Cinema Is A Big Fat Lie, But Told Truthfully". Sharing this pic on his social networking page, Irrfan had captioned it as "Ek kahani, picture ki zubani". This is what he is been up to when he gets free time in Bangladesh - that is to visit interesting landmarks there. Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) reported standalone net loss of Rs. 877 crore (Provisional) for the year ended March 31, 2016 as compared to net profit of Rs. 1419 crore core in the previous fiscal. The companys revenue declined by 13.71% to 26,702 crore ( Provisional) as compared to Rs. 30,947 crore for the previous year. Its order inflows stood at Rs. 43,727 crore for the year against Rs. 30,814 crore in the previous fiscal, up by 41.90% yoy. For the quarter ended March 31, 2016, the company reported net profit of Rs. 396 crore, which was down by 55.42% yoy. The company reported net loss of Rs. 1101.99 crore for the previous quarter. Its revenue at Rs. 10455.14 crore for the quarter, grew by 20% yoy and 88% yoy. The numbers come as a big negative as bloomberg estimated the company to report net profit and revenue of Rs. 422 crore and Rs. 10442 crore respectively for the year ended March 31, 2016. Note: Flash reports represent nothing more than a quick snapshot of the financial performance of the ongoing operations of the company. These results are declared out of obligation by state run companies in accordance to MoU signed with the government. These results are tentative in nature and are mostly unaudited. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 115.85, up by 1.85 points or 1.62% from its previous closing of Rs. 114 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 115 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 117 and Rs. 112.75 respectively. So far 12306600(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 27902.64 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 2 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 289.85 on 21-Jul-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 90.4 on 29-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 120.6 and Rs. 112.3 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 63.06 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 33.08 % and 3.86 % respectively.The stock is currently trading below its 200 DMA. a leading provider ofannounces that it has won a multi-million dollar contract withEuropes second largest airline, to provide next-generation network connectivity to 170 sites. The network will form the backbone for the company as it embraces the latest mobile, cloud, big data analytics and wearable technologies to enhance and personalise passenger experience. This investment underpins the airlines growth strategy, driven by organisation-wide digital transformation, delivery of next-generation aircraft, and expansion in emerging markets.The multi-year contract will see Tata Communications roll out a superfast intelligent network which will power Air France-KLMs mission-critical systems, including passenger check-in, flight operations and departure control applications, as well as corporate programs in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Air France-KLM, which carried 87.4 million passengers in 2014, is the first major European airline group to move away from the legacy networks widely used in the airline industry.global network which today connects more than 300 locations for leading airlines worldwide will enable Air France-KLM to offer a range of digital services in regions that have been identified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as the future growth drivers of the industry. Currently eight of the ten fastest growing airline markets are located in Africa. By 2034, IATA expects 1.3 billion passengers to touch China up from 850 million at present and India is set to see an additional 260 million passengers. Europe will act as key transfer hub to these emerging markets, with 1.4 billion passenger journeys in 2034 nearly 600 million more than today.Investing in emerging markets and cutting-edge digital technologies is at the heart of our growth strategy,Were introducing a range of innovative services, such as travel apps for smartwatches, to provide a seamless, personalised travel experience for our tech-savvy passengers. Tata Communications global next-generation network will act as the foundation for these services in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, empowering us take customer service to the next level and capitalise on the huge growth opportunities that these markets offer.Airlines worldwide are starting to rethink their technology infrastructure to improve the passenger experience, and integrate cloud services and new applications to support the huge amounts of data coming from next-generation aircraft. In tandem, theyre competing for their share of new revenue streams in emerging markets,Tapping into our emerging markets expertise, our advanced global network, and our points-of-presence in airports gives Air France-KLM a real competitive edge. Air France-KLM is paving the way for the transformation of the groups mission-critical operations, ensuring a superior travel experience for passengers in the industrys fastest growing geographies.Tata Communications will provide Air France-KLM with an MPLS wide area network (WAN) in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, underpinned by the companys partnerships and investments in airport points-of-presence worldwide and the largest wholly-owned subsea cable network in the world. Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader has warned reluctant private medical institutions of consequences, if they refused to join the government's Mukhyamantri Harish Santwana humanitarianscheme and provide trauma care to road traffic accident victims. (BS)Insurance majorwill next month auction Unitechs 14 lakh square meter plot of land in Noida if the real estate company does not repay the entire dues of Rs. 184 crore. (FC)A workshop to spread awareness about the, a crop insurance scheme, was organised at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra on Tuesday. (The Hindu), one of Indias leading non-bank promoted private life insurers, a joint venture between Max Financial Services Ltd and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. Ltd, has been conferred with the prestigious Outlook Money Award 2015 in the category 'Life Insurance Provider of the Year'. (HBL)People across all age groups in India do not prefer buyingbecause of high premiums, according to a recent health survey by Future Generali India Insurance Co. Ltd in which a total of 1,082 respondents participated. (livemint)PICICis up for a merger with Crescent Star Insurance, the latter announced on Wednesday through a public notice. (tribune.com.pk)ONE of the country's leadingcompany, Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp. (AXA Philippines) completed its total acquisition of Charter Ping An Insurance Corp., a non-life insurance company in the country. ()Robert Sheehy, former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, has co-founded astartup called Bright Health. The company will offer tech-enabled health insurance plans, with the first customers to be signed up for the 2017 plan year. (beckershospitalreview.com)The chief operating officer of North Carolinas largesthas quit, months after about 25,000 customers couldnt enroll, were charged incorrect amounts for insurance or couldnt get cards to show they had coverage. (wwaytv3.com)Shanghai is set to open its long anticipatedexchange in June which aims to be Chinas first bourse and pricing center for re-insurance. (shanghaidaily.com) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, during the inauguration of the Oracle Cloud World in Mumbai today said, I am looking for a scenario when no person visits a government office. All the services should be available at a click. Technology will help us create an efficient, transparent, inclusive system. Fadnavis delivered the keynote address stressing on the importance of the cloud toward delivering good governance. He said, Cloud computing has changed the overall governance landscape. These changes will affect lives of people in a positive way. Fadnavis delivered the keynote address stressing on the importance of the cloud toward delivering good governance. He said, Cloud computing has changed the overall governance landscape. These changes will affect lives of people in a positive way. During the inauguration ceremony, Oracle announced that its first incubation centre Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator would be launched in Bangalore on April 8 as part of its expansion plans in India. Eight more centres are slated to be launched in Mumbai, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Noida, Pune, Trivandrum, and Vijayawada. Maharashtra CM lent his support to the incubation centres saying, All things that change the lives of people are welcomed by the state of Maharashtra. During his address, he informed the media that the government portal AapleSarkar, providing 150 services on the digital platform, has received more than 13 lakh applications for different services until date. Out of this, 99% of theb requests have been cleared and citizens satisfaction rate stands at ~90%. Fadvanis also spoke about Smart Cities' and 'Smart Villages' initiatives. He said, Maharashtra government is creating 10 smart cities with focus on Internet of Things (IoT). Arisa in Melghat is the first smart village we are creating. It is infamous for malnourishment deaths. On this occasion, Thomas Kurian, President of Product Development, Oracle said, India is at an exciting phase of growth, innovation, and development. In India, we see enormous potential for the cloud. Through the Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator and the growing popularity of cloud as an alternate computing model, we want to be the catalyst for new business ideas. We are committed to furthering the government of Indias Startup India initiative. Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors. KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary. No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. The Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (GSFC) seems keen for expansion and has put up a Rs. 15,000 crore expansion plan, reported CNBC TV18.The fertilizer major recently received approvals for usage of Nylon 6 products from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the government.These new products will boost the companys turnover, VD Nanavaty, Senior VP-Finance & CFO of the company told the News Channel in an interview.Nanavaty added that the new products are under various stages of tests and governmental approvals. The company has put up Rs 15,000 crore for expansion purposes and various project sites like Dahej will come under this.The company is also focusing on improving its exports and will be concentrating on infrastructure-led countries like Africa and Sri Lanka.Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 70.5, up by Rs. 0.7 or 1% from its previous closing of Rs. 69.8 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 69.1 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 72.9 and Rs. 69.1 respectively. So far 915702(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 2781.53 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 2 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 90.7 on 07-Apr-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 57.65 on 12-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 70.9 and Rs. 64.3 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 37.84 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 35.12 % and 27.04 % respectively.The stock is currently trading above its 200 DMA. Indian Navy personnel having accounts in HDFC Bank will be able to avail a host of benefits, including a wide range of international debit and credit cards, concessional interest rates on loans, and free ATM transactions, among others. This is in addition to HDFC Banks powerful Netbanking portal and mobile banking app, which allows customers to perform over 205 and 85 different types of transactions, respectively. The benefits include: HDFC Bank Ltd., signed an MoU with the Indian Navy to offer a salary account to Navy personnel. As a part of the Defence Salary Account offering, Navy personnel, currently in service as well as retired, will get access to HDFC Banks world-class banking services and a suite of digital banking products, offering convenience and access. The initiative is part of a larger focus to serve people in uniform.Indian Navy personnel having accounts in HDFC Bank will be able to avail a host of benefits, including a wide range of international debit and credit cards, concessional interest rates on loans, and free ATM transactions, among others. This is in addition to HDFC Banks powerfulportal and mobile banking app, which allows customers to perform over 205 and 85 different types of transactions, respectively. Zero balance savings account for spouse, parents, sisters, brothers, children of Navy personnel, Unlimited demand drafts, Free transactions on Non - HDFC Bank ATMs in India, Wide range of international debit and credit cards with extended limits, Free personal Accidental Death cover up to Rs. 15 lakh & free Air Accidental Death cover of Rs. 25 lakhs Concessional interest rates on loans, fees on lockers. In a function organized at Naval Head Quarters, the MoU was signed by Captain V. K. Gupta, Principal Director Pay & Allowances, Indian Navy and Gulzar Singh, Branch Banking Head North, HDFC Bank, in the presence of Rear Admiral Pradeep Joshi, V. S. M, AC.O.P (A.C) and Sandeep Singh Kohli, Circle Head Delhi, HDFC Bank and other senior officials of the Indian Navy and HDFC Bank. In 2011, the bank had signed an MoU with the Indian Army to offer salary account facility to Army personnel for three years, which was extended last year. April 7 and 8, 2016 April 7th and 8th Mark your calendar for the biggest super offers carnival on April 7and 8as LeEco, the global internet and technology conglomerate puts up irresistible, bigger-than-ever offers and benefits on its highly anticipated LeEco Day v2.0. The not-to-be-missed offers bonanza is the largest shopping carnival organized by any smartphone brand on the e-commerce platform.Celebrating its success in India, which the company has received in a short span of its launch and the great response that its Le Superphones have got from consumers, LeEco proudly brings back its Super Offers carnival. Great offers and benefits that the company has put up are-Offer #1 The first in the row of benefits is an exciting exchange offer that gives consumers a chance to exchange their old smartphone and get upto Rs 9,999/- off on the Le 1s Superphone, the company's flagship killer and upto Rs 21,000/- for the premium big & bold Le Max. This is incredible since it means that on, the special LeEco Day, consumers can avail close to 90% off on Le Superphones.Offer #2 As part of the much awaited v2.0 of LeEco Day, the second offer by the company is 5% cash back on all Credit and Debit cards. Consumers have never had it so good! Customers can now buy their favourite Le Superphones at great prices availing the great deals that are being put up by LeEco.Offer #3 For its much celebrated LeEco Day on Flipkart, the company has announced its mega offer - aOne lucky buyer of Le Superphones onwill stand a chance to win this Dream Car this time again. It doesnt get grander than this!Le 1s stunning design, superlative technology, compelling features, first of its kind content integration all of these make Le1s a leader in Indian market. Apart from unique high-end features like metal uni-body, USB Type-C Connector and bezel-less screen, Le 1s also boasts of smooth multitasking as the Superphone is powered with an advanced hardware chipset processor - the Mediatek Helio X10 with internal storage of 32GB.That Le Superphones were much "sought-after" phones on Flipkart was evident from the fact that the company sold more than 200,00 phones with a total of 31 seconds during its three flash sales in February.LeEco has also posited itself way ahead of its competitors by signing a deal with Eros Now for Video-on-demand (VOD) and with YuppTV for TV content streaming. Buyers of Le Superphones can now expect a content ecosystem to be uploaded into its android-based EUI system in the 2nd quarter of this year.The company's after-sales policies are also class apart. With 555 service centers in prime locations in the country, besides providing 24/7 toll free services, and other value-added services, LeEco is now a leader even in retaining customers' loyalty in the industry. Closing bell: The BSE Sensex ended with a loss of 215 points at 24,685 The BSE Sensex opened at 24,998 touched an intra-day high of 25,013 and low of 24,647. The NSE Nifty closed with a loss of 68 points at 7,546. The NSE Nifty opened at 7,630 hitting a high of 7,631 and low of 7,536. The India VIX (Volatility) index was down 2.99% to 16.8250. The Indian Rupee was trading down by 20 paise at 66.65 per US dollar. On the global front, China's Shanghai Composite index closed down 1.4% and Hang Seng up 0.29%. In Europe, the FTSE 100 down 0.12%. On the other hand, DAX and the CAC 40 trading lower by 0.4% each. BHEL, Coal India, Lupin, Aurobindo Pharma,Dr.Reddy's, ONGC and Cipla were among the gainers on NSE, whereas Tata Power, Adani Ports, Maruti Suzuki, HDFC, L&T and ITC were among the losers today. Out of 1,805 stocks traded on the NSE, 921 declined and 611 advanced today. A total of 34 stock registered a fresh 52-week high in trades today, whereas 18 stocks touched a new 52-week low on the NSE. Live market: At 2:57 PM, the S&P BSE Sensex is trading at 24,728 down 172 points, while NSE Nifty is trading at 7,556 down 58 points. The BSE Mid-cap Index is trading down 0.26% at 10,546, whereas BSE Small-cap Index is trading down 0.11% at 10,629. Dr.Reddy's, Lupin, Sun Pharma, Axis Bank, ONGC, Cipla and Coal India are among the gainers, whereas Maruti Suzuki, HDFC, Adani Ports, Infosys, ITC, L&T, Bajaj-Auto and Asian Paints are losing sheen on BSE. Some buying activity is seen in pharma, energy, oil and gas and realty sector, while consumer durables,FMCG,auto, IT, power and telecom are showing weakness on BSE. The INDIA VIX is down 2.11% at 16.9775. Out of 1,805 stocks traded on the NSE, 840 declined,682 advanced and 283 remained unchanged today. A total of 34 stocks registered a fresh 52-week high in trades today, while 14 stocks touched a new 52-week low on the NSE. HDFC slipped 2.4% to Rs.1,075. The stock is top Nifty losers. The company proposed to make an additional one-time special provision of Rs. 450 crore during the quarter ending March 31, 2016, which is subject to board approval. The Indian rupee opened lower by 8 paise at 66.72/$ on Wednesday as against the previous close of 66.65$. On Wednesday, Indian rupee weakened further, impacted by foreign capital outflows and demand for the greenback from the importers. On domestic front, the Nikkei India Composite PMI Output Index, which maps both manufacturing and services sectors, climbed from 51.2 in February to a 37-month high of 54.3 last month. Biocon jumped 1.7% to Rs.540 on BSE. The stock is trading on a 52-week high on BSE. Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Wednesday sought a five-year exemption from drug price control and asked the Government to refrain from announcing ad hoc measures to help the pharmaceutical sector become globally competitive. When we are trying to invest in expansions, scale up and creating global scale, we need exemption from price control at least for a period of five years This will incentivise investments in our sector because I really believe that this sector is trying to build global scales, Shaw said at the Board of Trade meeting in New Delhi. Delta Corp Ltd stock was higher by 10% at Rs.836. HDFC Bank Ltd., signed an MoU with the Indian Navy to offer Salary account to Navy personnel. As a part of the Defence Salary Account offering, Navy personnel, currently in service as well as retired, will get access to HDFC Banks world-class banking services and a suite of digital banking products, offering convenience and access. HDFC Bank Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 1053.6, down by Rs. 7.9 or 0.74% from its previous closing of Rs. 1061.5 on the BSE. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd gained 1.5% to Rs.115.90. The board of the company is scheduled to announce Q4 result today. Sundram Fasteners Limited, a flagship company of the TVS Group, has restructured its international operations in order to maximise the revenue potential and shareholders' value. The stock is currently trading at Rs. 173.05, up by Rs. 7.7 or 4.66% from its previous closing of Rs. 165.35 on the BSE. Ricoh India slumped 5% and is trading at Rs. 336. Manoj Kumar has resigned from the Board of Directors of the company with effect from April 02, 2016. He had been asked to go on leave on March 29, 2016 by the Board of Directors. Black students and students with disabilities are suspended from charter schools at higher rates than their peers, according to a study by The Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California. The center compiled and analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights from more than 5,000 charter schools based on data from the 2011-12 school year, and found Black students are four times as likely to be suspended from charter schools as white students, and students with disabilities are suspended at two to three times the rate of non-disabled students in charter schools. The report also found charter schools at all levels of education suspended 7.8 percent of students, compared with 6.7 percent of students being suspended at non-charter schools. Among students with disabilities, the study found charter schools suspended 15.5 percent of students, compared to 13 percent of students being suspended at non-charter schools. Daniel Losen, the director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies, said the report should not be used to generalize about all charter school discipline, as there were also schools that did not suspend students at high rates. There are other ways to address school discipline that hold kids accountable, Losen added. The Indianapolis Recorder reached out to many Indianapolis charter schools, including Christel House Academy, Andrew J. Brown Academy, Nexus Academy of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, Paramount School of Excellence, Carpe Diem, Hope Academy and Hoosier Academies, for administrators perspectives on the study, but none of those schools responded to requests for comment. Kim Randall, principal of Lighthouse Academies Elementary, said since taking the role last year, suspensions have decreased from 400 suspensions (in and out-of-school) in the 2013-14 school year to 60 total suspensions in the 2014-15 school year. So far in the 2015-16 school year, Randall said there have been four suspensions. We believe in fixing mistakes, restorative practices and helping students become their best selves rather than suspending students, which can lead to a significant instructional cost, said Randall. Randall explained the first step to keeping students in the classroom is to change the mindsets of adults. Instead of punishing students, we help them fix the mistakes they made, said Randall. The next step is to build relationships with students and spend time listening to them. By doing this, we will understand the underlying cause of the misbehavior, and because all behavior is communication in someway, we have to figure it out, said Randall. Randall said its important to provide opportunities for students to fix their mistakes in a way that makes sense. If they write on a wall, they repaint it. If they disrupt learning, they make up that wasted learning time, said Randall. Randall said the final step is to involve parents. We involve parents in the process so they can be our partners in helping their children become their best selves. Earlier this year, U.S. Department of Education took a step forward toward addressing widespread disparities in the treatment of students of color with disabilities by proposing a new rule to improve the equity in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA aims to ensure fairness in the identification, placement and discipline of students with disabilities. We have a moral and a civil rights obligation to ensure all students, with and without disabilities, are provided the tools they need to succeed, regardless of background, said acting U.S. Secretary of Education John King Jr. IDEA exists for the purpose of ensuring students get the unique services they need, and we owe it to them and to ourselves to uphold all of the laws provisions. The proposed Equity in IDEA rule would, for the first time, require states to implement a standard approach to compare racial and ethnic groups, with reasonable thresholds for determining when disparities have become significant. That determination is critical to ensuring students get the support they need and deserve. Once identified as having a significant disproportionality, the district must set aside 15 percent of its IDEA Part B funds to provide comprehensive coordinated early intervening services. Further, the policies, practices and procedures of the district must be reviewed and, if necessary, revised to ensure compliance with IDEA. The proposed rule would also provide identified districts with new flexibility to support the needs of students. The Department has proposed to broaden the allowable uses of the 15 percent set aside, currently used to fund early intervening services, to include services to students with and without disabilities, from ages 3 through grade 12. Until now, identified districts could only use these funds to support students without disabilities, and only in grades K through 12, severely limiting the use of interventions that might address early needs and reduce disparities in the placement and discipline of students with disabilities. Financial Center First Credit Union (FCFCU), which has been serving consumers within 10 Indiana counties for more than 62 years, was recently honored with two Diamond Awards from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing and Business Development Council. The awards recognize outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry and are given in 30 categories ranging from advertising to community events. FCFCU took home the award for the print category for its Step Smart Certificate ad and in the community event category for Mobile Fun Days, which celebrated the launch of the credit unions mobile deposit app. The Diamond Awards competition represents the pinnacle of credit union marketing and business development, said Andy Reed, chair of the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council. Credit unions that receive these awards represent the very best of the best in their profession. FCFCU is a nonprofit entity that employs 165 people. Guided by a volunteer board of directors, FCFCUs mission is to Improve Members Financial Lives. For more information visit fcfcu.com. bollywoodlife Ever seen a Bollywood actor waiting in the general holding area for detained passengers? Well, Akshay Kumar recently had one of those kinds of experiences! The Bollywood actor was detained at London's Heathrow Airport for travelling without a valid visa. So if you thought such things are restricted only to aam aadmi, well no! Even our B-town celebs face the law. The matter arose when Akshay arrived at the airport in London from Mumbai along with his personal trainer, for a 15-day shoot of his upcoming period drama, Rustom. When he was found to be travelling with discrepancies in his documents, the immigration authorities detained him for over an hour-and-a-half. Akshay was even made to sit in a general holding area for detained passengers during this time. e3talkies According to Mumbai Mirror, the airport authorities stated that the rules allow a Canadian national to visit the UK as a tourist without a visa. But considering Akshay was there for his film's shooting, it made a visa stamp necessary. Witnesses said Akshay's fan following was witnessed no less in London as well. While the actor was waiting for the clearance of official visa formalities, he did manage to attract attention as people jumped to click photographs with the actor. Seeing the converging crowd Akki even requested the airport officials that he be allowed to wait in a private area. But his request was declined as there was no such designated area. Though Akshay denied any such incident, Bollywood actors facing detainment and frisking at international airports is nothing new. When 7-year-old Deepak was rushed to a Delhi hospital a few years ago with worsening asthma symptoms, doctors were puzzled. The boy had been on inhalers and even oral steroids, as suggested by a physician in his hometown, Chandigarh, for the past three years but his condition had not improved. "It turned out that the child did not suffer from asthma at all," said pulmonologist Dr Arup Basu, who treated Deepak at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. "The CT scan revealed he had a peanut stuck in the trachea which was causing breathing difficulties." For three years, the boy had been administered the wrong treatment. Strange as it may sound, Deepak's is not the only such case of misdiagnosis of asthma. TOI spoke to pulmonologists and medicine experts who said 50% of all patients labelled as asthmatics by primary-level physicians may have wheezing or coughing due to other factors, such as viral infection, allergy or tumour in the upper respiratory tract. imimg "Inhalers mustn't be prescribed without diagnosis and confirmation of asthma. It's linked to severe side-effects on prolonged use," said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant at Apollo Hospital. A recent report by two UK experts, Andrew Bush and Louise Fleming of Imperial College and Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust published online in the journal, Archives of Disease in Childhood (ADC), supports this view. It states that doctors are over-diagnosing asthma, with inhalers frequently dispensed for no good reason."Inhalers have almost become a fashion accessory," the article says. Dr SK Chhabra, the head of cardiorespiratory physiology at VP Chest Institute said inhalers being a fashion accessory may be true for the west but the Indian scenario is a little more complicated since many patients also go undiagnosed, particularly in smaller cities and villages. "Stress should be on the right use of inhalers. They are useful in relieving symptoms in correct dosage.But when used wrongly, the inhaler steroids can cause serious side-effects," Dr Chhabra said. timesofindia The side effects associated with their misuse include growth suppression and the dampening of immune cell activity in the airways and the subsequent heightened risk of respiratory infections, says the ADC article. "Treatment shouldn't simply be stepped up if the child fails to respond, because there's a chance the diagnosis might not be right in the first place. A further safeguard is to consider the diagnosis of asthma as dynamic - many children outgrow their symptoms," the article adds. Pandit Ravi Shankar was a living legend. Today marks the sitar maestro's 96th birth anniversary. The man who introduced classical music to the world and introduced the sitar to The Beatles is being remembered worldwide for his exceptional contribution to the field of music. Thinking of the man on the occasion of his birthday, here are 7 lesser-known facts about Pandit Ravi Shankar. 1. Shankar began his career as a dancer at the age of 10, when he went to Paris to join his brother's troupe. 8 years later, he came back to India and committed his life to the sitar. passionconnect 2. He apprenticed under the tutelage of Ustad Allauddin Khan, more fondly known as Baba, who taught Shankar the instrument. AP 3. Shankar composed music for several movies and even served as a music director at All India Radio. Getty Images 4. He was befriended by the lead guitarist of The Beatles, George Harrison, who took sitar lessons from the maestro. AP 5. Shankar composed a 'mournful' new raga after Gandhi's assassination which later became the soundtrack for the movie Gandhi. Tehelka 6. Shankar's two daughters, Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones are exceptional musicians in their own right. thetypicalindian 7. The legend was also the recipient of the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. After 60 years, India will establish new national milk safety standards to standardise benchmarks for determining adulteration. India currently follows guidelines set in 1954, which only recognise milk as "milk from cow, sheep, buffalo and goat". livemint.com However, the rise of camel, yak milk, hybrid cattle, as well as incorporate flavoured and fortified milk has created a "need to revisit old standards to ensure people eat and drink quality food, Pawan Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the countrys food-safety regulator told Hindustan Times. Today Morning, You Probably Drank Detergent, Caustic Soda, Paint and Oil With Your Daily Glass Of Milk Almost 70% of milk sold in India is adulterated, because it doesnt confirm to fat and solid non-fat (SNF) content standards, especially with regard to vitamins and minerals. These standards vary from state to state. via Thehindu An FSSAI official said that: Milk with water added is considered adulterated. It may be non-conforming to set standards but is essentially not unsafe to drink. However, it lowers the percentage of fat, vitamins and minerals. Which is why the FSSAI seeks to create uniformity in the standards of milk imported from different states We have adopted a three-pronged strategy, in which setting new standards is one component. The other two being commissioning a national-level survey to measure the quality of milk India is drinking and identify problem areas, Agarwal said. We now have hybrid cattle and the quality of milk is changing naturally across country, which is why we need to revisit old standards, the FSSAI official said. Why should someone be persecuted if his or her cow or buffalo is producing milk with lower fat content than the permissible limit? Since camel milk is traded in some states, we have proposed 3% fat content and 6.5% SNF for camel milk. Yak milk is also being considered, though we are yet to set the criterion for it, he said. Even after making a remarkable comeback to the market, Maggi's troubles seem far from over. The Supreme Court was told on Tuesday that one report of a test on Maggi noodles by the government research institute has shown that the lead content was within permissible limits but monosodium glutamate (MSG) was on the higher side. reuters Senior counsel Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for the central government, told the bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh that the reports by the Mysuru-based Central Food Technological Research Institute were directly sent to the apex court in a sealed cover but one of the reports seen by her had this conclusion. In response, senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for manufacturers Nestle India Ltd, told the court that that MSG occurs naturally in Maggi and was not an added flavour and added that government notification has accepted Nestle's position that its presence could not be determined by any laboratory tests. The court directed that the copies of the test report be given to all the parties appearing before the court in the matter within three days as it adjourned the hearing to July 19. The apex court by its January 13, 2016 order, while perusing the tests reports by the institute, had asked it to tell it whether the results of the test report relating to lead and glutamic acid, were within permissible parameters or not. reuters The institute, the court had said, "shall also clarify whether the test relating to glutamic acid includes the test pertaining to monosodium glutamate". The CFTRI had conducted tests on Maggi samples in pursuance to the October 15 directions of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), and the December 16 direction of the apex court, modifying the NCDRC's December 9-10 order asking a Chennai-based lab to test the samples. Nestle India had moved the apex court challenging the NCDRC order, contending that once NCDRC had sent Maggi samples for testing by CFTRI by its October 15 order, then there was no necessity of further testing by the Chennai lab. The central government had moved the apex court against August 13, 2015 Bombay High Court order which had held that the labs that tested Nestle's Maggi noodles were not accredited by the NABL, thus their findings could not be relied upon. foodnavigator Relying on the high court order, Nestle India has assailed the NCDRC order holding that if a laboratory in terms of section 2(1)(a) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is recognised by the central or the state government or has been established under the law and maintained, financed or aided by the central or state government, then it need not necessarily be accredited by the NABL or notified by the Food Safety Standard Authority of India. The government filed, before the NCDRC, a class action suit against Nestle India, seeking about Rs.640 crore in damages for alleged unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements. The hearing on the suit is on hold in the wake of ongoing hearing by the apex court. When contacted, Nestle India gave the following statement: The presence of glutamic acid comes from natural ingredients used in MAGGI Noodles. We do not add MSG as an additive. While we await the CFTRI reports, we strongly re-iterate that MAGGI Noodles has always been safe for consumption. This has been demonstrated by tests carried out in independent accredited laboratories, our own accredited laboratories and by several other national food authorities. We have built our reputation around the world and in India by providing products that meet the highest food quality and safety standards. Nestle has been in India for 103 years and MAGGI Noodles has been a trusted product in the country for 33 years. We appreciate the positive consumer response to the return of MAGGI Noodles to the market and are working to promptly reintroduce more variants. We remain fully committed to working with the authorities to resolve the situation and uphold high quality standards in India. When a fresh batch of 212 new soldiers were inducted into the Assam Rifles on Wednesday, it added a new episode in the history of one of the most decorated regiments in the Indian Army. The Telegraph For the first time Assam Rifles which has a history of 181 years inducted women soldiers into its ranks. The first batch of 100 women soldiers were inducted into the army in the presence of MoS Home, Kiren Rijiju. Addressing a gathering, Rijiju said that women are no less than men as they are also progressively contributing in all fields leading to development of the country. Twitter Assam Rifles public relations officer Lt Col Rahul Josan said the women soldiers would be posted to various battalions of the force and also be used in search operations, frisking and interrogating female accused, dispersing female mob/crowd and tackling agitation involving women protesters. Assam Rifles had recruited the first batch of 127 women personnel from recruitment rallies conducted across the country. They underwent training at Assam Rifles Training Centre & School, Dimapur, since March 2015. A Delhi court on Wednesday took cognizance of a complaint against PM Narendra Modi for allegedly "insulting" the national flag last year on International Yoga Day and during his visit to the United States. reuters "I take cognizance of the complaint. Fix the matter for May 9," Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria said, asking the complainant to depose and produce Ashish Sharma, the complainant, who has sought the court to direct police to file an FIR against Modi. In his complaint, Sharma said the PM had "disrespected" the national flag at the Yoga Day event held at India Gate by using it as a handkerchief. reuters "He (Modi) was again careless at the time of handing over the national flag to Barack Obama when he signed over the national flag which is against National Flag Code," the complaint said. Faced with drought, a farmer from Chahnehra village in Banda district of Bundelkhand region has built a low-cost ploughing machine. He used an old bicycle, iron pieces for ploughing agriculture fields. Sarath Kuchi / flickr The innovative machine costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000, making it cheaper than traditional and mechanical ploughs. It could also perform several other functions such as weeding and sowing. Ram Prasad, 50, who hires farm land on 'batai', thought of inventing a machine to solve the problems of ordinary farmers of the region who are facing nature's fury, including recurring droughts and untimely rains. "Adversity of nature in Bundelkhand forced my families to sell their bullocks. In fact, most of the farmers are unable to bear the maintenance cost of tractor or even bullocks due to huge losses," said Ram Prasad. He added that a farmer has to spend around Rs 50,000 for a pair of bullocks or Rs 5 lakhs for purchasing a tractor. On both, he will have to incur a huge sum in terms of fodder and kerosene or diesel. oxfamblogs "After struggling for seven-eight years and several rounds of trials and errors, I managed to design the machine from an old bicycle which was lying as crap in the backyard of my house. I have also helped many farmers by converting their old bicycles into a ploughing machine," Ram Prasad informed. The machine has a single wheel with three diggers attached, besides a front and a rear handle and can be used for multi-purpose agriculture work such as weeding out grass, ploughing, sowing seeds and mixing soil with fertilisers as well as manure. "My ploughing machine doesn't require kerosene or diesel. It only requires two persons," he said with a smile on his face. Villagers of Chahnehra, who initially used to make a mockery of Ram Prasad, now praise his invention. "Ram Prasad has proved that where there is a will, there is a way," said Mohd Talha, his neighbour. Fifty years after Dr Manmohan Singh delivered his last lecture at Panjab University(PU), the former Prime Minister is set to return to his alma mater after accepting the offer of professorship for the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair. parhaye "We have worked out the logistics, which was the main problem. He is happy to be able to come here and interact with students," said PU vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover. "He might deliver lectures during his visit to Chandigarh and the remaining ones through video conferencing." Singh completed his masters in economics from PU in 1954 and joined as senior lecturer in economics in 1957. He left in 1966, when he was appointed economic affairs officer (UNCTAD) at the UN Secretariat, New York. Panjab University vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said former VC RP Bambah had raised the subject of teaching with the former prime minister at a function in Chandigarh a few months back. livemint "Bambah had told him that the visit would be for a week. He had then said he would consider it," Grover said. "Once he establishes contact, students can later visit him in Delhi." Bambah said professorship chairs in Panjab University were meant for interaction of the community with distinguished people and to inspire students, faculty and departments. Singh, he said, won't take up any research in Panjab University but interact with students and departments to inspire them. Meanwhile, the Manmohan Singh Chair at PU, introduced in 2009, got a new occupant. It would now be occupied by noted economist professor Yoginder K Alagh. The chair was lying vacant since June 2015 after its first occupant Ajit Singh passed away. The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore on witnessed a unique protest on Wednesday, an entire batch of students wearing shorts! nlsiu The reason? NLSIU professor, V Nagaraj on Monday made an objectionable remark on a female student for wearing a short dress to his lecture. lawctopus The student complained that Nagaraj went on to cast aspersions on the students character for voicing her concerns. He didn't stop his sexist remark there. We all know why parents marry their children off - so that they can have sex. Just because the parents marry off their children for this reason, it does not mean that the children have sex in front of their parents, Nagaraj reportedly said after the student raised objection on his remark to "dress properly". As a mark of protest, the entire third year LLB students wore shorts to his class on Wednesday. kampuzz/ Representational Image The students also stood up in protest and demanded an apology from professor Nagaraj. However he refused to apologise and the lecture did not take place. Students have also registered a formal complaint against him with the university vice-chancellor. Professor Nagaraj however rejected the allegations raised against him. Nothing like [what is described in the statement] happened. Students are making false and baseless allegations. It is for the university authorities to examine this incident. This is the first time that students have made such a statement [whereas] I have been teaching for 27 years, Legally India quoting professor Nagaraj reported. He also confirmed that there was no written dress code for students in NLSIUs rules currently but he has asked the university administration to issue clarifications about the dress code to the students, especially keeping in mind that certain decorum is expected from students attending lectures taken especially by a senior faculty member. For a better part of history, Indian Armed Forces have suffered heavy losses due to lack of competent intelligence apparatus which could provide our soldiers with advance input about enemy. MensXp Be it the 1962s faux pass against China which we hesitantly accept as Chinese invasion or Pakistans adventure in Kashmir under operation Gibraltar in 1965, the chinks in intelligence set-up did cost us dearly. But after 1965 war against Pakistan where we had almost lost Kashmir to our traditional foe, a young IPS officer RN Kao aka Ramji came, saw and conceptualised the idea of an intelligence agency which could win wars for us even before it actually starts. Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Indian Intelligence spearhead was the brainchild of Kao who understood the nuances of the ongoing global as well as regional conflicts. Kao was an introvert which probably made him a thinking person who didnt accept the lies given by politicians. He proved his mettle during Nehrus tenure and hence even Indira Gandhi restored her faith in this tall spymaster and appointed him as the first chief of RAW. blogspot Thanks to Kaos flawless strategies under Operation Searchlight , India which used to suffer losses at the hands of enemy became the master strategist and helped freedom fighters of Mukti Vahini, the liberation force of Bangladesh in 1971 who later defeated Pakistan. In 1971, the standards of Indian intelligence apparatus were so high that Indian Air Force could bomb the room in which the erstwhile East Pakistan was in session. The Indian Naval Commandos were able to blow up every single Pakistani ship including Gazi, the nuclear submarine, Pakistan had acquired from US. The Chittagong harbour which was naval base of Pakistan navy suffered heavy losses and Pakistan couldnt act offensive in Bay of Bengal. Indias victory in 1971 made Ramji an instant hero in Delhis power corridors. The merger of Sikkim into the union of India was another feather in his cap. According to the fables, the reason behind RAWs success in this short span time was Kaoboys a unit which comprised only the trusted officers of Ramji. rajasthanpatrika.patrika "His contacts the world over, particularly in AsiaAfghanistan, Iran, China, you name itwere something else. He could move things with just one phone call. He was a team leader who rode out notorious inter-departmental and inter-service rivalries, which is commonplace in India," noted the Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee K.N Daruwala while summing up the achievements of R.N Kao. Kao despite Indias political elites apprehensions developed a clandestine relationship with Mossad, the Israeli Intelligence agency and gave shape to National Security Guard (NSG), India's elite security force unit. Like all other great leaders, he too never tailored his assessments to suit the idiosyncrasies and whims of political masters and thats was his mantra for success. He passed away in 2002 The attack on liberals and secular activists in Bangladesh which peaked in the past couple of years has claimed another victim. Nazim Uddin Samad, 27 a law student at Jagannath University and an activist of the Gonojagoron Moncho was hacked to death late on Wednesday. Dhaka Tribune The online activist who described his religion as "I have no religion" on his Facebook page was critical of rising religious extremism in Bangladesh. Even a day before he was murder Samad had shared a video of a Maulanas anti-women liberation lecture and criticised the views of the Maulana. Samad's friends said the attackers were shouting Allahu Akbar. So far no groups have claimed responsibility of the murder. Similar attacks in the past on atheists and secular activists were carried out by an Al-Qaida liked group called Ansarullah Bangla Team. The outfit claimed the activists were killed for their criticism of Islam. In 2015 alone four writes and a publisher had fallen victim to them. Avijit Roy Mirror Bangladeshi-American atheist blogger Avijit Roy, known for speaking out against religious fundamentalism was hacked to death on the streets of Bangladesh's capital in February 2015. The attack occurred along a crowded stretch of sidewalk as he and his wife, Rafida Ahmed, were returning from a book fair at Dhaka University. Washiqur Rahman The Daily Star Washiqur Rahman was hacked to death in Dhaka in March 2015. Rahman was known to be a writer "against religious fundamentalism". "It appeared Rahman used to write using a penname Kutshit Hasher. Ananta Bijoy Das CNN Ananta Bijoy Das, a blogger for Mukto-Mona the website of Avijit Roy, killed while on his way to work on 12 May 2015. Niloy Neel BBC Niloy Neel, aka Niloy Chatterjee was blogger known for his atheist views. He was hacked to death on 7 August 2015. Faisal Arefin Deepan BDNews24 Faisal Arefin Deepan was a publisher and had published some works of Avijit Roy. He was hacked to death in similar fashion as the bloggers on 1 November 2015. After accidentally getting caught in a pit trap in February, a female Sumatran Rhino called Najaq, died of a leg infection. The discovery of the rhino in East Kalimantan in Borneo came as a surprise as the animal was thought to have become extinct. Unfortunately, the good news did not last for too long. The discovery of the rhino was the first interaction of humans with the species in more than 40 years. a-z-animals.com "The death of this Sumatran rhino proves they exist on Borneo, so we will continue protecting them," Tachrir Fathoni, a senior official at the environment ministry, has said. A post-mortem examination is being conducted to determine the official cause of death, he added. "This is a very valuable lesson that shows saving a rhino can be very difficult, and needs the support of experts," said WWF Indonesia head Efransjah, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. rhinos.org The Sumatran rhino is the only Asian rhino with two horns and is covered with long hair. They have been identified as a critically endangered species. Their existence is threatened mainly by plantations and mining activities and, despite conservation efforts, their numbers continue to decline. More than 60 percent of the world's 100 Sumatran rhinos live in just two Indonesian national parks: Bukit Barisan Selatan and Way Kambas. mashable Legendary wildlife documentary maker Sir David Attenborough has named his top 10 endangered animals he would most like to save from extinction, and the Sumatran rhino is one of them. Sir David compares the ten species as facing the same fate as the Dodo unless conservation action is taken to bring them back from the brink of extinction. When Yan went missing in February, Vladimir Davydov made it his life's mission to find his lost pet. Heartbreaking, but this man's quest for his best friend ended when Vladimir passed away of a 'broken heart'. For his "only friend in this life" couldn't be found. Will Stewart / Noah For Vladimir, there was no doubt that his pet was kidnapped. According to him, his nine-year-old German Shepherd was stolen from their house's front yard. Vladimir said that he had been distracted when he heard Yan whine outside. Upon arriving at his gate, Vladimir couldn't find his dog anywhere; he only saw a blue car disappearing in the vicinity. In that moment, Vladmiri whispered a prayer to the heavens: "I ask God, let them give me back my dog." Will Stewart / Noah Alas! The man could never find his friend. In spite of all the late night vigils in -15 C temperatures, and wanderings on the streets of Bratsk in Siberia, Vladimir finally drew his last breath on April 1, when he died of a heart attack. Will Stewart / Noah After his death, a volunteer, Daria Tatarnikova (who had earlier helped him put out Yan's 'missing' posters) posted the following message on social media: "Dear members of the group. Our old man has died. The one about whom we worried most of all, Vladimir Davydov. The one whom we helped all together to search for his friend Yan. I think it is our common case - to help with his funeral," reported the Siberian Times. She said that Vladimir is survived by a sister who lives in Ukraine and asked for donations to find her and let her know of her brother's passing. Daria further added that all donations will be used to fund a monument that will be dedicated to Vladimir and Yan. Along with a pledge that the search for Yan will continue. One of the major announcements from Microsoft's Build developer conference last week was that the company was bringing the popular Bash command line interface to Windows 10 with a new Linux subsystem. Now, developers can give it a shot with a new beta build of the operating system, which Microsoft released Wednesday morning. People on the Windows Insider Program's fast ring will get access to the build, which includes a wide variety of other new features, too. Foremost among them are a set of new Cortana features that link their Windows or Android phones with users' PCs in a variety of ways. When Windows smartphones or Android phones with the Cortana app run low on battery life, Microsoft's virtual assistant will tell users to plug in their devices. Cortana can also help users locate their devices through geolocation and even ring the phones. When someone asks Cortana for directions on a PC, the digital assistant will pull the directions up on the desktop and send them to the user's smartphone. Microsoft Microsoft Edge will get a new set of browser extensions, with support for a Pin It button to allow users to add images to Pinterest boards and a clipper for Microsoft OneNote to let users add Web content into their OneNote notebooks. Existing extensions like Reddit Enhancement Suite are getting updates, too, with one catch: Any installed under the last build won't work, so users will have to re-install those they want. With this build, Skype users can try out the popular messaging and calling service's new Universal Windows Platform app, which will replace the existing Skype app for Windows when it officially launches. Microsoft Windows 10's new dark mode. Those people who have been hankering for a dark mode in Windows 10 can also try it out with this update. Microsoft also released a new set of emoji with a fresh design. The new feature will support a wide variety of skin tones for some of the human figures. Microsoft sandwiched in a whole bunch of other improvements, too, including changes to virtual desktops and remote access, along with the ability to automatically switch on Windows 10's battery saver mode. In addition to the new features, this build also includes a couple of major bugs. Large files downloaded through Microsoft Edge may stall at 99 percent completion. To work around that, users should close Edge and rename the file, which should give them access to it. Doing so bypasses security checks, however, so files from untrusted sources are probably best downloaded in another browser. HoloLens developers on the fast ring will also get a nasty surprise with this build: The emulator that Microsoft built to help people build augmented reality applications will fail under this version of Windows 10. To work around that, Microsoft suggests that people who need the emulator switch to the Insider Program's slow ring. All in all, this build will give users their first solid preview of Windows 10's forthcoming Anniversary Update, which the company previewed at Build last week. There are still a few key features missing, like a new Ink Workspace that makes it easier for people to work with pen inputs on touch-enabled devices. Odds are, we'll see that in a forthcoming release. Meg Whitman doesn't shy away from a challenge. She led eBay from tiny startup to household name, ran for governor of California, and, nearly five years ago, took the helm at Hewlett-Packard and stabilized an organization stumbling badly from a variety of very public missteps. Having engineered the split of the Silicon Valley icon into consumer tech (HP Inc.) and corporate-focused Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Whitman is now HPE's chief executive officer. The IT market is undergoing fundamental and rapid change owing to cloud, mobile and other powerful drivers. The competitive landscape in which this $50 billion startup plays is also shifting dramatically, with a slew of emerging players and the prospect of the largest-ever tech merger of Dell and EMC. No sweat, right? [ See what hardware, software, development tools, and cloud services came out on top in the InfoWorld 2016 Technology of the Year Awards. | Cut to the key news in tech with the InfoWorld Daily newsletter, our summary of the top tech happenings. ] In this installment of the IDG CEO Interview Series, we asked Whitman to talk directly to IT leaders about what the company split means for them as customers, and how HP Enterprise's new innovation agenda will help them transition to private and hybrid cloud. Whitman spoke with Chief Content Officer John Gallant about why HPE is better positioned than Dell/EMC to drive customer success, and about the company's strategy for hyper-converged infrastructure -- HPE's so-called Composable Infrastructure. She also shared insights on big data, cognitive computing, networking, high-performance computing and other critical growth areas for the company. Whitman discussed the challenges ahead and how she'd like perceptions of the company to change. Q: I really want to focus on what your strategy, as well as some of your recent moves, mean for our readers, who are senior IT leaders. If I'm a CIO or another top IT executive who has considered HP a strategic partner over the years, how exactly does this split benefit my organization? A: First, I would say that the market is moving at lightning speed. I'm sure your audience says this to you every day. I've been in the IT industry for a long time. I've never seen it move this fast. And, in fact, part of the reason for the split was that we had to get smaller to go faster. What they will find, I believe, is a stronger, more agile, more innovative company that is better positioned to help them transform their IT infrastructure. Virtually every customer I talk to has an aging, siloed, relatively high cost and not as flexible an infrastructure as they would like. And they're going to have to get to a new place with better security, using big data, enabling a mobile generation of users. Most people, not everyone, but most customers need help thinking through that and actually getting it done. Q: We hear terms like agile and nimble a lot. Can you give our readers some specific examples of what that means for them? Where is this agility actually showing up in terms of new investment or bringing things to market more quickly? A: It turns out these two businesses -- both HP Inc. as well as Hewlett-Packard Enterprise -- are two different businesses. Right? The PC and printer business is a scale [business]. We sell six PCs a second at HP Inc. The Hewlett-Packard Enterprise business is a solutions business. And we are now doubling down on innovation and R&D. We have introduced probably the fastest and most important innovation agenda that we have had -- at least since I've been here, for sure, and maybe in the last decade. A lot of long-time HP'ers tell me this is the best product lineup we've had in a decade. It is more focused. [According to data provided by an HPE spokesman, R&D increased both in absolute terms and as a percentage of revenue over the past three years. R&D grew from $1.95 billion and 3.4 percent of revenue in fiscal year 2013 to $2.33 billion and 4.5 percent of revenue in FY2015.] I'll just tell you personally, I went from running seven businesses to basically running four. And I can tell you I go deeper on each customer, I go deeper on the technology roadmap over the next three years and I work a lot more closely with our business units because I have more time. And that shows up, I believe, in results. We've strengthened our go-to-market and I'd be happy to go through some of the products that we've introduced in the last year if that would be of interest. Q: I definitely want to go into some of those key areas that you've mentioned. When you talk specifically about R&D and doubling down, can you put some numbers around that? What exactly would people see there? A: Well, first of all, they would see research and development as an increasing percentage of sales over the last 4-1/2 years, even as we were cutting costs pretty dramatically. We expect that trend to continue with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. When you break apart the two businesses, we actually spend a higher percentage of sales on R&D at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise than we did at HP Inc. because, obviously, the PC business doesn't have a big R&D spend and it's a huge business. I think you will see quite a different picture of our R&D spend and we're going to continue to increase that spend. Q: When you talk about that innovation agenda, what tops that innovation agenda? What should people know about that? A: Well, it really focuses around the four transformation areas that we outlined late last year. The strategy for Hewlett-Packard Enterprise is in many ways the same. We want to help people transition to what we call the new style of IT and we're organizing ourselves around four transformation areas that customers basically told us were their biggest pain points. I'll recap briefly for you. How do we help IT leaders transform to a hybrid [cloud] infrastructure? How do you decide what apps you want locked down in your data center and touched only by your employees? What are you willing to have in an on-prem private cloud, a virtual private cloud and managed by the cloud and in the public cloud? And then how do you orchestrate all of that for the best asset utilization, the most flexibility and the lowest cost? The second area, of course, is how do you secure your digital assets? We have both a services practice and a software practice there. Then, how do you empower a data-driven organization? And we have a slightly different take on this because, remember, we have a very big high-performance compute business. We're practically the last man standing in high-performance computing -- only us, Cray and SGI. As the data multiplies, someone has to crunch that data and so we're really focused on the high-performance compute market. We have products like Vertica and IDOL that help gain insights from all that data. And, finally, empowering a mobile and generationally different workforce. I don't know about your company, but our 50-somethings have a very different point of view on what they want at work than our 20-somethings. And that was of course why we bought Aruba, for great wired, wireless, LAN capability at the campus, branch and edge. Q: That investment really seems to be paying off. A: It was such a great acquisition for us. It was really just like 3PAR, just like 3Com, it was complementary technology that leveraged our go-to-market, and frankly gave us legitimacy in the switch market. Obviously now everyone understands that we're committed to networking and a great alternative to Cisco in many, many instances. Q: Meg, I want to get into some of those specific product areas in a moment, but I want to explore more of the context here. Let's say I'm a customer that's committed to HP. If I'm concerned about the company no longer being the one-stop shop that it once was, or I'm worried about losing long-time contacts at the company or changes with my service and support, what are you telling customers like me? A: Our TS [Technology Services] organization -- which is break/fix -- used to be one organization. But 4-1/2 years ago we actually split TS to support printing and PCs, and then the other half to support our server/storage/networking/cloud initiative. What we found was the skills to service printers and PCs are actually quite different than the skills to service Superdome Integrity X servers running SQL. So that has not been a big change for customers. If they bought our PCs and printers they got one set of TS execs and workforce, and if they bought our data center products they had another. When we went through the separation, we actually had two separate contracts with customers because we had to invoice as two separate companies, they had to pay two separate companies. So to do that we went customer by customer -- by the way, value added reseller by value added reseller, of which we have 150,000 -- to get that technology change made there. Then, by the way, most folks had at least two representatives calling on them. They had a data center person and a printer and PC business. Our global accounts had one person, and the global accounts will still run interference. If you're on the HPE side, they'll run interference for HP Inc. I have to say that customers have adapted to this beautifully. I think I've had one customer call me and say, "Hey, I wish I could still have my AGM [account general manager] in charge of all of HP." And I said, "Well great, you can. Don't worry about it, we'll do some one-offs for you." But the truth is the people making the printer and PC decisions are almost entirely different than the executives that are making the data center decisions. So it's been a really seamless separation of these two companies. Customers got it. There's an expression in politics: When you're explaining, you're losing. And we didn't have to do much explaining on this, honestly. Yesterday, Microsoft released beta build 14316 of the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, formerly known as Redstone R1. After setting the stage with a bunch of "nothing new" builds over the past several months, spiked only by the addition of Edge extensions, this one comes loaded with new features. Remarkably, the build as a whole is stable -- I had no problems at all with hours of testing -- and many of the new features are interesting, some even surprising. Among the most surprising is new Group Policy options for controlling how and when certain kinds of updates are applied. Microsoft seems to be addressing one of the most contentious "features" in Windows 10: forced updates. There are also rough edges, a number of reported bugs in third-party application programs, at least one major feature (Cortana on the lock screen) that's accessible but blocked, and official teases of more to come. You can find an extensive overview in Gabe Aul's Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14316 blog post. Aul talks about running Bash on Ubuntu on Windows, which is an arcane topic for most Windows users, but a sea change in developer support. He also steps through the ways Cortana will bridge the gap between PCs and phones, providing you install Cortana on your Android phone and with the proviso that Cortana on Windows 10 Mobile build 14295 has problems working with the new features. (Several of those features have been available for years with Google Chrome extensions like Pushbullet and MightyText.) There are a couple of new, worthwhile extensions for Edge (Pin It Button and OneNote Clipper, which still require the old side-loading trick), the new Universal Windows Platform/Metro Skype app which ships in build 14316, and new emojis, including caricatures with modifiable skin tones. Be still my beating heart. The Notification -- er, Action Center is getting some much-needed new smarts. You can give individual apps priorities (top, high, normal), so their notifications appear higher on the list, and you can limit the number of notifications that an individual app can post. There are no hints yet about the ability to sync your Action Center across PCs and phones, as demonstrated at Build 2016. Aul also talks about the new dark mode (Start > Settings > Personalization > Colors), which adds a blinding pop to Windows Explorer because Explorer doesn't yet inherit the dark mode settings. There's a new Connect app that, among other things, lets you use Miracast technology to cast to other PCs without a dock or Miracast adapter -- particularly useful if you want to see your phone's screen on your PC. You can pin a specific window to all of your virtual desktops simultaneously. And there are improvements to battery settings and to the Feedback app. You can read about all of those in the official announcement. There's much more that didn't make it into Aul's blog, though. Microsoft Edge, for example, now supports drag-and-drop folders -- drop a folder into Dropbox, for example -- better handling of favorites, and changes to the default Save location. The Back button finally works. Edge is slowly turning into a usable browser. Installing the Bash command line is rather convoluted, but once it's there, you can run any of these commands (and probably others): apt, ssh, rsync, find, grep, awk, sed, sort, xargs, md5sum, gpg, curl, wget, apache, mysql, python, perl, ruby, php, gcc, tar, vim, emacs, diff, and patch, according to Canonical's Dustin Kirkland. (Canonical is the Ubuntu company largely responsible for the "Windows Subsystem for Linux" that implements the API necessary to get Bash working.) I played with vim for a while, and it works exactly like the original. It's very cool, and I expect developers will be all over it shortly. Note that Bash for Windows only works on 64-bit build 14316. "Show file name extensions" and "Show hidden and system files" -- two key settings I believe every Windows user should enable -- have moved from Control Panel to Start > Settings > Update & Security > For Developers > Windows Explorer Settings. Windows Update gets a tiny nudge. You can set Active Hours (Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Change active hours) to a maximum of 10 hours, during which Windows won't restart your computer to install updates. In the same dialog, you can choose Restart options to override the Active Hours setting. Cortana can be coerced into working on the lock screen. "Hey, Cortana" doesn't work all the time, and it's very slow, but if you want to try, look at the Registry hacks listed in Lucas M's blog in MSPoweruser. Early this morning, Windows guru @teroalhonen uncovered what may well be the most important changes in build 14316. They aren't documented, aren't understood, and haven't even been tested, but there appear to be settings in the Group Policy editor that may tame Win10's brutal forced updating. Alhonen found three settings that may prove crucial: Do not include drivers with Windows Updates Select when Quality Updates are received ("After a Quality Update is released, defer receiving it for the following duration (days)") Select when Feature Updates are received ("After a Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for the following duration (days)") To see the first setting, in Win10 Pro build 14316, fire up gpedit.msc, and look under Computer Configuration > Windows Components > Windows Update. To see the other two, navigate to the Defer Windows Updates folder. There's another setting called "Receive Feature updates when they are declared Business Ready," also undocumented. Heaven only knows what that means. It'll be interesting to see what those settings do (if anything), and whether Microsoft will ever document them. Alhonen has isolated the Registry keys associated with the entries, so changes may also be possible with Win10 Home. Those are the big items I've found. I've seen complaints that Tweetium and Classic Shell aren't working properly -- typical beta blues. According to @peterskillman, general manager of Core UX for Windows, the new Start menu didn't make it into this build. It's generally expected that the new Start will appear shortly. Microsoft has released a Sway with some details, including an offer to provide feedback. Personally, I won't be overly impressed until we can create our own fly-out menus, a la Win7, Classic Shell, and Start10. It remains to be seen if other rumored features make it into the Anniversary Update: Various features of live tiles, hot notifications, Apple-style handoffs with Project Rome (see Mary Jo Foley's description in ZDNet). Many of the features shown in the Build 2016 presentations aren't quite there. Finally, we have reason to hope that the old Tin Lizzie still has some life. Microsoft's slowly knocking down many of the 10 hurdles to Windows 10 adoption that I kvetched about earlier this year. If the features keep pouring in at this rate and the whole contraption keeps hanging together, we may finally have a worthy successor to Windows 7 on our hands. Cattle bulls are back in force Sidwell Strategies - Sat Oct 22, 7:12PM CDT Cattle-on-Feed; Rebound in Equities & Energy Triple Digit Hog Rally Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Lean hogs extended their rally into the weekend with another $0.20 to $2.10 gains in the front months. December was up the most on Friday, but is still a $1.40 discount to Feb. Through the week, December... HEZ22 : 89.125s (+2.41%) HEJ23 : 93.850s (+0.78%) KMZ22 : 98.000s (+1.16%) Cotton Limits the Weeks Pullback with Friday Strength Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cotton futures traded in a wide 413 point range from +253 to -160 (Dec). At the close the front months were 32 to 173 points in the black. December closed the week at a net 402 point loss, having spent... CTZ22 : 79.13s (+2.24%) CTH23 : 78.55s (+1.67%) CTK23 : 78.15s (+1.44%) Wheats Closed Mixed on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT CBT SRW futures ended the last trade day of the week with 1 to 1 1/2 cent gains. For the December contract that meant a net 9 cent loss for the week. KC futures pulled back by 1/2 a cent to 2 cents on... ZWZ22 : 850-6s (+0.18%) ZWH23 : 869-4s (+0.17%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.8533 (+0.24%) KEZ22 : 948-2s (-0.16%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0581 (-0.16%) MWZ22 : 961-4s (-0.10%) Researching cures and treatments for cancer is an expensive proposition, and takes decades, to boot, so the country's top cancer research centers need the kind of deep and never-emptying pockets they only sew into billionaires' pants. We've previously noted Sean Parker's multimillion-dollar gifts to Cancer Research Institute in Los Angeles, which focuses its research exclusively on immunotherapy, a promising new avenue in the search for cancer treatments. And Parker's continuing philanthropy has backed up his claim that he's in it for the long haul. Now Johns Hopkins University is the latest major immunotherapy research center to get a life-altering donation from the super rich: Last month, the respected Baltimore institution received a $125 million pledge from a coalition of donors, anchored by twin $50 million checks from billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Sidney Kimmel. That gift is an opportunity to reflect on where cancer research is going, and who's bringing new resources to the table. Bloomberg, of course, is the business media tycoon and three-term mayor of NYC, and Sidney Kimmel is the founder of Jones Apparel Group and producer of several Hollywood films. We've written about Kimmel before, and he's a great example of why we created Inside Philanthropy. The guy is a mega-giver, with a huge footprint in cancer research, among other interests, but he doesn't tend to draw lots of attention. There are more and more Sidney Kimmels around these days. Related: The remaining $25 million in the Hopkins gift came from more than a dozen other supporters (hopefully, they won't feel slighted to be referred to as "other supporters" after giving a collective $25 million.) Hopkins will use the enormous pledge to launch the new Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Johns Hopkins Medicine was, of course, already a well-funded and world-renowned research center. But a guaranteed $125 million is the kind of money that can pay for a lot of research that might otherwise not be conducted. Hopkins spokespeople are not afraid to say the research will lead to breakthroughs in control of the most serious cancers, and even cures. Both Kimmel and Bloomberg have been major patrons of Johns Hopkins for a long time. Even before the new gift, there was already a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, named in recognition of the $157 million Kimmel has given since 2001, not to mention the $2.4 million to support early-career cancer scientists at Hopkins. Bloomberg is a Hopkins alum, a 1964 graduate and chairman of the school's board of trustees from 1996 to 2002. This latest $50 million for immunology research adds to the pile of his previous giving to Hopkinsmore than $1.2 billion, so far, to the university and the Johns Hopkins Health System. Bloomberg's money is in departments and schools all over the campus, and has financed 20 percent of need-based financial aid to undergrads, with another $350 million to recruit faculty members. No American has ever given more to a single university than Bloomberg. (Although, watch outGordon Moore is hot on Mike's trail with his huge giving to CalTech.) But back to the bigger picture: It's safe to say Bloomberg and Kimmel's latest deal suggests that they believe there's real promise to immunotherapy. Along with them and Parker, Amazon's Jeff Bezos is another big backer of cancer immunotherapy researchhe's delivered the field at least $30 million, possibly by drone. Everybody around Boston has been talking about that huge $50 million commitment that General Electric (GE) just made to public schools, health centers, and workforce development around the city. While it's not uncommon for such a large sum to receive its fair share of skepticism, the qualms surfacing here are definitely interesting. Lots of interesting corporate philanthropy is happening these days. Often, there's a disquieting "but" in our coverage of big gifts. It's great to see banks investing in low-income communities, but what about all those years of predatory lending? It's nice to see Walmart backing anti-hunger work, but what about how so many of its own workers are on food stamps? It's good that PepsiCo is helping fight childhood obesity, but.... well, you get the point. Typically, the caveats we raise relate to the hypocrisy of a corporation spending peanuts on philanthropy to address problems it's profited from creating. You know, like when a cruise line give a five-figure gifts for marine protection even as it saves a fortune by resisting the system upgrades needed to stop polluting the world's seas. The GE case raises a different issuewhich is whether a multi-national company is using philanthropy to curry goodwill in a community even as it engages in exploitative behavior. Alas, this is another genre of dubious corporate giving that we've become well acquainted with. Before addressing that issue, let's examine the commitment itself, which has obviously has some positive implications for Boston's nonprofit community, as well as the region's economy. The public education money will fund college and career opportunities and support STEM high school teachers. Meanwhile, physical and virtual "GE Brilliant Career Labs" will train students in manufacturing technology through externships in the Boston metro area, as well as the Lynn and Falls River communities. And community health funds train providers at 22 community health centers in the Boston area on technology, leadership skills, and increasing access. A significant portion of of GEs donations to Boston groups comprise in-kind donations for training and equipment, rather than cash. Heres how the new GE grant money breaks down: $25 million to Boston Public Schools, divvied up into: $10 million in support of the district's efforts to help build a diverse workforce $15 million to develop the next generation of healthcare workers $15 million to help community health centers in the city develop and enhance the skills of healthcare providers in underserved communities $10 million to boost the capabilities of and outcomes for a diverse student population We should note that these investments reflect school-to-career strategies that are red-hot right now among corporate funders who are keen to make sure that today's highly diverse student population has the skills to power tomorrow's workforce. So in terms of GE's gift itself, it seems like good stuff. "Together GE and Boston will lead the digital transformation of industry," said GE chair and CEO Jeff Immelt. "To build a global digital company and community, we must invest to further educate our children in science and math and improve healthcare in underserved communities. GEs investments will create thousands of new jobs and support Bostons regional and economic activities." Now to the "but." By now, its old news that GE is planning to relocate its headquarters to Boston, so it makes sense to play nice with your new neighbors. In fact, Immelt has said that for every dollar invested in the company's relocation, it will give back to the city "a thousand-fold." One economic impact study determined that GEs relocation to Boston will generate $776 million in new real estate demand, $28 million for local vendors, 4,000 new jobs, and $260 million in new income. However, Nonprofit Quarterlys Ruth McCambridge made some excellent points in her article, A Highly Suspect Philanthropic Tradeoff for Public Subsidy: GE and Boston. For one, GE has a long history of minimizing federal tax payments and polluting waterways in Western Massachusetts. To relocate, the company is receiving a $145 million tax incentive from the city of Boston and state of Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Boston Public Schools are facing serious budget cuts, raising questions about whether a GE tax break is the best use for these funds. People have protested in Boston to oppose the tax incentive. A spokesperson for No Boston 2024 criticized this situation as being a speculative investment in an outside entity with questionable intentions toward the public budget instead of directly in the things that are needed by the residents that pay the taxes. As we've reported elsewhere, some funder-backed workmost notably by the Surdna Foundationhas challenged a model of economic develeopment that hinges on tax breaks for big companies or projects that never really deliver the promised benefits. Related: How Surdna Is Pushing to Make Local Economies Work for Everyone What we can say for sure, here, is that GE has emerged into the Boston philanthropy scene in a big way, which is likely to help its image and mollify some critics. Nice timing, right? GE already has a presence in Massachusetts, with almost 5,000 employees in the state. But we only expect its corporate and philanthropic presence to grow as the company moves into its temporary location this summer and its final home in 2018. Kennards Self Storage, which operates more than 80 self-storage facilities in Australia and New Zealand, supported a charity drive in March to benefit the Aboriginal community of Jilkminggan in the Northern Territory. Kennards provided boxes and space to store donations of clothing, sewing materials, toys and other items. The national drive was launched by Kelly Wright, owner of TONI&GUY Bondi Beach Salon, and Tanya Edgerton, coordinator for Enterprise Learning Projects (ELP), a nonprofit that supports and promotes Aboriginal businesses in the country. In February, Edgerton visited Jilkminggan and met with women who expressed their desire to develop their printing and sewing skills. They were also seeking work opportunities and economic growth for the entire community, according to a source. ELP partnered with the hair salon to set up collection boxes at the companys 35 locations. The women will be able to use the items to create pop-up shops in the community as well as earn funds for trade education at a newly established art center, a source reported. The drive was announced through several social media outlets and garnered 25,000 shares in the first 48 hours. More than 500 boxes were collected in three weeks. The items included clothing, materials, patterns, sewing machines, shoes and more. Some of the donations also included notes of encouragement for recipients, according to ELPs Facebook page. Kennards is a family-owned business based in Sydney. It opened its first self-storage facility in 1973 in Moorebank. @HollandRaceway (April 7, 2016)- HOLLAND, NY As you look around Western New York, our community is growing closer than ever before in terms of local business partnerships and keeping money in our local area. The Holland International Speedway is proud to continue its tradition of doing the same in announcing a new 3-year contract with Coca-Cola of Buffalo. A household brand since the late 1800s, Coca-Cola is one of Americas most timeless refreshments and a racetrack favorite. As the Annual Opening Night of 57th season of racing at Holland draws near, the track and Coca-Cola are putting the finishing touches on re-fitting the track with Coca-Cola branding, including the sale of 20oz bottles of Coke products. From signage all across the venue, to customer interaction and giveaways, Coca-Cola will continue to have a huge presence at Holland. A new addition to the Coke lineup offered at the Speedway will be VitaminWater, one of the most popular mineral drinks in the country. Coca-Cola will also once again have a Night at the Races, which will be held on August 6th this season. Discount tickets will be widely distributed across the region, and highlighted by special race-night promotions. The Coca-Cola bottling company of Buffalo was founded in 1975 and proudly represents Western New York. The Holland International Speedway is thrilled to acknowledge that local connection and is excited for the next 3 years of partnership. Were social; find us on Facebook (Holland Motorsports Complex), Twitter (@HollandRaceway), and Instagram (@hollandspeedway) as weekly specials and news on upcoming events will be seen on the tracks social media pages for the racetrack and the Holland Paintball and Airsoft Adventure Park. When posting on Social Media, use the #HollandSpeedway! Dont forget to check out all of the pictures from each weeks racing program by logging on to hollandspeedway.smugmug.com For more information log on to www.hollandspeedway.com or www.hollandpaintballadventurepark.com. Contact Steven Petty: steven.j.petty@gmail.com or Tim Bennett: (716)-418-RACE (7223) Regis Mutual Management has announced the appointment of a new chief executive officer for its Australian operations, alongside two new members of its board of directors.Former chief operating officer of the global player, Gerald Ewing, has taken on the CEO role and will head up the Sydney officer as the company continues its growth both in the United Kingdom and in Australia.The business has also appointed two new board members with Lach McKeough, the former CEO of Austbrokers , as an independent director and Jodie Nicholls, company secretary of Regis as a director.Regis, which operates Uni Mutual and John Holland in Australia, and Ewing explained that the increasing footprint of the company sees the appointment of an Australian CEO as a logical next step.As Regis grows and starts to take on more mutuals, it makes sense for us to have a Chief Executive Officer in Australia running the business a little more autonomously than we have done in the past supported by a strong local Board, Ewing said.That doesnt mean that we will no longer have a close relationship with the UK, we will, but I think it does reflect that the businesses are maturing and that we are all getting busier so the two offices have to be able to take more decisions on their own.Ewing said that the appointments give the business a chance to reorganise the business with an aim to becoming more flexible.One of the opportunities that these appointments bring will be for Regis to think about how we organise the company, Ewing continued.As a start-up company we had a very flat organisational structure but we are now moving to the next stage where we will need a more flexible structure that can carry us forward; one that supports our changing needs, both for managing growth as well as the existing business.Flexibility, in the way we approach the mutual model and the ability to adapt it to different groups is going to be key. Cyclists given access to insurance products and services and other benefits An insurance scam that involved selling bogus liability policies including one to the operator of the New York tour boat Ethan Allen before it sank in 2005 has gotten a mention in the data leak dubbed Panama Papers. The Panama Papers refer to 11.5 million leaked documents tied to Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co. The firm is described as one of the worlds top creators of shell companies, corporate structures that can be used to hide ownership of assets, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit journalism group that has been coordinating efforts to examine these documents during the past year. The Panama Papers are said to shed light on financial dealings and offshore accounts of prominent politicians and public officials around the world. In 2011, accountant Malchus Irvin Boncamper, of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money in a scam involving the sale of bogus insurance to Shoreline Cruises Inc., which operated the tour boat Ethan Allen on Lake George in upstate New York. Prosecutors said Shoreline Cruises discovered its policy was fictitious after the Ethan Allen sank on Oct. 2, 2005, in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of 20 tourists. Officials said none of the claims made against the policy could be paid. According to prosecutors, Boncamper acquired four insurance companies for the scheme in St. Kitts and Nevis Commercial Acceptance Indemnity, United Re-insurance Group, Polaris International and Brentwood Re and created financial statements for the companies listing assets he knew to be worthless. He is serving an 8-year prison sentence. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said that when Boncamper pleaded guilty in 2011, this posed a problem for Mossack Fonseca & Co., because Boncamper had served as the front man a nominee director for 30 companies created by the law firm. The group said Mossack Fonseca quickly told its offices to replace Boncamper as director of the companies and to backdate the records in a way that made it appear the changes had taken place, in some cases, a decade earlier. The group said its one of the examples showing the Panama-based law firm using questionable tactics to hide its own methods or its customers activities from legal authorities. Mossack Fonseca on Monday issued a statement in response to recent media coverage of the leaked documents. Recent media reports have portrayed an inaccurate view of the services that we provide and, despite our efforts to correct the record, misrepresented the nature of our work and its role in global financial markets, the law firm said in the statement. These reports rely on supposition and stereotypes, and play on the publics lack of familiarity with the work of firms like ours. Related: Topics Fraud New York New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that hes adding $10 million to New Jerseys efforts this year to remove lead-based paint from homes around the state. The money would offer up to $20,000 per unit that is owned or rented by low and moderate income families. Were working hard and making sure that lead poisoning, while its a concern, never becomes and epidemic in New Jersey, said Christie, a Republican. Christies announcement follows months of calls from Democratic lawmakers to put that amount of money into a dormant program with the same goal of lead abatement. Pending legislation from Democrats would replenish New Jerseys Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund, which a tax on paint cans was supposed to finance when it was created in 2004. The fund briefly provided assistance to property owners who wanted to safely remove lead paint from their homes or rental units, according to the Office of Legislative Services. But starting with Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, some and eventually most of the funds money was diverted to other parts of the budget. A large chunk of New Jerseys housing stock pre-dates a 1978 ban on lead paint. In 2003, about a million homes statewide, many of them in low-income areas, posed a risk of lead poisoning through chipped or crumbling paint, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Christie said the state never knew how much money the paint tax generated and criticized claims the lead fund was raided. He said the state already budgets $7 million a year for lead abatement and uses $5 million in federal funding to address properties damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The governor, however, cautioned lawmakers over recent proposals to require lead testing of the water in all New Jersey schools, saying that full scope of the problem is still unknown. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation New Jersey A federal agency has ordered a Wisconsin limousine service involved in a fatal crash in Illinois last month to shut down immediately. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered Edgerton-based Lyons Limousine to stop service both in Wisconsin and outside the state. A federal investigation found the limo service poses an imminent hazard to public safety. The Wisconsin State Journal reports the order was served on company owners Mary and Patrick Lyons. A Lyons limousine driven by a 20-year-old crashed and overturned on Interstate 90 in Elgin, Illinois, on March 25 while carrying six Madison area people heading to Chicagos OHare International Airport for a vacation to Mexico. Fifty-three-year-old Terri Schmidt of Monona was killed. Federal rules require interstate commercial drivers to be at least 21 years old. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Wisconsin Federal officials are investigating two companies after a construction worker was killed and three others were injured in suburban Chicago. The accident happened early on April 5 when a 40-ton steel bridge beam fell on the workers as they tried to remove it at Interstate 90. Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials say the beam rolled from a pier support while workers cut steel bracing it. OSHA says it is investigating the deceased workers employer, Omega Demolition Corp. of Elgin, and the general contractor, Judlau Contracting Inc. of New York. Judlau spokesman Cesar Pereiri said the company isnt commenting about the accident. Omega Demolition didnt respond to calls and emails seeking comment. Des Plaines fire officials say three workers were treated and released from hospitals. The fourth was pronounced dead at a hospital. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Illinois Training Development Construction The Keystone pipeline will likely remain shut down for the rest of the week while officials investigate an apparent oil spill in southeastern South Dakota. Oil covered a 300-square-foot area in a farm field ditch 4 miles from a Freeman-area pump station, about 40 miles southwest of Sioux Falls. It was discovered on Saturday, April 2. TransCanada hasnt released the amount of oil. About 100 workers are investigating where the oil came from and removing the contaminated soil. No pipeline damage had been found as of midmorning Tuesday, company spokesman Mark Cooper said. TransCanada also said it had found no significant environmental harm. State officials were monitoring the cleanup, and so far TransCanada has taken the necessary steps, said Brian Walsh, an environmental scientist with the South Dakota Department of Natural Resources. The pipeline runs from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Illinois and Cushing, Oklahoma, passing through the eastern Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Its part of a pipeline system that also would have included the Keystone XL pipeline had President Barack Obama not rejected that project last November. The Keystone pipeline can handle 550,000 barrels, or about 23 million gallons, daily. Cooper didnt immediately know the status of the oil that normally would be flowing through the pipeline. The shutdown will have a short-term impact in which less-heavy Canadian crude will be getting to the market, according to Sandy Fielden, director of energy analytics for RBN Energy LLC. While it might have a temporary impact on some market prices, drivers are unlikely to see an impact at the pump. It causes a tightness in the system, but the system is already oversupplied, he said. Were sending that crude to Cushing, which has got record inventories. The pipeline has never had a leak since it began operating in 2010, according to Cooper, though there have been several leaks at pumping stations. Its potentially the first time weve seen anything on the pipeline itself, he said. The Dakota Rural Action conservation group issued a statement saying it was more than a little concerning that TransCanada didnt inform the public until Monday. Cooper said the company notified landowners and regulators immediately on Saturday, and waited until Monday to notify the public so it had more information available. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Energy Oil Gas Dog bites man may not be a news story but in nine western states, its grounds for a constitutional case. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has allowed a lawsuit by a woman who fell asleep in her office after a hard nights drinking, accidentally tripped a burglar alarm, and was bitten in the lip by a San Diego police dog responding to the alarm. What makes the case so interesting is that the San Diego Police Department trained Bak, a service dog, to enter a room and bite the first person she saw. Her training was to hold the bite in place until her handler ordered her to release her grip. The constitutional issue is whether this technique, used against someone who has made no resistance, violates the bite victims Fourth Amendment right not to be detained by the use of excessive force. This question is especially charged given the troubling use of police dogs to subdue protesters. The quirky facts of the case, Lowry v. San Diego, belie the seriousness of the underlying issue. The opinions opening line, unconsciously echoing Kafka, sets the tone: After a night of drinking with her friends, Sara Lowry returned to her workplace and fell asleep on her office couch. Lowry, who had consumed five vodka-based cocktails, woke to use the bathroom, then went back to sleep. Unbeknownst to her, shed set off a burglar alarm. The police responded by sending three officers and Bak to the building where Lowry was asleep. Noting that there was no sign of forced entry, they entered. The door to Lowrys office suite was ajar. From outside, Baks handler, Sergeant Bill Nulton, called out: This is the San Diego Police Department! Come out now or Im sending in a police dog! You may be bitten! Lowry didnt hear or respond. A minute or so later, Nulton sent Bak into the office. The service dog behaved exactly as trained. She located Lowry and bit into her lip, almost penetrating through it, and she held on until Nulton realized what had happened and pulled her off. By now Lowry was bleeding profusely. The police ascertained that Lowry was asleep in her own office and wasnt a burglar. They then took her to a hospital. Before they left, Nulton said a memorable thing to Lowry that the citys lawyers must wish he hadnt: I just cant believe thats the only damage, said the handler. Youre very lucky. She could have ripped your face off. In pre-trial discovery, it came out that Bak wasnt trained to tell the difference between good guys and bad guys. She and her canine colleagues are trained to bite and hold the first person they encounter after being unleashed, even if its a baby. The police department says it tells officers not to unleash dogs in homes unless they know the residents and their pets arent there. But Lowry was in her office, so that guideline didnt apply. Constitutional Violation? This sounds like a bad policy to me but does it violate the Constitution? A district court said that it did not, and blocked the case from going forward. A divided 9th-Circuit panel reversed, reinstating the lawsuit. The court didnt say the policy was definitely an exercise of excessive force. Rather, the court held that a reasonable jury could find it to be one. A jury will now hear the case, unless San Diego settles it, which would seem wise. But in dissent, Judge Richard Clifton said that the district court was right to dismiss Lowrys suit. He noted that she only got three stitches, and concluded her injuries were moderate, not severe. (In contrast, the majority emphasized that the injury could easily have been much worse.) The law requires the court to ask whether the force was reasonable from the perspective of an officer on the scene. According to the dissenting judge, the officers faced unknown danger, from which Bak protected them. Requiring police to keep their dogs leashed in the future would, he said, endanger officers who could have been confronting an armed burglar. In essence, the argument was that no reasonable jury could find the policy excessive. Dog Problem That conclusion seems too strong. Its surely excessive to bite and hold a sleeping person. But the reason the policy should be found unconstitutional isnt just that Lowry happened to be sleeping. To see what was wrong here, we need to ask if the San Diego police could train dogs to do something less potentially catastrophic than biting the first person they see in the face and holding on. If the answer is yes, then Baks training should count as excessive force. Police officers wouldnt ordinarily be allowed to injure someone so seriously before identifying the person as a dangerous suspect. The police didnt see Lowry, and she wouldnt have qualified as dangerous once they did. Notably, Lowry wasnt a suspect to Bak, either. She was just the first person Bak encountered after being unleashed. If there is no other way to train dogs to help in arrests short of bite and hold, then the problem is using dogs in the first place. Its reasonable for police officers to get help from our best friends in protecting themselves. But not if that guarantees injuries that would be unconstitutional if the police inflicted them with fists or guns. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Law Enforcement News that activist investor Carl Icahn has his eye on a company must make any chief executive officer feel a bit like a water buffalo that has suddenly realized it is being tracked by a hungry lion. So its worth noting that American International Groups Peter Hancock appears at least for now to have accomplished the impressive feat of taming the ferocious beast in a manner that did not involve being eaten alive. When Icahn roared onto the scene late last year along with fellow hunter John Paulson to demand a breakup of AIG, fixed-income investors were clearly spooked. Spreads on the companys bond yields above Treasuries blew out well above those of peers on the notion that the activists had a shot at succeeding in the goal of chewing the insurance company into three parts, which would result in a smaller, less-diverse company whose debt, ergo, would be riskier. Now the yield spreads tell a different story, as Bloomberg Intelligence credit analyst Ryan OConnell wrote in a report on Tuesday. The spreads signal that a breakup of AIG appears less likely. For fans of mixed metaphors, you could look at this as a prize fight thats ended in a draw. Hancock achieved his main goal of preventing a sudden drastic breakup of the company that was demanded to free up regulatory capital required of a systemically important financial institution. Icahn and Paulson won board seats and other concessions. Last week, AIGs mortgage insurer, United Guaranty, filed for an initial public offering under a plan announced in January to sell up to 19.9 percent of the business in the first step to a full separation. AIG cut Hancocks short-term incentive pay for last year by 29 percent as the company missed profit targets. Some of the firms highest-paid executives have announced their departures. Also, AIG stopped using credit default swaps as an input in setting Hancocks pay, a link to creditworthiness that Icahn had warned would reduce the CEOs incentive to break up the company. CDS prices on AIG had soared to a three-year high amid Icahns campaign: Has Hancock managed to fully domesticate the king of the jungle? Thats hard to say for sure. Part of his plan is to return $25 billion to shareholders through 2017, and AIG will have to improve performance in its property and casualty insurance to reach that goal, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Well get an update on the progress when the company reports earnings next month. Still, the last we heard from Icahn, he went from roaring like a ferocious lion to purring like a kitten. We commend the board for adopting a number of our recommendations over the last few months, Icahn wrote on his website in February. I hope and believe that we will work with AIGs board to enhance value as we have done with so many other boards and companies in the past.So it looks as if Hancock can take a bow for now. But as any lion tamer will tell you, hell need to keep watching his back and probably keep his head out of the lions mouth. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Youre landing at New Yorks LaGuardia Airport on the expressway approachits called that because you come in low enough to buzz the Grand Central Parkway and Mets Citi Field before dropping down quickly on a runway that perches over the middle of a bay. As it is, its one of the more jarring landings in the U.S. What, then, would happen if a drone suddenly appeared in the flight path? The threat in recent years of pilots blinded by high-powered lasers may soon be superseded by this potentially more fearsome prospect: drones finding their way into restricted airspace around airports. Each month, pilots and air traffic controllers report more than 100 drone sightings to the Federal Aviation Administration, which has begun compiling and releasing periodic reports on these encounters. The FAA says such reports have surged since 2014, with more than 1,200 incidents nationwide last year.Over the latest reporting period, from August 2015 through January, the New York metro area led the nation in drone sightings by airline pilots with 43. The Los Angeles area was next, with 25, according to an analysis of FAA data released March 25. The Dallas area was third, with 18. Pilots consider drones a safety risk that must not be underestimated. Were not kidding when we say it has to be mitigated as a threat, said Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA, and a drone hobbyist himself. Your imagination can run wild with the problems of hitting hard metal objects at 200 mph. Recent Incident One of the most recent incidents occurred March 18, when a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt approaching Los Angeles International Airport reported a drone flew about 200 feet above the Airbus A380. Police and sheriffs department helicopters were dispatched to search for the drone, the Los Angeles Times reported. Because of incidents like this, regulators have been working feverishly to formulate rules for how to incorporate commercial drone operations into U.S. airspace and trying to educate hobbyists about staying out of the way of airliners. We dont want to fuel fears over drones and we dont want the flying public to be overly concerned with this issue, but we do want to say this should be a consideration going forward, says Dan Gettinger, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College. A lot of things have to go wrong for a collision to happen. In a statement accompanying its data, the FAA said it wanted to send a clear message that operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal. Current Restrictions Current FAA rules restrict drone operators from flying within five miles of an airport and above 400 feet (drone flights are allowed inside that perimeter if the operator contacts the airport and the control tower before flying, according to the agency). About 92 percent of the most recent pilot sightings occurred above 400 feet; 60 percent were closer than the five-mile limit. So, apparently, a lot of people arent listening. In all but 11 instances, these encounters required no evasive action by pilots, nor was it clear how close the aircraft and drone actually were. In two dozen cases, the drone came within 50 feet of a manned aircraft, according to a close analysis of the FAAs raw data by the drone center. The probability of [a collision] is still pretty, pretty lownot that it couldnt happen, says Rich Hanson, director of governmental relations with the Academy of Model Aeronautics, a nonprofit group that promotes recreational model aircraft flying. The pilots union believes that enthusiast drones should be policed by geo-fencing technology, which could prevent the devices from flying near airports. Get too close and they crash to the ground. Embedded software could also restrict altitude, ALPAs Canoll said. If we ignore this, I can promise you it will be a problem, he warned. It will be a contributing problem to an accident. Lack of Information One of the critical problems in assessing the overall risk is a lack of information about what actually would happen should a small unmanned aerial vehicle strike a Boeing 737 or Airbus A321 airplane or be sucked into an engine. The FAA has been conducting computer simulations of drones hitting commercial aircraft and expects to release a report on its findings in September. The FAA takes the possibility of airborne collisions seriously, spokesman Les Dorr said in an email. Researchers at Virginia Techs CRASH (Crashworthiness for Aerospace Structures and Hybrids) Lab have performed such simulations. In one scenario, engineers introduced an 8-pound quad-copter rotor into a large, 9-foot diameter engine fan typically found on long-range jet models such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. The damage was quickwith a speed of 715 mph in less than 1/200th of a secondand catastrophic, with the drones destruction decimating fan blades and creating an engine failure. The study aims to determine whether any drone ingestions create a scenario where the damage isnt contained within the engines housing. Thats a crucial distinction, because uncontained turbine blades pose risks to other parts of the aircraft as theyre ejected. Commercial jet engines are certified for hazards such as bird strikes, blade failures, heavy rain, hail and multiple types of ice, up to certain limits. To test for bird strikes, engineers have built chicken cannons to fire dead birds into engines. Many aircraft have suffered a single engine failure due to bird strikes or other failures. All current models must be able to fly with just one engine. Its unclear whether future engines will need to be certified for small drone strikes as well. Its probably expensive, and airlines, pilots and the FAA would all like to see public education and airport enforcement as sufficient deterrents to drones wandering where they shouldnt. Last month, two researchers at George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center examined 25 years of FAA bird-strike data and concluded that an increase in unmanned drone flights poses little risk to U.S. airspace. That report drew a quick rebuke from ALPA, while other researchers echoed the unions view that soft-tissue ingestion was not comparable to the materials used for drones. There is also, of course, the issue of commercial drone use, the kind that businesses use for real estate and wedding photography, advertising, film-making, utility inspections, and numerous other applications. To date, the FAA has granted more than 4,000 exemptions for commercial firms to fly drones in their work. Many law enforcement agencies also fly drones. Any of them can stray through error or malfunction. When we think of this issue we shouldnt just pigeonhole the problem cases as hobbyists drones gone awry, Gettinger says. Thats hardly comforting to nervous fliers who now must add drones to their menu of fears. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA Aviation Authorities are responding to wildfires in Oklahoma and Kansas that have led to evacuations, scorched mostly rural land and destroyed an unknown number of structures. In Oklahoma, the largest fire was in the same area near the border with Kansas where blazes last month scorched hundreds of square miles. Authorities there urged the approximately 300 residents of Freedom, about 170 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, to evacuate their homes on April 5, Woods County Emergency Management Director Steve Foster said. The fire stalled late on April 5 at the Cimarron River west of Freedom, but Woodward County Emergency Management Director Matt Lehenbauer said early the next day that winds shifted overnight, diminishing the threat to the town. But the forecast looked tricky for firefighters hoping to contain the blaze. Were expecting wind gusts of 40, 45 mph, Lehenbauer said. Thats going to go all through the day and probably not start to subside until sundown. Thats a huge concern. Oklahoma Forestry Services said in a statement that structures had been lost in the fire and in another blaze in the central part of the state. Spokeswoman Hannah Anderson said damage assessments would determine how many buildings were destroyed. Officials estimate the latest fire has burned roughly 40 square miles of rural land. More than a dozen fire departments and Oklahoma Forestry Services are fighting the blaze, Lehenbauer said, and fresh crews were arriving early Wednesday to relieve firefighters who had been battling the blaze since Tuesday afternoon. There were no immediate reports of injuries in either state. While reporting on the fire for Oklahoma Citys KWTV station, storm trackers Amy and Val Castor saw a road grader traveling in the path of the quick-moving flames. Val Castor said the driver would have no chance to escape the vehicle before the flames reached him, so he drove near the vehicle and urged the driver to jump in their car. The road grader, stuck in the dirt, became engulfed in flames seconds after the driver leapt out and ran to the Castors car. Large flames could be seen blowing toward the windshield as they pulled away. Theres no way you can outrun that fire, Castor said. It probably would have burned him up if he had stayed there. The town of Freedom is about 5 miles southwest of the spot where a previous fire started in March, then spread from Oklahoma into Kansas, scorching an estimated 574 square miles of rural land in the two states. The blaze had threatened homes and an iodine-manufacturing plant but firefighters were able to protect the facility by parking their firetrucks around its perimeter, Lehenbauer said. The flames jumped over the vehicles and burned all the way around the plant before the winds shifted, he said. Crews protected some homes using the same tactic, he said. A lot of the guys were just surrounding the wagons around the homes as the fire jumped over and around them, he said. In central Oklahoma, firefighters set up containment lines around another fire north of Luther, about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, and officials advised residents to evacuate their homes. No containment figure was readily available for that fire, Anderson said. In Kansas, the Adjutant Generals Office said residents were evacuated from up to 150 mobile homes in Riley County, where officials said a wildfire had burned just under a square mile but been contained. Eight homes were evacuated in nearby Geary County, and voluntary evacuations were underway in Alma in Wabaunsee County. The statement said a fire is threatening the southern edge of the town. Across the state in far southwest Kansas Morton County, a fire was threatening the town of Wilburton. The National Weather Service warned that conditions conducive to fire, including low humidity and high winds, were forecast to occur in both states. Associated Press writers Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this report. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Oklahoma Kansas Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced the arrest of Maira Chirinos, owner of Pompano Beach construction company Tocoa Builders, Inc. Chirinos is alleged to have misrepresented information regarding Tocoa Builders operations, employees and payroll when applying for a workers compensation policy. By doing so, Chirinos allegedly avoided at least $1.8 million in workers compensation premium payments. Workers compensation policies protect employees in the event of an on-the-job injury and if proper policies are not in place, injured employees could be faced with lost wages and costly medical expenses to cover. The Florida Department of Financial Services, which operates under the direction of CFO Atwater, began investigating Chirinos for violating a stop work order. Stop work orders are issued when companies are found to be in violation of workers compensation laws. This initial investigation provided authorities with information that exposed Chirinos larger scheme of allegedly falsifying information to avoid paying for an adequate workers compensation policy. As a result, a second investigation was opened, led by the Departments Bureau of Workers Compensation Compliance and Division of Insurance Fraud. Workers compensation policies are calculated by factoring in a companys total payroll and number of employees along with the risks associated with the companys field of work, among other factors. Investigators discovered that Chirinos allegedly lied when obtaining a workers compensation insurance policy from Madison Insurance Company to cover Tocoa Builders, Inc. She did so by grossly underreporting the companys payroll, number of employees, and day-to-day operations. During the dates represented on the policy paperwork, more than $11 million in payroll checkers were cashed, far more than the $76,000 that was reported. Chirinos allegedly used a Broward County money service business to cash her companys payroll checks; a common method of circumventing workers compensation statutes. By misrepresenting the amount of Tocoa Builders payroll, employees and the businesses operations Chirinos was allegedly able to avoid more than $1.8 million in workers compensation premium dues. Chirinos was arrested without incident and charged with workers compensation premium fraud and grand theft, both of which are first degree felonies. This case will be prosecuted by the Office of State Attorney Michael J. Satz of the 17th Judicial Circuit and if convicted, Chirinos faces up to 20 years in prison. Source: Florida Department of Financial Services Topics Florida Workers' Compensation Fraud The Port of Bellingham in Washington has been ordered to pay $16 million to an Alaska ferries employee who was injured while operating a faulty loading ramp at the ports cruise terminal. The Seattle Times reported that a federal jury issued its decision last week in the case brought by Shannon Adamson, who suffered life-threatening injuries in the 2012 incident. The jury found the port was negligent for failing to fix a control panel that operated the passenger-loading ramp. Adamson sued the port in 2014 after the ramp she had been adjusting fell nearly 20 feet. The suit alleges the port knew the ramp had a defective control panel following a similar incident in 2008. The ports lawyers had argued that Adamson knew she was insufficiently trained to operate the passenger ramp. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Workers' Compensation Washington Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese. Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa. Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista. E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta. A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito. An airline exchange-traded fund (ETF) can provide diversified exposure to the air travel industry, including aircraft manufacturers, airline operators, airports, and terminal services. The U.S. airline industry includes major carriers such as American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL), Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), and Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV). Driven by a surge in leisure and business travel, the industry has seen a sharp rebound in demand from the lows during the pandemic. This has occurred as jet fuel prices have risen, boosting costs for carriers. The recovery, nonetheless, has been uneven. Throughout the summer, flight delays and cancellations have plagued the industry, as airlines cope with staffing concerns and other issues affecting logistics. For investors optimistic about the industry's long-term recovery, an airline ETF provides a way to get broad-based exposure to that trend. Key Takeaways Airline stocks have underperformed the broader market over the past year. The best (and only) airline ETF is JETS. The fund's top holdings are American Airlines Group Inc., Southwest Airlines Co., and Delta Air Lines Inc. There is only a single option when it comes to ETFs focused on the airline industry: the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS). The airline industry has underperformed compared to the S&P 500 in the past year. The benchmark S&P 500 Airlines Industry Index has provided a total return of -21.0% compared to the S&P 500's -3.7% return, as of Aug. 10, 2022. Note that this index includes only U.S. companies and is not a perfect metric for JETS, which has a global focus. All of the data below are as of Aug. 11, 2022. Performance Over One Year: -20.3% Expense Ratio: 0.60% Annual Dividend Yield: 0.04% Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 5,520,150 Assets Under Management: $2.7 billion Inception Date: April 28, 2015 Issuer: U.S. Global Investors JETS is the only pure play airline ETF. As of June 30, 2022, the date of its most recent fact sheet, this fund allocates roughly 74.5% of its portfolio to airlines and companies involved in the aviation industry (aircraft manufacturers, terminal services companies, and airports), with just under 25% invested in companies involved in transportation infrastructure, internet, transportation, and commercial services. Just over three quarters of the fund's holdings are securities domiciled in the U.S., with smaller allocations to companies in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Although JETS is a multi-cap ETF, it is weighted predominantly toward large-cap and mid-cap companiessmall-cap companies make up just 4.3% of the portfolio. Overall, its investment strategy is to track the U.S. Global Jets Index, although the fund doesn't guarantee 100% replication and may invest in securities not included in the index. Below, we look at the top 10 holdings for this fund. In a surprise move ahead of scheduled trade talks between Washington and Beijing on Oct. 10 and 11, the Trump administration is considering delisting Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges in part of a broader effort to limit U.S. investment in Chinese companies to protect American investors, according to a Bloomberg report. As of February, 156 Chinese companies trade on U.S. exchanges with a total market capitalization of $1.2 trillion, per government data. Chinese authorities have remained reluctant to let overseas regulators and accounting firms audit local companies, citing national security concerns. "This is a very high priority for the administration. Chinese companies not complying with the PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) process poses risks to U.S. investors," said a source close to the deliberations, per Reuters. Many U.S.-listed Chinese stocks slumped between 5% and 10% Friday afternoon after the report surfaced, which may result in follow-through selling ahead of the eagerly awaited early October trade discussions. Traders seeking short exposure should consider these three Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges that look weak from a technical standpoint. Let's work through several trading ideas to profit from continued selling. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) With a market cap of over $400 billion, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) provides online and mobile commerce businesses in China as well as globally. The 20-year-old company operates through four business segments: Core Commerce, Cloud Computing, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives and Others. Alibaba, which many consider China's answer to e-commerce titan Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), saw its fiscal 2020 first quarter bottom line increase 56% on a year-over-year (YOY) basis, while revenue grew 42% from the prior-year quarter. Management cited strength in the company's China commerce retail business, Ele.me, and robust sales growth of Alibaba Cloud for the solid results. The company started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Sept. 19, 2014, after raising $25 billion to record the largest initial public offering (IPO) ever. Alibaba stock has returned 21.09% on the year as of Sept. 30, 2019. The commerce conglomerate's stock added most of its year-to-date (YTD) gain between January and April before giving way to mostly range-bound price action over the past five months. More recently, the stock plunged 5.15% on above-average volume Friday afternoon as news of a possible delisting of Chinese issues broke. In a bearish sign, price closed below the closely watched 200-day simple moving average (SMA) a move that may trigger additional selling this week. Traders who open a short position should consider buying to cover near $150, where price may catch a bid from a crucial support area. Protect capital by placing a stop-loss order somewhere above the 50-day SMA. StockCharts.com Momo Inc. (MOMO) Momo Inc. (MOMO) operates a mobile-based social and entertainment platform in China, enabling its users to establish and expand social relationships based on location and interests. The $6.46 billion company, which listed on the Nasdaq in December 2014 after a successful $216 million IPO, drives the lion's share of its revenue from live video service, value-added services, mobile marketing services, and mobile games. The social media giant posted Q2 adjusted earnings of 82 cents per share, surpassing analysts' expectations of 72 cents per share. However, the bottom line contracted 39.3% for the year-ago quarter. Momo hit a roadblock in April when its poplar dating app Tantan was removed from app stores in China as government authorities ordered a review of cyberspace content. As of Sept. 30, 2019, Momo stock has a YTD return of 34.06%. Momo shares have oscillated within a broad symmetrical triangle since early April. A breakdown finally occurred in Friday's session, when price closed below the pattern's lower trendline and the 200-day SMA on solid volume. Traders who short sell at these levels should look for a move to around $26, where the stock encounters support from a horizontal line connecting an array of price action over the past 12 months. Implement risk management by placing a stop order above Friday's high at $33.58 and amending it to the breakeven point if price drops beneath the early-August swing low at $28.82. StockCharts.com iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) Headquartered in Beijing, iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) provides online entertainment services under the iQIYI brand in China. The company's primary services include internet video, live broadcasting, online games, online literature, animations, e-commerce, and social media platforms. iQIYI, which formed in 2010, raised $2.25 billion in the United States before listing on the Nasdaq in March 2018. Even though the company reported a 15% increase in Q2 YOY revenue and saw its subscriber base top 100 million users, it still posted a net loss for the period of RMB2.3 billion ($339.0 million). Trading at $16.61 with a market cap of $12.04 billion, the stock has gained 11.70% so far in 2019, underperforming the internet content and information industry average by about 7% as of Sept. 30, 2019. Since setting a 2019 YTD high just above $29 on Feb. 25, the iQIYI share price has remained stuck in a downtrend and looks destined to test the January swing low at $14.35. Although the shares have fallen sharply over the past two weeks, the relative strength index (RSI) sits above oversold territory, giving price ample room to slide further before the current downside move becomes exhausted. Those who short the stock here should cut losses if price closes above the 50-day SMA and take profits if the stock does indeed fall to the January low. What Is Maritime Law? Maritime law, also known as admiralty law, is a body of laws, conventions, and treaties that govern private maritime business and other nautical matters, such as shipping or offenses occurring on open water. International rules governing the use of the oceans and seas are known as the Law of the Sea. Key Takeaways Maritime law governs private maritime questions, disputes, or offenses and other nautical matters. In most developed countries, the maritime law follows a separate code and is an independent jurisdiction from national laws. The International Maritime Organization, or IMO, ensures that existing international maritime conventions are kept up to date and develops new agreements when the need arises. Understanding Maritime Law In most developed nations, maritime law follows a separate code and is an independent jurisdiction from national laws. The United Nations (UN), through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has issued numerous conventions that can be enforced by the navies and coast guards of countries that have signed the treaty outlining these rules. Conventions are regularly amended to keep up with new business practices and technologies. Maritime law governs many of the insurance claims relating to ships and cargo; civil matters between shipowners, seamen, and passengers; and piracy. Additionally, maritime law regulates registration, license, and inspection procedures for ships and shipping contracts; maritime insurance; and the carriage of goods and passengers. The IMO (established in 1948 as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, and coming into force in 1958) is responsible for ensuring that existing international maritime conventions are kept up to date as well as developing new agreements as and when the need arises. Today, there are dozens of conventions regulating all aspects of maritime commerce and transport. The IMO names three conventions as its core: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers On its website, the IMO has a complete list of existing conventions, historical amendments, and explanatory notes. The governments of the 175 IMO member states are responsible for the implementation of IMO conventions for ships registered in their nation. Local governments enforce the provisions of IMO conventions as far as their ships are concerned and set the penalties for infringements. In some cases, ships must carry certificates onboard to show that they have been inspected and have met the required standards. History of Maritime Law The origins of maritime law can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt. In those days, ships were used to transport goods and a clearly defined set of rules was needed to ensure safety and fair trade and settle disputes between different parties. However, it wasnt until much later that the first written record of formal codes can be found. The Rhodian Sea Laws, formed between 900 and 300 B.C., set official rules for the Mediterranean Sea. These laws governed seafaring trade in the area, influenced the Romans and remained in effect for a very long time. The oldest maritime laws on record were reportedly created on the island of Rhodes, Greece. European maritime laws gradually evolved over the following centuries. Key developments that helped to shape current laws included the Consulate of the Sea, the Rolls of Oleron, and the early English Admiralty laws, which would later help to shape the laws of the sea in the U.S. Maritime law arrived in the U.S. in the 1600s. However, it wasnt until 1789 that federal district courts were given jurisdiction over admiralty law cases and a uniform body of law was created. Ship Registration Under Maritime Law The country of registration determines a ship's nationality. For most ships, the national registry is the country where the owners live and operate their business. Shipowners will often register their ships in countries that allow foreign registration. Called "flags of convenience," the foreign registration is useful for tax planning and to take advantage of lenient local laws. Two examples of "flags of convenience" countries are Panama and Bermuda. What Is Maritime Law and Why Is it Important? Maritime law is the body of rules that govern everything that goes on in the sea and open waters. These rules help clear up various disputes that can occur and ensure that the people and organizations that work on the water behave correctly and are protected. Who Controls Maritime Law? International maritime law is governed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A specialized agency of the United Nations, it is the IMOs job to establish the framework and regulations for the safety, security, and environmental performance of shipping on an international, universal level. What Is the Difference Between Maritime Law and Law of the Sea? Maritime law generally applies to private shipping issues, whereas the law of the sea is largely recognized as referring to public international law. In other words, the latter governs how nations should behave in maritime environments. The Bottom Line The worlds open seas make up about 70% of the earths surface and are important, both as a means of transport and as a resource. Maritime law exists to protect this asset and the people who use it. Without it, there would likely be anarchy and collapse of the global economy. Forbes magazines annual list of Americas Most Expensive ZIP Codes, compiled by Altos Research, looks at median home price data for more than 29,500 ZIPs covering 95% of the U.S. population. The following data highlight the 500 priciest postal codes for 2017. As in years prior, California fared nicely, with 10 of the top 25 most expensive ZIP Codes falling in the Golden State. In fact, Atherton, CA, claims top honorsup from third place in 2016. Here are the top 10 California ZIP Codes, slugged out from the complete nationwide list: ATHERTON, CA 94027 Median Price: $9,686,154 Days on Market: 190 Inventory: 27 2016 rank: 3 LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA 94022 Median Price: $7,755,000 Days on Market: 105 Inventory: 25 2016 rank: 8 PALO ALTO, CA 94301 Median Price: $7,016,631 Days on Market: 67 Inventory: 14 2016 rank: 48 ROSS, CA 94957 Median Price: $6,939,423 Days on Market: 123 Inventory: 10 2016 rank: n/a BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210 Median Price: $6,442,914 Days on Market: 148 Inventory: 226 2016 rank: 15 HILLSBOROUGH, CA - 94010 Median Price: $5,903,192 Days on Market: 115 Inventory: 34 2016 rank: 16 HIDDEN HILLS, CA 91302 Median Price: $5,760,923 Days on Market: 310 Inventory: 23 2016 rank: 10 WOODSIDE, CA - 94027 Median Price: $5,255,384 Days on Market: 150 Inventory: 37 2016 rank: 20 LOS ANGELES, CA 90077 Median Price: $4,707,568 Days on Market: 129 Inventory: 105 2016 rank: 56 SANTA BARBARA, CA 92108 Fundamental trading is a method where a trader focuses on company-specific events to determine which stock to buy and when to buy it. Trading on fundamentals is more closely associated with a buy-and-hold strategy rather than short-term trading. There are, however, specific instances where trading on fundamentals can generate substantial profits in a short period. Different Types of Traders Before we focus on fundamental trading, here's a review of the main types of equity trading: Scalping: A scalper is an individual who makes dozens or hundreds of trades per day in an attempt to "scalp" a small profit from each trade by exploiting the bid-ask spread. A scalper is an individual who makes dozens or hundreds of trades per day in an attempt to "scalp" a small profit from each trade by exploiting the bid-ask spread. Momentum Trading: Momentum traders seek stocks that are moving significantly in one direction in high volume. These traders attempt to ride the momentum to the desired profit. Momentum traders seek stocks that are moving significantly in one direction in high volume. These traders attempt to ride the momentum to the desired profit. Technical Trading: Technical traders focus on charts and graphs. They analyze lines on stock or index graphs for signs of convergence or divergence that might indicate buy or sell signals. Technical traders focus on charts and graphs. They analyze lines on stock or index graphs for signs of convergence or divergence that might indicate buy or sell signals. Fundamental Trading: Fundamentalists trade companies based on fundamental analysis, which examines corporate events, particularly actual or anticipated earnings reports, stock splits, reorganizations, or acquisitions. Fundamentalists trade companies based on fundamental analysis, which examines corporate events, particularly actual or anticipated earnings reports, stock splits, reorganizations, or acquisitions. Swing Trading: Swing traders are fundamental traders who hold their positions longer than a single day. Most fundamentalists are really swing trading since changes in corporate fundamentals typically require several days or even weeks to produce a price movement sufficient for the trader to claim a reasonable profit. Novice traders might experiment with each of these techniques, but they should ultimately settle on a single niche matching their investing knowledge and experience with a style to which they are motivated to devote further research, education, and practice. Fundamental Data and Trading Most equity investors are aware of the most common financial data used in the fundamental analysis including earnings per share (EPS), revenue, and cash flow. These quantitative factors include any figures found on a company's earnings report, cash flow statement, or balance sheet. They can also include the results of financial ratios such as return on equity (ROE) and debt to equity (D/E). Fundamental traders may use such quantitative data to identify trading opportunities if, for example, a company issues earnings results that catch the market by surprise. Two of the most closely watched fundamental factors for traders and investors everywhere are earnings announcements and analyst upgrades and downgrades. Gaining an edge on such information, however, is difficult since there are literally millions of eyes on Wall Street looking for that very same advantage. Earnings Announcements The most important component of earnings announcements is the pre-announcement phasethe time when a company issues a statement stating whether it will meet, exceed, or fail to meet earnings expectations. Trades often occur immediately after such an announcement because a short-term momentum opportunity will likely be available. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Similarly, analyst upgrades and downgrades may present a short-term trading opportunity, particularly when a prominent analyst unexpectedly downgrades a stock. The price action in this situation can be similar to a rock dropping from a cliff, so the trader must be quick and nimble with their short selling. Earnings announcements and analyst ratings are also closely associated with momentum trading. Momentum traders look for unexpected events that cause a stock to trade a large volume of shares and move steadily either up or down. The fundamental trader is often more concerned with obtaining information on speculative events that the rest of the market may lack. To stay one step ahead of the market, astute traders can often use their knowledge of historical trading patterns that occur during the advent of stock splits, acquisitions, takeovers, and reorganizations. Stock Splits When a $20 stock splits 2-for-1, the company's market capitalization does not change, but the company now has double the number of shares outstanding each at a $10 stock price. Many investors believe that since investors will be more inclined to purchase a $10 stock than they would a $20 stock, a stock split portends an increase in the company's market capitalization. However, remember that this fundamentally does not change the value of the company. To trade stock splits successfully, a trader must, above all, correctly identify the phase at which the stock is currently trading. History has proven that a number of specific trading patterns occur before and after a split announcement. Price appreciation and, therefore, short-term buying opportunities will generally occur in the pre-announcement phase and the pre-split run-up, and price depreciation (shorting opportunities) will occur in the post-announcement depression and post-split depression. By identifying these four phases correctly, a split trader can actually trade in and out of the same stock at least four separate times before and after the split with perhaps many more intraday or even hour-by-hour trades. Acquisitions, Takeovers, and More The old adage "buy the rumor, sell the news," applies to those trading in acquisitions, takeovers, and reorganizations. In these cases, a stock will often experience extreme price increases in the speculation phase leading up to the event and significant declines immediately after the event is announced. That said, the old investor's adage "sell the news" needs to be qualified significantly for the astute trader. A trader's game is to be one step ahead of the market. Thus, the trader is unlikely to buy stock in a speculative phase and hold it all the way to the actual announcement. The trader is concerned with capturing some of the momenta in the speculative phase and may trade in and out of the same stock several times as the rumormongers go to work. The trader may hold a long position in the morning and short in the afternoon being ever watchful of charts and Level 2 data for signs of when to change position. When the actual announcement is made, the trader will likely have the opportunity to short the stock of the acquiring company immediately after it issues news of its intent to acquire, thereby ending the speculative euphoria leading up to the announcement. Rarely is an acquisition announcement seen positively, so shorting a company that is doing the acquiring is a twofold sound strategy. By contrast, a corporate reorganization is likely to be viewed positively if it was not anticipated by the market and if the stock had already been on a long-term slide due to internal corporate troubles. If a board of directors suddenly ousts an unpopular CEO, for example, a stock may exhibit short-term upward movement in celebration of the news. Trading the stock of a takeover target is a special case since a takeover offer will have an associated price per share. A trader should be careful to avoid getting stuck holding stock at or near the offer price because shares will generally not move significantly in the short term once they find their narrow range near the target. Particularly in the case of a rumored takeover, the best trading opportunities will be in the speculative phase (or the period when a rumored price per share for the takeover offer will drive actual price movement). Rumor and speculation are risky trading propositions, particularly in the case of acquisitions, takeovers, and reorganizations. These events create extreme stock-price volatility. However, because of the potential for rapid price movements, these events also potentially serve as the most lucrative fundamental trading opportunities available. The Bottom Line Many trading strategists use sophisticated models for trading opportunities associated with events leading up to and following earnings announcements, analyst upgrades and downgrades, stock splits, acquisitions, takeovers, and reorganizations. These charts resemble the charts used in technical analysis but lack mathematical sophistication. The charts are simple pattern charts. They display historical patterns of trading behaviors that occur close to these events, and these patterns are used as guides for predictions on short-term movements in the present. If fundamental traders correctly identify the current position of stocks and subsequent price movements that are likely to occur, they stand a good chance of executing successful trades. Trading on fundamentals may be risky in cases of euphoria and hype, but the astute trader can mitigate risk by using historical patterns to guide their short-term trading. In short, investors should do their homework before jumping in. NEW YORK, NY; POINT ROBERTS, WA - April 7, 2016 - (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com releases its first episode of Wine Down Wednesday featuring an interview with entrepreneurial movie producer and businessman Chad A. Verdi of Rhode Island. Joining him in the conversation is writer, director, actor Tommy DeNucci, who last year became President and CEO of Chads Woodhaven Production Company. Wine Down Wednesday is a new business and financial video YouTube channel created by Investorideas.com featuring experts and CEOs in leading sectors sharing insight and ideas over a glass of wine. We wanted to create something new for our listeners that was more like a typical first business meeting over lunch or with a drink. Since most investors don't get to meet a CEO or financial expert in that relaxed informal environment, we thought this would be a great way to invite them in, said Investorideas.com head of business development. At the upscale Italian restaurant, La Masseria in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Chad tells Investorideas.com what a day in the life of a business owner and executive movie producer is like. Totally chaos 24/7. I work very had in film and in business. Thats why I go by the motto, a glass of wine (or two) a day keeps the doctor away. If you work hard, you play harder. I am typically up at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning and it goes all day. Chad shares how bringing in writer, director, and actor Tommy DeNucci to run his production company has enabled him to focus on projects like Bleed for This, the upcoming American biographical drama based on the life of former World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza. He also talks about receiving the recent Sam Spiegel producer award, his relationship with award winning director Martin Scorsese and his upcoming films. Tom talks about a movie Chad and his team collaborated on and Chad also invested in called Almost Mercy and how that film took him to this next step as President and CEO of Woodhaven. He said he is excited to go the next level with future films. They both share insight and experience on what it takes to make a successful film for budding filmmakers. Knowing first-hand what it takes to make quality films, Chad also excitedly talks about a recent article naming his films, Bleed for This and Silence as two of ten movies with Oscar nomination potential for the coming year. Watch the Wine Down video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdCONFgbf-g Chad A. Verdi Producer and Tommy DeNucci at La Masseria, East Greenwich, RI Chad A. Verdi, Award Winning Producer at IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3838148/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 Chad A. Verdi on Linkedin.com https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=58199217&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=0TBg&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1430795337278%2Ctas%3Achad%20verdi Verdi Productions www.verdifilms.com Verdi Productions is a fully-funded film production company located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, with additional satellite offices in Edgartown, Massachusetts, New York City and LA. The company pursues all aspects of filmmaking - carrying projects from concept through postproduction. Verdi Productions is redefining how films are made on the East Coast. Unlike other film productions that come to the Northeast, Verdi is establishing itself as a fixture in the Rhode Island community. Verdi Productions does not operate on a project-to-project basis, but instead functions like a west coast studio, with established offices, full time employees, and a continuous stream of product. Woodhaven: http://www.woodhavenfilms.com/ About Investorideas.com (http://www.investorideas.com) Disclaimer/ Disclosure: The Investorideas.com newswire is a third party publisher of news and research as well as creates original content as a news source. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Investorideas is a news source on Google news syndication partners. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated by featured companies, news submissions, content marketing and online advertising. Contact each company directly for press release questions. Disclosure is posted on each release if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and is published for the sole interest of our readers. More disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Verdi Productions and Woodhaven are featured companies on Investorideas.com http://www.investorideas.com/CO/WHP/ Contact Investorideas.com: To learn more about becoming a guest on the show: Dvanzant@investorideas.com 800 665 0411 Moqtada al-Sadr, powerful Iraqi Shitte leader, has warned political party leaders they would face street protests if they obstruct a government overhaul planned by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to fight corruption. He also advised Iraqi PM to declare a new cabinet lineup that would see current ministers replaced by technocrats with no party affiliation to tackle systemic political patronage that has abetted bribery and embezzlement. The influential cleric supported sermon delivered by a representative to tens of thousands of faithful outside the gates of Baghdad's fortified Green Zone that houses government offices, parliament and embassies. Sadr's followers began a sit-in a week ago outside the Green Zone to pressure the government to see through anti-corruption pledges. Abadi has shown a willingness to act but has been slow to deliver on a reshuffle announced in February. Corruption is depleting the central government's financial resources at a time when revenues are declining due to lower oil prices and Abadi needs to ramp up funding for the U.S.-backed war against Islamic State militants. Sadr's envoy, Sheikh Asaad al-Nasiri, said, "If he brings a logical reform package to parliament and does not get enough votes, there will be a call to escalate protests against those who did not vote for the proposed cabinet. "If (Abadi) does not announce a package that appeases the people, then we will have another stance we will announce tomorrow. We will not be content with a sit-in at the Green Zone," Nasiri added amid crowd chants of, "Yes, yes to Moqtada our leader!" He did not mention a deadline which Sadr gave Abadi last month to implement reforms. The deadline expires next week. Abadi has voiced concern that the Shi'ite street protests could spin out of control and put Iraq's security in danger when it needs to keep its focus on fighting Islamic State. Iraq, a major OPEC producer that relies on oil exports for most of its revenue, ranked 161 out of 168 on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index in 2015. | Soruce: Reuters | By S.Seal It has been 13 years long, since US, UK and their allies had made invasion in Iraq. Today, the country stands no more liberated. There are corruptions, security problems, lack of unity and lack of democratic freedom. Iraq has to worry about its future and the fragmentation that may come as a result of failing governments to safeguard the well-being of Iraqis. Oil industry is considered as the foundation stone of economy of Iraq. Though production has been at its peak recently, due to global oil price slash, revenue has not been adequate for the government. In the year of 2009, main oilfields of Iraq were taken away by foreign companies. National oil companies received a major economic blow due to that. Of late, in the year of 2015, average production of oil remained at 3.47-mbd. But, production in the month of December, last year, was 4.13-mbd. Northern oil production was hampered by major security threats due to Daesh. Expenditure was close to $50 billion by the end of 2015. Drastic decline in crude price has made it difficult for the government to pay the oil companies. Already $50 bln has been paid. Question is how much they still need to pay by 2020? When it comes to natural gas, Iraqs production in December 2015 was 2,627 million cubic feet a day (mcfd) but the flared gas is 1,901-mcfd, according to the Ministrys website. According to statistics, utilized gas has increased only by 70-mcfd in last 11 years for Iraq. In the Southern zone of Iraq, gas fields are not rehabilitated properly. Inadequate efficient technologies have been always a cause of lack of desired production. In 2010, Basra Gas Company (BGC) was established with Shell and Mitsubishi. In the mid-2014, Iraqi refiners suffered massive loss as Daesh captured Baiji refinery, which is the largest of the country, producing 290,000 barrels per day. In the battle between Daesh militants and Iraqi forces, immense loss to this refiner took place. At this moment, rehabilitation of this refinery is the biggest challenge. A refinery in Karbala may come in the picture in 2019. But, even that would not help the damages that have been done already. | Soruce: Gulf News | By S.Seal In April 1941, Belfast suffered the first of four air attacks by the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe. At least 1,000 people were killed in the attacks as the city lay unprepared and undefended. On the night of April 7 8, 1941 Belfast suffered the first of four air attacks by the Germans Air Force, the Luftwaffe. At least 1,000 people were killed in the attacks as the city lay unprepared and undefended. It was believed that the Luftwaffe could not travel that far. Belfast Blitz: Facts In total there were four attacks on the County Antrim city. The first (April 7 -8), a small attack, was most likely carried out to test the citys defenses. The next took place on Easter Tuesday, April 15, 1941. In this attack, 200 German bombers targeted military and manufacturing sites across the city. Some 900 people were killed and 1,500 were injured as a result of this air raid. Apart from London, this was the greatest loss of life in any night raid during the Blitz. The third was over the evening and morning of May 4 and 5. The death toll was 150. The final attack took place on May 5 6. Why did the Belfast Blitz happen? Belfast city was a target during the Second World War due to its large shipyard and aircraft manufacturing base. On the night of the most fatal of the attacks, Easter Tuesday 1941, an air warden said, "The sirens started at quarter to eleven, and by eleven o'clock my team was on the street that started six hours of horror, death, and destruction." For several hours, hundreds of tons of high explosive bombs and incendiaries were dropped on the city. Belfast Blitz: Names of victims Crowded terraced houses were near the targeted docks area. The dead were stacked in the Falls Road public baths and in a market close to the city center. Many of the victims could not be identified. If Rosary beads were found in a pocket then it was assumed they were Catholic. As well as the huge loss of life, there was also extensive damage across the city, as half of the houses in Belfast city were hit by bombs which in turn left 100,000 people homeless. One Belfast survivor remembered putting out fires across the city. "Two of our comrades from the Sans Souci station were killed. They were coming along Royal Avenue when a bomb dropped and it left a crater. They drove into the crater," he told BBC News Northern Ireland. "I saw an Alsatian dog with a dead baby in its mouth. It was running away. I took off my metal helmet and threw it on the ground. The rattle scared the dog and he dropped the baby. Read more How Guinness saved Ireland in World War II "I remember wrapping the baby's body in some old net curtain from one of the bombed houses. "I left the baby with some soldiers, having attached a note to say that the body was found on York Street... Things like that, you never forget." He also recalled a friend who was unable to find his mother and fathers bodies after their house was bombed. "We went down to the stalls in the market. The dead were laid out on them. And I remember going along and lifting the sheeting to look at the bodies. But we never found his parents." Belfast Blitz memorial There are two monuments in Belfast city where the unidentified were buried in mass graves. Both are on the Falls Road. One is located at the Catholic Milltown Cemetery, the other in the non-denominational City Cemetery. * Originally published in April 2016. Updated in April 2022. IrishCentral History Love Irish history? Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group. Ellen Toomey was aboard the Titanic returning to her job in the US after a visit with her family in Co Limerick. Editor's Note: On April 15, 1912 the Belfast built RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg, killing over 1,500 passengers and crew on board. This was one of the deadliest commercial peacetime maritime disasters in modern history and among those on board were many Irish. In the run-up to the anniversary of the disaster, IrishCentral will take a look at the Irish on board the lucky, unlucky and heroic. This is an extract from the book The Irish Aboard the Titanic by Senan Molony which tells the tales of the people who were on board the night the ship went down. This book gives those people a voice. In it are stories of agony, luck, self-sacrifice, dramatic escapes, and heroes left behind. Read More: The RMS Titanic by numbers facts and figures on the tragic Belfast-built ship Ellen Toomey Ticket number 13531. Paid 10 10s. Boarded at Southampton. Second Class. From: County Cork. Destination: 119 Bates Street, Indianapolis, IN. Ellen Toomey was nothing like the swarms of young Irish girls who crowded into steerage. Although she had been born in Ireland, Ellen had been living in the United States for many years and was a domestic servant. She was unmarried and was returning to the house of Mrs. Bridget Hannery, where she worked, after a blissful visit home to her mother and relatives in County Limerick. Ellen had returned to Ireland in November 1911 and had tried to book her return voyage on four other ships before she finally found a berth on the Titanic. The coal strike had interfered with her plans, but she finally managed to send postcards to her sisters in Indianapolis saying she was sailing on the new White Star liner. She may have been rescued in lifeboat No. 3, launched from the starboard side relatively early in the night. On April 24, 1912, she described what happened in an interview with the Indianapolis Star: "The wreck was due purely to carelessness. It could not have been otherwise. "I do not know whether the stories are true or not, but it was common talk among the survivors that the man in the lookout was asleep at the time and that the Captain and the other officers were not doing their duty, but that they were below at a banquet when the crash came." "Oh those cries and screams of the poor, drowning people. The sound was awful. I shall never forget it. But we did not see any of them in the water. We were too far away from the Titanic when it went down to see those who had leaped or who had been washed into the sea. But we could hear them for some little time. Then all was still and we knew the last of them had perished." Read More: On this Day: Titanic arrives in Southampton for her maiden voyage Toomey shared a Second-Class cabin with two women and a child. Shortly after midnight, a ships steward told them to put on lifebelts and go on deck: "There was no confusion or excitement. We were ordered to the side of the ship along with the other women. The men stood aside. They were brave, those men on the Titanic. They were real heroes. The order was given to lower the lifeboats, and one boat on our side of the ship was loaded with women and children and lowered to the water." "An officer stood by with drawn revolver. I did not see him shoot. He threatened to shoot a man because he did not do what the officer told him to do, but finally the man obeyed. But I heard several shots on other parts of the ship. Who did the shooting I do not know." "I was put into the second lifeboat on the starboard side and I think there were about 30 persons in our boat. In the number were three members of the crew who had been ordered there by the officers. When we were lowered to the water we found two other men in the boat who had sneaked in some way." "There was room in our boat for more people, but the hurry of loading and the fact that people thought the boat could not sink probably accounted for the fact that there was not a full load. When we struck the water the men rowed our boat rapidly away from the Titanic because when we left the ship we could see that it was gradually lowering in the water. After we were at a safe distance we drifted about." "We could see the Titanic was sinking little by little and it was evident that it would go down. When there was but little of the ship above the water there was a loud explosion. We could hear it plainly. Then the Titanic stood on end and made a dive straight down and that was the last of it. Then it was that one heard those awful screams from the drowning people. We could not see them." "We drifted in the lifeboats for seven hours before being picked up by the C/arpathia. Our boat was the second or third that was picked up. The night was not very dark. The stars were out, but there was no moon. The sea was smooth as a lake. As we drifted about we saw icebergs all around us. They were everywhere. Some were very large and high. The one which was pointed out to us as the one which the Titanic struck was not large, at least it was not high out of the water. The weather was bitter cold." Read More: 100 years ago today, ship that rescued Titanic survivors was sunk by a German Torpedo "Most of the women in our boat were thinly clothed because some of them were told to go back to bed after the collision and had done so, only to be aroused later when it was too late to dress. The weather was bitter cold, and there was much suffering in the boat. One French woman who had lost her husband became frantic in her grief, but we calmed her. This was the only confusion in our boat." "When we saw the Carpathia coming towards us it was the grandest sight that mortal eyes ever witnessed. It meant our deliverance. There was a loud shout of joy as the ship approached. All of the lifeboats kept as close together as possible while drifting and seven of them were tied together to keep them from being separated and lost." "Once we were on board the Carpathia, we were treated with all the consideration that could be shown us. They were very kind and good to us. Men gave up their rooms and women passengers shared their rooms with the Titanic survivors. They gave us clothes. They gave us hot brandy and coffee and took the best of care of us. Five or six of the survivors, however, died on board the Carpathia." "I shall never forget the bravery and heroism of the men on the ship in the hour of despair. I tell you, they were brave men. They stood aside while the women were loaded into the boats, and only a few of them tried to get in a boat. Some of them did, but the officers drove them back." Read More: Faces of the Titanic: Mary Burns died while tending to the needs of others Report of the American Red Cross (Titanic Disaster) 1913: "No. 453. (Irish.) A houseworker, 50 years old. Injured. ($100)" Ellen was born on February 2, 1864 to parents John Toomey and Mary Brandon. She died on December 23, 1933, in Indianapolis. She was 69 and had never married. The Irish Aboard the Titanic by Senan Molony is available online. * Originally published in 2012. Documents linked to two high-profile Irishmen feature in international files leaked this week in an expose dubbed the Panama Papers. They reveal separate business details of former Fine Gael strategist Frank Flannery and bankrupt property developer Ray Grehan. The files are in a cache of 11.5 million records showing how a global industry of law firms and big banks sells financial secrecy to politicians, fraudsters and drug traffickers, billionaires and businesses. The cache includes files showing how associates of Russian president Vladimir Putin secretly shuffled up to $2 billion through banks and shadow companies. Revelations involving FIFA officials, the Icelandic prime minister and others are among those produced by a year-long investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Irish Times, German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and over 100 other news organizations. The files come from the Mossack Fonseca law firm, which is based in Panama and is one of the worlds largest providers of offshore services to individuals and companies. They show how a British Virgin Islands company pledged 250,000 sterling in a Jersey Island bank account as security for a mortgage taken out by Flannery when he was buying a home in London for 615,000 in the mid-1990s. The house was worth four times more when sold in 2012 for 2.8 million, according to the U.K. property register. Flannery, who was also a former chief executive in aid agency Rehab, told The Irish Times that he never heard of the British Virgin Islands company. He said that no third party financing was involved when he bought the house and that all the money came from a mortgage with Bank of Ireland Private Banking in London. The ownership of the British Virgin Islands company is not disclosed in the leaked files. Developer Ray Grehan, declared bankrupt in 2011, is reported as having used the law firm at the center of the Panama Papers investigation to shield assets from Irelands National Asset Management Agency (Nama). The EU has pledged to intensify its clampdown on international tax avoidance amid increasing public anger at the revelation of the elaborate global system revealed by the consortium. In Ireland, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said revelations around the tax arrangements of certain high profile individuals and companies was clearly a concern. He said if it was proven there were offenses in Irish law they would be vigorously prosecuted. The leader of Fine Gael, Enda Kenny, and his Fianna Fail counterpart, Micheal Martin, held talks last night on the options for government. This is unprecedented in Irish political history and the two leaders are due to meet again today. It is understood that only a note-taker was present with the two men and that the room where the talks took place was deliberately chosen for its symbolic location between Government Buildings and Leinster House. The meeting is said to have lasted between 45 minutes and an hour and that Kenny offered Martin a full partnership government involving the two parties and Independents. Fianna Fail confirmed that Kenny had offered Martin a coalition government with Fine Gael and Independents. The Fianna Fail leader will be discussing this and other options with his parliamentary party in the morning. Following the meeting, Fine Gael issued a statement that read: This evening the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Leader of Fianna Fail Micheal Martin had a positive and constructive meeting during which they discussed the current political situation and options for the formation of a stable and lasting Government. The Taoiseach made a formal offer for the formation of a full partnership Government including Fine Gael, Independents and Fianna Fail which would have the potential to provide a stable and lasting government. The Taoiseach and the Fianna Fail Leader have agreed to meet again tomorrow for further discussions. Their meeting followed the failure of either party leader to secure sufficient votes to become head of government. Dail Eireann, the main house of the Irish parliament, voted against Kenny by 80 votes to 51 while Martin was defeated by 95 votes to 43, with socialist candidate Ruth Coppinger losing by 108 votes to 10. Ahead of the vote, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were involved in separate talks with Independent members of the Dail with a view to obtaining their support in the vote for Taoiseach. In the event, only one Independent member, the controversial TD for Tipperary, Michael Lowry, supported Kenny and none of them voted for Martin. Apart from Lowry's vote for Kenny, neither of the two leaders got any backing outside their own parliamentary parties. Indeed, Kenny got less support than he received on March 10, the last time the Dail voted on the issue. On that occasion he was supported by the seven Labour Party TDs but this time around they all abstained. At a press conference earlier, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams explained why he would not be putting his own name forward: This vote is absolutely pointless. Enda Kenny cant be elected, neither can Micheal Martin, neither can I. Its a charade. Meanwhile Kenny, who headed the outgoing Fine Gael-Labour coalition until the February 26 general election, continues in his role as Acting Taoiseach. If the Dail fails to fill the position by a majority vote, the house will be dissolved so that another general election can take place. It is considered unlikely that an early general election would produce a conclusive result, in which case the current political stalemate might well develop into a full-blown crisis. In addition, it is expected that any party or grouping which is seen as being responsible for an early return to the polling-booth will be punished for doing so by the voters. Kenny and Martin are therefore under considerable pressure to work out a deal so that a proper government can be installed. This could take the form of one of the parties, probably Fine Gael, leading a minority government while Fianna Fail remained in opposition but did not vote to bring down the Fine Gael-led administration. This would be similar to the so-called "Tallaght Strategy" of 1987-89 whereby Fine Gael in opposition allowed a minority Fianna Fail government to remain in office. Another possible arrangement would be a "grand coalition" of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. This would be an unprecedented move by the two parties, which trace their origins to the bitter Civil War of 1922-3. Observers believe there would be little opposition to such a power-sharing deal in the Fine Gael ranks and that some senior members of Fianna Fail would also be quite keen on the prospect of holding ministerial office under an arrangement of this kind. However, there is said to be considerable opposition to the idea among the grassroots membership of Fianna Fail. That party is committed to holding a special conference to vote on any proposed coalition and it would be difficult to achieve majority backing for such a deal. The Dail is due to reconvene on April 14, but the likelihood of an agreed approach between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at such an early stage is seen as remote. The Dublin Tech Summit, founded by ex-Accenture consultant Ben English, will be held in the Convention Centre and across the Silicon Docks over two days next February. Given the conferences location, nestled among many of the worlds largest multinationals in Dublins thriving docklands, the summit will aim to foster links between large established firms and indigenous SMEs. I think all companies, whether theyre emerging or established, all have different goals and I think sometimes without a catalyst and a convenient platform to bring all these together it might be difficult to find how synergies can arise. Our focus is on making sure that Dublin is hosting another conference thats on the global conferencing map akin to DLG in Germany, South by Southwest in Texas, Money 20/20 in Copenhagen, and we believe with the Dublin Tech Summit were starting a new conversation that brings people together in the spirit of partnership, Mr English said. A number of speakers have been confirmed including Ubers lead engineer, Rafi Krikorian; and Irish woman Jules Coleman, co-founder of London-based startup, Hassle. The internet of things, big data, fintech, and business and marketing will be among the summits key themes. Including Dublin in the conferences title not only highlights the citys inherent strengths, but also shows its commitment it is not going to leave Dublin, according to Mr English. Negotiations have begun with government agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and IDA, as well as Dublin City Council and the Irish Hotels Federation, to ensure contentious issues that arose between Web Summits founders and authorities dont repeat themselves. It is hoped its close proximity to Dublin Airport and public transport links will prove a further feather in the cap of the conference. Early-bird tickets will be available from April 27 for 245 with full-price tickets going on sale afterwards for 395. The Evening Echo reports that Joe McNicholas, a graduate of the Limerick College of Art and Design, is one of three artists taking part in the exhibition entitled Spring Notes. McNicholas posted on his Facebook page: "I'm sad to say that my satirical painting 'An Irish Political Allegory' has been deemed unfit to be shown in the group exhibition 'Spring Notes', which opens at the Cork School of Music this evening. Keep an eye out for today's Evening Echo." McNicholas says he was absolutely shocked when he received an email from the director of CSM, Dr Geoffrey Spratt, who said that having received a very significant number of complaints about two of the paintings, he decided to remove one of them. The painting in question, An Irish Political Allegory, measuring eight feet by five feet, includes a small image of a bare-chested Haughey and a topless woman. Joe said: The woman is my symbol of Ireland, like Kathleen Ni Houlihan. I felt it was appropriate that Haughey should be represented. He was having his way with Ireland. The foreground of the satirical painting shows former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen in the pose of Rodins sculpture, The Thinker. There are also depictions of de Valera, Sean Lemass, and Jack Lynch. The painting now appears on Joe McNicholas Facebook page. The painting 'An Irish Political Allegory' by Joe McNicholas. The paintings went on view on Tuesday and according to Dr Spratt, some parents and members of staff objected to the image in question as unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen. Dr Spratt acknowledged the basic concept of freedom of expression. However, Dr Spratt said: I can only reiterate that the CSM has a duty-of-care to more than 3,000 students under the age of 18, and if both parents and members of staff tell me they do not wish the school to display such imagery, I cannot ignore them. Dr Spratt didnt respond to a query as to how many people expressed their objection to the image. Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has announced that her government plans to release all political prisoners as quickly as possible, making the declaration her first act in her newly created job as state counsellor. The statement, posted on the Facebook page of the office of President Htin Kyaw, declared the release a priority, suggesting it might begin by next week, which is Myanmar's traditional New Year festival and has in the past been the occasion for prisoner releases. There are about 100 political prisoners left over from the military-backed government that was recently replaced by Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. There are also about 400 people facing trial on political charges, and they would have those charges dropped or suspended under Ms Suu Kyi's plan. Several dozen of those facing trial are students who early last year staged a protest against state education reforms. Ms Suu Kyi's party won a landslide victory in last November's election, ending a half-century of army-backed rule. She is by agreement of her party the de facto head of government, though the military-era constitution does not allow her to be president because her two sons have British citizenship. Shortly before the election, she announced her intention to run the government by being "above the president" if her party won. Ms Suu Kyi's announcement was released shortly after the new government's first Cabinet meeting on Thursday. Her plan specifies the laws under which the prisoners could be released and charges dropped, specifically avoiding a process that would require the agreement of a military-controlled board. Under the previous military-backed government that took power in 2011, more than 1,100 detainees were released. The junta that ruled before that kept Ms Suu Kyi under house arrest for a number of years, and jailed hundreds of her supporters and other critics. Drugs normally used to treat prostate cancer are now being tried on men who are worried they could go on to abuse children. A groundbreaking study in Sweden is looking at whether the medicine reduces the sex drive in volunteers, which is one of its effects when used in cancer treatment. The drug therapy reduces levels of the male hormone testosterone. Anders - not his real name - is involved in the research and said: "Hopefully is will take my mind of these things so I dont have to be so frustrated and moiserable." Around the world, drugs are widely used to suppress the urges of sex offenders. But the Swedish scientists are taking the controversial further step of looking at whether men in the general population who are worried about their sexual urges can successfully be treated to prevent them committing crimes. They also hope to pinpoint "biomarkers" - tell-tale substances in the blood or brain wiring patterns - that mark out individuals who could pose a danger to children. The researchers stress that if such biomarkers are found, there is no question of them being used to conduct population screening for paedophiles. However they could help psychiatrists or prison governors decide if certain individuals can safely be allowed near children, or who might benefit from a drug treatment. Dr Christoffer Rahm, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who heads the "Priotab" project, said: "One in 10 boys and one in 20 girls is sexually abused during childhood. This issue is hard to deal with but we must, because it affects all of us. "Child sexual abuse causes a lot of suffering for the victims and their relatives ... it also has negative consequences for the perpetrator, who risks becoming totally isolated, depressed and sentenced to imprisonment. "Up until now most of the attention has been on how to deal with perpetrators while they're protected by the police or by the authorities, but by this stage children have already been harmed. "With this research project, I want to shift focus and explore methods of preventing child sexual abuse from happening in the first place." Dr Rahm said a "handful" of men with paedophilic tendencies - none of whom had been convicted of any offence - had already been recruited by his team through a Swedish help line for people who fear their sexual appetites are out of control. They were taking part in a study testing the effectiveness of degarelix, a prostate cancer drug that blocks signals from the brain that switch on production of testosterone. The male hormone is known to fuel the disease. The aim is to compare 30 men receiving the drug with 30 others given a "dummy" placebo treatment. The scientists want to see if the drug can help the volunteers keep their sexual urges in check without causing unacceptable side effects. Three days after receiving an injection of degarelix, 97% of treated men have almost no detectable levels of testosterone in their blood. Unlike some other hormone treatments, the drug does not cause an initial "flare" that actually boosts levels of testosterone. "The hypothesis we are testing is that this medicine has a clinically significant risk-reducing effect," said Dr Rahm. The Swedish scientists acknowledge that the research involves serious ethical issues which will be explored as part of the project. PetroNeft is holding an egm, convened by Natlata, on April 18 at which shareholders will vote on a number of resolutions including the removal of four current directors of the Irish firm. PetroNefts management and two leading shareholder advisory firms ISS and Glass Lewis have urged investors to oppose the motions. PetroNeft recently agreed a deal with partner company Oil India to fund the ongoing development of its Licence 61 asset in Siberia. However, Oil Indias commitment to cover 100% of the funding, without PetroNeft having to raise any, is conditional on the Irish firms current management team remaining in place. Yesterday, PetroNeft cancelled a restriction notice it had issued which could have blocked Natlata voting at the pending EGM after receiving responses from Natlata to queries regarding certain information about its shareholding. Natlata a privately-owned investment company that invests in distressed or early-stage assets in the Russian region welcomed the removal of the restrictions but said the episode only copper-fastened its desire to see its wishes granted. I am glad that the current directors of PetroNeft have seen the error of their ways, said Natlatas Maxim Korobov, before adding, an expensive and distracting exercise has been avoided. If the board had any questions about Natlatas shareholding, rather than try to disenfranchise me, why didnt the board simply pick up the phone? Mr Korobov added: This latest action clearly shows the board have lost sight of what they should be doing, namely getting oil out of the ground and delivering for all stakeholders. If ever another sign was needed that change is so desperately required at the top of PetroNeft, the board themselves have just reminded us. Elsewhere, Petroceltic the heavily indebted Dublin-based explorer which has effectively been propped up of late by a series of repayment waivers from its lenders has recommended its shareholders back a 6.5m (8.1m) takeover offer from independent investor, Worldview Capital Management. Worldview via its Sunny Hill offshoot recently sold nearly half of the 69% of Petroceltic debt it owned to private equity firm Elbrus Capital. An interim examiner was appointed to Petroceltic last month and the firm is set to enter a full examinership process tomorrow. In a letter to shareholders, Petroceltic chairman Robert Adair yesterday said it is unlikely this process will lead to an alternative offer for the company and that the board sees the Sunny Hill/Worldview offer as representing the best possible opportunity for shareholders to realise any value from their holding of ordinary shares. According to the reports, $22.9 trillion (20.1tn) is estimated to be hidden away in tax havens globally. Written down in figures it is $22,900,000,000,000. Its a horrendously big figure. Its probably an amount that could solve all of the worlds ills. Yet its hidden away with presumably some, or much of it, obtained illegally or without paying lawful taxes. To be sure this is only one such revelation. There are undoubtedly many more out there. We now await further opening up of this Pandoras Box. There surely must be more to hand. A look at the statistics would suggest that the extent that folk have to go to hide their money implies that there was a reason for hiding it in the first place. One particular Panamanian accountancy company, Mossack Fonseca, which sells anonymous offshore companies around the world, is reported to have, over the last 40 years, established 214,488 offshore companies, trusts and foundations. To ensure anonymity, fake director names were appointed so that the real owners name could be hidden. Monies are funnelled through multiple shell companies in different tax havens to make it difficult to trace the money. Over 500 banks and bank subsidiaries created 15,000 offshore companies through Mossack Fonseca. Why would they need to? The names of those involved who have been identified have included 143 politicians of whom a number are former and current national leaders, including their families or associates. The Ordinary Joe or Josephine Soap isnt included in the mass of names that have been revealed so far. Even if they were, they would be an exception to the rule. This all might sound like fiction. In fact, like most truths, for the vast bulk of ordinary people who struggle to survive, it is stranger than fiction. Unfortunately, its true and the masses suffer as unfettered greed reigns supreme. We have had our own share of financial scandals, tax evasion, and offshore and illegal non-resident accounts. The Ansbacher accounts scandal is but one of many. There are a number of things in common with the Panama Papers. They have all involved banks and financial institutions, stock brokers, accountancy firms, and weak or ineffective regulatory regimes. Inevitably they have involved the alleged great and good, aka the powerful and those with lots of money. This country was driven into recession by the antics of all of the above. The people of this country have had to, and will continue to have to, pay the price for their wayward ways. With the support of their friends in government, private debt was made public, whereas profit continued to be private. Property is a constitutional right, dont you know? Firstly, they robbed us and then they made us pay for their losses. Apparently we have no such property rights. What do we do? We abjectly roll over and ask for our tummies to be tickled. We then let them get on with doing the same thing again. Will we see resignations like in Iceland? If you really want to get your heckles up, go see the movie Big Short. The movie is basically about a few brokers and investment groups who spotted as far back as 2005 that there was a major bubble in the housing sector in the US. They decided to take a punt and ultimately made billions. Nothing was done about controlling the offending investment products they used. The problem was not helped by the major rating agencies who continued to maintain high ratings in the sector despite the fact that all evidence was exactly opposite. Its hard to argue with the view that the interests of the banks, brokers and rating agencies were aligned. They all ate out of the same trough. Even in the US, few went to jail. The solution is simple. Crime cannot be allowed to pay, even white collar crime. Judges have too much discretion in these cases. Lets have mandatory sentencing. And with the children gone and grass starting to grow, the cheque books are finally coming out. I went to Bandon mart on Monday, and starting with a look at the calves, the trade here remains strong. Bandon had 1,423 calves on offer with mart manager Tom McCarthy telling me that he felt smaller calves were up 30 to 40 a head. And if you happen to be on the lookout for calves at the moment, the best buy, to my mind at least, is the nice lengthy Friesian bull calf, about a month old, hes coming in at 140 to 150. Staying with Bandon, and looking at the store bullock trade, the steer with the overcoat (out wintered) as we mentioned here last week, is still leading the way. The outwintered animal with youth on his side is leading the price charge this week. A prime example of this in Bandon on Monday would be seven Hereford steers born Jan/Feb 2015. They weighed 327kg, with auctioneer Jim OBrien bringing down the hammer at 790. I thought it was good money for the bullocks and so did the man standing alongside me. And surely the two of us cant be wrong. In Bandon on Monday dry cows made from 50 to 470 with the kilo. Bandon mart had 111 dry cows on offer. Continental bullocks sold from 450 to 720 with their weight. Friesian bullocks sold from 200 to 510 with their weight. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks sold from 350 to 720 with the kilo. Heifers in Bandon made from 250 to 535 with the kilo. Bandon Monday No Breed Sex Weight 6 AA steers 270kg 740 2 AA steers 680kg 1380 4 AA heifers 320kg 750 2 Hr heifers 490kg 940 1 Lm heifer 460kg 995 1 Fr cow 660kg 1240 1 BB cow 795kg 1255 Corrin mart on Tuesday had 1,517 cattle and calves on offer with mart manager, Sean Leahy, telling me that there was an excellent trade for bullocks. Last weeks very strong trade was easily maintained, Sean added. In Corrin, store bullocks sold from 200 to 650 over the kilo, with beef bullocks making up to 670 over the kilo. Sean also reported a good firm trade for heifers and dry cows. And in Corrin on Tuesday store heifers made from 250 to 580 over the kilo, with butcher types making up to 855 over the kilo. On Tuesday dry cows made from 550 up to 1,290 a head. Corrin Tuesday No Breed Sex Weight 3 Lm steers 468kg 1180 4 AA steers 656kg 1325 5 Fr steers 580kg 1025 6 Hr steers 380kg 820 1 Lm heifer 600kg 1460 5 Lm heifers 487kg 1090 1 Fr cow 770kg 1290 Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson isnt a name often given a mention here in our mart and market report. And thats because Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson is not a fellow working up a sweat on a handy farm somewhere west along the road, hes the prime minister of Iceland, or to be more exact, was the prime minister of Iceland. He hails from a far colder part of the world, where this week he found himself in hot water over the Panama Papers scandal. A scandal, as you well know by now, that has sent shock waves through the well lined pockets and bulging wallets of fellows with more money than morals. And whatever else we have learned about the Panama Papers this week, one thing I know for sure is that there will be no Irish beef farmer found on the infamous list. And I know this without ever peering at 11.5 million files that were held at the law firm of Mossack Fonseca. We in the beef business are too taken up with trying to make money in the first place, to be concerned with what to do with it should it ever come our way. The only time a beef farmers money isnt resting in his account is when its resting in his pocket. Our money trail is terribly easy to follow. It goes from the meat factory to the mart, and what money is left over is usually used to wipe away our tears and then to dampen down an overheating ration and fertiliser bill.So the trouble in faraway Panama may as well be in Outer Mongolia or even Outer Space for all the relevance it has to us. Our concerns are far more real and local. And speaking of local concerns, we return to reality and from Mossack Fonseca we go next to Macroom mart where after Saturdays cattle sale mart manager, John OMahony, gave us the following report. We had a similar sized sale to last week. This weeks sale included a clearance sale of sucklers with calves at foot, which sold for an average of 1,700 per lot. There was also a good trade for all other types of stock. And on Saturday in Macroom, dry cows sold from 105 under to 620 over the kilo. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from 215 to 685 over the kilo. With continental bullocks selling from 230 to 775 over their weight. Heifers in Macroom mart on Saturday sold from 225 to 650 over the kilo. Macroom Saturday No Breed Sex Weight 3 AA steers 595kg 1280 3 Hr steers 470kg 1030 2 Lm steers 540kg 1295 1 Lm heifer 500kg 1120 6 Ch heifers 410kg 1060 1 Ch cow 790kg 1410 1 Fr cow 690kg 1185 Tuesdays sale saw some 1,223 cattle go through both sale rings with 825 calves and over 150 culled cows on offer, Seamus OKeeffe of Kanturk mart reported after this weeks cattle sale. The North Cork mart manager added, Cattle were up 60 to 70 a head on last weeks price, with a flying trade ringside and plenty of buyers from around the country present. And this Saturday, April 9, Kanturk mart will hold a dairy sale with 60 top class 1st and 2nd calvers entered. This sale begins at 1pm sharp. Kanturk Tuesday No Breed Sex Weight 2 Fr steers 602kg 1140 4 AA steers 517kg 1125 7 Hr steer 550kg 1105 1 Lm steer 390kg 1000 1 Lm heifer 515kg 1155 5 Ch heifers 494kg 1120 1 Fr cow 720kg 1140 Skibbereen mart manager Tom McCarthy reported a very good trade for dry cows on Friday. Dry cows here sold from 70 over to 510 with the kilo. Continental bullocks made from 400 to 700 with their weight. Skibbereen Friday No Breed Sex Weight 2 Sim steers 600kg 1260 1 Lm steer 550kg 1220 2 Hr steers 345kg 845 2 Hr heifers 332kg 725 3 Ch heifers 400kg 980 1 Sim cow 625kg 1130 1 Fr cow 710kg 1180 Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks sold from 380 to 620 with the kilo. Friesian bullocks sold from 240 to 480 with their weight. Heifers in Skibbereen made from 370 to 780 with the kilo. Dairy stock in Skibbereen sold from 1000 to 1190 a head, with sucklers selling from 1,020 to 1,500. We had a big increase in numbers here on Monday, with prices holding well, was the report we got from Dungarvan mart manager, Ger Flynn, after Mondays cattle sale. And looking at sucklers in Dungarvan, suckler cows with calves at foot made from 1,130 to 1,530. Dungarvan Monday No Breed Sex Weight 5 AA steers 592kg 1330 3 Ch steers 520kg 1230 1 Hr steer 575kg 1210 1 Ch heifer 540kg 1220 9 Ch heifers 407kg 935 2 Ch heifers 487kg 1030 1 Fr cow 775kg 1170 And finally for this week we go across to Co Limerick and to Kilmallock mart, where despite the recent poor weather the trade was very strong in all five rings last Monday. Buyers who came from all over Ireland were in attendance, as well as exporters, Denis Kirby of Kilmallock mart told me. Bullocks here sold for up to 2.56 per kg, while weanlings hit 3.02 per kg. Kilmallock mart had a total of 255 dry cows on offer, with Denis reporting an excellent dry cow trade. Dry cows in Kilmallock sold for up to 1.78 per kg. Heifers went to a high of 2.88 per kg. Dairy stock in Kilmallock hit 1,300 (which was paid for a two-year-old heifer) while suckler cows went to a high of 1,170 (paid for a three-year-old in calf to a Belgian Blue). And looking at the calf trade in Kilmallock Denis put it thus: The tone of the calf trade for Monday was set with the very first lot in the ring at 8.15am. Two Friesian bulls sold for 200 each. Young beef breeds on Monday sold for up to 435 a head. Meanwhile, on Monday next, April 11, Kilmallock mart will hold a clearance sale of top class pedigree Friesian calved cows. This sale begins at 11.30am. Kilmallock Monday No Breed Sex Weight 3 Lm steers 390kg 840 3 Hr steers 547kg 1230 8 BB steers 507kg 1090 4 Sim steers 454kg 1075 1 Hr heifer 490kg 1000 2 Sim heifers 605kg 1180 1 Lm cow 480kg 845 It was almost inevitable, then, that the decision would be taken to sell the property in two separate lots to address the two separate market segments that would be interested in this enormous holding. Some 838 of the 1,263 acres are composed of mature forestry land. At the moment, this is being managed by a forestry management company, according to Roseanne de Vere Hunt of Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes, who are selling the property jointly with Brian Carroll of Sherry Fitzgerald Carroll in Dundalk. For the forestry lands, there is a certain specific market that is made up mostly of Irish-based forestry land specialists and individual investors in what is fast becoming one of the most popular sub-sectors in the agricultural land market. The jewel that so many overseas buyers are after, however, is in the remaining 425 acres of farmland which contains the Georgian mansion and associated buildings of Kilcooley Estate. The property was first built in 1790 with the express plan to have a good view overlooking 12th-century Kilcooley Abbey. The original owners were the Barker family and later, the Ponsonbys a colourful Anglo-Irish family who maintained ownership through the War of Independence and right up until 2006. Since then, the property has changed hands a number of times. It was sold to Castleway International in 2008 for about 6 million. When their development plans failed to develop, the property ended up in the hands of NAMA. Meanwhile, the forestry land was leased to Coillte. Then, in 2013, Newry man Tommy OGorman stepped in and bought the property on 220 acres for 2.1 million. He subsequently bought the remaining 950 acres that had been on long-term lease to Coillte for a figure believed to be in excess of 1 million. The lot of 425 acres with the main house is of enormous interest to the American market, according to Roseanne, with many of them surely eyeing up the place as the next Ballyfin Manor. In the States, theres a lot of obsession with Downton Abbey at the moment, says Roseanne, so anything that resembles that and Kilcooley definitely has that look about it is going to attract some interest. Since the start of the year, the Americans have really been the busiest of all nations that have been contacting us. Much of the characteristics of the interior have a more Victorian bearing a result of fire-damage restoration in the 1840s. The effect is impressive, with its two-storey galleried hall with glazed dome, timber panelling, delicate craftwork and cantilevered stone staircase leading to a large mezzanine. Outside, there are various superb outbuildings also awaiting restoration, including the neo-Gothic boathouse by the private lake. The land going with Lot 1 consists of 22.6 acres of pleasure grounds around the house, 6.3 acres of outbuildings (including two houses and stables), 200 acres of quality grassland, 118 acres of (mostly hardwood) forestry and lake and a further 90 acres of forestry to the rear that was planted in the early 1990s with Norway Spruce. Access is good, with Thurles just 20km away, while Urlingford and the M8 are just a few kilometres from here. The price guide for Lot 1 (Georgian mansion of Kilcooley House on 425 acres) is 2,750,000; for Lot 2 (838 acres of forestry) its 4,750,000 (or 5,700/acre); while the entire holding is listed at 7,500,000 to 8,000,000. The EU has already deferred sensitive trade-offs until late in TTIP talks with the US. With indications that the EU may include tariff rate quotas for beef in a formal exchange of offers in early May with Argentina, Brazil, and other Mercosur countries, Mr Coveney is to join other EU states in highlighting farmers concerns at next weeks council of ministers meeting in Luxembourg. Mr Coveney said: Ireland has voiced its concerns regarding an EU trade deal with the Mercosur block of countries, which could have a severe impact on the European agriculture sector and on the European beef sector in particular. I raised the matter with the commission at every opportunity, including at council of ministers meetings in recent months. In his communications with Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton, EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan and trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, Mr Coveney has outlined the impacts for the Irish economy of any trade off involving beef. More than 90% of Irish beef is exported to the EU. Meanwhile, IFA national chairman Jer Bergin has written to Taoiseach Enda Kenny to express his concerns. He said any deal would be damaging for the Irish and EU beef sectors. Mr Bergin said: The EU agricultural policy environment has changed dramatically since the last market access offer was made by the EU in 2004. The abolition of milk quotas has resulted in the expansion of the EU dairy herd, which is posing additional challenges for the beef sector. Analysis by the commission shows a Mercosur deal would inflict losses of 7.8bn on EU agriculture. Individual losses at farm level would be higher, particularly for beef farmers. This would have a knock-on effect on rural economies, resulting in job losses. Members of the prison staff have been interviewed in relation to the missing money. Prisoners did not have access to the office from where the money was taken. The cash was held in a drawer at the general office at the Mulgrave St prison and was unaccounted for despite a two-day search of the prison when the investigation was handed over to the gardai. A forensic audit of the prison accounts did not uncover any errors in book-keeping. A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said it was normal practice for cash to be held at the general office of the prison as bail money, amounting up to 60,000, is paid in to prisons to secure the release of remand prisoners. The area where the cash is held is not accessible to inmates, even those on enhanced regimes or with duties that would allow them movement through other areas of the prison. However, a large number of prison staff had access to the office and the safe. The money had been lodged to secure the release of two inmates who had been held there from August 2015. Once it became known that the money was unaccounted for, a two-day search and an internal investigation got under way. A source close to the prison said the incident has caused consternation. The source said: Everyone was in a flap thinking that the money was just misplaced, and would turn up but when it didnt, it became a different story. It is understood that a number of lines of inquiry are being followed by gardai but there is understandably a cloud of suspicion now and thats not good amongst staff. Searches failed to throw up anything and the place was turned upside down, the source said. Detectives met with senior prison staff and a review was carried out on procedures involving the lodgement of bail money at the prison. Defence solicitor John Hussey said on behalf of the accused man, Olumatemilorun Jimoh: It is a matter that cannot be allowed to drift, I would say. Mr Hussey submitted that rather than waiting for further directions of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the case should be sent forward to Cork Circuit Criminal Court to determine whether he was psychiatrically fit to plead guilty or not guilty. It is open to you to send him forward for trial on this issue, Mr Hussey submitted to Judge Leo Malone yesterday. Inspector Adrian Gamble said the DPP had yet to give directions, and he also said the prosecution was not on notice of Mr Husseys application yesterday. Mr Hussey said there was no psychiatric assessment report on the accused available to the court. Judge Malone said that his direction when the case came before him earlier this year was that the accused would be given psychiatric attention, but he did not direct the preparation of a report. Judge Malone remanded the accused in custody to the Central Mental Hospital until April 20, when the case will be back before Cork District Court. The case arose out of an alleged incident on Blarney St, Cork, where a 25-year-old Croatian national 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, Cork, on January 28. He is also accused of having what was described as an 8.5-inch bolting pin to cause injury to another person, Sindile Alex Iroaku. During his initial bail application, it was put to the accused that he had been carrying a list of people he would assault. The defendant replied: It is a crazy moment list of people that I would take out of existence. Last year, the Irish Examiner revealed that a member from within the Defence Forces had written to Defence Minister Simon Coveney under whistleblower protocols to make the allegations, and to further maintain that information was withheld from an internal investigation into the claims, and that misleading information was submitted to this original inquiry. In subsequent correspondence, the unidentified complainant also told the minister they had been penalised for raising the matter. Mr Coveney ordered an independent investigation into the allegations, which was undertaken by former department secretary general Eddie Sullivan and two experts from the Irish Aviation Authority. The allegations centred on the certifying of sheet metal repairs on Air Corps aircraft. The whistleblower had complained that 10 inspectors had been given additional authorisation to certify sheet metal repairs, despite having no qualifications within the trade or a history of doing such work. It is beyond comprehension that there personnel who are not qualified enough to undertake the work I do, are now in a position whereby they will inspect and certify my work, the whistleblower wrote. This in my opinion equates to a nurse inspecting and certifying a doctors treatment of a patient, this simply does not happen. The report found that regulations outlining the certifying of inspectors lacked a degree of clarity due to loose terminology, and that in one instance, an inspector had his authorisation withdrawn as he did not meet the necessary requirements. Despite this, the review team did not share the concerns expressed by the whistleblower. An aircraft inspector need not have the same skills level but must have an appropriate level of experience to support his certification privileges relating to the aircraft. While there was some procedural/documentation deficiencies and errors there was, in our view, nothing of substance that would impact on the overall operations of the Air Corps, nor were there any issues of flight safety being compromised, the report read. Defence Minister Simon Coveney It also disagreed with the whistleblowers claim that a letter he sent to the chief of staff was withheld as it would have highlighted the incompetence of certain personnel in senior management. The whistleblower attempted to retrieve the letter to the chief of staff through the Freedom of Information Act. While his request was granted, the letter he sought could not be located, the report states. As part of our review, we sought this letter and again it was not possible to locate it, the review team said. The report said an Air Corps log showed that the letter was received and processed, and that the review team say a copy of a covering letter forwarding the whistleblowers claim. We have no reason to suspect that the letter was withheld or suppressed, the report said. More than 100 artists from all over Cork who have experienced mental health issues have contributed one or more pieces to Cork Mental Health Foundations 2016 Reflecting Through Art exhibition in Cork International Airport. In total, there are 198 works with titles such as Shandon Bells, Daffy Duc, Children of Lir and The Phoenix. The popularity of the exhibition is growing, as is the promotion of it, says Brendan McCarthy, development manager with Cork Mental Health Foundation, who believes the artists get a great lift when they see their work showcased. It empowers them, to see their piece of work, to be able to stand by it and say I have a mental health issue but Im still able to produce art thats great. The planning appeals board turned down the request from Cork Harbour for a Safe Environment, (CHASE) which is leading objections against the Indaver project. CHASE had argued that it was unfair to objectors to give them so little time to prepare their case as they were only notified of the April 19 hearing on March 31/April 1 giving them just 12 working days. An Bord Pleanala has decided not to defer the hearing which is scheduled for the Carrigaline Court Hotel and may take at least three weeks to complete. CHASE chairperson Mary OLeary said the decision was unfair given the stark contrast which has to be made with the consultation period of more than 3.5 years which Indaver have had with An Bord Pleanala to prepare this third application. Ms OLeary said there is no element of fairness in this process, claiming it is heavily weighted towards the applicant. It is, to the best of our knowledge, the shortest oral hearing notice and the longest consultation period on record. We are being squeezed to our very core, she added. An Bord Pleanala received more than 220 submissions objecting to the proposal, many of which contained multiple names. Objections were also made by all four TDs for the Cork South Central constituency: Defence Minister Simon Coveney, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, Fiann Fails Michael McGrath and newly-elected Donnchadh OLaoghaire of Sinn Fein. Further objections were lodged by the CIT Students Union president on behalf of the student body at the National Maritime College of Ireland and 800 sailors at Haulbowline naval base. The tender request for millions of polling information cards suitable for a general election was issued yesterday by the Office of Government Procurement, on the day Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny met Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin about forming a government. Tender documents, seen by the Irish Examiner, are calling for interested companies to submit their offers by April 20. The documents state that any successful bid will be issued for a term of two years and may be extended further. In what may be a significant deadline, the successful tendee is called on to deliver the polling cards to a freight company in Co Offaly by June 30. The service(s) is for the initial supply of four million polling information cards in two sorts. Subsequent supplies of four million polling information cards in two sorts may be ordered within the two-year period of this contract. The quantities of cards in continuous stationery and sheet format within subsequent supplies of four million may vary, the tender states. The text for the cards will be supplied by the department while a purchase order for the successful bidder will be raised by the OPWs election services department. According to the documents, the contract will be awarded on the basis of the lowest price, the tender documents state. The Department of the Environment stated last night such a tender is standard practice after the holding of an election. It takes time to restock some items. The request for tenders for the supply of polling information cards now is part of the replenishment process and would have issued irrespective of the government formation process following the Dail election, a statement to the Irish Examiner states. Introducing family friendly sitting hours and allowing for more technical groups are among the proposals put forward in an interim report on Dail reform. The report published by the sub-committee on Dail reform was debated by TDs last night. However, during the debate, Fianna Fail TD Thomas Byrne and Labours Brendan Howlin, who are both members of the committee, were among a number of TDs who took issue with the fact that Enda Kenny had spoken first on the issue. They claimed it had been previously agreed that members of the committee would speak first and in alphabetical order in the spirit of Dail reform. Its a pity we stumbled in this debate, Mr Howlin told the Dail. The problem here has been caused yet again by Enda Kenny, standing there telling us what Dail reform is about, Mr Byrne said. Clare Daly claimed the afternoons proceedings had turned into a complete mess. Clare Daly Allowing TDs to formally abstain from votes, providing for more than one technical group, and reducing the threshold to form such a group from seven to five, as well as introducing more family-friendly Dail hours are among the first proposals made. Welcoming the interim report, the Taoiseach said some of the changes put forward will require a much greater level of engagement, much greater level of responsibility especially at committee level. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said a more dynamic parliament where all deputies have a realistic opportunity to contribute is needed. The committee will now meet throughout April before a final report is brought before the Dail. The proposals submitted to the Dail yesterday seek to establish a business committee responsible for the scheduling and timetabling of Dail business. This would divide the available Dail time between government and opposition on a 60/40 basis. Votes would be taken at a fixed time instead of at various times throughout the day and there would be a provision to allow for formal abstentions in votes. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin TDs would also be allowed appeal to the Ceann Comhairle if they feel they have not received a proper reply from a minister to parliamentary or topical issues. Separately, Fine Gael have suggested that both government and opposition TDs would have a greater a say on what the tax cuts and spending in budgets as part of proposed reforms. Fine Gael have suggested major reforms to the annual budget in a document sent to Independent TDs earlier this week. This would include the establishment of a budget committee and a new system which would set out budget targets and spending throughout the year. Under the plan, the European Commission is asking EU countries to share the refugee burden in order to ease pressure on frontline states such as Greece and Italy. The current crisis has shown that the present system is not working, said commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. This is neither fair nor sustainable given the reality of the volumes of people, which have put a huge burden on just a very few number of member states. The current Dublin system, named after the city where it was devised in the 1990s, forces asylum seekers to apply for refugee status in the first EU country they enter. It has put massive pressure on Greece, the EUs most indebted state, where almost 1m people flocked last year, most of them fleeing a worsening civil war in Syria. They were largely waved through to the rest of the bloc and accounted for a large portion of the 1.82m illegal border crossings detected by the EUs borders agency, Frontex, last year. In an options paper published yesterday, the European Commission said it would amend or scrap the Dublin system in favour of temporarily or permanently relocating asylum seekers around the 28-member EU. It intends to publish a draft law before the summer based on one of two options: Keeping the Dublin rules but relocating asylum applicants if a country is overwhelmed by a sudden influx of people; or scrapping the Dublin rules in favour of automatic relocation among EU countries, according to their wealth and size. The proposal also suggests upgrading the EUs asylum fingerprint database, equalising asylum seekers rights in different countries (for instance, rights to residence or work permits, healthcare and education), penalising migrants that fail to apply for asylum where they are told to, and beefing up the EUs asylum office so it can police the rules. Scrapping the Dublin rules would prove particularly difficult for Britain, where migration is the most divisive issue in the lead-up to a June 23 referendum on whether or not to leave the EU. Ireland would not be forced to participate in any new relocation scheme, as, like Britain, it has an opt-out on EU migration rules, but the Department of Justice said it will consider the proposal. The Government has opted in to previous asylum rules, including the Dublin system and the EUs September 2015 emergency relocation scheme. As part of that scheme, Ireland has committed to taking in 2,620 migrants out of a total of 160,000 the EU intends to move from Italy and Greece to other EU countries. So far 1,111 people have been relocated under the scheme, 10 of them to Ireland. Only 3,276 people applied for asylum in Ireland last year, with 152 people accepted. Most asylum seekers in the EU head for Germany, which processed 441,800 36% of the blocs 1.2m asylum applications last year. The commissions proposal comes just over two weeks after the bloc agreed a deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants arriving across the Aegean Sea to Greece. The commission claims the deal has reduced the numbers of illegal migrants arriving in Greece from a daily average of around 2,000 last month to 339 last Sunday. The society was responding to two leading respiratory experts who believe the diagnosis of asthma in children has been trivialised, with inhalers dished out like fashion accessories. In an article published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, they highlight a study in which half of 100 children received an asthma diagnosis. However, following a thorough investigation, the number of children believed to be suffering from the respiratory condition dwindled to 5%. Anne Kearney from the Asthma Society of Ireland said it was certainly a condition that was often trivialised, with one person dying from asthma every week in Ireland. While we have no evidence to suggest that asthma is being over-diagnosed in Ireland, we understand that the report may cause concern for some parents, said Ms Kearney. It is vital that no parent of a child with asthma stops taking their medication on the basis of this information, without first discussing it with their doctor. Prof Andrew Bush from the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Dr Louise Fleming of Imperial College London, are concerned that children still die because of basic asthma management. Is there any other chronic disease in the world in which children are committed to potentially hazardous long-term therapy without every effort being made objectively to document the diagnosis, they ask. Children of school age should be properly assessed to see if they have variable airflow obstruction before receiving a diagnosis, they recommend. Any treatments trialled on youngsters must be focused, with children not left on an unproven treatment indefinitely. The point out that many children outgrow asthma symptoms and that treatment should not simply be stepped up if the child failed to respond because the diagnosis might not be right. Sean Lynch, now a Fianna Fail councillor, has called for danger pay for gardai, after it was revealed during the week how officers at Portlaoise Prison shared a 1m windfall in the so-called environmental allowance back pay. Mr Lynch, who, as a key member of the armed force in Limerick helped crush many of the citys notorious gangland crime lords, hit out at the government and garda management for leaving gardai financially high and dry. At Cork District Court, Judge Olann Kelleher imposed the sentence on Andrew OConnell, of 98 Mount Rivers, Carrigaline. A concurrent jail term of five months was imposed for having cannabis for sale or supply. The judge said he had to jail the accused as there was evidence of OConnell failing to co-operate with the garda investigation. Eddie Burke, defending, said the accused did co-operate by making a statement to gardai and following that up with a plea of guilty to all charges yesterday. Mr Burke said the accused was a young man who left school at the age of 16 and worked in cabinet-making and construction. He was in a car accident where he was driving and caused the death of a child. Mr Burke said he resorted to taking drugs as he struggled to deal with issues arising from that incident. Sergeant Martin Canny gave some background to the three charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The first count was one of having 100 worth of cocaine for his own use. This was found during the search of a house at Island View, Main St, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, on June 12, 2015. In a follow-up search of a car at Hogans yard, Carrigaline, also on June 12, 600 worth of cannabis for sale or supply to others was found. The third charge was one of impeding an investigation by Detective Garda Fergal Long. The particulars of that charge stated that the accused refused to provide his PIN and pattern codes for three phones which were to be examined as part of the drug investigation. Inspector Bill Duane said gardai believed the phones would have contained important evidence in relation to the drugs investigation. On June 12, gardai carried out searches of five premises at Ringaskiddy, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, and the lower harbour area in relation to drug-dealing in the area. Bail pending an appeal of the total five-month sentence was set at 1,000 plus an independent surety of 1,000. The funeral arrangements for the late Bill and John Kelly, 77, originally from north Cork and who were facing burial in a paupers grave unless family came forward, were confirmed yesterday. John, who died in London in January, was cremated in London on Tuesday. His ashes are to be interred with his mothers remains in London. However, the remains of his twin brother, William, known as Bill, who died on January 29 in Muswell Hill, north London, were flown home to Cork Airport last night. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11.30am in Bweeng tomorrow, before his remains are taken for burial alongside his father in St Finbarrs Cemetery in the city. Padraig Grennan, of genealogy specialists Finders International, who helped trace the twins family in Cork, said anyone who would like to pay their respects are welcome to attend. The tragic story of the twins emerged in late January through the Irish Post newspaper. When Bill died, his friend, Margaret Deeney, went in search of his relatives to inform them of his death to discover that his estranged twin, John, who lived in Archway, had also passed away. The Irish Post launched an appeal to find their next of kin and a fund to assist with funeral costs. Sean Kelly from Bweeng, a first cousin of the twins, came forward to claim them and Mr Grennan said their researchers used a marriage cert for the twins parents, Denis Kelly of Dromohane and Katherine Murphy from Banteer, dated January 22, 1929, to confirm the family connection. Sean Kelly Following the death of her husband, Katherine and her children emigrated to London. Mr Grennan said after extensive research, the family established that Bill had expressed a desire to return home to Cork at some stage. Unfortunately, this didnt happen during his life, he said. The family couldnt establish whether John had expressed similar wishes. They thought long and hard about what should happen next. But because Bill had expressed a wish to return home, the family has now decided to bring him home to be buried with his father. Johns estate will cover the costs of his funeral arrangements in London. The Irish Post fund will be used to cover the cost of the repatriation of Bills remains, and his funeral. Jude Miley was only six months old when a suture used in an operation to release his diaphragm and help his breathing remained untrimmed causing damage to the heart muscle. Two days later, Jude had a heart attack and had to be rushed to theatre for emergency surgery which saved his life. Mr Justice Anthony Barr approved a 1.8m settlement figure for the provision of accommodation and loss of earnings at the outset of the hearing yesterday. He approved 900,000 for loss of earnings and 900,000 towards the purchase of a house. The court now has to assess damages in the case and the cost of care. The woman who aborted her child was prosecuted under the regions strict abortion laws and was handed a three-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed she was unable to raise enough money to travel to England to access a lawful termination. The pregnant woman miscarried a male foetus, aged between 10 and 12 weeks, after taking two types of abortion pills she purchased on the internet in 2014. She placed the aborted foetus in the bin, where her two housemates found it. The case has sparked a fresh row about abortion laws in Northern Ireland. Both sides of the ever-divisive debate have criticised the outcome, though for very different reasons. While pro-choice campaigners have denounced the prosecution, pro-life advocates have insisted the sentence was too lenient. The housemate who reported the woman to police insisted people had to live by the law in Northern Ireland, whether they agreed with it or not. I know people may say its stupid [the law] and things like that, but its still the law, you have to abide by the law thats here until that changes, said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous. If this [case] even makes it change then fair enough, but if you break the law you have to be punished. In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster, the woman said she felt bad about what had happened to her housemate and had regrets, but said she could not have lived with herself if she did not take action about the foetus in her bin. A week went by and the guilt of a baby in the bin was eating us up, she said. The woman added: I did want justice for the baby because obviously it wasnt the wee babys fault. She said she had been subjected to online abuse since the case became public. The sentencing judge told the court in Belfast on Monday that Northern Irelands abortion legislation was 150 years old. Abortion drugs can be accessed in the rest of the UK, but should be taken under medical supervision. The maximum penalty for the crime of administering a drug to induce miscarriage under the relevant law in Northern Ireland, namely the Offences Against The Person Act 1861, is life imprisonment. Here in the Republic, the offence of procuring an abortion carries a potential 14-year jail term. The Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said the case met the evidential threshold and its pursuance was in the public interest. Amnesty International described the prosecution as appalling. But pro-life campaign group Precious Life has called for an appeal against the sentence, alleging it was unduly lenient. DPP Barra McGrory has received a request from Precious Life to examine the case. A PPS spokesman said: The PPS can confirm that we have received a letter from a legal representative of Precious Life which outlines that organisations concerns over the sentence passed in this case. The matters raised in the correspondence will be examined carefully in line with our protocols around unduly lenient sentences in the Crown Court. Declan Jordan, a UCC economics lecturer, claimed he was improperly denied promotion to the position of senior lecturer which he applied for in November 2012, despite being eligible. Lawyers for UCC rejected the claim, stating the colleges Lecturers Promotion and Establishment Board had not ranked him in the top 30 candidates. Mr Jordan appealed the decision after learning that his application form for promotion had been accompanied by a covering letter from an acting head of department referring to queries that had been raised about him. UCCs Academic Promotion Appeals Board upheld his appeal claiming the covering letter represented fundamental breaches of the scheme. The appeals board further suggested a fresh board of assessors should conduct any rehearing of Mr Jordans promotion application because of the seriousness of the breaches. However, it was the original LPEB which carried out the rehearing. UCC maintained it would not have been possible for a differently constituted LPEB to conduct the ranking exercise. Mr Jordan told the Labour Court that both the original and reconvened board did not have enough members to make a quorum when decisions on ranking were made. He also claimed there was a perceived conflict of interest in that the then registrar, who had been implicitly criticised by the appeals board and who was responsible for the governance of the LPEB, should have recused himself from the discussion on the appeal outcome before UCCs Governing Body as he was also the human resources director. Mr Jordan maintained there was an established custom and practice within UCC of providing automatic promotion to candidates who had successfully appealed cases to the appeals board a claim disputed by the university. Overturning a finding of a rights commissioner that UCC had acted in accordance with the original appeals board decision, the Labour Court ruled that Mr Jordan should be re-interviewed for the promotional position by a fresh board of assessors, none of whom had any role in the original selection process. It also recommended UCC management to ensure that any new board would not be given access to the letter from Mr Jordans acting head of department. UCC is also currently involved in a High Court action involving another lecturer claiming they were denied promotion. Joan Buckley, the current head of department of management and marketing at UCC, is seeking to halt the appointment of 10 professorial posts at the college after she was not shortlisted for one of the positions. The UN health agency is calling for stepped-up measures to reduce risk factors for diabetes and improve treatment and care. WHO director general Margaret Chan said: We need to rethink our daily lives: To eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain. WHO reported that 8.5% of the world population had diabetes two years ago, up from 108m, or 4.7%, in 1980. The Geneva-based agency blamed the growing consumption of food and beverages high in sugar. Diabetes grew around the world, but increased most in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The report says high blood sugar levels were behind 3.7m deaths globally each year and that Type 2 cases were fuelling the rise. It says 8.5% of adults worldwide now have diabetes, causing 1.5m deaths in 2012. Ms Chan said: Even in the poorest settings, governments must ensure that people are able to make these healthy choices and that health systems are able to diagnose and treat people with diabetes. The report says that the epidemic of diabetes has major health and socioeconomic impacts, especially in developing countries. Complications from diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation. The WHO study, which was led by scientists from Imperial College London and published in The Lancet, finds that diabetes has increased most dramatically in Pacific island nations, the Middle East, and North Africa. In Polynesia and Micronesia, where prevalence is highest, more than one in five adults have diabetes. Professor Majid Ezzati, senior author of the study, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said: This is the first time we have had such a complete global picture about diabetes and the data reveals the disease has reached levels that can bankrupt some countries health systems. The enormous cost of this disease to both governments and individuals could otherwise go towards life essentials such as food and education. Professor Goodarz Danaei, co-lead author of the study from Harvards School of Public Health, said: The most important risk factor for diabetes is obesity. Yet global obesity levels are soaring out of control. He added that genetics and foetal and early life conditions may play a role. There is increasing evidence that the interaction of genes and the environment plays a role in diabetes. For example, certain genotypes may increase the risk of diabetes especially in people with unhealthy lifestyles. In addition, inadequate nutrition during pregnancy and in early life may increase the risk of diabetes later in life. Libby Dowling, senior clinical adviser at Diabetes UK, said: While this study attributes the increase in diabetes prevalence in Western Europe in part to an ageing population, it is crucial that we recognise the most important risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, which is being overweight or obese. She added: This is crucial as, left untreated or poorly managed, Type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating but avoidable complications such as amputation, blindness and stroke. Sharon Cutts and boyfriend Stuart Reynolds, 40, welcomed sons Mason and Ryan, and daughter Lily, into their family on March 21. Ms Cutts, who has four grown-up children from a previous relationship, said she does not care that the babies are younger than her grandchildren. It means theyve got lots of playmates, she told The Sun. The NHS will only perform IVF up to the age of 42, so the couple went to a private clinic before travelling to Cyprus for the procedure. Ms Cutts said: I knew there was a possibility of multiple births because the doctor put four embryos in me, for a higher chance of conceiving. At the scan we were told there were three heartbeats. Stuart was shocked and I was in tears, crying with joy. The first thing I thought was: Oh my God, how am I going to cope? Mr Reynolds said: I was excited, and then bricking it. Now theyre here I wouldnt change it for the world. The couple, a nurse and factory worker from Boston, Lincolnshire, took out loans of 15,000 to pay the medical bills. The pregnancy was fraught with problems and doctors advised one of the babies should be aborted due to the dangers of pregnancy at that age. Ms Cutts refused and the triplets were born by C-section, after an 11-week stay in Nottingham University Hospital. They each weighed between 4lbs and 5lbs. She also revealed she gave herself Botox injections and fresh hair extensions in hospital before going into labour. I only injected a little bit, because really you shouldnt do it while youre pregnant, she told The Sun. I sneaked out to get my hair extensions changed too. It was important to me to look my best for when the babies were born. At launch, it featured three-round character background stories, and a survival mode, which unlocks new character colours. But it was without a cinematic story mode, which is coming in June, a mode to simply fight AI opponents, or character trials. Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono told Game Informer, I think it's safe to say that we underestimated the popularity of some of the single-player features. WHEN someone starts a new job involving massive budgets and huge numbers of personnel, they are given training and brought up to speed on what the work entails. Unless, that is, they are elected to the Government. Indeed education and policy, scarcely got a mention in the recent election not least lifelong learning and the radical reform necessary. Surely there is no more important business than the one which oversees matters that impacts on all our lives and the future prosperity of the country. Yet there is no special training for ministers once they are given their portfolios. All they get is a briefing over a few hours from their new officials on the current issues of the day and they are then expected to get on with the task in hand. Its the equivalent of putting the most popular passengers upfront to pilot an airliner. I believe that new ministers in the next Government should be sent back to the classroom before taking up their posts. They need to grasp the enormity of their ministerial brief and start to develop the skillset needed to implement the strategies they were mandated to do. Many Government departments involve very complex and often technical issues. The ministers will, of course, have the support of senior civil servants with in-depth knowledge of the issues involved. But ministers have to understand and be able to act on these issues as quickly as possible, lest they become captured by their departments, which has happened all too often in political life. The next batch of ministers may be very astute or politically cute in many ways but the reality is that many of them will have had little or no experience of management during their working lives. Running a successful political clinic and re-election campaign is not the same as running a multi-billion euro department of government. For some new Cabinet ministers and ministers of state it will be a whole new world where they have to know everything from how to get legislation through the Oireachtas, build relationships with civil servants and fellow ministers with often competing demands, and keep up to date with developments on a multitude of fronts. With proper training and mentoring through an induction course that could be conducted over, say, a period of two weeks, by experts from within the public service and from the world of business, they can become effective members of the Cabinet much sooner. This notion of professional development and training for ministers is a world away from the view that the only training a successful politician needs is how to handle the media and how to look good in front of the camera. Historically, it has taken ministers, especially those who are new to Cabinet responsibilities , time to settle into their portfolios. What I am suggesting could see all those at a heart of the next administration firing on all cylinders sooner, which can only help to raise the performance of the government. Its not just the new ministers who need training, but also the special advisers who are often more powerful than the general public realises. They are the eyes and ears of their minister; they act as a conduit between the minister and officials; and are often the gatekeepers who can block or allow ministerial access to individuals or organisations. Because they are unelected and come from very divergent backgrounds, the special advisers have particular training needs and responsibilities both to their ministers and to the general public. But we also need our politicians to look beyond the next election to the major issues facing the country into the future where technological changes will transform our world and ricochet around every aspect of our lives. It goes without saying that the fundamentals of Irelands future lie in education however, not its present form. It needs to be totally reinvented. We are training and developing young people for 20th century jobs, many of which do not exist in the 21st century. The speed and nature of changes in work are so rapid that Lifelong Learning needs to be institutionalised. Many of the jobs that our current crop of secondary school students will fit into when they leave college do not even exist at present. Half of the current jobs in IT, for example, did not even exist five years ago. The culture of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, change, ongoing development and disruptive thinking should be woven into the DNA of every student from primary school level. And it needs to imbue ministers in the next government who should be better prepared for what lies ahead than the outgoing Government was. A new approach and attitude towards a belief in Lifelong Learning and in re-inventing education could be the new quiet revolution for the next 100 years. It needs to start at the top. Enda OCoineen is an independent candidate for Seanad Eireann in the NUI constituency. THROUGH a barbed wire fence, 17-year-old Syrian refugee Asma attempted to tell us about her journey to Greece. We didnt have much time to listen. Greek police officers were breathing down our necks, threatening to arrest us unless we left. We learned that Asma travelled alone on a tiny rubber boat from Turkey, and had undertaken the journey with a broken arm still wrapped in a white bandage that had happened when a building collapsed in her hometown of Daraa, the birthplace of the Syrian uprising. As she started to tell us about her hope for a fresh start in Germany, the policemen issued their final warning before escorting us off Moria camps fenced perimeter. Were animals now, Asma shouted after us. Were no longer humans. If Turkey is a crowded departure hall to a better life, Greece is now a transit lounge for those whove missed their connection. Many will never move onward to northern Europe; others will only move backward. With more than 52,000 refugees and migrants stranded in the country, Greece has become exactly what Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras warned months ago: a warehouse of souls. And the new deal between the European Union and Turkey, intended to stem the refugee flow into Europe, only redirects it. Under the terms of the deal, most asylum seekers who illegally travel to Greece from Turkey are to be sent back to Turkey. The first returns took place Monday at dawn. For every returnee to Turkey, a Syrian living in a Turkish refugee camp will be legally resettled by plane to EU countries. As such, a refugees rights come down to luck. If Asma had arrived in Greece last month, shed likely be in Germany by now. If she had arrived three weeks ago, shed likely be trapped in a makeshift camp on the Greece-Macedonia border not much of an upgrade, but shed have more access to the outside world than she does in Lesbos, where more than 3,000 refugees are locked in a former military base. For refugees like her, who arrived after the deal took effect March 21, most will be sent back to Turkey; that is, unless they can individually prove Turkey is unsafe for them. Even many Syrians, Iraqis and Eritreans who have special protections under international law and qualify for the EUs official relocation programme will be returned to Turkey. In exchange for absorbing the migrants, the EU will give Turkey up to 6 billion to help manage the influx of people; allow Turkish citizens to travel visa-free throughout most of Europe; and continue to consider Turkeys admission to the European Union. Officials insist the deal isnt about restricting access to asylum in Europe, but eliminating illegal smuggling routes that sent more than one million refugees and migrants to Europe from Turkey over the past year. Indeed, as ferryboats carrying migrants returned to Turkey on Monday, Syrians from Turkish refugee camps were being resettled in Germany and Finland. But this one-for-one deal struck in Brussels which creates a kind of human carousel is disconnected from the reality on the ground in Greece. The deals byzantine complexities have sowed confusion, fear and anxiety among asylum-seekers and authorities alike. Humanitarian groups such as the United Nations refugee agency, Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children have suspended activities on several Greek islands to protest its terms. They argue that the deal turns reception centers for refugees into inhumane, de facto detention facilities. The deal also paints Turkey as a safe country of asylum. But human-rights groups take the opposite stance. Amnesty International says it has evidence Turkey is illegally rounding up and expelling groups of around 100 Syrian men, women and children to Syria on a near-daily basis. And just hours after the EU-Turkey deal took effect last month, Turkey forcibly sent back some 30 Afghan asylum-seekers to Afghanistan. In their desperation to seal their borders, EU leaders have willfully ignored the simplest of facts, said John Dalhuisen, Amnestys director for Europe and Central Asia. Turkey is not a safe country for Syrian refugees and is getting less safe by the day. For Greeces part, the deal demands enormous logistical efforts by a country hobbled by six years of financial crisis. Greeces parliament has passed a bill aimed at streamlining the asylum process so that new applications, including appeals, will be decided within two weeks. Large-scale returns of Syrian refugees to Turkey could begin later this month. But there are signs of system failure before its even begun. According to the UN refugee agency, only three officers from the Greek Asylum Service are operating in the Moria camp on Lesbos to deal with more than 2,860 asylum applications. Asylum-seekers arriving on the Greek islands will now be subject to an inadmissibility check before Greek authorities consider their asylum claims, according to Jean-Pierre Schembri, a spokesman for the European Asylum Support Office, an EU agency that helps member-states implement asylum procedures. Those who cant prove Turkey is unsafe for them will be returned. Criteria for just what unsafe means have yet to be determined. Still, the added hurdle sets an unfairly high bar for asylum-seekers, the majority of whom are Syrians and Iraqis fleeing war. The whole process could drag on indefinitely. Additionally, as ferries returning 202 migrants to Turkey set sail from Lesbos and Chios on Monday, 228 new refugees arrived on the Greek islands. The human carousel continues. Even the more than 46,000 refugees stuck on the Greek mainland who are not subject to returns under the new deal are languishing without answers of their own. This complicated reshuffling of people does nothing to ameliorate the worst humanitarian crisis of our time it only exacerbates it. Tone-deaf, dehumanizing decisions made in Brussels make dangerous escape routes even more popular. As journalists on the ground, we have too often become the first point of contact for refugees confused by the new deal. But we rarely have the information they need. How did we get here? 32-year-old Rashan asked us last week. The refugee from Aleppo refuses to tell his family and friends back home about the real conditions in Greece. Its embarrassing, he says, after he risked so much for a modern-day Homeric odyssey. All these amazing people, with so much potential, he said. How did we end up like this? Once again, we didnt have answers. So, they both had been defeated in their bids to become taoiseach, as expected. Everyone around Leinster House then waited to hear of the meeting between Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin which was pencilled in for 7pm last night. But there was a problem. Micheal had not been asked to a meeting. 4pm came and no call. 5pm came and no call. 6pm and no call. Things began to get edgy. Fianna Failers were getting annoyed and were moaning in the corridors of deferred power that such a delay was hardly conducive to a government being formed. Someone asked Micheal in the corridor outside the Dail chamber had he checked his phone. He realised he had left it in his chair. A quick scramble ensued. Throughout the day, speculation was rife as to where the meeting would be held. Some felt a neutral venue would be required. Would we see a Shelbourne Settlement or a Dohenys Declaration were the questions being posed by irritable journalists. It was eventually agreed that they would meet at 8.30pm in a room off the ministerial corridor and not the Taoiseachs office in Government Buildings. The meeting of the two leaders took place against the backdrop of a shambolic day of petty political posturing and game playing in the Dail, kicked off by Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald. The proceedings in the Dail were delayed by up to an hour by a procession of TDs seeking to grandstand on issues like homelessness, Nama, the Panama files, and other so-called urgent issues. It took an intervention from the Waterford TD John Halligan to point out nothing could be done about any of those issues until a government had been formed. While a Taoiseach was never going to be elected yesterday, the fact that Kenny and Martin managed not to advance their positions one iota spoke volumes of the sham process we have had to endure in recent days and weeks. The publics patience has been tested to breaking point and the two leaders have eight days to avoid a second election, because, genuinely, they cannot justify another round of stalemate in terms of voting for a taoiseach. Micheal Martin After last nights first meet and greet, Martin and his party gather this morning to debate the merits of what to do next. The reality of their dilemma is beginning to dawn. They essentially have to concede to doing a deal with Kenny, and perhaps re-elect him as taoiseach, or cause a second election. Divisions on Irish Water, health and countless other issues could easily be overcome, but there is genuine animosity and bitterness between the two leaders. That animosity is shared among the two camps around the leaders and, even if a deal was to be stitched together, it is a bound to be turbulent. There has also been a noticeable shift towards the idea of a second election. As I write, in the background the Super Furry Animals song The man dont give a fuck is playing. Seems about right. I HAD this column planned. I had a stack of books lined up in front of me on Monday night and I had every intention of ploughing through them so that you could plough through my oh-so-perceptive thoughts on the state of the planet. Then the chest pains started. I tried to ignore them but they kept coming back. Id had just the same pains last week. I also had two weeks of seeing stars, feeling breathless and my head swimming. I began to get scared. I had rung my doctor on Friday but shes changed her surgery to appointments only and my appointment wasnt til the following morning. I was scared to go to bed with the chest pains in case I didnt wake up. A former colleague, Brian Boyd, had written a searing account of his heart attack just last year and hes around my age. My father and his father died suddenly before they were 60. I cant pretend these issues arent mine. But what to do? I cant go to A&E! I wailed. I had spent eight hours in the Eye and Ear just a few weeks before and I swore I wouldnt ever again go through such torture. We have no health insurance but hang on, you can go to VHIs Swiftcare clinics if youre prepared to pay up. What price one night of my life? Heres my credit card. Which is all very fine and well except Swiftcare doesnt do the tough stuff. My heart looked OK to them but they couldnt chance it. Youre going to hospital, honey, they said. It was then about 8pm. Ill be there all night! I wailed. No, no, they said you have the letter saying you have chest pains so theyll see you quickly. And they did. Blood samples were taken and I am reasonably sure that there was some heart monitoring done early in the night. They must have decided I wasnt likely to croke right away. The next communication I had from them was in the early hours of the morning, possibly about 4am, when I had a chest X-ray. The whole bench cheered when I was called in but I came back again to wait until 6am when I finally saw a doctor. The doctor diagnosed a virus of the inner ear. Ive been here 10 hours, I said. I know, he said, He described the situation as dysfunctional What happens, he explains, is that the chronic emergencies the car crashes etc get prioritised and the less urgent emergencies get left sitting there. He told me there were three emergency doctors serving one million people on Monday night/Tuesday morning. Health Minister Leo Varadkar Not surprisingly, the guy seemed tired and hassled. If I were him Id be looking for a transfer somewhere else Yemen, anyone? I wasnt one bit surprised to hear Fergal Hickey of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine on the radio this week saying its hard to get doctors to work in the area. Clearly, there is a resource issue here. The number of patients on trolleys has ballooned since 2008 to make last month the worst on record, with a total of 9,381. But the correct management of resources is as big an issue. We are throwing money at health but it needs to be managed professionally by people who know how to predict demand and allocate resources. This is the skill of all managers from the village shop to the top restaurant to the airport terminal. Clearly managing health is a particular challenge requiring particular expertise which I dont have. Im just a patient. And it is the patient who is forgotten in all of this. In the Accident and Emergency waiting room in Vincents Hospital, Dublin, last Tuesday morning I saw a young girl lying on a bank of hard chairs with a drip in her arm. I saw an elderly man who had had a suspected minor stroke sitting through the night. A new friend from my row of seats was in silent agony with a suspected infected gall bladder and spent 10 hours sitting there without even a pain killer. No resource issue, no management issue, excuses the absolute lack of humanity which was displayed to us A and E-ers in Vincents this week. We were met with a blank refusal to give us any information as to when we might be seen. My gall bladder friend was told to look out the window and observe the ambulances coming in and was told she would be seen when these emergencies were over. No one came around and asked us if we were OK, or offered us a blanket, or even had a look to see if any of us was croking on the hard seats. Many just walked out, miraculously cured. The homeless man got the most attention. He was told to check in or get out. Fianna Fail leader and former health minister Micheal Martin The contrast between the hospital staff and the ambulance staff was stark. A woman beside me whose elderly relative had been brought in by ambulance was reassured that while there was as yet no bed, the staff would stay at all times with her loved-one. Maybe an hour later, when a trolley was found, she was told to bring in her loved-ones glasses and then head home for a little rest. That eye contact and kindness must have gone some way towards alleviating the distress of seeing her loved one on a trolley. But the trolleys shocked the living daylights out of me when I saw them on the corridors. One journalist described the scene as a war zone but for me it looked like the slag heap of a monumental sculptors studio: the chalk-white limbs of elderly people were lying willy-nilly in that ghastly light. The reality of what it means to have no privacy when you are sick and old was rammed home in a way that all the shock-horror stories had never achieved. These numbers are people stripped of their dignity: on Tuesday there were 45 trolleys in Vincents, 38 trolleys in Beaumont, Dublin, 25 in the Mater and 20 in Corks Mercy Hospital. In hospitals such as South Tipperary, Bantry General and the Midlands Regional the number on trolleys last month compared with March last year has more than doubled. Fergal Hickey spoke of ambulances lined up outside Sligo General Hospital and said the failure to form a government was delaying progress on the trolley crisis. Mssrs Kenny and Martin need to understand that they are currently presiding over a health service in which sick people seem surplus to requirements. In Vincents A and E this week I witnessed wonderful abilities more common the developing world: people just sat there and accepted their fate and they formed supportive communities. The management skills more common in the developed world were completely missing. If two former health ministers like Varadkar and Martin cant knock their heads together across the negotiating table and sort our health system in this year of 2016 we have no right to call ourselves developed, democratic or free. Democrat Bernie Sanders also scored a sweeping victory in Wisconsins primary that gives him a fresh incentive to keep challenging Hillary Clinton. But Mr Sanders still lags significantly behind Mrs Clinton in the all-important delegate count. Both parties were turning their sights toward New York, which offers a massive delegate prize in its April 19 contests. It marks a homecoming of sorts for several candidates, with Mr Trump, Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders all touting roots in the state. Mr Trump, who has dominated the Republican race for months, suddenly finds himself on the defensive as the race moves east. He has struggled through a series of missteps, including his campaign managers legal issues after an altercation with a female reporter and his own awkward explanation of his position on abortion. Exit polls in Wisconsin highlighted the deep worries about Mr Trump surging through some corners of the Republican Party. A majority of Republican voters said they are either concerned about or scared of a potential Trump presidency, according to surveys conducted for The Associated Press and television networks. Mr Cruz has stepped forward as the candidate best positioned to block Mr Trump, though it would likely take a convention battle to accomplish that goal. An ultraconservative Texas senator with a complicated relationship with Republican leaders, Mr Cruz cast his Wisconsin victory as a turning point in the race and urged the party to rally around his candidacy. Weve got the full spectrum of the Republican Party coming together and uniting behind this campaign, he said. Mr Trump was unbowed in his defeat. His campaign put out a biting statement accusing Mr Cruz of being worse than a puppet he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr Trump. Mr Sanders still trails Mrs Clinton in the pledged delegate count and has so far been unable to persuade super-delegates the party officials who can back any candidate to drop their allegiance to the former secretary of state and back his campaign. At a raucous rally in Wyoming, Mr Sanders cast his victory as a sign of mounting momentum for his campaign. With our victory tonight in Wisconsin, we have now won seven out of eight of the last caucuses and primaries, he declared. Mr Sanders is favoured to win Wyomings Democratic caucuses on Saturday, but it offers a small delegate prize. Wisconsin was favourable territory for Mr Sanders, but in a sign of Mrs Clintons low expectations in the midwestern state, she spent Tuesday night at a fundraiser with top donors in New York City. Mrs Clinton congratulated Mr Sanders on Twitter and thanked her supporters in Wisconsin. To all the voters and volunteers who poured your hearts into this campaign: Forward! Because Democrats award delegates proportionally, Mr Sanderss victory in Wisconsin did not cut significantly into Mrs Clintons lead in the pledged delegate count. That means Mr Sanders must still win an unlikely 67% of the remaining delegates and uncommitted super-delegates in order to win the Democratic presidential nomination. The state-by-state nominating contests are choosing delegates who will select the presidential nominees at the parties national conventions in July. Mrs Clintons campaign has cast her overall lead as nearly insurmountable. Yet Mr Sanderss continued presence in the race has become an irritant for Mrs Clinton, keeping her from turning her attention to the general election. Mr Trump still has a narrow path to claim the nomination by the end of the primaries on June 7. But by losing Wisconsin, the real estate mogul has little room for error in upcoming contests. He must win 57% of the remaining delegates to win the nomination before the convention. So far, he is winning just 46%. Complicating the primary landscape for both Mr Cruz and Mr Trump is Mr Kasichs continuing candidacy. The Ohio governors only victory has come in his home state, but he is still picking up delegates that would otherwise help Mr Trump inch closer to the nomination or help Mr Cruz catch up. Despite the concern among some Wisconsin Republicans about Mr Trump becoming president, nearly six in 10 Republican voters there said the party should nominate the candidate with the most support in the primaries, which so far would be Mr Trump. Frontex said a large number of people arriving mainly in Greece and Italy with false documents are not facing thorough checks or penalties. It said the Paris attacks last November demonstrate irregular migration patterns that could be used by terrorists to reach the EU. It also warned that radicalised EU citizens returning from the Syria conflict are taking advantage of the poor quality checks to easily return home. The findings published by Frontex have been seized upon by Brexit campaigners, including justice minister Dominic Raab who claimed the EUs free movement rules leave Britain wide open to crime and terrorism. The report also revealed more than 1.8m illegal border crossings were detected by EU member states in 2015, six times the number reported in 2014. The agency said the never-seen-before figure is associated with the estimated one million individuals who reached the EU last year, but suggests many crossed two sections of the external borders of the EU. The report said: The Paris attacks in November 2015 clearly demonstrated that irregular migratory flows could be used by terrorists to enter the EU. Two of the terrorists involved in the attacks had previously irregularly entered through Leros and had been registered by the Greek authorities. They presented fraudulent Syrian documents to speed up their registration process. As the vast majority of migrants arrive undocumented, screening activities are essential to properly verify their declaration of nationality. With a large number of persons arriving with false or no identification documents or raising concerns over the validity of their claimed nationality with no thorough check or penalties in place for those making such false declarations there is a risk that some persons representing a security threat to the EU may be taking advantage of this situation. The report added that there is no EU system capable of tracing peoples movements following an illegal border-crossing, so it is therefore impossible to establish the precise number of people who have illegally crossed two sections of external EU borders. Only an estimate of about one million persons can be provided, based on the assumption that all migrants first detected irregularly crossing in Greece were then detected for a second time re-entering the EU from the Western Balkans, the report said. EU citizens who had joined Islamic State in Syria are also taking advantage of the irregular migration flows to return home, the report found. Within minutes of Zuma surviving Tuesdays heated impeachment vote in parliament thanks to unanimous support from African National Congress (ANC) loyalists, the 73-year-old traditionalist Zulu was facing another roasting on the nations irreverent stand-up circuit. Jacob Zuma is the dude who just threw up all over the dance floor but still doesnt want to go home, comedian Lazola Gola quipped, to roars of laughter at an open mike event at Kitcheners Bar, a 100-year-old watering hole built in the heyday of Johannesburgs gold rush. For comedians, Zuma is the gift that keeps on giving, a politician whose career has run the full gamut of scandal, from a love-child and corruption charges to foot-in-mouth insults of African countries and his belief, expressed during a 2006 rape trial, that having a shower can prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS. No episode has surpassed the six-year imbroglio over the security upgrades to his sprawling Nkandla private residence that included an amphitheatre, swimming pool, cattle enclosure and chicken run. Even though South Africas top court said last week he had broken the constitution by disobeying a watchdogs order to pay back some money, Zuma has continuedto blame lawyers for giving bum advice and apologising for creating confusion. Demonstrating political analysis as sharp as his wit, comedian Mojak Lehoko said Zumas ability to ride out the constitutional court smack-down was no surprise. This is a man who has survived more than 700 corruption charges and a rape case. Theres no way hes going to jail over some home improvements, he said. Wildly happy ENGLAND: People who do something wild every day for a month change their attitude to nature and report improvements in their physical and mental wellbeing, according to new research. An impact study, by the University of Derby, of 30 Days Wild the UKs first ever month-long nature challenge, run by The Wildlife Trusts in June 2015 revealed sustained increases in participants happiness, health, connection to nature and positive environmental behaviours, such as feeding the birds or growing flowers for pollinators like bees. Dr Miles Richardson, head of psychology at the University of Derby, conducted the study. He said: Two months after taking part in 30 Days Wild, the number of people reporting their health as excellent increased by 30%. Cleaning wallets ENGLAND: The average British child will receive more than 5,000 in pocket money over the course of their childhood for helping out with spring cleaning chores, research from cleaning brands Flash and Viakal revealed. Generous parents are forking out 400 a year to each of their offspring for their help around the house, paying an average of 7.70 a week in pocket money. This is a 54% increase from when they earned pocket money at their childrens age. Bunny patrol USA: Several large illuminated rabbits installed at San Franciscos Civic Centre Plaza will have round-the-clock security until the exhibit comes down this month. San Francisco television station KPIX reported that the giant inflatable bunnies are part of a public art installation. To prevent the kind of vandalism that hit the Super Bowl 50 artwork earlier this year, the bunnies will get 24-hour security until the exhibit ends on April 25. The two-storey art piece by artist Amanda Parer and entitled Intrude, has toured much of the world. Birds v cats USA: Forget Sylvester and Tweety: A real-life battle is brewing on New Yorks Jones Beach over the natural tension between cats and birds. An American Bird Conservancy lawsuit claims the state is failing to adequately protect the endangered piping plover by allowing cat lovers to feed and care for a colony of feral felines on the barrier island where the birds nest. The federal suit wants the cats removed. Advocates on both sides of the debate say the creatures are defenceless and could not survive without human help. Bird lovers say the fact that the cats are well-fed does not reduce their instinct to hunt. Once bitten.... USA: A woman who was bitten by a tiger after she sneaked into a zoo in Nebraska has pleaded guilty to trespassing. Jacqueline Eide admitted the offence in Omaha and was fined $250 plus court costs. Prosecutors dropped two other misdemeanour charges in return for her plea. The 33-year-old was accused of sneaking into Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo following a social function there on Halloween last year. Authorities said Eide was bitten by a Malayan tiger named Mai when she reached into the tigers exhibit. She was treated for a hand wound in hospital. Uefa can confirm that today we received a visit from the office of the Swiss Federal Police acting under a warrant and requesting sight of the contracts between Uefa and Cross Trading/Teleamazonas. Naturally, Uefa is providing the federal police with all relevant documents in our possession and will co-operate fully, it said. Reports from multiple news organisations, citing leaked documents, had said Infantino signed off on a contract with two Argentine businessmen who owned Cross Trading and were later indicted in the US. Infantino said on Tuesday he was dismayed that his integrity was being doubted in media reports about the contract. Meanwhile, British prime minister David Cameron, his wife, and their children will not benefit in future from any offshore funds or trusts, a spokesman said as Mr Cameron faced more questions over family tax affairs. His late father, Ian, was among the tens of thousands of people named in leaked documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca which showed how the worlds rich and powerful are able to stash their wealth and avoid taxes. After having at first described it as a private matter, Camerons office said that he and his family did not benefit from any such funds at present. Cameron also said he did not own any shares or have any offshore funds. But his failure to say whether he or his family would benefit in future only intensified media speculation. There are no offshore funds or trusts which the prime minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future, a spokesman for Mr Cameron said yesterday. The president of Ukraine last night became the latest prominent politician to deny wrongdoing after his name was linked to secretive offshore accounts arranged by a Panama law firm. The revelations have raised suspicion that such offshore entities were set up to avoid taxes, but Petro Poroshenko denied that was the purpose in his case. Rather, he said, it was necessary to create an offshore holding company to put his sweet business in a blind trust when he became president of Ukraine in 2014. This is absolutely normal procedure, and I think this is the main difference from the naming of all the political figures in this Panama list, Mr Poroshenko said in Tokyo, where he was meeting with Japans prime minister Shinzo Abe and business leaders. If we have anything to be investigated, I am happy to do that, he said. But, this is absolutely transparent from the very beginning. No hidden account, no associated management, no nothing. Icelands prime minister became the first casualty of the affair on Tuesday, stepping down two days after a video was aired showing him breaking off a television interview over questions about his familys offshore dealings. Elsewhere, Spanish media was reporting that movie director Pedro Almodovar has cancelled publicity events for his new movie Julieta following intense interest in the offshore company he owned with his brother years ago. Almodovar cancelled an appearance at interviews ahead of the movies premiere in Madrid last night. Burma Inflammatory Spokesman Zaw Htay Promoted Within Presidents Office Leadership Despite criticism of his inflammatory nationalism, Zaw Htay was promoted to deputy director general of the Presidents Office under Burmas new NLD govt. RANGOON Former President Thein Seins spokesperson Zaw Htay, better known by his Facebook account Hmuu Zaw, will serve another term in the Presidents Office but in the higher position of deputy director general, he said at a press conference in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. His critics describe him as a strong advocate of former head of state Thein Sein, under whom held a directorial role within the Presidents Office. Hmuu Zaw used his Facebook account to oppose National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters and he occasionally contributed articles to local media outlets that bolstered the ex-president and the Burma Army. Hmuu Zaws reappointmentand promotionin the new NLD-dominated government has become a hot topic online, with people criticizing his conduct over the past three years; particularly, inflammatory statements targeted at the Rohingya, a religious minority group whom the last government declared were interlopers from neighboring Bangladesh. When communal strife broke out between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in western Burma in 2012, Zaw Htay uploaded picturesthat he later deletedthat fueled tension between the two communities. Myanmar Press Council (MPC) member Myint Kyaw said the media always noticed Hmuu Zaw because his actions went beyond those of a bureaucrat and often expressed his political support of Thein Sein. On Jan. 30, when the former president made his final trip to the Irrawaddy Delta as the head of State, Zaw Htay posted photos with a teaser that read, The president with a clean record for life has left a good record during his term as well. Myint Kyaw said Hmuu Zaws actions were those of a nationalist. His previous actions were totally incongruous with his position, he said. He posted nationalist sentiments that could have fomented civil unrest. The MPC member suggested that the Burmese government follow the lead of other international organizations that have standards for how their employees are permitted to behave online. He encouraged strict rules as to how government employees could use their social media accounts and warnings or punishments for employees who posted content that could negatively impact the government. There are currently no rules on the books as to what government employees should or should not post online. Burma KNU Prepares Land For Future IDP and Refugee Repatriation Land and shelter are set aside for Karen States displaced, who await stability and ceasefire implementation before considering a return to Burma. Burmas long-established ethnic Karen armed organization, the Karen National Union (KNU), has been preparing land and shelter for the possible return of civilians displaced internally and on the Thai-Burma border after more than six decades of civil war with government forces. The plan is underway in areas controlled by the KNU in southern and eastern Karen State, such as Kyainseikgyi Township and Hpa-an District, according to sources from the group. Maj Saw Zorro, head of the KNUs liaison office in the Burma border town of Myawaddy, told The Irrawaddy that the KNU has built 150 shelters in areas under the KNUs Brigade 7. The buildings are intended to house internally displaced persons (IDPs) when they are ready to return. As far I know, 50 houses in Paikyu, 50 in Maw Poe Kay and 50 in Mae Taree have been built. They will build more houses. These are for IDPs, not for refugees [from Thailand], said Maj Saw Zorro. He insisted that there is no timeframe established for IDPs and refugees to return to Karen State and that the choice remains voluntary. There are an estimated 120,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand, the majority of whom are ethnic Karen who fled due to military offensives in the eastern parts of the country. Many have been living on Thai soil for over two decades. Mahn Kennedy, secretary of the Dooplaya District under KNUs Brigade 6, told The Irrawaddy that the KNU local administration is prepared to grant more than 10,000 acres of land to refugees who want to come back in the future. We are just getting some land ready for them to live on, if or when they return home. We dont go and bring them back, he said of the refugees. And we dont know when they will return. But they can return home if they want. It very much depends on UN and the Burmese government too. He added that repatriation of refugees also is related to regional stability, particularly the implementation Burmas so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) by respective stakeholders such as the Burmese government, the KNU leaders, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other relevant NGOs. We are demarcating some land for them in Kyainseikgyi Townshipmore than 10,000 acres. There is a land-grabbing problem. But we will make sure that we dont have problem with it when demarcating land, said Mahn Kennedy. In late March, NGOs including The Border Consortium (TBC), Karen Refugees Committee (KRC) as well as local Thai authorities and refugee community leaders visited the resettlement site in Kyainseikgyi to view the land and meet with local KNU officials. Saw Robert Htway, the head of the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC) also went to see the proposed site. We just went to observe the conditions. The KNU told us that it is not time for repatriation yet. We dont know when it will happen. The site is just a place for us to go back and live when we return home, he explained. After the KNU signed ceasefire agreements with the former government administrationin both 2012 and 2015hopes of and preparation for return were widely discussed among NGOs and Thai and Burmese authorities. Saw Say Say of KNUs headquarters in Mae Sot, on the Thai border, raised concerns over the safety of those who return, as there is not yet full implementation of the aforementioned ceasefire agreements. There is no guarantee for civilians to return home, he said, as there are reports of Burma Army troops currently being deployed near the proposed resettlement sites. Saw Say Say argues that withdrawal of Burma Army troops in some KNU strongholds should be mandatory before plans can be made for refugee repatriation. In early 2015, the KNU built a new model village named Lay Kay Kaw for IDPs in in Kawkareik Township, southeastern Karen State. It remains sparsely populated. Burma Obama Congratulates Burma on Historic Democratic Milestone The US president commends Aung San Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw on the countrys smooth democratic transition and offers future US support. RANGOON President Obama congratulated his Burmese counterpart, President Htin Kyaw, in a phone call on Wednesday and applauded the National League for Democracy (NLD) leadership for reaching a historic milestone in democratic reform. The US President urged the new administration to continuing striving to make Burma more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous. During the conversation, Obama said the US is willing to provide future assistance to Burma and asked to remain informed of the countrys future plans. He advised Htin Kyaw to hold a frank discussion with the new US ambassador, Scot Marciel. Obama also spoke with National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, and commended her efforts over many years to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation. He wished Htin Kyaw and the people of Burma a happy water festival, just days ahead of the upcoming Thingyan celebrations. The Burmese President said he greatly appreciated the support. Im confident President Obama and the United States will continue to provide assistance to us, he said. We want US investment in Burma, and we would like to cooperate in various sectors with USAID. With support from you, and our other friends, I believe Burma will achieve its goals soon. Burma State Counselor Bill Signed, Creating Powerful Position for Suu Kyi President Htin Kyaw has signed a State Counselor bill, essentially securing broad powers for Suu Kyi that could place her above the president. RANGOON President Htin Kyaw signed into law the State Counselor bill on Wednesday, essentially granting National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi broad powers that could secure her position above the president. The legislation, which passed Burmas Lower House on Tuesday, has stirred up controversy among some parliamentarians. In particular, the military bloc and members of the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) made 13 recommendations to amend the bill. Military lawmakers claimed that the bill was unconstitutional, and they boycotted the proceedings by refusing to cast a ballot during the session. Brig-Gen Maung Maung said to reporters on Tuesday that military lawmakers refused to cast ballots because they saw the legislatures voting behavior as democratic bullying, referring to the fact that the legislature is dominated by the NLD. However, the NLD-dominated Parliament responded to the claim by saying that the position was created out of political necessityAung San Suu Kyis party overwhelmingly won the general election in November, but she is constitutionally barred from the presidency. Ko Ni, a lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that the legislation is intended to support the sort of principled leadership that Burma sorely needs. Since Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from presidency, the NLD is trying to appoint her to the position of State Counselor by referring to provisions in the Constitution and in other laws that will provide her with de facto leadership, he said. Good leadership is necessary, and this leadership must be provided by the person whom people truly trust in and rely on. Burma Suu Kyi Outlines Strategies To Free Political Prisoners A State Counselors Office announcement explains how the government could secure the release of political prisoners, activists and students. RANGOON Immediately following her appointment as State Counselor, Aung San Suu Kyi announced plans to secure the release of political prisoners and detained activists as soon as possible. On Thursday evening, the Presidents Office published the first announcement of the State Counselors Office, signed by Aung San Suu Kyi, stating that the release of political prisoners, activists and students, is an urgent priority for the peoples government. The announcement stated three strategies that the government could use to carry out these measures: Under both Article 204 (a) of the 2008 Constitution and Article 401 (a) of the criminal procedure code, the president is afforded the power to grant a pardon to detainees. Article 204 (b) of the Constitution suggests that the president can grant amnesty in accordance with the recommendation of the National Defense and Security Council, a powerful executive body which is effectively under army control. The final legal mechanism outlined is Article 494 of the criminal code which states that, with the approval of the court, the government can withdraw charges in ongoing cases through the legal officers of the township. In this time of the Burmese New Year, we will release political prisoners and activists and students who are facing charges as soon as possible by using the first and third ways, the statement read. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), in Burma there are 100 political prisoners currently behind bars and over 400 awaiting trial, including students facing charges for protests where they demanded education reforms. Thursday, April 7th, 2016 (12:44 pm) - Score 1,111 The UK telecoms regulator has today launched a new Call for Inputs to help inform the design of the Governments proposed broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO), which would ensure that everybody could get a minimum Internet speed of 10Mbps (Megabits per second) by 2020. The Government has itself already launched one consultation on the legally binding USO (here) and as part of that theyve also asked Ofcom (read the DCMS letter) to investigate the proposed speed, technical measures, funding, scope and affordability of implementing such a provision. The existing USO is comparatively weak and only requires that BT (or KCOM in Hull) deliver, following the reasonable request of any End-user (i.e. demand-led), a telephone service that includes the ability to offer data rates that are sufficient to permit functional internet access (here); strictly speaking this box can be ticked via ancient dialup (28.8Kbps) connections. The current telephony USO also sets a cost threshold of 3,400. For connection costs below this, households pay a standard connection charge to BT of 130. For the most expensive to connect premises, consumers have the option of covering any construction charges over this threshold, alongside the standard connection charge. But expanding this to include a 10Mbps USO could quickly become very expensive for some remote areas. Specification and scope of the USO How should the minimum technical performance of the USO be specified? 1.7 We have said that 10Mbit/s is the appropriate level at present for a broadband USO. This is also the Governments ambition for the USO. However, other factors will also affect how decent a consumers or businesss broadband connection is. These may include upload speed, latency, jitter, contention and capacity. 1.8 We are interested in stakeholders views on the minimum download speed for a broadband USO, as well as which other aspects of technical performance should be specified, and at what level. 1.9 We recognise that a variety of technologies, including wireless, are capable of delivering download speeds of 10Mbit/s. We aim to encourage the deployment of the most appropriate technology for different local circumstances so as to achieve the goals of the USO in the most efficient way. How should we ensure the USO is affordable? 1.10 European and UK legislation requires Ofcom to ensure the universal service is provided at an affordable price. We are therefore considering how we might best ensure that this is the case. Options for achieving this include requirements for uniform pricing of broadband services or caps on charges. We are interested in views and evidence on what measures it may be appropriate to impose, if any, to ensure that services provided under the USO are affordable. Should there be a social tariff for broadband services? 1.11 A USO may also include particular measures for the benefit of those on low incomes or with special social needs. For example, BT (and KCOM in Hull) provides a social tariff for consumers on certain income-related benefits. We are interested in evidence and views on the extent to which a social tariff for broadband services may also be appropriate. The Governments own consultation is due to run until 18th April 2016, while Ofcoms Call for Inputs will be open until 23rd June 2016 and the regulator aims to provide our final advice to Government by the end of 2016. It will be interesting to see how many ISPs, other than BT and KCOM, will voluntarily put themselves forward for helping to deliver the USO (Virgin Media have already ruled themselves out). Thursday, April 7th, 2016 (7:42 am) - Score 1,743 Reports indicate that Virgin Media and Sky (Sky Broadband) could both sign significant mobile network capacity deals with Three UK (CK Hutchison Holdings), which is dependent upon whether or not the European Commission approves the proposed merger with O2 UK (Telefonica). At present Virgin Medias mobile service is supplied by EE, although the mobile operators recent acquisition by BT has encouraged Virgin to look at alternatives. Virgin briefly explored the possibility of a much more significant deal with Vodafone, but those talks eventually collapsed (here). Meanwhile Sky have already signed a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) deal with O2 and they aim to deliver a Sky Mobile product by the end of 2016, which will turn them into a quad-play provider. But todays big news is that both Virgin and Sky may now be considering a major deal to buy capacity from the merged Three UK + O2. At present Telefonica and Hutchinson are still fighting tooth and nail to get their proposed 10.25bn UK merger past the regulators, which isnt easy when both Ofcom and the EC are opposed to the deal (here and here). However, in an effort to placate some of those concerns, Hutchison made a number of concessions (here) and one of those involved selling capacity on their network. Hutchisons Proposal: Three+O2 will enable other meaningful competitors in the UK market to offer services on a completely level playing field by offering for sale fractional shared ownership interests in our network capacity in effect selling slices of the same network capacity and quality we use to serve our own customers. This is unprecedented in the UK telecom wholesale market. It eliminates the tricks some wholesalers use to disadvantage their wholesale customers and thus make it harder for them in turn to make competitive offerings to their own customers. This approach will deliver real competition, not just slogans. According to the Telegraph, Sky is alleged to have preliminarily agreed to a 2bn contract that would see them take a 20% share for over 10 years if the takeover of O2 goes through. Similarly Virgin Media is said to have reached an agreement to take 10% of the capacity on the merged Three UK and O2 network, which is estimated to be worth around 1bn, although this may change if BT/EE offer better terms or the merger falls through. The ECs competition review was originally supposed to rule on the merger earlier this year, although Hutchisons proposed concessions have required some additional time for review. The final proposals have now been made and as such were expecting the EC to return a verdict in the very near future (deadline is 19th May 2016). Thursday, April 7th, 2016 (10:26 am) - Score 2,166 The Governments Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has today published a very basic piece of new guidance that is designed to help consumers who may have received a letter that accuses them of having shared copyright material online via P2P (BitTorrent) file sharing networks. A number of organisations send such letters (e.g. GoldenEye, TCYK LLC and Mircom) and they usually do so on behalf of the copyright holders, which is apparently still seen as a viable way of both making money and discouraging future abuse. The practice is so questionable that its often described as Speculative Invoicing. Associated organisations usually track the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that people use on public P2P networks when sharing copyright files and then later submit a Norwich Pharmacal Order (NPO) to a court, which forces the linked broadband ISP to release details about any associated subscribers (e.g. name, address etc.). The organisation will then begin sending letters that ultimately demand compensation for the abuse and those who fail to pay are often threatened with court action. In reality such court cases are usually too expensive to pursue and those that have been attempted were failures, not least because IP address based evidence is inherently unreliable (i.e. the data may be incorrect and or fail to reflect that many people can share a single Internet connection, especially if you run an open WiFi network). Last month the UK Labour MP for Dudley North, Ian Austin, called on the Government to protect consumers after an 83-year-old customer of Sky Broadband, Patricia Drew, was dubiously accused of sharing unlawful copies of The Company You Keep film (here) and thats despite her having only a minimum understanding of how to use a computer. Todays guidance appears to reflect the Governments official, if somewhat weak, response to these tactics. Letters alleging online copyright infringement 1. What is copyright infringement Copyright protects various forms of work and stops others from using it without permission. Copyright protected works may include music, books, photographs, films and many other forms of creative work. Copyright infringement arises when protected material is copied, or distributed without the copyright owners permission. 2. Why might you have received a letter alleging youve infringed copyright You may have received a letter if the copyright owner believes someone has used your internet connection to download copyright protected material, such as a film. If the material was downloaded without their permission. For example from a file sharing website. Rights holders may seek compensation for the financial loss they have suffered. Companies such as Golden Eye, TCYK LLC and Mircom have taken action to get compensation in recent years. Its important to understand that the copyright owner can only take action against the person who actually committed the infringement. This may not be you. Your internet service provider (ISP) can only provide them with details of the internet account holder. Who may not be the actual infringer. 3. How did the copyright holder get your details When files are downloaded from common file sharing services, such as those relying on the BitTorrent protocol. The IP addresses of all users currently sharing the file are visible. Copyright owners have systems to collect these IP addresses where they believe users are sharing material without their permission. A copyright owner can then apply to the court for a Norwich Pharmacal Order. This order forces an ISP to give copyright owners names and addresses of account holders alleged to have committed the copyright infringement based on the IP address information. 4. What should you do if you receive a notification of alleged copyright infringement Dont ignore the letter. Even if you believe that you or anyone with access to your internet connection hasnt downloaded the copyright protected material. You should respond, even if you request more time to seek advice before you provide a more detailed response. If you didnt know anything about the alleged copyright infringement check the letter is genuine. There are scams operating where letters are sent to try and gain compensation from you when you might not have to pay. You should also check with anyone who might have access to your internet connection. For example family and friends who may have your permission and password to use your wi-fi. They may have downloaded or uploaded the copyright protected material. They may be responsible for the alleged infringement. It is the responsibility of the copyright owner to prove who has committed the infringement. This may not be the internet account holder. 5. Where to get further advice * citizens advice consumer helpline (03454 04 05 06 Textphone: 18001 03454 04 05 06 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) * your Internet Service Provider (such as BT, Sky, Talktalk, and Virgin) and other online sources * get legal advice from a solicitor. Generally, if you know or believe yourself to be innocent of the allegation, then its best to discuss the matter with Citizens Advice before responding and read the Speculative Invoicing Handbook. Likewise if you want a solicitors help then Michael Coyle from Lawdit often assists. Sadly anybody hoping for the Government to take a more concrete stance against such letters will be left disappointed, if not surprised. Players in the telecommunications industry spend their time on games of one-upmanship. The telcos continue improving on ways to squeeze ever faster services from their digital subscriber line (DSL) techniques, cellular and wireless push toward the 5G starting line, and cable operators test their data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS). The cable operators have a plan, and it includes more than DOCSIS 3.1. A new, popular player is emerging. In polling among Light Readings readership, DOCSIS 3.1, the latest version of the spec, finished second in popularity to Distributed Access Architecture (DAA). In essence, DAA is cables way of keeping up with the virtualization trend: The result reflects the growing importance of disaggregated functions, as DAA calls for at least partial virtualization of the cable headend by shifting some or all of the data and video processing functions from the headend to the network fiber node. DAA will work with DOCSIS 3.1, and the converged cable access platform (CCAP), another new technology, to make cable networks far more agile, flexible, and lighter users of power. CCAP plays a key role in the cable strategy. It was developed to save power and space in crowded headends and hubs by combining video and data equipment in one chassis. This enables power supplies and other overhead elements to be shared. The result is environmentally friendly and economical. Last month, SNL Kagan research said that cable operators in 2015 saw an increase in CCAP shipments. DOCSIS 3.1 shipments increased 41 percent to exceed more than 6 million channels. In a way, it is easy to track the cable industry: Just watch what Comcast does. FierceCable reported last month that the multiple system operator (MSO) began advanced consumer trials of DOCSIS 3.1 in Atlanta, the first of five cities in which the platform will be deployed this year. The others: Nashville, Chicago, Detroit and Miami. The cable industry has the advantage of being tightly controlled and, at the upper levels, relatively small. This has enabled it to engineer a plan over the past decade to significantly improve its overall platform at every level: DOCSIS 3.1, DAA and CCAP are all part of that plan. DOCSIS addresses capacity, DAA system architecture, and CCAP equipment economies and energy. Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk. 6 Ways to Win the IT Talent War and Retain Top Performers Men and women tend to have different strengths, leading to gender-specific differences in workplace skills like negotiation and communication, right? Wrong, says Tacy Byham. Byham is CEO of Development Dimensions International (DDI), a global talent management consulting firm based in Bridgeville, Pa., and co-author of Your First Leadership Job: How Catalyst Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others. In a recent interview, I spoke with Byham about research conducted by DDI that, according to Byham, debunked the myth that men and women tend to have different workplace skills. Byham said the data clearly showed that there are significant industry-specific skills differences, as one might expect. But she said gender is a different story: We looked at the same data to determine whether there are differences in skills between men and women. The answer is no. The gender skills gap is a fallacy. There are no statistically significant differences between men and women. You hear in the media that men are better at negotiating, strategy, delegating; women are better at communicating, planning, and organizingreally a dichotomy between the harder skills and the softer skills. But thats just perception. The reality is, when you actually look at the data, that skills gap does not exist. What we then do is take the skills, roll them together into a cluster of skills that drive the business. Weve found that with respect to those business driversthe ability to make significant changes in the businessthere is no difference between women and men. The research did demonstrate, however, that there are personality differences between women and men. For example, the findings indicate that men tend to be more inquisitive and more impulsive than women, and women tend to be more interpersonally sensitive than men. But according to Byham, its important to understand that being wired a certain way personality-wise doesnt necessarily mean a person will behave a certain way: For example, when you think of introverts vs. extroverts, we know there are many actors and movie stars who are true introverts. But they step up on the stage and do incredible things. So personality is behind the scenes; the way we behave is what people actually see. There are other differences between men and women that have an impact on women professionally, Byham said. For one thing, women tend to be less confident than men: We do a global survey called the Global Leadership Forecast, and we surveyed over 13,000 leaders from more than 2,000 organizations. When we asked men and women to speak about some of the things that set them apart, men, to a person, consider themselves to be more effective leaders, compared to women. Right there we see a lack of confidence [thats consistent with] other studies that show an undercurrent of self-doubt [among women] about what got them where they are. Men would tend to say, I got that promotion or achieved that because Im great. Women would say, Im lucky. Byham went on to say that women need to do a better job of self-advocacy. She said speaking and acting more confidently will go a long way toward accomplishing that: Among groups of women, you hear the pronoun we much more often than the pronoun I. Im not suggesting that women need to become overly arrogant, but women subconsciously use words that undermine our ability to come off as confident and to really ask for things. So I suggest women use I rather than we, judiciously. Women also tend to apologize their way into conversations quite often. You might hear women say, Im not sure this is going to work, but , or Sorry about this, but That undermines confidence right there. A final example is the word just. It softens your impact. In an email, theres a big difference between saying, Just checking on the status of that report, and Can you give me a status update? Women tend to use just three to four times more often than men do. Byham is only six months into her tenure as CEO of DDI, having assumed the position under circumstances that present some unique challenges: She took the CEO reins from her father, Bill Byham, who co-founded the company and led it for 45 years. I asked her what she has found to be the most challenging issue she has faced in that respect. Her response: My father is an incredible investor and entrepreneur. I have many of his very strong attributes, but I dont have them all. Some people make the business assumption that I am walking exactly in the mold of my father. I will tell you I have a gentler touch in meetings, but get the same results. When you have an entrepreneur founder who has built the company from one person to 1,100 people globally, hes having a little bit of a hard time letting go. So were working on that. Finally, I noted that the situation naturally raises the nepotism question, and I asked Byham if shes had to deal with any kind of an undercurrent within the company that the only reason shes in the CEO position is that her father co-founded the company, and hand-picked her to succeed him. She said it was a fair question: I have been very conscious my entire career of making sure that nobody has the perception that I got something I did not deserve. I have always worked twice as hard as the average person to ensure that result. Outside DDI, I understand that people might make assumptions. But inside DDI, I would hope my track record speaks for itself. A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant. Cognitive computing is not about recreating the human mind, but rather "amplifying and augmenting human cognition," said High, for example by revealing unasked questions. It is going to be important because of our inability to handle the rapidly growing amount of data that is being generated and stored. To give just one example, the average doctor spends about five hours a month reading the latest literature in their field, whereas reading all the relevant material would take 160 hours a week. The key features of cognitive systems are that they learn through education, support expression in a manner that is natural for humans, have expertise as their primary value, and continue to evolve after experiencing new information, scenarios or responses. High gave several examples of the way Watson technology in this area is being applied to real-world situations, including: An ecommerce interface designed by Flood for The North Face that lets customers "tell a story" about what they are going to do and then asks whatever questions it considers necessary in order to recommend suitable products. Such dialogs are important because a person may not know what it is they need to know to make a decision, so a conversation is needed to tease information out of the person. (Another example of this is that someone doesn't wake up one morning and decide they need to take out a mortgage: something happens in their life that triggers it.) Elemental Path and CogniToys toy dinosaur that can interact with a child, telling stories, asking riddles and so on in a way that's "unique and personalised to that child." "We think there's an opportunity in this for the toy to identify early educational problems," said High. Kellogg's Bear Naked advisor for custom-blending granola understands how different ingredients go together in terms of taste and texture. The IBM Watson group's 2016 focus is on enhancing human engagement, with particular regard to robotics and emotion detection and expression, he said. Software already developed by the group includes the Tone Analyzer, Emotional Analysis, and Personality Insights. Tone Analyzer uses psycholinguistics, emotion analysis and language analysis to assess the tone of a piece of text. This may be useful for improving written communication between people (such as online dating profiles or emails to the boss, where it is important that the recipient's perception of the tone matches that which was intended) as well as helping computers respond appropriately to humans. Emotional Analysis can be helpful for processing customer reviews, among other situations. A certain negative text might be evaluated as 65% disgust, 13% anger, 16% sadness, and so on. Personality Insights applies psycholinguistic analysis to a body of text written by one person to draw conclusions about their personality. A range of Watson services are available on IBM's Bluemix platform, with 30-day free trials being offered. IBM Watson's robotics work is still at the experimental stage, but "we think this is very important." Determining someone's intention requires consideration of not just what they say but how they say it, he observed, and understanding body language, movements, and facial expression (even pupil dilation) plays a part in that. The research is about robots understanding humans (rather that us having to accommodate their UI shortcomings), and humans understanding robots (eg, a robot might need to make appropriate gestures while it speaks to punctuate key points or to provide context, for example pointing in the appropriate direction when saying "The exit is over there"). Experimental integration of Watson with Aldebaran NAO robot allows the robot to move 'naturally' as it speaks and listens (but it is questionable how successful this effort has been so far). In less than 10 years, cognitive computing "will be the dominant workload" and "computers are going to adapt to our needs," not vice versa. It's not that transaction processing systems are going away, just that cognitive computing is going to pervade everyday life. Disclosure: the writer attended the GPU Technology Conference as a guest of Nvidia Global Identity defined security vendor Ping Identity has opened a new data centre in Australia to service what says is growing demand in the Asia Pacific region from enterprise and government customers for cloud-based identity solutions. The new data centre in Sydney, hosted in an Amazon Web Services facility, adds to existing Ping Identity centres in the United States and Germany and will enables customers to leverage PingOne Cloud, a key component of the Ping Identity Platform. Andre Durand, CEO and founder of Ping Identity, says the PingOne Cloud delivers one-click access to all of the SaaS, legacy and custom web applications users need with full security, and enables organisations to isolate their personally identifiable information (PII) in specific regions. Key to our strategy of growing a global business is to enable customers to execute their identity and security strategies without barriers, and having data in-region satisfies regulatory requirements and preference for many customers.We are thrilled to demonstrate our commitment to the APAC region, with new services, strategic investments in hiring and continued momentum in our partner ecosystem. We have put the pieces in place for long-term growth.PingOne Cloud is an Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solution that delivers multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, a cloud directory to manage users and provide access to selected apps, and cloud provisioning to add or remove application access for users.Cloud utilises multiple AWS regions to achieve the greatest level of service availability, built on an architecture designed to operate across multiple data centre locations at the same time. US politicians are set to introduce legislation shortly to force technology companies to assist law enforcement in cases similar to the Apple-FBI case that was recently in the news. But, according to a Reuters report, the White House may not support such efforts. This is surprising given that US President Barack Obama indicated last month that he supported what he called trade-offs in the debate over encryption and the ability of law enforcement agencies to gain access to devices using such encryption. The draft legislation is being prepared by Dianne Feinstein and Richard Burr, the top Democrat and Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee respectively. It gives judges broad powers to issue orders for companies to aid the government but does not detail either the specifics of what they have to do, or the circumstances under which they have to conform. It does not list penalties for non-compliance either. Participating in a keynote conversation at the 2016 South by Southwest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas, Obama tried to walk both sides of the road, characterising the choices at the extremes as being between strong cryptography and no cryptography, saying there was reasonable territory in the centre where cryptography could be strong sometimes and vanish into the ether on other times. At best, this could be described as fanciful thinking. The whole Apple-FBI stoush became a very public affair when the latter obtained a court order on February 16, asking Apple to supply a new version of its mobile operating system, iOS, which did not have certain locking functions, so that the agency could attempt to guess the pass code on an iPhone 5C by using a brute force method. When Apple resisted, the FBI came back with an order compelling the company to fall in line. The phone in question belongs to the San Bernardino department of health and was being used by one of its employees, Syed Rizwan Farook, who was involved in the death of 14 people in December. The matter was supposed to be heard in court on March 22 but a day before this the FBI suddenly asked for a continuance until April 5 in order that a method proposed by an outside agency for breaking into the phone could be tested. On March 28, US time, the FBI called off the case, saying that an outside party had succeeded in cracking into the phone. Meanwhile, while the FBI has fought shy of informing Apple how it accessed the data on the iPhone, it appears to have no reluctance to share that information with politicians. Feinstein has been briefed, according to a report, and Burr was offered a briefing but has yet to sit through it. Only the iPhone 5c running iOS 9 can be unlocked by the tool the FBI bought to crack the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers. The tool does not work on the iPhone 5s or 6, so it only addresses a "narrow slice" of iPhones, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey said late Wednesday at Kenyon College. The government is considering whether it should disclose to Apple the flaw that aided the hack: "We just haven't decided yet," he said at the Ohio college's Center for the Study of American Democracy. A court in California ordered Apple to help the FBI to hack by brute force the passcode of the iPhone 5c. The government was concerned that, if an auto-erase feature was activated on the phone, the data that the FBI was looking for would be automatically erased after 10 unsuccessful attempts, so it wanted a workaround from Apple. The FBI later said it had gained access to the data and the court vacated the order on Apple. The agency had earlier informed the court that it was was exploring a solution suggested by an external organization. The agency has to date not disclosed the name of the organization or the hack that was used. Apple had refused to help the FBI create what it said would amount to a new version of its operating system, as it would weaken its security, besides being dangerous if such a method was out in the wild. Comey said the FBI is very good at keeping secrets and the agency has a high amount of confidence that the people it bought the tool from are very good at protecting it. In another lawsuit in New York, the FBI is demanding that Apple should help it extract data from a locked iPhone 5s running iOS 7 used by an alleged drug dealer. The government has appealed the case after a Magistrate Judge ruled in Apple's favor. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Library bond unanimously approved Voters waited in line for 45 minutes Tuesday to participate in an eight-minute meeting that resulted in the unanimous approval of a $600,000 bond to help renovate the North Road... Ferryboat business told to halt operations The ferryboat company operating from the municipally owned docks at East Ferry is illegally using that space, according to correspondence mailed to business owner Bill Munger. Town Administrator Jamie Hainsworth... A DOGGONE NEW BUSINESS A former business that used to clean peoples clothes is reopening as a groomer to tidy up the fur of those peoples four-legged companions. The defunct laundromat at the McQuades... Emailing and texting sure is simpler, and easier, and saves us a lot of valuable time specially at the workplace. But they can also make a bad situation worse. So here are some conversations at work that you should definitely keep for face to face and not replace with modern non-personal forms of communication. 1. Complimenting and criticizing If you think an employee's performance is falling back, you need to do the necessary in person. You want to get the reaction you want, something that you will never be able to on text. Besides, you want to prepare them a little but, and nothing does that like human interaction. Be kind and gentle yet firm - a text just does not do all of that. Conversely, if you want to offer congratulations or kudos to someone, keep it personal. Make sure you deliver these in person, because the impact that will have cannot be replaced. 2. Reporting problems to the boss Your concerns about other people should always, always be done in person. Not only is it always better to convey exactly what you are thinking and how you are thinking it (when has text ever been able to do that?) but also, it is too easy to get caught up in gossip on emails and text. Before you know it you are wasting valuable time, not to mention putting yourself at risk of getting a sensitive correspondence like that on record from where it can accidentally or on purpose be forwarded or shared. 3. Announcing changes in personnel Never, ever fire someone on text or email. If there is any chance they would not take it personally, you end that by writing an email or texting to someone that their employment is terminated. Same goes for personnel changes, demotions - even promotions. Almost anyone you ask will consider it a sign of decency to fire someone or demote them in person when needed. Also, as an employee, do not resign or give notice in text or email - give your two week notice in advance. The immensely popular WhatsApp of Facebook claims that it is shuffling all group chats, calls and messages. If this is true, it will not be able to follow the orders of the government, such as the FBI, if it wants to get information about users' data and communications. As of April 6, all communications in WhatsApp are encrypted. This effectively means that all messages coursed through this service are jumbled up as they are channeled in its system and through the internet. The only one that will receive cohesive and understandable messages is the recipient, not any other third party. "The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to," wrote Jan Koum and Brian Acton, WhatsApp co-founders in a blog post published on Tuesday. This is welcome news to those who are concerned about privacy and security. That includes social activists, concerned journalists and dissidents. This is also a symbol of an intensifying trend that can lead to ubiquitous encryption that poses more challenges to law enforcement agencies in the United States as well as the rest of the world. On the other side of the coin, this recent development can add more tension to the already high strung relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington. The high-stakes battle that raged between Apple and the FBI was not truly resolved with the dropping of the case by the government agency. As it is, the issue is still unresolved: whether the government has a right to delve into the public's data and communications. Apple and all its backers in the tech industry are adamant in saying no. WhatsApp's current mode of encryption will make it impossible for any government, local and abroad, with various tools and strategies in their hands, to steal instant messages and voice calls, even with a court order. Americans have been looking to the future and that also means preparations for retirement. Recently, the Labor Department has announced new standards that may transform the financial advice given to Americans who are saving for their retirement. What's different now? Washington Post has it that brokers and financial advisers will be required to put their clients' interests first. This will pave the way for a more stricter regulation that will require brokers and financial advisers to recommend products and packages that are most suitable to their clients - even if it will not be the investor's best option. Millions of Americans have not been able to enjoy their retirement fully. And mom-and-pop groups have always been in charge of their own retirement funds. This new regulation will allow retirement security - another layer of protection that will guard Americans from a bad investment advice. The rule is supposed to improve disclosures and to reduce conflicts of interest, such as cases when a firm is paid by a mutual fund company or other third party for recommending a particular investment. Thomas Perez, secretary of the Labor Department, said that, "This is a huge win for the middle class. In far too many places and on far too many issues, the rules no longer work for working people." This would also mean lesser complaints from retirees where they were pushed into complicated and expensive investments. While the new rule won't ban commissions, brokers may have to explain why they are recommending a particular product when a less expensive option is available, and they could face scrutiny if they recommend complicated products. Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren is heavily promoting the new financial ruling. "Hard workers need every dollar to work for them," Warren said. While it's too early to find out how this new ruling will play out, analysts Michael Wong says, "We're definitely going to see investors that are forced to change how they interact with the investment services industry." The United States government has filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to prevent Halliburton Co. from acquiring Baker Hughes Inc., claiming that the merger of the number 2 and number 3 oil services companies would result in higher oil prices. This legal action which comes after several months of discussions on the divestments of a number of overlapping businesses of the two firms considerably reduces the risks of consummating the deal. According to the Justice Department, combining the two companies valued at $35 billion would leave just two major suppliers in 20 business lines in the world's oil construction services industry and well drilling, with one of the two being Schlumberger NV. If the merger is completed it would give the two companies over 50 percent market share of onshore fracking plugs and offshore well cementing businesses. In two cases, the merger will get over 80 percent market share. But the two merging companies said that they will contest the Justice Department's efforts to stop the deal. They claim that the government has arrived at a wrong conclusion in examining their transaction and deciding that the merger is counterproductive considering the challenges which the global energy industry is now facing. The proposed merger was announced in late 2014 but from the start, many problems have delayed its consummation. One such problem is that the two Houston-based oil services companies failed to get the approval of the DOJ for the different plans they submitted to guarantee that the merger would defeat antitrust issues. "The proposed deal between Halliburton and Baker Hughes would eliminate vital competition, skew energy markets and harm American consumers," said Loretta E. Lynch, the Attorney General. "Our action makes clear that the Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing our antitrust laws. In the days ahead, we will continue to stand up for fair deals and free markets, and for the American people we are privileged to serve," she added. San Francisco on Tuesday became the first city in the country to require employers to offer six weeks of fully paid leave for new parents. The measure was approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors and will give new mothers and fathers six weeks of fully paid time off-a rarity in the U.S., currently offered sparingly to some government sector workers and some private employees, particularly those who work in the tech industry. "Our country's parental leave policies are woefully behind the rest of the world, and today San Francisco has taken the lead in pushing for better family leave policies for our workers," the bill's author, Supervisor Scott Wiener, said in a statement after the vote. "We shouldn't be forcing new mothers and fathers to choose between spending precious bonding time with their children and putting food on the table." California already has one of the most expansive laws in the country, requiring that employees receive 55% of their wages for up to six weeks of paid family leave. The San Francisco ordinance would require businesses with more than 20 employees to plug that gap by paying the remaining 45% of their employees' wages. It applies to parents of either gender and to both full- and part-time employees who work in the city. The law takes effect January 2017 with a gradual phase-in for smaller businesses. Businesses with 35 employees or more must comply by July 1, 2017. Businesses with 20 or more employees have until January 2018. Julia Parish, 33, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society who is eight and a half months pregnant, said the measure would be particularly helpful to lower-income residents who do not work for companies with generous benefits. "We are ahead of the curve in California, but globally, we are way behind," she said. "It's shameful." Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. SHARE By of the Green Bay-based Fairchild Equipment is expanding in southeastern Wisconsin for the third time in two years. The distributor of material handling, construction and farm equipment said Thursday it acquired the assets of Lift Truck Specialists of Menomonee Falls. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition follows Fairchild's purchase, in late 2014, of the Hyster material handling dealership rights from the owner of Milwaukee Engineering Equipment. Earlier in 2014, Fairchild acquired the assets of Schmidt Industrial Truck Inc. in Racine. Fairchild, founded in 1985, now has 243 employees, including 65 in southern Wisconsin, said spokeswoman Andrea Jorgensen. The new acquisition adds an 18,000-square-foot building in Menomonee Falls that Fairchild will use to house its service department as well as additional office space. Van Clarkson, president of Fairchild's southern division, said the acquisition of Lift Truck Specialists from Minnesota Supply Co. means the company won't need to expand its own nearby facility, also in Menomonee Falls. "We have grown over 50% since the acquisition over a year ago, which truly exceeded our capacity much quicker than expected," Clarkson said. "After initially proceeding well down the path to expand our current facility, this opportunity presented itself and we were able to facilitate this initiative very rapidly thanks to the cooperative seller, Minnesota Supply Co." These are the best dishes I've eaten in 2022 in and around Milwaukee By of the Here's what's at alternative movie venues this week. Latin American Film Series The 38th annual series runs Friday through Thursday at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. It's free; movies are in their original languages with English subtitles. Friday: 7 p.m., "Between Sea and Land," Colombian movie about a man with a neurological disorder who dreams of dipping into the Caribbean; 9 p.m., "NN," Peruvian drama on an exhumed body traced to the country's years of turmoil. Saturday: 7 p.m., "Ixcanul," about a girl in Guatemala facing an arranged marriage; 9 p.m., "Road to La Paz,"about an Argentine drifter hired by an elderly Muslim to take him on a 2,000-mile trip. Sunday: 5 p.m., "Boy and the World," Oscar-nominated animated feature about a Brazilian boy's journey to the big city; 7 p.m., "Havana Curveball," in which a Jewish boy sets out to send baseball equipment to Cuba (shown with the Cuban short "Wheel of Life"). Monday: 7 p.m., "Cimarron Spirit," about descendants of African slaves who for centuries lived with Indians in the Dominican Republic (shown with the short "Sunday Ball"). Tuesday: 7 p.m., "The Hamsters," about a dysfunctional Mexican family. Wednesday: 7 p.m., "From Afar," in which a Venezuelan who pays young men just for company meets a hustler. Thursday: 7 p.m., "The Second Mother," melodrama about a Brazilian housekeeper with a disapproving daughter. uwm.edu/clacs/filmseries FOCUS Film Society "Green for Danger": 1946 British mystery about suspicious deaths at a hospital, with Trevor Howard, Sally Gray, Leo Genn, Alastair Sim. 7 p.m. Saturday at Church in the City, 2648 N. Hackett Ave. $3. ficoa.biz/focus.htm JCC Film Series "Hanna's Journey": To boost her resume, a German woman goes to Israel to work with people with disabilities, and has her life changed instead. In Hebrew, German and English, with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Tuesday, with a discussion following. Free. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay; jccmilwaukee.org/jewishfilm Indie Lens Pop-Up / Kohler Arts Center "Peace Officer": Documentary about the militarization of police in America. 7 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Wednesday. Free. 608 New York Ave., Sheboygan;jmkac.org Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival "The Idol": Drama about Mohammed Assaf, who went from a Gaza refugee camp to win "Arab Idol." In Arabic with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Thursday at Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave. $10. mmfilmfest.com Chris Foran Gary Larson Credit: Journal Sentinel files SHARE This Far Side strip ran in the Green Sheet on Nov. 5, 1987, the first week that Gary Larsons strip ran in The Milwaukee Journal. Gary Larson This Far Side strip was reprinted in the Green Sheet during Gary Larsons hiatus from the strip on March 3, 1989. Gary Larson This Far Side strip was reprinted in the Green Sheet during Gary Larsons hiatus from the strip on March 23, 1989. Gary Larson This 1982 "Far Side" was reprinted in the Green Sheet on July 3, 1989, during Gary Larson's lengthy hiatus from the strip. Gary Larson By of the The Green Sheet was late in coming to "The Far Side," but the strip lasted a little longer than the section did. One of the world's most popular comic strips at one point, it was carried in more than 1,900 newspapers Gary Larson's "The Far Side" was an established hit when The Milwaukee Journal added it to the Green Sheet on Nov. 2, 1987. The strip wasn't new to Milwaukee readers: It had been running in the Journal's Sunday Insight section for more than six years. According to the introduction to the strip in Insight on Jan. 11, 1981, the Journal was the 16th paper to carry "The Far Side." At that time, the strip and Larson were still getting their bearings. Larson grew up in Tacoma, Wash., and was playing music in Seattle around 1976 when, according to a Rolling Stone interview that the Journal published when it launched the strip in the Green Sheet, he started drawing cartoons one day at his kitchen table out of fear that he needed a Plan B. On that first day, he told Rolling Stone, he drew six cartoons, and sold all six to a local magazine. A year later, a reporter at the Seattle Times connected Larson with an editor at the paper, and he was off. The San Francisco Chronicle picked it up starting in 1980, renaming it "The Far Side"; within five years, the strip was in 100 newspapers, really taking off when Universal Press Syndicate took over distribution and marketing in 1984. So by the time "The Far Side" made it to the Green Sheet, it was already front-page news. In fact, the Green Sheet ran the strip on its front page, usually with a collection of trivia about what to expect the next day. In "The Far Side," Larson mastered, in a single panel, the art of blending the mundane and absurd. Cows and nerdy-looking scientists were frequent subjects for Larson, who at one time wanted to be a biologist; the latter helped make "The Far Side" very popular among the lab-coat set. "I remember one cartoon with a scientist lying with his legs up on the office floor titled, 'How entomologists pass away,'" Sue Borkin, an entomologist at the Milwaukee Public Museum, told reporter Jackie Loohauis in a story in the Dec. 11, 1994, Journal. "This isn't something one would pick up on without having connections or friends in the field. I've always enjoyed 'The Far Side' because Larson knew enough about it to poke fun in a more realistic sense." The humor was never mean-spirited, but it was often dark, like the strip that featured Santa Claus writing down a recipe for nine ways to cook venison. Adding "The Far Side" in the fall of 1987 turned out to be bad timing for the Green Sheet. Less than a year after "The Far Side" joined the section, Larson announced he was taking a 14-month leave of absence. However, because the strip had only run on Sundays, most of the strips reprinted during his hiatus were new to Milwaukee print readers. The "Far Side" empire continued to grow there have been 23 "Far Side" books, along with uncountable numbers of calendars, coffee mugs and cow figures and Larson continued to collect accolades, winning the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award for cartoonist of the year in 1990 and 1994. "'The Far Side' is without doubt one of the most influential pieces in the second half of the 20th century," National Cartoonists Society President Steve McGarry told Loohauis in a story in the Sept. 28, 2003, Journal. "Before Gary, nobody was doing gags about chickens and cows and nuclear scientists. You can see the Larson clones now, but they're not doing as well." And then, Larson pulled the plug. He announced in late 1994 that he was retiring "The Far Side," with the Sunday strip on Jan. 1, 1995, being the last one. By then, the Green Sheet had already ended on March 19, 1994, and the comics had been dispersed to the Journal's Life section. In 2003, to coincide with the publication of "The Complete Far Side," Larson released a three-month supply of classic "Far Side" cartoons that a number of papers including the Journal eagerly gobbled up and reprinted. But mostly, Larson, now 65, has stayed retired and out of the public eye. In recent years, he and his publisher have flagged websites for posting digital copies of his strip, sending along a cease-and-desist notice with a note from Larson asking the user to respect his work and refrain from posting it online or, as he ends the note, "Please send my 'kids' home." ABOUT THIS FEATURE This is the third of 10 Thursdays when the Green Sheet is looking back at some of the dearly departed comic strips that were part of The Milwaukee Journal's original Green Sheet section, sharing their humor and telling their stories. Share your stories about your favorite comic strips in the old Green Sheet via email at greensheet@journalsentinel.com. THE FACTS ABOUT 'THE FAR SIDE' Author/artist: Gary Larson Started: 1980 First in the Green Sheet: 1987 Ended: 1995 Last appeared in Green Sheet: 1994 (when the Green Sheet ended; it continued in the Journal until the strip ended Jan. 1, 1995) The Balboa Brothers Patrick Ruhland (from left), Dan Frederick and Charlie ODwyer will compete in Red Bulls Can You Make It? challenge in Europe April 12-19. The UW-Milwaukee students will travel from Florence, Italy, to Paris using only Red Bull as currency. Credit: Chelsey Lewis SHARE By of the When the "Balboa Brothers" travel to Europe next week, it's with the hope that the energy drink Red Bull doesn't give them wings so much as train tickets, taxi rides, food and maybe a place to sleep. The three University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee seniors who aren't actually brothers will be competing in Red Bull's "Can You Make It?" challenge, a seven-day race through Europe with one big catch: They won't have their wallets or phones, only Red Bull to barter their way more than 600 miles across the continent. It's already been a whirlwind experience for 22-year-olds Charlie O'Dwyer, Dan Frederick and Patrick Ruhland, who found out about the competition 10 days before the deadline to enter. The friends O'Dwyer and Frederick went to high school together in Brookfield and met Ruhland, from Mazomanie, in their dorm during freshman year scrambled to put together their one-minute entry video. "We wrote down three pages of ideas, so we had a lot of crappy ideas," Ruhland said. "Then we finally came up with the whole Rocky thing." The video shows the friends "training" in classic Rocky Balboa gray sweatsuits at various spots around Milwaukee, set to the movie's theme song. Votes from friends, family and classmates made the team a finalist, and Red Bull ultimately chose the Balboa Brothers as one of 165 teams of college students from 50 countries for the competition. They're the first Wisconsin team to compete in the challenge, now in its third year. Teams start at five European cities the Balboa Brothers begin their journey in Florence, Italy and travel to six checkpoints before all finishing in Paris. The guys will bring only what they can carry on their backs, and how they get from checkpoint to checkpoint is up to them, using a 24-pack of Red Bull as currency. They also have the chance to earn extra cans through various activities along the way. Since the competition is run by a company known for sponsoring extreme athletes like record-setting sky diver Felix Baumgartner, one can only imagine what those challenges might entail. It could be anything from getting a tattoo to jumping out of a plane to snowboarding, Frederick said. "I think what they're really trying to accomplish is give an experience to the kids that they'll remember for really the rest of their lives," O'Dwyer said. "There always is the want to win, because the prize is a summer in Europe, but that's not the only reason, you know?" And although none of the guys has ever traveled outside the country, they're not worried about language barriers or the challenge of trading cash for cans. "We're just going to be really friendly and kind of put ourselves out there. We're already kind of weird as it is, so...I like talking to complete strangers," Frederick said. "We're not afraid to embarrass ourselves, pretty much do anything," Ruhland said. The challenge is not a race, but rather a point-based competition. "It's not about the speed, it's about the journey along the way," Frederick said. Teams earn points three ways: by completing challenges at each checkpoint, by completing items on their "Adventure List," and by getting people to interact with their team page on Red Bull's website, where they will document their journey through photos, videos and posts from a phone Red Bull provides. "So far everyone's been really awesome supporting us friends and family but we need as big a following as we can get" to get those social points, Frederick said. Until they leave for their great European adventure, the guys are mostly worried about typical college things: getting ahead on schoolwork (they'll be missing more than a week of classes) and attending a going-away party Saturday. "The experience so far has already been incredible, and we haven't even left yet," Ruhland said. "We're already winners," Frederick said. "Going on a trip with my two best friends? Heck yeah." FOLLOW THE BALBOA BROTHERS The UW-Milwaukee team begins their journey in Florence on April 12, with the goal of reaching Paris by April 19. Follow their adventures at redbullcanyoumakeit.com/en/teams/474. By of the Federal prosecutors have now confirmed privacy advocates' suspicion that Milwaukee police used a so-called Stingray to track down a suspected probation violator by zeroing in on his cellphone. Now the phone user, Damian Patrick, has asked for a new trial, claiming the undisclosed use of the powerful technology violated his rights against unreasonable, warrantless searches. Patrick's case is among a few around the nation pressing for clearer rules for the growing conflict between police and privacy in the digital age. Lawyers for Patrick, whose conviction is on appeal, have asked that a federal trial judge vacate his conviction now based on the new information, and hear new arguments why evidence against Patrick should be suppressed because of the Stingray search. "The underlying argument is the same, that the order didn't satisfy the Fourth Amendment," said Patrick's attorney, Christopher Donovan. "This is just more, 'Hey, they lied,' another avenue" for a new trial. Patrick, 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of a gun after police stopped a car he was in and found the weapon on the floor. It was only during his motion to suppress the use of the gun as evidence that he and his lawyers learned police had not found him based on an anonymous tip but, they said then, by tracking his cellphone with information from his service provider. Patrick made a conditional guilty plea, was sentenced to 57 months and then appealed the denial of his suppression motion. As part of that appeal, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy advocacy group, filed friend of the court briefs that suggested police probably used a Stingray to find Patrick. Last month, in a letter to defense attorneys, federal prosecutors confirmed that Milwaukee police had used a Stingray to find Patrick on the day he was arrested in 2013. "It's significant that they admitted it, and only, essentially, after they were caught by outside organizations," said Nathan Wessler, a lawyer with the ACLU's speech, privacy and technology project. "There are probably hundreds of other cases in Milwaukee where this disclosure should happen as well." Nondisclosure promises A Stingray mimics a cellphone tower and draws all phones within its range to connect through it. The suitcase-size devices can find phones even when they're not in use or when they have location privacy enabled. They can locate a phone within a few feet but also pull in information from all non-target phones within the Stingray's reach. To use the technology, local law enforcement agencies have to promise the FBI they will not disclose that use, even to judges who might inquire, without a written OK from the FBI. Stingray use rapidly expanded in the past decade, raising thorny constitutional questions about whether a search warrant should be required at least in the few cases where Stingray use was discovered. After the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Patrick's case, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and a House of Representatives colleague from Texas in February asked FBI Director James Comey to clarify whether the FBI considers state and local law enforcement agencies bound by the nondisclosure agreements regarding Stingray technology. They also asked how many such agreements exist, how many times the FBI ordered criminal prosecutions dismissed rather than disclose the use of Stingrays and whether the FBI has similar agreements with local police for use of other technology. A Sensensbrenner spokeswoman said earlier this month that the FBI had not responded by the requested March 26 deadline. Concern about the secrecy surrounding police use of cell-site simulators has been growing. Last month, a Maryland appeals court came down hard on Baltimore police for trying to hide Stingray use from a court. The ruling upheld a trial judge's decision to suppress all evidence against a shooting suspect found as a result of tracing him via live cellphone tracking with a Stingray. The court flatly rejected Maryland's argument that anyone who turns on a cellphone is voluntarily sharing their location with police, and required police to get a search warrant to use Stingrays and similar technology, as well as fully explain to a court what a device does. "I hope that signals the momentum is shifting," said Wessler, the ACLU lawyer. "If I were the FBI, I would be scrambling to fix this." SHARE Susumu Sus Musashi shows his Congressional Gold Medal for his actions in World War II. Family photo By of the Before Susumu Musashi's heroism earned him a Silver Star, before he was wounded in Europe and before he pulled on a U.S. Army uniform, he was imprisoned by his country. Interned along with other Japanese-Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Musashi volunteered to fight. He was assigned to the heralded 442nd Regimental Combat Team consisting almost entirely of Japanese-Americans that became the most highly decorated regiment in U.S. history. Musashi died March 27 at the Veterans Home at Union Grove. He was 98. Born in Sacramento, Calif., Musashi who was known as "Sus" was raised by his aunt and uncle and sent to one of 10 internment camps set up for American citizens of Japanese ancestry, said his niece Judy Becher. "There's really only one feeling prevalent among every single Japanese-American sent to the camps 'What the heck are they doing? We're Americans,'" Becher said. While fighting in Europe, Musashi was shot in the arm and later knocked unconscious by a German artillery shell that burst in trees above him, raining down shrapnel. He fought alongside Daniel Inouye, who later became a longtime U.S. senator and Medal of Honor recipient, said his friend Bob Mitchell. Musashi was in a field hospital being treated for painful trench foot when famous editorial cartoonist Bill Mauldin stopped to interview him, but Musashi recommended he interview other soldiers more seriously ill, Mitchell said. "He was quite a fighter," Mitchell said of Musashi. Soldiers in the 442nd "were well-trained but they were there to prove they were Americans and they fought to the death." Musashi told Mitchell about one battle where the 442nd and German soldiers were fighting over a strategic hill. Looking down into a valley, Musashi could see a couple of Nazi tanks preparing an ambush in a grove of trees, so he picked up an abandoned American radio to call in an artillery strike. Musashi was asked for the coordinates but he didn't know them so he asked the artillery officer to fire a shot and he would guide them. "Believe it or not, they got the German tank on the second shot," Mitchell said. Milwaukee County Veterans Service Officer Jim Duff met Musashi a few years ago and listened to his stories about the racism he and other Japanese-American soldiers endured in the military. Musashi told Duff that when his unit completed weapons qualification in California before shipping overseas, white officers told the Japanese-American soldier to return their weapons even though white soldiers were allowed to keep theirs. Musashi told Duff, "I stuck my carbine in the officer's gut and I said if the white soldiers were allowed to keep their weapons, we'll keep ours, too." When Musashi returned to his neighborhood on a brief leave during training, he was shocked to see so many homes of his friends and neighbors boarded up and abandoned after President Franklin Roosevelt's February 1942 executive order ordering the internment of Japanese-Americans. "He talked to a friend who was moving out and his friend told him 'if the police see you in uniform, you'll end up in jail,'" Mitchell said. "So he helped his friend move out and returned to his base." After World War II, Musashi attended Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. He studied watch repair and spent much of his career as a jeweler. He met his wife, Grace, who spent the war interned at Manzanar relocation camp in California, and they moved to Milwaukee. They enjoyed camping and fishing and loved to play dominoes with their friends. His wife died last year at the age of 95. In 2011, Musashi and other surviving members of the 442nd were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Musashi is survived by his son, Dennis. Susumu Musashi Visitation is scheduled from 3 p.m. Thursday until a memorial service at 6 p.m. at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee. After ceding the stage for a couple of weeks to the presidential contenders, Democratic challenger Russ Feingold (right) and Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson are once again front and center in Wisconsins nonstop political battles. Credit: AP SHARE JS on Politics Loading... Election 2016 Visit our election section for complete coverage of the 2016 spring and fall local, state and national elections. By of the After ceding the stage for a couple of weeks to the presidential contenders, Democratic challenger Russ Feingold and Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson are again front and center in Wisconsin's nonstop political battles. On Thursday, Feingold's campaign announced that it raised $3.35 million in the first three months of the year. Feingold has raised more than $10.5 million since launching his race against Johnson last year. Johnson unseated Feingold, a former senator, in 2010. Also Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin called on Johnson and other Senate Republicans to move forward with President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. Republicans have vowed to block Obama from naming the successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia. "This unprecedented partisan obstruction should not threaten equal justice and the rule of law in America," the Wisconsin Democrat said during a teleconference call set up by the White House. It's unclear how big an issue the court fight will be in the Senate race. The Johnson campaign has not yet released fundraising totals for the first quarter. Johnson's campaign raised $6.3 million through the end of 2015. Feingold's campaign said 96% of all first-quarter contributions were $100 or less. The average contribution was $49.59. "Tens of thousands of Wisconsinites continue to contribute their time and their resources into building this campaign," Feingold said in a statement. "While Senator Johnson is content to let the three super PACs solely devoted to his bid speak on his behalf, the people of Wisconsin are making it clear that they want leaders who will fight for middle-class and working families not just the wealthy and powerful corporations," Feingold added. Republicans immediately pounced on Feingold's fundraising. "Senator Feingold's campaign has been fueled by Washington insiders, Hollywood elites and top party donors; they have gone all in for his campaign," said Pat Garrett, spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin. "The fact is, Senator Feingold broke his promise to reject these massive out-of-state contributions, and voters cannot trust him to hold his word on anything." Johnson's campaign has received a key endorsement from the Chamber of Commerce, a signal that the powerful national business lobby was prepared to put cash into the race. This week, Americans for Prosperity, a group funded by industrialists Charles and David Koch, began a $1 million ad campaign in the state to back Johnson. The National Republican Senatorial Committee also released a digital ad criticizing Feingold over national security. The ad sought to link Feingold with Obama's policies on the Islamic State, the nuclear deal with Iran and the push to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Johnson's supporters have been buoyed by recent political events in the state, noting that Republicans received around 100,000 more votes than Democrats in Tuesday's primary. It's difficult to assess whether that will carry over to the fall election. The Marquette University Law School Poll, released last week, showed a significant tightening in the race, with Feingold ahead of Johnson by 47% to 42%. That same poll showed 49% of those surveyed said the Senate should hold hearings this year on Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court, while 41% said it should not. Senate Republicans have said the new Supreme Court justice should be selected by the next president. Baldwin said she is scheduled to meet with Garland next week. Last month, Johnson said he would be willing to meet with Garland but added: "I'm not sure what the point will be." Baldwin said she has not discussed the Supreme Court issue with Johnson. She did bring up a March radio interview during which Johnson responded to a hypothetical question and indicated that a Republican-led Senate would be more likely to confirm a Supreme Court nomination made by a Republican president in an election year. "I think that exposes this as pure politically motivated obstruction and that is a dangerous course to take," Baldwin said, adding she wasn't sure how Johnson would "feel about" a Supreme Court nomination made by GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump. Baldwin noted that she and Johnson have also signed their blue slips to advance Obama's nominee of Madison lawyer Donald K. Schott to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. The full Senate must still take up the nomination. "I will be working with Senator Johnson and others to see all nominations from this president get fair consideration," she said. Patrick McIlheran, a Johnson spokesman, said: "The senator is open to meeting with anyone, including Merrick Garland, but his view remains the same: Because Wisconsinites' Second Amendment right to bear arms and other fundamental liberties are at stake, he will continue doing his job as a constitutional check on presidential power, withholding consent until the American people have a voice through their votes this fall." We left the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan two weeks ago. A few days later, in Germany, I washed the dust of the camp from my clothes. There was so much of it. Every day, as I spoke to refugees and moved around the camp, the cuffs of my black pants faded beneath a coating the color of sandstone, the color of the landscape in that part of Jordan, northeast of Amman. Every day my Midwestern eyes adjusted to the scarcity of trees, or anything green. Every morning, I emerged from our van to the same claustrophobic view: narrow, muddy streets, walled-in by long rows of tiny, prefab caravans where the people live. The view of an outsider. Last month, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Mark Johnson and photojournalist Mark Hoffman followed a group of Wisconsin doctors, nurses and volunteers to a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. A deeper story about the experience of the group will be published in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, you can read daily blog posts and see photos and videos from the trip at Journey to Jordan Missing from such descriptions is the one word by which 80,000 Syrian refugees have come to know Zaatari, at least for now: Home. One by one, the members of the medical mission to Zaatari have been returning to Wisconsin after a week spent treating (or in my case interviewing) refugees of Syria's civil war. One by one, we've all been trying to process what we saw in Jordan the burly man hunched over sobbing as he recalled being tortured, the little girl treated for burns after being scalded by hot tea in a caravan she shares with nine people. The families whose homes were bombed to rubble in Syria. The ones who sell their monthly food supplies in Jordan for medicine and clothing. How do we square such things with life at home? "I'm feeling like I am living in two worlds," explained Thomas Chelimsky, a 59-year-old neurologist at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. "My home world 90% of the time. But when I consider the experience and the people of Jordan/Syria the other 10%, I feel like our larger world needs a deep fix. And I am lacking in the power to affect it as I would like. "I am grateful for peaceful Wisconsin, but have a desire to help people be free. I guess you could say that I feel a bit unsettled, that 10%." Chelimsky returned March 25, after four days of seeing patients in an examination room a little bigger than a handicapped bathroom. On the same day, a second member of the mission flew home, Stacey Volkman, a 36-year-old social worker from Froedtert. Much of her time was spent comforting and hugging the parents and children who came to the clinic run by the Syrian American Medical Society. Many of the families remained haunted by the violence they'd witnessed in their homeland. "I was asked if I felt like I helped, or if I felt like the trip was only a Band-Aid fix," Volkman said this week. "I believe our presence made a positive impact, and I feel at peace, no lingering regrets. Leaving Zaatari Mark Hoffman Tarif Bakdash led a medical mission from Milwaukee to the Zaatari refugee camp that is home to about 80,000 Syrians who have fled the civil war in their country. Photo Gallery: Leaving Zaatari "Now I am thinking about and planning what I can do next to further help. I also continue to feel a connection to the members of our team." Jennifer Nitschke-Thomas, a 27-year-old nurse with the Milwaukee Health Department, came home a couple of days after Volkman and Chelimsky. She found herself thinking about the friends she made in Jordan, but also about the inequities in the world. She thought hard about the difference between her comfortable hotel room in Amman and the meager homes of the refugees she met. "I've spent a lot of time wondering why five-star Crowne Plazas need to exist in a world where 10 people are living in a tin caravan years after fleeing from bombs," she said. "And consequently, I've felt overwhelmed by my material privilege, and have been reflecting on how to live as a more socially and environmentally conscientious individual on a daily basis." On April 1, the mission's organizer, Tarif Bakdash, set his bags down in his apartment in Brookfield. The 51-year-old Syrian-born neurologist had spent a week treating children and talking to doctors in Jordan, then had flown to Germany to hear the stories of the refugees who have settled there. He felt glad to be home, though the comfort of it reminded him of the countrymen he'd left behind. "It's a nice feeling to be back home," he said. "It feels comfortable. It feels safe. I wish the Syrians over there could feel the way I'm feeling to be back home. "There are millions of Syrians waiting for that feeling." This was Bakdash's second trip to Zaatari. Last April, he visited by himself, unsure what to expect. Back then, he'd been surprised at the narrow streets in the camp and the crowds who began waiting for him at the clinic as early as 4 or 5 in the morning, hours before it opened. As the leader of a mission this time, the doctor found himself worrying about the men and women who'd paid their way to accompany him. He worried about their safety. He worried, too, whether they would feel they had an impact on the refugees, despite the short time they had with each patient in the crowded clinic. "You want to feel like you flew 6,000 miles and spent all this money to get things done," he said. And they do. READ MORE International reporting for this project is supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. twitter.com/majohnso markjohnson@journalsentinel.com Inflation is a top issue for voters, but politicians' solutions could make things worse Voters have shifted their top priority from abortion to their wallets, but candidates are limited in what they can do about rising prices. Casey Blanche, roast master at Just Coffee Cooperative in Madison, surveys a batch of coffee to ensure it is roasting to specifications. Credit: Mike De Sisti By of the A warning for coffee workers in roasting factories and corner cafes across the country: keep your face away from the bins of roasted beans. That's the latest word from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is examining the health hazards faced by some 600,000 people nationwide who spend their days roasting, grinding, packaging and serving coffee. The agency is conducting tests at about a dozen facilities across the country in the wake of a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation that exposed how a naturally occurring chemical endangers coffee workers. The agency's first test results, from a midsize roasting facility in Wisconsin, found extremely high levels of two lung-destroying chemicals in the bins where roasted beans are stored. Investigators with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a research arm of the CDC, spent several days at Madison-based Just Coffee in July. Investigators tested personal air space and took air samples to measure the concentration of the chemicals diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. They also evaluated the company's ventilation and other operating systems. Diacetyl has been tied to the deadly lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans, more commonly known as "popcorn lung" for its association with the many illnesses suffered by microwave popcorn workers in the early 2000s. The chemical's molecular cousin, 2,3-pentanedione, has shown equal toxicity in animal studies. Both chemicals have been made synthetically to give a buttery flavor to all kinds of foods and beverages and have been deemed safe to ingest in trace amounts. Inhaling the compounds, however whether natural or synthetic can prove deadly. The tests at Just Coffee were the agency's first study of a coffee facility that does not used added flavors. The results underscore the risk faced by all coffee workers, not just those in facilities where artificial flavors are used. The two chemicals form when coffee beans are roasted and then are released into the air in greater concentrations when the beans are ground. Levels also build up as the beans "off gas" in the storage bins. NIOSH Director John Howard told the Journal Sentinel the issue is a priority for the agency. "There's a large number of workers and the harm is really severe," he said. Tests find alarming levels Last year, the Journal Sentinel hired an industrial hygienist to sample the air in the Just Coffee plant and another Wisconsin roastery. Both agreed to allow the news organization to test for the chemicals. Results showed levels at both facilities exceeded the government's safety recommendations, in some cases by nearly four times. Executives at Just Coffee then asked NIOSH to do a full health hazard evaluation to get a better idea of the scope of the problem and understand how to protect workers. NIOSH researchers found levels in three breathing-zone samples that exceeded the safety levels recommended by the CDC. The CDC has proposed that workers not be exposed to more than 5 parts per billion of diacetyl over an eight-hour work day during a 40-hour workweek. Results showed one Just Coffee roaster was exposed to more than 7 parts per billion. Researchers noted typical exposure levels could actually be worse depending on the time of the year. That's because the testing was done when two large bay doors on each end of the production space were open and accessory fans were being used to increase air flow. Had the bay doors at Just Coffee been closed as they usually are during colder months the level of contaminants could have been higher. NIOSH researchers went back to Just Coffee last month to do additional testing when the doors were closed and to conduct medical tests on the workers. Results from that visit are expected in the coming months. Scientists familiar with diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione say workers' exposures to short blasts of high levels are also of significant concern. NIOSH found diacetyl concentrations inside the bins where beans are stored reached as high as 7,000 parts per billion. NIOSH researchers note that those numbers do not reflect the levels inhaled by workers, though they cant say what those levels actually were. They didnt capture those concentrations when testing in July. But 7,000 parts per billion of diacetyl in the bins signals a danger zone for those opening the lids and scooping or pouring beans, they said. Thus the warning for workers to avoid sticking their heads in or hovering over the containers. "We certainly do think peak exposures are important because they happen throughout the day," said Rachel Bailey, a medical officer in NIOSH's respiratory health division. Bailey noted the results were the first among a dozen studies of coffee processing facilities now underway across the country. Future results will focus more on specific tasks workers complete such as opening bins and pouring beans and look for links between medical data and exposure sources. NIOSH researchers also warn that the storage bins can contain high levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, gases that in high enough concentrations can lead to serious illness and death. Two bins tested in the Just Coffee plant exceeded the agency's ceiling limit of 200 parts per million for carbon monoxide. Researchers cited a number of case studies from 2002 to 2013 of people being poisoned by carbon monoxide after roasting coffee in poorly ventilated areas. Exposure levels vary The degree of exposure in an establishment depends on a variety of factors such as ventilation, number and size of batches roasted, how much coffee is ground on site and what type of equipment is used. The test results highlight potential problems in production areas of commercial settings and cannot be applied to grinding and brewing coffee at home or sipping a cup in a cafe where grinding and roasting occurs. In interviews, CDC officials stressed the importance of employers testing the air to find out what the contaminant levels are in their production facilities. It's impossible to know by looking or even smelling. In addition, they said, employers should implement medical surveillance programs to monitor employee lung function. Damage from diacetyl can occur quickly though symptoms may emerge more gradually. One of the main indicators of a potential problem is shortness of breath, especially after exertion such as from climbing stairs. It is important that workers have baseline and regular lung function tests so any decline can be spotted early. Those with bronchiolitis obliterans are often initially misdiagnosed with asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema or pneumonia; or their symptoms are attributed to smoking, CDC experts say. Last year, five coffee roasters from cafes to midsize facilities agreed to share their medical tests with the Journal Sentinel and have the results reviewed by three doctors with experience in diacetyl-related illnesses. Of the five workers, four had lung tests or symptoms consistent with hazardous exposure to the chemical, according to the doctors. Further testing would be required for a diagnosis. Coffee workers with concerns about their health should alert their physicians to their occupation. The Journal Sentinel investigation also found that despite huge advances in medicine and data collection and analysis in recent decades, the nation's workplace-illness surveillance system remains incapable of detecting clusters of medical conditions related to specific jobs. Matt Earley, co-founder of Just Coffee, said the specialty coffee industry is quickly recognizing the potential hazards of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione and taking steps to protect workers. His company, for example, has improved ventilation and is looking for possible ways to mitigate exposure from the storage bins. "To me, it's a real opportunity for the industry to develop new technology and equipment that will take care of this," Earley said. So far, he said, the fixes have not been outrageously costly, adding that having NIOSH assess the work environment has been a help. "It's not at all like a punitive government agency coming in and saying 'we're shutting you down.' NIOSH is so appreciative of companies who are stepping up right now and helping them develop their standards and understanding of this. It's been really helpful to us. "You have to be proactive and willing to take the necessary steps to protect your workforce." Inspections available for coffee roasters The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health offers free health hazard evaluations. Phone: (800) CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) Email: HHERequestHelp@cdc.gov. Online:cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/. The national Occupational Safety and Health Administration also provides free consultation through state programs. Phone: Wisconsin businesses can call (800) 947-0553 (safety-related requests) or (608) 226-5240 (health-related requests) Online: Wisconsin businesses can find more information at slh.wisc.edu/occupational/wiscon/making-a-request/. Companies outside Wisconsin can find more information about programs in their state at www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Sanam Naraghi Anderlini | (Inter Press Service) | WASHINGTON DC, Apr 6 2016 (IPS) Violent extremism is the topic du jour, as government officials are busy developing plans of action on preventing or countering violent extremism (P/CVE). In these plans there is dutiful reference to engaging women. The more progressive mention gender sensitivity. But scratch the surface, and it is clear there is widespread misunderstanding of what this means or how to do it. So they tend to slide back into an age-old axiom: women are victims, perpetrators, or mothers. But this perception misses some of the most important women involved in P/CVE: women human rights defenders and peace activists working in Iraq, Pakistan, Syria not only countering extremism but providing positive alternatives and challenging state actions. The simplification of women to victims and perpetrators is akin to the virgin/prostitute dichotomy that has littered history for centuries. The Yazidi girls epitomize the horrendous victimhood of women, while the teenagers in the UK joining ISIS, and the girls implicated as Boko Haram suicide bombers, personify the perpetrator. It seems that, in the male-dominated world of security experts, men determine which women matter. Their real fascination is with the women fighters especially jihadis. They are either evil because they have transgressed unsaid but deeply riven norms of femininity and joined ISIS. Or they are the ultimate symbols of self-empowerment, brave enough to fight, and heroic, like the women in the Kurdish militias. Yet women becoming fighters is neither news nor shocking. Throughout history, a minority of women have joined armed liberation movements (and national armies). Like many men, they are attracted by the larger cause or vision, or for revenge and justice (as with some Kurds and now Yazidis), to feel the sense of belonging and protection. Daesh promises respect, agency and responsibility for women feeling stifled in traditional homes. There is little discussion of the complexity of womens experiences who may be simultaneously victims and perpetrators. For example, research on young women (many under 18) traveling to Syria, reveals a strong dose of online sexual grooming in the communications between them and their recruiters. The medias labeling of Boko Haram female suicide bombers obscures the fact that many are young girls, who may have been brain washed or had no power to stop bombs being strapped to their small bodies. Female victims are finally being recognized because it would be downright indecent if they were ignored. But as with victims everywhere, they are spoken about, but not given the chance to speak for themselves or provided with the necessary care to cope with the trauma or given the opportunity to continue with their lives. The results are plain to see. Some Yazidi girls were subjected to virginity tests by Kurdish authorities. Many are committing suicide. It is as if the label of rape victims is etched into their foreheads in perpetuity. Reference to mothers as the panacea against extremism is the latest trend. Mothers, we are told, wield enormous influence. They can hold back their children and inform the police. Their influence is indeed noticeable but they can wield it both directions. In Pakistan, for example, an extremist radio-sheikh railing against state corruption and sympathetic to womens concerns offered a vision of a purer Islamic society, and successfully targeted rural mothers, who sent their gold bangles to pay, and their boys to fight for the Taliban. Now policy makers in Washington, London, Baghdad and New York want to mobilize an army of mothers to fight their cause. But they want mothers who do not challenge them. The motherhood paradigm packages women in apolitical and non-threatening ways according to traditional, and even biological norms of femininity it is the image of the lioness protecting her cubs. Of course there is overlap between the concerns of parents and those of the state. But by pressing them to act as frontline whistleblowers, governments are using women. As one Iraqi woman notes, the government wants women to mop up their mess. Not surprisingly from England to Iraq, many mothers find the overtures of governments offensive. The simplification of women, excludes one critical group: women who become civic activists fighting for rights, peace and justice. They may be mothers, but their motivations and actions are not limited to their own children. They understand that extremism is growing because of deeper socio-economic and political problems. They see firsthand, how poor governance and state oppression fuel grievances and radicalization, especially when moderate civic activism and dissent are quashed. They also know that simply countering extremism is not enough: What is needed is a positive alternative to address the grievances and aspirations of those most vulnerable to the lure of extremist movements. From Pakistan to Nigeria, they are doing it. Many are working in their communities, developing tailored approaches to engage youth and religious leaders, not just women. They address the wider ecosystem, combining religious teachings rooted in co-existence and non-violence, critical thinking, economic skills and socio-cultural activities. Among young men, they generate a sense of personal pride, offer belonging to groups that contribute to improving their community. Women activists also understand the interconnectivity between the local, national and international levels. They provide acute analysis and uncomfortable truths of the impact of Western military policies on their communities. They bear witness to the consequences good and bad- of US and European training of their police and military forces. They have the courage to criticize bad national and international policies, and the creativity to offer an alternative vision for their societies. In fighting for their vision, they put themselves at profound risk. As the Iraqi woman notes, When we try to mobilize civilians to hold the state accountable or transform our communities, the government accuses us of regime change. Do womens peace and rights activists raise uncomfortable truths? Of course they do; because they are committed to eradicating the intolerance and violence in their communities whether it is perpetrated by non-state extremists or by states. They are in it for the long haul, for a simple reason: The threats they face are existential to their way of life. The international community stands at an important juncture. As the P/CVE action plans and policies are being developed, policymakers can limit them to victims, perpetrators or mothers, or they can recognize the agency, vision, and leadership of women who are courageously taking a stand against these ideologies. This would require not only listening to women, but also heeding their advice gleaned from the experience of working and living in their own communities for decades. For many policy makers, this may be just too threatening. Sanam Naraghi Anderlini is co-Founder & Executive Director, International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) Licensed from Inter Press Service - Related video added by Juan Cole: CNN: KURDISH WOMEN ON FRONT LINES AGAINST ISIS Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Bernie Sanders is being attacked for comments on the Middle East in his interview with the editorial board of The New York Daily News, but all he did was restate current US government policy. What is remarkable is that Sanders dared just, like, criticize Israeli policy toward the Palestinians as involving illegal squatter settlements and disproportionate use of force. Everyone knows these things, but I cant recall another presidential candidate who said them outright during a campaign. This is because although they are a small minority, Jewish Americans form a swing vote in some key states like Florida, and they are unusually generous in donating to political campaigns. And politicians assume that Jewish Americans are looking for unvarnished praise of Israel. But while arch-conservative pro-Israel lobbies like AIPAC may never want to hear a discouraging word, Jewish Americans (most of them political liberals and leftists) are deeply divided on the far-right Likud government of PM Binyamin Netanyahu, and Sen. Sanders is well aware of this. Besides, his crowd-sourced funding model means he does not need the donations of billionaire American Likudniks. You have to wonder whether Sanders is not making a historic breakthrough in American discourse on Israeli policy. It is just a few inches to the left, but it is unprecedented in a mainstream presidential campaign (and he still had to recite the mantra of Israels right to exist and point out that he has family there as if those were relevant to the main issue of Occupation). Here are the points he made: 1. ISIL must be defeated, and defeated primarily by Muslim powers in the region without involving the US in a land war. (This is more or less President Obamas position, contrasting with the positions of Sec. Clinton, Sen. Cruz and of Trump on every other day). 2. Hamas is a terrorist organization that uses indiscriminate force in its rocket attacks on Israel. 3. Hizbullah in Lebanon is a terrorist organization. (That is the US State Department position). 4. Israeli settlements on the Palestinian West Bank are illegal (this is the Geneva Convention of 1949, which he rightly says is an international treaty) 5. Israels assaults on trapped little Gaza have involved unacceptably high civilian casualties. He said he didnt remember the number in the last attack on Gaza but thought it might be as high as 10,000. He is being attacked for this number, but he said specifically he didnt remember the number, so obviously he meant to say the casualties were in the thousands. An editor looked it up on his smartphone and corrected it to 2,400. Sen. Sanders did not demur. Israels Operation Protective Edge against Gaza probably killed 2,191 Palestinians, and the vast majority of them were civilians. Indeed, about 400 appear to have been children. Israels 2008-9 Operation Cast Lead against Gaza killed around 1400, again mostly civilians. But the Israeli peace organization BTselem estimates that from the year 2000 until just before the last Gaza assault, Israel had killed nearly 10,000 Palestinians [9,271], so that may be why that number stuck in Sen. Sanders mind. So the total since 2000 is over 11,000, though not all of those were non-combatants. A Combatant is anyway hard to define in conditions of foreign military occupation are 8 year olds throwing stones combatants? By the way, just in the years 2000-2008, the Palestinian Red Crescent counted 33,000 Palestinians wounded, so the issue of disproportionate force extends beyond just deaths. And, of the over 11,000 Palestinians killed, about 2,000 were children. In the same period, BTselem says that 1217 Israelis were killed by Palestinians (one would have to add a few dozen more, all soldiers save for 6, during the invasion of Gaza). Thus, since 2000 Israelis have typically killed about 10 Palestinians for every Israeli killed if we accept the BTselem count, which may undercount Palestinian deaths according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. So Sen. Sanders point is correct about disproportionate force. He he himself was not giving an exact casualty count. Nothing he said was actually controversial or departed in any way from the current positions of the US government. Related video: Sanders Outlines Middle East Policy Reddit Email 0 Shares Human Rights Watch | (Beirut) The extremist armed group Islamic State should urgently release Yezidi women and girls they abducted in 2014, Human Rights Watch said today, following new research with recent escapees who were raped and traded between members before they fled. [The so-called] Islamic State (also known as ISIS) also routinely imposes abusive restrictions on other Iraqi women and girls and severely limits their freedom of movement and access to health care and education in areas under its control, Human Rights Watch said today. In January and February 2016, Human Rights Watch interviewed 21 Sunni Muslim Arab women from the Hawija area of Iraq and 15 women and girls from the Yezidi minority ethnic group, all of whom had fled ISIS-controlled areas, most in late 2015. Several of the Yezidis, abducted by ISIS in mid-2014, had spent more than a year in captivity. They described being forcibly converted to Islam, kept in sexual slavery, bought and sold in slave markets, and passed among as many as four ISIS members. Human Rights Watch first documented systematic rape of Yezidi women and girls in early 2015. The longer they are held by ISIS, the more horrific life becomes for Yezidi women, bought and sold, brutally raped, their children torn from them, said Skye Wheeler, womens rights emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. Meanwhile, ISISs restrictions on Sunni women cut them off from normal life and services almost entirely. The Sunni women Human Rights Watch interviewed had fled areas under ISIS control since June 2014 in western Kirkuk governorate and had arrived in areas controlled by forces of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). All of the Sunni women and girls reported severe restrictions on their clothing and freedom of movement in ISIS-controlled areas. They said they were only allowed to leave their houses dressed in full face veil (niqab) and accompanied by a close male relative. These rules, enforced by beating or fines on male family members or both, isolated women from family, friends, and public life. The longer they are held by ISIS, the more horrific life becomes for Yezidi women, bought and sold, brutally raped, their children torn from them. Meanwhile, ISISs restrictions on Sunni women cut them off from normal life and services almost entirely. Families living under ISIS also face intensified suffering from escalating food prices and cash shortages, especially since Iraqs government stopped sending civil service salaries to ISIS-controlled areas in mid-2015. They also live in fear of airstrikes by United States-led coalition and Iraqi government forces. Those interviewed said the combination of food shortages, fear of airstrikes, and abuse by ISIS led them to flee. Eleven of those interviewed reported restricted access to health care or education because of discriminatory ISIS policies, including rules limiting male doctors from touching, seeing, or being alone with female patients. In more rural areas, ISIS has banned girls from attending school. ISIS fighters and female ISIS morality police hit, bit, or poked women with metal prongs to keep them in line, making them afraid to try to get services they needed. Airstrikes on health and education facilities where ISIS fighters were present also made women afraid to use these facilities. Women cited the September 2014 bombing of Hawija hospital, by Iraqi government forces according to news sources, and the June 2015 bombing of a market in Hawija by coalition forces, both of which allegedly killed large numbers of civilians, as well as smaller attacks. Some women said they felt deeply humiliated by their treatment by ISIS, and two said they felt so depressed they had wanted to kill themselves. KRG officials say that ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria continue to hold about 1,800 abducted Yezidi women and girls. Human Rights Watch has not been able to confirm these figures, but the United Nations has cited allegations, based on Yezidi officials estimates, that as many as 3,500 people remained in ISIS captivity as of October 2015. Many of the abuses, including torture, sexual slavery, and arbitrary detention, would be war crimes if committed in the context of the armed conflict, or crimes against humanity if they were part of ISIS policy during a systematic or widespread attack on the civilian population. The UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in March 2015 that ISIS may have committed genocide against the Yezidi. Although Iraq is not a party to the 1948 Genocide Convention, its provisions are widely recognized as reflecting customary international law. The Genocide Convention prohibits killings and other acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. The abuses against Yezidi women and girls documented by Human Rights Watch, including the practice of abducting women and girls and forcibly converting them to Islam and/or forcibly marrying them to ISIS members, may be part of a genocide against Yezidis. Women also reported ISIS members taking their children from them, physically abusing their children, and forcing them to pray or take Islamic names. Iraq has not joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) but should do so to allow the courts prosecutor to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide committed in Iraq by individuals belonging to any of the parties to the conflict. The authorities could give the court jurisdiction over serious crimes committed in Iraq since the day the ICC treaty entered into force, on July 1, 2002. The ICC has jurisdiction over serious crimes committed by the nationals of, or in the territory of, countries that are members of the court. Small numbers of Yezidi women and girls continue to escape ISIS, according to KRG officials and nongovernmental organizations working with this population. Human Rights Watch interviewed 15 Yezidi women and girls, including seven who ISIS had kept in captivity for more than a year and four who had escaped in December 2015 or January 2016. The women and girls said ISIS bought and sold them repeatedly, often raped them, sometimes confined them in rooms for days, humiliated them, and beat their children or took away their children. Noor,16, said an ISIS fighter raped her multiple times during two months in captivity. Deeply traumatized, she is one of the few Yezidi girls getting regular psychosocial treatment. 2015 Rothna Begum/Human Rights Watch The Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish governments and international donors should ensure adequate support services, including comprehensive, long-term psychosocial support for those who have escaped. Some services also have been provided for women who became pregnant during their captivity, but safe and legal abortion services are not available. The Iraqi national parliament and Kurdistans regional parliament should amend laws at least to allow safe and legal abortions for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence and who wish to terminate their pregnancies. A range of mental health and psychosocial services have been provided by the KRG, UN agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. But because there are not enough services or expenses are too great for some Yezidi families, or distance, lack of understanding about psychosocial support, or ambiguous feelings about getting support and stigma over rape and mental health, only one of the Yezidi women and girls Human Rights Watch spoke to was receiving any sustained psychosocial support or mental health care. ISIS attacks on women and girls, especially Yezidis, have created a new and terrifying crisis for women and girls in the region, Wheeler said. One way Iraqs government can help these women is to change its laws and policies to better protect all women who have been subjected to rape. All Sunni women and girls interviewed by Human Rights Watch who fled the ISIS-controlled Hawija area to nearby areas under the control of KRG forces said they have subsequently faced further restrictions on their freedom of movement. After screening the women close to the frontlines, they said that KRG forces forcibly moved families, and some women and children traveling without a male companion, to the Nazrawa internally displaced persons camp, east of Kirkuk city. In at least five cases, families said they wanted to live elsewhere but were refused and five other women interviewed said that they had no choice but to go to the camp. Human Rights Watch found no indication that any of the women interviewed were under suspicion for any crime or security threat. The women said that KRG forces guarding the camp have also held identity documents, restricting residents freedom of movement through checkpoints outside the camp that require identity documents, and requiring them to return if they leave the camp. In at least three cases women said this has obstructed them from getting adequate health care. Human Rights Watch appreciates that the KRG has welcomed hundreds of thousands of displaced Iraqis from elsewhere to reside for their protection in the Kurdistan region. However, practices that amount to forcing displaced people to stay in a camp would contravene the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which state that citizens of a country have freedom of movement and the right to live where they wish and are protected from being interned in or confined to a camp. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which operates the Nazrawa camp, has asked Kurdistan authorities to remove restrictions. UNHCR has said the restrictions are imposed in a manner disproportionate to any legitimate concern, including those related to security. Human Rights Watch wrote to the KRG on March 7, 2016, regarding these and other allegations. The governments initial response of March 26, 2016, stated with respect to Kirkuk frontlines that for security reasons, some segments of the local Arab citizenry whose homes and villages were located on the frontlines [a conflict zone] have been temporarily relocated to camps which are protected by Peshmerga forces. This precaution has been taken in the interests of these citizens as it ensures no harm can befall them by the ISIS terrorist group. The response further stated: After the liberation of the village of Kharaba Rotah [Kharabaroot a short distance east of Malha] in Hawija district, 520 Arab families moved to secure areas under the control of Peshmerga forces. The KRG also said that they had removed families from Malha in order to protect them, but did not say why KRG forces had confined families in Malha for several weeks before moving them. Families forcibly moved from the Malha area to Nazrawa camp did not indicate to Human Rights Watch that they had felt themselves to be under threat from ISIS attacks in Malha. The Kurdish Regional Government also informed Human Rights Watch that KRG President Massoud Barzani issued Order No. 3 in March 2016, which stipulates, among other provisions: 4. No civilian should be transferred from his original place of residence in areas liberated by Peshmerga forces without sufficient legal or military rationale/justification. 5. The free movement of civilians in liberated areas is non-restricted within the framework of security and military regulations held in the Kurdistan Region. The exception to this is areas which are located immediately on the frontlines between Peshmerga forces and IS fighters. 6. International principles of human rights and humanitarian law must be observed with regards to civilians in areas located on the frontlines. Human Rights Watch welcomes the response of the KRG and President Barzanis order to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law issued to Peshmerga forces. Residents of Nazrawa camp, a long distance from the frontline in Kirkuk governorate, which is outside the Kurdistan Region of Iraq formally under the KRG, should have freedom of movement and residence. No restrictions other than those necessary to protect civilians in conflict should be placed on their freedom of movement and residence, Human Rights Watch said. Women fleeing abuses should not then face further restrictions on their mobility and their right to live where they want in their own country, Wheeler said. KRG security forces should abide by the presidential order government and stop placing restrictions on civilians who have escaped from ISIS control. . . . Read the rest at Human Rights Watch - Related video added by Juan Cole: Ruptly TV: Greece: Former IS sex slave Nadia Murad visits Idomeni refugee camp Reddit Email 2 Shares By IMEMC | About 2,070 Palestinian children have been killed, and more 13,000 injured since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, until this past March, official sources have reported, according to Al Ray. Israeli occupation forces detained more than 12,000 Palestinian children since 2000, while nearly 480 children are still languishing in Israeli prisons. Of them, almost 95% were severely tortured and beaten during the arrest campaign and interrogations intervals, a press statement issued by the Ministry of Information stated. The statement added that Israeli forces annually detain nearly 700 children from different districts, under the pretext of throwing stones at the Israeli troops and settlers, adding to the Israeli violations which Palestinian students face at Israeli checkpoints centered on the entrances of cities and camps. Moreover, the problems of rampant poverty directly reflect their impact on children, especially in the Gaza Strip, with the economic siege having been imposed for nearly ten years, now. The regression of the economic situation has prompted many Palestinian children to leave school for work, where the percentage of the children aged 10-17 enrolled in the labor market amounted to about 4.1 %, according to Palestinian Central Bureau of Statics. The statement also explained that 85% of children in Jerusalem live below the poverty line. According to the Association for Civil Rights, the number of East Jerusalem residents is 371,844 Palestinians, 79% of them live below the poverty line, as a result of the harsh policies and measures of the Israeli occupation against them. The school dropout rate amounted to 40% in Jerusalem schools, while the city suffers from a lack of maternal and child health centers, since there are only four places compared to western Jerusalem, where there are 25 centers in the care of children. Via IMEMC Related video added by Juan Cole: Press TV: Israel sentences 7 Palestinian children to prison Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 7, 2016) - Golden Dawn Minerals Inc., (TSXV: GOM) (FSE: 3G8A) (the "Company" or "Golden Dawn") announces the results of an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 on the Greenwood Gold Project, located in the Greenwood Mining Division, South Central British Columbia, 500 km east of Vancouver, Canada. Golden Dawn and Huakan International Mining Inc. ("Huakan") previously signed a binding letter of intent to enter into an option agreement whereby Golden Dawn can acquire 100% of the project. The PEA indicates a very positive, rapid pay-back, 5-year underground mining project at near current gold prices. The PEA was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc.("P&E") under the direction of Eugene Puritch, P.Eng. with contributions from Frank Wright, P.Eng. At a gold-price of US $1,250/oz and copper price of US $3.00 per pound using an exchange rate of C $1.00 equal US $0.82, the project generates a pre-tax net present value (NPV) of C $32.5 million at a 6% discount rate, and yields an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 72.6% . The mines are projected to produce 104,000 gold equivalent ounces over five years at an all-in life of mine sustaining cash cost of US $820 per ounce of gold. The PEA envisages an owner-operated, 5-year underground mine project encompassing two deposits: the Lexington-Grenoble containing 356,000 tonnes of mill feed at an average diluted grade of 5.48 grams/tonne gold (g/t Au) and 0.90% (Cu), and the Golden Crown with 191,000 tonnes at an average diluted grade of 8.67 g/t Au and 0.48% Cu. The PEA study incorporates expanding the existing 200 tonnes per day (tpd) mill to 400 tpd after the first year of operation. Annual gold production is projected to be 27,000 gold equivalent ounces at the expanded 400 tpd rate. Golden Dawn regards this project as essentially de-risked for the following reasons: 91% of the resource is categorized as Measured and Indicated Permits exist for mining and processing Infrastructure is in place and intact, including mining equipment, processing plant and tailings facility Minimal pre-production development required to commence mine production Golden Dawn remains confident that additional nearby resources can be identified. The PEA study outlines opportunities to further enhance economics (see below). The current mineral resource at the Lexington-Grenoble deposit remains open along trend and possible parallel zones are indicated. At the Golden Crown deposit, the main King vein is potentially open at depth and several untested gold in soil anomalies remain to be evaluated over a 4km strike length on the property. There are also known satellite deposits in the region that can be considered once operations are re-established. PEA HIGHLIGHTS (all amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated; base case is stated using a gold price of US $1,250 per ounce and an exchange rate of C $1.00 equal US $0.82: NPV of C $32.5 million at a 6% discount rate and an IRR of 72.6% before taxes and mining duties. NPV of C $23.2 million at a 6% discount rate and an IRR of 61.5% after taxes and mining duties Mine life of 5 years with peak production of 27,000 Au Eq ounces per annum (Years 3 and 4) and Life of Mine (LOM) production of 104,000 Au Eq ounces of gold Average metallurgical recoveries of 86% for gold and 87.5% for copper at Lexington-Grenoble, and 70% for gold and 82% for copper at the Golden Crown deposit. 356,000 tonnes at an average diluted grade of 5.48 g/t gold and 0.90 % copper to be mined from the Lexington-Grenoble deposit, and 191,000 tonnes at an average diluted grade of 8.67 g/t gold and 0.48 % copper to be mined from the Golden Crown deposit. All-in sustaining costs of US $820/oz (including royalties) for LOM, generating an Operating margin of US $430/oz. Initial capital costs of C $9.6 million (including a 15% contingency) Payback of 1.9 years pre-tax and post-tax Gross Revenue of C $157.8 million and Operating Cash-flow of C $44.7 million GOM believes that with additional exploration, delineation drilling and project engineering, the project will be further enhanced. P&E Mining Consultants Inc. was engaged by Golden Dawn to produce an updated independent Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Greenwood Gold Project. A technical report following the guidelines of the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 will be filed on SEDAR and on the Company website within 45 days of this news release. This PEA is based upon recently updated resource estimates of the Lexington-Grenoble and Golden Crown Deposits. The Greenwood Gold Project has an IRR of 72.6% and an NPV of C $32.5 million (Pre-Tax) at a discount rate of 6 percent, based on gold and copper metal prices of US $1,250 per ounce Au and US$3.00 per pound copper prices and exchange rate of C $1.00 = US $0.82 USD. Smelting, refining, and royalty costs per tonne mined were C $5.92 per tonne and site operating costs of C $145.70 per tonne, for total operating costs of C $151.62 per tonne. Preproduction capital expenditures are estimated at C $9.6 million with a projected payback of 1.9 years. Site operating costs are estimated at US $631 per gold equivalent ounce and total cash operating costs are estimated at US $820 per gold equivalent ounce. The operating and mine production plan is initially at the rate of 200 tonnes per day (72,000 tonnes per annum) for the first twelve months of operation and expanded to 400 tonnes per day (144,000 tonnes per annum) in the second year of operation following a permitting process to expand the Lexington-Grenoble Mine and Greenwood mill and tailings facility to the higher rate and permit Golden Crown for production and acceptance into the tailings facility. The operation is anticipated to sustain a mine life of five years based on the Lexington-Grenoble Mine and Golden Crown resources. Mine life could be extended several years as resources are added from exploration success on the conceptual mineralized targets at the Lexington-Grenoble and Golden Crown Mines and other nearby deposits. A central mill and tailings facility exist on the Golden Crown Property located 1.5 km from the Golden Crown Deposit. The mill is designed to use conventional crushing, grinding, gravity and flotation to produce both dore and a gold-rich copper concentrate. It is expected that fifty percent of the gold will be recovered by gravity with the balance in the copper concentrate. The reader is advised that the PEA summarized in this press release is intended to provide an initial, high-level review of the project potential and design options. The PEA mine plan and economic model include the use of Inferred resources. Inferred resources are considered to be too speculative to be used in an economic analysis except as allowed for by Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) in PEA studies. There has been insufficient exploration to define the inferred resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future. PEA Summary (Reported in 2016 Canadian $, except where noted) Total Material Mined (tonnes) 547,000 Average Diluted Grade of Material (g/t Au) 6.59 Average Diluted Grade of Material (% Cu) 0.76 Total Gold Contained (oz.) 116,000 Total Produced Au Eq oz. * 104,000 Gold Recovery (%) Lexington-Grenoble/Golden Crown 86% / 70% Copper Recovery (%) Lexington-Grenoble/Golden Crown 87.5% / 82% Total Initial Capital Cost (including 15% contingency)** $9.6 million Sustaining Capital (including 15% contingency) $23.9 million Total Life of Mine Capital (including 15% contingency) $33.5 million * gold equivalent grade equal = Au g/t + (1.65x Cu %) ** Initial Capital includes acquisition cost of $C2.9 million Unit Operating Costs (per tonne mined and milled) $C 200 TPD 400TPD Mining (Lexington-Grenoble/Golden Crown) $76.54/$99.84 $69.03/$92.33 Ore Transportation (Lexington-Grenoble/Golden Crown) $2.50/$0.68 $2.50/$0.68 Sustaining Mine Development $14.17 $14.17 Processing (200/400 tpd) $44.31 $27.59 General & Administrative $31.39 $15.69 Total Operating Cost/tonne (Lexington-Grenoble/Golden Crown) $168.91/$190.39 $128.98/$150.46 Summary Economics at US$1,250/oz. Gold: Total LOM Pre-Tax Cash Flow (C$M) $44.7 Discount Rate 6% Pre-Tax NPV (C$M) $32.5 Pre-Tax IRR 72.6% Pre-Tax Payback (Yrs) 1.9 Total LOM After-Tax Cash Flow (C$M) $32.2 After-Tax NPV (C$M) $23.3 After-Tax IRR 61.5% After-Tax Payback (Yrs) 1.9 US $* C $ LOM Cash Cost ($/oz) (OPEX ONLY) $631 $769 LOM Cash Cost Incl. OPEX and CAPEX ($/oz)** $820 $1,000 *Exchange rate of C $1.00 equal US $0.82 was used. Gold Price Sensitivity Gold Price US$/oz $1,150 $1,250 $1,350 After-Tax IRR 47.4% 61.5% 74.7% After-Tax NPV M$CDN $16.7 $23.2 $29.0 Opportunities to Enhance Value Future studies are anticipated to evaluate alternate development scenarios that would be used to enhance the grade delivered and recovered. These studies include pre-concentration, contract mining, controlled long hole mining, mine equipment leasing, and resource expansion. Both deposits have high potential for resource expansion. The Lexington-Grenoble deposit remains open along strike and may contain parallel zones. On the Golden Crown, priority gold in soil anomalies outside and nearby the current resource remain to be drill-tested. PEA DETAILS Mineral Resources: The PEA is based on a Mineral Resource Estimate recently completed by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (see table below). The Lexington-Grenoble Property resource is based on a drilling database comprised of 84 percussion and 552 diamond drill holes, totalling 45,817 m of drilling by various companies. Additionally, a total of 54,237 tonnes of ore were mined from the underground Lexington-Grenoble Mine by Merit Mining Corp. from April to December 2008 and processed through the Greenwood gravity-flotation plant, producing 5,486 ounces gold, 3,247 ounces silver and 860,259 pounds of copper. Since then, the mine has ceased to operate due to low metal prices and has been kept on care and maintenance. The Golden Crown Property drilling totalled 19,016 m in 289 diamond drill holes, done since 1968 by various groups, focussed on the vein system comprising the Golden Crown Mineral Resource Estimate. For further details, see the press release of March 24, 2016 and the subsequent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report. LEXINGTON-GRENOBLE DEPOSIT UPDATED MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE Cut-Off 3.50 g/t AuEq Classification Tonnes Au g/t Cu % AuEq g/t AuEq oz Measured 58,000 6.98 1.10 8.63 16,100 Indicated 314,000 6.38 1.04 7.94 80,200 Measured & Indicated 372,000 6.47 1.05 8.05 96,300 Inferred 12,000 4.42 1.03 5.96 2,300 GOLDEN CROWN DEPOSIT UPDATED MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE Cut-Off 3.50 g/t AuEq Classification Tonnes Au g/t Cu % AuEq g/t AuEq oz Indicated 163,000 11.09 0.56 11.93 62,500 Inferred 42,000 9.04 0.43 9.68 13,100 1) Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. It is noted that no specific issues have been identified as yet. (2) The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as an Indicated or Measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured mineral resource category. (3) The mineral resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council. (4) The 3.5 g/t AuEq resource cut-off grade was derived from the approximate Jan 31/16 two year trailing average Au price of US$1,200/oz and Cu price of US$2.75/lb,US$ /C$ exchange rate of 0.83, 90% & 85% respective Au and Cu process recoveries, C$35/t process cost,C$75/t mining cost and C$30/t G&A cost. AuEq g/t = Au g/t + (Cu% x 1.5). (5) Effective date of the resource estimate is March 24, 2016. Capital and Operating Costs Summary: Capital Costs Pre-Prod (C$000) Sust/Clsr (C$000) Total (C$000) Capitalized Mine Development $600 $19,608 $20,208 Permitting & Engineering $200 $0.0 $200 Site $1,180 $0.0 $1,180 Mining Equipment (incl. 15% contingency) $7,652 $5,920 $13,572 Salvage -$2,000 -$2,000 Closure (incl. 30% contingency) $0.0 $350 $350 Total Capital Costs $9,632 $23,878 $33,510 Project Infrastructure and Indirects The project envisions the following key items to support re-starting and expansion of the existing mine and process facilities: De-watering of the Lexington-Grenoble Mine Purchase and refurbish existing underground mining equipment Raise tailings dam and/or possible installation of dry stack tailings system Refurbish crusher and mill Install additional ball mill The initial pre-production capital cost is C $9.6 million and the LOM sustaining capital cost is C $23.9 million to be spent after the pre-production period. The General and Administrative operating costs are estimated to be approximately C $2.3 million per year. Environment, Reclamation and Stakeholder Engagement Comprehensive environmental baseline studies were conducted by Huakan/Merit Mining Corp. for the Lexington-Grenoble Property in advance of the original permitting of the mine. Huakan continues to monitor the Lexington-Grenoble site for waste rock dump stability and surface water quality, as well as complying with required annual reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mines for the mine site. Huakan maintains a C $215,000 bond with the government of British Columbia in safekeeping for the costs of reclaiming the mine site and area upon closure. Huakan also maintains 24/7 security at the Greenwood (Zip) Mill and tailing facility as part of the Care and Maintenance for the site. Huakan continues to monitor the mill and tailings site weekly for tailings impoundment stability, water management and surface water quality, and submits an annual Reclamation Report to the Ministry of Energy and Mines for the site. Huakan also submits annual Dam Safety Inspection reports and in 2015 a Dam Safety Review Report, documenting the condition and monitoring of the impoundment. Huakan maintains a C $235,000 bond with the government of British Columbia in safekeeping for the costs of reclaiming the mill and tailings facility and area upon closure. Concurrent with the permitting Merit Mining conducted consultation with the Osoyoos Indian Band. This consultation culminated in Merit signing an Impacts and Benefits Agreement with the Osoyoos Indian Band in May 2008. First Nation consultation and engagement would resume. Golden dawn is committed to working with stakeholders to ensure that concerns are addressed. A closure and reclamation plan will be prepared for the project proposal submission. Upon acquisition, financial assurance in the amount of C $450,000 must be paid to Huakan for the funds already posted for closure and reclamation works. In the PEA, the estimate for the ultimate closure cost is estimated at $800,000, including a 30% contingency, and is based on the owner-operator closing the mine and completing the reclamation activities. PEA CONTRIBUTORS P&E Mining Consultants Inc., Lead Author, Overall Mine and Project Design, Resource Estimation Frank Wright, P.Eng. Metallurgical Consultant Qualified Persons Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., Chief Operating Officer, is the Company's designated QP for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and validated that the information contained in the release is consistent with that provided by the QPs responsible for the PEA. Technical disclosure in this news release has also been reviewed and approved by Mr. Eugene Puritch, P.Eng. of P&E Mining Consultants Inc, an Independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. A National Instrument 43-101 PEA technical report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release. On behalf of the Board of Directors: GOLDEN DAWN MINERALS INC. "Wolf Wiese" Wolf Wiese Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications 604-221-8936 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CERTAIN FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS WHICH INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, DELAYS, AND UNCERTAINTIES NOT UNDER THE COMPANY'S CONTROL WHICH MAY CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE, OR ACHIEVEMENTS IMPLIED BY THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. WE SEEK SAFE HARBOR. Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - April 7, 2016 - Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv: CCE, FSE: D7H, OTCQX: CMRZF) (the Company or Commerce) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NorFalco Sales (NorFalco), a division of Glencore Canada Corporation. Under the terms of the MOU, the Company agrees that NorFalco will be the sole provider of the sulphuric acid required for the Ashram Project, at highly competitive market rates and terms. The agreement is binding and is subject to an initial 5 year term and may be re-negotiated thereafter. Company President Chris Grove states, We are very excited to be working with NorFalco, an industry leader in marketing, trading, and distribution of sulphuric acid. This agreement is a significant first step in what we expect to be a meaningful ongoing supply relationship with NorFalco. The nature of this agreement today is that it is a benefit to the Ashram Project with favourable pricing for one of the largest project consumables. We look forward to working with NorFalco . The information outlined in this news release will be incorporated, along with other necessary technical data including geological and engineering studies, into the ongoing Pre-feasibility Study, with costs and benefits to be described in more detail therein. NI 43-101 Disclosure Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geol., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About the Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit The Ashram Rare Earth Element (REE) Deposit is located in Nunavik, north-eastern Quebec. The Deposit has a measured resource of 1.6 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.77% TREO, an indicated resource of 27.7 Mt at 1.90% TREO, and an inferred resource of 219.8 Mt at 1.88% TREO. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The REEs at Ashram occur primarily in the mineral monazite and to a lesser extent in bastnaesite and xenotime. These minerals dominate the currently known commercial extraction processes for rare earths. The Ashram Deposit mineralization has an REE distribution with enrichment in the critical and magnet feed REEs (Nd, Pr, Eu, Tb, Dy, and Y). A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) was completed by SGS-Geostat of Montreal (Blainville) with an effective date of July 5, 2012 (revised date of January 7, 2015). The PEA is based on a 4,000 tonne per day open-pit operation with an initial 25-year mine life, a pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of $2.32 billion at a 10% discount rate, a pre-tax/pre-finance Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 44%, and a pre-tax/pre-finance payback period of 2.25 years. This economic assessment is by definition preliminary in nature and it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The current Ashram Technical Report dated January 7, 2015 explains why no after-tax case is included, and that a combined tax rate of around 32.5% may apply to production. About Norfalco NorFalco is one of North America's largest traders of sulfuric acid, responsible for the marketing and distribution of about 2 million tonnes per year. Through parent company Glencore, NorFalco has exclusive access to sulfuric acid production from four major North American production facilities and to an unrivaled global sulfuric acid supply and trading network. Additionally, NorFalco has offtake agreements with several other Producers outside of the Glencore group. Norfalcos fully integrated distribution network, comprising of rail cars, trucks, barges, vessels, trans-load terminals and import terminals, is one the most expansive and reliable networks in North America. These production, marketing, and distribution strengths help ensure excellent reliability to a diverse range of consumers across more than 20 different industries. The company is a Responsible Care company with the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada. NorFalco is committed to delivering "More than H2SO4 ". This means delivering customer solutions that make it easy to order, receive and use sulfuric acid in a safe and reliable manner. About Commerce Resources Corp. Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company with a particular focus on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development of its Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Quebec and the Upper Fir Tantalum and Niobium Deposit in British Columbia. For more information please visit the corporate website at http://www.commerceresources.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.484.2700 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . On Behalf of the Board of Directors COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. Chris Grove Chris Grove President Tel: 604.484.2700 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For example forward looking statements in this press release include that NorFalco will provide sulphuric acid to the Ashram Project as the mineral reserves have not demonstrated economic viability at this stage. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on current data that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. [JURIST] The French Parliament [official website] on Wednesday passed legislation which will make it illegal to pay for sex within the nation. The new law will punish those who solicit prostitutes by issuing fines and ordering the completion of mandatory classes about the harmful effects of prostitution. It is reported that the fine [AP report] for the first offence will be 1,500 euros and 3,750 euros for the second. The new law against prostitution was passed with 64 votes in favor and 12 votes abstained. The bill was initially introduced in 2013 but the vote has been delayed for several years due to numerous hearings on the proposed legislation. Other countries have also attempted to outlaw portions of the prostitution trade. Last week, the Constitutional Court of South Korea [official website] upheld [JURIST report] a law that punishes individual sex workers. The South Korean high court called prostitution violent and exploitative in nature, and that it therefore could not be non-coercive. In September 2010 the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (OSCJ) [official website] struck down [JURIST report] several provisions of Canadas anti-prostitution laws, citing the danger they generate for sex workers. In Canada, prostitution itself is legal even though many ancillary acts are not. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada [official website] agreed to review a British Columbia Court of Appeal [official website] decision allowing a challenge [JURIST report] to the countrys anti-prostitution laws. In November 2009, the Constitutional Court [official website, Taiwanese] of Taiwan ruled that a law penalizing prostitutes [JURIST report] and not their clients was unconstitutional because it undermined equality under the countrys constitution. [JURIST] The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court [official website] on Tuesday ordered the legislature [official website] to commence impeachment proceedings against Vice President Michel Temer. Judge Marco Aurelio Mello overruled [BBC report] a previous rejection from a high ranking member of the Brazilian legislature. Brazil is in the midst of a political and economic crisis, tied to widespread corruption. Impeachment proceedings are already underway for Brazils current president, Dilma Rousseff. Until recently, Temer was viewed as the likely successor to Rousseff, and he has met with a number of political officials in recent months to discuss the structure of a new government [NYT report]. The impeachment proceedings against Temer accuse him of the same charges [Guardian report] levied against Rousseff, including the manipulation of national budget figures. The decision on Rousseffs impeachment is expected mid-month. The ruling to initiate impeachment proceedings against Temer can be appealed against and overruled by a majority vote by the full Supreme Court. Brazils political establishment [JURIST news archive] has experienced turmoil of late as many powerful politicians, including former presidents, face allegations of corruption and misappropriation of state assets. Earlier this month a judge for the Brazilian Supreme Court upheld a ruling [JURIST report] blocking former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking a ministry post. Lula was charged with money laundering and misrepresentation of assets [JURIST report] involving a luxury apartment in the beachfront city of Guaruja. In December, Brazils Supreme Court ruled on two measures to set the stage for impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff [JURIST report]. UN Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website] Serge Brammertz [official profile] announced on Wednesday that he will appeal [press release] the recent acquittal of Serbian politician Vojislav Seselj. The ICTY acquitted [JURIST report] Seselj, president of the Serbian Radical Party and former Assembly member of Serbia, of all crimes against humanity and war crimes in connection with the Balkan war on March 31. Brammertz believes that the Hague-based court failed to perform its judicial function by failing to properly apply the beyond a reasonable doubt standard. He further stated that the majority erred in determining that the criminal conduct was a lawful contribution to the war effort. Brammertz claims that the evidence provided to the court was overwhelming and the vast number of crimes was overlooked. The ICTY [JURIST backgrounder] and the Balkan States continue to prosecute those accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity that left more than 100,000 people dead and millions displaced during the Balkan conflict of the 1990s. In May 2015 the ICTY ordered [JURIST report] Serbias justice ministry to return Seselj to his detention cell immediately after he was released in February [JURIST op-ed] to return to Serbia for cancer treatment. The ICTY had revoked his provisional release [JURIST report] in March because Seselj spoke at a news conference in Belgrade and stated [WSJ report] that he would not return voluntarily to the Hague. Idaho Governor CL Butch Otter [official website], issued his first veto of 2016 on Tuesday, striking legislation [SB1342] that provided for the use of the Christian Bible in public school. The legislation explicitly allowed the Bible to be referenced in various subjects including literature, biology, geography, comparative government and history. The bill would not require students to use the religious text, and stated that it did not mean to permit religious or doctrinal instruction. Otter explained his veto [AP report] saying the legislation was in violation of the Idaho state constitution [text]. The boundaries of the First Amendments Establishment Clause [JURIST backgrounder] remain controversial in the US. In 2014 Virginias governor vetoed a bill [JURIST report] that would have codified the rights of students to pray voluntarily in school and at school events. Also that year the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled [JURIST report] that the Pledge of Allegiances words under God do not discriminate against non-religious people since the language is patriotic and not religious. Also in 2014 the US Supreme Court ruled that the practice of opening town meetings with a prayer [JURIST report] does not violate the Establishment Clause [JURIST] The Fukuoka High Court [backgrounder] on Wednesday rejected an appeal filed by citizens of Japan seeking to stop the operation of the only two remaining nuclear reactors in the country. The suit was originally raised by 12 residents [Japan News report] in the Kagoshima District Court in April 2015. Wednesdays decision upholds the ruling from last year. The No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at the Sendai nuclear power plant were restarted in August and October 2015 [IB Times report]. The Fukuoka High Court emphasized that reactors at the Sendai plant adhere to more stringent safety measures that were enacted following the Fukushima No. 1 disaster in 2011. The reactors in question are the first to be restarted following the adoption of new safety standards by the Nuclear Regulation Authority. In rejecting the challenge, president judge Tomoichiro Nishikawa stated there is no concrete risk that the plaintiffs and others would suffer serious damage. The plaintiffs may be able to seek appellate review with the Japanese supreme court. Japans court system [JURIST report] and legislature has faced a number of legal issues related to the Fukushima disaster that occurred five years ago. Earlier in March, the Otsu District Court in Japan ordered an injunction halting the operation of two nuclear reactors [JURIST report], days before the fifth anniversary of the Fukuishima nuclear disaster. In February court-appointed prosecutors charged three former utility executives [JURIST report] with counts of negligence in relation to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. In August 2012 Japanese authorities opened a criminal investigation [JURIST report] into the power plant meltdown after more than 1,300 people filed [JURIST report] a criminal complaint against Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) [official website] for causing the catastrophe and the resulting radiation. The complaint came two months after an expert panel reported that the disaster was preventable [JURIST report]. In March 2012 a group of TEPCO shareholders filed a USD $67 billion lawsuit [JURIST report] against the company for failing to prevent the disaster. In August 2011 five months after the meltdown, Japans legislature voted to create a fund for victims of the disaster [JURIST report]. The Puerto Rico legislature passed a bill [materials, in Spanish] on Wednesday that would allow the island territory to enter into a state of fiscal emergency and begin the process toward a debt moratorium. The bill [text, PDF, in Spanish] would allow the moratorium, primarily concerned with the debt of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, to be in effect for nearly a year. At this point, Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has yet to sign the measure. The opposition has expressed that challenges to the constitutionality [AP report] of the bill are forthcoming. At the end of 2015, Puerto Rico was $70 billion dollars in debt. The governor anticipated a government default [Bloomberg report] in 2016, which came to fruition [NYT report] on January 4. The territory has been suffering from a massive recession [BBC report] since 2006, nearly a decade before Padilla announced that Puerto Rico was unable to pay its debts. However, the Puerto Rico Electronic Power Authority, a major player in the economic crisis, reached a deal [Bloomberg report] to restructure its debt in December. This deal is the first of many restructuring plans to alleviate the governments debt. In February, the Puerto Rico Legislature passed a bill [text, PDF, in Spanish] that would restructure the islands estimated $9 billion debt [JURIST report]. LINCOLN The Secretary of States Office said 24,615 early voter ballots had been mailed to 73 Nebraska counties as of Monday. That exceeds the number of ballots mailed during the first five days of early voting during the primaries in 2014, 2012, 2010 and 2008. According to a press release from Secretary of State John Gales office, there were 23,447 requests in the first five days of early voting in 2014, and there were 23,182 requests during the same period in 2012. Voters can track the status of their mail-in ballot through the Voter Information Center on the Secretary of States website, the press release says. The application is located under the Elections tab at www.sos.ne.gov. If someone is tracking their ballot through the Voter Information Center and does not see a return date, they should contact their county election office to check its status. Registered voters in Nebraska can request an early voting ballot 120 days before the election from the county election office and on the Secretary of States website. Signed forms must be mailed, emailed or faxed to the proper county election office for processing. Mail-in ballots are due at the county election office by the close of polls on the May 10 primary. The last day someone can request that an early ballot be mailed to them is 4 p.m. on May 4. That request must be signed, Gale said. In-person early voting at county election offices will begin Monday and ends May 9. OMAHA -- Omahas elephants have taken their first lumbering steps into public view. But it was not exactly as planned. Zoo officials decided it was too cold for the elephants to be outside but, faced with a long line of visitors, decided to let people inside the elephant barn to see them. Its a goosebumps day for me, zoo CEO Dennis Pate said. He said its his second happiest day, following the day the elephants plane touched down safely. More than 100 people were in line at 11 a.m. to see the elephants. Seven-year-old Charlotte Vander Zwaag and her mom, Roberta, were the first inside. They had waited an hour in the cold to see the elephants. I love them, Charlotte said. Shes a little young to remember when the zoo last had an elephant on display but was excited when she heard Tuesday of the elephant display opening. I was really, really happy. She is home-schooled, and her mother said, We love elephants so we thought we should take the morning and come. The elephants were released from stalls in the back of the barn to the main exhibit area that has sand, trees, hay piles and drops. The first one out was a female about 10-years-old. One male wont be on display today because of a swollen ankle. Pate said it could be a month before the elephant goes on display. Keepers don't know how he was injured and say the injury isn't severe, but they want to be cautious, he said. The mother and daughter pair came last. Pate said the mother likes to bully the others, so they wanted to let the rest come out first. Missing were the ends of the elephants tusks. Pate said they were trimmed before transport to avoid the risk of breaking them off and exposing the cavity. Theyll grow back, he said. Visitors might think the elephants look skinny. Pate said zoo officials thought that initially, too. But when we first started to look at body type and compare it to wild elephants, what we realized is that they look about right, he said. If anybody is a little on the thin side, it would the largest female, but some of the little ones look pretty good. Zoo officials said they arent planning a naming contest. Keepers and donors will name the elephants so they dont have to wait. The elephants choose where to sleep in private stalls or in a big family room. The family room has mounds of sand against the wall that serve as pillows. One elephant was sleeping on one when keepers arrived this morning. Its the elephants first time on display since arriving at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium from Swaziland on March 11. It has been five years since Omahans last saw an elephant at their zoo, when Shenga left for the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The six Swazi elephants spent almost a month inside their 29,000-square-foot elephant family quarters under a U.S. Department of Agriculture-mandated quarantine. A USDA veterinarian cleared the elephants last Thursday. But the elephants journey to Omaha began long before their flight from Africa. Pate made his first trip to Swaziland in February 2014 to observe the elephants. Two months later, he announced the $73 million African Grasslands project, which included an elephant exhibit. Then, in September, Omahas zoo and its partners in Dallas and Wichita announced plans to import up to 18 elephants, including six for Omaha. Many people and several animal rights groups have opposed the import with one, Friends of Animals, taking legal action. (That suit was dropped Tuesday.) Those groups say the import was a purchase or that it wasnt done by the book. Other people have said the animals should have stayed in Africa or simply dont belong in zoos. The zoos and Big Game Parks, who owned the elephants, said the import is a rescue. The park, they said, was enduring a severe drought that shrunk the food supply and threatened the parks critically-endangered black rhinos. Big Game Parks threatened to cull the elephants to thin the herd in half if they werent taken to the zoos. In return the zoos pledged $450,000 to the parks for black rhino conservation. Since Omahas elephants arrived, they have lived in two social groups as keepers slowly tried to blend them into one. Their outdoor exhibit ends at the train tracks right now. Soon, the rest of it will be complete, and it will stretch to the lagoon. Elephants will have access to a large wading pool, timed hay drops and a training demonstration area with amphitheater seating for visitors. The elephants will have one space for themselves and one 3.3-acre yard in which to co-mingle with three zebras, seven bachelor impalas and 25 helmeted guinea fowl. In total, the elephant habitat will measure five acres. All of that is scheduled to be complete in time for Memorial Day weekend, when the entire African Grasslands exhibit is scheduled to be open. Just like your family or a small business, the state of Nebraska sets priorities when we balance our budget. These priorities must be carefully considered because state government cannot simply borrow money to fund programming like the federal government. A few weeks ago, I shared some of the principles guiding my work with the Legislature to balance the budget. Balancing the budget and holding the line on spending this session were two of my top priorities, because the state was facing a $124 million shortfall due to slow growth in tax receipts. I am happy to report that we have, for the second year in a row, balanced the budget, constrained spending and set important spending priorities while addressing the budget shortfall. In January, I introduced a set of budget adjustments that served as the framework for the budget bills recently approved by the Appropriations Committee and the full Legislature. While I have concerns about several changes made by the Legislature, I applaud senators for meeting the 3.5 percent spending target I set. This rate of growth is almost half of the previous biennium. Constraining spending is the key to how we provide tax relief. Keeping the rate of growth in government below the rate of growth in tax revenue will allow the Legislature and me to continue to work on providing much-needed tax relief for hardworking Nebraskans in the coming years. The concerns I have about the adjustments the Legislature made include some items that expand non-critical services, replace lost federal funds, or attempt to advantage certain organizations. For example, the Appropriations Committee added $1 million for community colleges at a time when they have increased taxes by almost 13 percent a year for the last decade. Furthermore, they also replaced lost federal funds for the ACE Scholarship Program with state dollars. As worthy as this program may be, I oppose replacing lost federal dollars with state dollars. Moreover, the Legislature also included intent language in their adjustments to appropriate an additional $5 million for the Cultural Preservation Endowment Fund in the coming years. With sales tax receipts declining, I question whether this is a funding priority, especially considering the Legislature has increased this endowment 60 percent in the last eight years. None of these are urgent funding issues, especially in the middle of a budget cycle when addressing a budget shortfall. This summer, I will have the opportunity to start putting together the budget for the next biennium, and I will work to address some of my concerns in the budget I will propose in January 2017. In this next budget, I will continue to work to control the size and scope of state government by targeting a low-budget growth rate. In the mid-biennium adjustments, the Legislature and I worked together to address a couple of urgent priorities for our state in the mid-biennium budget adjustments. Appropriations Chairman Heath Mello and I successfully secured $13 million to fix levies near Offutt Air Force base. This is a critical investment in the future of one of our states largest employers, and demonstrates to the Air Force that Nebraska is committed to the future of the base. The Air Force has been considering whether to invest in resurfacing the runway at the air base, which hinges on levy repair. Additionally, the budget bills also included $26 million to expand our community corrections facilities and re-entry programming in Lincoln. This investment is the next step in reforming corrections, and ensuring that we reduce the number of repeat offenders in our states prisons. While we have completed our work on the budget, there is still much to be done in the final days of the legislative session. With only a handful of days left, I encourage Nebraskans to remain engaged in the discussions about important bills still under consideration including property tax relief, infrastructure, and immigration policy. If you want to weigh in on any bill, you can find information about how to contact your senator at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. To reach Ricketts office, you can call 402-471-2244, email pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov, or follow me on Twitter @GovRicketts and at facebook.com/GovernorPeteRicketts. The States Attorneys General mob is at it again. Why is Exxon Mobil in so much trouble? Why have 17 states filed suit against it for fraud in the way it did research on global warming? Have you seen how much Exxon Mobil is worth? There are reports that more energy companies may be targeted. Multibillions of dollars are at stake here. There is no shortage of greed or the desire to manipulate science to get what it wants. In the past, some attorneys general sued the tobacco companies for misleading the public on the danger of tobacco. What the AG mob didnt tell you is this was done by a taxpayer grant of $1.1 million. Also, 15 states attorneys general sued five fast food giants to ban smoking in their restaurants because of the reported danger of tobacco smoke because they got $15 million. Taxpayer money to influence public policy, in case the government is interested? Its illegal. In both cases the government claimed its manufactured science was correct, but who needs to do illegal acts to promote truth? The very people who enforce the laws of integrity on these matters break them at will because no one reports the science of risk assessment has been in a state of anarchy for decades. Even the government knows that the lifeblood of science is the debate of the legitimacy of the claim. What is so wrong with the facts speaking truth or falsehoods? If you manufacture truth you downplay Gods truth and replace it with politically correct truth, the best money can buy. They feel Gods truth is not important because he never shows up to demand his way. Ethics and integrity do the job for him if the right people are there to enforce it. If not, the dog with the biggest teeth or the ones with the fattest wallets win. Mob rule is what we are dealing with here, nothing less. Force-fed science for the sake of a long, slow bleed of money to the benefit of trial lawyers and government is theft, and thieves belong in prison, not enforcing the laws of our land. Dave Pickrell, Katy, Texas Theres good news for those who are trying to stop current GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump. Help is coming from Trump himself. Trump was in Wisconsin ahead of Tuesdays primary. Wisconsin is a progressive state, right up there with Massachusetts and Oregon. If theres anywhere as a Republican candidate that you try not to say something off the wall and right wing, it is in Wisconsin. But Trump chose Wisconsin to mess up. Under the grilling of MSNBC veteran politico Chris Matthews, Trump revealed that there is even less to his policy positions than meets the eye. Trump took three positions on abortion in three hours. Trump said there should be some form of punishment for women who have abortions. Soon after the interview, Trumps campaign issued a correction, and then, a little while after the first correction came a second correction. Democratic candidates weighed in quickly. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he was tired of wondering out loud what universe Trump is living in. Hillary Clinton quoted Maya Angelou: When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. All along Trumps supporters have assumed that, because hes said the outrageous things they were thinking (Mexican immigrants are criminals, we should build a wall, Muslims should be banned from entering America, etc.), and stood by his comments, he was authentic and one of them. But Trumps assertion that women should be punished for an abortion revealed how shallow his knowledge is of pro-life positions, and of his supporters deepest convictions. He quickly modified his punish them decree (in the absence of his campaign manager and chief strategist, who was arrested for assaulting a female reporter), to This issue is unclear and should be put back into the states for determination. Another hour passed and Trump issued his third position, one that conforms with pro-life groups who he had just egregiously offended, saying, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. Even before he made such a stupid comment, Trump was in deep trouble with women voters. During the holiest days of the Christian calendar, Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, Trumps closest and toughest GOP opponent, had exchanged unseemly barbs over each others wives, while a spontaneous alliance of female commentators issued a joint letter saying Trump should fire his campaign manager. Trumps ad hoc answer is clear evidence that he echoes what hes been told his supporters want to hear, but has no personal knowledge of the issues. Having little knowledge about the moral positions, pro and con, on abortion is one thing. But Trump has shown that he did not even know the U.S. has a triad nuclear defense policy. Just before the Brussels terror attacks, Trump called for lessening our commitment to NATO, the bulwark of our defense in Europe against Russias aggression. NATO has also been a key element the world over in our defense against terrorism. Trump has retreated before when hes taken an issue that, to his surprise, offended so wide a swath of the public that it threatened to tank his campaign. It makes you wonder if Trump knows that hes not up to the job, and has a subconscious wish to fail. If he does, he seems to be working harder than ever on making that wish come true. Donna Brazile is a senior Democratic strategist, a political commentator and contributor to CNN and ABC News. 196 Shares Share When I first seriously began discussing the possibility of applying to medical school with my family and close friends, I received mixed reactions. Although medicine seemed like a great fit for me in many ways, I also heard sad stories about relationships and even entire families that had struggled to survive the strenuous period of medical training (particularly residency). As somebody who values family and close relationships highly, I was naturally concerned by this and thought about my decision very carefully. Ultimately, I decided that the rewarding nature of a medical career would make the challenges and sacrifices more than worth it in the long run. Recently, however, these earlier thoughts about personal well-being during medical training returned to mind when a study designed to evaluate the effects of longer shifts for residents was released. The authors compared the current shift restrictions (which are set by a national council) with so-called flexible duty hours that permit hospitals to assign residents longer shifts with shorter time off in between consecutive shifts. The results seemed promising: There was no drop in patient safety when residents were allowed to work longer shifts, and the perceived quality of education reported by the residents was no different. Heralding these findings, the American College of Surgeons released a statement claiming that flexible, less restrictive policies are safe for patients, reduce handoffs, and lead to greater resident satisfaction. When I read the study closely, however, I had flashbacks to my earlier reservations about entering medicine. Buried in the middle of the ninth paragraph of the results section was a very telling sentence: Flexible-policy residents were more likely to perceive negative effects of duty-hour policies on resident outcomes that depended on time away from the hospital, such as case preparation after work, research participation, time with family and friends, time for extracurricular activities, rest, and health. I find the fact that this one sentence hasnt gotten a great deal of attention extremely worrisome. First of all, we shouldnt need a randomized controlled trial to tell us that working shifts longer than 24 hours at a time is going to have detrimental effects on a persons health and happiness. This seems like common sense. Second, the fact that family, friends, extracurricular activities, rest, and health are relegated to the lowest priority in the conversations swirling around this topic reflects poorly on the compassion and care that the health care industry has for the valuable trainees who contribute tirelessly to patient care. Most of all, beyond my selfish concerns regarding my own health and well-being, Im concerned about the future of the medical profession. As somebody who thought long and hard about my career decision, I can attest to the fact that relative outsiders to the field find the stories that we hear of broken families during residency quite terrifying. I can easily imagine what bright, driven, motivated college students think when prominent media outlets release headlines such as Study Suggests Surgical Residents Can Safely Work Longer Shifts. To the health care industry, the mantra of more work is better is so engrained that its worth going out of our way to do randomized controlled trials just to prove it. Instead of asking how much work we can pack into residency before we start noticing impacts on peoples lives, maybe we should be asking ourselves a different question: How many qualified aspiring physicians are we going to lose to the negative perceptions of medical education before their journeys even begin? Nathaniel Fleming is a medical student who blogs at Scope, where this article originally appeared. Image credit: Shutterstock.com (Kitco News) - Continued uncertainty in Europe could be good for gold as investors look for safe haven investments ahead of a key referendum that could determine the future of the European Union. On June 23 British voters will head to the polls to vote in a referendum that will decide on whether the United Kingdom remains a part of the European Union. According to some analysts a recent non-binding referendum in the Netherlands could provide some momentum to the side that support a Brexit, which could be good for gold. Thursday, Dutch voters overwhelming rejected a Ukraine-European Union treaty that would see closer political and economic ties between the two sides. Although 64% voted to reject the treaty, the turnout was fairly low at only 32%. Commodity analysts at Commerzbank described the Dutch vote as a test of sentiment ahead of Britains referendum. They attributed part of golds rally Wednesday to the Dutch vote. June Comex gold futures last traded at $1,241.50 an ounce, up almost 1.5% on the day. In a recent interview with Kitco News, Jessica Fung, commodity analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said that Brexit referendum is a risk that North America hasnt been paying attention to; however, she added that it will garner more market attention as the vote date approaches and the uncertainty will be good for gold. TD Securities also remains positive on gold in the near-term ahead of the Brexit vote. The precious metals sentiment may improve amid pending market volatility and safe haven buying, the analysts said in a report published Wednesday. Of course the Yes side of the Brexit referendum still has a difficult hill to climb. IHS, a global research firm, said in a report also published Wednesday that there is between a 35% and 40% chance that Britain will vote to leave the EU. IHSs assessment is comparable with other forecasts as Swiss Bank UBS said, according to media reports, they see a 30% chance of the referendum passing. However, the question remains what would be the impact if Britain did leave the EU? A question IHS said will be difficult to answer. The plain fact is that nobody knows how developments would pan out should the UK vote to leave the EU, the firm said Howard Archer, chief European and UK economist for IHS Global Insight, and one of the authors of the report. Archer added that if voters approve the Brexit then he could see a two-year timeframe before the country actually leaves the EU. He added that the nations economic performance will depend on whether or not it is a soft exit with amicable and construction negotiations or a hard and exit where negotiations would be contentious. However, the firm does see risk to the countrys growth if the referendum passes. Were the UK to vote to leave the EU, IHS would revise down its GDP growth forecasts markedly for the second half of 2016, 2017, and 2018. We currently forecast UK GDP growth at 2.1% in 2016, 2.5% in 2017, and 2.3% in 2018, on the assumption that the UK votes to stay in the EU. The size of the downgrade would be based on the quantification of two scenarios for a UK exit, Archer said in the report. By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com Follow @Neils_C (Kitco News) - Central-bank buying of gold is likely to continue although at a slower pace, with China setting the pace so far this year, said UBS Thursday. News organizations reported overnight that the Peoples Bank of China boosted its holdings by 0.5% in March to 57.79 million ounces. The buying coincided with a $10.3 billion increase in Chinas foreign-exchange reserves to $3.21 trillion, more than analysts were expecting, UBS said. China has been consistently reporting gold buying over the last nine months. This persistent buying has offered an encouraging signal to the wider gold market, effectively confirming that China values gold as a reserve asset and in a sense supporting the view that diversification remains a valid rationale, particularly for those central banks that have very little allocation to gold relative to their total reserves, UBS said. Nevertheless, UBS continued, the slowdown in the pace of purchases is also noticeable. The March Chinese buying amounted to around nine tonnes, down from 16 in January. First-quarter average monthly purchases were 12 tonnes, compared to 17 in 2015, the bank said. We expect this theme to be in place across the official sector this year as FX reserves come off, the urgency to diversify is also somewhat diminished, UBS said. Analysts said there has been a lack of new players among central banks, with buying so far this year mainly coming from China and Russia, which added 35.1 and 32.5 tonnes, respectively, in the first quarter. Kazakhstan was a distant third with 3.8 tonnes. UBS suggested the risk of central-bank selling of gold is low. We recognize that countries with heavy exposure to oil may have relatively higher risk of selling gold reserves to help fund the oil revenue shortfall, but we do not think this is a likely course of action, UBS said. We maintain the view that the official sector will remain net buyers of gold for some time. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Follow @KitcoNewsNOW Native plant specialist Laurel Moulton instructs volunteers in the planting of madrona saplings in what was recently the bottom of Lake Aldwell. Drained after the Elwha River dams were removed, the lake bottom is now being replanted with native species. (TRISTAN BAURICK / KITSAP SUN) SHARE Volunteer planter Rebekkah Curtin of Port Angeles covers the roots of a Douglas fir sapling on the bank of the Elwha River in Olympic National Park. (TRISTAN BAURICK / KITSAP SUN) Olympic National Park's Albright Native Plant Center near Sequim is producing 400,000 plants for the Elwha River restoration. All of the plants are from seeds or cuttings from the Elwha River Valley. (TRISTAN BAURICK / KITSAP SUN) Olympic National Park botanist David Allen checks on rows of lupine and wormwood at the Albright Native Plant Center near Sequim. Rapid soil builders, the plants are being seeded in the drained lake beds of the Elwha River. (TRISTAN BAURICK / KITSAP SUN) Members of the Olympic National Park habitat restoration crew haul backpacks full of tree saplings to a revegetation area on the Elwha River. (TRISTAN BAURICK / KITSAP SUN) By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK For a plant with the job of recolonizing a wasteland of silt and gravel, the little madrona tree in Laurel Moulton's palm doesn't have the hardiest reputation. "Its hobby is dying," the native plant restorationist said, placing it gently in a sandy hole on the bank of the Elwha River. "But as long as we're careful, it won't let us down I hope." Madrona is one of several local tree species Moulton and five volunteers planted on a recent morning. Until 2012, the stretch of river bank was at the bottom of Lake Aldwell. The removal of the Elwha's two dams drained the artificial lake, leaving its bare, gray floor ready for either a slow, painstaking ecosystem revival or a fast and chaotic takeover by weeds. Moulton and the other members of the river's small revegetation team have been leading the slow road to recovery for about four years, but their work may soon grind to a halt. Olympic National Park's funding for the project is set to expire next year. That's about six years short of the time required to meet the common scientific standards for forest restoration projects, according to a report published by the National Park Conservation Association. While hundreds of millions of dollars were spent to rip out the dams, only $5 million was set aside to replant the river valley a landmark project considered unprecedented in both scope and scale. "The work of restoring the unique and complex river ecosystem is just beginning," the Washington D.C. group's report states. Published last year, the report was unsuccessful in persuading federal budget-makers to spend another $3 million to see the project through to its expected completion in 2024 The park could carve funding from somewhere else in its budget, but that would likely lead to service cuts elsewhere. While visitation has grown in recent years, federal funding has waned, leading to staff cuts and a $133 million maintenance backlog. A CHANGING RIVER Plants taking root along the Elwha's banks are reducing erosion and helping the newly-freed river re-establish a fixed path. Once the plants grow thickly again, they'll will shade the river, making it cooler and more welcoming to salmon and other cold-water fish. Insects and leaves will drop in, supplying the river with nutrients it's long had to do without. "Until this is done, the river will not be restored to its natural, self-regulating state," said Robert Elofson, an ecologist with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, which has its reservation at the river's mouth. There's no template for this kind of restoration. The Elwha was host to the largest dam removal project ever undertaken. With about 800 acres of former lake bottom now exposed, the replanting project is considered the largest of its kind. The natural plant recolonizing process relies on wind- or animal-borne seeds. But several feet of hard-packed sediment and lake-bottom rock offers little to help the seeds get started. It's a bit like planting vegetables in a thick layer of moon dust. Certain nonnative weeds, though, have an easier time getting established. "Butterfly bush is making incursions," Moulton said. "They're experts in taking over newly disturbed areas." The park-led revegetation crew is working to give native plants a foothold before weeds dominate. Adding to the challenge is the unpredictably of the river. "The river's moved a lot," Moulton said. "We're getting channels where we weren't expecting them, and occasionally we've had planting sites wash out." Roads have also washed out, spurring restorationists to come up with creative solutions. "We're dancing with it, but it does make it difficult to get (planting) crews in," park botanist David Allen said. "At one spot, we left a truck on the other side of the washout. We just have to shuttle the plants to it." Last summer's drought slowed the growth of many starts. Surveying a few of last season's plantings, Moulton's not ready to count them out. "Look, there's a few Douglas firs that are still green but yeah, in some places they're yellow," she said. "If you see what looks like a stick in the ground, don't step on it. It might still come back." THE ELWHA'S GREENHOUSE Keeping up a constant supply of new starts is the park's Albright Native Plant Center. Built specifically for the Elwha project five years ago, the nursery complex covers about 5 acres of the sprawling Robin Hill Farm County Park near Sequim. About 12 miles from the park, the site was chosen because it gets ample sunlight unlike the park, which is largely under the canopy of its celebrated old-growth trees. The sweet, resinous scent of black cottonwood hangs heavily inside the center's expansive greenhouse. Allen, the botanist, takes a deep breath when he enters. He'll miss the just-budding trees, but he has high hopes for them on the Elwha's banks. "They're an excellent early colonizer, and they're great in flood plains," he said. About 80 species are grown at the center. Of the 80,000 new starts that come out of the center each year, each started with a seed or cutting from a native plant near the Elwha. "We're fairly strict," Allen said. "Not a lot of restoration projects do it this way, but we don't want to inadvertently move genetic material around. There's a better chance of success when you use what's really local." The hundreds of pounds of seed produced at the complex foster the growth of nitrogen-rich wormwood and lupine. "They put out lots and lots of stems and leaves, and that builds up the soil," Allen said. The greenhouse was built for about $400,000. The rest of the complex, including cold shelters, soil bins, sheds and outdoor growing areas, was constructed mostly with salvaged materials and volunteer labor. The annual cost of running the facility is about $15,000. Volunteers do a large share of the growing and planting. Moulton leads about 10 planting work parties each year. "I have people stand in the rain and dig holes and they thank me for it in the end," she said. Volunteer Sarah Miller relocated to Sequim from the Seattle area so she could help with the Elwha's restoration. "It's why I moved," she said. "It's an amazing project. It's a miracle unfolding before your eyes." Allen admits its hard to see the "miracle" continue at the current pace without additional funding. "There's always going to be the need for future work, whether it's to deal with (invasive plants) or to do supplemental plantings," he said. "Plants will do what they always do. When they find space, they want to occupy it. What we're doing is helping helping to increase the density, the diversity and the speed of the river's recovery." SHARE By Andrew Binion of the Kitsap Sun PORT ORCHARD A former Port Orchard Police officer reprimanded for mishandling evidence in a sexual assault investigation an investigation that languished for seven years before it was discovered to have been overlooked had his discipline reversed last month by an arbitrator. After the case came to the public's attention in January 2015, Marvin McKinney was given a letter of reprimand for mishandling a cheek swab taken from a man suspected of raping a Port Orchard woman in December 2007. McKinney was not blamed for causing the seven-year delay, nor for causing any critical error that jeopardized the case. He has since left the department and works as an officer for the University of Washington Police Department. The blame for the "breakdown" is "readily traced" to retired Detective E.J. Martin, who was the primary investigator on the case, the arbitrator wrote in the March 25 document obtained by the Kitsap Sun. Martin had left the department at the time the lapse came to light. McKinney, also a detective at the time, was assigned to interview the suspect, John Wayne Croft, 30, and collect the cheek swab. During the interview, Croft admitted to having sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual. The woman had reported the assault, saying she had been drinking and believed she had been drugged. Croft was extradited from Kentucky and charged in February 2015 with second-degree rape, but he ended up pleading to two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and was sentenced in September to a year in jail. During the seven-year delay, from the time the woman accused Croft of rape and when he was charged with the assault, he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in California. Patrick Pronovost, an officer with the department and the police guild president, said McKinney was singled out unfairly. He added that there were several people involved in the case, and administrators in the department should have either disciplined each person or started off by investigating what happened. "There were lots of things that broke down," Pronovost said. He said that in his opinion, McKinney was disciplined by administrators because "they needed a name." At the time of the lapse, Cmdr. Dale Schuster was a sergeant, Chief Geoffrey Marti was commander and supervisor of the evidence storage where the "rape kit" was stored. It was locating the "rape kit" that restarted the investigation. A "rape kit" is the physical evidence collected from a victim following a sexual assault. The arbitrator lawyer James Lundberg of Minneapolis found that the discipline McKinney received was harsher than that imposed upon "similarly situated employees," that there was no evidence of any other misconduct by McKinney since the incident, and that the discipline after seven years served no legitimate purpose. "The body of evidence submitted at hearing leads to the conclusion that (McKinney) made a mistake when he failed to properly process the buccal swabs in 2007 and the mistake was not repeated in the next seven years," Lundberg wrote in the decision. "Consequently, the incident is 'stale' and imposition of discipline seven years after the occurrence serves no reasonable purpose." Schuster said Wednesday he had not read the arbitrator's decision but said he believed McKinney should have been held responsible for not logging the cheek swab into evidence. "I can understand how something like this can happen, but the ultimate responsibility rests on the detective's shoulders for doing the right thing," he said, saying the detectives have to have more freedom to do their jobs. "Even if you have a sergeant micromanaging a detective, there is still the possibility to make mistakes." Schuster also said it was Marti's position that the disciplinary letter was not overly harsh, as the publicity of the incident brought shame to the department. "The general public expects the police department to hold its employees accountable," Schuster said. The case was overlooked until a department employee brought the "rape kit" to the attention of Schuster, who had since been promoted to commander. The case was then assigned to another detective, and the department "capably and competently followed up," the arbitrator wrote. The Kitsap Sun was unsuccessful in locating the woman Croft assaulted, and efforts to contact McKinney through his new department were also unsuccessful. Since the discovery, Schuster said the department has instituted policies to prevent similar lapses, including having stronger supervisory procedures and immediately sending "rape kits" to the state crime lab for processing.

Agate Dreams marijuana store on Highway 305 in Suquamish.

SHARE By Tad Sooter of the Kitsap Sun SUQUAMISH Customers wont notice much difference between Agate Dreams and other recreational marijuana stores in Washington. Its the stores ownership that sets it apart. The shop, which opened Tuesday off Highway 305, is the second tribally held marijuana store to open in the state. The Suquamish and Squaxin Island tribes both signed compacts with the state this year setting guidelines for regulating marijuana on reservations. Squaxin Island opened its first store last month. Liquor and Cannabis Board spokesman Brian Smith said two other tribes are in talks with the state on marijuana. The Puyallup Tribe has begun negotiating a compact, Smith said. The Samish will begin negotiations soon. Agate Dreams manager Calvin Medina knows many observers across the country will be watching the progress of Washingtons tribal stores. We want to prove to the state and the nation that tribes can get into this business, Medina said. If we dont do this right, it could jeopardize the ability for other tribes to do this in the future. A legal compact the Suquamish Tribe entered into with the state this fall ensures Agate Dreams will operate under roughly the same rules as state stores. The Suquamish shop is sourcing its products from state-licensed growers and processors, with the same testing and tracking requirements for marijuana. Customers must be 21 or older to buy. The store will charge nontribal members a 37 percent tax, in line with the states excise tax on marijuana. The tribe will retain the tax money. Medina said Agate Dreams wont be undercutting the state-licensed stores. Were tying to keep prices in the same range as other Kitsap businesses, he said. Agate Dreams opened with an inventory of marijuana flowers, concentrates and edibles, along with a selection of glassware and other accessories. The 1,400-square-foot store features a center island with four cashier stations. Wall murals feature scenes of namesake Agate Passage. Agate Dreams will operate under Evergreen Corp., a subsidiary of Port Madison Enterprises, the tribes business arm. The shop opened with 13 employees. The Suquamish Tribe had been in discussions with the state regarding marijuana sales since early 2014. Late last year, the U.S. Department of Justice memo issued a memo that opened the door for tribes to legalize marijuana, provided they regulate the drug in concert with federal law enforcement priorities. The Legislature took action in the spring, passing a bill that allows the governor to enter into marijuana compacts with tribes. Agate Dreams is located at 15915-B Highway 305, west of Clearwater Casino Resort. Burley residents Barbara Laxson and Kevin LaCombe stand in front of the Burley Post Office, with the Burley Community Hall behind them. The community and many of the structures that stand today were built by those who colonized Burley in the late 1890s. (LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN) SHARE By Chris Henry A bold and idealistic experiment unfolded on the shores of Burley Lagoon at the turn of the 20th Century. The Burley Colony, founded in 1898, was a utopian community of 150 men, women and children whose dream of perfect equality flourished, floundered and fizzled over a 14-year span. Myths about Burley Colony abound, the most prevalent being that it was a hedonistic "love colony." Burley, one of five utopian colonies in Western Washington, was conceived by a Chicago-based group of forward thinkers as a showcase for the benefits of a communal economy. Real estate and equipment were held in common. The bounty of the land and products manufactured by the colony were equally shared. Colonists dreamed big, expecting their lifestyle to spread far and wide. But squabbles broke out, and leaders struggled to create a sustainable economy. In 1912, as the colony disbanded, the Burley Library Association became legal owner of its public properties and caretakers of the commune's brief history. Today, Burley is a busy little bump in the road between Port Orchard and Gig Harbor. Plans for a reroute of Highway 302 could threaten its survival. The association, aka Burley Community Club, will celebrate its centennial Jan. 26. Club President Kevin LaCombe is delving into Burley's past and building on efforts of earlier historians. By documenting details of colony life, LaCombe hopes to show the historical significance of Burley, protect its relative isolation and cement in collective memory how seeds of the community were sown. STILL BURLEY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Gaylord Wren tucked in to a tray heaped with turkey pot pie, stewed tomatoes and black-eyed peas on Wednesday at the Burley Community Hall. Meals served at the hall three days a week by Chuckwagon Senior Nutrition volunteers are a high point of the day for Wren, a shipyard retiree, "bachelor" and longtime Burley resident. The hall, built by the Burley Colony in 1899, has a pleasant antique smell. Its tiny stage, where bands have played many a Saturday dance, is framed in floral curtains trimmed with embroidered tulle. The building has had a few face-lifts, inside and out. The Burley Community Club, charged with the hall's upkeep, also maintains the Burley Post Office next door, the Burley Cemetery up on the hill and Burley Park over on aptly named Park Drive. The original water system, still in use, is located in woods above the park. Out on Burley Lagoon, the skeleton of a pier recalls the days when colonists got supplies by boat and shipped their goods to Tacoma and beyond. The old community hall has served many uses: a school, a library, a gathering place. One thing it's never been is vacant. On any given day, Burley Avenue is chockablock with cars, as people come and go for meals and meetings at the hall. Postal patrons in a steady stream check their boxes and chat with Pam Cody, postal official. Cody says rumors that U.S. Postal Service budget cuts will close the tiny post office are greatly exaggerated. She's seen the hit list. Burley's not on it. The community hall, post office and the Burley store around the corner site of the colony's general store form the hub of a bustling rural population center of 2,057 souls, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 count. The true Burley identity is a little harder to define. By one theory, you're from Burley if you have one of its 663 P.O. boxes. Yet, according to Cody, many of her customers live within Gig Harbor or Port Orchard ZIP codes. If you search the Census by Burley's ZIP code, 98322, you'll find its population is zero. "It's kind of a forgotten place," said longtime resident Barbara Laxson. "A lot of people don't even know it's on the map." PAST IS PRESENT Laxson lives every day surrounded by history. Her house at the corner of Burley Avenue and Spruce Road was part of a cluster of homes and shops known by colonists as Circle City. Besides Laxson's home, a handful of colony-era structures remain. Most have been heavily remodeled. One of the buildings was a store owned by colonist Otto Herbert. Otto's son Frank Herbert wrote the "Dune" trilogy. The late Frank Herbert was born in 1920 in Tacoma, after the colony disbanded. Laxson moved to Burley in 1949 at age 9. Except for the years when she was raising her own family, she has lived most of her life in the two-story red house, built in 1898. Laxson's family of eight was crowded in the house. She and her four sisters shared two small bedrooms at the top of the steep, narrow stairway. Her parents had the tiny ground floor room where Laxson now sleeps, and her baby brother's crib was in the living room. After Laxson's children were grown, she returned to the old house to care for her aging parents. Looking out on Burley Avenue, she thinks of what life was like for those who lived there before her. GRAND DREAMS OF BROTHERHOOD The dawn of the industrial age was a time of high-minded thinking throughout the nation. Along with capitalism, groups bent on a better world embraced various forms of socialism, communism and even anarchism. One group, the Social Democracy of America, thought the way to spread its collective ideal was by concrete example. Washington State was seen as fertile ground to establish utopian colonies. Several SDA leaders from Chicago identified the valley at the head of Burley Lagoon as a promising location. Founders of the colony were known as the Co-operative Brotherhood. In 1898, the colony's 16 original residents found virgin forest, formerly home to members of the Squaxin, Duwamish and Sammamish tribes. By 1900, the colony's population ranged between 150 and 200. About half the colony's 300 acres were cleared, and several cottage industries were well established. The colony had a lumber mill, an orchard, a fruit cannery, printing press and cigar factory. Burley Colony succeeded at least to a degree, according to Charles Pierce LeWarne of Edmonds, author of "Utopias on Puget Sound 1885 1915." "They were idealists with much in common, simple, intelligent and well-meaning," LeWarne wrote. "They could disagree heartily and yet maintain mutual respect." Although homes were communally owned, the family unit was valued and each family had its own small house or cabin. The colonists had church services and practiced a form of "Christian socialism," said LaWarne. They considered themselves highly patriotic, seeking not to disengage from their country but to transform it by example. Music provided their main diversion, with informal jam sessions and regular Saturday night dances. "We are not a 'peculiar people,' gathered here at Burley but about the same as you will find in any western community," declared a colony publication. Nonresident members of the brotherhood hailed from far and wide, their dues providing seed money for the project and a foot in the door for future residency, should they desire. Residents paid no dues, but provided the sweat and muscle on which the colony survived. A request for residency from a single "Negro" applicant threw the brotherhood into a quandary. They finally offered to help establish a separate colony. The individual did not pursue his application. RUMBLINGS OF DISCONTENT Colony spokesmen painted life in Burley as idyllic, hoping to attract new members. But there was tension in the ranks. Cyrus Field Willard, one of the original brotherhood members, created conflict early on by suggesting a division of labor that drew on individuals' existing skills. A Bostonian and intellectual, Willard said he couldn't possibly engage in manual labor. He preferred to focus on administrative duties, including publicity. That did not set well with some of the laborers, since pay in the form of scrip was equal, regardless of the task. Later, the community struggled with the basic issues of supply and demand. By the brotherhood's own description, the work it mapped out for the colony was "titanic." Its reach far exceeded its grasp. The colonists fervently planned to spread their way of life first to their neighbors, then throughout Kitsap County, then to the state and nation. In the end, LaWarne said, Burley Colony's economic model failed to sustain its own citizens. The decision to disband was not preceded by "explosive" debate. It was simply time to let go of the dream. The Burley colonists went their separate ways, their descendants largely unknown. BURLEY'S FUTURE In her tiny kitchen, Barbara Laxson flipped through pages of a scrapbook of colony life. Laxson and LaCombe contemplated the potential effect of plans by the state Department of Transportation for upgrading Highway 302. One of the options being considered would route the highway along what is now Bethel-Burley Road. "It would wipe us out basically," Laxson said. LaCombe is compiling an arsenal of evidence that Burley is a culturally significant area worthy of preserving. A relative newcomer with young children, LaCombe wants to ensure that Burley endures. He will urge the DOT to make other plans. Laxson applauds LaCombe's crusade. "I hate to see our history forgotten," Laxson said. "We would really like to have people remember Burley and its significance in the history of this area." Email photos and stories of Burley's history to klacombe@wavecable.com. SHARE By Clarence Page A group of Emory University students recently made news by demanding protection from being put "in pain," as one student chant put it, by slogans like "Accept the Inevitable: Trump 2016" chalked overnight on campus walkways. In pain? They could just wait for rain to wash their troubles away. That's what Salman Rushdie, a writer who knows a thing or three about being threatened for his ideas, said when I asked him about the Emory uprising. Yes, that Salman Rushdie. The Booker Prize-winning, Muslim-raised British Indian novelist and essayist has been living under threats to his life since Iran's late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa in 1989 calling for his assassination. Khomeini did not like the way the Prophet Muhammad is depicted in "The Satanic Verses," Rushdie's 1988 novel. After the Ayatollah's death, the fatwa was continued and a bounty for Rushdie's death raised by other Muslim fanatics. Yet, after years of living in a cocoon of government security in Great Britain, he left government bodyguards behind and moved in 2000 to what may be the best place on earth to hide in plain sight: Manhattan. Coincidentally he also taught for several years at Emory, which he likes well enough to place his archives in the university's library. Yet when I caught up with him in Washington, he expressed dismay and disappointment with the "silly" dust-up over chalked Trump slogans. There are no "safe spaces" against offensive ideas, he said, nor should we want there to be especially in places that are intended to expose us to the world, not to hide from it. "I assure you," he said, "most Emory students are actually quite intelligent." Appropriately, Rushdie was in town to talk at New York University's Washington, D.C., center about "whether art should or must be politically correct." (Full disclosure: My wife, Lisa Page, director of creative writing at George Washington University, led the onstage discussion.) He cheerfully dismissed that question with a "no" and asked for the next question. "When people say, 'I believe in free speech but ...,' then they don't believe in free speech," he said. "The whole point about free speech is that it upsets people." "It's very easy to defend the right of people whom you agree with or that you are indifferent to," Rushdie said. "The defense (of free speech) begins when someone says something that you don't like." That happy ideal is under assault on campus not only by dueling ideas but also by dueling grievances, some of them brought out by newly minted conservatives like Trump. New York University engineering major Dylan Perera, for example, recently described the horrors on "Fox & Friends" of having a female student "screaming at me, calling me a 'racist' and a 'fascist'" after he said he supports Trump. "That's not what America is about," Jake Lopez, a Westmont College student and California director of Students for Trump, told a Los Angeles Times reporter. "Mr. Trump, he's single-handedly bringing back freedom of speech. He's enabled students to voice whatever we believe in a thoughtful way." And sometimes unthoughtful ways, such when Trump called for a temporary halt on the admission of Muslims to this country or when he declared, "I think Islam hates us." "Donald Trump is what happens when you forget what America is," said Rushdie. Yet as much as he disagrees with what Trump says, he argues that it would be more dangerous to block him from saying it. Indeed, in a regime of free speech, bad ideas should be confronted with better ideas. Admirably Rushdie has consistently defended freedom of expression even when his own life would appear to be at stake. For example, he campaigned successfully to prevent the British government from banning a libelous Pakistani film about him, because a ban would have made it "the hottest video in town." Instead, the film went virtually unnoticed outside of Pakistan. That's a good model for those who would like to silence Trump. It's much more satisfying to see the New York billionaire and reality TV star hang himself on his own half-baked and still-evolving version of conservatism. To do otherwise would grant his views the false attractiveness of forbidden fruit. SHARE By Barbara McMichael A Woman's Guide to the Wild Ruby McConnell Sasquatch 304 pp. $18.95 The Creaky Knees Guide Seabury Blair Jr. Sasquatch 320 pp. $18.95 It looks like Seattle's Sasquatch Books just about cornered the market on outdoor guidebooks this spring by issuing both "A Woman's Guide to the Wild" and "The Creaky Knees Guide." In "A Woman's Guide to the Wild," Eugene geologist and outdoorswoman Ruby McConnell anticipates just about any objection that an able-bodied woman might come up with to avoid getting out into the wilderness, and once and for all dispels with the need to make excuses. To whet your appetite, she presents her own recommendations for easily accessible green spaces in urban areas, from Seattle to Tampa. She also assembles a shortlist of refuges nationwide that provide the best place to view wildlife. Inexplicably, her list contains no sites in the Pacific Northwest but maybe keeping a low profile is better for the local wildlife, or for preventing more Malheur-style armed takeovers. McConnell doles out advice on tents, sleeping pads and outdoor clothing essentials. She develops packing lists for different types of expeditions. She tells you how to assemble first-aid kits, read maps, and build a fire pit. She provides recipes and tips for outdoor cooking. Don't feel quite ready yet? She tells you how to minimize the risk of sunburn, dehydration, hypothermia, lightning strikes and dangerous encounters with wildlife. She talks about how to avoid getting lost and, if you do get lost, the best way to get found again. She presents a common-sense list of outdoor etiquette. And because this is gender-specific, McConnell discusses "feminine functions" in frank detail including eight informative pages on "how to pee in the woods." "A Woman's Guide to the Wild" is unabashedly matter-of-fact and cheerfully can-do, a great kick-in-the-pants for outdoorswomen wannabes. Retired outdoor columnist Seabury Blair Jr. has built a second career as a guidebook author with his "Creaky Knees" guides. Like McConnell, he is an advocate for getting way outside, and he clearly believes that just because folks are getting a little long in the tooth or stiff in the joints doesn't mean they should be sentenced to spending their remaining years sitting in front of the television set. His latest Creaky Knees iteration boasts that it provides "the 75 best easy hikes" in national parks and monuments in Washington and Oregon. Blair reminds readers about the "10 Essentials" for hiking, and also provides some cautionary words about weather, water and wildlife. But unlike McConnell's book, this guide assumes that you know the hiking basics. Blair features hikes in the three national parks in our state and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, as well as the following national monuments: San Juan Islands, Mount St. Helens, John Day Fossil Beds, Newberry Volcanic, Cascade-Siskiyou and Oregon Caves. A chart rates hikes along a spectrum that runs from "Stroll in the Park" to "Prepare to Perspire." It also indicates whether the hikes are child- and dog-friendly. The sun's shining and there are no excuses left: it's time to get out and explore! A new child-centred operating model with a greater focus on harm and trauma prevention and early intervention. It will provide a single point of accountability for the long-term wellbeing of vulnerable children, with the voice of the child represented in planning and strategy. A social investment approach using actuarial valuations and evidence of what works will identify the best way of targeting early interventions, to ensure that vulnerable children receive the care and support they need, when they need it. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Sunny with gusty winds. High 87F. Winds S at 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Windy with an isolated thunderstorm or two possible this evening. Then some showers later on. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Books, CDs, DVDs and more are sorted for the Tellico Village Library sale later this month. SHARE Photos by Debbie Patrick/special to the news sentinel Carolyn McDermott is the volunteer who coordinates the book sale at the Tellico Village Library, owned by the Friends of the Library. An aerial view of the Tellico Village Library, also showing the parking lot, courtyard and annex, where books are sorted for the sale and special event storage is located. Photo provided by Doug Christman, president of Friends of the Library at Tellico Village The library of the future may not just lend books, but a much greater variety of items, like power tools or even bicycles, according to Doug Christman, president of Friends of the Library at Tellico Village. "Libraries are evolving; they are virtually without boundaries," he emphasized, pointing out the Tellico Village facility's computer center, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, and commercial kitchen, all available in addition to books to patrons living in Loudon County. Last year for example, the library hosted 83 seminars, lectures and classes, with a total attendance approaching 2,000. In addition, it had over 59,000 "items" in circulation, including books but also CDs, audio books, movies and DVDs. "It's about helping the community in ways that people need," said Carol DeForest, library manager. "We want to keep getting them engaged and learning new things." For the modern library, that means offering not just books but also coffee, classes and computer workstations. The Tellico Village library has just added access to ancestry.com to their computers because genealogy classes were in such high demand. Local residents and patrons have learned to sign up early for all the classes, as they fill up fast. The library also has a summer reading program and tutoring among their outreach programs to children from Lenoir City and Loudon, and movie nights in the summer. Richard Seymour, marketing director, said he thinks of the library more as a community hub, a gathering place. The Public Library at Tellico Village is unique in the state as the only library owned by its Friends of the Library organization. The library actually started as a book discussion group in 1987, grew into a cubicle at the Yacht Club, then to a vacant retail store front and finally in 2012, to the $1.5 million, freestanding facility and campus they have today. In Tennessee, libraries are supported by the tax base from the incorporated communities in which they're located. But Tellico Village isn't incorporated. So as committed bibliophiles, they have found a way to make it work. They've relied on generous patrons, members of the Friends of the Library organization, grants, fundraisers, volunteers and a little help from the county. There are "one and a half" paid staff members, according to Seymour. All other positions are filled with volunteers. One of the biggest and oldest fundraisers is the upcoming Annual Book Sale, Friday and Saturday April 22 and 23, beginning at 9 a.m. each day at the Community Church adjacent to the library. An estimated 30-35,000 donated books, puzzles, DVDs and CDs will be for sale, enough to fill the auditorium at the church. Scores of volunteers have meticulously sorted the books by category and author for easy shopping. A preview night will be held April 21 for members of Friends of the Library at Tellico Village. Most books are priced between $1 and $3, and volume discounts are available. Books that aren't sold are divided and donated among 11 local charities, including the men's prison, where readers are particularly interested in the Western genre. "It's a wonderful way to give back to the community," said Carolyn McDermott, the book sale coordinating volunteer. Prices are kept low even though the event is a fundraiser, she explained, adding, "People look forward to this sale all year long." For more information about the book sale, or programs at the Library at Tellico Village, visit www.tvlibrary.org. SHARE By News Sentinel Staff A 61-year-old Blount County man has been charged after he tried to receive more than 60 pounds of marijuana through the mail, authorities said. George Richard Magness is being held on a $25,000 bond after investigators with the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force charged him with possession of a scheduled controlled substance with intent to resell. He is being held at the Blount County Detention Facility until his court date on April 13. According to the Blount County Sheriff's Office, authorities were contacted on March 22 by an out-of-state agency where marijuana is legal that a package was intercepted containing the drug and addressed to Magness in Blount County. The following day, after the package was forwarded to authorities in Tennessee, the task force assisted Drug Enforcement Administration agents with a controlled delivery operation in which Magness took possession of the two separate parcels. On April 4, investigators obtained a warrant against Magness. SHARE By News Sentinel Staff A reported Gangster Disciple member has been convicted of human trafficking for commercial sex and sentenced to 10 years in prison, the Knox County District Attorney General's Office announced Thursday. Roger Ernest McClain Jr., 26, agreed to a plea agreement under which he was sentenced to 10 years and placed on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry. He had been denied bond. In a hearing before Judge Scott Green, Assistant District Attorney Hector Sanchez said that on Sept. 19, 2015, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to an aggravated robbery at the Budget Inn on Lovell Road, where the victim informed officers that she had been "pimped out" by McClain for the past year. KPD Investigator Jonathan Harris determined that McClain used the website backpage.com to organize a human trafficking ring, prosecutors said, and would post ads on the website three times a day and receive calls and text messages from individuals seeking to have sexual intercourse with the victim up to 25 times a day. Prosecutors said McClain collected the money exchanged for these encounters, physically assaulted the victim if she refused to comply, and injected the victim with heroin. By MJ Slaby of the Knoxville News Sentinel Buzz Thomas, the soon-to-be interim superintendent of Knox County Schools, said in a statement Wednesday that he looks forward to helping the school board with its "critical mission." Thomas, who is out of town with his family, issued a statement following the unanimous vote by the school board to approve his appointment to the temporary position during the board's meeting on Wednesday. "I am honored to be chosen by the Board of Education for this incredibly important position," Thomas said. "I know how dedicated each board member is to the well-being of our children and the success of our schools. Family circumstances beyond my control have forced me to be away this week, but I look forward to returning to assist the board in its critical mission." Thomas is president of the Great Schools Partnership, a nonprofit organization with a mission to support education in Knox County. His appointment as interim superintendent will be effective July 9, the day after current Superintendent Jim McIntyre leaves. McIntyre has held the position since 2008 and announced earlier this year that he planned to resign in the summer in part because of a changing political climate. Before the vote, school board member Amber Rountree said she has had a great working relationship with Thomas and he has done "wonderful and amazing work." Rountree, however, said she wants to see more educational experience from the candidates for the permanent position. Lauren Hopson, president of the Knox County Education Association, said she also works well with Thomas and echoed Rountree's concern about the permanent position. Hopson said she'd like to see someone with more classroom experience. That's vital to understanding how the policies that are created impact the classroom, she said. During her recommendation on Monday, school board member Terry Hill said Thomas makes a point to spend one day a month in Knox County classrooms. The board is expected to start discussing the search process for a superintendent in the fall after board elections. School board policy prevents Thomas from being considered for the permanent job. Board members are expected to vote on Thomas' contract in May. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) By Joel Ebert, The Tennessean Gov. Bill Haslam on Wednesday said he is still weighing his options regarding a bill that would make Tennessee the first state in the country to name the Bible its official book. We literally have not decided what were doing yet, he said after an appearance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the state museum. Haslam once again reiterated a position hes maintained since last year, noting that he had constitutional concerns about the legislation. "The Tennessee state Constitution is actually more explicit than the United States Constitution in terms of establishing religion. The language is pretty strong about separating that (religion) from what we do as government, he said. As a person of faith myself, theres nothing more important to me, but I also want to make certain that were not confusing the role of government with the role of faith. Should Gov. Bill Haslam veto a bill making the Bible the official book of Tennessee? Haslam's comments come two days after the Senate narrowly approved the measure, which received approval in the House last year. The governor said he is reviewing Attorney General Herbert Slaterys opinion, which was issued last year and that also noted that the bill would violate state and federal constitutions, and watching the Senate floor debate in an effort to make a decision. The news comes ahead of Haslam actually receiving the legislation, which he must sign or veto within 10 days of receipt, excluding Sundays, or the bill automatically becomes law. Kara Owen, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Beth Harwell, said the speakers office is in receipt of a copy of the legislation signed by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. But Harwell has yet to formally sign the legislation, which is necessary for it to be sent to Haslams office. Owen said the speaker has no intention to slow walk the legislation delay signing it but simply needs to sign the measure along with several other bills the House has received from the Senate. A signature is necessary to have the speaker officially certify that the legislation received a constitutional majority of votes, she explained. Owen did acknowledge that Harwell signed the FOCUS Act the governors effort to create independent boards for six state universities under the Tennessee Board of Regents system on Wednesday. The education bill was given approval in the Senate the same day as the Bible bill. Owen said the FOCUS Act was simply higher up on the stack of bills that needed the speakers signature. When asked about whether Harwell would consider convening a special veto session in the event that Haslam rejects the Bible bill, Owen said she has yet to discuss the issue with the speaker. On Monday, Ramsey, who voted against the Bible bill, said any legislature should hold a veto override session. Ramsey said he was working with Harwell to discuss a potential session, should it become necessary, adding, If (Haslam) were to veto it, Im not sure the votes would be there the second time around. Since entering office in 2011, Haslam has vetoed only three bills. SHARE By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE A House committee moved Wednesday to allow public release of TBI investigative reports on officer-involved shootings "after the completion of prosecutorial functions" in such cases. Testimony in the House Criminal Justice Committee indicated that could be after a trial, if there is one, or after a grand jury declines to issue an indictment in an officer-involved shooting case. But the amendment puts the bill in a different posture than the Senate version of the bill: the Senate version allows a TBI investigative report on an officer-involved shooting to be made public after it's turned over to the local district attorney who asked the TBI to investigate but only if the district attorney and the local police chief agree to publicly release it. Current Tennessee law makes all TBI investigative files permanently confidential, including investigations of officer-involved shootings even after cases are closed. Both bills are now awaiting further review in the House and Senate finance committees. The bill, sponsored by Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, and Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, originally required the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to be the lead agency investigating all shootings by law enforcement officers that result in death or critical injury of another person. But the sponsors have given up on passing that mandate during the current legislative session, leaving it to the discretion of local district attorneys to request TBI involvement in investigating shootings by local law enforcement officers. The bill is left with a provision to increase the current $25,000 state death benefit for the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty to $100,000, and the differing provisions on the release of the TBI's report whenever the state agency does investigate officer-involved shootings. The attorney general's ongoing investigation of state Rep. Jeremy Durham has revealed a pattern of inappropriate behavior, including reports of "inappropriate physical contact with some women," according to newly released documents. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) SHARE By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE State House Speaker Beth Harwell has taken unprecedented action in the Legislature's investigation of sexual harassment complaints against state Rep. Jeremy Durham moving the Franklin Republican's office across the street from the main legislative office buildings and limiting his access to the main buildings to official legislative business. That move came after the state attorney general delivered a "privileged and confidential" interim report based on interviews with 34 people and concluding that a "pattern of conduct by Representative Durham directed toward a number of women" some of whom said his conduct made them "uncomfortable in the workplace" and either avoid or refuse to be alone with him. Attorney General Herbert Slatery's investigation is ongoing but based on his findings thus far, he wrote to a special House committee that Harwell appointed to investigate the complaints that the "Legislature as an employer should consider whether interim measures are needed to prevent future inappropriate conduct." The House's Ad Hoc Select Committee delivered the AG's letter and the committee's recommendations on interim measures to Harwell Wednesday. Harwell, R-Nashville, released the committee's report and the AG's letter Thursday, and followed through with the panel's recommendations, which include: Reassigning Durham's office from the War Memorial Building to the ground floor of the Rachel Jackson Building across the street. Limiting his access to the Legislative Plaza, War Memorial Building, Rachel Jackson Building, and the second floor of the State Capitol to official legislative business only. PDFs: April 5 letter from attorney general; April 6 letter from the House Ad Hoc Select Committee to Speaker Beth Harwell All 132 legislators' offices are in the War Memorial Building and the adjoining Legislative Plaza, a partially subterranean complex of legislative offices and hearing rooms that is the center of legislative activity other than House and Senate floor sessions, which occur in their respective chambers on the second floor of the State Capitol. The Rachel Jackson Building, across the street from the Legislative Plaza and the State Capitol, houses legislative staff. Durham will be the only lawmaker who's office is there. Harwell released a statement saying: "Today I received a memorandum from the Ad Hoc Select Committee regarding Representative Jeremy Durham. Although the Attorney General's investigation is ongoing, I feel compelled to take proactive steps to protect all parties concerned until the conclusion of the investigation. This is based upon the attached letter from the Attorney General, and the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Select Committee ... "I want the investigation to be thorough and complete. I encourage anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the Attorney General's office." Slatery's letter, which Harwell made public, says that "information obtained from women who related incidents involving Representative Durham indicates: (1) Representative Durham occupied a superior position of power to the women; (2) he obtained personal contact information from the women under the guise of legislative business or another legitimate reason; (3) he initiated contact about nonlegislative matters and attempted to meet the women alone; (4) he usually involved alcohol in his interaction with the women; and (5) he made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature or engaged in inappropriate physical contact with some women." The AG's letter said the 34 people interviewed thus far include current or former legislative members, lobbyists, staff and interns. "Representative Durham's access to, interaction with, and behavior toward these women arose from his position as an elected representative and legislative leader," the letter continued. "A number of the women who continue to work for or with the Legislature avoid or refuse to be alone with Representative Durham, a situation which has affected their ability to perform their jobs." Durham did not return calls made to his office and cellphones. His current office in the War Memorial Building was locked. His Nashville attorney, Bill Harbison, told The Tennessean newspaper that Durham objected to the way the investigation has been conducted, calling it "unusual." Harbison, president of the Tennessee Bar Association, also told The Tennessean, "We find it surprising and unfair, frankly, that a report would be released without our having had any opportunity to know what was being investigated or what was being discussed." Durham, 32, grew up in Adamsville in West Tennessee, graduated from Adamsville High School in 2002, obtained a bachelor's degree at the University of Tennessee in 2006 and his law degree from the University of Memphis in 2008. His wife, Jessica Durham, is a Nashville optometrist who also graduated from UT Knoxville and, in 2010, from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis. The website for her optometry practice says Durham was her "college sweetheart." The couple has no children. Durham was first elected to the Legislature in 2012 and is in his second two-year term. He resigned his leadership position as House Republican "whip" earlier in the current legislative session after the allegations swirling around him intensified but remained a member of the House. He has filed qualifying papers to run for a third term in his Williamson County district, just south of Nashville, but has at least two Republican primary opponents so far. SHARE I first began working with a condo association in Tennessee in 2000, when I was elected to serve on my condo association's board. One thing I've learned both as a volunteer board member and now as a professional community association manager is those who buy condos are investing in more than just a place to live. Buying a condo isn't just buying a home. You are joining a network of individuals who have joined together to ensure their surroundings, their neighborhood and their community receive proper care and respect. A strong condo association bolsters everything around it, and this isn't just about fixing windows and keeping common areas pristine. Many condo associations across the state of Tennessee keep up roads, storm sewers, public lighting and city infrastructure. So when the system that funds the fundamental obligations of a condo association is threatened, this isn't just an issue for the 500,000 individuals who live in condos in Tennessee. It is an issue for all of Tennessee. Which brings us to today, where there is a dangerous bill being ushered through the General Assembly with little debate and no media attention. House Bill 2401/Senate Bill 2397 gets rid of the priority position of a condo association in case of foreclosure. What that means is that a bank's responsibility to pay condo association fees on a property it loaned money for and foreclosed on is limited. This legislation will allow banks to delay payment to a condo association for as long as they need. Why is this an issue for Tennessee citizens? Here are several reasons: First, this is a fairness issue. The owner of a condo, whether an individual or a bank, has a contractual obligation to pay assessments. Removing banks from that responsibility will hurt honest Tennessee citizens and communities. This will lead to a shortfall in condo association finances, which means those roads, storm sewers, public lighting and city infrastructure may not be able to be properly kept up. It will lead to condo association members having to increase their contributions to the association and potentially, ultimately, more foreclosures with that increased cost. Secondly, any law that benefits banks and makes Tennessee citizens vulnerable must be carefully studied. That's certainly what this bill does, and because of that, this bill deserves further study and certainly the full attention of Tennessee citizens (not just Tennessee condo owners). This bill sets a dangerous precedent that removes power from the hands of Tennessee citizens and places it in the hands of the banks, a situation that following the 2008 financial crisis we should have learned to think carefully about. In fact, the current priority position laws we are under were introduced in 2008 to protect us from what happened then. Removing this protection sets up condo owners for higher payments and a higher likelihood of default. This legislation involves a very complicated issue that is being quickly swept through the last few weeks of the legislative session without the debate and attention it deserves. Tennessee citizens have not been properly informed about the negative consequences of this legislation, regardless of condo ownership. I've spoken with the people of Tennessee who own condos, and the consensus is clear. This bill belongs in summer study for a full vetting of all interested parties and stakeholders. Residents in legislator's districts' living in condominiums will be negatively affected by this legislation. All of those who have put their money and faith into this market, who help to keep up the infrastructure of our communities, deserve nothing less from those they elected to serve. Joe Wise is general manager of Wise Property Solutions in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities. SHARE It is not often that you pick up the newspaper and agree wholeheartedly with something you read. Well, that is how I felt after reading Jeff Hunter's guest column, "The Tennessee Wilderness Act should be law." For nearly eight years, U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker have been introducing the Tennessee Wilderness Act, which would safeguard roughly 20,000 acres of the Cherokee National Forest as wilderness. Recently, Rep. Phil Roe introduced similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I agree that he should be commended. I wish that Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, who represents my district, would also support the Tennessee Wilderness Act. As we look toward Earth Day on April 22, I think about what a gem we have in the Cherokee National Forest. This special place is a wildlife haven featuring brook trout, black bear, turkey, white-tailed deer and many other species of plants and animals. The forest also provides clean drinking water for Northeast Tennessee and the millions of people who live downstream. It is our responsibility to protect it for future generations to enjoy. As Hunter pointed out, passing the Tennessee Wilderness Act will preserve miles of the Appalachian Trail. Along with this cultural, natural and historical landmark, it will also ensure that people can always come to the Cherokee to hike, hunt, fish, paddle, camp and ride horses. These activities support our local economy through sustainable and long-term outdoor recreation and tourism jobs. With Congress in session less than 110 days this year, the clock is ticking. I join Hunter in urging Congress to follow Alexander, Corker and Roe's leads and pass the Tennessee Wilderness Act. Jimmy Groton, Oak Ridge South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday its first-quarter operating profit is estimated to have hovered far above the previous forecast, apparently on the back of early sales of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S7. Samsung said it is believed to have posted an operating profit of 6.6 trillion won (US$5.6 billion) in the January-March period, up 10.37 percent from the same period last year. From the previous quarter, the Q1 estimate marks a 7.49 percent rise. The first-quarter sales came to 49 trillion won, up 3.99 percent from 47.12 trillion won a year earlier, according to the company's earnings guidance. The regulatory filing did not reveal net profits. The estimated earnings hovered far above the market consensus of 5.6 trillion won by 22 South Korean brokerage houses, according to data compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency. The securities firms had forecast sales to reach 49.1 trillion won in the first quarter. Analysts said the company's first-quarter mobile business is believed to have enjoyed a favorable performance apparently on the back of the Galaxy S7, which went on sales earlier in March. The predecessor, the Galaxy S6, went on sales in April, having only a limited impact on the company's first-quarter performance in 2015. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones, first showcased at a trade fair in Spain in February, come with improved batteries and are water and dust resistant. The company also brought back the micro SD card slot that had disappeared in the Galaxy S6 series. "Sales of the Galaxy S7 series are estimated to have hovered above 10 million units in the first quarter, above the expectation of 7 million," said Shin Hyun-joon, an analyst at LIG Investment & Securities Co. Hwang Joon-ho, an analyst at KDB Daewoo Securities Co., echoed the view, adding new features adopted by the Galaxy S7 series added to the strong sales, with the combined shipment estimated to reach 45 million for 2016. While Samsung did not provide performances for respective business divisions, KDB Daewoo Securities estimated the mobile arm to boast an operating profit of 3.3 trillion won, up 19 percent from a year earlier. Industry watchers added Samsung is expected to enjoy foreign-exchange benefits, especially in the semiconductor and display segments. KDB Daewoo Securities estimated the semiconductor business to have posted an operating profit of 2.5 trillion won, down 17 percent on-year. IBK Securities Co. echoed the view, casting an estimate of 2.54 trillion won in operating profit for semiconductors and 3.24 trillion won for the mobile business. If the actual earnings report, set to be delivered later this month, is in line with the estimate, it would stand as a signal for the revival of the mobile division, analysts said. While the segment stood as the mainstay business for Samsung, a slump in smartphone sales paved the way for the chip division to stand as the main source of profit in 2015. The semiconductor business posted an operating profit of 12.7 trillion won in 2015, hovering above 10.1 trillion won posted by the mobile arm. In 2013, Samsung made 24.9 trillion won from its mobile business and only 6.88 trillion won from chip sales. Analysts, however, said the second quarter may be more challenging for Samsung Electronics as its rivals continue to roll out more devices, while the increasing marketing costs also remain a burden. But Samsung's top-tier technology in the chip segment cast a brighter future for the rest of 2016, analysts said. Shares of Samsung Electronics Co. closed 1.98 percent higher at 1,285,000 won on Wednesday, with the benchmark KOSPI rising 0.44 percent. The earnings guidance was released before the stock market opened Thursday. (Yonhap) By Jhoo Dong-chan The nation's 13 leading construction companies are expected to face a total of 500 billion won ($434 million) in penalties for allegedly rigging the bidding on Korea Gas Corp.'s orders, going back as far as 2005. The 13 construction companies including Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C), Daewoo E&C and Daelim are suspected of colluding to rig bids on Korea Gas Corp.'s orders to build LNG storage tanks in Pyeongtaek, Tongyeong and Samcheok According to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), it will hold an in-house meeting to discuss the allegations. Industry watchers said the penalty is expected to exceed 500 billion won. If imposed, it will be the highest penalty that has been imposed on the nation's construction companies. Currently, the largest penalty ever imposed stands at 435.5 billion won for bid-rigging on the Honam High Speed Railway project. Company officials reportedly admitted the allegations in some degree. "The FTC has not come up with the exact penalty yet, so we don't have any comment at this point," said an official. An FTC official said that bid-rigging on construction orders is an old custom among the nation's builders and it was very disappointing because many of the company CEOs promised not to commit such irregularities when they were pardoned last Korean Independence Day (Aug. 15). U.S.-based luxury electric automaker Tesla's newly launched Tesla Model 3 sedan is displayed during its unveiling in Hawthorne, California, March 31 (KST). Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Tesla Model 3 is sold starting at $35,000. / Yonhap By Jhoo Dong-chan Hyundai Motor Group, Korea's top automaker, refuted claims that a new budget electric vehicle (EV) introduced by U.S. based Tesla may steal its domestic market share, citing its competitive price strategy. "Tesla's Model 3 won't influence Hyundai Motor in sales at home any time soon as the price of the model is still too expensive and the nation's infrastructure for EVs has not been fully established yet," said a Hyundai official, Thursday. The price of the Model 3 starts at $35,000 without government subsidies and incentives. In Korea, the price is expected to reach about $40,000. "It will cost around 43 million won in Korea for a Tesla, considering dealers' margins and additional fees. The consumer price even with government incentives for green cars is expected to be well over 30 million won," he said. "Hyundai's latest Ioniq hybrid EV is currently being sold for between 21 million won and 24 million won with government subsidies, cheap enough to compete with the Tesla Model 3." He said Hyundai welcomes Tesla's plan to advance into the Korean market, as the entrance of the Model 3 is expected to awaken idling demand for EVs, helping the local auto industry build new momentum. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said the US automaker has so far received a total of 253,000 preorders for the Model 3 since its March 31 launch. The monetary value of the preorders is 13 trillion won ($11.3 billion). Experts have said the Model 3 is competitive in all measures, as the company's first four-door compact EV sedan can travel a maximum of 346 kilometers on a fully charged battery and does 0 to 100 kph in six seconds, as fast as gasoline- or diesel-engine sedans in the segment. "The Model 3's unprecedented success is expected to have negative effects on Korea's Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors who recently launched a series of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) including the Ioniq compact sedan and the Niro SUV," said an industry official, on condition of anonymity. In contrast, Hyundai Motor's latest hybrid EV has a 180 kilometer range on a full charge, half that of the Tesla. And its 0 to 100 kph is around 10 seconds, far slower than the Model 3. But as the Model 3 won't be available here until late 2017 at the earliest, it seems unlikely that it will have any imminent impact on the nation's automakers, according to analysts. Mixed response Although Hyundai Motors has seen a decline in its stock price since the introduction of the Model 3, the automaker said its latest stock price falls have no relation with the latest Tesla vehicle. "The company's stock price is rather affected by poor sales in China and Latin America, nothing to do with the Tesla Model 3," said another official. Shares in Hyundai Motor rose 1.74 percent, Thursday, to close at 146,500 won on the nation's main bourse. Its previous peak was 159,000 won, March 22. Its share price has since declined nine days in a row, falling as low as 144,000 won. The share price of the company's sister automaker Kia Motors also fell 10.7 percent in the last nine days. According to the Ministry of Environment, a total of 337 high-speed battery charger stations are currently in operation across the country. The ministry has promised to increase the number to 600 in 2018, but experts say this is not enough. "In order to have more EVs on the street, I believe battery charger stations should be as many as the current number of LPG charge stations nationwide, which is around 2,000," an industry official said. By Kim Jae-won The antitrust agency is widening an investigation into Citibank, JPMorgan & Chase and other foreign banks for allegedly colluding on foreign exchange (FX) swap bids, officials said Thursday. This follows the imposition of fines on HSBC and Deutsche Bank last month for similar activities. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is conducting a probe into more than 10 foreign banks to ascertain whether they were also involved in rigging the bid process for FX swap transactions, said bank officials familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity. The list includes Citibank Korea, JPMorgan & Chase, Barclays, Standard Chartered Bank Korea and BNP Paribas, they said. "The FTC is widening its investigation to other foreign banks after they uncovered wrongdoing at HSBC and Deutsche Bank," said a director at a U.S. bank in Seoul, also on condition of anonymity. The investigation came one month after the FTC slapped a fine of 46 million won on HSBC and a 13 million won on Deutsche Bank after it was found they colluded in four bidding processes for FX swap transactions that took place between January 2011 and February 2012. The FTC declined to comment on the investigation. Citibank Korea confirmed that the lender is preparing documents on FX bidding swap deals as requested by the agency. "KFTC requested us information, and we are co-operating with the relevant requests for information," said the lender in a statement. A spokeswoman at BNP Paribas confirmed that the French lender is being audited, but declined to elaborate. A JPMorgan & Chase spokeswoman said that she had no comment about the issue. A PR representative of Barclays said he would check the matter out. Standard Chartered Bank declined to comment. An FX swap is a derivative that simultaneously trades for the same amount of one currency for another under two different value dates. It is used by financial institutions and investors to hedge against their foreign exchange positions. This is the first time that the antitrust agency caught an offense in foreign exchange derivatives trading. The FTC said that it will tighten monitoring of the financial and foreign currency markets to root out other such trading and illegal activities. The incidents are the latest examples of foreign lenders engaging in wrong doing while conducting business. In January, a Seoul district court sentenced a Deutsche Bank director surnamed Park to five years in prison for stock manipulation in order to avoid losses on derivatives. The lender was fined 43.7 billion won. By Kim Jae-won Ham Jong-ho, Deloitte Anjin CEO Deloitte Anjin is losing contracts from state-run lenders, hit hard by its failure to uncover alleged accounting fraud at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), bank officials said Thursday. The Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) are withdrawing their contracts or are reluctant to give new ones to Deloitte Anjin as the market has lost trust in the firm. "We cannot work with Deloitte Anjin anymore because it was incompetent in auditing DSME," said a KDB spokesman. "Deloitte Anjin executives said there were no problems in DSME's financial statements, but this turned out to be false." Last month, Deloitte Anjin requested DSME to rewrite its financial statements for 2013 and 2014, after finding "errors" in them. This means that the accounting firm is recanting its own report which said the shipbuilder's financial statements were appropriate. Recently, KDB replaced Deloitte Anjin with Samil PwC as lead manager for Kumho Tire sales. Last month, KDB gave an order to conduct a due diligence on Hyundai Merchant Marine to KPMG Samjong, canceling its contract with Deloitte Anjin. The Korea Eximbank also gave orders to conduct due diligences on strong small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) dubbed "hidden champions" to Samil PwC, changing its plan to engage Deloitte Anjin. DSME initially reported a record 5.13 trillion won ($4.24 billion) in losses last year due to increased costs from a delay in the construction of offshore facilities and order cancellations amid a prolonged slump in the global shipbuilding sector. But last week, the company said in a regulatory filing that its 2015 loss was revised down to 3.3 trillion won, citing accounting mishaps, while it swung to a loss of 863 billion won in 2014 from an earlier reported 33 billion won in profit. For 2013, the company also swung to a loss of 683 billion won from a profit of 242 billion won. Consequently, the shipyard has suffered losses for a third consecutive year. The company said that its external auditor, Deloitte Anjin, demanded that its 2013 and 2014 book-closing be revised. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it is investigating Deloitte Anjin to see the accounting firm helped DSME hide the losses intentionally. If the FSS finds evidence that Deloitte Anjin was a co-conspirator in the accounting fraud, it will face strong punishment, which strengthened sanctions last year against such accounting firms. Shareholders of DSME also filed a lawsuit against the shipbuilder and Deloitte Anjin last year, claiming they incurred financial losses from the manipulated financial statements, which they believed to be true. Deloitte Anjin is the local member of global accounting and consulting group Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Its 2,400 experts have provided accounting audits, tax consulting and financial advisory services to clients. It is one of the four largest players in Korea, along with Samil PwC, KPMG Samjong and Ernst & Young Han Young. By Park Jin-hai Erwan Bouroullect The television has evolved into a high-tech electronic gadget. But, Samsung's latest Serif TV that French designer duo Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec designed is more like furniture than a TV. The wooden picture framed TV with a fabric backing and four detachable legs is the brother designers' first project with a big name electronics company. Erwan, who gave a presentation at the Seoul Living Design Fair, said simplicity is what it is for. "One of the consequences of the buying all the time and being fanatic about it is that a lot of products lose universality. I don't feel that is the right direction," he said, raising the question of people's insatiable desire to buy products. Matthew Cooper has been appointed as general manager at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul. Previously, he was the general manager at JW Marriott Seoul. Born in Australia, Cooper has worked at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Hyderabad, the Marriott Hotel in Bangalore, and Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Gurgaon, all in India. He was awarded the Global General Manager of the Year in 2010 by the Marriott Group. "As a No. 1 hotel in Tripadvisor.com, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul boasts a one-of-a-kind stunning design and teamwork that is unsurpassed," Cooper said. "During my two-year appointment, I aim to ensure that the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul not only maintains its position as the jewel of the Marriott chain, but also continues to grow into legitimate landmark in Seoul." The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents the "Oh Brunch" package from Friday through Sunday until Nov. 26. The package includes a one-night stay, brunch for two at the hotel's French restaurant, Table 34, free access to the gym and swimming pool _ sauna excluded _ and free Wi-Fi service. Check-out time is 4 p.m. Brunch will feature caviar, truffles, foie gras, monkfish, sea bass and duck. Two glasses of champagnes will be served during the meal. The dessert section has 20 choices. The package starts from 330,000 won, with tax and service charges included. For more information and reservations, call (02) 559-7777. The Westin Chosun Seoul's Chinese restaurant, Hong Yuan, presents "Fureika Gala Dinner" on April 15 and 16, featuring chef Lei Yijin from a the Michelin starred restaurant Fureika in Japan. The collaboration between the hotel and Fureika has been going on for several years now. The chef will present Cantonese style dishes such as barbecue appetizer, and Peking duck and abalone with XO sauce, a spicy seafood sauce. The gala dinner starts from 340,000 won per person, including tax and service charges. For more information and reservations, call (02) 317-0494. The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel's buffet restaurant, Feast, presents Vietnamese cuisine between April 22 and May 5. Chefs Huynh Huu Huy and Mai Ly Huong from the Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa will offer fresh seafood spring roll, pomelo with chicken, banana blossom with chicken, green mango with prawns, bitter melon with shrimp, char-grilled beef salad, Wok fried prawn in Tamarind sauce, sauteed crab with Tamarind sauce, braised fish in a clay pot and braised beef with coconut among others. The meal will cost 63,000 won per person, including tax and service charges. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2211-1710. Tightened rules come as part of gov't fight against online pornography By Jhoo Dong-chan Tightened governmental restriction of online pornography is triggering protest from some Internet users who claim that their privacy could be at risk. According to revised ordinances of the Telecommunications Business Act that took effect April 16, web and peer-to-peer (P2P) service providers, such as Pruna and Bitsnoop, are required to block searches for, as well as uploading and downloading of obscene material. This is to protect minor subscribers from pornography distributed through these networks. The revised ordinances also require the firms to take technological measures to send a warning notice to pornography uploaders and store the data logs of their file servers for at least two years. Anyone caught violating the act will face up to two years in jail or a fine of 100 million won ($92,400). The measures raised a grave concern among Internet users, especially over a clause on punishment against anyone who uploads pornographic material to P2P sites. Because P2P users are both suppliers and consumers of content any content is automatically uploaded at the same time after it is downloaded any individual users can be subject to punishment. Some Internet users said that any porn files downloaded before the new rules took effect will be uploaded when they use P2P sites. They also worry that the tightened rules will excessively limit each individual's sexual freedom. Ma Kwang-soo, a Korean literature professor at Yonsei University and author of a book banned for its sexual contents, criticized the government's stance, describing it as a "reign of terror against sex." However, the nation's communication watchdog, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), said that the purpose of the revision is to reduce the circulation of obscene materials. "We are not targeting non-profit individual downloaders and uploaders," said a KCC official. "But those individuals who upload mass obscene materials for commercial purpose or spread porn of ordinary people will be subject to punishment." By Kim Rahn Police are cracking down on porn website operators, including a member of the nation's largest online porn provider, Soranet. According to the National Police Agency (NPA), Wednesday, they booked a man, surnamed Lee, 42, without physical detention for allegedly uploading some 50 pornographic videos on his online cafe which had about 5,800 subscribers. His cafe belonged to Soranet, which is a portal through which nearly 60,000 such cafes can be accessed. Soranet has long been criticized for spreading obscene content and allowing operators' suspected involvement in pornography, sex trades among members and other illegal activities, since it began operating in 1999. Since NPA Commissioner General Kang Sin-myeong pledged an intensive crackdown on Soranet last month, about 1,100 cafes on the site have voluntarily closed, according to police. Former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, a Saenuri Party candidate running in Suseong A district in Daegu, apologizes for the nasty factional feud inside the ruling party over candidate nominations, in a subway station, Thursday. Loyalists to President Park Geun-hye, including Kim, have suffered sharp falls in their popularity in the lead-up to the April 13 general election. / Yonhap Losing supporrt for Park loyalists is key campaign issue By Kang Seung-woo Campaigns for the April 13 general election are entering the final stretch with attention heaped on whether the ruling Saenuri Party will be able to overcome a nasty factional dispute to secure a majority of seats. The ruling party is now shifting into a low key mood in Daegu, President Park Geun-hye's political stronghold, amid worsened voter sentiment toward Park loyalists. According to recent public polls, several pro-Park candidates, including former Home Affairs Minister Chong Jong-sup, are struggling to gain support from their traditional followers in Daegu, with half of 12 parliamentary seats there projected to be won by non-Saenuri candidates. In 2012, the party swept all 12. On Wednesday, the ruling party's 11 candidates running in the city took to the street and got on their knees, apologizing for the factional feud and begging for votes. The party did not field a candidate for the Dong-B district, where former floor leader Yoo Seong-min is running as an independent candidate. "We have failed to live up to expectations of Daegu citizens that their lawmakers should make concerted efforts and help President Park administer state affairs. We apologize to Daegu citizens," said Rep. Choi Kyung-hwn, a de facto leader of the pro-Park lawmakers. "We are ready to be reproached. Without your support, the Park government cannot be recorded as a successful administration." The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) seems to be nearly in the same boat with the Saenuri Party. With the emerging popularity of the minor opposition People's Party in Honam encompassing North and South Jeolla Provinces, there is speculation that the MPK may not win a double-digit number of National Assembly seats. As a result, MPK interim leader Kim Chong-in is appealing to voters in Gwangju with a pledge to invite Samsung's auto business for electric and autonomous cars to the region as part of job creation. In the eight-precinct city, only one MPK candidate holds a slight lead. The MPK is also committed to winning votes from the capital area, including Seoul and Incheon, that is expected to decide the result of the election as a total of 122 seats, including 49 for Seoul, are up for grabs. To this end, rather than seeking to join forces with the People's Party, the party is now focused on rendering the election into a one-on-one format between the MPK and the Saenuri and highlighting the government's failed economic policy. "The MPK's priority is reviving the economy. Currently, the nation's economy has dropped to its lowest ebb and the people have more financial woes than in the Asian financial crisis (in 1997-98)," the MPK leader said Wednesday. The People's Party is focused on extending its upswing in Honam into the capital area. In addition, it is also appealing to voters casting their ballots for its proportional representation candidates. "We are expected to claim a resounding victory in Honam and seeking ways to stretch the winning vibe into Seoul and the capital area," said Rep. Kim Young-hwan, the party' co-head of the election polling committee. An appeals court on Thursday ordered the government to cancel its dismissal of a former energy and resources ambassador who was acquitted of the charge of manipulating stock prices. Overruling a lower court's decision, the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of Kim Eun-seok, who had been indicted on charges of colluding with a mine developer to reap massive profits from a stock price rigging scam linked to a diamond mining project in Cameroon. Ok Deok-gyun, the former head of CNK International, was found guilty of exaggerating the volume of the diamond reserves in a Cameroon mine through a press release in 2010. Kim was alleged to have played a role in getting the foreign ministry to issue the press release on the diamond project, but was later acquitted by local courts. Kim later filed a suit against the foreign ministry for relieving him of his post just because he was indicted. The former envoy said such actions conflicted with the right of presumption of innocence. The Seoul High Court said considering the results of the criminal case, which acquitted Kim, the ministry's dismissal was unfair. (Yonhap) By Jun Ji-hye Yoo Seong-min The co-chairman of the minor opposition People's Party, Ahn Cheol-soo, is repeatedly making comments in support of former Saenuri Party floor leader Yoo Seong-min, now standing as an independent candidate in Daegu, after he bolted from the ruling party. Analysts say that this is an apparent effort by the center-left politician to woo conservative voters in the run-up to the April 13 general election. Ahn is apparently attempting to utilize Yoo's history of being marginalized within the governing party amid factional disputes to expose the inherent problems of the main parties and differentiate the People's Party from them. The strategy is part of a belief that conservative voters who became disillusioned with the Saenuri Party because of Yoo's marginalization and exit from the party might decide to back the People's Party as an alternative, said the analysts. Ahn also apparently believes that Yoo's image of a "reformative conservative" matches the values pursued by the People's Party. During his visit to Daegu, a traditional stronghold of the governing party, Wednesday, Ahn told voters, "The Saenuri Party is not normal right now as it rejected a person only because he said The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic.'" Ahn also said that a lawmaker should be able to publicly say "welfare without tax hikes is a fiction." Ahn's remarks obviously referred to Yoo, who was once a key member of supporters of President Park Geun-hye within the governing party but was later estranged from the faction after voicing objections to a number of Park's pledges such as "welfare without a tax hikes." On July 8 last year when Yoo stepped down as the floor leader of the ruling party due to mounting pressure from the pro-Park members, he told a news conference, "I wanted to protect the value of the Constitution that declares The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic.'" Yoo quit the ruling party on March 23 after failing to receive the party's nomination, apparently due to his conflict with the pro-Park faction that dominated the party's nominations committee. Wednesday was not the first time that Ahn made comments siding with Yoo. On March 29, Ahn said during a forum hosted by the Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists that, "Yoo is a symbol of a reformative conservative," apparently trying to establishing a link between the influential conservative figure and the People's Party. Since his departure in mid-December from the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea's predecessor, the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, Ahn has stressed that the nation needs to move away from old politics dominated by the two major parties, claiming that his People's Party is valuable as the third party and an alternative to the existing parties. Citing that only one candidate from the People's party is running in districts in Daegu, Yoon Hee-woong, a senior researcher and political commentator at Opinion Live, said Ahn's visit to Daegu was to woo voter support for the party itself. "By highlighting problems and conflicts in existing parties, Ahn is raising the need for an alternative," Yoon said. "In the long-term, Ahn is also trying to maintain an amicable relationship with Yoo for the future in case he might need to join hands with powerful figures ahead of the next year's presidential election." Yoon also said by promoting his party, Ahn is also seeking to increase the number of proportional representation lawmakers for the People's Party as the number is determined by the overall votes the party receives in the election. Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye By Kim Bo-eun Foreign schools caught committing admission fraud four times will be banned from recruiting Korean students, the Ministry of Education said Thursday. Considering Koreans make up more than half of the students in many foreign schools here, the penalty will virtually mean a shutdown, a ministry official said. Currently, Koreans can gain admission if they have lived overseas for a minimum of three years. The ministry said the regulations on the establishment and management of foreign schools and kindergartens will change. After collecting public opinion and further review, the ministry aims for the new rule to take effect by July. According to the new measures, a foreign school accepting unqualified Korean students will face different penalties depending on how many times the school is found to have done this. For the first violation, the education authorities will issue a correction order. For the second, the school will be suspended from recruiting Korean students for six to 12 months and for the third time, 13 to 24 months. On a fourth violation, it will be banned from recruiting any Korean students and will be only allowed to accept foreign students. Foreign schools are required to keep the ratio of Korean students among the total quota at below 30 percent. But many schools have far short numbers of students than the total quota, and the ratio of Korean students among attending students at some schools reach nearly 80 percent. According to current regulations, when admissions fraud is uncovered, parents can face criminal punishment and the student can be expelled. But there have been no punishments for the schools that accept the students. "We expect the revisions to alert the schools to the violations and have them assume greater social responsibility," the ministry official said. There are currently 43 foreign schools in Korea, which were established for children of foreign residents and Koreans who return to their home country after living abroad. The Incheon District Prosecutor's Office indicted 55 parents on charges of fraud in their children's admission into foreign schools between August 2012 and April 2013. Some parents forged their nationality and documents on their children's academic background. Foreign schools are favored among wealthy parents as a form of elite education. The revision also includes regulations that allow naturalized Koreans such as children of marriage migrants to enter foreign schools if they have difficulty adjusting to regular schools here. Concerns grow over sugarcoated' promises By Yi Whan-woo The ruling Saenuri Party announced Thursday a package of election pledges, including revising the Bank of Korea (BOK) Law to enable the party to demand it introduce quantitative easing (QE) after the April 13 general election. The announcement came after its campaign co-chief Kang Bong-kyun called for the need to adopt a more aggressive monetary easing policy to spur the economy. Revising the law was among 53 policy proposals made by the party's candidates for proportional representation seats. The party's move to review the central bank law is intended to set legal grounds for the bank to print more money to support economic growth. The revised law will push the BOK to supply more liquidity in the market by buying bonds issued by state-run banks. Kang, a former finance minister, said March 29 that the central bank should buy commercial banks' mortgage-backed securities and bonds issued by the state-run Korea Development Bank. "The revision of the BOK Act is necessary to implement a Korean version of QE," said Kim Jong-seok, a senior official of the Saenuri Party's election camp. "Our plan is expected to push the BOK to come up with more active monetary policies." Kim, who also serves as the president of the Yeouido Institute, the party's think tank, rejected concerns that the revision will violate the central bank's independent decision-making process. "We're trying to add a special role for the BOK," he added. The Saenuri Party said it will propose the revision within 100 days after the new National Assembly begins its four-year term on May 30. Empty pledges abound The party's announcement came amid concerns over a series of sugarcoated promises in campaign pledges. The parties and their candidates are making promises that they claim will help boost the sluggish economy, but are seen as populist by critics. They include the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) interim leader Kim Chong-in's pledge made Wednesday to draw investments worth 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion) from Samsung Electronics to Gwangju to create 20,000 jobs there. Samsung Electronics said it has "no plan" concerning this. Kim is also a proportional representation candidate. Some candidates have promised to carry out mega-sized transportation infrastructure projects that require funds from the central government; and also have brought up defunct plans proposed during the 2012 general election and 2014 local elections. Others are stealing ideas from rival candidates in their respective constituencies, although skepticism is rampant that their promises will never be kept. "The parties should keep in mind that these are National Assembly elections and their candidates should not make promises as if they were administrative officials of the central government," said Lee Gwang-jae, the secretary general of the Korea Manifesto Center. The Saenuri Party, MPK and the minor People's Party and Justice Party have each outlined 10 pledges, respectively, at a broader level. These deal with a wide range of issues, including nurturing prospective industries, welfare benefits, job creation for young adults and education. A number of candidates in previous elections made their promises based on such pledges at a party level, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). "The problem is, the voters tend to disregard what the pledges are and cast ballots based on their affinity with the parties," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. Civil servants wait in a long line at the back entrance of the Government Complex in Seoul, Thursday, as security checks have been tightened after it was found that a jobseeker infiltrated the building five times earlier this year. / Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong The government said Thursday that it will change the security systems for government buildings, a belated measure following multiple infiltrations into the Government Complex in downtown Seoul by a 26-year-old who attempted to change the results of his civil service exam. The Ministry of Interior held an emergency meeting with related organizations, presided over by Vice Minister Kim Sung-lyul, to discuss security measures, including technical upgrades and tightening security procedures. "We're considering many things we must do to strengthen security, such as fingerprint identification," a ministry official said. "The goal is to make sure that those entering and leaving the building are registered in the security system. We'll form a special task force for the overhaul." The team will finalize improvements by the end of next month. However, many doubt whether such technical improvements will solve the problem, as the infiltration revealed a severe security lapse among public servants. The incident took place while the government was under a high security alert after threats from North Korea. The intruder, surnamed Song, allegedly entered the government building and the Ministry of Personnel Management's exam administration office five times without being stopped once. According to police, Song first entered the building on Feb. 28, blending in with a group of young police officers on duty. Guards at the gate did not stop him, apparently assuming he was with the officers. Song then headed toa gym inside the complex where he stole three security cards. But the three people whose cards he stole did not report the thefts to the authorities. If the cards had been reported as lost, Song would not have been able to use them for his later intrusions. He attempted to steal the exam key on March 1, four days before the exam day, but failed. On March 24 and 26, he snuck into the test administration office, protected by a passcode lock. Later when questioned by police, he revealed that the passcode for the office door was written on the side of the door lock. The team members later said they wrote it there so that the cleaning people could enter in the morning. Song logged into the computers there to change his exam results on the second day, using a software program to compromise the computer passwords. But the computer users noticed the suspicious login records four days later. A local court issued an arrest warrant for Song late Wednesday night. Police concluded that the man acted alone without inside help. They will soon refer the case to the prosecution. Sungkyunkwan University President Chung Kyu-sang University president pledges to globalize Korean Confucianism By Kim Jae-kyoung SINGAPORE Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) President Chung Kyu-sang said that his university will globalize Korean Confucianism by bringing in a world-renowned scholar from abroad and modernizing its curriculum of Confucian studies. The move is a preliminary step for the school to take the lead in a global discussion of ethical issues raised by the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and to play a key role in preparing for the age of AI. The school was formerly known as Sungkyunkwan, and was the highest national education institute in the Joseon Kingdom founded under the principle of Confucianism in 1398. In a recent interview with The Korea Times in Singapore, Chung said that the university has decided to hire a world-renowned scholar of Eastern philosophy from abroad to head the Academy of East Asian Studies. The academy was an organization founded by the university to promote Korea's culture and philosophy, and modern issues in East Asia. "He is a scholar whom everybody would recognize by name. The scholar basically agreed to work with us and we are now working on details of the terms of the contract. We will soon make an announcement," he said. "Since this is a big step to take the initiative in promoting eastern values as a solution to issues brought up by AlphaGo, it is important to have a distinguished scholar with a deep knowledge of Confucianism and a reputation in Western society as well," he said. AlphaGo is an AI program designed by London-based Google subsidiary DeepMind to play the board game Go. The president said that professors from the Department of Confucian and Oriental Studies are already working on how to globalize its studies and developing a new program to reflect changes in the technology world. "A new program will focus on modernizing and globalizing Confucianism in a bid to resolve various ethical issues critical for the future development of AI," he said. "AlphaGo's victory over world Go champion Lee Se-dol has led to fear that machines with superior intelligence might control humans in the near future. What is of concern is that such machines can be abused by humans for malicious purpose," Chung said. Amid such concerns of a technological elite in the shadows ruling over the rest of the humanity, the world has started talking about the ethics of AI use. "The issue is how human can use and control AI. In other words, it is about the nature of human beings or ethics, which is the core of our Confucian studies," he added. "In order to forestall the side effects of AI, education on humanism should precede laws and systems. In that regard, Korea and Sunkyunkwan University are in the best position to handle that issue," he added. Capitalizing on alumni network The former law professor, who visited Singapore to join the 2016 Asia Alumni Association General Meeting, said that the school will make more efforts to expand its presence in Southeast Asia The first thing he plans to do is to create a program for its students to have opportunities to get more internships and find jobs in the region in cooperation with the Asia Alumni Association. "The school will try to send as many students as possible to the region. I hope that the alumni association will share its network to help our students get more opportunities there," Chung said. "Our students are still lacking in knowledge of the opportunities presented by Southeast Asia. We will use Singapore as a bridgehead to encourage more students to go there," he added. The school also plans to expand alliances with top universities in Southeast Asia to introduce more credit exchange programs and hold joint forums. It has already forged alliances with top universities such as Singapore National and Nanyang Technology universities. "Joint studies among professors are underway but our students are looking for opportunities only in industrialized countries, such as the U.S. and Canada. It is now time to change their mindset with forward-looking vision," he said. At the same time, the 63-year-old said that the school will capitalize on Samsung Group's expansion into Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Samsung, the nation's largest conglomerate, took over the school's operating foundation in 1996. "Samsung is expanding its business in the region by ramping up facilities investment. We plan to introduce more industry-academic collaboration projects," he said. In order to produce a Korean version of Steve Jobs, Chung said that the university will beef up software education for its students. It now makes it a rule for those majoring in humanities to take at least four credits in basic software courses. "Steve Jobs was a leading figure of innovation equipped with both an insight into the humanities and an understanding of science and technology," he said. "To create such a talent, we have established a system ensuring that every student has the capability to apply software knowledge to his or her own major," he added. Chung said that all these moves are in line with the school's long-term vision to become a leading global university. "We don't pay much attention to domestic rankings. What we care is how competitive we are on a global scale. If we continue to sharpen up our competitive edge to become Asia's leading university, we will soon top the league table of universities in Korea,"he said. It aims to become one of Asia's top 10 universities and in the world's top 50 by 2020. It was 16th in Asia in the Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking 2015, the highest ranking among Korea's private universities. By Andrew Hammond Donald Trump on Sunday asserted that he is sanguine about the possibility of war breaking out between nuclear-armed North Korea and its neighbours. In his latest undiplomatic pronouncement, the billionaire businessman commented "if they do, they do...Good luck. Enjoy yourself folks". Given Trump's increasing erratic foreign policy positioning, the fact that he remains a frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination is sending shockwaves around the world. And this is damaging the reputation of the United States (so-called Brand America') internationally. Trump's most recent comments have alarmed multiple US allies in Asia, and follow-on from his assertions last week that Washington should withdraw US troops from South Korea and Japan and allow those countries, and potentially others, including Saudi Arabia, to develop nuclear arsenals. While these idas enjoy some support in the United States and internationally too, it flies in the face of US foreign policy over decades which has largely been focused on preventing nuclear weapon proliferation.So significant was the level of diplomatic concern in Japan,both the prime minister and foreign minister responded forcefully, with the latter asserting that "it is impossible that Japan will arm itself with nuclear weapons". And concernsabout Trump in South Korea were compounded earlier this year by his assertions that the country "is a money machine but they pay us peanuts ... South Korea should pay us very substantially for protecting them". The offence caused to Washington's long-standing allywas such thatthe White House publicly rebuked the billionaire noting, for instance, that Seoul actually pays for 55% of all non-US personnel costs in the country. These controversies are only the latest in a series offoreign policy indelicacies, in which Trump has piled on insult after insult, and apparently defied the laws of political gravity for now at least. Other examples of diplomatic angst he has caused relates to his plans for building a border wall with Mexico (which he claims he will persuade the Mexican government to pay for); aproposed ban on all Muslims entering the United States; and his remarkthat he couldn't rule out the use of tactical nuclear weapons, including on Europe. The tragedy for the United States is that fall-out from these undiplomatic pronouncementsare already rippling out internationally, and are likely to increase anti-US sentiment in some countries. In the words of former Malaysian Justice Secretary, Zaid Ibrahim, for instance, "if an idiot like Donald Trump can be contender for president, it speaks volumes about America". And such feelings could undercut much of the work that President Barack Obama has undertaken to turn around the climate of perception about the country.Coming into office in 2009, Obama confronted a situation in which anti-US sentiment was at about its highest levels since at least the Vietnam War.The key factor driving this was the international unpopularity of the George W. Bush administration's foreign, security and military policies in the so-called war on terror'. The Obama team has made significant efforts to turn around this climate of international perception. And according to one research study that uses the same tools that consultants use to value corporate brands, the "Obama effect" was estimated to have raised the value of Brand America' by 2.1 trillion dollars in the first year of his presidency alone. This reflected the substantial increase in foreigners regarding the United States as the most admired country in the world again following the Bush presidency. And this turnaround in fortunes was not only been welcomed in Washington but also in Corporate America following concerns during the Bush years that US-headquartered multinationals were becoming a focus for commercial backlash from anti-Americanism. However, despite these successes, Obama's progress has been uneven in the last seven years and he has not fully capitalised upon what former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has characterised as the country's "return to the hearts of the people of the world". Perhaps the biggest failure of Obama's global public diplomacy has been toward what he has called the Islamic world. Despite the early promise of his Cairo speech in his first term in which he sought to reset US relations with Muslim-majority countries, there remain pockets of very high anti-Americanism in several key states, including Pakistan and Egypt, which the president has failed to substantially address, as Pew Global Research surveys have shown over the last few years. US public diplomacy problems, however, are not just restricted to Muslim-majority countries. Many internationally, for instance, have been disappointed by Obama's failed pledge to close Guantanamo Bay, and there is significant foreign unease about increased US use of drone strikes during his presidency. It is in this context that foreigners are viewing the possibility of Trump's elevation to the presidency. It appears that global opinion could be even more hostile to him than Bush, highlighting the massive downside risks for Brand America should the controversial businessmanbecome the Republican nominee, let alone win November's presidential election. While Trump has been roundly criticised by audiences across much of the world, it is in the so-called Islamic world where the potential risks are highest. For instance, his plan to "shut down" immigration into the United States from all Muslimshas been called "unacceptable ... an insult to our religion" in the United Arab Emirates, while Egypt's top religious authority decried his "hostile view of Islam and Muslims". Thus, at the very time when USpublic diplomacy shouldredouble its efforts to win the battle for hearts and minds' in Muslim-majority countries, the controversial businessman has all the makings of a diplomatic disaster. Taken overall, Trumpis already doing damage to the reputation of the United States internationally. While Brand America has rebounded under Obama,Trump could prove to be one of the least popular ever US president overseas, highlighting the massive downside risks for the US image overseas should the controversial businessman become the Republican nominee, let alone win November's election. Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS (the Centre for International Affairs, Diplomacy and Strategy) at the London School of Economics. North Korea has recently opened a hospital in Tanzania and since been striving to boost earnings apparently to make up for its foreign income squeezed by international sanctions, a media report said Thursday. Maibong Sukidor Medical, a Korean traditional medical center, opened near the East African country's former capital of Dar es Salaam in early February, the Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) said. A copy of the center's business cards showed a doctor named Pak Jae-hong serves as the managing director of the establishment. A small billboard was also set up on a road leading to the medical center, with the description "Korean dispensary," according to the RFA. The radio report quoted a source saying that two people, one male doctor and one female nurse, were working there. The hospital is making utmost efforts to lure patients with its newspaper advertisements that promise to cure every kind of terminal disease, the report said. But in reality, the North Korea hospital is prescribing sham medicine and patients who have visited the center have complained about side effects, the report said, adding that it is causing a social problem in Tanzania. Amid such issues, Tanzania's health authorities have issued an order for illegal medical practices to cease operations, it said. A total of 13 North Korean hospitals are in operation in the East African country after the first one opened in 1991, the report also said. The international community, led by the United Nations Security Council, adopted a series of economic sanctions on the communist country after its nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch earlier this year, which were banned under UNSC resolutions on Pyongyang. (Yonhap) By Song In-yeup It has been 25 years since the establishment of KOICA or the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea's aid wing. Even the outside world knows that all Koreans tightened our belt and strived with a "one-mind-to-live-well" mantra after the ruinous results of 36 years of Japanese rule and the 1950-53 Korea War. U.S. President Obama has frequently urged developing countries' efforts, referring to Koreans' education fever and what Korea has achieved over only one generation. And we Koreans do not forget the assistance from the U.N., U.S., UK, France and Germany so far. We successfully held the Olympic Games in 1988 and after then for three years achieved a trade surplus for the first time. Thereafter, the government founded KOICA and we began to join international efforts for human prosperity by transferring Korea's development experience to developing countries. Every year, more than 5,000 Korean young volunteers sweat with the spirit of "share and serve" in developing countries, and we can easily find hospitals, schools and vocational training centers which were built with Korean funds and technology in remote areas in Vietnam, Cambodia, Haiti, Iraq, Ethiopia and Paraguay. Furthermore 6,000 technicians, experts and public servants from developing countries take training in every field here. Korea is well known as the only country that transformed from a recipient country to a donor after World War II. Nowadays all developing countries envy and want to learn about Korea's development experience and want to be a second Korea. Of course there are a lot of shaded areas that our government should take care of in our own country, too. Nevertheless, it is not right to neglect helping developing countries. It is the same to help them only after we solve all our domestic problems as to do nothing for them. It is the right way to extend a helping hand to a person in distress even though we are in a difficult position. All rich countries also have domestic difficulties; but they do not avoid helping the least developing countries' people who are suffering from food shortages, poor health and primary education surroundings. The U.N. has recommended all advanced countries to allocate 0.7 percent of its GNP as its Official Development Assistance (ODA) since 1970. The average ODA of OECD countries is 0.35 percent while ours was only 0.15 percent in 2016. In 2009 Korea's ODA was just 0.09 percent, but we were admitted as a member of the DAC (Development Assistance Committee), which is known as a true rich country club on November 25, 2009 only after we committed to increase our ratio to 0.25 percent until 2015. But we didn't keep our word because of our poor economic condition. That's a minus factor in improving national confidence. One of the conditions to be a member of the OECD is to attain an ODA ratio to GNP to 0.2 percent at least. So we should satisfy this as soon as possible. Our economic development, the Miracle on the Han River is not just our pride but also a world asset; and it is our responsibility to share it with developing countries and to help them grow. Now it is high time to cooperate and eradicate global poverty and disease with the spirit of diligence, self-help and cooperation, which we did in the past from developing countries, and with the spirit of share, serve and friendship from advanced countries. The role of KOICA is bigger than ever. The writer is a professor at the Korea National University of Education (KNUE). Write to iysongg@hanmail.net. By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON Here's a question people here keep asking: Is North Korea a terrorist state? Forget about the missile shots. They've all landed in the sea and harmed no one. What about the nuclear tests? They dislocated some rocks deep underground but were otherwise harmless. So what does it take to persuade the U.S. State Department to list North Korea, again, as a "state sponsor of terrorism"? That's been the topic of heated debate ever since the State Department, on orders of President George W. Bush, dropped North Korea from its list of terrorist nations in 2008. That was at the urging of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who'd been listening to U.S. negotiator, Christopher Hill, talking up the deals he'd made. How could North Korea be considered a "terrorist" state, goes the logic, after agreeing to a complicated schedule for gradually giving up its nukes in return for vast quantities of aid? Of course, North Korea did not begin to abide by any such deal while expanding its nuclear program, including the ability to detonate warheads with highly enriched uranium as well as plutonium. The removal of North Korea from the State Department's terrorism list was a political decision, heavily influenced by pro-North sympathizers in the U.S. Now the U.S. hesitates to return North Korea to the list, waiting for the North to be seen as clearly sponsoring an act of terrorism such as the bombing of Korean Air flight 858 over the Andaman Sea in 1987 in which all 115 passengers and crew members died the episode that got it on the list in the first place. Joshua Stanton, who runs a website on North Korean issues, summarizes the arguments for returning North Korea to the list in his newly published "Arsenal of Terror: North Korea, State Sponsor of Terrorism." It is, he concludes, "past time for the Secretary of Stateto recognize that North Korea has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism." The book, published by the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, headquartered in Washington, runs through an extraordinary list of offenses that struck stark raving terror in the hearts and minds of thousands of victims, their relatives and friends plus thousands more living in fear that the same could happen to them. What about the transfer of arms to terrorists? How about the sale of rockets and missiles to Hezbollah and Hamas, both dedicated to the destruction of Israel? Assassination attempts? And do the sinking of the South Korean corvette the Cheonan in the Yellow Sea and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island off North Korea's southwest coast in 2010 count as terrorism? Or were these events, in which all told 50 people died, "acts of war" a separate category from "terrorism"? Stanton, a lawyer who served in the U.S. Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps in Korea, lays out a case based on international law, precedent, evidence and history. So doing, he takes the State Department to task for applying differing definitions depending on the mood of the moment and the whims of politicos. His report finds not only the department's "standards are vague and inconsistent" but also its "reporting on terrorism has not always conformed to these standards." What Stanton does not say is that Chris Hill, when he took control of the State Department's Korea desk as assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, got rid of veteran Korea specialists who cast doubts about North Korea ever abandoning its nuclear program. Some of them, free of diplomatic constraints not to talk openly, go on publicly analyzing the North Korean threat. Now, eight years after North Korea's removal from the list of terrorist states, how could anyone not regard repeated vows to devastate not only Seoul but New York and Washington in nuclear attacks as anything but the madness of a terrorist state? Ok, such stuff may be rhetoric, but when someone points a gun at you and promises to kill you, that can be terrifying. And then there's North Korea's record on human rights, the torture and execution of thousands of political foes crimes against humanity that pro-North advocates deride as false or dismiss as internal issues, unverifiable and none of our business. Oh, and North Korea's cyber attacks on South Korean agencies, on mass media, on banks, on global positioning systems add to the litany of complaints even if I personally don't see a cyber attack as endangering my life. If any country deserves the terrorist label, Stanton believes, it is North Korea. The argument for restoring North Korea as a member of the global club of "terrorist states" appears irrefutable when you consider that Iran remains on the list even after agreeing not to go on developing nuclear warheads. Fine, but just one problem: does anyone believe relisting North Korea would do one thing to persuade the North to give up its evil ways? That question goes unanswered amid chapter and verse on why North Korea qualifies, by any standards, as a terrorist state. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, has been covering war and peace in Northeast Asia for decades. He's at kirkdon4343@gmail.com. Students from local universities hold placards asking Samsung Electronics to offer an apology and to widen the scope of its compensation to sick company workers and surviving family members of deceased former employees in the street near Seocho Samsung Tower in southern Seoul, March 28. / Korea Times file By Kim Yoo-chul Banolim, an advocacy group representing some families of Samsung Electronics employees who died from alleged work related illnesses including leukemia, is under pressure for expanding its attack to non-leukemia issues. After a nine-year dispute with Samsung over leukemia, Banolim agreed on January 12 with the company and another group representing families on preventive measures for those involved. Banolim accepted Samsung's apology for its involvement in allegedly causing leukemia and other diseases at its workplaces. The move was rather controversial because no direct links have been found between the workplaces and diseases. Banolim also approved Samsung's plan to implement strengthened health measures at the company's fabrication plants. Samsung paid compensation to 110 workers and family members of the deceased who submitted requests to an independent compensation body. Following the settlement of the leukemia issues Banolim is now focusing on other issues. "Things have been far messier and complicated because Banolim hopes to replace its identity crisis by touching on non-leukemia issues in street demonstrations, which are currently under way, at Samsung Seocho Tower," an industry official said. Despite the latest agreement, some Banolim activists in the streets near Seocho Tower were still demanding Samsung to compensate other ill workers and families, despite the earlier agreement. The group is holding discussions mostly focused on societal issues and not those related to leukemia. In one street discussion, Banolim invited a former lecturer at Seoul's Kyunghee University, Chae Hyo-jeong, to speak on March 15. Chae, whose college contract was nullified for unknown reasons, criticized the college's efforts to diversify its revenue by expanding to businesses. On February 2, an activist from another local civic group, surnamed Lee, raised speculation that an IS terrorist group has been using weapons made by Korean companies to expand their propaganda. A week later, Banolim invited Kim Seung-ha, a former Korea Train Express (KRX) employee to speak. Kim lost her battle with the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) to seek nullification of her contract's termination after the Supreme Court rejected her claim. "During the street discussions, Kim said she won't accept the decision by the Supreme Court and vowed to continue her ongoing demonstration against the decision," the official said. "All of these issues have no relation to leukemia-related issues. Banolim appears to be having a growing identity crisis." Additionally, the civic group teamed with pro-labor groups to take on other issues. On March 22, five labor groups, most of them against the interests of local industries, held a press conference. They insisted Samsung is hurting its employees' rights, though no evidence was provided to support the claims. "In a democratic society, freedom of speech is guaranteed; however, Banolim earlier said its priority is to settle the dispute with Samsung, which has been done," another official said. "Now, it wants more. This has gone too far and won't be supported by the public." The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more The career of Rick Scott, Florida's Republican governor, has long been one of the outstanding mysteries of the nation's statehouses. He won his first race for governor in 2010, even though the hospital company he ran until being forced out in 1997, Columbia/HCA, had been accused of defrauding federal healthcare programs and paid $1.7 billion in fines, damages, and penalties, then the largest healthcare fraud settlement in U.S. history. He won reelection in 2014, despite amassing a politically retrograde position on healthcare issues at odds with his supposed expertise in the field. You don't care about working people -- you should be ashamed to show your face around here. Cara Jennings gives Gov. Rick Scott both barrels Scott hasn't supported Medicaid expansion for Florida under the Affordable Care Act, with the result that more than 560,000 Floridians who would have been covered with health insurance are left uninsured, according to an estimate by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Only a few weeks ago, he signed an anti-Planned Parenthood law that could deprive thousands of women of healthcare from that organization. That's what makes Scott's encounter Tuesday with a stay-at-home mom named Cara Jennings look so much like rough justice. A video of the encounter, which has gone viral, is below, and can also be seen here. It's rare that the average citizen gets a chance to tell a governor what she thinks, face-to-face. It's plain that Scott didn't know what hit him. In brief, Jennings calls Scott "an embarrassment to our state." That's the kindest thing she calls him (watch the video, but be careful about doing so at work). Rick Scott hears from an unhappy constituent, bigtime. While he's in line at the Starbucks, Jennings, who has been identified in local news reports as a former Lake Worth city commissioner, loudly tags Scott with a host of offenses. "You cut Medicaid so I couldn't get Obamacare," she says. "You stripped women of access to public healthcare. You don't care about working people -- you should be ashamed to show your face around here." As he flees without his coffee, she yells, "Rich people like you don't know what to do when poor people like us need healthcare. Shame on you, Rick Scott." At one point, Scott gamely responds, "We got a million jobs." "A million jobs!" she cries back. Appealing to her fellow customers, she calls out, "Great! Who here has a good job?" Florida Gov. Rick Scott struck back at Jennings with this online ad. [UPDATE: Gov. Scott's political committee on Friday struck back at Jennings with an online ad labeling her a "latte liberal" and a "terribly rude woman." The ad chiefly defends his claim to have brought a million jobs to Florida, but it also dismisses her as someone who during her service as a Lake Worth city commissioner "refused to recite the pledge of allegiance." This is true, but Scott's ad curiously replicates some of the critiques of Jennings that began making the rounds of conservative information sites soon after the video of her went viral. It's worth noting, by the way, that there's no coffee cup at all on the table in front of Jennings, latte or otherwise.] Local fact-checkers have picked apart Jennings' spiel and found it wanting in a few particulars, though it certainly remains well within the accepted margin of error of standard political discourse. Scott's efforts to bring Florida within the ACA's orbit have been halting and cynical. He opposed Medicaid expansion at first, then reversed himself and offered to expand it for three years only, after which it would have to be reauthorized. But he didn't push hard enough to get even that through the Legislature. Scott has attacked the Obama administration for failing to extend federal funding for its low-income pool, a program aimed at helping Florida hospitals with the costs of uncompensated care that expired in 2015. But as federal officials have pointed out, the remedy for the loss of this funding is to expand Medicaid, which Florida has refused to do. Essentially, Scott wants the feds to pick up the tab for his own failing. Then there's HB 1411, the law Scott signed in March, which purports to cut off state funding of abortion, but imposes excessive restrictions on abortion clinics similar to those already being challenged in Texas and elsewhere. Scott tried to minimize the impact of the law by saying that Planned Parenthood only received $114,000 a year in state funding, but Planned Parenthood says the real sum is more than twice that, and adds that "because the legislation is broadly written, Planned Parenthood will also lose access to reimbursements from local government entities and federal funding from the Title X program that is contracted through local county Health Departments." The organization observes that its clinics are mostly located in "medically underserved or physician shortage areas, making them sometimes the only place where people can receive publicly funded family planning services." Many women, it says, may well go without care rather than seek it out in more inaccessible locations. Scott was right about one thing, according to PolitiFact Florida. His state did gain 1 million jobs on his watch. But for him to claim credit for all those gains, especially in the context of the public services he has cut, is a bit excessive. "Scott took office not long after a severe recession bottomed out. It was no shock that whoever was elected governor in 2010 would benefit from some degree of job growth, since the worst of the recession would be behind them, and the economy tends to run in cycles." Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. ALSO Pfizer shows that its Allergan merger was only a tax dodge Five things to know about the new rules for retirement advisors Does Harry Potter make Universal Studios a real rival to Disneyland? Return to Michael Hiltzik's blog. UPDATES: 12:01 p.m., April 8: This post has been updated with the response from Gov. Scott's political committee. Mayonnaise impostors, beware: An industry group is patrolling the grocery aisles. The Assn. for Dressings and Sauces, founded in 1926, repeatedly urged federal regulators last year to take action against an upstart vegan spread that it said was masquerading as mayonnaise, emails show. The Food and Drug Administration later issued a public warning to Hampton Creek Foods Inc. about its eggless Just Mayo spread, which triggered national headlines and ultimately led the San Francisco start-up and media darling to tweak its label. Advertisement The efforts provide a glimpse into the influence that industry groups can wield behind the scenes. The American Pizza Community, for instance, represents the interests of companies such as Dominos Pizza Inc. The National Confectioners Assn. promotes candys fun image on behalf of members such as Hershey Co. On its website, the Assn. for Dressings and Sauces says it has a 16-member board and a Horseradish Information Council. The group doesnt list a physical address and is managed by Kellen Co., a firm that manages industry associations. According to emails obtained through a freedom of information request, the association first reached out to the FDA just months before a high-profile spat erupted between one of its members, a heavyweight mayonnaise maker, and Hampton Creek. Unilever, the parent company of Hellmanns mayonnaise, had sued Hampton Creek in late 2014, alleging false advertising. It said Just Mayo was not really mayonnaise because the spread contains no eggs. After facing a backlash from Just Mayo supporters, Unilever dropped the suit. A couple months later, the Assn. for Dressings and Sauces contacted the FDA to follow up on its concern that Just Mayo was violating the federal standard for mayonnaise. The FDA had already contacted Hampton Creek after the groups previous complaint, but said it couldnt provide details. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> In a statement, the Assn. for Dressings and Sauces said one of its goals is to uphold federal standards in the dressings and sauces industry, which were established to protect consumers. It said it monitors product labels for accuracy as part of its goals. A Unilever representative declined to comment. A representative for the FDA said the agency had nothing to add. Emails show that after Unilever dropped its lawsuit, the association persisted in its campaign to bring law and order to the condiments aisle and contacted the FDA at least three more times. Then in August, the FDA made its issues with Hampton Creek public in a warning letter to the company. Showing its own backroom muscle, Hampton Creek retained a lawyer who formerly worked at the FDA to help resolve the matter. Just Mayos label was adjusted to make clear it does not have eggs. But the spread got to keep its name, and it may have even gained a fan. After listening to your story, I may just up your sales by one jar during my next Costco visit and give your mayo alternative a test drive, an FDA official wrote to the company. In a statement, Hampton Creek said its resolution with the FDA reaffirmed its belief that government and private sector can work together. And in February, Unilever introduced its own eggless spread under the Hellmanns banner and gave it an appropriate name: Carefully Crafted Dressing & Sandwich Spread. ALSO Harry Potter could make Universal Studios a real rival to Disneyland Senate refuses to stop airlines from shrinking seats The first lower-priced Whole Foods is coming to Los Angeles in May Uber boasts 50,000 drivers who are veterans, service members or military spouses -- and it wants to recruit even more. The San Francisco company announced Thursday plans to offer bonuses for veteran referrals, expand its ride-hailing service to military bases, and donate $1 million to organizations that support veterans and their families. The move is part of an initiative announced 18 months ago called UberMilitary, in which the ride-hailing company proactively reached out to veteran support agencies to recruit drivers. Advertisement When I got to Uber, I knew it was one of the perfect income opportunities for veterans making the transition [out of the military] because they could turn on and off work for whatever reason, said Emil Michael, Ubers senior vice president of business. Prior to joining Uber, Michael was the special assistant to the U.S. secretary of Defense, a job in which he says he learned of the challenges veterans face once they leave the military. Marine Robert Isaac Jr., 35, of San Francisco said he was able to rely on Uber as a source of income while he retrained to be a user experience software designer. He now drives for Uber full-time as he searches for a job in that field. The biggest challenge for me was the uncertainty of what I was going to do after I got out [of the military], Isaac said. Once youre out and those paychecks stop coming through, what are you going to do to support yourself and your family? He says Uber alleviated that uncertainty for him and his peers. As part of the recruitment effort, Uber said it plans to lobby base commanders to give drivers access to military bases and provide bonuses to those who make those trips. The company also is donating $1 million to organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundations Hiring Our Heroes, Homes for our Troops, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Twitter: @traceylien MORE BUSINESS NEWS Czech prime minister hopes to entice on-location filming with new incentives Snapchat is quietly trying to show its a giver, not just a taker, in Venice Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens today. Heres how to get in early An installation inspired by an iconic art history death. Paintings that touch on the fantastical. And a show that looks at the issue of housing and commerce. Plus: A screening of Yoko Ono film, historic images of gang life in L.A. and a special velvet painting workshop. Here are eight shows to see this week: Daniel Joseph Martinez, If You Drink Hemlock, I Shall Drink It With You at Roberts & Tilton. A hallucinatory new environmental installation by the L.A.-based artist takes on Jacques-Louis Davids seminal French revolutionary painting The Death of Marat as a point of inspiration. Martinezs mise en scene features the artist as the key figures in this famous murder, including Marat, and his killer Charlotte Cordray, among others. Opens Saturday at 6 p.m. and runs through May 21. 5801 Washington Blvd., Culver City, robertsandtilton.com. Deveron Richard, at Good Luck Gallery. Unicorns get groovy on light-up disco floors, polar bears rock lipstick and buxom birds wear rainbow dresses in the humorously electrified scenes imagined by this South Bay artist. Opens Saturday at 7 p.m. and runs through May 21. 945 Chung King Road, Chinatown, Los Angeles, thegoodluckgallery.com. Abel Alejandre, Public Secrets, at Coagula Curatorial. The Wilmington-based artist, known for his hyper-detailed graphite drawings, is unveiling a new series of paintings at the gallery that contend with secrets from the family sort to UFOs. All of this comes in advance of the opening of his public commission for the Westwood/Rancho Park Metro Station next month. Opens Saturday at 7 p.m. and runs through May 22. 974 Chung King Roa., Chinatown, Los Angeles, coagulacuratorial.com. Ed Ruscha, Editions, at Leslie Sacks Gallery. The show is a gathering of recent and vintage print editions from 1982 to 2015 by the L.A. pop artist, including his inscrutable word-and-image pieces, which he has produced throughout his career, as well as his ghostly prints of ships from the 1980s. Opens Saturday and runs through May 14. 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, lesliesacks.com. Advertisement House Housing: An Untimely History of Architecture and Real Estate in Thirty-one Episodes, at the MAK Center. A ongoing research project by the Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture at Columbia University, this exhibition looks at the intersection of real estate development and architecture from pre-fab apartment blocks to suburban gated communities. A timely show for Los Angeles as it furiously debates the future of development in the city. Open Saturday and runs through May 8. There will be a related panel discussion moderated by Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne at 3 p.m on Saturday. Schindler House, 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, makcenter.org. LA Rebels: Photographs by Janette Beckman, at Project Gallery. Beckman, who is known for photographing some of hip-hops most iconic figures (including Ice Cube and Dr. Dre), will be showing two sets of works at this show. The first features her collaborations with artists, who often drew and painted over her photographs; the second is a series from the 80s that documents the El Hoyo Maravilla gang from East L.A. Opens Saturday at 7 p.m. and runs through May 21. 961 Chung King Road, Chinatown, Los Angeles, projectgallery.com. 52 Films By Women: Yoko Onos film R*PE, at Public School Los Angeles. In their 1969 film Rape, Ono and her partner John Lennon had a cameraman follow an unsuspecting woman through the streets of London for a cinema verite experiment that explored issues of power, submission and fear. Public School Los Angeles is screening the 77-minute movie as part of a series devoted to the films of women. After the show, pop into the witch performance/party hosted by KCHUNG at nearby Human Resources Los Angeles. Tonight at 7:30. 951 Chung King Road, Chinatown, Los Angeles, facebook.com. Craftnight: Black Light-Black Velvet Painting Workshop, at the Craft and Folk Art Museum. This is the workshop weve all been waiting for. Velveteria, the velvet painting museum in Chinatown, is leading a session on how to paint velvety works to be viewed under blacklight. Tonight at 7; RSVP required. 5814 Wilshire Blvd., mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, cafam.org and facebook.com. FINAL WEEK Nathan Hayden: Pure Pretty Fever and Tight Ass: Labor Intensive Drawing and Realism, at CB1 Gallery. The downtown gallery has a pair of shows: The first, by Hayden, features the artists abstracted paintings and ceramics that channel the patterns and colors of the desert. The second is a group show organized by painter Brett Reichman that revels in the act of drawing realistic, labor-intensive depictions that engage the breadth of contemporary life. Through Sunday. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, cb1gallery.com. Martine Syms, COM PORT MENT, at Karma International. Syms has been on a roll, with a recent performance at the Broad under her belt, as well as an exhibit of short videos at Human Resources Los Angeles. In this exhibition, she is showing a series inspired by text and film stills. Through Saturday. 9615 Brighton Way, Suite 426, Beverly Hills, karmainternational.org. Lita Albuquerque, 20/20: Accelerando, at the USC Fisher Museum of Art. In a show that melds film, sound and performance, Albuquerque tells the story of a 25th century female astronaut who lands on Earth in 6000 BC. The piece is drawn from a text that Albuquerque has been working on since 2003, reimagined in the museum as an impressionistic environment that, among other things, features original music by film and theater composer Robbie C. Williamson. Through Sunday. 823 W. Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park, Los Angeles, fisher.usc.edu. Rebecca Campbell and Samantha Fields: Dreams of Another Time at the University Art Museum at Cal State Long Beach. A two-person show looks at the works of two important Los Angeles-based artists: Campbell, known for her meticulous portraits composed out of broad lines, and Fields, who uses old-fashioned paint to create a sensation of digital blurring. In the permanent collection galleries, the museum is also displaying a number of prints by renowned painter Wayne Thiebaud. Through Sunday. CSULB, 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, web.csulb.edu/uam. ONGOING EXHIBITIONS Lester Monzon, Si vis pacem para bellum, at Mark Moore Gallery. The second solo show at Moore by the Los Angeles artist features paintings that deftly fuse minimalist grids with bold, expressionistic brushstrokes for abstractions that read like sci-fi dreamscapes. The gallery also has a show of the pop-infused abstractions of Jason Salavon on view. Through April 16. 5790 Washington Blvd., Culver City, markmooregallery.com. Karen Carson, Zip Line, at Rosamund Felsen Gallery. Felsen is showing important early works by the L.A. artist. Namely, her zipper pieces from the early 1970s. These wall pieces part painting, part sculpture were Carsons answer to the industrial materials of 1970s minimalism: Soft fabric connected (and disconnected) by zippers that could transform the geometric nature of a work in question. Through April 16. 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, rosamundfelsen.com. Eleanor MacNair, Photographs Rendered in Play-Doh, at Kopeikin Gallery. This artist takes iconic photographs and renders them in Play-Doh, then photographs them again for images that whimsically recontextualize the tropes of art history. Through April 16. 2766 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, kopeikingallery.com. Ruben Ochoa, Tripping the Light Fantastick, at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects. The L.A.-based Ochoa is an artist obsessed by the base materials of construction: Chain link, fence posts, concrete, aggregate, rebar and plywood. For his newest series of works, Ochoa has taken to more traditional canvas but with a combination of acrylic and rust, for paintings that feel like they could be made of Corten steel. The gallery also has a solo show devoted to the bright city scenes of Berlin-based painter Armin Boehm. Through April 16. 6006 Washington Blvd., Culver City, vielmetter.com. practice, Practice, practice: Abstract Spirituality in Los Angeles Painting, Sculpture and Performance, at Nan Rae Gallery at Woodbury University. Inspired by a seminal LACMA exhibition about the spiritual in abstract art, independent curator Doug Harvey has put together a group show of art that is linked to religious systems and spiritual practice. Through April 17. 7500 Glen Oaks Blvd., Burbank, nanrae.com/woodburygallery.html. Skin, at the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery. The work of three dozen contemporary artists including figures such as Kara Walker, April Bey and Ken Gonzales-Day examines issues related to race and identity in this new group show. Through April 17. 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, lamag.org. (En)Gendered (In)Equity: The Gallery Tally Poser Project, at LACE. For three years, artist Micol Hebron has produced a series of installations that look at the issue of gender inequity in the art world and the story these installations tell is not pretty. Of every 10 artists commercial galleries represent, chances are that only three of them will be women. So Hebron has enlisted the help of hundreds of artists from all over the world to produce posters that map gender ratios at galleries around the globe. LACE brings together more than 400 posters produced over the course of this project. You can see some of the images from the project on the Gallery Tally Tumblr page. Through April 17. 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, welcometolace.org. Hard Edged: Geometrical Abstraction and Beyond, at the California African American Museum. A new exhibition features the work of 46 artists from emerging figures to well-established names working in the arena of geometric abstraction. This includes works by fresh voices and standard-bearers, including well-known figures such as Rashid Johnson, Senga Nengudi, David Hammons and Tim Washington. Through April 24. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, caamuseum.org. Zoe Buckman: Every Curve, at Papillion. The British artist takes vintage lingerie and embroiders it with phrases from classic hip-hop tracks by the likes of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. The beguiling installation objects dangling daintily from the ceiling tells a deeper story about the contradictory ways in which women are regarded in the popular culture. Through April 30. 4336 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park, Los Angeles, papillionart.com. Hope Gangloff, Benjamin Degen and Yuri Masnyj at Richard Heller Gallery. Hellers gallery is featuring a series of solo exhibitions by a trio of New York-based painters. These include Gangloffs moody portraits, Degens glitteringly surreal landscapes and the diagrammatic paintings by Masnyj, which function as strange inventories of objects and things. Through April 30. Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Suite B5, Santa Monica, richardhellergallery.com. Julian Schnabel, Infinity on Trial, at Blum & Poe. The bad boy of 80s neo-expressionism is back in Los Angeles with a solo show for the first time in almost a decade. The exhibition gathers works from the mid-1970s to the present, including some of the ceramic shard collages for which he is best known. Also included will be more recent works, such as his Goat Paintings, from last year. Through April 30. 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City, blumandpoe.com. Roy Dowell, Mosaics, at Tif Sigfrids. The Los Angeles-based artist is presenting a series of five mosaics inspired by his own collage work, which are inspired in part by his frequent travels to Mexico. Expect abstract compositions that fuse elements of objects and landscape. Through April 30. 1507 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, tifsigfrids.com. Alice Konitz, Los Angeles Museum of Art (LAMOA), at Occidental College. This is a work of sculpture that also serves as a micro exhibition hall. The space was established in Konitzs backyard in 2012 but will be on view at Occidental for the course of the academic year. The inaugural exhibition features work by L.A. artist Alice Clements. Through spring 2016. In front of Weingart Hall at Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Eagle Rock, oxy.edu. High Priestesses, at 323 Projects. The popular phone line gallery (all shows are audio, accessible on your telephone) has a new show going up that is all about aural healing and New Age-y teachings as imagined by a crew of Los Angeles artists: Michelle Andrade, Michelle Chong, Meg Cranston and Bridge Kane. Its the ideal sort of thing for working that artsy third eye. Through May 1 by calling (323) 843-4652, 323projects.com. Donald Baechler, Lily Stockman, Mike Davis, at Gavlak Gallery. Gavlak is opening a trio of solo shows that feature Baechlers early paintings and collages, Stockmans biomorphic abstractions and a series of funny-wry watercolors by Davis that explore the topics that occupy his thoughts namely, Picasso, artists and Kermit the Frog. Through May 7. 1034 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, gavlakgallery.com. Lawrence Weiner, Made to Be, at Regen Projects. Weiner is a leading conceptual artist whose work plays with language and the ideas and images that it conjures. In his ninth solo show at Regen, he once again works with the power of words to tease the viewer in wry and canny ways. Through May 7. 6750 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, regenprojects.com. Catherine Opie: 700 Nimes Road at MOCA Pacific Design Center. For six months in 2011, Los Angeles photographer Catherine Opie documented the Bel-Air estate of Elizabeth Taylor the clothes, the photographs, the jewelry, the little bits of personal ephemera that make a house a home. Now she is showing the series, one that chronicles a life of wealth and fame, at the Museum of Contemporary Arts West Hollywood space. Through May 8. Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, moca.org. Wayne Koestenbaum, A Novel of Thank You and Other Paintings, at 356 Mission. Koestenbaum, a poet and cultural critic, is also a painter known for vivid canvases that play with desire and bold patterns to electric effect. Runs through May 8, 356 S. Mission Rd., Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, 356mission.com. John Divola: Dents and Abrasions at Gallery Luisotti. This exhibition features a series of new works by Divola, who is known for capturing abandoned buildings and their environments in decidedly cool and un-romantic ways. (No ruin porn here.) The pieces continue Divolas tradition of marking the buildings in some way with spray paint or found paintings and then capturing the entire scene in a photograph. Through May 14. An artists reception will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Building A2, Santa Monica, galleryluisotti.com. Noir: The Romance of Black in 19th Century French Drawings and Prints, at the Getty Museum. Figures in deep penumbra and sprightly creatures in dim settings. In the middle of Europes industrial revolution, some artists became intrigued by the non-color of the color black, creating prints and charcoal drawings that evoked the nocturnal, the dark and the deep recesses of the cosmos not to mention the not-quite-real state of dreaming. Through May 15. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College, 1933-1957, at the Hammer Museum. Black Mountain College in North Carolina wasnt open very long, not even 20 years. But in its short lifetime it brought together bands of seminal artists, musicians, dancers and thinkers John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Cy Twomby, Ruth Asawa, Robert Rauschenberg and countless others as both teachers and students. Key to that dynamism was the presence of Josef and Anni Albers, a pair of Bauhaus artists who fled Germany to join Black Mountain in the late 1930s. This critically acclaimed exhibition, which first opened at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, shows the far-reaching effects a single institution can have. Through May 15. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, hammer.ucla.edu. Jasmin Sanchez, Flux, at the Grand Central Art Center. The Orange County-based Sanchez is taking over the walls of the art center with drawings that meld landscape with abstraction and mapping to produce images that feel just a little bit magical. Through May 15. 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, grandcentralartcenter.com. Linda Arreola: Architect of the Abstract, at the Vincent Price Art Museum. This one-woman exhibition looks at roughly a 10-year period in the work of this abstract Los Angeles artist. Arreola is known for creating taut, grid-like arrangements using bright blocks of color. Her work extends into the sculptural realm too. Through May 21. 1301 Cesar Chavez Ave., Monterey Park, vincentpriceartmuseum.org. Portraits and Autobiographies by Kim Abeles, at Post. The Los Angeles artist known for using smog some of her works literally trap particulates onto their surfaces takes a more inward view in this, her latest solo exhibition. The show includes self-portraits, photo-based works, research projects and sculptural works that often employ the body. Through May 21. 1206 Maple Ave., Los Angeles, postlosangeles.org. PLAN, at the El Segundo Museum of Art. An exhibition organized by the Wende Museum and the El Segundo Museum of Art brings together works by disparate figures from Camille Pissarro to Egon Schiele to Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid exploring the idea of plans and planning. This includes references to five-year plans, a map for the projected Soviet invasion of West Berlin and other works that play with the idea of fate versus meticulous intention. Through May 22. 208 Main St., El Segundo, esmoa.org. A Shape That Stands Up, at Art + Practice. A group show that treads the line between abstraction and figuration features works by Amy Sillman, Henry Taylor, Sadie Benning and a host of other interesting names. Through June 18. 4339 Leimert Blvd., Leimert Park, Los Angeles, artandpractice.org. Making Waves: Japanese American Photography, 1920-1940, at the Japanese American National Museum. In the early 20th century, groups of Japanese American photographers all along the Pacific coastline launched photography clubs, through which they published and exhibited their work. Their striking imagery ranging from abstract compositions to scenes of everyday life drew the attention of artists such as Edward Weston and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. Unfortunately, much of their work was destroyed or lost when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps by the U.S. government during World War II. But examples remain and JANM has gathered more than 100 of these prints for a show that explores the history and legacy of the clubs. Through June 26. 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, janm.org. Popol Vuh: Watercolors of Diego Rivera, at the Bowers Museum. The Popol Vuh is a nearly 500-year-old Mayan text, written in Quiche, that recounts that cultures creation myths. This sacred text inspired a series of watercolors by Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, an artist who was preoccupied with indigenous themes. Now 17 of these paintings, on loan from a museum in Mexico, are on view at the Bowers. Through May 29. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, bowers.org. Marilyn Minter: Pretty/Dirty, at the Orange County Museum of Art. The New York-based painter and photographer has long played with the tropes of feminine beauty in works that seamlessly stir the alluring with the mildly grotesque. Through July 10. 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, ocma.net. Alex Israel, at the Huntington. In 2012, the San Marino library and museum unveiled the first of its contemporary interventions with low-key works by Ricky Swallow and Lesley Vance. Now the museum is getting bolder, with a series of installations by painter Alex Israel, whose pop-inspired canvases and objects touch on topics such as celebrity, glamour and power. Through July 11. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, huntington.org. Jose Montoya, Abundant Harvest: Works on Paper / Works on Life, at the Fowler Museum. Throughout his life, activist, poet and painter Jose Montoya drew on whatever was at hand: napkins, hotel stationery and notebooks. And in those drawings he recorded the quotidian aspects of Mexican American life in the United States: dogs and children, women and sailors, pachucos and pachucas, the architecture of low-lying Central Valley neighborhoods, industrial warehouses and agricultural settings, as well as the glamorous profile of lowrider cars. It is the first comprehensive look at this vital Chicano artists drawing practice. Through July 17. UCLA, 308 Charles E. Young Drive North, Westwood, fowler.ucla.edu. Robert Mapplethorpe, The Perfect Medium, at the L.A. County Museum of Art and the Getty Museum. A two-part exhibition spread over a pair of L.A. museums explores the photographic legacy of an artist who brought as much grace to images of flowers as he did to S&M. The LACMA portion features early drawings, collages, sculptures, Polaroids, still lifes and archival material. The Getty will present his more formal portraits, along with the infamous X Portfolio, with its elegant S&M imagery. The LACMA runs through July 31. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, lacma.org. The Getty exhibit also runs through July 31. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Sam Maloof Woodworker: Life/Art/Legacy, at the Maloof Foundation. The foundation is celebrating the centennial of the birth of the renowned Southern California woodworker, whose elegant objects and furnishings are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the L.A. County Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. The exhibition will feature more than 60 objects from throughout the artists life, including furnishings, drawings, photographs and other ephemera. The show is part of a years worth of events that will celebrate Maloofs life and work. Through Aug. 27. 5131 Carnelian St., Alta Loma, malooffoundation.org. In Focus: Electric! at the Getty Museum. Electricity: It powers your home, it powers your work and it powers the phone on which you are likely reading this post. This photographic exhibition at the Getty gathers historic images that showcase the allure of light and power. Through Aug. 28. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu. Duchamp to Pop, at the Norton Simon Museum. Drawing mostly from the Norton Simons permanent collection, this exhibition looks at the influence Duchamp likely had on generations of artists, from assemblagists to pop painters figures who have appropriated elements of the everyday world and transformed them into art. Through Aug. 29. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, nortonsimon.org. Revolution in the Making: Abstract Sculpture by Women, 1947-2016, at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel. The debut exhibition at the citys newest gallery tackles more than half a century of sculpture by women, featuring key works by important international figures (Louise Bourgeois, Lee Bontecou) and key California artists (Ruth Asawa, Clare Falkenstein). Pieces range from the ethereal (Lygia Papes golden threads) to downright hilarious (Lara Schnitgers lacy/cat/fur assemblage sculptures). Altogether, the show offers an alternative to the narrative of the macho man postwar painting scene that has so dominated the story of 20th century art. Through Sept. 4. 901 E. Third St., Los Angeles, hauserwirthschimmel.com. Hito Steyerl: Factory of the Sun, at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A video installation by the German artist takes the viewer into a dystopia where the movements of workers are harvested to create artificial sunshine. The piece, which debuted at the Venice Biennale in 2015, is a mash-up of contemporary communication, told as video game, news report documentary film and Internet video. Through Sept. 12. MOCA Grand Ave., 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, moca.org. MOLAA at Twenty: 1996-2016, at the Museum of Latin American Art. The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach is celebrating two decades in existence with a show that draws from the museums permanent collection of more than 1,600 objects. These include works by renowned Modernists Joaquin Torres-Garcia and Wifredo Lam, Argentine conceptualist Leon Ferrari as well as contemporary figures such as Alexandre Arrechea and Patssi Valdez. Through Jan. 1. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, molaa.org. Senses of Time: Video and Film-Based Works of Africa, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. For one of its long-term installations, the museum has gathered works of video or film by contemporary African artists that explore the body and the looping nature of time. This includes pieces by figures such as Yinka Shonibare, Sammy Baloji, Berni Searle, Moatax Nasr and Theo Eshetu. Through Jan. 2. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. Non Fiction at the Underground Museum. An emotionally charged exhibition curated by the late Noah Davis, in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles brings together works that explore issues of race and violence. This includes important works from MOCAs permanent collection by artists such as Robert Gober, Kara Walker, Henry Taylor and David Hammons. Through March 2017. 3508 W. Washington Blvd., Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, theunderground-museum.org. Islamic Art Now: Part 2 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Contemporary works from LACMAs permanent collection by 20 artists who live in or have roots in the Middle East look at questions of society, gender and identity. Runs indefinitely. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, lacma.org. Find me on Twitter @cmonstah Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar made a journey in January along the U.S.-Mexico border, from San Diego/Tijuana to El Paso/Juarez. In Tijuana, he pried away an 18-foot rail from the border wall and took it to a foundry at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. There he had it sliced up and reshaped into a ladder. With the help of local laborers, he then planted the object at an empty plot in Juarez within view of the wall that marks the international divide. It was Jarrars first trip to the United States and Mexico, but border walls are something he is all too familiar with. The artist lives in Ramallah, in the Palestinian territories where a border wall divides his community from Jerusalem, not even seven miles away. Last year, he painted a piece of that barrier with a rainbow pattern. Advertisement Jarrar states via email that the U.S. and Israeli walls are more alike than different. Differences are the languages only, he writes. And the rest are the similarities between the two walls here and there. Part of their purpose, he says, is to stoke fear. At the border with Juarez, he remembers a U.S. border patrol agent asking the team who was traveling in a special artist-designed RV why they wanted to go to Juarez. The police officer [said], Are you sure you wanna go to Juarez??! he recalls. I was shocked because this conversation brought to my memory the same discussion for an artist who was visiting me in Ramallah. She was stopped for extra interrogation by the Israeli border police. ... The border police said, Why are you going to Ramallah? Do you know this is a dangerous place to be? The ways in which border walls can inhibit circulation is something that Jarrar is also familiar with. The artist was barred from leaving the Palestinian territories in 2014 to attend an exhibition of his work at the New Museum in New York. The current trip was part of a journey with Culturunners, a mobile art project founded by MIT assistant professor Azra Aksamija and British artist Stephen Stapleton, aimed at creating an artistic exchange between artists from the United States and the Middle East. It will not be Jarrars last visit to the region. This fall, he will begin study for an MFA at the University of Arizona. Read more about the project at Creative Time Reports. Find me on Twitter @cmonstah. The Czech Republics ties to the cinema industry run deep. The father of former Prime Minister Vaclav Havel helped pioneer the film industry in the 1930s. Film production thrived during the Communist era and through the 1990s and 2000s, when the country hosted a number of big Hollywood movies, including Mission: Impossible, Amadeus and The Bourne Identity. And the country boasts a long line of distinguished filmmakers, among them the Oscar-winning director Milos Forman. In recent years, however, the Czech Republic has fallen out of favor as Hollywood has taken its business to other countries in Europe and around the world that have ramped up their incentives to lure film crews. See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement Now the Czech Republic is trying to win some of that business back. Its a high priority for the government. So much so that Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka visited Los Angeles this week to pitch studio executives on the benefits of filming in his country and to tout newly expanded film incentives. The Times spoke with Sobotka, 44, about his efforts to court Hollywood. Why is filming a priority for your administration? It is for us a very important area of services and development. The film industry has a very long tradition in the Czech Republic. Back in the 1930s and even during the Communist era, we had a very strong local domestic film production. In the 1990s, the Hollywood Big Six [studios] were very strongly present in the Czech Republic and busy shooting films here. Then a very competitive environment arose and our competitors started offering incentives. The Czech Republic basically did not take part in this competition for a few years and ended up poorly because the filmmakers decided to go elsewhere. So what are you doing to lure filming? We introduced film incentives in 2010 and were currently reviewing those incentives to make them even more appealing and attractive. How are the new incentives different from what youre currently offering? We still return a 20% rebate. Whats new is that the application can be filed any time during the year, so theres no specific date by which time you have to apply. There is one single institution that handles all the communication, which is the National Fund of Cinematography, a state film fund. Also, we allocated $33 million more per year from the state budget over the next three years. It represents approximately a 40% increase in funding. When do these new incentives take effect? Jan. 1 of next year. The legislation will be finalized in the coming weeks and there is a political consensus to support it. The lower chamber of Parliament already approved it. Now the upper chamber is going through the reading and approval process. And you hope this will make you compete better with other European countries such as Hungary, Britain and Bulgaria? It should improve our position. We are very competitive in other areas as well. I had a chance to meet with the Big Six [studio] representatives this morning and they very much appreciated the skill and experience of our teams that provide the necessary services. Weve been involved for generations in the film industry. Our crews are English-speaking, very flexible and creative. Obviously, the overall costs are much lower than in London. And what should also be mentioned is the aspect of security. Czech Republic is among the safest countries in the world. Weve been involved for generations in the film industry. Our crews are English-speaking, very flexible and creative. Czech Republic Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka You met with representatives of all the studios on the Universal lot this week. What response did you get? It was a very positive feedback. The conclusion is that the Czech Republic has a great number of competitive advantages. [The studios] are also considering the math, which is the incentives, and unfortunately there is this race for who offers more in tax returns and we really have to think now. Should we give more back and raise the bar of the rebate from 20% to 25% or is our competitive advantage in the other aspects going to be enough? Composers here in L.A. complain about all the musical scoring work that is outsourced to the Czech Republic and other European countries. What would you say to them? My feeling is that the film industry has tremendous absorption capacity and it needs a large group of talent. So at times people are very angry and upset that our talented people leave to go to the United States or somewhere else. This cooperation can be very enriching for both. Its not only about taking but also giving. Its not about stealing jobs but also creating jobs. Co-productions and other ways of cooperation are the way forward. richard.verrier@latimes.com Twitter: @rverrier "Scandal" star Kerry Washington says she was "taken aback" when she saw her cover photo for the latest issue of Adweek because, well, that's not what she sees in the mirror. On Instagram, Washington commented on the cover for Adweek's April 4 issue, saying that while she loves the publication and is proud of the article, she was wary of the cover photo itself. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It's an unfortunate feeling, Washington wrote on her Instagram page. This isnt Washingtons first run-in with borderline Photoshop work. Her Lucky magazine cover for December/January 2014 bore little resemblance to the actress herself, and after a 2015 InStyle cover the magazine was accused of lightening Washingtons skin tone. What's different with the cover of AdWeek appears to be Washingtons own need to speak out on the matter, something that she seemed to struggle with, saying on her post, Thank you for being patient with me while I figured out how to post this in a way that felt both celebratory and honest. As for AdWeek, it had only kind things to say about Washington, with editorial director James Cooper stating, Kerry Washington is a class act. We are honored to have her grace our pages. To clarify, we made minimal adjustments, solely for the cover's design needs. We meant no disrespect, quite the opposite. We are glad she is enthusiastic about the piece and appreciate her honest comments." Cooper later tweeted that it was only Washingtons hair that was adjusted for the cover. Regardless, its reassuring to know that its not just common folk who feel a disconnect from what they see in the mirror every day and what manifests itself on film. Washington stars as Olivia Pope, D.C. fixer, on ABCs Scandal, next airing Thursday at 9 p.m., and is playing Anita Hill in HBOs upcoming television movie Confirmation based on the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Judge Clarence Thomas (who'll be played by Wendell Pierce). Follow me @midwestspitfire ALSO Here's what we know about the 'American Idol' farewell Glamour magazine apologizes to Amy Schumer for implying she's plus size Reaction to Merle Haggard's death: 'No wonder it's raining today. Even God is crying' Kerry Washington (kinda, sorta) addresses split rumors, reveals whom she sends baby pics to In Anita Sarkeesians San Francisco apartment, a photographer makes a seemingly innocuous request. He wants to open the drapes. Sarkeesian, the worlds most famous video game critic, is used to taking bold stands on YouTube or even late-night talk shows her series Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games has put the industry on blast with thoughtful critiques about its portrayal of women. But when it comes to allowing sunlight into her apartment, the 32-year-old cultural critic is hesitant. Advertisement What if the photo reveals surrounding buildings, cluing in people to where she lives? Shes already considered moving at least once, but hey, she jokes, I have rent control. See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> Its unlikely the most famous of Hollywood celebrities have the same sort of target on their back as Sarkeesian. As one of the few high-profile women in an aggressively male-dominated field, her website Feminist Frequency hasnt shied away from pointing out what many would now say is relatively obvious that video games have long catered to a male audience and have often been sexist because of it. The backlash: Sarkeesians no longer surprised to wake up to dozens of anonymous emailed death and rape threats, as well as crude, manipulated photos. Some images are too lewd for a family newspaper to describe, but like her cat waking her up at 5 a.m., the harassment is now a part of her daily routine. Ive seen it so many times now that Im like, Well, thats a thing that exists in the world, and its one of the most degrading forms of online harassment, she says of the vile photos that arrive daily in her email inbox or Twitter feed. Its sexual harassment. Its such a clear picture of power dynamics and trying to exert control over me in a very overtly sexually assaultive way. Shes sitting on her couch, with her cat curled before her, and surrounded by unframed posters of Patti Smith, TV on the Radio and Florence & the Machine concerts. Theres also a whiteboard, as her family room doubles as a workspace. Right now its graced with a drawing of a feline. So what, do I stop? she asks rhetorically, anticipating a question shes likely tired of. No, I dont stop. Far from it. In fact, Sarkeesian is ready for more attention. Shes hoping to move forward with a new project, an in-development Web series titled Ordinary Women: Daring to Defy History. The planned five episodes will showcase some of historys most overlooked women, detailing their lives with animated sequences. To make the series, shes turned to crowd-funding, where shes already had one success story. Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games, for which she raised more than $158,000 on Kickstarter, challenged the industry and its consumers to rethink the ways in which women are portrayed in games. Over the past four years Sarkeesian and the Tropes series has led a shift in mainstream game criticism. The conversation is slowly turning from Is it fun? to What does this game say about our culture? Ordinary Women which has brought in more than $181,000 at press time toward a $200,000 goal on a Seed & Spark funding campaign that ends Thursday has revolutionary aspirations of its own. Though it may not be clear at first, the work carries an underlying activist bent. There are even lessons for content creators. We can change the narrative about women, says Elisabeth Aultman, the projects producer and a veteran of the legal department at Lucasfilm. We can demonstrate that women in history have accomplished great things. Women can be anything men can be, and things men have not been. If we change the stories that we tell about women, we change the roles that women can have in the world and we change the world. Or at least change Hollywood. Here are five women who have these incredible stories, says Sarkeesian of the series first subjects. Tell them. Tell their stories. Or use them as inspiration for your characters. Storytelling borrows from previous stories and real life and real people. People like Ching Shih, a 19th century pirate. Shih was no mentor but is said to have commandeered a fleet of tens of thousands of men. Shes not a good person. Shes not virtuous and fighting for justice. Im pretty sure she murdered a lot of people, Sarkeesian says. Shes not a role model at all, but shes also this amazing woman in history who did something outside of the constraints of her time period and what was expected of her as a woman in her time period. She challenged the status quo of who could be an evil villainous pirate. The project is a step to reach an audience beyond game and pop-culture criticism, to do something thats as educational as it is entertaining. It places Sarkeesian and her collaborators in the roles of documentarians and storytellers as they look at the lives of five historic figures who changed humanity, many of whom are far from household names. Sarkeesian would love it, she says, if the project reached young women, an audience she says she doesnt always reach with the Tropes series. Parents who said they used to sit around and watch my videos with their kids told me they couldnt do that anymore, she says. Our videos are so graphic. Initial episodes will zero in on pioneering novelist Murasaki Shikibu, fearsome marauder Shih, activists such as Emma Goldman and Ida B. Wells, and Ada Lovelace, whos celebrated as the worlds first computer programmer. Sarkeesians ideas for the series are ambitious each episode is to be animated in a different style. Right now, work is being done in West Los Angeles on the Shikibu chapter, which boasts intricately carved shadow puppets that are filmed and then animated. The artwork, says Sarkeesian, must reflect Shikibus world of 10th century Japan. A work in progress looks alternately fragile and contemporary. But theres a question that looms over the whole series: Will Sarkeesian find success beyond video game criticism? For everywhere she goes, there is one word that trails her: Gamergate. To unpack Gamergate for the uninitiated takes some doing, but the word rose to prominence in mid-2014 and became an Internet hashtag championed by those who feared that any sort of cultural criticism about games as well as a rise in diversity in those who make them would result in some sort of politically correct makeover of the medium. Female game designers, and cultural critics like Sarkeesian, became primary targets. Their lives were threatened, their personal information was posted online and some were driven from their homes. The harassment and the ever-present shroud of Gamergate are inescapable. In a recent story in The Times announcing Sarkeesians Ordinary Women project, she was introduced with a headline that once again paired Gamergate and her name. She was incensed and uses some language not usable in print to explain what she thought of it. Im more than harassment. My existence is more than to be harassed. Anita Sarkeesian They say they have to put that in it because thats what gets the draw, which is infuriating to me. Im more than harassment. My existence is more than to be harassed. Still, even Sarkeesian will admit the harassment has become interwoven with her life. She often speaks at universities and game studios on the subject, and Feminist Frequency is on Twitters safety council, which is a group of people who consult with Twitter on its policies related to online abuse. When new neighbors moved in next door, Sarkeesian says she had to warn them that some shady characters may come around. The first day I met them I was like, I get threats. A lot. But despite living with a constant online assault on her work and life, Sarkeesian is surprisingly forthright and open. She describes herself as optimistically cynical, only to correct herself moments later. Cynically optimistic, she decides. She doesnt shy away from answering questions, but shell also tell you what she thinks of them. Dont ask, for instance, for her parents thoughts about all the threats. Every journalist wants me to answer that, especially on camera, she says. Its an infuriating question to me because my parents have nothing to do with it, but my parents get threatened, too. Theyre very aware. Im going to leave it at that because I hate that question. Its the weirdest thing to ask an adult. Born outside of Toronto, Sarkeesian spent much of her life in Southern California but prefers to be vague when it comes to locations. She does confirm that she completed her undergraduate studies at Cal State Northridge and launched Feminist Frequency while a graduate student at York University in Toronto. Though Sarkeesian is thinking of a life beyond Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games, the series isnt behind her just yet. She still has a full second season to complete, the most recent episode of which was released in March. The eight-minute program detailed the ridiculous ways in which womens body movements in games differ from those of men, and with humor. This is supposed to be a hardened space warrior, and yet she is sitting around like shes Ariel from The Little Mermaid, said Sarkeesian in describing the characters of Destiny. She admits, however, that Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games has left her a little burnt out. Sure, shes tired of playing games in which shes asked to shoot dudes in the face for 20 hours, but she is also eager to be known as more than, in her words, the video game critic who makes these long videos. So consider Ordinary Women a message to not just the video game community but to Hollywood. Its a reminder that many stories remain untold. I want to meet my audience where theyre at, and I want to say, Heres a really fun story. Just listen,'' she says. As youre listening to these stories, all these light bulbs are firing. Youre going, Why have I never heard this before? She did what? In the scripts, we weave together connections to the way women are still oppressed today, to the horrifying statistics about sexual assault or the numbers of women in Hollywood. Sarkeesian knows that pushing for change in Hollywood isnt easy. I spent the last several years talking to game developers and talking to creative people. I hear all the time, from men, that I dont know how to write women, she says. So they just dont. But thats starting to change. And with Ordinary Women, Sarkeesian just might shift the conversation in Hollywood too. todd.martens@latimes.com The Lyons want their Empire back, and theyre willing to do a number of things to get it, keep it and ensure Camilla (and her wife Mimi) end up far away from it. It all comes to a head in this weeks Empire episode, titled A Rose by Any Other Name. We begin with Hakeem, as the new (perhaps temporary?) CEO, holding a press conference to announce the new staff changes -- Cookie as head of A&R, Andre remaining as CFO and Jamal stepping down as VP to focus on his music -- with the family in tow. When asked by a journalist how Lucious Lyon fits into the picture, Hakeem responds: Whos Lucious? Mother Lyon interrupts the convo to save face in front of the press, announcing that Lucious is focusing on his music and preparing a video for his song Boom Boom Boom Boom. She warns Hakeem to not act irrationally. After all, Lucious has an itchy trigger finger. That same pesky journalist then takes a trip to Lyon Dynastys headquarters to interview Lucious about the video. Taking on a theme reminiscent of King Richard II of England (he was overthrown and had to fight to regain governmental control), the video is an obvious reference to the familys current turmoil, but Lucious attempts to downplay that aspect to the journalist. When she continues to poke, he kicks her out. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> Back at Empire, Hakeem is attempting to erase Lucious memory as much as he can. He introduces a new logo, this one with his face, as opposed to his fathers, emblazoned in the center. Though the family is not quite sure how to feel about this move, no one says anything. Their collective focus is trying to get dirt on Camilla and Mimis plot to dethrone Lucious so that they can oust the pair. Andre is the leader of the plan, as hes the most familiar with the companys charter. He, however, isnt handling the pressure and stress well. After persuading Rhonda to join him in grief counseling with his pastor -- reminder, Rhonda is not here for God -- he begins to show signs that he may be losing control of his bipolar disorder. Coping with the loss of his child and the drama with Empire isnt serving him well, prompting bouts of paranoia and anger. He even accuses Rhonda of cheating. It also doesnt help that Cookie slips and calls him crazy while chastising him. (She immediately apologizes after seeing his face drop.) Rhonda, on the other hand, is recuperating well from the fall. She convinces Andre to get her an interview with Camilla to work on the new Empire fashion line. She lands the job, allowing her to get dirt on Camilla that the family can use. Meanwhile, Camilla is making her power known. Not only does she cut the massive budget for Lucious video -- no, hes not happy -- she also doesnt approve the budget for Tianas tour. Its all just too expensive, she says. Additionally, when Camilla finds out that Hakeem is still dating Laura, she vows to make life hard for the Menage a Trois leader. But Cookie has a plan. She convinces Camilla to approve Tianas tour with Menage a Trois as the opening act. Thats two tours for the price of one, and Laura will be away from Hakeem for an extended period of time. Camilla sees this as her opportunity to make final claim on Hakeems love. While all of this is going on, Jamals career looks to be headed for the gutter. As the rumors -- which are actually true -- continue to spread about his rendezvous with Skye (a woman), the gay community turns on him. So much so, in fact, that a group of gay guys stage a flash mob as Jamal is exiting Empire. Using actual flip flops, and the beat of Hakeem and Tianas Drip Drop, they accuse the crooner of letting the gays down by "flip flopping." Angered, Jamal meets with Jameson and finds out that its actually Papa Lyon who has been spreading the word about his fling in the lady pond. He plots his revenge by staging a performance at Leviticus of a new song, Like My Daddy. The track is an explicit shot at Lucious. He ends the performance calling his dad inauthentic, and revealing that Lucious Lyon isnt his real name. Now in media manipulation mode, Lucious invites back the journalist he kicked out of his office. He offers her an exclusive: The Dwight Walker Story: How a Homeless Orphan Became Lucious Lyon. Obviously, shes intrigued. Just as this is happening, we find out that Hakeem has taken Operation Dethrone Camilla into his own hands. Using info from Rhonda that Mimi would be in the city during the weekend, he records a sex tape of him and Camilla to send to Mimis hotel. Knowing that Mimi is overprotective, he thinks this will set her off. And set her off it does. After an off-screen disagreement of sorts, we see Camilla wiping fingerprints off a filled tub, with Mimis body submerged in it. In walks Lucious, who has apparently been watching the whole thing and has Camilla on tape in the act. She dropped some kind of lethal liquid into Mimis drink and staged everything to look like a suicide. This is perfect for Lucious. He uses the opportunity to blackmail Camilla into killing herself, but not before telling her how Hakeem was the one who betrayed her. And just like that, Camilla is no longer a problem. Other moments of note: A brush with death causes hardcore KGB officer Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) to reconsider her priorities. And an act of kindness costs a former low-level KGB agent her life in Chloramphenicol, Episode 404 of The Americans on FX. Chloramphenicol is a medicine that combats bacterial diseases. This includes glanders, which was turned into a bioweapon by William (Dylan Baker), a Defense Department scientist clandestinely working for the Soviet Union. Gabriel (Frank Langella), the veteran KGB handler for Elizabeth and her spy husband Philip (Matthew Rhys), was exposed to glanders while preparing to smuggle a vial of the deadly pathogen to Russia. Advertisement See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> Elizabeth and Philip were exposed when they found Gabriel bleeding and gasping for air. Then Philip intentionally exposed William so hed be forced to treat everyone. If we believed in God, Id say pray, William suggests as Gabriel quivers in pain. He oughta be in a hospital hooked up to an IV. We all should. Because Elizabeth and Philip must remain quarantined for at least 36 hours, they cant visit Epcot Center that weekend with daughter Paige (Holly Taylor) and son Henry (Keidrich Sellati). Canceling the trip also lengthens the lifespans of Pastor Tim (Kelly AuCoin) and his blabbermouth wife Alice (Suzy Jane Hunt), who became glaring liabilities when they learned that Paiges parents are spies. Despite Philips misgivings, the KGB had planned to kill Tim and Alice while the Jennings family vacationed in Florida. By making the deaths appear accidental, Paige wouldnt have known for sure that foul play was involved. As for Elizabeth, she starts to vomit and run a fever, indicating a serious infection or merely an adverse reaction to the antibiotic. If she doesnt survive, she tells Philip, raise their kids as law-abiding American citizens instead of grooming them for espionage. Its what you want, Elizabeth tearfully says, what youve always wanted! When her fever breaks and shes out of danger, Elizabeth is more concerned with protecting her children than fighting for the motherland. You were right about sparing Tim and Alice, Elizabeth tells Philip. We cant kill them. Paige, shed never get over it. So instead of murdering the pastor and his wife, Elizabeth wants to reason with these social activists and make it harder for them to do anything that would hurt Paige. Meanwhile, traitorous FBI secretary Martha Hanson (Alison Wright) frantically tries to contact her secret husband Clark (actually Philip), unaware that hes in quarantine. Martha accepted a dinner date with FBI Agent Dennis Aderholt (Brandon J. Dirden) and now shes in a panic. Does Dennis have a crush on Martha? Or does he believe she planted a KGB listening device in the FBI office? Its the latter. And while Dennis and Martha dine at a romantic restaurant, FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) searches her apartment for evidence of treason. Martha tries to explain her suspicious behavior by claiming shes having an affair with a married man. Dennis doesnt seem convinced. Finally, former KGB operative Nina Sergeevna Krilova (Annet Mahendru) sits in a Moscow cell anxiously awaiting the result of her appeal. Ninas crime was attempting to notify the son of Anton Baklanov (Michael Aronov), an abducted scientist forced to develop stealth technology, that his father is alive. Your appeal has been denied, an unsympathetic prosecutor (Lev Kotlyar) informs Nina. The sentence of death will remain unchanged. It will be carried out shortly. By shortly, he means immediately as a guard fires a single bullet into Ninas brain. When her lifeless body is carried away in a shroud, all that remains is a pool of blood on the cold linoleum floor. Theres a new ramen joint on the Westside. Only this one isnt located anywhere near Sawtelle Japantown, with its concentration of well-regarded Japanese eateries. Instead, Venice Ramen has quietly opened in a strip mall on the border of Venice and Marina del Rey, blocks away from the ocean. The restaurant is the brainchild of Hideki Mochizuki, a chef and restaurateur with four noodle shops in Tokyo, the first of which, Ramen Hide (not to be confused with Hide-Chan Ramen, an unrelated chain in Japan), he opened in 1994. His most recent restaurant in Japan, Ramen Shibu-Hide, opened in the Shibuya section of Tokyo in 2009. So what made the 23-year veteran of the Tokyo ramen scene decide to open shop in Venice of all places? I did not want to open in Torrance, where there are many Japanese people, said Mochizuki, as translated by one of his waitstaff. He also did not consider Sawtelle or Little Tokyo. I wanted to open in Venice so I could have more American customers and show them my style of ramen. Tonkotsu ramen with chashu from Venice Ramen. (Peter Cheng / For The Times) His style, for the most part, skews more old-school. For instance, he explains that the hanjuku ajitsuke tamago (soft-boiled seasoned egg) that many ramen enthusiasts use as a litmus test for quality ramen, is not generally found in classic preparations. And he reasons that hard-boiled eggs actually work better with his pork bone-based tonkotsu ramen, so he stews his eggs in a shoyu (soy sauce) mixture for many hours. His philosophy is to make everything himself, if possible. In addition to the seasoned eggs, the chef also makes his own menma, cutting fresh bamboo into flat wedges before drying and fermenting, and then rehydrating and slicing them into strips before using them as a topping on his ramen. Advertisement Spicy tonkotsu ramen with chashu from Venice Ramen. (Peter Cheng / For The Times) Mochizuki also makes his own noodles in-house, in two styles: thin, straight, and low moisture for his tonkotsu; thicker, wavy, and higher moisture for his chuka soba, a Chinese-style ramen with a clear shoyu base. The result is a very al dente noodle for the former dish, and a softer, more bouncy noodle for the latter. Making everything from scratch is a lot of extra work, but for Mochizuki it signals a return to his roots: one shop, one chef. While he still owns the four shops in Tokyo and will still return to Japan on occasion to check in, his goal is to put out the best ramen hes ever made here in Los Angeles. He also has no plans to expand beyond this one Venice location. The kakuni don (pork belly braised in a sweet ginger-soy sauce, served over rice) from Venice Ramen. (Peter Cheng / For The Times) Venice Ramen is open with a small, but focused menu, offering both spicy and mild versions of its tonkotsu ramen, the chuka soba, and tanmen a vegetable ramen (not to be confused with tantanmen) that is not fully vegetarian as it still uses a pork-based soup. A chicken-based tori soba is also in the works. Non-noodle dishes include pan-fried gyoza dumplings and kakuni don, pork belly braised in a sweet ginger-soy sauce, served on top of rice. Venice Ramen is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 515 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey, (310) 448-8886. ALSO: Coachella 2016: What to eat at the festival What were into: Uni and pasta at Son of a Gun Firestone Walker Brewing opens taproom restaurant in Venice Southern California Gas Co. says it intends to resume injecting natural gas in its shuttered Aliso Canyon storage field as soon as late summer, using a small number of high-production wells. Under the timetable disclosed in an interview Wednesday, the company said it intended to meet state requirements for preliminary testing on all 115 wells at the storage facility. However, it intends to resume injections of high-pressure gas into some wells that will have undergone a full range of testing for risks of failure. The strategy would allow the utility to resume operations sooner than if all wells had to be fully tested before any were placed back into production. Advertisement The field has been closed since a leak in late October sent massive amounts of gas into the atmosphere and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee their homes for months. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> Southern California Gas officials said they would announce the plan to resume operations at a public hearing Friday on the effects that closure of the field is expected to have on power supplies in Los Angeles this summer. State agencies warned Tuesday that closure of the storage facility could lead to spot blackouts caused by shortages of natural gas that powers electrical generators. The state has directed the gas company to keep the field shuttered until all wells are tested for ongoing leaks. However, wells that pass only preliminary tests can remain idle for up to a year before further testing, if required, or they are permanently plugged. Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) said state regulators told her office Wednesday that the gas company intends to finish those initial leak tests by the end of the month, including on two dozen wells now listed by the gas company as out of operation. However, the gas company is subjecting only a portion of its wells to the extensive internal tests that would reveal corrosion, cracks and other safety risks. Those tests are required before a well can be put back in operation. The idea was to test them all, Pavley said. This plan may get us to the same endgame. Southern California Gas officials said in the interview Wednesday that they have identified the wells that will undergo the first full tests. Those inspections include integrity tests that require bringing in large field rigs and can take more than a month per well to complete. The company has eight rigs on the site conducting those tests. Reports to the state show that five wells so far have undergone those tests but none have received final state clearance for operation. That field aint coming back online until Im satisfied weve done all the assessments we need to do, said Bret Lane, chief operating officer with the gas company. An executive with the Environmental Defense Fund said he was wary of criticizing the gas companys soft start approach. Before we can be comfortable, we want to see the well closure plans, said Tim OConnor, director of California oil and gas programs for the nonprofit group. We certainly dont want to just take the gas companys word. Gov. Jerry Browns office continues to keep close tabs on the states handling of Southern California Gas. A closed-door briefing on the energy report in Sacramento on Tuesday was led by Wade Crowfoot, a senior advisor to Brown and former regional director for the Environmental Defense Fund. Crowfoot and representatives from utility and energy commissions said they do not intend to relax testing requirements in order to put the gas field back in business, an attendee said. Engineering experts consulted by the state said the extensive tests are crucial because they provide access to internal casings of wells that often go years without inspection. Given the age of the Aliso Canyon wells, the tests were what we felt were needed to fully qualify the outer barrier, said Barry Freifeld, a mechanical engineer at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who was on the team consulted by the state. For now, the gas company said it has sidelined 24 wells similar to Standard Sesnon 25, the well that blew in October and released an estimated 100,000 metric tons of methane before it was plugged in February. Surveys of the gas storage field have revealed what gas officials called other minor leaks, said Chris Gilbride, a spokesman for Southern California Gas. He said none were hazardous. The report warning of blackouts, issued by three state energy agencies and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, has been greeted with skepticism by consumer advocates. Food and Water Watch, which argues Aliso Canyon should be permanently closed, has hired a San Diego engineering firm to produce its own report on the potential effect on power generation. We suspect that they are exaggerating some numbers and that Aliso Canyon is more of an economic tool for SoCal Gas, said Adam Scow, California director of Food and Water Watch. Its less about actual reliability but more of an economic tool in the way that it allows them to stabilize their own gas prices and sell to some of the bigger non-core customers, Scow said. Seventeen power plants purchase and store natural gas in the storage field, the gas company said. The field also supplies oil refineries, but Lane said it is more difficult to reduce gas supply to those operations. After living on the streets and, more recently, in a friends garage, Army veteran and single father Joseph Garcia finally has a permanent roof over his head in a new low-income housing complex for returning soldiers in Glendale. Veterans Village, a 44-unit, affordable-housing development for veterans and their families, formally opened Tuesday amid a larger debate across Los Angeles County about how to end homelessness. Garcia, a Persian Gulf War veteran and part-time carpenter, moved in with his 10-year-old son, Gabriel, last fall. Since then, hes been getting to know his neighbors who saw combat in other wars, he said. Advertisement All of our guards are down. Were like one big family, Garcia said. Whether people were in the Army, Air Force, Marines, we all get along together really well, and were always covering for each other. Were helping each other with our kids and feeding each other. Garcia was one of the winners of a random lottery to pick the first residents of Veterans Village. More than 4,500 applications were received from all over Los Angeles County, said Jordan Pynes, president of developer Thomas Safran & Associates. About four years ago, the city approached the developer with the idea of a project for veterans struggling to find a place to live. Construction began on the $20-million development two years ago with $13.5 million coming from federal tax credits and $7 million being footed by Glendale and its Housing Authority. The property has one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with rents ranging from $466 to $1,292 a month. To qualify, residents had to meet sliding household-income limits. For example, a family of two can earn no more than $39,120; a three-member family can bring in no more than $44,040; and a four-member family can earn no more than $48,900. Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said other cities in the county should do projects similar to Veterans Village instead of just honoring military personnel with Memorial Day parades. You have to devote your resources like the city of Glendale.... Only then can you truly hold yourself high and say, Weve done all we can to help our veterans achieve a better life after their services to this great country, he said. Veterans Village resident Alisa Ee, a mother of two whose husband served in the Iraq War, said housing is key for veterans trying to adapt to life back home again. Then theres the added benefit when veterans and their families live side by side with other veterans families, she said. Youre surrounded by people who are like-minded and so people understand you, Ee said. Being able to have that community available for veterans is priceless. arin.mikailian@latimes.com Mikailian writes for Times Community News. ALSO Waze, Caltrans will share data to ease traffic nightmares L.A. takes step toward legalizing bootlegged apartments Judge says L.A. Councilman Mitch Englander cant call himself a police officer on ballot A demonstration at Loyola Marymount University meant to express support for students who entered the country illegally became the site of controversy this week, after a wall that was part of a presentation was defaced. Students at the Westside campus had planned a number of activities as part of No Human Being Is Illegal week, which was intended to show solidarity with immigrant students. Organizers erected a wall made of Styrofoam and foil on a plaza near the library, and spray painted phrases such as No Human being is illegal, stop deportations and #Not1more. Advertisement Another phrase, Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, quoted a bible passage from Exodus. But some time Monday evening, the wall was vandalized, with the word Trump scrawled over the bible quote and Deport all illegals written in another area, in reference to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and one of his signature positions. The vandalism was first reported in the campus publication the Loyolan. One of the organizers, Diana Delgado, said that she and other students were dismayed by the hatred. Delgado, who works with a group called Resilience, said the installation was meant to evoke the Berlin Wall, a portion of which is on display at Loyola Marymount, to create a division on the campus and show everyone what that looks like. In a campuswide email, university President Timothy Law Snyder said that incidents such as the vandalism require us to examine deeper our actions and our purpose as a Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount campus. Dean of Students Jeanne Ortiz said in an interview that the administration had not filed a police report and that the schools public safety office is handling the incident as a university community issue at this point. Faculty, she said, have used it as a teachable moment. The resulting conversations have felt like a potential silver lining, said literature professor Ruben Martinez. The community is asking itself a lot of questions about free speech, Martinez said. He said some of his students felt comfortable coming out as Republicans in class. Theres a real issue on our campus about whether people with contrary opinions who arent spouting hate ... are scared of being labeled intolerant and racist, Martinez said. The incident comes as many of the nations colleges are grappling with how to ensure freedom of speech while also policing incidents of bigotry. At Loyola Marymount, the Bias Incident Response Team issued a campuswide message to be mindful of our core values of inclusion, respect, and diversity of thought. Campus activism in favor of Trump has been ignited by rallies and, more recently, something supporters call #TheChalkening: The scribbling of Trumps name, in chalk. The Daily Caller, a conservative news outlet, described it as a movement to strike back against college political correctness. The Chalkening popped up after protests at Emory University in Atlanta in reaction to the appearance of Trump 2016" in chalk. But to Loyola Marymount students, thats a different story. If Trump had been written in chalk on the sidewalk, that would have been expressing support, Delgado said. They literally spray painted Trump over a bible quote.... Its using that candidate as a way to intimidate. Last week, students at Pitzer College in Claremont reported a similar incident. According to a Facebook post by political science student Elijah Pantoja, the base of a tower was defaced with red letters that spelled out Trump. A mural with the faces of two men, one white and one black, was covered with graffiti that spelled out Make America, which students understood to be a reference to Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. Pantoja wrote, This is a clear attempt to intimidate students of color at Pitzer College. Pitzer spokeswoman Anna Chang said an investigation is underway. In an April 3 message to students, Pitzers vice president for student affairs, Brian Carlisle, called the incident an act of vandalism that raise[s] serious concerns of hatred and racism. You can reach Joy Resmovits on Twitter @Joy_Resmovits and by email at Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com. A tug of war over Los Angeles Councilman Mitch Englanders description of himself on the June ballot, in which he is running for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, ended Thursday with a judge ruling that he cant call himself either a police officer or a reserve policeman. Three other candidates running for the seat being vacated by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich prosecutor Elan Carr, State Sen. Bob Huff, and Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian challenged Englanders chosen ballot designation, which originally was Councilmember/Police Officer, saying it was misleading because Englander is a volunteer reserve officer, not a full-time cop. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert H. OBrien agreed with them at a hearing Wednesday. Englander subsequently amended his ballot designation to Councilmember/Reserve Policeman, which the countys office of registrar-recorder accepted. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The other candidates promptly challenged that description as well, arguing that being a reserve is not Englanders primary occupation. OBrien sided with the opponents again Thursday, leaving Englander with the designation Councilmember. The opponents crowed over the victory. Today and yesterday, the Superior Court sent a strong signal that honesty and integrity matters, Carr said in a statement. I honor Mitchs service in uniform, but he has to tell voters the truth. Stephen Kaufman, Englanders campaign attorney, said OBrien just plain got it wrong. His ruling today is an affront to all the dedicated men and women who wear the LAPD badge and put their lives on the line for the people of Los Angeles, he said in a statement. There is no disputing that Mr. Englander graduated top of his class at the Police Academy, and has patrolled our citys streets for more than a decade. The opposing candidates had also sought to have the court require Englander to specify that he is a member of the Los Angeles City Council, as the county district includes a number of other cities, but the judge did not side with them on that point. Brenda Duran, a spokeswoman with the registrars office, said Thursdays ruling was final and Englanders designation would stand as Councilmember. In a second county race, for the seat being vacated by Supervisor Don Knabe, candidate Steve Napolitano was also forced to change his ballot designation. Napolitano, a field deputy to Knabe, originally listed himself as LA County Deputy Supervisor. After a rival in the race, Whittier school board member Ralph Pacheco, successfully challenged the title, Napolitano changed it to Supervisors Senior Deputy. Eight candidates are running for Antonovichs seat and three for Knabes. Twitter: @sewella ALSO City attorney files suits targeting home bases for two South L.A. street gangs Man shot and stabbed woman, then texted photo of her corpse to her boyfriend, prosecutors say Cal State faculty union postpones planned strike after tentative salary agreement is reached In the last five years, city prosecutors say three apartment buildings in South Los Angeles have amassed a disturbing tally of arrests, shootings and killings. On Thursday, City Atty. Mike Feuer announced three nuisance abatement lawsuits asking a judge to issue an order stopping gang members from hanging out in the multi-unit buildings on West 82nd Street. The suits also seek to produce an order to compel the managers to make a host of improvements to make the buildings residents safer. It is unconscionable that anyone in Los Angeles has to live in conditions like this, Feuer said in a statement. Were taking back this neighborhood from the gangs and returning it to the residents who live there. Advertisement By displacing the gang members, the city hopes to reduce their ability to congregate and control a neighborhood, said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> The hardest thing to do in law enforcement is to change a neighborhood for the better, Beck said. Take away their territory, you dilute their power. the final goal is to make a positive change that lasts. The suits target the owners of a nine-unit apartment building at 538 W. 82nd Street, a 20-unit building at 601 W. 82nd Street and an 11-unit complex at 723 W. 82nd Street. The area is claimed by the 18th Street and Hoover gangs, who mutually benefit from drug dealing in the area, Feuer said. There have been two killings, half a dozen shootings, and 35 arrests between the three properties in the last five years, officials said. At a news conference, they displayed five handguns that were found at the properties recently. This is what kids are living with on the street, and its going to change, Feuer said. If the citys litigation is successful, the owners of the buildings would have to have better lighting, secure fencing and a video surveillance system connected to the Internet. The building would have to have armed, licensed security guards as well as a better system for screening tenants who might cause problems, according to the suits. If the building owners refuse to make the changes, they could be forced to live on their property until the changes are made or be made to close them, displacing innocent residents at the property owners cost, Feuer said. City prosecutors have long resorted to legal action to try to blunt gang activity, arguing that nuisance properties are magnets for crime and jeopardize the safety of people in nearby schools, churches and businesses. In 2009, the city filed a suit aimed at a Pico-Union apartment complex that was allegedly the center of the Mara Salvatrucha gang empire. The owner of a Venice apartment building was named in a 2007 suit, with prosecutors saying the building housed the Shoreline Crips. During the last three years, Feuers office has obtained 56 injunctions to mandate physical and operational improvements at properties that are deemed nuisances. Eight sites that are the locus of drug- and gang-related activity have also been shut down, according to Feuers office. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. ALSO Christian cross has no place on L.A. County seal, judge rules 21-year-old womans body is found stuffed in a suitcase behind a San Diego hotel Man shot and stabbed woman, then texted photo of her corpse to her boyfriend, prosecutors say A San Jose man will appear in court next week to answer to charges that he stabbed and shot his ex-girlfriend to death and then texted a photo of the corpse to her boyfriend, telling him, Its too late, prosecutors say. After fleeing to Mexico nearly three years ago, murder suspect Julio Pliego, 46, was returned to U.S. authorities on Tuesday, following nine months of extradition proceedings, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorneys office. On Wednesday, Pliego was arraigned on a felony count of murder and an allegation of torture, for the death of Veronica Lozano, a 35-year-old hairstylist and mother of four. Pliego is scheduled to enter his plea on April 12. Advertisement Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> If the defendant thought he was going to live happily ever after in Mexico after committing a savage and senseless crime, then the FBI and these charges have proved him wrong, said Santa Clara County Deputy Dist. Atty. Katrina Ohde. We look forward to holding him fully accountable for the murder of Veronica Lozano. Pliego fled to Mexico on May 15, 2013, hours after Lozanos lifeless body was found in a rented room at the San Jose Holiday Inn Express, prosecutors say. That same day, Lozanos boyfriend attempted to contact her by cellphone. Prosecutors said he received a chilling response. Pliego answered the call and said he planned to send the boyfriend photographs of what he had done to Lozano. Lozanos boyfriend begged Pliego not to hurt her. Pliego responded by texting him a photo of Lozano who was naked and bloody, prosecutors said. Ohde said Pliego sent at least one photograph to Lozanos boyfriend. Lozano was likely deceased in the photograph. Lozanos boyfriend pleaded with Pliego to take her to a nearby hospital. But prosecutors said Pliego told him it was too late. A hotel employee found the womans body two hours later in the room. Lozano had been stabbed 40 times and shot in the head with a shotgun at close range, prosecutors say. At the time, Lozanos children were between the ages of 5 and 17. She had only dated Pliego for about six months, Ohde said. They had been broken up for two months when she was slain. It is not clear whether Pliego stalked her before the killing, but some evidence suggests that he showed up unannounced, Ohde said. FBI investigators tracked Pliego to an area near Mexico City in July 2015. If he is convicted of the murder charge, Pliego faces life in prison, prosecutors said. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO Christian cross has no place on L.A. County seal, judge rules Inmate escapes Ventura County conservation camp in Camarillo 21-year-old womans body is found stuffed in a suitcase behind a San Diego hotel An Orange County religious nonprofit that prosecutors have linked to a former pastor accused of molestation has denied any ties to the suspect, the organization said in a statement. Earlier this week, Orange County prosecutors announced that Douglas Dale Whinery, 80, had been arrested and accused of molesting two girls for years after he met them in Tustin in 2011. The girls are now 8 and 10, according to prosecutors. Authorities said that Whinery had remained active at Olive Crest in Santa Ana, the Foothill Family Church in Foothill Ranch and the Grace Church in Yorba Linda until his arrest last week. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> But an Olive Crest spokeswoman on Thursday said the faith-based nonprofit, which works with at-risk youths, has no record of Whinery working or volunteering with the group. Olive Crest is dedicated to guarding the safety and well-being of the children we serve, the agencys statement read. Given our commitment to the safety of children, Olive Crest does not take allegations of this kind lightly. Our organization is always available to assist the District Attorneys Office and other law enforcement entities. We have offered them our complete cooperation in this case. Though the group has no record of Whinery, an Orange County District Attorneys spokeswoman said that an investigation connected him to the group. In 2011, authorities said, Whinery approached the girls, who are related, in a Tustin park and befriended their family. Over the next 4 years, Whinery gave the family money to find a place to live, took the girls to school and church and even had sleepovers at his home, prosecutors say. During that time, he sexually assaulted them repeatedly, authorities claim. On March 28, the younger victim told a family member about the abuse, which was then reported to police. Whinery was arrested two days later and is being held without bail. Hes been charged with four counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child under 10, Orange County prosecutors said. Whinery is due back in court Tuesday. Whinery faces up to 100 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges. Anyone with information about the case or who believes they may have been a victim is asked to call Dist. Atty. Investigator Mark Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794 or Tustin police at (714) 573-3257. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. MORE LOCAL NEWS L.A. takes step toward legalizing bootlegged apartments Charlie Sheens sordid legal war over HIV, alleged threats and violence Whole Foods Market to open first lower-priced store in Silver Lake in May Four Los Angeles County social workers have been charged with felony child abuse and falsifying public records in connection with the 2012 death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was tortured and killed even though authorities had numerous warnings of abuse in his home. Los Angeles County prosecutors allege that the county Department of Children and Family Services employees minimized the significance of the physical, mental and emotional injuries that Gabriel suffered [and] allowed a vulnerable boy to remain at home and continue to be abused. ------------ For the record Advertisement Social worker: In a Section A article on April 8 about criminal charges for four child protection case workers, The Times said supervising social worker Gregory Merritt earned $166,000. His total compensation in wages and benefits was $116,000. ------------- Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt were each charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records. At their arraignment on Thursday afternoon, the defendants did not enter pleas, pending another hearing later this month. Superior Court Judge Sergio Tapia set bail for each at $100,000. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Gabriels death sparked widespread outrage and prompted a series of reforms designed to improve how county officials monitor children who show signs of being abused. Prosecutors said the social workers actions were so troubling that they warranted the rare step of filing criminal charges. Social workers play a vital role in society. We entrust them to protect our children from harm, Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said in a statement. When their negligence is so great as to become criminal, young lives are put at risk. We believe these social workers were criminally negligent and performed their legal duties with willful disregard for Gabriels well-being. Olivia Rubio, left, Emily Carranza and Amanda Nevarez hold a news conference outside Carranzas home in Sylmar in response to four social workers being charged with child abuse and falsifying public records in the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernan The dead boys mother and her boyfriend are awaiting trial on charges of murder and a special circumstance of torture. They have pleaded not guilty. The pair are accused of beating Gabriel to death after dousing him with pepper spray, forcing him to eat his own vomit and locking him in a cabinet with a sock stuffed in his mouth to muffle his screams, according to court records. Detectives who searched the familys apartment found a wooden club covered in his blood. In the months before the boy was killed, county child protection caseworkers and sheriffs deputies investigated allegations of abuse without removing Gabriel from the home. Shortly before Gabriels death, officials decided to close his case. The social workers were aware that the boy had written a suicide note and had a BB pellet embedded in his chest. Yet he was not sent for medical treatment or mental health assessment, county records show. Additionally, the boys teacher said she made repeated phone calls reporting evidence of abuse. The caseworkers disregarded them, she said. A complaint for an arrest warrant was filed against the workers March 28 about three years after their alleged failings and all were scheduled for arraignment Thursday. Merritt was the first to arrive in court in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning. Asked for his reaction to the charges against him, Merritt told a reporter, no response. Clement, a former nun and chaplain in the countys juvenile detention centers, sobbed in court as she awaited arraignment. She, too, declined to respond to the charges, as did Bom, a supervising caseworker and father of four young children as well as an elder at his church. Rodriguez could not be reached for comment. In a prepared statement issued late Thursday morning by the Department of Children and Family Services, department Director Philip Browning said the accused workers did not represent the organization. In our rigorous reconstruction of the events surrounding Gabriels death, we found that four of our social workers had failed to perform their jobs. I directed that all of them be discharged. Only one appealed his termination, and he was reinstated last year by the Civil Service Commission over our strong objections, Browning said. I want to make it unambiguously clear that the defendants do not represent the daily work, standards or commitment of our dedicated social workers, who, like me, will not tolerate conduct that jeopardizes the well-being of children, Browning said. For the vast majority of those who choose this demanding career, it is nothing short of a calling. 1 / 1 L.A. County social workers Patricia Clement, left, and Stefanie Rodriguez, third from left, are arraigned in Los Angeles along with their respective supervisors, Gregory Merritt, fourth from right, and Kevin Bom, second from right. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) In an interview with The Times on Thursday, Browning said he had referred the social workers case notes to the district attorney in 2013 to make sure we didnt miss anything, but he was not aware that a criminal investigation was gathering steam, and he said he was surprised when he learned that charges were filed. After Merritt appealed to regain his $166,000 job as a supervising social worker, the five-member civil service commission which is appointed by the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to reinstate him, imposing a 30-day suspension in lieu of termination. According to the commissions hearing officer, In the final analysis [Merritt] bears some culpability for lax supervision but not to the extent to justify his discharge after nearly 24 years of unblemished service. Merritts union representative had argued that his client was used as a scapegoat and had labored under difficult circumstances in the Palmdale office, where social workers carry some of the highest caseloads in the county. County lawyers for Browning went to Los Angeles County Superior Court in hopes of overturning the civil service commissions decision. That case is ongoing, but the judge ordered Merritts reinstatement until a decision is reached. Browning said the performance of the four workers in the Fernandez case was the worst he had seen in any case hed reviewed since his arrival at the agency in 2011. We made so much progress in the past few years, Browning said. I dont want the morale of the department to suffer in a way that would impact services to clients. In the months after the Fernandez case was first reported by The Times in 2013, social workers removed children from their families at a higher rate. Browning defended the rise in removals at the time, noting that detention rates were rising statewide, but critics said social workers sometimes needlessly removed children because they were afraid to lose their jobs if something unforeseen occurred to a child under their watch. Browning said he is worried that the charges against the social workers could spur social workers to again increase the number of children taken from homes. Safety is our priority, but I hope that there wont be additional detentions because of this, he said. I hope that they will continue to make decisions based on the facts in front of them. At a news conference Thursday in Sylmar, family and friends of Gabriel praised the arrests and decried a system they said is fraught with laziness and corruption. You brought this upon yourself, Emily Carranza, the boys cousin, said of the social workers. Carranza is part of a group of family and friends who rallied after the boys death, determined to hold those who killed Gabriel and those who failed to protect him accountable. The shirt she wore showed three photos of Gabriels smiling face. Your conviction will be our greatest victory, she said. Child welfare officials and prosecutors said that this was the first case in memory in which child protective caseworkers had been criminally charged in California over the alleged mishandling of a case. Such prosecutions are also rare nationally, although New York prosecutors pursued criminal charges in recent years against two social workers who handled the fatal case of 4-year-old Marchella Pierce. In that case, the workers were initially charged with negligent homicide, but the case collapsed in a plea deal for lesser charges. Both workers eventually pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, and that misdemeanor was subsequently knocked down to a violation when they completed hours of community service. Times staff writer Sarah Parvini and Times researcher Scott. J. Wilson contributed to this report. ALSO Two killed in South L.A. house fire Sketch released of suspect in bludgeoning attacks in East L.A. Tanaka convicted on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges Border Patrol agents and customs officers have used force less frequently this year as they face fewer assaults, with just seven uses of firearms in the first five months of the fiscal year, according to figures released Thursday. But the official tally omitted at least one fatal shooting in El Paso, calling into question its accuracy and highlighting the need for more detailed reporting, civil rights advocates said. It speaks to a lack of confidence in the statistics themselves. I dont think there are that many firearm incidents that you cant have a tabulation of what happened, said Chris Rickerd, policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, adding that until more detailed numbers are released, its very hard to have faith in these statistics. Advertisement He said critics have long demanded more transparency and accountability from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. For the largest law enforcement agency in the country, these are vital things. The agency reported 28 uses of force involving firearms last fiscal year, 29 the year before. For the first time on Thursday, the agency broke down use-of-force figures by geographic sector for Border Patrol, although two other agencies within CBP responsible for three gun and 18 less lethal incidents -- the Office of Field Operations and Air and Marine Operations -- were not included in the breakdown. The breakdown of the other four incidents showed that the Border Patrols use of firearms during the first five months of the fiscal year starting in October was spread among the Rio Grande Valley, San Diego and Tucson sectors. On Feb. 4, three Border Patrol agents on patrol in downtown El Paso heard gunshots, found someone fatally wounded on the ground, and pursued a man fleeing on foot, according to a Border Patrol statement. When the man pointed a gun at a passing driver, then at one of the agents, an agent shot the man, who later died. Only one agent opened fire during the incident, which would mean one use-of-force report. But no uses of force involving firearms were reported for El Paso sector in 2016. After The Times contacted the agency, spokesman Carlos Diaz said an error in merging databases had resulted in the omission. He said the total would be updated Thursday to eight firearm uses of force. In the San Diego sector, a Border Patrol agent fired Nov. 15 at a suspected human smuggler, or coyote, caught with a group of 14 immigrants who had hurled a softball-size rock at the agent and fled near Jacumba, Calif., according to a statement released at the time. The suspect, Martel Valencia-Cortez, 39, turned himself in last month and was take into federal custody on an outstanding warrant for human smuggling. In the Tucson sector, a suspect who assaulted a Border Patrol agent and fled from a truck carrying more than a ton of marijuana was shot and wounded by the agent Jan. 25 near the New Mexico border, according to an agency statement. The agent suffered minor injuries. In the Rio Grande Valley sector, two agents on patrol near the Rio Grande river spotted four men attempting to cross on a raft from Mexico, heard gunshots, and one of the agents returned fire in Fronton, Texas, on Jan. 11. No injuries were reported, according to an agency statement. The new numbers show a decrease in the use of what Border Patrol calls less lethal weapons such as pepper-ball guns and Tasers. There were 185 uses of less lethal force during the first five months of the year compared to 756 in all of last fiscal year, 1,008 the year before. Less lethal force was concentrated in several sectors: the Imperial Valleys El Centro (59), Tucson (30), El Paso (21), Rio Grande Valley (19), San Diego (17) and Laredo (16). The reason for the overall decrease in use of force was unclear, although agents face an ongoing surge in families and children crossing the border illegally and are seeing fewer assaults. Some of the sectors that saw the most use of force also saw the most apprehensions during the same period. Texass Rio Grande Valley has been the epicenter of child and family migration for the last few years and saw the most total apprehensions during the first five months of the year: 80,452, followed by Tucson (33,931), Laredo (17,945), San Diego (14,449), Del Rio (11,189) and El Paso (10,208). Assaults on border officers and agents decreased so far this year for the first time in several years, down to 176 compared to 390 all of last year and 373 the year before. The numbers were released ahead of the busy summer season, when illegal migration usually increases. It was not clear from the government figures how many of the uses of force resulted in deaths. A half-dozen people were killed in altercations with Border Patrol agents along the U.S. border last calendar year, four the year before, according to a tally kept by the ACLUs Regional Center for Border Rights, based in Las Cruces, N.M. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been under pressure to reverse what its own experts consider a pattern of excessive force by agents. New guidelines on weapons were announced last year, and officials have pointed to reductions in the use of force as evidence that agents are using better judgment in the field. R. Gil Kerlikowske, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announced new training and guidelines last year to reduce abuses and changes in how use of force is investigated. CBP has implemented and continues to implement significant policy, procedural, training and programmatic reforms that have equipped CBP law enforcement personnel to carry out their duties more safely and effectively, the agency said in a statement that accompanied the new figures. Reforms have also improved CBPs ability to investigate and review use of force incidents to determine whether the application of force is consistent with the law and policy. But Rickerd of the ACLU noted, There is no analysis provided on how de-escalation training is having an effect on whether force is used. Three years ago, a group of police experts reviewed 67 deadly force cases and issued a report criticizing Border Patrol use-of-force guidelines that granted agents more leeway than other law enforcement agencies. Rickerd said the agency should follow Department of Justice guidelines and release more detailed use of force reports, including how many times a year agents pointed a firearm, used physical force beyond handcuffing, fired a Taser or struck someone with a baton. So far, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have refused. On Thursday, the agency released an official request for information about body cameras, which could lead to the devices being issued to agents. Kerlikowske had said there were no plans to immediately issue body cameras back in November after the release of an internal report that found cameras the agency had tested were impractical. Advocates have been demanding body cameras be required for years, Rickerd said, and while Thursdays announcement was a good sign, he said it has taken far too long. The urgency with which this is needed given CBPs track record on use of force is not being matched with deployment of the cameras, he said. molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com Twitter: @mollyhf ALSO Heres who Donald Trump is taking foreign policy advice from A dire prediction on melting ice sheets and rising sea levels Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert accused of sexual abuse by at least 4, sources say President Obama warned Thursday that the Senates refusal to begin the confirmation process for his Supreme Court nominee is more than a run-of-the-mill fight with lawmakers: its a political event that threatens the American judiciary. In a meeting with University of Chicago law students, Obama argued that Republicans refusal hold hearings for Judge Merrick Garland could erode the independence of the courts and public faith in their decisions. If politics so deeply infuse the process that an indisputably qualified jurist cant even get a hearing, Obama said, then the courts will be just an extension of our legislatures. Advertisement That, he said, erodes the institutional integrity of the judicial branch and could well lead to a loss of public faith in the courts rulings. Led by constitutional law professor David Strauss, the town hall was part of Obamas campaign to confirm Garland. By taking the argument to the prestigious law school where he once taught constitutional law, Obama made a doctrinal argument while also touting his personal credentials to do so. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) acknowledged the politics at play on Thursday. He predicted that Obama would gloss over the fact that the new Supreme Court justice would have a dramatic effect on cherished constitutional rights like those contained in the 1st and 2nd Amendments. But at the same time there were signs that Obamas effort is having an effect on some Senate Republicans. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), fighting for reelection this year, reminded Illinois voters that he met with Garland by tweeting a photo of the handwritten note of thanks he got from Obama. Thanks, @POTUS, the tweet read. I met with Judge Garland because my responsibility to (the) people of Illinois is more important than partisanship. To get Garland before a Senate hearing, though, Obama has to persuade more than a few senators at risk of losing their seats this year. On Thursday, Obama kicked the argument up a notch. The debate is not about the direction of the court, but about separation of powers. Garland is indisputably qualified, he said, and nobody really argues otherwise. The American legal system has fought over the balance between liberty and security before, he said, and over the rights of minority groups versus the majority. This is different, he argued. Those are all issues where passions are real and people have opinions, and theres nothing wrong with that, he said. But I think what changed was when the Congress itself and the Senate in particular began to change . . . In some ways the judicial process is a casualty of some broader trends in our democracy. ALSO Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland has a record of restraint, not activism White House says its chipping away at GOP resistance to considering Supreme Court pick Merrick Garland How long until Merrick Garland is justice? It took Clarence Thomas 99 days and John Roberts just 23 The predictions only get worse. In 2007, a United Nations panel of scientists studying the rise of sea level related to climate change predicted that, if nothing was done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, seas could rise by about 2 feet by 2100. By 2013, the panel had increased its forecast to more than 3 feet, which would put major cities at risk of flooding and storm surge. Yet all along, the panel emphasized what it did not know. It expressed particular uncertainty about what could happen to the ice sheet in Antarctica. To help fill in the gaps, it invited outside scientists to contribute their own research. Now the outside research is bearing fruit and the news is not good. Advertisement A new study published in the journal Nature painted perhaps the most ominous picture yet. It showed that, by the end of this century, sea levels could rise 6 feet or more again, if nothing is done to reduce emissions potentially inundating many coastal areas, submerging nations and remaking maps of the world. The study focused on one of the most elusive aspects of sea-level science: What will happen to the West Antarctic ice sheet? Scientists have long believed the ice sheet would melt from climate change and contribute to higher sea levels. But they believed that the melting, and rising sea levels it would cause, could occur over many hundreds or even thousands of years. The new study, by Robert DeConto, a geoscientist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and David Pollard, a geoscientist at Pennsylvania State University, based its finding on models it developed from studying ancient sea-level and temperature changes. The scientists found that drastic sea-level rise could happen within a lifetime. As alarming as the study may have seemed to the public and to policymakers, Benjamin Horton, a coastal geologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey who studies sea level, said it did not surprise many people in his field. In 2013, Horton led a survey of almost 100 sea-level scientists that concluded that seas could rise almost 4 feet by 2100 higher than the United Nations panels worst scenario. But within that group, 13 scientists said there was a 17% chance that sea levels would rise by 6.6 feet, a figure in line with the study. Why has it been so hard to predict sea-level change? Predicting changes involves measuring and modeling several different factors that then have to be blended together, Horton said. Those elements include an increase in volume from expansion caused by warming water, the melting of glaciers in places such as Alaska and the melting of ice sheets in places such as Greenland and Antarctica. Measuring sea changes from the first two, he said, is much easier than measuring what the vast ice sheets are doing. What has helped improve our understanding of how ice sheets melt? Satellite technology and imagery had made it easier to understand what is happening above and below the West Antarctic ice sheet, Horton said. These ice sheets have this double whammy, he said. Theyre heated at the surface from air temperature and theyre heated at the base from ocean temperatures. They retreat and then they become unstable and they retreat even further. They have all these feedback mechanisms that keep on making the situation worse. The process involves what is known as cliff collapse. Ponds of meltwater that form on the ice surface often drain through cracks, the article said. This can set off a chain reaction that breaks up ice shelves and causes newly exposed ice cliffs to collapse under their own weight. How much water do the ice sheets hold? Horton said that the Greenland ice sheet contains enough ice to raise sea levels 6 meters, or more than 20 feet, if they completely melted. Antarctica holds much more ice, enough to raise seas 65 meters, or more than 200 feet. But this extreme scenario could happen only over thousands of years. What can be done? Even as the study released this week predicted potential catastrophe, it also emphasized that the West Antarctic ice sheet probably would cause little change in sea level if temperature increases can be held under 2 degrees Celsius. That is a central goal of the climate agreement reached in Paris in December, though it is far from clear that countries will achieve it. The obvious solution, Horton said, is to move quickly away from burning fossil fuels that contribute to climate change and rapidly expand solar, wind and other renewable forms of energy. We have a choice right now, he said. If we strongly mitigate against greenhouse gases, we can keep the sea-level rise to a manageable level. These papers are not all doom and gloom. They are providing a warning and we as a scientific community are trying to stress the urgency on climate change. This is a dire warning, a dire prediction, but we can do something about it. william.yardley@latimes.com As his campaign navigates a tough stretch, Donald Trump has adopted some of the trappings of a more traditional presidential candidate: meeting with Republican Party officials, adding staff, even announcing a cadre of foreign policy advisors rather than the go-it-alone approach he had favored when it came to issues abroad. But as ever with Trump, even these straightforward political acts are not without controversy. The advisors he has enlisted appear to have spent little to no time as policymakers, and of those who have served in the military, few have top-level experience. One has been consistently condemned by Muslim rights groups and another was investigated while working as the Pentagons inspector general. Trump has defended his choices, saying Monday at a campaign rally that most so-called experts have done more harm than good. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Wisconsin primary results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter The experts are terrible, he said in La Crosse, Wis. Look at the mess were in with all these experts that we have. Look at the mess. Look at the Middle East. If our presidents and our politicians went on vacation for 365 days a year and went to the beach, wed be in much better shape right now in the Middle East. So who are some of the people Trump is listening to instead? Heres a glance: Keith Kellogg Kellogg served for nearly three decades in the Army until his retirement in 2003. Since then, Kellogg has served on a number of boards, including at GTSI, which primarily provides computer software to government agencies. From 2005 until 2009, he was an executive vice president at CACI International, a Virginia-based intelligence consulting firm that was embroiled in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal prior to his arrival there. Kellogg had little to do with the companys cleanup as he was primarily focused on research and tech systems. A lawsuit brought by prisoners against the firm was eventually dismissed. See the most-read stories this hour >> Carter Page Page, an investment firm managing partner, wrote a bizarre blog post last year, ostensibly about U.S.-Russia relations, but comparing the U.S. to slaveholders and citing the Kanye West track New Slaves. In the song, West notes that after consistent mistreatment, slaves were bound to eventually wild out, and Page wrote that other countries would similarly go rogue should the U.S. continue to act as the worlds policeman. George Papadopoulos Papadopoulos served as a policy and economic advisor to Ben Carson, who notably struggled with domestic and foreign policy issues during his failed presidential run. Before that Papadopoulos was a consultant at a London-based oil and gas company. Hes a director at the London Centre of International Law Practice. In its mission statement, the group views global issues with a promotion of peace, which falls into accord with Trumps noninterventionist approach. He graduated from DePaul University in 2009. Walid Phares Phares, who served as a foreign policy aide to Mitt Romney in 2012, is perhaps the most controversial of Trumps advisors. He was the subject of a 2011 Mother Jones story that said he has ties to a right-wing Lebanese militia accused of committing war crimes against Muslims during that countrys bloody 15-year civil war. Phares did not respond to requests for comment about the story. Officials at the Council on American-Islamic Relations have condemned Phares like Trump for his comments about Muslims. Phares is a professor at the National Defense University in Washington. Hes also a regular on Fox News and tried to tamp down Trumps calls to reinstate the torture of terrorism suspects after last months bombings in Brussels. Mr. Trump, because we are in a political season, hes making those statements, but when he will come to the White House then hes going be tasking experts to answer that question, and Im not sure that the experts are going to recommend any form of torture, Phares said on NPR. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Joseph Schmitz Schmitz had a rocky tenure as the Pentagons inspector general from 2002 until 2005, during the runup to and early years of the Iraq war. Schmitz is alleged to have slowed or blocked investigations of senior Bush administration officials, spent taxpayer money on pet projects and accepted gifts that may have violated ethics guidelines, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2005. Amid the allegations, Schmitz resigned and took a position with the parent company of notorious defense contractor Blackwater. Gary Harrell Harrell oversaw combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of his three decades in the Army and retired in 2008 as deputy commanding general for the Army Special Operations Command. Chuck Kubic Kubic served for nearly 30 years in the Navy, including helping rebuild schools and hospitals in Iraq as commander of the Naval Construction Division. Ive been up here since the early days of the war, and every day, every week the country returns to normal, he told CNN in 2004 as he praised the U.S. efforts to rebuild the country, a comment that predated the bloodiest years of sectarian violence in Iraq during the war and the consistent failure of the U.S. rebuilding efforts. Kubic now owns his own engineering firm, which has consulted with the U.S. government on diplomatic facilities in Kabul, Karachi and Bangkok. Bert Mizusawa Mizusawa has the most decorated military career of Trumps advisors. He was awarded a Silver Star, the third-highest military decoration, for his service during the Korean War. He ferried a Soviet defector to safe ground while under fire from 30 attacking North Korean soldiers, according to the Pentagon. He personally led the defector to safety while under fire and deliberately, at great risk to himself, exposed himself to the enemy in front of his own troops, the Pentagon said. In 2010, he ran in a GOP primary for a congressional seat in Virginia. He lost the five-way primary. Follow @kurtisalee for political news ALSO Ted Cruz is working multiple angles to take down Donald Trump Smoke-filled room, meet Silicon Valley: Techies see opportunity at GOP convention On campuses across the country, students are standing up for Donald Trump Obama: Democrats must guard against tea party-type mentality It is good to be back," says @POTUS at @UChicago Law School. Spent 10 yrs teaching there "and it was really fun." pic.twitter.com/l5eWub19hN Mark Knoller (@markknoller) April 7, 2016 As the Democratic primary campaign has taken a nasty turn, President Obama Thursday warned his party against putting ideological purity ahead of achieving progress. Taking questions from law students in Chicago at an event to pressure Republicans to act on his Supreme Court nomination, Obama said he was not concerned that Democrats were heading toward the kind of intra-party warfare that has dominated the GOP recently. But he did say the party needed to guard against the kind of thinking that led the GOP to this point. The danger, whether for Democrats or Republicans, is in a closed-loop system where everyone is just listening to people who agree with them, that you start thinking that the way to get to where I want to go is to simply be as uncompromising as possible and hold the line and not pay attention to or listen to what the other side has to say, he said. That is sort of a tea party-type mentality. He acknowledged frustration among some Democrats, for instance, that the Affordable Care Act was not more sweeping. But he said that just because someone opts to make concessions in a political process, it does not mean you must be a sellout, or you must be corrupted, or you must be on the take. A lot of the reason why a lot of Democrats who supported me, and still support me, got frustrated is because a bunch of the country doesnt agree with me, or them. And they have votes, too, he said. If you dont get everything you want, its not always because the person you elected sold you out. It may just be because in our system you end up taking half-loaves. Obama said that there is not a huge divergence between the two Democratic candidates on the issues. But he again made a pitch for the merits of incrementalism in helping to make progress in realizing their goals. Thats how change generally happens, he said. The thing that Democrats have to guard against is going in the direction that the Republicans are much further along on, and that is this sense of, we are just going to get our way, and if we dont, then well cannibalize our own, kick them out and try again. Thanks to Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, it looks as though Californians votes in the presidential primaries may actually matter this year. In the past, the Democratic and Republican nominees had generally been well established by the time the California primary rolled around, and the election was pretty much ceremonial. But this year, because no candidate has won enough delegates to secure his or her partys nomination (or hasnt elbowed aside his or her remaining competitors yet), the campaigning is expected to continue right up to the states June 7 primary. Thats a nice change for Californians their votes could determine the presidential contest. The prospect that the California primary could be a deciding factor is fueling a big increase in voter registration. More than 600,000 Californians have gone online to register to vote or update their registration in just the last three months; 10,000 people in one day. And those are just the voters who have used the states online registration system; state officials havent yet tallied the paper registrations that have been submitted. As primary day gets closer and the campaigns focus more time and energy in the state, the number of registrations is expected only to grow. One campaign alone recently requested 200,000 registration forms to sign up voters, according the Secretary of State Alex Padilla. The big question is whether elections officials in the states 58 counties are prepared to handle a potentially record-breaking turnout. This week Padilla sent a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders making a pitch for $32 million in one-time funding to help his office and local officials manage the workload. Advertisement Hes right to be concerned after high participation and poor management in Arizona and other states forced people to wait in line for hours to cast primary ballots. Elections officials are also preparing now for the November election, which is expected to include an unusually large number of ballot initiatives. Padilla said that 13 potential initiatives are still in circulation (on top of eight that have already qualified); if all 13 are filed, officials around the state will have to process and verify some 9.4 million signatures just at the time when they are managing the June primary. Over the next few months, counties will need to print more ballots, hire more temporary workers and train more volunteers. That all costs money. If California is going to matter this year, lets get it right. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Political science professor Max Abrahms tells us that his exhaustive research proves that terror doesnt work and that killing civilians is a surprisingly ineffective political instrument. (Does terrorism work as a political strategy? The evidence says no, Opinion, April 1) Why, then, do the United States, Israel, Russia, Britain, Saudi Arabia and other states persist in this ineffective approach? Oh, I see: By (Abrahms) definition, terrorism is only committed by nongovernmental groups, never by states. Thats odd, because the word terrorism entered our language in the 1790s to refer specifically to state actions, and indeed specifically to a form of government. Time for another lit review, professor? Saree Makdisi, Los Angeles Advertisement The writer, a professor of English and comparative literature at UCLA, is the author of Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation. .. To the editor: I agree with Abrahms that terrorism as a political goal leads to failure. I also think that since we defeated fascism, Nazism and communism, which were much more serious threats, well also defeat terrorism. To do so, we must not give into fear and fall for the demagogues du jour such as Donald Trump. Instead, we must continue to isolate terrorists and show that their methods will not have a major impact on our civilization. Sadly, though, terrorists impact will continue to linger. Well probably keep on taking off our shoes before boarding an airplane a small infringement to our liberty though not the only one. Domenico Maceri, San Luis Obispo .. To the editor: If terrorist recruits are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, as Abrahms writes, their leaders are either criminally insane or simply evil. Osama bin Ladens strategy could count as a partial success as we traded butter for guns, drifting closer toward drowning the federal government in a bathtub. Conservative economist Milton Friedman, a Nobel laureate, warned early in the Iraq war that President Bush could kill the goose laying golden eggs with war spending. Columbia University economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard public policy professor Linda J. Bilmes calculated the total cost of the war to be $3 trillion. We should think carefully about expending the lives of our splendid young soldiers in such reckless endeavors. America cannot afford to tell parents that their children became sunk costs. Worried citizens should realize the foolishness of infinite spending to address ongoing finite risks. There will always be risk in civilized life, and neither mean-faced celebrity candidates nor their nervous supporters can change that. Randy Bednorz, Riverside Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook I dont think Im revealing a big secret when I say every political journalist in America is longing for a contested Republican convention in Cleveland. And a few, like me, are even fantasizing about Hillary Clinton falling short of the requisite delegates to win her partys nomination, which would lead to glorious floor fights when the Democratic convention convenes in Philadelphia. More likely, the Democratic gathering will be another engineered love fest with the Clinton forces bending over backward to assuage disappointed Bernie Sanders fans. The Republicans, though, could definitely end up in a battle that would provoke one faction or another to abandon the eventual nominee and split the party. That is the kind of story that political reporters, commentators and cartoonists wait their whole careers to cover. For nearly 200 years of Americas history, conventions were scenes of high drama, low tactics, backroom intrigue and public contentiousness. Abraham Lincolns come-from-behind victory over William Seward at the Republican convention in 1860 was a triumph of sharp wheeling and dealing, and the choice provoked the Southern states into secession. In 1968, the Democrats met in Chicago with riots in the street and chaos on the convention floor. Even those of us with decades in the news business have never gotten the chance to cover a national political convention that went beyond the first ballot, let alone instigated civil war. Advertisement In recent years, conventions have become nothing more than infomercials. With no doubt about who the nominees would be, television networks have sharply limited convention coverage and forced the parties to stick to a strict pre-scripted program in order to get a couple hours of air time per night. I have a feeling this year things will be different. The showdown between Donald Trump and all the people who want to deny him the GOP nomination will receive unlimited attention on TV. In my lifetime there have been notable convention battles, such as Teddy Kennedys failed effort to dump President Carter at the 1980 Democratic convention, Ronald Reagans similarly unsuccessful push to deny President Ford the GOP nomination in 1976 and Nelson Rockefellers confrontation with Barry Goldwaters insurgents in 1964. The last time the nominating process went beyond the first ballot, though, was way back in 1952 when Democrats finally chose Adlai Stevenson who went on to lose the general election to the Republican nominee, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The horse-racing term dark horse was adopted by the political world to describe an obscure candidate who rises to victory through multiple ballots. In 1924, Democratic convention delegates spent more than a week casting 103 ballots before dark horse John W. Davis, a former ambassador to Britain, rose to the top -- only to slip back into obscurity after losing the fall election to President Coolidge. Four years earlier, Republicans did better when they took 10 ballots to bring in a dark horse of their own, Ohio Sen. Warren G. Harding, who went on to win the White House and then die in office. It would be far too much to hope that a new dark horse would end up in the winners circle this year. That sort of thing just never happens anymore. But journalists can always dream. After all, no one expected Donald Trump. Lindsey Horvath has a message for Donald Trump, and its not welcoming him to her city. Horvath, mayor of the liberal enclave of West Hollywood, is adding her voice to those of many other city leaders across the country to say she is fed up with Trumps campaign tactics and inflammatory rhetoric. As the primary campaign heads to California for its June 7 contest, the mayor let the Republican presidential candidates campaign know, and also urged other city and county lawmakers to do the same. Where other cities or other communities might roll out the carpet were rolling up the carpet, she told The Times in a recent interview. The practical effects? If Trumps campaign were to apply for a permit to hold a rally in West Hollywood, for example, Horvath's city officials would reject the application. Listen to our conversation. But West Hollywood City Attorney Michael Jenkins stressed that Horvath was expressing her opinion, which shouldn't be considered an across-the-board rule that a Trump permit would be denied. "The mayor was expressing her distaste for hate speech that marginalizes and disrespects people; that such speech is inconsistent with the citys values and unwelcome," Jenkins told The Times in an email after the story was published. "Her comment reflected her understanding that the citys consideration of special event permit applications take into consideration a variety of factors, such as size of anticipated crowd, security arrangements, traffic and parking management, noise control and the like." Jenkins added that since Trump hasn't approached the city, it's a hypothetical argument. Horvath also penned a piece in The Advocate explaining her motivation. Here's the letter she sent to the Trump campaign. She hasn't gotten a response. To Donald J Trump & staff I am compelled to state for the record how deeply disturbed I am by the Trump presidential campaign. The hate speech and implicit calls to violence coming from your campaign are beyond the pale and have no place in any community in our country. The people of West Hollywood have seen the devastation and destruction that hatred and hate speech can bring. We are home to Jewish immigrants who escaped Nazi occupation in Soviet Russia, to LGBTQ people of all ages including survivors of the AIDS crisis, and to many other diverse constituencies, of which we are most proud. We know firsthand how charged language can incite dangerous activity that puts our residents and neighborhoods at risk and at great cost. While we must always make room for free speech and reasonable even passionate debate, your reckless rhetoric is wrong at every level. With the primary making its way to California, as West Hollywood's mayor, I want to make very clear that your campaign of violence and intimidation is not welcome in our city. I demand that you renounce calls to violence and consider the role you play in shaping public discourse, specifically with the words you choose and the behavior you exhibit and encourage. We do not have to agree or like one another, but as Americans and political figures in the public eye, we share a responsibility to lead by example. I take that responsibility very seriously, and I ask that you do the same. Respectfully Lindsey P. Horvath Mayor, City of West Hollywood Horvath said that so far, she's only had people lauding her position. And what do you think of Trump? Have your say in our simple survey: You can also email me at christina.bellantoni@latimes.com to share your thoughts or follow me on Twitter @cbellantoni ALSO: Sign up for the free Essential Politics newsletter Donald Trump is about to blow up California's primary. Here's how. Updates on California politics Live coverage from the campaign trail UPDATES: 10:35 a.m. April 7: This post was updated with comments from the city attorney. This post was originally published at 11:55 p.m. April 6. Voters in Fresno County are getting a new Assembly member, four months after Democrat Henry Perea resigned to take a job in the pharmaceutical industry. Democrat Joaquin Arambula, an emergency room doctor, won 52% of the vote in Tuesdays special election to fill the seat, according to unofficial results. The outcome allows Arambula to avoid a runoff against his Republican opponent, Fresno City Council member Clint Olivier. I am humbled that the voters of the 31st Assembly District have given me this honor and the opportunity to represent them, Arambula said in a statement Wednesday. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work fighting for the issues important to the Valley, like more water, better schools and quality healthcare. Advertisement About 29,000 voters or 17% of those registered turned out to vote in Tuesdays election, held to fill the remainder of Pereas term, which ends in December. Political observers said that if the contest drew an exceptionally low turnout, Olivier stood a chance of winning outright or forcing a runoff. Democrats, however, appeared to have turned out their voters in force, accounting for more than 50% of early voting ballots that in the end made up more than 80% of the vote. Elections officials still have about 5,000 vote-by-mail and provisional ballots to count before they can certify the election results, but Olivier conceded the race Tuesday evening after seeing the latest returns. Though officials have until April 14 to certify the results, the office of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) said he plans to have Arambula sworn in early next week. Congrats and welcome to the Assembly, @drarambula559! Confident you'll be a forceful advocate for the Valley. pic.twitter.com/YAlIzCUTdo Anthony Rendon (@RendonAnthony) April 6, 2016 Arambula, 38, is the grandson of immigrant farmworkers and has worked for nine years as an emergency room physician at Adventist Health Medical Center in Selma, about 15 miles southwest of Fresno. He went to college in Maine and graduated from University of Minnesota Medical School before moving back to Fresno for his residency. In an interview before the election, Arambula said he planned to address pressing issues for Fresno voters that have been ignored in Sacramento. I want to go to Sacramento to fight to tell how our community is being left behind, he said, adding that the Central Valley is being strangled by lack of water and jobs. He will also be expected to vote on the state budget and a host of hot-button issues once landing at the state Capitol. The Arambula name is familiar to many Central Valley voters. His father, Juan Arambula, is a former assemblyman and Fresno County supervisor who built a reputation as a fierce independent. The elder Arambula often clashed with Democratic leaders in the Legislature. Following disagreements with labor unions, he switched his party registration to decline to state during his final term in office. He was stripped of his committee chairmanship as a result. Joaquin Arambula, who was a registered Democrat from 2006-14, switched to no party preference in 2014 before switching back in 2015, when he declared his candidacy. It doesnt appear that his fathers legacy as a lawmaker willing to break from the Democratic party will make an impact on Joaquin Arambulas time in the Legislature. Rendon joined Arambula on the campaign trail in the final weeks of his campaign. Its a new day, and hes a different guy than his dad, Rendon said. I think hes going to represent his district well. ... We represent 80 distinct districts, and there are probably some challenges that are distinct there. But as a Democrat, I think thats kind of what we do. Were a big-tent party. The state Democratic Party spent nearly $500,000 on Arambulas behalf to help secure the seat. More than $2.2 million was spent in the special election, most of it by Arambula and his supporters. Arambula and Olivier are both on the June primary ballot and are expected to run in November, when the next full Assembly term will be at stake. christine.maiduc@latimes.com Follow @cmaiduc on Twitter ALSO: California politics updates: Feinstein meets with Supreme Court nominee Democrat wins 52% of the vote in Fresno special election California elections officials warn of surge for June 7 primary California seems set up for Ted Cruz procedurally and demographically to seriously muck up Donald Trumps path to the Republican presidential nomination. Thats on paper. Whether the Texas senator can pull it off, well, thats about as clear as Trumps muddled thinking on policy issues. Trump is reckless. But Cruz isnt exactly lovable. Hes stomach-turning. And hes not the least bit entertaining, unlike the billionaire blowhard. Advertisement But Cruz is a hardcore conservative. And that could appeal to the GOPs dwindling numbers in this deep blue state. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Wisconsin primary results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Trumps philosophical guideposts are suspect for many Republicans. Im an ideological conservative, and people can disagree with me, says Jon Fleischman, an influential blogger and former state party official. But no one can say I dont have a well-thought out philosophy. Donald Trumps ideology is himself Also, I dont know that Trump has the temperament to be president. Fleischman recently endorsed Cruz. In Californias June 7 presidential primary among the last in the nation only registered Republicans will be allowed to vote in the GOP contest. Unlike the Democratic race, no nonpartisans will be permitted. That should help Cruz. After Cruzs big win in Wisconsin Tuesday, its looking increasingly like Californias late primary will have a major impact on the GOP nomination. That hasnt happened since 1964. Another thing that theoretically should help Cruz is that hes of Hispanic heritage his father was a Cuban immigrant in a state with a rapidly growing Latino population. No, theyre not all Democrats. There are 14 California congressional districts out of 53 where at least 20% of registered Republicans are Latinos, according to Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc. The average Latino share of the GOP electorate in those districts is 34%. Cruz has an advantage in these districts for sure, Mitchell says. But Mike Madrid, a Republican consultant and the grandson of Mexican immigrants, isnt so sure. Cruzs position on illegal immigration, after all, isnt much different than Trumps. True, unlike Trump, he hasnt called Mexicans who came here illegally rapists, drug dealers and violent criminals. But, like Trump, he advocates deporting them and building a border wall. Cruz has never been a favorite of the Latino community, Madrid says. Hes getting support only because they hate Trump so much. Your choice is Trump or Cruz? Good luck. Cruz needs to get out of Huntington Beach and start campaigning in Huntington Park. Thats the only way he wins. For the first time in his life, he has to campaign among Latino Republicans and embrace his Latino heritage. Those neighborhoods with significant numbers of Republican Latinos are in districts heavily dominated by Democrats. But under the California GOPs delegate-selection rules, all districts are allotted the same number of convention delegates: Three. Thats the illogical paradox. For example: The Los Angeles congressional district represented by Democrat Xavier Becerra, with only about 29,000 registered Republicans, is entitled to three convention delegates. So is Republican Mimi Walters Orange County district, with more than 160,000 GOP voters. Put another way, there is one presidential-nominating delegate for roughly every 9,700 Republican voters in Becerras district. But theres only one for every 53,000 in Walters district. Its winner-take-all in each district. The candidate who receives the most votes district-wide captures all three delegates. In addition, the statewide winner will be awarded 10. All these 169 delegates will be selected by and committed to the candidates. Plus, three state party leaders will be unpledged delegates for a grand California total of 172, roughly 14% of the 1,237 needed to nominate. Democratic rules make more sense. They reward party loyalty. The more Democratic a district is, the more delegates it gets. The Republican system, however, does make it efficient to target Democratic districts. There are fewer GOP voters to reach, and the prize is as great as in heavily Republican areas. Moreover, for Cruz, the urban Democratic districts are where so many Republican Latinos reside. As an Orange County activist, Fleischman says, I will be walking precincts in South Central L.A. Thats where my energy is better spent. If youre a Republican in some of these districts, he adds, youre kind of hardcore. Theres every reason for you not to be a registered Republican, and yet you are. Where Ted Cruz has an advantage is he will have a huge grass-roots campaign. Madrid again is skeptical. Trump is a creature of the media, he says. Theres no more media state than California. Who is in the commanding position? Trump. If these [grass-roots] folks had the capacity to build in those [Democratic] districts, we wouldnt be in such a bad position there. Fearing Trump could soil the party beyond cleansing, Republican consultant Rob Stutzman has organized a super PAC to deny the front-runner delegates to clinch the nomination before the national convention. And hell be targeting Democratic districts. Republicans may need to understand that voting for Cruz is a way to have an open convention, Stutzman says. A recent USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times statewide poll found Trump leading Cruz by 37% to 30% with Ohio Gov. John Kasich trailing badly at 12%. But among Latinos, Cruz led 33% to 26% with Kasich at 4%, and 36% essentially threw up their hands. Theres bound to be more Trump shock and outrage in the two months before the state primary. One thing seems certain: The path to an open convention is through California if Cruz can find it. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter ALSO Track the delegate race Cruz wins Wisconsin, complicating Trumps path to the nomination Analysis: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz claim Wisconsin victories, ignore daunting delegate math California, Oregon and a private utility Wednesday signed an agreement that could finally take down four hydroelectric dams that block salmon migrations on the Klamath River. The pact, signed by the governors of both states and federal officials at the mouth of the Klamath in Northern California, spells out a road map for pursuing the dams demolition without congressional approval. It amends part of a complicated 2010 pact that gave the U.S. Interior Department a major role in the decommissioning and required Congress to sign off on the removal. Congress failed to act on authorizing legislation by last years deadline, throwing the deal into limbo. Advertisement The new version eliminates direct federal involvement, sidestepping the need for congressional authorization. This historic agreement will enable Oregon and California and the interested parties to get these four dams finally removed and the Klamath River restored to its pristine beauty, Gov. Jerry Brown said. Under the amendment, PacifiCorp, the private utility that owns the dams, will transfer title and license to a recently created nonprofit that will seek permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to remove the dams by 2020. Funding outlined in the original agreement remains in place. California will contribute up to $250 million in state bond money, and a surcharge on PacifiCorp customers in Oregon and Northern California will provide up to $200 million. That would cover the estimated decommissioning costs of $300 million. The new organization, called the Klamath River Renewal Corp., will manage the decommissioning process and also assume liability for any problems associated with the removal. Originally backed by many tribal, farming and fishery interests in the Klamath Basin, the agreements ran into opposition on a variety of fronts. Some conservationists complained that the pact gave too much water to irrigators and not enough to fish. Californias Siskiyou County, where three of the dams are located, fought the loss of property taxes and a power source. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a farmer and Richvale Republican who represents much of Northern California, complained Wednesday that state and federal officials had made an end-run around Congress. The overwhelming majority of residents of the Klamath Basin, those who are actually impacted, have been cut out of this process in favor of environmental extremists, bureaucrats in Sacramento and Washington, and a taxpayer bailout for billionaire Warren Buffett, LaMalfa said in a statement. Part of Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. empire, PacifiCorp has portrayed the dismantling as a prudent business decision. To meet federal relicensing requirements for the aging dams, the company says it would have to spend about $400 million on fish ladders and water quality improvements. Under a second agreement signed Wednesday, federal officials promised to help upper Klamath Basin irrigators adjust to the arrival of the salmon, which are under federal legal protection. For instance, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which supplies water to Klamath farmers, would determine if they need to install fish screens on irrigation diversions and help growers find funding. Other farmer-friendly parts of the original pact still need to go before Congress, which backers suspect will be more receptive now that the proposals dont include dam decommissioning. bettina.boxall@latimes.com Twitter: @boxall Join the conversation on Facebook >> ALSO In Portugal, white storks addicted to junk food dont bother to migrate Could supernovas have altered the development of life on Earth? Did First Americans come by way of Channel Islands? San Diego State to comb seafloor for clues Young people who attend school today may be the least read of any previous generation. Well, life is about to get even easier. In a sign of the attention-deficient times, the University of California has announced a change in the personal statements previously required in applications. No longer will high school seniors need to write up to 1,000 words responding to the following two prompts: Describe the world you come from. For example, your family, community or school, and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >> This fall, the two personal statements transforms into eight personal insight questions, whereby applicants respond to four of the eight prompts of their choosing, with no response longer than 350 words, and the total word count not to exceed 1,400 words: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California? (At this point, I have just written the UC maximum of 350 words.) Read more from the opinion section >> The impetus to change the prompts came out of a desire to better reflect [student] voices and personalities, according to UC spokesperson Claire Doan. Gary A. Clark Jr., UCLA director of admission, told me that far too often, students would respond to the personal statement prompts with information that did not provide the kind of personal insights that was helpful. An applicant might have written about an inspiring family member and would share more about the family member than themselves, Clark said. With the maximum word count jumping from 1,000 to 1,400, how will this impact the workload of those reviewing applications? Clark does not believe this will be a problem, stating that admission officers are committed to reading everything a student shares with us. I asked my current sophomores, who will be the second class to write to the new prompts, what they thought about the change. While more than a quarter preferred the older personal statements, the majority liked the new questions, one calling them more precise and to the point. Overall, I applaud the University of California in developing more focused questions that cover a wider range of topics to pique a students interest. I lament, however, the demise of a longer piece of writing, a skill that needs mastering at the college level. Heres hoping that in 2020, the University of California does not further downsize the four 350-word questions into 12 140-character tweets. -- BRIAN CROSBY is a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at briancrosby.org. -- ALSO: Verdugo Views: Churchgoers played a part in Glendale history A Word, Please: Who do uninformed content providers answer to? Intersections: Resolving heritage and history in La Crescenta Ten Years Ago Local school officials and PTA leaders concerned about the then-rapid growth of the social-networking site MySpace, were taking steps in the spring of 2006 to educate parents about the site and protect children from online predators. Twenty Years Ago Corporate leader and La Canada resident Leonard J. Pieroni, chief executive at Ralph M. Parsons Co., was among 35 people who died when the Air Force plane they were aboard crashed in Croatia while on approach to an airport. Also killed was U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, who was leading a trade mission. Pieroni, 57, left behind his wife, Marilyn and two adult children. His son, Leonard Pieroni III, was appointed this year to the La Canada Flintridge City Council. Thirty Years Ago Valley Sun publisher/editor Joe DuPlain was selected by the Kiwanis Club of La Canada as La Canadan of the Year. The honor fell on the papers 40th anniversary. Forty Years Ago Students in the fourth through sixth grades at Palm Crest Elementary School traveled to Los Angeles International Airport to greet President Gerald Ford on his arrival to the Southland in April 1976. Fifty Years Ago With an antique pistol in hand, La Canadan Leslie Piddington captured the evenings trophy with his winning talk, Hands Up! before the La Canada Toastmasters Club. Piddington reportedly used the old gun to emphasize his remarks during one of the organizations twice-monthly meetings held at the Scotch Mist restaurant in La Crescenta. Sixty Years Ago La Canada resident Eugene M. Grabbe gave entertainer Groucho Marx a cigar in appreciation after Grabbe and his game show partner, Laurie Hempt of Westchester, won $1,940 on televisions You Bet Your Life, hosted by Marx. The duo correctly answered What is the eastern-most possession of the U.S.? Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci. Perfectly content with the yawns Re: Prepare yourself for some nap-time reading, Piece of Mind column, March 31. I laughed when I read your article in the Valley Sun. We moved to La Canada from one of the other towns on the These Are The 10 Most Boring Small Towns In America, list Ladue, Mo. I guess we know what we like! Sandy Padgett La Canada Flintridge -- Support for an Assembly hopeful As a longtime La Crescenta resident who cares deeply about our community, I am so pleased that I will get the opportunity to vote for Andrew Blumenfeld for state Assembly in our 43rd District. Andrew is a lifelong resident of this district and has dedicated himself over the years to the well-being of our community, and especially its children. From a young age he has been a tireless advocate and public servant. From his professional life as a public school teacher, to his service in local elected office, he has demonstrated the type of dedication, integrity and wisdom that Sacramento and our state Legislature could use a healthy dose of. One of the things I most appreciate about Andrews service and candidacy is how intelligent and independent it is. He isnt concerned with the politics or the special interests. He wants to do what is right, and he has a remarkable track record of doing just that. You can learn more online at www.Andrew4Assembly.com. Unfortunately, our political system doesnt always reward that approach true leadership. Rather, it tends to favor those with connections to political insiders in Sacramento. I, for one, think it is time we put an end to that. And where better to take a stand for a strong, local voice than here in our tight-knit community? I am a 50-plus-year volunteer in our community, a wife, mother and grandmother, and I am proud to support Andrew Blumenfeld. If you vote by mail, your ballot will be coming soon. Otherwise, make sure to go to the polls on June 7. However you do it, I hope you will join me in voting for Andrew Blumenfeld for state Assembly. Mary Gant La Crescenta -- Blumenfeld has parents vote When Andrew Blumenfeld first ran for the La Canada school board, I was a little skeptical that someone so young could relate to the issues that we parents were concerned about. But Andrew ultimately earned my support after I attended several of the many gatherings his campaign had in living rooms across our community where Andrew articulated his vision and engaged in thoughtful conversations with all those in attendance. His service did not disappoint. Andrew has put the needs of our community and especially its kids first, and he has remained as passionate an advocate as I first witnessed on the campaign trail. I am proud to now support his candidacy for state Assembly. As a parent of two girls in our local public schools, the stakes are incredibly high. I cant count on vague promises or empty rhetoric. Andrew is a refreshing antidote to that brand of politics-as-usual. He immerses himself in every detail, but can step back and appreciate the bigger picture. And, most importantly, he never forgets that his work is about service. Andrew understands the relationship between policy and practice like no one I have encountered before, and so I am confident he will be as effective representing us on the statewide level as he has been locally. I want to encourage those who havent had the opportunity yet to meet Andrew to do so. Just as when he ran for school board, Andrew is making his campaign about meaningful conversations. He is holding events, knocking on doors, making phone calls, and I know he would be happy to speak to anyone who reaches out to him. You can learn more by visiting his website (www.Andrew4Assembly.com). I hope you will do that, and then join me in supporting Andrew Blumenfeld for state Assembly this June 7. Doreen Aitelli La Canada Flintridge If youre tired of the 80-degree weather that dogged us all winter, youre probably not looking forward to what summer will bring: more of the same, if slightly hotter, with a dusting of smog. Heres one antidote: an Alaska cruise. Not only will you get a break from sweltering Southern California weather summer temperatures in the 60s are common in Alaska but youll also see some spectacular scenery. Cabins start as low as $699 a person, based on double occupancy, with $249 rates for two children in the same cabin. What makes Alaska a bucket-list goal? Alaska is different from every other destination in the world, said Gov. Bill Walker. Every day offers an unforgettable memory: a mother moose and calf, glaciers and mountains, unique native cultures, our Russian legacy and gold rush days. Advertisement Here are five reasons you should visit: The glaciers: President Obama sounded the alarm in September during his visit to Kenai Fjords National Park, home of the Exit Glacier, where you can experience the dense blue ice while listening to it crackle, Alaska.org notes. Alaskas glaciers are, well, exiting, and the president wanted to call attention to the effects of climate change on the mighty ice masses. Of course, youll still be able to see them and the effects of glacier melt on your cruise. In Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a popular area for cruise ships, you can see dozens of glaciers and, often, calving, the action by which a glacier sheds chunks of ice. The park has more than 50 named glaciers and two major arms, East and West. The area is also filled with wildlife; youll probably see bears looking for food along waters edge and mountain goats grazing on hillsides, as well as whales, seals and sea lions cavorting in the water and sea birds soaring overhead. The wilderness: Alaska is Americas last great wild frontier and is unmatched, from the Tongass National Forest in the south to the Arctic coastal plain in the north. The state claims 15 of the nations 20 largest wilderness areas. Of the 20 tallest peaks in the United States, 17 are in Alaska, including Denali, the tallest in North America (more than 20,000 feet above sea level). The state has 3 million lakes, 3,000 rivers, soaring mountain ranges, rushing rivers and Arctic tundra. The wildlife: Species endangered elsewhere are still abundant in Alaska. It has bears, including grizzly and polar, plus more than 430 species of birds and the largest population of bald eagles in the nation. Its wild lands and waters provide habitat for salmon, whales, walruses and species as diverse as pygmy shrews that weigh less than a penny and gray whales that weigh anywhere from 16 to 45 tons. The towns: Anchorage may be the states commercial hub, but the true flavor of the Alaskan frontier is more evident in its quirky small towns, such as Skagway, which boomed during the gold rush. Gold fever struck in 1898, when prospectors streamed into the Klondike, hoping for a big strike. Other port towns in southeast Alaska, such as Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka, are equally fun and colorful. The culture: Alaska Native culture is another important part of any cruise to the 49th state and can be seen in larger ports such as Ketchikan and Sitka and small towns such as Icy Strait Point. Alaska Native and Native American populations make up about 17% of the states population. Alaska has a broad range of native cultures, from the Inupiat Eskimos of Barrow, just above the Arctic Circle, to the Tlingit Indians of Ketchikan on the tip of southeast Alaska. More than two dozen ships sail Alaskas southeast region from May to September, offering passengers numerous options. Princess Cruises will have six ships cruising Alaskan waters, offering multiple itineraries, cultural experiences and onboard culinary programs such as Cook My Catch, which allows passengers to return from fishing excursions and have the chef prepare their own catch of the day. The line also will offer a Puppies in the Piazza program, in which sled dog puppies are brought on board to interact with passengers. Celebrity Cruises will have three ships sailing in Alaska, two of which have recently come out of dry dock with new additions, including a Rooftop Terrace that includes a foodie film experience. Luxury carrier Crystal Cruises will sail nine voyages in its Alaska season, including a Northwest Passage expedition that starts in Anchorage (Seward) and calls at Kodiak, Dutch Harbor and Nome before traversing the waters north of Canada. For help deciding what kind of cruise is best for you, check out Alaska.org, which compares ports, lengths of cruises, itineraries, cruise line atmosphere and size of ships. travel@latimes.com :: Tip of the week: Cellphone camera photos can be like leaving bread crumbs Have a port call in a large city? Use your cellphone camera to shoot a photo of the spot where you were dropped off by the cruise ship shuttle. Include some identifying marks street signs or unusual buildings help. If you get lost and cant find your way back to the drop-off/pickup spot, you can show the photo to get directions. On his Facebook profile page, under religious views, Nazimuddin Samad wrote: I have no religion. In other posts, the 27-year-old law student wrote against religious extremism and criticized radical Islamists. Those views may have been enough to get him killed. Police in Bangladesh on Thursday identified Samad as the victim of a gruesome slaying in the capital, making him the latest person to be killed in the South Asian nation allegedly for criticizing fundamentalist Islam. Despite domestic outrage and international concern, Bangladesh seems unable to prevent the grisly killings of secular voices, apparently at the hands of religious fundamentalists. In this overwhelmingly Muslim nation of 160 million people, which has long been described as favoring moderate Islam, at least four secular bloggers and one publisher of secular writings have been killed since 2015, allegedly by Muslim extremists. Advertisement Samad was attending law school in the evenings at state-run Jagannath University in Dhaka. His assailants, who were still at large, intercepted him as he was walking along a road with a classmate in Old Dhaka around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Nurul Islam. Witnesses said between three and six armed men surrounded Samad at an intersection and began hacking him with machetes, in a similar fashion to the bloggers who were previously killed. Samad fell to the street and the attackers shot him before fleeing. Police said they recovered a bullet shell from the scene. Citing witnesses, police said the assailants chanted, Allahu Akbar, or God is great, as they attacked Samad. Samads classmate told law enforcement officials that the suspects were dressed in everyday clothes and melted into a crowd of bystanders after the attack. Samad was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Samad, who hailed from the western district of Sylhet, was the information and research affairs secretary of Bangabandhu Jatiya Juba Parishad, a group affiliated with the governing secular Awami League party. Jagannath University students held a protest Thursday in response to Samads killing, blocking a street outside the campus in Old Dhaka. Members of a banned militant group, the Ansarullah Bangla Team, which maintained a hit list of secular writers, have been arrested in connection with previous slayings, including that of Avijit Roy, a naturalized American citizen who was attacked along with his wife outside a book fair in Dhaka in February 2015. In December, two men were sentenced to death for the 2013 killing of Ahmed Rajib Haidar, a blogger who campaigned against Islamic fundamentalism, the first verdicts handed down after a spate of killlings of writers in Bangladesh. PEN America, an association of writers promoting free expression, condemned Samads killing and renewed calls on the Obama administration to offer shelter to Bangladeshi writers believed to be at risk. We urge the Bangladeshi police and other authorities to do everything in their power to investigate and prosecute this vicious attack on free speech and thought, and halt this terrible pattern of murders, the group said in a statement. We also reiterate our demand for the United States and other countries that are able to provide refuge to shelter those writers who are still at grave risk before more lives are lost. Kader is a special correspondent. Staff writer Bengali reported from Mumbai, India. Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia Taiwanese prosecutors charged five people Thursday with professional negligence for their involvement in the construction of an apartment tower that collapsed in a February earthquake, killing more than 100 people. The 17-story Wei-Guan Golden Dragon apartment complex in Tainan, a city in Taiwans south, toppled in the early hours of Feb. 6 during a 6.4 magnitude earthquake the islands worst since 1999 and killed 115 people, all but one of the total who died in the temblor. Many spent days trapped beneath a mountain of rubble before they died. Advertisement See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Tainans prosecutors office charged the Wei-Guan Construction Companys former chairman Lin Ming-hui, its design manager, two of its architects and a construction technician at an engineering firm. Quakes regularly rattle Taiwan, an island on the Asia-Pacific ring of fire, and most of Tainans buildings should have been able to withstand the force of the quake. So prosecutors began in February a search for wrongdoing. Prosecutors accused the defendants of sacrificing the quality of building materials to save money. All five were charged with professional neglect leading to severe injury and damage. Three were arrested, and the prosecutor is recommending to a district court that each serve the maximum sentence of five years. Suspects went so far as to cut corners and increase the floor area out of compliance with structural calculation, prosecutors office spokesman Chen Chien-hung said. Specifically, Chen added, they had altered beam-column joints and column sections in the 27-year-old building. Construction scholars and industry experts told Taiwanese media that weak concrete in the apartment towers may have led to their collapse. The prosecution may ease lingering outrage among Tainan residents, said Shane Lee, a political scientist at Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan. After the quake, some questioned the extent of faulty construction in their city of 1.9 million people. Right after the earthquake, people were very furious about the construction companies, said Lee, a Tainan inhabitant whose running water was knocked out by the quake. At the time you could feel that. The quake has sparked a government review of building safety throughout Taiwan. Days after the quake, officials ordered that many older buildings and all schools be checked for safety. Last month, the government released a soil liquefaction study labeling swaths of land in eight cities and counties as highly at risk of letting structures collapse. The weakest areas cover about half of developed Taipei. Officials vowed to spend $735 million over the next six years on infrastructure improvements. Structures built in Taiwan before 1970 pose the greatest risk, quake experts on the island say, followed by those built between 1970 and the quake of 1999, after officials significantly boosted construction standards. Jennings is a special correspondent. MORE WORLD NEWS Bangladeshi surfer girls go against the cultural tide My God. Weve done this: Meet the reporters who probed the Panama Papers Migrants, terrorism and risk of breakup are straining Europe, Czech prime minister says The strain of the migrant crisis, the threat of terrorism, and the risk of European breakup are among the challenges facing the 28 countries of the European Union, including the Czech Republic. The central European nation has agreed to accept a quota of migrants despite resistance from many of its citizens including its president, Milos Zeman, who has described the movement of refugees into Europe as an organized invasion. The Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, though initially skeptical about the scheme to share about 160,000 asylum seekers among EU bloc members, has expressed support for providing humanitarian assistance to those genuinely fleeing war and persecution. Advertisement But he also underscores that providing a safe haven to migrants fleeing war-torn Syria will not ultimately solve the problem. The cause of the migration crisis lies in Syria and the solution lies in Syria as well, Sobotka said during a recent discussion at The Times. He pressed the need to resolve the political crisis in Syria, end the conflict there, and help establish stability throughout the Middle East. The migrant crisis laid bare Europes inability to adequately control its borders. Sobotka has called for more stringent border regulations that ensure that only those with a legitimate case for asylum are allowed to enter. Regaining full control of its borders and curbing the number of legal European migrants allowed to work in the United Kingdom are among the issues fueling the campaign for Britain to exit the EU, a move that Sobotka believes would weaken Europe as a whole. The Czech Republic, he said, supports a package of changes the United Kingdom would get to its EU membership if Britain votes to remain in the union during a referendum scheduled for June. The deal, which Sobotka described as a kind of compromise, includes Britains ability to limit certain benefits for EU migrants during their first four years in the United Kingdom. Speaking through a translator, the prime minister expanded on some of his views: How has the Czech Republic been impacted by the migrant crisis, and is it possible for refugees to integrate into Czech society? The refugee crisis decreased peoples support for the European Union because in the first months, the European Union was really not able to handle the refugee crisis properly. What makes the integration of the refugees challenging is three-fold. First of all its the fear of [the terrorist group] ISIL. It is the recent terrorist attacks as well as the experience of poor integration of immigrants in the past as far as Europe is concerned. It was demonstrated that some of those attacks were actually organized by people who were born in Europe in the immigrant Muslim communities. You can actually see a trend of radicalization of the second or third generation of Muslims who actually are already settled in Europe. So people are skeptical about successful integration of people of Muslim background into Europe or into our environment, which is largely secular or Christian. But there are still many people who understand that one should really help the refugees of war. Also, let me stress in this context that for the past few years we actually integrated more than 100,000 migrants from Ukraine and we managed to integrate them very well. But those were people from an environment that is very close to us, culture-wise and religion-wise. So the integration of Muslims is an objective problem and we are in need of positive examples. At the start of the migrant crisis it almost seemed that Europe had lost control of its borders. What needs to be done? Obviously, we need to reestablish control over who really comes to Europe. People with no papers, with no documents, with no IDs, people who are clearly not refugees of war should be stopped. So far it has not been functioning that way. But in the next weeks we will start the process of returning refugees from Greece to Turkey. We need to also have controls in place and processes in place to regulate the influx of war migrants. It cannot be chaotic. We [need] a joint European border as well as coastal border patrols. We also need to find an agreement with other countries, neighboring countries, on the rules of returning the refugees. When [a refugee] comes to Europe and asks for asylum, he will not receive asylum for not having complied with the conditions for asylum. We want to have an instrument or means to return those people. What is your position on the prospects for peace in Syria and what is your government doing to help? Police escort migrants, who are being deported from Lesbos, Greece, onto a ferry bound for Turkey. (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images) The Czech Republic has been maintaining and preserving its functioning embassy in Damascus throughout the whole period of the conflict. We represent the interests of both the United States of America as well as the European Union. The Czech Republic is also active in providing humanitarian aid to people in Syria and also in providing help to refugees in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. As for Syria, we really have to look for a broader agreement that has to also involve people who represent the Assad regime. I realize that for a final peaceful solution in Syria sooner or later, Assad will have to leave. Also, I believe that the basic preconditions for achieving this broader consensus is primarily the agreement between the United States and Russia. We need good coordination amongst all the key players in the region. If the key players will continue going at each other they will not be able to resolve their differences, then peace is not achievable. Obviously, what is also of equal importance is preserving the territorial sovereignty of Syria as well as Iraq. What are the implications of the possible exit of the UK from the European Union and specifically what impact might that have on the Czech Republic? The Czech Republic supports the UK remaining a member of the European Union. If the UK decides to leave the Union it will weaken both the EU and the UK If the UK decides to exit then it will give ammunition to the nationalists and extremists. Our government strongly supports the membership of the UK in the union. Its not really about economy purely, but also about the strategic importance, value and strength of Europe. Let me also stress that theres a real need for a strong partnership between the EU and the United States of America. For more news on global sustainability, go to our Global Development Watch page And follow me on Twitter @AMSimmons1 MORE WORLD NEWS Bangladeshi surfer girls go against the cultural tide My God. Weve done this: Meet the reporters who probed the Panama Papers Taiwan charges 5 people for apartment tower collapse in deadly February quake The website for Corporation Makers promises that owning a business can remain your deep dark secret. Do you wish to own land or other assets without anyone becoming aware of it? it advertises. Not a problem. All for as little as $309. The pitch doesnt rely on the loose rules of well-known offshore havens such as the Cayman Islands. Its about Nevada. Advertisement Nevada is among a handful of U.S. states with liberal incorporation laws that offer many of the same benefits that have drawn business tycoons, politicians and money launderers from around the world to hide their wealth in exotic locales a secret economy revealed this week in a series of reports based on leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm. The so-called Panama Papers show how the firm Mossack Fonseca set up shell companies for the rich to shield their millions from the prying eyes of tax authorities and the public. The firms most common destination was the British Virgin Islands, where it worked with more than 100,000 entities. But its seventh-most popular place to set up corporations after island nations such as Seychelles was Nevada, with more than 1,000 companies. In pursuit of fees and other revenue, several U.S. states have competed with each other in recent decades to attract people from around the world starting businesses. The states promise minimal taxation and maximum legal protection and privacy, much like offshore tax havens. The mechanisms are pretty much the same here, said Matthew Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit in Washington. Theres nothing special happening in Panama. Panama is pretty much a microcosm of what the U.S. is a willing partner in. Financial watchdog groups have dubbed the competition among states a race to the bottom that places the U.S. among the worst places in the world for corporate transparency. From the states perspective, the end game is to raise revenue for the state by creaming off fees from large numbers of companies incorporating there and the consequences be damned, one such group, the Tax Justice Network, based in the United Kingdom, wrote in a 2015 report. When John Cassara, a former special agent with the U.S. Department of the Treasury who investigated money laundering and fraud, was training foreign investigators, they would often ask about this thing called Delaware. Youve heard the expression follow the money? Cassara said. Well, when the money trail leads to a Delaware corporation, it is almost a dead end for law enforcement. More than a century ago, Delaware sought to attract businesses by allowing companies to write governance rules that shielded management from liability and eliminated standard protections for shareholders. Today, the state is the legal home to 1.1 million companies, 95% of which have their principal location in another state or country. Tens of thousands of businesses list the same Delaware addresses, home to their incorporating agents. The businesses registered in Delaware include 65% of Fortune 500 companies. But many more are limited liability corporations essentially unknown to all but the owners and their agents and lawyers, drawing enough criticism that the state maintains a facts and myths Web page. Delaware has a comprehensive statutory and regulatory regime to protect the public from improper behavior by business entities, just like other states, it says. State officials say that over the last decade or so they have cracked down on a variety of questionable practices, including the use of shelf corporations, or old shell companies that are sold to start-ups trying to pass themselves off as businesses established long ago. Not in dispute are the benefits to Delaware: corporate franchise taxes the fees for maintaining a business provide the state nearly $1 billion a year, or a quarter of its annual revenue. That success has drawn the attention of other states looking for sources of revenue. In the 1980s, Nevada began revamping its corporate laws to minimize liability for management. Among its biggest draws is secrecy. The state allows nominees to file company documents while the identities of the true owners remain hidden. That is a key selling point for many incorporation companies that specialize in establishing businesses in Nevada. A common practice is for a nominee to be appointed in the morning, file state paperwork by lunch, and then resign by dinner, according to the incorporation site www.Nevada123.com. ------------ FOR THE RECORD 4:15 p.m.: An earlier version of this article referred to the incorporation site www.Nevada213.com. The correct URL is www.Nevada123.com. ------------ The less the public knows about your affairs, the less engaged they can become, the site says. Nevada and other states say their rules are not meant to encourage illegal activity. But secretive entities have long been used to move and hide money. Hard-to-trace shell companies have served as fronts for controversial foreign buyers of top-end real estate in cities including New York and Miami. Federal rules have also allowed U.S. political donors to hide campaign contributions by donating to super PACs through limited liability corporations. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> One prominent Republican donor, the gambling industry magnate Sheldon Adelson, tried to hide behind secrecy protections when he purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal last year. The companys journalists were informed one day that their new owner was a company called the News + Media Capital Group, which had been recently incorporated in Delaware with undisclosed financial backers with expertise in the media industry. Corporate documents listed Michael Schroeder, a Connecticut newspaper publisher, as the companys manager but did not name the owner, whose identity was only revealed after the newsroom revolted and its reporters launched their own investigation. Adelson had originally denied buying the paper. Gardner, of the financial watchdog nonprofit, explained the cost of such secrecy: There is a basic matter of democratic distrust when you dont know whos running things. Secrecy has been allowed to flourish in the U.S. even as the government tries to improve corporate transparency abroad in an effort to cut off funding for terrorism, drug trafficking and other illicit activity. But pressure is building on federal and state officials to address corporate secrecy. This week, U.S. Treasury officials said they could soon issue a rule change that has been in the works to require banks and other financial institutions to obtain information about the owners of companies. News reports about the Panama Papers this week have already put some state officials on the defensive, with some critics calling for federal requirements that states disclose businesses true owners. Wyoming launched an audit Monday of 24 companies in the state linked to Mossack Fonseca and discovered they had failed to provide required statutory information for performing the duties of a registered agent under Wyoming law. Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray promised to fight fraud and possibly seek changes in state law. At the same time, he defended the way Wyoming did business. I oppose a one-size-fits-all federal law mandating the dissolving of privacy protections, he said in a statement. We are not naive as to the importance of the release of these Panama Papers, but we will not compromise the privacy of our customers. matt.pearce@latimes.com | @mattdpearce ALSO A dire prediction on melting ice sheets and rising sea levels Wild L.A. police chase in rain includes doughnuts, a TMZ tour bus and long wait for arrests Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders show no restraint in New York campaign brawl Belgian prosecutors launched a public appeal Thursday seeking any information on the man in hat suspect in the Brussels Airport suicide bombings that killed 16 people. Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said authorities were especially interested in any people who might have filmed or photographed the man. The man was seen at the airport with two suicide bombers before they died in the March 22 attacks. A subsequent explosion at Brussels Maelbeek subway station killed another 16 people the same morning. Advertisement Photos released by prosecutors showed the man in hat leaving the airport on foot, walking to the nearby town of Zaventem and then into Brussels, where all traces of him were lost. The man wore a white jacket but discarded it at some point, prosecutors said. The appeal for public assistance more than two weeks after the suicide bombings indicated that investigators have hit a standstill. Three bombers, two at the airport and one in the subway, also died in the attacks, for which Islamic State took responsibility. According to a video reconstitution of the mans itinerary presented to reporters, he left the Brussels Airport terminal at 7:58 a.m. before two other men he was with in the building detonated suitcases laden with explosives. He passed by a Sheraton hotel, walked through the town of Zaventem, discarded his jacket, and was seen on video footage at Meiser Square in northeastern Brussels at 9:42 a.m. Eight minutes later, his trail vanishes. Belgian authorities are hoping that they or someone finds the discarded jacket, saying it could yield precious clues. Federal Prosecutor Thierry Werts also said there had been many people around the hotel when the man walked by who may now be overseas, and asked for their assistance as well. Prosecutors asked people who might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect or think they can provide extra information to call a special telephone number or to email authorities. Earlier Thursday, the lawyer for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam said it would take some weeks before his client could be extradited from Belgium to France. Sven Mary spoke after a legal hearing on the Belgian-born French citizens continuing detention in Belgium. He said the existing Belgian arrest warrant must be lifted for [Abdeslams] transfer to France, in accordance with the extradition request. Mary said before Belgian authorities allow Abdeslam to leave they want to question the 26-year-old about another case a deadly police raid in the Forest neighborhood of Brussels days before his arrest. Abdeslam traveled to Belgium after the deadly Nov. 13 attacks on Paris and was arrested March 18 after four months on the run. Since his arrest he has been in a prison in the Belgian city of Bruges. He faces preliminary terrorism charges in France for the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people and left hundreds wounded. MORE WORLD NEWS Bangladeshi surfer girls go against the cultural tide My God. Weve done this: Meet the reporters who probed the Panama Papers Taiwan charges 5 people for apartment tower collapse in deadly February quake Bashir Ahmad Reyan had been missing for more than two months when his body was discovered last week in Afghanistans southern province of Kandahar. The latest in a string of unexplained deaths in the province, Reyans case has gained attention because of claims by family members that he was tortured by security forces and allegations by the government that he was a Taliban sympathizer. Reyans father was an official in the Taliban government that was ousted in the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Friends at Kandahar University, where he was a fourth-year Dari language student and occasional writer for an online news site, said Reyan was not an active member of the insurgency but may have been a cultural Talib who supported the groups conservative Islamic views. Advertisement The claims and counter-claims illustrate that, in the 15th year of the war in Afghanistan, it remains difficult to determine who is a member of the Taliban. Critics of the government say that in the fog of the conflict, it is easy for officials to portray someone as a Taliban supporter particularly in Kandahar, a traditional haven for the militant group and a place, analysts say, where university students are often surveilled by the government for signs of Taliban sympathies. I cant be certain whether he was or was not a Taliban, but thats not the issue here. The issue is that the man was tortured, including with electric shock. Mirwais Afghan, Editor of Khabarial.com Reyans older brother, Shafiq, told local media that police arrested and tortured Reyan, and claimed he was working with the Taliban, which the family denies. The Talibans propaganda machine seized on Reyans death, with pro-Taliban websites and Facebook pages referring to Reyan as a martyr and hero. In a statement to The Times, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, denied Reyans involvement with the group, saying only that he was a student and journalist. Gen. Abdul Raziq, the powerful police commander of Kandahar, said Reyan was killed in battles between rival Taliban factions that have intensified in recent months in southern Afghanistan. Raziq denies the torture accusations. Raziq, a longtime U.S. ally in the volatile southern province, holds sway over Spin Boldak, the border district where Reyans body was found, and his forces have routinely been implicated in abuses of civilians. Human Rights Watch has interviewed Afghans who identified police units that report to Raziq as responsible for detaining people whose bodies were later found bearing signs of torture and mutilation. The Afghanistan Human Rights Commission reported recently that there have been at least 11 mysterious deaths in Kandahar province in the last two weeks. Its not very difficult to simply claim someone is a member of the Taliban weve seen that hundreds of times in the past, said Waheed Mozhdah, a former foreign ministry official in the Taliban government who knew Reyans father. Just because someones father or brother was affiliated with the Taliban does not mean he himself is a Talib, said Mozhdah, who is now a political analyst in Kabul. The competing stories spilled over into media reports, with Reyan being alternately vilified and venerated by opposing sides in the conflict. The Pajhwok news agency, quoting Reyans brother and former boss, called Reyan a journalist. The news site Khaama Press interviewed local officials who called him a senior Taliban group member. Others accuse Reyan of working on several pro-Taliban websites. Unfortunately, the fact that Bashir Ahmad was alleged to have Taliban sympathies does seem to have colored the way the media has covered the case, said Patricia Gossman, Afghanistan researcher with Human Rights Watch. With the war going as badly as it has been, there is a dangerous temptation to ignore serious abuses if they are committed in the name of fighting the enemy. Borhan Osman of the Afghanistan Analysts Network Reyan came from a well-known family within the Taliban ranks. His father, Abdullah Gol, worked in the information and culture ministry during Taliban rule, but was seen as a relative moderate who opposed the groups 2001 destruction of the famed Buddha statues in Bamiyan province. Osman said Reyans online writings were not political and that he mainly translated religious and historical texts. He translated nearly 20 books and in the past had contributed articles to the website Khabarial.com. I cant be certain whether he was or was not a Taliban, but thats not the issue here, said Mirwais Afghan, the websites editor. The issue is that the man was tortured, including with electric shock, which is completely against the constitution of Afghanistan. A Kandahar University student who requested anonymity to shield himself from reprisals described Reyan as a simple, poor student who was known as a hard worker. He and Afghan expressed doubts that Reyan had time to work actively with the Taliban. The Taliban condemned Reyans death. In a post on the groups official website entitled Who are The True Enemies of Education? it accused security forces of abducting Reyan near the university and taking him to a secret prison where he was subjected to unspeakable forms of torture. One former Kandahar official, who was not authorized to be quoted by name, said the Talibans veneration of Reyan suggested he was a member of the group. This is not the first case of a student being tortured or killed, so if he wasnt of value to them why would the Taliban go to such lengths to honor him and turn him into this symbol? the official said. To others, the Taliban was seeking to capitalize on Reyans death. They exploited it as part of their bid to delegitimize [Afghan] institutions, Osman said. Its part of their media strategy. They want to criticize every group -- from human rights organizations and journalist unions to civil society activists -- for failing to call for justice for Reyans death. Latifi is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Bengali reported from Mumbai, India. shashank.bengali@latimes.com Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia Hundreds of Syrian civilians were kidnapped during a days-long offensive by Islamic State extremists on a town outside the capital, Damascus, state media said Thursday. The abductions appeared to be in retaliation for losses suffered in recent weeks by the group in other parts of the country. More than 300 workers and contractors were taken from the dormitory of Al Badia Cement outside the town of Dumair, about 42 miles northeast of Damascus, the state-run Syria Arab News Agency reported. Advertisement Residents of Jeeroud, an area close to the cement factory, had seen Islamic State vehicles transporting about 125 workers toward areas of the Eastern Ghouta region controlled by Islamic State, local official Nadim Kreizan told the news agency. He did not elaborate on the fate of the other workers kidnapped. An activist with the pro-opposition Dumair Coordination Committee who used the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad for security reasons said the workers had been taken by Islamic State. The Daesh fighters entered the factory, saw the workers in front of them and took them, he said in an interview via Skype from Dumair. He referred to Islamic State by its Arabic acronym, considered to be a pejorative by the groups members. We estimate they took more than 400 people, and some ran away to the mountains and were then picked up by Jaish al Islam, he said. Jaish al Islam is a powerful opposition faction that controls Eastern Ghouta. Its head, Mohammed Alloush, is a member of the Saudi-based opposition group High Negotiations Committee, which has participated in talks aimed at ending the Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year. It is also pitted against Islamic State despite the fact that both groups fight government forces. The Facebook profiles of several Al Badia company employees indicated their colleagues had been kidnapped earlier in the week despite the governments release of the information Thursday. The area around Dumair has been the site of fierce clashes between pro-government forces and Islamic State. Last week, Islamic State extremists launched a wide-scale offensive on government targets east of Damascus, a strategic area that is home to large-scale industrial projects as well as a number of military installations. Video uploaded Thursday by Aamaq, a broadcaster affiliated with Islamic State, showed the groups fighters firing technicals, pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns, near what they said was the Tishreen power plant, about 21 miles east of Damascus. A video from a day earlier depicted fighters walking past abandoned construction machinery and government checkpoints now adorned with the extremist groups black flags. The attacks came after a string of major losses for the extremist group. In March, Syrian army units backed by militiamen and air cover by Russian and Syrian warplanes took back the ancient city of Palmyra and other Islamic State-held towns in the central province of Homs. Bulos is a special correspondent. MORE WORLD NEWS Prosecutors seek info on Brussels Airport suspect in hat My God. Weve done this: Meet the reporters who probed the Panama Papers Taiwan charges 5 people for apartment tower collapse in deadly February quake While Hillary Clinton tours The Bronx on Thursday morning, her presidential campaign launched a new television advertisement aimed for New York City's Latino community. "La Vida Requiere Riesgos" The Hillary for America campaign on Thursday released "La Vida Requiere Riesgos," which translates to "Life Requires Risks." The 30-second Spanish-language advertisement features a Dominican male named Dan-el Padilla Peralta, and he narrates his story from his mother's struggles to maintain the family to his strive for education success. Padilla Peralta is an undocumented immigrant who's story has been documented in other publications. He first came to the U.S. when he was four years old, overstayed on his tourist visa and has since feared of being deported back to the Dominican Republic. Today, he is a professor at Columbia University. He still is not a U.S. citizen but hopes to obtain the status one day. He has stayed in the U.S. with a work visa. "Hillary Clinton lucho por un nino Dominicano indocumentado y me ayudo obtener una visa para regresar. Y esa es Hillary Clinton," said Padilla Peralta in the Spanish ad, which translates to, "Hillary Clinton fought for an undocumented Dominican kid and helped me secure a visa to come back. And that's Hillary Clinton." Campaigning in New York City The Spanish-language ad coincides with Clinton taking a tour of The Bronx on Thursday, which includes a stop outside Yankee Stadium, a ride on the 4 train and walking around the East 170th Street near by Mt. Eden neighborhood. Her visit comes a day after Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz also made a stop in The Bronx, namely between the Soundview and Parkchester neighborhoods on April 6 and after fellow Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders visited St. Mary's Park on March 31. Clinton did make a Bronx visit earlier in the week, same day as the Wisconsin presidential primary, for a private fundraiser dinner. According to YouGov and CBS News polling, Clinton has a steady lead over Sanders among Democratic primary voters. Clinton received 53 percent to 43 percent with New York Democrats, who will vote on April 19 in the closed-primary election. Most of the survey's respondents appear set with their first choice as 59 percent said their first preferred candidate choice is "very strong -- I've decided" and 27 percent said "strong -- I probably won't change." New Yorkers, as well as all Americans, will have an opportunity to hear Sanders and Clinton debate for one last time before the Empire State's primary election as both campaigns agreed to debate on Thursday, April 14 at 9 p.m. EST in Brooklyn. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), one of the three federal immigration agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced it has reached its cap for the foreign workers visa program known as H-1B. The Congressional Mandate & What's Next for Immigrant Workers? In a statement released on Thursday, the USCIS said it has reached its cap, as set by the U.S. Congress, of the tens of thousands of H-1B filings for the 2017 fiscal year. The federal immigration agency also revealed it has received more than the limit of 20,000 advanced degree exemption H-1B petitions. As the USCIS states, the H-1B program employs foreign workers to have jobs "that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming." What will happen next? "USCIS will use a computer-generated process, also known as the lottery, to randomly select the petitions needed to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the general category and 20,000 for the advanced degree exemption," read a statement from the USCIS. In regards to the advanced degree exemptions, the USCIS will randomly pick petitions, while all other unselected petitions will join the random selection process as part of the 65,000 general cap -- as mandated by Congress. The USCIS will return filing fees but only after rejecting and identifying "unselected cap-subject petitions" that aren't duplicate filings. Due to the large number of application, the USCIS has yet to determine the lottery date, and the agency will first complete its initial H-1B applications intake received by April 7. But the USCIS will still select some H-1B applications that are exempt from the congressional mandate, such as petitions filed on behalf of current H-1B immigrant workers who were already previously counted against the cap, also, requests to extend an immigrant worker's time in the U.S., change the employment terms with the current employer, allow change of employers and potentially grant immigrant workers to simultaneously work a second H-1B position. H-1B in the Presidential Campaign The H-1B visa program has had a prominent role in the immigration debate during the presidential campaign trail. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has acknowledged he utilized the foreign workers program for his business but said the program is "very bad" for workers and shouldn't exist. "It's very bad for business in terms of -- it's very bad for our workers and it's unfair for our workers, and we should end it," Trump said during the March 10 CNN debate. "Very importantly, the Disney workers endorsed me, as you probably read, and I got a full endorsement because they are the ones that said, and they had a news conference, and they said, he's the only one that's going to be able to fix it because it is a mess." Trump said it's likely necessary to investigate at least the last two years to determine if a temporary pause on the visa problem is necessary. Fellow Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said the too many low-skilled immigrant workers are coming to the U.S., which have allowed wages to lower for Americans. "Our system isn't working. And then on top of that, we've got a system that's allowing in millions of people to be here illegally," Cruz also said during the March 10 debate. Cruz's platform includes the issuance suspension of all H-1B visas for 180-day for the purpose to complete a "comprehensive investigation and audit of pervasive allegations of abuse of the program." Cruz wants only individuals with advanced degrees in select fields to come to the U.S. via the H-1B visa -- with preference to immigrants who obtained degrees from American universities. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders seeks to reform the visa system in order to halt abuse and exploitation of H-1B workers. "We must substantially increase prevailing wages that employers pay temporary guest workers. To build on Senator Sanders' previous legislation, Senator Sanders will ensure that if there is a true labor shortage, employers must offer higher, not lower wages," Sanders campaign website states. Fellow Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, over the years, has not had firm stance on the foreign workers program but, during the campaign trail, favors increasing the congressional cap. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the federal government, charging that authorities often set unreasonable bonds for detained immigrants and asylum seekers, failing to take into account the accuses' financial resources or ability to make payment. Filed by the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, the class action suit seeks to require the government to now utilize standards similar to those applied in criminal cases when setting bonds in such cases. "Poverty or lack of financial resources should not deprive a person of his or her freedom while in civil immigration proceedings," said Michael Kaufman, a staff attorney with ACLU SoCal. "Such detention violates the due process and equal protection guarantees of the Fifth Amendment, the Eight Amendment's Excessive Bail Clause and immigration laws." Those Facing Criminal Charges Have Better Chance of Being Released At the moment, citizens taken into custody on criminal charges are entitled to bail where a judge takes into consideration such factors as the person's ties to the community, the seriousness of the crime and the individuals' financial circumstances. In the case of those detained over immigration related issues, neither the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nor immigration judges are required to consider a person's financial standing when setting bond for those facing deportation proceedings or seeking asylum. This remains the case despite the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently insisting that incarcerating individuals "solely because of their inability to pay for their release" is unconstitutional. The end result is many immigrants ordered released on bond are being forced to languish in detention centers across the country because they cannot afford the bond prices set for them. "At a time when state and federal criminal justice systems are moving to reform the fees and financial constraints that unfairly affect low-income individuals, the federal government's immigration detention practices continue to deprive some immigrants of their liberty because they are poor," said Michael Tan, staff attorney with ACLU Immigrants' Rights Projects. Honduras native Cesar Matias is among those directly challenging the current bond structure. Currently, the 37-year-old is seeking asylum after spending four years locked away in a Santa Ana immigration jail because he is unable to afford his $3,000 bond. While Matias case stands out based on his actions, he is hardly alone in terms of the hundreds of others like him who also occupy the detention center and have little hope of meeting the bond amounts set for them and being set free. On Sunday, thousands of people rallied against Poland's proposed ban on abortions. The protest outside the parliament in Warsaw comes after the nation's prime minister and the government's ruling party announced they support a complete ban on abortions as advocated by the Catholic bishops. The pro choice rally was arranged by a small socialist party in Warsaw, WSJ reports. Other protests were organized by the opposition parties in various areas as soon as Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Law and Justice party chairman said that he supports the teachings of the bishops on abortion. Another political leader, Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo also claimed that she supports the ban on abortion. According to Kaczynski, a huge part or even all of the Law and Justice legislators will support the ban. The issue of reproductive rights in Poland has been a cause of debate in the recent months. People were chanting "keep your hands off the uterus" and "my body, my business." Protesters also waved wire coat-hangers as a symbol of rough pregnancy termination tool in underground abortions, The Guardian reported. "Even Iran's abortion laws are more liberal than this proposal. That's why we must protest," said Marta Nowak, one of the protesters at the rally. Since the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party ruled in October, they have restricted the regulations on abortions to make it uniform with the Catholic teachings. Their move was also aimed at infuriating the women's rights activists and the liberals. At present, the country permits the termination of pregnancy at an early stage when it endangers the life or health of the mother. Poland also allows abortion when the pregnancy was caused by incest or rape and when the baby will be born handicapped. As a part of the legislation to ban abortions, the PiS is also planning to stop funding the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and start demanding prescription for "morning after" emergency pills, according to Euro News. In 2014, there were about 1,800 legal abortions in Poland. As the protest against the proposed ban on abortions heats up, it seems that Poland is not yet ready to accept the law that would end underground abortion in the country. Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson is facing more pressure as the opposition filed a motion of no confidence against him. On Monday, protesters gathered outside the parliament who believe that Iceland's PM must resign due to conflict of interest. Gunnlaugsson was caught under fire after Panama papers revealed that his wife owns a company offshore with a huge fortune deposited in the country's banks. Opponents accused Iceland PM a conflict of interest because he didn't open up about their family business and assets offshore from the very start, Yahoo reported. According to the PM's spokesman, the assets of the company owned by Gunnlaugsson's wife are estimated to 500 million Icelandic crowns ($4.1 million). "I certainly won't (resign) because what we've seen is the fact that, well, my wife has always paid her taxes. We've also seen that she has avoided any conflict of interest by investing in Icelandic companies at the same time that I'm in politics," Iceland's PM told Reuters TV. "And finally, we've seen that I've been willing to put the interests of the people of Iceland first even when it's at a disadvantage to my own family." Gunnlaugsson's scandal erupted after the Panama papers were exposed by Munich-based newspaper, Sueddeutsche Zeitung. According to the papers, the Iceland's PM purchased an offshore company, the Wintris Inc, in the Caribbean island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands in 2007. Shortly after becoming a member of the parliament in 2009, he sold his 50% share to his wife for one dollar, IOL.Co. Za reports. During the protest against Iceland's PM, roughly 10,000 people gathered at the parliament. All the people in the rally demanded only one thing, Gunnlaugsson's resignation, according to Reuters. An online petition for his resignation allegedly collected more than 27,000 signatures as of Monday. "What would be the most natural and the right thing to do is that (he) resign as prime minister," Birgitta Jonsdottir, the head of the Pirate Party, one of Iceland's biggest opposition parties, told Reuters. In the midst of Iceland's protest against the PM, another opposition, the Social Democratic Alliance demanded that a new election is a must. The expose on tax evasion is one of the biggest scandals that involved many countries around the globe. The Panama papers' scandal has also led France, Israel, Austria, Australia, India, and the Netherlands to investigate on the case. A FIFA judge who helped ban Sepp Blatter for financial misconduct is now under an investigation conducted by his ethics committee colleagues. The probe was initiated after Juan Pedro Damiani was named in an international probe of offshore accounts. According to BRISTOL Herald Courier, the FIFA ethics prosecution board stated on Monday that it "opened a preliminary investigation to review the allegations" in connection with the lawyer Juan Pedro Damiani of Uruguay. The FIFA judge was identified in reports by the international media on Sunday who obtained an immense trove of data and documents leaked from a law firm based in Panama. The said firm, Mossack Fonseca, specializes in making offshore accounts, which can be utilized to avoid tax. Damiani operates his family's legal and accountancy practice in Montevideo founded by his late father, Jose Pedro Damiani. INQUIRER reported that the FIFA court case against Damiani was initiated in March after the ethics judges discovered his "business relationship" with the former FIFA vice president, Eugenio Figueredo. Figueredo is a fellow Uruguayan who was under arrest in Zurich almost months earlier. He was prosecuted by the American federal prosecutors last May. Later on, he was extradited to Uruguay. In December, the ex-FIFA vice president pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges and admitted taking bribes. Just this December, FIFA's then-president Blatter identified Damiani as one of the four ethic judges who passed an eight-year veto on him for a few violations of the FIFA ethics code, including a financial conflict of interest. Blatter's ban was reduced to six years on an appeal, and he has filed a further challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The FIFA judging panel in Blatter's case was chaired by Eckert. He was the one who referred the claims linked with Damiani to the current FIFA chief prosecutor Cornel Borbely. Separately, the suspended UEFA president Michel Platini stated after he was named in the leaked documents, that all his accounts and assets are known to Swiss tax authorities. Le Monde newspaper, which accessed the leaked documents, claimed that Platini has an offshore company founded in Panama in 2007 and named it Balney Enterprises Corp., as noted by THE BIG STORY. Meanwhile, Damiani is the current president of Penarol, which is considered as one of Uruguay's two most popular teams alongside Montevideo rivals Nacional. Despite the ethics probe, Damiani remains as a member of the judgement chamber. The Louisiana House voted and approved on Wednesday a 72-hour wait time for women wanting to have abortion, tripling the normal waiting time. If pushed, the legislation called House Bill 386, will make Louisiana the sixth state to have the longest waiting period in the United States. In a report by ABC News, the change to the restrictions of abortion in Louisiana is supported by Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. It had an 89 to 5 votes through the House and will now be moving to the Senate for consideration. The bill was introduced by Republican Representative Frank Hoffmann. Currently in Louisiana, women have two wait 24 hours from the time she consults with a doctor before getting an abortion. She also has to get a mandatory ultrasound. However, the new proposal includes an exception for women who live 150 miles from the nearest abortion clinic. They would have to wait 24 hours still. According to Hoffmann, Louisiana is one of the top pro-life states in America and the longer waiting period could help reduce the number of abortions in the state by giving women more time to consider alternatives. Hoffman added that the bill will certainly help "prevent against later regret" as the life of the unborn child is what will be affected by the decision of the woman, The New Orleans Advocate reported. Despite the overwhelming bipartisan support, abortion rights groups oppose the legislation. They said that the bill will make it more difficult for women to access a legal procedure, St. Louis Post Dispatch reported. Also approved by the Louisiana House is the measure that will require doctors who will perform abortions to be either board certified or certifiable in obstetrics and gynecology. The bill was proposed by Rep. Katrina Jackson. Five other states including Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah have required the 72-hour waiting period. No other state has pushed for a longer period more than three days. On Wednesday, executives of several corporations in the US urged the state of Mississippi to repeal a new state law that allows business to reject or decline wedding services to same-sex couples on religious grounds. New York Times reported that the law which was signed by Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi grants religious charities, churches, and private businesses to deny services to people if doing so would violate their religious beliefs on gender and marriage. Meanwhile, under pressure from business interests, Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia vetoed a similar measure passed by the State Legislature two weeks ago. The bill also permits employers to cite principles of faith in setting workplace policies on grooming, bathroom access, and dress code. The measure was signed into law on Tuesday. Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union which fights against anti-LGBT laws across the US, including Lambda Legal and Equality North Carolina, filed a lawsuit challenging North Carolina's sweeping anti-LGBT policies. According to Windy City Times, the group is pressuring lawmakers not to wrap the law with bigotry, urging gubernatorial vetoes and demanding repeal as necessary. Gov. Bryant claimed that the law was designed to protect sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions from discriminatory action by the state government. However, top executives from Dow Chemical, PepsiCo, General Electric and five other major US corporations condemned the law as discriminatory. The letter was addressed to the Mississippi governor and the speaker of the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives, reports Reuters. Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights advocacy group, called for repeal and was also backed by Choice Hotels International, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Hyatt Hotels, and Levis Strauss and Co. Last week, governors of Virginia and Georgia also vetoed religious liberty bills. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York responded to its enactment by banning all non-essential state travel to Mississippi. Civil liberties advocates also said they are planning a court challenge. Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has stepped down following the leak of the Panama Papers in which he was named as one of the world leaders involved in one of the largest offshore finance scandals in history. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson has been appointed as the new Prime Minister. The leaked data from Panama-based offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca revealed that Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore company named Wintris in 2007 with his wife but did not declare it in his statement of assets and liabilities when he entered parliament in 2009. After eight months of acquiring the company, Gunnlaugsson shared 50% of his share in the company to his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, for $1. According BBC, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson contends he broken no rules and that he and his wife did not benefit financially from the company. In a document signed by Palsdottir in 2015, it was indicated that the offshore company was used to invest millions of inherited money. It was also revealed that Wintris invested in three major Icelandic banks that collapsed in the 2008 financial crisis. TIME reported that Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson was appointed by Iceland's ruling coalition. He will serve as Iceland's prime minister until elections take place in the fall. However, Gunnlaugsson has clarified that he has not in fact resigned from office, and that Johansson was merely assuming the position as an interim officer. Icelanders have staged a mass protest outside of parliament to call for snap elections in the wake of the Panama Papers leak. "We have to be able to have our say on what has happened. It has done great damage. We want these people to go - and go for good," said Atli Magnusson, one of the protesters, as quoted by The Guardian. In the meantime, the next step Johansson will take is seek the approval of President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. A report from Brazil's congressional commission has revealed that there exist sufficient grounds to try President Dilma Rousseff for corruption, particularly for manipulating government funds in 2014 to support her reelection campaign. As Brazil inches closer to put President Rousseff on an impeachment vote, Congressman Jovair Arantes told the 65-member lower-house committee that there are "minimal indicators" that would implicate the president to an impeachable crime, TIME reported. "The facts show serious indications of unconstitutionality, illegality and fiscal irresponsibility," Jovair Arantes said in a 130-page dossier. According to Bloomberg, Arantes added that lawmakers could also consider graft allegations against Rousseff for her involvement in the state-run company Petrobras where she reportedly received kickbacks. Investigators have not filed charges against President Rousseff in that respect, although they are determining whether or not her campaign did benefit from illegal donations from the company. However, Rousseff's Worker's Party has since denied such. The report, although non-binding, could sway the votes in favor of President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment. Anti-government organization VemPraRua said that as of Wednesday, 267 members of Congress support Rousseff's impeachment, while 119 oppose it. Rousseff's allies, however, indicated that 129 votes were against her impeachment. Before the impeachment trial can commence in the Senate, the matter will be put to a vote in the lower House of Deputies later this April. If two-thirds of the 513 legislators vote for impeachment, the trial in the Senate will proceed. BBC News reported that at the time of the impeachment trial, President Rousseff will be suspended for 180 days. Vice President Michel Temer is poised to assume the position as acting president. However, he is also facing corruption charges for manipulating government accounts. The Supreme Court has suggested that a congressional committee should determine if there are grounds for impeachment against Temer. House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, who called the Supreme Court ruling on Temer "absurd," plans to appeal the case before the court. Other than impeachment, the Rousseff administration is also struggling with low poll rankings, an economic crisis and the Zika virus outbreak. The Congress of Tennessee has passed a bill that would allow mental counselors to deny service to patients on religious grounds. Tennessee will be the first state to impose such measure, if the proposal is signed into a law. Although the aforementioned bill got a staggering 68-22 vote on the House floor, the Government Affairs for the American Counseling Association described the bill as an unprecedented attack on the counseling profession, according to ABC News. Reuters reports that supporters of the bill believe it will protect the rights of the counsellors who deny their service on the grounds of religious beliefs. Opponents of the bill, however, see the measure as a discrimination against gay and other people that needs therapy. According to Representative Mathew Hill of Jonesborough, they are standing up for the rights of everyone. Knoxville Mercury notes that Representative Dan Howell of Georgetown who sponsored the bill said the words gay and transgender are nowhere to be found in the text but has dominated most of the discussion. Democrat Representative John Ray Clemmons of Nashville said that Tennessee would be an outlet for bullying if the legislation passes through. He added that he is intrigued that the House is blocking the way for people that seek help from the state of Tennessee. The bill, however, would not allow any counsellors to turn away from someone who is in imminent danger of harm to one's self or others. Conservative Christian lawmakers who were dismayed with the Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage were the one who started the campaign across the country. The bill in Tennessee is only limited to counselors but it will, however, allow them to deny any service that goes beyond their religious belief. The passage of the bill in the House of Congress has been strongly condemned by the Tennessee Equality Project which support the rights of gays. They are now asking the governor to repeal the legislation. Apr 7, 2016, 12:53pm ET Fire risk prompts Nissan Frontier recall The starter motor wire harness may have been installed incorrectly. Nissan is preparing to recall the V6-powered 2016 Frontier pickup to fix a wiring defect. The starting motor wire harness may have been installed in an incorrect position, allowing the positive terminal to contact the starter heat shield and cause an electrical short. A short circuit can potentially cause a "thermal incident," increasing the risk of a fire. The first signs of trouble surfaced just last month with a Frontier that had not yet left the Canton, Mississippi, factory. A subsequent investigation traced the problem to the wiring harness orientation. The defect affects around 1,500 vehicles in the US market. Service technicians will inspect and reposition the wire harness, if necessary. Apr 7, 2016, 12:37pm ET Google's autonomous prototypes arrive in Phoenix The search giant is now testing self-driving cars in four US cities. Google has reportedly brought its fleet of autonomous prototype vehicles to the Phoenix metro area. The search giant has slowly rolled out its test program to new markets, after spending several years operating prototype cars in its home city of Mountain View, California. Expanding into new cities provides Google with opportunities to test its autonomous driving algorithms in unique environments. Other trial regions include Austin, Texas, and Kirkland, Washington. "The Phoenix area has distinct desert conditions, which will help us better understand how our sensors and cars handle extreme temperatures and dust in the air," said Jennifer Haroon, head of business operations for Google's self-driving car project, as quoted by Reuters. The company operates a fleet of heavily modified Lexus RX450h crossovers, along with a smaller two-seater -- designed in-house -- that only operates at slow speeds on certain roads. The latter model could eventually spawn a production vehicle, potentially operating as a self-driving competitor to Uber and Lyft. By Joe Bavier ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast rebel leader-turned-parliament speaker Guillaume Soro used a 2011 civil war and its aftermath to acquire hundreds of tonnes of weapons, many of which remain under the control of his loyalists in the army, according to U.N. investigators. The accusation, in a report released on Monday by experts charged with monitoring a U.N.-imposed arms embargo, highlights lingering risk in the West African nation, which has emerged from the crisis as one of the continent's rising economic stars. Soro, often mentioned as a potential successor to President Alassane Ouattara, headed the New Forces rebels, who occupied the northern half of the world's top cocoa grower for nearly a decade and backed Ouattara during the 2011 post-election conflict. "The Group (Group of Experts on Cote dIvoire) documented the acquisition of relevant quantities of weapons and ammunition, estimated at 300 tonnes, by the (New Forces) in the aftermath of the post-electoral crisis," the report said. "Guillaume Soro directly handled the acquisition of the materiel." The stockpiles represent around 30 percent of Ivory Coast's total arsenal, it said. "The above-mentioned arsenal includes materiel brought into (Ivory Coast) in violation of the sanctions regime that is not yet under the full control of the military," the report continued. Soro, who under the Ivorian constitution would assume the presidency were Ouattara to die or become incapacitated while in office, denied the accusations. "(The investigators) are mediocre jokers," he wrote in a response to a Reuters request for comment. "All that's left is for them to accuse us of having weapons of mass destruction." Government officials, including the defense minister and the government spokesman, were not immediately reachable. Reuters last year documented the U.N.'s discovery of part of the arsenal, which had not been declared to government authorities and was being held at a military camp in the northern city of Korhogo by a former New Forces commander. EX-PRESIDENT ON TRIAL Other weapons stocks were found by the U.N. at a former military training school in Bouake - previously the New Forces' de facto capital - and on the premises of Soro's close protection unit in the commercial capital Abidjan. Some 3,000 people died during the war in Ivory Coast, which erupted after then-president Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept his defeat by Ouattara in polls in late 2010. Gbagbo is currently on trial before the International Criminal Court, accused of crimes against humanity. According to the investigators, the stockpiles include weapons seized by the rebels' so-called Zone Commanders from Gbagbo loyalists as the rebels swept south with French and U.N. military backing to support Ouattara's claim to the presidency. "Although most of the former zone commanders have been integrated into the military, they continue to have independent political and financial influence," the report said. Other weapons discovered under the control of former rebels now integrated into the army as senior officers bore the serial and lot numbers of arms shipments imported by neighboring Burkina Faso between April and August 2011. Gbagbo's allies have long accused Burkina Faso and its ex-president Blaise Compaore of supporting Soro's rebellion, which grew out of a failed coup against Gbagbo in 2002. The weapons purchases were arranged by Compaore's personal military chief of staff General Gilbert Diendere, the investigators wrote. Compaore was forced to flee Burkina Faso amid violent unrest in 2014 and now lives in exile in Ivory Coast, which granted him citizenship. Diendere, who last year staged a failed coup against the transitional authorities that replaced Compaore, is in detention in Burkina Faso and was not immediately reachable. Burkina Faso authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Soro earlier this year on charges related to his alleged support for the failed putsch in Burkina Faso. (Editing by Andrew Roche) A large crowd gathered in The Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday night last, April 1 as Pieta House launched Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligos Darkness Into Light 2016 (DIL 2016) series of events in association with Electric Ireland. Joan Freeman Founder of Pieta House, was joined by Kevin Molloy from Electric Ireland, Michael Harding playwright and novelist, signer Eleanor Shanley, along with members of local organisations and volunteers from across the three counties to launch DIL, now in its eighth year. The event takes place on Saturday May 7. Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballaghadereen, Roscommon Town, Sligo town as well as the new venues of Castlerea and Banada will host the DIL event this year. Darkness Into Light is a unique early morning experience which begins in darkness at 4.15am as thousands of people walk or run a 5km route while dawn is breaking. Last years event attracted over 100,000 participants in over 80 locations across Ireland and abroad. Last years Darkness Into Light events in Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo were an incredible success and were delighted that theyre hosting the walk again this year, said Joan Freeman, Founder of Pieta House. Were so grateful for your continued support. Your courage, vision and generosity has helped to change the conversation around suicide and self-harm and helped Pieta House to bring hope to over 5,000 people alone last year. Together were leading the way with Darkness Into Light, now reaching communities from Roscommon to Abu Dhabi and many more across the world, she said. Pieta House is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. More than 20,000 people have come through their centres across Ireland during the last decade. With nine centres throughout Ireland and one in New York, Pieta House provides a professional one-to-one therapeutic service for those who are experiencing suicidal ideation or engaging in self-harm. Online registration and further details will be available on www.darknessintolight.ie. The son of a man who was allegedly gunned down by assassins described his last day with his father at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday (April 6). Matthew Gralton (22), a native of Leitrim with an address at Mt Prospect in Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen (25), with addresses in Carrickmines, Co Dublin and Clara in Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly (47) at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly. Mr Daly was last seen by his son on December 29, 2013 and gardai found his body on January 7, 2014. His son told prosecuting counsel Patrick Marrinan SC that he spent the day with his father and that they planned to meet up again that evening, but his father did not answer when he called. He agreed with Mr Marrinan that he was close to his father, who had been released from prison in December 2013. On December 29 they met at a shop in Tullamore and drove to his uncle Mick's house in Navan. He said it was a social visit and they drank several cups of tea, inquired about buying a jeep, and left after about two hours. On the way home they stopped at a chip shop in Trim and his father paid for their dinner. When his father dropped him off in Tullamore he asked: "Are you coming for a drive later on?" He told him he would call him. He went to his mother's house and about 90 minutes later he tried to call his father using his mother's phone, but it went straight to voice mail. He did not leave a message. Mr Daly's body was found in a drain in a remote area of Clara on January 7, 2014. Mr Marrinan has previously told the jury that it is the State's case that a criminal gang believed Mr Daly found drugs worth e30,000 that had been stashed on the remote lane where he lived in Clara, Co Offaly. In opening the trial Mr Marrinan said that it was assumed that Mr Daly had taken the stash and the owner of the drugs sent for "assassins" from Dublin who shot Mr Daly dead. Mr Marrinan said it was the State's case that neither of the accused were the gunmen but that they "had a role to play" in the death of Mr Daly. The jury was also shown CCTV footage taken from six locations in Offaly. Garda John Doran of Tullamore Garda Station told Mr Marrinan that footage taken from the car park of Jel's Kitchen in Clara showed the two accused getting into a black Vauxhall shortly after 2pm on December 29. The trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks, continues today (Thursday april 7) in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of six men and six women. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. I believe that the way things are is not the way things have to be. The first line of Nick Cleggs opening statement in ITVs First Ever TV Election Debate was my political awakening. It unlocked my passion for politics and it made me not only want to change the world, but it made me believe the world could be changed. I followed that passion pretty religiously- I signed up to the Liberal Democrats, volunteered everywhere from my local party in Hertfordshire to Edinburgh for the Scottish Referendum. I even ended up working for Nick in Westminster, first as an intern and then as a Communications Assistant between 2014 and the crushing blow that was Election Day 2015. What Im trying to say is that I feel I have given a lot to the cause of progressive liberalism. So why is it that I feel progressives like me are now running just to stand still? That we are no longer fighting to change the world and make it perfect, but to preserve it in its imperfection? Is this just what being an adult feels like? No, I feel that somewhere down the line we lost the argument and got put on the back foot, and our future depends on winning it back. The truth is that I still believe the way things are is not the way things have to be. But that message of hope is a difficult one to sell when youre trying to persuade people that theyre best off sticking with the devil they know and staying inside the EU. These arent the fights I want to be having- I want to be out there persuading people how much better our political system would work with proportional representation, not warning people about the economic dangers of pulling up our drawbridge and leaving the EU (even typing those lines felt more like a honed reflex than an actual heartfelt argument). We have to rage against the dying of the progressive light. The issues we want to be out there campaigning on will feel utterly hollow if we campaign on the streets of a Britain that has sacrificed its place in the European Union. We may not have chosen to be the generation of progressives that had no choice but to roll its sleeves up and fight to defend causes rather than advance them, but right now that is what we are. We need to embrace it, and fight the good fight. When youre an activist for a party that is on 5% in the polls, it is easy to feel as though youre fighting a losing battle, and your message isnt getting through. One of my favourite quotes is from I.F. Stone, who said: The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those youre going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins. I still want to change the world, and I still want to make it more liberal. This depressing fight against the political forces that seek to divide and tear up everything the great unifiers of history worked towards, be it the United Kingdom or the European Union or whatever else, will end. Once we win this referendum I hope we can turn once again to face the future and rediscover the Liberal instinct to look forward rather than backwards. Because the way things are is not the way things have to be. * Adam Bennett is a former Liberal Democrat member & employee. He was Vice-Chairman of the Hertford and Stortford Liberal Democrats and worked as part of Sir Nick Clegg's communications team during his time as Deputy Prime Minister. THE former head of journalism at the University of Limerick will strongly criticise its High Court action against the Limerick Leader at a conference being held at the university this Thursday. Tom Felle, now a journalism lecturer at City University, London, will call on the UL to withdraw what he describes as a bully-boy legal action, at the Journalism in Times of Crisis conference. The all-day symposium at UL will be attended by journalists, media professionals and academics. Mr Felle told the Limerick Leader this Wednesday: This is my first time back at UL since I left the university. As a former head of journalism there, I think its appropriate that I say something about this legal action, which I regard as extremely regrettable and ill-advised. Mr Felle said he will make his remarks at the outset of a talk he is giving on the challenges facing journalism. He comments: The local or, in Ireland, what we like to call the provincial press, holds local institutions to account. Recently the leadership of the very institution where this conference is being held have initiated legal action against the Limerick Leader following its reporting of alleged irregularities in the expenses regime at the University of Limerick. The full facts of that case are not clear to me, and it may well be that, like with all large and complex institutions, systemic issues may have arisen and have now been rectified. However, a report from the Higher Education Authority appears to make clear that the Limerick Leader was right to run its story. The decision to publish that story was justified and in the public interest. Vested interests, the rich and powerful, and those in authority have always attempted to control and stymie the press. In this case, Alan English had a duty to his readers, and to the people of Limerick, to publish that story. No newspaper editor should ever be threatened with a bully-boy legal action for fulfilling his or her duty to protect the public interest. Wiser heads need to prevail and this legal action should be withdrawn. The conference will address the role of journalism in the 21st century, conditions for journalists in the modern newsroom and the industrys future prospects. It will also feature guest speakers, such as RTEs Bryan Dobson, Irish NUJ secretary, Seamus Dooley, Gillian Devlin of Live 95FM, UTVs Eric Clarke, nationwide academics, UL journalism lecturers and other notable figures. UL head of journalism Mary Dundon said that the conference was timely. The new Government needs to understand the implications of the current media landscape in Ireland and needs to review current legislation covering competition within the media here. Mr Dooley has criticised what he describes as a failure of the political establishment to address media ownership issues, which he said could impact public interest journalism. SINN Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan has accused Irish Water of running a campaign of harassment against those with outstanding bills. He wants the state water utility to stop hounding people who are not up to date with their payments, claiming it is causing huge stress to many people, including pensioners. I have been contacted over the weekend by many worried people, mostly pensioners, who are frightened by what they perceive as ongoing harassment from Irish water. The use of text messages and phone calls is causing huge stress to many older people, he said. On a personal level, Mr Quinlivan says he has received ten demands for payment from Irish Water. The newly-elected Limerick deputy said: The majority of TDs elected to the new Dail stood on an anti-water charges platform, and with no government in place, it is clear that Irish Water does not have a mandate to continue implementing the democratically rejected policy of the previous administration. He said rather than take a stand against austerity charges, many elderly people pay because they are afraid of the consequences if they do not. The one clear message delivered by the electorate in February was the demand to scrap water charges and abolish Irish Water. It is obvious that they have ignored that message and instead they are focusing on hounding people by any means necessary. The management of Irish Water is doing all it can to ensure that the democratic will of the people is circumvented, Mr Quinlivan says. The leaking of the highly dubious, legal advice the utility received, which stated that the scrapping of water charges would not be permitted under EU law, is indicative of Irish Waters strategy during this protracted period of time between governments. It is an attempt to present opinion as set in stone fact. It is nothing of the sort. Mr Quinlivan said his party has received information to the contrary from the European Commission adding: It is our view that there is nothing to stop Ireland from using the derogation and we have that in black and white from the EU Commission. With no government in place, he says Irish Water should forget about metering, and focus on fixing leaks. THE Synod taking place in Limerick this weekend will produce a programme for government for the Diocese for years to come, the Bishop has said. Using the analogy with a smile on his face when discussing the event, Bishop Brendan Leahy will be hoping that the three day think tank taking place in MIC this weekend, at which every parish in Limerick will be represented, plus a wide range of other community groups, will produce a coherent document, unlike the stalled negotiations in Leinster House. The Synod or council of the Church is the first to take place in Limerick in over 70 years and the first in Ireland in half a century and has been officially blessed by Pope Francis. 400 delegates will discuss 100 proposals, formed after an extensive 18 month process. There is no doubt about it, it is the biggest thing we are doing for the past 80 years. It is certainly a very rare thing, probably the only other event was the visit of John Paul II that was as big in terms of significance for us here in the Diocese, said Bishop Leahy. It was launched in 2014, and then opened up a whole journey of contacting and building bridges with all kinds of people, to discuss the future directions of our Diocese. That was step one. We now actually have the event itself, which will be for three very full days of deliberations, discussions, and that will be a very, very important moment. After that comes the actual making up of all that policy as it were; once the decisions are taken and recommendations are given to me, then I have the task of producing a programme for government somebody used that image and there is an element of that about it I have the task to make that policy and implement it basically. The six themes to be discussed plus a number of extra universal issues including celibacy, married priests and women priests were established following a lengthy and detailed engagement with over 5,000 people. A majority of the delegates hail from the lay community, the Bishop and Synod director Fr Eamon Fitzgibbon noted, with the event to help map out the future of the Church and how it serves in Limerick, they said. We have four delegates from each and every parish in the Diocese, but also delegates from other communities as well, not just parishes, delegates representing the world of education, healthcare, communities within the city, inter-faith delegates Polish community, immigrant delegates, said Fr Fitzgibbon. All along, it has been about engaging with as many people as possible throughout the Diocese, to hear from them and to engage with them and see how we can draw up a policy that connects with people. The Bishop mentioned the Synod to Pope Francis during a brief audience with the Pope in Rome recently and said that the Papal blessing delivered by the Papal Nuncio Most Rev Charles John Brown was a "wonderfully encouraging acknowledgement of the importance of the work that will take place during the Synod". There could not have been a better start for us to Synod Week than to receive this Papal Blessing. I took the opportunity when I met Pope Francis two weeks ago to tell him of the Synod and, as in the previous occasions when I referenced Limerick to him, his eyes lit up. Its clear that he has an affinity for Limerick," he said. Its an honour to have the Papal Nuncio with us but that he has come bearing such a gift as an Apostolic Blessing will really imbue a greater sense of purpose and vigour in all of us as we approach this hugely important gathering." Looking ahead to the Synodd, he framed it in the context of the Church being at a "really important juncture" in its lifetime. There continues to be incredible work done but we have also come through turbulent times. There are challenges ahead but we will embrace them as opportunities. We have to confront the decline in vocations, for example, but this issue also makes us see the Church as a people, with clergy and laity working side by side to ensure it delivers spiritually, pastorally and, indeed, socially in the way it can. TALKS between the HSE, INMO and the Workplace Relations Commission have been postponed, after they failed to come to an agreement over staffing levels at St Camillus' Hospital. The industrial action discussions will resume on Tuesday afternoon, and work-to-rule action will continue until all parties have come to an agreement. Talks continued until late this Wednesday after the union members at St Camillus and the health services failed to come to a resolution earlier this week regarding staffing levels. On Sunday evening, the INMO announced that 97% of members voted in favour of work-to-rule industrial action, which would continue until the two bodies came to a mutual agreement at the Shelbourne Road hospital. Since September, the trade union has expressed concerns over its nurse-to-bed ratio, as there are currently 15 nurse vacancies at the hospital. Since talks commenced in November, INMO has requested that the HSE reduce bed capacity until the vacancies have been filled. However, when IN-MO and the HSE could not come to an agreement on the matter, the issue was referred onto the Workplace Relations Commission for review, this week. INMO industrial relations officer, Mary Fogarty said there has been no impact on patients since the industrial action started. She said that the nurse vacancies have left "residents at ongoing risk". HSE Mid-West chief officer, Bernard Gloster said: "The action is wholly unnecessary and the description of the risks in already published INMO commentary is not a view shared by the HSE. In response to the Mr Glosters comments, Ms Fogarty said: I have consulted with our members, and they have said that this is the only time that the HSE has actually paid attention to what they are saying. And they say that the work-to-rule will remain in place until there has been an agreement. Cllr Maria Byrne disagreed with the idea of temporarily curtailing the bed capacity at the hospital. You cant restrict admissions. Its a much-needed facility, and those who are very seriously ill depend highly on it. So I think both sides need to sit this out and sort out their differences. THE railway line between Limerick and Ennis is expected to open next month after extensive flooding on the line, Iarnrod Eireann has said. The line, which suffered flooding at Ballycar Lough in December and has been closed since, is currently being served by buses. Irish Rail said in a statement this Thursday afternoon that it expected the line to re-open in mid-May. The extensive flooding in the area saw waters rise to a peak of 1.4m over the rail line in March, largely due to the heavy rainfall in December and January. While the intense rainfall ceased in January, inflows caused flood levels at Ballycar to peak in early March, the company said. This has now fallen to 0.9 metres above the line, with 1.75 miles of track remaining flooded, and Iarnrod Eireann forecast that unless further extreme weather arises the line will reopen in the middle of May. This will allow both Limerick to Ennis local services to resume, and the full operation of Limerick to Galway services. A video, with commentary by Valerie Scott, Assistant Regional Manager West for Iarnrod Eireann Infrastructure, shows peak flood levels, and details the reasons the area is prone to flooding. A number of schemes have been proposed to alleviate the flooding in future, including raising the line over a significant distance, but funding is currently unavailable for these works. Iarnrod Eireann has previously raised the track level by 60 centimetres at Ballycar in 2003 to mitigate against the effects of flooding. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. A small injection could lead to decreased feelings of hunger as well as major weight loss, a small new study finds. The procedure, known as bariatric arterial embolization, has only been tested in seven patients, and much more research will be needed in order to confirm its safety and effectiveness. However, the doctors who completed the study are "excited about the possibility of adding [the procedure] as another tool for health care providers to offer patients in the effort to curb" the obesity epidemic, said Dr. Clifford Weiss, the director of interventional radiology research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the leader of the study, in a statement. [The Science of Hunger: How to Control It and Fight Cravings] The procedure involves injecting microscopic beads into the blood through a tiny nick in the wrist or groin. These beads travel to a part of the stomach called the fundus, where they decrease the amount of blood flow to the area. (The fundus is located toward the top of the stomach, near the part where the esophagus adjoins it.) Scientists suspect that the fundus may play an important role in weight loss because it produces most of the body's ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. By decreasing blood flow to the fundus, the procedure may limit the amount of ghrelin that the fundus secretes, which could minimize hunger and help patients lose weight, the researchers hypothesized. Compared to weight loss surgery (also called bariatric surgery), "bariatric arterial embolization is significantly less invasive and has a much shorter recovery time," Weiss said. Six women and one man were included in the study. All of the patients had a BMI that was between 40 and 50 which is considered "severely obese" but otherwise, they did not have other health problems, according to the researchers. All of the patients lost a significant amount of weight after the procedure, the researchers said. After one month, the patients lost, on average, 5.9 percent of their excess body weight, according to the study. At the end of three months, the patients had lost an average of 9.5 percent of their excess weight, and by six months, an average of 13.3 percent of their excess weight. In comparison, six months after surgery, patients who have had bariatric surgery may lose about 30 percent to 40 percent of their excess body weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. In addition, the patients also reported dramatic reductions in their hunger levels, according to the researchers. To measure hunger, for several days before and after their follow-up visits, the researchers asked the participants to fill out a questionnaire about appetite and satiety (the feeling of fullness). Two weeks after the procedure, the patients reported, on average, an 81 percent average decrease in hunger; at one month, they reported an average decrease of 59 percent; and at three months, an average 26 percent decrease, according to the study. The researchers also found that patients' ghrelin levels decreased by an average of 17.5 percent at three months after the procedure. While the results of the study are promising, the "research is still in its early stages," Weiss said. The study demonstrated that the procedure is safe. Now, researchers can carry out more clinical trials with larger numbers of patients in order to test how effective the procedure may be, and how long-lasting its effects may be, he said. The results of the study were presented on April 3 at the Society of Interventional Radiology's annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. The findings have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Follow Sara G. Miller on Twitter @SaraGMiller. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. Bow of the Ewing Bank Wreck, a 19th-century wooden-hulled sailing ship that lies more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) below water. The image shows a close-up view of the copper sheathing attached to the outside of the wooden hull. After the vessel sank, it became a vibrant artificial reef now colonized by Lophelia pertusa coral (white), Venus flytrap anemones, and many other species of macrofauna. The microbes that once thrived around deep-sea shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico have transformed significantly after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, according to a new study. These dramatic changes to the microorganisms that live on and near historically significant vessels could wreak havoc on the vessels and ocean life itself, researchers say. There are more than 2,000 known shipwrecks on the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico, spanning more than 500 years of history, from the time of Spanish explorers to the Civil War and through World War II, according to the researchers. "The first time I saw a chart showing the abundance of shipwrecks along our coasts, my jaw dropped," said Jennifer Salerno, a marine microbial ecologist at George Mason University in Virginia. "You can't look at an image like that and not question whether or not they are impacting the environment in some way." [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep] These decades-to-centuries-old wrecks can serve as artificial reefs supporting deep-sea ecosystems, "oases of life in an otherwise barren deep sea," Salerno told Live Science. "Once you put something, anything, in the ocean, microorganisms will immediately colonize it, forming biofilms. These biofilms contain chemicals produced by the microorganisms that serve as cues for other organisms like bivalves and corals to settle down and make a living on the wreck. In turn, larger and more mobile animals like fish are attracted to the presence of the smaller organisms that is, food and the three-dimensional structure of the ship itself, a good place to seek refuge from predators." The shipwrecks might also hold untold historical secrets. "The history of our species is not only encoded in our DNA; it is found in the physical remains left behind by past human populations. Archaeological sites such as historic shipwrecks vessels that sank more than 50 years ago represent snapshots of time from our collective human history," said Melanie Damour, a marine archaeologist at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, an agency within the U.S. Interior Department. "Each and every shipwreck is unique and has its own story to tell from how, when, and where it was constructed and by whom, to how it participated in the activities that shaped who we are today." A 3D laser scan of the stern section of the German U-boat, U-166, that sunk in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II. The scan shows the U-boats conning tower and the build-up of sediments around the hull. Scientists will use this data to document changes at the shipwreck sites, including areas of hull collapse or weakening, and other site-formation processes. (Image credit: BOEM/C&C Technologies, Inc.) In 2010, the Gulf of Mexico experienced the worst man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history, after explosions at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused more than 170 million gallons (643 million liters) of oil to spill into the water. In 2014, scientists launched a project to investigate the impacts of this catastrophe on deep-sea shipwrecks and the ecosystems they support in the Gulf an estimated 30 percent of the oil from the spill ended up deposited in the deep sea, in areas that contain shipwrecks, the researchers said. "What we hope to learn from this study is if those impacts will affect the long-term preservation of these sites, which, in turn, has significant repercussions for their continued ecological role and the amount of time that we have left to record their archaeological information before it is lost forever," Damour, co-leader of the research project, told Live Science. The scientists found that shipwrecks influence which microbes are present on the seafloor. These microbes in turn form the foundation for other life, such as coral, crabs and fish. Furthermore, the researchers found the Deepwater Horizon oil spill had a dramatic effect on nearby shipwreck microbial communities even four years after the disaster. Such changes might in turn impact other parts of their ecosystems, the researchers said. [SOS! 10 Major Oil Disasters at Sea] Specifically, in sediment layers within the Deepwater Horizon oil plume, the scientists detected "oil snow" cell debris and other chemicals produced by microorganisms that have come into contact with oil, making the oil heavy and causing it to sink rather than float. In this oil snow, the researchers found DNA from bacteria whose closest relatives break down oil for energy. "There are many known microorganisms that are able to consume oil for energy and metabolism. When oil is present, they have the potential to flourish," said Leila Hamdan, a marine microbial ecologist at George Mason University and co-leader of the project. The presence of oil-eating microbes in these sediments is not surprising, because the Gulf of Mexico has plenty of natural oil seeps. "What is surprising is that we see so many of the same species in the same place at the same time," Hamdan told Live Science. "It seems that the chemicals in this oil snow material allow a handful of microorganisms to dominate these sediments. Imagine a party invitation goes out to 400 people, and one-third of them show up wearing exactly the same dress. You would wonder why and how that happened. What cue in the invitation caused them to all go choose that same outfit from their closets? It's an exciting task to find out why it happened." By changing what microbes dominate shipwreck habitats, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill may have had untold effects on those ecosystems, the researchers said. "These communities have evolved over millions of years to be efficient and metabolically diverse," Hamdan said. "Any time a human activity changes these communities, there is potential for harm to the ecosystem." [Coral Crypt: Photos of Damage from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill] The scientists also found that exposure to oil spurred microbes to increase metal corrosion. This suggests that the oil spill could potentially speed up degradation of steel-hulled wrecks, said Salerno, a collaborator on the research project. "We are concerned that the degradation of these sites a lot faster than normal will cause the permanent loss of information that we can never get back," Damour said in a statement. "These are pieces of our collective human history down there and they are worth protecting." Future research into these unique shipwreck habitats could help protect and conserve both the life that lives there and the shipwrecks themselves, the scientists added. "The microbial ecological and molecular biological datasets can help us track change over time and measure ecosystem recovery from the microscale," Damour said. "The marine archaeological data, especially the 3D laser and 3D acoustic scans of the shipwrecks and their immediate surroundings, can help us observe and measure macroscale change over time. Are the shipwrecks degrading faster in some areas? Are the wrecks within the spill-impacted areas collapsing or in danger of collapse in the near future? How are the resident biological communities affected? These are all questions that are worth asking." The researchers detailed their findings on Feb. 22 at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in New Orleans. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Military tanks can now be seen inside bunkers carved into the ancient mound called Tell Qarqur in Syria. The mound was once the site of an archaeological expedition. "Antiques" with a declared value of $26 million have been imported to the United States from Syria since 2011, when the civil war there began, according to documents that the U.S. Census Bureau provided to Live Science. It's not clear what, exactly, the antiques actually are, nor whether the items were illegally brought here or where the money from any sales is going. Their age is also unclear. In most cases the documents say only that they are "antiques" that are more than "100 years old," although occasionally a shipment of coins is identified. The documents say that the bulk of them are brought to New York City where numerous antiquities dealers, art galleries and auction houses are based. Whether or not the antiques are resold after arriving in New York is unclear. [Photos: See How War Is Damaging Syria's Castles and Landmarks] The imports are drawing concerns because Syria's archaeological sites have been heavily looted during the war, and some of them now lie in territory controlled by terrorist groups such as the Islamic State group (also called ISIS) and the al-Nusra Front (which is allied with al-Qaida). U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials told Live Science that privacy laws prevent them from releasing documents with more details on the imported goods. They declined to reveal how often shipments of antiques imported from Syria and Iraq are inspected, only saying in a statement that audits are sometimes done. The documents reveal that "antiques," not oil, are now the largest Syrian export to the United States. The documents also reveal that, since 2011, "antiques" with a declared value of over $12 million have been imported to the United States from Iraq, a country that has been enveloped in the Syrian civil war. [5 Surprising Cultural Facts About Syria] The bulk of the imports, according to the documents, were sent to New York City, although there were some interesting exceptions. For example, in August 2013, a shipment of Iraqi "antiques," with a declared value of $3.5 million, passed through customs in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The contents of the shipment, the importer and the reason it was sent to Puerto Rico are all unknown. More details about this shipment may be available but privacy laws prevent it from being released. A bill that would curtail the importation of Syrian antiquities to the United States is before Congress, but it is uncertain whether it will pass and be signed by President Barack Obama before the 2016 election. Syria's civil war has been raging for over five years. During that time, the country's economy has collapsed and is now a haven for several terrorist groups. Looting of the country's archaeological sites is widespread, and the funds from the sale of looted artifacts are used to help finance the purchase of weapons and munitions, according to numerous archaeologists, government officials and media reports. Mysterious shipments In a series of blog posts in January and December, Rick St. Hilaire, a lawyer with Red Arch Cultural Heritage Law & Policy Research, raised concerns that some of the "antique"imports could be looted artifacts. "The data show that there is enough reasonable suspicion to ask questions about what is inside those shipping crates passing into the U.S.," St. Hilaire told Live Science. "While the data does not reveal enough information to tell us key facts we need to know, it certainly tells us that we need to invest the necessary resources to discover exactly what cultural property is coming into the U.S., who is importing it, how many objects are coming in, where exactly is it from and how much is it really worth." Congressional law and Russian claims Last year, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., introduced a bill that would curtail imports of antiquities from Syria. The bill has passed through several committees and has been amended heavily. It's uncertain whether Congress will pass the amended bill before the November 2016 election. Shortly after the election a new Congress will take over and the process of putting forward the bill may have to start over. The website govtrack.us gave the bill only a 17 percent chance of passing. Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations has sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council claiming that the Islamic State group is making between $150 million and $200 million a year from the sale of looted antiquities. The ambassador says that towns in Turkey are being used to smuggle artifacts out of Syria, where they eventually reach buyers on the global market (not just the United States). The Russian ambassador's claims have not been independently verified. However, the U.S. Department of State agrees that the Islamic State group is making a substantial amount of money through the sale of looted antiquities. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. SAN ANTONIO The San Antonio Independent School District launched an investigation into a possible case of excessive force after the release of a video showing one of its police officers throwing a student to the floor at Rhodes Middle School last week. Officer Joshua Kehm had intervened after two students became verbally aggressive toward each other around 4 p.m. March 29 at the West Side campus, SAISD spokeswoman Leslie Price said. The video, which was posted to YouTube on Wednesday, shows the officer struggling to restrain a female student as others urge her to "chill," then slamming her down. Several students can be heard screaming in response. The video identified the student as a 12-year-old girl, though district officials declined to confirm her age or release her name. One student asks repeatedly whether the girl is OK. Crying can be heard in the video. "District administration learned late (Tuesday) night about the incident and the video" and placed Kehm on paid administrative leave in response, Price said. The district police department and administration have opened investigations, she said. "This video is very concerning, and we are working to get all of the details," Price said. "We certainly want to understand what all occurred, and we are not going to tolerate excessive force in our district." Kehm's LinkedIn page said he previously worked as a "non-lethal weapons instructor" for the U.S. Air Force. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2007, according to his LinkedIn. Letter to the editor: St. Patrick lost a pillar in our church. So said Javier Compean at a St. Patrick Catholic Church meeting lamenting the death of Daniel Danny Guevara. Guevara, 72, died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning. All funeral services were at his beloved St. Patrick Thursday morning. Guevara was Catholic through and through, receiving Catholic schooling at St. Joseph Academy and St. Marys University. His daughters attended St. Augustine High School. He had a 40-year career with the Sisters of Mercy at Mercy Hospital and later Mercy Ministries. Danny will be very-much missed at St. Patrick Church where he worshiped since the parish started in the 1970s. He was a mainstay in several ministries, including mens club, usher and pastoral council. He shared his gifts of a joyful persona and organizational skills as past-president of the mens club and current president of the pastoral council. The mens club memories are many. Danny Guevara, you will be missed by all. Sincerely, Salo Otero St. Patrick Parishioner State authorities will have to strongly consider carrying out regular dredging of the River Shannon in a bid to avert future flooding catastrophes. Statutory agencies such as the Office for Public Works (OPW) must lead the charge on that work, a number of local politicians told the Leader this week. Cllr Paul Ross said the only way to alleviate the risk was by adopting an aggressive approach to the issue. We have to look at the level of the Shannon from here on in, said the Fine Gael councillor. In an attempt to fast-track his appeal, the Legan local representative said he has already spoken to OPW Minister Simon Harris about such a possibility. Flood defences have to be reinforced, that's a fact because this is affecting people's lives. It's time we took a more proactive approach to this and one way of doing this is by dredging the Shannon, he added. Cllr Ross' comments would appear to complement similar remarks made by Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny who recently called for a common sense handling into the affair. According to non governmental organisation An Taisce, river dredging would do little to stem the problem. Instead, they say more concrete solutions will come from the Shannon CFRAM (Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study) currently being undertaken by the OPW. Given the nature of the Shannon basin and the languid flow along the majority of its length, increasing the speed with which water enters the river through drainage works will only exacerbate flooding along the main river and in the Shannons lower stretches, a statement read. Of more immediate concern to local authorities like Longford County Council has been rectifying the damage brought about since the turn of the year. Much of that work has centred on the likes of Newtowncashel and Rathcline, both of which were arguably the county's worst affected areas. The roads crew have done great work and risen six roads in Newtowncashel and Rathcline, said Cllr Gerald Farrell. One of those, the L1158 at Aughavadden in Newtowncashel remained closed this week and deemed impassable by the Council. Cllr Farrell said despite whatever progress has been made in recent weeks, a number of sticking points remain. Some of the roads that have been risen are quite high and dangerous if a car rolled off them, he said, as he called for a turlough along the Cashel/Rathcline border to be cleaned out. This (flooding) just can't happen again, he maintained. What people don't reaslise is the huge affect this has had on people's lives. Imagine having to get up and go to work to Dublin each morning and to know that your only way of getting out (on to main roads) was by way of a tractor. This can't happen again, he said. It's more than four months since countless homes across County Longford began feeling the full brunt of Ireland's storm and flooding crisis. Several families were forced to seek alternative accomodation while others had to rely on tractors, and in some cases boats, to gain access to their homes. Much of that unrest centred on the southern end of the county where Civil Defence teams, ably supported by local authority crews, worked round the clock to shore up flood-stricken properties. The extent of the problem became so virulent that the remains of a Longford man had to be taken by boat for burial to Newtowncashel's Saint's Island Cemetery due to erosion damage to the island's causeway. Fast forward the best part of four solid months and the after effects of what Storms Desmond and Frank left behind are still very much evident. Longford County Council has already admitted it expects to fork out in excess of 2m to alleviate the county's worst affected areas. Last week, the Leader told of how some of that State centred funding has already been put to use in resurfacing and restoring flood damaged roads in the southern end of the county. This week, the Council have confirmed a total of 1.2m has been handed down to carry out repairs on badly damaged roads, bridges and culverts. A further 420,000 has also been made available for operational expenditure purposes associated with dealing with ancillary clean up costs, maintenance, drainage, pumping and outlays for sand bags. But for disaffected farmers like Annagh's Paul Foxe, throwing money at road reconstruction is only half of the problem. We got a very bad doing from the word go, he bluntly put it. It was so bad that for nine weeks we had to use a boat to have any sort of access at all. For a farmer with 45 cattle and 40 sheep to tend to on a daily basis, the demands facing Paul became greater and more challenging by the day. To make matters worse, Paul has also been left counting the cost of the recent flooding crisis after spending sizeable sums reseeding large portions of land. We did that over the last couple of summers and now you are left wondering if we do it again will the same thing happen? The ramifications of that decision run deep, especially as much of Paul's land has been left devoid of any grassland. Most of the fields are black, he admitted. The fencing has also been affected too as there was up on eight feet of water on the land at one stage. Flood damage apart, the receding waters have left behind plenty of other headaches, most notably in the form of domestic household rubbish swept in from other areas. Among the debris has included glass bottles and cans and even electrical items such as televisions. To deal with those costs and the untold damage to his farm holding, Paul has attempted to seek emergency funding through the IFA and Teagasc. However, the south Longford farmer conceded securing any financial support was not a foregone conclusion. At this stage, I am not sure what will happen. Teagasc did plead our case, but at this stage I just don't know. What I do know is this is our livelihood and these past few months have been very tough, he said. We have heard a lot about the role played by Longford people in the Easter Rising but one local company played a big role in the recentenary celebrations as well. Longford town based firm Kelly Menswear were the creators behind ten present day custom-made outfits for the Gardai's Mounted Support Unit, which they wore during the recent Easter weekend celebrations. David Kelly, who runs the long established firm alongside his father Tom, on Athlone Road, Longford, said the occasion was one that will live with him for some time to come. As he pondered that fact, he also explained how the events of last week came to pass. Specialised service The long version of the story behind it is garda uniforms are brought in from abroad from a company in Monaghan, he said. But when a guard gets promoted to Inspector level, they get a box of cloths from a store in Santry and with all the badges, buttons and other regalia that goes with that they then have to go to a tailor to get a dress uniform for state occasions, court appearances and other functions that are made to measure. One of only three companies nationwide to be officially credited with that responsibility, David and his team were naturally thrilled when they were called to make the outfits for the centenary celebrations. We are here 25 years or so still plugging away so it was nice to have played our part, added a humble sounding David. The one downside, apart from travelling up and down to Dublin like the proverbial yo-yo, was not being offered the chance to sample some of the Aras' finest chinaware. I was down at least four times at different stages of the fitting process but unfortunately, no, I didn't get to have a cup of tea with the President, he joked. David also revealed Kelly Menswear's stamp on the Easter Rising celebrations was not just solely confined to the ten Mounted Garda members. We also made some uniforms for the ambulance service as well and and a lot of the higher ranked guards would have been wearing uniforms that were made by us but wouldn't have especially been made for that parade, he concluded. 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 Flash Sale on Luxury Tahiti Yacht Cruise In answer to this, prospective travelers can take advantage of an unprecedented limited time offer.Select May and June 2016 departures across of the worlds most romantic stretches of water on the new, all-inclusive Tahitian Affair cruise are discounted $1,350 per person when booked by April 29, 2016. This promotion is available on the May 22-29, May 29-June 5, June 5-12, June 26-July 3 departures, subject to availability.The per person rate, (before the discount) starting at $3,875 for an eight-day cruise, includes on-board accommodation, meals, all non-alcoholic and most alcoholic beverages during the cruise, shore-excursions as per the itinerary, use of kayaks, tenders, snorkel and fishing equipment carried onboard, and an airport ferry transfer.Traditionally cruises on these waters are aboard much larger vessels accommodating from 120 guests and up, said Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president ( http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/ ). In stark contrast, the new Tahitian Affair that begins and ends in Bora Bora offers unparalleled intimacy in a relaxing, lagoon-cruising style highly suited to this environment. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/tahitian-affair-small-ship-cruise-island-passage-bora-bora-french-polynesia Island Passage cruises only three to four hours daily on average before laying anchor each evening. This translates to an unhurried pace and ample opportunity for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at will from the motus or small reef islands that only a small vessel can access. Guests may also opt to swim with sting rays and sharks, or to embark on a fishing excursion. The Island Passages 7.2-meter aluminum fishing boat is equipped with rods, tackle and gear for line (rod/pole) or deep sea angling. The talented chef is always happy to prepare the fish that guests catch.For additional fees, guests who are scuba-certified can arrange to dive off a dive boat that will pull up alongside Island Passage; and they can sightsee by helicopter as the vessel has a helipad for a six-seat helicopter.When they can pull themselves out of the turquoise water, guests can tour village life on the islands of Tahaa, Raiatea and Huahine, visit a vanilla plantation, local markets and the Maeva Marae archaeological site. They may also enjoy being the audience for a local choir and learning how to crack coconuts.While on board they mingle in the generously spaced dining and salon area and on the expansive aft deck. Oversize 175-square-foot staterooms and 195-square-foot and 235-square-foot suites all have ocean views and are appointed with fine linens, French soaps and toiletries, and fresh flowers.Menus include local seafood and the best New Zealand organic lamb and Santo beef, fresh produce selected from local farmer's markets and award-winning cheeses, all presented with a strong European flair. The onboard wine cellar brims with award-winning wines and is frequently updated with new releases plus the Island Passage's revolving collection that is personally selected from the crew's favorite boutique vineyards.For information on all of AdventureSmiths small ship cruises, itineraries, availability and 2016 reservations, Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/ Marie Claire newsletter Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions (opens in new tab) and Privacy Policy (opens in new tab) and are aged 16 or over. Cat lovers, we're looking at you. Serious cat person? Love wacky new hair trends (opens in new tab)? Well if youve long hoped for a way to fuse your two passions into the ultimate social media beauty craze, your luck is finally in. Thats right folks, people are actually shaving cats into their hair and its a trend that's taking Instagram by storm. While etching designs into undercuts is nothing new (there was always one cool kid at school with the Nike tick shaved into the side of their head), a Russian hairdresser has been incredibly busy taking things to the next level. Aliya Askarova (opens in new tab), who is based in St Petersburg, has found Instagram fame thanks to a viral snap posted by one of her best clients. Showing off a cute cat shaved into the under layers of her hair, along with an amazing two-toned bubblegum dye job, Instagram user Katichka (opens in new tab) has sent to beauty world into a frenzy with her snap fresh from Aliyas salon. A fellow cat lover, Katichka has captioned the snap with, My sleepy cat with me always, proving that if you really did love your pet as much as you say, youd have had its portrait shaved into the back of your head by now too. Katichka isnt the only one sporting the look however. Over in Australia one hair salon has also been experimenting with a little cat themed hair art, only this one comes with a tad more edge. Captioned with Evil little kitty Kat!!, one customer at Chops Hair Bar (opens in new tab) in New South Wales walked away with a more menacing looking moggy, thats sure to be a conversation starter. Hidden until youve pulled your hair up into a topknot (opens in new tab), the cat etchings come as an extension of 2015s undercut trend, and the graphic shapes we saw being shaved into buzz cuts earlier this year. Bold? Yes. But with the convenience of being able to cover it up, this could be a great way to try something a little, um, experimental. The U.S. Navy has awarded Cape Henry Associates, along with five other companies, a curriculum analysis and planning services task order contract worth a projected $154 million over a six-year total ordering period. The contract will support the Naval Education Training Commands Naval Training Products and Services program. Cape Henry Associates said it aims to grow its workforce even further in 2016, and with this contract win the company plans to provide even more careers to military veterans. This contract has the potential to add dozens of new permanent jobs at Cape Henry Associates. The work required under this contract by definition mandates military knowledge. Where better to find our subject matter experts than to tap the top-shelf men and women formerly serving our country? We are 75 percent veterans today, and I can see no reason why we wouldnt maintain that commitment to our veterans, stated Jon Drews, chief executive officer of Cape Henry Associates. Naval Supply Systems Command awarded the multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract through a solicitation posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Work is expected to be completed by April 2019, or April 2022 if all options are exercised. Flurry of cargo fixtures push Australia, Brazil rates to highest since December. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes are likely to hold steady next week near four-month highs if owners continue to reactivate idle tonnage on upbeat cargo demand, ship brokers said on Thursday. "If more idled ships are put back into the market there may not be the support from cargo demand to push rates up any further," said a Shanghai-based capesize ship broker. "Rates from Western Australia to China are still below $4 per tonne. Owners are offering $7 per tonne for Brazil to China, while charterers are bidding $6.50 per tonne," the Shanghai broker said. That followed a flurry of cargo fixtures by miners, including BHP Billiton and Vale, that pushed rates to the highest level since mid-December. That prompted some shipowners, ship brokers highlighted Zodiac Maritime Agencies, to put idled tonnage back into the market this week. Zodiac's 172,510-deadweight tonne (dwt) capesize Cape Osprey was chartered by Oldendorff Carriers at $5,500 per day after being anchored east of Singapore since Jan. 11, ship chartering data on Reuters Eikon terminal showed. Baccleuch, a 179,444-dwt capesize vessel, was chartered by Hyundai Merchant Marine from Zodiac at $5,150 per day, after the ship had been sitting off South Korea since pre-delivery sea trials in January, tracking data showed. Shipbrokers estimated that globally there were around 70 idled and laid-up capesize vessels, typically used to haul iron ore and coal. By comparison, 36 capesize vessels totalling 6.3 million dwt were scrapped in the first quarter of this year, an 85 percent year-on-year increase, ship broker Banchero Costa (Bancosta) said in a report on Thursday. Similarly, 40 capesize ships of 7.6 million dwt were delivered in the first half, up 27 percent year-on year, Bancosta said. Capesize charter rates for the Western Australia-China route climbed to $3.51 per tonne on Wednesday from $3.08 per tonne a week earlier. Rates hit $3.61 on Tuesday, the highest since Dec. 14. Rates for the Brazil-China route rose to $6.73 per tonne on Wednesday, the highest since Dec. 22, from $5.80 per tonne a week earlier. "Rates could increase further for prompt ships, but I don't think the push will continue above $7 per tonne," said a Singapore-based broker. Panamax rates for a north Pacific round-trip voyage firmed to $4,403 per day on Wednesday, the highest since March 17, from $3,850 per day last week. Freight rates for smaller supramax vessels rose to around $6,000 per day for a voyage from Singapore to India, up more than $1,000 from last week, Norwegian ship broker Fearnley said in a note on Wednesday. The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose to 500 on Wednesday from 414 the same day last week. Reporting by Keith Wallis Ballast water management experts, meeting at the recent IMO-GloBallast R&D Forum in Canada, have showcased the latest developments in ballast water management and highlighted the areas where further research is needed, in order to prevent the spread of potentially harmful species in ballast water. Some 140 participants from IMO Member States, academia, private sector, testing facilities and the maritime technology industry were meeting at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, for the 6th Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-IMO GloBallast R&D Forum and Exhibition on Ballast Water Management (16-18 March 2016), under the banner Ballast Water Management Convention moving towards implementation. IMOs International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments is very close to reaching its entry into force criteria. The convention will require ships to manage their ballast water so that any aquatic organisms and pathogens are removed or rendered harmless before the ballast water is released into a new location. The participants highlighted the need for further research, in particularly for compliance and monitoring, alternative treatment methods and risk assessment based decision support tools. Mr Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport of Canada, opened the Forum. IMOs Stefan Micallef, Director, Marine Environment Division, stated in his opening remarks that the Ballast Water Management Convention needed to enter into force for effective implementation of its provisions and urged IMO Member States to ratify the Convention. He also highlighted the huge amount of collaborative work which had been undertaken since the first GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast R&D Forum 15 years ago, leading to a great deal of progress in the ballast water management field in terms of testing and approval of ballast water management systems, ballast water sampling and analysis, and the availability of ballast water management systems. Responding to shipowner concerns about the reliability of available ballast water management treatment systems, the Forum held a session on alternative treatment methods, a sector which has seen significant development since the last R&D Forum held in Busan, Republic of Korea, in 2013. During a dedicated session, participants were informed about available solutions, including port-based contingency measures, mobile treatment solutions and ballast water management treatment boats. Mobile treatment solutions include those on barges or small boats, which can plug into the ship for example when the ballast water management system installed is not functioning or has broken down. This could offer shipowners the flexibility and reliability they are looking for. The R&D Forum heard the perspective of the shipping industry during the IMO-IMarEST Shipping Industry Forum session, including the views of many shipowners and private sector representatives from Canada. The GloBallast partner from the private sector, APL, Singapore, a member of the Global Industry Alliance (GIA) showcased its proactive approach under which it has installed ballast water treatment technology on most APL ships. APL encouraged other shipowners to install ballast water management treatment systems on board ships before the Ballast Water Management Convention enters into force, to allow sufficient time for a proper system installation. A number of other private sector representatives shared this proactive approach. The Forum also saw presentations from class societies (including the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), ABS, DNV-GL, KR and IR-Class). The views of three of the GloBallast Lead Partnering and Pilot countries (Turkey, Chile, Brazil) were presented in a special policy session, giving the Forum a truly global vision of the status of implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention by all the main stakeholders in this field. Discussions on risk assessment for exemptions and ship targeting for port State control officers, also took place. Port State control officers will be at the front line of monitoring compliance with the Ballast Water Management Convention once it enters into force. It was noted that while research still needs to be undertaken, several tools already exist to support port State control monitoring and other are in the pipeline. In particular, participants highlighted a need for the development of risk assessment based decision support tools for port State control officers. The discussions during the R&D Forum are expected to play a catalytic role in the development of such new tools, from port-based measures to risk assessment software. The Forum ended by opening the topic of discussion to the other main vector for the transfer of marine invasive aquatic species via ships, namely through biofouling, the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms, plants, algae and animals on submerged structures (especially ships hulls). IMO has adopted Guidelines for the control and management of ships' biofouling to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species. No question that the market for new floating production systems has taken a battering. The past 12 to 18 months have been a difficult period for everyone in the business sector. Absence of new contracts has forced fabricators and equipment suppliers to make huge cutbacks in personnel and spending. But deepwater production will rebound oil demand keeps growing -- and though the signs are mixed we see indications of the rebound starting. Free Trial Get your own free trial the Floating Production Systems Report And Online Database by visiting: 1. Production Floater Inventory and Current Orders First some numbers about the state of the business. 261 oil/gas floating production units are currently installed on offshore fields. FPSOs represent 64% of the installations, production semis 15%, tension leg platforms 10%, production spars 8% and production barges 2%. 19 LNG regasification units and 92 FSOs are also in service. No FLNGs are yet in operation - but this is about to change when PFLNG Satu is delivered in April. Another 25 oil/gas production units are off field and available for redeployment, FPSOs account for 76% of the available units, production semis the remaining 24%. More than half of these production units are likely to be scrapped due to age and/or market conditions. The growth in the number of production floaters in service or available is shown in the accompanying chart. An additional 55 production floaters and 7 storage/offloading units are currently on order. Of these, 53% are FPSOs, 13% are another type of oil/gas production unit and 35% are LNG liquefaction or regasification units. 2. Oil Prices Hit Bottom in January and Appear to be Recovering The continuing imbalance of oil demand and supply has weighed on oil pricing and has caused many oil companies to cut back on capital spending plans. Brent crude in March 2014 was trading around $105 per barrel. By March 2015 the price had fallen to around $55 per barrel and in late March 2016 Brent was trading around $40 per barrel. The nadir was on 20 January 2016 when spot Brent closed at $26 a level far below the breakeven on many oil fields. As a result of the oil price collapse, daily announcements of lower capital spending have been common over the past six to 12 months from majors like ExxonMobil to smaller upstream players like Premier, Cobalt, others. ExxonMobil, for example, in March said it will budget $23.2 billion in capital spending in 2016 down 25% from the $31.1 billion spending in 2015 and 45% lower than the peak spending of $42.5 billion in 2013. Over the past two months the picture has brightened a bit and some analysts (including this author) see a rebound beginning. By March 21, Brent had recovered to $41 -- and the futures market is pricing Brent at $44 at end 2016, $49 at end 2018 and $52 at end 2020. While higher than current spot, these futures prices are still far below the $100+ price of Brent just two years ago. But the trajectory in oil prices has been upward since hitting bottom in January and the futures market has the upward trend continuing. While no one can predict the price of oil, we see the worse being over and recovery underway. The world producers are talking about a production freeze, drilling of new shale wells in the US has stalled and most important global demand for oil keeps growing. Sooner or later supply and demand will come back into balance. While many things can disrupt and delay this rebalancing (e.g., downturn in the Chinese economy), we see a gradual recovery in oil prices over the next 6 to 12 months. This is not to say there will not be further dips. Oil prices are volatile. But the long term trend is upward. The huge inventory of oil in the market will limit near term price increases and the ability of shale production to rapidly ramp up will likely hold prices within the two digits over the next few years. But we see prices getting back to $60 to $70 by the end of the decade. We also see the potential for a supply shock that could send the price of oil into three digits within this time frame. A supply disruption in the Middle East is still a continuing threat. Mideast oil fields are in a volatile region. Meanwhile the brakes have been firmly applied to deepwater project starts. The last major FPSO contract was awarded in January 2015 an FPSO to be used offshore Ghana. There also was a tentative contract in July 2015 for a production semi to be used in the GOM. These two contracts plus orders for a handful of floating regas vessels have been the total order intake over the past 15 months. This is far below the historical order intake pattern. Contracts for an average of 12 FPSOs and 3 other oil/gas production floaters have been placed annually over the past ten years. 3. Petrobras Problems Have Taken a Major Player From the Market Running in parallel with the overall market downturn has been an unprecedented implosion in Petrobras. The Brazilian oil company has been embroiled in a corruption investigation that has led to a financial and contracting meltdown. Petrobras situation needs to stabilize and begin improving before the company can again be a major driver of production floater contracts. Unfortunately, Petrobras problems have not been easing. The companys credit rating was reduced to junk status in 2015 and was further downgraded by rating agencies in Q1 2016. S&P in mid-February cut Petrobras bond rating from BB+ to BB and Brazils sovereign rating from B+ to BB with negative outlook. Moodys in February downgraded all ratings for Petrobras as well as ratings based on Petrobras guarantee to B3 from Ba3. The impact of the financial pressures on Petrobras operations and capital spending are obviously being felt. In March Petrobras announced plans to lay off 12,000 staff a 15% personnel reduction. Reports are circulating that the (already downsized) plan to invest $93 billion in capital projects over the next five years looks about to be cut to $80 billion. The Brazilian government is dealing with many problems and is increasing unable to provide financial backup to Petrobras. The Brazilian economy is deteriorating at an alarming rate with GDP falling 3.8% in 2015, expectations of a similar decline this year and unemployment nearing 10%. One piece of good news is the deal Petrobras has negotiated with China to access financing. In late February Petrobras signed a term sheet with China Development Bank to access loans up to $10 billion in exchange for supplying oil to Chinese companies. But this news is overwhelmed by bad news that seems to flow daily about the company and the Brazilian economy. The impact of this implosion on the floating production sector has been huge. Petrobras is the biggest player in the sector. It has more than 50 floating production units (mostly FPSOs) at various stages of planning. No other operator comes close to this projected procurement level. At the moment it appears that the Petrobras situation is not going to be resolved anytime soon. The political situation in Brazil is deteriorating and no one seems to be able to bring closure to the corruption investigation. Resolution could extent into 2017 maybe later. Meanwhile Petrobras will be a weakened player and its ability to invest in new production floaters will be severely constrained. 4. FLNG Contracts Have Been Impacted by the LNG Glut The FLNG market is looking a bit weak as a result of the LNG supply glut that has developed over the past year. Two FLNGs under construction have hit obstacles. One unit, the almost completed Exmar Caribbean LNG barge, is without a field as a result of the field operators decision to terminate the LNG project in Colombia. The other unit, PFLNG Dua under construction in Korea, has been re-phased" by Petronas to curtail capital expenditures and construction will likely be suspended once the hull is finished. Several planned FLNG projects have also run into barriers. In March 2016 Woodside decided to shelve its plan to use an FLNG to produce the Browse gas complex offshore Australia saying market conditions did not warrant the investment decision. In the same month the Indonesian government rejected Inpex plan to use an FLNG on the Abadi field saying a land based LNG plant is required. Earlier, in mid-Feb 2016 Hoegh announced it was terminating its FLNG projects -- and took a $37 million impairment charge against its FLNG assets. Hoegh joins Excelerate in exiting the FLNG sector. Excelerate in Sept 2015 decided to cancel its planned project to create an FLNG terminal in Texas, saying the project is not viable under current market conditions. 5. FSRU Contracts Have Been the Bright Light Over the Past Year FSRU contracts have been the bright light in the floating production sector. Five contracts or term sheets for floating regas units have been signed over the past year. However, some pending contracts for FSRUs are proving hard to tie down. The price of LNG has fallen significantly which should provide incentive to switch to natural gas and generate requirements for regasification terminals. But the price of fuel oil has fallen as well reducing budget pressure on power plant managers to switch to cheaper fuels. Then there is the difficulty of financing FSRU projects. An FSRU moored offshore can require $500+ million investment in infrastructure. This can be hard to finance. Unlike FPSO and other oil/gas export projects, an FSRU feeds gas to a local off-taker. The ability to finance such deals is limited by the creditability of the off-taker and the willingness/capability of the government to provide a sovereign guarantee. Overall, we see the FSRU market continuing to be strong but given the financial barriers to these projects, closing deals will require patience and financial creativity. 6. Forecast of Production Floater Orders Looking forward, 242 floating production projects are in various stages of planning. Of these projects, 59% likely involve an FPSO, 10% another type of oil/gas production floater, 24% a liquefaction/regasification floater and 7% a storage/offloading floater. 44% of the projects are at stage of planning where a production/storage system contract is possible within the next five years provided the underlying markets drivers support the investment decision. But obviously the underlying drivers need to improve before investment activity rebounds and planned projects turn into orders for floating production systems. Until there is improvement in oil prices, field operators will be reluctant to invest in new production equipment. In late March we examined the projects in the planning stage to identify those likely to reach an investment decision over the next five years assuming underlying drivers improve. Of the 242 projects in the planning pipeline, we see 107 of these projects reaching the investment decision by end 2020. Based on our analysis, we see near to mid-term projects in the planning stage potentially generating contracts for 82 production floaters between 2016/20. The forecast includes 46 FPSOs, 11 oil/gas FPUs, 4 FLNGs and 21 FSRUs. We also expect orders for around 25 FSOs. In making this forecast, we have assumed that the price of oil will remain in the $40 to $50 range through 2016 then climb to the $50 to $60 range in 2017/18 and to $60 to $70 in 2019/20. We have also assumed Petrobras problems will continue through 2017 limiting the companys capability to finance new projects. But from 2018 onward Petrobras will be fully back in the market and/or the operating rights to some pre-salt blocks offshore Brazil now managed by Petrobras will be contracted to international players. Further, we have assumed there will be significant (20 to 30%) cost reductions in the deepwater supply chain as competition for available contracts tightens, local content requirements ease and operators negotiate more favorable revenue sharing arrangement with resource owners. The result will be to lower the breakeven price of new deepwater projects. A list of 19 projects we see potentially producing orders for production or storage floaters over the next 18 months is provided in the accompanying table. Details for these near term projects as well as details for 88 other projects in the planning stage that have potential to produce EPC contracts over the next 18 to 60 months -- are provided in the March 2016 WER Floating Production Report. We indicate in the report when the EPC contract is likely to be awarded with the next five years within the next 18 months, 18 to 36 months or three to five years out. Free Trial Get your own free trial the Floating Production Systems Report And Online Database by visiting: As published in the April 2016 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News Italy's coast guard said on Thursday it had rescued more than 300 migrants from a packed boat in which they had travelled hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Egypt to the Strait of Sicily. People fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East have been arriving in southern Italian waters for years, usually from Libya, where they pay smugglers for the passage. A spokeswoman for the Italian coast guard said migrants had arrived from Egypt in the past, but much less frequently than from Libya, which is about half as far away by boat. Italy's coast guard and a Spanish aircraft working for European Union border agency Frontex went on Wednesday to the aid of the boat, rescuing 156 men, 51 women and 107 minors. The migrants were from Syria, Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Palestinian territory, Libya, Sudan and the Comoros Islands, the coast guard said in a statement. A massive influx of boat migrants that began last year has been mainly channelled from Turkey to the Greek islands, prompting the EU to strike a deal with Ankara to send back newcomers. The rescued migrants are due to arrive in the southern Italian port of Crotone, about 770 nautical miles from the coast of northern Egypt. Reporting by Isla Binnie U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Seapower, delivered the following opening statement at todays Subcommittee hearing to review Navy shipbuilding programs in the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2017 and the Future Years Defense Program: The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower convenes this afternoon to examine Navy shipbuilding programs. We welcome our three distinguished witnesses: The Honorable Sean J. Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition; Vice Admiral Joseph P. Mulloy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources; and Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, as well as Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. Our Subcommittee is grateful for the decades of service to our nation from these three witnesses. We are grateful for the sacrifice also of our Sailors and Marines serving around the globe. With nearly 100 ships deployed on any given day, our Navy and Marine Corps continue to provide a critical front line of defense for our country. Now more than ever, a strong Navy and Marine Corps are central to our nations ability to deter adversaries, assure allies, and defend our national interests. Our Sailors and Marines are at the forefront of our rebalance to Asia, our ongoing operations against the Islamic State, our responses to a resurgent Russia, and efforts to deter rogue states such as Iran and North Korea. However, our current fleet of 272 ships is insufficient to address these critical security challenges. Even with recent shipbuilding increases, many of which were initiated in this Subcommittee, the Navy will not achieve its requirement of 308 ships until 2021. There is also no plan to meet the bipartisan National Defense Panels recommendation for a fleet of 323 to 346 ships. This afternoon, I would like to hear from our witnesses on what I consider five key issues that our Subcommittee will review this year: First, Vitality of the Industrial Base The vitality of the 30-year shipbuilding plan is essential to the strength of our shipbuilding industrial base. The U.S. Navys dominant maritime position would not be possible without the unique skills, capabilities, and capacities inherent in new construction shipyards and weapon system developers. I would like our witnesses to describe how they carefully weighed the effects on the shipbuilding industrial base when they balanced resources and requirements in the shipbuilding plan. Second, Best Use of Taxpayer Resources It is critical that this subcommittee conduct rigorous oversight of shipbuilding programs to ensure the Navy is making the best use of limited taxpayer dollars. Congress expects Navy shipbuilding programs to deliver promised capability on-time and on-budget. Schedule delays and unsatisfactory test results too often result in cost growth and strains on the legacy platforms these ships will replace. Specifically, I am interested in understanding why the delivery of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), as well as its advanced arresting gear testing, have slid day-for-day since last September. Delivery is now slated for September instead of last month. I am also concerned by delays in Littoral Combat Ship mission package testing. Since 2009, the surface package has been delayed two years, the anti-submarine package for three years, and the mine countermeasures package for at least eight years. Additionally, after years of debating early retirement or inactivation of a number of Cruisers and Dock Landing Ships, last year Congress authorized and appropriated the Navys request to execute the so-called 2-4-6 plan. This means no more than 2 Cruisers may be inactivated per year, a Cruiser may not be inactivated for more than 4 years, and no more than 6 Cruisers may be in the program at any given time. However, in this years budget, the Navy has changed course and now wants to inactivate 7 Cruisers, instead of 2, and keep these 7 ships out of service for up to 10 years rather than 4 before re-activating and re-manning them. I hope the witnesses will explain the merits of this plan. Third, Building the Future Force This Subcommittee also has a duty to shape the future of our Navy. Each of our classes of surface combatant ships cruisers, destroyers, and littoral combat ships will begin retiring within the next twenty years. Now is the time to determine the requirements for our future surface combatants, as well as the munitions they will carry. I am concerned that the extraordinary cost of the Ohio-class submarine Replacement Program will place tremendous stress on our already constrained shipbuilding budget, unless funding from outside this account continues to be provided. I am also interested in better understanding the Departments decision to down-select to one variant of the Littoral Combat Ship frigate and the analysis that supports reducing procurement from 52 to 40 of these ships. Fourth, Amphibious Ships The Navy and Marine Corps will serve as the linchpin of American force projection around the globe. I am interested in ways we can ensure the Navy shipbuilding plan addresses the demand from our combatant commanders for amphibious ships. This demand is greater than 50 amphibious ships on a day-to-day operational basis. The current inventory is just 30 amphibious ships. To this end, our Subcommittee would like to know to what extent the next amphibious assault ship, known as LXR, could be accelerated. Finally, Budget Constraints Although the Bipartisan Budget Act has provided some measure of short-term relief, sequestration remains the law of the land regrettably and will return in fiscal year 2018 unless Congress acts. Even with these additional funds, the Department of the Navy continues to face significant budget challenges that force hard choices between readiness and modernization. The Departments 2017 request is $8 billion, or 5 percent less than the 2017 value presented in last years budget. As a member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Budget Committee, I know that tough decisions must be made across the federal government. However, I would remind everyone that national defense is solely a federal responsibility. Defense spending is also known as a twofer, supporting both our national security and our high-tech manufacturing workforce. As such, I hope our witnesses today will elaborate on the hard choices in this budget and how a return to sequestration would impact the shipbuilding plan. (See a video of the hearing here: https://youtu.be/Ver0ZK5zXPU) Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week Marine Raiders throughout history are renowned for their ability to accomplish seemingly impossible missions. The fact is Raiders take care of their own, in life and in death, is a major contributor to their audacity and mission accomplishment. After 73 years, Sgt. John C. Holladay, a Marine Raider killed in action during World War II, was brought home and laid to rest with military honors in his hometown of Florence, S.C., April 4, 2016. The ceremony took place at the Florence National Cemetery where Holladay was placed in his permanent resting place. The funeral cascade was led by a large group of patriotic motorcycle riders from the Patriot Guard. At the cemetery, his family was met by service members saluting and dozens more patrons waving American flags in support. During World War II, Holladay was assigned to Company B, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, 1st Marine Raider Regiment, who fought battles against Japanese positions along the Pacific front where he was killed. Holladay was a family man who enjoyed spending much of his time outdoors hunting and fishing, according to his nephew, Jack Holladay. He told a story of how his Uncle, John, paddled a canoe from South Carolina down to the coast and when he got there, he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and he immediately enlisted into the Marine Corps at the age of 29. During the war, Holladay was spoken of as an excellent Marine who only wanted the opportunity to serve, said his nephew Jack. He excelled in marksmanship, swimming and survival - all qualities that made him an exceptional Raider. One of Jacks favorite stories to tell comes from the book Edsons Raiders. Some like Pfc. John C. Holladay of Baker Company, were world class shooters. He could shoot the eyes out of an ant with Ol Lucifer his well-oiled Springfield. As recorded by Pfc, John H. Gann a radio operator, Holladay took aim at a sniper in a distant palm tree and carefully squeezed the trigger. Nothing. Better shoot him again, suggested 1st. Sgt. Brice Maddox. Holladay demurred: Top, Ol Lucifer dont lie; hell fall in a minute. Gann and Maddox then shook their heads in amazement as the snipers body slid out of the tree. Jack was one of two people that offered their DNA to be tested so they could determine the identity of Holladays remains. To have the chance to bring him home and give him an internment on American soil to honor WWII Raiders and him is just an overwhelming feeling, said Jack. I get tears of joy if I think about it for too long. During this process the Holladay family has received nothing but support from the local community and the Marine Corps. People have donated everything from tents for the overflow of people coming to pay their respects to a vault for the casket. I dont think we would have any problem getting the money to bring him home for a funeral, but the Marine Corps has refused to allow anyone other than the Marine Corps to take care of their Marines, said Jack. Marines met and escorted the casket back to the United States and then to the funeral site. The Marines of Company F, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, based out of Eastover, South Carolina, provided the funeral detail, ensuring Sgt. Holladay received his full military burial honors with the dignity and respect he so much deserved. There were also current Marine Raiders who attended the funeral. Sgt. Holladays return provides closure for both his family and the Raider community, demonstrating that although he was missing for 73 years, he was never forgotten, said a Marine Raider currently assigned to Marine Special Operations Company B, 1st Marine Raider Battalion. The sacrifices Sgt. Holladay and his family have made in coping with his loss for the past 73 years is extremely important for U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command to recognize. We shall never forget their sacrifice. More Media Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Wednesday that Drake Extrusion Inc. will invest $6 million to expand operations in Henry County, creating 30 new jobs. Drake Extrusion, a subsidiary of International Fibres Group (IFG), is a leading manufacturer of colored staple and filament polypropylene fiber. Sen. Bill Stanley presented a check for $100,000 to Drake Extrusion CEO John Parkinson on behalf of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. The commission approved $100,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for Drake. In addition, the company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Drake also will be eligible to receive sales and use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment. Funding and services to support the companys employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. "The trend of expanding manufacturing operations across the commonwealth is the strongest testament to Virginias outstanding infrastructure and business resources," McAuliffe said. "Drake Extrusion has been a paramount corporate citizen in Henry County for the past 20 years, and I am thrilled that the company continues to invest in the Commonwealth. Advanced manufacturing growth is a key component of our ongoing success in building a new Virginia economy." "Congratulations to Drake Extrusion and Henry County on this expansion in the important manufacturing sector," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. "The company has benefitted from the outstanding talent, infrastructure and quality of life in the region for over two decades, and this growth is a testament to the great work of the company and the great assets we have in Virginia." Since 1996, Drake Extrusion has become the leading U.S. manufacturer of polypropylene fiber and yarns. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden parent company IFG is a worldwide producer of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide fiber and filament yarn with additional offices in the UK, Austria, Belgium as well as Virginia. Drakes products serve a variety of sectors, including residential upholstery, home furnishings, automotive, floor covering and geotextiles. "Drake Extrusion chose to locate in Martinsville-Henry County 21 years ago," said John Parkinson, Drake Extrusion CEO. "At that time we believed that both the state and the locality had a proactive approach to business, which proved to be absolutely correct. " As a result, Drake Extrusion has continued to make several additional investments in M-HC, which is now the only locality in which our parent company does business in the U.S." "We are thrilled with this news," said Jim Adams, Chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors. "Drake Extrusion has been a vital part of our community since 1996, and we look forward to strengthening and growing this relationship well into the future." "We were so very grateful when Drake Extrusion put its trust in the people of our region to make it successful when it originally started its manufacturing operations here in Henry County in 1995, and we are so excited with this announcement that Drake will be expanding its manufacturing plant and hiring more of our citizens in Southside," Sen. Stanley said. "The Drake Extrusion expansion effort once again demonstrates that this region is a perfect fit for advanced manufacturing in a 21st century economy, and Drake Extrusion leads the way. The trust that Drake Extrusion placed in us over 20 years ago has continued to pay dividends both for our area and for their excellent business operations. "The Tobacco Commission, along with other economic development partners, continues to show an unwavering commitment to put Southside Virginia back to work, and this great announcement is just one more vital piece in restoring our area to the forefront of the Virginia economy, both now and in the future." Since the beginning of the McAuliffe administration, 634 economic development deals have been closed in Virginia with more than $10.94 billion in capital investment, more than any previous governor in the first 25 months in office. Thinking about opening a restaurant? It takes a lot more skill and knowledge than just being able to cook well. It also takes, for example, knowledge of how to store and maintain food properly to keep from making customers sick, health and safety procedures and how buildings must be designed and maintained to meet needs of the restaurant, its employees and customers, according to local officials who spoke during a seminar on Thursday at the New College Institute. Also, it takes a lot of money, especially to handle building needs. "Nothing in the restaurant business is cheap," said Darrin Doss, environmental health supervisor for the West Piedmont Health District. For that reason, "whatever youre doing, come and see us first," he told the approximately 30 people attending the "Rules and Regulations of Operating a Food-based Business" seminar. In helping restaurateurs meet building and code requirements, for example, Doss said he and Martinsville Building Official Kris Bridges "would rather stop something (design plans on paper) with an eraser than a sledgehammer" after something is designed and built improperly. "You always will spend less money if you do it right the first time," Bridges said. In fact, it might be easier and less costly to build a new building for a restaurant than to remodel one in a way that meets code requirements, he said. Bridges briefly discussed numerous requirements pertaining to construction and design needs for restaurants, such as matters pertaining to walls, ceilings and other surfaces, exits, sprinkler systems, plumbing and ventilation hoods installed above appliances that create heat or moisture. If a restaurant will not be connected to a public water/sewer system, engineers must be hired to develop an on-site septic system and that is "extremely expensive," Doss said. He did not discuss specific costs. Under the law, restaurant employees are supposed to inform their supervisors if they are sick or have been sick within the previous 48 hours when they arrive at work, Doss said. Most types of food prepared at home including canned foods cannot be sold in restaurants out of concern for preventing food poisoning, he mentioned. That means, for instance, that grandmas cookies baked at home cannot be sold unless it can be proven that the food and the home kitchen underwent a health inspection, Doss said. However, grandma can come to the restaurant to bake her cookies, he said. Mark Scott, a special agent with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, noted that there are different types of ABC licenses for businesses that sell food, based on what types of spirits they intend to sell. A business can get a license to serve just beer, or beer and wine, or beer, wine and mixed beverages, he said. Generally, if you want your restaurant to be licensed to serve mixed drinks, it had better serve food, too, Scott said. That is because food slows down the bodys absorption of alcohol, he said. "Whenever you provide ale, if you dont provide a whole lot of food, youre going to have a whole lot of trouble" getting that mixed beverage license, Scott said. If the location of a restaurant is a place where a previous eatery was shut down by authorities due to problems stemming from liquor consumption, such as fights or shootings, chances are the restaurant will not be licensed, he added. "Do a little research" on a site before choosing it for a restaurant, he advised. The Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC) sponsored the seminar. Valerie Harper, director of the EDCs small business division, said the organization frequently hears from people interested in opening restaurants but "they have no idea" about factors such as regulations and costs. Steve Bateman of Ridgeway, who attended the seminar, said he hopes to eventually open a restaurant with his son. But "Im scared to pull the strings," Bateman said, because the restaurant business is highly regulated and he is afraid of doing something wrong. The seminar, he said, was "very informative" and "gave me a good basis to grow on" as he seeks more information about starting a restaurant. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com bigyexpress.jpg A Big Y Express Fuel & Convenience location (photo provided) LEE -- Big Y FoodsInc. will hire to fill 10 positions for its Lee Big Y Express, the Springfield company said in a news release. This location has enjoyed strong growth, resulting in their need to hire additional associates. Big Y Express Gas & Convenience Store is located at 320 Housatonic St, Lee The interviewing and hiring will be completed at the local Big Y Supermarket location at 10 Pleasant St, Lee. All interested applicants should apply at www.bigy.com. Full-time & Part-time job opportunities are available. Benefits of Big Y Express Employment include: Big Y Express offers flexible shifts and many scheduling options. Training for new store employees A company strongly committed to giving back to the communities surrounding its stores, Big Y donates food valued at more than $4.5 Million to local non-profit organizations, schools, churches, and educational programs each year. Big Y's free Homework Helpline currently answers an average of 8,000 calls annually, having assisted over 150,000 students, parents and grandparents over the last 19 school years. Big Y also awards 300 scholarships worth $250,000 annually to academically outstanding students in their market area. Still another of Big Y's educational initiatives, the Education Express Program, has helped more than 2,000 local schools earn over $13 Million in teaching materials and educational equipment. There are currently five Big Y Express Gas and Convenience Stores operating in Lee, Pittsfield, Longmeadow, Wilbraham and Hadley, MA. In 2013, Big Y opened their first location in partnership with FL Roberts in Lee. Headquartered in Springfield, MA, Big Y is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. The company currently operate 63 stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts with over 10,000 employees. Big Y has been named a 2015 Employer of Choice by the Employers Association of the Northeast. Founded in 1936 by brothers Paul and Gerald D'Amour, the store was named after an intersection in Chicopee, Massachusetts where two roads converge to form a "Y". This year, the company celebrates its 80th anniversary. LONGMEADOW Cliff Feen opened Esscentials, a specialty fragrance and beauty store 16 years ago after he had already retired. His wife suggested it, Feen said. "My wife said I was under her feet one day, and she wanted me to open another store," Feen said with a chuckle the other day. But now 85 years old, Feen plans to close the store and go back into retirement, much to the chagrin of his customers who have purchased hard-to-find perfumes and products from Esscentials for more than a decade and a half. Running a store is in Feen's blood. In his early 20s he joined his father in the discount store business, opening multiple Thrifty Cut Rate Cosmetics stores in Springfield during the early 1950s, back when downtown Springfield was "a glorious place." "It was a vibrant, vibrant time," Feen said of the period in Springfield when he had moved from his childhood home in New Haven, Connecticut, to join his father in business. The first tiny store Feen opened on his own on Main Street and Bridge Street was a booming success, warranting several expansions before the property was purchased from under him. However, Feen later opened a store in the then Baystate West building - his Thrifty Drugs and Cosmetics was the first retailer to sign a lease in the new downtown mall - and expanded in that space until he closed in 1995, intent on retiring. But retirement did not suit Feen well, and he soon opened the specialty fragrance store, Esscentials in Longmeadow, where he lives. Feen takes pride in his store's position as the only place around where people can find certain fragrances, soaps from around the world and Mason Pearson hairbrushes. "You would have to sit all day for me to tell you all the brands I have that nobody else has," Feen said. In retirement, Feen said, he looks forward to spending more time with his nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and also spending more time on the water -boating has been a lifelong passion. However, he said, it's a shame to say goodbye to his customers. "My customers are very, very upset that I'm retiring," Feen said. "It's kind of a heart-wrenching thing for me." Services Matter Forum.JPG Left to right: panelists and HAPHousing representatives Mary Haskett, Ph.D., director of the Family Studies Research Team and Professor of Psychology at North Carolina State University in Chapel Hill; Christine Achre, MA, LPC, CEO of the Primo Center for Women and Children in Chicago; Alisa Thornton, client advocate at Doorways for Women and Families in Arlington, Virginia, Lauren Voyer, Senior Vice President of Housing Support Services at HAPHousing; Peter Gagliardi, president and CEO of HAPHousing; and Carmela J. DeCandia, Psy.D. from The Bassuk Center gather at the Services Matter event at the Sheraton Springfield. (Photo Provided) SPRINGFIELD --HAPHousing recently hosted a panel discussion, "Services Matter: How Housing and Services Can End Family Homelessness" led by Dr. Carmela DeCandia of The Bassuk Center on Homeless and Vulnerable Children & Youth in Boston. The event engaged agencies that work in the housing services and homelessness arenas and those from the community, held at the Sheraton Springfield with seventy-five people in attendance, according to a news release. The panel discussed critical issues and opportunities around the need for housing and services to end family homelessness. Issues addressed during the forum included permanent, affordable housing; education; job training and income supports; trauma-informed care; and parenting supports. Panelists included Carmela J. DeCandia, Psy.D. from The Bassuk Center; Christine Achre, MA, LPC, CEO of the Primo Center for Women and Children in Chicago; Alisa Thornton, client advocate at Doorways for Women and Families in Arlington, Virginia; and Mary E. Haskett, Ph.D., director of the Family Studies Research Team and Professor of Psychology at North Carolina State University in Chapel Hill. The panel was moderated by Lauren Voyer, senior vice President of Housing Support Services at HAPHousing. Founded in 1972, HAPHousing is a leading provider of programs that connect the families of Western Massachusetts with the support and services they need to live stable lives in safe homes they can afford. The mission of HAPHousing is to light pathways and open doors to homes and communities where people thrive. Aetna Humana A sign for Aetna Inc., sits atop a building at the company headquarters in in Hartford, Conn. ((AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)) Need an excuse to hit the snooze button? One Hartford-based company will pay you several hundred dollars to get a good night's sleep. Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini said the health insurance company will pay employees $25 a night if they get seven or more hours of uninterrupted sleep for 20 nights in a row. That's right, $500 for sleeping. Bertolini promoted the benefits of sleep in an interview on CNBC this week. "You can't be prepared if you're half-asleep," he said, adding, "Being present in the workplace and making better decisions has a lot to do with our business fundamentals." Aetna employees can track their sleep and bonus eligibility using wearable technology, such as fitness trackers. Promotion of healthy sleeping habits is one of several steps Aetna takes to support worker wellness. The Connecticut company also encourages employees do yoga and meditate. Bertolini told CNBC there's a direct correlation between the wellness of employees and higher productivity and revenue. SPRINGFIELD They are called painterly photos. The Pictorialists created them rather than documentary-style photos, merging traditional painting subject matter like landscape, nudes and still life with a handcrafted photographic print. "The difference can be likened to the variance between Realism and Impressionist painting, where the latter is intended to capture lighting, mood, etc., rather than document a specific object, scene or person," explained Julia Courtney, curator of art at the Springfield Museums. "The photographers of this [early 20th-Century] era had begun to master the technology of the medium and were able to experiment with more painterly approaches." The Springfield Museum's new traveling exhibit celebrates these ground-breaking photographers with "Photo-Secession: Painterly Masterworks of Turn-of-the-Century Photography." It will be on view at the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts from April 12 through Aug. 28 and features works from the collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg. The 78 works in the current touring exhibit include examples of a variety of photographic printing techniques used by the Pictorialists who manipulated negatives and prints to create images that approximated the effects of drawings, etchings and oil paintings, using platinum, gum bichromate, carbon, cyanotype and bromoil in creating prints. The exhibit will include Alfred Stieglitz's "The Steerage," widely considered the Photo-Secession's defining masterwork and the first fully realized Modernist photograph. In 1907, he sailed to Europe to visit family. Although he traveled in a first-class cabin, he photographed a bustling scene of laborers and their families who traveled in steerage. The photo, created on a single glass plate measuring four by five inches, became a "defining work" in the Modernist photography movement, Courtney noted. Stieglitz once said, "Photo-Secession actually means a seceding from the accepted idea of what constitutes a photograph." The movement was named after a defining exhibit Stieglitz organized of 32 American photographers that was a nod to the avant-garde "Secession" art salons in Vienna and Munich, which were breaking away from the conventions of 19th-Century painting and salon-style exhibitions. For the first time art works were displayed on light-colored walls, with space between them so that viewers could focus on a single work and not be distracted by nearby paintings. In 1902, a group of photographers began exploring new techniques that would push the boundaries of the art form. They began referring to their effort as "the Photo-Secession" and began a campaign to establish photography as a full-fledged fine art, equal with painting, sculpture and etching. "Fine art photography includes everything from still life and landscapes to nudes and provocative narratives. It differs from snapshots, or the photography of amateurs who may be experimenting or having fun, in its purpose," Courtney said. "The photographer is concerned with the composition, focus, lighting, the position of figures and uses the tools available to edit the content and qualities of the photo. Just as a painter selects a subject and a manner in which to capture it, the photographer grapples with the same questions even though the medium and its technology is very different." Photography in the digital age is vastly different than the painterly photos the Pictorialists were creating. She compared it to the journey that the music industry has taken in terms of recording the art form. "It would be interesting to hear Stieglitz's thoughts on today's capacity to capture and distribute images--he might find it unbelievable. It is so different and unique that it is almost its own art form." It can also be likened to inventions in the industrial revolution that changed the face of manufacturing forever, she added. "The list of differences in the tools, cameras, printers, iPhones, etc. is exhaustive." Though many iPhone users may fancy themselves photographers, Courtney contends that the difference is in the quality of the final image. "Is it contrived? It is artful? Is it unique? I think what is happening in photography is exciting as it has managed to engage people in an art form that might not have an interest otherwise," she said. "Making something accessible doesn't always mean the art form suffers, but that more people are paying attention to it, though photographers might feel differently." The Painterly Masterworks exhibit pays homage to the evolving art form of photography. Visitors can expect to see thought-provoking images that were created when the manipulative tools were remarkably different. "It is a historic exhibit that people will marvel at, it's an elegant, significant show," Courtney said. For more information about the exhibit, call the museum at (413) 263-6800. When trucks autonomously follow one another, its called "platooning." Theyre connected by wifi and can leave a much smaller gap between vehicles than when humans are at the wheel. Platooning can reduce fuel use by up to 15%, prevent human error from causing accidents, and reduce congestion, according to a study by research firm TNO. It also can reduce expenses. Two trucks clocking 100,000 miles annually can save 6,000 on fuel by platooning, compared to driving on cruise control, according to TNO. Full Story: http://qz.com/656104/a-fleet-of-trucks-just-drove-themselves-across-europe/ Written by Joon Ian Wong Full Story: http://qz.com/656104/a-fleet-of-trucks-just-drove-themselves-across-europe/ Too often, innovative ideas in the public sector never see the light of day due to regulations and oversight designed for a different era. While procurement regulations are intended to ensure accountability and minimize risk, the process leaves little room for experimentation or creative engagement with entrepreneurs. Philadelphias FastFWD initiative tackled these challenges directly by opening up new mechanisms for entrepreneurs to co-create solutions with the city. by Stephen Goldsmith Full Story: http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-philadelphia-fastfwd-entrepreneurs-streamlined-procurement.html Intellectual Property, Funding Your Innovation, and Going to Market Dont miss this exciting opportunity to connect with fellow inventors, innovators and researchers in your community to learn key concepts all idea people need to know. Montana Technology Innovation Partnership (MTIP), a Department of Commerce program, is hosting a free workshop covering topics related to moving your invention from idea to market. MTIP counselor Christie Bell leads this one-hour presentation on Intellectual Property, Funding Your Innovation, and Going to Market. https://t.e2ma.net/message/acu3k/qk7jif The rules governing how financial professionals handle the trillions of dollars they invest on behalf of Americans saving for retirement are about to get a lot tougher. By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/your-money/new-rules-for-retirement-accounts-financial-advisers.html?_r=1 Many thanks to Kemble Fletcher for sharing. Les membres du cabinet ont pris note que le nombre de cas de positif au Coronavirus est a 324, que le gouvernement a recu un don de 500,000 tablettes de hydroxychloroquinede lInde, que le couvre-feu sanitaire a pris fin le 15 avril 2020, que le Wage Assistance Scheme et Self-Employed Assistance Scheme seront reconduit pour le mois davril 2020. 1. Cabinet has taken note of the situation pertaining to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the measures taken to contain the pandemic, namely (a) the number of positive cases as at 17 April 2020 was 324 and the number of persons successfully treated to-date was 108; (b) currently there were some 325 patients in the Treatment Centres; (c) all patients attending the Flu Clinics in the Regional Hospitals were being tested for COVID-19. A separate facility would be set up in each Regional Hospital to accommodate a Flu Clinic; (d) the procurement of medical items was being effected from China, Amsterdam and Hong Kong; (e) the Government of India has donated medical supplies (500,000 tablets of hydroxychloroquine) which were delivered by a special Air India flight on 15 April 2020; (f) Jack Mas Foundation has also donated medical items to Mauritius which arrived on 15 April 2020 by a special Ethiopian Airlines flight; (g) the Government of China was also donating medical supplies to Mauritius; (h) the UNDP was assisting Mauritius in the setting up of an Electronic Laboratory Information Management System for COVID-19 patients at the Central Health Laboratory; and (i) the EU would donate an amount of Rs11 Million to the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund. 2. Cabinet has taken note that the Curfew Order in Rodrigues and Agalega lapsed on 15 April 2020 and sanitary and non-sanitary precautions were being taken to ensure that there is no importation of COVID-19 on both islands. 3. Cabinet has agreed to the extension of (a) the Wage Assistance Scheme to cover the month of April 2020. The aim of the Wage Assistance Scheme is to provide financial support to employees of the private sector who became technically unemployed during the COVID-19 lockdown/curfew period. An employer would be debarred from the Scheme if he has benefitted from funds under the Scheme and has not paid his employees for the months of March and April 2020 or he has laid off even one employee during the lockdown/curfew period; and (b) the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme to cover the period 16 April to 30 April 2020. The Scheme gives financial support to the informal sector. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, April 6, 2016 It's a goal for many industry stakeholders: the ability to use consumer data -- and insights drawn from that data--to inform creative messaging. How does that happen? Michael Davis, head of creative for Conversant, explains the media companys approach. Conversant offers video, display, mobile and CRM programs, and sees Google Ad Network, Yahoo Audience Network and Facebook as its main competitors in terms of its focus on one-to-one personalization and relationships with both brands and agencies. Real-Time Daily: What is the opportunity for data to inform creative? Michael Davis: On one side you have creative agencies and most marketing companies on the agency side, which want data-driven creative. They need data to give them the answers on how to build creative stories. Thats the agency model. While the industry is inundated by verification based on clicks, we cant verify clicks theres too much ad fraud. We verify what real people are actually doing. We get the data from agencies and brands and then on our side, we help them break the data down into thousands of different pieces. On the media side of the business that we work on, the data actually informs decisions, not creative. We work with lots of creative and media agencies. Based on the 160 million consumer identities that we have, theres a creative algorithm that will show you all of the data that informs the decision on what people should actually see. Its advanced personalization. Real-Time Daily: How does that work? Davis: Say you have Brand A, and on that brand there might be three campaigns running. We might create seven different looks for those three campaigns. We work with agencies or brands to help them with those treatments and how they should look across devices. Of those seven different treatments, we might create 30 to 50 different headlines and 50 different opportunities. For example, based on weather and geo-location, if someone is buying shoes in Florida, we wont send an image of snow boots. We might have 80 different product images, headlines, calls to action, backgrounds, copy and text. In the algorithm, you have the potential for 56 million potential iterations on one campaign. Theyre all multiplied in the algorithm, along with 7,000 attributes (identifying people by gender, where and when theyve shopped, what theyve bought, etc.) and we have data on 160 million individuals. The holy grail is, how many real people can we talk to today? We have 160 million real people across deviceswe can talk to that many people. The engine we have makes decisions on who the right person is, where theyve been in the last hour, two hours, 10 days, in-store, etc. We have online and offline data thats anonymized. Real-Time Daily: Are you doing retargeting? Davis: Were not doing retargeting. Were using first-party cookies and work with online and offline data. Real-Time Daily: How are you dealing with ad fraud and non-human traffic within this system? Davis: Theres a difference between real people vs. bots and clicks. We go through extensive data scrubbing to ensure our ad quality. For the ad inventory, were up to 96% accuracy and cross-device matching verification. What that means is that we have a way to talk to real people who are doing real things because our advertisers provide us with their offline and online data. That data enables us to verify second by second whether those people are real, where theyre buying and what theyre doing. Real-Time Daily: Can you walk us through an example? Davis: Take the hunting, fishing and camping gear retailer Cabela's, for example. We want to talk to a real or potential Cabela's customer. Were optimizing creative right at the time when theyre online, deciding what layers to send. We assess your personality and lifestyle attributes and where you are cross-device. One Cabela's ad might have 10 different headlines. All of those decisions come together. The ad isnt pre-rendered it gets put together at the second the customer goes to the site. We offer personalized display advertising thats rendered at the time of the bid. Within 40 milliseconds, well make a decision on what ad to serve you, so its a truly one-to-one transaction based on who you are and your attributes. We might send you any one of 56 million iterations of an ad, offer or promotion. This isnt just about putting a new headline on the ad. We put all the layers together within 40 milliseconds at the time of the auction, in real-time. With the CRM data we have, we can understand anonymously where people are going. We have 100 people in the creative department. The decision on what creative units get rendered is constantly changing based on the analytics. The analytics team works within the engine to make the decision. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, April 7, 2016 Greater clarity on rebates and agency business models is key to the level of trust between brands and media agencies, according to a new survey by ID Comms, the UK-based media management consulting group. The ID Comms 2016 Transparency Survey found that globally more than 70% of advertisers and agencies believe that the way an agency manages rebates is the most important factor in the level of trust that advertisers have in media agencies. Rebates are a commonly accepted part of the media-buying process in many parts of the world, although there is ongoing debate about how extensive the practice is in the U.S. Some top adland executives including WPP CEO Martin Sorrell have asserted that the practice is not widespread here. Others -- notably, former MediaCom U.S. CEO Jon Mandel -- disagree. Mandel rekindled the debate last year with a presentation at a conference put on by the Association of National Advertisers. And the ID Comms survey suggests that many U.S.-based agency people believe rebates are an issue. Some 67% of U.S. agency respondents to the survey cited how the agency trades with media vendors and how the agency manages rebates as the most influential factors in determining advertiser trust in their agencies. And 81% of all U.S. respondents rated how the agency makes money as an important factor in the trust equation. The findings are based on responses from 140 senior executives at agencies and advertisers including marketers from brands spending an estimated $20 billion annually and responses from all the major media agency networks. The survey was conducted in February and March of this year. Sixty-five percent of respondents were based in Europe, 25% in the U.S. and 10% in the rest of world. U.S. marketers were slightly more positive about the levels of trust they have in their agencies, with 61% describing current levels as average, 26% as low and 13% as high. By contrast, some European marketers were very negative, with 14% saying trust levels were very low and 22% describing them as low. Agencies overall believe that the areas important to the level of trust that exists from their clients include how agency group buying/share deals work" (62%) and how the agency manages client data and uses it for decision making (52%). Both sides acknowledge the importance of establishing a trusted relationship between client and agency with the majority (77%) agreeing or strongly agreeing that a close relationship with external marketing agencies will tend to deliver a stronger marketing performance. Agencies were more optimistic than clients about the future prospects for their client relationships, with 38% indicating a belief that theyll improve. Among clients, the outlook was more skeptical, with just 7% expecting trust to increase a lot compared to 15% for agencies. U.S. marketers were even more hesitant than their European counterparts, with 17% expecting trust in media agencies to decline a lot compared to 11% for European-based marketing executives. We want to show how transparency in its broadest sense, as a business principle, can deliver benefits for both advertisers and their agencies, stated Tom Denford, chief strategy officer at ID Comms. The challenge is that issues such as transparency in planning and data, all of which are critical to a trusting relationship, are overshadowed by advertisers' concerns around the business models that have been adopted by the big agency groups, he added. Denford continued: An advertiser that has a strong and transparent relationship with their agency, including a transparent and fair payment model, best-practice contractual language that protects their interests and a clear view of how their budgets are traded by the agency is most likely to build a trusting partnership for the benefit of both parties, including longer tenure for the agency and an increasing willingness to reward them when they deliver business value. by Richard Whitman , Columnist, April 6, 2016 Yup. Just when you think you've been around long enough to proudly proclaim "I've seen it all," some newfangled thing pops up. Today, that newfangled thing is The Dog Agency. No, it's not an agency run by Internet famous dogs. It's an agency run by Loni Edwards, whose dog, Chloe, has 125,000 followers on Instagram. Edwards aims to represent Instagram dog accounts with 200,000 or so followers garnering them about $3,000 per sponsored post. One of Edwards', clients, The Dogist, is run by Elias Weiss Friedman, a New York-based photographer who, yes, takes pictures of dogs and posts them to The Dogist Instagram account which currently has 1.9 million followers. On behalf of Friedman, Edwards has negotiated deals with Google and Merck and is working on deals with Nikon and Equinox. According to the Web site, "The Dog Agency is here to strategically connect the dots between and among dog influencers, their adoring fans, and the brands who need them." Which, of course, makes perfect sense. After all, we have leveraged human social media influencers for years. Why not dogs, too? Of the benefits of a brand using a dog influencer in their campaigns versus a human influencer, Edwards said, With dogs, youre reaching men, women, kids, grandparents. They just have this wide appeal. More importantly, she noted the dogs -- because dogs are dogs and not human -- do not distinguish between sponsored content and regular content when performing for a video making it, perhaps, the most natural and unbiased form or marketing. So yeah, hire a dog to do your marketing. by Thom Forbes @tforbes, April 7, 2016 The U.K.s Advertising Standards Authority has banned an ad featuring a rail-thin model in a Gucci dress that ran on the Times of Londons Web site in mid-December. The ad, which begins with models dancing in a villa in Florence, was flagged by the agency after it received a complaint for using a model that was unhealthily thin and gaunt, reports Molly Crane-Newman for the New York Daily News, which features a still picture of the particularly offending image. The Daily Mail has a link to the entire video featuring the model. We considered that her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body. Further, her pose elongated her torso and accentuated her waist so that it appeared to be very small. We also considered that her somber facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt, the ASA concludes. Although Guccio Gucci, the parent company of the brand, has removed the images, it defended the ad, saying it was aimed at an older, sophisticated audience and that the Times Web site was used as it provided an adult and mature readership, Mark Sweney reports for the Guardian. The ruling comes amid a longstanding debate on both sides of the Atlantic about the perils of overly thin models projecting an unhealthy body image for women , points out Dan Bilefsky for the New York Times. Last year, the French Parliament approved measures prohibiting modeling agencies from hiring dangerously thin models and requiring altered photographs of models to be clearly labeled. "In the past, the ASA has banned ads from Miu Miu (a 2011 image featuring Hailee Steinfeld sitting on train tracks was deemed irresponsible), Marc Jacobs (Dakota Fanning's 2011 Oh Lola campaign was deemed 'sexually provocative' for having the bottle between her legs), and Saint Laurent (the spring 2015 campaign model was too thin)," reports Tyler McCall for Fashionista. Anyone can make a complaint through the ASA's website, and clearly the organization takes each one seriously, as this particular Gucci campaign received one sole complaint according the report, McCall adds. Its not Gucci's first go at producing a controversial ad, point out Sarah Raphael and Alexandra Ilyashov for Refinery 29. In 2003, under then-creative director Tom Ford, the brand released a campaign featuring supermodel Carmen Kass with a Gucci G shaved into her pubic hair. The image was banned almost instantly, but became iconic it was perceived as rebellious and sexy, which only added to the brands allure. But, they suggest, featuring overly thin models is not a coolness-inducing reason to be banned. In other weight-related news from across the pond, the chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health is suggesting that food packages containing the likes of chocolate, soda and chips carry small labels with stick figures activity icons showing how much exercise a person would have to do in order to burn off the calories he or she is thinking about introducing to their metabolic system. If you knew you'd have to run for 15 minutes [or bike for 23 or swim for 13] to burn off the 138 calories in a sugary soda, would you still drink it? asks the caption under a picture of a mock Fizzy soft drink with real fruit that illustrates Maggie Fox, Erika Edwards and Jane Derenowskis story for NBC News Today. We think a clearer way of making people more mindful of the calories they are consuming is for a food or drink product to also show on the front of the packet a small icon which would visually display just how much activity you would need to do to burn off the calories it contains, writes the RSPHs Shirley Cramer in a commentary on BBC.com explaining the proposal she made in the British Medical Journal. Reactions from academia vary. Susan Roberts, a senior scientist at Tufts University, calls it a ridiculous idea, telling NBC I don't think food labels will fundamentally solve our problem. But Cornells David Just thinks its worth trying, pointing out that current labels with things like number of calories and grams of fat are difficult to understand and make use of. by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, April 7, 2016 A couple of Google's first employees in Israel received Series A funding for their search engine startup focused on ecommerce. Naspers led the $12.5 million in funding in Twiggle, with support from Yahoo Japan. State of Mind Ventures, a prior investor, and Sir Ronald Cohen, also joined the round. This brings the funding to $14.7 million to date. One report suggest the site will launch in August. The "deep learning" engine is focused on natural language processing, data science, and artificial intelligence, and is intended to make it easy to find products using natural language such as "I'm looking for a two-door refrigerator on top and one-drawer freezer on the bottom in stainless steel." The startup was co-founded in 2013 by CEO Amir Konigsberg, and chief technology officer Adi Avidor, formerly a lead software engineer at Google Israel. Twiggle also provides context about different types of products for shoppers who dont know what they want. It means a search for a refrigerator will return specs about important features, whether it has an icemaker inside or on the door of the frig. Retail ecommerce sales worldwide will reach $2 trillion in 2016 -- up nearly 22% to about $2.5 trillion in 2017, according to eMarketer. The research firm estimates that in the U.S. retail ecommerce sales will reach $384 billion in 2016, up 12.2% to $431 billion in 2017. Konigsberg told Techcrunch that Twiggle wants to "treat search as a way to give people answers to questions and give them timely information." Sound familiar? For years, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have called search queries the question and ads the answers. "We dont want to send them to a product page and then have to find the information themselves, Konigsberg told Techcrunch. "If they ask for a quiet laptop, then we want to rank results by quietness, instead of creating more confusion. We look at the Internet at large and create a very large knowledge graph with use cases of products and the relations between them." A revolutionary new microscope allows neuroscientists to observe and control neural activity on a cellular level with millisecond accuracy. Bringing together disparate technology, the new device will provide the most detailed peek at the inner workings of the brain to date. Share on Pinterest A groundbreaking innovation promises to give additional insight into the workings of the brain. The brain is the most complex organ in the body, by far. It consists of an estimated 86 billion neurons, all able to fire independently or in patterned unison. Neuroscience has advanced in leaps and bounds over the decades, but there are, of course, many questions still to be answered. An organ capable of constructing a seamless internal representation of our environment from the cacophony of stimuli that it is presented with was always likely to be difficult to understand. All of the brains impressive feats memory, emotion, control of movement are achieved by simple on/off signals running along neurons. Scientists have been able to observe these signals for many years, but to see them in context and see the syntax of the neural language has not been possible, until now. Observing neural activity in detail Researcher Hillel Adesnik, PhD, assistant professor of neurobiology at the University of California-Berkeley, and his team have designed an incredible microscope that looks set to add another layer to our ever-growing understanding of the brain. The microscope allows the researcher to watch the activity of the brain at the level of individual cells with millisecond accuracy; in addition to visualizing the brains activity in real-time, the device is also able to control activity in the individual neurons of a live rat. Adesnik explains: We have developed a prototype microscope that achieves the level of detail needed to actually understand the neural code. Adesnik has high hopes for future applications of the microscope: After more refinements, this instrument may be able to function as a sort of Rosetta Stone to help us crack the neural code. The teams research will be presented at the American Association of Anatomists Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2016 in San Diego, CA. Holograms controlling behavior In their research, Adesnik and his team use mice with modified neurons that respond to light. The technique, known as optogenetics, allows investigators to turn individual neurons on or off with a simple pulse of light. The researchers install a glass window in the rodents skull and place the microscope on top. This allows them to both observe the neural patterns and alter them. In the same way that knocking out a gene in an animal and measuring the changes allows you to see what role that gene normally fulfills, this technology allows scientists to tinker with neural patterns and measure how the resulting behavior differs. For instance, the team can map the brain activity during the wiggle of a whisker. This pattern can then be played back to the brain in the form of a laser-produced hologram, inducing the whisker wiggle. Alternatively, they can play back the signals but change minor elements to observe what difference is made to the final behavior. In another series of ongoing tests, the team uses mice that are trained to push a specific lever when they see a certain shape; they plan to develop holograms that, when fired into the brain, can fool the mouse into seeing a shape where none exists. Two new studies published in The BMJ have raised questions about current resuscitation guidelines for patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest, with researchers identifying some practices that may be hindering patient survival. Share on Pinterest One study suggests delaying a second defibrillation attempt does not improve survival for cardiac arrest patients. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, cutting off blood flow to the brain and other vital body organs. If not treated within minutes, cardiac arrest can kill. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), there was around 209,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests in the US in 2013. When a patient experiences cardiac arrest, they must be treated with a defibrillator a device that delivers an electric shock to the heart within minutes, with the aim of restoring heart rhythm. Previous resuscitation guidelines in the US recommended that cardiac arrest patients should receive stacked shocks that is, one defibrillation attempt after another within minimal delays in between. However, the guidelines were updated in 2005 to recommend a time delay before delivering a second defibrillation attempt, allowing time to administer chest compressions. But Steven M. Bradley, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and colleagues note that there is limited data on how this delayed defibrillation impacts patient survival. Deferred second defibrillation attempt did not improve patient survival To address this research gap, the team analyzed 2004-2012 data from a national registry, involving 2,733 adults over 172 hospitals in the US who experienced cardiac arrest. As expected, the researchers saw an increase in the percentage of cardiac arrest patients whose second defibrillation attempt was delayed, rising from 26% in 2004 before the guidelines were updated to 57% in 2012. However, the team found that the survival of cardiac arrest patients was not improved with a delayed second defibrillation attempt, compared with patients who received an early second defibrillation attempt. Dr. Bradley and colleagues note that their study is observational, so it is unable to draw any firm conclusions relating to cause and effect. Still, they say their findings raise questions about the specific benefits of deferred second defibrillation attempts for cardiac arrest patients in the hospital, adding: Further study is necessary to understand whether current guidelines, which recommend against immediate second defibrillation attempts for persistent VT/VF [ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation] in hospital, need reconsideration. Large variation in adrenaline recommendations for cardiac arrest Another form of treatment for cardiac arrest is the medication epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, which is used to increase blood supply to the heart. In a second study, Lars W. Andersen, of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA, and colleagues set out to assess compliance to current guidelines for adrenaline administration in cardiac arrest patients. While adrenaline has been used for the treatment of cardiac arrest for many years, guidelines for its use vary greatly. The AHA recommend that adrenaline be administered within 2 minutes of the second defibrillation attempt, but the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) say the drug should be administered after the third. In addition, clinical practice patterns could include the provision of epinephrine even earlier, such as after the first defibrillation, in patients with a persistently shockable rhythm, note the authors. For their study, Anderson and colleagues analyzed national registry data of 2,978 cardiac arrest patients over 300 hospitals in the US. Gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss and a challenge to treat. Now, new research suggests why silicon nitride a ceramic material used in spinal implants could lead to effective, new types of gum disease treatment. Share on Pinterest Having untreated gum disease not only leads to tooth loss, but it also raises risk of heart attack or stroke. Periodontitis is a serious, chronic, non-communicable gum disease that damages the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. Estimates suggest it affects 15-20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults. The disease starts when the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis infects the tissue around the teeth, giving rise to gum inflammation. If this is not treated, the condition progresses and the bacteria begin to eat away at the bone around the teeth. Having untreated gum disease not only leads to tooth loss, but it also raises risk of heart attack or stroke. Treatment options include deep cleaning such as scaling and root planing to remove the built-up plaque that harbors bacteria, plus antibiotics and surgery. However, awareness that like other types of bacteria P. gingivalis perishes on contact with the surface of silicon nitride, leads researchers to wonder if this could lead to a new type of treatment. In the journal Langmuir, a multidisciplined team from Japan and the US describes what it found when it investigated the antimicrobial properties of silicon nitride. How our billion-year-old cousin, baker's yeast, can reveal -- more reliably than leading algorithms -- whether a genetic mutation is actually harmful. It's easier than ever to sequence our DNA, but doctors still can't exactly tell from our genomes which diseases might befall us. Professor Fritz Roth is setting out to change this by going to basics -- to our billion-year-old cousin, baker's yeast. By testing the effects of human mutations in yeast, Roth's research team at the University of Toronto's Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute was able to identify harmful changes in the DNA better than leading algorithms. The ultimate goal of his approach, detailed in the latest issue of Genome Research is to create "look-up tables" of damaging mutations to help clinicians diagnose patients more accurately. The reason our genomes remain impenetrable is the vast amount of genetic diversity among us. Of the three billion DNA letters in the genome, three million are different between any two people. The vast majority of these differences, also called genetic variants, have no bearing on our lives. But some variants change proteins, the molecular machines that do much of the work in our cells -- and this could lead to disease. "If we want to interpret people's personal genomes, then we need a way of knowing whether variants are damaging the gene they are in," says Roth, who is also a professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and co-director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Genetic Networks Program. Currently the only way to predict damaging mutations, for most genes, is through computational methods. For some genes, however, damaging mutations can be detected using yeast. The international team led by Roth did a head-on comparison of yeast against the machine to see which approach fared better at finding disease-causing mutations. Yeast cells are simple, yet their basic architecture is similar to human cells. Because almost half of our genes have a shared ancestry with a yeast gene, it is often possible to study human genes in this easy-to-manipulate living organism. One way to test a human gene's function is to see whether it can replace a yeast counterpart gene. Think of yeast as a ship -- taking a gene out leaves a hole in the bottom. Scientists then try to stop the leak by plugging the hole with the matching human gene to prevent the ship from sinking. If the normal human gene can rescue the yeast but a mutated one cannot, Roth predicts that the mutation is damaging. Thanks to yeast's fast rate of growth, it is possible to know within days which versions of human genes fail to keep the yeast afloat. These same variants are also likely to be damaging for human cells and could matter for our health. Roth's team focused on 22 genes, linked to conditions such as autism, mental retardation and heart disease, and whose intact copies were able to replace their yeast counterparts. Previous work found these genes to be present in hundreds of variations among people. Roth's group tested 179 variants, roughly half of which are reported to cause disease. To test variant function, the researchers inserted each human variant, one by one, in place of a matching yeast gene, using a comprehensive library of yeast strains created by Professors Brenda Andrews and Charlie Boone's groups at the Donnelly Centre. They then watched how well the yeast grew and this allowed them to predict whether or not a variant was harmful. Importantly, this simple test in a billion-year old machinery outperformed the best available computational methods. Based on cell-growth data, the researchers were able to identify 62 per cent of disease variants as damaging. By contrast, the best current computational method could confidently identify only 23 per cent of disease variants. "By every measure we are beating the computational predictions. Some might say it's obvious that an experiment beats a computational prediction, but many clinicians would not accept evidence about human variants based on how they perform in baker's yeast. Our paper highlights the important and direct role that model organisms can play in interpreting individual human genomes," says Roth. For the subset of human disease genes that will be able to fill in for their yeast counterparts, Roth believes it is possible to test all variants this way. For other genes, similar assays could be done in other model organisms or using other tests in yeast. The goal is to create lists of experimentally tested mutations before they are detected in the genomes of affected patients. "I think the way to go forward is to do all of the experiments up front before you've even seen the variants in the clinic. Organized networks of researchers could test the variants in a common way so that we can build a resource so that clinicians can go immediately to the look-up table," says Roth. Sometimes you need to turn to the basics -- in this case a simple organism like yeast -- in order to tackle some of our most complex medical challenges. Could organs explanted from other mammals save human lives someday? A new study shows that genetically modified pig hearts developed by US and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich can survive for more than 2 years when transplanted into baboons. Thousands of people in Germany alone are on waiting lists for transplant operations to replace an ailing vital organ. But the need vastly outstrips the available supply of organs such as heart, liver, lung or kidney. This explains why researchers all over the world have been exploring the possibility of resorting to other mammals as sources of replacement organs. These efforts have, however, been confronted by a succession of apparently insurmountable hurdles. The principal problem arises from the fact that the host's immune system recognizes the donor organ as foreign and initiates a destructive rejection reaction. Now researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda report that a pig heart transplanted into a baboon remained functional for 945 days - more than twice as long as the best result achieved prior to this. Using a relatively simple and well tolerated form of immunosuppression, the team was able to effectively delay rejection of the transplant. The findings are reported online in the leading journal Nature Communications. Among the authors of the new study are Professor Eckhard Wolf (who holds the Chair of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology) and his colleague Nikolai Klymiuk at LMU's Gene Center. Wolf and his team have been developing pig strains specifically for use as sources of organs for xenotransplantation. In particular, they have created genetically modified strains whose hearts are less likely to provoke rejection reactions when implanted into other mammalian species. Pigs are regarded as promising sources of organs for transplantation into humans, as their size and overall metabolism is very similar to our own. The pig hearts used in previous studies of this kind carried two different genetic modifications designed to prevent antibody-mediated organ rejection. However, in these cases, delayed rejection was stimulated by clot formation and concomitant injury to the blood vessels of the donor heart. The LMU researchers have meanwhile added a further modification to the donor pig strain, which inhibits the formation of clots when the blood of the primate host comes into contact with the vasculature of the transplanted organ. An interaction between the soluble blood protein thrombin and thrombomodulin on the surface of the endothelial cells that form the vessel wall plays an important role in the control of blood coagulation. Binding of thrombin to thrombomodulin is necessary to activate protein C, which inhibits clot formation. In the context of xenotransplantation, however, activation of protein C is significantly reduced because the form of thrombin found in primates and swine thrombomodulin expressed on the cardiac vasculature are not fully compatible. This increases the likelihood that clots will develop, which in turn promotes rejection of the foreign organ. The new modification introduced by Wolf and Klymiuk enables the endothelial cells of the donor heart to produce the human form of thrombomodulin (hTBM). This reconstitutes the normal interaction with human thrombin, and significantly reduces clot-dependent pathology in the transplanted pig heart. Wolf's research group is one of those involved in the transregional Collaborative Research Center (CRC) for Xenotransplantation, which is made up of teams based in Dresden, Hannover and Munich, and is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Advertisement Since 45% of the India's maternal deaths occur in the age group between 15 and 25, with 47% of the total fertility group clustered, the country is moving from limiting to delaying births and increasing spacing between births for better health benefits. Maternal mortality in the country has been reduced by 65% from the year 1990 to 2011-13 (while the global achievement being 47%). A sharp decline in decadal growth rate from 21.54% in 1990-2000 to 17.64 % in 2001-2011. The total fertility rate has also decreased from 6 in 1951 to 2.3 in 2013 and 24 Indian states/union territories have achieved 2.1 or lesser replacement level fertility. Expanding Postpartum IUCD services have been the forefront and almost 1.4 million insertions have been done. The Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda Launched: A newly revamped logo for family planning media awareness campaign in addition to the 360-degree communication plan for enhanced awareness regarding family planning issues. A new packaging of contraceptive Nirodh was introduced intending to increase its use. The Techno-Managerial Guidelines for injectable contraceptives in addition to a mobile app for mission Indradhanush. Shri Amitabh Bachchan was declared as the new Brand Ambassador and anchor for the new approach. Different Indian states received awards for their contribution towards efforts taken for family planning in the country. Tamil Nadu was awarded for its Exemplary Contribution in Post-partum Sterilization, Madhya Pradesh for its Contribution in PPIUCD, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh for their Contribution on Female Sterilization and Male Sterilization respectively. The promotion of family planning and ensuring access to preferred methods for couples to secure the health and status of women. Family planning to be taken as the initial step on a long path towards achieving equality, growth and development. While small size families can be healthier as well as wealthier than the larger ones, empowering women can serve as the key to growing economies and healthy open societies. The quality of family planning services via advocacy with states to become the focus and NHM will give support to ensure quality and improved monitoring of the program. Increasing access to family planning services might effect in transformation on everything from poverty reduction to climate change. It has been utilized as a platform that focuses on improving access to family planning services by providing fixed day static services, quality improvisations of the services, influencing the demand for contraceptives with more choices. ASHA has been instrumental in counseling couples for delaying the birth of the first child by a minimum of 2 years and maintaining, at least, three years gap between the first and the second child. 0.9 Million ASHAs have been delivering contraceptives (Oral contraceptive pills, emergency contraceptive pills and condoms) at the doorsteps of people in villages. http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=138580 It was committed that Family Planning will remain a central part of the government's efforts to ensure universal health coverage and to commit the country towards adopting an integrated approach by considering reproductive health as the main criteria to achieve health goals of the country.At the two-day National Summit held on 5April, 2016 in New Delhi, The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda has stated that. The dignitaries present during the conference include Shri B P Sharma , Secretary (HFW), Shri C K Mishra, AS& MD, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, JS (RCH, IEC) and other senior officers of the ministry and representatives of development partners.The Health Minister has announced a change in the approach of family planning to be the key strategy for reducing child and maternal mortality rates. The new approach is a comprehensive strategy that has been worked out to place maternal and child health at the center point. Family planning will become a key development imperative, reinforcing the rights of people to determine the number and spacing of children.The centrality of issues like social & cultural practices, poverty, low literacy and lack of timely access to healthcare facilities gets highlighted. The important determinants for population stabilization include maternal health, child survival, increasing the age at marriage , increasing birth intervals, delaying the birth of first child, women's empowerment & employment.When women have the freedom to determine the timing of their pregnancies, their position in the society strengthens. It not only reduces child mortality , but also improves maternal health since there are risks associated with pregnancies that happen in quick successions.In collaboration with Civil Society Organizations and the private sector, the country is committed to providing every client (including 200 million couples in reproductive age group) throughout the country withThere comes a broader choice basket of contraceptive choices-This kind of improved access to contraceptives will be addressing all the dimensions of development. The health ministry will be working closely via the private sector engagement with social marketing and franchising approaches that will ensure that everyone receives the interventions.Source: Medindia While every foreign countrys ambassador to India is provided a top-notch luxury car, Mexicos ambassador begs to differ. Melba Pria has been travelling all over Delhi in her very own auto-rickshaw. Whats even more amazing is that she has had her ride customized and the auto-rickshaw bears Mexicos flag and a diplomatic number plate. Embassy Of Mexico In an interview, Pria said that she opted for the auto-rickshaw because its the most common mode of transportation and it causes the least pollution. The auto was bought in Delhi itself and was later painted with floral design and granted a diplomatic license plate. The driver is an official chauffeur on Mexican embassys payroll. Embassy Of Mexico It has been a month since Pria has been using her private steed to attend all her official meetings. While there is always a concern about her security, she says its her tiny bit for global weather change initiative. Just in case you dont know, all our ministers commute in no car other than an SUV! Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis will carry out a two-day visit to Geneva, where he will participate in the Geneva Conference on Preventing Violent Extremism The Way Forward, which is being co-hosted by the United Nations and the Swiss government. Mr. Amanatidis will address the Conference tomorrow, Friday, 8 April. Afterwards, he will attend a working luncheon being hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Within the framework of his visit to Geneva, Mr. Amanatidis will meet with the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit. Within the framework of their visit to Athens on Friday and Saturday, 8 and 9 April, at 14:00 on Saturday the Ministers and Deputy Ministers of six EU member states will visit the Elaionas Open-structured Refugee Hospitality Center, where they will be received by the Secretary General for Population and Social Cohesion, Vasileios Papadopoulos. News media representatives interested in covering the visit are asked to contact the Foreign Ministrys Information and Public Diplomacy Department (tel: 210 368 1921, 210 368 1922, or email: ) by 15:00 on Friday, 8 April. This Email address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it John Henderson was awarded the Van Buren Township Public Safety Department's medal of honor on Tuesday for saving Amariyana Wells from the fire in December, The Ann Arbor News reported. "I've been in a number of hot fires, but never had to do anything like that or go into one like that," Henderson said. The township's fire Chief Dan Besson said Henderson was the first firefighter to reach the house and, once there, he realized he didn't have his helmet. Fire officials said Henderson went into the house anyway and crawled through it until he found the girl. Henderson then drove an ambulance to the hospital so two paramedics could tend to Amaryiana's injuries. She had third-degree burns on her back, legs and arms and the newspaper reports that she still is recovering from her injuries. Seven people, including Amaryiana and three other children, were in the home when the fire started in Wayne County's Van Buren Township, west of Detroit. Family members said Savion Robinson died after going inside to try to save Amariyana. The Record newspaper reports Animal Control Officer Vincent Ascolese says he will give the air horns to Teaneck officials to distribute to the public. Officials say they've received about a dozen complaints from residents reporting aggressive wild turkeys. The birds have attacked residents, pecked at cars, held up traffic. One has flown through a glass kitchen window. Town officials say only the state is able to touch the birds, but residents can humanely scare them away by using water hoses or making loud noises to assert dominance. Amy Schweitzer, of the state Department of Environmental Protection, says the birds' aggressive behavior tends to decrease in the summer. The U.S. Army will continue with its Modular Handgun System effort despite heavy criticism from the service's own chief of staff who called it too bureaucratic and costly for a low-tech item such as a pistol. Army acquisition leaders recently attended a high-level meeting with Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley to determine what to do about the Modular Handgun System, or MHS, effort -- keep as is, restructure or cancel it and start over, according to an Army acquisition official, who asked to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to the media. "The decision was to stay the course with MHS," the official said. This will likely ease a lot of worry from gun-makers competing in the effort since Milley has made no secret about his contempt for service's effort to replace the current M9 9mm pistol. The general has used recent public appearances to chastise a bureaucratic acquisition system for making it overly complicated to field equipment in a timely manner, citing the service's MHS effort as a prime example. But behind the scenes, Milley moved beyond criticism. His office recently asked the Army Special Operations Command's G-8 office, which oversees fielding of equipment, if there is room for the Army to join its pistol contract to buy Glock 19s, according to another Military.com source who asked to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The compact Model 19 is one of Glock's most popular handguns. New Glock 19s retail for $500-$600 each. USASOC is currently paying a base price of about $320 for each Glock 19, the source said. With that price, the Army would pay about $91.8 million if the service were to buy 287,000 pistols, the quantity requirement outlined in the MHS effort, which is currently set to cost at least $350 million. "The thing no one is talking about is the can of worms the chief has opened," the Army acquisition said. "I think it is good that the Army leadership is taking a bigger role in acquisition. On the other hand, there are huge risks when people like the chief have wrong or incomplete information, or jump into the middle of an active competition, the source said. "There are certain things one does not do, unless one is willing to live with the consequences." In this case, consequences mean the possibility of protests or lawsuits by gun makers participating in the MHS completion. "Enough companies have submitted bids for there to be a good MHS competition," the acquisition official said. "No one is saying how many that is or who they are. If they include the larger companies it increases the prospects for litigation because they have the requisite resources, and that is what they do." Milley's stance on MHS continues to draw attention from Congress. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, questioned senior Army officials about it at an April 5 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee's Airland Subcommittee hearing. "This has been a real big issue," she said. "Why is it so difficult for the Army to buy a basic item like a pistol?" Lt. Gen. John M. Murray, deputy chief of staff of the Army's office for programs, or G-8, agreed that the service has been down a "torturous path" on the handgun program. "I will guarantee you [Gen. Milley] is involved with the testing, requirements and source selection, when we get to that point, in every intimate detail," Murray said, describing how he has had "several very long and painful meetings with him in the past week or two and dug into how we got where we are and how do we fix this." The Army launched its long-awaited XM17 MHS competition in late August to replace its Cold War-era M9 9mm pistol. One of the major goals of the effort is to adopt a pistol chambered for a more potent round than the current 9mm. The U.S. military replaced the .45-caliber 1911 pistol with the M9 in 1985 and began using the 9mm NATO round at that time. Gun-makers had until Feb. 12 to submit proposals to the Army. The request for proposal calls on gun-makers to submit packages that include full-size and compact versions of their handgun as well as hundreds of thousands of rounds for testing. One of Milley's biggest criticisms of MHS is that the testing program is scheduled to last two years and cost $17 million. In a break from tradition, the Army is also requiring competing firms to prove that they are capable of delivering millions of rounds of pistol ammunition per month in addition to delivering thousands of new handguns per month, according to the request. The competition will also evaluate expanding or fragmenting ammunition, such as hollow-point bullets, that have been used by law enforcement agencies for years. The Army's draft solicitation cited a new Defense Department policy that allows for the use of "special purpose ammunition." --Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. The U.S. Army's chief of staff told lawmakers Thursday that the service would need another 220,000 soldiers before it could confidently handle major operations with emerging military foes around the world. Gen. Mark Milley told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Army is operating at "high military risk" if it continues to operate at the proposed total Army troop strength of 980,000 soldiers. By fiscal 2018, the Army's active force is slated to have 450,000 soldiers in its ranks. The National Guard will have 335,000 and the Army Reserve will have 195,000 soldiers. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, has been one of several lawmakers who's been very vocal about his concern that the Army is too small. "Everything that I have heard from your generals is there is no way we can meet the imminent threats that we have around the world with 980,000 soldiers," Manchin said. "It's high risk," Milley said. Manchin asked Milley, "What would it take for us not to be at high risk?" Milley said he has a series of studies that are looking at this issue. "If we operate under our current national security strategy, the current defense planning guidance, in order to reduce significant risk or moderate risk, it would take roughly speaking about a 1.2 million-person Army," Milley said. That would mean adding about 50,000 soldiers to the active force alone, Milley said. "And at $1 billion for every 10,000 soldiers, the money is not there, so we are going to make the most efficient and effective use of the Army that we have," Milley said. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, said he wanted to see the Army's active force grow larger than the scheduled 450,000, but asked Milley to talk about the consequences of such a mandate with no additional funding. Milley said the Army would have to make drastic moves to offset the costs, such as making more cuts to modernization and closing installations. "At the end of the day, we would risk literally having a hollow Army," Milley said. "We don't have a hollow Army today, but many on this committee can remember the days when we did -- when people didn't train and units weren't filled up at appropriate levels of manning strength and there were no spare parts -- all of those things would start happening if we increased the size of the force without the appropriate amount of money to maintain its readiness." Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, called it a "remarkable statement" when a service chief talks about high military risk. Sullivan asked Milley if he has looked at how much larger the active force would need to be to reduce some of that risk. "We do we have it broken down for active, Guard and Reserve," Milley said. "The active piece comes out to just a little bit more than 500K or so. "But it's not just numbers; it's the readiness of that force, it's the technological capability of that force, it's how that force plays into the joint force. ... It's the sum total of all those things. We tend to laser focus on size. I think that is critical -- capacity, size. I think that is fundamental to the whole piece, but there are other factors to calculate beyond just the numbers of troops." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related video: The Marine sergeant who made sexist comments about women on the reality television show "Hell's Kitchen" has been fired from his position as a chef to the commandant, according to a news report. Sgt. Frank Cala had apologized for the remarks, but that apparently wasn't enough for the Marine Corps. Capt. Diann Rosenfeld, of Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., on Wednesday said, "Sgt. Cala was removed from the commandant's staff and reassigned to the Marine Enlisted Aide Program," according to an article by Jeff Schogol, a reporter at Marine Corps Times. Calls to Rosenfeld on Wednesday evening weren't immediately returned. Cala was serving as executive chef at the Home of the Commandants when he appeared on the April 1 broadcast of Fox's reality TV cooking competition. After he was kicked out of the contest, he made a confessional interview as he left the set. "The blue team never had any drama until the females came aboard," Cala said. "That's when the ship sunk. And that's exactly why I get [bleeped] female Marines and I send them back wherever [bleeped] they came from." The remarks sparked a furor online, where the video was posted to a Facebook page called, "End Gender Bias in the Military," as an example of a broader culture of sexism. The Corps quickly distanced itself from the comments. A spokesman for Marine for Recruiting Station Baltimore condemned the remarks in his own post online. Officials at Headquarters Marine Corps also responded, saying they were looking into the matter in a post on its official Twitter page. For his part, Cala apologized for the incident. In a 14-second apology in a YouTube video on Tuesday, Cala said, "I want to apologize for my comments made shortly after my elimination from Hell's Kitchen' on Friday night," he said in the clip, which was posted by Lt. Col. Eric Dent, a public affairs officer for Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for my fellow Marines, regardless of gender, and I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart to everyone I've disappointed," Cala added. The incident comes at a time when the U.S. military is opening more combat jobs to women. The Marine Corps, which was initially more resistant to the idea than any of the other services, is now carrying out the directive from Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and has begun accepting applicants to a number of areas, including U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC. -- Hope Hodge Seck contributed to this report. -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. Related Video: Islamic State militants are a rapidly growing presence in Libya and a threat to the stability of its interim government, the top U.S. commander for Africa told reporters Thursday. In a briefing at the Pentagon, Army Gen. David Rodriguez said the population of ISIS fighters in Libya is estimated to be between 4,000 and 6,000, roughly double what it was a year and a half ago, according to U.S. intelligence estimates. But despite this, the U.S. would maintain a policy of limited airstrikes on ISIS targets in Libya, going after only those leaders and groups that posed imminent threats to U.S. personnel and interests, he said. Rodriguez noted that the Nov. 13 airstrike on ISIS leader Abu Nubil in the city of Derna, the first such strike against an Islamic State leader in Libya, was one example of U.S. action against an imminent threat. Another was the series of airstrikes on a militant training camp in the seaside Libyan town of Sabratha in February. The camp reportedly housed a fighter from Tunisia who had planned a pair of attacks on Western tourists in his home country. The town of Sirte remains the largest stronghold for ISIS fighters within Libya, though militants also maintain a presence in the cities of Benghazi, Derna and Sabratha, Rodriguez said. The population of those loyal to the Islamic State in Libya includes foreign fighters who flow back and forth across northern Africa and deploy to Iraq and Syria, as well as some who have returned from those regions. "And then there's another phenomenon to Libya, which is some [fighters] that just moved over and pledged allegiance to ISIS that were already there," he said. While it's clear, Rodriguez said, that the ISIS fighters in Libya want to attack targets in the West just as those from the main branch of the extremist group do, he maintained that the threat these fighters posed was not as advanced as it was in other regions. Fewer of the fighters are "homegrown" as they are in Iraq and Syria, he added, and the militants faced additional opposition from the Libyan population, which tended to oppose outside influences. "The top concern about that presence is really the challenge it presents for any movement forward for the Government of National Accord so that they can reduce the chaos there," Rodriguez said. The Government of National Accord was formed in December with the endorsement of the United Nations Security Council. That interim government is now working with local militias to develop allegiances. These militias have challenged ISIS forces on the ground, Rodriguez said, and have had some success in limiting the growth of the extremist movement. "It will really be determined by how well and effective those militias support the GNA that really makes the difference in the end," he said. It's possible the U.S. may increase airstrikes on ISIS targets in Libya in the future, after the interim government gains stability, Rodriguez said, but that is dependent on the will of the government itself. "The U.S. has said they'll support the Government of National Accord ... and that will be determined by the Government of National Accord and the international community, how that moves forward," Rodriguez said. Rodriguez delivered the brief as he nears the end of his tenure as head of AFRICOM. He entered the position in April 2013 as the third commander since the command stood up in 2006. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, now the director for Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff, will be tapped to replace Rodriguez at the post. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Almost 100 people mostly from Haiti who were rescued from an overcrowded boat off the Florida coast had no food or water for... The U.S. and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have the beginnings of a plan to retake the ISIS stronghold of Mosul but nothing is in the works as yet to reclaim Raqqa in northeastern Syria, a U.S. military spokesman said Thursday. "Here in Iraq, we have a much more formal planning capability" in coordination with the ISF and its formal structure, said Army Col. Steve Warren, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve in Baghdad. "In Syria, obviously we don't have that." "What we have is a very small number of U.S. advisers providing advice to essentially an irregular army called the Syrian Democratic Forces," Warren said. The SDF includes factions that sometimes fight with each other and "we're trying to bring together the others. As a result, there is a much less developed plan for Raqqa," the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Warren said. In a video briefing from Baghdad to the Pentagon, Warren said that the Syrian rebels aligned with the U.S. continued to make progress in taking territory east of Raqqa to sever links between Raqqa and Mosul, but actions against Raqqa itself were limited to coalition airstrikes against ISIS leadership and strikes to degrade ISIS' defenses. Warren said he could not give an estimate on the number of fighters loosely allied in the SDF, but said it was likely in the "tens of thousands. Quite frankly, that number fluctuates a lot," as rebels fight for a limited amount of time and then return to their home villages, he said. In recent news conferences and congressional testimony, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford have repeatedly said that retaking Mosul and Raqqa was the primary objective in an "accelerated' campaign to defeat ISIS. In Iraq, Warren basically confirmed reports from the Iraqis themselves that the 15th Division of the ISF was having difficulty moving out from a Mosul staging base at Makhmour, about 60 miles south of Mosul, because of ISIS resistance and continuing rocket fire attacks that occasionally are targeted ineffectively at a new U.S. Marine fire base in the area. "The Marines are there just temporarily" as Task Force Spartan, Warren said, but "we don't have an end date for them yet." About 200 Marines and four 155mm howitzers from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit secretly deployed to Makhmour last month. On March 19, Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin was killed and eight other Marines were wounded by ISIS rocket fire. Warren said that the position set up by the Marines and called "Fire Base Bell" has now been renamed as the "Kara Soar Counter-Fire Complex." He said that the Marines "fire every day in support of Iraqi maneuver" forces. However, Warren said the Iraqis were meeting resistance as they attempt to take villages north of Makhmour and the Iraqi units also were experiencing desertions. On Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Najm Abdullah al-Jubbouri, commander of Iraqi forces in the region, said the offensive out of Makhmour had been put on hold to await reinforcements, Reuters reported. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com. Related video: The Marlins have signed Tyler Kolek, the second overall pick of the 2014 draft, and will officially introduce their newest prospect later today. Kolek will sign for a $6MM bonus, MLB.coms Jim Callis reported over the weekend, which is the third-highest bonus ever given to a high school pitcher taken in the draft. It is still, however, significantly below the approximate $6.822MM slot price for the No. 2 overall selection. Miami has already freed some savings by locking up Blake Anderson to a bonus of about $400K less than his slot value, so the Marlins have quite a bit of extra money available in its draft pool to reach agreement with several of its purportedly hard-to-sign, later-round picks. Kolek was a consensus top-three talent heading into the draft. The 65, 250lb Texas high school righty has been said to have perhaps the most powerful prep fastball ever, regularly hitting and even surpassing the 100mph plateau. ESPN.coms Keith Law notes that he will need to develop a third offering to complement his heater and slider, but obviously his upside is tantalizing. Joe Frisaro of MLB.com first reported that Kolek and the Marlins were in advanced negotiations, while Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported that the two sides had reached an agreement pending a physical. MLBTRs Charlie Wilmoth and Mark Polishuk contributed to this post. On this weeks podcast, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic joins host Jeff Todd to talk about A.J. Pollocks injury, finding playing time for the D-backs glut of infielders, the possibility of adding to the payroll via the summer trade market, and the recent chatter about a new stadium. Following that, MLBTRs Charlie Wilmoth hops on to discuss Gregory Polancos five-year, $35MM extension with the Pirates, his long-term upside, and Juan Nicasios 2016 outlook on the heels of a dominant spring and first start. Click here to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and please leave a review! The podcast is also available via Stitcher at this link. The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast runs weekly on Thursday afternoons. Toyota FCV Plus The Toyota FCV Plus concept. (Courtesy image/Toyota) DETROIT, MI - Ann Arbor will be home to a third Toyota Research Institute, joining Massachusetts and Silicon Valley as locations for the Japanese automaker's research facilities. The new TRI will be near the University of Michigan campus, where it will fund research in artificial intelligence, robotics and materials science, Toyota said Thursday. Toyota's other such TRI locations work with MIT in Cambridge, Mass. and Stanford University in California. "Beyond the extraordinary work that U-M is doing broadly in advancing automotive safety research--and in autonomous driving, in particular-- Toyota has deep roots in the Ann Arbor community," Gill Pratt, CEO of TRI, said Thursday in keynote remarks at the GPU Technology Conference. She added that TRI was drawn to Ann Arbor because of the strength of the university, the utility of Mcity and the Mobility Transformation Center that Toyota sponsors, the potential of the American Center for mobility at Willow Run, and the close proximity to Toyota's technical centers in the area. Related: U-M opens 32-acre MCity site to test autonomous, connected vehicles The Ann Arbor TRI will also be joined by U-M Engineering faculty members Ryan Eustice and Edwin Olson. Eustice is an associate professor of naval architecture and marine engineering, and Olson is an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science. "We are thrilled to welcome Toyota's enhanced participation in our continually growing autonomous vehicle ecosystem," David Munson, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, said in a release. "The roots of today's automobile are in this region and, and we think it's future is here too. The research we're advancing will fundamentally transform the transportation landscape." Related: Planned connected vehicle facility at Willow Run years in the making Toyota's research institutes received an initial funding of $1 billion with four main goals: Make driving safer and create a car that is incapable of causing a crash; Increase the accessibility of cars for people who cannot drive, such as seniors or people with special needs; Increase all forms of mobility, and Accelerate scientific discovery in artificial intelligence and machine learning to lower costs and improve performance of future mobility systems. About 15 Toyota employees will transfer to Ann Arbor's new TRI, which is expected to open in June. The Ann Arbor TRI will eventually employ 50 staff members. Toyota's three research centers are meant to have broad focuses. However, the An Arbor TRI will focus primarily on fully autonomous driving, while the California location will focus on "guardian angel" driving, in which a driver is always engaged but the vehicle assists, and the MIT location will focus on simulation and "deep learning,' Toyota said. David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Ed Welburn, vice president of General Motors Global Design will retire on July 1, following a 44-year career with the company. Michael Simcoe, a 33-year veteran of GM Design and vice president of GM International Design, will succeed Welburn. DETROIT, MI - Ed Welburn, General Motors' well-known and highly respected design chief, plans to retire effective July 1, the Detroit automaker announced Thursday. Welburn, 65, has been with the company for 44 years. He has held the highest executive office of any African American in the auto industry. He has been at the helm of GM Design since 2003, making him just the sixth design chief in the company's history. Welburn's role expanded globally in 2005. He oversaw the launch of 10 GM design centers in seven countries, employing a team of more than 2,500. "GM Design is among the most respected and sought-after organizations in the industry because of Ed's leadership," GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. "He nurtured a creative, inclusive and customer-focused culture among our designers that has strengthened our global brands." Welburn has led the design of some of GM"s most critically acclaimed vehicles, such as the Buick Avista concept, revealed last January in Detroit. Welburn will be replaced by Michael Simcoe, a 33-year veteran currently based in Australia and Korea for the GM Design team. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids-based Meijer will hold a job fair at 17 of their locations throughout southeast Michigan starting at 12 p.m. Thursday. The company is looking to hire 900 new employees. According to a release, Meijer wants to hire around 50 people at each of the 17 stores. They ask those interested in a job to apply to be interviewed Thursday and Friday between 12 and 4 p.m. Click here to view the jobs available in the state. The job fairs will be held at the following stores: Auburn Hills, 800 Brown Road Chesterfield Township, 27255 23 Mile Road Clinton Township, 40445 S. Groesbeck Highway Fraser, 34835 Utica Road Lapeer, 1555 DeMille Road Lenox Township. 36865 26 Mile Road Madison Heights. 1005 E. 13 Mile Road Marysville, 205 S. Range Road Oxford Township, 900 N. Lapeer Road Port Huron, 4775 24th Avenue Rochester, 3175 Rochester Road Rochester Hills, 3610 Marketplace Circle Roseville, 30800 Little Mack Road Royal Oak, 5150 Coolidge Highway Shelby Township, 15055 Hall Road Sterling Heights, 36600 Van Dyke Ave. Washington Township, 8401 26 Mile Road Meijer has 223 stores throughout the midwest. The company has two supercenters open in Detroit. The company announced in March they plan to spend $400 million remodeling 32 stores those year. Also planned are new stores in Sturgis, Mich., and Flat Rock, Mich. Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter. School-entry-photo-12-8.jpg Parents cite many reasons for sending their children to public schools outside of their home district. A new study shows that the average student won't produce higher test scores in a new district. (Bridge archive photo/Sam Zomer) There is no academic benefit to Michigan's popular school of choice program. Almost 100,000 children - roughly 1-in-16 students in the state's K-12 system - attend classes in a traditional public school system outside their neighborhood school district. A first-of-its-kind study by education researchers at Michigan State University found that, on average, those students fare no better on state standardized tests than similar students who stay in their home districts. The study emerges at a time when the shape of Michigan's public education system is being re-envisioned. Gov. Rick Snyder unveiled a "21st Century Education Commission" last week charged with examining high-performing school systems around the nation and making recommendations to revamp Michigan's struggling schools. A prominent member of that commission pounced on the study as a reason to rein in school choice. "Unrestrained choice is an unmitigated disaster for Michigan," said State Education Board President John Austin. "Cross-district choice is less about learning than about competing for students and money." School choice advocates vehemently disagree, noting that there are many reasons beyond test scores that families choose to move their children to other districts, such as perceived safety or social issues involving their children. But the study is likely to renew debate over the state's broad school-of-choice policy, which traces its roots to 1994 as part of the Prop A reform in school finance. School districts were given the option of allowing students in nearby districts to enroll in their schools. The same policy change allowed the creation of charter schools. You can see Michigan's school of choice policy here. More than 80 percent of traditional public school districts now accept at least some school-of-choice transfers, though some put caps on the number of students accepted. Charter schools, where about 136,000 Michigan students now attend classes, have received a lot of research attention, but little notice has been paid to the 100,000 students who move from one traditional public school district to another (The MSU study did not evaluate students who choose to attend charters over their home districts). School of choice has given families freedom to enroll their children where they want, but critics note that the program has also wreaked havoc on district budgets, as districts lose at least $7,176 in state funding for every neighborhood student who decides to take classes in another district. 'No discernable difference' The records of nearly 3 million Michigan public school students between 2005-06 and 2012-13 were analyzed in the study, conducted by MSU associate professor of education Joshua Cowen and graduate student Benjamin Creed. The study is the first to offer conclusive answers to how school of choice in Michigan affects learning. The study found "no discernible difference in math or reading test scores between kids who transfer using Schools of Choice and those who remain in their home districts." Cowen is careful to draw no conclusion about the value of Michigan's school of choice program for Michigan families, telling Bridge that there are many reasons families may choose to switch schools beyond improved academics. With school of choice involving so many children in so many schools across the state, the findings may say less about the impact of choice than about variability in the quality of schools. "If you looked at say the top 50 schools in Michigan and only looked at the effect of schools of choice there, my hunch would be that you see some big positive results," Cowen told Bridge. "Similarly if school of choice kids only went to the worst 50 schools we'd see big negatives. But that's not how this system - or any choice system - works. If some kids are going to some great schools under school of choice, and others aren't, it's not that surprising to see on average that it kind of turns into a wash." If not for learning, why switch? The study's findings aren't a surprise to Blake Prewitt, superintendent of Ferndale Schools, which experiences a large inflow of school of choice students from Detroit, along with a smaller number of students who transfer from Ferndale to surrounding school districts. "It's rare that someone says my kid isn't doing well so I'm going to move them," Prewitt said. "People move for a myriad reasons. But academics, I believe, isn't a reason. Honestly, a lot of it ends up being demographics (such as socioeconomics and race). There is a part of the populations that feels the grass is greener somewhere else." Many Michigan students are eventually finding the grass isn't actually greener. An earlier analysis of the same data by MSU's Cowen revealed that the majority of students who leave their home district for classrooms elsewhere eventually leave their school of choice district. "There's a bit of a revolving door," Cowen told Bridge in July. Even if school of choice doesn't improve learning and the majority of students aren't likely to stick in their new district, Michigan families still benefit from having the power to make decisions on what schools are best for their children, argues Gary Naeyaert, executive director of the Great Lakes Education Project, a school reform organization that promotes schools of choice and charter schools. "We're not surprised that students who choose to leave a traditional public school and attend another traditional public school would show little academic change from the move," Naeyaert said. "Given there are numerous reasons parents choose different schools for their children, we support their right to choose." If parents are making those choices for reasons other than improving test scores, then perhaps it's not surprising that test scores aren't affected by the program, Cowen said. But Austin, of the state school board, argues that "choice for choice's sake" is not a valid education policy. "If cross-district choice isn't improving education, what is the point?" Austin offered two alternatives. First is a financial carrot-and-stick model in which districts receive less state funding for school-of-choice students than for home-district students, which would encourage investment in local programs and discourage competition for student dollars. Second would be what Austin called "managed choice," in which the ability to transfer to a neighboring district was controlled by caps that assure a maintenance of racial and socioeconomic diversity in all districts. "School of choice policy," Austin said, "should be redirected toward improving learning outcomes." KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Kalamazoo Poetry Festival will take place April 15-16, featuring nationally acclaimed poets Natalie Diaz and Jamaal May and offering readings, craft talks, and workshops led by some of the region's most celebrated writers. "We are fortunate to find among us a thriving community of writers who contribute to our area's rich cultural fabric," Kalamazoo Poetry Festival board chair Stacy Nowicki said in a news release. "The festival celebrates this talent and the creative energy that inspires us to read, perform, and write poetry. " The event is scheduled in April to coincide with National Poetry Month. As part of the 2016 festival, the number of workshops have been increased from three offerings two years ago to eight this year. Leading the workshops are Jennifer Clark, Margaret DeRitter, Jane Huffman, Fable The Poet (Marcel Price,) Elizabeth Kerlikowske, Gail Martin, Preacher C (Cornelius Shaw,) and McKenzie Lynn Tozan. A craft talk with Natalie Diaz and Jamaal May will be moderated by Diane Seuss, author of the 2015 poetry collection "Four Legged Girl." A reading by workshop leaders, an open mic, and a reading by the guest poets all will be featured. "It has been exciting to see how the community has responded to our first two events -- our first festival in 2014 and the Celebration of Community Poets in 2015," said Nowicki. "We wanted to provide a showcase for the many talented local poets that we knew were working and writing in this area. The quality of the work presented and the acceptance by the community has been everything we hoped for." For more information, visit http://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/. 2016 festival schedule: Friday, April 15 1 - 2 p.m. Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Arcadia Commons Campus, Downtown *Give Us This Day Our Daily Poetry - Reading And Writing Poems As Spiritual Practice with Margaret DeRitter and Jennifer Clark *The Poetry of Jamaal May and Natalie Diaz with Jane Huffman 2:30 - 4 p.m Kalamazoo Valley Community College - Arcadia Commons Campus, Downtown *This Is My Letter to the World: Writing Epistolary Poems with Gail Martin *You Are The Poem Yet Written: Performing Poetry with Preacher 6 p.m. Wellspring Theater at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Downtown *Reading: Kalamazoo Poetry Festival Workshop Leaders Live 8 - 9 p.m. FIRE, 1249 Portage Road, Kalamazoo *Open Mic Saturday, April 16 9:30 - 11 a.m. Kalamazoo College, Upjohn Library Commons *Your Teeth Feel Like a Road: Writing With Children, in the Classroom and Out with Elizabeth Kerlikowske, Room 305 *Poetry and (Work)Place: Inviting Your Vocation into Your Poetry, with Mckenzie Lynn Tozan, Room 306 *Wanna Get Published? with Kathleen McGookey, Room 308 12:30 - 2 p.m. Kalamazoo College, Upjohn Library Commons *Community Building through Local Open Mic Showcases with Fable The Poet, Room 305 *The Poetry of Jamaal May and Natalie Diaz with Jane Huffman, Room 306 *Unlocking the Poet Within: A Workshop for Teens with Jennifer Clark, Room 308 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College *Craft Talk and Q&A with Natalie Diaz and Jamaal May, led by Diane Seuss 7 p.m. Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo *Natalie Diaz and Jamaal May Reading ANN ARBOR, MI -- Ann Arbor officials are reporting an estimated 400,000 gallons of sewage overflowed into Malletts Creek. A public works crew member for the city discovered a sanitary sewer manhole overflowing in a wooded area near the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and Huron Parkway late Wednesday morning, city officials said. The cause of the overflow was determined to be roots that had grown through the sanitary sewer pipe, blocking flow. Ann Arbor officials have reported another sewage overflow. City crews immediately responded and removed the roots from the pipe to restore the pipe to functioning order and end the overflow, city officials said. Upon further investigation, evidence indicated that the overflow had been occurring for about two weeks. City officials said there are no communities downstream that withdraw water from the Huron River for drinking purposes, and there are no health risks posed to those using the river for recreational purposes due to the dilution effects. The city believes the overflow was occurring at a rate of about 20 gallons per minute. In accordance with regulatory protocols, city staff contacted the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to inform the state of the incident. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. Vera Pecaj.png Vera Pecaj, 40, sits in the back of a Green Oak Township Police car on Jan. 2 after an officer arrested her for resisting and obstructing arrest. She later pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge. (Courtesy | Green Oak Township Police) Editor's note: The video contains explicit language. ANN ARBOR, MI -- A Brighton woman recently pleaded guilty in court to resisting arrest, but contends she shouldn't have been arrested in the first place. Vera Pecaj, 40, was charged in January with resisting and obstructing arrest, a felony, after a run-in with Green Oak Township Police Officer Michael Jain. Pecaj, a native of France and a teacher, was running on her regular route in Green Oak Township when Jain stopped to advise her she needed to run on the sidewalk. Pecaj admits she declined to give the officer her name and that she was upset. However, she maintains she did nothing wrong. "I'm a citizen that respects the law. I don't go out there doing something wrong," Pecaj said. "It's humiliating to be treated that. I still believe I did nothing wrong." Audio recording from the arrest shows her screaming and swearing for several minutes as Jain arrested her and took her to the Livingston County jail. Green Oak Township Police Chief Jason Pless said he supports the facts as stated in the police report. On Jan. 2, Pecaj was running on the north side of Lee Road when an officer pulled alongside her and told her to run on the sidewalk on the south side of the road. Michigan law states pedestrians "shall not walk on main travel portions of highway" where there is a sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, then pedestrians are to walk on the left side of the highway facing traffic. In his report, Jain said Pecaj refused to stop and speak to him. Jain crossed Rickett Road and then turned left onto Mission Road to wait for Pecaj, his report states. When he held up his hand to signal her to stop, he said, she repeatedly refused. When she finally did --after Jain informed her she needed to stop or she'd go to jail -- Pecaj refused to give her name and yelled she had done nothing wrong. Pecaj turned away to keep running, and Jain grabbed her arm. "Don't f****** touch me," Pecaj yelled, according to Jain's report. At that point, Jain told her she was under arrest and to put her hands behind her back. Pecaj struggled, according to the report and the dash cam audio. The dash cam does not show her arrest, which was to the side of the vehicle. But the verbal exchange can be heard through the dash cam's audio. Jain: "Put your hands behind your back." Pecaj: "I didn't do anything. Don't f****** touch me." Jain: "Stop. Stop right now, or you're going to ground." Pecaj: "I'm not going to the ground. Don't f****** touch me." She continued to yell as the officer handcuffed and placed her in the back of the SUV. Jain stated in his report Pecaj spit on him, and she replied she attempted to spit on the ground. At one point, she asked why Jain was arresting her. He replied he was arresting her because she refused to identify herself. Pecaj told the officer her name once she was in the back of his police SUV. She declined medical treatment, but said the handcuffs were hurting her wrists and continued to argue with the officer about her arrest on the way to the jail. Pecaj's story differs. She admits to declining to give her name, swearing and being upset, but said she was running against traffic on a road with no sidewalk, and there was no reason for the officer to stop her. She also said she did not turn and run away from the officer. The dash-cam video only starts when he was arresting her. "Everything happened so fast. I was upset," Pecaj said. "For me, I am convinced I didn't do anything wrong." She said Jain hurt her wrist during the arrest and her handcuffs were too tight. In the police report, Jain said he offered to call an ambulance, which Pecaj declined, and noted upon arriving at the jail her handcuffs were not excessively tight. She spent the weekend in jail and was charged with resisting and obstructing arrest, a felony. On March 17, she pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge and paid $707 in fines. Pecaj said she did so at the advice of her attorney because she didn't want to deal with a possible felony conviction. Months after the incident, Pecaj said she's scared of running and stopped running for weeks after the incident. She's since changed her route to avoid Lee Road. "Now when I run, my stomach starts to tighten. I think about this constantly," she said. "I am for justice, and I am for what's fair for everybody. That's not what happened here." Lindsay Knake is a cops and courts reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com. county_roads_plan_March2016.jpg Road projects in Washtenaw County townships that could be funded over the next four years if a countywide road tax is approved. Green represents 2017 projects, red 2018, yellow 2019 and blue 2020. This map does not show how cities and villages might spend their portions of the millage revenues. (Courtesy of Washtenaw County Road Commission ) ANN ARBOR, MI -- At the same time Ann Arbor voters are asked to reauthorize the city's 2.125-mill street and sidewalk tax, voters throughout Washtenaw County might be asked to continue a countywide road tax. The Washtenaw County Road Commission is recommending the county board approve putting a four-year road and nonmotorized path tax before voters in August, staying at the same 0.5-mill rate as the countywide road tax the county board has levied without voter approval each of the last two years. If the countywide levy is approved by voters on the Aug. 2 ballot, the Road Commission recommends putting 20 percent of the tax revenues toward nonmotorized paths. Sheryl Siddall, Road Commission engineering director, is expected to present the plan during a county board working session tonight, April 7. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. inside the county administration building at 220 N. Main St. in downtown Ann Arbor. The agenda indicates the only discussion item will be potential ballot initiatives in August and November. The City Council this week approved placing its street and sidewalk tax on the Aug. 2 ballot, with the understanding that, with the scope of the tax redefined, some of the revenue could be used for nonmotorized and pedestrian safety improvements, including filling sidewalk gaps and improving crosswalks. The Road Commission estimates a 0.5-mill countywide road tax, which would continue to be levied on top of the city's tax, would fund nearly 200 miles of road improvements over the duration of the millage. The four-year millage would function similarly to the Public Act 283 road millage that was approved by the county board each of the last two years, funding nearly 70 miles of additional road improvements each year it was approved. The Road Commission proposes having 20 percent of the funds go to the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission to fund improvements on the countywide nonmotorized transportation network, including the Border-to-Border Trail and the Connecting Communities program. The Road Commission and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission both approved resolutions in support of the millage in March. The four-year millage would provide cities and villages with funding proportional to the amount raised within their borders, after the 20 percent for nonmotorized paths is distributed to county parks. The Road Commission would receive the remaining funds for use on county roads that are located in townships. It's estimated the millage would raise about $7.2 million per year altogether. "This four-year road millage would essentially extend the successful P.A. 283 program that has been approved the past two years. We are raising the money locally and it will be used locally. Just like P.A. 283, residents will see road improvements the same year that the millage is levied," said Roy Townsend, managing director at the Road Commission. A 0.5-mill tax costs the owner of a home with a $200,000 market value and a $100,000 taxable value $50 per year. The average Washtenaw County homeowner would pay about $35 per year, according to the Road Commission. The commission notes the millage would not represent an increase in taxes, as it's the same amount already levied for 2015 and 2016. The Road Commission argues a four-year countywide road tax is needed because road funding in Michigan is based on vehicle registration fees and gas taxes, and there is not enough money being generated by those to adequately maintain the public road system in Washtenaw County. To get all of the county's roads up to good or fair condition, it would require an additional $50 million, according to the Road Commission. "A four-year road millage would help fill the funding gap while Washtenaw County awaits the five-year phase-in of new road funding recently approved by the state," the Road Commission stated in a fact sheet about the proposed millage. "If the state does not fully fund the new road funding package, the millage will provide Washtenaw County with a funding mechanism to continue improving county roads." In late 2015, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a road funding package that's expected to phase in new funding over five years, from 2017 to 2021, but the Road Commission noted last month there was some uncertainty as half the funding -- about $600 million -- is to come from shifts in the state's general fund. "Lawmakers are counting on continued economic growth to bring in more tax revenue that can be used towards roads," the Road Commission stated in a press release. "If economic growth does not continue, future legislators may set budget priorities that differ from the intentions of the road funding package." The Road Commission has put together a draft four-year road improvement plan showing some of the anticipated road projects using the proposed county levy. The map shows how the Road Commission could spend its share in the townships. It does not show how cities and villages might spend their shares. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. DETROIT, MI -- The Detroit school board on Wednesday sued Gov. Rick Snyder, three former emergency mangers of the district and several people charged in vendor bribery schemes. It's a federal class-action lawsuit seeking compensation for every Detroit Public Schools student going back to 2011, seeking compensation for children "who have been subjected to constitutional violations" related to emergency management. The school district has been under state control since 2009. The school board has been powerless since the state's emergency manager law was strengthened in 2011. "The Emergency Manager is deemed necessary not only to resolve the fiscal problem but also to protect the public health and safety. Yet in the case of of the Detroit Public Schools, while other state and local officials were involved, Emergency Managers undertook and/or established decision-making processes that compromised and damaged the quality of education DPS children received, a critical reason being the loss of accountability and the system of checks and balances that are provided by representative government," the lawsuit claims. (Full complaint embedded below) It alleges violations of constitutional equal protection and due process rights. A message seeking comment was left with a spokesman for the governor's office. The governor has been advocating for $715 million package of bills, passed in the state Senate last month, that would relieve Detroit schools of massive debt obligations and relaunch the district. The district faces $515 million in operating debt, costing $1,100 per-student to cover debt-service payments. The House is considering another version of the legislation. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, claims a series of emergency managers "have turned the district into a virtual financial hell-hole." "The EM is supposed to be able to better handle the situation, make better and faster decisions, and resolve the financial crisis, but has done nothing but drive the district downward," the lawsuit claims. Pressure for dramatic improvement in the ciyt's public school system mounted earlier this year after parents and teachers revealed jarring problems with rodent and mold infestations and other poor conditions in Detroit school buildings. Kildee unites 25 Congress members to hear Flint residents amidst water crisis U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, leads a Congressional delegation team of 25 people as they come to listen to Flint residents and understand the water crisis on Friday, March 4, 2016 at Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church in Flint. Jake May | MLive.com GENESEE COUNTY, MI - U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee has filed nominating petitions for re-election to the Fifth Congressional District that covers a large swath of the mid-Michigan region. The petitions included 2,000 signatures from residents across the Congressional district that includes Genesee, Bay, Arenac and Iosco counties and parts of Tuscola and Saginaw County. The signatures were filed Thursday, April 7 at the Secretary of State's office. "Our community faces unique challenges, and there is still more work to do," said Kildee in a statement announcing the re-election effort. "From ensuring Flint families get the resources they need to recover from the ongoing water crisis, to helping rebuild our region's economy so it can compete in the twenty-first century, I want to continue working and delivering for my constituents." Kildee, D-Flint Township, is serving his second term in Congress -- first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2014 -- and sits on the House Financial Services Committee, and House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee that held a Feb. 10 hearing on the impact of the water crisis. In his re-election announcement, Kildee touted efforts to bring in more than $200 million to the state for stabilization of the housing market and blight removal and strengthening of warning notifications regarding drinking water standards. "Despite a bitterly divided Congress, my track record shows I have worked with anyone -- Republicans, Independents and Democrats -- to get things done for the Fifth District," he said. "Every day, I go to work representing the interests of cities and towns across the district, and it would be a privilege and honor to continue representing mid-Michigan in Congress." Dan Kildee is the nephew of former U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, who was elected to 18 terms in Congress before he decided not to seek re-election to the seat in 2012. A view of the Menominee River near the Michigan-Wisconsin border. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources) ALCONA COUNTY, MI -- A woman is accused of stealing up to $100,000 from a small Northern Michigan fire department where she volunteered her time to work as its treasurer for 15 years, police say. Mary "Kathy" Largent is charged with embezzlement of at least $50,000 and up to $100,000, according to Michigan State Police Det. Jennifer Pintar. The felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Largent, 57, resigned from the position with the Hubbard Lake South Shore Fire Department in October 2015, prompting the Alcona County agency to do a review of its financial accounts. Hubbard Lake is about 25 miles south of Alpena. Several inconsistencies with credit card purchases and bank accounts were discovered, Lintar said. A more thorough examination of the records by an accountant revealed the depths of the alleged fraud. Largent used the money for personal use, including to fund her gambling, police said. Largent was arrested and arraigned on this week. She was released on a personal recognizance bond, authorities said. In a statement, the South Shore Hubbard Lake Fire Department Board of Directors said it has worked closely with the state police and the prosecutor's office to ensure complete transparency throughout the course of the investigation. "(We) took immediate and strong actions to strengthen financial controls and enhance Board oversight of financial condition and activities," the board stated. "We wish to assure the public that the South Shore Hubbard Lake Fire Department is currently financially healthy and is working, as always, to improve the fire department's level of training and readiness." The board will have an independent accounting firm audit the books every year going forward. Other changes include a new accounting software program and requiring multiple reviews and signatures on checks issued. Gov. Rick Snyder takes his seat before a hearing about the Flint water crisis in front of the U.S. House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform at the Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday, March 17, 2016, in Washington D.C. FLINT, MI -- U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings is questioning the accuracy of testimony given by Gov. Rick Snyder at a Congressional hearing on the Flint water crisis last month. In a letter to Snyder today, April 7, Cummings, the ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said the governor's comments about his willingness to work with Mayor Karen Weaver and others "to deliver the assistance our citizens deserve" don't appear to be accurate. Ari Adler, director of communications for the governor, said Snyder's staff is in "near daily contact with the mayor and her key staff." But Cummings' letter says, "based on new documents we have obtained, it appears that (the governor) withheld from Mayor Weaver information about your 75-point plan to address this crisis" until after the March 17 hearing. "Your top aide, Richard Baird, sent (the mayor) an email informing her that you would be releasing your plan publicly in the coming days," the letter says. "Mr. Baird even proposed a quote for Mayor Weaver in a draft press release, which she rejected immediately because you excluded her from this process." "Your actions raise grave concerns about the accuracy of your testimony before our Committee," the nine-page letter says. "If you withheld information about your 75-point plan from Mayor Weaver and other local leaders until after your appearance before our Committee, it would appear to directly contradict your testimony March 17." Cummings asked that Snyder produce all emails, communications and other documents related to how the governor and his staff planned, developed and released the plan for Flint "including your internal discussions about how and when to involve Mayor Weaver and others in this process." Adler today issued a statement about Cummings' comments. "When we received this letter, top members of the governor's staff were meeting with the City Council president and vice president. The Snyder administration is also in near daily contact with the mayor and her key staff regarding efforts being made to help restore Flint and help the people who live there recover from this crisis. "We will continue our efforts to ensure an open line of communication continues to be available in both directions between the state and the city as the state works on delivering more than $232 million in state resources that Gov. Snyder has proposed as part of his efforts to solve problems in Flint. "We encourage all officials at all levels of government to focus their efforts on delivering the solutions the people of Flint need and deserve," the statement says. Snyder's 75-point action plan for the Flint water crisis included short, intermediate and long-term goals focusing on topics including health and human services, water supply and infrastructure, education, jobs and economic development. In addition to his questions, Cummings said in his letter that he is accepting an offer he said Snyder made to him when the two met in Washington the day before the governor testified. "I would like to accept your offer and come to Michigan as early as next week," the letter says. "I request that we meet jointly with Mayor Weaver, Flint City Council President Kerry Nelson, and Rep. (Dan) Kildee to determine how to get the people of Flint the resources they need as soon as possible." LANSING, MI -- Former Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat plan to proceed with a lawsuit against the House of Representatives, an attorney for Courser told MLive. Attorneys for Courser and Gamrat filed a notice of intent with the state Court of Claims on March 10. That document had to be filed within a certain amount of time to preserve their right to sue, and does not necessarily mean a lawsuit will follow. But Matthew DePerno, an attorney with DePerno Law Office who is representing Courser in the matter, said the parties planned to sue. "We do. Nothing's been filed yet but the plan is to move forward with a lawsuit," DePerno said. The representatives were ousted after an affair and cover-up became public. A House Business Office investigation found they had misused state resources. In a late-night session on Sept. 11, 2015 Courser resigned and the body voted to expel Gamrat. The notice of intent to sue that DePerno and Gamrat attorney Robert Baker filed alleges that Gamrat's expulsion and Courser's resignation were in violation of their civil rights under the U.S. and Michigan constitutions. The filing alleges that parties including House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, his Chief of Staff Brock Swartzle and the lawmakers' former staffers were "engaged in a conspiracy" to deprive Courser and Gamrat of their constitutional rights and remove them from the House of Representatives. "I think once the complaint is filed it will be a pretty thorough and lengthy complaint that will explain all of the allegations in great detail," DePerno said. Part of the notice of intent indicates that the two former representatives were "falsely imprisoned" by being kept in the House chamber during their expulsion votes. Asked about that allegation, DePerno said the legal team was still working it out. "I can't say whether that will be in the final version or not at this point," DePerno said. He said he did not yet have a timeline as to when the lawsuit would officially be filed in the Court of Claims. Separately, Courser and Gamrat face criminal charges stemming out of an investigation from Attorney General Bill Schuette's office. Baker did not return a call for comment Wednesday afternoon. Cotter spokesman Gideon D'Assandro said Wednesday the House did not comment on ongoing litigation. Emily Lawler is a Capitol reporter on MLive's statewide Impact Team. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler. LANSING, MI -- As crews pull lead service lines from the ground in Flint, state officials are looking at other Michigan cities and pondering the cost and hurdles of replacing lead pipes in cities like Detroit, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. In mid-March, the Department of Environmental Quality surprised about 1,950 local water systems with a letter instructing them to halt any partial lead service line replacements and begin making plans to replace all lead lines within their distribution area, including the privately-owned portions. "It is recognized this will require significant time and capital outlay and cause many logistical issues, but a plan should be started and potential funding and tools should be explored," read the letter. The two-page letter -- written like a Lead and Copper Rule 101 refresher course -- represents the vast pendulum shift by Michigan officials, who are working almost directly from the Virginia Tech University playbook after dismissing the water quality experts last year while the research team was blowing the whistle on the DEQ's mishandling of the lead water disaster in Flint. Virginia Tech experts say the move toward halting partial replacement is a step toward greater public health protection, although the plans may put the state at odds with local water systems, which have tried mightily to distance themselves from the problems in Flint through forceful statements about their various quality testing and protocols. The Snyder Administration, which has adopted the Virginia Tech team's criticism of the federal Lead and Copper Rule, says the DEQ letter telegraphs the state's desire to fix aging infrastructure; the goal of a new governor-appointed commission tasked with developing long-term improvement strategies. "If we make a policy decision that we should replace the lead lines, then we have to be thinking about that across the state," said John Walsh, strategy director for Gov. Rick Snyder, at a Grand Rapids chamber meeting in March. "If you do it for one community, another is going to wonder why you didn't do it for them." Walsh's thoughts echo those of his boss, who said lead lines should be addressed "every place in the state and the country" while in Grand Rapids last month. They also reflect the the view of the Flint Water Advisory Task Force, which recommended the state ban partial replacements and develop a statewide funding strategy for full replacements in its final report on March 21. Assuming Snyder's 2017 budget is approved by the legislature, the 27-member commission will direct $165 million in infrastructure spending -- a literal drop in the bucket of potential need. Nonetheless, the board's recommendations are due in November and chief among their concerns are Michigan's underground water pipes, many of which are lead lines of the type that leached poison in Flint. The state's Flint task force has advocated full removal, saying the state could become a national model if it gets the project right. The group wants the federal Lead and Copper Rule to explicitly require full replacements be incorporated into water utilities' renewal programs "with required (and monitored) timelines that preclude undue (multi-decade) delays in replacements." Utilities, though, are worried about who pays the bill. If Michigan tackles full replacement, it won't be cheap. A new American Water Works Association study estimates the state has 460,000 buried lead lines -- a number only surpassed by two other states, Ohio and Illinois. Water managers are worried the new DEQ directions will amount to an unfunded mandate, forcing municipalities to either shoulder the cost of full replacements or hike rates. The Fitch Ratings agency estimates the cost of replacement between $1,100 and $5,000 per line, a figure that could add up to $50 billion nationally for replacing the estimated 6 to 11 million U.S. lead lines. Based on that estimate, replacing Michigan lines could cost between $500 million and $2.3 billion. But, cities must find them first. Across Michigan, some communities have almost no idea where the lines are because of poor records. As in Flint, water systems in cities as large as Grand Rapids reply on antiquated paper records kept in file cabinets; a laborious system for pinpointing problem homes. Grand Rapids is developing a better inventory of its estimated 17,000 lead lines, said water system director Joellen Thompson, who was not thrilled at the DEQ instructions to stop the city's practice of replacing only part of lead service lines when they break, are exposed by construction, or at homeowner request. Partial lead service line replacement in Grand Rapids. "Our ownership is only for the portion in the street," said Thompson. For years, Grand Rapids has operated under that policy, which puts the burden of responsibility on homeowners to replace the portion of the line under their own yard. The city offers some low-cost financing options to that end. "We feel that is equitable and fair to the public," she said. However, water quality experts question that, pointing to the original language of the 1991 federal Lead and Copper Rule, which required water utilities that exceeded federal lead limits in drinking water to replace the entire service line at a home which tested high -- even if that forced homeowners to bear some cost. But those tougher standards were weakened in 2000, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, following a water industry lawsuit, amended the 1991 rule to redefine responsibility over lead lines to mean "ownership," thus allowing utilities to replace only the municipal portion. Partial replacements are, in some cases, worse than doing nothing at all, says Virginia Tech water quality expert Yanna Lambrinidou, who argued against the practice while on an EPA drinking water workgroup developing recommendations for long-awaited revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule. Lambrinidou, who is working with the state's Flint Water Interagency Council, said partial replacement can actually increase lead levels at the tap because the work disturbs built-up lead in the line. Even construction activity in the vicinity of service lines can shake loose lead that persists for months. Any home with lead lines near construction work should be using a tap filter, she said. That conclusion, reached in a 2013 EPA study, forms the basis of a class-action lawsuit in Chicago -- a city that installed lead lines right up to their ban in 1986 -- which accuses the city of failing to adequately warn residents of the danger posed to drinking water in the vicinity of street repairs. According to Lambrinidou, the vast majority of partial replacements across the country happen through routine street repairs or water main work. Residents are often ignorant of the potential danger because municipalities are not required to notify nearby homeowners about the work beforehand. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control found that children in homes with a partial replacement were twice as likely as children in homes with an intact lead line to have elevated blood lead. The study, controlled for confounding variables, found the association stood even when the water met the lead action level. In Washington, D.C., which went through a lead water crisis between 2001 and 2004, partial line replacements "caused a second wave of childhood lead poisonings, just as we were being assured that the partial replacement program our utility was carrying out was put into place to protect us," said Lambrinidou. Utilities that balk at halting partial replacements aren't paying attention to advances and research in water system science, Lambrinidou argues. "Some degree of humility is in order," she said. "What we've seen is that when appropriate oversight is conducted, it's actually quite common to find irregularities in the way water systems implement the Lead and Copper Rule." Related Stories Michigan cities beyond Flint have concerning lead water levels In Flint's wake, nationwide lead water testing methods questioned In the mid-1990s, Wisconsin's capitol city, Madison, became the first U.S. city to replace all its lead lines rather than pay the long-term cost of treating water with orthophosphates, which create a protective coating inside lead pipes. Michigan's capitol city, Lansing, also arrived at that conclusion in 2004. Since then, the city Board of Water and Light has spent $42 million to replace 13,500 lead lines. In both cases, ratepayers bore most or part of the replacement cost. Flint has looked to Lansing for guidance on its replacement program, which has hit some early snags. Crews aren't finding lead lines where they expected and some think lead fixtures may be a greater problem than initially thought. "We're having trouble finding lead lines in Flint," said Jim Sygo, interim chief of the DEQ drinking water office. "Where we're seeing high levels of lead, sometimes the service line isn't there." The speculation is that 1970s plumbing upgrades on some streets left short segments of lead pipe -- commonly called a "lead gooseneck" -- connecting the water main to the service line. That could account for why crews have found, in at least one case, high lead levels in homes that have copper service lines. "This just isn't a logical progression of what you might expect," Sygo said. Sygo, who authored the letter on halting partial lead line replacements, said state officials are discussing whether full replacement should be required across Michigan, or on a case-by-case basis in each community. Kalamazoo, for example, does a full line replacement whenever a home tests high. "I think that's working for them," he said. In Saginaw, the city tests overall below the federal threshold, but has trouble with leaded water from fixtures. Flint officials estimate the cost to replace 5,000 lead lines at roughly $55 million, the initial dollars for which are coming from the state. Most Michigan utilities won't be able to afford full replacement without some kind of low-interest loan or grant program, Sygo said. Getting enough money won't be easy, but "we've got to start doing something." Garret Ellison covers government, environment & the Great Lakes for MLive Media Group. Email him at gellison@mlive.com or follow on Twitter & Instagram snyder econ club lansing.jpg Gov. Rick Snyder addressed the Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club on April 7, 2016. (Emily Lawler | MLive.com) LANSING, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday addressed the Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club, calling for a re-boot on how the state addresses education, infrastructure and ultimately its economy. If he'd been here a year ago, he said, he would have been talking about roads. With a long-term road plan in place, now he's talking about what's underground -- the kind of aging infrastructure that contributed to a water crisis in Flint. "We had crumbling infrastructure. And why did roads get first priority? Because you hit a pothole," he said. "Just because it's buried beneath the ground doesn't mean it doesn't have potholes itself." The focus on underground infrastructure, which he announced during his January State of the State address, stems out of the Flint water crisis. The Flint water crisis emerged when the city under a state-appointed emergency manager switched water sources. More corrosive water from the Flint River leached lead out of the city's pipes and into its water supply. Snyder blamed state employees for the crisis. "How did it happen? All it took were several career civil servants that had 20-30 years service that technically read rules and didn't use common sense," Snyder said. Still, he said, he was taking responsibility. "I take this personally. Those folks worked for me," Snyder said. He got two standing ovations from the crowd, and positive feedback from those who posed questions. One Flint native thanked him for all his work in Flint. Another didn't have a question, but thanked the governor for his leadership, transparency and courage over the past six months. He also addressed the financial issues Detroit Public Schools were facing, saying there was a legislative opportunity to solve those. He said Michigan had to look at its education vision statewide. "Let's stop talking in circles and let's start talking in terms of tangible results," he urged. Education, infrastructure and talent all play into his vision for the state's economy. He talked again about the "lost decade," and recent gains in the state's manufacturing, housing and construction industries. He laid out visions on all of those subject areas, touching on autonomous vehicles, First Robotics and innovation. And in the end, he urged those in attendance to get on board. "Let's go build that Michigan," he said. Emily Lawler is a Capitol reporter on MLive's statewide Impact Team. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler. Jeff Schrier | MLive.com Oakley lawsuits Don't Edit Andrew Whitaker | MLive.com Oakley's ongoing legal battle Questions about Michigan's Open Meetings Act turned into a lawsuit that came before the Michigan Supreme Court this week, when justices heard arguments about whether or not the village clerk is considered a public official. It's the latest action among a dozen other lawsuits that include court complaints about secret reservist documents (pictured), a village newsletter, alleged "vile" words, and alleged harassment by the chief of police. Here's a look at a dozen Oakley lawsuits including action that led to once-secret information being released by the village of Oakley. Don't Edit Brad Devereaux | MLive.com Shannon Bitterman sues for police reservist records Filed: April 2013 After The village of Oakley denied Shannon Bitterman's Freedom of Information request that sought contact information for every member of Oakley's reserve police force, Bitterman sued the village in Saginaw County court. The latest: Village attorney Richard Hamilton advised the board to release the information in an attempt to end litigation and the Michigan Court of Appeals in a March 2015 order dismissed the case. Pictured: Shannon Bitterman listens during a Tuesday, March 11, 2014, Village of Oakley meeting. Two certified police officers of the Oakley Police Department are pictured in the background. Don't Edit Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com Shannon Bitterman sues clerk, village, alleging Open Meetings Act violations Filed: April, May 2013 Shannon Bitterman filed lawsuits, one against clerk Cheryl Bolf, and another against the village of Oakley, alleging violations of the state's Open Meetings Act regarding a November 2012 closed meeting. A Saginaw County judge ruled the village violated the Open Meetings Act related to the meeting. The judge ruled Bolf is not considered a public official for the purposes of the Open Meetings Act and the Court of Appeals agreed. The latest: The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on Wednesday, April 6. (pictured) Don't Edit David Bristow | MLive.com Dennis Bitterman sues police chief, village Filed: May 2013 Oakley Family Tavern owner Dennis Bitterman and bar staff member Aileen Gengler in the fall of 2012 filed a complaint with the village alleging harassment and police intimidation by Oakley Chief of Police Rob Reznick. After the village cleared the chief of wrongdoing, Bitterman hired Flint attorney Tom Pabst to sue Reznick and the village. The latest: Hearing scheduled in August 2016 Don't Edit Don't Edit Brad Devereaux | MLive.com 'Vile words' death lawsuit dismissed Filed: August 2014 Attorney James Shaw filed a lawsuit on behalf of Debra Shindorf and the estate of her late husband, Douglas Shindorf, against Dennis Bitterman and Brandi Bitterman in Saginaw County Circuit Court. The suit claimed "vile" statements made by the defendants contributed to Oakley president Doug Shindorf's death. He died in June 2014 after battling leukemia. The Bittermans, through their attorney, denied the allegations. The latest: Case dismissed in Saginaw County. Ellison said he is seeking sanctions. Pictured: Cheryl Bolf, left, and Doug Shindorf Don't Edit 'John Doe' reservists sue Oakley Filed: October 2014 The reserve police officers of Oakley, along with three "John Doe" plaintiffs, sued the Oakley Board of Trustees in an attempt to keep their names secret. The reservists, represented by Troy law firm Rosenthal and Beams, also sought to keep the reservists' names secret from board members themselves, who make up the governing body that oversees the Oakley Police Department. The latest: Dismissed in March 2015 Don't Edit 'Village Voice' lawsuit Filed: April 2014 Flint attorney Tom R. Pabst filed suit April 24 on behalf of husband and wife Dennis and Shannon Bitterman and their business, the Oakley Family Tavern, alleging that five village officials acted in concert to harass and retaliate against the plaintiffs. Dennis Bitterman is also a village trustee. The alleged harassment was printed in a newsletter, "The Village Voice," dated March 2014. The latest: Dismissed in March 2016 after court granted defendant's motion for summary disposition Don't Edit Brad Devereaux | MLive.com Bolf sues Bitterman Filed: August 2014 Oakley Clerk Cheryl Bolf filed a lawsuit against Oakley Trustee Dennis Bitterman. Bitterman denied the allegations of slander. The latest: The lawsuit was dismissed in Saginaw County. A portion of the case unrelated to the original complaint went to the Court of Appeals, Philip Ellison said. Pictured: Cheryl Bolf, left, Richard Fish, right. Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | MLive.com Koski questions board authority Filed: September 2014 Trustee Francis Koski filed a lawsuit alleging Village President Pro Tem Sue Dingo "usurped her limited authority" as a voting member of the board and "has been executing legal, financial, law enforcement and municipal decisions on behalf of the Village of Oakley which should be presented to and made by the Village Council." The latest: Case dismissed in May 2015 Pictured: Sue Dingo, center, Francis Koski, left, and his attorney, Philip Ellison, right. Don't Edit Don't Edit Neil Barris | MLive.com Koski sues 'rogue' police force, judge shuts department down Filed: September 2014 After the village board voted to shut down the police department in September 2014, Philip Ellison sued on behalf of Oakley Trustee Francis Koski in Saginaw County Circuit Court, seeking a restraining order directing Oakley, "via its rogue police department," the village attorney and village president pro tem to cease police operations. The latest: The case led to a temporary shutdown of the Oakley Police Department by court order. Pictured: Oakley trustee Francis Koski gives his testimony in front of Saginaw County Circuit Judge Robert L. Kaczmarek during a hearing, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | jschrier1@mlive.com Brandi Bitterman sues for reservist names Filed: October 2014 A lawsuit, filed by Hemlock attorney Philip Ellison on behalf of Brandi Bitterman in Shiawassee County Circuit Court, claims that the village did not respond to Bitterman's Freedom of Information Act request for the reservist names. The suit was filed soon after a village council vote to release the identities of all police officers and reservists to The Saginaw News. The village did not deliver the documents to the news at that time. Pictured: Oakley village attorney Richard Hamilton, right, addresses the Shiawassee County Circuit Court during a hearing March 4, 2015. Plaintiff Brandi Bitterman, left, and her attorney Philip Ellison sit at the table at left. (continued...) Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | jschrier1@mlive.com Judge opens door to once-secret documents Ruling: March 2015 After hearing testimony from Reznick and former reservists, Shiawassee County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Stewart ruled that the village had to submit more information - all records about reservists - to fulfill Brandi Bitterman's FOIA. Don't Edit Brad Devereaux | MLive.com Koski, Bitterman sue clerk, village Filed: July 2015 Francis Koski and Dennis Bitterman sued the village of Oakley and Clerk Cheryl Bolf, alleging she made a decision without board approval. The defendants deny the allegations and the case continues, according to Saginaw County Circuit Court records. Pictured, right to left: Francis Koski, Sue Dingo, Cheryl Bolf. Dennis Bitterman is wearing an Oakley Bike Run shirt on the left. Don't Edit Read more on Oakley Don't Edit A school district in southeast Michigan is under federal investigation for possible discrimination against transgender students, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Bedford Public Schools, about 10 miles north of Toledo in Monroe County, was placed under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights in December, the department said. A spokesperson would not give specifics on the investigation. As of now, it's the only school district in the state under investigation for allegedly violating the rights of transgender students under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that protects students from sex discrimination in K-12 districts that receive federal funding. The investigation, opened in December, comes as Michigan educators and lawmakers debate proposed, voluntary guidance from the State Board of Education pertaining to gay and transgender students. The guidance, in part, is aimed at helping districts comply with Title IX. Portions of the recommendations - including that students be allowed to use restrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity - have drawn fire from some Republican lawmakers. Bedford Public Schools Superintendent Mark Kleinhans said his district is cooperating with federal officials, but also declined to discuss specifics of the investigation. In general, Bedford has made attempts to come into compliance with Title IX, through staff training and other measures, Kleinhans said. The district, for instance, offers two gender neutral bathrooms at its high school. Kleinhans declined to say how his district would handle a request from a transgender student who wants to use a group restroom or locker room that's in accordance with the student's gender identity, rather than his or her sex at birth. However, he added: "We handle each case independently, and we try to do the best that we can to meet the needs of all of our students." An online petition addressed to Kleinhans calls on the district to grant transgender students access to "the bathroom of their choice" and not confine them to a "private restroom/health room bathroom." The author of the petition could not be reached for comment. It's unclear whether the petition is related to the issue under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. The U.S. Department of Education has said Title IX extends to transgender students. The department found an Illinois school district in violation of Title IX for prohibiting a transgender student from accessing the girls' locker room. In December, the district, about 30 miles northwest of Chicago in the city of Palatine, reached a settlement with the department, in which it agreed to provide the student with access to the girls' locker room. The student had requested access to private changing stations in the girls' locker room. It remains to be seen how lawsuits citing Title IX in relation to bathroom access for transgender students will fare in the courts. In October, a student in Virgina who was born female but now identifies as male filed an appeal in federal court against his school district for "enforcing a discriminatory policy that segregates transgender students from their peers and requires them to use 'alternative private' restroom facilities," according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which is a party in the lawsuit. A Washington Post story, published in January, quoted an ACLU attorney as saying the case will be a "bellwether" that "people will look to" to "see where the courts are headed." Districts across the state are wrestling with how to best serve transgender students, particularly when it comes to bathroom and locker room use, said Don Wotruba, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards. "I think it's something still relatively new," he said. "I think it's something that districts, because they represent a broad community and they represent all kinds of parents ...it's a huge struggle for them." Brian McVicar covers education for MLive. Email him at bmcvicar@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The masked man who threatened to detonate a bomb when he robbed one bank last year and threatened to release anthrax when he robbed another, won't be free to scare tellers again for at least four and a half years. Douglas Scott Wolthuis, 51, of Lawton, was sentenced Wednesday to 54 months in federal prison. The term was ordered by Judge Robert Holmes Bell in the U.S. District Court for Western Michigan in Grand Rapids. Wolthuis was also sentenced to pay restitution for more than $60,000 he stole and to pay a fine. He is also to be supervised for two years after he is released. In December, he pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery as part of a plea bargain in which a second count of bank robbery was dismissed. The charges are related to the April 22, 2015 armed robbery of the Fifth Third Bank bank branch at 6040 Stadium Drive in Oshtemo Township and to the June 9, 2015 robbery of the Chase Bank branch at 30 Hill Brady Road in Battle Creek. On the first occasion, authorities say Wolthuis said he stated that he had a bomb when he passed a note demanding money to a Fifth Third bank teller. He fled the bank with $60,000. In Battle Creek, he showed white powder to employees at a Chase Bank branch, claiming it was anthrax. He also passed a note there demanding money and fled with $1,812, according to court documents. In each case, he wore a mask , glasses and other clothing to disguise himself and cover his face. He was arrested a short time after the second robbery, however, as responding officers found a container of white powder in his vehicle. Following the second robbery, traffic was shut down for hours in part of Battle Creek's Fort Custer Industrial Park until a biohazard response team determined the substance the bandit was carrying was not a biological weapon. Wolthuis was indicted on federal charges last August and lodged in the Calhoun County Jail. "Armed bank robberies are extremely dangerous, even when robbers use hoax weapons, because of the law enforcement response that is necessarily provoked," U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles Jr. stated in a press release. "I am very grateful for the work of the Michigan National Guard, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department, the Battle Creek Police Department, the Battle Creek Fire Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in addressing this potential hazard to the public's health and safety." Miles also praised Battle Creek police for their quick response to the Chase Bank branch robbery that led to the apprehension of Wolthuis. "Mr. Wolthuis' crimes go beyond the financial theft," David P. Gelios, special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit office, stated in the release. He said his claims of having various weapons of mass destruction "disrupted the public and necessitated the emergency response of numerous community resources." He said the response of each of the organizations "was outstanding and critical to law enforcement's ability to solve this case." Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant prosecuted the case. MLive writer Al Jones may be contacted at ajones5@mlive.com. Follow me on Twitter at ajones5_al. M-60 detour map M-60 is closed between Daily Road and Pine Lake Street ( Google maps) ((Google maps)) NILES, MI -- A section of M-60 has been closed and area residents evacuated following a crash involving a semi tanker that is leaking flammable petroleum. Emergency crews from six fire departments are on the scene to stabilize the road. Traffic is being detoured around M 60 between Dailey Road and Pine Lake southwest of Cassopolis and northeast of Niles, according to a news release from the Cass County Sheriff's Office. The truck crashed on M-60 near Pine Lake Street in Howard Township at shortly before 3 a.m. April 7. More details about the crash were not immediately available. Rosemary Parker is a reporter for MLive. Contact her at rparker3@mlive.ocm. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Michael Moore took to the stage Wednesday in Kalamazoo, reiterating calls for Gov. Rick Snyder to be arrested and calling the Flint water crisis a "form of ethnic cleansing." In his first public appearance since being hospitalized for pneumonia in February, the filmmaker and Flint native focused on the Flint water crisis but also voiced his support for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton, criticized the media, talked about the high cost of a college education and discussed gun control. Moore addressed an approximate 2,800 attendees at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium. The free, public event, "It Only Hurts When I Laugh," was sponsored by WMU's Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations. Moore, who is known for making controversial statements, spoke for about an hour and spent more time in a question-and-answer session with one of his junior high school teachers, Kalamazoo Vice Mayor Don Cooney, Kalamazoo County Commissioner Stephanie Moore and a WMU student. "Flint, Mich., is not suffering through a water crisis," Moore said. "Water is really just the weapon. This was a race crime." Moore said the water crisis would not have happened to cities like Bloomfield Hills or Ann Arbor. He said Flint is a majority black city that has more than 40 percent of people living below the poverty level. Moore said Snyder knew something was wrong with Flint's water and did not act. That, he said, makes Snyder "culpable for a crime, not a bad decision, not a mistake, but a crime." That comment drew applause from the audience. Moore said nothing has happened to rectify the situation in Flint. He said President Barack Obama still hasn't declared Flint a federal disaster zone, and members of Congress are blocking federal aid because the water crisis was a man-made disaster and not a natural disaster. "It's a form of ethnic cleansing," Moore said. "Once known it was a deliberate act from that moment now." He said "every child has been poisoned" in Flint. "The children of Flint have permanent brain damage, permanent, and there's nothing they can take, there's no cure, and it's with them the rest of their lives," he said. "Where is the uprising?" Moore said he does not want to incite violence, but would not judge a mother or a father of a child who had been poisoned for taking to the streets. "If the governor of this state knowingly participated in poisoning your child, can you tell me what you would do?" he said. "Honestly, honestly, sit there and watch another episode of the Kardashians? What are they waiting for?" Moore said the Army Corps of Engineers should be sent to Flint to dig up all of the pipes and replace them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be there to perform tests, as should the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. On the topic of guns, Moore said there are 100 million Americans who are "stone cold idiots and crazy and they have guns. That's a lot of people running around cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. But the good news, my friends, is we live in a country of 320 million people. At least 220 million of us aren't stupid, aren't crazy." Moore said he was loathe to bring up the topic of gun ownership following Kalamazoo's mass shooting in February. "I was so, so sad to see Kalamazoo added to the Columbine list," he said. Moore compared the United States to Canada, whose No. 1 sport is hunting, he said, and asked why Canadians don't kill each other at the same rate as Americans. He said it's unfair to call the gun control issue a mental health issue. "We have a mental health problem and it's unfair for the millions, the tens of millions, who need mental health help to say that they're possibly the problem of our safety," he said. "That's a lie." His comment drew loud applause and cheers from the audience. On the subject of Hillary Clinton, Moore praised her for originally proposing universal health care under the Health Securities Act in the 1990s, but he criticized several of her actions since then. "The fact that she's taken this money from Wall Street, the fact that she voted to send us to war," Moore said of the actions of which he disapproved. "I know she said it was a mistake, I never really heard I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear I'm sorry." Meanwhile, Moore said, Sanders is winning independents as he runs against someone who has been in the political world for 25-plus years. "Either way we can defeat (Donald) Trump," Moore said. "If that's the case, and if you can not act out of fear, you should vote for the person who your heart and your conscience tell you to vote for." Emily Monacelli is a reporter for MLive.com. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.comor follow her on Twitter. New administrator of Kalamazoo County Terrence Neuzil New administrator of Kalamazoo County, Terrence Neuzil, resigned April 5. (Mark Bugnaski/ Kalamazoo Gazette) KALAMAZOO, MI -- Complaints against now former Kalamazoo County Administrator Terrence Neuzil allege he created a hostile work environment for female employees, would not meet with them behind closed doors and warned them not to text him anything "inappropriate." Neuzil voluntarily resigned Tuesday, April 5, after the county had launched an investigation into a personnel matter involving him. The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted his resignation Tuesday following a closed-door meeting. Neuzil was not in attendance. Neuzil was notified March 17 that the county board had authorized an investigation into complaints against him made by two female employees. The complaints allege "potentially discriminatory and unwelcome conduct," by Neuzil, according to documents obtained Thursday by the Kalamazoo Gazette under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. In an emailed statement Thursday, Neuzil called the allegations "malicious, unfounded and at times outlandish." "I can no longer work for a government that has not only attacked the integrity of me and my wife, but that of my profession to the International City/County Management Association," Neuzil said in the statement. "Kalamazoo County government has unethically and dishonestly mishandled nearly every phase of an employee relations issue, likely broke the law and violated several of its personnel policies." Neuzil, on the job less than three months, will receive a one-time payment of six-months' salary -- about $65,000 of his $131,248 yearly salary -- and extension of employee-sponsored health insurance benefits for himself and his family through Sept. 30, 2016. The complaints against Neuzil allege he "imposed different and worse treatment/requirements/restrictions on female employees (particularly, 'attractive' female employees," stated a letter to Neuzil from a Lansing attorney handling the county's investigation. In addition, the letter said, the complaints alleged Neuzil "engaged in repeated conduct which is unprofessional, demeaning, and creates a hostile work environment for female employees." Specifically, they claim Neuzil said repeatedly he "would not meet with female employees behind closed doors or outside of the office because 'his wife was not comfortable with him being alone or behind closed doors with women.'" The complaints also allege Neuzil said he could not meet with "attractive females" alone or in a public setting, but rather meetings with "attractive females" could only occur at his office with open doors. "It is alleged that male employees were not subject to such requirements or restrictions," stated a document detailing the allegations. Neuzil is accused of imposing different ways for female employees to communicate with him on county business, including that they should text him "but not 'send anything inappropriate' via text" because his wife reviews his phone. The complaints go on to say Neuzil asked a female employee to set up a secret code with staff "to delineate female employees who are 'attractive' and those who are not." "You referred to unattractive women by a specific employee name or initials, and instructed staff that meetings in public were only to be scheduled with females who were in the category for the name you gave for unattractive females," the letter to Neuzil detailing the complaints states. The letter goes on to say Neuzil made comments that "indicated that female staff may desire more than a professional relationship" with him and comments that female employees perceived as implying "that if your wife becomes jealous of a specific female employee, it could affect the employment of the female employee." When that employee said those statements made her uncomfortable and in fear for her job, Neuzil told her she had to "adjust to his sense of humor," the complaint alleged. Neuzil also made other inappropriate comments to female staff including referring to himself as "daddy" and suggesting staff meetings could occur at "Oasis Hot Tub," the complaints allege. Neuzil was put on paid administrative leave March 15 after about 12 weeks on the job and neither Neuzil nor county officials would say. Neuzil submitted his resignation before the county's investigation into his conduct was concluded, Kalamazoo County Corporate Counsel Thom Canny said this week. Neuzil started as Kalamazoo County administrator Dec. 21, 2015. He came from Johnson County, Iowa, where he was in his fourth term as one of five elected supervisors serving as administrators for that county. Emily Monacelli is a reporter for MLive.com. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.comor follow her on Twitter. New administrator of Kalamazoo County Terrence Neuzil Terrence Neuzil (Mark Bugnaski) KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoo County's recently hired and now departed administrator called allegations he mistreated women employees "malicious, unfounded and at times outlandish." In an emailed statement refuting allegations made public to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette through a Freedom of Information Act request Thursday, Terrence Neuzil said he resigned because he can't work for a government "that has not only attacked the integrity of me and my wife, but that of my profession." "Kalamazoo County government has unethically and dishonestly mishandled nearly every phase of an employee relations issue, likely broke the law and violated several of its personnel policies," Neuzil said in the statement. Neuzil's resignation was accepted by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, April 5. The board had placed Neuzil on paid administrative leave March 15 after just 12 weeks on the job. The county had launched an investigation into allegations from two female employees that Neuzil created a hostile work environment for women, would not meet with women in public or alone, especially "attractive" women, and asked staff to devise a "secret code" to denote whether women were attractive or not. RELATED: County cites problems with 'attractive females' among reasons for leader's exit Neuzil denied the allegations, saying that two female employees and "their cohorts, several of whom were in upper management," were documenting his actions as early as this January. Neuzil, who started his job Dec. 21, 2015, said the allegations were "orchestrated collaboratively" by several county employees when he was at a conference in Wisconsin in early March. Neuzil said in his statement the attorneys acting for the county told him they had no recorded, video or written evidence to backup the allegations. "The investigation found no evidence that I had done anything wrong," Neuzil said in the statement, adding that his wife was also unfairly targeted. "The allegations were made up to intentionally hurt and embarrass me and my wife." Neuzil said the employees knew if they could get the board of commissioners to authorize an investigation, the allegations would be put in his personnel file, which is subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. "Their goal was to get rid of me before they even got to know me and they have succeeded," Neuzil wrote. In the statement, Neuzil alleges the county broke several of its own policies in its investigation, including not treating him impartially. Neuzil said he pleaded for an opportunity to go in front of commissioners, but he was denied that opportunity. Neuzil, who came to Kalamazoo after working as an elected county supervisor in Johnson County, Iowa, said he walked into a "leaderless and hostile work environment" and had hoped to overcome the "politically charged futile conditions." He said he has not had any history during his career in county government of being disrespectful to any employee or colleague. "We are so new to the community and we are in shock that there are people in this world that could be so dishonest and deceitful; it is for that reason we feel we are no longer welcome," he said in his statement. "We are heartbroken by these implications and allegations that paint us with such negativity and can only hope that a new administrator and their family will not be treated by Kalamazoo County government like we were." Emily Monacelli is a reporter for MLive.com. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.comor follow her on Twitter. M-60 detour map M-60 is closed between Daily Road and Pine Lake Street ( Google maps) ((Google maps)) UPDATE: The crash scene has been cleared. NILES, MI -- A Berrien Springs truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene of his overturned gasoline tanker Thursday morning on M 60 at the intersection of Pine Lake Street. Charles Edwards, 60, was driving a semi-tractor tanker filled with gasoline on M-60 when the tanker left the roadway and overturned shortly before 3 a.m. April 7, according to a news release from the Cass County Sheriff's Office. The tanker came to rest on its side and gasoline began to leak out, authorities said. Howard Township Fire Department was first to arrive on the scene, along with SMACS ambulance service, and with help from sheriff's deputies they began evacuating area residents while fire personnel worked the make the scene as safe as possible. Traffic was detoured around M-60 between Dailey Road and Pine Lake southwest of Cassopolis and northeast of Niles. It is not known why the vehicle left the roadway at this time. Mr. Edwards was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time of the news release, 10:12 a.m., emergency personnel were still working at unloading the tanker of its load of gasoline. After that is completed they will then work on the removal of the semi-tanker trailer from scene. It is expected that this process could take several hours and the road will remained closed until the scene is cleared and considered safe. Howard Township Fire Department was assisted at the scene by five other fire departments-- Cassopolis, Niles Township, Edwardsburg, Pokagon Township, and Clay Township Indiana. The Michigan State Police Niles Post assisted as well as the Michigan Department of Transportation with road closures. Rosemary Parker is a reporter for MLive. Contact her at rparker3@mlive.com. Australian mining firm Eumeralla Resources expects to receive a permit to explore for tin and tungsten in Kayah State by September of this year three years after it first applied, the firm announced this week. The company expects the exploration permit to be granted in the second or third quarter of this year, it said on April 5. The firm announced a US$1.3 million capital raising exercise, of which $450,000 will be used to finalise the formal grant process and begin exploration in Myanmar. Eumeralla Resources partnered with local firm Myanmar Energy Resources Group and applied for the exploration permit for an area of some 400 square kilometres in July 2013. The application was made by Mawsaki Mining Co, of which Eumeralla owns 70 percent and MERG 30pc. Long waiting times are a fact of life for foreign mining companies hoping to strike it rich in Myanmar, which was once one of the worlds largest producers of some metals. A recently amended mining law could provide a framework for equity and profit-sharing agreements between the government and foreign firms. But reducing the length of time it takes to receive a permit will be a key challenge, officials at foreign mining companies have said. After applying in July 2013, Eumeralla announced in October 2014 that it had received state government approval for the permit. That approval came after negotiations with the Office of the Chief Minister for Kayah State, the Ministry of Forestry and Mines, both the State Forest Department and the State Land Records Department in Loikaw, and the Office of Township Administration, Hpa-sawng, the firm said. The company then moved on to the process of being granted the necessary approvals to allow the Union Government to consider the application. That required meetings with the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration, and commissioning an Environmental Management Plan, which took place in 2015, according to statements from Eumeralla. In December 2015, the firm announced the negotiations with the government authorities had been successful. But in its announcement to shareholders this week it also noted that Myanmars policies on mining are especially fluid as a new government has recently been appointed, which may result in material changes to mining laws or regulations. The Ministry of Mines director general U Win Htein recently told The Myanmar Times that the specific rules under the amended mining law would be finalised under the new government. The new government also intends to merge the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry and the Ministry of Mines into a new ministry the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. As the forestry department is crucial in granting mining concession applications, the merger could make the application process more centralised and streamlined, said an official at a foreign mining firm, who asked to remain anonymous. But its too early to say, he added. Within days of coming into office, Yangon Regions new National League for Democracy-led government has started to flex its muscles over the proposed Southwest New City project. The regional administration has asked developers involved in the project to submitted detailed plans, while the NLD-dominated parliament has warned that it will be reviewed before it is allowed to proceed. In January, the outgoing Union Solidarity and Development Party regional government awarded the tender for the development of the site jointly to three companies: Yangon South West Region Development Public Company, Business Capital City Development and Shwe Popa Construction, a subsidiary of Shwe Than Lwin. The process was initiated in 2014, when the regional government awarded the development rights for a 30,000-acre tract west of downtown to a formerly unknown public company linked to Chinese interests. After much public outrage, then Chief Minister U Myint Swe was forced into an embarrassing backdown, and the regional government withdrew the contract and held a tender for a scaled-down version of the project. While 54 companies expressed interest in the tender, only three companies submitted bids, all of which were accepted. The developers at once announced plans to build bridges to connect the 11,716-acre site with downtown Yangon and neighbouring Hlaing Tharyar township, including compensation payments to be made to local residents whose homes or businesses had to be relocated. Now the new government, which took office on April 1, has called in the three developers to submit detailed plans, said U Khin Maung Thant, secretary of Yangon South West Region Development Organisation, which was formed by Yangon South West Region Development Public Company and project supporters. The new government has asked us for details of the project, including compensation, but we are not required to seek new permission, he told The Myanmar Times on April 4. U Khin Maung Thant said the three companies planned to combine into one public company before submitting their plans to parliament and the government. He added that the government could not cancel or suspend the Southwest New City project, because it had been approved by the previous government. However, this is disputed by the NLD. Daw Sandar Min, chair of the Yangon Region Hluttaw Finance, Planning and Economic Committee, said the new parliament could indeed cancel the project if they found that it would not benefit residents. The parliament and the government will reconsider the matter. The projects future will depend on us, not on the previous government, she said, adding that the Yangon Region chief minister had already suspended the order to confiscate land required for the project because the responsibility for compensation was unclear. The Yangon parliament has already recommended the suspension of several other controversial projects, including a 250-bed hospital, which is to be built by Malaysian firm IHH Healthcare together with Myanmar partners. A decision to cancel or revise the outcome of the Southwest New City tender will be made easier by the fact work has not begun. In the final days of the outgoing government, the three companies said they would begin the project by building a bridge across the Hlaing River to link the new development to the citys downtown area. However, while a groundbreaking ceremony has been held, construction work, which is expected to take 18 months, has not yet started. Southwest New City is one of seven sites proposed for a long-term expansion of Yangon over the next few decades, but the only one for which a tender has been called. Even that has come at the cost of long-standing controversy and opacity, including speculation that has sharply driven up land prices. As recently as late March, some of the owners of homes and businesses set to be displaced by the proposed new bridge were demanding hundreds of millions of kyat in compensation. State-owned mobile operator Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) has declined to share information on how many times the police have made requests for its customers data. The operator has remained tight-lipped on the issue, despite its foreign-owned industry rivals Telenor and Ooredoo having reported or answered questions on customer data requests. Yosuke Fukuma, public relations adviser for KDDI Summit Global Myanmar (KSGM) the joint venture between MPT and Japanese firm KDDI said it was not possible to provide figures on police requests for user information from the operator side as these do not belong merely to MPT, and may relate to investigating activities by the police authorities. He also said he believed MPT followed a similar process for such requests as its rivals in the market. Telenor Myanmar publicly announced how many requests have been made of it for user data at a sustainability briefing last week. Company CEO Petter Furberg said authorities, normally police, have so far asked only for call records. The Norwegian telco said it had received 58 requests and complied to give out information in 11 instances, all linked to murder, drugs or missing persons cases. Meanwhile, Ooredoo Myanmar CEO Rene Meza told The Myanmar Times last week that the telco had received 27 requests for user information from the police since the end of 2014, all for historical data. We have a process in place to ensure the request has been presented by an authorised representative of the police and is supported by the Posts and Telecommunications Department (PTD), he said. Requests come via the telecoms regulator, he wrote in an email yesterday, and after ensuring their validity Ooredoo considers the nature of the request. If the request does not rely on a court order, we will only release the information in the case of murder investigations or serious drug inquiries, he said. When we release information it is to the relevant police authority directly. MPT deputy general manager of legal and corporate affairs Daw San San Lwin said last year that the operator was following the rules set by the telecoms ministry and regulator, and that requests have to make their way to MPT through the PTD. Only with a PTD request will MPT [proceed] further, she wrote in an email. Mr Fukuma of MPTs joint operations said yesterday that requests are directed to the managing director of MPT. Then management will decide and proceed, he said. In 2012, Myanmars mobile penetration was estimated at just 4 percent. By June 2015, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology reported it had reached 50pc, a 12-fold increase in just three years. But as Myanmar has leapfrogged into the 21st century, the advent of social media apps like Facebook and YouTube have led to dangerous new avenues for hate speech. In 2012 and 2014, serial conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims were set off by Facebook posts accusing Muslims of committing sexual assault. These violent flashpoints quickly escalated from touchscreens to widespread community clashes. Hundreds of civilians have died. With more than 18 million internet users in Myanmar 10 million of which use Facebook the danger posed by internet hate speech has led NGO Mido to launch a project to Save Online Space (SOS). As social media are the most commonly used [apps] in Myanmar, everyone from the online community is affecting things offline and outside, too, said Chit Su Wai Aung, a representative from the SOS project. I believe that there will only be peace offline if there is peace online. The project, launched in October 2015 and wrapping up in May, monitors Myanmar Facebook pages for six indicators of hate speech: threats, accusations, dehumanisations, encouragement of violence, bullying and harassment. SOS then reports accounts that talk about hate speech to the local media each month. Members of the initiative have also travelled to areas such as Magwe, Bago, Mawlamyine and dozens of others around the country to offer training about Facebook privacy, digital security, news literacy and finding accurate news sources. Their message is simple: Technology must come with awareness from the users. Some users believe whatever they see on Facebook and share it without first finding out if the post is true or false, said Gar Gar, the SOS project coordinator. Most of the false facts tend to lead to religious problems that eventually become political. Such was the case in 2012, when members of the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha including U Wirathu, a prominent monk known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric shared Facebook posts accusing a Muslim man of raping a Buddhist woman. Over a period of two years, the ensuing riots and violence left 250 people dead and more than 140,000 Muslims in displacement camps. Mido, which was founded in February 2012, grew out of the Myanmar Blogger Society thanks to a large youth contingent that recognised the incendiary power of Facebook posts. Their SOS project is an effort to prevent more violence by advocating against hate speech. At their March meeting, members of SOS discussed a current hate speech thread bouncing around Facebook. The subject is newly elected Vice President Henry Van Thio, an ethnic Chin and Christian many accounts have accused him of planning to shift the country away from monasteries and into churches. SOS has identified U Wirathu as well as U Than Zaw as dangerous accounts, both for their platform and content. U Than Zaw averages 500 likes per post. Many of them contain religious hate speech. Not all hate speech becomes dangerous, but depending on the listeners, some hate speech does become dangerous, said Chit Su Wai Aung. She also noted that many of the most hateful accounts use fake identities to keep the user anonymous. Facebooks privacy settings and stance against proactively censoring content means groups like SOS will continue to be necessary to monitor its online pulse. Repressive drug laws and corruption have contributed to Myanmars spiralling narcotics problem, according to advocacy groups, who are calling on the new government to launch a change of policy. The transfer of power to a new government has come at an opportune time for a policy revision, with a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) due to start on April 19 amid expectations of a change in the global approach to the scourge of narcotics. Advocacy groups are taking the opportunity to lay out their proposals. Myanmars Drug Policy Action Group (DPAG) has called for a re-set of the objectives of both national and international drug policies and the scrapping of drug-free deadlines, which it says has led to the current repressive system. The deadline for so-called drug elimination in Myanmar is currently set for 2019, which was set back from an initial goal of 2014. The DPAG also seeks a commitment to harm reduction programs and an end to criminalisation of the most vulnerable groups of drug users and opium farmers. At the moment very little is being done on the prevention and treatment aspects of drug addiction. While the guidelines for these programs are set by the Ministry of Home Affairs, harm reduction is not implemented by the government but by NGOs, said Dr Nang Pan Ei Khan, a DPAG coordinator and medical doctor. Lamay Lom Khaung, who runs a drug user network in Kachin State as part of the National Drug User Network Myanmar, emphasised the need for a humane policy toward drug users and increased understanding about their problems and treatment. We are not born as drug users, he said. He illustrated his call for the education of communities by saying that a program aiming to distribute clean needles to drug users to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis C had been badly received in Kachin State, where an aid worker was seized and beaten by people who thought he was encouraging people to use heroin. Myanmars legal system demands drug users to register themselves and receive compulsory treatment, or face three to five years imprisonment. This deprives them of the opportunity to find treatment elsewhere and leads to the jailing of people who do not require treatment. Possession of drugs carries a minimum five-year sentence. The death penalty can be imposed for the production and sale of narcotics, although Myanmars last reported execution was over 25 years ago. The law also criminalises farmers who mostly grow opium out of economic necessity. U Min Thein, an opium farmer from Kayah State and a member of the Myanmar Opium Farmers Forum, had been growing maize and sesame when, he said, he found a shortcut. By growing opium there was no longer a need to pay high transportation fees to get to a nearby market to sell his produce, which almost nobody wanted. Buyers now came to him and he sold his entire crop. Suddenly he was able to send his children to school. Drug users and opium farmers like U Min Thein would benefit significantly from a legal system that stops criminalising them and instead acknowledges their needs, the advocacy groups say. A new drug law that was drafted last year but has not yet passed through parliament represents a step in that direction. If implemented under the new government, the law would be a move from the punitive side to the public health side, said Troels Vester, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Myanmar. A call made by Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia to revise the international communitys approach to drugs moved the General Assembly to bring forward the third UNGASS to discuss global drug policy, initially scheduled for 2019. Part of the three-day UN meeting in New York will be dedicated to heroin and methamphetamine production and trafficking, precursor trafficking, and high levels of drug use in the Golden Triangle and Mekong areas. Myanmar will send a high-level delegation to the meeting on April 19, with Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam also set to take part, according to UNODC. UNGASS represents a critical juncture, an opportunity for an honest evaluation of global drug policy and how to address the most pressing challenges going forward, said the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute (TNI). However, little is known about how Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the new government intend to tackle these issues. The NLD election manifesto last year said almost nothing on the subject. UNODC says it is already engaging with the NLD to discuss options and solutions on drugs in Myanmar in an effort to turn the situation around. But developing drug policies is a challenge in Myanmar, where reliable data is often lacking. UNODC plans to complete the first national drug use survey involving 53,000 households early next year. The governments 2006-10 national strategic plan for HIV and AIDS estimated 60,000 to 90,000 injecting drug users in Myanmar. However a 2006 report by TNI cites international NGOs as estimating the number of drug users at between 300,000 and 500,000, including an estimated 150,000 to 250,000 injecting drug users. UNODC recommends a whole government approach to drugs. Counter-drug efforts in Myanmar are managed by the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs but Mr Vester suggested that responsibility for certain sectors, such as prevention and treatment, could be led by the education and health ministries. The drug issue is so big, he said. To think that one ministry would deal with this issue is unrealistic. In its first, tenuous start toward a policy on migrant workers, the National League for Democracy is drawing up a bill to address the millions of citizens outside the country. The Pyithu Hluttaw International Relations Committee has een tasked with drafting the legislation after assessing the needs of the workers. We are now making observations for the bill. I think it will take three months to complete the observations, said committee member U Myo Zaw Aung, a lower house representative for Sagaing Regions Kawlin township. He did not say which aspects of migration the bill would aim to address. But rights groups that have met with the new government have stressed the need for long-term policy planning to replace the current capricious system that relies on temporary and only semi-legal identification documents. U Myo Zaw Aung acknowledged that problems with Myanmars economy particularly the lack of job opportunities in rural areas need to be addressed so that workers are not compelled to leave in the first place. Many Myanmar workers in Thailand have told The Myanmar Times in recent days that they would gladly return home if the new government bolsters job creation. Workers holding temporary passports are especially keen to return, as they do not want to forfeit their legal status and register for legally dubious pink cards as the Thai government has recently instructed them to do. U Naing Sit, a worker at the KF foods factory in Mahachai, said the first thing the new government should do is end the restrictions on migrants freedom of movement. The new pink cards tie the workers to their registered province, and prohibit trips longer than seven days, which effectively bars most from returning home or changing jobs. He added that the previous government ignored Myanmar migrants, allowing unscrupulous employers in Thailand to take advantage. I will go back next month because the new government has taken over and I hope the economic situation in Myanmar will be better. I dont want to be oppressed in Thailand anymore, he said. According to the Migrant Worker Rights Network, over 3.5 million Myanmar labourers are employed in various industries in Thailand. A mass return would create difficulties for both governments, but particularly Thailand, which relies on cheap labour to drive its economy. As a result, there is an incentive for both sides to put in place a better migration system. The migrant workers are largely optimistic about the NLD-backed government, and anticipate a tide of policy reforms will soon make their living and working conditions better, and possibly open a new pipeline of employment. The NLD hasnt said much about migrant workers, however, and the hopes are mostly tied to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis 2012 visit to Thailand In Pictures: Myanmar migrants in Thailand At the time, the NLD leader pledged that if her party took power they would create more job opportunities in-country. But since taking office, the only movement on the topic has been the appointment of a Union Solidarity and Development Party member as the new labour minister. U Thein Swe is not held in high regards within the Myanmar migrant community, where many fear the appointment of a former general and member of the military-backed USDP will mean the continuation of past policies. The important thing is the policies. So if the policies are strong, then the rights will be strong, even if a USDP representative is the Labour Minister, said U Aung Kyaw, vice chair of the MWRN. He cannot do whatever he wants, but will have to enforce the presidents decisions. Ma Bu Thu, a 22-year-old Pa-O garment factory worker in Sampharam township, Mahachai, said she came to Thailand as a teenager five years ago because there was no other way to support herself and her family. If I could have a proper job in my home place I would have gone back a long time ago because I hate the place where I am staying now. In Thailand I am a servant, she said. I really dont want to stay here a minute longer. I want a safe life for us at home. I want Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to do better for migrant workers. Ma Nu Nu Win, a 38-year-old Mon State native, has spent the last nine years in Thailand. She currently works as a translator at Samut Sakhon General Hospital. Despite being a skilled labourer, she said she is treated poorly, and ordered to do things outside her job responsibilities, like cleaning up garbage. The day when the government makes it possible for all migrant workers to return and find jobs in Myanmar I would drop everything here and be the first one back, she said. Translation by Thiri Min Htun The government will bypass the military-controlled National Defence and Security Council to free political prisoners and activists on trial for political offences as soon as possible. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi announced the amnesty in a statement issued in her new role as state counsellor following the governments first cabinet meeting this afternoon. She said the release was a priority for the new administration of U Htin Kyaw. The statement said the release would include student activists on trial for demonstrating against the National Education Law. U Zaw Htay, a spokesperson for the Presidents Office, told The Myanmar Times, As it said in the statement, this will be the new governments first action. No date was given for the planned amnesty. A government source close to the NLD leadership said that the process of releasing all political prisoners could be lengthy and difficult, and would be impossible before Thingyan, which begins on April 11. One thing the NLD will seemingly not need to worry about is military obstruction. The statement specified that the release would take place under section 204(a) of the constitution, which gives the president the power to grant a pardon, and article 401(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which gives the president the authority to release prisoners at his or her discretion but stipulates that they can be returned to prison at any time to serve out the remainder of their sentence. For those arrested but not yet convicted, the NLD will use section 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows cases to be dropped even after a trial has got underway. It specifically stated that it would not use section 204(b) of the constitution, which states that the president has the power to grant amnesty in accord with the recommendation of the National Defence and Security Council. The 11-member NDSC is controlled by the military, which appoints six of its members. U Ko Ni, a High Court lawyer and legal adviser to the NLD, said the government could proceed quickly with the release because it does not need to get approval from the NDSC. A senior National League for Democracy parliamentarian says the party has raised concerns with religion and culture minister Thura U Aung Ko over his recent comments about Muslims. The minister, a member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party, appeared to suggest in an interview with Voice of America on April 1 that Muslims and Hindus are not entitled to be full citizens. He said that unlike Buddhism and Christianity, those religions were followed by associate citizens, rather than full citizens. His comments prompted an angry rebuke from some Muslim organisations, who pointed out that citizenship is not linked to religion. On April 3, five groups sent a statement to the president and parliament urging an explanation to clear up the controversy and misunderstanding that his comments may have caused. But he has also attracted some support. Yesterday nationalist groups rallied around Thura U Aung Ko, saying his words had been taken out of context. An NLD parliamentarian told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the party had initially planned to submit a proposal to parliament expressing concern about the comments. However, we negotiated with him personally outside parliament. He will explain at an appropriate time, the MP said, asking not to be named. We dont want to highlight it things like this can happen sometimes unintentionally. The NLD has not officially commented on its ministers remarks, with senior officials declining to comment. Neither Thura U Aung Ko nor the Ministry for Religious Affairs responded to requests for comment yesterday. But the Committee for the Protection of Nationality and Religion better known as Ma Ba Tha said in a statement that it supported the ministers comments, and accused some groups of misusing his remarks to cause trouble. Ma Ba Tha member U Maung Maung (Dhamma Cakka) called on Muslims to to understand and forgive his words. The minister has also courted controversy in recent days by meeting with firebrand monk U Wirathu, an outspoken member of Ma Ba Tha who has been accused of stoking anti-Muslim sentiment. The meeting did not go into any substantive discussion of the aims and activities of Ma Ba Tha, which courted controversy with its backing of hard-line laws on monogamy and marriage and its apparent support for the USDP in the November elections. Members have also publicly opposed changing the constitution to allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to become president. However, the significance of the April 4 discussion with U Wirathu has been played down by religious leaders, who said it was one of a series of informal meetings that the minister has held with senior religious officials since taking office. As well as meeting senior members of Ma Ba Tha, Thura U Aung Ko held talks with leaders of the 47-member State Sangha Nayaka Committee in Yangon. It was just a chance for the minister the meet and chat with senior monks with no particular agenda, said U Kyaw Sein Win, a Ma Ba Tha spokesperson. Religious affairs department director U Tun Nyunt said the minister would hold discussions on policy with religious leaders, but no date has been set. He added that Thura U Aung Ko has no immediate plans to meet with the representatives of any other faith, or interfaith dialogue groups. NLD spokesperson U Win Htein said there was no reason to be anxious about the meeting between Thura U Aung Ko and leaders of Ma Ba Tha. I think Thura U Aung Ko seemed to be admonishing U Wirathu, he said. U Aung Myo Min, director of the NGO Equality Myanmar, said the concerns over the ministers activities and comments reflect the challenges that the NLD will face in managing issues related to religion. He said religion was a potential weakness for the government that its opponents may seek to exploit. The new government should be shrewd and prevent anyone using religious tension to threaten stability, he said. The brief and expensive era of the flyover appears to have ended, with the Yangon Region parliament scrapping plans approved by its predecessor for two new bridges. The K32.2 billion (US$26.1 million) allocated for the projects in the 2016-17 budget will instead be used to build roads in Yangon Region outside the municipal area. The changes had been recommended by the Finance, Planning and Economic Committee last week. The regional government also supported the move, MPs were told yesterday. U Myint Thaung, the regional minister for planning and finance, said the money would be better spent outside the Yangon City Development Committee area, which encompasses 33 of the regions 45 townships. The two flyovers were slated for the junction of Kabar Aye Pagoda and Parami roads, and North Okkalapa junction. The funding represents nearly 10 percent of the total regional budget of K336 billion, and 75pc of capital expenditure. Yesterdays decision attracted some dissent from within the National League for Democracy. Some MPs said the money should be spent across the region, and not just outside municipal Yangon. This proposal was rejected. In the YCDC area, the government needs to solve many issues, such as traffic jams and blockage of drains, said U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, an MP for Hlaing township. Thats why we objected to the bill. We would like to use the money for that. But we lost when it was put to a vote. The former government commissioned seven flyovers during its five-year term, six of which are complete. It proposed the two additional flyovers in December 2015. The new NLD regional administration has said it plans to review projects and contracts signed off by the former government. Hlaing Tharyar residents who were considered unlawful squatters by the former government are appealing to the new administration to end the policy of violent evictions. The previous regional government regularly uprooted informal communities to make way for development projects, pushing marginalised families even deeper into poverty. Tenants holding court on a compound owned by Shwe Than Lwin Company have already been given eviction notices, but say they have no alternative homes. At a press conference on April 5, the desperate residents called on the National League for Democracy-led government to enact legislation that will address Yangons pressing need for affordable housing for low-income households. They also urged officials to create a proper sewage and waste-disposal system for the thousands of informal tenants living in makeshift structures. We are all facing an ever-present fear of forced eviction, said Daw Aye Moe Khaing. Like most of the unofficial Hlaing Tharyar residents, she restarted her life in the industrial township in 2008 after Cyclone Nargis gutted her village in the Ayeyarwady delta. Most people are regarding us like criminals. But actually, we are not like that. We are very humble people who just want to live in a home lawfully, she said. She is among 5000 people living beside May Kha and Mingyi Mahar Min Khaung roads in Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone. About 1500 of these residents are school-aged children. Most of her neighbours work as vendors or manual labours and have paid fees to rent the land and erect a home on plots owned by Yangon City Development Committee. We want to live here knowing we can continue to do so without having to fear eviction. We want the new government to help the squatter households, said Daw Tin Tin Aye, who also moved to Yangon after Cyclone Nargis destroyed her familys home in Lay Myet Nar township, Ayeyarwady Region. Union Minister for Commerce U Than Myint, who won a seat in Hlaing Tharyar in the November election but had to give it up to take his cabinet position, said the government has no plan to evict squatters. My advice to the squatters is to appeal to their MPs, give them a report about the living situation, he told The Myanmar Times yesterday. He added that illegal residents are citizens and should have the right to live without fear of being driven from their homes. According to census estimates, over 600,000 squatters live in Yangon Region. About half live in Hlaing Tharyar without land ownership rights. In its final months in office, the Union Solidarity and Development Party-backed government drove hundreds of families from their homes in Yangon and Mandalay. Though they were promised compensation and relocation, the government failed to follow through on the pledges. Yangon City Development Committee member U Khin Maung Tint told The Myanmar Times in February that instead of demolishing households, the government should provide informal residents with realistic housing. He added that while YCDC cant afford the expenses of making up for the affordable housing shortage, the government has the funds to do so. President U Htin Kyaw signed into law yesterday the hotly contested state counsellor bill legislation that creates a new advisory position for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and even explicitly names her in the text. The military MPs put up a fight against the bill, declaring it unconstitutional on the grounds that it diminishes the division between executive and legislative powers. Three military MPs and one Union Solidarity and Development Party member proposed 13 amendments to the draft, all of which were rejected as the National League for Democracy took advantage of its parliamentary majority to push through the legislation in spite of objections. When the Pyithu Hluttaw approved the bill on April 5, military MPs boycotted the vote and stood up to show their opposition. Yesterday, President U Htin Kyaw ratified the bill and sent it back to parliament as an approved law, according to U Zaw Htay, a spokesperson for the Presidents Office. A military MP, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Myanmar Times that the military will consider sending the bill to the Constitutional Tribunal, but no decision has yet been made. The NLD appointed all members of the tribunal, leading to questions about the checks and balances on the new ruling partys powers. Following the approval of the law on April 5, Brigadier General Maung Maung accused the party of bullying. Amyotha Hluttaw representative U Aung Kyi Nyunt from Magwe Region initially submitted the bill, which contains five chapters and eight sections. The bill will give Daw Aung San Suu Kyi influence over parliament and the cabinet, and has been likened by commentators to a prime minister-type role, though the comparison has been rejected by the NLD. Translation by Thiri Min Htun Laos is not a major player in regional affairs. It tends to be viewed as a rather strange backward country where little happens and no one cares very much if it does. That perception may soon change in such a major way that everyone will sit up and pay attention. For Laos is this years chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and never, since the group expanded to its current 10 members, have so many critical issues been on the agenda. The first is the astonishing retreat from democratic values that has been witnessed across the region, most notably in key nations like Thailand and Malaysia, but also in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos itself. The other, of course, is the explosive sovereignty issue in the South China Sea, where rival claimants are already engaging in actions that are tantamount to warfare. This week, the United States, which tacitly supports ASEANs two most robust claimants, the Philippines and Vietnam, against the biggest claimant, China, said it will conduct a major naval exercise in the sea. It will be Washingtons third in a series of forceful counter-punches that have caused Beijing to issue warning messages that are incandescent with rage. How this terrifying scenario develops will, bizarrely, depend on decisions made by Laos. Just four years ago, then-ASEAN chair Cambodia sought to obey its paymaster China by refusing to include any mention of the South China Sea dispute in the summits final communique. The decision so riled the Philippines and Vietnam that, for the first time in ASEANs history, no communique was issued and members left the meeting more divided than ever. While no one wants a repeat of that debacle, the chances of it happening when the groups foreign ministers meet in the Lao capital of Vientiane in July is greater than ever. By then, a United Nations tribunal sitting in the Dutch city of The Hague will have passed judgement on a case brought by the Philippines to protest Chinas occupation of its offshore islands. If, as expected, the decision goes against China, then ASEAN members will have to take sides and either support international law or kowtow to Beijing. Laos, as chair of the ministerial summit and the concurrent ASEAN Regional Forum, which includes China and the US, will need to ensure the issue does not split the association down the middle. One of the key players who may be able to help Laos in achieving that goal and retaining ASEAN unity will be Myanmars new foreign minister, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It will be her first serious test at an international gathering, but it may also be her greatest chance to establish a marker for Myanmars future foreign policy. Of course, no one expects the National League for Democracy leader to wade into the tortuous South China Sea issue; it is not her forte and she will not want to upset either Beijing or Washington, nor other ASEAN members. On the issue of human rights and democracy, however, she can and should speak out forcefully. After all, she can use her record since 1988 as a kind of attacking shield, rather than a battering ram, to stress that the way forward lies in liberation not repression. That military coups and the jailing of critics belong in the past, and that if ASEAN is ever going to achieve anything, it must get its own house in order in this respect. Naturally, it is a message that may not go down well, especially in the host nation Laos. But as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has shown in the past, she is well able to handle any hostile reaction. However, there is one hostile reaction about which she and others at the Vientiane meeting must exercise great caution and that is their own personal safety. Over the past few months, Laos has witnessed several violent incidents that have resulted in killings and the issuance of travel warnings. For instance, there have been three attacks on Chinese nationals since January that have caused deaths and severe injuries. In February, the US issued a travel warning for Xaysomboun in central Laos and on March 7 it issued another for Route 13, the national highway between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. American citizens have been advised against travelling on that route and US embassy staff have been forbidden to use it. Meanwhile, Beijing has joined Washington in urging Laos to better protect its citizens based in the country and to ensure delegations to the July ministerial are not placed in danger. Some of the violence is thought to be due to anti-China sentiment caused by a recent influx of investments from the north, which have brought in a flood of Chinese workers. Other attacks are presumed to come from anti-government elements who have long been repressed by the dictatorial policies of the ruling Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party. The US said its travel warning for Laos was due to the unpredictable nature of the violence and the lack of official information regarding possible motives. It is precisely that lack of information caused by the repression of any free press and any political opposition that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must speak out against when she goes to Vientiane. For sure, she will be asked questions about the one-party communist regime in Laos, which is every bit as cruel and undemocratic as the one she fought against for so long in Myanmar. People will expect answers. As she has always done in Myanmar, she must give answers and set a firm, correct and righteous tone for her future foreign policy. The nation expects nothing less. [April 07, 2016] Cellcom Israel Ltd. Announces Annual General Meeting of Shareholders NETANYA, Israel, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) announced today that an Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") of Cellcom Israel Ltd. (the "Company") will be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. (Israel time), at the offices of the Company, 10 Hagavish Street, Netanya, Israel. The record date for the Meeting is Monday, April 18, 2016. The agenda of the Meeting is as follows: (1-2) re-election of Shlomo Waxe and Ephraim Kunda as directors; (3-4) re-election of Ronit Baytel and Joseph Barnea as external directors; (5) appointment of Somekh Chaikin, a member of KPMG International, and Keselman & Keselman, a member of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, as our joint independent auditors; and (6) consideration of our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015. Quorum Two or more shareholders holding in the aggregate at least one-third of the outstanding voting power in the Company, present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote, will constitute a quorum at the Meeting. Voting Requirements Items 1-2 and 5 require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power in the Company present, in person or by proxy, and voting on the matter. Items 3-4 require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power in the Company present, in person or by proxy, and voting on the matter, provided that either (i) at least a majority of the shares of non-controlling shareholders or who do not have a personal interest in the approval of the election of the external directo (other than a personal interest that is not the result of the shareholder's connections with a controlling shareholder) voted at the meeting vote in favor of the election of the external director; or (ii) the total number of shares among the shareholders described in section (i) above voted against the election of the external director does not exceed 2% of the aggregate voting rights in the Company. Item 6 will not involve a vote. Proxy statements and proxy cards for use by shareholders that cannot attend the meeting in person will be sent by mail, on or about April 20, 2016, to the Company's shareholders that hold shares registered with the American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, including shares held via Depository Trust Company (DTC) members other than the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Clearinghouse. Shareholders that hold shares via the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Clearinghouse may access the proxy statement and a form of Hebrew ballot via the following websites: http:// www.magna.isa.gov.il and http://maya.tase.co.il. About Cellcom Israel Cellcom Israel Ltd., established in 1994, is the largest Israeli cellular provider; Cellcom Israel provides its approximately 2.835 million cellular subscribers (as at December 31, 2015) with a broad range of value added services including cellular telephony, roaming services for tourists in Israel and for its subscribers abroad and additional services in the areas of music, video, mobile office etc., based on Cellcom Israel's technologically advanced infrastructure. The Company operates an LTE 4 generation network and an HSPA 3.5 Generation network enabling advanced high speed broadband multimedia services, in addition to GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. Cellcom Israel offers Israel's broadest and largest customer service infrastructure including telephone customer service centers, retail stores, and service and sale centers, distributed nationwide. Through its broad customer service network Cellcom Israel offers technical support, account information, direct to the door parcel delivery services, internet and fax services, dedicated centers for hearing impaired, etc. Cellcom Israel further provides OTT TV services (as of December 2014), internet infrastructure (as of February 2015) and connectivity services and international calling services, as well as landline telephone communication services in Israel, in addition to data communication services. Cellcom Israel's shares are traded both on the New York Stock Exchange (CEL) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (CEL). For additional information please visit the Company's website http://investors.cellcom.co.il. Company Contact Shlomi Fruhling Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Tel: +972-52-998-9755 Investor Relations Contact Ehud Helft GK Investor & Public Relations In partnership with LHA [email protected] Tel: +1-617-418-3096 SOURCE Cellcom Israel Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] OT Provides the Latest OTA Technology to Telefonica Spain Oberthur Technologies (OT), a leading global provider of embedded security software products, services and solutions today announced a key partnership with Telefonica (News - Alert) Spain for their migration to the new generation of SIM Over-The-Air (OTA) platform. In order to continuously leverage new technological developments, OT supports Telefonica Spain and upgrades their SIM OTA platform to benefit from the latest standards and functionalities. The migration allows improvements in new service deployments such as: Maintaining accurate network settings at any time Deploying & activating new services on SIM cards with a short time-to-market on a massive scale after issuance Reaching 100% success rate of the OTA update operations Simplifying campaign management and reducing maintenance costs. This solution provides real effectiveness in updating roaming data (SIM always up-to-date) in order to offer customers a reliable experience, both in their country or when traveling abroad. It also allows operators to streamline operations (inventory management, customized profiles, etc.). "OT's role is to offer comprehensive and innovative solutions to accelerate its customers' development while placing data security at the heart of their deployments. OT has been providing OTA services to Telefonica Spain for more than a decade, and is now proud to enhance the agreement with the deployment of a new generation latform", said Armand Lecorche, Connectivity Business Line Director at OT. ABOUT OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES OT is a world leader in embedded digital security that protects you when you connect, authenticate or pay. OT is strategically positioned in high growth markets and offers embedded security software solutions for "end-point" devices as well as associated remote management solutions to a huge portfolio of international clients, including banks and financial institutions, mobile operators, authorities and governments, as well as manufacturers of connected objects and equipment. OT employs over 6 300 employees worldwide, including almost 700 R&D people. With a global footprint of 4 regional secure manufacturing hubs and 39 secure service centers, OT's international network serves clients in 140 countries. For more information: www.oberthur.com FOLLOW US Twitter LinkedIn DOWNLOAD THE M WORLD All you need to know about the latest trends of the Mobility world, available on AppStore and Google (News - Alert) Play www.oberthur.com/themworld View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005986/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Multiple -award winning Actor cum Comedian, Alexander Kofi Adu, popularly known in the Creative arts industry as Agya Koo says his absence on screen has created a vacuum for the telenovelas on the Ghanaian screens. According to him, there would be no telenovelas on the screens if the producers were casting in their various movies. Agya Koo says it is unfortunate that telenovelas has been airing on our local television stations. According to the veteran actor, these soap operas are sinking the Ghanaian movie industry. Speaking in an Interview with King Eben on Ashh fm in Kumasi Agya Koo said the telenovelas are diverting the strength of the industry. I will say this over and over again that, if I were been used well there wouldnt be Kumkum Bhagya and the likes on our local screens, he stated. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Call me the love Doctor, rapper, Scizo belts out on the chorus of his new single Love Dr.. Love Dr. is the second single to be released by the rapper after a long absence from the music scene. The single, with his laid back melody punctured by heavy piano chords sit well with the emotions of a love-sick man, which Scizo rightly captures. Scizo is not new on the music scene, having announced himself in 2004 on Obrafours Execution Diary. He further released his hit songs K3 shika l3 and One Stone to critical acclaim, establishing him as a big prospect on the rap scene. A long hiatus followed and is back again, much stronger to claim his spot and on this single, he makes that ambition evident. Twitter/Tweet - @Scizolizho Kumasi, April 06, GNA - Thousands of supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have hit the streets in Kumasi to ramp up pressure on the Electoral Commission (EC) to validate the electoral roll. They were dressed in red and black to signal their anger and dissatisfaction with the way things are being done by the constitutional body, charged with the conduct of elections. Amid the blowing of vuvuzelas, brass band music and chanting of slogans, they carried placards with messages like 'We need credible register', 'Mahama stop controlling the EC', 'Who controls STL', 'No more rigging', 'EC not independent', 'Think about Ghana, Madam EC Chairperson', 'Clean, credible register and nothing else' and 'EC is working for NDC'. Dubbed 'Baamu Yadda' (we will not agree), the demonstration, which was called by pressure group, 'Let My Vote Count Alliance' (LMVCA) was peaceful and there was strong police presence to provide security. Leading members of the NPP including the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Bosiako and Mr. Sammy Awuku, the National Youth Organizer, joined the demonstration. They set off at the State Boys at Bantama and as they snail through the approved routes, their numbers kept swelling and this led to clogging of the roads with "bumper-to-bumper traffic". Some head porters, popularly referred to as 'Kayayes' were also there to show solidarity. Agnes Serwaah Bonsu, a trader, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she was there to express her concern about the threat to the security of the nation by flawed polls. She said the EC must demonstrate to everybody that there 'is going to be a level playing field' for clean, fair and credible election. GNA Accra, April 6, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has affirmed its commitment to remain an independent constitutional body and condemned attempts by some political elements to draw the commission into partisan brawls. Mrs Joyce Afutu, the NCCE Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the Commission would not be detracted from its core mandate to develop and maintain the principles and objectives of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana as the fundamental law of the land. 'We are mandated to educate and encourage the public to defend the Constitution at all times against all forms of abuse and violation; develop policies for the consideration of Government from time to time, and come up with programmes at the national, regional and district levels aimed at realising the objectives of this Constitution,' she said. The NCCE would continue to formulate, implement and oversee programmes intended to inculcate in the citizens of Ghana awareness of their civic responsibilities and an appreciation of their rights and obligations as free people, she said. Mrs Afutu condemned recent media and political attacks on the Commission stressing that the NCCE had no affiliation with any political party but had a working relationship with all democratic institutions including political parties, civil society organisations and the media. 'We would continue to work to deepen the frontiers of democratic tenets to ensure that the limitations to the achievement of true democracy arising from the existing inequalities between different strata of the population are removed and make recommendations for re-dressing these inequalities,' she said. Mrs Afutu refuted allegations that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had rebranded 50 Mahindra NCCE vehicles for its campaign purposes. 'The NCCE wishes to state and inform the public that the said vehicles, alleged to have been rebranded to support NDC's campaign ahead of the November elections, do not belong to the NCCE. 'The NCCE has no connection to the said vehicles. We urge the media and all political parties to desist from drawing the NCCE into any partisan brawls,' Mrs Afutu said. GNA 06.04.2016 LISTEN By D.I. Laary and Alimatu Quaye, GNA Accra, April 6, GNA - Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhasan, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of crops, has called on non-state actors to support government efforts to strengthen the agricultural value chain. The agricultural value chain entails a wide-range of goods and services necessary for moving farm products from production centres to the final consumers, but it is faced with many challenges including inadequate technology, finance, functional policies and packaging. Dr Alhassan called for global sensitisation in the African agriculture value chain to be able to connect agriculture development with economic growth and launch a comprehensive financial investment to improve infrastructure. The Deputy Minister said this at a two-day Ghana Non-State Actors' (NSA) sensitisation workshop on Tuesday organised by Africa Lead, USAID, Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), Feed the Future and coalition of NSA. 'We have to get quality products as well as values of production from the African farmer to be able to compete internationally, it is time we match agricultural growth with economic growth to sustain our economies,' Dr Alhassan said. He said Africa ought to break through the chain of global market competition by improving quality, raising quantity and boosting consumer demand in order to deal with the lingering poverty, hunger, malnourishment and climate change. He said there was the need to create a thriving agriculture business environment to eliminate hunger in Africa, as the population in the continent is expected to grow exponentially to nine billion by 2050. Dr Alhassan urged non-actors to work closely with development partners, engage stakeholders in the private sector and support governments to come out with the relevant policies to improve the agriculture value chain. Mr Kop'ep Dabugat, Coordinator Coalition of the NSA, CAADP, said a detailed action plan would be developed to create an avenue for technical and financial partners to support and help define the role of the coalition. He told the Ghana News Agency that NSA lacked the mechanisms and systems for constructive dialogue and the required resources to effectively engage governments in the agricultural sector. Mr Brian Conklin, Deputy Director of USAID, called for a 20 per cent decrease in poverty, and 23 per cent in malnourished children adding that behavioural change is a key to Ghana's transformation. He said African governments have not created the space over the years for dialogue to shape policies and come out with programmes to improve the agriculture value chain. Mrs Felicia Afia Owusu- Nyantakyi, representing the planning committee of the coalition, expressed the hope that challenges of the agriculture sector when tackled would expose Africa to greater opportunities and socioeconomic gains. GNA Accra, April 6, GNA - Roche Products Ghana Limited (RPGL) in collaboration with Global Media Alliance, has organised a media academy training in Accra to equip journalists with skills in health reporting. The Academy, which runs through a period of four months with four training schedules aims at training journalists in making health reporting a specialty; ethics in health reporting; and the need to consider the health interest of the public. Mr Charles Fordjour, Head of Africa Policy and Governmental Affairs, RPGL said Roche is interested in organising the training because it wishes that Ghana becomes the right environment for innovation and production of medicines. 'We wish that Ghana would be a setting where journalism would have journalists with interest in specialising in health reporting,' he said. Mr Akwasi Sarpong, Managing Director of Global Media Alliance asked media houses to be cautious of platforms given to health institutions to promote their products without finding out whether they are certified or not. He said some of the medication is poisoning the system. 'We need to pay attention to the needs of the communities as well as issues that affect them', he said. He urged journalists to re-consider principles in the profession such as being accurate, fair and balanced, full attribution to sources, clear separation of reporting from analysis and opinion. Dr Louisa Effah-Manu Preko, a medical practitioner at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital making presentation on an overview of health status in Ghana said: 'We prefer to eat tin foods because we feel lazy to go through long processes in cooking our local dishes and that puts our health at risk.' She said communicable diseases account for majority of deaths in Ghana with approximately 51 per cent. Speaking about Hepatitis as a communicable disease, Dr Preko said viral diseases like Hepatitis B has a national prevalence of about 12.3 per cent. She said according to the World Health Organisation, non communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, mental disorders, vision and hearing impairment, oral health, bone and joint diseases and genetic disorders have a high economic burden on the country. Dr Preko advised journalists to research and unearth whether national policies that exist in the country are being implemented and if structures being set to manage health matters are working effectively to achieve their mandate. GNA By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah, GNA Kumasi, April 06, GNA - Women in the timber and wood industry have been urged to take centre stage in efforts at stopping the growing degradation of the forest. Mr. Joshua Ansah, General Secretary of the Timber and Wood Workers Union (TWU), said this was necessary to sustain the industry, create jobs and assure the people of improved incomes to transform their living conditions. He was opening the fourth quadrennial national women's delegates' conference of the union in Kumasi. 'Overcoming the challenges in wood and forestry sector, the role of women' is the theme for the three-day meeting. Mr. Ansah encourage them to embark on massive afforestation programmes and actively participate in initiatives that would help to replenish the forest stock. He said the increasing destruction of the forest alongside the degradation of the environment should become a big worry to especially women, who depended on the sector for their livelihoods. Their contribution to the sustainable management of the forestry sector and the nation's socio-economic development could therefore not be ignored. He spoke of the need not only to empower them to be vocal but to also make vital contribution to decisions or policies, which would be beneficial to the growth and development of the industry. He gave the assurance that TWU would continue to give support to all women in the sector to make meaningful contribution to the sector. Mrs. Augustina Gyamfi, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Department of Gender, underlined the need to train and provide equal opportunities for the women. Alberta Laryea, Head of International Affairs Department of Ghana Trades Union Congress, said it was refreshing that many women had acquired specialized knowledge of trees and forest in terms of biological diversity, sustainable management and use for various purposes. Georgina Fletcher, Chairperson of the National Women's Committee of TWU, pledged to continue to work hard to promote the image of the union. GNA The first Vice Chair of the ruling NDC has accused the opposition NPP and its allies of increasing political temperature in the country with series of what he describes as needless demonstrations and agitations. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said he is surprised to see the NPP demonstrating over the voters register when the country has a respected and competent Electoral Commission (EC). I dont understand. It beats my imagination that the NPP and its allies are on the streets demonstrating while they have members on the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to voice their challenges during meetings, he said. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo was speaking Wednesday on Adom FMs Burning Issues programme with Afia Pokua on NPPs persistent calls for the validation of the electoral roll. The opposition party says the current voters register is bloated and not credible for use in the November 7 elections. Ofosu-Ampofo however says the protest on Monday was needless. We went for an IPAC meeting just last two weeks ago about the ECs arrangement and preparations for the limited voters registration but the NPP did not raise any concerns about the register but why are they now on the street with a different posture? Ofosu Ampofo asked. His comment follows Wednesdays demonstration by supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), Movement for Change and Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG). They demonstrated in the Kumasi Metropolis to protest against what they say is the ECs refusal to clean the register. The mammoth demonstration dubbed Baamu yadda a hausa phrase which means we wont agree, was aimed at compelling the EC to heed their call and embark on a validation of the register. The demonstration was also to demand for free, fair, credible elections and a peaceful election. Ofosu-Ampofo believes such agitations by the NPP pile up put on the EC, which is doing all it can to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. However, Director of Elections for the New Patriotic Party, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, said the comments by Ofosu-Ampofo are equally surprising. Adjei-Mensah said he wont be surprised to learn that the NDC is conniving with the EC to maintain the current bloated voters register for this years election he believes that would tip the scales in favor the ruling party during the November polls. The NDC is deliberately delaying and frustrating our suggestions and recommendations to the EC with their diabolic intentions ahead of the polls in their interest he alleges. Adjei-Mensah said the NPP cannot understand why the EC is not ready to listen to the cry of Ghanaians, especially regarding calls for the validation of the electoral roll. He is the view that the EC has not conducted itself in a manner that would command confidence among voters. RED DEMO HITS EC IN KUMASI The NPP has passionately appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to personally intervene so that the EC will carry out the validation of the bloated voter register and make it credible to ensure free, fair and peaceful. VOLTA NPP JABS MAHAMA The Volta Regional Chairman of the NPP John Peter Amewu, has strongly reacted to the claim by President John Mahama that all development projects on the region were executed by the NDC government. SUPREME COURT ORDERS AG OVER VOTERSREGISTER The Supreme Court has given the Attorney General a two-day ultimatum to respond to a suit filed by former National Youth Organiser of the PNC ,Abu Ramadan, and one Evans Nimako over the credibility of the voter register. QUERY OVER USE OF STABILISATION FUND The huge decline in Ghanas oil revenue due mainly to high volatility of world commodity prices has increased concerns over the handling of the Ghana Stabilisation Fund (GSF) ECOBANK POSTS STRONG GROWTH In spite of a difficult operating environment for businesses, one that had volatile market competition, Ecobank Ghana Limited has again demonstrated strong resilence, growing its assets to GHC6.6 billion in 2015 from GHC 5.7 billion the previous year. SCRAP WASSCE NAGRAT CHARGES GOVT General Secretary of NAGRAT, Angel Kabonu, has called for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination concept to be scrapped. APLAKU, TETEGU ELDERS HOT Management of Tare Properties and Developemnt Company have accused some elders of Aplakuand Tetegu of selling portions of 1020.36 acres of land situated at Tetegu in the Ga South Municipality. BAAMU YADA DEMO HITS EC IN KUMASI Abuja, the capital of Nigeria and thus seat of government, is one city every Nigerian strives to visit and possibly settle in as there is the assumption that the city holds lucrative financial opportunities for all and sundry. No doubt, Abuja is metropolitan and has a lot to offer in the area of business, leisure and even culture, however, there are certain unique truths that every prospective person planning to migrate here should keep in mind before moving. Jovago.com, Africas largest hotel booking website lists 4 solid truths about living in Abuja. Rent is expensive Abuja is one of the most beautiful cities in Nigeria, but the cost of living is very high. It is even more expensive than Lagos when it comes to housing and rent! For younger people who are unpaid interns or have entry level professional jobs and are supporting themselves, the city is pricey and it may be difficult to find a good area to live in within the city that will meet your budget. In fact, half a years pay will likely go towards a shoebox-sized mini flat somewhere far from the citys center. Safety is a huge deal Owing to its status at the seat of power, there is a high presence of security operatives around the state. You do not need to live in fear while inhabiting the city anymore as both the police and Army officials have been deployed to keep guard. Basically, you can live your life freely within the city, but it is important to keep your wits about you and refrain from giving anyone the opportunity to approach you in a threatening manner. Transportation is surprisingly affordable For a city that is as sophisticated and elite like Abuja, it is surprising to find that transportation is well structured, organized and super affordable. At least when compared to cities of similar caliber. Unlike Lagos, Port Harcourt or Benin where the minimum rate for taxi cabs is N 1,000, one can get a cab for as low as N200 for a short distance in Abuja. Note that these cabs are not dilapidated or faulty. There are also buses that go to certain destinations and they are affordable as well, from as low as NGN50. Public transport is very safe and there have are barely any reported incidents of one chance in the city. The weather can be extreme Abuja may be mid-central, but the weather is similar to the weather in other Northern regions and the temperatures are usually at the extremes. The city experiences three weather conditions annually, including a warm, humid rainy season and an extremely hot dry season. In between these seasons, is a short period of harmattan accompanied by the North East Trade Wind, with the main feature of dust haze, intensified coldness and dryness. The high altitudes and rolling terrain of the FCT act as moderating influence on the weather of the territory. If you hate extreme heat and cold equally, you maybe want to think about living elsewhere. It is a transient city There are plenty of families, who have settled and lived a long time in Abuja, and there is no shortage of community and shared history in here, however, the city remains one of the most transient cities in Nigeria. Whether due to the citys economy, the constant change in political appointments, flexibility of business in the area or religious reasons, a large number of people move in and out yearly basis. While it is a great place for young people because it has a ton of very good jobs and holds opportunities for a position in the government, as they get older, they move back to the place they came from. So, chances are you will not be living in the city for long. Thanks to online shops and digital retailers, independent bookstores in Lagos are suffering a significant demise. Luckily, there are some stores that are yet to succumb to the online competition and still have a robust selection of books to offer buyers who wander into their shops. If you are visiting Lagos and searching for places to get books whether for school, leisure or personal development, Jovago.com, Africas No.1 online hotel booking website, highlight 5 bookstores in Lagos that offer bestsellers in every category. Terrakulture This gorgeous store has a solid reputation, rightfully earned by its well-rounded selection of bestsellers and favorite fiction from the near and distant past. There are also generous sections for mainstream titles and childrens literature. Art exhibitions here are frequent, as are readings and other literary events. They also sell CDs and the staff is always helpful with first-timers who have no clue as to where to find what they are looking for. The Hub Located inside The Palms shopping mall, Lekki , The Hub is so deeply woven into the fabric of Lagos that it is routinely listed as one of the citys essential book stores. From Novels African and foreign fiction- to classics, kids books, cookbooks, rare titles, art books and even signed first editions, this spot offers a lot of choices for the ardent reader. Again, a lot of the books available here are suitable for both the old, young and the young at heart. CSS Book shop Opened since 1869, CSS Bookshop has been around longer than most of the neighborhoods residents and is the oldest bookstore in the city. Located in theBookshop House, Broad Street, Lagos, expect to find a mix of educational books, academic textbooks, contemporary fiction, classics, magazines, and childrens books. The bookstores reputation often attracts tourists, and once inside, it is easy to understand the attraction as the building alone is huge landmark in the city. The Jazz hole A popular location on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, this small store offers a sanctuary from the usual commotion that pervades the area..If you think you are well-read, you you are bound to have fun time being challenged by not just the staff in this store but by others who visit the place. The Jazz Hole certainly is the best place for readers interested in picking the brains or other avid readers. A perk is the music that resounds in the location and occasional literary events. Glendora A great place for book lovers to browse and look around, Glendora offers a wide range of books, from modern paperbacks to forgotten classics. Located at Ikeja City Mall, It is a great place to buy a one-off present, including collectibles like limited editions and signed copies. Prices are reasonable, and it is a lovely place to stand around browsing for an hour, before carrying on with your shopping or rendezvous at other stores in the mall. The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) cordially invites Nairobi-based journalists to the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwand on 07 April 2016 from 10.00 am at the United Nations Headquarters Complex in Gigiri. The theme of this year's Observance is Fighting genocide ideology. Background: International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda was mandated by the UN General Assembly on 23 December 2003, through resolution A/RES/58/234. The resolution encourages member states, Organizations of the UN system and other relevant international Organizations, as well as civil society organizations, to observe the Day and hold special observances and activities in memory of the victims of genocide. The resolution also calls upon all states to act in accordance with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide so as to ensure that there is no repetition of events of the kind that occurred in Rwanda in 1994. The Government of Kenya will be represented by the Speaker of the Senate, His Excellency Ekwe Ethuro. Amongst the other attendees will be students from 11 Universities and members of the diplomatic community in Kenya. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) held a regional seminar in Yaounde on April 46, 2016. The event took stock of public financial management (PFM) reforms in the CEMAC countries since the adoption five years ago of regional directives that aim at modernizing and improving the management of public finance and strengthening the regional integration process. It also highlighted the major contribution of Japan to support their implementation in partnership with the IMF and to foster fiscal institutions in Central Africa. In addition to representatives of the Japanese government, the seminar gathered officials from the CEMAC Commission and member states' governments and parliaments, as well as representatives from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) Commission and some of its member states. Donors and technical assistance partners, including the World Bank, the European Union (EU), the French and German cooperation agencies and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), also participated in the seminar. The IMF, in close coordination with the above-mentioned development partners, has provided extensive technical assistance to support the directives' drafting and implementation, assisted by the generous support of Japan. Despite a wide diversity of national contexts and capacity level, significant results have been achieved at the country level. However, important challenges remain to be addressed. Mr. Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Finance of Cameroon noted that these reforms contribute to achieve our Chiefs of States' vision to make the CEMAC zone a dynamic and virtuous monetary zone. He thanked the IMF for the technical assistance that it has provided to the CEMAC Commission and Member States for the past five years. Mr. Paul Tasong, the CEMAC Commissioner in charge of Economic, Monetary and Financial Policies, also highlighted the high impact of the seminar to identify progress achieved, difficulties and challenges encountered in order to give further impetus to reforms implementation in the CEMAC zone. Mr Kunio Okamura, the Ambassador of Japan in Cameroon, confirmed Japan's commitment to continue its support to African countries in general, and CEMAC countries in particular, to improve public financial management. During the seminar, Mr. Hironori Shoji, the Advisor to the IMF's Executive Director for Japan, discussed Japan's continuing support to promote sound PFM and strategies for PFM reform. The technical assistance to the CEMAC zone is part of the Fiscal Affairs Department of IMF's longstanding commitment to strengthen public financial management in CEMAC countries. Background The six CEMAC Member States are: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. The six PFM regional directives of the CEMAC, adopted in December 2011, include directives on transparency and good governance of public finances, budget law, accounting regulations, budget nomenclature, chart of accounts, and the summary fiscal table. The deadline for their transcription in national laws was December 2013, and was recently extended to December 2017. However, their full implementation is progressively planned over the next eight to ten years. Providing capacity development (technical assistance and training) to help countries design and implement economic policy is one of the IMF's core functions alongside its surveillance and lending activities. The IMF shares its expertise with member countries and provides training to build strong institutions, boost economic skills and formulate sound financial policies. Capacity development is closely integrated with the IMF's surveillance and lending work and is highly appreciated by member countries. Japan is the biggest and longest-standing partner in capacity development for IMF member countries. Since 1990, Japan has contributed over US$430 million and has been the largest donor, among external donors, to IMF technical assistance activities. Japan's support has covered the full range of IMF assistance across 125 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. The second edition of the Joy FM Ballot Box is ongoing at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi. A special edition of the Super Morning Show, hosted by Kojo Yankson, is also being held at the University. The first edition was held at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region and turned out to be more successful than organisers thought. Joy News, your election headquarters launched its 2016 election coverage with the super innovative novel programme, Joy Ballot Box. This will see the Joy Ballot Box and the Super Morning Show team travel the length and breath of Ghana before November 7th gathering and discussing the pertinent issues raised by electorates. The launch is being driven by the Super Morning Show with series of road shows which started Thursday March 3, 2016 from the Central Region. In each region that is visited, several Joy branded ballot boxes will be placed at key locations throughout a constituency for residents to write down the issues of concern to them which will determine who they will vote for. Discussions will begin on the Super Morning Show which will be coming to listeners live from Kumasi. The main Ballot Box show hosted by head of Joy FMs political desk, Evans Mensah will come off tomorrow, Friday, April 08, 2016. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Classified information reaching Obuasitoday.com indicates that, the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasimine will formally shut down in the next few days for what it believes to be the inability of government to help secure their concession against illegal miners. A top brass officer in the mine who spoke to Obuasitoday.com on condition of anonymity, said Management of the Obuasi mine are to shut down the mine indefinitely until further notice from the International Headquarters in South Africa. Boss, an email or something like that came in three days ago instructing our MD to shut down the mine and report to the Accra Office; we dont know why but I suspect is all because of security issues, he stated. Governments Failure. Sourcesclose to the mine tells Obuasitoday.com, the failure of the Government to fully stand behind the mine in these trying times of poor security which is having dire effect on their operations cannot be ruled out. Investigations done by Obuasitoday.com have revealed that,the Ashanti Regional Minister and Chairman for the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has been silent on this matter ever since the top brass approached him to use his high office to intervene. Mr. Richard OforiAgyemangBoadi, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi has also not showed any sign of coming to the aid of the mine. The two Members of Parliament for Obuasi East and West, MessersKwakuKwartengAgyemang and Edward Ennin have all being mute on the matter. Obuasi Must Live Coalition. Obuasi must Live Coalition, a Pressure group which is made up of Journalists, Religious leaders, Civil Society Groups,NGOs,students and artisans are also calling on the President through the Regional Minister and Municipal Chief Executive to do all what they can to disallow AngloGold Ashanti from shutting down the mine. Leader of the Coalition, Mr. Prince Kwame Aboagye,told Obuasitoday.com they will have a Press Conference come Tuesday, 12 April, 2016 to register all their grievances to the good people of Obuasi and Ghana. Accra, April 6, GNA - The Supreme Court (SC) for the second time struck out an Interim injunction seeking to stop the Electoral Commission's Limited Registration Exercise slated on April 28. This was after Kwame Boafo the New Patriotic Party's Brong Ahafo Region Youth Organiser, Kwame Baffoe withdrew the motion when the court sat over the case on Wednesday. Captain Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, who represented Boafo after conferring with Nana Asante Bediatuo another lawyer who had filed similar suit in the same court, withdrew the motion. 'The motion for interim injunction is struck out as withdrawn.' Mrs Justice Georgina T Wood, the Chief Justice presiding said. The court however did not award any cost. The SC threw out a similar injunction against the April 28 Limited Voters' Registration Exercise by Mr Abu Ramadan former Youth Organiser of the Peoples National Convention and Evans Nimako a famer. Baffoe, contends that that the current national voters' register, compiled by the EC and intended to be used for the general election is bloated, hence unfit for use. According to Mr Baffoe the current national voters' register is replete with names of foreigners, minors, deceased persons and other persons who are constitutionally ineligible to vote in the 2016 general election. GNA The U.S. Embassy in Cairo is pleased to welcome to Egypt the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, who is leading a delegation from the U.S. Congress for meetings with Egyptian officials on April 7. Speaker Ryan and the delegation plan to meet with President Sisi to discuss shared interests related to security, stability, and the fight against terrorism. They also plan to meet with Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament, Ali Abdel-Al, and to explore opportunities for cooperation between the Egyptian Parliament and the United States House of Representatives. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for Afram Plains constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. William Hor has promised to support farmers of Afram Plains constituency in the Eastern Region, if voted into the law making chamber. He said the ordeal of the farmers at Afram Plains who have to go through hell to cross the river to sell their farm produce worries him and was ready to help curb that torment by constructing a bridge on the Afram River for the people of Afram Plains. Mr. William made this pledge when he toured the Afram Plains constituency with the vice presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr. Bawumia. He said the farmers are very important people to the NPP and that the party would do all it could to make sure the farmers have a conducive environment to do their work but Ghanaians should only vote the NPP into power. The NPP led by Nana Akufo Addo, supported by Dr. Bawumia and myself as the parliamentary candidate of the Afram Plains constituency have the farmers at heart. We are going to construct a bridge from Adoso to Ekye for easy transportation on the river, he assured. The PC, who is optimistic of a gigantic victory in the parliamentary election in November 7, said the bridge if constructed, will ease the stress farmers have to go through to transport their foodstuffs. According to Mr. William, the bridge will enable small vehicles and heavy trucks to ply the bridge without necessarily waiting for long hours for the boat to cross the river. He added that most of the times, trucks loaded with foodstuffs would have to wait for some time for the boat to transport it to the end of the Afram river. This, he described as a hindrance what the farmers have to go through as far as the work of the farmers at the constituency is concerned. He explained that, trucks loaded with foodstuffs have to wait for some time for the boat to transport it to the other side of the river. My brother you know this is a hindrance on the work of the farmers in this constituency because for as long as the trucks wait for the boat, the foodstuffs begins to rot which sometimes press these peasant farmers to reduce prices of the foodstuffs for quick sales. He said when the Afram Plains constituents vote him to parliament he will push for the measures he have laid down to construct the bridge over the Afram river to manifest. Commenting on the issues of Fulanis destroying farms with their cows at the constituency, Mr. William Hor noted that plans were far advanced to setting up a camp for these Fulani herdsmen and their cows so that they would not keep on destroying farm produce especially at the Afram Plains constituency. The Fulani and the farmers issues are very critical so it has to be handled properly. I will do my possible best to make sure I get a place like a camp for these Fulanis and their cows so that they cannot go into peoples farmers to destroy them. When you go to Brazil, they have more cows but the cows do not destroy peoples farms. We only need good measures and I believe that the Fulani issues will be a thing of the past in this constituency and other affected constituencies can even learn from our constituency to deal with the Fulanis and their cows. I want to tell the good people of the Afram Plains constituency that they should vote for Mr. William Hor to be the member of parliament for the Afram Plains constituency and also Ghanaians should vote for Nana Addo to become the president and the constituency and Ghana will see massive development than what they are seeing now, he stated. 07.04.2016 LISTEN It has always been known, at least since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, that many a minor political party is almost invariably funded by either one of the countrys major political parties, namely, the Rawlings-founded National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Danquah-Busia-Dombo-inspired New Patriotic Party (NPP). And so it comes as absolutely no news at all, to learn of Mr. Akwasi Addaes revelation that his United Peoples Party (UPP) enjoys comfortable material support from President John Dramani Mahama and the ruling National Democratic Congress (See Mahama Can Never Sponsor My Party Akua Donkor Ultimate1067.com / Ghanaweb.com 3/31/16). Now, since we are not privy to the exact details contained on the alleged audiotape on which the voice of Mr. Addae (aka Odike) was heard bragging about the handsome support which the UPP regularly receives from President Mahama and the corporate headquarters of the National Democratic Congress, it is not clear precisely what form such assistance takes or has taken. One, however, can readily and aptly assume that it likely comes in the form of both material assistance for example, motor vehicles and cash. We have no way of objectively establishing the sources from which such assistance is taken, such as NDC party coffers and/or the personal account of President Mahama, because there does not appear to be any credible system or structure in place by which the Auditor-Generals Department could periodically examine the funding activities of the countrys legitimately registered political parties. What I also wanted to point out is the fact that in this lurid game of divide-and-conquer, it is invariably the left-leaning ones that hold the heavier tip of the balance, often to the considerable disadvantage of neo-liberal and libertarian political establishments like the main opposition New Patriotic Party. Which is why the NPP leadership has a much greater obligation to ensure internal political cohesion, irrespective of factional differences. Put another clearer way, parties like the UPP and the Akua Donkor-led Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) draw most of their support from citizens with similar ideological proclivities or leanings as that of the New Patriotic Party. It is a deliberate and a logical ploy largely designed by left-leaning political operatives like the ruling National Democratic Congress and the rump-Convention Peoples Party (r-CPP). In recent years, however, the prime electoral catch, as it were, for the NDC has been the Limann-founded Peoples National Convention (PNC), whose key operatives, like Messrs. Bernard Mornah and Abu Ramadan, have been known to openly and shamelessly flirt with the National Democratic Congress. It was all pretty much to be expected that the GFPs Ms. Akua Donkor would come out swinging and virulently deny that her party had been on the Mahama/NDC list of political welfare recipients. But, of course, only the most politically naive would take the trash-talking leader of the Ghana Freedom Party seriously. The fact of the matter is that Akua Donkor has long been paid for and publicly christened Prime Page Girl by President Mahama. And the curious thing about her, believe it or not, dear reader, is that Ms. Donkor is easily worth thrice as much as the party of which she is the founder, patron and eternal presidential candidate. As the proud and prime political showcase trophy of President Mahama and the National Democratic Congress Abongo Boys, Ms. Donkor has traveled on lavish tours to Italy and Ethiopia with Mr. Mahama and his Flagstaff House watchdogs and political pit-bulls. She has been proudly showcased by the likes of Dr. Clement Apaak, a so-called Presidential Staffer, as being representative of the rural working-class Ghanaian, the ones but for whose around-the-clock diligence, cocoa, the countrys economic mainstay, would not exist. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs 07.04.2016 LISTEN Ghana, April 2016: The key role that Ghanas new offshore Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN) field looks set to play in helping the country build on an anticipated oil and gas rebound will be given wide-ranging analysis in a forthcoming report by the global publishing firm Oxford Business Group (OBG). The Report: Ghana 2017 will chart the progress of the $5bn project, which is targeting 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) once operational, rising to 100,000 bpd in 2017. The publication will also explore signs that Ghana plans to broaden its economic base by sharpening its focus on adding value to commodity exports, especially gold. Other topics earmarked for coverage include the implications of higher-than-expected crop volumes and talk of the possible creation of a national commodity exchange, which would establish an agricultural value chain. The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), a partner of OBG since 2010, will once again contribute to the Groups report on the countrys economy. As part of their ongoing collaboration, GIPC will support OBG in the information-gathering and research process for The Report: Ghana 2017. Mawuena Trebarh, GIPCs CEO, was optimistic about Ghanas long-term outlook, indicating that although an election year, there would likely be a steady increase in FDI in the year 2016 over 2015. "It is natural to see a decline in foreign direct investments in an election year but we expect the size of individual investments to increase". "Investors remain interested in Ghana despite challenges of the past year". She added that "in addition to political stability and streamlined investment procedures, Ghana possesses a robust legal and regulatory framework. There exist many opportunities for investment in the manufacturing, agriculture and tourism sectors which the Centre is actively promoting". I look forward to working with Oxford Business Groups team and exploring how Ghana plans to leverage these and other advantages", she said. Shadeh Olivia Van Esch, OBGs Country Director in Ghana, said she welcomed GIPCs input, which, she added, had long given the Groups research an edge. The year 2016 is proving to be significant for Ghana, with a diversification drive under way and rising oil prices hinting at higher receipts for the country, she said. The Ghana Investment Promotion Centres efforts to tap new FDI are a key component of the countrys broader plans for long-term economic growth. I am delighted that our readers will once again benefit from the GIPCs take on the areas of the Ghanaian economy ripe for investment. The Report: Ghana 2017 will be a vital guide on the many facets of the country, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication will feature contributions from leading personalities, alongside a sector-by-sector analysis of the countrys economy. Oxford Business Groups report will be produced with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre. It will be available in print and online. About Oxford Business Group Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global publishing, research and consultancy firm, which publishes economic intelligence on the markets of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Through its range of print and online products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, insurance, energy, transport, industry and telecoms. The critically acclaimed economic and business reports have become the leading source of business intelligence on developing countries in the regions they cover. OBG's online economic briefings provide up-to-date in-depth analysis on the issues that matter for tens of thousands of subscribers worldwide. OBG's consultancy arm offers tailor-made market intelligence and advice to firms currently operating in these markets and those looking to enter them. 07.04.2016 LISTEN TWO PEOPLE were arrested yesterday after supporters of Kwaku Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh and the constituency executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) clashed over the withdrawal of 21 government appointees at the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly by President John Dramani Mahama. In a letter to the assembly, President Mahama said he had substituted the current government appointees with a list of new ones ahead of an impending election to endorse or reject Mr. Yamoah Ponkoh whom the president has appointed for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). Presiding Member (PM) of the assembly, Gabriel Ansah Sasraku, announced this at a meeting yesterday after receiving a letter notifying him of the president's decision. The meeting, which was to endorse or reject the nominee, was therefore postponed to April 12, 2016 to enable the assembly recognize the status of the new appointees by taking them through the necessary processes and procedures. The latest move shows President Mahama's strong preference for Kwaku Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh for the Ejisu-Juaben MCE position, despite protests from the Ejisu constituency executives of the NDC against the man's candidature. The development, which is considered by the party's executives as imposition of the president's will on them, did not go down well with their supporters who attempted to thwart efforts to effect the changes on that day. An insistence by supporters of Yamoah Ponkoh however, created intense tension, resulting in a clash between them. It took the intervention of police officers present to restore law and order, but that was after they had arrested and whisked away two of the supporters to calm tempers. . The constituency executives had raised concerns against the re-nomination of Mr. Yamoah Ponkoh, citing his poor human relations as one of the things that could affect the fortunes of the NDC in the area. In March this year, President Mahama re-nominated the controversial politician for endorsement as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Ejisu-Juaben Assembly. Yamoa was among 13 people nominated by the president for various assemblies in accordance with Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20 (1) of the Local Government Act (Act 462). Prior to his rejection, Yamoah had served a four-year term as Chief Executive Officer for the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly, which reign was fraught with controversies and infighting with NDC constituency executives. In July last year, the NDC executives forced him to leave office when he refused to hand over, despite the fact that a letter to that effect had been sent to the assembly by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. The constituency executives, led by the chairman, Eugene Agyarko, openly opposed Yamoah's re-appointment and canvassed that he should be rejected by the assembly members ahead of that election a move that yielded the desired result. From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi Jumia Ghana, the biggest online shopping mall in the country is celebrating two years of providing customers with a wonderful online shopping experience. The Country Manager for Jumia Ghana, Funlola Abe, said, being the leader in online shopping, Jumia Ghana does not only provide customers the luxury of shopping from any location, but delivers these items right to customers' doorsteps. She added that Jumia also believes in innovation and changing economies around the world, of which Ghana is no exception. Jumia has pioneered e-commerce in Ghana and attracted huge foreign investment leading to a rise in the industry's contribution to Ghana's GDP, she noted. The Country Manager indicated that Jumia has raised over $326 million from Goldman Sachs, a US investment bank, AXA, a French Insurance Multinational and MTN, a South African Telecommunications giant, among other investors. She noted that the company can also boast of 12,000 assorted brands on its website, 72 mobile Apps, top-notch customer service that enables customers to return faulty items within 7days after purchase for a replacement. Jumia is a part of Africa Internet Group [AIG] founded in 2012 with an investment from Rocket Internet a German internet group. According to her, in partnership with Millicom, a Swedish Telecom company and MTN, AIG has created 71 different companies accross 26 African countries. Other AIG brands include Jovago; an online booking company, Carmudi; an online automobile company and HelloFood; an online food delivery company. "We are keen on ensuring that the online success story of Ghana would be based around the Jumia story. We have a strong mandate to make the e-commerce business the way forward for the Ghanaian economy" Funlola Abe, Managing Director for Jumia Ghana. As part of its birthday celebrations, Jumia is giving its customers up to 75% discount on all items from now till 7th April. The Country Manager encourages customers to take advantage of this opportunity to grab any item of their choice from the platform. The company is celebrating customers, employees and partners such as Infinix, Tecno mobile, Samsung, MTN and others who have been very instrumental in creating the Jumia brand in Ghana. Elydora Matubanzila, Sales and Marketing Manager of Mobile Tout Terrain [MTT] West Africa added that her company, which deals into Mobile phones, Tablets and accessories, is happy to associate with Jumia Ghana to promote its brands on its biggest shopping platform quiet recently. She noted that MTT which is barely a year in town deals in rugged and waterproof phones and tablets that are not vulnerable to cracks and very suitable for all mobile phone aficionados. Jumia & Africa Internet Group. Jumia ( www.jumia.com ) is the leading ecommerce platform in Africa with a presence in 11 countries. Jumia is part of a larger ecosystem of companies supported by Africa Internet Group (AIG), the leading internet platform in Africa with a network of companies including Carmudi, Easy Taxi, Everjobs, hellofood, Jovago, Kaymu, Lamudi, Vendito and Zando across 23 African countries. The Agona Swedru Divisional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Issa Yakubu has assured the people in the vicinity that personnel of the service would continually be neutral and professional in discharging their duties. "I want to assured the good people of the Agona Swedru Division under the Ghana Police Service that we will continually be neutral and professional in discharging our assigned duties the state has assigned. In the wake of the November 7th General Elections, we would sustain the peace we are enjoying before, during and after the elections" The Divisional Commander gave this assurance when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Agona West constituency, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison supported the police with Ghc 5,000 towards their annual celebration of the West Africa Security Service Association in the division. Receiving the money on behalf of the Police personnel, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Issa Yakubu commended the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for her kind gesture and appreciated the cordial relationship between the police and the political parties in the area He noted that no stone would left unturned in their quest to sustain the peace and unity prevailing in their operational areas. Mrs. Cynthia Morrison lauded the Ghana Police Service for their dedication but cautioned them against political influence which may taint their image to the general public. She recounted the number of times some supporters of the NPP had been harassed by the Police without just course. She accused the NDC Member of Parliament for Agona West constituency, Hon. Charles Obeng Nkum of his influence and tasked them to discharge their duties without any influence. "I want to use this platform to advise the youth to desist from political violence before, during and after the elections to enable us enjoy peace and stability. Am hopeful that justice will prevail ahead of the November 7th general elections." . The Greater Accra Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) exceeded its target for 2015, making it the second overall best performing scheme in the country. The region exceeded its premium generation by 30 per cent from GH6.5 million to GH8.7 million while membership enrolment also went up from 1.2 million to 1.4 million. The Greater Accra Regional Director of the scheme, Mr Lawrence Amartey, disclosed this at the 2015 annual performance review meeting in Accra. Coverage He said the region had developed more strategies to widen its coverage to include the poor and especially schoolchildren to ensure universal health coverage for all. The director said the scheme would, between April and June this year, register children from 625 schools which were under the school feeding programme in the region. In addition, Mr Amartey said the scheme also intended to register children at all accredited orphanages within the region. They include inmates of the Accra and Pantang Psychiatric hospitals, the leprosarium and the borstal institute. He said it would also widen stakeholder engagement to get more people, especially opinion leaders, included. Targets According to him, there were 14 district offices of the NHIS in the Greater Accra Region out of which four were satellite offices with 664 workers. He said although the scheme faced a number of challenges last year, all the offices exceeded their targets due to hard work and dedication, as well as proper planning and stakeholder engagement. Mr Amartey described such achievements as unprecedented in the region and commended the staff for their commitment and hard work. The Head of Public Affairs of the NHIA, Dr Anang Adjetey, also expressed appreciation to the workers for their untiring efforts that sustained the scheme despite the numerous challenges. He urged them to strive hard to achieve all the targets for this year as well.Mr Emmaunuel otchere the deputy director in charge of monitoring and evaluation at research policy monitoring and Evaluation of the NHIA said the unit would train officers in each region on research and data analysis noting that research was an integral component in every activity. As part of the initiative to encourage managers and staff members to soar to greater heights certificates were given to all districts. The Ashiaman satellite office Ga and weija districts were specially recognized for their outstanding performance. The Melcom Care Foundation has extended its benevolence to Korle Bu Teaching hospital as part of efforts to provide quality health care delivery in the country. Miss Sonia Sadhwani, Director of Brand Management, Melcom Group, presented a cash donation of GHc5000 as seed money for the setting up of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Trust Fund. Godwin Avenorgbo, Director of Communications, Melcom Group, said they do this with the intention that the hospital can garner adequate resources to for an improved health care delivery. The second part of the donation of 1000 dollars was presented to Victoria Marfowaa Adom-Afrifa, student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology [KNUST] to undertake her 5th year medical school elective programme in the Regensburg University Hospital in Germany for a month. The Director of Communications, Godwin Avernorgbo noted that the donation will cover Miss Victorias tuition, health insurance and airport tax. Miss Sonia made the third presentation to Elivava productions to support for their charity work in alleviating poverty by providing educational materials for primary education. Items include large quantity of exercise books, pencils, pens, erasers, crayons, sharpeners and colour pencils to support Elivava charity concerts that seek to raise supports for the deprived schools in the communities. Godwin Avenorgbo indicated that the relevance of the project meets their cardinal goal of assisting the needy in the rural communities to enjoy quality education in the country. He stated that Melcom Care is also providing support to an environmental awareness project embarked upon by Miss Earth organization in the country. According to him, Melcom Care wants to associate with this project to drive home the relevance of practicing safe environmental standards particularly among the young ones in our schools. Godwin Avenorgbo added that Melcom Care pledges to be consistent with the goal of meeting targeted Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] needs of the people. He stated that we are a people centered organization providing services and meeting daily basic needs of our cherished customers. Sarah Okaikoi, Member, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Trust Fund, expressed her profound gratitude to Melcom Care and promised that the purpose for which the donation was made shall not be undermined by all standards. She added that the donations given them shall be used for its intended purposes. The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nhyiaeso Constituency of the Ashanti Region, Dr. Richard Anane, has delivered a seminar to students of the Christian Service University College (CSUC), Kumasi. The seminar, which was under theme The Impact of Legislative Function and Budgetary Control in the Development of Ghanas Economy was organised by the Department of Management and General Studies of the CSUC School of Business in collaboration with the Business Students' Association of CSUC. Dr. Anane spoke on the influence of the legislative Instrument in framing policies that affect the citizenry. He explained the Appropriation Act and explaining that "at the committee level, we debate the allocations of funds, and how the expenditure will be executed against the backdrop of the previous years budget to either approve, disapprove or expose flaws in it". He stressed that the Legislature through the Parliament had an oversight function of looking at the operations of the various sectors of the economy and monitoring how funds are disbursed for various projects. The MP explained that the Auditor General made an audit of funds allocated and the requisite expenditure and then the Public Accounts Committee sees to the proper accounting of disbursed monies at the micro-level. Dr. Anane also sought to correct the erroneous impression held by some section of the public that members of parliament were responsible for the infrastructural development of their constituencies. He explained that the Legislature engaged in representative and deliberative functions on behalf of their constituents at the floor of parliament. However, the MPs Common Fund a relatively new addition - is a pool of resources that helps MPs to undertake development in their constituencies. The head of the Department of Management and General Studies, Mrs. Evelyn Owusu-Frempong explained that the seminar was organised to expose students to what actually goes into the practice of public administration and the disbursement of budgetary allocations. Madam Cynthia Lumor interacting with the media 07.04.2016 LISTEN As part of efforts to make some vital information on health issues available to its subscribers, Ghana's leading telecommunications company, MTN, has rolled out a mobile health service dubbed 'Healthy You 24/7' on its network. The initiative seeks to use digital technology platforms to make healthcare, education and other service easily accessible to the most vulnerable in societies around. 'Healthy You 24/7', according to the service provider, is an affordable and a convenient health information and healthcare service for the most vulnerable in society. The service basically puts health information and selected certified health personnel at the disposal of subscribers 24/7. . Cynthia Lumor, corporate services executive of MTN, who disclosed this in an interaction with journalists in Takoradi, described the service as a hospital on mobile. She explained that MTN 'Healthy You 24/7' provides the platform for subscribers to listen to live health discussions and record question and send for doctor to listen and send reply among other things. Madam Lumor indicated that the company which has nearly 50 percent market share has invested more to help increase network capacity, improved data speeds and reduction in overall network congestion. She said MTN is confident that it would maintain its lead in Ghana through quality service, innovation, strategic engagements with its subscribers and commitment to national development. The corporate services executive of MTN explained that as part of efforts to provide uninterrupted access to fast-evolving technology and for the subscribers to enjoy all the benefits of the digital age, the telecommunication company would soon deploy its fourth generation network (4G) for its customers. From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi Some of the girls fetching water for the students 07.04.2016 LISTEN The Nurses and Midwives Training College in Tamale has been hit by water crisis, causing students to rely on neighbouring communities for water supply. According to a cross-section of the student body, the crisis has been in existence for years, thereby affecting their training. Some students who spoke with DAILY GUIDE on anonymity said, Our colleagues who can afford to pay a fee of GH1 for a gallon but for us those who don't have the money will have to go into the community ourselves to get water. They indicated that the situation was affecting their studies because water means a lot to them, and they have to go round looking for water instead of staying in the classroom to study. A second year student who spoke to DAILY GUIDE said, Just imagine now we don't have allowances and every day we need to buy water for ourselves you can see the suffering we are going through. . When the paper visited the college, it discovered that the school has boreholes on campus, but the water is milky and not potable for consumption. According to some students, an aspiring Students Representative Council (SRC) president whose name was only given as Rashid organised a water tanker truck to fill the empty tanks on campus to make it easier for his colleagues to get access to water. Principal of the college, Cosmos Alhassan, told DAILY GUIDE that management had tried all possible means to solve the water issue. He mentioned that the school's authorities several attempts to contact the Ghana Water Company for help had yielded no result, adding that water pressure around the area is very low. Cosmos Alhassan indicated again that the school purchased five large water tanks and even dug about five boreholes on campus but currently they are dried up, stating that the school does not have enough resources to buy water for the entire students population of about 1,000 every day. From Eric Kombat, Tamale 07.04.2016 LISTEN The Kayayie with thier head-pans at the demonstration in Kumasi yesterday THE NEW Patriotic Party (NPP) has passionately appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to personally intervene so that the Electoral Commission (EC) will carry out the validation of the bloated voter register and make it credible to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls in November this year. The largest opposition political party has also extended a similar appeal to the offices of former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor as well as other prominent traditional leaders and pastors to play leading roles to ensure that the EC cleans the register through validation to make it credible. This was part of a resolution following a massive demonstration by thousands of party supporters and other groups in Kumasi yesterday. Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, complained bitterly that the current voter register was full of ghost names, minors and foreigners, but the EC seemed not willing to clean it to make the impending elections free and fair. The NPP bigwig stated that the EC was treading on a dangerous and slippery ground as its refusal to make the voter register clean and credible ahead of the November elections had the potential of plunging the country into chaos, hence the strong need for Otumfuo and other prominent people to call the EC to order now. 'Bammu Yadda'Demo Wontumi was addressing thousands of people clad in red and black clothes to display their fury over the lukewarm attitude of the EC towards the cleaning of the electoral roll. They had converged at the Abbey's Park at Ash Town after taking part in the mammoth demonstration, dubbed 'Bammu Yadda' a Hausa expression literally meaning we will not agree. Organised by the Ashanti Regional branch of the NPP and its allies such as the Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), Movement for Change (MFC) and other bodies, the demonstration was geared towards putting pressure on the EC to clean the voter register via validation. The protesters caused a lot of vehicular traffic on the streets of Kumasi, having walked from the Suame Roundabout through Abrepo Junction, Bantama High Street, Komfo Anokye Roundabout, Pampaso, Adum, Asafo Interchange, Fante New Town and Zongo Police Station before converging at the Abbey's Park. Chaos With a grim face, Wontumi stated that any attempt by the EC to put the validation exercise at the background could result in chaotic scenes and bloodbath and therefore all peace-loving Ghanaians, especially the Asantehene, should tell the EC to do the right thing. He said Ghanaians, especially prominent people like the Asantehene, Rawlings and Kufuor, should not sit aloof for the EC, chaired by Charlotte Osei, to lead the country into civil strife, stating that We are not prepared to be refugees. We love the peace that we are experiencing in the country. Jabs Mahama . From all indications, Wontumi said, President John Mahama has failed Ghanaians and therefore the electorate would vote the NDC administration out of political office if the elections are held in a free and fair atmosphere, noting that the EC's clandestine attempt to help the NDC to rig the polls would be resisted by the NPP, its allies and all well-meaning Ghanaians. Nana Addo Ghana, Wontumi observed with concern, has been destroyed by the NDC administration over the past seven years, stressing that the country needed a visionary, experienced, hardworking and patriotic person like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as president to rescue it. He gave the assurance that the incoming Nana Akufo-Addo government would implement better policies to save the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which has virtually collapsed and also create employment for the majority of Ghanaians who are currently jobless with no hope in sight. According to the NPP capo, Nana Akufo-Addo's administration would reduce the high taxes, the high electricity and water tariffs and also implement the famous free education policy so that every Ghanaian child of school-going age could have the opportunity to be educated. Placards The demonstrators chanted war songs during the peaceful walk, holding placards with inscriptions such as 'Clean, credible register, nothing else,' 'Change is coming,' 'Bloated register, we won't agree,' 'Propaganda government, 8 years is enough,' 'Vote out Mahama,' '8 years of incompetence,' 'Who controls STL?' and 'Mahama must go,' among others. The demonstration was graced by NPP bigwigs like Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organiser, Eugene Boakye Antwi, parliamentary candidates of the NPP, sitting MPs and regional and national members of the party. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi CAPTION 07.04.2016 LISTEN The Volta Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Peter Amewu, has strongly reacted to the claim by President John Mahama that all developmental projects in the region were executed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government. According to Mr Amewu, Mahama's claim was not only untrue, but also dishonest, tribal and divisive. The president last weekend, in the Keta municipality, said among other things that Every progress that has been made in this (Volta) region in terms of electrification, water, among others, has been made under an NDC government from Jerry Rawlings' time to Prof Mills' time to my time. He said the NPP, under the Kufuor administration, had nothing to show in terms of development in the region, despite being in power for eight years from 2001 to 2009. President Mahama further quizzed for those who do that propaganda [referring to the NPP] in that eight years when they had the opportunity, what did they do, show me? President Mahama was reacting to the remarks by the chiefs and people of Anlodukor, led by Awoamefia of the Anlo State, Togbe Sri III, that despite the so-called development brought to the area, it did not reflect in the lives of the people as unemployment was the order of the day. Laudable as these efforts may seem, they fail to address a very crucial fundamental need of the teeming unemployed masses. They do not create the required sustainable job avenues for these people. The poverty level in our area therefore is very high. The hardships are tremendous to narrate. The only alternative left to them is to resort to such anti-social habits as robbery, smoking and prostitution. It's high time this trend is stopped, Togbe Sri charged. NPP's Response In a frank response to the president's assertion, Mr Amewu, who was polite in setting the record straight, noted: Whilst we do not want to call our president a liar, we wish to equally say that persons occupying such high office must lead by example, by upholding their oaths of office to be truthful to Ghanaians in all their dealings. Mr Amewu made the comments in Ho yesterday at a press conference that was heavily attended by many of his colleague executives. NDC's 29 Years Vs 8 Years Of NPP Mr Amewu at this point wondered why President Mahama would make such erroneous claim, especially when the PNDC and the NDC governments combined had had 29 years out of Ghana's 59 years of independence. He said if the NDC was as caring for the Volta Region as the president claimed, then the region should by now see a lot more development than what Mr Mahama was chanting about. It is only clear that the NDC has taken the region for a ride and it is time to vote for change in the upcoming elections, he stressed. . Some NPP Projects Although the number of developmental projects were uncountable, he went on to list several projects either initiated, completed or ongoing by the NPP government before the party left office in 2008. Key among them were the water extension schemes for communities in the Keta Municipality alone, rehabilitation of the Ohawu Irrigation Scheme, Ative and Nogokpo water projects, among others, which were in their final stages of completion before the NPP left office. He also talked about the $84 million Keta Sea Defence Wall and Resettlement Housing Project initiated by the NPP, which had over 70% payment made to complete it before the NPP handed over power to the NDC. Mr Amewu reminded the president that the Tema to Sogakofe road, which he travelled on to Aflao and other parts of the region, was done by the NPP. Others are the Sogakofe to Akatsi, Dzodze to Akanu, Dzodze town roads and Ho to Fume road. More so, over 70% of the Kpando to Dambai road was completed before the NPP left office. The Eastern corridor road was started by the NPP in 2004, with the Dzidzisu to Pepesu completed before the party left the scene. On education, he mentioned among other things the construction of the Weta SHS, establishment of the Nursing Training School at Keta, upgrading of Dzodze, Kadjebi and Wovenu SHS, huge facilities at the Ho Polytechnic, and the Nursing Training in Ho. From Fred Duodu, Ho ([email protected]) Jon Benjamin British high commissioner, Desmond Swayne and Charlotte Osei 07.04.2016 LISTEN In the face of lingering doubts about the commitment of the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure a free and fair election come November 7 when the country goes to the polls, EC boss Charlotte Osei, has given the assurance that she would do whatever it takes to guard the mandate of the people. Speaking on the occasion of the announcement of a 4 million grant extended to Ghana by the British Government yesterday, Ms Osei pledged, We are totally committed to ensuring that the elections this year are credible, are transparent and that they are peaceful. The elections belong to the people of Ghana and not just the Electoral Commission. The money is aimed at supporting both Ghana's state and non-state institutions to strengthen democratic governance and promote free, fair, peaceful and credible general election in November this year. The EC has not been able to assuage concerns about the need for validation to purge the register of the over 600,000 ghost names, minors and foreigners in the register. Assurance Ms Osei revealed that her outfit had started the process of implementing several reforms which include those recommended by the Supreme Court after the 2012 election petition hearing. Others she said included those agreed upon by a wide range of stakeholders, the various political parties and civil society organizations. All these reforms are towards strengthening the electoral process and ensuring that the institutions are stronger and independent and that the rules are acceptable to all the key players across the political divide, she noted. Strategic Plan . The EC is set to launch a 5-year strategic plan which would make it clear that at the end of the period, the Commission would be better resourced and become a more independent body. She therefore thanked the British Government for the support, with the assurance that the money would be put to good use. On his part, the British Minister of State for International Development, Desmond Swayne, anticipated that this would be the last time Britain would advance such a support to Ghana in building democratic structures. Credentials As a country that has established what he described a fearsome reputation in the region as a beacon of democracy and becoming a low middle income country, he charged, We will expect you as you go forward to be able to fund your democracy from your own resources; and I am confident and I have every expectation that you will do that and that the elections in November will be free and fair, convincing and proper. Swayne explained the reason for advancing the support to Ghana saying, Undoubtedly, the things that keep people in pervasive poverty, that generates instability and conflict are the absence of livelihoods, the absence of jobs, the absence of inclusive economic growth. By Charles Takyi-Boadu 07.04.2016 LISTEN 06 April 2016 - No more excuses on decisive and effective climate action! This was the message that rang loud and clear as Commonwealth governments and climate change experts and practitioners met today at a Commonwealth Dialogue on Climate Change. Hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, who took office on 1 April, the forum focused on the way forward after the historic Paris climate agreement at COP21 last December. Welcoming delegates, Secretary-General Scotland pledged that the Commonwealth will play a central role in addressing the existential threat of climate change ( read the speech in full - http://goo.gl/JYToIO ). Describing the issue as the most severe global challenge facing our generation the Dominican Secretary-General said the Commonwealth, with its potent combination of distinctive strengths and advantages is well poised to continue to provide smaller and more vulnerable states with a vital platform for wider political consideration of their concerns. Fijis High Commissioner MrJitokoTikolevu described the frightening threat facing his country, and called on all nations to act decisively. He said: The emergency is now, so the solution must be now. There is no more room for excuses! His comments come as Fiji, which just weeks ago was battered by the worst cyclone recorded in the southern hemisphere, is now bracing itself for the effects of category three cyclone Zena. Outlining Commonwealth initiatives such as the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, which will help countries successfully bid for climate action funding, Secretary-General Scotland challenged participants to think about the practical next steps to deal with the globes environmental challenges. Sir David King, the UK Foreign Secretarys Special Representative for Climate Change, outlined the importance of investing in innovations to reduce rising carbon emissions. Climate justice advocate Mary Robinson questioned whether the historic global agreement on climate change in Paris will deliver action at the speed and scale needed to keep warming below 1.5 degrees or well below 2 degrees. Ms Robinson urged the Commonwealth to ensure it maintains its strong track record of leadership on collective action on environmental issues, which dates back to 1989 when it adopted the Langkawi declaration on the environment. Since then the intergovernmental body has facilitated the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small-Island Developing States (SIDS) in 1994, and in 2009 Commonwealth Heads signed the Port of Spain Climate Change Consensus: The Commonwealth Climate Change Declaration. This declaration had a decisive impact on COP15 in Copenhagen. Referring to the landmark climate change agreement at the 2015 Commonwealth Head of Government meeting, Secretary General Scotland said: There was an agreement that 53 of us would commit to 2% with 52 of us saying 1.5% would be our aspiration. Countries like Canada that had been sceptical in the past came on board because they heard the voice of the small island states in the Commonwealth. The 53 countries then went to Paris, united in our aims and active across the five different regions. We had members of the Commonwealth with one voice saying, take this seriously. And they did. She added: So now, having been instrumental in achieving the Paris agreement, the Commonwealth now has to be instrumental in delivering it. The event is the first in a series of high-level policy dialogues to be hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Watch a video of the Commonwealth Dialogue on Climate Change: Read the speech in full: http://goo.gl/JYToIO ) Social media: Join the conversation: @commonwealthsec #Commonwealth #ClimateChange 07.04.2016 LISTEN Founder of West Africas first food recovery bank in Ghana, Elijah Amoo Addo is throwing an open challenged to President John Dramani Mahama. Elijah Amoo Addo stated on his Facebook page: During the 7th Africa conference on Sexual and Healthy Right in February, 2016 President John Mahama promised to kill any man who marries his underage daughter off ( http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/58047-i-will-kill-if-my-underage-daughter-is-married-off-president-mahama.html ). Mr. President what about those girls who are not married off but impregnated and rejected by their families and gaity's? (a term he describes as men with manhood for sex but no muscles for fatherhood.) Ghana hosted the 7thAfrica conference on sexual and Healthy right in February, 2016 with all stakeholders calling for an end to child marriage with little emphasis placed on teenage girls who are turn into mothers and rejected by family. Teenage motherhood and streetism is on a rapid increase in the country with most cases within urban centres like James town, Labadi, Teshie and many others. Most of this vulnerable scavenging for food and shelter on our streets. He further stated that for the past 5 days, his organization have had to deal with two cases of girls who have been rejected by their families because they got impregnated by gaity's and have had to live on the streets. Had it not been for the timely intervention of the Expatriate community in Ghana, Rita Yaa Osei and his two intelligent sons would still be sleeping under the Ofankor bridge. ( http://m.myjoyonline.com/marticles/news/rejected-desperate-and-homeless-story-of-a-family-at-ofankor-overpass ) Today I met Esther,a 17 year-old Ga girl,who have been turn into a mother because of a gaity.Teenage pregnancy and streetism is on the rise due to outcome of cases such as the Lamptey Mills headmaster scandal.( http://opinion.myjoyonline.com/pages/feature/200910/37074.php ) 07.04.2016 LISTEN In justifying to Ghanaians the Bureau of National Investigations' (BNI) conduct in relation to three South Africans brought into Ghana to train security personnel of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Minister for Interior, Prosper Bani, made reference to an alleged training programme that the NPP undertook under the direction of Serbians called Assaulting the Pillars of Power. Without explicitly stating so, the Minister sought to implant in the minds of Ghanaians the notion that the NPP by that training programme, had intentions of subverting the state. In other words, the pillars of power ought not to be assaulted. Seeking to assault the pillars of power tantamounts to subversion. Until I read that release I didn't know that the NPP had any such training programme. So this article is not to confirm if indeed such a training happened or did not happen. What I seek to do is to argue that contrary to the impression that Prosper Bani sought to create, the pillars of power ought to be assaulted if power is to serve a useful purpose and make governments truly accountable to the people. Power Corrupts Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is a quotation that is on the lips of every student of government and or politics. For the purposes of this article, I shall define power as the authority that governments wield, which gives legality to their exercise and control of the machineries of state. It is this authority that political scientists believe has the tendency to corrupt or better still, that is the tendency for governments to use this authority for corrupt purposes. In other words, for purposes other than the supreme interest of the people, on behalf of whom such power is exercised. Therefore the constitutions of nations deliberately craft into them, provisions that allow us (as citizens) to continually or periodically assault the wielders of power, so that they are constantly reminded that they hold power on our behalf. Without such assaults because there is the tendency for wielders of power to be lulled into a sense of false security, which then empowers them to either corrupt the power that they wield, or to be corrupt in themselves. Demonstrations, strikes, opposition activity in and outside parliament, all constitute forms of assault on power. So assaulting the pillars of power is a legitimate activity. Indeed history has been kind to people who have been known to assault the pillars of power. The list is endless: Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Troure, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Alhassan Ouattara etc. Even so, we need to distinguish between legitimate pillars of power and illegitimate pillars of power. The legitimate pillars that support power are in my view, executive, legislative and judicial powers. Without any one of these pillars, power is exercised illegitimately. For example, under military dictatorships, there is no legislature as such. The nation is ruled by decrees. So these are legitimate pillars and if anybody was to attempt to bring down any one of these pillars, his or her activity would be considered subversive. Illegitimate Pillars But apart from these legitimate pillars of authority, governments are known to build other supporting pillars, which are the pillars that really make them unassailable, even if they were no longer ruling in the interest of the people. These pillars include, but are not limited to corruption, arrogance, impunity and a false sense of security. It is important that citizens continually launch an assault on these pillars, because once these pillars solidify, they entrench the wielders of power in such a way that the power that they wield corrupts absolutely. . Presently, there is no doubt in anybody's mind that, the NDC government has built these pillars as support for the power that they wield, and it is their hope, that these pillars, rather than the exercise of legitimate power through the legitimate pillars will keep them in power beyond January 2017. It is therefore important that we launch assaults on these illegitimate pillars, for two fundamental reasons: first, to remind them that these pillars are illegitimate. Second, to send a clear message to them that they are ultimately accountable to the people, and to depend on pillars, other than the pillar of people, will be against the grain and tenets of our democratic practice. Corruption for example, allows governments to steal the resources of state, impoverish the people, and then use the stolen money in election periods, to buy the vote and conscience of the people. And this works, because, as Prof. Ritchie Calder says, democracy is a word which grumbles meaninglessly in empty bellies. Once people are hungry, they will take crumps thrown at them by thieving politicians and they will vote them back into power to continue to assault the conscience and integrity of the people. Rather than allow corrupt politicians to launch assaults on our conscience and integrity, we will launch assaults on the pillars that fortify them and give them the energy to launch assaults on our conscience. If we didn't know the meaning and definition of impunity, the BNI's blatant disregard for a court order to free the South African trainers of the NPP security boys, has taught us what impunity means. But impunity is not consonant with democratic practice anywhere. Impunity is the gun with which people in power assault the legitimate pillars of democracy. In the case of the BNI and the South African security experts, the judiciary which in my view is the most important of the three pillars of democratic governance, was assaulted in a crude way. That assault in itself constitutes the highest form of arrogance of power. And when people in power engage in such a brazen show of arrogance, then you know that they have a certain sense of false security. This false sense of security lulls them to sleep. And we did not vote for them to go to sleep. Sometimes people fall into such deep slumber, that the way to wake them up is to be ruthless: sometimes we hit them hard in the head; sometimes we pour cold water on them. These methods in themselves can constitute assault. But they become necessary under the circumstances. So let us continue to assault the pillars of power. It is in our collective interest to do so. By Mustapha Abdul-Hamid Department of Religion & Human Values, UCC Dr Bawumia mobbed by the students 07.04.2016 LISTEN Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, New Patriotic Party (NPP) vice presidential candidate, has stated that there is nothing anyone can do to stop the wind of change that is blowing and that in 216 days' time, Nana Akufo-Addo the party's standard bearer will be president-elect of Ghana. There is little anyone can do to stop the change. It cannot be stopped and it cannot be delayed and in 216 days' time, Nana Akufo-Addo will be the president-elect, insha Allah, he sounded optimistic. He pointed out that records from the Bank of Ghana indicate that in the first three months of 2016, the government had borrowed a whopping GH14 billion, thereby shooting the total debt stock up to GH111 billion. Indeed, the GH14 billion debt accumulated by the NDC government in the first three months of this year is much more than the total debt of GH9.5 billion at the end of 2008, when the NDC took office, he noted. Dr. Bawumia made the observations when he was speaking to students of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, at the Roman Catholic Parish Hall on Monday, after authorities of the university had reportedly stopped him from addressing the students on the campus. The authorities, after the embarrassing decision, have been running around with lame excuses to justify it. The students were adequately briefed about their hopeless future under President Mahama's administration, which he said had saddled the country with a debt of GH111 billion in less than eight years. The university is expected to roll out a red carpet for President Mahama, who is expected to visit the university today. GH111bn National Debt Speaking on the reckless management of the economy, Dr. Bawumia, a renowned economist, explained that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had added over GH100 billion to the national debt within just seven years and three months. In the last seven years alone under this NDC government, Ghana's total debt has ballooned from GH9.5 billion to GH97 billion by the end of 2015 and GH111 billion by the end of March 2016! What is clear is that over 90% (i.e. GH101.5 billion) of Ghana's total debt since independence has been accumulated under this NDC government between 2009 and 2015.., he disclosed. . The NPP bigwig pointed out the toll the reckless borrowing in the last seven years had taken on the economy. The real effect of the reckless borrowing undertaken in the last seven years is seen in the magnitude of interest payments Ghana has been burdened with, which has meant that vital resources which should have gone into vital sectors, infrastructural development and social services, are now being pumped into settling our debt obligations. In 2015, interest payment amounted to more than GH9.6 billion. That figure was more than the total debt stock of GH9.5 billion in 2008 at the end of President Kufuor's term for which debt stock both President Mills and John Mahama lampooned the NPP government, he recounted. Dr. Bawumia stated that the youth of the country had two clear alternatives before them; and was convinced that between a future of joblessness and hopelessness and one of jobs and economic transformation, the youth would make the right choice. This election is about the future of this nation and about your future. We have before us the two clear alternatives one where the future is just like the present or even worse; and the other, a bright future. We have the choice between a nation with continuous unprecedented joblessness and a nation and economy which keep producing well-paying jobs for the youth. We have a choice between a nation which is unable to meet its statutory demands and one with a blossoming economy which is able to meet its demands; we have a choice between a nation where our resources are invested rightly to our collective benefit and one where our resources are pilfered into the bank accounts and pockets of a few; we have a choice between a nation which is globally competitive, people friendly and business friendly and one which is unable to compete with even its peers and continues to fall down the order. These are the clear alternatives and it is time to arise for change. Change for our future, change for our jobs, change for our education and change for a globally competitive economy, he charged. Dr. Bawumia was accompanied to the forum by the National Youth Organizer of the NPP, Sammi Awuku. 07.04.2016 LISTEN President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that his government has engaged all partners to minimize the risk of terrorist attacks in the country. He made this known in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister for Interior, Prosper Bani at the launch of the National Migration Policy for Ghana in Accra. It has been estimated that about 45,000 Ghanaians crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Italy in 2015 through unapproved routes. These migrants, comprising young men, risked their lives to travel to Europe. Reports from international organization for migration (IOM) indicate that there were many significant events relating to migration globally. The migration crises in the Mediterranean made 2015 one of deadliest years in history. About 3,772 deaths were recorded, according to the International Organization for Migration. . Ghanaians, 3,995 men and 155 women, 41 accompanied minors and 240 unaccompanied minors, risked their lives to reach Italy in 2015. As part of efforts to address the challenges, President Mahama pledged to fund the establishment of a Ghana National Commission on Migration in the country. Migration has assumed importance in the global agenda, as its potential for economic and social development is increasingly acknowledged. Migration is now widely recognized as key to development and poverty reduction. He said despite the importance of migration for Ghana's development, it also presented significant challenges to the country. Professor Mariama Awumbila of the Centre for Migration Studies, Legon, who read the overview of the National Migration Policy, said the book was formulated against the backdrop of several policy frameworks, including the constitution of Ghana and the Ghana Shared Growth and development agenda. By Linda TenyahAyettey ( [email protected] ) 07.04.2016 LISTEN The New Patriotic Party's (NPP's) ambition of winning the 2016 national elections received a massive boost yesterday in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital. This was after scores of head porters, popularly called 'kayayei' in the local parlance, openly declared their unflinching support for the largest opposition political party in the country as the elections zero in. National president of the Head Porters' Association, Adiza Zongo Pioneer, stated that she and her members across the country would vote massively for the NPP in the presidential and the parliamentary polls. Addressing a huge crowd at the Abbey's Park in the Manhyia South Constituency, Adiza Zongo Pioneer stressed that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP leader, is the only hope for the country in the November elections. Adiza assured that she and her group would campaign in their own way to help the party to oust the non-performing National Democratic Congress (NDC) government this year. The head porters stole the show as they massively attended the much-talked-about 'Baamu Yadda' demonstration held in Kumasi to put pressure on the Electoral Commission (EC) to clean the bloated voter register. The Ashanti Regional branch of the NPP, which organised the demonstration in conjunction with the Movement for Change (MFC) and Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), wants the EC to clean the register through validation as recommended by the five-member committee set up by the EC itself to look at the issue of whether or not to compile a new electoral roll before the November polls. Change . Adiza said the head porters had suffered immensely under the NDC administration led by President Mahama and therefore they, like many other Ghanaians, desired a change of government. According to her, the head porters in the past voted for the NDC during elections but sadly, they had not seen any improvement in their lives so we want to support the NPP now. Adiza, who was the toast of the large crowd at Abbey's Park due to her concise remarks, stated that there was no way Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the NPP would lose the upcoming elections. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi The situation at the hal when the lights went off 07.04.2016 LISTEN President John Dramani Mahama's speech to fishermen from the six coastal districts of the Western Region on Tuesday was disrupted for about 15 minutes due power outage. The programme, which formed part of the President's 'Accounting to the people' tour in the Western Region, took place at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall at Fijai near Takoradi which plunged into darkness. The leadership of the fishermen from six coastal communities, including Shama, Nzema East, Jomoro, Ellembelle Ahanta West and Sekondi-Takoradi, were first to be called by the moderator of the programme to present their concerns to the President. After that President John Mahama was invited to make a speech and just as he was about to begin, the lights went off at about 6pm. The public address systems were also affected which made it difficult for the President to communicate to the people. President Mahama later took his seat as the technicians made efforts to find alternative means of helping the first gentleman of the land to communicate to the gathering. The power outage delayed the programme for some minutes. . While some of the distressed people attributed the problem to power outage, others were of the opinion that someone might have tampered with some wires. After some time, power was restored and the President continued with his address. President Mahama, in his recent State of the Nation Address, claimed his government had resolved the power crisis, popularly called Dumsor. The president's assertion has however been contested by some energy experts, who have indicated that a lot more ought to be done to sustain regular and uninterrupted power supply. Prior to the interruption, the fisherfolks complained bitterly about the cost of outboard motors being distributed to them at a subsidized price by government. According to them, although hundreds of the machines had been made available to them, they could not afford them in the Western Region. President Mahama was accompanied by the Minister for Fisheries, Sherry Ayyitey, Minister of Communications, Dr. Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Isaac Adjei Mensah, as well as other government appointees. President Mahama earlier commissioned a number of projects in the region, and superintended over a ceremony to convert the Takoradi Polytechnic into a technical university. From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi 07.04.2016 LISTEN The PEW Research Center is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank in Washington that conducts various surveys to inform the public about issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. The Centres 2015 PEW Global Attitudes Survey involved forty (40) countries, which included nine (9) sub-Saharan African countriesGhana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa. Imani Africa, a policy think tank in Ghana, hosted the lead researcher on the project, Dr. Richard Wike, in a speaking tour to allow him share his results of the survey with key stakeholders in the country. The event was held on April 4, 2016 at the Mensvic Hotel, East Legon. In attendance were nearly 171 members from the diplomatic community, academia, researchers, think tanks, the clergy, business community and the media. Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, the moderator of the event, showed his appreciation to all those who patronized the event as he welcomed Dr. Wike to present the results. Highlights from his presentation (Public Opinion and Development in Africa) include; Compared to the rest of the world, Africans were the most optimistic with regards to the improvement of the economy next year (60% of respondents). The continent only came second to Asia and Latin America with regards to optimism over the current economic situation and belief that their children will be better off respectively. Responses from Ghanaian respondents did not always move in the direction of sentiments shared by the rest of the continent. Whereas Ghanaians were more optimistic about the economic situation in the next year and their children being better off than they were, only 26% of respondents said that the current economic situation was good. With respect to the major challenges facing their countries, healthcare and education were the two most-identified challenges. All but one of the countries had healthcare as their most important except for South Africa, which had education as its most important concern. Most respondents in all nine African countries expressed confidence in the government solving major problems in the country. However, except for Burkina Faso, many respondents felt that their government was being run for the benefit of a few at the expense of everybody in the country. Nowhere was this pessimism expressed the most than in Ghana that had about 67% of respondents believing that the government was being run to serve just a few people. Most of the respondents were favourable towards the receipt of more foreign aid and suggested that their countries were not receiving enough. Although, most respondents on the continent admitted that foreign aid programmes were fraught with corruption (43% in Ghana), they still believed that these programmes had been effective and had benefitted people in need. Questions on the activities of foreign companies, particularly those in the extractive industries were also asked of the respondents. Many had positive sentiments towards their activities although their deleterious environmental effects of their actions were also raised. The questions that came after the presentation largely focused on the selection of the respondents and whether factors such as capacity to appreciate the issues, education, language barriers, among others were considered. Some patrons found the results counter-intuitive (and required further polishing if they were to guide policy-makers) and raised several methodological issues. It was suggested that the think tank employ more qualitative methods in subsequent surveys to provide better understanding to some of the questions. Still on the methodology, it was suggested that the use of open-ended questions and issues of women in development as well as intra-Africa trade and relations be considered in future surveys. Dr. Wike acknowledged the suggestions and some of the concerns that were made. He suggested that the full report would answer many of the methodological issues that were raised (something that the short presentation could not fully capture). He also suggested that some of the results might be different from the expectations of some because it was probable that what was discussed in academic and policy circles did not necessarily reflect the views of those outside these circles. With regards to the quality of the respondents, he said that the selection followed the demographic and geographical characteristics of the countrys population. Interviewers were fully trained and questions were translated into local languages and independently verified. He also said that there were not much by way of educational differences among the respondents. There was also engagement from those who were not present at the programme through the social media platforms of Imani Africa. There was live tweeting of the event and the social media team of IMANI, the think tank promised to continue the engagement on the report even beyond the programme. The Catholic Archbishop of the Accra Diocese, Archbishop Charles Palmer Buckle commended Dr. Wike and Imani Africa for the event. He admonished all at the programme to allow the work to provoke serious thinking on our development challenges. He further beseeched all to seek to fill the gaps that had been identified. He also lamented the unnecessary politicization of issues in the country, which in his opinion, had narrowed the space for independently minded Ghanaians to contribute to the countrys development. He urged the media to use their platform to seek the nations good instead of allowing the hijacking of the space by partisan elements in the society who seek their narrow objectives. The director of Imani Francophone, Mr. Isidore Kpotufe, gave the vote of thanks following which was some refreshment for the patrons of the programme. Roland Johnson is a Research Associate with IMANIs Center for Political and Economic Affairs Respectfully yours, Franklin Cudjoe Founding President & CEO, IMANI www.imanighana.com Wikipedia info Franklin Cudjoe's bio data Franklin Cudjoe Declared World Economic Forums Young Global Leader What the World Bank says of IMANI journalists cannot be excused for the delight with which they feasted on the false alarm and their failure to check from the GIS and other security agencies. They cannot be excused for the blatant falsehood with which they spiced their rumour dish, including claims that they are Ahamadi Muslims, that they were 13 or 17 in number, and that they had been arrested by the BNI. In fact, journalist do not portray themselves as deserving of any excuse in for publishing the spurious and completely baseless allegation of indoctrination and radicalisation levelled against these peace loving Pakistani missionaries, and their attempt to portray Ghana as a nation at risk of terror attacks simply because of the presence of these missionaries in the country. Can we cite more examples? Ghanaian Muslims have been receiving missionaries of different races and ethnicity from different parts of the world for many decades now, and Ghana has never witnessed a breach to its security that can be attributed to the presence of these missionaries who conduct their activities in an open, transparent manner. This is because these genuine missionaries uphold to the highest degree Islamic teachings and values, including peace, harmony, freedom and the sanctity of life and property of every human being. Their visits have thus enriched the spirituality, moral conduct and patriotism of Ghanaians, as they encourage Ghanaian Muslims to exhibit Islamic values and lifestyle. While it is true that people calling themselves Muslims have engaged in acts of terrorism, it is also true that no religious scripture surpasses the Quran in its denunciation of violence and terror. To those who may be in doubt, it is part of Islamic belief that the life of a single person is valued as much as the lives of the entire humanity. Thus Allah the almighty, besides whom no one deserves to be worshipped, has stated in the Quran that whoever takes a single innocent life attracts the sin of killing the entire humanity. In the same way, saving a single soul is as virtuous as saving the souls of the entire humanity (Quran 5:32). This and other verses of the Quran and statements of our noble Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are clear indications that the acts of violence and terror carried out by Muslims cannot in any way be justified by Islam. To the contrary, the goal of Islamic teachings are meant to rid the society of violence, terror and all forms of injustice. Islam is there to protect the weak and vulnerable, protect the lives, property and dignity of every human being, and enforce the highest levels of morality in the society. Islam stands for building bridges between people of different ethnicity, race, social class and gender. It encourages love, righteousness and the fear the Almighty God, and calls of every believer to uphold and call onto these virtues. In the Quran, the Almighty Allah says that righteousness, piety or the fear of God is the basis for dignity in the sight God. So in Quran (39:13), Allah says that the best among you is the most pious. These are the values upon which the soundness and development of the society rests. That is why the prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH) says, the best of mankind is one who is of most benefit to people. He also says, that the believer is the one from whom others are safe from the evil of his hands and the evil of his tongue. Unfortunately, the message from sections of the media in recent times to Ghanaians, is that, Islamic missionary work is a threat to the security of the nation, and Muslim missionaries are guilty solely by virtue of being Muslims. This treatment is gradually trickling down to the ordinary Ghanaian Muslim, many of whom are increasingly facing ridicule and suspicion at work places and other public places from non-Muslims mainly due to the negative representation of their religion in the media . The heightened security situation in the sub-region calls for honest efforts and contribution from various sections of the Ghanaian populace towards protecting the nation and shielding it from security breaches; it is not a moment to play on the sensibilities of Ghanaians for one form of gain or another. And it is certainly not the time to denigrate the beliefs and practices of Muslims. Journalists have a critical role to play in ensuring that we achieve a perfect balance between maintaining the security we have through vigilance, and observing the appropriate level of caution needed to avoid needless panic resulting from spurious allegations of security breaches and fear-mongering. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we are in no way discouraging the need for vigilance to ensure that we detect suspicious activities and prevent security breaches. In fact, Muslims in Ghana are making their own contribution by way of vigilance and collaboration with relevant state agencies. We do so as a patriotic duty towards protecting the nation that we call our home. We do so with the recognition that when acts of violence and terror occur, Muslims are more likely to suffer more than others, whether the acts of terror are committed by Muslims or non-Muslims, as is the case in many parts of the world. Consequently, Ghanaian Muslims must be viewed as partners in maintaining the peace and security of the country. We should not be put on the defensive and made to apologise for the actions of deviants acting under the name of Islam in other parts of the world. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the following are the dangers that await us if the current wave of Islamophobia, sensational reportage and false alarms in sections of the media are allowed to continue: It will inoculate the public against terror alerts. Frequent false alarms will put us at a greater risk of terror when we are faced with real terror because an actual risk is more likely to be treated as another false alarm. It will weaken the resolve of Muslims, especially the youth to contribute their quota towards protecting the security of the nation. When someones faith is made a subject of ridicule, and falsely labelled as the problem, he may be tempted to stay aloof and disinterested in taking an active part in securing the nation. Islamophobia is a tool of radicalisation. In an attempt to respond to Islamophobia, some Muslims with weak understanding of the faith may be attracted to the views of extremists who are known to use Islamophobia in their propaganda discourse. Subjecting the religious beliefs and activities of a significant percentage of Ghanas population to ridicule and scorn amounts to a psychological terror. It undermines national cohesion, which is a key ingredient to achieving peace, unity, progress and development. Islamphobia in Ghana has the dangerous potential to attract real terrorists into the country in the guise of fighting injustice. Ladies and gentlemen, we conclude this encounter by stating that our overall goal for this interaction is not to antagonise the media. That is why we have held back from naming specific media organisations who have engaged in unprofessional reportage on Islamic issues. We are not accusing all media houses in Ghana of Islamophobia, neither are we claiming that every media house that has engaged in one form of sensational reportage or another is doing so deliberately to smear Islam and Muslims. What is important to note, though, is that, sensational and Islamophobic media coverage will have the same result whether it is done deliberately or inadvertently. Our goal is to draw the attention of the media fraternity to what is going on and to urge journalists to understand the role they must play in shielding our nation from security breaches and ensuring national unity and cohesion. Indeed, utmost care on the part of all well-meaning media practitioners is required to ensure that you impact positively on the life of every Ghanaian. As an organisation representing the interest of all Muslims in Ghana, COMOG hopes to continue to work with the media and other civil society organisations in addressing the challenges and threats to our security that has bedevilled our sister nations in the sub-region, more so as we approach the November elections. We continue to pray to the Almighty Allah to increase His blessings on our beloved country Ghana; and to guide us towards unity and harmony. We pray to him to keep us secure from all forms of threats and to inspire us towards all forms of good that will increase the bond of love between us as citizens of Ghana. We pray.to Almighty Allah to bless us Muslims and our non-muslim compatriots with mutual understanding and mutual respect in our joint fight against injustice that can undermine our peaceful co-existence and national unity. Thank you. 7th April, 2016 0244470505. 0244597805, 0546230862 07.04.2016 LISTEN Several reports have shown that the political decisions of our modern democracy have slowed progress and impeded economic development particularly in the area of health and education. At a research dissemination workshop organized by Centre for Democratic Development [CDD], Effective States and Inclusive Development [esid], University of Ghana Business School [UGBS] and ISSER noted that health and education in Ghana continue to record low growth. Dr. Franklin Oduro, Deputy Executive Director, CDD, said, the question that we are interested in that what kind of politics informs inclusive development. He noted that inclusive development means sustainable long term and equitable distribution of wealth to bridge the gap between the north and the south in the area of health and education. We should move to a direction that our electoral politics do not dictate in terms of the kind of policies and programmes we should undertake as a nation, he stated. Dr. Oduro said what they have realized is that the two major political parties [NDC and NPP] are more interested in short term policies and programmes that will enhance their political power rather than the long term and the hard and difficult decisions that will promote inclusive development. We need to pay more equal attention to access to both quantity and quality of education however some progress have been made in terms of access to school and some learning materials, Dr. Oduro emphasized. He said this at a workshop under the theme, The Challenge of State Effectiveness and the Promise of Inclusive Development in Ghana. Dr. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, a lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School [UGBS], in a presentation indicated that the significant improvements in access to health facilities do not sufficiently match by the quality of health outcomes. He mentioned that the number of CHPS compound have increased from 39 in 2001 to 2948 in 2012 but there is a serious challenge that needs to be addressed. According to him, the revised CHPS policy is laudable however lessons must be drawn from the Navrongo experience where the issue of transportation was addressed with the use of the motor king ambulance for conveying emergency cases. Dr. Abdulai added that in 2006 to 2008, 13 doctors were posted to Upper East Region but only one doctor reported to duty with the remaining 12 doctors reported to have refused postings to the rural communities. The workshop which focused attention on the rural communities in both the Upper East and the Volta Region comparatively shows that Upper East Region is making more progress than the Volta region because of the effective enforcement of GHS staff posting which resulted in improved human resource capacity as well as the use of motor king ambulance services which reduced the incidence of referrals. In the Volta Region, Dr. Abdulai mentioned poor monitoring of health workers is the norm which is often blamed on lack of transport and logistics. He said the probability for a woman in the Volta Region to deliver at a health facility is 45percent compared to 74percent in the Upper East Region. In the area of teacher accountability, Edward Ampratwum, Research Officer, CDD, said Ghanas blend of multi-party competition and patron-client policies has generated much stronger incentives to improve access [quantity] to education than improve on the quality. According to him, this has led to the politicization and personalization of policy making and implement mostly influenced by political party manifestoes. He added that more money is being spent in eliminating schools under tress without recourse to moving qualified teachers to those areas to provide quality teaching and learning to the pupil. Edward Ampratwum indicated that the commitment of the elite must go beyond the provision of visible health and educational needs and rather concentrate on the ways to improve the quality by providing qualified personnel at all levels. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Accra, April 6, GNA - Nii Amasah Namoale, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for La Dadekotopon Constituency, has challenged women to take up leadership roles to create opportunities for self- improvement. He urged women to develop interest in political positions to enable them to be at the forefront of decision making on issues that affected their lives and their children. He said students, particularly females, as future leaders, should use their education and skills acquired to influence people positively. Nii Namoale was speaking at a day's seminar organised by the Students' Representative Council (SRC) Women's Commission of Zenith University College to mark its Women's Day Celebration. The seminar, which formed part of the SRC Week Celebration, was on the theme: 'The Need to Build a Capacity of Women in all Aspects for National Development'. The MP said it was also a pre-condition that women should be accorded the recognition as well as be engaged in national development adding; 'be bold, create good policies and don't be intimidated by any individual or group of people'. Mr Benjamin Panlogo-Logodam, a youth activist, commended the Women's Commission for the initiative to celebrate and empower women to put in efforts towards nation building. He said there was the need to give women the opportunity to exhibit what they had and believed that given the support, they could perform in all aspects of national development. Ms Phyllis Naa Atswei Okpoti, the SRC Women's Commissioner, told the Ghana News Agency that the seminar aimed at encouraging women to take up roles in society; adding 'they should be focused and take bold steps to achieve their goals'. She said the Commission also gave students who were into business and had the entrepreneurial skills the opportunity to market their goods. The celebration was climaxed with a free health screening exercise for ailments such as Hepatitis B, eye test and breast cancer. A team of nurses from the La General Hospital sensitised the women on breast cancer as part of the seminar. GNA Walewale, April 06, GNA - The West Mamprusi District Assembly has reached an advanced stage in the process of gazetting its by-laws to make it enforceable in meting out deterrent stiffer punishments to male teachers who impregnate teenage school girls and perpetrators of forced child marriages. Mr David Wuni, West Mamprusi District Chief Executive (DCE) announced this on Tuesday during an education durbar at Walewale organized by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) to showcase the progress made by Tackling Education Needs Inclusively (TENI II) project in the District. ISODEC is implementing the three- year project with support from the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) in the West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moaduri Districts in the Northern Region, Talensi-Nabdam District in the Upper East Region as well as Jirapa District in the Upper West Region. The project in its second phase, is aimed at encouraging local community support in areas of teacher volunteerism and redeployment to increase quality education delivery in basic education in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. The TENI 1 project was launched in May 2001 by President John Dramani Mahama, then the country's Vice President. It aimed among other things to address education needs in some parts of the north and it was intended to benefit 48,000 children, 2,000 teachers and 25,000 parents from the beneficiary Districts. Comic Relief, a United Kingdom (UK) based donor organization, which funded the phase I of TENI with three million Pounds Sterling, is still funding the phase II. Mr Wuni said children continued to perform abysmally in the West Mamprusi District due to teenage pregnancy, forced marriages and lack of parental care and emphasized the need for gazetting the approved by-laws for the necessary enforcement to reverse the trend. He commended ISODEC and its partners for the implementation of the programme in the District and assured that the Assembly would give its full support to any programme aimed at improving the lives of the people. Madam Agnes Gandaa, Northern Ghana Programmes Coordinator of ISODEC appealed to stakeholders in education to consciously target the enrollment and retention of the girl-child in school to help reduce illiteracy among women. She said women continued to play their traditional and modern roles of productive, reproductive and community development effectively and stressed that women needed to be recognized and appointed to head institutions to ensure gender balance. She said TENI was a VSO-ISODEC-Ghana Education Service collaborative project intending to promote and ensure girls' enrollment, transition, retention and completion with good performance in the West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moadri Districts. The Guabulrana Salifu Mahama Tampurie, Chief of Zolangu who chaired the function, called for stiffer punishment for teachers, who impregnated school girls to serve as a deterrent to others. GNA Accra, April 6, GNA - Ms Funlola Abe, Managing Director, Jumia Ghana, an ICT group says the company has a strong mandate of making the e-commerce business the way forward for the economy. She explained that since there is lack of supply of good quality offline retail, Jumia Ghana is keen on ensuring that the online success story of Ghana would be based around the Jumia story to boost the economy. 'Jumia has pioneered e-commerce in Ghana and attracted huge foreign investment leading to a rise in the industry's contribution to Ghana's Gross Domestic Product. 'Jumia also believes in innovation and changing of economies around the world, of which Ghana is no exception,' Ms Abe said at a Press launch of Jumia Ghana's second anniversary. She said the company had raised more than 326 million dollars from Goldman Sachs: a United States investment bank; AXA, a French Insurance Multinational and MTN, the Telecommunications giant, among other investors. Ms Abe noted that as part of the birthday celebrations, Jumia would give its customers up to 75 per cent discount on all items till April 7. 'Customers are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to grab any item of their choice from the platform,' she said. Ms Abe said the company which is part of Africa Internet Group (AIG) an investment Rocket Internet group would be celebrating customers, partners and employees who have been very instrumental in creating the Jumia brand in Ghana. 'As part of our second anniversary celebration, Jumia has lined up a number of activities, which will be announced at a later date and indicated that in partnership with Millicom, a Swedish Telecom Company and MTN, AIG had created 71 different companies across 26 African countries. 'Other AIG brands include Jovago; an online booking company, Carmudi an online automobile company and Hello Food; an online food delivery company,' Ms Abe said. Some partners and customers who spoke to the Ghana News Agency lauded Jumia Ghana for being a reliable online shopping centre that had made their shopping easy at a click. Jumia Ghana, the leading e-commerce platform in Africa with a presence in 11 countries does not only provide customers with the luxury of shopping from any location, but delivers the items right to customers' doorsteps through timely interventions. GNA 07.04.2016 LISTEN By Francis Ameyibor, GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - The 60th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has tasked UN Member States to commit to the gender-responsive implementation of Agenda 2030. The CSW60 in a set of agreed conclusions at the end of the session at New York called for enhancing the basis for rapid progress, including stronger laws, policies and institutions, better data and scaled-up financing. It acknowledged that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals at the heart of Agenda 2030 will not be possible without gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The agreed conclusions urge for a comprehensive approach to implementing all 17 Sustainable Development Goals through the integration of gender perspectives across all government policies and programmes. Eliminating all forms of gender-based discrimination depends on effective laws and policies and the removal of any statutes still permitting discrimination. Temporary special measures may be required to guarantee that women and girls can obtain justice for human rights violations. Given the major contributions to Agenda 2030 of civil society, including women's and community-based organizations, feminist groups, human rights defenders and girls' and youth-led organizations, the Commission welcomed open engagement and cooperation with them in gender-responsive implementation. It emphasized fully engaging with men and boys as agents of change and allies in the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls. To guide systematic progress towards gender equality and women's empowerment throughout the 2030 Agenda, the Commission stressed enhanced national statistical capacity and the systematic design, collection and sharing of high-quality, reliable and timely data disaggregated by sex, age and income. Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director said: 'UN Member Countries have set the year 2030 as gender inequality expiry date. 'Now it is time to get to work. These agreed conclusions entrench and start the implementation of a gender-responsive agenda 2030 with which we have the best possibility to leave no one behind'. She said growing global commitment was already in evidence with a record number of more than 80 government ministers from around the world attending the Commission. Around 4,100 non-governmental representatives from more than 540 organizations participated, the highest number ever for one of the Commission's regular annual meetings. CSW60 endorsed increased investment to close resource gaps for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Funds should be mobilized from all sources, domestic and international, ranging from fulfilling official development assistance commitments to combating illicit financial flows that short-change public resources for gender equality. Members of the Commission united behind ensuring women's equal participation in leadership at all levels of decision-making in the public and private spheres, encompassing governments, businesses and other institutions, and across all areas of sustainable development. Depending on different circumstances, this may involve establishing temporary special measures, setting and achieving concrete benchmarks and removing barriers to women's participation. Members also agreed to bolster the role of national mechanisms for women and girls in championing their equality and empowerment. Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection who led Ghana's delegation told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that a comprehensive approach is needed to increase women's participation in power and decision-making. She said Greater efforts are needed to support women's political participation through capacity building, training and dedicated gender equality structures. Nana Oye Lithur reiterated that Ghanaian Women have set reinvigorated targets for the next 15 years, to ensure that women occupy their rightful positions in power and decision-making of the country. 'Women have now put forward a gender check list to serve as the benchmark for measuring results by 2030,' she said. Nana Oye Lithur called on all state institutions, governmental and non-governmental bodies to give the baby Agenda 2030 the necessary support. She said Agenda 2030 was not a fight against men, or a struggle to dislodged men from any position, 'the importance of women's equal participation in decision-making as a means of achieving transparent and accountable government and administration for sustainable development. Nana Oye Lithur, a Gender Advocate, noted that Agenda 2030 acknowledges that despite the steady increase in women's political representation and participation in parliaments, women remain significantly under-represented at the highest levels of political participation, as well as across the public and private sectors. The Gender Minister explained that the persistence of discrimination, gender bias, and the threat of violence, harassment, and intimidation in political institutions, contribute to the low level of women's political participation. GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - The Ohemaa Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has inaugurated a two-storey office and library complex at Tabora, a suburb of Accra, to aid vulnerable children in their studies towards academic excellence. The office would be a source of literature and reference materials for children and the venue for producing quality educational material materials. It would also host counselling and training sessions for women to be gainfully employed. Madam Patience Akuba Antonio, the Executive Director of Ohemaa Foundation, said the Foundation aimed at developing the potentials and skills of children, the youth and women with financial challenges; through well-coordinated activities to enable them to lead meaningful and peaceful lives. Madam Antonio said the Foundation, in partnership with other organisations, would set up a mobile counselling clinic to help build the capacity of women to help raise their children responsibly. Both children and parents would have access to counseling and career guidance services, she said, explaining, 'the Foundation seeks to become a leading foundation in Africa; in Child and Youth Development, and women empowerment'. Mr Noah Amofa, an Assembly Member for Nii Okaimah West, Tabora, commended the executives of the Foundation for their efforts and pledged to give them the requisite assistance. As part of the inaugural ceremony, a party was organised for the children in Tabora and its environs. Some of the children, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, expressed their delight and promised to study hard in School to become great leaders in future.One of the hangings on the wall, quoting Emmanuel Dei-Tumi reads: 'Don't be a woman who needs a man, BUT be a woman a man needs.' GNA NEW YORK, April 7 - (UPI/GNA) - Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called into question her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders' knowledge of the issues after he stumbled on several key policy points during a recent editorial board interview. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Sanders faltered multiple times when pressed for specifics on how he would implement specific policies he has advocated as part of his "political revolution." When members of the paper's editorial board pressed Sanders on precisely how he would go about breaking up the so-called "too-big-to-fail" banks on Wall Street, Sanders said he was unsure whether the federal government has the authority to order big banks to break up into smaller ones. Daily News: "But do you think that the [Federal Reserve], now, has that authority?" Sanders: "Well, I don't know if the Fed has it. But I think the administration can have it." Daily News: "How? How does a president turn to JPMorgan Chase, or have the Treasury turn to any of those banks and say, 'Now you must do X, Y and Z?'" Sanders: "Well, you do have authority under the Dodd-Frank legislation to do that, make that determination." Daily News: "You do, just by Federal Reserve fiat, you do?" Sanders: "Yeah. Well, I believe you do." Pressed further on how the banks would break up and who would make decisions about what they would turn into, Sanders said, "I'm not running JP Morgan Chase or Citibank." "No," the questioner points out. "But you'd be breaking them up." Sanders then admitted it would still probably have to be up to the banks themselves to determine their future business models. The interview eventually turned to foreign affairs, and Sanders, who is Jewish, was questioned about his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sanders has called on Israel to retreat from "illegal" settlements, which would be a new, tougher benchmark for American proposals to Israel. Sanders was asked how he would determine what constituted an "illegal" settlement and was largely unable to articulate the distinction between lawful Israeli settlements and land-grabs he says should be returned to the Palestinians. "Well, again, you're asking me a very fair question, and if I had some paper in front of me, I would give you a better answer," Sanders said. "But I think if the expansion was illegal, moving into territory that was not their territory, I think withdrawal from those territories is appropriate." Clinton was asked about the Daily News interview Wednesday on MSNBC, and responded by saying it calls into question whether Sanders is capable of implementing the changes he advocates. "I think the interview raised a lot of really serious questions," Hillary Clinton said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "I look at it this way, the core of his campaign has been 'break up the banks' and it didn't seem in his answers he understood how that would work under Dodd-Frank," Clinton said. "I'd think he hadn't done his homework and he has been talking for more than a year about ... things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood and that does raise a lot of questions and really what it does is for voters to ask themselves, 'Can he deliver what he is talking about, can he really help people?'" GNA Accra, April 6, GNA - The Young Cadres of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has organised a free medical screening exercise for residents of Jamasi in the Afigya Sekyere East constituency of the Ashanti Region. Mr Bright Botchway, General Secretary of the Association, in a statement copied to the GNA explained that the exercise was organised in collaboration with Mr Awudu Salim, the Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency. It forms part of programmes outlined by the group to support the party in its goals of providing universal access to healthcare to retain power after the general election. Among participants at the event were Mr Edward Ayarkwah, Sekyere South District District Chief Executives of Young Cadres Association, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate of the constituency, Chairman and other executives. Mr Ayarkwah commended Young Cadres for initiating such a programme as it would go a long way to reduce the burden of government in providing medical care for the people. He entreated other benevolent organisations to replicate the action by Young Cadres, adding that health care provision is a shared responsibility by all in the society. Mr Michael Mwimbe Dery, President of the Association, disclosed that his group had earmarked on a number of activities to be undertaken across the country with a view to support the party retain power. He encouraged executives of the party in the constituency to iron out their differences and support the Parliamentary Candidate and leader of the party in realising the party's 'Operation One Million Votes' in the Ashanti Region. Mr Salim thanked the Association for their support and called on the group for further support to promote the good works undertaken by the leader of the party in the constituency. GNA Tamale, April 07, GNA - The chiefs and people of the Tampulma Traditional Area in the North Gonja District, with allegiance to Gonja Traditional Kingdom, have appealed to the Yagbonwura, its Overlord to consider elevating that traditional seat to a paramountcy under the larger Gonja Kingdom in the Northern Region. This, they believed will give recognition and sovereign ethnic identity to that group which has an estimated 30,000 population occupying a large expanse of land in 16 major communities in the Gonja land but claimed have been marginalized. Mr Amadu Latif, spokesperson of the chief, Kadicharitina Musah Mahamadu II and his people addressing a press conference in Tamale attended by some sub- chiefs and community members said they appreciated the efforts so far made by the Yagbonwura to approve the request but suspected some people were making moves to frustrate the process. The Tampulma communities in the North Gonja District include Mankarigu, Sakpege, Wawa, Gurubagu, Lingbinsi, Disa, Singa, Tari, Gbasimpa, Tiembang, Nabiengu, Salugu, Tisung, Yagbum, Kpariya and Dankoh. 'We the chiefs and people of these Tampulma communities wish to appeal to the Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom to consider our request for recognition and recognize our chief as a paramount chief under the jurisdiction of the Gonja Traditional Kingdom' , the spokesman stated. Mr Abutu Kapori, secretary to the Gonja Traditional Council who was reached on phone by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) confirmed that the Council was aware of those concerns and assured that these would be addressed. He said the Gonja Traditional Council would never marginalize any ethnic group and that the necessary measures would be taken to ensure that all groups are satisfied. GNA The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Reverend Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has urged lawyers to be truthful and honest in their practice. He said lawyers should see their work as a vocation and a mission to make humanity better. Integrity is a quality of being honest and morally upright. Integrity is a virtue, I hope I will therefore not be wrong to have called your attention to the aspect of moral excellence, the pursuit of which calls you as future lawyers to aspire to virtue in your professional service not only of humanity but even more so because you are serving an all knowing and all seeing Supreme Being, he said. Palmer-Buckle was one of two speakers at a symposium organised as part of the 43rd Law Week Celebration at the University of Ghana Law School in Accra. Joy News Manasseh Azure Awuni who was also a speaker at the symposium said lawyers occupy top leadership positions in the country and should lead the crusade against corruption. He said since almost every politician comes from a background and lawyers are the group of professionals that dominate all the three arms of government, their role in curbing corruption cannot be underestimated. I am not sure there is any other profession that has more people occupying ministerial positions than lawyers. Most of the influential parliamentarians on both sides of the house are also lawyers and in the judiciary, it is almost like a monopoly. Almost all the judges were once lawyers and in effect, lawyers are the single professional body that dominate all the three arms of government. So if our society is irredeemably corrupt, no one can write a credible story of that corruption without the role of the lawyer and if lawyers are part of the problem, then I think they are definitely part of the solution, he stated. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Alhassan Azong, a Minister of State in-Charge of Public Sector Reforms, has charged the electorate in the Builsa-South Constituency in the Upper East Region to dump John Dramani Mahama in the November 7 elections. Azong made the call last week, after he was confirmed as the 2016 People's National Convention (PNC) parliamentary candidate for the Builsa-South Constituency by the party's executives. Azong, who is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, was appointed in 2009 to serve as a Minister in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration a position he still holds under John Mahama. However, the NDC, seeking to win the Builsa-South Parliamentary seat, elected presidential staffer Dr. Clement Apaak, who is a cousin to Azong, to contest him. This move by the NDC, according to sources close to the Minister, did not go down well with him, and that he could not understand why the former would stab him in the back when he is a member of its administration. This game of politics is scratch my back and I also scratch yours, but I think the NDC has gotten it wrong, and that it will dearly pay for it, Mr. Azong was alleged to have told a confidante shortly after his acceptance speech on that Saturday. According to him, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) did it for Freddie Blay and Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom when they stood on the tickets of the Convention People's Party (CPP) for the Ellembele and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) constituencies in the Western and Central regions respectively, during President Kufuor's administration in 2004 when the two served with the then government, which, he said, made the NPP not to contest those seats, but instead, supported them. Azong, according to the source, observed that if the NPP did it for the two CPP members at that time, why can't the NDC government, of which I'm a current serving minister, do same for me by throwing its support behind me. Meanwhile, Azong's call for dropping President Mahama incurred the wrath of some members of the NDC in the constituency, who are calling on the President to, as a matter of urgency, relieve him of his post. They described the PNC's MP call as betrayal of the highest order, and appealed to the President not to tolerate such a character in his government. You can't work at Unilever and expect at the end of the month to be paid by Guinness Ghana Limited. It is never done anywhere. We (NDC) cannot take care of him, for him to go out and campaign against us at the end of the day. Never! the NDC members said. By Mohammed Awal Chairman of AGAMS Group of Companies, Roland Agambire, has served a notice to discontinue the defamation case against Joy News Manasseh Azure Awuni. Lawyers for the rLG boss filed the discontinuance application at the Accra High Court to drop the 1m defamation suit, Thursday. On June 2015, Chairman of the AGAMS Group, parent company of rLG, filed a lawsuit against Joy News Manasseh Azure Awuni accusing him of posting malicious and defamatory comments about him on his Facebook wall. According to his Statement of Claim, the Joy FM investigative journalist attacked him on two separate occasions namely; February 10, and March 3, 2015, without any basis. The first post which was published on February 10, read: I am deeply hurt and worried. If companies belonging to Roland Agambire of RLG fame and Joseph Siaw Agyapong of Zoomlion fame are going to run GYEEDA (now YEA), then another scandal will soon emerge. These two groups of companies have been named in all major scandals in recent times: GYEEDA, SUBAH and SADA." "The most disturbing issue is that they are untouchable. They have not been prosecuted and they have not repaid the monies that were wrongly paid to them despite the recommendation of the committee. RLG paid only one quarter's installation. Zoomlion is yet to pay a pesewa. As we speak, the World Bank banned Zoomlion from bidding for contracts funded by the Bank. But in Ghana, they move from grace to grace on government contracts and the tax payer's money is not accounted for. I am very hurt and disturbed." it continued. The second post also read: Mahama may not be a thief. But if he supervises stealing, how should we call him? Or has Batidam not heard the Akan proverb? Maybe he should be reminded now that he is singing from a different hymn book: An elder who sits at home and allows children to eat python will not be left out when a roll call of python eaters is conducted." It continued, "What systems is he referring to? Roland Agambire or Joseph Siaw Agyapong, for instance, have been made more powerful than any minister of state. So if their companies are involved in corruption, which institutions, systems or persons are to lead the crusade against this corruption? Did Batidam not know of such systems when he was firing Mahama to act when the GYEEDA scandal first broke? And if President Mahama is not a judge, why does he keep assuring us that he is fighting corruption? Mr. Agambire said the claims are untrue and prayed the court to slap a sum of E1m on the anti-corruption crusader for the posts he described as being offensive and actuated by malice to tarnish his good image. However, in a surprise U-turn, the rLG boss acting through his lawyers asked the Accra High Court to terminate the one-year-old defamation case. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected] Today, the African Union (AU) Commission and the European Commission held the 8th College-to-College meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was hosted by the African Union Commission, under the co-chairmanship of its Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana C. Dlamini Zuma and the Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. On its part, the AU has developed a Fifty (50)-year Agenda known as 'Agenda 2063' and its First Ten (10)-Year Implementation Plan adopted at the Johannesburg Summit in June 2015 as a framework to accelerate the integration of the continent. Over the last twelve years, the European Union (EU) has grown from fifteen (15) to twenty-eight (28) Member States and has also taken steps towards greater integration through the creation of the Euro currency and the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty. As was the case on previous occasions, the College-to-College meeting was attended by the AU New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA) and was open to the African Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the European Investment Bank (EIB). During the meeting, discussions touched upon the preparations of the next Africa-EU Summit, which is to take place in 2017 in Africa, and on cooperation between the two Commissions. Discussions were structured around the five (5) priority areas of the 2014-2017 Roadmap adopted at the Africa-EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium in 2014: (i) peace and security; (ii) democracy, good governance and human rights; (iii) human development; (iv) sustainable and inclusive development and growth and continental integration; (v) global and emerging issues. PEACE AND SECURITY The Colleges reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security on both continents in conformity with the aims and principles of the United Nations Charter. The Colleges underlined their commitment to continue to cooperate towards the operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the development of African capacities including in peace support operations (PSO) and the fight against terrorism. In particular, they welcomed the recent decision of the European Commission to contribute with EU funding to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram. The Colleges will also continue to cooperate in promoting the effective participation of women in peace building processes, peace negotiations, warning and response mechanisms, and pay particular attention to addressing the structural causes of gender inequality and marginalisation of women. The Colleges reaffirmed the need to join efforts to mobilise other partners to ensure appropriate and sustainable financial support to peace and security in Africa, as well as to put in place efficient and sound management of this financial support. Both institutions also noted the role of threat multipliers, such as climate change and associated extreme weather events and droughts, posing a major challenge on the need for development that may lead to situations of conflict and instability, and agreed to intensify collaboration in addressing such root causes. In the face of the too many victims of terrorism on African soil and in Europe, the Colleges discussed how they could best contribute to combatting the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, which pose a major threat to democracy, security and stability in both Africa and Europe. Within existing programmes, they agreed to pursue work jointly to enhance technical and operational capacities. They welcomed the continued joint consultative meetings between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC), which contribute to finding durable solutions to conflict and crisis situations in Africa, as well as enhancing conflict prevention, mediation and capacity building for peace and security, among others. On South Sudan, they reiterated the need to fully implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of the South Sudan as a necessary step to end the civil war and put the country on a new path of peace, security and development. On Burundi, they expressed their deep concern over the prevailing political situation, as well as the insecurity and violence persisting in the country, and welcomed the swift launch of the inclusive inter-Burundian Dialogue facilitated by President Mkapa on behalf of the EAC, supported by the AU and the United Nations. On Somalia, they condemned the terrorist attacks perpetrated against the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali civilians in the country and called for concerted efforts by the international community to assist the Somali Government to achieve its 'Vision 2016'. On Mali, they also expressed their deep concern over the security situation in the country and called for effective implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation to resolve the crisis in the northern part of the country as part of the overall effort to enhance peace and stability in the country. The Colleges reaffirmed their determination to reject and fight against impunity, bearing in mind the need for justice, peace and stability, while also enhancing political dialogue on international criminal justice, including the issue of universal jurisdiction, in the agreed fora between them. They further endeavoured to taking all necessary measures to end all forms of violence against women, including sexual exploitation, trafficking and harmful traditional practices within their respective mandates. They further underscored the pertinence of strict zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse in all peacekeeping operations in the world and the importance that it is respected. DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS The Colleges agreed to pursue the operationalisation of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and of a strong African Human Rights System that responds to the needs and aspirations of African citizens within the existing legal instruments in the area of democracy, good governance and human rights and to the fight against corruption in all its forms and manifestations, and agreed to strengthen joint efforts in that regard. In particular, the Colleges agreed to continue to consolidate actions with 2016 as the year of Human Rights and further stressed the need to reduce gender inequality, end violence and discrimination in all its forms and manifestations against women and girls, to enable them to play their full role in political, economic and social development in line with the AU's specific focus on the rights of women in Africa. Strengthening dialogue with civil society and promoting their active role in those areas was reemphasised as essential. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT The Colleges reaffirmed their engagement to continue their cooperation to maximise the benefits of science, technology and innovation to address the challenges of eradicating poverty, addressing the root causes of illegal migration and promoting sustainable development and they welcomed the efforts of the EU towards the implementation of its EUR 1.9 billion Emergency Trust Fund in this regard as well as the launch of a dedicated programme to assist their dialogue on migration. They welcomed the adoption of a Road Map by the Africa-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on science, technology and innovation, and the launch of a jointly funded and co-owned EU-Africa Partnership on Research and Innovation on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. This initiative is in line with the agriculture and food systems' policy goals of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, as well as the relevant sectorial strategic frameworks namely the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2014), the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Malabo Declaration for Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Prosperity. They welcomed the contributions from European and African countries to support the advocacy and implementation of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) based on better Education Management Information System (EMIS) allowing to measure the Teacher development and the effort made on Girls Education. They also welcomed the recent announcement of the launch of a call for proposals of the Intra-Africa Mobility Scheme to promote the mobility of students and staff and contribute to the harmonisation of higher education systems in Africa. The Colleges underlined the importance of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to ensure youth empowerment and employment by aligning TVET skills portability initiatives with ongoing work on harmonisation and quality assurance in higher education in Africa. SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION The Colleges agreed that regional and continental integration is an engine for inclusive growth and sustainable development. In the framework of their support to the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) in Africa, building on existing regional integration processes, they welcomed the progress in the Doha Development Agenda made at the 10th WTO ministerial conference in Nairobi and the strong commitment of all WTO members to advance negotiations on the remaining Doha issues including the interest of some to identify and discuss other issues for negotiations, as agreed in the WTO Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. They will also continue to work towards the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement which will inter alia contribute to the objective of the CFTA. In line with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) framework and the Malabo Declaration, they reaffirmed their support regarding the ambition to triple intra-African trade in agricultural products by 2025 and to increase value-added exports to the EU. They will focus their support to CAADP Result Framework in order to reach the Malabo targets in the areas of productivity, Intra-Africa Trade and value Chain development, Climate change, Resilience and Sustainable Agriculture as well as promoting responsible private sector investment in African agriculture. They welcomed the joint report from the "Agriculture, Food Security and Food Safety" Contact Group. The Colleges underlined their support to Africa's drive to achieve rapid and sustainable industrialisation to create decent jobs and eradicate poverty. Particular attention must be paid to ensure an active role of the youth and women in these processes. On infrastructure, they also agreed that the Programme for Infrastructure Development for Africa (PIDA) will continue to orient their strategic cooperation towards innovative solutions to facilitate and accelerate infrastructure delivery in Africa, with the aim to significantly contribute to the realisation of Agenda 2063. A number of major Pan-African infrastructure projects in the transport, energy, water, and information and communications technology sectors that could leverage large-scale investments across Africa were identified. The Colleges also welcomed the Joint Statement of the "Reference Group on Infrastructure" meeting held on 25 and 26 February 2016. In particular, they restated that they will intensify efforts towards improving aviation and maritime safety and security. They will also continue their cooperation in the energy sector by addressing challenges related to access, sustainability and affordability of services, as well as in the water sector, by working on the strategic directions agreed to at the 2014 EU-Africa Summit to attain the Africa Water Vision by 2025, and in the ICT sector, the harmonisation and alignment of policies and regulatory frameworks, including cyber-security, safeguarding human rights and data protection. GLOBAL AND EMERGING ISSUES The Colleges reiterated that the EU and Africa should tackle global problems jointly such as climate change, irregular migration, environmental issues, terrorism and transnational crime as well as illicit financial flows, and that their voices will have greater impact if they communicate complementary positions. They welcomed the adoption of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and its Ten-Year Implementation Plan and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and agreed to hold regular dialogue on their implementation, financing, monitoring, evaluation and reporting. They also agreed to cooperate with a view to adapting and improving statistical systems, sharing best practices and promoting cross-regional peer-learning. They saluted the historic success of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (COP21) reached in December 2015 and agreed that all parties should now move to translate their intended nationally determined contributions into robust and sustainable national policies and measures. The Colleges are committed to support the implementation of contributions and look forward to cooperating on COP22 in November 2016 in Marrakesh, Morocco. They reaffirmed their willingness to continue on-going efforts to combat land degradation and desertification and its impact on livelihoods and communities through programmes such as the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative. In addition, they will also continue to collaborate on multilateral environmental agreements including those on chemicals and desertification, as well as to cooperate towards implementing the adopted agreements as well as flagship programmes on Green and Blue Economy. They will make all efforts to ensure that women and men contribute to and benefit equally from climate change policies, financing and implementation at all levels. Furthermore, joint efforts in the monitoring of Africa's environment, including through the use of Earth observation systems for capturing environmental indicators, were reiterated. They also emphasised their commitment to collaborate towards the implementation of the African Space Policy and Strategy adopted by the AU's Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 31 January 2016. They agreed to cooperate in the fight against wildlife trafficking and illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild flora and fauna in Africa and in the implementation of the African Strategy on Combatting Illegal Exploitation and Illegal Trade in Wild Flora and Fauna in Africa. They took note of the recent adoption of an EU action plan against wildlife trafficking. Administrative Cooperation In order to foster bilateral technical and administrative cooperation an administrative arrangement between the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), on the one side, and the African Union Commission, on the other side, was signed. AMU (Arab Maghreb Union); CEN-SAD (Communaute des Etats Sahelo-Sahariens); COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa); EAC (East African Community); ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States); ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States); IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development); SADC (Southern African Development Community) The desire for a lifetime adventure is only satisfied by visiting a destination which offers a unique travel experience. Calabar in Cross River state is one of such destinations that leaves you yearning for more. If you have the slightest opportunity to get away from your daily routine, book a comfy room and a flight or whichever choice of transport and head over to Calabar . Your family will welcome this time-out and love you for it. Sharing tips on fun things to do on a trip to Cross River, Jovago.com, Africas largest hotel booking portal reveals five creative ways to enjoy a Calabar vacation. Do not leave without tasting Edikaikong You must have tasted Edikaikong prepared in Lagos. But if you taste the one cooked by a Calabar woman in Calabar, you will leave Lagos for Calabar every weekend to taste this nutritious cuisine. Edikaikong is Calabars biggest export when it comes to cuisine. You should eat this tasty soup with Akpu (Cassava starch). Yummie! Ride Africas longest cable car The experience of riding a cable at an incredible height leaves tourists with mixed feelings. The cable car is 4 kilometres long and it is located at the Obudu Mountain resort. The overwhelming temperate weather and the picturesque scenery of the resort is just the right way to naturally detox. Tour the Tinapa Resort The Tinapa Resort Free Trade Zone is a place to go for sightseeing even though it is yet to be completed. The resort was set to boost the tourism potentials of the state. Nonetheless, there is so much to do. There is the nightclubs, Cinema, restaurants and childrens arcade. Go Mountain climbing Climbing the Obudu Mountain is not for the faint-hearted. But if you want an ultimate travel experience, make sure you climb the 1576 metres high mountain. The reward for your effort will blow you away as you are welcomed by the Obudu mountain resort-a resort that sits on the mountain, breathtaking views and awesome sceneries. Milk a cow Obudu ranch dairy farm is located at the Obudu Mountain Resort. Hence, after the energy-sapping climb of the Obudu Mountain , you can visit the dairy farm to milk cows which no doubt add to the experience. Cairo (AFP) - Saudi King Salman on Thursday started a five-day visit to Cairo in a show of support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with the leaders due to sign a raft of investment deals. Saudi Arabia has been the key backer of Sisi since the then-army chief in 2013 overthrew his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood movement was viewed with suspicion by Riyadh. It has pumped billions of dollars in aid and investment into Egypt's battered economy, and the two heads of state are expected to ink more investment agreements on Friday amounting to about $1.7 billion. Live footage on state television showed Sisi greeting the 80-year-old Salman at Cairo airport, before heading off in a convoy to the presidential palace. The two met after Salman's arrival and were due to meet again on Friday, when they will sign 14 agreements that include a $1.5 billion deal to invest in the Sinai Peninsula, the presidency and an Egyptian government official said. Salman is expected to address the Egyptian parliament on Sunday, state media reported. Egyptian media gave full coverage of the visit, with state television welcoming Salman to his "second country" and playing celebratory music as his plane touched down in Cairo. "This is the first official visit by King Salman, whose valuable and honourable positions in support of Egypt and its people will never be forgotten," the presidency said in a statement before Salman's arrival. After he met Sisi, the presidency said the leaders sought "a qualitative transformation in the brotherly and historical bonds that tie the two nations". The visit follows months of reports in both Saudi and Egyptian newspapers of strained ties over Cairo's unwillingness to participate fully in the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen. Egypt had announced it would back Saudi Arabia with ground troops if needed, but appears to have balked at the prospect of becoming mired in the conflict. Sisi's close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who militarily backs Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against Saudi-supported rebels, has reportedly also caused friction with Riyadh. However, Saudi Arabia has played a key role in propping up Egypt's economy, whose vital tourism industry has been devastated by years of political turmoil and jihadist attacks. For Saudi Arabia, which is in competition with regional rival Iran, keeping Egypt under its aegis is crucial. 07.04.2016 LISTEN A former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister during President Kufours administration, Mr. Ernest Akubour Debrah is dead. He died in the early hours of yesterday in Accra. According to the regional Secretary of NPP,Alfred Anyeh, who confirmed the sad news to Suncity Radio, Mr. Debrah had been appointed a member of the regional Campaign Team of the party but could not live to begin his new assignment. Mr. Debrah was the first Regional Minister for the Brong Ahafo Region during the Kufour administration. He was later sent to the Northern Region where he was able to calm tension then brewing in the region between the Andaanis and Abudus. He was later appointed the minister for Food and Agriculture during the second term of President Kufours administration, after winning the parliamentary seat for Tano North. Mr. Akubour Debrah had then resigned from the then Social Security Bank to join the campaign team of the NPP under the leadership of then Mr. JA Kufour. After the NPP government in 2008 he resigned from active politics to concentrate on his farming activities. The Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr. Ofori Annye described the late Debrah as a man of great intelligence, hardworking and a counsellor. His demise he said, is a big blow to the party and the nation as a whole. 07.04.2016 LISTEN Since the start of civilization humans rule over the wrong doings of their fellowman to punish them. Over time the responsibility to find the most appropriate judgement was given into the hands of professionals that we call Judges, being part of a wider Justice System. Men in power tried to influence the outcome of judgements made in various times and cultures in different stages of nations development. It has become an agreed standard to have an independent Justice System in which Judges can find their rulings over Defendants all by themselves. Judges never judge accordingly to laws, only accordingly to their interpretation of the law and the cases set before them. Each case has so many facets that a simple law is not able to capture all possibilities but provide a framework in which an independent Judge has to find the best answer to address a case. Laws and times length for sentencing humans for a certain offends has changed and will continue to change with time in different jurisdictions as societies move on in their journey of life. While in the mid-sixties abortion in Europe was illegal and punishable, it became an acceptable life-situation like same sex marriages and alike. Modern day factories - even in Public Offices in the Developed World - have Quality Checks in plays to avoid unnecessary mistakes that can harm and disturb the production and finally consumption of goods and services. There is constantly an outcry in case these high standards going about business are not met, so everybody is demanding it to the last letter. Quality Checks to avoid anybody from being harmed and negatively affected by any wrong product, very much visible today seen in the production of cars, came in simple or complicated form depending on the product and development of Quality Check systems used. Political Systems have a build-in quality check system by voting in a democracy or revolution in Dictatorship. Churches have a similar system by the numbers and composition of people attending their services. The Justice System and their Executors, the Judges, is an enclave aside from society checks yet immense vital to make it perfectly well functioning for people to have trust in life between and with humans. Humans might not have money or fame, lack the minimum requirements for a happy life, more so it is important to them that they can live a life in dignity and being justified by their fellow humans. The Law System of a society has to provide to them the utmost possible justification in case they are accused of any wrong doings. Judges play an important role in this system yet having to preserve their independence. Observing Judges in different jurisdictions it is clear that no such Justice System can ever be a totally fair system due to the nature of Human Judgements in general regardless the professionalism and good intentions build-in such Justice Systems. The demand for fair trials and preserving human dignity stands above any Justice System of this our world. As we cannot always call GOD down from heaven for earthly matters to settle, it is our human responsibility to constantly check and think of improving our Justice Systems and never ever stand still in order to take things for granted. Someone or some nations wanting to be successful in life constantly have to review their situation and come up with better solutions regardless how they might look like as long as they are better than before. Once appointed Judge, a Judge stays in his role until retirement. In case he does not obviously obstruct the Justice System and violates the Laws given into his hands, he will retire with grey hair in old age during which time he can make wrong, right, appropriate or un-appropriate judgements that can lead to appeal leaving Defendants in prison or on parole and bail. Equivalent to the Quality Checks in Industries and Public Offices the Justice System can learn from the demand for a constant better performance yet ensuring the independence of the Justice System that is not supposed to be a close shop for only a handful of people having its own dynamics to benefit the professionals and their clients. A Quality System based on certain numbers of points given can make a Judgement unseen in its concrete form, but in its principles. Judgements are based on its length, its costs for witnesses, its effectiveness by the Judge in his/her conduct (lazy Judge vs. busy Judge), and the times sentences of a Judge are seen in the Court of Appeal are accumulated in a Quality System of the Justice System and the Judges as such. It must be agreed that in the various sectors of the System a Judge must be in a framework that can be seen as reflecting a professional acceptable standard, when the points are outside the numbers steps must be taken. It is appropriate that every two years Judges face an Independent Panel of Experts and Non-Experts from the General Public with their results accumulated in the years past. Judges will be given the chance to explain their own concerns which need to be addressed. When two years later no improvement can be seen in the outcome of the Quality System, the Judge in question can and should be removed from Office or given a last warning to the next upcoming Hearing that could end his career in the Justice System. This tool is a complicated instrument to use for the better life of people in a society. What is more important than discomfort is the best justice system the human mind can come up with. Humans deserve better! Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono Estate, Block D10, Aprt.9, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 07.04.2016 The Hague (AFP) - The International Criminal Court gave Congolese prosecutors the green light Thursday to proceed with a domestic case against convicted warlord Germain Katanga, accused of committing war crimes in the vast African country. Katanga, 37, who was sentenced to 12 years in jail by the Hague-based ICC two years ago, finished serving a reduced sentence in January in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Instead of being freed however, he remained behind bars with Kinshasa saying they wanted to also try him for "other crimes" committed in the DR Congo's mineral-rich but restive northeastern Ituri province. Katanga appeared back in the dock with five other co-accused in early February, facing "war crimes, crimes against humanity and participating in an insurrectional movement" in Ituri near the Ugandan border, where some 60,000 people died in fighting between 1999 and 2007. Katanga's lawyers argued against his prosecution, using an article in the ICC's founding Rome Statute that says a sentenced person cannot be prosecuted in a country where he is serving his sentence without the ICC's approval. His lawyers also said he cannot be retried in Kinshasa for the same crimes he had been sentenced for by the ICC. Congolese authorities sent a number of documents to the ICC earlier this year detailing Katanga's alleged crimes and saying it wanted to put him on trial. "The DRC has clearly indicated that the domestic prosecution of Mr Katanga... relates to crimes other than those for which he has been convicted and acquitted" by the ICC, president judge Sylvia Fernandez de Gurmendi said. "Therefore, the presidency approves the prosecution of Mr Katanga" in the DR Congo, she said in a court order released at the ICC's headquarters on Thursday. Katanga was the second person to be sentenced by the ICC since it began work in 2003 as the world's first permanent court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was brought back from the Dutch city to Kinshasa late last year to complete his term and had been scheduled to walk free on January 18. He was convicted by the ICC in May 2014 over a 2003 attack on the village of Bogoro that saw 200 people shot and hacked to death. He was acquitted of sexual slavery and using child soldiers. Congolese authorities have claimed Katanga played a role in the killing of nine UN peacekeepers in the violence-torn northeastern region of Ituri in 2005. DR Congo, a country of more than 67 million people that is Africa's second largest, was torn by two wars between 1996 and 2003 estimated to have cost at least two to three million lives. 07.04.2016 LISTEN The National Democratic Congress (NDC) U.S.A Chapter, the mouthpiece and the umbrella organization of all lawfully instituted NDC branches in the United States, on behalf of NDC Ghana wishes to inform the general public, both home and abroad that a group formed by Lawrence Appiah, a.k.a Dr. Lawrence parading themselves as friends of John Dramani Mahama (JDM) is an unauthorized group. The NDC and NDC USA wish to clearly state that Friends of JDM under the leadership of Lawrence Appiah has no connection to the party, nor the party's flag-bearer, who is also the President of Ghana, H. E. President John Dramani Mahama, or the Party. The National Democratic Congress, Ghana and the NDC USA have clearly written to Mr. Lawrence Appiah and his group Friends of JDM not to engage in fundraising activities using the reputation of the party, or that of any of the party's agents or leading figures including the President of Ghana, who is also the party's flag-bearer. Anyone who donates money to Mr. Lawrence Appiah (Dr. Lawrence) and or his group friends of JDM does so at his or her own risk. NDC, Ghana and NDC USA does not endorse any activity of Lawrence Appiah and or friends of JDM. The NDC USA wishes to inform the public that they can crosscheck the legitimacy and credibility of individuals, groups and organizations from the Ghanaian community in the USA. Most importantly if such groups claim to represent the President of the Republic of Ghana, by verifying their legitimacy through the Ghana's Embassy in Washington DC, USA. Source: NDC-USA Secretariat Signed Chairman -NDC USA Opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) will Thursday, April 7 take its turn on the JOYNEWS political analysis programme, Caucus to address its track record in the Volta region from 6pm to 7pm. Tonight's show will show the Deputy Communication Director of the NPP, Perry Okduzeto hosting former Education Minister, Elizabeth Ohene and the Volta regional NPP Chairman, Peter Amewu. Their discussion will try to answer the question, 'Who did more to develop the Volta region? Is it the NPP or the NDC?' which has dominated radio discussions lately. President Mahama stoked the debate when he said during his Accounting to the people tour that the NPP did nothing in the Volta region. Members of the governing NDC also ran with the Presidents comment arguing the NPP only concentrated on its world bank regions neglecting the people of Volta region. In a sharp response, leadership of the Volta regional NPP stated in a news conference addressed by the regional Chairman that the region is what it is because of the efforts of the NPP government. On April 6, Presidential staffer, Prince Agyenim Boateng hosted Deputy Communication Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu on the Majority Caucus where the achievements of President Mahama were discussed. The deputy Minister used the opportunity to dismiss suggestions that government's interventions in the education sector are mere token adding apart from former President Nkrumah, President has done more in infrastructural projects in the sector. There were 4,321 schools under trees for basic schools across the country, which was not the most appropriate condition to educate Ghanaian children. One thousand, six hundred and fourteen out of 2,578 of such projects have been completed and delivered. The remaining will be delivered in due course, Mr. Ofosu said. The NPP will today discuss its records in as far as development projects in the Volta region is concerned. Former Education Minister, Elizabeth Ohene and NPP Volta regional Chairman, Peter Amewu will lead the discussion moderated by Perry Okudzeto starting at 6pm to 7pm. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected] 07.04.2016 LISTEN Former Works and Housing Minister, Kwamena Bartels says former President Kufuor undertook a lot of developmental projects in the Volta region though he did not receive the full support of the people. He explained that though the Keta sea defense project started during the regime of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), it was the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government that completed it. He said President Kufuors government found the contract awarded by the NDC government to the Ghanaian construction firm Pentrex very strange. The former Minister said the construction firm was by the contract, mandated only to remove damaged buildings situated along the beach which he said made it easy for the tidal waves to make it to the beach. According to Mr. Bartels, the project was of high importance to former President J.J Rawlings that he forced the then Housing Minister, Kwabena Fosu to step down because residents opposed the snail pace of the project. Mr. Bartels said the NPP government completed the project in February 2004, four months ahead of the scheduled completion date of July 2004. The last few days has seen the two main political parties, the NPP and NDC, debating on who has done more for the people of Volta region. President Mahama charged the atmosphere when during his Accounting to the people tour in the Volta region said that the NPP has done nothing in the Volta region. Government officials also ran with the claim that President Kufuor only developed regions they described as World Banks of the NPP. In his reaction, former President Kufuor dismissed claims that his government did nothing in the Volta region is false. He said his government virtually built the Ho Polytechnic and constructed the roads from Nkonya to Dambai. The former President accused the NDC government of squandering the money earmarked for the Keta sea defense project. However, National Organizer of the NDC, Kofi Adams expressed surprised by the claim of the former President adding, I do not know what has provoked President Kufuor to say what he is saying. On the Nkonya to Dambai road which the former President claimed he constructed, Mr. Adams admitted he started a section but denied he did everything. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected] Accra, April 7, GNA - Fidelity Bank, one of Ghana's success stories in the banking industry has rewarded a total of 85 customers in the ongoing 'Save for Gold' promotion. A statement copied to the GNA disclosed that Fidelity Bank plans to reward more than 100 lucky winners by the end of the promo in April as an activity ggeared towards inculcating the habit of saving in customers and appreciating their loyalty to the bank. It said 17 lucky customers across branches nationwide were announced winners of a total of 20 gold prizes in the 5th draw held at Ho in the Volta Region. The statement noted that the lucky customers would receive their prizes from their Branch Managers. Speaking at the draw Mr Alex Dodoo, Executive Director, Wholesale Banking of the Bank said the Save for Gold promo is one of many creative ways Fidelity Bank is using to appreciate customers for banking with them. 'The Save for Gold promo is our unique way of saying thank you to customers for banking with us. We dedicated six months to this promotion and we are glad to say that we have rewarded over eighty customers in five months. 'This is the last monthly draw, which precedes the grand draw where the major gold prizes will be won. I would encourage customers to be hopeful and continue their good saving habit with the bank as we approach the end of the promotion,' he said. The statement explained that a 1kg 24 carat gold bar is the ultimate reward and it could go to any customer who have observed the terms and conditions of the promo. Mr Dodoo used the occasion to thank the National Lotteries Authority for the immense support shown to the Bank and ensuring a fair process throughout the promotion. GNA By Iddi Yire, GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - Mr John Kudalor, Inspector General of Police has assured all political parties and democratic stakeholders that the Police Administration would collaborate with other state security agencies to create an enabling environment for the November 7 polls. 'The Police are neutral and apolitical and will ensure free and fair elections,' and would continue provide for everybody in line with its mandate as a state institution. He said some of the measures adopted to ensure free, fair and transparent elections include the formation of the Elections Taskforce, engagement with various political actors as well as other democratic players, provision of security personnel for presidential nominees and their nominated running mates. Mr Kudalor stated during the launch of a four million pounds project: 'Deepening Democratic Governance Programme,' by the United Kingdom, which aimed at supporting Ghana Government and non-state institutions to strengthen democratic governance and to promote free, fair, peaceful and credible general election in November. The UK has contributed to five conservative free and fair elections in Ghana, investing more than six million pounce in 2012 to support the requirements of key electoral management bodies. The current amount would be used in training and building the capacities of the Electoral Commission (EC), the Ghana Police Service, the Judiciary and civil society organisations led by the Star Ghana Project in the electoral process. The British High Commissioner Jon Benjamin said the support was the UK's small contribution towards ensuring a peaceful and credible democratic election in Ghana. He commended the Ghana Police Service for arresting and extraditing some British murder suspects to face trial back in the UK. Mr Desmond Swayne, the UK Minister of State for International Development, announcing the package in Accra to stakeholders said lack of democratic governance undoubtedly, keeps people in pervasive poverty; which generates instability and conflicts. He explained that this leads to the absence of livelihood, the absence of jobs and the absence of inclusive economic growth; which in the end it boils down to jobs. 'The world needs 600 million new jobs over the next decade, if we are going to avoid an increasing army of under employed young people who are frustrated, bored and angry. And the only thing that I know that can create jobs is initiative, enterprise and investment,' he said. 'And the greatest enemy of enterprise, investment and initiative is poor governance. That is why we invest in democracy,' he added. Mr Swayne said poor governance leads to those administrations that are incapable of mastering their own revenues to be able to invest in the infrastructure that is required to make investment in jobs possible. He said poor governance leads to pervasive corruption and cronyisms; which drives away investment and drives away the entrepreneurs. 'Democracy is the panacea; but undoubtedly strong democratic institutions holding government to account with strong civil societies and a free press are the best guarantee we have of governance. And that is why it is important to invest in it,' he stated. He lauded Ghana for establishing a fierce reputation in the Africa as a beacon of democracy; declaring that 'whatever government Ghanaian chooses for themselves in November, it is important in my view that you continue to be that beacon of democracy in the region, that other countries would seek to emulate'. Mr Swayne said because of the fact that Ghana had become a low middle income country, this would be the last such investment that UK would be making on democratic structures. 'That is the measure of your success. We expect you as you go forward to be able to fund your democracy. We expect that the November elections will be free and fair,' he said. Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC Chairman, expressed gratitude to the UK for the assistance towards strengthening Ghana's democratic institutions. 'From the perspective of the EC we are totally committed to ensuring that the elections this year are credible, are transparent and that they are peaceful,' she said. Mr Jones Dotse, a Justice of the Supreme Court, who represented the Chief Justice gave the assurance that the judiciary would continue to ensure that Ghana's democracy is well managed and sustained. Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the Executive Director of ABANTU for Development, speaking on behalf of the civil society organisations, said they are positioning themselves to play an active role in the 2016 elections. Other dignitaries at the launch include Justices Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and Sulley Gbadegbe both of the Supreme Court, and Mr Victor Smith, Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK. GNA 07.04.2016 LISTEN By Francis Ameyibor, GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has re-nominated Ms Hilary Amesika Gbedemah, a lawyer and gender consultant, to serve on the Advisory Board of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Mrs Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Ghana's Ambassador to the United Nations, announced at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), at New York, in the United States of America. Ms Gbedemah was first elected to CEDAW) in 2013 for a two-year term. CEDAW monitors the implementation of national measures in eliminating discrimination against women. It is also empowered to make recommendations on any issue affecting women to which it believes the State parties should devote more attention to. The CEDAW, adopted by the UN General Assembly in, 1979, is often described as an international Bill of Rights of Women. Ms Gbedemah thus brings to the job, more than 30 years experience in human rights, and a thorough knowledge of the gender issues from the academic, policy and practical perspectives. Ms Gbedemah, in her first tenure, was appointed to serve on the Working Groups such as Access to Justice, which produced CEDAW's General Recommendation 33 on Access to Justice; the Right to Education; Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction; and Inquiries under the Optional Protocol. She also delivered papers on numerous platforms at the 59th Session of the CSW, New York; including one on Women, Conflict and Peace, the background information gathered by the Ghana News Agency, has revealed. She also addressed the International Women and Justice Summit, Turkey, where she delivered a paper on Preventive Social Policies for Combating Violence Against Women. Therefore, with the depth of her knowledge on CEDAW, Ms Gbedemah has begun a process of mentoring young women by introducing them to the international human rights' processes as they affected women. She has expertise in several areas of national, regional and International Law and possesses skills for the production of publications, training materials and academic writings. Ms Gbedemah also has skills in the implementation of Para-legal Studies Training programmes and Advocacy on Contemporary Human Rights Issues. She holds a Master's Degree in Law from Georgetown University, Washington D.C. 1996; LLB (Hons.) She obtained her Bachelor of Law Certificate from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1975; and she was called to the Bar, in 1977. She also has a certificate in International Humanitarian Law from the Henri Dunant Institute, Geneva, 1998; and holds a Diploma in Leadership and Advocacy, Georgetown University from Washington D.C. . In 1997, she was appointed the Senior Legal Advisor at the Volta Regional Office and she was in charge of the Legal Awareness Programme, which was funded by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) in partnership with the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and ACTIONAID Ghana. She was the first rector of the Law Institute, a vocational law training facility, which is a pioneer concept in Ghana. The Institute provides training in Paralegal Studies, Corporate Governance, Anti-Corruption, and Human Resource Law for a wide range of clients. Ms Gbedemah has been an active member of several advocacy groups including, Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA), a Non Governmental Organisation ( NGO) of women lawyers. Ms Gbedemah's publications include: Trokosi: Twentieth Century Female Bondage - A Ghanaian Case Study; Rape and Defilement; Interventions available to Victims of Rape and Defilement; Safety Planning - Preventing Rape and Defilement and Enhancing Women's Representation in Governance through Affirmative Action. GNA By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - Mr. Essien Abel Essien, Director of Strategic Planning at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission says it is important to focus on the positive aspects of regional integration, while putting in measures to mitigate the threats that accompany it. Speaking in an interview with the GNA on the threat of terrorism in the West African sub-region and how the sub-regional body was dealing with it, he said that addressing threats to security was about minimizing the threats by putting in appropriate measures. Mr Essien was also a participant of a three-day meeting of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other professional bodies under the umbrella of the West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) on the 'ECOWAS Community Strategic Framework'. The need for concrete measures to address terrorism and security in the sub-region is ever more pertinent in light of recent global terrorism attacks including attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, and in light of ECOWAS' quest to achieve a borderless sub-region with free movement of people and goods. Mr. Essien noted that ECOWAS recognized the potential threats that came with the move towards a borderless sub-region, explaining that the main focus of a borderless region was to promote trade integration, a labour market integration and ensuring that goods and services can move across the country boundaries unimpeded. 'Yes, this could also bring in some security threats but I think it is better to look at the positives and also note and design strategies to mitigate the negatives. So the emphasis is not going to be the threat that it brings, but on the economic development that will come at the end of the day,' he said. He added that theoretically, economic development would minimize security threats as countries in regional integration come together to minimize wars and threats. Mr. Essien said the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework was the strategic document that outlined measure for mitigating the threats. Nana Asantewaa Afadzinu, Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) said the Community Strategic Framework (CSF) was the successor to the Regional Action Plan instituted from 2011 to 2015 which set out how to work to implement the ECOWAS' vision 2020. She noted that the CSOs meeting was a more deliberate effort on the part of ECOWAS to get civil society inputs into the design of the framework. Participants will not only look at what had been done so far but how it can be made practical. She stated that while ECOWAS had excellent normative frameworks, such as the Conflict Prevention Framework, applying it to the average citizen such as the trader who had to cross borders to purchase their wares, was a major problem. 'One of the major strategies to use in addressing the issue of security is looking at community awareness and mobilisation. People have to be involved; the citizens have to be involved because we are talking about human security,' she stated, explaining that if the people did not know about the issues, addressing it will not happen. Ms. Afadzinu said the meeting will identify the challenges and the practical things that could be done, how to engage government as well citizens, making them a key part of implementing and achieving the objectives of ECOWAS Vision 2020. The objectives is to achieve a borderless, peaceful, prosperous and cohesive West Africa by the year 2020. The process of developing the CSF is expected to be completed by June 2016. GNA By Joyce Danso, GNA Accra, April 7, GNA - Three out the four the Yemenis alleged to have travelled to Ghana with fake Emergency Entry Visas and French Passports have been ordered to open their defence. This was after an Accra Circuit Court had ruled that they had a case to answer. The accused are Esmail Yahya Zeyad aka Evra Allerson, Gaafar Eissa Yahya Amer, aka Ciro Carlos, Waleed Ahmed Yahya aka Debuchya Allard, all students. The Court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, however, ordered the Police to hand over Eissa Yahya Amer, a businessman to the Director of the Ghana Immigration Service for appropriate action to be taken The Court acquitted and discharged Amer on the charges levelled against him. The four through their counsel, Mr Dominic Owusu Sekyere, had filed a submission of no case after prosecution had closed its case. They argued that the prosecution had failed to make a case against them after calling its witnesses. According to counsel, prosecution also failed to establish the essential ingredients in the charges of possession of forged documents, fake Emergency Entry Visas, and the forgery of official documents. Mr Sekyere contended that in the case of Amer, the businessman, he was holding a genuine passport and he was going to apply for entry visa in Ghana. According to counsel, the act of applying for an entry visa was allowed under the laws of Ghana and the phenomenon was also accepted around the globe. In the case of the other three, counsel said the officials of the Ghana Immigration Service had the right to have sent them back to their country on any available flight after their checks. The four Yemenis had denied the charges of possessing forged documents, fake Emergency Entry Visas, and forgery of official documents. The four, who spoke through an Arabic interpreter, have been remanded into lawful custody by the Court. Soon after the ruling on the submission of no case, defence counsel prayed for bail for the accused persons. The Court urged defence counsel to file a formal application for bail. Prosecution said all the accused persons were Yemeni nationals who arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on board Ethiopian Airline Flight ET 920, on November 24, last year. According to the prosecution, while undergoing immigration procedures, Esmail, Gaafar and Waleed were found with French passports with different names. The prosecution said a further search on them revealed that all the accused persons had Yemeni passports too, and when the French passports with different names were examined, they were found to be fake. According to the prosecution, when the accused persons were quizzed they claimed one Abdulai Mohammed, an individual based in Yemen, secured the French passports for them. The prosecutor said they claimed the same person gave them a phone number to call a certain Mohammed on their arrival in Ghana. The prosecution said the accused persons were on transit in Ghana to France, then to Istanbul, Turkey. The prosecution said another examination of their Yemeni passports indicated that Esmail and Gaafar had travelled several times to Djibouti before their trip to Ghana. GNA IVA Struggling with debt? Compare your debt options and write off up to 80% of your unsecured debts from 80 per month Get Started for free What is an IVA? With an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) you can make affordable monthly payments towards a percentage of your debt for 5 years. At the end of the 5 year plan, your remaining debt will be completely written off. Benefits of an IVA Here is a list of the cost common advantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA): Affordability You will only be asked to pay back what you can afford, with allowances taken into account for food, bills, entertainment, travel, childcare and others. You may be sacrificing certain essential costs at the moment. With an IVA they are budgeted for so they will no longer be neglected No upfront costs When you set up an IVA, there are no upfront costs whatsoever. This means that you can put a debt solution in place today without spending a penny You have a finishing line Do you feel like there will be no end to your debt problems? With high interest costs and charges, the balances of your credit accounts may not reduce as you need them to. With an IVA you will become totally debt free at the completion of the IVA (usually 5 years). You can use this as an opportunity to change your financial life, for good Confidential Your IVA is not advertised in the London Gazette or local newspaper. It is your decision whether you would like to disclose it to other people or not No more contact from creditors When you are in an IVA, your creditors will no longer have the right to contact you or refer the debt on to debt collectors/bailiffs. This is a great benefit for most people as it will take away the stress caused by constant calls/texts/emails and home visits Stay in your house Unlike some debt solutions, an IVA will allow you to stay in your current home. This is even the case if the property has a mortgage or is owned outright Your pension An IVA does not have an impact on your pension. You will not have to surrender your pension or withdraw money from it to pay into your IVA Risks of an IVA Here is a list of the cost common disadvantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA): Equity Release If you own your property and it has value, you may be asked to release the equity in the property Credit Rating If you have a perfect credit rating, this will be damaged and you will not be allowed to take out more debt whilst in an arrangement You must keep up with repayments If you do not keep up with your monthly repayments, there is a risk you will be made bankrupt Who qualifies for an IVA? There is no office guidelines to who qualifies for an IVA. It is a legally binding, Government legislation designed to help all people. Generally speaking, insolvency practitioners (IP) will look at your situation if they think the IVA proposal they submit is beneficial to both yourself (the debtor) and your creditors. This often restricts people to a certain criteria which you will have to meet: Over 5000 worth of unsecured debt You must have 2 or more creditors of 2 or more lines of credit Must live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland Must be insolvent Must be willing to pay at least 70 per month into their IVA Must have some type or types of regular income What debts can I include in an IVA? You can include a wide range of unsecured debts within your IVA. These include: Credit card debt/credit cards Loans/loan debt Payday loans Council tax arrears HMRC debt Overpaid benefits Catalogues Gas and electricity arrears Overdrafts/overdraft debt Water arrears Income tax arrears Debts to friends and family Other unsecured debts Note: If you are a resident of Scotland, you will need to apply for a Scottish Trust Deed (legally binding). Speak to our advisors for Scottish Debt Advice. What debts cant be included in an IVA? Secured loans Your mortgage (if you still live in the house) Car finance (if you still have the car) Rent arrears for your current property Court fines/Police fines Hire purchase arrears (if you still have the product) Log book loans (if you still have the vehicle that the debts are secured on) Student loans Other secured debts What does I.V.A stand for? IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement. It is a formal way to consolidate your debts into one affordable monthly repayment, resulting in the debtor becoming debt free at the end of their payments. Can I apply for an IVA online? Use the IVA Calculator to check your eligibility Prepare your IVA proposal and apply for your IVA. When your IVA is accepted, your creditors can no longer contact you. Pay 60 low monthly payments. After 5 years, you are out of your IVA and completely debt free. Will an IVA affect my employment? In most occupations, your credit rating or credit scoring is not a factor and it may never have been checked in the past, it may also be likely that it is not checked in the future either. There is no law to tell you that you must advise your employer that you have entered an IVA or that you owe money. They will not be notified by your insolvency practitioner. If you wanted to keep it a private matter, in most cases this would be absolutely fine. With some roles such as financial advisors, solicitors or bank workers it may make up part of your contract to advise them of changes like this. In these situations we would advise to inform your employers of your intentions before you enter into any arrangements. This way there will be no nasty surprises for you later down the line. More often than not, we find that your employer would not be concerned by your IVA and that it would not affect your employment status. An IVA is a formal solution and could affect some employments, such as if you were a solicitor or accountant for example. We would always recommend that you receive approval from your employers that your job isnt affected before you sign up for anything. Will an IVA impact my partner? There are certain situations where you may not want to involve your partner at all in your IVA proposal due to personal reasons. Insolvency Practitioners are very aware of these circumstances and can operate solely via telephone and email and at your convenience, so rest assured that your matters can be kept completely private. If the debts which you are looking to place into your IVA are in joint names, then this would be different. Your IP would look to place all of your debts into an IVA, including joint debts therefore you would have to inform your partner of your plans. If your debts are solely yours, then there would be no negative impact on your partner, their credit score would remain unaffected and they would not be entered onto any registers or be tainted in any way. Will an IVA affect my credit score/credit file? Whilst you are in your arrangement, you will not be able to get any credit. An IVA will stay on your credit file for 6 years, so 12 months after a typical IVA. When this time has passed and your monthly payments have ended, you will be able to rebuild your credit rating. What proof will I need to apply for an IVA? Proof of ID Passport/driving license/birth certificate/utility bills/national insurance identification/credit agreement Bank statements 3 months bank statements with all transactions displayed Proof of income 3 months payslips/P60/proof of benefits How long does it take to set up an IVA? Your initial call will only last around 5-10 minutes. The IVA process will be explained to you and you will be told what further information you will need to provide to proceed with your IVA proposal. Once you have returned the required information, an IVA will usually take between 7-14 days to get into place. You will be protected from creditors within this time, your advisor will provide you with documentation via email. How long does an IVA last? Most IVAs will last for a length of five years. The i v a will remain on your credit file for a period of six years and is placed on the Insolvency Register for that period. You can work out what date it will be removed from your credit file, it will be six years from the start date of the IVA term. So if the IVA started on 1 January 2000, it should be removed from your credit file six years from that date, which would be 1 January 2006. When you apply for an individual voluntary arrangement your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will tell you if you qualify for an IVA, how long it lasts, how much it costs and provide you with any other debt advice which you may need. How much will debt advice cost for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement? The advice cost for individual voluntary arrangements is free of charge. Your I.V.A company will tell you if you qualify for an IVA. They will talk to you about your different debts, provide you with free debt advice and check if your creditors are likely to approve your proposal for your IVA for debt. How does an IVA affect your life? By taking out an IVA you may affect your overall financial position. You will not be allowed to take out credit for 6 years. You will struggle to get a mortgage or remortgage your existing property. It also may affect any future increase in earnings or windfalls you may receive, as these will need to be paid to your insolvency practitioner. Your insolvency practitioner will take control of your debts for this period, they will deal with all of your creditors and this is legally binding. That means you will not be allowed to take out any more debts whilst in the IVA. Once the plan is completed, any debts which you accrue will be managed by yourself. Your ability to take out further debts in the future will not be impacted once the IVA has completed. What is the IVA protocol? The I.V.A protocol is a voluntary set of guidelines which your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can sign up for which improves the efficiency of Individual Voluntary Arrangements. When you apply for debt advice, it is important that you understand the steps of the debt solution, so you can decide whether or not the solution is the best one for your circumstances. How do I know if creditors will accept my IVA? Generally speaking, most creditors will approve voluntary arrangements for unsecured debt. But some debts can not be included within one formal debt solution. Your Insolvency Practitioner will tell you how likely it is that your creditors will be willing to accept your proposal, based on the voting creditors. Can I pay in one lump sum? There are occasions when you may be eligible for a debt solution which is payable in a one off lump sum as a final settlement to your creditors. This is usually when the money is being gifted from some one else, or you have received inheritance or a windfall for example. With a one-off lump sum payment, the advice is usually the same as when you normally apply for an IVA. You wouldnt have to make regular payments into the solution, your IP can provide you with more advice on one off lump sum solutions for your debts. Your IP will provide you with more advice on the debt IVA and explain what is IVA to you. Who regulates the debt industry? At present the debt industry is not regulated. Some Insolvency Practitioners offices choose to sign up to the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) or register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can contact the IPA using the contact details or email address on their website. Your creditors do not regulate the debt industry and your creditors will not be able to impact any decisions which the IPA or FCA make. In our experience, the regulators will take assertive action on any advisers or businesses which do not comply with their strict codes of practice. To check if a person is regulated by the FCA, enter their name into the search box in the FCA website. Should I use a debt charity? There are thousands of companies which provide debt help in the UK. You may be looking for an alternative to a private company. You should know that charities usually pass their fee charging products to sister companies which charge fees and disbursements, just like private companies. So what you initially thought was a good option, on further analysis could be different to what you originally thought. Charities do have their part to play though. They can help you if you have a problem with your bank accounts, maintenance arrears, living costs, credit reference agencies, child support arrears, bankruptcy, assets, accountancy issues, mortgages, creditor issues, insurance providers, mobiles, your bank account, rates arrears, PAYE contributions or if you want to work out your expenditure. They can make sure that you speak to an adviser or supervisor and look at proposals to offer your lender. A petition has started with the possibility of a debate in parliament about how charities represent themselves and their services. Which charities help with debt? You can contact Money Advice Service, National Debtline, Step Change, Shelter or a combination of the three. Charities are particular useful for a low debt level under 1,000. If the debt is high (such as a debt value of 10,000 or more) you would usually seek an assessment from a professional adviser. If you do decide to use a charity to guide you, make sure you check their charity number and the registration number on their website to make sure you are content that their team can answer your questions in the right ways. A lot of clients of charities have a minimum debt level which does not meet the basis for an IVA, so you could always chat to a charity that is happy to act on your behalf for low debt levels. Although an I.V.A could be the answer to your debt problem, its important to understand the monthly payment so call us on our free phone number. Anyone customers can receive expert feedback on their rights from debt charities, if they cant help they will usually point you in the director of firms which help with IVAs. We are homeowners, will lenders see my proposal differently? In some cases yes. In the majority of cases, if you are a homeowner you will not need to remortgage or take out any additional finances that will effect your property. You will need to sign a additional restrictions which remove your ability to take out additional credit tied to your property, which is something that is restricted once you are in an i.v.a. There are exceptions to this, such as when you have a lot of equity in your property/properties. If you own half of a property and another party owns the other half, only your equity will be affected. If you are landlord and you are in a position of equity, your IP may review your trading position or business to make sure the figures in question are in order. This is usually the case if you have two or more properties, as sometimes the equity can be used to form a repayment to your creditors. But this usually depends on the amount of value built up in your properties. Banks and building societies will not change the terms of your mortgage as long as a contribution is still being made for the duration of your arrangement. Your mortgage payments will be added to your expenses and accounted for within your budget, as long as you can provide evidence that you can afford to continue to make payments into your mortgage for duration of the plan. LOOKING FOR HELP? 100% Confidential. Thousands Helped. No upfront fees business PC Jeweller issues convertible debentures up to Rs 420cr The board of PC Jeweller has approved the issue of compulsarily convertible debentures (CCDs) for an aggregate amount of up to Rs 420 crore by way of a preferential allotment to DVI Fund Mauritius, the company informed exchanges today. you are here: business APTEL says no to compensatory tariff for Tata, Adani Power CERC in February 2014 had ruled that Tata Power and Adani will be allowed to increase tariffs temporarily to compensate for additional fuel costs that they were incurring due to expensive coal imports in their plants in Mudra, Gujarat. business HDFC, BHEL, Sobha, GVK Power and Hindalco among stocks in focus Here are stocks likely to be in the focus are business Buy Tata Motors: Mehraboon Irani Mehraboon Irani of Nirmal Bang Securities recommends buying Tata Motors as the stock looks attractive. What do robots, pilot jobs in China, Australian tourism and Aussie real estate all have in common? Theyre in high demand and are making or about to make people, a lot of money. The Robocalypse is here. Thats what some people said last month after news came that the first fully autonomous urban drone delivery was made in the US state of Nevada. Our friends over at Palm Beach Daily in America even cottoned on to the fact that Aussie pizza firm Dominos [ASX: DMP] is currently testing a delivery robot. Are robots coming for all the jobs? Plenty of people seem to think so. Todays Money Morning casts a suspicious eye on such a forecast. Something doesnt quite square with the idea of robots taking all our jobs. Consider One of the industries already using automation is the aviation industry. Its not as if Biggles is holding a stick and wearing goggles in most cockpits these days. Computers can fly planes. And yet the demand for pilots is skyrocketing. Thats thanks to one thing the huge development of the Chinese aviation industry. Stealing pilots from all over the world Dont take my word for it. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing says that Asia will need 226,000 new pilots in the next 20 years. Thats more than North America, Africa and Europe combined. According to the Wall Street Journal, planes stay grounded in China because of the shortage of crews to fly them. Hence a giant sucking sound is resounding around the world as China lures pilots from everywhere. Its quicker to import them than train them. Airlines outside of China now face the prospect of training staff only to see them go for the money in China. And it must be tempting if youre a pilot. Chinese airlines are offering between US$200,000 to US$300,000 a year. That can include housing and school subsidies. South Koreans are the most desirable because theyre the closest culturally. Theyre also the biggest in terms of numbers. Thats causing the South Koreans staying behind to demand large wage increases. But I happen to know one Aussie pilot with his eye on the money on China. There must be more Tourism boom cant save Virgin It does make me wonder if John Borghetti is keeping an eye on this trend. Hes the CEO and Managing Director of Virgin Australia Holdings [ASX: VAH]. His international division is losing money, and his company has a huge $3 billion dollar debt. The last thing he needs in his plate is a shortage of pilots to drive up his fixed costs. He has more than that headache. Virgins share price is languishing while Qantas has skyrocketed recently. Now comes the news from the Australian Financial Review yesterday that Moodys has put the companys credit rating on review for a possible downgrade. Its current credit rating is already below investment grade. Meanwhile, conditions domestically dont get much better for airlines than right now. Tourism is booming, oil is low and the Aussie dollar is capping the level of Australians taking overseas visits. More people are spending their money here, close to home. Just to give you an idea on some of this, 2015 saw international and domestic tourism contribute $94.5 billion to the Australian economy. International tourist arrivals reached a record 7.4 million. In the last five years, Chinese tourist arrivals have doubled. January of this year saw annual visitors from China reach one million for the first time. The Chinese are already the biggest overseas spenders in Australia, despite being second to Kiwis as the top tourist market in terms of the number of actual people arriving on our shores. That wont last long. 125 million Chinese travelled overseas last year. Even more will travel in the years to come. Its going to be one of the biggest growth industries for years and years, if not decades. In fact, the Chinese are shaking things the world over. Just ask the Canadians The Canadian and Aussie Property Boom The Wall Street Journal reports Chinese property developers are looking to build a bigger presence in Canada. Thats especially true for Canadian cities with Chinese communities. The falling Canadian dollar is giving Chinese companies even more bang for their buck. Chinese buyers also like investing in Canada because their money is safe there. Thats not much comfort to the average Canadian trying to get into the housing market. The Wall Street Journal also cited research firm RealNet Canada this week. They say the average price for high-density land in the Vancouver region is now three times what it was in early 2006. Land prices were up 12% in the last quarter of 2015 alone. Of course, weve all heard the same thing about Canada as we have about Australia over the last five years. Thats its completely overpriced and a bubble about to burst. But very few people understand the real estate market. Land prices are taking the gains all over the world. The prodigious wealth being created, especially now out of China, is driving this. Few people get this. But stop and ask yourself why most of us still have to work a 40 hour week. Its because we have to afford the land price. The economic gains of the 20th century were enormous. So was the rise in land (house) values. Coincidence? No. My colleague Phillip J Anderson predicted all this land boom worldwide, when the world economy looked at its worst in a generation 2008. Perhaps the most thrilling part or the scariest is his position that the rise in land values around the world still has so far to go. Were in the middle of the biggest property boom of all time. This could drives land values to undreamt of heights. Youll find out why on Saturday. Stay tuned. Regards, Callum Newman The Metcash Limited [ASX:MTS] share price lost marginally today, while the Aussie stock index struggled for gains. Metcash has been one of the big loser stocks in the past 10 years. What happened to the Metcash share price? The Metcash Limited [ASX:MTS] share price lost marginally today, while the Aussie stock index struggled for gains. The rebound in the energy market overnight has not helped the commodity stocks very much, and that has been a drag for the entire market in todays trading. Why did MTS shares do this? Metcash has been one of the big loser stocks in the past 10 years. The stock almost exhibited a negative correlation against the market, doing much worse than the index in the past three years. However, the stock has become a spectacular rebound stock in the past months. It has naturally caught the attention of many investors. Market analysts still have a consensus Outperform rating on the stock. Most see growing sales but shrinking earnings in 2017. The stock is by no means expensive, not after the big fall over the last few years. However, Metcash is a relatively high beta stock, meaning it does track the market quite a bit. The company pays a reasonable dividend. Over the past five years, sales have been growing at a positive rate. Financially, the company is liquid with plenty of interest coverage. The company is not terribly burdened by debt. The biggest concern is still its negative net operating margin. Note, gross margin is still positive. What now for Metcash Ltd? Metcash is on my radar due to its momentum tendencies. I am the analyst for Emerging Trends Trader, and I am always watching the Aussie stock space for potentially great momentum stocks. Metcash, being a big comeback stock, naturally falls into the emerging trend category. The retail sector which Metcash belongs is a very competitive space. The consumer stocks did reasonably well during the economic downturn, but investors need to be selective about them. Some of them are going to win with some to lose competitiveness. Metcash as it is now, is a comeback story, it is a momentum story and is a potential value story. Investors may invest in the stock for the short term momentum potential, or take a long term value view on the company, but they will need to be aware of the competition in the space. Regards, Ken Wangdong, Editor, Emerging Trends Trader Bonne nouvelle, ce sujet contientreponses et elles vous seront peut-etre d'une grande aide !Pour pouvoir les consulter, vous devrez etre connecte au forum Traditionally, home inspectors in Canadaexcept in Alberta and British Columbiarequired no licenses or proof of training, which has cultivated the proliferation of non-qualified assessors. In one case, this has even led an Ottawa local to spend $12,000 on water damage repair, all because her inspector didnt catch a leaky foundation. This state of affairs might soon change in Ontario, however, as the provincial government has revealed its intent to pass legislation that would introduce strict licensing and regulation of the home inspection industry. There is a very significant risk that a consumer can hire a home inspector who does not have adequate education, training or experience to do the job properly. In the absence of any regulation, anybody can sound like they are eminently qualified to do the job, and they very often aren't, Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors president Graham Clarke told CBC News. Graham was part of a panel commissioned by the provincial government in 2013 to look into the issue. The groups report advocated for a clear unified standard for the home inspection industry. The panel also strongly recommended that would-be license holders should be required to pass an intensive written exam and a field test. Just last month, a national industry standard for home inspection has been published by the non-profit standards body CSA Group. The governments of Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbiawhich have contributed funds to this endeavourstated that they have yet to determine if they would integrate the said standards into their regulatory regimes. In addition, British Columbia announced that it is contemplating tighter licensing requirements for home inspectors by next year, as well as a standardized level of skills and knowledge for the industry. Currently, the educational criteria for B.C. home inspectors differ from one licensing association to the other. The certification requirements are pretty wide and variable, National Home Inspector Certification Council president and chairperson Claude Lawrenson said. Distressed Sales Plateau Distressed residential sales inched up a bit month-over-month in January but have been relatively stable over the last year. CoreLogic said on Thursday that sales of lender-owned real estate (REO) and short sales made up 11.2 percent of total home sales during the month, an increase of 0.6 percentage points compared to December. Distressed sales decreased by 3.3 percent from January 2015 but much of that decline appears from the chart below to have occurred in the early months of 2015. Distressed sales have, except for a small spike in November, been hovering in the 9.5 to 11.5 percent range since last spring. Of total sales in January REO accounted for 7.8 percent and short sales for 3.4 percent. The REO sales share was 2.9 percentage points below the January 2015 share and is the lowest for any January since 2007. The short sales share fell below 4 percent in mid-2014 and has remained in the 3-4 percent range since then. At its peak in January 2009, distressed sales totaled 32.4 percent of all sales, with REO sales representing 27.9 percent of the total. CoreLogic said there will always be some level of distress in the housing market, and by comparison, the pre-crisis share of distressed sales was traditionally about 2 percent. If the current year-over-year decrease in the distressed sales share continues, it will reach that "normal" 2-percent mark in mid-2018. It should be noted however that in April 2015 CoreLogic predicted the return to "normal" would occur in mid-2017. All but eight states recorded lower distressed sales shares in January 2016 compared with a year earlier. Maryland had the largest share of any state at 19.9 percent followed by Connecticut (19.1 percent), Florida (18 percent), Michigan (18 percent) and Illinois (17.4 percent). The largest annual decline, 5.1 percentage points, was in Nevada and the greatest change from peak levels has been in California where distressed sales have fallen 59.6 points from a peak of 67.4 percent in January 2009. Only two of the largest 25 Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) posted annual increases in its distressed sales share; Baltimore which rose 1.1 percentage points and the Nassau-Suffolk Counties in New York, up 0.7 points. The greatest improvement was in Las Vegas, a drop of 5.4 percentage points from the previous January. Baltimore also had the largest share of distressed sales at 20 percent followed by Chicago and Orlando-Kissimmee, each at 19.8 percent, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (19.7 percent) and Las Vegas (14.2 percent). Its Earth Month, and Square One Salon is working hard to take care of it. Along with the members of the Ohio Chapter of the Water Committee of Sierra Club and supporters from across the state, the salons in the Dayton area are doing their part to protect our water supply. We partner with the Sierra Club and Aveda every year to support clean water. says Nina Dozier, manager of the downtown Square One location. Our goal this year is $5000, which goes up slightly every year. So far, we have $3745. How can you get involved? We are having a raffle this year, and you have a chance to win $1000 which is divided $500 in Aveda products, and a $500 gift card for 1st place! We also have 2nd and 3rd place winners, $750.00 and $500.00 prizes, respectively. Raffle tickets are 1 for $5; 3 for $10; or 6 for $20. Dozier assures all supporters that 100% of the funds go directly keeping Ohio waterways clean. Raffle tickets are being sold at all 6 Square One Locations: University of Dayton, Downtown Dayton, Oak Creek, Centerville, Downtown Columbus and New Albany. You can also support the Earth Month/Clean Water initiative by joining the Square One Staff as they pour beer at the 5th Street Brew Pub on Sunday, April 17th from 12pm to 3:00pm. You have to have clean water to make great beer, remarked Canaan Good, who works at the salon. I have been working with Square One Salon and Aveda for over 15 years, and I love their mission to save our water supply. Having children and seeing what happened in Michigan really hit home. I believe we can make a huge impact! We love working with Aveda, says Brent Johnson, one of Square Ones Proprietors. Since 2007, they have raised $38 million to protect clean water. And the Sierra Club has helped us distribute dozens of rain barrels in the Miami Valley. Johnson said you can learn about rain barrels by logging onto www.sierraclub.org/ohio. One of the greatest parts of my job is knowing the company I work with cares this much about the Earth, added Dozier. Its nice to know we can make a difference. Protect Water, Change Lives is this years Earth Month theme. For more information go to squareonesalon.com or aveda.com/cleanwater. You can also reach Square One by calling 937.461.2222 to get information about Clean Water, Sierra Club rain barrels and Avedas mission. (MST/Speedmaniacs.de) - Die Entwickler von Assetto Corsa haben in den letzten Tagen weitere Verbesserungen an der 1.5er-Version vorgenommen und die Updates auf Version 1.5.4, 1.5.5 und ganz frisch auf 1.5.6 ausgerollt. Welche Anderungen die Patches bewirken und welche Fehler beseitigt werden, ist in der Zusammenfassung zu sehen. Kunos Simulazioni Die Fehlerkorrektur fur die PC-Version lauft auf Hochtouren Zoom Assetto Corsa - V1.5.6-Changelog: -Fixed issues with black mirrors on several cars -Fixed LaFerrari digital instrument dummy -Fixed tyre texture on several cars -Tyre App customizable colors (system/cfg/tyres_app.ini) Assetto Corsa - V1.5.5-Changelog: -MODDING: BRAKE_POWER_MULT setup option is now correctly expressed in % and can be used for modded content -Fixed typo on Lotus 98T soft compound slipangle value -Fixed Lotus 98T engine limiter sound for higher rev limiter than default -Fixed bad naming on Lotus Exos S1 medium and hard heat curves -Modified Drift cars steering lock. -Bugfixing and optimization on Imola, Silverstone, Vallelunga, Spa, Black Cat County circuits -Improved smoothness of AI driving style -Improved collisions in multiplayer -Improved AI fuel planning strategies -Fixed tatuusfa1 at vallelunga hardcoded achievement -Added bonnet and bumper internal/external sound switch on Volume App -mirrors on LODs appearing black issue fixed on various cars (more to come) -tyre texture bug fixed on all racing cars and skins -LaFerrari shader fixes ANZEIGE Assetto Corsa - V1.5.4-Changelog: -Fixed motion blur on F6 cameras -Added support for fahrenheit readings in Tyres App. (set system/cfg/tyres_app.ini [OPTIONS] USE_FAHRENHEIT=1) -Fixed Corvette C7 Stingray Throttle response and Engine output on low revs -Some Balance of Performance for Ferrari 458 GT2, more might needed -BMW GT2 and C7R now have Traction control available with different levels as the 458 GT2. Obviously can be disabled by server. -Steering geometry improved for drift cars as well some small details here and there. -Fixed Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1 Kers exceeding engine revlimiter -slick tyre texture bug fixed on various racing cars -low-res skin previews fixed A U.S. district judge has dealt a blow to the governments too big to fail designation. Judge Rosemary M. Collyer rescinded MetLifes designation as a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) last week. In Collyers decision, unsealed today, she wrote that the governments Financial Stability Oversight Council should not have designated MetLife as a SIFI because it didnt first evaluate the institutions vulnerability to financial distress, according to a Bloomberg report. Collyer wrote that the FSOCs decision to declare the insurer too big to fail was arbitrary and capricious, and that the committee failed to follow its own guidelines when it concluded that MetLife was a threat to the countrys economic stability, Bloomberg reported. FSOC reversed itself on whether MetLifes vulnerability to financial distress would be considered and on what it means to threaten the financial stability of the United States, Collyer wrote. MetLife had sued the government to remove the SIFI designation, saying it imposed requirements that would raise prices for its customers. The courts decision may free up more than $2.5 billion that could be returned to shareholders, John Nadel, analyst for Piper Jaffray, told Bloomberg. Collyers decision was also a win for House Republicans looking to gut the Dodd-Frank Act, which they say shackles businesses with onerous regulation. One of the greatest dangers facing hardworking taxpayers is the Financial Stability Oversight Councils power to designate certain companies as so-called SIFIs, because todays SIFI designations are just tomorrows taxpayer-funded bailouts, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said when the decision was handed down last week. SIFI is Washingtons way of officially anointing these companies as too big to fail, despite promises that the Dodd-Frank Act would end too big to fail. Designation also ominously grants the Federal Reserve near de facto management authority over such institutions, thus allowing huge swaths of the economy to potentially be controlled by the federal government. Low oil and natural gas prices continue to cut deeper into the overall Midland-Odessa economy. The February Midland-Odessa Regional Economic Index has fallen 11.1 percent below February 2015 levels and is now 11.8 percent below its January 2015 peak. The index, prepared by Amarillo economist Karr Ingham for Midland Development Corp. and Security Bank by, has fallen for 13 consecutive months. As expected, the components of the index recorded dramatic declines as oil prices remain weak and oil patch activity has plunged. No one is more resilient than West Texans; however, the continued decline in commodity prices is affecting us all, said Monty Rogers, president of Security Bank. Those who managed conservatively over the past few years and built up their cash reserves are weathering the storm. Many are still looking for ways to preserve their equity by matching their expenses with current revenues. These practices may need to continue throughout 2016 unless something drastically changes in commodity prices. The two primary pillars of the economy -- consumer spending and employment -- continued their double-digit declines, according to Ingham. Real taxable spending as measured by February sales tax receipts sank 16.8 percent compared to the previous February, which was up about 13 percent from February 2014, and is down 19 percent so far this year compared to last year. Automotive spending continues to fall, with February spending down 17.2 percent from February 2015; spending is down 29.4 percent so far this year compared to the first two months of last year. An estimated 10,300 jobs have been lost in Midland-Odessa over the last 12 months as employment loss remains in the 6 percent range. The unemployment rate is up a sharp 42.2 percent compared to February a year ago. The region has seen far worse, said Keith Phillips, assistant vice president at the San Antonio branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. From March 1982, when employment in the Midland metropolitan statistical area peaked at 64,700 jobs, until February 1984, when Midland reported 50,220 jobs, employment declined 22.2 percent, he said. Employment then grew slightly, rising to 53,800 jobs and then sank 25.6 percent to 40,000 jobs in March 1987, he said. That is a 38 percent fall in employment between March 1982 to March 1987. Thats quite dramatic, Phillips said. Midland and Odessa had a combined 179,300 employed in December 2014. As of this February, that figure was 164,100, a decline of 8.5 percent. I dont think the decline is over, but since the beginning has been much more mild than in the 1980s, Midland and Odessa wont suffer the big losses as in the 1980s, he said. He doesnt think it will be as devastating because the area went into the downturn with such a shortage of labor that businesses such as restaurants and retail stores could absorb former oil industry workers. And through the first half of 2015, oil companies were still relatively financially sound, even though they had cut back drilling operations, because they had hedged oil futures. Now theyre feeling the impact of low oil prices and were going to be getting into bankruptcies and financial difficulties, Phillips said. Still, Midland and Odessa have evolved since the 1980s and worked to diversify their industrial base. Phillips said some new industries, such as the aerospace industry that is starting to take hold in the area, will be beneficial. Cities can work to diversify, but at the end of the day its hard to control, he said. Oil and gas is just a part of Midland-Odessa ... because of the geography and geology of the region. It would be silly not to take advantage of that, he said. While the overall economy was performing as expected in the face of a near-70 percent decline in crude oil prices, what wasnt expected was a sharp increase in building activity, Ingham said. All of a sudden you have record building permits, he said. The $66.7 million in total building permit valuations for February was 18.9 percent above February 2015 and is an all-time record for the month of February, he said. Existing home sales were also on the rise, with 165 sold in February, up 10.7 percent from 149 the previous February, which was down about 25 percent from February 2014 levels. The average sales price of $235,625 was up 5.4 percent from last Februarys $223,515. First, as the Midland-Odessa economy was soaring, housing numbers were not strong enough to meet demand, and now theyre not bad enough to match whats going on, Ingham said. Midland-Odessas growth had been so strong that housing had struggled to catch up, he said. He predicted that falling housing demand caused by the weakened economy will lead to lower prices. Meanwhile, housing sales are still doing passably well and prices are just not yet falling. To have a 4 or 5 percent increase even in these economic conditions is remarkable, Ingham said. Even so, CoreLogic reports that Midland area foreclosure rates among outstanding mortgage loans inched up to 0.28 percent in January of this year from 0.25 percent in January 2015. Mortgages delinquent by 90 days or more also increased -- to 1.49 percent in January 2016 from 1.10 the previous January. While Midland foreclosure and mortgage delinquency rates remain below both the state and national average, Midlands trends are running counter to state and national trends: Texas reported a 0.31 percent decline in delinquencies and 0.10 percent fall in foreclosures. Nationally, delinquencies fell 0.81 percent and foreclosures by 0.33 percent. Midland and Odessa issued a total of 67 new housing permits in February, down 38 percent from 108 last February. For the first two months of 2016, the cities have issued 127 permits, down 31 percent from 184 in the first two months of 2015. Ingham said the indexs components were just as impressive when the economy was growing, rising by double digits, as they are now, falling by double digits. They just had a positive instead of a negative in front, he said. Spending and employment are doing whats expected, losing more with each passing month. They reflect a contraction that is entrenched, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel Ingham said. The light at the end of the tunnel is the (petroleum industry), he said. And until the regions oil and gas economy begins to recover, the overall economic decline will continue into the foreseeable future, he said. Crude inventories across North America are at historic highs and are expected to stay at those levels this year. But research firm Genscape forecasts that next month will bring the first material draws as demand increases with the summer season. Carl Evans, senior crude oil analyst at Genscape, who co-authored the report with Ryan Bouckaert, told the Reporter-Telegram this could potentially be good news for producers. Probably not this year, he said in an email. Next year will see substantial improvements. But another thing to consider is costs. If there are efficient producers who can bring barrels to the market at $45 to $65 a barrel, this is good. If those costs are higher, this probably wont improve things much as they would still be cash-flow negative. Evans and Bouckaert said production declines are slowly materializing in the face of stronger pricing and should combine with significant outages at oil sands facilities, reducing Canadian imports this spring, causing inventories to peak this month. The two said draws are expected to begin in May and continue through the summer. The two forecast that for this year through 2018: - North American production will fall by about 581,000 barrels a day this year and 317,000 barrels a day in 2017. Blended Canadian production is expected to grow at more than 84,000 barrels a day year-over-year this year. The biggest U.S. declines will occur in the Eagle Ford and Bakken, with the Permian Basin retaining its resiliency. - Crude runs are stronger than previously expected. Margins have stabilized because of the transition to summer gasoline blends. RBOB prices have increased 40 percent since late February 2016. Utilization rates will exceed 88 percent for 2016 for North America, with crude oil demand peaking in 2016 at 19.1 million barrels a day in late summer. - World imports into the U.S. will grow in 2016. As domestic production declines, the analysts expect world imports will reverse previous year-over-year declines and rise in 2016. For 2016, they forecast world imports into the U.S. rising by 518,000 barrels a day year-over-year. Of that, light crude imports will rise 77,000 barrels, intermediate crude 693,000 barrels and heavy crude imports falling 246,000 barrels a day. This is definitely an area of downside risk where imports could underwhelm after a strong start to 2016 and pull even more barrels out of domestic storage, they wrote. Evans explained that imports have grown substantially through the first quarter of this year. Importers could use aggressive pricing to grow market share and keep domestic crude in storage, he said. There are two parts to imports from our view: Canadian vs. World. I forecast our Canadian production, which is still growing through 2016, and has since 2015, Evans said. For world imports, we take a view on this as we dont have a global supply and demand. Imports have grown quite substantially through the first quarter, and with the Brent-West Texas Intermediate differential supporting this, we expect this to continue. It is definitely a big assumption in the model from a magnitude perspective, but with current spreads as they are, they are set to continue growing this year, he said. Although the United States resumed exporting oil in December with the lifting of the 40-year-old ban, Evans and Bouckaert expect there is little support for material growth in exports with the Brent-West Texas Intermediate price differential in the roughly $1 range. However, if that differential were to widen significantly in coming months, there could be some upside risk, they said. The charge against a former aggravated assault suspect in Midland has been dismissed based on the results of the autopsy, according to a press release from the city. Benjamin Moore, 36, was arrested March 26 on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with injuries sustained by his wife, Natasha Morris, 29. Police originally responded to Moores 911 call that his wife had committed suicide early in the morning of March 26 at their residence on West Michigan Avenue. Morris was found hanging by a power cord in their bedroom closet with life-threatening injuries, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram article. At the time of Moores arrest, marks on Morris neck appeared to be consistent with strangulation and did not appear to be the result of a self-inflicted hanging, according to the article. The couple also had a history of domestic violence, and there were no indications that he had attempted to save her life before first responders arrived, according to Wednesdays press release. Morris died on Friday as a result of her injuries. Midland Police Department consulted with the District Attorneys Office to discuss charges pending an autopsy, which was conducted in Tarrant County. Preliminary autopsy results received Wednesday indicate that medical examiners believe the trauma sustained to the tissues in Morris neck is consistent with self-inflicted hanging and not strangulation, according to the release. The district attorneys dismissal cites insufficient evidence to move forward with the case at this time as a result of the autopsy, according to the release. At the time of Mr. Moores arrest, our officers had sufficient probable cause to detain him based on the evidence they had on hand, Police Chief Price Robinson said in a statement. With the news we received (Tuesday) and in our ongoing conversation with the District Attorneys Office, they arrived at the decision not to pursue this case. The autopsy will be complete pending a toxicology report and a review of evidence presented by detectives. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The University of Texas says a woman found dead in the heart of its campus was a first-year theater and dance student who had been reported missing. Campus President Greg Fenves and Austin police identified the victim Thursday as 18-year-old Haruka Weiser, from Portland, Oregon. Investigators are treating her slaying as a homicide. WASHINGTON (AP) Border Patrol agents in two of the most remote and least busy sectors along the Mexican border reported using some types of force more often than many of their colleagues in more urban areas, according to statistics released Thursday by the Homeland Security Department. Agents in the Big Bend Sector, a sprawling part of West Texas that includes Big Bend National Park, used guns five times during the 2015 fiscal year that ended in September. Only agents in San Diego reported using guns more often six times. In the sector of El Centro, California, a span of desert in eastern California, agents reported 68 instances of force during the same period, though none reported firing their weapons. Customs and Border Protection, the DHS agency that includes the Border Patrol, released the use-of-force data by sectors for the first time. Previously the agency had only provided the total number of reported incidents for the entire agency. El Centro agents also reported 65 uses of forces since between Oct. 1 and Feb. 29, the most of any sector so far this fiscal year. CBP did not release details of the use of force incidents but said the data represented each time an agent used force, though not individuals incidents. "Force" includes firing a weapon and less-than-lethal or other means. It was unclear from the statistics what prompted the volume of force reports in El Centro and Big Bend. In January 2015 two agents opened fire on a driver who fled a Big Bend sector highway checkpoint near the town of Sierra Blanca, Texas. The driver was killed and agents reported finding a pellet gun that looked like a pistol in the vehicle. Asked about the high number of incidents in El Centro, CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske said numbers fluctuate from month to month and could hinge on the number of arrests and agents. "El Centro's had some issues with some fairly violent people. It's not like the kids come across," Kerlikowske said in San Diego. In a statement, the Border Patrol said that terrain and entry routes often affect how its agents carry out operations and how they employ varying levels of force. As an example, the agency said its agents in the El Centro Sector often encounter gang members or people with criminal records who are not motivated to surrender when ordered. Some people also are told, falsely, that agents will not attempt an arrest in the El Centro Sector, the Border Patrol said. Overall, the Border Patrol data released Thursday shows that uses of physical force by Border Patrol agents and border inspectors have been declining in the past 17 months. Between October 2014 and September 2015, CBP reported 768 uses of force, a drop of about 26 percent from the 1,037 incidents the previous year and down about 37 percent from the 1,215 incidents in 2013. The new statistics do not include details about the incidents or whether they were ruled justified under the agency's policies. Civil rights groups have complained that agents are too quick to use force, particularly when responding to people throwing rocks. The complaints prompted CBP to review its own files and commission an outside investigation in 2014. The audit by the Police Executive Research Forum highlighted problems, including allegations that some agents were suspected of putting themselves in the path of assailants in fleeing vehicles before firing guns. Following those reviews Kerlikowske revised the agency's use of force policies. The audits also led to a proposal that border agents wear body-mounted cameras. CBP announced Thursday that it is asking the private sector for suggestions on camera systems that could be worn or mounted to patrol cars. It marks a minor step forward in a continuing review by the agency to decide if Border Patrol agents and Customs officers should wear body cameras. Late last year, the agency announced it was holding off on deploying cameras to agents and officers, saying the idea needed more study despite a yearlong review. President Barack Obama's 2017 budget proposal included a request for $5 million to help the agency move forward on cameras testing. Agency staff said in an August report that cameras could be a deterrent to frivolous complaints against agents, make use of force less likely, and provide evidence for criminal prosecutions. But the review also found that the cameras tested were unsuited for the rugged, remote areas where most Border Patrol agents work. ___ To celebrate the release of its new compilation Night Shift, A-Trak & Nick Catchdub's label Fool's Gold is heading out on a tour across North America for a month and a half with some of the label's most promising signees. The Gold Gone Wild Tour will feature Tommy Trash on all of the dates, with label head honcho A-Trak guesting on two dates, while a rotating cast of other label members like Gladiator will join on at select shows. Other names who will head out on tour include Rome Fortune, Madeaux, Nick Catchdubs, Kittens and Shash'U. The tour will kick off on May 5 in Denver at Beta and then hit various cities across North America like Albuquerque, Detroit, Houston, Chicago and New York City. The tour will end on June 25 in Boston at Ascend Nightclub. A-Trak will be in Germany for a festival so he won't be available as a special guest for the show in his hometown, New York City. This tour will have a bit of everything with thumping electro house provided by Tommy Trash, to hip-hop influenced beats by the likes of Rome Fortune and Gladiator. Depending on the night and location, there will be a diverse mix of different DJs for each crowd. Full lineups for each of the stops are available on the Fool's Gold website. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, April 8 at 1 p.m. EST. 05/05: Denver, CO @ Beta 05/06: Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex 05/07: Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre 05/13: Seattle, WA @ Foundation * 05/14: Vancouver, BC @ Celebrities * 05/19: Washington, DC @ Soundcheck 05/20: Orlando, FL @ Tier 06/03: Houston, TX @ Stereo Live 06/04: Dallas, TX @ Stereo Live 06/09: Chicago, IL @ The Mid 06/10: Detroit, MI @ Populux 06/24: New York, NY @ Webster Hall 06/25: Boston, MA @ Ascend Nightclub * Featuring special guest A-Trak 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We need to calm down after hearing this news about the collaboration! Just hours before the release of Taylor Swift's Midnights, the pop star gave a first look at the music videos for her highly anticipated 10th studio album. In a teaser Someone should sue the President for ... Tuolomne County Election Office View Photos Sonora, CA Local election officials say that while all voters should vote in the June 7 primary, the rules are a little complex about how primary voting for the US President goes. Both Elections Offices in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties checked in with Clarke Broadcasting to outline the process (explained below). Tuolumne County Elections Supervisor Robbie Bergstrom additionally shares, This year we have actually seen a huge increase in interest in people wanting to vote in the June primary electionwe have seen this both in the registrationsonline and paper registrations coming to our officeand also just questions and phone calls, coming to our counter, and emails. Due to the anticipated turnout, Bergstrom confides, One of the biggest challenges that we are facing at this moment is trying to understand how many voters are going to be coming to the polls we need to print enough ballots for all who are wishing to vote in the election we need to predict, ahead of time, how many that will be. Presidential Primary Voting Details Those who are registered with a political party may simply vote for a candidate within their party. Registered voters with no party preference who would like to select from Presidential candidates running on the Democratic, American Independent or Libertarian primary ballots. This can be done simply by requesting that ballot at your polling place. Voters by mail were already sent postcards they may fill out, indicating their choice, and mail back to their county elections office. A little extra effort is required for voters with no party preference interested in casting a ballot for any Presidential primary candidates running on the Republican, Green or Peace & Freedom tickets. You must first re-register to vote with that party. The deadline to do this is May 23 which is also the last day for any voter to register for the June 7 primary. For voters by mail, those ballots are being mailed out the week of May 9. Poll Workers Wanted The Calaveras County Elections Office has sent out an urgent request Wednesday that about 30 poll workers are still needed to help from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. on June 7 in the following areas: San Andreas; Burson; Mountain Ranch; Rail Road Flat; West Point; Mokelumne Hill; Murphys; Angels Camp; Copperopolis; and Valley Springs. According to Clerk-Recorder-Election-Coordinator Robin Glanville, stipends are $85 for clerks and student poll workers. Additional $5 to $10 payments are provided for performing specific related chores. Bergstrom says that the Tuolumne County Elections Office will also have a definite need for poll workers, although it is not yet certain how many and for which areas. While stipend payments are still being determined, he adds that training will occur between May 24 and June 2, and that students are actively being encouraged to apply and be part of the process. Applicants in either county, unless participating in the student poll worker program, must be 18 years of age or older; a California resident; and either a US citizen registered to vote or a legal permanent resident with a green card. In Tuolumne County, contact the Elections Office at 209 533-5570. Poll worker applications are available by clicking here. Contact the Calaveras County Elections Office at 209 754-6376. Applications are also available by clicking here. Ahwanhee Hotel...or Majestic Yosemite Hotel View Photos Yosemite, CA The National Park Service is putting up a $1,000 reward for information about the theft of the Ahwahnee Hotel Sign in Yosemite National Park. The sign was stolen sometime in February just days before the iconic Ahwahnee became known as the Majestic Yosemite Hotel. The Associated Press reports that anyone caught with the historic sign could be charged with up to two felonies, including malicious mischief and/or theft of government property. There are also six possible misdemeanors the thief could face. The sign was made in 1930. Anyone with details on the stolen sign should contact Yosemite at 209-372-0246. More details about the name change dispute is here. Residents in east Orange County are frustrated by a disgusting find and a disgusting smell. PICTURES: Click here to see pictures from the lot (Warning: Some of the images may be graphic.) A large pile of animal remains believed to be goats and trash were dumped in a vacant lot next to homes along Riverdale Road. "Fur, guts, bladder sacs," said Sybil Roberts, who was alerted to the rotting pile by another neighbor Tuesday. "I mean, it's disgusting." Roberts took photos of the putrid pile, including one showing a yellow tag stuck to fur. She thinks the animals are livestock and are possibly from a slaughterhouse, but she can't imagine the person who dumped the pile which she described as the size of an SUV would be anyone local. "It's a dead-end street," Roberts said. "Everybody knows each other, they know the vehicles that come down it." Photos from a neighbor's surveillance camera show a white truck in the area. Roberts is convinced that it's the person responsible, but they can't be sure. "Nothing as far as I know is going to happen at this point," she said, as she gestured to the hordes of vultures picking at the pile Thursday. "Guess they're going to clean it up. They're not the cleanest of animals, but they are the cleanup crew." The Orange County Sheriff's Office opened a criminal investigation into the illegal dumping and shared the report with us on Tuesday. The Sheriff's Office has not released any information regarding leads or charges the person who dumped the pile might face. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said they received a complaint, but they didn't believe it to be a wildlife case. Orange County Code Enforcement officials said the case was not within their jurisdiction. Down the street, Suly Lugo wears a mask to keep her safe as she rakes leaves in her yard. "I'm cleaning more. Lysol," she said. "You (have to) protect yourself." Some vultures have migrated to Lugo's yard and nested in trees. She said she's concerned that they will spread disease and could be sickened by the rotting smell. She's also surprised that no one has cleaned up the mess. "We have to do something about it," Lugo said. "Who can help us to solve this situation that we have?" Warning: Graphic pictures below A photo of the pile of animal carcasses. (Photo by Sybil Roberts) (Photo by Sybil Roberts) Sybil Roberts looks at what's left of the pile on Thursday, April 7, 2016, in east Orange County. (Julie Gargotta, Staff) (Julie Gargotta, Staff) (Julie Gargotta, Staff) Florida's Dept. of Transportation is promising to make a dangerous stretch of road safer. The area in question is State Road 44 and Grand Avenue. Sandy Lopes and her three grandchildren died Tuesday at the intersection when an SUV pulled out in front of her Jeep. The Jeep flipped and burst into flames with all four trapped inside. Volusia County's council and Sheriff Ben Johnson called for a change. I know were gonna be back out there, he said. I know our helicopter is gonna be back there flying people out of there. Johnson pointed to recently-revised numbers showing the same intersection has been the site of 42 traffic accidents since January 2011. County traffic engineer Jon Cheney told council members the state has studied traffic at that intersection multiple times. He says in 2015, they found the number of accidents were too many and warranted installing a traffic light or a roundabout. That roundabout study was also completed last year and it did recommend a roundabout, said Cheney. So why wasnt it done then? It turns out the state didnt have funds available. Late Thursday, FDOT Secretary Jim Boxold sent a letter to the council, promising to immediately design and build a roundabout at the intersection. They will start the bid process next week to get a contractor to build it, hopefully with the goal of having it done in 10 months. Boxold also said FDOT will install a temporary traffic signal at SR 44 and Grand Avenue. Open PDF in a new window UVALDE - Fruit growers continue to monitor possible problems with weather, disease and pests but conditions so far bode well for 2016 crops, said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts. Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Uvalde, said individual growers should be wary of disease and pests but that conditions are shaping up for a good year. Bloom across the state was fairly strong and good moisture levels should help fruit set, he said. Stein said trees bloomed earlier this year because of the mild winter, and the protracted bloom may be the result of marginal chilling. Stein said he and other specialists feel pretty good that fruit crops have made it past the critical cold stage where freeze damage might occur. He said spring storms with heavy winds and hail have become a concern but there have been few reports of losses due to those weather events. Jim Kamas, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Fredericksburg, said some vineyards in the Hill Country sustained damages from hail and high winds. Stein and Kamas said mild temperatures are causing some concerns for peach producers. One early concern for peach producers has been the lack of consistent chill temperatures, which are needed for peaches to bloom. Kamas said peaches need chilling temperatures to exit dormancy. The lack of a chill can affect fertility, and temperature fluctuations from cold to hot combined with too much moisture can affect fertilization, he said. The mild winter and lack of effective chilling temperatures has caused some fruit to drop already, Stein said. The chill we had was borderline, he said. We had cool temperatures but in some places it might not have been enough. I dont think it will be extensive but were watching that statewide. Another challenge could be disease, Stein said. Winter and spring rains have been good overall for the state, Stein said, but too much moisture creates prime environments for diseases to spread in orchards. Too much of a good thing can be bad, Stein said of the recent rains. Its been cloudy, muggy and warm here and that creates prime disease conditions. Kamas said there was a high level of disease pressure in 2015 and that a relatively high number of inoculums remain in trees and vines. The right conditions could cause problems for growers who are not monitoring and proactively addressing diseases. Stein said growers should stay on top of their orchard programs because diseases are easier to prevent than cure. He said some growers are spraying for diseases now. Insect pests could be a problem in the future, but Stein said most early season pests have enough green spring vegetation to consume that their effect on fruits has not been significant to date. The bottom line today is that fruit crops in Texas look pretty good, he said. That can change and growers need to be proactive in their management but overall it looks good. AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries: SOUTH PLAINS: Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels in Cochran County continued to decline due to lack of rain. Pasture, rangeland and winter wheat all needed moisture. Producers prepared for spring planting. Garza County received rainfall with amounts ranging from a half inch to nearly 1 inch across the county. Farmers continued to prepare land for planting cotton. Range and pastures were mostly in fair to good shape as showers helped with topsoil moisture. Warm-season grasses began to come on with the warmer temperatures and deeper soil moisture. Rainfall will be needed in the next few weeks if temperatures continue to climb and winds continue to blow. Livestock was in mostly good condition with no supplemental feeding reported. It rained in Scurry County but it did not improve moisture levels much. Temperatures were warm and more rain was needed. PANHANDLE: The region was dry and windy with near-average temperatures. Some moisture was received but fire danger remained high. Soil moisture was mostly short. A good general rain was needed throughout the region. Irrigation was active. Dry conditions further depleted soil moisture levels in Collingsworth County. Farmers planned water allocations to improve soil moisture conditions when planting if no rain was received. Areas of the county began to see stripe rust in wheat. Ranchers started spring roundups. Pasture conditions were fair. Dallam and Hartley counties received 2.5-6 inches of wet snow followed by windy conditions and mild to cool weather. Conditions remained dry. Irrigation was active on winter wheat. Farmers fertilized, cultivated and sprayed pre-emergence herbicides in preparation for corn planting to begin soon. Heavy stockers were coming off wheat fields and going to local markets. Ranges tried to green but soil moisture was not sufficient. Supplemental feeding and spring calving continued. Deaf Smith County producers waited on planting corn but continued with field preparations. Producers will begin planting corn very soon, depending on weather. The wheat crop actively grew but needed moisture. Producers ran irrigation pivots. A freeze in Hutchinson County did not appear to damage as much wheat as expected. Lipscomb County needed moisture. Some freeze damage was found on early planted wheat. Ochiltree County summer crop pre-plant field work continued. Cattle on range continued to receive supplemental feed. Wheat fertilization and weed control stopped. More rain was needed. Rain was needed in Wheeler County for drought-stressed wheat as well as to improve rangeland and prepare land for spring crops. Cattle remained in fair shape. Producers were beginning to fertilize improved pastures. Wildfires burned approximately 10,000 acres due to dry, windy conditions. A Plainview couple's loving journey to build their family hit national airwaves recently as the news television program "Inside Edition" featured locals Cary and Ryan Ray and their story of adopting a baby boy. "We are just incredibly thankful and grateful that God would chose us to parent a child," said Cary in an interview with "Inside Edition" reporter Johanna Li. A promotional video shot by Candlelight Films for the story featured an understandably emotional Ryan and Cary as they were presented their baby, River Beau, adopted from an orphanage in Taiwan. The adoption was a long dream come true for the couple, who for the last seven years struggled to start a family. "This is the moment we've been waiting for," Ryan said. The story, which was the top article on insideedition.com on Wednesday, followed Cary's heartfelt tale of not being able to conceive and the joy they felt finally adopting Beau. "When you get married, you want to start a family, and you think it's going to happen easily," Cary told InsideEdition.com. But the Ray family was constantly met with disappointment. Cary said she tried everything to get pregnant, from holistic methods to traditional western medicine, different doctors and surgeries. However, the results were still the same. After meeting with friends who had adopted, the Ray family began to think seriously about adoption. The adoption process started in 2013 and for the next two years, Cary said they slept with their phones close in case the adoption agency called. In May 2015, they finally received the call that a baby boy had been found. The Ray family made the trip to Taiwan to visit the orphanage in January. Cary stayed the next five weeks to get to know Beau. At the end of March, the couple was finally able to bring 15-month-old River Beau Ray to their current home located in the Dallas area. The Ray family is shown with all smiles as they enter their lives as parents. "He has this crazy belly laugh," she told IE.com. "He laughs so hysterically. He's just happy to be alive and be a baby." Check out the television's full interview at insideedition.com. In order to block an unwanted background of dead trees and piling trash, the Petersburg Cemetery Association has started a new project to renovate the south perimeter of its grounds in order to give families visiting the graves of their loved ones a better atmosphere and environment. "It's just an unsightly deal," said PCA President Paul Willis as he talked about the clear view of the city's landfill, just adjacent of the cemetery located on the southeast outskirts of Petersburg. For decades, a lush line of cedar trees surrounded the cemetery grounds and blocked most of the view of the outside. However, after several years of drought starting in 2011, the majority of the 50-year-old trees began dying off; opening the view of a rapidly growing landfill. To improve the landscape, the PCA decided to remove the trees and start the process of building a 7 1/2-foot metal fence along the south side of the cemetery. The length of the fence will stretch nearly a quarter mile. But PCA's budget isn't that deep, so in order to see the project through the association is having to rely heavily on donations and volunteer help from the community. After Easter, Hale County Commissioner and PCA board member Mario Martinez was able to borrow a skid loader and grapple bucket from Warren Cat in Lubbock, which was used to remove all the trees on the south side. In a short amount of time, Petersburg residents Faustino Sanchez and Jesse Reese were able to cut down and move 150 cedar trees into a neat pile. Willis said planting more trees wasn't option as the cemetery has no access to water and another drought could just wipe out any efforts to grow young trees. So instead, PCA moved to build a 1,170-foot long metal fence strong enough to withstand the West Texas wind. Willis said they have recently accepted a bid for materials, but hope construction labor fees can be saved by volunteers. Mostly, Willis says he needs wielders and metal cutter. Martinez said Cat will donate the use of an auger to dig post holes once construction begins. Willis said a cement truck will be used to pour concrete in the post holes, however a concrete bedding won't be poured for the fence because rain water runs down to the south. "We don't want to build a dam on the fence," Willis said. Those wishing to donate toward the expenses can do so by sending contributions to Petersburg Cemetery Association at Vista Bank, PO Box 270, Petersburg, TX 79250. Any questions about this project can be answered by contacting Willis, Bill Bruington or Martinez. While an ongoing slump in the oil industry keeps a tight rein in the states economy, growth in local sales tax revenues shows the Plainview areas economy is growing at a strong clip. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hager on Wednesday reported that his office will be distributing $596,795 in April sales tax rebates to 15 taxing entities within the six-county area in the Heralds circulation area. That represents a $53,907 or 9.9 percent increase from the $542,858 distributed in April 2015. For the year-to-date, payments for the same 15 taxing entities total $2,522,981 which is up 6.7 percent from the $2,364,062 received during the same period in 2015. In contrast, Hegar reported that local states tax allocations for the state in general grew just 2.6 percent from April 2015. This months allocations, totaling $591.4 million, are based on sales mad in February by businesses that report tax monthly. The cities of Dallas, Austin, Sugar Land and Fort Worth saw substantial increases in sales tax allocations that helped stop a four-month streak of declining sales tax allocations for the state overall, Hegar said. Energy-centric cities such as Houston and Midland continue to see decreases in sales tax allocations. Plainviews allocation for April 2016 is $321,450, which is up from $302,550 in April 2015. Its only $18,900, notes Charles N. Starnes, professor of economics at Wayland and a member of the Plainview City Council. Thats the difference between Plainviews March 2015 and March 2016 sales tax revenue. But thats a solid 6.24 percent increase. The City of Plainview relies on sales tax payments to fund 29 percent, or $3.7 million, of the general funds $12.9 million budget, he explains. So far this year the city has collected about $1.36 million, or 36 percent of the years required sales tax revenue, in just one-third of the payments received for the year. Its projected that the city will collect about $250,000 more in sales tax than is budgeted. That helps keep property taxes down and can fund special projects without raising property taxes. For the year-to-date, Hegar reports that Plainview has received $1,362,262 in sales tax allocations, which is 5 percent more than the $1,297,305 received during the same period in 2015. Much of our sales tax collections in export value to our economy, Starnes explains. Plainviews favorable location brings many shoppers to our auto dealers and retail stores from surrounding communities. However, those surrounding communities also are reporting health increases in retail sales as indicated by growth in sales tax revenues. Much of our sales tax collections is export value to our economy. Plainviews favorable location brings many shoppers to our auto dealers and retail stores from surrounding communities. The 10 percent increase in the areas total collections indicates that all 15 of the tax entities in the Heralds region are benefiting from a solidly recovering economy, Starnes reports. Last months healthy jobs report goes hand-in-hand with a strong sales tax collection report. For Hale County, unemployment fell from 5.6 percent in January to 5.5 percent in February while the labor force rose by 385. Across all six counties served by the Herald, employment rose by 1,082 which more than offset the growth in the labor force by 1,070. The unemployment rate for the area fell from 5.6 percent to 5.4 percent, which Starnes pointed out was a substantial improvement. Mike Fox, executive director of the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corp., adds, The nice increases we are seeing in sales tax revenues for the city of Plainview and Hale County indicates consumer confidence in our local economy. I am glad our local businesses are benefiting from the economic drivers that are positively impacting those revenues, Fox adds. As an economic developer, it is far easier to market a positive, vibrant community like Plainview-Hale County than one that is not. Plainview and Hale Countys economy is very much alive and well as indicated by the trends of a lower unemployment rate and rising sales tax revenues. For the current sales tax cycle, only Silverton and Hale Center showed revenue declines, of 26.34 percent and 0.69 percent respectively. For the year-to-date, Silverton was down 16.53 percent, Hart down 1.51 percent and Castro County down 6.59 percent. The largest percentage growth was posted by Edmonson, which saw its payment rise by 113.5 percent. Castro Countys payment climbed 78.5 percent, Floydada 47 percent, Abernathy 40 percent, Kress 28.6 percent, Petersburg 21.8 percent, Olton 19.2 percent and Tulia 10 percent. Current sales tax payments and change from April 2015 for area taxing entities include: --Abernathy, $16,984, 40.00% --Castro County, $26,777, 78.54% --Edmonson, $694, 113.54% --Floydada, $35,522, 47.01% --Hale Center, $6,257, -0.69% --Hale County, $119,023, 1.53% --Hart, $2,648, 8.87% --Kress, $821, 28.55% --Lockney, $9,128, 1.26% --Olton, $12,380, 19.17% --Petersburg, $3,506, 21.77% --Plainview, $321,450, 6.24% --Silverton, $3,588, -26.34% --Swisher County, $10,973, 6.93% --Tulia, $25,180, 10.04% Two years after establishing the first mule deer season locally in modern times, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has expanded both a general and special archery-only season for white-tailed deer into 14 counties across the Texas Panhandle-South Plains, including Hale County. The commission took the action last week when it adopted changes to the 2016-17 Statewide Hunting Proclamation. Ive personally only seen probably four mule deer does in Hale County, reports firearms dealer Rick Morton of Hubbard Jewelry and Pawn. And I dont think Ive ever seen a whitetail deer here. But that doesnt mean they arent roaming the 1,005 square-miles of Hale County. Ive been really shocked by the size of some of the mule deer brought down in Hale County during the last two years. Morton said, adding that a neighbor told his wife that a herd of about 15 deer were in the friends driveway when she came home the night before. Although the new whitetail deer season will give sportsmen another option in the area, Morton doesnt anticipate a large increase in activity. I expect the same ones who have been hunting mule deer will try their luck with whitetail. As for Morton, he plans to continue hunting for deer as he has in the past, on a lease near Uvalde. In addition to Hale, other counties in the region with the newly-established whitetail deer seasons are Andrews, Bailey, Castro, Cochran, Gaines, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Parmer, Terry and Yoakum. All will have a bag limit of three deer (no more than one buck and no more than two antlerless), which is identical to adjoining/nearby counties that currently have a season. The commission also implemented both a general and special archery-only season for white-tailed deer in Winkler County, with a bag limit of three deer (no more than one buck and no more than two antlerless, with the take of antlerless deer restricted to the archery-only season or properties issued MLDP antlerless tags). The new season is identical to adjoining/nearby counties that currently have a season. TPWD has not yet posted the dates for 2016-17 hunting season in Texas. In 2015, mule deer season in Hale and surrounding counties was Nov. 21-29. SOUTHINGTON Lake Compounce plans to have its first new roller coaster in 15 years ready for opening day next month. The Phobia Phear coaster is a short but intense ride, according to Lake Compounce spokeswoman Sara Frias. This is the most thrilling coaster that we have, she said Wednesday while workers put the finishing touches on the 150-foot structure. It really takes the thrill up a notch. Recent improvements to the park have been areas for smaller children and a family campground. The new coaster is aimed at teens and other visitors looking for a challenge Two cars each holding six people will shoot straight up at the beginning of the ride, which lasts less than a minute. Riders will reach speeds of 65 miles per hour as they go through twists and turns. While the speed is similar to the parks Boulder Dash coaster built in 2000, Frias said, Phobia Phear is on a different level. Its the turns, the drops. There are barrel rolls. Its really the way that the track takes you, she said. Jerry Brick, the amusement parks general manager, said the new coaster helps make us a true destination park. We have a world class wooden coaster, the largest water park in Connecticut and now a truly thrilling steel coaster, he said. The cars were under tarps on Wednesday and wont be revealed until closer to opening day. Frias said the coaster must be tested at least 1,000 times before it can accept passengers. The park will test the coaster more than required using water-filled devices to simulate the human body, she said. The first riders will take on Phobia Phear on May 7. Park officials wouldnt say how much the coaster cost but described it as a multi-million dollar investment. Lake Compounce is owned by Parques Reunidos Group, a Spanish-based company that operates 55 parks around the world. Lake Compounce is located on Lake Avenue. The park straddles the Southington-Bristol line. jbuchanan@record-journal.com 203-317-2230 Twitter: @JBuchananRJ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In Demolition, Jake Gyllenhaal again demonstrates his affinity for portraying souls on the brink. That ability has been evident as far back as his epic teen film Donnie Darko (2001). But the new movie is so heavy-handed that his good efforts, along with those of an exceptional supporting cast, are about the only reason to see it. The film is a letdown from Jean-Marc Vallee, the Canadian director of 2013s triple Oscar-winner Dallas Buyers Club as well as last years Wild. Theres nothing wrong with stretching audience credibility, but, to quote another movie that dabbles in the highly improbable, these things must be done delicately. Gyllenhaals character, Davis, is a Wall Street junior executive who has just lost his wife. Instead of mourning, Davis returns to work immediately, to the dismay of his father-in-law (Chris Cooper), who happens also to be his boss. The not-very-likeable Davis is in some kind of denial, unable to experience normal grief. What he does is exhibit odd behavior. He begins to disassemble things like his refrigerator and computer, a compulsion that will escalate seriously. He also sends letters seeking reimbursement from a company that operates a vending machine in which he has lost a few coins. One particular lengthy missive results in a phone call from a service rep (Naomi Watts), which leads to a relationship with her (though shes married) and her angry son. Meanwhile, on a whim, he joins a wrecking crew (see films title), where he proves handy with sledgehammers and power tools. He and the boy have a good old time deconstructing Davis fancy house. Demolition ** Quick take: Jake Gyllenhaal can't keep this from falling apart See More Collapse Its possible to detect notes of whimsy in all of this, which goes some way to compensate for the films lack of finesse, its tearjerking elements and mad dash to sentimentality at the end. The director doesnt seem to trust that well get it unless he laboriously spells it all out. So Demolition is mainly for Gyllenhaal fans who relish him in his tortured oddball mode. Its the kind of movie that Im sure will be called offbeat, but to me it simply misses the beat. Running time: 100 minutes This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate El Colegio, the bar at Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel, has rechristened itself as a Texas speakeasy. Don't worry -- the famous Las Canarias margarita is still there, and it's as good as ever. But the cocktail menu now emphasizes Texas beers, wines and spirits. "A lot of people don't realize how many great products are made in Texas," said Shane Bruns, the hotel's director of food and beverage. And if people don't want to drink Texas products? "If they insist on one of their favorites, of course we'll accommodate them. However, what we try to do is educate them and offer them alternatives," said Mickey Lagares, La Mansion's food and beverage manager . "We'll say, 'You like Jack Daniels, or Crown Royal? Let me taste you on some Rebecca Creek or TX whiskey. They have some similar flavor profiles and you never know -- you might like it better." The building that now houses the hotel was originally the St. Mary's School of Law from 1934-67, and became a luxury hotel in 1968, just in time for HemisFair '68. The former dean's office at the law school became the hotel bar and named "El Colegio," as a nod to its heritage. The new concept is open now. Check out the slideshow for a look at some classic cocktails and a few of the bites being served. And if you need a little encouragement, El Colegio offers a happy from 3-6 p.m., seven days a week. Luxury living is now relatively affordable in New York City, but you'll have to share. Co-working startup WeWork on Monday debuted its dorm-style shared living project WeLive. For $1,375 per month (plus fees), adults can live in a stylish, contemporary space that houses everything from an arcade to a yoga studio. WeLive, the residential offshoot of WeWork a company now valued at about $16 billion is based at 110 Wall Street in New York City's Financial District. It's already been tried and tested by friends, family and employees of cofounders Miguel McKelvey and Adam Neumann. (Story continues below.) RELATED: Tour Texas homes renting for about $10,000 per month The idea behind the concept, they say, is that people in cities with a high cost of living want an amenity-packed urban home where they can choose to enjoy a hyper-social environment that also allows for some solitary time. "What will make you energized and motivated, to be awesome today?" McKelvey said in an interview with Wired. "Is it an awesome shower in the morning, is it a great breakfast, is it a beautiful view? Or is it all of those things together. Do you prefer to watch a movie on an iPad by yourself, or in a room full of 50 people? You need to be able to enter these kind of social experiences with options." The options for those interested in living at a WeLive home include leasing a bed or a private unit, but the kitchen and living areas, among other recreational spaces, are communal. A private, 450-square-foot unit rents for $2,000 per month, while a larger space, around 1,000 square feet, is pricier. Per-tenant lease options start at $1,375 per month. All units come fully furnished, and all tenants are connected via a WeLive phone or iPad app, through which they can communicate and coordinate ordinary household tasks. So far, the pilot program with friends and family has been a success, the cofounders say. READ MORE: Texas-based organization builds unique homes for low-income families using trash This is the next but not the last "We--" project that will launch. McKelvey tells Wired that when he and his partner, Neumann, started WeWork, they'd already envisioned a number of concepts that it would spawn. "We had a bunch of 'we'sa fitness concept, a restaurant concept" McKelvey says. "The first business plan we had included all of them," the cofounder says. While this living situation seems odd, is it really that different from Houston's new East End-area micro-condos Ivy Lofts? A mansion that hosted a murder-suicide in 1957, which some now believe is haunted, is now up for sale for the first time in over 50 years. In 1957, Harold Perelson, a cardiologist, killed his wife with a ball-peen hammer as she slept. Afterwards, he went into his 18-year-old daughter's room and atacked her, though she was able to escape and alert the police. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It's one thing to love Whataburger. It's quite another to display that love permanently on your body. But it's that affinity for the Texas burger chain that earned one man free Whataburger for 10 years. RELATED: All these adorable couples celebrated Valentine's Day at Whataburger To bring attention to Whataburger's Snapchat account, the company launched a contest in March asking fans to share their Whataburger stories on the social media platform. The prize? Free Whataburger each week for an entire decade in the form of $3,000 in gift cards. It was the moment Blake Miller had been waiting for. "I've been eating Whataburger my whole life," the Corpus Christi native said. RELATED: 6 reasons why 2015 was the year of Whataburger The hardcore fan, who now lives in Aransas Pass, posted a Snap of himself sitting in a Whataburger booth with a tray full of the restaurant's best items in front of him. A tattoo of an orange and white Whataburger table tent can be seen on his left tricep. The number on the table tent is 361. The area code to Corpus Christi, which is home to the only two-story Whataburger, is 361. >> Click the gallery above to see Whataburger's best social media moments Miller had wanted a tattoo to show his Corpus Christi pride for a while so during a recent trip to San Antonio with his friends, he went under the needle. Unknowingly, while the tattoo artist was at work, he mentioned that if Miller were to get Whataburger for life because of the tattoo, he'd have to share. The next morning, Whataburger announced their contest. "I'm going to take a trip to San Antonio and I'm taking his whole tattoo shop to Whataburger," Miller said. San Antonio is expected to outgrow telephone numbers with the "210" prefix in coming years, meaning the city will see a second code as early as 2018, according to state officials. The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA), the service which overseas area code administration, is forecasting the 23-year-old "210" code will be exhausted by the third quarter of 2018. NANPA is petitioning the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to ensure the city is prepared to relieve the old code in time and provide an overlay for telephone customers, PUCT Communications Director Terry Hadley told mySA.com. RELATED: San Antonio sees some of the highest population growth rates in the U.S. The petition will require the approval of PUC commissioners as part of the proposal process. The final decision will be made this summer, Hadley said. An additional code will require residents to use a 10-digit dialing system when making calls. Instead of entering seven digits like before, San Antonians will have to include either 210 or new prefix, which has yet to be decided, to specify which number they are attempting to reach, Hadley added. RELATED: Things youll never see again in San Antonio Customers who own a 210 line will be able to keep it, according Hadley. He added that residents may also still be able to request the original prefix from their providers if any are available following the implantation of the new code. The city and surrounding counties have used the 210 code since 1992. Before that, 512 was used. The proposed addition will affect nearly all of Bexar County and should last for approximately 33 years, according to filing documents. RELATED: Forbes: San Antonio ranks high as 'America's cities of the future' A public meeting addressing concerns and questions regarding the proposal will be held at 2 p.m. on May 12 in the Al J. Notzon Boardroom of the Alamo Area Council of Governments building, located at 8700 Tesoro Drive. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Fort Hood soldier allegedly slapped a female soldier after finding her "making out" with a colleague at a party, court documents show. Jacob Andrew Avila, 21, turned himself in to Copperas Cove police on Tuesday. He faces charges of assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint. RELATED: New, graphic dashcam footage shows biker gang shootout at Twin Peaks in Waco According to an arrest affidavit, the female soldier was "making out" with another soldier during a party Sunday at Avila's house in Copperas Cove when Avila and Lucas Curtis, a Killeen man who is not enlisted, walked in and told her to leave the bedroom. The female soldier left the room to use a restroom in the master bedroom, according to the affidavit. When she exited the bathroom, Curtis grabbed her by the neck, shoved her against a wall and began slapping her with an open hand, the female soldier told police. Curtis squeezed her neck tight enough that she was unable to breathe and lost consciousness, she told police. RELATED: Austin police still working to determine identity of woman found dead on University of Texas campus Avila and Curtis both slapped her, the female soldier told police, but the Killeen man punched her several times and choked her more than once. Curtis straddled the female soldier after she fell over a metal rabbit cage on the bedroom floor, according to the arrest affidavit. "I literally thought I was about to die," she told police. Another soldier then stopped the altercation, according to the affidavit, and the woman was eventually transported to Darnell Hospital. The female soldier told police she suffered a ruptured ear drum, a mild concussion and several abrasions to the right and left side of her face and neck, the affidavit says. RELATED: Alabama teacher married student he's accused of having sex with to keep her quiet: prosecutor An arrest warrant has been issued for Curtis, Copperas Cove police told The Associated Press. "III Corps and Fort Hood takes all reports of assault seriously," post spokesman Tom Rheinlander said in a statement Wednesday. "Military law enforcement officials are investigating the allegations in cooperation with civilian law enforcement. The chain of command for the soldiers involved are aware of the incident and will ensure all appropriate measures are taken." jfechter@mySA.com Twitter: @JFreports Lets not be coy. Theres a certain population in this country that expects unlimited government handouts despite its piggish unwillingness to work. Dont tell me this is about child care responsibilities, or lack of access to transportation or education. These people simply dont want to work. Meet the new welfare queens: your democratically elected U.S. legislators, the laziest, most do-nothing generation of federal politicians in decades. Sure, they talk a big game about work ethic and personal responsibility. Thanks to legislators devotion to public industriousness, tens of thousands of Americans lost access to food stamps Friday. Legislators had decided, as part of welfare reform, that nondisabled adults without dependents should be required to work to receive food stamps; the work requirements had been temporarily waived in many states during the economic downturn, but now those waivers are expiring. Required to work in this context means actually working an average of at least 20 hours a week. Food-stamp recipients who cannot land such a job or qualifying training program within three months of receiving the benefit get the boot. No matter that the average spell of joblessness lasts about seven months; or that millions of workers who do find jobs often cant get enough hours; or that most states do nothing to help workers at risk of losing their food stamps get into employment or training programs. Our elected officials decided that jobs are so important that those who cannot find them should starve. And that ideally such sluggards should be denied other safety-net services, too such as medical care. With the stated goal of promoting personal responsibility, the House Republicans 2017 budget proposes attaching work requirements to Medicaid, too. For the benefit of poor people, of course. Work not only provides a source of income and self-sufficiency, but also has been demonstrated as a valuable source of self-worth and dignity for individuals, the budget resolution report reads. It goes on to suggest that making it harder for poor people to get health care in this manner could even help reduce their rates of depression. Would that members of Congress were equally concerned about the self-worth, dignity and mental health of their do-nothing colleagues around Capitol Hill. These moochers and takers continue to receive taxpayer-funded paychecks and yet refuse to do their jobs. Sure, senators and representatives are, technically speaking, employed. But its hard to argue theyre working. By a range of measures, this Senate has accomplished the least of any Senate in decades. The Supreme Court vacancy isnt the only judgeship it has refused to fill. Last year, the Senate confirmed just 11 federal judges, the fewest in any year since 1960, according to the Alliance for Justice. A Congressional Research Service report quantified how many other nominees the Senate has confirmed this Congress. It found that, as of February, confirmations for executive branch and other positions (Federal Reserve Board governors, ambassadors, etc.) were at their lowest level since at least 1988, the earliest data available. Why are elected representatives twiddling their thumbs rather than doing their jobs and confirming hundreds of waiting nominees? Why has Congress been remarkably unproductive in passing laws in recent years? To some extent, legislators are waiting for the next president to pick his or her own people and priorities. To some extent, intraparty discord means Republicans cant get their act together. To some extent, Republicans may be trying to make government as dysfunctional as possible under President Barack Obama. And to some extent, our legislators may be, ironically, just trying to keep their jobs. See, some legislators want to avoid making big decisions that could anger their base during election season, and doing anything that implies cooperation with Obama falls into that category. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., for example, indicated that he wouldnt move any nominees out of the committee he chairs until his primary was over, presumably because fulfilling such work obligations would threaten his re-election chances. These are perverse incentives. Fortunately, theres an easy fix. If legislators truly believe those who wont work should be denied government handouts, they should suspend their own pay at least until they fill the Supreme Court vacancy and the backlog of other positions. But dont hold your breath: Even that solution would require doing a bit of work. crampell@washpost.com When it comes to the epidemic of African-Americans dying at the hands of police, people who are asked to consider the issue often get stuck on whether or not the person in question had it coming. What was he or she doing at the time? Running away? Resisting arrest? And if so, doesnt that prove that he or she was guilty of something? And from there its a short hop to the conclusion that if only this person had been doing the right things staying off the streets, keeping out of trouble, not hanging around with the wrong people or doing exactly as the police demanded at the moment of a heated encounter any subsequent tragedy could have been averted. Yeah, right. In a perfect world, mothers and fathers living in low-income communities with crumbling schools and few employment opportunities would heroically manage to raise children who were able to stay away from trouble with alcohol, drugs or gang-type behavior even though these things are all around them. But since we live in a world where even white, well-to-do people get caught up in substance abuse, crime or mental illness, shouldnt we be able to get past the gut reaction about whether a person who is gunned down by a police officer may have had it coming and instead consider the human element of the matter? In the days leading up to the one-year anniversary of her sons death at the hands of the Zion, Illinois, police, I spoke to LaToya Howell, who is working with the Chicago chapter of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network to raise awareness about the epidemic of police shootings. The big thing I want everyone to know is that my son did not deserve to die, Howell told me. He was not a threat he was running in fear of his life. I spoke with her not as a journalist looking for an angle on a story but just as another mom a mother of a 17-year-old whose best friend, coincidentally, looks like he could be Justus Howells twin brother, and lives only a few miles from the Chicago suburb where Justus was killed. When you talk with a fellow mom, you commiserate because no matter how well you taught your kids right from wrong, how to stay away from trouble and how they should behave in a situation with a police officer, a 17-year-old is likely to not make the best possible choices when it counts. So youre left with the human element and this is it: On April 4, 2015, Justus was shot in the back by a policeman. The Lake County coroners office ruled his death a homicide. Yes, toxicology reports found that Justus had small amounts of marijuana and alcohol in his system. And, yes, there was an acquaintance who had a loaded pistol on him and, yes, the gun went off, prompting police into pursuit. But these factors cannot bring us to say to ourselves, Oh, then the police were right to kill this kid. The true circumstances moments before Justus death are unknown. But as we hear about minority men and women dying at the hands of police officers across the country, surely we have to ask ourselves whether this was a situation that could have somehow ended without LaToya Howells 17-year-old son dead at the hands of the very people tasked with keeping his community safe. Even those of us who believe in the promise of law enforcement, who respect and revere their local police officers, should ask themselves, their elected officials and their local governments: What needs to change? We shouldnt have to live in fear of our authorities, said Howell. We need people to stand up and ask our police to have compassion and proper training in dealing with our youth. We need the police to hear our stories and we need them not to act as if our children arent human. estherjcepeda@washpost.com Hes won only one state primary, has a relatively paltry number of delegates, and both his competitors are pushing him to withdraw from the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Whats Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who finished third in Tuesdays Wisconsin primary, to do? Thats easy. Stay in the race ignore calls to quit from front-runner Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, both of whom have far more delegates and claim Kasich is siphoning votes from them. But there is simply no reason for him to drop out and plenty of reasons for him to stay. First, theres a chance he can get the nomination. A big reason Cruz wants Kasich to quit is because the governor is potentially as much a spoiler for him as for Trump at the GOP convention in Cleveland. Cruz covets the same path to the nomination as Kasich. That involves Trump going into the convention with the most delegates but short of the 1,237 needed to secure a first ballot win. That means unbound delegates changing votes in subsequent balloting. Cruz will make the case that he, with the second most number of delegates, is the logical alternative. But consider: An average of ratings from polls by Real Clear Politics has Trump with an astronomical 63.6 percent unfavorable rating, but Cruz not doing sterling either. He gets a 52 percent unfavorable rating, while Kasich comes in at 30.1. Given those numbers, whos to say Kasich wouldnt be a better alternative than Cruz if there is a strong anybody-but-Trump movement at the convention? And theres also the fact that Republican leaders simply dont like Cruz. Another reason: The polling suggests that if Kasich leaves the race, his voters dont go to Cruz. They go to Trump. In other words, Kasich as much as Cruz stands in the way of Trump winning the delegates needed to win on the first ballot in Cleveland. Next, theres the trifling matter of who has a better chance in November. Kasich, according to various polls, bests the likely Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, head-to-head. Again, lets go to a Real Clear Politics average. Kasich gets 47.3 percent of the vote to Clintons 41 percent. Yes, Kasich loses slightly 1.3 percentage points to Bernie Sanders, but Clinton is most likely to go into the Democratic convention with the strongest hand for the nomination. Trump loses big to Clinton in November, according to the Real Clear Politics average. Cruz loses, too, but by a smaller margin. OK, say youre a Democrat and are drooling at the prospect that Trump or Cruz gets the GOP nomination because of those numbers against Clinton. But remember, conventional wisdom once had it that neither of these candidates would be close to securing the GOP nomination. What if conventional wisdom is wrong about their chances in the general election? Which brings us to the most important reason Kasich should stay in. The country is in a better place if neither party has to rely on rancor to ride into the White House. Re: Fire union uses water in fight with city, Brian Chasnoff, Saturday: First, I support the firefighters of San Antonio, and they should be rewarded for the dangerous work they do. If we need to raise our taxes to pay them for the job they choose to do, OK. But their union is out of bounds getting involved in the Vista Ridge project, which is great for the future water needs of the city of San Antonio. Frankly, I am getting tired of the fire unions involvement in an area that does not concern or affect it as a unit. Maybe its time to evolve into a Bexar County Sheriffs and Fire Department and get rid of the duplication in coverage, which includes all of the city Richard Goforth Political aviary Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says the GOP could end up with a nomination fight at the July convention, picking a Republican presidential candidate who is not in the running now. Walker goes on to say that Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, also of Wisconsin, remains the fantasy draft pick at a brokered convention for many leading Republicans. Whoa, doesnt Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas have anything to say about this? Also, Walker doesnt address the obvious. Cruz and Ryan and all the other Republican politicians are anti-abortionists in varying degrees, and whoever the Republican presidential nominee is, it will be an anti-abortionist like themselves. Birds of a feather flock together. Ron Lowe, Harlingen Numbers game How can Donald Trump, without ANY practical political and experience, go for the ultimate political prize president of the United States and become responsible for the well-being and safety of more than 300 million citizens when I, as a physician, had to undergo a rigorous preparation lasting 12 years (premed college, medical school and residency ) to take responsibility for the well-being and health of a very tiny portion of the population? Another question: Since it appears that Trumps core support is coming from white, blue-collar men who are frustrated with their economic lot, are there enough of them to equal 65 million votes, which I understand is required to win the presidential race? If not, how does he expect to win? John A. Menchaca, M.D. Yves here. This post may seem a bit wide of normal NC fare, but it serves as a reminder of how economists increasingly stick their noses in social policy. And the class/race bias is apparent, and is virtually Victorian: those people dare to have children out of wedlock? They must learn to conform and live in tight nuclear families, as if the problem is one of character. As Black points out, ironically, the problem is actually is economic, but one that AEI ideologically is not willing to admit exists. By Bill Black, the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One and an associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Published originally at New Economic Perspectives I wrote a two-part column on the joint report by AEI and Brookings on poverty reduction. Part two of my column focused on the policy that report pushed most prominently a government program of propaganda urging pregnant women to marry. My first article, however, criticized Eduardo Porters February 2, 2016 column in the New York Times for ballyhooing the supposed wondrous nature of Brookings and AEI working together. Porter portrayed them as leading thinkers on opposite sides of the ideological divide. I pointed out that a majority of the group had hard-right views and that the group had an exceptionally weak member pushing a single idea marriage propaganda. I also pointed out that Brookings had, for decades, played the same very junior partner role of giving AEI cover for joint proposals with Brookings to cripple financial regulation. Porters original column did not stress the wonders of AEI and Brookings agreeing to push for government marriage propaganda, but it does indicate in three separate passages that he was aware of that AEI proposal. They strongly endorsed marriage. The collection of proposals from promoting strong and stable families to improving the quantity and quality of work actually adds up to a coherent approach to improving an anti-poverty strategy that has fallen far short of its goals. Many liberals are still skeptical that encouraging marriage will do much to help the poor, but most have come to accept that the children of intact families have a better shot in life. Porters tone was clearly supportive of AEIs push for governmental marriage propaganda directed at pregnant women. I write today in fairness to Porter, for his March 22, 2016 column returned to, focused on, rigorously critiqued, and strongly opposed the marriage propaganda proposal. I discuss only one of his conclusions because it anticipates the hostile response from two members of AEI and Brookings group favoring a government program of marriage propaganda. I know that these quotations from Porters second column make multiple points, but I will show that they add up to one decisive analytical failure by the propaganda proponents. Theres no question that children generally do worse in single-parent families. They engage more in risky behavior. And yet despite years of research to identify how changes in family structure hurt children, there is much less agreement on the why. Selection is clearly at work: Single mothers and the fathers of their children are generally less educated than married parents. They tend to have lesser-paying jobs and more mental health issues. They would have a tough time raising children in a healthy environment even if they stayed together. Family disruption is not a random event, wrote Sara McLanahan of Princeton, Laura Tach of Cornell and Daniel Schneider of the University of California, Berkeley, in a study assessing efforts to disentangle the effect of selection from that of family structure. The characteristics that cause father absence are likely to affect child well-being through other pathways. Then, of course, there is the issue of resources. Families headed by single mothers are poorer. Studies in Britain suggest that children in single-parent homes suffer because they are poor, or because of the shortcomings of their parents not because their parents do not live together. Given the evidence, marriage promotion might even backfire. Encouraging a mother to stay with a father who deals in drugs, cant hold a job and beats her can actually lead to worse problems for the children, according to Sara R. Jaffee of the University of Pennsylvania. But the strongest case against a policy to deliver strong marriages and stable families is that the government has no clue how to do that. All of this analysis comes down to one key conclusion. The purported rationale for marriage propaganda is that kids do better on average in stable families with two parents. But that is not a logical basis for proposing that the government adopt a marriage propaganda program. The logic gap is the assumption that people that choose not to marry each other are just like people who choose to marry each other. All adults know from their personal lives that this assumption is nonsensical. We choose not to marry people with whom we have been intimate for a vast number of reasons, but most of them come down to the belief that marrying them would be a terrible mistake that would ruin our lives. In particular, a pregnant heterosexual woman or mom often chooses not to marry the birth father because she fears that he would endanger the child. That harm may be economic, psychological, or physical. Alternatively, of course, mom might want to marry the birth father or lesbian partner and he or she may not want to marry her. Thats the point about marriage that makes it so special and effective it requires both partners to believe jointly that they, and any children, will be best off through marriage. The passages I quoted from Porter add up to this key analytical failure made by proponents of marriage propaganda. He starts with the point that propaganda proponents incorrectly consider decisive partners who agree to marry produce (on average) better outcomes for kids. Porter then explains why the propaganda proponents are wrong. People who do not marry their partners are not the same as the couples that do marry. The differences are not random people choose not to select people they view as schlubs to marry. A wide range of factors make people unmarriageable. Single mothers and the fathers of their children are generally less educated than married parents. They tend to have lesser-paying jobs and more mental health issues. Porter then reinforces a point that I stressed women often choose not to marry a sexual partner because they fear that the partner could endanger mom and her children. The consequences of this analysis is that marriage propaganda is likely to fail because moms are making informed decisions given the severe constraints that they are subject to when they decline to marry a partner. That is exactly what the studies show marriage propaganda fails. Porter then concludes, as I did, that the true key to poverty reduction (and increased marriage) is good jobs. There is good reason to believe that it was the demise of the solid blue-collar job squeezed out by globalization and technological change that played the principal role in putting an end to the stable working-class family. Perhaps men with poor job prospects feel unprepared to marry. Perhaps women will not marry men who cannot provide. Porters column led to a letter to the editors by Ronald Mincy and Robert Doar, two members of the AEI/Brookings panel opposing his conclusion. Unfortunately, they simply repeat that marriage among those who wish to marry each other is a good thing, a point that is true and irrelevant to their promotion of marriage propaganda. They ignore Porters (and my) detailed analysis of why you cannot assume that getting people who do not want to marry each other to marry each other will produce good results. They conclude on this unfair note. Throwing up our hands and giving up on reducing the high rate of nonmarital births, as Mr. Porter advises, would be nothing short of abandoning low-income Americans. Porter (and I) did no such thing. Both of us stressed the need to provide good jobs. A job guarantee program like those designed by my UMKC colleagues is ideal for the purpose of improving the economy, reducing inequality and poverty, and increasing marriage and happiness. Mincy has made many of the points that Porter and I have stressed that reveal the logic gap in his support for marriage propaganda in an interview with Columbia Universitys media services. According to Mincy, one third of all American children (70 percent of African American children) are born to unmarried parents. Yet 80 percent of the parents in the study thought their chances of marrying were between 50/50 and certainty at the time their child was born. But if they want to marry, why dont they? he questions. The main reason very few marry (only 15 percent do so within 12 months), he says, is relationship quality, measured by factors such as the ability to compromise during disagreements and the mans support for the woman during pregnancy. Race also matters, as do employment and culture. African American women are unlikely to marry unemployed men, he notes. Thus the formula for black mens success requires jobs that pay a living wage. Note that Mincy does not claim that people decide not to marry because the government lacks a propaganda campaign extolling the apparently unknown virtues of marriage. They choose not to marry for perfectly understandable reasons. Mincy agrees that jobs are the key. His statistics show that people choose not to marry particular prospective partners precisely because they believe that doing so would make their life miserable and perhaps endanger the children economically, psychologically, and even physically. By Andrew Bacevich, the author of Americas War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History, which has just been published by Random House. Originally published at TomDispatch Lets face it: in times of war, the Constitution tends to take a beating. With the safety or survival of the nation said to be at risk, the basic law of the land otherwise considered sacrosanct becomes nonbinding, subject to being waived at the whim of government authorities who are impatient, scared, panicky, or just plain pissed off. The examples are legion. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln arbitrarily suspended the writ of habeas corpus and ignored court orders that took issue with his authority to do so. After U.S. entry into World War I, the administration of Woodrow Wilson mounted a comprehensive effort to crush dissent, shutting down anti-war publications in complete disregard of the First Amendment. Amid the hysteria triggered by Pearl Harbor, Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order consigning to concentration camps more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans, many of them native-born citizens. Asked in 1944 to review this gross violation of due process, the Supreme Court endorsed the governments action by a 6-3 vote. More often than not, the passing of the emergency induces second thoughts and even remorse. The further into the past a particular war recedes, the more dubious the wartime arguments for violating the Constitution appear. Americans thereby take comfort in the lessons learned that will presumably prohibit any future recurrence of such folly. Even so, the onset of the next war finds the Constitution once more being ill-treated. We dont repeat past transgressions, of course. Instead, we devise new ones. So it has been during the ongoing post-9/11 period of protracted war. During the presidency of George W. Bush, the United States embraced torture as an instrument of policy in clear violation of the Eighth Amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. Bushs successor, Barack Obama, ordered the extrajudicial killing of an American citizen, a death by drone that was visibly in disregard of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Both administrations Bushs with gusto, Obamas with evident regret imprisoned individuals for years on end without charge and without anything remotely approximating the speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. Should the present state of hostilities ever end, we can no doubt expect Guantanamo to become yet another source of lessons learned for future generations of rueful Americans. Congress on the Sidelines Yet one particular check-and-balance constitutional proviso now appears exempt from this recurring phenomenon of disregard followed by professions of dismay, embarrassment, and never again-ism once the military emergency passes. I mean, of course, Article I, section 8 of the Constitution, which assigns to Congress the authority to declare war and still stands as testimony to the genius of those who drafted it. There can be no question that the responsibility for deciding when and whether the United States should fight resides with the legislative branch, not the executive, and that this was manifestly the intent of the Framers. On parchment at least, the division of labor appears straightforward. The presidents designation as commander-in-chief of the armed forces in no way implies a blanket authorization to employ those forces however he sees fit or anything faintly like it. Quite the contrary: legitimizing presidential command requires explicit congressional sanction. Actual practice has evolved into something altogether different. The portion of Article I, Section 8, cited above has become a dead letter, about as operative as blue laws still on the books in some American cities and towns that purport to regulate Sabbath day activities. Superseding the written text is an unwritten counterpart that goes something like this: with legislators largely consigned to the status of observers, presidents pretty much wage war whenever, wherever, and however they see fit. Whether the result qualifies as usurpation or forfeiture is one of those chicken-and-egg questions thats interesting but practically speaking beside the point. This is by no means a recent development. It has a history. In the summer of 1950, when President Harry Truman decided that a U.N. Security Council resolution provided sufficient warrant for him to order U.S. forces to fight in Korea, congressional war powers took a hit from which they would never recover. Congress soon thereafter bought into the notion, fashionable during the Cold War, that formal declarations of hostilities had become passe. Waging the long twilight struggle ostensibly required deference to the commander-in-chief on all matters related to national security. To sustain the pretense that it still retained some relevance, Congress took to issuing what were essentially permission slips, granting presidents maximum freedom of action to do whatever they might decide needed to be done in response to the latest perceived crisis. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution of 1964 offers a notable example. With near unanimity, legislators urged President Lyndon Johnson to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression across the length and breadth of Southeast Asia. Through the magic of presidential interpretation, a mandate to prevent aggression provided legal cover for an astonishingly brutal and aggressive war in Vietnam, as well as Cambodia and Laos. Under the guise of repelling attacks on U.S. forces, Johnson and his successor, Richard Nixon, thrust millions of American troops into a war they could not win, even if more than 58,000 died trying. To leap almost four decades ahead, think of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) that was passed by Congress in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 as the grandchild of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. This document required (directed, called upon, requested, invited, urged) President George W. Bush to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations, or persons. In plain language: heres a blank check; feel free to fill it in any way you like. Forever War As a practical matter, one specific individual Osama bin Laden had hatched the 9/11 plot. A single organization al-Qaeda had conspired to pull it off. And just one nation backward, Taliban-controlled Afghanistan had provided assistance, offering sanctuary to bin Laden and his henchmen. Yet nearly 15 years later, the AUMF remains operative and has become the basis for military actions against innumerable individuals, organizations, and nations with no involvement whatsoever in the murderous events of September 11, 2001. Consider the following less than comprehensive list of four developments, all of which occurred just within the last month and a half: *In Yemen, a U.S. airstrike killed at least 50 individuals, said to be members of an Islamist organization that did not exist on 9/11. *In Somalia, another U.S. airstrike killed a reported 150 militants, reputedly members of al-Shabab, a very nasty outfit, even if one with no real agenda beyond Somalia itself. *In Syria, pursuant to the campaign of assassination that is the latest spin-off of the Iraq War, U.S. special operations forces bumped off the reputed finance minister of the Islamic State, another terror group that didnt even exist in September 2001. *In Libya, according to press reports, the Pentagon is again gearing up for decisive military action that is, a new round of air strikes and special operations attacks to quell the disorder resulting from the U.S.-orchestrated air campaign that in 2011 destabilized that country. An airstrike conducted in late February gave a hint of what is to come: it killed approximately 50 Islamic State militants (and possibly two Serbian diplomatic captives). Yemen, Somalia, Syria, and Libya share at least this in common: none of them, nor any of the groups targeted, had a hand in the 9/11 attacks. Imagine if, within a matter of weeks, China were to launch raids into Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan, with punitive action against the Philippines in the offing. Or if Russia, having given a swift kick to Ukraine, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, leaked its plans to teach Poland a lesson for mismanaging its internal affairs. Were Chinese President Xi Jinping or Russian President Vladimir Putin to order such actions, the halls of Congress would ring with fierce denunciations. Members of both houses would jostle for places in front of the TV cameras to condemn the perpetrators for recklessly violating international law and undermining the prospects for world peace. Having no jurisdiction over the actions of other sovereign states, senators and representatives would break down the doors to seize the opportunity to get in their two cents worth. No one would be able to stop them. Who does Xi think he is! How dare Putin! Yet when an American president undertakes analogous actions over which the legislative branch does have jurisdiction, members of Congress either yawn or avert their eyes. In this regard, Republicans are especially egregious offenders. On matters where President Obama is clearly acting in accordance with the Constitution for example, in nominating someone to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court they spare no effort to thwart him, concocting bizarre arguments nowhere found in the Constitution to justify their obstructionism. Yet when this same president cites the 2001 AUMF as the basis for initiating hostilities hither and yon, something that is on the face of it not legal but ludicrous, they passively assent. Indeed, when Obama in 2015 went so far as to ask Congress to pass a new AUMF addressing the specific threat posed by the Islamic State that is, essentially rubberstamping the war he had already launched on his own in Syria and Iraq the Republican leadership took no action. Looking forward to the day when Obama departs office, Senator Mitch McConnell with his trademark hypocrisy worried aloud that a new AUMF might constrain his successor. The next president will have to clean up this mess, created by all of this passivity over the last eight years, the majority leader remarked. In that regard, an authorization to use military force that ties the presidents hands behind his back is not something I would want to do. The proper role of Congress was to get out of the way and give this commander-in-chief carte blanche so that the next one would enjoy comparably unlimited prerogatives. Collaborating with a president they roundly despise implicitly concurring in Obamas questionable claim that existing statutes [already] provide me with the authority I need to make war on ISIS the GOP-controlled Congress thereby transformed the post-9/11 AUMF into what has now become, in effect, a writ of permanent and limitless armed conflict. In Iraq and Syria, for instance, what began as a limited but open-ended campaign of air strikes authorized by President Obama in August 2014 has expanded to include an ever-larger contingent of U.S. trainers and advisers for the Iraqi military, special operations forces conducting raids in both Iraq and Syria, the first new all-U.S. forward fire base in Iraq, and at least 5,000 U.S. military personnel now on the ground, a number that continues to grow incrementally. Remember Barack Obama campaigning back in 2008 and solemnly pledging to end the Iraq War? What he neglected to mention at the time was that he was retaining the prerogative to plunge the country into another Iraq War on his own ticket. So has he now done, with members of Congress passively assenting and the country essentially a prisoner of war. By now, through its inaction, the legislative branch has, in fact, surrendered the final remnant of authority it retained on matters relating to whether, when, against whom, and for what purpose the United States should go to war. Nothing now remains but to pay the bills, which Congress routinely does, citing a solemn obligation to support the troops. In this way does the performance of lesser duties provide an excuse for shirking far greater ones. In military circles, there is a term to describe this type of behavior. Its called cowardice. Dear patient readers. Im again a little late, so come back to get the full dose of Links after 8:00 AM. How Coastal Cities Are Preparing For Climate Change Onion (David L) Australia Is Letting the Great Barrier Reef Die Over a Lot of Coal Motherboard (resilc) :-( Busy and distracted? Everybody has been, since at least 1710 Aeon Essays (resilc) Rebranding The Conquistadors As Social Justice Warriors Guardian (Chuck L) A fleet of trucks just drove themselves across Europe Quartz Mossack Fonseca. Notice how this is producing more focus on tax havens generally. France is moving Defend Democracy Is there a solution to Brazils crises? New Economic Perspectives Refugee Crisis German Economy, Once Europes Leader, Now Looks Like Laggard New York Times Ukraine/Russia Dutch reject EU-Ukraine trade deal Financial Times Big Brother is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch The US Is One of the Top Executioners in the World Mother Jones The Middle East: Lets End Americas Hopeless War Politico 2016 Election stirs debate about Feds handling of political pressure Reuters Unwed couples in Florida can now legally live together BBC (Eva) Gov. Rick Scotts administration bills doctor for treating poor patients in state facility Daily Kos College Kids Arent the Only Ones Demanding Safe Spaces Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone (Sherry) Gunz Facebook Groups Act as Weapons Bazaars for Militias New York Times (furzy) Don Blankenship Gets 1 Year for Mining Disaster BP Oil Spill Engineer Gets Probation Charles Pierce, Esquire Yahoo Is in the Midst of a Financial Meltdown New York Magazine How Big Telecom Gets Away With Rewriting Americas Laws Motherboard Class Warfare Antidote du jour (martha r): And a bonus video. Lambert wasnt sure if this was an antidote or an anti-antidote, but the horse doesnt seem at all bothered. Craazyman will no doubt have some comments on the styling. See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. SHARE By Carrie Kerskie Opening your mail and finding a letter stating that your personal information has been exposed through a data breach can be a terrifying experience leaving you with numerous questions. Is the letter legitimate or a scam? Data breaches are becoming a common occurrence. This allows scammers to take advantage of the situation by creating fake breach notification letters. The letters typically include a phone number for you to call or a website for you to visit. Once you engage, the scammer will ask you to verify your information including your Social Security number and other sensitive information. When you receive a data breach notification letter your first step should be to verify the validity of the letter. Here are a few ways to accomplish this. 1. Call the company directly. Do not call the telephone number provided in the letter. If you do not know the telephone number for the company you can search for it on the Internet or use a telephone book, yes they still exist. 2. Visit the company's website. Not the website listed in the letter you received. Go to the company's true website. If you do not know the domain name for the company, an Internet search should reveal the company's website. Information regarding the breach should be listed on their website. 3. Search the Internet. In the search bar of your Internet browser type in the company name followed by "data breach." You could also type in the company name followed by "data breach scam letter." The number of search parameters available are only limited by your imagination. Should I sign up for free service offered? Now that you have verified the letter is legitimate you need to take the appropriate steps to reduce the risk of future identity theft. You might be considering the free identity theft monitoring offered by the breach company. The answer depends on what you hope to accomplish as well as your current situation. To help you make your decision lets first look at what these types of services typically do and do not provide. Typically provided by free service 1. Credit monitoring of one credit bureau. 2. Notify you of changes on your credit report. 3. Guidance when one restoring your identity when an incident occurs. Note: you still do all of the work. Typically not provided by free service 1. Credit monitoring from all three credit bureaus. 2. Full credit reports from all three credit bureaus. 3. Monitoring for noncredit related types of identity theft such as medical, IRS, Social Security, employment or criminal. 4. Full restoration services where they do the work on your behalf to restore your identity. 5. Protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft. The service is free so there relatively little harm in signing up. Just expect to receive upgrade or renewal offers from the free service. You should also remember that these services cannot protect you from identity theft and services offered may be limited. Additional steps As stated earlier credit monitoring only monitors for credit related identity theft. There may additional steps to take depending on what information was exposed. Here are a few suggestions. Username/password 1. Change your username/password everywhere you have used it. 2. Verify those online account have not already been accessed. 3. Monitor your online accounts for fraudulent activity. Financial information 1. Contact your financial institutions immediately. 2. Ask for a new account or credit card number. 3. Monitor statements for fraudulent activity. 4. Report fraudulent activity immediately. 5. Contact other organizations to update your account information such as direct deposit or auto-pay. Social Security number 1. Place a free 90 day fraud alert on your credit reports. 2. If you are not applying for new credit in the next 12-24 months place a credit freeze on your credit reports. Note: you will be assigned a PIN from each credit bureau. 3. Submit form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to the IRS. 4. Contact the Social Security Administration to create a MySSA account or block a MySSA account by opting-out of electronic access at myssa.gov. Receiving a data breach notification letter can leave you with many questions. Hopefully many of them were addressed in this article. By following these steps you may reduce the risk of future identity theft. Just remember that all identity theft cannot be prevented. Your best defense is to make your information less attractive to identity thieves by making it more difficult for them to use. Carrie Kerskie is a sought-after speaker, trainer and consultant on identity theft and data privacy. She is the author of "Your Public Identity: Because Nothing is Private Anymore." Kerskie is the director of the Identity Fraud Institute at Hodges University and president of Kerskie Group Inc. You can contact her at 239-435-9111 or ckerskie@hodges.edu. Follow her on Twitter@CarrieKerskie.com. By Kristine Gill of the Naples Daily News Deputies have arrested a man who they say killed a 41-year-old man whose body was found in a wooded area of East Naples last month. Kurt William L'Heureux, 42, of Port Charlotte, was arrested Wednesday by deputies with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. He faces second-degree murder charges. Deputies said L'Heureux shot his roommate Robert Charles Guyette in the head during an ongoing dispute. The two men had been living together in a trailer on Jeepers Drive. Deputies found Guyette's body in a wooded area off of Bayshore drive March 8 after a homeless couple spotted it while looking for a place to camp. Deputies later learned Guyette had been missing since February. The District 20 Medical Examiner's Office ruled manner of death as homicide. A warrant for L'Heureux's arrest was signed by a judge Tuesday. On Wednesday. Collier deputies contacted Charlotte deputies with a possible location for L'Heureux in Port Charlotte. That same day deputies located L'Heureux at a pet grooming and boarding facility in Port Charlotte, where he had been staying in a back room, and took him into custody. Arrangements are underway to have L'Heureux transferred to the Collier County jail. Reached by phone Thursday, L'Heureux's mother said her son is innocent. "They're trying to railroad him," Linda Saunders said. "He's not that type of person at all, he's chicken. He wouldn't hurt a fly." Saunders, who spoke with her son by phone on a regular basis from her home in Michigan, said L'Heureux lived with Guyette and another man in a trailer but that Guyette was rarely around. The two were good friends though, Saunders added, and her son was shocked to be accused of shooting and killing him. "He doesn't even own a gun," she said. Saunders said her son had drinking problems in the past but was not violent. L'Heureux has an arrest record in Collier County dating back to 2006. He has been arrested on DUI charges twice and for battery once. His other four arrests were for failure to appear or violation of probation. His drinking made it difficult to hold down a steady job, but Saunders said he made do with odd jobs. Saunders said that deputies have accused her son of shooting Guyette after a dispute. But L'Heureux told Saunders, many people had lended Guyette money and argued over being paid back. "He didn't owe him any money because Kurt didn't have any money," Saunders said. Saunders spoke with her son just days before his arrest Wednesday and said he was worried that deputies believed he was guilty of a crime he did not commit. Saunders said she is confident the charges will be dropped. "He didn't do it," she said. "They're trying to pull something." Fifth grade students look in awe after their Life Skills teacher, Courtney Garbow, not pictured, set off a Diet Coke bottle mixed with Mentos to teach a lesson of how stress can affect the body as part of the School Age Child Care program at Corkscrew Elementary School on Monday, March 21, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) SHARE By Melhor Leonor of the Naples Daily News Days after listening to pitches from private vendors and mulling over the option of running their own after school programs principals from the county's 24 traditional public schools have settled on who will service their crop of after-school care students. Just three of the 24 schools will see a change in provider next school year: Lely Elementary, Tommie Barfield Elementary and Shadowlawn Elementary. Lely Elementary Principal Christa Crehan, who is wrapping up her first year at the helm of the school, will join eight other principals running their own programs instead of contracting with a private vendor for the service. Lely Elementary was previously served by the Greater Marco Family YMCA, which next year will serve two Collier County traditional public schools. Related story: Elementary after-school programs up for renewal in Collier Related story: Collier School District taking applications for after-school programs amid debate over process Tommie Barfield Elementary and Shadowlawn Elementary both will be served by After School Programs, a nonprofit based in Broward County that last year contracted with four Collier County traditional public schools. Tommie Barfield Elementary on Marco Island previously contracted with the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County, which dropped out of the race to contract with traditional public elementary schools when it did not submit an application with the district. The Boys and Girls Club has not responded to requests for comment. Shadowlawn Elementary in East Naples was serviced by the Greater Naples YMCA. Randi Hopkins, youth development director at the YMCA, said the organization was informed Tuesday morning of the change. The Greater Naples YMCA, like other after school vendors, including SportsCLUB, provides a bussing service that transports students from select area schools to the YMCA for after school care. The service is by request, and requires a minimum of 10 children per school site. The changes to after school programs are the results of a district-led shake up three years ago that asked private after-school care providers to align their offerings and price structure with district-issued guidelines, and also gave principals the option to ditch the vendors that previously served their schools and run their own programs. At the time, it brought changes to many more schools and created strife with parents who felt they were left out of the loop with little say on who would service their students. One provider, SportsClub, eventually lost five of the 11 schools it served. A refresh of the after-school care guidelines, which were issued in late February, asked private vendors to submit or resubmit their proposals to serve local elementary schools. Four of the five organizations already serving Collier County schools applied, with no newcomers jumping in the mix. Principals' preferences will be final when the school board votes to approve its contracts with private vendors. That vote is expected during a school board meeting on April 12 at Everglades City School, 415 E. School Dr. Lee Memorial Hospital SHARE By Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News The Lee Memorial Health System fully meets a safety group's standards for using computer systems to prevent medication errors and the NCH Healthcare System is nearly there, according to findings. The national nonprofit Leapfrog Group, which focuses on health care quality and safety, has released a new analysis on how well hospitals nationwide use computerized physician order entry systems to prevent medication errors. Ninety-six percent of hospitals have adopted the systems, in large part because the federal government in 2009 allocated $27 billion for electronic medical records, considered the best tool for preventing drug errors. Medication mistakes, namely wrong doses and adverse reactions, continue to be the most common mistake in hospitals. One in 20 patients experiences an adverse event with medications, which drives up the cost of a hospital stay by an average of $3,000 per patient, according to the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Leapfrog developed standards for measuring hospital performance with computerized entry systems. A hospital that "fully" meets Leapfrog's standards means the system alerts physicians to at least 50 percent of common and serious prescribing errors. In addition, the hospital must also place at least 75 percent of medication orders in the system. Four of Lee Memorial hospitals are fully meeting Leapfrog's standards Gulf Coast Medical Center, Cape Coral Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center and Lee Memorial Hospital, according to the data. The Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida declined to take part. Mike Smith, chief Information officer for Lee Memorial Health System, said Lee Memorial appreciates Leapfrog's report because it shines a light on key technology that helps with patient safety. "Today, almost all our treatments and medication orders are managed through our state of the art computer system and supporting clinical processes, nearly eliminating handwritten and verbal orders," Smith said. "This reduces medication errors and adverse drug events because it cuts transcription errors, and because the computer automatically notifies care providers if an order is outside the normal range, or if a drug prescribed is incompatible with another drug the patient is taking." NCH Baker Hospital (formerly NCH Downtown Naples) was rated as "making substantial progress" in meeting Leapfrog standards while NCH North Naples Hospital was rated as fully meeting them. In 2014, both NCH hospitals fully met Leapfrog's standards, last year's report shows. The change this year has to do with NCH recognizing what's known as alert "fatigue" and making adjustments to its system, said Teresa Brown, director of quality for NCH. The downside of computerized safety programs for medications are alerts going out for things that are not potential adverse events. That can lead to a sense of complacency, where clinicians may overlook something that is truly alarming, Brown said. In addition, NCH's system for medication orders and alerts for potential reactions gets sent to the hospital pharmacy and to the ordering physician, she said. Leapfrog only looks at when alerts are sent to the physician, Brown said. NCH spokeswoman Debbie Curry said the hospitals use other approaches to improve patient safety, including technology in rooms and programmable intravenous pumps. Physicians Regional Health System declined to participate in the Leapfrog analysis. Nationwide, 64 percent of hospitals are measuring up to Leapfrog's standards, the data shows. Florida ranks 22 among the states, where 60 percent of hospitals meet Leapfrog's standards. The most common unflagged errors relating to medications or dosage include diagnosis issues, such as beta blocker being prescribed for a patient with asthma. Nationally, the data shows even though hospitals have the computerized entry systems for medications, 39 percent of potentially harmful drug orders were not flagged by the systems. In addition, the analysis found that the system failed to trigger an alert to 13 percent of potentially fatal medication orders. "(These) systems have done a remarkable job in reducing the likelihood of medication errors, but mistakes are still seen with far too much frequency," Leah Binder, president and chief executive officer of Leapfrog, said in a statement. The states where 100 percent of hospitals are meeting Leapfrog standards are Oregon, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Connecticut. The states with fewer hospitals meeting standards are Delaware with 20 percent of its hospitals, Indiana with 25 percent, Nevada at 35 percent and Utah at 38 percent. Leapfrog began reporting about computerized entry for medications in 2001. Naples City Council holds a meeting on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (Joseph Cranney/Staff) SHARE By Joseph Cranney of the Naples Daily News The Naples City Council renewed an agreement with Collier County on Wednesday that gives residents access to housing assistance to help pay rent and rehab costs. The council also agreed to a workshop suggested by City Councilman Doug Finlay before unanimously approving the deal with Collier County that makes $2.1 million in housing assistance available in the next fiscal year to low-income residents in the city and county. The money comes from the State Housing Initiative Partnership, a Florida affordable housing program that dates back to 1992. Low-income city residents who meet certain requirements are eligible to receive the state money for rental assistance and home rehabilitation, among other programs. According to the census, the city's low-income residents are centralized in the River Park neighborhood and its surrounding area. The annual median income in River Park is about $22,600, according to census estimates. By comparison, the city's overall annual median income is roughly $78,600. The Rev. Lonnie Mills, pastor at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, said he doesn't think residents in the River Park neighborhood know about the program. Mercedes Puente, manager of River Park Community Center, said she doesn't recall any public meetings or notices about the program. "By having the county manage this money ... does that cheat or put residents in need of these funds perhaps at a disadvantage?" Finlay asked the city staff Wednesday. "Because it's going to a county-managed program and then we don't have the outreach to our residents in River Park." More than $1 million in SHIP funding has been available to low-income city and county residents in each of the past two fiscal years. In previous years, the funding has leveled out between $100,000 and $600,000. Low-income homeowners can apply for up to $35,000 in SHIP funding for housing rehab and also apply for up to $15,000 in a one-time payment to help get at least a 12-month lease, among other programs. There was a brief discussion on the subject Wednesday after Teresa Heitmann spoke during public comment and asked the council to pull the housing item from the consent agenda. Heitmann spoke after her eight-year tenure as a councilwoman ended earlier in the meeting. "These are the things, Mr. Mayor, that we need to look at and that the citizens are concerned about," Heitmann said. Heitmann, former Mayor John Sorey and former Vice-Mayor Dee Sulick served in their last meeting Wednesday. Mayor Bill Barnett and new City Council members Reg Buxton, Michelle McLeod and Ellen Seigel were sworn in at the beginning of the meeting. In a 5-2 vote, Linda Penniman was approved by the council as the new vice-mayor. She was nominated for the position by Barnett, whom she endorsed in the mayor's race and gave a $1,000 maximum contribution. Penniman said the city needs to let residents know the state money for housing assistance is available. "I think that's our biggest responsibility," Penniman said. SHARE Barbara Jones, Naples No imposition After reading the letter with a Chicken Little response to the Naples Historical Society initiative, I offer some rational considerations. First of all, the initiative is not a legal imposition on homeowners. It is a thoughtful guideline to provide support to owners of properties in the designated National Historic District who are committed to preserving historic features of this carefully defined section of Old Naples. Secondly, the initiative has been carefully crafted by a 15-member advisory roundtable and has received public support from local businesspeople as well as many of the district's residents. Thirdly, the National Historic District is an integral part of the Naples experience. If this district of homes follows the trend of the McMansions in the rest of Old Naples, it destroys a major tourist attraction. Naples Historical Society has taken the lead in this initiative because it recognizes the value of historic preservation as witnessed by the number of visitors to historic Palm Cottage each year from all over the U.S. and other countries. It is shortsighted of individuals who fail to perceive this historic initiative as anything but a win-win endeavor. Engel & Volkers, one of the worlds leading service companies in luxury real estate, commercial, yacht and aviation brokering, announces the strategic partnership with notable design firm, JS Interior Innovations. JS Interior Innovations successfully remodeled the Engel & Volkers Bonita-Estero location which recently celebrated its grand opening. Engel & Volkers offers a superior level of service which has made the name and the chic white E&V facade synonymous with integrity, passion, competence and exclusivity. JS Interior Innovations design efforts exemplify the brands distinct image that resonates throughout 37 countries. JS Interior Innovations offers several unique and adaptable lines of furniture, walls, storage, acoustic panels, window treatments and accessories to help create the most beautiful and efficient work space. In support of today's focus on a greener economy, JS Interior Innovations offers multiple product lines that fall within the specifications for LEEDS Credits, BIFMA Certifications and Conformance and SCS Indoor Advantage Requirements. They meet the goal of achieving and maintaining Zero to Waste Landfill. Their products are ideal for Commercial, Residential, Hospitality, Medical and Education spaces. Contact Krysta Sylvester at 239- 272-8422 or visit www.jsinteriorinnovations.com for further details. The co-owner of a mortgage company responsible for a large-scale fraud scheme was sentenced to 21 months in prison in a Newark, N.J., federal court on Thursday. Lester Soto, 59, of Freehold, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas after he previously pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring to commit bank fraud. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas ordered Soto to serve five years of supervised release and pay restitution of $3.7 million. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey, from September 2006 to May 2008, Soto engaged in two related mortgage fraud conspiracies through a company called Premier Mortgage Services. He and his co-conspirators targeted properties in low-income areas of New Jersey using straw buyers. They used fraudulent documents to make it appear as though the straw buyers possessed far more assets and income than they actually did. These documents were submitted to financial institutions as part of mortgage loan applications, which relied on them to provide financing for the subject properties. Soto and his conspirators then split the proceeds from the mortgages using fraudulent settlement statements that hid the true sources and destinations of the funds. The straw buyers had no means of paying the mortgages, and many of the properties entered into foreclosure proceedings. Besides being a part-owner of Premier, Soto also acted as a loan officer on certain Premier mortgage loan applications and took a percentage of its profits. Besides having people create the fraudulent documents, he put mortgage brokers at Premier in contact with them to create more of the fake papers. Soto instructed Premier employees to provide him with loan files they believed contained suspicious information, and then personally shepherded these loan files through to funding. Those charged as conspirators include Isaac DePaula, 36, of Brazil; Adilson Silva, 50, of Union, N.J.; Rodrigo Costa, 35, of Brazil; Michael Rumore, 57, of Toms River, N.J.; Antonio Pimenta, 48, of Neshanic Station, N.J.; Klary Arcentales, 47 of Lyndhurst, N.J.; and Linda Cohen, 58, of Orange, N.J. Arcentales, one of the loan officers who provided fraudulent documents to financial institutions on behalf of straw buyers, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on March 28. Cohen, a paralegal who served as the settlement agent on mortgage loans brokered by Arcentales for various properties, was sentenced to six months in prison on March 30. 'We want to protect people from abuse' Endorsing patient suicide (NaturalNews) While some are hailing the measure as humanitarian, others are claiming that it only adds to a host of other laws and policy changes that are creating the impression among many that human life is no longer sacrosanct, no matter what.Last October, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown of California signed new legislation permitting terminally ill people to request medication that will kill them from a doctor, otherwise known as "assisted suicide." Shortly after Brown signed the bill, there was some confusion among the public about when it would actually take effect, due to the unusual manner in which the bill was passed in an "extraordinary session" of the legislature called by Brown himself. Under such conditions, any law that is passed cannot take effect for 90 days after that session is adjourned.The session just closed March 9, meaning that the End of Life Option Act will now go into effect June 9,reported the following day."We're glad to finally have arrived at this day where we have a date certain," said Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel."It's a historic achievement for California, and for a limited universe of people dealing with a terminal illness," Monning added. "It could indeed be a transformative way of giving them the option of a compassionate end-of-life process."Disability rights advocates fought long and hard against the measure's passage last year, and now that it is set to take effect, they are continuing to voice concerns.Marilyn Golden, a senior policy analyst with the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, toldthat it is not possible to know, as one example, if a depressed patient who is suicidal went to several doctors first, who all turned down the lethal medication request, before finding one who would agree to write a prescription for it."We are looking ahead at measures to protect people from abuse, and to explore and inform doctors, nurses and pharmacists that they don't have to participate," she said.reported further:With passage of the measure, California became the fifth state to permit assisted suicide, joining Montana, Vermont, Oregon and Washington.Across the state, patients with advanced cancer were happy about the news."It gives me a great peace of mind to know that I will not be forced to die slowly and painfully," said Elizabeth Wallner, in a release from Compassion & Choices, an aid-in-dying advocacy group.Wallner, 52, of Sacramento, is a single mother who has stage 4 colon cancer that has metastasized to her liver and lungs. It is unclear whether she has tried any alternative treatments other than standard chemo- and radiation therapies "It gives great comfort to know that the agonizingly traumatic image of me suffering will not be my family's last memory of me," she said.For his part, Sen. Monning thanked those who worked to get the law passed."I really believe we use today to mark and dedicate the memory of some true champions," he said.Other groups say such laws are ripe for abuse, including the Christian-centered Focus on the Family."For instance, once the lethal prescription is handed to the patient, there is no accountability of what takes place next," the group said on its website . "A third party (including someone who stands to benefit financially from the patient's death) could administer the drug to the patient without patient consent, even if the patient changed her mind and struggled against the overdose."Laws do not require consent at the time of death, only consent to obtain the lethal prescription - a distinction which can give someone other the patient the power to decide when death occurs. In reality, there is no protected 'choice' as proponents claim," the group continued.Others argue that in a period when policymakers are focused on providing healthcare for all, it makes no sense to approve legislation endorsing patient suicide. Deep in the soil Massive dead zones (NaturalNews) Even if farmers stopped using nitrogen fertilizers today, dangerous nitrate levels in drinking water would persist for decades, report researchers at the University of Waterloo. Nitrogen fertilizers are used to prevent nitrogen from becoming depleted from the soil. Unfortunately, the overuse of nitrogen fertilizers isn't without its long-term consequences. According to a new study published in the journal, nitrogen fertilizers are causing nitrates to build up in the Mississippi Basin, polluting ground and surface water Nitrates increase the risk of blue baby syndrome, according to the recent study. The illness replaces a child's hemoglobin with methemoglobin, which minimizes the ability of blood to carry oxygen throughout the body. Infants are most often affected by the malady, which is marked by a blueness around the mouth. Other symptoms include difficulties breathing, vomiting and diarrhea. In extreme cases, blue baby syndrome can be fatal.Methemoglobinemia is often spurred by malnutrition and infection. The likelihood of symptoms unfolding is contingent upon a myriad of factors, including the infant's general health and daily vitamin C intake. However, the most common cause of methemoglobinemia is high levels of nitrates in the drinking water.Shallow wells account for some of the nitrate poisoning in the United State, but nitrogen fertilizers bear some responsibility too:"A large portion of the nitrogen applied as fertilizer has remained unaccounted for over the last decades," Nandita Basu, a professor at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering, said in a press release. "The fact that nitrogen is being stored in the soil means it can still be a source of elevated nitrate levels long after fertilizers are no longer being applied."The study was the first to provide direct evidence of a large-scale nitrogen problem across the Mississippi River Basin. Nitrate levels are relatively low a few centimeters beneath the Mississippi Basin, however levels begin to spike 25 to 100 centimeters down. The spike in nitrates isn't a consequence of rainfall, but has been accumulating under the soil for decades. The Canadian researchers estimate that it will take 30 years for nitrate levels to return to normal and that's assuming farmers quit using nitrogen fertilizers today.The team unearthed the toxic buildup of nitrogen after reviewing long-term data of more than 2,000 soil samples. The highest levels of nitrogen were consistently found in deep soil samples rather than in shallow samples."We hypothesize that this accumulation occurred not only because of the increased use of fertilizers, but also increases in soybean cultivation and changes in tillage practices over the past 80 years," said Kim Van Meter, a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, who was involved in the study.Nitrogen is intended to restrict nutrients for plants and boost crop yields. When applied in excessive quantities, however, nitrogen can stir hazardous hypoxic conditions on par with the Gulf of Mexico's massive dead zone. Hypoxia occurs when there is an insufficient supply of oxygen to sustain life. The hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico is the largest hypoxic zone in the United States, and the second largest in the world.The accumulation of nitrates in the Mississippi Basin will without a doubt bring about lawsuits. In fact, some lawsuits have already been filed. The Des Moines Water Works recently filed a lawsuit against three northwest Iowa counties over water quality, demanding that the counties meet federal standards for nitrates in public drinking water a demand that would cost the counties millions of dollars.Debate rages about who is to blame for the spike in nitrate levels. Some argue that farmers who used too much nitrogen fertilizers are at fault, while others argue that insufficient drainage systems are to blame. Although policy makers and farmers have taken great strides in minimizing the amount of fertilizer contaminating the ground water, some rural areas have nitrate levels twice the amount permitted by the drinking water standards, according to sources."The presence of this legacy nitrogen means it will take even longer for best management practices to have a measurable benefit," Professor Basu, also a member of the Water Institute, said in the press release."If we're going to set policy goals, it's critical we quantify nitrogen legacies and time lags in human impacted landscapes." CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain Misleading marketing causes addiction and death Strong resistance (NaturalNews) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid deaths have quadrupled since 1999. Every day, about 40 Americans die from an overdose of prescription opioid painkillers. To combat America's deadly prescription problem, the CDC has recently released 12 guidelines to advise primary care physicians, who are responsible for nearly half of the opioid prescriptions."We know of no other medication routinely used for a nonfatal condition that kills patients so frequently," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. "We hope to see fewer deaths from opiates. That's the bottom line. These are really dangerous medications that carry the risk of addiction and death."While the CDC has helped ensure the acceptance of these drugs in the first place, their main goal is ostensibly to protect public health and safety. Normally they leave all decisions about drug regulations to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the alarming rates of opioid-related deaths and addictions couldn't be ignored any longer, so they decided to step in to preserve their public image."For the first time, the federal government is communicating clearly that the widespread practice of treating common pain conditions with long-term opioids is inappropriate," said Andrew Kolodny, executive director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. "The CDC is making it perfectly clear that medical practice needs to change because we're harming pain patients and fueling a public health crisis."The CDC advises doctors not to prescribe opioids as a "first-line" therapy. More attention should be given to alternative methods such as yoga and massage. They also note that these alternative methods should be covered by Medicare so the need for covered opioids can be reduced.Furthermore, the guidelines state that a three-day treatment or less is sufficient and that treatments over one week should be rare. Standard doses shouldn't be more than 50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) a day, and doctors should be more careful when prescribing more than 90MME.The CDC urges doctors to be more mindful when it comes to prescribing opioids. Patients' history of prescription opioids should be checked, and physicians should go over the risks and goals for pain treatment with their patients.The guidelines further note that exceptions can be made for patients receiving cancer treatment or end-of-life care.Yngvild Olsen, addiction medicine specialist and medical director of Reach Health Services in Baltimore, notes there has never been much evidence that opioids ease chronic pain . Nevertheless, doctors have been told that pain is a "vital sign" which needs to be addressed.According to Olsen, the advice to manage patients' pain was accompanied by "misleading marketing of prescription opioids by manufacturers, who minimized the risks of misuse and addiction." She notes that doctors focus too much on treating and managing pain and miss or dismiss the presence of addiction.Just after the first draft of the guidelines was published, Big Pharma front groups voiced their anger. In November, the "non-profit" lobbyist group Washington Legal Foundation, which previously defended Big Tobacco and is now sponsored by Purdue Pharma, accused the CDC of violating federal law by initially refusing to disclose the "Core Expert Group" who drafted the initial guidelines.The Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) then questioned the CDC's studies on the harmful and deadly effects of opioid drugs. They mainly complained about the lack of enough pain relief providers represented in the testing group and claim the CDC's findings aren't solid proof that opioids are not effective in treating long-term pain.According to The Associated Press, nearly one-third of the IPRCC's panelists all received funding from pharmaceutical companies who make opioids. Oregon senator Ron Wyden of the committee on finance is now looking into the problem and has started an inquiry into the IPRCC and the involvement of pharmaceutical companies on government panels.Years of misinforming doctors and the lack of official guidelines has made it possible for huge amounts of opioids to be prescribed and sold to the American people. Although the guidelines are not legally binding, it is a step in the right direction to address America's growing addiction and over-prescription problem. Rovang's friends and co-workers rallied around her and raised thousands of dollars to help support her. Jennifer St-Germain was one of Rovang's bosses at a city daycare. She shaved her head to show her support for Rovang. The system abused If you or someone you love has cancer, chances are you're sorting through mountains of information and facing many decisions about various treatment options. And you may be curious about supposed miraculous cancer-fighting products pills, powders, herbs, and more that you've either seen advertised or heard about from family and friends. Be skeptical: Lots of these are scams, and when you're battling cancer, the last thing you need is a scam. There are scams alright, but the government and the medical industry are committing them (NaturalNews) A Canadian mother from Calgary has become one of the latest people to defraud the medical system using cancer as the means.As reported by the Canada-based, the woman told friends and co-workers that she was stricken with terminal cancer, though she wasn't, a lie that resulted in criminal charges and a 60-day jail term.Lana Rovang was arrested in January 2014 and immediately confessed to authorities that she was faking her illness. The single mother of two told cops that she lied about her health condition in order to hide an addiction to heroin Asreported further:"Twelve employees we all shaved our heads to raise that money," St-Germain said.The report noted that employees and friends managed to raise about $15,000 (CAD) (about 11,400 USD) through two separate fundraisers organized by the daycare."They were well aware of her illness and of course they had empathy for her illness and to find out later... learning this woman lied about being sick," St-Germain told the paper, her voice trailing off.At one juncture Rovang even forged a doctor's note, and then mutilated herself in order to fake surgery scars. She also shaved patches of her hair to mimic the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.A court sentenced Rovang to do her time on weekends; once the sentence is complete, she will spend three years on probation. She is also required to pay $15,000 (CAD) in restitution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada and has until 2019 to come up with the money.Scams like this one are common throughout the medical industry, when it comes to cancer especially. The Federal Trade Commission, however, claims that the biggest scammers are those who push for treatments other than those conventionally used , such as poisonous chemotherapy, dangerous radiation therapy and surgery.In fact, the FTC actively promotes and protects the medical industry rather than scrutinizes it:"In your research, you may come across references to complementary and alternative medicine. Complementary therapies are meant to enhance standard medical treatment like surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Your treatment team can tell you whether there's any proof that a complementary therapy may help reduce your discomfort or other symptoms," the FTC "alert" continues."On the other hand, alternative therapies are meant to replace conventional cancer treatment. Reputable medical and cancer experts generally do not recommend alternative products and practices because there's no proof that they are effective treatments for cancer."Actually, the last thing you need is to close your mind and believe everything said by a government that actively protects the very medical industry responsible for so many cancer deaths each year.What if you could find somethingthat works to help you in your battle against cancer, should the disease ever strike? What if there was information so powerful, so threatening to the medical establishment protected by the FTC, that it causes the establishment to go out of its way to criticize and marginalize it?There is a cancer documentary series available now that the mainstream media refuses to air, but luckily for you it is about to play online. According to the series website, The Truth About Cancer comes in nine parts, is free and begins April 12.Sign up today here Switzerland gets the big picture; why can't the U.S. health system? Child kidnappings, mysterious deaths and disappearances of alternative medicine professionals par for the course in U.S. (NaturalNews) The benefits of holistic therapies to help maintain good health, reverse certain ailments and even completely heal various conditions are something thatreaders are well aware of.Still, such practices remain the center of controversy throughout most of America, with a great divide often existing between conventional practitioners and holistic ones. Specifically, the issue of health insurance is a biggie; will yours cover co-pays to the hospital where you can receive the thimersol-filled flu shot ? Of course. Will it cover visits to an acupuncturist? Unlikely.However, over in Switzerland, a natural medicine breakthrough has occurred and it's something that should be embraced everywhere. There, five holistic therapies homeopathy, holistic medicine, herbal medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine are poised to attain the same health insurance status as conventional medicine by May 2017. This means that people will be reimbursed for such treatments, so long as they're administered by certified medical doctors.The decision comes as the result of a six-year trial period that started in 2012 to assess such for their suitability, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Before then, in 2005, health insurance of holistic therapies was rejected by Switzerland's interior ministry, which cited lack of scientific proof concerning efficacy. Through the years, however, people in the country have thankfully embraced such treatments and therapies; in 2009, two-thirds of the population there expressed the desire for holistic methods to be considered on the constitutional list of paid health services.On the complete flip side, United States residents struggle to make such efforts a reality. While we know that holistic practices yield many benefits over, say, health-harming Big Pharma drugs that are often prescribed at the drop of a dime, the reality is that many of us still get the deer-in-headlights look when declaring our preference of natural health options over conventional ones.Or worse, as was the case with Maryanne Godboldo of Detroit, Michigan.In 2011, her door was broken down unlawfully and her 13-year-old daughter was taken away by armed officers. Child Protective Services ordered such actions, prompting a Special Response Team to engage in these behaviors.Why?Godboldo refused to keep her daughter on pharmaceutical treatments prescribed to treat her psychosis and instead, turned to natural remedies. Her daughter was put on psychotropic drugs after she experienced severe reactions upon receiving routine vaccinations in 2009. She was easily irritated and making facial grimaces actions she wasn't exhibiting prior to getting the vaccinations. After going to the Children's Center, which supposedly had children's best interests at heart, she was given psychotropic drugs which worsened her condition . However, once her mother took her off the drugs and she started using holistic and natural methods at the recommendation of another physician the authorities caught wind of this and acted swiftly, engaging in the aforementioned home invasion.Then there's the been the wave of mysterious deaths and disappearances that have stricken alternative health professionals in the United States in recent years. There was the gunshot wound in the chest a highly unusual occurrence if it were suicide which killed Dr. Jeffrey Bradstreet, a Florida physician involved with autism research who was known to challenge the medical establishment. He was found floating in a North Carolina river, his death thought to be linked to the rash of seven other deaths and disappearances involving health doctors throughout Florida.Oh, it should be pointed out that, three days prior to his death, the U.S. government raided his clinic in an effort to take away his work pertaining to GcMAF , a molecule that may have the potential to cure cancer and improve autism symptoms.What will it take for holistic efforts to be more widely accepted in the United States the way they are in Switzerland? Sadly, greed comes first and our freedoms to do to our health what we see fit is repeatedly squashed. Even though natural treatments that can dramatically improve our health exist, the sick keep getting sicker. Culture of corruption According to NBC News, FBI agents arrested Fata on the morning of August 7 and proceeded to raid his office, confiscating boxes of medical records, computers, and other potential evidence that they believe proves his guilt. Official reports claim that Fata "intentionally misdiagnosed patients with cancer to justify unnecessary treatments," which in turn generated large sums of money for Fata's personal bank accounts. Don't feed into the corruption learn a better way to fight cancer Make no mistake, the cancer industry's entire profit model is based on keeping people ignorant about cancer causes while keeping them dependent on cancer treatments that don't work. That combination is the ultimate profit generation scheme for the cancer industry, despite all the suffering, pain and death it causes to human beings who are all victims of the industry. The cancer industry so steeped in criminality that its own doctors and oncologists routinely rely on false positive diagnoses to earn huge profits by falsely telling people they have cancer, then "treating" them with chemotherapy. (NaturalNews) Whether it is due to dramatic government overreach via massive laws like Obamacare, with its incentive-killing regulations, or there simply being too much greed in the world, the U.S. healthcare system is dying. And while that may be a good thing for some people, the dying process is costing us billions of dollars and thousands of lives.In recent days, the CEO of a major healthcare company was charged with defrauding the U.S. government (read taxpayers) by the FBI, no less. Novus Health Services owner and CEO Brad Harris was accused of regularly directing nurses to give hospice patients overdoses of drugs like morphine, so they could speed up their deaths and thus maximize profits.According to the, Harris would send text messages (idiot!) to nurses with messages like, "You need to make this patient go bye-bye," FBI agents said in a search warrant affidavit.An accountant with no medical training whatsoever (or licenses), Harris told a nurse to administer overdoses to three patients, while ordering another employee to boost a patient's medication dosage to four times the maximum level, according to the FBI affidavit.In at least the first case, the nurse refused to follow Harris' alleged order, according to the search warrant, which was seen by a local NBC affiliate news team. But the affidavit does not state whether any of the other three patients were harmed.Also, Harris allegedly told other health professionals over lunch that he was looking to "find patients who would die within 24 hours," and made other disturbing comments like, "If this [expletive] would just die...."One employee also told the FBI that Harris himself made the decision of which home health patients would be moved to hospice, according to the local NBC affiliate."He did this by having employees who were not doctors sign the certifications with the names of doctors also employed by Novus," an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. "If a patient was on hospice care for too long, Harris would direct the patient be moved back to home health, irrespective of whether the patient needed continued hospice care."In August 2013, Natural News reported that a Michigan oncologist was arrested and held on a $9 million bond for intentionally misdiagnosing his patients with cancer so he could make millions of dollars off of their expensive treatments.Prosecutors in the case said that Dr. Farid Fata of Oakland Township had fraudulently billed Medicare for tens of millions of dollars at least since 2009, a time span in which he collected some $65 million from the system.As we reported further:In March, WDRB reported that a South Florida doctor alleged in a recently filed lawsuit that the Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana Inc. fraudulently overbilled the Medicare Advantage program for six years through two clinics.What's going on? And why so much fraud and abuse of the nation's healthcare system ? Because it's easy to do, that's why, and because there are literally hundreds of billions of dollars at stake.That's why it's important to register right now for the FREE online docu-series, The Truth About Cancer Summit because, aseditor and Food Forensics author Mike Adams, the Health Ranger notes:Don't feed into that. Learn about the breakthrough cancer cures that this broken system will never tell you about at the FREE Truth About Cancer Summit , which begins streaming April 21. "Very powerful forces against this project..." It is now confirmed that powerful forces are threatening any film festival that dares show this explosive documentary (NaturalNews) As the war on the truth about vaccines continues to heighten, organizers of film festivals are starting to speak out about thebeing used against them to try to silence this independent film. VAXXED: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe unveils the true story of CDC scientist and whistleblower Dr. William Thompson, who publicly confessed to taking part in organized scientific fraud at the CDC to conceal the link between vaccines and autism.Now, in what is being described as "criminal conduct and extortion," the Chairman of TEAM WORLDFEST in Houston describes how his film festival was aggressively threatened in a criminal manner by government officials to pull the film:Natural News has learned that Team Worldfest may have reversed this decision and decided to show the film anyway. We are still working on confirming this (check back for updates).In an email sent to Philippe Diaz, Chairman of Cinema Libre, Distributor of Vaxxed: From Cover-Up To Catastrophe, Hunter Todd, the chairman of the festival , went on to say that "[W]e have been censored... There are some very powerful forces against this project."Celia Farber, editor of The Truth Barrier which originally broke this story, characterizes the censorship assault on filmmakers as criminal behavior. "The situation has now apparently escalated to criminal conduct and extortion," she says in this Truth Barrier post This action takes place following the coordinated mainstream media censorship of the same film from Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival, which pulled the film after it was condemned by pro-vaccine media journalists who had never even seen the film. VAXXED: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe is now the No. 1 most censored film of 2016 and has been dubbed, "The movie they don't want you to see."Watch the trailer for the film at:On March 27, 2016, I wrote that Robert De Niro had clearly been threatened by the vaccine establishment to pull the film from Tribeca. We now know that a pattern of threatening, criminal extortion behavior is being pursued by government officials to silence the film. De Niro has not yet gone public with details of how he was threatened, but a Natural News investigation has revealed that Tribeca has long been infiltrated by the Sloan Foundation, a science propaganda front group founded by Nazi collaborator Alfred P. Sloan. That same foundation also influences movie scripts at Sundance and popular film schools, including Carnegia Mellon (see infographic below).What's now becoming apparent in all this is that. Extremely powerful forces at the highest levels of global influence now dictate all mainstream media coverage on this topic while pressuring national and local government officials to engage in criminal threats against film festivals that even consider screening the film. It begs the question: What does VAXXED reveal that's so dangerous to the vaccine establishment?As part of the coordinated censorship campaign against this film, ABC World News Tonight also censored 99% of the following interview with VAXXED producer Del Bigtree. This video has gone viral with over 200,000 views on YouTube alone. (It's almost astonishing that YouTube hasn't banned the video yet...) It might just take a few months to recover from a broken heart caused by failed relationships and break ups, but a literal broken heart caused by a sudden death of your better half might take some time to heal. Researchers discovered that losing your life partner can literally break your heart and it will take about a year to fully recover. According to a recent study published in the journal Open Heart, people who lost their loved ones have an increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat. Irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation, according to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. In a press release, researchers said atrial fibrillation has a higher risk of developing within eight to 14 days after the passing of a partner. The risk will gradually subside to the usual level, similar to those who don't experience the same fate, after a year. The study also revealed that people who are below 60 years old and people who were left behind by their spouse suddenly have the greater risk of developing an irregular heartbeat. For the study, researchers identified 88,612 of hospital diagnosed cases of atrial fibrillation. A control group consisting of 886,120 healthy people were also made. Both were matched with a ratio of 1:10 depending on their age and sex. Out of the 88,612 diagnosed with atrial fribillation, 17,478 had lost their partners, while 168,940 in the control group have also lost their loved one. After considering several factors such as underlying illnesses and their associated treatments, researchers discovered that those who are grieving have a 41 percent higher risk of developing irregular heartbeat for the first time, compared to those who did not experience such loss. Researchers also discovered that there is 57 percent more chance of developing an irregular heartbeat if the spouses of the bereaved people were healthy a month before passing away. In a report from Irish Examiner, the authors of the study cautioned no causal relationship can be deduced in the study but it has been commonly known that bereavement can increase the risk of mental illness, cardiovascular diseases and even death. Fashion is something everyone can relate to and now, there's a new trend going around that even celebrities have jumped on. Called the Lokai bracelet, it looks just like a typical bracelet with expandable soft beads. But what makes it different is that the makers claim that it contains water from Mt. Everest and mud from the Dead Sea. Daily News said the word "lokai" means balance in Hawaiian. Lokai founder Steven Izen said, "Life is full of joy and sadness, and we can all relate to its highs and lows. I hope that Lokai will remind you to stay balanced and centered along your journey." The company said they designed this bracelet to define a person's state of mind and at the same time, a reminder to always find your balance or the yin and yang. The water from the highest point in the world represents the peak of one's life and of course, a reminder to stay humble. While another bead houses mud from the Dead Sea, which represents the lowest point in one's life and a reminder to never give up. The rest of the identical beads are there to help a person find his or her balance. At $18 each, this normal-looking bracelet is not cheap. However, it has become really popular worldwide. Their Instagram account @livelokai now has 1.4 million followers. Once you explore the hashtag #livelokai, you'll find over a hundred thousand posts from Lokai customers bringing their bracelet to different natural spots in the world. Somehow it has created a community of socially responsible individuals who are also nature lovers, thanks to celebrities who wore and endorsed Lokai. It looks like celebrities are smitten by the charm of this bracelet, too. Gigi Hadid, Kris Jenner, Justin Bieber and Blake Lively are some of the celebrities who were spotted wearing the bracelet. According to a report, the company sold one million Lokai bracelets in 2013. They also released limited edition bracelets focused on raising funds for specific causes. A pink version was launched for breast cancer awareness and a limited edition purple bracelet for an Alzheimer's disease foundation. The Breast Cancer fund raising drive was able to generate $400,000, according to the same report. What makes the bracelet appeal more to the people is that according to Lokai, 10 percent of each bracelet sale goes to charitable institutions. Some of their beneficiaries include Cure Alzheimer's Fund, the American Himalayan Foundation and Pencils of Promise. Wearers claim that the bracelet keeps them calm and centered. However, there are skeptics asking about the authenticity of the bracelet. Does it actually contain water from Mt. Everest? Although the makers are adamant in defending the authenticity of the product, it didn't stop people from cutting open their bracelet to see if it really does have water and mud in it. Until experts do a thorough testing of the mud and water inside the bracelet, no one can tell for sure if they are authentic, as the makers claim them to be. And although it is known that buying mud from the Dead Sea is an open market in Israel, who knows until when they can market their mud before it runs out? But if it's true, transporting mud and collecting water from Mt. Everest takes time and effort. Maybe that's the reason why the bracelets come with a bit of a hefty price. But it looks like celebrities and believers will continue buying the Lokai bracelets. If it can make more individuals feel centered and if charities truly benefit from them, then there's nothing wrong with that. A recent study shed some light in the ramming hypothesis of sperm whales. According to the study published in the journal PeerJ, researchers discovered that their findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the structure of a sperm whale's forehead evolved to be used as a massive battering ram during male-to-male competition. The ramming hypothesis, according to the authors of the study, was proposed by whaler Owen Chase after a large male sperm whale rammed and sank a ship in the Pacific. In a press release, lead author Dr. Olga Panagiotopoulou from the University of Queensland said the ramming hypothesis remains controversial because of the two large oil-filled sacs located in the forehead of sperm whales. These two large sacs, known as the "spermaceti organ" and "junk," play a vital role in echolocation and buoyancy. According to a report from Business Insider Australia, experts in different fields from Japan, U.K., U.S. and Australia joined Dr. Panagiotopoulou in the study. For the study, researchers used structural engineering principles combined with probabilistic simulation in order to determine if the unique structure of the junk significantly reduces stress in the skull during the ramming impact. Researchers found frequent significant scarring in the junk, indicating that sperm whales uses it and avoids using the spermaceti organ as the point of impact. The study showed that connective tissue partitions in the junk can reduce von Mises stresses across the skull. On the other hand, impact on the spermaceti organ generated lesser stresses in the skull compared to the junk. However, an impact to the spermaceti organ can cause high compressive stresses on the anterior aspect of the organ and the connective tissue case, which can make these structures prone to failure, study shows. "Increased skull stresses at a ramming event can be detrimental for the animal since they can cause fatal fractures," said Dr. Panagiotopoulou in a statement. The world mourns the death of a rare Sumatran rhino which recently died in Indonesia after being rescued a few weeks ago. Last month, rhino conservationists were beyond thrilled after they spotted a Sumatran rhino in Kalimantan, Indonesia, long thought to be already extinct in the area. WWF then declared in a press release that they successfully and safely rescued the rhino from the wild. The nonprofit organization considered this a milestone for Sumatran rhino conservation in Indonesia, as this was the first sighting in 40 years. The rhino named Najaq was about four to five years old and was captured in Kutai Barat in East Kalimantan on March 12. But the excitement felt by the conservationists was abruptly replaced by grief when the rescued Sumatran rhino died last month as well. In another press release by WWF, they said the cause of death is still being determined. "There are indications that the rhino was suffering from a severe infection caused by snares from an earlier poaching attempt," WWF said. In a report by National Geographic, Indonesia's environment minister said, "Najaq succumbed to a leg infection after her health deteriorated over the past few days." The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is considered the smallest in the rhino family. They are mostly found in Malaysia, Indonesia and probably in Myanmar. These animals weigh about 1,760 pounds or 800 kilograms. Their height can go as high as 5 feet or 1.5 meters. What makes them distinct from other rhino breeds are the patches of short, dark and stiff hair covering its body. Their horns are considerably shorter, too. Although WWF laments the death of the Sumatran rhino, they are now more committed to continuing and further developing their methods towards a more successful rhino conservation drive. From the same report, Carlos Drews, Director of WWF International Global Species Programme, said, "We now know that there are more Sumatran rhinos in this region and we will work to protect the remaining individuals. This was the first physical contact with the species in the area for over 40 years; we will make great efforts to make sure that it is not the last." Arnold Sitompul, WWF-Indonesia Conservation Director, said that the rhino's passing is a reminder that there are still a lot of challenges along the way. He highlighted the need to continue the efforts to protect this rare breed, with support from the government and experts in the field. Although this can be considered a blow to their efforts in rhino preservation, concrete plans are being executed by various groups to help the rhino conservation efforts in Indonesia. "It is our hope that the next rhino captured in Kalimantan will be sent to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary where it can be cared for in a permanent facility by experienced veterinarians and keepers," said The International Rhino Foundation in an interview. They are also looking at a so-called "Sumatran rhino metapopulation management strategy" to help identify the actual Sumatran Rhino population in Indonesia and develop long-term plans for their conservation. Conservationists said this death means there could be more threat to the existing Sumatran rhino population. In 2010, the University of Copenhagen published a study saying there are less than a hundred of Sumatran rhinos in the Indonesian jungle. Rasmus Gren Havmller from the University of Copenhagen shared to National Geographic his thoughts on how to conserve the Sumatran rhinos. To be able to save the remaining number of this species, Indonesia should be firm in putting a halt on poaching. Also, breeding should be adamantly pushed if they will be successful in rescuing and identifying the existing rhinos in the wild. Like WWF, everyone involved in the conservation should take the death of this Sumatran rhino as a reminder to work doubly hard to help the endangered species from being extinct. Two men who illegally entered the U.S. east of San Diego called 911 Tuesday saying they were lost in the desert and without water. Officers with the El Centro Sector Border Patrol rescued the two Mexican citizens in the desert northwest of Imperial, California. The men are 55 and 24 years old. A 911 call from the men went to the California Highway Patrol about 2 p.m. The pair said they hadnt had water in two days. One of them was said to be in and out of consciousness, according to U.S. Border Patrol officials. With their phone battery at 50 percent, the men gave officials the GPS coordinates to help guide them to their location. A team of agents with Border Search Trauma and Rescue found them in rugged desert terrain. Federal officials say they will be processed and returned to Mexico. A 46-year-old suspect in the death of his ex-girlfriend found stabbed and shot at a San Jose motel nearly three years ago was arraigned Wednesday. Julio Pliego appeared at the Hall of Justice in San Jose where he was arraigned for murdering Veronica Lozano, 35, who was found dead at a Holiday Inn Express on May 15, 2013. "The crime scene photos are extremely graphic. It was a very gory crime scene," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Katrina Ohde said outside court. Pliego wore a red jail uniform and received help from a Spanish translator during Wednesday's hearing before Superior Court Judge Shelyna Brown, who scheduled his next court appearance for Tuesday. He remains in custody without bail and didn't enter a plea this afternoon. Pliego is also facing special circumstance allegations of committing torture during the course of a murder, discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury or death and using a knife during the commission of a crime, Ohde said. If convicted, the 46-year-old faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Ohde. Pliego suffers from a medical condition that has placed him in a wheelchair. The suspect and victim were at one point in a relationship but broke up months before she died, Ohde said. Lozano was a hairstylist and had four children between the ages of 5 and 17, who she dropped off at school during the morning before she died, according to Ohde. She was stabbed about 40 times and shot in the head at close range, prosecutors said. An autopsy showed Lozano was killed with a knife and firearm, according to a statement of facts by San Jose police on the case that was unsealed Wednesday. Lozano's current boyfriend called police shortly before noon on May 15, 2013 to report that she may have been injured, police said. The boyfriend tried to reach Lozano on her cellphone and soon after received a call back from Pliego, who allegedly made multiple threats to the man and his family, police said. Pliego allegedly sent a text message to the current boyfriend with a photo of a woman, who appeared naked and bleeding, according to police. The boyfriend was able to identify the person in the image as Lozano based on a tattoo on her lower back and begged Pliego to take her to the hospital, but the defendant said "it was too late," police said. The boyfriend recognized the voice as Pliego, who had been stalking Lozano, according to police. Shortly before 1:30 p.m. that day, an employee at a Holiday Inn Express at 2660 Monterey Road in San Jose called police to report a naked woman was in a room and officers determined was the same person in the picture sent via text, police said. The room was rented under Pliego's name through the next day, according to police. Officers tracked down Pliego's address to Roundtable Drive where they contacted a woman who said she knew the suspect, police said. The woman informed the officers that she had been dating Pliego for the past 11 years and he temporarily lived at her home, police said. During an interview at police headquarters, the woman told investigators that Pliego spoke with her around noon and said he did "something very bad" near Chavez Supermarket on Monterey Road, according to police. The woman saw a large police presence outside the Holiday Inn Express and suspected Pliego killed a female he had been complaining about for months, police said. The woman, who didn't know Lozano, confirmed Pliego's cellphone number and stated that he planned to leave on a flight for Mexico, according to police. While being interviewed by investigators, the woman got a phone call from a Mexican number and answered to hear Pliego, who told her that he landed in Mexico and loved her, police said. Pliego was arrested by the FBI near Mexico City, Mexico late last year and arrived Tuesday night in Santa Clara County after a months-long extradition process, Ohde said. "If the defendant thought he was going to live happily ever after in Mexico after committing a savage and senseless crime, then the FBI and these charges have proved him wrong," Ohde said in a statement released Wednesday. "We look forward to holding him fully accountable for the murder of Veronica Lozano." With accusations of lying, hustling for money and failed leadership, the race for the Democratic nomination took a decidedly negative turn, with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders exchanging a series of barbs over qualifications for the presidency. The testy exchanges underscored the heightened stakes for both sides as the race turns to New York, with Sanders hoping to turn his recent winning streak into concrete momentum toward the nomination. Clinton, meanwhile, is looking to the April 19 contest to put an end to a primary race that many in her campaign worry will only amplify her weaknesses heading into the general election. Bernie Sanders criticized Hillary Clinton while speaking in Philadelphia Wednesday. NBC10s Randy Gyllenhaal spoke to Sanders as well as former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell who believes he should ease up on the attacks. Sanders path to the nomination remains narrow: The Vermont senator must win 68 percent of the remaining delegates and uncommitted super delegates if he hopes to clinch the Democratic nomination. That would require blow-out victories by Sanders in upcoming states big and small, including New York. Lagging in delegates and under fire from a frustrated Clinton, Sanders is shifting away from his pledge to avoid negative attacks and stinging her with direct accusations. Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were in Philadelphia on Wednesday, drawing in large crowds in Center City. NBC10s Lauren Mayk has more. "I will not leave here this morning and go to a Wall Street fundraiser," he told union members at an AFL-CIO conference in Philadelphia on Thursday. "I will not be hustling money from the wealthy and the powerful." The comment was a direct dig at Clinton, who was headed out West for fundraising after a campaign stop in New York City. Both Democratic presidential candidates are coming to Harrisburg to speak at the AFL-CIO Convention. NBC10s Deanna Durante has the details. "This is not the type of politics that I wanna get in," he told journalists in Philadelphia. "But we'll get used to it fast. I'm not gonna get beat up. I'm not gonna get lied about." Clinton sought to shift attention back to her Republican opponents, telling journalists on Thursday: "I will take Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump or Ted Cruz any time, so let's keep our eye over what's at stake in this election." [NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail The race for the Democratic nomination has remained relatively civil as compared to a chaotic and crowded Republican race colored by flagrant attacks. Clinton has spent much of the past few weeks focused on Trump and Cruz, hoping to rally her party behind her by warning of regression to President Barack Obama's achievement should a Republican win the election. But after Sanders logged a big win in Wisconsin on Tuesday night his sixth victory in the last seven contests she's been forced to pivot back to her primary opponent. A former New York senator, she's been touting her work in Congress for the state, highlighting her economic record in visits to struggling upstate cities. On Thursday, she took a quick jaunt on the New York City subway, riding the train one stop in the Bronx. Walking along East 170th Street afterward, she stopped to shake hands and greet a baby in a stroller. "I need your vote!" she told one man before dropping into Munch Time, a cafe near Townsend Avenue. The photo op was aimed at Sanders, who told the New York Daily News in an interview earlier this week that New Yorkers still used tokens to pay for the train. The system switched over to pre-paid MetroCards in 2003. A Brooklyn native, Sanders left New York for Vermont in 1968. Still, he's cast himself as a native son of the state, viewing the contest as a springboard into primaries out West later in the summer and a pathway to closing his more than 250-delegate gap with Clinton. Clinton unleashed a flurry of attacks against Sanders on Wednesday, questioning his truthfulness and policy expertise, though she stopped short of saying he was unqualified for the job. In a discussion of Sanders interview with the editorial board of the New York Daily News, Clinton was asked if "Bernie Sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the United States." She responded, "Well, I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions." Sanders jumped on the remark, telling a crowd of more than 10,000 people in Philadelphia on Wednesday that Clinton has been saying that he's "not qualified to be president." "I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds," he said. Ignoring their own barbs, Clinton aides pushed back on Sanders attack, with spokesman Brian Fallon writing on Twitter: "Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified.' But he has now absurdly said it about her. This is a new low." But Sanders didn't back off. He told journalists in Philadelphia Thursday that he raised questions about Clinton's qualifications to be president because "that was what was thrown at me." Former President Bill Clinton visits Philadelphia to campaign for his wife Hilary Clinton as she fights Bernie Sanders in Pennsylvanias Democratic primary. Meanwhile, with Pennsylvania's contest set for April 26, former President Bill Clinton is planning stops in three cities in the state, starting with a midday visit Thursday to an organizing event at Dorothy Emanuel Recreation Center. He'll also be campaigning for Hillary Clinton on Thursday night in Scranton, and on Friday in Erie. Paris Jackson will forever be daddy's little girl. Michael Jackson's daughter debuted a new tattoo on Instagram Tuesday that is meant to honor her late father. "'Queen of My Heart' in his handwriting. To everyone else he was the King of Pop. To me, well, he was the king of my heart," she captioned the black-and-white photo. "Thank you @dermagraphink, you're a legend." [[374770021,C]] The photo shows Jackson sporting cropped, bleached hair sitting in the tattoo parlor's chair after the work was all done. She smiles as she looks at her new arm ink. Jackson has opened up about her father in the past, describing him as the person she looked up to the most. In February the "Thriller" crooner's daughter took to Instagram again to call out those who were criticizing her for the way she was living her life, using her father as an example of someone who faced harsh critics regularly. "It's so selfish that I am literally attacked on every f--king thing I post just because people that I DON'T EVEN KNOW aren't getting what they want...I appreciate the love and support, but the expectations are f--king ridiculous," she responded to a critic on the picture-sharing platform. "The expectations for my DAD were f--king ridiculous. He didn't owe you anything, yet he was ripped to shreds DAILY. I will not let that happen to me." [[238904721,C]] After the King of Pop died in 2009, Jackson and her siblings, Blanket and Michael, lived with various family members but spent most of their time with grandmother Katherine Jackson. Jackson also went to a boarding school in Utah, where she reportedly suffered from depression and attempted suicide. A year later, however, the 18-year-old was said to be "doing a lot better." Permanently residing in Los Angeles now, Jackson has been spotted on dates. PHOTOS: Guess the celebrity tattoo PHOTOS: Michael Jackson Forever tribute concert Five people were shot early Thursday morning when a gunman opened fire on a group of people leaving a party bus on Chicagos South Side. Just after a 2 a.m., more than 30 people, who had been aboard the bus celebrating a birthday, had just been dropped off in the 7000 block of South Paxton Avenue when a barrage of gunshots starting firing in their direction. Police at Area Central said the shooter was not on the bus, but began firing as the birthday revelers exited the vehicle. The bus driver, who wished to remain anonymous, told NBC 5 he heard 25 to 30 shots total, but never saw the shooter. "I was standing outside the bus. As soon as the shots were fired I went back on the bus and then when I turned around young lady was under the bus she said she was shot and they were still shooting, he said. I picked her up. Pulled her on the bus and pulled off." Doctors are treating a 22-year-old woman who was shot in the foot and a 22-year-old man shot in the right hand. Three other men were also shot and transported to area hospitals. No one is in custody. The banged-up Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Bryan Bickell from Rockford of the American Hockey League. The 30-year-old Bickell has spent much of this season with the IceHogs after helping Chicago win the Stanley Cup last year. The rugged winger, who signed a $16 million, four-year deal in 2013, has 65 goals and 70 assists in 382 NHL games, all with the Blackhawks. Forwards Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa missed Chicago's 6-2 victory over Arizona on Tuesday night due to injuries, and center Artem Anisimov left in the second period after taking a big hit. The Blackhawks did not practice on Wednesday, so the next update on Anisimov's status likely will be Thursday morning's skate before their game against St. Louis. Chicago also announced it had signed forward Tyler Motte to a three-year contract that begins at the start of next season. Motte, a fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft, had 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games this season with the University of Michigan. The subject of a whispering campaign in the hallways of Chicago Police stations for weeks, a purported police scandal burst into public view Wednesday, with both Mayor Emanuel and his hand-selected chief doing damage control. The controversy has swirled around interim Superintendent Eddie Johnson, even as he is making preparations for confirmation to take the reins of the Chicago Police Department on a permanent basis. I dont know the particulars, but if there is an investigation, well let that bear out, said Johnson, and if something needs to be done, well have it. At issue, allegations that Chief of Administration Eugene Williams, himself a onetime candidate for the top cops job, coached candidates for a recent lieutenants exam with inside information. Among the alleged beneficiaries, Johnsons fiancee, now Lieutenant Nakia Fenner. Eddie Johnsons reputation is one of fighting crime, Mayor Emanuel declared Wednesday. And thats why hes been promoted at every level. Emanuel bristled at a reporters suggestion that in the rush to nominate Johnson, he might have missed something which would have been detected if he would have allowed the police board to do its own due diligence. Traditionally, the Board is asked to submit three candidates to the mayor which have been thoroughly vetted. Out of 39 candidates, three were chosen. But Emanuel rejected all three, and announced Johnson as his anointed choice. Im not going to participate or allow a game, and I dont think its a game, of either questioning his judgment, and he told you yesterday he has the courage to make the decisions he has to make, Emanuel said. The matter is now in the hands of the City Inspector General, but the allegations were examined by the Police Board which recommended Williams as one of its three finalists. Plenty of smoke, said one source, but very possibly very little fire. It should be noted that grumbling about departmental exam results has long been a virtual parlor game in Chicago Police circles. Still, plenty of candidates flunked the exam in question. Some of them will almost certainly challenge the results in court, arguing the fix was in and demanding details on who might have benefitted. One of my goals is to restore the trust of the Chicago Police Department, Johnson said Wednesday. So if Im approached with anything regarding that exam, then Ill hold everyone accountable, whether its a command staff member, or whatever. All officers have to be held accountable. The highest court in Massachusetts has been asked to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter case against a teenage girl accused of sending her boyfriend dozens of text messages encouraging him to kill himself. Michelle Carters appeal will be heard Thursday. Carter is awaiting trial in the death of Conrad Roy III, who died by carbon monoxide poisoning in July 2014. When 18-year-old Roys body was found in his car parked behind a Kmart, police accessed his cell phone, where they found thousands of text messages between the couple. "Michelle not only encouraged Conrad to take his own life, she questioned him repeatedly as to when and why he hadn't done it yet, right up to the point of when his final text was sent to her on Saturday evening, July 12, 2014," police wrote after reviewing the messages. Justices must weigh the defenses argument that the text messages were legally protected speech. Prosecutors argued that Carter committed manslaughter when she urged Roy to "just do it" and told him to get back in his truck when he became frightened that the plan to poison himself with carbon monoxide was working. Carters lawyers, on the other hand, contend her actions do not meet the legal definition of manslaughter. The court must decide whether Carters texts qualify as reckless actions that led to a predictable loss of life, a legal requirement for an involuntary manslaughter conviction, according to MassLive.com. Unlike 40 other states, Massachusetts has no specific law against assisted suicide. Carter's lawyer claims Carters texts show that she repeatedly tried to talk Roy out of taking his own life and only began to support the plan when it became clear he would not change his mind. Prosecutors point to the messages where police say Carter had the opportunity to help Roy when he expressed the fear he felt over leaving his family, but instead pushed him not to worry about it. "When he actually started to carry out the act, he got scared again and exited his truck," read the court documents. "But instead of telling him to stay out of the truck and turn off the generator Carter told him to 'get back in.'" She could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Below are the text messages included in court filings, with the messages cited by Carters lawyer first, followed by those cited by prosecutors: ___ June 29, 2014: Carter: "But the mental hospital would help you. I know you don't think it would but I'm telling you, if you give them a chance, they can save your life" Carter: "Part of me wants you to try something and fail just so you can get help" Roy: "It doesn't help. trust me" Carter: "So what are you gonna do then? Keep being all talk and no action and everyday go thru saying how badly you wanna kill yourself? Or are you gonna try to get better?" Roy: "I can't get better I already made my decision." ___ July 7, 2014: Roy: "if you were in my position. honestly what would you do" Carter: "I would get help. That's just me tho. When I have a serious problem like that, my first instinct is to get help because I know I can't do it on my own" Roy: "Well it's too late I already gave up." ___ Between July 6, 2014, and July 12, 2014: Carter: "Always smile, and yeah, you have to just do it. You have everything you need. There is no way you can fail. Tonight is the night. It's now or never." Carter: "(D)on't be scared. You already made this decision and if you don't do it tonight you're gonna be thinking about it all the time and stuff all the rest of your life and be miserable. You're finally going to be happy in heaven. No more pain. No more bad thoughts and worries. You'll be free." Carter: "I just want to make sure you're being serious. Like I know you are, but I don't know. You always say you're gonna do it, but you never do. I just want to make sure tonight is the real thing." Carter: "When are you gonna do it? Stop ignoring the question" Carter: "You can't keep living this way. You just need to do it like you did the last time and not think about it and just do it, babe. You can't keep doing this every day. Roy: "I do want to but I'm like freaking for my family I guess. I don't know." Carter: "Conrad, I told you I'll take care of them. Everyone will take care of them to make sure they won't be alone and people will help them get through it. We talked about this and they will be okay and accept it. People who commit suicide don't think this much. They just could do it." The budget approved Wednesday by the General Assembly's Appropriations Committee trims more than $570 million across the board, while also shifting funds to be paid for by other accounts. Even though the spending plan restored funding to hospitals, higher education, and social service programs, the cuts hit just about every state agency, and they're deep. Believe me, the ax is falling," said Sen. Beth Bye, (D - West Hartford), who chairs the committee. "Theres nobody thats not hurt in this budget. One item that saw changes is the Special Transportation Fund, with expenditures added there, to ease the burden on other agencies. Last year, the General Assembly approved one half of one percent to get devoted to transportation and infrastructure projects. Sen. Bye said she and the others who crafted the budget saw other ways to use those funds. With new revenue, the tens of billions of dollars for transportation infrastructure, we feel like the highway patrol is an important part of that. School bus transportation is part of that, too. They move people around Connecticut so I think theyre a part of that infrastructure, she said. The budget approved by the committee falls more than $340 million short if deficit estimates last month, but is on par with Gov. Dannel Malloy's budget that he presented in February. Bye described the move as "responsible" as the state waits for the April consensus revenue report. Sen. Len Fasano, the top Republican in the Senate sharply disagreed. "They didn't do their job," Fasano said. Thats a disservice to the state of Connecticut. Everyone in this state knows were in trouble but them and until they wake up and see the reality, were going to be in trouble each and every time they get behind the wheel when it comes to the budget. Malloy's office released a statement announcing he will present a revised budget proposal to the General Assembly next week, roughly three weeks before the legislature will adjourn. He said about the Appropriations spending plan, "tries to do things the way they've always been in done" in state budgeting. Police have arrested a Hartford school student accused of emailing a bomb threat against the SANDS elementary school, which serves students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Police said the school received an email on Wednesday afternoon saying the school would blow up at 6 a.m. today and detectives began investigating immediately and identified the suspect within hours. Out of an abundance of caution, Hartford Bomb technicians searched the school with bomb sniffing dogs and the school resource and community services officers and Hartford Public Schools security also conducted a search. Police said the suspect is a juvenile and has been charged with first-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace. This is the second threat at the school in less than a week. The school was evacuated last Friday after a vague, unspecified social media threat was found. Police searched the building and said no children were in danger. Josh Elliotts mother opened the Thyme & Season natural food grocery store in Hamden in 1997. Nearly 20 years later, he is a co-owner and he is supporting a bill to create a statewide paid family and medical leave system, This has been the reason Ive had the opportunities Ive had, Elliott said. As ownership, if I want to take a week off or weeks off, I can. Elliott is supporting SB 221, so more than 40 employees who work for his business can receive paid family and medical leave too. If we arent protecting those people who work -- day in day out -- to make organizations like this exist, than we are not upholding our side of the bargain, Elliott said during a news conference Wednesday with activists from the CT Campaign for Paid Family and Medical Leave and Connecticut Working Families. If passed, the program run by the labor department would compensate workers up to $1,000 a week when they take time off to recover from medical emergency, care for an ill family member or welcome the birth or adoption of a child. Employees could take up to 12 weeks off and the program would be funded by a percentage contribution of workers weekly earnings. This would give families financial stability at a time when they need it most, Lindsay Farrell, executive director of Connecticut Working Families, said. Not everyone in the states business community is on board, including the Connecticut Business and Industry Administration, which said many Connecticut businesses already offer this type of benefit to workers. The program is great if it works for the individual employer but mandating that all employers with three or more employees offer the 12 weeks of paid leave could spell financial disaster, said Eric Gjede, assistant counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Administration. While the bill outlines that the program will be employee-funded, there are startup and administrative funds that could cost the state up to $32.1 million in its first year and an additional $18.5 in annual salaries for the 120 state employees who will run the program after that. Elliott said he is hopeful Connecticut will join New York, which passed paid family leave legislation last week. Its fair, Elliott said. Ultimately, its just whats fair. Waterford police officers will wear mourning bands on their badges in honor of 9-year-old Madeline Guarraia. Madeline, of East Lyme, died on Wednesday after a nearly 5 year battle with cancer. Last year, Madeline was sworn in as an honorary member of the Waterford Police Department. She would go out on patrol with officers around town, including a shift last month. "The Waterford Police Department would like to express their condolences to the family of Waterford Police Officer Madeline Guarraia, badge #8," the department posted on its Facebook page Thursday. "Her parents say that she carried her appointment very seriously, and we thoroughly enjoyed every time she was on duty with us." The heartbreaking post ends "Rest in Peace Madeline, we'll carry it from here." The Waterford Police Department would like to express their condolences to the family of Waterford Police Officer... Posted by Waterford Police Department on Thursday, April 7, 2016 (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, says North Texas' child protective service system is a crisis that needs a solution. NBC 5's media partner, The Dallas Morning News, reported a large number of turnover of Texas Child Protective Services investigators in Dallas County, and that a federal judge called Texas' long-term foster care system broken. The leadership of the state of Texas is going to have to, in conjunction with the legislative body, come up with what they believe the solution is, and then all of us work together on trying to deal with it, said West. The legislature does not convene until January, so NBC 5 Political Reporter Julie Fine asked West what should be done now. Thats why I said that the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker need to make a decision about what needs to happen like right now, not tomorrow, West said. Abbott was in Dallas on Wednesday, giving opening remarks at the Global Summit. He didnt talk to reporters, but his spokesman released a statement about the situation: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: We've seen the turrets of Hogwarts rising over Universal City for months. We've heard the online rumors and confirmations and hearsay for years. And now Harry Potter mavens have their much-anticipated, much-buzzed-over, oh-so-magical land at Universal Studios Hollywood as of April 7, 2016. Weekend #1 will be as well-attended as a Yule Ball, but bet fans who can't wait another minute will happily wade into the sea of wizards for that first mug of Butterbeer. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books: Raise your bookmark, readers, or tablet in the air like you just care a lot about literary parties. Er, that clearly isn't the catchy phrase we'd hoped, but thank goodness a caboodle of famous novelists and essayists and page mavens'll be roaming the grounds of the University of Southern California. Want to see Carrie Brownstein, Jane Smiley, Buzz Aldrin, Rebecca Serle, Adam Lazarus, Ransom Riggs, and oodles of authors/thinkers beyond? Grab your umbrella and be on campus on April 9 and/or 10. The fest, as always, is free. The Original Renaissance Faire opens: Chances to don your doublet these days come around so infrequently, no? Here's your chance to go full fantasy Elizabethan, in whatever way that pleases you (royal, jester, fairy, gnome, knight). The Irwindale-based bash unfolds over several weekends, with an April 9 opening and a May 22 close, and between those two bookends come more mini bashes in the form of theme weekends. What's your pleasure? Celtic style, Steampunk cool, or all of the above? Santa Fe Dam awaits, m'ladies and lords... So Cal Corgi Beach Day: What can be said about these every-so-often Huntington Beach romps except they're now world-famous? Possibly Solar System-famous? And with good reason: When hundreds of squatty sweethearts take to the sand, the cooing headlines write themselves. Saturday, April 9 is the date for the mondo meet-up. Fingers crossed that the wet stuff does hold off for the daytime hours... Cinderella Day at FIDM: The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising's springtime movie costume exhibit is a popular annual thing, but it has a way of wrapping before April's gone. Here's one way to stretch the magic out: Throw a Cinderella Day, an event built around the exquisite "Cinderella" gown currently on view at the exhibit. The midday lark is free, and "open to princesses and princes of all ages" (so break out your costumes, if you please). Date? April 9, from 11 to 2 o'clock. A gold-flecked meteorite that has traveled from the asteroid belt near Mars to the mountains of Fukang, China, and finally Marin County, California, is at the center of a vicious ownership battle being waged in federal court. The 227-pound iron "pallasite" meteorite is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. First discovered in Fukang, China about 15 years ago, it could be worth as much as $1 million, according to Stephen Settgast, an asteroid collecter who claims he's the rightful owner. He sued a museum in Maine and a New York meteorite expert in February alleging breach of contract over the sale of the meteorite. But they have now filed a counterclaim, alleging that Settgast, who is staying in Marin County, is behind a "blatant theft of a unique and precious meteorite." The countersuit alleges Settgast sold the meteorite for $425,000, then engaged in an "outrageous act of sellers remorse" by stealing back the space rock for himself. "This isn't a typical theft," said Wayne Minckley, undersheriff in Miami County, Kansas, in a Skype interview with NBC Bay Area. A sheriff is involved in the out-of-this-world case because authorities arent yet ready to decide who stole the meteorite until the suit is settled. "Its a complicated case in the mere fact that the individual who sold it to the folks in Maine is our suspect in the theft," Minckley said. Settgast would not speak on the record. But his attorney, Curt Edmonson of the Oregon firm, Slinde Nelson Stanford, said this is a simple business dispute gone awry. "Civil suits dont use terms like steal.' Thats a criminal term," he said. "We didnt go over the top in our complaint, but they certainly went over the top in their counterclaims." But Settgast's story is full of holes, according to the founders of the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum Lawrence Stifler and Mary McFadden of Brookline, Massachusetts and meteorite expert Darryl Pitt, of New York. All three filed the counterclaim on March 29. In the suit, Jeff Valle, the trio's Los Angeles attorney, laid out his clients argument like this: Noted for his ability to spot beauty and value in meteorites, Pitt suggested to the museum founders that they buy the meteorite in question. Stifler and McFadden agreed to pay Settgast $425,000 to feature the "Fukang meteorite" in their museum, which is not yet open. In August 2014, Pitt brokered the deal with Settgast. The final of three payments was made in February 2015, the counterclaim contends. According to his website biography, Pitt is the purveyor of the "world's foremost collection of aesthetic iron meteorites," which he describes as "extraterrestrial objects d'art." Valle and Pitt have declined to be interviewed. Courtesy of Maine Mineral And Gem Museum After the money was paid, Pitt and the museum founders waited for the meteorite to be cleaned up and prepared by Kansas duo Keith and Dana Jenkerson, of KD Meteorites. The couple's website twinkles with brightly lit stars and boasts they've been "chasing meteorites since 1990s." The Jenkersons took almost two years to stabilize, restore and prepare the "Fukang meteorite," the countersuit alleges, and on Jan. 10, Keith Jenkerson told Pitt this was "one of the most awesome meteorites to ever be displayed." He guessed the spiffed-up space rock to now be worth $1 million. But Pitt and the museum founders said this higher price is wildly inflated, the counterclaim states. Less than two weeks later, the meteorite was reported stolen. Pitt and the museum founders allege that Settgast, whose lawyer described him as a "world-renowned" fossil hunter who also has a ranch in Montana, went into the Jenkersons' lab on Jan. 23 and stole back the meteorite. Settgast's attorneys claim a condition of the sale was that the meteorite couldn't be shown in a public museum, a point the museum founders' say is simply not true, the counterclaim contends. How Settgast would have gotten the meteorite out of the lab, at the Jenkersons' home in Osawatomie, Kansas, without detection, and then to Marin County, where Settgast has been living with a relative, has not been clearly explained. Minckley, from the sheriffs office, reiterated that its his understanding Settgast stole the meteorite from the lab. He said there was no surveillance video to document what might have happened. His office, however, is reserving a final determination on whether a crime was committed, and by whom, until a federal judge makes a ruling on who really owns the meteorite. As for why the sheriffs department is letting the civil case play out first, Edmonson said: "That tells you a little bit about how they feel about the criminal action. If they dont feel there is enough evidence for the claim of theft, then its not there." A hearing is set for June to be heard by Oakland-based U.S District Court Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong. For 18 months ending in 2008, a former Pahokee grocery store clerk and used car salesman ran a $68 million Ponzi scheme that swindled thousands of people, many of them working-class Haitian-Americans like him, who he met through churches. While George Theodule is in the third year of his 12.5-year federal prison sentence, victims of his Creative Capital Consortium have been left with nothing of their "investments." But that is about to change. After more than six years of investigation and litigation, a court-appointed receiver has managed to recover nearly $6 million in assets that can be disbursed to victims who file claims proving they are, in fact, victims. Time, though, is of the essence. Claims from victims must be filed by Aug. 16. To obtain a claim form and more information, go to http://creativecapitalreceivership.com. While the scheme involved $68 million, more than a third of the money was used to pay early investors the promised exorbitant returns of 33 percent a month, said Jonathan E. Perlman, the receiver appointed by the federal court to try to recover assets for victims. As in any Ponzi scheme, word of those returns attracted other investors who weren't so lucky. The pitch, said Perlman: "If you give me your money, I'll invest it and double it in 90 days." Robert Vernon, a Hallandale Beach property manager and investor, heard about Theodule's supposed investment expertise through friends at his church. He investigated and after hearing testimonials from early investors who received the promised returns, he invested $77,000 with an associate of Theodule. But after 60 days, he said, he was told his expected $154,000 was tied up in an audit; after 60 more days, he said Theodule, 54, told him the money was unavailable. He never saw his money again, but is hopeful he will recover a third of it or more through the claim process. "It will be something is better than nothing," said Vernon. When you exclude those investors whose seed money itself was somehow tainted, leaving them ineligible to collect on claims, the thousands of true victims like Vernon may have lost about $18 million, Perlman said. Perlman and his team at the law firm of Genovese, Joblove & Battista say they cannot say for certain what share of the losses a judge will determine claimants will eventually recover. But based on the estimated $18 million in legitimate losses and up to $6 million in net assets recovered for victims, it could be about one third of their loss. When appointed in December 2008 as receiver, Perlman said, Theodule-related companies had about $28,000 in bank accounts. " Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Wherever the money went, we chased it," Perlman said, noting he was able to liquidate houses and collector cars. Some expenditures, like fake breasts for Theodules' girlfriend, he said were, alas, unrecoverable. "We feel privileged as lawyers to have had the opportunity to create a recovery for these innocent victims," said W. Barry Blum, a firm partner and counsel to the receiver, Perlman. It took 31 lawsuits and more threatened actions to claw back the money, including most helpfully claims against four banks and brokers who the legal team accused of either aiding or abetting Theodule's breach of duty to his investors, or fraudulently transferring money for someone they should have known was up to no good. The claims against the banks were originally dismissed by a trial judge in 2012, but the firm's attorneys appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which reversed the dismissals and reinstated the cases in 2014. Wells Fargo wound up agreeing to pay more than $3 million to settle one of the lawsuits. A judge in Bibb County, Georgia brought a courtroom full of young people to tears with an inspiring speech that has since gone viral. Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin volunteers with the county's "Consider the Consequences" class. According to NBC affiliate WXIA in Atlanta, the program aims to help redirect young people who are already headed down the wrong path by putting them face-to-face with the harsh consequences that could lie ahead. The report states that Colvin wasn't aware the courtroom cameras were rolling last month when she began lecturing a group of young people in her courtroom. Colvin was brutally honest with the group about what their future might look life if they didn't turn their lives around. She described how the young people could end up in jail, or "you can be in this body bag," Colvin said as she unfolded a white body bag. "And the only way somebody will know you're in here is because of this tag with your name on it," she said. As Colvin spoke to the group, many were moved to tears. Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin brings a courtroom full of Consider the Consequences participants to tears... Posted by Bibb County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); "Care about your future. Be somebody. Anybody can be nothing," she said, telling them "The fact that you're shedding tears means you want to be better, and you want to do better. Do it! The only person stopping you is you." Colvin, an African-American woman, spoke candidly to the group which consisted largely of African-American youth. She urged them against becoming another statistic, and even referred to her own no-nonsense approach to raising a son as a single mother. "Consider me your surrogate mom, don't you come up in here," she told the group, expressing that she is "sick and tired" of seeing young people - black and white alike - in her courtroom "going to jail for something stupid." "Why would you want to be another statistic? Do you want to be another African-American male in a jail cell? Is that what you want for your lives? Come on," she said. Colvin told the group that the advice and tough-love she dished out that afternoon wasn't any different than what she told her own son. She also advised the group against using their family or home situation as an excuse. "I don't know what's going on in your lives, I don't know where you live, but don't use it as an excuse," she told them. "Anything either of you all are going through, somebody else went through it who is successful now." She referenced her own upbringing by a single mother in a low-income neighborhood, and told the group how she never allowed herself to use that as an excuse. Fighting back tears herself, Colvin concluded with a heartfelt message to the group. "When I see you all hurting, it makes me hurt too," she said. "Because I don't even know you all personally but I love each and every one of you. I don't want you to come into my courtroom and I have to sentence you as an adult at the age of 17. I don't want that." Since the Bibb County Sheriff's Office uploaded the video last week on Facebook, it's racked up more than 200,000 views and has more than 5,000 shares. Despite a warning they could be disciplined for expressing opinions on standardized tests, a trio of New York City public school teachers sat down with NBC 4 New York recently to criticize this years Common Core exams. Parents should definitely opt out, said Jia Lee, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at The Earth School in Manhattan. Refuse. Boycott these tests because change will not happen with compliance. I want to tell parents that Im not going to get anything out of the test. Their kids arent getting anything out of the test, said Lauren Cohen, a fifth-grade teacher at P.S. 321 in Brooklyn. In an email to the I-Team, Devora Kaye, a spokeswoman for Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, said teachers are allowed to criticize standardized tests as long as they express opinions in their capacity as private citizens. But if teachers are speaking as representatives of the Department of Education, they should not advise parents to opt out of the state exams. If they do so as representatives of the DOE, they may be subject to discipline, Kaye said. But teachers who oppose the tests say the lines between their identities as educators and private citizens are often blurred. Its hard to know whether I can say Im a private citizen when Ive already been identified as a teacher, said Cohen. Kristin Taylor, a third-grade teacher at P.S. 261, said she believes the Common Core tests are fundamentally harming the education system, but shes worried shell damage her career if she tells parents directly that they should opt kids out of the exams. Out of concern over my position in the public school system, I dont feel at liberty to say whether you should," she said. In December, Anita Skop, the superintendent of Brooklyns District 15, said teachers have no right to tell parents they believe they should pull kids from standardized tests. "A teacher cannot get up in the schoolyard and say to a parent, 'I think you should opt your child out,'" Skop said. When contacted by the I-Team, Skop reiterated that position, but said she has not disciplined any teachers who defy that rule. I have never been instructed to discipline anybody and I dont intend to, she said. According to the DOE, no teacher has been disciplined for telling parents to pull kids out of exams. In the past, critics have opposed the exams on grounds that scores could be used in teacher evaluations and decisions about student promotion. This year, Farina said those critiques have been eliminated. We sent teachers to Albany to help review the test and look over the test, Farina said. We also are not using the test results to hold students back and were not using the test results for teacher evaluations. At a news conference on Monday, Farina suggested the decision to pull a child from the exams would be misguided. I dont believe in opting out, Farina said. Honestly, youre teaching kids that it is OK not to do the whole work. It really is important when you go to school to be accountable for what youre doing. Michael Elliot, a parent in Park Slope who has pulled his child from three standardized exams, said it seems unfair that the chancellor should be able to advise parents to opt in when teachers are told they cant tell parents to opt out. There's something that is very hypocritical about it, that you're allowed to speak in favor of the test. As long as you toe the line, political speech about the test is OK, Elliot said. According to the DOE, about 416,000 New York City public school students are taking the states standardized exam this week. Kaye said the DOE does not have a count of how many parents notified their schools that their children would be opting out of the test this year. Several New York City parents and students have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city Department of Education alleging the nations largest school district has failed to protect children from violence and bullying. A group of 11 students and 10 parents announced the lawsuit outside the DOE headquarters during a rally with the pro-charter school group Families for Excellent Schools Thursday, alleging that the district had denied students the right to public education without the threat of violence. The 96-page filing also alleges that the city defies a state law that is supposed to ensure reporting and investigations of school violence. The suit also claims that violence in schools is on the rise. In a statement Thursday, Mayor de Blasio disputed the suits claims of increasing violence. When we look at the facts, school safety is doing a very good job continuing a trend that started in the last administration and continues, he said. This year to date, the major crime in our schools is down 14.29 percent and other crimes down 6.77 percent. One of the plaintiffs said her 7-year-old son was dragged down by a flight of stairs by a teacher who was allowed to remain in the classroom and was later arrested on assault charges in an attack on a different child. Another mother alleges that a teacher attacked her 8-year-old son, and that the school failed to take action after she expressed concerns for the boys safety. These stories are tragic - but whats worse is that the Department of Education has systematically failed to follow legal guidelines that would have kept these children safe, said Jim Walden, the attorney for the parents in the suit. No child can learn in an environment fraught with violence and harassment. The lawsuit comes after several students brought firearms onto school grounds in recent weeks. In the most recent case, on Monday, three boys were arrested after authorities alleged they menaced a 12-year-old girl with a handgun at their Upper East Side school. The weapon was found in one of the boys lockers. De Blasio said the reports of weapons in schools were obviously troubling but that students caught with guns will face consequences. We absolutely have more work to do, but school safety is showing us consistently that they can and will continue to drive down crime in the schools, and keep all students and staff safe. The city's Law Department said it is reviewing the claim. More than $2.7 million in federal funding to fight opioid and heroin addiction will go to health centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- including one in Philadelphia and another in Camden -- as part of $94 million recently awarded by the federal government to combat the heroin epidemic across the nation. The funding, provided by the Affordable Care Act, is administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and will be spread among 271 health centers in 45 states, according to the department. The funding is aimed at supporting substance-abuse treatment among under-served populations. In Philadelphia, Public Health Management Corporation, a nonprofit public-health institute that runs intensive outpatient programs and a recovery residence in West Philadelphia, will be awarded $325,000 in funding. Another $379,000 each will go to Berks Community Health Center in Reading and Community Health and Dental Care Inc. in Pottstown, while centers in York and Chambersburg will receive the other roughly $650,000 in funding given to Pennsylvania. Project Hope in Camden will also receive about $324,000, while AtlantiCare Health Services in Egg Harbor Township will receive $325,000. Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton will be awarded about $352,000. The funding is among a number of recent pushes by the federal government in the fight against the heroin and opioid addiction epidemic. NBC10 recently took an in-depth look at heroin and opioid addiction in the Delaware Valley and beyond in Generation Addicted, an exclusive special report. Watch the half-hour Generation Addicted television special here and explore the digital presentation here. Nearly a week after after she was sent to jail on federal kidnapping charges, Cherie Amoore was released after posting bail. Amoore is accused of abducting a 7-week-old baby from the King of Prussia Mall on March 31 after befriending the child's mother, Malika Hunter. Hunter told NBC10 the ordeal began Thursday when she took her children, including 7-week-old Ahsir, to the King of Prussia Mall. She says she met 32-year-old Cherie Amoore at a jewelry store and the two quickly bonded. "She was so polite," Hunter said. "Nice, calm and energetic. Like the normal, average person." Hunter says Amoore asked her about Ahsir and the two bonded over being mothers. "She was just stressed and she just had a new baby and the father is in the military so that puts all the work on her," Hunter said. "It was relatable. She ain't been out in a while." The two continued talking as they headed to the food court. During their conversation, Amoore asked Hunter if she could hold Ahsir. While police initially said Hunter let Amoore hold him, they later said Hunter told her "no" and never handed him to her. Hunter told NBC10 she began tending to her 2-year-old son who was growing irritable. That's when Amoore took Ahsir from his stroller and walked away, according to police. "When I realized it was really happening it was like my heart could just bust open at any moment," Hunter said. "At any moment I could just hit that floor. It was the worst feeling I ever felt in my life." A woman is in custody after she allegedly kidnapped a baby at the King of Prussia Mall. But what was the actual motive behind the kidnapping? NBC10s Randy Gyllenhaal has the details. Police said Amoore walked up a set of stairs and then walked by the Bonefish Grill before exiting the mall. Surveillance video shows Amoore with Ahsir in her arms leaving the mall around 5:30 p.m., according to investigators. Hunter alerted police and an extensive search began. Police stopped cars as they left the mall as well as SEPTA buses. The FBI assisted with the search and an Amber Alert was issued both on television and through push notifications Thursday night. Police searched for the baby in Montgomery and Chester counties. Around 10:30 p.m., police announced the good news that the boy had been found safe and Amoore was in custody. Police said they found Amoore and the baby inside a home on the 900 block of Upper Gulph Road in Tredyffrin Township. Friends say the man who lives at the home had a relationship with Amoore. While the man declined to comment, his mother spoke to NBC10, telling us her son had no idea about the kidnapping. "All he knew is when he got home from work," said Gladys Biggers. "She was there too." NBC10s Deanna Durante was in court Friday to hear the confession of kidnapping suspect Cherie Amoore. Amoore was seen on surveillance video taking a baby out of King of Prussia Mall on Thursday, according to police. The baby's family dealt with a roller coaster of emotions throughout the ordeal. "I was like hysterical I was going through it," said Burdette Lewis, the boy's grandfather. "We all prayed in there together." Their prayers were answered as they had him back in their arms at the Upper Merion Police headquarters late Thursday night. What caused the delay in the Amber Alert notification after the King of Prussia Mall kidnapping? NBC10s George Spencer investigates. "I'm glad he's in my arms at this moment," said Malika Hunter. "I didn't know what the outcome of this situation would be." Amoore is the daughter of Republican Party of Pennsylvania Deputy Chairman Renee Amoore, a longtime GOP advocate. Amoore is charged with felony kidnapping, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment and other related offenses following a formal arraignment Friday afternoon where her bail was set at $500,000. The Democrats battling it out to replace embattled Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane are facing off tonight in the only live television debate to be broadcast on NBC10, NBC10.com and Telemundo62. The Democratic Debate for Pennsylvania Attorney General between Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. is airing live from the NBC10/Telemundo Studios from 7 to 8 p.m. NBC10 news anchor Tracy Davidson and WPXI 11 anchor Lisa Sylvester are moderating. "We aim to serve our audiences on NBC10, Telemundo62 and nbc10.com with a healthy discussion based on facts that address the issues impacting our daily lives," said NBC10/Telemundo62 vice president of news Anzio Williams. "I cant think of a better way to serve the people of Pennsylvania than providing real information and creating informed voters." The Democrat who wins the April 26 Pennsylvania primary will face the winner of the Republican Attorney General primary race between Montgomery County-based State Sen. John Rafferty Jr. (44th District) and former police officer and current Lackawanna County resident Joe Peters. A couple of years ago, my band Boy King was wrapping up an opening set at Soda Bar. After taking our equipment off stage, we walked out front, eager for the evenings crisp air and a respite from the volume inside. There, we were met by the sight of three long-haired, grizzled-lookin dudes in torn up jean-jacket vests unloading their equally beat-up van. Presumably, they were the next band: the Shrine. As we stood there, mouths cringing and agape, they threw their completely torn-to-shreds Marshall speaker cabinets onto the ground in a vulgar display of disregard, and then proceeded to drag them -- one by one -- across the cement, scraping their way all the way from the sidewalk, through the venue and its patrons, onto the stage. Right then, we knew we'd be in for some righteous rock carnage. After stacking those cabinets onstage and powering their amps up, the Venice Beach, California trio launched matter-of-factly into some of the gnarliest skate-rock jams wed ever heard. At that moment, I was glad to still be standing outside: The Shrine dont just play hard (as their battered music gear could attest to), they also play loud. Extremely loud. And thats what you can expect when the band takes the Music Box stage on Friday, April 8. Fresh off the release of their third studio full-length, Rare Breed, the band (composed of guitarist/vocalist Josh Landau, bassist Courtland Murphy and drummer Jeff Murray) barge down a hard-rock road paved years back by legendary bands like Motorhead, Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath. Running by and large on the pure punk energy of their hometown skate/music culture, the Shrine barrel full force through the grungiest of rock/quasi-metal riffs and guitar solo freakout jams. They describe their music as psychedelic violence, so I was half-expecting the bands frontman to be half-awake and hungover when we talked by phone recently -- and I couldnt have been more wrong (my bad). Landau, ever polite and gracious, was refreshingly down to earth as we discussed their latest album, writing process -- and what it was like rocking out with the almighty Lemmy. Dustin Lothspeich: The Shrine is pretty embedded in the skate-rock scene. How has that culture influenced you and the band throughout the years? Josh Landau: I think growing up, we all learned about music through skating. And on the west side of LA, in Santa Monica, and Venice -- even before I was old enough to skate, youre attracted to skateboarding. Youd look at dudes shirts and even the graphics would make an impression. You found out about the Misfits and Metallica, and it just rolled from there. Even now, in our little world and among our friends, skateboarding is the key to the world. It unlocks everything you need. Its kind of a worldwide club. DL: Youve talked in the past about your willingness to be homeless, if necessary, to pay for things like a band rehearsal space, etc. Does that still ring true for you? JL: It feels like common sense. I dont live in my car, but theres a lot of other things that naturally get sacrificed. You dont think about it, but you talk to someone else and they bring up their regular life, and you realize that you do miss out on things. You end up sacrificing personal relationships because youre so happy doing what youre doing. DL: Was it a lot rougher when you were starting out? JL: Oh, yeah. The first tour we did was terribly booked. There was literally no one at the shows. Wed be driving from Kansas to Chicago, to Indianapolis, all while playing to nobody, and we just went with it. It was a miserable, roundabout tour. But you know what? You come back, and youre beat and exhausted, but a couple days later you go, Man, I wanna leave again. DL: Im sure theres perks now though. You guys have played with some true rock & roll legends, like the tour you did with Motorhead, for example. Was it rad meeting Lemmy? JL: Absolutely. When we went on that Motorhead tour, he was not doing that well. It was bittersweet. But he was giving it all, playing two full sets every night. But yeah, it was incredible to meet him. DL: Your guys new record, Rare Breed, dropped earlier this year. What was that recording experience like vs. 2012s Primitive Blast and 2014s Bless Off? JL: It was the biggest process weve ever went through. Worked with a producer for the first time, and worked in a real studio for the first time. The producer, Dave Jerden, who worked on some huge '90s records [Alice in Chains, Social Distortion, the Offspring], went into a guitar shop near our house, and our friends were like, Hey, you gotta check out this rock & roll band from around here. It was the longest process ever, a lot of mixing. He did his thing, layering this stuff -- we did a lot more layers of guitars. It was kind of scary. He wanted this big sound, which he got. DL: Do you prefer one sound to another? Stripped-down sound vs. big studio sound? JL: Each kind of has its own place. [Jerden] was very passionate; he was awesome to hang out with and work with. Im really stoked about a lot of the songs we put on that record. But maybe well do a mixture of both [styles] for the next one. DL: Are you guys already at work on a new record? JL: Yeah, were already jamming on a whole bunch of new songs. Were really excited about them, but you know, youre always super pumped about whats next. DL: Tell me about the process. Do you guys just jam on a riff for a long time until it becomes something? JL: Sometimes Ill just bring a riff into the jam room, and we end up playing it for 30 minutes. Sometimes I bring in a full, rough idea. Sometimes Ill have an idea for three years, and it just doesnt stick. A lot of times, a guitar riff comes into my head when Im falling asleep -- Ill be singing it to myself, and Ill be thinking, This riff is so f---ing sick, and you wake up the next morning and you have no idea what it was [laughs]. DL: It seems like youre all about guitar, man. Like thats the only thing that matters to you. Is that about right? JL: Honestly, yeah. My favorite things to do are walking my dog and playing guitar. Its hard to explain but its just what feels right. The Shrine headline Music Box on Friday, April 8, with Joy, Sacri Monti and Petyr opening. Tickets are $12 and available for purchase here. Dustin Lothspeich plays in Diamond Lakes and Boy King, and runs Gear and Loathing in San Diego. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly. The teaser trailer for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is out of this world. The movie, which takes place just before the events depicted in 1977's "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope," follows the Rebel spies' efforts to steal the Empire's plans for the first Death Star. The cast includes Felicity Jones, Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker and Donnie Yen. Alan Tudyk, meanwhile, gives life to a motion-capture character. "Rogue One" is also the first Star Wars movie without any Jedi. On her own since age 15, Jones' character is introduced just as she's being charged with forgery of Imperial documents, possession of stolen property, aggravated assault and resisting arrest. After Rebel leader Mon Mothma describes her as "reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined," she replies," This is a rebellion, isn't it? I rebel." And wouldn't you know it? That kind of criminal record is exactly what the Rebels need. Like Rey (Daisy Ridley) taking the lead in 2015's "The Force Awakens," Jones's character is front and center, continuing in the studio's strong feminist streak. In 2013, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced two standalone movies were in development. Last year, he revealed "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" was the first, with a Han Solo origin story being the second. Gareth Edwards, whose credits include "Godzilla" and "Monsters," was hired to direct the blockbuster. Chris Weitz and Gary Whitta wrote the script, and Kathleen Kennedy and Tony To produced it. In March 2015, Lucasfilm previewed a different teaser at the Star Wars Celebration event in Anaheim, Calif., where Edwards showed mocked up footage of a lush planet and TIE Fighters. Months later, at Disney's D23 Expo, the full cast of the movie was revealed. "'Rogue One' takes place before the events of 'Star Wars: A New Hope' and will be a departure from the saga films but have elements that are familiar to the Star Wars universe," Kennedy, Lucasfilm's president, said in a statement. "It goes into new territory, exploring the galactic struggle from a ground-war perspective while maintaining that essential Star Wars feel that fans have come to know." The "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" trailer debuted on "Good Morning America" Thursday. The movie will land in theaters on Dec. 16. PHOTOS: "Star Wars" premieres around the world VIDEO: Felicity Jones dishes on her role in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" More rain is expected throughout the night and into Friday after a storm that arrived early Thursday. Rain first appeared in the southwest corner of San Diego County Thursday morning. "Most of this fell as light to moderate shower activity," NBC 7's Dagmar Midcap said of Thursday's rain. "We did get some decent amounts though, so far on average anywhere from about a tenth to just under half an inch in San Diego County." She said there's another system on the way from the Eastern Pacific Basin that may bring heavier showers on Saturday. There's about a 30% chance of showers Friday. Download the free NBC 7 mobile app to track the storm using our interactive radar. Fourteen tons of cocaine, seized this year by U.S. Coast Guard crews, arrived in San Diego Thursday. The crew of USCGs Bertholf hauled the drugs off the cutter at the Port of San Diego Broadway Pier on Harbor Drive before 8 a.m. HAPPENING NOW @uscoastguard unloads more than 158 thousand pounds of cocaine seized over the past 3 mths #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/yHl4Hb8UPH Liberty Zabala (@LibertyNBC7SD) April 7, 2016 The drugs were seized by USCG crews and a U.S. Navy ship patrolling whats considered a drug transit zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean, officials said. Coast Guard officials say more drugs have been seized in that area last year than all of 2012, 2013 and 2014 combined. Mount Olivet Cemetery is one of the most historic spots in Frederick, Maryland. Its the final resting place for dozens of soldiers from the War of 1812 and the Civil War, the first governor of Maryland, and the man who wrote our national anthem Francis Scott Key. And no one knows the property like Todd Fox. Pretty much whatever needed to be done, I was your guy, Fox said. For 17 years, Fox said he dug new graves and maintained the cemeterys 140-acre property, until he discovered a pile of paper sitting in the cemeterys break room. I glanced over the paper and I saw it was the cemetery credit card receipt from Home Depot, he said. In those receipts, obtained by the News4 I-Team, it is easy to see multiple purchases for building supplies from a store in Hagerstown, Maryland. I was like why would we drive the heck to buy something in Hagerstown when theres two Home Depots in Frederick? Fox asked. That didnt make any sense to me. Shane Study said he had just started working as the cemeterys sales manager when another employee asked him for help installing a fence. We showed up to his house, got into his truck and went to the Home Depot, Study told the I-Team. Rang up three or four hundred dollars of fence material and used the tax-exempt credit card from the cemetery. Mount Olivet is not a typical cemetery. Its a "community-owned" 501(c)13 not-for-profit organization meaning some employees get tax-exempt credit cards to make purchases without paying any sales tax. The News4 I-Team found multiple purchases with the cemeterys tax-exempt credit card from 2013 for 10-foot tall pressure treated posts, rapid set concrete and more than 120 dog-eared pickets. When the I-Team asked Study, Have you ever seen that many pickets on the cemetery property? Study answered, No. And I was there when it was installed at Ricks house. Study explained how he helped build a picket fence using those same materials from the Home Depot receipt at the Hagerstown home of one their bosses, Assistant Superintendent Rick Reeder. In that same pile of receipts, this time dating from 2014, the I-Team also found 29 gauge rib roofing panels in the color red. When the I-Team asked Study, Is there a red roof anywhere on the cemetery property? Study answered, No. The I-Team then asked, Where is there a red roof? Study said, Rick Reeders house in Hagerstown, Maryland. That red roof is hard to miss from the sky, as the I-Team discovered when Chopper4 flew over his home. The I-Team and Chopper4 couldnt find a red roof anywhere on the cemetery's property. "You end up on a slippery slope," according to Bruce Dubinsky. As Managing Director at Duff & Phelps, Dubinsky is an internationally recognized expert on financial fraud and is often called upon by the federal government to offer expert testimony on criminal fraud cases, including the Bernie Madoff trial. Dubinsky explained to the I-Team, If you take a credit card that was issued in the corporate not-for-profit name and go out and use that in conjunction with the tax exempt status and buy something personally, thats a problem. Thats violating both the state rules on the tax exemption and the rules of using that corporate credit card. But Study said Reeder told him he could use the tax-exempt card. He told us if we ever needed it, just to give him a shout and we could use it. And the I-Team found Reeder wasnt the only one making questionable purchases with that tax-free credit card. Matching up codes on just one receipt, the I-Team found a $349 dishwasher, a $579 microwave, a $1,000 refrigerator, a $1,100 range, and a $2,300 washer and dryer combo in the color red. They were all purchased with the cemeterys credit card tax-free. The I-Team also found a tractor cover, purchased tax-free with the cemeterys credit card at a Lowes store in Fredericksburg, Virginia, which is a three-hour drive from the cemetery. That Lowes is near Lake Anna, where the superintendent has a lake house, Fox said. According to the cemeterys website and financial records, Ron Pearcey is the cemeterys superintendent and lives in a home at the entrance to Mount Olivet Cemetery rent-free. But according to Virginia property records, Pearcey built a home now worth almost a half-million dollars on the banks of Lake Anna in 2007. Thats the same year all of those appliances were purchased with the cemetery's card. Both Fox and Study said theyve never seen the appliances anywhere on cemetery property. Theyre just using it for their personal gain, Study said. Pearcey isn't just Reeders boss, he's his stepfather. Thats why Fox and Study told the I-Team they took what they found to the cemeterys board of directors. But the results werent what they expected. Study and Fox told the I-Team they got fired while Pearcy and Reeder kept working there. The News4 I-Team reached out to Pearcey, Reeder and the cemeterys board president, Colleen Remsberg, by writing detailed letters and calling. Remsberg hung up. Fraud expert Dubinsky told the I-Team, The board has a duty to investigate it and go through a thorough investigation. If, in fact, they find that there was more problems and they dont do anything about it, the IRS could come in and revoke the tax exempt status of the organization. He explained that, generally, you can still get in trouble with the government for using a company card for personal expenses even if you offer to reimburse the money and taxes. The cemetery did finally provide a statement through its attorney, saying Mount Olivet takes these allegations seriously and after its investigation last Spring, the Board took prompt and appropriate action. But it wouldn't tell the I-Team what that action was, nor why the two men are no longer working at the cemetery, instead stating, The Board does not wish to discuss its actions publicly and with respect to personnel issues, it is the Boards practice to treat them as private and confidential. Prompting Study to say, I want people to know what is going on there. Its a piece of history. It should stay that way, and I think theyre running it into the ground. Mount Olivet released the following statement: Reported by Tisha Thompson, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Steve Jones. What to Know It is illegal to ride dirt bikes or ATVs on D.C. streets. Residents are fed up with riders who block traffic. D.C. police seek to arrest 245 persons of interest shown in surveillance images. Riders recently stopped an ambulance transporting a sick child, and dragged a police officer. D.C. police are cracking down on people who illegally ride dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles on city streets -- and they're asking for help from the public. Surveillance images of 245 persons of interest were released Thursday by the Metropolitan Police Department, which is offering a $250 reward for tips. All of the photos can be viewed in a document on the police department's website. Residents of D.C., Maryland and Virginia are fed up with dirt bike and ATV riders who swarm streets, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said. Riders recently hit and dragged a D.C. police officer and stopped an ambulance transporting a sick child. "We have had enough, our community has had enough, and the riders that we can identify, we are going to aggressively prosecute," she said. "The bikes we have seized will be destroyed." Metropolitan Police Department Lanier spoke Thursday morning at a meeting of law enforcement officials from across the region, including members of the Prince Georges County Police Department, Maryland State Police and United States Park Police. It is illegal to ride a dirt bike or ATV on D.C. streets, sidewalks, alleyways and trails. Riders have hit police officers and civilians, and 14 riders still are sought in connection with the May 2015 shooting death of reporter Charnice Milton. A D.C. police officer was hit over the weekend by a group of ATV and dirt bike riders, as News4 previously reported. Lanier said the officer is off-duty after being injured. "They made contact with his bike and dragged him," the police chief said. Officers recovered an ATV involved, but have not identified the rider. How to Report an ATV or Dirt Bike Rider If you see an ATV or dirt bike being operated illegally in D.C., take note of how you can describe the rider, vehicle and location, police say on the department's website. Call 202-727-9099 and report what you saw. If your tip leads to the identification of the rider and the seizure of the vehicle, the MPD's Command Information Center will give you a tip-tracking number you can use to collect a $250 reward. How DC Officials Are Cracking Down on 'Menacing and Dangerous' Riders Dirt bikes and ATVs confiscated in D.C. will be destroyed starting in May, Lanier said. "We want to be able to turn these into scrap," Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Kevin Donahue said. D.C. officials are pursuing legislation that would strengthen their ability to keep dirt bikes and ATVS being ridden illegally. The vehicles can be destroyed if they are found without serial numbers or licenses, but they cannot be destroyed if they have that identifying information. Under the current system, the same bike has been seized by police and recovered multiple times by different people, Donahue said. Attorney General Karl A. Racine said riders can expect to be charged. "[Riders] may think that they're just going out for a joyride, but they're causing a menacing and dangerous atmosphere, and they will be prosecuted," he said. Between July 2013 and July 2015, about 169 arrests of dirt bike and ATV riders were referred to prosecutors, Racine said. About 85 percent of those cases were prosecuted. From July 2015 to Wednesday, prosecutors received 34 cases, and more are expected. The offenders are mostly young adults age 18 to 24, but some are grown men, Racine said. First-time offenders usually are sentenced with probation. MPD officers do not chase the vehicles because doing so puts officers and the public at risk, the police chief said. "If a police officer in a police cruiser attempts to pursue these vehicles, what we know will happen, because we've seen it happen, is they will go up on the sidewalks and they will strike pedestrians. We're not going to do that," she said. "It's very frustrating for us as well." Montgomery County, Maryland, police arrested two men in connection with the kidnapping and rape of a 12-year-old girl in March. Detectives charged Enrique Carbajal, 24, and Victor Tome, 19, both from Wheaton, Maryland, with one count each of first-degree rape, second-degree rape, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and second-degree assault. Police in Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Virginia, are also investigating similar sex crimes in their respective areas. Police said Carbajal took the 12-year-old girl from her home in D.C. to his and Tomes shared residence in Wheaton on March 26. They said Carbajal did not have permission from the girls parents to take her anywhere. Investigators said the girl was sexually assaulted by the two men in Wheaton and then taken to an address in Virginia. The two men were arrested on April 6 and ordered held on a $500,000 bond. Prince William County school officials voted Wednesday night to go ahead with their decision to rename a middle school after an African-American community leader, News4's Meagan Fitzgerald reports. Last month, the Prince William County school board voted to rename Godwin Middle School, in Dale City, Virginia, after Dr. George Hampton. The name change has received major criticism in recent weeks. Board members said renaming the middle school after Hampton was a good idea because former Virginia governor Mills Godwin was a segregationist. Many residents came to the school board's meeting Wednesday to urge them to keep their decision before the vote. "You made the decision in this room. Stick with your decision and don't stir this county up," said one man to the board. "I urge the board to unanimously reject any motion to reconsider its vote, renaming the George M. Hampton Middle School for a segregationist," another man said. However, some teachers and students at the school disagreed and said a name change should never have been brought up to begin with. "No one gave a darn about Governor Godwin's character until there were two groups of people who wanted a name on a school and only one school to name," one woman said. "The whole ensuing debacle has been made into a black-white issue and it should not have been." Officials said community members remained respectful at the meeting. Looking to grab a beer after work today? Just in time for #NationalBeerDay, the food, drink and travel website Thrillist has released its list of the best beer bars in Boston. They include standards like the Sunset Grill and Tap in Allston and its nearly 500 beer selections, and Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square and Back Bay with its famous "wheel of beers." But there are also a few lesser-known gems. See the full list of bars here, and email us at shareit@www.necn.com to tell us about your favorite Boston beer bars. An 1840s home in Winooski, Vermont is being given away free, to make way for redevelopment on the property. Whoever takes the house would have to pay for the costs of removing it and relocating it to a new location. "It's a beautiful house," observed Linda Lawrence, who was walking by the home Wednesday. "I love the front. The front is gorgeous." The two-story East Allen Street house has a slate roof and gothic revival-style features. Construction engineer Nate Dagesse of EIV Technical Services in Williston is pledging to give away the 1,200 square-foot dwelling, with a recently-renovated interior, free. "It's a very structurally-sound house," Dagesse told necn. "It's going to be tough to find the right [recipient], but if we do, it'll be really exciting to see this happen." Dagesse said he plans to build a new 27-unit apartment building on the corner the house currently occupies. The City Lights project, as it is known, will have a ground-level commercial space for an office or small restaurant too, he said. The home has to go by mid-June to get ready for construction, Dagesse explained. He said the home removal could take place between June 1 and June 15. Moving old buildings is complicated and delicate work. The recipient of the house will need to comply with all applicable federal environmental standards regarding hazardous material removal, according to a posting about the free house on the city of Winooski's homepage. "I appreciate the historic value of it, but to move it, I imagine would be quite an expense," guessed neighbor Matthew Warnecke, who expressed appreciation that an effort is being made to preserve the property. Dagesse noted he is not an expert in moving buildings, but estimated the cost another firm may charge for the job would be around $50-60,000 dollars. He said the actual price could be more or less than that, and would depend a lot on where the house goes. He pointed out, because of the home's design and the fact it is 170-years-old, it would be best if it were moved a short distance. Dagesse said he will pay $5,000 toward the effort of moving the home. "We're giving that incentive as our way of helping that process move forward," he explained. Laura Treischmann, a state historic preservation officer with the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation, said it is not that common to have a home offered up free for preservation. She said her office does occasionally recommend the concept as part of the permitting process for new construction projects like this one that would otherwise call for demolition. Treischmann said her office sees the notion as appropriate when a property is 50-years-old or older, has architectural or historic significance, and is deemed sturdy enough to both survive a move and have value and life left in it afterwards. Treischmann added that the state will follow up on the offer as the would-be moving date approaches. Dagesse said if he can't find a taker, the building will be dismantled. As many of the building materials as possible would salvaged or recycled, he added, such as the slate in the roof and the boards in the floors. Click here for more information on the free house, from the city of Winooski's website. A middle school principal from Dedham, Massachusetts, is off the job after being accused of drunk driving. Debra Gately, the principal at Dedham Middle School, has been placed on administrative leave after her arrest on Sunday. According to police, Gately could barely stand up after she was pulled over. "Ms. Gately is a fantastic principal," said Melissa Giannangelo, a parent of a student. "Very well liked at the school, advocate for all the students. It's just, it's a sad situation." According to court documents, she was seen driving erratically on I-95 in Weston just after midnight on Sunday. Police say she nearly crashed her car four times. An off-duty Waltham Police officer had been following her and called 911. Gately pulled into this parking lot, and when police arrived, court records indicate she failed three sobriety tests. "I don't condone drinking and driving, but many of us have made mistakes over the years," said Lisa MacKinnon, whose child attends the school. "It's an unfortunate incident, and I'm just here to show my support." Investigators say Gately's blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. Gately is a former Principal of the Year, awarded by the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association. Wednesday night, the superintendent of the school district addressed the allegations and says he's disappointed in the incident. "I have spoken with Ms. Gately and she understands that her actions have generated unwanted attention for the school and the community," said Superintendent Michael Welch. Gately has been placed on leave for the time being. "I dont think that someone's life should be ruined for one mistake," said Nancy Kaaz. "She is loved by the children and the community." According to court records, the principal told police she had consumed three vodkas, but was unable to clearly communicate where she'd been. A squalid home caught fire Wednesday in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, according to fire officials. Crews responded to a fire at 129 Maple Ave. just after 5:15 p.m. Responders had trouble getting inside due to the clutter. The fire was under control within 10 minutes. Northborough Fire assisted at the scene, and Boylston Fire covered Shrewsbury's station. No one was injured in the fire, but it is estimated that it caused about $100,000 in damage. Investigators determined the fire was caused by a space heater that was too close to combustible materials. Police in New Hampshire say they've opened several separate investigations into alleged sexual misconduct and abuse by at least two current or former faculty members at an elite prep school. Authorities say their ongoing investigation has resulted in more reports by alumni of Phillips Exeter Academy, and that they've added extra staff to investigate each claim. For the first time since Some of the reports were only secondhand information or rumors, but there was enough to open separate investigations, according to police. The development comes just days after the elite prep school grabbed headlines across New England, admitting publicly that former history teacher, Rick Schubart, was fired in 2011 for his involvement with two students back in the 1970s and 80s. Governor Maggie Hassan apologized for keeping the former teacher on her supporter list during her 2012 campaign. Schubart has admitted to the sexual misconduct, but has never been criminally charged, because police say the statute of limitations has expired. Still, police announced Tuesday they were investigating reports of multiple allegations of misconduct and abuse the department had received from the school. "On the civil standpoint, there are a few more options," explained New Hampshire Attorney Peter Hutchins. He says outside the statute of limitations, these alleged victims could file civil suits against the school using what's called "the discovery rule." "It's a three-year statute that doesn't start to run until the victim, the plaintiff, puts together the fact that they were injured and that the injury was caused by some wrongful conduct of some defendant," Hutchins said. Hutchins successfully used this rule back in the early two 2000s when he represented dozens of victims in the church abuse scandal. He says there's a chance Phillips Exeter could be held accountable for failing to protect its students. "Particularly in the school context, it's called 'breach of fiduciary duty,' if a child is in a school, the school holds a higher duty because the kid is basically stuck there, the school has taken the place of the parent," Hutchins explained. Phillips Exeter spokesperson Robin Giampa wouldn't comment on the specific allegations, but did say in an email to necn, "We are grateful to Chief Shupe and the Exeter Police Department for their partnership throughout this process and we are committed to fully cooperating with their investigation." Victims or others who may have information about sexual misconduct or abuse at the school is asked to contact Exeter Police Detective Sgt. Michael Munck directly at 603-773-6144 or mmunck@exeternh.gov. A woman was stabbed Wednesday in Vermont, and police have arrested her alleged attacker. Police responded to a call at 3 Wall Street in Springfield, where they found an injured female suffering from a stab wound to her abdomen. The victim identified the assailant as Brian Butler. Just before 4 p.m. Butler was arrested and taken into custody in front of Village Pizza on Main Street. The victim was taken to the Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital for treatment. There was no word on her condition. Butler is scheduled to be arraigned at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday in the Windsor Superior Court. He's facing charges of attempted second degree murder, aggravated domestic assault and violation of conditions of release. A Newtown Middle School teacher was found with a concealed gun at the Connecticut school Wednesday morning and has been arrested and placed on administrative leave, according to police. Police officers responded to the school at 11 Queen St. around 9 a.m. after school staff called and said security staff were detaining a teacher who was seen in the school carrying a firearm, police said. The school is in the same town as Sandy Hook Elementary, where a deadly mass shooting in 2012 prompted strict gun laws statewide. Police identified the teacher as Jason M. Adams, 46, of Newtown, and said he was found with a concealed firearm. We really dont know the motive and why he was carrying it in school," Chief James Viadero with the Newtown Police said. After he was detained briefly, police charged Adams with possession of a weapon on school grounds. He was released on his own recognizance and is due in court in Danbury on April 20. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney. "This matter is very serious and troubling, both the Newtown Public School system and the Newtown Police Department took immediate steps to address the matter," the Newtown School System said in a statement that police released. "The teacher was immediately detained by security personnel. The teacher has additionally been placed on administrative leave pending an administrative investigation. Both agencies have been working closely together to investigate the incident and are taking precautions to ensure the continued safety of our students, staff and community members." The state of Connecticut enacted some of the strictest gun laws in the nation after the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, where 20 first graders and six educators were killed. One parent described Adams as "kind, helpful, considerate." Im shocked," Liz O'Connell, a student's parent, told NBC Connecticut. "I think its horrible, obviously I dont know the reason why but it was a stupid mistake." Adams has a valid State of Connecticut pistol permit, according to police. They have contacted the State's Licensing and Permit Unit and made them aware of the arrest. Police said school policy strictly forbids the possession of firearms on school property. Dan Corcoran contributed to this report. A Vermont town is opposing a proposal to fill a work camp's empty beds with dozens of inmates not eligible to serve time at the work camp. The Vermont House has approved a $5.77 billion state budget that included a provision to fill the empty beds at the Caledonia Community Work Camp in St. Johnsbury with 50 prisoners. The Caledonian Record reports a letter from the town to Democratic Rep. Alice Emmons of Springfield says it opposes the plan due to questions about the potential "negative" impact on the area. It's requesting the decision be delayed. Gov. Peter Shumlin announced plans to close the camp in January. About 50 beds in the 112-bed facility are vacant. The Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham has won a national award for providing boxes of Christian books to 21 local schools. The Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham has won a national award for providing boxes of Christian books to 21 local schools. Norma's care home jigsaw challenge complete A resident at Norwich-based care home Corton House has completed an incredible 70 jigsaw puzzles in celebration of the homes 70th anniversary this year. Read more Norwich charity's appeal to support Palestinian students A Norwich educational charity, set up in memory of a Norwich Anglican priest, to support students from a Palestinian refugee camp, is inviting people to support its Christmas appeal to be launched on November 29. Read more Norfolk drug and alcohol charity pays tribute to its founder Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Read more Cliff look alike at Cromer Church breakfast Cliff Richard tribute performer Will Chandler will be the speaker at a special Mens Breakfast at Cromer Parish Hall next month, and all men are welcome to come along. Read more Heartsease Lane Methodist church to close As part of a reorganisation of the Norwich Methodist Circuit, Heartsease Lane Methodist Church will be closing towards the end of the year. Read more Free Julian of Norwich reflection and prayer day The Friends of Julian of Norwich present a free Quiet Half-Day with Robert Fruehwirth, author and former Priest Director of the Julian Centre, on Saturday November 12, 10.30am-2pm. Read more What it means for us to repent Nigel Fox believes that now is the time for a tide of repentance, and shares his thoughts about what that actually means for our society. Read more Christmas card shop opens in Norwich church Thousands of Christmas cards from around 30 local Norfolk charities have gone on sale today (October 19) at the Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card Shop inside St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich city centre. Read more Revelation Christian Resource Centre and Cafe Revelation in Norwich is a Christian resource centre, offering a bookshop, a meeting place and a welcoming refuge for refreshment open to visitors of any faith or none. Read more Farewell as Yarmouth church leader moves on Captain Marie Burr, the Salvation Army leader in Great Yarmouth, has paid tribute to everyone at the church and charity after she left her post at the end of last month to move to a new role. Read more Norwich Cathedral chorister in BBC final Norwich Cathedral chorister Alice Platten has her sights set on being crowned BBC Young Chorister of the Year after reaching the final stages of the prestigious nationwide competition. Read more Norwich to hear pastor, Policeman and tramp tale Essex Baptist Pastor Dave McDowell has been a Policeman, fed orphans in India and lived under a boat as a tramp. He will tell his remarkable story at the October dinner of Norwich FGB on Wednesday October 26. Read more Pioneer UK leader speaks at Sheringham church Ness Wilson, national leader of the Pioneer network of churches, was the main speaker at a day of teaching and worship held at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham on 12 October, to be followed up by Word and Worship sessions at October half term. Read more Norwich event to give tips on bouncing forwards St Stephens in Norwich will be hosting an evening in October with Patrick Regan OBE, as he explores themes from his book Bouncing Forwards. Read more Youth for Christ lights a fire in north Breckland North Breckland Youth for Christ will be putting on a mini residential camp this year to coincide with Bonfire Night. Read more Delia Smith interviewed at Norwich church Top TV cook and well-known writer Delia Smith spoke about her faith at SOUL Churchs weekly Chapel gathering on October 11. Read more Children's Christian holiday club in Briston A half term childrens holiday bible club is taking place in Briston next week, and there is no charge to take part in the fun. Read more Meg Whitman doesn't shy away from a challenge. She led eBay from tiny startup to household name, ran for governor of California and, nearly five years ago, took the helm at Hewlett Packard and stabilized an organization stumbling badly from a variety of very public missteps. Having engineered the split of the Silicon Valley icon into consumer tech (HP, Inc.) and corporate-focused Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Whitman is now HPE's Chief Executive Officer. The IT market is undergoing fundamental and rapid change owing to cloud, mobile and other powerful drivers. The competitive landscape in which this $50 billion startup plays is also shifting dramatically, with a slew of emerging players and the prospect of the largest-ever tech merger of Dell and EMC. No sweat, right? In this installment of the IDG CEO Interview Series, we asked Whitman to talk directly to IT leaders about what the company split means for them as customers, and how HP Enterprise's new innovation agenda will help them transition to private and hybrid cloud. Whitman spoke with Chief Content Officer John Gallant about why HPE is better positioned than Dell/EMC to drive customer success, and about the company's strategy for hyper-converged infrastructure -- HPE's so-called Composable Infrastructure. She also shared insights on big data, cognitive computing, networking, high-performance computing and other critical growth areas for the company. Whitman discussed the challenges ahead and how she'd like perceptions of the company to change. I really want to focus on what your strategy, as well as some of your recent moves, mean for our readers, who are senior IT leaders. If I'm a CIO or another top IT executive who has considered HP a strategic partner over the years, how exactly does this split benefit my organization? First, I would say that the market is moving at lightning speed. I'm sure your audience says this to you every day. I've been in the IT industry for a long time. I've never seen it move this fast. And, in fact, part of the reason for the split was that we had to get smaller to go faster. What they will find, I believe, is a stronger, more agile, more innovative company that is better positioned to help them transform their IT infrastructure. Virtually every customer I talk to has an aging, siloed, relatively high cost and not as flexible an infrastructure as they would like. And they're going to have to get to a new place with better security, using big data, enabling a mobile generation of users. Most people, not everyone, but most customers need help thinking through that and actually getting it done. We hear terms like agile and nimble a lot. Can you give our readers some specific examples of what that means for them? Where is this agility actually showing up in terms of new investment or bringing things to market more quickly? It turns out these two businesses -- both HP, Inc. as well as Hewlett-Packard Enterprise -- are two different businesses. Right? The PC and printer business is a scale [business]. We sell six PCs a second at HP, Inc. MORE: Tech's Highest Paid CEOs The Hewlett-Packard Enterprise business is a solutions business. And we are now doubling down on innovation and R&D. We have introduced probably the fastest and most important innovation agenda that we have had -- at least since I've been here, for sure, and maybe in the last decade. A lot of long-time HP'ers tell me this is the best product lineup we've had in a decade. It is more focused. [According to data provided by an HPE spokesman, R&D increased both in absolute terms and as a percentage of revenue over the past three years. R&D grew from $1.95 billion and 3.4% of revenue in fiscal year 2013 to $2.33 billion and 4.5% of revenue in FY2015.] I'll just tell you personally, I went from running seven businesses to basically running CE plans trip to Forest City April 22 NRHEG Community Education announces a trip to Forest City, Iowa Friday, April 22. They will tour the Mansion Museum, Trinity Church, Waldorf College (with a buffet lunch), and the largest motorhome manufacturing facility in the world, Winnebago Industries, Inc. Do not wear open-toes shoes on this tour. Leaving at approximately 8:45 am (depending on where the most people are from either the bowling alley in New Richland or Gopher Stop in Ellendale) You will be notified as this trip gets closer. Please include phone number and email on your registration form. Cost: $70 (includes the cost of your meal, the bus and the tours). Register by April 15 by calling 507-417-2667. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 79F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. film-coated tablets Maraviroc Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about CELSENTRI. It does not contain all the information available. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using CELSENTRI against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again. What CELSENTRI is used for What CELSENTRI does CELSENTRI is used in combination with other anti-HIV medicines to treat HIV. It reduces the amount of HIV in your body and helps your immune system. CELSENTRI is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. You should take appropriate precautions to prevent transmission. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why CELSENTRI has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed CELSENTRI for another medical condition. This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription. How CELSENTRI works CELSENTRI's active ingredient (maraviroc) belongs to a group of medicines called 'CCR5 blockers'. CELSENTRI stops the HIV-1 virus entering the CD-4 cells in your blood (also called T-cells). These are the cells in your immune system that the HIV virus attacks. CELSENTRI works by blocking the most common entry point into the CD-4 cells called the 'CCR5 receptor'. Because the virus cannot enter the cell, it cannot attack it, and this prevents further damage to your immune system. CELSENTRI only stops the HIV-1 virus entering the cell, not HIV-2 (another rarer kind of the HIV virus). CELSENTRI also only stops types of HIV-1 that enter using the CCR5 receptor. Because of this, your doctor would have done a blood test to check what strain of HIV-1 you have before they prescribed CELSENTRI. CELSENTRI has not been studied in children less than 18 years of age. More treatment-naive patients in clinical studies using CELSENTRI had treatment failures and developed resistance to lamivudine compared to patients using efavirenz. Before you take CELSENTRI Use this sheet to check for things that might affect whether you use CELSENTRI, including: allergies other medical conditions pregnancy and breastfeeding other medicines you are taking When you must not take it Do not take CELSENTRI if you have an allergy to: any medicine containing maraviroc (the active ingredient of CELSENTRI) any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body rash, itching or hives on the skin Do not take this medicine if the expiry date printed on the pack has passed. Do not take CELSENTRI if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor. Before you start to take it Tell your doctor if you have allergies to: any other medicines, any other substances such as foods, preservatives or dyes Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have the following: liver problems or Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C infection, as your liver function may need to be closely monitored a history of low blood pressure, low blood pressure on standing (postural hypotension) or you are taking any medicine to lower blood pressure kidney problems heart problems Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. It is not known if CELSENTRI can harm your unborn child. If you become or plan to become pregnant while taking CELSENTRI your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking it. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. You should not breast-feed if you are infected with HIV because the virus may be transmitted through the breast milk. It is not known whether the active ingredient in CELSENTRI can pass into your breast milk. Therefore, mothers must not breast-feed during treatment with CELSENTRI. If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking CELSENTRI. Taking other medicines Some medicines may be affected by CELSENTRI or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines. Tell your doctor about: all prescription medicines all medicine you buy over-the-counter from a pharmacy or supermarket all complementary and alternative therapies anything you buy from a health food shop Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following: other medicines to treat HIV or Hepatitis C infections (e.g. efavirenz, etravirine, raltegravir, lopinavir, darunavir, delavirdine, elvitegravir, atazanavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, saquinavir, boceprevir or telaprevir) medicines to treat fungal infections (e.g. ketoconazole and itraconazole) medicines to treat bacterial infections (e.g. clarithromycin, telithromycin, rifampicin and rifabutin) medicines containing St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). St. John's wort can prevent CELSENTRI from working properly. Therefore, you should not take St. John's wort together with CELSENTRI medicines to treat seizures (fits) (e.g. carbamazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin Talk to your doctor if you are not sure whether you should take this medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid taking together with CELSENTRI. How to take CELSENTRI Take the medicine only as prescribed by your doctor. This may differ from the information contained in this leaflet. How much to take The usual dose of CELSENTRI is 150 mg, 300 mg or 600 mg twice a day. This depends on the other medicines that you are taking with CELSENTRI. Always take the dose recommended by your doctor. Your doctor will tell you the dosage for the other anti-HIV medicines and whether or not you should take them at a different time to CELSENTRI. How to take it Swallow your CELSENTRI tablets whole. Do not chew the tablets. CELSENTRI tablets may be taken with or without food. If you do not understand the instructions, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help. When to take it Take your medicine at about the same time each day. Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it. It is very important to take all your anti-HIV medicines as prescribed and at the right time of day. This can help your medicines work better. It also lowers the chance of your medicines becoming less effective in fighting HIV (also known as drug resistance). How long to take it Take the medicine for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This medicine helps to control your condition, but does not cure it. If you forget to take it If it is almost time for your next dose skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablet(s) as you would normally. If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed. This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect. If you find it hard to remember when to take your tablets, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help. If you take too much (overdose) Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much CELSENTRI. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Symptoms of an overdose may include dizziness or light-headedness when you stand or sit up quickly. If this happens, lie down until you feel better. When you get up, do so as slowly as possible. While you are taking CELSENTRI Things you must do If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking CELSENTRI. Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking CELSENTRI. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking CELSENTRI. You need to use safe sexual practices while taking CELSENTRI. CELSENTRI has not been shown to decrease the chance of giving HIV to your partner. Things you must not do Do not stop taking CELSENTRI or change the dose, even if you feel well, without telling your doctor. Do not take any other medicine without telling your doctor. Do not use CELSENTRI to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not give CELSENTRI to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you. Things to be careful of Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how CELSENTRI affects you. CELSENTRI may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to CELSENTRI before you drive a car, cycle, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous. Side effects Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using CELSENTRI, even if you do not think the problem is connected with the medicine or is not listed in this leaflet. Other side effects not listed here may affect some people. This medicine helps most people with the HIV infection but it may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects. Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them. The side effects in this sheet are divided into: common side effects serious side effects very serious side effects Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell or if your condition changes. It is often difficult to tell whether side effects are the result of taking CELSENTRI, effects of the HIV disease or side effects of other medicines you may be taking. For this reason it is very important to report any change in your condition. Your doctor may want to change your dose or advise you to stop taking CELSENTRI. Tell your doctor if The following list shows the more common side effects of CELSENTRI. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you: diarrhoea nausea or vomiting stomach pain or discomfort indigestion constipation dizziness abnormal sense of taste problems sleeping or abnormal sleep rash loss of appetite muscle spasms or pain cough joint pain fever colds, upper respiratory tract infections or flu-like symptoms Tell your doctor as soon as possible if The following list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention. Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following: 1. weakness, tiredness, headaches, being short of breath, dizziness and looking pale, fainting 2. signs of frequent infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers 3. loss of appetite, vomiting and/or upper right stomach pain, feeling generally unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin and eyes, passing less or more urine than normal, or a change of the colour of your urine, dark coloured urine 4. unexpected muscle aches or pain, paralysis or weakness 5. signs of infections such as: meningitis fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, stiff neck and sensitivity to bright light pneumonia fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, phlegm and occasionally blood 6. bleeding problems such as: bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, nosebleeds bleeding from the back passage (rectum) 7. convulsions, fits or seizures, shaking or tremors 8. swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin 9. any mental problems, such as epilepsy or fits loss of reflexes hallucinations 10. inability to move the muscles in the face 11. tingling or burning sensation in the hands or feet 12. lower back pain 13. feeling dizzy, faint or light headed when standing up Go to hospital if The following list contains very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital: chest pain or angina severe upper stomach pain, often with nausea or vomiting shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body blisters and peeling skin around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals widespread skin rash, itching or hives on the skin signs of stroke collapse, numbness or weakness of the arms or legs, headache, dizziness and confusion, visual disturbance, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and loss of speech meningitis fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, stiff neck and sensitivity to bright light Changes in your immune system. A condition called Immune Reconstitution Syndrome can happen when you start taking HIV medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and could begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body such as pneumonia, herpes virus or tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you develop new symptoms after starting your HIV medicines. Possible chance of infection or cancer. Although there is no evidence from the clinical trials of an increase in serious infections or cancer, CELSENTRI affects other immune system cells and therefore may potentially increase your chance of getting other infections or cancer. After using CELSENTRI Storage Keep the CELSENTRI tablets in their pack until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets out of the pack they may not keep well. Keep CELSENTRI in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 degrees C. Do not store CELSENTRI or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines. Disposal If your doctor tells you to stop using CELSENTRI or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over. Product Description What it looks like CELSENTRI film-coated tablets are blue in colour and oval-shaped. The tablets are marked with "MVC" followed by the tablet strength on one tablet side. CELSENTRI 150 mg and 300 mg film-coated tablets are supplied in a polyvinyl chloride/foil blister pack or a polyvinyl chloride/child resistant foil blister pack in a carton of 60 tablets. Ingredients The active ingredient in CELSENTRI is maraviroc. Each tablet contains either 150 mg or 300 mg of maraviroc. The inactive ingredients are: microcrystalline cellulose calcium hydrogen phosphate sodium starch glycollate magnesium stearate The film-coat [Opadry II Blue (85G20583)] contains: indigo carmine CI73015 soya lecithin macrogol 3350 polyvinyl alcohol talc titanium dioxide Supplier CELSENTRI is supplied in Australia by: ViiV Healthcare Pty Ltd Level 4, 436 Johnston Street Abbotsford Victoria 3067 Australia Argentinian researchers from the Centro de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas have developed a new trap that can be used to effectively monitor and control the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the primary transmitter of Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The trap is described in the Journal of Medical Entomology. The plastic ovitrap is a small cup made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) that has been infused with the larvicide pyriproxyfen. When the cup is filled with water, the larvicide is immediately released from the plastic. Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes prefer to deposit eggs in small containers such as pots and tires that contain water, so the trap is an attractive egg-laying location. "This is a great idea," said Grayson Brown, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, who was not involved in the research. "Pyriproxyfen likes to move around in the environment. Molding it into the plastic like that keeps it where you put it." Although ovitraps have been used for decades as a means of conducting mosquito surveillance, the use of plastic containing the larvicide pyriproxyfen is a new development in the effort to control mosquitoes. In their study, the researchers tested the trap on laboratory-raised Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and reported that the larvicide was 100 percent effective in preventing the larvae from developing into adults. Pyriproxyfen has gained notoriety through false reports by activists who claimed that it caused microcephaly. However, that claim was debunked by the Entomological Society of America. The Brazilian government has also stated that the association between the use of pyriproxyfen and microcephaly has no scientific basis. Pyriproxyfen is a juvenile hormone analog that prevents insect larvae from developing into adults. It is one of several pesticides recommended by the World Health Organization Pesticide Evaluation Scheme. Dr. Brown, who recently co-organized a meeting in Brazil called the Summit on the Aedes aegypti Crisis in the Americas, thinks that the cups would be most effective on a neighborhood basis, with perhaps one or two cups in the equivalent of a back yard. He also believes that the concept of pyriproxyfen embedded in plastic can go well-beyond the small cups used in the study. "When I read through the paper, I immediately started thinking of disposable liners for drain pans and outside potted plants, and disposable liners for bird baths," he said. However, Brown cautioned that it is hardly a "silver bullet." "This is another potential tool [to control mosquitoes], and we need all the tools we can get," he said. Dr. Laura Harburguer, one of the co-authors, said that the scientists are preparing to do field trials of the trap in the fall, and that they are testing attractants to preferentially lure the mosquitoes to the ovitraps. For epilepsy patients and attending physicians, it has been a challenge to correctly assess the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures without inpatient recording equipment. A consortium coordinated by the epileptologists of the University Hospital Bonn is now developing a mobile sensor that can detect seizures. A warning signal is designed to summon relatives or attending physicians to provide timely help. The project "EPItect" will receive about two million Euro in subsidies from the German Federal Ministry of Research (BMBF) over the next three years. 635,000 Euro will go to Bonn. In carrying out the ambitious undertaking, the consortium will receive support from the project sponsor VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH. Epileptic seizures can take very different courses: Some of those affected smack their lips; others engage in unmotivated fumbling with their clothing; others "go out" completely for a short time; and some actually suffer the muscular twitching that is considered typical. "It is not easy to classify all the symptoms correctly", says Prof. Dr. Christian E. Elger, Director of the Department of Epileptology of the University Hospital Bonn. Some of the seizures even occur during sleep; those affected often don't notice anything at all. "We estimate that the patients consciously perceive a maximum of half their seizures", adds Private Docent Dr. Rainer Surges, lead consultant at the Department of Epileptology at the University Hospital Bonn and coordinator of the joint project. This subjective misperception of the frequency and strength of seizures impedes both the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. The "thunderstorms in the brain" can usually be recorded clearly using electroencephalography, but that requires a hospital stay. "Mobile measuring devices could be integrated much better into the everyday activities of patients", says Dr. Surges. Just such a mobile miniature sensor system is currently under development by a consortium led by the Department of Epileptology of the University Hospital Bonn. The project "EPItect" will receive about two million Euro in subsidies from the German Federal Ministry of Research (BMBF) over the next three years, including 635,000 Euro for the Bonn Hospital. Minisensor measures symptoms in the ear The company Cosinuss GmbH in Munich has already developed an epilepsy sensor, which is placed in the ear like a hearing aid. The measuring device will be miniaturized even further and optimized for this purpose. "In a preliminary study sponsored by the Marga and Walter Boll Foundation, we found that epileptic seizures can be detected very well via an accelerated pulse and certain patterns of movement", reports Dr. Surges. These symptoms can be measured by the little ear bud. It is designed to transmit the signals via a connected smartphone to a central computer that continuously checks the incoming data for abnormalities and to warn patients, relatives, and attending physicians if necessary. This is because, in the worst case, epileptic seizures can end in death, for instance due to serious accidents with fatal injuries or due to cardiac arrest in the so-called sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. More autonomy and easier care for patients The focus of the project is to develop such automated data and alarm chains and to test and optimize them together with epilepsy patients, relatives, and caregivers. EPItect is designed to make the lives of patients easier and provide assistance in many ways: "Epilepsy patients are often afraid of unpredictable seizures in public", reports Dr. Surges. They can be expected to regain more autonomy, if they can better estimate the current risk of a seizure. Relatives do not have to be afraid that patients will not get care if a new seizure occurs, because a doctor could be called automatically. And the signals of the in-ear sensor give scientists much more reliable data. "With EPItect we can expect to make better diagnoses, because the frequency and severity of seizures can be recorded better", says Prof. Elger. The same goes for the development of new therapies: In clinical studies, the mobile mini-sensor can be used to provide more reliable data, for example regarding the drug that reduces the seizures most effectively. The EPItect project includes not only adults but also younger patients. "Since many children and adolescents also suffer from epilepsy, we hope to achieve important progress for this target group using the sensor system", says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Stephani, Director of the Department of Neuropediatrics at the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital in Kiel. The consortium plans to have the new technology available for patients and clinical trials in a few years. In the first step, a study will be done with selected patients. Later EPItect will be made available to a broader group of patients. "In epileptology we are just at the beginning of a breakthrough in mobile healthcare technologies and telemedicine", says Dr. Surges. Integrative medicine (IM) is coming of age in the U.S. military, with the first example of widespread implementation of an IM technique being the popular use of acupuncture to treat pain in combat settings. The successful integration of this IM technique, its use by military medical acupuncturists, and implications for introducing other IM programs in the future are examined in an Editorial published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website until May 5, 2016. Richard Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, United States Air Force Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Medical Acupuncture, led a team of coauthors from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (Bethesda, MD), Samueli Institute (Alexandria, VA), William Beaumont Army Medical Center (El Paso, TX), Shoreland, Inc. (Arlington, VA), Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC (Richmond, VA), Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor (Washington Navy Yard, DC), Pentagon Flight Medicine Clinic (Washington, DC), and Corporal Michael J. Crescent VA Medical Center (Philadelphia, PA) in developing the Editorial entitled "Integrative Medicine in the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs: Cautious Steps Forward." The authors describe the U.S. military's implementation of the auricular Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) technique in its Warrior Transition Unit clinics, which treat large numbers of soldiers injured in combat. They highlight the methods that contributed to the successful integration of BFA including strategies to introduce and encourage the use of acupuncture, administrative needs of the program, and data collection to assess outcomes. The model developed here and the lessons learned will be useful as the military explores additional IM techniques. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, the United States Army, the United States Navy, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government. When Harpeth Risings violinist and songwriter Jordana Greenberg moved to Nashville for a short time a few years ago, she found herself living near the Harpeth River, a 115-mile stream that runs through Middle Tennessee. We liked the idea of naming ourselves after water because of the idea of fluidity, which translates so well to music, and which we think is important to always be adaptable in your music, Greenberg says on a phone call last week. Like the river from which its name was chosen, Harpeth Risings music embodies a strength and fluidity. Were all classically trained, and classical music is a big and important part of our lives, Greenberg says. Our music, our original music and our arrangements and even the way we perform, for us, its very reminiscent of the chamber ensembles that we played in. We communicate like a small chamber ensemble when were onstage. Together, the trio of women melds their voices in intricate three-part harmonies alongside banjo, violin, cello and foot percussion to create a blend of music that combines classical instrumentation with Appalachian folk, bluegrass and gospel. They have a fresh sound. While theyre playing traditional instruments, theyre doing new and creative things with their pieces, says Karen Nuzzo, programming chair for the Friends of the Bedford Public Library concert series, which will welcome Harpeth Rising on Saturday. Im always looking for people who are pushing the envelope in terms of what is possible in a genre of music, and they seem to be doing just that, Nuzzo says. Yes, its traditional genres, but theyre bringing a newness and a youthfulness to it that is exciting. A lot of the pieces are songs youll want to listen to over and over again. While it may come as a surprise, Greenberg says classical music and folk share a long history together. Theres a little bit of a chicken and an egg question as to which came first, but I can tell you classical composers have been incorporating folk music into their music for centuries, she says. A lot of classical musicians are beginning to form ensembles and then worry about putting a label on it later. That was exactly the case for Harpeth Rising. Greenberg and cellist Maria Di Meglio met while studying at Indiana Universitys Jacobs School of Music, while Michelle Younger, a recent band replacement and a Charlottesville native, came to their attention through professors. Each instrumentalist has a history with music and a list of performance accomplishments, but the three women only became a full-time touring ensemble four years ago. In that short amount of time, Harpeth Rising has racked up some serious accomplishments, including several tours in the United Kingdom. The bands largest European tour to date is coming in November and includes stops in the Netherlands, Germany and possibly Switzerland. Its funny because theres still some states we havent made it to, she says. The band has also released an album almost every year since 2010, and its newest, Shifted, debuted at No. 1 on the Folk DJ Charts. Still, Harpeth Rising has managed to create dynamically different albums every time. Its a sparse album in the sense that theres just the trio, Greenberg says. We just wanted to, in some ways, explore what we could do organically between the three of us. So, three stringed instruments, three voices and four pieces of foot percussion. Thats what you hear on the album and thats what we do in our live shows. Even as they continue to experiment and explore the vast territories of musical landscapes at their disposal, the musicians continue to rely on techniques from their classical training. The three of us have never been afraid to improvise, says Greenberg. I think people sometimes think of classical music or classical musicians and they say, Oh, theyre very rigid. They play whats written for them, but thats actually a very modern form of classical music. Four hundred years ago, the musicians who were playing [violin] concertos would improvise or compose their own credenzas. Thats not done as frequently anymore, but its coming back. Improvisation has been a part of classical music for hundreds of years. In that same vein of improvisation, Harpeth Rising learns all its music by ear, without writing a single note down. I think that writing something down in some ways commits you to it, Greenberg says. We want to leave that door open. And when you play as many concerts as we do, the music will develop over the course of time. Sometimes once youve performed something 75 times, suddenly one night youll go, I hear this differently. We want to make sure we always feel like we can do that and were not tied down to the original form of a song. Superhero teams have been a staple of the comic book medium since the '40s when the Justice Society of America got together. Now, decades later, the JSA's successors, the Justice League, are on the verge of disbanding in April when Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the League's core lineup apparently will die on a mission in space. But there are plenty of other superhero teams out there to keep fighting the good fight, so in honor of the Justice League's impending sacrifice, here are the ten best superhero teams of all time! 10. Gen 13/X-Force (Tie) Best superhero teams: Gen-13/X-Force (Image credit: Marvel Comics/DC Comics) We thought long and hard about including a defunct superteam book on a list of the 10 best but is there another team book that epitomized an entire era better than the original Jim Lee/J. Scott Campbell Wildstorm series Gen 13? Well, maybe Rob Liefeld's X-Force, so that's why they're tied for 10th place in our list. While X-Force is/was of course a Marvel series, it helped usher in the Image Comics era by launching Liefeld into superstardom along with his Marvel peers like Jim Lee and Marc Silvestri and helped establish the Image house style. The title's influence lives on today, with the X-Force name undergoing several recent revivals before its current 'Dawn of X' incarnation as the Krakoan black-ops team. If X-Force helped established the Image era, Gen 13 serves as one of its most recognizable historical markers. An even closer play off of the '90s X-Men (the Image breeding ground) than any of its Image contemporaries (Cyberforce, Youngblood, WildCATS) the series featured a young, outcast super-powered team of the grunge era (including a character actually named 'Grunge'), with a heavy leaning towards racy 'good girl' art, metric tons of variant and promotional covers (13 in total for the first issue) and of course, as the series went on, the requisite shipping irregularities. It even launched its young artist in superstardom and onto his own creator-owned work (Danger Girl) in a fitting bit of history repeating itself. 9. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Best superhero teams: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Image credit: DC Comics) Much like how the Justice League gathered the most popular superheroes in the DC Universe, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen took the, ahem, 'novel' approach of uniting some of the greatest fictional characters of the Victorian era into a superhero team of sorts. From the unique mind of legendary writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O'Neill, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen stars Allan Quatermain from King Solomon's Mines, Mina Harker from Dracula, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde and the Invisible Man, brought together by the grandfather of James Bond. The unconventional concept caught on and even inspired a 'better if we don't mention it' 2003 film. 8. Justice Society of America Best superhero teams: Justice Society of America (Image credit: DC Comics) The Justice Society of America is the original. It's the first team of superheroes to gather on the comic book page in history, predating even the much more famous Justice League of America. In 1940's All-Star Comics #3 (opens in new tab), the team debuted during the 'Golden Age' of comic books and included characters like the early versions of Green Lantern, the Flash, the Atom, and the Sandman. Following the team's original run, it was two notable revivals that really cemented the Justice Society's place in history - first in 1961's The Flash #123 (opens in new tab), which established DC's Earth-2, and then in 1999, when a relaunched series reunited some of the original characters and introduced new blood to the roster. 7. Legion of Super-Heroes Best superhero teams: Legion of Super-Heroes (Image credit: DC Comics) Many people won't realize this, but the Legion of Super-Heroes actually existed before most of the other groups on this list. What most people do know, however, is that there have been many conflicting continuities for the team, making this group of teen heroes from the future one of the most confusing and complicated groups of characters ever in comic books. Originally from the 30th (now 31st) century, the Legion of Super-Heroes was inspired by tales of Earth's heroes from the 20th and 21st Centuries, particularly Superman. What was originally a one-off guest star spot in 1958's Adventure Comics #247 (opens in new tab)turned into frequent guest spots and several ongoing series of their own over the next 50 odd years. The LSH's long, storied history includes 1982's iconic Darkseid-centric 'The Great Darkness Saga (opens in new tab)' although in recent years they've had a hard time sticking around. Its last ongoing title by writer Brian Bendis and artist Ryan Sook lasted 12 issues over 2019-2021. They just returned, albeit with some heavy competition, in Justice League vs. Legion of Super-Heroes. Despite DC struggling to recapture past glory, the Legion is a bastion of hope, a sign that super-heroic ideals can survive for millennia, and they allow us to peek far into the future. And of course, who wouldn't want one of those awesomely helpful Legion flight rings for themselves? 6. Watchmen (Minutemen) Best superhero teams: Watchmen (Minutemen) (Image credit: DC Comics) Yes, yes, in the time of Watchmen (opens in new tab), these people weren't a team anymore, but the characters in arguably the most revered comic book story ever were once a team called the Minutemen, and are definitely an ensemble cast. This is not your classic superhero squadron. These individuals are as dysfunctional as they come. We have rapists, murderers, egomaniacal madmen, borderline schizophrenics, and a mad scientist. These aren't people to look up to, these aren't people to idolize, and they might not even be people that can really leave the world a better place than it was when they got there. And that's what people love about their stories. It's a group of actual people with actual problems doing extraordinary things. They also helped to usher in the idea that you could tell superhero stories primarily for adults, which is how most superhero comics are written today. The book's popularity inspired a 2009 film and a highly controversial series of prequel miniseries, Before Watchmen. The characters returned in DC's Doomsday Clock (opens in new tab) limited series, and more recently in the Rorschach (opens in new tab) series. On the live-action side, HBO's recent Watchmen show somewhat redeemed the franchise and left viewers wanting more. 5. Teen Titans Best superhero teams: Teen Titans (Image credit: DC Comics) Comic books have a long tradition of the teen superhero, dating back to the introduction of Batman's famous sidekick Robin in 1940. So it made sense when the most famous teen superhero team of all, the Teen Titans, debuted in 1964 with a lineup including Robin, along with Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl. Following many incarnations and a roster expansion including not just sidekicks, but independent teen heroes like Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven, the title is essentially a permanent fixture in DC's plans. Teen Titans has been the archetypal teen superhero book for generations, inspiring everything from Gen 13 (tied for tenth on this list) to Rick Veitch's Bratpack, to even other DC Comics, like Young Justice and Titans, starring now-grown versions of the original membership. Like many of the teams on this list, the Teen Titans have been represented in other forms of media - most notably a mid-2000s anime-esque Cartoon Network series, itself relaunched as a comedy series called Teen Titans Go!, which jumped to the big screen in 2018. If you like this, you'll love the best Teen Titans comics of all time. 4. Fantastic Four Best superhero teams: Fantastic Four (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Strictly speaking, the Fantastic Four aren't so much a superhero team as they are a family of super-powered adventurers. And it's that unique nature that's made them stand out for 50 years. Sure, they've saved the world dozens of times and amassed an impressive roster of supervillain foes, but the Fantastic Four has always been more about the spirit of exploration than meting out justice, and the power of intelligence over brute force. And though there have been many temporary lineup changes over the year, the Fantastic Four's core of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing has remained one of the most beloved dynamics in all of fiction. Debuting in 1961, the Fantastic Four kickstarted the Marvel Age of comic books, leading the way for the Avengers, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and a revived Captain America. The team has been adapted into a variety of media from cartoons to four live-action movies, three that made it into theaters and one that will never (legally) see the light of day and stayed a consistent presence in Marvel's publishing line until 2015. The FF had one of their biggest moments in the Secret Wars, in which Reed Richards saved Marvels multiverse from his nemesis Doctor Doom, but took his family to an extra-dimensional space, leaving them on a hiatus from comics for years - up until the current Fantastic Four run by writer Dan Slott. Make sure you've read all of the best Fantastic Four stories out there. 3. X-Men Best superhero teams: X-Men (Image credit: Marvel Comics) When the Children of the Atom were first created in 1963, at the height of Marvel's character creation boom, they had a bit of trouble getting a foothold on the comic reading audience. After 66 issues, the book went into reprints for years. Then along came Len Wein and Dave Cockrum with an "All-New, All-Different" cast in 1975, and the team became a top seller for the next several decades. After that first revival, John Byrne and Chris Claremont took the book to the top, with stories like 'The Dark Phoenix Saga (opens in new tab).' In the early '90s, Claremont teamed with artist Jim Lee for another fresh relaunch, and the team received an incredibly popular animated television series. A third revival is underway, thanks to Jonathan Hickman's revolutionary House of X / Powers of X (opens in new tab) event in 2019. That led to a two-year run on the X-Men title by Hickman, with a family of mutant titles springing up around it - which recently only recently concluded. Relive the greatest hits with our expansive list of the best X-Men stories of all time. 2. Justice League of America Best superhero teams: Justice League of America (Image credit: Marvel Comics) So the hard part wasn't picking the #1 and #2 superteams in comic book history, it was picking which was #1 and which was #2. The Justice League has a lot going for it. It's the team almost all modern-day superteams are modeled after or were inspired by, which almost got it the top spot by default. It traditionally stars no less than three (Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman) of arguably the five most iconic and recognizable superheroes on the planet (Spider-Man and the Hulk are the other two, in case you're wondering, though the latter is now in debate with Iron Man). And it's been a consistent seller since the dawn of the 'New 52,' with a regular stable of spin-offs in tow. Of course, in April, most of the Justice League is going to die on a mission in space, and the League will apparently disband as a result. Up until a certain 2012 movie, it was probably even more of a household name than any other team or title in this countdown, so in the end, the Justice League only finished #2 because of who finished #1... But if you like Justice League, you'll love our recommended best Justice League stories of all time. 1. The Avengers Best superhero teams: The Avengers (Image credit: Marvel Comics) ...and that's Earth's Mightiest Heroes, of course. From a purely comic book standpoint, Justice League likely beats out Marvel's now-flagship The Avengers by a hair or two. Despite being one of the biggest franchises in the world of published comic books since Brian Bendis' 2004-2005 'Avengers Dissassembled (opens in new tab)''/ New Avengers (opens in new tab) one-two-revamp/relaunch-punch, the title still doesn't quite have the historical pedigree of DC's preeminent team. Being the first, being the prototype, and having a broad pop-cultural reach due to its '70s and '80s Saturday morning Super Friends cartoon off-shoot gives Justice League that edge. But by virtue of beating their DC counterparts to the big screen in a series of coordinated feature films leading to an incredibly successful quartet of live-action films (and a quintet, really), in the big picture it's hard to overlook the backbone of a literal 11-figure media property as being the biggest comics' team going at the moment - and one of the biggest movie franchises ever. Here are our recommended best Avengers stories of all time. Help us settle an argument by figuring out what are the most useful superpowers Many of the most well-known supervillains operate on their own - no wonder, considering how many of them are unconscionably evil. But others, including some who despite being A-Listers when they go solo, have made a habit of teaming up with other like-minded miscreants. In fact, you might say it's shaping up to be a supervillain team-centric summer, as Spider-Man's arch-enemies the Sinister Six, are reuniting for a new Marvel summer event titled Sinister War starting in July, while August brings the release of DC movie The Suicide Squad (which features a bunch of villains trying to make good, of course). With all that in mind, we're counting down the greatest supervillain teams ever. 10. The Legion of Super-Villains (Image credit: DC) Weighing in at around 20 members at any given time, the Legion of Super-Heroes is one of the largest and greatest super-teams of all time. Most of the members have been active as heroes since a very early age, and almost all of them have had their powers from birth. Considering a force with that much power, it takes an equal or greater force to challenge them. Enter the Legion of Super-Villains; in almost every way, the opposite number for their heroic counterpart. The LoSV is composed of some of the greatest criminals of the 30th century, many of whom are possessed of the same, or similar powers of the Legionnaires they challenge. They've even included Superboy Prime, a villainous counterpart to LoSH mainstay Superboy. While their membership has varied through the years, just like the Legion of Super-Heroes, the Legion of Super-Villains revolve around a core membership of three villains, Lightning Lord, Cosmic King, and Saturn Queen, who are in some way funhouse mirror versions of the three founding Legionnaires, Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy, and Saturn Girl. 9. The Serpent Society (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Unlike many of the teams on this list, the members of The Serpent Society rarely operate on their own, preferring instead to overwhelm their heroic nemeses with sheer numbers. Though they are primarily enemies of Captain America, the Serpent Society has gone up against foes like the Avengers, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and numerous others. The members of the Serpent Society all possess identities based on different snakes, and their powers (sometimes loosely) correspond to those identities. Numerous serpents have come and gone from the society over the years, but members such as the mutated King Cobra, the deadly Black Mamba, the cybernetic Bushmaster, the size-changing Puff Adder, and the powerful Anaconda remain core members of the group. Former members that have gone on to notable careers on both sides of the hero/villain spectrum include Viper, Sidewinder, Princess Python, and Diamondback. The Society has had several other splinter groups associated with it, including the Serpent Squad, and the Serpent Syndicate. 8. The Frightful Four (Image credit: Marvel Comics) For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and every coin has a flip side. The Fantastic Four is no different. They aren't their most well-known enemies, but the Frightful Four are certainly some of their most powerful foes. Led by the both brilliant and evil Wizard, the Frightful Four have often included a handful of other villains that usually mirror the members of the Fantastic Four, relying on the elements of intelligence, strength, energy control, and body manipulation. Originally comprised of Wizard, Sandman, Medusa, and Trapster, later versions of the team have included Sandman, Thundra, Titania, Klaw, Lyra, and even members of the Wrecking Crew. 7. Suicide Squad (Image credit: Suicide Squad) Amanda Waller and Rick Flag's Task Force X, nicknamed the "Suicide Squad," is a government team that brings together some of DC's worst super-criminals to take on missions too dangerous for normal operatives in exchange for their freedom if they survive. Corralled by Waller's force of will and usually lethal devices that keep them in line, the Squad doesn't exactly reform villains as much as it points them in a more favorable direction. Over the years, the Squad's membership has fluctuated wildly largely thanks to many of its members being expendable but in its early years, it had mainstays such as Captain Boomerang, Count Vertigo, Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, Enchantress, Blockbuster, and even the Joker. Dozens of other villains, some B-Listers, some more prominent, came and went in this incarnation, with the team's formula usually remaining largely the same. In contemporary DC comics the Squad has revolved around Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark, El Diablo, Captain Boomerang, Parasite, and the Cheetah, among many others. The team is getting a new movie in the summer of 2021 as well titled simply The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame. 6. The Injustice League/Gang (Image credit: DC) Over the years, there have been various versions of the Injustice Gang and Injustice League, with perhaps their most iconic roster rearing its head during Grant Morrison's legendary run with the JLA. Consisting of some of the most feared archenemies of the seven primary Justice League members, this version of the Injustice Gang nearly succeeded in defeating the entire JLA. Lead by Lex Luthor, the Gang consisted of the Joker, Dr. Light, Circe, Mirror Master, Ocean Master, and the alien Jemm, Son of Saturn. This incarnation of the Injustice Gang was so powerful that their defeat came only because their Joker was secretly Plastic Man, who infiltrated the Gang as an operative of the Justice League. In recent years, Lex Luthor brought the team name 'Legion of Doom' into mainstream DC continuity in the pages of - where else? - Justice League, though he's since disbanded his version of the team. 5. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Image credit: Marvel Comics) In many ways, the Brotherhood is very similar to their classic enemies, the X-Men. Both are groups of mutants united behind a visionary leader, with the intent of preserving the mutant race. The similarities end when you consider their methods. The Brotherhood has often attempted to save mutantkind by eliminating or subjugating humanity, rather than attempting to peacefully co-exist. Originally founded by Magneto, the Brotherhood has been led by Mystique, Exodus, and even Magneto's lackey (and most recently Jean Grey School janitor) Toad. Other notable mutants that have joined their cause include Mastermind, Blob, Sauron, Black Tom Cassidy, Avalanche, Sabretooth, Pyro, and even the reformed villains and classic Avengers Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Nowadays, pretty much all mutants are on the same side (more or less) making a home on the sovereign mutant island nation of Krakoa including most of the Brotherhood members over the years, right down to Magneto himself. 4. The Crime Syndicate of America (Image credit: DC) Through their 50-plus year history, the Justice League of America has had a few different "opposite" teams, though none have been as literal of a match as the Crime Syndicate of America. Hailing from an alternate Earth where everything is reversed, the CSA are twisted, evil versions of several core members of the Justice League who represent everything that the JLA stands against. While there have often been various secondary members based on less prominent Justice Leaguers, the core members of the CSA are Ultraman, a violent, sociopathic version of Superman; Superwoman, a domineering, seething opposite to Wonder Woman; Owlman, the murderous, corrupt flipside of Batman; Johnny Quick, a drug-addicted, arrogant version of the Flash; and Power Ring, a weak-willed, cowardly counterpart to the Green Lantern. The Crime Syndicate are the subjects of a current six-issue limited series. 3. The Rogues (Image credit: DC) While Flash's arch-enemies are often less of a formal team and more of a "villain's union" than many on this list, they are nonetheless a collective of the Flash's most powerful individual foes who band together to get the best of the Scarlet Speedster. One of the most unique things about the Rogues is their modus operandi, which binds them together even when they are not operating as a team. Rogues follow a strict code of conduct, and will not grant membership to those villains who refuse their rules, believing that adherence to this code is what gives them an advantage over heroes, and even other villain groups. The Rogues have, at various times, welcomed characters like the Trickster, Abra Kadabra, and the Pied Piper into their ranks, but the core members have almost always been Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Captain Boomerang, and Heatwave. 2. The Sinister Six (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Comprised of six of Spider-Man's most iconic villains (which six tend to vary with each incarnation), the Sinister Six are one of the most effective and dangerous villain teams ever. Usually led by Doctor Octopus, the various incarnations of the team have challenged not only Spider-Man but Iron Man, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and most recently, the Avengers. Despite their brute strength, cunning, and Doc Ock's great intelligence, the team's downfall has almost always been a lack of cohesion, as the egos of the members almost always clash when their chips are down. In addition to Doc Ock, traditional members include Electro, Sandman, and Mysterio, with the last two spots on the team being taken up, at various times, by Kraven the Hunter, the Vulture, Hobgoblin, and Venom, Rhino, and the Chameleon. In July, Spider-Man will face a new Sinister Six comprised of Doctor Octopus, Electro, Sandman, Hydro-Man, Lizard, and Kraven as they go to battle with the new Savage Six villain team of Vulture, Tarantula, Scorpion, Stegron, Rhino, and Cobra in an event titled Sinister War. 1. The Masters of Evil (Image credit: Marvel Comics) While there are some that are comprised of more recognizable members, very few villain teams are as successful, as dangerous, or as feared as the Masters of Evil. Formed by Baron Heinrich Zemo to take down the fledgling Avengers, the Masters of Evil have almost always relied on raw power over reputation, counting nearly as many members and former members as the Avengers themselves, though few Masters are as renowned as their heroic counterparts. Over the years, the team has been lead by villains like Ultron, Egghead, and Dr. Octopus, with their most successful incarnations almost always united under one of the Barons Zemo. It was under Heinrich's son Helmut (as in Helmut Zemo of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) that the Masters undertook their two most successful missions: destroying Avengers Mansion in the story 'Under Siege' (one of the best Avengers stories of all time), and later masquerading as the heroic Thunderbolts in a bid to gain the world's trust. There has rarely been any Masters of Evil since the formation of the Thunderbolts, but past members have included villains such as Radioactive Man, the Melter, the Black Knight, the Enchantress, the Executioner, Screaming Mimi, Moonstone, the Fixer, Klaw, Tigershark, the Wrecking Crew, the Beetle, Mr. Hyde, Absorbing Man, Titania, Goliath, and Whirlwind. Red Hulk, Ronin, and more: 10 Heroes and Villains whose secret identities were hidden from readers There's a longstanding superhero tradition of hiding the identity of certain characters even from readers GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. 'He Had the Chance to Go in and Save the Children' (Newser) A man attacked a woman in a hotel hallway Sunday in Beijing for minutes on end as hotel staff and other guests ignored the situation, the Washington Post reports. Video of the attack has since gone viral on Chinese social media, bringing attention to the country's issues with sexism and violence against women. The victim, who identified herself as Wanwan on social media, was looking for her room key after stepping out of an elevator when the man attacked her. He grabbed her, choked her, and attempted to drag her down a stairwell. At least four other guests got off the elevator in the middle of the attack and did nothing. Wanwan says a hotel employee intervened only to ask her to quiet down. The attacker finally ran off when a woman reached out to help Wanwan up off the ground. The response to the video has been almost as disturbing as the attack itself. China's People's Daily Online implies the attack wouldn't have been noteworthy if it was "just another brawl between lovers" or "just another couple arguing." The Post notes anti-domestic violence laws were only recently passed in China. Wanwan, who called police dispatchers in the middle of the attack, says she was told it wasn't "within our responsibility." She was later told she would have to wait days for an investigator to look into it. And an initial investigation by police minimizes the attack, saying Wanwan wasn't injured or robbed and the attacker "seemed drunk." China.or.cn reports the hotel issued a statement after the video went viral claiming staff tried to stop the fight. It also allegedly tried to bribe Wanwan to delete the video. (Read more violence against women stories.) (Newser) Charlie Sheen is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department for allegedly threatening his former fiancee, Scottine Ross, the Los Angeles Times reports. She claims Sheen threatened her with violence on multiple occasions. Ross, a former porn star, previously accused Sheen of assault, false imprisonment, failing to tell her he was HIV-positive, and more in a civil suit, according to NBC News. In connection with the new threat charges, which constitute a felony, police served a search warrant at the offices of the National Enquirer. The magazine published an audiotape it claims features Sheen confessing to threatening to kill Ross. Ross and Sheen broke up in 2014. (Read more Charlie Sheen stories.) (Newser) The price tag for the most expensive destroyer built for the US Navy is still growing, the AP reports. Updated figures from the Congressional Research Service indicate the cost of three ships in the Zumwalt class has grown 3.7%, or $450 million, from the previous fiscal year. That lifts the total for the three ships to $12.74 billion. The first-in-class Zumwalt that's under construction at Bath Iron Works in Maine is due to be commissioned by the Navy in October. It will be followed by two more of the stealthy destroyers that feature an angular shape to reduce radar signature. The Navy didn't appear to be overly alarmed by the revised cost estimates for the 600-foot ships. The projected cost is about 1% above the acquisition program baseline established in 2011, a Navy spokesperson says. But that baseline price was set in 2011 after a review triggered by growing costs. As a result, the program was reduced to three ships, driving up the cost of the individual units. There's likely plenty of blame to go around, and that includes the Navy's decision to serve as systems integrator instead of leaving the task to the shipyard, according to a defense analyst. (Read more Navy stories.) (Newser) France just made it illegal to pay for sex, despite selling it remaining legal, the New York Times reports. According to the BBC, the law passed Wednesday creates punishments including fines up to $4,300 and classes about the horrors of prostitution for anyone caught buying sex. Supporters of the law, which overturns a 2003 law that put legal responsibility on the sex seller, say it will make sex workers safer, and France's prime minister calls it a victory for women's rights. One women's rights activist says sex workers can now call the police for help without fear of punishment. The AP reports the law will also let foreign sex workers in France get temporary resident papers if they leave prostitution. One lawmaker says 85% of prostitutes in France are the victims of human trafficking. But sex workers protested against the law during its final debate. In addition to the new law potentially making it harder for them to make a living, many sex workers and advocates say it actually puts them in danger. One opponent says the law will make johns hide their identities, which makes it easier for them to hurt sex workers. Others say sex workers will now be asked to meet johns in private at their homes instead of a safer place. Opponents claim it will also stop johns from seeking help when they fear a sex worker is being harmed. There are an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 sex workers in France, where prostitution remains legal. A number of other European countries have introduced similar laws since 1999, but France's law includes some of the toughest penalties for buying sex in Europe. (Read more prostitution stories.) (Newser) If anyone has doubts that the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority reads its complaint mail, this should put that to rest. Per Fashionista, a lone detractor submitted a grievance to the British ad watchdog about a Gucci ad campaign, and now it's banned in the UKbecause of two "unhealthily thin" models. The brand's already expired promotion of its Cruise 2016 collection was featured in the British Times, and models Madison Stubbington and Avery Blanchard apparently took the complainant's breath away with their slim frames, spurring a challenge against the ad for being "irresponsible" and a ban on it appearing in its "current form" anywhere in the UK, per the ASA ruling. Gucci's rebuttal, via Cosmopolitan, says the ad was geared toward an "older, sophisticated audience" and that thinness is a "subjective issue." Gucci lists reasons why the models weren't portrayed as too skinnytheir "bones" weren't on display, for example, nor was heavy makeup used to make their faces look too thin. "The visual parts of their bodies appeared toned and slim," the argument reads. But the ASA didn't buy that, noting after a review that Stubbington's portrayal was OK, but Blanchard's wasn't. "Her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body," the ruling says, adding that her pose accentuated her long torso and skinny waist and that "her somber facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt." Cosmo points out issues with the ASA's ruling: "Even if intended to combat problematic portrayals of the female form, it's worth noting this is a pretty body-shaming statement in itself." (Models in France now need a doctor's note OKing their BMI.) (Newser) An Indonesian pop star known for dancing with snakes was bitten by a king cobra during a concert on Sunday and kept on singing until she collapsed and later died. Irma Bule, 29famous in the Dangdut genre of Indonesian folk music, per Mashableoften included pythons, cobras, and boa constrictors in her performances. She even sometimes wore them, reports Sky News. But her act suddenly went wrong in Karawang, West Java, on Sunday. A cobra bit Bule on the thigh when she accidentally stepped on its tail "in the middle of the second song," a witness tells Merdeka.com, per the Telegraph. A video shows Bule jerk as she holds a snake. She then sits down and briefly speaks with the snake handler. However, the witness says she refused an antidote and continued singing for 45 minutes before she began vomiting and collapsed in front of fans. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. A snake expert tells Rappler that Bule would have been able to carry on for some time because the bite was far from her heart. In the end, though, her "deadly gimmick, combined with her dedication to showmanship, led to her untimely death," reports Coconuts Jakarta. While some on social media are praising her work ethic and dedication to her fans, others say she deserves an award for stupidity. The Telegraph notes Bule may have thought the snake was defanged when the performance started. (An opossum might have saved her.) (Newser) In a brazen assault near the Syrian capital, Islamic State militants on Thursday abducted 300 cement workers and contractors in an area northeast of Damascus, reports the AP, citing Syrian state TV reports. The mass abduction from the al-Badia Cement Company took place in Dumeir, an area where militants launched a surprise attack against government forces earlier this week. State-run news agency SANA quoted a source in the company as saying that there has been no success in efforts to establish contact with any of the workers. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syria conflict, said earlier in the day that contact was lost with the workers. No further details of the abduction were immediately known and there has been no claim of responsibility. Mass abductions have taken place on occasion in Syria during the country's devastating civil war, now in its sixth year, most often of religious minorities such as Christians. The abduction came as fighting with ISIS militants raged in northern Syria on Thursday. Syrian opposition fighters have advanced on strongholds of the group, including the ISIS-held town of al-Rai in northern Aleppo. Meanwhile, the UN special envoy for Syria said the next round of peace talks in Geneva was expected to start next week, around April 13. (Read more ISIS stories.) (Newser) In what the Los Angeles Times describes as a "rare" move, social workers have been charged with a crime following the death of a child. Gabriel Fernandez, 8, died in Palmdale in 2013 after his mother and her boyfriend allegedly tortured himpepper spraying him, making him eat his vomit, stuffing a sock in his mouth and trapping him in a cabinet, and eventually allegedly beating him to death with a wooden club. Several agencies had looked into abuse claims at Gabriel's home in the months before his death, but no one removed him from the home and his case was closed shortly before he died. Gabriel's mother and her boyfriend have been charged with murder and are awaiting trial. Prosecutors say the social workers knew Gabriel had a BB pellet in his chest, and had written a suicide note, but never sent him to get a mental health assessment or medical care. Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom, and Gregory Merritt have each been charged with child abuse and falsifying public records, felonies that carry a total possible prison sentence of 10 years, CBS LA reports. Rodriguez and Clement are charged with falsifying the reports so the escalating physical abuse Gabriel was suffering was not shown, and prosecutors say supervisors Bom and Merritt approved the reports when they should have known they were falsified, ABC 7 reports. "Social workers play a vital role in society. We entrust them to protect our children from harm," the DA says in a statement. "We believe these social workers were criminally negligent and performed their legal duties with willful disregard for Gabriel's well-being." (Read more child abuse stories.) (Newser) Despite saying in the wake of the Panama Papers leak that he had "no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds," British prime minister David Cameron now admits he held shares in his late father's offshore investment fund, the Guardian reports. Ian Cameron's fund, as detailed in the Panama Papers, reportedly avoided paying taxes in the UK by getting Bahamas residents to sign its paperwork. The prime minister says he and his wife sold their shares in his father's fund for more than $44,000 in 2010, Sky News reports. Cameron says he paid the appropriate UK taxes on the sale and doesn't have "anything to hide." He also stood up for his father, who he says didn't set the fund up offshore to avoid paying taxes. "I'm proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established and all the rest of it," he tells Sky. "I can't bear to see his name being dragged through the mud." (Read more Panama Papers stories.) (Newser) Doctors must have been shocked when they pulled a small octopus from the throat of a 2-year-old boy who arrived at the hospital not breathing. The boy's 21-year-old mother arrived home from work Tuesday night to find her 36-year-old boyfriend, Matthew Gallagher, giving CPR to her son, according to KSNW. The boy was rushed to a hospital in Wichita, Kansas, where doctors removed the octopus from his throat. The AP reports the octopus's head was about 2 inches across. It was likely meant to be used in sushi. The boy, who also showed evidence of facial injuries, was upgraded from critical to good condition on Wednesday. The Wichita Eagle reports he's showing no signs of permanent damage from oxygen deprivation. Gallagher was arrested on suspicion of child abuse when his explanation for the octopus and facial injuries didn't match up with what doctors observed. An expert will interview the boy when he's ready, and an investigation into the incident is continuing. Police say it's a "very delicate situation." (Read more child abuse stories.) (Newser) Austin police are searching for a killer after the body of an 18-year-old University of Texas freshman was found in a creek behind the campus's alumni building, ABC News reports. Haruka Weiser, a theater and dance major from Portland, Ore., was last seen leaving the drama building Sunday night. Her roommate reported her missing Monday, and police found her remains in a creek on campus Tuesday. A medical examiner is calling Weiser's death a homicide, and police say she was assaulted. Specifics of how Weiser was killed haven't been released, but UT president Gregory Fenves says the student suffered "unthinkable brutality." In a statement, Weiser's family remembered her as a "passionate and dedicated dancer and student." "We will forever miss her," the statement reads. "The pain of our sudden and tragic loss is unfathomable." Police are looking for a person of interest seen in surveillance footage walking a woman's bicycle on campus around the time Weiser was killed, the Austin American-Statesman reports. Numerous students walked by the man while he was hanging around campus, and police are asking for their help in identifying him. Weiser's death is UT's first on-campus homicide in 50 years, according to NBC News. The university has increased safety measures since Tuesday, with late-night shuttles to transport students and an increased number of officers on campus. As students you expect to be safe, the Statesman quotes Fenves as saying. The attack on Haruka is an attack on our entire family. (Read more homicide stories.) At last, a cache of dinosaur fossils stolen from Mongolia was returned by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. Having originated from six dinosaur species smuggled out of Mongolia, they were finally seized by agents in New York and Utah. "Today's ceremony is an excellent demonstration of the cooperation between HSI, our colleagues at the Department of Justice and our foreign counterparts with the Government of Mongolia," said Peter Edge, HSI's executive associate director. "A successful repatriation requires extensive cooperation among all parties involved, which is rewarded by the knowledge that we've returned what rightfully belongs to the people of Mongolia." The cache included an Alioramus skull, Bactrosaurus skeleton, Protoceratops baby skeleton pieces, Troodontid egg bed, Psittacosaurus skeleton and skull and Hadrosaurus skeleton pieces. The largest of the fossils was the Alioramus skull, that originated from an extremely rare species living in the Gobi Desert about 66 to 70 million years ago. It was a relative of the Tyrannosaurs, but only two specimens have been found. This is a complete Alioramus fossil discovered till now by the scientists. The smugglers shipped the fossil from France with false papers trying to identify it as an artificial replacement. Later, they submitted forged Mongolian export documents before that country had declared it as their national property in 1924. The customs agents took over the stolen dinosaur fossils. Robert Capers, Brooklyn's U.S. attorney, hosted the function related to the return of the fossils. "We are proud of our role in restoring this rich paleontological heritage to the Mongolian people and taking these cultural treasures from the hands of looters and smugglers," he said. "We stand beside the people of Mongolia by disrupting the international trade in smuggled fossils and returning them to their home where they will be studied and treasured." "Mongolia is home to the world's largest reserve of dinosaur fossils with many discoveries waiting to be made," he added. In the past three years, 23 dinosaur fossils were sent back to Mongolia from the United States, including a Tarbosaurus bataar fossil more than 70 million years old. Insects can teach us a trick or two about navigating through dense vegetation. Researchers have applied their lessons to a new system that can be applied to flying robots. It was a revolutionary discovery arrived at by scientists from Lund University, Sweden. Looking at the world through the eyes of an insect makes drones adjust their speed to their surroundings and fly on their own with no human interference or management. One inspiring ability learnt from insects and animals is the ability to avoid collisions and obstacles. However, it was just recently that it helped scientists to learn from and exploit the ability in order take forward bio-inspired drones. For instance, bees flying through dense forests can judge the intensity of light so that they can avoid other objects and find some passages in the vegetation that can help them to remain in safe zones. "The system is so simple - it's highly likely that other animals also use light in this way. The system is ideal for adapting to small, lightweight robots, such as drones," said Emily Baird, co-researcher from Department of Biology at Lund University. "My guess is that this will become a reality within five to ten years." Baird and her colleague Marie Dacke find that insects, such as the green orchid bee in Panama rainforests, used a strategy that helped them to arrive at the degree of light intensity so that they could navigate effectively. Light helps them to fly through holes in leaves, once the light tells them whether or not they could avoid colliding with the sides. Such biological results gathered from the rainforests needs to be transferred to mathematical models and digital systems, after which it would enable robots to fly in complex environments. "Using light to navigate in complex environments is a universal strategy that can be applied to both animals and machines to detect openings and get through them safely," Baird added. "Really, the coolest thing is the fact that insects have developed simple strategies to cope with difficult problems for which engineers have still to come up with a solution." Their study was published in the April 6, 2016, issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Nokia C1: Specs, Features and Release Date After selling themselves to Microsoft for a huge amount, the Finnish smartphone manufacturers known to manufacture robust devices are now desperate to bounce back to smartphone market. Despite Nokia being the major contributor to Finland's GDP, it's been tough times for them after they sold the firm to Microsoft. It's all android world for Nokia now since they're intentional on making an android phone with a custom rom of their own. The new phone's not yet announced but for sure have dusted off a lot of rumors after several leaks were discovered in the internet. But however, a known smartphone source confirms that the phone is pretty much in development if not through the same model. The C1 will come with a micro-sim. However, the display going to be decent with a Full HD display with a pixel density of 401. It will feature an IPS LCD display supporting all 16million colors. Snapdragon chips will be used for the CPU with rumored to use the Snapdragon 652, a quad-core Cortex based chip. Adreno's 510 will support the CPU. However in terms of memory, storage type and size aren't yet speculated by it might run more than 2GB of RAM. The Camera might come out with a 13MP sensor auto-focus capable camera with LED flash for low-light captures. It will be capable to record full-HD videos at 30 frames per second. There might be a secondary front-facing 5MP camera. There will be Wi-Fi capabilities with Wi-Fi direct and hotspots provides for connecting to wireless networks. However the bands are only a/b/g and n and there is no AC-Band confirmed as of now, since these are all rumors, nothing can be finalized until heard by Nokia themselves. There will be FM Radio present and a micro-USB v2.0. The battery should be non-removable as its the industry standard manufacturing process right now. Looking at the specifications, Nokia are trying to attract budget-friendly consumers who are looking for phones around 350$ or about 22000 thousand indian rupees. The data might be true or not since this is purely based on rumors and internet leaks only. Users are requested to not treat this as a final "build". After selling themselves to Microsoft for a huge amount, the Finnish smartphone manufacturers known to manufacture robust devices are now desperate to bounce back to smartphone market. Despite Nokia being the major contributor to Finland's GDP, it's been tough times for them after they sold the firm to Microsoft. It's all android world for Nokia now since they're intentional on making an android phone with a custom ROM of their own. The new phone's not yet announced but for sure have dusted off a lot of rumours after several leaks were discovered in the internet. But however, a known smartphone source confirms that the phone is pretty much in development if not through the same model. The C1 will come with a micro-sim. However, the display going to be decent with a Full HD display with a pixel density of 401. It will feature an IPS LCD display supporting all 16 million colors. Snapdragon chips will be used for the CPU with rumored to use the Snapdragon 652, a quad-core Cortex based chip. Adreno's 510 will support the CPU. However in terms of memory, storage type and size aren't yet speculated by it might run more than 2GB of RAM. The Camera might come out with a 13MP sensor auto-focus capable camera with LED flash for low-light captures. It will be capable to record full-HD videos at 30 frames per second. There might be a secondary front-facing 5MP camera. There will be Wi-Fi capabilities with Wi-Fi direct and hotspots provides for connecting to wireless networks. However the bands are only a/b/g and n and there is no AC-Band confirmed as of now, since these are all rumors, nothing can be finalized until heard by Nokia themselves. There will be FM Radio present and a micro-USB v2.0. The battery should be non-removable as its the industry standard manufacturing process right now. Looking at the specifications, Nokia are trying to attract budget-friendly consumers who are looking for phones around 350$ or about 22000 thousand indian rupees. The data might be true or not since this is purely based on rumors and internet leaks only. Users are requested to not treat this as a final "build". According to practitioners back in the day, they believed that it is possible for one metal to be transformed into another. The final objective was to find out a way that could turn lead into gold and a mystic substance, "Philosopher's Stone," was capable of doing that. Recent discovery of a manuscript written by Newton reveals how fascinated he was with the magical pseudoscience. This document has been held on for decades as a private collection was bought this year by Chemical Heritage Foundation explains how one can make key ingredient required for Philosopher's Stone. This is just one of the many documents that were crafted by a brilliant English physicist who established the law of gravitation. "Newton was intensely interested in alchemy almost his whole life," said James Voelkel, curator of rare books at the foundation's Othmer Library of Chemical History. "These alchemical manuscripts consist of about a million words he wrote in his own hands." It is believed that alchemy, also known as "chymistry," in 17th century England had Newton engrossed for many years. After his death, many of his manuscripts were kept safe by the family until it was finally auctioned in 1936 by Sotheby's. There were many private collectors at that time who bought his manuscripts and were considered as "not fit to be printed" when he died in 1727. These papers then made it into Cambridge by way of donation, except for a few like the one that was held by Chemical Heritage Foundation. It was long after Newton's death when definition of modern day chemical element was developed. However, at the time of Newton, many thought that metals were made of multiple compounds, containing mercuric or sulfuric principle. It was believed that if one of these principles were altered, it could change the metal. By that logic, alchemy didn't seem so outlandish. "What's a little bit more crazy is the notion that there's this Philosophers' Stone that allows you to do this operation automatically," Voelkel said. "Heat up, molten a bunch of lead, toss the Philosophers' Stone into it, and transmute automatically." The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Chandigarh: Punjab which had witnessed two terror attacks in less than six months, was today put on high alert following an input from Delhi Police warning about entry of three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists who might be suicide bombers. The terrorists are travelling from Jammu and Kashmir in a grey Swift Dzire car along with a local resident and are expected to cross the Banihal tunnel later tonight, the alert says, adding their target could be in Delhi, Goa and Mumbai. An alert has been issued in the state (Punjab) after we received an input from the special cell of Delhi police, a senior official in Punjab police told PTI today. The alert issued by Punjabs Director General of Police (Law and Order) to all the Commissionerates and SSPs in the state, states the car bearing registration number JK-01 AB-2654 is carrying three Pakistani militants and a local. The Pakistani militants have sufficient arms, ammunition and possibly suicide belt. Police officers have been asked to focus on strict checking of vehicles, security of vital installations including police buildings and defence establishments, religious places, markets, malls, railway stations and tracks, and educational institutions. In January this year, terrorists had attacked an air force base in Pathankot, killing seven military personnel. They had car-jacked two vehicles - one belonging to a Punjab Police SP and another to a taxi driver - to travel to the base near the Pakistan border. In July last year, the state had witnessed an attack in Dinanangar of the border Gurdaspur district. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Srinagar: Two wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a former policeman, were killed today in a gun battle with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir. An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in vehil village of Shopian, 55km from here, after the troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation in the area, an army official said. He said two militants were killed in the encounter. Two weapons were recovered from the militants. The official said the dead militants were identified as Naseer Ahmad Pandit and Inamul Haq alias Waseem Malla, both wanted militants of Hizbul Mujahideen. Pandit had joined militant ranks after deserting police force last year. He was posted on security duty at the residence of PDP MLA and then works minister Altaf Bukhari at the time of quitting the force. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: A retrievable scientific research satellite has successfully been launched by China. The satellite named the SJ-10 will help the scientists study space life science and micro-gravity. Long March 2-D rocket placed the SJ-10, which is shaped like a bullet, into the orbit. The launching took place from the iuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern Chinas Gobi desert. The bullet-shaped probe will conduct 19 experiments in space involving microgravity fluid physics, microgravity combustion, space material, space radiation effect, microgravity biological effect and space bio-technology. It will then return to Earth with results, according to Xinhua news agency. A pool of more than 200 applicants selected the on-board experiments, including the one that will study early-stage development of mouse embryos in microgravity to shed light on human reproduction in space. Another experiment will study space radiation effects on genetic stability of fruit flies and rat cells. A Soret Coefficient in Crude Oil experiment in partnership between the National Space Science Center under CAS and the European Space Agency (ESA) is also onboard together with an investigation of coal combustion and pollutant formation under microgravity. The former test is aimed to improve scientists understanding of oil reservoirs buried kilometers underground, while the latter is expected to help enhance energy efficiency and cut emissions. All experiments conducted on SJ-10 are completely new ones that have never been done before either at home or abroad,d Hu Wenrui, chief scientist of the SJ-10 mission said. They could lead to key breakthroughs in our academic research, Hu said. SJ-10 is the second of four scientific satellites under a CAS space program. Unlike the others, SJ-10 is returnable. It is the 25th such retrievable satellite launched by China in the past decades. Overall, eight of the experiments on fluid physics and microgravity combustion will be carried out in the orbital module and the others in the re-entry capsule which is expected to land at Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia, the designated landing spot for Chinas Shenzhou manned space missions and a 2014 test lunar orbiter. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dhaka: A 28-year-old Bangladeshi law student who was critical of radical Islamists has been hacked to death here by machete-wielding militants, the latest in a series of attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. Nazimuddin Samad, a masters student of the state-run Jagannath Universitys law department, was killed by suspected Islamist militants in Old Dhakas Sutrapur area last night. He was attacked by three assailants while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. While murdering Samad, the killers shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), witnesses said. The youth accompanying the victim has been missing since the incident, a police official said. They initially hacked him and then fired gunshots to confirm his death, the official said. Nazim, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad. He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Monchos Sylhet wing. His friends said Nazim used to campaign for secularism on Facebook and was critical of radical Islamists. A day before the murder, he expressed concerns over the countrys law and order in a Facebook post. Businessmen in the area closed their shops immediately after hearing the gunshots. Police cordoned off the crime scene. They recovered a bullet shell from the spot. Nurul Amin, assistant commissioner of Sutrapur division, was quoted as saying that police went to the spot and found the body in a pool of blood. Nurul said it was clear that the assailants kept an eye on Nazims activities for long. University Proctor Nur Mohammad said Nazim got admitted to the university two months ago. We have informed his family about the murder and are taking detailed information about him, he said. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last month, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. Last year, Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhakas Tejgaon area. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy. The Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks in the Sunni-majority Bangladesh. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Peshawar: At least 12 militants were killed today in a gun battle with Pakistani security forces after they attacked a security post along the Afghan border in the restive north-western tribal region. The Mangaro outpost in Kurram district came under pre-dawn raid by more than 50 rebels who came from Afghanistan, a security official said. The security forces responded the attack with heavy fire, killing 12 attackers and forcing others to retreat back into Afghanistan, a security official said. Radio Pakistan confirmed the raid and reported that the security forces had launched search operation in the area. Afghanistan and Pakistan share a 2,250-kilometer border and militants from both sides routinely launch cross-border attacks before fleeing back over the border. Much of the border area is remote. It is said that hundreds of Taliban militants have fled Pakistan through porous border to Afghanistan. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: An advertisement by Italian couture house, Gucci, has been banned in the UK for allegedly showing an unhealthily thin model. A video was run on the Times website in December 2015, along with still images, featuring models waving their arms about at a dance party. Apart from the party looking a bit odd, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) took issue with one of the women in particular, who they said looked gaunt, reported Metro. The model in question was photographed leaning against the wall in a long printed dress. Someone filed a formal complaint against the ad, saying it was irresponsible to feature such a thin model and the ASA agreed. We considered that her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body, the regulator said. Further, her pose elongated her torso and accentuated her waist so that it appeared to be very small. We also considered that her sombre facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt. For those reasons, we considered that the model leaning against the wall appeared to be unhealthily thin in the image, and therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible. Gucci said it didnt show any models bones. But the couture house told the ASA the model was not too thin, but instead toned and slim. It argued that nowhere in the ads were any models bones visible, [and] their make up was natural rather than heavy. Despite Gucci apparently taking care not to show any models bones, the fashion brand was told that the ad must not appear again in its current form. New Delhi: India is all set to sign the COP 21 Global Climate Agreement in Paris on April 22, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has confirmed. He said that India has successfully placed the Sustainable lifestyle concept in the global discussions on climate change, which is now a part of the Paris Agreement. Javadekar was addressing a session on Balancing Economic Growth with Sustainable Development at CII Annual Session 2016: Building National Competitiveness in New Delhi. The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track by bringing down global warming by 2 degrees Celsius. It was negotiated in Paris in December 2015 and the terms agreed upon will be ratified on April 22, Javadekar said. India and more than 130 other nations would ratify the COP 21 Global Climate Agreement on April 22 at a high level signing ceremony that will be convened at the UN Headquarters in New York. In order to avoid unnecessary delays, the government has enabled online process for the clearances of environment and forests while keeping in mind the environmental conditions, the minister said. He said that the average time of giving approvals has come down to 190 days in last 22 months from 600 days in 2004-09, adding, it will be brought down to 100 days soon. Javadekar also agreed on creating a special cell that will provide technical advice to industry on various environmental aspects, pollution control processes and associated technologies during the discussions at the session. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Manama: US Secretary of State John Kerry today urged Iran to help end the wars raging in Yemen and Syria, criticising the Islamic republics destabilising actions in the Middle East. On the first visit by a US chief diplomat to Bahrain since 2010, Kerry also told authorities in Manama accused of discriminating against the countrys Shiite majority that respect for human rights was essential. Kerry was also to meet his other Gulf Arab counterparts later today, two weeks before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh when Washingtons Middle East policy is likely to come under the microscope. Speaking during a joint news conference with Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Kerry condemned the destabilising actions of Iran, which the United States takes very seriously. Kerry said Tehran should help us end the war in Yemen... help us end the war in Syria, not intensify, and help us to be able to change the dynamics of this region. Tehran and the Gulf states back opposition sides in Syria and Yemen. Last year Iran struck a landmark deal with world powers scaling back its nuclear programme, which has led to the lifting of international sanctions on the Islamic republic. Sheikh Khalid, whose government accuses Iran of stoking persistent protests among the kingdoms Shiites demanding an end to Sunni minority rule, echoed Kerrys call. Irans interventions through proxies in several parts of our region (are) continuing unabated, the Bahraini foreign minister said. We want to see them help in trying to reach a political solution in war-ravaged countries but yes, we do want to see Iran change its foreign policy, he said, speaking alongside Kerry. Tehran argues that it is Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies that are sowing instability in the region with their air strikes in Yemen and support to the opposition in Syria. All the Gulf Arab states, apart from Oman, are taking part in a Saudi-led coalition that has been battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen since March last year, in a war which the United Nations says has killed around 6,300 people. Human Rights Watch said today that bombs supplied by the United States were used in coalition air strikes on a market in Yemen that killed at least 97 civilians including children last month. Asked to comment on the report, Kerry said he did not have solid information on weapons used in Yemen. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Crowdfunding is, at its heart, driven by a grandiose, ideological utopian vision of a democratization of finance in which the power of the purse strings is pulled down from the elite circles of legacy hierarchy and put in the hands of the people. Its born of a rather anti-venture capital ethos. Thats why its particularly remarkable to see a venture capital firm and a crowdfunding platform coming together. New York City-based venture capital firm Collaborative Fund -- an early investor in Kickstarter, Lyft and Reddit -- announced this week that it is partnering with San Francisco-based equity crowdfunding company CircleUp, which currently has 200 startups raising money on its platform. (Collaborative Fund is also an investor in CircleUp.) The $10 million fund, called Collab+Consumer, will go to early-stage, mission-driven companies in the consumer products and retail industry. Collaborative Fund will get access to the CircleUp pipeline of startups, which it uses proprietary algorithmic technology to analyze. CircleUps Classifier compiles and analyzes about 92,000 data points per company, including financials, leadership, brand, customer engagement and deal and exit potential. Related: Analysis of 170,000 Kickstarter Campaigns Reveals 3 Fundamentals of a Crowdfunding Success As a venture capitalist, there is no way I would be able to -- no matter how many analysts I hired -- do the due diligence that I am provided through the underlying technology that CircleUp provides, says Craig Shapiro, founder and managing partner of Collaborative Fund, in a conversation with Entrepreneur. For its part, CircleUp gets more investors with deep pockets putting money behind the startups it is featuring on its platform. Thats valuable exposure for consumer-product startups, which are often overlooked by venture capitalists for technology startups, the cultural darling of the VC world. Also, potential investors on CircleUp may find the confidence to invest in a startup if a professional venture capitalist has shown interest. The importance of having a lead investor cant be underscored enough, says Shapiro. We can spark a fuse. We can be that catalyst to lead certain investments whereby other investors will have more confidence to come in behind us. Bringing venture capital eyeballs and dollars to CircleUp is not just an altruistic, magnanimous effort for the CircleUp team, though. The more money that investors dump into startups on CircleUp, the more money the fundraising platform itself makes. Thats because CircleUp, which has reported helping more than 160 companies raise more than $180 million, earns an average 5 percent commission. Related: When Kickstarter Hit Its Tipping Point The partnership between Collaborative Fund and CircleUp is a likely a harbinger of future innovations in the way that startups get access to money and the way that investors identify startups seeking capital. Private financing was limited to a really small number of wealthy people, historically, and I think that pendulum is shifting more towards a democratization, more towards being inclusive of a broader group of people, says Shapiro. Image credit: CircleUp Indeed, CircleUp markets itself as pioneering marketplace investing, rather than embracing the term equity crowdfunding. Thats because the word crowdfunding belies, for many people, the size of the investments being made on the platform. When CircleUp launched four years ago, the average investment was about $15,000. Today, its more than $100,000. We're not talking about Kickstarter here. CircleUp says that the term marketplace investing promotes the notion that its easier than ever before, thanks to the Internet, for investors to find companies that are seeking investment. Thats not to say that venture capital or crowdfunding will entirely disappear as finance models, but rather that they will increasingly become synergistic. I think its more of a grayscale or a blend than I do a black or white thing. I dont think its VC or crowdfunding. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both, says Shapiro. In the long term, I think its a symbiotic relationship. Related: Kickstarter Wants to Be More Than a Crowdfunding Platform That symbiosis is as follows: Crowdfunding, or marketplace, firms bring together investors with entrepreneurs. Venture capital firms bring larger pools of money and hands-on mentorship in advising and guiding startups, says Rory Eakin, COO and co-founder of CircleUp, in a conversation with Entrepreneur. Whats happening in startup finance is very similar to what has recently happened in the lending world, says Eakin, pointing to recent deals between JPMorgan Chase and Lending Club and Blackrock with Prosper Marketplace. Transportation technology companies are also, though in a perhaps more abstract way, forming similar alliances, says Eakin, pointing to the recent General Motors acquisition of autonomous driving software company Cruise Automation. We are seeing traditional incumbents recognize that online platforms, and the digitization of their industries, can be beneficial for them, says Eakin. We dont view ourselves as competitive at all with Collaborative Fund, or with the best venture capital firms do, and their operating model. We are a tool to help them be more effective. Related: Only 1 in 3 Americans Have Heard of Equity Crowdfunding To be sure, not all venture capital firms will partner with crowdfunding platforms. There is always resistance to change. The best venture firms will thrive in this environment, but not all venture firms will adapt, says Eakin. If you are supportive of helping entrepreneurs thrive, creating more opportunity for more small businesses across the country and spurring economic innovation, you want to bring all parties to the table. You just want to do it in a more transparent, open way, not a historical old boys network that has lead to disproportionately fewer new ideas being funded. But for the most innovative people in the space of entrepreneur finance, the new no-mans-land between venture capital and crowdfunding is a dynamic grey area with a lot of fertile ground for opportunity. For a small, kind of scrappy venture capital firm like Collaborative Fund, that works in our favor," says Shapiro. "We are embracing that change instead of trying to thwart it. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Brookfields school facilities need to be addressed. The Board of Education needs to explain to residents that even if the school population declines, Brookfield schools need major work. Center Elementary School needs windows and siding. Center School was built in the late 1930s and is probably the only wooden school in use in Connecticut. If Brookfield wants to keep it, it has to be updated. In 2012, a Town Facilities Committee identified Huckleberry Hill Elementary School as needing a total renovation. No matter whether enrollment goes up or down, Brookfield will need Huckleberry to educate its children. This year, the Board of Education will lease new portable classrooms to replace the deteriorating portables at that school. Whisconier Middle School also has aging portable classrooms that are well past their life expectancy. Whisconier will have more than 880 students in September, taxing its core facilities such as the cafeteria and gymnasium. A principle concern about Brookfields educational facilities is that they are aging. Center School holds pre-school, kindergarten and first grade classes. Maintenance of this building is key to continued use. The roof of Huckleberry Hill School was replaced recently, however, the exclusive use of electricity to heat and cool the building is a substantial annual expense. Upgraded windows are needed to reduce heating and cooling energy losses. Brookfield High School completed a major addition during the prior planning period, including classroom space and science facilities addressing the issues presented in the 2002 plan. The gymnasium floor was refinished but upgrades to the auditorium continue to be a need. At both Huckleberry Hill Elementary and Whisconier Middle School portable classrooms have been used to accommodate the need for more classroom space. A Space Utilization Study is under way by the consulting firm Milone and MacBroom to project the need for more permanent solutions to space requirements in light of projected demographic shifts and limited potential for addition of significant numbers of single family homes. In most school districts, elementary schools have 20 to 25 regular classrooms, a cafeteria, gymnasium, dedicated rooms such as music, art, and special education with student populations of about 400 to 500 students. If Brookfield just replaced all of its portable classrooms, the new construction would equal over half of a new building. Even if school enrollments decline, which is doubtful due to the more than 1,000 housing units built or approved to be built along Federal Road and in the Four Corners, Brookfield will still need to maintain and repair the present school facilities and replace the portable classrooms. At the First Selectmans debate in October, Steve Dunn stated renovations are needed at Huckleberry Hill and Center School. We cant have our kids sitting in portables. We need to come up with a real plan....working in conjunction with the Board of Finance...to come up with a plan that works for our town....so that our kids can be educated rather than dripped on. Then-First Selectman Bill Tinsley said, It will be a very expensive project. I think its the top priority, the top capital priority for the town. The best course of action is to commission an engineering study (not a space utilization study) to evaluate the condition of Huckleberry Hill Elementary School, to report the condition of Center Elementary School, and decide on the disposition of Brookfields aging portable classrooms. Board of Finance member Mark Mulvaney is quoted as calling the portable classrooms at Huckleberry embarrassing. What is more embarrassing is that the portable classrooms purchased in the 1960s and 1970s, meant to be temporary, are 40 and 50 years old. Leasing portable classrooms for Huckleberry is necessary because Brookfield has a history of ignoring its school facilities. At best, replacing the portables is a stop-gap measure, not a solution. This should be Brookfields priority to take care of its children. Leasing the new portable classrooms at Huckleberry is a positive step in recognizing school facility problems which hopefully will be supported by the voters in May but it is simply a Band-aid on a school district that needs major surgery. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEWTOWN Superintendent of Schools Joseph Erardi Jr. stood before about 100 people at Newtown Middle School on Thursday night and vowed he would never sign an agreement allowing teachers to carry guns in the towns schools. The declaration came a day after Jason Adams, an eighth-grade science teacher with a valid pistol permit, was arrested after bringing a pistol into the middle school. Adams, who has taught at Newtown Middle School for 10 years, was charged with possession of a weapon on school property, a felony offense. He is on administrative leave with pay. Erardi told the audience he expects the school districts investigation into what he termed an egregious event will be completed in two or three weeks. More News Cops arrest Newtown teacher with gun at middle school I assure you it will be thorough, Erardi said before the meeting, and the staff member will be given the opportunity to be heard. We will maneuver cautiously, yet swiftly. Newtown Police Chief James Viadero, who spoke at the meeting, did not offer a timeline for his departments investigation. Adams is scheduled to be arraigned at state Superior Court in Danbury on April 20. Adams, 46, of Currituck Road, is not compelled to cooperate in the school districts investigation. If convicted in the criminal case, Adams would lose his teaching certification in Connecticut. Several people who identified themselves Thursday night as parents of Newtown schoolchildren asked if Adams had previously brought a gun into school. They also wanted to know why he did so Wednesday morning. Viadero and Erardi said they couldnt comment on the questions because of the ongoing investigations. Adams, meanwhile, did not return multiple phone calls seeking comment Thursday. A woman who answered the door at his home Thursday morning waved off a reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media seeking comment. It is not clear whether Adams had hired an attorney to represent him in the case. A chilling reminder While police and school officials continue their investigation into Adams, the incident and its repercussions have jangled the nerves of a community still traumatized from the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings. It was a very, very difficult day for staff, students, parents and the community at large, Erardi said Thursday afternoon. Classes were about to start Wednesday morning at Newtown Middle School when a staff member saw what appeared to be a weapon concealed under Adams clothing and reported it to security personnel, police said. Authorities said Adams violated state law and district policy forbidding the possession of firearms on school property. Newtown police arrived on scene as back-up for the school resource officer in under 90 seconds, Viadero said Thursday night. Erardi said all proceedings Wednesday morning at the school the conversations with Adams and his police-escorted departure from school were done out of the eyesight of students and staff. We attempted to talk to him, Viadero said Thursday night. Hes not going to comment. Hes placed under arrest. At least one man in attendance Thursday night defended Adams and his right to carry a pistol with a valid permit. The man said if Adams passed the background check to get a pistol permit, it should not be assumed he had bad intentions. Earlier in the day Thursday, Viadero said he could not release any new details about the case or discuss Adams reasons for bringing a weapon to work, but stressed no one in the school was ever in danger. The weapon was not drawn or used at any point, authorities said. Were trying to delve into why it happened, Viadero said. But we are very confident there was no danger to the school population. The Newtown Action Alliance was one of several groups to issue statements condemning Adams this week. Our community is still reeling from the tragic shooting that occurred on Dec. 14, 2012, the group said Thursday. Therefore, we are shocked and enormously disappointed that a middle school teacher from Newtown would bring his gun onto school property (Wednesday). The alliance praised school administrators and Newtown police for responding efficiently and effectively to this difficult situation. The group, which was formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, said the districts policy prohibiting guns on school property should be a model for schools across country. We encourage all schools in all towns and cities nationwide to adopt a similar policy to keep all children and teachers safe from gun violence, the statement said. Teachers should focus on teaching and defer to law enforcement with proper training to protect our students in schools. Response worked flawlessly Newtown Middle School has a resource officer, who is part of the police staff, and a security officer. Sgt. Aaron Bahamonde said district policy allows both officers to be armed along with any on-duty police officers who happen to be at a school. But off-duty officers are not allowed to bring a weapon on school property, he said. Bahamonde said if a district ever allows staff to carry firearms, those employees should have a thorough psychological evaluation on top of a background check and full training. They would have to train just like any police officer, he said, because were changing from personal protection to protecting other lives. Bahamonde said Wednesdays incident was not a setback in the healing process of the community, but it sure opened some wounds. Were trying to heal, and its certainly getting better, but this kind of incident bring flashbacks to peoples minds, he said. Erardi said the response was exactly what should have taken place from a security protocol standpoint. Somebody saw something, reported it and the armed officer responded, he said. The staff member was appropriate without incident, but I dont want to marginalize that piece of it. I dont want to marginalize the issue of having a weapon in our schools. Viadero echoed Erardis comments, saying the districts security protocol worked flawlessly. The chief described the incident as unfortunate because of the confidence parents place on teachers. This is someone parents believe they can trust, he said. TORONTO, April 7, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, today announced more than $5.3 million in funding to Prosper Canada for its Financial Empowerment Champions project for vulnerable Canadians. Funded through the Children and Families component of the Social Development and Partnerships Program (SDPP), the project sets out to help more than one million vulnerable Canadians over the next four and a half years by developing the partnerships, tools and community supports they need to build their financial capability and health. With this support from the Government of Canada, and matching funds raised from other partners, Prosper Canada will recruit, train and support five not-for-profit organizations across Canada to: deliver a suite of proven financial empowerment programs to Canadians with low incomes, train other community organizations to deliver these services, mobilize local partners and resources, and work with municipal and provincial governments to build financial empowerment solutions into existing services for people with low incomes where this can help improve program effectiveness and financial outcomes for participants. Vulnerable Canadians will benefit from access to quality financial education and counselling and help tax filing, accessing income benefits, opening bank accounts, and opening RESPs and RDSPssupports that have been shown to improve their incomes, savings, debt levels and credit scores, when delivered effectively with other community programs. The Government of Canada's Budget 2016 highlighted action slated to revitalize the economy and create opportunity for all Canadians. In supporting this project, the Government demonstrates its commitment to growing the middle class and those working hard to join it. By helping to boost the economic and social security of Canadian families and children, the Government is delivering positive change Canadians deserve. This project builds on previous SDPP commitments to encourage the development of partnerships that cross traditional boundaries between the public, for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. This project will benefit from substantial matching investments by the TD Bank Group and other private-sector, philanthropic, and government supporters. By leveraging these partnerships, working closely with communities, and relying on local expertise to find local solutions to social issues, the Government is exploring new approaches to increasing the impact of federal investments in social innovation and communities. Quick Facts To help families save for their children's post-secondary education, the Government of Canada provides Registered Education Saving Plans (RESP) and important education savings grants and incentives: The Canada Learning Bond (up to $2,000 for children from low-income families to help jump start their education savings) for children from low-income families to help jump start their education savings) The Canada Education Savings Grant and Additional Canada Education Savings Grant (savings incentives to help low- and middle-income families save for their children's education) Another savings opportunity is available through the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), a long-term savings plan to help Canadians with disabilities and their families save for the future. The Government of Canada's Budget 2016 reaffirmed plans to introduce the Canada Child Benefit that will help families with the high cost of raising their children. The Benefit will be tax-free, based on income and will provide more support for those who need it the most. The Benefit will provide nine out of ten families with more generous benefits, and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. It will aim to reduce Canada's child poverty rate by 50 percent in five years. Quotes "The Government of Canada is pleased to support Prosper Canada's project. We are committed to helping develop new approaches with the for-profit, not-for-profit and charitable sectors through social innovation to ensure Canadian families thrive socially and economically. This project will go a long way to providing low-income families with essential information and effective tools and community supports they can use to become self-sufficient and enjoy a more prosperous way of life." The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development "We commend the Government of Canada for its innovative funding approach in support of financial empowermentmobilizing national resources to support community-driven solutions and encouraging the participation and collaboration of partners from all sectors in combating poverty." Elizabeth Mulholland, Chief Executive Officer, Prosper Canada "Empowering people to improve their financial well-being requires active engagement from across all sectors. Community-driven initiatives such as Prosper Canada's Financial Empowerment Champions project will help to improve the financial outcomes of low-income households and ultimately, build stronger communities. As Canada's Financial Literacy Leader, I applaud the funding of projects that help households build their financial knowledge, skills and confidence and enable Canadians to invest in their financial future." Jane Rooney, Financial Literacy Leader, Financial Consumer Agency of Canada "TD is proud to support Prosper Canada, alongside the Government of Canada, in developing resources, tools and supports needed to increase financial literacy levels. We know that when we work together to improve the financial knowledge and well-being of lower income Canadians, we are investing in a long term solution to strengthen our communities for future generations." John Capozzolo, Senior Vice President, Direct Channels, TD Bank Group Associated links Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Backgrounder Social Development Partnerships Program The Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP) is a grant and contribution program that supports the social infrastructure of Canadian society through investment in not-for-profit organizations to help improve life outcomes for people with disabilities, children and families, and other vulnerable populations. The SDPP has two core components: the children and families component and the disabilities component. The program also provides the funding authority to support the Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards, which recognizes the enormous contribution volunteers make to Canada. SDPP objectives are to: support the development and use of effective approaches to address social issues and challenges; develop, exchange and apply knowledge, tools and resources that address social needs of individuals, families and communities; foster partnerships and networks to address existing and emerging social issues; recognize and support the ability of not-for-profit organizations to identify and address social development priorities; and recognize and promote community engagement initiatives (e.g. volunteerism, corporate social responsibility, innovation by not-for-profit organizations, partnerships and coalitions) that mobilize community assets and develop capacities and resources for action. Prosper Canada Prosper Canada, is a national charity dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty through program and policy innovation. Prosper Canada works with government, business and community partners to develop and promote financial policies, programs and resources that remove barriers and help more Canadians to prosper. The Prosper Canada Centre for Financial Literacy is co-founded and supported by TD Bank Group. The Financial Empowerment Champions project covers a broad spectrum of initiatives through which Prosper Canada and its partners intend to improve the financial well-being of Canadians living in or at risk of poverty. Initiatives include: increasing the financial knowledge and skills of 140,000 people living on low incomes and people with disabilities; having financial counsellors meet with 5,000 low-income, vulnerable people to create financial action plans tailored to their needs; making it possible for 8,000 RESP's to be opened by people living on low incomes; assisting 13,000 people living on low incomes to file their income tax returns; and arranging for 400 low-income individuals to open a bank account if they don't have one. SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]; Julie McFayden, Prosper Canada, 416-665-2828 ext.2231, [email protected] MONTREAL, April 6, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), together with Investissement Quebec, has announced a $12.8-million investment in AddEnergie, a Quebec manufacturer of smart charging solutions for electric vehicles. As part of this transaction, Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec will invest $8.5 million, and Investissement Quebec $4.3 million, enabling AddEnergie to extend its network and technology across Canada. The company already supplies charging stations, software and management services to the Electric Circuit and the VERnetwork, the two largest electric vehicle charging station networks in Canada. While AddEnergie currently operates close to 2,000 charging stations, this transaction will reinforce its deployment plan, aimed at adding 8,000 new charging stations across Canada in the next five years. "We are very pleased to be receiving funding from these major institutional investors; their backing confirms our leadership in the industry and provides us with the financial means to pursue our growth objectives," stated Louis Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer of AddEnergie. "We are privileged to be making a tangible contribution to the future of transportation, not only in Quebec but across the country. It is through the commitment of partners such as la Caisse and Investissement Quebec, who encourage innovation, that we are able to fully develop and realize our vision. This in turn has a direct impact on our means of transportation, and, on a broader scale, our relationship with the environment and our sources of energy." "This investment is perfectly aligned with la Caisse's strategy to strengthen innovation in Quebec and facilitate expansion in new markets," said Christian Dube, Executive Vice-President, Quebec at la Caisse. "To further the growth of this green energy leader, la Caisse has also worked with the company at key stages of its development through funds and its subsidiary Ivanhoe Cambridge." In 2012, la Caisse's real estate subsidiary promoted the integration of AddEnergie charging stations by installing them at the shopping centres it owned in Quebec. "Our investment aims to further the development of leading-edge Quebec expertise in a sector vital to our future. Alongside AddEnergie, Investissement Quebec is supporting a growth opportunity for Quebec's hybrid and electric vehicle industry, which is poised to generate positive and sustainable economic benefits for all of Quebec," concluded Pierre Gabriel Cote, President and Chief Executive Officer of Investissement Quebec. ABOUT ADDENERGIE Founded in Quebec City in 2009, AddEnergie has become the leader in innovative charging solutions. Supplier and operator of the Electric Circuit and the VERnetwork, the two largest charging station networks in Canada, the company now has more than 50 employees, who work out of its head office in Quebec City, Quebec, its production plant in Shawinigan, Quebec, and its sales office in Mississauga, Ontario. ABOUT CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2015, it held $248.0 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. ABOUT INVESTISSEMENT QUEBEC Investissement Quebec's mission is to foster the growth of investment in Quebec, thereby contributing to economic development and job creation in every region. The Corporation offers businesses a full range of financial solutions, including loans, loan guarantees and equity investments, to support them at all stages of their development. It is also responsible for administering tax measures and prospecting for foreign investment. SOURCE Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec For further information: CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC: MAXIME CHAGNON, Directeur principal, Communications avec les medias, +1 514 847 5493, [email protected]; INVESTISSEMENT QUEBEC: CHANTAL CORBEIL, Porte-Parole, Investissement Quebec, +1 514 873 7161, [email protected]; ADDENERGIE: JOSEE MASSICOTTE, Relations publiques, Off. : +1 514 388 0169, Cell.: +1 514 915 0511, [email protected] $14.7 million in cash at Q1 2016; sufficient working capital for next two years $5.5 million UKMP project budget for 2016; plans initiated for field season VANCOUVER, April 7, 2016 /CNW/ - NovaCopper Inc. (TSX, NYSE-MKT: NCQ) ("NovaCopper" or the "Company") announces its financial results for the first quarter ended February 29, 2016 and reviews its plan for the 2016 field program. Details of the Company's financial results are contained in the unaudited consolidated financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis which will be available on the Company's website at www.novacopper.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated. Plans Initiated for 2016 Field Program With sufficient cash on hand to fund our anticipated activities, the Company is well positioned to continue its plans to advance the Arctic deposit towards pre-feasibility. The Company will invest $5.5 million this year mainly for drilling at Arctic during the summer field season as well as to complete in-pit geotechnical, hydrological, metallurgical, environmental and waste rock characterization studies. The Company will also continue community engagement and its efforts on local hiring and education along with continuing to engage with the State of Alaska on the permitting of the Ambler access road. Plans are underway to begin this year's field program in June with the remote camp anticipated to open mid-month. A planned 3,000 meter drill program will start mid-June and continue until mid-August. A significant amount of environmental baseline investigation work is planned for the current year to collect data required for future permitting efforts. Environmental work in 2016 will include an aquatic survey, an archaeological review, a subsistence resource study, an avian and large mammal survey and further expansion and refinement of our wetlands delineation studies. Engineering activities during this year's field season include pit slope stability studies, waste rock characterization, hydrological and metallurgical studies. We will also complete the LiDAR survey (airborne laser-light survey used for multi-discipline applications) initiated in 2015 that was unfinished due to poor weather conditions. First Quarter Financial Results The following unaudited selected quarterly information is prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. in thousands of dollars, except for per share amounts Selected financial results Three months ended February 29, 2016 $ Three months ended February 28, 2015 $ Amortization 54 143 General and administrative 348 381 Mineral properties expense 667 327 Professional fees 136 161 Salaries 213 250 Salaries stock-based compensation 282 282 Loss and comprehensive loss for the period 1,695 1,530 Basic and diluted loss per common share $0.02 $0.03 For the three months ended February 29, 2016, NovaCopper reported a net loss of $1.7 million (or $0.02 basic and diluted loss per common share) compared to a net loss of $1.5 million for the corresponding period in 2015 (or $0.03 basic and diluted loss per common share). This variance was primarily due to an increase in mineral properties expenses offset by a decrease in amortization, salaries, professional fees, and general and administrative costs. We incurred $0.7 million in mineral properties expense for the three months ended February 29, 2016 compared to $0.3 million for the three months ended February 28, 2015. The significant increase in mineral property expenses in 2016 is related to waste characterization and geotechnical work conducted for the Upper Kobuk Mineral Properties ("UKMP") in Alaska and expenditures incurred at the Titiribi mineral property in Colombia. Amortization expense decreased by $0.1 million due to the timing of capital asset purchases and resulted amortization expense. The decrease in salaries and general and administrative expenses was primarily attributed to continued cost reduction efforts and the Company benefitting from the favorable foreign exchange movement of the US dollar against the Canadian dollar in 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. The decrease in professional fees is due to less consulting expenses incurred in 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015. Liquidity and Capital Resources At February 29, 2016, we had $14.7 million in cash and cash equivalents. We expended $1.4 million on operating activities during the three month period ended February 29, 2016, compared with expenditures of $1.1 million for operating activities for the same period in 2015. The majority of cash spent on operating activities during both periods was expended on mineral property expenses, general and administrative, and salaries. The increase in cash spent during the three months ended February 29, 2016 compared to the corresponding period in 2015 was mainly due to higher mineral property expense for engineering studies conducted for the UKMP and expenditures incurred in Colombia. During the three month period ended February 29, 2016 and February 28, 2015, we received no cash from financing activities. During the three month period ended February 29, 2016, we expended $2,000 on investing activities for acquisition of equipment and $nil during the three month period ended February 28, 2015. As at February 29, 2016, the Company continues to manage its cash expenditures and management believes that the working capital available is sufficient to meet its operational requirements for the next two years. Future financings are anticipated through equity offerings, debt financing, convertible debt, or other means, although there can be no assurance that a financing would be available on terms favorable to the Company, or at all. About NovaCopper NovaCopper Inc. is a metals exploration company focused on exploring and developing the Ambler mining district located in northwestern Alaska. It is one of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic VMS deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to host high grade copper mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler district - the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within NovaCopper's land package that spans approximately 143,000 hectares. NovaCopper has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., a Regional Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local communities. Our vision is to develop the Ambler mining district into a premier North American copper producer. The Company also owns 100% of the Titiribi Project located approximately 70 kilometers southwest of the city of Medellin, Colombia, in Antioquia department, within the historical Titiribi mining district. More information on the Company, its properties and its management team is available on the Company's website at www.novacopper.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to the future operating or financial performance of NovaCopper, planned expenditures and the anticipated activity at the UKMP Projects are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties; exploration plans and budgets; mineral reserves and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; market prices for precious and base metals; or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from NovaCopper's expectations include the uncertainties involving the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties; the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, metal grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in NovaCopper's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2015 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other NovaCopper reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. NovaCopper's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. NovaCopper assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. SOURCE NovaCopper Inc. For further information: NovaCopper Contacts: Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, President & Chief Executive Officer, [email protected]; Elaine Sanders, Chief Financial Officer, [email protected], 604-638-8088 or 1-855-638-8088 TORONTO, April 6, 2016 /CNW/ - Dr. Tom Hudson, President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) today congratulated Dr. John Dick on receiving the prestigious honour of being one of 11 newly elected Fellows to the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) Academy. Dr. Dick is a Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology and Senior Scientist at the University Health Network's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at OICR. "Dr. Dick's contributions to the field of cancer research are vast and have had a major impact on our understanding of cancer," said Dr. Hudson. "OICR is proud to work with Dr. Dick in the Cancer Stem Cell Program and, on behalf of the entire Institute, I offer my sincere congratulations to him for this prestigious honour." "Ontario is where stem cells were first discovered, by Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch," said Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation. "Dr. Dick continues this proud tradition with his world-leading research on cancer stem cells. I congratulate him on this honour and thank him for his contributions to cancer research." Dr. Dick is internationally recognized as the first person to identify cancer stem cells in certain types of leukemia. His "cancer stem cell hypothesis" spawned a new direction in cancer research because it showed that not all cancer cells are the same. The AACR Academy recognizes and honours distinguished scientists whose major contributions have propelled significant innovation and progress against cancer. The AACR only recognizes individuals whose work is considered to have had a significant and long-lasting impact on the field of cancer research. The AACR uses a rigorous peer review process conducted by existing Fellows of the Academy to nominate and elect new Fellows. Eleven individuals are chosen annually to join the AACR Academy. Once inducted, they join previous members of the Academy to provide expert insight and guidance to the AACR in its mission to prevent and cure all cancers. Dr. Dick will be formally inducted into the 2016 class of Fellows at the 2016 AACR Annual Meeting in New Orleans later this month. About the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR): OICR is an innovative cancer research and development institute dedicated to prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Institute is an independent, not-for-profit corporation, supported by the Government of Ontario. OICR's research supports more than 1,700 investigators, clinician scientists, research staff and trainees located at its headquarters and in research institutes and academia across the Province of Ontario. OICR has key research efforts underway in small molecules, biologics, stem cells, imaging, genomics, informatics and bio-computing. For more information, please visit the website at www.oicr.on.ca. SOURCE Ontario Institute for Cancer Research For further information: Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Christopher Needles, 416-673-8505, [email protected], @OICR_news Canadian Cancer Society study chosen as this year's Great Canadian Innovation Grant TORONTO, April 6, 2016 /CNW/ - In January 2015, Sean O'Donoghue, 47, a father of 2 young children, went to the dentist complaining of a sore on his tongue. The dentist said it would likely heal by itself. But over the next few months, the sore did not heal and Sean started to have earaches that got worse over time. He made several visits to hospital emergency for treatment as well, but nothing seemed to help, despite various prescribed medications. By June, Sean's family doctor was concerned about the tongue sore and sent him to a specialist, who ordered a biopsy. The biopsy indicated an aggressive stage 4 cancer growing in Sean's tongue. A few weeks later, Sean underwent a 14-hour operation to remove 90% of his tongue, which was replaced with tissue from his abdomen. Surgeons also found that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes and jaw. Seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy followed. Sean went home and dealt with many side effects of treatment as well as pain and trouble swallowing and speaking. "It's strange not to recognize your own voice and especially sad when your kids don't understand you," he said. Sean died in late March in Toronto, surrounded by family and friends. His funeral was on March 30. One of his dying wishes was to raise awareness about oral cancer and encourage others to support research so that no one else will suffer as he did. Sean was one of about 4,400 Canadians who were diagnosed with oral cancer last year. While 63% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer are expected to survive 5 years past their diagnosis, for many patients the cancer is not found early enough to be successfully treated. An effective test to detect oral cancer earlier is desperately needed. With a $200,000 Innovation Grant from the Canadian Cancer Society, Dr Marco Magalhaes is developing a new test to detect oral cancer early and determine which precancerous lesions will develop into cancer, to guide treatment decisions. Like Sean, many people diagnosed with oral cancer (including cancers of the tongue, cheeks and gums) will undergo aggressive surgery (which can involve removing all or part of the tongue or jawbone and cutting into the neck), as well as radiation. These treatments often result in facial disfigurement and long-term difficulties with speaking and eating. "Most patients with oral precancers don't need extensive surgery, but currently we can't tell which patients need it and which don't," says Dr Magalhaes, an oral pathologist at the University of Toronto's faculty of dentistry and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. In this new study, he will test oral biopsies using fluorescent tags to "light up" abnormal proteins found in high-risk precancerous lesions that should be surgically removed. "Our ability to detect oral cancers and the criteria to evaluate precancerous lesions in tissue samples has changed very little in 30 years," says Dr Magalhaes. The current method of finding oral cancer or precancerous lesions is a visual inspection of the mouth and then examination of biopsies for abnormal cells. However, this method cannot accurately differentiate between precancerous lesions that will develop into cancer and need to be removed, and those that can be monitored safely without treatment. "If my cancer had been found earlier, I might not have needed such extensive surgery," said Sean. "Things could have gone significantly better for me." "Oral cancer can be a devastating disease, and early detection can greatly improve patients' outcomes and quality of life," says Dr Sian Bevan, director of research at the Canadian Cancer Society. "Thanks to the support of our donors, Dr Magalhaes' research has the potential to make a concrete impact on how people with suspicious mouth lesions are managed." About the Great Canadian Innovation Grant This grant has been named as the Canadian Cancer Society's 2nd annual Great Canadian Innovation Grant. Starting on November 24, 2015, during the week leading up to GivingTuesday on December 1, 2015, Canada's leading cancer charity inspired Canadians to join together and raise $200,000 to fund this grant a high-risk, high-reward cancer research project. "We launched this exciting campaign to engage Canadians directly in cancer research last year, and it was such a success that we did it again this year. We are delighted and overwhelmed with the support, and everyone who donated to make this grant possible can feel proud of the opportunity they are creating to fund more research," says the Society's Dr Bevan. "The Great Canadian Innovation Grant is a reflection of the strength we have when we come together from coast to coast to support Canadians affected by cancer." "I am so grateful to all the generous donors who are making this research project possible. There is a tremendous need to find better ways to detect and treat oral cancer. With the generous support of Canadians, we will be that much closer to making this a reality," says Dr Magalhaes. Signs and symptoms of oral cancer when to see your dentist or doctor When mouth cavity cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better. Get regular health checkups and see your dentist or doctor if you have: white or red patches in the mouth or on the lip a sore in the mouth or on the lip that doesn't heal a lump or thickened area in the mouth or on the lip loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit bleeding in the mouth Some people have a higher-than-average risk of developing mouth cavity cancer. You may be at a higher risk if you: smoke, use smokeless tobacco or both drink alcohol, especially if you are a heavy drinker have a precancerous condition of the mouth cavity For more information, visit cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333 (TTY 1-866-786-3934). More about Canadian Cancer Society Innovation Grants As competition for grant funding increases, expert review panels become more conservative and risk averse, emphasizing feasibility over innovation. "The goal of the Innovation Grants program is to support unconventional concepts or approaches to address important problems in cancer," says Dr Bevan. Innovation Grant projects will include elements of creativity, curiosity, investigation, exploration and opportunity. Successful projects may be based on high-risk ideas, but will have the potential for high reward. Learn more about Innovation Grants. About the Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society funds the best cancer research in Canada thanks to our generous donors and our rigorous peer-review process. We are the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada, funding hundreds of researchers in universities, hospitals and research centres. Make your gift today at cancer.ca. SOURCE Canadian Cancer Society (National Office) Image with caption: "Sean O'Donoghue and his children (CNW Group/Canadian Cancer Society (National Office))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160406_C2562_PHOTO_EN_659307.jpg For further information: Rosie Hales, Communications Specialist, Canadian Cancer Society, [email protected], 416-934-5338 100 percent of funds raised goes directly to cancer research TORONTO, April 5, 2016 /CNW/ - Women In Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) is pleased to once again support the Canadian Cancer Society's (CCS) Relay For Life events across Ontario. The insurance industry-hosted Relay For Life takes place in Toronto on Friday, June 17 at Downsview Park from 6 p.m. to midnight. "Our Relay For Life is a great event that brings insurance colleagues and their friends and families together in a true team effort to raise money for cancer research," said Relay For Life Co-Chair Shari Dodsworth, Senior Vice President, Sales & Distribution at Northbridge Insurance. "Funding research is essential to progress, and it's our way of helping to eliminate cancer from our vocabulary." Marking its 20th anniversary, WICC has supported Relay For Life for the last seven years and continues to be a very significant corporate contributor through sponsorship and fundraising. Relay For Life is the Canadian Cancer Society's signature fundraiser walk, and the committee is aiming to beat last year's amazing numbers. In 2015, the Relay engaged 71 teams raising $243,000 in donations and $171,000 in corporate sponsor support, for a total of $414,000. "We're so proud of how the Relay event and the money it raises continue to grow," said Paul Martin, Relay For Life Past Co-Chair and President and COO of RRJ Insurance Group. "The insurance industry has really stepped up to the challenge and backs its commitment to support the health of people in their local communities." A perfect example of this commitment is found at Economical Insurance, where the company's national Relay sponsorship dollars already total more than $109,000 this year. "At Economical, how we operate reflects our values and who we are as a company," said Tom Reikman, Economical's Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. "Many of us have experienced cancer in some way, and it's important for Economical to help fund cancer research, both as an employer and insurance provider." Since 1947, CCS has put collective donations of $1.4 billion toward research which has led to new technology and innovations. Accept the baton! Learn more and register today at relayforlife.ca/wicc. To register a team for a Relay For Life event in a different location, visit relayforlife.ontario.ca or call 1-866-201-6202. SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada Image with caption: "Women In Insurance Cancer Crusade (CNW Group/Insurance Bureau of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160405_C2099_PHOTO_EN_658091.jpg Image with caption: "Relay For Life (CNW Group/Insurance Bureau of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160405_C2099_PHOTO_EN_658094.jpg For further information: Ariella Kimmel, 416-362-2031 ext 4312, [email protected] [April 07, 2016] Chemours Fluorochemicals Makes Chinese Debut at 2016 Refrigeration Expo BEIJING, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemours Company ("Chemours") (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company with leading market positions in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, made its first prominent refrigerants industry appearance in China today at the 2016 China Refrigeration Expo, since spinning off from DuPont in July of 2015. The company also debuted its new portfolio of low global warming potential (GWP) fluorochemical solutions at the show, which was held in the New International Exhibition Center in Beijing. Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160406/0861603021 Chemours and Refrigeration Chemours brings over 85 years of refrigerants leadership and innovation from DuPont, which invented the fluorochemicals category when it discovered the original fluorine-based refrigerant, Freon(TM). The business has since demonstrated unshakeable leadership and commitment to the global refrigerants industry as it helped lead the transition away from the original chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to new products that are both non-ozone depleting and low global warming potential. Today, Chemours is the global capacity leader for hydrofluorolefin (HFO) 1234yf-based products, which represent a clear path toward moving the world away from high global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). "The Chinese market represents the second largest economic entity in the world and in recent years it has shown a high desire to pursue environmentally friendly and energy efficient solutions," said Diego Boeri, global business director, Chemours Fluorochemicals. "As the leading supplier of low global warming potential fluorochemicals we believe that Chemours is expertly positioned to provide Chinese customers with products that offer both better performance for the environment, and their business." Optimized Portfolio Includes Opteon(TM) Family of Very Low GWP Refrigerants During the expo, Chemours introduced its newly optimized portfolio to the Chinese market, including the company's two main refrigerants power brands, Opteon(TM) for the company's low GWP refrigerants, and Freon(TM) for its established hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and HFC portfolio. In the past, the company's base business was represented by three separate brands including Suva(R) and ISCEON(R), but these products will now be slowly transitioned to Freon(TM) as the packaging changes fromDuPont to Chemours throughout the 2016 cooling season. Along with promoting the transition away from DuPont, Chemours also debuted the latest low GWP refrigerants in its Opteon(TM) portfolio. The Opteon brand of fluorochemical solutions was developed by the company to help provide the industry with products that offer both better performance and improved environmental properties. The company has in recent years commercialized these products in regions across the world, including Europe and North America, where it has seen significant adoption. Opteon(TM) XP40 (R-449A) , the Chemours flagship non-flammable (A1) replacement for R-404A refrigerant, is approved by major equipment compressor manufacturers and has already seen widespread global adoption in its first year of commercialization. XP40 provides a 67% reduction in GWP over 404A, while improving 404A system energy efficiency up to 12% and offers an excellent direct replacement option for supermarkets still running on R-22 that are looking for a more sustainable retrofit solution. As a result of XP40's strong performance in the field, and based on current orders and customer product testing, Chemours recently announced that XP40 is on pace to be used in over 1,000 supermarket and commercial refrigeration systems worldwide by the end of 2016. Opteon(TM) XP10 (R-513A) is a commercially available, non-flammable, low GWP hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blend with a GWP reduction of 56% compared to R-134a. XP10 offers an excellent capacity and efficiency match to R-134a across a range of applications, including refrigeration, air conditioning, chillers and heat pumps. A growing list of OEMs have specified Opteon(TM) XP10, including Trane, which has announced commercial availability of its Sintesis air-cooled chillers, and Emerson and Bitzer, which have approved and listed XP10 for use in their compressors. In January of this year, Johnson Controls also announced their decision to enhance their HFC product line by providing a chiller portfolio that is fully compatible with both R-134a and Opteon(TM) XP10 (R-513A) for their York centrifugal and screw chillers ranging from 125 to 6,000 tons. Smardt Chiller Group, the global leader of the fast-growing oil-free centrifugal chiller market, also announced the commercialization of high-efficiency XP10-based centrifugal chillers this January, and they expect that their magnetic bearing centrifugal chillers to be available in both air-cooled and water-cooled versions well before the end of 2016. Opteon(TM) XP44 (R-452A) is a non-ozone depleting, low global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluorolefin (HFO) based refrigerant replacement for R-404A/R-507A. With a GWP reduction of up to 45%, XP44 matches the discharge temperature of R-404A/R-507, which is very critical for low temperature hermetic systems and transport applications. Thermo King and Tecumseh have lead the way in specifying Opteon(TM) XP44. Opteon(TM) XL55 , with an expected ASHRAE number of R-452B, is gaining significant interest from OEMs as the optimal low GWP R-410A replacement and is awaiting approval under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The global warming potential of XL55 is 65 percent lower than R-410A, and when used as a direct replacement, XL55 offers improved performance while maintaining design compatibility. It also has the lowest flammability compared to industry tested R-410A alternatives. Chemours unveiled XL55 at the 2015 International Congress of Refrigeration show in Yokohama, Japan. At that same show Trane also exhibited the first air-cooled demonstration chiller, AquaTrine(TM), designed for use with Opteon(TM) XL55. Opteon(TM) XP140 is a newly commercialized working fluid from Chemours for high temperature heat pump applications. The heating temperature of Opteon(TM) XP140 can reach up to 95C, which substantially improves the energy efficiency of applications requiring high heating temperatures. The Opteon(TM) portfolio of fluorochemistry products from Chemours represents a breakthrough line of low GWP solutions. They were developed to help meet increasing global HFC regulations while maintaining or improving performance compared to incumbent products. Chemours has invested millions of dollars to bring these new products to market and will continue to invest in new products and additional capacity as the need for low GWP solutions grows throughout the world. For more information visit us at opteon.com. About The Chemours Company The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) helps create a colorful, capable and cleaner world through the power of chemistry. Chemours is a global leader in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Talking Wood with Passionate Professionals ESPOO, Finland, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wood is the ideal way to both battle climate change and house a growing urban population. There is still, however, a wide spread lack of awareness of the possibilities of engineered wood, specifically Kerto LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber). Metsa Wood has joined forces with leading professionals who share our passion for wood construction in a video series called Talking Wood. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7804951-talking-wood-passionate-professionals/ Each of the videos features a wood expert talking about a subject close to the speaker's heart. Talking Wood is a continuing series - and likeminded professionals are more than welcome to share their insights, knowledge and stories. The first set of videos is now ready. Executing demanding structures Architect Henk Moen, owner of Moen & Van Oosten Architecten, talks about executing demanding structures - while employing the natural charm of wood. His stated design approach is "I build spatially well-designed buildings - climate machines that remain close to nature while utilizing the full range of today's technical possiilities." Sledgehammer-proof high security doors The managing director of the Rocal Group, Stephen Nadin, talks about how engineered wood is the natural choice for high security doors. If you're curious about what happens when a door made out of Kerto LVL is hit with a sledgehammer, don't miss this one. Engineered wood improves natural strength Structural designer and lecturer at Delft University, Vincent Raadschelders, speaks about how the natural strength of timber is used in engineered wood that offers surprising material possibilities and an innate strength enabling large spans and prefabricated modules. Flexibility and strength of Kerto LVL meets diverse challenges Head of the technical department at Finnholz, Andreas Rutschmann, talks about the flexibility of Kerto LVL - how it can be easily cut and yet still retain its high strength. Last year Metsa Wood joined forces with likeminded partners in Plan B - a project to show how famous buildings like the Colosseum in Rome could be constructed out of wood. Talking Wood approaches the same issues from a different, more personal angle. See the Talking Wood videos at http://www.metsawood.com/publications Videos and images: http://databank.metsagroup.com/l/LhZCkfQQsBRt For more information, please contact: Henni Rousu, Marketing Manager, Metsa Wood, mobile: +358(0)40-5548388, [email protected]. Metsa Wood provides competitive and environmentally friendly wood products for construction, industrial customers and distributor partners. We manufacture products from nordic wood, a sustainable raw material of premium quality. Our sales in 2015 were EUR 0.9 billion, and we employ about 2,000 people. Metsa Wood is part of Metsa Group. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151007/274904LOGO ) Video: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7804951-talking-wood-passionate-professionals/ SOURCE Metsa Wood [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Trust-Related Concerns Could Hamper Consumer Adoption of Internet Of Things (IOT) LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New Global Consumer Survey highlights consumer concerns of a connected world 60% of mobile users are worried about a world of connected devices Privacy (62%) and security (54%) are seen as the biggest threats worldwide Home security raises the most concern among connected devices and applications Global mobile trade body Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), today published its latest report in the Global Consumer Survey series looking at The Impact of Trust on IOT. A global survey of over 5,000 mobile users in eight markets looks at consumer perceptions about the future of a connected world. Supported by online security company, AVG Technologies, the survey polled consumers in UK, USA, Brazil, France, Germany, China, India and South Africa. It reveals that while consumers see the tangible benefit of IoT (just 1 consumer in 10 says a world of connected devices won't deliver such value), more than half also harbour concerns about the perceived risks and threats in a world of connected devices. Globally 60% are worried about the Internet of Things, and especially so in growth markets such as Brazil, India and South Africa (66%), although in the UK it appears to be less of an issue (50%). Trust-related issues privacy (62%) and security (54%) were the number one concern, named twice as often as real-world concerns such as physical safety (27%) or not being able to fix the technology if it breaks down (24%). Home security is, remarkably, the IOT application about which consumers have the greatest concern at 30%, a marked increase over, for example, connected cars (12%) or connected heating systems (6%). A quarter (24%) of respondents consider health-related information as the most sensitive data when it comes to connected devices, and this is especially the case in China (44%). By contrast, in more mature markets such as USA and Germany, there is heightened sensitivity around location data 52% and 50% respectively, as compared to a global average of 43%). Rather dramatically, 1 in 5 consumers (21%) even worry that IoT would result in machines taking over the Earth. "Whilst this survey shows that consumers are excited about a future connected world, it also clearly identifies the need for the industry to consider how such technology and services are rolled out when it comes to building a trusted relationship with consumers" said Rimma Perelmuter, CEO of MEF. "The business opportunities surrounding IoT are clear, but only if industry heeds the lessons of the broader mobile ecosystem when it comes to the paramount importance of building consumer trust at the outset. Our 2016 Global Consumer Trust Report demonstrated the demand for transparency in mobile apps and services with 64% saying it's important to be told when an app is collecting and sharing personal information. This new report reaffirms the need for all stakeholders in the ecosystem to take action now to secure a viable future for such technologies." "Nothing less than a technology evolution is underway, opening a world of possibilities to explore the Internet of Things (IoT)," said Todd Simpson, Chief Strategy Officer for AVG Technologies. "And yet, as the network of IoT devices grows, so, too, do consumers' understandable concerns about what this increased connectivity and data sharing means for security. If the IoT is to stand any chance of long-term, safe adoption that will benefit not just innovative companies but also the customers they're here to serve, we need to make secure by design a fundamental standard, no matter the device." Global round-up Privacy - or a lack of it - is what drives concern about IoT in the USA (70%) and France (69%) versus a global average of 62%. (70%) and (69%) versus a global average of 62%. While around the world 54% name security their number one concern, in the UK it's significantly higher (67%). 65% of Chinese and 61% of South African mobile users demand transparency from wearables providers over the use of their data compared to 52% worldwide 17% of Indians don't want their TV to be connected to the internet compared to just 10% of the global sample. For more information about MEF's Report please go to http://www.mobileecosystemforum.com/solutions/analytics/iot-report-2016/ Join MEF at its 6th annual Global Consumer Trust Summit on June 23 at the Mission Bay Center in San Francisco, USA. You can register now at http://www.mobileecosystemforum.com/event/mef-global-consumer-trust-summit-san-francisco/ About MEF The Mobile Ecosystem Forum is a global trade body that acts as an impartial and authoritative champion for addressing issues affecting the broadening mobile ecosystem. We provide our members with a global and cross-sector platform for networking, collaboration and advancing industry solutions. The goal is to accelerate the growth of a sustainable mobile ecosystem that drives inclusion for all and delivers trusted services that enrich the lives of consumers worldwide. Established in 2000 and headquartered in the UK, MEF has Regional Chapters across Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, North and Latin America. About AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG) AVG is the leading provider of software services to secure devices, data and people. AVG's award-winning consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, location services, data controls and insights, and privacy and identity protection, for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio, delivered through a global partner network, provides cloud security and remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions that protect small and medium businesses around the world. For more information visit http://www.avg.com. Contact: James Harrison,[email protected] SOURCE Mobile Ecosystem Forum [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Syncroness, Inc. Honored With United Launch Alliance Small Business Excellence Award WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) recently honored Colorado-based Syncroness, Inc. with the 2015 Small Business Excellence Award for their support services of the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles. ULA is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA's Atlas and Delta rockets have successfully delivered more than 100 satellites to orbit that provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, enable personal device-based GPS navigation and unlock the mysteries of our solar system. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160406/352513LOGO Syncroness, Inc. of Westminster, Colorado, demonstrated excellent support to ULA and the U.S. Government programs by providing essential Engineering and IT services for a wide range of ULA programs. "Syncroness consistently demonstrates their dedication to ULA by ensuring that the identified scope of work is completed on time and under budget," said Gary Bartmann, Director Supply Chain Management. ULA can count on the Syncroness team to resolve emergent requests, often in support of our critical schedule requirements." ULA places a strong emphasis on the value and contribution of small businesses. In fiscal year 2015, ULA awarded contracts worth more than $244 million to small businesses throughout the country. "Syncroness is honored by this award recognition," stated Todd Mosher, PhD., Syncroness Vice President of Engineering. "It validates the strong commitment we've made to ULA and our other aerospace customers. We look forward to serving others with our commercial approach to delivering rapid product development and high quality products." About Syncroness: For more than 18 years, Syncroness has provided inspired solutions to highly complex business and technical problems. The company has a strong portfolio of clients in the medical device, aerospace, and industrial equipment industries. By providing a full complement of engineering services aligned to the entire product lifecycle, Syncroness enables companies to accelerate product development and drive more predictability and productivity into their businesses. Working with Syncroness, companies gain the critical insights necessary to develop products that make a difference and create a better world. Syncroness is based in Westminster, Colorado. www.syncroness.com. Media Contact: Stacy Sprouse, 720-257-7161, [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syncroness-inc-honored-with-united-launch-alliance-small-business-excellence-award-300247639.html SOURCE Syncroness, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] HelpTheCrowd Equity Crowdfunding Analytics Tool Press Release AMSTERDAM, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HelpTheCrowd offers invaluable insights into European crowdfunding opportunities with new Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool HelpTheCrowd, the Amsterdam-based Crowdfunding comparison platform, today brings professional-level transparency to the European equity crowdfunding market with the launch of its new Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool. Subscribers can use the tool to analyse and compare investment opportunities in the previously fragmented and confusing European equity crowdfunding market. Jaap Dekter, HelpTheCrowd Founder & CEO and former investment banker explains: "We want to take the best traditional investor services and make them available for the crowdfunding universe. Our Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool is the first step. This tool helps investors by clearly showing what kinds of companies are raising money through equity crowdfunding, and at what valuation. It also includes past deals, so investors can see how much money similar companies have raised, or tried to raise." The HelpTheCrowd.com websit already gives potential investors free-to-access information about how much money a business is trying to raise through crowdfunding. The Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool takes things one step further, giving subscribers a statistical overview of currently live deals and completed deals, as well as access to the full database of completed deals. This allows investors to directly compare an investment opportunity with similar deals from different European countries, platforms and sectors. They can see how its valuation measures up against its peers, and also easily identify broader trends in crowdfunding and early stage investing. Dekter continues: "Now investors can tell at a glance whether an investment opportunity is relatively cheap or expensive. This kind of information is widely available in the world of traditional investments - HelpTheCrowd's new tool brings the same service to the crowdfunding market, which is an important next step for the industry." HelpTheCrowd has built a comprehensive database that demystifies early stage crowdfunding investment in Europe. HelpTheCrowd staff gathers and reads every pitch from the leading crowdfunding platforms, then categorises and labels each pitch with the appropriate sector and tag, before adding the required minimum funding amount and valuation. Dekter again: "Giving investors a benchmark of average funding needs, and valuations for different kinds of companies, helps them to ask better questions. If a particular investment opportunity has a very different valuation from its peers, investors will know what kind of extra information they should request from the entrepreneur, or what they should do more research on." HelpTheCrowd was founded in 2015 and began gathering data in August of that year. Investors can browse the free-to-use part of the HelpTheCrowd website and review leading crowdfunding platforms from all over Europe, as well as the individual investment opportunities on those platforms. The new subscription-based Equity Crowdfunding Analytics tool gives investors clear, transparent information about the exciting investment avenues that crowdfunding is opening up. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] New ShakeSpeak App Lets Shakespeare Fans Text Like the Bard LONDON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VisitLondon.com and Swiftkey team up to celebrate Shakespeare's legacy as part of Fans of London campaign Watch Famous actor Simon Callow surprise Shakespeare super fan on stage at The Globe A new app which adds a Shakespearean touch to your text messaging, has been launched today to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death and as part of a tourism drive for the capital, called 'Fans of London ' . Working with VisitLondon.com, the official visitor guide for the capital, ShakeSpeak has been developed by software company SwiftKey, best known for their language prediction app. By analysing the Complete Works of Shakespeare they developed an app that helps turn your text messages into Shakespearean prose by predicting the playwright's best known phrases. Swiftkey's app, which is available to download free of charge, allows you to simply type the first word or two of a famous Shakesparean quote and the technology will do the rest. For example: To be or not to be, that is the question That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players And in order to make your text messages as authentic as the Bard's language, Swiftkey's analysis of the Complete Works of Shakespeare recommends using 'Thou', 'thee' and 'thy' in your text messages, as these three words are among the most frequent Shakespeare uses compared to how we speak today.* The launch of the ShakeSpeak app is part of the Fans of London tourism campaign from VisitLondon.com, which is supported by the GREAT Britain Campaign, British Airways and Hilton. Fans of London celebrates the blockbuster events taking place across the capital this year, including the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's legacy, and the first ever exhibition on the Rolling Stones, EXHIBITIONISM. Lori Jones, a dedicated Shakespeare super fan, was flown to London as part of the campaign. Lori was surprised on stage by classical actor Simon Callow, who conducted a voice workshop with her in the Sam Wanamaker playhouse. Actor and director Simon Callow said: "After all this time, Shakespeare's works are still relevant to us all, and it's a delight to know that his legacy is still very much alive in London - the calendar of events to honour the Bard this year is truly spectacular." Chris Gottlieb, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for London & Partners, said: "The legacy of Shakespeare lives on in London and in this commemorative year, there is so much to see and do across the capital for fans such as Lori - from exhibitions, special performances and quirky adaptations." ShakeSpeak is available to download on Android from 9am BST on 7th April for smartphones and tablets on Google Play (search ShakeSpeak). For the chance to win a trip to London go to http://www.visitlondon.com/fans SOURCE London & Partners [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] SourcingLink.net Gives Further Update and Insight on the Multi-billion Lithium Industry SAN DIEGO, California, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SourcingLink.net Inc. (OTC Pink: SNET) is encouraged with the recent developments that we believe will increase the value of our Lac Fire Lithium properties located east of Lac Pivert, Quebec. Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal used in pharmaceuticals, ceramics, grease, lubricants and heat-resistant glass. It's also used in lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from cellphones to laptops to electric vehicles - demand is growing fastest in this area. According to Frost & Sullivan, the global market for lithium-ion batteries is expected to double to $22.5 billion in 2016 from $11.7 billion in 2012. Consumer goods and automobile sectors are driving the demand. Zacks Research report further states that with the increasing use of lithium ion batteries in consumer electronic products as well as efforts to promote the use of electric cars by many governments to curb pollution, the demand for these batteries is expected to rise. Lithium-ion batteries are used by many auto manufactures, including Tesla Motors, Inc. General Motors Co., Navistar International Corp., BMW AG, Daimler AG and Ford Motor Co. According to Zacks Research, Tesla Motors, Inc.'s decision to build a $5 billon Gigafactory to meet its requirement of lithium-ion battery packs brought glaring focus on the shortage of supply of this emerging energy storage technology (and the raw material - Lithium). Zacks further states that, however, the market for lithium-ion batteries has a lot of untapped potential. According to a recent article published in Lithium Investing News by Teresa Matich, a note by Stomcrow Capital, there's little chance of substitution for Lithium. In short, the world is going to (continue to) need a lot of lithium. What's more, demand from other sectors (besides automotive) isn't going away. Sourcinglink.net has recently acquired a block of 8 new claims sharing a 12 km boundary which is on three sides with the Rose Lithium Tantalum Property of Critical Elements Corp. About The Eldor Project: SourcingLink.net, Inc. signed an agreement to acquire 100% interest in the Eldor Rare Earth Property Claims (The Eldor Project) located in Northern Quebec, Canada (one of the most favorable mining jurisdictions in the world). The Eldor Project consists of 34 mineral claims covering approximately 3951 acres and is located in Northern Quebec which is considered one of the most favorable mining jurisdictions in the world. About SourcingLink.net, Inc.: SourcingLink.net is a U.S. based publicly traded exploration and development company. Their focus is on rare metals and rare earth elements which are among the primary input materials for 21st century technology. Forward-looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, which contain words such as "expect," "believe" or "plan," by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. These uncertainties may cause actual future events to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. Contact: SourcingLink.net 12526 High Bluff Drive, Ste 300 San Diego, CA 92130 Phone +1-858-792-3620 Website: http://www.sourcinglink.org Email:[email protected] SOURCE SourcingLink.net, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market is Expected to Reach USD 19,364.7 Million in 2023: Transparency Market Research ALBANY, New York, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research "Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023," manufacturing execution system market was valued at USD 7,860.5 Million in 2014; and is expected to reach USD 19,364.7 Million in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 11.1% from 2015 to 2023. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are integrated software application aimed to provide manufacturing industries with the means to schedule and plan, direct and operate, and track and analyze their operations. Presently, manufacturing industries are experiencing increasing overhead and material costs. In addition, intense economic conditions are compelling manufacturers to surge production in a cost effective way. This in turn is leading to rising need for implementation of industrial control systems aimed to optimize processes and provide better visibility of the shop floor. Need for quicker turnarounds and efficient utilization of resources or inventories is further driving the need for automation in industries. MES solutions offers real-time information of the shop floor, allowing end user industries to quickly response to any challenge that could negatively impact efficiency, productivity and quality. In addition, MES solutions offer uninterrupted visibility into production operations, gaining an overall view of the shop floor. Demand for industrial automation, better visibility of the shop floor and need for real-time control and adjustments to operations is driving the demand for manufacturing execution system (MES). Full Research Report on Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market with detailed figures and segmentation at: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/manufacturing-execution-systems.html However, requirement of high initial investment upfront, end user industries are often reluctant to install MES, which in turn is posing as a major factor restraining the market growth. Moreover, rising complexities in manufacturing industries is leading to complexities in installation of MES, further limiting the growth of the MES market. Growth opportunities for key players in the MES market lies in increasing penetration of industrial internet of things (IoT), which in turn is leading to rising demand for next-generation advanced MES solutions across the globe. Get Sample Report Copy OR For further inquiries, click here: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2724 The global manufacturing execution system (MES) market is categorized based on process and discrete industry. Process industry includs oil and gas, chemical, food and beverages, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, energy and power, water and wastewater treatment and others. Other process industry segment includes textiles, and steel and aluminum. In 2014, oil and gas segment contributed the majority of the global MES market share by process industry in terms of revenue. Based on discrete industry, the global manufacturing execution system (MES) market is segmented into automotive, aerospace and defense, electronics and electrical, medical devices, FMCG, and others. Others segment includes semiconductors, furniture & wood products, and printing and publishing. Amongst discrete industry, automotive segment held the majority of the market share in terms of revenue in 2014. Surge in installation of MES in automotive industry to meet increasing demand for faster time to market is driving the growth of the segment. Geographically, North America led the manufacturing execution system (MES) market in 2015. Growth in this region is attributed to the rising need for advanced MES in industries aimed at integrating data from ERP and routing the information to plant floor for efficient operation. Europe followed North America and held the second largest market share in terms of revenue in 2014. Asia Pacific region closely followed Europe region and is anticipated to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Browse the Press Release of this report, here: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/manufacturing-execution-systems.htm Key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview, financial overview, business strategies and recent developments in the field of manufacturing execution system (MES) industry. Major market participants profiled in this report include ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Schneider Electric S.E. (France), Rockwell Automation, Inc. (U.S.), Emersion Electric Co. (U.S.), General Electric Co. (U.S.), and SAP SE (Germany) among others. The report studies the global manufacturing execution system (MES) market, and provides estimates in terms of revenue (USD Million) from 2015 to 2023. Market estimates on the basis of process industry, and discrete industry for each region. The market has been segmented as follows Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Process Industry Oil and Gas Chemical Food and Beverages Pulp and Paper Pharmaceutical Energy and Power Water and Wastewater Treatment Others Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Discrete Industry Automotive Aerospace and Defense Electronics and Electrical Medical Devices FMCG Others The report provides a cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following regions: Global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Market: By Geography North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Germany France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific India China Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the World (RoW) Latin America Middle East Africa Other Research Reports by Transparency Market Research: Transportation and Security System Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/transportation-security-system-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/transportation-security-system-market.html Personal Protective Equipment Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/saudi-arabia-personal-protective-equipment-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Sudip.S 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Blog: http://www.europlat.org SOURCE Transparency Market Research [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] EXO U Inc. Named SIIA Education CODiE Award Finalist for Best Post-secondary Learning Content Solution and Announces Grant of Options MONTREAL, April 7, 2016 /CNW/ - EXO U Inc. ("EXO U" or the "Corporation") (TSXV: EXO), a software development company, today announced that Ormi, the Company's mobile device teaching platform for schools, was named a finalist for the 2016 SIIA CODiE Awards (the "CODiE Awards") in the Best Post-secondary Learning Content Solution category. The CODiE Awards are the premier awards for the software and information industries and have been recognizing product excellence for over 30 years. The CODiE Awards include 91 categories that are organized by industry focus of education technology and business technology. Ormi was named as one of the 160 finalists across 29 education technology categories. Winners will be announced during a virtual award ceremony on May 18th. The top honor of best overall educational product will be presented at the Education Industry Symposium, the nation's leading education technology conference, in Denver on July 26th. Ormi (meaning "momentum" in Greek) was engineered with the natural classroom experience in mind to minimize steps and eliminate common interruptions, thereby preserving the teacher's focus and flow so that students stay engaged. With beautifully simple content sharing and collaboration capabilities, Ormi quickens BYOD (bring your own device) integration into instruction. "We are delighted to be a finalist in the prestigious CODiE Award Process for 2016" said Kevin Pawsey, CEO of EXO U. "Having been lucky enough to be a winner with previous companies and products, I know this recognition will greatly help Ormi's position in the higher education marketplace to compliment the traction we are seeing in K-12 with our distribution partners in the United States and Europe." Mr. Pawsey added: "We have worked diligently to understand the needs of instructors and students in post-secondary and K-12 education and I think this attention to providing the right tools for the right activity is reflected in the judges' positive comments. I am proud of the entire EXO U team for working so diligently in the last five months to build a great product and now seeing that translate into a really relevant solution." "Every year the list of CODiE Award finalists is a cae study of how the ed tech industry is using new technologies in combination with knowledge about how people learn to respond to customer needs. They're opening doors for learners of all ages." said Karen Billings, vice president and managing director of Education Technology Industry Network. Details about each finalist are listed at http://www.siia.net/codie/Finalists Grant of Options The Corporation is also pleased to announce that its board of directors has granted options to purchase an aggregate of 1,107,976 common shares of the Corporation to certain employees of EXO U, including an executive officer, pursuant to the Corporation's stock option plan. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.165 per common share of the Corporation for a period of five years following the date of grant. The options will vest one third at the end of six months, another third at the end of one year and the final third at the end of eighteen months, all from the date of grant. About EXO U EXO U's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol EXO. EXO U develops an innovative software platform which enables businesses and educational institutions to securely mobilize and manage their mobile workforce and students by delivering engaging experiences spanning desktop and mobile applications. At the core of EXO U's platform is the smart and agnostic EXO engine that unifies multiple software platforms, allowing devices to interact and communicate seamlessly together. For more information, visit http://www.exou.com and follow us on Twitter @exo_u. About SIIA SIIA is an umbrella association representing 800+ technology, data and media companies globally. Industry leaders work through SIIA's divisions to address issues and challenges that impact their industry segments with the goal of driving innovation and growth for the industry and each member company. This is accomplished through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations. For more information, visit siia.net. About ETIN ETIN (the Education Technology Industry Network of SIIA) is the leading voice for 200+ companies that provide software applications, digital content, online learning services and related technologies across the PK-20 sector. ETIN drives growth and innovation within the industry by providing leadership, advocacy, business development opportunities, government relations and critical ed tech market information. For more information, visit siia.net/etin. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements included herein, including those that express management's expectations or estimates of EXO U's future performance or future events, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information and statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as ""plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases (or the negative form thereof) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, regulator and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other assumptions and risk factors, please refer to EXO U's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended March 31, 2015, available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information contained herein is presented as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. SOURCE EXO U Inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Pratt & Whitney, Italian Industry Sign Work Agreements for F-35 Lightning II EAST HARTFORD, Conn., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has awarded long-term agreement contracts valued at $17 million over 10 years to four key Italian aerospace suppliers Aerea S.p.A., APR S.r.l., Mepit S.r.l. and NCM S.p.A. to manufacture F135 engine components for the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. Pratt & Whitney has invested in a global manufacturing network and supply chain to ensure the success of the F135 engine program. In order to double the size of both commercial and military engine production by 2020, the company has signed long-term agreements valued at more than $22 billion dollars with nearly 800 key product suppliers worldwide. To date, F135 production requirements have resulted in more than $25 million dollars in contracts to Italian companies, and additional F135 engine work may increase for Italian industry as the production ramp grows in the coming years. Aerea S.p.A, APR S.r.l., Mepit S.r.l. and NCM S.p.A. were selected on a best value basis to support the F135 engine program as a result of their readiness to deliver high-quality parts, on-cost and on-time, according to Cliff Stone, vice president business development, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. "Pratt & Whitney works hard to identify and team with capable suppliers who can deliver high-quality products at competitive prices. These awards directly support our goals for F135 industrial participation with small and medium enterprise suppliers," said Stone. "We have had great success working with Italian industry. We recognize the advanced capabilities and value that exists with these particular suppliers and look forward to having them as part of Pratt & Whitney's global supply chain for the F135 engine." "We are thrilled to be selected as a best value supplier for Pratt & Whitney's advanced F135 engine," said Silvano Mantovani, chief executive officer, Aerea S.p.A. "This long ter supply agreement is a recognition of our technological know-how and the capabilities that exist in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility." "This agreement signals strong confidence from Pratt & Whitney, and positions us well for additional F135 engine component manufacturing opportunities of increasing value," said Andrea Romiti, chief executive officer, APR S.r.l. "We are prepared to deliver on our cost and product quality commitments, and we are ready for the F135 engine production ramp." "Our business is focused on delivering affordable, high-quality products," said Luca Pigato, chief executive officer, Mepit S.r.l. "As a supplier of machined parts for the advanced F135 engine, we remain at the cutting edge of technology and providing important jobs for our talented workforce." "We are delighted to have Pratt & Whitney's confidence to manufacture and deliver these key components for the F135 engine," said Renato Cesca, chief executive officer, NCM S.p.A. "Our involvement with the F135 engine and the F-35 program helps ensure aerospace remains an essential part of our local industry." As one of the original nine partner nations for the F-35, Italy is a key contributor to the development and production of the F-35 Lightning II. The current program of record for Italy is for the procurement of 60 F-35A and 30 F-35B aircraft, confirming the aircraft as the official replacement for the legacy Panavia Tornado, AMX and AV-8B aircraft currently in use by the Italian Ministry of Defence. The F-35 Lightning II program includes partners from Australia, Italy, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United Statesas well as three foreign military sales customersIsrael, Japan and South Korea. A total of 3,170 F-35s are currently planned for production. To date, Pratt & Whitney has delivered 266 F135 engines for the advanced, single-engine F-35 aircraft. About Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans and availability of funding, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Matthew Bates Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Mobile: +1-860-371-9857 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pratt--whitney-italian-industry-sign-work-agreements-for-f-35-lightning-ii-300247950.html SOURCE Pratt & Whitney [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 07, 2016] Conference Call and Webcast Notice - Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. to Hold 2016 First-Quarter Financial Results Conference Call and Webcast WINNIPEG, April 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS) will release its 2016 first-quarter results in a conference call with the financial community on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. ET. Participants will include Jay Forbes, Chief Executive Officer and Paul Cadieux, Chief Financial Officer. To participate, please dial toll-free 1-888-231-8191 or 647-427-7450. A replay will be available until May 18, 2016 by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering passcode 86945080. Investors, media and the public are invited to participate on a listen-only basis by logging in to the live audio webcast of the conference call at the Investors page of MTS' website at about.mts.ca/investors/ or by entering: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1169427&s=1&k=B7C3AE211DBA4A276159A08D3347DC49. A replay of the conference call will be available on MTS' website for one year. About MTS At MTS, we're proud to be Manitoba's leading information and communications technology provider. We're dedicated to delivering a full suite of services for Manitobans Internet, Wireless, TV, Phone Service and Security Systems plus a full suite of Information Solutions, including Unified Cloud and Managed Services. You can count on MTS to make connecting your world easy. We're with you. We live where we work and actively give back to organizations that strengthen our communities. Through MTS Future First, we provide sponsorships, grants and scholarships, value-in-kind support and volunteer commitment in Manitoba. MTS Inc. is wholly owned by Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (TSX: MBT). For more on MTS' products and services, visit mts.ca. For investor information, visit www.mts.ca/aboutus. SOURCE Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. As the funeral rites for the late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, begins on Thursday (today), in Yenegoa,... As the funeral rites for the late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, begins on Thursday (today), in Yenegoa, the government has promised that he will be given a solemn but heroic state burial.A former Commissioner for Information, who now heads the Publicity Sub-Committee of the burial committee, Esueme Dan-Kikile, said Alamieyeseigha, would get a state burial befitting of a hero of Ijaw nation.He said Alamieyeseigha would not be buried at the Ijaw Heroes Park like the late Gen. Owoeye Azazi and Isaac Adaka Boro.Nevertheless, Dan-Kikile noted that Governor Seriake Dickson had put in place all things within his powers to accord the first civilian governor of the state a befitting burial beginning from Thursday.He said, It is not that government will not be happy to bury him there (Ijaw Heroes Park) but we are also taking into consideration the interest of the family and the community.It was in the course of this that the state governor set up the burial committee to be headed by the Deputy Governor of the state, John Jonah, to oversee preparation, planning and logistics for the state burial of Alamieyeseigha.We have been working and since November 2015, we are expecting a befitting burial, a wonderful crowd at all the venues that activities will take place.We are not only having the burial alone, we are also going to have some intellectual activities. We are having a lecture on Federalism and developments in Nigeria, to be delivered by Prof. G.G Darah, who is one of the finest scholars from this part of the country.There is also a night of tributes and we are expecting dignitaries from all over the country who will come and pay their last respects to him in comments, speeches, songs, poems, poetry and many others.He said the state government had made sure that all necessary logistics were put in place to have a successful burial, stressing that the burial was not just for the Bayelsa Government but for all Nigerians.He said Alamieyeseigha meant so much to Bayelsans, noting that he was a leader of both the leaders and the commoners.He extolled the virtues of Alamieyeseigha, who during his heyday, was described as the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation, saying that Alamieyeseigha was passionate about Bayelsa, the Ijaw nation and Nigeria.He added, He had his own human failings but he was undoubtedly committed to the development of this part of the country, particularly the Niger Delta region.He stood for those things that are in accord to the development of the region and so the state government is not only putting in place the best thing in place to make sure he gets a befitting burial but also a successful one. ACTIVITIES marking 100 years of the coming of the Catholic Church in Awka have begun in all the 12 parishes and one chaplaincy in the area. ACTIVITIES marking 100 years of the coming of the Catholic Church in Awka have begun in all the 12 parishes and one chaplaincy in the area.Chairman of centenary planning committee, Professor Austin Nonyelu, at a news conference at the St. Patricks Cathedral, Awka yesterday, said the event will come to a climax with a Concelebrated Mass to be officiated by the Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, to be assisted by many Bishops and over 100 priests from the various parts of the country on April 16 at the Cathedral.According to the chairman, prominent Nigerians, including Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, minister of employment, Senator Chris Ngige, former Governor Peter Obi, former national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, among many others, are expected to grace the weeklong event.Nonyelu, who described 2016 as a special year for Awka people and those residing in the city, observed that the Catholic Church had grown substantially over the years with notable infrastructure, accompanied with spiritual and human development.Going down memory lane, Nonyelu explained that the church was brought into Awka by a Warrant Chief, Ofodile Nwamaleru, who invited Reverend Father Bubendoff from Aguleri to establish the Catholic Church in Awka, adding that Ofodile also provided the first place of worship for the church in the area.He said that as at the beginning of this year, there were 27 indigenous priests of Awka, in addition to many educational and health institutions, adding that despite some challenges, the church was still growing at a tremendous rate.Secretary of centenary committee, Mr. Uba Anene explained that 43 persons would receive awards as part of the activities during the celebration, adding that among the awardees would be Chief Ofodile who would be honoured posthumously for bringing the Catholic Church to Awka. Trial of the erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe over allegation that he falsely declared his assets in 2007... Trial of the erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe over allegation that he falsely declared his assets in 2007, kicked off on a dramatic note on Thursday, as his lawyer, Mr. Larry Selekeowei, SAN, exchanged hot words with the Justice Danladi Umar-led panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.The clash followed moves by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, to tender into evidence, the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and the Right of Occupancy (R of O), of Plot No. 2057 Asokoro District Abuja, which Orubebe was said to have failed to declare as his property.The DPP had through the star witness the federal government brought to testify against the former Minister, Mr. Samuel Madojemu, who is an investigative officer at the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, attempted to tender the documents into evidence.Meanwhile, the war-of-words ensued at a point Orubebes lawyer was adducing reasons why the documents and an accompanying letter from the Federal Capital Territory Department of Land Administration, should not be admitted into evidence.Mid way into his submission, one of the Judges on the CCT panel, Mr. Agwaza Atedze, interjected and asked the defence lawyer to streamline his argument to specific contents of the document before the tribunal.The remark infuriated Mr. Selekeowei, SAN, who rudely reprimanded the Judge for unduly interfering with his submission.Why are you interjecting into my submission like this? I am making a point, you have not even allowed me to land! You are interfering with this proceeding and it is wrong!You are the Judge, you should allow me to make my submission while you rule. Allow me do my work, yours is to be neutral. Why are you doing this?, Selekeowei bellowed.Effort by Chairman of the CCT panel, Justice Umar to pacify Orubebes lawyer proved abortive as he kept shouting I am making a submission and someone is interfering and you expect me to keep quite, that cannot happen!Irked by conduct of the defence lawyer, Justice Umar maintained that he must tender an open apology for his verbal attack on the bench.Are you not sitting before us. Why are you being rude to us? You must apologise. When there is an interjection you are not expected to rudely shout at a Judge the way you are doing.You are a member of the silk, you must respect the bench. You are expected to speak humbly and with humility to the bench no matter what. This is not a place to fight, it is a place to settle dispute in an amicable way, Justice Umar fumed.I apologise, though I still insist that it was wrong for anyone to interject like that, Selekeowei stated.ustice Atedze who was glaring at him from his vintage point on the bench, simply said, Larry, all I will tell you is to calm down. Meantime, in his evidence-in-chief, the PW-1, narrated how the CCB uncovered that the said plot belongs to the former Minister. He said:My Lord, I know the defendant because be came to make his assets declaration to the Bureau by virtue of his position as a public officer and as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.I was instructed to invite him to the Bureau headquarters for the purpose of obtaining his statement on the allegations and intelligence reports that was being handled by the Bureau concerning him.I invited him but he promised to respond by sending his legal representative. He also promised that he may decide to come in person. However, he did not come. My lord he was issued with Form CCB-1, which is the standard form for assets declaration. He made the declarations between 2007 to 2011, which is the period under investigation. The CCB issued the defendant forms five times. For those five times he made his assets declaration forms review. After we received the forms, we examined them as part of our investigation procedure, to ascertain if there was over declaration or under declaration.We also conducted intelligence assessment on the declaration made by the defendant. My lord we discovered that there were some other plots or properties that were allegedly traced to the defendant, Elder Godwill Orubebe.We thereafter decided to conduct record examination by writing a letter to the Federal Capital Territory Department of Land Administration. In their response, which was in writing, they stated that Plot No. 2057 Asokoro District Abuja, for which a C of O was issued on April 10, 2011, belongs to the defendant.We thereafter decided to compare the information arising from the response from the FCT land administration department with the assets the defendant declared to the Bureau between 2007 to 2011, and discovered that Plot No 2057 Asokoro District, belonging to the defendant, was not declared, even as at May 29, 2011 when he left office.We received the Certified True Copy of the C of O and R of O that was issued to the defendant in respect of the plot.As well as the Letter of Authority issued to one Engineer Rodney, by the defendant, authorising the collection of the C of O and R of O from the FCT department of land administration.The C of O and R of O was signed by one Funke Audu. It also contains the address of the defendant which is No 2 Drive, Ministers Quarters Mabushi Abuja, the witness added. In an expression of her concern about the abducted Chibok girls, IDPs and other victims of insurgency, the Wife of the President, Mrs Ai... It was revealed that the wife of the president who is a notable professional beautician has written a textbook on the discipline which would be released next week, and proceeds would be donated to the Chibok girls and their families, IDPs and other victims of Boko Haram insurgency.Included also in the expected donation to be made next week are families and relatives of the 59 pupils killed in a boarding school attack by Boko Haram in northeast Yobe State, Nigeria overnight, in February 2014 before the April abduction of the Chibok girls.The donation of the proceeds of the book will coincide with the second year commemoration of the abduction of the Chibok girls and 26 months after the Buni Yadi attack and is intended to be used for the empowerment of the families and their communities.Several other activities are being planned for next week as the Chibok families, activitists and groups commemorate two years since the Chibok girls went missing.While renewed efforts by the Nigerian military have beaten back Boko Haram terrorists, hope for the capture of the Chibok girls remain unfulfilled and next week events are expected to mount pressure on the Nigerian government to redouble efforts to bring back the girls.President Buhari has met with the families of the Chibok girls and activists at least twice in Aso Rock since he assumed power mid last year. A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to release ... A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday ordered theEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission to release a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Azibaola Robert, on bail.Justice Olasunbo Goodluk, ruling on Roberts ex parte application ordered that the bail should be guaranteed by two sureties.Each sureties must be a serving or retired Director in any of the Federal Governments ministries or parastatal and must be resident within Abuja.The applicant is also to deposit his passport to the Chief Registrar of this court.The EFCC had on March 23, arrested Robert over alleged diversion of $40m through a firm, One-Plus Holdings, which a sister company of Kakatar Construction and EngineeringCompany Limited, through allegedly phoney contract of securing oil pipelines.He was said to have received the money from the then National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), who is also being prosecuted for diversion of funds allegedly meant for procurement of arms.Justice Goodlucks ruling on the ex parte application by Robert, through his lawyer, ChiefChris Uche (SAN), held that the applicants detention by the EFCC for over two weeks was unconstitutional.The judge ruled that the bail granted the applicant was to subsist pending his arraignment by EFCC before any court or the hearing of his substantive suit.Justice Goodluck held that the applicant had disclosed sufficient evidence before the court to warrant the granting of his relief. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says fraudsters have cloned the telephone line of its chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says fraudsters have cloned the telephone line of its chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, that fraudsters had been impersonating Magu and extorting money from members of the public.He, therefore, warned Nigerians to be careful.The warning comes a few weeks after the commission revealed that a syndicate had opened a Facebook account in Magus name and was using the platform to ask prominent Nigerians for favours.The statement read in part, A few weeks after the commission raised the alarm over the activities of a syndicate which opened a Facebook account in the name of the EFCC boss and began soliciting for friendship from prominent individuals and all manner of favours, using the platform; another group has cloned the telephone numbers of the acting chairman.The latest group has been making calls to close contacts of the anti-graft czar and other prominent personalities demanding for huge sums of money using various pretexts.Members of the public are hereby warned to disregard any call supposedly from the EFCC chairman, asking for payments to be made either to nominated proxies or accounts as such calls do not emanate from Ibrahim Magu.The EFCC spokesman explained that no official of the commission would demand money from anyone.He, therefore, urged Nigerians to report suspicious people to the police or the anti-graft agency.He added, For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC chairman and indeed all officials of the agency do not solicit for or accept payments or gratification from persons or organisations under any guise.Members of the public are enjoined to report anyone claiming to be acting on behalf of the acting chairman or other officials of the EFCC at any of the commissions offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, Ibadan and Maiduguri or the nearest police station. President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday warned officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to shun corruption and sharp pr... President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday warned officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to shun corruption and sharp practices capable of tarnishing the image of the country.Buhari urged security agencies to trust one another and work together to further guarantee effective management of migration in the country among other security problems.He spoke in Lafia, Nasarawa State where he declared open the NIS 2016 Comptroller General annual conference and stakeholders interactive forum with the theme: Migration management in Nigeria: prospects and challenges.Buhari, who expressed displeasure at the rate of terrorism in the country, advised the NIS not to rest on its oars in tackling trans- border crimes and other negative activities in the country.The President, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazzau, said border security and management must be intelligence driven.He said: While assuring the service of the support of the Federal Government at all times, I wish to charge all officers and men to discharge their duties transparently, with a high sense of professionalism and in line with international best practices.As the gate keepers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you must shun all forms of corrupt and sharp practices capable of impugning on our national image.The NIS cannot afford to rest on its oars particularly at this critical time of our national life, as the myriad of irregular migration with the attendant challenge of other forms of trans-border crimes, including arms smuggling, human trafficking, drug trafficking and terrorism must be tackled headlong.Interagency cooperation must be based on mutual trust and respect. Theres indeed a new mayor in town. Olugbenga Babatola. He is the mayor for the Royal Borough of Greenwich, south east London, a Nigerian ... Theres indeed a new mayor in town. Olugbenga Babatola. He is the mayor for the Royal Borough of Greenwich, south east London, a Nigerian who happens to be the first African mayor of Greenwich.Babatola, a Nigeria-born British citizen, was a councillor in the district, representing Thamesmead Moorings Ward.He was first elected councillor in 2014 due to his inspirational leadership style, within the area, known to be dominated by Africans.In 2015, Babatola became the first African to be elected deputy Mayor to the current Mayor, Norman Adams.Babatola, who says he believes in politics without bitterness, is also a strong believer in kids and power of the youth.In 2015, when youths in the Royal Borough of Greenwich renovated one of the facilities in the county back in 2015, Babatola was full of praise for them, expressing his believe in giving to the society.The young people have worked really hard and to get to this stage is brilliant, he said.Our children are getting to the point now where they dont ask what their community will do for them but what are they going to do to support their community.I think its very inspirational and is leading by example so that the younger ones will follow them by seeing their contributions to their community.John Fahy, a Labour Party Chieftain, who has been a Greenwich councillor for 25 years and deputy leader of council, considers Babatolas feat, a worthy one.In a meeting with the Slovenia Prime Minister in 2015, Fahy said: Delighted to join Deputy Mayor Olu Babatola at Europe House to meet the Prime Minister of Slovenia.We were delighted that he was fully up to date on our Twinning Link with Maribor. Met up with some interesting people.Babatola, who was born in 1957, is due for an inauguration on May 25, 2016 in Greenwich. Roma winger Mohamed Salah has revealed that a phone call from Jose Mourinho was all it took for him to ignore a move to Liverpool and instead join Chelsea.The Egyptian winger, who is currently on loan at the Giallorossi, signed for the Blues in 2014. Salah failed to make an impression at Stamford Bridge, but has returned to form in Italy.Salah, 23, admitted that he was 'desperate' to join the Reds, but that soon changed with a call from Mourinho persuading him to join the London club."Liverpool had been after me for months," Salah told Egyptian television channel MBC."They started talks in October 2013 and they went on for a while, also because Basel refused an offer that they deemed too low for me."I was waiting to go to Liverpool because I really liked them. I was really desperate to join them, but then I received a phone call directly from Mourinho and that changed everything. He [Mourinho] explained the situation to me, telling me I was a good player and saying that Chelsea needed me."This is the main reason why I didn't go to Liverpool and I chose Chelsea. My experience in the England helped me a lot. I matured in terms of my character in London."The former Basel winger endured a frustrating spell with Chelsea, prompting a move to Fiorentina where he enjoyed great success.A controversial move to Italian Serie A rivals Roma followed and Salah has enjoyed a fruitful stay in the capital.With 12 goals and seven assists in 35 appearances across all competitions this season, Salah is one of the club's outstanding players. The Federal Government on Wednesday banned all top government officials from flying first class while embarking on officials trips. Thi... This is contained in a statement by the Media Adviser to the finance minister, Mr Festus Akanbi in Abuja.According to the statement, the decision is in a bid to reduce the amount being spent on overheard expenditure.The statement further noted that all top officials of government such as ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, as well as Chairmen and Chief Executives of Parastatals and Agencies are to travel on business class.It will be recalled that before now, some government officials who should have been on business class usually travelled on first class, while many others travelled business class instead of economy class.Akanbi in the statement said the new directive has been captured in a circular on review of overhead expenses released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.He said the development is one of the recommendations made by the Efficiency Unit which was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, last year aimed at reducing overhead expenses.The unit was set up to engender transparency and reduce governments large expenditure through procurement in the various ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, says her 83-year-old mother was kidnapped because she advised Goodluck Jonathan, former p... Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, says her 83-year-old mother was kidnapped because she advised Goodluck Jonathan, former president, to remove fuel subsidy.In an interview with Le Monde, the 61-year-old economist said the fight against corruption was at the root of the kidnap, with the abductors demanding her resignation on live television.When asked what her failures and successes in the fight against corruption were, Okonjo-Iweala said: Your answer would take a whole day.On my first experience as minister, I wrote a book, Reforming the unreformable (ed. The MIT Press, 2012). For the second, it was really difficult. Nigeria subsidizes fuel. About $ 6.7 billion that it costs, we found that 1.5 billion was fraudulent.One importer claimed that his boat was waging its oil while at the other end of the world, according to maritime classification society Lloyds Register Marine.I told the president that we would stop paying. What happened? They kidnapped my mother, 83 years. During the first three days, their only demand was my resignation. I was supposed to go on television and announce my resignation.This was one of the worst moments of my life. Can you imagine what happens in your head if you have to be responsible for the death of your mother?I will not go into details, but you must understand that in a country like this in the fight against corruption, we must be prepared to pay a personal price. My father asked me not to resign. The president asked me not to resign. At the end, everyone began looking for her, and the kidnappers released [her]. The immediate past president of the Senate, Senator David Mark has debunked reports in the media linking him to Panama papers which allege... The immediate past president of the Senate, Senator David Mark has debunked reports in the media linking him to Panama papers which alleged that he operated offshore companies, insisting that he has no connection, whatsoever, to any of the companies registered, operated or managed by the Mossack Fonseca Law Firm.In a statement issued on Thursday by his Media team and signed by Paul Mumeh, the lawmaker representing Benue South maintained that his name is not listed anywhere in the database of Mossack Fonseca Law Firm in the released materials of the Panama Leaks.The statement reads, We challenge all those behind this propaganda and Media outburst to prove or show that Senator Marks name was mentioned in the leaks. He is prepared to stand and defend himself against any accusation in relation to this matter.Senator Marks Media team has carried out its own search of the Mossack Fonseca database and found no statement, item or any connection to Senator David Mark or his family. It follows that there is no record, whatsoever, of any impropriety or wrongdoing.We recall that in his quest for Senate Presidency in 2007, there was an attempt to bring a similar issue to the fore in order to stop him. So what are their fears now in 2016 for regurgitating the same issue?Once more, Senator Mark has distanced himself and any member of his family from the said Mossack Fonseca Firm and has no affiliation, whatsoever, with any company operated, registered or managed by Mossack Fonseca.Senator Mark has not contravened any laws of the land and he is treating this for what it is, an attempt to blackmail and tarnish his hard earned image by some political elements.As a public officer, Senator Mark has maintained a high level of decorum, respects and observes the laws of the land and believes in the sanctity of the rule of law. He will not be distracted by what is clearly a deliberate mischief and propaganda.Records of all his assets are available with the relevant government agencies and can be verified.He has consulted his legal team and will take this up accordingly. President Muhammadu Buhari will pay a state visit to China between Monday to Friday next week at the invitation of Chinese President Xi J... China and Nigeria enjoy a traditional friendship. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Nigeria diplomatic ties, Lu said at a daily press briefing.During the visit, President Xi Jinping will hold talks with Buhari, and Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang will have separate meetings with him, exchanging views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, Lu said.The two sides will sign cooperation agreements and jointly hold a forum on production capacity cooperation as well as a reception marking the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, said Lu.Calling Nigeria a major strategic partner of China in Africa, Lu said the two countries have maintained frequent high-level visits, cooperated for strong results and maintained positive communication and coordination in international affairs over the past 45 years.We believe President Buharis visit will give new impetus to the all-round development of the China-Nigeria strategic partnership of cooperation, Lu said.Buhari will also visit Shanghai, an economic hub in east China, and Guangzhou, capital of south Chinas Guangdong Province. The Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, has stated that convicted Boko Haram members could not be sentenced to dea... The Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, has stated that convicted Boko Haram members could not be sentenced to death in Nigeria because they were tried under the Terrorism Prevention Act.He spoke at the launch of amnestys report on Global Death Sentences and Executions 2015, in Abuja. He was represented by Sylvester Imahanobe.Terrorists in Nigeria are tried under the Terrorism Prevention Act which does not carry death penalty. That is why even those Boko Haram members, who have been convicted cannot be executed because the maximum sentence prescribed by the law is life sentence.He said they are willing to support whatever bill Amnesty International proposes in regards to the abolition of death sentence because according to him, studies conducted have shown that the death penalty has not stopped people from committing crimes.He also said that they are working towards making sure that the prison system was corrective and not punitive. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who visisted Aso Rock Presidential Villa today, has disclosed the reason behind his visit. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who visisted Aso Rock Presidential Villa today, has disclosed the reason behind his visit.According to reports, Obasanjo held a one hour meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari during the visit.At the end of the meeting, the former President told State House correspondents that he used the opportunity of the meeting to share his experiences on some of his recent international engagements with Buhari.You know that not too long ago, I was out there. I have come to share some of my experiences with him (Buhari), he said.When asked to disclose some of the experiences he shared with the President, Obasanjo said, Ha! Ha! If I say I shared experiences with my wife, you will ask me wetin I talk with my wife? Real Madrid were dealt a surprise blow in Germany as they were defeated 2-0 by Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.Goals from Ricardo Rodriguez and Arnold make it very difficult for Zinedine Zidane men to move into the next round.The visitors had the ball in the back of the net after just two minutes as Ronaldo fired home from inside the box. However, the flag was raised and the goal was disallowed.Los Blancos seemed pretty confident at the start. However, the hosts were threatening with their counter-attacks.Wolfsburg made it 1-0 after 15 minutes. They were awarded a penalty as Casemiro brought Schurrle to the ground inside the box. Rodriguez sent his effort past Navas to give his team the lead.Ten minutes later, the Germans scored a secong goal as Arnold turned a low Henrique cross past Navas from close range after some terrible defending from Real Madrid.That was a big blow for Los Merengues, who could have conceeded a third goal as Schurrle forced Navas into a smart stop in a counter-attack.Real improved after the break and Ronaldo had a major chance to score as he received a pass from Isco and shot from close range, but Benaglio made the save.Wolfsburg focussed on defending and didnt conceed more opportunities for the visitors. -- The search for a into the Hudson River at a marina has been suspended, police said Thursday. Authorities were also working to confirm the man's identity, according to Edgewater Police Chief William Skidmore. Troopers on a State Police boat spotted the man first jump a gate and stand on the edge of a platform overlooking the river at the Edgewater Marina Tuesday night, a news release from borough police said. The troopers yelled to stop the man, but he plunged into the water, according to police. Troopers quickly lost sight of him. New York City Police harbor and aviation units, State Police, the Bergen County Sheriff's Department, firefighters and local officers searched for the man but couldn't locate him. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Amazon-Target AP.JPG File photo of Amazon.com logo. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) Scammers are creative, and they love to use the names of legitimate companies to make it sound for real. This time around, it's Amazon. We heard about this one from a reader of the Bamboozled Facebook page. "Would Amazon call and want you to work for them and charge $395 for a website for you to work off of?" the reader asked. She explained that she received a phone call from someone identifying himself as a rep from Amazon. The details of the proposal weren't clear, but the rep offered to help her set up a web page through Amazon. The reader, then, would market Amazon through the page and help the company reach more people, the rep explained. "They are going to call back at 2:00 tomorrow for the money," the reader said. "I was sure it was a scam but wanted to make sure. They were telling me I could make lots of money." A lot of money indeed, but not for anyone but the scammers. The scammers, interestingly, never called the reader back, so we don't know for sure in what direction the fraud was going to go. But based on what we know of other scams, it probably would have gone like this: The phony Amazon rep would have instructed the reader to send the $395 payment via Western Union, MoneyGram or another money transfer service that's near-impossible to trace. Then the rep would set a time to work with her on the web page, but quickly, there would be a need for more payments. For advanced technical support. For software or web access to something deemed essential for the project. For whatever seemed appropriate to snatch more cash from the reader. And there would probably be an ongoing monthly fee the victim would need to pay to keep the worthless web site active. Or, the scammer might offer a big advance on pay, or tell the victim she's receiving a check to pay for some of the expenses. In that case, the victim would indeed receive the check, but it would be destined to bounce. The sender would tell the victim to deposit the check and send the money to a fake Amazon location to pay the start-up costs, but when the check is eventually determined by the bank to be fraudulent, the victim would be on the hook for the withdrawal. We reached out to Amazon several times to ask about this scam, but no one returned our calls or emails. REAL OPPORTUNITIES Amazon will never just call you out of the blue with a job offer. There are ways to make money doing business with Amazon, but this isn't one of them. First, there's Amazon Associates. Through this program, you essentially market Amazon products on your own web site. It sounds similar to the fraud phone call, yes, but this is for real. Amazon isn't suggesting you start a new or costly web site, but instead, says If you already have a web site or blog that gets reader traffic, you will earn a percentage of whatever is sold through your site. Then there's Amazon Mechanical Turks. This is a marketplace for jobs that need to be done by humans instead of computers. It could be writing a short piece about a product, identifying actors in a movie, completing surveys, transcription, or almost anything. Some tasks need humans with specific skills, so you might have to take a qualification test before you get the task. If you perform the task, you'll get pre-set fee. Most fees are small, so you'd have to do a whole lot of mini-jobs to earn a decent paycheck. One warning about Turks: The employers, called "Requesters," can reject the work after it's done and then not pay you. The rejections impact your online reputation with the service, and may make others not want to work with you. (Check out this story from The Nation in 2014 that dives deep into the working lives of some Turk workers.) Watch out for impersonators. Scammers will sometime say they represent the real Amazon services and come up with ways to steal from you. With everything, just beware. And if it sounds too good to be true? You know how that goes. Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. CHERRY HILL TWP. -- Freshman Congressman Donald Norcross launched his campaign for reelection Wednesday afternoon with a guest list that stressed endorsements from competing factions of the Democratic party. U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross launched his bid for reelection outside Kennedy University Hospital in Cherry Hill's expansion construction site on April 6, 2016. (Photo provided) Norcross' first official campaign event featured remarks from both a Hillary Clinton campaign surrogate and the chair of Bernie Sanders' New Jersey campaign -- a combination intended to show Norcross' ability to unite the party and seemingly takes indirect aim at his 25-year-old progressive challenger, Alex Law. Norcross' primary opponent, Law, is an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders and has said Sanders' successes on the campaign trail could bode well for his own grassroots campaign. "I believe that this nation operates best when we all work together on behalf of the families, children and seniors who are the bedrock of our community," Norcross said in a statement. "I will never let the smallness of politics and cheap political points undermine the will and progress of the American people." Sanders' N.J. campaign chair, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, was vocal about his support for Norcross during the event, held in front of Kennedy University Hospital's expansion construction site in Cherry Hill. "Donald has long been a leader on progressive issues and a fighter for all of New Jersey's working families," Wisniewski, a former chair of the state's Democratic party and current chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, said in a statement. "He continues to put New Jersey residents first instead of Wall Street and big business, creating a fairer playing field and making access and opportunity to good paying jobs a priority." Law took issue with the endorsement, arguing it was Norcross' attempt to "galvanize a base that has lost faith in his ability to lead" and that Wisniewski wasn't representing Sanders' ideals by championing an incumbent who has voted with Republicans in Congress more than any other Democratic representative from the state. "Real Bernie supporters around the state have got to be confused as to why his state chair ... would be there actively supporting someone who is the embodiment of everything Bernie is against," said Law in a statement. "Bernie supporters around the state have already been looking at [Wisniewski's hometown of] Sayerville skeptically, as Mr. Wisniewski has been unable to put together the kind of robust coordination that Bernie needs in New Jersey, and I am sure this will add to their mistrust." Norcross defended his voting record during an editorial board with NJ Advance Media last month, stating he casts his votes for what's best for his district and not for any one political party. While Law launched his campaign against Norcross more than a year ago, when Norcross was first sworn into office in November of 2014, the race is slowly heating up as June approaches. A recent lawsuit Law filed against the Camden County clerk's office, arguing the office was stonewalling his attempts to get information about ballot placements, was dismissed by a judge on Wednesday. Law, who also recently announced he'd be running on a slate with two Democratic challengers for freeholder, maintains the legal action got him the information he needed to know, while the county claims it was a frivolous lawsuit designed to drum up publicity. Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. HADDON TWP. -- Two months and two days after Brendan Creato's body was found in a stream near the Cooper River, a Camden County medical examiner offered at least three possible causes of death and cited a toxicology exam that revealed none. Richard J. Fuschino Jr. -- who began representing Brendan's father, David "D.J." Creato Jr., not long after the 3-year-old was reported missing in a 911 call -- now wants his client's indictment dismissed. "We are currently reviewing the motions filed by the attorney representing David Creato Jr. and we will respond to the motions in court," a statement from the prosecutor's office issued Thursday read. In a motion to suppress unlawfully obtained evidence, Fuschino argues Creato wasn't read his Miranda rights prior to speaking with investigators. In a motion to dismiss his client's indictment, Fuschino says the grand jury that heard Creato's case received an "expertized" and "unvarnished" cause of death ruling that wasn't cross-examined. Here are 5 other previously unknown details about the case revealed in court documents. 1) Creato was allegedly unaware that Brendan's body had been found by the time he was taken in for questioning. In the motion seeking to suppress unlawfully obtained evidence, Fuschino claims Creato was unaware he was a suspect in the case from the onset. Further, court documents suggest he was read a "Miranda-like colloquy" and that he did not completely comprehend what was going on during his 12 hours in police custody. "Ah, I don't understand that wording," he said after being read the prosecutor's office statement of rights and asked if he was willing to waive them and provide a statement to police. Prosecutors argue Creato, 22, killed his son so he could continue a relationship with a 17-year-old girlfriend who disliked children and was bothered by his continued contact with the child's biological mother. 2) Creato agreed to take a polygraph test. In a statement made during the Oct. 13 interview with police, Creato said, "yes, absolutely," when asked by prosecutor's office Detective Michael Roads if he was willing to a lie detector test. Haddon Township police Detective Donald Quinn said Creato had to understand his rights before answering questions that would be posed in the test. It's not clear from court documents if the test took place; Fuschino declined to comment when recently asked about it by the Philadelphia Inquirer. 3) Creato apparently didn't know his family had retained a lawyer for him. Despite going to the police station and giving detectives his business card, Fuschino argues that Creato didn't know the Philadelphia-based attorney had been hired. Detectives gave Creato the business card, according to a transcript of the interview he had with authorities, and was asked if he knew Fuschino or if he represented him -- to which Creato said, "No." "Rather than explain in plain English that his family had hired a lawyer to assist him, they equivocated, asking him if he wanted his family to get him a lawyer and and reassuring him it was unnecessary because he was not a suspect," the motion reads. "I want to know what happened to my son," Creato told investigators the day of the boy's death. 4) Neither children's nor adults' footprints were allegedly at the scene: In his motion to dismiss the indictment handed down on Jan. 11, Fuschino counters a key aspect of the investigation. Camden County Prosecutor's Office Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah revealed at Creato's arraignment that Brendan's socks were clean and that medical investigators felt there was no way the boy got to the muddy creek along the Cooper River on his own. "This shows that the decedant had been placed in this location and had not gone there under his own power," Camden County Medical Examiner Gerald Feigin said in a Dec. 15, 2015 report. It was revealed earlier this month that Brendan's half-exposed, partially wet body was found draped over a rock, however investigators and autopsy reports included in Fuschino's filings show no signs of sexual abuse being discovered. 5) The grand jury's 'unvarnished' autopsy: Brendan's death was ruled a homicide that could have been caused by drowning, strangulation or blunt neck trauma. Fuschino argues that the county medical examiner "did not promptly take charge" of Brendan's body nor the scene, per state regulations. When Feigin's testimony regarding Brendan's death was presented to the grand jury, Fuschino argued that it was not cross-examined and thus offered a "charged" account of this "lay theory of causation." Further, Fuschino argues Feigin's testimony was tantamount to "the prosecutor herself" commenting, given his "inherent credibility" and account of the case's circumstantial evidence. Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- For nearly 30 years, Yo La Tengo's homecoming shows were synonymous with Maxwell's in Hoboken -- the venerable band's birthplace and initial proving ground. But when the legendary venue closed its doors in 2013 -- with a final performance from the meticulously understated rockers -- the trio was left without a home base, and hasn't played a proper Hudson County gig since. Hence guitarist Ira Kaplan isn't exactly sure how he'll feel Saturday night, when his acclaimed indie-rock trio takes the Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre stage, in adjacent Jersey City, for the first time in a decade. "It's going to be interesting, because Maxwell's was home," he says in a recent interview with NJ.com. "This will be different ... I think the emotion of this show is going to sneak up on me." Maxwell's has since reopened under new management, as Maxwell's Tavern, and continues to host local music, though the alternative community that allowed Kaplan to meet wife/drummer Georgia Hubley at a Feelies show, and led him to work sound and promote concerts in the club, is all but gone. The band will slice its Jersey City performance in two Saturday, performing one set with acoustic instruments and another with electric, but the definitives stop there. Yo La Tengo has never been known to closely follow a set list -- crowd energy and requests tend to impact their concerts significantly -- and like a good restaurant, it rewrites its menu each day, for sake of invention. "It changes the whole mood for us," Kaplan says of the tinkering. "It's probably a more subtle difference for the audience, but hopefully, the fact that we're never quite sure what's going to happen next is a positive." Such was the basis of Yo La Tengo's August release, a wispy batch of miscellany titled "Stuff Like That There," which like 1990's "Fakebook" featured a hodgepodge of covers, re-imagined Yo La Tengo songs and two original tracks. The album, released by longtime keepers Matador Records, was deemed the band's "loveliest album ever," in a gushing review from notoriously prickly critic Robert Christgau. But the record's collection, which includes delicate arrangements of better-known numbers from Hank Williams and The Cure, as well as obscure tracks from Louisville's Antietam and The Cookies' Darlene McCrea -- even pre-funk George Clinton's doo-wop group The Parliaments made the cut -- seemed too eclectic a lineup to be calculated, even from a band recognized for its sprawling tastes. And to an extent, it wasn't. "You start to think about the record and songs occur to you, even when you're just listening to records at home," Kaplan says. "You say 'hey, wait a minute.' Your brain opens up and ideas come about." Though the choice to take on the album's most recognizable pop hit, The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love," manifested from past experience. The band had played the tune twice in a live setting -- many years apart, Kaplan says -- and when they decided to release their second cover-heavy LP, he recalled how beautifully Hubley's humble delivery transformed the song. "We wanted to hear it again, and then you just play to support her voice, and what sounds right," he says of reconstructing the song to fit the band's aesthetically minimal, often hypnotic tones. When listening to "Stuff's" complete sonic renovations -- the new covers to be performed Saturday are far from cheap pass-throughs -- it's reasonable to lose track of which tunes were Yo La Tengo's to begin with. "The aspect of not knowing what's original and what's a cover is certainly something we strive for, as they all mean the same to us," Kaplan says. "They're all expressing sides of your personality, whether we wrote them or not." "Deeper Into Movies," the droning noise-pop journey off the band's adored 1997 LP "I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One," was converted on "Stuff," from a tune where Hubley's vocals were barely audible behind buzzy guitars, to a sparse acoustic number where her celestial lyrics are featured prominently. And like the band's malleable selection process for the album's covers, the development of "Deeper" 20 years later was also fluid. "Once we had the idea, it kept changing," Kaplan says. "Even in the recording process, Georgia kept playing drums on it, and at some point in the mixing process, even by accident, we forgot to unmute her drum tracks, and we thought, 'wow, that actually sounds kind of great.'" Saturday's Jersey City date will punctuate the band's current spring tour, a follow-up to the "Stuff"-centric roadshow last fall with former guitarist Dave Schramm. Then the cycle will, as it has for three decades, refocus on writing -- a process Kaplan says never begins with an abstract idea, but simply with him, Hubley and bassist James McNew assembling and to try new things. "I think we will start going to the practice room soon to see what's inside us," he says. Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- One Newark Fire Department captain stands charged with counterfeiting DVDs. Another was charged with impersonating a police officer. Now, both men are suspended from active duty, officials have confirmed. Captain Anthony Graves, 47, and Captain Jose Robles, 50, were removed from duty Wednesday, Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. In the past several days, county prosecutors have implicated both in a variety of criminal activity. In a Monday statement, Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced the result of the department's long-running investigation of Graves. In November 2014, the 16-year department veteran allegedly used the emergency lights on his fire department vehicle to illegally initiate two motor vehicle stops, and then question each of the drivers, Park said. Graves now faces charges of fourth-degree impersonation of a law enforcement officer. Sources also have said the Union County Prosecutor's Office is investigating Graves and the Newark Fire Department's Environmental Dumping Task Force. As part of that investigation, detectives with the Union County Prosecutor's Office's Corruption Unit raided the offices of Fire Director James Stewart on July 17, sources previously said. On Tuesday, Essex County officials announced that Robles was indicted on charges of counterfeiting and second degree misconduct by a corporate official after investigators seized over $100,000 in pirated DVDs from a University Avenue comic book shop owned by the veteran firefighter. Robles' next court appearance is scheduled for April 15. Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that United Airlines, which controls about 75 percent of the slots at Newark Liberty International Airport, has abandoned an attempt to acquire dozens more slots, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. The Department of Justice launched an antitrust lawsuit in November after United announced it was seeking to acquire another 24 slots from Delta Air Lines. United already controls about 900 of the 1,200 slots at the airport. The government sued to stop the acquisition over concerns it would lead to less competition and even higher fares at Newark, which had the highest average fares of any airport in the third quarter of 2015. "Airfares at Newark are among the highest in the country while United's service at Newark ranks among the worst," Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division told NJ Advance Media last year. "Allowing United to acquire even more slots at Newark would only fortify United's monopoly position," weakening rivals' ability to challenge that dominance, while leaving consumers to pay the price. "A slot is essentially a license to compete at Newark," said Baer. "United already holds most of them, and as a result, competition at Newark is in critically short supply." At the time United, which acquired Continental in 2010, argued that the New York metro region was the most competitive market in the country and that the additional slots would enable it to operate more efficiently. Virgin America, a California-based airline, has long expressed interest in adding flights out of Newark and had protested United's dominance there. Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Gabriela Mistral Banquet speech Gabriela Mistrals speech at the Nobel Banquet at the City Hall in Stockholm, December 10, 1945 (Translation) Today Sweden turns toward a distant Latin American country to honour it in the person of one of the many exponents of its culture. It would have pleased the cosmopolitan spirit of Alfred Nobel to extend the scope of his protectorate of civilization by including within its radius the southern hemisphere of the American continent. As a daughter of Chilean democracy, I am moved to have before me a representative of the Swedish democratic tradition, a tradition whose originality consists in perpetually renewing itself within the framework of the most valuable creations of society. The admirable work of freeing a tradition from deadwood while conserving intact the core of the old virtues, the acceptance of the present and the anticipation of the future, these are what we call Sweden, and these achievements are an honour to Europe and an inspiring example for the American continent. The daughter of a new people, I salute the spiritual pioneers of Sweden, by whom I have been helped more than once. I recall its men of science who have enriched its national body and mind. I remember the legion of professors and teachers who show the foreigner unquestionably exemplary schools, and I look with trusting love to those other members of the Swedish people: farmers, craftsmen, and workers. At this moment, by an undeserved stroke of fortune, I am the direct voice of the poets of my race and the indirect voice for the noble Spanish and Portuguese tongues. Both rejoice to have been invited to this festival of Nordic life with its tradition of centuries of folklore and poetry. May God preserve this exemplary nation, its heritage and its creations, its efforts to conserve the imponderables of the past and to cross the present with the confidence of maritime people who overcome every challenge. My homeland, represented here today by our learned Minister Gajardo, respects and loves Sweden, and it has sent me here to accept the special honour you have awarded to it. Chile will treasure your generosity among her purest memories. Prior to the speech, Professor A.H.T. Theorell of the Department of Biochemistry, Nobel Institute of Medicine, addressed the Chilean poet: To you, Gabriela Mistral, I wish to convey our admiring homage. From a distant continent, where the summer sun now shines, you have ventured the long journey to Gosta Berlings land, when the darkness of winter broods at its deepest. A worthier voice than mine has praised your poetry earlier today. May I nevertheless be permitted to say that we all share in the gladness that the Nobel Prize has this time been awarded to a poetess who combines magnificent art with the deepest and noblest aims. From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1901-1967, Editor Horst Frenz, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1969 Copyright The Nobel Foundation 1945 To cite this section MLA style: Gabriela Mistral Banquet speech. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Sun. 23 Oct 2022. The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. In her new memoir, Vancouver-based writer, author and playwright Carmen Aguirre details her rape at age 13 by serial sex offender John Horace Oughton, known as the Paper Bag Rapist. In her new memoir, Vancouver-based writer, author and playwright Carmen Aguirre details her rape at age 13 by serial sex offender John Horace Oughton, known as the Paper Bag Rapist. But she said she didn't write Mexican Hooker #1 and My Other Roles Since the Revolution for personal catharsis. I would consider that journaling, she said in a recent phone interview with NorthernLife.ca. To me, that's not for public consumption. No, I write for universal experience. I don't write about traumatic events in my personal life unless I've done the healing around them, so that I'm not in conversation with my own personal pain. Rather I'm creating what I would consider a piece of art. If it's healing for others, that's great, absolutely. I didn't set out for it to do that. But if it does do that, that's certainly a plus. Although Mexican Hooker #1 has not yet hit bookstores, Aguirre said a lot of people have come forward to share their own stories of sexual assault after reading promotional articles about the book. Aguirre, whose first memoir, Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter, won CBC Canada Reads in 2012, speaks about her new book in Sudbury on April 13 as part of the annual Celebrate Women event. The rape that would mark the rest of her life happened April 26, 1981, when Aguirre and her 12-year-old cousin, Macarena, were sharing an illicit cigarette on a wooded trail near their school in Vancouver. A man shoved them to the ground, holding them at gunpoint, telling Aguirre she had to make love to him or he'd kill them. Their attacker was Oughton, a serial offender who sexually assaulted nearly 200 victims, many of them children, before he was captured in 1985. He was called the Paper Bag Rapist because he often put paper bags over his victims' faces. I didnt know yet one doesnt get over childhood rape, one simply learns how to integrate it, Aguirre wrote in Mexican Hooker #1. She stresses, though, the memoir isn't just a rape story. That's just one of many stories in the book, Aguirre said, adding it even includes some funny stories. The book speaks about her journey to find her voice as an actor Aguirre is a multiple award-winning theatre artist and her fight against the stereotypes applied to her as a Latina woman in North America. Aguirre's life has been nothing if not interesting. Something Fierce, released in 2011, was a memoir of her childhood, which she spent moving around regularly with her parents, who were part of the Chilean resistance against Augusto Pinochet. The fact that the book won Canada Reads was a huge, wonderful surprise, she said. It enabled the book to hit the mainstream, so a lot of people who otherwise would not have heard about the book or would not have been interested in it picked it up and read it, which is every writer's dream. Celebrate Women, which features a different female Canadian author every year, is put on by the Canadian Federation of University Women Sudbury, YWCA and the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). Funds raised support services and scholarships for women. The event takes place starting at 7:30 p.m. at Laurentian University's Fraser Auditorium. A reception and book signing to follow. Tickets are $10, and are available at Gloria's and Apollo restaurants, the LU bookstore and at the door. Go to our Facebook page for a chance to win a copy of Mexican Hooker #1 and My Other Roles Since the Revolution and two tickets to the Celebrate Women event. Cambrian College alumna Madisyn Latham is enjoying her time in the spotlight as one of five national semi-finalists in the Public Relations category of the Emerge Media Awards. Cambrian College alumna Madisyn Latham is enjoying her time in the spotlight as one of five national semi-finalists in the Public Relations category of the Emerge Media Awards. The awards program celebrates and showcases the achievements of journalism, media studies and communications students from across Canada. Lathams submission to the awards program was a 40-page communications plan for the Sudbury Womens Centre, an assignment that she wrote last year as part of her Strategic Communications class at Cambrian. Im thrilled with all of the congratulations Ive received from my professors and peers through email and social media, Latham said from her home in London, Ontario, where she is completing her Master of Media in Journalism and Communications at Western University. At Western, we were encouraged to submit our best student work to the awards program. I thought my communications plan, which I completed at Cambrian, was my most polished assignment, so thats what I chose. Im proud that the industry judges selected my submission, and I have to thank my strategic communications professor at Cambrian, David Kilgour, in particular, for his guidance and expertise. Latham graduated from Cambrian Colleges Public Relations graduate certificate program and Laurentian Universitys Bachelor of Arts in Communications programs together in 2015, through an agreement between the two schools. Continuing to build her connections, she is starting an internship in May through her Masters program. Ill be interning at an established London marketing and public relations agency, she said. Im from here originally, and Im aspiring to start my career here. After learning about Lathams student assignment and the industry recognition it had received, Tracy De Vos, executive director of the Sudbury Womens Centre was curious to see if it might be valuable to the organization. Were in the midst of drafting a new strategic plan, and her report was an interesting read from a communications perspective, said De Vos. She really did her research, and she identified strategies that we will consider when we move forward with building our strategic plan. The finalists of Emerge Media Awards will be announced on April 25. Updated: April 7, 4:15 p.m. The winter storm warning for Sudbury and area has been lifted. Snow is expected to end overnight and give way to sun and clouds tomorrow morning. Original story: Greater Sudbury is still under a winter storm warning. Updated: April 7, 4:15 p.m. The winter storm warning for Sudbury and area has been lifted. Snow is expected to end overnight and give way to sun and clouds tomorrow morning. Original story: Greater Sudbury is still under a winter storm warning. Hazardous winter conditions are expected, said the warning, issued by Environment Canada at 4:45 a.m. this morning. An additional 10 to 15 centimetres of snow is expected today. The snow is forecast to taper off this evening. Blowing snow is also expected due to gusty northeast winds. The highest snowfall amounts are likely closer to the Quebec border with lesser accumulation farther west. Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Following his announcement of $26. Following his announcement of $26.7 million in federal funding for the Maley Drive Extension project, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took questions from reporters on a gamut of issues, from more infrastructure investment to roads to the Ring of Fire to whether the Trudeau family has money stashed in off-shore accounts. The Panama Papers made international headlines this week, revealing several world leaders and high-profile business people had millions stashed away in off-shore accounts. Asked during a Q&A with reporters after an infrastructure announcement for Sudbury about his own family's finances, Trudeau was quick to respond that no, the Trudeau clan isn't hiding money outside the country. "I've been transparent with my family's finances," the prime minister said. "The Panama Papers highlight some very real concerns ... wealthy people have been very successful avoiding paying their fair share of taxes." Although released before the release of the Panama Papers, Trudeau said the federal budget included more than $400 million for Revenue Canada, although he wasn't clear how this connected to preventing Canadians from hiding money in off-shore tax havens. The prime minister was also asked about the Ring of Fire and whether the federal government would be providing infrastructure funds to get a road into the mineral deposit in northwestern Ontario. Trudeau acknowledged the importance of developing the deposit, and said he would have more to say on funding in the coming months. Asked how providing infrastructure funding for a road fits with his election vow to be more green, Trudeau tried to draw a parallel between fostering economic growth and investing in green solutions. NorthernLife.ca will have more coverage of Prime Minister Trudeau's visit to the city this evening, including a more in-depth story, the full video of the press conference at Tom Davies Square and a photo gallery of the visit. Despite the inclement weather in Greater Sudbury, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was still planning to visit the city Thursday afternoon. As of 10 a.m. this morning, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa said the trip was still on. Despite the inclement weather in Greater Sudbury, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was still planning to visit the city Thursday afternoon. As of 10 a.m. this morning, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa said the trip was still on. A media advisory would be sent to reporters if there are any changes to Trudeau's schedule, his office said. The prime minister is scheduled to arrive at Tom Davies Square for a 3:30 meeting with Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger, members of city council, Sudbury MPP Glen Thibeault, Nickel Belt MP Marc Serre, Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre, as well as Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota. At 4:30, the prime minister is expected to make a major funding announcement on infrastructure, expected to be federal money for the $80.1 million Maley Drive extension. NorthernLife.ca will be livestreaming from the announcement starting at 4:30 p.m. Watch it here. One flight at the Greater Sudbury Airport was cancelled Thursday morning, and 10-15 centimetres of snow is expected to fall during the day. In March 2011, The Chronicle, in a front page splash, described Chivayo as an "internet fraudster" and "one of the most wanted criminals in Southern Africa" after he allegedly defrauded six people of R2 million.The elaborate con, according to prosecutors, involved identifying wealthy targets and the creation of websites for non-existent companies and then pretending to source or supply goods.In that case, it was alleged between October and December 2009, he would pretend to be a purchasing manager for a company and approach well-heeled victims, carefully selected through contacts in the banking sector. The targets were told that the company he was representing needed to acquire certain goods the victims could make huge profits by supplying the company at inflated prices.There was a catch: the targets had to acquire the goods from two South Africa-based companies identified by Chivayo, which also had make-believe websites Dolitel Trading and Redgold Investments.Prosecutors said once the victims transferred money to the two "companies" to buy the goods that Chivayo's "company" wanted, the websites vanished overnight and all contact numbers for the companies would not go through.Chivayo eventually beat the charges after a Bulawayo magistrate, Godwin Sengweni, acquitted him having rejected the evidence of an accomplice witness, Norman Mpofu.Years earlier, in 2004, Chivayo was handed a three-year jail term with labour after being convicted of theft by false pretences involving R837,000. He "unlawfully and with intent to steal" misrepresented to Digby Sean Nesbitt that he had deposited R837,000 into Shane Peter Nesbitt's bank account in South Africa in exchange for Z$37,6 million. After receiving the Z$37,6 million, he neglected to deposit the Zimbabwe dollar equivalent.He served his sentence at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.Returning from prison, Chivayo continued his hustling business, eventually stumbling on the tender industry specifically in the energy sector. A company in which he says he holds five percent shareholding, Intratek Zimbabwe, was originally awarded a $183 million tender for a 100 megawatt solar plant in Gwanda. It was later cancelled, and then re-instated in 2015. Intratek has gone on to win the tender to restore Munyati power station's 100 megawatt power generation capacity with an Indian partner, Jaguar Overseas Limited.Chivayo is listed as the managing director of Intratek on the company's website, but he appears to be in fact a mere front-man for Asian investors, among them Ibrahim Yusuf (executive chairman) and Tariq Yusuf (director). They are thought to have Indian roots.An energy sector expert told The Chronicle last night: "Chivayo, for all his criminal tendencies, has been smart in activating political contacts he has established over the years to make a career out of winning tenders. What he's not, as some have rather foolishly suggested, is 'Zimbabwe's Donald Trump'."This guy is in fact a runner for powerful and rich Asian partners who use him to win tenders in Zimbabwe. The money he's flashing around is not dividend from profits of a large corporation but 'thank you' payments from the real beneficiaries of these tenders. Call him a well-paid runner if you like."This perhaps explains Chivayo's astonishing bravado in an attack on the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) earlier this week when he claimed the tax authority did a "fictitious nonsensical lifestyle audit" and demanded $1,4 million. Zimra most likely will never tie down his money because "thank you" tokens from foreign handlers are unlikely to be domiciled in Zimbabwe.Financial inducements are a bane of Zimbabwe's tender system, but name dropping of powerful politicians' names also helps. Chivayo has previously claimed to be the nephew of the late Vice President John Nkomo. We have been unable to independently verify this. His picture with President Mugabe, whose subsequent "abuse" has irked the President's Office, according to sources, is now used as a major bargaining chip. "I've access," it says.After declaring bankruptcy, American rap star, 50 Cent, was photographed with stacks of $100 bills. When Judge Ann Nevins demanded to know exactly how the supposedly bankrupt megastar could get so much money, 50 Cent stated: "Hip-hop culture is widely recognised as aspirational in nature. The standard by which artists and fans engage is commonly tied to money, jewelry, products and advertising over social media."Products and brands are now marketed through social media as an effective way to engage with consumers. Just because I'm sensitive to the needs of maintaining my brand does not mean that I'm hiding assets or that I've lied on my filings in this Bankruptcy Case, neither of which is true."Convicted conman Chivayo was perhaps dead honest when he cautioned, in The Daily News on Monday, that those taken in by his show of supposed wealth must not take him so seriously."Social media has created jealous behaviour over illusions. Sadly, some people are envious of things, relationships, businesses and lifestyles that don't exist," he noted, while observing that his showmanship was in fact inspiring "young Zimbabweans to work hard, focus and attain a good life.""These [who are inspired] far exceed the ones that take too seriously my light hearted and playful bantering on social media," he added. But just how did Zifa and Zimbabwe stake so much on a fraudster? News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has said the [party's mobilisation for the mass demonstration against continuing poverty and disappearance of the $15 billion from diamonds was escalating with more supporters showing signs of interests to particiapte."The MDC-T yesterday held a number of preparatory meetings for the 14th of April March against Poverty and Corruption. All the preparatory meetings were well attended by the MDC-T structures," Mwonzora said. "The leadership emphasized that this was a demonstration on issues of poverty and corruption. The people want to know what happened to the $15bn. They also want to know what is being done about the people responsible for this heinous crime of stealing from the impoverished nation. What has happened to the promised 2 million jobs is of great interest to our people and they need answers."He said the people of Zimbabwe want to know why they are worse off since they days of the Inclusive Government."The preparations have gone on very well and we have followed the law to the book as far as informing the relevant authorities is concerned. We can only expect positive action from the authorities. Our marshals will cooperate with law enforcement authorities to make sure that the March is not hijacked by criminal and agency provocateurs It is high time that this government in brought to account. In the end the people shall prevail. Victory is certain," he said. News / National by Felex Share The Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday ordered national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to revisit the prevailing chaotic situation and all disciplinary cases in the Midlands province, and consult with the provincial leadership before bringing them before the National Disciplinary Committee.The Politburo was still in session at the time of going to press.The order to Kasukuwere follows chaos in the province that has seen provincial members holding parallel meetings.The Politburo also resolved that the matter of Secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi, who had a vote of no confidence passed on him by some members of the Youth League recently, be resolved in line with the party's constitution as he was a Presidential appointee.Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the Politburo resolved that further investigations were needed in the Midlands province."In the Midlands province, the cases which you are familiar with have not yet been concluded. As you are aware, there is confusion there and we cannot have two provincial executives," he said."The national political commissar has been directed to revisit the Midlands province for further investigations and consultations with the provincial leadership before the matter is brought to the National Disciplinary Committee and indeed the Politburo."Chaos in the Midlands started when Kasukuwere suspended chairperson Kizito Chivamba and handpicked Tapiwa Matangaidze to lead the province.Other members felt that if Kasukuwere had issues with Chivamba, then his deputy, Daniel McKenzie, should have taken over in the interim.Most members of the provincial executive defied Kasukuwere and have refused to attend meetings convened by Matangaidze.They are instead holding their own meetings.Matangaidze, whose camp has Makhosini Hlongwane as the only provincial executive member, passed a vote of no confidence on eight members of the province among them Cdes July Moyo, Victor Matemadanda, Owen Mudha Ncube, Goodwill Shiri, Cornelius Mpereri and Justice Mayor Wadyajena.The Mckenzie-led team had dismissed the move as a nullity.On Togarepi, Khaya Moyo said: "The case of Togarepi is also being handled according to the provisions of our constitution as he is an appointee of the President in the Politburo."Hearings on Cdes Lewis Matutu and Sibongile Sibanda (members of the Youth League) are still to be concluded."Khaya Moyo said the cases of three suspended provincial chairpersons Cdes Chivamba, Joel Biggie Matiza (Mashonaland East) and Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo) were also yet to be finalised by the NDC.The trio was suspended for alleged disobedience and inciting insolence."The cases of the votes of no confidence on all the seven comrades in Mashonaland East are yet to be concluded through complete hearings," he said."The same applies to Bulawayo province where all nine comrades affected still have their cases to be concluded by the NDC. We are a party of justice and we are saying they must be given an opportunity to be heard."Khaya Moyo said the three cases of Cdes Munacho Mutezo, Joe Zvouya and Jane Knight Mabuto in Manicaland had been referred back to the provincial disciplinary committee before they should be considered by the NDC for deliberation by the Politburo.The three are being accused of hob-nobbing with the Zimbabwe People First led by former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru.Mutezo was recently spotted at a ZPF meeting.Khaya Moyo said Finance Minister and Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Patrick Chinamasa also gave a detailed presentation on the implementation of Zim-Asset."Due to the current drought across the country, three to five million people may be in need of food aid," he said."The food security situation is, however, being addressed through the importation of maize from various countries. Irrigation is being accelerated on all ARDA farms, and other farms with water bodies. A comprehensive scheme is underway to promote agricultural productivity."He said Chinamasa also informed the meeting that resolutions of the Zanu-PF 15th National People's Conference held in Victoria Falls last December had been sent to the provinces after being approved by the Politburo.Khaya Moyo said the Secretary for War Veterans, Detainees, Restrictees and their Welfare, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, updated the Politburo on preparations of today's meeting between President Mugabe and the freedom fighters."Preparations, including accreditation of delegates, is going on very well and the programme has also been finalised," he said."The Secretary for External Affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, gave a brief report on the President's working visit to Japan, which was extensively covered by the media. The visit was successful and we look forward to more investment from Japan and the strengthening of bilateral relations."Khaya Moyo said Kasukuwere gave a detailed commissariat report encompassing the establishment of the Chitepo Ideological College.He said the party also looked forward to winning the April 23 by-elections in Guruve South constituency, a seat that fell vacant following Criswell Mutematsaka's expulsion.The Secretary for Business and Liaison, Sithembiso Nyoni, gave a brief report on the revolutionary party's participation at the forthcoming Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. GARY | Dr. Michael McGee says he grew up in "every project in Gary." He got good grades in school but didn't do a lot of preparation for a car AMMAN, Jordan The first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan on Wednesday and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war. But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the U.S. "I'm happy. America is the country of freedom and democracy, there are jobs opportunities, there is good education, and we are looking forward to having a good life over there," al-Abboud said. They have been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons. "I am ready to integrate in the U.S. and start a new life," he told The Associated Press in Amman's airport before the family boarded a flight to Kansas City. Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family. A spokeswoman for the social services organization helping resettle the family said they arrived in Kansas City late Wednesday night. Since October, 1,000 Syrian refugees have moved to the U.S. from Jordan. President Barack Obama has set a target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by Sept. 30. A resettlement center opened in Amman in February to help meet that goal, and about 600 people are interviewed every day at the center. The temporary processing center will run until April 28, said U.S. Ambassador Alice Wells, who was at the airport to see the al-Abboud family depart. Gina Kassem, the regional refugee coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, said that while the target of 10,000 applies to Syrian refugees living around the world, most will be resettled from Jordan. "The 10,000 (figure) is a floor and not a ceiling, and it is possible to increase the number," Kassem told reporters. While the resettlement process usually takes 18 to 24 months, the surge operation will reduce the time to three months, Kassem said. The U.N. Refugee Agency prioritizes the most vulnerable cases for resettlement, and refers them to the U.S. to review, Kassem said. The priority is given to high-risk groups such as unaccompanied minors and victims of torture and gender-based violence, she said. "We do not have exclusions or look for families with certain education background, language skills or other socio-economic factors, and we do not cut family sizes," she said. Jordan hosts about 635,000 of the more than 4.7 million Syrians who have registered with the U.N. refugee agency after fleeing the war. The total number of Syrians in Jordan is more than 1.2 million, including those who arrived before the conflict began in 2011. BERLIN The European Union has threatened to sanction countries like Panama if they continue to refuse to cooperate fully to fight money laundering and tax evasion, after a leak of data showed the tiny country remains a key destination for people who want to hide money. A leak of 11.5 million documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca showed it had helped thousands of individuals and companies from around the world to set up shell companies and offshore accounts in low-tax havens. Because such accounts often hide the ultimate owner of the money, they are a favored tool to launder money, pay bribes or evade taxes. So far, the scandal has brought down the leader of Iceland and raised questions about the dealings of the president of Ukraine, senior Chinese politicians, famous actors, athletes and the circle of friends of Russian Vladimir Putin, who some allege has profited indirectly from such accounts. "People are fed up with these outrages," said Pierre Moscovici, who heads financial affairs for the 28-nation EU. He took to task countries like Panama that facilitate such secretive, low-tax accounts. "The amounts of money, the jurisdictions and the names associated with this affair are frankly shocking," he said. Speaking of countries like Panama, he said the EU has to "be ready to hit them with appropriate sanctions if they refuse to change." Panama is listed by the EU as a country that is not cooperative on tax issues, and Moscovici urged the country to "rethink its position in this regard." The Central American country's government said late Wednesday it is creating an international committee of experts to recommend ways to boost transparency in its offshore financial industry. President Juan Carlos Varela said the committee's findings will be shared with other nations so joint action can be taken to boost transparency in legal and financial centers worldwide. But Varela defended Panama against what he called a "media attack" by wealthy nations that he says are ignoring their own deficiencies and unfairly stigmatizing Panama. Europe is also home to countries with a record of acting like tax havens and providing banking secrecy Luxembourg, Switzerland, Andorra, among others. The United States has also become a haven, with several states including Wyoming and Delaware now popular places to open anonymous accounts that are cheap to maintain and pay little or no local tax. Since the first reports were published Sunday, prominent politicians, celebrities and businesspeople have had their offshore business dealings dragged into the spotlight. On Thursday, the German newspaper that first obtained the so-called Panama Papers, said it won't publish all the files, arguing that not all are of public interest. Sueddeutsche Zeitung received the documents from an unidentified source more than a year ago and shared at least parts of them with dozens of other media outlets around the world. It was not clear if it had shared all the data with the other media outlets or signed an accord with them on what could be reported on. Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the complete set of 11.5 million documents "won't be made available to the public or to law enforcement agencies. That's because the SZ isn't the extended arm of prosecutors or the tax investigators." Authorities have legal powers to obtain such documents from those suspected of wrongdoing, and in many cases there's no public interest in revealing companies' or individuals' offshore business dealings, the Munich-based paper said. Responding to readers' queries about the absence of prominent German or American politicians in the reports, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said such names haven't yet been found in the documents. It said the documents include copies of the passports of 200 Americans, and about 3,500 shareholders in offshore companies listed addresses in the United States. "One possible reason why comparatively few Americans appear in the documents could be that U.S. citizens have no reason to contact a law firm in Panama," the paper said. "That's because offshore companies can easily be created in U.S. states such as Wyoming, Delaware or Nevada." Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied having any links to offshore accounts and described the Panama Papers document leaks scandal as part of a U.S.-led plot to weaken Russia. Speaking Thursday at a media forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said Western media pushed the claims of his involvement in offshore businesses even though his name didn't feature in any of the documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm. Putin described the allegations as part of the U.S.-led disinformation campaign waged against Russia in order to weaken its government. "They are trying to destabilize us from within in order to make us more compliant," he said. The Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which coordinated reporting on the leaks, said the documents it obtained indicated that Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin acted as a front man for a network of Putin loyalists, and, perhaps, the president himself. The ICIJ said the documents show how complex offshore financial deals channeled as much as $2 billion to a network of people linked to the Russian president. ___ Casert reported from Brussels. Irina Titova and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow also contributed to this report. News / National by Stephen Jakes A group of Zimbabweans living in South Africa is reportedly circulating a highly disturbing campaign urging fellow Zimbabweans to kill former Vice President Joice Mujuru when she lands in South Africa next week.Mujuru, now leading a new political formation, Zimbabwe People First, is expected to address a series of meetings with Zimbabweans in South Africa next week beginning in Pretoria on the 14th of April.According to information circulating online, the message urges Zimbabweans no to attend Mujuru's rallies accusing her of being the reason why they are living in the diaspora ever since her hay days when she was still vice to President Robert Mugabe."Zimbabweans please don't attend the meeting organised by Joice Mujuru of ZPF on 14 April 2016 in Pretoria. We are appealing to those who can put the law into their hands to do so by killing or assaulting her including her organisers," reads the inflammatory circular.The note riles Zimbabweans not to be "fooled" by Mujuru's new party. According to the writers, Mujuru was dismissed from Zanu PF for her corruption and now claims to be coming in to perform better than Mugabe."Refuse to be used, Enough is Enough. Mujuru must go with Zanu PF," reads the note.Sources within the Zimbabwe People First in South Africa attribute the source of the note to Zanu PF supporters in South Africa.There is serious rivalry between Zanu PF and Mujuru's ZimPF supporters in South Africa which are threatening to generate into violent clashes.Comment could not be obtained from Mujuru nor her spokesperson Rugare Gumbo. After spending months trashing what he calls "New York values," Texas Senator Ted Cruz decided to take a victory lap in one of the most Democratic areas of the city. He used the opportunity to slam the mayor and other Democratic leaders across the state, but he was also joined by a Democratic official at a campaign stop. "I am thrilled to be here," Cruz said. It's a surprising place for Texas senator Ted Cruz to take a victory lap a Dominican restaurant in the Bronx. He was celebrating a resounding win over Donald Trump in the Wisconsin primary Tuesday night, and, at the same time, looking for some kind of inroad here in New York. Two recent polls found that he trails far behind Donald Trump in the April 19 GOP primary. "You know the interesting thing about polling is it can change and it can change quickly," Cruz said. But his relationship with New Yorkers is tenuous or in some cases icy at least with most of its elected officials. "I'll tell you the moment when the brave men and women in blue of the NYPD stood up and turned their backs on Mayor bill de Blasio I stood up and cheered those cops and I'll tell you people all across America did," Cruz said. Standing in one of the most Democratic corners of the state, let alone the country, the Texas senator once again defended his criticism of "New York values." "The people of New York know exactly what those values are," said Cruz. "They are the values of liberal democratic politicians like Andrew Cuomo, Anthony Weiner, Elliot Spitzer." But it was exactly that sentiment that sparked this protest. "People are dying, Ted Cruz!" said one protester. Several were ejected from the event as they screamed at Cruz to get out of their borough because of his views on immigration. "This dude is a right wing bigot and he is not welcome here," said one protester. Cruz was invited to the Bronx by one friendly Democratic official, State Senator Ruben Diaz and the crowd of faith leaders he spoke to was friendly to his anti-abortion message. "We are conservative," Diaz said. "We are religious people. We believe what we believe. People try to put us down. The values there are two different values." The Texas senator will continue his New York tour ahead of the primary. On Thursday, he heads upstate to the Albany region. Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich will be making several stops in the city today. Ted Cruz plans is expected to tour a matzah bakery in Brighton Beach this afternoon. The Texas Senator was in the Bronx yesterday. He had lunch with State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Hispanic clergy members at a restaurant in Soundview. When asked about his comments regarding New York values, Cruz took aim at the state's political leaders. "They are the values of liberal Democratic politicians like Andrew Cuomo, like Anthony Weiner, like Elliot Spitzer. Like Charlie Rangel. All of whom Donald Trump has supported, given tens of thousands of dollars throughout the years," Cruz said. Several protesters tried to disrupt the event and blasted Cruz over his stance on immigration. They were later ejected from the restaurant. Republican presidential candidate John Kasich, meantime, is set to hold a meet-and-greet this afternoon at Mike's Deli on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. In the evening, he will hold a town hall meeting with veterans in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The Kasich campaign has carried on despite calls from fellow candidates to drop out of the race. It would be impossible for him to win the nomination by delegate count, so his only real chance is for a contested GOP convention in July. Four high-ranking police officials were reassigned to desk jobs Thursday, the first disciplinary action as a result of an investigation into whether officers took gifts in return for favors. NY1 Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has the story. "This is not a particularly good day for the department," Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said. Thursday, Bratton disciplined four top officers amid a corruption investigation. "Today, I have modified and transferred Deputy Chief Michael Harrington and Deputy Inspector James Grant," Bratton said. Grant, the head of the 19th precinct on the Upper East Side, and Harrington, second-in-command of the Housing Bureau, were stripped of their guns and badges. The other two officers disciplined Deputy Chiefs Eric Rodriguez and David Colon were transferred to administrative jobs. The NYPD's Internal Affairs began investigating in 2013, eventually joining an ongoing FBI probe. Among the allegations: top officers did favors, such as providing police escorts and security for businessmen in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community. "The potential violations under investigation include violations of NYPD rules and policies, the city's conflicts of interest rules and federal criminal laws," the police commissioner said. Bratton said the investigation is examining current and former NYPD officers and several others. Published reports say Grant may have received diamonds and cash. Sources say it's also alleged that politically-connected businessman Jona Rechnitz and Borough Park community leader Jeremy Reichberg took police officers on vacations around the world. That allegedly includes a trip to Israel by then-Chief of Department Philip Banks. Also allegedly on the trip was Correction Union President Norman Seabrook. Banks's high-powered attorney Ben Brafman calls the accusations against Banks patently false. The NYPD says this investigation is not over, so that means several other officers could be modified or at least questioned about this alleged bribery scheme. "We don't believe, based on what we know so far, that this is deep systemic corruption throughout the department as opposed to perhaps bad judgment of a small group," said Lawrence Byrne, the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters. The captains union says the investigation needs to end quickly so the officers can openly defend themselves. Mayor Bill de Blasio is defending his administration amid questions whether it is delaying a crucial new tunnel that would bring water to most of the city's residents. NY1's Josh Robin filed the following report. Water, and cheers, flowed. A spur of a long-delayed water tunnel for Manhattan had opened. "It's not sexy, and nobody says thank you, but we should be sleeping better because of this," then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in 2013. But two-and-a-half years later, a New York Times headline may be causing nightmares: word that a major spur of so-called water tunnel number three, this one for Brooklyn and Queens, is being delayed to keep down water bills. "This is very important infrastructure," said Kevin Bone of The Cooper Union. "They're making the choice to not continue it now for budget reasons." Mayor Bill de Blasio says the story is wrong, blaming his staff, not the Times. "There are times when my team does not do a good job of explaining something," de Blasio said. He said after an unrelated school event that he's actually speeding up construction. "So in the executive budget, the construction date, projected to be 2021 by the Bloomberg administration, will now be 2020," the mayor said. 2021 was when a Bloomberg-era document showed construction starting. But that's slower than a document from the beginning of de Blasio's term, which shows construction beginning in 2019. Officials now say that that number was an error. The water tunnel itself is actually built. It is shafts that need to be completed. The new tunnel would also allow inspections to the nearly century-old existing tunnel that runs through Queens and Brooklyn. De Blasio admitted that construction money was taken out, but only while waiting for a more accurate estimate. "I could say very comfortably that probably wasnt the smartest thing to do in terms of showing people the ongoing commitment," de Blasio said. His staff says the commitment is there, with work never stopping. Still, as the Times points out, almost a year ago, his Environmental Protection commissioner testified to the City Council, "This work has been deferred because the funding was re-allocated to another, more critical priority." De Blasio insists the tunnel is a priority, and now, with anxious New Yorkers looking on, seems intent on stressing that as clearly as possible. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has opened up an investigation into a story that has been getting increasing headlines a real estate deal on the Lower East Side, involving a building known as Rivington House, which is now on its way from being a nursing home to a luxury apartment building, after city officials approved a controversial transaction. The attorney general spoke Wednesday with NY1 Political Anchor Errol Louis about that investigation, as well as about a certain Republican presidential candidate with whom he has had a bitter legal battle. Schneiderman made his first public statements about the investigation into the Rivington House scandal, in which a building zoned to serve as a nursing home won a coveted rules change from city officials that allowed it to be sold for more than $100 million to a luxury developer. Schneiderman says the transaction demands legal scrutiny. "There are issues related to the transfer of a building that's supposed to be used for a charitable purpose to a non-charitable purpose," the attorney general said. "Our charities bureau regulates nonprofits. There are rules that apply to them. So we're looking into it to see that all the proper laws and rules are followed." Schneiderman also weighed in on Donald Trump and Trump University, which the attorney general sued for alleged fraud in 2013. The attorney general dismissed claims from Trump that the lawsuit was politically motivated. "We're used to people who are defendants in fraud cases making wild accusations against prosecutors. He also asserted on national TV that I was in a conspiracy with President Barack Obama to get him by suing him over Trump University, in 2013, long before anyone thought he would run for president. So he's made a lot of wild allegations," Schneiderman said. "He did file ethics complaints against me, which have been dismissed, along the lines that you're suggesting. He sued me for $100 million. He called me a lightweight before he called any of the Republican presidential candidates a lightweight. So I've been through this with Donald Trump. I've seen the whole, I saw the whole show before the rest of the country got to see it." Mr. Finzer, an American based in Novi Sad, Serbia, advertises his services online. Tax-Free Havens for Non-U.S. Citizens, his Web site, says. It goes on: More than 50 percent of the major corporations in the world are incorporated in Delaware. Why? Because in provides the anonymity that most offshore jurisdictions do not offer. That is exactly what troubles law enforcement agencies and some in Congress who are trying to rein in Delaware. The state is seen as an onshore alternative with regulations more lax than such well-known offshore tax havens as the Isle of Man, Jersey and the Caymans, which require greater disclosure. Even more, a Delaware registration allows a business, legitimate or not, to open a bank account anywhere in the world with the patina of an American address. You can have companies in Delaware that have no U.S. bank accounts, no requirements for documentation and no one knows who owns them, says Anthony B. Travers, chairman of the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and former chairman of that countrys Financial Services Association. There should be a level playing field and Delaware should have to comply with the same standards as the Caymans. Delaware isnt the only state that has gone this route. Three others Nevada, Wyoming and Oregon have also been cited by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a division of the United States Treasury Department, as particularly appealing for the formation of shell companies. Of those four states, Delaware stands out as the one offering the least transparency and the most secrecy, this group says. What is so galling about secrecy in the United States is that there is no attempt to document who owns a corporation, said Richard Murphy, a senior adviser at the Tax Justice Network, an independent organization based in London that researches tax havens. Two million corporations are formed each year in the United States, more than anywhere else in the world. Delaware, in turn, is the biggest single source of anonymous corporations in the world. Mr. Murphy adds: Why go to the Caymans when you can just go down the street? In 2009, the Tax Justice Network named the United States as No. 1 on its Financial Secrecy Index, ahead of Luxembourg and Switzerland. It cited Delaware as one of the reasons. Season 2, Episode 12: A Rose by Any Other Name This week on Empire, a Lyon family that looked irreparably divided mere days ago seems to have come together. Whats different now is that Camilla and Mimi are gone, thanks in large part to a secret deal by Cookie and Lucious to use their sons to run their outside investors out of town. Andre gets Rhonda working for Camillas fashion line Antony and Cleopatra delicious if heavy-handed foreshadowing where she can keep quiet watch, while Hakeem pretends to be her lover long enough to betray her trust. The plan works a little too well: Hakeem mails Mimi a sex tape of himself and Camilla, Mimi offloads all her Empire shares, and Camilla murders her wife in a plot to pawn it off as a suicide that goes belly-up when Lucious catches her in the act. He persuades her to end her life with a sip of poison, just like Cleopatra. Somehow all of this makes the family trust Hakeem more, even though bringing Camilla into the fold was originally his handiwork. Hes not a very good leader; he is guided by lust, not pragmatism. When Camilla announces shell be sending Laura and Mirage a Trois out on a lengthy tour with Tiana, Hakeem balks at the idea because it is clearly a plot to get his girlfriend out of her hair. Hes right. But a smart label owner knows to use the glow of his existing stars to build emerging ones, and Hakeem cant hack it. Hes too busy juggling the women he plays off each other to run the company properly. Hell never last. Another piece of music-mogul business Hakeem is bad at is news conferences. His public reveal as Empires new chief executive goes shakily at best, thanks to a whip-smart journalist who asks how the label plans to do future business with Lucious, who by all outward appearances was summarily drummed out of his company by blood kin. Hakeem quips Lucious who? and Cookie saves the day with a bit of levelheaded damage control. Hakeem isnt the only one dealing with bad press: Jamal is still hemorrhaging favor with the ASA Awards voters for his fling with a woman. It was a ludicrous plot point last week and continues to be, but this week its tolerable only because it helps break Jamals tight allegiance to Lucious. Carlo Mastrangelo, an original member of Dion and the Belmonts, whose baritone vocals undergirded the groups harmonies on a string of doo-wop hits like No One Knows and A Teenager in Love, died on Monday in Boynton Beach, Fla. He was 78. The cause was cancer, Warren Gradus, a current member of the Belmonts, said. Mr. Mastrangelo grew up in a mostly Italian neighborhood around Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. He played drums, wrote songs and sang, often on streetcorners or in subway stations, with his Roosevelt High School classmates Angelo DAleo and Fred Milano. They formed the Belmonts in the mid-1950s, taking the band name from the avenue where Mr. Milano lived. (The neighborhood is also called Belmont.) Dion DiMucci, another boy from the neighborhood, joined the group as lead tenor in 1957. In 1958 they released their first hit, I Wonder Why, an upbeat earworm that began with a memorable wordless vocal by Mr. Mastrangelo. News / National by Tendai Rupapa Harare magistrate Mr Temba Kuwanda yesterday sentenced three men, one of them who is HIV positive, to a combined 58 years in jail for gang raping a 14-year-old girl in Norton three years ago.Knowledge Mpame (31), Lloyd Sibanda (25) and Foxen Mukozho (32) had been on the run since 2014.They absconded court when they were on trial, but later handed themselves to the police resulting in their matter continuing before regional magistrate Mr Kuwanda.The trio took turns to rape the teenage girl whom they kidnapped after she approached them looking for her boyfriend.Mpame was slapped with a 20-year prison term while Sibanda and Mukozho were each sentenced to 19 years behind bars, bringing the sentence to 58 years.On Mpame's jail term, Mr Kuwanda set aside five years and effected 15 years. He also suspended six years on Sibanda and Mukozho's prison terms leaving them with 13 years each to serve.In aggravation, prosecutor Ms Rufaro Mhandu urged the court to impose a lengthy custodial sentence.She said the trio's moral blameworthiness was high."What aggravates this matter is that they first kidnapped the victim and later raped her. They deprived her of her freedom of movement so that they could rape her. She could not even relieve herself during the night since the door was locked."Your Worship, a lengthy prison term will meet the justice of this offence and would also deter would-be offenders," she said.Mr Kuwanda concurred with the State, adding that Mpame exposed the victim to the risk of contracting HIV.On September 25, 2013, the victim was accompanied by Admire Mhiripiri to the Norton-based boating club to look for her boyfriend.Upon arrival at the lake side, the girl and Mhiripiri saw Mpame and Sibanda working in the fields with two other men.They took the two visitors to a house in the compound after they asked for water.Mpame was asked by the girl if he knew where her boyfriend stayed.He lied to her that he knew where he stayed before telling the girl to wait by the verandah.Mpame later returned from the fields and ordered Mhiripiri to leave on the pretext that his employer did not like visitors.Mhiripiri complied and he left his contact details with Mpame in case anything happened to the girl.The girl was told to sit inside the house by Mpame while he went to look for her boyfriend in the fields.Mpame returned after some minutes and raped her. He left the room and locked the door.Sibanda also walked into the house and raped her as well before locking the minor inside.He then called Mukozho who also raped her. In November, the Justice Department said it was challenging the deal between United and Delta because of Uniteds dominance in Newark, which resulted in some of the highest fares in the nation because United extracted what the government called a Newark premium. The Justice Department said travelers would benefit from expanded competition at Newark. United has used its slots monopoly to dominate air travel in and out of Newark, Bill Baer, the assistant attorney general of the Justice Departments Antitrust Division, said in a statement. The F.A.A.s action opens up Newark to more robust competition and achieves the very outcome we sought in litigation: protecting consumers from Uniteds plan to enlarge its monopoly at Newark. The F.A.A. limits landing and takeoff rights at a few airports where demand is higher than the capacity to handle traffic. Similar restrictions remain in effect at New Yorks other big airports Kennedy and La Guardia. By lifting the slot restrictions in Newark, the F.A.A. said last week that it expected more efficient use of existing airport terminals and runway capacity, and increased access to Newark and the New York City area, as well as more competition and service from new carriers. Airlines such as Southwest and Virgin had long complained that they could not get the access they wanted in Newark. A group representing parents and former students at ultra-Orthodox yeshivas accused the de Blasio administration on Wednesday of dragging its feet in investigating their schools, out of fear of alienating a constituency that the mayor has assiduously courted. In July, 52 parents, former students and former teachers sent a letter to New York Citys Education Department saying that 39 yeshivas were violating state law by not providing students, particularly boys, an adequate education in secular subjects like English, math and science. The Education Department said then that it would conduct an investigation of the yeshivas, located in Brooklyn and Queens. But on Wednesday, the group behind the letter held a news conference in front of City Hall to express its frustration with the lack of any apparent progress in the investigation. Its eight months later, and theres no sign of a serious investigation taking place, Naftuli Moster, the leader of the group, Young Advocates for Fair Education, said. In fact, all indications are that the D.O.E. is just stalling us. In the meantime, tens of thousands of boys we estimate around 30,000 are not getting a basic education. It appeared as if Mayor Bill de Blasio would finally get his moment: Rally for Hillary in Manhattan, the mayors announcement said. But the event on Wednesday evening was a bit less than it seemed: Hillary Clinton was not there. About 300 people, mostly union members and employees, attended the event, held in a meeting room at the Lower Manhattan offices of the United Federation of Teachers. It featured the mayor; Mrs. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook; Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas; Gale A. Brewer, the Manhattan borough president; and the federations president, Michael Mulgrew. High praise was everywhere. Mr. Mook said Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, was the greatest mayor in the history of New York. The mayor praised the toughness of Mrs. Clinton, who spent the day in Pennsylvania. Despite the exchange of compliments, the event showed what has become obvious in recent months: Mr. de Blasios fence-sitting before finally endorsing Mrs. Clinton, rather than Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, in the Democratic presidential race has stranded him on the fringe of the action. Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that he was going to add $305 million to New York Citys capital budget to speed up work on Water Tunnel No. 3 so that it would be able to serve Brooklyn and Queens. The money will pay for construction of two deep shafts in Maspeth, Queens, that will connect with the tunnel, which is virtually finished. When the work is done, the five million people who live in the two boroughs will have a robust supply of water other than Tunnel No. 2, which was built in 1936. The mayors announcement came just hours after The New York Times reported that his administration last year had removed all money to pay for the tunnel and had also replaced the announced 2021 deadline for completion with a commissioners guess that it would be ready for service sometime in the mid-2020s. Those actions and statements, the mayor said, had been misunderstood as postponing the work. There are times when my team does not do a good job of explaining something, he said. In that scenario, or in a counterfactual in which Kasich was actually piling up as many delegates as Cruz, you could imagine a convention splitting three ways on ballot after ballot, with Trumps support gradually shrinking but holding up well enough to deny the other two a majority. Then the convention might actually reach the point of exhaustion when a white-knight alternative would seem almost just: If none of the candidates can beat the others, then none of them should get the nod. But if Cruz succeeds in pushing the race to the convention, we wont have that scenario; instead well have just two candidates with three-quarters of the delegates between them, and a third wheel, Kasich, who shows no signs of building the delegate-selecting juggernaut that could make him a big player on the floor. Instead, the only candidate building such a machine is Cruz himself. His team has been working the system since Iowa, getting as many loyalists as possible chosen for delegate slates, to the point where it seems reasonable to assume that many delegates pledged to Trump will switch to Cruz at the first opportunity. It also seems reasonable, as FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver has pointed out, to assume that many of the delegates who arent explicitly recruited by Team Cruz will still like him just fine. As loathed as the Texas senator might be in the Senate cloakroom, theres no evidence that hes similarly despised among the grass-roots activists who often become or help pick convention delegates; quite the reverse, in fact. So play things out, and Cruzs path to victory at a contested convention looks very clear indeed. On the first ballot, Trump wins (lets say) 1,150 votes, while Cruz wins (say) 825. On the next two ballots, some of the Trump delegates start to jump ship, and most of them go to Cruz, since his people have spent months working on them. By the third ballot, the Texas senator is closing in on 1,237, in a hall filled with people who generally like him and definitely prefer him to Trump. What would prevent him from getting there? You think addressing family homelessness sounds worthy but unaffordable? To put this Obama budget request in perspective, the average annual sum is only about 1 percent of what we were spending in Afghanistan at the peak. Ive been thinking about housing after reading a superb new book, Evicted, by Matthew Desmond, a sociologist at Harvard. Desmond lived as a researcher in impoverished sections of Milwaukee and tells of his neighbors there struggling to find places to live. Every year in this country, people are evicted from their homes not by the tens of thousands or even the hundreds of thousands but by the millions, Desmond notes. About one-fourth of all moves by Milwaukees poorest renters were involuntary, and such moves disrupt childrens education, make it harder to hold onto jobs and damage the fabric of entire neighborhoods. Without stable shelter, everything else falls apart, Desmond says. The system is also dysfunctional. A renter who calls 911 too many times will be evicted, which puts battered women in an impossible situation: They can summon help when they are beaten or strangled, but that may land them out on the street. Liberals who write about poverty sometimes ignore self-destructive behaviors, while conservatives sometimes see nothing else. To his credit, Desmond acknowledges that people on the edge periodically abuse drugs or squander money he writes about one woman who devoted her entire monthly allocation of food stamps to a grand lobster dinner. But he also emphasizes that its not so much irresponsibility that causes poverty as the other way around. And Desmond notes the generosity among the neediest: The woman who bought the lobster used her food stamps in a different month to buy food for a neighbor who was even more desperate. Asian countries are increasingly pushing back against Chinas sweeping territorial claims and bullying tactics in the South China Sea. On Sunday, a Japanese submarine made a port call in the Philippines for the first time in 15 years, a sign of growing security cooperation. Last week, Vietnam seized a Chinese ship for illegally entering its territorial waters, and Indonesia threatened to defend its own claims with F-16 fighter jets. Meanwhile, President Obama used a meeting with President Xi Jinping last week to deliver what one administration official described as a very direct and unvarnished earful about how seriously Washington views Chinas behavior. And on Monday the United States and the Philippines began annual war games that will certainly show that the Philippines can count on the United States to counter Beijing. The South China Sea is rich in natural resources and serves as a vital waterway for $5 trillion in trade. The Chinese have been engaged in a campaign to transform contested reefs and rocks into artificial islands with airstrips and other military structures. This has alarmed neighboring countries, which have competing claims and fear that China will use these islands to interfere with navigation and other countries rights to fish and drill for oil and gas. One result of the rising friction is a new defense agreement that will allow the United States to station weapons and troops at five bases in the Philippines for the first time in more than 20 years. Another is a marked increase in regional military spending. The United States recently carried out two patrols by warships and aircraft into territory claimed by China and is planning a third. Amid all the truly awful things state legislatures do, one of the rare bright spots has been the naming of official symbols. Who was ever made unhappy by the designation of a state rock? Tennessee, alas, is screwing up the record. The governor is currently trying to decide whether to sign a piece of legislation that would put the Bible on the list of State Things, alongside the salamander (amphibian), milk (beverage), honeybee (agricultural insect), raccoon (wild animal), several variations on the theme of state tree and flower, and nine nine! official state songs. The last of which, adopted in 2011, was Tennessee. The next question youre probably asking is why it took nine tries for Tennessee to get a song named Tennessee, and the answer is that it actually has two. You have to admit thats pretty inclusive. On the other hand, picking the Christian holy book as a state symbol seems simultaneously divisive and unnecessary. Not to mention sort of disrespectful to the Bible, which doesnt usually get included on the same list as the salamander and the smallmouth bass. Its been a hard year for diversity and inclusion in Tennessee, said Senator Lee Harris, a Memphis Democrat, in a phone interview. Harris is the Senate minority leader, which means he heads a hearty band of five out of 33 members, an all-time low for his party. Besides the Bible bill, the Legislature recently passed a new Confederate heritage measure, and on Wednesday the House approved a bill aimed at allowing counselors and therapists to deny services to gay or transgender patients. Meanwhile, one member left a DVD in her colleagues mailboxes titled Americas Mosques Exposed! Video Evidence They Are War Factories. Actually: You wont be obsolete for a long time, if ever, most researchers say. In March when Alphago, the Go-playing software program designed by Googles DeepMind subsidiary defeated Lee Se-dol, the human Go champion, some in Silicon Valley proclaimed the event as a precursor of the imminent arrival of genuine thinking machines. The achievement was rooted in recent advances in pattern recognition technologies that have also yielded impressive results in speech recognition, computer vision and machine learning. The progress in artificial intelligence has become a flash point for converging fears that we feel about the smart machines that are increasingly surrounding us. However, most artificial intelligence researchers still discount the idea of an intelligence explosion. News / National by Stephen Jakes ZimFirst leader Maxwell Shumba has said it is a lie for President Robert Mugabe to claim that people of Zimbabwe would be angry if anyone talking about him retiring indicating that his stay on power was only through devious means.President Robert Mugabe told Japanese journalists recently that Zimbabweans would be 'angry' over a talk of him retiring."We will soon prove you wrong Mr. Mugabe once again . 2000, 2008, 2013 people clearly said NO to you but you are President only through devious means," Shumba said. "We are launching another in-your-face referendum for people to once again tell you that it's only your wife who doesn't want you to retire. To all Zimbabweans out there lets unite to show the author of our misery a collective big middle finger.""When we soon launch the online referendum to send a message once again let's forget our political partisanship, for once , to tell the lying ' Robert that we want him to retire," he added. WEST California: Ex-Sheriffs Official Guilty of Corruption The former second-in-command of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department was convicted Wednesday in a corruption inquiry that also brought down his boss and several subordinates who tried to thwart a federal investigation into abuses in the jail system. The former undersheriff, Paul Tanaka, was found guilty by a federal jury of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He helped orchestrate efforts to hide an inmate when it was discovered that he was an F.B.I. informant, prosecutors said. Subordinates were ordered to intimidate an F.B.I. agent by threatening to have her arrested. Former Sheriff Lee Baca could face six months in jail at sentencing next month in the inquiry. Mr. Tanaka testified that he was out of the loop and unaware of the cover-up efforts. He could face up to 15 years in prison. (AP) ROCKIES Colorado: Small-Town Voters Reject Marijuana Sales Voters in a town whose economy was hammered by the closing of coal mines rejected a measure that sought to revive business by allowing marijuana sales. The outcome in Hotchkiss, a town of 900 in the western mountains, was one of a handful of votes on Tuesday in which rural residents rejected efforts to bring marijuana retailers and cultivation operations to their towns. While marijuana is legal across the state, Colorado lets cities decide whether to allow shops within their borders. Marijuana advocates in Hotchkiss had hoped the allure of jobs and new taxes could persuade their neighbors to set aside their aversion. But voters sided with the mayor and other opponents, who argued that pot could never replace coal-mining jobs. JACK HEALY Bullet Train to Nowhere : Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, has become a multi-billion-dollar nightmare A Piece of Black History Destroyed: Lincoln Heights a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California endured for decades. Lincoln Heights a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California endured for decades. Then came the Mill fire Warehouse Moratorium: As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, the anger has turned to widespread action PLAINS Nebraska: Senator Stages Filibuster as Retribution A state senator is attempting to run out the clock on Nebraskas legislative session with a filibuster in which he has described getting a colonoscopy and quizzed a colleague about the best way to pour a beer. Senator Ernie Chambers of Omaha, the states longest-serving lawmaker, has spent two days burning time, with major issues still unresolved. He says the filibuster is punishment for colleagues whose votes he opposed. Im having so much fun, it should be a sin, he said. Mr. Chambers, 78, a left-leaning independent, chastised his fellow senators on Wednesday for rejecting a bill to legalize medical marijuana the night before, saying their decision will hurt suffering children. He is also upset that lawmakers advanced a Republican-backed measure to reinstate the winner-take-all system in presidential elections. Unlike some legislative chambers that require a lawmaker to keep talking in order to retain the time, Nebraskashave looser rules. Mr. Chambers has been able to take breaks. The session ends on April 20. (AP) SOUTH Louisiana: Bill to Protect Confederate Statues Fails A proposal aimed at protecting Louisianas Confederate monuments failed Wednesday to win enough support to advance to the State Senate. The bill to create a state commission to review decisions regarding removal of such monuments was defeated by the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee in a 5-to-4 vote, with Democrats opposed and Republicans in favor. Senator Beth Mizell, the author, said she wanted to create a seven-member panel that could step away from the pressure points when it comes to deciding the fate of a monument. History is bigger than a single community or the mood of a moment, she said. (AP) WASHINGTON Members of the Senate always expected to be consumed by a major court-related fight this year, just not the court-related fight they are having. A bipartisan overhaul of criminal justice laws was supposed to be a defining issue of this Congress, a rare unifying moment for Republicans, Democrats and President Obama. Instead, the members of the Judiciary Committee who wrote the criminal justice package are at war over whether to consider Mr. Obamas nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick B. Garland. This feud over the nomination has overshadowed the effort to reduce mandatory minimum sentences and ease the transition from prison. Now supporters of an overhaul are worried about its fate, especially with the Senate about to turn to a series of time-consuming spending bills and the election-year calendar approaching a point where little gets done that is not absolutely necessary. If this is going to happen along with 12 appropriations bills, we are going to have to elbow our way into the queue, said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, one of the chief Democratic authors of the bill. The ball is now on the Republican side of the net. Hillary Clintons political ascent can be traced to the time in 1999 when she expressed her support for dairy farmers in the upstate New York village of Endicott. And the summer that year when she shunned Marthas Vineyard to vacation in Skaneateles, and promised voters in the depleted industrial city of Schenectady that as a New York senator she would revive the upstate economy. The strategy helped Mrs. Clinton win her 2000 Senate race by double digits, a victory fueled by the unlikely support of white working-class voters in upstate New York who had previously voted Republican but were won over by the first ladys attention to their underserved area. Now, 16 years later, Mrs. Clinton is again promising to bring jobs back to the region as she courts the people who helped secure her first election victory. But this time her message is colliding with a surprisingly potent threat from the left and doubts about her ability to deliver. Her current effort, which advisers say is critical not just to winning the New York primary on April 19 but to swaying voters nationwide to Mrs. Clintons style of pragmatic problem solving, comes as she looks to rebound after losing six of the last seven primary elections to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (APRIL 7, 2016) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) // BRIDGE WITH PEOPLE AND BICYCLES // (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) AMSTERDAM RESIDENT, EVA, SAYING: I voted against yesterday, so I do not support it. Would you like to know why? Because I think the employment situation and the treatment of animals in Ukraine are, I think, not on the same level like it is here, and I do not really believe that we can make things better there with such a trade agreement. The truth is I have lost my trust a bit. // BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (APRIL 7, 2016) (EBS- ACCESS ALL) // VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION OFFICE, EU FLAGS // (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION CHIEF SPOKESPERSON, MARGARITIS SCHINAS, SAYING: The Commission remains strongly committed to the development of its relations with Ukraine. You asked me how the President feels, I think I can tell you that the President est triste (is saddened in French). // TOKYO, JAPAN (APRIL 7, 2016) (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE - ACCESS ALL) // (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, PETRO POROSHENKO, SAYING: I would like to remind everyone that the real goal of the referendum organizers is not the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. It is an attack on the unity of Europe, an attack on the expansion of European values. // KIEV, UKRAINE (APRIL 7, 2016) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) // UKRAINIAN AND EUROPEAN FLAGS WAVING // (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) KIEV RESIDENT, 29, ILYA ZHYZHYYAN, SAYING: People there in Europe understand that this level of corruption and these authorities are not able to make the life of their own citizens better. That is why Dutch people probably think, why do they need a country which cannot ensure the well-being of its own citizens. CAIRO A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition used bombs supplied by the United States in an attack on a market in Yemen last month that killed at least 97 civilians, including 25 children, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Wednesday. The group said it had found fragments of two American-made bombs at the market, in the northern district of Mastaba, linking the United States for the first time to the March 15 airstrikes, which were believed to be the deadliest coalition bombings during Yemens yearlong civil war. The high death toll, along with images of children killed in the blasts, ignited international outrage and prompted calls for an investigation. The Saudi-led coalition has been criticized for carrying out indiscriminate airstrikes that have hit markets, hospitals and homes as it has waged war against the Houthis, a rebel group from Yemens north that seized power from the government last year. Coalition airstrikes have caused most of the civilian deaths in the conflict, according to the United Nations, and have led to mounting calls in Europe for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia. An airstrike on another market, in February near Sana, the capital, led the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, to call for an inquiry. Where is the theater in Dance Theater of Harlem these days? At its gala performance at City Center on Wednesday, its dancers showed plenty of charm, enthusiasm, style and bravura. The several happy speeches made us aware that the company is a worthy cause. Gladys Knight and Joyce Dinkins, a longtime supporter of the company (and the wife of David Dinkins), were honored. All four items of choreography, however, felt like end-of-year graduation exercises. Though they put their performers through their paces, they never seriously showed us how dance can become theater. The old Harlem company presented lots of choreography that was atrocious, as well as several classics. (I saw the company often in the 1970s and 1980s on its annual visits to London, where I lived.) But it never lacked theatricality. Each of its dance works some masterpieces, some tedious at least created an image, a stage world. Several of its dancers Lydia Abarca, Ronald Perry, Lorraine Graves, among others stay in mind as glamorous stage personalities and refined stylists. In several ballets by Balanchine, the companys level of style, musicality and energy bore comparison to Balanchines own New York City Ballet. The companys versions of Giselle, Scheherazade and Firebird were among the most memorable achievements of dance theater in the 1980s. I take no pleasure in saying that Wednesdays program felt like a return to the schoolroom. Elena Kunikovas Divertimento (new this year) was a tight-packed anthology of prettily spectacular effects from the classical ballet lexicon. Dianne McIntyres Change (another 2016 premiere) is a limp assortment of sketches in which three women alternately attitudinize and gyrate to a collage of African and African-American music. A number of Dance Theater of Harlem students did some ingratiating boogieing in an untitled Gladys Knight tribute choreographed by Robert Garland. Mr. Garlands Return (1999) was a loose collage of sophomoric romps in which dancers show us some of the fun to be had from by doing ballet to rock music. Hirschl & Adler expanded its current 13,000-square-foot space in the Crown Building on Fifth Avenue, near 57th Street, just five years ago. Needless to say, the gallery has no interest in leaving. But it looks as if Hirschl & Adler along with Adelson Galleries and several other galleries in the building will have no choice, given that the Crown was bought for $1.8 billion last year by General Growth Properties, in partnership with the New York developer Jeffrey Sutton, and will be remade into a retail, residential and hotel property. The developers, who declined to be interviewed, issued this statement: Art will continue to play an important role in this iconic building. We are in conversations with current tenants about their plans and look forward to working with them as we move forward. But Elizabeth Feld, Hirschl & Adlers managing director, said she had not been told of the developers plans and had no intention of relocating. We dont plan on going anywhere, she said. We dont know whats going on. We have a lease, and we plan to stay. The show is in many ways excellent, and it does, as the curators announce on the introductory wall, shake up conventional practices within the museum. And yet it should be excellent in different, livelier ways, more visually sustaining and stylistically diverse. The totality can create a kind of half-full and half-empty experience. Its great to see these galleries turned into a giant laboratory for experiment, but putting everything in a blender also has a homogenizing effect. With so many people involved in 1960-1969, the show is especially useful as a snapshot of the curatorial hive mind at the museum. It exemplifies an admirable erudition, precision and devotion to the collection, but also a tendency toward the cerebral and austere, visible in many temporary exhibitions of recent art here. And despite the all-media embrace, there is often the sense that instead of a genuine expansion, one form of narrowness built on French Cubism has been replaced by another that is too exclusively involved with Conceptual Art. The prevailing mood tends toward the puritanical, with the viewers pleasures carefully monitored. This is accomplished most strikingly by treating color as a controlled substance, limiting it primarily to three small galleries. Shades of black, white, gray and beige abound, starting with a dour lineup of wall-pieces and reliefs by big names (Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Lee Bontecou, Donald Judd, Andy Warhol and Piero Manzoni) playing second fiddle to the Jaguar. This may have been intended to help the variety of media cohere, but it also dulls the proceedings. The Judd may be the only all-black work he ever made, although the Modern also owns a bright-blue painting of his from 1961; perhaps it clashed with the Jaguar. A type of object for remembering and teaching the many emblems favored by these groups was the tracing board, a picture illustrating different examples. One of several in the exhibition, made for the Odd Fellows between 1850 and 1900, has seven images realistically rendered against luminous skies in vignettes on an otherwise white canvas. Among them are a bow and three crossed arrows; a set of balance scales; a skull and crossbones; and, at the center, a tent with open flaps in front and darkness within. In Masonic and Odd Fellows lore, each of these has a complex meaning. To learn and internalize them would be to ascend within a comprehensive, consciousness-raising system. For the uninitiated, too, such images have a mysterious, archetypal resonance. You might imagine this tracing board hanging in an alchemists laboratory. The David Parr House in Britain is a sort of time capsule: a tiny brick 19th-century rowhouse turned museum that has scarcely changed in the nine decades since its best-known owner died. A decorative painter who specialized in Gothic Revival designs, Mr. Parr started experimenting with artwork in his home in 1887. For 40 years, he embellished the walls with vines, flowers, simulations of wood grain and snippets of Victorian verse. Starting on April 18, small groups of visitors (by appointment only) will be allowed into the two-story structure on the outskirts of the Cambridge University campus. A few hundred people have already visited the house, which can accommodate only a half-dozen people at a time. This fall it will most likely close for a few years for conservation and stabilization. (The public will be allowed in occasionally to observe conservators at work.) Mr. Parr made a living as an artist for F. R. Leach & Sons, which decorated churches and stately homes based on designs by luminaries like William Morris and the architect George Bodley. In 2013, his descendants sold the house to a nonprofit group. The museums curator, Tamsin Wimhurst, said she has not yet fathomed why Mr. Parr painted so determinedly as a hobby while working all day on sites as elite as St. Jamess Palace in London. A son of a Cambridge laborer, he was orphaned at age 7 and apprenticed to the Leaches as a teenager. Mr. Parr and his wife, Mary Jane, raised three children in the rowhouse, and he recorded each mural project in a neat notebook. News / National by Felex Share The Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday ordered the commissariat department to revisit the prevailing chaotic situation and all disciplinary cases in the Midlands province, and consult with the provincial leadership before bringing them before the National Disciplinary Committee.This follows chaos in the province that has seen provincial members holding parallel meetings.The Politburo also resolved that the matter of secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi, who had a vote of no confidence passed on him by some members of the Youth League recently, be resolved in line with the party's constitution as he was an appointee of President Mugabe.Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo, yesterday said the Politburo resolved that further investigations were needed in the Midlands province."In the Midlands province, the cases which you are familiar with haven't yet been concluded. As you're aware, there is confusion there and we can't have two provincial executives," he said. "The national political commissar (Saviour Kasukuwere) has been directed to revisit the Midlands province for further investigations and consultations with the provincial leadership before the matter is brought to the National Disciplinary Committee and indeed the Politburo."Chaos in the Midlands started when chairperson Kizito Chivamba was suspended recently and replaced by Tapiwa Matangaidze.Other members felt that if there were issues with Chivamba, then his deputy Daniel McKenzie should have taken over, in the interim. Most members of the provincial executive have refused to attend meetings convened by Matangaidze.They are instead holding their own meetings.Matangaidze, whose camp has Makhosini Hlongwane as the only provincial executive member, passed a vote of no confidence on eight members of the province among them Cdes July Moyo, Victor Matemadanda, Owen Mudha Ncube, Goodwill Shiri, Cornelius Mpereri and Justice Mayor Wadyajena.The Mckenzie-led team had dismissed the move as null and void.On Togarepi, Khaya Moyo said: "The case of Togarepi is also being handled according to the provisions of our constitution as he's an appointee of the President in the Politburo.""Hearings on Cdes Lewis Matutu and Sibongile Sibanda (members of the Youth League) are still to be concluded."Khaya Moyo said the cases of three suspended provincial chairpersons Cdes Chivamba, Joel Biggie Matiza (Mashonaland East) and Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo) were also yet to be finalised by the NDC.The trio was suspended for alleged disobedience and inciting insolence."The cases of the votes of no confidence on all the seven comrades in Mashonaland East are yet to be concluded through complete hearings," he said."The same applies to Bulawayo province where all nine comrades affected still have their cases to be concluded by the NDC. We're a party of justice and we're saying they must be given an opportunity to be heard."Khaya Moyo said the three cases of Cdes Munacho Mutezo, Joe Zvouya and Jane Knight Mabuto in Manicaland had been referred back to the provincial disciplinary committee before they should be considered by the NDC for deliberation by the Politburo.The three are being accused of hob-nobbing with the Zimbabwe People First led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru.Mutezo was recently spotted at a ZPF meeting.Khaya Moyo said Finance Minister and Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa, also gave a detailed presentation on the implementation of ZimAsset."Due to the current drought across the country, three to five million people may be in need of food aid," he said."The food security situation is, however, being addressed through the importation of maize from various countries. Irrigation is being accelerated on all ARDA farms, and other farms with water bodies. A comprehensive scheme is underway to promote agricultural productivity."He said Chinamasa also informed the meeting that resolutions of the Zanu-PF 15th National People's conference held in Victoria Falls last December had been sent to the provinces after being approved by the Politburo.Khaya Moyo said the secretary for War Veterans, Detainees, Restrictees and their Welfare Sydney Sekeramayi, updated the Politburo on preparations of today's meeting between President Mugabe and the freedom fighters."Preparations, including accreditation of delegates is going on very well and the programme has also been finalised," he said."The secretary for external affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, gave a brief report on the President's working visit to Japan, which was extensively covered by the media. The visit was successful and we look forward to more investment from Japan and the strengthening of bilateral relations."Simon Khaya Moyo said Kasukuwere gave a detailed commissariat report encompassing the establishment of the Chitepo Ideological College.He said the party also looked forward to winning the April 23 by-election in Guruve South constituency, a seat that fell vacant following the expulsion of Criswell Mutematsaka.The secretary for Business and Liaison Sithembiso Nyoni, gave a brief report on the revolutionary party's participation at the forthcoming Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. At 14, the pianist Kirill Gerstein became the youngest student ever to enter the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied jazz. Now that two decades have passed, and hes become one of the distinguished classical artists of his generation, its tempting to try to detect the influence of those early studies on his playing of the canon. The takeaway from his remarkable recital on Wednesday at the 92nd Street Y: Its there, but not in any obvious ways. Mr. Gerstein ended the first half of a daunting program with Liszts Dante Sonata, a 25-minute episodic, single-movement work that can come across as long-winded and overblown. Liszt subtitled the piece After a Reading of Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata. The music keeps shifting, from an opening section that depicts the screams of the condemned, burning in hell, to passages of dreamy melodic writing over shimmering chords, to stretches of contemplative chorales. Mr. Gersteins background in jazz may have enhanced his ability to make sense of the fantastical qualities of the piece. He captured its moody swings, playing with uncanny delicacy in one episode and gnashing power the next. Yet from moment to moment, the music sounded purposeful, even when it took what seemed like a peremptory turn. Mr. Gersteins program was organized around two genres: the sonata and the fantasy. Beethoven composed two sonatas subtitled Sonata Quasi una Fantasia (Sonata Sort of Like a Fantasy), and published them together as his Opus 27. Mr. Gerstein opened the concert with a crisp, vibrant performance of the seldom-heard first one, No. 13 in E flat; then he began the second half with the overplayed second, the Moonlight Sonata. In the way Beethoven toys with Classical structure and puts themes through bold development, the E flat Sonata is just as daring as the Moonlight, which was demonstrated powerfully in Mr. Gersteins bracing performance. In its search for a new finance chief, the parent company of the Internet properties About.com and Tinder has turned to a media investment banker with a 25-year career at firms both big and small. The Internet conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp. said on Thursday that it had hired as its chief financial officer Glenn H. Schiffman, a former co-head of media banking at Lehman Brothers. IAC, whose founder and chairman is the mogul Barry Diller, is perhaps best known for its sites like Vimeo and The Daily Beast. It is also the controlling shareholder of the Match Group, the online dating juggernaut that operates Tinder and Match.com. Mr. Schiffman worked through the ranks at Lehman Brothers, rising to become its co-head of global media banking and then head of the firms investment banking for the Asia-Pacific region. The Dodd-Frank Act provides regulators with two standards for determining whether a firm is systemically important, and while regulators chose to invoke the first standard that material financial distress at a firm could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States against MetLife, its reasoning did not hold up, according to the judge. Under that standard, the judge found that the council failed to assess the likelihood of MetLife finding itself on the brink of bankruptcy and concluded that analysts did not go far enough in explaining how the companys hypothetical distress would undermine the financial system as a whole. Regulators failed to account for why they abandoned the guidance and refused to evaluate MetLifes vulnerability to material financial distress, the judge wrote in the opinion, adding that the designation hardly adhered to any standard when it came to assessing MetLifes threat to U.S. financial stability. Taken together, she called the departures from the Dodd-Frank law and regulators own guidance fatally flawed. Separately, Judge Collyer ruled that regulators also did not consider the costs of heightened oversight and new rules, which the Federal Reserve is still writing. Federal courts have previously overturned several other Dodd-Frank rules on similar grounds. Eugene Scalia, son of the late Justice Antonin Scalia and a lawyer for MetLife in this case, was the architect of some of those earlier lawsuits. There is no doubt that F.S.O.C. refused to consider the costs of its decision, and it did so purposefully, the judge wrote. Joel Kurtzman, an economic Cassandra who gloomily calculated the impact of globalization and projected the crash of domestic markets, but who capped his career two years ago by predicting a Second American Century of unimaginable prosperity, died on Wednesday at his home in Concord, Mass. He was 68. The cause was cancer, his wife, Karen Warner Kurtzman, said. While working for the United Nations, Mr. Kurtzman was among the first economists to flag the Latin American debt crisis in the 1990s. He was so habitually wary about business being buffeted by outside forces that he was credited with coining the term economic headwinds. Mr. Kurtzman, a former managing senior fellow at the nonpartisan Milken Institute, an economic research firm, wrote, co-wrote or edited more than 20 books, including The Death of Money, which forecast the fragility of the digital network that replaced paper currency. Others, like The Decline and Crash of the American Economy, were predicated on equally bleak outcomes. But in 2014, in Unleashing the Second American Century: Four Forces for Economic Dominance, he largely dispensed with his earlier doomsaying, suggesting instead that the future was bright for a nation poised for energy independence, already leading in innovation, blessed with a surfeit of private capital and supported by a productive and expanding industrial base. The wind is at our backs, he wrote. DETROIT General Motors on Thursday said it had settled a wrongful death case that was set to go to trial next month as part of ongoing litigation over the companys defective ignition switches. G.M., the nations largest automaker, had already won two so-called bellwether trials being conducted to resolve a variety of legal claims tied to its recall two years ago of vehicles equipped with faulty ignitions. The settlement of the latest case was unexpected, and an indication that G.M. may have wanted to avoid a protracted jury trial involving a fatal accident. In a filing with the United States District Court in New York, G.M. said it had reached a settlement with the wife of James E. Yingling, who died in a 2013 accident in Pennsylvania while in a Saturn Ion equipped with a defective ignition. HONG KONG Chinas notorious online controls have long been criticized as censorship by human rights groups, businesses, Chinese Internet users and others. Now they have earned a new label from the American government: trade barrier. United States trade officials have for the first time added Chinas system of Internet filters and blocks broadly known as the Great Firewall to an annual list of trade impediments. The entry says that over the last decade, the limits have posed a significant burden to foreign suppliers, hurting both Internet sites themselves and users who often depend on them for business. The move, which isnt likely to have immediate repercussions, speaks to the American governments growing concern over Chinese Internet regulations and could foreshadow more aggressive actions. It also underscores the opposing visions the worlds two largest economies have on how the Internet should work and be managed. The United States argues against overt censorship and policies that block the flow of data across borders. China has been pushing its agenda that each state should have the right to closely control what websites are available within its borders. For wealthy Americans looking to veil their assets and shield some of their income from taxation, there is no need to go to Panama or any other offshore tax haven. Its easy to establish a shell corporation right here at home. In Wyoming, Nevada and Delaware, its possible to create these shell corporations with virtually no questions asked, said Matthew Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit research organization in Washington. In some places, it can be more difficult to get a fishing license than to register a shell company. And it doesnt cost much more. The Panama Papers the cache of leaked documents from a Panama law firm, Mossack Fonseca have revealed how thousands of the firms clients, including an array of powerful figures around the world, stashed billions of dollars in tax havens. So far only a tiny number of American names have surfaced (although that could change as more of the documents are reviewed). TOKYO The chairman of the Japanese conglomerate that owns the international convenience store chain 7-Eleven abruptly resigned on Thursday, after the companys board sided with a subordinate in a succession dispute. The fight has been roiling the parent company, Seven & I Holdings, one of the worlds largest retail groups, which also has interests in supermarkets and department stores. It has put Seven & I Holdings in the cross hairs of a prominent American hedge fund, Third Point, which had criticized the chairmans leadership. The chairman, Toshifumi Suzuki, 83, said he would step down from the position he has held since 2005, when he helped create Seven & I Holdings by engineering a merger between three large Japanese retailers. Mr. Suzuki has also served as chief executive. There was no immediate announcement on who would replace Mr. Suzuki. The catalyst for his resignation was a revolt by Seven & Is board. Mr. Suzuki was seeking to remove Ryuichi Isaka, the president of the Japanese arm of 7-Eleven. Mr. Isaka, 58, leads Seven & Is most profitable unit and is widely seen as a possible successor to Mr. Suzuki, who is in failing health. News / National by Stephen Jakes The critique of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Allan Wenyika has said the former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary General has run out of ideas on dealing with the ruling Zanu PF and President Robert Mugabe.He said sometimes he really feel sorry for Tsvangirai aka Chikara Chezanu."The guy has exhausted all plans to appease both his supporters and his donors. He no longer knows what to do," he said. "And, out of desperation, he has fallen for Mugabe's oldest tricks of creating a non-existent agenda and punishing anyone who takes up the agenda."Wenyika said he hears that Tsvangirai is mobilizing his Harare supporters to flood the streets of Harare to demand 15 billion American dollars plus 2 million jobs."Only a hungry and jobless drunkard or stoned addict will believe Mugabe's numbers. No sane person will demand numbers dreamt up by Mugabe from nowhere while sitting in front of television cameras. But that's how Mugabe invites people for a thorough beating. And poor Morgan has once again fallen for the trick. His supporters are cordially invited to congregate and meet Mugabe's crowd dispersal machinery on the streets of Harare," he said.He said Tsvangirai should consult the war-vets and inquire how much Mugabe likes crowds in his backyard."More so when those crowds are demanding numbers which Mugabe himself plucked from thin air. The vets have fresher memories than uncle Morgan.What if Mugabe asks for proof of the missing 15 billion greenbacks before he gives the final order for Chihuri to send his hungry boys with baton sticks?" he said."If Tsvangirai was a smart ace like me he would simply ask his supporters countrywide to march to statehouse and pluck the old bastard out once and for all. I would even join such a gathering, not this nonsense about demanding 2 million jobs from someone whose preoccupation is getting people out of employment. But then, Tsvangirai will always be Tsvangirai."The MDC-T is planning to hold a mass march in Harare on April 14 protesting aga8inst the disappearance of $15 billion which Mugabe recently said was missing from diamonds sale. You could call Mr. Skolimowski, who is 77, an old dog, and while the multistranded, chronologically intricate narrative conceit of 11 Minutes isnt exactly a new trick, its one he pulls off with devilish panache and startling impact. His career stretches back to the 1960s, with something of a hiatus from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s, and it has been characterized by an elusive but unmistakable mixture of gravity and mischief, a deep skepticism about human motives and behavior that always stops short of nihilism. His best-known feature, at least in America, is probably still Moonlighting, a haunting psychological drama from 1982 starring Jeremy Irons as a Polish carpenter working in London during the Solidarity uprising. Reviewing that film in The New York Times, Vincent Canby noted its stylistic divergence from Mr. Skolimowskis earlier New Wave-inflected work, and its acute exploration of exile and political alienation. At first glance, 11 Minutes has little in common with that film, or with Four Nights With Anna, Mr. Skolimowskis 2008 comeback film. It seems more than anything else like a belated entry in the speedy, teasingly philosophical Euro-pop cinema of the late 1990s, as if the director had finally caught up with Run Lola Run. But the compressed, elliptical plot lines also suggest an anthology of lost or unmade Jerzy Skolimowski films, a mini-retrospective of sad comedies, absurd tragedies and deadly serious Polish jokes. The vintage American cars that rumble through the streets of Havana have long served as four-wheeled emblems of Cuba and its roots in the past. Bent-Jorgen Perlmutts serviceable but slightly drawn-out documentary Havana Motor Club shows that this grand automotive heritage feeds a racing culture, despite years of government limitations on competitions. Were introduced to Tito, Rey, Jote, Piti and Carlos, racers who share pride in their mighty machines. They muck about with the engines, engage in chest pounding, bemoan that they cant race enough and sometimes even get to race. The one-on-one matchups are more exciting for the zeal of the drivers than for the occasional dashboard-camera views. Rather than linger over the curves of cars, Mr. Perlmutt keys the pace of the film to the stop-and-go progress in reforming the rules against auto racing. The public contests were initially stopped by the countrys revolutionaries as elitist. When a competitive event is finally permitted to proceed, its scuttled because of a visit by Pope Benedict. When another event does take place, its nearly derailed by unsuccessful crowd control, in what feels like a metaphor for the challenges of harnessing the popular will. (Carloss dependence on a Cuban-American parts supplier suggests its own conflicted parable about capitalist influence.) Mr. Perlmutts film also recognizes the countrys economic difficulties through Jotes job struggles. This isnt Buena Vista Social Club (which the films title echoes) or a real-life Fast and Furious. Mr. Perlmutt ultimately shows that for these drivers, car culture runs deeper than simply winning or losing a race. A New York City correction officer has been arrested on charges that he used a radio to brutally beat an inmate in a holding cell at the Bronx County Courthouse, officials said on Thursday. The officer, Bradford Jones, an eight-year veteran of the Correction Department, was arraigned on Wednesday evening on four assault charges, as well as criminal possession of a weapon and official misconduct. He was released after posting $40,000 bail. Image Officer Bradford Jones Credit... Department of Investigation The assault occurred around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday after the inmate, Malik Ellis, who was handcuffed in the holding cell at the time, threw a cup of liquid in the direction of Officer Jones, according to the criminal complaint, which cites surveillance video. Though two other officers tried to restrain Officer Jones from entering the cell, the video shows him going in and repeatedly striking Mr. Ellis in the head with his radio. Along the campaign trail, Donald J. Trump likes to pick out the people who, despite his having insulted their ethnic group, support him in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. They love him, they really do. And with Mr. Trump leading in the polls for New Yorks presidential primary on April 19, some small groups of immigrants have come forward to support him. Never mind that he has said Mexicans are rapists and drug dealers, suggested a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and called for the deportation of the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country. These immigrants are supporting him for reasons that are intensely personal and, not surprisingly, are often aligned with their politics back home. A recent informal poll conducted by a Russian-language radio station in New York City showed that more than 80 percent of 5,000 callers preferred Mr. Trump, the Republican front-runner, to Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Partys likely nominee. A group of Latino Republicans in Rockland County is planning to endorse him, and some older Indian-American professionals and young Hindus in the region already have. A group of public school families and a pro-charter advocacy group filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court this week alleging that the atmosphere at New York City public schools was depriving students of their right to receive an education free of violence, bullying and harassment. The class-action suit, filed on Wednesday in New Yorks Eastern District against the New York City Education Department and its chancellor, Carmen Farina, claims that violence in schools is increasing, and that it is often underreported. The suit also says that school violence disproportionately affects certain groups of students, like those who are black, Hispanic, gay, bisexual or transgender. The suit, which claims the Education Department has failed to address and remediate in-school violence in New York Citys public schools, was filed by 11 students and their families. They were joined by Families for Excellent Schools, a pro-charter advocacy group that has been a fierce and frequent critic of Mayor Bill de Blasios education policies. The groups chief executive, Jeremiah Kittredge, held a news conference on Thursday morning in front of the Education Departments headquarters in Manhattan, to encourage other public school parents to join the suit. DONALD J. TRUMP wants to build a bricks-and-mortar wall to keep immigrants out of the United States. President Obama wants to build a virtual wall to keep companies from leaving. Neither is likely to work. On Monday, the Treasury Department issued new regulations in an attempt to limit inversions in which American companies are acquired by foreign companies, legally lowering the tax burden of American companies. Speaking at the White House, Mr. Obama said, We shouldnt make it legal to engage in transactions just to avoid taxes. And with that, the $152 billion merger between Pfizer and the Irish drug company Allergan was dead. Some observers believe that Treasury structured the regulation for the express purpose of killing this deal. Ernest Christian, formerly a lawyer at the Treasury Department, told me that a targeted rule like that erodes trust in government. Its like King John going after the peasants money hidden in haystacks, Mr. Christian said. Thats what led to the Magna Carta. Since in the United States, statutory corporate tax rates are among the highest in the industrialized world, and America taxes companies on their worldwide incomes, companies in practically any other country make tempting inversion targets. Those in low-tax countries like Ireland are particularly popular. Silver Spring, Md. ON Wednesday, a Federal District Court judge, Irene C. Berger, sentenced Donald L. Blankenship, a former chief executive of the Massey Energy Company once known in Appalachia as the King of Coal, to one year in jail, with imprisonment to begin regardless of a pending appeal, and payment of a $250,000 fine. The judges decision sets a remarkable precedent: The first C.E.O. ever to be convicted of conspiring to violate industrial safety standards will soon take his place in prison. The sentence is noteworthy, however, not because of the law, but in spite of it. The Mine Safety and Health Act, the statute under which Mr. Blankenship was convicted, treats the worst criminal violations as mere misdemeanors. The leniency of the available sentence is a failure of the law, not the facts of the case. The prosecution arose from the worst coal-mining disaster in the United States in nearly 40 years. In the words of a report commissioned by the governor of West Virginia, on April 5, 2010, an enormously powerful blast rocketed through two and one-half miles of underground workings nearly 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Upper Big Branch mine. Twenty-nine miners died in an instant. Four obviously unsafe, illegal and preventable hazards caused the blast: poor ventilation; the buildup of explosive methane gas; the presence of excessive quantities of coal dust, a highly combustible fuel; and hot spots produced by ill-maintained machinery that failed to spray the water needed to suppress ignition. As everyone in the industry has known for decades, operating a coal mine under these conditions is not just negligent, but reckless. For almost three decades, the most dangerous unresolved conflict in wider Europe has lain in the mountains of the South Caucasus, in a small territory known as Nagorno-Karabakh. In the late 1980s, the region confounded the last Soviet leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev. In the early 1990s, the conflict there created more than a million refugees and killed around 20,000 people. In 1994, after Armenia defeated Azerbaijan in a fight over the territory, the two countries signed a truce but no peace agreement. Nagorno-Karabakh erupted again last weekend. It seems one of the players most likely Azerbaijan decided to change the facts on the ground. Dozens of soldiers from both sides were killed before a cease-fire was proclaimed on Tuesday. It could fall apart at any moment. The situation is volatile, and there is a danger that the conflict could escalate further unless the international community stops it. A new all-out Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the stuff of nightmares. Given the sophisticated weaponry both sides now possess, tens of thousands of young men would most likely lose their lives. Russia and Turkey, already at loggerheads and with military obligations to Armenia and Azerbaijan, respectively, could be sucked into a proxy war. Fighting in the area would also destabilize Georgia, Iran and the Russian North Caucasus. Oil and gas pipeline routes from the Caspian Sea could be threatened, too. At the heart of the issue is the status of the Armenian-majority highland enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was part of Soviet Azerbaijan. As the Soviet Union crumbled, ethnic Armenians in the territory campaigned to join Armenia. This became a full-scale war, and the Armenians have maintained control of the territory since. Thats one of the terrific things about the politics of me. There are so many combo deals! What you wear and eat, how you travel, and what you do are your own political statements. They make you feel good about yourself at the same time as they advance world peace. What thinking person would not switch to a quinoa-based veggie burger for that cause? You are not less male for eating kale. The humble Brussels sprout is embarrassingly trendy not seen a menu without them for a while but still a lot better than prime rib in planetary terms. Overall, Id define myself as a small-batch, vegetarian locavore into yoga (and Instagram yoga communities), integrity, interconnectedness, mindfulness, and artisanal authenticity (but wary of calculated authenticity), dedicated to reimagining the planet for the post-fossil-fuel era. To which you might say, Thats a mouthful and who the heck cares? Thats what my Dad says, by the way, but hes way behind the curve these days. Got 20th-century written all over him. Its past time to celebrate the politics of me. The selfie is the political and cultural portrait of our time. The great failing of all past attempts to change societies is that they did not start from changing self. In fact they were often a diversion from that core responsibility. I care about the planet, and Im me, and Im proud to be me. The age of hierarchies and bullies is over. Anyone with a smartphone can build an audience. Not that you will find me in the smartphone prayer position for hours on end. I am mindful enough to know that getting offline from time to time is important for getting in sync with my inner self. I hesitated to say this but Im also into gluten-free. I know a lot of people are these days there is talk of an epidemic but so what? I just feel better eating gluten-free, so I encourage others to try it, and some of them get irritated, but thats their problem, not mine. To the Editor: The Panama Papers have exposed the sordid details of how the rich and powerful hide their wealth by using tax havens to avoid paying taxes. Its by far the largest leak in journalism history. The Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca set up a nefarious global scheme to serve its clients. On Sunday, journalists released 11.5 million secret files from Mossack Fonsecas database. Thus far, the revelations have implicated at least a dozen current and former heads of state, their family members or close associates. These include the leaders of Russia, Britain, Iceland, China, Pakistan and Ukraine. The prime minister of Iceland has already stepped aside, and more heads are sure to follow. Panamas Snowden, responsible for the leak, has not been identified and used an encrypted chat to communicate with the Munich-based Suddeutsche Zeitung, the recipient of the leak. The newspapers from many countries working with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists set aside their usual competitive nature by printing their stories on the same day. This is journalism at its finest. News / National by Staff reporter President Robert Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba was on Monday released from a Singaporean Hospital where he had been admitted for seven days for treatment of an undisclosed illness.Charamba had accompanied President Robert Mugabe on a trip to Tokyo where he had gone to solicit investment deals and support the Japanese premier's quest for reforms at the United Nations.While in Japan, Charamba had to fly to Singapore after suddenly complaining of breathing problems.He failed to link up with the rest of the team as his doctor was said to have refused to release him. KIEV, Ukraine Here in Ukraine, one revelation from the Panama Papers has attracted more attention than any other: In August 2014, when Ukrainian soldiers were trapped under artillery bombardments during the battle of Ilovaisk, President Petro Poroshenko, a candy magnate, was setting up a corporate vehicle in the British Virgin Islands. While young men were dying to defend Ukraine, their commander-in-chief was looking for ways to deny Ukraine taxes from his own business empire. But the Mossack Fonseca files have an even bigger story to tell: Generations of Ukrainian politicians, dating back to the earliest days of independence, have kept assets offshore. In 1998 around the time some of the soldiers killed in Ilovaisk were probably starting school the company was already suspected of arranging the affairs of Ukrainian politicians. In 2006, a court in California sentenced Pavlo Lazarenko, Ukraines prime minister in 1996-97, to nine years in prison for misusing his post to extort tens of millions of dollars from Ukrainians. By the time he was released in 2012, hundreds of millions of dollars more had been stolen from Ukraine. Its difficult to chart the precise dimensions of this corruption. It is a submerged leviathan, and small bits of it are only occasionally exposed by brave Ukrainian investigators or forensic probes from abroad. Witnesses said it sounded like a bomb going off. On March 31, a 300-foot section of a vehicle overpass in Kolkata, India, crashed down in a crowded neighborhood, killing 27 people and injuring at least 85 others. K. Panduranga Rao, an official with IVRCL, the company building the overpass, called the collapse nothing but a Gods act. But there are deep suspicions that, as is so often the case in India, politics and greed were involved. For starters, several Indian states had blacklisted IVRCL for poor performance, and the company was in financial trouble. There was also pressure to complete the overpass in Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal, ahead of state legislative elections in which voting began on Monday and will continue through May 5. Workers who laid the concrete on the fallen section of the overpass worked for Rajat Bakshi, a man with no apparent qualifications in the construction business other than that he is the cousin of a former state legislator, Sanjay Bakshi, who is close to the states chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. The construction business in India is a major source of campaign funds. Infrastructure and urban development depend on government contracts and land clearances, and, as a recent World Economic Forum report on India put it, are more affected by corruption than other industries. The computer models that predict climate change may be overestimating the cooling power of clouds, new research suggests. If the findings are borne out by further research, it suggests that making progress against global warming will be even harder. The new paper, in the journal Science, focuses on what are known as mixed-phase clouds, which are found around the world and contain both cooled water and ice crystals. The balance of water and ice in clouds affects the impact that carbon dioxide levels have on atmospheric temperatures, a factor known as equilibrium climate sensitivity. A higher sensitivity would mean that carbon dioxide levels would cause more warming than previously thought. Using data from instruments aboard the Calipso satellite, which monitors clouds and particles suspended in the atmosphere, the researchers determined that mixed-phase clouds contain more water and less ice than expected. HELENA, Mont. Because it depends on heavy spring snowpack to excavate dens and safely raise its young near the top of mountain peaks high in the northern Rockies, the wolverine is on the front lines of battles over the effects of climate change. There is less snow in the Rockies these days, and researchers forecast that in the coming decades, the wolverines in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming may disappear with the snowpack. Only about 300 of the animals are in the lower 48 states. In 2014, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service refused to list the animal for endangered species protection, calling the science inconclusive. The debate over protection for the reclusive animal, the largest in the weasel family, has been going on for about 20 years, and it was revived this week by a federal court ruling here in Montana. Chief Judge Dana L. Christensen of United States District Court for Montana on Monday rebuked the agency in a lengthy court decision, citing the immense political pressure that was brought to bear by Western states on the question of whether to list the wolverine, rather than relying on sound science. The states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, along with the petroleum industry and other groups, have opposed granting the wolverine the designation of a threatened species. That Physics Show Dave Maiullo may have developed the perfect deterrent to theatergoers who text and tweet during plays: threaten to dip their smartphones in liquid nitrogen. Mr. Maiullo never actually enforced this during a recent performance of That Physics Show. But he did immerse other objects, including a hot dog, a banana and some spring blossoms. The results werent pretty. But what Mr. Maiullo does onstage is still extremely cool, and not just because the temperature of liquid nitrogen is more than 300 degrees below zero. As he explains, Physics is the Supreme Court of the sciences. It determines the laws of the universe, and chemistry and biology have no choice but to fall into line. And like a Supreme Court hearing, physics is often accompanied by pyrotechnics. During the 90 minutes or so of this production, youll witness electricity (controlled), explosions (minor) and flames (contained, I promise). I first encountered Mr. Maiullo, who designs physics demonstrations for Rutgers, a dozen years ago, when he assisted in a presentation at the American Museum of Natural History. In this production he largely flies solo, though two assistants and occasionally an eager young audience member help. He dedicates his theater piece to demonstrating Newtons laws, which operate every day, but rarely this theatrically. How often do you get to see a childs wagon propelled by a fire extinguisher? Or a pickle become a light bulb? PUEBLO, Colo. In the heart of territory run by the gang Los Carnales East Side Dukes on a corner known as the Devils Triangle a 14-year-old who describes himself as a baby gangster explained why he was trying to escape the crew. I really didnt want to end up six feet under, said Esai Torres, who joined the Dukes at 12, beating up rivals and following in the footsteps of his father, a leader on the streets. The city of Pueblo a gateway to the Southwest and home to gangs that span generations is caught up in a wave of violence that has alarmed everyone from the baby gangsters and their families to local and federal officials. Pueblo had 13 homicides in 2014 and another 13 in 2015, giving the city the unfortunate distinction of having the highest per-capita murder rate in the state. At 12 murders per 100,000 people, its homicide incidence is three times that of New York City, and twice that of Brooklyn, New Yorks deadliest borough. Were in an unusually violent spike right now, said Jim Moore, an F.B.I. special agent who has spent the last 14 years trying to drive out Pueblos gangs. There is a small group of each gang that will shoot at a rival gang member any time of the day or night and anywhere, just because they happen to be a rival gang member. Protesters keep the governor informed The Facebook page, Periods for Pence, started late last month, features a grimacing photo of Mr. Pence and a request that women call the governors office to report our periods. You should really let him know, since hes so concerned, says an early post from the pages anonymous creator, who identifies herself only as an Indiana woman. It will only take a few minutes of your day, but it lets them face an undue and unjust burden, for a change! The pages creator takes particular issue with the requirement that miscarried fetuses be interred or cremated, noting that fertilized eggs can be expelled during a womans period without a woman even knowing she is pregnant. I would certainly hate for any of my fellow Hoosier women to be at risk of penalty if they do not properly dispose of this or report it, the post says. Just to cover our bases, perhaps we should make sure to contact Governor Pences office to report our periods. More than 32,000 people had liked that Facebook page as of Thursday, and an associated Twitter account had more than 1,600 followers. Though some Facebook commenters have defended the new law, scores of others have snarkily described their calls to Mr. Pences office or detailed their periods. WASHINGTON Vulnerable Republican incumbents are increasingly raising fears about Guantanamo Bay detainees, following a campaign strategy used by Scott Brown before his surprise victory in a Massachusetts special election for a Senate seat six years ago. On Monday, Senator Mark S. Kirk of Illinois put forward a bill that would add Iran and Sudan to the list of troubled countries to which the military is not allowed to transfer Guantanamo detainees. He declared that allowing the transfer of these dangerous criminals to terror hot spots only makes it easier for them to rejoin in the fight against America. On Tuesday, Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire proposed a bill that would bar the transfer of any more Guantanamo detainees, regardless of the individual circumstances, to other countries until at least October 2017. She declared that the Obama administrations dangerous releases have allowed terrorists to return to the battlefield. Mr. Kirk and Ms. Ayotte both won their seats in the 2010 midterm elections as part of the Republicans sweeping wave of victories that year, but they are in danger of losing this fall because their states are leaning to the Democrats; Illinois and New Hampshire voted for President Obama in 2012. News / National by Staff reporter MINISTER of state for Masvingo Province, Shuvai Mahofa, who has been out of the public glare for almost four months, made a surprise appearance at the Zanu-PF politburo meeting at the national headquarters in Harare on Wednesday afternoon.The 74-year-old dubbed iron lady of Masvingo province spent two months admitted in a South African hospital, missing all crucial party meetings before she first resurfaced at a provincial party meeting in Masvingo last month.This was her first Politburo appearance for 2016.She was taken ill after the Zanu-PF congress held in Victoria Falls last December following suspected food poisoning.They party has since allayed such allegations.There were rumours that during her lengthy vacation, several Zanu-PF bigwigs have been canvassing for her job.On Wednesday, a pale looking Mahofa, who appeared to have shed significant weight, was the only Politburo member who received warm greetings from President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, ahead of the meeting.While exchanging pleasantries,President Mugabe inquired about her current state of health, to which she responded saying she had vastly improved.Amai Mugabe, who is her superior in the women's league, went to the extent of embracing her, drawing wide smiles from the veteran Masvingo politician who played an instrumental role in her promotion from relative obscurity in 2014.But, perhaps evidencing that she was still in pain, Mahofa remained rooted in her chair throughout the greetings while the rest of the Politburo members took to their customary feet in honour of the 92-year old political strongman. NEW DELHI Men armed with machetes killed a secular activist at a crowded intersection in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, a police official said on Thursday, the latest in a series of grisly attacks on intellectuals and bloggers who have written critically about militant Islam on social media. Witnesses said a group of cleanshaven men surrounded Mohammad Nazim Uddin, a law student, around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday and slashed his head, then shot him when he fell to the ground, said Syed Nurul Islam, the deputy commissioner of police for Wari, the area of Old Dhaka where the killing took place. Mr. Uddin, 26, was an atheist who frequently expressed his views on Facebook, often posting as many as five times a day. His family had asked him to stop, fearful that the posts would make him a target, and for about four months, ending in January, he had complied, said Gulam Rabbi Chowdhury, a childhood friend. To tell the truth, he was always a little detached from his family; he had trouble with them because of his views on religion, he said. He was very outspoken. He didnt worry about whether you were with him or not. The writer Calvin Trillins poem in the April 4 issue of The New Yorker describes, in the voice of an exasperated American foodie, the varieties of Chinese cuisine now available. Some readers found it hard to swallow. Critics of the poem, Have They Run Out of Provinces Yet?, said it was dismissive of Chinese culture. Mr. Trillin has written extensively about food, including Chinese cuisine in the United States. (A New Yorker article in 2010 profiled devotees of the chef Peter Chang.) And he has made a sideline of groan-inducing comic verse; one of his books is a compilation called Deadline Poet: My Life as a Doggerelist. But detractors argued online that his latest effort, which appeared in The New Yorkers food and travel issue, reflected fear and ignorance of China, depicting it as teeming with overwhelming numbers of people and places. MANDALAY, Myanmar Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her first act as Myanmars state counselor, said Thursday that she would seek to free political prisoners, including students, describing the issue as the top priority of her partys new government. Myanmar is holding more than 500 people who are considered political prisoners, most of whom have not faced trial. It was unclear how many students Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was referring to, but dozens of students are facing trial for participating in protests. She said that next week, when the country celebrates the start of the Burmese New Year, would be an appropriate time to release political prisoners. She did not say how many she hoped to free. BANGKOK A parliamentary committee in Malaysia on Thursday called for an investigation of the former head of the countrys troubled state investment fund and said that the funds advisory board, led by Prime Minister Najib Razak, should be abolished. Within hours of the committees report, the members of the board of directors of the fund, known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, said they would offer their resignation to the funds owner, the Ministry of Finance. The ministry is headed by Mr. Najib, who serves as finance minister in addition to his other roles. This has been a difficult decision to take, but we believe it is the right thing to do, given the circumstances, in order to facilitate any follow-up investigations as recommended by the committee, the board said in a statement. Critics and published reports have accused Mr. Najib of depositing hundreds of millions of dollars in his personal bank accounts, much of it from 1MDB. KHOST, Afghanistan American airstrikes in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika killed at least 17 civilians, local officials and elders said on Thursday, differing from official American and Afghan claims that only militants had been killed. Hajji Muhammad Hasan, a former senator from the Gomal District, said that three drone strikes hit the area of Nematabad on Wednesday. He said that the first strike hit a pickup truck carrying Hajji Rozuddin, a local elder on his way to mediate a land dispute in the Kakarzai tribe. Also in the truck were four of Mr. Rozuddins bodyguards and seven other people. A second strike soon after killed two people who had come to pick up the bodies, Mr. Hasan said. A third strike killed three others who had climbed a small hill to try to see what had happened and why the previous two men had not returned already. (There is rarely any phone signal in Gomal, in rugged terrain along the Pakistani border.) Hajji Rozuddin was strongly anti-Taliban he carried bodyguards because the Taliban were trying to kill him, Mr. Hasan said. The car was completely destroyed, and there was little of the bodies left. BERLIN A 93-year-old former SS storm trooper who worked at the Auschwitz death camp in 1942 and 1943 has died, a week before the opening of his trial on charges of complicity in the killings of at least 1,075 prisoners transported to the camp. The court in Hanau, just east of Frankfurt, did not give the cause of death in a statement Thursday. The former storm trooper, Ernst Tremmel, was said to have handled the three train transports from Berlin, Drancy in France and Westerbork in the Netherlands between Nov. 1, 1942, and June 25, 1943. He was one of a handful of nonagenarians belatedly charged by the German authorities with complicity in the murders of Holocaust victims at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Another mans trial in Neubrandenburg, north of Berlin, is in limbo because he is said to be ill; a third trial, of the former SS guard Reinhold Hanning, accused of complicity in 170,000 deaths, is proceeding. A 93-year-old woman said to have worked as a radio transmitter in Auschwitz is also expected to face trial this year. Mr. Tremmel never broke his silence about what he did in the SS, said Christoph Heubner, a vice president of the International Auschwitz Committee, a nongovernmental group in Berlin. He had been readying an open letter to Mr. Tremmel asking him to disclose what happened to him as a young man. BRUSSELS The European Union is stepping up pressure on the United States to add more European countries to the list of those whose citizens can travel across the Atlantic without a visa, holding out the threat of requiring Americans to get visas for trips to Europe if Washington does not agree. The European Commission is expected to consider on Tuesday whether to change the visa requirements for Americans if their government does not agree to include additional European Union member states Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania on the list of those entitled to visa-free travel. In the case of Canada, the dispute concerns two of those countries, Romania and Bulgaria. The escalating dispute comes at a time when Washington is especially concerned about security, in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in Europe and the presence of suspected terrorists in the flow of migrants to the Continent out of the Middle East. Should the commission decide to move toward imposing visa requirements, it could be a blow to trans-Atlantic relations just before a visit to Europe by President Obama and could complicate negotiations on other issues, including a proposed trade deal. Right now, Americans and Canadians generally can travel to Europe for business and vacations without a visa. But the European Union is insisting that the United States abide by a timetable previously agreed upon among European authorities for adding the five European countries that are not already on the list of those allowed visa-free travel to the United States. The deadline for that change is next week, but no agreement had been reached Thursday evening. IZMIR, Turkey For more than a year, the Sinbad restaurant in Basmane Square was packed every day with hundreds of migrants from Syria anxiously conferring with brokers to negotiate fees to reach Europe through the perilous sea crossing from Turkey to Greece. But this week it was mostly empty. Six of its employees had been laid off and those who remained said they had taken a 50 percent pay cut. All our clients were Syrian and we lived off their tips, said Mohammed Hajji, 22, a waiter at the cafe. This place used to be so packed you couldnt find a spot to put your feet. Now look His voice trailed off as he pointed to a row of empty tables and chairs. In what could be an important moment for his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis is scheduled to issue a major document on Friday regarding family issues. It is titled Amoris Laetitia, Latin for The Joy of Love. In the document, known as an apostolic exhortation, the pope could change church practice on thorny subjects like whether divorced Catholics who remarry without having obtained annulments can receive holy communion. He might address debates over same-sex relationships, cohabitation and polygamy, an issue in Africa. Or, he could sidestep such divisive topics and stick to broader philosophical statements. How Long Did This Take? For the past two years, Francis has guided the church through a sweeping exercise of self-examination that some scholars have compared to the Second Vatican Council. Catholics around the world filled out detailed questionnaires about whether the church meets their families needs. Bishops and other church officials spent two tumultuous meetings at the Vatican, known as synods, debating and arguing. News / National by Staff reporter A CIVIL Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe employee will spend the next 13 years behind bars after he was convicted of raping a woman who works at a bar along Airport Road in Harare in December 2015.Shepherd Rundofa (26) had initially claimed to have had consensual sex with the 26-year-old woman in denying the rape charge.In passing sentence, magistrate Themba Kuwanda said cases of abuse of women were on the rise and perpetrators deserved deterrent sentences to discourage would-be offenders.The court initially sentenced him to 17 years in prison and later suspended four years on condition of good behaviour.It was the State's case that on December 9, 2015, Rundofa was driving to work when he saw the woman at a bus stop and pulled over to give her a lift in his car.Instead of taking her to her workplace, Rundofa turned and drove towards Koala Park and parked the vehicle in a bushy area before demanding intimacy with the complainant.After his advances were spurned, Rundofa forcibly undressed the woman and raped her once and drove her to her workplace.The aggrieved woman immediately narrated her ordeal to her workmates and reported the matter to the police. Rufaro Mhandu prosecuted the case. EXETER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 7, 2016) (Broadcasters: ITN - NO ACCESS ALL DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS DISTRIBUTED IN UK & EIRE ON SKY/VIRGIN/FREEVIEW; BBC/SKY: NO ACCESS WORLDWIDE ANY MEDIA; MUST ON SCREEN CREDIT: ITV NEWS EXCLUSIVE Digital: ITN - NO ACCESS.CO.UK WEB SITES AND ALL WEBSITES PRINCIPALLY TARGETED AT THE UK AND/OR EIRE; MOBILE: NO ACCESS WORLDWIDE; MUST ON SCREEN CREDIT: ITV NEWS EXCLUSIVE NO USE AFTER 30 DAYS ON ALL PLATFORMS - FOR RE-USE CONTACT SALES[AT]ITNSOURCE.COM) // (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON, SAYING: I did, Samantha and I had a joint account - we owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust which we sold in January 2010. That was worth something like 30,000 pounds. REPORTER: Was there a profit on it? CAMERON: I paid income tax on the dividends, but there was a profit on it, but it was less than the capital gains tax allowance, so I didnt pay capital gains tax. But it was subject to all the UK taxes in all the normal ways. // (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON, SAYING: He left me some money, very generously, quite a lot of money, and I have been able to REPORTER: Can you tell us how much? CAMERON: I think it was published at the time, it was 300,000 pounds; it was published at the time, as these things are. // (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON, SAYING: REPORTER: But therefore you cant be certain that some of that 300,000 didnt come from offshore sources, presumably? CAMERON: Well he had investments in Blairmore Investment Trust REPORTER: And money in Jersey. CAMERON: That was because of another unit trust, again established to industry standard and all the rest of it, and many people have those investments. But in all of this, Ive never hidden the fact that Im a very lucky person and had wealthy parents who gave me a great upbringing, who paid for me to go to an amazing school. Ive never tried to pretend to be anything Im not. BEIRUT, Lebanon Islamic State fighters abducted at least 170 workers from a cement factory northeast of the Syrian capital, Damascus, when the militant group attacked the area this week, activists and the Syrian government said on Thursday. If confirmed, the kidnapping would punctuate the Islamic States penchant for brazen acts even in the face of recent defeats that have forced it to relinquish some territory seized in the five-year Syrian war. It remained unclear precisely how many people had been taken and where they were. The official Syrian Arab News Agency gave the highest number, saying more than 300 people were abducted from Al-Badia Cement near the town of Dumair, 25 miles northeast of the capital, by militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL. The news agency did not specify when the kidnapping had taken place. It said the Ministry of Industry had made contact with the management of the cement company and had been informed that more than 300 workers and contractors were held by ISIS. Ive always loved Italian food. Thats barely worth saying, because everyone loves Italian food. But I really love it. I grew up the only Chinese kid I knew in my New Jersey suburb, packing stinky lunches for school and feeling funny about it, and Italian food is what made me feel as if I could belong. Every once in a while, my parents would take me to work with them in Manhattan. For a treat, wed walk a few blocks out of Chinatown to eat in Little Italy. Wed get linguine with clams. Noodles and seafood, wheat and a whiff of low-tide funk. As Chinese people, we understood this food, just as the white people surrounding us did. Sitting at those tables, I reveled in the exotic taste of butter; I reveled in feeling that I fit in with Americans. What I didnt know then, of course, was that Italians were long considered something other than American. While in college, I learned that an Italian friends father refused to eat garlic, afraid that the scent would identify him. In 1880, New York City was home to fewer than 20,000 Italians; 30 years later, there were more than 25 times that. They came tired and poor, and huddled together in tenements. They were, to put it lightly, not entirely welcomed. An 1891 editorial in The New York Times noted that our own rattlesnakes are as good citizens as they, an ugly but common sentiment at the time. More established Irish communities and churches dealt warily with their new Catholic neighbors, refusing to sponsor Italian feast days, and when the parishes did allow Italians, they were often ceded only the church basement. After making the music-themed dramas Once and Begin Again, the writer-director John Carney knew he needed to change his cinematic tune. There are only so many ways you can show people creatively fashioning a song, Mr. Carney said in a recent phone interview from his hometown, Dublin. It seemed like maybe I should look at another dimension. That new aspect turned out to be an old one: music videos. Mr. Carney, who was born in 1972, drew on his memories of being an Irish schoolboy with dreams of MTV stardom in the 80s to create his new period film, Sing Street. A pop-fueled rom-com, it follows the teenage outcast Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), who starts a band to impress a local girl (Lucy Boynton) whom he casts in primitive videos (like The Riddle of the Model) that ape the latest trends in rock visuals. As in the film (due out April 15), Mr. Carney played in a group that never came close to hitting the charts. We had a big split, me and the lead guy in the band, because I got into funk and jazz-fusion, and he became a Cure-head, he said, referring to the angsty rock group fronted by Robert Smith. It was a very awkward mix. Texans like me brag about all sorts of outlandish things, from the ostentatious display of our firearms in public places to the awesome awfulness of our weather. Until fairly recently, we maintained a telling silence on the subject of our states fine dining scene. Our most famous restaurants (Tonys in Houston, Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas) were more notable for their big-haired scene-makers and for their wallet-detonating entrees than for truly memorable food. Then there was that unfortunate little nouvelle-Southwestern cuisine craze back in the Nineties: quail and catfish trumped up as delicacies, everything jowl-deep in ancho chile sauce or afloat on a cactus pad we were assured was edible. It didnt catch on, and we Texans went back to boasting about our brisket and tacos. With full recognition that our credibility is suspect, I nonetheless come today to proclaim Houston one of the great eating capitals of America. I mean (and here I mount the mechanical bull) far better than anywhere else in Texas, better than anywhere else in the Southwest, better for that matter than in my current place of residence, Washington, D.C. That the nations fourth-largest city is no longer one gigantic steak platter for oil barons should not constitute breaking news. One can go on about the citys indigenous assets, such as its array of Gulf Coast ingredients and its surprising multiculturalism. But the main reason for Houstons culinary ascent is economic. This became clear to me one afternoon last fall while eating at Etoile, a vibrant French restaurant that opened in 2012 near the citys famed Galleria mall, and whose chef and owner, Philippe Verpiand, hails from Provence. After running a restaurant in San Diego with his wife, Monica, for seven years, Mr. Verpiand decided in 2011 to check out Houston. What he discovered, he told me, was that the Bayou City is very affordable and full of people who like to go out at night and spend money. It costs probably one-third less to build and design a restaurant here than in California, he said, adding, I can afford to pay sous-chefs full time and be able to spend the weekends fishing and duck hunting with my boys. Such cost savings are passed on to Houstons consumers, who can enjoy a first-rate meal here for maybe two-thirds of what such a dinner would come to in New York or San Francisco. Here comes rack of lamb, fat chops in a ring with the bones jutting off the plate like sun rays. It is luxury, this great wheel of shining meat, crazed with its own juices and tasting of smoke made flesh. Never mind that its served on a paper plate, without a knife or fork. Remember your animal self and what those long bones are for. Get the lamb chops! is the command on a taped-up sign at BK Jani, a small Pakistani barbecue spot that opened in October in Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is one of some three dozen exhortations lining the walls, handwritten by customers. When they started praising the food, Sibte Hassan, the chef and owner, asked, Would you like to put that on record? Now the compliments serve as advice to those waiting to order at the counter, although in truth you could throw a dart at the menu blindfolded and still be happy. Mr. Hassan, who identifies himself as the restaurants chief grilling officer, is a Midas of meat. News / National by Thobekile Zhou Cecil John Rhodes remains should be exhumed and repatriated to Britain immediately, war veterans have demanded.The war vetetans said Rhodes remains at Matopos evokes bad memories."As war veterans we demand the exhumation of Cecil John Rhodes remains in Matopo. They should be repatriated".They also demanded change of names of all police stations named after white colonisers.The veterans made the demands to President Robert Mugabe in Harare today.The war veterans and Zanu PF members have in the past threatened to exhume Rhodes remains at the world heritage site. The New York University Alumni Association (NYUAA) will honor four outstanding members of the NYU community at its annual Awards Luncheon, including former president John Sexton and Tony Awardwinning actress Ruthie Ann Miles. The luncheon will be hosted by President Andrew Hamilton and NYUAA Board President and Alumni Trustee Beverly Hyman (STEINHARDT 80) on April 8 at the Grand Hyatt New York. Each year, the NYUAA selects distinguished members of the NYU community who embody the spirit of distinction that brings pride to the University by demonstrating extraordinary achievement and service to their professional, vocational, social, and cultural endeavors. The NYUAA Awards unite our community, making us one NYU, says Hyman. The luncheon celebrates our communal pride in the academic, public service, artistic and philanthropic achievements of these exceptional honorees. Honorees include: John Sexton, Benjamin Butler Professor of Law and dean emeritus of the School of Law, served as president of New York University from 2002 through 2015. Milestones of his tenure include growth of NYUs global network, including campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai; a merger with Polytechnic University, now the NYU Tandon School of Engineering; and the largest increase in Arts and Science faculty in the Universitys history. Sexton will be awarded the Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service. Jonathan L. Mechanic (LAW 77) is chairman of Fried Franks Real Estate Department. He routinely counsels developers, owners, investors, REITs, and financial institutions in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. A philanthropist who is renowned in his field, Mechanic was named one of the Most Influential Lawyers by the National Law Journal and is consistently on the New York Observers Power 100 list for people in NY real estate. Mechanic will be awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Jonathan Woodson (MED 79) is the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs who administers the more than $50 billion Military Health System budget and serves as principal adviser to the secretary of defense for health issues. Additionally, he has been recognized extensively for his outstanding surgical career and military service. Woodson will be awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Ruthie Ann Miles (STEINHARDT 07) is a Broadway actress currently appearing in the Tony Awardwinning revival of The King And I at Lincoln Center, for which she won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. Miles is also active with the Broadway Green Alliance and community outreach through Trinity Grace Church. Miles will be awarded the Distinguished Young Alumna Award. The Awards Luncheon will take place on Friday, April 8, 2016 from 12:002:00 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt New York. For more information or to register for this event, click here. About the NYU Alumni Association (NYUAA) The NYU Alumni Association (NYUAA) is the umbrella organization for all University alumni from every NYU school. With a network of more than 470,000 NYU alumni worldwide, the mission of the NYUAA is to build and sustain a lifelong relationship between the University and its alumni through communication, programs, services, volunteering, and opportunities for lifelong learning. School support staff take Novopay to ERA over pay 7 April 2016 The Employment Relations Authority will today hear the case against a Novopay decision that reduces the take-home pay every fortnight of around 6000 school support staff. The Novopay decision means school office administrators, teacher aides and other school support staff who have had their pay annualised receive a cut in their income of 3.7 % each fortnight over the next year. Around 6000 support staff chose to have their pay annualised because they are only paid to work during term time and cannot afford to go through term breaks with no income. Novopays decision is based on payroll technicalities that result in there being 27 fortnightly pay dates, rather than 26, in 2016. We are already the lowest paid people in the education sector. For some support staff, this decision means losing up to $40 per week out of their pay packets, says NZEI national executive support staff representative Alison Gray. Weve been hearing stories about families, who are already struggling, having to cut back further on basics such as groceries, food and shoes for children. A number of support staff who have spoken out against the decision will be in Wellington for the hearing along with parents and other supporters.